-
Description
-
ToC On the Cover: Itty Bitty Titty Committee's Jamie Babbit, Carly Pope, and Daniela Sea; Travel by Mary McGrath (p34); Sister My Sister by Stephanie Schroeder (p40); The Dirt on Carly Pope by Candace Moore (p42); Itty Bitty Titty Committee by Candace Moore (p46); Ten Powerful Lesbian Moms by Liz Folger (p52); Great Entertainers: One Woman's Trash by Candace Moore (p54); Katherine Linton by Lizette Van Hecke (p56); Loving Luenell by Catherine Plato (p57); Hillary Carlip by Jennifer Parello (p58); Hollywood Power by Stephanie Schroeder (p59); Streisand's Lackey by Laurie K. Schenden (p60); Bike Messengers by Sheryl Kay (p61); Desert of My Heart by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p62); Julia Serano and Helen Boyd by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p64); I Heart Clair Huxtable by Lesley Seacrist (p66); ER's Resident Lesbian by Catherine Plato (p67); Cover photo by Elisa Shebaro.
See all items with this value
-
issue
-
7
-
Date Issued
-
September 2007
-
Format
-
PDF/A
-
Publisher
-
Frances Stevens
-
Identifier
-
Curve_Vol17_No7_September-2007_OCR_PDFa.pdf
-
extracted text
-
11
New & Improved"
is usually
Just something
anything
but.
to rethink about.
FranklySpeaking
Lesbians in Hollywood
With a star-studded cast and
a who's who of lesbians in
Hollywood, !tty Bitty Titty
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor in Chief
N
o film has been more hotly anticipated this year than !tty Bitty Titty Committee. The first feature
film from POWER UP, the lesbian entertainment group in Hollywood, !tty Bitty is a veritable
who's who oflesbian celebrities. The brainchild of director Jamie Babbit, who previously helmed But I'm
a Cheerleader,we all have high hopes for the flick. It's also the first lesbian movie with this special brand
of star power: a mix of straight and lesbian cast members, lesbian director, producers and crew, topped
off with a subversive but hilarious lesbian theme. That's a rare occurrence indeed.
We were fortunate to talk with the gals from !tty Bitty, starting with our interview with actor Carly Pope.
Already well known for her role on WB's Popular, Pope shined on the little screen this year as a deliciously naughty lesbian drug dealer named Garbo on FX's Dirt, and now brings her celebrity wattage to
the ensemble of !tty Bitty. Is it a coincidence Pope keeps playing gay and gay-friendly roles? In her candid
interview, Pope talks about that and about what !tty means, including her reportedly hot sex scenes with L
Word star Daniela Sea.
Our cover story goes inside the !tty Bitty Titty Committe, a feminist coming-of-age comedy about using a
political agenda to get laid. Who can argue with that? The film hits theaters this month, so get the scoop
with our story before you head to the box office.
Of course there's more in this issue than those sexy celebs. Our special Great Entertainers section goes
inside Desert Hearts on its 20th anniversary, featuring all-new interviews with stars Patricia Charbonneau
and Helen Shaver as well as with director Donna Deitch. We've also got Ten Powerful Lesbian Moms,
Angela Robinson's GirlTrash!, Borat star Luenell, openly lesbiari ER star Michelle Bonilla and a heartwarming look at famous straight women and their gay sisters. Enjoy.
P.S. You may notice a few changes here at CURVE. Colleen Lee, an editorial intern oh so long ago, has
joined the staff as senior editor, and associate editor Catherine Plato has left for greener pastures. And if
you've missed Fairy Butch's absence this month, don't fret! She's just on a vacation and will be back next
month, with bells on. Or maybe a brand spankin' new zoot suit.
Icurve
THE BEST-SELLING
VOLUME
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
17 NUMBER 7
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
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Senior Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Committee is the most hotly
anticipated film in years. It's a
coming-of-age comedy about
using a political agenda to get
laid. Who doesn't like that?
2
curve
Copy Chief
Proofreaders
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Web Producer
Operations Director
Catalog Department
Advertising Sales
MySpace Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Representatives
Editorial Assistants
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Colleen Lee
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Kathy Beige, Julia Bloch,
Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay,
Gretchen Lee
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma
Stefanie Liang
Amy Silvennan
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Nikki Woelk
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Diana L Berry, Joan Boccafola,
Rivendell Media
Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Tammy Lam
Sarah E. Brown, Maria
Ginsbourg, Katie Peoples,
Amber Rivard
Contributing Writers Elizabeth A. Allen, Jacob AndersonMinshall, Azania Baker, Melanie E. Brown, Michele
Fisher, Liz Folger, Gillian Kendall, Kate Lacey,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Mary McGrath, Katie McKy,
Candace Moore, Jennifer Parello, Catherine Plato,
Aimsel L. Ponti, Jaime Roca, Laura K. Schenden,
Stephanie Schroeder, Lesley Seacrist, Ursula
Steck, Lizette van Hecke, Jocelyn Voo, Melanie
Walters-Beck
Contributing Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter
Contributing Photographers Ed Araque!, Leslie Bohm,
Aaron Cobbett, Jim Cox, Cheryl Craig, Dana
Fineman, Sylvain Gaboury, Rick Gertiarter, Getty
Images, Barbara Green, Gabriela Hashun, John
Healy, Alexandra Hedison, Philippe Levy, Sylvia
Liares, Liz Linder, Max-inc.com, Jason Merritt,
Barbara Nitke, Olivia, Yolanda Perez, Robert
Qualier, Vinni Ratcliff, Virginia Sherwood, Chris
Shields, Alison V. Smith, Corey Smith, Renee Sotile
Volume 17 Issue 7 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Blyant 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 additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve
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 Curve may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries, unsolictted
manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions cannot be returned unless a
self-addressedstamped 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 magazinessent discreetly. Subscription
Inquiries: Please write to Curve, 1550 Blyant Street, Sutte 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster:Send Canadianaddress changes
to shop@curvemag.com,
Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 688. Send
U.S. addresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
Curve,POBox 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
A
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.corn
z
~
I
(J)
~
:5
UJ
cc
al
<(
(!)
Features September 2007
She hangs
out with
the lesbian
smart set...
New Year's
Evewith
k.d. lang,
partying
in Melissa
Etheridge's
backyard,
sharinga
saunawith
a naked
JodieFoster,
playing
basketball
with Rosie...
teaching
Ellenhow to
eat fire.
34 Travel Shark and rays get a feeding in Bora Bora.
Volume 17#7
58 Hillary Carlip Juggling oddball gives us a
By Mary McGrath
glimpse of what it's like to be her. By Jennifer
Pare/lo
40 Sister My Sister Celebrity women and their gay
sisters. By Stephanie Schroeder
59 Hollywood Power Get the insider's view
from a Hollywood agent. By Stephanie Schroeder
42 COVER The Dirt on Carly Pope The hot
46
star is now at the helm of a new lesbian film.
By Candace Moore.
60 Streisand's Lackey A meshuga girl exposes her
ltty Bitty Titty Committee Get the lowdown
on the most hotly anticipated film of the year. By
Candace Moore.
61 Bike Messengers Music via bicycle from the
52 Ten Powerful Lesbian Moms From the carpool
trysts with Hollywood babes in hot tubs, bathroom
stalls and more. By Laurie K. Schenden
~
'j
~
~
~
62 Desert of My Heart Hearts actors discuss
and kitchen to the boardroom, these moms rock.
By Liz Folger
page 58
:F
Cl)
Ditty Bops. By Sheryl Kay
the film and its impact 20 years later. By Diane
Anderson-Minshall
0
(.)
t-=
a:
<(
I
(.)
a:
Great Entertainers
54 One Woman's Trash Gir!Trash!director Angela
64
Julia Serano and Helen Boyd She said, she
said. Two tales of the feminist experience. By
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Robinson takes it to the 'Net. By Candace Moore
Katherine Linton Do we still have a long road
girl a lesson in love. By Lesley Seacrist
ahead of us? By Lizette Van Hecke
67 ER's Resident Lesbian TV's Michelle Bonilla
57 Loving Luenell Borat's hooker with a heart of
Cover photo by
ElisaShebaro
gold shares Castro tales and thoughts on the film.
By Catherine Plato
:::f
...J
w
z
d
::::,
u.
u.
:J
(.)
66 I Heart Clair Huxtable Cosby's wife gives one
56
::::,
0
discusses birds, bells and fireworks. By Catherine
Plato
~
z
>
z
uf
a.
0
e:..
0
a:
<(
CD
w
I
Cl)
~
:J
w
41
curve
mrnrn
[D
ill
[D
Departments
September 2007
"Welesbiansare
supposedto know
thatwe cannot
changeanybody.
Whatwe do insteadis pretend
fromthe startof
the relationship
thatsheis already
the personwho
we aregoingto
changeher into."
page 30
2
Frankly Speaking Franco discusses
what's upcoming with lesbians in
Hollywood.
18 Lesbofile Lots of Lohan, Spice Girl
racket and Rosie's next move.
68 Sapphic Screen Bam 8am and
Celeste, vintage lesbosploitation,
Suddenly and Jennifer Abad.
24 Scenes It's true, you totally should have
8
Contributors New books by us.
Mysteries, children's books and an
essential guide to lesbian relationships.
been there. We were. We had a camera.
26
Lipstick & Dipstick Don't ask, do tell!
My family thinks I'm gay. Am I?
10 Letters More fat girls? A Lipstick sighting, Christians and art, oh my.
27
Relationships Who you want to be
might just tell you who you are.
13 Curvatures A fagbug debut, card
sharks and dirty dames, plus the passing
of a Castro legend.
14 Out in Front An activist, a storyteller
and a immigration and diversity expert
are on the front lines.
16 Open Studio Anna-Marie Lopez
elevates Latina imagery with the
Virgin Mary.
6
Icurve
28 Astro Grrl It's almost fall, time to fall
70 In the Stacks A sister needs to shout,
and Cris Beam tackles trans teens. Plus,
Peggy Munson's Oragami Striptease and
some Andrews & Austin.
73 Music Watch Tune into diversity this
month: Motown, Yiddish sounds, disco
punk and Canadian pop. Plus, Nyika and
Ciara are so hot.
in love.
30
Dyke Drama What did you expect?
Never try to change a woman.
32 Brownworth Do lesbian celebrities really
speak for all of us?
80 Top Ten We Love Ryka Aoki de la
Cruz Trans/Giving's creator doesn't
need to give us anything-we
just the way she is.
love her
~•~W'HJA
t:}~
J.:;,llllllWliil
~ ~~
~@&Em@
~
JJunJt 1l1it;k
~ ,r ~ fJU.UL
~
.tluubAWU"J'ffl,J.ulimJ,
@
'llWt www..aquafina.a,.m
AQUAFINA. AQUAFINA ALIVE, AQUA FINA ALIVE WELLNESSWATER.MAKE YOUR BODY HAPPY, VITA PLUS and design ore trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. 5401000
OfficialWater Sponsorof:
THENAGAAAWORLDSERIES
2007
Phoenix,Arizona October 1-6
To registeryourteamfor an AquafinaAliveKitvisit
the NAGAAAwebsitewww.series2007.org
CONTRIBUTOR'S NEW BOOKS
Were shameless self-promoters here, but hey, we sort of have to be. Several CURVE
contributors have new books out these days so we rounded them up for a bit of loving.
Blind Curves and Blind Leap
DianeAnderson-Minshall
andJacobAnderson-Minshall
(BoldStrokesBooks):
CuRvE's executive editor has a great new mystery series on her hands. Blind
Leap hits stands in November; the debut book Blind Curvescame out in May.
Here's one take on Blind Curves:"A funny and fantastic whirl through a world
of women as smart, savvy and sexy as we'd all like to be. The Blind Eye detective
agency goes up against the murder of Rosemary Finney,
the lesbian publishing magnate whom everyone loves
to hate - especially her ex-lovers. Cruising around the
Bay Area following the sharp curves of the plot, readers
pick up delicious details of many subcultures-from Hollywood closets to New
Orleans cops, from the psychology of losing vision to the fun of blind flirtation.
The conflicting clues are filtered through the perspectives of the sophistic.ated,
Japanese detective, Yoshi, and from the wheelchair of her apparently hapless assistant, ex-detective Bud. Only two questions remain: Why can't life be like this?
And, when's the next book?" (anderson-minshall.com)
- GillianKendall
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••
Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential Guide
to Lesbian Relationships
GinaDaggett
andKathyBeige(Alyson
Books):
When
dykes want advice on love, sex and what to do if your
girlfriend's dad is a raging homophobe they don't call
their moms. They write to Lipstick and Dipstick, the
infamous duo whose first book, out in November,
delivers what CURVEreaders have grown to love-a
sexy,snarky, witty advice on how to be a grown up
from dykes that understand how to make a homo
sweet home. Step one in this must-read tome: help
whip into shape the most precious lesbian commodity: relationships. Dissecting reasonnable dyke
debates (Country club vs. double wide? Wanna go to
a key party? Who pays for dinner?), thisduo helps
readers navigate the wild world of
discovery that pulls up shortly after
the U-haul drives away. Bonus
points for a list of the ten signs it's
not going to work out, the essential
keys to keeping love alive,tips on
keeping lesbian bed death at bay
and how to create a fulfilling longterm relationship. (lipstickdipstick
.com)- DianeAnderson-Minshall
It All Began With a Bean and
Pumpkin Town!
KatieMcKy(Tanglewood
Press)and(Houghton
Mifflin):Two new children's books by Katie
McKy provide insight into her childhood,
"When I was a child, I hated stories that
ended with i\nd they lived happily ever after:
I didn't believe it. I
knew that there was no
'happily ever after' and
that ever more dragons
and ogres were always
lurking around the
coming corners. So, I
write stories for children that admit to life's
unending challenges. They aren't tidy stories,
but they're honest. They're also an invitation
to young readers to use their imaginations
to continue the stories:' It All BeganWith a
Beananswers a former second grader's fearless
que~ "What would happen if everyone farted
at once?"Pumpkin Town!tells of a town buried
beneath pumpkins and considers why frankness can save everyone a pumpkiny heap of
trouble. (katiemcky.com)
- DAM
Mr. Ding's Chicken Feet
GillianKendall(Terrace
Books):
One of those rare memoirs that is both vividly
nostalgic and utterly hilarious. A former Navy English teacher, author Gillian
Kendall has a flawless sense of comic pacing that drives this book about life on
the Tan Suo Zhe, a Chinese vessel, teaching men to speak English. The book is
so much more engrossing than one can imagine from the title (a reference to the
crew's culinary delights). Affectionate and witty, Mr. Ding'sis a must-read for
armchair travelers and lit lovers alike. (gilliankendall.com)
- DAM
s Icurve
Bed: New Lesbian Erotica and
Day of the Dead and Other Tales
Victoria
A.Brownworth
(MagicCarpetBooks)
and(HaworthCuRvE's
):
long-time political columnist already has a couple dozen books under
her belt with three more out this year, including
Bed:New LesbianErotica,The GoldenAge of
LesbianEroticaand Day of the Dead and Other
Tales."Brownworth's new haunting collection,
Day of theDead and Other Tales,will leave you
longing for more tales of lesbian desire, loss, and
possession. Her characters seem to be always in
transit, either fleeing or in reluctant exile from
homelands like Ireland, Vietnam, Sweden and
rural Kansas; what binds them is the stories'
frequent return to the intertwined themes of
violence and justice (a well-timed moment of
levity has a vampire lamenting that others of
her kind "don't share the same politics") as well
as to the city of New Orleans, which is in many
cases a kind of central character itself and in
other instances a spectre,
slipping into the story like
fog through an open window.
In the end, Brownworth
has written an elegy to
pre-Katrina New Orleans;
perhaps the book's most
memorable tale is "Diary of a
Drowning," a poignantly rendered portrait of a woman who haunts the city
like the lover she couldn't bear to leave behind:'
(haworthpress.com)
and (magic-carpet-books.com)
- Julia Bloch
The Brides of March
BerendeMotier
(iUniverse,
Inc.):Our humor essayist offers up The Bridesof March,a
hilarious and sobering memoir about lesbian motherhood
and the pitfalls of a legal
system that doesn't know how
to acknowledge same-sex relationships. This richly woven book juxtaposes
the author's own coming of age as a punk kid
(and voracious teenage harlot) with her life now,
as a wife and suburban mom with a SUV full
of precocious kids of her own. Bridesis a quirky,
witty, engaging and beautifully crafted tale of a
life lived. (thebridesofmarch.com)-DAM
Letters
Get up to
$f00
value
American Express
branded award card
when you
buy a set
of four eligible*
Bridgestonetires.
"Throughyour inspiration,
I havefoundmyselfjoining
a CodePinkvigil,volunteeringat PortlandPrideand an
EarthDay fair...and livinga
lifegenerallymorefocused
on socialaction."
Love Thy Neighbor
The art of Janet McKenzie is so beautiful and rev,
erent, I was sorry to read that she receives a "never,
ending flood of hateful phone calls and e,mails"
as well as possible bomb packages (Open Studio,
Vol.17, #4). In addition, there is worry about the
controversy sure to erupt in Taos, N.M., where her
piece "Jesus of the People" will be shown at an art
gallery. Presumably, those evil, violent Christians
are to blame again.
However, perusal of this very successful art,
ist's Web site is puzzling: "Jesus of the People"
won a competition conducted by the National
Catholic Reporters; her paintings are published
by American and The Lutheran, both Christian
magazines; a solo exhibition was shown at the
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. It appears
the creation of holy images has been supported by
the Catholic Church since its inception thousands
of years ago.
From the 1989 [photograph by Andres
Serrano) "Piss Christ" to the 1999 [controversial
painting by Chris Ofili) 'Tue Holy Virgin Mary"
to this Easter's video game Christ Killa (in which
one can shoot homicidal Jesus Christs), Christians
are routinely subjected to derogatory insults by the
art world. Yet, I cannot remember even one howling
mob screaming for vengeance. The vast majority of
American Christians just quietly continue to prac,
rice their faith.
I would urge you to truly embrace the diversity
of our community, which includes Christians of
all denominations.
- Barbara Yunker, Huntington Beach, Calif.
We Heart Lipstick and Dipstick
I came to visit my home state for a wedding, and
10 I curve
luckily it was around Pride weekend. My best gay
friend and I made the pilgrimage to San Francisco.
At Pride I helped support the Breast Cancer
Emergency Fund and the Aids Emergency Fund
by selling raffie tickets. It was my personal mission
to find CURVE'S booth. With some help, I found
it and was giddy when I recognized the booth
volunteers, Dipstick and Lipstick! I contained
myself while I asked to buy a CURVE muscle tank
and back issues. I then requested that they sign
them for me. Both Lipstick and Dipstick were the
sweetest and coolest people, and were excited to
know that I was a fan of theirs! Later I went to an
exclusive party by local magazine Pink Mag, and
guess who I saw? Other CURVE magazine staff
sporting the cool CURVE T,shirts! I met Lipstick
and her partner, and she remembered me. I even
took a photo of Lipstick with my camera phone.
Later on, I saw Mimi from Bravo's Work Out with
Jackie Warner, and took a pie of her too! She was
a sweetheart. Thank you CURVE for making this a
happy Pride, my first and best experience ever!
- MelissaJimenez, Williamsburg, Va.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
My mother always told me that if you have good
news and bad, start with the good news, so here
it goes. The good: I really enjoy Sheryl Kay's Out
in Front interviews with interesting lesbians. She
really captures the diversity that is our community
in a very enjoyable way, not too long, not too short,
just right. Other than what I have to say next, I've
always enjoyed CURVE. The bad: The very de,
tailed description by Fairy Butch of fisting ("Start
From Scratch;' Vol. 17, #6) was a little over the
top. That's more suited for the old On Our Backs
magazine or other resources. Call me vanilla, but
ii:"
::::,
0
a:
~
0
a:
<(
ID
w
I
Cl)
<15
:::i
w
• IBRIIJliESTOREi
Letters
I expect a little more decorum from CURVE.A
woman's personal sexual preferences are not an issue with me but I don't want to read about it in
what I have, until this point, considered a classy
magazine. The ugly: Nor do I think it's a swell idea
have this type of information out on newsstands
so that we give more ammunition to our detractors
to label us deviants. Namaste!
- Kim Ann Callan,The Gazette, Tampa Bays
Gay & Lesbian News Magazine, Tampa, Fla.
Where Are the Chubby Chasers
I am a 20-year-old lesbian from Ohio. I was looking around on your Web site and cannot find anything about fat issues, or anyone on the cover who
represents different body types. Are there issues of
CURVEthat talk about the pride the community
should have for all lesbians' body types?
- Amanda M. Monyak, Bowling Green, Ohio
"DieselFemmes,"aprofileofplus-sizedclothingdesign- that list was in? Your magazine does a great job.
er Sossity Chircuzio, in November 2006; "Why Fat I'm glad our community has it. Thank you.
Chicks Rock," in January/February 2007; "Tribute
- Anonymous, via e-mail
to an Activist Diva," about Heather MacAllister and
written by Fat Girl Speaks
Editor's Note: Every year,
founder Stacy Bias, in May
our
November issue features
Diesel Femmes
2007; and an interviewwith
a list of the top gayjriendly
-......................
_
.......
__..,.....__.....,
self-describedbig girl Yoshi
companies.
a---...........
.. """"""•..-,..
.__...,.,,
..._~
..
_.., ...
..
Reagon in July 2007. As far
·----"""·
...
......
...........
......
........
_....,.....
....
.....
as coversgo, its sometimes
..::::.=!=...~
An Homage to Victoria
difficulttofind the right mix
Brownworth
to keep our indie magazine
As my subscription to
afloat. Since readers love
CURVEdraws to a close and
(and buy) celebrity covers,
as I feel moved to simplify
and "celebrity"unfortunately
my life, I probably will not
tends to mean "thin," it can
renew. However, I wanted
'1 hadwa1<edthe lestJval
foreoglt)'8il'S at that poontand knew
thel rt thele!Ml8Sthat wa1<edthe lestival11<.ed
my S1ull,I was
be hardfor us to keep everyto say thanks to you for the
defi•lely onto somethng."Clwicuzio
l8lq,s. "It lakssa fieroe
lashoonsense to makeli'lgenerealy wor1<
ll thewoods."
one happy in that respect.
features and opinion pieces
-
.......: .. ...,..~..,.._nrr..t
-
,~;
;;:::~
~~
Working Girls Alert
Editor's Note: Amanda, don't say its so. A chubby CuRvE published a list of
girl myself,I work hard to representmy chunkypeeps, the top gay-friendly employers sometime in 2006.
and I think we'veactuallycoveredfat issuesquite a bit I had the issue but apparently have misplaced it
this year.Just a few of the articleswe'vehad recently: and want to reorder it. Can I find out which issue
CuRvE'sCover:Crew
in the magazine. Over the
past year, I have enjoyed
CURVEthoroughly. It is your
writings, though, that have touched my heart and
moved me to action. Through your inspiration, I
have found myself joining a CodePink vigil, volunteering at Portland Pride and an Earth Day fair,
moving to an inclusive and progressive faith community, online at micahsvillage.org, and living a life
generally more focused on social action. Thank you
for your words of wisdom and direction shared
each month. While I will miss reading your pieces,
know that you have helped move me on the path to
action, and I have no plans to tum back!
-Sharon V.L. Chinn, Portland, Ore.
Editor's Note: Readers will be happy to hear that
we worked some mojo on Sharon and got her to stick
aroundanotheryear. Its alwaysniceto have our writers know how much their work affectsreaders'lives,
though,so alwayslet us know who is movingyou.
Got Something on Your Mind?
E-mail letters@curvemag.com; write to CURVE
Letters, 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103; fax to 415-863-1609. Please include
your name, city and state. Letters may be edited for
clarity and length.
Hotness just doesn't happen, it takes our devoted and gifted crew. Big
thumbs up to the team that made our cover shoot possible. Top (from left):
POWER UP's Lisa Thrasher, Carly Pope, hair stylist Shannon Hoover/Liz Bell
Agency, photo assistant Brenndan Laird. Bottom (from left): Daniela Sea,
Jamie Babbit, photographer Elisa Shebaro, clothing sylist Faranak Dacosta/
Liz Bell Agency, and makeup stylist Jon Hennessey/nobasura.com. Holla!
12
Icurve
Corrections
In our June issue (Vol. 17, #5), we misidentified
Wendy Goodman; she is vice president of promotion adult formats. Also in Curvatures "Golden
Crown Literary Society;' we incorrectly listed
Katherine Smith; in fact, executive director Kathy
_Smith is one of nine board members. CURVEsincerely regrets the errors. ■
Curvatures
Last Chance at Summer
By the time you're eight years old, you pretty much know that Labor Day signals the end of fun as we know it. No more floating on inner tubes or jumping off tire swings or sun baking (er, bathing) on top of your building's black tar roo£ It's back to school, back to work,
back to fleece outerwear, so take this one last weekend and party like it's June 29 all weekend long. - Diane Anderson-Minshall
Fancy Footwear
Sure, there are plenty of flipflops on the market now from
Paul Frank's skull-covered
ones to Old Navy's basic, uh,
navy, but we adore old-school
SoCal's Redondo Flojos and
you will, too. $26, flojos.com
Get Your Grill On-Anywhere
This full-sized portable grill folds up to
suitcase size, fits in your trunk and then
expands to full height. An electric ignition
means no matches or kindlng, either.
$350, hammacher.com
Help Mama Earth and Get a Sandwich
Hate tossing out all those baggies after
every picnic? No more with the ecofriendly Wrap-N-Mat, a reusable wrap
and placemat all in one. $5 and up,
wrap-n-mat.com
Ya Gotta Have Shades
Whether you're offbeat and a little
quirky or bookish and demure, there
are specs for you. Try these Zebra
Stripes from Rainbow or the Nebb
Flesh with calibar tinted lenses from
Moscot. $7 and up, rainbowshops.com
and moscots.com
ltty Bitty Bikini
OK, admittedly a bikini doesn't work for
all of us, but if it does for you, sister, then
flaunt it in one of these super-cute mixand-match Cover Style bikinis. $42,
cover-style.com
Hot Tea to Go
Why settle for bottled
water when you can fill
this lovely hand-painted
mint floral Chinese
thermos with the drink
of your choice? $14,
asianideas.com
Move Over,
Lucky Mag
Forlesbians
whohave
beensecretlystashing
awayyourcopiesof
Lucky(youknowwhoyou
are)because
youliketo
shopbutaren'tdigging
the ethicsof a consumermagazine
that'sall
aboutwhatto buy,well,
there'ssomegoodnews.
ThenewShopSmart
magazine,
withitstagline
"Nohype,noads,just
greatbuys,"is targeted
at educated,
savvy,30something
womenwho
wanthonestreviews
withoutfreebiesandadvertisements.
Covering
a
wholegamutof products
fromiPodsto organic
groceries,
ShopSmartoffersreadersfrankadvice
aboutwhetherto whip
outtheirVisacards.The
difference,
saysEditorin
ChiefLisaLeeFreeman,
between
the magazine
andothershoppingmags
is "we're100percentunbiased."Produced
bythe
nonprofitadvocacy
group
Consumers
Union(the
folksbehindConsumer
Reports),
ShopSmart
aimsto offersomething
womengenerally
don't
get:smartadviceon
thingswecareabout.
- LesleySeacrist
CURVATURES
WRITTEN
BY
MelanyWatters-Beck,
SarahE.Brown,
AmberRivard,
Sheryl
Kay,DianeAndersonMinshall,
KatieMcKy,
LesleySeacrist
September 2007
I 13
Brewer's Choice
The Beat Goes On
Vu's Clues
For much of the past 30 years, AllisonBrewer
has devoted her professional life to some form
of activism.
Based in New Brunswick, Canada, she has
had her hands in the fight for global socialjustice,
reproductive choice, LGBT civil rights and advo~
cacy for people with disabilities.
Several years ago, while attending the
United Nations World Women's Conference
in Beijing, Brewer was detained for having
been part of a group of lesbians who hung a
banner in the plenary hall that read, "Lesbian
Rights Are Human Rights:'
In 2004, Brewer garnered the Governor
General's Award, one of Canada's most presti~
gious awards, for her LGBT civil rights work.
"I was floored when I heard I was to be a
recipient, and it wasn't until I read what the
nominators had submitted on my behalf that I
was able to take an objective look at my work
and realize for the first time that I'd made a
difference;' Brewer says.
In Canada, gay rights are protected under
the constitution and relationships are legally
recognized."Weve won the war;' Brewer says.
Still, complacency isn't an option. Although it
was defeated, the provincial government recent~
ly considered legislation that would have made
it possible for marriage commissioners on the
public's payroll to deny performing marriages
that were contrary to their religious beliefs.
"Our greatest challenge is to work to
ensure our rights are protected and to continue
to educate the public on LGBT issues;' Brewer
says. - Sheryl Kay
Wherever she is, Amikaeyla
Proudfoot
Gaston
has a story to tell.
When shes not serving in a leadership
capacity for numerous health, education and
social~work advocacy groups, Gaston performs
internationally as a drummer and storyteller.
She says it is her life quest to understand and
experience the communion of body, mind and
spirit on the path to wellness.
"In my corporate, nonprofit and volunteer
work I have tried to create and participate in
programs that provide access to better health,
particularly for LGBT women and women of
color;' she says. "My artistic work is an expres~
Among the very last group of Vietnamese
refugees admitted to the United States, Cuc
Vu'searly~childhood experience of that trip,
riding in a helicopter and on a trans~Pacific
ship, is one of great adventure.
Acclimating to life in the United States
and its financial pressures was another thing,
and Vu gained a very real~world understand~
ing of the hardships endured by immigrant
populations, an understanding that eventu~
ally led to her life's work.
"I think I was hard~coded to do socialjustice
work;' she says.
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front._. of activism?
Write at~.com.
14
Icurve
sion of that path and my belief in the healing
power of music:'
Gaston, who helped create Sistah
Summerfest and the Spirit Health Education
Circle program for the Mautner Project,
knows healing firsthand. She spent more than
a year recuperating in a hospital after being
run over outside the Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival several years ago.
Both victim and survivor of a hate crime,
she was hit by a truck and dragged 86 feet on a
gravel road. The police officer who arrived said,
"one less nigger in the world is fine with me;' as
he let the assailants go, Gaston recalls.
Still, her enormous attitude has prevailed.
"There's so much more to do and enjoy in
this little, short life than spend time dwelling
on the past;' says Gaston, who has gone on to
win numerous national awards, scholarships
and fellowships. "It's all about our individual
life path, and although we don't know what's
ahead, it's how we deal with today and what
kind of skin we stand in, how we are as human
beings and what kind of integrity we keep to,
no matter the challenge:' - Sheryl Kay
Vu has had tremendous success over the
years, including her work on the Mi Familia
Vota campaign to educate and tum out Latino
voters, resulting in more than 75,000 new vot~
ers, as well as helping to establish the Service
Employees International Union as the leading
union on immigration issues.
Being both an immigrant and a lesbian, Vu
says she has been frustrated by the disconnect
between the two communities. So shes stepped
up again, working toward reconnection.
Vu has been named the first chief diversity
officer for the Human Rights Campaign, a post
that reports directly to HR C's president, Joe
Solmonese. To achieve the organization's goal of
broadening support for LGBT equality among
all Americans, there needs to be outreach, Vu
says,partially to be achieved through a national
dialogue campaign and diversity training for
volunteers and leaders in 33 cities.
"Not only can our diversity initiatives enrich
HRC and result in fullparticipation, equity and
unity throughout our HRC family,I believe that
we can become one of the most successfulorga~
nizations in the country at linking LGBT issues
with community issues;'Vu says. - Sheryl Kay
~
~
~
:t:
z
:t:
0
..,
Anna-Marie Lopez
I
PAINTER
I
According to the National Association Against Censorship, interpretations of the Virgin Mary have been
censored only a few times in this country.
In 2006, out lesbian and painter Anna,Marie Lopez, the most recent person to be censored, was asked
to contribute to a show for the Virgin de
Guadelupe celebration in her hometown of San Antonio. True to form, talented Lopez crafted a piece
that explored the Virgin's roots, which she
discovered lay in the Aztec goddess Tonantzin. Her work was initially accepted, yet the night before the
show's opening the curator called to inform
her that there was no room for her work, explaining later that she was indeed being censored.
Outraged to say the least, Lopez petitioned nationwide to fight the exhibition's censorship. Ultimately,
she decided against litigation and opted
instead to devote her energy and resources to her painting and 2007 collection of poetry and paintings
entitled Step Out Into a Full Moon, which she
recently co,authored with her girlfriend Candice Daquin.
Remarkably, Lopez has never taken an art class. Her paintings draw from a variety of cultural and artistic
influ,
ences, including Alice Neel, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo and Russian and NYC street artist Konstantine
Bokov,
and are a wild and surrealistic interpretation of the struggles and triumphs of modern life. In Paradise (Dream
# 1), dis,
embodied figures with animal heads gaze into mirrors that distort and twist the images they reflect. Lopez's
censored
Virgin is equally mesmerizing, juxtaposing a barbed,wire fence with a nearly naked, human heart,wearing
Virgin,
departing from traditional images and exposing a woman who aligned herself with the people-not the
powerful. In
late May 2007, Lopez showcased her work in the Onda Arte Latina/Cross Currents Gallery exhibition
Poder y Fuego,
which was the first Portland, Ore. area show featuring art by Latino/ a queers. "We queers are still in
a struggle for
equality, [and] at times we forget this until we find ourselves in the midst of a battle;' says Lopez. Visit
her online at
anna,marielopez.com. - Sarah E. Brown
16
Icurve
Curvatures
Activist Debuts the FagBug
In near tears, Davies parked and ran back to her girlfriend.
"It took the police an hour to come. We waited in my girlfriend's car and watched. In that hour, about 50 people passed:'
But not a single person could easily pass the Bug.
"They all stopped. Everyone reacted. When the police arrived, they kept insisting that I must have an enemy. For too
long, they didn't see it as a hate crime:'
Since her car was drivable, Davies' insurance company, per
their policies, told her to drive it until the graffiti could be
What do Erin Davies, 29, of Albany, N.Y., and Opie Taylor
(Ron Howard's cherubic character on The Andy GriffithShow),
of make-believe Mayberry, N.C., have in common? Both have
red hair, freckles and an aw-shucks smile. And both like girls.
But there are differences. Whereas Opie was a boy, Davies
was a tomboy.
"I slept with my basketball. And rather than ride the bus to
school, I walked so that I could dribble all the way there and back:'
However, Davies did dabble in frills.
"My mother enrolled me in a beauty pageant when I was in
first grade. I wore a white, shiny dress with a pink bow in my hair.
There was only one other girl in my age bracket. She was much
more done up than I was and I felt kind of embarrassed. I won
second place, but that's only because there were only two of us:'
But the biggest difference between Opie and Davies is their
antagonists. Whereas the moonshiners of Mayberry were loveable, Davies lives in a world where a tiny rainbow sticker sent a
homophobe to deface her beloved, gray Volkswagen Bug with a
red "fAg' and "u r gay:' Davies first reacted as most might.
"I first saw the red from a distance. Then I read the words. I
was shocked and ashamed. Still, I was late for work, so I started
driving. People stared and pointed, so I went home:'
removed.
"When I first explained my situation to an agent, he laughed.
I did get a rental car, [but], by then, many in my neighborhood
knew about what had happened. People stopped me to talk.
They even stopped me in traffic. They'd say,'I saw your car. I
can't believe that happened: I just couldn't get away from it:'
Since Davies, a former Division 1 basketball player with
basketball-sized ovaries, couldn't flee the hate crime, she took
it on: one on one. She created fagbug.com to share what happened, but she's not limiting her activism to the Internet. This
summer, she'll go on the road, driving her fagbug across the
country. Along the way, she'll document the responses it provokes. The fagbug is a rolling billboard for anti-homophobia.
Even parked, it provokes.
"When I return to my car, I now always wo~der what I'll
find. People have left notes on it expressing their sorrow. Some
put money in the notes. One note was left by a guy who does
detailing. He offered to remove the red paint for free:'
But Davies decided that some things aren't so easily-or
best removed.
"Someone told me that even if the defacing were removed,
I'd still see it. I think that's so:'
She's giving others a chance to see it, too. Through the Web
site fagbug.com, her impending trip and various interviews,
Davies is offering a discomforting look into the heart of hidden
bigotry-and the inspiration of a woman who won't hide.
"I don't want to look back at the end of my life and have
any regrets. Even if something turns out bad, at least I am not
someone who will wonder what i£ I have no what ifs:' - KM
Hot Hoodie
Therearefewthings
hotterthana girl in a
RocketWorldCreature
tell
Hoodie.Seriously,
meyouwouldn'tblink
if this girl walkeddown
thestreetbyyou?
Limitedto only444
pieces,this limited
Creature
editionI.W.G.
Hoodiehastwo zippered
handwarmerpockets,
with insidestashpockets,a leftsleeveslotfor
yourSharpiemarkerand
an iPodpocket(witha
wireslot).
headphone
Andof course,it makes
youlooklikea bear!
There'sa backstorybut
you'llhaveto discoverit
yourselfat rocketworld
just got
.com.Polartec
hotter.- DAM
Dirty Dames and Card Sharks
6
ffi
~
Cl)
g
*
w
~
G
I'm not a big poker player and am not sure I've really ever seen a wolf deck or stag deck, but I can't
get enough of StackedDecks:The Art and History
of Erotic Playing Cards, a lavish hardcover book
with over a 100 illustrations of playing cards from
1807 to present day. With titillating nude and
semi-nude models, burlesque singers, flappers,
1950s pinup girls and more, the book also offers
vintage ads and some sexy cultural commentary. It
ain't just about the kitsch, baby. - DAM
September 2007
I
17
Curvatures
Lesbofile
Girls, Girls, Girls
From Scary Spice to sports writers, the queer family keeps growing. I By Jocelyn Voo
Cheers, queers! This month, the gay tabloids fea,
ture some fresh new faces. And Lindsay Lohan.
Lots of Lovin'
LindsayLohan,Maxim's number one pin,up on
its 2007 "Hot 100 List" and VIP of the night,
club,rehab merry,go,round, may be more than
just friends with her best galpal. "Maybe she was
tired of the boys and that is why she decided to
spice it up with BFF Samantha Ronson;' ex,
Hollywood publicist Jonathan Jaxon writes on
his blog. However, another source denies his ac,
cusation. "Oh, please, that's silly;' says the source.
"Lindsay just loves to have fun and mix it up a bit:'
Note that's no denial. So, is Lohan "bisexual" just
because no one on either side of the fence wants
her? Seeing how she's been cavorting around lately,
we can't say we'd blame them.
Dude Looks Like a Lady
"During my 23 years with The Times' sports de,
partment, I have held a wide variety of roles and
titles;' wrote Los Angeles Times reporter Mike
Penner this past April. "Tennis writer. Angels
beat reporter. Olympics writer. Essayist. Sports
media critic. NFL columnist. Recent keeper of the
Morning Briefing flame. Today I leave for a few
weeks' vacation, and when I return, I will come back
in yet another incarnation. As Christine:' Yep, you
read that right: the old boys' club of sportswriting
is losing one of their own and gaining its first,ever
transsexual. Penner-ChristineDaniels-has ex,
perienced almost universal support and encour,
agement from her associates regarding her coming
out. Guess it doesn't matter which team you bat
for, as long as you can still play ball.
Spice Up Your Life
Even though all eyes are on former Posh Spice
Victoria Beckham and soccer stud David Beckham
these days, another ex,Spice Girl is making head,
lines: MelanieBrown,a.k.a. Scary Spice. Brown
has never denied that she's a sexual creature.
"People can call me lesbian, bisexual or heterosex,
ual, but I know who's in my bed and that's it-I
have a huge libido and a great sex life;' Brown has
reportedly said in the past. And now one of those
skeletons in her bed is coming back to life: Christa
Parker, a friend of Brown's, told British magazine
Closer that she'd once been romantically linked
with the singer, and that Brown's two,year rela,
1s
I curve
a:
0
0
I
~
0
i
Cl'.l
0
0
i
w
I
(/)
<i:
tionship with a film exec known only as Christine
(and who Brown had been photographed kissing
in. 2004) ended "because Christine wanted more
commitment:'
The tables have turned on Brown, though,
because now it's not she who's avoiding commit,
ment-it's confirmed baby,daddy Eddie Murphy,
who'd been refusing to take a paternity test for
months. This June, a DNA test proved Murphy
was the father of Brown's newborn baby, Angel
Iris Murphy Brown. Karma's a bitch.
The Hostess With the Mostest
Gay is the way to go, The View producers have
decided. RosieO'Donnell
stepped down from her
perch as the volatile speaker on the coffee klatch
in recent months, and producers are scurrying to
find a replacement. The two frontrunners? Mario
Cantone, well known as Charlotte's gay wedding
planner on Sex and the City, and Ross Mathews,
formerly Ross the Intern on The Tonight Show
With Jay Leno.
"It is high time they put a gay man on that
panel;' former View co,host Debbie Matenopoulos
told People magazine. "They've said 'We can't put a
man here: I disagree. Why does it have to be guys
against girls? I have a better time and solve more
problems sitting with my gay guy friends than my
girlfriends!"
Other rumored candidates include Kathy
Griffin, WhoopiGoldberg
and Sherri Shepherd, all
of whom have made guest host appearances lately.
And what of O'Donnell? Rumors were swirl,
ing that she would move onto the Price Is Right.
With Bob Barker finally retiring the show is in
need of a new leader. O'Donnell writes in her
blog, "to get my entire family uprooted from their
lives...doesn't seem fair ..:• We will see, we are all
waiting for those magic words: "Rosie, come on
down!"
z
a
a:
>
t
>
w
I
I=..
()
Cl'.l
~
a:
w
a.
~
~
~
1.
a:
a
w
()
a:
~
()
~
:?
s
LI:
en
w
a:
<i:
z
:::;
<i:
:5
~
Curvatures
Got Money:
Better yet, got enough money:>If, like most of us,
the answer is hell no, Money Pants.com just might
be the way to go. Lesbian founders Julia Salazar,
Komal Bhojwani and Anne Stockwell have joined
forces using their own personal experiences in
spending, budgeting, saving and investing to create a Web site that offers advice, budgeting tools
and goal planning. Unlike some financial planners
(which none of these gals are!) the women are
quick to admit there is nothing wrong with making money, but they espouse doing so in a loving
environment, without sacrificing health, neglecting children or telling lies. - SK
Chicago Gets Centered
The grand opening of Chicago's Center on Halsted
last June marked the last phase of the $20 million
project designed be a focal point for the LGBT
community of Chicago, serving the community's
diverse social, recreational, cultural, and social service needs. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included
an appearance by Mayor Richard M. Daley who
secured $5.4 million in loans and subsidies for
the construction of the 60,000 square foot facility located at 3656 N. Halsted Street. With its
gleaming industrial-chic exterior and eco-friendly
design, it is an attractive addition to the north end
of Boystown.
A "green building," Center on Halsted boasts
natural ventilation and CO2 monitoring, recycled
carpeting in all of the common areas, large windows to reduce the need for electrical power, and a
Just off the sundeck is the Irving Harris
Foundation Reception Hall, another rental space
perfect for the upscale lesbian wedding reception
as well as the Billie Jean King recreational area,
a full-size gymnasium complete with basketball
courts. The ground floor retail space will be occupied by a much-needed Whole Foods Market
opening in July.
Events at Center on Halsted have already included a concert by TheL Word rockers, BETTY,
a youth prom, LGBT parent focus group and various workshops and lectures. More info, including volunteer opportunities are available via the
Center Web site, centeronhalsted.org. - MWB
TakeAmerica's
travel
favoriteLGBT
high-tech rainwater harvesting system that filters
roof-runoff into usable water for flushing toilets
and urinals. All building materials have high post
consumer and post-industrial recycled content,
are low emitting, and all wood is FSC certified.
Bright and expansive, the first floor lobby is
home to a donor recognition wall enhanced with
the building's original 1930s brickwork. Other
features of Center on Halsted include the David
J. Lochman Cyber Center, a public-use computer
lab, a daycare facility, Horizons Youth Program
and the SAGE program for LGBT elders.
The Hoover-Leppen Theater and Richard M.
Daley rooftop garden on the Center's third floor are
both available for public use as well as meeting rental. The sundeck provides an unbelievable view of the
Chicago skyline and rumor has it there are plans in
the works to add a pizza oven and grill.
September 2007
I 19
Curvatures
I
A Hipster Les ho Jamboree
This fest seriously deserves a spot on your calendar. ESG, the
Noisettes, Yo Majesty, Marnie Stern, Bahamania, Pit Er Pat,
Rita J, Cordero, Nicky Click and the gravity-defying antics of
"aerial burlesque" star, Brandy Dew, are all scheduled at the five
-day celebration of sass.
Aside from the music, Estrojam dedicates plenty of energy to movies, art and activism, including workshops, panels
and a mini film festival. It also provides a venue for "the most
important speakers, activists and world organizations for the
arts, education, health, social change, human rights and nonviolence:' Previous Estrojam workshops have included "Girls
Rock Camp;' "Lead Guitar Workshop;' "Women, Media and
Jammin' for
Justice
Don'tmissthe Great
WigOut,
Midwestern
Sept.22-23, at the
of Illinoisat
University
NewYork's
Springfield.
dragcomicHedda
and
Lettuceheadlines,
a bevyof otherqueer
andwomen'sbands,
speakersandcomics
(at presstime Bitch
andMargaretChowere
possibleattendees)
will helpthe school's
Alliance
Queer-Straight
Thisfirst
celebrate.
annualfestivalwill
support,amongother
things,ThePhoenix
a youthcenter
Center,
that supportsLGBTQ
a
teensin Springfield,
smallcity 175miles
To
southof Chicago.
getyourgrooveon,or
makea donation,goto
thegreatmidwestern-DAM
wigout.com.
Tired of that post- Michfest depression that always seems to hit
around the beginning of September? You know the one. There's
always that letdown after the sunburn fades and the realization
sets in that it will be an entire year before you can stomp around
in the mud with the sounds of literate, creative women as your
soundtrack. Fortunately Chicago's Estrojam Festival, now in its
fifth year, has stepped up to fill that void in our hearts and ears.
At least until October.
Held September 19-23, Estrojam promises another year of
estrogen-fueled artistry that will satisfy just about any artistic
taste. With a super-diverse musical lineup featuring trenchant
'90's alt-rocker Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses, Chi-town's
own "next big thing," rapper Psalm One and the "visceral and
forceful rock" of Suffrajett, whose white-hot frontwoman, Simi
(previously of SistaGrrl Riott) is reason enough to take notice.
Three organizations recognized the best lesbian literature of
2007. This year's dyke lit winners were chosen from hundreds
of entries and spanned a mytiad of categories. The full list is at
curvemag.com, but here are some highlights:
LambdaLiteraryAwards(TheLammys)
The Lammy, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation,
is perhaps the most coveted award among queer writers. This
year's winner in the Lesbian Fiction category was The Night
Watch, Sarah Waters' fever-charged imagining of Victorian-era
Sapphism. Children's/Young Adult winner, Between Mom & Jo,
by Julie Anne Peters, depicts the experience of a teenage boy
caught in the middle of his mothers' breakup, touching upon
little-discussed experiences of children in same-sex divorces.
TheGoldenCrownLiterarySocietyAwards(TheGoldies)
The Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) presented their
third annual book awards to honor the finest lesbian literature of
the past year this June. Winners include JLee Meyer, who tapped
into her psychology, speech pathology and international com-
Icurve
out Estrojam's Web site at estrojam.org for more information.
MySpace addicts can hit up myspace.com/ estrojam_festival
and add a new friend. - MWB
And the Award Goes to ...
(lambdaliterary.org)
20
the Internet" and"How to Write a Zine:'
If all that isn't convincing, then consider it your good deed
to jam out to great sounds as the proceeds from Estrojam are
donated to beneficiaries that "represent the spirit of Estrojam;'
such as Burma's Shan Women's Action Network, National
Organization for Women and Girls Rock! Chicago.
At $50 for a full pass and $10-20 for individual shows,
Estrojam is plenty affordable for those on a budget and hosts
events at a number of hip venues throughout the Windy City.
All are accessible from Chicago's not-always-dean but surprisingly dependable, public transportation system and many are located near major lodging and fine dining establishments. Check
munication consultant background
in writing her Lesbian Mystery/
Thriller/ Adventure-winning novel,
First Instinct. Karin Kallmaker won
in the Lesbian Erotica category with
18th & Castro, a tale rife with lustful parties, costumes and other decadences oflesbian sexuality endemic to the famed titular intersection in the heart of the Castro. (goldencrown.org)
TriangleAwards
Publishing
The 19th Annual Triangle Awards awarded prizes for the year's
best lesbian and gay fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Highlights
include Alison Bechdel's dark graphic novel Fun Home, which
captured the Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Nonfiction.
(Bechdel previously won several other mainstream awards as
well.) The Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry was presented to Jennifer Rose for Hometown for an Hour, which allows
narratives of love, heartbreak, and a sense of displacement to
burst from the confines of her chosen medium, the postcard.
(publishingtriangle.org)- SEB
Castro's Lesbian
Icon Dies
Trevor Hailey, a former San Francisco resident and Castro neighborhood icon died of a sudden stroke last June. She was 66. For
15 years Hailey brought strangers, both locals and tourists alike,
together in her tours of the San Francisco gayborhood known as
the Castro District. She told stories and gave interesting and fun
historical facts about the history of the Castro in her "Cruisin' the
Castro" tours for 16 years.
Hailey, once known as Dorothy Evelyn Fondren, was born
and raised in Jackson, Miss. She never felt as though she fit in
there, which pushed her to enlist in the Navy in her earlier years.
From the Navy she transferred in 1972 to the Naval Hospital in
Oakland, and worked as a nurse.
Soon after, while attending San Francisco State University,
she had the idea to give people insight into the history of San
Francisco's queer community. She began leading tours of the
Castro in 1989 that could last as long as three hours. By 2005, she
had given over 4,000 tours.
Hailey's tours were fun and exciting, having a mixture of historical facts and personal experiences. She pointed out historical
places such as the Castro Theatre and Harvey Milk's Camera
Shop.
"Gay people leave with their self-image improved and those
from the alternative lifestyle, or what I call my straight clients,
leave far better educated;' Hailey said to the Bay Area Reporter in
a 2005 interview. "Bless their hearts they have not been given the
respect of getting the right information about our community:'
"Trevor had that living spirit that people never forget;' her
partner, Norma Sue Griffin, said to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"She was the life of every party with that magic to take a group
of total strangers and in one hour bring them into a sense of
~
.J
<
6
a:
w
community:'
Much of the community is saddened by her death. She was
expected to return to San Francisco for the premiere of Only in the
Castro with Trevor Hailey, a short film done by Rick Bacigalupi.
Hailey's family members, including Griffin, say the film gives great
insight into the generous community icon who remained giving
ti: even in death by donating her organs.
<(
I
a:
w
(!)
~
(.)
~
The tour company Hailey started, Cruisin' the Castro, still
gives tours, educating the LGBT community and those alternative
(straight) travelers. - AR
Raquel Alessi
Salma Hayek
"I love action. Anything physical, I'm into. I want to
push the edge with whatever I do. I've done so
many different sports·. I've broken things. I've
gotten stitches. I don't care-I just go for it. My
character on the show is a computer techie, so
she doesn't get out of the office much. If I had
my choice, I'd be running around with a gun and
totally be that tomboy chick." >> Standoff star
Raquel Alessi, to Maxim
"It's not a big part, which is how I prefer it. I didn't want
to be the lead and not be able to handle it. Robert
[Rodriguez] asked me if I had a problem playing a
lesbian, and I was like, 'Hell, no!"' >> Fergie, on
her Grindhouse role, to Maxim
"Men have been running the world and-I'm sorrybut they have not taken us to a good place.
We are in crisis. And I'd like to know something:
What would happen if women were in power?"
>> Salma Hayek, to Marie Claire
"I have just done my work without concern for
gender barriers. I'm not afraid of the masculine
nor the feminine aspects of my being and feel
quite comfortable drawing from both sides."
>> Patti Smith, to VenusZine
September 2007
I21
Curvatures
Gloria Steinem's Two Cents
"It wouldn't change anything with a female president-suppose
we had Condoleezza Rice;' said Gloria Steinem in a rare appearance last March at all-women's Mills College in Oakland, Cali£
"We are not talking about biology, we are talking about conSpicy Delights sciousness and experience:' The rapt, mostly female audience at
A newformof Sapphic Mills Concert Hall applauded in agreement. Steinem did allow
sin is onthe horizon: that with a female president, we could at least see a baseline
thewickedlydelicious change in children's perception of women, in that their images
Caramel
Sin,a lineof of authority would include women and "it would
spooncandyin a jar release their restrictive ideas:' Steinem came
(gingerandchocolate short of endorsing either of the two most balareeachsublime). lyhooed Democratic presidential candidatesThesamegourmet Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama-but called
foodcompanymakes them both smart listeners.
PecanCaramel
Sinon
Steinem, a feminist icon known for her writa Stickbars,anda line
ing and public lectures in the realm of feminism
of all-naturalfruit relish
spreadsandgrilling and social justice (as well as the Playboy Bunny
sauceswith nofat or suit she once donned decades ago), was at Mills
sugar(trythe Cranberry to address political, social and women's issues.
FoolonFire).But,it's the That public conversation attracted over 1,200
newspicyTexas attendees, including The Color Purple author
BonVoyage
Brittles(spicy Alice Walker and civil, labor and women's rights
jalapeno
andpecannut leader, Aileen Hernandez. She was interviewed
brittle)thatwonmeover. by Holly Kernan, news director of KALW, and
Intenseanddelightful, Meredith May of the San FranciscoChronicle.
a bit likeyourlastgirlThe 73-year-old former editor and founder
friend.(caramelsin.com)
of Ms. magazine joked about her undercover work as a Playboy
-DAM
Bunny for a labor expose in 1963, saying that she is still introduced as a former Bunny and would not do it again. She added
that while it was not a great career move, it was a feminist step
forward. Steinem said that a story she would try to get out
today is of sexual and labor slavery,which is "more numerous in
form in relation to the current population and the world than it
was in the 1800s:' She says that these forms of slavery are much
larger, more damaging and more profitable than the drugs and
arms industries.
On the greater number of women who attend college today
as an indication ofliving in "the best of times;' Steinem responded that the numbers partially reflect women who are now in
college because they weren't able to attend before. The audience
responded with mumbles when Steinem added, "There are all
these studies that show, like the famous valedictorian study,
that women's self-esteem goes down with every additional year
of higher education-because we are essentially studying our
absence. It took me over 20 years to get over my college education. I don't think we can make easy assumptions:'
Steinem also took Mills to task for their own survey, in
which its students (all female) revealed their regard for feminism as an "elitist movement, that it only represented white
upper- and middle-class and largely heterosexual women:'
Steinem argued the opposite: "Tue women's movement is factually, actually, the most inclusive from every point of view-
221 curve
from race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, language-movement that
this country has ever seen;' she stated, remembering the 1977
National Women's Conference. "[It) was probably the only,
truly representative national political meeting the country has
ever seen. In 1977 :• Furthermore, Steinem argued that to label
feminism a white, elitist and exclusive movement "wipes out
the history of women of color who have been the pioneers of
the women's movement always:'
Dr. Candace Falk, director of the Emma Goldman Papers
Project, about the radical first-wave feminist, at UC Berkeley,
said, "What I think is very interesting about (Steinem) is her
ability to listen and to change, and to become one with her political analysis, and her sexual analysis, and her understanding
of the world, of hierarchies, of capitalism-of all the ways in
which things converge to put women in the lesser place-but
also have a larger view of a kind of world that would include
all of us:'
Falk, like a lot of women in attendance, wanted even more
from Steinem on her own personal experiences and transformations. But the activist stayed on point, talking about the invisibility of equal rights after "5,000 years of patriarchy, nationalism,
racism, monotheism and other bullshit:' Gaining a legal identity
as human beings for women of all races and color, Steinem said,
"took a hundred years. Now, we're striving for legal equality.
That may make take another 100 years:'
But getting there won't take Hillary Clinton. "It's going
to take us. That women's struggle to maintain control of our
physical selves and not be controlled as the means of reproduction is crucial to our survival; also the adversary of racial caste
systems that have to control reproduction in order to maintain
race differences and therefore racism and so on, and that separating sexuality from reproduction is why the gay and lesbian
movement is threatening. . . . It's not a laundry list of issues.
It's connected:' - JR
1 Girl in a Coma rocks Los Angeles' Pride 2 From left: Rene R, MC Jersey Lane, Patty
Calves at the Girls in Wonderland Lezbo-a-Luau. 3 CuRVE associate publisher Sara Jane
Keskula and dykesinthecity gals 4 Legendary activist Ivy Bottini mingles with dykes on
bikes before L.A:s Dyke March in June. Bottini started the first chapter of the National
Organization for Women in 1966 and founded the AIDS Network, the first AIDS organization in Los Angeles 5 Miami's Aqua Girl 6 Tampa's Out in the Wild at Lowry Park Zoo
brought out (from left) Jane Griggs, Sandy Cannington, Karen McQuilken,Joanne Moore,
Maggie Connolly. The event was a benefit for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian
Film Festival.
z
w
0
zw
I
()
Cl)
~
w
...J
§
en
w
w
z
a:
w
....
:s
[;:J
:J
a
a:
z
w
g
u.
cf
a:
w
c..
c..
w
c..
...J
w
I
(.)
~
§:
z
w
Q
zw
I
(.)
en
~
w
a:
:J
:5
:5
:J
~
en
w
~
w
z
~
7 Lori Michaels (center) and fans at Aqua Girl 8 The very sexy Melon Girl at the Dyke
March in L.A. 9 The keynote address at the Second Annual QLaw Banquet of the LGBT
Bar Association of Washington was given by Justice Virginia Linder, the first woman to win a
seat on the Oregon Supreme Court and the first openly lesbian member of any state's highest
court 10 Out at New York's Lambda Book Awards with (from left) authors Michelle Tea and
Tristan Taormino, and Taormino's partner Colten 11 Gloribel represents at Orlando, Fla's
Girls in Wonderland 12 Joan Jett rocks the house at L.A:s Pride 13 Girls in Wonderland
played host to the dykesinthecity cheerleaders 14 Sharon Stone got her own groove on at
the Joan Jett concert
Can't get enough? Check next issue for even more Pride pictures!
September 2007 I 25
Advice
Lipstick& Dipstick
She's ·Got the Navy Blues
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I am a 20-yearold female in the U.S. military. I reported to
my unit, where I first met this girl. We fell in
love and have kept our relationship a secret
for about a year now. She was stationed in
Washington state when her tour was up;
meanwhile, I am back here in the Northeast.
I have to constantly make up lies to go see
her. Her number is under a secret name in
my phone just in case someone picks it up.
Everyone in my unit suspects what went on.
I was told to stay away from her because
they didn't want "any trouble." The last three
months she was in my unit, I was forced to
pretend she didn't exist. They constantly
call me a dyke, lezzie, homo, and so on. I
am forced to hide who I am at work. Only
my close friends know about me because I
came out to them years ago. I love the military and love serving my country, just not
while lying and not as a stranger. If we were
a heterosexual couple, we could put in an
engaged permission slip to let the service
know we are getting married and we would
be able to get stationed closer together, but
we can't even let our units know we still talk
as friends. It's getting to the point where I
don't even know who I am anymore. I just
Dipstick: Whoa, Hillary's cigar-loving husband
was the bozo who signed that law into existence,
Lipstick. I'm not convinced any of the current candidates are friendly to the gays. They're all politicians following the safe middle road, after all. But
that's not the point here, is it soldier? The point is
that you made your bunk bed and now you must
lie in it. You knew when you signed up for the service that Uncle Sam didn't like your kind. For the
life of me, I can't understand why honorable gays
and lesbians would join the military and go fight
for a country that denies them basic human rights.
OK, maybe you were young. Maybe you weren't
even out when you joined. Hell, I'll even venture
to guess you were misled by a charming recruiting officer. Coming out in the military has huge
consequences that will affect you both in and out
of the service. Before you do anything drastic, get
in touch with the Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network, at sldn.org, and get some legal advice.
knows it all.
Lipstick: I think you have a point, Dip. As a
femme, I was lucky to have a sacred space, time to
sort things out before stepping out of the closet. I
value that prolific growth spurt more than my first
orgasm-well, almost-for that painful crusade
made me a more dynamic person. Anyway, Gay
Blade, (insert sound of door creaking open) your
family just opened your closet door, and they're all
standing outside, along with grandma, waiting for
you to bring home your first girl. Don't let them
down. They know you want it, and deep down,
you know you want it, too. It's time to quit fighting your truth and come out to play. We don't bite;
that is, unless you want us to. ■
need some help, some advice on what to do.
Dipstick: Dipstick n: a handsome butch who is
smooth with the ladies and gives great advice.
Ask us anything about sex, loveor lesbiansat lipstick
dipstick.com.
- Bummed in the Barracks
Lipstick: Soldier Girl, first of all, do your comrades really call you dyke and lezzie? These people
are the ones who should have your back, not stab
you in it or call you silly names. That's what should
be banned. I know you love the military, but you'll
have to decide what you love more: Pussy or platoons? Standing in the truth of who you are or
standing up for our country? Right now, you can't
do both; our government won't let you, so take
your pick. It's either keep your mouth shut or lose
the fatigues. But what to do with all that pent-up
sexual energy? Channel it in a positive way: Start
lifting weights and working on Hillary Clinton's
campaign. Maybe she'll live up to her campaign
promise and abolish the Don't Ask, Don't Tell
policy.
All this does get me wondering how the government can forbid dykes from serving in the military, but they can serve as commander in chief?
Talk among yourselves.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: What the fuck is
a dipstick? - Perplexed by the Wordplay
Lipstick: Dipstick n: 1. a butch lesbian who
believes she's hot shit. 2. a dyke who thinks she
grew up singing show tunes, idolizing Madonna
and rearranging their parents' furniture to be more
feng shui, when we finally muster up the courage
to come out, our families just say, "Well, duh!
Pass the salt:' Lipsticks are lucky, they get to take
their time and figure it out for themselves. Still, as
butch as you are, you may or may not identify as
lesbian or even bisexual. What is important is not
what clothes you wear and how you swing a hammer, but with whom you fall in love and in lust.
Questioning is good and healthy; in time you'll
know who you are.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I've been
strongly attracted to women for the last five
or so years, but I've never mentioned anything to my family about it. Recently, they've
been suggesting 1V shows for me to watch
because I "might like the gay characters."
When my brother got married, I wanted to
wear nice slacks instead of a skirt and my
mom said, "Is this some lesbian rebellion
thing?" My friends' parents have even asked
my parents if I'm a lesbian. How can my family seem to think I'm gay when I'm not 100
percent sure myself? - Gay to My Family
Dipstick: Because you're a Dipstick; see definition above. Unlike our Lipstick counterparts, our
families and friends have always known about us.
It was there in the way we hit a ball, the angular cut
of our jaw, the way the older ladies in th~ neighborhood called us "son:' Like our brothers who
0
::r:
(.)
...J
:E
a.
26
Icurve
Relationships Advice
Being Jane Malkovich
I
Who do you want me to be to make you sleep with me? By Kate Lacey
It's nearly impossible to see Angelina Jolie's face on
a two-story movie screen and not want to be with
her, or beher, for that matter. The desire to switch
places with our lesbian heroes is a common one.
Here's what your fantasy alter ego says about your
Casanova. You long to be powerful and attractive to everyone around you. Other women's
girlfriends are not safe around you, and even the
men should lock up their lovers when you strut
into a room. Of course, you're very good with
real-life boring old self.
your hands, Ms. Guitarist.
SWOOPES
SHERYL
You want to be the hero, making the graceful three
pointer at the buzzer of the WNBA finals game.
You believe in working hard to hone your talent
and skills both on and off the court, making you
fond of athletic supporters. What lesbian isn't?
-Kate
Lacey
JOLIE
ANGELINA
Well, who wouldn't want to be a baby-collecting,
Brad Pitt-molesting, blood-sipping lesbian tease?
If you long to be Jolie, it is indicative that you walk
the lines between all things, be it sexual identity or
a little line called cray-zay. You long for glamour,
sensuality and an edginess that will either make
you famous or get you locked up in the loony bin.
JODIEFOSTER
You are very comfortable among the suits lining
your closet. You want to be recognized for your
brains and talents. You are private and discreet, to
the dismay of your partner and friends.
O'DONNELL
ROSIE
You are aggressively protective, and your wit is
sharper than Shane's shears. No hesitation to confront, be it young dumb blondes or billionaires
with bad comb overs. Beware the draw to trailer
parks and mullets.
DEGENERES
ELLEN
You're a unique person who dances to her own
beat. OK, you dance to any beat at any time,
regardless of whether anyone else can hear it. You
are able to balance your yin and your yang with
style, much like balancing your Armani suit with
your tennis shoes.
ANNEHECHE
You're straight and insane. Good luck.Just try not
to take others down with you.
ONTHEL WORD
ANYONE
You're trapped in a fantasy world. The lesbian
clique sounds appealing to you so that you'll never
have to whine alone. You long for romance and
drama and somehow forget the real life just outside your door, sans straight women playing gay.
ETHERIDGE
MELISSA
You love to be the center of attention and a
September 2007
I 27
Advice
Astro Grrl
September to Remember
You are Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Your gaydar is off, Virgin. Is she, or isn't she? Tinker with the
the task dials until you get a much clearer signal. Career:You are the task
mistress of the corner office this September and can whip any
mistressof underling into shape. Are you angling for a raise or a recliner
the corner Libra (Sept. 24-0ct. 23)
officethis Sex: Gal pals can tum into lovergrrls if you just say the word.
However, the word might be "no:'Why ruin a perfectly good friendSeptember, ship? career:
Surprises erupt all through the month. It's a good thing
you're thinking of taking a vacation.Why not right away?
Virgin,and
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
you can Scorpio
Sex:Career and lust just will not mix this month. Keep everywhip any thing and everyone in their place to avoid any messy scenes in
the copy room. Career:
Work hard, avoid temptation and bank
underling your gains. There's plenty of time to recklessly dive into temptation in October.
intoshape.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Are you Sex:
Archers exude charisma this September. You can push your
personal
agenda and impress the impresarios. Feeling squished?
anglingfor
Career:Will you complain at work? If so, be sure that you have
a raiseor a all the facts. If not, just think mean thoughts.
recline? Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:You have a secret admirer. Let's hope she's not only gorgeous Sex: Misunderstandings on the home front can really cramp
but also well-endowed. You yearn for a sugar momma. Career: your style. Bulls get itchy hooves and consider grazing farther
Caps are more worker drones than queen bees. What a nice afield for their lusty meals. Is the grass really greener? Career:
change of pace! Accomplish something this September.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Partnerships might hav~ some stresses and strains through
the month. Aqueerians on the prowl may find a few extra pearls
in their oysters. But are they cultured enough? Career:You are
not concentrating on the job at hand this September. Good, you
need a break. Enlist others to work for you.
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:She loves you, she loves you not; she loves you, she loves you
ing. Your actions speak louder and prouder than your words.
career:
Expect the unexpected. A few officekabooms will not only
send you in a new direction, they'll require a change of clothing.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Will you overspend on a glittering trinket or on a piece of trash?
not ... Oh this is just too tiring! Take a break, catch your breath.
Either way,you get what you pay for. Enjoy every lurid moment.
career:
Major changes are in the works. Thankfully,most are pretty
served reward. If you've been goofing off, you may still get a lucky
break. Some gals have all the luck!
good. Of course, good or bad, you usually take them pretty.
get. Why make a fuss? Stick to the boring tried-and-true and maintain your natural stickiness. career:
Even though your mind drifts
through the month, there's still work to be done. So why not just
delegate it all?
Icurve
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:Make a powerful first impression thismonth by saying noth-
Career:If you've been working hard, September can bring a de-
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:A fine romance can sour the pushier and more demanding you
2s
Dreaming away your time on the job? Maybe it's time to dream
of an early retirement.
Leo (July 24-Aug. 23)
Sex:The ladies lust after you when you flash your smile. See them
smiling back? Or is that a laugh? Check for spinach in your teeth.
career:
Friends provide a welcomedistraction from work and tempt
you to slough off. But willthey pay your bills?Keep dreaming! ■
::r:
I-
For more advicefrom the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,online at thestarryeye.com.
~
Cl)
fr
0
()
Camp has a whole new look.
The new, more rugged Subaru Outback with road-grippingAll-WheelDrive.It gets you out there with improved
style and increased comfort, while its availablenavigationsystem 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
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Once again, sex triumphs over common sense.
W
hen you are in love, you can put up with anything. For a while. Like
when your new girlfriend's ex,husband lives in the basement of her
house. It's just for a little while, until he finishes school and can afford his
own place. Her kids need to have both of their parents around and everybody
seems pretty civil about the arrangement. He and the kids know that she is a
lesbian, and it is not a problem.
A few months from now, when "cellar dad" chases you down the street
wielding a crowbar, the kids blame their drug use on mom's sick lifestyle, and
mom tells you that the only way she can stave off a nervous breakdown is to
break it off with you, try not to be too surprised. And certainly don't expect
us, your friends, to be the least bit surprised.
Or the new love of your life is a little messy. Everybody knows you are too
anal; in fact, you're borderline OCD and having her move in with you might
be the cure. Folding your towels a certain way, vacuuming the furniture every
day, who needs itr You're right, this could ~ork out great.
You surely will have a lot more time to devote to the important things in
life, like finding your shoes under piles of laundry and chasing vermin away
from the crusty cat dish. A year from now, when you are screaming at her
that you are not a maid, remember just how wonderful it was to live in filth
and chaos.
But maybe you're an artist who lives a bohemian lifestyle that, by the
way, your lover admired about you when you two first met. You wouldn't
respect yourself if you sold out to corporate greed and American workaholic
sensibilities. That's her job. (Somebody has to buy the wine and printer ink
cartridges.) She used to understand how elusive and fragile the muse was,
but suddenly she's another white,collar robot who wants you to squander
your gift on an ordinary life.
Our differences draw us to one another, but our similarities are what
keep us together.
We lesbians are supposed to know that we cannot change anybody.
What we do instead is pretend from the start of the relationship that she
is already the person who we are going to change her into. If the relation,
ship fails, we point out that she wasn't the person that she
pretended to be.
There just aren't that many surprises in relationships.
Drunks drink, skunks stink. And tomorrow, women act
like they acted yesterday.
And yet, I am forced to endure tales of lesbian angst
that entail a girl actingjust like anyone would expect her to
act except by the one woman who should have expected the
objectionable behavior the most.
"Can you believe she slept with our spinning instruct,
ort asked a friend who is married to a known tramp. "No,
I can't, I was sure she would sleep with the yoga instructor
first;' is what I wanted to say. But I pretended to be sur,
prised right along with her, even though we each knew we
were both pretending.
I once dated an exceedingly self,centered, beautiful
woman. She was so impressed with herself, she had little
time or tolerance for any other subject. She was known
far and wide as someone you didn't want to converse
with. And yet, I was so flattered when she asked me to go
home with her that I didn't think twice about what we
would talk about after sex. Did I mention that she was
visually stunningr
I should have had my fun evening and spent the next
day on the phone bragging about it, but instead I asked her
out for another date. We dated for a couple months, during
which she was not exactly an ideal suitor. She was callous
and rude, and she stood me up a few times, never bother,
ing to explain or apologize. I tried to act angry-I wasn't
acting-but she didn't seem to notice. I promised myself
that I was only going to see her until I got so tired of her
bullshit that I didn't care how good she looked naked.
But I will never know upon which day of my life that
would have occurred. She stopped calling me first. There
30
I
curve
a:
w
Iii
w
a:
t;;
w
z
a:
w
I
~
was no letter, no fight, no e-mail; she just dropped out of my life.
I did not take it well. I pretended to be brokenhearted, but it was really my
shattered ego that pained me. It never occurred to me that she would tire of
me before I tired of her. Go figure, you date somebody for her looks and she
dumps you before you can give her a personality makeover.
You know what was worse? Dating a woman with the worst luck in town.
Poor thing, she was always getting her purse stolen or finding broken ATMs,
so she just never had money when we went out. I mean really, how many
times could I fall for that one? Quite a few, it turned out, and it probably
would have been more had she been as good-looking as the meanie who stood
me up all the time.
This woman had a great job and money to burn, but she lacked a sense of
irony. She couldn't understand what was so funny when she lectured me on
the value of a dollar during expensive meals she never paid for.
Why was I upset when she asked me to go on vacation with her to Palm
Springs and then asked me for my "half" as we were boarding the plane? I
should have told the nearest flight attendant that my companion had just
discovered she was riddled with body lice, and she needed to deplane immediately, but I was too busy being shocked and feeling sorry for myself. So I sat
and stewed with Senorita Cheapskate in the desert for a week, but at least my
broke, sunburned ass finally learned my lesson about stingy dykes.
When it comes to ignoring signs, nothing can blind you to the obvious
like a straight girl who keeps coming on to you. You are just sure that her hot
little het ass will make you the perfect wife. And she would, if it weren't for
Close to Atlanta,
her kitty allergy. When being a dyke is all backrubs and bubble baths, she's
cool, but once you head for the bedroom and the next level she won't be able
to find the exit fast enough.
But you won't take my word for it, will you?
Nope, a few weeks from now, you are still going to cry to us about how she
led you on and made you promises she will never keep. Woe will be you when
your straight girl turns out to be a straight girl.
Your woman is drunk again? You don't say. Didn't you meet at a grocery
store in the middle of the night? What was in her cart? Oh, that's right: gin,
lemons, olives and couple of bottles of wine. When you asked her where the
party was and she gave you a quizzical look, did that tell you anything? Or
how about on the first date, when she told you she took cabs because she
couldn't afford another impound fee? Yet here we sit, as you babble on and
on about the hardships of living with a lush and how you would have done
things differently had you only known. Well, it's not your fault, she really kept
her addiction under wraps.
You are going out with that crazy dyke at work who has had seven longterm relationships? I cannot believe you are about to become the eighth wife.
Of course she told you that you are different from the others; you are! The
others are all exes and you aren't ... yet. What do you think your chances are
for spending the rest of your life with her? Not good, unless you start smoking and playing in traffic wearing a blindfold.
The only real surprises in relationships are the ones we spring on ourselves. If only we allowed women to be as predictable as they really are. ■
irmingham
ga
• An upscalegatedcommunityon top of the boomingresort area of LookoutMountain
• Spectacularlotswith pricesstartingin the high30's
• Lakeview and NationalParklots availableandgoingfast
• BeautifulI +/- acre mountainlots
• No time requirementto build
• Enjoya strollalonga walkingpathsurroundingour secluded14 acre lake
• Mentionthis ad and receivea 5% discounton selectlots
• A perfecttime to act on thisgreatoffer... A MUST SEE!
Call for appt: 256.634.1 134 www.hidden-lake.com
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
That's Show Business for You
In the entertainment industry, visibility is only the start.
B
ack at the end of May, there was a big
media flurry over Rosie O'Donnell's
"cat fight" with a co,host on The View,
Elisabeth Hasselbeck. O'Donnell insinu,
ated that the American troops in Iraq are the
real terrorists, and Hasselbeck, a Republican,
reacted accordingly.
are too stupid to have their own opinions?
I didn't want to defend Hasselbeck; I don't agree with her. But I got
tired of hearing other women say she was just spouting a party line, as if she
couldn't think for herself because she's pretty and Republican. It's just as
offensive as calling O'Donnell a bitch because
she screams her opinions in everybody's face
and rarely seems to think before she speaks.
I'd like to see all of us stop making celebri,
ties our role models. Just because people found
their way into the TV, music or film industry
It didn't take long for the actual substance of
their argument to get lost in the drama, which
should have concluded when O'Donnell re,
fused to return to the show after the dust,up.
I had a few arguments with friends after
the TV brawl because I said that I believed O'Donnell behaved like
a spoiled brat. But since we have only two designated TV lesbians in
America-Ellen DeGeneres on the West Coast and Rosie O'Donnell on
the East Coast-saying anything critical of either is anathema.
The TV fisticuffs made me think about our deification of celebri,
ties, particularly in the lesbian community, and also of how what women
say is always reduced to emotion rather than substance. I applaud a lot of
what O'Donnell has done. Her work against guns, how she helped victims of
Hurricane Katrina, and her care of foster children are all laudable efforts.
Not so laudable, however, are her conspiracy theories about 9/11 or her
no,holds,barred attitude toward sex offenders, when the same laws applied to
does not mean they are anything more than
entertainers. It also doesn't make them elder
statesmen, politicians or intellectuals. Sure,
some entertainers may be intellectuals, and a
few have become politicians. Ronald Reagan
became an elder statesman, but the reality is en,
tertainment is just that. In the United States, we
deify celebrity and entertainers. We imbue them with a level of gravitas that
is utterly inappropriate given who most of these people are. Even in 2007,
lesbians are still so hungry for images of ourselves that we become obsessively
enamored with people who may be fine as entertainers but are not so good as
spokespersons for this or that movement.
For years, I complained that we always put the same five lesbians on the
covers of our queer magazines. But the reality is that those five lesbians are
the only ones who are out and celebrities. We ache to see famous people who
alleged offenders are often used against queers.
The TV tiff on The View has likely faded into news oblivion by now, but
the underlying issues about free speech and celebrity remain. O'Donnell com,
plained that the on,air spat, which she started, was used for entertainment
purposes, with the producers displaying the argument in split screen. Well,
TV shows that aren't news programs are entertainment. O'Donnell tried to
are queer. It's that simple.
Sen. Barack Obama isn't a particularly savvy politician, in part because
he's only been in the game for five minutes. But he's beautiful and charis,
matic and a good orator, even if he appears often unsure of what he's talk,
inject her political perspective into the show, but it's still entertainment.
O'Donnell's fight with Hasselbeck was a continuation of her political dis,
agreements with her right,wing co,host over the war. What made this par,
ing about. His rise to instant fame is directly related to the hunger African
Americans have to see themselves writ large, just as the queer embrace of our
icons-O'Donnell,
DeGeneres and Melissa Etheridge-happens
because we
ticular fight noteworthy is that O'Donnell's feelings were hurt: She wanted
Hasselbeck to stand up for her against the right,wing pundits and called
Hasselbeck a coward for not doing so. Hasselbeck countered that O'Donnell
should have the courage of her convictions. O'Donnell said that every time
desperately want to see ourselves reflected in positions of power. Even if it's
only the power of celebrity.
I want to see lesbians prominent throughout the entertainment world.
Real lesbians, not ones that have to be pulled kicking and screaming out
of the closet or who simply don't mention their lesbianism, such as Sarah
Paulson, whose partner, Tony award,winner Cherry Jones, referred to her
the two had a fight, the media presented Hasselbeck as O'Donnell's victim.
It seemed that for O'Donnell the fight was really about homophobia: The
lesbian is always the villain. After she left the show, O'Donnell said she never
fit in; her refusal to return and her earnest desire to have Hasselbeck stand up
for her was all about acceptance.
O'Donnell was one of the few out lesbians on mainstream TV; as such,
she was bound to be a focal point for discussion and, at times, outrage. Her
outspokenness was viewed through the two interconnected prisms of gender
and sexual orientation.
Afterward, I heard a lot oflesbians dissing Hasselbeck, saying she was just
a mouthpiece for the conservative party line. That's when I got angry. Those
comments are as sexist as the homophobic responses O'Donnell said she felt.
Why are women, queer or straight, still unable to express their views without
men and the patriarchal media reconfiguring those views as though women
32
I
curve
pseudonymously at the 2006 Tony Awards.
I want to see more than two real lesbians on TV at any given time. I want
to see lesbians who don't have to be nonthreatening to straight people, as
O'Donnell and DeGeneres always have been because they are comedians and
so blatantly nonsexual.
When lesbians appear on every TV show, the O'Donnell,Hasselbeck
fights will not be reduced to representations of gender or sexual orientation;
rather, the deconstruction can be solely about the topic of the argument.
We've come a long way since I was a teenager looking up the word "lesbian"
in the card catalog at the library, but not nearly as far as is necessary for the
lesbian teenagers of 2007 looking for themselves writ large on the big and
small screens of life. ■
sz-
()
w
~
w
en
~
~
()
ID
~
w
a:
w
a..
c§
z
:5
~
~
w
z
z
8
Q,
~
1-
z
~
c:s
a:
~
IN THE NEWS
toCommunity
Closer
Leaders
Bringing
launched
VictoryFundrecently
TheGayandLesbian
community
a groupofWebsitesto bringtheLGBT
andcommugovernment
in politics,
closerto leaders
youcantrack
VictoryFund.org
Through
nityaffairs:
isthe
GLLl.org
leaders;
to openlyLGBT
anddonate
Institute,
Leadership
homeoftheGayandLesbian
onprofessional
resources
canaccess
whereleaders
isthenewblogof
andGayPolitics.com
development;
ThesiteswillenVictoryFund.
theGayandLesbian
to learnaboutoutleaders
community
abletheLGBT
intheircampaigns.
andparticipate
ToldtoPayUporMoveOut
NewYorkCouple
49,andLauraWatts,42,weregiven
AdolaDeWolf,
30daysto comeupwithalmost$80,000or lose
company,
mortgage
theirhomeafterDeWolf's
their
thecouplehadbreached
claimed
Countrywide,
to
withthelenderwhentheyattempted
agreement
addWattstothedeed.
Thelenderstatedthat
it didnotrecognize
as
partners
domestic
to
family,according
which
Legal,
Lambda
fileda lawsuitagainst
inthe
Countrywide
of
District
Southern
NewYorkfederalcourt
Atpresstime,they
in Mayonbehalfofthecouple.
fromCountrywide.
a response
hadnotreceived
forSameEqualRights
Toward
MoreProgress
SexCouples
rightsinthe
It'sbeena busyyearforsame-sex
became
recently
NewHampshire
States.
United
whenthe
civilunions,
thefourthstateto recognize
civilunionsthat
signeda billlegalizing
governor
thesame
couples
same-sex
willgrantcommitted
asmarried
andobligations
rights,responsibilities
alsosignedintolaw
governor
Washington's
couples.
samebillthatprovides
a domestic-partnership
withsomeofthesamerightsmarried
sexcouples
thestatecloserto fullmarhave,pushing
couples
alsohas
Oregon
Notto beoutdone,
riageequality.
andnondiscrimination
domestic-partnership
passed
onthebasisof
discrimination
acts;thelatteroutlaws
orgenderidentityin employment,
orientation
sexu_al
andpublicaccommodations.
housing
the
office,analyzed
theNewYorkCitycomptroller's
andfiscalimpactforthegoverneconomic
potential
ment.Itfoundthatwithinthreeyearsof legalizing
wouldbe
thefiscalbenefits
marriage,
same-sex
morethan$117millionforNewYorkStateandabout
$7 millionforNewYorkCityfromthecostofweddings,suchasguestsstayingat hotels.
impacts
otherpotential
Thestudydidnotinclude
of
salesora greaternumber
suchashousing
asa resultof
forcompanies
candidates
qualified
morelikelyto moveto NewYork
couples
same-sex
benefits.
of marriage
to takeadvantage
to Gayand
Benefits
CourtDenies
Michigan
Employees
Lesbian
itsbenextended
recently
StateUniversity
Michigan
of "othereligibleindividuals."
efitstothecategory
Court
camein MayaftertheMichigan
Thechange
thatthestate's2004
ruledin February
ofAppeals
same-sex
thatbanned
amendment
constitutional
fromrecpublicemployers
also"prohibits
marriage
including
foranypurpose"
unions
same-sex
ognizing
Marriage
NewStudySaysSame-Sex
of public
partners
fordomestic
benefits
providing
forEconomy
Good
Unionis curCivilLiberties
TheAmerican
a recent
employees.
marriage,
Onthetopicofsame-sex
Courtthat
Supreme
totheMichigan
rentlyappealing
impactstudyin NewYorkCityfoundthat
economic
to thelowercourt,which
beremanded
thedecision
wouldbringin$142
marriage
same-sex
allowing
marriage
banonsame-sex
theconstiutional
guests
decided
fromwedding
millionworthof revenue
fromproviding
publicemployers
license
didnotprevent
frommarriage
thecityandrevenue
visiting
partners.
domestic
to employee
Benefits healthcarebenefits
TheEconomic
fees.Thestudy"LoveCounts:
- KauePeoples
by
forNewYork,"conducted
Equality
of Marriage
....I
~
w
....I
c§
Ill
~
:5
September 2007
I33
34
Icurve
September 2007
I35
With trepidation, we embarked on a sharkand-ray feeding while vacationing in Bora Bora,
and believe me, it's not for the faint of heart. I'm
a sucker for adventure but thought I might be in
a bit over my head with this activity. My partner
and I had done enough regular snorkeling in the
Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico, so it was time to
kick it up a notch or two. Anyone can go snorkeling, but feeding sharks and rays? You've gotta have
a bit of macho in you to do that.
We woke up to a clear and balmy day. Visibility
was optimum for snorkeling, which would make it
easier for feeding the rays and sharks. Never mind
that I knew next to nothing about either species
except that they were capable of fatal wounds.
One sting in the wrong area, and you're headed for
the pearly gates.
We embarked upon the boat, a few tourists
wearing their bravado like a shiny badge. I was
nervous, despite the guides assurance that injuries rarely occur when you follow instructions. My
pulse began to quicken. Gee Toto, I guess we're
not in Kansas anymore.
We did a bit of snorkeling beforehand, to get
us acclimated to the water and to become more
comfortable being in the ocean with a variety of
fish. Still, sharks and rays were on the agenda, and
that's a far cry from a clownfish.
As the boat neared the feeding area, our guide
used a whistle, and soon I could see a swarm of
rays headed our way, flapping and circling the
boat. And I'm supposed to join them?
We donned the rest of our gear and got ready.
Gradually, we were all ushered into the water to
face the rays. Thankfully, the water was only about
36
Icurve
four feet deep, enabling you to stand and face your
maker or hold onto the boat if you were so inclined.
The guide gave us fish, telling us to keep it flat in our
hands so that the razor teeth of the rays wouldn't
chomp at your fingers. Stupid me didn't listen, and
quickly, I got a small slice from a hungry one, which
ended up being my birthday reminder for the rest
of the trip. Thankfully, the cut wasn't too deep.
Gotta listen to the guide, I reminded myself
The rays increased their pace, snatching the
fish from every outstretched palm, their barbed
tails thrashing like angry swords through the
water. Part of me wished I was playing volleyball
on land, but it was too late to turn back. We were
all a part of the frenzy now, and I was determined
to extract its full essence. The guide then lifted one
of the rays out of the water so we could observe
the barb and those razor teeth in greater detail.
Rays feel very smooth and sofr, like supple
leather. These guys were very gentle, as they are
accustomed to these feedings and are comfortable in the presence of humans. But beneath that
smooth exterior is a muscle machine that is a
true work of nature. Watching them swim is like
observing a large bird in flight, a true commander
of its underwater terrain.
And then, we were ushered off to the sharks.
We meandered to the other side of the boat, and
soon, the black fins of the sharks were weaving
toward us like storm-caught sailboats. Our guide
recommended staying behind the yellow safety
cord, since beyond that is where the sharks would
be feeding. "Yeah, no problem;' I said under my
breath. "Who wants to be chum today?" I whispered to my partner.
I could see the sharks doing their dance, swarming back and forth, waiting for feeding time when
they too could pounce on their prey. Thankfully,
they weren't great whites, but black-tipped reef
sharks, which were accustomed to this ritual. Still,
a shark is a shark is a shark. I've seen jaws several
times and believe me, you don't want to mess with
anything carnivorous with a long snout and teeth.
We stayed religiously behind the yellow cord
while the guide tossed pieces of bloody fish into
the water. I pulled out my underwater camera and
took aim. The sharks, spotting the game, escalated
their pace, gobbling down the fish before making
their turn and diving toward the chum again. All
of this was taking place a few feet from where we
were. My heart pounded as I ducked underwater
again and snapped away.
Clusters of other fish soon joined the sharks,
creating a colorful mix of marine life. We were given peas, bread and other types of fish-friendly food
for these hungry arrivals. Compared to the sharks,
this was child's play, a welcome respite from the
adrenaline-packed frenzy created by the sharks.
Within about 40 minutes the feeding frenzy
was over. The circling sharks and rays had done
their duty, returning to their daily regimen of
undersea activities until the next naive batch of
tourists arrived.
Safely aboard the boat, I was glad I had
embarked upon this adventure. • Memories are
made by getting outside your comfort zone, and
this adventure would be a reference point for many
years. But if shark-and-ray feedings are not your
style, there are many other types of marine life you
can enjoy, either through snorkeling, a boat trip, or
by simply swimming near your hotel.
In French Polynesia, there are more than 500
species of fish. While we were there, we encountered a plethora of saltwater varieties, including
angelfish and yellow tangs. In the deeper waters of
the open ocean, you can discover sea turtles, barracudas, tuna, jackfish, red snappers, napoleon fish,
surgeonfish, large moray eels, dolphins and many
types of rays. Besides the black-tipped sharks
from our feeding, other types of sharks include
grey and lemon sharls. If you're lucky, you can spot
the migrating humpback whales fromAugust to
October each year.
But if simplicity is your style, simply wade in
the waters near your hotel. And, you don't have to
go to great depths to enjoy the vast array of sea life
available in Bora Bora, just go near the pier pillars
and see the teams of fish swimming in their rainbow of colors. ■
_,,..,,..
SotaBorais about12 .houra
awayfromLo.- ~~and
Angeles,
factoring
in thep)aac,
bu
........
uips, \V& went duringthe
#, artab«auaeofdus iJLuuf•
~.... 20 at
sure youget
•
61m
le to aYOid
your phot0abeing
or
. Moreaophi,ticated
willwant to tm.t IJllder
..
f'ortheircamtrai, whidrwill
fOlll'~.,.dry.Don't
be
s. ~ of your&voriie
~ so iu bat to take
38
Icurve
Gay Days & Nights
LasVegas
Transportation ♦ Sightseeing
Outdoor Adventures ♦ Women's Groups
LasVegas and more! 24/7 365
You too will say
"(lzturk(3a&,,!
Booktoday at 888-446-7941 (toll free)
Contact us at babs@thanksbabs.com
Or visitour website:www.thanksbabs.com
ister,
ister
Sistersare oftenthe firstto know,if not officiallythen intuitively,
that
a siblingis lesbian.Thiswas the case for me as a teenager,and
I'm guessingit'sthe samefor manyothers.I talkedwiththree pairs
of sisters-all publicfigures,some morefamous(or infamous)than
others-and, sexualityaside,all had in commona mutualrespect
and that senseof intuitionyou seem to findonlyin a sister.
By Stephanie Schroeder
Cheryl Clarke hit fame in the lesbian community in 1979 when she published her radical essay "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance;' anthologized
in the groundbreaking work Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology. Her
straight sister, Breena Clarke, likewise found fame, with her 1999 novel River,
Cross My Heart, Oprah Winfrey's Book Club pick for October that year. Both
women are authors of stature who have been writing most of their lives.
Cheryl, 59, is a graduate faculty member at Rutgers University in the
department of women and gender studies and director of the office of diverse
community affairs and LGBT concerns. She has been at Rutgers since 1969,
when she entered in the master's degree program, then obtained her master's
in social work and ultimately earned her Ph.D in English. Cheryl continues
to publish work with small, independent, feminist and queer presses. Her
new book of poetry, Corridors of Nostalgia, was released in July.
Breena, 54, started as an actor, playwright and stage manager, and
administered the editorial diversity program at Time Inc. until recently,
when she retired to write full time. Breena is now revising her next work,
a Civil War-era novel set in Georgetown that will be published by Little,
Brown and Company.
40
I curve
"I was so conservative when I was [an undergraduate] at Howard
(University] that I didn't even participate in the black power or women's lib
stuff that was going on around me;' says Cheryl, who was working as a typist at the Washington Post to support herself and did not have the luxury of
protesting and demonstrating.
When Carolyn Kramer, 47, came out to her family-or rather, when her
family outed her-it was an enormous relief to all of them. Carolyn says that.
she carried around the secret burden of her sexuality since she was 12 years
old, if not younger. Carolyn says that she was always sad and depressed, with
serious suicidal thoughts. When her mother outed her at a restaurant dinner,
the load of that secret was lifted from both their shoulders. Carolyn's sister, Sue Kramer, is the screenwriter and director of this past winter's sleeper
hit Gray Matters, based on the story of Carolyn's coming-out and the sisters'
relationship. While the film has its lesbian protagonist competing with her
brother for the love of the same woman, it was actually Carolyn's good female
friend, Gray Baldwin, whom Carolyn says she once had a crush on.
Carolyn attended Boston University to study communications and "serendipitously" fell into working as a model booker. An old boyfriend introduced
her to someone at Wilhelmina Models, and she worked steadily as a booker
throughout the '80s and '90s, helping launch the careers of supermodels Cindy
en
w
w
a5
~
~u..
0
>[B
Ii:
::J
0
()
en
5
I
a.
...J
...J
<{
Crawford, Stephanie Seymour and Helena Christensen. Carolyn says there
was always an undercurrent that it wasn't cool to be a lesbian in the business.
"It was all men or Eileen Ford;' she remembers. "That's all there was:• Carolyn
started at Elite Model Management, "the Harvard or Yale of modeling agencies;' and moved around during the '80s to various boutique agencies such as
says that Alexandra's outspoken activism-she's been arrested more than a
few times protesting the war in Iraq, practices and campaigns for green living,
and is a vegetarian who doesn't wear leather, wool or silk and doesn't use any
products tested on animals-and joie de vivre have thoroughly informed her
life. Alexandra says she would be only half the woman she is, were it not for
Caroline being a lesbian.
What all these sisters have in common are of course corning-out stories, but
from a double-sided perspective. These women, sisters and their sisters in the
life, are the brave heroines who have sown the seeds of sisterly artistry and activism for today's generation of dykes and their families. Young lesbians can look at
Cheryl Clarke's last anthology of collected prose and poetry entitled The Days of
Good Looks for a reprint of the aforementioned essay on lesbian resistance and
her famous prose poem "Of Althea and Flaxie:' Gray Matters will soon be out
on DVD, and both Paul sisters have inspirational works in progress.
"Lesbians today think they invented feminist and queer theory;' says
Cheryl Clarke. "I think they need to revisit lesbian history:'
Carolyn Kramer is just grateful that she has the opportunity to participate in a project that is larger than her own life: "We screened Gray Matters
at the (Harvey Milk] High School, at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in
Manhattan, at a fundraiser that was sponsored by Premiere magazine, and
Name, Company Model Management and the Parisian agency City Models,
eventually landing as a manager of the New York office of Marilyn Agency. She
worked briefly as the casting director for Self magazine and retired from the
fashion business after 9 / 11.
Today she splits her time between New York City and Massachusetts. She
lives not far from Provincetown where, she says, the gay men and lesbians she
saw scared and embarrassed her when she first noticed them at age 14. "With
the men and their chaps and leather straps across their bare chests and the
short-haired masculine women holding hands, I thought all gay people looked
like that. And I didn't look like that. Around that time, I had looked up the
word 'homosexual' in the dictionary, where the definition was 'sexually deviant:
I didn't want to be a 'deviant; so I hid:'
"If Gray Matters can help [keep] even one 12-year-old gay person ... from
committing suicide, that's my biggest wish for the movie;' Carolyn says.
Sue Kramer says she knew about her sister's sexuality from a very early
age. "I was about 10, and Carolyn seemed so sad. I asked her if she was gay,
but she vehemently denied it:' When Carolyn did come out to Sue, it was
about a year after the dinner outing with their mother. "I was just upset that
I wasn't the first to officially know;• Sue recalls, "because we are so close, and I
already really knew anyway:'
Caroline Paul, 43, often is mistaken for her twin sister, Alexandra, who's
two minutes older and has been an actor since she was 7, was a Baywatch
babe for several years and starred most recently on here! Networks' Trapped.
In that television thriller, Alexandra plays a lesbian electronics expert whose
girlfriend is played by actor (and real-life lesbian hottie) Michelle Wolff.
"I make a rockin' lesbian;' says Alexandra, who called for advice from her
sister, a former San Francisco firefighter who chronicled her experiences in
the highly acclaimed book Fighting Fire.
"You know I can't even write a sex scene;' Caroline says with a laughs when
Alexandra brings up the subject, to which Alexandra responds that she consulted other texts on lesbian sex that "read like automobile repair manuals:'
Both Paul sisters say they inspire and are inspired by each other. Caroline
it was just amazing:'
Alexandra Paul says that she will never again vote for any candidate
who does not make equal marriage rights part of his or her platform. "(Sen.
Barack] Obama should know better;' she says.'i\.s a person of color, he knows
what it's like to be treated as a second-class citizen, but he's not stepping up
to the plate. I get to be married, and Caroline is just like me and she can't. We
look the same, we act the same, come from the same family and are productive
members of society, and there is no reason that she shouldn't be able to marry
her girlfriend like I was able to marry my husband:'
Caroline though is a bit more skeptical. "Well, I'm not sold on the idea
of marriage, but of course we should have the choice;' says the single writer,
whose recent book, East Wind, Rain, garnered her more literary accolades.
Sue Kramer was invited by the Creative Coalition to screen Gray Matters
at the Welcome Back to Congress event in Washington, D.C., in February.
The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan, political and
social-advocacy organization of the entertainment industry.
"It was a big two-day fundraising event serving as a tribute to the 110th
Congress;' says Sue, ecstatic that her movie has been so well-received. ("We
even got a tour of the White House;• adds Carolyn.) Six years in the making,
Sue says Gray Matters is not a gay or lesbian film. "I don't like labels of any
sort. It's a movie about family and life and mostly about being yourself, being
comfortable with who we are and accepting people with no excuses and no
judgment:'
It's fitting that the Kramer sisters' mother, Esther Kramer, is an active
member of PFLAG in Fair Lawn, N.J. Says Carolyn, "My mother embraced
me completely, she has marched in gay Pride parades and is active in the
community:' Sue concurs, "Our parents have always been very accepting of
Carolyn, and they really just want all of us [they have a third sister, Lisa] to
be happy:•
Alexandra Paul recalls that her mother and her brother Jonathan, a
famous animal rights activist, have always been understanding. "Even our
father, who was a conservative Republican, just wanted to make sure we were
all happy. Our mother has marched in the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade
with both of us;' Alexandra says. And Caroline says that they are both part
of the new PFLAG campaign, along with other celebrities and their gay and
lesbian family members.
Sue Kramer sums up what many of these families have in common: "I
have a gay sister. She is my spark:' ■
September 2007
I41
You grew up in Vancouver, right?
Born and raised. I finished doing Dirt in December and then I came up here
to be with my boyfriend, friends and family, and chill out for a bit.
Dirt's renewed for a second season on FX. Any spoilers for the fans?
I would love to divulge the filthy gossip about the show, but the character
was just a guest star for a few episodes, which turned into six, which was
incredible, but I don't know if I'm going to be heading back or not. I'll
keep you posted.
You played a lesbian named Garbo who was a drug dealer ...
Yes, I played the requisite young Hollywood drug dealer of choice, and one
of my clients is one of the starlets of the show, who I keep around for a
double purpose: hooked on the drugs and hopefully hooked on me.
You seem to pick a lot of "outsider" roles.
I play a bit of a strategic game with choosing roles that might be educational, insightful or inspiring. I try and find characters that represent
what I would like to see on TV, being a little bit more open-minded,
less stereotypical.
Your first major role was as Sam on WB's Popular, a show which
offered social critique while being funny. /tty Bitty is similar, except
more outwardly political, and your character in the film, Shulamith,
is certainly political. How would you compare your own politics to
those of your /tty Bitty character?
Shuli's a radical feminist, for certain! She believes that the oppression that
women face has profound roots in a biased gender system. She has a
socialist approach to things. In terms of her sexual preference, she's a girl
of no definition and would prefer to keep it that way.There's a point in the
film when the girls comment on the fact that she's interested in this chick
and she's like, you guys are such dosed-minded bitches. She's coming from
this socialist, no-definition approach, which on that level, I agree with. In
terms of my politics, I'm not quite as dogmatic as Shuli. I wouldn't think
that pregnancy would be barbaric, for instance, which she might take from
her namesake. She's selrimposed the name Shuli to emulate Shulamith
Firestone from the '70s, this way-radical feminist. I'm easy going. If I feel
passionate about something, I will most certainly state my opinion, but
for the most part, I hang back and can typically see the arguments from
both sides. It was challenging to get into this mind set of somebody so
intense and strong willed. As part of my process of trying to get into that
space, I made a list of daily convictions-simple things like "no caffeine
today" -to teach myself to believe in something and stick with it.
Have you ever engaged in radical actions off screen?
I worked for a sexual health organization up here in Vancouver for a few years.
It's a pro-choice organization, so we definitely got into some political arenas because of how many pro-life organizations are trying to shut it down.
Primarily we had workshops and things like that I worked at.
But you were never screaming at rallies quite like Shulamith ...
I didn't have a megaphone and I wasn't shoving anyone, so I never got quite as
heated, but I did get into debates about pro-life versus pro-choice.
It seems like you've consistently chosen roles in gay or gay-friendly
material. Is that a conscious choice?
I think for me, again, it's where I agree with Shuli, in that I don't see it as a blackand-white thing. It's not that I choose gay-friendly roles or I don't choose
gay-friendly roles, it's more like I look at it for the role and for the message of
44
I curve
the project and choose from there. I really liked the message in Itty Bitty that
was saying: 'Tm not defining mysel£ so why are you defining met
Let's get beyond labels.
Yeah, beyond this really binary kind of thing. I liked that aspect of Shuli. She
was like, "Fuck that, we don't need to go there, that's not the point:'
Your love scene with Daniela Sea in /tty Bitty is pretty hot. And with
Shuli's love interest, Calvin, /tty Bitty shows that gender ranges as
well as sexuality.
That's right. We also have a transgender character in Aggie, who's a part of the
CIA. Itty Bitty in general is breaking typical biases we see in the media.
I'm taking a psychology of women class right now and in this chapter
we're doing, we're talking all about gender bias, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and everything else. In the media, certain people disappear
from what's depicted, whether it's ethnic invisibility, whether it's because
of sexual preference [or] whether it's female invisibility. I think that I tty
Bitty does a really good job of showcasing different types of people. With
Melonie Diaz playing the [main character, Anna], you have a Puerto
Rican heroine. I don't know what the statistics are, but there aren't many
Latina leads. When all of your leads are women, it's practically unheard
0£ People may be scared of the term "feminist" and have this image that
pops into their head. Then you look at the definition of feminist, it's a
belief system in which women and their experiences and their ideas are
regarded and valued.
So, you're in school right now?
I'm involved with a program that was originally born out of the idea of going
into human sexuality. That's what I was thinking when I was working
for the organization here. I ended up getting into a certificate program in
counseling women. I was taking my first women's studies class when I was
cast in Itty Bitty, which was a really interesting manifest. There's liberal,
cultural and radical feminism going on in the film. It's really about the idea
of reclaiming the public arena for women.
And using performance and art to express feminist statements?
Yes, I think it's a positive spin on using artistic mediums for visibility or education. On MTV or in advertisements, there are these other messages
being constantly shoved forward in terms of what women's roles are. Art
forms are a way to portray images of people and get them seen. I think
that Jamie [Babbit J's done an incredible job at mixing message with fun.
You had worked with her before, right, on Popular?
I hadn't seen Jamie for a number of years and was excited to collaborate with
her again, because I think that Jamie's an incredibly intelligent filmmaker,
very conscious in what she puts out in the public's eyes. She's also got
that sense of purpose and mischief and empowerment. I was 18 when we
started doing Popular.[Babbit] was really young too, in directing and in
producing Popularand then in becoming a mother and still working her
ass off. She's a real role model.
How would you compare the Shulamith character from /tty Bitty to
Garbo on Dirt?
Garbo's name is coming from the infamous [Greta Garbo], who's very discreet, questionably gay and sort of in the shadows. I modeled Garbo after
a cat, that demeanor, there was a little bit more mystery. With Shuli, I
just made Shuli in your face all the time, no holds barred. There are no
apologies for Shuli.
Back to Daniela Sea briefly. Had you worked
with her before?
No, I never had, and she's just so delightful and
keen to be a part of projects she feels are impor,
tant. She's got a strong sense of self and a real
spiritual side too, which I think is what grounds
us all in a business fairly devoid of it.
It's got to be strange to become a star overnight. What did you do with the popularity
of Popular, especially with being a teenager
suddenly cast into the limelight?
I, to be quite honest, freaked out. I rebelled against
my environment. I was coming fresh out of
high school, had just started university and
was eager to be studious and academic, and
then I get cast in this WB teen angst show in
Hollywood. I moved down there. So I was all
of the sudden a part of this world that I knew
nothing about in this career that I didn't know
I wanted to have. I started getting really wary
about the people who I was hanging out with
and what they wanted from me, because I felt
that everybody wanted something. I think
it was about growing from a teenager into a
young adult and trying to learn how to miti,
gate the fact that I wasn't able to do it all on my
own. My parents know it best that I'm a pret,
ty obstinate girl. It was really hard for me to
understand how to cross that threshold where
people were telling me: This is where you need
to go now, this is what you have to say, this is
how you have to look.
Submitting to someone else's ideas when
you're still discovering your own ideas of
yourself.
It was really tough on me. That being said, I loved
the show and felt very safe within the walls of
the studio. It was the stuff outside of those walls
that was hard for me to handle. When the sec,
ond season finished, I took off and went travel,
ing for a while, partially by myself and partially with friends , and it allowed
me to meditate on what I wanted, who I felt I was, and get back to basics.
Taking the reins and getting some perspective on it, I began to understand
what the parameters were and what my boundaries and barriers were, and
how I can maintain them, while appeasing the system, so to speak. That
made me feel more confident in stepping back into the scene.
You're hilarious in /tty Bitty, by the way. The over-the-topness was
what worked about your character. I also love her glasses.
[Director] Jamie [Babbit] requested them, because Shulamith Firestone
wore very similar glasses. I tried them on and I was like, "Yes!"We were
questioning if people couldn't get past them, but then again, that was the
point. So what if someone's obscuring their face, if someone's not wearing
makeup, or not wearing a bra, you get over those typical or stereotypical
ideas of what a woman should look like on screen.
Are you working on any other projects right now?
I'm going to do a short film with my friend here in Vancouver that she wrote
and is directing. There are also a lot of weddings this summer. I've got to
stay in town to be there for my friends.
It's good to stay balanced like that.
That's important for me. Work is one of those things that if I put too much
focus on it or pressure on myself for it, I'm neither enjoying it nor really
amassing any of it because it's negative energy. The more level I can be,
the more useful I can be to the crafr. It's all about offering something and
offering yourself to something. ■
September 2007
I45
NOT SO
A gang of lesbian superstars team
up for the next big thing: POWER
UP's /tty Bitty Titty Committee.
FILM
eeeeeeee
46
Icurve
By Candace Moore • Photography by Elisa Shebaro
industrial stretch of Southern
of a seedy motel, the type with a
a Bates Hotel,ish anonymity. The
y freezing, a cold that goes straight
that we had at college, were really platforms for lesbians to meet
other lesbians and hit on them. That's where the comedy came
into play:'
Guinevere Turner (Go Fish, The L Word) concurs, "I think
there's a process we have to go through to be extreme in order
to find out what really matters. I was in ACT UP and Queer
Nation and at that same age was very much in the streets, chant,
ing 'We're here, we're queer; and participating in kiss,ins. The
rickling,down mist and moths circling
e L Word's Daniela Sea?) juggles three
a snack cart with a kind of Zen aplomb. Off to
the side, crew members huddle around a heat source; cords and
a trail of film equipment lead to a curtained,off hotel room.
Through headphones, I hear warm sounds from inside that
things we would do in the name of politics! Like pose naked for
T,shirts and all kinds of things. (This film) is definitely making
fun of those kinds of politics, but I think that it's also pointing
to being political, what that means and what the subtleties of
that are:•
Babbit's new coming,of,age comedy boasts a great ensemble
contrast with the outside scene, small moans and the intimate
mouth,on,flesh sounds of two women beginning to negotiate
sex. A third woman's voice delicately interrupts to breach ques,
tions of position, how the actors will look on camera and how
cast that includes Sea, Turner, model Jenny Shimizu, Melanie
Mayron (Thirtysomething), Carly Pope (Popular, Dirt), Nicole
Vicius (Half Nelson, Last Days), professional skateboarder
Lauren Mollica, Melonie Diaz (Raising Victor Vargas), and
Deak Evgenikos (Hung, Hummer). Face it, it's been a while since
we've seen so many ladies starring in one lesbian,themed film.
they feel in the scene.
No, this is not the set of The L Word. I haven't overheard
any mid,bliss references to Shane or Bette. The film being shot
late into the night, Itty Bitty Titty Committee, is the first feature,
film release from POWER UP, and it boasts a bevy of female
talents and lesbian icons. Likely to be the next big queer thing,
it's helmed by Jamie Babbit, director of 1999's super cute and
sarcastic teen flick But I'm a Cheerleader.
Centering on a feminist group that stages radical actions
and the love affairs that ensue while they feverishly protest mis,
ogyny guerilla,style, Itty Bitty offers us riot,grrl redux, restyled
for the new millennium.
''I've been wanting to make this movie since 2000, about
Not since 1994's Go Fish, perhaps, has there been an amusing,
refreshing portrayal of queer,female community on the bigger,
rather than the smaller, screen. Lately cable TV seems leaps and
bound ahead of independent filmmaking in terms of depict,
ing our lives in edgy and honest ways. Chalk it up to lacklus,
ter funding and support for LGBTQ material in an industry
focused on box office returns. POWER UP, the only nonprofit,
gay women's film production company and educational orga,
nization, seeks to correct some of that discrepancy, by putting
money and concerted grrl power behind this queer, feminist
vision, producing the organization's first feature,length film.
"There's this universal experience where girls come into feminism and either
reject it or get excited about it that usually happens in the early 20s.
It's important to show that just because you're a lesbian,
doesn't mean that you know one single thing about feminism."
a girl that becomes political;' Babbit says of Itty Bitty. "There's
this universal experience where girls come into feminism and
either reject it or get excited about it that usually happens in the
early 20s. (The main character) Anna is a 'Dinah Shore week,
end' lesbian who just likes to party and go to GirlBar, because
I think it's important to show that just because you're a lesbian
doesn't mean that you know one single thing about feminism.
She works at a McJob as a receptionist in a plastic surgery office
and meets a very political Smith graduate named Sadie, who
has this micro,action feminist group:'
Babbit explains that she wanted to capture the radical turn
common especially to dykes new to adulthood, without losing
a sense of humor in the film. So she played up the "hooking
up" that often happens alongside the consciousness raising: "I
wanted to explore the idea that a lot of the political groups that
people became a part of, like the 'Take Back the Night' rallies
48
Icurve
Turner, who cameos as TV personality Marcy Malone in
the movie, picked Itty Bitty Titty Committee's tide, after the sing,
songy name "we called girls who had no tits in seventh grade:•
The message of the film's radical girl group, Clits in Action,
aka the CIA, however-and an underlying message of the
film itself-is to appreciate all types of women's bodies. Anna
becomes inspired to join the girl gang after the CIA tags the
windows of the plastic surgery clinic where she works. Nicole
Vicius (who plays Sadie, leader of the gang) described execut,
ing the CIJ\s mixed,media methods: "The CIA goes out and
defaces property and takes action through art. We'd go to film in
places like the city mall, so we'd literally be running
around and doing it the way they would. We were
carrying these papier-mache huge statues under
garbage bags and running into stores and changing the whole mannequin display. Changing these
mannequins in bikinis to all different shapes and
sizes of women, that was fun!" The gang's home
base and crash pad is a downtown L.A. loft where
the CI& resident artist, Meat (Deak Evgenikos),
works and rooms with comrades Shulamith (Carly
Pope) and Aggie (Lauren Mollica). Evgenikos describes Meat as fearless."We all are fear based, and
that kind of goes out the window with Meat. She's
based on her passion, not only as an artist but in
the way that she loves. Meat is having this coming
of age in learning that love is very fluid:'
Just as it offers assorted characters to relate to,
!tty Bitty offers differing portrayals of lesbian love
and sex and a sincere look at relationships motivated and shaped by the perceptions (and sometimes hangups) of each individual involved. The
film also depicts intergenerational love. While age
differences between coupled women are not a topic often covered in most queer films, Babbit says
that she "wanted to explore that because I think it
is a very typical lesbian thing. We've all heard the
stories about Rita Mae Brown and all these amazing women in our community, and a lot of them
do date younger women:•
Melanie Mayron, who portrayed a woman
with a younger boyfriend in thirtysomething, again
gets to play the hot older woman, a feminist figurehead named Courtney. Says Mayron of Courtney,
"Like Patricia Ireland, the head of NOW, she's
the head of a feminist organization that's active
in Washington and very by the book, working the
political arena the way it has to be worked. She's
got a younger girlfriend, Sadie, who's involved in
a radical, younger group, and she's critical of how
her girlfriend is doing things:• Drama also hinges
around Sadie's conflicting feelings of security with
Courtney and her new interest in Anna."Courtney
was a guest lecturer at Sadie's school;' Vicius says.
"She really looked up to her. Sadie's vulnerable
underneath that strong fa~ade; she's still trying to
find her way. She gets confused because she gets
involved with this other girl (Anna) and yet she's
still really tied to Courtney:'
!tty Bitty also shows gender as a spectrum, portraying characters who are feminine, masculine, in
between and transitioning from female to male.
Daniela Sea plays Calvin, a bomb specialist who
50
Icurve
recently returned from Iraq, whom the CIA gals pick up and
recruit while she's hitchhiking. Sea describes her character as a
tough girl who is "pretty boyish, but I don't think Calvin intellec,
tualizes like I am genderqueer. Maybe she'd go down that road:'
Skater Lauren Mollica takes on her first film role as Aggie, a
transitioning FTM whom she describes as "super mellow:'
"(The CIA is] hardcore, and none of it's his idea, but he's go,
ing with it. They're cool, and he wants to roll with them:'
The CIA try to "raise the consciousness of the general public
about how the public space is dominated by heterocentric imag,
ery and male images of women;' Babbit explains, "how all these
images around us at all times are making us feel like shit about
ourselves:' She believes the film's lightheartedness and grungy,
Super 8 aesthetic will keep things more comedic and upbeat,
rather than didactic, in the spirit of queer and feminist punk
rock. "If you look to bands like Le Tigre, they're able to be really
funny and [play] dance music but [appear] hardcore feminist.
community seem to characterize Itty Bitty, both on screen and
behind the scenes, especially given that the cast and crew were
primarily women. POWER UP's mentorship program also
provided support for talents new in the film industry to try
on important roles in the making of the film. The script was
written by Tina Mabry and Abigail Shafran, whom producers
Andrea Sperling, Lisa Thrasher and Stacy Codikow found by
posting ads at local universities looking for writing talent. As
Babbit recalls, "We got a bunch of writers who were interested
and weeded it down from the meetings and sample scripts they
gave us. We gave them the treatment for Itty Bitty, had them
each write three scenes, and picked two writers based on those
"I wanted to explore the idea that a lot of the political groups that people became
a part of, like the 'Take Back the Night' rallies that we had at college, were
really platforms for lesbians to meet other lesbians and hit on them."
The tone of their music is the tone of this film. The other genesis
for the movie was my love of a record label called Kill Rock Stars
(of Bikini Kill and Sleater,Kinney fame]. I wanted to make a
movie where I could use all of that music:'
Itty Bitty's look is as much an homage to underground ide,
als as its sound is. While Babbit says the aesthetic of But I'm
a Cheerleader was modeled after the pinks of Barbie's Dream
House, this film draws its inspiration from a grittier source,
Lizzie Borden's classic feminist film Born in Flames.
Sea, too, talks of her appreciation for the subversive, spon,
taneous feel of on,location shooting. "This one day we were
shooting on Super 8, so we were loaded into this big van and
driving around locations in L.A. We went to the Greyhound
station and got kicked out because we didn't have a license. It
was a stripped,down crew and felt very DIY:'
Both a do,it,yourself ethos and a goal of cultivating female
scenes:' Fresh voices were complemented by cast and crew
members at various levels of experience and responsibility who
arranged their schedules and traveled into L.A. to work on a
film they could stand behind. Evgenikos remembers that "we
had a lot of people fly in from out of state, who put themselves
up to do the film and that reinforced what I was doing every
day, the impact that I could make on other people's lives because
they felt impacted by it:'
Itty Bitty Titty Committee, which won Best Narrative
Feature Jury Award at the South by Southwest film festival (its
American premiere) and Best Lesbian Feature Film Jury Award
at the Q Cinema Film Festival, will be released theatrically in
L.A. and N.Y. this fall. The flick is a rare breed indeed, a film
with queer,female content that maintains its sense of humor
while taking community,building politics to heart in its mode
of production. ■
September 2007
I51
52
Icurve
§' DCATCORA
~
Ill
Best known for her role on the Food Network's
:::::!,
Iron Chef,Cat Cora is the first woman to hold the
w
~
0
a:
z0
~
j
0
0
z
w
Cl)
Cl)
::>
J:
a:
~z
Iron Chef title in the show's history. The mother
of two sons, she's also co-founder of Chefs for
Humanity, an organization started in January
2005 by culinary professionals who raise funds
and provide resources for emergency situations
where humanitarian aid is needed. The nonprofit
has aided such efforts as Making Change for
Katrina and Hollywood for Habitat. Cora told
<(
eling and hosting popular shows like Queer Eye
for the StraightGirl, Honey Labrador keeps busy.
And that's not including her activities as mother
of daughter Zoe. Labrador says, "Being a mother
is the greatest joy in my life. Becoming a mom at
such a young age, though a surprise at the time,
gave me a sense of responsibility and taught me
about unconditional love. To quote a line from
one of my favorite movies, 'As hard as you think
it is, sometimes you wish it was that easy: Being
a lesbian mom is my only reference point so I
don't know how to be any other way. I think we
are all the same. I am in solidarity with all moms
regardless of sexuality:' Labrador's latest projects
include Honey L Designs, which aims to create a
broad base of unique designs for fashion, jewelry
and fragrances. Her first collection is part of the
Elements of Style promotion for The L Word.
E SHERYL SWOOPES
Modernmom.com that her definition of a modern mom is "a great multitasker, versatile, sophisticated yet fun:' She works hard to make sure she
keeps balance in business and family life.
ElROSIE O'DONNELL
A strong advocate of adoption rights for gays and
lesbians, the standup comedian and former TV
talk show host filed a lawsuit in Florida prohibiting same-sex families from adopting when the
state removed a young girl, Mia, from O'Donnell's
home in 2001. Once dubbed"The Queen of Nice"
by Newsweek, O'Donnell's popular and controversial run on ABC's The View put her back
in the spotlight. Along with making headlines,
O'Donnell keeps her children and family at the
forefront, often writing about or featuring them
on her videos and biogs at Rosie.com.
O'Donnell and her wife, Kelli, live in Nyack,
N.Y., and are parents to Parker Jaren, Chelsea
Belle, Blake Christopher and Vivienne Rose.
EJILENE CHAIKEN
Executive producer of the popular Showtime
series The L Word, Ilene Chaiken has been behind
numerous other projects, including authoring the
screenplays for Barb Wire and TV movies Dirty
Picturesand Damaged Care,and working as a coordinating producer on the FreshPrinceof Bel Air.
Los Angeles-based Chaiken has twin 11-year-old
daughters, Tallulah and Augusta, with her former
partner Miggi Hood.
II
HONEY LABRADOR
From producing and starring in movies, to mod-
Frequently referred to as the female Michael
Jordan, Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets
has won three Olympic gold medals and is a
three-time WNBA most valuable player. The
first woman to have a Nike sneaker named after
her, the Air Swoopes, she also wrote a best-selling
children's book, BounceBack.
In October 2005, Swoopes came out as a
lesbian and became one of the most high-profile
athletes in a team sport to come out publicly.
She and her partner, Alisa Scott, together raise
Swoopes' son from a previous marriage.
mMELISSA ETHERIDGE
Multiplatinum dyke rocker Melissa Etheridge
has released nine albums since signing her first
major recording contract in 1987, and she's won
two Grammy awards for Best Female Rock
Vocal Performance and an Academy Award for
Best Original Song (for the documentary An
InconvenientTruth). Etheridge has four children:
Bailey Jean and Beckett with her former partner
Julie Cypher, and twins, son Miller Steven and
daughter Johnnie Rose, with her wife Tammy
Lynn Michaels.
D CYNTHIA NIXON
Twenty years before HBO's hit show Sex in the
City, Cynthia Nixon started her work as an actor,
making her film debut in Little Darlings. She's
appeared in several films and Broadway shows,
garnering stage honors that include a Theatre
World Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics
Award and the 2006 Best Actress Tony Award.
She's also won an Emmy and two Screen Actors
Guild awards. As far as being a mom, Nixon once
said, "Motherhood is the only thing in my life that
I've really known for sure is something I wanted
to do:' Nixon, in a relationship with Christine
Marinoni, has a 10-year-old daughter, Samantha
Mozes, and a 5-year-old son, Charles Ezekiel
Mozes.
EJMARY CHENEY
The 2004 presidential campaign debates in many
ways focused on "something about Mary" Cheney.
Being daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney
and her father's top campaign aide shouldn't
have been that big a deal, except Mary Cheney
is a lesbian and her Republican father is rather
opposed to marriage for same-sex couples. It all
seemed rather conflicted, making it a good topic
to broach during debates, while Mary Cheney
stayed largely out of the public eye on the subject. With her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe,
she announced in 2006 that they were going to
have a baby, to which her father told ABC, 'Tm
delighted I'm about to be a grandparent for the
sixth time. I'm looking forward to the arrival of
a new grandson:' Their baby son, Samuel David
Cheney, arrived in May 2007.
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
E'J
And who does the Queen of England request to photograph her for an official picture?
Annie Leibovitz, of course. Leibovitz is a noted
American portrait photographer, best known
for her portrait of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
on the day Lennon was killed. Other celebrities
Leibovitz has photographed are Demi Moore,
Whoopi Goldberg, Dolly Parton, Dan Aykroyd,
John Belushi and, most recently, the Queen of
England. Leibovitz has also published six photography books. She has three children: Sarah
who was born in 2001 when Annie was 52 years
old, and her twins, Susan and Samuelle, who were
born to a surrogate mother in May 2005.
II!JLINDA VILLAROSA
Linda Villarosa is a former editor of the New
York Times and former executive editor and
current editor at large of Essence magazine. In
1991, with her mother, Clara, Villarosa wrote
an article for Essence titled, "Coming Our:' The
article received more response mail than any
other in the magazine's history. Villarosa is the
author of Body & Soul: The Black Women's Guide
to PhysicalHealth and Emotional Well-Beingand
Finding Our Way: The Teen Girls Survival Guide,
and has co-authored several more. She lives in
Brooklyn, N.Y., with her two children and her
partner, Jana. ■
September 2007
I 53
OFF of a fictional Web site masterminded by The L Word character
urChart.com has quickly become a real,life contender, drawing more
,000 unique visitors a month to the lesbian social networking site.
e a launch pad for experiments with new delivery formats for origi,
e material, as evidenced by GirlTrash!, Angela Robinson's cutting,
edge girl gangster Web series. Frank, funny and ever friendly, success hasn't
yet gone to Robinson's head. While she's worked within Disney,bankrolled
budgets and practically nonexistent ones, she's managed to keep her wit and
vision intact in both studio and indie production contexts. In fact, the sue,
cessful director of D.E.B.S. and Herbie: Fully Loaded has practically c_arved
out an action,packed, humor,filled, girl,powered oeuvre-in GirlTrash!. As
in her previous work, women are the ones kicking ass and taking names (with
a few kissing breaks).
It's great to see an A-list director adding content to a community
site like OurChart.com. How did you get involved?
I was initially approached by Ilene Chaiken, the creator of The L Word, when
I was working on the show last season. She, together with her OurChart
partners-Hilary
Rosen and Beth Callaghan-took me out to lunch and
pitched me the idea of doing a Web series. I'd wanted to experiment with
doing something on the Internet for awhile, so it seemed like a good op,
portunity. They told me I could do whatever I wanted, so I treated it as sort
of a writing exercise. I'd always had the idea to do a down,and,out buddy
comedy with chicks, and this seemed like a great way to tell that story.
There are plenty of actors we know from their queer roles on televsion involved on this project. How did you cast the series?
54
Icurve
I treated the whole thing as kind of fan fiction for myself. I approached act,
resses I knew or wanted to work with and told [them] each the basic
premise and that I would write a character designed specifically for them,
if they agreed to be in the project. There are so many more parts for men,
and women often find themselves being the girlfriend, or the babe, or the
bitch. I wanted to write parts where the women got really beefy, complex
roles that were funny and violent and immoral and heroic-so that you
got a chance to see what all these women can do. A lot of times [actors)
are only called upon to do about 10 percent of what they're capable 0£
I worked with Rose Rollins on The L Word. I'm a big South of Nowhere
fan, so I met Gabby Christian and Mandy Musgrave at a party and asked
them if they'd be in it, and they said yes. Gabby wanted to be "bad" be,
cause she plays a character who is always so good on her show. I've known
Amber Benson for years-I tracked her down at Sundance a number of
years ago, as I'm an insane Buffy fan. I also worked with casting director
Rick Montgomery to find people through more traditional casting meth,
ods. He found Michelle Lombardo, who's incredible. And I could not find
anybody who was right for Daisy, and I called my friend, Joel Michaely,
who I always call whenever I have a casting crisis, and he told me about
Lisa Rieffier, who is the front person for the band Killola, and I checked
out her videos on YouTube and cast her off those.
The aesthetics of GirlTrash! seem mixed in an exciting way: indie
grit, action slick, with a feminist punk edge.
The gritty look of the series was born out of necessity. We were running and
gunning with absolutely no budget and no time, shooting tons of pages a
::?
0
(.)
,-.:
a:
<(
I
(.)
a:
::J
0
day. My partner, Alex Kondracke, was the cinematographer, and she had
shot a lot of documentaries, so we just piled the actors in a van, found a
location, told them to get out and do the scene and she just followed the
action as it developed. It lent an energy and an excitement to the acting,
which was really fun. I'd never worked that way before, I am always doing
really composed shots, so it was new for me. Also, we were shooting in
DV on a Prosumer camera, which can look pretty crappy a lot of the time.
But when we transferred the footage to black and white, it took the curse
off the video, which we discovered. The decision to make it black and
white happened very late in post,production. I was wracking my brain
for what the GirlTrash! Web site should look like, and th~n Alex came up
with the mugshot concept and designed the site with a company called
"Most Postmodern in San Francisco:' I loved the way the mugshots of the
girls looked in black and white, so I tried transferring the first episode to
black and white, and I found that the episode took on a totally different
feeling. It felt really gritty and art punky, like early Jim Jarmusch. We de,
cided to switch things up and go with black and white for the main action
and color for the flashbacks. It doesn't really make sense, but it feels right
when I watch it.
GirlTrash!, as with D.E.B.S., reminds me of Godard's redoing of the
gangster genre in Breathless. There's a clear appreciation for the
t--=
a:
a:
::::)
0
credibly exciting notion, that filmmakers might be liberated to create and
distribute content directly to an audience and reap the benefits without a
middleman. But it's also very scary because with the democratization of
the Internet, content creators might not be able to get paid as much for
what they do. There might be more stuff that you get paid less to make,
which is disheartening. But the way I see it, the genie is already out of the
bottle, so I'm just going to try and figure it out. It's my dream to make
content for an audience that wants to see it and make a living doing it, and
I think eventually, the Internet is going to be the place to be.
GirlTrash! is also going to be a comic series. Did you think of
Most of my work plays on some genre conventions. I'm not sure why this is.
Maybe I watched too much television as a kid-it's just how I think. I was
always watching genre movies growing up and then re,writing them in
my head, with girl heroes or the girls hooking up, so I think that now that
I have the ability to create content, a lot of it is an attempt to remake all
those movies I loved, the way I would've wanted to see them.
chandising options from the get go?
What are some of the constraints of working in this format?
~
(.)
I definitely think "Webisodes" and online delivery are going to be a major
format for the future. For the longest time, the studios and networks have
held the keys to distribution, and that is no longer the case. That is an in,
GirlTrash! as having a comic book component and having other mer-
Creating a Web series is really a trip-it's been a very mixed experience for
me. On the one hand, it's amazing because there are no rules and no over,
sight. When you work on movies or TV shows there is always a network
or a studio who is looking over your shoulder and dictating from above.
The most liberating thing about the entire process was that I wrote the
script, then thought, who do I have to give this to for notes and approval?
And then I realized: nobody. That was great. The other neat thing is the
instant response from viewers in the forums and biogs. You put some,
thing up, and then right away people tell you what they think, and it's a
really raw, interactive relationship with an audience that is different from
sitting in an audience and showing people your work. It's weird that you
can post something in Los Angeles and within seconds somebody in the
Philippines can respond to it. On the downside, it's like the Wild West.
Everybody is venturing out into this new space and trying to find an eco,
nomic model that makes sense. It takes as much time, energy and thought
to do this as it takes to make a movie, but people think that since it's on
the Web that it is somehow easier to do, which is not true. I'm a real per,
fectionist, so I had to find and count on a lot of amazing people to help me
make this for zero money, from production to post, which is difficult.
::E
be working out some of its kinks. Do you think this is going to be a
major format in the future?
Hollywood action film in your work, and yet you work on a meta level,
ing on film features or even on a television series, doesn't?
0
It seems like now is the time that Web-based films and serial forms
can really come to fruition because the technology seems to finally
too. You reserve the ability to spoof some of the genre conventions.
What does making Web episodes allow you as a director that work-
(.)
and bandwidth. It's annoying to have so little control over how people
watch your work-if you have a souped,up computer, it's a great show,
but if you have a bad connection, the image is steppy and slow. I'm a con,
trol freak, so I have to just be Zen and let that go-embrace that people
will experience and respond to the work out in cyberspace.
The technology is cool but also kind of a pain in the ass. There's a lot of
stuff I still don't understand. On the production end, it's pretty easy-we
shot on DV, edited on Final Cut Pro, and I'm amazed with how fast you
can shoot, cut and deliver content. On the delivery side, I'm still learning
about the difference between Flash files and Quick Times, and resolution
From the get go, my notion is that GirlTrash! is an infinitely merchandisable
and spin,offable brand. I see it as starting with GirlTrash! the series, which
could spin off to GirlTrash!: Miami, or GirlTrash!: Rio, or GirlTrash!:
Supernatural-the possibilities are endless. And it always bugged me that
as an artist, you come up with an idea and when you sell it to a studio or
network, they immediately own it, and you lose control of your creation
from that point. The studio can decide to make it or shelve it, and unless
you are a really big fish, you don't really participate in the exploitation and
ownership of what you thought of it in the first place. It can be kind of a
lame deal. So, GirlTras'h! is a grassroots experiment. We're just going for
it. We've struck a merchandising deal and are offering GirlTrash! clothing
and memorabilia-I'm developing a comic book and will maybe spin it off
into a TV show or a movie, depending on how things go. Or maybe it will
just live on the Web-it's wide open. I'm seeing how far I can go totally
independent .... We'll see what happens. ■
September 2007
I55
ers are both in finance and Republicans, so
I guess I am the liberal lesbian freak;' she
adds with a smile.
Linton has been producing socially con,
scious (queer) television for over a decade
and has won several prestigious awards,
including a nomination
for outstanding
TV journalism by GLAAD, the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. But
her professional career started somewhere
else entirely.
When Linton graduated from NYU,
she went straight to clown college. As a pro,
fessional clown with the Clown Care unit,
part of the Big Apple circus, she visited chil,
dren in hospitals. "It was so rewarding to see
their faces light up;' Linton says.
In 1993, a friend asked her to audition
to co,host the national lesbian and gay news
show In the Life on PBS. She got the job.
Once she realized how important the show
was to the LGBT community, Linton want,
ed to work on the other side of the camera:
Thepresidentof LintonMediasayswe still have
a longroadaheadof us.ByLizettevanHecke
"They kept putting so much makeup on me
that I thought, I have to have some control
of this show;' she says. "So I asked if I could
work behind the scenes as well, and when
the producer quit, it became my show:'
SOMETHING INTIMATE about the atmosphere at Linton
c. It's not that employees are researching personal issues such as
marriage, the military and sexuality within the queer community for
sion documentaries. It's not that it's a small company with around eight
including editing and shooting. Television's potential to enact social change
excited Linton. "TV is such a powerful medium;' she says. "Often it is so
dumb, but when it's done right, millions of people can be reached:'
e on the payroll, depending on the project, and it's not that they've be,
friends.
One of her favorite examples is All in the Family. Addressing a wide range
of delicate issues through the sitcom was brilliant, but it didn't turn her to fie,
o, there's something else. Something that feels familiar, even to outsid,
tion. "There are too many real stories that I think are amazing;' she says. "It is
en I pull up a chair and set up for the interview, two of the producers
lift their T,shirts to compare love handles. Katherine Linton, a 39,year,old
filmmaker and president of the company, rolls her eyes and blushes slightly.
"Guys ... Come on, I'm trying to do an interview, here;' she says.
A couple of weeks ago, her new documentary series tided Lesbian Sex and
Sexuality started airing on here!, America's first LGBT television network. In
six episodes, the documentary explores various aspects of lesbian sexuality in
New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It takes a closer look at por,
nography, erotic dancers and alternative lifestyles such as polyamory.
Blond, short,haired Linton (above, second from right with cast) starts to
glow when she talks about Lesbian Sex and Sexuality. "It all started two years
ago when Meredith Kadlec, vice president of development at here! and per,
sonal friend said, 'I never see anything about lesbian sex:"
After some research, Linton was shocked to find what girls were up to
in the States and decided this project had to happen. "We wanted people to
watch it and be surprised at what they are learning. You may tune into it for
titillation but walk away thinking these are bold, powerful, intelligent women
enjoying their sexuality:'
Born in Connecticut, Linton moved to the East Village to study theater at
New York University when she was 20 years old. About that time, she came
out to her family as a lesbian. "When my father passed away, I realized life's
too short to not be yourself;' she says with confidence. "My two older broth,
56
She learned under fire and taught herself about all aspects of television,
Icurve
an honor that people let you in their lives and let you tell their story:'
For so many people in this country, it is still really difficult to be open
about their sexuality, Linton says. She thinks it's wonderful that a show like
The L Word is on prime time, but it doesn't give a good representation of real
lesbian culture, and that is what she would like to see: normal women with
normal lives, normal struggles and a healthy sex drive. "I think we've come a
long way, and we have a long way to go;' she says seriously." Too many people
forget. They see a gay character on TV and say,'Look, we've arrived, look how
visible we are:"
But Linton believes as long as there is no legal acknowledgement, there's
a lot to fight for. "I do think we've come a long way, but on the other hand, I
think people are still afraid of expressing sexuality as gay people. It's OK to be
funny, it's OK to be sexy,but really, when you show sex ... it freaks people out!
We have to get past the icky factor of two people of the same gender kissing.
And the more images out there, the better:'
Linton wants to show that not all lesbians live The L Word glamour life
and still enjoy their lives and their sexuality. As for her own world, she's got a
beautiful girlfriend, loving friends and a mother who, after recovering from the
shock of her daughter's coming out, counts herself as Linton's biggest fan.
Nevertheless, she hasn't shown her family Lesbian Sex and Sexuality yet.
"That one I am holding back;' Linton laughs."No, I think that would be too
much!" ■
~ro
ro
0
()
z
0
a:
~
LOVING
LUENELL
Oneon onewith Borat'sleading
lady.ByCatherinePlato
ARKANSAS but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area's gay heyell is quickly becoming a comedic superstar to queers, feminists and
rdogs. In addition to a multiple-decade career in film, theater and
uenell is best known for her recent appearance as the hooker with
of gold (also named Luenell) in Sasha Baron Cohen's 2006 controversial mockumentary, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Bene.fit
Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. And though she's committed to a dude and
only "alcoholically bisexual;' Luenell's shown our community plenty of support: She's appeared in the super-queer comedy cabaret Funny Girlz and has
even dubbed herself a "drag queen trapped in a woman's body:' Besides, don't
we all kind of start out alcoholically bisexual? -
Catherine Plato
Did you begin performing during high school?
Tried to, but ... I couldn't get any lead roles 'cause I was just one of the very
few African Americans in the school, and this was in the '70s and Castro
Valley wasn't very well integrated.
What was it like hanging out in the San Francisco queer scene during the '70s?
The Castro was like gay Disneyland. It was wonderful. Music thumping from
every club. People twirling and spinning and drinking and fighting and we
had the gay parade every year, and Sylvester was still alive and there were
tea parties at the I-Beam and dances at the Trocadero, and it was before
AIDS and the big drug crack epidemic. Pretty carefree. Lots and lots and
lots of fun.
thoughts?
community?
I can honestly say I was taken aback as much as anybody in the rest of the
world. Definitely proud to be affiliated with it and wouldn't change a thing
about it, but I didn't get a clue pretty much until just about a little bit before it came out to the public. And when I did see what the final product
turned out to be, all I could do was sit back and hold my breath .... It was
have asked me if I was a real hooker. But, sad to say, I am not. [Laughs]
I do have another movie that's going to be coming out and I'm a hooker
again. I think someone was asking if I was being stereotyped as a hooker. Well, you know, nobody wants to be stereotyped as anything, but I'd
rather be stereotyped as that than somebody's mama or auntie or whacky
neighbor.
:J
(.)
~
zz
>
we did, was just showed that.
The first time that you got to see the film completed, what were your
These days do you still have a strong following among the queer
I'd like to think so because I have a fondness for the gay community in my
heart. I'd like to think they feel the same way.
Since you were one of the few actual actors in Borat, did people
ever mistake you for a real prostitute rather than an actor?
Well, you know, the film is so good and so well made, people just don't know
what to think. To the director's credit, a lot of people probably do, and
u..
u..
Yeah, I do. It absolutely is not anti-Semitic .... Sasha Baron Cohen, for the record, is a strict Orthodox Jew himsel£ He was just making parody, just as
Saturday Night Live would or any sketch comedy show would. He went to
real extremes in every sense, and if people found it offensive, it wasn't exclusive to whoever they are. I think he pretty much managed to rile up just
about everybody he could rile up .... We didn't write any lines for those
people, they said those statements themselves .... All he was doing, actually, was just holding up a mirror to society to let the world know what's
really going on out here. You never know what's going on in your neighbor's house or anything like that with people on the street, with kids and
all that. When the mirror is held up and they think people aren't watching,
that's when the real feelings and statements come out. And that's all that
I think the irony of Borat's misogyny and anti-Semitism was lost
on some viewers. Some people don't know whether the film is tackling that sarcastically or if it's actually anti-Semitic. You know what
I mean?
pretty deep.
How did it feel to be the woman that won Borat over Pamela at the
very end?
I think that was genius filmmaking because Hollywood is shifting a little bit
from the 'everybody-has-to-look-like-a-model-on-TV" thing. It sent a good
message that he came back and found a real love of his life, which was me,
after pursuing what he thought was the dream woman, which was Pamela,
and she didn't want anything to do with him. And I think it sent a really
good message out there to just regular chicks. And I'm really, really glad it
ended that way, you know? I'm really excited about that, being older and
chubby and African American as well. It just was really great, and I think
that was a stroke of genius, the way they did that. ■
September 2007
I 57
LARYCARLIP
of the Oddballs.ByJenniferParello
ing New Year's Eve with k.d. lang, partying in Melissa Etheridge's backyard,
sharing a sauna with a naked Jodie Foster, playing basketball with Rosie
O'Donnell, having an affair with a famous soap actress, and teaching Ellen
Degeneres to eat fire.
Carlip was raised in Los Angeles, where her parents owned a baby furniture business. She attended dance class with Jamie Lee Curtis and went
to middle school with Michael Jackson. But she didn't become friends
with a celebrity until she was in her teens, when she snuck backstage at the
Troubadour nightclub and introduced herself to Carly Simon, who had just
released her first album. Simon allowed Carlip to hang out with the band and
dedicated songs to her during performances. Emboldened by her successful
stalking of Simon, Carlip and a friend spent months pursuing Carole King.
When they finally landed at her doorstep armed with a freshly baked loaf of
banana bread, she graciously invited them into her home and apologized that
they couldn't use the swimming pool because it was filled with algae.
"I was attracted to their creativity and talent, but their celebrity;' Carlip says,
me realize that if you have talent you can make it on your own:'
made
"It
The only problem was that Carlip didn't think she had any talent. In her
teens, she wasn't quite five feet tall, weighed over 140 pounds and was "about
as graceful as Don Knotts:' She couldn't sing. She couldn't dance. But, then,
19, Hillary Carlip appeared as a contestant on The Gong Show and
ow's panel of D-list celebrity judges gave Carlip the perfect score
r comedic juggling routine. She beat out a toothless fiddle player,
an wearing a chicken outfit, and Cheryl Lynn, who would later
co anthem "Got to Be Real:'
A few years later, Carlip was hired to juggle in the musical finale of Xanadu.
On the movie set, she amused herself by gossiping about Olivia Newton
John's affair with a young dancer and pursuing her own affair with another
dancer, a woman who looked like Ann Margaret in Kitten with a Whip.
Next, she launched a singing telegram business and was hired to perform
at the homes of the Hollywood elite. She sang for Tori Spelling, Chastity
Bono, Norman Lear, Burt Bacharach, and the ex-husbands of Liza Minnelli
and Shelly Winters. At one performance, she was heckled by Ed McMahon,
who refused to shut up until Don Rickles came to her rescue.
Later, Carlip started an all-girl rock band, co-wrote a screenplay that languished in development hell, and gave Daryl Hannah a pair of old sneakers,
which received lots of screen time on Hannah's feet in Steel Magnolias.
Carlip recounts these and many other adventures in Queen of the Oddballs,
a memoir that offers a wacky romp through .Carlip's life on the fringe of the
her campaign to befriend Carole King and
entertainment industry-from
Carly Simon to scaling Barbra Streisand's fence to teaching Jimmy Connors
to juggle. Through it all she hangs out with the lesbian smart set-spend-
58
I curve
she discovered juggling.
"It was the first time I felt comfortable in my own body;' Carlip says.
"Juggling opened up the whole entertainment industry for me. I sucked at
everything else:'
Carlip was taught to juggle by a friend, who made Carlip pay for the lessons by stealing cigarettes from her mother's nightstand drawer. Soon, she
was performing as the opening act for Linda Ronstadt and givingjuggling lessons to comedian Jimmie J.J. Walker and Lucille Ball's head writer. Eventually,
juggling led her to The Gong Show,
0~:~~~~{: ~ /~,
~~~~'it:~:~
which awarded her $712.05 in ;;;.~-.~
- ·~.i.,,,.,,
'·"•,%.--•~Ii,
£. "' 3:' 1·
,ti£'"
.a·, -7 .,)-.\,, • ~,,
~
\,;"
•·~
prize money, and an extra-long hug eff
: ~· .., .. ;._.,
and lingering eye contact from celebrity judge Jaye P. Morgan.
"Jaye P. Morgan cruised me. No
question about it;' says Carlip.
In college, she learned other
talents. She fell in with a group of
performance artists, who taught
her how to eat fire. 'J\ll through
college, all I did was eat fire in the
dorm and set off the fire alarm;' she
says. The talent eventually landed
her on The Ellen Show, where Ellen
bravely tried-but failed-to swallow a burning torch. At the conclu-
[f1fDRI([$
···•h
~lie.
Ind OTHER
TRUE STORIES
from
• •
•
a LIFE
UNACCORDING
to
1
•••
f
.
PLAN
CARLIP,
HILLARY
.
"•
A Lesbian
View
Insider's
of Hollywood.
ByStephanie
Schroeder
ie or television show they
have coming out. None of
chem are closeted and there
sion of the stunt, Liza Minnelli staggered out from
backstage armed with a fire extinguisher.
A few years ago, Carlip began telling tales on
her exploits at spoken word venues. The experi-
is no blacklist of gay writers.
If we are talking about the
marketplace, that is
a different story. I
don't think the gen-
ence inspired her in 2004 to launch Fresh Yarn, a
Web site devoted to personal essays. The success
of the site convinced her to write her memoirs.
"For so long, I encouraged other people to tell
their stories. Finally, I said, J\lright, I guess it's
time for me to tell my story;" she said.
Queen of the Oddballs is Carlip's third book. In
1995, when her book Girl Power: Young Women
RS HARTMANN, a partner at Code
tainment in Los Angeles offers a different
ctive from the "other" side of entertainthe people who represent the "talent:'
Speak Out was released, she experienced the bigcall from Oprah
gest thrill in publishing-a
Winfrey's office. Winfrey planned to devote an
entire episode to the book, which comprises es-
I grew up in Dallas, Texas in a Catholic family-a very Republican family. My brother is now
a Republican politician in Ohio and I support
him every election season. I am a gay Democrat,
"Jugglingopenedup
the wholeentertainment
industryfor me.I sucked
else."
at everything
says Carlip collected from teen-aged girls. Carlip
thought she had finally caught her big break and
fantasized about seeing her name on the New York
Times bestseller list. But things didn't turn out
that way.
Oprah
concentrated almost exclusively on
the teen authors and gave only passing mention
of the book. Carlip sat in the audience-not on
the stage-trying not to cry as she reflected on
the possibility that she might be the only author
in television history to not win literary stardom as
a result of an appearance on Oprah.
For years following the show, Carlip remained
bitter about the disappointment and refused to
watch Oprah. But she has finally scored her revenge. In 2006, Borders Books ranked Queen of
the Odd Balls as one of the best literary memoirs
of the year.
You can see Carlip's The Gong Show performance
and her fire-eating performance on The Ellen Show
on her Web site, hillarycarlip.com. ■
but long ago I decided that staying close to the
other party is crucial in hopefully coming to a
mutual understanding about gay rights in this
country.
I was a literary agent for about 15 years
and am now a literary manager and partner at
Code Entertainment. I have mainly represented
screenwriters, directors and novelists over the
years and continue to do so. Now, in addition to
management, I produce.
Code just produced a movie for Warner
Brothers called Spring Breakdown, written and
directed by my client Ryan Shiraki. It stars
Parker Posey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and
Amber Tamblyn. It's an all-female comedy-not
such an easy feat these days.
Also, we recently produced and financed the
dark comedy You Kill Me starring Ben Kingsley,
Tea Leoni and Luke Wilson, which was released
inJune.
I have been out since my early 20s. Honestly,
in the entertainment industry being out is not
considered conversation worthy. Early on I did
have a couple of experiences that were surprising-and when I say surprising I mean negative,
but for the most part, it is not a factor.
I represent a number of gay women and men,
but typically do not comment on their personal
lives unless it is relevant to the content of a mov-
eral public is aware
are written
movies)
(and
shows
many
how
of
and run by gay and lesbian writers.
My projects and my clients' work run the
gamut: comedies, thrillers, dramas. I have always
been material driven (as opposed co concept
driven). I only sign people and cake on projects
that have an interesting and unique voice. The
voice is what it is all about for me. I have always
given special attention to gay and lesbian writers
and directors because I want to support talented
members of my community. That being said, I
will not sign someone because they are gay, but
I will read them. There is such a massive influx
of material for consideration that these days just
getting read is something. Also, I quite often give
ongoing advice to gay writers that I meet and like
even if I do not sign chem.
I was on the board of directors of Outfest
for a number of years and due to my workload
I had to retire, as many board members do.
There a couple of LGBT-related charities that I
am considering right now. I would like, to serve
on a board that is not specifically related to the
film and television business. I would love to be
involved with a group that has hands-on support
of gay youth.
In my experience, for the most part the L.A.
lesbian community is not closeted. I definitely
know lesbians who are in a more corporate environment and hence are less open about their
sexuality, but most of the lesbians I know in the
film and TV business are open about it, have
families and are equal co any ocher version of a
family that exists in today's society. There are so
many"types" oflesbians in this city. I know I may
sound like a commercial, but there is a group for
every kind of lesbian in L.A. It's a diverse community. ■
September 2007
I59
Barbra Streisand.
"Every kid of a celebrity in Hollywood wanted
that job;' she says. But because she had some pro,
duction background and she was not a starstruck
Barbra Streisand fan, she got the job. Plus, she
says, she worked her Jewishness to the hilt: "This
is the only place that would work for me;' she
insisted.
While the book describes how Abrams melted
under the steady stream of screams and profanity
from male supervisors (never from Babs), she real,
ized that was an accepted form of communication
in the entertainment business.
So part of her goal with the book is to pre,
pare Hollywood hopefuls for what looms ahead.
UCLA and USC have taken notice, inviting her
to speak to students in their film schools-lesbian
sexcapades and all.
The most eyebrow,raising chapters revolve
around Abrams' relationships with closeted les,
bian celebrities. She had access to many during
her five years covering red carpets and gala events
for CNN.
"I was famous for that;' she says matter,of
factly. "It's not star,fucking, these were my peers.
I was looking for a cute girl:'
After a night rollicking with a closeted A,list
star, she quips in her book, "I felt as safe in her
adoring arms as would a ladybug on a Times
Square sidewalk:'
Theauthorof TheMyth,TheMuse,
TheMeshugatalks back.By.LaurieK. Schenden
L ABRAMS exceeds expectations. Glance at
erpts from her book, TheMyth, TheMuse, The
shuga,and one might expect a party,going pri,
donna who leans heavily toward the meshuga
at's Yiddish for crazy).
Abrams definitely has had wild and crazy days,
and they're documented in her book. But talk,
ing with her now in her elegantly chic apartment,
dressed in a tank top, floor,length skirt and biker
boots, her long, curly locks framing her expressive
face, the girl is obviously focused.
A Hollywood insider who has embraced all
things celebrity for more than a decade, Abrams
has stomped through the grounds of the privi,
leged, where drugs, sex and rock'n' roll are as ordi,
nary as a three,course meal.
She admits to dabbling in drugs and has dis,
creedy shared beds (jacuzzis, bathroom stalls, etc.)
with celebrities. But Abrams is way too smart and
savvy to let forbidden pleasures derail her ambi,
tion. Detour it, maybe.
But one can't exist as a careless and carefree
60 I curve
groupie and work for Barbra Streisand, spend five
years collecting celebrity interviews for CNN's
Showbiz Today or earn the confidence of Clive
Davis (today she is in charge of creating videogra,
phies of American Idol winners).
When she felt rage over same,sex marriage
discrimination, she gazed down the infamous
Melrose Avenue and the next thing you know, her
own original artwork was mounted on an $8,000,
a,month billboard-pro bono.
After a frustrating and brutal initiation into
the entertainment business in L.A., Abrams wrote
her book. But TheMyth, TheMuse, TheMeshuga
is also a sort of tell all, or at least tell some, relating
what lesbian life is like among the privileged and
well connected. Signed confidentiality agreements
keep her from naming most names, but the adven,
tures are well worth the read.
Abram's story begins as she, a nice wide,eyed,
Jewish lesbian, packs up her respectable N.Y.
production credits and moves to L.A. in 1993.
At age 28, she landed the job of assistant to
In another chapter she describes a regular
Friday night rendezvous in Malibu with an Emmy,
winning TV actress. As in much of the book, her
blow,by,blow quirky queer seductions come with
ample doses of sarcasm and humor: "'Do you like
pain as much as I like to give itr' Not really. Then
she reached for the candelabra ... I sensed she was
a bit of a sick scary fuck, but so far the night was
a winner:'
As she continues making American Idol vid,
eographies, there's interest from a production com,
pany in developing a show featuring her talented
and entertaining mother, based on clips Abrams
shot for her Web site (myspace/jillabrams.com).
Another great accomplishment was meeting her
girlfriend (not a celebrity).'Tm married, I'm done;'
she says.
Despite the naysayers, "It took me 12 years to
get where I wanted;' says the 42,year,old.
Through her book and Web site, she wants to
share the message that perseverance is essential.
She mentions her one,out,of,50 theory in work
as well as in life. For every 50 pitches she'll get a
response.
"That's my history;' she says. "I contacted 50
lesbians in LA, I got two responses. One of them
is [now] my girlfriend:' ■
BikeMessengers
There's nothing common about the Ditty Bops.
In 1998, Abby DeWald and Amanda Barrett
became acquainted at a late-night viewing of The
Rocky Horror Picture Show, eventually becoming
lovers. Now the 28-year-olds are an outstanding,
up-and-coming eclectic musical duet, and are still
lovers, who recently appeared on The L Word.
Their backgrounds are as diverse as the instruments they play. De Wald grew up in a home where
there was only classical music played, and Barrett
was the daughter of two former circus performers
who taught her the art of mime, juggling and fire
eating. A quick look on stage will show some of
their more atypical instruments, including a fretted dulcimer, a mandolin, and even an old-time
washboard. And their shows follow suit-semitheatrical, semiconcert performance, the women
knock out extraordinary harmonies in a bluegrass,
ragtime, jazzy folk-type style.
So when their 2006 album, Moon Over the
Freeway,debuted no one was overly surprised when
the pair decided to promote the CD in a slightly
unusual way-on the road, by bicycle.
"Bikes are a part of our lives and we wanted
touring to feel like a part of our lives, so we decided to ride bikes;' says De Wald. For over 120 days
the women visited almost as many towns and cities, playing 40 shows. A van, driven by their piano
player, carried the equipment, and cyclists joined
them for various parts of the journey.
Barrett found the different approach just what
the band needed, "On all of our past traditional
tours by van or bus, the outside world would whiz
by and we'd blink, and it would be over. On our
bikes, we slowed down our pace, took the time to
look around and explore, to talk to people:'
As for being together 24/7, the girls say they
feel lucky. They say they depend on each other
when having to deal with "record business BS;'
and they don't have to suffer what other couples
endure when one member is on the road for long
periods of time.
"We do spend almost 24 hours a day together
but we like each other so it's OK;' says Barrett.
-Sheryl Kay
NEW AFTERELLEN.COM program
Said What? is the first lesbian entertainment
show that's entirely webcast. If the word west conjures up memories of YouTube videos
with choppy camera work and bad sound, you' re
not too far off. However, the show makes up for
it by offering interviews with famous dykes like
the oh -so-sexy Jane Lynch (of The Forty YearOld
Virgin and Bam Bam and Celeste)and queerish
straight celebs like Heather Graham, as well
spotlighting relatively unknown, but incredibly
talented, women like hip-hop artist Hanifah
Walidah and Triple Creme drummer Tif Wolfe.
The episodes, which last about eight minutes (guilty pleasure light), were initially led by
Staceyann Chin, a Chinese- Jamaican poet who
never shies from tough topics; Lauren Blitzer,
a Jennifer Aniston look-alike who wrote Same
Sex in the City:So YourPrinceCharmingis Really
a Cinderella;Chagmion Antoine, an incredibly
pretty reporter who asks really insightful questions; Sarah Warn, a Southern blond (m.d. in
theology included) who is also founder and
editor of AfterEllen.com. Around episode 12,
Antoine was replaced by Julie Goldman, a white
butch comedian with an understated way of saying something totally over the top, came on to
the show.
The diversity of the group makes for discussions that are even more interesting than the interviews. The four co-hosts share their coming
out stories, spar about interracial lesbian relationships and analyze current events.
One of the really neat things about She Said
What? is that viewers can leave comments for
the hosts and the celebrity guests. Often the producers reply to the feedback that they get, which
creates a much more interactive model than
anything on TV. For example, some viewers encouraged the producers to get a roomier set, and
eventually they did. Another time guest comedienne Suzanne Westenhoefer announced that
she was on the lookout for a girlfriend. Sarah
Warn created a forum for interested women.
"The reception's been great, we've gotten a
lot of fan mail and feedback from viewers-too
much, sometimes;' laughs Warn. "Everybody's
got an opinion:'
That's likely because viewers are adjusting to the difference between webcasting and
broadcasting.
"Our production costs are lower on She Said
What?;' admits Warn, "Because it's not on TV.
The quality is a little lower too-we're not going
to win any set design awards-but we deliberately chose to do it bare bones so we could make
more episodes. We figure no one's watching to
admire the furniture, anyway. And the lower
cost means there's more freedom to experiment,
with format, content, even hosts:'
Though she's thrilled to be producing the first
lesbian talk show (no, The View doesn't count),
Warn says it's "hopefully not the last! The more
viewing choices available to lesbians, the better,
in my opinion, so I hope we see shows featuring
opinionated lesbians from all different sources:'
The new season of She Said What? begins
this fall but viewers can see the past 18 episodes
on AfterEllen.com. -Maria Ginsbourg(addi-
tionalreseasrchby Diane Anderson-Minsshall)
September 2007
I61
TheLesbianClassic-20 YearsLater.ByDianeAnderson-Minshall
N'T IT WILD:" laughs sexy actor-filmmaker Helen Shaver, who played
repressed professor Vivian Belle in Desert Hearts. Shaver, now 56 years
, is still as sultry and captivating as she was during that dry desert producin 1986. Even she can't believe it's been over 20 years since the seminal
lesbian love story hit the silver screen. Back then, the film that she and actors
Patricia Charbonneau and Audra Lindley joined director Donna Deitch to
make was quite controversial. Though Shaver had already done a racy film or
two, her handlers definitely didn't want her starring in a lesbian flick at all.
"It was a really, really different time. Nobody kissed anybody on television, Ellen had not come out, Rosie O'Donnell hadn't been queer;' recalls
Shaver, who knows that today's twentysomethings can't even imagine a time
when a classic story like Desert Hearts was controversial. "For them it's like
trying to imagine when women didn't have a vote or something. You know,
Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz were not holding hands and kissing in
public and playing with the whole idea. It was just a vtry different time. So
certainly, yes, I got a lot of warnings:'
Thankfully, they didn't stop her, and today she calls it a "great role, great
experience, great love affair that's gone on for years:'
For all the women involved in Desert Hearts, it's the great vast reach the
film has had-from the queer community and beyond-that's its most lasting legacy.
"You know, a few years ago I did a series called
the Education of Max Bickford in which I played a
woman who up until 18 months before had had
a male body, a transgender body;' Shaver recalls.
"And I remember I was talking to the guys who
were running GLAAD at the time and we had
this long conversation and one of the fellows ... said, 'When Desert Hearts
came out I was a gay woman and now you're doing this and I'm a transgender
together on a shoestring, sort of going around and selling it like Tupperware;
really selling shares of it. I knew once it was done and a couple years went by
and I saw the overwhelming response from gay women who said, 'Yes! I see
mysel£ thank you: I really felt like well I never have to act again in my life.
Well, if I never act again I have done one thing that has touched many:'
For actor Patricia Charbonneau, who played sexy wild child CayVivian's love interest-the resonance and connection with lesbians has also
continued. "I just got a few letters last week, as a matter of fact;' she admits.
"I definitely still hear from women and it's always coming from a place where
they have been able to take a different journey in their life because of having
seen the film and I've always found that remarkable. You know, it's really hard
to believe that you could have so much impact on someone that you're not
ever going to meet. That's been an unbelievable gift. That's something I don't
take lightly:'
Part of that enduring legacy was in changing the cinematic landscape in
terms of how lesbians could be portrayed on screen.
"Up until that point;' recalls Charbonneau, "lesbians were not portrayed
in the way we portray them, I mean as far as being able to find a relationship
and be happy with it:'
"Yes;' adds Shaver. "I don't know that it was the impetus of change or
whether it was reflecting the change in
society that was just about to happen.
It's very difficult with art to ever know
whether it is the stimulant or the reflection of the change. Because I think
things happen, you know, it's like the
civil rights movement. It's happening in
many ways, all at the same time because there's a collective consciousness and a
move towards change and so each facet plays off the other and so I think that
the movement towards change was inevitable because of its truth. I do believe
that the truth will come out. And the truth is that gay women have been here
forever, will be forever and love the way any human being loves, and any kind
"It's -kindof wonderfulbut kind
of terriblealso.It's oddthat in
NorthAmericancinemathat it
is still the highestgrossing."
Shaver says the connection she's had with lesbians these two decades is"the
greatest thing. It's really admirable how (director Donna Deitch] put the film
62
Icurve
of judgment or prejudgment, prejudice, is nuts.
It's not truth. It is fear. Therefore it has to go away
eventually, I think it's like civil rights happened,
women's rights happened and we're still, you know,
certainly as women, never mind what our sexual
preference is, were still in the throes of the evolu,
tion towards equality in that way. So I think it's all
part of a whole, of our evolving body of mankind,
of humanity.
Both women credit Deitch, who cobbled to,
gether a $350,000 shoestring budget, for making
the film happen.
"She was actually the first female director I
ever worked with;' admits Shaver, "and I've worked
with very few female directors since. It's actually
sort of astounding how few of us there still are.
Donna and I formed a great alliance and commit,
ted to each other to make this movie, you know
she asked me to bring everything-my experience,
my intelligence, my talent, my questions-and
bring it all to the table and I did:'
Charbonneau, who made her film debut in
Desert Hearts, is equally effusive: "Yes, she was so
prepared it was incredible. Donna was just so in,
credible with me and with giving me the time and
the space, and not getting freaked out ifl didn't hit
my mark the first or second time. I was like mark?
What mark?"
The whole crew and cast set up what Shaver
calls 'good lines of communication with a great
deal of consciousness:'
Every now and then, the stars all align and an
outstanding group of people gathers together to do
something, Shaver insists. And this was one of the
occasions. The cast was filmed with wonderfully
Lindley
sublime actors, two of whom-Audra
and Andra Akers-have passed away. The crew
too have gone on to great careers, notably Oscar,
nominated cinematographer Robert Elswit (who
shot Good Night and Good Luck, among others).
"For many, it was a critical film because it was
a big step in their careers;' says Shaver, who herself
has made more than 100 film and TV appearances
(you may recognize her as the conservative Faye
Buckley from The L Word). "But the casting of the
crew and the technical production side of things
was really as brilliantly done as the casting of the
piece. It was a really extraordinary time, and it was
also a time when we were shooting when dailies
were shown on film, and every night we'd all sit and
watch the dailies from the day before on a projec,
tor. It was terrific. A great experience:'
That great chemisty lasted off set as well;
Shaver met her husband Steve Smith, a well,
known key grip, on set. But her most infamous
admirer might well have been Greta Garbo.
Desert of My Heart continued on page 76
Insidethe Director'sStudio
yearslater,DesertHeartsdirectorDonnaDeitch
Twenty-one
anddiscusses
looksbackat thefilmthatmadeherfamous,
Plato
sequel.ByCatherine
theupcoming
1
1986, years before The L Word, Ellen, Ani
hit the scene, Donna Deitch broke
e major ground with her now,iconic tale of
ian love set in the 1950s. One of the few les,
bian films of the '80s to prove its staying power,
Desert Hearts set the bar and, arguably, remains
the standard par excellence in lesbian film. At the
time though, the then 40,year,
CURVE
old Deitch could never have pre,
dieted what her film would come
to mean, let alone if commercial
or critical success awaited. "I had
no idea;' she says. "I was in the
middle of a process. All I knew ...
was that I had to finish it and I
had to sell it:'
I caught up with Deitch at
the W Hotel in her native San
Francisco (she now calls Los
Angeles home), just before the annual National
Center for Lesbian Rights gala, where Deitch
was invited as one of the evening's speakers.
Though she's a heroine among dykes these days,
I had to wonder if Deitch, so early in her career,
had any reservations about pouring the time and
energy into a film that would likely be ignored by
the mainstream and serve an audience too small
to justify the effort. Without hesitation, she tells
me she did not: "I didn't have any fears about it. I
was making the movie I wanted to see:' The film
debuted at the Telluride Film Festival, though,
Deitch admits she was very surprised by its sue,
cess. "When you make a film and see it for the
first time with an audience, if it's a good experi,
ence, it's a fantastic experience;' she says. "(It's] a
dream in a way:' And when the lights went on
afterward, she said it felt like her dream had fi,
nally become reality.
After many years directing television shows
like NYPD Blue and Crossing Jordan, Deitch is
thrilled to be getting back to her own projects,
including a Desert Hearts sequel and a film ad,
aptation of her partner Terry Jentz's true crime
memoir, Strange Piece of Paradise. And yet, Deitch
seemed especially eager to promote the Desert
Hearts DVD release, through which she hopes
to reconnect with original viewers and reach new
ones. When we spoke, Deitch was still perfecting
her director's commentary, carefully finding the
balance between organization and a healthy sense
of spontaneity and anecdote. "(It's] the opportu,
nity of a lifetime;' she says."I love picking (DVD]
extras. It's one of my favorite things to do:•
I couldn't resist asking about the film'sfamous
love scene, and the courage it must have taken
from all parties involved to
shoot something so candid,
so vulnerable, and so poten,
tially risque. To my surprise,
Deitch insists that it wasn't
particularly difficult. "I cast
[Helen Shaver and Patricia
Charbonneau] for the chem,
istry;' she explains, adding
that she wouldn't conclude
the actors' contracts until she
knew the couple had sparks
onscreen. The sex scene was also shot during
the final days of filming, and by that time the
women had gotten to know each other well and
were comfortable together. "Confidence, or lack
of confidence grows;' Deitch says. "In this case,
confidence prevailed:'
Both actresses will re,appear in the Desert
Hearts sequel, though they won't necessarily be
leads this time around. Instead, they are part of
a larger ensemble, and the story takes place in the
late 1960s and early 1970s, essentially keeping in
real time with the women's lives: Both the films'
release dates and the story's timelines are set ap,
proximately 20 years apart. Deitch isn't sure yet
when shooting will begin on the sequel, but she
knows competing with her past success will be a
tall order: "Ifl have set the bar, then I have in turn
set the bar for myself with the sequel:'
In the meantime, Deitch and Jentz will contin,
ue to work on Strange Piece of Paradise, and plan
to begin shooting in the spring of 2008. Speaking
of onscreen chemistry, I wonder if Deitch has any
reservations about collaborating with her partner.
While she does admit to feeling an "extraordinary
responsibility" to Jentz's work, Deitch says she
would feel the same if Jentz were just a friend.
And besides, the couple already works together
regularly."We've collaborated on everything;' she
says."We've collaborated on renovations:' ■
September 2007
I 63
TRANSFEMINISM
HASA NEWFACE
QueerauthorsJuliaSeranoandHelenBoyd
are changingthe waywe thinkaboutgender.
ByDianeAnderson-Minshall
NY, the word entertainer means a celebrity-the actors, musiians, even athletes who we exalt to icon status. But to many dykes, authors,
queer ones, are the greatest entertainers of all, for their ability to
ove and outrage us with their words. Two women doing just that,
re Julia Serano, author of Whipping Girl:A TranssexualWoman on Sexism
nd the Scapegoatingof Femininity,and Helen Boyd, author of She'sNot the
A transsexual lesbian feminist, Serano is a darling of San Francisco's queer
lit scene (her readings are like rnini-Butchies concerts). Helen Boyd, who has
chronicled her husband's transition to her wife and championed the concerns
of trans partners (especially straight-to-gay spouses), is a well-known feminist among the country's alt-leaning transsexual and cross-dresser scene.
We recently chatted with Serano and Boyd, and gained a few insights on
femininity, passing and the sanctity of lesbian space.
Julia, you say we need to recognize that femininity is innate, not
performance, but in some ways I'm really proud of "performing" my
femininity. How can I reconcile the two?
Serano: Certain aspects of femininity are highly social in origin, while others
are not. Gender expression is a complex combination of both socialization and biology. Obviously, femininity can be a performance, [and] I know
that many queer women embrace the idea. Where I draw the line is when
people claim that femininity is entirely artificial or constructed, or when
they say that"all gender is performance:' Gender is not any one thing.
Helen, is feminitiy innate?
Boyd: For some people, I suppose it might be.
It never was for me, and I'm absolutely sure
it's not for a lot of women. I [think] gender
is some combination of nature and nurture,
[and] there are very intricate feedback loops
between biology and culture none of us really
understands.
How do people keep from still "seeing" the
gender that the trans person once was?
Boyd: Betry [lived] as a guy long enough to have
picked up habits. I don't think of that as a bad
thing. I'm a tomboy, and I like masculinity in
women. I like people who have a couple of
genders, and who are able to see and interact
with a couple of mine. Betty doesn't mind
when I can see the guy in her, since she can
see the guy in me.
Serano: It's impossible for people who knew me
64
Icurve
pre-transition to completely erase any memory of me having been male,
[and] I don't think that it's necessarily unsupportive if they see the "male"
in me, so long as they fully respect my female identity.
Helen, in terms of your marriage, how do you reconcile who you are
with who you thought you'd become?
Boyd: [At first,] I needed to feel the validation I got from others [as] this
weird tomboy punk rock grrl ... with the "catch" Betty was in guy mode.
Now, they're not so impressed, but to me it just feels like the truth of who
I really am, and always really was, has outed itsel£ The idea of [my] being
married to an ordinary man-or an ordinary woman-is laughable.
Why is it easier for the lesbian community to accept a man who was
raised female than a woman who was raised male?
Boyd: Despite everything, socialization still counts. We still raise boys and girls
really differently. MTFs are often coming from straight worlds, and might
come from very different points of view culturally, politically-you name
it. It's a huge cultural divide that's about much more than transness.
Serano: The argument that lesbian spaces should only be open to those who've
been socialized female is a recent invention, one that's designed to allow
trans men to stay in the community while continuing to keep away trans
women. That trans women should be turned away because we "used to be
men'' seems [a] rather dubious [supposition] given how many trans guys,
[even those experiencing] male privilege can be found in lesbian spaces
these days.
While all trans people face discrimination, trans women are more severely impacted because ... in a world where femaleness and femininity are viewed
as inferior to, and less legitimate than, maleness and masculinity, it's [easy]
to ridicule or dismiss trans women than it is trans men.
Right now, most trans dykes don't feel welcome in lesbian spaces because
many lesbians are openly dismissive or hostile toward us, and that behavior is tolerated by the community. Many still attend events that specifically
exclude trans women and think nothing of it. As a lesbian, I expect my
straight allies to stand up for me in my absence. By the same reasoning, if
someone wants to be an ally to trans women, then they have to stop coddling or defending trans-misogynistic lesbians in their community. They
need to call them out on their bigotry. Anything short of that is simply
enabling anti-trans woman sentiment.
How do we combat our passing-obsessed culture (praising gays who
don't flaunt, minorities who fit in), while allowing people to be who
they want to be?
Serano: People will often say that I pass as a woman, but that's not how I
experience it. Passing-which implies that one is hiding or actively managing other people's perceptions of them-that's
what I did before my
transition. I passed as a man, but I am a woman.
Boyd: I want to add, as someone who has passed as a dyke for most of my
life ... sometimes passing is more like a mistake in observation, and not an
active attempt at deceiving anyone.
It seems like sometimes the narrative about how trans women know
they're women include things that a lot of lesbians never had (playing with dolls, liking makeup).
Boyd: Culturally we're raised to believe that femaleness and femininity are
one in the same. For many lesbians, that means that they were socialized
to be feminine because they are female. This may conflict with their own
inclinations to be more androgynous or masculine. As a result, they may
be accused of not being "real" women, and they may grow up to question
the very idea of womanness.
Serano: For trans women, it tends to be the other way around. We grow up
with a profound, persistent, subconscious understanding that we should
be female. Like women in general, some of us are feminine, some masculine, some a little of both. But more often than not, what drives us to
transition is not our desire to express femininity, but rather our sense of
femaleness.
I was so concerned about losing my visibility as a dyke, that for the
first six months I told everyone that my husband used to be my wife
and I'm really a lesbian. Helen, did you experience this-in the opposite way?
Boyd: For a while I probably mentioned my heterosexuality a little too
[mostly] in queer spaces, where I was trying to make some roo
partners like me. I'm a punk at heart and can't help (challenging] people.
It amuses me to see how scornful people can get when I mention I'm
heterosexual.
Serano: Ironically, my partner Dani dealt with these issues more before my
transition than after. She had identified as a dyke for most of her adult
life, and . . . when we were first going out, she would often talk about
how weird it was for her to be in a relationship that most people read as
straight. So when I transitioned ... she didn't have to struggle with drastic
changes in identity.
Helen, you're really aware you're losing privilege. How much does
that impact you?
Boyd: It's ab~olutely astonishing to move from being an ally of LGBT people
to being perceived as LGBT mysel£ I thought I had a clue; I didn't. My
guess is that most allies are similarly clueless. The loss I've experienced
has made me more political, more visible, and more out. This second-class
citizenship really pisses me of£
In She's Not, you write that now that you're two women you don't
know who's on top or who pays the cab driver. Why did things have
to change?
Boyd: It's not so much because we're two women, but because Betty [realized]
she's way more submissive than she was ... pretending to be. Honestly, she
really sucked at playing the top, (when] she did. I like both ... so I just
didn't want to feel locked into (one]. I'm still hoping she'll evolve into a
switch, (but] at least she's willing to play the part when I need her to.
I have to say that I loved Whipping Girl, but was honestly disappointed that it wasn't an autobiography.
@
...J
a
~
~
a
er
w
:E
Serano: When I first started writing and performing spoken word, I really
wanted to do [material] that was more autobiographical. [But] most
people ... had these stereotypes [about] what a transsexual woman is supposed to be, and they were just projecting those onto me. So I started
working on ways to challenge those stereotypes . . . and that eventually
evolved into this book. I do hope to finish that one-person show at some
point, so you may get your wish! ■
PPED my clothes off at karaoke;' says JD Disalvatore, admitting to
f her more impulsive schemes to raise money for her first film project
riter-producer-director, Gay Propaganda.She's less in need of creative
cing since producing Eating Out 2: SloppySeconds,which lead to Paul
Colichman from here! Networks providing the financing for her latest feature film, Shelter,and an offer on her next picture, The Road to Dinah, a
lesbian romantic comedy that takes place at the annual lesbian invasion of
Palm Springs. - Laurie K. Schenden
Does The Road to Dinah have anything to do with golf?
This picture is a nod to classic romantic comedy road pictures. It's about a
butch and a femme from New York City traveling cross-country to go
to the Dinah Shore Weekend. In the script it's sort of like the lesbian
Mecca, that which you must do before you die. No, golf's not mentioned
once!
Why do you think the perception that gay films are bad semms to
persist?
It's because there's no fucking money in it. [Audiences] might not understand that to make LGBT films for our community, most people have to
mortgage their homes. They look homemade because they are. It's economics; people will finance gay films when gay people make [the films]
profitable, go to the theatres and buy a ticket or purchase the dvd and
therefore prove to financiers and companies that we are a viable audience
and worth the investment.
Is your goal then to make films that appeal to all audiences?
I'm in the business of making entertainment for and about the LGBT community. When I'm asked about the crossover on The Road to Dinah,
I simply say, "That is not my audience:• I want to make a film by and
about lesbians. If it strikes a chord like Bound did, that's great, but I am
not watering down my subject matter or changing anything to do that.
... In Road to Dinah, everyone's gay.I don't think there's a straight person
in the whole script.
How did you wind up in charge of two man-meat flicks?
When you have a lot of cute, half naked men around, you really need to
hire a dyke to make sure someone concentrates on work. ■
September 2007
I65
IR HUXTABLE
UGHT
MEHOW
TOLOVE
to fall for the rightgirl.ByLesleySeacrist
NE LOVES the bad girl. The James Dean with a perfect C cup.
s cigarettes all night and wakes up smelling like sex and confidence.
e saunters in with a whiskey on the rocks, winning the affection of a girl's
ne,syllable lines, like "Hey" and "Yo'-well, maybe not yo, unless
•ng for the whole Joey Lawrence from Blossomthing. She winks,
hands pushed down in her pockets, and reveals just enough flesh to tantalize
and persuade any girl into the bed of the bad girl.
Actually, I don't love the bad girl. The ripped jeans and haphazard solid col,
or T ,shirt never appealed to me. Neither did the "birth,ofthe,cool" sentences
that made them seem boring and unable to make eye contact. I go for another
kind of gal. Some would say older and mature, but I can't describe her as any
other than Mrs. Clair Huxtable.
Step aside Shane and what's her name-Angelina Jo,who? For me, Clair
Huxtable is The CosbyShow character that helps me avoid falling deep for the
bad girl or desperately following around the emotionally unavailable.
This isn't meant to be a psychological prognosis or an implication that all
lesbians who grew up lusting after Gina Gershon in Boundare doomed to have
a drama,saturated relationship. No, all I am saying is that I correlate my search
for a strong,minded, caring, intelligent, passion,filled professional woman to a
TV character from The CosbyShowwho ingrained in me the values and quali,
ties of my kind of healthy relationship. And the big hair doesn't hurt, either.
Every episode I would wait eagerly until Clair would stop Cliff with a pierc,
ing glare after he broke his diet with potato chips or various junk foods that
he hid in cupboards or the kitchen chimney. Cliff would look around with his
best wily smile, but Clair always knew and sent his flustered puffed cheeks to
reconsider his cholesterol binge. It was those eyes, far superior to any sexy bad,
girl stare in the corner of a dim bar. Clair's eyes of authority come from a place
66 Icurve
of concern instead of conquest.
Like when Vanessa decided to go to a concert in Baltimore with her
friends, and lied to Clair and Cliff about where she was. When they
got there, a man disguised as a backstage groupie stole all of the naive
high school girls' money to get back to Brooklyn. When the girls finally
got back home, it was Clair's actions that made her the ultimate fox.
She had control and power that struck fear into young, dumb Vanessa.
Declaring her disappointment with fierce conviction, Clair was strong,
unwavering and decisive in punishing her deceitful daughter.
I think it's damn hot how she kept five children in check-six, if
you include Denise's child Olivia, whom they kindly cared for while her
mother was off gallivanting like she was known to do. I know I sound
like an after,school special, but responsibility can be super sexy,and for
me, Clair-a mother of five,a compassionate wife and a dedicated law,
yer-makes me shiver with excitement.
Too often, when discussing The CosbyShowwith my early,20,some,
thing peers, they reference Denise, the freethinking hippie who bounced
around until she finally married a military man. Yes,she looked good, but
ultimately she didn't hold a flame to Clair's complexity of character.
Remember the episode when Clair needed to fit into her high school
reunion dress and decided to dance off the extra pounds? She took the
advanced dance class, thinking she could compete with the young leotard,clad
women, but found out her older leotard couldn't keep up. Humbled and hu,
miliated, she left the dance studio but was stopped by the teacher who pushed
her own determination and strove to beat the odds.
I know I got to watch her get all sweaty, and those leotards are a big turn,on
by themselves, but it was Clair who didn't quit and ultimately slipped into the
black dress that showed far more credible attributes than Clea Duvall in But I'm
a Cheerleader.
All she did was smoke cigarettes and avoid showering.
The sexy bad girl in the lesbian culture, both off and on,screen, is as abun,
dant as the well,mannered joke in a situation comedy. And because of those
I knowI soundlikean after-school
special,
butresponsibility
canbe supersexy,and
for me,ClairHuxtable-a motherof five,
a compassionate
wife anda dedicated
lawyer-makesmeshiverwith excitement.
characters, flocks of young adolescent lesbians are eager to pound their first
pack against their palm with one leg resting on a wall-and thank goodness.
Without them, there would be no leather jacket industry.
But for me, Clair was the first character that made me excited to be a lesbian.
I realized by watching the reruns of the show that I could wait for a woman like
Clair to sweep me off my toes. She truly possesses every quality that makes me
turn the clicker to Nick at Night instead of Showtime, swooning with good,
natured admiration.
And, who can resist that hair? ■
M
LE BONILLA'S been popping up all over prime time for over a
w, most notably in the recurring role of EMT Harms on ER, and
Teresa Morales on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Hollywood career
nilla is by many accounts just a regular chick, with a soft spot for
Dinah Shore, The L Word and Joan Jett. She's also an accomplished athlete
and activist. Our conversation took place a few days before Bonilla participated in yet another Susan G. Komen Foundation SK. Last year, Bonilla tells me
proudly, she came in second in her age group."! was passed by a 21-year-old;'
recalls the actor, who refuses to give her own age. "I almost tripped her but I
thought that would be a little unfair:'
Nah, she'd never. The more we chat, the clearer it is that Bonilla is one
of those super-sweet, down-to-earth types that's hard to find in Hollywood.
She's also an out lesbian who, at press time, was happily attached and not giving any details. Damn.
ERs residentdyke-off-screenthat
is-discussesthe birdsandthe bees
andbeingLatina.ByCatherinePlato
How old were you when you came out?
I would say 29 .... So it wasn't so long ago. You know, it was just not happening with the guys. Even though, you know, I love the guys to death, but I
really fell in love with a woman and that's when I realized, "Oh my God,
this is what all the movies were talking about. The birds, the bells, the
fireworks. When I got into a relationship with a woman I finally realized
what the hell everyone was talking about, you know?"
Right. And by that time you had your career fairly established?
Oh,yeah.
And did you feel any danger to your career because of it?
No I did not, actually. I think of my career and my personal life as separate. I
somehow think that no one really cares. And I say that rather loosely,because, I don't know, maybe it's just the way I think of things or I deal with
things. I always put my work first, you know, my work is very important
to me and I really love what I do. And when I really go in with that kind
of focus, how can you really address anything else? I think it kind of comMichelle Ma Belle continued on page 76
ANOTHER HOT TODDIE revving
up the screen in Itty Bitty Titty Committee
is actor Jenny Shimizu, famed as much for
her relationship with Angelina Jolie and lone Skye
as well as her roles in films (Fox.fire)and televsion
(Americas Next Top Model). We asked her about
her cast mate, The L Word star Daniela Sea.
Jennyon Daniela
JennyShimizu
dishesonher
sexy/tty Bitty Tiffyco-star.
she's political. And so, I love that they brought
that in. Because I love The L Word thing, but
I do think it tends to get very flashy,and a TV
show should be flashy. For them to bring in
Daniela I think is great, because there's some
realness. That makes me really happy.
Last time I talked with her I said, "I don't
know what you're doing in Hollywood, be-
Who do you like on The L Word?
cause you're just so amazing."
I love that my friend Daniela Sea is on it now. You
know, the funny thing is, I haven't seen The L
Word this season. Because for some reason,
well, I don't have a TV, and I've been very busy.
I just love that she's on it. I saw a clip where
she walks through and she looks beautiful on
it, and she's so real.
I like Daniela too.
And you know, she's been around. And she represents the community, because she's been a
part of the community, and there's no apologies with her. She's a musician, she's an activist,
Yeah, that's what I say.I want to protect her.
I'm worried they'll eat her alive.
Yeah. She has a great girlfriend who is a tough lady,
too. I think they've been around, so they know
what they're getting themselves into. I think
she has a great head on her shoulders. I don't
think that she'll get messed up in any way, or
hurt in any way. You know, it is all about visibility. For her to play that FTM character on
there, thank God. She's just doing it.-Diane
Anderson-Minshall
September 2007
I67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
It'sTime to Go Retro
I
Revisit the past through these campy queer classics. By Candace Moore
Suddenly
(FirstRun
A lonely
Features):
frumpledsalesgirl in
Buenos
Aireswantsto
escapeherdrearylife
and,aswith manyof
those"watch-whatyou-wish-for"
typesof
moments,
lo andbehold
she'skidnapped
bya
pairof butchygirlswho
steala taxiandtake
heronanadventure
the likesof whichshe's
neverseen.Resembling
earlyindiesfromdirectorslikeJimJarmusch,
Suddenly
is captivatingandunpredictable
andrathermellow
for
anactualkidnapcaper.
Butoh,weshouldallbe Barn Barn and Celestesavor the alternative aesthetics and unabducted
byhotLatinderdog hero themes of the '80s, while Wolfe's new additions to
American
dykes.
(firstrunits vintage DVD collection fill in-with flesh as much as confeatures.con1}
- Diane
Anderson-Minshalltent-the gaps in the representation of lesbian love.
Bam Bam and Celeste (Wolfe Video)
If there's one thing comedian Margaret Cho and longtime collaborator Lorene Machado (director of the Cherry Bombs' hit
comedy concert films) nail in this nostalgic comedy, it's Cyndi
Lauper chic. Like a glow stick that won't go out, the movie radiates the fun punk look and explosive emotionality of the thankfully less material girl.
An '80s-inspired garland of character types, storylines and
puffy hair, aerosol sprayed together and floated aloft with upbeat new-wave synth, Barn Barn and Celestemight well bring
you back to when you were another ostracized high schooler
waiting for the John Hughes movie soundtrack to kick in and
save you. The film flits tongue-in-cheek through against-theodds narratives, never fully digging its platforms in. It fast forwards in the lives of its outcast heroes to find gothed-out Celeste
and divinely faggy Barn Barn in their early 30s, still pelted with
slushies by the same ol' townies. He's gotten a job at Fantastic
Sams; she's converted from pink to blue Manic Panic. It's in the
stars for these two best friends to get out of DeKalb, Ill. and the
movie's middle toys with a queer road trip through Hicksville,
68
I curve
with hats off to Thelma and Louise, before landing in New York
City seen through DesperatelySeeking Susan sunglasses. There
the diva duo must confront sworn salon enemies on a live makeover TV show with the aid of an eyelash curler. Perhaps too
much gets packed in; the film can't seem to decide which is more
important: true allegi;mce to cheese, bitter social critique, campy
hand-job jokiness, or the fitting in of cameos (Jane Lynch, Alan
Cumming, Wilson Cruz). That doesn't make Cho's star vehicle
any less of a ball to watch (excepting a few characters spouting
not-so-funny Nazi mouth). (wolfevideo.com)
Just the Two of Us (Wolfe Video)
Perhaps the crowning achievement of hippie-era dykesploitation
films, resurrected from the archival vaults and restored to its vibrant, earthy '70s look, this once "lost" lesbian flick from 1975 is
now found on DVD as part of Wolfe's new vintage collection and
is sure to satisfy the queer-film historiographer in us all. Barbara
Peeters and Jaque Beerson's flouncy tale of two housewives who
discover the joys of disrobing and rubbing atop each other while
their hubbies are "off playing war games" offers unadulterated
T &A, exaggerated dialogue, and a pot-inspired soundtrack to
indulge in, chuckle at or give the occasional grimace. While the
new lady lovebirds spend ample screen time rolling around in
splendidly wallpapered domestic nests, they also find some time
Going Retro continued on page 77
DVD PICKS
Dante'sCove:TheComplete
(here!):The
Season
Second
queers,
showthatcombines
sex,soapandthesupernatural
is backonDVDwiththissecond
seasonset-perfect for those
of youwhostill don'tgethere!
Thesexy
onyourcableprovider.
of the HotelDante,
inhabitants
artistVan(Nadine
especially
andwitchGrace(f racy
Heiman)
Parker
FayGrim(Magnolia):
meeta wholenew
Poseyis the mostreliablyquirky Scoggins),
including
cropof characters,
actorworkingin
andcaptivating
good)Diana
(possibly
lovely
the
while
and
today,
film
independent
(playedby QueerasFo/KsThea
I generallybelievenofilm role
Gill),Van'sgirlfriendMichelle
of hersis as greatas Jackiein
anda sexysurf
Houseof Yes,herturnasthetitle (ErinCummings)
instructor(playedbytheuberhot
characterin FayGrimis pretty
Wolff).Oh,
lesbianactorMichelle
damnclose.In HalHartley's
thereareboys,too,andsome
mosthilariousfilm yet,Poseyis
wifeof a fugitive, full frontalnudity,anda really
anabandoned
hotlesbiansexscene,andin
poetand
sisterof an imprisoned
betweentherearethemeslike
motherof a sullenteenageboy.
comingout,breakingupand
In lesscapablehands,theplot
alonewouldmakefor a depress- stayingalive.Passthepopcorn.
(dantescove.com)-DAM
butHartleyand
ingmelodrama,
Poseynotchit upto a superbly
offbeatcomicthrillerin which
a womanwhocantrustnoone
musttakemattersintoherown
handsin orderto unravelthe
her.Bonus
surrounding
mysteries
spy,
pointsfor a savvyRussian
playedbyqueeractorSaffron
andcapablebutflighty
Burrows,
playedbyElina
stewardess
FayGrimmanages
Lowensohn.
(Acorn):Helen
TheInvestigator
a delightfulcurto underscores
gainedfamein the
Baxendale
and
rentof femalecooperation
U.S.astheratherdemandWhenwasthe
empowerment.
butthe
ingEmilyon Friends,
lasttimeyousawthat kindof
knownin
well
was
Brit
seasoned
thingin a spythriller?
recently
film,
1997
This
UK.
the
M
(magpictures.com)-DA
onDVD,is proofof why.
released
Meager,
In it, sheplaysCaroline
Noah'sArc:TheComplete
withtheRoyalMilitary
(Logo):If you're a sergeant
Season
Second
in Northern
Police,stationed
amongthe legionsof lesbian
Ireland,whentwo internalaffairs
fansof Noah'swhoweredisapguysaccuseherof beinga lespointedto discoverthat instead
we
bian.Ina seriesof flashbacks
of anotherseasononTVthe
this
to
got
Caroline
how
out
find
wereplanninga movie
producers
spinoff,well,it's timeto console placeandhowshetoohadonce
themilitary'sban
yourselfwiththis newthree-disc perpetuated
ongays.Basedona truestory,
set.Theusualdatingdrama
is captivating,
TheInvestigator
black,gay
in LosAngeles's
allthemore
made
and
enraging
worldawaits,asdoshortaudio
byreal-lifeMeager's
compelling
andthe "OhNo,
commentaries
in thebonusmatericomments
YouDidn't,"a reelof bloopers.
-DAM
als.(acornmedia.com)
-DAM
(logoonline.com)
Jennifer Abod
I
FEMINIST, ACTIVIST, FILMMAKER
I
A veteran in feminist and community radio, a former professor in Intercultural
Media Education and Women's Studies, 60-year-old filmmaker Jennifer Abod's got
a new issue to tackle in her latest project. Look Us in the Eye: The Old Womens
Project,her new documentary, discusses the silenced issues of "old" women, sheds a
new light into the injustices of ageism and sexism, and introduces audiences of all
ages to the movement's under-recognized activists. - JaimeRoca
Did you think of ageism in your 30s, 40s and 50s?
I really didn't think about it at all.
And what changed as you got "old?"
People start to treat you differently. I was starting to be called "young lady:' ... The
word "young lady" is supposed to somehow be a compliment. In other words, I
look young as opposed as to [being] able to claim my age. I was experiencing sexism in a different way than I did when I was much younger.
Any insights as you made this film?
I was surprised to find out how much I never really thought of old women being
a part of all social justice movements. Violence against women for example- I
really didn't consider that old women had their own relationship to this problem.
And it is quite large actually because ... a lot of old women are raped. Old women
are also battered by their spouses and their children, and it's a significant issue.
What's different about media and activism in the '70s versus today?
As far as video goes, there were a number of women who made early films who were
associated with universities that were really important in those early years, but a
lot of us didn't have the skills and it was very, very expensive. Now digital media
makes things a lot less expensive ... I think the documentary form is so critically
important, especially for lesbians.
What were some of the audience reactions to your film?
The women who are middle aged and old-they are just grateful for bringing the
issue up. Because it's just not talked about, the issues of how old women who
are often isolated because young people [don't] necessarily include old people in
their activities. Can you have friends of all ages:' Can you see people as peers:' As
human beings:' ... I think there is a tendency to not socialize with women who
are cross generation, and I think that's really a problem for social justice movements-that we really need all of our diversity, and that includes across age. ■
September 2007
I69
Reviews In the Stacks
Writing in the Margins
I
Take a step back and hear the stories you may have missed. By Rachel Pepper
EDITOR'S
PICK
These new books tell the stories of those who have stayed silent
for far too long. Gospel-blues pioneer Rosetta Tharpe is posthumously getting the recognition that doesn't come easy to women
in blues, while transgender teenagers, a much underrepresented
and underserved community, have their stories told in the new
psycho-sociological study by lesbian author Cris Beam.
Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T With
Transgender Teenagers, Cris Beam (Harcourt)
people who knew or worked with Tharpe, recreating the musical, cultural and political mores of the times she lived in. Sadly,
although Tharpe had an amazing life, her career suffered as musical styles changed, and diabetes felled her with a stroke in 1973.
Now lying in an unmarked grave in Philadelphia (incredibly, her
manager husband never bought her a headstone), Tharpe's welcome comeback is long overdue. This biography should help this
revival along, as will the re-release of many of Th_arpe'salbums
Although the title of Cris Beam's book is unfortunately misleading-it has nothing to do with transgender parents-her
story about trans teenagers is still a good one. As a writer in
Los Angeles in 1997, Beam thought she would volunteer a few
hours a week working with LGBTQ teens. Walking into Eagles,
a small high school for transient queer teenagers, she was immediately thrust into a classroom and forced to improvise a lesson
on the spot. Over the course of the next few years, Beam became
an integral part of the school and in the lives of several of the
male-to-female students, who counted on her for help not only
with academics, but with their myriad life struggles, including
incarceration, drug use and homelessness. As Beam dug deeper
into the lives of the students, tracking them through their various travails, the stories of Transparentbegan to take shape.
Her book most closely follows the particular stories of four
trans teens: Christina (who Beam and her girlfriend take under
their wing as a foster
daughter), Dorriineque,
Foxxjazell and Ariel.
Through these four,
Beam explains the fa,
milial and societal dynamics that allow transgender teenagers to fall
dangerously through
the cracks. While hus,
tling to earn money,
taking
underground
hormones and search,
ing for love (or at least
acceptance), somehow
they all survive. Some
are lucky enough to
find older trans folk who "adopt" them, or they manage to gradu,
ate and find a job, but Beam's book makes clear that those who
emerge most successfully from their adolescence are those whose
families have not forsaken them. This is a serious piece of investi,
gative reporting, replete with details on the four main characters'
lives. The book does bog down at times because-despite the
fabulousness the teenagers aspire to-their lives are fairly gritty.
Still, Beam's thoughtful combination of advocacy and reporting
in Transparentwill prove indispensable to the small but growing
literature on transgender teens.
Origami
Striptease,
PeggyMunson
(Suspect
Thoughts): Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of RockMunson's
eroticlyric and-Ro/1 Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gayle
novel(writtenlargelyin F. Wald (Beacon Press)
iambicprose)isa seduc- The recent "rediscovery" of Sister Rosetta Tharpe is an excittive,oftenraunchy
fantasy ing historical moment. A pioneering gospel-blues singer, songofthedisarming
effects writer and master guitarist, Tharpe first burst out of the church
of loveandtrouble.
When world and onto the pop charts in 1938 with her hit'This Train:'
Munson's
unnamed
nar- She has been cited as a major musical influence on
generations
rator,aneroticacolumnist
of musicians, including
in exile,meetstheenigElvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt
maticJack,herworldand
and
Isaac Hayes. Born into
thebook'ssenseof nara
poor
Southern family
rativeconvention
seem
to splitapartintobotha in 1915 in Cotton Plant,
strange
andanintuitive Ark., Tharpe learned the
territory.
Lovers
saythings music business early, ac,
suchas,"You're
marvel- companying her mother at
ous.You'relikea stolen church on voice and guitar.
painting,"
or"Yourbody In New York, she reguisanicehotel"(towhich larly performed at famous
shereplies,
"I'venever
halls like the Cotton Club,
beento Greenland,
butI
scored a Decca recordknewthatit wasthere").
Themostprovocative
ele- ing contract and enjoyed
mentofthenovel,
though, a rather successful career,
is itsfrankuseofchronic considering her era, race
illness(Munson
has and gender.
beenoutspoken
about
Living as unconventionally as a gospel singer could, Tharpe
herstruggle
withboth strived to be her own woman. Not surprisingly, she ran up
chronic
fatiguesyndrome against the confines of church, musical categories, marriage (she
andmultiple
chemical had several "close friendships" with other women that were rusensitivities
syndrome) mored to
be sexual), segregation and male performers' egos. She
asMunson's
characters
also found herself pitted against other women performers, such
struggle
to definethemselvesin a toxicworld. as Mahalia Jackson. Gayle F.Wald's groundbreaking biography
(suspectthoughtsof Tharpe, Shout, SisterShout!,is the first book-length account of
.com)-Julia Bloch this flamboyant woman's life. Wald interviewed more than 150
70
Icurve
on CD and live footage of Tharpe online at YouTube. Check out
her rendition of"Down by the Riverside'' to see a woman who
may finally be getting her due.
PAGE TURNERS
/ slipped/ into
/ language
time,I opened,/felt."The
reader'seyeveritablyraces
downthesenarrowcorridors
butthereare
of immediacy,
longer,morecontemplative
too,suchasthe
moments,
politicallychargedsestina
"ToHell":"Wecan'tthink
it's sowonderful,being
liedto for yearsI We'veacbrightcynicism,
complished
Scorpio,
in
Stellium
thenstrugglefor love/ We
& Austin(Bold
Andrews
flounder,wefail,theelephant
Ex-police
StrokesBooks):
of
theconfusions
eliminates
officerTeagueRichfield
didn't
probably
Love
I
love.
andpsychicCallieRivers
needa war,couldn'teat,
shouldn'tbeableto keep
is rollingonwavestodayI
theirhandsoff eachother.
The
Afterall,theyhavedreamed Thecity is emptying.
planbeen
have
elephants
of eachother'ssmolderningtheirpartyfor years."
ingembraceduringtheir
Mylessaysin thenextprose
But,whenthe
separation.
poemthatshethoughtthe
two reunitein a LasVegas
boring"
sestina"incredibly
hotel,peskydragqueens,
boatto
a
on
it
wrote
she
as
mafiosos,ghostsandblackbutits
York,
New
post-9/11
up,
mailerskeeppopping
andCallie repetitiveformcapturesthe
Teague
preventing
of
redundancy
theirlust.The oppressive
fromrekindling
rulebetterthan
Republican
two aredrawnintoa deadly
I've
anyAlterNetheadline
mysterywhena showgirl
(wavepoetry.com)
lately.
seen
is threatened,
acquaintance
-JB
with ominoushintsthat
andCalliemightbe
Teague
next.Drawingontheirprior
experience,
screenwriting
Andrews& Austinstarttheir
RIEFENSTAHL
storywithflair
high-octane
andhumor,thenneverlet
up.Narratorleague'ssnarky
hooksyouimmeperspective
diately,carryingyouthrough
lightnoir
a high-spirited
never
wherethe suspense
letsup.(boldstrokesbooks.
A Life,
LeniRiefenstahl:
com)-ElizabethA. Allen
(Farrar,
JurgenTrimborn
the
Though
Giroux):
&
Straus
Sorry,Tree,EileenMyles
current-World
her
of
peak
Theinimitablerock
(Wave):
starof thedykepoetryscene WarII-is longpastand
sheherselfis dead,Leni
returnswith a gorgeously
to
continues
boundvolumeof lovepoems. Riefenstahl
of
Creator
controversy.
excite
In "ForJordana,"Myles
century's
20th
the
of
some
writesa little poeticmanimostbeautifulanddisturbfestoin shortlinesthatdart
wasa
downthe middleof the page: ingfilms,Riefenstahl
movie
pioneering
brilliant,
"I thinkwriting/ is desire/
makerwhoseachievements
nota formI of it. It's feeling
LENI
/ intospace,/ tuckedinto
PageTurnerscontinuedon page 72
Hanne Blank
I
AUTHOR
I
"Virginity is fascinating. It's a very queer state;' says Hanne Blank, author of the new social
history Virgin: The UntouchedHistory. From the centuries,long search for the elusive hy,
men to the True Love Waits campaign, Blank delves into society's wide,ranging obsession
with female virginity. Having written for Penthouseand served on the faculty of several
universities, Blank combines a racy, readable style with serious scholarship. During her
whirlwind book tour Blank talked about why virginity matters so. - ElizabethAllen
So tell me the story behind this book.
There were two moments that inspired [it]. First, my friend, who's in her early 30s, called
me up and said, "I finally did it! I've had sex!"It threw me for a loop because she was the
opposite of what I thought I knew virgins were like. Instead of being a nerd with body
dysmorphia and a fear of sex, she was a blond, babelicious, fabulous bombshell. Here
was a real virgin, and she didn't fit any of the stereotypes. Also, I used to work with
teens as a sex educator. Girls would ask me questions like, "My boyfriend fingered me.
Am I still a virgin?" I would answer, "I don't know. What do you think?"
What did the experts say?
That's the thing. The experts didn't say! There wasn't any authoritative statement on virgin,
ity. There aren't many realistic portrayals of virgins out there, much less an accurate defi,
nition. People have spilled so much ink on the subject, but there's still a gap that needs
to be filled with useful information .... Virginity is a huge part of women's lives, and it's
also a huge tool of misogynist oppression against women.
So you're saying that virginity isn't just about sex. It's a feminist issue as well?
Absolutely. Honor killings still happen almost daily all over the world. Girls and women
are murdered for their virginity or supposed lack thereo£ In January 2005, Jasmine
Archie, a 12,year,old girl in Alabama, was killed after she told her mom she was no
longer a virgin. Her mom [allegedly] made her drink bleach and then sat on her chest
to suffocate her .... You can see how important it is to educate people about virginity
when someone [tries to] use it as justification for killing their child. I mean, the only
virgin whose virginity you can really count on is a dead virgin's. Because, you know,
everyone else could just be a big ol' ho behind your back!
You can joke about something that horrible?
I had to have a sense of humor while writing this book. Some of the things I found out
were so poisonous and misogynist that I just had to make a crack about them and
defuse them. You have to laugh, or it'll kill you.
And then you'll never get to debauch any virgins ...
Ah, yes. So many virgins, so little time ... ■
September 2007
I 71
Page Turners continued &om page 71
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
CUrve09 when you join
~sofa.com
connecting lesbians
America's fas test growing lesbian website
72
I curve
chapterswasa smallfrustrawill alwaysbecloudedbyher
tion,butthe book'supbeat
stintasthechiefcinematic
propagandist
of the Naziregime. treatmentof queerathletesboth
Wasshea horriblesell-out?Did well knownandobscurewill
surelyinspirereadersto learn
herNazisupportcompromise
herartisticgreatness?
Answers moreabouttheseiconsof our
pastandpresent.(wildcatintl.
remainelusive,especially
since
com/press)
- EAA
Riefenstahl
minimized
and
outrightliedafterthewarabout
herintimacywiththeThird
Reich.Whilepreviousbooks
haveexamined
Riefenstahl
the personor Reifenstahl
thefilmmaker,University
of
Cologne
professor
of film Jurgen
Trimbornaddresses
boththe
ge·nius'
worksandhercharacter.
Youneednotbea film scholaror
evena historybuffto appreciateTrimborn's
discussion
of
oneof the lastcentury'smost
Femininity
in Flight:A History
enigmaticwoman.Lucidand
of
Flight
Attendants,
Kathleen
detailedwithouteverbeing
technical,Trimbornusesprimary M. Barry(DukeUniversity
Press):I sawthis commercial
sourceseffectively
to detaila
recently
that embodied
the curlifefull of triumphandhorrorin
rent
stereotype
of
airline
stewequalmeasure.(fsgbooks.com)
ardesses.
It
featured
lithe
wom-EAA
en in tight uniformsproviding
servicesto malepassagers
with
the slogan"GetOn...GetOff."
Whilethe imageof thefemale
flightattendantmaystill bethat
of a submissive
sexpot,Barry's
bookshowcases
thetruth about
theseladiesof the air.Inthe
first decadesof the lastcentury,
whenaerialtechnology
was
new,stewardesses
sharedwith
malepilotsthedashing,hardy
derring-doof adventurers
aloft.
Asthis earlymystiquewore
TheLavender
LockerRoom:
off, stewardesses
strugg_led
3000Yearsof GreatAthletes
Whose
SexualOrientation
Was againstsexistrestrictions.
Different,
PatriciaNellWarren Theyhadseriousresponsibilicalmingand
(WildcatPress):TheLavender tiessafeguarding,
educatingtheirpassengers,
LockerRoombeginsbackin
butthe industryandthe public
thetimesof Greekmythology
trivializedstewardess'
positions.
withthe Iliad'sstoryof famed
Regulating
theirheight,weight
Trojanwarrior/lovers
Achilles
andappearance,
airlinessought
andPatroclus.
Covering
three
to makestewardesses
decoramillenniaof athleteswhowere
tiveandunobtrusive,
theirtrue
eitherqueeror inspirations
hardworkinvisibleto passenfor queersportsfolk,Warren's
essaysconcludein the modern gers'eyes.Butflightattendants
foughtback,unionizing
as early
daywith a portraitof gay
asthe 1940sandusingthe
footballplayerDavidKopay,
1970s'newanti-discrimination
wholooksenthusiastically
to
laws.Drawingoncontemporary
thefuture.Lavender
collects
mediaportrayalsof stewardessaysoriginallypublishedon
outsports.com
andWarrenuses esses,corporatetrainingdocumentsandflightattendants'
a lively,casualtonethat draws
ownwords,Barrybringsthis
readersin.Thebrevityof most
fascinatingandforgottenstory
to light.(dukeupress.edu)
-EAA
TheTenMinuteActivist
(NationBooks):
Thoughit
focusesprimarilyonanti-consumerism
andenvironmental
activism,thisbookis a greatprimer
oneasywaysto say"f-you"to
theman.Whileit catersmostlyto
thevegan-anarchist-punk-rockbike-messenger
crowd,Activist
manages
to escapehyperpretension,
providing
plentyof
pertinentinfoonthevarious
waysWesternnationsarescrewingthemselves
andtherestof
theworld,andevenoffering
viablesolutions.
(nationbooks.
org)- Catherine
Plato
BrokenWings,
L-JBaker(Bold
StrokesBooks):
Bakersetsup
traditionalclassboundaries
for
its romanticprotagonists
(Ryeis
a poorconstruction
workerwith
custodyof herteensister,while
rich,glamorous,
blinged-out
Florahasfew caresbeyond
heracclaimed
art).As Rye
andFlora'shotsfor eachother
increase,
theshamefulsecrets
of Rye'schildhoodthreaten
boththeirrelationship
andRye's
sister'sfuture.Bakerwrites
with zipandpunch,fleshingout
hercharacterswellsothatyou
don'tcarethatyou'rereading
a timeworntale.Theauthor
falters,however,in makingRye
a fairyandFloraa dryad.The
fantasysettingdoeslittlefor the
story,especially
sinceRyeand
Flora'scityfunctionsjust like,
say,NewYork,onlywithflying
carpetsinsteadof Hummers.
Forme,the magicalelements
standoutdistractinglyin what
wasotherwisea deftlydone
romance.(boldstrokesbooks.
com)-EAA
Music Watch Reviews
Mellow Melodies
From folk to jazz, sedate sounds rule September.
I By Margaret
Coble
way in a little western-Texas town named Marfa,
where she met Hailey. The two became fast
friends, and Hailey released Cook's strippeddown, open-air Bunkhouse Recordings in 2006
on her label, Marfa Records, and cleverly got its
track "Million Holes in Heaven" written into
EDITOR'S
PICK
Rock,Wensday
Torch
(DesertDreams):
I loveanywoman
The L Word script and onto the third-season
Alice
whoremakes
soundtrack. Hence, dyke buzz. A year later, Cooper's
classic,"Only
Bleed"(about
Cook's got a new collection of 10 gorgeous, lazy, Women
thecycle
overcoming
acoustic folk songs filled with western-flared
violence).
domestic
of
slide guitars and lots of twangy atmosphere.
Cooper
wonder
No
Most cuts are melancholy, cinematic vignettes
thisedgyrock
dubbed
that all take place under the vast Texas skychickmeetssweet
inspiration for the tide of the record-though
"theother
chanteuse
"The Reveler's Goodbye" goes a more distorted
girlnextdoor."With
electric route, sounding a bit like a Texas ver- powerrockballadsand
sion of the Moaners. It's hard to pick out favor- a fusionof pop,jazzand
ites because it's one of those albums that plays evencountry,
Wensday
best as a continuous recording, but the opening
singer.
is a captivating
Moresowhenyousee
"Coming Home (The Eclipse)" and the radiothe
friendly "The Answer" are good bets. (amycook. herlive,because
fierytattooedsexpot
com)
her
(whosupplements
as
work
with
singing
Pamela Means Jazz Project, Vol. 1,
a bodypiercerin tat
Pamela Means (Wirl Records)
shopsin Miamiand
On this eight-track disc comprised mostly of
comesacross
Atlanta)
jazz standards, the Boston-based singer-songasa sortof lesbian
writer and out dyke hottie veers off in a differ- wetdream.(wensdayent-though not unfamiliar to her-direction.
- Diane
music.com)
Though many have come to know and love her
Anderson-Minshall
Some months, I get dozens of discs from very earnest Melissa
Etheridge wannabes. Other months, it's all blippy club and electronic music. This month, it's all about sleepy and sublime acoustic music, ranging from the exquisite indie folk of Mirah and the
TexaHinged, alt-folk of Amy Cook to the tasty jazz served up
by Pamela Means and the more theatrical and comedic style of
lnvocal. They all seem somehow appropriate for September.
vi
z
~
6
a:
w
Q
z
:::i
N
:::i
q
8
~
~
~
<I)
~
z
0
<I)
:::i
...J
<
The Sky Observer's Guide, Amy Cook (Root
House Records)
Out singer,songwriter Amy Cook may have big dyke
buzz due to her friendship with The L Word star
Leisha Hailey, but she continues to get critical acclaim
and public attention because of albums like this. If you
don't know her story, Cook had some moderate success
early in her career, placing several songs on teen TV
shows like Dawsons Creek,VeronicaMars and Laguna
Beach.Disillusioned with the Los Angeles scene, however, she headed toward Austin, Texas, stopping on the
as one of the fiercest guitar players and politically rooted folk singers in the music industry today, her roots
are in jazz; she trained classically at the Wisconsin Conservatory
of Music before heading to Boston to make her mark on the folk
scene there. With her skillful delivery of snappy lounge classics
like ';\ll of Me': "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Sunny Side of the
Street;' interspersed with intense renderings of sparse vocal
ballads like "My Funny Valentine" and "I Got It Bad;' Means
takes her rightful place among
contemporary superstar jazz
vocalists such as Cassandra
Wilson and Norah Jones. My
personal favorite is her breathy
take on Nina Simone's "Four
Women;' though the jazzified
version of her funky original
"My Love" comes in a close second. (pamelameans.com)
Mellow Melodies continued on 75
September 2007
I73
LIKEA BOY
The video that's melting
monitors everywhere.
It's rare that I watch music videos these days. But when I heard that
Ciara's "Like a Boy" video was a must,see, I raced to my computer
and made it happen. What played before my eyes was a slickly cho,
reographed and certainly tantalizing black,and,white production,
rife with muscled ladies and gender,bending hotness.
Ciara, in case you aren't in the know, is a 21,year,old Grammy,
Award,winning R&B/hip,hop/ dance music goddess from Austin,
Tex. In 2004 she burst onto the scene with the record Goodies(La
Face), home to the smash hit title track, among others. At the end
of last year, Ciara released The Evolution(where you'll find the song
"Like a Boy"), which raced up the charts both here and in Europe.
So back to the video: It depicts several scenes in which the age,
old roles are reversed and the women are the ones wearing the pro,
verbial (and literal) pants. You'll see plenty of muscle flexing, tattoos,
and yes, crotch,grabbing deluxe done by Ciara and her gals. They
also know how to bust some serious dance moves. And just wait until
you get a look at Ciara dressed in a man's suit, complete with a Fedora
hat. My, oh my, she wears it well, so very well. She sings, "Would the
rules change up, or would they still apply? If I played you like a toy?
Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy:'
Ciara, you go right on ahead. - Aimsel L. Ponti
74
I curve
OTHER LICKS
Cliks(Tommy
111e
Snakehouse,
to
BoySilverLabel):Skyrocketed
famefirst by TheL Wordandmore
queer
recentlybytheblockbuster
TrueColorstour,
musicevent,HRC's
quartet
Toronto
thisFTM-fronted,
thanksto
swooning,
haseveryone
strikinggoodlooksanda tight,new
indiedance-punk
wave-flavored,
sound.Everysonghererocks,but
thecatchyLogoTVfavorite"Oh
Yeah"anda clevercoverof Justin
"CryMea River"seal
Timberlake's
thedealfor me.(thecliks.com)
GimmieSplash,GabbyGlaser
Dirty,
Recordings):
(Latchkey
cutslike"FruitIsSweet"
disco-punk
connectthis11-tracksolodebutto
Jacksonpastof Glaser,
theLuscious
andguitarist/vocala co-founder
butfuzzy,
istforthefabfoursome,
garagerocklike"The
wah-wah-filled
Spiritof LongIsland"is moreexemplaryof therestof thealbumthat,on
at best.
thewhole,is sadlymediocre
~atchkeyrecordings.com)
Show,Metropolitan
Traveling
MediaRecords):
Klezmer(Rhythm
octet,together
ThisfeistyNYC-based
12yearsandcounting,is knownfor
rangeof Yiddish
its encyclopedic
sounds.Thegroupdeliversanexcelby
lent18-tracklivesetpunctuated
cut "ComesLove,"
the "Klezbonus"
fromtheirsistersextetoffshoot,Isle
Feist(lnterscope):
Reminder,
111e
(metropolitanklezmer.com)
of Klezbos.
torch-popstar's
TheCanadian
clasrockin'takeontheNinaSimone
Woman"(thoughFeist
sic "See-Line
standsoutasmy
spellsit "Sealion")
favetrackonthis13-cutfollow-up
award-winning
to herchart-topping,
in Paris,the
"LetIt Die."Recorded
albumis equalpartsmoodmusicand
smartindiepop,withslowburners
like"TheLimitto YourLove"sure
to pleasefansof herpastwork.
(listentofeist.com)
MotownRemixedVolume2
Remixcol(Motown/Universal):
Blues,Joan
Into111e
lectionsof classichitscanreallygo
The
(429Records):
Armatradlng
eitherway,butthisLatin-themed
first
Britishsinger-songwriter's
secondvolumefromthefolksat
studioeffortsince2003's"Lover's
Motownis a winnerdueto inclusions Speak"is a mostlyblues-inflected
mixof
liketheLosAmigosInvisibles
in
affair,astheleadoff "AWoman
Jr.Walker& theAllStars'"Shotgun" Love"andsmoldering
titletrack
funk suggest,butit alsostraysto more
aswellasthesimplereggaeton
of SPK'stakeontheJackson5's "I
Songs")
("Secular
gospel-flavored
thehottest androots-folk("BabyBlueEyes")
WantYouBack,"arguably
trackonthedisc.(ilovethatsong.
sounds,resultingin a solid13-track
comlmotownremixed)
- MC
set.Uoanarmatrading.com)
Nyika
I
Share This Place: Stories and
Observations, Mirah and Spectratone
International (K Records)
Concept albums are rare these days; it takes a certain
level of concentration to follow their typically esoteric
themes, something today's iTunes audience doesn't
really have. This notwithstanding, out indie vocalist
Mirah could sing a proverbial phonebook and I would
be rapt. Her whispery, angelic voice instantly captures
the listener's complete attention. So, despite the lyrical
content of this 12,song cycle about the complex lives
of insects ("Love Song of the Fly")-a collaboration
Mirah undertook with Spectratone International-it's
a stunning listen from beginning to end. Tenderly ac,
companied by cello, accordion, subtle percussion and
even a Middle Eastern lute called an oud, Mirah's voice
sounds perfectly in place as another skillful instrument
in this very old,world,sounding ensemble. Inspired
by French scientist and poet Jean Henri Fabre, the
songs serve as the score for a suite of 12 stop,motion,
animated short films by Britta Johnson, one of which
(Credo Cigalia) is included on the album. It would
take a much longer review to do justice to all the lyr,
ics and individual songs, but suffice it to say, I highly
recommend it, regardless of your interest level in bugs.
(krecs.com)
Uneven Keel, lnvocal (self-released)
This all,female U.K. quartet plays a theatrically flared
blend of gypsy folk and cabaret, ranging from down,
right bawdy to wittily tongue,in,cheek to just plain
poignant. Hailing from Northampton, U.K., the group
uses instruments ranging from a cello and a clarinet to
a guitar and various percussion, with a flawless,four,
part vocal harmony that rakes center stage. Ir's like a
less,annoying, lesbotronic version of the Roches. You'll
laugh out loud at cuts like "Dear Friend;' a hilarious
screw,you letter to a pretend,to,be friend, or perhaps
shed a tear to the tender "Photograph" while nodding
knowingly to the bittersweet"Small Anxious Waltz;' a
tale of challenging lesbian life in small,town England.
Definitely worth checking out. (invocal.co.uk)
BRITISH SOUL DIVA I
Sometimes bluesy, often funky and
always soulful, The First Sensation is a
promising debut from neo,soul sensa,
tion Nyika. The sexy Brit tomboy and
out lesbian recently visited America
and found time between auditions to
chat about girl power, crossing over
and The L Word. - Azania Baker
Do you ever worry about being
pigeonholed?
I do, but there's nothing you can do about it. Youjust have to keep making your music.... When
you can't be pigeonholed, I think ... a lot of companies can't really deal with you. That's the
problem I have: "What is it? Is it folk? Is it rock? What is it?" I say,"Well, it's all of those
things. Why does it have to be just one?" "Well, no ... what's your target audience?""Well,
people that like music:' Really, the second album I'm recording is quite different from The
First Sensation. It's more guitar,led. With the second album, yeah, it's a bit more rocky, a bit
more bluesy.
How do you feel about crossing over to a U.S. audience?
I've had an amazing response (here in the U.S.] ... I'm not really sure why that is. London's a
weird place right now for music. We have a joke, me and my friends, that there's about five
guys that get all the work in England. The money is not really in black music in Britain .... A
lot of black artists do have to leave the country to even get ... you know, people like Floetry
and Roots Maneuver, these are British artists, and they've had to leave to do well. I don't
know why it's like that, but it is. But having said that, yeah, I'm very happy to cross over to
an American audience; it's great.
Was Bad Girls pretty much the only thing you had?
We had Bad Girls, we had Queer as Folk ... I love The L Word. When I went back to London,
I got the box set of the first (season] and ... all the sex scenes, and they're properly show,
ing it. (In] other films it's like a little sideline or it's implied what's happening. Me and my
friends were just like, "Shit, OK, they're fucking on TV right now:' ... And it's quite nice to
see Jennifer Beals doing that because when I was a kid, I remember going to see Flashdance
and I was just sitting in the cinema going "Shit, man, I am such a lesbian. "So it was great to
see that ... What I'd like to see in The L Word is ... a bit more of the butch presence there
because that is something I think in the media that's really ... they're scared of that. And they
shouldn't be .... Everyone's been sort of acclimatized to the sort of effeminate gay,man image.
So why not have a butch lesbian image?"
Would you like to have a guest spot on The L Word?
Yeah, I'd love to. I was thinking about that today in the shower. I was like, "Yeah, man, I should
do a gig in the Planet or something:' Then Jennifer Beals realizes that she's madly in love
with me and she absolutely can't keep her hands off me. But yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to have
a gig spot there definitely. And it would be nice to kind of bring in ... some British (artists].
I'm on a bit of a mission, you know, I really am. Really, I'd like to be the first, like, out kind of
rock star. I'm actually doing it. ■
September 2007
I75
Desert of My Heart continued from page 63
MichelJe Ma Belle continued from page 67
"I was in New York doing a film... and actually a mutual friend of hers and
mine said she wanted to meet me. For a few days we went through various
scenarios of how we were going to meet ... she wasn't feeling well but wanted
to talk to me on the phone so we talked on the phone and a call was arranged
and she told me it was great and that I would be a star and talked to me about
compartmentalizes .... I can only think of one thing at a time, you know?
my big face, big mouth-anyway, I had the right size face apparently:'
Charbonneau too had a famous fan; lesbian supermodel Gia was said to
have found herself reflected in Cay's portrayal.
With one of the most erotic lesbian love scenes ever filmed still to this day,
it's no surprise that lesbians like Garbo and Gia were huge fans. What may
shock some, though, is that Charbonneau was pregnant during the filming of
those very intimate scenes.
"You know the good ol' white jumpsuit?
Well when you first see us walking along
Pyramid Lake, my gut is like flat as a board.
Then when we get to the house, I've got this
little paunch because ... ! was almost three
months pregnant. But actually when we,
did do the love scene, I was definitely, definitely protective of my body:'
Today Desert Hearts is still the highestgrossing lesbian film, 20 years after it was
released, a fact that both reassures and disappoints the actors.
"It's kind of wonderful but kind ofterrible also;' says Shaver. "I mean The L word
has been an interesting piece of mainstream, well, more or less mainstream entertainment with lots of lesbian love stories
and heartbreaks and all kinds of life as life
happens. But really, it's odd that in North
American cinema that it is still the highest
would come out and do it bigger, you
someone
that
grossing. You'd think
know?"
Perhaps that's the legacy of being a bit ahead of its time, but for Deitch,
Shaver and Charbonneu, Desert Hearts will always be a pivotal part of
their personal history, and a huge contribution to American cinema. Today
Charbonneau can still be found on any number of TV reruns like Law &
Order thanks in part to her stint in LA after Desert Hearts wrapped ("I lost a
part of myself out there;' she says of not finding a good mix in Hollywood).
Today she teaches acting to students in upstate New York and is taking on
film roles again (up next: 100 Feet, a thriller with Famke Janssen). Shaver's
die-hard fans (colleagues at one of her theater groups called them "stage show
Joanies") can catch her onscreen in Numb this year, or wait for her upcoming
film-an adaptation of her sister Mary's memoir, The Naked Nun, about going into a convent as a 17-year old virgin and emerging 10 years later in 1967's
sex, drugs and rock and roll world.
Both women still seem like quiet activists, still. Charbonneau speaks of
the "unbelievable" gifr she's been given with Desert Hearts and the women who
open up to her. "That's something I definitely do not take lightly. I feel that
way with this whole country right now, it's like with anything there's an enormous responsibility that comes with many things, with wealth and exposure
and just be careful with how you use it, don't abuse it:'
Shaver concurs that Desert Hearts confirmed what she already knew:
'That love is. And love is when you find it. And love is the truth, and the thing
that is most important. It is our essential nourishment. And I'm just hoping
that on a human wide level we get over the idea that violence is somehow the
way to solve problems. But that's a whole other story:'
76
I curve
Yeah. Have you ever had a chance to play a lesbian character?
I actually did .... I played Claire and, as we find out, Jenny, who were twins,
and I had a love scene with Elizabeth Keener ... in Liz Lachman's (2005]
short Getting to Know You. I've not done it for prime time or anything.
Do you feel like there are times when you are kind of typecast or
given roles that play into Latina stereotypes?
Yeah, you know, the thing is that I've gotten kind of sick of it, actually. It's
just been recently that I realized, "Oh no, it's another weepy woman who's
speaking about the death of her husband. Oh, she happens to be Spanish.
And they happen to want me to speak in an accent. How original!" You
know? Just recently. I used to answer no to that question, to be honest
with you, but now it's like, come on, guys. Come on. I did it and I've done
it, and it's like, you know, there was a certain part of my career where it
was OK, but I really have no interest in those roles anymore, you know?
There's a certain sort of idea of acting is acting and you get the job when
you can get it and it's like, well, there's a certain point in your career where
you' re like, 'T ve done that a million times and ifI keep doing it, it will only
add to the fact that I'm being typecast:' ... Like the weepy girl again [with
Spanish accent]:"My husband, [pretends to weep], it is not his fault!"
Are you an L Word fan at all?
Oh, I love The L Word!
We had Papi, Janina Gavankar, on our cover recently. She plays
a Latina character but she's actually mixed-race Indian. It's the
second time that the show has cast someone who is not Latina in a
Latina role. How do you feel about casting decisions like that?
It's annoying. What that shows me is that the people who are responsible
for that show do not
know how to represent
that character. It's elusive, because it leads me
to believe that either that
they' re really, really ignorant or they're really sort
of imposing their idea of
what someone should
look like, and I think it's
a really horrible thing to
do to the ... Latin community. We don't look
like that. None of us do.
I don't know if it's done
out of laziness. I don't
know how their decisions are made. Because
let me tell you, that there
are a handful of actresses, many of them who
are very good friends of
mine, who could do that
part just as well, or blow
them more out of the water. You know? I mean, I
love the show, I love the
creators. . . . I mean, the
question was simply stated to me what I thought
about [the casting deci-
Going Retro continued from page 68
sion]. And that's what I think.
Which project are you most proud of
throughout the course of your career?
I would say one of the most wonderful roles that
I've actually played was one of the roles that
I originated, which was the role of Teresa
Morales on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. It
was a series regular role that was written, and
it was written so beautifully. I liked what it
did. It was the exact opposite of what The L
Word did. [The creators] were very brave....
The show in and of itsel£ you know, it was a
fictional show, but they took a lot of their story
ideas from actual ideas [and] events in history
and the way they fictionalized certain events
but they really stayed true to the people and
the pride. And I just love what ... the creator of
the show, Beth Sullivan, let me do to represent
my people. I learned about my people, where
we came from, and it instilled me with such
a pride and confidence in being a MexicanAmerican woman. It was such a joy because
this character ... she stood up to the lead of the
show, who was, of course, a white woman, and
the head white woman. And at the same time,
[my character] got to have a love interest; she
got to have feelings. It was a really, really nice
thing to play. It wasn't a stereotype, it was more
of a representation. I really, really enjoyed it.
You've worked both in live theater and TV.
Which do you prefer?
Television was the medium that I grew up in and
I really love television. I love the whole aspect
of excellence in the field of television. I'm the
kind of actor where I would really rather have
an Emmy, really, than have an Oscar. I sound
sort of like "[gasp] How dare you?" You know?
But no, I mean, listen, I was a kid who grew up
poor, man. We didn't have money for movies
but we had a television.
So you reach a wider range of people in a
way, working in TV?
Right, and you know I really started digging television during the time [of] Hill Street Blues,
Remington Steele. That's when writing was
really, really good. All of a sudden this television thing for me, it started really getting my
attention. And Moonlighting ... I thought that
was one of the most amazingly funniest, wittiest shows, you know? Glenn Gordon Caron,
the creator of that show is now doing Medium.
Just love that. I'd like to work with him too,
come to think of it. Oh, you know what I want
to be on, too? I want to be on Heroes!
Oh yeah?
Wouldn't that be great to be a superhero? I would
love that. Maybe I'd run superfast or something. ■
time to play in literal playgrounds: An infantilizing montage finds Denise (Elizabeth Plumb) and
Adria (Alisa Courtney) caressing as they romp on
carousels, race down slides in gunny sacks and tee
off at a miniature golf game. This film is patronizing for our time, but beneath pulp, it's quite radical
as it documents the gay-friendlier side of'70s Los
Angeles. Denise declares, after observing two women holding hands in a Sunset Blvd. cafe,"No matter
who's in love, and no matter what person they're in
love with, it's good .... It's beautiful!" Viewers are
invited to dig the scenes at the hip cafes, swinging
underground parties and psychedelic be-ins of a
bohemian Los Angeles festooned with love beads.
The film's ambiguous ending also features a rapprochement between the two women that doesn't
end six feet under. In fact, they walk off-screen into
the bright outside sun, together. In the end, it's still
just the two of them. (wolfevideo.com)
That Tender Touch (Wolfe Video)
The mid-'60s saw the rise of the lesbian pulp novel. By 1965, girl-on-girl love was by far the most
popular theme of an $18 million sex-paperback
industry. Director Russell Vincent's 1969 feature,
That Tender Touch, was part of this trend toward
sensationalizing lesbian relationships and sex on
the silver screen in low-budget movies. Like the
pulp novels, lesbian sexploitation films were manufactured mostly for male consumption, but also
found an underground lesbian audience. Restored
from a slightly damaged 35mm print, this perfect
example's small green lines and glitches dapple the
film unobtrusively and only add to the cinephilia
effect, even if you're watching on DVD.
Playboy bunny Sue Bernard (Faster, Pussycat!
Kill!Kill!)stars as Terry, a pigtailed young woman
with urges for her sophisticated roommate that
finally burst forth in the breathy exclamation:
"Marsha, darling! I need you. I want you!" Her desire gets fully reciprocated in a steamy, defrocked
embrace, and the two actually live happily as lovers for a while. That is, until vacationing photographer Ken seduces Terry into a hetero marriage,
leaving Marsha devastated. The majority of the
film centers on Marsha's visit to the newlyweds,
which leads Terry back into temptation. Terry's
mouth may protest, but her body always somehow
doesn't. Meanwhile, all of the women in the house,
including the maid, the next-door neighbor and her
daughter, want to get into Marsha's pants. It's a hot
premise, but all of the pulp stereotypes get overplayed. Lesbianism is depicted as either a temporary refuge for rape victims, widows and unhappy
housewives, or a disease from which one cannot
emerge unscathed. This film's saucy despicableness,
however, is part of what makes it so irresistible to
enjoy,now, as camp. (wolfevideo.com)■
September 2007
I 77
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
al
dealgn
for
web • print
• identity
I
•Y••
• branding
Adventure Tours
Gay and lesbian travel specialists
•Eco-adventure•
Sightseeing
•History• Culture• Events
Ji.
T
Custom
Yukon
adventures
incomfort
andstyle
-
Yukon Pride.com
T. 867 .668.2932
A
YUKON
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve09 when you join
;-Jfri:sofa.com
' connecting lesbians
.:.•nerica s fastest gro.,rng tesb1an .·.ebs1te
~ seed
n6uveau
www. seed nouveau. com
LGBTREALTORS
IN YOUR CITY!
Call today for a
FREEConsultation!
The Smart Girl's Gulde
to the G-Spot
by Violet Blue
@I LGBT Homes
925-86 7-HOME
Toll Free: 866-397-LGBT
www.LGBThomes.com
With wit and panache,sex educator
and best-selling writer Violet Blue
breaks down the essential elements
of great G-spot play-and tells you
exactly how to master the
powerhouse of a female orgasm.
$14.95, 144 pases
ISBN 1•57344-273•2
Call to Ord.-1 (800) 780-2279
or ordw onllne: www.delspntss.com
F~Shlppjng
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) 780-2179
or order onllne: www.clelspress.com
Free Shipping
Change_rourLife?
Create Your Future?
"One o
e most
romantic lesbian
destinations on the
planet." -Planet Out
www.highlandsinn-nh.com
1-877-LES-B-INN
Bethlehem,NewHampshire
78
Icurve
SexTaya
DVDs
BDSM
Calendars
Posters
Massage
Dile
517.B96.4842
Alternative
GreetingCards.com
luJlnt•Ho
Freelu,-n
'
Aalatance
llnt•Ho e?
FreeMarket
Anal,ala
Relocatlng1
FrN Relocatton
KitanJ 0t,, USA
®
your online gift store
www.altematlvegreetlngcards.com
877.687.6271
lesbian owned & opei-ated
1-888-420-MOVE (6683)
www.LesbianRealEstate.com
~
"The Collection#
rass and Iron Beds circa 1860-189.
New York City & Connecticut
(860) 693.()333
Cell: (860) 817-1010
w,,,,,ne,nn.ut
vintagebedsofdistine • n.eom
September 2007
I 79
Top Ten Reasons We Love Ryka Aoki de la Cruz
Creator of the Los Angeles' trans performance
event Trans/Giving, Ryka Aoki de la Cruz is a selfdescribed "trans Goth dyke" born to do art. The
Japanese-American professor of literature is a poet,
musician, author, performance artist, 'zine publisher and graphic artist. Online at rykaryka.com,
her work has been showcased in museums, poetry
festivals, Pride events, the documentary Trans Art
and at San Francisco's annual Fresh Meat Festival,
which celebrates trans/ queer performances. Here's
why we love her. - Jacob Anderson-Minshall
1. No powertrips.After four years at the helm,
de la Cruz left Trans/Giving, the organization
she founded. "I never wanted to stick around and
become the Grand Poohbah. I felt that it belonged
to the community, not to me."
2. Shebulldozes
boundaries.
"If I respected genre
boundaries, I'd look between my legs and never be
trans. If I can say'I have a penis and I'm a woman; I
can sure as hell say, Tm [also) a poet:"
3. Sheworriesabouthowshesounds.
Fearing her
voice was too deep, she relied on another singer
until recently. 'Tm never going to be a soprano. But
I can still sing higher than (Indigo Girl) Amy Ray:'
4. A femmestanding
5 foot5, clothesstilldon'tfit.
"Goth clothes are really small:' Especially when you
dress in sexy vintage Victorian clothing like she
does.
5. She'sanactivist.De la Cruz is a charter member
of the Transgender Advisory Committee of Asian
Pacific Islanders for Human Rights, the LGBT
education and advocacy organization behind Los
Angeles' Oh~a House, the nation's first Asian
Pacific Islanders LGBT Community Center.
6. She valuesdifference.
"Being Asian you can't
be stealth. No amount of surgery or blue contact
"BeingAsian,youcan't be stealth.No amountof surgeryor bluecontactlensesis goingto makeme look
white. ... Beingdifferentcan be a goodthing."
lenses is going to make me look white. Sometimes
I think that trans people are so concerned with
blending in that they don't see that being different
can be a good thing:'
7. Hermanliest
friendsdon'thavepenises.
"What's
the phallus? Obviously it's not the penis, because a
lot of my most-manly male friends don't have one.
I think that trans men can sort of teach Asian men
chat you don't need a penis to be a man. So many
Asian guys have chis small-cock syndrome. I mean,
chose four inches ... are four inches more than this
stud over here who's such a righteous dude:•
8. She struggleswith familyvalues."When it
comes co Asian Americans, you get a lot of people
who are really uptight about drawing attention to
themselves. If I hang out with my family and we
run into other Asians, and they recognize me as
the son that's now the daughter, it makes the entire
family look bad. For the longest time, I didn't want
to go into Lictle Tokyo, because I was afraid I'd see
somebody. But it's kind of fucked up not to be able
to go smell the smells that you grew up with:'
9. Butshestillloves'em."Being trans doesn't make
me any less Asian. A trans identity is not a rejection
of (my heritage]:' De la Cruz calls her unpublished
novel "one big love letter to my grandmother;' and
says it's helping her reclaim Hawaii's role in her
cultural background.
1O.Shedoesn'tmindif we fantasizeaboutgoth
girlsmakingout."Whatever! Sometimes I'm with
my girlfriend and I'm like, 'We really ought to do
a Web camera. You know how much money we'd
make?'" ■
so Icurve
:::E
0
(.)
c_j
z
~:::E
Her road bike
Her mountain bike
Hereat
Her goldfish
Her jeans
Her slacks
Their joint checking account
QUPWaMu®
Deposits at Washington Mutual are FDIC Insured.
• 1111iiii11111
See all items with this value
-
11
New & Improved"
is usually
Just something
anything
but.
to rethink about.
FranklySpeaking
Lesbians in Hollywood
With a star-studded cast and
a who's who of lesbians in
Hollywood, !tty Bitty Titty
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor in Chief
N
o film has been more hotly anticipated this year than !tty Bitty Titty Committee. The first feature
film from POWER UP, the lesbian entertainment group in Hollywood, !tty Bitty is a veritable
who's who oflesbian celebrities. The brainchild of director Jamie Babbit, who previously helmed But I'm
a Cheerleader,we all have high hopes for the flick. It's also the first lesbian movie with this special brand
of star power: a mix of straight and lesbian cast members, lesbian director, producers and crew, topped
off with a subversive but hilarious lesbian theme. That's a rare occurrence indeed.
We were fortunate to talk with the gals from !tty Bitty, starting with our interview with actor Carly Pope.
Already well known for her role on WB's Popular, Pope shined on the little screen this year as a deliciously naughty lesbian drug dealer named Garbo on FX's Dirt, and now brings her celebrity wattage to
the ensemble of !tty Bitty. Is it a coincidence Pope keeps playing gay and gay-friendly roles? In her candid
interview, Pope talks about that and about what !tty means, including her reportedly hot sex scenes with L
Word star Daniela Sea.
Our cover story goes inside the !tty Bitty Titty Committe, a feminist coming-of-age comedy about using a
political agenda to get laid. Who can argue with that? The film hits theaters this month, so get the scoop
with our story before you head to the box office.
Of course there's more in this issue than those sexy celebs. Our special Great Entertainers section goes
inside Desert Hearts on its 20th anniversary, featuring all-new interviews with stars Patricia Charbonneau
and Helen Shaver as well as with director Donna Deitch. We've also got Ten Powerful Lesbian Moms,
Angela Robinson's GirlTrash!, Borat star Luenell, openly lesbiari ER star Michelle Bonilla and a heartwarming look at famous straight women and their gay sisters. Enjoy.
P.S. You may notice a few changes here at CURVE. Colleen Lee, an editorial intern oh so long ago, has
joined the staff as senior editor, and associate editor Catherine Plato has left for greener pastures. And if
you've missed Fairy Butch's absence this month, don't fret! She's just on a vacation and will be back next
month, with bells on. Or maybe a brand spankin' new zoot suit.
Icurve
THE BEST-SELLING
VOLUME
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
17 NUMBER 7
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
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Senior Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Committee is the most hotly
anticipated film in years. It's a
coming-of-age comedy about
using a political agenda to get
laid. Who doesn't like that?
2
curve
Copy Chief
Proofreaders
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Web Producer
Operations Director
Catalog Department
Advertising Sales
MySpace Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Representatives
Editorial Assistants
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Colleen Lee
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Kathy Beige, Julia Bloch,
Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay,
Gretchen Lee
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma
Stefanie Liang
Amy Silvennan
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Nikki Woelk
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Diana L Berry, Joan Boccafola,
Rivendell Media
Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Tammy Lam
Sarah E. Brown, Maria
Ginsbourg, Katie Peoples,
Amber Rivard
Contributing Writers Elizabeth A. Allen, Jacob AndersonMinshall, Azania Baker, Melanie E. Brown, Michele
Fisher, Liz Folger, Gillian Kendall, Kate Lacey,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Mary McGrath, Katie McKy,
Candace Moore, Jennifer Parello, Catherine Plato,
Aimsel L. Ponti, Jaime Roca, Laura K. Schenden,
Stephanie Schroeder, Lesley Seacrist, Ursula
Steck, Lizette van Hecke, Jocelyn Voo, Melanie
Walters-Beck
Contributing Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter
Contributing Photographers Ed Araque!, Leslie Bohm,
Aaron Cobbett, Jim Cox, Cheryl Craig, Dana
Fineman, Sylvain Gaboury, Rick Gertiarter, Getty
Images, Barbara Green, Gabriela Hashun, John
Healy, Alexandra Hedison, Philippe Levy, Sylvia
Liares, Liz Linder, Max-inc.com, Jason Merritt,
Barbara Nitke, Olivia, Yolanda Perez, Robert
Qualier, Vinni Ratcliff, Virginia Sherwood, Chris
Shields, Alison V. Smith, Corey Smith, Renee Sotile
Volume 17 Issue 7 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Blyant 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 additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve
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 Curve may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries, unsolictted
manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions cannot be returned unless a
self-addressedstamped 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 magazinessent discreetly. Subscription
Inquiries: Please write to Curve, 1550 Blyant Street, Sutte 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster:Send Canadianaddress changes
to shop@curvemag.com,
Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 688. Send
U.S. addresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
Curve,POBox 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
A
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.corn
z
~
I
(J)
~
:5
UJ
cc
al
<(
(!)
Features September 2007
She hangs
out with
the lesbian
smart set...
New Year's
Evewith
k.d. lang,
partying
in Melissa
Etheridge's
backyard,
sharinga
saunawith
a naked
JodieFoster,
playing
basketball
with Rosie...
teaching
Ellenhow to
eat fire.
34 Travel Shark and rays get a feeding in Bora Bora.
Volume 17#7
58 Hillary Carlip Juggling oddball gives us a
By Mary McGrath
glimpse of what it's like to be her. By Jennifer
Pare/lo
40 Sister My Sister Celebrity women and their gay
sisters. By Stephanie Schroeder
59 Hollywood Power Get the insider's view
from a Hollywood agent. By Stephanie Schroeder
42 COVER The Dirt on Carly Pope The hot
46
star is now at the helm of a new lesbian film.
By Candace Moore.
60 Streisand's Lackey A meshuga girl exposes her
ltty Bitty Titty Committee Get the lowdown
on the most hotly anticipated film of the year. By
Candace Moore.
61 Bike Messengers Music via bicycle from the
52 Ten Powerful Lesbian Moms From the carpool
trysts with Hollywood babes in hot tubs, bathroom
stalls and more. By Laurie K. Schenden
~
'j
~
~
~
62 Desert of My Heart Hearts actors discuss
and kitchen to the boardroom, these moms rock.
By Liz Folger
page 58
:F
Cl)
Ditty Bops. By Sheryl Kay
the film and its impact 20 years later. By Diane
Anderson-Minshall
0
(.)
t-=
a:
<(
I
(.)
a:
Great Entertainers
54 One Woman's Trash Gir!Trash!director Angela
64
Julia Serano and Helen Boyd She said, she
said. Two tales of the feminist experience. By
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Robinson takes it to the 'Net. By Candace Moore
Katherine Linton Do we still have a long road
girl a lesson in love. By Lesley Seacrist
ahead of us? By Lizette Van Hecke
67 ER's Resident Lesbian TV's Michelle Bonilla
57 Loving Luenell Borat's hooker with a heart of
Cover photo by
ElisaShebaro
gold shares Castro tales and thoughts on the film.
By Catherine Plato
:::f
...J
w
z
d
::::,
u.
u.
:J
(.)
66 I Heart Clair Huxtable Cosby's wife gives one
56
::::,
0
discusses birds, bells and fireworks. By Catherine
Plato
~
z
>
z
uf
a.
0
e:..
0
a:
<(
CD
w
I
Cl)
~
:J
w
41
curve
mrnrn
[D
ill
[D
Departments
September 2007
"Welesbiansare
supposedto know
thatwe cannot
changeanybody.
Whatwe do insteadis pretend
fromthe startof
the relationship
thatsheis already
the personwho
we aregoingto
changeher into."
page 30
2
Frankly Speaking Franco discusses
what's upcoming with lesbians in
Hollywood.
18 Lesbofile Lots of Lohan, Spice Girl
racket and Rosie's next move.
68 Sapphic Screen Bam 8am and
Celeste, vintage lesbosploitation,
Suddenly and Jennifer Abad.
24 Scenes It's true, you totally should have
8
Contributors New books by us.
Mysteries, children's books and an
essential guide to lesbian relationships.
been there. We were. We had a camera.
26
Lipstick & Dipstick Don't ask, do tell!
My family thinks I'm gay. Am I?
10 Letters More fat girls? A Lipstick sighting, Christians and art, oh my.
27
Relationships Who you want to be
might just tell you who you are.
13 Curvatures A fagbug debut, card
sharks and dirty dames, plus the passing
of a Castro legend.
14 Out in Front An activist, a storyteller
and a immigration and diversity expert
are on the front lines.
16 Open Studio Anna-Marie Lopez
elevates Latina imagery with the
Virgin Mary.
6
Icurve
28 Astro Grrl It's almost fall, time to fall
70 In the Stacks A sister needs to shout,
and Cris Beam tackles trans teens. Plus,
Peggy Munson's Oragami Striptease and
some Andrews & Austin.
73 Music Watch Tune into diversity this
month: Motown, Yiddish sounds, disco
punk and Canadian pop. Plus, Nyika and
Ciara are so hot.
in love.
30
Dyke Drama What did you expect?
Never try to change a woman.
32 Brownworth Do lesbian celebrities really
speak for all of us?
80 Top Ten We Love Ryka Aoki de la
Cruz Trans/Giving's creator doesn't
need to give us anything-we
just the way she is.
love her
~•~W'HJA
t:}~
J.:;,llllllWliil
~ ~~
~@&Em@
~
JJunJt 1l1it;k
~ ,r ~ fJU.UL
~
.tluubAWU"J'ffl,J.ulimJ,
@
'llWt www..aquafina.a,.m
AQUAFINA. AQUAFINA ALIVE, AQUA FINA ALIVE WELLNESSWATER.MAKE YOUR BODY HAPPY, VITA PLUS and design ore trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. 5401000
OfficialWater Sponsorof:
THENAGAAAWORLDSERIES
2007
Phoenix,Arizona October 1-6
To registeryourteamfor an AquafinaAliveKitvisit
the NAGAAAwebsitewww.series2007.org
CONTRIBUTOR'S NEW BOOKS
Were shameless self-promoters here, but hey, we sort of have to be. Several CURVE
contributors have new books out these days so we rounded them up for a bit of loving.
Blind Curves and Blind Leap
DianeAnderson-Minshall
andJacobAnderson-Minshall
(BoldStrokesBooks):
CuRvE's executive editor has a great new mystery series on her hands. Blind
Leap hits stands in November; the debut book Blind Curvescame out in May.
Here's one take on Blind Curves:"A funny and fantastic whirl through a world
of women as smart, savvy and sexy as we'd all like to be. The Blind Eye detective
agency goes up against the murder of Rosemary Finney,
the lesbian publishing magnate whom everyone loves
to hate - especially her ex-lovers. Cruising around the
Bay Area following the sharp curves of the plot, readers
pick up delicious details of many subcultures-from Hollywood closets to New
Orleans cops, from the psychology of losing vision to the fun of blind flirtation.
The conflicting clues are filtered through the perspectives of the sophistic.ated,
Japanese detective, Yoshi, and from the wheelchair of her apparently hapless assistant, ex-detective Bud. Only two questions remain: Why can't life be like this?
And, when's the next book?" (anderson-minshall.com)
- GillianKendall
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••
Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential Guide
to Lesbian Relationships
GinaDaggett
andKathyBeige(Alyson
Books):
When
dykes want advice on love, sex and what to do if your
girlfriend's dad is a raging homophobe they don't call
their moms. They write to Lipstick and Dipstick, the
infamous duo whose first book, out in November,
delivers what CURVEreaders have grown to love-a
sexy,snarky, witty advice on how to be a grown up
from dykes that understand how to make a homo
sweet home. Step one in this must-read tome: help
whip into shape the most precious lesbian commodity: relationships. Dissecting reasonnable dyke
debates (Country club vs. double wide? Wanna go to
a key party? Who pays for dinner?), thisduo helps
readers navigate the wild world of
discovery that pulls up shortly after
the U-haul drives away. Bonus
points for a list of the ten signs it's
not going to work out, the essential
keys to keeping love alive,tips on
keeping lesbian bed death at bay
and how to create a fulfilling longterm relationship. (lipstickdipstick
.com)- DianeAnderson-Minshall
It All Began With a Bean and
Pumpkin Town!
KatieMcKy(Tanglewood
Press)and(Houghton
Mifflin):Two new children's books by Katie
McKy provide insight into her childhood,
"When I was a child, I hated stories that
ended with i\nd they lived happily ever after:
I didn't believe it. I
knew that there was no
'happily ever after' and
that ever more dragons
and ogres were always
lurking around the
coming corners. So, I
write stories for children that admit to life's
unending challenges. They aren't tidy stories,
but they're honest. They're also an invitation
to young readers to use their imaginations
to continue the stories:' It All BeganWith a
Beananswers a former second grader's fearless
que~ "What would happen if everyone farted
at once?"Pumpkin Town!tells of a town buried
beneath pumpkins and considers why frankness can save everyone a pumpkiny heap of
trouble. (katiemcky.com)
- DAM
Mr. Ding's Chicken Feet
GillianKendall(Terrace
Books):
One of those rare memoirs that is both vividly
nostalgic and utterly hilarious. A former Navy English teacher, author Gillian
Kendall has a flawless sense of comic pacing that drives this book about life on
the Tan Suo Zhe, a Chinese vessel, teaching men to speak English. The book is
so much more engrossing than one can imagine from the title (a reference to the
crew's culinary delights). Affectionate and witty, Mr. Ding'sis a must-read for
armchair travelers and lit lovers alike. (gilliankendall.com)
- DAM
s Icurve
Bed: New Lesbian Erotica and
Day of the Dead and Other Tales
Victoria
A.Brownworth
(MagicCarpetBooks)
and(HaworthCuRvE's
):
long-time political columnist already has a couple dozen books under
her belt with three more out this year, including
Bed:New LesbianErotica,The GoldenAge of
LesbianEroticaand Day of the Dead and Other
Tales."Brownworth's new haunting collection,
Day of theDead and Other Tales,will leave you
longing for more tales of lesbian desire, loss, and
possession. Her characters seem to be always in
transit, either fleeing or in reluctant exile from
homelands like Ireland, Vietnam, Sweden and
rural Kansas; what binds them is the stories'
frequent return to the intertwined themes of
violence and justice (a well-timed moment of
levity has a vampire lamenting that others of
her kind "don't share the same politics") as well
as to the city of New Orleans, which is in many
cases a kind of central character itself and in
other instances a spectre,
slipping into the story like
fog through an open window.
In the end, Brownworth
has written an elegy to
pre-Katrina New Orleans;
perhaps the book's most
memorable tale is "Diary of a
Drowning," a poignantly rendered portrait of a woman who haunts the city
like the lover she couldn't bear to leave behind:'
(haworthpress.com)
and (magic-carpet-books.com)
- Julia Bloch
The Brides of March
BerendeMotier
(iUniverse,
Inc.):Our humor essayist offers up The Bridesof March,a
hilarious and sobering memoir about lesbian motherhood
and the pitfalls of a legal
system that doesn't know how
to acknowledge same-sex relationships. This richly woven book juxtaposes
the author's own coming of age as a punk kid
(and voracious teenage harlot) with her life now,
as a wife and suburban mom with a SUV full
of precocious kids of her own. Bridesis a quirky,
witty, engaging and beautifully crafted tale of a
life lived. (thebridesofmarch.com)-DAM
Letters
Get up to
$f00
value
American Express
branded award card
when you
buy a set
of four eligible*
Bridgestonetires.
"Throughyour inspiration,
I havefoundmyselfjoining
a CodePinkvigil,volunteeringat PortlandPrideand an
EarthDay fair...and livinga
lifegenerallymorefocused
on socialaction."
Love Thy Neighbor
The art of Janet McKenzie is so beautiful and rev,
erent, I was sorry to read that she receives a "never,
ending flood of hateful phone calls and e,mails"
as well as possible bomb packages (Open Studio,
Vol.17, #4). In addition, there is worry about the
controversy sure to erupt in Taos, N.M., where her
piece "Jesus of the People" will be shown at an art
gallery. Presumably, those evil, violent Christians
are to blame again.
However, perusal of this very successful art,
ist's Web site is puzzling: "Jesus of the People"
won a competition conducted by the National
Catholic Reporters; her paintings are published
by American and The Lutheran, both Christian
magazines; a solo exhibition was shown at the
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. It appears
the creation of holy images has been supported by
the Catholic Church since its inception thousands
of years ago.
From the 1989 [photograph by Andres
Serrano) "Piss Christ" to the 1999 [controversial
painting by Chris Ofili) 'Tue Holy Virgin Mary"
to this Easter's video game Christ Killa (in which
one can shoot homicidal Jesus Christs), Christians
are routinely subjected to derogatory insults by the
art world. Yet, I cannot remember even one howling
mob screaming for vengeance. The vast majority of
American Christians just quietly continue to prac,
rice their faith.
I would urge you to truly embrace the diversity
of our community, which includes Christians of
all denominations.
- Barbara Yunker, Huntington Beach, Calif.
We Heart Lipstick and Dipstick
I came to visit my home state for a wedding, and
10 I curve
luckily it was around Pride weekend. My best gay
friend and I made the pilgrimage to San Francisco.
At Pride I helped support the Breast Cancer
Emergency Fund and the Aids Emergency Fund
by selling raffie tickets. It was my personal mission
to find CURVE'S booth. With some help, I found
it and was giddy when I recognized the booth
volunteers, Dipstick and Lipstick! I contained
myself while I asked to buy a CURVE muscle tank
and back issues. I then requested that they sign
them for me. Both Lipstick and Dipstick were the
sweetest and coolest people, and were excited to
know that I was a fan of theirs! Later I went to an
exclusive party by local magazine Pink Mag, and
guess who I saw? Other CURVE magazine staff
sporting the cool CURVE T,shirts! I met Lipstick
and her partner, and she remembered me. I even
took a photo of Lipstick with my camera phone.
Later on, I saw Mimi from Bravo's Work Out with
Jackie Warner, and took a pie of her too! She was
a sweetheart. Thank you CURVE for making this a
happy Pride, my first and best experience ever!
- MelissaJimenez, Williamsburg, Va.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
My mother always told me that if you have good
news and bad, start with the good news, so here
it goes. The good: I really enjoy Sheryl Kay's Out
in Front interviews with interesting lesbians. She
really captures the diversity that is our community
in a very enjoyable way, not too long, not too short,
just right. Other than what I have to say next, I've
always enjoyed CURVE. The bad: The very de,
tailed description by Fairy Butch of fisting ("Start
From Scratch;' Vol. 17, #6) was a little over the
top. That's more suited for the old On Our Backs
magazine or other resources. Call me vanilla, but
ii:"
::::,
0
a:
~
0
a:
<(
ID
w
I
Cl)
<15
:::i
w
• IBRIIJliESTOREi
Letters
I expect a little more decorum from CURVE.A
woman's personal sexual preferences are not an issue with me but I don't want to read about it in
what I have, until this point, considered a classy
magazine. The ugly: Nor do I think it's a swell idea
have this type of information out on newsstands
so that we give more ammunition to our detractors
to label us deviants. Namaste!
- Kim Ann Callan,The Gazette, Tampa Bays
Gay & Lesbian News Magazine, Tampa, Fla.
Where Are the Chubby Chasers
I am a 20-year-old lesbian from Ohio. I was looking around on your Web site and cannot find anything about fat issues, or anyone on the cover who
represents different body types. Are there issues of
CURVEthat talk about the pride the community
should have for all lesbians' body types?
- Amanda M. Monyak, Bowling Green, Ohio
"DieselFemmes,"aprofileofplus-sizedclothingdesign- that list was in? Your magazine does a great job.
er Sossity Chircuzio, in November 2006; "Why Fat I'm glad our community has it. Thank you.
Chicks Rock," in January/February 2007; "Tribute
- Anonymous, via e-mail
to an Activist Diva," about Heather MacAllister and
written by Fat Girl Speaks
Editor's Note: Every year,
founder Stacy Bias, in May
our
November issue features
Diesel Femmes
2007; and an interviewwith
a list of the top gayjriendly
-......................
_
.......
__..,.....__.....,
self-describedbig girl Yoshi
companies.
a---...........
.. """"""•..-,..
.__...,.,,
..._~
..
_.., ...
..
Reagon in July 2007. As far
·----"""·
...
......
...........
......
........
_....,.....
....
.....
as coversgo, its sometimes
..::::.=!=...~
An Homage to Victoria
difficulttofind the right mix
Brownworth
to keep our indie magazine
As my subscription to
afloat. Since readers love
CURVEdraws to a close and
(and buy) celebrity covers,
as I feel moved to simplify
and "celebrity"unfortunately
my life, I probably will not
tends to mean "thin," it can
renew. However, I wanted
'1 hadwa1<edthe lestJval
foreoglt)'8il'S at that poontand knew
thel rt thele!Ml8Sthat wa1<edthe lestival11<.ed
my S1ull,I was
be hardfor us to keep everyto say thanks to you for the
defi•lely onto somethng."Clwicuzio
l8lq,s. "It lakssa fieroe
lashoonsense to makeli'lgenerealy wor1<
ll thewoods."
one happy in that respect.
features and opinion pieces
-
.......: .. ...,..~..,.._nrr..t
-
,~;
;;:::~
~~
Working Girls Alert
Editor's Note: Amanda, don't say its so. A chubby CuRvE published a list of
girl myself,I work hard to representmy chunkypeeps, the top gay-friendly employers sometime in 2006.
and I think we'veactuallycoveredfat issuesquite a bit I had the issue but apparently have misplaced it
this year.Just a few of the articleswe'vehad recently: and want to reorder it. Can I find out which issue
CuRvE'sCover:Crew
in the magazine. Over the
past year, I have enjoyed
CURVEthoroughly. It is your
writings, though, that have touched my heart and
moved me to action. Through your inspiration, I
have found myself joining a CodePink vigil, volunteering at Portland Pride and an Earth Day fair,
moving to an inclusive and progressive faith community, online at micahsvillage.org, and living a life
generally more focused on social action. Thank you
for your words of wisdom and direction shared
each month. While I will miss reading your pieces,
know that you have helped move me on the path to
action, and I have no plans to tum back!
-Sharon V.L. Chinn, Portland, Ore.
Editor's Note: Readers will be happy to hear that
we worked some mojo on Sharon and got her to stick
aroundanotheryear. Its alwaysniceto have our writers know how much their work affectsreaders'lives,
though,so alwayslet us know who is movingyou.
Got Something on Your Mind?
E-mail letters@curvemag.com; write to CURVE
Letters, 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103; fax to 415-863-1609. Please include
your name, city and state. Letters may be edited for
clarity and length.
Hotness just doesn't happen, it takes our devoted and gifted crew. Big
thumbs up to the team that made our cover shoot possible. Top (from left):
POWER UP's Lisa Thrasher, Carly Pope, hair stylist Shannon Hoover/Liz Bell
Agency, photo assistant Brenndan Laird. Bottom (from left): Daniela Sea,
Jamie Babbit, photographer Elisa Shebaro, clothing sylist Faranak Dacosta/
Liz Bell Agency, and makeup stylist Jon Hennessey/nobasura.com. Holla!
12
Icurve
Corrections
In our June issue (Vol. 17, #5), we misidentified
Wendy Goodman; she is vice president of promotion adult formats. Also in Curvatures "Golden
Crown Literary Society;' we incorrectly listed
Katherine Smith; in fact, executive director Kathy
_Smith is one of nine board members. CURVEsincerely regrets the errors. ■
Curvatures
Last Chance at Summer
By the time you're eight years old, you pretty much know that Labor Day signals the end of fun as we know it. No more floating on inner tubes or jumping off tire swings or sun baking (er, bathing) on top of your building's black tar roo£ It's back to school, back to work,
back to fleece outerwear, so take this one last weekend and party like it's June 29 all weekend long. - Diane Anderson-Minshall
Fancy Footwear
Sure, there are plenty of flipflops on the market now from
Paul Frank's skull-covered
ones to Old Navy's basic, uh,
navy, but we adore old-school
SoCal's Redondo Flojos and
you will, too. $26, flojos.com
Get Your Grill On-Anywhere
This full-sized portable grill folds up to
suitcase size, fits in your trunk and then
expands to full height. An electric ignition
means no matches or kindlng, either.
$350, hammacher.com
Help Mama Earth and Get a Sandwich
Hate tossing out all those baggies after
every picnic? No more with the ecofriendly Wrap-N-Mat, a reusable wrap
and placemat all in one. $5 and up,
wrap-n-mat.com
Ya Gotta Have Shades
Whether you're offbeat and a little
quirky or bookish and demure, there
are specs for you. Try these Zebra
Stripes from Rainbow or the Nebb
Flesh with calibar tinted lenses from
Moscot. $7 and up, rainbowshops.com
and moscots.com
ltty Bitty Bikini
OK, admittedly a bikini doesn't work for
all of us, but if it does for you, sister, then
flaunt it in one of these super-cute mixand-match Cover Style bikinis. $42,
cover-style.com
Hot Tea to Go
Why settle for bottled
water when you can fill
this lovely hand-painted
mint floral Chinese
thermos with the drink
of your choice? $14,
asianideas.com
Move Over,
Lucky Mag
Forlesbians
whohave
beensecretlystashing
awayyourcopiesof
Lucky(youknowwhoyou
are)because
youliketo
shopbutaren'tdigging
the ethicsof a consumermagazine
that'sall
aboutwhatto buy,well,
there'ssomegoodnews.
ThenewShopSmart
magazine,
withitstagline
"Nohype,noads,just
greatbuys,"is targeted
at educated,
savvy,30something
womenwho
wanthonestreviews
withoutfreebiesandadvertisements.
Covering
a
wholegamutof products
fromiPodsto organic
groceries,
ShopSmartoffersreadersfrankadvice
aboutwhetherto whip
outtheirVisacards.The
difference,
saysEditorin
ChiefLisaLeeFreeman,
between
the magazine
andothershoppingmags
is "we're100percentunbiased."Produced
bythe
nonprofitadvocacy
group
Consumers
Union(the
folksbehindConsumer
Reports),
ShopSmart
aimsto offersomething
womengenerally
don't
get:smartadviceon
thingswecareabout.
- LesleySeacrist
CURVATURES
WRITTEN
BY
MelanyWatters-Beck,
SarahE.Brown,
AmberRivard,
Sheryl
Kay,DianeAndersonMinshall,
KatieMcKy,
LesleySeacrist
September 2007
I 13
Brewer's Choice
The Beat Goes On
Vu's Clues
For much of the past 30 years, AllisonBrewer
has devoted her professional life to some form
of activism.
Based in New Brunswick, Canada, she has
had her hands in the fight for global socialjustice,
reproductive choice, LGBT civil rights and advo~
cacy for people with disabilities.
Several years ago, while attending the
United Nations World Women's Conference
in Beijing, Brewer was detained for having
been part of a group of lesbians who hung a
banner in the plenary hall that read, "Lesbian
Rights Are Human Rights:'
In 2004, Brewer garnered the Governor
General's Award, one of Canada's most presti~
gious awards, for her LGBT civil rights work.
"I was floored when I heard I was to be a
recipient, and it wasn't until I read what the
nominators had submitted on my behalf that I
was able to take an objective look at my work
and realize for the first time that I'd made a
difference;' Brewer says.
In Canada, gay rights are protected under
the constitution and relationships are legally
recognized."Weve won the war;' Brewer says.
Still, complacency isn't an option. Although it
was defeated, the provincial government recent~
ly considered legislation that would have made
it possible for marriage commissioners on the
public's payroll to deny performing marriages
that were contrary to their religious beliefs.
"Our greatest challenge is to work to
ensure our rights are protected and to continue
to educate the public on LGBT issues;' Brewer
says. - Sheryl Kay
Wherever she is, Amikaeyla
Proudfoot
Gaston
has a story to tell.
When shes not serving in a leadership
capacity for numerous health, education and
social~work advocacy groups, Gaston performs
internationally as a drummer and storyteller.
She says it is her life quest to understand and
experience the communion of body, mind and
spirit on the path to wellness.
"In my corporate, nonprofit and volunteer
work I have tried to create and participate in
programs that provide access to better health,
particularly for LGBT women and women of
color;' she says. "My artistic work is an expres~
Among the very last group of Vietnamese
refugees admitted to the United States, Cuc
Vu'searly~childhood experience of that trip,
riding in a helicopter and on a trans~Pacific
ship, is one of great adventure.
Acclimating to life in the United States
and its financial pressures was another thing,
and Vu gained a very real~world understand~
ing of the hardships endured by immigrant
populations, an understanding that eventu~
ally led to her life's work.
"I think I was hard~coded to do socialjustice
work;' she says.
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front._. of activism?
Write at~.com.
14
Icurve
sion of that path and my belief in the healing
power of music:'
Gaston, who helped create Sistah
Summerfest and the Spirit Health Education
Circle program for the Mautner Project,
knows healing firsthand. She spent more than
a year recuperating in a hospital after being
run over outside the Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival several years ago.
Both victim and survivor of a hate crime,
she was hit by a truck and dragged 86 feet on a
gravel road. The police officer who arrived said,
"one less nigger in the world is fine with me;' as
he let the assailants go, Gaston recalls.
Still, her enormous attitude has prevailed.
"There's so much more to do and enjoy in
this little, short life than spend time dwelling
on the past;' says Gaston, who has gone on to
win numerous national awards, scholarships
and fellowships. "It's all about our individual
life path, and although we don't know what's
ahead, it's how we deal with today and what
kind of skin we stand in, how we are as human
beings and what kind of integrity we keep to,
no matter the challenge:' - Sheryl Kay
Vu has had tremendous success over the
years, including her work on the Mi Familia
Vota campaign to educate and tum out Latino
voters, resulting in more than 75,000 new vot~
ers, as well as helping to establish the Service
Employees International Union as the leading
union on immigration issues.
Being both an immigrant and a lesbian, Vu
says she has been frustrated by the disconnect
between the two communities. So shes stepped
up again, working toward reconnection.
Vu has been named the first chief diversity
officer for the Human Rights Campaign, a post
that reports directly to HR C's president, Joe
Solmonese. To achieve the organization's goal of
broadening support for LGBT equality among
all Americans, there needs to be outreach, Vu
says,partially to be achieved through a national
dialogue campaign and diversity training for
volunteers and leaders in 33 cities.
"Not only can our diversity initiatives enrich
HRC and result in fullparticipation, equity and
unity throughout our HRC family,I believe that
we can become one of the most successfulorga~
nizations in the country at linking LGBT issues
with community issues;'Vu says. - Sheryl Kay
~
~
~
:t:
z
:t:
0
..,
Anna-Marie Lopez
I
PAINTER
I
According to the National Association Against Censorship, interpretations of the Virgin Mary have been
censored only a few times in this country.
In 2006, out lesbian and painter Anna,Marie Lopez, the most recent person to be censored, was asked
to contribute to a show for the Virgin de
Guadelupe celebration in her hometown of San Antonio. True to form, talented Lopez crafted a piece
that explored the Virgin's roots, which she
discovered lay in the Aztec goddess Tonantzin. Her work was initially accepted, yet the night before the
show's opening the curator called to inform
her that there was no room for her work, explaining later that she was indeed being censored.
Outraged to say the least, Lopez petitioned nationwide to fight the exhibition's censorship. Ultimately,
she decided against litigation and opted
instead to devote her energy and resources to her painting and 2007 collection of poetry and paintings
entitled Step Out Into a Full Moon, which she
recently co,authored with her girlfriend Candice Daquin.
Remarkably, Lopez has never taken an art class. Her paintings draw from a variety of cultural and artistic
influ,
ences, including Alice Neel, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo and Russian and NYC street artist Konstantine
Bokov,
and are a wild and surrealistic interpretation of the struggles and triumphs of modern life. In Paradise (Dream
# 1), dis,
embodied figures with animal heads gaze into mirrors that distort and twist the images they reflect. Lopez's
censored
Virgin is equally mesmerizing, juxtaposing a barbed,wire fence with a nearly naked, human heart,wearing
Virgin,
departing from traditional images and exposing a woman who aligned herself with the people-not the
powerful. In
late May 2007, Lopez showcased her work in the Onda Arte Latina/Cross Currents Gallery exhibition
Poder y Fuego,
which was the first Portland, Ore. area show featuring art by Latino/ a queers. "We queers are still in
a struggle for
equality, [and] at times we forget this until we find ourselves in the midst of a battle;' says Lopez. Visit
her online at
anna,marielopez.com. - Sarah E. Brown
16
Icurve
Curvatures
Activist Debuts the FagBug
In near tears, Davies parked and ran back to her girlfriend.
"It took the police an hour to come. We waited in my girlfriend's car and watched. In that hour, about 50 people passed:'
But not a single person could easily pass the Bug.
"They all stopped. Everyone reacted. When the police arrived, they kept insisting that I must have an enemy. For too
long, they didn't see it as a hate crime:'
Since her car was drivable, Davies' insurance company, per
their policies, told her to drive it until the graffiti could be
What do Erin Davies, 29, of Albany, N.Y., and Opie Taylor
(Ron Howard's cherubic character on The Andy GriffithShow),
of make-believe Mayberry, N.C., have in common? Both have
red hair, freckles and an aw-shucks smile. And both like girls.
But there are differences. Whereas Opie was a boy, Davies
was a tomboy.
"I slept with my basketball. And rather than ride the bus to
school, I walked so that I could dribble all the way there and back:'
However, Davies did dabble in frills.
"My mother enrolled me in a beauty pageant when I was in
first grade. I wore a white, shiny dress with a pink bow in my hair.
There was only one other girl in my age bracket. She was much
more done up than I was and I felt kind of embarrassed. I won
second place, but that's only because there were only two of us:'
But the biggest difference between Opie and Davies is their
antagonists. Whereas the moonshiners of Mayberry were loveable, Davies lives in a world where a tiny rainbow sticker sent a
homophobe to deface her beloved, gray Volkswagen Bug with a
red "fAg' and "u r gay:' Davies first reacted as most might.
"I first saw the red from a distance. Then I read the words. I
was shocked and ashamed. Still, I was late for work, so I started
driving. People stared and pointed, so I went home:'
removed.
"When I first explained my situation to an agent, he laughed.
I did get a rental car, [but], by then, many in my neighborhood
knew about what had happened. People stopped me to talk.
They even stopped me in traffic. They'd say,'I saw your car. I
can't believe that happened: I just couldn't get away from it:'
Since Davies, a former Division 1 basketball player with
basketball-sized ovaries, couldn't flee the hate crime, she took
it on: one on one. She created fagbug.com to share what happened, but she's not limiting her activism to the Internet. This
summer, she'll go on the road, driving her fagbug across the
country. Along the way, she'll document the responses it provokes. The fagbug is a rolling billboard for anti-homophobia.
Even parked, it provokes.
"When I return to my car, I now always wo~der what I'll
find. People have left notes on it expressing their sorrow. Some
put money in the notes. One note was left by a guy who does
detailing. He offered to remove the red paint for free:'
But Davies decided that some things aren't so easily-or
best removed.
"Someone told me that even if the defacing were removed,
I'd still see it. I think that's so:'
She's giving others a chance to see it, too. Through the Web
site fagbug.com, her impending trip and various interviews,
Davies is offering a discomforting look into the heart of hidden
bigotry-and the inspiration of a woman who won't hide.
"I don't want to look back at the end of my life and have
any regrets. Even if something turns out bad, at least I am not
someone who will wonder what i£ I have no what ifs:' - KM
Hot Hoodie
Therearefewthings
hotterthana girl in a
RocketWorldCreature
tell
Hoodie.Seriously,
meyouwouldn'tblink
if this girl walkeddown
thestreetbyyou?
Limitedto only444
pieces,this limited
Creature
editionI.W.G.
Hoodiehastwo zippered
handwarmerpockets,
with insidestashpockets,a leftsleeveslotfor
yourSharpiemarkerand
an iPodpocket(witha
wireslot).
headphone
Andof course,it makes
youlooklikea bear!
There'sa backstorybut
you'llhaveto discoverit
yourselfat rocketworld
just got
.com.Polartec
hotter.- DAM
Dirty Dames and Card Sharks
6
ffi
~
Cl)
g
*
w
~
G
I'm not a big poker player and am not sure I've really ever seen a wolf deck or stag deck, but I can't
get enough of StackedDecks:The Art and History
of Erotic Playing Cards, a lavish hardcover book
with over a 100 illustrations of playing cards from
1807 to present day. With titillating nude and
semi-nude models, burlesque singers, flappers,
1950s pinup girls and more, the book also offers
vintage ads and some sexy cultural commentary. It
ain't just about the kitsch, baby. - DAM
September 2007
I
17
Curvatures
Lesbofile
Girls, Girls, Girls
From Scary Spice to sports writers, the queer family keeps growing. I By Jocelyn Voo
Cheers, queers! This month, the gay tabloids fea,
ture some fresh new faces. And Lindsay Lohan.
Lots of Lovin'
LindsayLohan,Maxim's number one pin,up on
its 2007 "Hot 100 List" and VIP of the night,
club,rehab merry,go,round, may be more than
just friends with her best galpal. "Maybe she was
tired of the boys and that is why she decided to
spice it up with BFF Samantha Ronson;' ex,
Hollywood publicist Jonathan Jaxon writes on
his blog. However, another source denies his ac,
cusation. "Oh, please, that's silly;' says the source.
"Lindsay just loves to have fun and mix it up a bit:'
Note that's no denial. So, is Lohan "bisexual" just
because no one on either side of the fence wants
her? Seeing how she's been cavorting around lately,
we can't say we'd blame them.
Dude Looks Like a Lady
"During my 23 years with The Times' sports de,
partment, I have held a wide variety of roles and
titles;' wrote Los Angeles Times reporter Mike
Penner this past April. "Tennis writer. Angels
beat reporter. Olympics writer. Essayist. Sports
media critic. NFL columnist. Recent keeper of the
Morning Briefing flame. Today I leave for a few
weeks' vacation, and when I return, I will come back
in yet another incarnation. As Christine:' Yep, you
read that right: the old boys' club of sportswriting
is losing one of their own and gaining its first,ever
transsexual. Penner-ChristineDaniels-has ex,
perienced almost universal support and encour,
agement from her associates regarding her coming
out. Guess it doesn't matter which team you bat
for, as long as you can still play ball.
Spice Up Your Life
Even though all eyes are on former Posh Spice
Victoria Beckham and soccer stud David Beckham
these days, another ex,Spice Girl is making head,
lines: MelanieBrown,a.k.a. Scary Spice. Brown
has never denied that she's a sexual creature.
"People can call me lesbian, bisexual or heterosex,
ual, but I know who's in my bed and that's it-I
have a huge libido and a great sex life;' Brown has
reportedly said in the past. And now one of those
skeletons in her bed is coming back to life: Christa
Parker, a friend of Brown's, told British magazine
Closer that she'd once been romantically linked
with the singer, and that Brown's two,year rela,
1s
I curve
a:
0
0
I
~
0
i
Cl'.l
0
0
i
w
I
(/)
<i:
tionship with a film exec known only as Christine
(and who Brown had been photographed kissing
in. 2004) ended "because Christine wanted more
commitment:'
The tables have turned on Brown, though,
because now it's not she who's avoiding commit,
ment-it's confirmed baby,daddy Eddie Murphy,
who'd been refusing to take a paternity test for
months. This June, a DNA test proved Murphy
was the father of Brown's newborn baby, Angel
Iris Murphy Brown. Karma's a bitch.
The Hostess With the Mostest
Gay is the way to go, The View producers have
decided. RosieO'Donnell
stepped down from her
perch as the volatile speaker on the coffee klatch
in recent months, and producers are scurrying to
find a replacement. The two frontrunners? Mario
Cantone, well known as Charlotte's gay wedding
planner on Sex and the City, and Ross Mathews,
formerly Ross the Intern on The Tonight Show
With Jay Leno.
"It is high time they put a gay man on that
panel;' former View co,host Debbie Matenopoulos
told People magazine. "They've said 'We can't put a
man here: I disagree. Why does it have to be guys
against girls? I have a better time and solve more
problems sitting with my gay guy friends than my
girlfriends!"
Other rumored candidates include Kathy
Griffin, WhoopiGoldberg
and Sherri Shepherd, all
of whom have made guest host appearances lately.
And what of O'Donnell? Rumors were swirl,
ing that she would move onto the Price Is Right.
With Bob Barker finally retiring the show is in
need of a new leader. O'Donnell writes in her
blog, "to get my entire family uprooted from their
lives...doesn't seem fair ..:• We will see, we are all
waiting for those magic words: "Rosie, come on
down!"
z
a
a:
>
t
>
w
I
I=..
()
Cl'.l
~
a:
w
a.
~
~
~
1.
a:
a
w
()
a:
~
()
~
:?
s
LI:
en
w
a:
<i:
z
:::;
<i:
:5
~
Curvatures
Got Money:
Better yet, got enough money:>If, like most of us,
the answer is hell no, Money Pants.com just might
be the way to go. Lesbian founders Julia Salazar,
Komal Bhojwani and Anne Stockwell have joined
forces using their own personal experiences in
spending, budgeting, saving and investing to create a Web site that offers advice, budgeting tools
and goal planning. Unlike some financial planners
(which none of these gals are!) the women are
quick to admit there is nothing wrong with making money, but they espouse doing so in a loving
environment, without sacrificing health, neglecting children or telling lies. - SK
Chicago Gets Centered
The grand opening of Chicago's Center on Halsted
last June marked the last phase of the $20 million
project designed be a focal point for the LGBT
community of Chicago, serving the community's
diverse social, recreational, cultural, and social service needs. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included
an appearance by Mayor Richard M. Daley who
secured $5.4 million in loans and subsidies for
the construction of the 60,000 square foot facility located at 3656 N. Halsted Street. With its
gleaming industrial-chic exterior and eco-friendly
design, it is an attractive addition to the north end
of Boystown.
A "green building," Center on Halsted boasts
natural ventilation and CO2 monitoring, recycled
carpeting in all of the common areas, large windows to reduce the need for electrical power, and a
Just off the sundeck is the Irving Harris
Foundation Reception Hall, another rental space
perfect for the upscale lesbian wedding reception
as well as the Billie Jean King recreational area,
a full-size gymnasium complete with basketball
courts. The ground floor retail space will be occupied by a much-needed Whole Foods Market
opening in July.
Events at Center on Halsted have already included a concert by TheL Word rockers, BETTY,
a youth prom, LGBT parent focus group and various workshops and lectures. More info, including volunteer opportunities are available via the
Center Web site, centeronhalsted.org. - MWB
TakeAmerica's
travel
favoriteLGBT
high-tech rainwater harvesting system that filters
roof-runoff into usable water for flushing toilets
and urinals. All building materials have high post
consumer and post-industrial recycled content,
are low emitting, and all wood is FSC certified.
Bright and expansive, the first floor lobby is
home to a donor recognition wall enhanced with
the building's original 1930s brickwork. Other
features of Center on Halsted include the David
J. Lochman Cyber Center, a public-use computer
lab, a daycare facility, Horizons Youth Program
and the SAGE program for LGBT elders.
The Hoover-Leppen Theater and Richard M.
Daley rooftop garden on the Center's third floor are
both available for public use as well as meeting rental. The sundeck provides an unbelievable view of the
Chicago skyline and rumor has it there are plans in
the works to add a pizza oven and grill.
September 2007
I 19
Curvatures
I
A Hipster Les ho Jamboree
This fest seriously deserves a spot on your calendar. ESG, the
Noisettes, Yo Majesty, Marnie Stern, Bahamania, Pit Er Pat,
Rita J, Cordero, Nicky Click and the gravity-defying antics of
"aerial burlesque" star, Brandy Dew, are all scheduled at the five
-day celebration of sass.
Aside from the music, Estrojam dedicates plenty of energy to movies, art and activism, including workshops, panels
and a mini film festival. It also provides a venue for "the most
important speakers, activists and world organizations for the
arts, education, health, social change, human rights and nonviolence:' Previous Estrojam workshops have included "Girls
Rock Camp;' "Lead Guitar Workshop;' "Women, Media and
Jammin' for
Justice
Don'tmissthe Great
WigOut,
Midwestern
Sept.22-23, at the
of Illinoisat
University
NewYork's
Springfield.
dragcomicHedda
and
Lettuceheadlines,
a bevyof otherqueer
andwomen'sbands,
speakersandcomics
(at presstime Bitch
andMargaretChowere
possibleattendees)
will helpthe school's
Alliance
Queer-Straight
Thisfirst
celebrate.
annualfestivalwill
support,amongother
things,ThePhoenix
a youthcenter
Center,
that supportsLGBTQ
a
teensin Springfield,
smallcity 175miles
To
southof Chicago.
getyourgrooveon,or
makea donation,goto
thegreatmidwestern-DAM
wigout.com.
Tired of that post- Michfest depression that always seems to hit
around the beginning of September? You know the one. There's
always that letdown after the sunburn fades and the realization
sets in that it will be an entire year before you can stomp around
in the mud with the sounds of literate, creative women as your
soundtrack. Fortunately Chicago's Estrojam Festival, now in its
fifth year, has stepped up to fill that void in our hearts and ears.
At least until October.
Held September 19-23, Estrojam promises another year of
estrogen-fueled artistry that will satisfy just about any artistic
taste. With a super-diverse musical lineup featuring trenchant
'90's alt-rocker Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses, Chi-town's
own "next big thing," rapper Psalm One and the "visceral and
forceful rock" of Suffrajett, whose white-hot frontwoman, Simi
(previously of SistaGrrl Riott) is reason enough to take notice.
Three organizations recognized the best lesbian literature of
2007. This year's dyke lit winners were chosen from hundreds
of entries and spanned a mytiad of categories. The full list is at
curvemag.com, but here are some highlights:
LambdaLiteraryAwards(TheLammys)
The Lammy, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation,
is perhaps the most coveted award among queer writers. This
year's winner in the Lesbian Fiction category was The Night
Watch, Sarah Waters' fever-charged imagining of Victorian-era
Sapphism. Children's/Young Adult winner, Between Mom & Jo,
by Julie Anne Peters, depicts the experience of a teenage boy
caught in the middle of his mothers' breakup, touching upon
little-discussed experiences of children in same-sex divorces.
TheGoldenCrownLiterarySocietyAwards(TheGoldies)
The Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) presented their
third annual book awards to honor the finest lesbian literature of
the past year this June. Winners include JLee Meyer, who tapped
into her psychology, speech pathology and international com-
Icurve
out Estrojam's Web site at estrojam.org for more information.
MySpace addicts can hit up myspace.com/ estrojam_festival
and add a new friend. - MWB
And the Award Goes to ...
(lambdaliterary.org)
20
the Internet" and"How to Write a Zine:'
If all that isn't convincing, then consider it your good deed
to jam out to great sounds as the proceeds from Estrojam are
donated to beneficiaries that "represent the spirit of Estrojam;'
such as Burma's Shan Women's Action Network, National
Organization for Women and Girls Rock! Chicago.
At $50 for a full pass and $10-20 for individual shows,
Estrojam is plenty affordable for those on a budget and hosts
events at a number of hip venues throughout the Windy City.
All are accessible from Chicago's not-always-dean but surprisingly dependable, public transportation system and many are located near major lodging and fine dining establishments. Check
munication consultant background
in writing her Lesbian Mystery/
Thriller/ Adventure-winning novel,
First Instinct. Karin Kallmaker won
in the Lesbian Erotica category with
18th & Castro, a tale rife with lustful parties, costumes and other decadences oflesbian sexuality endemic to the famed titular intersection in the heart of the Castro. (goldencrown.org)
TriangleAwards
Publishing
The 19th Annual Triangle Awards awarded prizes for the year's
best lesbian and gay fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Highlights
include Alison Bechdel's dark graphic novel Fun Home, which
captured the Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Nonfiction.
(Bechdel previously won several other mainstream awards as
well.) The Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry was presented to Jennifer Rose for Hometown for an Hour, which allows
narratives of love, heartbreak, and a sense of displacement to
burst from the confines of her chosen medium, the postcard.
(publishingtriangle.org)- SEB
Castro's Lesbian
Icon Dies
Trevor Hailey, a former San Francisco resident and Castro neighborhood icon died of a sudden stroke last June. She was 66. For
15 years Hailey brought strangers, both locals and tourists alike,
together in her tours of the San Francisco gayborhood known as
the Castro District. She told stories and gave interesting and fun
historical facts about the history of the Castro in her "Cruisin' the
Castro" tours for 16 years.
Hailey, once known as Dorothy Evelyn Fondren, was born
and raised in Jackson, Miss. She never felt as though she fit in
there, which pushed her to enlist in the Navy in her earlier years.
From the Navy she transferred in 1972 to the Naval Hospital in
Oakland, and worked as a nurse.
Soon after, while attending San Francisco State University,
she had the idea to give people insight into the history of San
Francisco's queer community. She began leading tours of the
Castro in 1989 that could last as long as three hours. By 2005, she
had given over 4,000 tours.
Hailey's tours were fun and exciting, having a mixture of historical facts and personal experiences. She pointed out historical
places such as the Castro Theatre and Harvey Milk's Camera
Shop.
"Gay people leave with their self-image improved and those
from the alternative lifestyle, or what I call my straight clients,
leave far better educated;' Hailey said to the Bay Area Reporter in
a 2005 interview. "Bless their hearts they have not been given the
respect of getting the right information about our community:'
"Trevor had that living spirit that people never forget;' her
partner, Norma Sue Griffin, said to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"She was the life of every party with that magic to take a group
of total strangers and in one hour bring them into a sense of
~
.J
<
6
a:
w
community:'
Much of the community is saddened by her death. She was
expected to return to San Francisco for the premiere of Only in the
Castro with Trevor Hailey, a short film done by Rick Bacigalupi.
Hailey's family members, including Griffin, say the film gives great
insight into the generous community icon who remained giving
ti: even in death by donating her organs.
<(
I
a:
w
(!)
~
(.)
~
The tour company Hailey started, Cruisin' the Castro, still
gives tours, educating the LGBT community and those alternative
(straight) travelers. - AR
Raquel Alessi
Salma Hayek
"I love action. Anything physical, I'm into. I want to
push the edge with whatever I do. I've done so
many different sports·. I've broken things. I've
gotten stitches. I don't care-I just go for it. My
character on the show is a computer techie, so
she doesn't get out of the office much. If I had
my choice, I'd be running around with a gun and
totally be that tomboy chick." >> Standoff star
Raquel Alessi, to Maxim
"It's not a big part, which is how I prefer it. I didn't want
to be the lead and not be able to handle it. Robert
[Rodriguez] asked me if I had a problem playing a
lesbian, and I was like, 'Hell, no!"' >> Fergie, on
her Grindhouse role, to Maxim
"Men have been running the world and-I'm sorrybut they have not taken us to a good place.
We are in crisis. And I'd like to know something:
What would happen if women were in power?"
>> Salma Hayek, to Marie Claire
"I have just done my work without concern for
gender barriers. I'm not afraid of the masculine
nor the feminine aspects of my being and feel
quite comfortable drawing from both sides."
>> Patti Smith, to VenusZine
September 2007
I21
Curvatures
Gloria Steinem's Two Cents
"It wouldn't change anything with a female president-suppose
we had Condoleezza Rice;' said Gloria Steinem in a rare appearance last March at all-women's Mills College in Oakland, Cali£
"We are not talking about biology, we are talking about conSpicy Delights sciousness and experience:' The rapt, mostly female audience at
A newformof Sapphic Mills Concert Hall applauded in agreement. Steinem did allow
sin is onthe horizon: that with a female president, we could at least see a baseline
thewickedlydelicious change in children's perception of women, in that their images
Caramel
Sin,a lineof of authority would include women and "it would
spooncandyin a jar release their restrictive ideas:' Steinem came
(gingerandchocolate short of endorsing either of the two most balareeachsublime). lyhooed Democratic presidential candidatesThesamegourmet Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama-but called
foodcompanymakes them both smart listeners.
PecanCaramel
Sinon
Steinem, a feminist icon known for her writa Stickbars,anda line
ing and public lectures in the realm of feminism
of all-naturalfruit relish
spreadsandgrilling and social justice (as well as the Playboy Bunny
sauceswith nofat or suit she once donned decades ago), was at Mills
sugar(trythe Cranberry to address political, social and women's issues.
FoolonFire).But,it's the That public conversation attracted over 1,200
newspicyTexas attendees, including The Color Purple author
BonVoyage
Brittles(spicy Alice Walker and civil, labor and women's rights
jalapeno
andpecannut leader, Aileen Hernandez. She was interviewed
brittle)thatwonmeover. by Holly Kernan, news director of KALW, and
Intenseanddelightful, Meredith May of the San FranciscoChronicle.
a bit likeyourlastgirlThe 73-year-old former editor and founder
friend.(caramelsin.com)
of Ms. magazine joked about her undercover work as a Playboy
-DAM
Bunny for a labor expose in 1963, saying that she is still introduced as a former Bunny and would not do it again. She added
that while it was not a great career move, it was a feminist step
forward. Steinem said that a story she would try to get out
today is of sexual and labor slavery,which is "more numerous in
form in relation to the current population and the world than it
was in the 1800s:' She says that these forms of slavery are much
larger, more damaging and more profitable than the drugs and
arms industries.
On the greater number of women who attend college today
as an indication ofliving in "the best of times;' Steinem responded that the numbers partially reflect women who are now in
college because they weren't able to attend before. The audience
responded with mumbles when Steinem added, "There are all
these studies that show, like the famous valedictorian study,
that women's self-esteem goes down with every additional year
of higher education-because we are essentially studying our
absence. It took me over 20 years to get over my college education. I don't think we can make easy assumptions:'
Steinem also took Mills to task for their own survey, in
which its students (all female) revealed their regard for feminism as an "elitist movement, that it only represented white
upper- and middle-class and largely heterosexual women:'
Steinem argued the opposite: "Tue women's movement is factually, actually, the most inclusive from every point of view-
221 curve
from race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, language-movement that
this country has ever seen;' she stated, remembering the 1977
National Women's Conference. "[It) was probably the only,
truly representative national political meeting the country has
ever seen. In 1977 :• Furthermore, Steinem argued that to label
feminism a white, elitist and exclusive movement "wipes out
the history of women of color who have been the pioneers of
the women's movement always:'
Dr. Candace Falk, director of the Emma Goldman Papers
Project, about the radical first-wave feminist, at UC Berkeley,
said, "What I think is very interesting about (Steinem) is her
ability to listen and to change, and to become one with her political analysis, and her sexual analysis, and her understanding
of the world, of hierarchies, of capitalism-of all the ways in
which things converge to put women in the lesser place-but
also have a larger view of a kind of world that would include
all of us:'
Falk, like a lot of women in attendance, wanted even more
from Steinem on her own personal experiences and transformations. But the activist stayed on point, talking about the invisibility of equal rights after "5,000 years of patriarchy, nationalism,
racism, monotheism and other bullshit:' Gaining a legal identity
as human beings for women of all races and color, Steinem said,
"took a hundred years. Now, we're striving for legal equality.
That may make take another 100 years:'
But getting there won't take Hillary Clinton. "It's going
to take us. That women's struggle to maintain control of our
physical selves and not be controlled as the means of reproduction is crucial to our survival; also the adversary of racial caste
systems that have to control reproduction in order to maintain
race differences and therefore racism and so on, and that separating sexuality from reproduction is why the gay and lesbian
movement is threatening. . . . It's not a laundry list of issues.
It's connected:' - JR
1 Girl in a Coma rocks Los Angeles' Pride 2 From left: Rene R, MC Jersey Lane, Patty
Calves at the Girls in Wonderland Lezbo-a-Luau. 3 CuRVE associate publisher Sara Jane
Keskula and dykesinthecity gals 4 Legendary activist Ivy Bottini mingles with dykes on
bikes before L.A:s Dyke March in June. Bottini started the first chapter of the National
Organization for Women in 1966 and founded the AIDS Network, the first AIDS organization in Los Angeles 5 Miami's Aqua Girl 6 Tampa's Out in the Wild at Lowry Park Zoo
brought out (from left) Jane Griggs, Sandy Cannington, Karen McQuilken,Joanne Moore,
Maggie Connolly. The event was a benefit for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian
Film Festival.
z
w
0
zw
I
()
Cl)
~
w
...J
§
en
w
w
z
a:
w
....
:s
[;:J
:J
a
a:
z
w
g
u.
cf
a:
w
c..
c..
w
c..
...J
w
I
(.)
~
§:
z
w
Q
zw
I
(.)
en
~
w
a:
:J
:5
:5
:J
~
en
w
~
w
z
~
7 Lori Michaels (center) and fans at Aqua Girl 8 The very sexy Melon Girl at the Dyke
March in L.A. 9 The keynote address at the Second Annual QLaw Banquet of the LGBT
Bar Association of Washington was given by Justice Virginia Linder, the first woman to win a
seat on the Oregon Supreme Court and the first openly lesbian member of any state's highest
court 10 Out at New York's Lambda Book Awards with (from left) authors Michelle Tea and
Tristan Taormino, and Taormino's partner Colten 11 Gloribel represents at Orlando, Fla's
Girls in Wonderland 12 Joan Jett rocks the house at L.A:s Pride 13 Girls in Wonderland
played host to the dykesinthecity cheerleaders 14 Sharon Stone got her own groove on at
the Joan Jett concert
Can't get enough? Check next issue for even more Pride pictures!
September 2007 I 25
Advice
Lipstick& Dipstick
She's ·Got the Navy Blues
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I am a 20-yearold female in the U.S. military. I reported to
my unit, where I first met this girl. We fell in
love and have kept our relationship a secret
for about a year now. She was stationed in
Washington state when her tour was up;
meanwhile, I am back here in the Northeast.
I have to constantly make up lies to go see
her. Her number is under a secret name in
my phone just in case someone picks it up.
Everyone in my unit suspects what went on.
I was told to stay away from her because
they didn't want "any trouble." The last three
months she was in my unit, I was forced to
pretend she didn't exist. They constantly
call me a dyke, lezzie, homo, and so on. I
am forced to hide who I am at work. Only
my close friends know about me because I
came out to them years ago. I love the military and love serving my country, just not
while lying and not as a stranger. If we were
a heterosexual couple, we could put in an
engaged permission slip to let the service
know we are getting married and we would
be able to get stationed closer together, but
we can't even let our units know we still talk
as friends. It's getting to the point where I
don't even know who I am anymore. I just
Dipstick: Whoa, Hillary's cigar-loving husband
was the bozo who signed that law into existence,
Lipstick. I'm not convinced any of the current candidates are friendly to the gays. They're all politicians following the safe middle road, after all. But
that's not the point here, is it soldier? The point is
that you made your bunk bed and now you must
lie in it. You knew when you signed up for the service that Uncle Sam didn't like your kind. For the
life of me, I can't understand why honorable gays
and lesbians would join the military and go fight
for a country that denies them basic human rights.
OK, maybe you were young. Maybe you weren't
even out when you joined. Hell, I'll even venture
to guess you were misled by a charming recruiting officer. Coming out in the military has huge
consequences that will affect you both in and out
of the service. Before you do anything drastic, get
in touch with the Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network, at sldn.org, and get some legal advice.
knows it all.
Lipstick: I think you have a point, Dip. As a
femme, I was lucky to have a sacred space, time to
sort things out before stepping out of the closet. I
value that prolific growth spurt more than my first
orgasm-well, almost-for that painful crusade
made me a more dynamic person. Anyway, Gay
Blade, (insert sound of door creaking open) your
family just opened your closet door, and they're all
standing outside, along with grandma, waiting for
you to bring home your first girl. Don't let them
down. They know you want it, and deep down,
you know you want it, too. It's time to quit fighting your truth and come out to play. We don't bite;
that is, unless you want us to. ■
need some help, some advice on what to do.
Dipstick: Dipstick n: a handsome butch who is
smooth with the ladies and gives great advice.
Ask us anything about sex, loveor lesbiansat lipstick
dipstick.com.
- Bummed in the Barracks
Lipstick: Soldier Girl, first of all, do your comrades really call you dyke and lezzie? These people
are the ones who should have your back, not stab
you in it or call you silly names. That's what should
be banned. I know you love the military, but you'll
have to decide what you love more: Pussy or platoons? Standing in the truth of who you are or
standing up for our country? Right now, you can't
do both; our government won't let you, so take
your pick. It's either keep your mouth shut or lose
the fatigues. But what to do with all that pent-up
sexual energy? Channel it in a positive way: Start
lifting weights and working on Hillary Clinton's
campaign. Maybe she'll live up to her campaign
promise and abolish the Don't Ask, Don't Tell
policy.
All this does get me wondering how the government can forbid dykes from serving in the military, but they can serve as commander in chief?
Talk among yourselves.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: What the fuck is
a dipstick? - Perplexed by the Wordplay
Lipstick: Dipstick n: 1. a butch lesbian who
believes she's hot shit. 2. a dyke who thinks she
grew up singing show tunes, idolizing Madonna
and rearranging their parents' furniture to be more
feng shui, when we finally muster up the courage
to come out, our families just say, "Well, duh!
Pass the salt:' Lipsticks are lucky, they get to take
their time and figure it out for themselves. Still, as
butch as you are, you may or may not identify as
lesbian or even bisexual. What is important is not
what clothes you wear and how you swing a hammer, but with whom you fall in love and in lust.
Questioning is good and healthy; in time you'll
know who you are.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I've been
strongly attracted to women for the last five
or so years, but I've never mentioned anything to my family about it. Recently, they've
been suggesting 1V shows for me to watch
because I "might like the gay characters."
When my brother got married, I wanted to
wear nice slacks instead of a skirt and my
mom said, "Is this some lesbian rebellion
thing?" My friends' parents have even asked
my parents if I'm a lesbian. How can my family seem to think I'm gay when I'm not 100
percent sure myself? - Gay to My Family
Dipstick: Because you're a Dipstick; see definition above. Unlike our Lipstick counterparts, our
families and friends have always known about us.
It was there in the way we hit a ball, the angular cut
of our jaw, the way the older ladies in th~ neighborhood called us "son:' Like our brothers who
0
::r:
(.)
...J
:E
a.
26
Icurve
Relationships Advice
Being Jane Malkovich
I
Who do you want me to be to make you sleep with me? By Kate Lacey
It's nearly impossible to see Angelina Jolie's face on
a two-story movie screen and not want to be with
her, or beher, for that matter. The desire to switch
places with our lesbian heroes is a common one.
Here's what your fantasy alter ego says about your
Casanova. You long to be powerful and attractive to everyone around you. Other women's
girlfriends are not safe around you, and even the
men should lock up their lovers when you strut
into a room. Of course, you're very good with
real-life boring old self.
your hands, Ms. Guitarist.
SWOOPES
SHERYL
You want to be the hero, making the graceful three
pointer at the buzzer of the WNBA finals game.
You believe in working hard to hone your talent
and skills both on and off the court, making you
fond of athletic supporters. What lesbian isn't?
-Kate
Lacey
JOLIE
ANGELINA
Well, who wouldn't want to be a baby-collecting,
Brad Pitt-molesting, blood-sipping lesbian tease?
If you long to be Jolie, it is indicative that you walk
the lines between all things, be it sexual identity or
a little line called cray-zay. You long for glamour,
sensuality and an edginess that will either make
you famous or get you locked up in the loony bin.
JODIEFOSTER
You are very comfortable among the suits lining
your closet. You want to be recognized for your
brains and talents. You are private and discreet, to
the dismay of your partner and friends.
O'DONNELL
ROSIE
You are aggressively protective, and your wit is
sharper than Shane's shears. No hesitation to confront, be it young dumb blondes or billionaires
with bad comb overs. Beware the draw to trailer
parks and mullets.
DEGENERES
ELLEN
You're a unique person who dances to her own
beat. OK, you dance to any beat at any time,
regardless of whether anyone else can hear it. You
are able to balance your yin and your yang with
style, much like balancing your Armani suit with
your tennis shoes.
ANNEHECHE
You're straight and insane. Good luck.Just try not
to take others down with you.
ONTHEL WORD
ANYONE
You're trapped in a fantasy world. The lesbian
clique sounds appealing to you so that you'll never
have to whine alone. You long for romance and
drama and somehow forget the real life just outside your door, sans straight women playing gay.
ETHERIDGE
MELISSA
You love to be the center of attention and a
September 2007
I 27
Advice
Astro Grrl
September to Remember
You are Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Your gaydar is off, Virgin. Is she, or isn't she? Tinker with the
the task dials until you get a much clearer signal. Career:You are the task
mistress of the corner office this September and can whip any
mistressof underling into shape. Are you angling for a raise or a recliner
the corner Libra (Sept. 24-0ct. 23)
officethis Sex: Gal pals can tum into lovergrrls if you just say the word.
However, the word might be "no:'Why ruin a perfectly good friendSeptember, ship? career:
Surprises erupt all through the month. It's a good thing
you're thinking of taking a vacation.Why not right away?
Virgin,and
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
you can Scorpio
Sex:Career and lust just will not mix this month. Keep everywhip any thing and everyone in their place to avoid any messy scenes in
the copy room. Career:
Work hard, avoid temptation and bank
underling your gains. There's plenty of time to recklessly dive into temptation in October.
intoshape.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Are you Sex:
Archers exude charisma this September. You can push your
personal
agenda and impress the impresarios. Feeling squished?
anglingfor
Career:Will you complain at work? If so, be sure that you have
a raiseor a all the facts. If not, just think mean thoughts.
recline? Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:You have a secret admirer. Let's hope she's not only gorgeous Sex: Misunderstandings on the home front can really cramp
but also well-endowed. You yearn for a sugar momma. Career: your style. Bulls get itchy hooves and consider grazing farther
Caps are more worker drones than queen bees. What a nice afield for their lusty meals. Is the grass really greener? Career:
change of pace! Accomplish something this September.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Partnerships might hav~ some stresses and strains through
the month. Aqueerians on the prowl may find a few extra pearls
in their oysters. But are they cultured enough? Career:You are
not concentrating on the job at hand this September. Good, you
need a break. Enlist others to work for you.
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:She loves you, she loves you not; she loves you, she loves you
ing. Your actions speak louder and prouder than your words.
career:
Expect the unexpected. A few officekabooms will not only
send you in a new direction, they'll require a change of clothing.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Will you overspend on a glittering trinket or on a piece of trash?
not ... Oh this is just too tiring! Take a break, catch your breath.
Either way,you get what you pay for. Enjoy every lurid moment.
career:
Major changes are in the works. Thankfully,most are pretty
served reward. If you've been goofing off, you may still get a lucky
break. Some gals have all the luck!
good. Of course, good or bad, you usually take them pretty.
get. Why make a fuss? Stick to the boring tried-and-true and maintain your natural stickiness. career:
Even though your mind drifts
through the month, there's still work to be done. So why not just
delegate it all?
Icurve
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:Make a powerful first impression thismonth by saying noth-
Career:If you've been working hard, September can bring a de-
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:A fine romance can sour the pushier and more demanding you
2s
Dreaming away your time on the job? Maybe it's time to dream
of an early retirement.
Leo (July 24-Aug. 23)
Sex:The ladies lust after you when you flash your smile. See them
smiling back? Or is that a laugh? Check for spinach in your teeth.
career:
Friends provide a welcomedistraction from work and tempt
you to slough off. But willthey pay your bills?Keep dreaming! ■
::r:
I-
For more advicefrom the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,online at thestarryeye.com.
~
Cl)
fr
0
()
Camp has a whole new look.
The new, more rugged Subaru Outback with road-grippingAll-WheelDrive.It gets you out there with improved
style and increased comfort, while its availablenavigationsystem 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
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Once again, sex triumphs over common sense.
W
hen you are in love, you can put up with anything. For a while. Like
when your new girlfriend's ex,husband lives in the basement of her
house. It's just for a little while, until he finishes school and can afford his
own place. Her kids need to have both of their parents around and everybody
seems pretty civil about the arrangement. He and the kids know that she is a
lesbian, and it is not a problem.
A few months from now, when "cellar dad" chases you down the street
wielding a crowbar, the kids blame their drug use on mom's sick lifestyle, and
mom tells you that the only way she can stave off a nervous breakdown is to
break it off with you, try not to be too surprised. And certainly don't expect
us, your friends, to be the least bit surprised.
Or the new love of your life is a little messy. Everybody knows you are too
anal; in fact, you're borderline OCD and having her move in with you might
be the cure. Folding your towels a certain way, vacuuming the furniture every
day, who needs itr You're right, this could ~ork out great.
You surely will have a lot more time to devote to the important things in
life, like finding your shoes under piles of laundry and chasing vermin away
from the crusty cat dish. A year from now, when you are screaming at her
that you are not a maid, remember just how wonderful it was to live in filth
and chaos.
But maybe you're an artist who lives a bohemian lifestyle that, by the
way, your lover admired about you when you two first met. You wouldn't
respect yourself if you sold out to corporate greed and American workaholic
sensibilities. That's her job. (Somebody has to buy the wine and printer ink
cartridges.) She used to understand how elusive and fragile the muse was,
but suddenly she's another white,collar robot who wants you to squander
your gift on an ordinary life.
Our differences draw us to one another, but our similarities are what
keep us together.
We lesbians are supposed to know that we cannot change anybody.
What we do instead is pretend from the start of the relationship that she
is already the person who we are going to change her into. If the relation,
ship fails, we point out that she wasn't the person that she
pretended to be.
There just aren't that many surprises in relationships.
Drunks drink, skunks stink. And tomorrow, women act
like they acted yesterday.
And yet, I am forced to endure tales of lesbian angst
that entail a girl actingjust like anyone would expect her to
act except by the one woman who should have expected the
objectionable behavior the most.
"Can you believe she slept with our spinning instruct,
ort asked a friend who is married to a known tramp. "No,
I can't, I was sure she would sleep with the yoga instructor
first;' is what I wanted to say. But I pretended to be sur,
prised right along with her, even though we each knew we
were both pretending.
I once dated an exceedingly self,centered, beautiful
woman. She was so impressed with herself, she had little
time or tolerance for any other subject. She was known
far and wide as someone you didn't want to converse
with. And yet, I was so flattered when she asked me to go
home with her that I didn't think twice about what we
would talk about after sex. Did I mention that she was
visually stunningr
I should have had my fun evening and spent the next
day on the phone bragging about it, but instead I asked her
out for another date. We dated for a couple months, during
which she was not exactly an ideal suitor. She was callous
and rude, and she stood me up a few times, never bother,
ing to explain or apologize. I tried to act angry-I wasn't
acting-but she didn't seem to notice. I promised myself
that I was only going to see her until I got so tired of her
bullshit that I didn't care how good she looked naked.
But I will never know upon which day of my life that
would have occurred. She stopped calling me first. There
30
I
curve
a:
w
Iii
w
a:
t;;
w
z
a:
w
I
~
was no letter, no fight, no e-mail; she just dropped out of my life.
I did not take it well. I pretended to be brokenhearted, but it was really my
shattered ego that pained me. It never occurred to me that she would tire of
me before I tired of her. Go figure, you date somebody for her looks and she
dumps you before you can give her a personality makeover.
You know what was worse? Dating a woman with the worst luck in town.
Poor thing, she was always getting her purse stolen or finding broken ATMs,
so she just never had money when we went out. I mean really, how many
times could I fall for that one? Quite a few, it turned out, and it probably
would have been more had she been as good-looking as the meanie who stood
me up all the time.
This woman had a great job and money to burn, but she lacked a sense of
irony. She couldn't understand what was so funny when she lectured me on
the value of a dollar during expensive meals she never paid for.
Why was I upset when she asked me to go on vacation with her to Palm
Springs and then asked me for my "half" as we were boarding the plane? I
should have told the nearest flight attendant that my companion had just
discovered she was riddled with body lice, and she needed to deplane immediately, but I was too busy being shocked and feeling sorry for myself. So I sat
and stewed with Senorita Cheapskate in the desert for a week, but at least my
broke, sunburned ass finally learned my lesson about stingy dykes.
When it comes to ignoring signs, nothing can blind you to the obvious
like a straight girl who keeps coming on to you. You are just sure that her hot
little het ass will make you the perfect wife. And she would, if it weren't for
Close to Atlanta,
her kitty allergy. When being a dyke is all backrubs and bubble baths, she's
cool, but once you head for the bedroom and the next level she won't be able
to find the exit fast enough.
But you won't take my word for it, will you?
Nope, a few weeks from now, you are still going to cry to us about how she
led you on and made you promises she will never keep. Woe will be you when
your straight girl turns out to be a straight girl.
Your woman is drunk again? You don't say. Didn't you meet at a grocery
store in the middle of the night? What was in her cart? Oh, that's right: gin,
lemons, olives and couple of bottles of wine. When you asked her where the
party was and she gave you a quizzical look, did that tell you anything? Or
how about on the first date, when she told you she took cabs because she
couldn't afford another impound fee? Yet here we sit, as you babble on and
on about the hardships of living with a lush and how you would have done
things differently had you only known. Well, it's not your fault, she really kept
her addiction under wraps.
You are going out with that crazy dyke at work who has had seven longterm relationships? I cannot believe you are about to become the eighth wife.
Of course she told you that you are different from the others; you are! The
others are all exes and you aren't ... yet. What do you think your chances are
for spending the rest of your life with her? Not good, unless you start smoking and playing in traffic wearing a blindfold.
The only real surprises in relationships are the ones we spring on ourselves. If only we allowed women to be as predictable as they really are. ■
irmingham
ga
• An upscalegatedcommunityon top of the boomingresort area of LookoutMountain
• Spectacularlotswith pricesstartingin the high30's
• Lakeview and NationalParklots availableandgoingfast
• BeautifulI +/- acre mountainlots
• No time requirementto build
• Enjoya strollalonga walkingpathsurroundingour secluded14 acre lake
• Mentionthis ad and receivea 5% discounton selectlots
• A perfecttime to act on thisgreatoffer... A MUST SEE!
Call for appt: 256.634.1 134 www.hidden-lake.com
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
That's Show Business for You
In the entertainment industry, visibility is only the start.
B
ack at the end of May, there was a big
media flurry over Rosie O'Donnell's
"cat fight" with a co,host on The View,
Elisabeth Hasselbeck. O'Donnell insinu,
ated that the American troops in Iraq are the
real terrorists, and Hasselbeck, a Republican,
reacted accordingly.
are too stupid to have their own opinions?
I didn't want to defend Hasselbeck; I don't agree with her. But I got
tired of hearing other women say she was just spouting a party line, as if she
couldn't think for herself because she's pretty and Republican. It's just as
offensive as calling O'Donnell a bitch because
she screams her opinions in everybody's face
and rarely seems to think before she speaks.
I'd like to see all of us stop making celebri,
ties our role models. Just because people found
their way into the TV, music or film industry
It didn't take long for the actual substance of
their argument to get lost in the drama, which
should have concluded when O'Donnell re,
fused to return to the show after the dust,up.
I had a few arguments with friends after
the TV brawl because I said that I believed O'Donnell behaved like
a spoiled brat. But since we have only two designated TV lesbians in
America-Ellen DeGeneres on the West Coast and Rosie O'Donnell on
the East Coast-saying anything critical of either is anathema.
The TV fisticuffs made me think about our deification of celebri,
ties, particularly in the lesbian community, and also of how what women
say is always reduced to emotion rather than substance. I applaud a lot of
what O'Donnell has done. Her work against guns, how she helped victims of
Hurricane Katrina, and her care of foster children are all laudable efforts.
Not so laudable, however, are her conspiracy theories about 9/11 or her
no,holds,barred attitude toward sex offenders, when the same laws applied to
does not mean they are anything more than
entertainers. It also doesn't make them elder
statesmen, politicians or intellectuals. Sure,
some entertainers may be intellectuals, and a
few have become politicians. Ronald Reagan
became an elder statesman, but the reality is en,
tertainment is just that. In the United States, we
deify celebrity and entertainers. We imbue them with a level of gravitas that
is utterly inappropriate given who most of these people are. Even in 2007,
lesbians are still so hungry for images of ourselves that we become obsessively
enamored with people who may be fine as entertainers but are not so good as
spokespersons for this or that movement.
For years, I complained that we always put the same five lesbians on the
covers of our queer magazines. But the reality is that those five lesbians are
the only ones who are out and celebrities. We ache to see famous people who
alleged offenders are often used against queers.
The TV tiff on The View has likely faded into news oblivion by now, but
the underlying issues about free speech and celebrity remain. O'Donnell com,
plained that the on,air spat, which she started, was used for entertainment
purposes, with the producers displaying the argument in split screen. Well,
TV shows that aren't news programs are entertainment. O'Donnell tried to
are queer. It's that simple.
Sen. Barack Obama isn't a particularly savvy politician, in part because
he's only been in the game for five minutes. But he's beautiful and charis,
matic and a good orator, even if he appears often unsure of what he's talk,
inject her political perspective into the show, but it's still entertainment.
O'Donnell's fight with Hasselbeck was a continuation of her political dis,
agreements with her right,wing co,host over the war. What made this par,
ing about. His rise to instant fame is directly related to the hunger African
Americans have to see themselves writ large, just as the queer embrace of our
icons-O'Donnell,
DeGeneres and Melissa Etheridge-happens
because we
ticular fight noteworthy is that O'Donnell's feelings were hurt: She wanted
Hasselbeck to stand up for her against the right,wing pundits and called
Hasselbeck a coward for not doing so. Hasselbeck countered that O'Donnell
should have the courage of her convictions. O'Donnell said that every time
desperately want to see ourselves reflected in positions of power. Even if it's
only the power of celebrity.
I want to see lesbians prominent throughout the entertainment world.
Real lesbians, not ones that have to be pulled kicking and screaming out
of the closet or who simply don't mention their lesbianism, such as Sarah
Paulson, whose partner, Tony award,winner Cherry Jones, referred to her
the two had a fight, the media presented Hasselbeck as O'Donnell's victim.
It seemed that for O'Donnell the fight was really about homophobia: The
lesbian is always the villain. After she left the show, O'Donnell said she never
fit in; her refusal to return and her earnest desire to have Hasselbeck stand up
for her was all about acceptance.
O'Donnell was one of the few out lesbians on mainstream TV; as such,
she was bound to be a focal point for discussion and, at times, outrage. Her
outspokenness was viewed through the two interconnected prisms of gender
and sexual orientation.
Afterward, I heard a lot oflesbians dissing Hasselbeck, saying she was just
a mouthpiece for the conservative party line. That's when I got angry. Those
comments are as sexist as the homophobic responses O'Donnell said she felt.
Why are women, queer or straight, still unable to express their views without
men and the patriarchal media reconfiguring those views as though women
32
I
curve
pseudonymously at the 2006 Tony Awards.
I want to see more than two real lesbians on TV at any given time. I want
to see lesbians who don't have to be nonthreatening to straight people, as
O'Donnell and DeGeneres always have been because they are comedians and
so blatantly nonsexual.
When lesbians appear on every TV show, the O'Donnell,Hasselbeck
fights will not be reduced to representations of gender or sexual orientation;
rather, the deconstruction can be solely about the topic of the argument.
We've come a long way since I was a teenager looking up the word "lesbian"
in the card catalog at the library, but not nearly as far as is necessary for the
lesbian teenagers of 2007 looking for themselves writ large on the big and
small screens of life. ■
sz-
()
w
~
w
en
~
~
()
ID
~
w
a:
w
a..
c§
z
:5
~
~
w
z
z
8
Q,
~
1-
z
~
c:s
a:
~
IN THE NEWS
toCommunity
Closer
Leaders
Bringing
launched
VictoryFundrecently
TheGayandLesbian
community
a groupofWebsitesto bringtheLGBT
andcommugovernment
in politics,
closerto leaders
youcantrack
VictoryFund.org
Through
nityaffairs:
isthe
GLLl.org
leaders;
to openlyLGBT
anddonate
Institute,
Leadership
homeoftheGayandLesbian
onprofessional
resources
canaccess
whereleaders
isthenewblogof
andGayPolitics.com
development;
ThesiteswillenVictoryFund.
theGayandLesbian
to learnaboutoutleaders
community
abletheLGBT
intheircampaigns.
andparticipate
ToldtoPayUporMoveOut
NewYorkCouple
49,andLauraWatts,42,weregiven
AdolaDeWolf,
30daysto comeupwithalmost$80,000or lose
company,
mortgage
theirhomeafterDeWolf's
their
thecouplehadbreached
claimed
Countrywide,
to
withthelenderwhentheyattempted
agreement
addWattstothedeed.
Thelenderstatedthat
it didnotrecognize
as
partners
domestic
to
family,according
which
Legal,
Lambda
fileda lawsuitagainst
inthe
Countrywide
of
District
Southern
NewYorkfederalcourt
Atpresstime,they
in Mayonbehalfofthecouple.
fromCountrywide.
a response
hadnotreceived
forSameEqualRights
Toward
MoreProgress
SexCouples
rightsinthe
It'sbeena busyyearforsame-sex
became
recently
NewHampshire
States.
United
whenthe
civilunions,
thefourthstateto recognize
civilunionsthat
signeda billlegalizing
governor
thesame
couples
same-sex
willgrantcommitted
asmarried
andobligations
rights,responsibilities
alsosignedintolaw
governor
Washington's
couples.
samebillthatprovides
a domestic-partnership
withsomeofthesamerightsmarried
sexcouples
thestatecloserto fullmarhave,pushing
couples
alsohas
Oregon
Notto beoutdone,
riageequality.
andnondiscrimination
domestic-partnership
passed
onthebasisof
discrimination
acts;thelatteroutlaws
orgenderidentityin employment,
orientation
sexu_al
andpublicaccommodations.
housing
the
office,analyzed
theNewYorkCitycomptroller's
andfiscalimpactforthegoverneconomic
potential
ment.Itfoundthatwithinthreeyearsof legalizing
wouldbe
thefiscalbenefits
marriage,
same-sex
morethan$117millionforNewYorkStateandabout
$7 millionforNewYorkCityfromthecostofweddings,suchasguestsstayingat hotels.
impacts
otherpotential
Thestudydidnotinclude
of
salesora greaternumber
suchashousing
asa resultof
forcompanies
candidates
qualified
morelikelyto moveto NewYork
couples
same-sex
benefits.
of marriage
to takeadvantage
to Gayand
Benefits
CourtDenies
Michigan
Employees
Lesbian
itsbenextended
recently
StateUniversity
Michigan
of "othereligibleindividuals."
efitstothecategory
Court
camein MayaftertheMichigan
Thechange
thatthestate's2004
ruledin February
ofAppeals
same-sex
thatbanned
amendment
constitutional
fromrecpublicemployers
also"prohibits
marriage
including
foranypurpose"
unions
same-sex
ognizing
Marriage
NewStudySaysSame-Sex
of public
partners
fordomestic
benefits
providing
forEconomy
Good
Unionis curCivilLiberties
TheAmerican
a recent
employees.
marriage,
Onthetopicofsame-sex
Courtthat
Supreme
totheMichigan
rentlyappealing
impactstudyin NewYorkCityfoundthat
economic
to thelowercourt,which
beremanded
thedecision
wouldbringin$142
marriage
same-sex
allowing
marriage
banonsame-sex
theconstiutional
guests
decided
fromwedding
millionworthof revenue
fromproviding
publicemployers
license
didnotprevent
frommarriage
thecityandrevenue
visiting
partners.
domestic
to employee
Benefits healthcarebenefits
TheEconomic
fees.Thestudy"LoveCounts:
- KauePeoples
by
forNewYork,"conducted
Equality
of Marriage
....I
~
w
....I
c§
Ill
~
:5
September 2007
I33
34
Icurve
September 2007
I35
With trepidation, we embarked on a sharkand-ray feeding while vacationing in Bora Bora,
and believe me, it's not for the faint of heart. I'm
a sucker for adventure but thought I might be in
a bit over my head with this activity. My partner
and I had done enough regular snorkeling in the
Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico, so it was time to
kick it up a notch or two. Anyone can go snorkeling, but feeding sharks and rays? You've gotta have
a bit of macho in you to do that.
We woke up to a clear and balmy day. Visibility
was optimum for snorkeling, which would make it
easier for feeding the rays and sharks. Never mind
that I knew next to nothing about either species
except that they were capable of fatal wounds.
One sting in the wrong area, and you're headed for
the pearly gates.
We embarked upon the boat, a few tourists
wearing their bravado like a shiny badge. I was
nervous, despite the guides assurance that injuries rarely occur when you follow instructions. My
pulse began to quicken. Gee Toto, I guess we're
not in Kansas anymore.
We did a bit of snorkeling beforehand, to get
us acclimated to the water and to become more
comfortable being in the ocean with a variety of
fish. Still, sharks and rays were on the agenda, and
that's a far cry from a clownfish.
As the boat neared the feeding area, our guide
used a whistle, and soon I could see a swarm of
rays headed our way, flapping and circling the
boat. And I'm supposed to join them?
We donned the rest of our gear and got ready.
Gradually, we were all ushered into the water to
face the rays. Thankfully, the water was only about
36
Icurve
four feet deep, enabling you to stand and face your
maker or hold onto the boat if you were so inclined.
The guide gave us fish, telling us to keep it flat in our
hands so that the razor teeth of the rays wouldn't
chomp at your fingers. Stupid me didn't listen, and
quickly, I got a small slice from a hungry one, which
ended up being my birthday reminder for the rest
of the trip. Thankfully, the cut wasn't too deep.
Gotta listen to the guide, I reminded myself
The rays increased their pace, snatching the
fish from every outstretched palm, their barbed
tails thrashing like angry swords through the
water. Part of me wished I was playing volleyball
on land, but it was too late to turn back. We were
all a part of the frenzy now, and I was determined
to extract its full essence. The guide then lifted one
of the rays out of the water so we could observe
the barb and those razor teeth in greater detail.
Rays feel very smooth and sofr, like supple
leather. These guys were very gentle, as they are
accustomed to these feedings and are comfortable in the presence of humans. But beneath that
smooth exterior is a muscle machine that is a
true work of nature. Watching them swim is like
observing a large bird in flight, a true commander
of its underwater terrain.
And then, we were ushered off to the sharks.
We meandered to the other side of the boat, and
soon, the black fins of the sharks were weaving
toward us like storm-caught sailboats. Our guide
recommended staying behind the yellow safety
cord, since beyond that is where the sharks would
be feeding. "Yeah, no problem;' I said under my
breath. "Who wants to be chum today?" I whispered to my partner.
I could see the sharks doing their dance, swarming back and forth, waiting for feeding time when
they too could pounce on their prey. Thankfully,
they weren't great whites, but black-tipped reef
sharks, which were accustomed to this ritual. Still,
a shark is a shark is a shark. I've seen jaws several
times and believe me, you don't want to mess with
anything carnivorous with a long snout and teeth.
We stayed religiously behind the yellow cord
while the guide tossed pieces of bloody fish into
the water. I pulled out my underwater camera and
took aim. The sharks, spotting the game, escalated
their pace, gobbling down the fish before making
their turn and diving toward the chum again. All
of this was taking place a few feet from where we
were. My heart pounded as I ducked underwater
again and snapped away.
Clusters of other fish soon joined the sharks,
creating a colorful mix of marine life. We were given peas, bread and other types of fish-friendly food
for these hungry arrivals. Compared to the sharks,
this was child's play, a welcome respite from the
adrenaline-packed frenzy created by the sharks.
Within about 40 minutes the feeding frenzy
was over. The circling sharks and rays had done
their duty, returning to their daily regimen of
undersea activities until the next naive batch of
tourists arrived.
Safely aboard the boat, I was glad I had
embarked upon this adventure. • Memories are
made by getting outside your comfort zone, and
this adventure would be a reference point for many
years. But if shark-and-ray feedings are not your
style, there are many other types of marine life you
can enjoy, either through snorkeling, a boat trip, or
by simply swimming near your hotel.
In French Polynesia, there are more than 500
species of fish. While we were there, we encountered a plethora of saltwater varieties, including
angelfish and yellow tangs. In the deeper waters of
the open ocean, you can discover sea turtles, barracudas, tuna, jackfish, red snappers, napoleon fish,
surgeonfish, large moray eels, dolphins and many
types of rays. Besides the black-tipped sharks
from our feeding, other types of sharks include
grey and lemon sharls. If you're lucky, you can spot
the migrating humpback whales fromAugust to
October each year.
But if simplicity is your style, simply wade in
the waters near your hotel. And, you don't have to
go to great depths to enjoy the vast array of sea life
available in Bora Bora, just go near the pier pillars
and see the teams of fish swimming in their rainbow of colors. ■
_,,..,,..
SotaBorais about12 .houra
awayfromLo.- ~~and
Angeles,
factoring
in thep)aac,
bu
........
uips, \V& went duringthe
#, artab«auaeofdus iJLuuf•
~.... 20 at
sure youget
•
61m
le to aYOid
your phot0abeing
or
. Moreaophi,ticated
willwant to tm.t IJllder
..
f'ortheircamtrai, whidrwill
fOlll'~.,.dry.Don't
be
s. ~ of your&voriie
~ so iu bat to take
38
Icurve
Gay Days & Nights
LasVegas
Transportation ♦ Sightseeing
Outdoor Adventures ♦ Women's Groups
LasVegas and more! 24/7 365
You too will say
"(lzturk(3a&,,!
Booktoday at 888-446-7941 (toll free)
Contact us at babs@thanksbabs.com
Or visitour website:www.thanksbabs.com
ister,
ister
Sistersare oftenthe firstto know,if not officiallythen intuitively,
that
a siblingis lesbian.Thiswas the case for me as a teenager,and
I'm guessingit'sthe samefor manyothers.I talkedwiththree pairs
of sisters-all publicfigures,some morefamous(or infamous)than
others-and, sexualityaside,all had in commona mutualrespect
and that senseof intuitionyou seem to findonlyin a sister.
By Stephanie Schroeder
Cheryl Clarke hit fame in the lesbian community in 1979 when she published her radical essay "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance;' anthologized
in the groundbreaking work Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology. Her
straight sister, Breena Clarke, likewise found fame, with her 1999 novel River,
Cross My Heart, Oprah Winfrey's Book Club pick for October that year. Both
women are authors of stature who have been writing most of their lives.
Cheryl, 59, is a graduate faculty member at Rutgers University in the
department of women and gender studies and director of the office of diverse
community affairs and LGBT concerns. She has been at Rutgers since 1969,
when she entered in the master's degree program, then obtained her master's
in social work and ultimately earned her Ph.D in English. Cheryl continues
to publish work with small, independent, feminist and queer presses. Her
new book of poetry, Corridors of Nostalgia, was released in July.
Breena, 54, started as an actor, playwright and stage manager, and
administered the editorial diversity program at Time Inc. until recently,
when she retired to write full time. Breena is now revising her next work,
a Civil War-era novel set in Georgetown that will be published by Little,
Brown and Company.
40
I curve
"I was so conservative when I was [an undergraduate] at Howard
(University] that I didn't even participate in the black power or women's lib
stuff that was going on around me;' says Cheryl, who was working as a typist at the Washington Post to support herself and did not have the luxury of
protesting and demonstrating.
When Carolyn Kramer, 47, came out to her family-or rather, when her
family outed her-it was an enormous relief to all of them. Carolyn says that.
she carried around the secret burden of her sexuality since she was 12 years
old, if not younger. Carolyn says that she was always sad and depressed, with
serious suicidal thoughts. When her mother outed her at a restaurant dinner,
the load of that secret was lifted from both their shoulders. Carolyn's sister, Sue Kramer, is the screenwriter and director of this past winter's sleeper
hit Gray Matters, based on the story of Carolyn's coming-out and the sisters'
relationship. While the film has its lesbian protagonist competing with her
brother for the love of the same woman, it was actually Carolyn's good female
friend, Gray Baldwin, whom Carolyn says she once had a crush on.
Carolyn attended Boston University to study communications and "serendipitously" fell into working as a model booker. An old boyfriend introduced
her to someone at Wilhelmina Models, and she worked steadily as a booker
throughout the '80s and '90s, helping launch the careers of supermodels Cindy
en
w
w
a5
~
~u..
0
>[B
Ii:
::J
0
()
en
5
I
a.
...J
...J
<{
Crawford, Stephanie Seymour and Helena Christensen. Carolyn says there
was always an undercurrent that it wasn't cool to be a lesbian in the business.
"It was all men or Eileen Ford;' she remembers. "That's all there was:• Carolyn
started at Elite Model Management, "the Harvard or Yale of modeling agencies;' and moved around during the '80s to various boutique agencies such as
says that Alexandra's outspoken activism-she's been arrested more than a
few times protesting the war in Iraq, practices and campaigns for green living,
and is a vegetarian who doesn't wear leather, wool or silk and doesn't use any
products tested on animals-and joie de vivre have thoroughly informed her
life. Alexandra says she would be only half the woman she is, were it not for
Caroline being a lesbian.
What all these sisters have in common are of course corning-out stories, but
from a double-sided perspective. These women, sisters and their sisters in the
life, are the brave heroines who have sown the seeds of sisterly artistry and activism for today's generation of dykes and their families. Young lesbians can look at
Cheryl Clarke's last anthology of collected prose and poetry entitled The Days of
Good Looks for a reprint of the aforementioned essay on lesbian resistance and
her famous prose poem "Of Althea and Flaxie:' Gray Matters will soon be out
on DVD, and both Paul sisters have inspirational works in progress.
"Lesbians today think they invented feminist and queer theory;' says
Cheryl Clarke. "I think they need to revisit lesbian history:'
Carolyn Kramer is just grateful that she has the opportunity to participate in a project that is larger than her own life: "We screened Gray Matters
at the (Harvey Milk] High School, at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in
Manhattan, at a fundraiser that was sponsored by Premiere magazine, and
Name, Company Model Management and the Parisian agency City Models,
eventually landing as a manager of the New York office of Marilyn Agency. She
worked briefly as the casting director for Self magazine and retired from the
fashion business after 9 / 11.
Today she splits her time between New York City and Massachusetts. She
lives not far from Provincetown where, she says, the gay men and lesbians she
saw scared and embarrassed her when she first noticed them at age 14. "With
the men and their chaps and leather straps across their bare chests and the
short-haired masculine women holding hands, I thought all gay people looked
like that. And I didn't look like that. Around that time, I had looked up the
word 'homosexual' in the dictionary, where the definition was 'sexually deviant:
I didn't want to be a 'deviant; so I hid:'
"If Gray Matters can help [keep] even one 12-year-old gay person ... from
committing suicide, that's my biggest wish for the movie;' Carolyn says.
Sue Kramer says she knew about her sister's sexuality from a very early
age. "I was about 10, and Carolyn seemed so sad. I asked her if she was gay,
but she vehemently denied it:' When Carolyn did come out to Sue, it was
about a year after the dinner outing with their mother. "I was just upset that
I wasn't the first to officially know;• Sue recalls, "because we are so close, and I
already really knew anyway:'
Caroline Paul, 43, often is mistaken for her twin sister, Alexandra, who's
two minutes older and has been an actor since she was 7, was a Baywatch
babe for several years and starred most recently on here! Networks' Trapped.
In that television thriller, Alexandra plays a lesbian electronics expert whose
girlfriend is played by actor (and real-life lesbian hottie) Michelle Wolff.
"I make a rockin' lesbian;' says Alexandra, who called for advice from her
sister, a former San Francisco firefighter who chronicled her experiences in
the highly acclaimed book Fighting Fire.
"You know I can't even write a sex scene;' Caroline says with a laughs when
Alexandra brings up the subject, to which Alexandra responds that she consulted other texts on lesbian sex that "read like automobile repair manuals:'
Both Paul sisters say they inspire and are inspired by each other. Caroline
it was just amazing:'
Alexandra Paul says that she will never again vote for any candidate
who does not make equal marriage rights part of his or her platform. "(Sen.
Barack] Obama should know better;' she says.'i\.s a person of color, he knows
what it's like to be treated as a second-class citizen, but he's not stepping up
to the plate. I get to be married, and Caroline is just like me and she can't. We
look the same, we act the same, come from the same family and are productive
members of society, and there is no reason that she shouldn't be able to marry
her girlfriend like I was able to marry my husband:'
Caroline though is a bit more skeptical. "Well, I'm not sold on the idea
of marriage, but of course we should have the choice;' says the single writer,
whose recent book, East Wind, Rain, garnered her more literary accolades.
Sue Kramer was invited by the Creative Coalition to screen Gray Matters
at the Welcome Back to Congress event in Washington, D.C., in February.
The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan, political and
social-advocacy organization of the entertainment industry.
"It was a big two-day fundraising event serving as a tribute to the 110th
Congress;' says Sue, ecstatic that her movie has been so well-received. ("We
even got a tour of the White House;• adds Carolyn.) Six years in the making,
Sue says Gray Matters is not a gay or lesbian film. "I don't like labels of any
sort. It's a movie about family and life and mostly about being yourself, being
comfortable with who we are and accepting people with no excuses and no
judgment:'
It's fitting that the Kramer sisters' mother, Esther Kramer, is an active
member of PFLAG in Fair Lawn, N.J. Says Carolyn, "My mother embraced
me completely, she has marched in gay Pride parades and is active in the
community:' Sue concurs, "Our parents have always been very accepting of
Carolyn, and they really just want all of us [they have a third sister, Lisa] to
be happy:•
Alexandra Paul recalls that her mother and her brother Jonathan, a
famous animal rights activist, have always been understanding. "Even our
father, who was a conservative Republican, just wanted to make sure we were
all happy. Our mother has marched in the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade
with both of us;' Alexandra says. And Caroline says that they are both part
of the new PFLAG campaign, along with other celebrities and their gay and
lesbian family members.
Sue Kramer sums up what many of these families have in common: "I
have a gay sister. She is my spark:' ■
September 2007
I41
You grew up in Vancouver, right?
Born and raised. I finished doing Dirt in December and then I came up here
to be with my boyfriend, friends and family, and chill out for a bit.
Dirt's renewed for a second season on FX. Any spoilers for the fans?
I would love to divulge the filthy gossip about the show, but the character
was just a guest star for a few episodes, which turned into six, which was
incredible, but I don't know if I'm going to be heading back or not. I'll
keep you posted.
You played a lesbian named Garbo who was a drug dealer ...
Yes, I played the requisite young Hollywood drug dealer of choice, and one
of my clients is one of the starlets of the show, who I keep around for a
double purpose: hooked on the drugs and hopefully hooked on me.
You seem to pick a lot of "outsider" roles.
I play a bit of a strategic game with choosing roles that might be educational, insightful or inspiring. I try and find characters that represent
what I would like to see on TV, being a little bit more open-minded,
less stereotypical.
Your first major role was as Sam on WB's Popular, a show which
offered social critique while being funny. /tty Bitty is similar, except
more outwardly political, and your character in the film, Shulamith,
is certainly political. How would you compare your own politics to
those of your /tty Bitty character?
Shuli's a radical feminist, for certain! She believes that the oppression that
women face has profound roots in a biased gender system. She has a
socialist approach to things. In terms of her sexual preference, she's a girl
of no definition and would prefer to keep it that way.There's a point in the
film when the girls comment on the fact that she's interested in this chick
and she's like, you guys are such dosed-minded bitches. She's coming from
this socialist, no-definition approach, which on that level, I agree with. In
terms of my politics, I'm not quite as dogmatic as Shuli. I wouldn't think
that pregnancy would be barbaric, for instance, which she might take from
her namesake. She's selrimposed the name Shuli to emulate Shulamith
Firestone from the '70s, this way-radical feminist. I'm easy going. If I feel
passionate about something, I will most certainly state my opinion, but
for the most part, I hang back and can typically see the arguments from
both sides. It was challenging to get into this mind set of somebody so
intense and strong willed. As part of my process of trying to get into that
space, I made a list of daily convictions-simple things like "no caffeine
today" -to teach myself to believe in something and stick with it.
Have you ever engaged in radical actions off screen?
I worked for a sexual health organization up here in Vancouver for a few years.
It's a pro-choice organization, so we definitely got into some political arenas because of how many pro-life organizations are trying to shut it down.
Primarily we had workshops and things like that I worked at.
But you were never screaming at rallies quite like Shulamith ...
I didn't have a megaphone and I wasn't shoving anyone, so I never got quite as
heated, but I did get into debates about pro-life versus pro-choice.
It seems like you've consistently chosen roles in gay or gay-friendly
material. Is that a conscious choice?
I think for me, again, it's where I agree with Shuli, in that I don't see it as a blackand-white thing. It's not that I choose gay-friendly roles or I don't choose
gay-friendly roles, it's more like I look at it for the role and for the message of
44
I curve
the project and choose from there. I really liked the message in Itty Bitty that
was saying: 'Tm not defining mysel£ so why are you defining met
Let's get beyond labels.
Yeah, beyond this really binary kind of thing. I liked that aspect of Shuli. She
was like, "Fuck that, we don't need to go there, that's not the point:'
Your love scene with Daniela Sea in /tty Bitty is pretty hot. And with
Shuli's love interest, Calvin, /tty Bitty shows that gender ranges as
well as sexuality.
That's right. We also have a transgender character in Aggie, who's a part of the
CIA. Itty Bitty in general is breaking typical biases we see in the media.
I'm taking a psychology of women class right now and in this chapter
we're doing, we're talking all about gender bias, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and everything else. In the media, certain people disappear
from what's depicted, whether it's ethnic invisibility, whether it's because
of sexual preference [or] whether it's female invisibility. I think that I tty
Bitty does a really good job of showcasing different types of people. With
Melonie Diaz playing the [main character, Anna], you have a Puerto
Rican heroine. I don't know what the statistics are, but there aren't many
Latina leads. When all of your leads are women, it's practically unheard
0£ People may be scared of the term "feminist" and have this image that
pops into their head. Then you look at the definition of feminist, it's a
belief system in which women and their experiences and their ideas are
regarded and valued.
So, you're in school right now?
I'm involved with a program that was originally born out of the idea of going
into human sexuality. That's what I was thinking when I was working
for the organization here. I ended up getting into a certificate program in
counseling women. I was taking my first women's studies class when I was
cast in Itty Bitty, which was a really interesting manifest. There's liberal,
cultural and radical feminism going on in the film. It's really about the idea
of reclaiming the public arena for women.
And using performance and art to express feminist statements?
Yes, I think it's a positive spin on using artistic mediums for visibility or education. On MTV or in advertisements, there are these other messages
being constantly shoved forward in terms of what women's roles are. Art
forms are a way to portray images of people and get them seen. I think
that Jamie [Babbit J's done an incredible job at mixing message with fun.
You had worked with her before, right, on Popular?
I hadn't seen Jamie for a number of years and was excited to collaborate with
her again, because I think that Jamie's an incredibly intelligent filmmaker,
very conscious in what she puts out in the public's eyes. She's also got
that sense of purpose and mischief and empowerment. I was 18 when we
started doing Popular.[Babbit] was really young too, in directing and in
producing Popularand then in becoming a mother and still working her
ass off. She's a real role model.
How would you compare the Shulamith character from /tty Bitty to
Garbo on Dirt?
Garbo's name is coming from the infamous [Greta Garbo], who's very discreet, questionably gay and sort of in the shadows. I modeled Garbo after
a cat, that demeanor, there was a little bit more mystery. With Shuli, I
just made Shuli in your face all the time, no holds barred. There are no
apologies for Shuli.
Back to Daniela Sea briefly. Had you worked
with her before?
No, I never had, and she's just so delightful and
keen to be a part of projects she feels are impor,
tant. She's got a strong sense of self and a real
spiritual side too, which I think is what grounds
us all in a business fairly devoid of it.
It's got to be strange to become a star overnight. What did you do with the popularity
of Popular, especially with being a teenager
suddenly cast into the limelight?
I, to be quite honest, freaked out. I rebelled against
my environment. I was coming fresh out of
high school, had just started university and
was eager to be studious and academic, and
then I get cast in this WB teen angst show in
Hollywood. I moved down there. So I was all
of the sudden a part of this world that I knew
nothing about in this career that I didn't know
I wanted to have. I started getting really wary
about the people who I was hanging out with
and what they wanted from me, because I felt
that everybody wanted something. I think
it was about growing from a teenager into a
young adult and trying to learn how to miti,
gate the fact that I wasn't able to do it all on my
own. My parents know it best that I'm a pret,
ty obstinate girl. It was really hard for me to
understand how to cross that threshold where
people were telling me: This is where you need
to go now, this is what you have to say, this is
how you have to look.
Submitting to someone else's ideas when
you're still discovering your own ideas of
yourself.
It was really tough on me. That being said, I loved
the show and felt very safe within the walls of
the studio. It was the stuff outside of those walls
that was hard for me to handle. When the sec,
ond season finished, I took off and went travel,
ing for a while, partially by myself and partially with friends , and it allowed
me to meditate on what I wanted, who I felt I was, and get back to basics.
Taking the reins and getting some perspective on it, I began to understand
what the parameters were and what my boundaries and barriers were, and
how I can maintain them, while appeasing the system, so to speak. That
made me feel more confident in stepping back into the scene.
You're hilarious in /tty Bitty, by the way. The over-the-topness was
what worked about your character. I also love her glasses.
[Director] Jamie [Babbit] requested them, because Shulamith Firestone
wore very similar glasses. I tried them on and I was like, "Yes!"We were
questioning if people couldn't get past them, but then again, that was the
point. So what if someone's obscuring their face, if someone's not wearing
makeup, or not wearing a bra, you get over those typical or stereotypical
ideas of what a woman should look like on screen.
Are you working on any other projects right now?
I'm going to do a short film with my friend here in Vancouver that she wrote
and is directing. There are also a lot of weddings this summer. I've got to
stay in town to be there for my friends.
It's good to stay balanced like that.
That's important for me. Work is one of those things that if I put too much
focus on it or pressure on myself for it, I'm neither enjoying it nor really
amassing any of it because it's negative energy. The more level I can be,
the more useful I can be to the crafr. It's all about offering something and
offering yourself to something. ■
September 2007
I45
NOT SO
A gang of lesbian superstars team
up for the next big thing: POWER
UP's /tty Bitty Titty Committee.
FILM
eeeeeeee
46
Icurve
By Candace Moore • Photography by Elisa Shebaro
industrial stretch of Southern
of a seedy motel, the type with a
a Bates Hotel,ish anonymity. The
y freezing, a cold that goes straight
that we had at college, were really platforms for lesbians to meet
other lesbians and hit on them. That's where the comedy came
into play:'
Guinevere Turner (Go Fish, The L Word) concurs, "I think
there's a process we have to go through to be extreme in order
to find out what really matters. I was in ACT UP and Queer
Nation and at that same age was very much in the streets, chant,
ing 'We're here, we're queer; and participating in kiss,ins. The
rickling,down mist and moths circling
e L Word's Daniela Sea?) juggles three
a snack cart with a kind of Zen aplomb. Off to
the side, crew members huddle around a heat source; cords and
a trail of film equipment lead to a curtained,off hotel room.
Through headphones, I hear warm sounds from inside that
things we would do in the name of politics! Like pose naked for
T,shirts and all kinds of things. (This film) is definitely making
fun of those kinds of politics, but I think that it's also pointing
to being political, what that means and what the subtleties of
that are:•
Babbit's new coming,of,age comedy boasts a great ensemble
contrast with the outside scene, small moans and the intimate
mouth,on,flesh sounds of two women beginning to negotiate
sex. A third woman's voice delicately interrupts to breach ques,
tions of position, how the actors will look on camera and how
cast that includes Sea, Turner, model Jenny Shimizu, Melanie
Mayron (Thirtysomething), Carly Pope (Popular, Dirt), Nicole
Vicius (Half Nelson, Last Days), professional skateboarder
Lauren Mollica, Melonie Diaz (Raising Victor Vargas), and
Deak Evgenikos (Hung, Hummer). Face it, it's been a while since
we've seen so many ladies starring in one lesbian,themed film.
they feel in the scene.
No, this is not the set of The L Word. I haven't overheard
any mid,bliss references to Shane or Bette. The film being shot
late into the night, Itty Bitty Titty Committee, is the first feature,
film release from POWER UP, and it boasts a bevy of female
talents and lesbian icons. Likely to be the next big queer thing,
it's helmed by Jamie Babbit, director of 1999's super cute and
sarcastic teen flick But I'm a Cheerleader.
Centering on a feminist group that stages radical actions
and the love affairs that ensue while they feverishly protest mis,
ogyny guerilla,style, Itty Bitty offers us riot,grrl redux, restyled
for the new millennium.
''I've been wanting to make this movie since 2000, about
Not since 1994's Go Fish, perhaps, has there been an amusing,
refreshing portrayal of queer,female community on the bigger,
rather than the smaller, screen. Lately cable TV seems leaps and
bound ahead of independent filmmaking in terms of depict,
ing our lives in edgy and honest ways. Chalk it up to lacklus,
ter funding and support for LGBTQ material in an industry
focused on box office returns. POWER UP, the only nonprofit,
gay women's film production company and educational orga,
nization, seeks to correct some of that discrepancy, by putting
money and concerted grrl power behind this queer, feminist
vision, producing the organization's first feature,length film.
"There's this universal experience where girls come into feminism and either
reject it or get excited about it that usually happens in the early 20s.
It's important to show that just because you're a lesbian,
doesn't mean that you know one single thing about feminism."
a girl that becomes political;' Babbit says of Itty Bitty. "There's
this universal experience where girls come into feminism and
either reject it or get excited about it that usually happens in the
early 20s. (The main character) Anna is a 'Dinah Shore week,
end' lesbian who just likes to party and go to GirlBar, because
I think it's important to show that just because you're a lesbian
doesn't mean that you know one single thing about feminism.
She works at a McJob as a receptionist in a plastic surgery office
and meets a very political Smith graduate named Sadie, who
has this micro,action feminist group:'
Babbit explains that she wanted to capture the radical turn
common especially to dykes new to adulthood, without losing
a sense of humor in the film. So she played up the "hooking
up" that often happens alongside the consciousness raising: "I
wanted to explore the idea that a lot of the political groups that
people became a part of, like the 'Take Back the Night' rallies
48
Icurve
Turner, who cameos as TV personality Marcy Malone in
the movie, picked Itty Bitty Titty Committee's tide, after the sing,
songy name "we called girls who had no tits in seventh grade:•
The message of the film's radical girl group, Clits in Action,
aka the CIA, however-and an underlying message of the
film itself-is to appreciate all types of women's bodies. Anna
becomes inspired to join the girl gang after the CIA tags the
windows of the plastic surgery clinic where she works. Nicole
Vicius (who plays Sadie, leader of the gang) described execut,
ing the CIJ\s mixed,media methods: "The CIA goes out and
defaces property and takes action through art. We'd go to film in
places like the city mall, so we'd literally be running
around and doing it the way they would. We were
carrying these papier-mache huge statues under
garbage bags and running into stores and changing the whole mannequin display. Changing these
mannequins in bikinis to all different shapes and
sizes of women, that was fun!" The gang's home
base and crash pad is a downtown L.A. loft where
the CI& resident artist, Meat (Deak Evgenikos),
works and rooms with comrades Shulamith (Carly
Pope) and Aggie (Lauren Mollica). Evgenikos describes Meat as fearless."We all are fear based, and
that kind of goes out the window with Meat. She's
based on her passion, not only as an artist but in
the way that she loves. Meat is having this coming
of age in learning that love is very fluid:'
Just as it offers assorted characters to relate to,
!tty Bitty offers differing portrayals of lesbian love
and sex and a sincere look at relationships motivated and shaped by the perceptions (and sometimes hangups) of each individual involved. The
film also depicts intergenerational love. While age
differences between coupled women are not a topic often covered in most queer films, Babbit says
that she "wanted to explore that because I think it
is a very typical lesbian thing. We've all heard the
stories about Rita Mae Brown and all these amazing women in our community, and a lot of them
do date younger women:•
Melanie Mayron, who portrayed a woman
with a younger boyfriend in thirtysomething, again
gets to play the hot older woman, a feminist figurehead named Courtney. Says Mayron of Courtney,
"Like Patricia Ireland, the head of NOW, she's
the head of a feminist organization that's active
in Washington and very by the book, working the
political arena the way it has to be worked. She's
got a younger girlfriend, Sadie, who's involved in
a radical, younger group, and she's critical of how
her girlfriend is doing things:• Drama also hinges
around Sadie's conflicting feelings of security with
Courtney and her new interest in Anna."Courtney
was a guest lecturer at Sadie's school;' Vicius says.
"She really looked up to her. Sadie's vulnerable
underneath that strong fa~ade; she's still trying to
find her way. She gets confused because she gets
involved with this other girl (Anna) and yet she's
still really tied to Courtney:'
!tty Bitty also shows gender as a spectrum, portraying characters who are feminine, masculine, in
between and transitioning from female to male.
Daniela Sea plays Calvin, a bomb specialist who
50
Icurve
recently returned from Iraq, whom the CIA gals pick up and
recruit while she's hitchhiking. Sea describes her character as a
tough girl who is "pretty boyish, but I don't think Calvin intellec,
tualizes like I am genderqueer. Maybe she'd go down that road:'
Skater Lauren Mollica takes on her first film role as Aggie, a
transitioning FTM whom she describes as "super mellow:'
"(The CIA is] hardcore, and none of it's his idea, but he's go,
ing with it. They're cool, and he wants to roll with them:'
The CIA try to "raise the consciousness of the general public
about how the public space is dominated by heterocentric imag,
ery and male images of women;' Babbit explains, "how all these
images around us at all times are making us feel like shit about
ourselves:' She believes the film's lightheartedness and grungy,
Super 8 aesthetic will keep things more comedic and upbeat,
rather than didactic, in the spirit of queer and feminist punk
rock. "If you look to bands like Le Tigre, they're able to be really
funny and [play] dance music but [appear] hardcore feminist.
community seem to characterize Itty Bitty, both on screen and
behind the scenes, especially given that the cast and crew were
primarily women. POWER UP's mentorship program also
provided support for talents new in the film industry to try
on important roles in the making of the film. The script was
written by Tina Mabry and Abigail Shafran, whom producers
Andrea Sperling, Lisa Thrasher and Stacy Codikow found by
posting ads at local universities looking for writing talent. As
Babbit recalls, "We got a bunch of writers who were interested
and weeded it down from the meetings and sample scripts they
gave us. We gave them the treatment for Itty Bitty, had them
each write three scenes, and picked two writers based on those
"I wanted to explore the idea that a lot of the political groups that people became
a part of, like the 'Take Back the Night' rallies that we had at college, were
really platforms for lesbians to meet other lesbians and hit on them."
The tone of their music is the tone of this film. The other genesis
for the movie was my love of a record label called Kill Rock Stars
(of Bikini Kill and Sleater,Kinney fame]. I wanted to make a
movie where I could use all of that music:'
Itty Bitty's look is as much an homage to underground ide,
als as its sound is. While Babbit says the aesthetic of But I'm
a Cheerleader was modeled after the pinks of Barbie's Dream
House, this film draws its inspiration from a grittier source,
Lizzie Borden's classic feminist film Born in Flames.
Sea, too, talks of her appreciation for the subversive, spon,
taneous feel of on,location shooting. "This one day we were
shooting on Super 8, so we were loaded into this big van and
driving around locations in L.A. We went to the Greyhound
station and got kicked out because we didn't have a license. It
was a stripped,down crew and felt very DIY:'
Both a do,it,yourself ethos and a goal of cultivating female
scenes:' Fresh voices were complemented by cast and crew
members at various levels of experience and responsibility who
arranged their schedules and traveled into L.A. to work on a
film they could stand behind. Evgenikos remembers that "we
had a lot of people fly in from out of state, who put themselves
up to do the film and that reinforced what I was doing every
day, the impact that I could make on other people's lives because
they felt impacted by it:'
Itty Bitty Titty Committee, which won Best Narrative
Feature Jury Award at the South by Southwest film festival (its
American premiere) and Best Lesbian Feature Film Jury Award
at the Q Cinema Film Festival, will be released theatrically in
L.A. and N.Y. this fall. The flick is a rare breed indeed, a film
with queer,female content that maintains its sense of humor
while taking community,building politics to heart in its mode
of production. ■
September 2007
I51
52
Icurve
§' DCATCORA
~
Ill
Best known for her role on the Food Network's
:::::!,
Iron Chef,Cat Cora is the first woman to hold the
w
~
0
a:
z0
~
j
0
0
z
w
Cl)
Cl)
::>
J:
a:
~z
Iron Chef title in the show's history. The mother
of two sons, she's also co-founder of Chefs for
Humanity, an organization started in January
2005 by culinary professionals who raise funds
and provide resources for emergency situations
where humanitarian aid is needed. The nonprofit
has aided such efforts as Making Change for
Katrina and Hollywood for Habitat. Cora told
<(
eling and hosting popular shows like Queer Eye
for the StraightGirl, Honey Labrador keeps busy.
And that's not including her activities as mother
of daughter Zoe. Labrador says, "Being a mother
is the greatest joy in my life. Becoming a mom at
such a young age, though a surprise at the time,
gave me a sense of responsibility and taught me
about unconditional love. To quote a line from
one of my favorite movies, 'As hard as you think
it is, sometimes you wish it was that easy: Being
a lesbian mom is my only reference point so I
don't know how to be any other way. I think we
are all the same. I am in solidarity with all moms
regardless of sexuality:' Labrador's latest projects
include Honey L Designs, which aims to create a
broad base of unique designs for fashion, jewelry
and fragrances. Her first collection is part of the
Elements of Style promotion for The L Word.
E SHERYL SWOOPES
Modernmom.com that her definition of a modern mom is "a great multitasker, versatile, sophisticated yet fun:' She works hard to make sure she
keeps balance in business and family life.
ElROSIE O'DONNELL
A strong advocate of adoption rights for gays and
lesbians, the standup comedian and former TV
talk show host filed a lawsuit in Florida prohibiting same-sex families from adopting when the
state removed a young girl, Mia, from O'Donnell's
home in 2001. Once dubbed"The Queen of Nice"
by Newsweek, O'Donnell's popular and controversial run on ABC's The View put her back
in the spotlight. Along with making headlines,
O'Donnell keeps her children and family at the
forefront, often writing about or featuring them
on her videos and biogs at Rosie.com.
O'Donnell and her wife, Kelli, live in Nyack,
N.Y., and are parents to Parker Jaren, Chelsea
Belle, Blake Christopher and Vivienne Rose.
EJILENE CHAIKEN
Executive producer of the popular Showtime
series The L Word, Ilene Chaiken has been behind
numerous other projects, including authoring the
screenplays for Barb Wire and TV movies Dirty
Picturesand Damaged Care,and working as a coordinating producer on the FreshPrinceof Bel Air.
Los Angeles-based Chaiken has twin 11-year-old
daughters, Tallulah and Augusta, with her former
partner Miggi Hood.
II
HONEY LABRADOR
From producing and starring in movies, to mod-
Frequently referred to as the female Michael
Jordan, Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets
has won three Olympic gold medals and is a
three-time WNBA most valuable player. The
first woman to have a Nike sneaker named after
her, the Air Swoopes, she also wrote a best-selling
children's book, BounceBack.
In October 2005, Swoopes came out as a
lesbian and became one of the most high-profile
athletes in a team sport to come out publicly.
She and her partner, Alisa Scott, together raise
Swoopes' son from a previous marriage.
mMELISSA ETHERIDGE
Multiplatinum dyke rocker Melissa Etheridge
has released nine albums since signing her first
major recording contract in 1987, and she's won
two Grammy awards for Best Female Rock
Vocal Performance and an Academy Award for
Best Original Song (for the documentary An
InconvenientTruth). Etheridge has four children:
Bailey Jean and Beckett with her former partner
Julie Cypher, and twins, son Miller Steven and
daughter Johnnie Rose, with her wife Tammy
Lynn Michaels.
D CYNTHIA NIXON
Twenty years before HBO's hit show Sex in the
City, Cynthia Nixon started her work as an actor,
making her film debut in Little Darlings. She's
appeared in several films and Broadway shows,
garnering stage honors that include a Theatre
World Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics
Award and the 2006 Best Actress Tony Award.
She's also won an Emmy and two Screen Actors
Guild awards. As far as being a mom, Nixon once
said, "Motherhood is the only thing in my life that
I've really known for sure is something I wanted
to do:' Nixon, in a relationship with Christine
Marinoni, has a 10-year-old daughter, Samantha
Mozes, and a 5-year-old son, Charles Ezekiel
Mozes.
EJMARY CHENEY
The 2004 presidential campaign debates in many
ways focused on "something about Mary" Cheney.
Being daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney
and her father's top campaign aide shouldn't
have been that big a deal, except Mary Cheney
is a lesbian and her Republican father is rather
opposed to marriage for same-sex couples. It all
seemed rather conflicted, making it a good topic
to broach during debates, while Mary Cheney
stayed largely out of the public eye on the subject. With her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe,
she announced in 2006 that they were going to
have a baby, to which her father told ABC, 'Tm
delighted I'm about to be a grandparent for the
sixth time. I'm looking forward to the arrival of
a new grandson:' Their baby son, Samuel David
Cheney, arrived in May 2007.
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
E'J
And who does the Queen of England request to photograph her for an official picture?
Annie Leibovitz, of course. Leibovitz is a noted
American portrait photographer, best known
for her portrait of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
on the day Lennon was killed. Other celebrities
Leibovitz has photographed are Demi Moore,
Whoopi Goldberg, Dolly Parton, Dan Aykroyd,
John Belushi and, most recently, the Queen of
England. Leibovitz has also published six photography books. She has three children: Sarah
who was born in 2001 when Annie was 52 years
old, and her twins, Susan and Samuelle, who were
born to a surrogate mother in May 2005.
II!JLINDA VILLAROSA
Linda Villarosa is a former editor of the New
York Times and former executive editor and
current editor at large of Essence magazine. In
1991, with her mother, Clara, Villarosa wrote
an article for Essence titled, "Coming Our:' The
article received more response mail than any
other in the magazine's history. Villarosa is the
author of Body & Soul: The Black Women's Guide
to PhysicalHealth and Emotional Well-Beingand
Finding Our Way: The Teen Girls Survival Guide,
and has co-authored several more. She lives in
Brooklyn, N.Y., with her two children and her
partner, Jana. ■
September 2007
I 53
OFF of a fictional Web site masterminded by The L Word character
urChart.com has quickly become a real,life contender, drawing more
,000 unique visitors a month to the lesbian social networking site.
e a launch pad for experiments with new delivery formats for origi,
e material, as evidenced by GirlTrash!, Angela Robinson's cutting,
edge girl gangster Web series. Frank, funny and ever friendly, success hasn't
yet gone to Robinson's head. While she's worked within Disney,bankrolled
budgets and practically nonexistent ones, she's managed to keep her wit and
vision intact in both studio and indie production contexts. In fact, the sue,
cessful director of D.E.B.S. and Herbie: Fully Loaded has practically c_arved
out an action,packed, humor,filled, girl,powered oeuvre-in GirlTrash!. As
in her previous work, women are the ones kicking ass and taking names (with
a few kissing breaks).
It's great to see an A-list director adding content to a community
site like OurChart.com. How did you get involved?
I was initially approached by Ilene Chaiken, the creator of The L Word, when
I was working on the show last season. She, together with her OurChart
partners-Hilary
Rosen and Beth Callaghan-took me out to lunch and
pitched me the idea of doing a Web series. I'd wanted to experiment with
doing something on the Internet for awhile, so it seemed like a good op,
portunity. They told me I could do whatever I wanted, so I treated it as sort
of a writing exercise. I'd always had the idea to do a down,and,out buddy
comedy with chicks, and this seemed like a great way to tell that story.
There are plenty of actors we know from their queer roles on televsion involved on this project. How did you cast the series?
54
Icurve
I treated the whole thing as kind of fan fiction for myself. I approached act,
resses I knew or wanted to work with and told [them] each the basic
premise and that I would write a character designed specifically for them,
if they agreed to be in the project. There are so many more parts for men,
and women often find themselves being the girlfriend, or the babe, or the
bitch. I wanted to write parts where the women got really beefy, complex
roles that were funny and violent and immoral and heroic-so that you
got a chance to see what all these women can do. A lot of times [actors)
are only called upon to do about 10 percent of what they're capable 0£
I worked with Rose Rollins on The L Word. I'm a big South of Nowhere
fan, so I met Gabby Christian and Mandy Musgrave at a party and asked
them if they'd be in it, and they said yes. Gabby wanted to be "bad" be,
cause she plays a character who is always so good on her show. I've known
Amber Benson for years-I tracked her down at Sundance a number of
years ago, as I'm an insane Buffy fan. I also worked with casting director
Rick Montgomery to find people through more traditional casting meth,
ods. He found Michelle Lombardo, who's incredible. And I could not find
anybody who was right for Daisy, and I called my friend, Joel Michaely,
who I always call whenever I have a casting crisis, and he told me about
Lisa Rieffier, who is the front person for the band Killola, and I checked
out her videos on YouTube and cast her off those.
The aesthetics of GirlTrash! seem mixed in an exciting way: indie
grit, action slick, with a feminist punk edge.
The gritty look of the series was born out of necessity. We were running and
gunning with absolutely no budget and no time, shooting tons of pages a
::?
0
(.)
,-.:
a:
<(
I
(.)
a:
::J
0
day. My partner, Alex Kondracke, was the cinematographer, and she had
shot a lot of documentaries, so we just piled the actors in a van, found a
location, told them to get out and do the scene and she just followed the
action as it developed. It lent an energy and an excitement to the acting,
which was really fun. I'd never worked that way before, I am always doing
really composed shots, so it was new for me. Also, we were shooting in
DV on a Prosumer camera, which can look pretty crappy a lot of the time.
But when we transferred the footage to black and white, it took the curse
off the video, which we discovered. The decision to make it black and
white happened very late in post,production. I was wracking my brain
for what the GirlTrash! Web site should look like, and th~n Alex came up
with the mugshot concept and designed the site with a company called
"Most Postmodern in San Francisco:' I loved the way the mugshots of the
girls looked in black and white, so I tried transferring the first episode to
black and white, and I found that the episode took on a totally different
feeling. It felt really gritty and art punky, like early Jim Jarmusch. We de,
cided to switch things up and go with black and white for the main action
and color for the flashbacks. It doesn't really make sense, but it feels right
when I watch it.
GirlTrash!, as with D.E.B.S., reminds me of Godard's redoing of the
gangster genre in Breathless. There's a clear appreciation for the
t--=
a:
a:
::::)
0
credibly exciting notion, that filmmakers might be liberated to create and
distribute content directly to an audience and reap the benefits without a
middleman. But it's also very scary because with the democratization of
the Internet, content creators might not be able to get paid as much for
what they do. There might be more stuff that you get paid less to make,
which is disheartening. But the way I see it, the genie is already out of the
bottle, so I'm just going to try and figure it out. It's my dream to make
content for an audience that wants to see it and make a living doing it, and
I think eventually, the Internet is going to be the place to be.
GirlTrash! is also going to be a comic series. Did you think of
Most of my work plays on some genre conventions. I'm not sure why this is.
Maybe I watched too much television as a kid-it's just how I think. I was
always watching genre movies growing up and then re,writing them in
my head, with girl heroes or the girls hooking up, so I think that now that
I have the ability to create content, a lot of it is an attempt to remake all
those movies I loved, the way I would've wanted to see them.
chandising options from the get go?
What are some of the constraints of working in this format?
~
(.)
I definitely think "Webisodes" and online delivery are going to be a major
format for the future. For the longest time, the studios and networks have
held the keys to distribution, and that is no longer the case. That is an in,
GirlTrash! as having a comic book component and having other mer-
Creating a Web series is really a trip-it's been a very mixed experience for
me. On the one hand, it's amazing because there are no rules and no over,
sight. When you work on movies or TV shows there is always a network
or a studio who is looking over your shoulder and dictating from above.
The most liberating thing about the entire process was that I wrote the
script, then thought, who do I have to give this to for notes and approval?
And then I realized: nobody. That was great. The other neat thing is the
instant response from viewers in the forums and biogs. You put some,
thing up, and then right away people tell you what they think, and it's a
really raw, interactive relationship with an audience that is different from
sitting in an audience and showing people your work. It's weird that you
can post something in Los Angeles and within seconds somebody in the
Philippines can respond to it. On the downside, it's like the Wild West.
Everybody is venturing out into this new space and trying to find an eco,
nomic model that makes sense. It takes as much time, energy and thought
to do this as it takes to make a movie, but people think that since it's on
the Web that it is somehow easier to do, which is not true. I'm a real per,
fectionist, so I had to find and count on a lot of amazing people to help me
make this for zero money, from production to post, which is difficult.
::E
be working out some of its kinks. Do you think this is going to be a
major format in the future?
Hollywood action film in your work, and yet you work on a meta level,
ing on film features or even on a television series, doesn't?
0
It seems like now is the time that Web-based films and serial forms
can really come to fruition because the technology seems to finally
too. You reserve the ability to spoof some of the genre conventions.
What does making Web episodes allow you as a director that work-
(.)
and bandwidth. It's annoying to have so little control over how people
watch your work-if you have a souped,up computer, it's a great show,
but if you have a bad connection, the image is steppy and slow. I'm a con,
trol freak, so I have to just be Zen and let that go-embrace that people
will experience and respond to the work out in cyberspace.
The technology is cool but also kind of a pain in the ass. There's a lot of
stuff I still don't understand. On the production end, it's pretty easy-we
shot on DV, edited on Final Cut Pro, and I'm amazed with how fast you
can shoot, cut and deliver content. On the delivery side, I'm still learning
about the difference between Flash files and Quick Times, and resolution
From the get go, my notion is that GirlTrash! is an infinitely merchandisable
and spin,offable brand. I see it as starting with GirlTrash! the series, which
could spin off to GirlTrash!: Miami, or GirlTrash!: Rio, or GirlTrash!:
Supernatural-the possibilities are endless. And it always bugged me that
as an artist, you come up with an idea and when you sell it to a studio or
network, they immediately own it, and you lose control of your creation
from that point. The studio can decide to make it or shelve it, and unless
you are a really big fish, you don't really participate in the exploitation and
ownership of what you thought of it in the first place. It can be kind of a
lame deal. So, GirlTras'h! is a grassroots experiment. We're just going for
it. We've struck a merchandising deal and are offering GirlTrash! clothing
and memorabilia-I'm developing a comic book and will maybe spin it off
into a TV show or a movie, depending on how things go. Or maybe it will
just live on the Web-it's wide open. I'm seeing how far I can go totally
independent .... We'll see what happens. ■
September 2007
I55
ers are both in finance and Republicans, so
I guess I am the liberal lesbian freak;' she
adds with a smile.
Linton has been producing socially con,
scious (queer) television for over a decade
and has won several prestigious awards,
including a nomination
for outstanding
TV journalism by GLAAD, the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. But
her professional career started somewhere
else entirely.
When Linton graduated from NYU,
she went straight to clown college. As a pro,
fessional clown with the Clown Care unit,
part of the Big Apple circus, she visited chil,
dren in hospitals. "It was so rewarding to see
their faces light up;' Linton says.
In 1993, a friend asked her to audition
to co,host the national lesbian and gay news
show In the Life on PBS. She got the job.
Once she realized how important the show
was to the LGBT community, Linton want,
ed to work on the other side of the camera:
Thepresidentof LintonMediasayswe still have
a longroadaheadof us.ByLizettevanHecke
"They kept putting so much makeup on me
that I thought, I have to have some control
of this show;' she says. "So I asked if I could
work behind the scenes as well, and when
the producer quit, it became my show:'
SOMETHING INTIMATE about the atmosphere at Linton
c. It's not that employees are researching personal issues such as
marriage, the military and sexuality within the queer community for
sion documentaries. It's not that it's a small company with around eight
including editing and shooting. Television's potential to enact social change
excited Linton. "TV is such a powerful medium;' she says. "Often it is so
dumb, but when it's done right, millions of people can be reached:'
e on the payroll, depending on the project, and it's not that they've be,
friends.
One of her favorite examples is All in the Family. Addressing a wide range
of delicate issues through the sitcom was brilliant, but it didn't turn her to fie,
o, there's something else. Something that feels familiar, even to outsid,
tion. "There are too many real stories that I think are amazing;' she says. "It is
en I pull up a chair and set up for the interview, two of the producers
lift their T,shirts to compare love handles. Katherine Linton, a 39,year,old
filmmaker and president of the company, rolls her eyes and blushes slightly.
"Guys ... Come on, I'm trying to do an interview, here;' she says.
A couple of weeks ago, her new documentary series tided Lesbian Sex and
Sexuality started airing on here!, America's first LGBT television network. In
six episodes, the documentary explores various aspects of lesbian sexuality in
New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It takes a closer look at por,
nography, erotic dancers and alternative lifestyles such as polyamory.
Blond, short,haired Linton (above, second from right with cast) starts to
glow when she talks about Lesbian Sex and Sexuality. "It all started two years
ago when Meredith Kadlec, vice president of development at here! and per,
sonal friend said, 'I never see anything about lesbian sex:"
After some research, Linton was shocked to find what girls were up to
in the States and decided this project had to happen. "We wanted people to
watch it and be surprised at what they are learning. You may tune into it for
titillation but walk away thinking these are bold, powerful, intelligent women
enjoying their sexuality:'
Born in Connecticut, Linton moved to the East Village to study theater at
New York University when she was 20 years old. About that time, she came
out to her family as a lesbian. "When my father passed away, I realized life's
too short to not be yourself;' she says with confidence. "My two older broth,
56
She learned under fire and taught herself about all aspects of television,
Icurve
an honor that people let you in their lives and let you tell their story:'
For so many people in this country, it is still really difficult to be open
about their sexuality, Linton says. She thinks it's wonderful that a show like
The L Word is on prime time, but it doesn't give a good representation of real
lesbian culture, and that is what she would like to see: normal women with
normal lives, normal struggles and a healthy sex drive. "I think we've come a
long way, and we have a long way to go;' she says seriously." Too many people
forget. They see a gay character on TV and say,'Look, we've arrived, look how
visible we are:"
But Linton believes as long as there is no legal acknowledgement, there's
a lot to fight for. "I do think we've come a long way, but on the other hand, I
think people are still afraid of expressing sexuality as gay people. It's OK to be
funny, it's OK to be sexy,but really, when you show sex ... it freaks people out!
We have to get past the icky factor of two people of the same gender kissing.
And the more images out there, the better:'
Linton wants to show that not all lesbians live The L Word glamour life
and still enjoy their lives and their sexuality. As for her own world, she's got a
beautiful girlfriend, loving friends and a mother who, after recovering from the
shock of her daughter's coming out, counts herself as Linton's biggest fan.
Nevertheless, she hasn't shown her family Lesbian Sex and Sexuality yet.
"That one I am holding back;' Linton laughs."No, I think that would be too
much!" ■
~ro
ro
0
()
z
0
a:
~
LOVING
LUENELL
Oneon onewith Borat'sleading
lady.ByCatherinePlato
ARKANSAS but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area's gay heyell is quickly becoming a comedic superstar to queers, feminists and
rdogs. In addition to a multiple-decade career in film, theater and
uenell is best known for her recent appearance as the hooker with
of gold (also named Luenell) in Sasha Baron Cohen's 2006 controversial mockumentary, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Bene.fit
Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. And though she's committed to a dude and
only "alcoholically bisexual;' Luenell's shown our community plenty of support: She's appeared in the super-queer comedy cabaret Funny Girlz and has
even dubbed herself a "drag queen trapped in a woman's body:' Besides, don't
we all kind of start out alcoholically bisexual? -
Catherine Plato
Did you begin performing during high school?
Tried to, but ... I couldn't get any lead roles 'cause I was just one of the very
few African Americans in the school, and this was in the '70s and Castro
Valley wasn't very well integrated.
What was it like hanging out in the San Francisco queer scene during the '70s?
The Castro was like gay Disneyland. It was wonderful. Music thumping from
every club. People twirling and spinning and drinking and fighting and we
had the gay parade every year, and Sylvester was still alive and there were
tea parties at the I-Beam and dances at the Trocadero, and it was before
AIDS and the big drug crack epidemic. Pretty carefree. Lots and lots and
lots of fun.
thoughts?
community?
I can honestly say I was taken aback as much as anybody in the rest of the
world. Definitely proud to be affiliated with it and wouldn't change a thing
about it, but I didn't get a clue pretty much until just about a little bit before it came out to the public. And when I did see what the final product
turned out to be, all I could do was sit back and hold my breath .... It was
have asked me if I was a real hooker. But, sad to say, I am not. [Laughs]
I do have another movie that's going to be coming out and I'm a hooker
again. I think someone was asking if I was being stereotyped as a hooker. Well, you know, nobody wants to be stereotyped as anything, but I'd
rather be stereotyped as that than somebody's mama or auntie or whacky
neighbor.
:J
(.)
~
zz
>
we did, was just showed that.
The first time that you got to see the film completed, what were your
These days do you still have a strong following among the queer
I'd like to think so because I have a fondness for the gay community in my
heart. I'd like to think they feel the same way.
Since you were one of the few actual actors in Borat, did people
ever mistake you for a real prostitute rather than an actor?
Well, you know, the film is so good and so well made, people just don't know
what to think. To the director's credit, a lot of people probably do, and
u..
u..
Yeah, I do. It absolutely is not anti-Semitic .... Sasha Baron Cohen, for the record, is a strict Orthodox Jew himsel£ He was just making parody, just as
Saturday Night Live would or any sketch comedy show would. He went to
real extremes in every sense, and if people found it offensive, it wasn't exclusive to whoever they are. I think he pretty much managed to rile up just
about everybody he could rile up .... We didn't write any lines for those
people, they said those statements themselves .... All he was doing, actually, was just holding up a mirror to society to let the world know what's
really going on out here. You never know what's going on in your neighbor's house or anything like that with people on the street, with kids and
all that. When the mirror is held up and they think people aren't watching,
that's when the real feelings and statements come out. And that's all that
I think the irony of Borat's misogyny and anti-Semitism was lost
on some viewers. Some people don't know whether the film is tackling that sarcastically or if it's actually anti-Semitic. You know what
I mean?
pretty deep.
How did it feel to be the woman that won Borat over Pamela at the
very end?
I think that was genius filmmaking because Hollywood is shifting a little bit
from the 'everybody-has-to-look-like-a-model-on-TV" thing. It sent a good
message that he came back and found a real love of his life, which was me,
after pursuing what he thought was the dream woman, which was Pamela,
and she didn't want anything to do with him. And I think it sent a really
good message out there to just regular chicks. And I'm really, really glad it
ended that way, you know? I'm really excited about that, being older and
chubby and African American as well. It just was really great, and I think
that was a stroke of genius, the way they did that. ■
September 2007
I 57
LARYCARLIP
of the Oddballs.ByJenniferParello
ing New Year's Eve with k.d. lang, partying in Melissa Etheridge's backyard,
sharing a sauna with a naked Jodie Foster, playing basketball with Rosie
O'Donnell, having an affair with a famous soap actress, and teaching Ellen
Degeneres to eat fire.
Carlip was raised in Los Angeles, where her parents owned a baby furniture business. She attended dance class with Jamie Lee Curtis and went
to middle school with Michael Jackson. But she didn't become friends
with a celebrity until she was in her teens, when she snuck backstage at the
Troubadour nightclub and introduced herself to Carly Simon, who had just
released her first album. Simon allowed Carlip to hang out with the band and
dedicated songs to her during performances. Emboldened by her successful
stalking of Simon, Carlip and a friend spent months pursuing Carole King.
When they finally landed at her doorstep armed with a freshly baked loaf of
banana bread, she graciously invited them into her home and apologized that
they couldn't use the swimming pool because it was filled with algae.
"I was attracted to their creativity and talent, but their celebrity;' Carlip says,
me realize that if you have talent you can make it on your own:'
made
"It
The only problem was that Carlip didn't think she had any talent. In her
teens, she wasn't quite five feet tall, weighed over 140 pounds and was "about
as graceful as Don Knotts:' She couldn't sing. She couldn't dance. But, then,
19, Hillary Carlip appeared as a contestant on The Gong Show and
ow's panel of D-list celebrity judges gave Carlip the perfect score
r comedic juggling routine. She beat out a toothless fiddle player,
an wearing a chicken outfit, and Cheryl Lynn, who would later
co anthem "Got to Be Real:'
A few years later, Carlip was hired to juggle in the musical finale of Xanadu.
On the movie set, she amused herself by gossiping about Olivia Newton
John's affair with a young dancer and pursuing her own affair with another
dancer, a woman who looked like Ann Margaret in Kitten with a Whip.
Next, she launched a singing telegram business and was hired to perform
at the homes of the Hollywood elite. She sang for Tori Spelling, Chastity
Bono, Norman Lear, Burt Bacharach, and the ex-husbands of Liza Minnelli
and Shelly Winters. At one performance, she was heckled by Ed McMahon,
who refused to shut up until Don Rickles came to her rescue.
Later, Carlip started an all-girl rock band, co-wrote a screenplay that languished in development hell, and gave Daryl Hannah a pair of old sneakers,
which received lots of screen time on Hannah's feet in Steel Magnolias.
Carlip recounts these and many other adventures in Queen of the Oddballs,
a memoir that offers a wacky romp through .Carlip's life on the fringe of the
her campaign to befriend Carole King and
entertainment industry-from
Carly Simon to scaling Barbra Streisand's fence to teaching Jimmy Connors
to juggle. Through it all she hangs out with the lesbian smart set-spend-
58
I curve
she discovered juggling.
"It was the first time I felt comfortable in my own body;' Carlip says.
"Juggling opened up the whole entertainment industry for me. I sucked at
everything else:'
Carlip was taught to juggle by a friend, who made Carlip pay for the lessons by stealing cigarettes from her mother's nightstand drawer. Soon, she
was performing as the opening act for Linda Ronstadt and givingjuggling lessons to comedian Jimmie J.J. Walker and Lucille Ball's head writer. Eventually,
juggling led her to The Gong Show,
0~:~~~~{: ~ /~,
~~~~'it:~:~
which awarded her $712.05 in ;;;.~-.~
- ·~.i.,,,.,,
'·"•,%.--•~Ii,
£. "' 3:' 1·
,ti£'"
.a·, -7 .,)-.\,, • ~,,
~
\,;"
•·~
prize money, and an extra-long hug eff
: ~· .., .. ;._.,
and lingering eye contact from celebrity judge Jaye P. Morgan.
"Jaye P. Morgan cruised me. No
question about it;' says Carlip.
In college, she learned other
talents. She fell in with a group of
performance artists, who taught
her how to eat fire. 'J\ll through
college, all I did was eat fire in the
dorm and set off the fire alarm;' she
says. The talent eventually landed
her on The Ellen Show, where Ellen
bravely tried-but failed-to swallow a burning torch. At the conclu-
[f1fDRI([$
···•h
~lie.
Ind OTHER
TRUE STORIES
from
• •
•
a LIFE
UNACCORDING
to
1
•••
f
.
PLAN
CARLIP,
HILLARY
.
"•
A Lesbian
View
Insider's
of Hollywood.
ByStephanie
Schroeder
ie or television show they
have coming out. None of
chem are closeted and there
sion of the stunt, Liza Minnelli staggered out from
backstage armed with a fire extinguisher.
A few years ago, Carlip began telling tales on
her exploits at spoken word venues. The experi-
is no blacklist of gay writers.
If we are talking about the
marketplace, that is
a different story. I
don't think the gen-
ence inspired her in 2004 to launch Fresh Yarn, a
Web site devoted to personal essays. The success
of the site convinced her to write her memoirs.
"For so long, I encouraged other people to tell
their stories. Finally, I said, J\lright, I guess it's
time for me to tell my story;" she said.
Queen of the Oddballs is Carlip's third book. In
1995, when her book Girl Power: Young Women
RS HARTMANN, a partner at Code
tainment in Los Angeles offers a different
ctive from the "other" side of entertainthe people who represent the "talent:'
Speak Out was released, she experienced the bigcall from Oprah
gest thrill in publishing-a
Winfrey's office. Winfrey planned to devote an
entire episode to the book, which comprises es-
I grew up in Dallas, Texas in a Catholic family-a very Republican family. My brother is now
a Republican politician in Ohio and I support
him every election season. I am a gay Democrat,
"Jugglingopenedup
the wholeentertainment
industryfor me.I sucked
else."
at everything
says Carlip collected from teen-aged girls. Carlip
thought she had finally caught her big break and
fantasized about seeing her name on the New York
Times bestseller list. But things didn't turn out
that way.
Oprah
concentrated almost exclusively on
the teen authors and gave only passing mention
of the book. Carlip sat in the audience-not on
the stage-trying not to cry as she reflected on
the possibility that she might be the only author
in television history to not win literary stardom as
a result of an appearance on Oprah.
For years following the show, Carlip remained
bitter about the disappointment and refused to
watch Oprah. But she has finally scored her revenge. In 2006, Borders Books ranked Queen of
the Odd Balls as one of the best literary memoirs
of the year.
You can see Carlip's The Gong Show performance
and her fire-eating performance on The Ellen Show
on her Web site, hillarycarlip.com. ■
but long ago I decided that staying close to the
other party is crucial in hopefully coming to a
mutual understanding about gay rights in this
country.
I was a literary agent for about 15 years
and am now a literary manager and partner at
Code Entertainment. I have mainly represented
screenwriters, directors and novelists over the
years and continue to do so. Now, in addition to
management, I produce.
Code just produced a movie for Warner
Brothers called Spring Breakdown, written and
directed by my client Ryan Shiraki. It stars
Parker Posey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and
Amber Tamblyn. It's an all-female comedy-not
such an easy feat these days.
Also, we recently produced and financed the
dark comedy You Kill Me starring Ben Kingsley,
Tea Leoni and Luke Wilson, which was released
inJune.
I have been out since my early 20s. Honestly,
in the entertainment industry being out is not
considered conversation worthy. Early on I did
have a couple of experiences that were surprising-and when I say surprising I mean negative,
but for the most part, it is not a factor.
I represent a number of gay women and men,
but typically do not comment on their personal
lives unless it is relevant to the content of a mov-
eral public is aware
are written
movies)
(and
shows
many
how
of
and run by gay and lesbian writers.
My projects and my clients' work run the
gamut: comedies, thrillers, dramas. I have always
been material driven (as opposed co concept
driven). I only sign people and cake on projects
that have an interesting and unique voice. The
voice is what it is all about for me. I have always
given special attention to gay and lesbian writers
and directors because I want to support talented
members of my community. That being said, I
will not sign someone because they are gay, but
I will read them. There is such a massive influx
of material for consideration that these days just
getting read is something. Also, I quite often give
ongoing advice to gay writers that I meet and like
even if I do not sign chem.
I was on the board of directors of Outfest
for a number of years and due to my workload
I had to retire, as many board members do.
There a couple of LGBT-related charities that I
am considering right now. I would like, to serve
on a board that is not specifically related to the
film and television business. I would love to be
involved with a group that has hands-on support
of gay youth.
In my experience, for the most part the L.A.
lesbian community is not closeted. I definitely
know lesbians who are in a more corporate environment and hence are less open about their
sexuality, but most of the lesbians I know in the
film and TV business are open about it, have
families and are equal co any ocher version of a
family that exists in today's society. There are so
many"types" oflesbians in this city. I know I may
sound like a commercial, but there is a group for
every kind of lesbian in L.A. It's a diverse community. ■
September 2007
I59
Barbra Streisand.
"Every kid of a celebrity in Hollywood wanted
that job;' she says. But because she had some pro,
duction background and she was not a starstruck
Barbra Streisand fan, she got the job. Plus, she
says, she worked her Jewishness to the hilt: "This
is the only place that would work for me;' she
insisted.
While the book describes how Abrams melted
under the steady stream of screams and profanity
from male supervisors (never from Babs), she real,
ized that was an accepted form of communication
in the entertainment business.
So part of her goal with the book is to pre,
pare Hollywood hopefuls for what looms ahead.
UCLA and USC have taken notice, inviting her
to speak to students in their film schools-lesbian
sexcapades and all.
The most eyebrow,raising chapters revolve
around Abrams' relationships with closeted les,
bian celebrities. She had access to many during
her five years covering red carpets and gala events
for CNN.
"I was famous for that;' she says matter,of
factly. "It's not star,fucking, these were my peers.
I was looking for a cute girl:'
After a night rollicking with a closeted A,list
star, she quips in her book, "I felt as safe in her
adoring arms as would a ladybug on a Times
Square sidewalk:'
Theauthorof TheMyth,TheMuse,
TheMeshugatalks back.By.LaurieK. Schenden
L ABRAMS exceeds expectations. Glance at
erpts from her book, TheMyth, TheMuse, The
shuga,and one might expect a party,going pri,
donna who leans heavily toward the meshuga
at's Yiddish for crazy).
Abrams definitely has had wild and crazy days,
and they're documented in her book. But talk,
ing with her now in her elegantly chic apartment,
dressed in a tank top, floor,length skirt and biker
boots, her long, curly locks framing her expressive
face, the girl is obviously focused.
A Hollywood insider who has embraced all
things celebrity for more than a decade, Abrams
has stomped through the grounds of the privi,
leged, where drugs, sex and rock'n' roll are as ordi,
nary as a three,course meal.
She admits to dabbling in drugs and has dis,
creedy shared beds (jacuzzis, bathroom stalls, etc.)
with celebrities. But Abrams is way too smart and
savvy to let forbidden pleasures derail her ambi,
tion. Detour it, maybe.
But one can't exist as a careless and carefree
60 I curve
groupie and work for Barbra Streisand, spend five
years collecting celebrity interviews for CNN's
Showbiz Today or earn the confidence of Clive
Davis (today she is in charge of creating videogra,
phies of American Idol winners).
When she felt rage over same,sex marriage
discrimination, she gazed down the infamous
Melrose Avenue and the next thing you know, her
own original artwork was mounted on an $8,000,
a,month billboard-pro bono.
After a frustrating and brutal initiation into
the entertainment business in L.A., Abrams wrote
her book. But TheMyth, TheMuse, TheMeshuga
is also a sort of tell all, or at least tell some, relating
what lesbian life is like among the privileged and
well connected. Signed confidentiality agreements
keep her from naming most names, but the adven,
tures are well worth the read.
Abram's story begins as she, a nice wide,eyed,
Jewish lesbian, packs up her respectable N.Y.
production credits and moves to L.A. in 1993.
At age 28, she landed the job of assistant to
In another chapter she describes a regular
Friday night rendezvous in Malibu with an Emmy,
winning TV actress. As in much of the book, her
blow,by,blow quirky queer seductions come with
ample doses of sarcasm and humor: "'Do you like
pain as much as I like to give itr' Not really. Then
she reached for the candelabra ... I sensed she was
a bit of a sick scary fuck, but so far the night was
a winner:'
As she continues making American Idol vid,
eographies, there's interest from a production com,
pany in developing a show featuring her talented
and entertaining mother, based on clips Abrams
shot for her Web site (myspace/jillabrams.com).
Another great accomplishment was meeting her
girlfriend (not a celebrity).'Tm married, I'm done;'
she says.
Despite the naysayers, "It took me 12 years to
get where I wanted;' says the 42,year,old.
Through her book and Web site, she wants to
share the message that perseverance is essential.
She mentions her one,out,of,50 theory in work
as well as in life. For every 50 pitches she'll get a
response.
"That's my history;' she says. "I contacted 50
lesbians in LA, I got two responses. One of them
is [now] my girlfriend:' ■
BikeMessengers
There's nothing common about the Ditty Bops.
In 1998, Abby DeWald and Amanda Barrett
became acquainted at a late-night viewing of The
Rocky Horror Picture Show, eventually becoming
lovers. Now the 28-year-olds are an outstanding,
up-and-coming eclectic musical duet, and are still
lovers, who recently appeared on The L Word.
Their backgrounds are as diverse as the instruments they play. De Wald grew up in a home where
there was only classical music played, and Barrett
was the daughter of two former circus performers
who taught her the art of mime, juggling and fire
eating. A quick look on stage will show some of
their more atypical instruments, including a fretted dulcimer, a mandolin, and even an old-time
washboard. And their shows follow suit-semitheatrical, semiconcert performance, the women
knock out extraordinary harmonies in a bluegrass,
ragtime, jazzy folk-type style.
So when their 2006 album, Moon Over the
Freeway,debuted no one was overly surprised when
the pair decided to promote the CD in a slightly
unusual way-on the road, by bicycle.
"Bikes are a part of our lives and we wanted
touring to feel like a part of our lives, so we decided to ride bikes;' says De Wald. For over 120 days
the women visited almost as many towns and cities, playing 40 shows. A van, driven by their piano
player, carried the equipment, and cyclists joined
them for various parts of the journey.
Barrett found the different approach just what
the band needed, "On all of our past traditional
tours by van or bus, the outside world would whiz
by and we'd blink, and it would be over. On our
bikes, we slowed down our pace, took the time to
look around and explore, to talk to people:'
As for being together 24/7, the girls say they
feel lucky. They say they depend on each other
when having to deal with "record business BS;'
and they don't have to suffer what other couples
endure when one member is on the road for long
periods of time.
"We do spend almost 24 hours a day together
but we like each other so it's OK;' says Barrett.
-Sheryl Kay
NEW AFTERELLEN.COM program
Said What? is the first lesbian entertainment
show that's entirely webcast. If the word west conjures up memories of YouTube videos
with choppy camera work and bad sound, you' re
not too far off. However, the show makes up for
it by offering interviews with famous dykes like
the oh -so-sexy Jane Lynch (of The Forty YearOld
Virgin and Bam Bam and Celeste)and queerish
straight celebs like Heather Graham, as well
spotlighting relatively unknown, but incredibly
talented, women like hip-hop artist Hanifah
Walidah and Triple Creme drummer Tif Wolfe.
The episodes, which last about eight minutes (guilty pleasure light), were initially led by
Staceyann Chin, a Chinese- Jamaican poet who
never shies from tough topics; Lauren Blitzer,
a Jennifer Aniston look-alike who wrote Same
Sex in the City:So YourPrinceCharmingis Really
a Cinderella;Chagmion Antoine, an incredibly
pretty reporter who asks really insightful questions; Sarah Warn, a Southern blond (m.d. in
theology included) who is also founder and
editor of AfterEllen.com. Around episode 12,
Antoine was replaced by Julie Goldman, a white
butch comedian with an understated way of saying something totally over the top, came on to
the show.
The diversity of the group makes for discussions that are even more interesting than the interviews. The four co-hosts share their coming
out stories, spar about interracial lesbian relationships and analyze current events.
One of the really neat things about She Said
What? is that viewers can leave comments for
the hosts and the celebrity guests. Often the producers reply to the feedback that they get, which
creates a much more interactive model than
anything on TV. For example, some viewers encouraged the producers to get a roomier set, and
eventually they did. Another time guest comedienne Suzanne Westenhoefer announced that
she was on the lookout for a girlfriend. Sarah
Warn created a forum for interested women.
"The reception's been great, we've gotten a
lot of fan mail and feedback from viewers-too
much, sometimes;' laughs Warn. "Everybody's
got an opinion:'
That's likely because viewers are adjusting to the difference between webcasting and
broadcasting.
"Our production costs are lower on She Said
What?;' admits Warn, "Because it's not on TV.
The quality is a little lower too-we're not going
to win any set design awards-but we deliberately chose to do it bare bones so we could make
more episodes. We figure no one's watching to
admire the furniture, anyway. And the lower
cost means there's more freedom to experiment,
with format, content, even hosts:'
Though she's thrilled to be producing the first
lesbian talk show (no, The View doesn't count),
Warn says it's "hopefully not the last! The more
viewing choices available to lesbians, the better,
in my opinion, so I hope we see shows featuring
opinionated lesbians from all different sources:'
The new season of She Said What? begins
this fall but viewers can see the past 18 episodes
on AfterEllen.com. -Maria Ginsbourg(addi-
tionalreseasrchby Diane Anderson-Minsshall)
September 2007
I61
TheLesbianClassic-20 YearsLater.ByDianeAnderson-Minshall
N'T IT WILD:" laughs sexy actor-filmmaker Helen Shaver, who played
repressed professor Vivian Belle in Desert Hearts. Shaver, now 56 years
, is still as sultry and captivating as she was during that dry desert producin 1986. Even she can't believe it's been over 20 years since the seminal
lesbian love story hit the silver screen. Back then, the film that she and actors
Patricia Charbonneau and Audra Lindley joined director Donna Deitch to
make was quite controversial. Though Shaver had already done a racy film or
two, her handlers definitely didn't want her starring in a lesbian flick at all.
"It was a really, really different time. Nobody kissed anybody on television, Ellen had not come out, Rosie O'Donnell hadn't been queer;' recalls
Shaver, who knows that today's twentysomethings can't even imagine a time
when a classic story like Desert Hearts was controversial. "For them it's like
trying to imagine when women didn't have a vote or something. You know,
Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz were not holding hands and kissing in
public and playing with the whole idea. It was just a vtry different time. So
certainly, yes, I got a lot of warnings:'
Thankfully, they didn't stop her, and today she calls it a "great role, great
experience, great love affair that's gone on for years:'
For all the women involved in Desert Hearts, it's the great vast reach the
film has had-from the queer community and beyond-that's its most lasting legacy.
"You know, a few years ago I did a series called
the Education of Max Bickford in which I played a
woman who up until 18 months before had had
a male body, a transgender body;' Shaver recalls.
"And I remember I was talking to the guys who
were running GLAAD at the time and we had
this long conversation and one of the fellows ... said, 'When Desert Hearts
came out I was a gay woman and now you're doing this and I'm a transgender
together on a shoestring, sort of going around and selling it like Tupperware;
really selling shares of it. I knew once it was done and a couple years went by
and I saw the overwhelming response from gay women who said, 'Yes! I see
mysel£ thank you: I really felt like well I never have to act again in my life.
Well, if I never act again I have done one thing that has touched many:'
For actor Patricia Charbonneau, who played sexy wild child CayVivian's love interest-the resonance and connection with lesbians has also
continued. "I just got a few letters last week, as a matter of fact;' she admits.
"I definitely still hear from women and it's always coming from a place where
they have been able to take a different journey in their life because of having
seen the film and I've always found that remarkable. You know, it's really hard
to believe that you could have so much impact on someone that you're not
ever going to meet. That's been an unbelievable gift. That's something I don't
take lightly:'
Part of that enduring legacy was in changing the cinematic landscape in
terms of how lesbians could be portrayed on screen.
"Up until that point;' recalls Charbonneau, "lesbians were not portrayed
in the way we portray them, I mean as far as being able to find a relationship
and be happy with it:'
"Yes;' adds Shaver. "I don't know that it was the impetus of change or
whether it was reflecting the change in
society that was just about to happen.
It's very difficult with art to ever know
whether it is the stimulant or the reflection of the change. Because I think
things happen, you know, it's like the
civil rights movement. It's happening in
many ways, all at the same time because there's a collective consciousness and a
move towards change and so each facet plays off the other and so I think that
the movement towards change was inevitable because of its truth. I do believe
that the truth will come out. And the truth is that gay women have been here
forever, will be forever and love the way any human being loves, and any kind
"It's -kindof wonderfulbut kind
of terriblealso.It's oddthat in
NorthAmericancinemathat it
is still the highestgrossing."
Shaver says the connection she's had with lesbians these two decades is"the
greatest thing. It's really admirable how (director Donna Deitch] put the film
62
Icurve
of judgment or prejudgment, prejudice, is nuts.
It's not truth. It is fear. Therefore it has to go away
eventually, I think it's like civil rights happened,
women's rights happened and we're still, you know,
certainly as women, never mind what our sexual
preference is, were still in the throes of the evolu,
tion towards equality in that way. So I think it's all
part of a whole, of our evolving body of mankind,
of humanity.
Both women credit Deitch, who cobbled to,
gether a $350,000 shoestring budget, for making
the film happen.
"She was actually the first female director I
ever worked with;' admits Shaver, "and I've worked
with very few female directors since. It's actually
sort of astounding how few of us there still are.
Donna and I formed a great alliance and commit,
ted to each other to make this movie, you know
she asked me to bring everything-my experience,
my intelligence, my talent, my questions-and
bring it all to the table and I did:'
Charbonneau, who made her film debut in
Desert Hearts, is equally effusive: "Yes, she was so
prepared it was incredible. Donna was just so in,
credible with me and with giving me the time and
the space, and not getting freaked out ifl didn't hit
my mark the first or second time. I was like mark?
What mark?"
The whole crew and cast set up what Shaver
calls 'good lines of communication with a great
deal of consciousness:'
Every now and then, the stars all align and an
outstanding group of people gathers together to do
something, Shaver insists. And this was one of the
occasions. The cast was filmed with wonderfully
Lindley
sublime actors, two of whom-Audra
and Andra Akers-have passed away. The crew
too have gone on to great careers, notably Oscar,
nominated cinematographer Robert Elswit (who
shot Good Night and Good Luck, among others).
"For many, it was a critical film because it was
a big step in their careers;' says Shaver, who herself
has made more than 100 film and TV appearances
(you may recognize her as the conservative Faye
Buckley from The L Word). "But the casting of the
crew and the technical production side of things
was really as brilliantly done as the casting of the
piece. It was a really extraordinary time, and it was
also a time when we were shooting when dailies
were shown on film, and every night we'd all sit and
watch the dailies from the day before on a projec,
tor. It was terrific. A great experience:'
That great chemisty lasted off set as well;
Shaver met her husband Steve Smith, a well,
known key grip, on set. But her most infamous
admirer might well have been Greta Garbo.
Desert of My Heart continued on page 76
Insidethe Director'sStudio
yearslater,DesertHeartsdirectorDonnaDeitch
Twenty-one
anddiscusses
looksbackat thefilmthatmadeherfamous,
Plato
sequel.ByCatherine
theupcoming
1
1986, years before The L Word, Ellen, Ani
hit the scene, Donna Deitch broke
e major ground with her now,iconic tale of
ian love set in the 1950s. One of the few les,
bian films of the '80s to prove its staying power,
Desert Hearts set the bar and, arguably, remains
the standard par excellence in lesbian film. At the
time though, the then 40,year,
CURVE
old Deitch could never have pre,
dieted what her film would come
to mean, let alone if commercial
or critical success awaited. "I had
no idea;' she says. "I was in the
middle of a process. All I knew ...
was that I had to finish it and I
had to sell it:'
I caught up with Deitch at
the W Hotel in her native San
Francisco (she now calls Los
Angeles home), just before the annual National
Center for Lesbian Rights gala, where Deitch
was invited as one of the evening's speakers.
Though she's a heroine among dykes these days,
I had to wonder if Deitch, so early in her career,
had any reservations about pouring the time and
energy into a film that would likely be ignored by
the mainstream and serve an audience too small
to justify the effort. Without hesitation, she tells
me she did not: "I didn't have any fears about it. I
was making the movie I wanted to see:' The film
debuted at the Telluride Film Festival, though,
Deitch admits she was very surprised by its sue,
cess. "When you make a film and see it for the
first time with an audience, if it's a good experi,
ence, it's a fantastic experience;' she says. "(It's] a
dream in a way:' And when the lights went on
afterward, she said it felt like her dream had fi,
nally become reality.
After many years directing television shows
like NYPD Blue and Crossing Jordan, Deitch is
thrilled to be getting back to her own projects,
including a Desert Hearts sequel and a film ad,
aptation of her partner Terry Jentz's true crime
memoir, Strange Piece of Paradise. And yet, Deitch
seemed especially eager to promote the Desert
Hearts DVD release, through which she hopes
to reconnect with original viewers and reach new
ones. When we spoke, Deitch was still perfecting
her director's commentary, carefully finding the
balance between organization and a healthy sense
of spontaneity and anecdote. "(It's] the opportu,
nity of a lifetime;' she says."I love picking (DVD]
extras. It's one of my favorite things to do:•
I couldn't resist asking about the film'sfamous
love scene, and the courage it must have taken
from all parties involved to
shoot something so candid,
so vulnerable, and so poten,
tially risque. To my surprise,
Deitch insists that it wasn't
particularly difficult. "I cast
[Helen Shaver and Patricia
Charbonneau] for the chem,
istry;' she explains, adding
that she wouldn't conclude
the actors' contracts until she
knew the couple had sparks
onscreen. The sex scene was also shot during
the final days of filming, and by that time the
women had gotten to know each other well and
were comfortable together. "Confidence, or lack
of confidence grows;' Deitch says. "In this case,
confidence prevailed:'
Both actresses will re,appear in the Desert
Hearts sequel, though they won't necessarily be
leads this time around. Instead, they are part of
a larger ensemble, and the story takes place in the
late 1960s and early 1970s, essentially keeping in
real time with the women's lives: Both the films'
release dates and the story's timelines are set ap,
proximately 20 years apart. Deitch isn't sure yet
when shooting will begin on the sequel, but she
knows competing with her past success will be a
tall order: "Ifl have set the bar, then I have in turn
set the bar for myself with the sequel:'
In the meantime, Deitch and Jentz will contin,
ue to work on Strange Piece of Paradise, and plan
to begin shooting in the spring of 2008. Speaking
of onscreen chemistry, I wonder if Deitch has any
reservations about collaborating with her partner.
While she does admit to feeling an "extraordinary
responsibility" to Jentz's work, Deitch says she
would feel the same if Jentz were just a friend.
And besides, the couple already works together
regularly."We've collaborated on everything;' she
says."We've collaborated on renovations:' ■
September 2007
I 63
TRANSFEMINISM
HASA NEWFACE
QueerauthorsJuliaSeranoandHelenBoyd
are changingthe waywe thinkaboutgender.
ByDianeAnderson-Minshall
NY, the word entertainer means a celebrity-the actors, musiians, even athletes who we exalt to icon status. But to many dykes, authors,
queer ones, are the greatest entertainers of all, for their ability to
ove and outrage us with their words. Two women doing just that,
re Julia Serano, author of Whipping Girl:A TranssexualWoman on Sexism
nd the Scapegoatingof Femininity,and Helen Boyd, author of She'sNot the
A transsexual lesbian feminist, Serano is a darling of San Francisco's queer
lit scene (her readings are like rnini-Butchies concerts). Helen Boyd, who has
chronicled her husband's transition to her wife and championed the concerns
of trans partners (especially straight-to-gay spouses), is a well-known feminist among the country's alt-leaning transsexual and cross-dresser scene.
We recently chatted with Serano and Boyd, and gained a few insights on
femininity, passing and the sanctity of lesbian space.
Julia, you say we need to recognize that femininity is innate, not
performance, but in some ways I'm really proud of "performing" my
femininity. How can I reconcile the two?
Serano: Certain aspects of femininity are highly social in origin, while others
are not. Gender expression is a complex combination of both socialization and biology. Obviously, femininity can be a performance, [and] I know
that many queer women embrace the idea. Where I draw the line is when
people claim that femininity is entirely artificial or constructed, or when
they say that"all gender is performance:' Gender is not any one thing.
Helen, is feminitiy innate?
Boyd: For some people, I suppose it might be.
It never was for me, and I'm absolutely sure
it's not for a lot of women. I [think] gender
is some combination of nature and nurture,
[and] there are very intricate feedback loops
between biology and culture none of us really
understands.
How do people keep from still "seeing" the
gender that the trans person once was?
Boyd: Betry [lived] as a guy long enough to have
picked up habits. I don't think of that as a bad
thing. I'm a tomboy, and I like masculinity in
women. I like people who have a couple of
genders, and who are able to see and interact
with a couple of mine. Betty doesn't mind
when I can see the guy in her, since she can
see the guy in me.
Serano: It's impossible for people who knew me
64
Icurve
pre-transition to completely erase any memory of me having been male,
[and] I don't think that it's necessarily unsupportive if they see the "male"
in me, so long as they fully respect my female identity.
Helen, in terms of your marriage, how do you reconcile who you are
with who you thought you'd become?
Boyd: [At first,] I needed to feel the validation I got from others [as] this
weird tomboy punk rock grrl ... with the "catch" Betty was in guy mode.
Now, they're not so impressed, but to me it just feels like the truth of who
I really am, and always really was, has outed itsel£ The idea of [my] being
married to an ordinary man-or an ordinary woman-is laughable.
Why is it easier for the lesbian community to accept a man who was
raised female than a woman who was raised male?
Boyd: Despite everything, socialization still counts. We still raise boys and girls
really differently. MTFs are often coming from straight worlds, and might
come from very different points of view culturally, politically-you name
it. It's a huge cultural divide that's about much more than transness.
Serano: The argument that lesbian spaces should only be open to those who've
been socialized female is a recent invention, one that's designed to allow
trans men to stay in the community while continuing to keep away trans
women. That trans women should be turned away because we "used to be
men'' seems [a] rather dubious [supposition] given how many trans guys,
[even those experiencing] male privilege can be found in lesbian spaces
these days.
While all trans people face discrimination, trans women are more severely impacted because ... in a world where femaleness and femininity are viewed
as inferior to, and less legitimate than, maleness and masculinity, it's [easy]
to ridicule or dismiss trans women than it is trans men.
Right now, most trans dykes don't feel welcome in lesbian spaces because
many lesbians are openly dismissive or hostile toward us, and that behavior is tolerated by the community. Many still attend events that specifically
exclude trans women and think nothing of it. As a lesbian, I expect my
straight allies to stand up for me in my absence. By the same reasoning, if
someone wants to be an ally to trans women, then they have to stop coddling or defending trans-misogynistic lesbians in their community. They
need to call them out on their bigotry. Anything short of that is simply
enabling anti-trans woman sentiment.
How do we combat our passing-obsessed culture (praising gays who
don't flaunt, minorities who fit in), while allowing people to be who
they want to be?
Serano: People will often say that I pass as a woman, but that's not how I
experience it. Passing-which implies that one is hiding or actively managing other people's perceptions of them-that's
what I did before my
transition. I passed as a man, but I am a woman.
Boyd: I want to add, as someone who has passed as a dyke for most of my
life ... sometimes passing is more like a mistake in observation, and not an
active attempt at deceiving anyone.
It seems like sometimes the narrative about how trans women know
they're women include things that a lot of lesbians never had (playing with dolls, liking makeup).
Boyd: Culturally we're raised to believe that femaleness and femininity are
one in the same. For many lesbians, that means that they were socialized
to be feminine because they are female. This may conflict with their own
inclinations to be more androgynous or masculine. As a result, they may
be accused of not being "real" women, and they may grow up to question
the very idea of womanness.
Serano: For trans women, it tends to be the other way around. We grow up
with a profound, persistent, subconscious understanding that we should
be female. Like women in general, some of us are feminine, some masculine, some a little of both. But more often than not, what drives us to
transition is not our desire to express femininity, but rather our sense of
femaleness.
I was so concerned about losing my visibility as a dyke, that for the
first six months I told everyone that my husband used to be my wife
and I'm really a lesbian. Helen, did you experience this-in the opposite way?
Boyd: For a while I probably mentioned my heterosexuality a little too
[mostly] in queer spaces, where I was trying to make some roo
partners like me. I'm a punk at heart and can't help (challenging] people.
It amuses me to see how scornful people can get when I mention I'm
heterosexual.
Serano: Ironically, my partner Dani dealt with these issues more before my
transition than after. She had identified as a dyke for most of her adult
life, and . . . when we were first going out, she would often talk about
how weird it was for her to be in a relationship that most people read as
straight. So when I transitioned ... she didn't have to struggle with drastic
changes in identity.
Helen, you're really aware you're losing privilege. How much does
that impact you?
Boyd: It's ab~olutely astonishing to move from being an ally of LGBT people
to being perceived as LGBT mysel£ I thought I had a clue; I didn't. My
guess is that most allies are similarly clueless. The loss I've experienced
has made me more political, more visible, and more out. This second-class
citizenship really pisses me of£
In She's Not, you write that now that you're two women you don't
know who's on top or who pays the cab driver. Why did things have
to change?
Boyd: It's not so much because we're two women, but because Betty [realized]
she's way more submissive than she was ... pretending to be. Honestly, she
really sucked at playing the top, (when] she did. I like both ... so I just
didn't want to feel locked into (one]. I'm still hoping she'll evolve into a
switch, (but] at least she's willing to play the part when I need her to.
I have to say that I loved Whipping Girl, but was honestly disappointed that it wasn't an autobiography.
@
...J
a
~
~
a
er
w
:E
Serano: When I first started writing and performing spoken word, I really
wanted to do [material] that was more autobiographical. [But] most
people ... had these stereotypes [about] what a transsexual woman is supposed to be, and they were just projecting those onto me. So I started
working on ways to challenge those stereotypes . . . and that eventually
evolved into this book. I do hope to finish that one-person show at some
point, so you may get your wish! ■
PPED my clothes off at karaoke;' says JD Disalvatore, admitting to
f her more impulsive schemes to raise money for her first film project
riter-producer-director, Gay Propaganda.She's less in need of creative
cing since producing Eating Out 2: SloppySeconds,which lead to Paul
Colichman from here! Networks providing the financing for her latest feature film, Shelter,and an offer on her next picture, The Road to Dinah, a
lesbian romantic comedy that takes place at the annual lesbian invasion of
Palm Springs. - Laurie K. Schenden
Does The Road to Dinah have anything to do with golf?
This picture is a nod to classic romantic comedy road pictures. It's about a
butch and a femme from New York City traveling cross-country to go
to the Dinah Shore Weekend. In the script it's sort of like the lesbian
Mecca, that which you must do before you die. No, golf's not mentioned
once!
Why do you think the perception that gay films are bad semms to
persist?
It's because there's no fucking money in it. [Audiences] might not understand that to make LGBT films for our community, most people have to
mortgage their homes. They look homemade because they are. It's economics; people will finance gay films when gay people make [the films]
profitable, go to the theatres and buy a ticket or purchase the dvd and
therefore prove to financiers and companies that we are a viable audience
and worth the investment.
Is your goal then to make films that appeal to all audiences?
I'm in the business of making entertainment for and about the LGBT community. When I'm asked about the crossover on The Road to Dinah,
I simply say, "That is not my audience:• I want to make a film by and
about lesbians. If it strikes a chord like Bound did, that's great, but I am
not watering down my subject matter or changing anything to do that.
... In Road to Dinah, everyone's gay.I don't think there's a straight person
in the whole script.
How did you wind up in charge of two man-meat flicks?
When you have a lot of cute, half naked men around, you really need to
hire a dyke to make sure someone concentrates on work. ■
September 2007
I65
IR HUXTABLE
UGHT
MEHOW
TOLOVE
to fall for the rightgirl.ByLesleySeacrist
NE LOVES the bad girl. The James Dean with a perfect C cup.
s cigarettes all night and wakes up smelling like sex and confidence.
e saunters in with a whiskey on the rocks, winning the affection of a girl's
ne,syllable lines, like "Hey" and "Yo'-well, maybe not yo, unless
•ng for the whole Joey Lawrence from Blossomthing. She winks,
hands pushed down in her pockets, and reveals just enough flesh to tantalize
and persuade any girl into the bed of the bad girl.
Actually, I don't love the bad girl. The ripped jeans and haphazard solid col,
or T ,shirt never appealed to me. Neither did the "birth,ofthe,cool" sentences
that made them seem boring and unable to make eye contact. I go for another
kind of gal. Some would say older and mature, but I can't describe her as any
other than Mrs. Clair Huxtable.
Step aside Shane and what's her name-Angelina Jo,who? For me, Clair
Huxtable is The CosbyShow character that helps me avoid falling deep for the
bad girl or desperately following around the emotionally unavailable.
This isn't meant to be a psychological prognosis or an implication that all
lesbians who grew up lusting after Gina Gershon in Boundare doomed to have
a drama,saturated relationship. No, all I am saying is that I correlate my search
for a strong,minded, caring, intelligent, passion,filled professional woman to a
TV character from The CosbyShowwho ingrained in me the values and quali,
ties of my kind of healthy relationship. And the big hair doesn't hurt, either.
Every episode I would wait eagerly until Clair would stop Cliff with a pierc,
ing glare after he broke his diet with potato chips or various junk foods that
he hid in cupboards or the kitchen chimney. Cliff would look around with his
best wily smile, but Clair always knew and sent his flustered puffed cheeks to
reconsider his cholesterol binge. It was those eyes, far superior to any sexy bad,
girl stare in the corner of a dim bar. Clair's eyes of authority come from a place
66 Icurve
of concern instead of conquest.
Like when Vanessa decided to go to a concert in Baltimore with her
friends, and lied to Clair and Cliff about where she was. When they
got there, a man disguised as a backstage groupie stole all of the naive
high school girls' money to get back to Brooklyn. When the girls finally
got back home, it was Clair's actions that made her the ultimate fox.
She had control and power that struck fear into young, dumb Vanessa.
Declaring her disappointment with fierce conviction, Clair was strong,
unwavering and decisive in punishing her deceitful daughter.
I think it's damn hot how she kept five children in check-six, if
you include Denise's child Olivia, whom they kindly cared for while her
mother was off gallivanting like she was known to do. I know I sound
like an after,school special, but responsibility can be super sexy,and for
me, Clair-a mother of five,a compassionate wife and a dedicated law,
yer-makes me shiver with excitement.
Too often, when discussing The CosbyShowwith my early,20,some,
thing peers, they reference Denise, the freethinking hippie who bounced
around until she finally married a military man. Yes,she looked good, but
ultimately she didn't hold a flame to Clair's complexity of character.
Remember the episode when Clair needed to fit into her high school
reunion dress and decided to dance off the extra pounds? She took the
advanced dance class, thinking she could compete with the young leotard,clad
women, but found out her older leotard couldn't keep up. Humbled and hu,
miliated, she left the dance studio but was stopped by the teacher who pushed
her own determination and strove to beat the odds.
I know I got to watch her get all sweaty, and those leotards are a big turn,on
by themselves, but it was Clair who didn't quit and ultimately slipped into the
black dress that showed far more credible attributes than Clea Duvall in But I'm
a Cheerleader.
All she did was smoke cigarettes and avoid showering.
The sexy bad girl in the lesbian culture, both off and on,screen, is as abun,
dant as the well,mannered joke in a situation comedy. And because of those
I knowI soundlikean after-school
special,
butresponsibility
canbe supersexy,and
for me,ClairHuxtable-a motherof five,
a compassionate
wife anda dedicated
lawyer-makesmeshiverwith excitement.
characters, flocks of young adolescent lesbians are eager to pound their first
pack against their palm with one leg resting on a wall-and thank goodness.
Without them, there would be no leather jacket industry.
But for me, Clair was the first character that made me excited to be a lesbian.
I realized by watching the reruns of the show that I could wait for a woman like
Clair to sweep me off my toes. She truly possesses every quality that makes me
turn the clicker to Nick at Night instead of Showtime, swooning with good,
natured admiration.
And, who can resist that hair? ■
M
LE BONILLA'S been popping up all over prime time for over a
w, most notably in the recurring role of EMT Harms on ER, and
Teresa Morales on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Hollywood career
nilla is by many accounts just a regular chick, with a soft spot for
Dinah Shore, The L Word and Joan Jett. She's also an accomplished athlete
and activist. Our conversation took place a few days before Bonilla participated in yet another Susan G. Komen Foundation SK. Last year, Bonilla tells me
proudly, she came in second in her age group."! was passed by a 21-year-old;'
recalls the actor, who refuses to give her own age. "I almost tripped her but I
thought that would be a little unfair:'
Nah, she'd never. The more we chat, the clearer it is that Bonilla is one
of those super-sweet, down-to-earth types that's hard to find in Hollywood.
She's also an out lesbian who, at press time, was happily attached and not giving any details. Damn.
ERs residentdyke-off-screenthat
is-discussesthe birdsandthe bees
andbeingLatina.ByCatherinePlato
How old were you when you came out?
I would say 29 .... So it wasn't so long ago. You know, it was just not happening with the guys. Even though, you know, I love the guys to death, but I
really fell in love with a woman and that's when I realized, "Oh my God,
this is what all the movies were talking about. The birds, the bells, the
fireworks. When I got into a relationship with a woman I finally realized
what the hell everyone was talking about, you know?"
Right. And by that time you had your career fairly established?
Oh,yeah.
And did you feel any danger to your career because of it?
No I did not, actually. I think of my career and my personal life as separate. I
somehow think that no one really cares. And I say that rather loosely,because, I don't know, maybe it's just the way I think of things or I deal with
things. I always put my work first, you know, my work is very important
to me and I really love what I do. And when I really go in with that kind
of focus, how can you really address anything else? I think it kind of comMichelle Ma Belle continued on page 76
ANOTHER HOT TODDIE revving
up the screen in Itty Bitty Titty Committee
is actor Jenny Shimizu, famed as much for
her relationship with Angelina Jolie and lone Skye
as well as her roles in films (Fox.fire)and televsion
(Americas Next Top Model). We asked her about
her cast mate, The L Word star Daniela Sea.
Jennyon Daniela
JennyShimizu
dishesonher
sexy/tty Bitty Tiffyco-star.
she's political. And so, I love that they brought
that in. Because I love The L Word thing, but
I do think it tends to get very flashy,and a TV
show should be flashy. For them to bring in
Daniela I think is great, because there's some
realness. That makes me really happy.
Last time I talked with her I said, "I don't
know what you're doing in Hollywood, be-
Who do you like on The L Word?
cause you're just so amazing."
I love that my friend Daniela Sea is on it now. You
know, the funny thing is, I haven't seen The L
Word this season. Because for some reason,
well, I don't have a TV, and I've been very busy.
I just love that she's on it. I saw a clip where
she walks through and she looks beautiful on
it, and she's so real.
I like Daniela too.
And you know, she's been around. And she represents the community, because she's been a
part of the community, and there's no apologies with her. She's a musician, she's an activist,
Yeah, that's what I say.I want to protect her.
I'm worried they'll eat her alive.
Yeah. She has a great girlfriend who is a tough lady,
too. I think they've been around, so they know
what they're getting themselves into. I think
she has a great head on her shoulders. I don't
think that she'll get messed up in any way, or
hurt in any way. You know, it is all about visibility. For her to play that FTM character on
there, thank God. She's just doing it.-Diane
Anderson-Minshall
September 2007
I67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
It'sTime to Go Retro
I
Revisit the past through these campy queer classics. By Candace Moore
Suddenly
(FirstRun
A lonely
Features):
frumpledsalesgirl in
Buenos
Aireswantsto
escapeherdrearylife
and,aswith manyof
those"watch-whatyou-wish-for"
typesof
moments,
lo andbehold
she'skidnapped
bya
pairof butchygirlswho
steala taxiandtake
heronanadventure
the likesof whichshe's
neverseen.Resembling
earlyindiesfromdirectorslikeJimJarmusch,
Suddenly
is captivatingandunpredictable
andrathermellow
for
anactualkidnapcaper.
Butoh,weshouldallbe Barn Barn and Celestesavor the alternative aesthetics and unabducted
byhotLatinderdog hero themes of the '80s, while Wolfe's new additions to
American
dykes.
(firstrunits vintage DVD collection fill in-with flesh as much as confeatures.con1}
- Diane
Anderson-Minshalltent-the gaps in the representation of lesbian love.
Bam Bam and Celeste (Wolfe Video)
If there's one thing comedian Margaret Cho and longtime collaborator Lorene Machado (director of the Cherry Bombs' hit
comedy concert films) nail in this nostalgic comedy, it's Cyndi
Lauper chic. Like a glow stick that won't go out, the movie radiates the fun punk look and explosive emotionality of the thankfully less material girl.
An '80s-inspired garland of character types, storylines and
puffy hair, aerosol sprayed together and floated aloft with upbeat new-wave synth, Barn Barn and Celestemight well bring
you back to when you were another ostracized high schooler
waiting for the John Hughes movie soundtrack to kick in and
save you. The film flits tongue-in-cheek through against-theodds narratives, never fully digging its platforms in. It fast forwards in the lives of its outcast heroes to find gothed-out Celeste
and divinely faggy Barn Barn in their early 30s, still pelted with
slushies by the same ol' townies. He's gotten a job at Fantastic
Sams; she's converted from pink to blue Manic Panic. It's in the
stars for these two best friends to get out of DeKalb, Ill. and the
movie's middle toys with a queer road trip through Hicksville,
68
I curve
with hats off to Thelma and Louise, before landing in New York
City seen through DesperatelySeeking Susan sunglasses. There
the diva duo must confront sworn salon enemies on a live makeover TV show with the aid of an eyelash curler. Perhaps too
much gets packed in; the film can't seem to decide which is more
important: true allegi;mce to cheese, bitter social critique, campy
hand-job jokiness, or the fitting in of cameos (Jane Lynch, Alan
Cumming, Wilson Cruz). That doesn't make Cho's star vehicle
any less of a ball to watch (excepting a few characters spouting
not-so-funny Nazi mouth). (wolfevideo.com)
Just the Two of Us (Wolfe Video)
Perhaps the crowning achievement of hippie-era dykesploitation
films, resurrected from the archival vaults and restored to its vibrant, earthy '70s look, this once "lost" lesbian flick from 1975 is
now found on DVD as part of Wolfe's new vintage collection and
is sure to satisfy the queer-film historiographer in us all. Barbara
Peeters and Jaque Beerson's flouncy tale of two housewives who
discover the joys of disrobing and rubbing atop each other while
their hubbies are "off playing war games" offers unadulterated
T &A, exaggerated dialogue, and a pot-inspired soundtrack to
indulge in, chuckle at or give the occasional grimace. While the
new lady lovebirds spend ample screen time rolling around in
splendidly wallpapered domestic nests, they also find some time
Going Retro continued on page 77
DVD PICKS
Dante'sCove:TheComplete
(here!):The
Season
Second
queers,
showthatcombines
sex,soapandthesupernatural
is backonDVDwiththissecond
seasonset-perfect for those
of youwhostill don'tgethere!
Thesexy
onyourcableprovider.
of the HotelDante,
inhabitants
artistVan(Nadine
especially
andwitchGrace(f racy
Heiman)
Parker
FayGrim(Magnolia):
meeta wholenew
Poseyis the mostreliablyquirky Scoggins),
including
cropof characters,
actorworkingin
andcaptivating
good)Diana
(possibly
lovely
the
while
and
today,
film
independent
(playedby QueerasFo/KsThea
I generallybelievenofilm role
Gill),Van'sgirlfriendMichelle
of hersis as greatas Jackiein
anda sexysurf
Houseof Yes,herturnasthetitle (ErinCummings)
instructor(playedbytheuberhot
characterin FayGrimis pretty
Wolff).Oh,
lesbianactorMichelle
damnclose.In HalHartley's
thereareboys,too,andsome
mosthilariousfilm yet,Poseyis
wifeof a fugitive, full frontalnudity,anda really
anabandoned
hotlesbiansexscene,andin
poetand
sisterof an imprisoned
betweentherearethemeslike
motherof a sullenteenageboy.
comingout,breakingupand
In lesscapablehands,theplot
alonewouldmakefor a depress- stayingalive.Passthepopcorn.
(dantescove.com)-DAM
butHartleyand
ingmelodrama,
Poseynotchit upto a superbly
offbeatcomicthrillerin which
a womanwhocantrustnoone
musttakemattersintoherown
handsin orderto unravelthe
her.Bonus
surrounding
mysteries
spy,
pointsfor a savvyRussian
playedbyqueeractorSaffron
andcapablebutflighty
Burrows,
playedbyElina
stewardess
FayGrimmanages
Lowensohn.
(Acorn):Helen
TheInvestigator
a delightfulcurto underscores
gainedfamein the
Baxendale
and
rentof femalecooperation
U.S.astheratherdemandWhenwasthe
empowerment.
butthe
ingEmilyon Friends,
lasttimeyousawthat kindof
knownin
well
was
Brit
seasoned
thingin a spythriller?
recently
film,
1997
This
UK.
the
M
(magpictures.com)-DA
onDVD,is proofof why.
released
Meager,
In it, sheplaysCaroline
Noah'sArc:TheComplete
withtheRoyalMilitary
(Logo):If you're a sergeant
Season
Second
in Northern
Police,stationed
amongthe legionsof lesbian
Ireland,whentwo internalaffairs
fansof Noah'swhoweredisapguysaccuseherof beinga lespointedto discoverthat instead
we
bian.Ina seriesof flashbacks
of anotherseasononTVthe
this
to
got
Caroline
how
out
find
wereplanninga movie
producers
spinoff,well,it's timeto console placeandhowshetoohadonce
themilitary'sban
yourselfwiththis newthree-disc perpetuated
ongays.Basedona truestory,
set.Theusualdatingdrama
is captivating,
TheInvestigator
black,gay
in LosAngeles's
allthemore
made
and
enraging
worldawaits,asdoshortaudio
byreal-lifeMeager's
compelling
andthe "OhNo,
commentaries
in thebonusmatericomments
YouDidn't,"a reelof bloopers.
-DAM
als.(acornmedia.com)
-DAM
(logoonline.com)
Jennifer Abod
I
FEMINIST, ACTIVIST, FILMMAKER
I
A veteran in feminist and community radio, a former professor in Intercultural
Media Education and Women's Studies, 60-year-old filmmaker Jennifer Abod's got
a new issue to tackle in her latest project. Look Us in the Eye: The Old Womens
Project,her new documentary, discusses the silenced issues of "old" women, sheds a
new light into the injustices of ageism and sexism, and introduces audiences of all
ages to the movement's under-recognized activists. - JaimeRoca
Did you think of ageism in your 30s, 40s and 50s?
I really didn't think about it at all.
And what changed as you got "old?"
People start to treat you differently. I was starting to be called "young lady:' ... The
word "young lady" is supposed to somehow be a compliment. In other words, I
look young as opposed as to [being] able to claim my age. I was experiencing sexism in a different way than I did when I was much younger.
Any insights as you made this film?
I was surprised to find out how much I never really thought of old women being
a part of all social justice movements. Violence against women for example- I
really didn't consider that old women had their own relationship to this problem.
And it is quite large actually because ... a lot of old women are raped. Old women
are also battered by their spouses and their children, and it's a significant issue.
What's different about media and activism in the '70s versus today?
As far as video goes, there were a number of women who made early films who were
associated with universities that were really important in those early years, but a
lot of us didn't have the skills and it was very, very expensive. Now digital media
makes things a lot less expensive ... I think the documentary form is so critically
important, especially for lesbians.
What were some of the audience reactions to your film?
The women who are middle aged and old-they are just grateful for bringing the
issue up. Because it's just not talked about, the issues of how old women who
are often isolated because young people [don't] necessarily include old people in
their activities. Can you have friends of all ages:' Can you see people as peers:' As
human beings:' ... I think there is a tendency to not socialize with women who
are cross generation, and I think that's really a problem for social justice movements-that we really need all of our diversity, and that includes across age. ■
September 2007
I69
Reviews In the Stacks
Writing in the Margins
I
Take a step back and hear the stories you may have missed. By Rachel Pepper
EDITOR'S
PICK
These new books tell the stories of those who have stayed silent
for far too long. Gospel-blues pioneer Rosetta Tharpe is posthumously getting the recognition that doesn't come easy to women
in blues, while transgender teenagers, a much underrepresented
and underserved community, have their stories told in the new
psycho-sociological study by lesbian author Cris Beam.
Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T With
Transgender Teenagers, Cris Beam (Harcourt)
people who knew or worked with Tharpe, recreating the musical, cultural and political mores of the times she lived in. Sadly,
although Tharpe had an amazing life, her career suffered as musical styles changed, and diabetes felled her with a stroke in 1973.
Now lying in an unmarked grave in Philadelphia (incredibly, her
manager husband never bought her a headstone), Tharpe's welcome comeback is long overdue. This biography should help this
revival along, as will the re-release of many of Th_arpe'salbums
Although the title of Cris Beam's book is unfortunately misleading-it has nothing to do with transgender parents-her
story about trans teenagers is still a good one. As a writer in
Los Angeles in 1997, Beam thought she would volunteer a few
hours a week working with LGBTQ teens. Walking into Eagles,
a small high school for transient queer teenagers, she was immediately thrust into a classroom and forced to improvise a lesson
on the spot. Over the course of the next few years, Beam became
an integral part of the school and in the lives of several of the
male-to-female students, who counted on her for help not only
with academics, but with their myriad life struggles, including
incarceration, drug use and homelessness. As Beam dug deeper
into the lives of the students, tracking them through their various travails, the stories of Transparentbegan to take shape.
Her book most closely follows the particular stories of four
trans teens: Christina (who Beam and her girlfriend take under
their wing as a foster
daughter), Dorriineque,
Foxxjazell and Ariel.
Through these four,
Beam explains the fa,
milial and societal dynamics that allow transgender teenagers to fall
dangerously through
the cracks. While hus,
tling to earn money,
taking
underground
hormones and search,
ing for love (or at least
acceptance), somehow
they all survive. Some
are lucky enough to
find older trans folk who "adopt" them, or they manage to gradu,
ate and find a job, but Beam's book makes clear that those who
emerge most successfully from their adolescence are those whose
families have not forsaken them. This is a serious piece of investi,
gative reporting, replete with details on the four main characters'
lives. The book does bog down at times because-despite the
fabulousness the teenagers aspire to-their lives are fairly gritty.
Still, Beam's thoughtful combination of advocacy and reporting
in Transparentwill prove indispensable to the small but growing
literature on transgender teens.
Origami
Striptease,
PeggyMunson
(Suspect
Thoughts): Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of RockMunson's
eroticlyric and-Ro/1 Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gayle
novel(writtenlargelyin F. Wald (Beacon Press)
iambicprose)isa seduc- The recent "rediscovery" of Sister Rosetta Tharpe is an excittive,oftenraunchy
fantasy ing historical moment. A pioneering gospel-blues singer, songofthedisarming
effects writer and master guitarist, Tharpe first burst out of the church
of loveandtrouble.
When world and onto the pop charts in 1938 with her hit'This Train:'
Munson's
unnamed
nar- She has been cited as a major musical influence on
generations
rator,aneroticacolumnist
of musicians, including
in exile,meetstheenigElvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt
maticJack,herworldand
and
Isaac Hayes. Born into
thebook'ssenseof nara
poor
Southern family
rativeconvention
seem
to splitapartintobotha in 1915 in Cotton Plant,
strange
andanintuitive Ark., Tharpe learned the
territory.
Lovers
saythings music business early, ac,
suchas,"You're
marvel- companying her mother at
ous.You'relikea stolen church on voice and guitar.
painting,"
or"Yourbody In New York, she reguisanicehotel"(towhich larly performed at famous
shereplies,
"I'venever
halls like the Cotton Club,
beento Greenland,
butI
scored a Decca recordknewthatit wasthere").
Themostprovocative
ele- ing contract and enjoyed
mentofthenovel,
though, a rather successful career,
is itsfrankuseofchronic considering her era, race
illness(Munson
has and gender.
beenoutspoken
about
Living as unconventionally as a gospel singer could, Tharpe
herstruggle
withboth strived to be her own woman. Not surprisingly, she ran up
chronic
fatiguesyndrome against the confines of church, musical categories, marriage (she
andmultiple
chemical had several "close friendships" with other women that were rusensitivities
syndrome) mored to
be sexual), segregation and male performers' egos. She
asMunson's
characters
also found herself pitted against other women performers, such
struggle
to definethemselvesin a toxicworld. as Mahalia Jackson. Gayle F.Wald's groundbreaking biography
(suspectthoughtsof Tharpe, Shout, SisterShout!,is the first book-length account of
.com)-Julia Bloch this flamboyant woman's life. Wald interviewed more than 150
70
Icurve
on CD and live footage of Tharpe online at YouTube. Check out
her rendition of"Down by the Riverside'' to see a woman who
may finally be getting her due.
PAGE TURNERS
/ slipped/ into
/ language
time,I opened,/felt."The
reader'seyeveritablyraces
downthesenarrowcorridors
butthereare
of immediacy,
longer,morecontemplative
too,suchasthe
moments,
politicallychargedsestina
"ToHell":"Wecan'tthink
it's sowonderful,being
liedto for yearsI We'veacbrightcynicism,
complished
Scorpio,
in
Stellium
thenstrugglefor love/ We
& Austin(Bold
Andrews
flounder,wefail,theelephant
Ex-police
StrokesBooks):
of
theconfusions
eliminates
officerTeagueRichfield
didn't
probably
Love
I
love.
andpsychicCallieRivers
needa war,couldn'teat,
shouldn'tbeableto keep
is rollingonwavestodayI
theirhandsoff eachother.
The
Afterall,theyhavedreamed Thecity is emptying.
planbeen
have
elephants
of eachother'ssmolderningtheirpartyfor years."
ingembraceduringtheir
Mylessaysin thenextprose
But,whenthe
separation.
poemthatshethoughtthe
two reunitein a LasVegas
boring"
sestina"incredibly
hotel,peskydragqueens,
boatto
a
on
it
wrote
she
as
mafiosos,ghostsandblackbutits
York,
New
post-9/11
up,
mailerskeeppopping
andCallie repetitiveformcapturesthe
Teague
preventing
of
redundancy
theirlust.The oppressive
fromrekindling
rulebetterthan
Republican
two aredrawnintoa deadly
I've
anyAlterNetheadline
mysterywhena showgirl
(wavepoetry.com)
lately.
seen
is threatened,
acquaintance
-JB
with ominoushintsthat
andCalliemightbe
Teague
next.Drawingontheirprior
experience,
screenwriting
Andrews& Austinstarttheir
RIEFENSTAHL
storywithflair
high-octane
andhumor,thenneverlet
up.Narratorleague'ssnarky
hooksyouimmeperspective
diately,carryingyouthrough
lightnoir
a high-spirited
never
wherethe suspense
letsup.(boldstrokesbooks.
A Life,
LeniRiefenstahl:
com)-ElizabethA. Allen
(Farrar,
JurgenTrimborn
the
Though
Giroux):
&
Straus
Sorry,Tree,EileenMyles
current-World
her
of
peak
Theinimitablerock
(Wave):
starof thedykepoetryscene WarII-is longpastand
sheherselfis dead,Leni
returnswith a gorgeously
to
continues
boundvolumeof lovepoems. Riefenstahl
of
Creator
controversy.
excite
In "ForJordana,"Myles
century's
20th
the
of
some
writesa little poeticmanimostbeautifulanddisturbfestoin shortlinesthatdart
wasa
downthe middleof the page: ingfilms,Riefenstahl
movie
pioneering
brilliant,
"I thinkwriting/ is desire/
makerwhoseachievements
nota formI of it. It's feeling
LENI
/ intospace,/ tuckedinto
PageTurnerscontinuedon page 72
Hanne Blank
I
AUTHOR
I
"Virginity is fascinating. It's a very queer state;' says Hanne Blank, author of the new social
history Virgin: The UntouchedHistory. From the centuries,long search for the elusive hy,
men to the True Love Waits campaign, Blank delves into society's wide,ranging obsession
with female virginity. Having written for Penthouseand served on the faculty of several
universities, Blank combines a racy, readable style with serious scholarship. During her
whirlwind book tour Blank talked about why virginity matters so. - ElizabethAllen
So tell me the story behind this book.
There were two moments that inspired [it]. First, my friend, who's in her early 30s, called
me up and said, "I finally did it! I've had sex!"It threw me for a loop because she was the
opposite of what I thought I knew virgins were like. Instead of being a nerd with body
dysmorphia and a fear of sex, she was a blond, babelicious, fabulous bombshell. Here
was a real virgin, and she didn't fit any of the stereotypes. Also, I used to work with
teens as a sex educator. Girls would ask me questions like, "My boyfriend fingered me.
Am I still a virgin?" I would answer, "I don't know. What do you think?"
What did the experts say?
That's the thing. The experts didn't say! There wasn't any authoritative statement on virgin,
ity. There aren't many realistic portrayals of virgins out there, much less an accurate defi,
nition. People have spilled so much ink on the subject, but there's still a gap that needs
to be filled with useful information .... Virginity is a huge part of women's lives, and it's
also a huge tool of misogynist oppression against women.
So you're saying that virginity isn't just about sex. It's a feminist issue as well?
Absolutely. Honor killings still happen almost daily all over the world. Girls and women
are murdered for their virginity or supposed lack thereo£ In January 2005, Jasmine
Archie, a 12,year,old girl in Alabama, was killed after she told her mom she was no
longer a virgin. Her mom [allegedly] made her drink bleach and then sat on her chest
to suffocate her .... You can see how important it is to educate people about virginity
when someone [tries to] use it as justification for killing their child. I mean, the only
virgin whose virginity you can really count on is a dead virgin's. Because, you know,
everyone else could just be a big ol' ho behind your back!
You can joke about something that horrible?
I had to have a sense of humor while writing this book. Some of the things I found out
were so poisonous and misogynist that I just had to make a crack about them and
defuse them. You have to laugh, or it'll kill you.
And then you'll never get to debauch any virgins ...
Ah, yes. So many virgins, so little time ... ■
September 2007
I 71
Page Turners continued &om page 71
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
CUrve09 when you join
~sofa.com
connecting lesbians
America's fas test growing lesbian website
72
I curve
chapterswasa smallfrustrawill alwaysbecloudedbyher
tion,butthe book'supbeat
stintasthechiefcinematic
propagandist
of the Naziregime. treatmentof queerathletesboth
Wasshea horriblesell-out?Did well knownandobscurewill
surelyinspirereadersto learn
herNazisupportcompromise
herartisticgreatness?
Answers moreabouttheseiconsof our
pastandpresent.(wildcatintl.
remainelusive,especially
since
com/press)
- EAA
Riefenstahl
minimized
and
outrightliedafterthewarabout
herintimacywiththeThird
Reich.Whilepreviousbooks
haveexamined
Riefenstahl
the personor Reifenstahl
thefilmmaker,University
of
Cologne
professor
of film Jurgen
Trimbornaddresses
boththe
ge·nius'
worksandhercharacter.
Youneednotbea film scholaror
evena historybuffto appreciateTrimborn's
discussion
of
oneof the lastcentury'smost
Femininity
in Flight:A History
enigmaticwoman.Lucidand
of
Flight
Attendants,
Kathleen
detailedwithouteverbeing
technical,Trimbornusesprimary M. Barry(DukeUniversity
Press):I sawthis commercial
sourceseffectively
to detaila
recently
that embodied
the curlifefull of triumphandhorrorin
rent
stereotype
of
airline
stewequalmeasure.(fsgbooks.com)
ardesses.
It
featured
lithe
wom-EAA
en in tight uniformsproviding
servicesto malepassagers
with
the slogan"GetOn...GetOff."
Whilethe imageof thefemale
flightattendantmaystill bethat
of a submissive
sexpot,Barry's
bookshowcases
thetruth about
theseladiesof the air.Inthe
first decadesof the lastcentury,
whenaerialtechnology
was
new,stewardesses
sharedwith
malepilotsthedashing,hardy
derring-doof adventurers
aloft.
Asthis earlymystiquewore
TheLavender
LockerRoom:
off, stewardesses
strugg_led
3000Yearsof GreatAthletes
Whose
SexualOrientation
Was againstsexistrestrictions.
Different,
PatriciaNellWarren Theyhadseriousresponsibilicalmingand
(WildcatPress):TheLavender tiessafeguarding,
educatingtheirpassengers,
LockerRoombeginsbackin
butthe industryandthe public
thetimesof Greekmythology
trivializedstewardess'
positions.
withthe Iliad'sstoryof famed
Regulating
theirheight,weight
Trojanwarrior/lovers
Achilles
andappearance,
airlinessought
andPatroclus.
Covering
three
to makestewardesses
decoramillenniaof athleteswhowere
tiveandunobtrusive,
theirtrue
eitherqueeror inspirations
hardworkinvisibleto passenfor queersportsfolk,Warren's
essaysconcludein the modern gers'eyes.Butflightattendants
foughtback,unionizing
as early
daywith a portraitof gay
asthe 1940sandusingthe
footballplayerDavidKopay,
1970s'newanti-discrimination
wholooksenthusiastically
to
laws.Drawingoncontemporary
thefuture.Lavender
collects
mediaportrayalsof stewardessaysoriginallypublishedon
outsports.com
andWarrenuses esses,corporatetrainingdocumentsandflightattendants'
a lively,casualtonethat draws
ownwords,Barrybringsthis
readersin.Thebrevityof most
fascinatingandforgottenstory
to light.(dukeupress.edu)
-EAA
TheTenMinuteActivist
(NationBooks):
Thoughit
focusesprimarilyonanti-consumerism
andenvironmental
activism,thisbookis a greatprimer
oneasywaysto say"f-you"to
theman.Whileit catersmostlyto
thevegan-anarchist-punk-rockbike-messenger
crowd,Activist
manages
to escapehyperpretension,
providing
plentyof
pertinentinfoonthevarious
waysWesternnationsarescrewingthemselves
andtherestof
theworld,andevenoffering
viablesolutions.
(nationbooks.
org)- Catherine
Plato
BrokenWings,
L-JBaker(Bold
StrokesBooks):
Bakersetsup
traditionalclassboundaries
for
its romanticprotagonists
(Ryeis
a poorconstruction
workerwith
custodyof herteensister,while
rich,glamorous,
blinged-out
Florahasfew caresbeyond
heracclaimed
art).As Rye
andFlora'shotsfor eachother
increase,
theshamefulsecrets
of Rye'schildhoodthreaten
boththeirrelationship
andRye's
sister'sfuture.Bakerwrites
with zipandpunch,fleshingout
hercharacterswellsothatyou
don'tcarethatyou'rereading
a timeworntale.Theauthor
falters,however,in makingRye
a fairyandFloraa dryad.The
fantasysettingdoeslittlefor the
story,especially
sinceRyeand
Flora'scityfunctionsjust like,
say,NewYork,onlywithflying
carpetsinsteadof Hummers.
Forme,the magicalelements
standoutdistractinglyin what
wasotherwisea deftlydone
romance.(boldstrokesbooks.
com)-EAA
Music Watch Reviews
Mellow Melodies
From folk to jazz, sedate sounds rule September.
I By Margaret
Coble
way in a little western-Texas town named Marfa,
where she met Hailey. The two became fast
friends, and Hailey released Cook's strippeddown, open-air Bunkhouse Recordings in 2006
on her label, Marfa Records, and cleverly got its
track "Million Holes in Heaven" written into
EDITOR'S
PICK
Rock,Wensday
Torch
(DesertDreams):
I loveanywoman
The L Word script and onto the third-season
Alice
whoremakes
soundtrack. Hence, dyke buzz. A year later, Cooper's
classic,"Only
Bleed"(about
Cook's got a new collection of 10 gorgeous, lazy, Women
thecycle
overcoming
acoustic folk songs filled with western-flared
violence).
domestic
of
slide guitars and lots of twangy atmosphere.
Cooper
wonder
No
Most cuts are melancholy, cinematic vignettes
thisedgyrock
dubbed
that all take place under the vast Texas skychickmeetssweet
inspiration for the tide of the record-though
"theother
chanteuse
"The Reveler's Goodbye" goes a more distorted
girlnextdoor."With
electric route, sounding a bit like a Texas ver- powerrockballadsand
sion of the Moaners. It's hard to pick out favor- a fusionof pop,jazzand
ites because it's one of those albums that plays evencountry,
Wensday
best as a continuous recording, but the opening
singer.
is a captivating
Moresowhenyousee
"Coming Home (The Eclipse)" and the radiothe
friendly "The Answer" are good bets. (amycook. herlive,because
fierytattooedsexpot
com)
her
(whosupplements
as
work
with
singing
Pamela Means Jazz Project, Vol. 1,
a bodypiercerin tat
Pamela Means (Wirl Records)
shopsin Miamiand
On this eight-track disc comprised mostly of
comesacross
Atlanta)
jazz standards, the Boston-based singer-songasa sortof lesbian
writer and out dyke hottie veers off in a differ- wetdream.(wensdayent-though not unfamiliar to her-direction.
- Diane
music.com)
Though many have come to know and love her
Anderson-Minshall
Some months, I get dozens of discs from very earnest Melissa
Etheridge wannabes. Other months, it's all blippy club and electronic music. This month, it's all about sleepy and sublime acoustic music, ranging from the exquisite indie folk of Mirah and the
TexaHinged, alt-folk of Amy Cook to the tasty jazz served up
by Pamela Means and the more theatrical and comedic style of
lnvocal. They all seem somehow appropriate for September.
vi
z
~
6
a:
w
Q
z
:::i
N
:::i
q
8
~
~
~
<I)
~
z
0
<I)
:::i
...J
<
The Sky Observer's Guide, Amy Cook (Root
House Records)
Out singer,songwriter Amy Cook may have big dyke
buzz due to her friendship with The L Word star
Leisha Hailey, but she continues to get critical acclaim
and public attention because of albums like this. If you
don't know her story, Cook had some moderate success
early in her career, placing several songs on teen TV
shows like Dawsons Creek,VeronicaMars and Laguna
Beach.Disillusioned with the Los Angeles scene, however, she headed toward Austin, Texas, stopping on the
as one of the fiercest guitar players and politically rooted folk singers in the music industry today, her roots
are in jazz; she trained classically at the Wisconsin Conservatory
of Music before heading to Boston to make her mark on the folk
scene there. With her skillful delivery of snappy lounge classics
like ';\ll of Me': "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Sunny Side of the
Street;' interspersed with intense renderings of sparse vocal
ballads like "My Funny Valentine" and "I Got It Bad;' Means
takes her rightful place among
contemporary superstar jazz
vocalists such as Cassandra
Wilson and Norah Jones. My
personal favorite is her breathy
take on Nina Simone's "Four
Women;' though the jazzified
version of her funky original
"My Love" comes in a close second. (pamelameans.com)
Mellow Melodies continued on 75
September 2007
I73
LIKEA BOY
The video that's melting
monitors everywhere.
It's rare that I watch music videos these days. But when I heard that
Ciara's "Like a Boy" video was a must,see, I raced to my computer
and made it happen. What played before my eyes was a slickly cho,
reographed and certainly tantalizing black,and,white production,
rife with muscled ladies and gender,bending hotness.
Ciara, in case you aren't in the know, is a 21,year,old Grammy,
Award,winning R&B/hip,hop/ dance music goddess from Austin,
Tex. In 2004 she burst onto the scene with the record Goodies(La
Face), home to the smash hit title track, among others. At the end
of last year, Ciara released The Evolution(where you'll find the song
"Like a Boy"), which raced up the charts both here and in Europe.
So back to the video: It depicts several scenes in which the age,
old roles are reversed and the women are the ones wearing the pro,
verbial (and literal) pants. You'll see plenty of muscle flexing, tattoos,
and yes, crotch,grabbing deluxe done by Ciara and her gals. They
also know how to bust some serious dance moves. And just wait until
you get a look at Ciara dressed in a man's suit, complete with a Fedora
hat. My, oh my, she wears it well, so very well. She sings, "Would the
rules change up, or would they still apply? If I played you like a toy?
Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy:'
Ciara, you go right on ahead. - Aimsel L. Ponti
74
I curve
OTHER LICKS
Cliks(Tommy
111e
Snakehouse,
to
BoySilverLabel):Skyrocketed
famefirst by TheL Wordandmore
queer
recentlybytheblockbuster
TrueColorstour,
musicevent,HRC's
quartet
Toronto
thisFTM-fronted,
thanksto
swooning,
haseveryone
strikinggoodlooksanda tight,new
indiedance-punk
wave-flavored,
sound.Everysonghererocks,but
thecatchyLogoTVfavorite"Oh
Yeah"anda clevercoverof Justin
"CryMea River"seal
Timberlake's
thedealfor me.(thecliks.com)
GimmieSplash,GabbyGlaser
Dirty,
Recordings):
(Latchkey
cutslike"FruitIsSweet"
disco-punk
connectthis11-tracksolodebutto
Jacksonpastof Glaser,
theLuscious
andguitarist/vocala co-founder
butfuzzy,
istforthefabfoursome,
garagerocklike"The
wah-wah-filled
Spiritof LongIsland"is moreexemplaryof therestof thealbumthat,on
at best.
thewhole,is sadlymediocre
~atchkeyrecordings.com)
Show,Metropolitan
Traveling
MediaRecords):
Klezmer(Rhythm
octet,together
ThisfeistyNYC-based
12yearsandcounting,is knownfor
rangeof Yiddish
its encyclopedic
sounds.Thegroupdeliversanexcelby
lent18-tracklivesetpunctuated
cut "ComesLove,"
the "Klezbonus"
fromtheirsistersextetoffshoot,Isle
Feist(lnterscope):
Reminder,
111e
(metropolitanklezmer.com)
of Klezbos.
torch-popstar's
TheCanadian
clasrockin'takeontheNinaSimone
Woman"(thoughFeist
sic "See-Line
standsoutasmy
spellsit "Sealion")
favetrackonthis13-cutfollow-up
award-winning
to herchart-topping,
in Paris,the
"LetIt Die."Recorded
albumis equalpartsmoodmusicand
smartindiepop,withslowburners
like"TheLimitto YourLove"sure
to pleasefansof herpastwork.
(listentofeist.com)
MotownRemixedVolume2
Remixcol(Motown/Universal):
Blues,Joan
Into111e
lectionsof classichitscanreallygo
The
(429Records):
Armatradlng
eitherway,butthisLatin-themed
first
Britishsinger-songwriter's
secondvolumefromthefolksat
studioeffortsince2003's"Lover's
Motownis a winnerdueto inclusions Speak"is a mostlyblues-inflected
mixof
liketheLosAmigosInvisibles
in
affair,astheleadoff "AWoman
Jr.Walker& theAllStars'"Shotgun" Love"andsmoldering
titletrack
funk suggest,butit alsostraysto more
aswellasthesimplereggaeton
of SPK'stakeontheJackson5's "I
Songs")
("Secular
gospel-flavored
thehottest androots-folk("BabyBlueEyes")
WantYouBack,"arguably
trackonthedisc.(ilovethatsong.
sounds,resultingin a solid13-track
comlmotownremixed)
- MC
set.Uoanarmatrading.com)
Nyika
I
Share This Place: Stories and
Observations, Mirah and Spectratone
International (K Records)
Concept albums are rare these days; it takes a certain
level of concentration to follow their typically esoteric
themes, something today's iTunes audience doesn't
really have. This notwithstanding, out indie vocalist
Mirah could sing a proverbial phonebook and I would
be rapt. Her whispery, angelic voice instantly captures
the listener's complete attention. So, despite the lyrical
content of this 12,song cycle about the complex lives
of insects ("Love Song of the Fly")-a collaboration
Mirah undertook with Spectratone International-it's
a stunning listen from beginning to end. Tenderly ac,
companied by cello, accordion, subtle percussion and
even a Middle Eastern lute called an oud, Mirah's voice
sounds perfectly in place as another skillful instrument
in this very old,world,sounding ensemble. Inspired
by French scientist and poet Jean Henri Fabre, the
songs serve as the score for a suite of 12 stop,motion,
animated short films by Britta Johnson, one of which
(Credo Cigalia) is included on the album. It would
take a much longer review to do justice to all the lyr,
ics and individual songs, but suffice it to say, I highly
recommend it, regardless of your interest level in bugs.
(krecs.com)
Uneven Keel, lnvocal (self-released)
This all,female U.K. quartet plays a theatrically flared
blend of gypsy folk and cabaret, ranging from down,
right bawdy to wittily tongue,in,cheek to just plain
poignant. Hailing from Northampton, U.K., the group
uses instruments ranging from a cello and a clarinet to
a guitar and various percussion, with a flawless,four,
part vocal harmony that rakes center stage. Ir's like a
less,annoying, lesbotronic version of the Roches. You'll
laugh out loud at cuts like "Dear Friend;' a hilarious
screw,you letter to a pretend,to,be friend, or perhaps
shed a tear to the tender "Photograph" while nodding
knowingly to the bittersweet"Small Anxious Waltz;' a
tale of challenging lesbian life in small,town England.
Definitely worth checking out. (invocal.co.uk)
BRITISH SOUL DIVA I
Sometimes bluesy, often funky and
always soulful, The First Sensation is a
promising debut from neo,soul sensa,
tion Nyika. The sexy Brit tomboy and
out lesbian recently visited America
and found time between auditions to
chat about girl power, crossing over
and The L Word. - Azania Baker
Do you ever worry about being
pigeonholed?
I do, but there's nothing you can do about it. Youjust have to keep making your music.... When
you can't be pigeonholed, I think ... a lot of companies can't really deal with you. That's the
problem I have: "What is it? Is it folk? Is it rock? What is it?" I say,"Well, it's all of those
things. Why does it have to be just one?" "Well, no ... what's your target audience?""Well,
people that like music:' Really, the second album I'm recording is quite different from The
First Sensation. It's more guitar,led. With the second album, yeah, it's a bit more rocky, a bit
more bluesy.
How do you feel about crossing over to a U.S. audience?
I've had an amazing response (here in the U.S.] ... I'm not really sure why that is. London's a
weird place right now for music. We have a joke, me and my friends, that there's about five
guys that get all the work in England. The money is not really in black music in Britain .... A
lot of black artists do have to leave the country to even get ... you know, people like Floetry
and Roots Maneuver, these are British artists, and they've had to leave to do well. I don't
know why it's like that, but it is. But having said that, yeah, I'm very happy to cross over to
an American audience; it's great.
Was Bad Girls pretty much the only thing you had?
We had Bad Girls, we had Queer as Folk ... I love The L Word. When I went back to London,
I got the box set of the first (season] and ... all the sex scenes, and they're properly show,
ing it. (In] other films it's like a little sideline or it's implied what's happening. Me and my
friends were just like, "Shit, OK, they're fucking on TV right now:' ... And it's quite nice to
see Jennifer Beals doing that because when I was a kid, I remember going to see Flashdance
and I was just sitting in the cinema going "Shit, man, I am such a lesbian. "So it was great to
see that ... What I'd like to see in The L Word is ... a bit more of the butch presence there
because that is something I think in the media that's really ... they're scared of that. And they
shouldn't be .... Everyone's been sort of acclimatized to the sort of effeminate gay,man image.
So why not have a butch lesbian image?"
Would you like to have a guest spot on The L Word?
Yeah, I'd love to. I was thinking about that today in the shower. I was like, "Yeah, man, I should
do a gig in the Planet or something:' Then Jennifer Beals realizes that she's madly in love
with me and she absolutely can't keep her hands off me. But yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to have
a gig spot there definitely. And it would be nice to kind of bring in ... some British (artists].
I'm on a bit of a mission, you know, I really am. Really, I'd like to be the first, like, out kind of
rock star. I'm actually doing it. ■
September 2007
I75
Desert of My Heart continued from page 63
MichelJe Ma Belle continued from page 67
"I was in New York doing a film... and actually a mutual friend of hers and
mine said she wanted to meet me. For a few days we went through various
scenarios of how we were going to meet ... she wasn't feeling well but wanted
to talk to me on the phone so we talked on the phone and a call was arranged
and she told me it was great and that I would be a star and talked to me about
compartmentalizes .... I can only think of one thing at a time, you know?
my big face, big mouth-anyway, I had the right size face apparently:'
Charbonneau too had a famous fan; lesbian supermodel Gia was said to
have found herself reflected in Cay's portrayal.
With one of the most erotic lesbian love scenes ever filmed still to this day,
it's no surprise that lesbians like Garbo and Gia were huge fans. What may
shock some, though, is that Charbonneau was pregnant during the filming of
those very intimate scenes.
"You know the good ol' white jumpsuit?
Well when you first see us walking along
Pyramid Lake, my gut is like flat as a board.
Then when we get to the house, I've got this
little paunch because ... ! was almost three
months pregnant. But actually when we,
did do the love scene, I was definitely, definitely protective of my body:'
Today Desert Hearts is still the highestgrossing lesbian film, 20 years after it was
released, a fact that both reassures and disappoints the actors.
"It's kind of wonderful but kind ofterrible also;' says Shaver. "I mean The L word
has been an interesting piece of mainstream, well, more or less mainstream entertainment with lots of lesbian love stories
and heartbreaks and all kinds of life as life
happens. But really, it's odd that in North
American cinema that it is still the highest
would come out and do it bigger, you
someone
that
grossing. You'd think
know?"
Perhaps that's the legacy of being a bit ahead of its time, but for Deitch,
Shaver and Charbonneu, Desert Hearts will always be a pivotal part of
their personal history, and a huge contribution to American cinema. Today
Charbonneau can still be found on any number of TV reruns like Law &
Order thanks in part to her stint in LA after Desert Hearts wrapped ("I lost a
part of myself out there;' she says of not finding a good mix in Hollywood).
Today she teaches acting to students in upstate New York and is taking on
film roles again (up next: 100 Feet, a thriller with Famke Janssen). Shaver's
die-hard fans (colleagues at one of her theater groups called them "stage show
Joanies") can catch her onscreen in Numb this year, or wait for her upcoming
film-an adaptation of her sister Mary's memoir, The Naked Nun, about going into a convent as a 17-year old virgin and emerging 10 years later in 1967's
sex, drugs and rock and roll world.
Both women still seem like quiet activists, still. Charbonneau speaks of
the "unbelievable" gifr she's been given with Desert Hearts and the women who
open up to her. "That's something I definitely do not take lightly. I feel that
way with this whole country right now, it's like with anything there's an enormous responsibility that comes with many things, with wealth and exposure
and just be careful with how you use it, don't abuse it:'
Shaver concurs that Desert Hearts confirmed what she already knew:
'That love is. And love is when you find it. And love is the truth, and the thing
that is most important. It is our essential nourishment. And I'm just hoping
that on a human wide level we get over the idea that violence is somehow the
way to solve problems. But that's a whole other story:'
76
I curve
Yeah. Have you ever had a chance to play a lesbian character?
I actually did .... I played Claire and, as we find out, Jenny, who were twins,
and I had a love scene with Elizabeth Keener ... in Liz Lachman's (2005]
short Getting to Know You. I've not done it for prime time or anything.
Do you feel like there are times when you are kind of typecast or
given roles that play into Latina stereotypes?
Yeah, you know, the thing is that I've gotten kind of sick of it, actually. It's
just been recently that I realized, "Oh no, it's another weepy woman who's
speaking about the death of her husband. Oh, she happens to be Spanish.
And they happen to want me to speak in an accent. How original!" You
know? Just recently. I used to answer no to that question, to be honest
with you, but now it's like, come on, guys. Come on. I did it and I've done
it, and it's like, you know, there was a certain part of my career where it
was OK, but I really have no interest in those roles anymore, you know?
There's a certain sort of idea of acting is acting and you get the job when
you can get it and it's like, well, there's a certain point in your career where
you' re like, 'T ve done that a million times and ifI keep doing it, it will only
add to the fact that I'm being typecast:' ... Like the weepy girl again [with
Spanish accent]:"My husband, [pretends to weep], it is not his fault!"
Are you an L Word fan at all?
Oh, I love The L Word!
We had Papi, Janina Gavankar, on our cover recently. She plays
a Latina character but she's actually mixed-race Indian. It's the
second time that the show has cast someone who is not Latina in a
Latina role. How do you feel about casting decisions like that?
It's annoying. What that shows me is that the people who are responsible
for that show do not
know how to represent
that character. It's elusive, because it leads me
to believe that either that
they' re really, really ignorant or they're really sort
of imposing their idea of
what someone should
look like, and I think it's
a really horrible thing to
do to the ... Latin community. We don't look
like that. None of us do.
I don't know if it's done
out of laziness. I don't
know how their decisions are made. Because
let me tell you, that there
are a handful of actresses, many of them who
are very good friends of
mine, who could do that
part just as well, or blow
them more out of the water. You know? I mean, I
love the show, I love the
creators. . . . I mean, the
question was simply stated to me what I thought
about [the casting deci-
Going Retro continued from page 68
sion]. And that's what I think.
Which project are you most proud of
throughout the course of your career?
I would say one of the most wonderful roles that
I've actually played was one of the roles that
I originated, which was the role of Teresa
Morales on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. It
was a series regular role that was written, and
it was written so beautifully. I liked what it
did. It was the exact opposite of what The L
Word did. [The creators] were very brave....
The show in and of itsel£ you know, it was a
fictional show, but they took a lot of their story
ideas from actual ideas [and] events in history
and the way they fictionalized certain events
but they really stayed true to the people and
the pride. And I just love what ... the creator of
the show, Beth Sullivan, let me do to represent
my people. I learned about my people, where
we came from, and it instilled me with such
a pride and confidence in being a MexicanAmerican woman. It was such a joy because
this character ... she stood up to the lead of the
show, who was, of course, a white woman, and
the head white woman. And at the same time,
[my character] got to have a love interest; she
got to have feelings. It was a really, really nice
thing to play. It wasn't a stereotype, it was more
of a representation. I really, really enjoyed it.
You've worked both in live theater and TV.
Which do you prefer?
Television was the medium that I grew up in and
I really love television. I love the whole aspect
of excellence in the field of television. I'm the
kind of actor where I would really rather have
an Emmy, really, than have an Oscar. I sound
sort of like "[gasp] How dare you?" You know?
But no, I mean, listen, I was a kid who grew up
poor, man. We didn't have money for movies
but we had a television.
So you reach a wider range of people in a
way, working in TV?
Right, and you know I really started digging television during the time [of] Hill Street Blues,
Remington Steele. That's when writing was
really, really good. All of a sudden this television thing for me, it started really getting my
attention. And Moonlighting ... I thought that
was one of the most amazingly funniest, wittiest shows, you know? Glenn Gordon Caron,
the creator of that show is now doing Medium.
Just love that. I'd like to work with him too,
come to think of it. Oh, you know what I want
to be on, too? I want to be on Heroes!
Oh yeah?
Wouldn't that be great to be a superhero? I would
love that. Maybe I'd run superfast or something. ■
time to play in literal playgrounds: An infantilizing montage finds Denise (Elizabeth Plumb) and
Adria (Alisa Courtney) caressing as they romp on
carousels, race down slides in gunny sacks and tee
off at a miniature golf game. This film is patronizing for our time, but beneath pulp, it's quite radical
as it documents the gay-friendlier side of'70s Los
Angeles. Denise declares, after observing two women holding hands in a Sunset Blvd. cafe,"No matter
who's in love, and no matter what person they're in
love with, it's good .... It's beautiful!" Viewers are
invited to dig the scenes at the hip cafes, swinging
underground parties and psychedelic be-ins of a
bohemian Los Angeles festooned with love beads.
The film's ambiguous ending also features a rapprochement between the two women that doesn't
end six feet under. In fact, they walk off-screen into
the bright outside sun, together. In the end, it's still
just the two of them. (wolfevideo.com)
That Tender Touch (Wolfe Video)
The mid-'60s saw the rise of the lesbian pulp novel. By 1965, girl-on-girl love was by far the most
popular theme of an $18 million sex-paperback
industry. Director Russell Vincent's 1969 feature,
That Tender Touch, was part of this trend toward
sensationalizing lesbian relationships and sex on
the silver screen in low-budget movies. Like the
pulp novels, lesbian sexploitation films were manufactured mostly for male consumption, but also
found an underground lesbian audience. Restored
from a slightly damaged 35mm print, this perfect
example's small green lines and glitches dapple the
film unobtrusively and only add to the cinephilia
effect, even if you're watching on DVD.
Playboy bunny Sue Bernard (Faster, Pussycat!
Kill!Kill!)stars as Terry, a pigtailed young woman
with urges for her sophisticated roommate that
finally burst forth in the breathy exclamation:
"Marsha, darling! I need you. I want you!" Her desire gets fully reciprocated in a steamy, defrocked
embrace, and the two actually live happily as lovers for a while. That is, until vacationing photographer Ken seduces Terry into a hetero marriage,
leaving Marsha devastated. The majority of the
film centers on Marsha's visit to the newlyweds,
which leads Terry back into temptation. Terry's
mouth may protest, but her body always somehow
doesn't. Meanwhile, all of the women in the house,
including the maid, the next-door neighbor and her
daughter, want to get into Marsha's pants. It's a hot
premise, but all of the pulp stereotypes get overplayed. Lesbianism is depicted as either a temporary refuge for rape victims, widows and unhappy
housewives, or a disease from which one cannot
emerge unscathed. This film's saucy despicableness,
however, is part of what makes it so irresistible to
enjoy,now, as camp. (wolfevideo.com)■
September 2007
I 77
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
al
dealgn
for
web • print
• identity
I
•Y••
• branding
Adventure Tours
Gay and lesbian travel specialists
•Eco-adventure•
Sightseeing
•History• Culture• Events
Ji.
T
Custom
Yukon
adventures
incomfort
andstyle
-
Yukon Pride.com
T. 867 .668.2932
A
YUKON
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve09 when you join
;-Jfri:sofa.com
' connecting lesbians
.:.•nerica s fastest gro.,rng tesb1an .·.ebs1te
~ seed
n6uveau
www. seed nouveau. com
LGBTREALTORS
IN YOUR CITY!
Call today for a
FREEConsultation!
The Smart Girl's Gulde
to the G-Spot
by Violet Blue
@I LGBT Homes
925-86 7-HOME
Toll Free: 866-397-LGBT
www.LGBThomes.com
With wit and panache,sex educator
and best-selling writer Violet Blue
breaks down the essential elements
of great G-spot play-and tells you
exactly how to master the
powerhouse of a female orgasm.
$14.95, 144 pases
ISBN 1•57344-273•2
Call to Ord.-1 (800) 780-2279
or ordw onllne: www.delspntss.com
F~Shlppjng
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) 780-2179
or order onllne: www.clelspress.com
Free Shipping
Change_rourLife?
Create Your Future?
"One o
e most
romantic lesbian
destinations on the
planet." -Planet Out
www.highlandsinn-nh.com
1-877-LES-B-INN
Bethlehem,NewHampshire
78
Icurve
SexTaya
DVDs
BDSM
Calendars
Posters
Massage
Dile
517.B96.4842
Alternative
GreetingCards.com
luJlnt•Ho
Freelu,-n
'
Aalatance
llnt•Ho e?
FreeMarket
Anal,ala
Relocatlng1
FrN Relocatton
KitanJ 0t,, USA
®
your online gift store
www.altematlvegreetlngcards.com
877.687.6271
lesbian owned & opei-ated
1-888-420-MOVE (6683)
www.LesbianRealEstate.com
~
"The Collection#
rass and Iron Beds circa 1860-189.
New York City & Connecticut
(860) 693.()333
Cell: (860) 817-1010
w,,,,,ne,nn.ut
vintagebedsofdistine • n.eom
September 2007
I 79
Top Ten Reasons We Love Ryka Aoki de la Cruz
Creator of the Los Angeles' trans performance
event Trans/Giving, Ryka Aoki de la Cruz is a selfdescribed "trans Goth dyke" born to do art. The
Japanese-American professor of literature is a poet,
musician, author, performance artist, 'zine publisher and graphic artist. Online at rykaryka.com,
her work has been showcased in museums, poetry
festivals, Pride events, the documentary Trans Art
and at San Francisco's annual Fresh Meat Festival,
which celebrates trans/ queer performances. Here's
why we love her. - Jacob Anderson-Minshall
1. No powertrips.After four years at the helm,
de la Cruz left Trans/Giving, the organization
she founded. "I never wanted to stick around and
become the Grand Poohbah. I felt that it belonged
to the community, not to me."
2. Shebulldozes
boundaries.
"If I respected genre
boundaries, I'd look between my legs and never be
trans. If I can say'I have a penis and I'm a woman; I
can sure as hell say, Tm [also) a poet:"
3. Sheworriesabouthowshesounds.
Fearing her
voice was too deep, she relied on another singer
until recently. 'Tm never going to be a soprano. But
I can still sing higher than (Indigo Girl) Amy Ray:'
4. A femmestanding
5 foot5, clothesstilldon'tfit.
"Goth clothes are really small:' Especially when you
dress in sexy vintage Victorian clothing like she
does.
5. She'sanactivist.De la Cruz is a charter member
of the Transgender Advisory Committee of Asian
Pacific Islanders for Human Rights, the LGBT
education and advocacy organization behind Los
Angeles' Oh~a House, the nation's first Asian
Pacific Islanders LGBT Community Center.
6. She valuesdifference.
"Being Asian you can't
be stealth. No amount of surgery or blue contact
"BeingAsian,youcan't be stealth.No amountof surgeryor bluecontactlensesis goingto makeme look
white. ... Beingdifferentcan be a goodthing."
lenses is going to make me look white. Sometimes
I think that trans people are so concerned with
blending in that they don't see that being different
can be a good thing:'
7. Hermanliest
friendsdon'thavepenises.
"What's
the phallus? Obviously it's not the penis, because a
lot of my most-manly male friends don't have one.
I think that trans men can sort of teach Asian men
chat you don't need a penis to be a man. So many
Asian guys have chis small-cock syndrome. I mean,
chose four inches ... are four inches more than this
stud over here who's such a righteous dude:•
8. She struggleswith familyvalues."When it
comes co Asian Americans, you get a lot of people
who are really uptight about drawing attention to
themselves. If I hang out with my family and we
run into other Asians, and they recognize me as
the son that's now the daughter, it makes the entire
family look bad. For the longest time, I didn't want
to go into Lictle Tokyo, because I was afraid I'd see
somebody. But it's kind of fucked up not to be able
to go smell the smells that you grew up with:'
9. Butshestillloves'em."Being trans doesn't make
me any less Asian. A trans identity is not a rejection
of (my heritage]:' De la Cruz calls her unpublished
novel "one big love letter to my grandmother;' and
says it's helping her reclaim Hawaii's role in her
cultural background.
1O.Shedoesn'tmindif we fantasizeaboutgoth
girlsmakingout."Whatever! Sometimes I'm with
my girlfriend and I'm like, 'We really ought to do
a Web camera. You know how much money we'd
make?'" ■
so Icurve
:::E
0
(.)
c_j
z
~:::E
Her road bike
Her mountain bike
Hereat
Her goldfish
Her jeans
Her slacks
Their joint checking account
QUPWaMu®
Deposits at Washington Mutual are FDIC Insured.
• 1111iiii11111
See all items with this value
