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Description
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ToC On the Cover: America's Funniest Lesbians Suzanne Westenhoefer, Dana Goldberg, Bridget McManus; Remembering Del Martin by Victoria A. Brownsworth (p30); The Big O by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p32); Funny Girls by Edie Stull (p56); Food and Drink: Chefbians to Nightlife (p33); America's Funniest Lesbians by Kristin A. Smith (p42); Kate Clinton Rocks by Kelli Dunham (p44); The Golden Age of Ellen by Rachel Shatto (p45); Bridget McManus & Dana Goldberg by Kyra Thomson and Alicia Eler (p46); Sabrina Matthews by Colleen M. Lee (p48); Stretching Her Wings by Amanda Quraishi (p49); The Big Gay Sketch Show by Laurie K. Schendon (p50); Big Laughs by Edie Stull and Lyndsay D'Arcagelo (p52); Comic Divas by Laurie K. Schenden and Jenny Sherwin (p54); Entertainers of the Year: She's a Lady by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p58); The L Word's Marlee Matlin by Colleen M. Lee (p61): Work It Out by Colleen M. Lee (p62); Shake Your Thing by Katie Peoples (p63); Burn After Reading by Katrina Fox (p64): Ilene Chalken Talks by Kathy Belge (p65); Don't Go by Candace Moore (p66); Cover photo by Tony Donaldson.
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issue
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9
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Date Issued
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November 2008
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Format
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PDF/A
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Publisher
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Frances Stevens
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Curve_Vol18_No9_November-2008_0CR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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PROPERTY
Of:
Our ON THE SHELF
µww.DUTONTHESHELF.CA
25274
80539
6
I Frankly
peaking
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
Introducing Curvemag.com
I'm stoked. We j st
launched our newly
redesigned webs te
Curvemag com, and I
feel like we ve entered
Web 2.0 finally You
wanted more and you
baby!
go
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor in Chief
We've listened to readers for years who wanted more out of our site so we reinvented Curvemag.com to
bring you more content (updated much more frequently), make the experience more interactive, build a
bigger community and improve our overall customer service, too.
I hate to sound like a sales pitch, but seriously, if you haven't visited our new site yet, you should. We
have a dozen new channels including Interviews, Features, Travel, Advice, Family, Entertainment, Style,
Meet Women, Events and Marketplace. One of my favorite features is that you can now post comments
to let other readers know your thoughts on articles and issues and you can send those articles to friends
as well. So, Lipstick and Dipstick might suggest ditching your girlfriend if she won't pony up in the sack,
and you can send that article to your girlfriend (hint, hint) or you can post some better suggestions to
help a sister out.
Besides the celebrities and profiles of women around the country, we now have a marketplace where
you can post your own business or look for other lesbian-owned companies. Need vegan cat food in
Chicago? A lesbian wedding cake topper in Alabama? An acupuncturist in Boiser Eventually you'll find
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, California 94103
Phone 415-863-6538 Facsimile 415-863-1609
Advertising Sales 415-863-6538 ext. 1O or 212-446-6700
Subscription Inquiries 818-286-3102
Advertising Email advertising@curvemag.com
Editorial Email editor@curvemag.com
Letters to the Editor Email letters@curvemag.com
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Managing Editor
Assistant Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Copyeditor
Proofreaders
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Web Producer
Operations Director
Subscriptions Manager
Advertising Sales
Editorial Assistants
Photo Assistants
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Katie Peoples
Rachel Beebe
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Julia Bloch, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee,
Stephanie Schroeder
Katherine Wright
Patsy Kaye, Tina Rodia
Stefanie Liang
Nicole Arseneault
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Nikki Woelk
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Diana L. Berry, Rivendell Media
Mary Foulk,John Pann,
Rachel Shatto
Hayley McMillen, Greg Speck
Contributing Writers Kathy Beige, Stacy Bias, Lya
Carrera, Kelsy Chauvin, Teresa Coates, Jennifer Corday,
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Michele Fisher, Tania Hammidi,
Jodi Helmer, Kathi lsserman, Gillian Kendall, Kate Lacey,
Colleen M. Lee, Charlene Lichtenstein, Jenna V. Loceff,
Karlyn Latney, Colleen Mccaffrey, Candace Moore,
Talia Phillips, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti, Laurie K.
Schenden, Kristin A. Smith, Ursula Steck, Edie Stull, Lina
Swislocki, Jocelyn Voo, Melany Walters-Beck
Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter
Contributing PhotographersMichelle Bart, Erica Beckman,
Cheryl Craig, Tony Donaldson, Sophia Hantzes, Gabriela
Hashun, Sheryl Kay, Cheryl Mazak, Connie L. Merchant,
Mia Nakano, Maggie Parker, Elisa Shebaro, Jeff Singer,
Paul Thomas, Kina Williams, Misty Winter
them all here at Curvemag.com. I could go on all day here: there's a calendar of lesbian events from coast
to coast (send us yours!), great Scene photos, new RSS feeds and Digg and Delicious access, contests and
giveaways, blogs and a new newly re-engineered CurvePersonals. Now there are more photos and more
search options so you can really narrow your search to find Ms. Right (or Ms. Right Now).
to the magazine. A few months ago we asked you in an online
OK, enough about the website-on
poll "Who is the funniest lesbian in America?'' After nearly 20,000 votes and a ton of debate, the results
are official. Find out who rules the comedy roost starting on page 41.
Talking about the women who entertain us, in this issue of curve, we crown our Entertainers of
the Year. Each woman is highlighted in a Q&A interview so you can get to know them in their very own
voices. We also highlight some of the most talented women in the kitchen and wine experts in our community. From TopChef recipes you can try at home to lesbian-owned wine bars across the country to wine
pairings for every occasion ( even the perfect wine to tell a woman it's over), these stories entertain all of
our senses. Anybody else hungry now?
Volume 18 Issue 9 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
bimonthly January/Februaryand July/August) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc.,
1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,CA 94103. Subscnpt1onprice: $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 Magazinemay not be reproduced In any manner,
either whole or In part, without wntten permission from the publisher.Publication
of the name or photograph of any persons or organizations appearing,
advertising or listing in Curve may not be taken as an indication of the sexual
orientation of that indMdual or group unless speclficallystated. Curve welcomes
letters, queries, unsolicitedmanuscripts and artwork Include SASE for response.
Lack of any representation only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions
cannot be returned unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included. No
responsibilityis assumed for loss or damages. The contents do not necessanly
represent the opinions of the editor, unless specifically stated. All magazines
sent discreetly. Subscnption lnqu1nes: Please wnte to Curve, 1550 Bryant
Street, Suite 510, san Francisco, CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com,or
call 818-286-3102. Canadian Agreement Number; 40793029. PostmasterSend
Curve,PO Box 122, Niagara
addresschangesto shop@curvernag.com,
Ganad,an
Curve,
Falls, ON L2E 688. Send U.S. addresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
POBox 17138,N. Hollywood,CA91615-7138.PnntedInthe U.S.
A.
?Elli
21curve
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.com
Features
"I hke'lezz1e.'
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the word, I
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ovember 2 08
Vo ume 18#9
The Big Gay Sketch Show The queer SNL is
back for season two. By Laurie K. Schenden
30
Remembering Del Martin We say goodbye to a
lesbian pioneer. By Victoria A. Brownworth
5
32
The Big O Olivia has something cooking in Arizona.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
5
Big Laughs Vicki Shaw, Poppy Champlin and Tamale
keep it funny. By Edie Stull and Lyndsey D'Arcangelo
5
Comic Divas Karen Williams and Sandra Valls
break down barriers. By Laurie K. Schenden and
Jenny Sherwin
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Funny Girls Lesbian actor Jane Lynch meets lesbian television mega-star Orit Schwartz. By Edie Stull
Chefbians to Nightlife Food Network's Susan
Feniger, Top Chefs Lisa and Jen, D.C.'s Gillian Clark,
Natalie Maclean and wine bars you can't miss.
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manager. By Diane Anderson-Minshall
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Suzanne Westenhoefer Comes Out On Top
She nearly beat out Ellen. By Kristin A. Smith
Kate Clinton Rocks Inside the mind of this grand
dame of comedy. By Kelli Dunham
w
The Golden Age of Ellen The daytime queen still
rules the roost. By Rachel Shatto
6
4
Bridget McManus & Dana Goldberg Comedy's
new kids. By Kyra Thomson and Alicia Eler
Sabrina Matthews
By Colleen M. Lee
Butch comedy at its finest.
6
The L Word's Marlee Matlin Reflects on season
five and kicking butt in season six. By Colleen M. Lee
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Shake Your Thing Lori Michaels is a sexy triple
threat. By Katie Peoples
Burn After Reading Sharon Gless steals the
scene on Burn Notice. By Katrina Fox
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Stretching Her Wings Fresh and funny, Julia
Stretch aims to please. By Amanda Quraishi
6
Don't Go! The pilot of this queer show won our
hearts, and so did its cast. By Candace Moore
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Spectacular
Breast Cancer
Awareness
Bracelet
1,
PANDORA'
Breast Cancer Ribbon
Departments
November 2008
"Yourtrue lovewill
nevertry to explain
the differencebetween being1nlove
and merelyloving
someone.Only
peoplewho are not
in lovegiveyou that
dopey song and
dance becausethey
thinkyou willfreak
out les if they say
they loveyou
in some little
crappyway.'
ag
4
Frankly Speaking And now a word from
our publisher.
20
Lipstick & Dipstick
butch?
Is she a stone
68
Sapphic Screen It's all about our truth.
Plus, Najarra Townsend dishes.
8
Letters Lots of love for the big girls.
21
Ask Fairy Butch I can't stand the exes
anymore, what should I do?
71
Music Watch Team Gina takes us back
to the '80s.
12
Contributors They make it happen.
22
Health Is your playtime safe? Plus, the
new controversial Botox procedure. (Hint:
it's not on your face.)
74
Books to Read Extraordinary women
making their own rules.
24
Astro Grrl What do the stars have in
store for you?
76
Tech Girl The best thing to happen to
books since the Gutenberg press.
25
Relationships Ten steps to surviving the
queer dating world.
77
I Tried It Hanging 10-or
learning to surf Waikiki.
26
Dyke Drama How to spot true love.
80
Top Ten Reasons We Love Sarah
Silverman Why Sarah Silverman is loved
by dykes everywhere.
28
Politics The death knell for "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell"?
14 Scene Hot girls in cool places.
15
Curvatures Giant Ass Drum Corps. Saying
goodbye to a musician. Plus, hot raingear.
16
Out in Front Women on the forefront.
18 Open Studio Teresa Testa makes waterinspired sculptures.
19
6
Lesbofile Jessica Alba, Jodie Foster and
Queen Latifah make headlines.
Icurve
15-while
Letters
but featuring,
"I applaudnotonlyincluding,
. a "largersize' woman
plussizefashionAs
(read:averagesizeAmericanwoman!),I
tipsand general
appreciatethe information,
coverageof fashionforwardnessfor allof us
galswho are not ize8 and under."
WHO WILLY
VO
ov
Democrat:
en
Obama-Bid
Republican:
McCain-Palin I didn't expect a thorough review of Katy Perry's album ["Editor's
Pick;' Vol. 18 #7), but I was surprised that you didn't mention
some strong reactions caused by her song"! Kissed a Girl:'
Other:I'd rathervote
Some (and I am among them) see it as exploitative. This song
for LisaSimpson reminds me of one of those porn movies featuring "lesbians" but
6%
thanthosefolks
directed at straight men, from the cliched lyrics ("Us girls, we are
so magical/Soft skin, red lips, so kiss4%
able;' "Good girls don't do that") to the
NotVoting:Seriously,
wink at the straight male audience: "I
they'reall the same
hope my boyfriend don't mind it:'
Perry is probably describing her
own experience, shared by many other
women, and she certainly has the right
4%
Green:McKinneyClemente
to write a song about it. I just expected
curve's review to be less superficial,
1%
Libertarian: due to the fact that its audience's perspective is more than likely
Barr-Root
that of the mainstream audience that made Perry's
to differ from
1%
song such a hit.
-Emery Brown, Chicago
Independent:
Nader-Gonzalez
Editor's Note: Well, Emery, don't think we didn't discuss it, but
in my 20-plus years of dating and sleepingwith other women, I've
a
to
*According
compoll. learnedthat a whole lot of us hard-coredykes oncestarted out as girls
curvemag.
trying to titillate boys in some way, often to test the waters before
jumping headfirst into the lesbianpool. Honestly, girls are magical,
our lips are much softer and if Katy Perry wants to test the lesbian
waters, baby, I'm ready with my rubber ducky.
Hey, I really want to give kudos to sister contributing editor
Victoria Brownworth for her always thoughtful, extremely challenging and often emotionally charged columns. Her discussion
about aging in the lesbian community ("The Politics of Aging;'
Vol. 18 #7) hits very close to home.
As a single, childless 45-year-old queer woman with a
wonderful family of choice, aging biological parents, but no
s Icurve
savings and crappy health insurance, I am in the situation she
with no safety net of any sort or protecdescribes-middle-aged
tion of my privacy and civil rights, nor any guarantee of continuing employment, health care, affordable housing, etc.
I applaud Brownworth for consistently raising gritty, reallife issues that force us to think hard about what really matters
and for broaching this topic in particular.
- Stephanie Schroeder,Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nicole Vicius is so hot and I tty Bitty is my favorite film, so imag-
Cover Showdown!
This month, we had
so many great cover
options, we could have
filled five magazines!
So, we want to hear
what you think, dear
reader. Would you pick
cover No. 1-the one
you're holding in your
hands, with Suzanne
Westenhoefer and her
comic peeps- or cover
No. 2, with Dirty Sexy
Money star Candis
Cayne and her lesbian
manager (and Grey's
Anatomy consultant),
Nikki Weiss? Write to
letters@curvemag.com
to vote and you might
win Judea Eden's hot
new album, Finding
the Beauty.
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Letters
ine my surprise to open my curve [Vol. 18 #7]
and get a poster of Sadie. You gals are so cool.
Thank you. Thank you. I have already hung my
Nicole Vicius poster on my wall!
- Marie Grettel, West Hollywood, Calif.
r-
I was disappointed in Alison Walkley's article,
''Africa the Hard Way" [Vol. 18 #7]. I served as a
Peace Corps volunteer from 2003 to 2005 in the
country
of Uzbekistan,
in
Central Asia.
Initially, I too had to
go back into the closet as I
learned about the language
and culture, tried to build
relationships, earn the trust
of the locals and figure out
just what the heck I was do,
ing there.
But, even in a Muslim nation where homo,sex,
uals are persecuted or killed, the people embraced
me and taught me the meaning of selfless service
and love. I even met my partner while serving.
That's me on the left, with my partner, Salissa, in
the donkey cart in Uzbekistan while I was in the
Peace Corps.
I regret that Ms. Walkley couldn't give Malawi
more time and an honest chance for a cultural
exchange. I am sure that the people of Malawi could
have been well,served by her strength and passion.
When you choose to serve as a Peace Corps
volunteer, you must sacrifice comfort, let go of
your ego and listen. You do not need to abandon
your identity, but lower your defenses just enough
to lee ochers in, despite great differences. Please
don't let her article discourage you, if you feel the
need to serve.
-Suzanne Zaner, Burlington, Vt.
As a body image activist I was so impressed with
your September issue [Vol. 18 #7] that I felt com,
pelled to write in and tell you about it.
I struggled with bulimia for 11 years and I can
tell you that so many magazines these days feed
into the fattist culture we live in. I am constantly
frustrated by the portrayal of unhealthy, unattain,
able "beauty" in most media. This is why I was so
excited to see a curve magazine issue with curves,
10 I curve
where-as
a big beautiful lesbi,
felt represented on almost
every page. Thank you for coming
to the realization that skinny isn't
an-I
the only thing that sells. That sexy
in a triple X can sell too.
Beauty comes in a lot of differ,
ent forms; in this issue of curve
it was refreshing to see chat rainbow of body
types. I could relate to the Sassy Stacy and her
battle with a diet obsessed culture and
can't wait to get some new duds from
Bertha. The Candy Store spread made
me stand up and cheer. I feel like curve
finally stepped up to the feminist plate
and brought body image issues out of
the closet and for that I am incredibly
grateful.
- Dustina Haase, Vancouver, Wash.
I love the magazine and read every issue from cov,
er to cover. I want to praise the fashion coverage
in the September issue [Vol. 18 #7]. In particular
I applaud not only including, but featuring, plus,
size fashion.
As a "larger,size" woman (read: average,size
American woman!), I appreciate the information,
tips and general coverage of fashion forwardness
for all of us gals who are not size 8 and under. It
would have been great to have noc,skinny chicks
ress in any arena is, as we know, incrimental.
- Ann Schroeder, Madison, Wis.
Editor's Note: We had as much fun showing the
curve,ier side offashion and bringing attention to
these designers as you had reading about it. Thanks!
Email letcers@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.
In"Model Behavior" [Vol.18 #7] the model's name
is Jenice Armstead, not Armstrong. The word
"lesbolicious" in the caption for "College Lesbians
More Accepting of Porn" [Vol. 18 #7] refers to No
Fauxxx itself, not the models. In "Hot, Hot, Hoc;'
[Vol.18 #7] the company's name is Poetic Licence
and its website is poeticlicence.us.
on the cover as well.
But a gal can only hope for so much, and prog,
Coming Out at Chicago's Pride
I am an 18-year-old who has just come out to very close friends. I
just wanted to share these pictures of my girlfriend, Torie, and me
at Chicago's Pride parade. It was the first time we could actually be
in a place where we felt completely comfortable being ourselves.
It was a surreal and amazing experience. This one day
inspired me. It doesn't matter where you are, you can
be yourself, without hiding. Although it is still difficult
for me to come out to my family, I hope that I can build
the self-confidence I need to do so. I have just discovered curve. It's slowly giving me the courage to
express who I am to my family. It would be amazing to
hear testimonies from other young adults in curve.
-Faith Moores, Naperville, Ill.
,
'sMcNEIL-PPC. ,nc. 2008.
Fold this pillow in half.
If your pillow at home bends like this
and stays bent, it's time for a new one.
If it bounces back, you're good to go.
A bad pillow can mean a bad night's sleep. If your pillow doesn't
provide proper support, it can lead to pain and sleepless nights.
TYLENOL®PM Rapid Release Gels can ease the pain and contains
a sleep aid that, when used as directed, is non-habit forming.
How's that for being supportive?
Feel better,
TYLENOLe
PM
Use only as directed. Do not take TYLENOL' with other products containing acetaminophen.
tylenol.com
Contributors
"I always thought of myself as funny;' says contributing writer KristinA. Smith."But when I
talked with Suzanne Westenhoefer, I realized
Editor's Note
I have a soft spot for lesbo comics, especially our cover
star, Suzanne Westenhoefer, because, like me, she was
a big-haired '80s kid who got her start in queer life and
entertainment around the same time. I remember first
seeing her on an episode of Sally Jesse
Raphael, in 1991, entitled, "Breaking
the Lesbian Stereotype ... Lesbians Who
Don't Look Like Lesbians." At a time
when few women were allowed into
the boys' club known as the comedy
circuit, Suzanne and Kate Clinton and
a few others were paving the way for
women in stand-up. In honor of them,
I dug through our archives for these
great old photos of three cool comic pioneers: Suzanne
(top left), Sabrina Matthews (left) and Rosie O'Donnell
(below, in a femme-y moment).
I'm linked to another of this issue's superstars in a strange six-degrees-of-lesbianism sort
of way. In the late '80s, I got my first big queer
media gig as a reporter-editor-lackey for an
LGBT television program in Southern California
called Spectrum News. A few
days after I got the job, I discovered that the woman I replaced had
just been arrested. Well, it turns out I replaced Joni Leigh Penn, the woman who
sent more than 100 fan letters to Sharon
Gless, then broke into her home armed
with a rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. So, I got the
job because Sharon Gless' stalker went to prison. Thank
God Sharon doesn't hold that incident against us.
Our Curvettes faced some adversity this month: while
Rachel Pepper, our books editor, moved cross country
(welcome back, Rach), Margaret Coble, our music editor,
drove across the South in a hurry- evacuating to escape
Hurricane Gustav. She made it-phew!
Here's hoping November is a lazy month for all of us,
but somehow, I doubt it.
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Executive Editor
12
Icurve
chat there are funny people and then there are
is a genius:•
comedic geniuses-Westenhoefer
When Smith's not trying to keep up with comics, she's busy writing, teachingjournalism at the
Academy of Art University in San Francisco and
her collection. Recently, Smch's work has appeared
SlowFoodNation.
"I simply find Sarah Silverman fascinating," says
contributing writer LoriSelke."Love her or hate
her, she's always out there pushing boundaries
and buttons:• A longtime freelance contributor
to curve, Selke has written about topics as
various as queer comics, women's pro wrestling
and lesbian chefs. She's also well-known for her
erotic writing and San Francisco Bay Area spoBy the time you read this, she will be immersed in
birthing and raising twins.
"I never cake myself too seriously;' says con"If you
tributing writer LyndseyD'Arcangelo.
act
laugh
you
can
who
yoursel£
can't laugh at
DJ\.rcangelo interviewed Tamale for the lesbian
comics article and learned a thing or two about
comedy. "Tamale uses a lot of her own experiences in her comedy and isn't afraid to expose
herself. That takes courage:• Born and raised in
Buffalo, N.Y., Lyndsey has been writing ever since she could pick up a pen.
She has recently published two short stories in nationally known publications, Alyson Books and the ChickenSoupfor the Soul series. Her first novel,
The TroubleWith Emily Dickinson,is for young adults. It is being published
by Alpha World Press and will hit bookstores chis season.
"I have to say, I was a little intimidated at first,"
says editorial assistant JohnPannof his experience at curve. 'Tm surrounded by these strong,
fierce, driven lesbian women, and for a little boy
from the Midwest, I didn't know what I could
bring to the table. But everyone has made me feel
right at home:• Pann has been busy in the office
doing research, editing, transcribing and writing
about everything from gay acceptance in the military to D IY funerals. "Thank
you, ladies, for letting me write for you-even ifl am a boy:'
REALITY
1 Seimone Augustus from the Minnesota Lynx (in white) got an Olympic send-off from Los
Angeles Sparks team members (from left) DeLisha Milton-Jones, Lisa Leslie (with daughter Lauren
Jolie Lockwood) and Candace Parker. Augustus, along with Team U.S.A., went on to win a gold
medal in the Beijing Olympic Games 2 Lesbians visited from all around-the woman on the right
came from Canada, the other from Hawaii-to celebrate Reno Pride 3 (From left) executive producers Jane Wagner and Lily Tomlin, author Ann Bannon, Harriet Leve and Bannon's daughter
Inga Holmquist at the premiere of the new play The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, based on Bannon's
much-loved lesbian pulp paperbacks of the 1950s and '60s, at the Essex House Hotel in New York
City 4 Bold Strokes Books cover artist Barb Kiwak (left) and publisher-author Radclyffe at dinner
before the First Annual Baltimore Women's LitFest readings 5 Cyndi Lauper headlining the True
Colors Tour 6 Delicio Del Toro came in first runner-up for a drag troupe in the 13th annual San
Francisco Drag King Contest at the DNA Lounge
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End of the Music
Our lesbian singer-songwriter Katie Reider died on
July 14 of complications from a rare facial tumor. She
w;:s 30 years old. Reider died en route to Beth Israel
Hospital in New York City while suffering from shingles
and an esophageal lesion. Reider first noticed unusual
pain in her upper jaw in 2006 but was not diagnosed
with a myofibroblastic inflammation tumor until July
2007, well after the tumor had severely damaged much
LOLLIPOP
of her jaw.
The daughter of a syndicated Cincinnati musician,
Reider received her first guitar at age 5. She began
recording in 1998 and during her career released four
independent albums.
Reider and her band-appropriately
called the
Katie Reider Band-were
popular regulars on the
Ohio music scene and frequently played at Priderelated events. She was a member of OutMusic.com
with lesbian favorites Catie Curtis,
Melissa Ferrick and Michelle Malone.
and performed
She is survived by her partner, Karen, their two
children, Aiden, 3, and Koen, 1, her father, Rob, and
four siblings. Donations to the family for medical expenses can be made at either katiereider.blogspot.com
or 500kin365.org, both of which offer a nine-track $1
download of Reider's work, entitled Katie'sVoice.- JP
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WHAT'S HOT: Keepin' Dry From Head to Toe
Nobody's
rainingonthis (Pride)parade:Starlets& Harlots
beganasan eBaystorespecializing
in goth,rockabillyandretro
clothingandaccessories,
butthanksto a loyalclienteleit was
ableto expandto an independent
onlinestore.
Alongwithtriplingits stockof alternativeclothingandaccessories
(andmore
eight-inchheelsthanyoucanshakea
stickat)Starlets& Harlotsboastsa wide
varietyof fabulously
edgyumbrellas.
Ourfavorites,the Diamond
Umbrella
and
whitePolkaDotRuffleEdgeParasol,
are
sosassy,youmaybetemptedto carry
themonsunnydays,too!($25andup,
starletsandharlets.com)
Slickerthena Snicker:Whetheryou'remorefemme
chicor fashionforwardfunctional,
winteris just aroundthe
corner-so there'snotimelikethe presentto pickup a new
raincoat.Foryouurbandwellerswe recommend
the Fit& Flair
WalkingCoatbySaia& Kyo.Withoversizebuttonsandruched
pockets,this double-breasted
trenchis sexy,playfulandfears
nofoulweather.
Andfor thoseof youwhoboldlybravethe
elements-orjust wantto looklikeyoudo-check outthe North
FaceVentureRainJacketfromREI.Thisjacket,
whichis madeof Hyvent,a highlybreathablewaterproof
fabric,comesin a variety
of colors;ourpickis igneouspurple.($235,
nordstrom.com;
$99,rei.com)
Keepthosepiggiesdry:A soggyfootis a
sadfoot,so keepwarmanddrythiswinter
witha pairof rubberboots.Hunterboots
wereoriginallydesigned
to withstandunpredictableweatherin the Scottishhighlands
andtodayareevenwornby QueenElizabeth.
Butwiththe introduction
of newstyleslike
the Huntress,
Hunterbootshavesuccessfully
matchedclassicwelliefunctionality
witha
modernday
aesthetic.
However,
for thoseof
youwholikeyourraingearlikeyourwomen
(withextraedge),checkout EdHardy'syellow
andpinkgeishaRainiebootsor Chooka's
Kaitattooboots,botharesureto bustyour
fierce-a-meter.
($101,hunterboot.com;$128,zappos.com;
$60,shoemall.com)
- RS
Haveyouseenthe new
websitefor lesbiansof
color,UrbanElle.com?
OK,I haveto admit
a teenybias:I'm the
editorof thewebsite,
butthat meansI'mthe
authorityon Lollipop,
the ragingpartyin San
Francisco
whereit was
launched
this Pride
season.
Theplacewas
jampacked
with roughly
1,500womenfromall
overthe UnitedStates.
Upstairs,
a partyroom
withskylineviews
openedoutto a breezy
balconyreserved
for
the highrollers'bottle
service($250minimum
for a premiumbottleand
somebreathingroom),
anddeepin the bowels
of the club,A Shotat
Love'sDaniCampbell
and TheL Word'sRose
Rollinsmingledwith
guestsin a quieterV.1.P
.
lounge.Butwithtwo
dancefloorsto choose
from,anda convoyof
DJs,includingJeanine
DaFeen(picturedabove)
fromWild94.9,keeping
thempacked,there
wasa lottasumthin'for
everyone.
-AP
JohnPann,Alison
Peters,RachelShatto
November 2008
I 15
ter Act
At 13 years old, TerenieFaisonwanted to make
a difference. So, she joined Sisters in Action for
Power in Portland, Ore., began working with
other teens, helping to identify pressing community issues, and then turned those issues into
campaigns for low-income youth to promote
racial, economic and gender equality.
''As a young person, it felt good to have the
opportunity to work on issues in my community
that no one else addressed;' Faison recalls. "We
need to realize that when things are not right in
our communities we have the right to hold our
locally elected officials accountable and demand
change." Today, at 25, Faison is the executive
director of the organization.
"In Portland, and the state of Oregon, there
are no other organizations putting youth of
color on the front lines of social justice efforts;'
she says. ''At Sisters in Action young people in
the leadership program are involved in things
like public speaking, conducting community
research, raising awareness on issues and faceto-face negotiation meetings with public officials
in institutions;' Faison adds.
Although the upcoming national elections
might bring some change, Faison (who is also
a member of Happy Ours, the first and only
organization for lesbians of color in Portland),
says she will always be a grassroots activist first.
"A critical way to engage and nurture
young people's civic participation is through
direct-action organizing, the mobilization and
empowerment of black and brown youth, and
making radical change in public institutions to
benefit the lives of all low-income people and
people of color:'
Know a woman we should cover?
Write curvesoutinfront@hotmail.com.
16
Icurve
Justice for All
Gay Economics
Equality is not enough for LisaWeiner-Mahfuz.
She wants justice.
"Equality rests on the premise that we need
to level the playing field, and all will be well;' she
says. "Justice challenges the systems of who holds
It was back in high school that Dr. M.V. Lee
Badgettfirst noted the significance of economics, and, interestingly enough, it all jelled because
of inequality. "All of the political arguments
related to racial equality and sex equality led
power and how they hold it. I want justice, not
simply equality:'
Weiner-Mahfuz, 36, is the director of capacity building for the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force. She got her first taste of"being different" at home, growing up with a father who
was an orthodox Jew and a mother who had a
Muslim background. In the end, their cultural
differences were too much for her parents to bear.
They eventually divorced, but her two grandfathers loved each other like brothers and shared a
kinship around their Semitic cultures.
"My parents' relationship has shown me how
challenging it can be to work across our differences, while my grandfathers' loving friendship
has given me the inspiration and tools to know
that working intentionally across our differences
holds tremendous possibility;' she says.
Weiner-Mahfuz has dedicated much of her
career to challenging oppression at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation,
gender identity and disability. Before she joined
the Task Force, she was the senior field organizer
for lesbian rights for the National Organization
for Women, and also worked for the National
Organizers Alliance, and Parents, Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
The United States, she says, has played a pivotal role in perpetuating injustices across many
lines of difference, and social movements must
work together to end them.
"Our movements are [disjointed];' she says.
"We need to work together so that no one is left
behind, in the United States or internationally:'
me to the study of who gets what and why;' says
Badgett, who today is both the director of the
Center for Public Policy and Administration at
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and
the research director at the Williams Institute,
UCLA School ofLaw."In short, power is about
money and economics:'
The study of economics should be about
making the world a better place for everyone, notes Badgett, not just those with power
and wealth. Unable to accept the fact that the
United States does not have stronger policies
to promote equality, Badgett now uses facts and
analysis to advocate for ending discrimination
based on race, sex or sexual orientation.
Workplace issues are the biggest economic
challenges for the LGBT community, she says.
In addition to experiencing all the economic
forces that put jobs and earnings at risk in a
recession, LGBT people also face the very real
possibility of discrimination. "We need federal
laws that will make all kinds of discrimination
illegal, whether discrimination means firing
someone for being gay or transgender, or compensating them less by limiting health care and
pension benefits to spouses;' says Badgett.
Planning for the future in terms of retirement
and health care, and creating and supporting
stable and well-resourced LGBT community
institutions, are also key challenges. "Investing
in our community organizations is just as important in investing in our retirement savings;' says
Badgett. "They' re both essential strategies for
creating the future we want to live in:'
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Curvatures
Marching to Their Own Beat
Growing up in Wenatchee, Wash., Stormi Oshun
was told all her life that girls weren't allowed to
drum-that
drumming was "for boys:' Despite
the discouraging rhetoric, Oshun pursued her passion for rhythm in hand drumming classes, and in
1999 founded the Giant Ass Orum Corps (myspace.com/ giantassdrumcorp ), Spokane's "premier
bucket band:' The GADC performs rhythms from
many cultural traditions, and regions such as West
Africa and East India, which the group "funks up a
little," as well as rhythms created by the members
themselves. Both the music and the choreography
are entirely collaborative-what
Oshun describes
as "synergistic:'
Oshun formed the GADC upon learning that
participation had begun to decline in her local Pride
march; she made a pledge to create something that
would re-energize the event. Having recently
attended a performance of Stomp-a dance troupe
that uses nontraditional items to create a percussion-based performance-Oshun
decided to create
a marching band. She opted to use buckets rather
than traditional instruments in an effort to make
the corps open to women of all economic levels. "I
wanted participation in the group to be accessible
for people who didn't have a lot of money. Because
a lot of my friends, including myself... we were all
broke;' says Oshun. Along with banging buckets,
GADC also hosts fundraisers and an annual yard
sale to aid members who need financial assistance in
order to participate.
When the GADC debuted at the following
year's Pride march, they were met with overwhelming enthusiasm."The whole idea was that we wanted
to be a little bit irreverent, kind of silly,not take ourselves too seriously, and just get out there and have
fun;' explains Oshun.
While the corps began with five-gallon buckets, the number of items used to create their
music has grown. Using found items, the members
of the GADC created shakers and rattles. They
use a SO-gallon drum for a bass and have even used
a toaster for one of their songs. There is also an
environmental aspect to what they do. "The buckets that we use for our workshops are actually
buckets that are donated to us from restaurants
here in town; you know, things that would end up
in our incinerators and landfills, eventually. So it is
nice to be able to put those things to use:'
The GADC is composed of a diverse group
of 18 women, ranging in age from 23 to 61, and
from various backgrounds and professions. The
only requirement for admittance into the GADC
is that you are a woman; this, according to Oshun,
includes transwomen. "If this is someone who
identifies as a woman, if this person sees and feels
themselves as a woman, then they're in the group:'
While Oshun initially created the GADC
to enliven the Spokane Pride march, she also
succeeded in creating an extended family that
has witnessed romance among its ranks as well
as tragic loss. But ultimately, the mission of the
GADC is, according to Oshun, "to create a space
and an experience that's safe and supportive for
being seen and for being heard. We're loud and
we're silly and it takes a lot to put that out in the
world:' Oshun also hopes to foster sister drum
corps in other cities across the nation. - RS
What
happens
here,
VisitLasVegas
stays
here.~
com
1-877-VISIT-LV
November 2008
j
17
Teresa Testa
Teresa Testa is an elementary school art teacher who is keeping the arts alive not only in the classroom but also at home through the elegant
porcelain sculptures that she creates at her Windancer Studio, in Las Vegas.
"It's like the clay dictates the form, and my hands are the instrument;' she says. An out lesbian, Testa is proud of her pottery's unique
qualities-she's never seen another artist come up with quite the same ideas. She's found that working with clay is all about balance and movement, and this is evident in her fluid sculptural pieces, which sell quickly in Las Vegas gift stores and at shows like the Tempe Festival of the
Arts in Tempe, Ariz.
Testa received her dual degree in ceramic design and the arts from
Buffalo State College in Buffalo, N.Y. After exploring a variety of media,
including woodworking and graphic design, Testa found that clay was her
true love.
To support her art after college, Testa became a teacher and developed an
avid interest in the problems of underserved minority students (so much so
that she later did graduate work in economic diversity). After teaching in the
Clark County School District for 20 years, Testa has clearly demonstrated
her commitment to inner-city children, who are so often ignored or pushed
through the system. She still enjoys providing a creative outlet for them.
Testa sculpts her pieces using hand-building techniques, and has recently
worked to develop new techniques like dremmel carving. She says there's
a "spirituality that flows out of [her] hands into the work:' Her inspiration comes from nature, especially water, trees and flowers. And since clay
comes from the earth, Testa stays firmly connected to Mother Nature as she
explores her artistic passion.
1slcurve
Curvatures
Reasonable Doubt
Women just keep finding ways to play coy. I
Whether it comes to your love life or your career,
Blind-Item Guessing Game"? A few tidbits:
A few times, I spotted "Asia," a 1990s female
R&B singer who had an amazing voice and a number of widely succesifulballads during that time. She
:i:
Lf Even though trainer and Bravo personality Jackie started as a backgroundsinger,but her powerful voice
- Warnercould definitely out-bench the average Jane, proved she needed to be upfront as a solo artist. Asia
0
co outraged viewers of her show, Work Out, are musmade a number of love songs,and her claim to fame
z
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0
was her rendition of a sexy remake of a song originally
ti
Early in the season, Warner and her business
done by an '80s icon.
0
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There was a beautiful television sitcom actress,
tiJ manager made comments about a client's enhanced
a:
< breasts. Unbeknownst to Warner, though, the client
"Daisy,"and her actressbestfriend, "Lisa."These two
(!J
a:
< had implants because she is a breast cancer surviwomen have beenfriendsfor a number ofyears and are
vor-a fact that Brian Peeler, the client's trainer,
alwaystogether.Daisy had done a number of succesiful
confronted Warner with. This led to another heated
sitcoms and got her start in a Broadway musical.Her
quarrel, and ultimately Warner fired Peeler.
multirangevocalswere often showcasedon one of the
There are over 700 signatures on the cancella- sitcoms she costarredon. She often plays a fiery and
tion petition, as of press time. While it's a far cry feisty character."
from the 20,000 signature goal, it's certainly causing
"Lola"was an R&B singer-songwriterwho...
ripples in the pool. Gatorade has already cancelled
was a stapleon the New York scene,partying with bigits sponsorship of the show.
name celebrities.Her skills caught the likes of superWarner responded to the controversy on her
duperproducersDe Vante Swing of]odeci,Stevie], and
o blog, saying it was Bravo's creative editing and Dallas Austin. She'd made a noteworthy album, and
ti Peeler's personal agenda that made her look bad: the criticswere eating her up. Her style was a hard"I did not make a derogatory remark about Brian
edgedrap with a little rock and R&B. Her new single
6- Peeler's client on-camera or off-camera;' she wrote.
topped the chartsand was receivinga lot of airplay.
w
en
0
Gawker.com commentators have already guessed
a: "The only reason he tried to bring it up to me on>- camera is to villianise
z
(sic) me and set me up for
the likes of QueenLatifah,TishaCampbell,
Lauryn
Lf
: LL
something I didn't do:'Villain or victim? Your call.
Hill,AliciaKeys,Eve... what are your guesses?
:~
when in doubt: deny, deny, deny.
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Sounds like R. Kelly's not the only one "trapped in
the closet:' Terrence Dean, a former entertainment
Sure, as soon as you get your girl's name tattooed on
you, the relationship's doomed. But now we might
exec and the author of Hiding in Hip Hop, is callir..g out all the gays in the rap genre-though
not
by their real names. Can we call this the "Lesbofile
just be looking at the curse of going public.
Too soon after JodieFosterfinally kinda-sorta
publicly recognized her relationship with her long-
term girlfriend, CydneyBernard(you don't say "my
beautiful Cydney" about just anybody when accepting an award), the National Enquirer is reporting
that Foster's canning her 14-year relationship for
CindyMort,the creator of the HBO series Tell Me
You Love Me, whom she met on set of 2007's The
Brave One.
"The 47-year-old star's new squeeze is the former partner of thirtysomethingand Itty Bitty actor
MelanieMayron-with whom she has two children;'
the Enquirer reported. "Meanwhile, 55-year-old
Cydney Bernard is still living with Jodie, but their
romance is over, say sources:' Oh, really?We'll believe
it when we see the U-Haul.
An S&M-inspired public service announcement
would inspire us! JessicaAlbastars in an ad for a
nonprofit youth voter initiative, Declare Yoursel£
which is aime ' 1t energizing young folks to register
to vote in this month's election. "If you don't register and vote and make a difference, and hopefully
change the bad things that are happening in our
country;' Alba told Peoplemagazine, "you are essentially just binding and muzzling yourself'
Our overdue congrats to Welcome to the Dollhouse
and The PrincessDiaries actor HeatherMatarazzo
and her girlfriend, Carolyn Murphy, who have been
dating for over a year and were engaged in August.
"It was really cute. First Heather proposed to
Carolyn, then Carolyn proposed to her;' Matarazzo's
rep Lisa Jammal told E! News, adding, "It was love at
first sight:'
November 2008 j 19
Advice
Lipstick & Dipstick
Do You Know Your Lingo:
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: Is there specific
lingo in the lesbian community that I should
know? I recently came out and want to learn
all I can. This has come up for me because
I signed up for a personal ad, and as part of
the questionnaire they asked if I was a femme
(I understand that) or a butch (I get that too),
but then they broke it down further into different "shades" of lesbian. What other words
should I know?-Lost in the Lesbian Library
girlfriend, and it can be really great when it's
mutual. But sometimes I feel that after only
three months, I'm having to wrestle with
some really emotional issues between us.
She's been in therapy for quite a while, and I
want things to get easier because I love her
very much.-Sad, but Super Sexed Up
high hopes that it will
get better in time. Like
Lipstick said, in these early
days you should be tearing into each
other, not tearing up. Early memories of sexual
bliss are sometimes the only thing that keeps a re-
Lipstick:Here's your answer: couples therapy. And
lationship going through the hard times. And I've
fast. The first few years in a relationship-let
got news for you: Many women have body issues.
alone
be all about tearing
But that's no reason for her to lap on your lunch-
each other's clothes off and having scandalous sex
box when you've not recovered, or for her not to let
the first few months-should
Lipstick:
We are so creative when it comes to our lez-
Dipstick:If the sex isn't
good now, I don't have
zie lingo. Let's see (thumbing through the dyke dic-
in public places. I'm glad your girlfriend is already in
you peek under her petticoat. I think this bedroom
tionary), currently my favorite words are: Fresbian
therapy, but this little speed bump in the bedroom
problem is just the tip of the iceberg. Your girl may
(a donut bumper who lives in Fresno, Cali£), vagi-
will become quite the roadblock very soon if you
be stone butch or she may be harboring major con-
tarian (one whose diet consists exclusivelyof vagina)
don't get back on track. Sweet sexual chocolate is a
trol issues. But if she doesn't learn to let go from
and lesbro (the male equivalent of a fag hag).
salient ingredient to a rock-solid relationship.
time
to
time, she may to lose it all, when you find
someone who will.
Dipstick:Sign her up for class, Lipstick. Or should
Dipstick:
Couples therapy at three months? Lipstick,
wejust send her a copy of our book, so she can check
Jeezus! I agree this issue needs to be sorted out, but
out the Gay Girl's Glossary in the back? Actually,
running to a shrink too soon can also damage a bud-
Lost, the most important thing
to
know about lesbi-
ding relationship.
relationshipswith women before and consider
myself bisexual. I recently became attracted
Lipstick:Dip, these two need help. Why would a
to a lesbian friend of mine (the feelings were
mutual) and almost cheated on my boyfriend.
ans is that they can never agree on the definition of
anything. Is it a date or just coffee? Is she a blue-jean
femme or a soft butch? Is she a stud, a stone butch
little counseling be a bad thing? It's not like they'd
or a diesel dyke? Pull up a log and gather 'round the
need to be in it forever-just
campfire
to
debate these issues with your lesbian
sisters. Because, really, that's what being a lesbian is
all about.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm a 26-year-old
gal in a relationship with a man. I've been in
until they can actually
have sex without someone crying.
He's now obsessed with me defining myself
as bisexual and is having a tough time dealing with it. Some of my best gay friends say
there is no such thing as bisexuality.
They say either you're gay or you're
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: It's been
three months and I'm worried that my
new girlfriend is sexually frustrated
with me. She constantly wants to go
down on me, which is not the part I'm
complaining about. My own frustration
lies in my inability to always be ready
to go, physically speaking. It's not
pleasurable when my pussy doesn't
have time to recuperate in between
orgasms. Secondly, she usually won't
let me reciprocate on her because she
has severe body image issues and often doesn't want me to see her naked.
When she does let me go down, she
rarely comes. This makes me very selfconscious about my own abilities. I've
tried to talk to her about these issues,
but we never get anywhere, and then if
I resist her advances, she just seems
to get upset. I love having sex with my
20
Icurve
not. What's your take? Does me
wanting to be with a woman make
me a lesbian?-Bisexual Babe
Lipstick:
I've heard lesbians hiss this same
cocka-doody, and they're usually the ones
who've been burned by straight chicks they
never should've been sleeping with anyway.
In Lipstick's estimation, bisexuality is a very
real identity, but sexuality, in general, is not
so cut and dry. It's an expansive-living
and breathing and ever-changing-scale
within each of us. Don't stress about it,
Baby, and just follow your heart. Even if
you get hurt, that little pumping organ will
rarely steer you wrong.
Dipstick:Hold on there, Lipstick. When
I followed my heart in college, I ended up
0
in the emergency room. I had nQ idea the
__J
woman I slept with had a girlfriend!
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Ask Fairy Butch Advice
Mixed Signals
Lipstick:And I bet you had no idea you could
jump that far off a balcony either.
Dipstick:
Lipstick has a point, but I'm going to add
that I think your boyfriend is not obsessed with
your being bisexual, but with the fact that you almost cheated on him. Either leave the lesbian or
leave him, but don't string them both along. That
kind of behavior gives bisexuals a bad name.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm 22 and too
chicken to meet the woman of my dreams.
I've got my life together, a great job, no
major hang-ups. Everything is screaming
at me that it's time to make my move, but
I'm frozen to the spot! I've settled for so
long that I don't know how to get what I
want. I don't have a problem with being
out, but I want the right people to pick up
on that. How do I come out without being a one-woman gay Pride parade? Am I
stressing over nothing?-ltchy in Illinois
Dipstick:Girl, you're 22. Most 22-year-olds are
hanging out at the bar, especially on Saturday
night. They're not all alcoholics and parolees.
Last time I checked, Monday was addict night,
Tuesday was for compulsive gamblers and
start your girl hunt.
precipitous agreement to form a union.
Lipstick:First, Itchy Pants, relax. You'll never
meet someone all pent up like this. And if you
do, she'll be turned off by your gushing enthusiasm. You've got to get yourself online (say you're
looking for new friends) and start networking
immediately. Networking is the single best way
Dear Fairy Butch: My girlfriend of two years
and I are having some major problems. We
are still fighting about the same issues that
we fought about in the beginning of our relationship. Before we were official, she asked
me out on the condition that she could still
sleep with her ex-girlfriend. What a wonderful beginning that was! Of course, I said "no
way," but eventually we ended up together
anyway. I moved into a house with her and
her ex-girlfriend/best friend three months later and discovered that she was friends with
two more ex-girlfriends.
When we finally moved out together,
alone, we had about a four-month break
from all the ex-drama, but before then it was
hell having to watch the two of them acting
all "friendly" together and reminiscing about
future wife.
I
:i:
a.
you did. I think that you can reiterate your interest
and then give her some space to become ready for
Wednesday was for culinary school dropouts,
but Saturday's a free-for-all. Head to the bar and
More lesbians lead to more lesbians, who lead to
even more lesbians, one of whom might be your
0
DearConfused:
Well, darling, it seems as though
she just jumped the gun and went a bit further
than she was actually ready to go. I know it must be
hurtful and confusing after those idyllic two days,
but you're lucky you didn't get further along than
a relationship with you, or you can go sniffing up
some new trails for the girl of your dreams. Either
way, if your goal is to preserve the friendship, make
sure you don't pressure her to "make good" on her
to meet a new love. Once you start meeting a
great group of dykes, it's like cracking open a
geode. You'll be amazed at what you find inside.
()
....J
Dear Fairy Butch: I just recently got out of
a very long relationship with my partner.
During my previous relationship, I developed
a friendship that seemed as though it could
have been more. I have to be honest- I was
very hesitant, but my heart kept telling me to
jump, so I did. Everything seemed wonderful.
She agreed that we should be that way, but
then out of nowhere, less than two days later,
she told me that she really wasn't ready, that
she didn't want to be together. Everything
that happened over those two days made
it seem as though we were really dating,
but now this. I completely respect her and
wouldn't mind being her friend, but I can't go
on flirting and "acting" as though we are a
couple when I can see we aren't really going
anywhere. What do I do, and how?
-Confused in Kentucky
These advice gurus are the authors
of Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential
Guide to Lesbian Relationships.
Ask them anything at lipstickdipstick.com.
old times. Anyway,
now the ex is
starting to want
to come back into
my girlfriend's life,
calling her to rescue her every time she breaks up
with another girl- or boyfriend. My girlfriend
swears that she is only friends with her, but
previously lied to me about calling her be••
hind my back. My girlfriend wants me to be
OK with her hanging out with her ex once a
week, but I am experiencing a great deal of
distress.
I love her, but two years of this ex-drama
is pushing me to the edge.-Ex-ed Out in
Edmondton
DearEx-ed:Darling, two things seem apparent to
me: First off, your girlfriend has not been terribly
sensitive with you about integrating her desire to
have her exes remain in her life into a loving, trusting relationship with you. Second, you're going to
have to come to a place where you can tolerate her
having some contact with her exes, or you're going
to have to leave the relationship. Now, she didn't
start things off very well by insisting that you allow
her to continue to sleep with her ex while she was
dating you. Unless you intend to live a polyamorous
lifestyle (and by your "cheating" comment it seems
obvious that you don't), that's not a great way to
build trust. Also, it must have been very difficult
sharing a home with one of her exes right from
the get-go. She certainly hasn't helped her case by
sharing her idealizations of her former lover with
you; she needs
learn some restraint.
But on the other hand, as long as she is capable of remaining sexually and emotionally faithful
to you, it isn't unreasonable for her to have some
contact with the women with whom she has formerly shared her life. You might want to consider
couple's counseling to negotiate a situation where
she feels free to retain the friendships she has
with her exes, yet where you feel safe and comfortable with that contact.
Fairy Butch is the author of The
Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex: A
Complete Resource for Women and
Men. Email Jb@fairybutch.com with
your queries.
The
&ulde
to
Strap•On
ell
November 2008
I 21
Advice
Body
Toxic Toys: Is Your Playtime Safe?
You know how to cinch it,
stuff it and strap it on. You
know how to ask about it
in the store and ask for it in
bed. You are a sex toy connoisseur. But, though you
know what feels good, do
you know if it's safe?
Cheaply
made
sex
toys are full of harmful chemicals. The most
ubiquitous
of these are
phthalates
(pronounced
cha-laces), which are added
to make them flexible.
toys
to otherwise hard PVC
Manufacturers add a chemical cocktail of phthalates
co destabilize the molecules and give the toys chat
soft, realistic feel.
Adult toys are not the only ones that contain
phthalates; some children's coys also have too. But
children's toys are subject to government regulation.
Currently, sex coys are not.
"In some ways, that's good;' saysJessica Giordani,
the cofounder of the Coalition Against Toxic Toys
(CATT) and the former co-owner of Smitten
Kitten, a sex shop in Minneapolis. "We don't want
the government in our sex lives... but it means we
have to be smarter consumers:'
Few studies have been conducted on the danger
of phchalaces in sex coys, but there have been several
on phthalates in children's coys; the results show a
link between the chemicals and liver and hormone
damage. Boch the United States and the European
Union have now banned certain types of phthalaces
in children's toys. Giordani says we need to ask
ourselves, "If it's dangerous for my kid in a pacifier,
might it also be dangerous for me in a butt plug?"
Phthalates aren't just used in butt plugs; they're
used in a lot of popular toys. Babeland cofounder
Claire Cavanah says that while the Rabbit Habit
was one of their best-selling toys, they have taken it
off their shelves and replaced it with a new, phthalate-free version of the toy.
Giordani and her former partner at Smitten
Kitten, Jennifer Pritchett, went further than just
toys tested, there's no way to know about their
chemical composition. Bue there are ways to tell if
your toys contain phthalates."Trust your nose;' says
Giordani. "The new car smell, those are phthalates:•
She adds that if the toy melts when boiled, it probably contains phthalates as well.
Many companies, even boutiques, still sell toys
containing phthalates. Some scores urge you to use a
condom with anything that may contain dangerous
chemicals, but Giordani says there is no proof that
a condom will keep you safe from toxins. Good sex
shops should have floor models that you can feel and
smell before you buy, she adds.
So why are these toxic toys still on the market?
Denise Corona, sales and wholesale accounts manager at Vixen Creations, a toxic-free toy manufacturer in San Francisco says, "Ir's all about the profit
margin-with a lack of oversight and cheap overseas
pulling the toys they thought were unsafe from
their shelves. After founding CATT, they brought
some of the most suspect toys to a chemist for
labor, sex toys are affordable, but not always safe:•
There are still some that are guaranteed to be
harmless-glass, surgical steel and medical grade
testing. Among them were the newly popular
Cyberskin products. The women were surprised
to learn chat they contained no phthalaces, but did
contain "industrial grade mineral oil;' a compound
silicone will tickle your fancy while keeping you safe.
- Kristin A. Smith
that Giordani says is "essentially kerosene:'
Unless you are a chemist yoursel£ or have your
Hittin'the Spot
wrinkleat a time.Now,
onesmoothed-out
industry,
the cosmetics
andBotoxrevolutionized
Collagen
a doctorhasfounda newusefor collagenin,shallI say,a lesspublicarea.A newmedicalprocedure
fora lessthanvibrantsex
is beingtoutedasa panacea
orthe"G-Shot,"
knownas G-spotamplification,
couldbedangerous.
saytheprocedure
life;however,manyin themedicalcommunity
to the
appliesa smallamountof localanesthetic
Duringa 30-minuteofficevisit,the physician
G-spot,insertsa needlethroughthevaginaandpumpsa smalldoseof collagenintotheareaintothe
to stimulation.
spot(G-spot),enlargingit, thusmakingit moreaccessible
Grafenburg
mythologized
forwomenwithnormalsexualfunction.
Eachshotcosts$1,850,lastsforfourmonthsandis intended
of E! Entertainment's
gynecologist
in 2001by Dr.DavidMatlock,the LosAngeles-based
Developed
justfouryearslater-a timeframethatworrieshispeers.
Dr.90210fame,theG-Shotbecameavailable
Moretestingisto comeandalthough
Matlockclaimsthatthepilottestshavean87 percentsatisfaction.
is not.
procedure
theinjection
itselfis FDAapproved,
thecollagen
About
of TheGSpot:AndOtherDiscoveries
a G-spotexpertandthe coauthor
Dr.BeverlyWhipple,
withthe rigorof the
becauseshe is unsatisfied
refusesto endorsethe procedure
HumanSexuality,
a studythatfoundthatmanywomen
onit sofar.Whipplepioneered
thathasbeenconducted
research
authorandsexeducatorTristan
shot,
the
of
skeptical
those
For
mentally.
orgasm
reach
are ableto
whena womanis aroused,
swells
naturally
G-spot
"The
foreplay:
of
beauty
the
of
us
reminds
Taormina
Nooneneedsto injectcolfind.
to
easier
thus
and
pronounced
more
becomes
it
andwhenit'sswollen,
Howard
Emily
G-spot."
their
find
to
vagina
lagenin their
221 curve
LIGHTUPYOURLIFE
Autumn'ssunshineis fading
fastandyoumightalready
befeelingthe onsetof the
winterblues.Butwhylet
thechangingseasonsget
youdownin thedumps?Theonlinenatural
hasa hostof lamps
livingstoreGaiam.com,
andlightboxesmeantto wardoff Seasonal
AffectiveDisorder-akaSAD.Theycanalsorestoreyourbody'snaturalsleeppatterns,reduce
wrinklesandacneor just easeyouintowaking.
Lightbox($239)usesblue-red
TheClearWave
lighttherapyto treatacne.Justnineminutes
LightTherapy
a daywiththe DeepPenetrating
Device($369)will treatminorachesand
painsandpreventwrinkleswith infraredlight.
TheHappyliteMini($110)simulatesnatural
sunshinein yourofficewithoutthe nastyUV
rays.ButmyfavoriteGaiambuyis the Riseand
ShineLamp($199),whichofferstimed,Natural
Spectrum®light.It mimicsdaylight,slowly
the room,whileincreasingnature
brightening
soundsto wakeyouwithoutthejar of an alarm.
It alsoincludesa radioandan alarmclock.Oh,
andonebulblasts2,000hours.Sleeponthat.
-DAM
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Is Open Marriagefor You?
Jenny Block recounts her personal experience with
open marriage in Open: Love, Sex, & Life in an
Open Marriage, and challenges readers to rethink
their definition of a healthy marriage. In doing so,
Block-who
has a long-term female partner and a
husband-tackles
issues like fidelity, honesty and
sexual orientation. -Diane
Anderson-Minshall
ing scenario that doesn't.
In your own situation, how could you tell it
was about wanting to be open with a man
versus actually being a closeted lesbian?
I guess I'll never really know. I feel like I would be
lying ifl said unequivocally that I am not a closeted lesbian simply enjoying heterosexual privilege.
They say we can never truly know ourselves. But
How can you tell if your relationship can withstand being open?
I try. And what I do know is
Being in an open relationship requires
I love my girlfriend
a lot of communication and honesty.
have enjoyed sex with men
It also requires a solid relationship.
and women since my 20s
when I "discovered" what I
that I love my husband and
It's hard to know whether an open
and I
marriage will work for you. It's easier
call my bisexuality, for lack
to know when it won't. If either of you
of a better word. I long for
is a jealous person, if discussing your
relationship is not a priority, if things
aren't
are rocky between the two of you or
[people] accept and respect
the day when the definitions
if you really just want to leave your
partner-
I can tell you for certain that opening
your relationship will not be a good idea. For better
or for worse, being open is something you have to
try before you can figure out if it's for you. The trick
so necessary-when
one another
for who they
are, not who they love.
If you have a partnership with a man and a
woman, how do you keep from being invis-
is to do it in increments and talk through every step
in the hope that neither of you will pass the point of
no return and wish you could go back in time.
ible in queer spaces?
It isn't easy. But I write several times a week from a
gay coffee shop in the heart of the Dallas "gayborhood:' I attend a number of LGBTQ fundraisers
Should you tell your parents, friends or kids?
That is such a personal decision. I find it hard not
and events throughout the year withJemma. And I
write for the Dallas Voice and Edge Dallas, as well as
to tell certain people and find it quite easy to simply
not mention it to others. It really depends on two
things-how "out" you want to be and how pre-
any other LGBTQ publications that will have me.
So far, everyone I have encountered has been incred-
pared you are for whatever the reactions might be. I
in a group that experiences prejudice that can make
people think twice about being prejudiced against
have told my family, and my girlfriend has told hers.
And I've even had a discussion about it with my
mother-in-law, who responded by saying,"Everyone
others. Not always, of course. But generally, my
experience has been positive.
a number of relationships
my girlfriend and if people ask, I explain.
past-casual
In terms of telling kids, for us it's a matter of
Our daughter has not con-
nected all the sex, marriage, love and relationship
dots, and so telling her would simply not compute
at this point. But when she asks pointed questions like, "Do you love Jemma as much as you love
Daddy?" I tell her the truth: "Yes. I do:' And when
the "big" question comes, we plan to tell her that
different people love in different ways, and that
Mommy and Daddy don't see love as a limited
commodity. I don't doubt that it will present challenges in the future. But I don't know any parent-
LOVE
& DESIRE
ERUPT
FORTHEFIRST
TIME.
ibly accepting. I think there's something about being
has to live their own life:' We don't lie about it, but
we don't announce it either. I introduce Jemma as
age appropriateness.
Paris...
Summer
...
But the point is, I am queer. I have been in
with women in the
and otherwise. Now, I am in a rela-
tionship with a woman who I've been seeing for
over a year and a half. I make myself visible by not
hiding my relationship with Jemma and by being
a part of the queer community-both
where I live
and when I am away from home. Writing about my
experiences ... is another way I put myself out there.
I'm not hiding. But I also don't believe in making
people uncomfortable for the sake of making them
uncomfortable. I want understanding-for
all
kinds of people, in all kinds of relationships-not
controversy that simply leads to more separation
and segregation.
November 2008
I 23
Advice
Astra Grrl
Fall Delights
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:Whisper sweet nothings in her ear
and she will follow you anywhere ... except
to the dentist. Don't oyer-ask. Career:
Money flows like water this November. Is
your glass half empty or half full?
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:Spoil her with lavish gifts or search
for a new paramour in the "meet" market.
Go on a spending spree. Career:You are
given a rare opportunity to chart your
own professional course. Take a chance,
but also pack a compass.
Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:This November you are thrown into the social rice, practice, practice. Career:Dramatic upheavals
pool. When in doubt, do the breast stroke. Career: turn out to be very good in the long term. However,
Caps maneuver stealthily and successfullybehind the
scenes at work. Take control of the corporation later.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:You have a guardian angel who tips you off to
the less you do to instigate them, the better.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Crabs bring the water cooler to a boil with
others' plots and machinations. Surprise her with a
Share your ideas with the
plan of your own. Career:
their wandering eye. Will your trysts on the job
lead to romance or just another case of clit cha.tr
Career:You appear to be very industrious, but if
right people. This will catapult you to new professional heights, or at least a better office.
you put a little sugar in your morning coffee you'll
receive more of the perks.
Leo (July 24-Aug. 23)
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:A healthier lifestyle has unexpected benefits.
Sex:One of your gal pals is interested in a deeper
relationship. Will youjump in over your head? Career: Not only do you feel great, you look great. Career:
Now is the time to make significant progress along
your professional path. Don't take"no" for an answer.
The powers that be adore you. See how much you
can take advantage of their nai:vete.
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:Rams might find love with a proper stranger
this November. Or an improper one. Career:Your
Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Join the festivities any way you can this
corporate climb becomes a sprint. Will you jostle
your opponents on your way up? Not if you manage both the ups and the downs.
tempted to find ways to work less and play more,
but try to continue to make an honest effort.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Crank up your charm to high voltage-there is
something about you that drives the ladies wild all
Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23)
Sex:Libras are hungry for love. Nibble your way
through the tasting menu. Career:You feel the
through November. Then, package your lightning and
need to say what you mean to your bosses. Say it
out of earshot.
A promotion is possible as
giftit in December. Career:
your intuition pays off on the job. And having compromising photographs of the boss will help, too.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:Are you the perfect lovergrrlr If not, then prac-
24 I curve
November. Virgins attract a bevy of lovelies.
How many hearts will you break? Career:You are
AstrologerCharleneLichtensteinis the authorof Herscopes: A Guide to Astrology
for Lesbians. To see what else is in your
stars,visitthestarryeye.com.
Relationships Advice
Ten Lessons on Lesbian Life
Surviving the queer community-in
and out of bed. I By Lynn Breedlove
We were once so grateful to be among the three lesbians in town that if someone got drunk and banged someone else's girlfriend, we had no choice but to
get over it. We couldn't afford boundaries, with only three of us playing musical
beds. Hurt feelings were solved with booze, sarcasm and vengeance.
In the age of the Web, with the closet a thing of the past, we can afford to
act out freely, burn bridges and choose from an unlimited dyke supply. There is
always another chick where that one came from.
It's even better, though, to thrive in today's burgeoning community by using
the following guidelines for getting laid and keeping pals.
Step8: Admitscrewups.
You're rarely wrong. When you are, endearingly and disarmingly concede that
you blew it, you're sorry and you won't do it again. See steps 1 through 7 to
ensure that you don't.
Step9: NoflamingontheWeb.
Communicate directly or avoid whatever doesn't blow your skirt up. Web hostility outs you as no-talent, unemployed and mean. You'll never get laid. Even if
you're hiding behind your Xena avatar, you're destroying something that took
decades to build.
Step1:Askandtell.
"Can I date your ex? Touch you there? What's your safe word? I'm poly: don't
expect marriage. I break out the chainsaw for sideways looking. I'm carrying a
torch for the babe whose name is tatted on my arm:'
Step2: Beresponsible
foryouractions.
"Oops, I forgot to tell you, Madonna's Eroticatriggers my multiple-personality
syndrome. I'm sorry, I didn't know gerbil play was off-limits. Aftercare time:'
Step3: Mindyourownbusiness
andhaveyourownbusiness
to mind.
If somebody's choices bother you, ask yourself what freaks you out about her
naked peanut butter penchant. Keep the focus on yourself Rock out, blog, DJ.
And park your ambulance. Rescue orphan Yorkies, not the local drunk.
Step4: Knowthyself.
Explore weaknesses and strengths. This leads to
knowing and expressing what you want, which prevents others from having to mind-read, a skill most
humans have not perfected.
Step5: Gettherapy.
Anyone can use a year to root out childhood damage. Carry your own emotional baggage. When you
get tired of bickering with sweety-chick, get couples
counseling. You may break up, but you'll learn loads
about your next ex-wife.
Step6: Havea supportnetwork.
Three close friends are plenty to share entertainment and emotional breakdowns. Stay in touch for
preventive tuneups, and rotate to avoid death by
boredom.
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Step7: Google
a hotline.
If it's no longer fun, seems necessary to sanity but in
fact makes you crazy, check on it: Have you replaced
your '80s coke compulsion with shopping, food,
smokes, sex, the Net or poonjug? Your MySpace
a: page is perfect. Now go outside and play.
Step10:Createcommunity
in yourownimage.
Start a monthly dance club, open mic or L Word night for yelling, popcorn
throwing and fresh-meat trolling.
If you're bored, don't make a scene. Build one. You'll find no time for sexing your best friend's ex or posting snarly Craigslist comments, and you'll be
extra lovable.
Communicatedirectlyor avoidwhatever
doesn't blowyourskirtup. Web hostility
outs you as no-talent,unemployedand
mean. You'llneverget laid.
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
This Feels Awful. It Must Be Love.
Recognizing true love is more about knowing what it's not than knowing what it is.
For those of you who want more information, I can only tell you what is not
As I sat in the back seat of a rust-andprimer-splotched Trans Am, watching
true love.
a slasher flick with my date's kid sister
at a drive-in movie theater in Trailer
Anyone who starts a sentence
with, "If you loved me, you would ... "
Village, Ore., I began to suspect that
love had forsaken me once more. On
that wretched evening, my date sat in
is not your true love.
If she has been seen out at a club
within 24 hours after giving you a
speech about needing some space, she
the front seat with the driver, who was
her ex-girlfriend, not incidentally, and
is not the one.
the owner of the battered car. Every few
minutes, their heads would close the
Your life partner will not tell you
how fine her former women were, only
gap between them as they would whisper something, probably not terribly
how fine you are.
Nothing is "wrong" with you, and
if she uses that term then she is wrong
clever, to one another, obstructing the
view for the kid and me. Of course, my
for you.
vision was already blurred by my tiny
tears. I couldn't even explain to myself
Your true love will not take other
women on dates in your car and use
the change in your ashtray to pay for
how I came to such a pitiful fare.
But it got worse. I guess being the
their refreshments.
third wheel while my girlfriend was on
a date in the front seat wasn't humiliating enough. I had to wait a couple of
weeks for her to steal all the money I
Cute nicknames such as "bunny"
and "boo" make a girl feel special, but
any woman who calls you "leather
had in the world ($37) and run off with
Carl, the spotty teenage assistant man-
without hesitation.
face" or "Bigfoot" should be dismissed
You will not have to wait for your
true love to "grow" to love you. If she
has cold you that she might grow co
ager of a fast-food restaurant.
I was a fool for love.
And when I decided that the next
woman of my dreams was worth waiting for-even if it meant waiting for her to bed every woman in the county
prior to seeding down with me-well, you can imagine how that turned out.
I thought I was her port in the storm, bur I turned our to be just the shower
at the rest stop.
Love stinks.
I knew I would never be alone again after my first date with Jennifer. We
went to see DesperatelySeekingSusan and held hands during the entire movie.
After that, it was hot sex and Hunan food three times a week. Who knew that
someone else-the other four days a week?
she was devouring burritos-and
Well, I did, eventually, and declared love off-limits for the rest of my pathetic
little life.
Obviously, that was just one of the many vows I broke.
It has taken me almost 35 years to realize that love doesn't suck. Sure,
I could have reached this conclusion with the help of a therapist, but why
bother when I was just going to hit upon the same truth a few decades later.
love you, then she won't. If you are
telling yourself that she might grow to love you, then she won't.
When you find her, she won't need to keep sleeping with other women to
"keep it interesting:'
Neither one of you will be afraid to commit. You will just do it.
True love does not require a girl to wait up half the night for her woman,
who is out drinking with an old flame. Your Ms. Right will invite you along or
turn down the invitation.
Your special lady will not allow you to hock a kidney on eBay to pay for
her latest obsession. It is sad when women think they need to buy love, but it
is tragic when it works.
Anybody who expects you to find or lose God to be in a relationship is
best left on her own.
Anybody who wants you to gain or lose a pound to be loved should be left
for dead.
As I look back, I cannot believe what has passed for love in my life.
I know I cannot be the only dyke who has confused low self-esteem and
True love means not keeping score of transgressions or apologies.
You won't have to wait for your soul mate to decide whether you are the
one, but should someone make you that generous offer, I suggest you make
desperation with love.
We all know what true love is. If you aren't sure, then it hasn't happened
for you yet. But it will. True love is mutual, it is lasting and it is rewarding.
Selling your antique iron collection to buy her new cold-weather camping
gear is romantic; pawning your graduation ring to buy her meth is not.
26 I curve
the decision for her.
True love is inconvenient. It happens just before you are going to leave the
country or six minutes after your last divorce.
True love is not a turd in gold wrapping paper, but it can be a bar of gold
True love is not bailing out the chickie who wrecked your car in a drunken
rampage. And no, it is not romantic that she used you as one of her three free
phone calls.
with a little poo smeared on it.
If she gives you a speech about how there is always one person in a relationship who is more invested than the other person, that means that you are
the one most invested and she is the "other person:' In any case, women who
There are a lot of terrible things I would be willing to do for my true love,
but she would never want me to do any of them.
Your true love may not dig your interests, but she won't make fun of them
in front of you.
are madly in love do not spout such drivel.
You don't move in with a woman to see how it will work. You are in love
and you end up under the same roof without even realizing that you have
True love makes you do things you have never done before, like clean your
cupboards and cut your toenails before you feel them painfully hitting the
front of your shoes when you walk.
moved in. Eventually, you will give up your place, or the crackhead neighbors
will take it over for you.
True love is not what you pictured. If you are open to true love, then
you do not have a physical type. Your eyes do not know what is best for
your heart. Don't believe me? Then head to a buffet restaurant in Virginia
The woman you want to spend the rest of your life with does not belong to
someone else, or else she will again.
If she is the one for you, she will not waste time pontificating over imperfect timing. Anytime is the right time to fall in love.
True love is not packed with ultimatums, but divorces are.
Your true love will never try to explain the difference between being in
love and merely loving someone. Only people who are not in love give you that
dopey song and dance because they think you will freak out less if they say
they love you in some little crappy way.
One of the best things about being really in love is that the sex is wonderful
even when the sex is not wonderful.
sometime.
True love is not drama. Relationships are work, but love is not.
True love, as I have (I hope) established, is not the least bit stinky. It is also
not cruel, nor is it a load of hooey.
All the silly and sad things we do to ourselves because we fear chat love has
already passed us by make love seem like an impossible mess.
Who hasn't offered up her heart to an unwilling or unworthy recipient?
Not to fret, you got it half right.
Don't blame love; don't blame yourself-just look around and know that if
all these other losers can find love, then surely you can too.
Situated in northeast Alabama's Lookout Mountain,
is a gated residential community
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MOUNTAINTOP
November 2008
I 27
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
Don't Ask, Don't
Tell, Don't Discuss
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" needs to be an issue this election year.
Since Sept. 11, every congressional and presidential election
has been fraught with discussion about national security issues.
Absent from that discourse, however, has been the status of gay
men and lesbians in the military.
In 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected, he thought a civil
equal rights for gay
rights issue he had campaigned on-granting
be a done deal. But when
men and lesbians in the military-would
Clinton attempted to initiate the change, he was stopped cold by
the Pentagon, the military and Congress.
It wasn't that simple, Clinton was told. There were aspects of
the issue that he, as someone who had never served in the military,
just couldn't understand. Morale would be destroyed. Discipline
would suffer. Plus, queers weren't needed in the military, and they
would make everything unsafe.
The eventual compromise between the president and the
Pentagon looked good on paper: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell;' crafted
by Gen. Colin Powell, purported to protect gay men and lesbians
from harassment while also allowing them to serve unbeknownst
to their fellow servicemen and -women in the military.
DADT meant no one could ask a man or woman enlisting in
the military if he or she was indeed queer. Conversely, enlisted
queers could not reveal their sexual orientation. What DADT
demanded was secrecy: An enlistee could be gay or lesbian but
could not say so or engage in gay or lesbian acts.
DADT also meant the only way the military could investigate
service members was if they declared they were queer or openly
engaged in gay or lesbian behavior.
DADT ultimately created more problems than it solved, however. When she was running for president, Sen. Hillary Clinton
asserted that she would end DADT, if elected. And while Sen.
Barack Obama has a record of avoiding LGBT issues, when he
became the nominee he stated that he would make changes to
DADT, in an effort to gain the gay vote.
Sen. John McCain, however, insisted that DADT remains a
good compromise. McCain argued that whether or not gay men
and lesbians were already serving in the military, any acknowledgment of
them as gay or lesbian would harm morale, particularly in a time of war.
Throughout the presidential campaign, I kept being told by straight people that "gays" should not try to "screw up" this election, the way we did in
2000 and 2004, by bringing up "gay"issues like marriage and the military.
I hate to insert facts into an emotional argument, but queers didn't create
people did
ballot initiatives that would deprive us of our civil rights-straight
that. And while I wish I could say it was just the Republicans, it wasn't. The
Democrats were almost equally culpable then, and still are now.
When will the problems of queers in the military finally be addressed?
And if not by the Democrats, then by whom?
There is no reason why, post-election, Congress cannot act, and with a
Democratic majority, there is no reason why DADT cannot be repealed.
Overturning the ban 1s in the best interest of the country. Two wars are be-
2slcurve
ing waged and a third is-looming, thus it would seem that this is a pressing
issue for all Americans, regardless of election results or culture-wars rhetoric.
Proponents of repealing the policy who are in the military believe it would
that are desperately needbring in tens of thousands of new recruits-recruits
ed by our over-taxed military. In addition, most Americans think DADT has
outlived its usefulness. An ABC News/Washington Post poll taken in August,
before the Democratic and Republican conventions, was succinct: A full 75
percent of Americans are now interested in having DADT repealed.
According to the same poll, that number was just 62 percent prior to the
election in 2004. Whether it is war fatigue or the realization that it really
doesn't matter if G.I. Joe and Jane are queer, Americans are overwhelmingly
supportive of ending DADT, even if the Republican and Democratic hierarchies continue to balk at the prospect.
In June 2008, in a report issued on the 39th anniversary of Stonewall by
the Servicepersons Legal Defense Network and
reported in the New York Times and ocher national media, the number of lesbian and gay service
members ousted from the military is up by nearly
10 percent since 2007.
Even more disturbing, the majority of chose
being ousted from both the Army and the Air
Force are women, which means lesbians are being
targeted under DADT.
disproportionately
counterproductive, but dangerously foolhardy.
Some highly placed members of the military
agree. On Jan. 2, 2007, Gen.John M. Shalikashvili,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Scaff at the time
DADT
went into effect, wrote in a New York
Times op-ed column, "I now believe chat if gay
men and lesbians served openly in the United
States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been
"Womenmake up 15 percentof the armedforces,so
to findthey representnearly50 percentof discharges
underDADT is shocking.Women in particularhavebeen
caughtin the crosshairsof thiscounterproductive
law."
Although women constitute only 14 percent of
the Army and 20 percent of the Air Force, according to a June 2008 report chat was taken directly
from Pentagon statistics, in 2007, 46 percent of
those discharged from the Army were women
and 49 percent of the Air Force discharges were
women. According to the SLDN report, in 2006,
35 percent of the Army discharges and 36 percent
of the Air Force discharges were women.
The SLDN's executive director, Aubrey Sarvis,
issued a statement with the release of the report
saying, "Women make up 15 percent of the armed
forces, so to find they represent nearly 50 percent
of Army and Air Force discharges under 'Don't
Ask, Don't Tell' is shocking. Women in particular
have been caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law:'
Counterproductive
word for DADT.
is certainly an appropriate
In 2001, the United States started the war
in Afghanistan, and in 2003, the United States
invaded Iraq. Since 2006, 800 "mission critical"
troops have been forced out by DADT. In addition, more than 300 language specialists, as well as
55 Arabic specialists, have been discharged under
DADT.
Regardless of one's stance on either the war in
Afghanistan or the war in Iraq, there can be no
question that these men and women were vital to
waging those wars. Discharging them solely on
the basis of their sexual orientation is not merely
stretched chin by our deployments in the Middle
East, and we muse welcome the service of any
American who is willing and able to do the job:'
In July, congressional hearings on DADT produced a range of testimony on both sides of the
issue, with Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) sponsoring a House bill to repeal DADT and Elaine
Donnelly, president of the Center for Military
Readiness, arguing to maintain DADT. According
to Donnelly, the repeal of DADT would mean an
increase in HIV infections and gay rapes.
The July hearings were the first to be held
since DADT was initiated. Ac present, the biggest obstacle co repealing the law is the lack of a
Republican to cosponsor the bill in the Senate.
Democratic senators Ted Kennedy and Clinton
have agreed to cosponsor the bill, but it requires
bipartisan sponsorship and no Republican has
been willing to sign on in the Senate. Rep. Chris
Shays (R-Conn.) has cosponsored the bill in the
House.
There are an estimated 1 million lesbian and
gay veterans in the United States. Shouldn't they
be able to commemorate chis Veteran's Day with
the sure knowledge chat their service has meant
as much to the nation as chat of their heterosexual
peers2
This November marks the 15th anniversary of
DADT. What better way to mark it than to repeal
chis anachronistic, demoralizing, repressive and
discriminatory law.
November 2008
I 29
Remembering
Del Martin
Dorothy (Del) Martin
May 5, 1921-Aug.27, 2008
living history.
They were, even then, in their lively 50s, an
inseparable couple. It seemed that the struggle they
had each waged to be together, as they had been
since 1952, kept them from straying very far from
each other's side. Del and Phyllis seemed to bolster
each ocher, co be partners in the truest sense of the
term, propelling each other forward into successive
I was in college when I first met Del Martin and
Phyllis Lyon in 1974 in San Francisco. I was the
student representative from my college at the
founding conference of the National Women's
Studies Association and it was only my third trip
to San Francisco.
I had read Del and Phyllis' book, Lesbian/
Woman, published in 1972, and was interviewing
them for Amazon Country, the lesbian radio pro,
gram I cohosted in Philadelphia.
It was, for me, an extraordinary event. Not
only were they lesbian icons-they had cofounded
Daughters of Bilitis before I was even born-but
they were the first lesbians I had met who had
been together as an out couple for more than a
few years.
so I curve
Naturally, I was nervous. These women were
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When I saw it on the national news, I thought
it was fitting that their last great socio,political act
as a couple was their June wedding, when same,sex
0
marriage became legal in California.
That interview in 1974 was everything I might
have hoped for. They were charming, funny, ribald
and seemed as thrilled to be meeting me ("We're so
excited that the only lesbian radio program in the
country is interviewing us! And you're so young:')
as I was chem.
Later, I thought they were merely being incred,
ibly kind to a young lesbian,feminisc and budding
historian who was trying to do Mary Daly's bidding
and "dis,cover" lesbian history.
It was 20 years before I saw chem again, also
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It's easy to recount the
in San Francisco. We had coffee and chatted and
it was like seeing my lesbian aunts who lived way
acr~ss the country and I didn't get to visit with often.
Del Martin was 87 when she died of complications from a fractured arm. Phyllis Lyon was at
her side.
This time the interview was for a book I was doing,
rather than a radio program, but being with Del
We hear the word "maverick" a lot these daysalmost as much as we hear the word "hero:' There
and Phyllis again had the same sense of moment to
it as it had that first time.
are precious few mavericks and even fewer heroes.
Del Martin was both. How fortunate I was to have
known her. How fortunate we all are as a com-
I'd spoken to Del on the phone a few times in
the intervening years, requesting quotes for this
or that article I was writing. Del was always the
spokesperson in those phone interviews and she
always had a joke or a wry comment to make. She
always called me "the kid" and always made some
reference to our first meeting. It was tremendously
endearing.
As I got older, I thought about the thousands of
interviews the two must have done over the years.
That Del remembered me, and would announce
to Phyllis that "the kid" was calling, made me feel
incredibly special, because I never ceased to be in
awe of them.
When I became very ill in the 1990s, they sent
me a get-well message and told me I had to get better so I could come and visit them again.
munity to have had her on our side. Brownworth
Victoria A.
political, social and
cultural "firsts"Del and
Phyllis accomplished
together ...They gave
voice to the voiceless
at a time when simply
saying you were a
lesbian was enough
to ruin your life.
I was never able to travel to San Francisco again,
and I hadn't spoken to either of them since their
first wedding, in February 2004.
When I heard that Del had died, I burst
tears. I'm not given to fits of crying, and no
can say that Del Martin did not have a long
extraordinary life. But she was someone who
into
one
and
had
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin became the first
same-sex married couple in San Francisco during a
ceremony performed by Mayor Gavin Newsom on
June 12, 2008 (left); Lyon and Martin circa 1954 at the
Wilton Hotel Sky Room in Long Beach, Calif. (below)
been there throughout my whole lesbian life as this
icon of lesbian feminism and now she was gone.
The sense of loss was palpable.
6'
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It's easy to recount the political, social and cultural "firsts" Del and Phyllis accomplished together.
!Q. Del was tough, funny and wise, and had spent
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together. They gave voice to the voiceless at a time
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Del Martin was an extraordinary woman-courageous and funny in a way that went right to your
gut. It's impossible to overstate her importance to
every lesbian and gay man living in America today.
There are obituaries galore on the Internet about
Del that detail her every achievement. Impressive
achievements they are, too. What those obits can't
express is how much she touched everyone she met
with her warmth and humor.
November 2008
I31
I<i heard it before, dozens of times, and it always sounded diched, exaggerated, perhaps merely the effect of too many sundrenched days lazing on a beach somewhere slightly exotic. But
weeks after I disembarked from the MS Westerdam-a lumbering vessel that took me from Florida to Cozumel, the Cayman
Islands, Turks and Caicos and rhe Bahamas-I was saying it
too: Olivia changed my life.
Olivia, of course, is the one-time record company that, in the
last 35 years, has turned into quite a cool niche-travel firm-and
one of the country's largest lesbian-owned companies. It took
me years to finally take an Olivia cruise and when I did, I went
with as much trepidation as excitement. I anticipated pool parnes packed with 20-year-old bikini bodies or, conversely, being
the youngest person (and the only woman of color) on a shipload of coupled white retirees. Neither was true.
What I did find were nearly 2,000 eager lesbians, ages 18 to
over 80 (believe me, the octogenarians partied harder than GenXers), a nicely diverse group of women and strong programs to
support travelers who were single, or had disabilines or other
differing needs. There was a nny handful of men, too (mostly gay
men who preferred the lesbian crwses to the party boats aimed
at dudes, or trans men who were involved with queer women)
though they were less than 1 percent.
I knew from the first night, when the legendary rock band
Heart came on board to perform-their first time doing so on a
cruise ship-and the Wilson sisters' performance made me rethink my marriage vows, that this tnp would impact me. But I
didn't realize until the end that I'd walk away with a halo of happiness that I'd officially dub the "Oliva Effect:'
No doubt, it's Olivia's ability to create chis effect
that has led the company into new territory this year,
ty:' Not one to shy away from big risks, the founder and face of
Olivia,Judy Dlugacz-who welcomes guests aboard the ship, even
now-jumped in immediately after she saw a condo community
in Arizona that she thought would be perfect for "creating the
Olivia experience.ff
So for the women like me, so taken by the Olivia Effect that
they can't get enough of Olivia's expanded travel options-in
2009, these include a luxury cruise to Tahiti, a riverboat cruise
in Europe, a festival in lxtapa, Mexico, and another Carribbean
cruise to raise money for the Dr. Susan Love FoundationDlugacz has built a little lesbian motherland in Arizona.
"This is a dream come true for me:• she effuses. "It's always
been my desire, from the time we started as a record company,
to create community:'
A bit like a retirement community, but for lesbians of all
ages and stages of life, Olivia's first full-time, land-based community will acrually be a condominium complex in Tucson that
sits on five acres of beautiful landscape with over a dozen threestory residential buildings plus pools, a spa, barbecue pavilions,
a clubhouse and gym. Talking about the units themselves makes
anyone sound like a realtor (full-size washer and dryer! oversize walk-in closets!) and there's no arguing that the new Olivia
community offers homeowners and renters a gay-friendly luxury
resort to live or vacation in. The complex circles a golf course and
dog runs, and is close to great shopping, wilderness hiking and
museums. Even skiing is 30 minutes away in the winter.
Olivia has made purchasing the condos a snap, with banks
and financing companies on hand to make it a one-stop shopping experience for buyers, and setting it up so char women can
buy with a friend or solo.
But for the vast number
of excited lesbians plunking
down $10,000 to reserve one
of the 3 30 units-SO women
did in the first week after
the announcement-Olivia's
new venture in Tucson isn't
about real estate.
Ir rakes what many feminists left behind in the '70swomen's land-and updates the concept for 2009. Ir's a place
where women of all ages and backgrounds can combine modem
living with the things the back-to-the-landers once wanted, like
the ability to make decisions about their own communities.
HI'm going to buy my own (condo] as well;' says Dlugacz,
who states that as CEO she'd never ask other lesbians to do
something she wouldn't. And as the company sets sail into new
territory, Dlugacz is as excited as any of the community's new
owners are.
She, too, still falls victim to the Olivia Effect, so having this
outpost m Tucson will, for her and for lesbians from around the
globe, be a chance to "live Olivia 365 days a
D~lVEN BY PASSION
Food Network star Susan Feniger hits the streets. By BK Loren
to take several years of culinary training
(finally completing her college degree),
which landed her in an alley in L.A. with
a hibachi.
But Feniger-and Milliken-have always had chutzpah. They hauled a trove of
recipes back with them from Mexico, garnered the support of several investorsenough to install a kitchen-and
opened
their own little taco stand in the same
spot on Melrose where Feniger's culinary
career had started. They renamed the restaurant Border Grill and it became one of
the first eateries in America to serve fish
tacos on homemade tortillas.
That little taco stand has now morphed into two Border Grills-one
in
Santa Monica and one in Las Vegas-and
a sister restaurant, Ciudad, in downtown
L.A.
But Feniger is still hooked on street
food. "It's amazing," she says. "Street food
is made right before your eyes, in the moment, while you're talking and laughing
Getting a citation from the Los Angeles Health
Department is not the traditional way to begin
a career as a world-class restaurateur, but Susan
Feniger has never walked a traditional path. In
the 1980s, her first restaurant, City Cafe, was no
more than a divot among the showy storefronts on
Melrose Avenue. With no kitchen and no resources to install one, Feniger took to the streets, setting
up a hibachi in the alley. With that, along with a
broken saute pan, a single hot plate and an espresso maker, she created dishes so delectable that they
won rave reviews from Gourmet magazine and the
Los Angeles Times. She used her early success to
lure her friend and fellow chef Mary Sue Milliken
away from Chicago and out to L.A. Now, they're
business partners and the costars of the series Too
Hot Tamales on the Food Network.
All this early attention also led to the aforementioned visit from the health department, which was
enough to shut the place down. But if it weren't for
the demise of their cafe, Feniger and Milliken might
not have taken off for Mexico, and they might not
have eaten at every outdoor taco stand in every village they visited, and Feniger might not have discovered her lifelong passion for street food.
It's a passion that still drives her today. Her
most recent project-and
her first solo business
venture-has
its origins in her trip to Mexico decades ago. Susan Feniger's new restaurant, Street,
is due to open in L.A. early next year.
You may think that street food is an odd obsession
for a gourmet che£ But more often than not, Feniger
heads to a hot dog stand when she's hungry, rather
than a trendy spot where the food is overdressed.
Feniger's down-to-earth attitude doesn't stop there;
though she's one of the world's finest chefs, she prefers
to be calledjust a "cook:'
Feniger's humbleness might have something to
do with her beginnings. She started her culinary
career as a cafeteria worker when she was in high
school in Toledo, Ohio, but before pursuing it further she dropped out of college, lived in a teepee on
a dairy farm in Vermont and studied as an apprentice cabinetmaker. Then she left all that behind
with the cook. People, culture, connection-these are the ingredients that make
a good meal great, and they're the key ingredients of street food:'
Feniger traveled extensively to find inspiration
for Street. One of her most memorable tours began in Ahmednagar, India, a place she originally
visited when she was first starting out in L.A.
Twenty years after her first trip, she says, "It was
like I'd never left. [My Indian friends and I were]
hanging out a I kitchen, cooking, joking. They
laughed so hard at me because they make these
beautiful buckwheat-flour breads, perfectly thin
and smooth, and I do everything they do, I mean,
exactly, and mine turn out oval and off-shape:'
In India, Feniger found she was usually the
only American gobbling up street food, while all
the other tourists looked on in horror.
Despite the fact that she returned from India
with a wickedly painful parasite that her doctor
and acupuncturist, working in concert, had a hard
time curing, the health concerns of the average
tourist have never crossed Feniger's mind. If she
can make a direct, intimate connection with the
person creating a fabulous tidbit of food, she'll
Driven by Passion continued on page 78
November 2008
I 33
FANTASTIC
LESBIAN RECIPES
Top Chef's hot kitchen mavens share a couple of Thanksgiving Day delights.
Lisa Fernandes and Jennifer Biesty, the sexy women of Bravo's Top Chef,reunite to bring you holiday goodies that include spicy
caramel corn and a bracingly good goat cheese and Brussels sprouts salad. So, skip the canned cranberry sauce and take one of
these treats
to
your family feast.
POPCORN
CARAMEL
CURRIED
SALAD
SPROUTS
BRUSSELS
Forthe salad:
Grove's
2 ouncesagedgoatcheeseperperson(Cypress
workswell)
2 poundsBrusselssprouts
2 cupsgoodham,mediumdice(I useHobbsApplewood)
2 cupsSierraBeautyapples,mediumdice,unpeeled
choppedparsley
2 tablespoons
lightlytoastedpinenuts
2 tablespoons
chives,cutthin
1 tablespoon
1/4 cupchervil,cutthin
the heartandouterleavesof the Brussels
Remove
sproutsandseparatethe leaves,leavingthesprout
butit makesthe saladtastebetter.)Saute
whole.(Thisis time-consuming,
vegthe Brusselssproutsin a hot(butnotsmoking!)panwith 2 tablespoons
Addthe hamandappleandwarm
etableoil, untilthey'relightlycarmelized.
through.Addthe parsleyandpinenutsandremovethe panfromthe heat.
Mixin the vinaigretteandsaltandpepperto taste,thenheapon individual
wedgesof the cheesein oil in a separatepanandcarefully
plates.Carmelize
placeontop of thesalads.Drizzleplateswith morevinaigretteandsprinkle
with choppedchivesandchervil.
,, ½heapplevinaigrette·.
io ma"elll
d andquartered
ee\ed,core
2 apples,P .. n mustard
.
o,!o edshallot
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoonmmc ·ctr vinegar,orgamc)
.
applec1.\ vinegar
1 teaspoon
oodSpanisholiveOIi)
rice~m
1 tablespoon
1.5cupscanolaOIi xt a-virginoliveoil ll usea g
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2 to 3 tablespoons
cter-achievmg
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h ot saltuntilten . I auteon
saltan P
nd'Js
a hotovens1mP
. omeoil anda touc
ha
Roastthe applesw~ths timum.11'JOUdon'thave r or toodprocessor,_or
1 cuppopcornkernels
oil,or chilioil if youhaveit
1 tablespoon
1 cuppackedbrownsugar
1/2 cuplightcornsyrup
1/2 cupbutter
1/2 teaspoonbakingsoda
yellowcurrypaste
1 1/2 tablespoons
Heatthe oil in a mediumto largepoton highheat.Onceit's hotbut notsmokandshakethe pot
ing,addthe kernelsto the pot.Coverwith a lid completely
backandforthuntilyouhearthe kernelsstartpopping.
removefromthepotandplacepopcornin a warm
Oncetheyareall popped,
oven.Inanotherpot,mixthesugar,cornsyrup,butterandcurrypastetogether.
Addthe bakingsoda
Bringto a boilandthensimmerfor about2 to 3 minutes.
andswirlthepanbyhand.Donotusea utensil.Themixturewill bubblea lot.
thepotfromtheheat.Takethepopcornoutof theovenandpourthe
Remove
mixingwellto coatevenly.Laythe popcornona
sugarmixtureoverthepopcorn,
ovenfor 1 hour.
andplacein a 200-degree
withparchment
sheettraycovered
BIESTY
DISHWITHJENNIFER
THELATEST
WhenScala'sBistro,an upscaleUnionSquarerestaurantin San
Francisco'sSir FrancisDrakeHotel,went lookingfor a newexecutive
chefto spiceup its menu,guesswho got the call:the tousled-fauxhawk-sportingchefbian,andformer TopChefcontestant,Jennifer
Biesty.
"We'regoingto revampit," sayBiesty."That'skindawhythey
hiredme,to helpbreathenew life intothe restaurant.Andbringmy
"Keepit simple,andtry to
styleto the food."Biesty'sfoodphilosophy,
reallyseekout the freshest,bestingredientsyoucanfind andalways
try somethingnewanddifferent,"is perfectlyin line with Scala's
focuson seasonalingredientsandsimplebut inspireddishes.
Followingher untimelyexitfrom TopChet,Biestyhaskeptbusy
creatingherowncateringcompany,SavageFeasts.Sincestarting
her newroleat Scala's,Feastshasbeenin a "dormant"phasebut,
for a luckyfew,sheis availableto planmenusandattendevents.So,
howmuchdoesit costto haveJenBiestycateryourevent?"A lot of
money,"Biestylaughs.She'swortheverypenny,no doubt.
Forthe restof us,thereis alwaysdinnerat Scala's.Biestywill
alsobe involvedin planningmenusfor the Sir FrancisDrake's
otherrestaurant,the StarlightRoom,as well as banquetsandroom
service."It's a bigjob,"shesays.As for hersignaturedishesat
the Drake,we'll haveto wait until sheunveilsthe new menu.For
now,Biestyis beingcoy,saying,"I'm goingto keepthat oneup
my sleeve."
whenit comesto this chef'splansfor the holidays,
However,
sheis a bit moreforthcoming."I'll be workingfor sure... I'll probablycookhundredsof turkeysfor Thanksgiving-andthen I'll go
out for sushi."- RachelShatto
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D.C.'S FOOD WA~~lO~
Ten things you must know about chef Gillian
Clark. By Emily Howard
Over a decade ago, equipped solely with her
uncompromising conviction, chef Gillian Clark
began her life anew. The divorced single mother of
two fought her way through culinary school and
up the ranks of the restaurant industry to become
one of the best chefs in Washington D.C. Clark
is a food warrior. Her mission: to remake classic
American cuisine. Her audience: every person
she can get into her northwest D.C. restaurant,
Colorado Kitchen. She's spent years in the kitchen
perfecting thousands of plates, and here are some
of her other accomplishments that will make you
go gaga for Gillian Clark.
She's a single mom.Her daughters, Magalee
and Sian, are consistent sources of strength. Clark
kept from worrying too much about the details
in life because of the girls. "Nothing ever seemed
to faze them:' Now teenagers, they aren't exempt
from the occasional eye-roll, but, overall, she sees
the two as her role models because of their prodigious resilience.
She runs a hot kitchen.Clark's fried chicken
was named D.C:s "Best of 2008" by the weekly
Washington City Paper. Her dishes have also
been spotlighted on the Food Network, and in
the Washington Post and the New York Times. All
this acclaim has come out of a very small space.
"The kitchen just fits a six-burner stove and two
fryers, with a small table by the step-in cooler;'
Clark laughs. Everything is very visible in her
open kitchen: No doors, walls or machines stand
between her and her customers while she makes
meals from scratch.
She wrote a memoir.Out of the Frying Pan: A
Chef's Memoir of Hot Kitchens, Single Motherhood,
and the Family Meal (Thomas Dunne Books) was
published in 2007. Frank and insightful, Clark not
only gets personal about life in some ofD.C:s most
famous kitchens, but also throws in 45 of her own
recipes. The profound persistence she brings to her
of us, Clark was outed. "My daughters
did the honors [of outing me] to my
parents years ago. They were staying
at my parents' house, and, I guess, they
were just filling my mother in on my
life. It's not really something you can
keep under wraps when you have two
young children:'
She loves donuts.Seeing donuts
as "the quintessential early morning
food" is a stretch for most healthconscious foodies. But Clark is determined to revamp what she considers
the "manufactured donut;' altering the
recipe to make it more coffee-friendly.
The Homer Simpsons of the world
will thank you, Gillian!
She mixesbusinesswith pleasure.
A tone of tenacity underlines Clark's
voice and it is this quality that she seeks to balance out in her relationship. Her girlfriend and
business partner, Robin Smith, has her hands full
with Clark as the couple are together 24/7. Clark
warns other business partner-lover relationships
to proceed with caution, saying, "You have to have
a partner who isn't intimidated by you. And I have
a pretty big personality:'
She'snot a peoplepleaser.Clark's May 2003
letter to the Washington Post food critic Tom
Sietsema stirred a debate over the saying, "The
customer is always right:' Her basic argument is
that every chef has a standard, and if a customer
knows it, yet expects the chef to rise above or sink
below it, they're asking for a letdown. Responses
from outside and within the cooking community
ran the gamut, but Clark is unfazed and continues
to cook her meatloaf her way.
As if running a successful
She'smultitalented.
work is her mantra.
restaurant weren't enough to exhaust her creativity, Clark also contributes to National Public Radio
and writes short fiction, occasionally using her cus-
She has a coming-outstory.Clark's all about
tomers as inspiration.
reinventing herself. She's a consultant-turned-chef
and came out as a lesbian in her late 30s. Like many
36 I curve
Shedidn'teat a potatountilshewas 16. Clark
is a first-generation American. Her parents emigrated from Panama, where rice is the main staple
food. They settled in a Jewish community on Long
Island and the family of seven was introduced to
a new diet. Not only does Clark profess to know
just what a decent pickle should taste like, she has
matzo ball soup, knishes and latkes on her menu.
"Food is the manifestation of the traditions and
culture of every family;' Clark says.
She'shumble.All the attention from food critics
and the national media hasn't swollen her ego. After
five years in the restaurant business, Gillian Clark
continues to cook waffies for brunch, eat Sunday
dinner with her daughters and challenge herself
against her own standards. She had strong women
mentors early on in her career who instilled in her
a love of fresh ingredients. Now she has a seasonby-season repertoire that's hard to duplicate in our
fast-food culture. Her favorite summer ingredient
is white corn. "I can steam some, put butter on it
and eat it like that. Or fry it, scrape it off the cob
with a grater, add buttermilk, eggs and flour for
corn fritters. I can roast it, cut it off the cob and
puree it with a bit of onion and white wine for a
nice white corn chowder:' Looks like Clark has
become the strong, innovate mentor now.
LET'SD~lNK TO THIS
Award-winning wine writer Natalie Maclean recommends
the perfect sip for any occasion. By Catherine Plato
"I have to confess, much as I'm drawn to its nuances, I wouldn't be writing about wine if it weren't for
the buzz;' says wine writer Natalie MacLean in the
introduction to her newest book, Red, White, and
Drnnk All Over:A Wine-SoakedJourneyfrom Grape
to Glass.She continues: 'Tm sure ocher wine writers feel the same way; and yet, when I read about
wine, I often get the odd impression chat it has no
alcohol in it:'
Though she's about as sensitive to her wines as
the average parent is to her children, MacLean still
manages to tackle this seemingly snobby, daunting
and inaccessible subject with a lighthearted sense of
humor that other wine writers sorely lack. Poetic
but still down-to-earth, MacLean's writing is as
addictive as her subject itself.
Her journey in pursuit of great wine began with
an introductory wine appreciation course, and has
since brought her to vineyards around the world,
as well as to the World Food Media Awards, where
she recently earned the esteemed title World's Best
Drink Writer.
Though she professes to have
only minimal skills in the kitch-
en, MacLean is brilliant when it comes to matching wine with food-even food you might never
imagine having with wine. On her website, nacaliemaclean.com, she suggests matches for such oddities as nachos (zinfandel), bacon and eggs (semidry
sauterne), Rice Krispies squares (off-dry Riesling)
and Oreos (vintage port). However, my personal
drinking habits usually correspond more to what's
happening in my psyche than on my palate. I had to
wonder: What wine goes best with a broken heart?
A bad day? A celebration? Luckily, MacLean had
the answers to all these pairings as well.
Tryingto seducea newwoman:
Pinot noir: the romantic grape. It's so
difficult to grow and make, but is seductively sublime when it works. I love chose
from New Zealand, such as Kim Crawford.
Meetingyourgirlfriend's
familyforthefirsttime:
Try a medium-bodied wine chat will appeal to many
palaces-one without too much oak, tannin or alcohol.
I call these switch-hitter wines, as they go both ways,
food-wise. They're good with meat, chicken, pasta, etc.
For example, a California merlot from Beringer.
Celebrating
victorywhengay
marriageis legalin California:
Nursing
a
brokenheart:
Definitely a blended wine
here, like a shiraz-cabernet
Banyuls and
tawny port are the
perfect self-indulgent,
poor-little-me wines. They drink well
with chocolate and most desserts, even
a pint of Haagen-Dazs.
from Australia: lots of fleshy
fruit from the shiraz, with
newfound structure and support from the cab-just like
legally sanctioned love.
Relaxing
aftera harddayat work:
Pick a wine you can sip slowly, like a German
Riesling: low in alcohol but high in flavor, so
you won't pass out on the sofa at 7 p.m.
Coming
outto yourfamily:
Try a wine from an overlooked or
undiscovered region, such as an
Argentinean malbec or a South African
shiraz. Your family will be pleasantly
surprised at how palatable both the wine
and the news can be.
Tellinga womanit's over:
Any high-alcohol wine with a bitter tnish will
do: Italian amarone is probably best. And skip the
Riedel glassware in this situation-a tumbler or
shot glass is optimal.
FIVE WINE
BA~S FO~ THE WOMEN
Shakespeare wrote, "Good wine needs no bush." We know better. By Colleen M. Lee
Pabst Blue Ribbon might still be the dyke drink
on tap in some cities, but just as The L Word did
for lesbian fashion, a crop of women-owned wine
bars are subverting our beverages of choice. We
now see our sisters drinking a sauvignon blanc in
a quiet corner, discussing whether the next bottle
should be a merlot or a pinot noir, while snacking
on a plate of olives, cheese and smoked fish. The
most exciting trend emerging: the ascension of the
lesbian-owned wine bar. With subtle reds, spicy
whites and fruity roses swirling on our palates and
in our minds, curve brings you our five favorite
women-owned wine bars.
CA V, probably at the top
1. GAVBar,SanFrancisco:
2. Cafe Barbette,Minneapolis:Barbette serves
it is popular with all the darlings of urban hipness,
make no mistake-on any given night you will see
lots of lesbians in power suits sipping an understated chardonnay or a silky sauvignon blanc, and
Bartmann adds that she "focuses on biodynamic,
sustainable and organic farming practices for wine
and for food. Customers know that we're serious
about environmental issues:• Regarding the growing number of lesbians switching from beer to wine,
of any list of wine bars, is owned and operated by
Pamela Busch, a native New Yorker who brought
New York urban swank to the Bay Area. Although
munching on a fabulous appetizer or entree-but
you won't be able to order tuna tartar. Busch says,
vehemently, "Everyone has tuna tartar on their
menus:• Features: weekly and monthly wine flights
and a taster's club.
organic and local products whenever possiblethe menu includes Minnesotan artisanal cheeses
and eggs from Schultz Organic Farm. Owner Kim
Bartmann says, "Women are turning toward wine
as a 'healthier' form of drinking. Especially when
women are getting a little older, say, late 30s on.
We tend to not be able to get rid of that beer belly
quite as easily:' Features: open seven days a week for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. Tini Wine Bar, Brooklyn,N.Y.:Located a few
blocks from the water, Tini offers mostly European
a few from Oregon making the cutand a typical wine bar snack menu. Co-owner
wines-with
Leisah Swenson has noticed the growing numbers
oflesbian wine-lovers and says it's simple: "Lesbians
are stepping up their chic factor in many ways, from
their clothing to their palates. Not just the gay boys
can lay claim to ultrahipness these days. The girls
are knocking it out of the park more often than not
on the cool front:' Features: displays and sells local
art, giving the artists 100 percent of their revenues.
4. Joie de Vine, Chicago:Owned
by Lori
Petrushkevich and Sandy Northrup, Joie de
Vine earned its popularity through word of
mouth-it doesn't even have a website. The bar is
unique because "it offers a comfortable environment for sophisticated lesbians;' says Northrup.
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,
8 OF OUR.. FAVOR..ITE~IR..L CLUBS
"\\'~men love the bar because the staff is friendly and sexy, and make an effort to engage with
the customers:' It's a great place for a first date. A
$105 bottle of Hanzell Vineyards Chardonnay
and a flatbread pizza with apples, Brie, goat
cheese and glazed walnuts is sure to impress.
Features: an indoor space, a great outdoor patio
and a Nintendo Wii.
5. VerveWineBar& Cellar,Seattle:Owner Kate
Bond, who mentions that she "lives alone, drives
a truck and has a dog," creates a welcoming
atmosphere for the lesbian wine-lover and food
connoisseur. Verve's menu is more extensive
than that of the average wine bar, with highlights like bacon and leek flan and wild boar tenderloin, and the wine-list is extensive, featuring
wines from all over the world-from Austria to
the Yakima Valley. Features: a weekly Tuesday
evening wine tasting, during which all the inventory is 10 percent off.
HIPCHICKSDOWINE
Theurbanwinery HipChicksDoWinein
Portland,Ore.,is not exactlya wine bar
per se,but it is locatedin a repurposed
warehousein downtownPortland,and
focuseson includingGenerationX customersin the sometimessnootypastime
of wine tasting.Partnersin wine and life
LaurieLewisand ReneeNeely"purchase
grapesfrom vineyardslocatedthroughout OregonandWashingtonand do all of
the crushing,fermentation,blendingand
bottling."Features:Thetasting roomis
opensevendaysa weekandtheir wine
club is opento customers,manyof whom
are queer.
SUEELLEN'S
3014 Throckmorton,
Dallas,Texas
Yougottalovea lesbianbar namedafter a characterfromthe campy'80ssoapoperaDallas.Like
the soap,SueEllen'sbeganin the late '70s,and
is knownfor its sexysettingandabundantdrama.
Thisyearit movedinto gleaming,spaciousdigs,
completewith threestories,multiplebars,the
LipstickLoungeanda state-of-the-artDJbooth
andsoundsystem.SueEllen'sis part cosmopolitan, part country.If yougo,you'll seesomeline
dancing-but it'll be to Jay-Z.- JonannaWidner
T'S BARANDRESTAURANT
5025 NorthClarkSt., Chicago
Thoughyouwouldn'tguessit from the thickly
latheredyellowpainton the exterior,or the
twisty letter on the sign,T's is the long-standing
mainstayof Andersonville,
Chicago'slesbian
'hood.Thefront roomis heavyon gayboys,so
weaveyourwaytowardthe darker-and, um,
friendlier-back room,wherethe girls hangout
and partyup. - Alicia Eler
WILDSIDEWEST
424 CortlandAve.,SanFrancisco
Onthe edgeof SanFrancisco,in the lesbian
outpostof BernalMeights,sits Wild SideWest,a
classicWesternbar,completewith beer-warped
floorboardsand dim lighting.Stepoutside
andyou'll entera gardenoasisteamingwith
artsydykes,bohemianneighborsand enough
instrumemtsto start an impromptuband.A
favoritehangoutfor JanisJoplin in the '60s (she
regularlyhadsexon the pooltable),WildSide
Westis still the preferredspotfor outlawdykes.
- KristinA. Smith
THEMIX ATLOTUS
HOTEL
455 AbbottSt.,Vancouver,
BC
Thenickname,Lick,saysit all. Officially,it's
knownasTheMix in the LotusHotel.Theonly
lezziebar in town,this undergroundnightclubis
wherethe girls go to get their drink on andjam
out to eclecticmusic.- GinaDaggett
SISTERS
1320 ChancellorSt., Philadelphia
Sistershasbeenthe only lesbiannightcluband
restaurantin the Philadelphiaareafor overa
decade.It's got threefloorsof entertainmentoneeachfor billiards,the dancefloor andthe
mainbar and restaurant.There'sa goodmix of
ages,gendersandstyles,includingthe inner-city
hipstersyou'll find hereeveryweekend.
- MarcieBianco
TRUCKSTOPATHERELOUNGE.
696 NorthRobertsonBlvd.,
WestHollywood,
Calif.
OnFridaynightsin WestHollywoodthe interior
of HereLoungeglowspink with neonlightsand
the exposedfleshof the youngandthe sexy.The
TruckStopGirls(FUSEevents'
answerto Coyote
UglYJ
don hot pants,lingerieandstrap-onsbefore
gettingup on the bar andshakingtheir money
makersto '80s popand glamrockfor the hungry
patrons.Likemostplacesin WeHo,there'salways
a line,so arriveearlyanddon't wearflannel.
- MelanyWaltersBeck
THENORTH
STARMUSICCAFE
225 CongressSt., Portland,Maine
Thebottomof MunjoyHill is whereyou'll find
Portland,Maine'slesbianhotspot.There'sno coat
roomor pooltable,no intimidatinglookingbutch
waitingto pounceon youfor your IDandyou will
not be offereda plastictest tube of sticky-sweet
liqueurby a femmefatale in fishnets.Thisplace
is a differentkind of hotspot.OwnersAnnaMaria
Tocciand KimAnderson-one straight,onegayhavecreateda live musicvenue,cafe,javajoint
andcomfortable,well-appointedhangoutthat
welcomeswomenfrom all walksof life and is
opensevendaysa week.- AimselL. Ponti
TOUCH
ATRICH'S
1051 UniversityAve.,SanDiego
ThoughSanDiegono longerhasa dedicated
lesbianbar,the hottestnight is Touchat Rich's,a
packedweeklyeventwith guestcelebritiesand
DJs.- MargieM. Palmer
check out our new look at curvemag.com
She nearly edged out Ellen DeGeneres as America's Funniest
Lesbian-without a daytime talk show or an Emmy.
By Kristin A. Smith
Photography By Tony Donaldson
Photo Assistant: Josephe
I Stylist:
Edgar Revilla
I Hair & Makeup: Andrea
Kerns
In the beginning, there was Suzanne. And she was good. And gay. And out.
As one of che first openly gay comics on che mainstream stage, Suzanne
Westenhoefer paved rhe way for queer comedians around the country. For
nearly 18 years, she's been performing for packed audiences at dubs and on
cruises. She's even opened for Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls. In between
making wedding plans (she and her partner goc hitched in September) and
preparing for a family vacation, she talked with curve about her fear of lakes,
her love of"lezzie" and her groundbreaking experience on The Late Show With
David Letterman.
What's new, Suzanne?
I have to ask you this, because my sister and I are very dose and we were talking about this yesterday and I said I'd ask everybody I talked to. Did you ever
swim in a lake?
Oh heck, yeah. I grew up in Pennsylvania, like you.
So you know, swimming in lakes, it's like there's an eerie feeling chat there's
bodies in rhe bottom. Because if someone drowns in a lake, it's like there's nowhere for them to go. If you think about the ocean, people drown and they go
to Europe or something.
Maybe you grew up a little too close to New Jersey.
Yeah, that's funny. You know, we'll be in a lake by next week because we're going
up to Lake Superior. I chink chat's how all of this started, because we're going
up co"vacation" with my girlfriend's family.
You headlined Dinah Shore last year. What was that like?
I've done it a lot. Ir's perfect. It's like a thousand lezzies in a room. And I usually
do my show on Thursday, when everybody's fresh and vibrant and ready-they
just got there and they're stoked. And it's always a really awesome show. You feel
like you could say anything and they're into it and it's fun. I love it!
"Lezzie" is one of my favorite words, by the way.
"Lezzie" is one of my fav-o-rite words. Ir's actually the cutest word. You know
what else is a cure word? You're going to hear it and laugh because the root
There were comics who were gay, but they weren't out and they were like, "Don't
do it. Don't do ir:• Because they were truly frightened for me. There were very
It was a phenomenal experience, but Letterman was sick. And he's never sick.
So there was a guest host. It was such a big milestone, but the gay community
few people who were like,"Go for it, this is going co be greac:• Mose people were
like, "Oh no, this is going co burr your career. This is going co end up badly:•No
one did it to be mean; everyone did it with goodness in their heart.
didn't leap on it. They were like, "Oh, good for you:• They had no idea how
no one had done it before. So it was a sort of anticlimactic
experience, because I thought it was a huge thing. I thought it would be a break-
Did you ever have any scary experiences as a result of putting yourself
through and 10 other gay comics would get on. It kind of happened and it was
great and I got all this great response from all these straight people. But the gay
word is so difficult. But if you say"cunty;' ir's so cute. Isn't"cunry" oddly cute?
out there like that?
It's sort of endearing.
Noc really. Well, I mean, I did Texas in 1992 at the Improv, and I was pretty
new and there were definitely people who got up and left when I was on stage.
Bue there were just as many people who got up and left because the comedian
after me was a black woman. I walked out and said, 'Tm a gay comic:• I did it
Yeah, I like "lezzie:• I like "fag:•I like all those words. And I know some people
still get offended. But I never grew up having char yelled at me. I look like a
cheerleader. I look like a big girly-girl. That's what I am. If someone cook
offense to me using the word, I would hug them. I'm a big hugger.
Do you think straight people relate to your work?
Definitely. That's my piece of history-I was the first openly gay comic on che
main stage. I used co do this old joke about how queers can't gee married so we
don't get bridal showers. And I would say, It's ridiculous [thar] I've been with
my partner 11 years and we don't have two matching lamps. Ir's not a joke anymore because things have changed, and isn't chat great, bur to do that in front
of straight people, it wasn't like it was their life, bur it was more like they hadn't
thought of it, and it was funny for that reason.
What was it like to be the only out gay comic in the mainstream?
It's weird now because it was different when I scarred, almost 18 years ago.
42
I curve
on purpose. That was my activism. You could wait, and warm up the audience,
which is what most people do. It's probably smarter, but it's not my style. I'm
the kind of person, if I'm talking to you at the bank and I never met you before,
in like, 10 seconds I'm going co ask you how much you get paid a year. I don't
think, "Oh, that's inappropriate:• It just comes our of me.
Having no filter-does
that get you into trouble?
Oh my God! Uh, weekly! But I'm not unwilling to apologize if I've truly hurt
someone's feelings. I've never been like that. I'm not like, "Hey, that's my art, you
hard it was-how
community, I don't know, maybe they don't actually watch Letterman.
Where do you get the inspiration for your material?
Well, let's look at it. You called and because my sister and I are talking about
dead people in a lake, chat's what I'm talking about. So, I guarantee you, or
there's a 90 percent chance, that when I get up on stage in a couple of nights, I'm
going to talk about dead people in a lake, because it's on my mind. I might not
talk about it again. It might be very funny or it might just fly right over. Or it
could be something where I'm doing it for a year. Thar's how the show evolves.
I don't write. I don't know how to. I don't sit and write jokes. I've not sat and
written a joke for myself ever. I don't know how I would even do chat.
What's coming up for you in the near future?
You were the first gay comedian on The Late Show With David Letter-
For some reason, everybody I'm involved with, like my agent and my girlfriend and another friend of mine, are all bugging me to write a book. I'm
like, "Oh my God, they all have the same freaking idea:' I swear, they went
man. What was that like?
behind my back.
just have to fucking deal with ic:•
Kate Clintonlooksback, ahead and sidewaysat a worldshe'shelped
to changethroughhumor.By KelliDunham
You can't talk about lesbian comedy without showcasing its grand dame, Kate Clinton. Her stage
persona is alternately sarcastic and sweet, occasionally maternal, and assuredly and unapologetically
political. Clinton began performing in 1981 ("the
same year Reagan began performing his comedy;'
she quips). Over 25 years later, she's still on the
road. Her 25th anniversary tour is currently playing on Logo. At age 60, she's still got plenty to say.
Besides touring, you just released a new CD,
you're blogging on at least three different
sites and you have a video blog on AfterEllen.
Do you consume your own weight in espresso
every day?
one who came of age during second-wave
feminism has done this. Did it take you
some time and some work to come to
these conclusions?
Yes, I would definitely say that. My first reaction-especially in young women transitioning,
becoming FTMs-was, It's so permanent. I felt
like, Get a tattoo and call me later. It also feels
like such an individual action. Instead of making the world safe for butch women, you're
becoming an FTM. I still have a little of that,
but you only have to meet and know someone
who is transitioning and is clearly more comfortable as a man, or clearly more comfortable
as a female. Then you can't argue against it.
[Laughs]Let's see. If I'm on a schedule, I'm OK. I
know on Monday and Thursday I have the blogging thing, and then I just write every day. The
to perform in, say, Columbus, Ohio, than in
good thing is, I love what I do. If I were an accountant, it would be different.
majority gay?
Did you see the Saturday Night Live segment
in which guest host Tina Fey spoke supportively of Sen. Hillary Clinton, explaining, "Bitch
is the new black"?
I memorized it! At first, I was worried. I thought, [Fey's] going to go after her,
like everyone else. It really reminded me of the time Sinead O'Connor was on
and tore up a picture of the pope. Maybe not at that level, but it was exciting.
And to have it get airplay!
She really targeted the way misogyny has misinformed the press coverage of Clinton.
I was struck by this again at the debate in Texas where Campbell Brown practically asked Obama out. But when Hillary started, it was interrupt, interrupt,
interrupt. Even in the New York Times they publish dorky pictures of her taken from under her chin and pictures of him being greeted by huge crowds of
adoring people. As a performer-observer, it's been interesting to see the levels
of sexism-well,
really appalling.
One topic on your blog was the work being done around aging in the
LGBT community. Are young and old queers learning how to support
each other?
Well, I think it really requires willingness. I mean Urvashi [Vaid] and I look at
our circle of friends and think, Fuck, we don't have young people in our lives to
mentor, to really say,"Come over;' that kind of thing. I look at my own youth.
I wish I had been nicer to [gay rights activist] Barbara Gittings. Oh God, she
was probably my age now when I was like, "Uh, get out of the way:' But I don't
think it's a gay problem. It's young and old people everywhere.
You support transgender
inclusion in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. Not every-
44
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Do you find that it's a different experience
New York City, even if both audiences are
I think that after performing for a number of
years I could do a blind test. You could put me
in front of three different cities and I could tell
who they are by their reactions. Columbus,
Ohio, is sort of Germanic, slow to get going,
might not quite trust you, but once they get going they don't stop. New York
is more of a prove-it-to-me vibe. The difference I've noticed over time is that,
sadly, because of 24/7 cable news and just plain old capitalism, there's been a
trend toward homogeneity that has destroyed the distinct flavor.
Of all the women performers in Provincetown, it seems like you attract
the most gender-mixed crowd. Why is that?
The guy who runs the Crown and Anchor came to me before a show recently
and asked,"Are you transitioning? I have never seen so many guys here!" [Laughs]
It has always been a goal of mine to get men in the audience. It's a weird kind of
validation, like if you're seen on television. Also, ultimately, I still remind guys of
their high school English teacher-you know, the one they liked.
You and Urvashi are the original lesbian power duo. What makes your
relationship work?
We never made a huge public thing of our relationship. It puts too much
pressure on it. We are truly a marriage of comedy and tragedy, but I'm never
saying which one I am. The secret is that we have made a commitment to keep
talking and to have fun. It's been 20 years now-but then, some afternoons
seem 20 years long.
On your site, you mentioned a fan who once came up to you after a
show and said, "Kate Clinton! You made me want to fuck again!" Is
comedy sexy?
[Laughs]Oh yes, I think comedy is really sexy. Laughing is very good practice
for sex. And hopefully, with both you have an out-loud
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a:
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A chronicle of her rise to fame and lesbo fortune. By Rachel Shatto
From small-town Lousiana to the Funniest Lesbian in America, Ellen
DeGeneres' story of fame and glory is one for the ages. We take a look back
at her humble beginnings, her meteoric rise, her remarkable comeback and
all the women in between.
1982:Blondeambition.
EllenwinsShowtime's
FunniestPersonin
Americaawardand
garnersnationalattention.
1989:Ellenon the
boobtube.Ellen
landsthe roleof
MargoVanMeter,
the quirkyreceptionist on OpenHouse.
January1997:
Ellengracesour
coverfor the
first time.Frustrated
lesbiansandcurve
ask,"Willthe Real
EllenPleaseStand
Up!"meremonths
beforeEllen'spublic
outing.
Jan.26, 1958:A lesbian
iconIs born.EllenDeGeneres
is bornto ElliotandBetty
DeGeneres
in Metairie,La.
1981:Ellentakesthe mlc.Ellen
beginsemceeingat Clyde'sComedy
Clubin NewOrleans.
Nov.28, 1986:A comic,a couchanda phonecall to
God.Ellen(rockinga fiercefem-mullet)appearson The
TonightShowandis the first femalecomedianto be
calledfor the covetedchaton JohnnyCarson'scouch.
1994:lbe landmarkshow
begins.Ellenenjoyshugesuccessandthe program
earnsEllenfour Best
ActressEmmynoms,a
writingEmmyandthree
GoldenGlobenoms.
1996:Lastheterogasp. Ellen
starsin the film Mr.WrongalongsideBill Pullman.Thisboxoffice
flop garnersEllena Razzienom
andsentgaydarspingingat max
volume.
April14, 1997:Ellen'swatershed
moment-part one.Ellencomes
out,proclaiming"Yep,I'm Gay"
onthe coverof Time,makingher
television'sfirst openlygaystar.
April30, 1997:Ellen'swatershedmoment-part deux.Ellen
Morgancomesout in the hour-long
"PuppyEpisode"(ironically,
Ellenlaterhasa second"Puppy
Episode."
See:Iggy-gate).
May6, 1997:TIie goldencouple.
EllenandactorAnneHecheannouncetheir relationship.
July22, 1998:Goodbye,
EllenMorgan.Cancelled,
Ellenairs its last episode.
2000:H theycould
talk, theywouldsay,
Hothot hot! Ellenexecutiveproducesand
costarsin the Golden
Globe-winning
and
lezziefavoriteIf These
WallsCouldTalk2.
Aug.18, 2000:Anne
goesCelestia.Ellen
andAnneHechesplit.
Annegoesbonkerson
the outskirtsof Fresno,
Calif.,andlaterclaims
to be speakingto God
andaliens.
October2000:From
hasbianto Hedison.
Ellenbeginsa relationshipwith Alexandra
Hedison,knownbest
for herroleas Dylan
on TheL Word.
November 2008
I45
Dana Goldberg is comedy's new kid on the block. By
Alicia Eler Photography I By Tony Donaldson
Ever wondered what it'd be like trying to make
"This was a childhood dream and I thought, Why
700 lesbians laugh2 Just ask stand-up comic Dana
not go for it?"
Goldberg, who, six years ago at age 26, found herself on stage crackingjokes-for
high school-at
But Goldberg, who came out to her mom at 18,
the first time since
doesn't want to peg herself as a lesbian comic. "I had
the Lesbians for Change comedy
to decide when I started comedy ifl wanted to be an
event.
out comedian-if
that was going to pigeonhole me;'
"I was so nervous, I could see my heart beat
she says."I think I have a good ability to break down
through my shirt;' Goldberg says. "But when I hit
audiences, whether they're straight or gay. If I'm
my first big joke, I knew that was what I wanted to
funny, the fact that I'm a lesbian is very secondary:'
do for the rest of my career:'
And only a few months ago she quit bartend-
Born and raised in Albuquerque, N.M., the up-
ing, the day job she calls "comedy with alcohol;'
and-coming comic takes inspiration from her own
which she's been doing for nearly 12 years, to fi-
life,poking fun at everything from a hilarious tooth-
nally pursue comedy full-time. On her way to co-
chipping-in-bed experience with her ex-girlfriend
to her Jewish parents' reactions to her career choice.
medic fame, Goldberg says, she plans to not only
break the "big butch lesbian" stereotype but also
Her comedic path began at a senior talent show in
create her own "type:'
high school, where she performed a five-minute
'Tm athletic;' she explains jokingly."Can we have
a category for athletic? I'm a Chapstick lesbian. Not
comedy set.
"I was always the class clown ... but I didn't
a lipstick, not a butch. I'm middle of the road. [But]
touch a stage for years because I had stage fright
if you saw me walk in heels and a dress, I'd look like
and didn't want to speak in public;' Goldberg says.
a drag queen. So I just don't
Purple raglan jacket by K-Swiss (Barney's New York and
kswiss.com), purple Dementia T-shirt by Obvious Clothing {obvious-clothing.com), silver dog tag by Ari Soffer,
Monterey Justin boot jeans by Pierce Jeans. Stylist:
Edgar Revilla. Hair and makeup: Andrea Kerns. Photo
assistant: Josephe.
( ont1 ucd from pa e 4
Sept.24, 2001: TheEllen
Showpremieres.Ellen
playsa lesbiannamed(waitfor it. ..) Ellen.
Poorratingsleadto the show'scancellation after onlythreemonths.
October2001: Ellentalks!Fiveyears
after Ellencomesout on the coverof Time,
contributingwriter LaurieK. Schenden
getsthe covetedfirst curve interview.
Nov.4, 2001:Ellenandthe swandress.
Ellenhoststhe 53rdAnnualEmmyAwards,
followingquicklyon the heelsof Sept.
11,andreceivesa standingovationat the
closeof the ceremony.
June2005:Ellenthe survivor.
Ellenpubliclyrevealsherstepfather'ssexualabusein Allure,in
an effortto helpteenagegirlswho
maybesufferingsimilarabuse.
Sept.18, 2005:TheEmmysroundtwo. Ellenhoststhe
57thAnnualEmmyAwardsto
mixedreviews.
Dec.2004:Dykedramais
big in '04. EllenandPortiade
Rossibegintheir romanceat
a partyfollowingtheVH1Big
in '04 ceremony,bothsplitting
with their respectivepartners
the followingday.
0
I
i
<i:
§
May30, 2003:Hello,
Dory! Ellengivesvoiceto "Dory"in
the Oscar-winning
film FindingNemo,
a partthat directorAndrewStanton
wrotewith her in mind.
Sept.8, 2003:Watchyour
back,Oprah!TheEllen
OeGeneres
Showpremieres.To
date,the showhasearnedEllen
15 DaytimeEmmyAwards.
September2008:Here
comethe brides!Ellen
weds Portiade Rossi
after the lifting of the
ban on same-sexmarriage in California.
Feb.25, 2007:Move
over,BIiiyCrystal.
Ellenhoststhe 79th
AnnualAcademyAwards,
becomingthe first openly
gayor lesbianpersonto
do so. Despitegenerally
negativereviewsEllen
receivesan Emmynod.
Oct.1&,2007:Iggygate.In heropening
monologue,
Ellenbursts
intotearswhile describing a dogadoptiongone
wrong,leadingoverzealousfansto call in and
makethreatsto the
adoptionagency.
November2008: Crowningglory.
Ellenis namedFunniestLesbian
Comicin Americaby drovesof
admiringcurve fans.
November 2008
I 47
SabrinaMatthewstalksaboutstand-up,L.A.and groupies.By ColleenM. Lee
For over 17 years, Sabrina Matthews
has been inducing belly laughs in
adoring lesbian fans. And what's not
to love? Her self-deprecatingly brilliant act on stage is side-splitting and
has brought her not only gay comedy success, but all the way to mainstream attention as a finalist on Last
Comic Standing.
You have
many
been
performing
years-before
Ellen
for
and
Rosie made it big. How did you
get your start in gay comedy?
I started at Josie's Cabaret in San
Francisco. It was the only full-time
gay performance space in the country.
It was a place for gay stand-up comics
to train, and then go out and be out
comics in the rest of the world. A few of us bought so wholeheartedly into
this concept that it stuck with us when we [encountered the attitude], "No, we
No, I never though about it. Once I came out, I never thought about hiding my sexuality, period. I don't walk up to people and say, "Hi, I'm Sabrina
Matthews, a lesbian:' But I do look the stereotypical part. I believe the more
honest you are, the funnier you are.
folks are now
doing gay comedy. Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler can pretend
to be gay and it's widely accepted,
Back to prime time. What does an out lesbian comic like yourself
watch on TV?
CSI. I watch CSI Miami. That is actually the only comedy I watch. Caruso is
hilarious and Emily Procter is so hot. She's been my television fave for a while.
I don't have a type, but she's got that voice and that wry smile.
Tell me a little about the lesbian community in Los Angeles.
I have no idea. Los Angeles happens to be a terrific place to scuba dive. I do a
lot of scuba diving. I am completely mystified by the lesbian community in Los
Angeles and I always have been ...I want to go somewhere where I am interesting and cute, instead of weird and fat.
Everyone is fat in L.A.
[Laughs] I don't understand the lesbian community in Los Angeles. Everything
seems to be so defined ... you're a feminine woman who wants to be with a feminine woman who is exactly like you. I see these couples and I think, What do
they say to each other? I love me and I love me, too? It's so prevalent. And then
there's a lot of very butch-femme couples. I have heard [lesbians say] over and
over in Los Angeles, and it is abhorrent to me, so many women say that butch
on butch couples are disgusting, revolting. I have heard these words used.
I am not particularly into butch women but I am not particularly into
any kind of woman. Like, I totally have butch women, that I think are totally
hot and I'm attracted to. I mean, I like women-short,
mean women.
don't want a gay comic:•
You never thought about hiding your sexuality on stage?
There seems to be a trend toward gay comedy-straight
that they left my gay jokes in.
I take it you don't have a girlfriend.
No. I sleep with people who interest me. I haven't really slept with a lot of
fans or groupies. It's not because I rule it out. I don't tend to sleep with people
who quote my act back at me. I am attracted to women who seem threedimensional. I like conversation and a date. I don't just pull somebody off the
floor and say,"Come back to my hotel room" -that
Do you see the imbalance in the industry?
I see the imbalance; I have no idea why it is.
There are gay characters and gay jokes on television, but gay people are frequently played by
straight people. I just don't know.
On Last Comic Standing, do you feel you
were cut because you appeared too gay?
can't have that.
I don't. I am always surprised by people's
homophobia. There's a certain level of me, a
certain part of me, that always goes, 'Tm gonna
walk in a room, I'm gonna look like a big dyke
and I am going to be treated differently because
I'm a big dyke:• I am being Pollyannaish when
I say that I don't think that's what it was, but I
don't. I was really glad on Last Comic Standing
48
I curve
kind of thing.
but
there are still few very openly gay comics.
A dyke on prime time-we
tall, fat, skinny-I
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By Laurie K. Schenden
We are barely seated in a wooden booth at Mo's, an industry joint in downtown
Burbank, Calif., when Page Hurwitz speaks up.
"It's on me;' she says, eyeballing the menu in the dimly lit restaurant at 9
a.m. on a Monday. It's not that she's showing off her expense account as coexecutive producer of NBC's Last Comic Standing, or rubbing elbows in this
prestigious media district with colleagues from Warner Bros. Studios or the
landmark Tonight Show studio. Rather, the generous gesture stems from remembering her humble beginnings as a struggling stand-up comic and appreciating the good fortune that now has her laughing all the way to the bank.
"I think about it every time I go out to dinner with my comedian friends;'
says Hurwitz, who was raised in a close-knit Jewish family in New York and
got her start at the late, great Josie's Cabaret in San Francisco, the training
ground for Lea DeLaria, Marga Gomez, Karen Williams, Sabrina Matthews
and Margaret Cho.
Thiscomicnewbi is takingthe highroad and lovingit.
By AmandaQurashi
Things are finally starting to take off for comedian Julia Stretch, who is currently traveling with the Dykes of Hazard on her first official tour in the United
States. Based in Vancouver, Stretch started her career just four years ago and
earned her chops in front of Pride Toronto audiences last year. The footage of
the show on her MySpace page captures an up-and-coming performer with a
dynamic sense of self and an empathic connection to her audience.
"Seeing that footage was the first time I thought, Tm a comedian!' " she
admits. After the same footage was posted on the blog Your Daily Lesbian
Moment!, she really felt the impact of her work-for
weeks afterward, her
inbox was crammed with messages from women around the world voicing their
appreciation of her material.
Stretch claims to have sought inspiration from a broad range of legendary
performers, from Phyllis Diller and Carol Channing to contemporary funny
ladies Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho and Ellen DeGeneres. She combines
an innocent enthusiasm with an unabashed sexuality and a razor-sharp wit,
a:
instead of poking fun at ugliness. I try to focus on the sameness that ties people
together while apprecia~ing the differences and doing material that elevates:'
deduce that her journey took more than just luck.
Over an egg-white omelet and fruit, Hurwitz humbly describes her ascent
to power, a rare accomplishment for an out lesbian comic. Remember, both
Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres found job security, then came out.
Undeniably, the girl takes her comedy seriously. She loves a good time, but
Her agent"picked me up;' she says, and got her working. Then Larry Doyle
(of The Simpsonsfame) hired her to bring a female voice to his all-male team,
creating Looney Tunes theatrical shorts for Warner Bros.
she'll exit the party if work beckons the next day. In her early days as a stand-up,
a
series of writing jobs (including humor pieces for magazines and animated
(ij
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shorts for a friend's website) ultimately led to her more lucrative sit-down career.
a
z
::i
Her big break came when the director Ted Demme saw her animated shorts.
iii
ence with her material, she will head back to Canada later this year, but plans to
return to the United States and tour the U.K. in the near future.
One thing that sets Stretch apart from today's sarcastic comics: She believes
that you can be funny without being mean. "I try to bring laughter out in ways
that don't come at a price, makingjokes that get people to see the wonder of life,
"Ted took me under his wing and gave me the 411 on Hollywood;' Hurwitz
recalls. "We ended up selling two things to ABC and Comedy Central:' But
before either project got under way, Demme collapsed and died while playing
basketball.
"He was only 38;' says Hurwitz. "I was devastated:'
to
UJ
to myself and which is unique to me. My responsibility and my job are to entertain the crowd that is in front of me. It is a duty to do the best job I can:'
As a performer who wants to be celebrated for her gay comedy, she's having
a ball playing to almost exclusively gay crowds. Gaining momentum and experi-
As I digest Hurwitz's explanation of how she went from doing stand-up
gigs in Central California farm country for $75 a pop, to wrangling a power
position on the successful Last Comic,selling her own new show (The Comedy
Road Show) to TBS and, for good measure, exercising her comedy chops in a
hysterical stand-up set for the Logo Network, it doesn't take a celebrity judge
'.le:
attracting both straight and gay audiences.
"It's difficult to attribute a lack of success to being gay these days. So many
barriers have come down, and I've rarely had the sense that an audience didn't
like me just because I was gay. I want to do the material that I feel is most true
"I learned so much in that room;' she says. "It was my first staff job ... every
day I'd come home happy:•
Now in her third season with Last ComicStanding,Hurwitz basically runs
the show with her two straight male coexecutive producers-overseeing
casting and production, editing scripts and weeding through contestants before
Paging Television History continued on page 78
?
The gals of the Big Gay SketchShow know how to holdtheirown.
By LaurieK. Schenden
Julie Goldman ducks into a nearby cocktail lounge, drains a glass, tosses back
an olive and ta-da! She pirouettes into the fabulously sequined Super Liza.
Her showstopper of a queer-loving heroine was among the new characters who
leapt into season two of Logo's The Big Gay SketchShow.
This original creation for Logo, from a production team led by Rosie
O'Donnell, is directed by Amanda Bearse, the actor who became famous when
Married With Childrenaired in the '90s on Fox (the groundbreaking network
that few thought would ever survive).
"Here I have an opportunity to make history again with Logo;' says Bearse,
who came out during Married'srun in 1993. She calls all the women of the
BGSS "really wonderful, young, empowered women, who are women to watch
not only because of their talent but because of their intellect and courage:'
Cast member Kate McKinnon adds, ';\ll the crew had their Big Gay Sketch
Showjackets and there were more people around and the production quality is
light-years ahead of what it was last season. We had to test the waters before
we got enough money and attention to really bust it out, and I think we really
bust it out this year:'
McKinnon and Goldman are lesbians; the other two women on the show,
Erica Ash and Nicol Paone, are not. Paone is the only cast member to admit
receiving pictures of women in bikinis since the show debuted. McKinnon
laments, "No one has offered me their underwear or offered to marry me,
which is extremely disappointing:'
Julie Goldman
Julie Goldman is "quick on her feet" and "inventive;' says Bearse. "For somebody
coming from stand-up, she's really got the chops of a well-rounded actor:'
Goldman is still a regular on the New York stand-up circuit. She has graced
the small screen on Bravo, AMC, Plum TV and HBO and has appeared in the
lesbian-themed films Mom and Out at the Wedding.As she talked about season
two on the BGSS, she was lugging her wife's belongings from New York to her
new job with the Forest Service in Washington, D.C.
"She is a presidential management fellow in the Policy Analysis
lezzie;' Goldman says proudly. On and off the show,
Department-very
Goldman is a charming cocktail of fun, sarcasm, clever observation and biting truth. She grew up in Boston, quoting dialogue from Mel Brooks films in
a close, traditional, Jewish home. Performing"is really the only thing I've ever
wanted to do;' she says. "If you look at my report card, it was like, C, C, C, D,
D, and then theater: A:'
"This season, we do some really good sort off-yous to people who've been
cruel to our community;' says Goldman, singling out the eHarmony sketch as an example,
because the dating service "discriminates against
gay people:'
Her versatility as an actor-comic-singer hasn't
kept her from struggling as an out performer.
"Being a lesbian and a comedian and butch, butch-esque, butch-ish was a huge
detriment and a constant fight;' Goldman says. But as more LGBT people spend
bucks for gay-oriented material, "it will keep opening doors, not just for the gay
perspective but the female perspective and the on-the-fringe perspective:'
EricaAsh
"In the old days;' says director Bearse, "Erica Ash is what we'd call a triple threat.
She can sing, she can dance and she can act. And she's funny:'
On tour with The Lion King in the role of Nala since wrapping season two
of The Big Gay SketchShow,Ash says she never expected to be in the spotlight,
but now she wants it all.
'Tm looking at the Oscar, I'm looking at Emmys, I'm looking at Grammys;'
she says, optimistically. 'Td like to make the kind of work that sticks around,
work that people decades from now will compare their work to:'
Ash grew up as an Army brat in Europe. She attended a performing arts
high school for three years, but got B's. Her father, a military chaplain, expected
"all /\s or nothing;' she says. Bound for medical school, she delayed enrolling to
teach in Japan, but then ended up finding work as a backup singer instead.
"I thought I was taking a break to teach English, but when I got there the
contract was completely different;' she says. (Dad didn't find out until later.)
Ash was pounding the pavement when she came across an ad for open auditions for the BGSS. She didn't let her heterosexuality or the fact that she had
never done comedy stop her. Among the characters that she brought to the
table was Grandma Belle, who's become one of her favorite BGSS alter egos.
"I like her because she's this old lady who says whatever she wants and gives
me the freedom to say what I want;' says Ash. Her parents watch the BGSS,
and her mother attends the tapings in New York City.
"The writers, the production team, the cast-everybody has given 100 percent to make it rock out;' she says. 'Tm really proud of what we've done:•
Nicol Paone
Seated in the living room of the Hollywood Hills home she shares with two
roommates, Nicol Paone, a petite brunette with captivating green eyes, is
hardly recognizable as the actor who portrays Alice Kramden of the lesbian
Honeymoonersand the larger-than-life stage veteran Elaine Stritch.
"Wrrronnnng!" barks Paone as Stritch, in her imaginary role as a Wal-Mart
greeter on the BGSS. Stritch, in real life a consummate theater professional,
was among the signature characters in season one.
"Nicol Paone is a wonderful improviser;' says Bearse. "She brought in a lot
of characters. She too has developed as an actor amazingly well:'
Growing up in an Italian family in New Jersey, Paone earned a softball
scholarship to Adelphi University, played semipro soccer in Europe and, by
age 24, hung up her cleats to work as a currency trader on Wall Street. By then
she'd caught the acting bug, so she began studying with the iconic Uta Hagen
and got hooked. She joined the all-female Improvazons in New York City, and
then moved to Los Angeles, where she hooked up with the formerly all-male
Deviants while honing her sketch comedy skills at the Groundlings Theater.
so I curve
Erica Ash
Kate McKinnon
The winning team on the
Big Gay Sketch Show,
season two
Kate McKinnon
"Kate is the baby of the group;' says Bearse. "We found
her on an open call. She hadn't even finished her senior
year at Columbia University:'
McKinnon grew up on Long Island in a household
where "there was always a Mel Brooks movie playing''
and she was obsessed with The X-Files.
"I wanted to be like-and
then I wanted to make
out with-Gillian
Anderson;' she says. She always
intended to be out, but wasn't sure how that would fit
into an on-screen career. "I thought I'd have to be like a
weird lesbian performance artist, relegated to the back
room of a bar. I never envisioned being able to do that
on TV."
As a 23-year-old
newcomer, her performances
are impressively polished and smart. Her portrayal of
Fitzwilliam, a British boy who yearns for a vagina, was
among the breakout characters of the BGSS. In season
two, she also satirizes Sally Field, Melanie Griffith and
Southern chef Paula Deen.
"I love, love, love Ms. Paula Deen;• says McKinnon.
"It was out oflove that I wanted to put her on the show.
But the sketch they wrote is not flattering. I hope she
doesn't see it:'
McKinnon, who's single, lives with a roommate in
south Harlem. During breaks from the BGSS, she's
collaborated with Goldman (check out Commitment
Ceremony, a
YouTube
spoof
about
domestic
partnerships).
"I learned that gay men love to watch tragic middle-aged women;' she says.
"I didn't know about the world of comedy. I wanted to be an actor. But that's
completely changed now. I like it so much better than being in plays. Actors can
"And I love to play tragic, WASP-y, middle-aged women:'
Paone had her first on-screen lesbian smooch in season one of the BGSS
during the "Lesbian Speed-Dating" sketch (she also played a power lesbian
sometimes take their craft and themselves really seriously, and I find that comedians have a ton of passion for what they do without the pomposity:'
in IFC's acclaimed The Minor Accomplishmentsof Jackie
Woodman). In season two, in a Dynasty parody, Paone
makes out with Goldman's character.
"Nicol goes for it;' Goldman says with a laugh. "We all
know that she does:' What Paone really goes for are comedy
sketches that have something to say.
"My favorite sketch will have truth to it and anger
behind it;' she says.
She's also appeared on Punk'd, in the Ben Stiller film
The HeartbreakKid and in EagleEye,with Rosario Dawson.
Nowadays, Paone's dad proudly wears a Big Gay SketchShow
jacket to his Italian club.
"I have such an artistic family. There are people in my
family who wanted to be in show business and no one did
it. But my dad said the cutest thing. He said, 'We did, we
have you:"
The Funniest Former Lesbian
Turns out, a few women on our list don't really consider themselves dykes
anymore. One of the cutest replies from our Funniest Lesbian cast-offs
came from Betsy Salkind, who was thrilled and surprised to find herself on
the list at all. "I guess living with a man now would make me a pretty funny
lesbian indeed," she laughs. Salkind is a "pro-lesbian, radical-feminist,
animal-loving, sarcastic, funny girl who was once an out lesbian comic
who had secret boyfriends. Though when I finally came out to my friends,
apparently, they all knew. And though I had more girlfriends than many lesbians I know, I just always-from age 10-wished I was a lesbian. I'm still
gay for pay, in case there's prize money involved." So funny, we decided
that this pro-lesbian, former-lesbian funny woman deserved an interview
too. Look for it online at curvemag.com.
Vicki Shaw left an 18-year marriage for comedy and lesbians, not necessarily
in that order. By Edie Stull
Vickie Shaw, mother of three and grandmother of one, was the
poster girl for the traditional family-until she came out as a
lesbian, ended her marriage and began performing as a stand~up
comic. Shaw, who grew up in a conservative Southern Baptist
why I went back. But it was my creativity, my voice, it was
just me-I wasn't someone's mom. I wasn't someone's wife. I
wasn't anything but me on stage. The comedy was a catalyst
in my coming out because comedy is really about getting in
family, first tried stand~up at an open mic night after 18 years
of marriage and was hooked. Since then, she's taken her humor
touch with your emotions, and you can't pick and choose
what emotions you get in touch with.
to TV, stand~up venues, women's festivals and Olivia cruises,
usually performing to sold~out shows. She's been featured on
Logo's Wisecrack comedy series, Comedy Central's Premium
Blend, WE Network's The Secret Lives of Women: Late in Life Lesbians and in
the film Laughing Matters ... More. Shaw and her partner of eight years, former
police officer Lori Patch (who fans know as"Sergeant Patch"), recently moved
Was that scary?
Dear Lord, yes! I was in Texas and at the time you could
lose your children in a divorce because you' re gay. I lost all of
my friends. I didn't know any gay people. It was a horribly frightening time.
You talk a lot about your three kids, Sergeant Patch and your granddaughter. How do they feel about being in your routine?
from Illinois to Houston.
It just goes with the territory. The kids didn't really have a choice. It just hap~
Was there anything in your childhood that led you to comedy?
pened. (With] Lori ... I said, "This is my life, this is what I do and if we start
seeing each other, you will be in the act. If you don't think you can handle that,
we can't see each other:'
I was adopted at birth and had a happy childhood, but my parents have abso~
lutely no sense of humor. It's odd that I'd end up being a stand~up comedian!
Has your family accepted that you are a comic and a lesbian?
It certainly was not overnight. I came out 13 or 14 years ago and we've had
our issues, but now my mom and dad are in their 80s. My mother says, 'Tm
proud of you;• and she loves Lori. A couple of months ago, my brother apolo~
gized and said that he had no right to judge anybody. Unbelievable. I think
Armageddon is soon at hand!
How did you get started in stand-up?
I started in Houston. It was not about a career. It was simply so I could tell my
children that I did it. I didn't want to look back and say,"I wish I had just tried
it:' The very first time on stage I completely froze and to this day I don't know
Has anyone been an inspiration to you?
My big inspirations were Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, Richard Pryor, George
Carlin, Bill Cosby ... I'd listen to their albums really, really low in my room,
so my mom couldn't hear it. I didn't know at the time I was actually studying
stand~up ...I thought everybody did that.
Do you think of yourself as a gay activist?
Yes, because I'm not only talking to gay people, I'm talking to straight people.
There is nothing to be ashamed of. We are just fine the way we are and we can
laugh and have a good time. I think we need to keep doing what we're doing.
If someone is not out, they need to be out. It becomes personal-they
someone and then all of a sudden, it's not the same anymore.
PoppyChamplin's
comedicoriginsareprettyfishy.Herfirst gig
wasas a stand-upfish in the cabaretOceanics
whilein college
at the Universityof RhodeIsland."I did a fish shtick,135puns
aboutthe ocean:I washooked.Kelp,kelpis therea sturgeon
in the house?Ooh,that onereallysmelt,"shesays."TheaudiencewasgoingnutsandI lovedthe feelingI wasgettingand
decided,if I canget paidto makepeoplelaughandfeelgood,
andit makesmefeelgoodtoo-that is thejob for me."
FromthereChamplinwentonthe road,hittingseveral
majorcomedyclubsbeforebreakinginto1Vspecialsduringthe
'90s.Herresumeboastssuchgemsas Rosie'sVH1Stand-Up
Spotlight,
A&E'sEveningat thelmprov,OprahandComedy
Central'sStandUpStandUp.ShewasalsovotedAmerica's
FunniestRealWomanon the JoanRiversShowandwasfeaturedon Entertainment
Tonight.
Shetalksabouteverythingfrombrokenrelationships
to alcoholism,
andis the ringleaderof the QueerQueensof
know
Qomedy,
a tourthat hitscitiesfromChicagoto D.C.,working
with fabulouslesbiancomicslike MargaGomez,
JulieGoldman,
KarenWilliams,MimiGonzalez
andSandraValls,amongothers.
Shealsorunsthe ComedyandCocktailsnightandan evening
for indielesbianfilmscalledShowUsYourShortsat GirlBarin
WestHollywood.
Champlin
didn'talwaysworkthe gaycircuit-she started
hercareertryingto makethe straightsroll with laughter."It
wasa big changeanddecision,"shesaysaboutmovingfrom
Chicagoto LosAngelesin 1996andcomingout on stage."I was
afraidto beout andjudged."
Butsheassertsthatshemadethe rightchoiceby comingout
andoverlooks
the genericsignsof comedicsuccess-suchas
gettinga late-nighttalk show.Champlin
looksonthe gayside.
"I bookall myownstuff,"shesaysaboutcontrollingher
career."Andbeinggay,I don'thaveto dealwiththe straightguys
tryingto competefor time."- LeslieSeacristandKatiePeoples
Here She Comes,
Miss Funny Lesbian...
Acceptance speeches you almost missed.
With a name like Tamale, it's hard to avoid the comparison. But this "hot
Tamale" is more than just your average spicy little treat. She's a fashionable lesbian comedian whose performance credits also include gender
bending, fire dancing and American tribal belly dancing.
"Being a performer is a special thing," said Tamale, whose fiery red
hair and glam makeup are her trademarks. "Whether I'm fire dancing or
making people laugh, it's all an incredible rush:'
When it comes to drag comedy, Tamale is the king of experimentation. "Performing drag, or
'kinging: opened up gender
performance for me in a whole
new way. Passing for a man, for
someone who identifies as a high
femme, is a real treat and a total
challenge:'
So, how does a former 4-H
girl who collects Moore goldfish and was once obsessed with
equestrian sciences become a
gender-bending,
fire-dancing
lesbian comedian?
"By realizing she is gay as the
day is long and trying to fight it
until she has no choice but to
jump on stage and laugh about
[it) instead," said Tamale."There
are so many gay equestrians, I'm
shocked there isn't more crossover into the comedic world:'
Being gay certainly doesn't
hurt Tamale's comedic inspiration either.
"Because I am gay I am often
exposed to events and environments that are somewhat unusual and rich
with humor;' she said. "I doubt that I would have been exposed to the gay
leather community in Berlin-rich with humor-if I was still wearing
penny loafers and reading Guideposts-not as funny:•
Aside from all the gay material, Tamale also finds inspiration for her
comedy in her everyday life.
"My favorite things to talk about on stage are things that have really
happened to me. It's amazing to share your life with a crowd who can
laugh along with you at life:'
Tamale's comedic prowess may stand out on stage, but she's got a few
other off-stage talents in her repertoire. By day, she's a freelance makeup
artist for MAC Cosmetics, and she's in grad school at Columbia College
in Chicago, getting an MFA in interdisciplinary arts and media. "But I
always return to the stage for comedy;' she says. - LyndseyD'A.rcangelo
#6 CHANTAL CARRERE
"I feel validated and like, it's about
time! Thank you, curve readers! I'm not
stopping here, either. I plan on ruling
the world with my humor, so stay tuned
for my CD release, I'm Bringin' Funny
Back!, and keep an eye out for my show,
Fruit Cocktail! Look out, America, here
I come with a microphone and a killer
smile! Next goals: HBO and the cover of
this magazine!"
#7 FAITH CHOYCE
"The funniest thing about me is that to
save money on gas, I started riding a
unicorn to work. And the other day Skyler-that's my unicorn's name-came out as straight. That was awkward."
#8 KRISTEN BECKER (TIE)
"I love that you made this a topic, particularly after Vanity
Fair's 'Why Women Aren't Funny' article. Hey, do we get a
check for this, like on America's Funniest Home Videos?
There's nothing more American than writing a check to
show gratitude, right? C'mon, curve, just a little check ...l
don't know where I fall in the ranking, but I'll take Ellen's
check, if she won. I mean, she's loaded, right? I'm kidding.
Well, not about the check part. Thanks, curve and America.
I'm glad you think I'm funny."
#8 JENNIE MCNULTY (TIE)
"That is really cool. Everybody
knows lesbians are the funniest
comics anyway, so it's like making
the Pro Bowl of Comedy! Thank you
so much!"
#9 MICHELE BALAN
"I am honored! I can't believe I
was a winner. Were people asleep
when they voted? Did you get their
names? I
should send
them all
thank-you
cards. But what makes me funny,
you ask. I think this is a question
to ask people who think I'm funny.
I would say that my Jewish timing,
my indecisiveness, my ADD and
the way I see things are funny. Of
course, people in my life don't find
this list very funny to be around!"
Could somebody give Karen Williams a snack2 And we're not talking
about the vending machine, junk food variety. The girl needs nourishment. Audiences have been feeding off the veteran stand-up comic's
rhetorical rants and clever observations for 25 years now. As a lesbian
mom with a killer sense of humor and an endless work schedule, she
deserves a little pick-me-up, thank you very much. I Need a Snack
is the tide of Williams' latest comedy special, which aired on Logo
this summer and will be coming out on DVD later this year. But the
only morsel she's sharing about it is that it's an "improvisational rollercoaster ride:'
Like many of the best comics, Williams can whip up a batch of the
most keenly crafted, hysterical comments about everything from eating and aging to politics-and
what life is like for a woman who grew
up in New York's housing projects.
She is, in fact, among the few pioneers of lesbian comedy still
FromDinahShoreto Showtime,Sandra
Vallsis three L-wordswrapped intoone.
By JennySherwin
commanding the stage, a history that is depicted in the documentary
Laughing Matters.
Smart, sassy and Sapphic, comedian Sandra Valls has taken lesbian stand-up to a
Williams raised two of her three sons, then put herself through
new level, performing her unique brand of laughs and guffaws to audiences straight
college and a master's program at Cleveland State University. In ad-
and queer alike. One of the world's only out Latina comics, Valls is as true to her
dition to stand-up gigs, she started her own business, called the
ethnicity as she is to her sexuality,knocking TV audiences on their behinds on every-
HaHA Institute, advocating for the "healing power of humor:' She
thing from Logo's One Night Stand UP to Showtime's Latin Divas of Comedy.
gives workshops at hospitals, colleges and small businesses all over
the country, lecturing on everything from "Parenting With Humor" to
"Let's Laugh About Sex:•
Another milestone in this busy year: After 15 years in Ohio,
Williams is moving part-time to Los Angeles. She wants to be closer
to her family-and
You are truly hysterical. How did you get involved in comedy?
My girlfriend dumped me. She broke up with me because I was "too angry" for her.
I wasn't too angry! I'm Mexican! I'm passionate. There's a big difference. So, we're
in the middle of couples' therapy-how
very lesbian of us. She breaks up with me,
she wants
then she says something like, "I signed you up for a comedy class and I hope you
to take advantage of the open
go because you're one of the funniest people I know, and, well...! already paid for
doors that were closed to gay
it:' I actually ended up forcing myself to go to the class. At the end of the first class,
and lesbian performers just a
this pretty girl walked up to me and introduced herself. We talked a little bit and
few years ago.
then she mentioned she had to go catch the train home before they stopped run-
But there's also more compe-
ning. Always the gentleman, I offered her a ride home. I ended up in a relationship
tition than ever. curve's own
Lesbian contest, for
with her-how very lesbian of me. It just goes to show, you can turn any kind of
poison into medicine.
instance, had nearly 100 names
Has the road to comedic success been harder on you as a woman, as a
on the list, Williams' included.
Latina or as a lesbian?
Funniest
"When I started, there were
Actually, it's been more challenging on me as a woman than as either a Latina
10;' she says. So she's turning
or a lesbian. Unfortunately, this business of comedy is still a boys' club-and
proactive.
there's still this delusion that female comics aren't funny-so
'Tm
doing
things
I've had to con-
to enhance the skills I already
stantly prove myself over and over. A lot of doors have been opened because I
have ... I'm taking acting classes
am Latina and lesbian. The Latino comedy world has embraced and supported
and working
coach:'
In addition to her solo show
me from the get-go. My first TV credit was a Latino comedy show called Que
Locos.Shortly after that, I got Latino Laugh Festival and then I was featured on
Habla! HBO Latino. I feel it's because my material is gay that they respect me so
on Logo and the DVD, she put
much. They respect my honesty and I also don't male-bash. I don't change my
with
an acting
out a new CD and organized a
act for straight audiences. And still more opportunities have come to me from
new tour, this one sponsored by
being an out lesbian comic-notice
the HaHA Institute and San Francisco Women Against Rape. Life is
good for the brazen babe.
"If you can stand the heat and stand the pressure;' Williams adds,
"it's a good time to be a comic:' - Laurie K. Schenden
I deliberately said "out" because we all know
there are lots of us lesbian comics on the down-low-Logo
Stand UP and the OutLaugh Festival.
TV's One Night
What have been some of the highlights of your comedy career?
So far, it's being invited to be on the Original Latin Divas of Comedy. Since
its release on Showtime, I've gained a significant popularity and with that has
54 I curve
come the beautiful opportunity to give back to the community. I've hosted and
hoo-ha, as opposed to boldly venturing into an unkempt, out-of-control woolly
performed at various benefits and charities, including the AIDS Healthcare
cave, and I actually got booed. What the hell:' Since when is a neat, hygienic,
Foundation and the GLAAD Awards in Florida. I also produced a comedy
trimmed hoo-ha something to hiss at:'
show called One Gay at a Time [to celebrate and honor LGBT people in
Do gay men get your humor as well as lesbians?
recovery] and received a Certificate of Recognition from the California Senate.
Hell yeah! They're the best audience. They, above all, can take a joke: catty,
Lighting the lamp of hope in a person's heart through my comedy... this is the
greatest highlight for me.
sarcastic, clever, witty, raw, naughty, decadent, edgy. Anything I throw at them,
How does your girlfriend handle it that you're on the road a lot, per-
audience that's strictly LGBT?
forming for adoring lesbian audiences?
In an LGBT crowd, I get to let my hair down, act a fool and goof on the community and our idiosyncrasies. In a mixed crowd, I feel I'm bringing something
to them that they may not necessarily live every day. I give them a glimpse at my
lesbian perspectives on life, like gay marriage. I feel it should be legalized-as
long as I'm not getting all my rights, then I shouldn't be paying all my taxes.
And of course how to please a woman in bed. I've worked really hard to make
my comedy universal and [to] not alienate anyone. I've chosen to out myself
as a lesbian because I want to make a difference by continuing to break stereotypes, by speaking up for those who can't-or worse, those who won't-and by
healing through laughter.
I'm in the most amazing, fulfilling, supportive, monogamous, committed
There's an old adage that lesbians have no sense of humor. Have you
the facial hair, this fiery, mischievous, passionate, lusty boy emerged and was
here to stay. I called him El Gallo. It's Spanish for"the rooster" or"the cock:' El
ever been witness to this?
a:
iiCf)
2
0
0
relationship with a beautiful, loving, creative, fun, sexy, intelligent, kind, sassy,
motivating, delicious, fine-ass woman! She's very supportive of my career and
all my dreams. We handle our busy, demanding lives with mutual, honest communication and respect.
I'm curious. Who is El Gallo and why is he wearing your underwear?
I'm actually wearing his underwear. El Gallo is my Latino papi, drag king,
alter ego, hot, sexy, flirty, horny, freaky, lusty, inner male. He's been around
for a while now. One year, Boston Pride had a drag king night and my friend
convinced me to go to the event. It started out as fun, but as I kept applying
femmes, the studs, the tomboys, the
Gallo just recently performed in Provincetown alongside All the King's Men,
butches, the bis, the political ones, the earthy-crunchy ones, the power femmes,
my favorite, greatest, most amazing drag king troupe ever. I love El Gallo so
etc. Fortunately, I've only had two experiences where a few tight-assed lesbians
much that, if he were real, I'd let him fuck me.
I've had great success with my peeps-the
0
they open up and scarf it down. They can take all of me. I love my gays.
What's the difference in performing to a mixed crowd as opposed to an
did not laugh. For example: I was playing a club in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
Do women throw their bras at you when you perform at Dinah Shore?
and I was talking about how I prefer a woman with a neat, clean, trimmed
They throw themselves at me-literally.
Offensive Women, a monthly comedy
series playing in both New York City and
Los Angeles, gives voice to, well, offensive women. It is comic Julie Goldman's
brainchild.
"About a year ago, I had a conversation with a sister comedian, L.A.-based
Betsy Salkind, about women and comedy
and how shitty and hard it was for us to be
heard. We were being accused of being
offensive and very far-out when we simply
expressed our real feelings and opinions,"
says Goldman.
Erin Keating, the producer of Offensive
Women, met Goldman at N.Y.C.'sAdam
Sank's Gay Bash. She says the Offensive
Women monthly showcase offers a safe
space for both established and emerging female stand-ups to "self-express
in a no-holds-barred atmosphere. It's
a gloves-off approach," says Keating,
who works in film and Web production,
where she is dedicated to a full-time job,
but has a passion for women artists and
entrepreneurs. "Offensive Women fulfills
my professional ambitions as well as my
passion for community.''
Keating says what makes Offensive
Women so special is that Goldman is creating space and opportunity for other female
comedians. "I really don't think there are
many other comics out there doing that.
And Julie pushes it as 'Julie Goldman presents Offensive Women,' not just as 'Julie
Goldman presents Julie Goldman,' and I
think that is pretty amazing."
"The big question," emphasizes
Goldman, "is, what is offensive, anyway? It
all depends on the take-and guys do it all
the time. Why can't women?"
Goldman says that she wants to make
Offensive Women into a brand and a way
female comics can make real money.
Salkind hosts the show in Los Angeles.
I've got groupies and I love
However, Goldman asserts that as the
"emperor" of Offensive Women, she has
the final say on everything. "In the end we
hope to change the perception of women,"
she says. "Comedy is never quantified with
men, but it is with women, blacks, Asians,
queers, etc. I want to put an end to that."
- Stephanie Schroeder
November 2008
I55
Jane Lynch
Loves,Loves,LovesHer Job
The hardworkingactor likes to stay busy. By Edie Stull
EVER DOUBT how actor Jane Lynch feels about her
career. "I love it, I love it, I love it;' she says, her blue eyes
Lynch, too."She was so genuine and so nice ... she's hilarious;' she adds.
wide and serious. "I would do it as a hobby if I had to work
somewhere else:'
State and a master's from Cornell. She honed her skills on the stage with the
Lynch was very young when she knew what she wanted
to be when she grew up. "I played a candle in third grade;'
she explains. "I was a wonderful candle. I was 'A..
Raised in suburban Chicago, Lynch earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Steppenwolf Theater Company and the
Second City Touring Company and as Carol Brady in the cult favorite The
Real Live Brady Bunch.
was for
"I think learning how to act is pretty important. I have some techniques
'air; so filled with smells of spice ... smells of cake, pudding
and skills I learned when I was 21 that have been hammered into my con-
and pie ... everything that is nice;' she recites, grinning as she remembers the
sciousness, that are now second nature, and without that training I wouldn't
lines from her first speaking part.
be having as much fun. I had classical acting training, with some method stuff
thrown in:•
Since then, the tall, striking blonde has used her quick wit and sharp timing
in scores of films and TV shows, including both big studio and indie projects.
Lynch, who's been in Hollywood for 14 years, was 39 years old when
She's been a member of the filmmaker Christopher Guest's improvisational
she snagged her breakthrough role as the butch dog trainer in Best in Show.
ensemble since Best in Show and was Steve Carell's boss in The 40-Year-Old
"Everybody thinks that you should be famous and working right away. I
Virgin.Name a TV show and she's probably been on it-Arrested Development, wasn't, but I worked a lot. I kind of knew it was going to happen to me at
some poinr:•
Friends,CSI, Weeds,CriminalMinds, BostonLegal,Two and a Half Men andShe also knows what she looks for in a role. "It has nothing to do with monmost memorably for her lesbian fans- TheL Word, where she plays the swaggering attorney Joyce Wischnia.
ey and everything to do with the role
Lynch seems to move with ease between
and the people I'll be surrounded with;'
the gay and straight communities."! see them
she says emphatically. "I like getting my
as one human community, that's probably
hands on a lot of different things. It
really makes me happy:•
why. I'm not out there to change anybody's
mind so much as to tell stories. I think it's
really important for gay people-especially
That philosophy often leads her to
work with friends. "Jane is incredibly
a gay woman in Podunk, Ohio, who thinks
supportive of filmmakers and I feel so
she's all alone-to
see her story up on the
fortunate that she was willing to work
screen. And if it changes other people along
the way, that's fantastic-and
I think it
with me as a first-time director on the
has-but I don't set out to do that. I just set
out to tell stories:•
director Anne Renton. "She was so gen-
She's known for her supporting roles
inclusively engaged with everyone working on the film:'
and ensemble parts, and you might wonder
short film Love Is Love;' says producererous with her time and talent, and she
whether there's a part of Lynch that aches
True to form, Lynch stays busy with
to be the star."Never;' she says without hes-
a variety of projects and has several
itation. "I love acting in an ensemble. I love
movies due out in the coming months.
working with other people:•
''I've done a short and am going to do a
The legendary comic Carol Burnett
agrees. She worked with Lynch on ThePost
Grad Survival Guide and has been a Lynch
fan since the Guest movies and Virgin.
pilot;' she adds. She's also worked with
Meryl Streep in Nora Ephron's Julie &
Julia, in which Streep plays Julia Child,
and Lynch plays her sister.
"When I heard that she was going to be in
What does she do on those seem-
the film I was absolutely delighted. I was
ingly rare occasions when she is not
amazed at watching her and how she would
working:' "I look for more work! I like
improvise and do things a little bit differ-
to stay busy;' Lynch says, laughing.
ently with each take. She's just so good. I
loved watching her. We laughed a lot:'
The experience was memorable
56
Icurve
for
And it all began with a third-grader
playing a candle. "I knew that was just
the beginning;' Lynch says.
In TrainingSince
Childhood
Orit Schwartzhas made a life in Hollywood.
production friends would help out ... and The Frank Anderson came
together, which is amazing:'
The Frank Anderson features an impressive cast, especially for
a film by an untested filmmaker. Jane Lynch, Elena Lyons, Richard
Riehle, Stephen Root and Romy Rosemont star in the story of a man
who loses the battle to get his insurance company to pay to reduce his
man-boobs, but wins a hot woman and starts a man-boob craze.
"I was very lucky;' says Schwartz. "Richard Riehle, who plays the
man-boob guy, was the first person I approached, because he had to
be topless and spend hours in makeup having the boobs put on;' she
explains. "When I told him I was doing this short, he immediately
said, Tll do it: I said, 'I haven't even told you what it's about; and he
said, 'I don't care. I'll do it for you:
11
Riehle even helped Schwartz save the boobs after the shoot. "He
had to sit for another two hours for the makeup artist to carefully
remove them without tearing them up ... I owe him one:'
The film showed Schwartz the importance of the friendships she
had made during her 15-year career."Most of the people who worked
on The Frank Anderson were somehow connected to NewsRadio;•she
explains. She was an associate producer for the NBC sitcom.
the BendFilm Festival and was inspired to make a short film. A
Lynch, who appeared on NewsRadio in 1995, plays a doctor in The Frank
Anderson. She sees two sides to Schwartz. "On the outside, Orit is all 'Yeah,
year later, that film, The Frank Anderson, premiered there. The
sure, whatever you want: Be not fooled. The inside is tenacious and driving
short comedy may have been the out writer-producer's first, but
and wickedly cynical. Me likey;' she adds.
!SITING
OREGON
in 2005, Orit Schwartz heard about
she had been in training to be a filmmaker since childhood.
Born in Hollywood, Schwartz spent the first nine years of
her life in Israel. As a child, she was taken to the taping of a
television show and a career was born. "When I came back to
the States, I started going to tapings of Silver Spoonsevery Friday. I just had a
fascination with sitcoms:'
After college at Cal State, Northridge, where she received a degree in
media management, Schwartz landed a job at the Carsey-Werner Company.
"I got very lucky;' she says.''Marcy Carsey is one of my idols, so it was very cool
to get that job:' Carsey cofounded Carsey-Werner, an independent production
)
"I grew up in LosAngelesand GirlBar was
the first lesbian club I went to, and for it
to be screened there was exciting."
The Frank Anderson has screened at more than 40 festivals and collected
numerous awards. "It's been awesome
to
sit in the theater and have the audi-
company that was responsible for some of the most successful and innovative
ence get it;' she says. 'Tm now having festivals asking to screen it, which is
sitcoms of the '80s and '90s, including Roseanneand The CosbyShow.
Schwartz's early career included production work on Roseanne,3rd Rock
wild:'
Schwartz is especially proud of two screenings of the film at GirlBar in
West Hollywood. "I grew up in Los Angeles and GirlBar was the first lesbian
r:
f)
from the Sun, That '70s Show and NewsRadio-but her first love was always
J
writing. "I took a UCLA extension course in sitcom writing when I finished
club I went to, and for it to be screened there was exciting:'
college because I wanted to write;' she says.
The transition from production to writing, however, was not without its
"It's a lesbian love triangle with a twist, tided I Love Me;' she explains."We did
2
r:
l.
)
2
f)
challenges. "I was on Roseanneas a production assistant at the time, and one
X:
of the wr-iters read the spec script I wrote for the extension course;' she recalls.
f)
::J
J.J
X:
:(
X:
:(
r:
:(
2
0
n.:
UJ
<t:
er:
"He gave me dreadful notes, which is to be expected, but it just crushed me
and set me back a little bit:'
The visit to Oregon made Schwartz think about writing again. "I went
home thinking about which actors would say yes to me and thinking of which
The filmmaker is currently working on the script for a full-length feature.
The Frank Anderson out of pocket for under $5,000. This feature is going to
cost quite a bit more, so I'm hoping someone will want to finance it:'
Years ago, Schwartz got some advice from Marcy Carsey. "She basically
told me that if you think money is what's going to define you as successful,
you're wrong;' says Schwartz. "I think about that ... Success is all about the
friendships you make along the way:' - ES
I
____________________________________________
f--
November 2008
57 .,,,,
LADYANDTHEVAMP
Meet TV's hottest new star, Dirty Sexy Money's Candis Cayne, and the
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
power lesbian behind her, Nikki Weiss.
Photog aphy by Ch 1stopherDesantis
with more buzz right now than
AREFEWTVSTARS
HERE
Candis Cayne, the co,star of ABC's Dirty Sexy Money,
and the first openly transgender series regular on network
television. Though she has a long performance history on
stage, it was DSM and an earlier appearance on CSI: New
York that brought Cayne to fame-and
landed her on the
Cay,e But unfortunately you see that first. [Laughs]
Weiss:Look who's talking.
Candis, does your current fame feel sudden or a really long
time coming?
Ca n Really a long time coming! [Laughs] I've been working for
so many years and it's just amazing to me sometimes ... it takes
one audition, one person to say,"I think she would be great in this
role;' and suddenly your life changes.
pages of every major entertainment magazine. Behind that hot
actress is her lesbian manager, Nikki Weiss, herelf a triple threat
(actor, producer, manager). The equally gorgeous Weiss has been
a big name behind the scenes in Hollywood, appearing on Work
Out last season, but it was a spot on an Oprahepisode about mar,
Speaking of life changes, Nikki, you were an actress and a
ried women coming out that made her a household name.
Why did you turn to the other side?
model when you were younger.
Weiss:I stopped doing that in my 20s.
was the first thing.
I wanted to have more control and more financial freedom. I
made a conscious decision when I was 21 to say, 'Tm going to
leave this side but I'm still going to try to be on the creative end
of things, just in a different capacity:' It was a conscious decision;
I don't think I wanted it bad enough to starve. There are so many
I didn't want to starve for my art-that
Weiss:
I love the story of how you came together while Nikki was
making a documentary on the Baton Show Lounge.
Weiss:Yes, it's the oldest venue of its kind for transgender per,
formers and it's located in Chicago.
We were introduced to each other and immediately hit it
off. .. I was looking for representation, but also for somebody who
really got me. Nikki and I just really hit it off.
How is it you both ended up in Hollywood?
Weiss:I've split my time between Los Angeles and Chicago for
the past 15 years because of my business, representing feature
film and commercial directors. I sold my place in Chicago and
moved here permanently about two and a half years ago. And
then, when Dirty Sexy Money really took off for Candis, I said,
"Girl. .." and sh~ said, 'Tm on my way:' [Laughs] But when I took
on Candis it was like my labor oflove. I had bigger visions for her
than she did for herself.
actors and actresses out there that want it so bad, they don't care
what they have to do to get it. For me, it was more about my craft
and I knew that I just wanted to be comfortable in my life. I didn't
want to struggle.
I think having that awareness about yourself is a great
thing, too.
Weiss:I think so. I wouldn't change anything. I was just a very
tenacious kid. I really was. I had a vision for myself and that's
what I went after. I grew up in Philadelphia, on the East Coast,
and I was doing the modeling thing and I was going to New York
and I was acting-I think I got it all out of my sys .e... vhen I
Ca ne The one thing that Nikki and I really have in common,
was a young kid.
and trying to get to the next level.
Weiss:I'm not shocked by it at all. She is the real deal, and, I
which is kind of the binding thread between us, is that we're both
really driven women and both of us have spent our lives working
Does that make Nikki a successful manager.
Ca ne It really does help that she is very confident and poised
and beautiful, because she has that power, because you don't ex,
pect the stuff that comes out of her mouth. [Laughs]
It's interesting that men often don't expect beautiful women to be powerful. Does that have an advantage.
C
Yeah, I'm sure it does, but I don't think Nikki realizes how
pretty she is.
Weiss:It makes me actually feel uncomfortable. I'm very appre,
ciative if somebody says that I'm attractive, but it's just not what
I'm focused on and I'd rather you see that last.
Have you been surprised by this sudden embrace of Candis in Hollywood?
have to be honest with you, it's not because she's transgender.
She is really talented. Candis is a trained dancer, a choreogra,
pher, she sings, she's a comedienne, she's got "it;' and mainstream
Hollywood is embracing her for the first time in this role. But this
isn't the first or the last you'll see of what Candis' capabilities are.
Candis, is there still the barrier there that you haven't broken yet, in terms of playing a non-trans woman in a film?
Yeah, it would be amazing to get to the point where I
would just be cast as another girl in a role. I know that being
transgender is kind of a cross I bear, because I'm one of the first
of my kind to be out there. That's the way people are going to look
November 2008
I 59
at me, and I don't mind that. If I were to only get trans roles the
gressive. They're more aggressive than the straight men.
rest of my life, I wouldn't be sad about that, because I know that
Nikki, you produced a short film with Trish Doolan that she
what I've done has pushed social consciousness forward a little
directed and wrote, and you have a cameo, too!
bit. That's satisfying to me, as long as I'm working.
Weiss:It was so much fun to be in front of the camera again,
Hollywood moves slowly. They're still not even writing
although ... I'm such a producer that I'm producing myself, so I
color-blind roles yet. If there's a black character, it's still
would stop the scene and say, OK, wait, we've got to stop this
written as "this black character ... "
because the continuity was all wrong. But I started a production
Cayne:Or gay character, or lesbian character ...
company called Strawberry Blonde with Trish and Helene Shaw
One thing, Candis, that I really like is that the media has
because we have some features in development.
dealt with you in a really non-sensational way, practically
Are you and Trish longtime friends?
making you sound like a suburban soccer mom.
Weiss:
Trish and I met through her former manager ... [we] start-
Cayne:
I didn't ever want [being] transgender to define who I was
ed dating about a year ago.
as a person or an actress, just to be a part of the picture. I think
How does it feel to have launched so many careers Nikki?
that a lot of times you have the choice on how exploitative your
Weiss:
I love helping people ... and I also really love the entertain-
life is going to be viewed. And if I don't treat myself that way,
ment industry. I think when you put that combination together
other people can't treat me that way. People can say whatever they
you get somebody like me that just really believes in what I do
want; it's how you react. I think that I've always reacted in a posi-
and who I'm representing, and really fights the good fight. I'm all
tive way, and if people have a problem, I say,'Tm sorry, your prob-
for the underdog.
lem is not mine:' And not in a mean or confrontational way..
Both of you have helped writers and producers create
Weiss:I think it's because Candis has come from such a beautiful
transgender and lesbian characters on TV. What kinds of
family. Her parents are so loving and so supportive, as is her twin
questions do they ask?
brother ... when you're coming from that, that's what you exude.
Cayne·A lot of writers don't really know how to write a part for
You were performing in drag when you transitioned. Did you
me, so they'll ask me questions or they'll write something and I'll
worry that transitioning was going to affect your work?
say,"You know, this doesn't really make sense, so maybe we could
Cayne:Yes, definitely. I thought, I'm probably giving my career
change it to this:' I always do it in a positive way and try not to
up as an actress because society just isn't ready for this. But, I had
make people feel like they are being insulted. I have been very
to make my living. My whole issue was that I hope my community
lucky with Dirty Sexy Money because they've always had this re-
accepts me while I'm transitioning-and
ally great team of writers that just write my character as a female
they totally did.
Weiss:And there were times, when Candis went without roles
character who happens to be transgender. It's been really cool.
because she was ... making that transition. So when she was
I think that's the appeal of the show. It feels like they've
working in drag in the very beginning, she was doing a ton of
written that character almost blind, that they're not think-
music videos and some other things, and then when she started
ing only about the trans issue there.
to make the transition ... the roles started to dissipate because
people didn't understand what to do with her.
Cayne:
Right, it's a love story, and people can relate to a love story
Do you have lesbian groupies following you everywhere?
sue. It's more about this love story between these two people.
Weiss:Yes she does, and they ask her out and they are very ag-
Weiss:And, to be honest, they have the most beautiful, honest
and somehow me being transgender has become a secondary is-
relationship on that show.
And what about you, Nikki?
Weiss:I was called in by GLAAD to go and sit with the Grey'.s
Anatomy people, as was my partner, Trish, because they really
wanted to tell a story from an honest point of view. They didn't
want to do it for a ratings stunt. There were two characters that
really had feelings for one another and they didn't want to necessarily define if they were gay or straight. They just wanted to
show that these two women had fallen in love with one another.
And they were very curious about my journey and how I figured
out I was gay after being married and what that meant and how I
defined myself-to bring truth to that story line.
Were you happy with the way it came out?
Weiss:I was. I think it was really sweet and I think that more,
obviously, will be revealed when they come back next season, but
I think it was a very honest portrayal.
AfterEllen.com said it brought the truthfulness that is rarely achieved on television when it comes to lesbians. What's
amazed you most about your experiences in Hollywood?
Lady and the Vamp continued on page 78
MADABOUTMARLEE
You can't keep a good woman down.
A
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
S THEL WORD
actors prep for the sixth and final season
What feedback do you get from other deaf women?
on Showtime, fans are keeping Netflix busy renting the
Many said it was about time that someone showed the lesbian
newly released season five DVD set. For those who
experience through deaf eyes. The fact that there aren't many deaf
missed it, season five was a heart-wrenching exploration
characters in general represented on TV, though we make up 10
for 43-year-old Marlee Madin, who plays Bette's lover,
percent of the population, and American Sign Language is the
Jodi. "She got trampled on in season five;' Matlin admits. But in
season six, "It's time for her to come roaring back, in ways you
third most used language in the United States, makes Jodi such a
hero for many deaf lesbians.
wouldn't necessarily think, to show people she's strong as ever:'
Are deaf actors more frequently cast in roles that aren't all
For the dea£ Jewish, one-time child actor, who still holds the re-
about their deafness now?
cord as the youngest Oscar winner in the Best Actress category,
Not necessarily. I'm still finding scripts that focus on deafness,
The L Word has been another jewel in her crown.
rather than [on] the person who happens to be deaf as part of a
general storyline that has nothing to do with being dea£ I've been
I hear you're a Blackberry addict. Has technology made it
fortunate to have played roles like that on Picket Fences, The West
easier for deaf people to communicate?
Wing and The L Word. Sometimes, however, I still find myself
Technology has made access nearly 100 percent for people like
in storylines that focus on deafness-even
myself, who rely on texting, emailing and video messaging. The
I'm tired of doing them. They tell the same story over and over
Blackberry is my cell phone. I am constantly texting and messag-
again-I'm
ing,just like hearing people are chatting on their phones. No more
want to hear. So now that I'm thinking about it, I should just say
recently! I must say,
"No one
should ever
stop us from
loving simply
because they
don't agree
with the
choices we
make."
dea£ and I'm angry because I'm deaf or I'm deaf and I
talking through second parties or interpreters. The Blackberry is
no and let the producers find someone else to do them. [Laughs]
something I just couldn't live without.
What one change would you like to make in the world?
What's surprised you about your time on The L Word?
How many stories are out there that have yet to be told.
Turn up the volume on tolerance. There are so many people, for
whatever reason, that are not willing to be tolerant, whether it's
Storytelling on TV is rarely as diverse as what you'd see on The L
of people of different gender, sexual preference, race, religion or
Word, and what surprised me was how many people responded to
ability. I say, let's increase love and tolerance and stop being so
it, both gay and straight.
judgmental. We all deserve dignity and respect.
The L Word is one of the few shows that's all about women.
How has it affected the rest of television?
Well, The L Word has certainly become part of the pop culture,
with references in other TV shows like The Sopranos and The
Office. So I think the door is now fully open and there will be
more to come. There's even talk of an L Word spinoff, which is not
surprising to me considering how popular the show is and how
audiences are hungering for more, even after the show is done.
What episode last season really resonated with you?
I like the episode where Jodi confronts Bette with all that's in her
heart, something that Jodi wasn't accustomed to doing when we
first met her on the show. The scene was a heavy one for me to
play, where I had to be angry and sad and speak, all at the same
time ... I was glad to see that it came out as I had envisioned itraw, in your face-which
was just awesome.
Has playing gay affected how you look at sexuality?
I've grown up with a gay brother and have had many gay friends
throughout my life, so I never looked at sexuality as anything but
a personal choice and that we all have the right to live with whomever we wish.
What will you miss the most after the show ends?
The camaraderie. I loved doing stories that respected women,
whatever their sexuality. Strong women, beautiful women, smart
women-that's
what The L Word was all about, and I know that's
pretty rare in the TV landscape. I'll miss that.
November 2008
I61
C'MON,BABY,LIGHTMY FIRE
Jackie Warner gets everyone riled up.
HETHER
YOU
LOVE
ORHATE
the iibedit self-promoter
Jackie Warner, there is no denying that Work Out, her
reality show on Bravo, is a hit. Though she is completely open about her life on the screen, there are still
a few things we don't know about the fitness maven.
By Colleen M. Lee
be just as happy and content. But they do not. It's very difficult
for someone to be put in the spotlight and have all their own
insecurities that come along with that. I'm under my own stress
and can't really pull them through that, too.
I noticed this season focuses on your being self-obsessed
and self-important. Is that editing or is it accurate?
Last season you were in a relationship; now your MySpace
page indicates you're single.
[Laughs]Oh, you know, here's the deal. A reality show is not the
best thing for a relationship. I don't know many that really fare
well.
Is it hard to have a healthy relationship in the public eye?
Yeah, it is. I feel like everybody should fit right into my world and
No ... I employ quite a few people, and to keep them working and
keep them happy and healthy and (my businesses] profitable, I
have to be self-obsessed. My staff should be very thankful that I
have a place that they can go to and make a lot of money, and have
a relatively nice lifestyle.
You own five businesses. Is your goal to be a fit, lesbian
Martha Stewart?
[Laughs]Yes.That is exactly my goal. I want to cross over and see
through all health, fitness, diet-related principles. I would like to
be that main go-to girl for all things having to do with healthrelated issues. I deal a lot with depression, sleep disorders, things
that are very important to women in particular. So I'm absolutely
trying to position myself as a leader in that industry.
Have you had difficulties as an out lesbian in this business?
Not that much ... what was very surprising, and it was a nice surprise, is Middle American, middle-class housewives have embraced
me. They're one of my largest markets. I was very pleased to see
that they ignored the lesbian aspect, and ignored whatever issues
they may have with gays and lesbians, and have embraced me as
just an individual.
Would you date a smoker or an overweight person?
I would not date a smoker, and I would not date a tremendously
overweight person, because like anything, being very overweight
is wearing your addiction on your sleeve. I don't want to date anybody who allows their addiction to completely take over.
If you could date anyone, who would it be?
Somebody that I have had an opportunity to hang with socially a
few times is Liz Phair ... She was one of my huge musical heroes,
so when I was hanging out with her, I was a nervous wreck ... !
was totally tongue-tied the first couple of times.
You don't seem to have very many lesbian friends.
I'm not in the lesbian world as much as people think I am. I
think that it's difficult for me to find friends in the lesbian world.
There's a lot of agenda, and a lot of strange things that happen
for me now in the gay and lesbian world. I'm not trying to isolate
[myself] but just by being more of a public figure, especially in
the lesbian world, it is a little isolating.
Has your relationship with your mother improved because
of the show or because of your therapy?
I definitely think the show is a mirror. And my mom saw us and
saw herself and she's making huge efforts to have a deeper
relationship with me, a more selfless relationship with me. I have
responded to that in a wonderful way. We're closer now than we
ever have been.
EVERYBODY
DANCE
NOW
Lori Michaels is our kind of rock star.
S
By Katie Peoples
HE'SKNOWNFORher sexy, dance troupe show Me &
I don't think I'm that typical rock star, you know. I don't drink or
The Girls, who make hit, sizzling hotspots around the
do the drugs or party all that much. You know, a lot of times after
country, and leave swooning women in their wake. Now,
Lori Michaels is breaking out on her own with a new
the show people will be like, "Keep the party going"... and I'm like,
"I need to sleep:' [Laughs]
album, Living My Life Out Loud. She dishes on her act,
What do you do to keep your energy up?
her album, her groupies, her heartbreak and her first big rock star
I try to stay fit and healthy. I'm really into fitness and dance and
moment.
I try to eat well, and I tryy not to get too stressed out. I watch
How does it feel to go more solo?
Jackie Warner of the lesbians, but I try. [Laughs]
Were still doing a lot of Me & The Girls shows at the Pride fes-
What inspired your show?
tivals, while on tour and out promoting the CD. But in between
I just wanted to put out professional entertainment that people,
those gigs, we got some intimate stuff going on. I have some na-
I think, were craving. It might sound silly or but I've been a per-
tional anthems with major sporting games and even some wed-
former all my life. I just came up with the idea and one of my
ding celebrations, commitment ceremonies. I mean, it feels great.
feature performers and I sat down and the Me & The Girls thing
Oprah a little bit. And not that I'm like, proclaiming to be the
(fJ
Are women tearing off your clothes?
came out of a song that I had written and performed, We just
[Laughs] I had a boot episode. I've been signing a lot of breasts,
made the whole show around something that would be fun, in-
which has been great, with permanent marker. I tell them every
teractive, upbeat.
time, "I don't know why you're asking me to do this:•
What does your girlfriend think of your stage show?
Have any of them tried to make it back on the tour bus?
Well, I hope by the time this comes out I'm back together with my
Uh, yeah ... they get a little bit personal and want to like, profess
girlfriend. She broke up with me. [Laughs]
their love. A lot of these lesbian clubs and bars and even the festi-
Do you have to win her over with a love song?
vals offer an enormous amount of alcohol. I don't really think they
I don't know if that will work anymore. What can you do:'
genuinely like me. I just think its maybe the alcohol talking.
Everyone hits a rough patch.
What if they just needed a little liquid courage?
Yeah this is just a transitional periond where were going to be-
Well I'm flattered. But I don't drink. Maybe, maybe I need a few
come stronger, and better, and rebuild and heal. That's what I'm
drinks to get back in the game here. [Laughs]
telling mysel£ I'm going to be very ohm-shanti-ohm with this ..I'm
So what's your quintessential rock star moment?
a dark chocolate fan so maybe I should start that intead of drink-
I was just doing an interview with another magazine, and a girl
ing. I'm going to start heavily getting into chocolate.
came up and lifted her shirt. I was sitting in the van, waiting for
Chocolate might help you feel better.
a:
IJ.J
the show. I was doing an interview, and my back was to the win-
I'm definitely into chocolate. That would be a good thing. So
0
dow, and the writer, like, her face dropped, and she's like, "Wow
when I blow up, when I'm 250 pounds, I'm going to thank you for
that never happens to me:' And you know, breasts and stomach
recommending chocolate. [Laughs]
(!}
:)
were right there. She said,"That's such a rock star thing:' And I'm
Hey, at least you'd be fat and happy, right?
0
like, "Yeah, that's the first time that happened, but OK:' [Laughs]
0
z
(fJ
5
0
Yeah, I'll be fat and happy.
"I don't think
I'm that
typical rock
star. I don't
drink or do
drugs or
party all that
much. After
the show
people will
be like, 'Keep
the party going!' I'm like,
'I need to
sleep.' "
November 2008
I63
BURNING
DESIRES
Twenty-fiveyears later and we'd still totally do her.
By Katrina Fox
room and somebody followed me in there. They looked like they
were going to rough me up ... and my little friend of about 4-foot,
2-inches came in and said, "Lay off her, she's straight!" Then I was
standing in a phone booth a week later, talking to my brother,
telling him I wanted to come home, and my little friend-who
had never professed anything to me before-got into the phone
booth, closed the door and said, "I love you:' I said I was sorry but
I was straight and she said, "I know, but I wanted you to know
that:' It was very sweet.
How did you feel about the rumors that you were gay?
All through Cagney& Lacey nobody believed I wasn't gay. I didn't
even try and fight it. I didn't matter to me. I thought, How flattering
is this:' I guess it was because of the character and the following I
had-they must have thought, 50,000 women can't be wrong. And I
wasn't married. I didn't get married until I was 48 years old.
You married the show's producer, Barney Rosenzweig,
who's written a book about the show, right?
Yes,and there are still people who think Barney's my beard.
It didn't freak you out that people thought you were gay?
Oh no, I was flattered. My lesbian fans made my career.
And even the time in 1990 when a lesbian stalker broke
into your house brandishing a gun-that didn't put you off
us?
That was scary, but I knew it was a very specific case. When a
policeman talked to me afterward, he asked me if I was afraid
and I said, "No, all my fans are smart, educated women:' Then
he told me, "She has an identical twin sister, equally anti-social:'
If you put that in a movie, no one would believe you. That was
when I was the most frightened. So I hired some bodyguards
and for about two weeks I had these retired FBI guys. Then I got
ONGBEFORE
SHEbecame an icon for gay men in her role
on Queer as Folk, Sharon Gless was a "dykon:' The minute
she appeared on TV screens in the 1980s as tough-talking detective Christine Cagney, in the hit series Cagney &
Lacey, lesbians the world over fell instantly in love with
her-and she welcomed us with open arms. Now back in the
spotlight as Madeline Westen on USA'.s Burn Notice, Gless is
definitely one hot mama.
You're one of those rare creatures who is revered by both
gay men and lesbians.
said they didn't care what I looked like. The show also made me
much more aware of the heartbreaking aspects of being part of
the gay community.
Thank you! I'm honored to have that reputation.
You'd like to play a lesbian. What about The L Word?
Well, let's just say there have been many misunderstandings! I
remember the first time a girl told me she was in love with me.
I was 19; I'd run away from home and lived at the Y for a year.
The only person I really became friends with was this gay girl
who took me to a gay bar, and one night I went into the ladies
I curve
It really changed my life because I'd turned 50, put on a lot of
weight, and you know how Hollywood is with women, so I
wasn't working a lot. I was doing a play by a wonderful lesbian
playwright in Chicago, and while [I was] there an agent sneaked
me a script called Queer as Folk. I read it, called Showtime immediately and said, "I want that part:' They offered it to me and
Did you have women coming on to you all the time during
the Cagney & Lacey years?
64
their bill and I said, 'Tm not that afraid!"
You were out of the spotlight for a while before Queer as
Folk. What did getting that show mean for you?
Well, everyone is young and beautiful on that show. If they asked
me, I'd go do the last season. I think it's a very fun show. I always
look at it like a Victoria's Secret catalog. The women are beautiful
to look at and I love the lingerie!
You're currently starring in the hit show Burn Notice.
It's very fun. The leading lady is Gabrielle Anwar, from the movie
Scentof a Woman.Oh, youa love her! She's very hot and very
CHAIKEN
NEVERCHICKENS
OUT
With one season left, the L Word creator reflects.
LENECHAIKEN
is one of the most powerful lesbians in
By Kathy Beige
The whole She Bar story line-has
there been any fallout
Hollywood. As the creator of The L Word, she has liter-
from any unnamed Los Angeles lesbian bars?
ally changed the way lesbians are perceived in mainstream
Not that I'm aware of. I know that people speculate all the time
culture, so we got her to discuss the show, its impact on gay
that different L Word story lines and characters are based on real
rights and homophobia in Hollywood.
people. They never are. We take our inspiration from all over the
place. We may have heard this story or that story, but our char-
The L Word has been groundbreaking, which has a lot to
acters are all totally fictional. You can probably take any number
do with you. I wonder if you recognize that.
I know that I have taken part in creating and producing a show
of club owners in any number of cities and find resemblances to
those characters.
that has had a lot of meaning to a lot of people, and especially
The story line around Lez Girls seemed like a great way to
to lesbians. I certainly didn't do it by myself. A great number of
people took part in it. It's been very exciting for all
poke fun at yourselves. Was that intentional?
Most importantly, we wanted to have
of us and very gratifying for all of us to have been
fun with it. It's slightly self-indulgent,
part of something that's in itself part of a progressive movement in our culture.
so we enjoy it maybe a little more than
we should. But we get to talk about
Has the show propelled gay rights forward?
Hollywood, too, and homophobia.
I think the show was part of gay rights moving
Some of the things that happen in the
forward. It's inevitable, the things that are hap-
Lez Girls story are inspired by things
pening in our culture-the
progression of us ob-
that happened on The L Word when
taining civil rights that have long been due us and
we first started. Some ... we made up.
the perception of us in the media and the popular
Some ... we borrowed.
culture. And I'm aware that The L Word is in the
The L Word is a success, but there
mix. In some cases, it's helped to set the tone.
are still very few lesbians on TV.
How do you decide which issues you're go-
I just think it's where we are in the
ing to tackle and which ones you're not?
culture, and we need to keep push-
Ultimately we decide based on character. We look
ing forward. I am disappointed that
at the stories in our ensemble and we say,"This is
we aren't a little further on. If The L
most likely something that would happen to her:' We get led into
Word were to go away right now, I feel that it would be fallow for
a story and a subject and a theme that way. Of course, when we
us once again. That saddens me, because I know it's changing, but
begin each season we also do the outside accounting of what's
if it doesn't happen while we're doing The L Word, then I think
going on that maybe we could weave in. But we try ultimately to
we're going to be looking at a bigger leap. It's going to be a leap
make those decisions based on what comes out of our drama.
that we're going to have to make again, rather than a continuation
You had a lesbian wedding, but haven't really dealt with
of something we've begun.
the political aspect of being denied marriage. Why?
Are you working on anything else besides The L Word?
Some of that comes from timeliness. We did a lesbian wedding,
I'm working on OurChart, which is a much bigger project than
but when we did that, we were shooting when Gavin Newsom
might be apparent because we're developing a lot of new content, a
was marrying people on the steps of City Hall in San Francisco.
lot of original programming, and we're looking at how to really grow
That was a thrilling moment, but we knew that by the time our
the opportunity and what we should be doing in gay media.
show went on the air, it could have gone any which way. We
What happens to OurChart when The L Word ends?
couldn't do a show that would be obsolete by the time it went on
I think that our community exists independent of The L Word,
the air. So we take on some issues that we're reasonably confident
and OurChart will continue to be a place where we all get together
will still be relevant by the time we air.
and network, where we have lots of projects, stories and content
Lesbians either love the show or they hate it, or both at
the same time. Do you take any of that personally?
When I first started the show, I took it a little more personally.
that aren't explicitly about The L Word. I also think that even
when The L Word goes off the air on Showtime, The L Word
won't be over. There are lots of things we can do, ranging from
Sometimes it was hard to read some of the really scathing things that
spinoffs to movies to just simply continuing to talk about the con-
people wrote. But over time I've become much more inured, philo-
cept of The L Word in other contexts.
0
sophical and appreciative. Sometimes I might read a harshly critical
Where will Ilene Chaiken be when The L Word ends?
UJ
comment and recoil for a minute, but I usually tend to shrug it of£
Right where I am ... working with people whose work and brains
Almost always,there's something in it for me to learn from.
I admire to create more programs.
:::i
0
November 2008
I 65
B-B-B-BADTOTHEBONE
Hello, network execs? Please fund this TV show.
\
By Candace Moore
I
T
HEPILOT
OFAmber Sharp's sassy serial dramedy, Don't Go,
to be negotiated. It would be a travesty to not see a show like
which focuses on lesbians of color in Los Angeles, has been
this on television. I applaud the creator for this concept. We had
wowing audiences and winning awards on the LGBT film
butch stage actor Skyler Cooper, who heats things up with
Queer as Folk,which called to the white, gay male community,
The L Word, which represents the white, female L.A. community, and then we have Noah'sArc, which is mostly for the African
her tres foxy female masculinity; lesbian film veteran Guin Turner
American, gay male community. I'm glad that it's the women of
(Go Fish);Chutney Popcorn'sdirector and star, Nisha Ganatra,
color who are like, "Let's unify it all:' I'm hoping that that's the
festival circuit over the last year. The diverse cast, includes
who plays a rebellious Indian American; and new talents Yaniv
next step for the queer community.
Moyal, Janora McDuffie and musician Melange Lavonne. Don't
What was it like to work with your costars?
Go combines the best elements of a MelrosePlace-type prime
We were such a tight-knit family. Guin Turner-I'll
time soap and a contemporary lesbian series like The L Word.
when I heard that she was cast as the resident intersex character
Let's hope it gets scooped up by a queer-friendly cabler, just as
and read the script, I thought, Oh no, I don't want to have to hate
it deserves.
tell you,
on her! I remember watching Go Fishand thinking, She's so cute.
You know how the kid who likes the girl in the cafeteria always
SKYLER
COOPER
66 I curve
teases her? I think there might be some of that going on for Bone.
Tell us about your character in Don't Go.
I played with it a bit-how
Bone's a drifter. She's Jaden's best friend and very protective, for
buddy's girlfriend and there was some jealousy.
reasons revealed later. The most I can say without giving much
You're going to be on a series on JengoTV.com called First
away is that they're tight. Bone doesn't come from the same side
Take. Could you tell us about that?
of the tracks that Jaden came from. Jaden is privileged and it's
Shortly after we did Butch Mystique, Deborah Wilson wanted
interesting that they become friends.
to follow me around as an out African American actor looking
would I act out ifl had feelings for my
How would you describe Bone's gender?
to break into Hollywood. Lo and behold, I got my first pilot,
I think [Bone] knows about the concept of genderqueer. She can
Don't Go, within three months. There are things out there for
be many things. It will depend on what the writers do with the
me. Butch is sexy. It's when you come out as butch or gender-
character. But she's butch, good old-fashioned butch.
queer-however
What are the prospects for Don't Go getting on TV?
the world really accepts you. When you try to put on something
It takes up to a year for most pilots to get picked up. A lot needs
you think you should be-that's
you feel most comfortable in your skin-when
when you're uncomfortable. I
Photographyby Rebecca Sanabria
Could it become a blessing for Jaden?
They're in limbo trying to figure out: What's the next step? Her
best friend, Bone, is real butch and Jaden doesn't want her to
know how she got pregnant. I mean, if your girlfriend's a hermaphrodite, does that mean you like penetration?
This was your first time acting. What was that like?
Amber Sharp [the director] found me on MySpace. I'm a hip-hop
musician and she ran across my music page and liked my image.
She asked me to come down and try out. I brought my best friend
[with me]. I've never been so nervous in my whole life. I tell my
best friend, "I can't do this. Let's leave:' So as I'm getting up, here
comes the producer, who says, "OK, are you ready?" I decided, if
I suck, I suck-at
least I tried. I knew the gist of the story but
was so involved in trying to memorize the lines. [Amber] knew
it was memorized. You have that robotic character. So she says,
"Mel, just come here for a second:' I had the script in my hand
and she threw it. She's like, "OK, now improv!" I improv-ed and
it just felt right.
What did you think about the script when you first read it?
I thought, This is going to be something huge!
Did you go to a few of the festivals where it screened?
Yes, I think the best thing about it was seeing people's responses
to the film and how much they supported it. Seeing yourself on
thought, If people are going to stare at me, I'll give them a reason.
"Butch is
sexy. It's
when you
come out
as butch or
genderqueer,
howeveryou
feel most
comfortable
in your skin,
when the
world really
accepts you."
the big screen still blows me away.
I'll go on screen. I'll go on stage. I'll perform in a forum. There's
far more acceptance when you can accept yourself
NISHAGANATRA
Your physique is impressive. How much do you work out?
Have there been any post-pilot episodes of Don't Go?
I'm a physical trainer. I've always been in the fitness industry. I
used to compete when I was in the military for four years, which
No. Amber is running into that crazy problem where people are like,
"Nobody wants a show with allblack peopli' It's insane.
is how I established my physique, and everything after that has
That's what's refreshing about the show. It shows women
just been maintaining. Gosh, I've been accused of using steroids
of color who are queer in a realistic way, more so than
and all that and I've never touched it in my life. Does my physical-
anything that's been on TV.
ity define me? Absolutely not. Is it a part of me? Yes, it's a part of
Amber's incredible... It has authenticity that's lacking [on TV].
me and always will be.
Describe your character to us a little bit.
I play Shanti, who's Indian American and grew up in a very con-
MELANGE
LAVONNE
servative family. She decides to just move out of the i use. The
What are your character, Jaden's, motivations?
place she rents, unbeknownst to her, is a lesbian Melrose Place-
Jaden is a butch lesbian who owns an apartment unit with her
type building, so she gets a taste of different things and has feel-
partner of four years, Melody, who happens to be a hermaphro-
ings she never knew she had before. She's definitely coming out. I
dite. Jaden loves her woman and they've been living together for a
think she's the only one in the whole pilot who is not already gay.
while. Jaden's a strong-minded woman, rough around the edges,
What did you think about when you were playing her?
and she likes taking care of her woman, who's feminine. However,
My life. I think that being an Indian American, you're already
she has her pride, and when she finds out that she's pregnant ...
aware of living a dual existence. When I got to college, I realized,
She's not too happy right away.
Oh, there are lesbian clubs, and I can go to them. I was already
Yeah, she feels betrayed. My character's pretty pissed off about
used to splitting up my identity, so it didn't seem hard or wrong.
it. I can relate to the character in real life because being a butch
It's sad but kind of interesting because you've already dealt with it
woman, you have this persona, or image, you have to maintain,
culturally, so it was like sexuality is just another aspect of my life
and being pregnant is not something you would imagine hap-
that I can only express in these settings.
pening to you. I wouldn't be opposed, in my real life, to being
Have you bridged that gap with your parents?
pregnant. It would be a blessing.
B-B-B-Bad to the Bone continued on page 78
November 2008
I 67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
Whose Truth? Our Truth.
Fresh, honest documentaries put it all on the line. I By Candace Moore
FEMME PICK
TheJaniceDickinson
Mode/in Agency
{Oxygen):
TheSelfproclaimed
"world's
first supermodel"
(andSapphicdabbler)JaniceDickenson
returnedto Oxygenfor
a fourthseasonof the
trash-tasticTheJanice
DickinsonModeling
Agency.Followingthe
splitwith herbusiness
partner,PeterHamm,in
seasonthree,Dickinson
is lookingto shake
thingsup andtake her
modelsto "the next
level."Themodelsfind
themselves
shacked
up with Dickinsonin a
palatialHollywood
Hills
mansion,completewith
a creepilyvoyeuristic
commandcenterhidden
in Dickinson'sbedroom, The Sapphic screen drips with hot, sweaty
fromwhichshecan action this fall-the fearless, independent,
monitorherproteges' athletic type, that is. This month's picks
activities24/7.Along explore the innocence of new love and eel,
with the Orwellianliving ebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
conditions,
seasonfour
seesDickinsonrolling Seeds of Summer I Zirei Kayitz (Eden Productions):
out hernewplus-size In her first documentary, twentysomething Hen Lasker revis,
division.Dickinson's its the place where she
discovered lesbian love: boot camp. Her
trademarkinsanityand
handheld camera journeys inside a fascinating area that the pub,
nonstopsquabblingof
lie is normally excluded from. At the Israeli Defense Forces train,
the beautifulpeople
ing
center for female recruits, Lasker captures the ambivalence,
makesfor a fantastithe
gut,wrenching pain and the worried expressions of newbie
callyguiltypleasure.
(oxygen.
com/janice) "chicks:' Here, teens who still send laundry home to Mom play
- RachelShatto at soldiering. As they sing and dance during battle enactments,
their guns, swung casually over their shoulders, look absurdlike monstrous metal knapsacks. A love letter to girls learning
regimented discipline, and featuring sit,ups and push,ups, con,
fessions and punishments, rifle practice and, finally, graduation,
Seeds of Summer also records the budding romance between the
filmmaker and one of her subjects. From the moment Lasker
hands a towel to a girl coming out of the showers, we realize this
68 I curve
is no fly,on,the,wall film. The director
boldly includes herself as a character
with perspective and desire-particular,
ly for the recruits' commander, Smadar.
When asked what they think of Smadar,
a smoldering, dark,haired creature, the
new recruits fight to comment, calling her "hot;' and "the cutest;'
claiming they are "crazy about her:' Stern,faced with her troops,
Smadar privately melts into a soft, flirty mess behind Lasker's
viewfinder. Their growing affection is palpable in the camera's
tender close,ups of the young commander as she makes bashful
eye contact. And Smadar turns the tables on the documentarian,
accusing her interviewer of "reactive looks" and begging her to
answer intimate questions. The two acknowledge their mutual
curiosity and the camera is eventually set down. In Hebrew with
English subtitles, this adorable and intimate documentary offers
viewers the vicarious experience of falling in love during combat
training. (edenproductions.co.il)
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Football Under Cover (Flying Moon Filmproduktion):
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I 69
Q+A
Najarra Townsend
Najarra Townsend isn't your typical Hollywood
teenager. You won't see her in the tabloids next
to Lindsay Lohan or the Olsen twins. She's just
a talented young actor making
dname for herself
by performing in indie films like Me and You and
Everyone We Know. This year she stars in Tru
Loved, Stewart Wade's latest romantic comedy
Who's Truth~ Our Truth continued from page 68
about a straight girl with gay moms, gay dads
the headscarf and chador worn as proper hijab in
and a fake gay boyfriend; she's already received
Iran. Plus, she claims the best way for a girl to get
two film festival Best Actress awards for her
challenging soccer practice in Tehran is to cross-
role. Featuring some of the great gay Hollywood
dress and play local pickup matches. Niloofar
icons (like Jane Lynch), as well as an array of
new faces, Tru Loved will have you laughing,
practices her football literally undercover. For
the Iranian national women's soccer team, which
crying and waving your rainbow flag all at the
she plays on, training is not just constant, it's an
same time. Understandably, Townsend's really
excited to talk about it. -
Kristin A. Smith
end in itself. These female athletes are not allowed to compete on a national stage. When producer Marlene Assmann, a defender for Berlin's
What drew you to the role of Tru in Tru
Loved?
When I originally read the script, I just fell
madly in love with it. It was like, my ideal script.
Tru was such a great character to get to playshe's a 16-year-old girl, but she's a really strong
individual. She knows who she is and she knows
what she wants to fight for. And that was just so
exciting to get to play.
What was the inspiration for this film?
I've heard Stewart Wade talk about this before.
I believe it came about because of his partner,
Antonio [Brown], who is the producer of the film. They are gay parents together and they wanted to
make a film that focused on gay parents. There aren't many films like that.
You seemed really comfortable playing the part of an LGBT activist and a gay ally. Do
you have any personal experience with that in your life?
Well, I have so many gay and lesbian friends and I was raised in theater. I have always been really into
gay and lesbian rights, so it was an exciting script to get to make into a film, and it was something I believed could really make a difference. So that was exciting. And I've always wanted to be an activist.
In a lot of ways, this is a good introduction to the gay film genre-who was the target
audience, and how has it been received?
I've seen it with so many different audiences now. It's really a film for everyone. It has something for
every age, but I think that originally it was probably targeted at high-schoolers, to get the word out
there that you can be open about who you are ... We always get different responses based on who the
audience is. I haven't gotten a bad response yet, so that's really exciting.
The comic Jane Lynch makes a cameo appearance in the movie. Why do we get so
little of her?
I never asked why; I was just so excited to get to work with her. I'm guessing it's because she signed on
after everyone was cast, so they created a role for her and put her in. I was just ecstatic to work with
her. It was funny because I know she's been in so many great films, but I was mostly excited because
she's on The L Word and that's like, my favorite TV show! And I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm working
with someone who is on The L Word!" I just wanted to be next to her all the time. I mean, hello, it's
Jane Lynch! I totally love
70
I curve
BSV Aldersimspor, discovers this, she travels to
Tehran on a mission to persuade officials to allow
an Iranian-German
face-off. Filmmakers David
Assmann and Ayat Najafi track this laborious, redtape-filled process over the year it took to put the
match together. Since men are forbidden to view
women playing soccer, the German team's male
coach peeks in nervously through cracks in the
amphitheater's door on the big day, nearly getting
arrested. Headscarves and long-sleeved jerseys are
the necessary uniform for both teams, and when
the hundreds of women in the audience begin to
chant ebulliently, they are promptly hushed by a
woman with a megaphone. The wait is worth it,
though, for Niloofar and her teammates. Welledited highlights of the game showcase women
from both countries joined by their love of the
sport. The filmmakers demonstrate how love transcends borders and restrictions. (jlyingmoon.com)
Music Watch
Reviews
Turn the Beat Around
These are the sounds of the season.
I By Margaret Coble
EDITOR'S PICK
Whether you prefer the nightlife in a dance club, a rock club or a
folk club, queer girls are providing you with some pretty awesome
soundtracks. The latest from Team Gina, Dolorata, L.P. and Jenn
Lindsay are sure to be on rotation wherever you go.
Products of the Eighties, Team Gina (Don't Stop
Believin'): You can't really get queerer than Team Gina. With an
unabashed fetishism for 1980s neon-colored outfits, synchronized
dance routines and gay-as-fuck quip-hop rhymes, Gina Bling and
Gina Genius have busted out of their hometown Seattle scene
and onto the national radar screen. As their
autobiographical opening cut, "Products of
the Eighties;' outlines, their white-girl-rapmeets-ironic-new-wave comes honestly,
both women having grown up in the '80s.
But while all this retro-pop-culture referencing is fun and particularly meaningful to
those of us who did live through that decade (oh how I adore the sweet "Mixtape"),
it's their unapologetic girl-on-girl lyrics that
make me love them the most. If you appreciated their Sir Mix-a-Lot sampling homage to butch girls, "Butch/Femme;' from
their debut EP, Gina Gina Revolution, then you'll laugh at "Wife
Swapping;' which pokes fun at the legendary incestuousness of
the lesbian community. Cuts like "Rock the Like" give Team Gina
some serious rap cred, with a sound like Northern State, while
"Girl on Girl Crime" takes on competitiveness between girls. On
the whole, Team Gina's perky vibe is much more accessible than
many of their Northwest electro-hop compatriots (like, Scream
rld as
Club, who incidentally introduced Team Gina to thL
their backup dancers), so I wouldn't be surprised if they blew up
out of the underground. (myspace.com/teamgina)
3-Song Sampler,LP. (SoBe Entertainment):
In anticipation of her long-awaited third album, the
openly queer, androgynous pop-rocker L.P. offers up a
three-song album to tide fans over until early 2009,
the projected release date of her as yet unnamed
new CD. The first song and video, the anthemic
"Good With You;' is a soaring, radio-friendly track
with dramatic strings and pulsing guitars, showcasing L.P:s distinctive voice, which ranges from
tremblingly vulnerable to passionately belting. The
second cut, "Cling to Me;' works around a tender
If LessIs More...
NothingIs Everything,
KateMcGarry
(PalmettoRecords}:
Uponfirst listen,there's
somethingvaguely
familiaryet hauntingly
newaboutMcGarry's
lyrics,like "I don't
mindyoucominghere,
wastingall mytime."
It's not untilmid-album
that yourealize,with
moreexcitementthan
dread,that McGarry
the
hasreinterpreted
classics-like TheCars'
"JustWhatI Needed,"
as well as songsfrom
Bjork,PeterGabrieland
JoniMitchell.Perhaps
moreinterestingis
the tuneMcGarryhas
beenusingto stump
for BarackObama,an
inspiredrenditionof
BobDylan's"TheTimes
TheyAreA-Changin'."
"I feelthetide'sfinally
turning,peoplewaking up-we areat a
pointwhereanything
is possibleif we can
for
take responsibility
ouractionsandfor the
of this
stewardship
planet,"McGarrytold
fans,settinglesbian
activistheartsafire.
TheCars?Political
action?What'snotto
love?(katemcgarry.com)
- DianeAndersonMinshall
piano melody and an undulating string section.
November 2008
I71
Q+A
Angie Mattson
Los Angeles musician Angie Mattson recently toured with Uh-Huh Her and released a superb record
called Given to Sudden Panic and Noisy Retreat, in which she wields her potent voice against a backdrop
of layered guitars, keyboards and percussion that goes from tender to turbulent. - Aims elL. Ponti
Did you know what you were getting
yourself into witr this ·our?
I'd heard their name and it wasn't because
of (Leisha Hailey), it was just because I
love music and I'm always checking out new
things. Then I looked them up and was like,
"Oh yeah, of course:' I like the music, too.
Any tour shenanigans ·o share?
Well, one night a girl-I sell these little
Angie Mattson pins-who
was drunk by
this point I'm sure, said, "I should take my
nipple rings out and put your pins in;' and
she did, so that was fun. I also signed lots of
tits and ass, and a bald head.
How have audiences responded?
It's been great. I didn't really know what
to expect coming out here. Some people I
think I really connect with. I've definitely tripled, if not quadrupled, my fan base from this.
I ve the son
011 e ay. '
I always had this dream to become really successful and be really rich and buy my family houses and
spoil everyone, but my dad passed away a couple of years ago, so I couldn't do it. That song is about
that, and I say "We'll meet at the gate;' because eventually I'll see him.
Let's talk about your song Drive."
It was inspired by being at a party or a concert or something, and there's somebody there and you
keep catching their eye and you just feel this crazy connection, and you wish that you could just grab
them and leave and just drive away.
ha do you
ab,
v en ou're playing,
Some of the songs are very emotional to me, so ifI think too much about it I'm gonna start crying on
stage or something. With Uh-Huh Her, it's a very energetic crowd, so it's a little more sexy and fun.
Tell me about n Violet
I was in Japan and I went to a city outside of Tokyo. It was a fishing town and no one was there except
for this middle-aged Japanese guy. I sat on the beach and he was there and we started talking about
how he lost his job and how his wife was going to leave him. He spoke a little English and we just
totally connected and it was this crazy experience.
Sounds Ii e the film Lost n Translat10n
It was very much like that.
When you were getting ·eady for this tour, did you rent a couple of The L Word DVDs?
I've seen most of them. It's awesome and it's a guilty pleasure. (Leisha's) actually such a good actress.
there a y do
d t
on ou1 1ths eone famous o
e no,
sical ork?
It would be a downside if they sucked and if people just came to see someone famous, but the music
is really good, so it's fine. (Leisha) can do both things well.
Where o d yo lil<eyou career to ta e you
Ultimately, I just want to be happy, because no matter what success you have, if you're sick or heartbroken it doesn't matter. I want to buy my mom a big house, and I want to be in Rolling Stone and I
want to do world tours. I'm so grateful, and I never thought I would get even close to as far as I am
now in a million years, so I might as well keep thinking big.
72
I curve
3-Song Sampler sounds more polished and classicly pop-rock than her previous efforts, 200l's
Heart-Shaped Scar and 2004's critically acclaimed
Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol. The last teaser cut,
"Kill the Pain;' doesn't entirely thrill as an arena-
rock ballad, but fits in with the production level
of the other two tracks. Only time will tell what
the remainder of the album will be like, as LP. is
still in the studio finishing it up. Wouldn't it be
an awesome coup for a genderqueer dyke with a
Shane-like reputation to be the next big thing on
the pop-rock radio airwaves:' (lprock.com)
Believer, Dolorata (self-released): This San
Francisco-based quintet is a supergroup made up
of veteran female rockers who've previously played
with The Hail Marys, 4 Non Blondes, Shelley
Doty Xtet and The Amazon Mollies. I don't know
who's queer and who's not, but with a lineage like
that, well, draw your own conclusions. Their sound
on this debut disc is hard-rocking with a blues and
soul core, riff-based and uniquely accented by Emily
Palen's skillfully aggressive violin. Lead singer-guitarist Katie Colpitts has one of those throaty, bornto-rock voices that just whomps a microphone,
particularly on the lead-off "You've Gotta Want
It;' while bassist Veronica Savage, drummer Dawn
Richardson and guitarist Dori Sappa lay down the
throbbing rhythm. Equal parts Led Zeppelin,Joan
Jett and L7, Dolorata doesn't generally venture
into punk-rock territory, except on the one-minute, 21-second whirlwind "Shotwell:' The bulk of
the album is more in the cock-rock genre, sure to
incite headbanging and stage diving, with songs
like "Undertow" and the clearly lesbionic "New
New," while the dirgelike "Chick Magnet" reminds
me of the Moaners. I hope they do some national
touring and make their way down to New Orleans,
t:c
a:
g
0
Q_
a:
LJ.J
:i:
z
LJ.J
a.
0
(.)
LJ.J
z
a:
LJ.J
:i:
OTHER LICKS
versionof the originalFumbling
Sonia& Disappear
Tango,
Ecstasylivehomevideo
Towards
Putting
Fear(self-released):
(1994)-all with newbonus
a globalspinon songsold and
com)
material.(sarahmclachlan.
new,longtimelesbianfavorite
SoniaRutsteinsingsin Spanish,
ArabicandEnglishon
Hebrew,
this recent13-trackalbumof
world-pop.(disapspirit-soaring
com)
peartear.
because it's a rare treat these days
to experience dyke-friendly rock
live in a club if you live anywhere
outside any of the major queer
meccas. (dolorata.com)
A for Effort, Jenn Lindsay
(No Evil Star): We've written about New York City's
anti-folkie Jenn Lindsay before
in these pages, but she keeps
sending us amazing albums,
so we'll keep on writing about
them! A selrdescribed "declaration of independence, love letter, primal scream,
and Dear John note," A for Effort is another DIY
project (completely financed by her fans), on
which Lindsay plays all the instruments. Working
through the varied emotions that surround the
end of a relationship, the lead-off"I Arn Breaking
Up With You" is just about the catchiest, breeziest breakup song ever, while "Choose Me Back''
tackles the hard moments of realizing a breakup
is imminent. Musically, the disc ranges from
the straight-up acoustic, Americana-tinged folk
of "Kinda Guy;' to twangier slow-burners like
"Second Wind;' funkier grooves like "Catnip and
Kryptonite;' and hand-clapping gentle rockers
like "The Land of Bad Ideas:' All in all, breaking
up never sounded so good. (jennlindsay.com)
Redle er YearA i o·Franco
Babe):Withhernew
(Righteous
mantra,"Don'tforgetto havea
goodtime,"the "little folksinger"
is backaftera two-yearstudio
hiatuswith anotheralbumout
of whichthe
of NewOrleans,
RebirthBrassBand-featured
is
"RedLetterYear(Reprise)"
the highlight.Thebalanceof
thejoyousdiscis filledwith attexturedtracksthat
mospheric,
fall onthe moreexperimental,
rock-funkside,sotraditionalistsyearningfor the sparser
soundwill have
Ani-plus-guitar
to bidetheirtime untilhernext
album.(righteousbabe.com)
Velociero, ~dytr n
Theco-edelec(Nettwerk):
tronicrockbandfrom Liverpool
triumphagainwiththeirfourth
full-lengthdisc,featuring13
tracksof minddistortion-filled
numbingsynths,guitarsand
beats.(ladytron.com)
love Is Dead,Kerli(Island):
I don't reallywantto likethis
Song
Eurovision
Estonian,
Bjork-alike,
Contest-winning
but I just can't helpit. Withher
creepy,goth-friendlyimageand
pop,
catchyelectronic-tinged
and
whichis bothradio-friendly
TheColePorterMix,Patricia
dark,Kerliis indeeda winner,
Barber(BlueNote):Out-dyke
jazzgeniusPatriciaBarberoffers particularlyon the autobiographical "WalkingonAir." (kerli.net)
takeon several
an innovative
ColePorterclassicsanda few
originalcutsin the ColePorter
style,includingthe sultry"I Wait
for LateAfternoonandYou,"the
"Snow"andthe
sex-themed
lasttrack,"TheNewYear'sEve
Song."(patriciabarber.com)
ChurchBellB ues,Catherine
Maclellan(TrueNorth):Hailing
from PrinceEdwardIsland,this
Ecstasy:
FumblingTowards
the
youngsinger-songwriter,
legacyEd"tionSarah
music
daughterof Canadian
This
clachlan(Legacy):
deluxtwo CDandDVDpackage legendGeneMaclellan,offers
combinesall threeFumbling-era up a gorgeous12-trackset of
stunningfolk andcountrywith
projectstogetherandincludes
the originalGrammy-nominated powerfulandpoeticconfesstudioalbum(1993),the acous- sionallyrics.She'soneto keep
an eye-and an ear-on. (cathtic demoalbumTheFreedom
- MC
erinemac/ellan.com)
Sessions(1995),anda DVD
November 2008
I73
Reviews In The Stacks
What Becomes Her
Non--monogamy and the life of a lesbian literary pioneer. I By Rachel Pepper
Sexuality is at the core of these two books, one focusing on nonmonogamous relationships, the other exploring the life of the
QUEER GIRLS
IN PHOTOS
pioneering woman who first researched lesbians in literature.
Sex Variant Woman: The Life of Jeannette Howard
Foster, Joanne Passet {Da Capo Press): Does the
name Jeannette Howard Foster ring a bell? If it doesn't, you're
Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining
Open Relationships, Tristan Taormina {Cleis Press):
not quite up on your lesbian herstory. Still, you're hardly alone
in not recognizing Foster, whose groundbreaking book Sex
Variant Women in Literature was first published in 1956, years
Turnsout,youdon't
haveto bea lesbianto While a few other books have covered the complicated issue of
capturethe breathtak- non-monogamous relationships, there's no doubt that Tristan
ingessenseof women Taormina is the logical author to tackle this topic from a fresh
whoare.Casein point: perspective. Taormina is a talented queer sex educator and writHeroines
fromBettina er (her books include a bestseller on anal sex). She also writes
Rheims,
whofirst made a regular column for the Village
a namefor herselfpho- Voice, directs sex ed videos and
tographingstrippersin frequently lectures on sex and
the 1980s.In Heroines,
sexuality. She writes in the introshephotographs
duction to Opening Up: A Guide
womenagain,thistime
strippingawaymakeup to Creating and Sustaining Open
andclothingto show Relationships, "Because of my work
theirtrue beautyand and my never-ending interest in all
strength.A gorgeous things sexual, I have witnessed and
must-seepulloutcen- indulged in a wide variety of sexual
terfoldfeaturesthetrio experiences and met people from
fromLeTigre,including all walks of life:' Taormina has
TRISTAN
TAORMINO
the hairyJDSamson both observed and participated in
in all herbutchyglory. non-monogamy herself, and she has gathered a representative
NeedI saymore?And
sampling of interviews from many people, queer and straight.
TheBestof Helmut
She begins Opening Up with a history of non-monogamy as a
Newton:Selections
topic and lifestyle choice, then defines many types of non-moFromHisPhotographic
nogamy,
including partnered non-monogamy, polyamory, swingWorkoffersa hundred
ing
and
even
couples in which one partner is monogamous and
of the bestphotosfrom
the
other
is
not.
While this last example might seem odd to
this popiconphotographer,spanningseveral readers who are used to being exclusively partnered, Taormina
decadesandincluding points out that this arrangement might work for many combiexplorations
of the nations of couples-including
those "straight" couples where
femaleformas well one partner wishes to explore same-sex experiences outside the
as portraitsof famous primary relationship, or where a high-libido partner needs to
actressesandpowerful seek sexual encounters
outside the relationship. These arrangepoliticians.
A remarkments can work, Taormina writes, if you understand the issues
ableimageof Grace
of "consent and agreement;' are able to cope with jealousy and
Jonesnudeis worththe
miscommunication,
are aware of the power of "new-relationship
pricealone.(schirmermosel.com)-DAM energy" and write up a "relationship contract;' so everyone understands what they are looking for and how they plan to get it.
Taormina also covers details like how to talk about your open
relationship to other people (including your children), the legal
issues and safer-sex concerns. This extensive guide will be of interest to anyone who can visualize a relationship that is more
open than the standard monogamous coupling. And, according
to Taormina, since "monogamy sets most people up to fail;' this
is probably more people than we might imagine.
74
I curve
before the growth of women's bookstores and feminist publishing. In this first biography of Foster, Joanne Passet, a professor
of history at Indiana University East, pieces together Foster's
life and the amazing book she left behind-the
first study ever
published of the lesbian, bisexual and cross-dressing characters
appearing in more than 300 works, from antiquity up to the
1950s. In researching this biography, Passet talks to women
who knew Foster, including Naiad Press founder Barbara Grier
and historian Marie Kuda, and delves into Foster's personal
papers, which are scattered across
the country in different archives
and libraries. Trained as a librarian and working for many years at
the Kinsey Institute for Research
in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction,
Foster had an insider's view of sex
and sexuality, and often assisted
Kinsey with finding lesbian subjects for his studies. According to
Passet, "Her initial exhilaration
at being part of this pioneering
research team yielded to frustration as she attempted to apply her knowledge as a professionally trained librarian. In the process, she had gained access to
additional sex variant literature and completed research for her
pioneering bibliographic study:• Eventually, her book was published by Vantage Press, and went on to be reprinted by the
early feminist publisher Diana Press. After languishing out of
print, it was brought back by Naiad Press in 1985. By then,
Foster had lived a full life, complete with the publication of
three books, several satisfying same-sex relationships, a long
professional career and good health and humor. She spent her
last years in a nursing home, financially supported in part by the
efforts of lesbian organizers through a "Sisterhood Fund;' and
died at 85 in 1981. The influence of Foster's book, published
at a time when few women could publicly announce or even acknowledge their same-sex attraction, was massive. As historian
Lillian Faderman writes in this biography's foreword, researchers like herself wonder whether their "own career as a lesbian
writer would have been possible" without Foster paving the way.
By carefully documenting the life and loves of Foster, Passet ensures that we not only remember the life of this important lesbian literary pioneer, but that we also celebrate it.
PAGE TURNERS
Lettersin theAttic,
BonnieShimko
Chicago
(Academy
Whata
Publishers):
wonderfullycrafted
andlyricallytold
comingof agestory.
BonnieShimkoso
eloquentlydescribes
LizzyMcMann's
through
navigation
hercrush
adolescence,
on herbestfriend,Eva,
her parents'divorce
andhermother'ssubsequentsearchfor a
secondchanceat love.
Thisis trulya poetic,
layeredrenderingof
whatit meansto realizeandcomprehend
familialsecretsand
Definitely
inheritance.
a pageturneranda
must-read.(academy- Mary
chicago.com)
Foulk
to
psychopathology
evaluatenormalpersonalproblemsusing
constructsdeveloped
fromstudiesof mental
illness.Ratherthan
believingthat unconsciousmentalforces
originatein childhood,
Reisspointsto 16
basichumandesires
EveryDarkDesire,
that leadto personal
issues,arguingthat
FionaZedde
and
Books): psychologists
(Kensington
arenot
psychiatrists
I haveenjoyedall of
Zedde'sbooks,buther immuneto a natural
thirdandnewestnovel humanintolerance
is hermostdaringand of peopleexpressing
different
significantly
bold.Vampirestories
values.Theyoften
arehighlypopularin
fictionand confuseindividuality
mainstream
and
with abnormality
arebecomingmore
disorso in lesbianfiction.In over-diagnose
this highlyeroticnovel, ders.(Cambridge.org)
- SusanHernandez
the maincharacter,
JamaicanNaomi
A
unknowingly Puss'n Cahoots:
McElroy,
Mrs.MurphyMystery
a vampire
becomes
and ThePurrfect
shecan't
because
SelectiveMemory,
Murder,RitaMae
controlherpassion
JenniferL.Jordan
BrownandSneaky
andwantonlygivesin
Ink):In
(Spinsters
to a strangeronenight PieBrown(Bantam}:
the sixthKristinAshe
Lesbianslovetheir
whohappensto be
mystery,a 2007
cats.Evenso,it
a vampire.Her"life"
Lammyfinalist,the
takesa veryspecial
changesdrastically
author'sstorytelling
(orpossiblyinsane)
afterthis encounter.
is the mostcomstory lesbianto explode
Thiseasy-to-read
plex,intriguingand
the normalboundardepicts
graphically
to date.
meticulous
iesof cat-guardian
the lossof control
Privateinvestigator
andbegin
relationships
unreby
engendered
Asheis hiredto help
strainedsexualhunger. writinga seriesof
AlexandraMadigen
Thebookis decadent murdermysterieswith
regainher memory
theirbelovedfeline.
anddelightful-a
aftera debilitatingcar
WhileI'm nota fan of
romance
for
must-read
accident.Thenovel
cat-craftedmysteries,
(kensington
lovers.
with
interspersed
is
I haveto admitthat
com)- Kl
Madigen'smemories, books.
Brownis undeniably
butAshedoesnot
the genre'smost
TheNormal
knowthat herclient's
skilledauthor.Shehas
Steven
Personality,
memoryis returnto be,to notonlykeep
Reiss(Cambridge
ing.Shecontinuesto
an imaginarypartnerPress):
University
unravelthetruth by
Madigen's Goodnews:You'renor- shipgoingfor 16
uncovering
(sixteen!)installments,
mal.Despitethefact
bizarrepast.Her
butlandonthe New
I
people
the
half
that
strangedoublelife as
YorkTimesbest-seller
knowareon Prozac,
botha stalkeranda
Reissinsistswe aren't list by doingso.Their
unfolds
cleverly
victim
UJ
latestmysteryrevolves
u
throughitalicizedpara- crazy.Instead,he
UJ
UJ
racehorses.
around
u.. graphsthat movethe
overan
that
contends
UJ
z
com)
house.
(random
Freudian
on
reliance
plotalongeffectively.
z
0
-SH
modern
led
analysis
mystery
the
While
s::
readsslowlyat times,
it doesa convincing
job of showinghow
canrule
obsession
one'slife.Thestoryis
disturbing,but is one
that readerswill not
beableto putdown.
(spinsters-ink.com)Kathilsserman
Q+A
Robin Reagler
Houston-based Robin Reagler is the
executive director of Writers in the
Schools, a nonprofit organization that
teaches written creative expression to
disadvantaged and at-risk kids, and has
worked with the Houston LGBT organization HATCH. Reagler also mainrains two biogs, The Other Mother and
Big Window, and has published an essay
in Confessionsof the Other Mother: NonBiologicalLesbian Moms Tell All.
- Kate Goldsworthy
Do you think it's unusual that you
live in Texas but your family doesn't
face a lot of challenges?
I think when you look at polls and elections you see some scary results: this
sense that people are against gay marriage and things like that. And yet I tend
to be a sort of a Pollyanna on this issue.
I'm the kind of person who's very comfortable with who I am and what I do,
and I find that people are comfortable with me.
What challenges have you faced as a lesbian p- n
I guess the challenge is in, for us, going from a two-income family to basically
a one-income family. I really feel like when children are young, if you can
swing it ... it's nice to be able to have a parent with them. And [my partner
has J been willing to do that.
You re highly invested in promoting literacy. Do you think that, in
general, young people in the United States are experiencing a reading and writing crisis at the moment?
about our society that take away
I'm not sure. I think there are a lot of th;
opportunities for people to express themselves in a meaningful way. But as
I told you, I'm kind of a Pollyanna and I see that people are really finding
how important it is to be able to express yourself. I think that all the kinds of
ways in which our society isolates us are also showing people how amazing
the creative experience is and how creativity shows off what is unique about
each one of us.
Do you see the Internet as the next step in promoting, producing
and publishing literature?
I really feel like it's an opportunity to build community, which is one of my
high values. I have a kind of optimism about it. It's a tool, like anything else,
and it can be used for good things and bad things. I think for gay and lesbian
parents ...we kind of started out in isolation, and part of what my essay is
saying, in Confessionsof the Other Mother, is that I used the Internet to create
a community for myself. And I think that that is happening more and more.
Most of [these people] have not really met but they're in a very similar situation and they're really able to offer
November 2008 j 75
Reviews Tech Girl
Reading Goes High Tech
Sony and Amazon are leading the literary revolution. I By Rachel Beebe
After years of languishing in the purgatory reserved for technologies that never
really take off, ebooks are surprising everyone with their newfound popularity. The
ebook market has more than doubled in the last two years-growth that is due in •no
small part to the release of the SonyReaderin 2006 (a second edition came out
in 2007) and Amazon's
Kindlein 2007. These little gadgets aim to improve upon
one of humanity's oldest technologies-the written word-and it looks like they
might be clever enough to succeed.
The Reader and the Kindle aren't just book-size computers posing as your
favorite paperback. They can download and store more books than you could ever
hope to lug around in your messenger bag (160 on the Reader, over 200 on the
Kindle). But the coolest part is that, unlike computer screens, which are backlit
and exhausting to read for extended periods, both the Reader and the Kindle use
the "electronic paper display" developed by E Ink Corporation.
Microscopic balls full of charged white and black particles are suspended between two layers of plastic and respond when different electronic fields are applied, bringing either the black or the white particles to the surface. The result is a screen
that reads like paper-it has high contrast, doesn't flicker, is visible from any angle and
can be read in direct sunlight, but not in the dark.
The Reader and the Kindle are pretty similar. Both are lightweight and compact,
making them ultraportable. Both have slots for memory cards and USB ports, which you
can use to upload content (PDFs,JPEGs, Word docs, plain text docs and MP3s). And
both are designed to mimic the look of traditional books, leather covers and all.
The main difference between them-and the reason the Kindle blows the Reader out
of the water-is that the Kindle is wireless, which means you can download new books
anytime, anywhere. You can also subscribe to most major newspapers and blogs. Amazon
uses cell phone technology to connect the Kindle to the Internet, while the Reader needs
to be plugged into a computer via its USB cable to download content (and it isn't compatible with Macs, so all you Apple users are out ofluck).
The Kindle might not be the prettiest gadget in town, but its built-in dictionary,
access to Wikipedia and ability to download any of Amazon's thousands of ebooks at a
moment's notice make it a lean mean reading machine that outranks the Reader in the
most important categories.
Like most products using emerging technologies, these ereaders aren't exactly affordable, so start saving your pennies now if you want to treat yourself to a holiday
gift and impress the intellectual girls at the coffee shop with your spiffy, geek-chic
toy and newfound ability to quote Judith Butler at will. ($300, sonystyle.com; $360,
amazon.com)
HAVE YOUR CAKE AND READ IT, TOO
Youno longer
needto cruisethe
bookstoreshelves
to get yourlesbian
lit fix-the hottest
ebooktitles are
just a clickaway.
Whetheryou're
downloading
your
favoritelesbian
classicsor the latest bestseller,
you'll be shrinking
yourcarbonfootprintas youexpandyourmind.Andthat's not
all they'regoodfor.Wantto rereadthat steamysexscenefrom
chapterone?Youcanusea hyperlinkandgetthereinstantly.
Outof bookshelfspace?Youcanstorehundredsof ebookson
onegadget.Andfor yousexyfour-eyedgirlsoutthere,the text
sizeandfont canbe adjustedto yourneeds.Herearesomeof
ourtop picksfor sensational
Sapphicsites.-Anna Lonnberg
L-Book,an onlineebookstore
of lesbianfiction,alsoprovidesa
listeningebookstore,
whichsellsaudiobooks.
Nowyoucanput
upyourfeet,lighta candleandlet "Samantha"
readto youin
heroh-so-soothing
voice.(I-book.com)
StarCrossed
Productions,
or "yourone-stopbookshop
for
qualitylesbianfiction,"providesebooksfromlesbianpublishersIntaglioPublications,
RegalCrestEnterprises
andPD
Publishing,
to namea few.(scp-inc.biz)
Now,in additionto its vastselectionof LGBTfiction,erotica
andnonfiction,
BoldStrokesBookshasopenedan ebookdivision,BSBEclipse.
A backcatalogis available,
andBoldStrokes
hasa healthylineupof newreleases.(boldstrokesbooks.com)
Lavender
Dooris a siteprovidinglesbianeliteratureand
diaries,a lesbianart gallery,resourceguidesthat provide
information
ontravelandmusicanda "Meeta Friend"section
that enablesyouto find womenwith interestssimilarto yours.
~avenderdoor.com)
ArtemisPressfocusesspecifically
on lesbianshortfiction,
althoughbook-length
fictionis available,
too.Worksvary
fromstereotype-challenging
andpoliticalpieces,to steamy
romances
andmysteries.
Artemisalsohostsa communitylink
anda lesbianart gallery.(artemispress.com)
76
I curve
The Amazon Kindle
I Tried It Reviews
Me and the Beautiful People
One unathletic lesbian gets up on the waves. I By Gillian Kendall
To say that I am an unlikely surfer is an understatement. I'm 47 years old, 20
pounds overweight and barely able to breaststroke a sloppy quarter-mile at the
Ya few times a week. I haven't played a team sport since age 11, when I distinguished myself at softball by being the only fielder ever to kick a ball to a base.
But every time I go near a surf beach I spend hours gazing at the beautiful
people gliding down those waves. Sure of failure, I've never admitted how much
I'd like to try it. After all, on one recent trip to Hawaii, I went for a short, easy
hike above Lanikai and broke my leg just walking.
These crises of confidence start whenever I arrive in Hawaii, where the
natives and long-term residents float about in suntanned bliss, their untamed
hair wafting in the breeze and their posture free of stress. For the first day or
two in paradise, I check in to some surf-friendly hotel like the ResortQuest
Waikiki circle (a few steps from the water) or the jewel-like Outrigger Regency
on the Beachwalk. I get some sun and exercise, take an outrigger canoe ride
and start to feel better about myself. The beauty and grace of all those healthy,
strong, yoga-instructor types must be contagious, right:>
But then I catch my reflection in a shop window, or see myself
stepping out of the shower in my hotel room, and the illusion of
my own health and beauty dissolves. I'm not Hawaiian, not even
help, they'd call back, "Relax! I got it!"
"Relax!" was the word most often yelled at
faintly fit: I'm just another fat, wet haolewith my hair in my eyes.
So the surfing lessons were a self-acceptance challenge, too. To
learn from my teachers, I had to get over the fact that they were
me in the course of my instruction, right after
"On your knees!" and "Stand up!" which were,
I thought, contradictory orders. It's impossible
slim, strong, young people who were probably appalled by what •
they saw from the rear after pushing me into a wave.
The pictures of my lessons look like Winnie the Pooh Does
Waikiki. I'm a wobbling mess, teeth clenched and eyes wide, as I
struggle to stand up on a wave that is barely visible in the photo.
The waves I learned on were hardly big enough to lift the heavy
beginner's board, but riding them felt like snowboarding down a sheer wall of
ice (I am not a proficient snowboarder, either; on my first attempt I broke my
•
to get to my knees and stand up on a rushing,
rocking, wet surface and relax at the same time.
But I did catch almost every wave, and the
seconds in between standing up and falling in
were sheer exhilaration. Even on those slow,
shallow breakers, the board moved much faster than I could think, so I was
forced to be in the moment in a way I never am when I'm, say, driving to work
or making dinner.
other leg on the bunny slope).
Sensing quickly that I was not going to be a natural, my instructor taught
me right away how to fall. Since the water in Waikiki is very shallow, and coral
lurks underneath, you don't jump in feet first when you go down, and neither
do you dive. The proper way to fall off the board is to belly-flop or drop sideways, keeping your arms near your sides. Since I fell off just about every wave, I
Once you catch a wave, your board surges forward fast, and then, if you're
lucky, you feel a little drop as the wave curls up behind you, and you scramble to
your feet, keep your knees bent and spread your arms while balancing on a rolling, tumbling-underneath-you wave. Son t. • es I lost my balance and slipped
off (expertly), but other times I flailed around, got it back and rode in nearly all
became an expert at dismounting, and only once scraped my foot on the rocks.
Besides falling correctly, I grew adept at getting back on the board after a
wipeout. In fact, once I was so eager to jump back on that I slammed my head
on the board, giving myself a gray, egg-shaped bruise and a slight dizziness for
several days. After seeing me nearly knock myself unconscious, my instructor
great massage.
advised,"Just relax! When you go under, hang out for a while. Otherwise, you'll
do what you just did:'
The hardest part of surfing is paddling out. After discovering just how
weak my upper body was, I decided to hire my own personal beach buddy
from Outrigger Waikiki beach services. For about $250 an afternoon, you can
get a one-on-one surf instructor and water chauffeur. Kenny, Gina or another
of the water deities would lie on a board ahead of me, plant one foot flat on the
tip of my board and paddle us both out at high speed. Ifl dipped my arms in to
the way to the beach-long enough to make the "hang loose" sign and whoohoo back to my classmates.
Those seconds were the greatest fun I've ever had, the best expression of
physical well-being I've ever known, better than sex, dark chocolate or even a
Coming in off the beach for the last time, I went to shower behind the
Outrigger Reef Hotel and saw myself reflected in the windows of the Shore
Bird Restaurant, where breakfasting tourists had probably been watching me
fall down for the last hour. But what I think they saw was a grinning, bouncing,
beginning surfer.
Sure, I thought, I'm a sunburned, middle-age tourist with sopping hair, but
there's something else going on now, too. I look a little outdoorsy, a little confident and, I think, a little beautiful.
November 2008
I
77
Driven by Passion continued from page 33
Paging Television History continued from page 48
B-B-B-Bad to the Bone continued from page 67
forgo being finicky.
Throughout her travels, and even here at home,
she is driven to discover the most authentic food
selecting the best, brightest or most entertaining
(which can also mean outrageously bad) to put be-
I have. It was a very long and slow process, mostly
full of ignorance and misconceptions. My mother
fore the cameras and celebrity judges.
When asked if she's had anything to do with
boosting the gay and lesbian representation on the
show, Hurwitz merely grins. "No comment;' she
says. Familiar lesbian faces have included Sabrina
Matthews, Michele Balan (who made the final four
still says crazy things every once in a while. I was
sitting with her and she was like, "Nisha, did you
know that so-and-so has two daughters and they're
both gay-what a tragedy!" I had to explain to her
why that was offensive to me. Then she does incred-
in every culture. ''As Americans, we tend to tag a
cuisine in the same way we sometimes tag a culture
and the type of food we think that culture offers.
Then we decide if we like it or not;' Feniger says.
"But in reality, each cuisine is made up of so many
similar ingredients. Take the Mexican, Thai, Indian
and Vietnamese kitchens. Just off the top of my
head, the major ingredients in these cuisines are
cumin, cilantro, onions, garlic, brown sugar, chilies, green onions, vinegar, ginger. How you balance
these as a cook makes the difference in the cultural
cuisine. Food goes way beyond appreciating difference. Food crosses barriers. It opens doors, it embraces difference:•
Feniger's not enthusiastic about some of today's
too-slick watering holes. She tells a story about an
L.A. hotspot where the chef prepared a special entree for her: a combo of lobster, pancakes, maple
syrup and some kind of pudding. Apparently, the
concoction came out of the kitchen looking as sexy
as a lesbian Johnny Depp, but it turned out there
was nothing real beneath the layers of presentation
and makeup.
This is not to say that fine dining always turns
Feniger off. She's one of the earliest protegees of
Wolfgang Puck. Great food is at the heart of her
career and is the thing she loves most. But there's a
difference between the kind of food that pretends
and the kind that comes out of the kitchen elegant
in its simplicity. In a sense, Feniger can actually be
said to opt for tradition-tradition
communicated
through honest, authentic food.
Another story Feniger likes to tell is of a dinner
she and her partner, the filmmaker Liz Lachman,
shared with Sakinah, a woman in a small village, while cows grazed under the hut. The three
women never exchanged a word in a common
language, yet they dined and communicated for
hours. They laughed. They told stories. Through
cooking together, they shared generations of family
experiences.
"In that tiny hut, cooking together, our lives
grew bigger:'
This is one reason Feniger's new restaurant,
built on the concept of global street food, is sure
to be a hit. Being around her, I was reminded of
something the poet Muriel Rukeyser has said: "The
world is made of stories, not atoms:' To Feniger, a
list of ingredients will never tell the whole story.
Someone must bring them together.
Almost 30 years ago, Susan Feniger took to the
streets. This year, she'll own Street, in a bright and
welcoming section of Highland Avenue in L.A. It's
not at all hard to make that connection.
78
Icurve
of season four) and Erin Foley (a contestant this
season). Gay and lesbian comics do well, Hurwitz
ible things. I was shooting in Toronto and she was
visiting me. Toronto has this really huge gay Pride,
which takes over half the city. She went with me out
in the streets and she said, "The one generalization
says, as long as they"don't fall'into the trap" of dwelling only on gay material.
"Now even gay audiences want to laugh at
universal subjects. I think the key to being a good
comedian is making your truth a universal truth:'
that I can make about gay people is that they all
have such big hearts:' That was her take on gay men
and lesbians: that they will go out of their way for
you and do anything for you.
While Hurwitz is the only producer with
stand-up experience, she recently hired three writers, her first opportunity to hand-pick other tal-
They were looking for an Indian actress who was
willing to play a lesbian. I always kind of thought
ented comics.
"I wanted to make sure they had stand-up experience, too;' she says.
Straight white males have dominated comedy, but two of the new writers are women (one of
them gay). The third is an African American male.
"We joke that we are making writers' room history;' says Hurwitz. "It wasn't intentional, but just
worked out that way:' How
How did you get cast in this role?
people of one ethnicity shouldn't play another ethnicity, but Amber took it to the level of I'm going
to cast all gay people to play gay people. I thought,
You're awesome.
You acted in and directed Chutney Popcorn.
I was meant to direct, and I lost my actress a few
weeks before shooting. It was really hard to find an
Indian American who would play a lesbian, didn't
have an accent and was familiar with dyke culture.
You got into directing through acting, right?
Lady and the Vamp continued from page 60
Cayne:The biggest thing for me is that when I
went on set I was just treated as one of their cast
members. I was treated as a real actress, I was never
looked at twice. I just became a part of the show
and it was pleasantly surprising.
Weiss:I think the longevity that I've had in my
career and the way that I've been able to reinvent
myself and that people have taken me so seriously, I
think it's surprising for a woman, especially a young
woman. I started when I was 21. I'm just very appreciative and sometimes I feel like I have that im-
I was a struggling actor and there were no parts for
Indian girls. Meryl Streep and Glenn Close were
on the cover of magazines saying that the roles
for women were terrible. I remember holding the
magazines and going, if they're complaining, what
the hell am I going to do?
You had to make your own role, which is what
Amber's doing too by making this space for
queer women of color.
Exactly. It was so great to see somebody so dedicated
to telling our stories and telling them real, because
it's easy to get cynical. After I did ChutneyPopcorn,
I went on this round of meetings in Hollywood and
poster syndrome where I have everybody fooled,
like I'm this little kid from Philadelphia running
they were like, ''This is great, but can you do something without lesbians?"You get beat down ....
around on the Sony lot.
Any anecdotes about the scene on set?
When you have clients who are really in de-
Flirting, craziness and drama! Good lesbian drama,
not bad lesbian drama. Guin and I had a blast teas-
mand, like Jason Bateman from Juno, does
that give you more sway to help your clients
who are less well-known?
Weiss:Yeah, in fact when I sign a client, people are
really taking notice because I'm always looking for
thought-provoking points of view and really talented individuals. I don't just sign to sign-I'm way
too busy for that. So if I take on a new client, it gives
them validity because of who I'm representing. I've
got a lot of big feature guys on my roster. I launched
James Woods' career from actor to director, now he's
going off to do a movie. I've been really fortunate.
ing each other. As soon as people got in hair and
makeup, the lesbian identity started feeling insecure,
so you could easily needle somebody. We were just
having a funny cruel time ... with each other's characters. My character is a straight girl [at first] and
Amber gave me heels to wear. I was like, "Oh. Dear.
God:' I haven't been in heels in how many years?
Did you master the heels?
It took me a few takes and then, I'm proud to say, I
mastered the three-and-a-half-inch heels. Jennifer
Beals' got nothing on me!
of Ownership
2008Statement
Publication Title: Curve.
Publication No.: 0010-355.
Filing Date: Sept. 25, 2008.
Issue Frequency: Monthly except bimonthly
Jan/Feb and July/ Aug. Number oflssues
Published Annually: 10;
Annual Subscription Price: $49.50
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94103-4856.
Contact Person: Flo Enriquez
Telephone: (415) 863-6538 x17.
Publisher: Frances Stevens, 1550 Bryant Sc.
Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103-4267.
Executive Editor: Diane Anderson-Minshall,
1550 Bryant St. Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA
94103-4856. Managing Editor: Katie Peoples,
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Owner(s): Outspoken Enterprises, 1550 Bryant
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Frances Stevens, 1550 Bryant Sc. Ste. 510, San
Francisco, CA 94103-4856; Karie Sanborn,
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Half Moon Bay,CA 94109. Known
Bondholder Mortgagees and other security
holders owning one percent or more of total
amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities:
none. Tax Status: has not changed during
proceeding 12 months.
Publication Title: Curve.
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Oct. 2008.
Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average
No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding
12 Months: A) Total No. Copies Net Press
Run: 70,115. B) Paid Circulation. (By Mail
and Outside the Mail) (1) Mailed OutsideCounty Paid Subscriptions Stated on Form
3541: 19,888; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 730; (3)
Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including
Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street
Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid
Distribution outside USPS: 40,150; (4) Paid
Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through
the USPS: 1,022. C) Total Paid Distribution:
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by Mail and Outside the Mail: (1) Free or
Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included
on Form 3541: 2,114; (2) Freeor Nominal Rate
In-County Copies included on Form 3541: O;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at
Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: 450;
(4) Free orNominal Rate Distribution Outside
the Mail: 3,000. E) Total Free or Nominal Rate
Distribution: 5,564. F) Total Distribution:
67,354. G) Copies Not Distributed: 2,761. H)
Total: 70,115. I) Percent Paid 91.15%. Extent
and Nature of Circulation/No. Copies of
Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run: 72,210.
13 Paid Circulation. (By Mail and Outside
.;,e Mail) (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 19,692; (2)
Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 3541 751; (3) Paid Distribution
Outside the Mails Including Sales Through
Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter
Sales, and Other Non-USPS: 42,200; (4) Paid
Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through
the USPS: 951. C) Total Paid Distribution:
63,594. D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
(by Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or
Nominal Rare Outside-County as Stated on
Form 3541: 2,650; (2) Free or Nominal Rate
In-County Copies included on Form 3541: O;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Mailed
at Other Classes Through the USPS: 431; (4)
Free or Nominal Race Distribution Outside
the Mail: 4,025. E) Total Free or Nominal Rate
Distribution: 7,106. F) Total Disrribucion:
70,700. G) Copies Not Distributed: 1,510.
H) Total: 72,210. I) Percent Paid: 89.95%.
Publication of Statement of Ownership:
November 2008.
November 2008
I 79
Top Ten ReasonsWe Love Sarah Silverman
"Thatsmile,thoseteeth,
the quirkof her lips.. .fora
lesbian,watchingher act
is almostpornographic."
3. It's rumoredthat she was firedfrom Saturday
NightLiveforbeingtoofemale-centric
in hersketch
writing.She later made memorable fun of the experience on The Larry SandersShow.Revenge is sweet.
4. Sheknowshowto useher mouth.That smile,
those teeth, the quirk of her lips ... for a lesbian,
watching her act is almost pornographic. Turn off
the sound and you'll see.
5. Sheknowshowto useherwords,too.Her potty
mouth is so raunchy, she makes grown men blush.
The only other female comics with that kind of
dirty talk? Margaret Cho, Lea Delaria, Sandra
Bernhard-all
"queers:'
6. Beinga femalecomicis alreadychallenging
the boy'sclubstatusquo.She also has a feature
movie and a successful TV show-that's
truly
groundbreaking.
7.She'shomoinherownway-she onlydatesother
Before dating Jimmy Kimmel, she was infacomics.
mous in Los Angeles comedy circles for dating her
way through the young bachelors of the stand-up
circuit.
8. She'sobsessed
withpussy.OK, and"doody;' and
farts and everything below the belt. Who else but a
lesbian would manage to incorporate a joke about
her sister's pubic hair into the first episode of her
Sarah Silverman's humor is so politically incorrect
that it comes around full circle-the
content may
1. Herfashionsense.Her favorite look is tomboy:
TV show?
baseball shirt, jeans, sneakers, ponytail. "I just look
dress up;' she told
be offensive (not to mention scatological), but she
like a transvestite when I try
uses it to absolutely skewer the kind of mindless,
National Public Radio's Terry Gross. "There's no
selfcentered, "innocent" bigotry that surrounds us
place to hide my balls:'
to
9. Sheskipsthe self-deprecating
humorthat too
manyotherwomencomedians
engagein. Instead,
her stage and screen persona is oblivious, arrogantly
every day. Most commentators focus on the racial
blithe to her own bigotry. She also avoids fat jokes
aspects of her humor, but when they do, they miss
a certain subtext. We know better, though, than to
turn a blind eye to the truth: Sarah Silverman is an
2. Shesupports
gaymarriage-andrefusesto wed and jokes about depression-she finds it hard to see
untilit's legal.How strong are her feelings on the the humor in these two topics, which are especially
subject? She told the Advocate,"What makes it less sensitive for women.
honorary lesbian. Here are just a few reasons why.
wrong than when interracial marriage was illegal?
-Lori
It's fucking barbaric:'
Selke
so Icurve
10.She'snotafraidoftheword"cunt."
(
I COVER SWE T.COM
an
A new eco-friendlg lesbia71,tra e co..,.,......
dedicated to ma'eng the wor d a e te p ace
wl/Jle having a blast •71,i
See all items with this value
-
PROPERTY
Of:
Our ON THE SHELF
µww.DUTONTHESHELF.CA
25274
80539
6
I Frankly
peaking
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
Introducing Curvemag.com
I'm stoked. We j st
launched our newly
redesigned webs te
Curvemag com, and I
feel like we ve entered
Web 2.0 finally You
wanted more and you
baby!
go
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor in Chief
We've listened to readers for years who wanted more out of our site so we reinvented Curvemag.com to
bring you more content (updated much more frequently), make the experience more interactive, build a
bigger community and improve our overall customer service, too.
I hate to sound like a sales pitch, but seriously, if you haven't visited our new site yet, you should. We
have a dozen new channels including Interviews, Features, Travel, Advice, Family, Entertainment, Style,
Meet Women, Events and Marketplace. One of my favorite features is that you can now post comments
to let other readers know your thoughts on articles and issues and you can send those articles to friends
as well. So, Lipstick and Dipstick might suggest ditching your girlfriend if she won't pony up in the sack,
and you can send that article to your girlfriend (hint, hint) or you can post some better suggestions to
help a sister out.
Besides the celebrities and profiles of women around the country, we now have a marketplace where
you can post your own business or look for other lesbian-owned companies. Need vegan cat food in
Chicago? A lesbian wedding cake topper in Alabama? An acupuncturist in Boiser Eventually you'll find
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, California 94103
Phone 415-863-6538 Facsimile 415-863-1609
Advertising Sales 415-863-6538 ext. 1O or 212-446-6700
Subscription Inquiries 818-286-3102
Advertising Email advertising@curvemag.com
Editorial Email editor@curvemag.com
Letters to the Editor Email letters@curvemag.com
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Managing Editor
Assistant Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Copyeditor
Proofreaders
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Web Producer
Operations Director
Subscriptions Manager
Advertising Sales
Editorial Assistants
Photo Assistants
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Katie Peoples
Rachel Beebe
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Julia Bloch, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee,
Stephanie Schroeder
Katherine Wright
Patsy Kaye, Tina Rodia
Stefanie Liang
Nicole Arseneault
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Nikki Woelk
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Diana L. Berry, Rivendell Media
Mary Foulk,John Pann,
Rachel Shatto
Hayley McMillen, Greg Speck
Contributing Writers Kathy Beige, Stacy Bias, Lya
Carrera, Kelsy Chauvin, Teresa Coates, Jennifer Corday,
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Michele Fisher, Tania Hammidi,
Jodi Helmer, Kathi lsserman, Gillian Kendall, Kate Lacey,
Colleen M. Lee, Charlene Lichtenstein, Jenna V. Loceff,
Karlyn Latney, Colleen Mccaffrey, Candace Moore,
Talia Phillips, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti, Laurie K.
Schenden, Kristin A. Smith, Ursula Steck, Edie Stull, Lina
Swislocki, Jocelyn Voo, Melany Walters-Beck
Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter
Contributing PhotographersMichelle Bart, Erica Beckman,
Cheryl Craig, Tony Donaldson, Sophia Hantzes, Gabriela
Hashun, Sheryl Kay, Cheryl Mazak, Connie L. Merchant,
Mia Nakano, Maggie Parker, Elisa Shebaro, Jeff Singer,
Paul Thomas, Kina Williams, Misty Winter
them all here at Curvemag.com. I could go on all day here: there's a calendar of lesbian events from coast
to coast (send us yours!), great Scene photos, new RSS feeds and Digg and Delicious access, contests and
giveaways, blogs and a new newly re-engineered CurvePersonals. Now there are more photos and more
search options so you can really narrow your search to find Ms. Right (or Ms. Right Now).
to the magazine. A few months ago we asked you in an online
OK, enough about the website-on
poll "Who is the funniest lesbian in America?'' After nearly 20,000 votes and a ton of debate, the results
are official. Find out who rules the comedy roost starting on page 41.
Talking about the women who entertain us, in this issue of curve, we crown our Entertainers of
the Year. Each woman is highlighted in a Q&A interview so you can get to know them in their very own
voices. We also highlight some of the most talented women in the kitchen and wine experts in our community. From TopChef recipes you can try at home to lesbian-owned wine bars across the country to wine
pairings for every occasion ( even the perfect wine to tell a woman it's over), these stories entertain all of
our senses. Anybody else hungry now?
Volume 18 Issue 9 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
bimonthly January/Februaryand July/August) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc.,
1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,CA 94103. Subscnpt1onprice: $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 Magazinemay not be reproduced In any manner,
either whole or In part, without wntten permission from the publisher.Publication
of the name or photograph of any persons or organizations appearing,
advertising or listing in Curve may not be taken as an indication of the sexual
orientation of that indMdual or group unless speclficallystated. Curve welcomes
letters, queries, unsolicitedmanuscripts and artwork Include SASE for response.
Lack of any representation only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions
cannot be returned unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included. No
responsibilityis assumed for loss or damages. The contents do not necessanly
represent the opinions of the editor, unless specifically stated. All magazines
sent discreetly. Subscnption lnqu1nes: Please wnte to Curve, 1550 Bryant
Street, Suite 510, san Francisco, CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com,or
call 818-286-3102. Canadian Agreement Number; 40793029. PostmasterSend
Curve,PO Box 122, Niagara
addresschangesto shop@curvernag.com,
Ganad,an
Curve,
Falls, ON L2E 688. Send U.S. addresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
POBox 17138,N. Hollywood,CA91615-7138.PnntedInthe U.S.
A.
?Elli
21curve
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.com
Features
"I hke'lezz1e.'
And I know
some people stillget
offended.
But I never
grew up
havingthat
yelledat me.
I looklikea
cheerleader
I look like
a big g1rly
girl.That's
what I am.
If someone
took offense
to me using
the word, I
wouldhug
them. I'm a
big hugger
ovember 2 08
Vo ume 18#9
The Big Gay Sketch Show The queer SNL is
back for season two. By Laurie K. Schenden
30
Remembering Del Martin We say goodbye to a
lesbian pioneer. By Victoria A. Brownworth
5
32
The Big O Olivia has something cooking in Arizona.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
5
Big Laughs Vicki Shaw, Poppy Champlin and Tamale
keep it funny. By Edie Stull and Lyndsey D'Arcangelo
5
Comic Divas Karen Williams and Sandra Valls
break down barriers. By Laurie K. Schenden and
Jenny Sherwin
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33
Funny Girls Lesbian actor Jane Lynch meets lesbian television mega-star Orit Schwartz. By Edie Stull
Chefbians to Nightlife Food Network's Susan
Feniger, Top Chefs Lisa and Jen, D.C.'s Gillian Clark,
Natalie Maclean and wine bars you can't miss.
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She's a Lady Our favorite Dirty girl and her lesbian
manager. By Diane Anderson-Minshall
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Suzanne Westenhoefer Comes Out On Top
She nearly beat out Ellen. By Kristin A. Smith
Kate Clinton Rocks Inside the mind of this grand
dame of comedy. By Kelli Dunham
w
The Golden Age of Ellen The daytime queen still
rules the roost. By Rachel Shatto
6
4
Bridget McManus & Dana Goldberg Comedy's
new kids. By Kyra Thomson and Alicia Eler
Sabrina Matthews
By Colleen M. Lee
Butch comedy at its finest.
6
The L Word's Marlee Matlin Reflects on season
five and kicking butt in season six. By Colleen M. Lee
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Work It Out Jackie Warner is a storm of contraversy. By Colleen M. Lee
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6
6
Shake Your Thing Lori Michaels is a sexy triple
threat. By Katie Peoples
Burn After Reading Sharon Gless steals the
scene on Burn Notice. By Katrina Fox
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0
0
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6
Ilene Chaiken Talks The L Word creator dishes
on the series and its impact on television. By Kathy
Beige
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curve
Stretching Her Wings Fresh and funny, Julia
Stretch aims to please. By Amanda Quraishi
6
Don't Go! The pilot of this queer show won our
hearts, and so did its cast. By Candace Moore
0
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We proudly donate a portion of
the proceeds from this awareness
jewelry to Liz's Legacy.
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Spectacular
Breast Cancer
Awareness
Bracelet
1,
PANDORA'
Breast Cancer Ribbon
Departments
November 2008
"Yourtrue lovewill
nevertry to explain
the differencebetween being1nlove
and merelyloving
someone.Only
peoplewho are not
in lovegiveyou that
dopey song and
dance becausethey
thinkyou willfreak
out les if they say
they loveyou
in some little
crappyway.'
ag
4
Frankly Speaking And now a word from
our publisher.
20
Lipstick & Dipstick
butch?
Is she a stone
68
Sapphic Screen It's all about our truth.
Plus, Najarra Townsend dishes.
8
Letters Lots of love for the big girls.
21
Ask Fairy Butch I can't stand the exes
anymore, what should I do?
71
Music Watch Team Gina takes us back
to the '80s.
12
Contributors They make it happen.
22
Health Is your playtime safe? Plus, the
new controversial Botox procedure. (Hint:
it's not on your face.)
74
Books to Read Extraordinary women
making their own rules.
24
Astro Grrl What do the stars have in
store for you?
76
Tech Girl The best thing to happen to
books since the Gutenberg press.
25
Relationships Ten steps to surviving the
queer dating world.
77
I Tried It Hanging 10-or
learning to surf Waikiki.
26
Dyke Drama How to spot true love.
80
Top Ten Reasons We Love Sarah
Silverman Why Sarah Silverman is loved
by dykes everywhere.
28
Politics The death knell for "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell"?
14 Scene Hot girls in cool places.
15
Curvatures Giant Ass Drum Corps. Saying
goodbye to a musician. Plus, hot raingear.
16
Out in Front Women on the forefront.
18 Open Studio Teresa Testa makes waterinspired sculptures.
19
6
Lesbofile Jessica Alba, Jodie Foster and
Queen Latifah make headlines.
Icurve
15-while
Letters
but featuring,
"I applaudnotonlyincluding,
. a "largersize' woman
plussizefashionAs
(read:averagesizeAmericanwoman!),I
tipsand general
appreciatethe information,
coverageof fashionforwardnessfor allof us
galswho are not ize8 and under."
WHO WILLY
VO
ov
Democrat:
en
Obama-Bid
Republican:
McCain-Palin I didn't expect a thorough review of Katy Perry's album ["Editor's
Pick;' Vol. 18 #7), but I was surprised that you didn't mention
some strong reactions caused by her song"! Kissed a Girl:'
Other:I'd rathervote
Some (and I am among them) see it as exploitative. This song
for LisaSimpson reminds me of one of those porn movies featuring "lesbians" but
6%
thanthosefolks
directed at straight men, from the cliched lyrics ("Us girls, we are
so magical/Soft skin, red lips, so kiss4%
able;' "Good girls don't do that") to the
NotVoting:Seriously,
wink at the straight male audience: "I
they'reall the same
hope my boyfriend don't mind it:'
Perry is probably describing her
own experience, shared by many other
women, and she certainly has the right
4%
Green:McKinneyClemente
to write a song about it. I just expected
curve's review to be less superficial,
1%
Libertarian: due to the fact that its audience's perspective is more than likely
Barr-Root
that of the mainstream audience that made Perry's
to differ from
1%
song such a hit.
-Emery Brown, Chicago
Independent:
Nader-Gonzalez
Editor's Note: Well, Emery, don't think we didn't discuss it, but
in my 20-plus years of dating and sleepingwith other women, I've
a
to
*According
compoll. learnedthat a whole lot of us hard-coredykes oncestarted out as girls
curvemag.
trying to titillate boys in some way, often to test the waters before
jumping headfirst into the lesbianpool. Honestly, girls are magical,
our lips are much softer and if Katy Perry wants to test the lesbian
waters, baby, I'm ready with my rubber ducky.
Hey, I really want to give kudos to sister contributing editor
Victoria Brownworth for her always thoughtful, extremely challenging and often emotionally charged columns. Her discussion
about aging in the lesbian community ("The Politics of Aging;'
Vol. 18 #7) hits very close to home.
As a single, childless 45-year-old queer woman with a
wonderful family of choice, aging biological parents, but no
s Icurve
savings and crappy health insurance, I am in the situation she
with no safety net of any sort or protecdescribes-middle-aged
tion of my privacy and civil rights, nor any guarantee of continuing employment, health care, affordable housing, etc.
I applaud Brownworth for consistently raising gritty, reallife issues that force us to think hard about what really matters
and for broaching this topic in particular.
- Stephanie Schroeder,Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nicole Vicius is so hot and I tty Bitty is my favorite film, so imag-
Cover Showdown!
This month, we had
so many great cover
options, we could have
filled five magazines!
So, we want to hear
what you think, dear
reader. Would you pick
cover No. 1-the one
you're holding in your
hands, with Suzanne
Westenhoefer and her
comic peeps- or cover
No. 2, with Dirty Sexy
Money star Candis
Cayne and her lesbian
manager (and Grey's
Anatomy consultant),
Nikki Weiss? Write to
letters@curvemag.com
to vote and you might
win Judea Eden's hot
new album, Finding
the Beauty.
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Letters
ine my surprise to open my curve [Vol. 18 #7]
and get a poster of Sadie. You gals are so cool.
Thank you. Thank you. I have already hung my
Nicole Vicius poster on my wall!
- Marie Grettel, West Hollywood, Calif.
r-
I was disappointed in Alison Walkley's article,
''Africa the Hard Way" [Vol. 18 #7]. I served as a
Peace Corps volunteer from 2003 to 2005 in the
country
of Uzbekistan,
in
Central Asia.
Initially, I too had to
go back into the closet as I
learned about the language
and culture, tried to build
relationships, earn the trust
of the locals and figure out
just what the heck I was do,
ing there.
But, even in a Muslim nation where homo,sex,
uals are persecuted or killed, the people embraced
me and taught me the meaning of selfless service
and love. I even met my partner while serving.
That's me on the left, with my partner, Salissa, in
the donkey cart in Uzbekistan while I was in the
Peace Corps.
I regret that Ms. Walkley couldn't give Malawi
more time and an honest chance for a cultural
exchange. I am sure that the people of Malawi could
have been well,served by her strength and passion.
When you choose to serve as a Peace Corps
volunteer, you must sacrifice comfort, let go of
your ego and listen. You do not need to abandon
your identity, but lower your defenses just enough
to lee ochers in, despite great differences. Please
don't let her article discourage you, if you feel the
need to serve.
-Suzanne Zaner, Burlington, Vt.
As a body image activist I was so impressed with
your September issue [Vol. 18 #7] that I felt com,
pelled to write in and tell you about it.
I struggled with bulimia for 11 years and I can
tell you that so many magazines these days feed
into the fattist culture we live in. I am constantly
frustrated by the portrayal of unhealthy, unattain,
able "beauty" in most media. This is why I was so
excited to see a curve magazine issue with curves,
10 I curve
where-as
a big beautiful lesbi,
felt represented on almost
every page. Thank you for coming
to the realization that skinny isn't
an-I
the only thing that sells. That sexy
in a triple X can sell too.
Beauty comes in a lot of differ,
ent forms; in this issue of curve
it was refreshing to see chat rainbow of body
types. I could relate to the Sassy Stacy and her
battle with a diet obsessed culture and
can't wait to get some new duds from
Bertha. The Candy Store spread made
me stand up and cheer. I feel like curve
finally stepped up to the feminist plate
and brought body image issues out of
the closet and for that I am incredibly
grateful.
- Dustina Haase, Vancouver, Wash.
I love the magazine and read every issue from cov,
er to cover. I want to praise the fashion coverage
in the September issue [Vol. 18 #7]. In particular
I applaud not only including, but featuring, plus,
size fashion.
As a "larger,size" woman (read: average,size
American woman!), I appreciate the information,
tips and general coverage of fashion forwardness
for all of us gals who are not size 8 and under. It
would have been great to have noc,skinny chicks
ress in any arena is, as we know, incrimental.
- Ann Schroeder, Madison, Wis.
Editor's Note: We had as much fun showing the
curve,ier side offashion and bringing attention to
these designers as you had reading about it. Thanks!
Email letcers@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.
In"Model Behavior" [Vol.18 #7] the model's name
is Jenice Armstead, not Armstrong. The word
"lesbolicious" in the caption for "College Lesbians
More Accepting of Porn" [Vol. 18 #7] refers to No
Fauxxx itself, not the models. In "Hot, Hot, Hoc;'
[Vol.18 #7] the company's name is Poetic Licence
and its website is poeticlicence.us.
on the cover as well.
But a gal can only hope for so much, and prog,
Coming Out at Chicago's Pride
I am an 18-year-old who has just come out to very close friends. I
just wanted to share these pictures of my girlfriend, Torie, and me
at Chicago's Pride parade. It was the first time we could actually be
in a place where we felt completely comfortable being ourselves.
It was a surreal and amazing experience. This one day
inspired me. It doesn't matter where you are, you can
be yourself, without hiding. Although it is still difficult
for me to come out to my family, I hope that I can build
the self-confidence I need to do so. I have just discovered curve. It's slowly giving me the courage to
express who I am to my family. It would be amazing to
hear testimonies from other young adults in curve.
-Faith Moores, Naperville, Ill.
,
'sMcNEIL-PPC. ,nc. 2008.
Fold this pillow in half.
If your pillow at home bends like this
and stays bent, it's time for a new one.
If it bounces back, you're good to go.
A bad pillow can mean a bad night's sleep. If your pillow doesn't
provide proper support, it can lead to pain and sleepless nights.
TYLENOL®PM Rapid Release Gels can ease the pain and contains
a sleep aid that, when used as directed, is non-habit forming.
How's that for being supportive?
Feel better,
TYLENOLe
PM
Use only as directed. Do not take TYLENOL' with other products containing acetaminophen.
tylenol.com
Contributors
"I always thought of myself as funny;' says contributing writer KristinA. Smith."But when I
talked with Suzanne Westenhoefer, I realized
Editor's Note
I have a soft spot for lesbo comics, especially our cover
star, Suzanne Westenhoefer, because, like me, she was
a big-haired '80s kid who got her start in queer life and
entertainment around the same time. I remember first
seeing her on an episode of Sally Jesse
Raphael, in 1991, entitled, "Breaking
the Lesbian Stereotype ... Lesbians Who
Don't Look Like Lesbians." At a time
when few women were allowed into
the boys' club known as the comedy
circuit, Suzanne and Kate Clinton and
a few others were paving the way for
women in stand-up. In honor of them,
I dug through our archives for these
great old photos of three cool comic pioneers: Suzanne
(top left), Sabrina Matthews (left) and Rosie O'Donnell
(below, in a femme-y moment).
I'm linked to another of this issue's superstars in a strange six-degrees-of-lesbianism sort
of way. In the late '80s, I got my first big queer
media gig as a reporter-editor-lackey for an
LGBT television program in Southern California
called Spectrum News. A few
days after I got the job, I discovered that the woman I replaced had
just been arrested. Well, it turns out I replaced Joni Leigh Penn, the woman who
sent more than 100 fan letters to Sharon
Gless, then broke into her home armed
with a rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. So, I got the
job because Sharon Gless' stalker went to prison. Thank
God Sharon doesn't hold that incident against us.
Our Curvettes faced some adversity this month: while
Rachel Pepper, our books editor, moved cross country
(welcome back, Rach), Margaret Coble, our music editor,
drove across the South in a hurry- evacuating to escape
Hurricane Gustav. She made it-phew!
Here's hoping November is a lazy month for all of us,
but somehow, I doubt it.
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Executive Editor
12
Icurve
chat there are funny people and then there are
is a genius:•
comedic geniuses-Westenhoefer
When Smith's not trying to keep up with comics, she's busy writing, teachingjournalism at the
Academy of Art University in San Francisco and
her collection. Recently, Smch's work has appeared
SlowFoodNation.
"I simply find Sarah Silverman fascinating," says
contributing writer LoriSelke."Love her or hate
her, she's always out there pushing boundaries
and buttons:• A longtime freelance contributor
to curve, Selke has written about topics as
various as queer comics, women's pro wrestling
and lesbian chefs. She's also well-known for her
erotic writing and San Francisco Bay Area spoBy the time you read this, she will be immersed in
birthing and raising twins.
"I never cake myself too seriously;' says con"If you
tributing writer LyndseyD'Arcangelo.
act
laugh
you
can
who
yoursel£
can't laugh at
DJ\.rcangelo interviewed Tamale for the lesbian
comics article and learned a thing or two about
comedy. "Tamale uses a lot of her own experiences in her comedy and isn't afraid to expose
herself. That takes courage:• Born and raised in
Buffalo, N.Y., Lyndsey has been writing ever since she could pick up a pen.
She has recently published two short stories in nationally known publications, Alyson Books and the ChickenSoupfor the Soul series. Her first novel,
The TroubleWith Emily Dickinson,is for young adults. It is being published
by Alpha World Press and will hit bookstores chis season.
"I have to say, I was a little intimidated at first,"
says editorial assistant JohnPannof his experience at curve. 'Tm surrounded by these strong,
fierce, driven lesbian women, and for a little boy
from the Midwest, I didn't know what I could
bring to the table. But everyone has made me feel
right at home:• Pann has been busy in the office
doing research, editing, transcribing and writing
about everything from gay acceptance in the military to D IY funerals. "Thank
you, ladies, for letting me write for you-even ifl am a boy:'
REALITY
1 Seimone Augustus from the Minnesota Lynx (in white) got an Olympic send-off from Los
Angeles Sparks team members (from left) DeLisha Milton-Jones, Lisa Leslie (with daughter Lauren
Jolie Lockwood) and Candace Parker. Augustus, along with Team U.S.A., went on to win a gold
medal in the Beijing Olympic Games 2 Lesbians visited from all around-the woman on the right
came from Canada, the other from Hawaii-to celebrate Reno Pride 3 (From left) executive producers Jane Wagner and Lily Tomlin, author Ann Bannon, Harriet Leve and Bannon's daughter
Inga Holmquist at the premiere of the new play The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, based on Bannon's
much-loved lesbian pulp paperbacks of the 1950s and '60s, at the Essex House Hotel in New York
City 4 Bold Strokes Books cover artist Barb Kiwak (left) and publisher-author Radclyffe at dinner
before the First Annual Baltimore Women's LitFest readings 5 Cyndi Lauper headlining the True
Colors Tour 6 Delicio Del Toro came in first runner-up for a drag troupe in the 13th annual San
Francisco Drag King Contest at the DNA Lounge
14 I curve
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End of the Music
Our lesbian singer-songwriter Katie Reider died on
July 14 of complications from a rare facial tumor. She
w;:s 30 years old. Reider died en route to Beth Israel
Hospital in New York City while suffering from shingles
and an esophageal lesion. Reider first noticed unusual
pain in her upper jaw in 2006 but was not diagnosed
with a myofibroblastic inflammation tumor until July
2007, well after the tumor had severely damaged much
LOLLIPOP
of her jaw.
The daughter of a syndicated Cincinnati musician,
Reider received her first guitar at age 5. She began
recording in 1998 and during her career released four
independent albums.
Reider and her band-appropriately
called the
Katie Reider Band-were
popular regulars on the
Ohio music scene and frequently played at Priderelated events. She was a member of OutMusic.com
with lesbian favorites Catie Curtis,
Melissa Ferrick and Michelle Malone.
and performed
She is survived by her partner, Karen, their two
children, Aiden, 3, and Koen, 1, her father, Rob, and
four siblings. Donations to the family for medical expenses can be made at either katiereider.blogspot.com
or 500kin365.org, both of which offer a nine-track $1
download of Reider's work, entitled Katie'sVoice.- JP
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WHAT'S HOT: Keepin' Dry From Head to Toe
Nobody's
rainingonthis (Pride)parade:Starlets& Harlots
beganasan eBaystorespecializing
in goth,rockabillyandretro
clothingandaccessories,
butthanksto a loyalclienteleit was
ableto expandto an independent
onlinestore.
Alongwithtriplingits stockof alternativeclothingandaccessories
(andmore
eight-inchheelsthanyoucanshakea
stickat)Starlets& Harlotsboastsa wide
varietyof fabulously
edgyumbrellas.
Ourfavorites,the Diamond
Umbrella
and
whitePolkaDotRuffleEdgeParasol,
are
sosassy,youmaybetemptedto carry
themonsunnydays,too!($25andup,
starletsandharlets.com)
Slickerthena Snicker:Whetheryou'remorefemme
chicor fashionforwardfunctional,
winteris just aroundthe
corner-so there'snotimelikethe presentto pickup a new
raincoat.Foryouurbandwellerswe recommend
the Fit& Flair
WalkingCoatbySaia& Kyo.Withoversizebuttonsandruched
pockets,this double-breasted
trenchis sexy,playfulandfears
nofoulweather.
Andfor thoseof youwhoboldlybravethe
elements-orjust wantto looklikeyoudo-check outthe North
FaceVentureRainJacketfromREI.Thisjacket,
whichis madeof Hyvent,a highlybreathablewaterproof
fabric,comesin a variety
of colors;ourpickis igneouspurple.($235,
nordstrom.com;
$99,rei.com)
Keepthosepiggiesdry:A soggyfootis a
sadfoot,so keepwarmanddrythiswinter
witha pairof rubberboots.Hunterboots
wereoriginallydesigned
to withstandunpredictableweatherin the Scottishhighlands
andtodayareevenwornby QueenElizabeth.
Butwiththe introduction
of newstyleslike
the Huntress,
Hunterbootshavesuccessfully
matchedclassicwelliefunctionality
witha
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However,
for thoseof
youwholikeyourraingearlikeyourwomen
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Kaitattooboots,botharesureto bustyour
fierce-a-meter.
($101,hunterboot.com;$128,zappos.com;
$60,shoemall.com)
- RS
Haveyouseenthe new
websitefor lesbiansof
color,UrbanElle.com?
OK,I haveto admit
a teenybias:I'm the
editorof thewebsite,
butthat meansI'mthe
authorityon Lollipop,
the ragingpartyin San
Francisco
whereit was
launched
this Pride
season.
Theplacewas
jampacked
with roughly
1,500womenfromall
overthe UnitedStates.
Upstairs,
a partyroom
withskylineviews
openedoutto a breezy
balconyreserved
for
the highrollers'bottle
service($250minimum
for a premiumbottleand
somebreathingroom),
anddeepin the bowels
of the club,A Shotat
Love'sDaniCampbell
and TheL Word'sRose
Rollinsmingledwith
guestsin a quieterV.1.P
.
lounge.Butwithtwo
dancefloorsto choose
from,anda convoyof
DJs,includingJeanine
DaFeen(picturedabove)
fromWild94.9,keeping
thempacked,there
wasa lottasumthin'for
everyone.
-AP
JohnPann,Alison
Peters,RachelShatto
November 2008
I 15
ter Act
At 13 years old, TerenieFaisonwanted to make
a difference. So, she joined Sisters in Action for
Power in Portland, Ore., began working with
other teens, helping to identify pressing community issues, and then turned those issues into
campaigns for low-income youth to promote
racial, economic and gender equality.
''As a young person, it felt good to have the
opportunity to work on issues in my community
that no one else addressed;' Faison recalls. "We
need to realize that when things are not right in
our communities we have the right to hold our
locally elected officials accountable and demand
change." Today, at 25, Faison is the executive
director of the organization.
"In Portland, and the state of Oregon, there
are no other organizations putting youth of
color on the front lines of social justice efforts;'
she says. ''At Sisters in Action young people in
the leadership program are involved in things
like public speaking, conducting community
research, raising awareness on issues and faceto-face negotiation meetings with public officials
in institutions;' Faison adds.
Although the upcoming national elections
might bring some change, Faison (who is also
a member of Happy Ours, the first and only
organization for lesbians of color in Portland),
says she will always be a grassroots activist first.
"A critical way to engage and nurture
young people's civic participation is through
direct-action organizing, the mobilization and
empowerment of black and brown youth, and
making radical change in public institutions to
benefit the lives of all low-income people and
people of color:'
Know a woman we should cover?
Write curvesoutinfront@hotmail.com.
16
Icurve
Justice for All
Gay Economics
Equality is not enough for LisaWeiner-Mahfuz.
She wants justice.
"Equality rests on the premise that we need
to level the playing field, and all will be well;' she
says. "Justice challenges the systems of who holds
It was back in high school that Dr. M.V. Lee
Badgettfirst noted the significance of economics, and, interestingly enough, it all jelled because
of inequality. "All of the political arguments
related to racial equality and sex equality led
power and how they hold it. I want justice, not
simply equality:'
Weiner-Mahfuz, 36, is the director of capacity building for the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force. She got her first taste of"being different" at home, growing up with a father who
was an orthodox Jew and a mother who had a
Muslim background. In the end, their cultural
differences were too much for her parents to bear.
They eventually divorced, but her two grandfathers loved each other like brothers and shared a
kinship around their Semitic cultures.
"My parents' relationship has shown me how
challenging it can be to work across our differences, while my grandfathers' loving friendship
has given me the inspiration and tools to know
that working intentionally across our differences
holds tremendous possibility;' she says.
Weiner-Mahfuz has dedicated much of her
career to challenging oppression at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation,
gender identity and disability. Before she joined
the Task Force, she was the senior field organizer
for lesbian rights for the National Organization
for Women, and also worked for the National
Organizers Alliance, and Parents, Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
The United States, she says, has played a pivotal role in perpetuating injustices across many
lines of difference, and social movements must
work together to end them.
"Our movements are [disjointed];' she says.
"We need to work together so that no one is left
behind, in the United States or internationally:'
me to the study of who gets what and why;' says
Badgett, who today is both the director of the
Center for Public Policy and Administration at
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and
the research director at the Williams Institute,
UCLA School ofLaw."In short, power is about
money and economics:'
The study of economics should be about
making the world a better place for everyone, notes Badgett, not just those with power
and wealth. Unable to accept the fact that the
United States does not have stronger policies
to promote equality, Badgett now uses facts and
analysis to advocate for ending discrimination
based on race, sex or sexual orientation.
Workplace issues are the biggest economic
challenges for the LGBT community, she says.
In addition to experiencing all the economic
forces that put jobs and earnings at risk in a
recession, LGBT people also face the very real
possibility of discrimination. "We need federal
laws that will make all kinds of discrimination
illegal, whether discrimination means firing
someone for being gay or transgender, or compensating them less by limiting health care and
pension benefits to spouses;' says Badgett.
Planning for the future in terms of retirement
and health care, and creating and supporting
stable and well-resourced LGBT community
institutions, are also key challenges. "Investing
in our community organizations is just as important in investing in our retirement savings;' says
Badgett. "They' re both essential strategies for
creating the future we want to live in:'
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Curvatures
Marching to Their Own Beat
Growing up in Wenatchee, Wash., Stormi Oshun
was told all her life that girls weren't allowed to
drum-that
drumming was "for boys:' Despite
the discouraging rhetoric, Oshun pursued her passion for rhythm in hand drumming classes, and in
1999 founded the Giant Ass Orum Corps (myspace.com/ giantassdrumcorp ), Spokane's "premier
bucket band:' The GADC performs rhythms from
many cultural traditions, and regions such as West
Africa and East India, which the group "funks up a
little," as well as rhythms created by the members
themselves. Both the music and the choreography
are entirely collaborative-what
Oshun describes
as "synergistic:'
Oshun formed the GADC upon learning that
participation had begun to decline in her local Pride
march; she made a pledge to create something that
would re-energize the event. Having recently
attended a performance of Stomp-a dance troupe
that uses nontraditional items to create a percussion-based performance-Oshun
decided to create
a marching band. She opted to use buckets rather
than traditional instruments in an effort to make
the corps open to women of all economic levels. "I
wanted participation in the group to be accessible
for people who didn't have a lot of money. Because
a lot of my friends, including myself... we were all
broke;' says Oshun. Along with banging buckets,
GADC also hosts fundraisers and an annual yard
sale to aid members who need financial assistance in
order to participate.
When the GADC debuted at the following
year's Pride march, they were met with overwhelming enthusiasm."The whole idea was that we wanted
to be a little bit irreverent, kind of silly,not take ourselves too seriously, and just get out there and have
fun;' explains Oshun.
While the corps began with five-gallon buckets, the number of items used to create their
music has grown. Using found items, the members
of the GADC created shakers and rattles. They
use a SO-gallon drum for a bass and have even used
a toaster for one of their songs. There is also an
environmental aspect to what they do. "The buckets that we use for our workshops are actually
buckets that are donated to us from restaurants
here in town; you know, things that would end up
in our incinerators and landfills, eventually. So it is
nice to be able to put those things to use:'
The GADC is composed of a diverse group
of 18 women, ranging in age from 23 to 61, and
from various backgrounds and professions. The
only requirement for admittance into the GADC
is that you are a woman; this, according to Oshun,
includes transwomen. "If this is someone who
identifies as a woman, if this person sees and feels
themselves as a woman, then they're in the group:'
While Oshun initially created the GADC
to enliven the Spokane Pride march, she also
succeeded in creating an extended family that
has witnessed romance among its ranks as well
as tragic loss. But ultimately, the mission of the
GADC is, according to Oshun, "to create a space
and an experience that's safe and supportive for
being seen and for being heard. We're loud and
we're silly and it takes a lot to put that out in the
world:' Oshun also hopes to foster sister drum
corps in other cities across the nation. - RS
What
happens
here,
VisitLasVegas
stays
here.~
com
1-877-VISIT-LV
November 2008
j
17
Teresa Testa
Teresa Testa is an elementary school art teacher who is keeping the arts alive not only in the classroom but also at home through the elegant
porcelain sculptures that she creates at her Windancer Studio, in Las Vegas.
"It's like the clay dictates the form, and my hands are the instrument;' she says. An out lesbian, Testa is proud of her pottery's unique
qualities-she's never seen another artist come up with quite the same ideas. She's found that working with clay is all about balance and movement, and this is evident in her fluid sculptural pieces, which sell quickly in Las Vegas gift stores and at shows like the Tempe Festival of the
Arts in Tempe, Ariz.
Testa received her dual degree in ceramic design and the arts from
Buffalo State College in Buffalo, N.Y. After exploring a variety of media,
including woodworking and graphic design, Testa found that clay was her
true love.
To support her art after college, Testa became a teacher and developed an
avid interest in the problems of underserved minority students (so much so
that she later did graduate work in economic diversity). After teaching in the
Clark County School District for 20 years, Testa has clearly demonstrated
her commitment to inner-city children, who are so often ignored or pushed
through the system. She still enjoys providing a creative outlet for them.
Testa sculpts her pieces using hand-building techniques, and has recently
worked to develop new techniques like dremmel carving. She says there's
a "spirituality that flows out of [her] hands into the work:' Her inspiration comes from nature, especially water, trees and flowers. And since clay
comes from the earth, Testa stays firmly connected to Mother Nature as she
explores her artistic passion.
1slcurve
Curvatures
Reasonable Doubt
Women just keep finding ways to play coy. I
Whether it comes to your love life or your career,
Blind-Item Guessing Game"? A few tidbits:
A few times, I spotted "Asia," a 1990s female
R&B singer who had an amazing voice and a number of widely succesifulballads during that time. She
:i:
Lf Even though trainer and Bravo personality Jackie started as a backgroundsinger,but her powerful voice
- Warnercould definitely out-bench the average Jane, proved she needed to be upfront as a solo artist. Asia
0
co outraged viewers of her show, Work Out, are musmade a number of love songs,and her claim to fame
z
z cling to have it cancelled.
0
was her rendition of a sexy remake of a song originally
ti
Early in the season, Warner and her business
done by an '80s icon.
0
z
There was a beautiful television sitcom actress,
tiJ manager made comments about a client's enhanced
a:
< breasts. Unbeknownst to Warner, though, the client
"Daisy,"and her actressbestfriend, "Lisa."These two
(!J
a:
< had implants because she is a breast cancer surviwomen have beenfriendsfor a number ofyears and are
vor-a fact that Brian Peeler, the client's trainer,
alwaystogether.Daisy had done a number of succesiful
confronted Warner with. This led to another heated
sitcoms and got her start in a Broadway musical.Her
quarrel, and ultimately Warner fired Peeler.
multirangevocalswere often showcasedon one of the
There are over 700 signatures on the cancella- sitcoms she costarredon. She often plays a fiery and
tion petition, as of press time. While it's a far cry feisty character."
from the 20,000 signature goal, it's certainly causing
"Lola"was an R&B singer-songwriterwho...
ripples in the pool. Gatorade has already cancelled
was a stapleon the New York scene,partying with bigits sponsorship of the show.
name celebrities.Her skills caught the likes of superWarner responded to the controversy on her
duperproducersDe Vante Swing of]odeci,Stevie], and
o blog, saying it was Bravo's creative editing and Dallas Austin. She'd made a noteworthy album, and
ti Peeler's personal agenda that made her look bad: the criticswere eating her up. Her style was a hard"I did not make a derogatory remark about Brian
edgedrap with a little rock and R&B. Her new single
6- Peeler's client on-camera or off-camera;' she wrote.
topped the chartsand was receivinga lot of airplay.
w
en
0
Gawker.com commentators have already guessed
a: "The only reason he tried to bring it up to me on>- camera is to villianise
z
(sic) me and set me up for
the likes of QueenLatifah,TishaCampbell,
Lauryn
Lf
: LL
something I didn't do:'Villain or victim? Your call.
Hill,AliciaKeys,Eve... what are your guesses?
:~
when in doubt: deny, deny, deny.
3.
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.o
Sounds like R. Kelly's not the only one "trapped in
the closet:' Terrence Dean, a former entertainment
Sure, as soon as you get your girl's name tattooed on
you, the relationship's doomed. But now we might
exec and the author of Hiding in Hip Hop, is callir..g out all the gays in the rap genre-though
not
by their real names. Can we call this the "Lesbofile
just be looking at the curse of going public.
Too soon after JodieFosterfinally kinda-sorta
publicly recognized her relationship with her long-
term girlfriend, CydneyBernard(you don't say "my
beautiful Cydney" about just anybody when accepting an award), the National Enquirer is reporting
that Foster's canning her 14-year relationship for
CindyMort,the creator of the HBO series Tell Me
You Love Me, whom she met on set of 2007's The
Brave One.
"The 47-year-old star's new squeeze is the former partner of thirtysomethingand Itty Bitty actor
MelanieMayron-with whom she has two children;'
the Enquirer reported. "Meanwhile, 55-year-old
Cydney Bernard is still living with Jodie, but their
romance is over, say sources:' Oh, really?We'll believe
it when we see the U-Haul.
An S&M-inspired public service announcement
would inspire us! JessicaAlbastars in an ad for a
nonprofit youth voter initiative, Declare Yoursel£
which is aime ' 1t energizing young folks to register
to vote in this month's election. "If you don't register and vote and make a difference, and hopefully
change the bad things that are happening in our
country;' Alba told Peoplemagazine, "you are essentially just binding and muzzling yourself'
Our overdue congrats to Welcome to the Dollhouse
and The PrincessDiaries actor HeatherMatarazzo
and her girlfriend, Carolyn Murphy, who have been
dating for over a year and were engaged in August.
"It was really cute. First Heather proposed to
Carolyn, then Carolyn proposed to her;' Matarazzo's
rep Lisa Jammal told E! News, adding, "It was love at
first sight:'
November 2008 j 19
Advice
Lipstick & Dipstick
Do You Know Your Lingo:
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: Is there specific
lingo in the lesbian community that I should
know? I recently came out and want to learn
all I can. This has come up for me because
I signed up for a personal ad, and as part of
the questionnaire they asked if I was a femme
(I understand that) or a butch (I get that too),
but then they broke it down further into different "shades" of lesbian. What other words
should I know?-Lost in the Lesbian Library
girlfriend, and it can be really great when it's
mutual. But sometimes I feel that after only
three months, I'm having to wrestle with
some really emotional issues between us.
She's been in therapy for quite a while, and I
want things to get easier because I love her
very much.-Sad, but Super Sexed Up
high hopes that it will
get better in time. Like
Lipstick said, in these early
days you should be tearing into each
other, not tearing up. Early memories of sexual
bliss are sometimes the only thing that keeps a re-
Lipstick:Here's your answer: couples therapy. And
lationship going through the hard times. And I've
fast. The first few years in a relationship-let
got news for you: Many women have body issues.
alone
be all about tearing
But that's no reason for her to lap on your lunch-
each other's clothes off and having scandalous sex
box when you've not recovered, or for her not to let
the first few months-should
Lipstick:
We are so creative when it comes to our lez-
Dipstick:If the sex isn't
good now, I don't have
zie lingo. Let's see (thumbing through the dyke dic-
in public places. I'm glad your girlfriend is already in
you peek under her petticoat. I think this bedroom
tionary), currently my favorite words are: Fresbian
therapy, but this little speed bump in the bedroom
problem is just the tip of the iceberg. Your girl may
(a donut bumper who lives in Fresno, Cali£), vagi-
will become quite the roadblock very soon if you
be stone butch or she may be harboring major con-
tarian (one whose diet consists exclusivelyof vagina)
don't get back on track. Sweet sexual chocolate is a
trol issues. But if she doesn't learn to let go from
and lesbro (the male equivalent of a fag hag).
salient ingredient to a rock-solid relationship.
time
to
time, she may to lose it all, when you find
someone who will.
Dipstick:Sign her up for class, Lipstick. Or should
Dipstick:
Couples therapy at three months? Lipstick,
wejust send her a copy of our book, so she can check
Jeezus! I agree this issue needs to be sorted out, but
out the Gay Girl's Glossary in the back? Actually,
running to a shrink too soon can also damage a bud-
Lost, the most important thing
to
know about lesbi-
ding relationship.
relationshipswith women before and consider
myself bisexual. I recently became attracted
Lipstick:Dip, these two need help. Why would a
to a lesbian friend of mine (the feelings were
mutual) and almost cheated on my boyfriend.
ans is that they can never agree on the definition of
anything. Is it a date or just coffee? Is she a blue-jean
femme or a soft butch? Is she a stud, a stone butch
little counseling be a bad thing? It's not like they'd
or a diesel dyke? Pull up a log and gather 'round the
need to be in it forever-just
campfire
to
debate these issues with your lesbian
sisters. Because, really, that's what being a lesbian is
all about.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm a 26-year-old
gal in a relationship with a man. I've been in
until they can actually
have sex without someone crying.
He's now obsessed with me defining myself
as bisexual and is having a tough time dealing with it. Some of my best gay friends say
there is no such thing as bisexuality.
They say either you're gay or you're
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: It's been
three months and I'm worried that my
new girlfriend is sexually frustrated
with me. She constantly wants to go
down on me, which is not the part I'm
complaining about. My own frustration
lies in my inability to always be ready
to go, physically speaking. It's not
pleasurable when my pussy doesn't
have time to recuperate in between
orgasms. Secondly, she usually won't
let me reciprocate on her because she
has severe body image issues and often doesn't want me to see her naked.
When she does let me go down, she
rarely comes. This makes me very selfconscious about my own abilities. I've
tried to talk to her about these issues,
but we never get anywhere, and then if
I resist her advances, she just seems
to get upset. I love having sex with my
20
Icurve
not. What's your take? Does me
wanting to be with a woman make
me a lesbian?-Bisexual Babe
Lipstick:
I've heard lesbians hiss this same
cocka-doody, and they're usually the ones
who've been burned by straight chicks they
never should've been sleeping with anyway.
In Lipstick's estimation, bisexuality is a very
real identity, but sexuality, in general, is not
so cut and dry. It's an expansive-living
and breathing and ever-changing-scale
within each of us. Don't stress about it,
Baby, and just follow your heart. Even if
you get hurt, that little pumping organ will
rarely steer you wrong.
Dipstick:Hold on there, Lipstick. When
I followed my heart in college, I ended up
0
in the emergency room. I had nQ idea the
__J
woman I slept with had a girlfriend!
I
u
:i:
CL
Ask Fairy Butch Advice
Mixed Signals
Lipstick:And I bet you had no idea you could
jump that far off a balcony either.
Dipstick:
Lipstick has a point, but I'm going to add
that I think your boyfriend is not obsessed with
your being bisexual, but with the fact that you almost cheated on him. Either leave the lesbian or
leave him, but don't string them both along. That
kind of behavior gives bisexuals a bad name.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm 22 and too
chicken to meet the woman of my dreams.
I've got my life together, a great job, no
major hang-ups. Everything is screaming
at me that it's time to make my move, but
I'm frozen to the spot! I've settled for so
long that I don't know how to get what I
want. I don't have a problem with being
out, but I want the right people to pick up
on that. How do I come out without being a one-woman gay Pride parade? Am I
stressing over nothing?-ltchy in Illinois
Dipstick:Girl, you're 22. Most 22-year-olds are
hanging out at the bar, especially on Saturday
night. They're not all alcoholics and parolees.
Last time I checked, Monday was addict night,
Tuesday was for compulsive gamblers and
start your girl hunt.
precipitous agreement to form a union.
Lipstick:First, Itchy Pants, relax. You'll never
meet someone all pent up like this. And if you
do, she'll be turned off by your gushing enthusiasm. You've got to get yourself online (say you're
looking for new friends) and start networking
immediately. Networking is the single best way
Dear Fairy Butch: My girlfriend of two years
and I are having some major problems. We
are still fighting about the same issues that
we fought about in the beginning of our relationship. Before we were official, she asked
me out on the condition that she could still
sleep with her ex-girlfriend. What a wonderful beginning that was! Of course, I said "no
way," but eventually we ended up together
anyway. I moved into a house with her and
her ex-girlfriend/best friend three months later and discovered that she was friends with
two more ex-girlfriends.
When we finally moved out together,
alone, we had about a four-month break
from all the ex-drama, but before then it was
hell having to watch the two of them acting
all "friendly" together and reminiscing about
future wife.
I
:i:
a.
you did. I think that you can reiterate your interest
and then give her some space to become ready for
Wednesday was for culinary school dropouts,
but Saturday's a free-for-all. Head to the bar and
More lesbians lead to more lesbians, who lead to
even more lesbians, one of whom might be your
0
DearConfused:
Well, darling, it seems as though
she just jumped the gun and went a bit further
than she was actually ready to go. I know it must be
hurtful and confusing after those idyllic two days,
but you're lucky you didn't get further along than
a relationship with you, or you can go sniffing up
some new trails for the girl of your dreams. Either
way, if your goal is to preserve the friendship, make
sure you don't pressure her to "make good" on her
to meet a new love. Once you start meeting a
great group of dykes, it's like cracking open a
geode. You'll be amazed at what you find inside.
()
....J
Dear Fairy Butch: I just recently got out of
a very long relationship with my partner.
During my previous relationship, I developed
a friendship that seemed as though it could
have been more. I have to be honest- I was
very hesitant, but my heart kept telling me to
jump, so I did. Everything seemed wonderful.
She agreed that we should be that way, but
then out of nowhere, less than two days later,
she told me that she really wasn't ready, that
she didn't want to be together. Everything
that happened over those two days made
it seem as though we were really dating,
but now this. I completely respect her and
wouldn't mind being her friend, but I can't go
on flirting and "acting" as though we are a
couple when I can see we aren't really going
anywhere. What do I do, and how?
-Confused in Kentucky
These advice gurus are the authors
of Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential
Guide to Lesbian Relationships.
Ask them anything at lipstickdipstick.com.
old times. Anyway,
now the ex is
starting to want
to come back into
my girlfriend's life,
calling her to rescue her every time she breaks up
with another girl- or boyfriend. My girlfriend
swears that she is only friends with her, but
previously lied to me about calling her be••
hind my back. My girlfriend wants me to be
OK with her hanging out with her ex once a
week, but I am experiencing a great deal of
distress.
I love her, but two years of this ex-drama
is pushing me to the edge.-Ex-ed Out in
Edmondton
DearEx-ed:Darling, two things seem apparent to
me: First off, your girlfriend has not been terribly
sensitive with you about integrating her desire to
have her exes remain in her life into a loving, trusting relationship with you. Second, you're going to
have to come to a place where you can tolerate her
having some contact with her exes, or you're going
to have to leave the relationship. Now, she didn't
start things off very well by insisting that you allow
her to continue to sleep with her ex while she was
dating you. Unless you intend to live a polyamorous
lifestyle (and by your "cheating" comment it seems
obvious that you don't), that's not a great way to
build trust. Also, it must have been very difficult
sharing a home with one of her exes right from
the get-go. She certainly hasn't helped her case by
sharing her idealizations of her former lover with
you; she needs
learn some restraint.
But on the other hand, as long as she is capable of remaining sexually and emotionally faithful
to you, it isn't unreasonable for her to have some
contact with the women with whom she has formerly shared her life. You might want to consider
couple's counseling to negotiate a situation where
she feels free to retain the friendships she has
with her exes, yet where you feel safe and comfortable with that contact.
Fairy Butch is the author of The
Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex: A
Complete Resource for Women and
Men. Email Jb@fairybutch.com with
your queries.
The
&ulde
to
Strap•On
ell
November 2008
I 21
Advice
Body
Toxic Toys: Is Your Playtime Safe?
You know how to cinch it,
stuff it and strap it on. You
know how to ask about it
in the store and ask for it in
bed. You are a sex toy connoisseur. But, though you
know what feels good, do
you know if it's safe?
Cheaply
made
sex
toys are full of harmful chemicals. The most
ubiquitous
of these are
phthalates
(pronounced
cha-laces), which are added
to make them flexible.
toys
to otherwise hard PVC
Manufacturers add a chemical cocktail of phthalates
co destabilize the molecules and give the toys chat
soft, realistic feel.
Adult toys are not the only ones that contain
phthalates; some children's coys also have too. But
children's toys are subject to government regulation.
Currently, sex coys are not.
"In some ways, that's good;' saysJessica Giordani,
the cofounder of the Coalition Against Toxic Toys
(CATT) and the former co-owner of Smitten
Kitten, a sex shop in Minneapolis. "We don't want
the government in our sex lives... but it means we
have to be smarter consumers:'
Few studies have been conducted on the danger
of phchalaces in sex coys, but there have been several
on phthalates in children's coys; the results show a
link between the chemicals and liver and hormone
damage. Boch the United States and the European
Union have now banned certain types of phthalaces
in children's toys. Giordani says we need to ask
ourselves, "If it's dangerous for my kid in a pacifier,
might it also be dangerous for me in a butt plug?"
Phthalates aren't just used in butt plugs; they're
used in a lot of popular toys. Babeland cofounder
Claire Cavanah says that while the Rabbit Habit
was one of their best-selling toys, they have taken it
off their shelves and replaced it with a new, phthalate-free version of the toy.
Giordani and her former partner at Smitten
Kitten, Jennifer Pritchett, went further than just
toys tested, there's no way to know about their
chemical composition. Bue there are ways to tell if
your toys contain phthalates."Trust your nose;' says
Giordani. "The new car smell, those are phthalates:•
She adds that if the toy melts when boiled, it probably contains phthalates as well.
Many companies, even boutiques, still sell toys
containing phthalates. Some scores urge you to use a
condom with anything that may contain dangerous
chemicals, but Giordani says there is no proof that
a condom will keep you safe from toxins. Good sex
shops should have floor models that you can feel and
smell before you buy, she adds.
So why are these toxic toys still on the market?
Denise Corona, sales and wholesale accounts manager at Vixen Creations, a toxic-free toy manufacturer in San Francisco says, "Ir's all about the profit
margin-with a lack of oversight and cheap overseas
pulling the toys they thought were unsafe from
their shelves. After founding CATT, they brought
some of the most suspect toys to a chemist for
labor, sex toys are affordable, but not always safe:•
There are still some that are guaranteed to be
harmless-glass, surgical steel and medical grade
testing. Among them were the newly popular
Cyberskin products. The women were surprised
to learn chat they contained no phthalaces, but did
contain "industrial grade mineral oil;' a compound
silicone will tickle your fancy while keeping you safe.
- Kristin A. Smith
that Giordani says is "essentially kerosene:'
Unless you are a chemist yoursel£ or have your
Hittin'the Spot
wrinkleat a time.Now,
onesmoothed-out
industry,
the cosmetics
andBotoxrevolutionized
Collagen
a doctorhasfounda newusefor collagenin,shallI say,a lesspublicarea.A newmedicalprocedure
fora lessthanvibrantsex
is beingtoutedasa panacea
orthe"G-Shot,"
knownas G-spotamplification,
couldbedangerous.
saytheprocedure
life;however,manyin themedicalcommunity
to the
appliesa smallamountof localanesthetic
Duringa 30-minuteofficevisit,the physician
G-spot,insertsa needlethroughthevaginaandpumpsa smalldoseof collagenintotheareaintothe
to stimulation.
spot(G-spot),enlargingit, thusmakingit moreaccessible
Grafenburg
mythologized
forwomenwithnormalsexualfunction.
Eachshotcosts$1,850,lastsforfourmonthsandis intended
of E! Entertainment's
gynecologist
in 2001by Dr.DavidMatlock,the LosAngeles-based
Developed
justfouryearslater-a timeframethatworrieshispeers.
Dr.90210fame,theG-Shotbecameavailable
Moretestingisto comeandalthough
Matlockclaimsthatthepilottestshavean87 percentsatisfaction.
is not.
procedure
theinjection
itselfis FDAapproved,
thecollagen
About
of TheGSpot:AndOtherDiscoveries
a G-spotexpertandthe coauthor
Dr.BeverlyWhipple,
withthe rigorof the
becauseshe is unsatisfied
refusesto endorsethe procedure
HumanSexuality,
a studythatfoundthatmanywomen
onit sofar.Whipplepioneered
thathasbeenconducted
research
authorandsexeducatorTristan
shot,
the
of
skeptical
those
For
mentally.
orgasm
reach
are ableto
whena womanis aroused,
swells
naturally
G-spot
"The
foreplay:
of
beauty
the
of
us
reminds
Taormina
Nooneneedsto injectcolfind.
to
easier
thus
and
pronounced
more
becomes
it
andwhenit'sswollen,
Howard
Emily
G-spot."
their
find
to
vagina
lagenin their
221 curve
LIGHTUPYOURLIFE
Autumn'ssunshineis fading
fastandyoumightalready
befeelingthe onsetof the
winterblues.Butwhylet
thechangingseasonsget
youdownin thedumps?Theonlinenatural
hasa hostof lamps
livingstoreGaiam.com,
andlightboxesmeantto wardoff Seasonal
AffectiveDisorder-akaSAD.Theycanalsorestoreyourbody'snaturalsleeppatterns,reduce
wrinklesandacneor just easeyouintowaking.
Lightbox($239)usesblue-red
TheClearWave
lighttherapyto treatacne.Justnineminutes
LightTherapy
a daywiththe DeepPenetrating
Device($369)will treatminorachesand
painsandpreventwrinkleswith infraredlight.
TheHappyliteMini($110)simulatesnatural
sunshinein yourofficewithoutthe nastyUV
rays.ButmyfavoriteGaiambuyis the Riseand
ShineLamp($199),whichofferstimed,Natural
Spectrum®light.It mimicsdaylight,slowly
the room,whileincreasingnature
brightening
soundsto wakeyouwithoutthejar of an alarm.
It alsoincludesa radioandan alarmclock.Oh,
andonebulblasts2,000hours.Sleeponthat.
-DAM
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Is Open Marriagefor You?
Jenny Block recounts her personal experience with
open marriage in Open: Love, Sex, & Life in an
Open Marriage, and challenges readers to rethink
their definition of a healthy marriage. In doing so,
Block-who
has a long-term female partner and a
husband-tackles
issues like fidelity, honesty and
sexual orientation. -Diane
Anderson-Minshall
ing scenario that doesn't.
In your own situation, how could you tell it
was about wanting to be open with a man
versus actually being a closeted lesbian?
I guess I'll never really know. I feel like I would be
lying ifl said unequivocally that I am not a closeted lesbian simply enjoying heterosexual privilege.
They say we can never truly know ourselves. But
How can you tell if your relationship can withstand being open?
I try. And what I do know is
Being in an open relationship requires
I love my girlfriend
a lot of communication and honesty.
have enjoyed sex with men
It also requires a solid relationship.
and women since my 20s
when I "discovered" what I
that I love my husband and
It's hard to know whether an open
and I
marriage will work for you. It's easier
call my bisexuality, for lack
to know when it won't. If either of you
of a better word. I long for
is a jealous person, if discussing your
relationship is not a priority, if things
aren't
are rocky between the two of you or
[people] accept and respect
the day when the definitions
if you really just want to leave your
partner-
I can tell you for certain that opening
your relationship will not be a good idea. For better
or for worse, being open is something you have to
try before you can figure out if it's for you. The trick
so necessary-when
one another
for who they
are, not who they love.
If you have a partnership with a man and a
woman, how do you keep from being invis-
is to do it in increments and talk through every step
in the hope that neither of you will pass the point of
no return and wish you could go back in time.
ible in queer spaces?
It isn't easy. But I write several times a week from a
gay coffee shop in the heart of the Dallas "gayborhood:' I attend a number of LGBTQ fundraisers
Should you tell your parents, friends or kids?
That is such a personal decision. I find it hard not
and events throughout the year withJemma. And I
write for the Dallas Voice and Edge Dallas, as well as
to tell certain people and find it quite easy to simply
not mention it to others. It really depends on two
things-how "out" you want to be and how pre-
any other LGBTQ publications that will have me.
So far, everyone I have encountered has been incred-
pared you are for whatever the reactions might be. I
in a group that experiences prejudice that can make
people think twice about being prejudiced against
have told my family, and my girlfriend has told hers.
And I've even had a discussion about it with my
mother-in-law, who responded by saying,"Everyone
others. Not always, of course. But generally, my
experience has been positive.
a number of relationships
my girlfriend and if people ask, I explain.
past-casual
In terms of telling kids, for us it's a matter of
Our daughter has not con-
nected all the sex, marriage, love and relationship
dots, and so telling her would simply not compute
at this point. But when she asks pointed questions like, "Do you love Jemma as much as you love
Daddy?" I tell her the truth: "Yes. I do:' And when
the "big" question comes, we plan to tell her that
different people love in different ways, and that
Mommy and Daddy don't see love as a limited
commodity. I don't doubt that it will present challenges in the future. But I don't know any parent-
LOVE
& DESIRE
ERUPT
FORTHEFIRST
TIME.
ibly accepting. I think there's something about being
has to live their own life:' We don't lie about it, but
we don't announce it either. I introduce Jemma as
age appropriateness.
Paris...
Summer
...
But the point is, I am queer. I have been in
with women in the
and otherwise. Now, I am in a rela-
tionship with a woman who I've been seeing for
over a year and a half. I make myself visible by not
hiding my relationship with Jemma and by being
a part of the queer community-both
where I live
and when I am away from home. Writing about my
experiences ... is another way I put myself out there.
I'm not hiding. But I also don't believe in making
people uncomfortable for the sake of making them
uncomfortable. I want understanding-for
all
kinds of people, in all kinds of relationships-not
controversy that simply leads to more separation
and segregation.
November 2008
I 23
Advice
Astra Grrl
Fall Delights
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:Whisper sweet nothings in her ear
and she will follow you anywhere ... except
to the dentist. Don't oyer-ask. Career:
Money flows like water this November. Is
your glass half empty or half full?
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:Spoil her with lavish gifts or search
for a new paramour in the "meet" market.
Go on a spending spree. Career:You are
given a rare opportunity to chart your
own professional course. Take a chance,
but also pack a compass.
Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:This November you are thrown into the social rice, practice, practice. Career:Dramatic upheavals
pool. When in doubt, do the breast stroke. Career: turn out to be very good in the long term. However,
Caps maneuver stealthily and successfullybehind the
scenes at work. Take control of the corporation later.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:You have a guardian angel who tips you off to
the less you do to instigate them, the better.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Crabs bring the water cooler to a boil with
others' plots and machinations. Surprise her with a
Share your ideas with the
plan of your own. Career:
their wandering eye. Will your trysts on the job
lead to romance or just another case of clit cha.tr
Career:You appear to be very industrious, but if
right people. This will catapult you to new professional heights, or at least a better office.
you put a little sugar in your morning coffee you'll
receive more of the perks.
Leo (July 24-Aug. 23)
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:A healthier lifestyle has unexpected benefits.
Sex:One of your gal pals is interested in a deeper
relationship. Will youjump in over your head? Career: Not only do you feel great, you look great. Career:
Now is the time to make significant progress along
your professional path. Don't take"no" for an answer.
The powers that be adore you. See how much you
can take advantage of their nai:vete.
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:Rams might find love with a proper stranger
this November. Or an improper one. Career:Your
Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Join the festivities any way you can this
corporate climb becomes a sprint. Will you jostle
your opponents on your way up? Not if you manage both the ups and the downs.
tempted to find ways to work less and play more,
but try to continue to make an honest effort.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Crank up your charm to high voltage-there is
something about you that drives the ladies wild all
Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23)
Sex:Libras are hungry for love. Nibble your way
through the tasting menu. Career:You feel the
through November. Then, package your lightning and
need to say what you mean to your bosses. Say it
out of earshot.
A promotion is possible as
giftit in December. Career:
your intuition pays off on the job. And having compromising photographs of the boss will help, too.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:Are you the perfect lovergrrlr If not, then prac-
24 I curve
November. Virgins attract a bevy of lovelies.
How many hearts will you break? Career:You are
AstrologerCharleneLichtensteinis the authorof Herscopes: A Guide to Astrology
for Lesbians. To see what else is in your
stars,visitthestarryeye.com.
Relationships Advice
Ten Lessons on Lesbian Life
Surviving the queer community-in
and out of bed. I By Lynn Breedlove
We were once so grateful to be among the three lesbians in town that if someone got drunk and banged someone else's girlfriend, we had no choice but to
get over it. We couldn't afford boundaries, with only three of us playing musical
beds. Hurt feelings were solved with booze, sarcasm and vengeance.
In the age of the Web, with the closet a thing of the past, we can afford to
act out freely, burn bridges and choose from an unlimited dyke supply. There is
always another chick where that one came from.
It's even better, though, to thrive in today's burgeoning community by using
the following guidelines for getting laid and keeping pals.
Step8: Admitscrewups.
You're rarely wrong. When you are, endearingly and disarmingly concede that
you blew it, you're sorry and you won't do it again. See steps 1 through 7 to
ensure that you don't.
Step9: NoflamingontheWeb.
Communicate directly or avoid whatever doesn't blow your skirt up. Web hostility outs you as no-talent, unemployed and mean. You'll never get laid. Even if
you're hiding behind your Xena avatar, you're destroying something that took
decades to build.
Step1:Askandtell.
"Can I date your ex? Touch you there? What's your safe word? I'm poly: don't
expect marriage. I break out the chainsaw for sideways looking. I'm carrying a
torch for the babe whose name is tatted on my arm:'
Step2: Beresponsible
foryouractions.
"Oops, I forgot to tell you, Madonna's Eroticatriggers my multiple-personality
syndrome. I'm sorry, I didn't know gerbil play was off-limits. Aftercare time:'
Step3: Mindyourownbusiness
andhaveyourownbusiness
to mind.
If somebody's choices bother you, ask yourself what freaks you out about her
naked peanut butter penchant. Keep the focus on yourself Rock out, blog, DJ.
And park your ambulance. Rescue orphan Yorkies, not the local drunk.
Step4: Knowthyself.
Explore weaknesses and strengths. This leads to
knowing and expressing what you want, which prevents others from having to mind-read, a skill most
humans have not perfected.
Step5: Gettherapy.
Anyone can use a year to root out childhood damage. Carry your own emotional baggage. When you
get tired of bickering with sweety-chick, get couples
counseling. You may break up, but you'll learn loads
about your next ex-wife.
Step6: Havea supportnetwork.
Three close friends are plenty to share entertainment and emotional breakdowns. Stay in touch for
preventive tuneups, and rotate to avoid death by
boredom.
z
ti
{_)
<'.§
§
i
a: {_)
Step7: Google
a hotline.
If it's no longer fun, seems necessary to sanity but in
fact makes you crazy, check on it: Have you replaced
your '80s coke compulsion with shopping, food,
smokes, sex, the Net or poonjug? Your MySpace
a: page is perfect. Now go outside and play.
Step10:Createcommunity
in yourownimage.
Start a monthly dance club, open mic or L Word night for yelling, popcorn
throwing and fresh-meat trolling.
If you're bored, don't make a scene. Build one. You'll find no time for sexing your best friend's ex or posting snarly Craigslist comments, and you'll be
extra lovable.
Communicatedirectlyor avoidwhatever
doesn't blowyourskirtup. Web hostility
outs you as no-talent,unemployedand
mean. You'llneverget laid.
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
This Feels Awful. It Must Be Love.
Recognizing true love is more about knowing what it's not than knowing what it is.
For those of you who want more information, I can only tell you what is not
As I sat in the back seat of a rust-andprimer-splotched Trans Am, watching
true love.
a slasher flick with my date's kid sister
at a drive-in movie theater in Trailer
Anyone who starts a sentence
with, "If you loved me, you would ... "
Village, Ore., I began to suspect that
love had forsaken me once more. On
that wretched evening, my date sat in
is not your true love.
If she has been seen out at a club
within 24 hours after giving you a
speech about needing some space, she
the front seat with the driver, who was
her ex-girlfriend, not incidentally, and
is not the one.
the owner of the battered car. Every few
minutes, their heads would close the
Your life partner will not tell you
how fine her former women were, only
gap between them as they would whisper something, probably not terribly
how fine you are.
Nothing is "wrong" with you, and
if she uses that term then she is wrong
clever, to one another, obstructing the
view for the kid and me. Of course, my
for you.
vision was already blurred by my tiny
tears. I couldn't even explain to myself
Your true love will not take other
women on dates in your car and use
the change in your ashtray to pay for
how I came to such a pitiful fare.
But it got worse. I guess being the
their refreshments.
third wheel while my girlfriend was on
a date in the front seat wasn't humiliating enough. I had to wait a couple of
weeks for her to steal all the money I
Cute nicknames such as "bunny"
and "boo" make a girl feel special, but
any woman who calls you "leather
had in the world ($37) and run off with
Carl, the spotty teenage assistant man-
without hesitation.
face" or "Bigfoot" should be dismissed
You will not have to wait for your
true love to "grow" to love you. If she
has cold you that she might grow co
ager of a fast-food restaurant.
I was a fool for love.
And when I decided that the next
woman of my dreams was worth waiting for-even if it meant waiting for her to bed every woman in the county
prior to seeding down with me-well, you can imagine how that turned out.
I thought I was her port in the storm, bur I turned our to be just the shower
at the rest stop.
Love stinks.
I knew I would never be alone again after my first date with Jennifer. We
went to see DesperatelySeekingSusan and held hands during the entire movie.
After that, it was hot sex and Hunan food three times a week. Who knew that
someone else-the other four days a week?
she was devouring burritos-and
Well, I did, eventually, and declared love off-limits for the rest of my pathetic
little life.
Obviously, that was just one of the many vows I broke.
It has taken me almost 35 years to realize that love doesn't suck. Sure,
I could have reached this conclusion with the help of a therapist, but why
bother when I was just going to hit upon the same truth a few decades later.
love you, then she won't. If you are
telling yourself that she might grow to love you, then she won't.
When you find her, she won't need to keep sleeping with other women to
"keep it interesting:'
Neither one of you will be afraid to commit. You will just do it.
True love does not require a girl to wait up half the night for her woman,
who is out drinking with an old flame. Your Ms. Right will invite you along or
turn down the invitation.
Your special lady will not allow you to hock a kidney on eBay to pay for
her latest obsession. It is sad when women think they need to buy love, but it
is tragic when it works.
Anybody who expects you to find or lose God to be in a relationship is
best left on her own.
Anybody who wants you to gain or lose a pound to be loved should be left
for dead.
As I look back, I cannot believe what has passed for love in my life.
I know I cannot be the only dyke who has confused low self-esteem and
True love means not keeping score of transgressions or apologies.
You won't have to wait for your soul mate to decide whether you are the
one, but should someone make you that generous offer, I suggest you make
desperation with love.
We all know what true love is. If you aren't sure, then it hasn't happened
for you yet. But it will. True love is mutual, it is lasting and it is rewarding.
Selling your antique iron collection to buy her new cold-weather camping
gear is romantic; pawning your graduation ring to buy her meth is not.
26 I curve
the decision for her.
True love is inconvenient. It happens just before you are going to leave the
country or six minutes after your last divorce.
True love is not a turd in gold wrapping paper, but it can be a bar of gold
True love is not bailing out the chickie who wrecked your car in a drunken
rampage. And no, it is not romantic that she used you as one of her three free
phone calls.
with a little poo smeared on it.
If she gives you a speech about how there is always one person in a relationship who is more invested than the other person, that means that you are
the one most invested and she is the "other person:' In any case, women who
There are a lot of terrible things I would be willing to do for my true love,
but she would never want me to do any of them.
Your true love may not dig your interests, but she won't make fun of them
in front of you.
are madly in love do not spout such drivel.
You don't move in with a woman to see how it will work. You are in love
and you end up under the same roof without even realizing that you have
True love makes you do things you have never done before, like clean your
cupboards and cut your toenails before you feel them painfully hitting the
front of your shoes when you walk.
moved in. Eventually, you will give up your place, or the crackhead neighbors
will take it over for you.
True love is not what you pictured. If you are open to true love, then
you do not have a physical type. Your eyes do not know what is best for
your heart. Don't believe me? Then head to a buffet restaurant in Virginia
The woman you want to spend the rest of your life with does not belong to
someone else, or else she will again.
If she is the one for you, she will not waste time pontificating over imperfect timing. Anytime is the right time to fall in love.
True love is not packed with ultimatums, but divorces are.
Your true love will never try to explain the difference between being in
love and merely loving someone. Only people who are not in love give you that
dopey song and dance because they think you will freak out less if they say
they love you in some little crappy way.
One of the best things about being really in love is that the sex is wonderful
even when the sex is not wonderful.
sometime.
True love is not drama. Relationships are work, but love is not.
True love, as I have (I hope) established, is not the least bit stinky. It is also
not cruel, nor is it a load of hooey.
All the silly and sad things we do to ourselves because we fear chat love has
already passed us by make love seem like an impossible mess.
Who hasn't offered up her heart to an unwilling or unworthy recipient?
Not to fret, you got it half right.
Don't blame love; don't blame yourself-just look around and know that if
all these other losers can find love, then surely you can too.
Situated in northeast Alabama's Lookout Mountain,
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MOUNTAINTOP
November 2008
I 27
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
Don't Ask, Don't
Tell, Don't Discuss
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" needs to be an issue this election year.
Since Sept. 11, every congressional and presidential election
has been fraught with discussion about national security issues.
Absent from that discourse, however, has been the status of gay
men and lesbians in the military.
In 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected, he thought a civil
equal rights for gay
rights issue he had campaigned on-granting
be a done deal. But when
men and lesbians in the military-would
Clinton attempted to initiate the change, he was stopped cold by
the Pentagon, the military and Congress.
It wasn't that simple, Clinton was told. There were aspects of
the issue that he, as someone who had never served in the military,
just couldn't understand. Morale would be destroyed. Discipline
would suffer. Plus, queers weren't needed in the military, and they
would make everything unsafe.
The eventual compromise between the president and the
Pentagon looked good on paper: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell;' crafted
by Gen. Colin Powell, purported to protect gay men and lesbians
from harassment while also allowing them to serve unbeknownst
to their fellow servicemen and -women in the military.
DADT meant no one could ask a man or woman enlisting in
the military if he or she was indeed queer. Conversely, enlisted
queers could not reveal their sexual orientation. What DADT
demanded was secrecy: An enlistee could be gay or lesbian but
could not say so or engage in gay or lesbian acts.
DADT also meant the only way the military could investigate
service members was if they declared they were queer or openly
engaged in gay or lesbian behavior.
DADT ultimately created more problems than it solved, however. When she was running for president, Sen. Hillary Clinton
asserted that she would end DADT, if elected. And while Sen.
Barack Obama has a record of avoiding LGBT issues, when he
became the nominee he stated that he would make changes to
DADT, in an effort to gain the gay vote.
Sen. John McCain, however, insisted that DADT remains a
good compromise. McCain argued that whether or not gay men
and lesbians were already serving in the military, any acknowledgment of
them as gay or lesbian would harm morale, particularly in a time of war.
Throughout the presidential campaign, I kept being told by straight people that "gays" should not try to "screw up" this election, the way we did in
2000 and 2004, by bringing up "gay"issues like marriage and the military.
I hate to insert facts into an emotional argument, but queers didn't create
people did
ballot initiatives that would deprive us of our civil rights-straight
that. And while I wish I could say it was just the Republicans, it wasn't. The
Democrats were almost equally culpable then, and still are now.
When will the problems of queers in the military finally be addressed?
And if not by the Democrats, then by whom?
There is no reason why, post-election, Congress cannot act, and with a
Democratic majority, there is no reason why DADT cannot be repealed.
Overturning the ban 1s in the best interest of the country. Two wars are be-
2slcurve
ing waged and a third is-looming, thus it would seem that this is a pressing
issue for all Americans, regardless of election results or culture-wars rhetoric.
Proponents of repealing the policy who are in the military believe it would
that are desperately needbring in tens of thousands of new recruits-recruits
ed by our over-taxed military. In addition, most Americans think DADT has
outlived its usefulness. An ABC News/Washington Post poll taken in August,
before the Democratic and Republican conventions, was succinct: A full 75
percent of Americans are now interested in having DADT repealed.
According to the same poll, that number was just 62 percent prior to the
election in 2004. Whether it is war fatigue or the realization that it really
doesn't matter if G.I. Joe and Jane are queer, Americans are overwhelmingly
supportive of ending DADT, even if the Republican and Democratic hierarchies continue to balk at the prospect.
In June 2008, in a report issued on the 39th anniversary of Stonewall by
the Servicepersons Legal Defense Network and
reported in the New York Times and ocher national media, the number of lesbian and gay service
members ousted from the military is up by nearly
10 percent since 2007.
Even more disturbing, the majority of chose
being ousted from both the Army and the Air
Force are women, which means lesbians are being
targeted under DADT.
disproportionately
counterproductive, but dangerously foolhardy.
Some highly placed members of the military
agree. On Jan. 2, 2007, Gen.John M. Shalikashvili,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Scaff at the time
DADT
went into effect, wrote in a New York
Times op-ed column, "I now believe chat if gay
men and lesbians served openly in the United
States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been
"Womenmake up 15 percentof the armedforces,so
to findthey representnearly50 percentof discharges
underDADT is shocking.Women in particularhavebeen
caughtin the crosshairsof thiscounterproductive
law."
Although women constitute only 14 percent of
the Army and 20 percent of the Air Force, according to a June 2008 report chat was taken directly
from Pentagon statistics, in 2007, 46 percent of
those discharged from the Army were women
and 49 percent of the Air Force discharges were
women. According to the SLDN report, in 2006,
35 percent of the Army discharges and 36 percent
of the Air Force discharges were women.
The SLDN's executive director, Aubrey Sarvis,
issued a statement with the release of the report
saying, "Women make up 15 percent of the armed
forces, so to find they represent nearly 50 percent
of Army and Air Force discharges under 'Don't
Ask, Don't Tell' is shocking. Women in particular
have been caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law:'
Counterproductive
word for DADT.
is certainly an appropriate
In 2001, the United States started the war
in Afghanistan, and in 2003, the United States
invaded Iraq. Since 2006, 800 "mission critical"
troops have been forced out by DADT. In addition, more than 300 language specialists, as well as
55 Arabic specialists, have been discharged under
DADT.
Regardless of one's stance on either the war in
Afghanistan or the war in Iraq, there can be no
question that these men and women were vital to
waging those wars. Discharging them solely on
the basis of their sexual orientation is not merely
stretched chin by our deployments in the Middle
East, and we muse welcome the service of any
American who is willing and able to do the job:'
In July, congressional hearings on DADT produced a range of testimony on both sides of the
issue, with Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) sponsoring a House bill to repeal DADT and Elaine
Donnelly, president of the Center for Military
Readiness, arguing to maintain DADT. According
to Donnelly, the repeal of DADT would mean an
increase in HIV infections and gay rapes.
The July hearings were the first to be held
since DADT was initiated. Ac present, the biggest obstacle co repealing the law is the lack of a
Republican to cosponsor the bill in the Senate.
Democratic senators Ted Kennedy and Clinton
have agreed to cosponsor the bill, but it requires
bipartisan sponsorship and no Republican has
been willing to sign on in the Senate. Rep. Chris
Shays (R-Conn.) has cosponsored the bill in the
House.
There are an estimated 1 million lesbian and
gay veterans in the United States. Shouldn't they
be able to commemorate chis Veteran's Day with
the sure knowledge chat their service has meant
as much to the nation as chat of their heterosexual
peers2
This November marks the 15th anniversary of
DADT. What better way to mark it than to repeal
chis anachronistic, demoralizing, repressive and
discriminatory law.
November 2008
I 29
Remembering
Del Martin
Dorothy (Del) Martin
May 5, 1921-Aug.27, 2008
living history.
They were, even then, in their lively 50s, an
inseparable couple. It seemed that the struggle they
had each waged to be together, as they had been
since 1952, kept them from straying very far from
each other's side. Del and Phyllis seemed to bolster
each ocher, co be partners in the truest sense of the
term, propelling each other forward into successive
I was in college when I first met Del Martin and
Phyllis Lyon in 1974 in San Francisco. I was the
student representative from my college at the
founding conference of the National Women's
Studies Association and it was only my third trip
to San Francisco.
I had read Del and Phyllis' book, Lesbian/
Woman, published in 1972, and was interviewing
them for Amazon Country, the lesbian radio pro,
gram I cohosted in Philadelphia.
It was, for me, an extraordinary event. Not
only were they lesbian icons-they had cofounded
Daughters of Bilitis before I was even born-but
they were the first lesbians I had met who had
been together as an out couple for more than a
few years.
so I curve
Naturally, I was nervous. These women were
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adventures.
ii5
When I saw it on the national news, I thought
it was fitting that their last great socio,political act
as a couple was their June wedding, when same,sex
0
marriage became legal in California.
That interview in 1974 was everything I might
have hoped for. They were charming, funny, ribald
and seemed as thrilled to be meeting me ("We're so
excited that the only lesbian radio program in the
country is interviewing us! And you're so young:')
as I was chem.
Later, I thought they were merely being incred,
ibly kind to a young lesbian,feminisc and budding
historian who was trying to do Mary Daly's bidding
and "dis,cover" lesbian history.
It was 20 years before I saw chem again, also
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It's easy to recount the
in San Francisco. We had coffee and chatted and
it was like seeing my lesbian aunts who lived way
acr~ss the country and I didn't get to visit with often.
Del Martin was 87 when she died of complications from a fractured arm. Phyllis Lyon was at
her side.
This time the interview was for a book I was doing,
rather than a radio program, but being with Del
We hear the word "maverick" a lot these daysalmost as much as we hear the word "hero:' There
and Phyllis again had the same sense of moment to
it as it had that first time.
are precious few mavericks and even fewer heroes.
Del Martin was both. How fortunate I was to have
known her. How fortunate we all are as a com-
I'd spoken to Del on the phone a few times in
the intervening years, requesting quotes for this
or that article I was writing. Del was always the
spokesperson in those phone interviews and she
always had a joke or a wry comment to make. She
always called me "the kid" and always made some
reference to our first meeting. It was tremendously
endearing.
As I got older, I thought about the thousands of
interviews the two must have done over the years.
That Del remembered me, and would announce
to Phyllis that "the kid" was calling, made me feel
incredibly special, because I never ceased to be in
awe of them.
When I became very ill in the 1990s, they sent
me a get-well message and told me I had to get better so I could come and visit them again.
munity to have had her on our side. Brownworth
Victoria A.
political, social and
cultural "firsts"Del and
Phyllis accomplished
together ...They gave
voice to the voiceless
at a time when simply
saying you were a
lesbian was enough
to ruin your life.
I was never able to travel to San Francisco again,
and I hadn't spoken to either of them since their
first wedding, in February 2004.
When I heard that Del had died, I burst
tears. I'm not given to fits of crying, and no
can say that Del Martin did not have a long
extraordinary life. But she was someone who
into
one
and
had
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin became the first
same-sex married couple in San Francisco during a
ceremony performed by Mayor Gavin Newsom on
June 12, 2008 (left); Lyon and Martin circa 1954 at the
Wilton Hotel Sky Room in Long Beach, Calif. (below)
been there throughout my whole lesbian life as this
icon of lesbian feminism and now she was gone.
The sense of loss was palpable.
6'
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It's easy to recount the political, social and cultural "firsts" Del and Phyllis accomplished together.
!Q. Del was tough, funny and wise, and had spent
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the entire 58 years she knew Phyllis making a life
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with her that made a life for the rest of us, by ex0
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Del Martin was an extraordinary woman-courageous and funny in a way that went right to your
gut. It's impossible to overstate her importance to
every lesbian and gay man living in America today.
There are obituaries galore on the Internet about
Del that detail her every achievement. Impressive
achievements they are, too. What those obits can't
express is how much she touched everyone she met
with her warmth and humor.
November 2008
I31
I<i heard it before, dozens of times, and it always sounded diched, exaggerated, perhaps merely the effect of too many sundrenched days lazing on a beach somewhere slightly exotic. But
weeks after I disembarked from the MS Westerdam-a lumbering vessel that took me from Florida to Cozumel, the Cayman
Islands, Turks and Caicos and rhe Bahamas-I was saying it
too: Olivia changed my life.
Olivia, of course, is the one-time record company that, in the
last 35 years, has turned into quite a cool niche-travel firm-and
one of the country's largest lesbian-owned companies. It took
me years to finally take an Olivia cruise and when I did, I went
with as much trepidation as excitement. I anticipated pool parnes packed with 20-year-old bikini bodies or, conversely, being
the youngest person (and the only woman of color) on a shipload of coupled white retirees. Neither was true.
What I did find were nearly 2,000 eager lesbians, ages 18 to
over 80 (believe me, the octogenarians partied harder than GenXers), a nicely diverse group of women and strong programs to
support travelers who were single, or had disabilines or other
differing needs. There was a nny handful of men, too (mostly gay
men who preferred the lesbian crwses to the party boats aimed
at dudes, or trans men who were involved with queer women)
though they were less than 1 percent.
I knew from the first night, when the legendary rock band
Heart came on board to perform-their first time doing so on a
cruise ship-and the Wilson sisters' performance made me rethink my marriage vows, that this tnp would impact me. But I
didn't realize until the end that I'd walk away with a halo of happiness that I'd officially dub the "Oliva Effect:'
No doubt, it's Olivia's ability to create chis effect
that has led the company into new territory this year,
ty:' Not one to shy away from big risks, the founder and face of
Olivia,Judy Dlugacz-who welcomes guests aboard the ship, even
now-jumped in immediately after she saw a condo community
in Arizona that she thought would be perfect for "creating the
Olivia experience.ff
So for the women like me, so taken by the Olivia Effect that
they can't get enough of Olivia's expanded travel options-in
2009, these include a luxury cruise to Tahiti, a riverboat cruise
in Europe, a festival in lxtapa, Mexico, and another Carribbean
cruise to raise money for the Dr. Susan Love FoundationDlugacz has built a little lesbian motherland in Arizona.
"This is a dream come true for me:• she effuses. "It's always
been my desire, from the time we started as a record company,
to create community:'
A bit like a retirement community, but for lesbians of all
ages and stages of life, Olivia's first full-time, land-based community will acrually be a condominium complex in Tucson that
sits on five acres of beautiful landscape with over a dozen threestory residential buildings plus pools, a spa, barbecue pavilions,
a clubhouse and gym. Talking about the units themselves makes
anyone sound like a realtor (full-size washer and dryer! oversize walk-in closets!) and there's no arguing that the new Olivia
community offers homeowners and renters a gay-friendly luxury
resort to live or vacation in. The complex circles a golf course and
dog runs, and is close to great shopping, wilderness hiking and
museums. Even skiing is 30 minutes away in the winter.
Olivia has made purchasing the condos a snap, with banks
and financing companies on hand to make it a one-stop shopping experience for buyers, and setting it up so char women can
buy with a friend or solo.
But for the vast number
of excited lesbians plunking
down $10,000 to reserve one
of the 3 30 units-SO women
did in the first week after
the announcement-Olivia's
new venture in Tucson isn't
about real estate.
Ir rakes what many feminists left behind in the '70swomen's land-and updates the concept for 2009. Ir's a place
where women of all ages and backgrounds can combine modem
living with the things the back-to-the-landers once wanted, like
the ability to make decisions about their own communities.
HI'm going to buy my own (condo] as well;' says Dlugacz,
who states that as CEO she'd never ask other lesbians to do
something she wouldn't. And as the company sets sail into new
territory, Dlugacz is as excited as any of the community's new
owners are.
She, too, still falls victim to the Olivia Effect, so having this
outpost m Tucson will, for her and for lesbians from around the
globe, be a chance to "live Olivia 365 days a
D~lVEN BY PASSION
Food Network star Susan Feniger hits the streets. By BK Loren
to take several years of culinary training
(finally completing her college degree),
which landed her in an alley in L.A. with
a hibachi.
But Feniger-and Milliken-have always had chutzpah. They hauled a trove of
recipes back with them from Mexico, garnered the support of several investorsenough to install a kitchen-and
opened
their own little taco stand in the same
spot on Melrose where Feniger's culinary
career had started. They renamed the restaurant Border Grill and it became one of
the first eateries in America to serve fish
tacos on homemade tortillas.
That little taco stand has now morphed into two Border Grills-one
in
Santa Monica and one in Las Vegas-and
a sister restaurant, Ciudad, in downtown
L.A.
But Feniger is still hooked on street
food. "It's amazing," she says. "Street food
is made right before your eyes, in the moment, while you're talking and laughing
Getting a citation from the Los Angeles Health
Department is not the traditional way to begin
a career as a world-class restaurateur, but Susan
Feniger has never walked a traditional path. In
the 1980s, her first restaurant, City Cafe, was no
more than a divot among the showy storefronts on
Melrose Avenue. With no kitchen and no resources to install one, Feniger took to the streets, setting
up a hibachi in the alley. With that, along with a
broken saute pan, a single hot plate and an espresso maker, she created dishes so delectable that they
won rave reviews from Gourmet magazine and the
Los Angeles Times. She used her early success to
lure her friend and fellow chef Mary Sue Milliken
away from Chicago and out to L.A. Now, they're
business partners and the costars of the series Too
Hot Tamales on the Food Network.
All this early attention also led to the aforementioned visit from the health department, which was
enough to shut the place down. But if it weren't for
the demise of their cafe, Feniger and Milliken might
not have taken off for Mexico, and they might not
have eaten at every outdoor taco stand in every village they visited, and Feniger might not have discovered her lifelong passion for street food.
It's a passion that still drives her today. Her
most recent project-and
her first solo business
venture-has
its origins in her trip to Mexico decades ago. Susan Feniger's new restaurant, Street,
is due to open in L.A. early next year.
You may think that street food is an odd obsession
for a gourmet che£ But more often than not, Feniger
heads to a hot dog stand when she's hungry, rather
than a trendy spot where the food is overdressed.
Feniger's down-to-earth attitude doesn't stop there;
though she's one of the world's finest chefs, she prefers
to be calledjust a "cook:'
Feniger's humbleness might have something to
do with her beginnings. She started her culinary
career as a cafeteria worker when she was in high
school in Toledo, Ohio, but before pursuing it further she dropped out of college, lived in a teepee on
a dairy farm in Vermont and studied as an apprentice cabinetmaker. Then she left all that behind
with the cook. People, culture, connection-these are the ingredients that make
a good meal great, and they're the key ingredients of street food:'
Feniger traveled extensively to find inspiration
for Street. One of her most memorable tours began in Ahmednagar, India, a place she originally
visited when she was first starting out in L.A.
Twenty years after her first trip, she says, "It was
like I'd never left. [My Indian friends and I were]
hanging out a I kitchen, cooking, joking. They
laughed so hard at me because they make these
beautiful buckwheat-flour breads, perfectly thin
and smooth, and I do everything they do, I mean,
exactly, and mine turn out oval and off-shape:'
In India, Feniger found she was usually the
only American gobbling up street food, while all
the other tourists looked on in horror.
Despite the fact that she returned from India
with a wickedly painful parasite that her doctor
and acupuncturist, working in concert, had a hard
time curing, the health concerns of the average
tourist have never crossed Feniger's mind. If she
can make a direct, intimate connection with the
person creating a fabulous tidbit of food, she'll
Driven by Passion continued on page 78
November 2008
I 33
FANTASTIC
LESBIAN RECIPES
Top Chef's hot kitchen mavens share a couple of Thanksgiving Day delights.
Lisa Fernandes and Jennifer Biesty, the sexy women of Bravo's Top Chef,reunite to bring you holiday goodies that include spicy
caramel corn and a bracingly good goat cheese and Brussels sprouts salad. So, skip the canned cranberry sauce and take one of
these treats
to
your family feast.
POPCORN
CARAMEL
CURRIED
SALAD
SPROUTS
BRUSSELS
Forthe salad:
Grove's
2 ouncesagedgoatcheeseperperson(Cypress
workswell)
2 poundsBrusselssprouts
2 cupsgoodham,mediumdice(I useHobbsApplewood)
2 cupsSierraBeautyapples,mediumdice,unpeeled
choppedparsley
2 tablespoons
lightlytoastedpinenuts
2 tablespoons
chives,cutthin
1 tablespoon
1/4 cupchervil,cutthin
the heartandouterleavesof the Brussels
Remove
sproutsandseparatethe leaves,leavingthesprout
butit makesthe saladtastebetter.)Saute
whole.(Thisis time-consuming,
vegthe Brusselssproutsin a hot(butnotsmoking!)panwith 2 tablespoons
Addthe hamandappleandwarm
etableoil, untilthey'relightlycarmelized.
through.Addthe parsleyandpinenutsandremovethe panfromthe heat.
Mixin the vinaigretteandsaltandpepperto taste,thenheapon individual
wedgesof the cheesein oil in a separatepanandcarefully
plates.Carmelize
placeontop of thesalads.Drizzleplateswith morevinaigretteandsprinkle
with choppedchivesandchervil.
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1/2 cuplightcornsyrup
1/2 cupbutter
1/2 teaspoonbakingsoda
yellowcurrypaste
1 1/2 tablespoons
Heatthe oil in a mediumto largepoton highheat.Onceit's hotbut notsmokandshakethe pot
ing,addthe kernelsto the pot.Coverwith a lid completely
backandforthuntilyouhearthe kernelsstartpopping.
removefromthepotandplacepopcornin a warm
Oncetheyareall popped,
oven.Inanotherpot,mixthesugar,cornsyrup,butterandcurrypastetogether.
Addthe bakingsoda
Bringto a boilandthensimmerfor about2 to 3 minutes.
andswirlthepanbyhand.Donotusea utensil.Themixturewill bubblea lot.
thepotfromtheheat.Takethepopcornoutof theovenandpourthe
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withparchment
sheettraycovered
BIESTY
DISHWITHJENNIFER
THELATEST
WhenScala'sBistro,an upscaleUnionSquarerestaurantin San
Francisco'sSir FrancisDrakeHotel,went lookingfor a newexecutive
chefto spiceup its menu,guesswho got the call:the tousled-fauxhawk-sportingchefbian,andformer TopChefcontestant,Jennifer
Biesty.
"We'regoingto revampit," sayBiesty."That'skindawhythey
hiredme,to helpbreathenew life intothe restaurant.Andbringmy
"Keepit simple,andtry to
styleto the food."Biesty'sfoodphilosophy,
reallyseekout the freshest,bestingredientsyoucanfind andalways
try somethingnewanddifferent,"is perfectlyin line with Scala's
focuson seasonalingredientsandsimplebut inspireddishes.
Followingher untimelyexitfrom TopChet,Biestyhaskeptbusy
creatingherowncateringcompany,SavageFeasts.Sincestarting
her newroleat Scala's,Feastshasbeenin a "dormant"phasebut,
for a luckyfew,sheis availableto planmenusandattendevents.So,
howmuchdoesit costto haveJenBiestycateryourevent?"A lot of
money,"Biestylaughs.She'swortheverypenny,no doubt.
Forthe restof us,thereis alwaysdinnerat Scala's.Biestywill
alsobe involvedin planningmenusfor the Sir FrancisDrake's
otherrestaurant,the StarlightRoom,as well as banquetsandroom
service."It's a bigjob,"shesays.As for hersignaturedishesat
the Drake,we'll haveto wait until sheunveilsthe new menu.For
now,Biestyis beingcoy,saying,"I'm goingto keepthat oneup
my sleeve."
whenit comesto this chef'splansfor the holidays,
However,
sheis a bit moreforthcoming."I'll be workingfor sure... I'll probablycookhundredsof turkeysfor Thanksgiving-andthen I'll go
out for sushi."- RachelShatto
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D.C.'S FOOD WA~~lO~
Ten things you must know about chef Gillian
Clark. By Emily Howard
Over a decade ago, equipped solely with her
uncompromising conviction, chef Gillian Clark
began her life anew. The divorced single mother of
two fought her way through culinary school and
up the ranks of the restaurant industry to become
one of the best chefs in Washington D.C. Clark
is a food warrior. Her mission: to remake classic
American cuisine. Her audience: every person
she can get into her northwest D.C. restaurant,
Colorado Kitchen. She's spent years in the kitchen
perfecting thousands of plates, and here are some
of her other accomplishments that will make you
go gaga for Gillian Clark.
She's a single mom.Her daughters, Magalee
and Sian, are consistent sources of strength. Clark
kept from worrying too much about the details
in life because of the girls. "Nothing ever seemed
to faze them:' Now teenagers, they aren't exempt
from the occasional eye-roll, but, overall, she sees
the two as her role models because of their prodigious resilience.
She runs a hot kitchen.Clark's fried chicken
was named D.C:s "Best of 2008" by the weekly
Washington City Paper. Her dishes have also
been spotlighted on the Food Network, and in
the Washington Post and the New York Times. All
this acclaim has come out of a very small space.
"The kitchen just fits a six-burner stove and two
fryers, with a small table by the step-in cooler;'
Clark laughs. Everything is very visible in her
open kitchen: No doors, walls or machines stand
between her and her customers while she makes
meals from scratch.
She wrote a memoir.Out of the Frying Pan: A
Chef's Memoir of Hot Kitchens, Single Motherhood,
and the Family Meal (Thomas Dunne Books) was
published in 2007. Frank and insightful, Clark not
only gets personal about life in some ofD.C:s most
famous kitchens, but also throws in 45 of her own
recipes. The profound persistence she brings to her
of us, Clark was outed. "My daughters
did the honors [of outing me] to my
parents years ago. They were staying
at my parents' house, and, I guess, they
were just filling my mother in on my
life. It's not really something you can
keep under wraps when you have two
young children:'
She loves donuts.Seeing donuts
as "the quintessential early morning
food" is a stretch for most healthconscious foodies. But Clark is determined to revamp what she considers
the "manufactured donut;' altering the
recipe to make it more coffee-friendly.
The Homer Simpsons of the world
will thank you, Gillian!
She mixesbusinesswith pleasure.
A tone of tenacity underlines Clark's
voice and it is this quality that she seeks to balance out in her relationship. Her girlfriend and
business partner, Robin Smith, has her hands full
with Clark as the couple are together 24/7. Clark
warns other business partner-lover relationships
to proceed with caution, saying, "You have to have
a partner who isn't intimidated by you. And I have
a pretty big personality:'
She'snot a peoplepleaser.Clark's May 2003
letter to the Washington Post food critic Tom
Sietsema stirred a debate over the saying, "The
customer is always right:' Her basic argument is
that every chef has a standard, and if a customer
knows it, yet expects the chef to rise above or sink
below it, they're asking for a letdown. Responses
from outside and within the cooking community
ran the gamut, but Clark is unfazed and continues
to cook her meatloaf her way.
As if running a successful
She'smultitalented.
work is her mantra.
restaurant weren't enough to exhaust her creativity, Clark also contributes to National Public Radio
and writes short fiction, occasionally using her cus-
She has a coming-outstory.Clark's all about
tomers as inspiration.
reinventing herself. She's a consultant-turned-chef
and came out as a lesbian in her late 30s. Like many
36 I curve
Shedidn'teat a potatountilshewas 16. Clark
is a first-generation American. Her parents emigrated from Panama, where rice is the main staple
food. They settled in a Jewish community on Long
Island and the family of seven was introduced to
a new diet. Not only does Clark profess to know
just what a decent pickle should taste like, she has
matzo ball soup, knishes and latkes on her menu.
"Food is the manifestation of the traditions and
culture of every family;' Clark says.
She'shumble.All the attention from food critics
and the national media hasn't swollen her ego. After
five years in the restaurant business, Gillian Clark
continues to cook waffies for brunch, eat Sunday
dinner with her daughters and challenge herself
against her own standards. She had strong women
mentors early on in her career who instilled in her
a love of fresh ingredients. Now she has a seasonby-season repertoire that's hard to duplicate in our
fast-food culture. Her favorite summer ingredient
is white corn. "I can steam some, put butter on it
and eat it like that. Or fry it, scrape it off the cob
with a grater, add buttermilk, eggs and flour for
corn fritters. I can roast it, cut it off the cob and
puree it with a bit of onion and white wine for a
nice white corn chowder:' Looks like Clark has
become the strong, innovate mentor now.
LET'SD~lNK TO THIS
Award-winning wine writer Natalie Maclean recommends
the perfect sip for any occasion. By Catherine Plato
"I have to confess, much as I'm drawn to its nuances, I wouldn't be writing about wine if it weren't for
the buzz;' says wine writer Natalie MacLean in the
introduction to her newest book, Red, White, and
Drnnk All Over:A Wine-SoakedJourneyfrom Grape
to Glass.She continues: 'Tm sure ocher wine writers feel the same way; and yet, when I read about
wine, I often get the odd impression chat it has no
alcohol in it:'
Though she's about as sensitive to her wines as
the average parent is to her children, MacLean still
manages to tackle this seemingly snobby, daunting
and inaccessible subject with a lighthearted sense of
humor that other wine writers sorely lack. Poetic
but still down-to-earth, MacLean's writing is as
addictive as her subject itself.
Her journey in pursuit of great wine began with
an introductory wine appreciation course, and has
since brought her to vineyards around the world,
as well as to the World Food Media Awards, where
she recently earned the esteemed title World's Best
Drink Writer.
Though she professes to have
only minimal skills in the kitch-
en, MacLean is brilliant when it comes to matching wine with food-even food you might never
imagine having with wine. On her website, nacaliemaclean.com, she suggests matches for such oddities as nachos (zinfandel), bacon and eggs (semidry
sauterne), Rice Krispies squares (off-dry Riesling)
and Oreos (vintage port). However, my personal
drinking habits usually correspond more to what's
happening in my psyche than on my palate. I had to
wonder: What wine goes best with a broken heart?
A bad day? A celebration? Luckily, MacLean had
the answers to all these pairings as well.
Tryingto seducea newwoman:
Pinot noir: the romantic grape. It's so
difficult to grow and make, but is seductively sublime when it works. I love chose
from New Zealand, such as Kim Crawford.
Meetingyourgirlfriend's
familyforthefirsttime:
Try a medium-bodied wine chat will appeal to many
palaces-one without too much oak, tannin or alcohol.
I call these switch-hitter wines, as they go both ways,
food-wise. They're good with meat, chicken, pasta, etc.
For example, a California merlot from Beringer.
Celebrating
victorywhengay
marriageis legalin California:
Nursing
a
brokenheart:
Definitely a blended wine
here, like a shiraz-cabernet
Banyuls and
tawny port are the
perfect self-indulgent,
poor-little-me wines. They drink well
with chocolate and most desserts, even
a pint of Haagen-Dazs.
from Australia: lots of fleshy
fruit from the shiraz, with
newfound structure and support from the cab-just like
legally sanctioned love.
Relaxing
aftera harddayat work:
Pick a wine you can sip slowly, like a German
Riesling: low in alcohol but high in flavor, so
you won't pass out on the sofa at 7 p.m.
Coming
outto yourfamily:
Try a wine from an overlooked or
undiscovered region, such as an
Argentinean malbec or a South African
shiraz. Your family will be pleasantly
surprised at how palatable both the wine
and the news can be.
Tellinga womanit's over:
Any high-alcohol wine with a bitter tnish will
do: Italian amarone is probably best. And skip the
Riedel glassware in this situation-a tumbler or
shot glass is optimal.
FIVE WINE
BA~S FO~ THE WOMEN
Shakespeare wrote, "Good wine needs no bush." We know better. By Colleen M. Lee
Pabst Blue Ribbon might still be the dyke drink
on tap in some cities, but just as The L Word did
for lesbian fashion, a crop of women-owned wine
bars are subverting our beverages of choice. We
now see our sisters drinking a sauvignon blanc in
a quiet corner, discussing whether the next bottle
should be a merlot or a pinot noir, while snacking
on a plate of olives, cheese and smoked fish. The
most exciting trend emerging: the ascension of the
lesbian-owned wine bar. With subtle reds, spicy
whites and fruity roses swirling on our palates and
in our minds, curve brings you our five favorite
women-owned wine bars.
CA V, probably at the top
1. GAVBar,SanFrancisco:
2. Cafe Barbette,Minneapolis:Barbette serves
it is popular with all the darlings of urban hipness,
make no mistake-on any given night you will see
lots of lesbians in power suits sipping an understated chardonnay or a silky sauvignon blanc, and
Bartmann adds that she "focuses on biodynamic,
sustainable and organic farming practices for wine
and for food. Customers know that we're serious
about environmental issues:• Regarding the growing number of lesbians switching from beer to wine,
of any list of wine bars, is owned and operated by
Pamela Busch, a native New Yorker who brought
New York urban swank to the Bay Area. Although
munching on a fabulous appetizer or entree-but
you won't be able to order tuna tartar. Busch says,
vehemently, "Everyone has tuna tartar on their
menus:• Features: weekly and monthly wine flights
and a taster's club.
organic and local products whenever possiblethe menu includes Minnesotan artisanal cheeses
and eggs from Schultz Organic Farm. Owner Kim
Bartmann says, "Women are turning toward wine
as a 'healthier' form of drinking. Especially when
women are getting a little older, say, late 30s on.
We tend to not be able to get rid of that beer belly
quite as easily:' Features: open seven days a week for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. Tini Wine Bar, Brooklyn,N.Y.:Located a few
blocks from the water, Tini offers mostly European
a few from Oregon making the cutand a typical wine bar snack menu. Co-owner
wines-with
Leisah Swenson has noticed the growing numbers
oflesbian wine-lovers and says it's simple: "Lesbians
are stepping up their chic factor in many ways, from
their clothing to their palates. Not just the gay boys
can lay claim to ultrahipness these days. The girls
are knocking it out of the park more often than not
on the cool front:' Features: displays and sells local
art, giving the artists 100 percent of their revenues.
4. Joie de Vine, Chicago:Owned
by Lori
Petrushkevich and Sandy Northrup, Joie de
Vine earned its popularity through word of
mouth-it doesn't even have a website. The bar is
unique because "it offers a comfortable environment for sophisticated lesbians;' says Northrup.
38
I curve
,
8 OF OUR.. FAVOR..ITE~IR..L CLUBS
"\\'~men love the bar because the staff is friendly and sexy, and make an effort to engage with
the customers:' It's a great place for a first date. A
$105 bottle of Hanzell Vineyards Chardonnay
and a flatbread pizza with apples, Brie, goat
cheese and glazed walnuts is sure to impress.
Features: an indoor space, a great outdoor patio
and a Nintendo Wii.
5. VerveWineBar& Cellar,Seattle:Owner Kate
Bond, who mentions that she "lives alone, drives
a truck and has a dog," creates a welcoming
atmosphere for the lesbian wine-lover and food
connoisseur. Verve's menu is more extensive
than that of the average wine bar, with highlights like bacon and leek flan and wild boar tenderloin, and the wine-list is extensive, featuring
wines from all over the world-from Austria to
the Yakima Valley. Features: a weekly Tuesday
evening wine tasting, during which all the inventory is 10 percent off.
HIPCHICKSDOWINE
Theurbanwinery HipChicksDoWinein
Portland,Ore.,is not exactlya wine bar
per se,but it is locatedin a repurposed
warehousein downtownPortland,and
focuseson includingGenerationX customersin the sometimessnootypastime
of wine tasting.Partnersin wine and life
LaurieLewisand ReneeNeely"purchase
grapesfrom vineyardslocatedthroughout OregonandWashingtonand do all of
the crushing,fermentation,blendingand
bottling."Features:Thetasting roomis
opensevendaysa weekandtheir wine
club is opento customers,manyof whom
are queer.
SUEELLEN'S
3014 Throckmorton,
Dallas,Texas
Yougottalovea lesbianbar namedafter a characterfromthe campy'80ssoapoperaDallas.Like
the soap,SueEllen'sbeganin the late '70s,and
is knownfor its sexysettingandabundantdrama.
Thisyearit movedinto gleaming,spaciousdigs,
completewith threestories,multiplebars,the
LipstickLoungeanda state-of-the-artDJbooth
andsoundsystem.SueEllen'sis part cosmopolitan, part country.If yougo,you'll seesomeline
dancing-but it'll be to Jay-Z.- JonannaWidner
T'S BARANDRESTAURANT
5025 NorthClarkSt., Chicago
Thoughyouwouldn'tguessit from the thickly
latheredyellowpainton the exterior,or the
twisty letter on the sign,T's is the long-standing
mainstayof Andersonville,
Chicago'slesbian
'hood.Thefront roomis heavyon gayboys,so
weaveyourwaytowardthe darker-and, um,
friendlier-back room,wherethe girls hangout
and partyup. - Alicia Eler
WILDSIDEWEST
424 CortlandAve.,SanFrancisco
Onthe edgeof SanFrancisco,in the lesbian
outpostof BernalMeights,sits Wild SideWest,a
classicWesternbar,completewith beer-warped
floorboardsand dim lighting.Stepoutside
andyou'll entera gardenoasisteamingwith
artsydykes,bohemianneighborsand enough
instrumemtsto start an impromptuband.A
favoritehangoutfor JanisJoplin in the '60s (she
regularlyhadsexon the pooltable),WildSide
Westis still the preferredspotfor outlawdykes.
- KristinA. Smith
THEMIX ATLOTUS
HOTEL
455 AbbottSt.,Vancouver,
BC
Thenickname,Lick,saysit all. Officially,it's
knownasTheMix in the LotusHotel.Theonly
lezziebar in town,this undergroundnightclubis
wherethe girls go to get their drink on andjam
out to eclecticmusic.- GinaDaggett
SISTERS
1320 ChancellorSt., Philadelphia
Sistershasbeenthe only lesbiannightcluband
restaurantin the Philadelphiaareafor overa
decade.It's got threefloorsof entertainmentoneeachfor billiards,the dancefloor andthe
mainbar and restaurant.There'sa goodmix of
ages,gendersandstyles,includingthe inner-city
hipstersyou'll find hereeveryweekend.
- MarcieBianco
TRUCKSTOPATHERELOUNGE.
696 NorthRobertsonBlvd.,
WestHollywood,
Calif.
OnFridaynightsin WestHollywoodthe interior
of HereLoungeglowspink with neonlightsand
the exposedfleshof the youngandthe sexy.The
TruckStopGirls(FUSEevents'
answerto Coyote
UglYJ
don hot pants,lingerieandstrap-onsbefore
gettingup on the bar andshakingtheir money
makersto '80s popand glamrockfor the hungry
patrons.Likemostplacesin WeHo,there'salways
a line,so arriveearlyanddon't wearflannel.
- MelanyWaltersBeck
THENORTH
STARMUSICCAFE
225 CongressSt., Portland,Maine
Thebottomof MunjoyHill is whereyou'll find
Portland,Maine'slesbianhotspot.There'sno coat
roomor pooltable,no intimidatinglookingbutch
waitingto pounceon youfor your IDandyou will
not be offereda plastictest tube of sticky-sweet
liqueurby a femmefatale in fishnets.Thisplace
is a differentkind of hotspot.OwnersAnnaMaria
Tocciand KimAnderson-one straight,onegayhavecreateda live musicvenue,cafe,javajoint
andcomfortable,well-appointedhangoutthat
welcomeswomenfrom all walksof life and is
opensevendaysa week.- AimselL. Ponti
TOUCH
ATRICH'S
1051 UniversityAve.,SanDiego
ThoughSanDiegono longerhasa dedicated
lesbianbar,the hottestnight is Touchat Rich's,a
packedweeklyeventwith guestcelebritiesand
DJs.- MargieM. Palmer
check out our new look at curvemag.com
She nearly edged out Ellen DeGeneres as America's Funniest
Lesbian-without a daytime talk show or an Emmy.
By Kristin A. Smith
Photography By Tony Donaldson
Photo Assistant: Josephe
I Stylist:
Edgar Revilla
I Hair & Makeup: Andrea
Kerns
In the beginning, there was Suzanne. And she was good. And gay. And out.
As one of che first openly gay comics on che mainstream stage, Suzanne
Westenhoefer paved rhe way for queer comedians around the country. For
nearly 18 years, she's been performing for packed audiences at dubs and on
cruises. She's even opened for Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls. In between
making wedding plans (she and her partner goc hitched in September) and
preparing for a family vacation, she talked with curve about her fear of lakes,
her love of"lezzie" and her groundbreaking experience on The Late Show With
David Letterman.
What's new, Suzanne?
I have to ask you this, because my sister and I are very dose and we were talking about this yesterday and I said I'd ask everybody I talked to. Did you ever
swim in a lake?
Oh heck, yeah. I grew up in Pennsylvania, like you.
So you know, swimming in lakes, it's like there's an eerie feeling chat there's
bodies in rhe bottom. Because if someone drowns in a lake, it's like there's nowhere for them to go. If you think about the ocean, people drown and they go
to Europe or something.
Maybe you grew up a little too close to New Jersey.
Yeah, that's funny. You know, we'll be in a lake by next week because we're going
up to Lake Superior. I chink chat's how all of this started, because we're going
up co"vacation" with my girlfriend's family.
You headlined Dinah Shore last year. What was that like?
I've done it a lot. Ir's perfect. It's like a thousand lezzies in a room. And I usually
do my show on Thursday, when everybody's fresh and vibrant and ready-they
just got there and they're stoked. And it's always a really awesome show. You feel
like you could say anything and they're into it and it's fun. I love it!
"Lezzie" is one of my favorite words, by the way.
"Lezzie" is one of my fav-o-rite words. Ir's actually the cutest word. You know
what else is a cure word? You're going to hear it and laugh because the root
There were comics who were gay, but they weren't out and they were like, "Don't
do it. Don't do ir:• Because they were truly frightened for me. There were very
It was a phenomenal experience, but Letterman was sick. And he's never sick.
So there was a guest host. It was such a big milestone, but the gay community
few people who were like,"Go for it, this is going co be greac:• Mose people were
like, "Oh no, this is going co burr your career. This is going co end up badly:•No
one did it to be mean; everyone did it with goodness in their heart.
didn't leap on it. They were like, "Oh, good for you:• They had no idea how
no one had done it before. So it was a sort of anticlimactic
experience, because I thought it was a huge thing. I thought it would be a break-
Did you ever have any scary experiences as a result of putting yourself
through and 10 other gay comics would get on. It kind of happened and it was
great and I got all this great response from all these straight people. But the gay
word is so difficult. But if you say"cunty;' ir's so cute. Isn't"cunry" oddly cute?
out there like that?
It's sort of endearing.
Noc really. Well, I mean, I did Texas in 1992 at the Improv, and I was pretty
new and there were definitely people who got up and left when I was on stage.
Bue there were just as many people who got up and left because the comedian
after me was a black woman. I walked out and said, 'Tm a gay comic:• I did it
Yeah, I like "lezzie:• I like "fag:•I like all those words. And I know some people
still get offended. But I never grew up having char yelled at me. I look like a
cheerleader. I look like a big girly-girl. That's what I am. If someone cook
offense to me using the word, I would hug them. I'm a big hugger.
Do you think straight people relate to your work?
Definitely. That's my piece of history-I was the first openly gay comic on che
main stage. I used co do this old joke about how queers can't gee married so we
don't get bridal showers. And I would say, It's ridiculous [thar] I've been with
my partner 11 years and we don't have two matching lamps. Ir's not a joke anymore because things have changed, and isn't chat great, bur to do that in front
of straight people, it wasn't like it was their life, bur it was more like they hadn't
thought of it, and it was funny for that reason.
What was it like to be the only out gay comic in the mainstream?
It's weird now because it was different when I scarred, almost 18 years ago.
42
I curve
on purpose. That was my activism. You could wait, and warm up the audience,
which is what most people do. It's probably smarter, but it's not my style. I'm
the kind of person, if I'm talking to you at the bank and I never met you before,
in like, 10 seconds I'm going co ask you how much you get paid a year. I don't
think, "Oh, that's inappropriate:• It just comes our of me.
Having no filter-does
that get you into trouble?
Oh my God! Uh, weekly! But I'm not unwilling to apologize if I've truly hurt
someone's feelings. I've never been like that. I'm not like, "Hey, that's my art, you
hard it was-how
community, I don't know, maybe they don't actually watch Letterman.
Where do you get the inspiration for your material?
Well, let's look at it. You called and because my sister and I are talking about
dead people in a lake, chat's what I'm talking about. So, I guarantee you, or
there's a 90 percent chance, that when I get up on stage in a couple of nights, I'm
going to talk about dead people in a lake, because it's on my mind. I might not
talk about it again. It might be very funny or it might just fly right over. Or it
could be something where I'm doing it for a year. Thar's how the show evolves.
I don't write. I don't know how to. I don't sit and write jokes. I've not sat and
written a joke for myself ever. I don't know how I would even do chat.
What's coming up for you in the near future?
You were the first gay comedian on The Late Show With David Letter-
For some reason, everybody I'm involved with, like my agent and my girlfriend and another friend of mine, are all bugging me to write a book. I'm
like, "Oh my God, they all have the same freaking idea:' I swear, they went
man. What was that like?
behind my back.
just have to fucking deal with ic:•
Kate Clintonlooksback, ahead and sidewaysat a worldshe'shelped
to changethroughhumor.By KelliDunham
You can't talk about lesbian comedy without showcasing its grand dame, Kate Clinton. Her stage
persona is alternately sarcastic and sweet, occasionally maternal, and assuredly and unapologetically
political. Clinton began performing in 1981 ("the
same year Reagan began performing his comedy;'
she quips). Over 25 years later, she's still on the
road. Her 25th anniversary tour is currently playing on Logo. At age 60, she's still got plenty to say.
Besides touring, you just released a new CD,
you're blogging on at least three different
sites and you have a video blog on AfterEllen.
Do you consume your own weight in espresso
every day?
one who came of age during second-wave
feminism has done this. Did it take you
some time and some work to come to
these conclusions?
Yes, I would definitely say that. My first reaction-especially in young women transitioning,
becoming FTMs-was, It's so permanent. I felt
like, Get a tattoo and call me later. It also feels
like such an individual action. Instead of making the world safe for butch women, you're
becoming an FTM. I still have a little of that,
but you only have to meet and know someone
who is transitioning and is clearly more comfortable as a man, or clearly more comfortable
as a female. Then you can't argue against it.
[Laughs]Let's see. If I'm on a schedule, I'm OK. I
know on Monday and Thursday I have the blogging thing, and then I just write every day. The
to perform in, say, Columbus, Ohio, than in
good thing is, I love what I do. If I were an accountant, it would be different.
majority gay?
Did you see the Saturday Night Live segment
in which guest host Tina Fey spoke supportively of Sen. Hillary Clinton, explaining, "Bitch
is the new black"?
I memorized it! At first, I was worried. I thought, [Fey's] going to go after her,
like everyone else. It really reminded me of the time Sinead O'Connor was on
and tore up a picture of the pope. Maybe not at that level, but it was exciting.
And to have it get airplay!
She really targeted the way misogyny has misinformed the press coverage of Clinton.
I was struck by this again at the debate in Texas where Campbell Brown practically asked Obama out. But when Hillary started, it was interrupt, interrupt,
interrupt. Even in the New York Times they publish dorky pictures of her taken from under her chin and pictures of him being greeted by huge crowds of
adoring people. As a performer-observer, it's been interesting to see the levels
of sexism-well,
really appalling.
One topic on your blog was the work being done around aging in the
LGBT community. Are young and old queers learning how to support
each other?
Well, I think it really requires willingness. I mean Urvashi [Vaid] and I look at
our circle of friends and think, Fuck, we don't have young people in our lives to
mentor, to really say,"Come over;' that kind of thing. I look at my own youth.
I wish I had been nicer to [gay rights activist] Barbara Gittings. Oh God, she
was probably my age now when I was like, "Uh, get out of the way:' But I don't
think it's a gay problem. It's young and old people everywhere.
You support transgender
inclusion in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. Not every-
44
Icurve
Do you find that it's a different experience
New York City, even if both audiences are
I think that after performing for a number of
years I could do a blind test. You could put me
in front of three different cities and I could tell
who they are by their reactions. Columbus,
Ohio, is sort of Germanic, slow to get going,
might not quite trust you, but once they get going they don't stop. New York
is more of a prove-it-to-me vibe. The difference I've noticed over time is that,
sadly, because of 24/7 cable news and just plain old capitalism, there's been a
trend toward homogeneity that has destroyed the distinct flavor.
Of all the women performers in Provincetown, it seems like you attract
the most gender-mixed crowd. Why is that?
The guy who runs the Crown and Anchor came to me before a show recently
and asked,"Are you transitioning? I have never seen so many guys here!" [Laughs]
It has always been a goal of mine to get men in the audience. It's a weird kind of
validation, like if you're seen on television. Also, ultimately, I still remind guys of
their high school English teacher-you know, the one they liked.
You and Urvashi are the original lesbian power duo. What makes your
relationship work?
We never made a huge public thing of our relationship. It puts too much
pressure on it. We are truly a marriage of comedy and tragedy, but I'm never
saying which one I am. The secret is that we have made a commitment to keep
talking and to have fun. It's been 20 years now-but then, some afternoons
seem 20 years long.
On your site, you mentioned a fan who once came up to you after a
show and said, "Kate Clinton! You made me want to fuck again!" Is
comedy sexy?
[Laughs]Oh yes, I think comedy is really sexy. Laughing is very good practice
for sex. And hopefully, with both you have an out-loud
(/)
a:
LU
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a
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a
a
A chronicle of her rise to fame and lesbo fortune. By Rachel Shatto
From small-town Lousiana to the Funniest Lesbian in America, Ellen
DeGeneres' story of fame and glory is one for the ages. We take a look back
at her humble beginnings, her meteoric rise, her remarkable comeback and
all the women in between.
1982:Blondeambition.
EllenwinsShowtime's
FunniestPersonin
Americaawardand
garnersnationalattention.
1989:Ellenon the
boobtube.Ellen
landsthe roleof
MargoVanMeter,
the quirkyreceptionist on OpenHouse.
January1997:
Ellengracesour
coverfor the
first time.Frustrated
lesbiansandcurve
ask,"Willthe Real
EllenPleaseStand
Up!"meremonths
beforeEllen'spublic
outing.
Jan.26, 1958:A lesbian
iconIs born.EllenDeGeneres
is bornto ElliotandBetty
DeGeneres
in Metairie,La.
1981:Ellentakesthe mlc.Ellen
beginsemceeingat Clyde'sComedy
Clubin NewOrleans.
Nov.28, 1986:A comic,a couchanda phonecall to
God.Ellen(rockinga fiercefem-mullet)appearson The
TonightShowandis the first femalecomedianto be
calledfor the covetedchaton JohnnyCarson'scouch.
1994:lbe landmarkshow
begins.Ellenenjoyshugesuccessandthe program
earnsEllenfour Best
ActressEmmynoms,a
writingEmmyandthree
GoldenGlobenoms.
1996:Lastheterogasp. Ellen
starsin the film Mr.WrongalongsideBill Pullman.Thisboxoffice
flop garnersEllena Razzienom
andsentgaydarspingingat max
volume.
April14, 1997:Ellen'swatershed
moment-part one.Ellencomes
out,proclaiming"Yep,I'm Gay"
onthe coverof Time,makingher
television'sfirst openlygaystar.
April30, 1997:Ellen'swatershedmoment-part deux.Ellen
Morgancomesout in the hour-long
"PuppyEpisode"(ironically,
Ellenlaterhasa second"Puppy
Episode."
See:Iggy-gate).
May6, 1997:TIie goldencouple.
EllenandactorAnneHecheannouncetheir relationship.
July22, 1998:Goodbye,
EllenMorgan.Cancelled,
Ellenairs its last episode.
2000:H theycould
talk, theywouldsay,
Hothot hot! Ellenexecutiveproducesand
costarsin the Golden
Globe-winning
and
lezziefavoriteIf These
WallsCouldTalk2.
Aug.18, 2000:Anne
goesCelestia.Ellen
andAnneHechesplit.
Annegoesbonkerson
the outskirtsof Fresno,
Calif.,andlaterclaims
to be speakingto God
andaliens.
October2000:From
hasbianto Hedison.
Ellenbeginsa relationshipwith Alexandra
Hedison,knownbest
for herroleas Dylan
on TheL Word.
November 2008
I45
Dana Goldberg is comedy's new kid on the block. By
Alicia Eler Photography I By Tony Donaldson
Ever wondered what it'd be like trying to make
"This was a childhood dream and I thought, Why
700 lesbians laugh2 Just ask stand-up comic Dana
not go for it?"
Goldberg, who, six years ago at age 26, found herself on stage crackingjokes-for
high school-at
But Goldberg, who came out to her mom at 18,
the first time since
doesn't want to peg herself as a lesbian comic. "I had
the Lesbians for Change comedy
to decide when I started comedy ifl wanted to be an
event.
out comedian-if
that was going to pigeonhole me;'
"I was so nervous, I could see my heart beat
she says."I think I have a good ability to break down
through my shirt;' Goldberg says. "But when I hit
audiences, whether they're straight or gay. If I'm
my first big joke, I knew that was what I wanted to
funny, the fact that I'm a lesbian is very secondary:'
do for the rest of my career:'
And only a few months ago she quit bartend-
Born and raised in Albuquerque, N.M., the up-
ing, the day job she calls "comedy with alcohol;'
and-coming comic takes inspiration from her own
which she's been doing for nearly 12 years, to fi-
life,poking fun at everything from a hilarious tooth-
nally pursue comedy full-time. On her way to co-
chipping-in-bed experience with her ex-girlfriend
to her Jewish parents' reactions to her career choice.
medic fame, Goldberg says, she plans to not only
break the "big butch lesbian" stereotype but also
Her comedic path began at a senior talent show in
create her own "type:'
high school, where she performed a five-minute
'Tm athletic;' she explains jokingly."Can we have
a category for athletic? I'm a Chapstick lesbian. Not
comedy set.
"I was always the class clown ... but I didn't
a lipstick, not a butch. I'm middle of the road. [But]
touch a stage for years because I had stage fright
if you saw me walk in heels and a dress, I'd look like
and didn't want to speak in public;' Goldberg says.
a drag queen. So I just don't
Purple raglan jacket by K-Swiss (Barney's New York and
kswiss.com), purple Dementia T-shirt by Obvious Clothing {obvious-clothing.com), silver dog tag by Ari Soffer,
Monterey Justin boot jeans by Pierce Jeans. Stylist:
Edgar Revilla. Hair and makeup: Andrea Kerns. Photo
assistant: Josephe.
( ont1 ucd from pa e 4
Sept.24, 2001: TheEllen
Showpremieres.Ellen
playsa lesbiannamed(waitfor it. ..) Ellen.
Poorratingsleadto the show'scancellation after onlythreemonths.
October2001: Ellentalks!Fiveyears
after Ellencomesout on the coverof Time,
contributingwriter LaurieK. Schenden
getsthe covetedfirst curve interview.
Nov.4, 2001:Ellenandthe swandress.
Ellenhoststhe 53rdAnnualEmmyAwards,
followingquicklyon the heelsof Sept.
11,andreceivesa standingovationat the
closeof the ceremony.
June2005:Ellenthe survivor.
Ellenpubliclyrevealsherstepfather'ssexualabusein Allure,in
an effortto helpteenagegirlswho
maybesufferingsimilarabuse.
Sept.18, 2005:TheEmmysroundtwo. Ellenhoststhe
57thAnnualEmmyAwardsto
mixedreviews.
Dec.2004:Dykedramais
big in '04. EllenandPortiade
Rossibegintheir romanceat
a partyfollowingtheVH1Big
in '04 ceremony,bothsplitting
with their respectivepartners
the followingday.
0
I
i
<i:
§
May30, 2003:Hello,
Dory! Ellengivesvoiceto "Dory"in
the Oscar-winning
film FindingNemo,
a partthat directorAndrewStanton
wrotewith her in mind.
Sept.8, 2003:Watchyour
back,Oprah!TheEllen
OeGeneres
Showpremieres.To
date,the showhasearnedEllen
15 DaytimeEmmyAwards.
September2008:Here
comethe brides!Ellen
weds Portiade Rossi
after the lifting of the
ban on same-sexmarriage in California.
Feb.25, 2007:Move
over,BIiiyCrystal.
Ellenhoststhe 79th
AnnualAcademyAwards,
becomingthe first openly
gayor lesbianpersonto
do so. Despitegenerally
negativereviewsEllen
receivesan Emmynod.
Oct.1&,2007:Iggygate.In heropening
monologue,
Ellenbursts
intotearswhile describing a dogadoptiongone
wrong,leadingoverzealousfansto call in and
makethreatsto the
adoptionagency.
November2008: Crowningglory.
Ellenis namedFunniestLesbian
Comicin Americaby drovesof
admiringcurve fans.
November 2008
I 47
SabrinaMatthewstalksaboutstand-up,L.A.and groupies.By ColleenM. Lee
For over 17 years, Sabrina Matthews
has been inducing belly laughs in
adoring lesbian fans. And what's not
to love? Her self-deprecatingly brilliant act on stage is side-splitting and
has brought her not only gay comedy success, but all the way to mainstream attention as a finalist on Last
Comic Standing.
You have
many
been
performing
years-before
Ellen
for
and
Rosie made it big. How did you
get your start in gay comedy?
I started at Josie's Cabaret in San
Francisco. It was the only full-time
gay performance space in the country.
It was a place for gay stand-up comics
to train, and then go out and be out
comics in the rest of the world. A few of us bought so wholeheartedly into
this concept that it stuck with us when we [encountered the attitude], "No, we
No, I never though about it. Once I came out, I never thought about hiding my sexuality, period. I don't walk up to people and say, "Hi, I'm Sabrina
Matthews, a lesbian:' But I do look the stereotypical part. I believe the more
honest you are, the funnier you are.
folks are now
doing gay comedy. Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler can pretend
to be gay and it's widely accepted,
Back to prime time. What does an out lesbian comic like yourself
watch on TV?
CSI. I watch CSI Miami. That is actually the only comedy I watch. Caruso is
hilarious and Emily Procter is so hot. She's been my television fave for a while.
I don't have a type, but she's got that voice and that wry smile.
Tell me a little about the lesbian community in Los Angeles.
I have no idea. Los Angeles happens to be a terrific place to scuba dive. I do a
lot of scuba diving. I am completely mystified by the lesbian community in Los
Angeles and I always have been ...I want to go somewhere where I am interesting and cute, instead of weird and fat.
Everyone is fat in L.A.
[Laughs] I don't understand the lesbian community in Los Angeles. Everything
seems to be so defined ... you're a feminine woman who wants to be with a feminine woman who is exactly like you. I see these couples and I think, What do
they say to each other? I love me and I love me, too? It's so prevalent. And then
there's a lot of very butch-femme couples. I have heard [lesbians say] over and
over in Los Angeles, and it is abhorrent to me, so many women say that butch
on butch couples are disgusting, revolting. I have heard these words used.
I am not particularly into butch women but I am not particularly into
any kind of woman. Like, I totally have butch women, that I think are totally
hot and I'm attracted to. I mean, I like women-short,
mean women.
don't want a gay comic:•
You never thought about hiding your sexuality on stage?
There seems to be a trend toward gay comedy-straight
that they left my gay jokes in.
I take it you don't have a girlfriend.
No. I sleep with people who interest me. I haven't really slept with a lot of
fans or groupies. It's not because I rule it out. I don't tend to sleep with people
who quote my act back at me. I am attracted to women who seem threedimensional. I like conversation and a date. I don't just pull somebody off the
floor and say,"Come back to my hotel room" -that
Do you see the imbalance in the industry?
I see the imbalance; I have no idea why it is.
There are gay characters and gay jokes on television, but gay people are frequently played by
straight people. I just don't know.
On Last Comic Standing, do you feel you
were cut because you appeared too gay?
can't have that.
I don't. I am always surprised by people's
homophobia. There's a certain level of me, a
certain part of me, that always goes, 'Tm gonna
walk in a room, I'm gonna look like a big dyke
and I am going to be treated differently because
I'm a big dyke:• I am being Pollyannaish when
I say that I don't think that's what it was, but I
don't. I was really glad on Last Comic Standing
48
I curve
kind of thing.
but
there are still few very openly gay comics.
A dyke on prime time-we
tall, fat, skinny-I
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By Laurie K. Schenden
We are barely seated in a wooden booth at Mo's, an industry joint in downtown
Burbank, Calif., when Page Hurwitz speaks up.
"It's on me;' she says, eyeballing the menu in the dimly lit restaurant at 9
a.m. on a Monday. It's not that she's showing off her expense account as coexecutive producer of NBC's Last Comic Standing, or rubbing elbows in this
prestigious media district with colleagues from Warner Bros. Studios or the
landmark Tonight Show studio. Rather, the generous gesture stems from remembering her humble beginnings as a struggling stand-up comic and appreciating the good fortune that now has her laughing all the way to the bank.
"I think about it every time I go out to dinner with my comedian friends;'
says Hurwitz, who was raised in a close-knit Jewish family in New York and
got her start at the late, great Josie's Cabaret in San Francisco, the training
ground for Lea DeLaria, Marga Gomez, Karen Williams, Sabrina Matthews
and Margaret Cho.
Thiscomicnewbi is takingthe highroad and lovingit.
By AmandaQurashi
Things are finally starting to take off for comedian Julia Stretch, who is currently traveling with the Dykes of Hazard on her first official tour in the United
States. Based in Vancouver, Stretch started her career just four years ago and
earned her chops in front of Pride Toronto audiences last year. The footage of
the show on her MySpace page captures an up-and-coming performer with a
dynamic sense of self and an empathic connection to her audience.
"Seeing that footage was the first time I thought, Tm a comedian!' " she
admits. After the same footage was posted on the blog Your Daily Lesbian
Moment!, she really felt the impact of her work-for
weeks afterward, her
inbox was crammed with messages from women around the world voicing their
appreciation of her material.
Stretch claims to have sought inspiration from a broad range of legendary
performers, from Phyllis Diller and Carol Channing to contemporary funny
ladies Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho and Ellen DeGeneres. She combines
an innocent enthusiasm with an unabashed sexuality and a razor-sharp wit,
a:
instead of poking fun at ugliness. I try to focus on the sameness that ties people
together while apprecia~ing the differences and doing material that elevates:'
deduce that her journey took more than just luck.
Over an egg-white omelet and fruit, Hurwitz humbly describes her ascent
to power, a rare accomplishment for an out lesbian comic. Remember, both
Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres found job security, then came out.
Undeniably, the girl takes her comedy seriously. She loves a good time, but
Her agent"picked me up;' she says, and got her working. Then Larry Doyle
(of The Simpsonsfame) hired her to bring a female voice to his all-male team,
creating Looney Tunes theatrical shorts for Warner Bros.
she'll exit the party if work beckons the next day. In her early days as a stand-up,
a
series of writing jobs (including humor pieces for magazines and animated
(ij
(/)
shorts for a friend's website) ultimately led to her more lucrative sit-down career.
a
z
::i
Her big break came when the director Ted Demme saw her animated shorts.
iii
ence with her material, she will head back to Canada later this year, but plans to
return to the United States and tour the U.K. in the near future.
One thing that sets Stretch apart from today's sarcastic comics: She believes
that you can be funny without being mean. "I try to bring laughter out in ways
that don't come at a price, makingjokes that get people to see the wonder of life,
"Ted took me under his wing and gave me the 411 on Hollywood;' Hurwitz
recalls. "We ended up selling two things to ABC and Comedy Central:' But
before either project got under way, Demme collapsed and died while playing
basketball.
"He was only 38;' says Hurwitz. "I was devastated:'
to
UJ
to myself and which is unique to me. My responsibility and my job are to entertain the crowd that is in front of me. It is a duty to do the best job I can:'
As a performer who wants to be celebrated for her gay comedy, she's having
a ball playing to almost exclusively gay crowds. Gaining momentum and experi-
As I digest Hurwitz's explanation of how she went from doing stand-up
gigs in Central California farm country for $75 a pop, to wrangling a power
position on the successful Last Comic,selling her own new show (The Comedy
Road Show) to TBS and, for good measure, exercising her comedy chops in a
hysterical stand-up set for the Logo Network, it doesn't take a celebrity judge
'.le:
attracting both straight and gay audiences.
"It's difficult to attribute a lack of success to being gay these days. So many
barriers have come down, and I've rarely had the sense that an audience didn't
like me just because I was gay. I want to do the material that I feel is most true
"I learned so much in that room;' she says. "It was my first staff job ... every
day I'd come home happy:•
Now in her third season with Last ComicStanding,Hurwitz basically runs
the show with her two straight male coexecutive producers-overseeing
casting and production, editing scripts and weeding through contestants before
Paging Television History continued on page 78
?
The gals of the Big Gay SketchShow know how to holdtheirown.
By LaurieK. Schenden
Julie Goldman ducks into a nearby cocktail lounge, drains a glass, tosses back
an olive and ta-da! She pirouettes into the fabulously sequined Super Liza.
Her showstopper of a queer-loving heroine was among the new characters who
leapt into season two of Logo's The Big Gay SketchShow.
This original creation for Logo, from a production team led by Rosie
O'Donnell, is directed by Amanda Bearse, the actor who became famous when
Married With Childrenaired in the '90s on Fox (the groundbreaking network
that few thought would ever survive).
"Here I have an opportunity to make history again with Logo;' says Bearse,
who came out during Married'srun in 1993. She calls all the women of the
BGSS "really wonderful, young, empowered women, who are women to watch
not only because of their talent but because of their intellect and courage:'
Cast member Kate McKinnon adds, ';\ll the crew had their Big Gay Sketch
Showjackets and there were more people around and the production quality is
light-years ahead of what it was last season. We had to test the waters before
we got enough money and attention to really bust it out, and I think we really
bust it out this year:'
McKinnon and Goldman are lesbians; the other two women on the show,
Erica Ash and Nicol Paone, are not. Paone is the only cast member to admit
receiving pictures of women in bikinis since the show debuted. McKinnon
laments, "No one has offered me their underwear or offered to marry me,
which is extremely disappointing:'
Julie Goldman
Julie Goldman is "quick on her feet" and "inventive;' says Bearse. "For somebody
coming from stand-up, she's really got the chops of a well-rounded actor:'
Goldman is still a regular on the New York stand-up circuit. She has graced
the small screen on Bravo, AMC, Plum TV and HBO and has appeared in the
lesbian-themed films Mom and Out at the Wedding.As she talked about season
two on the BGSS, she was lugging her wife's belongings from New York to her
new job with the Forest Service in Washington, D.C.
"She is a presidential management fellow in the Policy Analysis
lezzie;' Goldman says proudly. On and off the show,
Department-very
Goldman is a charming cocktail of fun, sarcasm, clever observation and biting truth. She grew up in Boston, quoting dialogue from Mel Brooks films in
a close, traditional, Jewish home. Performing"is really the only thing I've ever
wanted to do;' she says. "If you look at my report card, it was like, C, C, C, D,
D, and then theater: A:'
"This season, we do some really good sort off-yous to people who've been
cruel to our community;' says Goldman, singling out the eHarmony sketch as an example,
because the dating service "discriminates against
gay people:'
Her versatility as an actor-comic-singer hasn't
kept her from struggling as an out performer.
"Being a lesbian and a comedian and butch, butch-esque, butch-ish was a huge
detriment and a constant fight;' Goldman says. But as more LGBT people spend
bucks for gay-oriented material, "it will keep opening doors, not just for the gay
perspective but the female perspective and the on-the-fringe perspective:'
EricaAsh
"In the old days;' says director Bearse, "Erica Ash is what we'd call a triple threat.
She can sing, she can dance and she can act. And she's funny:'
On tour with The Lion King in the role of Nala since wrapping season two
of The Big Gay SketchShow,Ash says she never expected to be in the spotlight,
but now she wants it all.
'Tm looking at the Oscar, I'm looking at Emmys, I'm looking at Grammys;'
she says, optimistically. 'Td like to make the kind of work that sticks around,
work that people decades from now will compare their work to:'
Ash grew up as an Army brat in Europe. She attended a performing arts
high school for three years, but got B's. Her father, a military chaplain, expected
"all /\s or nothing;' she says. Bound for medical school, she delayed enrolling to
teach in Japan, but then ended up finding work as a backup singer instead.
"I thought I was taking a break to teach English, but when I got there the
contract was completely different;' she says. (Dad didn't find out until later.)
Ash was pounding the pavement when she came across an ad for open auditions for the BGSS. She didn't let her heterosexuality or the fact that she had
never done comedy stop her. Among the characters that she brought to the
table was Grandma Belle, who's become one of her favorite BGSS alter egos.
"I like her because she's this old lady who says whatever she wants and gives
me the freedom to say what I want;' says Ash. Her parents watch the BGSS,
and her mother attends the tapings in New York City.
"The writers, the production team, the cast-everybody has given 100 percent to make it rock out;' she says. 'Tm really proud of what we've done:•
Nicol Paone
Seated in the living room of the Hollywood Hills home she shares with two
roommates, Nicol Paone, a petite brunette with captivating green eyes, is
hardly recognizable as the actor who portrays Alice Kramden of the lesbian
Honeymoonersand the larger-than-life stage veteran Elaine Stritch.
"Wrrronnnng!" barks Paone as Stritch, in her imaginary role as a Wal-Mart
greeter on the BGSS. Stritch, in real life a consummate theater professional,
was among the signature characters in season one.
"Nicol Paone is a wonderful improviser;' says Bearse. "She brought in a lot
of characters. She too has developed as an actor amazingly well:'
Growing up in an Italian family in New Jersey, Paone earned a softball
scholarship to Adelphi University, played semipro soccer in Europe and, by
age 24, hung up her cleats to work as a currency trader on Wall Street. By then
she'd caught the acting bug, so she began studying with the iconic Uta Hagen
and got hooked. She joined the all-female Improvazons in New York City, and
then moved to Los Angeles, where she hooked up with the formerly all-male
Deviants while honing her sketch comedy skills at the Groundlings Theater.
so I curve
Erica Ash
Kate McKinnon
The winning team on the
Big Gay Sketch Show,
season two
Kate McKinnon
"Kate is the baby of the group;' says Bearse. "We found
her on an open call. She hadn't even finished her senior
year at Columbia University:'
McKinnon grew up on Long Island in a household
where "there was always a Mel Brooks movie playing''
and she was obsessed with The X-Files.
"I wanted to be like-and
then I wanted to make
out with-Gillian
Anderson;' she says. She always
intended to be out, but wasn't sure how that would fit
into an on-screen career. "I thought I'd have to be like a
weird lesbian performance artist, relegated to the back
room of a bar. I never envisioned being able to do that
on TV."
As a 23-year-old
newcomer, her performances
are impressively polished and smart. Her portrayal of
Fitzwilliam, a British boy who yearns for a vagina, was
among the breakout characters of the BGSS. In season
two, she also satirizes Sally Field, Melanie Griffith and
Southern chef Paula Deen.
"I love, love, love Ms. Paula Deen;• says McKinnon.
"It was out oflove that I wanted to put her on the show.
But the sketch they wrote is not flattering. I hope she
doesn't see it:'
McKinnon, who's single, lives with a roommate in
south Harlem. During breaks from the BGSS, she's
collaborated with Goldman (check out Commitment
Ceremony, a
YouTube
spoof
about
domestic
partnerships).
"I learned that gay men love to watch tragic middle-aged women;' she says.
"I didn't know about the world of comedy. I wanted to be an actor. But that's
completely changed now. I like it so much better than being in plays. Actors can
"And I love to play tragic, WASP-y, middle-aged women:'
Paone had her first on-screen lesbian smooch in season one of the BGSS
during the "Lesbian Speed-Dating" sketch (she also played a power lesbian
sometimes take their craft and themselves really seriously, and I find that comedians have a ton of passion for what they do without the pomposity:'
in IFC's acclaimed The Minor Accomplishmentsof Jackie
Woodman). In season two, in a Dynasty parody, Paone
makes out with Goldman's character.
"Nicol goes for it;' Goldman says with a laugh. "We all
know that she does:' What Paone really goes for are comedy
sketches that have something to say.
"My favorite sketch will have truth to it and anger
behind it;' she says.
She's also appeared on Punk'd, in the Ben Stiller film
The HeartbreakKid and in EagleEye,with Rosario Dawson.
Nowadays, Paone's dad proudly wears a Big Gay SketchShow
jacket to his Italian club.
"I have such an artistic family. There are people in my
family who wanted to be in show business and no one did
it. But my dad said the cutest thing. He said, 'We did, we
have you:"
The Funniest Former Lesbian
Turns out, a few women on our list don't really consider themselves dykes
anymore. One of the cutest replies from our Funniest Lesbian cast-offs
came from Betsy Salkind, who was thrilled and surprised to find herself on
the list at all. "I guess living with a man now would make me a pretty funny
lesbian indeed," she laughs. Salkind is a "pro-lesbian, radical-feminist,
animal-loving, sarcastic, funny girl who was once an out lesbian comic
who had secret boyfriends. Though when I finally came out to my friends,
apparently, they all knew. And though I had more girlfriends than many lesbians I know, I just always-from age 10-wished I was a lesbian. I'm still
gay for pay, in case there's prize money involved." So funny, we decided
that this pro-lesbian, former-lesbian funny woman deserved an interview
too. Look for it online at curvemag.com.
Vicki Shaw left an 18-year marriage for comedy and lesbians, not necessarily
in that order. By Edie Stull
Vickie Shaw, mother of three and grandmother of one, was the
poster girl for the traditional family-until she came out as a
lesbian, ended her marriage and began performing as a stand~up
comic. Shaw, who grew up in a conservative Southern Baptist
why I went back. But it was my creativity, my voice, it was
just me-I wasn't someone's mom. I wasn't someone's wife. I
wasn't anything but me on stage. The comedy was a catalyst
in my coming out because comedy is really about getting in
family, first tried stand~up at an open mic night after 18 years
of marriage and was hooked. Since then, she's taken her humor
touch with your emotions, and you can't pick and choose
what emotions you get in touch with.
to TV, stand~up venues, women's festivals and Olivia cruises,
usually performing to sold~out shows. She's been featured on
Logo's Wisecrack comedy series, Comedy Central's Premium
Blend, WE Network's The Secret Lives of Women: Late in Life Lesbians and in
the film Laughing Matters ... More. Shaw and her partner of eight years, former
police officer Lori Patch (who fans know as"Sergeant Patch"), recently moved
Was that scary?
Dear Lord, yes! I was in Texas and at the time you could
lose your children in a divorce because you' re gay. I lost all of
my friends. I didn't know any gay people. It was a horribly frightening time.
You talk a lot about your three kids, Sergeant Patch and your granddaughter. How do they feel about being in your routine?
from Illinois to Houston.
It just goes with the territory. The kids didn't really have a choice. It just hap~
Was there anything in your childhood that led you to comedy?
pened. (With] Lori ... I said, "This is my life, this is what I do and if we start
seeing each other, you will be in the act. If you don't think you can handle that,
we can't see each other:'
I was adopted at birth and had a happy childhood, but my parents have abso~
lutely no sense of humor. It's odd that I'd end up being a stand~up comedian!
Has your family accepted that you are a comic and a lesbian?
It certainly was not overnight. I came out 13 or 14 years ago and we've had
our issues, but now my mom and dad are in their 80s. My mother says, 'Tm
proud of you;• and she loves Lori. A couple of months ago, my brother apolo~
gized and said that he had no right to judge anybody. Unbelievable. I think
Armageddon is soon at hand!
How did you get started in stand-up?
I started in Houston. It was not about a career. It was simply so I could tell my
children that I did it. I didn't want to look back and say,"I wish I had just tried
it:' The very first time on stage I completely froze and to this day I don't know
Has anyone been an inspiration to you?
My big inspirations were Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, Richard Pryor, George
Carlin, Bill Cosby ... I'd listen to their albums really, really low in my room,
so my mom couldn't hear it. I didn't know at the time I was actually studying
stand~up ...I thought everybody did that.
Do you think of yourself as a gay activist?
Yes, because I'm not only talking to gay people, I'm talking to straight people.
There is nothing to be ashamed of. We are just fine the way we are and we can
laugh and have a good time. I think we need to keep doing what we're doing.
If someone is not out, they need to be out. It becomes personal-they
someone and then all of a sudden, it's not the same anymore.
PoppyChamplin's
comedicoriginsareprettyfishy.Herfirst gig
wasas a stand-upfish in the cabaretOceanics
whilein college
at the Universityof RhodeIsland."I did a fish shtick,135puns
aboutthe ocean:I washooked.Kelp,kelpis therea sturgeon
in the house?Ooh,that onereallysmelt,"shesays."TheaudiencewasgoingnutsandI lovedthe feelingI wasgettingand
decided,if I canget paidto makepeoplelaughandfeelgood,
andit makesmefeelgoodtoo-that is thejob for me."
FromthereChamplinwentonthe road,hittingseveral
majorcomedyclubsbeforebreakinginto1Vspecialsduringthe
'90s.Herresumeboastssuchgemsas Rosie'sVH1Stand-Up
Spotlight,
A&E'sEveningat thelmprov,OprahandComedy
Central'sStandUpStandUp.ShewasalsovotedAmerica's
FunniestRealWomanon the JoanRiversShowandwasfeaturedon Entertainment
Tonight.
Shetalksabouteverythingfrombrokenrelationships
to alcoholism,
andis the ringleaderof the QueerQueensof
know
Qomedy,
a tourthat hitscitiesfromChicagoto D.C.,working
with fabulouslesbiancomicslike MargaGomez,
JulieGoldman,
KarenWilliams,MimiGonzalez
andSandraValls,amongothers.
Shealsorunsthe ComedyandCocktailsnightandan evening
for indielesbianfilmscalledShowUsYourShortsat GirlBarin
WestHollywood.
Champlin
didn'talwaysworkthe gaycircuit-she started
hercareertryingto makethe straightsroll with laughter."It
wasa big changeanddecision,"shesaysaboutmovingfrom
Chicagoto LosAngelesin 1996andcomingout on stage."I was
afraidto beout andjudged."
Butsheassertsthatshemadethe rightchoiceby comingout
andoverlooks
the genericsignsof comedicsuccess-suchas
gettinga late-nighttalk show.Champlin
looksonthe gayside.
"I bookall myownstuff,"shesaysaboutcontrollingher
career."Andbeinggay,I don'thaveto dealwiththe straightguys
tryingto competefor time."- LeslieSeacristandKatiePeoples
Here She Comes,
Miss Funny Lesbian...
Acceptance speeches you almost missed.
With a name like Tamale, it's hard to avoid the comparison. But this "hot
Tamale" is more than just your average spicy little treat. She's a fashionable lesbian comedian whose performance credits also include gender
bending, fire dancing and American tribal belly dancing.
"Being a performer is a special thing," said Tamale, whose fiery red
hair and glam makeup are her trademarks. "Whether I'm fire dancing or
making people laugh, it's all an incredible rush:'
When it comes to drag comedy, Tamale is the king of experimentation. "Performing drag, or
'kinging: opened up gender
performance for me in a whole
new way. Passing for a man, for
someone who identifies as a high
femme, is a real treat and a total
challenge:'
So, how does a former 4-H
girl who collects Moore goldfish and was once obsessed with
equestrian sciences become a
gender-bending,
fire-dancing
lesbian comedian?
"By realizing she is gay as the
day is long and trying to fight it
until she has no choice but to
jump on stage and laugh about
[it) instead," said Tamale."There
are so many gay equestrians, I'm
shocked there isn't more crossover into the comedic world:'
Being gay certainly doesn't
hurt Tamale's comedic inspiration either.
"Because I am gay I am often
exposed to events and environments that are somewhat unusual and rich
with humor;' she said. "I doubt that I would have been exposed to the gay
leather community in Berlin-rich with humor-if I was still wearing
penny loafers and reading Guideposts-not as funny:•
Aside from all the gay material, Tamale also finds inspiration for her
comedy in her everyday life.
"My favorite things to talk about on stage are things that have really
happened to me. It's amazing to share your life with a crowd who can
laugh along with you at life:'
Tamale's comedic prowess may stand out on stage, but she's got a few
other off-stage talents in her repertoire. By day, she's a freelance makeup
artist for MAC Cosmetics, and she's in grad school at Columbia College
in Chicago, getting an MFA in interdisciplinary arts and media. "But I
always return to the stage for comedy;' she says. - LyndseyD'A.rcangelo
#6 CHANTAL CARRERE
"I feel validated and like, it's about
time! Thank you, curve readers! I'm not
stopping here, either. I plan on ruling
the world with my humor, so stay tuned
for my CD release, I'm Bringin' Funny
Back!, and keep an eye out for my show,
Fruit Cocktail! Look out, America, here
I come with a microphone and a killer
smile! Next goals: HBO and the cover of
this magazine!"
#7 FAITH CHOYCE
"The funniest thing about me is that to
save money on gas, I started riding a
unicorn to work. And the other day Skyler-that's my unicorn's name-came out as straight. That was awkward."
#8 KRISTEN BECKER (TIE)
"I love that you made this a topic, particularly after Vanity
Fair's 'Why Women Aren't Funny' article. Hey, do we get a
check for this, like on America's Funniest Home Videos?
There's nothing more American than writing a check to
show gratitude, right? C'mon, curve, just a little check ...l
don't know where I fall in the ranking, but I'll take Ellen's
check, if she won. I mean, she's loaded, right? I'm kidding.
Well, not about the check part. Thanks, curve and America.
I'm glad you think I'm funny."
#8 JENNIE MCNULTY (TIE)
"That is really cool. Everybody
knows lesbians are the funniest
comics anyway, so it's like making
the Pro Bowl of Comedy! Thank you
so much!"
#9 MICHELE BALAN
"I am honored! I can't believe I
was a winner. Were people asleep
when they voted? Did you get their
names? I
should send
them all
thank-you
cards. But what makes me funny,
you ask. I think this is a question
to ask people who think I'm funny.
I would say that my Jewish timing,
my indecisiveness, my ADD and
the way I see things are funny. Of
course, people in my life don't find
this list very funny to be around!"
Could somebody give Karen Williams a snack2 And we're not talking
about the vending machine, junk food variety. The girl needs nourishment. Audiences have been feeding off the veteran stand-up comic's
rhetorical rants and clever observations for 25 years now. As a lesbian
mom with a killer sense of humor and an endless work schedule, she
deserves a little pick-me-up, thank you very much. I Need a Snack
is the tide of Williams' latest comedy special, which aired on Logo
this summer and will be coming out on DVD later this year. But the
only morsel she's sharing about it is that it's an "improvisational rollercoaster ride:'
Like many of the best comics, Williams can whip up a batch of the
most keenly crafted, hysterical comments about everything from eating and aging to politics-and
what life is like for a woman who grew
up in New York's housing projects.
She is, in fact, among the few pioneers of lesbian comedy still
FromDinahShoreto Showtime,Sandra
Vallsis three L-wordswrapped intoone.
By JennySherwin
commanding the stage, a history that is depicted in the documentary
Laughing Matters.
Smart, sassy and Sapphic, comedian Sandra Valls has taken lesbian stand-up to a
Williams raised two of her three sons, then put herself through
new level, performing her unique brand of laughs and guffaws to audiences straight
college and a master's program at Cleveland State University. In ad-
and queer alike. One of the world's only out Latina comics, Valls is as true to her
dition to stand-up gigs, she started her own business, called the
ethnicity as she is to her sexuality,knocking TV audiences on their behinds on every-
HaHA Institute, advocating for the "healing power of humor:' She
thing from Logo's One Night Stand UP to Showtime's Latin Divas of Comedy.
gives workshops at hospitals, colleges and small businesses all over
the country, lecturing on everything from "Parenting With Humor" to
"Let's Laugh About Sex:•
Another milestone in this busy year: After 15 years in Ohio,
Williams is moving part-time to Los Angeles. She wants to be closer
to her family-and
You are truly hysterical. How did you get involved in comedy?
My girlfriend dumped me. She broke up with me because I was "too angry" for her.
I wasn't too angry! I'm Mexican! I'm passionate. There's a big difference. So, we're
in the middle of couples' therapy-how
very lesbian of us. She breaks up with me,
she wants
then she says something like, "I signed you up for a comedy class and I hope you
to take advantage of the open
go because you're one of the funniest people I know, and, well...! already paid for
doors that were closed to gay
it:' I actually ended up forcing myself to go to the class. At the end of the first class,
and lesbian performers just a
this pretty girl walked up to me and introduced herself. We talked a little bit and
few years ago.
then she mentioned she had to go catch the train home before they stopped run-
But there's also more compe-
ning. Always the gentleman, I offered her a ride home. I ended up in a relationship
tition than ever. curve's own
Lesbian contest, for
with her-how very lesbian of me. It just goes to show, you can turn any kind of
poison into medicine.
instance, had nearly 100 names
Has the road to comedic success been harder on you as a woman, as a
on the list, Williams' included.
Latina or as a lesbian?
Funniest
"When I started, there were
Actually, it's been more challenging on me as a woman than as either a Latina
10;' she says. So she's turning
or a lesbian. Unfortunately, this business of comedy is still a boys' club-and
proactive.
there's still this delusion that female comics aren't funny-so
'Tm
doing
things
I've had to con-
to enhance the skills I already
stantly prove myself over and over. A lot of doors have been opened because I
have ... I'm taking acting classes
am Latina and lesbian. The Latino comedy world has embraced and supported
and working
coach:'
In addition to her solo show
me from the get-go. My first TV credit was a Latino comedy show called Que
Locos.Shortly after that, I got Latino Laugh Festival and then I was featured on
Habla! HBO Latino. I feel it's because my material is gay that they respect me so
on Logo and the DVD, she put
much. They respect my honesty and I also don't male-bash. I don't change my
with
an acting
out a new CD and organized a
act for straight audiences. And still more opportunities have come to me from
new tour, this one sponsored by
being an out lesbian comic-notice
the HaHA Institute and San Francisco Women Against Rape. Life is
good for the brazen babe.
"If you can stand the heat and stand the pressure;' Williams adds,
"it's a good time to be a comic:' - Laurie K. Schenden
I deliberately said "out" because we all know
there are lots of us lesbian comics on the down-low-Logo
Stand UP and the OutLaugh Festival.
TV's One Night
What have been some of the highlights of your comedy career?
So far, it's being invited to be on the Original Latin Divas of Comedy. Since
its release on Showtime, I've gained a significant popularity and with that has
54 I curve
come the beautiful opportunity to give back to the community. I've hosted and
hoo-ha, as opposed to boldly venturing into an unkempt, out-of-control woolly
performed at various benefits and charities, including the AIDS Healthcare
cave, and I actually got booed. What the hell:' Since when is a neat, hygienic,
Foundation and the GLAAD Awards in Florida. I also produced a comedy
trimmed hoo-ha something to hiss at:'
show called One Gay at a Time [to celebrate and honor LGBT people in
Do gay men get your humor as well as lesbians?
recovery] and received a Certificate of Recognition from the California Senate.
Hell yeah! They're the best audience. They, above all, can take a joke: catty,
Lighting the lamp of hope in a person's heart through my comedy... this is the
greatest highlight for me.
sarcastic, clever, witty, raw, naughty, decadent, edgy. Anything I throw at them,
How does your girlfriend handle it that you're on the road a lot, per-
audience that's strictly LGBT?
forming for adoring lesbian audiences?
In an LGBT crowd, I get to let my hair down, act a fool and goof on the community and our idiosyncrasies. In a mixed crowd, I feel I'm bringing something
to them that they may not necessarily live every day. I give them a glimpse at my
lesbian perspectives on life, like gay marriage. I feel it should be legalized-as
long as I'm not getting all my rights, then I shouldn't be paying all my taxes.
And of course how to please a woman in bed. I've worked really hard to make
my comedy universal and [to] not alienate anyone. I've chosen to out myself
as a lesbian because I want to make a difference by continuing to break stereotypes, by speaking up for those who can't-or worse, those who won't-and by
healing through laughter.
I'm in the most amazing, fulfilling, supportive, monogamous, committed
There's an old adage that lesbians have no sense of humor. Have you
the facial hair, this fiery, mischievous, passionate, lusty boy emerged and was
here to stay. I called him El Gallo. It's Spanish for"the rooster" or"the cock:' El
ever been witness to this?
a:
iiCf)
2
0
0
relationship with a beautiful, loving, creative, fun, sexy, intelligent, kind, sassy,
motivating, delicious, fine-ass woman! She's very supportive of my career and
all my dreams. We handle our busy, demanding lives with mutual, honest communication and respect.
I'm curious. Who is El Gallo and why is he wearing your underwear?
I'm actually wearing his underwear. El Gallo is my Latino papi, drag king,
alter ego, hot, sexy, flirty, horny, freaky, lusty, inner male. He's been around
for a while now. One year, Boston Pride had a drag king night and my friend
convinced me to go to the event. It started out as fun, but as I kept applying
femmes, the studs, the tomboys, the
Gallo just recently performed in Provincetown alongside All the King's Men,
butches, the bis, the political ones, the earthy-crunchy ones, the power femmes,
my favorite, greatest, most amazing drag king troupe ever. I love El Gallo so
etc. Fortunately, I've only had two experiences where a few tight-assed lesbians
much that, if he were real, I'd let him fuck me.
I've had great success with my peeps-the
0
they open up and scarf it down. They can take all of me. I love my gays.
What's the difference in performing to a mixed crowd as opposed to an
did not laugh. For example: I was playing a club in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
Do women throw their bras at you when you perform at Dinah Shore?
and I was talking about how I prefer a woman with a neat, clean, trimmed
They throw themselves at me-literally.
Offensive Women, a monthly comedy
series playing in both New York City and
Los Angeles, gives voice to, well, offensive women. It is comic Julie Goldman's
brainchild.
"About a year ago, I had a conversation with a sister comedian, L.A.-based
Betsy Salkind, about women and comedy
and how shitty and hard it was for us to be
heard. We were being accused of being
offensive and very far-out when we simply
expressed our real feelings and opinions,"
says Goldman.
Erin Keating, the producer of Offensive
Women, met Goldman at N.Y.C.'sAdam
Sank's Gay Bash. She says the Offensive
Women monthly showcase offers a safe
space for both established and emerging female stand-ups to "self-express
in a no-holds-barred atmosphere. It's
a gloves-off approach," says Keating,
who works in film and Web production,
where she is dedicated to a full-time job,
but has a passion for women artists and
entrepreneurs. "Offensive Women fulfills
my professional ambitions as well as my
passion for community.''
Keating says what makes Offensive
Women so special is that Goldman is creating space and opportunity for other female
comedians. "I really don't think there are
many other comics out there doing that.
And Julie pushes it as 'Julie Goldman presents Offensive Women,' not just as 'Julie
Goldman presents Julie Goldman,' and I
think that is pretty amazing."
"The big question," emphasizes
Goldman, "is, what is offensive, anyway? It
all depends on the take-and guys do it all
the time. Why can't women?"
Goldman says that she wants to make
Offensive Women into a brand and a way
female comics can make real money.
Salkind hosts the show in Los Angeles.
I've got groupies and I love
However, Goldman asserts that as the
"emperor" of Offensive Women, she has
the final say on everything. "In the end we
hope to change the perception of women,"
she says. "Comedy is never quantified with
men, but it is with women, blacks, Asians,
queers, etc. I want to put an end to that."
- Stephanie Schroeder
November 2008
I55
Jane Lynch
Loves,Loves,LovesHer Job
The hardworkingactor likes to stay busy. By Edie Stull
EVER DOUBT how actor Jane Lynch feels about her
career. "I love it, I love it, I love it;' she says, her blue eyes
Lynch, too."She was so genuine and so nice ... she's hilarious;' she adds.
wide and serious. "I would do it as a hobby if I had to work
somewhere else:'
State and a master's from Cornell. She honed her skills on the stage with the
Lynch was very young when she knew what she wanted
to be when she grew up. "I played a candle in third grade;'
she explains. "I was a wonderful candle. I was 'A..
Raised in suburban Chicago, Lynch earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Steppenwolf Theater Company and the
Second City Touring Company and as Carol Brady in the cult favorite The
Real Live Brady Bunch.
was for
"I think learning how to act is pretty important. I have some techniques
'air; so filled with smells of spice ... smells of cake, pudding
and skills I learned when I was 21 that have been hammered into my con-
and pie ... everything that is nice;' she recites, grinning as she remembers the
sciousness, that are now second nature, and without that training I wouldn't
lines from her first speaking part.
be having as much fun. I had classical acting training, with some method stuff
thrown in:•
Since then, the tall, striking blonde has used her quick wit and sharp timing
in scores of films and TV shows, including both big studio and indie projects.
Lynch, who's been in Hollywood for 14 years, was 39 years old when
She's been a member of the filmmaker Christopher Guest's improvisational
she snagged her breakthrough role as the butch dog trainer in Best in Show.
ensemble since Best in Show and was Steve Carell's boss in The 40-Year-Old
"Everybody thinks that you should be famous and working right away. I
Virgin.Name a TV show and she's probably been on it-Arrested Development, wasn't, but I worked a lot. I kind of knew it was going to happen to me at
some poinr:•
Friends,CSI, Weeds,CriminalMinds, BostonLegal,Two and a Half Men andShe also knows what she looks for in a role. "It has nothing to do with monmost memorably for her lesbian fans- TheL Word, where she plays the swaggering attorney Joyce Wischnia.
ey and everything to do with the role
Lynch seems to move with ease between
and the people I'll be surrounded with;'
the gay and straight communities."! see them
she says emphatically. "I like getting my
as one human community, that's probably
hands on a lot of different things. It
really makes me happy:•
why. I'm not out there to change anybody's
mind so much as to tell stories. I think it's
really important for gay people-especially
That philosophy often leads her to
work with friends. "Jane is incredibly
a gay woman in Podunk, Ohio, who thinks
supportive of filmmakers and I feel so
she's all alone-to
see her story up on the
fortunate that she was willing to work
screen. And if it changes other people along
the way, that's fantastic-and
I think it
with me as a first-time director on the
has-but I don't set out to do that. I just set
out to tell stories:•
director Anne Renton. "She was so gen-
She's known for her supporting roles
inclusively engaged with everyone working on the film:'
and ensemble parts, and you might wonder
short film Love Is Love;' says producererous with her time and talent, and she
whether there's a part of Lynch that aches
True to form, Lynch stays busy with
to be the star."Never;' she says without hes-
a variety of projects and has several
itation. "I love acting in an ensemble. I love
movies due out in the coming months.
working with other people:•
''I've done a short and am going to do a
The legendary comic Carol Burnett
agrees. She worked with Lynch on ThePost
Grad Survival Guide and has been a Lynch
fan since the Guest movies and Virgin.
pilot;' she adds. She's also worked with
Meryl Streep in Nora Ephron's Julie &
Julia, in which Streep plays Julia Child,
and Lynch plays her sister.
"When I heard that she was going to be in
What does she do on those seem-
the film I was absolutely delighted. I was
ingly rare occasions when she is not
amazed at watching her and how she would
working:' "I look for more work! I like
improvise and do things a little bit differ-
to stay busy;' Lynch says, laughing.
ently with each take. She's just so good. I
loved watching her. We laughed a lot:'
The experience was memorable
56
Icurve
for
And it all began with a third-grader
playing a candle. "I knew that was just
the beginning;' Lynch says.
In TrainingSince
Childhood
Orit Schwartzhas made a life in Hollywood.
production friends would help out ... and The Frank Anderson came
together, which is amazing:'
The Frank Anderson features an impressive cast, especially for
a film by an untested filmmaker. Jane Lynch, Elena Lyons, Richard
Riehle, Stephen Root and Romy Rosemont star in the story of a man
who loses the battle to get his insurance company to pay to reduce his
man-boobs, but wins a hot woman and starts a man-boob craze.
"I was very lucky;' says Schwartz. "Richard Riehle, who plays the
man-boob guy, was the first person I approached, because he had to
be topless and spend hours in makeup having the boobs put on;' she
explains. "When I told him I was doing this short, he immediately
said, Tll do it: I said, 'I haven't even told you what it's about; and he
said, 'I don't care. I'll do it for you:
11
Riehle even helped Schwartz save the boobs after the shoot. "He
had to sit for another two hours for the makeup artist to carefully
remove them without tearing them up ... I owe him one:'
The film showed Schwartz the importance of the friendships she
had made during her 15-year career."Most of the people who worked
on The Frank Anderson were somehow connected to NewsRadio;•she
explains. She was an associate producer for the NBC sitcom.
the BendFilm Festival and was inspired to make a short film. A
Lynch, who appeared on NewsRadio in 1995, plays a doctor in The Frank
Anderson. She sees two sides to Schwartz. "On the outside, Orit is all 'Yeah,
year later, that film, The Frank Anderson, premiered there. The
sure, whatever you want: Be not fooled. The inside is tenacious and driving
short comedy may have been the out writer-producer's first, but
and wickedly cynical. Me likey;' she adds.
!SITING
OREGON
in 2005, Orit Schwartz heard about
she had been in training to be a filmmaker since childhood.
Born in Hollywood, Schwartz spent the first nine years of
her life in Israel. As a child, she was taken to the taping of a
television show and a career was born. "When I came back to
the States, I started going to tapings of Silver Spoonsevery Friday. I just had a
fascination with sitcoms:'
After college at Cal State, Northridge, where she received a degree in
media management, Schwartz landed a job at the Carsey-Werner Company.
"I got very lucky;' she says.''Marcy Carsey is one of my idols, so it was very cool
to get that job:' Carsey cofounded Carsey-Werner, an independent production
)
"I grew up in LosAngelesand GirlBar was
the first lesbian club I went to, and for it
to be screened there was exciting."
The Frank Anderson has screened at more than 40 festivals and collected
numerous awards. "It's been awesome
to
sit in the theater and have the audi-
company that was responsible for some of the most successful and innovative
ence get it;' she says. 'Tm now having festivals asking to screen it, which is
sitcoms of the '80s and '90s, including Roseanneand The CosbyShow.
Schwartz's early career included production work on Roseanne,3rd Rock
wild:'
Schwartz is especially proud of two screenings of the film at GirlBar in
West Hollywood. "I grew up in Los Angeles and GirlBar was the first lesbian
r:
f)
from the Sun, That '70s Show and NewsRadio-but her first love was always
J
writing. "I took a UCLA extension course in sitcom writing when I finished
club I went to, and for it to be screened there was exciting:'
college because I wanted to write;' she says.
The transition from production to writing, however, was not without its
"It's a lesbian love triangle with a twist, tided I Love Me;' she explains."We did
2
r:
l.
)
2
f)
challenges. "I was on Roseanneas a production assistant at the time, and one
X:
of the wr-iters read the spec script I wrote for the extension course;' she recalls.
f)
::J
J.J
X:
:(
X:
:(
r:
:(
2
0
n.:
UJ
<t:
er:
"He gave me dreadful notes, which is to be expected, but it just crushed me
and set me back a little bit:'
The visit to Oregon made Schwartz think about writing again. "I went
home thinking about which actors would say yes to me and thinking of which
The filmmaker is currently working on the script for a full-length feature.
The Frank Anderson out of pocket for under $5,000. This feature is going to
cost quite a bit more, so I'm hoping someone will want to finance it:'
Years ago, Schwartz got some advice from Marcy Carsey. "She basically
told me that if you think money is what's going to define you as successful,
you're wrong;' says Schwartz. "I think about that ... Success is all about the
friendships you make along the way:' - ES
I
____________________________________________
f--
November 2008
57 .,,,,
LADYANDTHEVAMP
Meet TV's hottest new star, Dirty Sexy Money's Candis Cayne, and the
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
power lesbian behind her, Nikki Weiss.
Photog aphy by Ch 1stopherDesantis
with more buzz right now than
AREFEWTVSTARS
HERE
Candis Cayne, the co,star of ABC's Dirty Sexy Money,
and the first openly transgender series regular on network
television. Though she has a long performance history on
stage, it was DSM and an earlier appearance on CSI: New
York that brought Cayne to fame-and
landed her on the
Cay,e But unfortunately you see that first. [Laughs]
Weiss:Look who's talking.
Candis, does your current fame feel sudden or a really long
time coming?
Ca n Really a long time coming! [Laughs] I've been working for
so many years and it's just amazing to me sometimes ... it takes
one audition, one person to say,"I think she would be great in this
role;' and suddenly your life changes.
pages of every major entertainment magazine. Behind that hot
actress is her lesbian manager, Nikki Weiss, herelf a triple threat
(actor, producer, manager). The equally gorgeous Weiss has been
a big name behind the scenes in Hollywood, appearing on Work
Out last season, but it was a spot on an Oprahepisode about mar,
Speaking of life changes, Nikki, you were an actress and a
ried women coming out that made her a household name.
Why did you turn to the other side?
model when you were younger.
Weiss:I stopped doing that in my 20s.
was the first thing.
I wanted to have more control and more financial freedom. I
made a conscious decision when I was 21 to say, 'Tm going to
leave this side but I'm still going to try to be on the creative end
of things, just in a different capacity:' It was a conscious decision;
I don't think I wanted it bad enough to starve. There are so many
I didn't want to starve for my art-that
Weiss:
I love the story of how you came together while Nikki was
making a documentary on the Baton Show Lounge.
Weiss:Yes, it's the oldest venue of its kind for transgender per,
formers and it's located in Chicago.
We were introduced to each other and immediately hit it
off. .. I was looking for representation, but also for somebody who
really got me. Nikki and I just really hit it off.
How is it you both ended up in Hollywood?
Weiss:I've split my time between Los Angeles and Chicago for
the past 15 years because of my business, representing feature
film and commercial directors. I sold my place in Chicago and
moved here permanently about two and a half years ago. And
then, when Dirty Sexy Money really took off for Candis, I said,
"Girl. .." and sh~ said, 'Tm on my way:' [Laughs] But when I took
on Candis it was like my labor oflove. I had bigger visions for her
than she did for herself.
actors and actresses out there that want it so bad, they don't care
what they have to do to get it. For me, it was more about my craft
and I knew that I just wanted to be comfortable in my life. I didn't
want to struggle.
I think having that awareness about yourself is a great
thing, too.
Weiss:I think so. I wouldn't change anything. I was just a very
tenacious kid. I really was. I had a vision for myself and that's
what I went after. I grew up in Philadelphia, on the East Coast,
and I was doing the modeling thing and I was going to New York
and I was acting-I think I got it all out of my sys .e... vhen I
Ca ne The one thing that Nikki and I really have in common,
was a young kid.
and trying to get to the next level.
Weiss:I'm not shocked by it at all. She is the real deal, and, I
which is kind of the binding thread between us, is that we're both
really driven women and both of us have spent our lives working
Does that make Nikki a successful manager.
Ca ne It really does help that she is very confident and poised
and beautiful, because she has that power, because you don't ex,
pect the stuff that comes out of her mouth. [Laughs]
It's interesting that men often don't expect beautiful women to be powerful. Does that have an advantage.
C
Yeah, I'm sure it does, but I don't think Nikki realizes how
pretty she is.
Weiss:It makes me actually feel uncomfortable. I'm very appre,
ciative if somebody says that I'm attractive, but it's just not what
I'm focused on and I'd rather you see that last.
Have you been surprised by this sudden embrace of Candis in Hollywood?
have to be honest with you, it's not because she's transgender.
She is really talented. Candis is a trained dancer, a choreogra,
pher, she sings, she's a comedienne, she's got "it;' and mainstream
Hollywood is embracing her for the first time in this role. But this
isn't the first or the last you'll see of what Candis' capabilities are.
Candis, is there still the barrier there that you haven't broken yet, in terms of playing a non-trans woman in a film?
Yeah, it would be amazing to get to the point where I
would just be cast as another girl in a role. I know that being
transgender is kind of a cross I bear, because I'm one of the first
of my kind to be out there. That's the way people are going to look
November 2008
I 59
at me, and I don't mind that. If I were to only get trans roles the
gressive. They're more aggressive than the straight men.
rest of my life, I wouldn't be sad about that, because I know that
Nikki, you produced a short film with Trish Doolan that she
what I've done has pushed social consciousness forward a little
directed and wrote, and you have a cameo, too!
bit. That's satisfying to me, as long as I'm working.
Weiss:It was so much fun to be in front of the camera again,
Hollywood moves slowly. They're still not even writing
although ... I'm such a producer that I'm producing myself, so I
color-blind roles yet. If there's a black character, it's still
would stop the scene and say, OK, wait, we've got to stop this
written as "this black character ... "
because the continuity was all wrong. But I started a production
Cayne:Or gay character, or lesbian character ...
company called Strawberry Blonde with Trish and Helene Shaw
One thing, Candis, that I really like is that the media has
because we have some features in development.
dealt with you in a really non-sensational way, practically
Are you and Trish longtime friends?
making you sound like a suburban soccer mom.
Weiss:
Trish and I met through her former manager ... [we] start-
Cayne:
I didn't ever want [being] transgender to define who I was
ed dating about a year ago.
as a person or an actress, just to be a part of the picture. I think
How does it feel to have launched so many careers Nikki?
that a lot of times you have the choice on how exploitative your
Weiss:
I love helping people ... and I also really love the entertain-
life is going to be viewed. And if I don't treat myself that way,
ment industry. I think when you put that combination together
other people can't treat me that way. People can say whatever they
you get somebody like me that just really believes in what I do
want; it's how you react. I think that I've always reacted in a posi-
and who I'm representing, and really fights the good fight. I'm all
tive way, and if people have a problem, I say,'Tm sorry, your prob-
for the underdog.
lem is not mine:' And not in a mean or confrontational way..
Both of you have helped writers and producers create
Weiss:I think it's because Candis has come from such a beautiful
transgender and lesbian characters on TV. What kinds of
family. Her parents are so loving and so supportive, as is her twin
questions do they ask?
brother ... when you're coming from that, that's what you exude.
Cayne·A lot of writers don't really know how to write a part for
You were performing in drag when you transitioned. Did you
me, so they'll ask me questions or they'll write something and I'll
worry that transitioning was going to affect your work?
say,"You know, this doesn't really make sense, so maybe we could
Cayne:Yes, definitely. I thought, I'm probably giving my career
change it to this:' I always do it in a positive way and try not to
up as an actress because society just isn't ready for this. But, I had
make people feel like they are being insulted. I have been very
to make my living. My whole issue was that I hope my community
lucky with Dirty Sexy Money because they've always had this re-
accepts me while I'm transitioning-and
ally great team of writers that just write my character as a female
they totally did.
Weiss:And there were times, when Candis went without roles
character who happens to be transgender. It's been really cool.
because she was ... making that transition. So when she was
I think that's the appeal of the show. It feels like they've
working in drag in the very beginning, she was doing a ton of
written that character almost blind, that they're not think-
music videos and some other things, and then when she started
ing only about the trans issue there.
to make the transition ... the roles started to dissipate because
people didn't understand what to do with her.
Cayne:
Right, it's a love story, and people can relate to a love story
Do you have lesbian groupies following you everywhere?
sue. It's more about this love story between these two people.
Weiss:Yes she does, and they ask her out and they are very ag-
Weiss:And, to be honest, they have the most beautiful, honest
and somehow me being transgender has become a secondary is-
relationship on that show.
And what about you, Nikki?
Weiss:I was called in by GLAAD to go and sit with the Grey'.s
Anatomy people, as was my partner, Trish, because they really
wanted to tell a story from an honest point of view. They didn't
want to do it for a ratings stunt. There were two characters that
really had feelings for one another and they didn't want to necessarily define if they were gay or straight. They just wanted to
show that these two women had fallen in love with one another.
And they were very curious about my journey and how I figured
out I was gay after being married and what that meant and how I
defined myself-to bring truth to that story line.
Were you happy with the way it came out?
Weiss:I was. I think it was really sweet and I think that more,
obviously, will be revealed when they come back next season, but
I think it was a very honest portrayal.
AfterEllen.com said it brought the truthfulness that is rarely achieved on television when it comes to lesbians. What's
amazed you most about your experiences in Hollywood?
Lady and the Vamp continued on page 78
MADABOUTMARLEE
You can't keep a good woman down.
A
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
S THEL WORD
actors prep for the sixth and final season
What feedback do you get from other deaf women?
on Showtime, fans are keeping Netflix busy renting the
Many said it was about time that someone showed the lesbian
newly released season five DVD set. For those who
experience through deaf eyes. The fact that there aren't many deaf
missed it, season five was a heart-wrenching exploration
characters in general represented on TV, though we make up 10
for 43-year-old Marlee Madin, who plays Bette's lover,
percent of the population, and American Sign Language is the
Jodi. "She got trampled on in season five;' Matlin admits. But in
season six, "It's time for her to come roaring back, in ways you
third most used language in the United States, makes Jodi such a
hero for many deaf lesbians.
wouldn't necessarily think, to show people she's strong as ever:'
Are deaf actors more frequently cast in roles that aren't all
For the dea£ Jewish, one-time child actor, who still holds the re-
about their deafness now?
cord as the youngest Oscar winner in the Best Actress category,
Not necessarily. I'm still finding scripts that focus on deafness,
The L Word has been another jewel in her crown.
rather than [on] the person who happens to be deaf as part of a
general storyline that has nothing to do with being dea£ I've been
I hear you're a Blackberry addict. Has technology made it
fortunate to have played roles like that on Picket Fences, The West
easier for deaf people to communicate?
Wing and The L Word. Sometimes, however, I still find myself
Technology has made access nearly 100 percent for people like
in storylines that focus on deafness-even
myself, who rely on texting, emailing and video messaging. The
I'm tired of doing them. They tell the same story over and over
Blackberry is my cell phone. I am constantly texting and messag-
again-I'm
ing,just like hearing people are chatting on their phones. No more
want to hear. So now that I'm thinking about it, I should just say
recently! I must say,
"No one
should ever
stop us from
loving simply
because they
don't agree
with the
choices we
make."
dea£ and I'm angry because I'm deaf or I'm deaf and I
talking through second parties or interpreters. The Blackberry is
no and let the producers find someone else to do them. [Laughs]
something I just couldn't live without.
What one change would you like to make in the world?
What's surprised you about your time on The L Word?
How many stories are out there that have yet to be told.
Turn up the volume on tolerance. There are so many people, for
whatever reason, that are not willing to be tolerant, whether it's
Storytelling on TV is rarely as diverse as what you'd see on The L
of people of different gender, sexual preference, race, religion or
Word, and what surprised me was how many people responded to
ability. I say, let's increase love and tolerance and stop being so
it, both gay and straight.
judgmental. We all deserve dignity and respect.
The L Word is one of the few shows that's all about women.
How has it affected the rest of television?
Well, The L Word has certainly become part of the pop culture,
with references in other TV shows like The Sopranos and The
Office. So I think the door is now fully open and there will be
more to come. There's even talk of an L Word spinoff, which is not
surprising to me considering how popular the show is and how
audiences are hungering for more, even after the show is done.
What episode last season really resonated with you?
I like the episode where Jodi confronts Bette with all that's in her
heart, something that Jodi wasn't accustomed to doing when we
first met her on the show. The scene was a heavy one for me to
play, where I had to be angry and sad and speak, all at the same
time ... I was glad to see that it came out as I had envisioned itraw, in your face-which
was just awesome.
Has playing gay affected how you look at sexuality?
I've grown up with a gay brother and have had many gay friends
throughout my life, so I never looked at sexuality as anything but
a personal choice and that we all have the right to live with whomever we wish.
What will you miss the most after the show ends?
The camaraderie. I loved doing stories that respected women,
whatever their sexuality. Strong women, beautiful women, smart
women-that's
what The L Word was all about, and I know that's
pretty rare in the TV landscape. I'll miss that.
November 2008
I61
C'MON,BABY,LIGHTMY FIRE
Jackie Warner gets everyone riled up.
HETHER
YOU
LOVE
ORHATE
the iibedit self-promoter
Jackie Warner, there is no denying that Work Out, her
reality show on Bravo, is a hit. Though she is completely open about her life on the screen, there are still
a few things we don't know about the fitness maven.
By Colleen M. Lee
be just as happy and content. But they do not. It's very difficult
for someone to be put in the spotlight and have all their own
insecurities that come along with that. I'm under my own stress
and can't really pull them through that, too.
I noticed this season focuses on your being self-obsessed
and self-important. Is that editing or is it accurate?
Last season you were in a relationship; now your MySpace
page indicates you're single.
[Laughs]Oh, you know, here's the deal. A reality show is not the
best thing for a relationship. I don't know many that really fare
well.
Is it hard to have a healthy relationship in the public eye?
Yeah, it is. I feel like everybody should fit right into my world and
No ... I employ quite a few people, and to keep them working and
keep them happy and healthy and (my businesses] profitable, I
have to be self-obsessed. My staff should be very thankful that I
have a place that they can go to and make a lot of money, and have
a relatively nice lifestyle.
You own five businesses. Is your goal to be a fit, lesbian
Martha Stewart?
[Laughs]Yes.That is exactly my goal. I want to cross over and see
through all health, fitness, diet-related principles. I would like to
be that main go-to girl for all things having to do with healthrelated issues. I deal a lot with depression, sleep disorders, things
that are very important to women in particular. So I'm absolutely
trying to position myself as a leader in that industry.
Have you had difficulties as an out lesbian in this business?
Not that much ... what was very surprising, and it was a nice surprise, is Middle American, middle-class housewives have embraced
me. They're one of my largest markets. I was very pleased to see
that they ignored the lesbian aspect, and ignored whatever issues
they may have with gays and lesbians, and have embraced me as
just an individual.
Would you date a smoker or an overweight person?
I would not date a smoker, and I would not date a tremendously
overweight person, because like anything, being very overweight
is wearing your addiction on your sleeve. I don't want to date anybody who allows their addiction to completely take over.
If you could date anyone, who would it be?
Somebody that I have had an opportunity to hang with socially a
few times is Liz Phair ... She was one of my huge musical heroes,
so when I was hanging out with her, I was a nervous wreck ... !
was totally tongue-tied the first couple of times.
You don't seem to have very many lesbian friends.
I'm not in the lesbian world as much as people think I am. I
think that it's difficult for me to find friends in the lesbian world.
There's a lot of agenda, and a lot of strange things that happen
for me now in the gay and lesbian world. I'm not trying to isolate
[myself] but just by being more of a public figure, especially in
the lesbian world, it is a little isolating.
Has your relationship with your mother improved because
of the show or because of your therapy?
I definitely think the show is a mirror. And my mom saw us and
saw herself and she's making huge efforts to have a deeper
relationship with me, a more selfless relationship with me. I have
responded to that in a wonderful way. We're closer now than we
ever have been.
EVERYBODY
DANCE
NOW
Lori Michaels is our kind of rock star.
S
By Katie Peoples
HE'SKNOWNFORher sexy, dance troupe show Me &
I don't think I'm that typical rock star, you know. I don't drink or
The Girls, who make hit, sizzling hotspots around the
do the drugs or party all that much. You know, a lot of times after
country, and leave swooning women in their wake. Now,
Lori Michaels is breaking out on her own with a new
the show people will be like, "Keep the party going"... and I'm like,
"I need to sleep:' [Laughs]
album, Living My Life Out Loud. She dishes on her act,
What do you do to keep your energy up?
her album, her groupies, her heartbreak and her first big rock star
I try to stay fit and healthy. I'm really into fitness and dance and
moment.
I try to eat well, and I tryy not to get too stressed out. I watch
How does it feel to go more solo?
Jackie Warner of the lesbians, but I try. [Laughs]
Were still doing a lot of Me & The Girls shows at the Pride fes-
What inspired your show?
tivals, while on tour and out promoting the CD. But in between
I just wanted to put out professional entertainment that people,
those gigs, we got some intimate stuff going on. I have some na-
I think, were craving. It might sound silly or but I've been a per-
tional anthems with major sporting games and even some wed-
former all my life. I just came up with the idea and one of my
ding celebrations, commitment ceremonies. I mean, it feels great.
feature performers and I sat down and the Me & The Girls thing
Oprah a little bit. And not that I'm like, proclaiming to be the
(fJ
Are women tearing off your clothes?
came out of a song that I had written and performed, We just
[Laughs] I had a boot episode. I've been signing a lot of breasts,
made the whole show around something that would be fun, in-
which has been great, with permanent marker. I tell them every
teractive, upbeat.
time, "I don't know why you're asking me to do this:•
What does your girlfriend think of your stage show?
Have any of them tried to make it back on the tour bus?
Well, I hope by the time this comes out I'm back together with my
Uh, yeah ... they get a little bit personal and want to like, profess
girlfriend. She broke up with me. [Laughs]
their love. A lot of these lesbian clubs and bars and even the festi-
Do you have to win her over with a love song?
vals offer an enormous amount of alcohol. I don't really think they
I don't know if that will work anymore. What can you do:'
genuinely like me. I just think its maybe the alcohol talking.
Everyone hits a rough patch.
What if they just needed a little liquid courage?
Yeah this is just a transitional periond where were going to be-
Well I'm flattered. But I don't drink. Maybe, maybe I need a few
come stronger, and better, and rebuild and heal. That's what I'm
drinks to get back in the game here. [Laughs]
telling mysel£ I'm going to be very ohm-shanti-ohm with this ..I'm
So what's your quintessential rock star moment?
a dark chocolate fan so maybe I should start that intead of drink-
I was just doing an interview with another magazine, and a girl
ing. I'm going to start heavily getting into chocolate.
came up and lifted her shirt. I was sitting in the van, waiting for
Chocolate might help you feel better.
a:
IJ.J
the show. I was doing an interview, and my back was to the win-
I'm definitely into chocolate. That would be a good thing. So
0
dow, and the writer, like, her face dropped, and she's like, "Wow
when I blow up, when I'm 250 pounds, I'm going to thank you for
that never happens to me:' And you know, breasts and stomach
recommending chocolate. [Laughs]
(!}
:)
were right there. She said,"That's such a rock star thing:' And I'm
Hey, at least you'd be fat and happy, right?
0
like, "Yeah, that's the first time that happened, but OK:' [Laughs]
0
z
(fJ
5
0
Yeah, I'll be fat and happy.
"I don't think
I'm that
typical rock
star. I don't
drink or do
drugs or
party all that
much. After
the show
people will
be like, 'Keep
the party going!' I'm like,
'I need to
sleep.' "
November 2008
I63
BURNING
DESIRES
Twenty-fiveyears later and we'd still totally do her.
By Katrina Fox
room and somebody followed me in there. They looked like they
were going to rough me up ... and my little friend of about 4-foot,
2-inches came in and said, "Lay off her, she's straight!" Then I was
standing in a phone booth a week later, talking to my brother,
telling him I wanted to come home, and my little friend-who
had never professed anything to me before-got into the phone
booth, closed the door and said, "I love you:' I said I was sorry but
I was straight and she said, "I know, but I wanted you to know
that:' It was very sweet.
How did you feel about the rumors that you were gay?
All through Cagney& Lacey nobody believed I wasn't gay. I didn't
even try and fight it. I didn't matter to me. I thought, How flattering
is this:' I guess it was because of the character and the following I
had-they must have thought, 50,000 women can't be wrong. And I
wasn't married. I didn't get married until I was 48 years old.
You married the show's producer, Barney Rosenzweig,
who's written a book about the show, right?
Yes,and there are still people who think Barney's my beard.
It didn't freak you out that people thought you were gay?
Oh no, I was flattered. My lesbian fans made my career.
And even the time in 1990 when a lesbian stalker broke
into your house brandishing a gun-that didn't put you off
us?
That was scary, but I knew it was a very specific case. When a
policeman talked to me afterward, he asked me if I was afraid
and I said, "No, all my fans are smart, educated women:' Then
he told me, "She has an identical twin sister, equally anti-social:'
If you put that in a movie, no one would believe you. That was
when I was the most frightened. So I hired some bodyguards
and for about two weeks I had these retired FBI guys. Then I got
ONGBEFORE
SHEbecame an icon for gay men in her role
on Queer as Folk, Sharon Gless was a "dykon:' The minute
she appeared on TV screens in the 1980s as tough-talking detective Christine Cagney, in the hit series Cagney &
Lacey, lesbians the world over fell instantly in love with
her-and she welcomed us with open arms. Now back in the
spotlight as Madeline Westen on USA'.s Burn Notice, Gless is
definitely one hot mama.
You're one of those rare creatures who is revered by both
gay men and lesbians.
said they didn't care what I looked like. The show also made me
much more aware of the heartbreaking aspects of being part of
the gay community.
Thank you! I'm honored to have that reputation.
You'd like to play a lesbian. What about The L Word?
Well, let's just say there have been many misunderstandings! I
remember the first time a girl told me she was in love with me.
I was 19; I'd run away from home and lived at the Y for a year.
The only person I really became friends with was this gay girl
who took me to a gay bar, and one night I went into the ladies
I curve
It really changed my life because I'd turned 50, put on a lot of
weight, and you know how Hollywood is with women, so I
wasn't working a lot. I was doing a play by a wonderful lesbian
playwright in Chicago, and while [I was] there an agent sneaked
me a script called Queer as Folk. I read it, called Showtime immediately and said, "I want that part:' They offered it to me and
Did you have women coming on to you all the time during
the Cagney & Lacey years?
64
their bill and I said, 'Tm not that afraid!"
You were out of the spotlight for a while before Queer as
Folk. What did getting that show mean for you?
Well, everyone is young and beautiful on that show. If they asked
me, I'd go do the last season. I think it's a very fun show. I always
look at it like a Victoria's Secret catalog. The women are beautiful
to look at and I love the lingerie!
You're currently starring in the hit show Burn Notice.
It's very fun. The leading lady is Gabrielle Anwar, from the movie
Scentof a Woman.Oh, youa love her! She's very hot and very
CHAIKEN
NEVERCHICKENS
OUT
With one season left, the L Word creator reflects.
LENECHAIKEN
is one of the most powerful lesbians in
By Kathy Beige
The whole She Bar story line-has
there been any fallout
Hollywood. As the creator of The L Word, she has liter-
from any unnamed Los Angeles lesbian bars?
ally changed the way lesbians are perceived in mainstream
Not that I'm aware of. I know that people speculate all the time
culture, so we got her to discuss the show, its impact on gay
that different L Word story lines and characters are based on real
rights and homophobia in Hollywood.
people. They never are. We take our inspiration from all over the
place. We may have heard this story or that story, but our char-
The L Word has been groundbreaking, which has a lot to
acters are all totally fictional. You can probably take any number
do with you. I wonder if you recognize that.
I know that I have taken part in creating and producing a show
of club owners in any number of cities and find resemblances to
those characters.
that has had a lot of meaning to a lot of people, and especially
The story line around Lez Girls seemed like a great way to
to lesbians. I certainly didn't do it by myself. A great number of
people took part in it. It's been very exciting for all
poke fun at yourselves. Was that intentional?
Most importantly, we wanted to have
of us and very gratifying for all of us to have been
fun with it. It's slightly self-indulgent,
part of something that's in itself part of a progressive movement in our culture.
so we enjoy it maybe a little more than
we should. But we get to talk about
Has the show propelled gay rights forward?
Hollywood, too, and homophobia.
I think the show was part of gay rights moving
Some of the things that happen in the
forward. It's inevitable, the things that are hap-
Lez Girls story are inspired by things
pening in our culture-the
progression of us ob-
that happened on The L Word when
taining civil rights that have long been due us and
we first started. Some ... we made up.
the perception of us in the media and the popular
Some ... we borrowed.
culture. And I'm aware that The L Word is in the
The L Word is a success, but there
mix. In some cases, it's helped to set the tone.
are still very few lesbians on TV.
How do you decide which issues you're go-
I just think it's where we are in the
ing to tackle and which ones you're not?
culture, and we need to keep push-
Ultimately we decide based on character. We look
ing forward. I am disappointed that
at the stories in our ensemble and we say,"This is
we aren't a little further on. If The L
most likely something that would happen to her:' We get led into
Word were to go away right now, I feel that it would be fallow for
a story and a subject and a theme that way. Of course, when we
us once again. That saddens me, because I know it's changing, but
begin each season we also do the outside accounting of what's
if it doesn't happen while we're doing The L Word, then I think
going on that maybe we could weave in. But we try ultimately to
we're going to be looking at a bigger leap. It's going to be a leap
make those decisions based on what comes out of our drama.
that we're going to have to make again, rather than a continuation
You had a lesbian wedding, but haven't really dealt with
of something we've begun.
the political aspect of being denied marriage. Why?
Are you working on anything else besides The L Word?
Some of that comes from timeliness. We did a lesbian wedding,
I'm working on OurChart, which is a much bigger project than
but when we did that, we were shooting when Gavin Newsom
might be apparent because we're developing a lot of new content, a
was marrying people on the steps of City Hall in San Francisco.
lot of original programming, and we're looking at how to really grow
That was a thrilling moment, but we knew that by the time our
the opportunity and what we should be doing in gay media.
show went on the air, it could have gone any which way. We
What happens to OurChart when The L Word ends?
couldn't do a show that would be obsolete by the time it went on
I think that our community exists independent of The L Word,
the air. So we take on some issues that we're reasonably confident
and OurChart will continue to be a place where we all get together
will still be relevant by the time we air.
and network, where we have lots of projects, stories and content
Lesbians either love the show or they hate it, or both at
the same time. Do you take any of that personally?
When I first started the show, I took it a little more personally.
that aren't explicitly about The L Word. I also think that even
when The L Word goes off the air on Showtime, The L Word
won't be over. There are lots of things we can do, ranging from
Sometimes it was hard to read some of the really scathing things that
spinoffs to movies to just simply continuing to talk about the con-
people wrote. But over time I've become much more inured, philo-
cept of The L Word in other contexts.
0
sophical and appreciative. Sometimes I might read a harshly critical
Where will Ilene Chaiken be when The L Word ends?
UJ
comment and recoil for a minute, but I usually tend to shrug it of£
Right where I am ... working with people whose work and brains
Almost always,there's something in it for me to learn from.
I admire to create more programs.
:::i
0
November 2008
I 65
B-B-B-BADTOTHEBONE
Hello, network execs? Please fund this TV show.
\
By Candace Moore
I
T
HEPILOT
OFAmber Sharp's sassy serial dramedy, Don't Go,
to be negotiated. It would be a travesty to not see a show like
which focuses on lesbians of color in Los Angeles, has been
this on television. I applaud the creator for this concept. We had
wowing audiences and winning awards on the LGBT film
butch stage actor Skyler Cooper, who heats things up with
Queer as Folk,which called to the white, gay male community,
The L Word, which represents the white, female L.A. community, and then we have Noah'sArc, which is mostly for the African
her tres foxy female masculinity; lesbian film veteran Guin Turner
American, gay male community. I'm glad that it's the women of
(Go Fish);Chutney Popcorn'sdirector and star, Nisha Ganatra,
color who are like, "Let's unify it all:' I'm hoping that that's the
festival circuit over the last year. The diverse cast, includes
who plays a rebellious Indian American; and new talents Yaniv
next step for the queer community.
Moyal, Janora McDuffie and musician Melange Lavonne. Don't
What was it like to work with your costars?
Go combines the best elements of a MelrosePlace-type prime
We were such a tight-knit family. Guin Turner-I'll
time soap and a contemporary lesbian series like The L Word.
when I heard that she was cast as the resident intersex character
Let's hope it gets scooped up by a queer-friendly cabler, just as
and read the script, I thought, Oh no, I don't want to have to hate
it deserves.
tell you,
on her! I remember watching Go Fishand thinking, She's so cute.
You know how the kid who likes the girl in the cafeteria always
SKYLER
COOPER
66 I curve
teases her? I think there might be some of that going on for Bone.
Tell us about your character in Don't Go.
I played with it a bit-how
Bone's a drifter. She's Jaden's best friend and very protective, for
buddy's girlfriend and there was some jealousy.
reasons revealed later. The most I can say without giving much
You're going to be on a series on JengoTV.com called First
away is that they're tight. Bone doesn't come from the same side
Take. Could you tell us about that?
of the tracks that Jaden came from. Jaden is privileged and it's
Shortly after we did Butch Mystique, Deborah Wilson wanted
interesting that they become friends.
to follow me around as an out African American actor looking
would I act out ifl had feelings for my
How would you describe Bone's gender?
to break into Hollywood. Lo and behold, I got my first pilot,
I think [Bone] knows about the concept of genderqueer. She can
Don't Go, within three months. There are things out there for
be many things. It will depend on what the writers do with the
me. Butch is sexy. It's when you come out as butch or gender-
character. But she's butch, good old-fashioned butch.
queer-however
What are the prospects for Don't Go getting on TV?
the world really accepts you. When you try to put on something
It takes up to a year for most pilots to get picked up. A lot needs
you think you should be-that's
you feel most comfortable in your skin-when
when you're uncomfortable. I
Photographyby Rebecca Sanabria
Could it become a blessing for Jaden?
They're in limbo trying to figure out: What's the next step? Her
best friend, Bone, is real butch and Jaden doesn't want her to
know how she got pregnant. I mean, if your girlfriend's a hermaphrodite, does that mean you like penetration?
This was your first time acting. What was that like?
Amber Sharp [the director] found me on MySpace. I'm a hip-hop
musician and she ran across my music page and liked my image.
She asked me to come down and try out. I brought my best friend
[with me]. I've never been so nervous in my whole life. I tell my
best friend, "I can't do this. Let's leave:' So as I'm getting up, here
comes the producer, who says, "OK, are you ready?" I decided, if
I suck, I suck-at
least I tried. I knew the gist of the story but
was so involved in trying to memorize the lines. [Amber] knew
it was memorized. You have that robotic character. So she says,
"Mel, just come here for a second:' I had the script in my hand
and she threw it. She's like, "OK, now improv!" I improv-ed and
it just felt right.
What did you think about the script when you first read it?
I thought, This is going to be something huge!
Did you go to a few of the festivals where it screened?
Yes, I think the best thing about it was seeing people's responses
to the film and how much they supported it. Seeing yourself on
thought, If people are going to stare at me, I'll give them a reason.
"Butch is
sexy. It's
when you
come out
as butch or
genderqueer,
howeveryou
feel most
comfortable
in your skin,
when the
world really
accepts you."
the big screen still blows me away.
I'll go on screen. I'll go on stage. I'll perform in a forum. There's
far more acceptance when you can accept yourself
NISHAGANATRA
Your physique is impressive. How much do you work out?
Have there been any post-pilot episodes of Don't Go?
I'm a physical trainer. I've always been in the fitness industry. I
used to compete when I was in the military for four years, which
No. Amber is running into that crazy problem where people are like,
"Nobody wants a show with allblack peopli' It's insane.
is how I established my physique, and everything after that has
That's what's refreshing about the show. It shows women
just been maintaining. Gosh, I've been accused of using steroids
of color who are queer in a realistic way, more so than
and all that and I've never touched it in my life. Does my physical-
anything that's been on TV.
ity define me? Absolutely not. Is it a part of me? Yes, it's a part of
Amber's incredible... It has authenticity that's lacking [on TV].
me and always will be.
Describe your character to us a little bit.
I play Shanti, who's Indian American and grew up in a very con-
MELANGE
LAVONNE
servative family. She decides to just move out of the i use. The
What are your character, Jaden's, motivations?
place she rents, unbeknownst to her, is a lesbian Melrose Place-
Jaden is a butch lesbian who owns an apartment unit with her
type building, so she gets a taste of different things and has feel-
partner of four years, Melody, who happens to be a hermaphro-
ings she never knew she had before. She's definitely coming out. I
dite. Jaden loves her woman and they've been living together for a
think she's the only one in the whole pilot who is not already gay.
while. Jaden's a strong-minded woman, rough around the edges,
What did you think about when you were playing her?
and she likes taking care of her woman, who's feminine. However,
My life. I think that being an Indian American, you're already
she has her pride, and when she finds out that she's pregnant ...
aware of living a dual existence. When I got to college, I realized,
She's not too happy right away.
Oh, there are lesbian clubs, and I can go to them. I was already
Yeah, she feels betrayed. My character's pretty pissed off about
used to splitting up my identity, so it didn't seem hard or wrong.
it. I can relate to the character in real life because being a butch
It's sad but kind of interesting because you've already dealt with it
woman, you have this persona, or image, you have to maintain,
culturally, so it was like sexuality is just another aspect of my life
and being pregnant is not something you would imagine hap-
that I can only express in these settings.
pening to you. I wouldn't be opposed, in my real life, to being
Have you bridged that gap with your parents?
pregnant. It would be a blessing.
B-B-B-Bad to the Bone continued on page 78
November 2008
I 67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
Whose Truth? Our Truth.
Fresh, honest documentaries put it all on the line. I By Candace Moore
FEMME PICK
TheJaniceDickinson
Mode/in Agency
{Oxygen):
TheSelfproclaimed
"world's
first supermodel"
(andSapphicdabbler)JaniceDickenson
returnedto Oxygenfor
a fourthseasonof the
trash-tasticTheJanice
DickinsonModeling
Agency.Followingthe
splitwith herbusiness
partner,PeterHamm,in
seasonthree,Dickinson
is lookingto shake
thingsup andtake her
modelsto "the next
level."Themodelsfind
themselves
shacked
up with Dickinsonin a
palatialHollywood
Hills
mansion,completewith
a creepilyvoyeuristic
commandcenterhidden
in Dickinson'sbedroom, The Sapphic screen drips with hot, sweaty
fromwhichshecan action this fall-the fearless, independent,
monitorherproteges' athletic type, that is. This month's picks
activities24/7.Along explore the innocence of new love and eel,
with the Orwellianliving ebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
conditions,
seasonfour
seesDickinsonrolling Seeds of Summer I Zirei Kayitz (Eden Productions):
out hernewplus-size In her first documentary, twentysomething Hen Lasker revis,
division.Dickinson's its the place where she
discovered lesbian love: boot camp. Her
trademarkinsanityand
handheld camera journeys inside a fascinating area that the pub,
nonstopsquabblingof
lie is normally excluded from. At the Israeli Defense Forces train,
the beautifulpeople
ing
center for female recruits, Lasker captures the ambivalence,
makesfor a fantastithe
gut,wrenching pain and the worried expressions of newbie
callyguiltypleasure.
(oxygen.
com/janice) "chicks:' Here, teens who still send laundry home to Mom play
- RachelShatto at soldiering. As they sing and dance during battle enactments,
their guns, swung casually over their shoulders, look absurdlike monstrous metal knapsacks. A love letter to girls learning
regimented discipline, and featuring sit,ups and push,ups, con,
fessions and punishments, rifle practice and, finally, graduation,
Seeds of Summer also records the budding romance between the
filmmaker and one of her subjects. From the moment Lasker
hands a towel to a girl coming out of the showers, we realize this
68 I curve
is no fly,on,the,wall film. The director
boldly includes herself as a character
with perspective and desire-particular,
ly for the recruits' commander, Smadar.
When asked what they think of Smadar,
a smoldering, dark,haired creature, the
new recruits fight to comment, calling her "hot;' and "the cutest;'
claiming they are "crazy about her:' Stern,faced with her troops,
Smadar privately melts into a soft, flirty mess behind Lasker's
viewfinder. Their growing affection is palpable in the camera's
tender close,ups of the young commander as she makes bashful
eye contact. And Smadar turns the tables on the documentarian,
accusing her interviewer of "reactive looks" and begging her to
answer intimate questions. The two acknowledge their mutual
curiosity and the camera is eventually set down. In Hebrew with
English subtitles, this adorable and intimate documentary offers
viewers the vicarious experience of falling in love during combat
training. (edenproductions.co.il)
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Football Under Cover (Flying Moon Filmproduktion):
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\Vho's Truth? Ou Truth continued on page "70
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Just Between GirlzN
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that two
gorgeous
womenare"together,"
drawsout problemsbubbling
underthe surfaceof theirseeminglyharmonious
domesticrelationship:classdifferences,
family
issuesandmoltenresentments.
Thelovetriangleplotis saved
fromclichebyfineperformances
andsophisticated
touches,
though
ShelterMe'stonetendsto bea bit
overlyserious.(wolfevideo.com)
- Candace
Moore
FourMinutes(Wolfe):A principled80-year-oldpianoteacher
anda self-absorbed
prodigy
meetin an unlikelyplace:a
women'sprison.It's unclear
whetherJenny(thedevastating
HannahHerzsprung)
beheaded
a
manor not;whatis clearis that
she'llsendanyoneto the hospital whostandsin the wayof her
passionfor music.Herzsprung
believablyrendersherrebel
characteras a girl who,having
FightGirls(Oxygen):
If you
beenbrutalized,hasbecome
thinkyoucantakeon a girl
brutal,yet is bothbeautifulto
NicoleRichie'ssizein a brawl,
beholdandableto hearand
you'dbettermakesureshe
capturethe exquisiteandthe
doesn'tknowMuayThaifighting.FightGirlsplaces1Owomen painfulall rolledup in the piano
music.Throughflashbacksand
in a LasVegasmansionto eat,
references
to SSdocuments,
we
sleepandscrapin hopesof goShelterMe (Wolfe):Marco
alsolearnthat duringWorldWar
ingto Bangkok,
Thailandwhere
SimonPuccioni'scharacterII,Jenny'spianoteacher,Traude
femaleMuayThaifightersawait
drivenmelodrama
opensat the
(Monica
Bleibtreu),
lostthe only
their
American
opponents.
The
Italianborderas loversAnna
MuayThaitrainer,MasterToddy, womanshehadeverloved.She
(HenryandJune'sMariaDe
diedin the concentration
camps.
is the FightGirlsversionof Clint
Madeiros)andMara(Antonia
Eastwood
in MillionDollarBaby. Livingwith this immeasurable
Liskova)returnhomefroma
painfor decadeshasleftTraude
Heis responsible
for training
Tunisianvacation.Searching
for
meanandcold.Together,
Jenny
Lisa
King
(aka
The
Black
Widow},
Mara'spassport,
Annadiscovers
andTraudemakea brokenbut
a Moroccanyouth,Anis,stowed a fiercevixenin andoutof
strongduo;theyhelpeachother
the ring,andGinaCarano,an
awayin the trunkof theircar.
beartheir respective
fatesand
undefeated
MuayThaifighter
Big-hearted
andverywell off,
transcend
prison
walls,
if only
with
a
voluptuous
girl-next-door
Annaimmediatelyplaysmother
for
a
short
time.
In
German
with
hotness
who
also
plays
Crush
hen,shelteringtheteenage
subtitles,this rivetingfilm is
on AmericanGladiator.
Master
immigrantfromthe authoriwrittenanddirectedby Chris
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unconventional
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owns)andgettinghiman underincluding
theAudienceAward
methods
like
water
resistance
the-tablejob at herfamily'sshoe
at Framelinein 2007.
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I 69
Q+A
Najarra Townsend
Najarra Townsend isn't your typical Hollywood
teenager. You won't see her in the tabloids next
to Lindsay Lohan or the Olsen twins. She's just
a talented young actor making
dname for herself
by performing in indie films like Me and You and
Everyone We Know. This year she stars in Tru
Loved, Stewart Wade's latest romantic comedy
Who's Truth~ Our Truth continued from page 68
about a straight girl with gay moms, gay dads
the headscarf and chador worn as proper hijab in
and a fake gay boyfriend; she's already received
Iran. Plus, she claims the best way for a girl to get
two film festival Best Actress awards for her
challenging soccer practice in Tehran is to cross-
role. Featuring some of the great gay Hollywood
dress and play local pickup matches. Niloofar
icons (like Jane Lynch), as well as an array of
new faces, Tru Loved will have you laughing,
practices her football literally undercover. For
the Iranian national women's soccer team, which
crying and waving your rainbow flag all at the
she plays on, training is not just constant, it's an
same time. Understandably, Townsend's really
excited to talk about it. -
Kristin A. Smith
end in itself. These female athletes are not allowed to compete on a national stage. When producer Marlene Assmann, a defender for Berlin's
What drew you to the role of Tru in Tru
Loved?
When I originally read the script, I just fell
madly in love with it. It was like, my ideal script.
Tru was such a great character to get to playshe's a 16-year-old girl, but she's a really strong
individual. She knows who she is and she knows
what she wants to fight for. And that was just so
exciting to get to play.
What was the inspiration for this film?
I've heard Stewart Wade talk about this before.
I believe it came about because of his partner,
Antonio [Brown], who is the producer of the film. They are gay parents together and they wanted to
make a film that focused on gay parents. There aren't many films like that.
You seemed really comfortable playing the part of an LGBT activist and a gay ally. Do
you have any personal experience with that in your life?
Well, I have so many gay and lesbian friends and I was raised in theater. I have always been really into
gay and lesbian rights, so it was an exciting script to get to make into a film, and it was something I believed could really make a difference. So that was exciting. And I've always wanted to be an activist.
In a lot of ways, this is a good introduction to the gay film genre-who was the target
audience, and how has it been received?
I've seen it with so many different audiences now. It's really a film for everyone. It has something for
every age, but I think that originally it was probably targeted at high-schoolers, to get the word out
there that you can be open about who you are ... We always get different responses based on who the
audience is. I haven't gotten a bad response yet, so that's really exciting.
The comic Jane Lynch makes a cameo appearance in the movie. Why do we get so
little of her?
I never asked why; I was just so excited to get to work with her. I'm guessing it's because she signed on
after everyone was cast, so they created a role for her and put her in. I was just ecstatic to work with
her. It was funny because I know she's been in so many great films, but I was mostly excited because
she's on The L Word and that's like, my favorite TV show! And I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm working
with someone who is on The L Word!" I just wanted to be next to her all the time. I mean, hello, it's
Jane Lynch! I totally love
70
I curve
BSV Aldersimspor, discovers this, she travels to
Tehran on a mission to persuade officials to allow
an Iranian-German
face-off. Filmmakers David
Assmann and Ayat Najafi track this laborious, redtape-filled process over the year it took to put the
match together. Since men are forbidden to view
women playing soccer, the German team's male
coach peeks in nervously through cracks in the
amphitheater's door on the big day, nearly getting
arrested. Headscarves and long-sleeved jerseys are
the necessary uniform for both teams, and when
the hundreds of women in the audience begin to
chant ebulliently, they are promptly hushed by a
woman with a megaphone. The wait is worth it,
though, for Niloofar and her teammates. Welledited highlights of the game showcase women
from both countries joined by their love of the
sport. The filmmakers demonstrate how love transcends borders and restrictions. (jlyingmoon.com)
Music Watch
Reviews
Turn the Beat Around
These are the sounds of the season.
I By Margaret Coble
EDITOR'S PICK
Whether you prefer the nightlife in a dance club, a rock club or a
folk club, queer girls are providing you with some pretty awesome
soundtracks. The latest from Team Gina, Dolorata, L.P. and Jenn
Lindsay are sure to be on rotation wherever you go.
Products of the Eighties, Team Gina (Don't Stop
Believin'): You can't really get queerer than Team Gina. With an
unabashed fetishism for 1980s neon-colored outfits, synchronized
dance routines and gay-as-fuck quip-hop rhymes, Gina Bling and
Gina Genius have busted out of their hometown Seattle scene
and onto the national radar screen. As their
autobiographical opening cut, "Products of
the Eighties;' outlines, their white-girl-rapmeets-ironic-new-wave comes honestly,
both women having grown up in the '80s.
But while all this retro-pop-culture referencing is fun and particularly meaningful to
those of us who did live through that decade (oh how I adore the sweet "Mixtape"),
it's their unapologetic girl-on-girl lyrics that
make me love them the most. If you appreciated their Sir Mix-a-Lot sampling homage to butch girls, "Butch/Femme;' from
their debut EP, Gina Gina Revolution, then you'll laugh at "Wife
Swapping;' which pokes fun at the legendary incestuousness of
the lesbian community. Cuts like "Rock the Like" give Team Gina
some serious rap cred, with a sound like Northern State, while
"Girl on Girl Crime" takes on competitiveness between girls. On
the whole, Team Gina's perky vibe is much more accessible than
many of their Northwest electro-hop compatriots (like, Scream
rld as
Club, who incidentally introduced Team Gina to thL
their backup dancers), so I wouldn't be surprised if they blew up
out of the underground. (myspace.com/teamgina)
3-Song Sampler,LP. (SoBe Entertainment):
In anticipation of her long-awaited third album, the
openly queer, androgynous pop-rocker L.P. offers up a
three-song album to tide fans over until early 2009,
the projected release date of her as yet unnamed
new CD. The first song and video, the anthemic
"Good With You;' is a soaring, radio-friendly track
with dramatic strings and pulsing guitars, showcasing L.P:s distinctive voice, which ranges from
tremblingly vulnerable to passionately belting. The
second cut, "Cling to Me;' works around a tender
If LessIs More...
NothingIs Everything,
KateMcGarry
(PalmettoRecords}:
Uponfirst listen,there's
somethingvaguely
familiaryet hauntingly
newaboutMcGarry's
lyrics,like "I don't
mindyoucominghere,
wastingall mytime."
It's not untilmid-album
that yourealize,with
moreexcitementthan
dread,that McGarry
the
hasreinterpreted
classics-like TheCars'
"JustWhatI Needed,"
as well as songsfrom
Bjork,PeterGabrieland
JoniMitchell.Perhaps
moreinterestingis
the tuneMcGarryhas
beenusingto stump
for BarackObama,an
inspiredrenditionof
BobDylan's"TheTimes
TheyAreA-Changin'."
"I feelthetide'sfinally
turning,peoplewaking up-we areat a
pointwhereanything
is possibleif we can
for
take responsibility
ouractionsandfor the
of this
stewardship
planet,"McGarrytold
fans,settinglesbian
activistheartsafire.
TheCars?Political
action?What'snotto
love?(katemcgarry.com)
- DianeAndersonMinshall
piano melody and an undulating string section.
November 2008
I71
Q+A
Angie Mattson
Los Angeles musician Angie Mattson recently toured with Uh-Huh Her and released a superb record
called Given to Sudden Panic and Noisy Retreat, in which she wields her potent voice against a backdrop
of layered guitars, keyboards and percussion that goes from tender to turbulent. - Aims elL. Ponti
Did you know what you were getting
yourself into witr this ·our?
I'd heard their name and it wasn't because
of (Leisha Hailey), it was just because I
love music and I'm always checking out new
things. Then I looked them up and was like,
"Oh yeah, of course:' I like the music, too.
Any tour shenanigans ·o share?
Well, one night a girl-I sell these little
Angie Mattson pins-who
was drunk by
this point I'm sure, said, "I should take my
nipple rings out and put your pins in;' and
she did, so that was fun. I also signed lots of
tits and ass, and a bald head.
How have audiences responded?
It's been great. I didn't really know what
to expect coming out here. Some people I
think I really connect with. I've definitely tripled, if not quadrupled, my fan base from this.
I ve the son
011 e ay. '
I always had this dream to become really successful and be really rich and buy my family houses and
spoil everyone, but my dad passed away a couple of years ago, so I couldn't do it. That song is about
that, and I say "We'll meet at the gate;' because eventually I'll see him.
Let's talk about your song Drive."
It was inspired by being at a party or a concert or something, and there's somebody there and you
keep catching their eye and you just feel this crazy connection, and you wish that you could just grab
them and leave and just drive away.
ha do you
ab,
v en ou're playing,
Some of the songs are very emotional to me, so ifI think too much about it I'm gonna start crying on
stage or something. With Uh-Huh Her, it's a very energetic crowd, so it's a little more sexy and fun.
Tell me about n Violet
I was in Japan and I went to a city outside of Tokyo. It was a fishing town and no one was there except
for this middle-aged Japanese guy. I sat on the beach and he was there and we started talking about
how he lost his job and how his wife was going to leave him. He spoke a little English and we just
totally connected and it was this crazy experience.
Sounds Ii e the film Lost n Translat10n
It was very much like that.
When you were getting ·eady for this tour, did you rent a couple of The L Word DVDs?
I've seen most of them. It's awesome and it's a guilty pleasure. (Leisha's) actually such a good actress.
there a y do
d t
on ou1 1ths eone famous o
e no,
sical ork?
It would be a downside if they sucked and if people just came to see someone famous, but the music
is really good, so it's fine. (Leisha) can do both things well.
Where o d yo lil<eyou career to ta e you
Ultimately, I just want to be happy, because no matter what success you have, if you're sick or heartbroken it doesn't matter. I want to buy my mom a big house, and I want to be in Rolling Stone and I
want to do world tours. I'm so grateful, and I never thought I would get even close to as far as I am
now in a million years, so I might as well keep thinking big.
72
I curve
3-Song Sampler sounds more polished and classicly pop-rock than her previous efforts, 200l's
Heart-Shaped Scar and 2004's critically acclaimed
Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol. The last teaser cut,
"Kill the Pain;' doesn't entirely thrill as an arena-
rock ballad, but fits in with the production level
of the other two tracks. Only time will tell what
the remainder of the album will be like, as LP. is
still in the studio finishing it up. Wouldn't it be
an awesome coup for a genderqueer dyke with a
Shane-like reputation to be the next big thing on
the pop-rock radio airwaves:' (lprock.com)
Believer, Dolorata (self-released): This San
Francisco-based quintet is a supergroup made up
of veteran female rockers who've previously played
with The Hail Marys, 4 Non Blondes, Shelley
Doty Xtet and The Amazon Mollies. I don't know
who's queer and who's not, but with a lineage like
that, well, draw your own conclusions. Their sound
on this debut disc is hard-rocking with a blues and
soul core, riff-based and uniquely accented by Emily
Palen's skillfully aggressive violin. Lead singer-guitarist Katie Colpitts has one of those throaty, bornto-rock voices that just whomps a microphone,
particularly on the lead-off "You've Gotta Want
It;' while bassist Veronica Savage, drummer Dawn
Richardson and guitarist Dori Sappa lay down the
throbbing rhythm. Equal parts Led Zeppelin,Joan
Jett and L7, Dolorata doesn't generally venture
into punk-rock territory, except on the one-minute, 21-second whirlwind "Shotwell:' The bulk of
the album is more in the cock-rock genre, sure to
incite headbanging and stage diving, with songs
like "Undertow" and the clearly lesbionic "New
New," while the dirgelike "Chick Magnet" reminds
me of the Moaners. I hope they do some national
touring and make their way down to New Orleans,
t:c
a:
g
0
Q_
a:
LJ.J
:i:
z
LJ.J
a.
0
(.)
LJ.J
z
a:
LJ.J
:i:
OTHER LICKS
versionof the originalFumbling
Sonia& Disappear
Tango,
Ecstasylivehomevideo
Towards
Putting
Fear(self-released):
(1994)-all with newbonus
a globalspinon songsold and
com)
material.(sarahmclachlan.
new,longtimelesbianfavorite
SoniaRutsteinsingsin Spanish,
ArabicandEnglishon
Hebrew,
this recent13-trackalbumof
world-pop.(disapspirit-soaring
com)
peartear.
because it's a rare treat these days
to experience dyke-friendly rock
live in a club if you live anywhere
outside any of the major queer
meccas. (dolorata.com)
A for Effort, Jenn Lindsay
(No Evil Star): We've written about New York City's
anti-folkie Jenn Lindsay before
in these pages, but she keeps
sending us amazing albums,
so we'll keep on writing about
them! A selrdescribed "declaration of independence, love letter, primal scream,
and Dear John note," A for Effort is another DIY
project (completely financed by her fans), on
which Lindsay plays all the instruments. Working
through the varied emotions that surround the
end of a relationship, the lead-off"I Arn Breaking
Up With You" is just about the catchiest, breeziest breakup song ever, while "Choose Me Back''
tackles the hard moments of realizing a breakup
is imminent. Musically, the disc ranges from
the straight-up acoustic, Americana-tinged folk
of "Kinda Guy;' to twangier slow-burners like
"Second Wind;' funkier grooves like "Catnip and
Kryptonite;' and hand-clapping gentle rockers
like "The Land of Bad Ideas:' All in all, breaking
up never sounded so good. (jennlindsay.com)
Redle er YearA i o·Franco
Babe):Withhernew
(Righteous
mantra,"Don'tforgetto havea
goodtime,"the "little folksinger"
is backaftera two-yearstudio
hiatuswith anotheralbumout
of whichthe
of NewOrleans,
RebirthBrassBand-featured
is
"RedLetterYear(Reprise)"
the highlight.Thebalanceof
thejoyousdiscis filledwith attexturedtracksthat
mospheric,
fall onthe moreexperimental,
rock-funkside,sotraditionalistsyearningfor the sparser
soundwill have
Ani-plus-guitar
to bidetheirtime untilhernext
album.(righteousbabe.com)
Velociero, ~dytr n
Theco-edelec(Nettwerk):
tronicrockbandfrom Liverpool
triumphagainwiththeirfourth
full-lengthdisc,featuring13
tracksof minddistortion-filled
numbingsynths,guitarsand
beats.(ladytron.com)
love Is Dead,Kerli(Island):
I don't reallywantto likethis
Song
Eurovision
Estonian,
Bjork-alike,
Contest-winning
but I just can't helpit. Withher
creepy,goth-friendlyimageand
pop,
catchyelectronic-tinged
and
whichis bothradio-friendly
TheColePorterMix,Patricia
dark,Kerliis indeeda winner,
Barber(BlueNote):Out-dyke
jazzgeniusPatriciaBarberoffers particularlyon the autobiographical "WalkingonAir." (kerli.net)
takeon several
an innovative
ColePorterclassicsanda few
originalcutsin the ColePorter
style,includingthe sultry"I Wait
for LateAfternoonandYou,"the
"Snow"andthe
sex-themed
lasttrack,"TheNewYear'sEve
Song."(patriciabarber.com)
ChurchBellB ues,Catherine
Maclellan(TrueNorth):Hailing
from PrinceEdwardIsland,this
Ecstasy:
FumblingTowards
the
youngsinger-songwriter,
legacyEd"tionSarah
music
daughterof Canadian
This
clachlan(Legacy):
deluxtwo CDandDVDpackage legendGeneMaclellan,offers
combinesall threeFumbling-era up a gorgeous12-trackset of
stunningfolk andcountrywith
projectstogetherandincludes
the originalGrammy-nominated powerfulandpoeticconfesstudioalbum(1993),the acous- sionallyrics.She'soneto keep
an eye-and an ear-on. (cathtic demoalbumTheFreedom
- MC
erinemac/ellan.com)
Sessions(1995),anda DVD
November 2008
I73
Reviews In The Stacks
What Becomes Her
Non--monogamy and the life of a lesbian literary pioneer. I By Rachel Pepper
Sexuality is at the core of these two books, one focusing on nonmonogamous relationships, the other exploring the life of the
QUEER GIRLS
IN PHOTOS
pioneering woman who first researched lesbians in literature.
Sex Variant Woman: The Life of Jeannette Howard
Foster, Joanne Passet {Da Capo Press): Does the
name Jeannette Howard Foster ring a bell? If it doesn't, you're
Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining
Open Relationships, Tristan Taormina {Cleis Press):
not quite up on your lesbian herstory. Still, you're hardly alone
in not recognizing Foster, whose groundbreaking book Sex
Variant Women in Literature was first published in 1956, years
Turnsout,youdon't
haveto bea lesbianto While a few other books have covered the complicated issue of
capturethe breathtak- non-monogamous relationships, there's no doubt that Tristan
ingessenseof women Taormina is the logical author to tackle this topic from a fresh
whoare.Casein point: perspective. Taormina is a talented queer sex educator and writHeroines
fromBettina er (her books include a bestseller on anal sex). She also writes
Rheims,
whofirst made a regular column for the Village
a namefor herselfpho- Voice, directs sex ed videos and
tographingstrippersin frequently lectures on sex and
the 1980s.In Heroines,
sexuality. She writes in the introshephotographs
duction to Opening Up: A Guide
womenagain,thistime
strippingawaymakeup to Creating and Sustaining Open
andclothingto show Relationships, "Because of my work
theirtrue beautyand and my never-ending interest in all
strength.A gorgeous things sexual, I have witnessed and
must-seepulloutcen- indulged in a wide variety of sexual
terfoldfeaturesthetrio experiences and met people from
fromLeTigre,including all walks of life:' Taormina has
TRISTAN
TAORMINO
the hairyJDSamson both observed and participated in
in all herbutchyglory. non-monogamy herself, and she has gathered a representative
NeedI saymore?And
sampling of interviews from many people, queer and straight.
TheBestof Helmut
She begins Opening Up with a history of non-monogamy as a
Newton:Selections
topic and lifestyle choice, then defines many types of non-moFromHisPhotographic
nogamy,
including partnered non-monogamy, polyamory, swingWorkoffersa hundred
ing
and
even
couples in which one partner is monogamous and
of the bestphotosfrom
the
other
is
not.
While this last example might seem odd to
this popiconphotographer,spanningseveral readers who are used to being exclusively partnered, Taormina
decadesandincluding points out that this arrangement might work for many combiexplorations
of the nations of couples-including
those "straight" couples where
femaleformas well one partner wishes to explore same-sex experiences outside the
as portraitsof famous primary relationship, or where a high-libido partner needs to
actressesandpowerful seek sexual encounters
outside the relationship. These arrangepoliticians.
A remarkments can work, Taormina writes, if you understand the issues
ableimageof Grace
of "consent and agreement;' are able to cope with jealousy and
Jonesnudeis worththe
miscommunication,
are aware of the power of "new-relationship
pricealone.(schirmermosel.com)-DAM energy" and write up a "relationship contract;' so everyone understands what they are looking for and how they plan to get it.
Taormina also covers details like how to talk about your open
relationship to other people (including your children), the legal
issues and safer-sex concerns. This extensive guide will be of interest to anyone who can visualize a relationship that is more
open than the standard monogamous coupling. And, according
to Taormina, since "monogamy sets most people up to fail;' this
is probably more people than we might imagine.
74
I curve
before the growth of women's bookstores and feminist publishing. In this first biography of Foster, Joanne Passet, a professor
of history at Indiana University East, pieces together Foster's
life and the amazing book she left behind-the
first study ever
published of the lesbian, bisexual and cross-dressing characters
appearing in more than 300 works, from antiquity up to the
1950s. In researching this biography, Passet talks to women
who knew Foster, including Naiad Press founder Barbara Grier
and historian Marie Kuda, and delves into Foster's personal
papers, which are scattered across
the country in different archives
and libraries. Trained as a librarian and working for many years at
the Kinsey Institute for Research
in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction,
Foster had an insider's view of sex
and sexuality, and often assisted
Kinsey with finding lesbian subjects for his studies. According to
Passet, "Her initial exhilaration
at being part of this pioneering
research team yielded to frustration as she attempted to apply her knowledge as a professionally trained librarian. In the process, she had gained access to
additional sex variant literature and completed research for her
pioneering bibliographic study:• Eventually, her book was published by Vantage Press, and went on to be reprinted by the
early feminist publisher Diana Press. After languishing out of
print, it was brought back by Naiad Press in 1985. By then,
Foster had lived a full life, complete with the publication of
three books, several satisfying same-sex relationships, a long
professional career and good health and humor. She spent her
last years in a nursing home, financially supported in part by the
efforts of lesbian organizers through a "Sisterhood Fund;' and
died at 85 in 1981. The influence of Foster's book, published
at a time when few women could publicly announce or even acknowledge their same-sex attraction, was massive. As historian
Lillian Faderman writes in this biography's foreword, researchers like herself wonder whether their "own career as a lesbian
writer would have been possible" without Foster paving the way.
By carefully documenting the life and loves of Foster, Passet ensures that we not only remember the life of this important lesbian literary pioneer, but that we also celebrate it.
PAGE TURNERS
Lettersin theAttic,
BonnieShimko
Chicago
(Academy
Whata
Publishers):
wonderfullycrafted
andlyricallytold
comingof agestory.
BonnieShimkoso
eloquentlydescribes
LizzyMcMann's
through
navigation
hercrush
adolescence,
on herbestfriend,Eva,
her parents'divorce
andhermother'ssubsequentsearchfor a
secondchanceat love.
Thisis trulya poetic,
layeredrenderingof
whatit meansto realizeandcomprehend
familialsecretsand
Definitely
inheritance.
a pageturneranda
must-read.(academy- Mary
chicago.com)
Foulk
to
psychopathology
evaluatenormalpersonalproblemsusing
constructsdeveloped
fromstudiesof mental
illness.Ratherthan
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Q+A
Robin Reagler
Houston-based Robin Reagler is the
executive director of Writers in the
Schools, a nonprofit organization that
teaches written creative expression to
disadvantaged and at-risk kids, and has
worked with the Houston LGBT organization HATCH. Reagler also mainrains two biogs, The Other Mother and
Big Window, and has published an essay
in Confessionsof the Other Mother: NonBiologicalLesbian Moms Tell All.
- Kate Goldsworthy
Do you think it's unusual that you
live in Texas but your family doesn't
face a lot of challenges?
I think when you look at polls and elections you see some scary results: this
sense that people are against gay marriage and things like that. And yet I tend
to be a sort of a Pollyanna on this issue.
I'm the kind of person who's very comfortable with who I am and what I do,
and I find that people are comfortable with me.
What challenges have you faced as a lesbian p- n
I guess the challenge is in, for us, going from a two-income family to basically
a one-income family. I really feel like when children are young, if you can
swing it ... it's nice to be able to have a parent with them. And [my partner
has J been willing to do that.
You re highly invested in promoting literacy. Do you think that, in
general, young people in the United States are experiencing a reading and writing crisis at the moment?
about our society that take away
I'm not sure. I think there are a lot of th;
opportunities for people to express themselves in a meaningful way. But as
I told you, I'm kind of a Pollyanna and I see that people are really finding
how important it is to be able to express yourself. I think that all the kinds of
ways in which our society isolates us are also showing people how amazing
the creative experience is and how creativity shows off what is unique about
each one of us.
Do you see the Internet as the next step in promoting, producing
and publishing literature?
I really feel like it's an opportunity to build community, which is one of my
high values. I have a kind of optimism about it. It's a tool, like anything else,
and it can be used for good things and bad things. I think for gay and lesbian
parents ...we kind of started out in isolation, and part of what my essay is
saying, in Confessionsof the Other Mother, is that I used the Internet to create
a community for myself. And I think that that is happening more and more.
Most of [these people] have not really met but they're in a very similar situation and they're really able to offer
November 2008 j 75
Reviews Tech Girl
Reading Goes High Tech
Sony and Amazon are leading the literary revolution. I By Rachel Beebe
After years of languishing in the purgatory reserved for technologies that never
really take off, ebooks are surprising everyone with their newfound popularity. The
ebook market has more than doubled in the last two years-growth that is due in •no
small part to the release of the SonyReaderin 2006 (a second edition came out
in 2007) and Amazon's
Kindlein 2007. These little gadgets aim to improve upon
one of humanity's oldest technologies-the written word-and it looks like they
might be clever enough to succeed.
The Reader and the Kindle aren't just book-size computers posing as your
favorite paperback. They can download and store more books than you could ever
hope to lug around in your messenger bag (160 on the Reader, over 200 on the
Kindle). But the coolest part is that, unlike computer screens, which are backlit
and exhausting to read for extended periods, both the Reader and the Kindle use
the "electronic paper display" developed by E Ink Corporation.
Microscopic balls full of charged white and black particles are suspended between two layers of plastic and respond when different electronic fields are applied, bringing either the black or the white particles to the surface. The result is a screen
that reads like paper-it has high contrast, doesn't flicker, is visible from any angle and
can be read in direct sunlight, but not in the dark.
The Reader and the Kindle are pretty similar. Both are lightweight and compact,
making them ultraportable. Both have slots for memory cards and USB ports, which you
can use to upload content (PDFs,JPEGs, Word docs, plain text docs and MP3s). And
both are designed to mimic the look of traditional books, leather covers and all.
The main difference between them-and the reason the Kindle blows the Reader out
of the water-is that the Kindle is wireless, which means you can download new books
anytime, anywhere. You can also subscribe to most major newspapers and blogs. Amazon
uses cell phone technology to connect the Kindle to the Internet, while the Reader needs
to be plugged into a computer via its USB cable to download content (and it isn't compatible with Macs, so all you Apple users are out ofluck).
The Kindle might not be the prettiest gadget in town, but its built-in dictionary,
access to Wikipedia and ability to download any of Amazon's thousands of ebooks at a
moment's notice make it a lean mean reading machine that outranks the Reader in the
most important categories.
Like most products using emerging technologies, these ereaders aren't exactly affordable, so start saving your pennies now if you want to treat yourself to a holiday
gift and impress the intellectual girls at the coffee shop with your spiffy, geek-chic
toy and newfound ability to quote Judith Butler at will. ($300, sonystyle.com; $360,
amazon.com)
HAVE YOUR CAKE AND READ IT, TOO
Youno longer
needto cruisethe
bookstoreshelves
to get yourlesbian
lit fix-the hottest
ebooktitles are
just a clickaway.
Whetheryou're
downloading
your
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you'll be shrinking
yourcarbonfootprintas youexpandyourmind.Andthat's not
all they'regoodfor.Wantto rereadthat steamysexscenefrom
chapterone?Youcanusea hyperlinkandgetthereinstantly.
Outof bookshelfspace?Youcanstorehundredsof ebookson
onegadget.Andfor yousexyfour-eyedgirlsoutthere,the text
sizeandfont canbe adjustedto yourneeds.Herearesomeof
ourtop picksfor sensational
Sapphicsites.-Anna Lonnberg
L-Book,an onlineebookstore
of lesbianfiction,alsoprovidesa
listeningebookstore,
whichsellsaudiobooks.
Nowyoucanput
upyourfeet,lighta candleandlet "Samantha"
readto youin
heroh-so-soothing
voice.(I-book.com)
StarCrossed
Productions,
or "yourone-stopbookshop
for
qualitylesbianfiction,"providesebooksfromlesbianpublishersIntaglioPublications,
RegalCrestEnterprises
andPD
Publishing,
to namea few.(scp-inc.biz)
Now,in additionto its vastselectionof LGBTfiction,erotica
andnonfiction,
BoldStrokesBookshasopenedan ebookdivision,BSBEclipse.
A backcatalogis available,
andBoldStrokes
hasa healthylineupof newreleases.(boldstrokesbooks.com)
Lavender
Dooris a siteprovidinglesbianeliteratureand
diaries,a lesbianart gallery,resourceguidesthat provide
information
ontravelandmusicanda "Meeta Friend"section
that enablesyouto find womenwith interestssimilarto yours.
~avenderdoor.com)
ArtemisPressfocusesspecifically
on lesbianshortfiction,
althoughbook-length
fictionis available,
too.Worksvary
fromstereotype-challenging
andpoliticalpieces,to steamy
romances
andmysteries.
Artemisalsohostsa communitylink
anda lesbianart gallery.(artemispress.com)
76
I curve
The Amazon Kindle
I Tried It Reviews
Me and the Beautiful People
One unathletic lesbian gets up on the waves. I By Gillian Kendall
To say that I am an unlikely surfer is an understatement. I'm 47 years old, 20
pounds overweight and barely able to breaststroke a sloppy quarter-mile at the
Ya few times a week. I haven't played a team sport since age 11, when I distinguished myself at softball by being the only fielder ever to kick a ball to a base.
But every time I go near a surf beach I spend hours gazing at the beautiful
people gliding down those waves. Sure of failure, I've never admitted how much
I'd like to try it. After all, on one recent trip to Hawaii, I went for a short, easy
hike above Lanikai and broke my leg just walking.
These crises of confidence start whenever I arrive in Hawaii, where the
natives and long-term residents float about in suntanned bliss, their untamed
hair wafting in the breeze and their posture free of stress. For the first day or
two in paradise, I check in to some surf-friendly hotel like the ResortQuest
Waikiki circle (a few steps from the water) or the jewel-like Outrigger Regency
on the Beachwalk. I get some sun and exercise, take an outrigger canoe ride
and start to feel better about myself. The beauty and grace of all those healthy,
strong, yoga-instructor types must be contagious, right:>
But then I catch my reflection in a shop window, or see myself
stepping out of the shower in my hotel room, and the illusion of
my own health and beauty dissolves. I'm not Hawaiian, not even
help, they'd call back, "Relax! I got it!"
"Relax!" was the word most often yelled at
faintly fit: I'm just another fat, wet haolewith my hair in my eyes.
So the surfing lessons were a self-acceptance challenge, too. To
learn from my teachers, I had to get over the fact that they were
me in the course of my instruction, right after
"On your knees!" and "Stand up!" which were,
I thought, contradictory orders. It's impossible
slim, strong, young people who were probably appalled by what •
they saw from the rear after pushing me into a wave.
The pictures of my lessons look like Winnie the Pooh Does
Waikiki. I'm a wobbling mess, teeth clenched and eyes wide, as I
struggle to stand up on a wave that is barely visible in the photo.
The waves I learned on were hardly big enough to lift the heavy
beginner's board, but riding them felt like snowboarding down a sheer wall of
ice (I am not a proficient snowboarder, either; on my first attempt I broke my
•
to get to my knees and stand up on a rushing,
rocking, wet surface and relax at the same time.
But I did catch almost every wave, and the
seconds in between standing up and falling in
were sheer exhilaration. Even on those slow,
shallow breakers, the board moved much faster than I could think, so I was
forced to be in the moment in a way I never am when I'm, say, driving to work
or making dinner.
other leg on the bunny slope).
Sensing quickly that I was not going to be a natural, my instructor taught
me right away how to fall. Since the water in Waikiki is very shallow, and coral
lurks underneath, you don't jump in feet first when you go down, and neither
do you dive. The proper way to fall off the board is to belly-flop or drop sideways, keeping your arms near your sides. Since I fell off just about every wave, I
Once you catch a wave, your board surges forward fast, and then, if you're
lucky, you feel a little drop as the wave curls up behind you, and you scramble to
your feet, keep your knees bent and spread your arms while balancing on a rolling, tumbling-underneath-you wave. Son t. • es I lost my balance and slipped
off (expertly), but other times I flailed around, got it back and rode in nearly all
became an expert at dismounting, and only once scraped my foot on the rocks.
Besides falling correctly, I grew adept at getting back on the board after a
wipeout. In fact, once I was so eager to jump back on that I slammed my head
on the board, giving myself a gray, egg-shaped bruise and a slight dizziness for
several days. After seeing me nearly knock myself unconscious, my instructor
great massage.
advised,"Just relax! When you go under, hang out for a while. Otherwise, you'll
do what you just did:'
The hardest part of surfing is paddling out. After discovering just how
weak my upper body was, I decided to hire my own personal beach buddy
from Outrigger Waikiki beach services. For about $250 an afternoon, you can
get a one-on-one surf instructor and water chauffeur. Kenny, Gina or another
of the water deities would lie on a board ahead of me, plant one foot flat on the
tip of my board and paddle us both out at high speed. Ifl dipped my arms in to
the way to the beach-long enough to make the "hang loose" sign and whoohoo back to my classmates.
Those seconds were the greatest fun I've ever had, the best expression of
physical well-being I've ever known, better than sex, dark chocolate or even a
Coming in off the beach for the last time, I went to shower behind the
Outrigger Reef Hotel and saw myself reflected in the windows of the Shore
Bird Restaurant, where breakfasting tourists had probably been watching me
fall down for the last hour. But what I think they saw was a grinning, bouncing,
beginning surfer.
Sure, I thought, I'm a sunburned, middle-age tourist with sopping hair, but
there's something else going on now, too. I look a little outdoorsy, a little confident and, I think, a little beautiful.
November 2008
I
77
Driven by Passion continued from page 33
Paging Television History continued from page 48
B-B-B-Bad to the Bone continued from page 67
forgo being finicky.
Throughout her travels, and even here at home,
she is driven to discover the most authentic food
selecting the best, brightest or most entertaining
(which can also mean outrageously bad) to put be-
I have. It was a very long and slow process, mostly
full of ignorance and misconceptions. My mother
fore the cameras and celebrity judges.
When asked if she's had anything to do with
boosting the gay and lesbian representation on the
show, Hurwitz merely grins. "No comment;' she
says. Familiar lesbian faces have included Sabrina
Matthews, Michele Balan (who made the final four
still says crazy things every once in a while. I was
sitting with her and she was like, "Nisha, did you
know that so-and-so has two daughters and they're
both gay-what a tragedy!" I had to explain to her
why that was offensive to me. Then she does incred-
in every culture. ''As Americans, we tend to tag a
cuisine in the same way we sometimes tag a culture
and the type of food we think that culture offers.
Then we decide if we like it or not;' Feniger says.
"But in reality, each cuisine is made up of so many
similar ingredients. Take the Mexican, Thai, Indian
and Vietnamese kitchens. Just off the top of my
head, the major ingredients in these cuisines are
cumin, cilantro, onions, garlic, brown sugar, chilies, green onions, vinegar, ginger. How you balance
these as a cook makes the difference in the cultural
cuisine. Food goes way beyond appreciating difference. Food crosses barriers. It opens doors, it embraces difference:•
Feniger's not enthusiastic about some of today's
too-slick watering holes. She tells a story about an
L.A. hotspot where the chef prepared a special entree for her: a combo of lobster, pancakes, maple
syrup and some kind of pudding. Apparently, the
concoction came out of the kitchen looking as sexy
as a lesbian Johnny Depp, but it turned out there
was nothing real beneath the layers of presentation
and makeup.
This is not to say that fine dining always turns
Feniger off. She's one of the earliest protegees of
Wolfgang Puck. Great food is at the heart of her
career and is the thing she loves most. But there's a
difference between the kind of food that pretends
and the kind that comes out of the kitchen elegant
in its simplicity. In a sense, Feniger can actually be
said to opt for tradition-tradition
communicated
through honest, authentic food.
Another story Feniger likes to tell is of a dinner
she and her partner, the filmmaker Liz Lachman,
shared with Sakinah, a woman in a small village, while cows grazed under the hut. The three
women never exchanged a word in a common
language, yet they dined and communicated for
hours. They laughed. They told stories. Through
cooking together, they shared generations of family
experiences.
"In that tiny hut, cooking together, our lives
grew bigger:'
This is one reason Feniger's new restaurant,
built on the concept of global street food, is sure
to be a hit. Being around her, I was reminded of
something the poet Muriel Rukeyser has said: "The
world is made of stories, not atoms:' To Feniger, a
list of ingredients will never tell the whole story.
Someone must bring them together.
Almost 30 years ago, Susan Feniger took to the
streets. This year, she'll own Street, in a bright and
welcoming section of Highland Avenue in L.A. It's
not at all hard to make that connection.
78
Icurve
of season four) and Erin Foley (a contestant this
season). Gay and lesbian comics do well, Hurwitz
ible things. I was shooting in Toronto and she was
visiting me. Toronto has this really huge gay Pride,
which takes over half the city. She went with me out
in the streets and she said, "The one generalization
says, as long as they"don't fall'into the trap" of dwelling only on gay material.
"Now even gay audiences want to laugh at
universal subjects. I think the key to being a good
comedian is making your truth a universal truth:'
that I can make about gay people is that they all
have such big hearts:' That was her take on gay men
and lesbians: that they will go out of their way for
you and do anything for you.
While Hurwitz is the only producer with
stand-up experience, she recently hired three writers, her first opportunity to hand-pick other tal-
They were looking for an Indian actress who was
willing to play a lesbian. I always kind of thought
ented comics.
"I wanted to make sure they had stand-up experience, too;' she says.
Straight white males have dominated comedy, but two of the new writers are women (one of
them gay). The third is an African American male.
"We joke that we are making writers' room history;' says Hurwitz. "It wasn't intentional, but just
worked out that way:' How
How did you get cast in this role?
people of one ethnicity shouldn't play another ethnicity, but Amber took it to the level of I'm going
to cast all gay people to play gay people. I thought,
You're awesome.
You acted in and directed Chutney Popcorn.
I was meant to direct, and I lost my actress a few
weeks before shooting. It was really hard to find an
Indian American who would play a lesbian, didn't
have an accent and was familiar with dyke culture.
You got into directing through acting, right?
Lady and the Vamp continued from page 60
Cayne:The biggest thing for me is that when I
went on set I was just treated as one of their cast
members. I was treated as a real actress, I was never
looked at twice. I just became a part of the show
and it was pleasantly surprising.
Weiss:I think the longevity that I've had in my
career and the way that I've been able to reinvent
myself and that people have taken me so seriously, I
think it's surprising for a woman, especially a young
woman. I started when I was 21. I'm just very appreciative and sometimes I feel like I have that im-
I was a struggling actor and there were no parts for
Indian girls. Meryl Streep and Glenn Close were
on the cover of magazines saying that the roles
for women were terrible. I remember holding the
magazines and going, if they're complaining, what
the hell am I going to do?
You had to make your own role, which is what
Amber's doing too by making this space for
queer women of color.
Exactly. It was so great to see somebody so dedicated
to telling our stories and telling them real, because
it's easy to get cynical. After I did ChutneyPopcorn,
I went on this round of meetings in Hollywood and
poster syndrome where I have everybody fooled,
like I'm this little kid from Philadelphia running
they were like, ''This is great, but can you do something without lesbians?"You get beat down ....
around on the Sony lot.
Any anecdotes about the scene on set?
When you have clients who are really in de-
Flirting, craziness and drama! Good lesbian drama,
not bad lesbian drama. Guin and I had a blast teas-
mand, like Jason Bateman from Juno, does
that give you more sway to help your clients
who are less well-known?
Weiss:Yeah, in fact when I sign a client, people are
really taking notice because I'm always looking for
thought-provoking points of view and really talented individuals. I don't just sign to sign-I'm way
too busy for that. So if I take on a new client, it gives
them validity because of who I'm representing. I've
got a lot of big feature guys on my roster. I launched
James Woods' career from actor to director, now he's
going off to do a movie. I've been really fortunate.
ing each other. As soon as people got in hair and
makeup, the lesbian identity started feeling insecure,
so you could easily needle somebody. We were just
having a funny cruel time ... with each other's characters. My character is a straight girl [at first] and
Amber gave me heels to wear. I was like, "Oh. Dear.
God:' I haven't been in heels in how many years?
Did you master the heels?
It took me a few takes and then, I'm proud to say, I
mastered the three-and-a-half-inch heels. Jennifer
Beals' got nothing on me!
of Ownership
2008Statement
Publication Title: Curve.
Publication No.: 0010-355.
Filing Date: Sept. 25, 2008.
Issue Frequency: Monthly except bimonthly
Jan/Feb and July/ Aug. Number oflssues
Published Annually: 10;
Annual Subscription Price: $49.50
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Complete Mailing Address:
1550 Bryant St. Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA
94103-4856.
Contact Person: Flo Enriquez
Telephone: (415) 863-6538 x17.
Publisher: Frances Stevens, 1550 Bryant Sc.
Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103-4267.
Executive Editor: Diane Anderson-Minshall,
1550 Bryant St. Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA
94103-4856. Managing Editor: Katie Peoples,
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Owner(s): Outspoken Enterprises, 1550 Bryant
Sc. See. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103-4856;
Frances Stevens, 1550 Bryant Sc. Ste. 510, San
Francisco, CA 94103-4856; Karie Sanborn,
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Half Moon Bay,CA 94109. Known
Bondholder Mortgagees and other security
holders owning one percent or more of total
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none. Tax Status: has not changed during
proceeding 12 months.
Publication Title: Curve.
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Oct. 2008.
Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average
No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding
12 Months: A) Total No. Copies Net Press
Run: 70,115. B) Paid Circulation. (By Mail
and Outside the Mail) (1) Mailed OutsideCounty Paid Subscriptions Stated on Form
3541: 19,888; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 730; (3)
Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including
Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street
Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid
Distribution outside USPS: 40,150; (4) Paid
Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through
the USPS: 1,022. C) Total Paid Distribution:
61,790. D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
by Mail and Outside the Mail: (1) Free or
Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included
on Form 3541: 2,114; (2) Freeor Nominal Rate
In-County Copies included on Form 3541: O;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at
Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: 450;
(4) Free orNominal Rate Distribution Outside
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Distribution: 5,564. F) Total Distribution:
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Total: 70,115. I) Percent Paid 91.15%. Extent
and Nature of Circulation/No. Copies of
Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run: 72,210.
13 Paid Circulation. (By Mail and Outside
.;,e Mail) (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 19,692; (2)
Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 3541 751; (3) Paid Distribution
Outside the Mails Including Sales Through
Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter
Sales, and Other Non-USPS: 42,200; (4) Paid
Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through
the USPS: 951. C) Total Paid Distribution:
63,594. D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
(by Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or
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Form 3541: 2,650; (2) Free or Nominal Rate
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(3) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Mailed
at Other Classes Through the USPS: 431; (4)
Free or Nominal Race Distribution Outside
the Mail: 4,025. E) Total Free or Nominal Rate
Distribution: 7,106. F) Total Disrribucion:
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H) Total: 72,210. I) Percent Paid: 89.95%.
Publication of Statement of Ownership:
November 2008.
November 2008
I 79
Top Ten ReasonsWe Love Sarah Silverman
"Thatsmile,thoseteeth,
the quirkof her lips.. .fora
lesbian,watchingher act
is almostpornographic."
3. It's rumoredthat she was firedfrom Saturday
NightLiveforbeingtoofemale-centric
in hersketch
writing.She later made memorable fun of the experience on The Larry SandersShow.Revenge is sweet.
4. Sheknowshowto useher mouth.That smile,
those teeth, the quirk of her lips ... for a lesbian,
watching her act is almost pornographic. Turn off
the sound and you'll see.
5. Sheknowshowto useherwords,too.Her potty
mouth is so raunchy, she makes grown men blush.
The only other female comics with that kind of
dirty talk? Margaret Cho, Lea Delaria, Sandra
Bernhard-all
"queers:'
6. Beinga femalecomicis alreadychallenging
the boy'sclubstatusquo.She also has a feature
movie and a successful TV show-that's
truly
groundbreaking.
7.She'shomoinherownway-she onlydatesother
Before dating Jimmy Kimmel, she was infacomics.
mous in Los Angeles comedy circles for dating her
way through the young bachelors of the stand-up
circuit.
8. She'sobsessed
withpussy.OK, and"doody;' and
farts and everything below the belt. Who else but a
lesbian would manage to incorporate a joke about
her sister's pubic hair into the first episode of her
Sarah Silverman's humor is so politically incorrect
that it comes around full circle-the
content may
1. Herfashionsense.Her favorite look is tomboy:
TV show?
baseball shirt, jeans, sneakers, ponytail. "I just look
dress up;' she told
be offensive (not to mention scatological), but she
like a transvestite when I try
uses it to absolutely skewer the kind of mindless,
National Public Radio's Terry Gross. "There's no
selfcentered, "innocent" bigotry that surrounds us
place to hide my balls:'
to
9. Sheskipsthe self-deprecating
humorthat too
manyotherwomencomedians
engagein. Instead,
her stage and screen persona is oblivious, arrogantly
every day. Most commentators focus on the racial
blithe to her own bigotry. She also avoids fat jokes
aspects of her humor, but when they do, they miss
a certain subtext. We know better, though, than to
turn a blind eye to the truth: Sarah Silverman is an
2. Shesupports
gaymarriage-andrefusesto wed and jokes about depression-she finds it hard to see
untilit's legal.How strong are her feelings on the the humor in these two topics, which are especially
subject? She told the Advocate,"What makes it less sensitive for women.
honorary lesbian. Here are just a few reasons why.
wrong than when interracial marriage was illegal?
-Lori
It's fucking barbaric:'
Selke
so Icurve
10.She'snotafraidoftheword"cunt."
(
I COVER SWE T.COM
an
A new eco-friendlg lesbia71,tra e co..,.,......
dedicated to ma'eng the wor d a e te p ace
wl/Jle having a blast •71,i
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