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Description
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ToC Conscious Cruises by Margaret Coble and Fae Goodman (p26); Cover: Saving Sarah Silverman by Kristin A. Smith (p44); Meredith Baxter's Family Ties by Suzanne Westenhoefer (p48); A Shock in Seattle by Gina Daggett (p50); Powerful Lesbian Veterinarians by Jamie Anderson (p54); Women in Men's Wear with Photography by Jeffrey Horvitz (p28); Top 11 Lesbian Style Icons by Alex Vega and Riese (p30); Finland's Top Model by Erin Siegal (p34); Get Your Motors Runnin' with Photography by Leslie Van Stelten (p36); A Girls Guide to Buying a Car by Serena Freewomyn (p39); Motorcycle Mamas by Linda Kay Nash (p40); Our Top Car Picks for 2010 by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p42); Cover Photo by Robyn Von Swank.
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issue
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4
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Date Issued
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May 2010
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Format
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PDF/A
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Publisher
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Frances Stevens
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Identifier
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Curve_Vol20_No4_May-2010_0CR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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BRID6ESTORE
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LAS
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Features MAY2010
26
Conscious Cruises
Sweet voluntourism in the Caribbean.
By Margaret Coble and Fae Goodman
44
Saving Sarah Silverman
Find out
what Sarah
Silverman is
thinking
How the gays kept our favorite straight comic
on the air. Plus, Silverman tells us why she
•1ovesto butch it up and who could make her
go lesbo. By Kristin A. Smith
48
Meredith Baxter's Family Ties
Suzanne Westenhoefer sits down for an
intimate talk with her good friend and everyone's favorite TV mom, Meredith Baxter.
50
A Shock in Seattle
Coming to terms with the brutal murder
of a popular lesbian. By Gina Daggett
54
Powerful Lesbian Veterinarians
Our pick of vets for your favorite furry
friends: By Jamie Anderson
28
LesbianFashion101
Women in Men's Wear
Sexy androgynous suits for power babes.
Photography by Jeffrey Horvitz
30
Top 11 Lesbian Style Icons
Ellen and Kate are great, but see who else
made the cut. By Alex Vega and Riese
34
Finland's Top Model
Nanna Grundfeldt is gay and gorgeous.
By Erin Siegal
36
Get Your Motors Runnin'
The pinup· girls we'd want in our garage.
Photography by Leslie Van Ste/ten
39
WomenandWheels
A Girls Guide to Buying a Car
These five tips make sure you won't get
taken for a ride. By Serena Freewomyn.
40
Motorcycle Mamas
Two women head out on the open road.
By Linda Kay Nash
42
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hot combination
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From compact to luxury, a dyke's guide
to new cars. By Diane Anderson-Minshall
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BEING AHEAD OF YOUR TIME IS NEVER EASY. That's why one of our core values is to respect
all people and value their differences. That's being progressive. And as a company, we aim to live
up to our name. We were the first to do things like offer insurance online and the first to let you
compare rates just as easily. Because like you, we believe in change, especially when it's for the better.
See progress at progressive.com/glbt
PROGREIIIVE.
Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. and its affiliates, Mayfield Village, OH. 09P00116.D (04/09)
Departments MAY2010
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IN EVERY ISSUE
6
8
10
11
18
22
23
24
Frankly Speaking
19
20
Letters
Lipstick & Dipstick
I~
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<I)
queer graduate.
UJ
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Relationships: Boy chasing, jello shots
25
Open Studio
Out in Front
AstroGrrl
Celebrity Gossip
Housing for LGBT elderly and secret
stashes for your cash. Plus, what's
under Jane Lynch's track suit?
14
Brownworth is rolling with the ladies.
16
Dyke Drama
Want to know how to seduce a
straight girl?
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Music: Soulful nostalgia with Sade,
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Books: Political, academic texts for the
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Eleanor Roosevelt.
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Film: Julianne Moore's steamy Sapphic
scenes. Plus, we go Swimmingwith Lesbians.
Politics
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15
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A new Lindsay and Sam spat, a check in
with Chaz and Jillian Michaels comes out?
Melissa's new Fearlessalbum and cuddle
up with Shelby Lynne.
Curvatures
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-~
56
12
I-
Money: Tips on finding a job for the recent
and bachelorette parties: How to survive a
straight-girl party.
Editor's Note, Contributors
This Is What a Lesbian Looks Like
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curve
In this time-bending,sexy,lesbianrompwith an irreverentnodto the popular
art-houseclassic ·Run, Lola, Run"- a
talented,but distractedphotographer,
Lola,
(AshleighSumner)onthe vergeof success
in bothloveandwork, couldloseit all if she
doesn'tmakeit to a crucialmeetingontime.
But,as usual,Lolais late.With herjob and
girlfriendCasey(JillBennett)
onthe line,she
hasthree chancesto makeit right.In a
desperateracethroughthestreetsand
backrooms
of SanFrancisco,
timegrowsshort
- will Lolamakeit?Will shecomeat all?
Net S'aundtracffs·
=
-
~
featuring Girl Bands:
Sick of Sarah, Saucy Monky,
Jen Corday, Lori Michaels and Morel
~WolfeVldeo.com
FRANKLY
SPEAKING
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
MAY 2010
I
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
VOLUME 20 NUMBER 4
Publisher and Founder Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Diane Anderson:..Minshall
Managing Editor Kristin A. Smith
Associate Editor Rachel Beebe
Assistant Editor Rachel Shatto
Book Review Editor Rachel Pepper
Music Review Editor Margaret Coble
Contributing Editors Julia Bloch, Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee, Stephanie Schroeder
Copy Editor Katherine Wright
EditorialAssistants Lisa Gunther, Sarah C. Jimenez, Stephanie Vernier
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Flo Enriquez
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
Advertising Intern Hans Djunaidy
Marketing Assistant Rose Tachis
Hello, Mrs. Keaton!
In the '80s when everyone else was crushed out on Michael J. Fox, the cute
boy wonder of Family Ties, lesbians were agog for Elyse Keaton, the original
TV MILF (OK, Mrs. Brady might have had dibs on that title, too). Like a
legion of queer women before me, I hoped, but never could have imagined
that Meredith Baxter was actually gay. Or would be gay, eventually.
By now, most of you may have heard that Meredith Baxter is a lesbian.
She has been living privately out for several years, but after spending a week
alongside hundreds of lesbians on Sweet's inaugural cruise, she decided to
come out to the public, too.
By the time the cruise ship had returned to the port in New Orleans, our
offices were already atwitter with calls, texts and emails letting us know the
great TV legend had been on the cruise. A lesbian cruise. With her partner.
I wasn't surprised, actually, because I was on the cruise, too, along with a
few other Curvettes. Even among the celebs on board, there was buzz that
Baxter was thinking of coming out but wanted to keep it low key. The curve
staff that was boatside that week was respectful and let Baxter do the coming
out on her own, without us pushing her in any way. (To read curve
contributor Margaret Coble's take on other aspects of the trip, turn to page
26.) Plus, the women of Sweet did an excellent job of helping Baxter feel
confident, safe and respected, too.
It turned put great for us to let Baxter come out in her own sweet time.
The response she's gotten from fans and Hollywood has been tremendously
supportive. In our exclusive post-out interview, Meredith speaks candidly
with friend Suzanne Westenhoefer ( on page 48) about coming out,
conquering alcohol and learning to love herself-and another woman-in
Hollywood. I can't think of a more eloquent ambassador for coming out after
40 (or any age, for that matter).
Of course, the issue wouldn't be complete without our ribald cover girl,
comic Sarah Silverman (on page 44), who is the anti-Baxter: brash, loud and
wickedly subversive. We love how diverse women really are. Don't your
ART/PRODUCTION
Art Director Stefanie Liang
Photo Editor Hayley McMillen
Production Manager Ondine Kilker
Production Artist Kelly Nuti
Web Producer Nikki Woelk
Photo Assistant Brittany Jeffers
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Jamie Anderson, Kathy Beige, Stacy Bias, Kelsy Chauvin, Bree
Clarke, Jennifer Corday, Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Beren deMotier,
Ainsley Drew, Michele Fisher, Lauren Marie Fleming, Katrina
Fox, Serena Freewomyn Tania Hammidi, Kathi lssennan, Gillian
Kendall, Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert, Charlene Lichtenstein, Karen
Loftus, Sassafras Lowrey, Ariel Messman-Rucker, Candace Moore,
Alison Peters, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti, Heather Robinson,
Laurie K. Schenden, Lori Selke, Dave Steinfeld, Edie Stull, Robin
Miner-Swartz, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Kyra Thomson, Jocelyn Voo,
Melany Walters-Beck, Jamie Wetherbe
CONTRIBUTING
ILLUSTRATORS
& PHOTOGRAPHERS
Paul Michael Aguilar, Erica Beckman, Brie Childers, Meagan
Cignoli, Cheryl Craig, JD Disalvatore, Tony Donaldson, Sophia
Hantzes, Cheryl Mazak, Maggie Parker, Elisa Shebaro, Leslie Van
Stelten, Katherine Streeter, Kina Williams, Misty Winter
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone (415) 863-6538 Fax (415) 863-1609
Advertising Sales (415) 863-6538 ext. 15
Subscription Inquiries (800) 705-0070 International (818) 286-3102
Advertising Email advertising@curvemag.com
Editorial Email editor@curvemag.com
Letters to the Editor Email letters@curvemag.com
Volume 20 Issue 4 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for bimonthly
January/February and July/August) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Bryant St.,
Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103. Subscription price: $49.95/year, $62.95 Canadian
(U.S. funds only) and $71.95 international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks will be
assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA 94114 and
at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve Magazine may not be
reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without written permission from the
publisher. Publication of the name or photograph of any persons or organizations appearing,
advertising or listing in Curve may not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation
of that individual or group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries,
unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions cannot be returned unless a self-addressed
stamped envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damages. The
contents do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editor, unless specifically stated. All
magazines sent discreetly. Subscription Inquiries: Please write to Curve, 1550 Bryant Street,
Suite 510, San Francisco, CA 94103, email shop@curvemag.com. Ganadian Agreement
Number: 40793029. Postmaster:SendCanadianaddresschanges to shop@curvernag.oorn,
curve,
PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 658. Send U.S. addresschanges to shop@curvemag.oorn,
curve, PO Box 17138,N. Holywood,CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
curvemag.com
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Tool Academy's Lezzie Co-eds
In season three of VH1 's guilty pleasure ToolAcademy,
the series added a lesbian couple into the dysfuntional mix,
Courtney Barcellos and Cheron Wilson. The duo talk
falling in love, brutal therapy sessions and representing
the lezzie tool community.
Motels Maven Martha Davis
In our extended interview with Martha Davis, the singer talks
about her transition from Air Force wife to New Wave star,
psychic predictions and why she had to escape L.A.
Putting the "T" in Reality TV
After decades of being treated by mainstream entertainment
like a silent letter at the end of LGBT, the transgender
community is finally recieving a little media attention.
Two new reality shows TRANSform Me and Boss Ladiesbring fashionable trans ladies with big hair and bigger
personalities to the mainstream-and we're loving it!
The L Word Look-alikes
Foryears,readerssuggested
we run
a contestto find L Wordcastmember
look-alikesamongthefans.We
finallyheededthe callto supportthe
releaseof the L Word:FinalSeason
DVD(acopywassentto eachof the
4 winners).
Amongthe luckylook-alikesareMillieAyala,a NewYork
insurance
broker/consultant
to high
networthindividuals,
whonotonly
loo s a lot like KarinaLombard(aka
Marina,Jenny'sfirst girl lover),but
sheandher21-yearolddaughterare
hugefansof theseries.Theproud
momof two (hersonis 17),says,
"I neverreallythoughtthat I looked
likeanyoneontheshow,those
ladieswerejustwaytoo hot."But
afterherfriendsinsisted,shelet
usdecide.The
result?Muy
caliente!
Ourothertop
votegetter:LucyShutan,a 20-yearoldrockerfromLakeZurich,Illinois,
whogivesKatherine
Moennig(a.k.a.
Shane)a runfor hermoney.Shutan,
whojustfinishedtwo yearsof college,worksat GameStop
byday,
tutorslocalhighschoolstudents,
and,"WhenI'm notridiculously
busy,I enjoyplayingvideogames
androckingouton mydrumsand
guitar-but notat the sametime...
yet."Shutanwastoldshelookedlike
Shaneoftenenoughthatshehoped
herpictureswouldscorea season
sixset.Indeedit did.
LGBT Financial Struggles in Motor City U.S.A.
It isn't just the auto industry feeling the economic crunch in
Detroit, the LGBT community in Eastern Michigan has been
hit hard, too. Find out what you can do to help out.
OR YOUR FAVORITE COVER
So many hot celebs, so little time-er, covers. Let us
know who you would rather have seen on the cover.
Email your vote to letters@curvemag.com
and be entered to win a lesbolicious gift.
A Honduran Getaway
Eco-tourism, zip lining in the
jungle and sumptuous exotic
cuisine. Read about one
Curvette's adventures in
Central America at
curvemag.com.
Karen Loftus zip
lining in Honduras
,:.
May 2010 j 7
LETTERS
• •
e
Ed Note: We love Venice and couldn't agree
more, which is why we sat down with star
Crystal Chappell when the show premiered.
Read our interview at curvemag.com
I
Wanting a Better Reflection
Why are there never any articles or columns
written about gay women in rural areas:>We
don't care about the big city life or we wouldn't
be here. Most people think that women from
the sticks are backwards or uneducated, but
that isn't the case. We enjoy all the things
that city women enjoy, only our contentment
comes from the solitude that the masses can't
provide. I would like to see curve have more
stories about us and the way we live.
- Deb Campbell,Avard, Okla.
t's Crystal Chappell
NO1.9181ANMAOAIJMI
After reading the article"Survivor or Victim?"
(Vol. 20#1] by Victoria A. Brownworth I
felt the need to respond. The last paragraph
states, "rape creates physical, psychological
and emotional wounds that cannot heal, no
matter how much time has passed:' Well,
pulling from my personal experience, I don't
agree. I have gotten through it. I have healed
in so many ways and I am a survivor. That is
empowering. You find the inner strength of
who you are and don't allow them to destroy
you. Each day it will get better. There may
be set backs but you never give up and you
surely don't go around telling people they
cannot, no matter how much time has
passed. Anyone reading that article needs
to know-you are going to make it. There
is light at the end of that dark tunnel and
keep lifting your head up. You will find it!
- Angela, Lawrenceburg,Ind.
Otalia Overlooked
Hey, Tech Girl's "Ten Must-See Lesbianthemed Web Series" (Vol. 20#2] left out the
best one of the year- Venice!Wow girls, you
are way behind the times not having more on
the hottest web series and ladies on the web.
- TracePrice,Seymour,Ind.
Sendlettersto:curve magazine
1550BryantSt.,Ste.510 SanFrancisco,
CA94103
I am a fan of your magazine. However, I rarely
see myself in your pages. I am a 35-year-old,
lesbian, married, stay at home mom of three
living in rural upstate New York. I have no
interest in reading about the fashion-obsessed,
clubbing, career chasing L Word type of
lesbian. I understand that you have to report to
all aspects of the lesbian demographic, but I am
asking that you please consider the rest of usthe non-glossy side of the lesbian community.
- RachelBednarek,Blossvale,N.Y.
Glad You Were Around
Coming out to my friends and family was much
easier for me to do sinceI had a lot of media, both
print and TV, that dealt with the issue. I hope
to see many more media sources incorporate all
people on the basis of race, gender and sexual
orientation as being equal. Not to encourage
competition for you, but Ia also like to see even
more magazines with lesbian content.
- Kendra Ball, Antioch, Calif.
Corrections:
The correct website for Seal
Press, publishers of Women
Open Up About Moving On is
sealpress.com. Bored to Death
is actually on HBO. Oopsie!
Subscriber
Services
arenowavailable
at
curvemag.com/customerservice:
EMAIL:
letters@curvemag.com • subscribe
FAX:
415-863-1609
• renew
GOTO:curvemag.com/letters
• payyourbill
• getmissingissues
• changeaddress
• givea gift
999
CONTRIBUTORS
From the Editor
We have so much
happening behindthe-scenes at curve
this month. We have
"Rarely am I as affected by a news story as I was by what happened
to Teresa Butz and her partner last summer;' says contributing writer
GinaDaggett.
"It has stayed with me nearly every day:' The serious tone
ofDaggett's article,"Emerald City Tragedy" (page 50) isn't something
readers are accustomed to, since she normally writes under the penname "Lipstick" in the humorous Lipstick & Dipstick column, but
Daggett says, "I was deeply moved by what happened and felt
compelled to tell their story. Rest in peace, Teresa Butz:'
not one, but two
great celebs-Sarah
Silverman and
Meredith Baxter- in
this issue. Plus,
our editors crafted
a lesbo fashion bonanza (what
other mag offers queer women
'Tm not shy about being a crazycat lady, so speaking with K. KellyJones was a
blast," says editorial assistant LisaGunther,
who interviewed the veterinarian and
fellow feline enthusiast for her article, ''A Purrfect Career;' (page 55). A
graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Gunther is no stranger to the written word. She
received her bachelor's in English literature, and is currently working toward a
master's degree in the same subject. While she initially thought about teaching,
she has recently discovered that her passion lies in editing and writing. "I never
thought that I would have ajob that I actually love,but my experience at curve has been amazing:'
You can also check out her review of Julianne Moore's new film, Chloe,at curvemag.com.
s
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in suits, flannel, silver studded
bras and even a sweet Iii'
dress?) that makes me want to
shop-immediately.
We also
asked readers what kind of
cars you drove and which ones
you want to drive, and we've
come up with our 2010 Top Car
Picks. But for managing editor
Kristin A. Smith, the highlight
Contributing writer and Curvemag.com blogger BerendeMotier
describes
herself as a Carol Brady in Levis meets tattooed lesbian mama in
a minivan, who is obsessed with safety, doing the_right thing and the
amount of dog hair on her wood floors. On her curve blog, Gayby
Boom,she writes about all things parenting. She is a regular contributor
to Black Lamb, and has written for Hip Mama, Pride Parenting,ehow.
com, and for her own blog, That LesbianMom Next Door. Her multi-award-winning book,
The Bridesof March:Memoir of a Same-SexMarriage,recounts her giddy leap through a legal
window straight onto the barbeque pit of public debate when she and her partner married in
Oregon in 2004, their three children along for the raucous ride.
~
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of the month was talking with
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she literally lept at the chance
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to talk to her. Days after the
interview, she's still regaling us
with anecdotes, including a song
about Sarah's "penis." You'll have
to read her interview on page 44
to understand. Enjoy!
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Editor in Chief
10
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1 6thAnnualHmongLGBTQIA
NewYearcelebrationin Oakdale,Minn.2 Tegan& Sara
with CurvetteDianaBerry3 TrainingRules
releaseparty (from left) CherylMazak,Sara
St. MartinLynn,DeeMosbacher,Michelle
Mattos& Wolfe'sJenni Olson4 Crystal
Chappell(left)andfansat the Venicepremiere
in St. Paul,Minn.5 TheAVNAwards(from
left) April Flores,Jiz Leeand DylanRyan
8 7th AnnualWomynUnlimitedMinnesota
Gala7 AtMariahHanson'sJETSETTER
in
L.A.(from left): ShannonKampa,Briana
Stockton,Jenn RegenstreichandTracieAyala
the rundown
Thinking of going on a family trip? Despite
the divorce and RosieO'Donnell
leaving the
company, RFamily
Vacations,
the first
cruise and tour
company catering to
LGBT families, is
going forward. "It's
been a challenging year for my family [but]
R Family Vacations is based on families,
and families stay together forever;' wrote
KelliCarpenter
on the company's website ...
For those of us not interested in traveling
farther than our couch-the 16th season of
TheAmazing
Raceon CBS featured
a lesbian couple. Carol Rosenfeld
and Brandy Snow of L.A. who
competed against other pairs in
a race around the world ... Rich '
lesbians are losing more money
than straight women! Federal Estate
Tax Disadvantagesfor Same-Sex
Couples, a new study from the
Williams Institute, shows that wealthy
LGBT folks are the hardest hit l?ytax laws...
Are you sick of beaver jokes? If not, you will
be soon. Lesbian icon JodieFosteris set to star
in a new film called-you guessed
it-The Beaver. Alas,the film has
nothing to do with lesbians and is
about a man whose life is changed
- by a beaver hand puppet ... Have
you given any thought to your retirement
plans? The Elsie Frank House (named after
Rep.Barney
Frank's
late mother) has just
opened in Mass., providing a safe place for
LGBT seniors. "Everyone deserves to live and
receivecare in a place that is filled with respect
for who they are," CEO Barry Berman told
The Golden Rainbow Times ... Services and
Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) received
a federal grant totaling $900,000 in order to
establish the first national resource center to
assist communities that provide services to
LGBT elders... Still missing The L Word?
The much anticipated The L Word Book is
finally available for purchase. Put together by
Jennifer
Beals,it includes over 400 behindthe-scenes photos from the six years the show
was on the air, and much of the proceeds go
to support charities, including The Matthew
Shepard Foundation. You
can even order the book
with a custom dedicatio~.
[Sassafras
Lowrey]
Offering a Helping Hand
The first thing you notice about Kathy
Weiner is her hair. Wild, unpredictable
curls defy gravity and convention, jubilantly
bouncing as she loads power tools and heavy
equipment into her truck. She works hardharder than most. But despite her deeply
tanned face, faded jeans, dirty boots and
awkward shyness, her hair betrays her real
personality.
Weiner is one of those silent heroes who
quietly, earnestly go about making the world
a better place every day. She serves as the
program manager for Hands on Housing, an
Austin, Texas based initiative that repairs the
homes of the elderly and disadvantaged and
leads an army of interfaith volunteer teams as
they demonstrate the vision of Austin Area
Interreligious Ministries.
Pairing such diverse groups as local Jews
and Muslims, Weiner's program doesn't just
help the aging householder. "It's so awesome
to watch the volunteers work together doing
physical labor. On the job site they begin to
just talk amongst themselves, and by the end
of the day they realize they have so much
in common;' she says over coffee at a shop
named, appropriately, Progress.
Asked if she experiences any resistance to
her sexuality or her gender among some of
the more staunchly conservative religious
groups that she works with, she smiles. "No,
not at all! I do feel like my expertise in home
repair gets questioned because I'm a woman,
but I basically just make suggestions and let
them try things themselves. Eventually, they
see that I know what I'm talking about:'
It is precisely her low-key humility that has
allowed her to overcome barriers, and serve as
a facilitator for the kind of social revolution
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that happens on her job sites. "It's not just
the religious differences that get resolved;'
she says. "Volunteers get to meet and work
with people who are disadvantaged. They see
that these are good people who just happen
to have been born into a situation that didn't
afford them a lot of opportunities:'
While other people talk about making
a difference and improving the lives of the
disadvantaged, Weiner is making it happen.
She gets the satisfaction of watching her
program change lives on many different levels.
Her passion for justice and her relentless desire
for a better community shine through in her
easy laughter, her enthusiasm for her work and
her irrepressible curls. [Amanda
Quarashi]
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STEALTHY
SAVINGS
Tucking money under the mattress is
so passe, but you can stiU stash some
cash at home. CanSafe.net offers an ·
array of great options. The Secret
Candle's bottom unscrews to reveal a
hidey-hole, their Hidden Wall Safe is
perfectly camouflaged as an ordinary
electrical outlet and
the Book Vault keeps
the literary lesbian's·
treasures secure
in a hollow tome
that's imperceptable
on your book shelf.
ThinkGeek.com'sSprinklerHide-A-Key
looks like a regular pop-up sprinkler
head, but can hold multiple keysgreat for party girls who often find
themselves locked out. ■
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The Gaydar
Here's a taste of lesbians in pop culture this month.
Who missed the mark and who was right on target?
Tommy
BulHShot
Machines
Love'emor
hate'em,
thesegirlie
gizmosare
showingup
at lesbian
bachelorette
parties
nationwide
Desperatefor More
JulieBenzandDanaDelaney
lock
lips on Desperate
Housewives.
Benzconfirmswhat
we alreadysuspected:
"Dana'sa greatkisser"
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Lesbianmomsin Vermontare
deniedthe chanceto be leadersof
their sons'CubScouttroops
POLITICS
Take Me for a Ride
Freedom, fantasy and fatwas: The complicated relationship
between women and cars. By Victoria A. Brownworth
Americans
and cars are inextricably
connected. Many of our childhood vacations
were spent crowded into the family car, seeing
"The U.S.A. in a Chevrolet:' Of course
it's been a bad couple of years for the auto
industry in America. But that hasn't made us
drive any less or spend any less time yearning
for the perfect vehicle.
I came to cars late. As a teenager in the inner
city, I traveled by foot and public transit, or
rode my bike. Taking the green route before
it was trendy w~s not actually my first choice.
I wanted a car, but those were the days before
the mid,priced compact, and as a struggling
writer a car was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Which was a shame, because so many of my
lesbian fantasies entailed having a sexy woman
on the seat next to me.
The first time I was in a car with only
women was also the first time I went to a
gay bar. I was 14, had a fake ID in my pocket
and was going with two older lesbians. Jackie
drove. Maria sat next to her and Jackie had
her arm across the seat. That's when my car
fantasies were born. Alas, I was destined to
be on the seat next to someone else for a very
long time. It was fun, but it wasn't my lesbian
car fantasy, it was someone else's.
I was 31 before I got my first car. It was a
14
I curve
hideous tri,color junker that was perilously
out of alignment. An old friend (who had
clearly had her own lesbian car fantasies) saw
"sucker " light up on my forehead and sold it
to me for an outrageous price. My sweet little
junker was named Esmeralda. She drove like
a tank, had a broken gas gauge, and when
parked, tended to drift if I didn't put bricks
behind her rear tires.
Despite Esmeralda's lack of charm, she was
my car and I had an inordinate amount of fun
with her. Finally, I was able to be the one in
the driver's seat. What young dyke doesn't
aspire to that? There really is nothing quite
like kissing your girlfriend in the front seat of
an old junker. Except maybe doing it in a Rolls
Royce or a' Bentley.
Sadly, Esmeralda died too quick a death,
which was, in the end, best for the environment
if not for my car,fantasy life. She devoured oil
and transmission fluid like a binge eater and
spewed a toxic cloud if she went over 50 mph.
But I loved her, and still think of her with
fondness. I've often wondered if women love
cars the same way men do. I think so. It seems
that lesbians and straight men want cars to be
the same sexist thing: a chick magnet.
Therein lies one of many quandaries about
car lust in 2010. The greening of America and
the concomitant guilt it produces has put a
dent in our love affair with cars. No American·
wants to think about how every time we get
in our cars we are killing the planet. But it's
true, isn't it? The Danes have their bicycles,
the Italians have their Vespas, the Welsh have
their Clydesdales, but we have our cars.
Climate change notwithstanding, there's
more to the relationship between women and
cars than just a piece of the American dream.
Cars are escape. Cars are power. Cars are
independence.
Prior to the fall of the Taliban, a fatwa made
it illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia.
And in Afghanistan, women could only drive
with a male relative in the seat beside her. That
would put a crimp in anyone's car fantasies.
In October 2008, a fatwa in Malaysia,
a majority,Muslim nation, banned both
lesbian sex and "masculine behavior" including women driving alone. The pro,
scriptions against women driving in Muslim
nations derive from the link between cars
and sexuality. Islamists argue that cars lead
to promiscuity because they allow too much
freedom of movement.
These current prohibitions against women's
auto autonomy may be egregious, but they are
just the most recent in a long line of similar
prohibitions. The history of women and cars is
definitely checkered. In America and Europe,
it was long thought that women weren't smart
enough to handle cars. And "woman driver"
has been epithet for bad driving since before
most of us were born.
Yet women drivers are statistically the safest.
We abide by the rules of the road more often
than men, have fewer accidents and, when in
the driver's seat, are killed far less frequently.
In short, we use cars responsibly. We also
feel safer with cars. The independence that
comes from being able to travel alone is very
different for women than men. Often, for
women, having a car means being able to
escape from men.
So in 2010, I try to balance the American .
car dream with environmental responsibility. I
have a fuel,efficient car and I drive only when ~
nece~sarv. But there are more issues than the 8
r
~
environment with regard to women and cars. 2
Which means, for now, I think women still ~
need cars, because, for women, cars represent ~
CJ
freedom. And in the majority of the world, ~
women just don't have enough of that. ■
i3
Curve Magazine is a proud sponsor of San Francisco Pride
SAN FRANCISCO
-
Commemorating
40 years of
. San Francisco
values
Love
•
Compassion
•
Diversity
Celebration and Parade
June 26-27 2010
sfpride.org
This ad space generously
donated by Curve Magazine
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
DYKE
DRAMA
How to Seduce a Strai ht Woman
Tips for getting her on your team or into your bed. By Michele Fisher
Ignore her. Really, hetero women can't resist
being ignored, and I can't resist ignoring them.
Just kidding. You don't seduce a straight
woman, every dyke knows that, but I love
taunting the straight media. One of them out
there will do a web search someday and use
the title of this column as proof that we are
after their women. The irony of the title will
elude them,just as common sense does.
Women who have never been with a
woman but really want to, or women who
are bisexual-those
you can seduce. But a
straight woman? Never.
When I was a struggling, baby,dyke
artist, I lived in a studio apartment with this
struggling straight,girl artist who looked like
a cross between Sade and Vanessa Williams.
Yes, she was fine. We slept in the same bed
for over a year, many times drunk as skunks,
and it never occurred to either one of us to
do anything but sleep ... and occasionally
vomit. Not because I didn't want to ruin the
friendship or because she was saving herself
for marriage, but because she was straight.
Technically, only two types of straight
women will gee into bed with a girl The first
are those you pay for sex and the second are
gals who are trying to please their man with
some girl,on,girl action. Now, if having some
chick wearing six coats of gloppy lip gloss
make kissing noises around your nipples while
some guy plays with his junk is your idea of a
good time, then you are going co make some
freaky little hecero couple very happy.
And by the way, straight folks, if you
chink that straight women don't flirt with us,
you are in denial. Humans flirt. Gay dudes,
straight guys, bi folks, dykes, everybody
flirts with everybody. Who doesn't want to
be wanted?
Separating the flirts and freaks from the
genuinely interested can be a challenge, but
it can be overcome by just asking, or leaning
in for a kiss. Either one is effective, as it is
the follow,through that determines where
individuals fall on the sexuality spectrum.
I was never bold enough co do either, so I
would just wait-and
wait. We all know
that this stage of "is she or isn't shet can
last for centuries.
If I am truly unsure about a woman's sexual
bearings, I keep waiting until she throws me
down and tries to mount me. Until then, I
ignore her like a straight girl. Hey, she knows
where I stand-why should I be like Charlie
Brown trying to kick the football? No way,
Lucy, you can just bring the football to me or
go play with yourself
So what do you do once you have figured
out chat she is willing and able to follow,
through?
There is nothing like the thrill of having a
desirable woman who you never thought in
a million years had any Sapphic tendencies
hitting on you. le is wonderful and scary and
absolutely life,affirming.
But how do you proceed?
This is where we go wrong. This is her
struggle-or not-but it isn't yours.
It is not on your shoulders to make sure
she makes it as a homo. If she decides it ain't
the life for her, it doesn't mean you are a bad
a:
~
w
~
~
~
~
dyke and will have to give back the toaster.
Why stress out about whether she might
go back to men? How are you supposed to
predict the future, Nostradykus? Cheer up.
She might leave you for your ex~girlfriend.
Now that would really prove she's lesbian,
wouldn't it?
And don't overanalyze the situation by
getting all caught up in wondering if your
lady is really gay or just attracted to you
as a person. A woman doesn't need to tell
me that she wants me because she loves
women-she just has to tell me that she
wants me.
We worry that she will blame us for her
being gay. How very flattering, but utterly
impossible. I would like to think that my
vajayjay has hypnotic powers, but alas I
know otherwise.
What if she is not comfortable in the
gay community? Excellent. Then you have
an excuse to eat and run. But if you want
more than a quickie, you must remember
to take a woman as you find her. People
don't change. If you are hoping that you
two will be the grand marshalls of the
Queertown Gay Pride Festival, then you'd
better think again.
Over time, she will probably fall into
her own comfort zone with gay life. Then
again, being with you may be the extent
of her involvement in the gay community.
Leave the TV on Logo, put the curve on
the coffee table and keep playing those Lady
Gaga tracks. She will figure it out.
What if she turns out to be a total closet
case? How very retro. Once again, you can't
drag a girl out of the closet. Ranting and
raving and giving ultimatums isn't sexy.
Nothing like a little emotional blackmail
to warm her to the gay life. Even if it looks
like you succeeded at first, you will regret it
in the end, when she resents the hell out of
you and tanks the relationship. But at least
she will be out, right?
What if she is a bisexual? Well, if she's bi,
she's bi. Whoever she could be with if you
were not around really isn't important. She
is no more likely to leave you for a boy or
a girl than you are to leave her for another
woman, so get a grip.
And that is how you get a woman who
is not straight but has never been with a
woman, or has been with a woman but
doesn't realize that makes her just a little
gay, to seduce you. ■
Celebrating
Our"DownThere"Diversity
Forthe pastnineyears,artist
Alexandra
Jacobyhasbeen
photographing
women's
mostprivateselves.So
private,shesays,that most
womenhaven'tevenseen
theirown,muchlessothers.
Vaginas,
that is.
Themissionstatement
of Jacoby'sproject,vagina
verite®,is as muchto
overcome
women'sfear
andloathingof theirvaginas
(andvulvas)as it is for
Jacobyto investigate
and
interrogate
society'serasure
andcommercialization
of
women'ssexuality.
Jacoby
believesthe "pornification"
of oursocietyhasnegatively
impactedthewaywomen
feelaboutthemselves.
Thusfar thereare107vportraits,asthe artistrefers
to the strikingclose-ups,
adorningthe wallsof her
Manhattan
apartment.
They
featurewomen,rangingin
agefrom 19to 60,of various
ethnicities.Jacobyhasput
out a callfor survivorsof
femalegenitalmutilation
as well astransgendered
womento participatein her
projectbecauseshewants
to documentthe broadest
rangeof femaleexperience
andbeautypossible.She
is still surprisedat the lack
of hair"downthere,"so
shecirculateda requestfor
womenwith hairycha-chas
to participate.
"I'm hereto document,
notto promoteanyparticular
pointof view,"saysJacoby.
But,clearly,herintentis to
makea statement.
"Astatementaboutwhat
is in theeyeof the beholder,"
shesaysironically.Jacoby
alsoindicatesthatevery
vaginashehasphotographed
is unique."Thatpointis most
surprisingto the womenI've
workedwith becauseI don't
thinkanyof us lookthat
often."(vaginaverite.com)
[Stephanie
Schroeder]
rs, women's festiv
• e celebratio
BTfllm fe
,
o-a ventures
morel
God or Girls?
Either way you're on your knees.
By Lipstick and Dipstick
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm a 25-year-old woman who has dated
women in the past. After dabbling in lesbianism, I decided to dedicate
my life to God. Despite my best efforts, I still yearn for a woman's touch.
I think women are sexy, but they can't get me pregnant. Another problem
is that women my age never ask me out at all. Should I just stay celibate?
~ Godly Do-Gooder
Lipstick:Celibacy shouldn't be an option,
Do-Gooder. How much fun is that? Listen
here: Take a deep breath. Everything's going
to be okay-it's just going to take time. I can
only imagine the weight of the cloak you' re
wearing, as I dressed up as a nun once for
Halloween and I was sure ready to kick the
"habit:' That said, it's possible to have the best
of both worlds. Dipstick, remember when
that sister showed up at our event at the
University of Wisconsin? She was queer and
was still wearing those awful nun shoes.
Dipstick:
Lipstick, that nun was really cool, but
I don't think she had the best of both worlds.
She was thinking of leaving the Church
because it no longer aligned with her beliefs.
She still believed in God, but couldn't support
the anti-gay stance any more. My advice
is to join a nice church that welcomes gays.
Try gaychurch.org to find one near you. You
certainly don't need a man to get pregnant. All
you need is some sperm. But before you bring
a child into your self loathing world, I suggest
you get some therapy to work through the
shame you have around your sexuality. You
can't wish yourself straight. Lipstick, can you
explain why women aren't asking her out?
Lipstick:
Women aren't asking you out because
a smart lesbian can smell shame like a German
shepherd sniffing for drugs at the airport.
Do-Gooder, you need to get things clear
within yourself before any hot babe will come
knocking. Instead of concerning yourself with
how you're going to have a baby or how you'll
attract women, focus on self-acceptance and
self-love-the unconditional kind, you know,
like your man Jesus taught.
1s
Icurve
Lipstick:
Dipstick, do you have a penis? What
you've got here is a woman who doesn't know
what she wants. Get in one last romp and
when she dumps you this time, lock the door!
DearLipstick
andDipstick:
Theothernight,after
foolingaround,
mygirlfriend
saidto me,"I think
I'm tiredof sex.It feelslikea job andI always
DearLipstickand Dipstick:I've beenseeinga haveto startit."Shemaybe right.Because
I'm
womanfor the past nine months.Everytime shyandintroverted,
I neverstartanything
sexual.
we'reintimateshecan'tgetenoughof f!le,but I'm notevensureI'd knowhowto start.What
within24 hoursshebreaksup with me.Then, shouldI do?- Wet(Behind
theEars)
twodayslater,shecomesbacklovingmemore
thanever.Sheleft me oncefor a guy,andsix Dipstick:Plan a big night of rollicking sexdayslater she camecrawlingbackto me in capades? Pick out a sexy outfit, some mood
a verypublicforum,andfor a girl that is very music, clean sheets and juicy finger foods.
closeted,that was something.
She was with Oysters and champagne seem to alwaysget my
hundreds
of menbeforeshewas with me,but gal in the mood. (I'm easy.I'll drop my drawers
nowshe'smine.- Blindasa Bat
for a burger and a Bud Light.) Pamper her with
a foot rub and a hot bath with aromatherapy
Dipstick:Why do you need advice? This is salts. Get a fun, flirty game like Sex Casino
the perfect set-up. You have fantastic sex, she or Chocolate Body Pens from Babeland or
goes away for a few days, you get your space Good Vibrations. Lead her from the door, to
and then she comes back for more. What else the table, to the couch, to the bath, to the bed.
could you want? Just make sure you're having Don't let her do any of the work, even if you
safe sex.
have to tie her to the bedposts.
Careers ADVICE
Lipstick:
Dipstick, you've got it all wrong. If Wet has a plan of
attack, it will be awkward and forced. Part of the magic in the
bedroom is spontaneous combustion. What Wet needs to do
is just dive right in-there's no better training ground than on
(or inside) the job. Mad sex skills come from practice, confi~
dence and trusting yourself. You've got to be reckless between
the sheets. Throw those cautionary excuses out the bedroom
window and give yourself permission to be a filthy tramp.
DearLipstickandDipstick:
Mygirlfriendof 12 yearscamehome
aboutsixweeksagoandtoldmethatshehadkissedsomeone
elseandthat shewas confused.
We spenta few weeksapart
andsincethenshe has be_en
askingto spendmoretime with
me.Sheleansintome,touchesme andwantsto enjoyourfree
timetogether.
It doesn'tseemlikeshespendsanytimewiththis
othergirl.Shemademe a carepackage,andtoldmethe other
daythat shelovesme andonlythinksof thisgirl as a friend.I
lovehermorethananything,
butI reallydon'tknowwhatto do
anymore.
- PatientPamela
Dipstick:
After 12 years, she kissed a girl:' No big deal. Everyone
is tempted from time to time. The important thing is, she told
you, and she knows she wants to be with you.
Lipstick:
Of course it's a big deal. You don't kiss someone else if
things are happy at home. There are underlying issues here.
Dipstick:
Yes, Lipstick, after 12 years, sometimes you do. Just
for a bit of excitement. I think if we simply relaxed about
fidelity and got honest about attraction to others, the divorce
rate would really drop.
Lipstick:We should be honest about our attraction to
other people. One caveat: if you make a commitment to
monogamy, you stick to it, you leave or you change the
parameters of your relationship. P.P. and her girlfriend need
to figure out why it happened in the first place and how to
move forward in a healthy way. If they don't, history will
just repeat itself. ■
®
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstick
to watch
theThe Lipstick & Dipstick Show. Or, writeto tv@
lipstickdipstick.com.
WHERE
DOLESBIANS
FINDUNDERCOVER
LOVERS?
At school
At the bar
In the world
of past lovers
According to a poll on lipstickdipstick.blogspot.com
LAND YOUR DREAM JOB
Embracing your queer identity while on the hunt.
Congratulations,
graduate!
Youmadeit
throughfour(orfive,or sixor a dozen)
yearsof school.
Youhavea degree,
a
capandgownanda giantstudentloan.
Whatnow?Howdoyoulandthejob
thatreflectsyourskillsandhopefully
provides
a bigenoughpaycheck
to
covertheaforementioned
loan?For
everyone,
findingajob is a challenge,
butfor queerwomen,thereareeven
moreissuesto consider.
Yoursearchshouldincludemore
thanjustlookingat Fortune
500companiesorthestandard
"BestCompanies
toWorkFor"lists.Forinstance,
youmay
wantto explorecompanies
thatprovide
healthcare
for domestic
partners
and
claimdiversity
andfairtreatment
in
theirannualmissionstatements.
Decide
if youwantyoursexualpreferences
and
genderidentityto beknownat work.
Somebasicinformation
youneedto
know:Beingaskedaboutyoursexuality
(aswellas age,maritalstatusand
genderidentity)shouldn'tbea part
of thejob interview.If a potential
employerasksor impliesabout
theseprivatedetails,it shouldraise
a redflag.According
to University
of
California,
Riverside
careercounselor
JanMccorkle,thejob interviewis
thetimeto "emphasize
yourtraining,
skills,andwhyyouarethe right
employee
for thejob." Refocus
all
questions
onthis agenda.
Butwhataboutyourpastqueer
experiences?
If youhavebeenanactive
member
of LGBT
affinitygroups,
you
mightwonderwhatto putonyour
resume.Doyoubullet-point
the
"Lesbian
LadiesFilmCollective"
or
mention
howyouformedthe"LGBT
HikingTeam"because
eachexperience
helpedyoubuilda skillsetdirectly
applicable
to thejobfor whichyouare
applying?
Mccorkle
saysyes,andyour
levelof comfortaboutyoursexuality
will
determine
howyouwantto describe
theseexperiences.
"Everything
ona
resume
isopenfordiscussion,"
shesays.
Accordingto NancyJeanTubbs,
directoroftheUCRiverside
LGBT
Center,
thisissueis a majorconcern
for manyundergraduate
students.
"Students
duringthejobsearcharemost
concerned
aboutwhethertheyshould
be'out'ontheirresumeor duringtheir
job interview.
Sometimes
theywill
createdifferentresumesdepending
onwhethertheyfeeltheemployeris
LGBT-friendly.
The'skinny'resume
mayleaveouttheirLGBTinvolvement,whilethe'fat' resumeincludes
it," saysTubbs.
Thebottomlineis be
strategic,doyourhomework,
getthe
jobyouwantbyhonoringwhoyouare
in yourentirety.
Fortrans-identified
lesbiansand
othergender-variant
folks,thereare
organizations
to coachyouthrough
workshops
andactiveone-on-one
consultations.
TheSanFranciscobasedTransgender
Economic
Empowerment
Initiative(TEEi)is a
nonprofitorganization
addressing
the
massiveun-andunder-employment
of transandgender-variant
people
in the nation.Discussing
subjects
rangingfromdresschoicesfor the
interviewto whetheran employer
is "actingweird"becausetheymay
be processing
yourgendervariance.
TEEi,as well asoutforwork.org
are
goingto bevital resources.
TheHumanRightsCampaign
is a
greatplaceto keepabreastof gains
madeon policiesthat protectworkers,
asdoesOut& EqualWorkplace
Advocates.
Fornewqueergraduates,
thesky
is thelimit.Weareaninventive
and
intelligent
people,
andwhetheryou
decideto startupa newtechcompany,
pushyourcreative
skillsintofulltilt,
shootfor a jobat thelocalhospice,
veganice-cream
parloror musicstudio,
remember,
thattherearemanypeople
who'vegotyourback.[TaniaHammidi]
May 2010 j 19
ADVICERelationships
Straight Girls Gone Wild
o
1 ways to survive a hetero ladies' night out.
By Kelsy Chauvin
It always starts out sounding like an OK idea.
You're invited to go hang out with some gal
pals-they could be old friends from the
neighborhood, or maybe relatives, perhaps
coworkers. An evening of revelry is planned.
No one's threatening Chippendales, but they
are a bunch of straight gals teaming up for a
night on the town, which inevitably means
chasing boys.
You relent, without considering what a
minority you'll be among breeder gals ready
to party. The next thing you know, you're
slurping tequila shots and listening to a
gaggle of girlfriends (the other kind) playing
"who would you dot at 2 a.m.
For you to survive, and even enjoy your
evening in the face of hard-line heterosexuality,
you've got to rediscover tolerance.
Here are some ways to survive a night out
with a gang of straight ladies on the prowl.
Anthropology
101, anyone?You're in their
habitat already, so why not get all Jane
Goodall-with-the-apes on them? Here's your
chance to do some cultural research on how
the other half lives. Ask questions, look for
trends, get opinions-engage these girls and
have some fun.
Drink.Or if you're on the wagon, get them
lubed up. Any party revs up when the ladies
get loose and the gossip starts flying. Drinks
will help your gal pals entertain you. Of
course, keep an eye out_for those getting too
loose. You don't want to end the night in a
stall holding someone's hair back.
Try a little tenderness.
Women get weary.
Wouldn't you, if your dating pool involved the
Y chromosome? Men can be real boobs, and
not the kind we like. Your straight girlfriends
have to put up with all that cluelessness,always
having to weed through the lesser qualities to
find the good ones. Listen to the ladies gripe
and exercise your empathy gene.
Enlighten.
Tell your gal pals about the queer
world you live in. Everyone loves talking
about sex, and what a het lady doesn't know
20
Icurve
can be vast. You don't want to alienate them
by bragging how much better the sex is when
both partners have the same junk. Or maybe
you do. In any case, you're the ambassador for
lesbos everywhere-so put on your diplomat
hat and inform.
yourself suckered into attending a straight
bachelorette party, be prepared to subvert
the penis-shaped cake by decorating it with
some breast-shaped candles.
Flirt with the bar staff.Just because you're
out with a bunch of breeders doesn't mean
Getadvice.We may not have the same taste you have to stick with them. Find the cutest
in dates, but straight girls often have good . drink slinger and have your way with her-at
least verbally. It never hurts to befriend the
fashion sense, and always have an opinion
on what women want. Get into it! Topics person pouring your cocktails. If there are
1
any hired dancers around, definitely cozy up,
can range from hair products to fabulous
since they're most likely to be the lezzies in a
footwear, skin care, and bargain shopping.
straight joint.
In return, tell them the best women-friendly
places to buy sex toys (and naturally, which
Makea moviein yourhead.Your next creative
products will please).
writing project has arrived, so jot down those
Make your own gameshow.You're out for choice lines. Heard on a recent all-girl beach
the night, surrounded by the T.G.I. Friday's vacation:"That overweight Hulk Hogan reject
version of the Mating Game. If this were should not be playing soccer in that undersized banana hammock:' The only way it
a Japanese game show, you'd be watching
gets better is with a tape recorder.
women with helmets crash into giant padded
mushrooms. Instead, see if you can dare
Like a heat-seeking missile,
your friends to tell the yo-yo at the bar he Tumonthegaydar.
a lesbian can sniff out her own kind in two
needs to lose the hair plugs and button up
seconds flat. Whether they're bi-curious or
that disco shirt.
randomly crushing on some friend of a friend,
Word-replacement
therapy.When they say you are the main attraction tonight, and the
"guy;' you hear 'girl"; when they say "dick'' woman they can test the waters with. So dive
you hear "dildo:•And if, God forbid, you find in and enjoy yoursel£ ■
OPENSTUDIO
Lipton's leanings (clockwise from left): Leashed
Passion; Mirror, Mirror; On
(inset); La Huesera (The
Bone Woman); Death and
the Maiden; When She Told
Her Parents, They Had Her
For Lunch.
A Rainbowin Blackand White
Laurie Lipton's evocative drawings. By Lana Gentry
Out lesbian Laurie Lipton is at the center of the art world
right now. A new book about her work, The Extraordinary
Drawings of Laurie Lipton, which features her graphite
and charcoal drawings, was published this year by beinArt
Publishing, and she has a highly~anticipated solo show
entitled Weapons of Mass Delusion opening this month at
the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California.
In a world of color, Lipton's stark black and white
drawings stand out. Dubbed "the
pencil painter;' she once wanted
to be like the oil masters, but ulti~
mately found herself connected to
graphite. Lipton has reconstructed
and reinvented the way pencil
drawing is seen-gone
are the
notions that pencil work is only
found on beach boardwalks or in
221
curve
amateurish sketchbooks. Lipton's work transcends the
boundaries of the genre. Through her years of drawing, she
has created and mastered a layering technique that helps
to create breathtaking luminosity in an art form otherwise
devoid of color.
Lipton's atmospheric and macabre drawings often include
motifs of death, and she certainly doesn't shy away from the
dark images. "I was brought up in the nice, neat suburbs of
New York where anger and fear and
other messy emotions were hidden
behind the flock of wallpaper and
pulled up with the weeds;' says Lipton.
"I was a perfect little girl with imperfect
feelings.I had to do something with the
shit I felt inside of me. If I hadn't had
my artwork, I would have become a
mass murderer:' ■
OUTINFRONT
Fearless
Leaders
Threewomen on the front
line.By Sheryl Kay
We say that our struggle is important and
difficult, but we choose to go to the gym or
a party over knocking on doors or phone
banking for a fair-minded candidate:' That
needs to change, Migita insists. "Our own
daily choices and small sacrifices can move
us closer to equality:'
and the first Member of Parliment to come
out, called Brown "the next Prime Minister of
Jamaica:'
"I am not too sure about that;' she says,"but
until LGBT rights are recognized in Jamaica
or I turn over, God forbid, I will be working to
improve the lives ofLGBT persons here:'
Takinga Stand
For Kemone
Brownto be out and gay in her
Everyday
Activism.
Caitlin Breitherhas lived in both New
England and the Bible Belt, and she says she
witnessed a lot of the prejudice against gay
people in both areas. And while she says it's
often harder being gay in the South than in
more liberal places up North, it also depends
on the particular location.
"I feel like it's more of a rural versus urban
thing, rather than a South versus North thing;'
says Breither, a 21-year-old junior at University
of North Carolina, Wilmington. "If there are
more people, you're more likely to have diversity
and thus more acceptance of diversity.
As president of PRIDE on campus, Breither
helps spread awareness of LGBT issues and
makes sure that queer and trans students
feel safe and welcomed at UNC. Breither
also oversees educational events, including
an annual drag show, and works with others
at the University promoting and lobbying for
various LGBT issues, including hate crimes
legislation and gay marriage.
According to Breither, you don't have to
do activism work or be a community leader
to be an activist. "Having a conversation with
a friend about LGBT issues and educating
them makes you just as much of an activist
as someone who spends their day lobbying
Congress;' she says. "I encourage everyone
to take the time to talk to at least one uninformed person every month about LGBT
issues and let them know why it's important
that they support equality:' ■
mother country, Jamaica, means living in
constant fear of daily aggression that includes
"corrective" rape and mob beatings.
And yet, without equivocation, 22-year-old
Brown will tell you in a heartbeat that she'd
never leave her picturesque tropical homeland.
"The Prime Minister wants to enjoy the
beautiful Caribbean island and so do I, and
I'm sure all other LG BT persons do, too;'
Brown says. "Whether Jamaicans wish to
accept it or not, LGBT persons add value to,
and enable the growth of, the Jamaican society
as [much as] any other Jamaican:'
ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords
"There is no doubt that it's much more difficult
to be gay and Asian because of the layers and
complexities of cultural pressures and values
in the Asian community;' says GwenMigita.
"There is a great sense of shame and dishonor if one acts or lives a life that is outside
of the homogeneous bubble;• she says.
But Migita is an outstanding example
of someone who has persevered, and
excelled. Today she's the director of corporate social responsibility with Harrah's
Entertainment in Las Vegas, a billion-dollar
company leading sustainability strategy
and policies for the environment, corporate
philanthropy and employee volunteerism.
Migita serves as co-chair of HRC's Las
Vegas Steering committee and is on the
executive. committee for the National Board
of Governors. She also serves on the executive
board as an officer and member in several
environmental and sustainability organizations, including the Water Conservation
Coalition of Southern Nevada, Green Chips,
~ and Conservation International's Business
5 and Biodiversity Council.
~
m
"What holds back the LGBT civil rights
<(
5 movement," explains Migita, "are people
~
5 complaining, rather than actively and
~ productively working toward a solution.
Brown has contributed to the island
nation's culture in a myriad of ways. In the
organization Women for Women, Brown
helped set up social and personal development programs, often bringing hope to
women who experienced coming out as a
virtual death sentence in Jamaican society.
She has also worked with Gays Lesbians AllSexuals and Bisexual Community, a group
that works through Jamaica AIDS Support
for Life on targeted intervention.
Currently Brown is working on a project
to equip lesbian and bisexual women with
the basic secondary education necessary
for matriculation to college or seeking basic
employment in Jamaica.
Svend Robinson, the former parliament
member in the Canadian House of Commons,
May 2010
I23
ASTROGRRL
Bold and Brash
The planets push us out of our shells and into the frying pan. By Charlene Lichtenstein
Taurus(April21-May21)
Sex:Shower her with lavish gifts and she will return
the favor. There is nothing that money can't buy. But
don't squander all that you have. May leads to June
and June has very expensive tastes. Career:If you
need to work from home, do so. But don't blend the
colors of your domestic and professional lives. You
will just wind up with a muddled gray.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Sex:You are so sexy and alluring this month it is
almost criminal. Spread your pheromones around
and see who picks up your scent. Then create a body
of evidence. Career:
You are a mover and a shaker in
your career. Plot a new scheme to get to the next
rung in the corporate ladder. Then toss some water
balloons down.
Gemini(May22-June 21)
Sex:You are sexy, sultry and very attractive to every~
one you meet. So carefully choose your circles and
make them into your orbs of desire. Career:Don't
talk yourself out of a promotion this May. Use your
gift of gab to oil the big corporate cogs. Just avoid
extra grease.
Sagittarius(Nov.23-Dec.22)
Sex: Cement partnerships by being affectionate,
passionate and loyal all through the month. I know
that is difficult, but I think you can do it. Career:You
ache to travel now. Try to set up some-ahem"business trips" to quench your wander lust. And it
may lead to wandering lust.
Cancer(June22-July 23)
Capricorn(Dec.23-Jan.20)
Sex:Will you discover love on the job? Only if you
insist on grinding your beans around the communal
coffee machine. Add extra sugar to taste. Career:
Those
in control seem to have extra control on you. Gently
buck authority and create your own professional
magic. Can you make those in control disappear?
TAURUS Sex:You have a secret admirer. Pull the covers off
Hubbahubba.LesbianBullsare
arguablyoneof thesexiestgals
in thezodiac.RuledbyVenus,
the planetof love,beautyand
art,Taurusgirlshavean unfair
advantage
in the lookandfeel
department.
Whentheyare
inspired,theyknowhowto dress
for sexcessandseemto know
just whatbuttonsto pushto get
a galoverflowing
with lust.Rub
hertummyandkissherface
(especially
on eithersideof her
noseandunderhereyes)and
she'llfollowyouanywhere.
Sheis
inexhaustible
and,likethat pink
bunny,cankeepgoingandgoing
andgoing.Hopon... hopoff...
hopon... hopoff. Phew!
and see who she is. Will you want to join her under
the covers? Career:You rake in the money this May
through your innate creativity and overall charm. Is
that really all that you need? Uh oh.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Sex:Gal pals can become so much, much more if you
let them. The real question is-will you let them? See
if you want to mix some passion into your platonics.
Career:You are a professional whirlwind. Use the
month to meet as many of the corporate big wigs as
possible. Schmooze it up, sister!
Aquarius(Jan.21-Feb.19)
Sex:May is full of fun. See how much romantic
mischief you can get into before your party is crashed.
The more the merrier-until it isn't. Career:
Shore up
all business relationships. Lunches, dinners and cock~
tails will warm their cockles and make you a bigger
player. But beware of big bills.
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Sex:You're a charmer, especially in the office. Will
you use your charismatic gifts for personal enrich~
mentor for just fooling around? Have fun no matter
what you choose. Career:Be crafty and very political
in your career now. You can gain the upper hand in
anything and everything. Why start with one hand?
Put both hands to work.
Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Sex:Feather your nest and make it into a love nest.
Before you know it you will have all the birds vying
for a place to snuggle in. Career:You find yourself
especially busy this May with an array of work related
tasks. Maybe it's time to find a good right hand gal to
help you out. Her left hand isn't bad either.
AstrologerCharlene Libra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Lichtensteinis the Sex:You might meet an exotic stranger in May.
authorof Herscopes:How exotic is up to your own personal taste. The
A Guideto Astrology spicier the better. Career:Girlfriends in high places
forLesbians.
Getmoreat thestarry can give you a lift up the corporate ladder. Will you
eye.com
orcheckoutherblogat bump your head on a glass ceiling? Pack a hammer
thestarryeye.
typepad.com.
just in case.
Aries(March21-April 20)
Sex:You talk the words of love, but i~ it all just hot
air? Tell her how you feel but back it up with action.
And then feel away. Career:You find ways to have
fun at work this May. Of course what is fun to you
may not be to the big bosses. At least try to look
serious and hardworking. ■
24
Icurve
LESBOFILE
Harmonyand Heartache
Wedded bliss, a public spat and one woman peeks a toe out of the closet. By Jocelyn Voo
Wedding
Bells
First thing's first: our congrats to Glee star
JaneLynchand her partner, Dr. Lara Embry,
for making their love official!
After this year's Golden Globes, Lynch let
the cat out of the bag to the New York Times,
whose Carpetbagger blog reported that the
actress summed up her show's award and her
impending nuptials succinctly: "It's good to be
on the winning team:'
If Lynch's new leading lady sounds like
a familiar name, you're right. Last year,
Embry, a psychologist, won a widely pub2 licized same-sex custody battle with her
~ former partner over their two children.
0
~ Embry and her then-partner each gave birth
~ to one child, then adopted each other's child,
:::E
~ agreeing to share custody of both children.
~ When the adults split, Embry's ex also decided
z
to split the kids up, severing ties with Embry
~ and Embry's biological child. However, with
~
UJ
the help of the National Center for Lesbian
(!J
@ Rights (NCLR), it was ruled that Embry
; was to be given the same rights as any other
~ adoptive parent in Florida.
J:
[
For this, Embry was awarded the NCLR'.s
~ JusticeAward in May 2009. But the biggestprizer
~ Meeting Lynch,who was also at the event.
5
Pretty friggin' great: "Our relationship
always modeled a heterosexual relationship,
emotionally and intellectually. So now it does
physically as well;' he tells Entertainment
Tonight, of his relationship with girlfriend
JenniferElia.
"I feel like I'm living in my body for the
first time, and it feels really good:'
Bono also revealed that his decision wasn't
a surprise to Elia, either. Bono says his desire
to have the operation was "something she
knew about shortly after we met:'
Aw, we love a happy ending.
Grammar
Check
As much as we like gossip around these parts,
we always try to be respectful when it comes
to someone coming out. (Uh, fauxmosexuals,
you don't count. We'll mock you till the cows
come home.) So we've stayed pretty mum
on BiggestLoser coach JillianMichaels-who
some have speculated to be gay-until now.
In Ladies Home Journal, Michaels started
dropping some Sapphic hints, "Let's just say
I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a
woman, that's awesome. If I fall in love with a
man, that's awesome.As long as you fall in love:'
One step at a time, one step at a time.
0
~
~
Check-In
g So
Orink'sOnUs
what's life like post-op for ChazBono? I've been missing me some LiRo drama for
a bit (sorry, Tila, yours is just too insane).
Thankfully, Lindsay
Lohankeeps it interesting.
According to RadarOnline.com, Samantha
Ronson
was DJing her usual night at an L.A.
club when Lohan showed up, reportedly
downed a few vodkas, then became set on
getting her ex's attention. When her initial
attempts failed, Lohan resorted to dirty
dancing with another girl in front of Ronson.
This, apparently, was the provocation needed.
"Sam just got sick of it all in the end
though and started taunting Lindsay about
being all drunk and messed up;' a source told
RadarOnline. "She said to Lindsay,'Why don't
you just have another drink?' And told her,
'You're a disgrace:"
And that, ladies and gents, is when Lohan
shifted into jilted lover mode and threw a
drink in Ronson's face, only to have Ronson
return the· favor by picking up DJ equipment
to chuck at Lohan.
Ordinarily the story would end there. But
in this case, Ronson was allegedly so worked
up that she ended up going to a different
club, kicked the house DJ out of the booth
so ~hat she could spin, and proceeded to play
a mix tape rather than perform. Once club
management asked her to leave, Ronson
complied-but
only after taking the audio
cables with her. Sadly, there's no good cop or
bad cop in this one. ■
May 2010
I25
Cru·
with
Saving the world, one
tropical port at a time.
By Margaret Coble
and Fae Goodman
Photos by Alison Terry-Evans
N A BLUSTERY fall Sunday, Norwegian
Cruise Line's Spirit set sail out of the port of New
Orleans with 1,200 lesbians and their friends on
the inaugural Western Caribbean cruise from lesbian
travel company Sweet. Though the first 24 hours or so
were challenging, thanks to Hurricane Ida, the rest of the
seven,day adventure would prove to be a once,in,a,lifetime
experience filled with top,notch entertainment, wild parties,
endless on,board activities, many tasty pifia coladas, four
beautiful tropical ports to explore, and daily opportunities to
give back to the communities we were visiting.
Both my partner and I were cruise virgins. We'd heard
about other LGBT crmses, but Sweet promised a new kind
of travel experience, one that married a fun vacation with
a chance to make a difference. On top of that, Sweet had
picked one of the most eco,conscious cruise companies in the
world-Norwegian Cruise Lines-and had also arranged via
Carbonfund.org to offset the carbon emissions of the entire
trip by planting 65,000 trees in Louisiana, my home state.
We were impressed-and excited.
Before we set sail, Sweet had been in our hometown of
New Orleans for two days, offering Sweeties-as cruisers
were called-a pre,cruise package to enjoy everything the
city has to offer, as well as get a jump start on volunteering.
These early participants helped restore some of the battered
wetlands by planting 600 native grasses in a marsh devastated
by Hurricane Katrina, and later enjoyed a huge street party on
26
Icurve
the Toulouse Street Wharf in the French Quarter.
At the end of the weekend, we joined women (and a
handful of men) ranging in age from 20 to 91 from all over
the U.S. and 10 different countries in boarding the massive
cruise liner, which hurried out of port early in hopes of
getting out of the path of Hurricane Ida. That first evening,
we gathered in the main theater for a rousing welcome from
Sweet's founders, Jen Rainin and Shannon Wentworth, two
long,time friends who brainstormed their "travel with a
conscience" vision while walking their dogs. Greeted like
rock stars by the eager,to,have,fun,while,doing,good crowd,
they were followed by a brief set by lesbian comic Suzanne
Westenhoefer. It was a great kickoff.
Meanwhile, the ship was beginning to really experience
what our captain jokingly referred to as "rockin' and rollin"'
from Hurricane Ida. As the night went on, the ship was
tossed back and forth on 10 to 15 foot waves, leaving fully one,
third of the ship's passengers and crew seasick. Thankfully,
most of us were recovered enough by later that second night
to enjoy a very cathartic evening of comedy from Erin Foley
of Last ComicStanding.For the rest of the week at sea, all the
comedians would follow her lead and incorporate jokes about
our collective sailing,through,a,hurricane experience, with
hilarious results. Nothing like a little trauma to bond folks!
With the bad weather behind us, the next day found us
arrivingjust a few hours late to our first port destination, Costa
Maya, Mexico. It would be the first ofmany opportunities for
Sweeties to participate in a "voluntour" excursion. Here it was
a beach clean-up project, followed by cocktails and a Mexican
buffet. We joined 150 women who collectively filled over 200
giant contractor trash bags with an array of trash in just 45
minutes. There were contests to see who could pick up the most
flip-flops (the winner found 24), the item that came from the
farthest away (China beat Greece), and the most bizarre item (a
vacuum cleaner nozzle won, though the toilet seat, lawn chair,
kitchen sink and Buddha statue were all strong contenders).
This excursion may have had a small impact on Mexico's
coast, but it had a huge impact
on those of us who participated, with many of us vowing
to never buy disposable water
bottles again. As Wentworth
pointed out, "People saw where
their trash goes-85 percent of
this trash is not from Mexico.
Things don't disappear just
because they disappear from
our view:'
At our next port, Belize City,
Belize, there were two different
voluntour excursions. The first
was at a children's hospital
ward, where Sweet partnered
with Lifeline, a philanthropic
organization run by the first
lady of Belize, Kim Simplis
Barrow. Sweeties painted in cartoon character drawings on the
walls of the formerly drab pediatric hospital, and donated toys
and clothes. "Having spent time in pediatric wards with my
own kids, it's good to have something to look at;' Rainin said,
pointing out the positive impact of the colorful pictures.
The other community project in Belize City was at an
underprivileged school across town where Sweet teamed up
with non-profit Hand Wash Hand. Sweeties painted the walls
and decorated with stencils, and then filled the bookshelves
with thousands of books that Sweet cruisers had donated.
Afterwards, Sweeties read the kids stories. It was heartwarming to see how happy the kids were to see their school
transformed in the course of a day.
In Roatan, Honduras, Sweeties repainted a children's
e-learning center and donated two new computers as well as
$600 from their own pockets to sponsor
four kids' access to the center for a year.
And in Cozumel, Mexico there was
another beach clean-up project where
Sweeties also replanted mangroves and
beautified a park by cleaning up, painting
and replanting community gardens.
Although it might seem that this
seven-day cruise was all work and no
play, that couldn't be further from the
truth. Each community project was
paired with a party of some kind. And
each day, Sweeties still had time to
discover each port on their own or take other excursions. Each
port swarmed with bikini-dad lesbians scuba diving, touring
the local sights or relaxing on the beautiful Caribbean beaches.
We, for instance, didn't participate in the latter two voluntour
opportunities, instead choosing to spend those days exploring
Roatan Island via a driving tour and taking a glass-bottomed
boat snorkeling tour in Cozumel.
However, a full third of the women on the ship did
participate in at least one of the voluntours, giving Sweeties
a shared sense of accomplishm~nt. One couple described their
experience in Belize as "the most meaningful, wonderful thing"
they'd ever done, a sentiment reiterated throughout the week.
Meanwhile, back on the boat, there was so much going on
it was often hard keeping up with it all. Throughout the week
there were poolside parties, wet T-shirt contests, curve
contributor Jennifer Corday and her rockin' cover band making
the gals go wild and hot tub mania going on on the upper decks.
There were mixers, meet and greets, karaoke, networking, and
happy hour events, including several hosted by curve's own
Lipstick and Dipstick.
Every evening there were amazing musical performances
from the likes of dyke favorites Edie Carey, Natalia Zukerman,
Adrianne, Jen Foster and many others, as well as comedy from
Gloria Bigelow,Kate McKinnon and Sandra Valls. And every
night, there were different theme parties hosted by the ten DJs
brought on board by Sweet. The '80s Party had the best
costumes (Ghostbusters jumpsuits and inflatable backpacks),
but the Lingerie Party and Champagne and Bubbles dress up
night were also great for fashion-and girl-watching.
The ship was a virtual who's who of the lesbian nation, too.
Aside from all the billed entertainers, there were super-secret
celesbians aboard (we now know that recently-out Meredith
Baxter was on board, though we never ran into her); lesssecret but no-less interesting stars including Dani Campbell,
actors Cathy DeBuono and Jill Bennett, dyke culture movers
and shakers like Club Skirts' Mariah Hanson, Babeland's
Rachel Venning and Laura Weide, superstar trainer Shawnee
Harkins, Wolfe Video's Kathy Wolfe, and, of course, reps from
every major lesbian publication, website, podcast, web series
and blog.
A book could be written about all the sights, sounds and
scenes on this cruise. And, in fact, there were several films
and web series being shot on board. There truly was something for everyone.
But through all of it, Sweet's
biggest accomplishment may have
been that of building community amongst those onboard. As
Wentworth pointed out, on the
final day of the cruise, "When you
put good out into the world, you
get it back, and that's what weve
been feeling allweek:'
Fun with a conscience-it's the
wave of the future, and Sweet puts
lesbians right at the forefront of
this soon-to-be travel trend. ■
Giving Back (far
left to right): Sweet
voluntouristas
collect trash on
the beach of the
Parque Punta Sur
Ecological Reserve
in Cozumel,
Mexico; Sweet
CEO Shannon
Wentworth plays
with kids as
visitors install
computers at a
Roatan, Honduras
e-learning center;
women, including
Elizabeth Birch
(middle) painting
a children's ward
at a Belize City
hospital. Left:
Dalilia Ali Rajah,
from SheWired's
hit lesbo talk show
Cherry Bomb,
helps clean up
Uvero Beach
in Costa Maya,
Mexico
May 2010
I27
Dee Leiber, founder of the
organic branding firm Sol(id),
is button down and pure sex .
appeal in another Duchess
exclusive. This three-piece
pinstripe suit and accompanying
shirt and tie are made for the
aspiring circus ringmaster-or
any dyke who wants to look
sharp (and knows how to keep
the wild beasts at bay).
>> For buyer's guide, go to page 63.
May 2010
I 29
0 ELLEN
DEGENERES,
52
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L.IJ
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Whyher:De(ieneres' classic suits, crisp button-downs, bodyconscious sweaters and vests are tailored in youthful, trendy
and flattering cuts. Matched with playful colors and her
signature sporty sneakers, DeGeneres proves lesbian menswear isn't just for smoky-eyed twenty something waifs. And
speaking of smoky-eyes, she's got the CoverGirl contract to
prove her mainstream moment has truly arrived. On The Ellen
DeGeneres Show's website she talks about her wardrobe each
day in her"My Wardrobe ... and I do Have One section. We
love it. Herstyle:Smart-casual veteran lesbian who knows
how to work a blazer-with sneakers. Quote:
"Whenever
Portia and I are on the red carpet, they're yelling out for
her to tell them what she's wearing. But nobody cares
[about what I'm wearing) because I have a suit on,
even if it's a Gucci suit:' Designers:
Jil Sander, Marc
Jacobs, Viktor & Rol£ Neil Barrett.
81ATE
MIENNIG,32
Whyher:Though it's her character Shane from The
L Word who sparked The Look that Launched a
Thousand Copycats, the apple doesn't fall too far from
the tree where Kate Moennig's personal style is concerned. At 5'8':pouty, slouching and sinewy, Moennig's
signature look includes layers of tissue-thin T-shirts,
classy fitted blazers, low-slung designer jeans, chunky
belts, metallic vintage jewelry and always some leather,
somewhere. Her punky just-out-of-bed hair, inspired by
Sally Hershberger, is perhaps the definition of the 'i\lternative
lifestyle haircut:' Moennig collects sunglasses, hats and jewelry
and has said if she wasn't an actror, she'd like to be a designer.
Kate Moennig does not bend gender, she transcends it.
Herstyle:Effortlessly disheveled and always edgy hi-lo/boygirl androgyny. Quote:
"I like to find men's clothing in the
smallest possible size and then have it altered. Because I don't
like what designers do to women's clothing:' Designers:
Generra,
Stella McCartney, Jill Stuart, Dior Homme, Gucci, Libertine.
o au1
mno,
29
~
Whyher:Beth Ditto is best-known
as the singer-songwriter for indie
rock band Gossip, the outspoken
feminist has launched her own
plus-sized fashion line for Evans.
Her style: Uber-femme, loud
patterns, bright colors and curvehugging, take-notice girly glam.
Long before she started her own
line, Ditto was known for her
brash, bright and arty dressesthe kind of thing that the weird
e.
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drama girl in your high school would wear. Now she's grown
up and she's just as hot and interesting as you imagined she
would be. Quote:
"When you're my size or you don't have a lot
of money, one reason punk is so appealing is because it tells
you that you don't have to have anything to be somebody:'
Designers:
Jeremy Scott, Karl Lagerfeld, Charles Anastase,
Louis Vuiton, Gareth Pugh, Vivienne Westwood.
OU.LANG,48
Whyher:Ariel Levy said it best: "Never before had
Americans seen female masculinity so overtly and
unapologetically on display, and we couldn't take
our eyes off it:' 'Nu.ff said. Herstyle:The original
butch: classic, dapper, sophisticated and eternal.
Quote:
"I don't feel like a woman, and I don't feel
like a man; I feel like both, simultaneously. Suits
help me achieve some kind of balance, because I
have a very voluptuous, womanly shaped body-a
Botticelli sort of body-and I have a mind and
an emotional self somewhere in the middle:'
Designers:
Miuccia Prada, Richard Tyler, Helmut
Lang, Gaultier.
0 HINEY
LABRADOR,
44
Whyher:Though Queer Eye For the Straight Girl lasted for about
one hot minute, Bravo's selection of Honey Labrador was a
significant moment for a franchise previously based on the
gay man's intrinsic ability to dress, fashion, feed and culture
the people of less enlightened sexualities. Labrador has been
modeling since she was 16 and as an adult has seemingly set
out to singlehandedly prove that "lesbian" and "stylish" aren't
mutually exclusive. Among her list of successes: Hosting Q
Television's fashion show XCess/ Access, founding Honey
L Designs ( to match celebrity endorsed branded products
while benefiting charities) and creating a limited edition
~ jeans line for the fourth season of The L Word. Herstyle:At
~ 5'9" with an athletic model physique, Honey can rock just
~
ti: about anything. She'll stay on the cutting edge.
i
::,
(!)
~ 0 KIM
STOLZ,
26
; Whyher:MTV News correspondent, political activist and
o former reality television star Kim Stolz was a revelation when
~
a: she ushered a new wave of sexy androgynous style into prime
UJ
~ time on America's Next Top Model. Stolz can rock hoodies
0
~ with pearls, and make plaid look high fashion with Park
~ Avenue understatement. Herstyle:Stolz is sometimes boyis~,
1 sometimes girlish, from prep school boy to Brooklyn hip~
~ ster and back again. Gender binaries are so over. Quote:
"I've
z
~ always fluctuated my look. It just depends on how I feel. ..
[ij
~ no matter how I dress or look, I will always be really gay:'
~ Designers:
Balenciaga, J. Mendel, Marc Jacobs, and Theory.
Herstyle:Downtowny romantic, with
a side of "Dark Glam'' refined rock
star. Her cheeky bright T-shirts,
bold jewelry and punk-ballerina
skirts are like gothic bohos on acid.
Quote:
"In my 20s, I was punk-slashfeminist-slash-club kid. It was really important to look
as weird as possible. I wanted to look like I was from a
different planet to set myself apart from other people.
When I'm playing a different character I get a chance
to be someone else and change myself on a daily
basis. Before, the only outlet I had was through my
clothes:' Designers:
Rick Owen, Isabel Marant, Miu
Miu. She is dating Free City fashion designer Nina
Garduno and has "a huge collection at home:'
0 SAMANTHA
RONSON,
32
& JIAN
JETT,
s1
Whyher:Joan Jett's unique don't-fuck-with me rock 'n' roll
style-and
her hip-hugging vintage T-shirt wearing '70s
getup-is getting a revival with the release of The Runaways,
the Kristen Stewart flick about Jett's eponymous '70s allgirl band. Jett's black hair crop, spandex fetish-wear, leather
pants and diesel-arm-bearing street style tanks have defined
a kind of glam-goth punk for generations of runaway dreamers. Herstyle:Black. Tight. Leather. Rock 'n Roll. Quote:
"I find
fashion sometimes to. be a little overwhelming ... I have to
really focus and hone my vision to find things that will work
for me .... I dont wear dresses which really cuts out a lot of
stuff! And it's too bad cause I can really appreciate the styles,
and the beautiful clqthes."I kinda wish I did wear dresses, but
it's just not in my thing:' Designers:
Prada, Roberto Cavalli,
Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Versace, and "street stuff from St.
Mark's" (a neighborhood in New York that's legendary for
punk vintage second-hand stores).
0 LEISIA
IAILEY,
38
Whyher:Hailey's had her finger on the pulse oflesbian fashion
since she first burst onto the scene in the early '90s, rocking
hot pink dreadlocks with her band The Murmurs and doing
the girly-grunge thing in the coming-of-age flick All Over Me.
Hailey regularly sported mens blazers and playful pantsuits in
the late '90s while dating the iconic k.d. lang, but by the time
she hit the mainstream with The L Word in 2004, her style
had officially evolved.
32
Icurve
The epitome of West Hollywood lesbian hipster cool,
British DJ Samantha Ronson comes from a fashionable family
(sister Charlotte is a fashion designer, brother Mark is a DJ),
and often has a scantily clad girly bad-girl girlfriend to match
(or does she:' We havent checked Twitter yet today). The
Ronson look is almost the anti-sex, but somehow that goes
all the way past blah and back again, to comforting-sexy. Her
style:The very definition of a Modern WeHo Andro Lesbian
Hipster. Designers:
Dior Homme, Filth Mart LA, Blue &
Cream, Charlotte Ronson, SUPRA sneakers, Converse.
~ CHARLENE
BORJA,
28 HDTHE
GIMME
SUGAR
GIRLS
The cast of both seasons of Logo's reality show Gimme Sug~r
is the most visible group of actual lesbian friends on TV. For
better or for worse. Charlene Barja shows that the next-gen
lesbian style works on diverse body types as well, matching
trendy pieces with timelessly flattering combos like motorcycle
boots and shorts. She loves V-necks and has mastered edgy
dub-style girl power comfort-chic. The cast is one of TV's
most racially diverse and sexy (checkout Davonee and Angel)
and season two brought on even more women, including fashion obsessed Maisi. Quote:
"I think some of us are an exampl~
of the different kind of lesbians that you can find;' says Maisi.
'i\nd you dont necessarily have to look like a lesbian:'
a, JACIIE
WARNER,
41
Whyher:It must be nice to be Jackie Warner, the star of
Bravo's reality show Workout, who is credited with seducing
straight housewives nationwide. Warner actually has a degree
in Fashion and Illustration, which has come in handy when
designing her own line of athletic wear for her gym, Sky
Sport & Spa. Her style outside the gym is equally noticeable
-fusing weight training to sleek, futuristic downtown edge
for the ageless, shiny Outsiders-gone-fancy icon. Herstyle:An
athletic, timeless clean-cut style that makes even cargo shorts
look fashion-forward. ■
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TOMBOY
TAKEOVER
SkateboarderNanna Grundfeldtwins Finland'sNext Top Model. By Erin Siegal
Among all of the photos that have been taken of model Nanna
Grundfeldt, it is the photo to the right that is most famous.
In it, the Norwegian beauty seems most herself-a mixture
of the serious and jovial. Her chin is raised, and the defiance
in her playful expression is unmistakable. Grundfeldt's stare
is direct, and could be challenging, if it weren't for the glimmer
in her eyes. And in her sweatshirt, emblazened with the word
"Homo;' she lets everyone know she has nothing to hide. She is
an adorably sexy combination of bravado, tease and in-your-face
queerness. But Grundfeldt isn't just another lesbian beautyshe's Finland's top model.
The feisty blonde, a passionate skateboarder since age 12,
hadn't even considered modeling before her friends goaded her
into trying out for the television show Suomen huippmalli haussa
(Searchingfor Finland's Next Top Model). She'd never worn
high heels or a skirt before, and a tattoo trailed across her left
shoulder blade. Most of her spare time was spent cruising
around Helsinki, Finland on a neon yellow and pink skateboard. In fact, after auditioning for the show Grundfeldt never
thought she'd make the cut-let alone actually win.
"It all started as a joke;' she says."I thought, Hey, we live once.
I have nothing to lose:'
When producers asked each contestant to choose a word
that represented them, she says she didn't hesitate about
her choice. "In Finland, the word homo is also used as an
insult;' she explains. "I wanted to show it didn't matter. I'm
still proud:'
Searching for Finland's Next Top Model is based on its
predecessor, America's Next Top Model. The round-the-dock
reality show pits youngwomen against one another, vying for the
"Top Model" title through several rounds of competition. Most
involve themed photo shoots:
Women competed to look
thirsty in an advertisement
for Bonaqua, a bottled water
company owned by CocaCola, and were glammed up
in another episode backed
by Max Factor make-up. For the show's first photo shoot the
contestants were required to wear their own clothes, and for
the second shoot, each was made over for a mock cover shoot
for the Finnish edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.
The Top Model format has been copied across the globe,
and spinoffs currently exist in over 30 countries, including the
Philippines, Ghana, and China. The Finnish edition is now in
its second year.
Each week, a panel of three, led by former Finnish model
'1HE
HARDEST
PART
WAS
LEARNING
TOWALK
INTHOSE
lOVEl
YHIGH
HEELS"
34
Icurve
Anne Kukkohovi, judge the contestants. Like the American
version, which deliver news and messages to the aspiring
models via "Tyra mail;' contenders received Posti Annelta, or
'J\.nne mail;' at their shared apartment.
"It was pretty tough to live with the girls and spend time
with them 24/7;' Grundfeldt says."There were a lot of strong
personalities around. I really like the production team, but we
weren't allowed to spend time with them:' The contestants'
quarantine included a media blackout. During the show's taping,
the women weren't even allowed to listen to the radio. After each
episode, one or two contestants would be sent packing.
On screen, the tomboy's style remained unchanged, even
as she rose through the ranks of the competition. Grundfeldt
could be typically found in slightly saggingjeans and a T-shirt
or hoodie, her straight white-blond hair stuffed beneath skate
beanies or trucker caps. Onscreen, her upbeat, affable personality was well received by fans, leading to scores of faithful
followers.
Throughout the show,judges ragged on Grundfeldt for her
awkward movements. 'The hardest part was learning to walk in
those lovelyhigh heels;' she says, sarcastically."I really had a lot of
problems with them. It was so hard, and I fell so many times:'
And yet, to her chagrin, she made it, cut after cut, from the
show's start last year, all the way until the end. Praise for her
improvements and sunny disposition usually accompanied the
shoe concerns.
At the end of June, Grundfeldt was crowned Top Model and
scored a contract with Paparazzi Model Management, Finland's
oldest modeling agency. During the last episode, before the
results were announced, the three finalists stood side by side
in front of the panel of judges. All three contenders wore black.
Two of the finalists, Anna-Kaisa Tyrvainen and Riina Roms,
stood stiffly, with carefully blank expressions. Grundfeldt,
on the other hand, grinned out from beneath her pom-pomtopped gray skate beanie. "I didn't expect to win at all;' she says.
For most Finns, though, the surprise was ruined by one of
the show's backers. Bonaqua unveiled a series of 35 billboards
featuring a huge photo of Grundfeldt crawling through a
desert and congratulating her on the win days before the show
actually aired in Helsinki.
In an emotional post-season video clip on the show's
website, Grundfeldt's heartfelt reaction to the win brings her to
tears and back as she talks about how proud her mother, who
passed away from cancer four years before, would have been.
She also mentions wanting to be a role model for girls everywhere, wanting people to quit smoking and wanting them to
Tomboy Takeovercontinued on page 63
<!l
~
~
~
~
I
?i
~
l
THE
NANNA
TIPSHEET
Sign: Libra
Birthday: September 25, 1 4
Born in: Halden, Norway
Current home: Helsinki, Finlfnd
Favorite bands: Glass Candy, CocoRosie,
Heartsrevolution, Hot Chip, MGMT, Coldplay
Skate deck: ASTE ice crea+ series
Favorite photographer: Mario Testino
Favorite magazines: Vice or Voltti (the Finnish gay mag)
Inspiration: My mother in~ires me the most. She taught
me to never give up, and tl>always think positively.
Motto: Be yourself, and be proud of who you are!
Want to take a
ride with bi babe
Nitty Scott? You'll
have to cozy up to
MotorGrrl owner Val
Figarella, because
this Plymouth is all
hers. Nitty's wearing
vintage earrings
and Comme des
Garcons 2 'Glitter'
fragrance. Just
imagine the rest.
38 j curve
Does This Stick Shift
Make My Ass Look Fat?
How gender can influenceyour car shoppingexperience.By Serena Freewomyn
f you're in the market to buy a vehicle and you happen
to be a woman, you may be nervous about stepping onto
a car lot. You're not alone. Women make or influence 85
percent of car-buying decisions, but were still treated as
junior players. A study by Edmunds.com revealed that women
are routinely quoted higher prices on cars than men.
According to a survey by J.D. Power & Associates, women
look at safety, reliability and price when they shop for a car,
while men are more focused on the look and how it feels to
drive the car. Yet dealerships often act under the assumption
that women will want to buy a car that matches their purse,
and that they don't want to talk about what's under the hood.
But you don't have to accept second-classtreatment By arming
yourself with the knowledge that you need to make a decision,
you can get as good of a deal-if not better-than any man.
D
5. Learnfromotherpeople'smistakes.I made two big errors
when I was shopping for a car. The first was that I didn't print
out the True Market Value from the factory websites. The
second mistake was randomly picking a dealership out of the
phonebook.
As soon as I walked into the first dealership, I was at a
disadvantage because of my gender. I was ignored until I
approached a salesperson. The guy took me outside before
he even knew where the cars were parked. On top of that, he
didn't have the keys with him. When we finally got into the
car, the salesman only allowed me to drive the car for one mile,
then I was told to get off the freeway and take surface streets
back to the dealership._
1. Selectyourcriteria.What are you looking for in a car? Is
price the mqst important factor? Or will gas mileage be your
decision maker? Are you a. staunch believer in labor unions?
Or are you only willing to buy cars made in the United States?
All of these are important questions that you will need to
answer before you do anything else.
2. Do yourresearch.Once you know your criteria, research
different brands. There are many sources available to help
you-Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, and Edmunds are all
helpful. AskPatty.com is written from a woman's perspective,
and they'll even help you find a woman-friendly dealership.
You should also go to the factory websites to look at the True
Market Value for the models you want to buy.
3. Decideon a dealership.
Do you want something close to
home so that it's convenient to get your maintenance:">Or are
you more concerned with the dealership's reputation:">
4. Knowyourbottomline.Arrange your financing before you go
shopping. Know the total amount that you can borrow from
the bank in order to avoid high-pressure tactics at the dealership. Be firm about your bottom line, and don't look at cars that
are outside of your price point. Ask to see the dealers' invoice,
and then use that as a guidepost for your negotiations.
The wheeling and dealing doesn't stop once you shake the
:i.:: salesperson's hand. You still have to go back to the financing
(.)
I:? department, regardless of whether or not you plan to finance
~
iJJ your car. This is the dealership's last chance to make money
~
0 off of you, and this is when the real pressure starts. My guy
~ was slick. He had visual aids, charts and graphs to convince
~ me that I needed to buy LoJack and OnGuard. If you've got
~ comprehensive insurance, you don't need that.
After "test driving" two cars, I told the salesman I had
some questions. The sticker price was almost $3,000
higher at the dealership than it was on the factory website.
When I asked about that, he asked for my proof. At this
point, he took an aggressive posture and said that if I was
accusing the dealership of marking up the price to rob their
customers, I could leave. I told him to kiss off, and I left.
My experience at the second dealership was 100 percent
different. For starters, they had a female sales rep. She talked
to me· like I was an adult, and she let me have an actual
test drive. Once we were back at the dealership, we started
negotiating. I stuck to my price point and walked away
with a brand new car for under invoice.
Buying a car can be a very empowering experience for a
woman. I made an educated decision and I'm proud that I
did it by myself. I stuck to my guns and didn't allow anyone
to talk to me like I was stupid, and you can do it, too. ■
May 2010
I39
The
Harley Way
Two bikerwomen take to the road.
By Linda Kay Nash
twas the Harley road trip of my dreams-cruising
through the mountains, side by side with the woman I
love, en route to Street Vibrations, a huge motorcycleflavored street fair in Reno, Nev. The journey itself was
just one benefit of being invited inside the realm of a group
that even today is imbued with misunderstood mystique.
The group of bikers, who I affectionately refer to as "The
Band of Bad Boys;' are a local Harley-Davidson motorcycle club that welcomed me into their brotherhood. They
weren't a gang who created anarchy in its path, but, rather,
like modern-day cowboys on steel steeds, they thrived on
the camaraderie of the brotherhood and relished their
leather-clad rebel image.
And they had taken me into their fold. With each ride,
they schooled me in the nuances of staying upright on my
Harley and how to meet the challenge of keeping up with the
experienced riders. I'd been on lots of trips with them before,
but this was the first time I had a woman by my side.
It was an exciting aspect of Dawn's nature I discovered
the day I invited her to join me on the back of my Harley.
She wrapped herself closely and tightly around me, and I
hoped that the exhilaration of the ride, and
the endorphin rush that it could provoke, would
stir a deeper level of attraction, beyond the
friendship we had forged over the last few
months. I knew that the physical intimacy
of holding onto someone so tightly and the
bonding that occurs from sharing the thrill
of the ride could be a powerful aphrodisiac.
And it was.
Our
relationship
evolved into
a
romance. And while I loved having her
arms around me, I also wanted to see her
D
ride beside me. On Christmas day, I gave her a black
Harley Sportster 1200 Custom, a quick and agile 500pound motorcycle. During the next eight months of
riding together, Dawn and I shared excitement as well as
trepidation about the forthcoming Reno Run, a four-day
excursion from our home in Bakersfield, California. For
most of the trip, we'd be in the mountains, with challenging
steep passes and tight switchbacks.
On the chilly morning of our departure, we joined 40
other Harleys, becoming part of the pack on our way to
Reno. We traveled from Bakersfield to Coulterville, then
north on Hwy 49 through Jamestown and Angels Camp,
arriving at our first day's destination, the town of Murphys
in the central Sierra Nevada foothills.
After unloading our gear, we walked to dinner and
then to throw a few back at the local saloon, where we
were unexpectedly entertained by a bare-breasted woman
dancing on the bar ( she was an exuberant wife of one of
our members).
We awoke to frigid mountain air and after breakfast
headed farther northeast on our 76-mile trek up and over
the Sierra Nevada Range via Ebbetts Pass.
Soon after the ascent began, the road dipped
into a valley,then rose to a one-lane summit
at 8,730 feet on a zig-zagging course that
plummeted down through an adrenalinepumping series of switchbacks, with at least
a dozen blind hairpin turns. The fright and
the thrill of the challenging route made it
clear to me why this is one of the least-traveled
passes in the Sierras. At the bottom of the
mountain range, we followed Highway 89
to 395 north, then on to Highway 80,
~
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~
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a:
~
~
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8
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leading us into Reno by mid,afrernoon.
The annual Street Vibrations Motorcycle Festival
is a celebration of music, metal and motorcycles.
Ranked as the sixth largest motorcycle event in
the nation, it often draws more than 40,000 riders.
Virginia St. in downtown Reno is transformed into
a mall, with hundreds of vendors selling everything
motorcycle related. But most enticing is the enter,
tainment value of the event: music everywhere and
women galore-some
alone on Harleys, others
holding tight on the back.
On the final morning, the wind ramped up to a
velocity that would make the ride home even more
challenging, especially since we didn't have wind,
shields to deflect it. In hindsight, I think it was
the influence of the Harley,rider rebel energy we'd
been steeped in for days that enabled us to make a
brave decision. Dawn and I opted to stay behind,
have windshields installed and add a ride through
Yosemite National Park to our trip. Most impor,
tantly, we decided to go it alone, without our band
of bad boys.
We didn't know until we reached our destination
that night, that the winds were fronting a snow,
storm that would chase us all the way home, making
the air more frigid with each passing day. We headed
west out of Reno on Highway 80 to 395 South,just
east of Lake Tahoe, arriving in Bridgeport, Calif.
exhilarated, yet relieved that we completed our first
independent day on the road. We found a cozy little
restaurant to celebrate our day's accomplishment.
We continued beyond Yosemite via Highway
140 to Oakhurst for our final night's rest, where
we reflected on the wonderment of our journey-it
was so much more than we had imagined and we felt
empowered by our self,sufficiency. I remembered
one of my overriding thoughts two days before when
we were discussing whether to embark on the return
trip alone. It had fostered my courage to make the
decision: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The next morning, we headed west and enjoyed
the luxury of venturing off alone: the romance of a
leisurely ride along the long, winding road through
the beauty of Yosemite, with the chilly air against
my face, the wafting scent of the pines and visual
panoramas-all with the woman I love beside me.
This road trip gave me a simple realization. A
journey is more fulfilling on a Harley Davidson
Motorcycle. The road feels wider and the scenery
more picturesque; as you cruise along, the air on
your face is more invigorating as you cut through
it, drinks are more refreshing and food is tastier
as you refuel from the exhaustion
and exhilaration of mastering
the power of the steed you
have mounted and tamed
for the day. ■
Top Picks for 2010:
· • Which Car is Right For
Whether you're cruisingfor pleasure,commutingto work or toting kids around,findingthe right
ride is a must. Curve offers up 15 vehiclesthat are perfect for you. By DianeAnderson-Minshall
up, it's a steal. If you want a tiny bit less,
but a similar features package, a runner up
would be the Kia Soul which has one thing
more: a frivolous but party-perfect feature
that lets lights around the speakers change
colors and blink to the beat of the music.
Perfect for cruisers.
TOYOTA
PRIUS ee e
Even with the bad rap Toyota has gotten
lately over recall of non- Prius models, the
Prius is still the grand dame of eco-forward
cars. U.S. News & World Reports called
the 2010 Prius "Best Car for the Money"
and it won PopularMechanicsFuel Efficiency
Excellence Award. It's not just the amazing
gas mileage (51 mpg!), the low price
($23,000 and up) and it's lower carbon footprint, the Prius has lovely unexpected little
touches like heated outside mirrors, a Solar
Powered Ventilation System, Bluetooth,
voice-activated DVD player and more.
NISSANCUBEe e
Winner of Automobile Magazine's Car
Design of the Year Award and Top Safety
Pick by IIHS, the Cube is one of the coolest
looking cars in the under $20,000 category.
The sort of anthropomorphized, asymmetrical
vehicle(with wavesand ovalsinside, and a back
door that hinges like a refrigerator), the Cube
has foldab\e rear back seats, Bluetooth, push
button ignition, USB/iPod compatibility,
Satellite radio, speed-sensitive volume control,
illuminated steering-wheel-mounted audio
controls and it gets up to 30 mpg. At
$14,000 and
What's your next ride going to be?
Bio-Diesel
Baby
3%
What's your dream vehicle?
SUBARU
FORESTER
ee
Face it, no single carmaker is more classic-ally
lesbian than the Sub! ALG awarded Forester
their top resale ranking in the Compact
Utility Class and it was MotorTrend's top
SUV last year. The price is easy: $20,000
and up, mileage decent (27 mpg), handing
most carlike, reliability great, and it's a
safety monger (standard side curtain airbags and the 2010 IIHS Top Safety Pick).
It also has a remote engine starter and best
of all, it can tow a massive 2,400 pounds
(because nothing is more lesbian than
towing a U-Haul behind your Subaru). No
wonder it was Consumer Reports top pick
for small SUV.
CHEVY
SILVERADO
1500 e e
It's rugged and classic and unlikely to disappoint real truck lovers. The Silverado 1500
has won a number of awards, including Car
and Driver's"Best Pickup;' Motor Trend's
"Truck of the Year;' and Motor Week's
"Driver's Choice:' The 2010 model
offers a astonishing number of
engines, bed lengths, suspension
configurations and now a flex
fuel capability is now offered
on all engines. Costs start at
$21,000 and it gets 20 mpg.
If you like the system but not
Something
,...._
__
Mini
TheLesbian
Classic
4%
6%
According
to a Curvemag.com
poll
the styling, you can go for the GMC Sierra
(it's the same platform) or, a close runner
up, the Ford F 10 (which boasts one thing
the Chevy doesn't: a fun and helpful infotainment system).
\
,...
_ .......
,
\\.
~\1--Jiil;t,L.Jlillli-
You?
= A Hybrid
•= Bio-Diesel
Baby
TANGO
T600 ee
Combining the speed and agility of a motorcycle (it's actually five inches narrower than
many bikes!) with the security of a car (it has
four times more side protection bars than
the largest SUVs), the Tango is a fascinating
little electric car that can navigate traffic
like no other. You can drive between lanes
(when others are stopped or moving slow)
and you can sqare the same parking space
with another Tango or motorcycle. But this
cute little electric car ain't cheap: the limited
production vehicle costs $108,000 and up.
the open road, top down, wind in your hair
getting 25 mpg. It costs $44, 000 and up.
STARVMAXMOTORCYCLE
e
Named Motorcycle magazine's 2009 Best
Crui~er, the VMAX is more muscle car
than old school cycle. That massive horsepower comes without being too heavy so
women riders can still navigate easily. Just
ask the ladies-only Internet fan groups.
Costing about $20,000, it gets 27 mpg.
f
LEXUSHS250 e e
Pure frugal hybrid luxury, the HS250 is
the most fuel efficient Lexus (getting 35
mpg) and offers some nice touchesdriver attention monitor, lane keep assist
and a Pre-Collision System. If your Lexus
thinks you're going to hit someone, it
will ring the warning bells and add brake
pressure if it doesn't detect you're pressing
the brake hard enough while a driver
monitor makes sure you're still on the job.
If it fails, well there are 10 airbags! Prices
start at $34,000.
3:
:r:
~C MERCEDES
BENZSLK350e
3A
lovely luxury convertible that, with
~ the touch of button, converts to a pure
~ roadster in 30 seconds. It's a two8 passenger car that demands you be on
• = Asian& Affordable
• = Eco-Forward
= Small,Cute& Economical• = Something
Mini
= TheLesbianClassic
• = SUVor Minivan
= Dyke-yPickuptruck
• = Motorcycle
•= Bicycle
= RVorTrailer
•= Luxury
•
•
•
•
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLFTOI e e
The newest gen Golf TDI is billed as the
most luxurious, safest, and powerful Golf
TDI that VW has offered. I love it because
it's rumored to get even more than its
reported 30 mpg and it runs on BS biodiesel. Only Mercedes and Volkswagen
allow consumers to use biodiesel in their
cars without voiding the warranty. The Golf
was chosen as World Car of the Year at the
New York auto show last year and I'm sure
the Bluetooth, touch-screen CD changer,
leather multifunction steering wheel and
the 30 mpg fuel economy didn't hurt. Prices
begin at $20,000.
SCHWINN
MERIDIAN
ADULT
26-INCH
3-WHEEL
TRICYCLE
BIKEe e
Trust us, you don't have to be a fit 20-something to bike. You can cruise around in comfort and style on this easy-to-use, single-speed
three-wheeled Schwinn Meridian Trike.
The $350 bike features a low step-through
frame, padded cruiser saddle, front and
EARTHBOUND
RV e e
rear brakes and a huge folding rear basket
that can carry two filled grocery bags. Plus,
Utilizing earth-friendly, recyclable consttuction materials that are virtually
Schwinn, founded in 1895, is one American
icon that hasn't gone down
.._II!!~~:-""\V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Compound)
free, Earthbound helps you stay healthy
the tubes.
and keep your carbon footprint small. It
comes with a 3-year, limited bumper
~!!l!!!!!!!lllllll11o..-to-hitch
warranty on a chic
RV with a funky,aerodynamic
design. $39,000 and up.
Top Picks continued on page 62
May 2010
/
I43
~
~
~
Maybe that's because Silverman
is uniquely Silverman. Even among
today's cadre of female comics,
Silverman stands out for her unique
brand of crass humor and cute style.
She's a figure whose name will one
day be an action-young comics will
talk about "pulling a Silverman,"
telling some joke that only a girl with
a twinkle in her eye and a guitar in her
hands could get away with.
This blend of crude and adorable
has helped propel Silverman to
comedic stardom and made her a
household name. That is, if the
people in your household watch
Comedy Central or if they saw
Silverman's full-length comic special,
Jesus Is Magic. But it was her getout-the-vote video, The Great Schlep,
where a smiling Silverman sat with
her bubbie, that really brought her into
our homes.
This year she's reaching out even
more. The Sarah Silverman Program
was just picked up for a third
season by Logo. Plus, she's got a
new book of personal essays, titled
The Bed Wetter: Stories of Courage,
Redemption, and Pee and she's
starring in Saint John of Las Vegas,
alongside Steve Buscemi. All of this
is just to say that if you wanted more
Silverman, you got it.
44
Icurve
s
How- the gays rescued our favorite straight colllic.
By Kristin A. Smith
Photo by Robyn Von Swank
I've beensinging"The BabyPenisin YourMind"all day.Whatwas
the inspirationfor that little gender-bending
ditty?
'Ne were working on rhc srory :rnd I jusr starred singing ir in
rhc room-_jusr messing :iround. And usually our head writer
will grab his laptop and record ir and _just kind of improvise ir,
and whoever designs rhc script will kind of polish ir and make
ir inro a real song.
Doesit take a lot of workto make it readyfor TV?
'I his one re:illy kinda poured our of me because ... we kept singing
rhis Disney song from rhis really, really lame movie. Maybe rhc
one rhar Ariel rhe mermaid is fromUh-huh.[Laughs]Thelittle Mermaid.
Yeah, we wanted ir ro sound Disney-ish.
That song is in seasonthree, when you learn that you were born
intersexand had a penisand a vagina.What wouldyou do if you
actuallyhada penisfor a week?
Oh, I would probably _jerk off all day. I would probably inrcrrnirrenrly masrurbare, nap and car.
Is that starklydifferentfromyournormalweek?
No. [Laughs] l3ur ir'd be more srraighr through. There'd be no
meeting friends f<Jrlunch.
Yourockthemustache
reallywellinthatvideo.I wasstrangely
attracted,
and alsodisturbed,by it.
I do wear a mustache well. I don'r know why. Maybe because ir's
black, ir's slimming.
Are we going to see you transition?Will that happenin season
three?
\Veil, ar rhc end of rhc episode acrually you find our rhar Laura
lied and rhar she had jusr gorren rhc baby penis our of rhc rrashbin ar rhc hospital.
Yeah,I onlysaw the clips.I'm oneof thoselesbianswhoonlywatches
InternetTV.
I understand. ·111ar's probably why we're going ro ger crnccled.
People don't warch TV the same way.
Since Logopicked up your show, it seems like the gays kind of
savedyou.
Nor kind o( complcrcly. I wouldn't be on rhe air if ir wasn'r frw
Logo.
Whatare yougoingto do to thankus?
[Laughs] Oh, do you work for Logo?
No,just part of the largergaycommunity.
All of a sudden you're all rogcrhcr in one. (Laughs] \Veil. no,
rhar was rhcir way of rhanking 111c, righr? They arc so cool, acrually.
I was jusr saying how rhcy rorally saved us, and we wouldn't have
a rhird season if ir wasn'r for rhem. 'I11ey made no demands on
us. 'I11cy just made ir so we could be on rhc air.
Whydo youthinkyouhavesucha largequeerfollowing?
One of my (gay] friends said rhar he rhinks rhar. .. rhcir kind of
comedy is more sophisricarcd bur like more pediatric roo ... sophisticated d11d childish.
At the end of seasontwo, you marry your dog, which is the ultimate slipperyslopeargumentagainstgay marriage.What kind of
responsedid youget fromthat episode?
We didn'r ger much response because the people who wrirc letters
arc nor nearly as disgusted by a woman marrying her dog as a
woman marrying anorhcr woman, or a man marrying another
man. 'l11ink about the people who write rhe letters ... you know,
they're, like, far-right crazy, nurry nurso's who have rime ro write
lcrrcrs ro people wirh cable shows. Mosr of rhcm call me a dirry
Jew and sruff I love ir. I rhink, deep down, Jews kind of secretly
love outward anri-Scmirism. l3ccwse ir's like something you can
point ro and go, Sec, ir's real! Ir's like the gas in rhc air, it's real.
I haveto sayJesusIs Magicis oneof the onlymoviesthat I actually
own. I usedit as a litmustest for a little while for girlfriends.Did
theythink it was funny?Weretheyas equallydisturbedby the joke
aboutthe diamondon the spineof the baby?So do youever go, Oh,
I went toofar on that?
Nor really. \Veil, wirh tl.1iJt joke, nor ar all. I love thar joke. I don't
rhink I ever think I wcnr too far, bur I think rhar sometimes
I'm nor conveying whar I mean well in rhc joke. \\/here ir's, like,
people arc inrerprcring ir nor how I mean, and it's a bummer. Not
jusr nor funny bur maybe offensive. \Vhen people arc offended
May2010
I45
by stuff ... One, I feel like I can't control
it. It just has to do with their own life
and life experience and where they're
hearing it from. And, two, I think it's
a reaction to buzz words, without really
hearing or wanting to kind of make sense
of it through the content of it.
Tellmeaboutyournewbook.
Yeah, it's called The Bed Wetter. And the
II I "1"ere
to have
a lesbian
•
experience
...
it "1"0Uld
probably be
"1"ith, like,
of my woman heroes-or even lesbian
women heroes-but it would probably
be with, like, a blonde with big fake
tits. Like the vapid stripper,ish type.
When I've really sat down and really
thought about it-and
I know that
your question probably isn't as severe as
my answer. The way I think you mean
the question, like, what woman is so
amazing that I would go lesbian
for? I think the singer,song,
writer Patty Griffin, because I
love her. But in reality, probably
fake tits, or, no, big natural,
natural tits, fake blonde. Just,
like, a vapid piece of woman
meat.
I'm goingto get a thousandpictures of blondeswith big tits
sentto meto passonto younow,
so thank you.Wouldyou be the
butchierone in the relationship?
Mayberockyourmustache?
I would, I would. I totally am
drawn to lesbians. So many of
my closest friends are lesbians,
like separate from each other,
from throughout life. And I
know that sounds like, "Some
of my best friends are black;'
but none of my best friends are
black. Oh, no, my best friend
from high school is black. I have a
cousin that's gay and I remember
when she picked me up in her
car, when we first hung out as
adults, and I was, like, Oh my god, I have a football in my
subtitle is Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee.
I can't believethat booktitle wasn'talreadytaken.Andis it trunk, I have a basketball in my trunk and a wiffie balljust like you. I love Nancy Griffith. Nancy Griffith is my
all yourwriting?
favorite. This is so bizarre. And she's like, I know-because
Yeah, yeah. It's personal essays-probably 80 or 90 percent
true-interspersed
with what I think, or I thought, were
you're gay. But it really is true. I'm like a lesbian. The only
totally obviously silly made,up stories. But a couple of my caveat is that I love penis.
friends are reading it and going, like, Wow, I can't believe it. Youknow,youcanbuythemin the store.Butreally,lesbians
And I'm like, No, that's totally fake. Like everything's real are goingto be so excitedto knowthat it's reallyonlypenis
that is standingin the way of youjoiningourcommunity.
So
in it, like all the main essays, but there are little interstitials
that are what I thought were very obviously, blatantly made
whatelseis onthe horizonforyou?
Yeah. We're praying people will watch season three while
up. But they're not really distinguished.
it's on, because 'i think ... our ratings are in the shit. I think
Andwhenjs it comingout?
April 20th. Hitler's birthday.
people watch on DVR and they watch on the Internet. I
In seasontwoyouwentlezforTigNatarro.Whowouldyougo think this may be our last season, but I hope people start
LU
lezfor in reallife?
watching more, because it's our best season. But what're ~
Ooh, ooh, ooh. That's really hard. I always think that if I you gonna do? We had a good run. I love the show so LU
were to have a lesbian experience it wouldn't be with one much, we love being with each other.
t-(/)cfj
46
Icurve
What'sit liketo workwithyoursister?
It's awesome. It's so good, you know. We have so
·much fun. Like, I had the worst day ever. I was
shooting in my bedroom with my dog and it's the
kind of thing where tears had been building for
days but I didn't realize it. Like, I went to talk, and
[the director] called 'J\ction" and I opened my
mouth and, like, ugh, nothing could come out. I
was just like, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. And the floodgates opened.
And I'm not usually a crier, but it'sjust one of those every-oncein-a-while things where ... my body can't help control it. The
director, my friend Rob, is like, Let's take five! But the
producer was like, Do you want me to bring your sister?
Because she was just in the dressing room waiting for her
scene. And I was like Ye-yess. [Fake sobbing)
That'ssosweet.
She came into my fake bedroom and crawled into my fake
bed with me and Doug, my dog, and she just rubbed my
head and told me stories about when I was little and just,
like, made me better. And it was so sweet. It was just so
nice to be able to have that. It was just such a nice thing to
have that person there that [knew] you
when you were little. Because she's my
big sister, actually, even though she plays
my younger sister. And then everybody
came back and I cried all over again,
because I know they love me so much.
Threeyearsof workingtogetheris really
intense.
I'm surethat'syourfamily-literally
andfiguratively.
Totally. Everyone. The guy that makes our lunches, Antonio,
and the camera-ops and whatever. You know, everyone. You
end up spending the weekends with them too, because you
all have the same things to talk about.
Areyouopento doinganotherseason?
We totally would love that, but we're not holding our
breath. First of all, it takes so long for Comedy Central
to pick us up ... we'll just be another 14 months before
we're on again, you know, like last time. It's just like we
have no momentum, people didn't even know we're on the
air. We're like the island on Lost-we're there, but nobody
knows we're there. ■
May 2010
I47
ur
America's favorite TV mom, Family Ties star Meredith Baxter,
goes toe to toe with the first lady of queer comedy,
Suzanne Westenhoefer, for a rare look at coming out in public.
FamilyTies
eredith Baxter and Suzanne Westenhoefer might seem like
unlikely friends. Despite the differences in their public personaWestenhoefer is a sexy, unbridled gay from the get-go comic,
Baxter is a quiet TV legend whose private life has largely been thatWestenhoefer says the two are kindred wild spirits. "She's just as likely
to say the outrageous things I say, only she just won't say them on stage."
The duo met at a reading for Westenhoefer's web series, We Have to
Stop Now and their friendship deepened on the maiden voyage of the
Sweet Cruise-the one that Baxter went on, right before she publicly came
out. In fact, it was Westenhoefer's on-stage call for everyone to come out,
be visible, to claim who they are, that prompted Baxter's announcement.
After the moving show, she called her manager from her on-board room
and started making plans for the public announcement.
We sent Westenhoefer to Baxter's private home in Santa Monica to
chat about her life-and let curve readers listen in on their conversation.
M
Westenhoefer:
The two of us have talked about her sexuality and personal life
before, but she's out publicly now, so everything is different. Her assistant opens
the door with a very polite, "Meredith is still dressing, and will be down shortly"
Still dressing? Oh crap, I think. I'm wearingjeans and a hoodie-have I already
made some tactical error? Moments later, Meredith-often known as the divine
Mrs. Keaton from Family Ties-is in the kitchen, looking spectacular in a plain
white shirt, jeans and boots. Baxter is in the process of writing a book about her life
after having come out as a lesbian on the TodayShow.So I decided to ask her some
things I thought curve readers would want to know-that won't be in the book.
Whatisthebestreactionyou'vehadsofar to yourcomingout?
Well, I was coming out of the gym this morning, a woman got into the elevator with
me and said, "You look so happy!" I said "Reallyt And she said, "Well, I saw you
recently on television''-which is now code for "I saw you come out" and she said,
"You look fabulous:' And there I was in my gym clothes, so I thanked her for that.
Doyoufeelhappier?
I feel enormously happier, and in ways I hadn't anticipated. In fact, Suzanne,
you said I would feel so much better. And I want to say that you were very
instrumental, just by saying how important it is to be out. At the end of
your show on the Sweet cruise, you had this great message
about coming out and I realized I didn't want
this to be a secret any longer. Of course, it
wasn't a secret in my daily life,but in business
and work, I was still very protective.
WereyouOKwithpeopleknowing
that
MeredithBaxterwasontheSweetcruise?
I was, although I was upset that I saw in magazines
that Meredith Baxter Birney was on the ship.
I want youto know I correctpeopleall the time: "MeredithBaxterwas on the ship."
And I am just that obnoxious about it, too. (Laughs)
You'vebeenballroom
dancingmorelately.Tellmeaboutthat.
Well, you know I got started because of my therapist. She would talk about
it, because she did it and used it as examples during therapy, to explain how
people learn things. So it started back in 2000, I had just gotten out of my last
divorce and I thought I was going out of my fucking mind. Not because I was
upset about the divorce. I knew that h~d to happen because I had made one
more disastrous choice, but I was howling to the ceiling in my house and was
so distraught. So one of the things I had to do was start a new life. I had very
few friends so I needed to meet other people. When I got there, it was like the
old high school gym, with the boys on one side and the girls on the other, and I
loved it. Then I stopped because I didn't want to dance with guys. (Laughs]
Youknowthereis samesexballroom
dancingherein L.A.
I would love to go, and Nancy (Locke, Baxter's partner) is interested too, but
I need to lead.
Thatdoesn'tmakeyoua top,Meredith.
You'restilla bottom.
[Laughs] I love the cha-cha. I've never been able to do regular dancing at clubs.
I am such a dork out there. But I have since stopped. I decided it needed to be
dance or my art, and I chose my art.
Youshouldstilldance.
Well maybe you and I can try the same-sex ballroom dancing.
I wouldloveit.
I would have to lead.
Change
of topic.Didyoueverplayanysports?
No, the only thing I ever did was run. I have no hand-eye coordination.
It's very sad. You know, I was really good at playing my kids at PingPong. I even got us a table. I thought I was hot shit. And then I
played Nancy at Ping-Pong and she kicked my ass. And I just
thought, Well I am going to just set my table on fire. What's the
use of having itr I was really bad. I had no idea. You know, I was
never around sports at all. I was in theater.
Whatwouldyouhavewantedto beif youweren'tanactor?
I never wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be a singer. Truth is, I
can sing OK. But I wasn't willing to work at it, and acting was just
available to me. I was at Hollywood High (School) and I was a
nerd and I was around acting. I was not social. I had big breasts
and long hair and I was shy. I went to an event with Nancy with
her friends from high school, and she had so many friends and
everyone loved her. I never had that.
Soyougotworkrightaway,asa youngactor?
No, I didn't even start looking for work until I was married.
Whendidyoustartnoticing
women,or gaywomeneven?
I don't think I noticed until I got sober. That was in 1990, and that was
when I started to see them around me-when I realized I wanted to be around
them. Paying attention to them, but still not thinking I was gay. Three years
sober, I did get involved with a woman. I liked her so much. She was so bright
and loving and generous and helpful to me. She really saw me, which was rare,
and I gave myself over, and it just seemed like the next natural thing to do
was be sexual. But still nothing went off in my head that I was lesbian. It was
just an expression of how I cared about her. No bells went off for me.
Thenyougotmarriedto a man?
I got married because I was convinced that that was what had to happen.
Our FamilyTies continued on page 62
"I feelenormously
happier,and in
waysI hadn'tanticipated.Suzanne,
you hadthisgreatmessageabout
comingout, and I realizedI didn't
wantthisto be a secret
any longer."
EMERAJ~D
CITY
TRAGEDY
HY GINA DAGGETT
ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL MICHAEL AGUILAR
ONE WOMAN'S
QUEST TO UNDERSTAND
THE MURDER OF
TERESA BUTZ.
'
'H
so I curve
e rold us if we did what he asked us ro do, he wouldn't
hurt us. He lied, he lied;' said Teresa Butz, her final words
as she bled to death in her partner's arms, at 3 a.m., on
the street outside their Seattle home. Ninety minutes earlier,
they'd woken up to a nightmare: a naked man standing over
their bed with a knife.
1l1e evening last summer when I first saw the report on the
news, I was making dinner with my girlfriend, our dog at my
feet, when the face of 39-year-old Teresa Butz A.ashed across
the television screen."Turn it up;' I said.
"A woman was murdered in an apparent home invasion;•
the news anchor reported. Even though I only saw Teresa's
face for a split second, I knew she was one of us.
Nor much information was given that night: a possible
robbery, a struggle, a murder, a mug shot. The suspect was
still on the loose. Police warned char he was dangerous.
Thar week, as I followed the investigation, I became
increasingly caught up in the unfolding story. Ir was a lesbian
couple. 1l1ey were planning a fall wedding.
While Seattle police searched for the suspect, the local
community was devastated, gripped by fear and confusion.
'i\r the community information meeting on the Monday
after the attack, there was a lot of misdirected rage and sadness;·
recalls L. Beth YockeyJones, who lived next door to Teresa for
three years. "People wanted ro share their feelings about Teresa
and her impact on their lives:•
"The attack on Teresa and her partner hit a lot of people
in Seattle very hard, bur not just lesbians;· says Sally Clark,
a pillar in the dyke community and one of two our city council
members. Shockwaves were felt all the way to Vancouver,
Canada, where I live and see the Seattle news every night.
Even without knowing Teresa, I, roo, was profoundly affected.
THE DlSTl'RBIN(i
TRL'TH
As the clock ticked, more about the case emerged: 1l1at fateful
night, neighbors heard screams and ran into the street to help
Teresa and her partner, Jennifer* -a 36-year-old woman who'd
also been stabbed, although her wounds weren't fatal. The manhunt continued, and more of what really happened inside their
home came to light.
Interim Police Chief John Diaz told the Seattle Times that
it was "the most brutal crime" he and his officers had seen in
some time. Diaz vowed to put every available resource into
catching the man. At a press conference, Assistant Chief
Nick Merz added, "It's one of those things I'll remember for
the rest of my life:•
1l1e details of the attack are devastating. I chagrin to even
pen them. Writer Eli Sanders of The Stranger (an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle) did a valiant, thorough
and eloquent job of covering the case and was the only one
to print the findings released by King County prosecutors
verbatim; most media outlets summarized because the derails
were so gruesome.,
"I don't think there's any reason to hide from public view
exactly how horrific these attacks were," Sanders wrote
in his blog, "and exactly what these women did to try and
stop them:• (I've scaled back on what he bravely reported,
but if you'd like to forgo the details entirely, skip to "1he
Community Reacts.")
Ir was a sweltering night in Seattle and the attacker climbed
through an open window into the home ofTeresa and Jennifer,
who woke to him standing over them. He was naked and held
a knife and told the women, "I won't hurt you. All I want is
some pussy:•
Over the next 90 minutes, he repeatedly sexually assaulted
nsc
July 22, 2009
icesForTeresaButzSe
southPark MemorialThis
nn Butz, the
Teresa A Norbert and
daughter of
f Affton,
Elaine_ Butzsu:day' July
was killed
.
Seattle,
19, 2009, m 39 years
Was h · She was
old.
d her partner,
Ms. Butz an
er were
- ~nifer Hop~ h'ome in
• +hetr
,uhat
them-orally, anally and vaginally-ejaculating in both of
them, and, after the second full round of assaults, he told the
women that his fun had just begun.
Throughout that long hour and a ha1£"the man also physically
assaulted them with a butcher knife;' reported Sanders. "He
repeatedly used the knife to cut the necks of both women.
After a time, the physical assaults intensified. The man began
cutting more aggressively on the necks of both women:'
Jennifer, in particular, began losing a large amount of blood.
Eventually, Teresa was able to kick the man off the bed and
the wome~ tried to defend themselves, which further enraged
their attacker. He punched Teresa in the face and then attacked
her again with the knife, stabbing her multiple times in the
arm and chest. Finally, Teresa broke free and fled through a
"I didn't know T as well as other people;' says Jones, "but
I felt like I had to do something. It was a larger event than I
thought it would be, but I felt like it helped:'
LOVE, LOUD LAUGHTER AND PURPOSE
These words were used to describe Teresa in her obituary. As
the days passed, a clearer picture of Teresa emerged, too.
Known as T-Buzz, T-Butz or Twirds to those closest to
her, Teresa Ann Butz grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She
graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School and the
University of Missouri. She had returned to St. Louis months
before the murder to celebrate her parents' 50th anniversary
and was planning a trip to Barcelona to celebrate her own
40th birthday.
EVEN THOUGH I ONLY SAW TERESA'S FACE FOR
A SPLIT SECOND, I KNEW SHE WAS ONE OF US.
window she smashed open with a nightstand. Jennifer escaped
out the front door and they met in the street, where Teresa
collapsed and died in her fiance's arms. The suspect fled.
Five days after the horrific incident, police caught the
monster. The arrest was facilitated by a Metro Bus driver
who recognized the suspect's face, which had been plastered
all over the neighborhood. According to police, they arrested
him at a park with his pit bull. His jacket had blood stains on
it and DNA evidence connected him to the crime.
THE COMMUNITY REACTS
Teresa Butz was the ninth of 11 children, a girl who grew up in
a family of eight brothers, including the Tony-Award winning
actor Norbert Leo Butz. Teresa served on the board of directors
for Compass Center, a social service agency that helped lowincome and homeless people. Her death, said Compass board
member Bob Kuehn, was a "huge, huge loss:'
It was also a huge shock to Seattleites, many of whom
spoke out.
"I heard from women who were scared;' says Clark. "I
heard from women who were angry. I heard from women who
wanted to fight back in some way, but didn't know what to do.
There's a feeling of powerlessness and fear that this kind of
attack spreads like a germ:'
Unsure how to channel her own emotions, Yockey Jones
planned a vigil. "I organized the vigil for those of us who had
been impacted or helped by Teresa, to share our stories and
memories;' she says. It brought people together from both
the gay community and the neighborhood where Teresa and
Jennifer lived, South Park in South Seattle.
"I think many people found some comfort in the community
gathering that took place on the South Park Community
Center lawn a few days after the attack;' remembers Clark.
"Many of Teresa and her partner's friends spoke about them.
A young girl talked about finding them in the street. The
Seattle Women's Chorus sang:'
52
Icurve
After college,Teresa worked in the cruise industry and then
moved to Seattle. At the time of her death, she was a general
manager for Regus Group, a company that rents office space
to businesses. In addition to her charitable work, she was an
athletic third baseman, a loving girlfriend, a cherished sister
and a beloved daughter.
Like so many lesbians, Teresa loved her music. "I used to
tease her about her taste in music;' remembers Jones."The last
time we hung out was when Scott, my husband, and I drove
Teresa and her partner to the airport to go on some dykey
inusic cruise with Melissa Etheridge and k.d. lang:'
One of Teresa's brothers, Tim Butz, spoke with the Seattle
Times shortly after the murder. The last time he had seen
Teresa was just 10 days earlier. "I told her I loved her and put
her in a cab and never saw her again;' he said.
Tim also told the Times that he and his sister spent hours
playing catch as kids. "In a family dominated by boys, Teresa
held her own. My sister went toe-to-toe;' he said.
Teresa's brother, Norbert, had been in Seattle preparing
for the musical Catch Me If You Can. In response to the
tragedy, the 5th Avenue Theater cancelled the first two
performances of the show, which was scheduled to begin
the week of the murder.
Jones remembers her former neighbor as ''generous, funny,
caring, always ready with a laugh or a hug when you needed
it:' She talks about how those close to the atrocity are doing
today. "I see how Teresa's partner is surviving and being joyful.
It helped a lot when they caught the asshole who attacked
them. (My husband and I] are thankful that we knew Teresa,
and sad that we weren't there to help out after the attack. We
still own the house next door, and hearing the people who rent
it from us talk about what happened was gruesome:'
IS VIOLENCE EVER RANDOM?
Police arrested Isaiah M.K. Kalebu-a man who was out on
bail for felony domestic violence charges after assaulting his
mother-for
the brutal attack on Teresa and
Jennifer. The 23-year-old bipolar man was also
under suspicion for murdering his aunt and her
tenant in an arson fire, after she too kicked him
out of her home. The mental health community
was quick to say that Kalebu's bipolar status
was not soley to blame and police indicted him
on aggravated murder, attempted first-degree
murder, burglary and one count of first-degree
rape. At press time, he's sitting in the King
County Jail on $10 million bail.
Police are deciding whether to seek the death
penalty and though they still hold firm to the idea
that the attacker didn't know the women and the
attack was random, it's hard to believe. Would
this suspect have broken into a home and stood
naked over a bed if there had been a woman and
a man lying in it?
"Like a lot of people, I wonder why he chose
their house;' says Clark. "I wonder if he'll ever
confirm why he chose their house. I don't think
the attack or the violence of it should be called
random, but I'm not a prosecutor or a judge. The
attacker clearly thought out how to enter a home,
rape, mutilate two people, and then exit. And he
carried out the attack over a period of time in the
night. That's not random to me. It's sick and inexplicable, but not random:'
Regardless of why this evil chose their house,
two lesbians' lives were forever changed and the
rest of us should take what we can from their
story. I've yet to find words to articulate the
myriad of ways in which Teresa and Jennifer's
story has affected me. For starters: I double-check
my locks at night and am sure to tell those close
to me that I love them at every opportunity.
As with so many tragedies, light can come
from darkness.
"I know Teresa's loved and celebrated ... !
believe there is a violence-prevention program
being started in her memory;' says Jones. "I feel
terrible that this all happened, but hope that
people will find a way to connect with each other
and in their communities, so that this doesn't
happen again:'
To more people than she could have ever imagined, Teresa Butz will forever be immortalized
for sacrificing herself so her partner could escape.
I. To the girlfriend left behind, Jennifer, I send my
~ deepest, most heartfelt sympathy-may you and
~ your family and friends find healing and peace on
0
t5 the heels of this awful nightmare. ■
::,
Cl
0
a:
Cl.
*This is her realname, but we'vechosento not print
fil Jennifer'slast name so she can have some semblance
..J
CD
~
~
CD
of privacy when so much has already been taken
from her.
Hate Crimes Across the Globe
WhenMatthewShepardwas
killedin 1998,he became
the emblemfor anti-gay
hatecrimes.Butfar too
manyLGBTfolkshavebeen
victimsof violence,their
storieslargelyuntoldbythe
mainstream
media.Hereare
a few storiesthat belongin
the sadannalsof our history
booksaswell.
Roxanne
EllisandMichelle
Abdill:
A whitelesbiancouple
in ruralOre.,EllisandAbdil
juggledgrandmotherhood
with runninga property
management
company.On
Dec.4, 1995,EllisandAbdil
showedanapartmentto
27-year-oldRobertAcrement.
Theywerediscovered
later-bound andgagged,
shotin the headandwrapped
in drapesin the backof
theirownpickuptruck.The
mainstream
newsoutletand
Peoplecoveredthe crime.
Acrement'sownmother
turnedhimintopolice,telling
reporters,"I calledthe police
becauseI haveto lookGodin
theface.I will do anythingin
my power~omakesureother
peoplearen'thurt."Acrement,
admittedthatthe women's
sexualitydisturbedhim.
Rebecca
WightandClaudia
Brenner:
When29-year-old
Iranian/Puerto
RicanMBA
studentRebecca
Wightand
her32-year-old
Jewish
girlfriendClaudiaBrenner
werehikingon May13,1998,
StephenRoyCarrwasn'tfar
behindthem.Theyencounteredhimat a restroom,then
laterwhilelookingat a map
(hehadhis .22caliberrifle
on him),but bythe timethey
madecamp,bothwomen
thoughtCarrwaslonggone.
Sotheyset up campand
beganto havesex,butthen
eightbulletsflew their way.
Brennerwasshotthree
times,Wighttwice-the last
onea fatal blowthat shatteredherliver.Toget help,
Brennerhadto hikethree
mileswhilebleeding.Carr
claimedin courtthat hewas
enragedbythe two women's
lesbianismandthat they
had"taunted"him by having
sex.Hisattorneyclaimed
that he hadbeenraped
previously
andthatthe
lesbianism
provoked
"inexplicablerage."Carrplead
downto lifewithoutparole.
Brennerwentonto writeEight
Bullets:OneWoman's
Storyof
Surviving
Anti-GayViolence.
Brandon
Teena:
Anyonewho's
seenBoysDon'tCryknows
aboutthe sad,senseless
killingof Brandon
Teena,but
thatdoesn'tmakethe story
anylessheart-wrenching.
Teenawasa 21-year-old
transmanwhohadadopteda
masculinepersonawhilestill
in highschool,andbegan
livingfull timeas a manwhen
he movedto FallsCity,Neb.
in 1993.Teenablossomed
in FallsCity,datingLana
Tisdel,andlivingat the home
of oneofTisdel'sfriends,
LisaLambert.Healsogotto
explorehis masculinityby
hangingwithTisdel'sformer
boyfriend,
JohnLotter,and
hisfriendTomNissen,both
ex-conswhoonceembraced
Teenabut laterturnedon him
uponlearningthat hewas
transgender.
OnChristmas
Eve,LotterandNissenraped
Teena,whoreportedthe
rapeto policewholost his
rapekit. WhenLotterand
Nissenlearnedof the report,
the two wentto Lambert's
solitaryfarm houseandkilled
Lambert,Teenaandfriend
PhillipDeVine-with most
of their brutalityfocusedon
Teena,who hadbeenshot
andstabbed.Bothmenwere
capturedandconvictedin
trialsthat attractedLGBT
activistsfromaroundthe
country.Nissentestifiedthat
Lotterwasthe gunman;he
receivedthreelife sentences.
Lotterwassentto death
rowfor the killings.In 2004,
Nissenrecantedhis statement,sayingthat he alone
wasthe gunman.
SakiaGunn:
AfricanAmericanNewJersey
teenagerSakiaGunncame
outwhenshewas 11,so it
waslittle surprisewhenshe
told a strangeronthe street
that sheandherfriendwere
lesbians.Gunn,an athlete
whodreamedof playing
for theWNBA,
wasat a bus
stopwith friendson May
11,2003,whentwo men
sexuallyharassedher.Oneof
the men,29-year-oldRichard
McCullough,
jumpedfrom
hiscar andattackedGunn's
friend.AsGunnandanother
girl,Valencia,
foughtback,he
turnedto Gunn,pulleda knife
andstabbedherin the chest.
ThemenfledandGunndied
laterthatday.McCullough
claimedhecalledGunna dyke
butthatsheactually"ran
into"hisknife.A professorat
Crimes continued on page 63
May 2010
I53
rful Lesbian ·Veterinarians
Where to take your loveable Fido or Fluffy. By Jamie Anderson
. Don't take Fluffy or Mr. Snake to just any
veterinarian-take
your beloved pet to a
sister. Here are some of the top queer women
vets in the U.S. Inspired by reality TV shows,
childhood pets and visits to the zoo, they
come from all walks of life. They work in
academia, for the government, at zoos and in
private practice, using conventional medicine,
acupuncture and kisses on the head. (Fluffy's
head, usually, but some of them practice
with their partners, so there's that kind of
kissing, too.) Even if you've got a cranky mare
with a toothache-or
a rhino in need of
insemination-we've got a doc for you.
JulieTeresa
Gamier,
Washington,
D.C.
ce the age of 5, it's been her dream to be
eterinarian. Dr. Garnier worked at Zoo
ta and the San Diego Zoo, specializing
xotics, zoo animals and wildlife medicine,
re moving to the D.C area to work with
small animals. She currently has a position
with the Food and Drug Administration,
although she continues to work as a relief vet at
severalpractices. In her spare time, she renovates
homes, travels internationally and spends time
with her partner, Charlene, their two kids and
their French bulldog. She's also on the board of
Rainbow Families D.C, an organization for
LGBT parents.
VandeWiele,
IndianaandMichigan
a relief vet, Dr. Vande Wiele treats cats,
d the occasional "pocket pet:' As a kid,
she wanted to be a sailor, but later changed
her mind, partly because neighbors took her
on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bronx
Zoo and the New York City Aquarium when
she was a young girl. There are many success
stories in her nearly 23 years of practice, but
the patient that is closest to her heart is Cindy,
the little· dog with chocolate brown eyes
who was hit by a car. Cindy endured several
surgeries, including the amputation of a
rear leg. The owner never returned, so Dr.
VandeWiele took her home. "For the next 13
years or so, she traveled with me everywhere
that she could come:' Sadly, Cindy passed away
recently, but she will always be remembered as
an inspiration to many people, their pets and
the vet who took her home ..
DianeDodin,Chicago,
Ill.
Like many of us, Dr. Dodin has al
animals. After watching surgic
with her dad, she realized that s
to
become a vet. One of her most challenging
patients was a dog with intestinal obstructions.
With the help of a colleague, she performed a
surgery that she had done only once before,
in vet school. After having a foot of intestine
removed, the pooch was soon back to his old
self In addition to treating cats and dogs at
Urban Veterinary Care, she volunteers at the
Red Door Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter.
i-Orcutt,Seattle,Wash.
will heal if they can-i~ spite of
es. My job is to help them if
d it, and to empower their humans
to un erstand what's going on, what their
choices are ... so they feel able to make a
choice:' Dr. Perotti-Orcutt currently runs a
hospital with her partner, Paige. 'Tm really
happy to have a profession that I can combine
with being a small-business owner. It's a huge
plus right now, as the mother of a young child.
Paige and I can make our own schedules ...
and still support our family. I love that we can
work together:' She loves her patients and
their owners, too. "I have amazing clients, and
I also have the good fortune to practice in one
of Seattle's lesbian meccas, so I get to talk to
many brilliant, gorgeous sisters every day:'
5
JanWalsh,GrandRapids,
Mich.
Dr. Walsh works at two differe
c1
and sometimes makes house cal
to perform acupuncture. One of her avorite
patients is a poodle who suffers from seizures
and receives a mixture of Western and Eastern
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54
Icurve
A Purrfect Career
medicine."This seven-pound dog was vicious,
twisting in all directions, screaming bloody
murder, when I first began to treat him. Now
he ... falls asleep on my lap during his treatments:• She has no plans to stop doing the
job she loves. "I want women to know that
it is never too late to ... pursue their passion.
T~ency years and I still enjoy what I do:'
KarynHarrell,ChapelHill,N.C.
Dr. Harrell works in an acad
g,
specializing in internal medicine.'
ery
involved with our patients and our c ients ...
often more than other medical professions:•
One of her favorite patients was a young
Great Dane who had swallowed a plastic toy.
His owners couldn't afford extensive surgery,
so it was Dr. Harrell's job to get it out with
an endoscope. Luckily, the procedure was
a success, considering euthanasia would have
been the only other answer. "I cannot even tell
you how happy I was to be able to loop the end
of our retrieval device around a little blue plastic
hand and pull that big plastic duck out!"
oto,NewYork,N.Y.
rimoto, who identifies as queer, stands
ets who are away.When asked what she
and hates about her job, she says, "The
f watching patients who first walked in
your door as a puppy or kitten grow up, but
also sadness when they reach the end of their
lives:' Because she's USDA accredited, she
helps clients prepare for international travel
with their pets. She is fluent in Japanese and
helps many Japanese nationals expedite the
export procedure and minimize the time their
pets spend in quarantine. She's also an active
member of LGVMA (the LGBT Veterinary
Medical Association) and the transgender and
gender nonconformist community in NYC.
KarenKowalski,
Cincinnati,
Ohio
After working as a trauma nurse,
decided she needed a change, so s
ck
to school to become a vet. She has now been
practicing for 22 years. She spends most of
. her days making house calls, treating cats and
dogs. "I have the best job in the world-I love
getting up and going to work. The people I
meet are awesome and so are my patients:'
NanSchaffer,
Chicago,
Ill.
If you happen to have a rhino, contact Dr.
Schaffer. She's a vet who specializes in the
reproductive problems of rhinos and is
As a cat veterinarian,
non-profitworkerandthe
co-authorof CrazyCatPeople,
out lesbianK. KellyJoneshas
alwayshada specialrelationshipwith animals.
"Asa child,I woulddrag
homeanyanimalI couldfind
andtry to nurseit backto
health,"shesays."I really
wantedto dosomething
that
hadmeaningandpurposeto it."
Butit washerparticularlove
of feline-kindthat ledto Jones'
collaboration,
with herbrother,
Skat,on Crazy.
Thebookis writtenfromthe
perspective
of catslivingin
the cat hospitalwhereJones
works.Thecharacters
are
basedon realcatsandtheir
storiesarelooselybasedon
realevents.Thebookincludes
whimsicalillustrationsby
CarlosSandoval
andevery
chapterincludespracticalvet
advicebyJones.
Foryoungwomenlooking
to enterthe male-dominated
veterinaryfield,Jones'advice
is clear:"Studyveryhard.It is
extremely
difficultto getinto
veterinaryschool.Youneedto
dosomething
that makesyou
standoutfromall theothers.
Alsodothingslikevolunteerat
a zooor shelter,or geta parttimejob workingat a veterinary
it comesto caringfor your
clinic.Thiswill demonstrate
to
themthatyouhaveaninterest favoritefeline?
"It wouldhaveto be
in animalsandarewillingto do
nutrition.Catsarecarnivores
entry-level
jobs."
Jonesherselfis nostranger andtheir bodiescannot
efficientlydigestor
to giving.Workingas
metabolize
things
a vet,sherealized
CIA&I'
like corn,beets,
that animalswere
CATNONI
soy,andwheat.So,
oftenleft behind
whenwe addthese
whenwomenleft
thingsto theirdiet,it
abusiverelationships,soshestarted
a non-profitcalled
Petsin Crisis-an
organization
that
providesrefugefor
petswhileabused
womenseekhelpin shelters.
"Studiesshowthata large
percentage
of womenwill
delayleavingor refuseto
leaveanabusivesituationif
theyhaveto leavetheirpet
behind,"shestates."Almost
all of the animalsthatwe have
caredforhavebeenabused.
It issadtoseehowtheyreact
tousinitially;
theydon'ttrust
[us]andtheyarenervous
and
oftengetsstoredas fat. I try
scared.
However,
it isamazing to encouragecat ownersto
toseehowtheyrespond
to us
readlabelsandselectfoodfor
aftera fewdaysofloveand
their cat that is highin meat
with
safety.
Theyhavesucha strong protein(notby-products),
veryfew fillers anda short
desireto loveandtobeloved
irrspiteofwhathashappened ingredientlist. Just because
totheminthepast."
foodis a name-brand,
doesn't
So,whatisJones'number meanit is goodfor yourcat."
[LisaGunther]
onepieceofadvicewhen
the founder and president
(sosrhino.org), a nonprofit t
ernationally to preserve the
species in their natural ha8
an
organization once offered to give
award
for being a notable lesbian and mentor, she
reacted with amusement. "Ha, right, that was
a laugh. I could see some young dyke going
to her mother and saying, 'I got it Mom, I
want to jack off rhinos when I grow up: Poor
thing-as if she wasn't confused already. They
gave the award to me anyway:'
LeniceMcCoyandBessDarrow,
Gainesville,
Fla.
Doctors McCoy and Darrow met at an L
Word party when both were at a vet school
in the Caribbean. McCoy now works at an
emergency clinic where she treats family
pets. What does she love best about her job?
"Kissing my patients on the head:'
If you think having a cavity is hard on you,
try dealing with a 1,200-pound animal that
can't tell you exactly what is bothering her.
That's what Dr. Darrow does on a regular
basis. Earlier jobs as a vet tech, horse trainer
and riding instructor led her to this career
as an equine vet. McCoy not only turned
out to become her life partner but also a
mentor. "She provided me much support
and inspiration ... it was all very unexpected
and romantic:' Darrow offers this
considering a similar career:
ver
give up your dream. If I had list
dao all
the naysayers along my path, I wo
where I am today:' ■
May 2010
I 55
REVIEWSMusic Watch
New Hits FromOld·favorites
Melissa, Sade and Shelby give us reason to sing. By Margaret Coble
Heartof My Own,Basia
Bulat{RoughTrade}:Basia
Bulat'ssophomore
release,
Heartof MyOwn,is anything
butordinary.
Thealbum's
moreupbeattracks,likethe
beautifully
escalating
"Gold
Rush,"layerBulat'shearty
vibratoona lushplatformof
complexyetwell-orchestrated
instrumentation,
whichlope
andgallopalong,at times
makingit seemasthoughthe
artistis beingaccostedby
a bandof streetperformers.
Otherstandouttracksbravely
offerupherunmistakable
voice,reminiscent
of fellow
Canadian
BuffySte.Marie.
Thetruecharmof the record
liesin its unpredictability
as
wellas it beingunusualand
refreshingly
notfront-loaded
withwould-behits.These
qualitiesmaycauseBulat
to findit a challenge
to get
widespread
U.S.airplay(as
compared
to Canada,
where
nationalcommunication
laws
requirethat35 percentof
musicairedeachweekbe
Canadian),
butit is certainly
notfor lackof listenability
or
talent.(basiabulat.com)
[AshGoddard]
56
Icurve
Though I generally use these pages to spotlight upand-comers on the music scene, sometimes it's worth
checking in with the veterans to see what they've been
up to. Melissa Etheridge, Sade and Shelby Lynne all
have new releases that prove they are still more than
relevant, even after all these years.
FearlessLove,MelissaEtheridge{Island}:In her 22year recording career, Etheridge has continually
hooked listeners with her raw passion and earnest
exploration of her emotions. And though there
have been a few of her albums over the years that
didn't exactly excite me (Skin, The Awakening), I'm
happy to say Fearless Love is one of her most solid
efforts since her brilliant, eponymous 1988 debut.
The relentlessly rocking 12-song set might easily be
classified as midlife reflections from the 48-year-old
dyke icon, bouncing between upbeat affirmations like
the soaring title track-a personal manifesto that
boldly declares "I want to live my life/Pursuing all
my happiness/I want a fearless love/I won't settle for
anything less"-and melancholy admissions about
loneliness (the midtempo rocker "Company"), love
(poignant ballad "Only Love") and life ("Gently We
Row"). "We Are The Ones" is a feel-good anthem
tinged with world-music instrumentation, while
"Miss California" is a politically charged statement
about California's Prop. 8 debacle and beauty queen
Carrie Prejean's vocal opposition to gay marriage.
My personal faves are "Indiana;' a sweet, uplifting ode
to heartland girls and their dreams, and the playful
"Nervous:' I could wish for a little less production gloss overall, but it's a pretty catchy set that
maintains Etheridge's place in the modern rock
pantheon. (melissaetheridge.com)
SoldierOf Love,Sade{Sony}:It's surprising to realize
Nigerian-born Brit Sade Adu and her band have
only released six studio albums in 25 years, but
this latest 10-song effort does not disappoint. The
exquisite, military-cadenced title track has been
nearly ubiquitous on radio, in clubs and elsewhere
for months, and with good reason; lyrically, it's the
resilient tale of a woman who has "lost the use of my
heart, but I'm still alive;' while musically it propels
Sade into the 21st century by embracing a soulful
but decidedly electronic sound. "Babyfather" is a
similarly electronic, reggae-tinged tale of fatherly
w
Cl
~
~
....I
~
~
g
Q+A
Martha Davis
New Wave star Martha Davis was the fierce
frontwoman of the Motels. Her husky voice,
passionate performances and heart-breaking
ly~icspropelled her to fame in the '70s and
kept various incarnations of the Motels on
Billboard's
Top Ten list with hits like "Only
the Lonely" and "Remember the Nights:'
While Davis has traded in the dark L.A.
club scene for rural Oregon, she's still writing
music, screaming about injustice and finding
new, queer meaning in her old songs-she
even performed at Dinah Shore this year.
everyone dropped acid. [Laughs] So, I went
to become an Air Force wife in Tampa,
Fla., which is really a culture shock from
Berkeley. It was one of the most horrifying
experiences of my life.
Howdidyoutransition
fromyourlifeasa
youngAirForcewifeto a NewWavestar?
All of a sudden this picture flashed in front
of my eyes-me on the base, 50 years old
with my hair in rollers, chocolates in one
hand and a beer in the next and fluffy slippers
on my feet. And I was like, Ahh!
Young
femalemusicians
areunderthemicroWhat'sit liketo besofarfromtheL.A.scene? scopeintermsoftheirbodiesandsexuality.
Well, the bottom line is that I am, and
Didyoufeelthatwhenyouwereyounger?
always have been, a tomboy. I am not a city
Well, they're not being watched. They're
dweller. I did my time in L.A. I made it out
being made. You know what, it doesn't have
alive, which was remarkable in itsel£ and I'm anything to do with being a woman in rock,
very much more at home here.
it has to do with whether you're any good or
Whatotherplacesinfluenced
yourmusic?
not. Don't separate me because of my gender.
A lot of my writing was coming from my
That's just doing me a great disservice.
home of Berkeley. I basically left when
Youhavea hugegayfollowing,
and"OnlyThe
00
i
:::i
love, while "The Moon and The Sky" is a
gorgeous slow-groove that layers smooth
R&B beats, orchestral instrumentation
and a few carefully inserted electronic
accents. The bulk of the disc is classic
Sade, though. Longtime fans will revel
in the timeless sumptuousness of Adu's
voice and the band's sophisticated sound.
(sade.com)
~
~ Tears,Lies& Alibis,ShelbyLynne(Everso):
()
ii. Alt-country iconoclast Shelby Lynne has
::J
:5 been making records since 1988, first in
Nashville country
scene and later as a singer-songwriter
~ exploring country, blues, pop and other
~ styles in the Americana spectrum. Her
G:j
latest release has her finally branching
~ out on her own record label and doing
0
~ things 100 percent her way. It's a sparse
~
g acoustic 10-song set that's beautiful and
ffi eclectic, from the perky opener "Rains
0
[ Came" to the moving ''.Alibi"as well as the
ffi sweetly sincere "Something To Be Said;'
X'.
~ which is, amusingly enough, a song about
~ airstream trailer~. It's an album that is,
z
~ well, just very Shelby. (shelbylynne.com)■
~ the slick mainstream
a
_J
Lonely"
hasbecome
a sortof gayanthem.Did
youanticipate
thatwhenyouwerewritingit?
No, because when I write songs I have no idea
why I'm writing them~And it wasn't until gay
Pride, when I was singing it and I just went,
Holy shit, this is about being gay. [Laughs] It's
not really,but it'sjust that feeling of alienation,
of wanting so badly to be able to be in a place
that is comforting. And when I thought about
it from that perspective I went, Holy Christ, I
get it. It does resonate.
ManyofyourMotelssongswereangst-ridden.
Areyouhappiernow?
I'm at a point in my life where I'm probably
the most happy. I'm feeling pretty feisty these
days. Yes,there's a dance in the old dame yet!
[Kristin
A.Smith]
,.
'
,:..
t \
~
.
.• t . ......
,
•
BetterThanChocolate TheCreatures
in The WhatToSay
JamieAnderson
Garden
OfLadyWalton DaphneWillis
(Tsunami)
TheClogs
(Vanguard)
(Brassland)
Remember
chill out
A regularcontributor
The22-year-old
music?Montreal
Thisintriguing
American Chicago
to curve, Anderson
singerand
DJslashproducer
andAustralian
quartet songwriter
hasbeena traveling
debutswith
MichaelSilveris still
mixesclassical,
indie
troubadour
forover20
thisfresh12-cutset
makingit, andhis
rockandfolkinto
years,servingupher
of spunkyyetsoulful
fluid 12-trackdebut
a unique,if slightly
quirkymixof humor
acousticfolk-pop
albumis filled with all andinsightto anyone
esoteric,
sound.From
withjazzyandbluesy
typesof mesmerizing who'lllisten.Thisfiveacapella
choralpieces undertones.The
funky
ci~ematicgroovessongEP,anauraltreat, to thealmostoperatic opener"Everybody
ambientatmospherics spansgenres,
fromjazz vocalperformance
Else"androusing"All
to
to 1980s-eraChicago ("January")
to acoustic of SharaWorden
I Know"standout
themorepensive,
houseandevena
pop("PublicRadio")
to
asfaves,alongwith
highlydanceable
folk (theheartwarming largelyinstrumental, thesentimental
"Jim
this 10-songcycleis
updateof Fleetwood "MyDadLovesto
Thornton,"
a tuneWillis
melodic,interesting,
yet wrotein memoryof
Mac's"Big Love."
Sing"),leavingthe
Getlost in its sounds. listenerwantingmore. challenging
listening. herlategrandfather.
(clogsmusic.com)
(myspace.
com/etc~ (jamieanderson.
com)
(daphnewillis.com)
Continent
CFCF
(PaperBag)
» CURVEMAG.COM
Logon andreadthe restof ourone-on-one
with MarthaDavis
May 2010
I57
REVIEWSIn The Stacks
Tracin Our Histor
Books that remind us of our roots and our community. By Rachel Pepper
Two University of California professors remind us of those who have
fought for the community, and take
a glance at our global lesbian· history.
A Volume
of Friendship:
TheLettersofEleanor
Roosevelt
andIsabella
Greenway
1904-1953,
Eds.
KristieMillerandRobert
H.McGinnis
{Arizona
Historical
Society):
First
LadyEleanor
Roosevelt
is
knownfor manythings:for
beinga second-wave
feminist
icon,for herhumanitarian
workin socialcauses(like
theUniversal
Declaration
of
HumanRights)
andfor her
rumored
lesbianromance.
Whilethiscollection
of
letters-writtenbetween
she
andherlife-longbestfriend
Isabella
Greenway-does
not
address
hersexuality,
we do
getto seea morepersonal
sideofthispioneering
woman.
Roosevelt
andGreenway
share
storiesoffamily,childbirth,
sorrowandtriumphs,
dating
fromtheirteensintooldage.
Amongtheseemingly
trivial
everyday
occurrences
there
areglimpses
intothepolitical
livestheyled-Roosevelt,
of course,asfirstladyand
perhaps
themostinfluential
member
of theU.N.'s
Commission
onHuman
Rights,andGreenway
as
Arizona's
first congresswoman.(arizonahistorical
society.org)
[LisaGunther]
58
I curve
a place where an innovative young generation
of queers found their artistic, cultural and
political voice. There was anger, but there
was also excitement, hope, solidarity, humor
and inspiration, the likes of which have not
MovingPolitics:
Emotion
and ACTUP's
been seen in such a frenzied combination
FightAgainstAIDS,Deborah8. Gould
since. Gould manages to capture all these
{University
of ChicagoPress):Deborah
emotions and more as she analyzes
Gould, currently an assistant professor
both its successes and its failures,
at the University of California, Santa
and recounts praise and criticism
Cruz, was an insider who participated
from both inside and outside the
in ACT UP's Chicago chapter, so she knows
gay community.
how it felt to be part of the movement. She
Even after having a phenomenal
deftly uses this experience in MovingPolitics,
impact on LGBT culture, ACT UP
the first in-depth, academic examination of
eventually lost its way, splitting into
ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash
several different factions; however, in
Power. Gould writes, ''A central argument
its demise it made way for other directof Moving Politicsis that emotional habits
action groups like Queer Nation, and
of lesbian and gay communities, and shifts therein,
helped usher in a new era of understanding
shaped both lesbian and gay attitudes about, as well about LGBT issues. Using extensive research drawn
as engagements in, distinctive forms of AIDS activism from LGBT press, interviews, artwork, primary
from the recorded beginning of the epidemic in 1981 source materials and her own archives. Moving Poltics
through the early-to-mid 1990s:•
is chock-full of great quotes, footnotes, graphics and
Thus, Gould not only covers ACT UP per se, but an index that reads like a Who's Who of early '90s
decades of LGBT political activism. A pivotal point in LGBT activism. This is an important, timely book,
this era was the Supreme Court's decision in Bowers not just on the history of ACT UP but about the
vs. Hardwick, in which the Court found that even emotions that helped create it, shape it and move the
in the privacy of their own homes, gay adults were LGBT movement forward.
denied the right to engage in all consensual sexual
A GlobalHistoryof LoveBetweenWomen,
activity. In comparing gay sex to "adultery, incest and Sapphistries:
Press):Sapphistries
other sexual crimes;' writes Gould, the Court enraged LeilaJ. Rupp{NewYorkUniversity
the LGBT community across the country, inciting is the rare kind of history book that a reader might
demonstrations and unleashing a spark that would pick up thinking of glancing at just a few pages-only
ignite the growing· anger about governmental inaction to discover a few hours later that she has effortlessly
on AIDS. That fury was already fermenting when breezed through the entire book. Although not the first
Larry Kramer gave his famous speech in the Gay and text to tackle same-sex attraction between women, this
Lesbian Community Center in March 1987. Thus was is a truly global examination of what women's intimate
born ACT UP, which changed the queer community
relationships have meant over time. Beginning in mythforever. From 1987 until the early '90s, ACT UP was ology, winding through the ancient worlds of Sappho
the most notorious LGBT groups in the country. and the Biblical era, then through colonial Mexico,
Asia, Islam, Europe and North America, this book is
Gould focuses on the organization's early development
in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, where an exhaustive examination of the very essence of what it
chapters formed earlier, were larger and had the most means to be a woman who desires other women. Leila
wide-ranging political effect. Not only was ACT UP J.Rupp, a professor at University of California, Santa
a protest group that eventually succeeded in many Barbara and the author of several other history books,
of its goals (which included changing how drugs are accomplishes this primarily through written accounts
tested and brought to market), it also functioned as (many, not surprisingly, written by men), literature,
a pre- Internet town hall, a social cruising ground and sacred texts and "actual cases, sensational stories, and
Q+A
ed~nfantasys
•
Jessica Dulong
For centuries, storytellers have been
using a journey down the river as a
metaphor. But in My River Chronicles:
RediscoveringAmerica on the Hudson,
Jessica DuLong goes.from living in the
virtual world of Web content development to working in· the engine room of a
fireboat on the Hudson River, mastering
an old technology that is as exacting as
it is physically exhausting.
As she goes through the process of
qualifying to become a fireboat engineerand learns what it takes to join the ranks
of women who work in non-traditional
occupations-she introduces us to many
of the unforgettable eccentrics she meets
on the Hudson.
Thebookseemsto bepartmemoir,
part
history.Howdoyoucharacterize
it?
My original idea came from a fascination
with the history, and with the people ...
who are just doing amazing things and are
living these lives that are largely untoldwhether it's the 19th century builders of
this canal that transformed American
industry ... or people on the river of today.
WereyououtwhenyouwereontheJohn
J. Harvey?Howaboutnow?
Yes, I'm certainly not closeted with
anyone on the boat. There's definitely
not a situation where people are closeted,
or there was none of that pressure, but
frankly ... one of the joys of working on
the boat is that the rest of life goes away.
Withworkingconditions
like130-degree
heatandbone-crushing
noises,
whatdrew
youto a jobontheboat?
z
g
~
~
scientific analyses;• making a compelling
narrative of how they all intersect "in a
complicated way to create different versions
of the modern 'lesbian: " She discusses cross
dressers, mystics, heretics, witches, schoolgirl
crushes, spinsters, cultures and peoples
through time, including the American Indian
hwame, Iraqi mustergil,Chinese zishu, Hindu
sadhini,African "mummy-baby" relationships
and Thai toms and dees. Rupp also covers
several important time periods in women's
sexual history, including those years in North
\
II Discover
Sex ~il~
~~
t
rl>--~
~Q;~
It's about the fine craftsmanship that is
so clear in every aspect of that engine
room. It's about the machinery. I just fell
completely in love with the equipment.
It is just such a complex system, and it is
such a unique boat and a unique engine
room. When I'm there it doesn't feel like I
should be any place else.
Tellmewhatroleyourfireboatplayedinthe
aftermath
of 9/11?
I came over from Brooklyn [and] the
first thing that I saw was this boat that
I loved actively pumping Hudson River
water through the deck's nozzles.The
Hudson River water was the only water
that was available on site for several
days after the collapse of the towers.
This boat, built in 1931, was still able to
perform the function that she was built
to perform-two
years after she was
sold at a scrap auction ... serving a really
crucial function in the hour of the city's
greatest need.
Whatdoyouwantreaders
totakeaway
fromthebook?
That we had something in this country, a
connection to our physical reality... that
we seem to be steering too far away from.
And I want to offer, through my own
personal hands-on experience, a taste of
the satisfaction of physical work-the
feeling of having spent the day taxing your
muscles and pushing your body to its
limits. [Katherine
Wright]
America and Europe when ideas about
"romantic friendship" changed, crossing over
into something that was more likely to be
thought of as "a diagnosis of inversion and
mental illness:•
This book is at its best when it focuses
on time periods less familiar to readers;
other books can recount the modern years
of LGBT history. The extensive reference
section lends credibility to the idea of a global
lesbian history, even during ancient times, as
a subject deserving serious scholarship. ■
FunShopping
withFriends
•l/
-1_
Reviews: real opinions
from real people
X·
\ r,
~,
Connect to toy
makers: Edenlink
Sexis magazine:
discover your own is
Fun to follow:
EdenCafe blog
Speak up:
forums and polls
Get personal:
interviews
www.edenfantasys.com
(800) 350-9050 Mon-Fr 8 am-4 pm ET
@
edenfantasys
facebook@ edenfantasys
•
REVIEWSSapphic Screen
Q+A
Madeline Davis
Madeline Davis, 70, is an activist and a
founding member of HAG Theatre, an all,
lesbian theater company in New York state.
Throughout her life, she's participated in her
fair share of Pride parades, demonstrations
and protests, but in order to really grasp the
impact she has had on LGBT rights, watch
her journey in last year's hit documentary,
Swimming with Lesbians. The film chron,
ides how activists in Buffalo, N.Y., led by
Davis, worked to create an LGBT historic
archive. The
film provides a
raw look into
the LGBT
movement in
Western New
York and it's an engaging, heartwarming
and gritty account of the people who fought
to preserve the legacy of their local LGBT
community.
Whydidyouchoose
thename-Swimming
withLesbians?
Lesbians come in all different shapes, colors,
cultures, ages and sizes. We are the most
fortunate of genders, because we allow each
other to be as we are, even in a swimsuit.
Whatis therriainmessage
ofthefilm?
Without preserving the memories of the
people who have come before us, our history
just goes up in smoke. Though the film is
Whatdoyouhopepeopletakefromthisfilm?
about the people and stories of Buffalo, it
I have the same hope as [director] David
represents every midsize, working,class city
[Marshall] did when he aspired to make the
in the country.
movie, and that is that people will under,
Howhasthemoviebeenreceived?
stand how vitally important it is to not let
It received a standing ovation at a film
LGBT history disappear.
festival in Seattle as well as in Buffalo, and
Whyis preserving
LGBThistorysoimportant? it won an award for best filmmaker at a film
Elton and Ellen are landmark people who
festival in Rochester, N.Y. When watching
have done landmark things, but they are not
the film, people begin to realize that LGBT
Adam and Eve. People came before them
history didn't just happen on the coasts of
and did some extraordinary things to get us
New York City and San Francisco. [Lyndsey
to where we are today.
D'Arcangelo]
I
~!
I
Q
(f)
()
cii
~
()
Oh, Julianne!
• Julianne Moore is heating up
the screen this year in not one,
but two lesbian-themed films. In
Chloe, a moody and suspenseful
drama by Atom Egoyan, Moore
StillWeRide
A FamilyIs a Family Lucha
BigLove:
TheComplete
has a sizzling onscreen love scene
(InTandem
(MBreauxsia
Films)
Is a Family:
A Rosie
ThirdSeason
with co-star Amanda Seyfried,
Productions)
(HBO)
O'Donnell
Celebration
and in The Kids Are All Right, a
Setamidstthe back(HBO)
film
by brilliant lesbian director
dr~pof theSalvadorian Lifegetsevenmore
Whileonly38 minutes
Lisa
Cholodenko, Moore plays a
long,thisdocumentary Toldthroughnarration CivilWar,thisshorttells complicated
for
lesbian
mother raising her children
thestoryof Luchaand ourfavecloseted
fullychronicles
the
bythe cutestgroupof
with her partner, played by Annette
Isabella,
two
lovers
showdown
between
kidsyoucanimagine,
polygamist
family,the
Bening. [LisaGunther]
whomustdecideif
NewYorkCitypolice
thistouchingTVdoc
Hendricksons,
asthey
loveof countryis more embarkintonewterriandthecity'sCritical remindsviewersthat
powerfulthantheirlove tory,openinga casino
Massbikeridersin
theonlythingthat
2004,rightbeforethe
definesa familyis love. for eachother.Though andaddinga fourth
it's a mere15-minutes wife.ChloeSevigny
startof theRepublican It'sfilledwith candid
long,Luchadraws
NationalConvention. andpersonalstories,
shinesastroubled
Whatwassupposed
to includingO'Donnell's theviewerin to its
secondwifeNicki,
politcally-charged
bea routinemonthly ownfamilyandsplit
struggling
withfidelity.
lovestorymakingthis Plottwistsabound
ride,turnedintooneof from"MommyKelli."
Spanish(withEnglish in thissubversive,
thecity'slargestmass Perfectto cuddleup
subtitles)an intimate highlyaddictive
arrestsin history.(still- andwatchwith your
series.
weridethemovie.
com) ownfamily.(homebox- andbeautifulmust-see. (homeboxoffice.
com)
(luchafilm.com)
[KAS] [Rachel
[Kristin
A.Smith]
Shatto]
office.com)
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Tech Girl REVIEWS
Stamping out the Evil
•KarenDyeron gam~s, music and burlesqueon stilts. By Danielle Riendeau
If you're a video game fan, chances are you've heard
Karen Dyer-even if you haven't heard of her. Dyer
is the woman behind both the voice-acting and
morion capture of ResidentEvil S's female lead, Sheva
Alomar. While she may be best known for virtual
zombie slaying, Dyer is a woman of many talents,
dabbling in everything from stunt work to circus
performance. Dyer is a daredevil performer with one
of the most eclectic-and exciting-careers around.
Before Dyer landed the gig as Sheva, she
had already made a name for herself in the music
industry, theater, circus arts and burlesque as the
flirtatious Eva La Dare. It was these connections
that led to the chance to play a high-profile video
game character-adding
"zombie-blasting badass"
to her already-impressive resume. ''I've been an
entertainer all my life;' Dyer explains. "I think as a
kid, I was quite a tomboy, very athletic and I liked
to be dared to do things. Whenever someone
presented a challenge, I rose to the occasion, because
I just wanted to see if I could do it:'
Resident Evil is a "survival horror" game franchise
in which players battle the living dead-the result
of either a viral outbreak or parasites-and the evil
Umbrella Corporation, the villains behind the chaos.
ResidentEvil 5 introduces Sheva, an African anti-bioterrorism agent, who fights alongside series regular
_ Chris Redfield against a new threat that's emerged
in Africa.
Ir is customary with high-profile, blockbuster
games, for the casting process to be shrouded in
secrecy, and Resident Evil 5 was no exception. "For
the longest time, I didn't know what the project was,
so I was kind of in the dark for about a month. They
would bring me in to test-there was a green screen
test, and I would do some stunt work, I would do
some acting, then they had me train with pistols,
rifles. I had to get certified in both. Then, when we
got into a regular shooting schedule, I finally got the
. script and saw what I was working on-and then
realized 'Oh, this is Resident Evil s; " she laughs.
"Until then, it was like this secret mission I wasn't
allowed to know anything about:'
~
For Dyer, helping to create the game was a blast,
z
g even with the limitations of working on a green
3w screen set, where performers don motion capture
~ suits and act out the scenes in a huge empty room.
()
::E Multiple cameras record the movement of small
f
A GATHERING
STORM
dots placed on the suit -and the actor's body and
computers turn that into an animation that a CGI
character mimics. Dyer was up to the challenge.'
"More has to depend on your imagination, which
I think is very freeing. It's like playing on a huge
playground-it was so much fun. Ir was like going to
play. It never felt like work:'
Right now, Dyer is focusing on launching her
music career as Eva La Dare, with performance and
music video ideas astir. "What's great about playing
around with an alter ego is that I have permission
to do anything;'she laughs. "I can always blame it on
her! The creativity just gets opened up, because Eva
has kind of been my outlet for thac:•
Dyer, who frequently performs in stilts, gave a
few hints about what to expect next from her live
shows and music videos. "I like to push the envelope
with costumes and props and ideas;' she says wryly,
speaking of Cirque-inspired spectacle and one very
enticing costume that involves "fire nipples:' Dyer
says that thanks to performers like Pink and Lady
Gaga, people are ready for wild women performances.
"People are embracing the idea of doing these outrageous feats. I think the door is wide open now:• ■
Fromits openingframes,
QuanticDream'sHeavyRain
for PlayStation
3 is both
cinematicandgrippinga film noirthrillerthat pulls
influencesfromfilms like
TheMalteseFalcon,Rear
WindowandSeven.Youplay
asfour unrelatedcharacters
(oneof whomis Madison
Paige,a sexysoft butch
photographer
whoridesa
motorcycle
andis as boldly
gutsyas sheis cleverand
foxy).All areon the hunt
for the OrigamiKiller-so
namedfor his penchantfor
leavingorigamifiguresin
the handsof his victims.
Boththe storyandthe
atmosphere
are dark,the
fight scenesare spinetinglingandthe plottwists
areshocking.Thegame
controls,whichrelyas much
on quickthinkingandyour
moralcompassas theydo
on speedyreflexes,make
this gamenovicefriendly.
Youdecidethe courseof
the adventurethroughboth
actionscenesanddialog
options.
However,
all decisions
haveconsequences.
In some
casesthosechoicesmay
provefatal,andthereare no
do-overs;oncedispatched,
the characteris gonefor
the durationof the game.
Riveting
andheart-wrenching,
HeavyRainis a uniqueand
spellbinding
whodunitgame
that hasto be experienced.
($60,gamestop.com)
[RachelShatto]
May 2010
I61
Tomboy Takeover continued from page 34
Top Picks continued from page 43
After her win, the queer blogosphere lit up
in delight. 'Tm so proud to be a Finn!" posted
Koo87 on the commentary site Afterellen.
com. "This feels almost as good as when Katja
Nyberg won OL,gold medal in handball last
fall;' wrote Cozy2.
After spending the spring skateboarding
between casting calls in Milan, Italy,
Grundfeldt settled back down in Helsinki in
time for Finland's Pride.celebration. Her new
celebrity status meant that she got to crown
the 2009 Mr. and Ms. Gay Finland.
"It was kind of love at first sight;' says Jari
Leskinen, Grundfeldt's new agent at Paparazzi
Model Management. "When I first saw her,
with her boyish skateboarding look and boy's
underwear, I knew it would be a challenge.
But her unique look, combined with a lovely
personality, great body and amazing face,
was a challenge I knew we had to take:' And
she's not the only queer girl represented by
Papparazzi: The agency also manages Monna
Kosonen, who's been featured in magazines
such as Numero, Loffiel and Russian Vogue.
The twentysomething's quick laugh and
spark come across in the media spots she's
done, whether it's teaching Radio Wave host
Olga K to skate on TV, or skydiving for the
first time alongside 70 other women from
around the world in an event called Pimp My
Fly. The 4000,meter drop took place in the
southern town of Hanko, Finland.
Grundfeldt was picked for a Cosmopolitan
cover shoot, another perk of winning the
competition, and is also a new Max Factor
spokesperson. "My brother is probably gonna
be a model too;' she says of Kalle, who she
lives with.'Tm sure you're going to see him on
the catwalks in New York!" ■
MINICOOPER
•
Ranked among the most affordable small
cars, the sexy and ubiquitous little Cooper
gets 37 mpg and starts at under $20,000.
Super maneuverable (its handling dynamics
were designed by engineers at their parent
company, BMW) and way more spacious
than it looks, the Mini Cooper is the perfect
urban auto. Don't expect to lug around a lot
of stuff though. Prices start at $19,000.
Our Family Ties continued from page 49
I met this guy, and here's the truth, I was
thinking, Eew, who is this guy? He's such a
creep. Everything about him felt sleazy until I
r~:tlized, Oh, he likes me, and that turned my
head. So I went with him. Why that hadn't
happened with a woman, I don't know. What
lies I had to tell myself to be in that relation,
ship. I thought he was sober but he was not,
•and he took so many painkillers. I saw it but I .
was too busy lying to mysel£
Whatwasyourfirstbiggayeventaftercoming
MAZDA
MX-5MIATA
e
out?
Named the most afford,
Oh, I guess the HRC dinner coming up (ed.
able sports car of 2010
note: Baxter made an impassioned speech
by U.S. News, the "quick,
at the Raleigh, North Carolina event in
agile, great on gas and
February]. There hasn't been anything yet,
reliable too" car looks cute and sporty, only but before I went public, Nancy took me to
costs $22,000 and up and will get 28 mpg. But The (LGBT] Center Dinner. And I had been
the caveat: some experts say it's not kid safe.
to The Dinah once-Mariah Hanson took
good care of us. She tiptoed me into events
TRAILMANOR
TRAVEL
TRAILER
and made sure we didn't get seen. I felt I was
The lightest, easiest,towing travel trailers taken very good care of. I felt it on the Sweet
on the market-the
folding travel trailer is cruise as well. People had opportunities to
half the weight of other travel trailers-and
take advantage, I guess, but no one ever did.
studies show it takes only one extra gallon of After the cruise, I spoke with my manager
gas to tow a 30,foot Trail Manor 100 miles. about maybe planting a little article saying I
Their Elkmont is a 24,ft upright that weights was gay. I guess I felt it was-who the fuck's
only 1,500 pounds and can be towed with business is it, anyway-but I felt I had to, just
smaller vehicles like the Subaru Forester. For to be responsible.
$24,000 you get some of the highest resales Let'saskfunstuff.What'syourfayoriteTV
on the market. ■
show?
I don't have one. I don't watch TV. Oh, Big
*All MPG are based on highway ratings
Love. Oh wait, oh yes, the lovely Rachel
Maddow. I watched her one night where
they showed her from the side, and she was ffi
in her jacket and standard shell and then, if fil.
you looked below, she was wearingjeans and 6
~
sneakers. I yelled out, "Oh, this is so cool!"
~
What'sonyouriPod?
~
Oh, you don't want to know-Bread, Loving ~
Spoonful, the Mamas and the Papas, '60s ~
T-straps($90,shoes.com);
roomfragranceby
Style Buyers Guide
music. When Nancy was at the gym and she ~
s
RoyalPurple(motorcyclelube.com)
~
Pg.28:Italiansuit($750),shirt($125),
didn't have her iPod and I offered her mine, ~
Pg.38:PBRmodel:brassandglassnecklaceby
tie ($65),all fromCollierin Portland,
Ore.503she took it and she had to give it back. She ~
Draugsvold
($225,draugsvoldjewelry.com);
vintage
224-5473or e-mailcollierpdx@comcast.net.
plaidshirtby FIVEBROTHER
($26,sackstore.com);
said, "I cannot listen to this and work out:' ~
Pg.29:Aviatormodel:suit,shirt($90)and
brassskullnecklacebyTomokolgarashi(prices
a:
u.
[Laughs]
u.
patternedmettalictie ($149)all fromCollier
vary,tomokoigarashi.com);
fragranceBVLGARI
~
(collierpdx@comcast.net).
Buttondown:ThreeWhatareyoufavoritejeans?
Black($50,bulgari.com);
vintageboots(stylist's
-;t
piecesuit($1,625),shirt($90)andtie ($149)all
own);earrings,navytrousers(model'sown).
I like these ones [Baxter turns, tries to read ~
fromDuchess.
Accessories
aremodels'own.
Plymouth
model:Frangrance
CommedesGarcons
her butt]. Oh! Citizens of Humanity. I will
2 "Glitter"($95,beautyhabit.com);
vintageearrings
J:
Pg.36:Motomodel:customvestby StellaZotis
sav,
these.
a.
(stylists
own).
/'
~
(pricesvary,stellazotis.wordpress.com);
necklace
What'syourfavoritewatch?
<D
byJetrophelia
(pricesvary,jetrophelia.com);
Levi's
501CutOffShorts($34andup,us.levis.com);
I love my Swiss Army that my son Peter gave J:
a.
AngleBangle-BlackbyAlexisBittar($50,alexis<D
tome.
a:
bittar.com
or polyvore.com);
PyramidCufffrom
UJ
That'skindof lesbian.
TrashandVaudeville
(pricesvary,212-982-3590);
zUJ
C!J
SteveMadden
Women'sFiesstaa
suedepeeptoe
And I've had it for years.
z
~
Well,let'sall enjoytheironyofthat.■
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!
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62
Icurve
Crimes continued from page 53
I
five people.(Anotherbomb
TheCollegeof N.J.,Kim
wasfoundby policeand
Pearson,did a media
removed.)
Themostserianalysisof the number
ouslyinjuredwomanwas
of storieson the murders
MemrieWells-Cresswell,
of MatthewShepardvs.
SakiaGunn.Pearsonfound whosebrachia!arterywas
severedby a four-inchnail
that in the two months
in herarm.Priorto the
after Shepard'sdeath,
bombing,Wells-Cresswell
therewere507stories
hadtold few peopleshe
on Shepard.In the two
monthsafter Gunn'sdeath, wasgay,but asthe mayor
shefoundonlyeleven
announced
heras a victim
aboutGunn.Filmmaker
of the bombing,essentially
ChasBrackdirectedand
outingher,shelostherjob.
produceda documentary, Thebomber,EricRudolph,
DreamsDeferred:The
fledto the mountains.
After
SakiaGunnFilmProject
hisarrest,heapologized
to
in an effort to get her
the victimsof his Olympic
storyout.
bombingbut notthose
at the Otherside
or of a
women'shealthclinicin
MemrieWells-Cresswell:
Thememoryof the Olympic Ala.he hadalsobombed.In
bomberstill loomsover
his post-arreststatement
theAmericanpsychebut
hesaid,"Theattackitself
little is mentionedof the
wasmeantto senda powfact that hefirst set his
erfulmessageof protest
targetsonthe lesbianto Washington's
continued
toleranceand·supportfor
ownedOthersideLoungein
political
Atlanta.Ownedby p~rtners the homosexual
of 20 years,Beverly
agenda."Rudolphreceived
McMahonandDanaFord,
two life sentences,
andat
the Otherside
wasa popular hisarraignment,
Wellslesbianclubwith a large
Cresswell,
spokedirectly
AfricanAmericanpopulato him,saying,"I am here
tion. OnFeb.21,1997,a
to tell youpersonally
today
bombexploded,injuring
that youdidn'tkill me."
make your Africandreamscometrue.
I o II
t. 1c t u ',
.t t
1
7 () I
11, 7 • l I,
.i1nlJ"\/J,,1f.111,
11, u 1
11ifo
wtld1
( Cllll
•v,vw
,:✓1ld1.1111IH>"t',.1t.111•, to11,
LisaCraig:In 2003,a July
4th celebration
turned
dangerous
for 35-yearold
BostonlesbianLisaCraig
whensheandherpartner
DebbieRileytooktheir
daughters
to the Boston
Piersto watchfireworks.
Craigcomplained
whenan
intoxicated
teenagerurinatedin frontof theirkids.A
packof teensbeganyelling
~nti-gayslurs,followingthe
familythroughthe parkto
tauntthem.Later,at an ice
creamtruck,a teenagegirl
punchedCraig,whofell,and
theothersjoinedin, kicking
andpunchingher,andone
rammedCraig'sheadinto
thesidewalkrepeatedly,
as
theirfrighteneddaughters
screamed,
"Don'tdie,
mommy."
At the hospital,
Craighadto survivetwo
operations
to stopthe
bleedingin herskull.A 15yearoldgirl,AnitaSantiago,
waschargedwith assault
andbatterybut nota hate
crime,prosecutors
saidthey
couldn'tproveshemade
anti-gayslurs.Shereceived
oneyearof probationand
hadto payCraiga mere$65
a monthduringthatyear.•
Earlierthat year,Simangele
Nhlapoand16-year-old
MadoeMafubeduwere
rapedandmurdered.
And
in 2006,teenagerZoliswa
Nkonyanawas
wasclubbed
andkickedto deathby 20
menfor beingopenlygay,
whilesoccerplayerEudy
Simelanewasalsoraped
andkilled.Accordingto
an interviewwith lesbian
activistZaneleMuholiin
SizakeleSigasaand
the Herald-Scotland,
many
SalomeMasooa:Oneof
the mostdistressingthings whiteSouthAfricanslive
openlyandsafelyin lesbian
aboutSouthAfricais that
relationships,
but "it is
despitehavingoneof
beingbothblackandgay
the world'smostliberal
which is problematic.I
constitutions-withfull
LGBTequalrightsandlegal haverecorded50 rape
cases,datingback 1O
same-sexmarriage-it is
years,involvingblack
still a hotbedfor crimes
againstlesbians,especially lesbiansin townships.
Themenwho perpetrate
in the blacktownships.In
suchcrimessee rape
2007,a Sowetolesbian
as curativeandas an
activist,SizakeleSigasa,
34,andherpartner,Salome attemptto showwomen
their placein society."
Masooa,
wereraped,
Th·eJointWorkingGroup,
torturedandmurdered.
the umbrellaorganization
Sigasa,23,wasshotsix
for SouthAfrica'sgay and
timesandherhandsand
lesbianassociations,said
feetwereboundwith her
the murderswere part of a
ownclothing;herpartner
growingepidemicof hate
wasshotin the backof the
crimes.[DianeAndersonhead.Bothof theirdeaths
Minshall]
wereexecutionstyle.
Fertility and life is the rose. the sublime blossom,
the womb from which all enter the world.
Embrace your magnificent feminine self.
Enjoy family.
Eajoy life.
www.femtnineprlnctples.com
May 2010
I63
IN 2008,. Maryland residents Morgan and Rae MenesesSheets married in front of 140 of their friends and family, and
they made it "official"in September 2009 when they traveled
to Vermont to obtain a marriage license. As of February 24,
Maryland recognizes same-sex marriages from out-of-state,
but the federal government (through the Defense of Marriage
Act) still does not legally recognize their union. However, that
same federal government is now giving them a choice as to
how to fillout the 2010 census forms.
For the first time in the 230-year history of the United
States Census, same-sex couples can mark "husband and
wife" or "unmarried partners" regardless of their legal marital
status. Unlike the past, the raw data will not be re-coded by
changing either the sex of one partner, even if they choose
Forthe husband and wife, or changing the status from married to
firsttime unmarried, according to Tim Olson, Assistant Division Chief,
inthe... Field Division, U.S. Census Bureau.
historyof The Meneses-Sheets both agree that they will check the
theUnited "husband and wife" category. Morgan, who is Executive
Director of Equality Maryland, the state's LGBT civil rights
States organization, says, "Even though we do not have the equal
Census,legal protections, we consider ourselves-and our families and
same-sexfri~nds see us-as married:'
couples The census is not a sampling of the population, but an
canmark actual count of citizens and non-citizens. Since the 1790
"husband
andwife"or
"unmalTied
. partners"
regardless
oftheir
legal
marital
status.
64
Icurve
Census Act, citizens are required by law to parttetpate,
and the Bureau is prohibited from sharing any individual's
specific information with other government agencies and
private entities. Census data is necessary and invaluable as
it is used to apportion c~ngressional seats and help allocate
approximately $400 billion in federal funds each year.
Olson stresses how important having an accurate count
of same sex couples, both married and unmarried partners,
will be to the LGBT community. At all geographic levels,
LGBT organizations can rely on the information for funding,
advocacy,service needs and representation. Community groups
that provide services such as housing, health care or legal representation to the LGBT community can use this data to validate
grant applications, according to Olson. In 2012, the census will
publish a special report on same-sex couples for the first time,
based on the 2010 data.
With all of the confusion surrounding the current status of
marriage equality for same-sex couples, both Morgan and Rae
doubt that many in the LGBT community will understand
how to fill out what the Census Bureau considers the simplest
form to date. Morgan believes, "Without marriage equality,
many of us are put in a position of swallowing our pride and
marking 'single' on all kinds of forms. Because of these contradictions, many LGBT people will not even know that they have
the option to mark what most closely matches them. We are
just so used to not having that choice:'
Rae, a speech pathologist, does admit that the country is
moving in the right direction, and there is hope reflected in the
census change. "I think it could be accurate ... there is still a long
way to go in terms of the LGBT community. As it takes ~ur
country time to acknowledge differences. Perhaps in the 2020
Census we'll see a more accurate picture;' she states.
Toni Broaddus, Executive Director of Equality Federation,
the national alliance of state LGBT equality groups, is more
optimistic."The census can help make LGBT people visible to
the public and to our government ... because we will still have
the most authoritative demographic snapshot of the LGBT
community we have ever had. We will see same-sex couples of
all races and all ages living in every part of our country. We will
know how many are raising childr~n. Same-sex couples should
report whether they are married or unmarried partners.
T ransgender people should check off the sex they most closely
identify with, because the only options in 2010 will be male or
female. Multi-racial families should consider who they want to
list as "Person 1;•because some census statistics will categorize
families by the race of the first person on the form. The most
important thing is that every LGBT American should stand
up and be counted by completing and returning the form:' ■
For more information on the 2010 Census as it relates to the
LGBT community, visit ourfamiliescount.org.
Cl)
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LAS
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Features MAY2010
26
Conscious Cruises
Sweet voluntourism in the Caribbean.
By Margaret Coble and Fae Goodman
44
Saving Sarah Silverman
Find out
what Sarah
Silverman is
thinking
How the gays kept our favorite straight comic
on the air. Plus, Silverman tells us why she
•1ovesto butch it up and who could make her
go lesbo. By Kristin A. Smith
48
Meredith Baxter's Family Ties
Suzanne Westenhoefer sits down for an
intimate talk with her good friend and everyone's favorite TV mom, Meredith Baxter.
50
A Shock in Seattle
Coming to terms with the brutal murder
of a popular lesbian. By Gina Daggett
54
Powerful Lesbian Veterinarians
Our pick of vets for your favorite furry
friends: By Jamie Anderson
28
LesbianFashion101
Women in Men's Wear
Sexy androgynous suits for power babes.
Photography by Jeffrey Horvitz
30
Top 11 Lesbian Style Icons
Ellen and Kate are great, but see who else
made the cut. By Alex Vega and Riese
34
Finland's Top Model
Nanna Grundfeldt is gay and gorgeous.
By Erin Siegal
36
Get Your Motors Runnin'
The pinup· girls we'd want in our garage.
Photography by Leslie Van Ste/ten
39
WomenandWheels
A Girls Guide to Buying a Car
These five tips make sure you won't get
taken for a ride. By Serena Freewomyn.
40
Motorcycle Mamas
Two women head out on the open road.
By Linda Kay Nash
42
Girls and cars-a
hot combination
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From compact to luxury, a dyke's guide
to new cars. By Diane Anderson-Minshall
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Departments MAY2010
~
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I
<(
a:
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<I)
A_._
IN EVERY ISSUE
6
8
10
11
18
22
23
24
Frankly Speaking
19
20
Letters
Lipstick & Dipstick
I~
a:
<I)
queer graduate.
UJ
UJ
Relationships: Boy chasing, jello shots
25
Open Studio
Out in Front
AstroGrrl
Celebrity Gossip
Housing for LGBT elderly and secret
stashes for your cash. Plus, what's
under Jane Lynch's track suit?
14
Brownworth is rolling with the ladies.
16
Dyke Drama
Want to know how to seduce a
straight girl?
I
58
60
61
Q
uf
(.)
1z
-
a:
ID
•
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.
Music: Soulful nostalgia with Sade,
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Books: Political, academic texts for the
0
smarty queer. Plus, the secret letters of
Eleanor Roosevelt.
UJ
Q.
Film: Julianne Moore's steamy Sapphic
scenes. Plus, we go Swimmingwith Lesbians.
Politics
>
15
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A new Lindsay and Sam spat, a check in
with Chaz and Jillian Michaels comes out?
Melissa's new Fearlessalbum and cuddle
up with Shelby Lynne.
Curvatures
a:
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56
12
I-
Money: Tips on finding a job for the recent
and bachelorette parties: How to survive a
straight-girl party.
Editor's Note, Contributors
This Is What a Lesbian Looks Like
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Tech: Sexy stuntwoman Karen Dyer of
a:
Resident Evil 5 talks video games and
t;
burlesque on stilts.
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41
curve
In this time-bending,sexy,lesbianrompwith an irreverentnodto the popular
art-houseclassic ·Run, Lola, Run"- a
talented,but distractedphotographer,
Lola,
(AshleighSumner)onthe vergeof success
in bothloveandwork, couldloseit all if she
doesn'tmakeit to a crucialmeetingontime.
But,as usual,Lolais late.With herjob and
girlfriendCasey(JillBennett)
onthe line,she
hasthree chancesto makeit right.In a
desperateracethroughthestreetsand
backrooms
of SanFrancisco,
timegrowsshort
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Net S'aundtracffs·
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~WolfeVldeo.com
FRANKLY
SPEAKING
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
MAY 2010
I
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
VOLUME 20 NUMBER 4
Publisher and Founder Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Diane Anderson:..Minshall
Managing Editor Kristin A. Smith
Associate Editor Rachel Beebe
Assistant Editor Rachel Shatto
Book Review Editor Rachel Pepper
Music Review Editor Margaret Coble
Contributing Editors Julia Bloch, Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee, Stephanie Schroeder
Copy Editor Katherine Wright
EditorialAssistants Lisa Gunther, Sarah C. Jimenez, Stephanie Vernier
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Flo Enriquez
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
Advertising Intern Hans Djunaidy
Marketing Assistant Rose Tachis
Hello, Mrs. Keaton!
In the '80s when everyone else was crushed out on Michael J. Fox, the cute
boy wonder of Family Ties, lesbians were agog for Elyse Keaton, the original
TV MILF (OK, Mrs. Brady might have had dibs on that title, too). Like a
legion of queer women before me, I hoped, but never could have imagined
that Meredith Baxter was actually gay. Or would be gay, eventually.
By now, most of you may have heard that Meredith Baxter is a lesbian.
She has been living privately out for several years, but after spending a week
alongside hundreds of lesbians on Sweet's inaugural cruise, she decided to
come out to the public, too.
By the time the cruise ship had returned to the port in New Orleans, our
offices were already atwitter with calls, texts and emails letting us know the
great TV legend had been on the cruise. A lesbian cruise. With her partner.
I wasn't surprised, actually, because I was on the cruise, too, along with a
few other Curvettes. Even among the celebs on board, there was buzz that
Baxter was thinking of coming out but wanted to keep it low key. The curve
staff that was boatside that week was respectful and let Baxter do the coming
out on her own, without us pushing her in any way. (To read curve
contributor Margaret Coble's take on other aspects of the trip, turn to page
26.) Plus, the women of Sweet did an excellent job of helping Baxter feel
confident, safe and respected, too.
It turned put great for us to let Baxter come out in her own sweet time.
The response she's gotten from fans and Hollywood has been tremendously
supportive. In our exclusive post-out interview, Meredith speaks candidly
with friend Suzanne Westenhoefer ( on page 48) about coming out,
conquering alcohol and learning to love herself-and another woman-in
Hollywood. I can't think of a more eloquent ambassador for coming out after
40 (or any age, for that matter).
Of course, the issue wouldn't be complete without our ribald cover girl,
comic Sarah Silverman (on page 44), who is the anti-Baxter: brash, loud and
wickedly subversive. We love how diverse women really are. Don't your
ART/PRODUCTION
Art Director Stefanie Liang
Photo Editor Hayley McMillen
Production Manager Ondine Kilker
Production Artist Kelly Nuti
Web Producer Nikki Woelk
Photo Assistant Brittany Jeffers
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Jamie Anderson, Kathy Beige, Stacy Bias, Kelsy Chauvin, Bree
Clarke, Jennifer Corday, Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Beren deMotier,
Ainsley Drew, Michele Fisher, Lauren Marie Fleming, Katrina
Fox, Serena Freewomyn Tania Hammidi, Kathi lssennan, Gillian
Kendall, Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert, Charlene Lichtenstein, Karen
Loftus, Sassafras Lowrey, Ariel Messman-Rucker, Candace Moore,
Alison Peters, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti, Heather Robinson,
Laurie K. Schenden, Lori Selke, Dave Steinfeld, Edie Stull, Robin
Miner-Swartz, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Kyra Thomson, Jocelyn Voo,
Melany Walters-Beck, Jamie Wetherbe
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ILLUSTRATORS
& PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Volume 20 Issue 4 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for bimonthly
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Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103. Subscription price: $49.95/year, $62.95 Canadian
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assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA 94114 and
at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve Magazine may not be
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publisher. Publication of the name or photograph of any persons or organizations appearing,
advertising or listing in Curve may not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation
of that individual or group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries,
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Tool Academy's Lezzie Co-eds
In season three of VH1 's guilty pleasure ToolAcademy,
the series added a lesbian couple into the dysfuntional mix,
Courtney Barcellos and Cheron Wilson. The duo talk
falling in love, brutal therapy sessions and representing
the lezzie tool community.
Motels Maven Martha Davis
In our extended interview with Martha Davis, the singer talks
about her transition from Air Force wife to New Wave star,
psychic predictions and why she had to escape L.A.
Putting the "T" in Reality TV
After decades of being treated by mainstream entertainment
like a silent letter at the end of LGBT, the transgender
community is finally recieving a little media attention.
Two new reality shows TRANSform Me and Boss Ladiesbring fashionable trans ladies with big hair and bigger
personalities to the mainstream-and we're loving it!
The L Word Look-alikes
Foryears,readerssuggested
we run
a contestto find L Wordcastmember
look-alikesamongthefans.We
finallyheededthe callto supportthe
releaseof the L Word:FinalSeason
DVD(acopywassentto eachof the
4 winners).
Amongthe luckylook-alikesareMillieAyala,a NewYork
insurance
broker/consultant
to high
networthindividuals,
whonotonly
loo s a lot like KarinaLombard(aka
Marina,Jenny'sfirst girl lover),but
sheandher21-yearolddaughterare
hugefansof theseries.Theproud
momof two (hersonis 17),says,
"I neverreallythoughtthat I looked
likeanyoneontheshow,those
ladieswerejustwaytoo hot."But
afterherfriendsinsisted,shelet
usdecide.The
result?Muy
caliente!
Ourothertop
votegetter:LucyShutan,a 20-yearoldrockerfromLakeZurich,Illinois,
whogivesKatherine
Moennig(a.k.a.
Shane)a runfor hermoney.Shutan,
whojustfinishedtwo yearsof college,worksat GameStop
byday,
tutorslocalhighschoolstudents,
and,"WhenI'm notridiculously
busy,I enjoyplayingvideogames
androckingouton mydrumsand
guitar-but notat the sametime...
yet."Shutanwastoldshelookedlike
Shaneoftenenoughthatshehoped
herpictureswouldscorea season
sixset.Indeedit did.
LGBT Financial Struggles in Motor City U.S.A.
It isn't just the auto industry feeling the economic crunch in
Detroit, the LGBT community in Eastern Michigan has been
hit hard, too. Find out what you can do to help out.
OR YOUR FAVORITE COVER
So many hot celebs, so little time-er, covers. Let us
know who you would rather have seen on the cover.
Email your vote to letters@curvemag.com
and be entered to win a lesbolicious gift.
A Honduran Getaway
Eco-tourism, zip lining in the
jungle and sumptuous exotic
cuisine. Read about one
Curvette's adventures in
Central America at
curvemag.com.
Karen Loftus zip
lining in Honduras
,:.
May 2010 j 7
LETTERS
• •
e
Ed Note: We love Venice and couldn't agree
more, which is why we sat down with star
Crystal Chappell when the show premiered.
Read our interview at curvemag.com
I
Wanting a Better Reflection
Why are there never any articles or columns
written about gay women in rural areas:>We
don't care about the big city life or we wouldn't
be here. Most people think that women from
the sticks are backwards or uneducated, but
that isn't the case. We enjoy all the things
that city women enjoy, only our contentment
comes from the solitude that the masses can't
provide. I would like to see curve have more
stories about us and the way we live.
- Deb Campbell,Avard, Okla.
t's Crystal Chappell
NO1.9181ANMAOAIJMI
After reading the article"Survivor or Victim?"
(Vol. 20#1] by Victoria A. Brownworth I
felt the need to respond. The last paragraph
states, "rape creates physical, psychological
and emotional wounds that cannot heal, no
matter how much time has passed:' Well,
pulling from my personal experience, I don't
agree. I have gotten through it. I have healed
in so many ways and I am a survivor. That is
empowering. You find the inner strength of
who you are and don't allow them to destroy
you. Each day it will get better. There may
be set backs but you never give up and you
surely don't go around telling people they
cannot, no matter how much time has
passed. Anyone reading that article needs
to know-you are going to make it. There
is light at the end of that dark tunnel and
keep lifting your head up. You will find it!
- Angela, Lawrenceburg,Ind.
Otalia Overlooked
Hey, Tech Girl's "Ten Must-See Lesbianthemed Web Series" (Vol. 20#2] left out the
best one of the year- Venice!Wow girls, you
are way behind the times not having more on
the hottest web series and ladies on the web.
- TracePrice,Seymour,Ind.
Sendlettersto:curve magazine
1550BryantSt.,Ste.510 SanFrancisco,
CA94103
I am a fan of your magazine. However, I rarely
see myself in your pages. I am a 35-year-old,
lesbian, married, stay at home mom of three
living in rural upstate New York. I have no
interest in reading about the fashion-obsessed,
clubbing, career chasing L Word type of
lesbian. I understand that you have to report to
all aspects of the lesbian demographic, but I am
asking that you please consider the rest of usthe non-glossy side of the lesbian community.
- RachelBednarek,Blossvale,N.Y.
Glad You Were Around
Coming out to my friends and family was much
easier for me to do sinceI had a lot of media, both
print and TV, that dealt with the issue. I hope
to see many more media sources incorporate all
people on the basis of race, gender and sexual
orientation as being equal. Not to encourage
competition for you, but Ia also like to see even
more magazines with lesbian content.
- Kendra Ball, Antioch, Calif.
Corrections:
The correct website for Seal
Press, publishers of Women
Open Up About Moving On is
sealpress.com. Bored to Death
is actually on HBO. Oopsie!
Subscriber
Services
arenowavailable
at
curvemag.com/customerservice:
EMAIL:
letters@curvemag.com • subscribe
FAX:
415-863-1609
• renew
GOTO:curvemag.com/letters
• payyourbill
• getmissingissues
• changeaddress
• givea gift
999
CONTRIBUTORS
From the Editor
We have so much
happening behindthe-scenes at curve
this month. We have
"Rarely am I as affected by a news story as I was by what happened
to Teresa Butz and her partner last summer;' says contributing writer
GinaDaggett.
"It has stayed with me nearly every day:' The serious tone
ofDaggett's article,"Emerald City Tragedy" (page 50) isn't something
readers are accustomed to, since she normally writes under the penname "Lipstick" in the humorous Lipstick & Dipstick column, but
Daggett says, "I was deeply moved by what happened and felt
compelled to tell their story. Rest in peace, Teresa Butz:'
not one, but two
great celebs-Sarah
Silverman and
Meredith Baxter- in
this issue. Plus,
our editors crafted
a lesbo fashion bonanza (what
other mag offers queer women
'Tm not shy about being a crazycat lady, so speaking with K. KellyJones was a
blast," says editorial assistant LisaGunther,
who interviewed the veterinarian and
fellow feline enthusiast for her article, ''A Purrfect Career;' (page 55). A
graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Gunther is no stranger to the written word. She
received her bachelor's in English literature, and is currently working toward a
master's degree in the same subject. While she initially thought about teaching,
she has recently discovered that her passion lies in editing and writing. "I never
thought that I would have ajob that I actually love,but my experience at curve has been amazing:'
You can also check out her review of Julianne Moore's new film, Chloe,at curvemag.com.
s
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in suits, flannel, silver studded
bras and even a sweet Iii'
dress?) that makes me want to
shop-immediately.
We also
asked readers what kind of
cars you drove and which ones
you want to drive, and we've
come up with our 2010 Top Car
Picks. But for managing editor
Kristin A. Smith, the highlight
Contributing writer and Curvemag.com blogger BerendeMotier
describes
herself as a Carol Brady in Levis meets tattooed lesbian mama in
a minivan, who is obsessed with safety, doing the_right thing and the
amount of dog hair on her wood floors. On her curve blog, Gayby
Boom,she writes about all things parenting. She is a regular contributor
to Black Lamb, and has written for Hip Mama, Pride Parenting,ehow.
com, and for her own blog, That LesbianMom Next Door. Her multi-award-winning book,
The Bridesof March:Memoir of a Same-SexMarriage,recounts her giddy leap through a legal
window straight onto the barbeque pit of public debate when she and her partner married in
Oregon in 2004, their three children along for the raucous ride.
~
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of the month was talking with
I
comic Sarah Silverman. A former
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when Silverman's name came up
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she literally lept at the chance
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to talk to her. Days after the
interview, she's still regaling us
with anecdotes, including a song
about Sarah's "penis." You'll have
to read her interview on page 44
to understand. Enjoy!
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Editor in Chief
10
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1 6thAnnualHmongLGBTQIA
NewYearcelebrationin Oakdale,Minn.2 Tegan& Sara
with CurvetteDianaBerry3 TrainingRules
releaseparty (from left) CherylMazak,Sara
St. MartinLynn,DeeMosbacher,Michelle
Mattos& Wolfe'sJenni Olson4 Crystal
Chappell(left)andfansat the Venicepremiere
in St. Paul,Minn.5 TheAVNAwards(from
left) April Flores,Jiz Leeand DylanRyan
8 7th AnnualWomynUnlimitedMinnesota
Gala7 AtMariahHanson'sJETSETTER
in
L.A.(from left): ShannonKampa,Briana
Stockton,Jenn RegenstreichandTracieAyala
the rundown
Thinking of going on a family trip? Despite
the divorce and RosieO'Donnell
leaving the
company, RFamily
Vacations,
the first
cruise and tour
company catering to
LGBT families, is
going forward. "It's
been a challenging year for my family [but]
R Family Vacations is based on families,
and families stay together forever;' wrote
KelliCarpenter
on the company's website ...
For those of us not interested in traveling
farther than our couch-the 16th season of
TheAmazing
Raceon CBS featured
a lesbian couple. Carol Rosenfeld
and Brandy Snow of L.A. who
competed against other pairs in
a race around the world ... Rich '
lesbians are losing more money
than straight women! Federal Estate
Tax Disadvantagesfor Same-Sex
Couples, a new study from the
Williams Institute, shows that wealthy
LGBT folks are the hardest hit l?ytax laws...
Are you sick of beaver jokes? If not, you will
be soon. Lesbian icon JodieFosteris set to star
in a new film called-you guessed
it-The Beaver. Alas,the film has
nothing to do with lesbians and is
about a man whose life is changed
- by a beaver hand puppet ... Have
you given any thought to your retirement
plans? The Elsie Frank House (named after
Rep.Barney
Frank's
late mother) has just
opened in Mass., providing a safe place for
LGBT seniors. "Everyone deserves to live and
receivecare in a place that is filled with respect
for who they are," CEO Barry Berman told
The Golden Rainbow Times ... Services and
Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) received
a federal grant totaling $900,000 in order to
establish the first national resource center to
assist communities that provide services to
LGBT elders... Still missing The L Word?
The much anticipated The L Word Book is
finally available for purchase. Put together by
Jennifer
Beals,it includes over 400 behindthe-scenes photos from the six years the show
was on the air, and much of the proceeds go
to support charities, including The Matthew
Shepard Foundation. You
can even order the book
with a custom dedicatio~.
[Sassafras
Lowrey]
Offering a Helping Hand
The first thing you notice about Kathy
Weiner is her hair. Wild, unpredictable
curls defy gravity and convention, jubilantly
bouncing as she loads power tools and heavy
equipment into her truck. She works hardharder than most. But despite her deeply
tanned face, faded jeans, dirty boots and
awkward shyness, her hair betrays her real
personality.
Weiner is one of those silent heroes who
quietly, earnestly go about making the world
a better place every day. She serves as the
program manager for Hands on Housing, an
Austin, Texas based initiative that repairs the
homes of the elderly and disadvantaged and
leads an army of interfaith volunteer teams as
they demonstrate the vision of Austin Area
Interreligious Ministries.
Pairing such diverse groups as local Jews
and Muslims, Weiner's program doesn't just
help the aging householder. "It's so awesome
to watch the volunteers work together doing
physical labor. On the job site they begin to
just talk amongst themselves, and by the end
of the day they realize they have so much
in common;' she says over coffee at a shop
named, appropriately, Progress.
Asked if she experiences any resistance to
her sexuality or her gender among some of
the more staunchly conservative religious
groups that she works with, she smiles. "No,
not at all! I do feel like my expertise in home
repair gets questioned because I'm a woman,
but I basically just make suggestions and let
them try things themselves. Eventually, they
see that I know what I'm talking about:'
It is precisely her low-key humility that has
allowed her to overcome barriers, and serve as
a facilitator for the kind of social revolution
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that happens on her job sites. "It's not just
the religious differences that get resolved;'
she says. "Volunteers get to meet and work
with people who are disadvantaged. They see
that these are good people who just happen
to have been born into a situation that didn't
afford them a lot of opportunities:'
While other people talk about making
a difference and improving the lives of the
disadvantaged, Weiner is making it happen.
She gets the satisfaction of watching her
program change lives on many different levels.
Her passion for justice and her relentless desire
for a better community shine through in her
easy laughter, her enthusiasm for her work and
her irrepressible curls. [Amanda
Quarashi]
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STEALTHY
SAVINGS
Tucking money under the mattress is
so passe, but you can stiU stash some
cash at home. CanSafe.net offers an ·
array of great options. The Secret
Candle's bottom unscrews to reveal a
hidey-hole, their Hidden Wall Safe is
perfectly camouflaged as an ordinary
electrical outlet and
the Book Vault keeps
the literary lesbian's·
treasures secure
in a hollow tome
that's imperceptable
on your book shelf.
ThinkGeek.com'sSprinklerHide-A-Key
looks like a regular pop-up sprinkler
head, but can hold multiple keysgreat for party girls who often find
themselves locked out. ■
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The Gaydar
Here's a taste of lesbians in pop culture this month.
Who missed the mark and who was right on target?
Tommy
BulHShot
Machines
Love'emor
hate'em,
thesegirlie
gizmosare
showingup
at lesbian
bachelorette
parties
nationwide
Desperatefor More
JulieBenzandDanaDelaney
lock
lips on Desperate
Housewives.
Benzconfirmswhat
we alreadysuspected:
"Dana'sa greatkisser"
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Lesbianmomsin Vermontare
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their sons'CubScouttroops
POLITICS
Take Me for a Ride
Freedom, fantasy and fatwas: The complicated relationship
between women and cars. By Victoria A. Brownworth
Americans
and cars are inextricably
connected. Many of our childhood vacations
were spent crowded into the family car, seeing
"The U.S.A. in a Chevrolet:' Of course
it's been a bad couple of years for the auto
industry in America. But that hasn't made us
drive any less or spend any less time yearning
for the perfect vehicle.
I came to cars late. As a teenager in the inner
city, I traveled by foot and public transit, or
rode my bike. Taking the green route before
it was trendy w~s not actually my first choice.
I wanted a car, but those were the days before
the mid,priced compact, and as a struggling
writer a car was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Which was a shame, because so many of my
lesbian fantasies entailed having a sexy woman
on the seat next to me.
The first time I was in a car with only
women was also the first time I went to a
gay bar. I was 14, had a fake ID in my pocket
and was going with two older lesbians. Jackie
drove. Maria sat next to her and Jackie had
her arm across the seat. That's when my car
fantasies were born. Alas, I was destined to
be on the seat next to someone else for a very
long time. It was fun, but it wasn't my lesbian
car fantasy, it was someone else's.
I was 31 before I got my first car. It was a
14
I curve
hideous tri,color junker that was perilously
out of alignment. An old friend (who had
clearly had her own lesbian car fantasies) saw
"sucker " light up on my forehead and sold it
to me for an outrageous price. My sweet little
junker was named Esmeralda. She drove like
a tank, had a broken gas gauge, and when
parked, tended to drift if I didn't put bricks
behind her rear tires.
Despite Esmeralda's lack of charm, she was
my car and I had an inordinate amount of fun
with her. Finally, I was able to be the one in
the driver's seat. What young dyke doesn't
aspire to that? There really is nothing quite
like kissing your girlfriend in the front seat of
an old junker. Except maybe doing it in a Rolls
Royce or a' Bentley.
Sadly, Esmeralda died too quick a death,
which was, in the end, best for the environment
if not for my car,fantasy life. She devoured oil
and transmission fluid like a binge eater and
spewed a toxic cloud if she went over 50 mph.
But I loved her, and still think of her with
fondness. I've often wondered if women love
cars the same way men do. I think so. It seems
that lesbians and straight men want cars to be
the same sexist thing: a chick magnet.
Therein lies one of many quandaries about
car lust in 2010. The greening of America and
the concomitant guilt it produces has put a
dent in our love affair with cars. No American·
wants to think about how every time we get
in our cars we are killing the planet. But it's
true, isn't it? The Danes have their bicycles,
the Italians have their Vespas, the Welsh have
their Clydesdales, but we have our cars.
Climate change notwithstanding, there's
more to the relationship between women and
cars than just a piece of the American dream.
Cars are escape. Cars are power. Cars are
independence.
Prior to the fall of the Taliban, a fatwa made
it illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia.
And in Afghanistan, women could only drive
with a male relative in the seat beside her. That
would put a crimp in anyone's car fantasies.
In October 2008, a fatwa in Malaysia,
a majority,Muslim nation, banned both
lesbian sex and "masculine behavior" including women driving alone. The pro,
scriptions against women driving in Muslim
nations derive from the link between cars
and sexuality. Islamists argue that cars lead
to promiscuity because they allow too much
freedom of movement.
These current prohibitions against women's
auto autonomy may be egregious, but they are
just the most recent in a long line of similar
prohibitions. The history of women and cars is
definitely checkered. In America and Europe,
it was long thought that women weren't smart
enough to handle cars. And "woman driver"
has been epithet for bad driving since before
most of us were born.
Yet women drivers are statistically the safest.
We abide by the rules of the road more often
than men, have fewer accidents and, when in
the driver's seat, are killed far less frequently.
In short, we use cars responsibly. We also
feel safer with cars. The independence that
comes from being able to travel alone is very
different for women than men. Often, for
women, having a car means being able to
escape from men.
So in 2010, I try to balance the American .
car dream with environmental responsibility. I
have a fuel,efficient car and I drive only when ~
nece~sarv. But there are more issues than the 8
r
~
environment with regard to women and cars. 2
Which means, for now, I think women still ~
need cars, because, for women, cars represent ~
CJ
freedom. And in the majority of the world, ~
women just don't have enough of that. ■
i3
Curve Magazine is a proud sponsor of San Francisco Pride
SAN FRANCISCO
-
Commemorating
40 years of
. San Francisco
values
Love
•
Compassion
•
Diversity
Celebration and Parade
June 26-27 2010
sfpride.org
This ad space generously
donated by Curve Magazine
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
DYKE
DRAMA
How to Seduce a Strai ht Woman
Tips for getting her on your team or into your bed. By Michele Fisher
Ignore her. Really, hetero women can't resist
being ignored, and I can't resist ignoring them.
Just kidding. You don't seduce a straight
woman, every dyke knows that, but I love
taunting the straight media. One of them out
there will do a web search someday and use
the title of this column as proof that we are
after their women. The irony of the title will
elude them,just as common sense does.
Women who have never been with a
woman but really want to, or women who
are bisexual-those
you can seduce. But a
straight woman? Never.
When I was a struggling, baby,dyke
artist, I lived in a studio apartment with this
struggling straight,girl artist who looked like
a cross between Sade and Vanessa Williams.
Yes, she was fine. We slept in the same bed
for over a year, many times drunk as skunks,
and it never occurred to either one of us to
do anything but sleep ... and occasionally
vomit. Not because I didn't want to ruin the
friendship or because she was saving herself
for marriage, but because she was straight.
Technically, only two types of straight
women will gee into bed with a girl The first
are those you pay for sex and the second are
gals who are trying to please their man with
some girl,on,girl action. Now, if having some
chick wearing six coats of gloppy lip gloss
make kissing noises around your nipples while
some guy plays with his junk is your idea of a
good time, then you are going co make some
freaky little hecero couple very happy.
And by the way, straight folks, if you
chink that straight women don't flirt with us,
you are in denial. Humans flirt. Gay dudes,
straight guys, bi folks, dykes, everybody
flirts with everybody. Who doesn't want to
be wanted?
Separating the flirts and freaks from the
genuinely interested can be a challenge, but
it can be overcome by just asking, or leaning
in for a kiss. Either one is effective, as it is
the follow,through that determines where
individuals fall on the sexuality spectrum.
I was never bold enough co do either, so I
would just wait-and
wait. We all know
that this stage of "is she or isn't shet can
last for centuries.
If I am truly unsure about a woman's sexual
bearings, I keep waiting until she throws me
down and tries to mount me. Until then, I
ignore her like a straight girl. Hey, she knows
where I stand-why should I be like Charlie
Brown trying to kick the football? No way,
Lucy, you can just bring the football to me or
go play with yourself
So what do you do once you have figured
out chat she is willing and able to follow,
through?
There is nothing like the thrill of having a
desirable woman who you never thought in
a million years had any Sapphic tendencies
hitting on you. le is wonderful and scary and
absolutely life,affirming.
But how do you proceed?
This is where we go wrong. This is her
struggle-or not-but it isn't yours.
It is not on your shoulders to make sure
she makes it as a homo. If she decides it ain't
the life for her, it doesn't mean you are a bad
a:
~
w
~
~
~
~
dyke and will have to give back the toaster.
Why stress out about whether she might
go back to men? How are you supposed to
predict the future, Nostradykus? Cheer up.
She might leave you for your ex~girlfriend.
Now that would really prove she's lesbian,
wouldn't it?
And don't overanalyze the situation by
getting all caught up in wondering if your
lady is really gay or just attracted to you
as a person. A woman doesn't need to tell
me that she wants me because she loves
women-she just has to tell me that she
wants me.
We worry that she will blame us for her
being gay. How very flattering, but utterly
impossible. I would like to think that my
vajayjay has hypnotic powers, but alas I
know otherwise.
What if she is not comfortable in the
gay community? Excellent. Then you have
an excuse to eat and run. But if you want
more than a quickie, you must remember
to take a woman as you find her. People
don't change. If you are hoping that you
two will be the grand marshalls of the
Queertown Gay Pride Festival, then you'd
better think again.
Over time, she will probably fall into
her own comfort zone with gay life. Then
again, being with you may be the extent
of her involvement in the gay community.
Leave the TV on Logo, put the curve on
the coffee table and keep playing those Lady
Gaga tracks. She will figure it out.
What if she turns out to be a total closet
case? How very retro. Once again, you can't
drag a girl out of the closet. Ranting and
raving and giving ultimatums isn't sexy.
Nothing like a little emotional blackmail
to warm her to the gay life. Even if it looks
like you succeeded at first, you will regret it
in the end, when she resents the hell out of
you and tanks the relationship. But at least
she will be out, right?
What if she is a bisexual? Well, if she's bi,
she's bi. Whoever she could be with if you
were not around really isn't important. She
is no more likely to leave you for a boy or
a girl than you are to leave her for another
woman, so get a grip.
And that is how you get a woman who
is not straight but has never been with a
woman, or has been with a woman but
doesn't realize that makes her just a little
gay, to seduce you. ■
Celebrating
Our"DownThere"Diversity
Forthe pastnineyears,artist
Alexandra
Jacobyhasbeen
photographing
women's
mostprivateselves.So
private,shesays,that most
womenhaven'tevenseen
theirown,muchlessothers.
Vaginas,
that is.
Themissionstatement
of Jacoby'sproject,vagina
verite®,is as muchto
overcome
women'sfear
andloathingof theirvaginas
(andvulvas)as it is for
Jacobyto investigate
and
interrogate
society'serasure
andcommercialization
of
women'ssexuality.
Jacoby
believesthe "pornification"
of oursocietyhasnegatively
impactedthewaywomen
feelaboutthemselves.
Thusfar thereare107vportraits,asthe artistrefers
to the strikingclose-ups,
adorningthe wallsof her
Manhattan
apartment.
They
featurewomen,rangingin
agefrom 19to 60,of various
ethnicities.Jacobyhasput
out a callfor survivorsof
femalegenitalmutilation
as well astransgendered
womento participatein her
projectbecauseshewants
to documentthe broadest
rangeof femaleexperience
andbeautypossible.She
is still surprisedat the lack
of hair"downthere,"so
shecirculateda requestfor
womenwith hairycha-chas
to participate.
"I'm hereto document,
notto promoteanyparticular
pointof view,"saysJacoby.
But,clearly,herintentis to
makea statement.
"Astatementaboutwhat
is in theeyeof the beholder,"
shesaysironically.Jacoby
alsoindicatesthatevery
vaginashehasphotographed
is unique."Thatpointis most
surprisingto the womenI've
workedwith becauseI don't
thinkanyof us lookthat
often."(vaginaverite.com)
[Stephanie
Schroeder]
rs, women's festiv
• e celebratio
BTfllm fe
,
o-a ventures
morel
God or Girls?
Either way you're on your knees.
By Lipstick and Dipstick
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm a 25-year-old woman who has dated
women in the past. After dabbling in lesbianism, I decided to dedicate
my life to God. Despite my best efforts, I still yearn for a woman's touch.
I think women are sexy, but they can't get me pregnant. Another problem
is that women my age never ask me out at all. Should I just stay celibate?
~ Godly Do-Gooder
Lipstick:Celibacy shouldn't be an option,
Do-Gooder. How much fun is that? Listen
here: Take a deep breath. Everything's going
to be okay-it's just going to take time. I can
only imagine the weight of the cloak you' re
wearing, as I dressed up as a nun once for
Halloween and I was sure ready to kick the
"habit:' That said, it's possible to have the best
of both worlds. Dipstick, remember when
that sister showed up at our event at the
University of Wisconsin? She was queer and
was still wearing those awful nun shoes.
Dipstick:
Lipstick, that nun was really cool, but
I don't think she had the best of both worlds.
She was thinking of leaving the Church
because it no longer aligned with her beliefs.
She still believed in God, but couldn't support
the anti-gay stance any more. My advice
is to join a nice church that welcomes gays.
Try gaychurch.org to find one near you. You
certainly don't need a man to get pregnant. All
you need is some sperm. But before you bring
a child into your self loathing world, I suggest
you get some therapy to work through the
shame you have around your sexuality. You
can't wish yourself straight. Lipstick, can you
explain why women aren't asking her out?
Lipstick:
Women aren't asking you out because
a smart lesbian can smell shame like a German
shepherd sniffing for drugs at the airport.
Do-Gooder, you need to get things clear
within yourself before any hot babe will come
knocking. Instead of concerning yourself with
how you're going to have a baby or how you'll
attract women, focus on self-acceptance and
self-love-the unconditional kind, you know,
like your man Jesus taught.
1s
Icurve
Lipstick:
Dipstick, do you have a penis? What
you've got here is a woman who doesn't know
what she wants. Get in one last romp and
when she dumps you this time, lock the door!
DearLipstick
andDipstick:
Theothernight,after
foolingaround,
mygirlfriend
saidto me,"I think
I'm tiredof sex.It feelslikea job andI always
DearLipstickand Dipstick:I've beenseeinga haveto startit."Shemaybe right.Because
I'm
womanfor the past nine months.Everytime shyandintroverted,
I neverstartanything
sexual.
we'reintimateshecan'tgetenoughof f!le,but I'm notevensureI'd knowhowto start.What
within24 hoursshebreaksup with me.Then, shouldI do?- Wet(Behind
theEars)
twodayslater,shecomesbacklovingmemore
thanever.Sheleft me oncefor a guy,andsix Dipstick:Plan a big night of rollicking sexdayslater she camecrawlingbackto me in capades? Pick out a sexy outfit, some mood
a verypublicforum,andfor a girl that is very music, clean sheets and juicy finger foods.
closeted,that was something.
She was with Oysters and champagne seem to alwaysget my
hundreds
of menbeforeshewas with me,but gal in the mood. (I'm easy.I'll drop my drawers
nowshe'smine.- Blindasa Bat
for a burger and a Bud Light.) Pamper her with
a foot rub and a hot bath with aromatherapy
Dipstick:Why do you need advice? This is salts. Get a fun, flirty game like Sex Casino
the perfect set-up. You have fantastic sex, she or Chocolate Body Pens from Babeland or
goes away for a few days, you get your space Good Vibrations. Lead her from the door, to
and then she comes back for more. What else the table, to the couch, to the bath, to the bed.
could you want? Just make sure you're having Don't let her do any of the work, even if you
safe sex.
have to tie her to the bedposts.
Careers ADVICE
Lipstick:
Dipstick, you've got it all wrong. If Wet has a plan of
attack, it will be awkward and forced. Part of the magic in the
bedroom is spontaneous combustion. What Wet needs to do
is just dive right in-there's no better training ground than on
(or inside) the job. Mad sex skills come from practice, confi~
dence and trusting yourself. You've got to be reckless between
the sheets. Throw those cautionary excuses out the bedroom
window and give yourself permission to be a filthy tramp.
DearLipstickandDipstick:
Mygirlfriendof 12 yearscamehome
aboutsixweeksagoandtoldmethatshehadkissedsomeone
elseandthat shewas confused.
We spenta few weeksapart
andsincethenshe has be_en
askingto spendmoretime with
me.Sheleansintome,touchesme andwantsto enjoyourfree
timetogether.
It doesn'tseemlikeshespendsanytimewiththis
othergirl.Shemademe a carepackage,andtoldmethe other
daythat shelovesme andonlythinksof thisgirl as a friend.I
lovehermorethananything,
butI reallydon'tknowwhatto do
anymore.
- PatientPamela
Dipstick:
After 12 years, she kissed a girl:' No big deal. Everyone
is tempted from time to time. The important thing is, she told
you, and she knows she wants to be with you.
Lipstick:
Of course it's a big deal. You don't kiss someone else if
things are happy at home. There are underlying issues here.
Dipstick:
Yes, Lipstick, after 12 years, sometimes you do. Just
for a bit of excitement. I think if we simply relaxed about
fidelity and got honest about attraction to others, the divorce
rate would really drop.
Lipstick:We should be honest about our attraction to
other people. One caveat: if you make a commitment to
monogamy, you stick to it, you leave or you change the
parameters of your relationship. P.P. and her girlfriend need
to figure out why it happened in the first place and how to
move forward in a healthy way. If they don't, history will
just repeat itself. ■
®
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstick
to watch
theThe Lipstick & Dipstick Show. Or, writeto tv@
lipstickdipstick.com.
WHERE
DOLESBIANS
FINDUNDERCOVER
LOVERS?
At school
At the bar
In the world
of past lovers
According to a poll on lipstickdipstick.blogspot.com
LAND YOUR DREAM JOB
Embracing your queer identity while on the hunt.
Congratulations,
graduate!
Youmadeit
throughfour(orfive,or sixor a dozen)
yearsof school.
Youhavea degree,
a
capandgownanda giantstudentloan.
Whatnow?Howdoyoulandthejob
thatreflectsyourskillsandhopefully
provides
a bigenoughpaycheck
to
covertheaforementioned
loan?For
everyone,
findingajob is a challenge,
butfor queerwomen,thereareeven
moreissuesto consider.
Yoursearchshouldincludemore
thanjustlookingat Fortune
500companiesorthestandard
"BestCompanies
toWorkFor"lists.Forinstance,
youmay
wantto explorecompanies
thatprovide
healthcare
for domestic
partners
and
claimdiversity
andfairtreatment
in
theirannualmissionstatements.
Decide
if youwantyoursexualpreferences
and
genderidentityto beknownat work.
Somebasicinformation
youneedto
know:Beingaskedaboutyoursexuality
(aswellas age,maritalstatusand
genderidentity)shouldn'tbea part
of thejob interview.If a potential
employerasksor impliesabout
theseprivatedetails,it shouldraise
a redflag.According
to University
of
California,
Riverside
careercounselor
JanMccorkle,thejob interviewis
thetimeto "emphasize
yourtraining,
skills,andwhyyouarethe right
employee
for thejob." Refocus
all
questions
onthis agenda.
Butwhataboutyourpastqueer
experiences?
If youhavebeenanactive
member
of LGBT
affinitygroups,
you
mightwonderwhatto putonyour
resume.Doyoubullet-point
the
"Lesbian
LadiesFilmCollective"
or
mention
howyouformedthe"LGBT
HikingTeam"because
eachexperience
helpedyoubuilda skillsetdirectly
applicable
to thejobfor whichyouare
applying?
Mccorkle
saysyes,andyour
levelof comfortaboutyoursexuality
will
determine
howyouwantto describe
theseexperiences.
"Everything
ona
resume
isopenfordiscussion,"
shesays.
Accordingto NancyJeanTubbs,
directoroftheUCRiverside
LGBT
Center,
thisissueis a majorconcern
for manyundergraduate
students.
"Students
duringthejobsearcharemost
concerned
aboutwhethertheyshould
be'out'ontheirresumeor duringtheir
job interview.
Sometimes
theywill
createdifferentresumesdepending
onwhethertheyfeeltheemployeris
LGBT-friendly.
The'skinny'resume
mayleaveouttheirLGBTinvolvement,whilethe'fat' resumeincludes
it," saysTubbs.
Thebottomlineis be
strategic,doyourhomework,
getthe
jobyouwantbyhonoringwhoyouare
in yourentirety.
Fortrans-identified
lesbiansand
othergender-variant
folks,thereare
organizations
to coachyouthrough
workshops
andactiveone-on-one
consultations.
TheSanFranciscobasedTransgender
Economic
Empowerment
Initiative(TEEi)is a
nonprofitorganization
addressing
the
massiveun-andunder-employment
of transandgender-variant
people
in the nation.Discussing
subjects
rangingfromdresschoicesfor the
interviewto whetheran employer
is "actingweird"becausetheymay
be processing
yourgendervariance.
TEEi,as well asoutforwork.org
are
goingto bevital resources.
TheHumanRightsCampaign
is a
greatplaceto keepabreastof gains
madeon policiesthat protectworkers,
asdoesOut& EqualWorkplace
Advocates.
Fornewqueergraduates,
thesky
is thelimit.Weareaninventive
and
intelligent
people,
andwhetheryou
decideto startupa newtechcompany,
pushyourcreative
skillsintofulltilt,
shootfor a jobat thelocalhospice,
veganice-cream
parloror musicstudio,
remember,
thattherearemanypeople
who'vegotyourback.[TaniaHammidi]
May 2010 j 19
ADVICERelationships
Straight Girls Gone Wild
o
1 ways to survive a hetero ladies' night out.
By Kelsy Chauvin
It always starts out sounding like an OK idea.
You're invited to go hang out with some gal
pals-they could be old friends from the
neighborhood, or maybe relatives, perhaps
coworkers. An evening of revelry is planned.
No one's threatening Chippendales, but they
are a bunch of straight gals teaming up for a
night on the town, which inevitably means
chasing boys.
You relent, without considering what a
minority you'll be among breeder gals ready
to party. The next thing you know, you're
slurping tequila shots and listening to a
gaggle of girlfriends (the other kind) playing
"who would you dot at 2 a.m.
For you to survive, and even enjoy your
evening in the face of hard-line heterosexuality,
you've got to rediscover tolerance.
Here are some ways to survive a night out
with a gang of straight ladies on the prowl.
Anthropology
101, anyone?You're in their
habitat already, so why not get all Jane
Goodall-with-the-apes on them? Here's your
chance to do some cultural research on how
the other half lives. Ask questions, look for
trends, get opinions-engage these girls and
have some fun.
Drink.Or if you're on the wagon, get them
lubed up. Any party revs up when the ladies
get loose and the gossip starts flying. Drinks
will help your gal pals entertain you. Of
course, keep an eye out_for those getting too
loose. You don't want to end the night in a
stall holding someone's hair back.
Try a little tenderness.
Women get weary.
Wouldn't you, if your dating pool involved the
Y chromosome? Men can be real boobs, and
not the kind we like. Your straight girlfriends
have to put up with all that cluelessness,always
having to weed through the lesser qualities to
find the good ones. Listen to the ladies gripe
and exercise your empathy gene.
Enlighten.
Tell your gal pals about the queer
world you live in. Everyone loves talking
about sex, and what a het lady doesn't know
20
Icurve
can be vast. You don't want to alienate them
by bragging how much better the sex is when
both partners have the same junk. Or maybe
you do. In any case, you're the ambassador for
lesbos everywhere-so put on your diplomat
hat and inform.
yourself suckered into attending a straight
bachelorette party, be prepared to subvert
the penis-shaped cake by decorating it with
some breast-shaped candles.
Flirt with the bar staff.Just because you're
out with a bunch of breeders doesn't mean
Getadvice.We may not have the same taste you have to stick with them. Find the cutest
in dates, but straight girls often have good . drink slinger and have your way with her-at
least verbally. It never hurts to befriend the
fashion sense, and always have an opinion
on what women want. Get into it! Topics person pouring your cocktails. If there are
1
any hired dancers around, definitely cozy up,
can range from hair products to fabulous
since they're most likely to be the lezzies in a
footwear, skin care, and bargain shopping.
straight joint.
In return, tell them the best women-friendly
places to buy sex toys (and naturally, which
Makea moviein yourhead.Your next creative
products will please).
writing project has arrived, so jot down those
Make your own gameshow.You're out for choice lines. Heard on a recent all-girl beach
the night, surrounded by the T.G.I. Friday's vacation:"That overweight Hulk Hogan reject
version of the Mating Game. If this were should not be playing soccer in that undersized banana hammock:' The only way it
a Japanese game show, you'd be watching
gets better is with a tape recorder.
women with helmets crash into giant padded
mushrooms. Instead, see if you can dare
Like a heat-seeking missile,
your friends to tell the yo-yo at the bar he Tumonthegaydar.
a lesbian can sniff out her own kind in two
needs to lose the hair plugs and button up
seconds flat. Whether they're bi-curious or
that disco shirt.
randomly crushing on some friend of a friend,
Word-replacement
therapy.When they say you are the main attraction tonight, and the
"guy;' you hear 'girl"; when they say "dick'' woman they can test the waters with. So dive
you hear "dildo:•And if, God forbid, you find in and enjoy yoursel£ ■
OPENSTUDIO
Lipton's leanings (clockwise from left): Leashed
Passion; Mirror, Mirror; On
(inset); La Huesera (The
Bone Woman); Death and
the Maiden; When She Told
Her Parents, They Had Her
For Lunch.
A Rainbowin Blackand White
Laurie Lipton's evocative drawings. By Lana Gentry
Out lesbian Laurie Lipton is at the center of the art world
right now. A new book about her work, The Extraordinary
Drawings of Laurie Lipton, which features her graphite
and charcoal drawings, was published this year by beinArt
Publishing, and she has a highly~anticipated solo show
entitled Weapons of Mass Delusion opening this month at
the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California.
In a world of color, Lipton's stark black and white
drawings stand out. Dubbed "the
pencil painter;' she once wanted
to be like the oil masters, but ulti~
mately found herself connected to
graphite. Lipton has reconstructed
and reinvented the way pencil
drawing is seen-gone
are the
notions that pencil work is only
found on beach boardwalks or in
221
curve
amateurish sketchbooks. Lipton's work transcends the
boundaries of the genre. Through her years of drawing, she
has created and mastered a layering technique that helps
to create breathtaking luminosity in an art form otherwise
devoid of color.
Lipton's atmospheric and macabre drawings often include
motifs of death, and she certainly doesn't shy away from the
dark images. "I was brought up in the nice, neat suburbs of
New York where anger and fear and
other messy emotions were hidden
behind the flock of wallpaper and
pulled up with the weeds;' says Lipton.
"I was a perfect little girl with imperfect
feelings.I had to do something with the
shit I felt inside of me. If I hadn't had
my artwork, I would have become a
mass murderer:' ■
OUTINFRONT
Fearless
Leaders
Threewomen on the front
line.By Sheryl Kay
We say that our struggle is important and
difficult, but we choose to go to the gym or
a party over knocking on doors or phone
banking for a fair-minded candidate:' That
needs to change, Migita insists. "Our own
daily choices and small sacrifices can move
us closer to equality:'
and the first Member of Parliment to come
out, called Brown "the next Prime Minister of
Jamaica:'
"I am not too sure about that;' she says,"but
until LGBT rights are recognized in Jamaica
or I turn over, God forbid, I will be working to
improve the lives ofLGBT persons here:'
Takinga Stand
For Kemone
Brownto be out and gay in her
Everyday
Activism.
Caitlin Breitherhas lived in both New
England and the Bible Belt, and she says she
witnessed a lot of the prejudice against gay
people in both areas. And while she says it's
often harder being gay in the South than in
more liberal places up North, it also depends
on the particular location.
"I feel like it's more of a rural versus urban
thing, rather than a South versus North thing;'
says Breither, a 21-year-old junior at University
of North Carolina, Wilmington. "If there are
more people, you're more likely to have diversity
and thus more acceptance of diversity.
As president of PRIDE on campus, Breither
helps spread awareness of LGBT issues and
makes sure that queer and trans students
feel safe and welcomed at UNC. Breither
also oversees educational events, including
an annual drag show, and works with others
at the University promoting and lobbying for
various LGBT issues, including hate crimes
legislation and gay marriage.
According to Breither, you don't have to
do activism work or be a community leader
to be an activist. "Having a conversation with
a friend about LGBT issues and educating
them makes you just as much of an activist
as someone who spends their day lobbying
Congress;' she says. "I encourage everyone
to take the time to talk to at least one uninformed person every month about LGBT
issues and let them know why it's important
that they support equality:' ■
mother country, Jamaica, means living in
constant fear of daily aggression that includes
"corrective" rape and mob beatings.
And yet, without equivocation, 22-year-old
Brown will tell you in a heartbeat that she'd
never leave her picturesque tropical homeland.
"The Prime Minister wants to enjoy the
beautiful Caribbean island and so do I, and
I'm sure all other LG BT persons do, too;'
Brown says. "Whether Jamaicans wish to
accept it or not, LGBT persons add value to,
and enable the growth of, the Jamaican society
as [much as] any other Jamaican:'
ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords
"There is no doubt that it's much more difficult
to be gay and Asian because of the layers and
complexities of cultural pressures and values
in the Asian community;' says GwenMigita.
"There is a great sense of shame and dishonor if one acts or lives a life that is outside
of the homogeneous bubble;• she says.
But Migita is an outstanding example
of someone who has persevered, and
excelled. Today she's the director of corporate social responsibility with Harrah's
Entertainment in Las Vegas, a billion-dollar
company leading sustainability strategy
and policies for the environment, corporate
philanthropy and employee volunteerism.
Migita serves as co-chair of HRC's Las
Vegas Steering committee and is on the
executive. committee for the National Board
of Governors. She also serves on the executive
board as an officer and member in several
environmental and sustainability organizations, including the Water Conservation
Coalition of Southern Nevada, Green Chips,
~ and Conservation International's Business
5 and Biodiversity Council.
~
m
"What holds back the LGBT civil rights
<(
5 movement," explains Migita, "are people
~
5 complaining, rather than actively and
~ productively working toward a solution.
Brown has contributed to the island
nation's culture in a myriad of ways. In the
organization Women for Women, Brown
helped set up social and personal development programs, often bringing hope to
women who experienced coming out as a
virtual death sentence in Jamaican society.
She has also worked with Gays Lesbians AllSexuals and Bisexual Community, a group
that works through Jamaica AIDS Support
for Life on targeted intervention.
Currently Brown is working on a project
to equip lesbian and bisexual women with
the basic secondary education necessary
for matriculation to college or seeking basic
employment in Jamaica.
Svend Robinson, the former parliament
member in the Canadian House of Commons,
May 2010
I23
ASTROGRRL
Bold and Brash
The planets push us out of our shells and into the frying pan. By Charlene Lichtenstein
Taurus(April21-May21)
Sex:Shower her with lavish gifts and she will return
the favor. There is nothing that money can't buy. But
don't squander all that you have. May leads to June
and June has very expensive tastes. Career:If you
need to work from home, do so. But don't blend the
colors of your domestic and professional lives. You
will just wind up with a muddled gray.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Sex:You are so sexy and alluring this month it is
almost criminal. Spread your pheromones around
and see who picks up your scent. Then create a body
of evidence. Career:
You are a mover and a shaker in
your career. Plot a new scheme to get to the next
rung in the corporate ladder. Then toss some water
balloons down.
Gemini(May22-June 21)
Sex:You are sexy, sultry and very attractive to every~
one you meet. So carefully choose your circles and
make them into your orbs of desire. Career:Don't
talk yourself out of a promotion this May. Use your
gift of gab to oil the big corporate cogs. Just avoid
extra grease.
Sagittarius(Nov.23-Dec.22)
Sex: Cement partnerships by being affectionate,
passionate and loyal all through the month. I know
that is difficult, but I think you can do it. Career:You
ache to travel now. Try to set up some-ahem"business trips" to quench your wander lust. And it
may lead to wandering lust.
Cancer(June22-July 23)
Capricorn(Dec.23-Jan.20)
Sex:Will you discover love on the job? Only if you
insist on grinding your beans around the communal
coffee machine. Add extra sugar to taste. Career:
Those
in control seem to have extra control on you. Gently
buck authority and create your own professional
magic. Can you make those in control disappear?
TAURUS Sex:You have a secret admirer. Pull the covers off
Hubbahubba.LesbianBullsare
arguablyoneof thesexiestgals
in thezodiac.RuledbyVenus,
the planetof love,beautyand
art,Taurusgirlshavean unfair
advantage
in the lookandfeel
department.
Whentheyare
inspired,theyknowhowto dress
for sexcessandseemto know
just whatbuttonsto pushto get
a galoverflowing
with lust.Rub
hertummyandkissherface
(especially
on eithersideof her
noseandunderhereyes)and
she'llfollowyouanywhere.
Sheis
inexhaustible
and,likethat pink
bunny,cankeepgoingandgoing
andgoing.Hopon... hopoff...
hopon... hopoff. Phew!
and see who she is. Will you want to join her under
the covers? Career:You rake in the money this May
through your innate creativity and overall charm. Is
that really all that you need? Uh oh.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Sex:Gal pals can become so much, much more if you
let them. The real question is-will you let them? See
if you want to mix some passion into your platonics.
Career:You are a professional whirlwind. Use the
month to meet as many of the corporate big wigs as
possible. Schmooze it up, sister!
Aquarius(Jan.21-Feb.19)
Sex:May is full of fun. See how much romantic
mischief you can get into before your party is crashed.
The more the merrier-until it isn't. Career:
Shore up
all business relationships. Lunches, dinners and cock~
tails will warm their cockles and make you a bigger
player. But beware of big bills.
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Sex:You're a charmer, especially in the office. Will
you use your charismatic gifts for personal enrich~
mentor for just fooling around? Have fun no matter
what you choose. Career:Be crafty and very political
in your career now. You can gain the upper hand in
anything and everything. Why start with one hand?
Put both hands to work.
Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Sex:Feather your nest and make it into a love nest.
Before you know it you will have all the birds vying
for a place to snuggle in. Career:You find yourself
especially busy this May with an array of work related
tasks. Maybe it's time to find a good right hand gal to
help you out. Her left hand isn't bad either.
AstrologerCharlene Libra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Lichtensteinis the Sex:You might meet an exotic stranger in May.
authorof Herscopes:How exotic is up to your own personal taste. The
A Guideto Astrology spicier the better. Career:Girlfriends in high places
forLesbians.
Getmoreat thestarry can give you a lift up the corporate ladder. Will you
eye.com
orcheckoutherblogat bump your head on a glass ceiling? Pack a hammer
thestarryeye.
typepad.com.
just in case.
Aries(March21-April 20)
Sex:You talk the words of love, but i~ it all just hot
air? Tell her how you feel but back it up with action.
And then feel away. Career:You find ways to have
fun at work this May. Of course what is fun to you
may not be to the big bosses. At least try to look
serious and hardworking. ■
24
Icurve
LESBOFILE
Harmonyand Heartache
Wedded bliss, a public spat and one woman peeks a toe out of the closet. By Jocelyn Voo
Wedding
Bells
First thing's first: our congrats to Glee star
JaneLynchand her partner, Dr. Lara Embry,
for making their love official!
After this year's Golden Globes, Lynch let
the cat out of the bag to the New York Times,
whose Carpetbagger blog reported that the
actress summed up her show's award and her
impending nuptials succinctly: "It's good to be
on the winning team:'
If Lynch's new leading lady sounds like
a familiar name, you're right. Last year,
Embry, a psychologist, won a widely pub2 licized same-sex custody battle with her
~ former partner over their two children.
0
~ Embry and her then-partner each gave birth
~ to one child, then adopted each other's child,
:::E
~ agreeing to share custody of both children.
~ When the adults split, Embry's ex also decided
z
to split the kids up, severing ties with Embry
~ and Embry's biological child. However, with
~
UJ
the help of the National Center for Lesbian
(!J
@ Rights (NCLR), it was ruled that Embry
; was to be given the same rights as any other
~ adoptive parent in Florida.
J:
[
For this, Embry was awarded the NCLR'.s
~ JusticeAward in May 2009. But the biggestprizer
~ Meeting Lynch,who was also at the event.
5
Pretty friggin' great: "Our relationship
always modeled a heterosexual relationship,
emotionally and intellectually. So now it does
physically as well;' he tells Entertainment
Tonight, of his relationship with girlfriend
JenniferElia.
"I feel like I'm living in my body for the
first time, and it feels really good:'
Bono also revealed that his decision wasn't
a surprise to Elia, either. Bono says his desire
to have the operation was "something she
knew about shortly after we met:'
Aw, we love a happy ending.
Grammar
Check
As much as we like gossip around these parts,
we always try to be respectful when it comes
to someone coming out. (Uh, fauxmosexuals,
you don't count. We'll mock you till the cows
come home.) So we've stayed pretty mum
on BiggestLoser coach JillianMichaels-who
some have speculated to be gay-until now.
In Ladies Home Journal, Michaels started
dropping some Sapphic hints, "Let's just say
I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a
woman, that's awesome. If I fall in love with a
man, that's awesome.As long as you fall in love:'
One step at a time, one step at a time.
0
~
~
Check-In
g So
Orink'sOnUs
what's life like post-op for ChazBono? I've been missing me some LiRo drama for
a bit (sorry, Tila, yours is just too insane).
Thankfully, Lindsay
Lohankeeps it interesting.
According to RadarOnline.com, Samantha
Ronson
was DJing her usual night at an L.A.
club when Lohan showed up, reportedly
downed a few vodkas, then became set on
getting her ex's attention. When her initial
attempts failed, Lohan resorted to dirty
dancing with another girl in front of Ronson.
This, apparently, was the provocation needed.
"Sam just got sick of it all in the end
though and started taunting Lindsay about
being all drunk and messed up;' a source told
RadarOnline. "She said to Lindsay,'Why don't
you just have another drink?' And told her,
'You're a disgrace:"
And that, ladies and gents, is when Lohan
shifted into jilted lover mode and threw a
drink in Ronson's face, only to have Ronson
return the· favor by picking up DJ equipment
to chuck at Lohan.
Ordinarily the story would end there. But
in this case, Ronson was allegedly so worked
up that she ended up going to a different
club, kicked the house DJ out of the booth
so ~hat she could spin, and proceeded to play
a mix tape rather than perform. Once club
management asked her to leave, Ronson
complied-but
only after taking the audio
cables with her. Sadly, there's no good cop or
bad cop in this one. ■
May 2010
I25
Cru·
with
Saving the world, one
tropical port at a time.
By Margaret Coble
and Fae Goodman
Photos by Alison Terry-Evans
N A BLUSTERY fall Sunday, Norwegian
Cruise Line's Spirit set sail out of the port of New
Orleans with 1,200 lesbians and their friends on
the inaugural Western Caribbean cruise from lesbian
travel company Sweet. Though the first 24 hours or so
were challenging, thanks to Hurricane Ida, the rest of the
seven,day adventure would prove to be a once,in,a,lifetime
experience filled with top,notch entertainment, wild parties,
endless on,board activities, many tasty pifia coladas, four
beautiful tropical ports to explore, and daily opportunities to
give back to the communities we were visiting.
Both my partner and I were cruise virgins. We'd heard
about other LGBT crmses, but Sweet promised a new kind
of travel experience, one that married a fun vacation with
a chance to make a difference. On top of that, Sweet had
picked one of the most eco,conscious cruise companies in the
world-Norwegian Cruise Lines-and had also arranged via
Carbonfund.org to offset the carbon emissions of the entire
trip by planting 65,000 trees in Louisiana, my home state.
We were impressed-and excited.
Before we set sail, Sweet had been in our hometown of
New Orleans for two days, offering Sweeties-as cruisers
were called-a pre,cruise package to enjoy everything the
city has to offer, as well as get a jump start on volunteering.
These early participants helped restore some of the battered
wetlands by planting 600 native grasses in a marsh devastated
by Hurricane Katrina, and later enjoyed a huge street party on
26
Icurve
the Toulouse Street Wharf in the French Quarter.
At the end of the weekend, we joined women (and a
handful of men) ranging in age from 20 to 91 from all over
the U.S. and 10 different countries in boarding the massive
cruise liner, which hurried out of port early in hopes of
getting out of the path of Hurricane Ida. That first evening,
we gathered in the main theater for a rousing welcome from
Sweet's founders, Jen Rainin and Shannon Wentworth, two
long,time friends who brainstormed their "travel with a
conscience" vision while walking their dogs. Greeted like
rock stars by the eager,to,have,fun,while,doing,good crowd,
they were followed by a brief set by lesbian comic Suzanne
Westenhoefer. It was a great kickoff.
Meanwhile, the ship was beginning to really experience
what our captain jokingly referred to as "rockin' and rollin"'
from Hurricane Ida. As the night went on, the ship was
tossed back and forth on 10 to 15 foot waves, leaving fully one,
third of the ship's passengers and crew seasick. Thankfully,
most of us were recovered enough by later that second night
to enjoy a very cathartic evening of comedy from Erin Foley
of Last ComicStanding.For the rest of the week at sea, all the
comedians would follow her lead and incorporate jokes about
our collective sailing,through,a,hurricane experience, with
hilarious results. Nothing like a little trauma to bond folks!
With the bad weather behind us, the next day found us
arrivingjust a few hours late to our first port destination, Costa
Maya, Mexico. It would be the first ofmany opportunities for
Sweeties to participate in a "voluntour" excursion. Here it was
a beach clean-up project, followed by cocktails and a Mexican
buffet. We joined 150 women who collectively filled over 200
giant contractor trash bags with an array of trash in just 45
minutes. There were contests to see who could pick up the most
flip-flops (the winner found 24), the item that came from the
farthest away (China beat Greece), and the most bizarre item (a
vacuum cleaner nozzle won, though the toilet seat, lawn chair,
kitchen sink and Buddha statue were all strong contenders).
This excursion may have had a small impact on Mexico's
coast, but it had a huge impact
on those of us who participated, with many of us vowing
to never buy disposable water
bottles again. As Wentworth
pointed out, "People saw where
their trash goes-85 percent of
this trash is not from Mexico.
Things don't disappear just
because they disappear from
our view:'
At our next port, Belize City,
Belize, there were two different
voluntour excursions. The first
was at a children's hospital
ward, where Sweet partnered
with Lifeline, a philanthropic
organization run by the first
lady of Belize, Kim Simplis
Barrow. Sweeties painted in cartoon character drawings on the
walls of the formerly drab pediatric hospital, and donated toys
and clothes. "Having spent time in pediatric wards with my
own kids, it's good to have something to look at;' Rainin said,
pointing out the positive impact of the colorful pictures.
The other community project in Belize City was at an
underprivileged school across town where Sweet teamed up
with non-profit Hand Wash Hand. Sweeties painted the walls
and decorated with stencils, and then filled the bookshelves
with thousands of books that Sweet cruisers had donated.
Afterwards, Sweeties read the kids stories. It was heartwarming to see how happy the kids were to see their school
transformed in the course of a day.
In Roatan, Honduras, Sweeties repainted a children's
e-learning center and donated two new computers as well as
$600 from their own pockets to sponsor
four kids' access to the center for a year.
And in Cozumel, Mexico there was
another beach clean-up project where
Sweeties also replanted mangroves and
beautified a park by cleaning up, painting
and replanting community gardens.
Although it might seem that this
seven-day cruise was all work and no
play, that couldn't be further from the
truth. Each community project was
paired with a party of some kind. And
each day, Sweeties still had time to
discover each port on their own or take other excursions. Each
port swarmed with bikini-dad lesbians scuba diving, touring
the local sights or relaxing on the beautiful Caribbean beaches.
We, for instance, didn't participate in the latter two voluntour
opportunities, instead choosing to spend those days exploring
Roatan Island via a driving tour and taking a glass-bottomed
boat snorkeling tour in Cozumel.
However, a full third of the women on the ship did
participate in at least one of the voluntours, giving Sweeties
a shared sense of accomplishm~nt. One couple described their
experience in Belize as "the most meaningful, wonderful thing"
they'd ever done, a sentiment reiterated throughout the week.
Meanwhile, back on the boat, there was so much going on
it was often hard keeping up with it all. Throughout the week
there were poolside parties, wet T-shirt contests, curve
contributor Jennifer Corday and her rockin' cover band making
the gals go wild and hot tub mania going on on the upper decks.
There were mixers, meet and greets, karaoke, networking, and
happy hour events, including several hosted by curve's own
Lipstick and Dipstick.
Every evening there were amazing musical performances
from the likes of dyke favorites Edie Carey, Natalia Zukerman,
Adrianne, Jen Foster and many others, as well as comedy from
Gloria Bigelow,Kate McKinnon and Sandra Valls. And every
night, there were different theme parties hosted by the ten DJs
brought on board by Sweet. The '80s Party had the best
costumes (Ghostbusters jumpsuits and inflatable backpacks),
but the Lingerie Party and Champagne and Bubbles dress up
night were also great for fashion-and girl-watching.
The ship was a virtual who's who of the lesbian nation, too.
Aside from all the billed entertainers, there were super-secret
celesbians aboard (we now know that recently-out Meredith
Baxter was on board, though we never ran into her); lesssecret but no-less interesting stars including Dani Campbell,
actors Cathy DeBuono and Jill Bennett, dyke culture movers
and shakers like Club Skirts' Mariah Hanson, Babeland's
Rachel Venning and Laura Weide, superstar trainer Shawnee
Harkins, Wolfe Video's Kathy Wolfe, and, of course, reps from
every major lesbian publication, website, podcast, web series
and blog.
A book could be written about all the sights, sounds and
scenes on this cruise. And, in fact, there were several films
and web series being shot on board. There truly was something for everyone.
But through all of it, Sweet's
biggest accomplishment may have
been that of building community amongst those onboard. As
Wentworth pointed out, on the
final day of the cruise, "When you
put good out into the world, you
get it back, and that's what weve
been feeling allweek:'
Fun with a conscience-it's the
wave of the future, and Sweet puts
lesbians right at the forefront of
this soon-to-be travel trend. ■
Giving Back (far
left to right): Sweet
voluntouristas
collect trash on
the beach of the
Parque Punta Sur
Ecological Reserve
in Cozumel,
Mexico; Sweet
CEO Shannon
Wentworth plays
with kids as
visitors install
computers at a
Roatan, Honduras
e-learning center;
women, including
Elizabeth Birch
(middle) painting
a children's ward
at a Belize City
hospital. Left:
Dalilia Ali Rajah,
from SheWired's
hit lesbo talk show
Cherry Bomb,
helps clean up
Uvero Beach
in Costa Maya,
Mexico
May 2010
I27
Dee Leiber, founder of the
organic branding firm Sol(id),
is button down and pure sex .
appeal in another Duchess
exclusive. This three-piece
pinstripe suit and accompanying
shirt and tie are made for the
aspiring circus ringmaster-or
any dyke who wants to look
sharp (and knows how to keep
the wild beasts at bay).
>> For buyer's guide, go to page 63.
May 2010
I 29
0 ELLEN
DEGENERES,
52
L.IJ
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=-
L.IJ
I
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Whyher:De(ieneres' classic suits, crisp button-downs, bodyconscious sweaters and vests are tailored in youthful, trendy
and flattering cuts. Matched with playful colors and her
signature sporty sneakers, DeGeneres proves lesbian menswear isn't just for smoky-eyed twenty something waifs. And
speaking of smoky-eyes, she's got the CoverGirl contract to
prove her mainstream moment has truly arrived. On The Ellen
DeGeneres Show's website she talks about her wardrobe each
day in her"My Wardrobe ... and I do Have One section. We
love it. Herstyle:Smart-casual veteran lesbian who knows
how to work a blazer-with sneakers. Quote:
"Whenever
Portia and I are on the red carpet, they're yelling out for
her to tell them what she's wearing. But nobody cares
[about what I'm wearing) because I have a suit on,
even if it's a Gucci suit:' Designers:
Jil Sander, Marc
Jacobs, Viktor & Rol£ Neil Barrett.
81ATE
MIENNIG,32
Whyher:Though it's her character Shane from The
L Word who sparked The Look that Launched a
Thousand Copycats, the apple doesn't fall too far from
the tree where Kate Moennig's personal style is concerned. At 5'8':pouty, slouching and sinewy, Moennig's
signature look includes layers of tissue-thin T-shirts,
classy fitted blazers, low-slung designer jeans, chunky
belts, metallic vintage jewelry and always some leather,
somewhere. Her punky just-out-of-bed hair, inspired by
Sally Hershberger, is perhaps the definition of the 'i\lternative
lifestyle haircut:' Moennig collects sunglasses, hats and jewelry
and has said if she wasn't an actror, she'd like to be a designer.
Kate Moennig does not bend gender, she transcends it.
Herstyle:Effortlessly disheveled and always edgy hi-lo/boygirl androgyny. Quote:
"I like to find men's clothing in the
smallest possible size and then have it altered. Because I don't
like what designers do to women's clothing:' Designers:
Generra,
Stella McCartney, Jill Stuart, Dior Homme, Gucci, Libertine.
o au1
mno,
29
~
Whyher:Beth Ditto is best-known
as the singer-songwriter for indie
rock band Gossip, the outspoken
feminist has launched her own
plus-sized fashion line for Evans.
Her style: Uber-femme, loud
patterns, bright colors and curvehugging, take-notice girly glam.
Long before she started her own
line, Ditto was known for her
brash, bright and arty dressesthe kind of thing that the weird
e.
J:
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~
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z
~
z
~
m
!
~
(/)
d
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I
~
drama girl in your high school would wear. Now she's grown
up and she's just as hot and interesting as you imagined she
would be. Quote:
"When you're my size or you don't have a lot
of money, one reason punk is so appealing is because it tells
you that you don't have to have anything to be somebody:'
Designers:
Jeremy Scott, Karl Lagerfeld, Charles Anastase,
Louis Vuiton, Gareth Pugh, Vivienne Westwood.
OU.LANG,48
Whyher:Ariel Levy said it best: "Never before had
Americans seen female masculinity so overtly and
unapologetically on display, and we couldn't take
our eyes off it:' 'Nu.ff said. Herstyle:The original
butch: classic, dapper, sophisticated and eternal.
Quote:
"I don't feel like a woman, and I don't feel
like a man; I feel like both, simultaneously. Suits
help me achieve some kind of balance, because I
have a very voluptuous, womanly shaped body-a
Botticelli sort of body-and I have a mind and
an emotional self somewhere in the middle:'
Designers:
Miuccia Prada, Richard Tyler, Helmut
Lang, Gaultier.
0 HINEY
LABRADOR,
44
Whyher:Though Queer Eye For the Straight Girl lasted for about
one hot minute, Bravo's selection of Honey Labrador was a
significant moment for a franchise previously based on the
gay man's intrinsic ability to dress, fashion, feed and culture
the people of less enlightened sexualities. Labrador has been
modeling since she was 16 and as an adult has seemingly set
out to singlehandedly prove that "lesbian" and "stylish" aren't
mutually exclusive. Among her list of successes: Hosting Q
Television's fashion show XCess/ Access, founding Honey
L Designs ( to match celebrity endorsed branded products
while benefiting charities) and creating a limited edition
~ jeans line for the fourth season of The L Word. Herstyle:At
~ 5'9" with an athletic model physique, Honey can rock just
~
ti: about anything. She'll stay on the cutting edge.
i
::,
(!)
~ 0 KIM
STOLZ,
26
; Whyher:MTV News correspondent, political activist and
o former reality television star Kim Stolz was a revelation when
~
a: she ushered a new wave of sexy androgynous style into prime
UJ
~ time on America's Next Top Model. Stolz can rock hoodies
0
~ with pearls, and make plaid look high fashion with Park
~ Avenue understatement. Herstyle:Stolz is sometimes boyis~,
1 sometimes girlish, from prep school boy to Brooklyn hip~
~ ster and back again. Gender binaries are so over. Quote:
"I've
z
~ always fluctuated my look. It just depends on how I feel. ..
[ij
~ no matter how I dress or look, I will always be really gay:'
~ Designers:
Balenciaga, J. Mendel, Marc Jacobs, and Theory.
Herstyle:Downtowny romantic, with
a side of "Dark Glam'' refined rock
star. Her cheeky bright T-shirts,
bold jewelry and punk-ballerina
skirts are like gothic bohos on acid.
Quote:
"In my 20s, I was punk-slashfeminist-slash-club kid. It was really important to look
as weird as possible. I wanted to look like I was from a
different planet to set myself apart from other people.
When I'm playing a different character I get a chance
to be someone else and change myself on a daily
basis. Before, the only outlet I had was through my
clothes:' Designers:
Rick Owen, Isabel Marant, Miu
Miu. She is dating Free City fashion designer Nina
Garduno and has "a huge collection at home:'
0 SAMANTHA
RONSON,
32
& JIAN
JETT,
s1
Whyher:Joan Jett's unique don't-fuck-with me rock 'n' roll
style-and
her hip-hugging vintage T-shirt wearing '70s
getup-is getting a revival with the release of The Runaways,
the Kristen Stewart flick about Jett's eponymous '70s allgirl band. Jett's black hair crop, spandex fetish-wear, leather
pants and diesel-arm-bearing street style tanks have defined
a kind of glam-goth punk for generations of runaway dreamers. Herstyle:Black. Tight. Leather. Rock 'n Roll. Quote:
"I find
fashion sometimes to. be a little overwhelming ... I have to
really focus and hone my vision to find things that will work
for me .... I dont wear dresses which really cuts out a lot of
stuff! And it's too bad cause I can really appreciate the styles,
and the beautiful clqthes."I kinda wish I did wear dresses, but
it's just not in my thing:' Designers:
Prada, Roberto Cavalli,
Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Versace, and "street stuff from St.
Mark's" (a neighborhood in New York that's legendary for
punk vintage second-hand stores).
0 LEISIA
IAILEY,
38
Whyher:Hailey's had her finger on the pulse oflesbian fashion
since she first burst onto the scene in the early '90s, rocking
hot pink dreadlocks with her band The Murmurs and doing
the girly-grunge thing in the coming-of-age flick All Over Me.
Hailey regularly sported mens blazers and playful pantsuits in
the late '90s while dating the iconic k.d. lang, but by the time
she hit the mainstream with The L Word in 2004, her style
had officially evolved.
32
Icurve
The epitome of West Hollywood lesbian hipster cool,
British DJ Samantha Ronson comes from a fashionable family
(sister Charlotte is a fashion designer, brother Mark is a DJ),
and often has a scantily clad girly bad-girl girlfriend to match
(or does she:' We havent checked Twitter yet today). The
Ronson look is almost the anti-sex, but somehow that goes
all the way past blah and back again, to comforting-sexy. Her
style:The very definition of a Modern WeHo Andro Lesbian
Hipster. Designers:
Dior Homme, Filth Mart LA, Blue &
Cream, Charlotte Ronson, SUPRA sneakers, Converse.
~ CHARLENE
BORJA,
28 HDTHE
GIMME
SUGAR
GIRLS
The cast of both seasons of Logo's reality show Gimme Sug~r
is the most visible group of actual lesbian friends on TV. For
better or for worse. Charlene Barja shows that the next-gen
lesbian style works on diverse body types as well, matching
trendy pieces with timelessly flattering combos like motorcycle
boots and shorts. She loves V-necks and has mastered edgy
dub-style girl power comfort-chic. The cast is one of TV's
most racially diverse and sexy (checkout Davonee and Angel)
and season two brought on even more women, including fashion obsessed Maisi. Quote:
"I think some of us are an exampl~
of the different kind of lesbians that you can find;' says Maisi.
'i\nd you dont necessarily have to look like a lesbian:'
a, JACIIE
WARNER,
41
Whyher:It must be nice to be Jackie Warner, the star of
Bravo's reality show Workout, who is credited with seducing
straight housewives nationwide. Warner actually has a degree
in Fashion and Illustration, which has come in handy when
designing her own line of athletic wear for her gym, Sky
Sport & Spa. Her style outside the gym is equally noticeable
-fusing weight training to sleek, futuristic downtown edge
for the ageless, shiny Outsiders-gone-fancy icon. Herstyle:An
athletic, timeless clean-cut style that makes even cargo shorts
look fashion-forward. ■
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TOMBOY
TAKEOVER
SkateboarderNanna Grundfeldtwins Finland'sNext Top Model. By Erin Siegal
Among all of the photos that have been taken of model Nanna
Grundfeldt, it is the photo to the right that is most famous.
In it, the Norwegian beauty seems most herself-a mixture
of the serious and jovial. Her chin is raised, and the defiance
in her playful expression is unmistakable. Grundfeldt's stare
is direct, and could be challenging, if it weren't for the glimmer
in her eyes. And in her sweatshirt, emblazened with the word
"Homo;' she lets everyone know she has nothing to hide. She is
an adorably sexy combination of bravado, tease and in-your-face
queerness. But Grundfeldt isn't just another lesbian beautyshe's Finland's top model.
The feisty blonde, a passionate skateboarder since age 12,
hadn't even considered modeling before her friends goaded her
into trying out for the television show Suomen huippmalli haussa
(Searchingfor Finland's Next Top Model). She'd never worn
high heels or a skirt before, and a tattoo trailed across her left
shoulder blade. Most of her spare time was spent cruising
around Helsinki, Finland on a neon yellow and pink skateboard. In fact, after auditioning for the show Grundfeldt never
thought she'd make the cut-let alone actually win.
"It all started as a joke;' she says."I thought, Hey, we live once.
I have nothing to lose:'
When producers asked each contestant to choose a word
that represented them, she says she didn't hesitate about
her choice. "In Finland, the word homo is also used as an
insult;' she explains. "I wanted to show it didn't matter. I'm
still proud:'
Searching for Finland's Next Top Model is based on its
predecessor, America's Next Top Model. The round-the-dock
reality show pits youngwomen against one another, vying for the
"Top Model" title through several rounds of competition. Most
involve themed photo shoots:
Women competed to look
thirsty in an advertisement
for Bonaqua, a bottled water
company owned by CocaCola, and were glammed up
in another episode backed
by Max Factor make-up. For the show's first photo shoot the
contestants were required to wear their own clothes, and for
the second shoot, each was made over for a mock cover shoot
for the Finnish edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.
The Top Model format has been copied across the globe,
and spinoffs currently exist in over 30 countries, including the
Philippines, Ghana, and China. The Finnish edition is now in
its second year.
Each week, a panel of three, led by former Finnish model
'1HE
HARDEST
PART
WAS
LEARNING
TOWALK
INTHOSE
lOVEl
YHIGH
HEELS"
34
Icurve
Anne Kukkohovi, judge the contestants. Like the American
version, which deliver news and messages to the aspiring
models via "Tyra mail;' contenders received Posti Annelta, or
'J\.nne mail;' at their shared apartment.
"It was pretty tough to live with the girls and spend time
with them 24/7;' Grundfeldt says."There were a lot of strong
personalities around. I really like the production team, but we
weren't allowed to spend time with them:' The contestants'
quarantine included a media blackout. During the show's taping,
the women weren't even allowed to listen to the radio. After each
episode, one or two contestants would be sent packing.
On screen, the tomboy's style remained unchanged, even
as she rose through the ranks of the competition. Grundfeldt
could be typically found in slightly saggingjeans and a T-shirt
or hoodie, her straight white-blond hair stuffed beneath skate
beanies or trucker caps. Onscreen, her upbeat, affable personality was well received by fans, leading to scores of faithful
followers.
Throughout the show,judges ragged on Grundfeldt for her
awkward movements. 'The hardest part was learning to walk in
those lovelyhigh heels;' she says, sarcastically."I really had a lot of
problems with them. It was so hard, and I fell so many times:'
And yet, to her chagrin, she made it, cut after cut, from the
show's start last year, all the way until the end. Praise for her
improvements and sunny disposition usually accompanied the
shoe concerns.
At the end of June, Grundfeldt was crowned Top Model and
scored a contract with Paparazzi Model Management, Finland's
oldest modeling agency. During the last episode, before the
results were announced, the three finalists stood side by side
in front of the panel of judges. All three contenders wore black.
Two of the finalists, Anna-Kaisa Tyrvainen and Riina Roms,
stood stiffly, with carefully blank expressions. Grundfeldt,
on the other hand, grinned out from beneath her pom-pomtopped gray skate beanie. "I didn't expect to win at all;' she says.
For most Finns, though, the surprise was ruined by one of
the show's backers. Bonaqua unveiled a series of 35 billboards
featuring a huge photo of Grundfeldt crawling through a
desert and congratulating her on the win days before the show
actually aired in Helsinki.
In an emotional post-season video clip on the show's
website, Grundfeldt's heartfelt reaction to the win brings her to
tears and back as she talks about how proud her mother, who
passed away from cancer four years before, would have been.
She also mentions wanting to be a role model for girls everywhere, wanting people to quit smoking and wanting them to
Tomboy Takeovercontinued on page 63
<!l
~
~
~
~
I
?i
~
l
THE
NANNA
TIPSHEET
Sign: Libra
Birthday: September 25, 1 4
Born in: Halden, Norway
Current home: Helsinki, Finlfnd
Favorite bands: Glass Candy, CocoRosie,
Heartsrevolution, Hot Chip, MGMT, Coldplay
Skate deck: ASTE ice crea+ series
Favorite photographer: Mario Testino
Favorite magazines: Vice or Voltti (the Finnish gay mag)
Inspiration: My mother in~ires me the most. She taught
me to never give up, and tl>always think positively.
Motto: Be yourself, and be proud of who you are!
Want to take a
ride with bi babe
Nitty Scott? You'll
have to cozy up to
MotorGrrl owner Val
Figarella, because
this Plymouth is all
hers. Nitty's wearing
vintage earrings
and Comme des
Garcons 2 'Glitter'
fragrance. Just
imagine the rest.
38 j curve
Does This Stick Shift
Make My Ass Look Fat?
How gender can influenceyour car shoppingexperience.By Serena Freewomyn
f you're in the market to buy a vehicle and you happen
to be a woman, you may be nervous about stepping onto
a car lot. You're not alone. Women make or influence 85
percent of car-buying decisions, but were still treated as
junior players. A study by Edmunds.com revealed that women
are routinely quoted higher prices on cars than men.
According to a survey by J.D. Power & Associates, women
look at safety, reliability and price when they shop for a car,
while men are more focused on the look and how it feels to
drive the car. Yet dealerships often act under the assumption
that women will want to buy a car that matches their purse,
and that they don't want to talk about what's under the hood.
But you don't have to accept second-classtreatment By arming
yourself with the knowledge that you need to make a decision,
you can get as good of a deal-if not better-than any man.
D
5. Learnfromotherpeople'smistakes.I made two big errors
when I was shopping for a car. The first was that I didn't print
out the True Market Value from the factory websites. The
second mistake was randomly picking a dealership out of the
phonebook.
As soon as I walked into the first dealership, I was at a
disadvantage because of my gender. I was ignored until I
approached a salesperson. The guy took me outside before
he even knew where the cars were parked. On top of that, he
didn't have the keys with him. When we finally got into the
car, the salesman only allowed me to drive the car for one mile,
then I was told to get off the freeway and take surface streets
back to the dealership._
1. Selectyourcriteria.What are you looking for in a car? Is
price the mqst important factor? Or will gas mileage be your
decision maker? Are you a. staunch believer in labor unions?
Or are you only willing to buy cars made in the United States?
All of these are important questions that you will need to
answer before you do anything else.
2. Do yourresearch.Once you know your criteria, research
different brands. There are many sources available to help
you-Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, and Edmunds are all
helpful. AskPatty.com is written from a woman's perspective,
and they'll even help you find a woman-friendly dealership.
You should also go to the factory websites to look at the True
Market Value for the models you want to buy.
3. Decideon a dealership.
Do you want something close to
home so that it's convenient to get your maintenance:">Or are
you more concerned with the dealership's reputation:">
4. Knowyourbottomline.Arrange your financing before you go
shopping. Know the total amount that you can borrow from
the bank in order to avoid high-pressure tactics at the dealership. Be firm about your bottom line, and don't look at cars that
are outside of your price point. Ask to see the dealers' invoice,
and then use that as a guidepost for your negotiations.
The wheeling and dealing doesn't stop once you shake the
:i.:: salesperson's hand. You still have to go back to the financing
(.)
I:? department, regardless of whether or not you plan to finance
~
iJJ your car. This is the dealership's last chance to make money
~
0 off of you, and this is when the real pressure starts. My guy
~ was slick. He had visual aids, charts and graphs to convince
~ me that I needed to buy LoJack and OnGuard. If you've got
~ comprehensive insurance, you don't need that.
After "test driving" two cars, I told the salesman I had
some questions. The sticker price was almost $3,000
higher at the dealership than it was on the factory website.
When I asked about that, he asked for my proof. At this
point, he took an aggressive posture and said that if I was
accusing the dealership of marking up the price to rob their
customers, I could leave. I told him to kiss off, and I left.
My experience at the second dealership was 100 percent
different. For starters, they had a female sales rep. She talked
to me· like I was an adult, and she let me have an actual
test drive. Once we were back at the dealership, we started
negotiating. I stuck to my price point and walked away
with a brand new car for under invoice.
Buying a car can be a very empowering experience for a
woman. I made an educated decision and I'm proud that I
did it by myself. I stuck to my guns and didn't allow anyone
to talk to me like I was stupid, and you can do it, too. ■
May 2010
I39
The
Harley Way
Two bikerwomen take to the road.
By Linda Kay Nash
twas the Harley road trip of my dreams-cruising
through the mountains, side by side with the woman I
love, en route to Street Vibrations, a huge motorcycleflavored street fair in Reno, Nev. The journey itself was
just one benefit of being invited inside the realm of a group
that even today is imbued with misunderstood mystique.
The group of bikers, who I affectionately refer to as "The
Band of Bad Boys;' are a local Harley-Davidson motorcycle club that welcomed me into their brotherhood. They
weren't a gang who created anarchy in its path, but, rather,
like modern-day cowboys on steel steeds, they thrived on
the camaraderie of the brotherhood and relished their
leather-clad rebel image.
And they had taken me into their fold. With each ride,
they schooled me in the nuances of staying upright on my
Harley and how to meet the challenge of keeping up with the
experienced riders. I'd been on lots of trips with them before,
but this was the first time I had a woman by my side.
It was an exciting aspect of Dawn's nature I discovered
the day I invited her to join me on the back of my Harley.
She wrapped herself closely and tightly around me, and I
hoped that the exhilaration of the ride, and
the endorphin rush that it could provoke, would
stir a deeper level of attraction, beyond the
friendship we had forged over the last few
months. I knew that the physical intimacy
of holding onto someone so tightly and the
bonding that occurs from sharing the thrill
of the ride could be a powerful aphrodisiac.
And it was.
Our
relationship
evolved into
a
romance. And while I loved having her
arms around me, I also wanted to see her
D
ride beside me. On Christmas day, I gave her a black
Harley Sportster 1200 Custom, a quick and agile 500pound motorcycle. During the next eight months of
riding together, Dawn and I shared excitement as well as
trepidation about the forthcoming Reno Run, a four-day
excursion from our home in Bakersfield, California. For
most of the trip, we'd be in the mountains, with challenging
steep passes and tight switchbacks.
On the chilly morning of our departure, we joined 40
other Harleys, becoming part of the pack on our way to
Reno. We traveled from Bakersfield to Coulterville, then
north on Hwy 49 through Jamestown and Angels Camp,
arriving at our first day's destination, the town of Murphys
in the central Sierra Nevada foothills.
After unloading our gear, we walked to dinner and
then to throw a few back at the local saloon, where we
were unexpectedly entertained by a bare-breasted woman
dancing on the bar ( she was an exuberant wife of one of
our members).
We awoke to frigid mountain air and after breakfast
headed farther northeast on our 76-mile trek up and over
the Sierra Nevada Range via Ebbetts Pass.
Soon after the ascent began, the road dipped
into a valley,then rose to a one-lane summit
at 8,730 feet on a zig-zagging course that
plummeted down through an adrenalinepumping series of switchbacks, with at least
a dozen blind hairpin turns. The fright and
the thrill of the challenging route made it
clear to me why this is one of the least-traveled
passes in the Sierras. At the bottom of the
mountain range, we followed Highway 89
to 395 north, then on to Highway 80,
~
..J
~
~
a:
~
~
ffi
8
a:
leading us into Reno by mid,afrernoon.
The annual Street Vibrations Motorcycle Festival
is a celebration of music, metal and motorcycles.
Ranked as the sixth largest motorcycle event in
the nation, it often draws more than 40,000 riders.
Virginia St. in downtown Reno is transformed into
a mall, with hundreds of vendors selling everything
motorcycle related. But most enticing is the enter,
tainment value of the event: music everywhere and
women galore-some
alone on Harleys, others
holding tight on the back.
On the final morning, the wind ramped up to a
velocity that would make the ride home even more
challenging, especially since we didn't have wind,
shields to deflect it. In hindsight, I think it was
the influence of the Harley,rider rebel energy we'd
been steeped in for days that enabled us to make a
brave decision. Dawn and I opted to stay behind,
have windshields installed and add a ride through
Yosemite National Park to our trip. Most impor,
tantly, we decided to go it alone, without our band
of bad boys.
We didn't know until we reached our destination
that night, that the winds were fronting a snow,
storm that would chase us all the way home, making
the air more frigid with each passing day. We headed
west out of Reno on Highway 80 to 395 South,just
east of Lake Tahoe, arriving in Bridgeport, Calif.
exhilarated, yet relieved that we completed our first
independent day on the road. We found a cozy little
restaurant to celebrate our day's accomplishment.
We continued beyond Yosemite via Highway
140 to Oakhurst for our final night's rest, where
we reflected on the wonderment of our journey-it
was so much more than we had imagined and we felt
empowered by our self,sufficiency. I remembered
one of my overriding thoughts two days before when
we were discussing whether to embark on the return
trip alone. It had fostered my courage to make the
decision: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The next morning, we headed west and enjoyed
the luxury of venturing off alone: the romance of a
leisurely ride along the long, winding road through
the beauty of Yosemite, with the chilly air against
my face, the wafting scent of the pines and visual
panoramas-all with the woman I love beside me.
This road trip gave me a simple realization. A
journey is more fulfilling on a Harley Davidson
Motorcycle. The road feels wider and the scenery
more picturesque; as you cruise along, the air on
your face is more invigorating as you cut through
it, drinks are more refreshing and food is tastier
as you refuel from the exhaustion
and exhilaration of mastering
the power of the steed you
have mounted and tamed
for the day. ■
Top Picks for 2010:
· • Which Car is Right For
Whether you're cruisingfor pleasure,commutingto work or toting kids around,findingthe right
ride is a must. Curve offers up 15 vehiclesthat are perfect for you. By DianeAnderson-Minshall
up, it's a steal. If you want a tiny bit less,
but a similar features package, a runner up
would be the Kia Soul which has one thing
more: a frivolous but party-perfect feature
that lets lights around the speakers change
colors and blink to the beat of the music.
Perfect for cruisers.
TOYOTA
PRIUS ee e
Even with the bad rap Toyota has gotten
lately over recall of non- Prius models, the
Prius is still the grand dame of eco-forward
cars. U.S. News & World Reports called
the 2010 Prius "Best Car for the Money"
and it won PopularMechanicsFuel Efficiency
Excellence Award. It's not just the amazing
gas mileage (51 mpg!), the low price
($23,000 and up) and it's lower carbon footprint, the Prius has lovely unexpected little
touches like heated outside mirrors, a Solar
Powered Ventilation System, Bluetooth,
voice-activated DVD player and more.
NISSANCUBEe e
Winner of Automobile Magazine's Car
Design of the Year Award and Top Safety
Pick by IIHS, the Cube is one of the coolest
looking cars in the under $20,000 category.
The sort of anthropomorphized, asymmetrical
vehicle(with wavesand ovalsinside, and a back
door that hinges like a refrigerator), the Cube
has foldab\e rear back seats, Bluetooth, push
button ignition, USB/iPod compatibility,
Satellite radio, speed-sensitive volume control,
illuminated steering-wheel-mounted audio
controls and it gets up to 30 mpg. At
$14,000 and
What's your next ride going to be?
Bio-Diesel
Baby
3%
What's your dream vehicle?
SUBARU
FORESTER
ee
Face it, no single carmaker is more classic-ally
lesbian than the Sub! ALG awarded Forester
their top resale ranking in the Compact
Utility Class and it was MotorTrend's top
SUV last year. The price is easy: $20,000
and up, mileage decent (27 mpg), handing
most carlike, reliability great, and it's a
safety monger (standard side curtain airbags and the 2010 IIHS Top Safety Pick).
It also has a remote engine starter and best
of all, it can tow a massive 2,400 pounds
(because nothing is more lesbian than
towing a U-Haul behind your Subaru). No
wonder it was Consumer Reports top pick
for small SUV.
CHEVY
SILVERADO
1500 e e
It's rugged and classic and unlikely to disappoint real truck lovers. The Silverado 1500
has won a number of awards, including Car
and Driver's"Best Pickup;' Motor Trend's
"Truck of the Year;' and Motor Week's
"Driver's Choice:' The 2010 model
offers a astonishing number of
engines, bed lengths, suspension
configurations and now a flex
fuel capability is now offered
on all engines. Costs start at
$21,000 and it gets 20 mpg.
If you like the system but not
Something
,...._
__
Mini
TheLesbian
Classic
4%
6%
According
to a Curvemag.com
poll
the styling, you can go for the GMC Sierra
(it's the same platform) or, a close runner
up, the Ford F 10 (which boasts one thing
the Chevy doesn't: a fun and helpful infotainment system).
\
,...
_ .......
,
\\.
~\1--Jiil;t,L.Jlillli-
You?
= A Hybrid
•= Bio-Diesel
Baby
TANGO
T600 ee
Combining the speed and agility of a motorcycle (it's actually five inches narrower than
many bikes!) with the security of a car (it has
four times more side protection bars than
the largest SUVs), the Tango is a fascinating
little electric car that can navigate traffic
like no other. You can drive between lanes
(when others are stopped or moving slow)
and you can sqare the same parking space
with another Tango or motorcycle. But this
cute little electric car ain't cheap: the limited
production vehicle costs $108,000 and up.
the open road, top down, wind in your hair
getting 25 mpg. It costs $44, 000 and up.
STARVMAXMOTORCYCLE
e
Named Motorcycle magazine's 2009 Best
Crui~er, the VMAX is more muscle car
than old school cycle. That massive horsepower comes without being too heavy so
women riders can still navigate easily. Just
ask the ladies-only Internet fan groups.
Costing about $20,000, it gets 27 mpg.
f
LEXUSHS250 e e
Pure frugal hybrid luxury, the HS250 is
the most fuel efficient Lexus (getting 35
mpg) and offers some nice touchesdriver attention monitor, lane keep assist
and a Pre-Collision System. If your Lexus
thinks you're going to hit someone, it
will ring the warning bells and add brake
pressure if it doesn't detect you're pressing
the brake hard enough while a driver
monitor makes sure you're still on the job.
If it fails, well there are 10 airbags! Prices
start at $34,000.
3:
:r:
~C MERCEDES
BENZSLK350e
3A
lovely luxury convertible that, with
~ the touch of button, converts to a pure
~ roadster in 30 seconds. It's a two8 passenger car that demands you be on
• = Asian& Affordable
• = Eco-Forward
= Small,Cute& Economical• = Something
Mini
= TheLesbianClassic
• = SUVor Minivan
= Dyke-yPickuptruck
• = Motorcycle
•= Bicycle
= RVorTrailer
•= Luxury
•
•
•
•
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLFTOI e e
The newest gen Golf TDI is billed as the
most luxurious, safest, and powerful Golf
TDI that VW has offered. I love it because
it's rumored to get even more than its
reported 30 mpg and it runs on BS biodiesel. Only Mercedes and Volkswagen
allow consumers to use biodiesel in their
cars without voiding the warranty. The Golf
was chosen as World Car of the Year at the
New York auto show last year and I'm sure
the Bluetooth, touch-screen CD changer,
leather multifunction steering wheel and
the 30 mpg fuel economy didn't hurt. Prices
begin at $20,000.
SCHWINN
MERIDIAN
ADULT
26-INCH
3-WHEEL
TRICYCLE
BIKEe e
Trust us, you don't have to be a fit 20-something to bike. You can cruise around in comfort and style on this easy-to-use, single-speed
three-wheeled Schwinn Meridian Trike.
The $350 bike features a low step-through
frame, padded cruiser saddle, front and
EARTHBOUND
RV e e
rear brakes and a huge folding rear basket
that can carry two filled grocery bags. Plus,
Utilizing earth-friendly, recyclable consttuction materials that are virtually
Schwinn, founded in 1895, is one American
icon that hasn't gone down
.._II!!~~:-""\V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Compound)
free, Earthbound helps you stay healthy
the tubes.
and keep your carbon footprint small. It
comes with a 3-year, limited bumper
~!!l!!!!!!!lllllll11o..-to-hitch
warranty on a chic
RV with a funky,aerodynamic
design. $39,000 and up.
Top Picks continued on page 62
May 2010
/
I43
~
~
~
Maybe that's because Silverman
is uniquely Silverman. Even among
today's cadre of female comics,
Silverman stands out for her unique
brand of crass humor and cute style.
She's a figure whose name will one
day be an action-young comics will
talk about "pulling a Silverman,"
telling some joke that only a girl with
a twinkle in her eye and a guitar in her
hands could get away with.
This blend of crude and adorable
has helped propel Silverman to
comedic stardom and made her a
household name. That is, if the
people in your household watch
Comedy Central or if they saw
Silverman's full-length comic special,
Jesus Is Magic. But it was her getout-the-vote video, The Great Schlep,
where a smiling Silverman sat with
her bubbie, that really brought her into
our homes.
This year she's reaching out even
more. The Sarah Silverman Program
was just picked up for a third
season by Logo. Plus, she's got a
new book of personal essays, titled
The Bed Wetter: Stories of Courage,
Redemption, and Pee and she's
starring in Saint John of Las Vegas,
alongside Steve Buscemi. All of this
is just to say that if you wanted more
Silverman, you got it.
44
Icurve
s
How- the gays rescued our favorite straight colllic.
By Kristin A. Smith
Photo by Robyn Von Swank
I've beensinging"The BabyPenisin YourMind"all day.Whatwas
the inspirationfor that little gender-bending
ditty?
'Ne were working on rhc srory :rnd I jusr starred singing ir in
rhc room-_jusr messing :iround. And usually our head writer
will grab his laptop and record ir and _just kind of improvise ir,
and whoever designs rhc script will kind of polish ir and make
ir inro a real song.
Doesit take a lot of workto make it readyfor TV?
'I his one re:illy kinda poured our of me because ... we kept singing
rhis Disney song from rhis really, really lame movie. Maybe rhc
one rhar Ariel rhe mermaid is fromUh-huh.[Laughs]Thelittle Mermaid.
Yeah, we wanted ir ro sound Disney-ish.
That song is in seasonthree, when you learn that you were born
intersexand had a penisand a vagina.What wouldyou do if you
actuallyhada penisfor a week?
Oh, I would probably _jerk off all day. I would probably inrcrrnirrenrly masrurbare, nap and car.
Is that starklydifferentfromyournormalweek?
No. [Laughs] l3ur ir'd be more srraighr through. There'd be no
meeting friends f<Jrlunch.
Yourockthemustache
reallywellinthatvideo.I wasstrangely
attracted,
and alsodisturbed,by it.
I do wear a mustache well. I don'r know why. Maybe because ir's
black, ir's slimming.
Are we going to see you transition?Will that happenin season
three?
\Veil, ar rhc end of rhc episode acrually you find our rhar Laura
lied and rhar she had jusr gorren rhc baby penis our of rhc rrashbin ar rhc hospital.
Yeah,I onlysaw the clips.I'm oneof thoselesbianswhoonlywatches
InternetTV.
I understand. ·111ar's probably why we're going ro ger crnccled.
People don't warch TV the same way.
Since Logopicked up your show, it seems like the gays kind of
savedyou.
Nor kind o( complcrcly. I wouldn't be on rhe air if ir wasn'r frw
Logo.
Whatare yougoingto do to thankus?
[Laughs] Oh, do you work for Logo?
No,just part of the largergaycommunity.
All of a sudden you're all rogcrhcr in one. (Laughs] \Veil. no,
rhar was rhcir way of rhanking 111c, righr? They arc so cool, acrually.
I was jusr saying how rhcy rorally saved us, and we wouldn't have
a rhird season if ir wasn'r for rhem. 'I11ey made no demands on
us. 'I11cy just made ir so we could be on rhc air.
Whydo youthinkyouhavesucha largequeerfollowing?
One of my (gay] friends said rhar he rhinks rhar. .. rhcir kind of
comedy is more sophisricarcd bur like more pediatric roo ... sophisticated d11d childish.
At the end of seasontwo, you marry your dog, which is the ultimate slipperyslopeargumentagainstgay marriage.What kind of
responsedid youget fromthat episode?
We didn'r ger much response because the people who wrirc letters
arc nor nearly as disgusted by a woman marrying her dog as a
woman marrying anorhcr woman, or a man marrying another
man. 'l11ink about the people who write rhe letters ... you know,
they're, like, far-right crazy, nurry nurso's who have rime ro write
lcrrcrs ro people wirh cable shows. Mosr of rhcm call me a dirry
Jew and sruff I love ir. I rhink, deep down, Jews kind of secretly
love outward anri-Scmirism. l3ccwse ir's like something you can
point ro and go, Sec, ir's real! Ir's like the gas in rhc air, it's real.
I haveto sayJesusIs Magicis oneof the onlymoviesthat I actually
own. I usedit as a litmustest for a little while for girlfriends.Did
theythink it was funny?Weretheyas equallydisturbedby the joke
aboutthe diamondon the spineof the baby?So do youever go, Oh,
I went toofar on that?
Nor really. \Veil, wirh tl.1iJt joke, nor ar all. I love thar joke. I don't
rhink I ever think I wcnr too far, bur I think rhar sometimes
I'm nor conveying whar I mean well in rhc joke. \\/here ir's, like,
people arc inrerprcring ir nor how I mean, and it's a bummer. Not
jusr nor funny bur maybe offensive. \Vhen people arc offended
May2010
I45
by stuff ... One, I feel like I can't control
it. It just has to do with their own life
and life experience and where they're
hearing it from. And, two, I think it's
a reaction to buzz words, without really
hearing or wanting to kind of make sense
of it through the content of it.
Tellmeaboutyournewbook.
Yeah, it's called The Bed Wetter. And the
II I "1"ere
to have
a lesbian
•
experience
...
it "1"0Uld
probably be
"1"ith, like,
of my woman heroes-or even lesbian
women heroes-but it would probably
be with, like, a blonde with big fake
tits. Like the vapid stripper,ish type.
When I've really sat down and really
thought about it-and
I know that
your question probably isn't as severe as
my answer. The way I think you mean
the question, like, what woman is so
amazing that I would go lesbian
for? I think the singer,song,
writer Patty Griffin, because I
love her. But in reality, probably
fake tits, or, no, big natural,
natural tits, fake blonde. Just,
like, a vapid piece of woman
meat.
I'm goingto get a thousandpictures of blondeswith big tits
sentto meto passonto younow,
so thank you.Wouldyou be the
butchierone in the relationship?
Mayberockyourmustache?
I would, I would. I totally am
drawn to lesbians. So many of
my closest friends are lesbians,
like separate from each other,
from throughout life. And I
know that sounds like, "Some
of my best friends are black;'
but none of my best friends are
black. Oh, no, my best friend
from high school is black. I have a
cousin that's gay and I remember
when she picked me up in her
car, when we first hung out as
adults, and I was, like, Oh my god, I have a football in my
subtitle is Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee.
I can't believethat booktitle wasn'talreadytaken.Andis it trunk, I have a basketball in my trunk and a wiffie balljust like you. I love Nancy Griffith. Nancy Griffith is my
all yourwriting?
favorite. This is so bizarre. And she's like, I know-because
Yeah, yeah. It's personal essays-probably 80 or 90 percent
true-interspersed
with what I think, or I thought, were
you're gay. But it really is true. I'm like a lesbian. The only
totally obviously silly made,up stories. But a couple of my caveat is that I love penis.
friends are reading it and going, like, Wow, I can't believe it. Youknow,youcanbuythemin the store.Butreally,lesbians
And I'm like, No, that's totally fake. Like everything's real are goingto be so excitedto knowthat it's reallyonlypenis
that is standingin the way of youjoiningourcommunity.
So
in it, like all the main essays, but there are little interstitials
that are what I thought were very obviously, blatantly made
whatelseis onthe horizonforyou?
Yeah. We're praying people will watch season three while
up. But they're not really distinguished.
it's on, because 'i think ... our ratings are in the shit. I think
Andwhenjs it comingout?
April 20th. Hitler's birthday.
people watch on DVR and they watch on the Internet. I
In seasontwoyouwentlezforTigNatarro.Whowouldyougo think this may be our last season, but I hope people start
LU
lezfor in reallife?
watching more, because it's our best season. But what're ~
Ooh, ooh, ooh. That's really hard. I always think that if I you gonna do? We had a good run. I love the show so LU
were to have a lesbian experience it wouldn't be with one much, we love being with each other.
t-(/)cfj
46
Icurve
What'sit liketo workwithyoursister?
It's awesome. It's so good, you know. We have so
·much fun. Like, I had the worst day ever. I was
shooting in my bedroom with my dog and it's the
kind of thing where tears had been building for
days but I didn't realize it. Like, I went to talk, and
[the director] called 'J\ction" and I opened my
mouth and, like, ugh, nothing could come out. I
was just like, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. And the floodgates opened.
And I'm not usually a crier, but it'sjust one of those every-oncein-a-while things where ... my body can't help control it. The
director, my friend Rob, is like, Let's take five! But the
producer was like, Do you want me to bring your sister?
Because she was just in the dressing room waiting for her
scene. And I was like Ye-yess. [Fake sobbing)
That'ssosweet.
She came into my fake bedroom and crawled into my fake
bed with me and Doug, my dog, and she just rubbed my
head and told me stories about when I was little and just,
like, made me better. And it was so sweet. It was just so
nice to be able to have that. It was just such a nice thing to
have that person there that [knew] you
when you were little. Because she's my
big sister, actually, even though she plays
my younger sister. And then everybody
came back and I cried all over again,
because I know they love me so much.
Threeyearsof workingtogetheris really
intense.
I'm surethat'syourfamily-literally
andfiguratively.
Totally. Everyone. The guy that makes our lunches, Antonio,
and the camera-ops and whatever. You know, everyone. You
end up spending the weekends with them too, because you
all have the same things to talk about.
Areyouopento doinganotherseason?
We totally would love that, but we're not holding our
breath. First of all, it takes so long for Comedy Central
to pick us up ... we'll just be another 14 months before
we're on again, you know, like last time. It's just like we
have no momentum, people didn't even know we're on the
air. We're like the island on Lost-we're there, but nobody
knows we're there. ■
May 2010
I47
ur
America's favorite TV mom, Family Ties star Meredith Baxter,
goes toe to toe with the first lady of queer comedy,
Suzanne Westenhoefer, for a rare look at coming out in public.
FamilyTies
eredith Baxter and Suzanne Westenhoefer might seem like
unlikely friends. Despite the differences in their public personaWestenhoefer is a sexy, unbridled gay from the get-go comic,
Baxter is a quiet TV legend whose private life has largely been thatWestenhoefer says the two are kindred wild spirits. "She's just as likely
to say the outrageous things I say, only she just won't say them on stage."
The duo met at a reading for Westenhoefer's web series, We Have to
Stop Now and their friendship deepened on the maiden voyage of the
Sweet Cruise-the one that Baxter went on, right before she publicly came
out. In fact, it was Westenhoefer's on-stage call for everyone to come out,
be visible, to claim who they are, that prompted Baxter's announcement.
After the moving show, she called her manager from her on-board room
and started making plans for the public announcement.
We sent Westenhoefer to Baxter's private home in Santa Monica to
chat about her life-and let curve readers listen in on their conversation.
M
Westenhoefer:
The two of us have talked about her sexuality and personal life
before, but she's out publicly now, so everything is different. Her assistant opens
the door with a very polite, "Meredith is still dressing, and will be down shortly"
Still dressing? Oh crap, I think. I'm wearingjeans and a hoodie-have I already
made some tactical error? Moments later, Meredith-often known as the divine
Mrs. Keaton from Family Ties-is in the kitchen, looking spectacular in a plain
white shirt, jeans and boots. Baxter is in the process of writing a book about her life
after having come out as a lesbian on the TodayShow.So I decided to ask her some
things I thought curve readers would want to know-that won't be in the book.
Whatisthebestreactionyou'vehadsofar to yourcomingout?
Well, I was coming out of the gym this morning, a woman got into the elevator with
me and said, "You look so happy!" I said "Reallyt And she said, "Well, I saw you
recently on television''-which is now code for "I saw you come out" and she said,
"You look fabulous:' And there I was in my gym clothes, so I thanked her for that.
Doyoufeelhappier?
I feel enormously happier, and in ways I hadn't anticipated. In fact, Suzanne,
you said I would feel so much better. And I want to say that you were very
instrumental, just by saying how important it is to be out. At the end of
your show on the Sweet cruise, you had this great message
about coming out and I realized I didn't want
this to be a secret any longer. Of course, it
wasn't a secret in my daily life,but in business
and work, I was still very protective.
WereyouOKwithpeopleknowing
that
MeredithBaxterwasontheSweetcruise?
I was, although I was upset that I saw in magazines
that Meredith Baxter Birney was on the ship.
I want youto know I correctpeopleall the time: "MeredithBaxterwas on the ship."
And I am just that obnoxious about it, too. (Laughs)
You'vebeenballroom
dancingmorelately.Tellmeaboutthat.
Well, you know I got started because of my therapist. She would talk about
it, because she did it and used it as examples during therapy, to explain how
people learn things. So it started back in 2000, I had just gotten out of my last
divorce and I thought I was going out of my fucking mind. Not because I was
upset about the divorce. I knew that h~d to happen because I had made one
more disastrous choice, but I was howling to the ceiling in my house and was
so distraught. So one of the things I had to do was start a new life. I had very
few friends so I needed to meet other people. When I got there, it was like the
old high school gym, with the boys on one side and the girls on the other, and I
loved it. Then I stopped because I didn't want to dance with guys. (Laughs]
Youknowthereis samesexballroom
dancingherein L.A.
I would love to go, and Nancy (Locke, Baxter's partner) is interested too, but
I need to lead.
Thatdoesn'tmakeyoua top,Meredith.
You'restilla bottom.
[Laughs] I love the cha-cha. I've never been able to do regular dancing at clubs.
I am such a dork out there. But I have since stopped. I decided it needed to be
dance or my art, and I chose my art.
Youshouldstilldance.
Well maybe you and I can try the same-sex ballroom dancing.
I wouldloveit.
I would have to lead.
Change
of topic.Didyoueverplayanysports?
No, the only thing I ever did was run. I have no hand-eye coordination.
It's very sad. You know, I was really good at playing my kids at PingPong. I even got us a table. I thought I was hot shit. And then I
played Nancy at Ping-Pong and she kicked my ass. And I just
thought, Well I am going to just set my table on fire. What's the
use of having itr I was really bad. I had no idea. You know, I was
never around sports at all. I was in theater.
Whatwouldyouhavewantedto beif youweren'tanactor?
I never wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be a singer. Truth is, I
can sing OK. But I wasn't willing to work at it, and acting was just
available to me. I was at Hollywood High (School) and I was a
nerd and I was around acting. I was not social. I had big breasts
and long hair and I was shy. I went to an event with Nancy with
her friends from high school, and she had so many friends and
everyone loved her. I never had that.
Soyougotworkrightaway,asa youngactor?
No, I didn't even start looking for work until I was married.
Whendidyoustartnoticing
women,or gaywomeneven?
I don't think I noticed until I got sober. That was in 1990, and that was
when I started to see them around me-when I realized I wanted to be around
them. Paying attention to them, but still not thinking I was gay. Three years
sober, I did get involved with a woman. I liked her so much. She was so bright
and loving and generous and helpful to me. She really saw me, which was rare,
and I gave myself over, and it just seemed like the next natural thing to do
was be sexual. But still nothing went off in my head that I was lesbian. It was
just an expression of how I cared about her. No bells went off for me.
Thenyougotmarriedto a man?
I got married because I was convinced that that was what had to happen.
Our FamilyTies continued on page 62
"I feelenormously
happier,and in
waysI hadn'tanticipated.Suzanne,
you hadthisgreatmessageabout
comingout, and I realizedI didn't
wantthisto be a secret
any longer."
EMERAJ~D
CITY
TRAGEDY
HY GINA DAGGETT
ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL MICHAEL AGUILAR
ONE WOMAN'S
QUEST TO UNDERSTAND
THE MURDER OF
TERESA BUTZ.
'
'H
so I curve
e rold us if we did what he asked us ro do, he wouldn't
hurt us. He lied, he lied;' said Teresa Butz, her final words
as she bled to death in her partner's arms, at 3 a.m., on
the street outside their Seattle home. Ninety minutes earlier,
they'd woken up to a nightmare: a naked man standing over
their bed with a knife.
1l1e evening last summer when I first saw the report on the
news, I was making dinner with my girlfriend, our dog at my
feet, when the face of 39-year-old Teresa Butz A.ashed across
the television screen."Turn it up;' I said.
"A woman was murdered in an apparent home invasion;•
the news anchor reported. Even though I only saw Teresa's
face for a split second, I knew she was one of us.
Nor much information was given that night: a possible
robbery, a struggle, a murder, a mug shot. The suspect was
still on the loose. Police warned char he was dangerous.
Thar week, as I followed the investigation, I became
increasingly caught up in the unfolding story. Ir was a lesbian
couple. 1l1ey were planning a fall wedding.
While Seattle police searched for the suspect, the local
community was devastated, gripped by fear and confusion.
'i\r the community information meeting on the Monday
after the attack, there was a lot of misdirected rage and sadness;·
recalls L. Beth YockeyJones, who lived next door to Teresa for
three years. "People wanted ro share their feelings about Teresa
and her impact on their lives:•
"The attack on Teresa and her partner hit a lot of people
in Seattle very hard, bur not just lesbians;· says Sally Clark,
a pillar in the dyke community and one of two our city council
members. Shockwaves were felt all the way to Vancouver,
Canada, where I live and see the Seattle news every night.
Even without knowing Teresa, I, roo, was profoundly affected.
THE DlSTl'RBIN(i
TRL'TH
As the clock ticked, more about the case emerged: 1l1at fateful
night, neighbors heard screams and ran into the street to help
Teresa and her partner, Jennifer* -a 36-year-old woman who'd
also been stabbed, although her wounds weren't fatal. The manhunt continued, and more of what really happened inside their
home came to light.
Interim Police Chief John Diaz told the Seattle Times that
it was "the most brutal crime" he and his officers had seen in
some time. Diaz vowed to put every available resource into
catching the man. At a press conference, Assistant Chief
Nick Merz added, "It's one of those things I'll remember for
the rest of my life:•
1l1e details of the attack are devastating. I chagrin to even
pen them. Writer Eli Sanders of The Stranger (an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle) did a valiant, thorough
and eloquent job of covering the case and was the only one
to print the findings released by King County prosecutors
verbatim; most media outlets summarized because the derails
were so gruesome.,
"I don't think there's any reason to hide from public view
exactly how horrific these attacks were," Sanders wrote
in his blog, "and exactly what these women did to try and
stop them:• (I've scaled back on what he bravely reported,
but if you'd like to forgo the details entirely, skip to "1he
Community Reacts.")
Ir was a sweltering night in Seattle and the attacker climbed
through an open window into the home ofTeresa and Jennifer,
who woke to him standing over them. He was naked and held
a knife and told the women, "I won't hurt you. All I want is
some pussy:•
Over the next 90 minutes, he repeatedly sexually assaulted
nsc
July 22, 2009
icesForTeresaButzSe
southPark MemorialThis
nn Butz, the
Teresa A Norbert and
daughter of
f Affton,
Elaine_ Butzsu:day' July
was killed
.
Seattle,
19, 2009, m 39 years
Was h · She was
old.
d her partner,
Ms. Butz an
er were
- ~nifer Hop~ h'ome in
• +hetr
,uhat
them-orally, anally and vaginally-ejaculating in both of
them, and, after the second full round of assaults, he told the
women that his fun had just begun.
Throughout that long hour and a ha1£"the man also physically
assaulted them with a butcher knife;' reported Sanders. "He
repeatedly used the knife to cut the necks of both women.
After a time, the physical assaults intensified. The man began
cutting more aggressively on the necks of both women:'
Jennifer, in particular, began losing a large amount of blood.
Eventually, Teresa was able to kick the man off the bed and
the wome~ tried to defend themselves, which further enraged
their attacker. He punched Teresa in the face and then attacked
her again with the knife, stabbing her multiple times in the
arm and chest. Finally, Teresa broke free and fled through a
"I didn't know T as well as other people;' says Jones, "but
I felt like I had to do something. It was a larger event than I
thought it would be, but I felt like it helped:'
LOVE, LOUD LAUGHTER AND PURPOSE
These words were used to describe Teresa in her obituary. As
the days passed, a clearer picture of Teresa emerged, too.
Known as T-Buzz, T-Butz or Twirds to those closest to
her, Teresa Ann Butz grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She
graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School and the
University of Missouri. She had returned to St. Louis months
before the murder to celebrate her parents' 50th anniversary
and was planning a trip to Barcelona to celebrate her own
40th birthday.
EVEN THOUGH I ONLY SAW TERESA'S FACE FOR
A SPLIT SECOND, I KNEW SHE WAS ONE OF US.
window she smashed open with a nightstand. Jennifer escaped
out the front door and they met in the street, where Teresa
collapsed and died in her fiance's arms. The suspect fled.
Five days after the horrific incident, police caught the
monster. The arrest was facilitated by a Metro Bus driver
who recognized the suspect's face, which had been plastered
all over the neighborhood. According to police, they arrested
him at a park with his pit bull. His jacket had blood stains on
it and DNA evidence connected him to the crime.
THE COMMUNITY REACTS
Teresa Butz was the ninth of 11 children, a girl who grew up in
a family of eight brothers, including the Tony-Award winning
actor Norbert Leo Butz. Teresa served on the board of directors
for Compass Center, a social service agency that helped lowincome and homeless people. Her death, said Compass board
member Bob Kuehn, was a "huge, huge loss:'
It was also a huge shock to Seattleites, many of whom
spoke out.
"I heard from women who were scared;' says Clark. "I
heard from women who were angry. I heard from women who
wanted to fight back in some way, but didn't know what to do.
There's a feeling of powerlessness and fear that this kind of
attack spreads like a germ:'
Unsure how to channel her own emotions, Yockey Jones
planned a vigil. "I organized the vigil for those of us who had
been impacted or helped by Teresa, to share our stories and
memories;' she says. It brought people together from both
the gay community and the neighborhood where Teresa and
Jennifer lived, South Park in South Seattle.
"I think many people found some comfort in the community
gathering that took place on the South Park Community
Center lawn a few days after the attack;' remembers Clark.
"Many of Teresa and her partner's friends spoke about them.
A young girl talked about finding them in the street. The
Seattle Women's Chorus sang:'
52
Icurve
After college,Teresa worked in the cruise industry and then
moved to Seattle. At the time of her death, she was a general
manager for Regus Group, a company that rents office space
to businesses. In addition to her charitable work, she was an
athletic third baseman, a loving girlfriend, a cherished sister
and a beloved daughter.
Like so many lesbians, Teresa loved her music. "I used to
tease her about her taste in music;' remembers Jones."The last
time we hung out was when Scott, my husband, and I drove
Teresa and her partner to the airport to go on some dykey
inusic cruise with Melissa Etheridge and k.d. lang:'
One of Teresa's brothers, Tim Butz, spoke with the Seattle
Times shortly after the murder. The last time he had seen
Teresa was just 10 days earlier. "I told her I loved her and put
her in a cab and never saw her again;' he said.
Tim also told the Times that he and his sister spent hours
playing catch as kids. "In a family dominated by boys, Teresa
held her own. My sister went toe-to-toe;' he said.
Teresa's brother, Norbert, had been in Seattle preparing
for the musical Catch Me If You Can. In response to the
tragedy, the 5th Avenue Theater cancelled the first two
performances of the show, which was scheduled to begin
the week of the murder.
Jones remembers her former neighbor as ''generous, funny,
caring, always ready with a laugh or a hug when you needed
it:' She talks about how those close to the atrocity are doing
today. "I see how Teresa's partner is surviving and being joyful.
It helped a lot when they caught the asshole who attacked
them. (My husband and I] are thankful that we knew Teresa,
and sad that we weren't there to help out after the attack. We
still own the house next door, and hearing the people who rent
it from us talk about what happened was gruesome:'
IS VIOLENCE EVER RANDOM?
Police arrested Isaiah M.K. Kalebu-a man who was out on
bail for felony domestic violence charges after assaulting his
mother-for
the brutal attack on Teresa and
Jennifer. The 23-year-old bipolar man was also
under suspicion for murdering his aunt and her
tenant in an arson fire, after she too kicked him
out of her home. The mental health community
was quick to say that Kalebu's bipolar status
was not soley to blame and police indicted him
on aggravated murder, attempted first-degree
murder, burglary and one count of first-degree
rape. At press time, he's sitting in the King
County Jail on $10 million bail.
Police are deciding whether to seek the death
penalty and though they still hold firm to the idea
that the attacker didn't know the women and the
attack was random, it's hard to believe. Would
this suspect have broken into a home and stood
naked over a bed if there had been a woman and
a man lying in it?
"Like a lot of people, I wonder why he chose
their house;' says Clark. "I wonder if he'll ever
confirm why he chose their house. I don't think
the attack or the violence of it should be called
random, but I'm not a prosecutor or a judge. The
attacker clearly thought out how to enter a home,
rape, mutilate two people, and then exit. And he
carried out the attack over a period of time in the
night. That's not random to me. It's sick and inexplicable, but not random:'
Regardless of why this evil chose their house,
two lesbians' lives were forever changed and the
rest of us should take what we can from their
story. I've yet to find words to articulate the
myriad of ways in which Teresa and Jennifer's
story has affected me. For starters: I double-check
my locks at night and am sure to tell those close
to me that I love them at every opportunity.
As with so many tragedies, light can come
from darkness.
"I know Teresa's loved and celebrated ... !
believe there is a violence-prevention program
being started in her memory;' says Jones. "I feel
terrible that this all happened, but hope that
people will find a way to connect with each other
and in their communities, so that this doesn't
happen again:'
To more people than she could have ever imagined, Teresa Butz will forever be immortalized
for sacrificing herself so her partner could escape.
I. To the girlfriend left behind, Jennifer, I send my
~ deepest, most heartfelt sympathy-may you and
~ your family and friends find healing and peace on
0
t5 the heels of this awful nightmare. ■
::,
Cl
0
a:
Cl.
*This is her realname, but we'vechosento not print
fil Jennifer'slast name so she can have some semblance
..J
CD
~
~
CD
of privacy when so much has already been taken
from her.
Hate Crimes Across the Globe
WhenMatthewShepardwas
killedin 1998,he became
the emblemfor anti-gay
hatecrimes.Butfar too
manyLGBTfolkshavebeen
victimsof violence,their
storieslargelyuntoldbythe
mainstream
media.Hereare
a few storiesthat belongin
the sadannalsof our history
booksaswell.
Roxanne
EllisandMichelle
Abdill:
A whitelesbiancouple
in ruralOre.,EllisandAbdil
juggledgrandmotherhood
with runninga property
management
company.On
Dec.4, 1995,EllisandAbdil
showedanapartmentto
27-year-oldRobertAcrement.
Theywerediscovered
later-bound andgagged,
shotin the headandwrapped
in drapesin the backof
theirownpickuptruck.The
mainstream
newsoutletand
Peoplecoveredthe crime.
Acrement'sownmother
turnedhimintopolice,telling
reporters,"I calledthe police
becauseI haveto lookGodin
theface.I will do anythingin
my power~omakesureother
peoplearen'thurt."Acrement,
admittedthatthe women's
sexualitydisturbedhim.
Rebecca
WightandClaudia
Brenner:
When29-year-old
Iranian/Puerto
RicanMBA
studentRebecca
Wightand
her32-year-old
Jewish
girlfriendClaudiaBrenner
werehikingon May13,1998,
StephenRoyCarrwasn'tfar
behindthem.Theyencounteredhimat a restroom,then
laterwhilelookingat a map
(hehadhis .22caliberrifle
on him),but bythe timethey
madecamp,bothwomen
thoughtCarrwaslonggone.
Sotheyset up campand
beganto havesex,butthen
eightbulletsflew their way.
Brennerwasshotthree
times,Wighttwice-the last
onea fatal blowthat shatteredherliver.Toget help,
Brennerhadto hikethree
mileswhilebleeding.Carr
claimedin courtthat hewas
enragedbythe two women's
lesbianismandthat they
had"taunted"him by having
sex.Hisattorneyclaimed
that he hadbeenraped
previously
andthatthe
lesbianism
provoked
"inexplicablerage."Carrplead
downto lifewithoutparole.
Brennerwentonto writeEight
Bullets:OneWoman's
Storyof
Surviving
Anti-GayViolence.
Brandon
Teena:
Anyonewho's
seenBoysDon'tCryknows
aboutthe sad,senseless
killingof Brandon
Teena,but
thatdoesn'tmakethe story
anylessheart-wrenching.
Teenawasa 21-year-old
transmanwhohadadopteda
masculinepersonawhilestill
in highschool,andbegan
livingfull timeas a manwhen
he movedto FallsCity,Neb.
in 1993.Teenablossomed
in FallsCity,datingLana
Tisdel,andlivingat the home
of oneofTisdel'sfriends,
LisaLambert.Healsogotto
explorehis masculinityby
hangingwithTisdel'sformer
boyfriend,
JohnLotter,and
hisfriendTomNissen,both
ex-conswhoonceembraced
Teenabut laterturnedon him
uponlearningthat hewas
transgender.
OnChristmas
Eve,LotterandNissenraped
Teena,whoreportedthe
rapeto policewholost his
rapekit. WhenLotterand
Nissenlearnedof the report,
the two wentto Lambert's
solitaryfarm houseandkilled
Lambert,Teenaandfriend
PhillipDeVine-with most
of their brutalityfocusedon
Teena,who hadbeenshot
andstabbed.Bothmenwere
capturedandconvictedin
trialsthat attractedLGBT
activistsfromaroundthe
country.Nissentestifiedthat
Lotterwasthe gunman;he
receivedthreelife sentences.
Lotterwassentto death
rowfor the killings.In 2004,
Nissenrecantedhis statement,sayingthat he alone
wasthe gunman.
SakiaGunn:
AfricanAmericanNewJersey
teenagerSakiaGunncame
outwhenshewas 11,so it
waslittle surprisewhenshe
told a strangeronthe street
that sheandherfriendwere
lesbians.Gunn,an athlete
whodreamedof playing
for theWNBA,
wasat a bus
stopwith friendson May
11,2003,whentwo men
sexuallyharassedher.Oneof
the men,29-year-oldRichard
McCullough,
jumpedfrom
hiscar andattackedGunn's
friend.AsGunnandanother
girl,Valencia,
foughtback,he
turnedto Gunn,pulleda knife
andstabbedherin the chest.
ThemenfledandGunndied
laterthatday.McCullough
claimedhecalledGunna dyke
butthatsheactually"ran
into"hisknife.A professorat
Crimes continued on page 63
May 2010
I53
rful Lesbian ·Veterinarians
Where to take your loveable Fido or Fluffy. By Jamie Anderson
. Don't take Fluffy or Mr. Snake to just any
veterinarian-take
your beloved pet to a
sister. Here are some of the top queer women
vets in the U.S. Inspired by reality TV shows,
childhood pets and visits to the zoo, they
come from all walks of life. They work in
academia, for the government, at zoos and in
private practice, using conventional medicine,
acupuncture and kisses on the head. (Fluffy's
head, usually, but some of them practice
with their partners, so there's that kind of
kissing, too.) Even if you've got a cranky mare
with a toothache-or
a rhino in need of
insemination-we've got a doc for you.
JulieTeresa
Gamier,
Washington,
D.C.
ce the age of 5, it's been her dream to be
eterinarian. Dr. Garnier worked at Zoo
ta and the San Diego Zoo, specializing
xotics, zoo animals and wildlife medicine,
re moving to the D.C area to work with
small animals. She currently has a position
with the Food and Drug Administration,
although she continues to work as a relief vet at
severalpractices. In her spare time, she renovates
homes, travels internationally and spends time
with her partner, Charlene, their two kids and
their French bulldog. She's also on the board of
Rainbow Families D.C, an organization for
LGBT parents.
VandeWiele,
IndianaandMichigan
a relief vet, Dr. Vande Wiele treats cats,
d the occasional "pocket pet:' As a kid,
she wanted to be a sailor, but later changed
her mind, partly because neighbors took her
on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bronx
Zoo and the New York City Aquarium when
she was a young girl. There are many success
stories in her nearly 23 years of practice, but
the patient that is closest to her heart is Cindy,
the little· dog with chocolate brown eyes
who was hit by a car. Cindy endured several
surgeries, including the amputation of a
rear leg. The owner never returned, so Dr.
VandeWiele took her home. "For the next 13
years or so, she traveled with me everywhere
that she could come:' Sadly, Cindy passed away
recently, but she will always be remembered as
an inspiration to many people, their pets and
the vet who took her home ..
DianeDodin,Chicago,
Ill.
Like many of us, Dr. Dodin has al
animals. After watching surgic
with her dad, she realized that s
to
become a vet. One of her most challenging
patients was a dog with intestinal obstructions.
With the help of a colleague, she performed a
surgery that she had done only once before,
in vet school. After having a foot of intestine
removed, the pooch was soon back to his old
self In addition to treating cats and dogs at
Urban Veterinary Care, she volunteers at the
Red Door Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter.
i-Orcutt,Seattle,Wash.
will heal if they can-i~ spite of
es. My job is to help them if
d it, and to empower their humans
to un erstand what's going on, what their
choices are ... so they feel able to make a
choice:' Dr. Perotti-Orcutt currently runs a
hospital with her partner, Paige. 'Tm really
happy to have a profession that I can combine
with being a small-business owner. It's a huge
plus right now, as the mother of a young child.
Paige and I can make our own schedules ...
and still support our family. I love that we can
work together:' She loves her patients and
their owners, too. "I have amazing clients, and
I also have the good fortune to practice in one
of Seattle's lesbian meccas, so I get to talk to
many brilliant, gorgeous sisters every day:'
5
JanWalsh,GrandRapids,
Mich.
Dr. Walsh works at two differe
c1
and sometimes makes house cal
to perform acupuncture. One of her avorite
patients is a poodle who suffers from seizures
and receives a mixture of Western and Eastern
g
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54
Icurve
A Purrfect Career
medicine."This seven-pound dog was vicious,
twisting in all directions, screaming bloody
murder, when I first began to treat him. Now
he ... falls asleep on my lap during his treatments:• She has no plans to stop doing the
job she loves. "I want women to know that
it is never too late to ... pursue their passion.
T~ency years and I still enjoy what I do:'
KarynHarrell,ChapelHill,N.C.
Dr. Harrell works in an acad
g,
specializing in internal medicine.'
ery
involved with our patients and our c ients ...
often more than other medical professions:•
One of her favorite patients was a young
Great Dane who had swallowed a plastic toy.
His owners couldn't afford extensive surgery,
so it was Dr. Harrell's job to get it out with
an endoscope. Luckily, the procedure was
a success, considering euthanasia would have
been the only other answer. "I cannot even tell
you how happy I was to be able to loop the end
of our retrieval device around a little blue plastic
hand and pull that big plastic duck out!"
oto,NewYork,N.Y.
rimoto, who identifies as queer, stands
ets who are away.When asked what she
and hates about her job, she says, "The
f watching patients who first walked in
your door as a puppy or kitten grow up, but
also sadness when they reach the end of their
lives:' Because she's USDA accredited, she
helps clients prepare for international travel
with their pets. She is fluent in Japanese and
helps many Japanese nationals expedite the
export procedure and minimize the time their
pets spend in quarantine. She's also an active
member of LGVMA (the LGBT Veterinary
Medical Association) and the transgender and
gender nonconformist community in NYC.
KarenKowalski,
Cincinnati,
Ohio
After working as a trauma nurse,
decided she needed a change, so s
ck
to school to become a vet. She has now been
practicing for 22 years. She spends most of
. her days making house calls, treating cats and
dogs. "I have the best job in the world-I love
getting up and going to work. The people I
meet are awesome and so are my patients:'
NanSchaffer,
Chicago,
Ill.
If you happen to have a rhino, contact Dr.
Schaffer. She's a vet who specializes in the
reproductive problems of rhinos and is
As a cat veterinarian,
non-profitworkerandthe
co-authorof CrazyCatPeople,
out lesbianK. KellyJoneshas
alwayshada specialrelationshipwith animals.
"Asa child,I woulddrag
homeanyanimalI couldfind
andtry to nurseit backto
health,"shesays."I really
wantedto dosomething
that
hadmeaningandpurposeto it."
Butit washerparticularlove
of feline-kindthat ledto Jones'
collaboration,
with herbrother,
Skat,on Crazy.
Thebookis writtenfromthe
perspective
of catslivingin
the cat hospitalwhereJones
works.Thecharacters
are
basedon realcatsandtheir
storiesarelooselybasedon
realevents.Thebookincludes
whimsicalillustrationsby
CarlosSandoval
andevery
chapterincludespracticalvet
advicebyJones.
Foryoungwomenlooking
to enterthe male-dominated
veterinaryfield,Jones'advice
is clear:"Studyveryhard.It is
extremely
difficultto getinto
veterinaryschool.Youneedto
dosomething
that makesyou
standoutfromall theothers.
Alsodothingslikevolunteerat
a zooor shelter,or geta parttimejob workingat a veterinary
it comesto caringfor your
clinic.Thiswill demonstrate
to
themthatyouhaveaninterest favoritefeline?
"It wouldhaveto be
in animalsandarewillingto do
nutrition.Catsarecarnivores
entry-level
jobs."
Jonesherselfis nostranger andtheir bodiescannot
efficientlydigestor
to giving.Workingas
metabolize
things
a vet,sherealized
CIA&I'
like corn,beets,
that animalswere
CATNONI
soy,andwheat.So,
oftenleft behind
whenwe addthese
whenwomenleft
thingsto theirdiet,it
abusiverelationships,soshestarted
a non-profitcalled
Petsin Crisis-an
organization
that
providesrefugefor
petswhileabused
womenseekhelpin shelters.
"Studiesshowthata large
percentage
of womenwill
delayleavingor refuseto
leaveanabusivesituationif
theyhaveto leavetheirpet
behind,"shestates."Almost
all of the animalsthatwe have
caredforhavebeenabused.
It issadtoseehowtheyreact
tousinitially;
theydon'ttrust
[us]andtheyarenervous
and
oftengetsstoredas fat. I try
scared.
However,
it isamazing to encouragecat ownersto
toseehowtheyrespond
to us
readlabelsandselectfoodfor
aftera fewdaysofloveand
their cat that is highin meat
with
safety.
Theyhavesucha strong protein(notby-products),
veryfew fillers anda short
desireto loveandtobeloved
irrspiteofwhathashappened ingredientlist. Just because
totheminthepast."
foodis a name-brand,
doesn't
So,whatisJones'number meanit is goodfor yourcat."
[LisaGunther]
onepieceofadvicewhen
the founder and president
(sosrhino.org), a nonprofit t
ernationally to preserve the
species in their natural ha8
an
organization once offered to give
award
for being a notable lesbian and mentor, she
reacted with amusement. "Ha, right, that was
a laugh. I could see some young dyke going
to her mother and saying, 'I got it Mom, I
want to jack off rhinos when I grow up: Poor
thing-as if she wasn't confused already. They
gave the award to me anyway:'
LeniceMcCoyandBessDarrow,
Gainesville,
Fla.
Doctors McCoy and Darrow met at an L
Word party when both were at a vet school
in the Caribbean. McCoy now works at an
emergency clinic where she treats family
pets. What does she love best about her job?
"Kissing my patients on the head:'
If you think having a cavity is hard on you,
try dealing with a 1,200-pound animal that
can't tell you exactly what is bothering her.
That's what Dr. Darrow does on a regular
basis. Earlier jobs as a vet tech, horse trainer
and riding instructor led her to this career
as an equine vet. McCoy not only turned
out to become her life partner but also a
mentor. "She provided me much support
and inspiration ... it was all very unexpected
and romantic:' Darrow offers this
considering a similar career:
ver
give up your dream. If I had list
dao all
the naysayers along my path, I wo
where I am today:' ■
May 2010
I 55
REVIEWSMusic Watch
New Hits FromOld·favorites
Melissa, Sade and Shelby give us reason to sing. By Margaret Coble
Heartof My Own,Basia
Bulat{RoughTrade}:Basia
Bulat'ssophomore
release,
Heartof MyOwn,is anything
butordinary.
Thealbum's
moreupbeattracks,likethe
beautifully
escalating
"Gold
Rush,"layerBulat'shearty
vibratoona lushplatformof
complexyetwell-orchestrated
instrumentation,
whichlope
andgallopalong,at times
makingit seemasthoughthe
artistis beingaccostedby
a bandof streetperformers.
Otherstandouttracksbravely
offerupherunmistakable
voice,reminiscent
of fellow
Canadian
BuffySte.Marie.
Thetruecharmof the record
liesin its unpredictability
as
wellas it beingunusualand
refreshingly
notfront-loaded
withwould-behits.These
qualitiesmaycauseBulat
to findit a challenge
to get
widespread
U.S.airplay(as
compared
to Canada,
where
nationalcommunication
laws
requirethat35 percentof
musicairedeachweekbe
Canadian),
butit is certainly
notfor lackof listenability
or
talent.(basiabulat.com)
[AshGoddard]
56
Icurve
Though I generally use these pages to spotlight upand-comers on the music scene, sometimes it's worth
checking in with the veterans to see what they've been
up to. Melissa Etheridge, Sade and Shelby Lynne all
have new releases that prove they are still more than
relevant, even after all these years.
FearlessLove,MelissaEtheridge{Island}:In her 22year recording career, Etheridge has continually
hooked listeners with her raw passion and earnest
exploration of her emotions. And though there
have been a few of her albums over the years that
didn't exactly excite me (Skin, The Awakening), I'm
happy to say Fearless Love is one of her most solid
efforts since her brilliant, eponymous 1988 debut.
The relentlessly rocking 12-song set might easily be
classified as midlife reflections from the 48-year-old
dyke icon, bouncing between upbeat affirmations like
the soaring title track-a personal manifesto that
boldly declares "I want to live my life/Pursuing all
my happiness/I want a fearless love/I won't settle for
anything less"-and melancholy admissions about
loneliness (the midtempo rocker "Company"), love
(poignant ballad "Only Love") and life ("Gently We
Row"). "We Are The Ones" is a feel-good anthem
tinged with world-music instrumentation, while
"Miss California" is a politically charged statement
about California's Prop. 8 debacle and beauty queen
Carrie Prejean's vocal opposition to gay marriage.
My personal faves are "Indiana;' a sweet, uplifting ode
to heartland girls and their dreams, and the playful
"Nervous:' I could wish for a little less production gloss overall, but it's a pretty catchy set that
maintains Etheridge's place in the modern rock
pantheon. (melissaetheridge.com)
SoldierOf Love,Sade{Sony}:It's surprising to realize
Nigerian-born Brit Sade Adu and her band have
only released six studio albums in 25 years, but
this latest 10-song effort does not disappoint. The
exquisite, military-cadenced title track has been
nearly ubiquitous on radio, in clubs and elsewhere
for months, and with good reason; lyrically, it's the
resilient tale of a woman who has "lost the use of my
heart, but I'm still alive;' while musically it propels
Sade into the 21st century by embracing a soulful
but decidedly electronic sound. "Babyfather" is a
similarly electronic, reggae-tinged tale of fatherly
w
Cl
~
~
....I
~
~
g
Q+A
Martha Davis
New Wave star Martha Davis was the fierce
frontwoman of the Motels. Her husky voice,
passionate performances and heart-breaking
ly~icspropelled her to fame in the '70s and
kept various incarnations of the Motels on
Billboard's
Top Ten list with hits like "Only
the Lonely" and "Remember the Nights:'
While Davis has traded in the dark L.A.
club scene for rural Oregon, she's still writing
music, screaming about injustice and finding
new, queer meaning in her old songs-she
even performed at Dinah Shore this year.
everyone dropped acid. [Laughs] So, I went
to become an Air Force wife in Tampa,
Fla., which is really a culture shock from
Berkeley. It was one of the most horrifying
experiences of my life.
Howdidyoutransition
fromyourlifeasa
youngAirForcewifeto a NewWavestar?
All of a sudden this picture flashed in front
of my eyes-me on the base, 50 years old
with my hair in rollers, chocolates in one
hand and a beer in the next and fluffy slippers
on my feet. And I was like, Ahh!
Young
femalemusicians
areunderthemicroWhat'sit liketo besofarfromtheL.A.scene? scopeintermsoftheirbodiesandsexuality.
Well, the bottom line is that I am, and
Didyoufeelthatwhenyouwereyounger?
always have been, a tomboy. I am not a city
Well, they're not being watched. They're
dweller. I did my time in L.A. I made it out
being made. You know what, it doesn't have
alive, which was remarkable in itsel£ and I'm anything to do with being a woman in rock,
very much more at home here.
it has to do with whether you're any good or
Whatotherplacesinfluenced
yourmusic?
not. Don't separate me because of my gender.
A lot of my writing was coming from my
That's just doing me a great disservice.
home of Berkeley. I basically left when
Youhavea hugegayfollowing,
and"OnlyThe
00
i
:::i
love, while "The Moon and The Sky" is a
gorgeous slow-groove that layers smooth
R&B beats, orchestral instrumentation
and a few carefully inserted electronic
accents. The bulk of the disc is classic
Sade, though. Longtime fans will revel
in the timeless sumptuousness of Adu's
voice and the band's sophisticated sound.
(sade.com)
~
~ Tears,Lies& Alibis,ShelbyLynne(Everso):
()
ii. Alt-country iconoclast Shelby Lynne has
::J
:5 been making records since 1988, first in
Nashville country
scene and later as a singer-songwriter
~ exploring country, blues, pop and other
~ styles in the Americana spectrum. Her
G:j
latest release has her finally branching
~ out on her own record label and doing
0
~ things 100 percent her way. It's a sparse
~
g acoustic 10-song set that's beautiful and
ffi eclectic, from the perky opener "Rains
0
[ Came" to the moving ''.Alibi"as well as the
ffi sweetly sincere "Something To Be Said;'
X'.
~ which is, amusingly enough, a song about
~ airstream trailer~. It's an album that is,
z
~ well, just very Shelby. (shelbylynne.com)■
~ the slick mainstream
a
_J
Lonely"
hasbecome
a sortof gayanthem.Did
youanticipate
thatwhenyouwerewritingit?
No, because when I write songs I have no idea
why I'm writing them~And it wasn't until gay
Pride, when I was singing it and I just went,
Holy shit, this is about being gay. [Laughs] It's
not really,but it'sjust that feeling of alienation,
of wanting so badly to be able to be in a place
that is comforting. And when I thought about
it from that perspective I went, Holy Christ, I
get it. It does resonate.
ManyofyourMotelssongswereangst-ridden.
Areyouhappiernow?
I'm at a point in my life where I'm probably
the most happy. I'm feeling pretty feisty these
days. Yes,there's a dance in the old dame yet!
[Kristin
A.Smith]
,.
'
,:..
t \
~
.
.• t . ......
,
•
BetterThanChocolate TheCreatures
in The WhatToSay
JamieAnderson
Garden
OfLadyWalton DaphneWillis
(Tsunami)
TheClogs
(Vanguard)
(Brassland)
Remember
chill out
A regularcontributor
The22-year-old
music?Montreal
Thisintriguing
American Chicago
to curve, Anderson
singerand
DJslashproducer
andAustralian
quartet songwriter
hasbeena traveling
debutswith
MichaelSilveris still
mixesclassical,
indie
troubadour
forover20
thisfresh12-cutset
makingit, andhis
rockandfolkinto
years,servingupher
of spunkyyetsoulful
fluid 12-trackdebut
a unique,if slightly
quirkymixof humor
acousticfolk-pop
albumis filled with all andinsightto anyone
esoteric,
sound.From
withjazzyandbluesy
typesof mesmerizing who'lllisten.Thisfiveacapella
choralpieces undertones.The
funky
ci~ematicgroovessongEP,anauraltreat, to thealmostoperatic opener"Everybody
ambientatmospherics spansgenres,
fromjazz vocalperformance
Else"androusing"All
to
to 1980s-eraChicago ("January")
to acoustic of SharaWorden
I Know"standout
themorepensive,
houseandevena
pop("PublicRadio")
to
asfaves,alongwith
highlydanceable
folk (theheartwarming largelyinstrumental, thesentimental
"Jim
this 10-songcycleis
updateof Fleetwood "MyDadLovesto
Thornton,"
a tuneWillis
melodic,interesting,
yet wrotein memoryof
Mac's"Big Love."
Sing"),leavingthe
Getlost in its sounds. listenerwantingmore. challenging
listening. herlategrandfather.
(clogsmusic.com)
(myspace.
com/etc~ (jamieanderson.
com)
(daphnewillis.com)
Continent
CFCF
(PaperBag)
» CURVEMAG.COM
Logon andreadthe restof ourone-on-one
with MarthaDavis
May 2010
I57
REVIEWSIn The Stacks
Tracin Our Histor
Books that remind us of our roots and our community. By Rachel Pepper
Two University of California professors remind us of those who have
fought for the community, and take
a glance at our global lesbian· history.
A Volume
of Friendship:
TheLettersofEleanor
Roosevelt
andIsabella
Greenway
1904-1953,
Eds.
KristieMillerandRobert
H.McGinnis
{Arizona
Historical
Society):
First
LadyEleanor
Roosevelt
is
knownfor manythings:for
beinga second-wave
feminist
icon,for herhumanitarian
workin socialcauses(like
theUniversal
Declaration
of
HumanRights)
andfor her
rumored
lesbianromance.
Whilethiscollection
of
letters-writtenbetween
she
andherlife-longbestfriend
Isabella
Greenway-does
not
address
hersexuality,
we do
getto seea morepersonal
sideofthispioneering
woman.
Roosevelt
andGreenway
share
storiesoffamily,childbirth,
sorrowandtriumphs,
dating
fromtheirteensintooldage.
Amongtheseemingly
trivial
everyday
occurrences
there
areglimpses
intothepolitical
livestheyled-Roosevelt,
of course,asfirstladyand
perhaps
themostinfluential
member
of theU.N.'s
Commission
onHuman
Rights,andGreenway
as
Arizona's
first congresswoman.(arizonahistorical
society.org)
[LisaGunther]
58
I curve
a place where an innovative young generation
of queers found their artistic, cultural and
political voice. There was anger, but there
was also excitement, hope, solidarity, humor
and inspiration, the likes of which have not
MovingPolitics:
Emotion
and ACTUP's
been seen in such a frenzied combination
FightAgainstAIDS,Deborah8. Gould
since. Gould manages to capture all these
{University
of ChicagoPress):Deborah
emotions and more as she analyzes
Gould, currently an assistant professor
both its successes and its failures,
at the University of California, Santa
and recounts praise and criticism
Cruz, was an insider who participated
from both inside and outside the
in ACT UP's Chicago chapter, so she knows
gay community.
how it felt to be part of the movement. She
Even after having a phenomenal
deftly uses this experience in MovingPolitics,
impact on LGBT culture, ACT UP
the first in-depth, academic examination of
eventually lost its way, splitting into
ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash
several different factions; however, in
Power. Gould writes, ''A central argument
its demise it made way for other directof Moving Politicsis that emotional habits
action groups like Queer Nation, and
of lesbian and gay communities, and shifts therein,
helped usher in a new era of understanding
shaped both lesbian and gay attitudes about, as well about LGBT issues. Using extensive research drawn
as engagements in, distinctive forms of AIDS activism from LGBT press, interviews, artwork, primary
from the recorded beginning of the epidemic in 1981 source materials and her own archives. Moving Poltics
through the early-to-mid 1990s:•
is chock-full of great quotes, footnotes, graphics and
Thus, Gould not only covers ACT UP per se, but an index that reads like a Who's Who of early '90s
decades of LGBT political activism. A pivotal point in LGBT activism. This is an important, timely book,
this era was the Supreme Court's decision in Bowers not just on the history of ACT UP but about the
vs. Hardwick, in which the Court found that even emotions that helped create it, shape it and move the
in the privacy of their own homes, gay adults were LGBT movement forward.
denied the right to engage in all consensual sexual
A GlobalHistoryof LoveBetweenWomen,
activity. In comparing gay sex to "adultery, incest and Sapphistries:
Press):Sapphistries
other sexual crimes;' writes Gould, the Court enraged LeilaJ. Rupp{NewYorkUniversity
the LGBT community across the country, inciting is the rare kind of history book that a reader might
demonstrations and unleashing a spark that would pick up thinking of glancing at just a few pages-only
ignite the growing· anger about governmental inaction to discover a few hours later that she has effortlessly
on AIDS. That fury was already fermenting when breezed through the entire book. Although not the first
Larry Kramer gave his famous speech in the Gay and text to tackle same-sex attraction between women, this
Lesbian Community Center in March 1987. Thus was is a truly global examination of what women's intimate
born ACT UP, which changed the queer community
relationships have meant over time. Beginning in mythforever. From 1987 until the early '90s, ACT UP was ology, winding through the ancient worlds of Sappho
the most notorious LGBT groups in the country. and the Biblical era, then through colonial Mexico,
Asia, Islam, Europe and North America, this book is
Gould focuses on the organization's early development
in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, where an exhaustive examination of the very essence of what it
chapters formed earlier, were larger and had the most means to be a woman who desires other women. Leila
wide-ranging political effect. Not only was ACT UP J.Rupp, a professor at University of California, Santa
a protest group that eventually succeeded in many Barbara and the author of several other history books,
of its goals (which included changing how drugs are accomplishes this primarily through written accounts
tested and brought to market), it also functioned as (many, not surprisingly, written by men), literature,
a pre- Internet town hall, a social cruising ground and sacred texts and "actual cases, sensational stories, and
Q+A
ed~nfantasys
•
Jessica Dulong
For centuries, storytellers have been
using a journey down the river as a
metaphor. But in My River Chronicles:
RediscoveringAmerica on the Hudson,
Jessica DuLong goes.from living in the
virtual world of Web content development to working in· the engine room of a
fireboat on the Hudson River, mastering
an old technology that is as exacting as
it is physically exhausting.
As she goes through the process of
qualifying to become a fireboat engineerand learns what it takes to join the ranks
of women who work in non-traditional
occupations-she introduces us to many
of the unforgettable eccentrics she meets
on the Hudson.
Thebookseemsto bepartmemoir,
part
history.Howdoyoucharacterize
it?
My original idea came from a fascination
with the history, and with the people ...
who are just doing amazing things and are
living these lives that are largely untoldwhether it's the 19th century builders of
this canal that transformed American
industry ... or people on the river of today.
WereyououtwhenyouwereontheJohn
J. Harvey?Howaboutnow?
Yes, I'm certainly not closeted with
anyone on the boat. There's definitely
not a situation where people are closeted,
or there was none of that pressure, but
frankly ... one of the joys of working on
the boat is that the rest of life goes away.
Withworkingconditions
like130-degree
heatandbone-crushing
noises,
whatdrew
youto a jobontheboat?
z
g
~
~
scientific analyses;• making a compelling
narrative of how they all intersect "in a
complicated way to create different versions
of the modern 'lesbian: " She discusses cross
dressers, mystics, heretics, witches, schoolgirl
crushes, spinsters, cultures and peoples
through time, including the American Indian
hwame, Iraqi mustergil,Chinese zishu, Hindu
sadhini,African "mummy-baby" relationships
and Thai toms and dees. Rupp also covers
several important time periods in women's
sexual history, including those years in North
\
II Discover
Sex ~il~
~~
t
rl>--~
~Q;~
It's about the fine craftsmanship that is
so clear in every aspect of that engine
room. It's about the machinery. I just fell
completely in love with the equipment.
It is just such a complex system, and it is
such a unique boat and a unique engine
room. When I'm there it doesn't feel like I
should be any place else.
Tellmewhatroleyourfireboatplayedinthe
aftermath
of 9/11?
I came over from Brooklyn [and] the
first thing that I saw was this boat that
I loved actively pumping Hudson River
water through the deck's nozzles.The
Hudson River water was the only water
that was available on site for several
days after the collapse of the towers.
This boat, built in 1931, was still able to
perform the function that she was built
to perform-two
years after she was
sold at a scrap auction ... serving a really
crucial function in the hour of the city's
greatest need.
Whatdoyouwantreaders
totakeaway
fromthebook?
That we had something in this country, a
connection to our physical reality... that
we seem to be steering too far away from.
And I want to offer, through my own
personal hands-on experience, a taste of
the satisfaction of physical work-the
feeling of having spent the day taxing your
muscles and pushing your body to its
limits. [Katherine
Wright]
America and Europe when ideas about
"romantic friendship" changed, crossing over
into something that was more likely to be
thought of as "a diagnosis of inversion and
mental illness:•
This book is at its best when it focuses
on time periods less familiar to readers;
other books can recount the modern years
of LGBT history. The extensive reference
section lends credibility to the idea of a global
lesbian history, even during ancient times, as
a subject deserving serious scholarship. ■
FunShopping
withFriends
•l/
-1_
Reviews: real opinions
from real people
X·
\ r,
~,
Connect to toy
makers: Edenlink
Sexis magazine:
discover your own is
Fun to follow:
EdenCafe blog
Speak up:
forums and polls
Get personal:
interviews
www.edenfantasys.com
(800) 350-9050 Mon-Fr 8 am-4 pm ET
@
edenfantasys
facebook@ edenfantasys
•
REVIEWSSapphic Screen
Q+A
Madeline Davis
Madeline Davis, 70, is an activist and a
founding member of HAG Theatre, an all,
lesbian theater company in New York state.
Throughout her life, she's participated in her
fair share of Pride parades, demonstrations
and protests, but in order to really grasp the
impact she has had on LGBT rights, watch
her journey in last year's hit documentary,
Swimming with Lesbians. The film chron,
ides how activists in Buffalo, N.Y., led by
Davis, worked to create an LGBT historic
archive. The
film provides a
raw look into
the LGBT
movement in
Western New
York and it's an engaging, heartwarming
and gritty account of the people who fought
to preserve the legacy of their local LGBT
community.
Whydidyouchoose
thename-Swimming
withLesbians?
Lesbians come in all different shapes, colors,
cultures, ages and sizes. We are the most
fortunate of genders, because we allow each
other to be as we are, even in a swimsuit.
Whatis therriainmessage
ofthefilm?
Without preserving the memories of the
people who have come before us, our history
just goes up in smoke. Though the film is
Whatdoyouhopepeopletakefromthisfilm?
about the people and stories of Buffalo, it
I have the same hope as [director] David
represents every midsize, working,class city
[Marshall] did when he aspired to make the
in the country.
movie, and that is that people will under,
Howhasthemoviebeenreceived?
stand how vitally important it is to not let
It received a standing ovation at a film
LGBT history disappear.
festival in Seattle as well as in Buffalo, and
Whyis preserving
LGBThistorysoimportant? it won an award for best filmmaker at a film
Elton and Ellen are landmark people who
festival in Rochester, N.Y. When watching
have done landmark things, but they are not
the film, people begin to realize that LGBT
Adam and Eve. People came before them
history didn't just happen on the coasts of
and did some extraordinary things to get us
New York City and San Francisco. [Lyndsey
to where we are today.
D'Arcangelo]
I
~!
I
Q
(f)
()
cii
~
()
Oh, Julianne!
• Julianne Moore is heating up
the screen this year in not one,
but two lesbian-themed films. In
Chloe, a moody and suspenseful
drama by Atom Egoyan, Moore
StillWeRide
A FamilyIs a Family Lucha
BigLove:
TheComplete
has a sizzling onscreen love scene
(InTandem
(MBreauxsia
Films)
Is a Family:
A Rosie
ThirdSeason
with co-star Amanda Seyfried,
Productions)
(HBO)
O'Donnell
Celebration
and in The Kids Are All Right, a
Setamidstthe back(HBO)
film
by brilliant lesbian director
dr~pof theSalvadorian Lifegetsevenmore
Whileonly38 minutes
Lisa
Cholodenko, Moore plays a
long,thisdocumentary Toldthroughnarration CivilWar,thisshorttells complicated
for
lesbian
mother raising her children
thestoryof Luchaand ourfavecloseted
fullychronicles
the
bythe cutestgroupof
with her partner, played by Annette
Isabella,
two
lovers
showdown
between
kidsyoucanimagine,
polygamist
family,the
Bening. [LisaGunther]
whomustdecideif
NewYorkCitypolice
thistouchingTVdoc
Hendricksons,
asthey
loveof countryis more embarkintonewterriandthecity'sCritical remindsviewersthat
powerfulthantheirlove tory,openinga casino
Massbikeridersin
theonlythingthat
2004,rightbeforethe
definesa familyis love. for eachother.Though andaddinga fourth
it's a mere15-minutes wife.ChloeSevigny
startof theRepublican It'sfilledwith candid
long,Luchadraws
NationalConvention. andpersonalstories,
shinesastroubled
Whatwassupposed
to includingO'Donnell's theviewerin to its
secondwifeNicki,
politcally-charged
bea routinemonthly ownfamilyandsplit
struggling
withfidelity.
lovestorymakingthis Plottwistsabound
ride,turnedintooneof from"MommyKelli."
Spanish(withEnglish in thissubversive,
thecity'slargestmass Perfectto cuddleup
subtitles)an intimate highlyaddictive
arrestsin history.(still- andwatchwith your
series.
weridethemovie.
com) ownfamily.(homebox- andbeautifulmust-see. (homeboxoffice.
com)
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Tech Girl REVIEWS
Stamping out the Evil
•KarenDyeron gam~s, music and burlesqueon stilts. By Danielle Riendeau
If you're a video game fan, chances are you've heard
Karen Dyer-even if you haven't heard of her. Dyer
is the woman behind both the voice-acting and
morion capture of ResidentEvil S's female lead, Sheva
Alomar. While she may be best known for virtual
zombie slaying, Dyer is a woman of many talents,
dabbling in everything from stunt work to circus
performance. Dyer is a daredevil performer with one
of the most eclectic-and exciting-careers around.
Before Dyer landed the gig as Sheva, she
had already made a name for herself in the music
industry, theater, circus arts and burlesque as the
flirtatious Eva La Dare. It was these connections
that led to the chance to play a high-profile video
game character-adding
"zombie-blasting badass"
to her already-impressive resume. ''I've been an
entertainer all my life;' Dyer explains. "I think as a
kid, I was quite a tomboy, very athletic and I liked
to be dared to do things. Whenever someone
presented a challenge, I rose to the occasion, because
I just wanted to see if I could do it:'
Resident Evil is a "survival horror" game franchise
in which players battle the living dead-the result
of either a viral outbreak or parasites-and the evil
Umbrella Corporation, the villains behind the chaos.
ResidentEvil 5 introduces Sheva, an African anti-bioterrorism agent, who fights alongside series regular
_ Chris Redfield against a new threat that's emerged
in Africa.
Ir is customary with high-profile, blockbuster
games, for the casting process to be shrouded in
secrecy, and Resident Evil 5 was no exception. "For
the longest time, I didn't know what the project was,
so I was kind of in the dark for about a month. They
would bring me in to test-there was a green screen
test, and I would do some stunt work, I would do
some acting, then they had me train with pistols,
rifles. I had to get certified in both. Then, when we
got into a regular shooting schedule, I finally got the
. script and saw what I was working on-and then
realized 'Oh, this is Resident Evil s; " she laughs.
"Until then, it was like this secret mission I wasn't
allowed to know anything about:'
~
For Dyer, helping to create the game was a blast,
z
g even with the limitations of working on a green
3w screen set, where performers don motion capture
~ suits and act out the scenes in a huge empty room.
()
::E Multiple cameras record the movement of small
f
A GATHERING
STORM
dots placed on the suit -and the actor's body and
computers turn that into an animation that a CGI
character mimics. Dyer was up to the challenge.'
"More has to depend on your imagination, which
I think is very freeing. It's like playing on a huge
playground-it was so much fun. Ir was like going to
play. It never felt like work:'
Right now, Dyer is focusing on launching her
music career as Eva La Dare, with performance and
music video ideas astir. "What's great about playing
around with an alter ego is that I have permission
to do anything;'she laughs. "I can always blame it on
her! The creativity just gets opened up, because Eva
has kind of been my outlet for thac:•
Dyer, who frequently performs in stilts, gave a
few hints about what to expect next from her live
shows and music videos. "I like to push the envelope
with costumes and props and ideas;' she says wryly,
speaking of Cirque-inspired spectacle and one very
enticing costume that involves "fire nipples:' Dyer
says that thanks to performers like Pink and Lady
Gaga, people are ready for wild women performances.
"People are embracing the idea of doing these outrageous feats. I think the door is wide open now:• ■
Fromits openingframes,
QuanticDream'sHeavyRain
for PlayStation
3 is both
cinematicandgrippinga film noirthrillerthat pulls
influencesfromfilms like
TheMalteseFalcon,Rear
WindowandSeven.Youplay
asfour unrelatedcharacters
(oneof whomis Madison
Paige,a sexysoft butch
photographer
whoridesa
motorcycle
andis as boldly
gutsyas sheis cleverand
foxy).All areon the hunt
for the OrigamiKiller-so
namedfor his penchantfor
leavingorigamifiguresin
the handsof his victims.
Boththe storyandthe
atmosphere
are dark,the
fight scenesare spinetinglingandthe plottwists
areshocking.Thegame
controls,whichrelyas much
on quickthinkingandyour
moralcompassas theydo
on speedyreflexes,make
this gamenovicefriendly.
Youdecidethe courseof
the adventurethroughboth
actionscenesanddialog
options.
However,
all decisions
haveconsequences.
In some
casesthosechoicesmay
provefatal,andthereare no
do-overs;oncedispatched,
the characteris gonefor
the durationof the game.
Riveting
andheart-wrenching,
HeavyRainis a uniqueand
spellbinding
whodunitgame
that hasto be experienced.
($60,gamestop.com)
[RachelShatto]
May 2010
I61
Tomboy Takeover continued from page 34
Top Picks continued from page 43
After her win, the queer blogosphere lit up
in delight. 'Tm so proud to be a Finn!" posted
Koo87 on the commentary site Afterellen.
com. "This feels almost as good as when Katja
Nyberg won OL,gold medal in handball last
fall;' wrote Cozy2.
After spending the spring skateboarding
between casting calls in Milan, Italy,
Grundfeldt settled back down in Helsinki in
time for Finland's Pride.celebration. Her new
celebrity status meant that she got to crown
the 2009 Mr. and Ms. Gay Finland.
"It was kind of love at first sight;' says Jari
Leskinen, Grundfeldt's new agent at Paparazzi
Model Management. "When I first saw her,
with her boyish skateboarding look and boy's
underwear, I knew it would be a challenge.
But her unique look, combined with a lovely
personality, great body and amazing face,
was a challenge I knew we had to take:' And
she's not the only queer girl represented by
Papparazzi: The agency also manages Monna
Kosonen, who's been featured in magazines
such as Numero, Loffiel and Russian Vogue.
The twentysomething's quick laugh and
spark come across in the media spots she's
done, whether it's teaching Radio Wave host
Olga K to skate on TV, or skydiving for the
first time alongside 70 other women from
around the world in an event called Pimp My
Fly. The 4000,meter drop took place in the
southern town of Hanko, Finland.
Grundfeldt was picked for a Cosmopolitan
cover shoot, another perk of winning the
competition, and is also a new Max Factor
spokesperson. "My brother is probably gonna
be a model too;' she says of Kalle, who she
lives with.'Tm sure you're going to see him on
the catwalks in New York!" ■
MINICOOPER
•
Ranked among the most affordable small
cars, the sexy and ubiquitous little Cooper
gets 37 mpg and starts at under $20,000.
Super maneuverable (its handling dynamics
were designed by engineers at their parent
company, BMW) and way more spacious
than it looks, the Mini Cooper is the perfect
urban auto. Don't expect to lug around a lot
of stuff though. Prices start at $19,000.
Our Family Ties continued from page 49
I met this guy, and here's the truth, I was
thinking, Eew, who is this guy? He's such a
creep. Everything about him felt sleazy until I
r~:tlized, Oh, he likes me, and that turned my
head. So I went with him. Why that hadn't
happened with a woman, I don't know. What
lies I had to tell myself to be in that relation,
ship. I thought he was sober but he was not,
•and he took so many painkillers. I saw it but I .
was too busy lying to mysel£
Whatwasyourfirstbiggayeventaftercoming
MAZDA
MX-5MIATA
e
out?
Named the most afford,
Oh, I guess the HRC dinner coming up (ed.
able sports car of 2010
note: Baxter made an impassioned speech
by U.S. News, the "quick,
at the Raleigh, North Carolina event in
agile, great on gas and
February]. There hasn't been anything yet,
reliable too" car looks cute and sporty, only but before I went public, Nancy took me to
costs $22,000 and up and will get 28 mpg. But The (LGBT] Center Dinner. And I had been
the caveat: some experts say it's not kid safe.
to The Dinah once-Mariah Hanson took
good care of us. She tiptoed me into events
TRAILMANOR
TRAVEL
TRAILER
and made sure we didn't get seen. I felt I was
The lightest, easiest,towing travel trailers taken very good care of. I felt it on the Sweet
on the market-the
folding travel trailer is cruise as well. People had opportunities to
half the weight of other travel trailers-and
take advantage, I guess, but no one ever did.
studies show it takes only one extra gallon of After the cruise, I spoke with my manager
gas to tow a 30,foot Trail Manor 100 miles. about maybe planting a little article saying I
Their Elkmont is a 24,ft upright that weights was gay. I guess I felt it was-who the fuck's
only 1,500 pounds and can be towed with business is it, anyway-but I felt I had to, just
smaller vehicles like the Subaru Forester. For to be responsible.
$24,000 you get some of the highest resales Let'saskfunstuff.What'syourfayoriteTV
on the market. ■
show?
I don't have one. I don't watch TV. Oh, Big
*All MPG are based on highway ratings
Love. Oh wait, oh yes, the lovely Rachel
Maddow. I watched her one night where
they showed her from the side, and she was ffi
in her jacket and standard shell and then, if fil.
you looked below, she was wearingjeans and 6
~
sneakers. I yelled out, "Oh, this is so cool!"
~
What'sonyouriPod?
~
Oh, you don't want to know-Bread, Loving ~
Spoonful, the Mamas and the Papas, '60s ~
T-straps($90,shoes.com);
roomfragranceby
Style Buyers Guide
music. When Nancy was at the gym and she ~
s
RoyalPurple(motorcyclelube.com)
~
Pg.28:Italiansuit($750),shirt($125),
didn't have her iPod and I offered her mine, ~
Pg.38:PBRmodel:brassandglassnecklaceby
tie ($65),all fromCollierin Portland,
Ore.503she took it and she had to give it back. She ~
Draugsvold
($225,draugsvoldjewelry.com);
vintage
224-5473or e-mailcollierpdx@comcast.net.
plaidshirtby FIVEBROTHER
($26,sackstore.com);
said, "I cannot listen to this and work out:' ~
Pg.29:Aviatormodel:suit,shirt($90)and
brassskullnecklacebyTomokolgarashi(prices
a:
u.
[Laughs]
u.
patternedmettalictie ($149)all fromCollier
vary,tomokoigarashi.com);
fragranceBVLGARI
~
(collierpdx@comcast.net).
Buttondown:ThreeWhatareyoufavoritejeans?
Black($50,bulgari.com);
vintageboots(stylist's
-;t
piecesuit($1,625),shirt($90)andtie ($149)all
own);earrings,navytrousers(model'sown).
I like these ones [Baxter turns, tries to read ~
fromDuchess.
Accessories
aremodels'own.
Plymouth
model:Frangrance
CommedesGarcons
her butt]. Oh! Citizens of Humanity. I will
2 "Glitter"($95,beautyhabit.com);
vintageearrings
J:
Pg.36:Motomodel:customvestby StellaZotis
sav,
these.
a.
(stylists
own).
/'
~
(pricesvary,stellazotis.wordpress.com);
necklace
What'syourfavoritewatch?
<D
byJetrophelia
(pricesvary,jetrophelia.com);
Levi's
501CutOffShorts($34andup,us.levis.com);
I love my Swiss Army that my son Peter gave J:
a.
AngleBangle-BlackbyAlexisBittar($50,alexis<D
tome.
a:
bittar.com
or polyvore.com);
PyramidCufffrom
UJ
That'skindof lesbian.
TrashandVaudeville
(pricesvary,212-982-3590);
zUJ
C!J
SteveMadden
Women'sFiesstaa
suedepeeptoe
And I've had it for years.
z
~
Well,let'sall enjoytheironyofthat.■
ee
Cf)
!
5
Cl)
Cf)
62
Icurve
Crimes continued from page 53
I
five people.(Anotherbomb
TheCollegeof N.J.,Kim
wasfoundby policeand
Pearson,did a media
removed.)
Themostserianalysisof the number
ouslyinjuredwomanwas
of storieson the murders
MemrieWells-Cresswell,
of MatthewShepardvs.
SakiaGunn.Pearsonfound whosebrachia!arterywas
severedby a four-inchnail
that in the two months
in herarm.Priorto the
after Shepard'sdeath,
bombing,Wells-Cresswell
therewere507stories
hadtold few peopleshe
on Shepard.In the two
monthsafter Gunn'sdeath, wasgay,but asthe mayor
shefoundonlyeleven
announced
heras a victim
aboutGunn.Filmmaker
of the bombing,essentially
ChasBrackdirectedand
outingher,shelostherjob.
produceda documentary, Thebomber,EricRudolph,
DreamsDeferred:The
fledto the mountains.
After
SakiaGunnFilmProject
hisarrest,heapologized
to
in an effort to get her
the victimsof his Olympic
storyout.
bombingbut notthose
at the Otherside
or of a
women'shealthclinicin
MemrieWells-Cresswell:
Thememoryof the Olympic Ala.he hadalsobombed.In
bomberstill loomsover
his post-arreststatement
theAmericanpsychebut
hesaid,"Theattackitself
little is mentionedof the
wasmeantto senda powfact that hefirst set his
erfulmessageof protest
targetsonthe lesbianto Washington's
continued
toleranceand·supportfor
ownedOthersideLoungein
political
Atlanta.Ownedby p~rtners the homosexual
of 20 years,Beverly
agenda."Rudolphreceived
McMahonandDanaFord,
two life sentences,
andat
the Otherside
wasa popular hisarraignment,
Wellslesbianclubwith a large
Cresswell,
spokedirectly
AfricanAmericanpopulato him,saying,"I am here
tion. OnFeb.21,1997,a
to tell youpersonally
today
bombexploded,injuring
that youdidn'tkill me."
make your Africandreamscometrue.
I o II
t. 1c t u ',
.t t
1
7 () I
11, 7 • l I,
.i1nlJ"\/J,,1f.111,
11, u 1
11ifo
wtld1
( Cllll
•v,vw
,:✓1ld1.1111IH>"t',.1t.111•, to11,
LisaCraig:In 2003,a July
4th celebration
turned
dangerous
for 35-yearold
BostonlesbianLisaCraig
whensheandherpartner
DebbieRileytooktheir
daughters
to the Boston
Piersto watchfireworks.
Craigcomplained
whenan
intoxicated
teenagerurinatedin frontof theirkids.A
packof teensbeganyelling
~nti-gayslurs,followingthe
familythroughthe parkto
tauntthem.Later,at an ice
creamtruck,a teenagegirl
punchedCraig,whofell,and
theothersjoinedin, kicking
andpunchingher,andone
rammedCraig'sheadinto
thesidewalkrepeatedly,
as
theirfrighteneddaughters
screamed,
"Don'tdie,
mommy."
At the hospital,
Craighadto survivetwo
operations
to stopthe
bleedingin herskull.A 15yearoldgirl,AnitaSantiago,
waschargedwith assault
andbatterybut nota hate
crime,prosecutors
saidthey
couldn'tproveshemade
anti-gayslurs.Shereceived
oneyearof probationand
hadto payCraiga mere$65
a monthduringthatyear.•
Earlierthat year,Simangele
Nhlapoand16-year-old
MadoeMafubeduwere
rapedandmurdered.
And
in 2006,teenagerZoliswa
Nkonyanawas
wasclubbed
andkickedto deathby 20
menfor beingopenlygay,
whilesoccerplayerEudy
Simelanewasalsoraped
andkilled.Accordingto
an interviewwith lesbian
activistZaneleMuholiin
SizakeleSigasaand
the Herald-Scotland,
many
SalomeMasooa:Oneof
the mostdistressingthings whiteSouthAfricanslive
openlyandsafelyin lesbian
aboutSouthAfricais that
relationships,
but "it is
despitehavingoneof
beingbothblackandgay
the world'smostliberal
which is problematic.I
constitutions-withfull
LGBTequalrightsandlegal haverecorded50 rape
cases,datingback 1O
same-sexmarriage-it is
years,involvingblack
still a hotbedfor crimes
againstlesbians,especially lesbiansin townships.
Themenwho perpetrate
in the blacktownships.In
suchcrimessee rape
2007,a Sowetolesbian
as curativeandas an
activist,SizakeleSigasa,
34,andherpartner,Salome attemptto showwomen
their placein society."
Masooa,
wereraped,
Th·eJointWorkingGroup,
torturedandmurdered.
the umbrellaorganization
Sigasa,23,wasshotsix
for SouthAfrica'sgay and
timesandherhandsand
lesbianassociations,said
feetwereboundwith her
the murderswere part of a
ownclothing;herpartner
growingepidemicof hate
wasshotin the backof the
crimes.[DianeAndersonhead.Bothof theirdeaths
Minshall]
wereexecutionstyle.
Fertility and life is the rose. the sublime blossom,
the womb from which all enter the world.
Embrace your magnificent feminine self.
Enjoy family.
Eajoy life.
www.femtnineprlnctples.com
May 2010
I63
IN 2008,. Maryland residents Morgan and Rae MenesesSheets married in front of 140 of their friends and family, and
they made it "official"in September 2009 when they traveled
to Vermont to obtain a marriage license. As of February 24,
Maryland recognizes same-sex marriages from out-of-state,
but the federal government (through the Defense of Marriage
Act) still does not legally recognize their union. However, that
same federal government is now giving them a choice as to
how to fillout the 2010 census forms.
For the first time in the 230-year history of the United
States Census, same-sex couples can mark "husband and
wife" or "unmarried partners" regardless of their legal marital
status. Unlike the past, the raw data will not be re-coded by
changing either the sex of one partner, even if they choose
Forthe husband and wife, or changing the status from married to
firsttime unmarried, according to Tim Olson, Assistant Division Chief,
inthe... Field Division, U.S. Census Bureau.
historyof The Meneses-Sheets both agree that they will check the
theUnited "husband and wife" category. Morgan, who is Executive
Director of Equality Maryland, the state's LGBT civil rights
States organization, says, "Even though we do not have the equal
Census,legal protections, we consider ourselves-and our families and
same-sexfri~nds see us-as married:'
couples The census is not a sampling of the population, but an
canmark actual count of citizens and non-citizens. Since the 1790
"husband
andwife"or
"unmalTied
. partners"
regardless
oftheir
legal
marital
status.
64
Icurve
Census Act, citizens are required by law to parttetpate,
and the Bureau is prohibited from sharing any individual's
specific information with other government agencies and
private entities. Census data is necessary and invaluable as
it is used to apportion c~ngressional seats and help allocate
approximately $400 billion in federal funds each year.
Olson stresses how important having an accurate count
of same sex couples, both married and unmarried partners,
will be to the LGBT community. At all geographic levels,
LGBT organizations can rely on the information for funding,
advocacy,service needs and representation. Community groups
that provide services such as housing, health care or legal representation to the LGBT community can use this data to validate
grant applications, according to Olson. In 2012, the census will
publish a special report on same-sex couples for the first time,
based on the 2010 data.
With all of the confusion surrounding the current status of
marriage equality for same-sex couples, both Morgan and Rae
doubt that many in the LGBT community will understand
how to fill out what the Census Bureau considers the simplest
form to date. Morgan believes, "Without marriage equality,
many of us are put in a position of swallowing our pride and
marking 'single' on all kinds of forms. Because of these contradictions, many LGBT people will not even know that they have
the option to mark what most closely matches them. We are
just so used to not having that choice:'
Rae, a speech pathologist, does admit that the country is
moving in the right direction, and there is hope reflected in the
census change. "I think it could be accurate ... there is still a long
way to go in terms of the LGBT community. As it takes ~ur
country time to acknowledge differences. Perhaps in the 2020
Census we'll see a more accurate picture;' she states.
Toni Broaddus, Executive Director of Equality Federation,
the national alliance of state LGBT equality groups, is more
optimistic."The census can help make LGBT people visible to
the public and to our government ... because we will still have
the most authoritative demographic snapshot of the LGBT
community we have ever had. We will see same-sex couples of
all races and all ages living in every part of our country. We will
know how many are raising childr~n. Same-sex couples should
report whether they are married or unmarried partners.
T ransgender people should check off the sex they most closely
identify with, because the only options in 2010 will be male or
female. Multi-racial families should consider who they want to
list as "Person 1;•because some census statistics will categorize
families by the race of the first person on the form. The most
important thing is that every LGBT American should stand
up and be counted by completing and returning the form:' ■
For more information on the 2010 Census as it relates to the
LGBT community, visit ourfamiliescount.org.
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