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Description
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ToC: Special 20th Anniversary Issue: First Ever Curve Awards (p22); Our Very Own Tee Party by Lisa Gunther (p28); The Queens of New Queer Cinema by Tanya Hammidi (p32); Setting Sail by Diane Anderson-Minshall (p35); Fighting the Good Fight by Nicole Vermeer (p36); Turning the Camera Around by Rachel Shatto (p37); Robin Tyler's Political Stage by Laurie K. Schenden (p38); Best of the Fests by Jamie Anderson (p39); Ahead of the Pack by Anna Belle Peterson (p40); By the Numbers by Anna Belle Peterson and Nicole Vermeer (p41); Do You Remember When? by Kristin A. Smith (p42); She's Still the One by Jacob Anderson-Minshall (p44). Cover Photos by Lester Cohen (Melissa), Andrew Eccles (Ellen), Don Solo (Jane), Virgina Sherwood (Rachel).
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Anniversary Issue
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issue
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8
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Date Issued
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October 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_No8_0ctober-2010_0CR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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Impressionism i'sthe second most inJluential movement this paintin9 was part of
A TOLERANT WORLD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. But we're getting there. At Progressive,we/
believe in respecting all people and finding beauty in their differences. It's just one way we live
up to our name. To learn more about our Works in Progressinitiative, visit progressive.com/lgbt.
Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. and its affiliates, Mayfield Viflage, OH. 10D00056 (06/10)
PROGR£,f,IJV£•
BRI06ESTORE
--
CONGRATULATIONS
ON YOUR 20rn!
Fordriverswho want to get the mostout of theircars,
IT'SBRIDGESTONE
ORNOTHING.
POT'ENZA
bridgestonetire.com1-800-807-9555
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PASSION
for EXCELLENCE
Features OCTOBER
2010
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22
28
First Ever Curve Awards
In honor of our 20th Anniversary, we present
the Curveys! We asked experts and everyday
lesbians to vote on the queer women who
have most impacted our community.
Our Very Own Tee Party .
Lesbian models showcase their gay agenda
on these political T-shirts. By Lisa Gunther
32
The Queens of New Queer Cinema
35
Setting Sail
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Cheryl Dunye and the Parliament Film
Collective. By Tanya Hammidi
From records to travel, a look at how Olivia
started a lesbian industrial revolution.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
Fighting the Good Fight
Kate Kendell is at the helm, steering us toward
more LGBT victories. By Nicole Vermeer
Turning the Camera Around
The lesbian film studio and nonprofit
POWER UP celebrates its 10th anniversary.
By Rachel Shatto
Robin Tyler's Political Stage
Is the comic turned activist our gay
poster child? By Laurie K. Sc~enden
Best of the Fests
Womyn's music festivals over the years.
By Jamie Anderson
Ahead of the Pack
The women behind the successful Sapphic film
distribution company Wolfe Video. By Anna
Belle Peterson
By the Numbers
Find out how many times we mentioned
Lindsay Lohan or had a man on our cover.
By Anna Belle Peterson and Nicole Vermeer
Do You Remember When?
We look back on two decades of shocking,
scandalous and funny moments at the mag.
By Kristin A. Smith
44
She's Still the One
After more than two decades, Melissa
Etheridge is still singing the soundtrack to our
lives. In this intimate interview, she talks love,
loss and why she still gets bras thrown on her
stage. By Jacob Anderson-Minshall
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COVERPHOTOS
BY LESTERCOHEN(MELISSA),ANDREWECCLES
(ELLEN),DONSOLO(JANE),VIRGINASHERWOOD
(RACHEL)
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21
curve
Departments OCTOBER
2010
IN EVERY ISSUE
6
10
12
FEATURES CONTINUED
48
Lesbian Cover Girls
See which celesbians have been on our
cover over the last two decades.
56
Where Are They Now?
50
Those We've Lost
40
40
A look at our staff-then
and now.
From Del Martin to Susan Sontag, Victoria
Brownworth pays tribute to powerful
lesbians who have passed on.
14
16
18
20
52
Closed for Business
Why are all the dyke bars shutting down?
Best and Worst Lez Decisions
From Tila Tequila to Internet dating to
Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Plus, is gay
marriage on the worst list?
58
64
Frankly Speaking
Letters
Curvatures
Digging through the gay archives.
Plus, a special 20 years of Gaydar.
Lipstick & Dipstick
AstroGrrl
Dyke Drama
Michelle Fisher looks back on 20 years of
her relationship "advice" and bad decisions.
Politics
Still fighting-what
along the way.
we've won and lost
Scene
Our favorite pies throughout the years,
including The Butchies, Phranc and The
Indigo Gir.ls... as baby dykes!
She Said
Twenty years of lesbian quotes. See what
k.d. lang told Tipper Gore and which lady
was felt up by Betty White ... and loved it.
This is What a Lesbian Looks Like
Writer, critic and activist Jewelle Gomez.
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FRANKLY
SPEAKING
Happy Anniversary!
I can't believe we are celebrating our 20th anniversary-what a milestone! When I think back
20 years ago, I was just a 22 year-ol5i baby dyke
with grand ideas (and bad parachute pants).
There are so many memories from those early
days, the struggles and the sleepless nights and
having everyone even remotely affiliated with
the magazine traipse through my tiny apartment
at all hours of the day and night (regardless of
whether or not I was sleeping). There were
Prides and parties and those endless crosscountry caravan trips to sell the magazine to every lesbian who even glanced
our way. But really the memory that most endures of that year is a simple
one: The band Snap! was all over the radio with their smash electronic pop
song "The Power:' Late nights during deadline, we were all so tired and giddy
we would dance around my little living room-turned-pseudo-office singing,
''I've got the power!" In the pre-Red Bull era, that song may have gotten us
through all those late nights-after all, we all had day jobs to get back to in
the morning.
A lot has changed since then-we have a real office and a paid full-time staff.
But, surprisingly, a great deal remains the same, including the drive to bring
you the best independently-owned voice of real lesbians. But honestly, there are
so many folks I want to thank. If I printed all the names of the people who've
helped, it would fillup this entire issue. And I want to thank you, too. I looked
at our subscriber list today, and realized how very many of you were here from
that first year, too. We probably have more subscribers who've been with us for
10 or 15 or 20 years than any other women's magazine!
The biggest battle of this issue wasn't our first-ever Curve Awards (see
pg. 22). Nope, it was over who to put on the cover of our most monumental
issue. We first considered just using a big 2-0, because how could just one
person accurately represent the culmination of 20 years? But after much
debate we decided to choose five women who are some of the most influential
and recognizable lesbians today. We asked all five to speak with us, and with
busy schedules and TV and book deals and European assignments, most of
them couldn't find the time. (Rachel Maddow, we're not forgetting you said
you'll call us soon!)
But Melissa Etheridge, who I think is one of our community's greatest all-time
heroes, did. Melissa was living her life openly and honestly by coming out when
it wasn't cool to do so. She was the first lesbian celebrity to ever grant us an interview (way back in the early'90s), so we were thrilled when she came through for
us again at our 20th anniversary. In this issue, she talks frankly about 20 years of
lesbian history, ruminating too on her battle with cancer, her very public relationships and her strong advocacy for the environment. Oh, and her music.
Regardless of her lyrics though, Melissa is not an island, none of us are,
and she lives in the same culture that our other cover women do. As much as I
love Melissa, without the indelible mark each of those five women have made
on our world, we-the lesbian nation-would.n't be where we are today. And
that's a lot cooler (and sexier) than a giant 2-0.
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
OCTOBER 2010
LESBIAN
MAGAZINE
. I VOLUME 20 NUMBER 8
Publisher and Founder Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Diane Anderson-Minshall
Managing Editor Kristin A. Smith
Associate 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, Liska Koenig, Anna Belle Peterson,
Eleni Stephanides, Nicole Vermeer
r
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Flo Enriquez
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
Marketing Assistant Xania Giolli
ART/PRODUCTION
Art Director Stefanie Liang
Photo Editor Hayley McMillen
Production Manager Ondine Kilker
Production Artist Kelly Nuti
Web Producer Nikki Woelk
Photo Assistant Cathryn Lovecraft
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Jamie Anderson, Melany Joy Beck, Rachel Beebe, 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, Ash Goddard,
Tania Hammidi, Kathi lsserman, 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 TallonHicks, Kyra Thomson, Jocelyn Voo, 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 8 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 insuff1Cientmaterials. 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 edijor, 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. Canadian Agreement
Curve,
Number: 40793029. Postmaster:SendCanadianaddresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S8. SendU.S. addresschangesto shop@curvemag.com,
Curve,PO Box 17138,N. Hollywood,CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
curvemag.com
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Call Linda Lee and her
personal shoppers for
our free service.
Call 1-800-343-0121.
Chatting up Jewelle Gomez
Author,playwright,activistand this month's ''This
Is What a LesbianLooks Uke" woman, Jewelle
Gomez, had too many wonderfulthings to say to fit
on a singlepage. Read our full interviewto find out
what she says about the currentvampirecraze, what
it was like to officiateDorothyAllison'swedding and,
of course, her new novel.
•
Magazine Without Borders
NewFest Film Festival Roundup
Get caught up on queer cinema with our rundown
of lesbian-themedfilms that screened at ~ew York's
NewFestFestival,including: WeAre the Mods,
Eloise'sLover, The Four Faced Liar and more!
•
100 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz
Read the complete list of women (and a few good
men) that non-profit film production company
and educational organization, POWER UP, has
honored in the last decade with their, The Amazing
Gay Men and Women Awards.
D.E.B.S., a
hot lesbian
movie that
started out at
POWER UP
Contributing editor Sheryl
Kay went on assignment to
Nairobi, Kenya, where she
met and wrote about the
country's LGBT community.
The group pictured above
are queer activists in their
country. Homosexuality is
strictly outlawed in Kenya,
and there are no laws in place
to protect individuals from
being assaulted for being gay.
Despite Kay's fears about
bringing curve across the
border, she got the magazine
to the activists, many of
whom risk their jobs and their
physical safety every day just
by being out. It was the first
time any of them had seen
curve and they were ecstatic
to read it and made our "Out
in Front" columnist feel right
at home. [Hayley McMillen]
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52
Compiling a 20th anniversary issue is
a daunting task for any magazine, but
we made it even more challenging by
adding our first-ever Curve Awards
(aka The Curveys). For this issue,
we asked hundreds of women (both
experts and average lesbians) one
central question: "Which queer women
have had the most impact on you in
the last 20 years?"
The nominations poured in, and as
we spent hours sifting through them,
as well as our old issues and archives,
we found ourselves rediscovering
a rich queer history that even some
of our staffers are too young to
remember. But I do.
I found it hard to narrow my list
down to just one, or even 50, queer
women, because so many have
contributed to who I am. Some
of these great women you'll see
in these pages, like Joan Nestle,
Jewelle Gomez, Lee
Lynch, Dorothy Allison
and Kris Kovick, all of
whom influenced me
greatly. The first band
I ever interviewed, Two
Nice Girls, offered a
soundtrack to my '90s. Others are no
longer women- Patrick Califia's books
revolutionized my thinking, back when
he still identified as an S/M dyke,
Leslie Feinberg's Stone Butch Blues
moved all of us and, if you thought
Angela Motter was hot, please know
that she is now a he, Bucky Motter,
but still sexy, still making the same
sweet music. (We tried to be fair by not
including trans men in our list of queer
women who changed our lives, yet
their omission feels grave as well.)
The women of the sex wars (I was
on the side of sex) revolutionized my
thinking: Susie Bright, the women of
On Our Backs magazine, Lily Burana
and Taste of Latex, photographer
Phyllis Christopher, though the
magazines are all defunct and a few of
these women are no longer queer.
We tried not to play politics here,
so for our awards and much of this
issue, the definitions of lesbian, queer,
bisexual, gay are simple: if the woman
claims it, we back her up.
During my research I reread one of
my articles in curve's first issue, about
author Jennifer DiMarco, who at 19
had already penned several lesbian
novels. My writing
is clumsy and clunky
but I identified with
DiMarco in part because I was not
much older and trying to get a book
published, too. I hadn't seen much on
DiMarco in recent years so I looked her
up to see if she was still writing.
She is, in addition to running her
own indie publishing firm, Orchard
House Press, and raising a familywith her partner of 17 years.
Like DiMarco, the women who fill
the pages of this issue have impacted
my life, and the lives of women in our
community. I am tempted to fill the rest
of this column with women who deserve
more attention (go to curvemag.com to
read more about them), from legendary
fat activist Heather MacAllister to
rocker Kinnie Starr. If it were up to me,
half the pages would be filled with '90s
protest posters from ACT UP, Queer
Nation and Lesbian Avengers (see them
on pg. 52) like
my favorite AIDS
poster, Kissing
Doesn't Kill.
Too often at
curve-at all
magazines, in
fact-we're forced to focus on what's
new, who's hot, which celebrity has
come out recently. Don't get me
wrong, I like some of that. My proudest
moments in the last two decades, have
been when women have come out
to me, to the public and spoken out
about who they were for the first time.
I'd probably give my right arm for a
chance to talk to any of the actors long
dogged by lesbian rumors like Tichina
Arnold or Queen Latifah or Lindsay Lohan
(all of whom got nominated for awards,
but removed because they haven't said
they were anything but straight).
But beyond the celebrity headlines, the
work we spent on this issue and all the
stories and memories it brought back,
reminds me that we need to do a better
job of remembering where we came from,
and the women who got us here. That's
my plan for 2011 and beyond.
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Editor in Chief
edchief@curvemag.com
LmERS
From the Archives
Some of our best letters of the last 20 years.
A Drama Queen
[Vol.4 #6 Dec.1999]
Yay for Deneuve [Vol.2#1Jan./Feb.1992]
In your Deneuve #3 editorial, you invited
readers to send in reactions, so here's
mine-ZOWIE!
I can't remember when
I've been so excited over discovering a new
magazine. Finally, a slick zine for thinking,
sensitive lesbians!
- Rima Saret, Russellville,Ark.
Seven Decades of Lesbianism
[Vol.2#1January/Feb.1992]
I missed the first two issues of your beautiful
magazine, but a friend sent me issue #3 and
I thoroughly enjoyed it I especially liked the
article on "Lesbians Over 60" as I am definitely
over 60. Next week will be my 73rd birthday
and I have been gay all my life-about 71 •
years of it, anyway.Good luck and keep up the
good work.
- D. White, Newhall, Calif.
What's in a Name? [Vol.6#1Feb.1996]
I never did like the name Deneuve. The
I've been resisting
for a while-it's
so un-lesbian-like
gusto-but
I just
saw my first issue of
Deneuvein almost a
year and now I have
to say it: "Dyke Drama's" Michele Fisher is
the most brilliant chronicler of the lesbian nation's foibles I've ever read, bar
none. Her columns consistently deliver
that rare mix of insane hilarity and genuine insight. Please do whatever you need to keep Michele
writing for Deneuve.
Editor'sNote:After 20 years,
MicheleFisheris stillwriting
"Dyke Drama."We'reso lucky!
Watch Your Language!
[Volume13#3May2003]
I never thought I'd see the
day when a lesbian magazine,
presumably a feminist one,
would recommend the use
of the word "baby" or "chick"
to describe a woman. Yet,
in your "Words to Avoid,"
you give a thumbs down
to babe (good!), and a
thumbs up to "baby:' Where
politics, womyn?
61%
11%
11%
7%
4%
3%
2%
1%
According
to a curvemag.com
poll
are your
- Jo Box,Jacksonville,Fla.
Praise for Brownworth's Honesty
[Vol.13#3May2003]
Icurve
Victoria Brownworth has always been one of
my favorite writers. Through her columns,
Sendlettersto: curve magazine
1550BryantSt.,Ste.510SanFrancisco,
CA94103
WRITE
TOCURVE!
Marc Has Two Moms
[Vol.17#2March2007]
Poll
- C. Brooks,Japan
- LeslieD., Kansas City, Kan.
10
- Maryanne G., Evanston, fll.
I am a security contractor in Iraq,
and I just so happen to
have two mommies! I
receive your wonderful
magazine, along with
Which lesbian(s) have
some other lesbian pubhad the most impact on
lications, and some of
you in the last 20 years?
the guys in our team
room have been checking
EllenDeGeneres
them out. Keep in mind,
MelissaEtheridge
these are the toughest
IleneChaiken
guys you'll ever meet.
Here are some of their
MartinaNavratilova
comments: "Wow, dykes
DelMartinand
are cool!" and "I had no
PhyllisLyon
idea they had such a great
RosieO'Donnell
community:' Needless to
BillieJeanKing
say, you're pretty popular
around here.
AlixDobkin
magazine is about "Womanlove:• I don't
know how you could name it anything else.
Name Suggestions [Vol.6#1 Feb.1996]
I see that you will be having a name change.
Here are my humble suggestions: Danerve (of
Dabitch to change Daname), The Magazine
FormerlyKnown as Deneuve. Hey, it worked
for Prince. Jody! It's abbreviated British slang
for jodhpurs-pants,
worn while, um, er,
riding. Sappho. She's dead, no lawsuit there.
- K. Luce, Menlo Park, Calif.
she reveals so much about herself and I feel
like I know her even though we've never
spoken. That's why I was especially shocked
and sad to read her column in the last
issue. Rape is a terrible thing and I'm so sorry
to hear of another woman hurt. I commend
her for having the courage to write about
it. Perhaps by putting pen to paper she has
helped another woman to heal somehow.
Dani is Not the Perfect Lesbian
[Vol.18#6July/Aug.2008]
You certainly make life more difficult for
some ladies. What's with all the horn-blowing
for Dani? Professional haircut, makeup and
tailored suit. Is that what is required to make
the perfect lesbian?
-Dora, St. Paul, Minn.
Subscriber
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at
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GOTO:curvemag.com/letters
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Digging Through Our History
THE(VIRTUAL)
STACKS
"History is not all about the politics. It's also about
the people and the movement;' says Paul Bonefield,
Wantto findoutmoreabout
executive director of the GLBT Historical Society in
LGBThistory,butcan't
makeit to theS.F.archives?
San Francisco.
YoucanvisitOneNational
The nonprofit organization, whose offices are in
Gay& Lesbian
Archives
the Castro District, has amassed a large collection of
online.It'sthelargest
artifacts and documents.
research
libraryon LGBT
One of the most important collections in the
history,andis thedatabase
archives
is the 203 boxes of letters and literature from
manya lesbiandreamt
the
lives
of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, lesbian
of asa younggenderor
pioneers who founded the Daughters of Bilitis, the
queerstudiesmajor.And
if you'rein L.A.,stopby
first lesbian rights organization in the United States.
theirphysicalarchivesat
Another lesbian treasure in the archives is all
theUniversity
of Southern
nine issues of Vice Versa, the earliest known lesbian
California,
or theirgalleryin
publication in North America. The woman behind
WestHollywood
to seetheir
Vice Versa was a 25-year-old secretary at a Los
currentexhibitof Hollywood
Angeles movie studio when she started publishing the
glamourphotography.
(onearchives.oq/J. magazine in secret, in 1947. To protect the publisher
from prosecution for sending 'obscene" materials
through the mail, Vice Versa had no bylines, and
the only name on the cover was Lisa Ben, an
anagram for lesbian.
This year, the GLBT Historical Society is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an exhibit called
Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT History.
"We have picked something from every year of our
collection to construct a story;' says Rebekah Kim,
the professional archivist in charge of the project.
While the archives are mainly used by researchers,
anyone with an interest in queer history can come in
and dig through the past. "We ask people to become
members, but all they have to do is make an appointment to come in and look at the archives;' Kim says.
If yQu have always wondered which early lesbian
poet wrote intimate letters to a famous British
sculptor, or what artist Tee Corinne was most
famous for (see "In Memoriam" piece, pg. 50), spend
an afternoon perusing the long shelves at the archives.
The collection is open on Saturdays to the general
public. (glbthistory.org) [LiskaKoenig)
SUPREME
COURT
SMACKDOWN
This month Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan takes
the bench and becomes the fourth woman to do so ...
and quite possibly the first lesbian. For now she's staying
mum on the topic. So we have to ask, if
you were president, which smart and
saavy celesbian would you appoint to
the court?
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12 I curve
The Gaydar
A look at the women and events that made
our gaydar ping in the last 20 years.
LosingThemTooSoon
FromDesertHearts
screenwriterNatalie
Cooperto cartoonist
KrisKovick.Missya!
lesbianParenthood
Goes
MainstreamFromDebra
Chasnoff'sChoosingChildrento
Melissa,Julieandpapaon Rolling
Stoneto TheKidsAreAll Right
20 Yearsof Haters
JesseHelms,Fred
Phelps,AnnCoulter,
ElisabethHasselback
andDr.Laura...
Yep,she'sBlAngelina
Joliecomesout,
confesseslovefor
JennyShimizu
Yep,I'm Gay.Bummer
I'm CancelledEllencame
out, changedworld,
sufferedfor a few
yearson our behalf
Bisexuals
WeCastoffsHolly
Near,JoAnnLoulan,Julie Cypher
deservedbetter.AnneHeche...
still up for debate
CampSisterSpirit'sKnockout
PunchFirstHurricaneKatrinathen
founderBrendaHenson's(left) death
Sad,Slow Deathof
lesbian Magazines
Girlfriends,Velvet
Parl<,OnOurBacks
andJane & Jane
CleaDuVallNeverreturningourcalls
October 2010
I 13
Reach Out and Touch Me! Or, Wait, Don't.
PDA say about you? By Lipstick and Dipstick
What does your fear of
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My girlfriend and I have been together for
almost seven years. We've been on and off since eighth grade, but I am
having a problem with PDA. I adore showing her I love her. It's just that
when it comes to holding hands in public or the casual grabbing of the arm,
I get really uncomfortable. I feel like I'm offending everyone who's nearby and
it's really putting a strain on our relationship. -Not Down with PDA in Plano
games, homecoming dances and the annual
block party. Oh, and you're going to have to
find a new place to live. Why you thought
you could live with a girl you were "on and
off" with (regardless of her straight status) is
beyond me. Sometimes the lessons we learn
in college have nothing to do with linguistics
or astronomy.
Lipstick: Well if this isn't internalized
homophobia, I don't know what is. Plano,
you've got some work to do around unapologetically believing in who you are, because
this is poisoning your entire life whether you
realize it or not. There's nothing wrong with
being gay, holding hands with your girlfriend
or having a threesome on the beach after
dark. Right, Dip_stick?
Lipstick:Quick cuts heal better than jagged
wounds, Snowed-in, so you'd best sharpen
your knife. Make the cut and keep it clean.
Don't drag out the breakup. This is where
most lesbians go awry. They break up, have
make-up sex one drunken night, break up
again (because they're far better off just as
friends) and then have to have coffee several
times to process it all. Usually, one of you
feels the need for severance more than the
other, so that suddenly you find yourself at
a potluck with a new girl on your arm, only
to see your ex stalking you from the bushes
across the street. Beyond taking your own
gyrating needs into account, do your friend
a favor and let her know right away that
you're done.
Dipstick:Ah, no. Not so fast. Homophobia,
Lipstick? I disagree. There's nothing wrong
with wanting to keep your hands to yourself in public. As a matter of fact, I wish
more people would. I don't need to see any
m_ore happy couples pawing each other at
noon on Main Street. Save that stuff for the
carnival. Besides, maybe it's not internalized •
homophobia this girl is dealing with. She lives
in Texas, for Christ's sake. People get shot
for that shit. There are ways to show your
affection that don't put your life in danger.
Leave her a card on her pillow. Have flowers
sent to her work. Buy her a 52-inch plasma
TV with surround sound. But pinching her
ass at the mini mart? Gross.
Lipstick:Dip, when did you become such a
prude? Plano, the bigger issue-more of a
pink elephant here-is the fact that you've
only dated this one girl since eighth grade. I
predict it's just a matter of time before one of
you needs to sow some oats, so heads up.
DearLipstickand Dipstick:I'm in a bit of a
dilemma.
I'vebeendatingthis"straight"
girlfor
a year,onandoff.Weweregoodfriendsbefore
14
Icurve
hookingup,andwe sharea housewith some
othersoff-campus.
Recently,
I connected
with
anotherwomanand nowI'm not surehowto
breakup with my currentgirlfriend.She has
incredibly
lowself-esteem
andsaysnoonehas
evermadeherfeelas beautiful.
HowdoI brea.k
thisoff andstillkeephera bigpartof mylife?
- Snowed-in
in Syracuse
Dipstick:That straight girl got you through
those long Syracuse winters, didn't she? But
both of you ·knew it could never last. If you
want to keep her in your I.rte,the best thing
to do is be honest. Let her know you love her
dearly as a friend, but you really need to be
with a chick who's not straight. It's time for
her to find a new guy to take her to football
Lipstick & Dipstick ADVICE
DearLipstickandDipstick:
I haveidentifiedas
a lesbianfor five years,but I reallydon'tlike
givingoralsex.It reallydoesn'tmatterto meif
I receiveit or not.I've beenwith mygirlfriend
for a year,andbeforeherI havegivenoralsex
to onlyoneotherwoman.I reallydon'tknow
howto initiatesex.Shetellsmehow,butwhen
I doit'sstillnotenough.
Shesaysoursexlifeis
boring.
WhatcanI dotofixthisissue?I amabout
to loseher.- NotDownwithGoingDown
Lipstick:
Yawn. It sounds p@tty boring to me,
too-and because we get so many questions
like this, I've decided to start LESBOOT
(Lesbian Experimental Sex Boot Camp). Meet
me down by the river at 0600. First exercise:
therapy with Lipstick. Are you really attracted
to this woman? It might be as simple as that.
Some dykes need little inspiration to go south
of the border. Others need a perfect balance
of love and a raging sexual fire to drink from
the fountain. After therapy, we'll move to the
dock and sample flavors. Are you a citrus girl?
Why not make her a key lime pie? Last up in
LESBOOT: channeling your inner sex kitten.
You need to slide on some leather, girl, and let
Luscious Lola emerge, the one salivating to
please her lover. You'll finally graduate from
LESBOOT once you figure out how to love
your lover the way she wants to be loved, even if
that means heading south when your compass
reads north. The things we do for love.
Dipstick:
You're right, Lipstick, some girls are
more adventurous than others. Some like to
jump from airplanes; others are content to
jump rope in their driveway. Some want to sail
around the world; others are content to .sip a
Full Sail Pale ale in their backyard hammock.
Some want a sling in their dungeon; others
want to swing on the porch with a glass of
lemonade. The probl~m is, the slingers always
end up with the swingers. They say one way
to improve your sex drive is to have more
sex. And believe it or not, you're not the first
lesbian who doesn't like oral. Your challenge
is to find out what you do like and become an
expert at it. Dazzle her with a dildo. Fist her
fantastically. Roli her over and ride her like a
rodeo queen. Like Dipstick always says, there
is no boring sex, just boring lesbians.
@
•
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstickto watchthe Ihe Lipstick& Dipstick
Show.Or,writeto tv@lipstickdipstick.com.
UTI
MOSTFREQUENT
LIPANDDIPQUESTIONS
We'veanswered
morethan200questions.
overthe
in thepagesof curve magazine
pastsixyears,sincewe starteddishing
lezzieadvice.Butwhatyoureadin the
magazine
is onlythetipoftheiceberg.
We'vegottenquestions
frommorethan
1,000lesbiansfrom all overthe world,and
we try to respondto all yourletters-even
the onesthat don't makeit intothe
magazine.
As youcan imagine,some
questionsseemto repeatthemselves.
Here
is a list of the five mostcommontopics:
;/
1. BORING
ORDEADSEXLIVES.
Boringor deadsexlives.Womenwant
their partnersto be moreaggressiveor
adventurous,
aresick of havingto initiate
all the time or wantto spicethingsup with
their lover.Womenwhoaren'tgettingany,
or whoaren'tgettingenough.Orwhosesex
driveis just differentfrom herpartner's.
n
mens
2. LESBIANS
WANTING
TOKNOW
WHERE
TOMEETOTHER
LESBIANS.
Orwonderingwhy they can't meettheir
soul mate.Orwho don't havea clueas to
howto find lesbiansto date.
3. WOMEN
WHOTHOUGHT
THEY
WERE
STRAIGHT.
They'vedatedguys{maybethey're
engaged,or married,to a man)but find
themselvesfalling in lovewith a woman,
beingattractedto a co-workeror just
find womenattractivein generalandare
wonderingif they'relesbianor bi.
4. PROBLEMS
WITHEXES.
Loverscan't get overtheir exes.Cheaton
their currentgirlfriendswith exes.Don't
trust newloversbecausetheir exeswere
so meanandnasty.Arejealousof their
girlfriend'srelationshipwith herex.Or
worry that she'sstill in lovewith her ex
andis goingto go backto her ex.
5. FALLING
FORSTRAIGHT
WOMEN.
Crusheson straight womenat work,
friends,personaltrainers,professorsyou nameit. Sometimesit's just a crush.
Othertimes they get involvedwith these
women.Sometimesthe "straight" women
comeout to be with them andthat in
itself createsproblems.Sometimesthe
problemis that the womendon't come
out at all and hide their relationship.
Sometimesthe questionis simply,Should
I makea moveor not?
veller
Women's resorts, bars,
cafes, bookstores & more,
across the US, Canada,
Europe & beyond.
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tours, women's festivals,
pride celebrations,
LGBT film fests,
eco-adventures & more!
Call for a free c~talog
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on your iPhone!
ASTRO
GRRL
No More Hiding
It's time to take off that mask and reveal you really are.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Ubra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Aries(March21-April20)
Sex: A new lovergrrl may have very expensive tastes.
You will need to decide if she is worth it. Or maybe
it's you who has an expensive taste? That's what you
If you ask nicely,
get when you use truffle oil. Career:
you may just get a nice raise at work. Of course the
operative word is "nicely:'Practice in front of a mirror.
Again. Again.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Sex: Your best-laid plans could be just that. So hurry
and catch her eye. Before you know it, her attentions
will wander. Can you turn them into wanderlust?
Career:
Other people's money can help lubricate your
career ascent. But don't become too oily, lest you slip
and fall off the ladder.
Taurus(April21-May21)
Sex: There is something wonderful about you this
October. You ooze charisma and charm. Hurry and
bottle your essential oil before it bums off. Career:
Try to place yourself in the center of all the corporate
activity. You can make a great first impression on the
power elite that will lead to much deeper impressions
later on. Ahem.
Sagittarius
(Nov.23-Dec.22)
LIBRA(SEPT.
24-0CT.23)
BecauseLibrarulesthe seventh
houseof partnerships
and
relationships
with a significant
other,lambdaLibrasarehappiest
in careersthat offerthem
opportunities
to workwith others
on a dailybasis.Theyneed
socialinteractionanda constant
flow of ideasin their workplace
to keepthemstimulatedand
involved.Thereis nothingsadder
thana Librawomancooped
up alonein a tiny airlessoffice
with nooneto talk to or bounce
ideasoff of. If throughafflicted
circumstances
shemusttakea
job likethat,expectto seeher
constantlysurfingthe Internet
andhauntinglesbianchatrooms
for someoneto connectto.
Sex: A secret admirer may make herself known to
you in no uncertain terms. Perhaps some things
should remain a mystery. Career:There is someone
who is working for you behind the scenes. So don't
let little nuisances derail your professional train. Just
pull into a station and let off steam.
caprlcom(Dec.23-Jan.20)
Sex: A gal pal can turn into a bosom buddy this
October, if you let her. You have to decide if you
want to risk a good friendship for a quick fling. Oh,
why not! Career:Friends in high places help you up
the corporate ladder. Maneuver carefully, so you can
push them off at exactly the right time.
Aquarius
(Jan.21-Feb.19)
Sex: You stand out in a crowd. Everyone wants to
meet you and press against you. Are you living in
a dream or what? Career:Make a bold professional
move and see where it gets you. Nothing ventured,
nothing gained, unless it gets you into trouble. Think
first. Then act up.
AstrologerCharlene Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Lichtenstein
is the Sex: A romantic stranger is orbiting you. Will you be
authorof Herscopes:sucked into her gravitational field? Who knows what
A Guideto Astrology can happen when two heavenly orbs collide. Worlds
Getmoreatthestarry can change. career:Expect to travel extensively for
forLesbians.
eye.com
or checkoutherblogat business all through October. Hopefully, this travel
thestarryeye.
typepad.com
.
will be to far better places than Podunk, USA.
. 16
I curve
Sex:Miscommunications in relationships can set your
love boat adrift. Clear up any confusion or decide to
hoist your flag elsewhere. Yo ho ho. Is that a strapon peg leg? Career:It's not what you know but who
you know when it comes to career movement. The
question is whether your move is capable of toppling
the power elite or not.
, Gemini(May22-June21)
Sex: A secret love or flirtation on the job makes every
coffee break a marathon. Is she keeping you up at
You have the oomph
night, or is it the coffee? Career:
to do what it takes to get ahead a little at work, but is it
get ahead a little or get a little head? I get confused ..
Cancer(June22-July23)
Sex: Try to get invited to each and every event you
can. She is waiting there for you ... somewhere. Let's
hope that it is not at a Focus on the Family fundraiser. Career:Creative approaches will lead to more
recognition from the higher-ups. But coming to
work in a cellophane suit is not the recommended
creative approach.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Sex: Make your home a· love nest this October.
Feather it with delightful things. Then find a cute
bird to fly in and you'll ruffle each other's feathers (in
a good way). Career:Find any excuse to work from
home. Not only will you be much more productive,
you will also lower your stress level. Is it because of
all those afternoon naps?
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Sex: You can charm almost anyone into your bed this
month. You are alluring, charismatic and very sexy.
Pour on your special sauce and see who is hungry for
The senior staff will be impressed with
a bite. Career:
your knowledge, if you know just when to say exactly
the right thing. Oh dear.
Set sail for the warm
and wonderful Mexican
Riviera aboard the ,
.,,
gorgeous Norwegian Star , . . ,
1
with Sweet. Let's go crazy , , ' •l
in Caho, make rp.erry in
•
•~.;
Mazatlan and party in PuEft
~:
Vallarta. Of course, we'll leav
places we visit better than we
them because th~t's how we roll.
DYKE
DRAMA
Take It From Me
Remembering two decades of relationship "advice." By Michele Fisher
"I thought you were cool, but you're just a
loser:' Those were a girl's last words to me
as she walked out my door and into the
car of the young man she had left me for.
He was a gangly teen with a crater face and a
primeMtained Camero, which he had paid for
by working the fryer at a local burger hut and
selling speed to his co-workers. That experience
taught me that no matter how nice you are, a girl
.who needs drugs is not going to st~y with you
unless you buy her dope.
I was a little embarrassed and a lot
1s1curve
amused when I learned that when you log
on to cuvemag.com you can find my column
under "advice" on the drop-down menu.
Advice?Really?
My knowledge about being a dyke in the
world has been hard won. A savvy dyke
would not have gotten involved with a bicurious junkie. She would have known that
things with a girl like that could only end
badly. But, alas, I must step in every pile to
make sure it stinks. I learn by doing, not by
listening to those wiser than myself.
Twenty years ago, I was waitressing and
doing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and
trying desperately to get women to notice me.
I went to the gym, dyed my hair platinum and
hung out at the clubs looking bored, just like
everybody else. But I reallywas bored-and
depressed-because
the girls never seemed
to notice me. It was in this state of lesbian
angst that I spied a sign in a gay bookstore
in the Castro seeking contributors to a new
lesbian magazine. Perhaps my audience
would like me better if they didn't have to
see me or hear me. But what on earth could
I write about?
I didn't even own a car, so travel writing
was out. I wasn't hip enough to be the music
gal. I was really only good at one thingfailure with the ladies. And so I wrote about
what I knew. My first column was about a
disastrous date I once had where I ended up
wearing a bowl full of chili and going home a
lonely lezzie con came. I got lucky, for once,
when the folks at curve published my story
and gave me a shot.
And thus I began documenting my adventures (and the adventures of others who don't
notice me eavesdropping) in lesboland.
I have done a lot of ill-advised things
where women are concerned, but I am
not sure if that qualifies me to give advice
to others. I mean, are there really other
women out there who are dumb enough
to have a three-way with a new girlfriend
and the girlfriend's ex, knowing full well
that the ex hates their guts? Somehow, I
thought the sex would bring us all closer.
Well, it did for about 20 minutes and then it
degenerated into a burlesque wrestling
match. The jealous ex would not allow my
girl and me to have any contact and somehow managed to satisfy both of us before
finally collapsing, from exhaustion no doubt,
a:
and trapping us both underneath her. A few
w
hours later, I was rummaging around her
room (another mistake-we
should have
cc
gone to neutral turf) trying to find my
socks when the ex woke up, accused me of
ransacking her house and kicked me out
barefoot into the night. Somehow,· I don't
think too many girls out there would have
to be advised not to enter into this threeway-from-hell.
If you are planning to move your ex-girlfriend into your studio apartment with you
until she finds another place to live, I would
suggest that you first get some type of timeline from her and second get some assurance
that she will not break down into screaming
and crying fits every time you go on a date
with someone else. Does that really qualify
as sage advice or just common sense?
If you are in a bar and everybody is wearing
leather and you are neither in Texas nor at a
motorcycle club, chances are that the folks in
there are into some rough sex. I thought I got
lucky with a hot little number in a skintight
leather bodysuit, until she got me home and
started tossing me around like a chiropractor
on crack. Looking back, it seems like I should
have known that.
Dating an alcoholic bartender will not
usually result in happily ever after or even
happily for a month. But if you are looking
for a couple of sloppy romps that only one
of you will remember, and maybe a case of
crabs as a memento of your romance, then
the boozy floozy is the ticket. No need to do
it. I already did.
If you are in a couple and you haven't had
sex in six months and neither one of you is in
tidbits like: Don't fire walk in the nudewhile wearing a tampon.
I just do really stupid things and then write
about the predictably disastrous consequences
of my folly.After two decades of this, curve
has apparently awarded me the equivalent of
work-study credit and dubbed my ramblings
as "advice:· If indeed curve thinks that my
My knowledgeabout beinga dyke in the worldhas
been hardwon. A savvydyke wouldnot havegotten involvedwith a bi-curiousjunkie... But, alas, I
muststep in everypileto make sure it stinks.
a coma, then your relationship is in trouble.
Once again, not exactly a news flash to the
rest of the world, but for some reason it came
as a shock to me. Luckily, my lover's new girlfriend was kind enough to explain it all to me
as I packed my belongings.
So you see what I am getting at here? My
so-called advice amounts to really helpful
awkward attempts to find love and my place
in this lesbian nation are helpful to others,
then who am I to argue?
Oh, and one last bit of advice-if you were
going to start your own magazine c?lumn in
the hope of getting women to sleep with you,
learn to play a musical instrument instead.
Musicians get laid. Writers get
October 2010
I 19
POLITICS
Let Us Be Heard
Reflecting on 20 years of curve and lesbian politics.
By Victoria A. Brownworth
I like anniversaries. They give us the opportunity to remember and revisit all the things
that have happened over the course of a
relationship-the good and the not so good.
Anniversaries are a time for reflection, and
in a decidedly unreflective era, anything that
spurs reflection is good.
My relationship with Curve has been a long
one-I came on board the magazine back at
the beginning, when it had a different name
and a different look and none of us thought
it would, or even could, become the oldest
continually published lesbian magazine in
the country. And yet here we are, 20 years
later, and I could not be prouder to have
been part of its growth and to be celebrating
this anniversary.
I've had a lot of different editors over those
two decades, some of whom I have absolutely
loved, and a couple I am glad have moved on.
But throughout the various transitions of the
magazine, one thing has been constant: Curve
has always put lesbians first, even when no one
else did, and for that I feel acutely grateful.
20
Icurve
I'm not a big one for paeans-they often
sound false or elegiac. But when I think
about my long relationship with this magazine, I do feel like praising it. In a disposable
culture, longevity is something. Something
big. So, too, is the autonomy that Curve has
sponsored-not
just in its writers, but in
its readership. As Curve has grown, so has
the lesbian community. More of us are out,
more of us are comfortable with our identities, more of us are forging lives predicated
on our lesbianism as something to be proud
0£ rather than something shameful and
hidden. Curve may arrive in a black wrapper
because so many readers ask for that, but we
are not shrouded in mystery. We've come a
very long way from the days when Barbara
Grier was printing The Ladder on a mimeograph machine and using a pseudonym to do
so. We have arrived, and Curve was there as
we did so.
One of the reasons I have remained on the
staff at Curve for all these years is loyalty to
the magazine and what I believe we represent.
I believe we are a lesbian voice in a world
where lesbians are silenced most of the time.
S~re, there's considerable fluff in these
pages-as there is in your daily newspaper.
We all love fluff. Fluff helps us get through
our hellish days with a sense of humor
and a little bit of grace. But weve got more
happening here at Curve than entertainment and gossip. We've got real issues. Over
the years I have written light pieces here
and there for Curve. But mostly I have done
features and columns about issues-serious
issues like rape, incest, cancer and poverty.
I've talked politics in my columns with a
ferocity that my mainstream newspaper and
magazine gigs have not allowed. At Curve I
have been able to use the F word with impunity-by which I mean feminism, not fuck.
At Curve I have been able to do what I
do best-write without restraint about the
issues I fi11:dmost important to women,
notably those related to personal, cultural
and social justice.
When you've worked for a magazine for
nearly 20 years and can say chat you have
only been censored once-one editor cut a
column of mine because she thought I was
too hard on Republicans in it; she and Curve
parted ways soon after-chat's something.
As a writer, I value the autonomy Curve
has offered me. A while back, I wrote a
column about why men hate us. It had a lot
of strong language in it and caused my editor
to ask me if I was sure I didn't want co cone it
down. I didn't, and as it happens it got a lot
of response from readers.
I know the preciousness of not being censored, but I wonder if Curves readers, many
of whom have grown up with the unfettered
Wild West of the Internet, understand how
important an uncensored lesbian magazine
is and how vital it is co maintain the integrity
of a serious, face-checked queer publication.
The term "uncensored" is not something
you can put a sell-by date on. People younger
than I are constantly celling me chat censorship is a thing of the past, to which I say:
Google and China, queers and Amazon.
Like a majority of Americans, I have
bought books, CDs and even a Kindle from Ii:
Amazon. I love Amazon for its immediacy
and ease. But does Amazon love me back? In ffi
0
April 2009, Amazon claimed that a 'glitch"
knocked gay and lesbian titles-tens
of t;
thousands of them, including some of my
own articles off the site and into a limbo called
"adult titles:• The books lost their rankings,
which meant that titles that had been on the
site for years were suddenly ranked like porn.
Amazon claimed it wasn't homophobic
censorship, but it took more than a month
for the rankings of some LGBT books to be
restored. Some never were.
Kindle, which Amazon owner and founder
Jeff Bezos has stated repeatedly will be the
future of books (paper books will go the way
of the Edsel and e,books will replace them,
according to Bezos), is subject to his censor,
ship whims as well.
In June 2010, on the anniversary of
Bloomsday, Amazon censored James Joyce's
Ulysses,a book that many academics con,
sider to be the greatest novel of the 20th
century. But it's too racy for Bezos, who has
said he wants Amazon to be family,friendly;
that is, suitable for anyone 9 and up. Ulysses
is decidedly not a kid's book, but it ain't
porn either.
If the Internet is the future of publishing
and e,books are the future of books, then
censorship is part and parcel of it all. The
content of New York Times online is not the
same as what's in the non,virtual newspaper.
Independent publications and publishers are
where one escapes censorship. Which is why
we need a publication like Curve, dedicated
to lesbian issues, with both a publisher and
an editor,in,chief who are committed to
maintaining a wide range of viewpoints in
the magazine, to reflect the breadth of the
lesbian community and culture.
I prefer a paean to an elegy and I hope
that next year there will be a 21st anniver,
sary of Curve. Magazines and newspapers
in America are in trouble. The recession hit
print harder than almost any other sector.
Two newspapers where I had been syndi,
cated for 17 years went bankrupt. And now
Curve is also in dire straits.
So the question I pose to all those
readers who have written to me over the
years thanking me, praising me and some,
times excoriating me is this: Can lesbians
afford to lose this voice in an era where
censorship really is right around the
corner, mainstream news media continue
to ignore us, mainstream women's media
pretend we don't exist and many of us are
still in the closet, with little to connect us
save publications like Curve?
No, we can't. Reread some of what I
have written for this publication over the
past 20 years. It's all still relevant. Which
means we still need Curve.
Do yourself and the women you love a
favor: Take a stand for lesbian voices, take
a stand against silence and take out a sub,
scription. It's the price of a couple of lattes
on Monday morning or a couple of drinks
on Saturday night, but it will stay with you
much longer. Curve has a legacy and every
woman who has ever read this magazine is
part of it.
Women have written to me over the years
to say that something I wrote in Curve has
literally saved their lives. Saved their lives.
Think about that. Lesbians were reached
by this magazine, thanks to an uncensored,
broad,ranging editorial policy that has
helped to grow this magazine for 20 years.
This lack of censorship has made some
advertisers fearful of the risk of being in a
queer publication. You can offset that by
helping Curve tell our stories and keep our
lives in the forefront, not the background.
There are many forms of censorship. We
can control some kinds, but not others.
Help Curve help you-buy a subscription
and help women hear one another's voices.
We have enough to silence us. Let's not
silence ourselves.
Our Struggle in ·Black and White
Photographer Ellen Shumsky spent 1Oyears documenting the women's and gay rights' movements across the country. A
collection of her work was recently published as a book, titled Portrait of a Decade: 1968-1978 (graeadepress.com).
Taking to the streets
(clockwise from left): Gay
Liberation Front protest in
1969; Lesbian Nation author
Jill Johnston in 1972; three
scenes from NYC Pride in
1972; a Radicalesbians
meeting in 1970, of which
Shumsky was a member
October 2010
I21
...............................................................
.
.
AND THE
"CURVEY"
GOES TO ...
'Vicki
Dobkin,
.................................................................
THE
FIRST
ANN.UAL
CURVE
Rnalists:
GirtParis,Jennlf8r
TIieLlopanl,
UhHuhHer,GirtIna Coma
: Rnalists:
Alyson
Palmer,
Blzabelll
Zif
LESBIA
A ARDS
221 curve
PHOTOS: LESTERCOHEN (ETHERIDGE),DAVIDLAFFE(I.AVONNE), PAMELA UTTKY
SARAH)MORGAN LEIGH KENNEDY(GOD-DES,, LANA KIM {J THE
DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
PIONEER:
BizabelhStreb
DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
NEWCOMER:
AnneGadwa,Sarah Bush(tie)
FILM:Bound,ButI'ma Chtler/Bader,
The/ncndbly 'IhleAdttenlunlsof
1"o 6lt1sIn Love(three waytie)
•HoW/
Vogel),,,,, ---lnln),
AfffcllonsMinda),
1M..-.,
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Matlaclc),
,,....,,
JolJnol An:(Clraljn....,,
•Bodi
...
• ChelseaGirlsby EileenMyles,
Of WomanBornby Adrienne
• Rich,BeyondthePaleby Elana
• Dykewomon
Finalists:KimStolz,
YayaKosikova,
JessicaClark
•
• Finalists:RebeccaBrown,
JacquelineWoodson,
Jeanette
Winterson,
DorothyAllison,
PatriciaCornwell,EllenHart,Sarah
Schulman,
MichelleTea
• Finalists:AdrienneRich,Lillian
• Faderman,
KatherineForrest,
..,.___;..JuneJordan,LeeLynch,Marijane ..____
• Meaker,JoanNestle,Chrystos,
Sapphire,
JudithButler,AliceWalker,
Finalists:LauraPirott-Quintero,
• FeliciaLunaLemus,JDGlass,
• MelissaFebos,IvanCoyote
Finalists:UrvashiVaid,Christine
Marinoni,
JaneBerliner,
MaryBonauto
• ReaCarey,ElizabethBirch,JulieDorf
• Finalists:TheLexington
• Club(SanFrancisco),
EgyptianClub(Portland,
Ore.),SueEllen's
(Dallas),MySister's
Room(Atlanta),
Chances(Houston),
Novak'sBarandGrill
(St.Louis),Sisters
(Philadelphia),
Joiede
Vine(Chicago)
• Finalists:TugsBelltown
• (Seattle),
Charlene's
(NewOrleans),
._ ClitClub(NewYork),
• GirlBar(LosAngeles),
• RubyfruitBarandGrill
• (NewYork),TheFlame
• (SanDiego),Maude's
• (SanFrancisco),
GirlSpot
• (Providence,
R.I)
I
I
I
I
I
I
•
•
•
•
:
Finalists:LilyTomlin,DebraChasnoff,
UrvashiVaid,DonnaRedWing,
• DeeMosbacher
....,<•'•
......
Rice(11re,,..,
'---~
r....:r:.a,_......1a..
... tllldrYGIIICI
Finalists:Cleis,BellaBooks,
BoldStrokes,Aorta,Alyson,
Seal,RedBone
Press,Firebrand,
SpinstersInk,TinySatchelPress
• Finalists:CubbyHole
NewYork),ClubBooby
• Trap(LosAngeles),
BootyBar(LasVegas),
• Z GirlClub(Phoenix),
FusionPoolParty
• (Boston),REHAB
(Provincetown)
• Finalists:RosieJones,
AmelieMauresmo,
lreenWiist,
• Leigh-AnnNaidoo
.........
--•-•&MSb1}
• Finalists:Yoanne
Magris,CatCora,
• ElizabethFalkner,
• JenniferBiesty,Heather
• West,SusanFeniger
Finalists:Astrea,LyonMartinHealth
• Services,
PFLAG,
NGLTF,
HRC
.....
,,...
.,Sla:h
,,
: Finalists:RadicalLesbians,
Queer
• Nation,ACTUP,Daughtersof Bilitis
(WllllSuanna
,,,.,
•
•
•
•
Finalists:GayGames,
Women's
Weekin Provincetown,
KeyWest
Women'sFest,AquaGirlFemme
conference,
ButchVoices,
FatGirlSpeaks
•
•
•
•
Finalists:TalonyaGeary,DedeFrain,
CarolCoombes,
AndreaMeyerson,
AllisonBurgos,KristinSchafer,Amy
Lesser,BettySullivan,ShariFrilot
Finalists:RubyfrultJungleby RitaMae
Brown,
Bastardout of Csrolinaby
Dorothy
Allison,
AfterDelores
bySarah
Schulman,
ThePassion
byJeanette
• Wlnterson,
Valencia
byMichelle
Tea,
(MQeNINGJ
),
PHOTOS: LILIAN KEMP (RICH),CHARLIE HOPKINSON(WATERS),
MARTY UMANS
(WOODSON),ALLIE OEBRIGARO(CUTLER),T COOPER(LEMUS),COURTESYOF
ILOK MEDIA (HANSEN),CAROL COMBS (COMBS),SAM RITCHIE;ACLU (MCMILLEN)
: ................................
• OtherFinalists:
• LucyBrennan,
• AngieJackson,
CandaceCollins
: : ......................... .
.
October 2010
I25
................
• Finalists:DJMaryMack,DJTracyYoung,DJStacy,
• DJPatPat,DJAnnalyze,DJChelseaStarr,DJOlgaT
-
,
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Rnalists:DianeDiMassa,
Arte1
Shratl,
• Roberta
Gregory,
Jemlfer
Page
• Braddock,
MeganRoseGedris,AlisonBeclldll
cama-,
'~
--.-..1..•...V;~
• Finalists:Orson(SanFrancisco},
LostCoastBrewery
& Cafe(Eureka,Calif.},YoIn YoOut(Harlem,N.Y.},
• Jazzcats(Portland,Ore.),Bayona(NewOrleans},
• Bristen'sEatery(Brooklyn,N.Y.)
• Rnalists:JDDisalvatore
(TheSmoMng
Cocktail),Charlotte
Cooper(ObelltyTlmelNlnb),
• RiaseBernard(Autostraddle),
Al1an
lllmllDI
• (QueerSighted)
• Finalists:WellsFargo,GeneralMotors,Macy's,
• CharlesSchwab,JetBlue,Esurance,
Progressive
Rnallsts:lildDatlh,BJFlllll:la-:,,,,.,, ,_
CherryBomb,s.lcltlf...
........................................................................
• Finalistsfor bothcategories:Olivia,Babeland,
• LadySlipper,GoodVibrations,R FamilyVacations,
• WowTheaterCafe,DITC,FunkyLala, Sweet
Rnallsts:DabPearce(ProudFM),Diana
cage(TIieDianaC8geShow),C8l1a
Remer
(OUtloud
KBOO
FM),SheenaMllal(LA111k
FayC8nnona
(TIieLuis~
• Radio),
Show),ShaashawnDial
• Finalists:HilaryRosen,AmyErrett,LisaThomas,
• AmyLesser,JenniferBrown,ShannonWentworth
• & JenRainin,RobinGans& SandySachs,Phranc
)~
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:
•
•
•
•
•
• Finalists:SandCastleon the Beach(St.Croix,
• VirginIslands},BoonHotel+ Spa(Guerneville,
Calif.},
Holly'sPlace(SouthLakeTahoe,Calif.},Highlands
• Inn (Bethlehem,
N.H.),Kate'sLazyMeadowMotel
DJTracy : (CatskillMtns.,NY)
Young :
Finalists:DeeMosbacher
& Nanette
Gartrell,UrvashiVaid& KateClinton,Wendy
Melvoin& LisaCholodenko,
CathyDeBuono
& Jill Bennett,JamieBabbit& Andrea
Sperling,StacyCodikow& LisaThrasher,
SandraValls& JacquelineKennedy
•
•
... ..t..,.
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-
(,:....
Assistant
Secretaryof
the U.S.Department
Development)
- :__
, -
~-·
POLmCIAN:Roberta
Achtenberg
(former
of Housing
andUrban
: ,:~.. ~:;~/
...
..........ai~-
Finalists:MarilynPitbnan(Outin Ill BaJ).
Melissacarter(TIieBertShow/0100)
"
• -:
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'..,
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femlnlslbag,Fallhlanllll,Cblnyant.
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Vlld,LlaaVegal,8litllla
Kahn,SarahScblllmln,... JIIII ....
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,.;;~°;'
•
•
Vacations,
VPVacations
•
Finalists:lndestructable,
My BrainHurts,
100Butches,Buffythe VampireSlayer,Batwoman,
I WasKidnapped
By Lesbian
PiratesFromOuterSpace
PHOTOS:SCOTT HENSEL{MICHAELS),TRISHTUNNEY (RAFKIN),
TEENAALBERT (GOMEZ),MIKE RUIZ {YOUNG),MAIA MADISON(STOP NOW)
....v .....
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CyndiLaupar,
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Alyson
LUcy
KalhyGrtfln,Edin ...........
Madonna,Ladylap, Judllil
Light,
October 2010
I 27
he T-shirt is not just a lesbian
fashion staple-it's a cultural
phenomenon. For years
it has served as a canvas
for political messages,
especially when it comes
to LGBT folks. From the HRC to Dyke
Tees and Worn Free, everyone in
the gay community seems to have
something to say about the important
issues-whether it's a call for the repeal
of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or even the
flirty ban mot, "I'm not a lesbian but my
girlfriend is."
Here photographer Meagan Cignoli
celebrates the transgressive nature
of the protest tee. Featuring four hot
queer models-Jessica Clark, Yaya
Kosikova, Sara J_onesand Kim
Stolz (from America's Next Top
ModeO- these snaps showcase
the creative vision of those in the
fashion industry who champion
gay rights.
"I thought it was a great opportunity
to build awareness, promote
acceptance and show the fashionable
side of lesbian culture by using four out
lesbians who are active ambassadors of
gay rights," Cignoli states. "As a fashion
photographer, I have the pleasure of
working with so many talented designers,
top models and creative stylists within the
LGBT community, but rarely do we get to
celebrate and showcase their contributions
so explicitly."
In addition, the sexy supermodels tell us
what fashion means to them. Their answers
are bold and unique, just like the tees (and
sometimes panties) they're rocking.
AMERICA'S
NEXT
TOPROLE
MODEL
Out lesbian Kim Stolz. stole our hearts when she competed
on the fifth cycle of America's Next Top Model. Since then
she has proved that she is not only beautiful, but brainy
too. The New York City native earned a bachelor's degree
in intergovernmental politics from Wesleyan University and
uses her celebrity status to support LGBT causes-often
appearing at rallies and writing for the Huffington Post.
Stolz's sense of style mirrors her politics. "Fashion is how
I express mysel£ As someone who has often subverted and
redefined norms, fashion is part of my identity and a way
for me to show that one can look good with or without
high-end designers, and often by transcending trends;' says
the model.
Having the courage to stand by your convictions is
important in any industry, but this is especially true in an
industry that holds women up to absurdly high standards.
When asked what fashion advice she'd give to aspiring
models, Stolz is brief but adamant. "Just be yourself, and
if someone makes you choos_e between a Big Mac and a
contract, go with the Big Mac:'
''GAY
PART
USED
AND
MA
AB
30
Icurve
OUTANDPROUD
"It's hard to say what fashion means to me, because I've been
modeling since I was 15;' Jessica Clark muses. "Modeling has
given me something of a platform, where the fact that I don't
necessarily conform to what society thinks of as a gay woman
enables me to challenge some preconceptions that people
may have. I am also happy that there is increasing visibility of
gay women in mainstream culture ... and if I can be a part of
that visibility, that's wonderful!"
Of British and Indian descent, Clark first got her big
break at 16, when she won a U.K. beauty contest and £5,000.
Though she has since catapulted into the world of high
fashion, Clark keeps a level head and understands the
important role that out lesbian models can play in the public
eye through their presence and style.
"Ultimately, fashion is not abo.ut what size or shape your
body is. It is about having the freedom to express whatever
it is we want through our visual. I think gay women in particular really use our clothes and hairstyles to make statements about ourselves and our communities, and that's
true for the bois, the iiber-femmes, the athletes and
everyone else. Our community is so visually diverse,
and for me it's exciting when fashion is utilized to
celebrate that:'
Clark is currently starring in the film Sara, a love
story about two women in New York City.
SEXYSLOVAKIAN
Lesbian supermodel Yaya Kosikova has been
in the fashion industry since she was 17,
when she left her home in Slovakia to work
in the United States. After traveling the
world, .she took up residence in New York
City, where she lives now.
"Knowing nothing about fashion as
a teenager in Slovakia, and then doing
shows for Fashion Week in Bryant Park-that's a
big change right there;' Kosikova says. "It definitely changed
me, and I had to grow up much quicker than my friends in my
country. When I started, I couldn't speak a word of English.
It took some time for me to adapt in the fashion world:'
Kosikova reiterates the other models' statements about
fashion and self expression. "The most important thing is to
feel absolutely comfortable in what you
wear, no matter what you do and where
you go. And be confident! Nothing is
sexier on a woman than her confidence:'
Indeed, Kosikova wears it ~ell.
TIMELESSLY
STYLISH
When asked what fashion means to her,
Sara Jones, who models for Fenton Moon,
is hesitant. "This is always a strange topic
for a girl who has two drawers full of black
T-shirts. Fun is fun, flattering is flattering,
and the importance of what feels good will
never change;' she says.
Working in the industry has given Jones
a deeper appreciation of style, and of the
designers behind the clothes she models.
However, the lack of lesbian designers is
something that she laments. "I have yet to meet an openly queer
female designer. Althou,gh, if Catherine (McNeil] and Ruby
(Rose] suddenly decided to create a line together, I'm sure I'd
be into it:'
As far as what the future holds, "I just finished up an independent film;' Jones says, "partially based in my hometown of
Baltimore, tided ToadRoad.It's part documentary, and it involves many emotional scenes,
over a two-year period, between my first 'real'
girlfriend and me. [It] should be making the
rounds on the indie circuit later this year:'
We wouldn't miss it for the
'•
32
Icurve
Cheryl Dunye and the state of lesbian cinema.
By Tania Hammidi
Cheryl Dunye has been a major player in the last 20 years of
independent queer filmmaking, putting herself and African
American lesbians into feature films since the 1996 release of
her groundbreaking film Watermelon Woman.
Dunye's filmography since then includes independent shorts
and the multimillion-dollar Hollywood feature, My Baby's
Daddy.But this year Dunye revisited her early days, creating,
or perhaps re~creating, a model for collective filmmaking in
the production of The Owls, a "Dunye-mentary" about aging,
fading lesbian glory and the characters' complex relationships.
Not surprisingly, since the premiere of the film at the Berlin
International Film Festival last winter, there seems to be a
whole lot of hooting going on about Dunye's latest endeavor
and what it means for lesbian cinema.
A DIFFERENT
1YPEOF FILM
In the film, a group of older, wiser lesbians (OWLS), played
by Guinevere Turner, Lisa Gornick, V.S: Brodie, Skyler
Cooper and the director hersel£ accidentally kill a younger
lesbian (Deak Evgenikos) and try to get away with it. Through
a series of flashbacks, history informs the current lives of the
characters. What stands out most about the film is the unique
way in which it is told-the fictional story is layered with
documentary-style interviews with each character about the
film's inner workings and lesbian and trans identities.
But Dunye's narrative style is not the film's only captivating
element. Behind the camera, she sought to create a model
of affordable, nonhierarchical filmmaking where the queer
creative community worked collectively to make the film, just
as they did in the early days of New Queer Cinema. For a
director who has had mainstream success, the choice to return
to an early indie paradigm is surprising, but Dunye is committed
to collaboration.
•
"Right now, collectivity is really important. We are at a
point in culture where we can't do it alone;' says Dunye. "So,
I turned to my queer filmmaking community in Los Angeles
and internationally and said to them, 'This is the moment to
really test out those ideas we all share and see:"
Dunye assembled her cast and crew and named the
group the Parliament Film Collective, after the word for a
gathering of owls. Most of the Parliament Collective-made
up of directors like Guinevere Turner and writers like Sarah
Schulman-were
familiar with the concept of giving their
time and resources to make important films, since Hollywood
isn't exactly chomping at the bit to fund queer cinema. As
Dunye says, "If you are going to look for them to let you in,
you are going to wait forever:'
ONE FISH,TWO FISH,QUEERFISH,GO FISH
Turn er is no stranger to collective filmmaking. She and then
girlfriend Rose Troche made the pioneering film GoFish,with
some rambunctious collaboration from her Chicago dyke
friends. Yet Turner also has a deeper structure to rely on in
her collective work, beyond the mayhem of youthfulidealism.
Growing up on a commune "made me sharply awareof power
dynamics and made me very adaptable, which are goodthings
St!}'.
to have in the collaborative process that is filnwtaking;'
the director.
Indeed, in Turner's experience, collective living leaa directl
,;;,1.=::r...a
.....
to her interest in film. "I grew up watching tons of o movies
sit still and af
and being taught to be reverent to ~m-to
attention and be quiet. We were expected to be able to talk,
about them after we watched. So that got my mind en~ged
critically-and also made me want to be a movie star;' says
Turner with a smile.
It goes without saying that Go Fishopened the floodgates
for New Queer Cinema and filmmakers. Yet, when asked
her opinion about her role, Turner rejects labels: "A pioneer
sounds old, and like that person has some kind of cool hat.
Seriously, I love that what we did had an impact on the community at large, and I'm still super-proud of that movie:'
PARLIAMENTARY
CONSENSUS
Other members of the Parliament had their own ideas about
the importance of collective filmmaking to queer cinema.
British actor and Tick Tock Lullabyedirector Lisa Gornick,
who plays Lily in The Owls, says, "To get things made and out
there, it is better to work without money being the obstacle.
Then you can make things without waiting for the external
green light of approval. Everyone has to feel comfortable with
this, and you have to let go of some of the hierarchies of filmmaking, or else people will just leave:'
Cuban American filmmaker Anna Margarita Albelo premiered her feature-length documentary on lesbian cinema,
Hooters, at Frameline this past June. Hooters used the production of The Owls along with interviews with the cast and crew
to explore what lesbian culture is today. Albelo integra,ted the
collective process and these debates into her film in order to
"see real lesbians and queer artists living and creating in the
world today, expressing their points of view;' she says.
Her film is characteristically funny, a poetical re-creation of
what else happens-to community, to the artistic process, to
identity, to passion-in the process of making a film. Albelo
says, "I always mention in my work a fear that lesbian culture is disappearing, but what is disappearing is the desire to
communicate political thoughts in a world where it's become
more comfortable, passable, acceptable to be a lesbian:•
Dunye describes the importance to claim the media by
putting debates and images from queer communities directly
out there."In the Reagan era, in the'80s, I knew how important
media was politically, for entertainment and artistically. And, I
knew I was not in the picture. So it led me to correct that and
put my face in the picture. I had to invent my own cinema:•
U.K. filmmaker Pratibha Parmar echoes this drive to
October 2010
I33
represent marginalized women in her work as well. She
began with a poetic visual meditation, Emergence, in 1986,
and has gone on to make 21 film projects, including the
much celebrated short Khush, th documentary film Warrior
Marks, which she made with Alice Walker, and the feature
Nina's Heavenly Delights. She says impetus remains one of
representing the larger collective struggle of queers and women
of color.: "I have been privileged to meet so many inspiring,
visionary women. Their voices and lives have enriched my life
beyond anything I could have imagined. For me especially,
as a queer woman of color, it has always been a necessary
project to ensure the historical visibility of women who have
pioneered so many fundamental changes in the world:'
And like Dunye, Parmar's queer cinema is characterized by
the direct-attack approach to justice. "Growing up as an immigrant in the U.K., you learn very quickly that if you don't stand
up and speak for yoursel£ nobody else is going to do it for you.
So it was either do or die. I made an instinctive choice to do. It
is in my DNA to question inequality and justice, to create art
that hopefully agitates, provokes thought and inspires change;'
Parmar says.
NEWQUEERCINEMATODAY
But have the inventive beginnings and the original passions of
New Queer Cinema had an impact on LGBT media today?
Dunye sees very little change in the world of feature film~
and television with regard to queer issues. "What I am hearing now about The Real L Word-there is not a
single woman of color in it at all. Once again, here
certain demographics;' she says.
Should we look back in order to look forward, as the
Parliament Film Collective and The Owls suggest? Dunye puts it
plainly: "People are paying attention, but what are they saying?"
One value of knowing history is to gain a deeper
understanding of what is at stake in an art form. Cal Arts
professor Abigail Severance is a "bent" filmmaker (a label she
says, is "about nuance- I am not very good with boxes"), who
remembers how explosive things were for filmmakers in the
1990s. "The access that people had to make 16mm was huge.
People had not yet started to make digital film. It was all still
analog video. So I think on an aesthetic level I was looking for
a refined image, but the scrappy, confessional, accessible sense
of authorship that the entire city [of San Francisco] seemed
to have in the '90s was incredible. I don't think I would have
become a filmmaker without that. Sometimes that meant
going to a film festival and sitting through hours of crap for
one glorious moment in film. But that moment was great. It
was a super vibrant time:'
Making films at the tail end of ACT UP, Severance was
part of the queer activism that used media to undermine the
powers that be. In film, this meant, as Severance says, taking
over the media and really understanding issues of authorship:
Who is framing this discussion? Is it them or us? Or some
other version of that?
Gornick echoes these thoughts. ''A lot of New Queer
Cinema was about DIY filmmaking and reinventing how a
film is made and what it is. How we look at things, how the
line of the narrative or non-narrative unfurls ... it certainly
made me realize the possibilities of working outside the
mainstream way of seeing and doing things. Gave me courage
and precedents:'
CAN WE MAINTAINOUR QUEERAUTONOMY?
The faces of New
Queer Cinema
(from left) Pratibha
Parmar, Skylar
Cooper and
Cheryl Dunye
is a moment where you could put someone into the frame, but
that's not their picture:' [Editor's note: Actually Real L Word
cast members Rose Garcia and Tracy Ryerson are Latina.
Dunye made this comment prior to the show airing.]
U.K. filmmaker Campbell Ex, who made the award-winning
Legacy in 2006, based on conversations with her mother about
memory and shame, says exclusion is still present in media
funding and distribution. "We need to allow a multiplicity
of voices to make well-funded, high-production-value films.
Many talented filmmakers are struggling to get heard, and it
is simply invidious to believe that those filmmakers are not
out there, or not writing. They exist, but the people who give
out money choose to look the other way. Or the people who
are the cultural gatekeepers are not in tune with the values of
34
Icurve
These 1990s filmmakers challenged the commercial interests
of the media in representing LGBT individuals. Now, 20
years later, with channels from Logo to ABC Family happy to
broadcast gay, lesbian and trans-themed or created work, one
wonders what impact that activism had on film as a form and
a project. Has the power of queer film been compromised by
participating in the commercial world? "I think we have to frame
the discussion in less binary terms;' Parmar says."I am thinking
here of the recent video "Telephone" by Lady Gaga, which
featured Beyonce, but just as interestingly it featured Canadian
performance artist Heather Cassils, who was handpicked by
Gaga to play the role of her prison yard girlfriend. It was an
important queer cultural moment, where a queer body artist is
depicted exactly as she is in popular entertainment. Cassils says
the only way you can create social change is to insert yourself
into the machine, and she does so brilliantly by her presence
in that video. But then again, Cassils didn't compromise on w
who she is and how she presents her queer identity. And Lady ii.
<(
Gaga didn't ask her to either. If we as queer artists can engage in
mainstream media on our own terms, then what's not to like?" 2
One thing hasn't changed in 20 years, Severance says: "I
think that one of the fundamental elements of filmmaking is to 8
witness and to be witnessed. That hasn't
!
A look at how Olivia revolutionalized the industry.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
In the 1980s, when I was comin of age, I went to every
concer I could: Rush, RATT, P ison, Bon Jovi, Motley
Criie. They were held in the only co cert stadium within 200
miles of my Idaho hometown, and the bands were almost
uniforrply male. After I came out, I iscovered that there were
literall}' lesbians in the hills allarou d me-women who lived
in nea by farming and mountain owns who would come
hundreds of miles for the "womer;i's"
events that occurred
maybe two or three times a year i nearby Boise, and then
disappear back into the night. When I begrudgingly got
dragge to a women's concert for something called Olivia
Records, it changed everything for me.
Though I came to that concert about 10 years after
Olivia first started revolutionizi g lesbian lives, seeing
Margie Adam and Deirdre McCa la and Cris Williamson
in concert, with an audience made up almost entirely of
lesbia , felt revolutionary to me. At the end, women sold
and traded albums by openly lesbian singers, all on the
Olivia Records label, and everyo e stood around talking,
lingering as long as possible, soaking up the feel of.feminist
empowerment and lesbian camaraderie and the pure joy
that w didn't have in our daily liv s.
Tod y, those cassettes, like the famed 1977 compilation
Leshia Concentrate,are disintegrating in a box in my garage.
But the spirit of that concert-that long, lingering sense of
hope and abandon-has grown into what is arguably the
country's largest lesbian-owned company catering solely
to lesb 'ans. There may be larger lesbian-owned companies
(Susan Feniger's Border Grill a 8 Rachel Venning and
Claire Cavanah's Babeland both have multiple outlets and
cater to men and women), and quite heady competitors (no
doubt the iiber-hip and trendy lesbian travel company Sweet
is giving Olivia a run for its money). But, outside of perhaps
Wolfe Video, no other lesbian company in the United States
today is as iconic and as Sapphic-centric.
Now celebrating its 37th anniversary, the company started
because of an offhand comment made by Cris Williamson,
and grew from the dream of some radical lesbians into a
corporate juggernaut. Olivia was the first company to train
women in all facets of music production, from accounting
to engineering, back when putting the world "lesbian" in
your lyrics or in your bio was a career killer. And though it
was founded by a collective of foe ds, by 1983 the last one
standing was a powerhouse named Judy Dlugacz.
Still the president of Olivia today, Dlugacz, a pink-diaper
baby raised among socialist act 'vists, found her mission in life
in lesbian causes. "I thought I had discovered the Holy Grail;'
she says of coming out at the intersectio of the women's and
the gay rights movements. She learned that "it'snot only 0
to be a lesbian, but it's the strongest and most independent
way a woman can live:'
That philosophy helped Olivia transition from a record
producer, to an on-the-water event producer, tQ the bi~est
lesbian travel company in the world. And the feeling I had
at that first women's concert over 20 years ag •s what draws
women to Olivia cruises and resort vacations tod y.
The women who vacation with Olivia don't care -rhat the
Olivia continued on page 63
Judy Dlugacz at
the helm (from left):
Out at sea, Olivia's
maiden voyage
and running Olivia
Records
The organization that really has
our backs. By Nicole Vermeer
It's easy for Kate Kendell to remember how long she has
been executive director of the National Center for Lesbian
Rights (NCLR)."I always remember because of my son-it
was t e same weekend, and he just turned 14:' Much has
changed during her son's lifetime, starting with the fact that
Kendell, an out lesbian, can say the words "my son" without
anyone questioning the validity of their relationship.
When Kendell began as the center's legal director, in
ere· still fighting to be granted
1994, LGBT couples
custody of the children they had adopted. In many places,
same sex couples could not adopt together, so for both
members of a same-sex couple to have legal rights as parents
was extremely difficult.
'i\t the rime, [the NCLR] was fighting against institutionalize stigma and discrimipation against LGBT people. In at
least a couple dozen states, women and men still lost custody
of their children or were denied visitation rights;' says the
SO-year-olddirector.
The NCLRhas spearheaded the fight for the rights oflesbian
parents, and has also worked to end workplace discrimination
and hate crimes; in fact,many legal victories are due to the
orga • ation'stenacious dedication to equality.
Tlie first major victory came in 1983, when Shaton Johnson
won custody of her son after she separated from her partner.
Then, in 1986, came the right to second-parent adoption,
allowing thousands of LGBT couples to adopt childre .
In 1991, Karen Thompson was denied the right to visit her
partner Sharon Kowalski in the hoJ>pital,after she ha been
severely traumatized in a car accident. With the help of the
NCLR, Thompson took on the court system and eventually
won guardianship over her partner.
Headquartered in San Francisco, and with regional offices
in Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Fla., the NCLR is
now a legal force to be reckoned with. But in 1977, for Donna
Hitchens and Roberta Achtenberg, two lesbians fresh out of law
school and ready to change the world, it was a dream. "We didn't
have any concept that we could fail;' Achtenberg says in the
documentary short National Centerfor Lesbian Rights at 30.
Before the NCLR existed, when Hitchens was still in
law school, prominent lesbian rights activist Del Martin
handed her a stack of files, mainly accounts of cases in
which lesbian mothers had lost custody of their children.
Martin said to her, "You're going to be a lawyer. You have to
do something about this:'
That prompted Hitchens and Achtenberg to join forces,
and together they started what wa$ then called the Lesbian
Rights Project. In the beginning, they focused almost solely
on custody cases. Today, NCLR also has projects involving
trans rights, as well as rights for youth and the elderly, and also
focuses heavily on immigrant rights, taking on asylum cases for
people who have been persecuted in their native countries.
"They live right at this very, very dangerous intersection of
all these 'isms' and all these stereotypes, and we feel like it is
literally, quite literally, life saving;' says Kendell of the organization's immigrant-rights work.
Although times have changed and many things have
improved since Kendell was the NCLR legal director, she says
there is still progress to be made. "The question we ask ourselves in every state where we make progress is, who's being
left behind?"
This is the question that keeps the organization moving,
full speed ahead. As soon as a case is won, they begin to look
for what to focus on next. According to Kendell,
a good example is the NCLR Youth Project.
"When we started, it was really about youth being
institutionalized in mental health facilities by
their parents, based on (their] sexual orientation.
We shifted our youth work to juvenile justice,
youth in state custody, youth in foster care or
juvenile justice facilities:•
Kendell says, "Though we've made progress,
there is always somebody there who is being left
behind, or whose issues are not being paid attention to, based on either race or class or some other
factor, that makes it more likely to suffer the
stigma of homophobia:•
While the NCLR has achieved many victories
for our community, not everything it pours energy
into results in_an immediate win. The organ~zation
is still recovering financially from donations to the
No on Prop. 8 campaign. Kendell says,"We just sort
of went all in, and to have Prop. 8 pass when you've
worked so hard to defeat it, and to lose by such a
narrow margin ... that was really, reallya hard loss. It
took me a long time to feel happy about my work
again:' Thanks to the August 2010 ruling overturning Prop 8, NCLR, like other organizations,
may be newly energized.
Kendell and the NCLR are optimistic about full
marriage equality as the next step in LGBT rights.
"I think there's no doubt, you look at any polling,
you look at where the courts seem to be going ...
there's no doubt that this country is headed for
full recognition of same-sex couples' relationships
through marriage;' she states.
A positive factor in the marriage legislation is
how little those against gay marriage have to support
their views-besides religion, of course."There are a
lot of people who would have voted no on Prop. 8 if
they had known they were being sold a bill of goods
by the Mormon Church;' says Kendell. "These cases
really help to highlight how utterly ridiculous it is to
say that you all have the right to marry except two
men and two women, and I think that's a house of
cards that's about to fall:'
1r
w
K:endell was raised Mormon and is now in
I
an interesting position going up against the
E
LOS Church in the case of Prop. 8. Despite their
zw
a:
(3 Mormon beliefs, Kendell's family generally supports
I
her and her work. "Even though many of them are
tu
CD
very active in the Mormon Church, go to church
::J
w
every Sunday, they really have a more libertarianmore accepting-worldview than I think a lot of
15 Mormons do, and I'm really lucky that that's the
0
8
family I was born into;' Kendell says.
z
w
a:
And with so many wins under her belt since
(3
I
joining the NCLR, Kendell has given us all plenty
tu
CD
of reason to feel really lucky she was born into our
::J
w
family, too.
i
October 2010
I37
Three decades on the stage
and one on the front lines.
By Laurie K. Schenden
''Are you a lesbian?"
''Are you the alternative?"
Funny but not shocking, unless you consider that this
exchange between comic Robin Tyler and a heckler occurred
in 1979, when nobody dared to be out on stage.
I'm in SoCal, sitting in Tyler's kitchen in the San Fernando
Valley, and she wants to feed me. She's packing a healthy
chicken dish wto small servings for future meals, but insists
that I try some right now.
Tums out that the woman who came out in 1959, at the
age of 16 on a Canadian street corner; who entertained the
troops in Vietnam and returned home an anti-war activist;
who got arrested in a drag bar for female impersonation; who
motivated thousands of LGBT people around the country
to march on Washington; and who stood on the steps of the
Beverly Hills courthouse with celebrity attorney Gloria Allred
to file a gay marriage lawsuit, is also a fabulous cook.
At 68, Tyler the activist shows no signs of slowing down.
She might be considered Ground Zero in the fight for
marriage equality, because the lawsuit she filed for the right
to marry her longtime partner, Diane O son, made headlines
around the country in 2004 and helped put the issue in the
national spotlight.
For Tyler, the lawsuit wasn't political act-it
was personal. "We didn't do it for the press;' says
Tyler with a chuckle, acknowledging that she has
made a career out of garnering publicity."I did it for
the medical:'
At age 65, she wanted to know if the American
Federation of Television and Radio Artists
(AFTRA), of which she is a member, would cover
her partner'shealth care. "I was going to retire, and I
called them and said Diane was my domestic partner
38
Icurve
and we'd been buying medical for her:' However, AFTRA
denied her partner's medical coverage because the two were
not married.
Attorney Gloria Allred, a lon~me friend, announced
their lawsuit at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12, 2004. Three hours later,
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom began marrying samesex coupl s at City Hall, and later that day Sen. Mark Leno
and Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California,
put gay marriage before state representatives in Sacramento.
"None of us told the others what we were doing;' says
Tyler, "because we wanted to Ry under the radar, so that
the right wing wouldn't organize against us. So in Beverly
Hills, in San Francisco and in Sacramento, on February 12
the same-sex-marriage issue exploded:' Equality has been a
lifelong passion for Tyler, so it's fitting that she has a (ring)
finger in the biggest civil rights battle of this century.
Tyler credits one of the couples that Newsom married in
San Francisco, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, with raising her
awareness and helping her to come out as a teenager many
years earlier in Canada. "They wrote an article about women
who love other women;' that read, '"That's a lesbian. Don't
be embarrassed, there's nothing wrong with you:" I said, 'Oh
great!' and I told the whole world I was a lesbian:'
Tyler started performing in· a drag club singing Judy
Garland ongs, and then partnered with the comic Pat
Harrison on and off the stage. They were a hit comedy team
and made two albums and several television pilots.
"When we went to sign with ABC, we told [President]
Fred Silverman that we were lesbians. He said, 'That doesn't
matter, a lot of people in show business are gay. Just don't
talk about it: And there I am on television ... doing an Anita
Bryant joke:•
While Tyler's material wasn't fit for prime time (or any
time in those days), she had success as an event producer,
producing two dozen music and comedy festivals and the
main sta es at three different March on Washington rallies.
'Tue thing about the festivals was that it wasn't just about
the music and it wasn't just about comedy or politics;' she
says. "It was a comradeship of being able to do everything. A
woman came to me in a wheelchair. She said, 'What are you
going to do for the disabledt I said, 'What are you going to
do:' Write down: Now I'm in charge of it:"
While Tyler's health is now an issue, this hasn't slowed her
down.'Tm telling you, to be passionate is better than Prozac;'
she in ists. She's headed back onstage this fall to do Always
a Bridesmaid,Never a Groom, a one-woman
show that she first performed in New York
in the 1980s. The show is a comic romp
through her life, with the LGBT movement
as a backdrop. Tyler is still involved in the
fight for gay marriage, even though she
and Olson legally tied the knot in 2008.
She's not ready to pass the torch yet, and
probably never ill be.
"If you pass the torch, you're in the
dark,"says Tyler. "What you do is light
the torch and stand with them:•
g
g
October ~010
I39
The Wolfe pack (clockwise from left:)
Kathy Wolfe, Maria Lynn and Linda
Vautour; Wolfe gives writer Anna Belle
Peterson a tour, digs through the
archives and shows off their historic
New Almaden, Calif. property
The lesbian film distributor celebrates 25 years. By Anna Belle Peterson
Kathy Wolfe, founder of the now-iconic
Wolfe Video, walks down a quiet, tree-lined
street in New Almaden, an unincorporated area
of San Jose, Cali£, where the company's offices are
located. She points out the house where Wolfe Video began,
in a basement with ceilings so low that employees joked that
you had to meet a height requirement in order to work there.
Across the street, a long driveway leads up to a barn that
served as a warehouse. The same driveway where Columbia
T ristar executives parked when they came to see the women
who had sold so many copies of the film Bound.
"They wanted to take us out to dinner" Wolfe says, a huge
smile on her face."They wanted to know our secret:'
Today, Wolfe Video is the leading lesbian and gay film
distributor in North America. Its catalog includes hundreds
of titles. The company is celebrating 25 years of business,
bringing films to a commun,ity sorely in need of authentic
cinematic representation. With each new film, Wolfe has
given lesbians all over the world the chance to see someone
like themselv~ on the big screen.
When the company began, it operated entirely through
mail-order catalogs (the first was called the Kick-Off Catalog,
hile todais version proclaims "You're in Wolfe Territory").
Wolfe originally wanted to makeher own documentaries, but
"Tl,IER 'S @E N A LOT OF WORK DONE
BY LOTS OF PEOPLEIN THE COMMUNITY
TO RAISEAWARENESSANO WE'VEALL
PUSHEDTHE DOOR 0OWN.''-MARIA LYNN,
PRESIDENTOF WOLFEVIDEO
40
Icurve
when she began selling her films through feminist bookstores
across the country she recognized the need for a company that
served the gay and lesbian community.
"Those same bookstores said, 'Could you get us that k.d.
lang concert? People are asking for that: And so I said, 'Sure!"'
explains the founder.
What truly put the company on the map was a contribution
from Lily Tomlin, who, at the time, was looking for a place
to sell her films.
"Lily had been distributing this film out of her garage with
her own staff, because she didn't want to hand it over to a
studio that wouldn't let her have control;' says Maria Lynn,
president of Wolfe Video."Lily had dinner with us and before
we knew it, she gave us the gift of her distribution:'
Today, Wolfe acquires films by traveling around the world
looking for titles to release under its own label. It also helps
studios promote gay and lesbian films. Kathy Wolfe is frank
about the company's reputation. •
"We do a really good job at what we do-there's no one
who can do it better, honestly;' she says. "Paramount could
not outperform us on a lesbian tide:•
Linda Voutour, vice president of sales and marketing at
Wolfe, agrees: "We have a great reputation. Were known for
our commitment, our performance, our dedication:'
That dedication includes promoting and distributing films
that the company knows are not going to make a lot of money,
but ones they think are important to put out there.
"Because we hold such a significant role in the community,
we feel responsible to be representative of a lot of different
p~spectives;' Wolfe says. This includes depicting smaller
groups within the gay and lesbian community and stories
that haven't been told before.
Back at her current headquarters, an old Wells Fargo stagecoach stop, Wolfe waves hello to neighbors and asks how
they're doing, what they're up to. One even responds by telling
me,"Give her a good write-up, she's a great neighbor:'
That feeling of camaraderie is one that begins inside the
Wolfe Video offices,where Voutour calls the company a family.
Several employees live within steps of the offices so it's easy to
see how the lines between life and work can become blurred.
But perhaps that family environment is what pas made the
company so successful.
"Obviously we're in the business of selli g product ...
but most days it's about a lot more than
at;' Lynn
says. All three women speak with pride about the fact
that people who come to work for them tend to stay.
Several employees have celebrated 10 to 15 years with
the company.
"A lot of people, including myself, have co e to this
company saying, 'I've done work that I could be successful
in but wasn't fulfilling,'" Lynn says. "And that's hy this is the
dream job for a lot of people here:'
It's a dream that brings with it a lot of hard work to change
society's perceptions. When the company started its customers
often preferred the anonymity of making purchas through the
mail, and it was considered the kiss of death for actor to play
a gay character. Wolfe Video has had a huge role in increasing
the awareness of lesbians-something
that was a goal from
the beginning.
"The good news is that as society has chan ed, there are
more people who are open to and need to see our movies;
Lynn says. "We're not the only company that's ontributed to
I
ti: this-clearly, there's been a lot of work done by ots of people
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in the community to raise awareness and. we've pushed the
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door down:'
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In looking back on the history of Wolfe Vide , Lynn says,
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old was I then:' Was I out then:"' She has bee with the
1<{ company for 19 years. The moviemaking business has
evolved dramatically in that time and, fortunate! , Wolfe has
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grown with it.
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"For me, the quality of the (Wolfe] product as changed;
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Voutour says. 'Tm so proud. When I'm sittin~ in a film fes(/)
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quality:'
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'J\.nd people howl, they're so excited;' Lynn adds with
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audience that's the most exciting.
d.
"It makes my day when somebody calls or sto s me at a film
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festival and says, "That's my story;' she says. "It just gives me
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cutting edge of technology that will give more
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people the chance to see Wolfe films.
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J:
for taking ...the best of the last 25 years o
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"The future of this company is
5
I
October 201 O 41
42
Icurve
PHOTOSBY (OPPOSITEPAGE):LAURA CROST,HAIR AND MAKEUP BY CHERIECOMBS (WRIGHT),ALKIMSON/ISTOCK(PIG).THISPAGE:PATSYLYNCH (MARCH),
PETERKRAMER(RODRIGUEZ),RACHEL BEEBE(BABY),KINA WILLIAMS (CANDYSHOP)
October 2010
I43
Rock star Melissa Etheridge has sung the lives of lesbians
for over two decades. By Jacob Anderson-Minshall
but in many arenas-environmentalactivism,health care,
LGBTrightsin general.Sowhatareyoumostproudof overthe
last20 years?
I chink che thing I'm most proud of is chat I can stand up
and say chat when I have chosen to speak truthfully, I have
been rewarded. That has been che greatest ching that I could
do. And chat I can point to chose chings-like, after I came
out publicly about my sexuality, I went from selling 1 million
albums to selling 6 million albums. I can point to chese chings
and say,"Look, it's good for us to be truchful, to be who we are,
and chat makes us healchY:'
That'sa lovelylessonto learn.I thinkit takesmanyof usa long
timeto figurethatout.
Yeah. I just would really want people to know that chere's a
brighter, greener grass on che ocher side when you decide to
be truthful.
Speakingof greenergrass,you battledcancersix yearsago
andyou'reon the othersideof that. Doyoustill feel changed
bythe experience?
Oh, yes. Completely. It totally changed my life. Ir changed my
whole perspective. It changed my journey. Definitely. Just che
I reallylovethetitletrackto Fearless
Love.Areyoufearless?
perspective of what's important. [It changed] a lot of what I
Working on chat every day. It's an everyday state of mind one eat, what I think, what I want-you know, all chose chings. Oh
has to-but chat's my plan.
yeah, it still changes me.
Oneofthelinesthatreallyresonates
onthenewalbumis "Don't It wasa littlemorethan20 yearsagowhenyoufirstsignedwith
settleforanythingless."Is thathowyoufeelrightnow?
IslandRecords.
Beforethat,youwererejected
byOliviaRecords.
Yeah. That it's really in my best interest-and it does create Yeah! [Laughs]
a better life for myself and my children and my loved onesHowdifferentdoyouthinkyourlife,yourcareerwouldhavebeen
when I can be fearless and not settle for anyching less... because if you'dhavesignedwithOliviainstead?
if I do [settle], I will just have to work char issue out later. So I like to chink I would have ended up in che same place, but
might as well do it now.
it certainly would have been a different pach. And I would
Doyoufeellikeyouhavesettledbeforein yourlife?
have been out from che beginning, instead of sort of having
Um, not knowing that I did? We all do. This is a learning to come out. It would have been known. Even though I did
experience-we're never going to be perfect at it, it's just kind play in women's bars, everyone didn't really talk about it until
of getting better as we go along. So, yeah, I didn't understand
I talked about it.
chat I really need to do what's best for mysel£ what makes When I was writing my master'sdegreethesison lesbian
myself happy.
music,we knewyou,k.d. langandall thesewomenwereout,
Sothisis curve's 20thanniversary.
butsincenoonehadsaidit in a mainstream
publication
yet,my
professors
just wouldn'tacceptit. I hadto changemy thesis
Happy anniversary. Congratulations on 20 years.
Thanks.We'relookingbackonthose20 yearsandbackat the topicto women'smusicbecausetheyjust didn'tacceptthat I
womenwho have impactedlesbiancultureand, obviously, couldknowthisinformation.
you'vebeena reallyimportantpart in that. Notjust in music, Right. Yeah. I'm glad we finally got through that. It was weird.
No one would ask che question. It was like, Go, I'll answer it
if you'll just ask me. Bur no one would ask it. So I finally said,
"You know, I have to say it myself.'
Yeah.It wasreallyweirdhowthemainstream
media
in thatcloseting.
participated
They did! They tiptoed around it. It was like, chat's one of
chose questions you don't ask anybody.
In the last 20 years,you'venot onlybecomea rockstar,but
you'vealso sort of transcended
that by performingeverywherefromthe Democratic
NationalConvention
andthe Nobel
Ocher chan che fact chat her
debut album is one of my all~time
favorites, che thing chat is che most
alluring about Melissa Echeridgearguably one of che most powerful lesbian
musicians ever-is her voice. It's deep and
measured, but you can hear che emotion creep in when
she speaks, like che passion she offers when talking about
che environment, or che sadness chat resonates when she
addresses her recent divorce from her wife, actress Tammy
Lynn (Michaels) Echeridge, che mocher of her two youngest
children. Echeridge has a confidence chat comes out in her
words, whecher she says chem or sings chem. Aside from her
youchful overreliance on various inflections of che word"yeah;'
she rarely utters. the kind of filler so many of us use-che kind
that demonstrates we re chinking on our feet or doubting what
were saying. After 20 years, 12 albums, four ki~s and record
sales in che millions, she eicher chinks a lot faster chan che rest
of us or she already knows exactly what she wants to say and
has che confidence to trust that she's saying it correctly.
"THETHINGl'M MOST PROUDOF IS THAT
I CAN STANDUP AND SAYTHATWHEN I
HAVECHOSENTO SPEAKTRUTHFULLY,
I
HAVEBEENREWARDED.THATHAS BEEN
THE GREATESTTHINGTHATI COULD DO."
44
I curve
)
PeacePrizeconcert
IDthe
ne KatrinaBenefit.Themusic
IndustryhaschangedsomuchInthat time-what advicedo you
giveIDyoemgmusicians atthispoint?
One of the reasons I have said yes to so many things was I
wanted people to see that the out musician is just one flavor
of me. There's music and the rest of what I do. I mean, I was
on SesameStreet.I say yes to all q,.ese things that kind of cross
over everywhere, especially into the family world. I would say
that if you're a musician and you're gay,just do what you love.
If you give your fear, your energy of fearing that somethings
g to work because you are gay, then it will indeed not
you are gay. If you believe that your music is a
t as being
IS a part of you, and it makes you
l, then
be interesting and cool. But
e
Yoursong"I Needto WakeUp,"for An Inconvenient
Truth,is
certainlya verytimelysentiment,
considering
whatis happening
in the Gulfof Mexicorightnow.Whatdo youthinkis the most
importantthingwe candofortheenvironment,
fortheEarth?
The most important thing we can do is change our own beliefs
and perceptions of what can be done. When I did the song
for An Inconvenient Truth, and I became more involved with
Al [Gore] and what he was doing, I understood and looked
around and I thought, Wait a minute, I can buy a diesel car and
I can put biodiesel in it and run around. I don't have to do anything to the car because any diesel engine can run on biofuels.
And once I realized that, it's like, Oh! I can start changing this
myself,by what I do. Not that I have to go out and change the
world-I can change what I do, and if each of us changes our
ow-nlittle spending habits ... it will change overnight. If we all
decide that we're done with petroleum and oil and just go for
the alternatives-it will change. It's up to us.
Ithinkthat'ssuchanempowering
thought,
because
sooftenwe're
justoverwhelmed
bytheproblems
thatwe'refacing,andit justseemstoo,
bigforusto solve.Butasyousaid,if we makesmallchanges
...
Yeah. And you don't have to do without. It's just different. You just
have to believe that there's other alternatives out there. And there are.
This is America. All the green businesses? Go find them! You know,
they might be a little more expensive right now, but the more we all
buy into it, the less it will be.
You'vesung,"I am not an island."Rightnow,you'regoingthrough
anotherverypublicbreakup.Doyouwishyouwerean islandat times
likethis?
Ha! Yeah, sure. I wish that didn't have to be out there, but I can't say,
"You can look at all of my life here, but not this:' That's just not how
it works. But you know, three years from now I'll be able to look back
and it will be a little easier, and it'll make more sense. It's just part of
the deal.
It doesseemlikean uncomfortable
burdenof beinga celebrity,
though,
thateverything
hasto be in thepubliceye.
Yeah. Well, I learned a long time ago that people are going to think
what they think and believe. I wish I could personally talk to everyone
and tell them all what's going on. But I can't. Relationships, especially,
are different. They're perceived differently and lived differently, so
you're going to get difft;rent opinions and different things out in the
press, and that's just how it is and I can't control it.
Backin theday,I hada friendwhousedto tosspantiesonstage.
Doyou
stillgetthatkindof intensereactionfromfans?
"I LEARNEDA LONGTIMEAGO THAT
PEOPLEARE GOINGTO THINKWHAT
THEYTHINK... I WISHI COULDPERSONALLY
TALKTO EVERYONEAND TELLTHEM
ALL WHAT'SGOINGON. BUT I CANT."
(Laughs] I'll get a bra thrown up onstage. I'll get stuff thrown up
onstage. I'm not terribly fond of that, but, hey, if people still think [of
me] that way and I'm looking at 50, well I'm happy. Let me tell you,
that's a goodthing!
Righton.Youknow,oneof the thingsthat has changedin the last 20
yearsis thatthe mainstream
mediahasstartedcoveringlesbianentertainers.Do youthinkthat lesbianmusicians,
and lesbianpublications
likecurve, canstillremainrelevantto lesbiansin the nextdecade?
Oh yeah! Definitely. I think lesbians always like to pick up something
that's just for them and is just made for them and speaks to them.
Haveyoueverfoundit difficultto speakto bothlesbianand str_aight
audiences
withyourwork?
I wouldn't say it's difficult. I made a choice not to get extremely specific
in my work. I think, if you read between the lines and you see the
layers of the work that I do, I think you'll find it's truthful.
-·we Have To Stop
Now
•watch episodes or the full-length feature
only @ www.wehavetostopnow.tv
also starring SuzanneWestenhofer
specialguest star: Meredith Baxter
SeasonOne DVD
& SeasonTwo Soundtrack
AVAILABLENOW
October 2010
I47
COVERGIRLS
Over the course of 20 years, we've had a lot of sexy,
talented, powerful women on our covers. Some of them
you already knew, others we introduced you to. Here are
two decades of our cover girls.
48
I curve
oking back on ju t 20 of the thousands we lost. By Victoria A. Brownworth
,a
Ov r the past two decades at curve w 've run
obituaries for the icons and movers and akers
of our community.Those
es run deep for many of us.
We.grie\'C
'esJ:>ectally fur
who died t young, or who
ft.omth
epidemic eeping our community or who
homophobicviolence.We lost countless more
in die past 20 years, but here are some of the
changed our lives because their own lives taught us
andbecause of the passion they brought to lesbian and
ma:1Il.S1"3lmcultures.
BERENICE
BOTT, 93, photographer and inventor of
photographicprocesses, was pivotal in the American realist
photographicmovement Abbott focused on the urban landscapeand was renowned for taking photography in a different
direction&omthe romanticized photos of Alfred Steiglitz. She
andherparmer,art critic Elizabeth McCausland, lived together
fur30 yearsuntilMcCausland's death.
UA61, was the leading voice of Chicano
literarytheory
and a scholar of Queer Theory. Anzaldua wrote
extensively
about the dislocation and marginalization she experienced as a Latina lesbian, some of which was included in the
groundbreaking
book she co-edited, ThisBridgeCalledMy Back.
GRETAGARBO,84, the mysterious Swedish-born film star
was one of the leading actors in 1930s Hollywood. She was
renowned for her reclusiveness and retired from films at the
height of her career. Garbo had lesbian affairs with fellow star
Louise Brooks and Mercedes de Acosta, among ochers.
BARBARAGITllNGS, 74, political activist, was asked to
organize a chapter of Daughters of Bilitis in New York by
DOB founders Del Martin and Phyllis Lyoq. Gittings
also edited The Ladder throughout the 1960s. She died of
metastatic breast cancer and was survived by her parmer of
36 years, Kay Tobin Lahusen.
PATRICIA
HIGHSMITH,
7 4, author of the homoerotic Ripley
series Strangerson a Train and the classic 1952 lesbian novel
The Price of Salt. One of her former partners, Mary Jane
Meaker, chronicled their relationship and the role of lesbian
pulp fiction.
BARBARAJORDAN,59, was the first black woman to serve
in the Texas Senate and the first to be pro tern in the state.
She was also the first black representative of the House of
Representatives from a Southern state. Jordan suffered from
MS, which forced her to retire from politics even as she was
a rising political star. Jordan was survived by her companion
BETTY BERZON,78, psychotherapist and author of Positively of 30 years, Nancy Earl.
Gay and other books on the LGBT community. She died of
metastatic
breast
cancer and was survived by her wife of 34 years,
TeresaDeCrescenzo.
Gl()RA E.
TEE A. CORI NE, 62, created the Cunt ColoringBook.Her
lusheroticphotographs oflesbians were considered the first by an
out lesbianphotographer and her avant-garde style was critically
acclaimed.
Shealso archived lost lesbian artists for the Women's
ArtAs.marion and fought against censorship of lesbian images
in art. Shediedof liver cancer.
MARY DALY,1 , feminist theologian, philosopher and ecologist She taught at Boston
Collegefurmore than 30 years, expanding her
radicaltheologyand philosophy. Her classes
werehighly
controversialand male students sued
heraftershe ed to allow them in her classes.
Shecontinuedto write about radical feminism
untilher death.
MARLENE
DI ICH,90, The German-born
becamea U.S. citizen in 1939, and was
notedfurher • exualencounters. Her appear-
actor
anceon-screendressed in men's clothes became
iconic for
and gay men. An anti-Nazi
activist, Dietrich
also devoted herself to entertainingallied ops during WWII.
sole
EVALE GALLIENNE,92, The Tony award,winning actor,
director and producer of theatre and film was one of the few
open lesbians in Hollywood of the 1920s and 30s. Le Gallienne .
continued to work in theatre for more than 50 years. Among
her partners was exotic silent actor, Alla Nazimova.
PAT PARKER, 45, the African,American poet, Black
Panther and radical lesbian feminist dealt with issues of
race versus gender in her poetry. A mother of two, she died
of metastatic cancer. An annual poetry prize is given in
her honor.
AtJDRE LORDE, 58, African,American poet, essayist,
SARAHPITTIT,36, The Yalegraduate was a founding editor
theorist and political activist. Co,founder of Kitchen Table:
Women of Color Press and author of the pivotal chronicle of
her long battle with breast cancer, The CancerJournals, Lorde
was known for her examination of racial conflicts within the
lesbian and feminist communities and had challenged NOW
to be more inclusive of women of color.
of the radical New York publication, OutWeek magazine.
When OutWeek folded, she became eclitor and co,founder
of OUT magazine, one of the first mainstream queer
magazines. She died of metastatic cancer.
DELMARTIN,87, activist icon who, with wife Phyllis Lyon,
co,founded the Daughters of Bilitis in San Francisco in 1955.
The two were the first queer couple to be legally married in
California, after living together for 51 years. Martin and Lyon
had previously married when San Francisco Mayor Gavin
Newsom declared same,sex marriage legal, but the state later
invalidated those couplings.
JANERULE,76, groundbreaking lesbian novelist and author
of Desert of the Heart in 1964, upon which the 1985 film
Desert Hearts was based. Rule lived in Canada for decades
with her longtime partner. She also wrote extensively about the
Canadian censorship laws that banned many queer books.
SUSAN SONTAG,71, essayist, novelist and political and
social theorist. Her compelling discourse on art and culture
was widely published. She won the National Boo
in 2000 and was also a MacArthu F low. Sh
died of metastatic cancer and-was survived by her,
partner, photographer Annie Liebovitz.
DUS1Y SPRINGFIELD,59, was a charMoppin
British pop singer of the 1960s and throughout the
decade was cited as the Top British Female Vocalist.
Springfield was openly lesbian in her later years, but
,tried to keep her sexuality a secret at the peal<of her
career. She died of metastatic breast cancer.
VALERIETAYLOR,84, a lesbian pulp novelist of
the 1950s and '60s, began writing lesbian fiction
because the pulp novels she read
were "erotic fantasy written by men:'
Taylor's later works were publisheq bY.:
Naiad Press, the world's largest lesbi
publisher. Taylor was kept from the
bedside of her dying partner, Pearl
Hart, by Hart's family. She was
able to say goodbye.
BRANDON TEENA, 21 ,
a trans man, raped and
murdered in Nebraska for
having sex with women.
He had suffered extensive
harassment
and attacks
prior to his murder. Teena's
provocative and grisly story
was made into Kimberly
Peirce's Oscar,winning film,
Boys Don't
1. Gloria Anzaldua 2. Greta Garbo 3. Berenice Abbott
4. Patricia Highsmith 5. Barbara Jordan 6. Dusty Springfield
7. Barbara Gittings 8. Audre Larde 9. Del Martin
October 2010
I51
1 Honeymooning
at a DykeMarch2 WhenNightIs Falling3 Lesbianflag football4 RoseTroche(fromleft)Guinevere
Turner,LeaDelaria5 JoanJett 6 St.Patrick'sDayNYC,
19967 Prideutsav'95 Conference
with UrvashiVaid(farleft)
8 Queerclubbingat TheBox 9 IndigoGirlsat Maine'sPenobscot
IndianReservation
1o Phranc11 Deanna
Workman
(left)andDeniseGernant12 Celesbians
(leftto right):MelissaEtheridge,
UrvashiVaid,KateClinton,NanetteGartrell,
JulieCypher13 NYLesbianAvengersunveiltheAliceB.Toklasstatue14 TheToppTwins15 Pride16 We'reeverywhere
17 JEB's1975self-portraitin Virginia18 Skydyking19 MartinaNavratilova
at 1993'sMarchonWashington
20 Anne
HecheandEllenDeGeneres
at the GLAAD
Awards21 Scullylust 22 Suzanne
Westenhoefer
(left)andFrancesStevens
23 Roberta
Achtenberg
at SFPride24 TheButchiesin NorthCarolina
52
Icurve
PHOTOSBY LESLIE KRONGOLD(1),TERRY LYNN HERBST(3), DEBRAST. JOHN (4), REGINAPARIS(5),ARVIND KUMAR (7), JESSICATANZER(8),
SUSANALZNER (9), KEN SEINO (10), MORGAN GWENWALD(13),ARDITH J. VIET (16), JOANE. BIREN (17), SARAAINSPAN(18)
October 2010
I 53
As the economy sinks, are lesbian bars going down with the ship?
By Jonanna Widner
In the m north exas town where I went to college in the
rly '90s, every fe
eekends a gtoup of friends and I would
don.our finest grun e wear-our Freedom rings and our rainow T -shirts-and pile into a car. Just after dusk we'd head
t
ar.dth Oklahoma border, cruising through a labyrinth of
du ty co nty roads that grew narrower as we approached our
destihation: a country bar isolated on the outskirts of town,
decrepit, lonely and so small that it resembled an outhouse
more than a watering hole.
Still, as we approached it, our spirits would lift. We were
headed to Good Times, the only gay bar within a 60-mile
radius. We were young gay kids, just getting our sea legs when
it came to our sexuality. This was the pre-Ellen era, a rime
when there were still plenty of.souls crowding the closet, and
Good Times was the only place we could go to be ourselves.
Inside the dark shack were the solitary people who came
from farmhouses and tiny suburbs to sip watered-down
drinks under a leaky roof. Everyone cruised one another
awkwardly. Cowgirls two-stepped with cowgirls, cowboys
with cowboys, their saucer-sized belt buckles clanking
together as they slow-danced. It was a scene more out of Boys
Don't Cry than The L Word. It was a mess, that place, but it
was ours and we loved it.
After college, I moved to Dallas and a whole new world
opened up. The heart of the Dallas gayborhood was The
Strip-a long, hot block full of LGBT-owned bars, bookstores, coffeehouses and restaurants. Sue Ellen's, JR's-these
were the places where my fellow young queers and I learned
that we were OK, that being gay or lesbian was something to
be celebrated. It was there that we sweated under the lights
on the dance floor, met our first girlfriends, broke up, made
up and grew up. For many of us, these were the first places we
ever really felt comfortable with ourselves.
While the bars of my baby dyke years have survived, many
54
Icurve
of our favorite watering holes have closed their door .
My adopted hometown of Portland, Ore., has its own
casualty. After nearly 15 years, the Egyptian Club dubbed
the E Room by locals)-an 8,000-square-foot haven of
lesbian karaoke, lesbian open mic comedy, lesbi poker,
lesbian dancing and the lesbian quaffing of pines-is closing.
As local lesbians and endless Facebook fans rally to try to
save the E Room, fe expect their efforts to work.
In many ways, the E Room's face stands as an example
of the sad phenomenon that is befalling lesbian e tablishments across the country. One by one, they have shuttered
their doors: Stargaze in Chicago. The Starlite in Brooklyn.
Rubyfruit in the We t Village.
Many of these lesbian bars-along with oche~ queeroriented businesses-existed as brick-and-mortar manifestations of the co cept of community; they were often
packed to the gills for everything from dance nights to
benefits. But at so e point, lesbian bars sprang a leak,
with customers becoming fewer and less frequent. And
slowly, the leak bee me a hemorrhage-of customers and
of money. Why? 1"l}eslow frittering away of a customer
base can most likely be attributed to the shifts in lesbian
social culture. The knockout punch seems to have been
the economy.
"The economy is just really bad;'says E Room owner Kim
Davis. "We have rec rd-low sales-our sales now e worse
than when we opened 14 years ago."
One of Davis' employees, bartender Noelle Myer , agrees.
"Times have been really hard,"she says. "Ia say out 75
percent of our clientele are now unemployed.That really takes :.:
(.)
its toll:'
A few days after Davis announced the bar's impending
closure a weekday e ening at the E Room epitomized the :.:
(.)
atmosphere of the Id-school lezzie bar. A foxy bartender :E
slung beers to baseball-capped ladies and
a few tight-jeaned androgynous types,
while Lady Gaga rippled out of the
speakers as a skeleton staff prepped the stage
for karaoke. The patrons sipped their beers,
slammed their shots and chatted amiably, all
of them clearly at home. But there was just a
smattering of them.
An economy in the dumps has something
to do with it, but one has to wonder if
the bottom line is that lesbian times have
changed. In her story about the closing of
the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in
Manhattan, City University of New York
professor Caroline Linton says lesbian
bars have become "victims of acceptance:•
That is, no longer do we need a welcoming
place where we can feel sheltered from a
homophobic world. We aren't restricted
to the gay ghettos of major cities anymore.
We can stroll through most malls holding
hands. In many places, straight bars are
cool with us-in fact, many have a queer
night or two on their weekly schedule. And
lesbian bars or club nights-once an exotic
respite-are as common as card shops. Or,
at least, they were.
"I think a lot of the younger generation
don't even know what it's like to not have
a lesbian bar;' Davis notes. "They're more
accepted than we were years ago:'
Dale Schiff is the owner of Haven, a
beloved, queer-friendly coffeehouse just a
few blocks from the E Room. It too has come
close to closing in the past few years. She
agrees that queer businesses have suffered
because of the changing economic tides.
The closing of the E Room makes me
sad;' Schiff says. But even she admits, "There
are so many things going on in the queer
community, the E Room's not the only game
in town anymore:'
While the E Room is closing and Haven
struggles, queer parties like Blow Pony and
Crush, both of which happen intermittently
throughout the month, have thrived.
Still, on the night I last went to the E
Room, the specter of the past lingered. As
the clock ticked, the squeak of the front door
grew more frequent, the room started to fill
up and the karaoke kicked into high gear. As
one patron caterwauled an off-key version of
Lisa Loeb's "Stay;' Myers grinned a11:drolled
her eyes.
"Well;' she said, shaking her head, "it's still
a lesbian bar tonight, that's for
edtnfantasys
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Where were we 20 years ago? Sorry you asked?
1. DianeAnderson-Minshall,
editorin chief
I was 22 and having a typical early-20s moment where everything seemed to change over night-repeatedly. I was heavily
involved in ACT UP and Queer arion, and somewhere along
the lines-quite possibly as I was staging a mock funeral at
some pharmaceutical company- I realized that objectivity in
our phobic society wasn't all it was cracked up to be. So, I gave
up dreams of working at Cosmopolitan and started dreaming
about a magazine that spoke to me.Twenty years ago, I did all
this: temped at a bunch of ew York magazines, banged out
freelance articles on my electric typewriter for Lesbian News,
Outweek and The Advocate, edited a weekly gay newspaper
called Crescent City Star, reported stories and produced segments for an LGBT TV show called the Spectrum News (in
typical crazy lesbian news: I got that gig after the person in my
position went to jail for stalking Sharon Gless). That summer,
I met three women who had started lesbian magazines: Debi
Sundahl, one of the founders of the erotic mag On Our Backs,
Frances Stevens, and Katie Brown, the founding editor of the
magazine that would eventually be called curve. That night
I told my wife that my dream was to edit one of those magazines someday. And now I've been at the helm of both. That
year,
divorced my first wife (though she's still one of my
bestfriends)andmarried my second wife-who would later
become myfirs husband (although that's an entirely different
story). So thisyearI'm celebrating two 20th anniversaries.
2. KathyBeige,con •
I w just a year out of co
, v1 in
use, N.Y. I spent
as much time as possible workingat wome ' music festivals.
Michigan, of com: e, was the • • and I would o for a month
and th
n the day tage.
and work on the "Lace'' crew preDon't be misled by the name, th Lace crew was for all the
butch girls who did the heavylifting. In addition to Michigan,
I worked at Campfest, the East·Coast Lesbian Festival, New
England Women's Music Festival, the National Women's
Music Festival in Bloomington, Ind. and Woman Harvest
outside of Syracuse. I also had my own company called Stray
Kat Productions. We produced shows as fundraisers for the
gay community in Syracuse.
3. GinaDaggett,
contributing
editor
I was 16 and captain of my high school tennis team in
Scottsdale, Ariz. When I wasn't hitting the fuzz, I was hanging
with my boyfriend-who had 90210 chops and drove a hot
rod-and my posse of girlfriends with whom I got into insane
amounts of trouble with and am still close with today.
4. DianaBerry,advertising
executive
During this time, I was also participating in ACT UP and
Queer ation, and spent much of my rime proudly chanting,
"We're here, we're Queer!" I took part in kiss-ins and sit-ins,
trying to make homosexuality more visible and claiming the
right to live our lives the way we want to. I even contributed as
a photographer to Deneuve's first issue.
5. HayleyMcMillen,
photoeditor
I was a 7-year-old bundle of terror. I hated brushing my hair;
my teeth and doing anything that did not involve harassing my
older brother and his skater friends. I would spend the majority
of my time listening in on his phone calls,hiding in his closet f
tr
when he had visitors and telling my parents when I found beer
in his dresser drawers. My favorite band was Color Me Badd
and I watched Roseanne religiously.
!
w
z
z
cc
6. FloEnriquez,
directorof operations
0
(.)
I was 32 years old, and had just been transferred to Winter <i
w
Haven, Fla. for my first assignment as a store director for
Albetsons, Inc. I was proud o be a woman of color in
corporate America. That experi nee led me into more managerial positions, and I've happi y been curve'sdirector of
operations for four years.
7. KristinA.Smith,managing
editor
I was a scrawny middle schooler •n a smallPennsylvaniatown
that bought the body of a dead a lete and reburiedit thereall in the name of tourism. I play d fluteandhad a nightguard.
Those were not my cutest years, Buttheywereamongthe most
fun. Despite already being
I k:lreamedof being a jockey, or
at least a cowgirl like Sissy Ha
haw in Even CowgirlsGet
the Blues(I think she was my fi st crush).When I wasn'tout
playing in the woods, kayaking on the riveror runningtrack,
I
was writing stories- I still love rodo all of those thingstoday.
Newspaperin C icago. When not publishing, I was shooting
photos at the Maxwell Street Market. I began hitting queer
barslikeThe Closet and Paris Dance, with my heart beating a
mile a minute. at year I had my first girl kiss. While being
droppedat home someone in a station wagon shouted 'cl.yke"
and tossed a beerbottle at me. I knew I had arrived.
s·s•:
8. RachelShatto,associate
editor
Deee-lites "Groove is in the HeartH tape single was in heavy
rotation and fanny packs were t e fabulouslyfunctionalaccessory of choice-apparently (see photo and cringealongwith
me). I was in fifth grade at Our SaviorLutheranSchool and
was already busy cultivating an obsessionwith Winona Ryder
(I have the barely legible diary entriesto proveit), TwinPeaks
and my preadolescent idea of a badgirlreputation,whichis to
mean I swore a lot. Also, I had r allyawesomebangs.
9. Stefanie
Lang,artdirector
I was a skinny awkward 13-year-old, in juniorhighin Newton,
Mass., rocking triple ear piercings andbaggyboysclothes.Saltn-Pepa's Hot, Cool and Viciousalbumblaredin my suburban
bedroom that was covered with postersof AlyssaMilano,my
first celebrity obsession. I pulled all-nightersplayingGerman
board games with my cousin. I te Crunch Berriesdailyand
counted all the red ones, which I recordedon a color-coded
chart and ate last. I dreamed o being a teacheror a professional lip-syncer, playing varsi softballand growingboobs.
I"
10.VictoriaBrownworth,
contribuf"'9
edHDr
g I was one of the most prolific
ut lesbianjournalistsin the
country. I wrote for both the queer and mainstreampress
a:
as both a reporter and colu • t for The Advocate, Out
5 magazine, The Village Voice and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
I ~as also a contributing editor and writer at OutWeek, the
; country's most radical queer publication.I did the firstwriting
in the country on women and A DS and pediatricAIDS, for
Q
which I was nominated for a PulitizerPrize and won a series
of other journalism awards. As an activist,I was a member
<3 of both ACT UP and Queer ation. I was an angryradical
marching on Washington, D.C., d a participantin both civil
disobedience protests and die-in againstAIDS policies.I also
taught lesbian sex workshops and was involvedin the lesbian
; SIM movement. My commitm nt to queerpoliticswas deep
ID
tlj then and is just as deep today.
i
fB,
UJ
z
11.Ondine
Kilker,production
man
5 I was one year out of college all! had a job as an adve¢sing
::E
iii
designer for First Comics and
art
director of New City
October 2010
I57
all 15'<2issues uf c
aid" quotes.
"I've said it's a good thing I was born
a girl, becauseif I'd been a boy, I'd
have been a drag queen. I definitely
would have been. 'Cause, see, I
haveto shine. I have too."
arch of
cut:
- DollyPartonto US Weekly[Vol.11#3)
"Let me just say that Betty White
was the best I've ever had. She
was tender but firm."
"The only reasonanybody
should go see Psycho is
to see Anne Heche get
assassinated."
- Sandra Bullock to US Weekly
about being felt up by Betty White
in TheProposal [Vol. 19#1O]
- Author CamillePagliaas quoted
in the New YorkPost [Vol.9#1]
"I like being dirty and
sexual. I like making
people'sfaces red and I
like making them squirm."
- Joan Jett to VitalVoice
[Vol.11#6]
"Oh, I don't think you have
to worry."
- k.d. lang to Tipper Gore when
Gore grabbed her husband'sam,
during lang'sMarilynMonroeesque birthdayserenadeto him.
"I think he's the one who should be worried."
- Tipper Gore'sresponseto k.d. lang (Vol.8#4]
"[Beth Ditto] is just amazing.And
she's so sexy, she reallyis. When
she was performing,she started
taking all her clothes off. I stood
there watching her strip, thinking,
Oh my god, that woman is so sexy.
She has the most amazingbody."
- KeiraKnightley,to Metro UK [Vol.17#8]
"I'm a big lesbianwho
looks like a man. I am not,
like, Anchor Babe, and
I'm never gonna be."
- RachelMaddowto Out
magazine[Vol.19#2]
"I'll come in and be like, 'I
need more lift in my boobs,'
and she'll help me .... She's a
very good boob wrangler."
- Drew Barrymoreto Premiere
magazineon her Charlie'sAngels
co-star CameronDiaz[Vol.10#7]
58
Icurve
THIS PAGE:MICHAEL TRAN (BONO), LUCA BASINI (PAGLIA),R. EMBREY (JETT),PAUL DRINKWATER(MADDOW),CHARLESWILLIAM
BUSH (RIVERS),OPPOSITEPAGE:REMY STEINEGGER(JOLIE),JASON MERRITT(FOX),TONY SHEK (KNIGHTLEY),CRISTIANODEL
RICCIO (WILDE),NAOMI KALTMAN/SHOWTIME(MOENING),JOHN GANUN (MCGILLIS),KARENSETO (BECKINSALE)
"Excellent.I'd do anythingwith Emma
[Thompson].I'd soap anywherewith her."
- Kate Beckinsateon what It was like to sharea
shower scenewith EmmaThompsonin Much Ado
About Nothing[Vol.11#6]
Judge us by our actions of the last 20 years. By Kate Lacey
r o decades weve b en shining a spotlight on what
puts the pop in lesbian pop culture. During chose years,
we've been witness to some excellent developments in the
lesbian community, as well as some not-so-proud moments.
While space will not permit a list of every good and bad
lesbian decision in the last 20 years, I've selected a few of
che highlights.
SOMEOF THEWORSTLESBIANDECISIONS
TheRiseof FauxCelesbians
Give me your drug-addled, alcoholic, C-list actress on
the slippery slope of obscurity, and I'll give you a hecero
who's suddenly queerer than anyone in the Top 50 on the
women's pro tennis tour. For some reason, dyke wrangling
has became the cure-all for a ·career lull, and while I admit
there are some powerful curative properties to the mystical
muff, being gay just to safely make the tabloid headlines
is bad PR for real lesbians. It just reinforces the idea chat
being gay is a choice, not co mention the face chat it really
screws up our gaydar. o wonder I can't cell a Hollywood
heroin junky from a potential ex-girlfriend. So, you straight
girls searching for a way to be relevant, cake a lesson from
the good old days and just sleep with a married politician.
Leave our lesbians alone.
"Don'tAsk,Don'tTell"(EvenThoughThatWasn'tOurFault)
Naturally, no self-respecting gay wants co be cold to shut
up about it. The military's decision co put a sock in it
about coming out certainly cook the color out of the Color
Guard and may have effectively buried some men.
But lee's face it-cutting
a woman's hair, buffing
her up and giving her a uniform did more co
recruit women to the military than ever. Even
so, for a generation of lesbians, "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" led to the advent of'Tm not a lesbian,
60
I curve
but my girlfriend is"-a situation chat seems co exist far
beyond the ranks of the miHcary. Hollywood's celebrity
closet got quite crowded, and even now there are many
potential role models hiding amongst the hangers and the
mothballs, begging the press junkies not to ask, because
they refuse co cell.
KillingOffthe WrongGalon TheL Word
One of the worst decisions in lesbian history was
killing off Dana Fairbanks, the tennis star girl-next-door
on The L Word. I say chis because The L Word itself
was not always the best PR move for lesbian relations.
There was not one overweight, blue collar, mulleced or
unconventionally attractive woman in the case, which cast
a pall over the reality chat most of us live in, even those of
us based in L.A. But the outrage was palpable when they
killed off the one character who was likable and real and
seemed most likely co play for our team. What they should
have killed off was the series finale, which demonstrated
as much closure as The Sopranos finale. (Ac lease there we
had the satisfaction of chinking chat, in all likelihood, the
entire Soprano family was assassinated.)
o one really
cared at all for the character of Jenny Schecter (if you were
at a bar, watching her die off, you heard
the ladies cheer). So, instead of
searching for her killer, the final
season should have focused on
which writer killed off Dana
Fairbanks, because that person
needs to be punished.
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RealityTelevision
One of the worst decisions ever made
was to cast lesbian and bisexual women
on reality television. If the women
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who were representing our kind were, in fact representative,
then I'd be all for it. However, the truth is t at most of the
"real" lesbians on reality TV (except Dani ampbell) must
be cast by the legions of dosed-minded conservativesbent on
turning even the gayest woman straighter than a stripperpole
just to avoid humiliation by association, ak "homoliation."
The reality show dyke is either an in#you #face,tattooed
butch with the attitude of"I must eat my en my at all costs"
(and not in a good way), or she is a drunke , fake#boobed,
faux#bi femme with more notches on her elt than Jenny
Shimizu (who, thankfully, fits neither of these stereotypes,
even though she is now a reality TV star). While this may
make for "must-see TV," it certainly makes it hard to explain
to my parents how normal being gay really is. Try to explain
Tila Tequila to your grandmother-it can't b done.
GettingEdgedOutbyGay-for-Payers
We saw many situations in the past two decad s wherestraight
actresses were paid to play lesbians and we ade huge icons
of these chicks along the way (from Mary Stuart Masterson
to Jennifer Beals). Are you telling me that Hollywood ran
out of gay women when they cast The L Wo d? Could Ellen
not find a real lesbian to be her girlfriend when she cameout,
instead of Laura Dern? (Some suggestions: OathyDeBuono,
Michelle Wolff, Tammy Lynn Michaels, Honey Labrador,
Sara Gilbert,Jane Lynch, Leisha Hailey or even her now#real#
life wife, Portia DiRossi.) Most recently,JulianneMoore and
Annette Bening on the big screen in TheKi Are AURight
are heating up Tinseltown in what may argi.iablybe one of
the best lesbian films of this decade. I'm no sayingstraight
actors should not have the right to play gay, o that they can't
pull it off, but that lesbian actors should be given more roles
in Hollywood. Of course (see No. 2), some f them need to
come out of the closet first.
8
the purpose of coining anything short and
and reallydefeat
simple.Or you could just go back to calling me a dyke.
ChulngStraightGirls
Chasing straigh women with a one-way ticket downtown
started long before we knew that there were prizes for
turningthem to the dark side. In reality, no good can come
fromthis, unles you like rug burns from all the dry humping
and unrecip ted pleasuring. In the end, you'll have to
return the toasteroven that you won because, sooner or later,
your straightfli g will go back to men. If you love a straight
woman,set her ee. If she comes back to you, she wasn't really
straightin the rst place. She was bisexual. And, trust me,
despite Sharon tone's role in Basic Instinct, smart bisexual
girlspicklesbiansover men all the time.
Joining
the MarriageBandwagon
Fightfor lesb• marriage and you'll have to fight for lesbian
Debating
theAlphabet
At some point, political correctness has taken away our divorce.I saywe should not participate in political battles that
ability to refer to ourselves in a handy way. e whole point are sponsoredb U-Haul and Legal Services R Us. I think
of an initialism, folks, is to simplify the referenceto our the decisionto 6'.ghtfor our right to participate in a ceremony
group. At some point, GL, for "gays" and "l bians,"had to with the worst track record in heterosexual history makes
be expand~d to include the bisexuals (LGB), in the causeof as much sense s insisting on equal lesbian representation
fairness. Then, we added the T for "transge der"(LGBT). on AmericasMost Wanted. Let us not be heteroized to this
That's fine. But beyond that, it's clunky and annoying.Of late, extent.It'sbad enough that when you break up with your girl,
we've had to expand the initialism to be so inclusivethat an she takeshalfyo r DVD collection and the cat, but now she'll
act of the United Nations is necessary just to write it, and it get half your in me. If patterns hold true, she already spent
>>
is a mouthful of consonants to say. Often it's now LBGTQ the other half w ile you were together.
with the Q representing"questioning," or"queer,"dependingon
who is not buying a vowel that day. (If you are"questioning,"
I don't think you should get to be part of it-until you
commit to an established letter. I'm just saying.) Also, intersex
individuals sometimes want under our umbrella, as do the
old nuns and lesbian virgins (aka the asexuals , so that we are
now at LGBTQQIA.
You think this is harmless? It is not. The alphabet is tearing
the community apart as we fight for letter ownership.Is T fur
"transgender;' or"transsexual"? Is A for"asexu "or"alli~"iAt
this point, we should just put all 26 letters on a giant banner
"HOLLYWOOD'SCELEBRl1YCLOSETGOT
QUITEFU L. THEREARE MANY POTENTIAL
ROLEMODELSHIDINGAMONGSTTHE
HANGER AND THE MOTHBALLS,BEGGING
THE PRE S JUNKIESNOT TO ASK,
BECAUS THEYREFUSETO TELL."
. October 2010 j 61
was our lover, weve seen one musician after another come out
and sing it high and loud. Now, like our hetero counterparts,
out-and-proud lesbians can be found in all musical genres, even
(God forbid) country. (Thank you, Chely Wright.)
SOMEOFTHEBESTLESBIANDECISIONS
TakingBacktheTalkShow
As the adage goes, the way to acceptance in any society is
through its bored, hetero soccer moms. Therefore, one of the
best lesbian decisions was the thrusting of Rosie O'Donnell
and Ellen DeGeneres upon mainstream Middle America in
the afternoon. Rosie and Ellen disarmed and charmed an entire
society of people who never thought they knew a gay person.
When their viewers found out the truth, their love was so
great that they focused their potentially homophobic energies
into making rainbow-knitted sweaters for their new daytime
BFFs. (The lesbian talk show host even bred a late-night star in
Wanda Sykes and a news hero in Rachel Maddow, proving that
straight women really do love us, at least on TV.)
TheCreation
ofLesbian
BoozeandSexFests
Someone made the wise decision that flocks of lesbians should
converge on a single place for an extended salute to all things
lesbian, and that massive quantities of alcohol (and sometimes
nudity or at least bikinis) should be involved. Be it Dinah
Shore, Women's Week in Provincetown, Aqua Girl, any lesbian
cruise on Olivia or Sweet or the Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival (well, basically any women's music festival in the last
20 years)-there is now a ti·meand a place to commune with
fellow women-worshippers and let it all hang out
TheRiseofLesbian
Music
Though "women's music" rose in the '70s and '80s, the last 20
years have endowed lesbians with a multitude of audible dyke
anthems and visible queer rockers who garnered radio airplay.
Before then, wejust had eagerly traded cassette tapes, which we
sold out of the trunks of our cars (trust me, Diedre McCalla,
Margie Adam and Sweet Honey in the Rock all deserved
actual radio airtime). We also no longer have to navigate our
way through the indeterminate gender pronouns of songs on
the radio to find ourselves. We no longer have to assume the
a.co tic guitar playing, raspy-voiced female is strumming out a
code that we can legitimately put on a mix tape (yeah, were
about you, Melissa Etheridge). Ever since Jill Sobule
a Girl" and Sophie B. Hawkins swore she wished she
Discovering
the Internet(although
Al Gorecreatedit, surelywe
benefitted
fromit themost)
One of the best things to ever happen for lesbians was the
Internet. Suddenly, a woman was no longer required to recycle
dykes from the small pool of her hometown softball league. A
whole World Wide Web of women was at her fingertips. The
luxury of a long-distance love affair-dating an anonymous
stranger whose mistakes you need not yet know-replaced the
necessity of dating someone who had already dated your ex.
There is a reassurance in knowing that a long-distance moving
truck can take her 1,000 miles away,back to her old hometown,
and knowing that when you break up, you won't have to run
into her at the grocery store with her new girlfriend.
TheCreation
oftheLesbian
Magazine
Of course, one of the highlights of the last 20 years was the
decision to create curve, which dutifully reported on all these
decisions and kept us all informed for all these years. Is this
a self-serving selection? Maybe. But we should also celebrate
all the other lesbian magazines that have pushed the envelope,
finding a place on the mainstream newsstand, while bringing
us our own entertainment. From Go to Girlfriends to Diva to
Lesbian News to Lesbians on the Loose, they've all helped push
lesbian issues (and, in the case of On Our Backs, our ample
tooshies) to the forefront of public consciousness).Keep reading
and well keep you abreast. (Pun intended, of course.)
Joining
theMarriage
Bandwagon
Marriage may not be the be-all and
end-all for some of us, my editor insists
I admit that getting our nuptial rights
is a huge step toward overall equality.
The issue has brought gay rights to
the forefront of American politics and
consciousness, and we need only to
look at the pictures of Del _Martih
and Phyllis Lyon kissing in SF's civic
center atrium to recognize that weve been waiting a long time 1D
z
to hear the words, I now pronounce you wife and wife.
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"ONE OF THE BESTTHINGSTO
EVERHAPPENFOR LESBIANS
WAS THE INTERNET.SUDDENLY,
A WOMAN WAS NO LONGER
REQUIREDTO RECYCLEDYKES
FROMTHE SMALL POOL OF HER
HOMETOWNSOFTBALLLEAGUE."
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Olivia continued from page 35
POWER UP continued from page 37
c9mpany has a 26!000-square-foot office,
that it has been voted San Francisco's second-best workplace (by SF Business Times)
or that its workers get a benefits package
worthy of a much larger corporate giant (five
types of insurance, 401K matching funds
and on-site yoga are just a few of Olivia's
benefits). They don't follow the ups and
downs of the travel industry (the decline
after 9/11, which hit Olivia, too) or notice
the uptick in recent years (Olivia's back in
the black, for sure).
After 37 years in business, over 150 trips
and 20-plus years of travel, the wildly diverse
group of women who come to Olivia (thanks
in part to Olivia's outreach to women of
color and single travelers), come for the same
reason I went to that concert (and it's the
reason why 98 percent of them come back,
again and again): To find themselves, to be
themselves, to see their lives lived openly and
freely and to see their lives celebrated. To
be changed, again and again. That's true for
Dlugacz, too. She still stands on every ship,
at every port, and shakes hands with every
woman who comes aboard.
"I don't think anyone out there can question the integrity of this company, which has
been out there for the community through
thick and thin from 1973 to today;' says
Dlugacz. "We've never taken any of it for
granted. This is my lesbian company dream
come true:'
CODIKOW:
I don't knowif I'd saywe're
changingthe film industry,but we'recertainly
changingthe perception,challengingthe
perceptionandchangingpeople'sminds
andgivingthemopportunities.Ourfilms
are playedonthe Sundancechannel,
Showtime... I thinkthat's chanceto be seen
andbetouchingpeopleandgivingthema
chanceto havea differentphilosophy.
WhatroledidPOWER
UPplayin the creation
of the lesbianfilmmaking
community?
CODIKOW:
I think we'vebeena hugepart of
it, becauseI actuallythink that anywoman
youcan mentionif youwantedto lay out
a list of [queer]womenthat youthink is in
the film industry... onewayor anotherhave
beentouchedby POWER
UP.I think if Alice
Pieszecki's·chartwasthere,we'd be right
in the middle.Eventhoughwe'vemade12
ourselves,we'veactuallyhelpedprobably
another50 filmmakers.
Nearlyall yourfilmshavebeenincludedin
Sundance,
and/tty BittyTiffyCommittee
wonBestFeatureFilmat SXSW.
Whatis it
thatPOWER
UPis doingsoright?
THRASHER:
Ourfilm productionprogramis
extremelyunique.Westartedthis thinkinghowcanwe educategaywomento the
pointthat they can getjobs in the industry?
Becausethe film industrymakesno bones
aboutthe fact that theyjust don't hire
womenand if they havea choicebetweena
mananda womanthey'll hire a man... But
throughour educationof thesewomen,if we
makefilms then we're creatingmoreimages
aboutgayand transgendercharacters,and
we're puttingthem out there.We'remaking
real films and real viablestories,not like
studentfilms. We'recastingreal a~tors,and
we put it throughthe exactsameprocess
that a studiowould.Weare matching
peopleup, but we're really holdingthem
accountable.
WhathasPOWER
UPtaughtyou?
COOIKOW:
I think the most importantthing
I certainlylearnedis that you haveto have
peoplereallycare aboutwhat they're doing
and be willing to really committo what
they'redoing.I didn't seeany gaywomen
beingout in the openand say,Heywe want
to makeour moviesandtell our storiesand
we want to do thesethings and let's all help
eachother.Soyou haveto sort of stand up .
and say,This is what we're goingto do and
you haveto keepsayingit when20 people
sayto you like, Fuckyou.Yougot to keep
going,Nono no-we're goingto do this.
[RachelShatto]
9{ats off
for
geHing
fixed!
October 2010 j 63
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for EXCELLENCE
Features OCTOBER
2010
, J)ecial2{Jt/,
_
l,u,ioe,wa'<o/ ,Chw11e
L,
22
28
First Ever Curve Awards
In honor of our 20th Anniversary, we present
the Curveys! We asked experts and everyday
lesbians to vote on the queer women who
have most impacted our community.
Our Very Own Tee Party .
Lesbian models showcase their gay agenda
on these political T-shirts. By Lisa Gunther
32
The Queens of New Queer Cinema
35
Setting Sail
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Cheryl Dunye and the Parliament Film
Collective. By Tanya Hammidi
From records to travel, a look at how Olivia
started a lesbian industrial revolution.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
Fighting the Good Fight
Kate Kendell is at the helm, steering us toward
more LGBT victories. By Nicole Vermeer
Turning the Camera Around
The lesbian film studio and nonprofit
POWER UP celebrates its 10th anniversary.
By Rachel Shatto
Robin Tyler's Political Stage
Is the comic turned activist our gay
poster child? By Laurie K. Sc~enden
Best of the Fests
Womyn's music festivals over the years.
By Jamie Anderson
Ahead of the Pack
The women behind the successful Sapphic film
distribution company Wolfe Video. By Anna
Belle Peterson
By the Numbers
Find out how many times we mentioned
Lindsay Lohan or had a man on our cover.
By Anna Belle Peterson and Nicole Vermeer
Do You Remember When?
We look back on two decades of shocking,
scandalous and funny moments at the mag.
By Kristin A. Smith
44
She's Still the One
After more than two decades, Melissa
Etheridge is still singing the soundtrack to our
lives. In this intimate interview, she talks love,
loss and why she still gets bras thrown on her
stage. By Jacob Anderson-Minshall
"'
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52
Cl)
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COVERPHOTOS
BY LESTERCOHEN(MELISSA),ANDREWECCLES
(ELLEN),DONSOLO(JANE),VIRGINASHERWOOD
(RACHEL)
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curve
Departments OCTOBER
2010
IN EVERY ISSUE
6
10
12
FEATURES CONTINUED
48
Lesbian Cover Girls
See which celesbians have been on our
cover over the last two decades.
56
Where Are They Now?
50
Those We've Lost
40
40
A look at our staff-then
and now.
From Del Martin to Susan Sontag, Victoria
Brownworth pays tribute to powerful
lesbians who have passed on.
14
16
18
20
52
Closed for Business
Why are all the dyke bars shutting down?
Best and Worst Lez Decisions
From Tila Tequila to Internet dating to
Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Plus, is gay
marriage on the worst list?
58
64
Frankly Speaking
Letters
Curvatures
Digging through the gay archives.
Plus, a special 20 years of Gaydar.
Lipstick & Dipstick
AstroGrrl
Dyke Drama
Michelle Fisher looks back on 20 years of
her relationship "advice" and bad decisions.
Politics
Still fighting-what
along the way.
we've won and lost
Scene
Our favorite pies throughout the years,
including The Butchies, Phranc and The
Indigo Gir.ls... as baby dykes!
She Said
Twenty years of lesbian quotes. See what
k.d. lang told Tipper Gore and which lady
was felt up by Betty White ... and loved it.
This is What a Lesbian Looks Like
Writer, critic and activist Jewelle Gomez.
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FRANKLY
SPEAKING
Happy Anniversary!
I can't believe we are celebrating our 20th anniversary-what a milestone! When I think back
20 years ago, I was just a 22 year-ol5i baby dyke
with grand ideas (and bad parachute pants).
There are so many memories from those early
days, the struggles and the sleepless nights and
having everyone even remotely affiliated with
the magazine traipse through my tiny apartment
at all hours of the day and night (regardless of
whether or not I was sleeping). There were
Prides and parties and those endless crosscountry caravan trips to sell the magazine to every lesbian who even glanced
our way. But really the memory that most endures of that year is a simple
one: The band Snap! was all over the radio with their smash electronic pop
song "The Power:' Late nights during deadline, we were all so tired and giddy
we would dance around my little living room-turned-pseudo-office singing,
''I've got the power!" In the pre-Red Bull era, that song may have gotten us
through all those late nights-after all, we all had day jobs to get back to in
the morning.
A lot has changed since then-we have a real office and a paid full-time staff.
But, surprisingly, a great deal remains the same, including the drive to bring
you the best independently-owned voice of real lesbians. But honestly, there are
so many folks I want to thank. If I printed all the names of the people who've
helped, it would fillup this entire issue. And I want to thank you, too. I looked
at our subscriber list today, and realized how very many of you were here from
that first year, too. We probably have more subscribers who've been with us for
10 or 15 or 20 years than any other women's magazine!
The biggest battle of this issue wasn't our first-ever Curve Awards (see
pg. 22). Nope, it was over who to put on the cover of our most monumental
issue. We first considered just using a big 2-0, because how could just one
person accurately represent the culmination of 20 years? But after much
debate we decided to choose five women who are some of the most influential
and recognizable lesbians today. We asked all five to speak with us, and with
busy schedules and TV and book deals and European assignments, most of
them couldn't find the time. (Rachel Maddow, we're not forgetting you said
you'll call us soon!)
But Melissa Etheridge, who I think is one of our community's greatest all-time
heroes, did. Melissa was living her life openly and honestly by coming out when
it wasn't cool to do so. She was the first lesbian celebrity to ever grant us an interview (way back in the early'90s), so we were thrilled when she came through for
us again at our 20th anniversary. In this issue, she talks frankly about 20 years of
lesbian history, ruminating too on her battle with cancer, her very public relationships and her strong advocacy for the environment. Oh, and her music.
Regardless of her lyrics though, Melissa is not an island, none of us are,
and she lives in the same culture that our other cover women do. As much as I
love Melissa, without the indelible mark each of those five women have made
on our world, we-the lesbian nation-would.n't be where we are today. And
that's a lot cooler (and sexier) than a giant 2-0.
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
OCTOBER 2010
LESBIAN
MAGAZINE
. I VOLUME 20 NUMBER 8
Publisher and Founder Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Diane Anderson-Minshall
Managing Editor Kristin A. Smith
Associate 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, Liska Koenig, Anna Belle Peterson,
Eleni Stephanides, Nicole Vermeer
r
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Flo Enriquez
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
Marketing Assistant Xania Giolli
ART/PRODUCTION
Art Director Stefanie Liang
Photo Editor Hayley McMillen
Production Manager Ondine Kilker
Production Artist Kelly Nuti
Web Producer Nikki Woelk
Photo Assistant Cathryn Lovecraft
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Jamie Anderson, Melany Joy Beck, Rachel Beebe, 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, Ash Goddard,
Tania Hammidi, Kathi lsserman, 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 TallonHicks, Kyra Thomson, Jocelyn Voo, 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
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Volume 20 Issue 8 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
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assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA 94114 and
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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,
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curvemag.com
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Call Linda Lee and her
personal shoppers for
our free service.
Call 1-800-343-0121.
Chatting up Jewelle Gomez
Author,playwright,activistand this month's ''This
Is What a LesbianLooks Uke" woman, Jewelle
Gomez, had too many wonderfulthings to say to fit
on a singlepage. Read our full interviewto find out
what she says about the currentvampirecraze, what
it was like to officiateDorothyAllison'swedding and,
of course, her new novel.
•
Magazine Without Borders
NewFest Film Festival Roundup
Get caught up on queer cinema with our rundown
of lesbian-themedfilms that screened at ~ew York's
NewFestFestival,including: WeAre the Mods,
Eloise'sLover, The Four Faced Liar and more!
•
100 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz
Read the complete list of women (and a few good
men) that non-profit film production company
and educational organization, POWER UP, has
honored in the last decade with their, The Amazing
Gay Men and Women Awards.
D.E.B.S., a
hot lesbian
movie that
started out at
POWER UP
Contributing editor Sheryl
Kay went on assignment to
Nairobi, Kenya, where she
met and wrote about the
country's LGBT community.
The group pictured above
are queer activists in their
country. Homosexuality is
strictly outlawed in Kenya,
and there are no laws in place
to protect individuals from
being assaulted for being gay.
Despite Kay's fears about
bringing curve across the
border, she got the magazine
to the activists, many of
whom risk their jobs and their
physical safety every day just
by being out. It was the first
time any of them had seen
curve and they were ecstatic
to read it and made our "Out
in Front" columnist feel right
at home. [Hayley McMillen]
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52
Compiling a 20th anniversary issue is
a daunting task for any magazine, but
we made it even more challenging by
adding our first-ever Curve Awards
(aka The Curveys). For this issue,
we asked hundreds of women (both
experts and average lesbians) one
central question: "Which queer women
have had the most impact on you in
the last 20 years?"
The nominations poured in, and as
we spent hours sifting through them,
as well as our old issues and archives,
we found ourselves rediscovering
a rich queer history that even some
of our staffers are too young to
remember. But I do.
I found it hard to narrow my list
down to just one, or even 50, queer
women, because so many have
contributed to who I am. Some
of these great women you'll see
in these pages, like Joan Nestle,
Jewelle Gomez, Lee
Lynch, Dorothy Allison
and Kris Kovick, all of
whom influenced me
greatly. The first band
I ever interviewed, Two
Nice Girls, offered a
soundtrack to my '90s. Others are no
longer women- Patrick Califia's books
revolutionized my thinking, back when
he still identified as an S/M dyke,
Leslie Feinberg's Stone Butch Blues
moved all of us and, if you thought
Angela Motter was hot, please know
that she is now a he, Bucky Motter,
but still sexy, still making the same
sweet music. (We tried to be fair by not
including trans men in our list of queer
women who changed our lives, yet
their omission feels grave as well.)
The women of the sex wars (I was
on the side of sex) revolutionized my
thinking: Susie Bright, the women of
On Our Backs magazine, Lily Burana
and Taste of Latex, photographer
Phyllis Christopher, though the
magazines are all defunct and a few of
these women are no longer queer.
We tried not to play politics here,
so for our awards and much of this
issue, the definitions of lesbian, queer,
bisexual, gay are simple: if the woman
claims it, we back her up.
During my research I reread one of
my articles in curve's first issue, about
author Jennifer DiMarco, who at 19
had already penned several lesbian
novels. My writing
is clumsy and clunky
but I identified with
DiMarco in part because I was not
much older and trying to get a book
published, too. I hadn't seen much on
DiMarco in recent years so I looked her
up to see if she was still writing.
She is, in addition to running her
own indie publishing firm, Orchard
House Press, and raising a familywith her partner of 17 years.
Like DiMarco, the women who fill
the pages of this issue have impacted
my life, and the lives of women in our
community. I am tempted to fill the rest
of this column with women who deserve
more attention (go to curvemag.com to
read more about them), from legendary
fat activist Heather MacAllister to
rocker Kinnie Starr. If it were up to me,
half the pages would be filled with '90s
protest posters from ACT UP, Queer
Nation and Lesbian Avengers (see them
on pg. 52) like
my favorite AIDS
poster, Kissing
Doesn't Kill.
Too often at
curve-at all
magazines, in
fact-we're forced to focus on what's
new, who's hot, which celebrity has
come out recently. Don't get me
wrong, I like some of that. My proudest
moments in the last two decades, have
been when women have come out
to me, to the public and spoken out
about who they were for the first time.
I'd probably give my right arm for a
chance to talk to any of the actors long
dogged by lesbian rumors like Tichina
Arnold or Queen Latifah or Lindsay Lohan
(all of whom got nominated for awards,
but removed because they haven't said
they were anything but straight).
But beyond the celebrity headlines, the
work we spent on this issue and all the
stories and memories it brought back,
reminds me that we need to do a better
job of remembering where we came from,
and the women who got us here. That's
my plan for 2011 and beyond.
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Editor in Chief
edchief@curvemag.com
LmERS
From the Archives
Some of our best letters of the last 20 years.
A Drama Queen
[Vol.4 #6 Dec.1999]
Yay for Deneuve [Vol.2#1Jan./Feb.1992]
In your Deneuve #3 editorial, you invited
readers to send in reactions, so here's
mine-ZOWIE!
I can't remember when
I've been so excited over discovering a new
magazine. Finally, a slick zine for thinking,
sensitive lesbians!
- Rima Saret, Russellville,Ark.
Seven Decades of Lesbianism
[Vol.2#1January/Feb.1992]
I missed the first two issues of your beautiful
magazine, but a friend sent me issue #3 and
I thoroughly enjoyed it I especially liked the
article on "Lesbians Over 60" as I am definitely
over 60. Next week will be my 73rd birthday
and I have been gay all my life-about 71 •
years of it, anyway.Good luck and keep up the
good work.
- D. White, Newhall, Calif.
What's in a Name? [Vol.6#1Feb.1996]
I never did like the name Deneuve. The
I've been resisting
for a while-it's
so un-lesbian-like
gusto-but
I just
saw my first issue of
Deneuvein almost a
year and now I have
to say it: "Dyke Drama's" Michele Fisher is
the most brilliant chronicler of the lesbian nation's foibles I've ever read, bar
none. Her columns consistently deliver
that rare mix of insane hilarity and genuine insight. Please do whatever you need to keep Michele
writing for Deneuve.
Editor'sNote:After 20 years,
MicheleFisheris stillwriting
"Dyke Drama."We'reso lucky!
Watch Your Language!
[Volume13#3May2003]
I never thought I'd see the
day when a lesbian magazine,
presumably a feminist one,
would recommend the use
of the word "baby" or "chick"
to describe a woman. Yet,
in your "Words to Avoid,"
you give a thumbs down
to babe (good!), and a
thumbs up to "baby:' Where
politics, womyn?
61%
11%
11%
7%
4%
3%
2%
1%
According
to a curvemag.com
poll
are your
- Jo Box,Jacksonville,Fla.
Praise for Brownworth's Honesty
[Vol.13#3May2003]
Icurve
Victoria Brownworth has always been one of
my favorite writers. Through her columns,
Sendlettersto: curve magazine
1550BryantSt.,Ste.510SanFrancisco,
CA94103
WRITE
TOCURVE!
Marc Has Two Moms
[Vol.17#2March2007]
Poll
- C. Brooks,Japan
- LeslieD., Kansas City, Kan.
10
- Maryanne G., Evanston, fll.
I am a security contractor in Iraq,
and I just so happen to
have two mommies! I
receive your wonderful
magazine, along with
Which lesbian(s) have
some other lesbian pubhad the most impact on
lications, and some of
you in the last 20 years?
the guys in our team
room have been checking
EllenDeGeneres
them out. Keep in mind,
MelissaEtheridge
these are the toughest
IleneChaiken
guys you'll ever meet.
Here are some of their
MartinaNavratilova
comments: "Wow, dykes
DelMartinand
are cool!" and "I had no
PhyllisLyon
idea they had such a great
RosieO'Donnell
community:' Needless to
BillieJeanKing
say, you're pretty popular
around here.
AlixDobkin
magazine is about "Womanlove:• I don't
know how you could name it anything else.
Name Suggestions [Vol.6#1 Feb.1996]
I see that you will be having a name change.
Here are my humble suggestions: Danerve (of
Dabitch to change Daname), The Magazine
FormerlyKnown as Deneuve. Hey, it worked
for Prince. Jody! It's abbreviated British slang
for jodhpurs-pants,
worn while, um, er,
riding. Sappho. She's dead, no lawsuit there.
- K. Luce, Menlo Park, Calif.
she reveals so much about herself and I feel
like I know her even though we've never
spoken. That's why I was especially shocked
and sad to read her column in the last
issue. Rape is a terrible thing and I'm so sorry
to hear of another woman hurt. I commend
her for having the courage to write about
it. Perhaps by putting pen to paper she has
helped another woman to heal somehow.
Dani is Not the Perfect Lesbian
[Vol.18#6July/Aug.2008]
You certainly make life more difficult for
some ladies. What's with all the horn-blowing
for Dani? Professional haircut, makeup and
tailored suit. Is that what is required to make
the perfect lesbian?
-Dora, St. Paul, Minn.
Subscriber
Services
arenowavailable
at
curvemag.com/customerservlce:
EMAIL:
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FAX:415-863-1609
GOTO:curvemag.com/letters
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Digging Through Our History
THE(VIRTUAL)
STACKS
"History is not all about the politics. It's also about
the people and the movement;' says Paul Bonefield,
Wantto findoutmoreabout
executive director of the GLBT Historical Society in
LGBThistory,butcan't
makeit to theS.F.archives?
San Francisco.
YoucanvisitOneNational
The nonprofit organization, whose offices are in
Gay& Lesbian
Archives
the Castro District, has amassed a large collection of
online.It'sthelargest
artifacts and documents.
research
libraryon LGBT
One of the most important collections in the
history,andis thedatabase
archives
is the 203 boxes of letters and literature from
manya lesbiandreamt
the
lives
of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, lesbian
of asa younggenderor
pioneers who founded the Daughters of Bilitis, the
queerstudiesmajor.And
if you'rein L.A.,stopby
first lesbian rights organization in the United States.
theirphysicalarchivesat
Another lesbian treasure in the archives is all
theUniversity
of Southern
nine issues of Vice Versa, the earliest known lesbian
California,
or theirgalleryin
publication in North America. The woman behind
WestHollywood
to seetheir
Vice Versa was a 25-year-old secretary at a Los
currentexhibitof Hollywood
Angeles movie studio when she started publishing the
glamourphotography.
(onearchives.oq/J. magazine in secret, in 1947. To protect the publisher
from prosecution for sending 'obscene" materials
through the mail, Vice Versa had no bylines, and
the only name on the cover was Lisa Ben, an
anagram for lesbian.
This year, the GLBT Historical Society is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an exhibit called
Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT History.
"We have picked something from every year of our
collection to construct a story;' says Rebekah Kim,
the professional archivist in charge of the project.
While the archives are mainly used by researchers,
anyone with an interest in queer history can come in
and dig through the past. "We ask people to become
members, but all they have to do is make an appointment to come in and look at the archives;' Kim says.
If yQu have always wondered which early lesbian
poet wrote intimate letters to a famous British
sculptor, or what artist Tee Corinne was most
famous for (see "In Memoriam" piece, pg. 50), spend
an afternoon perusing the long shelves at the archives.
The collection is open on Saturdays to the general
public. (glbthistory.org) [LiskaKoenig)
SUPREME
COURT
SMACKDOWN
This month Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan takes
the bench and becomes the fourth woman to do so ...
and quite possibly the first lesbian. For now she's staying
mum on the topic. So we have to ask, if
you were president, which smart and
saavy celesbian would you appoint to
the court?
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The Gaydar
A look at the women and events that made
our gaydar ping in the last 20 years.
LosingThemTooSoon
FromDesertHearts
screenwriterNatalie
Cooperto cartoonist
KrisKovick.Missya!
lesbianParenthood
Goes
MainstreamFromDebra
Chasnoff'sChoosingChildrento
Melissa,Julieandpapaon Rolling
Stoneto TheKidsAreAll Right
20 Yearsof Haters
JesseHelms,Fred
Phelps,AnnCoulter,
ElisabethHasselback
andDr.Laura...
Yep,she'sBlAngelina
Joliecomesout,
confesseslovefor
JennyShimizu
Yep,I'm Gay.Bummer
I'm CancelledEllencame
out, changedworld,
sufferedfor a few
yearson our behalf
Bisexuals
WeCastoffsHolly
Near,JoAnnLoulan,Julie Cypher
deservedbetter.AnneHeche...
still up for debate
CampSisterSpirit'sKnockout
PunchFirstHurricaneKatrinathen
founderBrendaHenson's(left) death
Sad,Slow Deathof
lesbian Magazines
Girlfriends,Velvet
Parl<,OnOurBacks
andJane & Jane
CleaDuVallNeverreturningourcalls
October 2010
I 13
Reach Out and Touch Me! Or, Wait, Don't.
PDA say about you? By Lipstick and Dipstick
What does your fear of
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My girlfriend and I have been together for
almost seven years. We've been on and off since eighth grade, but I am
having a problem with PDA. I adore showing her I love her. It's just that
when it comes to holding hands in public or the casual grabbing of the arm,
I get really uncomfortable. I feel like I'm offending everyone who's nearby and
it's really putting a strain on our relationship. -Not Down with PDA in Plano
games, homecoming dances and the annual
block party. Oh, and you're going to have to
find a new place to live. Why you thought
you could live with a girl you were "on and
off" with (regardless of her straight status) is
beyond me. Sometimes the lessons we learn
in college have nothing to do with linguistics
or astronomy.
Lipstick: Well if this isn't internalized
homophobia, I don't know what is. Plano,
you've got some work to do around unapologetically believing in who you are, because
this is poisoning your entire life whether you
realize it or not. There's nothing wrong with
being gay, holding hands with your girlfriend
or having a threesome on the beach after
dark. Right, Dip_stick?
Lipstick:Quick cuts heal better than jagged
wounds, Snowed-in, so you'd best sharpen
your knife. Make the cut and keep it clean.
Don't drag out the breakup. This is where
most lesbians go awry. They break up, have
make-up sex one drunken night, break up
again (because they're far better off just as
friends) and then have to have coffee several
times to process it all. Usually, one of you
feels the need for severance more than the
other, so that suddenly you find yourself at
a potluck with a new girl on your arm, only
to see your ex stalking you from the bushes
across the street. Beyond taking your own
gyrating needs into account, do your friend
a favor and let her know right away that
you're done.
Dipstick:Ah, no. Not so fast. Homophobia,
Lipstick? I disagree. There's nothing wrong
with wanting to keep your hands to yourself in public. As a matter of fact, I wish
more people would. I don't need to see any
m_ore happy couples pawing each other at
noon on Main Street. Save that stuff for the
carnival. Besides, maybe it's not internalized •
homophobia this girl is dealing with. She lives
in Texas, for Christ's sake. People get shot
for that shit. There are ways to show your
affection that don't put your life in danger.
Leave her a card on her pillow. Have flowers
sent to her work. Buy her a 52-inch plasma
TV with surround sound. But pinching her
ass at the mini mart? Gross.
Lipstick:Dip, when did you become such a
prude? Plano, the bigger issue-more of a
pink elephant here-is the fact that you've
only dated this one girl since eighth grade. I
predict it's just a matter of time before one of
you needs to sow some oats, so heads up.
DearLipstickand Dipstick:I'm in a bit of a
dilemma.
I'vebeendatingthis"straight"
girlfor
a year,onandoff.Weweregoodfriendsbefore
14
Icurve
hookingup,andwe sharea housewith some
othersoff-campus.
Recently,
I connected
with
anotherwomanand nowI'm not surehowto
breakup with my currentgirlfriend.She has
incredibly
lowself-esteem
andsaysnoonehas
evermadeherfeelas beautiful.
HowdoI brea.k
thisoff andstillkeephera bigpartof mylife?
- Snowed-in
in Syracuse
Dipstick:That straight girl got you through
those long Syracuse winters, didn't she? But
both of you ·knew it could never last. If you
want to keep her in your I.rte,the best thing
to do is be honest. Let her know you love her
dearly as a friend, but you really need to be
with a chick who's not straight. It's time for
her to find a new guy to take her to football
Lipstick & Dipstick ADVICE
DearLipstickandDipstick:
I haveidentifiedas
a lesbianfor five years,but I reallydon'tlike
givingoralsex.It reallydoesn'tmatterto meif
I receiveit or not.I've beenwith mygirlfriend
for a year,andbeforeherI havegivenoralsex
to onlyoneotherwoman.I reallydon'tknow
howto initiatesex.Shetellsmehow,butwhen
I doit'sstillnotenough.
Shesaysoursexlifeis
boring.
WhatcanI dotofixthisissue?I amabout
to loseher.- NotDownwithGoingDown
Lipstick:
Yawn. It sounds p@tty boring to me,
too-and because we get so many questions
like this, I've decided to start LESBOOT
(Lesbian Experimental Sex Boot Camp). Meet
me down by the river at 0600. First exercise:
therapy with Lipstick. Are you really attracted
to this woman? It might be as simple as that.
Some dykes need little inspiration to go south
of the border. Others need a perfect balance
of love and a raging sexual fire to drink from
the fountain. After therapy, we'll move to the
dock and sample flavors. Are you a citrus girl?
Why not make her a key lime pie? Last up in
LESBOOT: channeling your inner sex kitten.
You need to slide on some leather, girl, and let
Luscious Lola emerge, the one salivating to
please her lover. You'll finally graduate from
LESBOOT once you figure out how to love
your lover the way she wants to be loved, even if
that means heading south when your compass
reads north. The things we do for love.
Dipstick:
You're right, Lipstick, some girls are
more adventurous than others. Some like to
jump from airplanes; others are content to
jump rope in their driveway. Some want to sail
around the world; others are content to .sip a
Full Sail Pale ale in their backyard hammock.
Some want a sling in their dungeon; others
want to swing on the porch with a glass of
lemonade. The probl~m is, the slingers always
end up with the swingers. They say one way
to improve your sex drive is to have more
sex. And believe it or not, you're not the first
lesbian who doesn't like oral. Your challenge
is to find out what you do like and become an
expert at it. Dazzle her with a dildo. Fist her
fantastically. Roli her over and ride her like a
rodeo queen. Like Dipstick always says, there
is no boring sex, just boring lesbians.
@
•
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstickto watchthe Ihe Lipstick& Dipstick
Show.Or,writeto tv@lipstickdipstick.com.
UTI
MOSTFREQUENT
LIPANDDIPQUESTIONS
We'veanswered
morethan200questions.
overthe
in thepagesof curve magazine
pastsixyears,sincewe starteddishing
lezzieadvice.Butwhatyoureadin the
magazine
is onlythetipoftheiceberg.
We'vegottenquestions
frommorethan
1,000lesbiansfrom all overthe world,and
we try to respondto all yourletters-even
the onesthat don't makeit intothe
magazine.
As youcan imagine,some
questionsseemto repeatthemselves.
Here
is a list of the five mostcommontopics:
;/
1. BORING
ORDEADSEXLIVES.
Boringor deadsexlives.Womenwant
their partnersto be moreaggressiveor
adventurous,
aresick of havingto initiate
all the time or wantto spicethingsup with
their lover.Womenwhoaren'tgettingany,
or whoaren'tgettingenough.Orwhosesex
driveis just differentfrom herpartner's.
n
mens
2. LESBIANS
WANTING
TOKNOW
WHERE
TOMEETOTHER
LESBIANS.
Orwonderingwhy they can't meettheir
soul mate.Orwho don't havea clueas to
howto find lesbiansto date.
3. WOMEN
WHOTHOUGHT
THEY
WERE
STRAIGHT.
They'vedatedguys{maybethey're
engaged,or married,to a man)but find
themselvesfalling in lovewith a woman,
beingattractedto a co-workeror just
find womenattractivein generalandare
wonderingif they'relesbianor bi.
4. PROBLEMS
WITHEXES.
Loverscan't get overtheir exes.Cheaton
their currentgirlfriendswith exes.Don't
trust newloversbecausetheir exeswere
so meanandnasty.Arejealousof their
girlfriend'srelationshipwith herex.Or
worry that she'sstill in lovewith her ex
andis goingto go backto her ex.
5. FALLING
FORSTRAIGHT
WOMEN.
Crusheson straight womenat work,
friends,personaltrainers,professorsyou nameit. Sometimesit's just a crush.
Othertimes they get involvedwith these
women.Sometimesthe "straight" women
comeout to be with them andthat in
itself createsproblems.Sometimesthe
problemis that the womendon't come
out at all and hide their relationship.
Sometimesthe questionis simply,Should
I makea moveor not?
veller
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cafes, bookstores & more,
across the US, Canada,
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ASTRO
GRRL
No More Hiding
It's time to take off that mask and reveal you really are.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Ubra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Aries(March21-April20)
Sex: A new lovergrrl may have very expensive tastes.
You will need to decide if she is worth it. Or maybe
it's you who has an expensive taste? That's what you
If you ask nicely,
get when you use truffle oil. Career:
you may just get a nice raise at work. Of course the
operative word is "nicely:'Practice in front of a mirror.
Again. Again.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Sex: Your best-laid plans could be just that. So hurry
and catch her eye. Before you know it, her attentions
will wander. Can you turn them into wanderlust?
Career:
Other people's money can help lubricate your
career ascent. But don't become too oily, lest you slip
and fall off the ladder.
Taurus(April21-May21)
Sex: There is something wonderful about you this
October. You ooze charisma and charm. Hurry and
bottle your essential oil before it bums off. Career:
Try to place yourself in the center of all the corporate
activity. You can make a great first impression on the
power elite that will lead to much deeper impressions
later on. Ahem.
Sagittarius
(Nov.23-Dec.22)
LIBRA(SEPT.
24-0CT.23)
BecauseLibrarulesthe seventh
houseof partnerships
and
relationships
with a significant
other,lambdaLibrasarehappiest
in careersthat offerthem
opportunities
to workwith others
on a dailybasis.Theyneed
socialinteractionanda constant
flow of ideasin their workplace
to keepthemstimulatedand
involved.Thereis nothingsadder
thana Librawomancooped
up alonein a tiny airlessoffice
with nooneto talk to or bounce
ideasoff of. If throughafflicted
circumstances
shemusttakea
job likethat,expectto seeher
constantlysurfingthe Internet
andhauntinglesbianchatrooms
for someoneto connectto.
Sex: A secret admirer may make herself known to
you in no uncertain terms. Perhaps some things
should remain a mystery. Career:There is someone
who is working for you behind the scenes. So don't
let little nuisances derail your professional train. Just
pull into a station and let off steam.
caprlcom(Dec.23-Jan.20)
Sex: A gal pal can turn into a bosom buddy this
October, if you let her. You have to decide if you
want to risk a good friendship for a quick fling. Oh,
why not! Career:Friends in high places help you up
the corporate ladder. Maneuver carefully, so you can
push them off at exactly the right time.
Aquarius
(Jan.21-Feb.19)
Sex: You stand out in a crowd. Everyone wants to
meet you and press against you. Are you living in
a dream or what? Career:Make a bold professional
move and see where it gets you. Nothing ventured,
nothing gained, unless it gets you into trouble. Think
first. Then act up.
AstrologerCharlene Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Lichtenstein
is the Sex: A romantic stranger is orbiting you. Will you be
authorof Herscopes:sucked into her gravitational field? Who knows what
A Guideto Astrology can happen when two heavenly orbs collide. Worlds
Getmoreatthestarry can change. career:Expect to travel extensively for
forLesbians.
eye.com
or checkoutherblogat business all through October. Hopefully, this travel
thestarryeye.
typepad.com
.
will be to far better places than Podunk, USA.
. 16
I curve
Sex:Miscommunications in relationships can set your
love boat adrift. Clear up any confusion or decide to
hoist your flag elsewhere. Yo ho ho. Is that a strapon peg leg? Career:It's not what you know but who
you know when it comes to career movement. The
question is whether your move is capable of toppling
the power elite or not.
, Gemini(May22-June21)
Sex: A secret love or flirtation on the job makes every
coffee break a marathon. Is she keeping you up at
You have the oomph
night, or is it the coffee? Career:
to do what it takes to get ahead a little at work, but is it
get ahead a little or get a little head? I get confused ..
Cancer(June22-July23)
Sex: Try to get invited to each and every event you
can. She is waiting there for you ... somewhere. Let's
hope that it is not at a Focus on the Family fundraiser. Career:Creative approaches will lead to more
recognition from the higher-ups. But coming to
work in a cellophane suit is not the recommended
creative approach.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Sex: Make your home a· love nest this October.
Feather it with delightful things. Then find a cute
bird to fly in and you'll ruffle each other's feathers (in
a good way). Career:Find any excuse to work from
home. Not only will you be much more productive,
you will also lower your stress level. Is it because of
all those afternoon naps?
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Sex: You can charm almost anyone into your bed this
month. You are alluring, charismatic and very sexy.
Pour on your special sauce and see who is hungry for
The senior staff will be impressed with
a bite. Career:
your knowledge, if you know just when to say exactly
the right thing. Oh dear.
Set sail for the warm
and wonderful Mexican
Riviera aboard the ,
.,,
gorgeous Norwegian Star , . . ,
1
with Sweet. Let's go crazy , , ' •l
in Caho, make rp.erry in
•
•~.;
Mazatlan and party in PuEft
~:
Vallarta. Of course, we'll leav
places we visit better than we
them because th~t's how we roll.
DYKE
DRAMA
Take It From Me
Remembering two decades of relationship "advice." By Michele Fisher
"I thought you were cool, but you're just a
loser:' Those were a girl's last words to me
as she walked out my door and into the
car of the young man she had left me for.
He was a gangly teen with a crater face and a
primeMtained Camero, which he had paid for
by working the fryer at a local burger hut and
selling speed to his co-workers. That experience
taught me that no matter how nice you are, a girl
.who needs drugs is not going to st~y with you
unless you buy her dope.
I was a little embarrassed and a lot
1s1curve
amused when I learned that when you log
on to cuvemag.com you can find my column
under "advice" on the drop-down menu.
Advice?Really?
My knowledge about being a dyke in the
world has been hard won. A savvy dyke
would not have gotten involved with a bicurious junkie. She would have known that
things with a girl like that could only end
badly. But, alas, I must step in every pile to
make sure it stinks. I learn by doing, not by
listening to those wiser than myself.
Twenty years ago, I was waitressing and
doing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and
trying desperately to get women to notice me.
I went to the gym, dyed my hair platinum and
hung out at the clubs looking bored, just like
everybody else. But I reallywas bored-and
depressed-because
the girls never seemed
to notice me. It was in this state of lesbian
angst that I spied a sign in a gay bookstore
in the Castro seeking contributors to a new
lesbian magazine. Perhaps my audience
would like me better if they didn't have to
see me or hear me. But what on earth could
I write about?
I didn't even own a car, so travel writing
was out. I wasn't hip enough to be the music
gal. I was really only good at one thingfailure with the ladies. And so I wrote about
what I knew. My first column was about a
disastrous date I once had where I ended up
wearing a bowl full of chili and going home a
lonely lezzie con came. I got lucky, for once,
when the folks at curve published my story
and gave me a shot.
And thus I began documenting my adventures (and the adventures of others who don't
notice me eavesdropping) in lesboland.
I have done a lot of ill-advised things
where women are concerned, but I am
not sure if that qualifies me to give advice
to others. I mean, are there really other
women out there who are dumb enough
to have a three-way with a new girlfriend
and the girlfriend's ex, knowing full well
that the ex hates their guts? Somehow, I
thought the sex would bring us all closer.
Well, it did for about 20 minutes and then it
degenerated into a burlesque wrestling
match. The jealous ex would not allow my
girl and me to have any contact and somehow managed to satisfy both of us before
finally collapsing, from exhaustion no doubt,
a:
and trapping us both underneath her. A few
w
hours later, I was rummaging around her
room (another mistake-we
should have
cc
gone to neutral turf) trying to find my
socks when the ex woke up, accused me of
ransacking her house and kicked me out
barefoot into the night. Somehow,· I don't
think too many girls out there would have
to be advised not to enter into this threeway-from-hell.
If you are planning to move your ex-girlfriend into your studio apartment with you
until she finds another place to live, I would
suggest that you first get some type of timeline from her and second get some assurance
that she will not break down into screaming
and crying fits every time you go on a date
with someone else. Does that really qualify
as sage advice or just common sense?
If you are in a bar and everybody is wearing
leather and you are neither in Texas nor at a
motorcycle club, chances are that the folks in
there are into some rough sex. I thought I got
lucky with a hot little number in a skintight
leather bodysuit, until she got me home and
started tossing me around like a chiropractor
on crack. Looking back, it seems like I should
have known that.
Dating an alcoholic bartender will not
usually result in happily ever after or even
happily for a month. But if you are looking
for a couple of sloppy romps that only one
of you will remember, and maybe a case of
crabs as a memento of your romance, then
the boozy floozy is the ticket. No need to do
it. I already did.
If you are in a couple and you haven't had
sex in six months and neither one of you is in
tidbits like: Don't fire walk in the nudewhile wearing a tampon.
I just do really stupid things and then write
about the predictably disastrous consequences
of my folly.After two decades of this, curve
has apparently awarded me the equivalent of
work-study credit and dubbed my ramblings
as "advice:· If indeed curve thinks that my
My knowledgeabout beinga dyke in the worldhas
been hardwon. A savvydyke wouldnot havegotten involvedwith a bi-curiousjunkie... But, alas, I
muststep in everypileto make sure it stinks.
a coma, then your relationship is in trouble.
Once again, not exactly a news flash to the
rest of the world, but for some reason it came
as a shock to me. Luckily, my lover's new girlfriend was kind enough to explain it all to me
as I packed my belongings.
So you see what I am getting at here? My
so-called advice amounts to really helpful
awkward attempts to find love and my place
in this lesbian nation are helpful to others,
then who am I to argue?
Oh, and one last bit of advice-if you were
going to start your own magazine c?lumn in
the hope of getting women to sleep with you,
learn to play a musical instrument instead.
Musicians get laid. Writers get
October 2010
I 19
POLITICS
Let Us Be Heard
Reflecting on 20 years of curve and lesbian politics.
By Victoria A. Brownworth
I like anniversaries. They give us the opportunity to remember and revisit all the things
that have happened over the course of a
relationship-the good and the not so good.
Anniversaries are a time for reflection, and
in a decidedly unreflective era, anything that
spurs reflection is good.
My relationship with Curve has been a long
one-I came on board the magazine back at
the beginning, when it had a different name
and a different look and none of us thought
it would, or even could, become the oldest
continually published lesbian magazine in
the country. And yet here we are, 20 years
later, and I could not be prouder to have
been part of its growth and to be celebrating
this anniversary.
I've had a lot of different editors over those
two decades, some of whom I have absolutely
loved, and a couple I am glad have moved on.
But throughout the various transitions of the
magazine, one thing has been constant: Curve
has always put lesbians first, even when no one
else did, and for that I feel acutely grateful.
20
Icurve
I'm not a big one for paeans-they often
sound false or elegiac. But when I think
about my long relationship with this magazine, I do feel like praising it. In a disposable
culture, longevity is something. Something
big. So, too, is the autonomy that Curve has
sponsored-not
just in its writers, but in
its readership. As Curve has grown, so has
the lesbian community. More of us are out,
more of us are comfortable with our identities, more of us are forging lives predicated
on our lesbianism as something to be proud
0£ rather than something shameful and
hidden. Curve may arrive in a black wrapper
because so many readers ask for that, but we
are not shrouded in mystery. We've come a
very long way from the days when Barbara
Grier was printing The Ladder on a mimeograph machine and using a pseudonym to do
so. We have arrived, and Curve was there as
we did so.
One of the reasons I have remained on the
staff at Curve for all these years is loyalty to
the magazine and what I believe we represent.
I believe we are a lesbian voice in a world
where lesbians are silenced most of the time.
S~re, there's considerable fluff in these
pages-as there is in your daily newspaper.
We all love fluff. Fluff helps us get through
our hellish days with a sense of humor
and a little bit of grace. But weve got more
happening here at Curve than entertainment and gossip. We've got real issues. Over
the years I have written light pieces here
and there for Curve. But mostly I have done
features and columns about issues-serious
issues like rape, incest, cancer and poverty.
I've talked politics in my columns with a
ferocity that my mainstream newspaper and
magazine gigs have not allowed. At Curve I
have been able to use the F word with impunity-by which I mean feminism, not fuck.
At Curve I have been able to do what I
do best-write without restraint about the
issues I fi11:dmost important to women,
notably those related to personal, cultural
and social justice.
When you've worked for a magazine for
nearly 20 years and can say chat you have
only been censored once-one editor cut a
column of mine because she thought I was
too hard on Republicans in it; she and Curve
parted ways soon after-chat's something.
As a writer, I value the autonomy Curve
has offered me. A while back, I wrote a
column about why men hate us. It had a lot
of strong language in it and caused my editor
to ask me if I was sure I didn't want co cone it
down. I didn't, and as it happens it got a lot
of response from readers.
I know the preciousness of not being censored, but I wonder if Curves readers, many
of whom have grown up with the unfettered
Wild West of the Internet, understand how
important an uncensored lesbian magazine
is and how vital it is co maintain the integrity
of a serious, face-checked queer publication.
The term "uncensored" is not something
you can put a sell-by date on. People younger
than I are constantly celling me chat censorship is a thing of the past, to which I say:
Google and China, queers and Amazon.
Like a majority of Americans, I have
bought books, CDs and even a Kindle from Ii:
Amazon. I love Amazon for its immediacy
and ease. But does Amazon love me back? In ffi
0
April 2009, Amazon claimed that a 'glitch"
knocked gay and lesbian titles-tens
of t;
thousands of them, including some of my
own articles off the site and into a limbo called
"adult titles:• The books lost their rankings,
which meant that titles that had been on the
site for years were suddenly ranked like porn.
Amazon claimed it wasn't homophobic
censorship, but it took more than a month
for the rankings of some LGBT books to be
restored. Some never were.
Kindle, which Amazon owner and founder
Jeff Bezos has stated repeatedly will be the
future of books (paper books will go the way
of the Edsel and e,books will replace them,
according to Bezos), is subject to his censor,
ship whims as well.
In June 2010, on the anniversary of
Bloomsday, Amazon censored James Joyce's
Ulysses,a book that many academics con,
sider to be the greatest novel of the 20th
century. But it's too racy for Bezos, who has
said he wants Amazon to be family,friendly;
that is, suitable for anyone 9 and up. Ulysses
is decidedly not a kid's book, but it ain't
porn either.
If the Internet is the future of publishing
and e,books are the future of books, then
censorship is part and parcel of it all. The
content of New York Times online is not the
same as what's in the non,virtual newspaper.
Independent publications and publishers are
where one escapes censorship. Which is why
we need a publication like Curve, dedicated
to lesbian issues, with both a publisher and
an editor,in,chief who are committed to
maintaining a wide range of viewpoints in
the magazine, to reflect the breadth of the
lesbian community and culture.
I prefer a paean to an elegy and I hope
that next year there will be a 21st anniver,
sary of Curve. Magazines and newspapers
in America are in trouble. The recession hit
print harder than almost any other sector.
Two newspapers where I had been syndi,
cated for 17 years went bankrupt. And now
Curve is also in dire straits.
So the question I pose to all those
readers who have written to me over the
years thanking me, praising me and some,
times excoriating me is this: Can lesbians
afford to lose this voice in an era where
censorship really is right around the
corner, mainstream news media continue
to ignore us, mainstream women's media
pretend we don't exist and many of us are
still in the closet, with little to connect us
save publications like Curve?
No, we can't. Reread some of what I
have written for this publication over the
past 20 years. It's all still relevant. Which
means we still need Curve.
Do yourself and the women you love a
favor: Take a stand for lesbian voices, take
a stand against silence and take out a sub,
scription. It's the price of a couple of lattes
on Monday morning or a couple of drinks
on Saturday night, but it will stay with you
much longer. Curve has a legacy and every
woman who has ever read this magazine is
part of it.
Women have written to me over the years
to say that something I wrote in Curve has
literally saved their lives. Saved their lives.
Think about that. Lesbians were reached
by this magazine, thanks to an uncensored,
broad,ranging editorial policy that has
helped to grow this magazine for 20 years.
This lack of censorship has made some
advertisers fearful of the risk of being in a
queer publication. You can offset that by
helping Curve tell our stories and keep our
lives in the forefront, not the background.
There are many forms of censorship. We
can control some kinds, but not others.
Help Curve help you-buy a subscription
and help women hear one another's voices.
We have enough to silence us. Let's not
silence ourselves.
Our Struggle in ·Black and White
Photographer Ellen Shumsky spent 1Oyears documenting the women's and gay rights' movements across the country. A
collection of her work was recently published as a book, titled Portrait of a Decade: 1968-1978 (graeadepress.com).
Taking to the streets
(clockwise from left): Gay
Liberation Front protest in
1969; Lesbian Nation author
Jill Johnston in 1972; three
scenes from NYC Pride in
1972; a Radicalesbians
meeting in 1970, of which
Shumsky was a member
October 2010
I21
...............................................................
.
.
AND THE
"CURVEY"
GOES TO ...
'Vicki
Dobkin,
.................................................................
THE
FIRST
ANN.UAL
CURVE
Rnalists:
GirtParis,Jennlf8r
TIieLlopanl,
UhHuhHer,GirtIna Coma
: Rnalists:
Alyson
Palmer,
Blzabelll
Zif
LESBIA
A ARDS
221 curve
PHOTOS: LESTERCOHEN (ETHERIDGE),DAVIDLAFFE(I.AVONNE), PAMELA UTTKY
SARAH)MORGAN LEIGH KENNEDY(GOD-DES,, LANA KIM {J THE
DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
PIONEER:
BizabelhStreb
DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
NEWCOMER:
AnneGadwa,Sarah Bush(tie)
FILM:Bound,ButI'ma Chtler/Bader,
The/ncndbly 'IhleAdttenlunlsof
1"o 6lt1sIn Love(three waytie)
•HoW/
Vogel),,,,, ---lnln),
AfffcllonsMinda),
1M..-.,
.....
Matlaclc),
,,....,,
JolJnol An:(Clraljn....,,
•Bodi
...
• ChelseaGirlsby EileenMyles,
Of WomanBornby Adrienne
• Rich,BeyondthePaleby Elana
• Dykewomon
Finalists:KimStolz,
YayaKosikova,
JessicaClark
•
• Finalists:RebeccaBrown,
JacquelineWoodson,
Jeanette
Winterson,
DorothyAllison,
PatriciaCornwell,EllenHart,Sarah
Schulman,
MichelleTea
• Finalists:AdrienneRich,Lillian
• Faderman,
KatherineForrest,
..,.___;..JuneJordan,LeeLynch,Marijane ..____
• Meaker,JoanNestle,Chrystos,
Sapphire,
JudithButler,AliceWalker,
Finalists:LauraPirott-Quintero,
• FeliciaLunaLemus,JDGlass,
• MelissaFebos,IvanCoyote
Finalists:UrvashiVaid,Christine
Marinoni,
JaneBerliner,
MaryBonauto
• ReaCarey,ElizabethBirch,JulieDorf
• Finalists:TheLexington
• Club(SanFrancisco),
EgyptianClub(Portland,
Ore.),SueEllen's
(Dallas),MySister's
Room(Atlanta),
Chances(Houston),
Novak'sBarandGrill
(St.Louis),Sisters
(Philadelphia),
Joiede
Vine(Chicago)
• Finalists:TugsBelltown
• (Seattle),
Charlene's
(NewOrleans),
._ ClitClub(NewYork),
• GirlBar(LosAngeles),
• RubyfruitBarandGrill
• (NewYork),TheFlame
• (SanDiego),Maude's
• (SanFrancisco),
GirlSpot
• (Providence,
R.I)
I
I
I
I
I
I
•
•
•
•
:
Finalists:LilyTomlin,DebraChasnoff,
UrvashiVaid,DonnaRedWing,
• DeeMosbacher
....,<•'•
......
Rice(11re,,..,
'---~
r....:r:.a,_......1a..
... tllldrYGIIICI
Finalists:Cleis,BellaBooks,
BoldStrokes,Aorta,Alyson,
Seal,RedBone
Press,Firebrand,
SpinstersInk,TinySatchelPress
• Finalists:CubbyHole
NewYork),ClubBooby
• Trap(LosAngeles),
BootyBar(LasVegas),
• Z GirlClub(Phoenix),
FusionPoolParty
• (Boston),REHAB
(Provincetown)
• Finalists:RosieJones,
AmelieMauresmo,
lreenWiist,
• Leigh-AnnNaidoo
.........
--•-•&MSb1}
• Finalists:Yoanne
Magris,CatCora,
• ElizabethFalkner,
• JenniferBiesty,Heather
• West,SusanFeniger
Finalists:Astrea,LyonMartinHealth
• Services,
PFLAG,
NGLTF,
HRC
.....
,,...
.,Sla:h
,,
: Finalists:RadicalLesbians,
Queer
• Nation,ACTUP,Daughtersof Bilitis
(WllllSuanna
,,,.,
•
•
•
•
Finalists:GayGames,
Women's
Weekin Provincetown,
KeyWest
Women'sFest,AquaGirlFemme
conference,
ButchVoices,
FatGirlSpeaks
•
•
•
•
Finalists:TalonyaGeary,DedeFrain,
CarolCoombes,
AndreaMeyerson,
AllisonBurgos,KristinSchafer,Amy
Lesser,BettySullivan,ShariFrilot
Finalists:RubyfrultJungleby RitaMae
Brown,
Bastardout of Csrolinaby
Dorothy
Allison,
AfterDelores
bySarah
Schulman,
ThePassion
byJeanette
• Wlnterson,
Valencia
byMichelle
Tea,
(MQeNINGJ
),
PHOTOS: LILIAN KEMP (RICH),CHARLIE HOPKINSON(WATERS),
MARTY UMANS
(WOODSON),ALLIE OEBRIGARO(CUTLER),T COOPER(LEMUS),COURTESYOF
ILOK MEDIA (HANSEN),CAROL COMBS (COMBS),SAM RITCHIE;ACLU (MCMILLEN)
: ................................
• OtherFinalists:
• LucyBrennan,
• AngieJackson,
CandaceCollins
: : ......................... .
.
October 2010
I25
................
• Finalists:DJMaryMack,DJTracyYoung,DJStacy,
• DJPatPat,DJAnnalyze,DJChelseaStarr,DJOlgaT
-
,
,
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- -_...
'
-,
- -
-
•
-•.._
-
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•
r
: --'~-
¾"
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:
•
~
.., -
Rnalists:DianeDiMassa,
Arte1
Shratl,
• Roberta
Gregory,
Jemlfer
Page
• Braddock,
MeganRoseGedris,AlisonBeclldll
cama-,
'~
--.-..1..•...V;~
• Finalists:Orson(SanFrancisco},
LostCoastBrewery
& Cafe(Eureka,Calif.},YoIn YoOut(Harlem,N.Y.},
• Jazzcats(Portland,Ore.),Bayona(NewOrleans},
• Bristen'sEatery(Brooklyn,N.Y.)
• Rnalists:JDDisalvatore
(TheSmoMng
Cocktail),Charlotte
Cooper(ObelltyTlmelNlnb),
• RiaseBernard(Autostraddle),
Al1an
lllmllDI
• (QueerSighted)
• Finalists:WellsFargo,GeneralMotors,Macy's,
• CharlesSchwab,JetBlue,Esurance,
Progressive
Rnallsts:lildDatlh,BJFlllll:la-:,,,,.,, ,_
CherryBomb,s.lcltlf...
........................................................................
• Finalistsfor bothcategories:Olivia,Babeland,
• LadySlipper,GoodVibrations,R FamilyVacations,
• WowTheaterCafe,DITC,FunkyLala, Sweet
Rnallsts:DabPearce(ProudFM),Diana
cage(TIieDianaC8geShow),C8l1a
Remer
(OUtloud
KBOO
FM),SheenaMllal(LA111k
FayC8nnona
(TIieLuis~
• Radio),
Show),ShaashawnDial
• Finalists:HilaryRosen,AmyErrett,LisaThomas,
• AmyLesser,JenniferBrown,ShannonWentworth
• & JenRainin,RobinGans& SandySachs,Phranc
)~
.,_
,_
~;(~~-~-
:
•
•
•
•
•
• Finalists:SandCastleon the Beach(St.Croix,
• VirginIslands},BoonHotel+ Spa(Guerneville,
Calif.},
Holly'sPlace(SouthLakeTahoe,Calif.},Highlands
• Inn (Bethlehem,
N.H.),Kate'sLazyMeadowMotel
DJTracy : (CatskillMtns.,NY)
Young :
Finalists:DeeMosbacher
& Nanette
Gartrell,UrvashiVaid& KateClinton,Wendy
Melvoin& LisaCholodenko,
CathyDeBuono
& Jill Bennett,JamieBabbit& Andrea
Sperling,StacyCodikow& LisaThrasher,
SandraValls& JacquelineKennedy
•
•
... ..t..,.
~"t
-
(,:....
Assistant
Secretaryof
the U.S.Department
Development)
- :__
, -
~-·
POLmCIAN:Roberta
Achtenberg
(former
of Housing
andUrban
: ,:~.. ~:;~/
...
..........ai~-
Finalists:MarilynPitbnan(Outin Ill BaJ).
Melissacarter(TIieBertShow/0100)
"
• -:
'"
'""'"
'..,
;""""W:
.. --~--J......_'
~=-
•
'
'
• flnallsll:Jezebel,
AulDllraddll,
femlnlslbag,Fallhlanllll,Cblnyant.
OneMoreLesbian,.....
Rnallsts:Urvaslli
Vlld,LlaaVegal,8litllla
Kahn,SarahScblllmln,... JIIII ....
...,,.#
,.;;~°;'
•
•
Vacations,
VPVacations
•
Finalists:lndestructable,
My BrainHurts,
100Butches,Buffythe VampireSlayer,Batwoman,
I WasKidnapped
By Lesbian
PiratesFromOuterSpace
PHOTOS:SCOTT HENSEL{MICHAELS),TRISHTUNNEY (RAFKIN),
TEENAALBERT (GOMEZ),MIKE RUIZ {YOUNG),MAIA MADISON(STOP NOW)
....v .....
,_
f
,
• ·,
Finallsls:
CyndiLaupar,
1111111----
Alyson
LUcy
KalhyGrtfln,Edin ...........
Madonna,Ladylap, Judllil
Light,
October 2010
I 27
he T-shirt is not just a lesbian
fashion staple-it's a cultural
phenomenon. For years
it has served as a canvas
for political messages,
especially when it comes
to LGBT folks. From the HRC to Dyke
Tees and Worn Free, everyone in
the gay community seems to have
something to say about the important
issues-whether it's a call for the repeal
of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or even the
flirty ban mot, "I'm not a lesbian but my
girlfriend is."
Here photographer Meagan Cignoli
celebrates the transgressive nature
of the protest tee. Featuring four hot
queer models-Jessica Clark, Yaya
Kosikova, Sara J_onesand Kim
Stolz (from America's Next Top
ModeO- these snaps showcase
the creative vision of those in the
fashion industry who champion
gay rights.
"I thought it was a great opportunity
to build awareness, promote
acceptance and show the fashionable
side of lesbian culture by using four out
lesbians who are active ambassadors of
gay rights," Cignoli states. "As a fashion
photographer, I have the pleasure of
working with so many talented designers,
top models and creative stylists within the
LGBT community, but rarely do we get to
celebrate and showcase their contributions
so explicitly."
In addition, the sexy supermodels tell us
what fashion means to them. Their answers
are bold and unique, just like the tees (and
sometimes panties) they're rocking.
AMERICA'S
NEXT
TOPROLE
MODEL
Out lesbian Kim Stolz. stole our hearts when she competed
on the fifth cycle of America's Next Top Model. Since then
she has proved that she is not only beautiful, but brainy
too. The New York City native earned a bachelor's degree
in intergovernmental politics from Wesleyan University and
uses her celebrity status to support LGBT causes-often
appearing at rallies and writing for the Huffington Post.
Stolz's sense of style mirrors her politics. "Fashion is how
I express mysel£ As someone who has often subverted and
redefined norms, fashion is part of my identity and a way
for me to show that one can look good with or without
high-end designers, and often by transcending trends;' says
the model.
Having the courage to stand by your convictions is
important in any industry, but this is especially true in an
industry that holds women up to absurdly high standards.
When asked what fashion advice she'd give to aspiring
models, Stolz is brief but adamant. "Just be yourself, and
if someone makes you choos_e between a Big Mac and a
contract, go with the Big Mac:'
''GAY
PART
USED
AND
MA
AB
30
Icurve
OUTANDPROUD
"It's hard to say what fashion means to me, because I've been
modeling since I was 15;' Jessica Clark muses. "Modeling has
given me something of a platform, where the fact that I don't
necessarily conform to what society thinks of as a gay woman
enables me to challenge some preconceptions that people
may have. I am also happy that there is increasing visibility of
gay women in mainstream culture ... and if I can be a part of
that visibility, that's wonderful!"
Of British and Indian descent, Clark first got her big
break at 16, when she won a U.K. beauty contest and £5,000.
Though she has since catapulted into the world of high
fashion, Clark keeps a level head and understands the
important role that out lesbian models can play in the public
eye through their presence and style.
"Ultimately, fashion is not abo.ut what size or shape your
body is. It is about having the freedom to express whatever
it is we want through our visual. I think gay women in particular really use our clothes and hairstyles to make statements about ourselves and our communities, and that's
true for the bois, the iiber-femmes, the athletes and
everyone else. Our community is so visually diverse,
and for me it's exciting when fashion is utilized to
celebrate that:'
Clark is currently starring in the film Sara, a love
story about two women in New York City.
SEXYSLOVAKIAN
Lesbian supermodel Yaya Kosikova has been
in the fashion industry since she was 17,
when she left her home in Slovakia to work
in the United States. After traveling the
world, .she took up residence in New York
City, where she lives now.
"Knowing nothing about fashion as
a teenager in Slovakia, and then doing
shows for Fashion Week in Bryant Park-that's a
big change right there;' Kosikova says. "It definitely changed
me, and I had to grow up much quicker than my friends in my
country. When I started, I couldn't speak a word of English.
It took some time for me to adapt in the fashion world:'
Kosikova reiterates the other models' statements about
fashion and self expression. "The most important thing is to
feel absolutely comfortable in what you
wear, no matter what you do and where
you go. And be confident! Nothing is
sexier on a woman than her confidence:'
Indeed, Kosikova wears it ~ell.
TIMELESSLY
STYLISH
When asked what fashion means to her,
Sara Jones, who models for Fenton Moon,
is hesitant. "This is always a strange topic
for a girl who has two drawers full of black
T-shirts. Fun is fun, flattering is flattering,
and the importance of what feels good will
never change;' she says.
Working in the industry has given Jones
a deeper appreciation of style, and of the
designers behind the clothes she models.
However, the lack of lesbian designers is
something that she laments. "I have yet to meet an openly queer
female designer. Althou,gh, if Catherine (McNeil] and Ruby
(Rose] suddenly decided to create a line together, I'm sure I'd
be into it:'
As far as what the future holds, "I just finished up an independent film;' Jones says, "partially based in my hometown of
Baltimore, tided ToadRoad.It's part documentary, and it involves many emotional scenes,
over a two-year period, between my first 'real'
girlfriend and me. [It] should be making the
rounds on the indie circuit later this year:'
We wouldn't miss it for the
'•
32
Icurve
Cheryl Dunye and the state of lesbian cinema.
By Tania Hammidi
Cheryl Dunye has been a major player in the last 20 years of
independent queer filmmaking, putting herself and African
American lesbians into feature films since the 1996 release of
her groundbreaking film Watermelon Woman.
Dunye's filmography since then includes independent shorts
and the multimillion-dollar Hollywood feature, My Baby's
Daddy.But this year Dunye revisited her early days, creating,
or perhaps re~creating, a model for collective filmmaking in
the production of The Owls, a "Dunye-mentary" about aging,
fading lesbian glory and the characters' complex relationships.
Not surprisingly, since the premiere of the film at the Berlin
International Film Festival last winter, there seems to be a
whole lot of hooting going on about Dunye's latest endeavor
and what it means for lesbian cinema.
A DIFFERENT
1YPEOF FILM
In the film, a group of older, wiser lesbians (OWLS), played
by Guinevere Turner, Lisa Gornick, V.S: Brodie, Skyler
Cooper and the director hersel£ accidentally kill a younger
lesbian (Deak Evgenikos) and try to get away with it. Through
a series of flashbacks, history informs the current lives of the
characters. What stands out most about the film is the unique
way in which it is told-the fictional story is layered with
documentary-style interviews with each character about the
film's inner workings and lesbian and trans identities.
But Dunye's narrative style is not the film's only captivating
element. Behind the camera, she sought to create a model
of affordable, nonhierarchical filmmaking where the queer
creative community worked collectively to make the film, just
as they did in the early days of New Queer Cinema. For a
director who has had mainstream success, the choice to return
to an early indie paradigm is surprising, but Dunye is committed
to collaboration.
•
"Right now, collectivity is really important. We are at a
point in culture where we can't do it alone;' says Dunye. "So,
I turned to my queer filmmaking community in Los Angeles
and internationally and said to them, 'This is the moment to
really test out those ideas we all share and see:"
Dunye assembled her cast and crew and named the
group the Parliament Film Collective, after the word for a
gathering of owls. Most of the Parliament Collective-made
up of directors like Guinevere Turner and writers like Sarah
Schulman-were
familiar with the concept of giving their
time and resources to make important films, since Hollywood
isn't exactly chomping at the bit to fund queer cinema. As
Dunye says, "If you are going to look for them to let you in,
you are going to wait forever:'
ONE FISH,TWO FISH,QUEERFISH,GO FISH
Turn er is no stranger to collective filmmaking. She and then
girlfriend Rose Troche made the pioneering film GoFish,with
some rambunctious collaboration from her Chicago dyke
friends. Yet Turner also has a deeper structure to rely on in
her collective work, beyond the mayhem of youthfulidealism.
Growing up on a commune "made me sharply awareof power
dynamics and made me very adaptable, which are goodthings
St!}'.
to have in the collaborative process that is filnwtaking;'
the director.
Indeed, in Turner's experience, collective living leaa directl
,;;,1.=::r...a
.....
to her interest in film. "I grew up watching tons of o movies
sit still and af
and being taught to be reverent to ~m-to
attention and be quiet. We were expected to be able to talk,
about them after we watched. So that got my mind en~ged
critically-and also made me want to be a movie star;' says
Turner with a smile.
It goes without saying that Go Fishopened the floodgates
for New Queer Cinema and filmmakers. Yet, when asked
her opinion about her role, Turner rejects labels: "A pioneer
sounds old, and like that person has some kind of cool hat.
Seriously, I love that what we did had an impact on the community at large, and I'm still super-proud of that movie:'
PARLIAMENTARY
CONSENSUS
Other members of the Parliament had their own ideas about
the importance of collective filmmaking to queer cinema.
British actor and Tick Tock Lullabyedirector Lisa Gornick,
who plays Lily in The Owls, says, "To get things made and out
there, it is better to work without money being the obstacle.
Then you can make things without waiting for the external
green light of approval. Everyone has to feel comfortable with
this, and you have to let go of some of the hierarchies of filmmaking, or else people will just leave:'
Cuban American filmmaker Anna Margarita Albelo premiered her feature-length documentary on lesbian cinema,
Hooters, at Frameline this past June. Hooters used the production of The Owls along with interviews with the cast and crew
to explore what lesbian culture is today. Albelo integra,ted the
collective process and these debates into her film in order to
"see real lesbians and queer artists living and creating in the
world today, expressing their points of view;' she says.
Her film is characteristically funny, a poetical re-creation of
what else happens-to community, to the artistic process, to
identity, to passion-in the process of making a film. Albelo
says, "I always mention in my work a fear that lesbian culture is disappearing, but what is disappearing is the desire to
communicate political thoughts in a world where it's become
more comfortable, passable, acceptable to be a lesbian:•
Dunye describes the importance to claim the media by
putting debates and images from queer communities directly
out there."In the Reagan era, in the'80s, I knew how important
media was politically, for entertainment and artistically. And, I
knew I was not in the picture. So it led me to correct that and
put my face in the picture. I had to invent my own cinema:•
U.K. filmmaker Pratibha Parmar echoes this drive to
October 2010
I33
represent marginalized women in her work as well. She
began with a poetic visual meditation, Emergence, in 1986,
and has gone on to make 21 film projects, including the
much celebrated short Khush, th documentary film Warrior
Marks, which she made with Alice Walker, and the feature
Nina's Heavenly Delights. She says impetus remains one of
representing the larger collective struggle of queers and women
of color.: "I have been privileged to meet so many inspiring,
visionary women. Their voices and lives have enriched my life
beyond anything I could have imagined. For me especially,
as a queer woman of color, it has always been a necessary
project to ensure the historical visibility of women who have
pioneered so many fundamental changes in the world:'
And like Dunye, Parmar's queer cinema is characterized by
the direct-attack approach to justice. "Growing up as an immigrant in the U.K., you learn very quickly that if you don't stand
up and speak for yoursel£ nobody else is going to do it for you.
So it was either do or die. I made an instinctive choice to do. It
is in my DNA to question inequality and justice, to create art
that hopefully agitates, provokes thought and inspires change;'
Parmar says.
NEWQUEERCINEMATODAY
But have the inventive beginnings and the original passions of
New Queer Cinema had an impact on LGBT media today?
Dunye sees very little change in the world of feature film~
and television with regard to queer issues. "What I am hearing now about The Real L Word-there is not a
single woman of color in it at all. Once again, here
certain demographics;' she says.
Should we look back in order to look forward, as the
Parliament Film Collective and The Owls suggest? Dunye puts it
plainly: "People are paying attention, but what are they saying?"
One value of knowing history is to gain a deeper
understanding of what is at stake in an art form. Cal Arts
professor Abigail Severance is a "bent" filmmaker (a label she
says, is "about nuance- I am not very good with boxes"), who
remembers how explosive things were for filmmakers in the
1990s. "The access that people had to make 16mm was huge.
People had not yet started to make digital film. It was all still
analog video. So I think on an aesthetic level I was looking for
a refined image, but the scrappy, confessional, accessible sense
of authorship that the entire city [of San Francisco] seemed
to have in the '90s was incredible. I don't think I would have
become a filmmaker without that. Sometimes that meant
going to a film festival and sitting through hours of crap for
one glorious moment in film. But that moment was great. It
was a super vibrant time:'
Making films at the tail end of ACT UP, Severance was
part of the queer activism that used media to undermine the
powers that be. In film, this meant, as Severance says, taking
over the media and really understanding issues of authorship:
Who is framing this discussion? Is it them or us? Or some
other version of that?
Gornick echoes these thoughts. ''A lot of New Queer
Cinema was about DIY filmmaking and reinventing how a
film is made and what it is. How we look at things, how the
line of the narrative or non-narrative unfurls ... it certainly
made me realize the possibilities of working outside the
mainstream way of seeing and doing things. Gave me courage
and precedents:'
CAN WE MAINTAINOUR QUEERAUTONOMY?
The faces of New
Queer Cinema
(from left) Pratibha
Parmar, Skylar
Cooper and
Cheryl Dunye
is a moment where you could put someone into the frame, but
that's not their picture:' [Editor's note: Actually Real L Word
cast members Rose Garcia and Tracy Ryerson are Latina.
Dunye made this comment prior to the show airing.]
U.K. filmmaker Campbell Ex, who made the award-winning
Legacy in 2006, based on conversations with her mother about
memory and shame, says exclusion is still present in media
funding and distribution. "We need to allow a multiplicity
of voices to make well-funded, high-production-value films.
Many talented filmmakers are struggling to get heard, and it
is simply invidious to believe that those filmmakers are not
out there, or not writing. They exist, but the people who give
out money choose to look the other way. Or the people who
are the cultural gatekeepers are not in tune with the values of
34
Icurve
These 1990s filmmakers challenged the commercial interests
of the media in representing LGBT individuals. Now, 20
years later, with channels from Logo to ABC Family happy to
broadcast gay, lesbian and trans-themed or created work, one
wonders what impact that activism had on film as a form and
a project. Has the power of queer film been compromised by
participating in the commercial world? "I think we have to frame
the discussion in less binary terms;' Parmar says."I am thinking
here of the recent video "Telephone" by Lady Gaga, which
featured Beyonce, but just as interestingly it featured Canadian
performance artist Heather Cassils, who was handpicked by
Gaga to play the role of her prison yard girlfriend. It was an
important queer cultural moment, where a queer body artist is
depicted exactly as she is in popular entertainment. Cassils says
the only way you can create social change is to insert yourself
into the machine, and she does so brilliantly by her presence
in that video. But then again, Cassils didn't compromise on w
who she is and how she presents her queer identity. And Lady ii.
<(
Gaga didn't ask her to either. If we as queer artists can engage in
mainstream media on our own terms, then what's not to like?" 2
One thing hasn't changed in 20 years, Severance says: "I
think that one of the fundamental elements of filmmaking is to 8
witness and to be witnessed. That hasn't
!
A look at how Olivia revolutionalized the industry.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
In the 1980s, when I was comin of age, I went to every
concer I could: Rush, RATT, P ison, Bon Jovi, Motley
Criie. They were held in the only co cert stadium within 200
miles of my Idaho hometown, and the bands were almost
uniforrply male. After I came out, I iscovered that there were
literall}' lesbians in the hills allarou d me-women who lived
in nea by farming and mountain owns who would come
hundreds of miles for the "womer;i's"
events that occurred
maybe two or three times a year i nearby Boise, and then
disappear back into the night. When I begrudgingly got
dragge to a women's concert for something called Olivia
Records, it changed everything for me.
Though I came to that concert about 10 years after
Olivia first started revolutionizi g lesbian lives, seeing
Margie Adam and Deirdre McCa la and Cris Williamson
in concert, with an audience made up almost entirely of
lesbia , felt revolutionary to me. At the end, women sold
and traded albums by openly lesbian singers, all on the
Olivia Records label, and everyo e stood around talking,
lingering as long as possible, soaking up the feel of.feminist
empowerment and lesbian camaraderie and the pure joy
that w didn't have in our daily liv s.
Tod y, those cassettes, like the famed 1977 compilation
Leshia Concentrate,are disintegrating in a box in my garage.
But the spirit of that concert-that long, lingering sense of
hope and abandon-has grown into what is arguably the
country's largest lesbian-owned company catering solely
to lesb 'ans. There may be larger lesbian-owned companies
(Susan Feniger's Border Grill a 8 Rachel Venning and
Claire Cavanah's Babeland both have multiple outlets and
cater to men and women), and quite heady competitors (no
doubt the iiber-hip and trendy lesbian travel company Sweet
is giving Olivia a run for its money). But, outside of perhaps
Wolfe Video, no other lesbian company in the United States
today is as iconic and as Sapphic-centric.
Now celebrating its 37th anniversary, the company started
because of an offhand comment made by Cris Williamson,
and grew from the dream of some radical lesbians into a
corporate juggernaut. Olivia was the first company to train
women in all facets of music production, from accounting
to engineering, back when putting the world "lesbian" in
your lyrics or in your bio was a career killer. And though it
was founded by a collective of foe ds, by 1983 the last one
standing was a powerhouse named Judy Dlugacz.
Still the president of Olivia today, Dlugacz, a pink-diaper
baby raised among socialist act 'vists, found her mission in life
in lesbian causes. "I thought I had discovered the Holy Grail;'
she says of coming out at the intersectio of the women's and
the gay rights movements. She learned that "it'snot only 0
to be a lesbian, but it's the strongest and most independent
way a woman can live:'
That philosophy helped Olivia transition from a record
producer, to an on-the-water event producer, tQ the bi~est
lesbian travel company in the world. And the feeling I had
at that first women's concert over 20 years ag •s what draws
women to Olivia cruises and resort vacations tod y.
The women who vacation with Olivia don't care -rhat the
Olivia continued on page 63
Judy Dlugacz at
the helm (from left):
Out at sea, Olivia's
maiden voyage
and running Olivia
Records
The organization that really has
our backs. By Nicole Vermeer
It's easy for Kate Kendell to remember how long she has
been executive director of the National Center for Lesbian
Rights (NCLR)."I always remember because of my son-it
was t e same weekend, and he just turned 14:' Much has
changed during her son's lifetime, starting with the fact that
Kendell, an out lesbian, can say the words "my son" without
anyone questioning the validity of their relationship.
When Kendell began as the center's legal director, in
ere· still fighting to be granted
1994, LGBT couples
custody of the children they had adopted. In many places,
same sex couples could not adopt together, so for both
members of a same-sex couple to have legal rights as parents
was extremely difficult.
'i\t the rime, [the NCLR] was fighting against institutionalize stigma and discrimipation against LGBT people. In at
least a couple dozen states, women and men still lost custody
of their children or were denied visitation rights;' says the
SO-year-olddirector.
The NCLRhas spearheaded the fight for the rights oflesbian
parents, and has also worked to end workplace discrimination
and hate crimes; in fact,many legal victories are due to the
orga • ation'stenacious dedication to equality.
Tlie first major victory came in 1983, when Shaton Johnson
won custody of her son after she separated from her partner.
Then, in 1986, came the right to second-parent adoption,
allowing thousands of LGBT couples to adopt childre .
In 1991, Karen Thompson was denied the right to visit her
partner Sharon Kowalski in the hoJ>pital,after she ha been
severely traumatized in a car accident. With the help of the
NCLR, Thompson took on the court system and eventually
won guardianship over her partner.
Headquartered in San Francisco, and with regional offices
in Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Fla., the NCLR is
now a legal force to be reckoned with. But in 1977, for Donna
Hitchens and Roberta Achtenberg, two lesbians fresh out of law
school and ready to change the world, it was a dream. "We didn't
have any concept that we could fail;' Achtenberg says in the
documentary short National Centerfor Lesbian Rights at 30.
Before the NCLR existed, when Hitchens was still in
law school, prominent lesbian rights activist Del Martin
handed her a stack of files, mainly accounts of cases in
which lesbian mothers had lost custody of their children.
Martin said to her, "You're going to be a lawyer. You have to
do something about this:'
That prompted Hitchens and Achtenberg to join forces,
and together they started what wa$ then called the Lesbian
Rights Project. In the beginning, they focused almost solely
on custody cases. Today, NCLR also has projects involving
trans rights, as well as rights for youth and the elderly, and also
focuses heavily on immigrant rights, taking on asylum cases for
people who have been persecuted in their native countries.
"They live right at this very, very dangerous intersection of
all these 'isms' and all these stereotypes, and we feel like it is
literally, quite literally, life saving;' says Kendell of the organization's immigrant-rights work.
Although times have changed and many things have
improved since Kendell was the NCLR legal director, she says
there is still progress to be made. "The question we ask ourselves in every state where we make progress is, who's being
left behind?"
This is the question that keeps the organization moving,
full speed ahead. As soon as a case is won, they begin to look
for what to focus on next. According to Kendell,
a good example is the NCLR Youth Project.
"When we started, it was really about youth being
institutionalized in mental health facilities by
their parents, based on (their] sexual orientation.
We shifted our youth work to juvenile justice,
youth in state custody, youth in foster care or
juvenile justice facilities:•
Kendell says, "Though we've made progress,
there is always somebody there who is being left
behind, or whose issues are not being paid attention to, based on either race or class or some other
factor, that makes it more likely to suffer the
stigma of homophobia:•
While the NCLR has achieved many victories
for our community, not everything it pours energy
into results in_an immediate win. The organ~zation
is still recovering financially from donations to the
No on Prop. 8 campaign. Kendell says,"We just sort
of went all in, and to have Prop. 8 pass when you've
worked so hard to defeat it, and to lose by such a
narrow margin ... that was really, reallya hard loss. It
took me a long time to feel happy about my work
again:' Thanks to the August 2010 ruling overturning Prop 8, NCLR, like other organizations,
may be newly energized.
Kendell and the NCLR are optimistic about full
marriage equality as the next step in LGBT rights.
"I think there's no doubt, you look at any polling,
you look at where the courts seem to be going ...
there's no doubt that this country is headed for
full recognition of same-sex couples' relationships
through marriage;' she states.
A positive factor in the marriage legislation is
how little those against gay marriage have to support
their views-besides religion, of course."There are a
lot of people who would have voted no on Prop. 8 if
they had known they were being sold a bill of goods
by the Mormon Church;' says Kendell. "These cases
really help to highlight how utterly ridiculous it is to
say that you all have the right to marry except two
men and two women, and I think that's a house of
cards that's about to fall:'
1r
w
K:endell was raised Mormon and is now in
I
an interesting position going up against the
E
LOS Church in the case of Prop. 8. Despite their
zw
a:
(3 Mormon beliefs, Kendell's family generally supports
I
her and her work. "Even though many of them are
tu
CD
very active in the Mormon Church, go to church
::J
w
every Sunday, they really have a more libertarianmore accepting-worldview than I think a lot of
15 Mormons do, and I'm really lucky that that's the
0
8
family I was born into;' Kendell says.
z
w
a:
And with so many wins under her belt since
(3
I
joining the NCLR, Kendell has given us all plenty
tu
CD
of reason to feel really lucky she was born into our
::J
w
family, too.
i
October 2010
I37
Three decades on the stage
and one on the front lines.
By Laurie K. Schenden
''Are you a lesbian?"
''Are you the alternative?"
Funny but not shocking, unless you consider that this
exchange between comic Robin Tyler and a heckler occurred
in 1979, when nobody dared to be out on stage.
I'm in SoCal, sitting in Tyler's kitchen in the San Fernando
Valley, and she wants to feed me. She's packing a healthy
chicken dish wto small servings for future meals, but insists
that I try some right now.
Tums out that the woman who came out in 1959, at the
age of 16 on a Canadian street corner; who entertained the
troops in Vietnam and returned home an anti-war activist;
who got arrested in a drag bar for female impersonation; who
motivated thousands of LGBT people around the country
to march on Washington; and who stood on the steps of the
Beverly Hills courthouse with celebrity attorney Gloria Allred
to file a gay marriage lawsuit, is also a fabulous cook.
At 68, Tyler the activist shows no signs of slowing down.
She might be considered Ground Zero in the fight for
marriage equality, because the lawsuit she filed for the right
to marry her longtime partner, Diane O son, made headlines
around the country in 2004 and helped put the issue in the
national spotlight.
For Tyler, the lawsuit wasn't political act-it
was personal. "We didn't do it for the press;' says
Tyler with a chuckle, acknowledging that she has
made a career out of garnering publicity."I did it for
the medical:'
At age 65, she wanted to know if the American
Federation of Television and Radio Artists
(AFTRA), of which she is a member, would cover
her partner'shealth care. "I was going to retire, and I
called them and said Diane was my domestic partner
38
Icurve
and we'd been buying medical for her:' However, AFTRA
denied her partner's medical coverage because the two were
not married.
Attorney Gloria Allred, a lon~me friend, announced
their lawsuit at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12, 2004. Three hours later,
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom began marrying samesex coupl s at City Hall, and later that day Sen. Mark Leno
and Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California,
put gay marriage before state representatives in Sacramento.
"None of us told the others what we were doing;' says
Tyler, "because we wanted to Ry under the radar, so that
the right wing wouldn't organize against us. So in Beverly
Hills, in San Francisco and in Sacramento, on February 12
the same-sex-marriage issue exploded:' Equality has been a
lifelong passion for Tyler, so it's fitting that she has a (ring)
finger in the biggest civil rights battle of this century.
Tyler credits one of the couples that Newsom married in
San Francisco, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, with raising her
awareness and helping her to come out as a teenager many
years earlier in Canada. "They wrote an article about women
who love other women;' that read, '"That's a lesbian. Don't
be embarrassed, there's nothing wrong with you:" I said, 'Oh
great!' and I told the whole world I was a lesbian:'
Tyler started performing in· a drag club singing Judy
Garland ongs, and then partnered with the comic Pat
Harrison on and off the stage. They were a hit comedy team
and made two albums and several television pilots.
"When we went to sign with ABC, we told [President]
Fred Silverman that we were lesbians. He said, 'That doesn't
matter, a lot of people in show business are gay. Just don't
talk about it: And there I am on television ... doing an Anita
Bryant joke:•
While Tyler's material wasn't fit for prime time (or any
time in those days), she had success as an event producer,
producing two dozen music and comedy festivals and the
main sta es at three different March on Washington rallies.
'Tue thing about the festivals was that it wasn't just about
the music and it wasn't just about comedy or politics;' she
says. "It was a comradeship of being able to do everything. A
woman came to me in a wheelchair. She said, 'What are you
going to do for the disabledt I said, 'What are you going to
do:' Write down: Now I'm in charge of it:"
While Tyler's health is now an issue, this hasn't slowed her
down.'Tm telling you, to be passionate is better than Prozac;'
she in ists. She's headed back onstage this fall to do Always
a Bridesmaid,Never a Groom, a one-woman
show that she first performed in New York
in the 1980s. The show is a comic romp
through her life, with the LGBT movement
as a backdrop. Tyler is still involved in the
fight for gay marriage, even though she
and Olson legally tied the knot in 2008.
She's not ready to pass the torch yet, and
probably never ill be.
"If you pass the torch, you're in the
dark,"says Tyler. "What you do is light
the torch and stand with them:•
g
g
October ~010
I39
The Wolfe pack (clockwise from left:)
Kathy Wolfe, Maria Lynn and Linda
Vautour; Wolfe gives writer Anna Belle
Peterson a tour, digs through the
archives and shows off their historic
New Almaden, Calif. property
The lesbian film distributor celebrates 25 years. By Anna Belle Peterson
Kathy Wolfe, founder of the now-iconic
Wolfe Video, walks down a quiet, tree-lined
street in New Almaden, an unincorporated area
of San Jose, Cali£, where the company's offices are
located. She points out the house where Wolfe Video began,
in a basement with ceilings so low that employees joked that
you had to meet a height requirement in order to work there.
Across the street, a long driveway leads up to a barn that
served as a warehouse. The same driveway where Columbia
T ristar executives parked when they came to see the women
who had sold so many copies of the film Bound.
"They wanted to take us out to dinner" Wolfe says, a huge
smile on her face."They wanted to know our secret:'
Today, Wolfe Video is the leading lesbian and gay film
distributor in North America. Its catalog includes hundreds
of titles. The company is celebrating 25 years of business,
bringing films to a commun,ity sorely in need of authentic
cinematic representation. With each new film, Wolfe has
given lesbians all over the world the chance to see someone
like themselv~ on the big screen.
When the company began, it operated entirely through
mail-order catalogs (the first was called the Kick-Off Catalog,
hile todais version proclaims "You're in Wolfe Territory").
Wolfe originally wanted to makeher own documentaries, but
"Tl,IER 'S @E N A LOT OF WORK DONE
BY LOTS OF PEOPLEIN THE COMMUNITY
TO RAISEAWARENESSANO WE'VEALL
PUSHEDTHE DOOR 0OWN.''-MARIA LYNN,
PRESIDENTOF WOLFEVIDEO
40
Icurve
when she began selling her films through feminist bookstores
across the country she recognized the need for a company that
served the gay and lesbian community.
"Those same bookstores said, 'Could you get us that k.d.
lang concert? People are asking for that: And so I said, 'Sure!"'
explains the founder.
What truly put the company on the map was a contribution
from Lily Tomlin, who, at the time, was looking for a place
to sell her films.
"Lily had been distributing this film out of her garage with
her own staff, because she didn't want to hand it over to a
studio that wouldn't let her have control;' says Maria Lynn,
president of Wolfe Video."Lily had dinner with us and before
we knew it, she gave us the gift of her distribution:'
Today, Wolfe acquires films by traveling around the world
looking for titles to release under its own label. It also helps
studios promote gay and lesbian films. Kathy Wolfe is frank
about the company's reputation. •
"We do a really good job at what we do-there's no one
who can do it better, honestly;' she says. "Paramount could
not outperform us on a lesbian tide:•
Linda Voutour, vice president of sales and marketing at
Wolfe, agrees: "We have a great reputation. Were known for
our commitment, our performance, our dedication:'
That dedication includes promoting and distributing films
that the company knows are not going to make a lot of money,
but ones they think are important to put out there.
"Because we hold such a significant role in the community,
we feel responsible to be representative of a lot of different
p~spectives;' Wolfe says. This includes depicting smaller
groups within the gay and lesbian community and stories
that haven't been told before.
Back at her current headquarters, an old Wells Fargo stagecoach stop, Wolfe waves hello to neighbors and asks how
they're doing, what they're up to. One even responds by telling
me,"Give her a good write-up, she's a great neighbor:'
That feeling of camaraderie is one that begins inside the
Wolfe Video offices,where Voutour calls the company a family.
Several employees live within steps of the offices so it's easy to
see how the lines between life and work can become blurred.
But perhaps that family environment is what pas made the
company so successful.
"Obviously we're in the business of selli g product ...
but most days it's about a lot more than
at;' Lynn
says. All three women speak with pride about the fact
that people who come to work for them tend to stay.
Several employees have celebrated 10 to 15 years with
the company.
"A lot of people, including myself, have co e to this
company saying, 'I've done work that I could be successful
in but wasn't fulfilling,'" Lynn says. "And that's hy this is the
dream job for a lot of people here:'
It's a dream that brings with it a lot of hard work to change
society's perceptions. When the company started its customers
often preferred the anonymity of making purchas through the
mail, and it was considered the kiss of death for actor to play
a gay character. Wolfe Video has had a huge role in increasing
the awareness of lesbians-something
that was a goal from
the beginning.
"The good news is that as society has chan ed, there are
more people who are open to and need to see our movies;
Lynn says. "We're not the only company that's ontributed to
I
ti: this-clearly, there's been a lot of work done by ots of people
z
in the community to raise awareness and. we've pushed the
CI:
door down:'
f9.
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In looking back on the history of Wolfe Vide , Lynn says,
z
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"I think about 25 years and I think, Oh my God, how
0
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old was I then:' Was I out then:"' She has bee with the
1<{ company for 19 years. The moviemaking business has
evolved dramatically in that time and, fortunate! , Wolfe has
CI:
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::j
grown with it.
i/2,
:,,c
"For me, the quality of the (Wolfe] product as changed;
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Voutour says. 'Tm so proud. When I'm sittin~ in a film fes(/)
z
§Z tival and the Wolfe logo comes up, it's like that represents
z
quality:'
>ID
0
'J\.nd people howl, they're so excited;' Lynn adds with
::c
a laugh. For her, it's the effect that their film have on the
<{
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audience that's the most exciting.
d.
"It makes my day when somebody calls or sto s me at a film
CI:
festival and says, "That's my story;' she says. "It just gives me
w
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(.)
chills: you know:"'
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Wolfe, while happy to reflect on the comRany's past, is
a:
ID
always looking to the future. She's excited abou being on the
!IT
(.)
cutting edge of technology that will give more
z
people the chance to see Wolfe films.
z:::,
"We' re looking at all kinds of amazing potential
J:
for taking ...the best of the last 25 years o
:5 lesbian moviemaking and being able to present
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that through the Internet in a way that people
ID
c3 all over the world can be inspired by;' Wolfe say .
"The future of this company is
5
I
October 201 O 41
42
Icurve
PHOTOSBY (OPPOSITEPAGE):LAURA CROST,HAIR AND MAKEUP BY CHERIECOMBS (WRIGHT),ALKIMSON/ISTOCK(PIG).THISPAGE:PATSYLYNCH (MARCH),
PETERKRAMER(RODRIGUEZ),RACHEL BEEBE(BABY),KINA WILLIAMS (CANDYSHOP)
October 2010
I43
Rock star Melissa Etheridge has sung the lives of lesbians
for over two decades. By Jacob Anderson-Minshall
but in many arenas-environmentalactivism,health care,
LGBTrightsin general.Sowhatareyoumostproudof overthe
last20 years?
I chink che thing I'm most proud of is chat I can stand up
and say chat when I have chosen to speak truthfully, I have
been rewarded. That has been che greatest ching that I could
do. And chat I can point to chose chings-like, after I came
out publicly about my sexuality, I went from selling 1 million
albums to selling 6 million albums. I can point to chese chings
and say,"Look, it's good for us to be truchful, to be who we are,
and chat makes us healchY:'
That'sa lovelylessonto learn.I thinkit takesmanyof usa long
timeto figurethatout.
Yeah. I just would really want people to know that chere's a
brighter, greener grass on che ocher side when you decide to
be truthful.
Speakingof greenergrass,you battledcancersix yearsago
andyou'reon the othersideof that. Doyoustill feel changed
bythe experience?
Oh, yes. Completely. It totally changed my life. Ir changed my
whole perspective. It changed my journey. Definitely. Just che
I reallylovethetitletrackto Fearless
Love.Areyoufearless?
perspective of what's important. [It changed] a lot of what I
Working on chat every day. It's an everyday state of mind one eat, what I think, what I want-you know, all chose chings. Oh
has to-but chat's my plan.
yeah, it still changes me.
Oneofthelinesthatreallyresonates
onthenewalbumis "Don't It wasa littlemorethan20 yearsagowhenyoufirstsignedwith
settleforanythingless."Is thathowyoufeelrightnow?
IslandRecords.
Beforethat,youwererejected
byOliviaRecords.
Yeah. That it's really in my best interest-and it does create Yeah! [Laughs]
a better life for myself and my children and my loved onesHowdifferentdoyouthinkyourlife,yourcareerwouldhavebeen
when I can be fearless and not settle for anyching less... because if you'dhavesignedwithOliviainstead?
if I do [settle], I will just have to work char issue out later. So I like to chink I would have ended up in che same place, but
might as well do it now.
it certainly would have been a different pach. And I would
Doyoufeellikeyouhavesettledbeforein yourlife?
have been out from che beginning, instead of sort of having
Um, not knowing that I did? We all do. This is a learning to come out. It would have been known. Even though I did
experience-we're never going to be perfect at it, it's just kind play in women's bars, everyone didn't really talk about it until
of getting better as we go along. So, yeah, I didn't understand
I talked about it.
chat I really need to do what's best for mysel£ what makes When I was writing my master'sdegreethesison lesbian
myself happy.
music,we knewyou,k.d. langandall thesewomenwereout,
Sothisis curve's 20thanniversary.
butsincenoonehadsaidit in a mainstream
publication
yet,my
professors
just wouldn'tacceptit. I hadto changemy thesis
Happy anniversary. Congratulations on 20 years.
Thanks.We'relookingbackonthose20 yearsandbackat the topicto women'smusicbecausetheyjust didn'tacceptthat I
womenwho have impactedlesbiancultureand, obviously, couldknowthisinformation.
you'vebeena reallyimportantpart in that. Notjust in music, Right. Yeah. I'm glad we finally got through that. It was weird.
No one would ask che question. It was like, Go, I'll answer it
if you'll just ask me. Bur no one would ask it. So I finally said,
"You know, I have to say it myself.'
Yeah.It wasreallyweirdhowthemainstream
media
in thatcloseting.
participated
They did! They tiptoed around it. It was like, chat's one of
chose questions you don't ask anybody.
In the last 20 years,you'venot onlybecomea rockstar,but
you'vealso sort of transcended
that by performingeverywherefromthe Democratic
NationalConvention
andthe Nobel
Ocher chan che fact chat her
debut album is one of my all~time
favorites, che thing chat is che most
alluring about Melissa Echeridgearguably one of che most powerful lesbian
musicians ever-is her voice. It's deep and
measured, but you can hear che emotion creep in when
she speaks, like che passion she offers when talking about
che environment, or che sadness chat resonates when she
addresses her recent divorce from her wife, actress Tammy
Lynn (Michaels) Echeridge, che mocher of her two youngest
children. Echeridge has a confidence chat comes out in her
words, whecher she says chem or sings chem. Aside from her
youchful overreliance on various inflections of che word"yeah;'
she rarely utters. the kind of filler so many of us use-che kind
that demonstrates we re chinking on our feet or doubting what
were saying. After 20 years, 12 albums, four ki~s and record
sales in che millions, she eicher chinks a lot faster chan che rest
of us or she already knows exactly what she wants to say and
has che confidence to trust that she's saying it correctly.
"THETHINGl'M MOST PROUDOF IS THAT
I CAN STANDUP AND SAYTHATWHEN I
HAVECHOSENTO SPEAKTRUTHFULLY,
I
HAVEBEENREWARDED.THATHAS BEEN
THE GREATESTTHINGTHATI COULD DO."
44
I curve
)
PeacePrizeconcert
IDthe
ne KatrinaBenefit.Themusic
IndustryhaschangedsomuchInthat time-what advicedo you
giveIDyoemgmusicians atthispoint?
One of the reasons I have said yes to so many things was I
wanted people to see that the out musician is just one flavor
of me. There's music and the rest of what I do. I mean, I was
on SesameStreet.I say yes to all q,.ese things that kind of cross
over everywhere, especially into the family world. I would say
that if you're a musician and you're gay,just do what you love.
If you give your fear, your energy of fearing that somethings
g to work because you are gay, then it will indeed not
you are gay. If you believe that your music is a
t as being
IS a part of you, and it makes you
l, then
be interesting and cool. But
e
Yoursong"I Needto WakeUp,"for An Inconvenient
Truth,is
certainlya verytimelysentiment,
considering
whatis happening
in the Gulfof Mexicorightnow.Whatdo youthinkis the most
importantthingwe candofortheenvironment,
fortheEarth?
The most important thing we can do is change our own beliefs
and perceptions of what can be done. When I did the song
for An Inconvenient Truth, and I became more involved with
Al [Gore] and what he was doing, I understood and looked
around and I thought, Wait a minute, I can buy a diesel car and
I can put biodiesel in it and run around. I don't have to do anything to the car because any diesel engine can run on biofuels.
And once I realized that, it's like, Oh! I can start changing this
myself,by what I do. Not that I have to go out and change the
world-I can change what I do, and if each of us changes our
ow-nlittle spending habits ... it will change overnight. If we all
decide that we're done with petroleum and oil and just go for
the alternatives-it will change. It's up to us.
Ithinkthat'ssuchanempowering
thought,
because
sooftenwe're
justoverwhelmed
bytheproblems
thatwe'refacing,andit justseemstoo,
bigforusto solve.Butasyousaid,if we makesmallchanges
...
Yeah. And you don't have to do without. It's just different. You just
have to believe that there's other alternatives out there. And there are.
This is America. All the green businesses? Go find them! You know,
they might be a little more expensive right now, but the more we all
buy into it, the less it will be.
You'vesung,"I am not an island."Rightnow,you'regoingthrough
anotherverypublicbreakup.Doyouwishyouwerean islandat times
likethis?
Ha! Yeah, sure. I wish that didn't have to be out there, but I can't say,
"You can look at all of my life here, but not this:' That's just not how
it works. But you know, three years from now I'll be able to look back
and it will be a little easier, and it'll make more sense. It's just part of
the deal.
It doesseemlikean uncomfortable
burdenof beinga celebrity,
though,
thateverything
hasto be in thepubliceye.
Yeah. Well, I learned a long time ago that people are going to think
what they think and believe. I wish I could personally talk to everyone
and tell them all what's going on. But I can't. Relationships, especially,
are different. They're perceived differently and lived differently, so
you're going to get difft;rent opinions and different things out in the
press, and that's just how it is and I can't control it.
Backin theday,I hada friendwhousedto tosspantiesonstage.
Doyou
stillgetthatkindof intensereactionfromfans?
"I LEARNEDA LONGTIMEAGO THAT
PEOPLEARE GOINGTO THINKWHAT
THEYTHINK... I WISHI COULDPERSONALLY
TALKTO EVERYONEAND TELLTHEM
ALL WHAT'SGOINGON. BUT I CANT."
(Laughs] I'll get a bra thrown up onstage. I'll get stuff thrown up
onstage. I'm not terribly fond of that, but, hey, if people still think [of
me] that way and I'm looking at 50, well I'm happy. Let me tell you,
that's a goodthing!
Righton.Youknow,oneof the thingsthat has changedin the last 20
yearsis thatthe mainstream
mediahasstartedcoveringlesbianentertainers.Do youthinkthat lesbianmusicians,
and lesbianpublications
likecurve, canstillremainrelevantto lesbiansin the nextdecade?
Oh yeah! Definitely. I think lesbians always like to pick up something
that's just for them and is just made for them and speaks to them.
Haveyoueverfoundit difficultto speakto bothlesbianand str_aight
audiences
withyourwork?
I wouldn't say it's difficult. I made a choice not to get extremely specific
in my work. I think, if you read between the lines and you see the
layers of the work that I do, I think you'll find it's truthful.
-·we Have To Stop
Now
•watch episodes or the full-length feature
only @ www.wehavetostopnow.tv
also starring SuzanneWestenhofer
specialguest star: Meredith Baxter
SeasonOne DVD
& SeasonTwo Soundtrack
AVAILABLENOW
October 2010
I47
COVERGIRLS
Over the course of 20 years, we've had a lot of sexy,
talented, powerful women on our covers. Some of them
you already knew, others we introduced you to. Here are
two decades of our cover girls.
48
I curve
oking back on ju t 20 of the thousands we lost. By Victoria A. Brownworth
,a
Ov r the past two decades at curve w 've run
obituaries for the icons and movers and akers
of our community.Those
es run deep for many of us.
We.grie\'C
'esJ:>ectally fur
who died t young, or who
ft.omth
epidemic eeping our community or who
homophobicviolence.We lost countless more
in die past 20 years, but here are some of the
changed our lives because their own lives taught us
andbecause of the passion they brought to lesbian and
ma:1Il.S1"3lmcultures.
BERENICE
BOTT, 93, photographer and inventor of
photographicprocesses, was pivotal in the American realist
photographicmovement Abbott focused on the urban landscapeand was renowned for taking photography in a different
direction&omthe romanticized photos of Alfred Steiglitz. She
andherparmer,art critic Elizabeth McCausland, lived together
fur30 yearsuntilMcCausland's death.
UA61, was the leading voice of Chicano
literarytheory
and a scholar of Queer Theory. Anzaldua wrote
extensively
about the dislocation and marginalization she experienced as a Latina lesbian, some of which was included in the
groundbreaking
book she co-edited, ThisBridgeCalledMy Back.
GRETAGARBO,84, the mysterious Swedish-born film star
was one of the leading actors in 1930s Hollywood. She was
renowned for her reclusiveness and retired from films at the
height of her career. Garbo had lesbian affairs with fellow star
Louise Brooks and Mercedes de Acosta, among ochers.
BARBARAGITllNGS, 74, political activist, was asked to
organize a chapter of Daughters of Bilitis in New York by
DOB founders Del Martin and Phyllis Lyoq. Gittings
also edited The Ladder throughout the 1960s. She died of
metastatic breast cancer and was survived by her parmer of
36 years, Kay Tobin Lahusen.
PATRICIA
HIGHSMITH,
7 4, author of the homoerotic Ripley
series Strangerson a Train and the classic 1952 lesbian novel
The Price of Salt. One of her former partners, Mary Jane
Meaker, chronicled their relationship and the role of lesbian
pulp fiction.
BARBARAJORDAN,59, was the first black woman to serve
in the Texas Senate and the first to be pro tern in the state.
She was also the first black representative of the House of
Representatives from a Southern state. Jordan suffered from
MS, which forced her to retire from politics even as she was
a rising political star. Jordan was survived by her companion
BETTY BERZON,78, psychotherapist and author of Positively of 30 years, Nancy Earl.
Gay and other books on the LGBT community. She died of
metastatic
breast
cancer and was survived by her wife of 34 years,
TeresaDeCrescenzo.
Gl()RA E.
TEE A. CORI NE, 62, created the Cunt ColoringBook.Her
lusheroticphotographs oflesbians were considered the first by an
out lesbianphotographer and her avant-garde style was critically
acclaimed.
Shealso archived lost lesbian artists for the Women's
ArtAs.marion and fought against censorship of lesbian images
in art. Shediedof liver cancer.
MARY DALY,1 , feminist theologian, philosopher and ecologist She taught at Boston
Collegefurmore than 30 years, expanding her
radicaltheologyand philosophy. Her classes
werehighly
controversialand male students sued
heraftershe ed to allow them in her classes.
Shecontinuedto write about radical feminism
untilher death.
MARLENE
DI ICH,90, The German-born
becamea U.S. citizen in 1939, and was
notedfurher • exualencounters. Her appear-
actor
anceon-screendressed in men's clothes became
iconic for
and gay men. An anti-Nazi
activist, Dietrich
also devoted herself to entertainingallied ops during WWII.
sole
EVALE GALLIENNE,92, The Tony award,winning actor,
director and producer of theatre and film was one of the few
open lesbians in Hollywood of the 1920s and 30s. Le Gallienne .
continued to work in theatre for more than 50 years. Among
her partners was exotic silent actor, Alla Nazimova.
PAT PARKER, 45, the African,American poet, Black
Panther and radical lesbian feminist dealt with issues of
race versus gender in her poetry. A mother of two, she died
of metastatic cancer. An annual poetry prize is given in
her honor.
AtJDRE LORDE, 58, African,American poet, essayist,
SARAHPITTIT,36, The Yalegraduate was a founding editor
theorist and political activist. Co,founder of Kitchen Table:
Women of Color Press and author of the pivotal chronicle of
her long battle with breast cancer, The CancerJournals, Lorde
was known for her examination of racial conflicts within the
lesbian and feminist communities and had challenged NOW
to be more inclusive of women of color.
of the radical New York publication, OutWeek magazine.
When OutWeek folded, she became eclitor and co,founder
of OUT magazine, one of the first mainstream queer
magazines. She died of metastatic cancer.
DELMARTIN,87, activist icon who, with wife Phyllis Lyon,
co,founded the Daughters of Bilitis in San Francisco in 1955.
The two were the first queer couple to be legally married in
California, after living together for 51 years. Martin and Lyon
had previously married when San Francisco Mayor Gavin
Newsom declared same,sex marriage legal, but the state later
invalidated those couplings.
JANERULE,76, groundbreaking lesbian novelist and author
of Desert of the Heart in 1964, upon which the 1985 film
Desert Hearts was based. Rule lived in Canada for decades
with her longtime partner. She also wrote extensively about the
Canadian censorship laws that banned many queer books.
SUSAN SONTAG,71, essayist, novelist and political and
social theorist. Her compelling discourse on art and culture
was widely published. She won the National Boo
in 2000 and was also a MacArthu F low. Sh
died of metastatic cancer and-was survived by her,
partner, photographer Annie Liebovitz.
DUS1Y SPRINGFIELD,59, was a charMoppin
British pop singer of the 1960s and throughout the
decade was cited as the Top British Female Vocalist.
Springfield was openly lesbian in her later years, but
,tried to keep her sexuality a secret at the peal<of her
career. She died of metastatic breast cancer.
VALERIETAYLOR,84, a lesbian pulp novelist of
the 1950s and '60s, began writing lesbian fiction
because the pulp novels she read
were "erotic fantasy written by men:'
Taylor's later works were publisheq bY.:
Naiad Press, the world's largest lesbi
publisher. Taylor was kept from the
bedside of her dying partner, Pearl
Hart, by Hart's family. She was
able to say goodbye.
BRANDON TEENA, 21 ,
a trans man, raped and
murdered in Nebraska for
having sex with women.
He had suffered extensive
harassment
and attacks
prior to his murder. Teena's
provocative and grisly story
was made into Kimberly
Peirce's Oscar,winning film,
Boys Don't
1. Gloria Anzaldua 2. Greta Garbo 3. Berenice Abbott
4. Patricia Highsmith 5. Barbara Jordan 6. Dusty Springfield
7. Barbara Gittings 8. Audre Larde 9. Del Martin
October 2010
I51
1 Honeymooning
at a DykeMarch2 WhenNightIs Falling3 Lesbianflag football4 RoseTroche(fromleft)Guinevere
Turner,LeaDelaria5 JoanJett 6 St.Patrick'sDayNYC,
19967 Prideutsav'95 Conference
with UrvashiVaid(farleft)
8 Queerclubbingat TheBox 9 IndigoGirlsat Maine'sPenobscot
IndianReservation
1o Phranc11 Deanna
Workman
(left)andDeniseGernant12 Celesbians
(leftto right):MelissaEtheridge,
UrvashiVaid,KateClinton,NanetteGartrell,
JulieCypher13 NYLesbianAvengersunveiltheAliceB.Toklasstatue14 TheToppTwins15 Pride16 We'reeverywhere
17 JEB's1975self-portraitin Virginia18 Skydyking19 MartinaNavratilova
at 1993'sMarchonWashington
20 Anne
HecheandEllenDeGeneres
at the GLAAD
Awards21 Scullylust 22 Suzanne
Westenhoefer
(left)andFrancesStevens
23 Roberta
Achtenberg
at SFPride24 TheButchiesin NorthCarolina
52
Icurve
PHOTOSBY LESLIE KRONGOLD(1),TERRY LYNN HERBST(3), DEBRAST. JOHN (4), REGINAPARIS(5),ARVIND KUMAR (7), JESSICATANZER(8),
SUSANALZNER (9), KEN SEINO (10), MORGAN GWENWALD(13),ARDITH J. VIET (16), JOANE. BIREN (17), SARAAINSPAN(18)
October 2010
I 53
As the economy sinks, are lesbian bars going down with the ship?
By Jonanna Widner
In the m north exas town where I went to college in the
rly '90s, every fe
eekends a gtoup of friends and I would
don.our finest grun e wear-our Freedom rings and our rainow T -shirts-and pile into a car. Just after dusk we'd head
t
ar.dth Oklahoma border, cruising through a labyrinth of
du ty co nty roads that grew narrower as we approached our
destihation: a country bar isolated on the outskirts of town,
decrepit, lonely and so small that it resembled an outhouse
more than a watering hole.
Still, as we approached it, our spirits would lift. We were
headed to Good Times, the only gay bar within a 60-mile
radius. We were young gay kids, just getting our sea legs when
it came to our sexuality. This was the pre-Ellen era, a rime
when there were still plenty of.souls crowding the closet, and
Good Times was the only place we could go to be ourselves.
Inside the dark shack were the solitary people who came
from farmhouses and tiny suburbs to sip watered-down
drinks under a leaky roof. Everyone cruised one another
awkwardly. Cowgirls two-stepped with cowgirls, cowboys
with cowboys, their saucer-sized belt buckles clanking
together as they slow-danced. It was a scene more out of Boys
Don't Cry than The L Word. It was a mess, that place, but it
was ours and we loved it.
After college, I moved to Dallas and a whole new world
opened up. The heart of the Dallas gayborhood was The
Strip-a long, hot block full of LGBT-owned bars, bookstores, coffeehouses and restaurants. Sue Ellen's, JR's-these
were the places where my fellow young queers and I learned
that we were OK, that being gay or lesbian was something to
be celebrated. It was there that we sweated under the lights
on the dance floor, met our first girlfriends, broke up, made
up and grew up. For many of us, these were the first places we
ever really felt comfortable with ourselves.
While the bars of my baby dyke years have survived, many
54
Icurve
of our favorite watering holes have closed their door .
My adopted hometown of Portland, Ore., has its own
casualty. After nearly 15 years, the Egyptian Club dubbed
the E Room by locals)-an 8,000-square-foot haven of
lesbian karaoke, lesbian open mic comedy, lesbi poker,
lesbian dancing and the lesbian quaffing of pines-is closing.
As local lesbians and endless Facebook fans rally to try to
save the E Room, fe expect their efforts to work.
In many ways, the E Room's face stands as an example
of the sad phenomenon that is befalling lesbian e tablishments across the country. One by one, they have shuttered
their doors: Stargaze in Chicago. The Starlite in Brooklyn.
Rubyfruit in the We t Village.
Many of these lesbian bars-along with oche~ queeroriented businesses-existed as brick-and-mortar manifestations of the co cept of community; they were often
packed to the gills for everything from dance nights to
benefits. But at so e point, lesbian bars sprang a leak,
with customers becoming fewer and less frequent. And
slowly, the leak bee me a hemorrhage-of customers and
of money. Why? 1"l}eslow frittering away of a customer
base can most likely be attributed to the shifts in lesbian
social culture. The knockout punch seems to have been
the economy.
"The economy is just really bad;'says E Room owner Kim
Davis. "We have rec rd-low sales-our sales now e worse
than when we opened 14 years ago."
One of Davis' employees, bartender Noelle Myer , agrees.
"Times have been really hard,"she says. "Ia say out 75
percent of our clientele are now unemployed.That really takes :.:
(.)
its toll:'
A few days after Davis announced the bar's impending
closure a weekday e ening at the E Room epitomized the :.:
(.)
atmosphere of the Id-school lezzie bar. A foxy bartender :E
slung beers to baseball-capped ladies and
a few tight-jeaned androgynous types,
while Lady Gaga rippled out of the
speakers as a skeleton staff prepped the stage
for karaoke. The patrons sipped their beers,
slammed their shots and chatted amiably, all
of them clearly at home. But there was just a
smattering of them.
An economy in the dumps has something
to do with it, but one has to wonder if
the bottom line is that lesbian times have
changed. In her story about the closing of
the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in
Manhattan, City University of New York
professor Caroline Linton says lesbian
bars have become "victims of acceptance:•
That is, no longer do we need a welcoming
place where we can feel sheltered from a
homophobic world. We aren't restricted
to the gay ghettos of major cities anymore.
We can stroll through most malls holding
hands. In many places, straight bars are
cool with us-in fact, many have a queer
night or two on their weekly schedule. And
lesbian bars or club nights-once an exotic
respite-are as common as card shops. Or,
at least, they were.
"I think a lot of the younger generation
don't even know what it's like to not have
a lesbian bar;' Davis notes. "They're more
accepted than we were years ago:'
Dale Schiff is the owner of Haven, a
beloved, queer-friendly coffeehouse just a
few blocks from the E Room. It too has come
close to closing in the past few years. She
agrees that queer businesses have suffered
because of the changing economic tides.
The closing of the E Room makes me
sad;' Schiff says. But even she admits, "There
are so many things going on in the queer
community, the E Room's not the only game
in town anymore:'
While the E Room is closing and Haven
struggles, queer parties like Blow Pony and
Crush, both of which happen intermittently
throughout the month, have thrived.
Still, on the night I last went to the E
Room, the specter of the past lingered. As
the clock ticked, the squeak of the front door
grew more frequent, the room started to fill
up and the karaoke kicked into high gear. As
one patron caterwauled an off-key version of
Lisa Loeb's "Stay;' Myers grinned a11:drolled
her eyes.
"Well;' she said, shaking her head, "it's still
a lesbian bar tonight, that's for
edtnfantasys
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Where were we 20 years ago? Sorry you asked?
1. DianeAnderson-Minshall,
editorin chief
I was 22 and having a typical early-20s moment where everything seemed to change over night-repeatedly. I was heavily
involved in ACT UP and Queer arion, and somewhere along
the lines-quite possibly as I was staging a mock funeral at
some pharmaceutical company- I realized that objectivity in
our phobic society wasn't all it was cracked up to be. So, I gave
up dreams of working at Cosmopolitan and started dreaming
about a magazine that spoke to me.Twenty years ago, I did all
this: temped at a bunch of ew York magazines, banged out
freelance articles on my electric typewriter for Lesbian News,
Outweek and The Advocate, edited a weekly gay newspaper
called Crescent City Star, reported stories and produced segments for an LGBT TV show called the Spectrum News (in
typical crazy lesbian news: I got that gig after the person in my
position went to jail for stalking Sharon Gless). That summer,
I met three women who had started lesbian magazines: Debi
Sundahl, one of the founders of the erotic mag On Our Backs,
Frances Stevens, and Katie Brown, the founding editor of the
magazine that would eventually be called curve. That night
I told my wife that my dream was to edit one of those magazines someday. And now I've been at the helm of both. That
year,
divorced my first wife (though she's still one of my
bestfriends)andmarried my second wife-who would later
become myfirs husband (although that's an entirely different
story). So thisyearI'm celebrating two 20th anniversaries.
2. KathyBeige,con •
I w just a year out of co
, v1 in
use, N.Y. I spent
as much time as possible workingat wome ' music festivals.
Michigan, of com: e, was the • • and I would o for a month
and th
n the day tage.
and work on the "Lace'' crew preDon't be misled by the name, th Lace crew was for all the
butch girls who did the heavylifting. In addition to Michigan,
I worked at Campfest, the East·Coast Lesbian Festival, New
England Women's Music Festival, the National Women's
Music Festival in Bloomington, Ind. and Woman Harvest
outside of Syracuse. I also had my own company called Stray
Kat Productions. We produced shows as fundraisers for the
gay community in Syracuse.
3. GinaDaggett,
contributing
editor
I was 16 and captain of my high school tennis team in
Scottsdale, Ariz. When I wasn't hitting the fuzz, I was hanging
with my boyfriend-who had 90210 chops and drove a hot
rod-and my posse of girlfriends with whom I got into insane
amounts of trouble with and am still close with today.
4. DianaBerry,advertising
executive
During this time, I was also participating in ACT UP and
Queer ation, and spent much of my rime proudly chanting,
"We're here, we're Queer!" I took part in kiss-ins and sit-ins,
trying to make homosexuality more visible and claiming the
right to live our lives the way we want to. I even contributed as
a photographer to Deneuve's first issue.
5. HayleyMcMillen,
photoeditor
I was a 7-year-old bundle of terror. I hated brushing my hair;
my teeth and doing anything that did not involve harassing my
older brother and his skater friends. I would spend the majority
of my time listening in on his phone calls,hiding in his closet f
tr
when he had visitors and telling my parents when I found beer
in his dresser drawers. My favorite band was Color Me Badd
and I watched Roseanne religiously.
!
w
z
z
cc
6. FloEnriquez,
directorof operations
0
(.)
I was 32 years old, and had just been transferred to Winter <i
w
Haven, Fla. for my first assignment as a store director for
Albetsons, Inc. I was proud o be a woman of color in
corporate America. That experi nee led me into more managerial positions, and I've happi y been curve'sdirector of
operations for four years.
7. KristinA.Smith,managing
editor
I was a scrawny middle schooler •n a smallPennsylvaniatown
that bought the body of a dead a lete and reburiedit thereall in the name of tourism. I play d fluteandhad a nightguard.
Those were not my cutest years, Buttheywereamongthe most
fun. Despite already being
I k:lreamedof being a jockey, or
at least a cowgirl like Sissy Ha
haw in Even CowgirlsGet
the Blues(I think she was my fi st crush).When I wasn'tout
playing in the woods, kayaking on the riveror runningtrack,
I
was writing stories- I still love rodo all of those thingstoday.
Newspaperin C icago. When not publishing, I was shooting
photos at the Maxwell Street Market. I began hitting queer
barslikeThe Closet and Paris Dance, with my heart beating a
mile a minute. at year I had my first girl kiss. While being
droppedat home someone in a station wagon shouted 'cl.yke"
and tossed a beerbottle at me. I knew I had arrived.
s·s•:
8. RachelShatto,associate
editor
Deee-lites "Groove is in the HeartH tape single was in heavy
rotation and fanny packs were t e fabulouslyfunctionalaccessory of choice-apparently (see photo and cringealongwith
me). I was in fifth grade at Our SaviorLutheranSchool and
was already busy cultivating an obsessionwith Winona Ryder
(I have the barely legible diary entriesto proveit), TwinPeaks
and my preadolescent idea of a badgirlreputation,whichis to
mean I swore a lot. Also, I had r allyawesomebangs.
9. Stefanie
Lang,artdirector
I was a skinny awkward 13-year-old, in juniorhighin Newton,
Mass., rocking triple ear piercings andbaggyboysclothes.Saltn-Pepa's Hot, Cool and Viciousalbumblaredin my suburban
bedroom that was covered with postersof AlyssaMilano,my
first celebrity obsession. I pulled all-nightersplayingGerman
board games with my cousin. I te Crunch Berriesdailyand
counted all the red ones, which I recordedon a color-coded
chart and ate last. I dreamed o being a teacheror a professional lip-syncer, playing varsi softballand growingboobs.
I"
10.VictoriaBrownworth,
contribuf"'9
edHDr
g I was one of the most prolific
ut lesbianjournalistsin the
country. I wrote for both the queer and mainstreampress
a:
as both a reporter and colu • t for The Advocate, Out
5 magazine, The Village Voice and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
I ~as also a contributing editor and writer at OutWeek, the
; country's most radical queer publication.I did the firstwriting
in the country on women and A DS and pediatricAIDS, for
Q
which I was nominated for a PulitizerPrize and won a series
of other journalism awards. As an activist,I was a member
<3 of both ACT UP and Queer ation. I was an angryradical
marching on Washington, D.C., d a participantin both civil
disobedience protests and die-in againstAIDS policies.I also
taught lesbian sex workshops and was involvedin the lesbian
; SIM movement. My commitm nt to queerpoliticswas deep
ID
tlj then and is just as deep today.
i
fB,
UJ
z
11.Ondine
Kilker,production
man
5 I was one year out of college all! had a job as an adve¢sing
::E
iii
designer for First Comics and
art
director of New City
October 2010
I57
all 15'<2issues uf c
aid" quotes.
"I've said it's a good thing I was born
a girl, becauseif I'd been a boy, I'd
have been a drag queen. I definitely
would have been. 'Cause, see, I
haveto shine. I have too."
arch of
cut:
- DollyPartonto US Weekly[Vol.11#3)
"Let me just say that Betty White
was the best I've ever had. She
was tender but firm."
"The only reasonanybody
should go see Psycho is
to see Anne Heche get
assassinated."
- Sandra Bullock to US Weekly
about being felt up by Betty White
in TheProposal [Vol. 19#1O]
- Author CamillePagliaas quoted
in the New YorkPost [Vol.9#1]
"I like being dirty and
sexual. I like making
people'sfaces red and I
like making them squirm."
- Joan Jett to VitalVoice
[Vol.11#6]
"Oh, I don't think you have
to worry."
- k.d. lang to Tipper Gore when
Gore grabbed her husband'sam,
during lang'sMarilynMonroeesque birthdayserenadeto him.
"I think he's the one who should be worried."
- Tipper Gore'sresponseto k.d. lang (Vol.8#4]
"[Beth Ditto] is just amazing.And
she's so sexy, she reallyis. When
she was performing,she started
taking all her clothes off. I stood
there watching her strip, thinking,
Oh my god, that woman is so sexy.
She has the most amazingbody."
- KeiraKnightley,to Metro UK [Vol.17#8]
"I'm a big lesbianwho
looks like a man. I am not,
like, Anchor Babe, and
I'm never gonna be."
- RachelMaddowto Out
magazine[Vol.19#2]
"I'll come in and be like, 'I
need more lift in my boobs,'
and she'll help me .... She's a
very good boob wrangler."
- Drew Barrymoreto Premiere
magazineon her Charlie'sAngels
co-star CameronDiaz[Vol.10#7]
58
Icurve
THIS PAGE:MICHAEL TRAN (BONO), LUCA BASINI (PAGLIA),R. EMBREY (JETT),PAUL DRINKWATER(MADDOW),CHARLESWILLIAM
BUSH (RIVERS),OPPOSITEPAGE:REMY STEINEGGER(JOLIE),JASON MERRITT(FOX),TONY SHEK (KNIGHTLEY),CRISTIANODEL
RICCIO (WILDE),NAOMI KALTMAN/SHOWTIME(MOENING),JOHN GANUN (MCGILLIS),KARENSETO (BECKINSALE)
"Excellent.I'd do anythingwith Emma
[Thompson].I'd soap anywherewith her."
- Kate Beckinsateon what It was like to sharea
shower scenewith EmmaThompsonin Much Ado
About Nothing[Vol.11#6]
Judge us by our actions of the last 20 years. By Kate Lacey
r o decades weve b en shining a spotlight on what
puts the pop in lesbian pop culture. During chose years,
we've been witness to some excellent developments in the
lesbian community, as well as some not-so-proud moments.
While space will not permit a list of every good and bad
lesbian decision in the last 20 years, I've selected a few of
che highlights.
SOMEOF THEWORSTLESBIANDECISIONS
TheRiseof FauxCelesbians
Give me your drug-addled, alcoholic, C-list actress on
the slippery slope of obscurity, and I'll give you a hecero
who's suddenly queerer than anyone in the Top 50 on the
women's pro tennis tour. For some reason, dyke wrangling
has became the cure-all for a ·career lull, and while I admit
there are some powerful curative properties to the mystical
muff, being gay just to safely make the tabloid headlines
is bad PR for real lesbians. It just reinforces the idea chat
being gay is a choice, not co mention the face chat it really
screws up our gaydar. o wonder I can't cell a Hollywood
heroin junky from a potential ex-girlfriend. So, you straight
girls searching for a way to be relevant, cake a lesson from
the good old days and just sleep with a married politician.
Leave our lesbians alone.
"Don'tAsk,Don'tTell"(EvenThoughThatWasn'tOurFault)
Naturally, no self-respecting gay wants co be cold to shut
up about it. The military's decision co put a sock in it
about coming out certainly cook the color out of the Color
Guard and may have effectively buried some men.
But lee's face it-cutting
a woman's hair, buffing
her up and giving her a uniform did more co
recruit women to the military than ever. Even
so, for a generation of lesbians, "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" led to the advent of'Tm not a lesbian,
60
I curve
but my girlfriend is"-a situation chat seems co exist far
beyond the ranks of the miHcary. Hollywood's celebrity
closet got quite crowded, and even now there are many
potential role models hiding amongst the hangers and the
mothballs, begging the press junkies not to ask, because
they refuse co cell.
KillingOffthe WrongGalon TheL Word
One of the worst decisions in lesbian history was
killing off Dana Fairbanks, the tennis star girl-next-door
on The L Word. I say chis because The L Word itself
was not always the best PR move for lesbian relations.
There was not one overweight, blue collar, mulleced or
unconventionally attractive woman in the case, which cast
a pall over the reality chat most of us live in, even those of
us based in L.A. But the outrage was palpable when they
killed off the one character who was likable and real and
seemed most likely co play for our team. What they should
have killed off was the series finale, which demonstrated
as much closure as The Sopranos finale. (Ac lease there we
had the satisfaction of chinking chat, in all likelihood, the
entire Soprano family was assassinated.)
o one really
cared at all for the character of Jenny Schecter (if you were
at a bar, watching her die off, you heard
the ladies cheer). So, instead of
searching for her killer, the final
season should have focused on
which writer killed off Dana
Fairbanks, because that person
needs to be punished.
>
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z
w
§
3
8
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z
::>
0
:l;
i
£
::>
RealityTelevision
One of the worst decisions ever made
was to cast lesbian and bisexual women
on reality television. If the women
0
a:
!:2.
w
z
w
(/)
:J
who were representing our kind were, in fact representative,
then I'd be all for it. However, the truth is t at most of the
"real" lesbians on reality TV (except Dani ampbell) must
be cast by the legions of dosed-minded conservativesbent on
turning even the gayest woman straighter than a stripperpole
just to avoid humiliation by association, ak "homoliation."
The reality show dyke is either an in#you #face,tattooed
butch with the attitude of"I must eat my en my at all costs"
(and not in a good way), or she is a drunke , fake#boobed,
faux#bi femme with more notches on her elt than Jenny
Shimizu (who, thankfully, fits neither of these stereotypes,
even though she is now a reality TV star). While this may
make for "must-see TV," it certainly makes it hard to explain
to my parents how normal being gay really is. Try to explain
Tila Tequila to your grandmother-it can't b done.
GettingEdgedOutbyGay-for-Payers
We saw many situations in the past two decad s wherestraight
actresses were paid to play lesbians and we ade huge icons
of these chicks along the way (from Mary Stuart Masterson
to Jennifer Beals). Are you telling me that Hollywood ran
out of gay women when they cast The L Wo d? Could Ellen
not find a real lesbian to be her girlfriend when she cameout,
instead of Laura Dern? (Some suggestions: OathyDeBuono,
Michelle Wolff, Tammy Lynn Michaels, Honey Labrador,
Sara Gilbert,Jane Lynch, Leisha Hailey or even her now#real#
life wife, Portia DiRossi.) Most recently,JulianneMoore and
Annette Bening on the big screen in TheKi Are AURight
are heating up Tinseltown in what may argi.iablybe one of
the best lesbian films of this decade. I'm no sayingstraight
actors should not have the right to play gay, o that they can't
pull it off, but that lesbian actors should be given more roles
in Hollywood. Of course (see No. 2), some f them need to
come out of the closet first.
8
the purpose of coining anything short and
and reallydefeat
simple.Or you could just go back to calling me a dyke.
ChulngStraightGirls
Chasing straigh women with a one-way ticket downtown
started long before we knew that there were prizes for
turningthem to the dark side. In reality, no good can come
fromthis, unles you like rug burns from all the dry humping
and unrecip ted pleasuring. In the end, you'll have to
return the toasteroven that you won because, sooner or later,
your straightfli g will go back to men. If you love a straight
woman,set her ee. If she comes back to you, she wasn't really
straightin the rst place. She was bisexual. And, trust me,
despite Sharon tone's role in Basic Instinct, smart bisexual
girlspicklesbiansover men all the time.
Joining
the MarriageBandwagon
Fightfor lesb• marriage and you'll have to fight for lesbian
Debating
theAlphabet
At some point, political correctness has taken away our divorce.I saywe should not participate in political battles that
ability to refer to ourselves in a handy way. e whole point are sponsoredb U-Haul and Legal Services R Us. I think
of an initialism, folks, is to simplify the referenceto our the decisionto 6'.ghtfor our right to participate in a ceremony
group. At some point, GL, for "gays" and "l bians,"had to with the worst track record in heterosexual history makes
be expand~d to include the bisexuals (LGB), in the causeof as much sense s insisting on equal lesbian representation
fairness. Then, we added the T for "transge der"(LGBT). on AmericasMost Wanted. Let us not be heteroized to this
That's fine. But beyond that, it's clunky and annoying.Of late, extent.It'sbad enough that when you break up with your girl,
we've had to expand the initialism to be so inclusivethat an she takeshalfyo r DVD collection and the cat, but now she'll
act of the United Nations is necessary just to write it, and it get half your in me. If patterns hold true, she already spent
>>
is a mouthful of consonants to say. Often it's now LBGTQ the other half w ile you were together.
with the Q representing"questioning," or"queer,"dependingon
who is not buying a vowel that day. (If you are"questioning,"
I don't think you should get to be part of it-until you
commit to an established letter. I'm just saying.) Also, intersex
individuals sometimes want under our umbrella, as do the
old nuns and lesbian virgins (aka the asexuals , so that we are
now at LGBTQQIA.
You think this is harmless? It is not. The alphabet is tearing
the community apart as we fight for letter ownership.Is T fur
"transgender;' or"transsexual"? Is A for"asexu "or"alli~"iAt
this point, we should just put all 26 letters on a giant banner
"HOLLYWOOD'SCELEBRl1YCLOSETGOT
QUITEFU L. THEREARE MANY POTENTIAL
ROLEMODELSHIDINGAMONGSTTHE
HANGER AND THE MOTHBALLS,BEGGING
THE PRE S JUNKIESNOT TO ASK,
BECAUS THEYREFUSETO TELL."
. October 2010 j 61
was our lover, weve seen one musician after another come out
and sing it high and loud. Now, like our hetero counterparts,
out-and-proud lesbians can be found in all musical genres, even
(God forbid) country. (Thank you, Chely Wright.)
SOMEOFTHEBESTLESBIANDECISIONS
TakingBacktheTalkShow
As the adage goes, the way to acceptance in any society is
through its bored, hetero soccer moms. Therefore, one of the
best lesbian decisions was the thrusting of Rosie O'Donnell
and Ellen DeGeneres upon mainstream Middle America in
the afternoon. Rosie and Ellen disarmed and charmed an entire
society of people who never thought they knew a gay person.
When their viewers found out the truth, their love was so
great that they focused their potentially homophobic energies
into making rainbow-knitted sweaters for their new daytime
BFFs. (The lesbian talk show host even bred a late-night star in
Wanda Sykes and a news hero in Rachel Maddow, proving that
straight women really do love us, at least on TV.)
TheCreation
ofLesbian
BoozeandSexFests
Someone made the wise decision that flocks of lesbians should
converge on a single place for an extended salute to all things
lesbian, and that massive quantities of alcohol (and sometimes
nudity or at least bikinis) should be involved. Be it Dinah
Shore, Women's Week in Provincetown, Aqua Girl, any lesbian
cruise on Olivia or Sweet or the Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival (well, basically any women's music festival in the last
20 years)-there is now a ti·meand a place to commune with
fellow women-worshippers and let it all hang out
TheRiseofLesbian
Music
Though "women's music" rose in the '70s and '80s, the last 20
years have endowed lesbians with a multitude of audible dyke
anthems and visible queer rockers who garnered radio airplay.
Before then, wejust had eagerly traded cassette tapes, which we
sold out of the trunks of our cars (trust me, Diedre McCalla,
Margie Adam and Sweet Honey in the Rock all deserved
actual radio airtime). We also no longer have to navigate our
way through the indeterminate gender pronouns of songs on
the radio to find ourselves. We no longer have to assume the
a.co tic guitar playing, raspy-voiced female is strumming out a
code that we can legitimately put on a mix tape (yeah, were
about you, Melissa Etheridge). Ever since Jill Sobule
a Girl" and Sophie B. Hawkins swore she wished she
Discovering
the Internet(although
Al Gorecreatedit, surelywe
benefitted
fromit themost)
One of the best things to ever happen for lesbians was the
Internet. Suddenly, a woman was no longer required to recycle
dykes from the small pool of her hometown softball league. A
whole World Wide Web of women was at her fingertips. The
luxury of a long-distance love affair-dating an anonymous
stranger whose mistakes you need not yet know-replaced the
necessity of dating someone who had already dated your ex.
There is a reassurance in knowing that a long-distance moving
truck can take her 1,000 miles away,back to her old hometown,
and knowing that when you break up, you won't have to run
into her at the grocery store with her new girlfriend.
TheCreation
oftheLesbian
Magazine
Of course, one of the highlights of the last 20 years was the
decision to create curve, which dutifully reported on all these
decisions and kept us all informed for all these years. Is this
a self-serving selection? Maybe. But we should also celebrate
all the other lesbian magazines that have pushed the envelope,
finding a place on the mainstream newsstand, while bringing
us our own entertainment. From Go to Girlfriends to Diva to
Lesbian News to Lesbians on the Loose, they've all helped push
lesbian issues (and, in the case of On Our Backs, our ample
tooshies) to the forefront of public consciousness).Keep reading
and well keep you abreast. (Pun intended, of course.)
Joining
theMarriage
Bandwagon
Marriage may not be the be-all and
end-all for some of us, my editor insists
I admit that getting our nuptial rights
is a huge step toward overall equality.
The issue has brought gay rights to
the forefront of American politics and
consciousness, and we need only to
look at the pictures of Del _Martih
and Phyllis Lyon kissing in SF's civic
center atrium to recognize that weve been waiting a long time 1D
z
to hear the words, I now pronounce you wife and wife.
g
r
en
en
::>
a:
z
"ONE OF THE BESTTHINGSTO
EVERHAPPENFOR LESBIANS
WAS THE INTERNET.SUDDENLY,
A WOMAN WAS NO LONGER
REQUIREDTO RECYCLEDYKES
FROMTHE SMALL POOL OF HER
HOMETOWNSOFTBALLLEAGUE."
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Olivia continued from page 35
POWER UP continued from page 37
c9mpany has a 26!000-square-foot office,
that it has been voted San Francisco's second-best workplace (by SF Business Times)
or that its workers get a benefits package
worthy of a much larger corporate giant (five
types of insurance, 401K matching funds
and on-site yoga are just a few of Olivia's
benefits). They don't follow the ups and
downs of the travel industry (the decline
after 9/11, which hit Olivia, too) or notice
the uptick in recent years (Olivia's back in
the black, for sure).
After 37 years in business, over 150 trips
and 20-plus years of travel, the wildly diverse
group of women who come to Olivia (thanks
in part to Olivia's outreach to women of
color and single travelers), come for the same
reason I went to that concert (and it's the
reason why 98 percent of them come back,
again and again): To find themselves, to be
themselves, to see their lives lived openly and
freely and to see their lives celebrated. To
be changed, again and again. That's true for
Dlugacz, too. She still stands on every ship,
at every port, and shakes hands with every
woman who comes aboard.
"I don't think anyone out there can question the integrity of this company, which has
been out there for the community through
thick and thin from 1973 to today;' says
Dlugacz. "We've never taken any of it for
granted. This is my lesbian company dream
come true:'
CODIKOW:
I don't knowif I'd saywe're
changingthe film industry,but we'recertainly
changingthe perception,challengingthe
perceptionandchangingpeople'sminds
andgivingthemopportunities.Ourfilms
are playedonthe Sundancechannel,
Showtime... I thinkthat's chanceto be seen
andbetouchingpeopleandgivingthema
chanceto havea differentphilosophy.
WhatroledidPOWER
UPplayin the creation
of the lesbianfilmmaking
community?
CODIKOW:
I think we'vebeena hugepart of
it, becauseI actuallythink that anywoman
youcan mentionif youwantedto lay out
a list of [queer]womenthat youthink is in
the film industry... onewayor anotherhave
beentouchedby POWER
UP.I think if Alice
Pieszecki's·chartwasthere,we'd be right
in the middle.Eventhoughwe'vemade12
ourselves,we'veactuallyhelpedprobably
another50 filmmakers.
Nearlyall yourfilmshavebeenincludedin
Sundance,
and/tty BittyTiffyCommittee
wonBestFeatureFilmat SXSW.
Whatis it
thatPOWER
UPis doingsoright?
THRASHER:
Ourfilm productionprogramis
extremelyunique.Westartedthis thinkinghowcanwe educategaywomento the
pointthat they can getjobs in the industry?
Becausethe film industrymakesno bones
aboutthe fact that theyjust don't hire
womenand if they havea choicebetweena
mananda womanthey'll hire a man... But
throughour educationof thesewomen,if we
makefilms then we're creatingmoreimages
aboutgayand transgendercharacters,and
we're puttingthem out there.We'remaking
real films and real viablestories,not like
studentfilms. We'recastingreal a~tors,and
we put it throughthe exactsameprocess
that a studiowould.Weare matching
peopleup, but we're really holdingthem
accountable.
WhathasPOWER
UPtaughtyou?
COOIKOW:
I think the most importantthing
I certainlylearnedis that you haveto have
peoplereallycare aboutwhat they're doing
and be willing to really committo what
they'redoing.I didn't seeany gaywomen
beingout in the openand say,Heywe want
to makeour moviesandtell our storiesand
we want to do thesethings and let's all help
eachother.Soyou haveto sort of stand up .
and say,This is what we're goingto do and
you haveto keepsayingit when20 people
sayto you like, Fuckyou.Yougot to keep
going,Nono no-we're goingto do this.
[RachelShatto]
9{ats off
for
geHing
fixed!
October 2010 j 63
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