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Description
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ToC Cover: Pretty Little Ally with Shay Mitchell by Rachel Shatto (p48): Out in Africa (p58): Going Green in Costa Rica by Mary McGrath (p61); Desert Hearts by Nicole Clausing (p64); Luxurious London by Stephanie Schroeder (p66); Fierce Femme by Lisa Gunther (p32); Off the Cuff (p34): High Art by Constance Parten (p40); The Bond Girls (p44); From Sweden with Love by Merryn Johns (p46); Cover Photo by Andrew Eccles.
See all items with this value
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issue
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2
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Date Issued
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March 2011
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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_Vol21_No2_March-2011_0CR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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CHELY WRIGHT
Life
Planning
Secrets
Need to
Kno Now
ANN BANNON
SANDRA VALLS
MAR¥ GAUTHIER
Stockholm Gay&Lesbian Network
See Stockholm in full glory - You'll never forget your first time.
For more information check out our webpages:
•
V.ISi·t ••
-•
Sweden
•
www.stockholm-gay-lesbian-network.com
Stockholm
The Capitalof Scandinavia
Intemationa1 Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
Scandinavian
Airlines
Features MARCH2011
48
Pretty Little Ally
The hit series Pretty Little Liars breaks new
ground in popular culture with the lovely Shay
Mitchell's portrayal of questioning youth.
By Rachel Shatto
58
Out in Africa
Don't let reports of homophobia spoil
your born-free dreams. Adventuress Jody Cole
can take you on the safari of a lifetime.
61
Going Green in Costa Rica
Explore the diverse terrain, fauna and flora of
one of the planet's most ecologically aware
countries. By Mary McGrath
64
Desert Hearts
Embark on an Outback adventure. Lesbian
oasis Alice Springs in Australia's Northern
Territory awaits you. By Nicole Clausing
66
Luxurious London
Sip champagne in Oscar Wilde's former digs
and explore the upper crust of England's
queer-friendly capital. By Stephanie Schroeder
TheNewLesbianChic
Fashion is back on the lesbian agenda.
What's your style for 2011?
32
Fierce Femme
Model and actor Jessica Clark balances
her many talents, which include acting, life
coaching and martial arts. By Lisa Gunther
34
Off the Cuff
Rock 'n' Roll chicks love their leather and
Sick of Sarah's Abisha and Jamie sport
Lucky Dog Leather's latest designs.
40
High Art
Tasya Van Ree's lovely black and white
film photography bridges art and fashion.
By Constance Parten
44
The Bond Girls
Fabulous, affordable, sustainable home
furnishings from a cool lesbian couple.
46
~~:~~--
c:g:~~ge
70
page20
From Sweden With Love
Cool jewelry from Stockholm designer Efva
Attling lands in New York.
By Merryn Johns
page48
COVER
PHOTO
BYANDREW
ECCLES
I
Departments
A- ■
24
MARCH2011
•
Money: Now is the time to get your affairs
in order. Find out why.
IN EVERY ISSUE
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6
8
10
17
20
22
27
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30
Editor's Letter
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Laugh Track
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Need a laugh? Meet this month's comedian.
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Politics
Baby Boomer gays face an uncertain old
age and their quality of life may set the
stage for everyone's.
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Music: Mary Gauthier is an artist on a
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Books: Pulp fiction writer Ann Bannon
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From recycled rubber fashion to
homo haircuts, queer your style.
18
Celebrity Gossip
Ladies, behave! Well, it wouldn't be
Lesbofile without a few messes.
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Film: Marja Ryan Lewis, writer and actor
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EDITOR'S
NOTE
W
ere curve a magazine for gay men, it wouldn't
be unusual to find Marc Jacobs or Tom Ford on
the cover. Perhaps the late Alexander McQueen or Versace.
Valentino. Dolce & Gabbana. Jean Paul Gaultier. The list
could become quite extensive. Do these legendary fashion
designers have lesbian counterparts, and if not, why not?
While that's a time-consuming discussion in itself, I think
lesbians can claim a heartier role in fashion than they do.
Edith Head, the Hollywood costume designer who earned
more Academy Awards than any other
woman in history (eight), was reportedly
a lesbian. She's really responsible for the
glamour we associate with Audrey Hepburn
and Grace Kelly-both of whom are widely
considered to be paragons of female fashion.
New York stylist Patricia Field, also a lesbian
and the creator of the fashion on Sex and the
City, influenced what women wore for over a
decade. Indeed, there have always been prominent queer women who expressed themselves
through clothing and made heads turn,
and I'm sure it started long before Marlene
Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn
decided to wear pants beautifully.
Today, Ellen and Portia successfully
present their butch-femme look to
the world. We lesbians buy clothes,
and we think about what we buy
and how we look. In that way we are not unlike anybody
else. But I think we need to admit that we're okay with the
concept of fashion itsel£ We need to dismiss the stereotype
that only gay men and straight women have an option on
style: We should not be locked out of this part of culture any
more than we should be denied the right to become auto
mechanics, like Lori Johnson on page 17. It doesn't mean
that we are colluding with consumerism or kowtowing to the
"male gaze'' or waving the anorexia flag. I love what Swedish
designer Efva Attling says on page 4 7: "Get into your woman
power!" I feel bolstered by the fact that out model Jessica
Clark (p.32) has found the power in her career choice and
shares that with a generation of young women.
The fashion we showcase in this issue was made by and
for lesbians. I hope to include more of it in each issue, so if
you are a lesbian designer or model, the curve runway is
yours. And after reading Sandra Valls' "Laugh Track" on
page 30, I'll be saving my Bermuda shorts and Birkenstocks
for the amazing vacation destinations we feature this month!
Fashion
Essentials
~~
Merryn J ns
Editor-in-c ief
merryn@curvemag.com
41curve
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
MARCH 2011
LESBIAN
MAGAZINE
I VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2
Publisher Silke Bader
Founding Publisher Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Merryn Johns
Managing Editor Rachel Shatto
Associate Editor Jillian Eugenios
Book Review Editor Rachel Pepper
Contributing Editors Julia Bloch, Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee, Stephanie Schroeder
Copy Editor Katherine Wright
EditorialAssistants Liska Koenig
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Laura McConnell
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L. Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
ART/PRODUCTION
Art Director Stefanie Liang
Production Artist Kelly Nuti
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Jamie Anderson, Kathy Beige, Stacy Bias, Kelsy Chauvin,
Bree Clarke, Jennifer Corday, Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Beren
deMotier, Ainsley Drew, Jillian Eugenios, Michele Fisher, Lauren
Marie Fleming, Tania Hammidi, Kathi lsserman, Gillian Kendall,
Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert, Charlene Lichtenstein, Karen Loftus,
Sassafras Lowrey, Ariel Messman-Rucker, Candace Moore, Alison
Peters, Constance Parten, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti,
Heather Robinson, Laurie K. Schenden, Lori Selke, Dave Steinfeld,
Edie Stull, Robin Miner-Swartz, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Kyra Thomson,
Jocelyn Voo, Melany Joy-Beck
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
PO Box 467
New York, NY 10034
Phone (415) 871-0569
Fax (510) 380-7487
Advertising Sales (415) 692-5420
Subscription Inquiries (818) 286-3102
Advertising Email advertising@curvemag.com
Editorial Email editor@curvemag.com
Letters to the Editor Email letters@curvemag.com
Volume 21 Issue 1 Curve (ISSN 1087-867X) is published monthly (except for bimonthly
January/February and July/August) by Avalon Media, LLC, PO Box 467, New York NY
10034. Subscription price: $49.95/year, $62.95 Canadian (U.S. funds only) and $71.95
international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks will be assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals
postage paid at San Francisco, CA 94114 and at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355).
Contents of Curve Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part,
without written permission from the publisher. Publication of the name or photograph of any
persons or organizations appearing, advertising or listing in Curve may not be taken as an
indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or group unless specifically stated. Curve
welcomes letters, queries, unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response.
Lack of any representation only signifies insufficient materials. Submissions cannot be
returned unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed
for loss or damages. The contents do not necessaraly represent the opinions of the editor,
unless specifically stated. All magazines sent discreetly. Subscription Inquiries: Please write
to Curve, Avalon Media LLC., PO Box 467 New York NY 10034, email shop@curvemag.
com. Canadian Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster:Send Canadianaddresschangesto
admin@avalonmedia.com.au,
Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S8. Send U.S. address
changes to admin@avalonmedia.com.au,
Curve, PO Box 17138, N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7138.
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CONTRIBUTORS
JocelynVoo Cali~to~N.Y.C. transplant JocelynVoodescribes herself as a lover of food adventures, obscure
travel, ridiculous photography with a soft spot for big hair and surfer slang. In addition to sharing
describes juicy celesbian gossip with curve each month in her column Lesbofile, Voo has contributed
to a variety of publications, including CNN.com, the New York Post and AOL. "Off the clock,
herselfas a though, I give my words away for free on Twitter (@jocelynvoo ):' Read the latest from Sapphic
loverof food Tinseltown on page 18.
adventures, KerryKrenzinlives and loves in Los Angeles. Aside from her two main squeezes, photography
and painting, she likes long legs, muscle cars, tahdeeg, shoes, artifacts, her amazing little niece
obscuretravel, Lillie Mae and taking time every day to recognize beauty in the so~called ordinary. "I have been
blessed. Sometimes I just get really cool ideas;' which you can view at kerrykrenzin.com. This
ridiculous month she focused her cool on Lucky Dog Leather's accessories, on page 34.
photography MaryMcGrathis a freelance writer and photographer based in Los Angeles. Beyond curve, she
with a soft spot has also been published in Newsweek,GoodHousekeeping,The National Lampoon, Range.finder
magazine, Baja Travelermagazine, Mexico Traveler,Competitor,Shutterbug,After Capture,Los
for big hairand Angeles Times and others. This month she espouses the ecological wonders of Costa Rica on
page 60. Find out more about her at marymcgrathphotography.com.
surferslang.
DaveSteinfeld
grew up in Connecticut and is currently based in New York City. In addition to
being a frequent contributor to curve, he has written about music for American Songwriter,
Beyond Race, Blurt, Essence,HEEB, Rockrgrl,all the major radio networks and most recently
AOL. For this issue, he interviewed Mary Gauthier (page 70) whose latest album The Foundling
was one of his favorite releases of 2010. More of a conversation than an interview, both Dave
and Mary felt like they were old friends, even though it was the first time they had met.
A longtime freelancer, MattSorrellwrites primarily about food, home and lifestyle subjects for
publications in his hometown of St. Louis and beyond. But when Sorrell discovered the My
Right Self project, he felt compelled to write about it, "I was drawn to My Right Self because of
the variety of people who are a part of it, and they all had such powerful stories to tell. I was
really moved by the depth and breadth of their experiences:• Read more about this eye~opening
exhibit in his article "Transparent Agenda" on page 29. When he's not behind the keyboard,
Sorrell spends time at home with his wife, Beth, and a houseful of dogs and cats.
6
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LETTERS
OUR SEXIESTISSUE EVER
SECRETS OF A LESBIANMATCHMAKER
I am so happy that you put Jill and Nikki on the
cover of curve magazine. I am a fan of The
RealL Wordbut when I first watched the show I
have to admit that I thought they seemed, I don't
know, dare I say too normal or maybe too controlling of their lives.And then I realized that it
was all relative.The other people's lives on that
show seemed like train wrecks by comparison.
After reading your interview,it's dear to me that
Nikki and Jill have their act together. They set a
good example. They show younger lesbians that
you can meet your soul mate and build a beautiful life together. You don't have to screw around
and have a skinful of tattoos to get attention.
much more sexy holding it in my hands. The
like this issue was dedicated to me. I will be
real thing gives me a sense of entitlement to
picking up other issues from now on.
my world. Makes me feel like I have accom-Nicole M. Young,Amherst, Mass.
plished something. I live in a mid-size city
in Canada. We have a lot of good and bad
Hot for Housewives
queer herstory, but at least we have it, which
I am a huge fan of The Real Housewives of
brings me to my ideas of keeping curve
Atlanta and New Jersey!However, I think the
the best mag ever. Bring me a spotlight on local hottest hook-up is that of Danielle Staub
communities, one at a time. Bring the glam and Lori Michaels! Only because I believe
to my front door, and my neighbors. Jane in theirs was the real deal and not just a pubrural Wisconsin doesn't have the same rights
licity stunt. Don't get me wrong I love Kim
[they] have in L.A., and I would like to hear
Zolciak but to me she does seem to be a
about it. I read all too often that our
bit media hungry. So, hands
youth are being left out. Well, baby,
down my vote goes to Danielle
and Lori!
they don't have the first due of what
they missed. They walk through
our streets and bars and ask,
P.S. I love curve and only
"What the hell's wrong with
wish I could get it more
easily here in Kansas!
you old dykes?" We were, 20
-Rebeckha Davis, Kansas
years ago and some still are,
afraid. Educate our youth on
What's your favorite
the grassroots. We old bitches
Editor's
Note:One question
way to travel?
we receiveoften is: "Where
hand-paved those roads for
can I buy curve?" Our
them. Nothing like having a
Bycar,
roadtrip baby!
best advice: Subscribe! By
stiletto crammed into your
back, as they can now finally
subscribingyou not onlyget
Byplane,20,000
feet is the onlyway
come out and be 'gay" and rule
10 issues of the greatest (in
to travel
our humble opinion) lesbian
the world. So there you have
Bytrain,I can't
it. You asked. I want it all. I
magazine in the world,
resistthe romance
want the allure of something
you're
doing your part to
of the rails
better, with all the glam, and
also support independent
Byboat,lesbians
the comfort of my own back
lesbianpublishing. Besides,
onthe highseas
there's no more convenient
yard at my finger tips. Thanks
According
to a curvemag.com
poll
for listening!
location to pick up a
-Hannah,
- Treve, London, Ontario
The
Ultimate
Orgasm
Guide
Bridal Figures
Oakland, Calif.
I absolutely love curve magazine! I live on the
east coast of Canada and it's hell trying to find
a copy of curve. It's especially killing me this
month with Nikki and Jill being on the cover. I
just thought Ia drop you a line telling you how
much I love your magazine and can't wait until it
is more widely distributed. Thank you for putting out such an excellent magazine.
-Bianca, Canada
Poll
56%
25%
13%
6%
copy than from your own
mailbox. curve is also availablenationwide at
Bordersand Barnes and Noble stores.
Diggin' the Diversity
I recently read your magazine for the first
time. The issue I picked up had Wanda Sykes
(my idol) on the cover and a feature story on
Margaret Cho (love her work) and ads that
feature black queer women! Thank you for
writing about groundbreaking women of color
activists and performers. Seeing little bits
of me in both of these women, I've found a
magazine that speaks my language. It seems
CORRECTIONS
In "The Real Deal" [Vol. 21#1] Jill Sloane
Goldstein's dress is Winnie Coutour of
Beverly Hills and Nikki Weiss-Goldstein's
dresss is David Fielden of London. In "11
Tantalizing Taboos to Tip Her Over the
Edge" [Vol. 21#1] One Night Stand does not
feature videos by Joanna Angel. ■
s I curve
~
CJ
~
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You Asked, I'll Tell
I am a 45-year-old. gay /lesbian/ dyke/butch
woman (please label me, the label gives me
rights to be queer) who has spent all of my
life living in the queer community. I have
watched a lot of growth. In your Editor's
Letter you asked for our take on what makes
curve the best. I have to tell you, it is so
~
0
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LIU
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SEND LETTERS TO:
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PO Box 467, New York, NY 10034
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The Doctor is In
With a doctorate in clinical psychology and a gift for making
matches, lesbian yenta Dr. Frankie has added advice columnist for
curvemag.com to her many hats. And now she is ready to help
you find true love! Visit curvemag.com to send her questions of
your own!
~
Natasha
Bedingfield
loves us up
Vanity Theft
Read our interview with drummer Elyse Driskill of the up-andcoming pop rock group Vanity Theft. Driskill spills on the origin
of the band, tour bus antics and getting wild with the gals from
Sick of Sarah. Plus, read our review of their new album Get
What You Came For on page 71.
~
in
On the Road Again
Editor extraordinaire turned eco-adventurer Diane AndersonMinshall shares the trials, tribulations and triumphs of her RV
journey to save the planet, in her new blog Rambling Ma'am.
On the road with the~
eoo-blogger Diane
Anderson-Minshall
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Read The Words on Her Lips
We get the low down on pop star Natasha Bedingfield in our
interview with he sexy popstar and Dinah Shore headliner.
The Dinah Lineup
Want to find out who's playing at this year's Club Skirts
The Dinah? Check out curvemag.com for the full sexy lineup!
Dr. Frankie's got
some love spells
for you
March 2011
I9
Activist, community organizer and History Maker
Award-winner Adaora Asala on founding the
queer women of color group OWOC+ Boston,
her Nigerian roots and being the voice behind
the afrofeminist blog Spectra Speaks.
Biker Babe
Angela Riccobono is the queer anarcha-feminist
behind the sustainable small business Cherry Bombin'
Wear. Dedicated to the environment, Riccobono has
created an entire fashion line out of recycled bike
tubing. It's a practice that keeps rubber out of landfills,
reduces cruelty to animals and helps lighten our carbon
footprint with practical, yet butch/ femme-fashionable accessories for our green dyke community, from
our green dyke community.
Already an avid bicyclist, Riccobono saw a PBS
special featuring a bike-tubing crafty couple in
2002 which, she says, not only gave her ideas of
what to do with "all of the bike tubes piled to the
hilt in the garage;' but aligned perfectly with her
green lifestyle which includes a vegan diet and carfree travel. Three years and some sewing lessons later,
Riccobono fell in love at first sight with a bike tube
wallet while living in San Francisco. "I loved how
perfectly the rubber equaled animal-free and was a
defining part of my bike culture lifestyle. This was
more than perfect; it meant recycling, art, vegan,
bicycle-whore ... me in a nutshell!"
Cherry Bombin' Wear began in 2007, in Arizona,
when Riccobono hand-sewed her first bike-tube wallet.
"I was hand sewing everything and was destined to get
an industrial machine to start sewing messenger bags,
which happened nine months after I started. Soon
thereafter I partook in a local fashion show where
I had designed a couple of skirts and shirts:' Now
equipped with the right tools, and a never-shorting
supply of bike rubber, Cherry Bombin' Wear's
complete line includes dresses, custom bathing suits,
seven wallet designs, messenger bags, purses, belts,
wrist- and ankle-restraints
and cuffs. "My restraints
are my absolute favorite;'
she admits, "but I do rock
many of my designs on the
regular like my forearm
cuff, belt and bag:'
So how do you bike a
mile in Riccobono's vegan
shoes? Slap on her eco-erotic
bedroom restraints and check out the DIY step-bystep site lnstructables.com which shows you how to
make your own recycled bike tubing harness to match.
But Riccobono warns, "the process of making all this
stuff out of bike tubes looks a dirty filthy mess. But
I've always been known for liking it dirty;' she laughs.
Recyclingjust got a little more interesting.
Riccobono continues to bring us green gear from
Phoenix, where she is currently planning an industrial
fashion show this year. Get your Cherry Bombin'
rubber before it hits the runway at cherrybombinwear.com. [YanaTallon-Hicks]
It's a practice
that keeps
rubber out
of landfills,
reduces
cruelty to
animals and
helps lighten
our carbon
footprint with
practical, yet
butch/femmefashionable
accessories
for our
green dyke
community,
from our
green dyke
community.
Cherry
Bombin'
Wear's bags
and cuffs
redefine
rugged beauty
March 2011
I 11
CURVATURES
Online magazine DIS has created a dyke-tastic replacement for
the cringe-inducing, oh-so-heteronormative salon hairstyle posters
with their new lesbian visibility barbershop poster: W4W Buzz. This
subversive style smorgasbord is paired with an incisive treatise by
Katerina Llanes on lesbian 'dos and how they relate to ever-changing
gender theory. Here's a standout quote: "More than any other
stylistic signifier, hair has become our window into lesbian visibility.
The shorter the hair, the more visibly identifiable one becomes as
a lesbian. While these assumptions can prove useful within queer
communities as shorthand for lesbian cruising, we should be careful
not to ground them in the world at large as they are often ill-founded
and politically misaligned-re-asserting a gendered binary based
on heteronormative codes." Very heady. But hello-how hot is that
poster? We'll take three. Find out how to get one for your local beauty
shop on dismagazine.com. [RachelShatto]
the rundown
Colorado
Deputy Attorney
has
General MonicaMarquez
been appointed to the state's
Supreme Court making her
the first Latina and the first
openly gay person to sit on the
state's highest court. Marquez's
father was the first Latino appointed to the Colorado
Court of Appeals in 1988 and swore his daughter
in. After being sworn in, and in response to critics,
Marquez told the media: "On the bench, of course,
my allegiance is to the law, not to any particular
a former high school
constituency" ... KatieBrenny,
was on track
golf champion for the state of Minnesota,
of Minnesota's
to become the couch of the University
women's golf team. Brenny is now threatening to sue
the school alleging that after it was discovered that
she is a lesbian she was demoted to a desk job. The
University
University denies the allegations ... Harvard
police are in the midst of investigating a bias crime
on campus. Thousands of dollars in LGBT books
belonging to the campus library were found soaked
in urine, and are too damaged to be saved ... A new
study first published in the Journalof theAmerican
Academy
of Pediatrics
has shown that LGBT teenagers
are significantly more likely than heterosexual peers to
be stopped by police, arrested or convicted of a crime.
Particularly interesting, girls who identify as lesbian
or bisexual were shown
to be at the highest risk
of punishment by law
enforcement with a 50
percent higher rate of
stops by police and risk
of arrest and convic~
tion ... AnnetteBening,
who played a lesbian
mom in the comedy
The Kids areAll Righthas been quoted as saying she
would welcome the opportunity to be part of a sequel
to the film, which has earned her a Golden Globe
nomination. Bening told reporters, "I have played
people who are mentally ill, or killers, and they're
interesting to explore, but with this character, I
felt really comfortable. I loved playing her"... A new
survey recently released from Harris Interactive shows
that 55 percent ofLGBT adults reported to"personally
care a great deal about the currentstateandfutureof
theenvironment"
whereas only 33 percent of hetero~
sexual adults in the United States reported the same
level of concern. Nearly one in two LGBT adults also
said they found it"very to extremely important" to
consider the environment when making purchases.
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Seattle Gets Sapphic
A new site gives voice to lesbians in the Emerald City.
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Seattle,based lesbian writer and activist
Sarah Toce is well,known in the LGBT
community for her celebrity interviews
at SheWired.com-interviews
with the
likes of Cyndi Lauper, Chely Wright and
Margaret Cho. Last October, however, the
plucky journalist was struck by the entrepre,
neurial spirit and decided to launch a new
website, TheSeattleLesbian.com, with her
wife, photographer Stephanie Brusig and
fellow executive editor, Kate West.
When asked what inspired her to take on
such a mammoth task, Toce replies, "It was
time. Seattle needed a resource for the lesbian
community and we simply did not have one.
With all of my celebrity interviews, activism,
news stories and editing experience, I knew
that I could do it and do it well, so I went
into the project full,steam ahead. My business
partner, executive editor Kate West, had
been talking about creating a website like
The Seattle Lesbian for over a year:'
Part of the drive behind the project was
the fact that, while Seattle had gay outlets,
they were largely male,focused.
"Honestly, I was a little soured by the
Seattle market being an old boys club. Finally,
Kate and I stopped complaining, put pen to
paper-literally-and
brainstormed what
we could bring to the table to put [lesbian]
Seattle on the map. The old boys club was
not going to stop us. If they wouldn't let us
have a voice through their publications, then
we would create our own. And we did:'
The Seattle Lesbian is 100 percent adver,
tising,based, which means that they rely on
thesupportofthecommunitytobesuccessful.
However, Toce and West realize that to get a
little sometimes you need to give a lot. As
such, the site features a "suicide prevention"
section that provides counseling for youth
dealing with bullying or homophobia.
"Kate and I had been discussing this sec,
tion for over a year;' Toce explains. "Before
the bullying news hit CNN and before the
It Gets Better Project was around. We just
knew, like they did, that the LGBT popu,
lation needed a resource in order to thrive
and survive. It's a tough world out there
when you're feeling depressed, alone, confused
and bullied. Seattle's Aurora Bridge is the
March 2011
I 13
second~highest suicide~related bridge behind
San Francisco's Golden Gate. Seattle is not
going to stay silent about this epidemic any
longer. Not on our website:'
The site also has message boards that
include a lesbian parenting section, an ''Ask
the Handywoman" section where readers
can inquire about different home projects
and get advice from real electricians.
There is also a large catalog of celebrity
interviews by Toce, and Brusig-the
staff
photographer-covers
high~profile LGBT
events like the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film
Festival, Club Skirts The Dinah in Palm
Springs, San Francisco's GLAAD Media
Awards and last year's Lilith Fair at the
Gorge with Sarah Mclachlan.
Toce's enthusiasm for her local community
is palpable, and it shows in her work on the
website. "The Seattle lesbian community
is full of beautiful, vibrant artists, mothers,
partners, wives, sisters, daughters, cafe owners,
entrepreneurs and really creative, inspiring
voices. We're passionate about nature and
preservation. We love to run, bike, ski, hike
and see local films. We enjoy writing and
sharing our life stories with great friends.
We rally together when times get rough and
we stand by one another when anyone needs
support. We are a very large and diverse
group and I think that is what makes us
so beautiful and intriguing. Seattle is abso~
lutely breathtaking and there is a very large
lesbian population here just waiting to be
validated. The Seattle Lesbian is doing just
that:' [LisaGunther]
OUTINFRONT
Driven
Women
Leading the pack on
the road to equality.
By Sheryl Kay
AfricanEquality
At 28 years old, Kate Kamundedescribes
herself as an activist, poet, vocalist and
composer, and a blogger who identifies as
a queer woman of color. In fact, she's all
that and more. Kamunde is currently an
administrator with the Gay and Lesbian
Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), an umbrella
organization that includes Minority Women
in Action (MWA), Transgender Education
and Advocacy (TEA) and Persons Marginalized and Aggrieved (PEMA Kenya). She's
also a co-founder and very active member
of Artists for Recognition and Acceptance
(AFRA-Kenya), a group of lesbian, bisexual
and transgender women artists who advocate
for human rights through the arts.
She's bravely committed to social justice
in a country where same-gender sex is illegal;
where being gay is viewed as evil, deviant,
and depraved; and where most gays live as
heterosexuals, because those who do come
out often fear for their lives.
"It breaks my heart to see my fellow
women lost in alcohol and substance abuse
as they try to deal with who they are;' says
Kamunde. "Life is difficult even when one
is in the closet. It takes a toll on mental and
physical health:'
Kamunde knows this firsthand. After
five years of living in the closet, she says she
could no longer pretend to be someone she
wasn't. But coming out, especially as an activist,
has come with it's own dangers. More than
once, she has been threatened by strangers
who recognize her from the media.
Still, she continues on. In the past year,
she's helped to host a Woman-to-Woman
Health Forum, organize a march to the
Health Ministry in Nairobi for increased
funding for sexual minorities in Kenya, all
while sitting on a board that works on
decriminalization strategies. She's also just
organized the first-ever LGBT film festival
in Nairobi.
"Running away from our problems will
not solve them;' says Kamunde. "Let us stay
home and fight for our basic existence as gay
women. It is our right:'
GoodCar-ma
Cars are in Lori Johnson's
blood. Like her
father, and his father before him, she makes
a living in the automotive industry. In fact,
she's a technical expert.
Over the past two decades, Johnson has
done it all, going from hands-on floor technician and repair mechanic to supervisor. She's
also edited engine manuals and served as an
instructor in automotive technology at the
Community College of Philadelphia.
Today, Johnson is the president of Ladies,
Start Your Engines-a company that specializes in automotive education for women. Her
company offers classes that are interactive and
that encourage women to ask questions in a
nonthreatening environment.
"It's about sharing knowledge, not just
being a talking head;' says Johnson. "And, I
think the fact that I'm a woman also puts
them at ease. They know that I understand
their frustrations:'
Even today, notes Johnson, the automotive industry is mostly a man's world. She has
faced her share of double takes."! still have to
prove myself every time I meet someone new
in the industry who doesn't know what I do
for a living;' she says. "It's always interesting
how they talk to me and how that changes
once they realize I know exactly what they're
talking about:'
And while the stereotypical every-womanmechanic-is-a-lesbian notion still exists, she
"can think of 10 women off the top of my
head that work on cars and are straight. Are
there lesbians out there? Of course;' she says,
smiling, "but it's not a requirement of the job:'
Gay or straight, you need to learn about
your vehicle, and Johnson encourages women
to attend local adult-education classes. In
the end, it's all about safety, whether you're
on the road, or monitoring the work done by
your local repair shop.
"Empower yourself ... and maybe you'll be
showing someone how to change her tire:• ■
March 2011
I 17
LESBOFILE
Keeping it Real Disney girls go faux gay, the O.C. gets a lesbian,
Oprah and Gayle get the XXX treatment and new LiRo drama. By Jocelyn Voo
straight girls" shtick has
been used by teenage
pop~tart celebrities since
the dawn of time (yeah
Britney, we're lookin'
at you). Well, you can
now add Disney dar~
ling Demi Lovato and
singer Miley Cyrus to
the list. Photos have
surfaced of a girl help~
ing Lovato pull down
her neckline to show
off some cleavage, while another snap shows
Cyrus's assistant pretending to lick Cyrus's
nipple through her dress. But while fans
have gone crazy over these "racy" fauxmo~
sexual pies, we're much more interested in
some more potentially realistic rumoringespecially when it involves one Miss Lady
Gaga, Showbiz Tonight's Most
Celebrity
for
NewGay-bors
SapphicSpoof
They say if you can't beat 'em, join 'em-and
Lindsay Lohan must've taken this one to
heart. Though her ex Samantha Ronson has
made it very clear that the two of them are
over, the freshly rehabbed actor has decided to
move in next door, and the outcome couldn't
be more hilarious. TMZ has video of an
angry Ronson, who could barely get out of
her driveway because Lohan's moving trucks
were blocking the way.
"Trust me, it wasn't planned;' is all she'll
say about Lohan's arrival.
We can't wait to see how the Welcome
Wagon pans out.
Looks like it doesn't matter how many times
Oprah denies a lesbian relationship with
BFF Gayle King-Hustler's
going to riff
on it anyway. The pornography distributor
has locked down two XXX actors to spoof
the talk show queen and her best friend in
Untrue Hollywood Stories: Oprah. We don't
even care that the two women cast don't
look even remotely close to the real thingwe just can't imagine what kind of "on the
couch" plotline the sex tape opens with.
18
I curve
JailbaitTurnedLesbianBait
It seems like the whole "straight girls kissing
Recently, photos taken
circa 2008 have sur~
faced of the bisexual
singer getting close and
personal with another
woman. One benign
photo depicts Gaga being
bent over a woman's knee
and getting her ass grabbed.
The second, though, shows Gaga simulating
oral sex on the mystery woman-something
that seems much more in~line with a performer
who'll wear a steak as a hat rather than girls
once part of the Disney troupe. Oh Gaga,
will we ever tire of you?
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TheO.C.'sNew Lezzie
The Real Housewives of Orange County are
getting a new addition, and this time she's
a smoking hot lesbian. Fernanda Rocha,
a 33~year~old fitness trainer from Laguna
Beach, debuts this season. Sadly, she's not one
of the main housewives (though someone
should put a few out of their misery-seri~
ously), but she will be a solid staple. Orange
County, lock up your daughters. ■
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"It used to bother me, and now I say, 'OK, if people
believe it, there's nothing we can do to change their
minds.' Oprah has been so outspoken and I have about
my dating life, my desire to have a significant other, that
it's just silly that we would deny or hide that because it
implies something is wrong .... That's what bothers me
more than anything. There's nothing wrong."
-Gayle King to USA Today
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SCENE
She's All Wright
Almost a year on, the country music star reflects on her landmark coming out.
By Merryn Johns
In the June 2010 issue of curve Chely
Wright came out, sharing her struggle and
passion to live openly. The moving interview,
which revealed her brush with suicide, her
childhood pacts with God and her romantic
loss, won her admiration from the lesbian
community. On the eve of her performance
at Club Skirts The Dinah, Wright reflects on
coming out, and why she didn't participate in
the It Gets Better campaign.
Howdidyoureactto thespateof gayyouthsuicideslastyear?
I can tell you I was really losing sleep over it.
Had I not been out at that time I would have
been more devastated. Young people taking
their own lives,being bullied for being different,
feeling internalized homophobia because of
what the church says ... this is not new. What
is new is that mainstream America is now
aware that LGBT youth
4 Sexy Relationship Secrets 10 Tips to Survive Pride
have a hard time and that
Looking
backoverthelastyear,was
words do matter. Even
it worthit?
though it's 2011, it's hard
for kids.
It was worth it ten~fold. It was a
protracted experience because I
·- Butyoudidnotdoan It Gets
did decide to come out in 2007,
Bettervideo.Why?
that's when I began my book, and
I did not do it for a reason.
I did not want to send the
began assembling my team and
educating myself about LGBT
message to young people
issues ... making sure that I could
that you have to survive
the misery of high school;
hit the ground running as an
just survive it because once
effective voice. My ultimate goal
was to just live freely but I also wanted to be
you get through it, it will get better. I want it
an advocate and help change the discussion.
to get better now.
In that regard it's been so much more gratifying Youknewyouweregayat anearlyage.Didyou
focusonyourtalentto compensate?
than I ever imagined.
Canyoushareonemoment
whenyouknewyou Of course I did. In fact, before I realized the
weremakinga difference?
incredible role that love and companionship
play in a person's life, I made deals with God
It happens in the smallest glimmers and the
that I would forgo love if I could just have
loudest explosions. You have a chance to be
music. ... But then my life tipped over on me. I
on Oprahand that's a big bang. Then you're at
lost my partner; we were in hiding, the hiding
a small book signing on the West Coast and
somebody stands in line and it's their turn to
ripped us apart, and the worldly possessions,
the hit records, the awards I had didn't seem
speak to you and they say, "I was contem~
to matter. And I found myself to be on the
plating suicide and reading your book made
verge of suicide and that's when it occurred to
me feel less alone and I don't think I'm going
to do it now:' Coming out for anybody is a big me: Stand up.
Andyouhavefoundlovenow?
deal. Any time a person steps forward and
says, I'm different than anybody else it's hard.
Well, I have ... I'm really happy to say I'm in a
great relationship with a native New Yorker
But, doing it in the public eye really exposes
[author Lauren Blitzer] and it's amazing
a person to a lot of daggers and I felt the full
brunt of that, but I've also gotten to absorb all what a relationship is when you don't have
any hiding, secrets. It's out in the open. Her
the beauty, too. I've had a lot of folks say a lot
family knows, my family knows. It's just so
of amazing things to me.
20
I curve
great, I love it, and I'm very much in love and
very happy.
Soyourpersonallife improved
by comingout,
butwhataboutyourprofessional
life?Wasthere
a backlash?
There was a backlash. There is a portion of
the public that is pro~LGBT rights and there
is a portion of the public who are anti~LGBT
rights and they're primarily rooted in fun~
damental Christian beliefs. And there is a
portion of the general public that we call the
moveable middle and we find that those people
are affected by personal stories. If they hear a
story, or their neighbor or favorite teacher or
their favorite country music singer reveals to
them that, 'Tm the person that you love and I
happen to be gay;' oftentimes they are moved
and it doesn't seem fair to them to be anti~gay
rights. My goal was to affect the moveable
middle in the country music listening com~
munity. I didn't think that I'd be able to move
those on the far spectrum. I do believe that I
lost those. I can tell in certain letters I got or
certain people who didn't buy my record.
Didyougainanynewfans?
I got some. There's a cultural fan base and
there's a musical fan base. A lot of the LGBT
folks who have come to my Facebook page
that didn't know who I was before have hit
the Like button or comment, "Hey, I read
your book, I like you now:' But that's a long
way from them purchasing a country record
and coming to a show.
Whyyourallegiance
to countrymusic?Didyou
neverwantto takeyourtalentto anothergenre
of musicwhereyoursexualitywouldn'tbe as
muchof an issue?
Well, it's kind of: I am who I am. My records
w
in the last year have been a bit more folk/ ~
alternative country, so the edges are a little bit
Q.
blurred. But I think to pick up and abandon ti
what I do would be disingenuous. I really am
who I am. I really am a gay country singer. ~
&
5
(chely.com)■
:::J
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Chely Wright
Rocks The Dinah
•
•
OnFriday,April1, 2011at
8:00p.m.,ChelyWrightwill
performliveat TheRivieraResortandSpain PalmSprings,
Calif.andwill signherbook
April2 at
LikeMeonSaturday,
the afternoonpoolparty.Isshe
readyto be mobbedby lesbian
bringit on,
fans?"Absolutely,
I can'twait,"shelaughs."I
can'twaitto meeteverybody,
I knowit's goingto bereally
relaxedandfun.I enjoyfans,
andhearingpeople'sstories.
get
That'showsongwriters
ideas.Wetalkto people,so I
lookforwardto hearingstories
andmaybeI'll turntheminto
songs."(thedinah.com)
I've Got It Bad for Teacher Stop swooning over the unattainable
college counselor. By Lipstick and Dipstick
Dear Dipstick and Lipstick: I'm a 20-year-old who has it bad
for my college counselor. I don't know why I always crush on
unattainable women. She's older and happily partnered. I'm
young, inexperienced and in the closet (it's complicated).
The only same-sex sexual encounter I've had was at a pelvic
exam. Got any advice?-Bunged
Lipstick:
First things first: Get out of the closet.
It's always complicated and that permission
slip expired in the '90s. Once you've taken
that step, you'll stop majoring in self~sabo~
tage and move on to an accelerated program
in dykeonomics.
Dipstick:
There's nothing wrong with having
a crush on a college counselor. We've all done
it. A hot older woman-yum!
Your desire
stems from needing to be taken under her
wing, nurtured and nudged until you're ready
to leap from the nest on your own. I think the
Greeks had it right when they eased young
adults into their first sexual experiences with
a gentle older partner. Unfortunately, modern
day Americans frown upon such relation~
ships (unless you're Hugh Hefner). But this
older lady can be the mentor and friend you
need to get you ready for your first real same~
sex encounter. She can give you tips on where
to meet women, how to ask a girl out, which
sex toys to buy (and which ones to avoid) and,
most importantly, how to set up a revolving
credit account with U~Haul.
DearLipstickandDipstick:
I needsomeserious
advice.I knowthe answer,butI justwantconfirmation.
Mypartner,
Joanna,pretended
to love
everything
aboutme whenwe first met, and
afterthreemonthssheaskedmeto marryher.
Well,it's beenfive yearsin a bliss-freemarriage,andnowshehateseverything
I do.Last
night,shetoldmeto stoplaughing
tooloud.But
22
I curve
Up in Boulder
shelaughsveryloudwith bothheradultchildrenall the time.I was hurt.I ask her if there's
something
goingonandshetellsmeeverything
is justfine.Shetriesto dictatemyeverymove.
I'm a freespiritanddon'tcareaboutwhatshe
does-whichis lie in bedandwatchwrestling
and murdershowsnonstop.
We'vetried marriagecounseling,
but my partnerdoesn'tseea
problem.The counselor
told me privatelythat
I shouldleaveJoannabecauseit's clearshe
doesn'trespectme.Joannapaysforeverything
becauseI'm disabled.I'll loseall my medical
insurance
andmy home.I thinkthat'swhyI'm
staying.ButI shouldleavefor my ownsanity,
beforeit reallygetsugly.Right?-Dismayed
and
Disrespected
Dipstick:You're in a rut, and so are we. We
can't tell you how many lesbians write to us
about an unhappy relationship, unsure of
how to extricate themselves because of money,
children or other reasons. Your first priority is to
focus on your financial and medical problems.
Figure out a way to support yourself-and
not by moving in with another girlfriendbefore you dump this dishrag. Look into a
vocational rehab program, or see if you can
get into a job~training program. If you can't
work at all, apply for disability. Gain as much
independence as you can, and start inching
away from this unhealthy situation. While
you work on that, let me school the rest of
you reading this: Do not move in with a partner,
no matter what the reason, unless you've been
dating for at least a year. Never, ever cohabit
for financial reasons. That always backfires.
As my friend Mag says, you have to experi~
ence all four seasons of a relationship before
sharing room and board. Listen to your gut
and those little voices in your head. If some~
thing is telling you not to move forward, don't.
Weve never had a lesbian write to us and tell
us she regretted moving slowly. And finally,
ladies, no matter what, make sure you have a
way to support yoursel£ if the love turns sour
and you need out.
Lipstick:
I doubt Joanna was pretending when
she fell in love with you and adored all your
isms. It's not uncommon to eventually hate
what draws us into someones spell. Like,
my ex~girlfriend used to love that I listened
to Christmas music all year. That is, until I
came home one summer day and found her
grilling my John Denver & The Muppets: A
Christmas Together CD on the BBQ. If your
therapist believes Joanna has lost respect for
you, shes probably right. It's time to go. You're
a caged animal and respect is a critical factor
in a healthy relationship. Follow Dip's advice
and get on your own two feet.
DearLipstick
andDipstick:
I'min myfirstlesbian
relationship
with a stud.I've mostlybeenwith
femmesbeforebut founda stud that I was
attractedto. I knewabsolutely
nothingabout
stonelesbians,but now I realizenot onlywill
shenot let me touchher anywhereprivate,all
shewantsto dois usea strap-on.
Sheonlywent
downon me once-the firsttimewe hadsex.
I reallyfeel like I'm with an unemotional
man.
Whatthefuck!I lovebeingwitha womanforall
thethingsa manisn't.HowdidI endupwithone
anyway?-Stunned
byMyStud
Dipstick:This is just wrong, wrong, wrong.
Stone butches get off on pleasing their part~
ners. If you don't like her lovin' then what's
the point:' Perhaps she thinks this is what
you want. Are you pretending to enjoy it:' Or
~
a:
if:
w
~
~
Lipstick & Dipstick ADVICE
"Stopmajoringin
self-sabotagewith a
maybe she thinks pounding the pillow prin~
cess is what she needs to do to be a real stud.
Either way, this dyke needs some schooling
from Dipstick. A good lover listens not only
with her ears, but with her whole essence.
If she's not getting the message that you're
bored, you're going to have to find a way to
tell her. Next time she reaches for her silicone
pet, gently take ahold of the handle and push
it aside. Guide your lover's hands and lips to
the places you want her attention. Tell her,
"Hey, Baby, can't we leave the Black Stallion [I
know she's named the dil, all dykes do] in the
drawer tonightt Take responsibility for your
own pleasure and demand she do you right.
Lipstick:
You said it-WTF
is right, Stunned.
You have two choices. You can either tell
your stud you're unhappy and hope she listens,
or you can continue spreading your legs in
misery. The choice is yours. But let me warn
you about something. If you choose the latter,
your hungry heart and libido will eventu~
ally lead you to another trough, if this one
isn't feeding you. So many people suffer
disgruntled sex lives because of one simple
reason: They're chicken. Chicken to be hon~
est. Chicken to complain. Chicken to
explore. Be the brave one and speak up
to your stud-maybe you've underesti~
mated your Dipstick. ■
minorin bad choices
and moveon to an
acceleratedprogram
in dykeonomics."
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstick
to watchthe The Lipstick& DipstickShow.
Or, write to tv@lipstickdipstick.com.
March 2011
I 23
ADVICE Money
Plan Your Life
Know your rights and take control of your life.
By Merryn Johns
Confusing. Uncomfortable. Scary. These are words that may come to
mind when you consider writing a will, assigning a power of attorney,
or even creating a partnership agreement. But making these decisions
and putting them into action are essential steps in life planning and
should not be put off until it's too late. Taking these steps now protect ourselves and our loved ones, which is vital when we don't have
the same protections and rights as our hetero counterparts. Mary
Blanchett-who
founded her company Gay Life Planning with the
express purpose of empowering LGBT adults to plan around punitive laws-explains why,
when it comes to getting serious about planning, there's no time like the present.
',
..-.' ..-
,._-~--.
.....
.......
1. Weare stilla minorityandstilldiscriminated
against.Doyourhomework
on how.
Our community is not protected, and many
of us don't realize there's a need and a way to
protect ourselves. Even though some national
LGBT organizations have some type of
education on building your own safety net,
many people don't take the time to learn
how we are vulnerable and act to reverse it.
I tell people to read Lambda Legal's Take the
Power: Tools for Life and Financial Planning
and the NCLR's Lifelines: Documents to
Protect You and Your Family and Planning
with Purpose: Legal Basicsfor LGBT Elders.
2. Identify the punitive laws against LGBT
peoplein the UnitedStatesand protectyourself againstthem.
The mother lode of discriminatory laws is
DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act),
which does not allow same-sex couples to be
recognized, even when they are legally married
in their own state. Because ofDOMA, federal
benefit agencies cannot recognize your samesex partner or spouse.
Same-sex partners and spouses are excluded
from COBRA (Consolidated
Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act)-which maintains
a spouse's and family's health insurance after
the insured spouse loses her job-and
from
Social Security's spousal and survivor benefits.
You cannot cover your ineligible spouse for
Medicare, or transfer wealth to your spouse
without incurring estate tax. You cannot visit
your spouse in a hospital or nursing home.
You cannot take Family and Medical Leave
Act (FMLA) time off to care for your spouse,
or make medical decisions for her, or access
tax-free employer-paid medical insurance for
her. You are not entitled to income tax benefits
for couples. Your foreign-born spouse is not
entitled to U.S. citizenship. You cannot adopt
your spouse's child. You cannot take spousal
bereavement leave, and do not have the right a:
to bury your spouse. All this is separate and ~
w
a:
not equal treatment.
IEven with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't wz
i:i:
Tell, LGBT service members will not be w
I
eligible for any of the spousal benefits that t:i:
~
(/)
24
I curve
different~sex married couples have. That's
because DOMA is still in effect.
3. Evenif youthinkyoudon'thavemuch,get a
grip on yourassets,and yourpartner'srights
to them,especiallyif you think you mightbe
blindedby love.
A partnership agreement can be drawn
up by an LGBT~knowledgeable attorney.
It's good planning, regardless of how long
you've known your partner before you move
in together. This can outline each partner's
responsibility to the home, to each other, to
children and to debt; it can state the owner~
ship of assets, pets and property; and it can
specify what obligation each person has if
the relationship ends.
I have heard many sad stories of breakups.
Everything from ex~partners who lost cher~
ished family heirlooms and pets, to those
who discovered major credit card debt in
"Learn how aging and long-term care can be different for
us. We know LGBT adults are not afforded the same rights
as others, so find out where the disparities are and push
your elected officials to end the discrimination."
their name. We should do anything we can
to diminish potential hardship for ourselves.
4. Will is a four-letterword,and it's one that
youshoulduse.
The two biggest mistakes are in wills and
medical decision~making authority. Many
lesbians think they don't have enough assets
to require a will. They don't realize that each
state has intestate laws to decide who gets
your goods when you're gone-which means
that those close friends who are more like
family than your real family don't get any~
thing. And those charities you've been donating
time and money to are left out as well.
Designating
medical decision~making
authority, either through a health~care proxy
or through a power of attorney for health~
care decisions, is often seen as unnecessary.
But people really do get into accidents and
are sometimes unable to speak for them~
selves in the emergency room. That's the most
important time to have someone speaking on
your behal£ to have your wishes expressed
and followed.
5. Don'tbe in denialaboutgettingolder.Look
forwardto it andplan.
Empower yourself through learning as much
as possible about your own changing health
conditions, including menopause and midlife
crisis. Talk to your doctors about it and share
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March 2011
I 25
I
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AFTER
I
STARS
Spring Fling
March keeps us guessing.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
make more money in the process. At least
that is the promise this March. Most girl-ongirl Twins would like to rely on their ample
charm rather than elbow grease but don't slip
on your own oil. Use it instead to grease the
wheels of negotiation with you-know-who.
Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Guppies are in love with love and not usually
discreet with their many paramours: So keep
a tight lip on your various romances. Tongues
are wagging about your whereabouts and
who-abouts. With these goings on, what is
going on in your career:' Those in power sit up
and take notice. Is it because you're a go-getter
or because you know how to get her:'
Aries(March21-April 20)
March is a month of surprises. A gal pal can
turn into a bosom buddy. There you are,
minding your own business when she tries
to get into yours. Sparks fly and knock your
socks off, among other things. There's much
more happening behind the scenes than you
think. Phonies and backstabbers get their
comeuppance. Be aware. Be subtle. Be smart.
But don't be caught plotting your revenge.
Heh heh.
a:
w
~
Taurus(April21-May 21)
Move in different social circles to showcase
your ample attributes. You're sexy, titillating
and juicy this March. Squeeze a little joy into
every interaction and show the world why
Sapphic Bulls are so proud. You receive attention for even your crackpot ideas and attract
stares from ladies in power circles. Maybe
that's because your power suit is fishnet:'
LL
~
u
cc Gemini(May22-June21)
~ Work hard, fly right and you might even
Cancer(June22-July 23)
You are hot, hot, hot this March. Turn it up to a
rapid boil and then get out there and melt a few
hearts. Go far afield and take a well-deserved
vacation. Not only will you attract any exotic
lady you want, you'll even attract a few who
you don't. Share your bounty with the less fortunate. If you've run out of vacation days, find
ways to travel for business. Business can take
you to hot locales where you can boil anew.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Tickle your taste buds with an entirely new sexual tasting menu. Go for the sweet and sugary.
You have a big cavity to fill. And while you're at
it, explore ways to use your power of persuasion
to untangle any vexing mystery that has been
costing you too much time and money. You can
find the best way to cheat your way out of any
punishment. Unless you're into punishment:'
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Queer Virgins can focus on health and exercise
and turn their bodies into objects of worship.
But even if you stay as beautiful as you are,
the hard work will be worth it. Someone is
waiting for you at the gym, ready to make the
steam room extra steamy with you. For those
in a relationship, try to place work ahead of
lovergrrls. Can you mix business with pleasure:'
If so, get down to business with her.
Libra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Have fun this March. Party hearty and see
who catches your eye. A light flirtation can
turn into a heavy romance before you realize
it. Try to make it last through spring but if not
have fun while it lasts. Work will be a bit of
an intrusive annoyance. They ask too much of
you so try not to get buried by endless projects.
Either say "no" or find a creative way to fob the
work off on someone else.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Be lazy and luxurious in March. You need to
recharge your energies and can do so while
surrounded by a bevy of beauties who peel
your grapes. Will you be elected Ms. Popularity
or Most Likely To:' Let's guess. Of course you
still have work issues to attend to. Putting a
stink bomb in the supply closet seems like a
good idea but you'll find that the reality may
not match the promise. Surprised:'
Sagittarius(Nov.23-Dec.22)
You are eloquent and diplomatic for a change.
Words oflove get you what you want from her.
But be careful of talking in your sleep-you
never know who'll appear in your wet dreams.
Use your powers of persuasion to finesse at
work. You're apt to rebel from the evil forces by
calling in sick-sick and tired. Plan your next
big move from the living room while an ablebodied personal assistant moves with you.
Capricorn(Dec.23-Jan. 20)
They say it is as easy to fall in love with a poor
lady as it is with a rich one, but let's face it, rich
is usually better. Find your sugar momma this
March and make her sticky while she supplies
the sweets. Maybe your finances will improve
and you won't have to bend over backwards to
get what you truly deserve at work. Otherwise
you'll have to be especially diplomatic with the
boss this March. Uh oh, now we're in trouble.
Aquarius(Jan.21-Feb.19)
This is not the month to be shy and retiring.
Demonstrate how you really feel and do it
like you mean it around lovergrrls. Let your
actions speak louder and prouder than your
words. Bold moves effectively translate into
professional oomph at work. A risky move
could bring a big payout both politically and
economically. But remember that the greater
the reward, the greater the risk. Err, how big
is big again:' ■
CharleneLichtensteinis the author
of Herscopes:
A Guideto Astrologyfor
Lesbians(Simon& Schuster)(tinyurl.
com/HerScopes)
March 2011
I 27
POLITICS
Aging Disgracefully
Preparing for your retirement is an important political act. By Victoria A. Brownworth
January 1, 2011, marked more than the first
day of a new decade. Signaling the day that
the first Baby Boomers began to turn 65, it
also marked the beginning of a sociological,
medical and financial tidal wave.
According to U.S. Census statistics,
10,000 Baby Boomers-those
born between
1946 and 1964-will
hit retirement age
every single day for the next two decades.
The stresses on both the economy and the
medical establishment are expected to be
immense, as nearly a third of adult Americans
are in that demographic-most
of my close
friends and I among them.
My best friend just turned 65. Two other
close friends just turned 60. Another friend
held her 75th birthday celebration a few
months back. Baby dykes may be in abundance, but so are silver sapphics.
While my spouse and I are at the younger
end of the Baby Boomer generation, she and
I talk about retirement often. Her mother is
in her 80s, my father in his 70s. Two of our
2s
I curve
parents are already deceased. As we watch
our parents age and die, we can no longer
ignore the reality that we are middle-aged
and will be elderly ourselves one day.
While my friends are all vibrant in their
old age, each one has concerns over who will
take care of her as she begins to get infirm.
According to the queer seniors group
Social Security benefits already being cut by
President Obama's recent tax deals with the
Republicans, that cushion will no longer be
something to depend on. Which means that
right now we all need to be thinking about
what will happen when we turn 65.
Since Baby Boomers include the first generation of out queers, we are also aging in
public. According to the National Lesbian
and Gay Task Force (NLGTF), there are
currently 3 million elder LGBT people in the
U.S. The NLGTF estimates that within 20
years that number will at least double.
What does the future hold for aging
lesbians?
The realities of aging in the queer community have long been ignored. Older
queers have found themselves increasingly
marginalized. Fear of aging has kept many
from preparing for the prospect of getting
older. Others have been impeded by the
economic straits they have faced throughout
their lifetimes. It is estimated that half of all
LGBT people hover near the poverty levelparticularly lesbians, transgender people and
queers of color.
According to the most recent U.S. Census
statistics, the elderly constitute the largest
group of indigent people, meaning elderly
queers are highly likely to face a financially
uncertain old age.
Isolation impacts all older people and can
It is estimatedthat halfof all LGBT people
hovernear the povertylevel-particularly lesbians,
transgenderpeople and queers of color.
SAGE, two-thirds of seniors over 65 do not
have partners, and nearly 90 percent do not
have children.
Most women who are single-or, in the
case of lesbians, are counted in the census
as single-are expected to have both a lower
income and a higher life expectancy than
our male counterparts. And with future
lead to depression and even suicide. But for
queers, getting older creates additional problems, like dealing with homophobia from
health care or social service professionals.
Lambda Legal Defense has repeatedly addressed the elder abuse of lesbians and gay
men in nursing home facilities, where homophobia is rampant.
TRANSPARENT AGENDA
One friend, now in her early 70s and in fragile health, told
me she feared moving to an assisted living facility because
she felt she would have to "go back in the closet" after years
of being out. "I don't want to have to pretend I am straight
just to get appropriate care;' she says. She wonders if her
friends-all lesbians-will be welcome at a nursing home as
her visitors.
In nursing homes, abuse is already a pandemic: The
Department of Health and Human Services noted in 2009
that nearly 90 percent of all nursing homes and assisted care
facilities had problems with abuse and neglect. Numerous
studies show that queer seniors are at greater risk for abuse,
and for being separated from their partners/ spouses and
friends within assisted living and nursing home facilities,
many of which have religious affiliations.
Stories of abuse and separation have sparked a movement
to establish retirement centers for elder queers as well as
groups to help seniors connect with one another. SAGE and
Old Lesbians for Organizing Change are among the groups
helping senior queers to build communities and find queerfriendly places to live. (OLOC will hold its annual gathering
in Tacoma, Wash.,July 2011.)
Eleven states already have LGBT retirement communities,
and another 20 are planned across the country, mostly in the
West and Southwest. Among the recent additions to these
retirement facilities is Agesong at Lake Merritt in Oakland,
Calif., and Fountaingrove Lodge in Sonoma, Calif. Aegis
Senior Living, a well-known West Coast assisted-living
management company, is currently building an LGBT senior
community in Santa Rosa, Cali£
In October 2010, Pennsylvania allotted $7 million to help
fund a retirement complex in the heart of Philadelphia's gayborhood. It is the first apartment complex with a focus on
small units, for low- and middle-income LGBT seniors.
Alas, most lesbians have not even addressed the basics of
planning for retirement. According to the MetLife Mature
Market Institute, less than half of all lesbians have a will or
a directive for end-of-life care. Less than half of all lesbians
have enough savings to cover a year of retirement, let alone
the 15 years past retirement age that is the average life expectancy for women.
The prospect of retirement may be nearer for some lesbians
than for others, but all lesbians need to plan for their own
"Golden Years:' The National Center for Lesbian Rights urges
lesbians of all ages to have their papers in order, whether
retirement is months or decades away.
Prepare financially for your retirement now. You will
need almost as much to live on after you stop working as you
did when you were working. Where will that money come
from:' Savings:' Retirement accounts:' Working part-time to
supplement Social Security and pension benefits:'
When it comes to retirement and its many facets, preparation takes time and careful planning. We are our own best,
and often our only, advocates. What we need and want and
demand as we age is up to us. ■
An illuminating photography project highlights
the need for trans healthcare reform.
Whilethe passageof the
MatthewShepardAct in 2009
finallygavetransgender
individualslegalprotectionfromviolence
anddiscrimination,
transfolks
continueto be marginalized
in
criticalareassuchas healthcare.
My RightSelf,is an important photography
projectthat
documentsthe experiences
of
threetransindividualsandtwo
couples,andcontainstheir own
reflectionson howtheyare
perceivedin the world.Allie,a
transwomanfeaturedin the
project,recallsthat whenshe
was shoppingfor healthinsurancea coupleof yearsago,she
was literallylaughedat by an
insurancerep."Hesaid,'Yeah,
don'tevenbother,'andhungup."
My RightSelf,is the work
of ArthurRobinson
Williams,a
photographer
andUniversityof
Pennsylvania
medicalstudent.
Consistingof a 25-piececolor
photography
exhibitwith text
panelsanda companionwebsite
(myrightself.org},
the project
hastouredmedicalschoolsand
healthcarecentersaroundthe
countrysinceits debutin 2008.
"I think genderidentityand
transgenderism
is extremely
importantin termsof sociopoliticalgainsfor queercommunities,
but especiallywithin medicine,"
Williamssays."I thinkthe
medicaleducationsystemis
a coupleof decadesbehindin
termsof educatingstudentsand
doctorsaboutLGBThealthin
general,but especiallythe 'T';
it's oftenforgotten."Headdsthat
transfolkstendto be uninsured
or underinsured,
andevenif they
havehealthinsurance,
treatmentsandprocedures
that are
coveredfor otherpurposesare
oftenexplicitlywrittenout of
coverageif usedfor a genderalteringpurpose.
That'scertainlybeenAllie's
experience.
"Theybasicallytry
to invalidateyourclaim,andthey
try to invalidatewhoyouare,"
shesays."Forinstance,I've had
to dealwith beingcalled'he'
whenI'mquiteclearlypresenting
asfemale,becausemy chart
says'male.'"
WhenAlliefinallydid get
coverage,
heronlyoptionwasthe
mostexpensiveplanavailable,a
hardburdento bearwhileworking
for minimumwageandgoing
to schoolfull time.Thoughshe
nowhasinsurancethroughher
employer,
Alliestill spendsa significantpartof her paycheckon
hormonesandanti-androgens,
andcontinuesto savefor her
surgery.
ButwhileAlliewouldlike
to seeMy RightSelf,educate
the healthcareindustryabout
the uniquemedicalneedsand
situationsof transfolks,she
alsohopesthe projectmakesa
broaderimpact.
"It actuallyhelpeda lot with
howI seemyself,in termsof my
bodyandhowpeopleseeme,"
shesaysof the project.Shealso
hopesit canhelpmakethejourney
easierfor the nextgeneration
of transkids,"so theydon'tget
thrownout bytheir parents,so
theydon't get ostracized,
sothey
don'tget beatenupfor being
whotheyare.''[MattSorrell]
March 2011
I 29
LAUGH
TRACK
Q&A: Sandra Valls
The motor-mouth comic dishes on lesbian fashion. By Merryn Johns
Let's be honest, there isn't fruit that's much
lower-hanging than that of lesbian fashion
stereotypes. From flannel to Birkenstocks, to
the ever-popular mullet, there's plenty to poke
fun at. But as any lezzie worth their L-card
knows, we gay gals do know fashion. From
urbane butches in tailored suits to highfemmes in haute couture, lesbians are making fierce fashion statements-and
don't get
us started on the iiber-chic DIY movement
that has all sorts of dykes rocking homemade
high fashion. But since the stereotype persists,
particularly in comedy circles, who better to
set the gay threads record straight than the
always-debonair comic, Sandra Valls.
Manylesbians
adopta "uniform."
Why?
This is so funny. I feel some of us have fallen
30
I curve
into the "average straight man Dad look:'
Some lesbians are all about comfort and efficiency and not enough about looking sexy.
We just throw any old shorts and T-shirt
on and call it a day. We don't want to carry
a purse so we try the hands-free fanny pack.
Fanny pack is not sexy. It's convenient. Instead
of a fanny pack, try to carry a teardrop or
messenger backpack- hands free yet stylish.
Birkenstocks are very comfortable and I do
wear them at home and nowhere else. When
going out-even Home Depot-try
wearing
insoles in your cool sneakers instead. There
you go ... comfort, efficiency and style.
Whatis lesbianfashionto you?
It's an attitude. It's looking put together at
all times. It's a certain swagger and confidence that we exude when we know we look
fresh. It's strength. It's standing out from the
crowd. It's being uniquely and wholly yourself... your true sel£ expressed through clothing.
Unfortunately, when people think of lesbian
fashion, they think of bland, no color, male
clothes, a ratty T-shirt tucked into jeans
pulled up way too high. There's no reason we
should look like soccer moms or truckers.
Whoareyourlesbianstyleicons?
My partner Jackie Kennedy rocks it out,
Amy Tee-fellow comic-is always styling.
Rachel Maddow, Ellen and Portia, Pink,
Missy Elliot, Jodie Foster, k.d. lang.
Femmes
liketo dressup.Whataboutbutches?
Hell, yeah. We love to dress up. We love
looking cute for the femmes. And we love
attention. Some just don't know how. They
are stuck because they do not like wearing
>0
w
z
~
~
w
6
u
'."i
women's clothes but then when they shop for
men's clothes, it's usually too big or doesn't fit
well. If you like wearing men's suits, please
have them altered. No long flappy sleeves on
shirts or suits. Make sure the shirt collar fits
right around your neck, not too loose. Learn
how to tie a tie. The tip of the tie should
just hit the top of the belt buckle and not
any longer. Do not look like you're wearing
your father's suit. Femmes, if you like how
we look, let us know.
Thebiggest
fashionmistakeyouevermade?
I went years without waxing my eyebrows
and upper lip. I'm so embarrassed no one
told me. Yes, there are pictures. Oh ... and
I wore flannel. But it was the '90s and the
grunge era was in full swing.
Why shouldlesbianstake more interestin
lookinghot?
It's not so much about looking hot as it is
about bringing an attitude from the inside
out. When you do that, that's hot. I feel
everyone, gay or straight, should want to
look their best and spruce themselves up. We
should want to look good for our partners
but most importantly, ourselves. Whether
you like it or not, you are making a statement
with your clothes. We are unique individuals.
Stand up straight and carry yourself with
grace and you will radiate confidence. Let's
go out and turn some heads, girls.
Whatisyourfavoritethingto wearonstage?
I love wearing cool, comfortable jeans with
a blingy buckle from Dewberries Boutique,
a long~sleeved, button down shirt, funky
sneakers, just the right bracelets and acces~
sories and my favorite cologne. It's all about
the swagger, baby.
Yourgirlfriendand Dewberries
ownerJackie
Kennedy
hasgoneprowithfashion.
Wow, she's just "wow!" Even when she's
lounging around the house, she looks stunning
in her Hello Kitty pajamas and matching house
shoes. She loves to express herself through
her clothes. I can always tell if she's feeling
sexy, playful, funky, rebellious by how she
dresses. Her hair is always perfect. Her nails
are always done. She has tons of accessories.
She's taught me so much. She really feels
that everyone wants to be styled but some
just don't know how. That's why she opened
Dewberries, so she can assist you in creating
a cool, personal style for yourself in a safe,
fun environment.
Whencanwe nextseeyoustrutyourstuff?
Jackie and I will be busy at Dewberries
Boutique & Lounge holding events including
burlesque classes, empowerment workshops,
make~up/fashion
classes for bois-yes,
you read right-comedy
classes, fairy card
readings, charm classes, tea parties and net~
working (luvthatdewberries.com). I will be
performing on the Olivia Mexican Riviera
cruise, March 26-April 2, 2011 and at the
Enchanted Hawaii Resort Oct. 29-Nov. 4.
(welovesandra.com and olivia.com) ■
March 2011
I 31
JFierce
eitUitUe
Jessica Clark dishes on fashion, sexuality
and her new film,Sara. By Lisa Gunther
,..
secretly want to play a badass action hero in a
film;' lesbian model and actor Jessica Clark reveals.
~
Considering her roster of accomplishmentsbreaking into the competitive world of modeling at 16, work~
ing as a life coach, starring in a new film, a lesbian love story
called Sara and set to star in Nicole Conn's latest project,
A Perfect Ending-it wouldn't surprise us if her secret wish
someday came true.
After winning a nationwide modeling competition in
London, where she was born and raised, Clark had the rare
opportunity to travel the world and enjoy financial indepen~
dence when she was just a teenager, but she has always kept a
level head about the fashion industry.
"Modeling was never really a goal of mine. In fact, I was
always very disdainful of the idea of relying on your looks. As
it turned out, I realized that to do well in the fashion indus~
try you had to become a pretty savvy business person, and I
have enjoyed that aspect of it. But I definitely try to keep it in
perspective. Fashion can be amazing, but I don't want it to be
my whole life:'
Indeed, years before her career in the fashion industry
began, Clark displayed a love of theatrical make~believe.
When she was just a girl she would write plays for her sib~
lings to star in, and when she moved to New York City, after
her modeling career took off, she began taking acting classes,
just for fun. But she got her biggest break in 2004, when she
famously starred in Usher's music video for "Burn'' -a move
that would mark a turning point in both her career and her
public identity.
In a 2008 interview with Vibe magazine, Usher stated,
"Women have started to become lovers of each other as a
result of not having enough men:' When this article appeared,
AfterEllen.com responded by repudiating his claims and
remarking on the irony that his "Burn" video had starred a
lesbian. Though she was already more or less open about her
sexuality, Clark quickly had to come to terms with some very
public scrutiny of her sexuality.
"What I did have a hard time with, initially, was the
response of other lesbians;' Clark explains. "I would find
myself having to convince them that I really did like women,
and I was pretty uncomfortable with that-what
with being
...
32lcurve
so new to the scene ... At the time, I was very insecure that I
wasn't 'gay enough:"
Clark now enjoys the visibility that she has been given as a
lesbian in a business that all too often promotes conformity.
Being of Nigerian, Indian and Irish descent, she knew from an
early age what it felt like to be different.
"When I was younger I sometimes found it difficult, in the
sense that I didn't feel that I had any strongly rooted identity,
both in terms of heritage and lifestyle. It wasn't particularly
easy, but it definitely helped me become a strong and very
independent woman. I am very comfortable with who I am
now. I am a woman, a lesbian; I am multi~ethnic, a wife, an
actor, a writer, a daughter, a fashion model. All of these are a
part of how I see myself:'
Clark's recent project, Sara-a lesbian love story written,
produced and directed by Stan-has
given her even more
of an opportunity to spread her wings as an actor. The film
was distributed online late last year, and has screened in Los
Angeles at the Fusion Film Festival and at OutFest, and at the
New York Lesbian Film Festival.
When asked how acting compares with modeling, Clark
responds, "Technically the number one difference is that as
a model you are trained to always be aware of the camera.
Everything is for the camera. As an actor, there is the need
to exist as the person you are playing, and with whoever else
is in the scene with you. The camera just so happens to be
there observing. I learned so much, and it really awakened a
passion in me to tell stories that could make people think in
someway:'
Clark will also get to hone her acting skills in the upcoming
short film Bed Head."! play the lead, Maya. It's a really interesting
piece, which challenges the easy assumptions that we can all
make about people. I can't really say anymore right now-but
it should be on the festival circuit in early 2011 ... I am actually
spending a large amount of time in L.A. these days; training,
auditioning and building my profile out here. [There are] so
many new things to learn and experience!"
She's still waiting for that badass female role she so covets;
but until she lands it, she'll continue exploring many different
artistic avenues, and maybe even take some classes in mixed
martial arts, just for fun. ■
"I am a woman, a
lesbian; I am multiethnic, a wife, an actor,
a writer, a daughter, a
fashion model. All of
these are a part f
how I see mysel ."
March 2011
I 33
esbians and leathe
complicated relationship.
Admittedly, leather not ror everyone and we would
never suggest you compromise
uriethics regarding
animal products. But historically leather has been part
of the LGBT community's fashion identity: Rebellious,
primal, tough. There's a case for the environrQental advantages of
leather over plastics, since pleather and PV
environmentally
damaging materials, having received t
oxicity from
Greenpeace. "I love animals, and I wouldn use their skin frivolously,"
says Lucky Dog Leather owner and designer, Lucia Gerbino, ~
believes that one leather accessory will o
non- atural
material or petroleum by-product items.
as green as
its supplier's practices, which is why Ger
ecologically
aware suppliers. At Lucky Dog everything
made to order
and made to last. Metal and stone are incorpo ed into many of the
designs offering a talismanic appeal, lendi
trength to the wearer. It's
this mixture of style and eco-conciousnes
hat has made Lucky Dog
popular with celesbians and lesbian faves ke Abisha Uhl and Jamie
Holm of the band Sick of Sarah who rock i out this month sporting
Lucky
g Leather accessories that truly efit the rock 'n' roll chick.
luckydogleather. com)
34
urve
Photos/artdirection:
KerryKrenzin
Production
Assistant:
ShannanLeighReeve
Models:
AbishaUhland
JamieHolmof the band
Sickof Sarah,courtesy
of AdamantRecords
MakeupArtisUHairStylist:
DanielBlaylock
(danielblaylock.com)
Jamie (left) with the Lapis
5 wrap bracelet.
Abisha (right) with the Silver
Nugget 5 wrap bracelet.
Off
the
Sick of Sarah rockers Abisha Uhl and Jamie Holm
strap into Lucky Dog Leather. By Merryn Johns
LESBIAN CHIC
Jamie and Abisha wear selections
from the Wrap Collection including
Tiger's Eye, Black Onyx, Sterling
silver and Gold vermeil. Gemini
Collection and Marquee Collection
and Wide Cuffs are also shown.
J
'-'-,-~
36
I curve
Silver Nugget 5 wrap
and Gold Vermeil 3
wrap bracelets.
(
I
I
Abisha wears a 1.5 inch
and 1.25 inch ring cuff and
matching 1.5 inch wide ring
belt, Cosmo belt, black
onyx double wrap bracelet
and silver Crown dog tag
and Fleur-de-lis cross on
silver ball chains.
/
I
/
Jamie (main) has on a Lapis 5
wrap and a Tiger's eye 3 wrap
bracelet. Abisha has on the
Silver Nugget 5 wrap bracelet.
38
I curve
Abisha {left) wears a black
onyx double wrap bracelet,
one black and one red
Solo from the Gemini
Collection, a red Gemini
Original and 1.5 inch wide
Ring belt, Cosmo belt and
silver Crown dog tag
and Fleur-de-lis cross.
Jamie (right) wears a
Tiger's Eye wrap bracelet,
a Gemini Original and two
Gemini Solo bracelets as
well as two braid bracelets.
The necklace is the Royal
Crown Dog Tag. The belt is
the popular Spot Stud Belt.
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March 2011
I 39
LESBIAN CHIC -liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~liiiiiiillliiialiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
High
Photographer Tasya Van Ree shares her vision.
By Constance Parten.
n the famous daguerreotype of La
Contessa Castiglione by Pierre-Louise
Pierson, the female subject, bedecked in
her finery, looks back at the photographer
through a cut-out frame. Who is framing
whom? In the case of photographer Tasya Van
Ree, partner of actor Amber Heard, it's all a
matter of perspective and instinct. Van Ree
gives us an insider's tour of her technique.
••·I
Whendidyoudiscover
yourpassion
forphotography?
Diane Arbus' Revelations exhibit at LACMA. At first glance,
I was intrigued with the cognitive influences behind the
images she captured. Her photographs contained visuals of
the forgotten, the weak, the hidden, the normal. .. and as I
walked deeper into this exhibit, I fell in love instantly.
Whendidyourealizeyouhad"aneye"anddidyoustudy?
Probably when I received my first compliment on a photograph that I had taken. I could never study something that
is so fluid. It defeats the whole purpose of art
and of being a true artist. I think the more
unrefined the better. It all goes back to the
purity of instinct.
Describethefirst importantphotoyoutook?
I came across a homeless man in downtown
Los Angeles years ago. It was obvious that the
elements of living on the streets had aged him
beyond his years. His clothes were tattered
and falling off of his body. I stopped him in his
tracks and asked him I if could take a picture.
He agreed and I took his portrait. When I got
the proof sheets back I looked at the photo and
what I saw I didn't see in real life. The photograph depicted a beautiful specimen of time. His
expression told a million stories. It was at this moment that
I wanted to share this simple discovery. Something that we as
humans seem to overlook: The details of a moment.
Whoareyourinfluences
andhowdoyoudefinephotography?
Surrealists and photojournalists. A photograph is the captured image of our imagination.
Whatdoyoushootwithandwhy?
If I'm shooting for my personal use I'll use one of my random
cameras that I've collected over the years. Some of them have
March 2011
I 41
imagination goes wild at night then my mind reels me in the
next day to focus in on what message I want to portray in the
photograph. I find the middle ground of chaos and serenity
and the end result is what I end up shooting.
Doyoupreferphotographing
maleorfemalemodels?
When I'm choosing my subjects I never base it on sex, but
on individuality and personality. Both women and men can
give me whatever it is that I'm looking for when I'm shooting,
depending on how comfortable they are with themselves.
When I'm visualizing what I want to shoot, I base it on the
feeling of masculinity or femininity. I think both male and
female can portray this feeling equally.
Cartier-Bresson
saidthat photography
was aboutcapturingthe
momentafternothinghappened.
Howimportantis timing?
Although timing is necessary, I think intuition is the most
important element that a photographer must have to make
him or her exceptional. They need to be able to feel what a
moment needs to make for the perfect photograph.
Whatprogressare femalephotographers
makingin the fashion
photography
world?
In the beginning, female photographers worked as photographic assistants in their husbands' studios. They could only
shoot portraits of women and children, the only permissible
subjects for women to pursue at that time. In the modern era
defects with their lenses or bodies. I love it because you never
of photography, female photographers like Annie Leibovitz
know what you'll get once you shoot. The idiosyncrasies make or Ellen von Unwerth have shown their talent in unprecefor a more creative outcome. If I'm shooting for an exhibit or
dented ways, progressing as fast as their male counterparts,
working in the fashion, editorial, and advertising worlds. As
a client and I want a more professional look I'll shoot with
women become more successful in society, the more visible
my Hasselblad or Leica.
In an era when"tacksharp"is the norm,youusea lot of grain, their presence.
particularly
in theblackandwhites.Why?
Wouldmorelesbiansbe attractedto modelingif theyknewthey
mightworkwithfemalephotographers?
I have an affection for old black and white photographs.
There's an essence of reality there that represents so much.
I think finding a photographer with talent and professionalism
The degree of depth radiates a palpable aura that cannot be
would be more of a selling point for someone who would
explained. I love using the technical behaviors of the masters,
want to model, and of course the ability to make them look
and combining it with the modern aesthetics of today's eye to
as beautiful as possible.
Doyoubelievein musesandif so,whois yours?
create something that incorporates the past and the present
My muse is my infatuation with love and the infinite rarity
in one photograph.
Is it truenobodyshootsfilm now?Is anythinglostwithdigital? she possesses.
There's an elegance that is disappearing at an accelerated rate,
If it weren'tfor photography,
howwouldyouexpressyourself?
Science. I'm quite fascinated by the natural world and the
a genuine feeling of reality that is no longer apparent. I'm trying
to hang on to the heart of photography for as long as I can. laws of nature.
Whowouldyoumostliketo photograph
andwhy?
I'll be shooting film till the day I die.
Howdoyoupreparefora shoot?
My mother. So she can see how beautiful she is from an outside perspective. ( tasyavanree.com)■
Insomnia from the night before always plays a key role. My
42
I curve
"A photograph
is the captured
image of our
imagination."
LESBIAN CHIC _._iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Turn "Home Sweet Home" into "Home Sexy Home"
with this lesbian couple's vision. By Merryn Johns
es, the pitchfork Sherry Joniff Solomon is holding
as she poses with her wife and business partner
Dana Solomon is a subversive nod to the famous
painting, ''American Gothic;' which depicts a
steadfast, puritanical, pioneering American couple.
Sherry and Dana are pioneering and steadfast,
too, but leave puritanical at the door. The lesbian couple runs
a Los Angeles furniture design store, 22 Bond St., which
stands by the philosophy of "fulfillment living, the freedom
to live out loud;' says Sherry. A house is more than shelterit's a haven. And furniture is not just something to sit on-it's
a philosophy.
"There's a whole energy and feng shui that we put into
customizing and laying out furniture;' explains Dana, who
was born and raised in Israel, where she served in the Israeli
Defense Forces for three years, then fell in love with Los
Angeles and decided to stay. "Most of our clients get a room
or a few rooms in the house done by us, and we create
a certain flow that energetically works for the person and
44
I curve
for the house. We look at our clients to see what is going
on in their lives: What kind of people they are, their dreams
and ambitions, if they want to get married, if they're trying
to have children, if they want to switch their job, if they're
moving on to the next phase in their life, and we try to create
something with them that will empower them. Not for a year
or two. We're trying to create balance for a decade at least:'
If this all this custom, iiber-glam furniture sounds like
it's outside the ordinary lesbian's budget-think
again. "It's
industrial grade materials and solid, quality, reclaimed old
woods, coming mostly from Europe we're using, yet the price
point is amazing;' says Sherry. "We don't want clients to have
to pay $15,000 for a love seat:'
Many of us are drawn to furniture franchises because we
believe they are cheaper and offer choice. But not so, says
Sherry. "In the last two decades in the industries of fashion
and interior design, price gouging and price markup have
been so significant, retailers and consumers have been brainwashed into thinking they have to pay a certain amount. Why
Far left: Sherry Joniff
Solomon and Dana
Solomon pose la
American Gothic
a
Left and below: The
eclectic, sexy, sustainable
and often affordable
custom made furnishings
of 22 Bond St.
is Pottery Barn, for example, so expensive? Our price point
is on par with, if not less than mass~produced places except
the quality is extremely high in comparison, and we're using
reclaimed old woods like mahogany or oak, not Chinese elm
or alder or pine or woods that are prematurely cut:'
Convenience, along with conservation, is also a priority
at 22 Bond St. When you custom order a bed, couch or an
ottoman you choose every aspect of it, the wait time is only
around 14 days as opposed to the usual month or more
most custom furniture outlets require, and it comes with a
lifetime warranty.
Their motto Home, Sexy Home is "really about indepen~
dence and finding your own voice. Sexy is more dynamic than
sweet. It's independently definable. Gays and lesbians choose
to live in a non~conventional way: Do it right and do it well;'
says Sherry, who is a graduate of women's liberal arts college,
Smith, where she learned to elevate the female consciousness
for the greater good. It is possible for women, and gays and
lesbians, to have it all. And Sherry and Dana do.
The couple met at an L Word premiere party six years ago
and instantly connected-to
the dismay of their respective
dates. Sherry had the pluck to ask for Dana's number and they
dated "for a nanosecond;' says Sherry. Two years later, Dana,
who ran the Nuni Gallery, wanted to hire Sherry to help take
the business in a new direction. Together they rebranded the
business into 22 Bond St., a success attracting celebrity clients
such as Sheryl Crow, Katy Perry and Queen Latifah, as well as
the many gays and lesbians from nearby West Hollywood.
The couple married in California's brief window of
opportunity and last year, Dana gave birth to their daughter,
Sterling-after
working in the showroom till her water
broke. "It's a brilliant energy in that space;' says Dana.
Three years on the business is thriving in an economy where
glam commands a more sustainable price tag. "We have a high
expectation of creating franchises, of taking the business to
the next level;' says Dana. And family is not incompatible
with business and luxe living. "We've got a couple more car
seats to fill;' Sherry laughs. (22hondst.com) ■
March 2011
I 45
LESBIAN CHIC
Frorrn Swedlen9
with Lovce
Swedish star and style icon Efva Attling shares her creations
with the gay and lesbian community. By Merryn Johns
fva Attling is dancing. The stylish blonde with
sapphire blue eyes and bone structure that made
Eileen Ford sit up and take notice still cuts a
fashionable figure at 59. Radiating star quality
she could be at Studio 54 rather than at one of Stockholm's
popular gay dubs, Paradise, on a chilly winter's evening. The
gay boys are dancing with her and the gay girls are ogling their
46
I curve
idol. Attling is a legend in Sweden and featured prominently
at Stockholm airport arrivals gate alongside Liv Ullmann and
Greta Garbo. Except Attling is sunnier and more approach~
able. And the lesbian fans do approach her, thanking her for
everything she has done for them.
What has she done to earn adulation on a crowded dance
floor:' Well, Efva Attling has an air of confidence that only
comes from knowing who she is, what she wants and how to
live. She travels through life with a dear~cut vision, as sleek
and understated as her designs. And gay rights aside, being
a public (formerly heterosexual) figure in Sweden who came
out in her 40s became just another thing to admire about
her. First, there was her discovery by Eileen Ford of New
York's Ford modeling agency; her band the X~Models with
their top ten hit "Two of Us;" her numerous appearances on
Swedish television; her marriages to (male) rock stars; the
launch of her successful jewelry line now worn by Madonna,
Kylie Minogue, Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep; design com~
missions for Absolut, Orrefors, Scandinavian Eyewear, Levi's
and H&M. Then there was her marriage to a chart~topping
Swedish rock star. Female.
Let's pause and catch a breath. I meet Attling in her Lower
East Side hotel while she is in New York to promote her latest
(very gay) jewelry line, homosapiens.nu. She's impeccably
turned out in a smart gray blazer and perky fedora, her blue
eyes bright with excitement about life and her "beauty with a
thought" jewelry, especially the Homo Sapiens pendants.
We talk about her remarkable career but I'm desperate
to ask her about how she fell in love with Sweden's iconic
music goddess, Eva Dahlgren, the two having been friends
since 1980, more than a decade before the fireworks went off
one night across a room. How did it happen all of a sudden:'
Attling shrugs. "I don't know. It was just a real 'Super
Trouper' moment;' she says, and breaks into ABBA: "Super
Trouper beams are gonna blind me/ But I won't feel blue ...
somewhere in the crowd there's you:'
Married twice to men-the father of her two sons is still
her best friend-it looks like this one's for keeps: Attling is
dearly still besotted by the acclaimed and statuesque song~
stress. "No one has more [Swedish Grammys] than my Eva.
None of the guys. The best singer in the world is Eva, but
k.d. lang has a special place in my heart:' Love, for Attling,
-'
~
,~
~
~
a:
<(
I
()
runs deep, symbolized by her line of rings
engraved with the motto From here to
eternity. Attling has married Dahlgren
three times: Once in a registered part~
nership in 1996, then when Sweden
passed its gender~neutral marriage law
in November 2009, and between those,
in Las Vegas with an Elvis~themed wed~
ding that surprised her bride. (In her
characteristically engaging manner,
Attling invited a female taxi cab driver
to the ceremony after she found out
she was also a lesbian).
When pressed on the issue of coming
out late, which continues to fascinate
the American media, it appears that,
like Cynthia Nixon, Attling had no
closet to come out 0£ no prior lesbian
leanings. She simply says, "Everything has
its time:'
"I was a determined child;' says Attling.
"My mother knew if I had an idea not to
stop me from doing it. At school I changed
places with the boys and took woodwork
and metalwork. While I was hammering
metal and wood I thought, This is what I
like doing. It never conflicted with my sense
of femininity or meant that I couldn't do or
like other things like music, modeling and
fashion:' At the age of 16 the multi~talented
Attling studied under one of Sweden's best
silversmiths but she ended up taking a 27 ~
year detour to jewelry, feeding her music and
fashion interests first, which have been the
other constants in her life.
Attling scoffs at the idea that lesbians are
ambivalent about fashion. "It's a ridiculous
thought that lesbians don't care about fash~
ion. It doesn't matter that you might have
signals you want to send that mean you
are butch or whatever. That's not fash~
ion and the young lesbians today are
not defining themselves by those
rules. You can't tell what they are.
I'm a fashion freak if I'm a lesbian
or if I'm pregnant. I love fashion.
To play. To be like a bird. Get into
your woman power:'
While some debate the politics
of modeling, from the addictions
and eating disorders of individual mod~
els to their perpetuation of unattainable
male beauty standards, Attling views
her former modeling career as an
education. "Modeling was my way of
traveling the world, of learning and
meeting people I would never norm~
ally get to meet whether they were
Ethiopian or American:'
Fashion, she believes, is an endur~
ing part of culture. Attling admires
Tom Ford and believes those Prada
boots and bags you drool over are
worth the outlay. "So, it's more expen~
sive, but it lasts for 10 years and I don't
want something if it's not going to
last 10 years:'
(/)
't>
Similarly, jewelry isn't only about
lJ
status: It's about permanence. The
idea for the Homo Sapiens necklace
came from the talisman. "Wear it
as a statement;' advises Attling, "Or
wear it close to your heart. It's good for
us. It's a reminder. Memento Vivere;' she says.
"Remember to Live:'
This credo is one of deep personal signifi~
cance for Attling. When it became clear that
her beloved mother was dying, Attling asked
for her thumb print so she could preserve her
memory forever in her Lifeline jewelry. "My
jewelry line is my life. As a child I wanted to
be an inventor, and now I realize, that's what
I do:' ( efvaattling.com) ■
Stockholm Gay&Lesbian Network
www.flysas.com/us
Scandinavian
Airlines
use it against them. For Mitchell's character
Emily, that primary secret is that she's gay.
When auditioning for Pretty Little Liars,
Mitchell initially read for the role of Spencer,
the type A, straight go~getter of the bunch,
SHAYMITCHELL
is lovely. Yes, The Pretty Little Liars star but was instead offered the role of Emily,
who's won our hearts playing Emily, the gay girl next door, is the sweet, closeted tomboy. For Mitchell,
absolutely stunning, but it's more than that. It's not just her the decision to play gay in her first leading
exotic eye~catching looks ( thanks to her Filipino and Western
role was an easy one. "I didn't hesitate for a
European heritage) or her figure-which is great, or even the millisecond;' she says. "I think it's awesome.
mane of shiny black hair that landed her the role of Pantene's I'm trying my best playing a gay character to
newest spokesperson. What makes Mitchell lovely is her aura represent that community in just the small~
of infectious enthusiasm, modesty and most of all, her sincere est way that I can and I'm so proud to do so.
passion for being an ally and voice for troubled gay teens.
Growing up, some of my best friends were
A Toronto native, Mitchell and her family moved to gay and a lot of my family members are gay
Vancouver where shortly after she landed a modeling con~ and it's never been anything for me, I don't
tracts in an open casting call. Despite a successful career in even think twice about it. A lot of people say
modeling that took her around the world, working in Europe
I'm brave for taking on this character and
and Asia, her true passion was always acting. "I would see the playing a gay character and I'm like, What?
trailers on set in Vancouver and think, I would pay you to be it's not even an issue:'
While it's always exciting to see another
in that show;' she tells curve. Once she set her sights on an
queer character on TV admittedly, the history
acting career, it wasn't long before Mitchell was booking
national commercials and an appearance on Degrassi High: of lesbian characters on TV is pretty grim.
The Next Generation and was featured in the Sean Paul For every Buffy the Vampire Slayer and South
video for"Hold My Hand:' But her big break came when she of Nowhere there are three that bring in the
clinched the part of Emily Fields on ABC Family's sleeper exploitative lesbian storyline for sweeps
then neatly send it packing in time for a
hit, Pretty Little Liars.
For those who haven't been swept up in Pretty Little Liars hetero~friendly finale. So it was with a cynical
heart that I began watching PLL. What I
mania, the show is based on a series popular young adult
book by Sara Shepard and follows four best friends who are discovered both surprised and delighted me.
reunited one year after their friend, (the very Heathers~esque) Amidst the whirling dervish of sensational
plot twists and morally questionable
Alison, has gone missing. Adding to the tragedy, the girlsromances (Aria and the handsome but very
Emily, Aria, Spencer and Hanna-begin
receiving harassing
text messages from someone known only as ''A;' who seems to much not a minor teacher Mr. Fitz, tsk tsk)
know their deepest secrets, taunting them and threatening to there was a sweet, oh so relatable lesbian
romance brewing between Mitchell's character Emily and
Maya (Bianca Lawson).
The relationship between Emily and Maya has been
surprising on a number of levels, not the least of which is
that it stuck around, something Mitchell is proud 0£ "It
can so easily be put in for ratings as just two hot girls ... I've
joked about having the fans blowing their hair and making
it so sexualized and hot, when really it's this sweet, sincere
relationship. Emily is not this overly sexual character by any
means more so that any of the other girls: She's the normal
girl next door who has feelings for Maya and they're going to
showcase that. It's very sweet, it's genuine:'
PLL breaks the mold in another bold way that we are
thankful for, it portrays public displays of affection between
Emily and Maya in a realistic and natural way. From South
of Nowhere to Modern Family,same~sex couples are regularly
depicted as downright chaste in comparison to their overtly
affectionate hetero counterparts, despite increased gay inclu~
sivity in television programming. But that's not so for Emily
and her girlfriend, Maya, a fact that Mitchell is well aware 0£
'Tm extremely proud of it. When you watch TV, boyfriend/
girlfriend couples are showing public displays of affection, so
why wouldn't our relationship do the exact same thing? Just
because it's 'Oh, it's two girls doing it' -so what, we're in a
relationship. I have feelings for her, her character has feelings
for my character and we're going to show that and be affec~
tionate. I think it's great that the writers have put that in:'
Much of Mitchell's storyline has been about understanding
her sexuality and finding love with Maya. The second half
of the series kicked off with Emily spontaneously coming
out to her father. In a refreshingly understated and intimate
scene, Emily is confronted by her father who
demands to know why she has become so
withdrawn. Rather than an overly extended
buildup or explosive, melodramatic closet~
buster, an off~guard Emily simply whispers,
'Tm gay:' It's a powerful scene and one
Mitchell did a lot of prep for. ''I'd spoken
to several people and gotten their story of
when they'd come out and I wanted to do it
right and give the word justice and make it
sound real and emote all those feelings that
Emily was feeling because that was a huge
rollercoaster scene for her. One moment she's
talking to Maya, who's her girlfriend, and
she's said, 'I miss you. I can't wait to see you.
I want to see you' and the next minute her
dad's there and she's trying to cover up and it
comes out. So, there were so many emotions
in there that I just wanted to do it right:'
It's from this same desire to do right by
the gay community that Mitchell has become
such a passionate ally."It just shows you that
the sun does rise the
next day and it will get
better. You might not
think that you have
that many supportive
people around
you,
but you really do have
more than you think;'
she says. "I just have
to say to all of those
people, girls and guys
around the world that
are dealing with the
same thing: you' re not
alone. If you feel like
you don't have that
support of community
surrounding you ... just
know that there is sup~
port out there .. .like the Trevor Project, and
all of these phone lines, they're available to
you, because there's nothing worse than bot~
ding it up:'
In the wake of last September's bullying~
inspired suicides, Mitchell is in a unique
position: That of playing a gay character on
a series targeting the age group so affected by
them-a role she takes very seriously."Emily's
character on the show, when she was having
to hide it and even trying to hide it from her~
sel£ it was the worst thing. I felt that pressure
on me when I was doing certain scenes, just
wanting to break free and say, 'No, I want to
" 11
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March 2010
I
51
play her how she is, and this isn't it, she's hiding:To talk about
it and talk to somebody, there are phone lines that are available and all you have to do is call them up-there are people
wanting to listen. It's a huge thing, and if I can say that to as
many people, and I can, then that's great.
"The show is doing an awesome job for me to get it out
there. I hope that coming out, that weight that was lifted off
of my character's shoulders, just shows you that the sun does
rise the next day and it will get better. You might not think
that you have that many supportive people around you, but
you really do have more than you think:'
And her fans are hearing her. Daily she receives messages
via Twitter and Facebook sharing with Mitchell how she has
impacted their lives. Mitchell shared one message that was
particularly touching for her:
"I just wanted to say thank you so muchfor everythingyou've
done with your role on PLL. Also, thank you for not shying away
from the questionsand interviewsand beingsincerewith responses.
You've becomesuch a great allyfor girls strugglingwith their sexuality, and even though I'm out I just wanted to say watchingyou
has helped me lead a more authentic life."- @joanna592
Canyoukeepa secret?
I havesecrets
I'venevertold.I
cankeepa secret.
What'syourguiltiestpleasure?
Ordering
a pizzaandstaying
in
bedalldaywithTVora movie.
What'syourbiggestvice?
Wine.
Anypets?
Yes,I havea dog.She'sa
Pomeranian
namedFoxy.
Dreamrole?
A Bondgirl.Theyaresofeminine
andyetpowerful.
I'veskydived
andI amupforanything
once.
If youcouldgiveEmilyany
advicewhatwouldit be?
Betruetoyourself.
FemaleCrush?
PaulaPatton.
Ona scalefrom1 - 10 how
well doesBiancaLawsonkiss?
A 10!
So what does the future hold for Emily's
character? Mitchell hints that the future for
Emily and Maya is rocky, saying that Emily
is young and people come and go, but promises that we'll be happy with where she ends
up. But for Mitchell's lovely self the future
couldn't be brighter. With a hit series and a
major ad campaign under her belt (and an
army of lesbian fans to boot), Mitchell is a
star on the rise.
And how does she feel about her new
lesbian fan base?"I think it's so awesome that
I have that following. I'm excited about it. I
hope I play more gay characters in the future.
That's another thing that's often brought up,
'What ifl play another gay character after this?'
And I'm like, What ifl do? That's amazing:' ■
BOUND
T
O
DIFFERENT
G
E
CULTURE
T
-
H
SAME
E
R
LIFESTYLE
Come along and join Lesbians from Australia and the USA
BORA BORA, Tahiti
18th - 25th September 2011
Land only packages start from $2633.
For more information email: silke@avalonmedia.com.au
r
'
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5 4 / curve
March 2011
I 55
Fine digs and dining:
Hotel Frank's king room
is contemporary cool;
The Slanted Door's spring
rolls make for delectable
eats; Boom at Orson warms
up those cool nights with
girls and cocktails
you are in a mall. The city seems shopping crazy: It
even has a hit musical called Shopping!The Musical
(bobrowproduct~ions.com).
Tasty dining options
are also available, or just great coffee and artisanal choco~
late as a pick~me~up. You may want to save your appetite for
some of the city's more enticing dining options.
One restaurant was recommended to us consistently, The
Slanted Door, a modern Vietnamese establishment in an
enviable location: The restored Ferry Building with views
over the Bay. Even though the trendy, minimalist space
designed by Olle Lundberg is large (at full capacity seating
almost 200 people), you'll still need a reservation. The Slanted
Door is a foodies paradise showcasing the freshest and best
ingredients from the area, especially ecologically~farmed local
produce.
We kept things light with a seafood and vegetable theme,
starting with a selection of delectable oysters, followed by
daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms, wood oven
roasted manila clams with Thai basil, crispy pork belly and
fresh chilies, cellophane noodles with fresh Dungeness crab
and pan~seared day boat scallops with spinach and spicy
pineapple~coconut sauce. The wine list is especially strong on
crisp whites. If you're on the wagon, enjoy fresh~squeezed,
organic or biodynamic juices and specialty Chinese teas.
Another restaurant worth experiencing is Coco500
(coco500.com). This casual yet elegant dining experience
presents a simple, fresh Italian~inspired menu and is both
romantic and good for groups who like ordering "family
style:' We snacked on the truffied mushroom flatbread with
parmesan (an orgasmic experience for vegetarians or anyone,
really), an heirloom tomato salad that was revelatory, and
several glasses of excellent wine that our knowledgeable
waiter recommended. After dinner, there are plenty of gay
gatherings to explore, but one in particular is a must~do.
56
I curve
Meet the Girls
The lesbian scene in San Francisco is not to be missed but it's
easy to miss if you don't know where to look. Boom, which
is currently held at world~famous lesbian chef Elizabeth
Faulkner's Orson Restaurant Bar and Lounge on Thursdays
presents a high class ladies night where you will meet some
very interesting and attractive women, and where you won't
have to shout to be heard. Meet, mingle and play with
new friends in a vibey atmosphere over quality wines and
cocktails. For updates and info on this popular girls' night,
stay connected at boomsf.com or via Facebook.
Go Green, Get Mobile
San Francisco makes a concerted effort to be green (it was
the first U.S. city to ban plastic shopping bags and has a 77
percent recycling rate) so if you feel some buyer's remorse
about all you've purchased and consumed during your trip,
feel good about supporting a city that supports eco~initiatives.
The city's taxi fleet is over 57 percent hybrid and aims to
improve on that this year. To lighten your carbon footprint
even more, use your feet: This pedestrian~friendly city was
voted one of the Top 10 Best U.S. Walking Cities according to
the American Podiatric Medical Association and we walked
easily between neighborhoods. Volunteer~based group City
Guides ( sfcityguides.org) offer around 80 free tours to help
you explore. Discover what made San Francisco so gay by
Cruisin' the Castro and Castro: Tales of the Village tours
which explore the evolution of the area from the Gold Rush
to Harvey Milk and beyond. Feeling tired? Sit down at a eco~
cultural event such as the Green Film Festival ( sfgreenfilmfest.
org) of films that explore living sustainably. ■
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A MARINESTORY
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..A lesbian amalgamof Walking Tall and Billy Jack" - Village Voice
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Don'tTelr policy.
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A beautiful and highly successfulNew York sex worker (playedby the stunning
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I
Africa is a place of fascination for many, especially those who
love its iconic spectrum of indigenous wildlife. But lately,
lesbians have had reason to rethink this compelling continent:
Homophobia is sweeping several African nations. To help us
navigate a once-in-a-lifetime African adventure, we sought
out Jody Cole, the owner of Wild Rainbow African Safaris,
and asked her to share her story and expertise.
WhatinitiallydrewyoutoAfricaandwhatkeepsyougoingback?
As a child, I was drawn to Africa from what I read and saw on
TV-Mutual
of Omaha's Wild Kingdom,reading Tarzan and
Born Free.But my favorite book was My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George, where a young boy runs away from
home and survives on his own in the wilderness. I also spent
many summer days exploring my grandparents' plantation
in southern Georgia, creating my own wild adventures. That
same thrill lives on every time I return to Africa, and I see
it in the faces of my guests, as well.
WhathasAfricataughtyou?Howdoesit changeyou?
Life in Africa is immediate and real. There are no buffers
ss I curve
between life and death, like there are in this country. My time
spent in Africa returns me to a mental and spiritual place
that is very old, very primal and very human. Witnessing the
cycle of life in the birthplace of humankind is something that
resonates with everyone. It may sound scary, but actually it's
just the opposite. It is a reawakening of the soul. That is the
Africa my guests experience and take back with them to
enrich their lives in the States.
Wouldyousharea life-changing
moment
thatoccurred
ona trip?
When I stepped off that very first plane deep in the bush of
South Africa, back in 1998-we landed on a green-grassand-red-soil runway in the middle of nowhere-when
I
stepped out onto the top step of the ladder to disembark,
I immediately recognized the warm, earthy smell. The first
time I heard the call of the Cape turtledove and I looked
around, I felt I knew this place. I was at home. Another life~
changing moment was while we were canoeing down the
Zambezi River that divides Zambia and Zimbabwe. Our
guide was steering our canoe while another guest and I were
in the front, paddling. The guide warned us about a particularly
dangerous pod of hippo around the next bend and told us
how to react, should we be charged by the bull. I thought to
myself, "This seems simple enough. I mean, how quick can
a hippo get to us when they're on the bank and we have the
entire width of the river on our sider" At that very moment, I
witnessed another canoe ahead of us panic as a massive form
rushed their boat! In seconds, our canoe was in their midst as
well. I began paddling with every fiber of my being to get past
these huge creatures. Then it happened. The bull came right
for us, rushing so fast he created a huge wave in front of him,
his mouth completely agape. I was terrified! I lived to tell the
tale, but I noted our guide had unlocked his pistol, ready to
shoot if we had been overturned. I became acutely aware of
just how precious and tenuous life can be.
Asa white,femaleguidehaveyouexperienced
discrimination?
As far as being female-in
Africa, if you can pull your
own weight, you gain respect from your fellow guides and
instructors on that basis alone. Being an American puts me
at a disadvantage in that I am not able to
spend months on end training in the bush,
and I'm sure some of my fellow guides
initially wondered if this was just a hobby
of mine. Then there's the discrimination
that comes from my race. In Africa, race is
discussed openly-and
remember, they are
only 20~some years out of apartheid. I must
say, however, that once I get on the ground,
get working, those differences quickly disap~
pear, because although I am a white, female
American, I know my stuff right down to
the tip of a lion's tail.
With the anti-gayviolencein Africa,how do you encourage Wild Rainbow
Safaris owner
lesbians
to goona safari?
Jody Cole
In America, we often receive a skewed picture of the world
outside. Africa is a huge and diverse continent. Just as if
you only heard the news from, say, the Oklahoma Chronicle
and thought that was the way all of America was, you
hear about the kill~the~gays bill in Uganda or lesbian
rape in Soweto and you might believe that is how all of
Africa is. There are many diverse ideologies. When you are
traveling in third~world countries anywhere in the world,
I recommend that my guests respect the culture they are
~
WILD
RAINBOW
AFRICAN
SAFAR.IS
Let us make your dreams come true. Booking 2011-2012 safaris now.
www.wildrainbowsafaris.com
707.467.0676
info@wildrainbowsafaris.com
March 2011
I 59
visiting. In turn, I have never experienced any discrimination,
nor have I had an incidence of disrespect toward any of my
guests due to their nationality, race or sexual orientation.
When you are my guest, you are going to experience a level
of personal service not often seen in the States. Tourism
is often the main source of income for African countries.
By and large, the African people are warm, generous
and welcoming. In February, I joined the board of the
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission,
where I will be engaged in these issues firsthand.
Willtheattitudein Africatowardhomosexuality
change?
Africans will change their views on homosexuality when the
church and her leaders do so. Right now, with the hardships
and suffering of the African people due to HIV/ AIDS and
poverty, there is fertile ground for those who wish us harm
to plant the seeds of hate. American religious leaders must
shoulder some of the blame for stirring the pot. It is easier
to create some outside source to blame for the suffering,
instead of laying the blame on the government, the church
or outdated beliefs. In just the few years I have been traveling
to Africa, access to the internet and outside news sources has
moved and continues to move Africa forward, albeit slowly.
Shouldanimalloversbeconcerned
abouta safari?
Animal conservation is paramount in Africa; however, I
believe the view of animal rights in Africa is built on an
experience unlike what we have here in the States. If you are
visiting a lodge or bush camp in Africa, whether in a reserve
or game park, you are already experiencing the ultimate
animal right-the right to roam free. You will be surrounded
by people who are intimately involved in protecting animals
60
I curve
and educating others about the web oflife that is essential for
their survival in the wild. Poaching is a real threat brought
on by the poverty and the increasingly large populations
in and around the bush areas. Those who are in the tourism
business are the very people who exemplify what can be achieved
when there is cooperation between people and animals. I choose
ground companies with long-standing records, companies
that take an active role in animal conservation.
WhatexcitesyouabouttheGrandPeaceParksSafariin April?
The Grand Peace Parks Safari is our primary safari for 2011.
It is an amazing journey across four countries that are
actively participating in opening the migration trails over
their borders. This is a unique opportunity for my guests to
see a number of countries, including a return to Zimbabwe.
This tour in particular puts the animals first and foremost.
By following these ancient migration trails, we will be concentrating on animal behavior that has been occurring for
thousands of years, was interrupted by international borders
and now for the first time will resume.
Whatfeedbackhaveyoureceived
fromlesbians
onyourtrips?
Lesbians enjoy traveling together, whether they're in couples
or alone. What a safari does is create close bonds through
common experiences-the
roar of lions in the morning, the
direct gaze of an elephant, the sounds of wildebeest herds in
the sunset. We love our safari preparations, but once we are
there, spending hours together exploring wildlife, then sharing
our own stories by firelight that evening-once
Africa
is in your blood you will never forget the good times and
adventures you've had while on safari. It truly is the trip of a
lifetime, and how better than to share it with one another:'
Is a safariforeveryone?
Is it dangerous?
When you travel with me, I am guiding you all the way. I am
very accessible, and after traveling over 30 times to Africa,
I'm more than happy to share my experience with you. You
deserve to live your dreams and my role is to help you make
them a reality. Many travelers are very concerned about their
personal safety, their accommodations, down to getting the
right shots. One thing I do that no other company does is
I hold a pre-trip meeting with my guests, so they can meet
one another, have a forum to discuss their concerns and get
answers. And when they step off that plane in Africa, I am
the first to greet them. It is this personal care that sets Wild
Rainbow African Safaris apart.
Aretherecertainqualitiesyouneedin orderto enjoy?
Well, certainly, if you are not interested in the animal
kingdom, I'd suggest doing something else! If you mean are
there physical barriers-people
from all walks of life are
going on safari every day. In our personal experience, we
had a 99-year-old woman who just returned from Kenya
this past summer. I guided a guest with AIDS who had to
bring an oxygen tank, someone who needed refrigerated
prescription drugs daily, and we went on safari. If you're
vegan, vegetarian, allergic to avocado, all your particular ~
needs can be accommodated. I simply recommend that ~
you bring your imagination with you and keep your mind ffi
open. Let Africa do the rest. ( wildrainbowsafaris.com)■
i5
Turn over a new leaf in this ecological paradise. By Mary McGrath
~
~
~
a:
w
[
fa
o
Cl)
~
~
For years, I'd been salivating at the thought of going to Costa
Rica. Everything I'd read about this tiny country spoke to
me. Its abundant wildlife, its close proximity to the United
States, the lack of political strife and, of course, its eco~
friendly approach to tourism all combined to make it a
win~win destination.
My partner finally conceded that it might be fun-agreeing
to forgo her annual European cathedrals fix-and we began
making plans for Central America. We had only a week to
spend there, and I wanted us to get the most out of our trip.
First of all, there are two seasons in Costa Rica, the wet
season (low) going from May through November, and the
dry season (high) going from December through April. Most
people travel to Costa Rica in the spring, but that's also when
it's more expensive, since there's less rainfall and humidity.
We opted to go in early December, before the swarms of
Americans arrived and after the rainy season-we hoped it
would be mostly dry.
Although Costa Rica is relatively small, roughly the size
of West Virginia, it contains a number of geographical
regions, all with their own climate zones, amounts of rainfall,
ecological advantages and navigational challenges. Where
you decide to go depends on what you want out of your
trip. There are beaches, volcanoes, heavy rainforests and an
abundance of wildlife, all within a few hours' drive. But no
matter when or where you go, Costa Rica is an ecological
paradise for many reasons.
Costa Rica has taken a pledge to become the first carbon~
neutral developing nation in the world, joining such countries
as New Zealand, Norway and Iceland in taking on the
challenge to become carbon neutral.
What is carbon neutrality? In simple terms, it involves
achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by balancing
the amount of carbon dioxide that is released from fossil
fuels with the amount of carbon dioxide that is offset-say,
by planting trees.
It's estimated that Costa Rica contains over 5 percent of
the world's plant and animal species, and since 80 percent of
its energy is currently generated through renewable sources
such as water and wind, carbon neutrality is the next logical
step in this ecological progression.
Costa Rica
is the perfect
destination
for nature
lovers
March 2011
I 61
But tourism in Costa Rica is escalating every year, and
country greatly in its efforts to achieve complete carbon
because of this so are the greenhouse gas emissions from jet
neutrality. Eat a French fry while you're traveling through
fuel, due to all the air traffic into and out of the country.
Costa Rica and you're actually improving the environment.
In an effort to combat this, FONAFIFO encourages
How cool is that?
tourists to donate between $5-60 to Costa Rica's forestry
When you're traveling to Costa Rica, there is another
financing fund. The money is used for reforestation through~
way you can lower your carbon footprint. When choosing
where to stay, you'll see that there's a sustainability index for
out Costa Rica, which helps with carbon absorption.
Besides FONAFIFO, there's also a small transportation
each property. Five green leaves is the best rating, one leaf
company called NatureAir, based in the Costa Rican capital
the worst. It's based on how actively the property promotes
city, San Jose, which flies between major airports and many
recycling, reforestation, waste management and environ~
smaller destinations throughout Costa Rica, including tourism
mental education.
If you have the time, try to visit a few different climate areas.
and eco hotspots such as the Osa Peninsula, Tamarindo
and Tortuguero National Park. Although its rainbow~colored
Within a few hours, you can be immersed in a rainforest, hiking
near a volcano, surfing at the
planes still utilize jet fuel, the company is focusing a great
deal of effort on reforestation
beach or zip~lining through the
and conservation measures.
trees. If you want the creature
comforts, check out one of the
Together
with
Aerotica,
"f ou're not prepared for
an aviation fuel company,
many all~inclusive resorts, such
Heat rash can happen~u~idity. Take lots of sunNatureAir has opened up the
as Barcelo Langosta Beach in
the temperatures and
II t and clothes that dry
first private biodiesel filling
the town of Tamarindo. This
screen, a hat, insect repe ennt and the last thing
area, with its near~perfect
station in Costa Rica. In fact,
quickly. Rains can be fre~u~ y~u're trying to enjoy
you want is a wet bum w e on drivingtime, simply
all its land vehicles use biodiesel
surfing and windsurfing con~
your vacation. To cut do~~ your first destination,
fuels, such as cooking and veg~
ditions, is quickly becoming 5:
fly into the airport closes ~ring a GPS if you're
etable oils. This measure alone
very popular, since the cost ~
and then travel from the:~~ Rica is very dark at
saves 160 tons of carbon dioxide
of living is still low and the ~
~
driving on your o~lnd.l~:springs into action.
climatic extremes are less 0
emissions a year and helps the
. ht when thew, '
mg ,
.
andnatureair.com
·ntormation
visittourism.co.er
Formore1
1H\NGs·rn
USViOU
LUKN
O~!
62
I curve
prevalent than in other parts of the country.
But if you want a more rustic experience,
check out some of the outlying areas near
the volcanoes, the other beaches and the
rainforests. We met a couple who had taken
a shower while a sloth gazed at them from
the trees! All levels of comfort are available
throughout Costa Rica.
The roads can be primitive, except for
the main arteries around airports and
major cities, and the driving style in
this normally laid~back country is very
aggressive, so driving can be a challenge.
Many of the smaller roads are often unpaved, unmarked
and riddled with potholes. It can be charming, though, as
the forest engulfs you in its thick evergreen arms. Jaguars,
iguanas, crocodiles and all types of birds can be seen, and if
you're as lucky as we were, a howler monkey may pee on your
car if you get too close.
Many places we had intended on visiting were just too far
away, so we'll have to plan better when we return again. But
whether you want to chill or thrill, it's all available in Costa
Rica, the country with a carbon~neutral conscience. ■
WITHI N AFEW
HOURS, ·10UCAN
9E IMME
RSE0
INARtdNFOREST,
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March 2011
I 63
DESERT
HEARTS
A lesbian oasis awaits in Alice Springs, Australia.
By Nicole Clausing
Sitting at a restaurant in Alice Springs, Australia, I realized
I'd never been this far from home before. Or this close to the
middle of nowhere.
It had taken my partner, Pipi, and me 14 hours on a plane
and two days on a train to reach this town of27,000, situated
very near the center of the Australian continent (and almost
1,000 miles from the nearest major city). Now that we were
there, the menu at the Red Ochre Grill was not making me
feel any more at home. Many of the items on it were either
unfamiliar or offputting. What's a bush tomato:' Can bar~
ramundi hurt me:' Do people really eat kangaroo:'
Just when I was sure my bearings were lost for good, I took
a look around the restaurant and instantly felt more at home.
and I were surrounded by sensible shoes and fanny packs. "Is
there an Olivia cruise in town:"' she asked, and the suggestion
made so much sense that I was embarrassingly late to get the
joke-Alice Springs is 750 miles from the nearest ocean.
Was this some sort of jet lag-induced mirage:' Happily,
no. It turns out that Alice Springs (''Alice;' to its friends)
really is a lesbian oasis in the middle of the desert outback.
Just how many lavender ladies are there in Alice:' Though
no one's ever counted, estimates run from about 300 (according
to the iconic Desert Rose Connolly, writing in a 2002 edition
64
I curve
of her Desert Dykes newsletter), to "several thousand;' ( the
estimate in the 2007 Australian documentary Destiny in
Alice).Whatever the actual count, the town's queer population
is big enough to support the Alice IS Wonderland gay Mardi
Gras every year.
Why Alice:' Conventional wisdom says that the sisterhood
came to protest the nearby Pine Gap intelligence~gathering
facility in 1983 and never went home. But historian Megg
Kelham, in her contribution to the Queers of the Desert
online archive, notes that Alice has probably always been
attractive to lesbians looking to get out of the city, because
it's a rare inland town that does not have its origin in the
male~dominated mining industry. (Alice was founded as a
telegraph station in 1872-and was named after Alice Todd,
the wife of a former postmaster general.) Or, as Desert
Rose puts it, "It's the womb thing-this
is the centre of the
universe, a woman's place ... you can be yourself here:'
If it's hard to know why everyone come here, it's easy to
see why they stuck around. There's a lot to do, for a town
so small. On our first day in town, Pipi and I had a choice
between the Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre, the National ~
iii
Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame and the remarkable School o
~
of the Air, where you can listen in on lessons broadcast to o
students living on cattle stations too remote to allow them access to public
schools.
Though Pipi and I like pioneering women and indigenous culture as much
as the next lezzies, there is one thing we like still more, and that's animals. So,
our first stop was the Alice Springs Desert Park. We arrived at the park by
taxi. (Our driver was a gloriously tattooed woman who lit up our gaydar but
then broke our hearts when she revealed that her partner is a straight cis man.
This word "partner': we learned, is commonly used by all Australians, gay and
straight, to describe their significant others.)
Alice Springs Desert Park is laid out around a mile-long path. This track,
though, is so studded with learning opportunities that it was one of the slowest
miles I've ever covered. We watched thorny devil (Molochhorridus)lizards
snuffle up ants just inches from our noses at the reptile habitat. A few hundred
yards later, we were walking among kangaroos. The next thing we knew, we
were watching rabbidike bilbies hop around in the dark in a nocturnal house
that rivals the one at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. We watched a bird show
featuring swooping eagles and kites, and then serendipitously stumbled upon
a talk on traditional desert living given by Doug, an engaging Arrernte man
whose ancestors have survived in the so-called Dead Heart of Oz for tens of
thousands of years.
We probably could have stayed at the park longer, but by mid-afternoon
our brains were full and the camels were calling-the
camels at Pyndan
Camel Tracks, about eight miles outside of town at the base of the ancient
MacDonnell Ranges.
Camels, while not native to Australia, take so well to the desert and have
been imported in such numbers that Centralians don't consider them exotic.
But I certainly felt adventurous as I climbed into the saddle in front of the
single hump of B.J., a surprisingly easy-going, non-spitting dromedary. Pipi
climbed on behind the hump and, with a scary back-and-forth lurch, B.J. rose
from his belly to his full height. Any fears we had about our camel-riding
skills were quickly allayed when it became clear that the ride would really
be more of a lope on animals that were tethered to one another and led by a
rancher on foot.
At this pace, we had all the time in the world to contemplate the sun setting
over the fiery red hills. Sure, the parrot chatter and magpie calls sounded foreign,
but the landscape, with its red earth, scrubby brush and eroded rocks, looked
a lot like the American Southwest. I was feeling not so far from home at all,
until the surreal sight of two wild kangaroos bounding across my field of vision
startled me out of my Sonoran reverie. But that's just what Alice Springs is
like, I decided: both familiar and otherworldly at the same time.
And thoroughly queer, in every sense of the word. ■
\f ~OUGO
Whereto Stay:
Toddy's
39-41 GapRoad
AliceSprings
$18-$76/night
(toddys.com.au)
Whereto Eat:
RedOchreGrill
ToddMall
AliceSprings
(redochrealice.com.au)
Barraon Todd
34 StottTerrace
AliceSprings
(chifleyhotels.com.au)
Whatto Do:
Henley-on-Todd
Regatta,
AliceSpringsDesertPark:
late August:Runnerscarry
LarapintaDrive,AliceSprings.
bottomless
vesselsalongthe
(alicespringsdesertpark.
normallydryToddRiverbed
com.au)
in the world'sonlyboatrace
PyndanCamelTracks:Call
that is canceledif there's
water.(henleyontodd.com.au)aheadto arrangea pickupat
yourhotel.(came/tracks.com)
AliceIS Wonderland
gay
MardiGras:Februaryor
Busto Uluru:Wewerehappy
March;normallya weekafter with ourMT Kingstour,especiallysincewe wereableto
the SydneyGay& Lesbian
reserveourspotsbeforewe
MardiGras.
left home.(aatkings.com)
NationalPioneerWomen's
Hallof Fame:2 Stuart
Terrace,
AliceSprings.
(pioneerwomen.com.au)
AboriginalArt & Culture
Centre:125ToddStreet,
AliceSprings.
(aboriginalart.com.au)
Schoolof the Air:80 Head
Street,AliceSprings.
(assoa.nt.edu.au)
ASIOETRIP10ULURU
Whetheryoucall it by its
Europeanname,AyersRock,or
by its Aboriginalmoniker,Uluru
(pronounced
"Ooolooroo,"
with
equalemphasison everysyllable),
there'sno denyingthat the
mysteriousmonolithrisingmore
than 1,000feet out of the outback
packsa spiritualpunch.Uluruis
285milesfromAliceSprings,but
it wouldbe a shameto comeso
far andmissout on seeingthis
naturalwonder.Here'show:
Drive:There'sso little traffic on
the StuartandLasseterhighways
that you'll getthe hangof leftsidedrivingwithoutendangering
anyone.Avis,HertzandThrifty
provideone-wayrentalsbetween
AliceandUluru.Allowfor at least
five hoursof drivingtime,and
bringlots of waterif youtravelin
the summer-temperaturesthen
routinelytop 11OF.
Bus:Lotsof tour companiesrun
coachesbetweenAliceSprings
andUluru,startingat around
$100.Toursusuallyincludea
I
few stops,as well as narration
explainingthe cultureandlandscapeyou'repassingthrough.
Fly:Thisoptionis expensivHn
the neighborhood
of $300--butit
enablesyouto makea daytrip of
it, if youhaveto.ThehopfromAlice
(ASP)
toAyersRock(AYQ)
Airportis
onlyabout45 minuteslong.
March 2011
I 65
LUXURlOUS
LONDON
Treat yourself to some
luxe livin' across
the pond. By Stepha
nie Schroeder
My girl and I arrived late
on a warm midsummer
evening, and for
our first night in London
I wanted a special pla
ce. We took the
Heathrow Express, a rail
line that travels at ligh
tning speed, and
in just 15 minutes we ma
de it from the airport to
the Hotel Indigo
(hipaddington.com), ver
y near Paddington Station
, in the heart of
the city.
A funky boutique hotel,
the Indigo gave us a sm
all room that
was big on decor and
amenities. We had A/C
, but chose to cool
down by cracking the Fre
nch doors overlooking
London Street. The
hotel offers free Wi~ Fi,
the use of the gym and
either a continental
or a full English breakf
ast (for an additional fee
). The full English
breakfast is something
we both came to enjoy
immensely; it consists
of eggs, scrambled or
fried; bacon or sausag
e, often vegetarian;
mushrooms; baked bea
ns; hash browns; and a
grilled tomato.
To round out our stay
in central London, I che
cked in with Visit
Britain (visitbritain.org)
for recommendations
on a few hidden
gems. I found an unlike
ly blend of queer and
feminist history at
the Cadogan Hotel in
Knightsbridge. The app
eal of this elegant
establishment lies in its
charming stodginess mix
ed with a con~
temporary edge. The Cad
ogan's bar and drawing
room feature the
original ( 1887) stained
glass windows and oak
paneling. The drawing
room is just the place
to enjoy afternoon tea
, a time~honored
English tradition, after
which you may wish to
drop to one knee
and propose to your com
panion. Lucky thing the
hotel has two
refurbished and fully equ
ipped banquet rooms
for private celebra~
tions. In fact, the Cadoga
n holds a civil wedding
license for marrying
same~sex couples.
The story of the Cadoga
n goes like this: It wa
s once the home
of Lillie Langtry, the fam
ous actress and "close per
sonal friend" of
King Edward VIL She
sold the house, but con
tinued to live in her
old bedroom (room 109
) until her death. Howe
ver, the Cadogan is
perhaps best known for
its association with Osc
ar Wilde (an early
fan ofLangtry's), who,
in 1895, was arrested for
"committing acts of
gross indecency with oth
er male persons" in roo
m 118.
Room 118 is now the site
of one of the Cadogan's
most exquisite
specials, the Green Car
nation Package. Upon
arrival, guests will
find a bottle of Perrier~
Jouet rose Champagne
chilling on ice and a
book of Oscar Wilde's
famous quotes. It seems
that Oscar Wilde
was also famous for his
tipple of choice, "P~J' Ch
ampagne, which
66 \ curve
he frequently indulged in at the hotel. Following his arrest
at the Cadogan, he wrote to his partner requesting that he
please visit the hotel to settle his Pj account.
During the evening, Green Carnation guests dine on a dee~
adent three~course meal in the elegant Langtry's Restaurant,
with a limitless supply of wine. The next morning, guests
enjoy a full English breakfast in Langtry's or relax in their
room with breakfast in bed.
Dining at Langtry's (langtrysrestaurant.com) was a treat. It
turns out that the formal dining room, with original historical
detail and very proper wait service, presents ultramodern
cuisine in a casual atmosphere, accommodating those people
who, like me, insist on wearing jeans everywhere. As a starter,
the wild garlic soup, slightly sweet and with no aftertaste,
was a welcome surprise. Our main course of prime rib cut
through like butter. The dessert menu consisted of various
puddings and I had to inquire about the summer consort.
This tiny jelly jar of summer berries topped by lightly toasted
GETTING
THERE
Flyingqueer-friendly
American
Airlines(aa.com/rainbow)
direct
to London
is a sweetalternative
tothemoreexpensive
Britishbasedairlines.
Usethemoney
yousaveonyourticketto
treatyourself
andyourgalpal
tosomemuch-deserved
luxe
London
living.
68
I curve
sponge cake and drizzled with berry compote was a refreshing
finish to the meal.
Since we were within walking distance, we decided to
saunter over to Regent's Park for the Taste of London Festival
( tastefestivals.com). The lively crowd, colorful displays and
scrumptious food filled us up and we walked away with sensory
overload of the best possible kind.
On a Saturday, we headed over to Broadway Market
(broadwaymarket.co.uk) to check out the fresh produce,
charcuterie, thrift~shop clothes and amazing baked goods.
We found a new favorite at the Violet Cakes stall: An almond
polenta cupcake with mango frosting. We later found the
bakery itself, on Wilton Way in Hackney, and copped a box
of six tiny cupcakes to sample, along with a scone concoction
with clotted cream and rhubarb, and a homemade moon pie.
Theatre is huge in London, so Londoners can be counted
on to flock to see the latest live performances. We caught a
show during a special series of comedies at the SoHo Theatre,
whereOscarWildewasarrested
for
"grossindecency"
(a euphemism),
TheCadoganHotel
in 1895.Situated
betweenKnightsbridge
75 SloaneStreet,Knightsbridge,
andSloaneSquare,
theCadogan
London
SW1X 9SG
Hotelhasanenviable
address.
Onthe
Reservations:
02072357141
doorstep
ofsomeoftheworld'smost
Prices:Startfrom$460(excluding
VAT} famousfashion
boutiques,
including
fora DoubleGuestroom.
Fendi,GucciandPrada,it'salsoa short
walkfromsomeof Britain's
bestshopTheCadogan,
oneof London's
prestigping
at
Harvey
Nichols
and
Harrods.
iousfive-starKnightsbridge
hotels,is
(cadogan.com)
WHERE
TOSTAY
which boasts unique performers and avant~
garde presentations. We attended the London
International Festival of Theatre (liftfestival.
com), then met local friends for a drink at
the Benugo Bar & Kitchen at the British Film
Institute, South bank. Walking there (and get~
ting lost) we caught a glimpse of the impressive
London Eye (the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe).
I wouldn't be caught dead riding it, but even
from the ground it was a spectacular sight!
On our last evening, we decided to go all out
and have a four~course dinner at 108 Marylebone
Lane (108marylebonelane.com). This chic bras~
serie, situated in the upscale, sophisticated West
End, serves fabulous British food with ingredients sourced
from local companies such as Biggies Sausages, The Ginger Pig,
La Fromagerie and Jane Parker. Our meal was full of delicious
contradictions: Biggies vegetarian sausages along with another
prime rib cooked to perfection, with not a bit of fat on it. We
emptied a bottle of dry white wine hand~picked by the staff,
finished with a yummy cheese plate and went on our way.
When we landed at JFK in New York we felt tired but calm,
well~fedand very satisfied after two delicious weeks of indulging
ourselves together in England's spectacular capital city. ■
I-IOTEL l=RANK
386 Geary Street
(between Powell and Mason)
415.986.2000 • Hotelfranksf.com
Treat your
palate to
an evening
at 108
Marylebone
Lane
THELlVEU CROW □, COLORFUL
OISPUffSANO
SCRUM
PT10USFOOOFlLLEOUSUPJ!.NOWE
WP,
LKEO/J;WP."1
WITHSENSOR·10VERLOJ!,0 0F
THEBESTPOSSIBLE
KIN □.
Surrounded by the contemporary hip-meets-classic Thomas
Schoos' design, the hotel is an ideal home-away-from-home
for
the leisure or business traveler. From retro mod '60s chic, to hip,
new millennium styling, Hotel Frank comes alive with a harmonious
blend of ageless and up-to-the-minute
shapes, colors and textures.
Located steps away from the pulsing heart of San Francisco's Union
Square and a quick trip to the historic Castro district, your options
are endless: From shopping to award winning theater to a bustling
arts district ... even take a ride on a cable car.
Member of the Golden Gate Business Association and the International
Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
March 2011
I 69
REVIEWSMusic Watch
LostAnd Found
Mary Gauthier discusses her most personal album to date. By Dave Steinfeld
Over the course of half a dozen discs, New
Orleans-born,
Nashville-based
singersongwriter Mary Gauthier has earned acclaim
from fans, critics and fellow artists alike. Her
latest album, The Foundling, is special because
it's her most autobiographical work to date.
Adopted when she was a year old, The
Foundling deals with Gauthier's sense of
rootlessness and her search for her birth
mother. The album's centerpiece, "March 11,
1962" is absolutely stunning; it recounts the
phone conversation she had with her birth
mother when she finally got the nerve to call
her-only to find out that the woman wanted
nothing to do with her. I recently got a chance
to chat with this talented musician during
her stay in New York. The only thing more
remarkable than hearing Mary Gauthier's
music is having a conversation with her.
Youlivein Nashville
andyou'reout.Areyou
frustratedbyotherswhoaren't?
70
I curve
My experience in Nashville has been one of
acceptance. I didn't hit any roadblocks being
out. My frustration has been with other
artists that refuse to come out. Yet, I also
have compassion for their position. A lot of
them are mainstream country, and it would
be a real challenge for [country radio stations]
to play a gay artist. But Chely Wright just
came out [and] I'm really proud of her. She's
the first. There's so many more! We'll see if
anybody else has the courage Chely's been
showing. I didn't want to come out. The way
to not have to come out is to just to beout! I've
never not been out. I've never not been gay.
You'vedescribed
an emptyfeelingyou'vehad
throughout
yourlife.Didit stemfromfinding
outyouwereadopted?
There probably was a correlation but I didn't
[make it]. I always knew I was adopted. I
don't remember being told, it was just always
I was adopted and it was always pitched as
a good thing. "We chose you. We wanted
you. We waited a long time to get you in
our family:' So, that made me feel special.
Somewhere along the way I realized that
being chosen is not the same as being born.
And there's a feeling of not being born that
comes with adoption that's hard to describe.
Most people get told the story of their birth,
like, "Your Dad was in the waiting room and
he was frantic" or "When I first held you, I
cried:' But there's nothing when you're
adopted-there's
just a blankness.
"March11th,1962"is the centerpiece
of the
album.Whatdidit takefor youto writeit?
It took everything I had. It's the hardest thing
I've ever done. It was a process; it wasn't an
event. It took me six months from when I
[received] her phone number to actually call
her. But it took me 40 years to hire a private
detective to get the phone number. I had to
find a reason to call her and I didn't understand why I felt the need to call her. But...
what finally gave me the courage to pull the
ffi
§
~
~::J
8
ifi
[ij
ti
Q+A
Sugarbeach
In a world where girl-loves-boy lyrics permeate
pop, Sugarbeach is an exciting discovery for
the lesbian pop-loving community. Based
in Vancouver, Canada, Sugarbeach consists
of Marlee Walchuk and Tully Callender,
two out artists who bring queer issues into
the limelight through ear-catching tracks.
Musical partners and a real-life couple,
Walchuk and Callender have carved an
impressive niche for themselves: Their album
I Just Love Girls claimed the No. 1 spot
for three months on the Out Voice top 40
chart and they wrote a track featured in the
lesbian film The 6 Month Rule.
HowdoPrideaudiences
respond
to you?
Callender:
Quite inspired, not only by the
queer nature of our music, but by our
relationship, as well. The first time we did a
Pride event, a young girl came up to us and
said, "Because of that song, I came out to my
father:' That was the moment we knew that
we were doing exactly the right thing.
Tellusaboutsomeofyoursongsandtheinspirationbehindthem.
Walchuk:
Songs like "Give Me Your Body"
are about our life. Other songs-like "Not
S:?
<t:
~
I
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~
<t:
I
N
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i'ti
~
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i
~
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0
ffi
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a:
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trigger and dial the number was it
occurred to me that I should thank her.
That'sa verycompassionate
approach.
Well, part of my journey has been
dealing with my own drug and alcohol
addiction. I got sober in 1990 and
part of my job as a person in recovery
has been to learn what the high road
actually is and give it a try every now
and then.
Tellmeaboutyourcollaboration
with
NanciGriffithandElizabeth
Cook,"Three
BroadsandtheTruth."
Elizabeth has a Loretta Lynn quality
to her. And she's also drop-dead gorgeous. But as soon as she opens her
mouth, she's disarming because she's
so country and so humble. You don't
expect that personality from someone
that gorgeous. [So] you've got the
Americana founding mother, Loretta
Lynn in hot pants and the lesbian! ■
Deserted;' which is about the story of Carl
Joseph Hoover, the young black boy who
committed suicide last year as a result of
anti-gay bullying-are things we see in the
news. Often things touch us really deeply,
and we feel like we have to get out there
and either blog about them or write about
them. Music is a great vehicle for that.
Howdidyoutwomeet,andgofromdatingto
makingmusictogether?
Walchuk:
We were with other people when
we met in Australia about nine years ago, and
there was an immediate connection between
us. It was quite disconcerting, as neither of
us were really prepared for it or knew what
to do with it. So, we were just friends for
five years, basically until our relationships
broke down to a point where we just weren't
happy in them. We began to hang out a little
bit more and realized there was something
much deeper there.
Callender:
We were planning on doing music
together, but we'd never planned on it being
as big as it is now.
Whatdoyouultimately
hopeto achieve
through
yourmusic?
Walchuk:
We're passionate about improving
TheMostWanted
ShundaK
(FanaticRecords)
Formerlyof the openlylesbian,label-defying
HipHoptrio,YoMajesty,ShundaK'slatestsolo
hasherbackto doing
effort,TheMostWanted,
whatshedoesbest,beinga musicalprovocateur.
MostWanted
is packedwith hertrademarkbold,
explicitexpression
andlyricalexplosions
that
proclaimbothhersexualidentityanddemand
hervoiceto be heard.Challenging
stereotypes,
genresandherselfwithtracksthat rangefrom
the deeplypersonal"ChasingOatSound,"which
toucheson bothhersexualityandherdevout
spirituality,to the unapologetically
self-assured
"I'm DaBest,"ShundaK makesno bonesabout
beingat thetop of hergame.Fansof bothher
workwithYoMajestyandhersoloprojectswill
findthis latestalbummostwanted,indeed.
(fanaticrecords.
com)
the lives of the LGBT community. I would
say that that's right at the top. We want to
do that through positivity and promotingjoy
and love [as much as that sounds like a' 60s
mantra]. And I think that our connection
with each other is really important. We have
been absolutely blessed to find the person in
this world that is right for us.
Doyouhopeto crossoverto a mainstream
audience?
Callender:
We'd certainly love to see one
day very soon that it be absolutely normal
for gay themes and LGBT themes to be on
mainstream radio. Girl singing to girl, boy
singing to boy.
Walchuk:
The crossover to mainstream is
a big thing to us because if it happens for
us it will happen for other queer artists.
Real change needs to happen in the minds
of straight people-otherwise
we're just
preaching to the choir. (sugarbeachmusic.com)
[EleniStephanides]
GetWhatYouCameFor
A queerinclusivequartet,the ladiesof Vanity
Theftaremuchmorethanjust (very)prettyfaces.
Hailingfrom Dayton,Ohiothe groupgottheirstart
as a garagebandwhileguitaristBrittanyHill,
singer-keyboardist
AliciaGrodecki
anddrummer
ElyseDriskillwerestill in highschool.Nowjoined
byformerchildactorturnedbassslappingrock
Vanity
goddessLalaineParas(LizzieMcGuire),
Thefthascreatedan instantlyinfectiouspoprock
album,withan electronicedge.This10-track
albumis populated
with club-friendly
songslike
the revenge-tinged
"LimbFromLimb"andthe
feisty,upbeat"RattleRattle,"whichmanageto be
equalpartsbubblegum
andangst.It'sthe perfect
setlistfor gymor a fist pumpinggirlsnightout.
Catchthemontournowwithfellowlesbianfave
(adamantrecords.com)
HunterValentine.
March 2011
I 71
REVIEWSIn The Stacks
Pulp Pioneer
Ann Bannon reflects on writing lesbian fiction in the "1950s. By Merryn Johns
Published at the end of the McCarthy era,
Ann Bannon's first novel, Odd Girl Out, was a
revelation for closeted lesbians living in sub~
urban and small town America. Written by
a young housewife-who
was just coming
to terms with her sexuality-this
enduring
tale of love in the "shadows" is still one of the
best~loved lesbian romances. Now out and
a lesbian publishing legend, Bannon takes
us back to the bygone era of pre~Stonewall
Greenwich Village to tell her story, share
the inspiration for her most iconic character,
Beebo Brinker, and reflect on why her pulp
fiction remains relevant today.
Didyoueverthinkwhenyouwere startingout
thatyou'dbe partof literaryhistory?
Not even in my wildest dreams. I'm pretty
sure that I, like most of the [paperback
writers] back then, was convinced that we
721
curve
were wntmg throwaway
fiction, that this wasjust an
ephemeral entertainment.
There was one glimmer
of a suggestion that people were taking the
books seriously. I can remember sit~ting at
the Beverly Hills Hotel with my publisher
and editor, talking to movie producers, and
even about possibly casting the stories-this
was back in the 1950s-but people were just
too scared to give it a try. But never did we
think our books would end up in university
collections.
Didyoumixwith otherlesbianpulpwriters?
I was pretty isolated, except for my furtive
trips to Greenwich Village when [my hus~
band and I] were living near Philadelphia.
But then we moved out to California and
I had children and less freedom ... I did
meet the Mattachine [Society] guys ... l
connected with the Los Angeles chapter
of the Daughters of Bilitis, which was just
getting started then. But mostly they were
back in New York. I didn't have the freedom
to get away and get connected to people.
Whatdid yourhusbandthink at the time?Did
he knowyouwerea lesbianwriter?
[Laughs] Well, he knew I was writing. He
began to realize a little bit of what it was
about. He would get home from work and
read a paragraph or so that was in a stack by
the typewriter, but it made him very uncom~
fortable. We'd only been married a little over
a year when this started, and he was quite dis~
couraging until Odd Girl Out was published
and we began to see the sales figures. It
cheered
him up a lot to take those checks
to the bank. [Laughs] He was
very controlling. He didn't want
me to have friends, certainly not
lesbian friends. He wanted me at
home with the babies, and that
was not atypical for that era.
He was predisposed to accept
it because the books were so
successful. [He thought that]
behind the pen name no one
would know who I was, and
each of the books would die a
natural death. And here I was
thinking that I had to do what
my mother did and what her mother did.
Didyoufeelyouwerenotlivingfully?
Yes, there was a part of me that was not
lived. I tried to sustain it after we moved to
California, but people began to show up at
my front door uninvited and my husband was
beside himsel£ I had to cut off all contacts. I
learned to live a life between my ears. I did
a lot of living through the books. It was just
so difficult, bogged down with children and
a disapproving husband. I stopped writing
and shifted gears entirely and went back to
academia.
Wastherean exactmomentwhenyoucame
outof thecloset?
I wasn't deliberately sequestering myself in
2
i
~
I
~
z
(3
z
0
(/)
'."i
the closet, but you can imagine the amount
of work piled on, earning a master's degree
and a doctorate, and then from there I went
right into a teaching position in Sacramento.
And then when you become a dean it's
24/7. In the early '80s my husband and I
finally separated and Naiad Press reissued
the books. Then I was walking across cam~
pus one day, probably around 1983, and (a
librarian] stopped me and said, "Guess what,
we just bought your book:' It was the New
York Times hardcover edition. Even students
knew. I was sitting at my desk and a very shy
young woman came in and she put a little
bouquet on my desk and said, "I just found
out who you are;' and she sort of backed out
of the room. I started doing some lecturing
and documentaries, Stonewall and Forbidden
Love. I was perfectly up~front about it. I just
hadn't been active in the community before
that time.
Youwereinspired
to startwritingpulpbyVin
Packer'sSpringFire.DidyouknowthatVin
PackerwasMaryjaneMeaker,a lesbian?
You know, I wasn't 100 percent sure when I
picked that book up off the drugstore counter,
but it was clear from the cover art and the
blurb what it was about. I realized as I
read the book it had to be by [a lesbian]. I
thought, I can do this. I wrote to her through
Gold Medal Books, and miraculously she
wrote back. Fifty years later I said to her,
"What in the world did you write back to
me fort I know what fan letters are like. She
said, "Well, yours was different. I thought
you were sort of a fey kid ... I was just sort
of intrigued:' So I wrote back to her and said
I was writing a novel, and she said, "Well, if
you can get yourself to New York, I'll introduce
you to my editor. Bring your manuscript:'
And I did and she did.
Whatinspiredyouto createcharacters
like
BeeboBrinker?
Didyouknowtheyexisted?
When I decided I wanted to continue and
tell the story of Laura, after she reached New
York and began living a new life, I was already
daydreaming about someone like Beebo. By
then, I had been in Greenwich Village a few
times. I was looking around every cornerto see, would she be there:' what would she
look like:' and so forth. I couldn't quite get
her put together. I had this mental image,
a blend of Ingrid Bergman and Johnny
Weissmuller, when he used to play Tarzan.
(Laughs] Obviously, I wasn't finding that,
but I was seeing some very handsome young
women, and it was my good luck to have a
chance to spend some time in N.Y.C. near
Columbia University, staying with a friend,
and she had a little apartment near the
university and it had a roof deck and I'd
climb up there and look out over New York
thinking, My next book has got to have this
wonderful butch in it, and I want her to be
like a young buccaneer ... I was up on that
roof looking at all those sparkling lights
when I thought of Beebo.
Wastheunderground
lesbiansceneof postwar
Americamoreliberated
thanwe think?
There was a community of women who defied
convention, who had the spirit and guts to
tell their family and friends, This is how I
am and this is how I'm
going to live. But what
you were facing-and
the vast majority took
a more conventional
path just out of self~
preservation-was
the fact that the ma~
jority of the establishment
was against you. The federal
government made your identity
illegal, the medical establish~
ment told you that you were
sick and you just weren't trying
hard enough to get well. I think
that's why so many women grav~
itated toward the big city-at
least there were the begin~
nings of community there.
It was pretty tough but, on the
other hand, when something is forbidden it
does add a lot of spice, and there was that
sense that we're in this together. You had a
little troop of friends you could absolutely
trust. The humor was incredible, the kind of
humor that comes out of tremendous pres~
sure. We didn't have such things as LGBT
community centers, herstory archives, gay
and lesbian studies, the Internet. What we
had were the gay and lesbian bars and the
pulps. Personal contact sustained people.
Doyoulookbackandfeelpartlyresponsible
for kickstarting
lesbianliterature?
I would hesitate to make grand claims for
it, but I do think, in retrospect, that, yes, we
kind of established a launch pad from which
the younger women who followed us could
work, and from which their careers took of£
We wrote before we had any idea that the civil
rights movement was just around the corner;
that the women's rights movement was just
ahead; that Stonewall was going to happen.
And yet I think, in the face of everything we
had to deal with, the younger women took
courage from that and saw that it could be
done. A lot of us were survivors and we were
offering them a start. We had our literature
to give, when there was so little else.
Whatisthemodernappealof lesbianpulps?
They're fun. We did have fun. It wasn't just
all grim, and the basics of human emotion do
not alter that much as time goes by. People
still fall in love, hopes run high, passions run
deep. All that great stuff is part of
discovering your own sexual iden~
tity. That's timeless. Then there's
the aspect of social history. I now
realize that I actually was draw~
ing a portrait of a time and a
place that has come to be quite
significant in our history. It's a
snapshot of how we were liv~
ing our lives. If you're a young
woman and you want to
know what it was like back
then, the work we give you
opens that door.
(annbannon.com) ■
CALLING ALL LESBIAN
PULP READERS!
A postgraduate
studentat Nottingham
Trent
University
in the U.K.is studyinglesbian
pulpfiction,howit influenced
its readers
andlesbianwritingtoday.Sheis asking
readersof lesbianpulpto completea short,
anonymous
questionnaire
abouttheirexperiencesof readingthegenre.Totakepart,
emailclaire.henson2002@my.ntu.ac.uk
by
June30,2011.
March 2011
I 73
REVIEWSSapphic Screen
The Whole Truth
Our candid interview with The Four-FacedLiar's writer and star, Marja Lewis Ryan. By Rachel Shatto
Last year, Marja Lewis Ryan's dream came
true. The Four-FacedLiar, a film she wrote,
co-produced and stars in, premiered on the
festival circuit to overwhelming success.
Screenings sold out and critics and audiences
were equally wowed. Ryan was deemed an
overnight success, but like anyone given this
moniker will admit, there's no such thing as
an overnightsuccess.
For Ryan the road to indie darling began
when she, along with her three best friendsand fellow Four-FacedLiar co-stars: Emily
Peck, Daniel Carlisle and Todd Kubrakmoved together from New York to Los
Angeles, following their NYU graduation.
Taking to heart the mantra, "create your own
work'' Ryan wrote a play for herself and her
friends that over years of collaboration and
polishing became Liar.Joined by Liz Osborn
as Trip's cuckolded girlfriend Chloe, The
Four-FacedLiar follows Molly (Peck) and
Greg (Carlisle), a straight-laced couple who,
new to New York, become friends with Trip
(Kubrak) and his Bronte-loving heartbreaker
of a lesbian roommate, Bridget (Ryan). It
doesn't take long for the chemistry to build
between Molly and Bridget. It's passion
versus security, a la Wuthering Heights, as
Molly has to decide between her safe but
boring relationship with Greg and her new,
confusing but exhilarating love with Bridget.
Were you surprisedby the overwhelmingly
positiveresponseyourfilm received?
We just wanted people to come see it. For me
it's more amazing that people sit there and
watch this movie. I can't really get over that;
it's a very strange feeling.
How did you make such a good-looking
film
with indiefunding?
First of all, we shot on the streets of New
York. And I mean that city is just so beautiful
and it sort of creates its own aesthetic. The
second thing is our cinematographer, Danny
Grunes, just has a really, really amazing eye
for film. Third factor: Michael Fitzgerald
and his crew came on and built, designed and
74
I curve
constructed all of our interior locations. That
leads to the fourth one: Our director Jacob
Chase ... who graduated from the Brooks
Institute of photography up in Ventura, and
they let us shoot, build, use their stuff, use
their students, so that was like a huge money
saver for us. We shot on three sound stages
for three weeks and paid like $100 a day.
Didyoufilm in the actualFour-Faced
Liarbar?
All the bar stuff is actually shot in the bar.
That's another thing, too, to rent a bar location
in New York City in real life is like $6,000 a
day. But when you drink every day at one bar
your entire college experience, they let you
film for free. [Laughs]
Wasthat somewhere
youhangout?
We all went to NYU together and I moved
off campus my second year, and I lived right
off of Christopher Street on Hudson, which
is like just west ofNYU's main campus area,
and the Four Faced Liar was geographically
the midpoint between my location and the
campus, and I went there ... every day. I'm
confident that I paid for the owner's child's
college education with my patronage. My
parents are really proud. [Laughs] But honestly, it wasn't even just like we would drink
there, I mean it became like our library, it
Lezzie Lightening Ro1'1n
What'syourfavoritefilm?
A Leagueof TheirOwn.
What'syourfavoritelesbianfilm?
If TheseWallsCouldTalk2.
What'sthe mostoverrated
film?
Crash!It's reallyoverrated.
WhatwasyourNewYear'sresolution?
Tofind a balance.
If youcouldhaveanyrole,whatwouldit be?
I don'tknowif it's a "dreamrole,"but I think I
couldhaveplayedJuno.
If youcouldreworkanyfilm intoa
lesbian-themed
one,whatwouldit be?
TheNotebook.
Whowouldyoucastin yournextfilmfor thechanceto kiss?
HughLaurie.
became our study room, we would like bring
books there because it was so conveniently
located and the people that owned the
place ... had this great energy.
Thefilm'schemistry
anddialogfeelveryrealwasdidthatalsocameoutof collaboration?
Yeah, well, I think ... that we are friends,
and so we do inherently have chemistry
together ... even my own mother ... was like,
"God it looks like you're in love:' Chemistry
is chemistry and our relationships in real life
aren't what they are on the screen, but you
can't deny some things. Some things are just
there. Like I do really love Emily and Emily
does really love me, so like that comes across.
The second thing is that I do have an ear for
dialog. I'm really interested in the way that
people speak, and ... I had this former pro~
fessor sit down with me ... and he just really
encouraged me to find nuance in subtlety. So
w if Bridget always says "sure" or "yep" or "OK"
§ then Greg has to say "all right:' Like they're
<(
~ both saying "yes;' but how do they say it dif
::?:
~ ferent that make one square and one cool.
Thecentralstoryofthefilmisa straightwoman
:::i fallingforherfemalefriend,butyoudidn'twant
(3
w
a "comingout"story.
z
We wanted to make something that was
~
<(
::?: reflective of our own college experience [and
{ it wasn't all] about being gay. What's inter~
~ esting about my experience in college is that
~0 it was just as irrelevant or just as relevant as
I
anything else. There was no negative or positive
~:::)
connotation put on that part of me, or that
<(
I
~ part of people who went to school with us,
<(
~ I mean it just wasn't. But I never wanted it
~ to be a coming out story. I didn't want Molly
gto have that question of: Am I gay or am I
:::)
;;- straight? Because the women who experi~
enced that, that I know of, that wasn't their
&3 first thought. Their first thought was do I
s:
~ like this person or that person. So I wanted
~ to try and tell that story as best as I could,
~ with some fart jokes, too. [Laughs]
~ Wasthe plotinspired
bypersonal
experience?
[ Have I ever fallen for a straight friend that
~ I couldn't have is the question on the table.
~ Hmm. [Speaks to someone in a muffied
~ voice, on the other end of the line] I think
~ she wants me to tell you that she's sitting next
a:
~ to me right now-I
think that's what she's
6 saying right now. Maybe, maybe not, maybe
i
not by her face-that's not what she wanted
me to say. [Laughs] Yeah, I know something
about that story. But, can I be corny? I think
that love really does change things. I think
that love can have profound effects on how
you identify or how you see yoursel£ I think
that once you find someone who kind of
"gets"you, which is pretty much what the en~
tire movie's about.
What'snextforyou?
I'm going to have a short on the circuit
this year that is lesbian themed. It's called
Daydreamer. So, I will continue to make
content that includes the LGBT community
as much as possible, but I'm equally inter~
Check out the chemistry:
Ryan (left) and Peck play
friends turned lovers
Huge
(ShoutFactory}
AlienAnthology
(20thCenturyFox}
Createdbyoutlesbian
Savannah
Dooley
(anddaughterof My
SoCalledLifecreator
WinnieHolzman)
this
heart-warming,
boldly
subversive
andpainfullyfamiliardrama
centersona groupof
teensat a summer
weightlosscamp.
StarringcutiepiesNikki
BlonskyandHayley
Hasselhoff
theseries
exploreseverything
fromyourstandard
unrequited
crushesto
fat acceptance,
eating
disorders,
gayteens
andevenasexuality.
Sweet,charmingand
heartbreaking,
Huge
is a seriesaheadof
itstime.Trackdowna
copy,we promiseyou
won'tbesorryyoudid.
(shoutfactory.
com)
Oneof myearliest
heroesis the alien
CreatedbyAcademy
butt-kickingEllen
Award-winner
Diablo
Ripley(playedbythe
Cody,UnitedStatesof
statuesque
Sigourney TarastarsToniCollette
Weaver)in Alienand
asa womansearching
its sequels.From
for theoriginof her
survivingintergalactic dissociative
disorder
baddiesto getting
andhowherrareand
subtextually
hot
oftendestructive
condiandheavywiththe
tionaffectsall those
WinonaRyderin
aroundher.Season
two
Alien:Resurrection
of thisdarklyhilarious
(whichaccording
andbrilliantly-acted
to screenwriter
and
seriespacksshocking
curve lesbroJoss
surprisetwistsalong
Whedonwasfar more withall thefamily
overtin hisoriginal
dramaandendearingly
draft)is nowavailable dysfunctional
castof
in gorgeouscrystalcharacters
we'vecome
clearBlu-rayin this
to love.Plus,we getto
special
editionanthology. seeoneof herpersonRemastered
and
alitiestakeupwitha
packedwith extrasand localfemalebartender
Eastereggsthis set is
playedbyJoeyLauren
a must-seefor geeky
Adams(Chasing
Amy).
dykes.(foxconnect.com)Hot.(sho.com)
(/)
d
ested in writing strong comedic roles for
women in general. ■
UnitedStatesof Tara: NurseJackie:
TheSecondSeason Season2
(Showtime}
(Showtime}
Returning
for its
secondbrilliantseason,
NurseJackiecontinues
its welcometrendof
lesbianinclusivity.
Focusing
onJackie
Peyton,
a drug
addictedRNleadinga
doublelife,playedto
devastating
effectby
thealways-divine
Edie
Falco,thesophomoreseasonsees
Jackiecontinuing
and
failingto juggleher
compartmentalized
life.
Butasthewallsclose
in on her,thecloset
doorsfly openfor her
bestfriendDr.Eleanor
O'Hara(EveBest)who
copsto anon-againoff-againrelationship
witha journalistplayed
bygueststarJulia
Ormond.
(sho.com)
March 2011
I 75
REVIEWSTech
Geek Chic
Geeks and fashion: Time was, those words were
the very definition of mutually exclusive. But as any
geeky dyke worth her Dr. Who companions fan
club card will tell you, times are a-changin.' Geeks
have never been more in the zeitgeist; at long last
our shameful socially awkward passions have made
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March 2011
I 77
REVIEWSFood
ReciQeFor Life
Food writer Kim Severson savors eight remarkable culinary women. By Constance Parten
KIM
peas. Her latest book is no exception. Born
out of the experiences of her career and life,
Spoon Fed is part memoir, part coming out
story and a celebration of the women cooks
who have fed her, inspired her and in some
significant way changed her life.
I spoke with Severson as she was "riding
shotgun" somewhere on an Atlanta highway, her wife, journalist Katia Hetter, at the
wheel. The two were on their
way to dinner with Atlanta
Journal-Constitutionfood critic
John Kessler. It was a rare free
moment for Severson, who
recently took over as chief of
the Times' Atlanta bureau. On
top of continuing her work as
a Times food writer. And on
top of motherhood. She and
SEVERSON
Katia have a three-year-old
daughter, Samantha.
We spoke about Atlanta, her family's new
home: 'Tm just surprised at how it's sort of
secretly awesome;" about food movements,
like eating invasive species: "They're not all
that delicious, and that isjust one big problem;"
heirloom agriculture: "That whole notion of
eating it to save it is great;" and even her most
embarrassing food likes-Jack in the Box
tacos and "Chick-fil-A. Even though they're
anti-gay and Baptist, I still think it's a really
good product:' But mostly, we talked about
Spoon Fed.
They say you can't know a woman until
you've walked a mile in her shoes, so I figured
the same goes for food writers and food: you
have to try on their favorite recipes. As such,
one of Kim Severson's first attempts to "cook
a really good Southern thing" is bubbling
away on the stove in my kitchen-blackeyed peas with smoked turkey.
Severson shared the recipe during our
78
I curve
Initially, she wanted the book to focus on
the women who went deep into one culinary
subject, who wrote cookbooks and taught
people how to cook. "I thought those women
were going to get kind oflost" amid the rising
tide of today's food celebrities, she says.
recent discussion about her book, Spoon
"The very kernel of the idea was to do
Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life. Now, something about Marion Cunningham and
if you're a foodie, you've probably heard of then I started thinking about these other
this James Beard award-winning food writer
women cooks who were cookbook authors
who worked for The San FranciscoChronicle who I thought might be forgotten;' she explains.
and, most recently, The New York Times. If "So it started with that kind of raw premise
you're not familiar, well, here's a quick introand then, as I started to look at who I might
duction: Severson's style of writing is simple
want to write about, I realized I had been
and approachable. And tasty-a lot like her attracted to, and come to spend time with,
women. It just seemed like a really natural
fit. And then, as it became more memoir-y,
I thought about my mom, and, you know, I
just thought I'd keep with the whole uterine theme. Stick with that as an organizing
principal:'
So how do eight cooks save a woman's
life? By helping her see herself. With Marion
Cunningham, the adoring aunt of a generation of American chefs, it was the mirror of
shared alcoholism. "The first day I met her,
I started to cry when she told me she had
quit drinking;' Severson writes in Spoon Fed.
"Then I told her my dark secret: I was a fraud
and an alcoholic and I was scared to death
I would fail. Fail the interview. Fail the job.
Fail my life. I would be a disappointment:'
With Rachael Ray, the irrepressible, grinning cook, it was the importance ofbeing real.
"Spending a little time close to the tornado
that is Rachael Ray helped me understand
the value of authenticity;' she writes. "The
most valuable thing I have is who I am:'
And former Gourmet magazine editor
Ruth Reichl taught Severson to deal with
popular girls. "The New York writers were
the most popular kids in school, and Ruth
Reichl was their leader;' writes Severson. "If
I was going to survive, I had to find a way to
claim a seat at their lunch table:'
Of course, the book includes recipes from
eight inspirational culinary women, but what
makes Spoon Fed a truly great read is the very
personal time Severson spent with these
women, for example, farm-to-table visionary
Alice Waters, who cooked in Severson's
Brooklyn kitchen (quick, hide the donuts!).
They've each left an indelible impression,
and while Severson perhaps doesn't walk a
mile in their shoes, she certainly learns from
them how to appreciate her own path. And,
of course, how to appreciate food. ■
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March 2011
I 79
TOPTENREASONS
WELOVE
...
Annie
Sprinkle &
Elizabeth
Stephens
1 . In an agedominated
bytechnology,
they're
keepinglive art alive."Live art is essential
lest we forget that we really have bodies;' says
Stephens. And audiences have embraced their
work."Performance artists give me something
profound that no other kind of art or social
networking does, " says Sprinkle. "It touches
me from the inside out and makes me feel
great. It's a lot like having sex: Deeply satisfying
in a way nothing else quite is:'
have any hope of continuing to live on this
planet that we are rapidly destroying:'
the Hallmark corporation:' Could it dispel
the pervasive anti~gay marriage sentiment
in the U.S.:' Could it roll back the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq :1 And yet, its mission
is simpler still. It's basically "two artists in
love, Beth and I, who do what we love to do,
and what we find meaningful;' says Sprinkle.
Follow the project at loveartlab.org.
a Silver Year: Union, Bliss, Crown. "We're
using the chakra system at the suggestionof artist
Linda Montano who has used the chakras as
a way to both inspire and organize her own
work for the last 21 years;' says Stephens.
6. Theyinventtheirown eco-sexylanguage.
"Ecosexual was a dating term, like metrosexual.
But we decided that now it means that you
find the Earth erotic;' explains Stephens. "We
think of the Earth as our lover and treat her/
him/ they with the love, tenderness and grace
that you would shower upon your lover:'
Why these "love artists" are
making the environmental
2. Theirmessageis simple:Loveis all you 7. TheyapplytheHinduChakras
to NewYear's
movement sexy and fun. need.Really.The Love Art Lab began as an resolutions.
2010 was a Purple Year: Intuition,
By Merryn Johns experiment: Could love be stolen back from Wisdom, Third Eye while 2011 will be
8. Theyhavea tip for the Democrats.
"The
Democratic Party needs a makeover;' says
Stephens. 'J\nd some lessons in how to frame
3. Theywon't giveup on marriageequality. issues differently than the Republicans in
order to differentiate themselves ... define the
"Six years ago;' says Sprinkle, "we went to San
Francisco City Hall to get married and were
territory and value systems that they believe
told we couldn't, the court stopped the gay in and represent. Their inability to do so
cost them dearly in the midterm elections
weddings, so that pissed us off. That is partly
why we have done 10 weddings in five years. and could cost even more in the upcoming
presidential election. I, mysel£ am going to
In protest! We just want gay folks to have the
same rights as our hetero friends and family. I join the Green Party:'
do think we will get those rights eventually:'
9. They'replanning
anecosexual
makeover
for
4. They'relovingenvironmentalism.
Literally. SarahPalin.While Stephens finds the idea of
Sarah Palin as president is definitely "a little
Every year Sprinkle and Stephens stage
performance art weddings but now, says scary;' Sprinkle has a loving plan of attack. "If
we could turn Sarah Palin on to the eroticism
Stephens, "instead of marrying each other
of nature, marry her to the Earth, indoctrinate
we marry environmental entities who need
our love. So, we have married the Earth, the
her into our way of thinking and feeling, maybe
sky, the sea, the Moon and the Appalachian
she'd stop shooting all those beautiful, inno~
Mountains:'
cent animals and see the light ...an amusing
Fromprostitute
andpornstarto performance
fantasy, don't you think:"'
inthepowerofprotest.
Love Art
artistandsexologist
witha Ph.D.,Annie 5. Theybelieve
10. Theykeepperforming
and agitatingand
Sprinklehasdealtwithsexandlovein Lab is fighting against mountain top removal
mining
in
Appalachia,
which
has
destroyed
2011
is busy with a
have
no
plans
of
quitting.
manyforms.Famous
for herPublicCervix
over
500
mountains
and
1,500
miles
of
visual
art
exhibit
called
the
Ecosex
Manifesto,
Announcement,
wheretheatergoers
streams in one of the oldest mountain ranges
Montreal's Edgy Women festival, March 19
wereinvitedto examinehercervixwitha
in the world in the quest for cheap coal. "This
through April 2, and an environmental action
speculum,
Sprinkleis nowjoinedbyher
is a national tragedy that most people don't
where the couple anticipates they might just
partner,Elizabeth
Stephens,
whomshe
even know about;' says Stephens. "We intend
get arrested. But most of all they hope to con~
marriedin Canadain 2007,andthecoupleare to keep focusing on environmental issues and
tinue loving their other partner, Lover Earth.
setto begintheseventhandfinalyearoftheir bringing more love and empathy to the way "We hope to spend some quality time in na~
LoveArtLab-a performance
art,visualart that we view and treat the Earth. We have to
ture; by the sea, in the redwoods, under the
andlife-as-artproject.(loveartlab.org)continue this if we as a species are going to stars;' says Sprinkle. ■
so I curve
See all items with this value
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SANDRA VALLS
MAR¥ GAUTHIER
Stockholm Gay&Lesbian Network
See Stockholm in full glory - You'll never forget your first time.
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Airlines
Features MARCH2011
48
Pretty Little Ally
The hit series Pretty Little Liars breaks new
ground in popular culture with the lovely Shay
Mitchell's portrayal of questioning youth.
By Rachel Shatto
58
Out in Africa
Don't let reports of homophobia spoil
your born-free dreams. Adventuress Jody Cole
can take you on the safari of a lifetime.
61
Going Green in Costa Rica
Explore the diverse terrain, fauna and flora of
one of the planet's most ecologically aware
countries. By Mary McGrath
64
Desert Hearts
Embark on an Outback adventure. Lesbian
oasis Alice Springs in Australia's Northern
Territory awaits you. By Nicole Clausing
66
Luxurious London
Sip champagne in Oscar Wilde's former digs
and explore the upper crust of England's
queer-friendly capital. By Stephanie Schroeder
TheNewLesbianChic
Fashion is back on the lesbian agenda.
What's your style for 2011?
32
Fierce Femme
Model and actor Jessica Clark balances
her many talents, which include acting, life
coaching and martial arts. By Lisa Gunther
34
Off the Cuff
Rock 'n' Roll chicks love their leather and
Sick of Sarah's Abisha and Jamie sport
Lucky Dog Leather's latest designs.
40
High Art
Tasya Van Ree's lovely black and white
film photography bridges art and fashion.
By Constance Parten
44
The Bond Girls
Fabulous, affordable, sustainable home
furnishings from a cool lesbian couple.
46
~~:~~--
c:g:~~ge
70
page20
From Sweden With Love
Cool jewelry from Stockholm designer Efva
Attling lands in New York.
By Merryn Johns
page48
COVER
PHOTO
BYANDREW
ECCLES
I
Departments
A- ■
24
MARCH2011
•
Money: Now is the time to get your affairs
in order. Find out why.
IN EVERY ISSUE
4
6
8
10
17
20
22
27
80
30
Editor's Letter
<J)
Laugh Track
I--
Need a laugh? Meet this month's comedian.
0
28
I--
Politics
Baby Boomer gays face an uncertain old
age and their quality of life may set the
stage for everyone's.
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Letters
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72
Music: Mary Gauthier is an artist on a
journey to herself. Enjoy her arrival.
Books: Pulp fiction writer Ann Bannon
paved the way for a generation of lesbian
writers. She reflects at 78 years of age.
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From recycled rubber fashion to
homo haircuts, queer your style.
18
Celebrity Gossip
Ladies, behave! Well, it wouldn't be
Lesbofile without a few messes.
I
Film: Marja Ryan Lewis, writer and actor
u
of The Four-Faced Liar shares the story of
her success.
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Tech: Get your geek chic on with these
geek-inspired fashions and accessories.
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EDITOR'S
NOTE
W
ere curve a magazine for gay men, it wouldn't
be unusual to find Marc Jacobs or Tom Ford on
the cover. Perhaps the late Alexander McQueen or Versace.
Valentino. Dolce & Gabbana. Jean Paul Gaultier. The list
could become quite extensive. Do these legendary fashion
designers have lesbian counterparts, and if not, why not?
While that's a time-consuming discussion in itself, I think
lesbians can claim a heartier role in fashion than they do.
Edith Head, the Hollywood costume designer who earned
more Academy Awards than any other
woman in history (eight), was reportedly
a lesbian. She's really responsible for the
glamour we associate with Audrey Hepburn
and Grace Kelly-both of whom are widely
considered to be paragons of female fashion.
New York stylist Patricia Field, also a lesbian
and the creator of the fashion on Sex and the
City, influenced what women wore for over a
decade. Indeed, there have always been prominent queer women who expressed themselves
through clothing and made heads turn,
and I'm sure it started long before Marlene
Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn
decided to wear pants beautifully.
Today, Ellen and Portia successfully
present their butch-femme look to
the world. We lesbians buy clothes,
and we think about what we buy
and how we look. In that way we are not unlike anybody
else. But I think we need to admit that we're okay with the
concept of fashion itsel£ We need to dismiss the stereotype
that only gay men and straight women have an option on
style: We should not be locked out of this part of culture any
more than we should be denied the right to become auto
mechanics, like Lori Johnson on page 17. It doesn't mean
that we are colluding with consumerism or kowtowing to the
"male gaze'' or waving the anorexia flag. I love what Swedish
designer Efva Attling says on page 4 7: "Get into your woman
power!" I feel bolstered by the fact that out model Jessica
Clark (p.32) has found the power in her career choice and
shares that with a generation of young women.
The fashion we showcase in this issue was made by and
for lesbians. I hope to include more of it in each issue, so if
you are a lesbian designer or model, the curve runway is
yours. And after reading Sandra Valls' "Laugh Track" on
page 30, I'll be saving my Bermuda shorts and Birkenstocks
for the amazing vacation destinations we feature this month!
Fashion
Essentials
~~
Merryn J ns
Editor-in-c ief
merryn@curvemag.com
41curve
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
MARCH 2011
LESBIAN
MAGAZINE
I VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2
Publisher Silke Bader
Founding Publisher Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Merryn Johns
Managing Editor Rachel Shatto
Associate Editor Jillian Eugenios
Book Review Editor Rachel Pepper
Contributing Editors Julia Bloch, Victoria A. Brownworth,
Gina Daggett, Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee, Stephanie Schroeder
Copy Editor Katherine Wright
EditorialAssistants Liska Koenig
PUBLISHING
Director of Operations Laura McConnell
Senior Advertising Executive Diana L. Berry
Advertising Sales Rivendell Media
ART/PRODUCTION
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WRITERS
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Marie Fleming, Tania Hammidi, Kathi lsserman, Gillian Kendall,
Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert, Charlene Lichtenstein, Karen Loftus,
Sassafras Lowrey, Ariel Messman-Rucker, Candace Moore, Alison
Peters, Constance Parten, Catherine Plato, Aimsel L. Ponti,
Heather Robinson, Laurie K. Schenden, Lori Selke, Dave Steinfeld,
Edie Stull, Robin Miner-Swartz, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Kyra Thomson,
Jocelyn Voo, Melany Joy-Beck
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CONTRIBUTORS
JocelynVoo Cali~to~N.Y.C. transplant JocelynVoodescribes herself as a lover of food adventures, obscure
travel, ridiculous photography with a soft spot for big hair and surfer slang. In addition to sharing
describes juicy celesbian gossip with curve each month in her column Lesbofile, Voo has contributed
to a variety of publications, including CNN.com, the New York Post and AOL. "Off the clock,
herselfas a though, I give my words away for free on Twitter (@jocelynvoo ):' Read the latest from Sapphic
loverof food Tinseltown on page 18.
adventures, KerryKrenzinlives and loves in Los Angeles. Aside from her two main squeezes, photography
and painting, she likes long legs, muscle cars, tahdeeg, shoes, artifacts, her amazing little niece
obscuretravel, Lillie Mae and taking time every day to recognize beauty in the so~called ordinary. "I have been
blessed. Sometimes I just get really cool ideas;' which you can view at kerrykrenzin.com. This
ridiculous month she focused her cool on Lucky Dog Leather's accessories, on page 34.
photography MaryMcGrathis a freelance writer and photographer based in Los Angeles. Beyond curve, she
with a soft spot has also been published in Newsweek,GoodHousekeeping,The National Lampoon, Range.finder
magazine, Baja Travelermagazine, Mexico Traveler,Competitor,Shutterbug,After Capture,Los
for big hairand Angeles Times and others. This month she espouses the ecological wonders of Costa Rica on
page 60. Find out more about her at marymcgrathphotography.com.
surferslang.
DaveSteinfeld
grew up in Connecticut and is currently based in New York City. In addition to
being a frequent contributor to curve, he has written about music for American Songwriter,
Beyond Race, Blurt, Essence,HEEB, Rockrgrl,all the major radio networks and most recently
AOL. For this issue, he interviewed Mary Gauthier (page 70) whose latest album The Foundling
was one of his favorite releases of 2010. More of a conversation than an interview, both Dave
and Mary felt like they were old friends, even though it was the first time they had met.
A longtime freelancer, MattSorrellwrites primarily about food, home and lifestyle subjects for
publications in his hometown of St. Louis and beyond. But when Sorrell discovered the My
Right Self project, he felt compelled to write about it, "I was drawn to My Right Self because of
the variety of people who are a part of it, and they all had such powerful stories to tell. I was
really moved by the depth and breadth of their experiences:• Read more about this eye~opening
exhibit in his article "Transparent Agenda" on page 29. When he's not behind the keyboard,
Sorrell spends time at home with his wife, Beth, and a houseful of dogs and cats.
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LETTERS
OUR SEXIESTISSUE EVER
SECRETS OF A LESBIANMATCHMAKER
I am so happy that you put Jill and Nikki on the
cover of curve magazine. I am a fan of The
RealL Wordbut when I first watched the show I
have to admit that I thought they seemed, I don't
know, dare I say too normal or maybe too controlling of their lives.And then I realized that it
was all relative.The other people's lives on that
show seemed like train wrecks by comparison.
After reading your interview,it's dear to me that
Nikki and Jill have their act together. They set a
good example. They show younger lesbians that
you can meet your soul mate and build a beautiful life together. You don't have to screw around
and have a skinful of tattoos to get attention.
much more sexy holding it in my hands. The
like this issue was dedicated to me. I will be
real thing gives me a sense of entitlement to
picking up other issues from now on.
my world. Makes me feel like I have accom-Nicole M. Young,Amherst, Mass.
plished something. I live in a mid-size city
in Canada. We have a lot of good and bad
Hot for Housewives
queer herstory, but at least we have it, which
I am a huge fan of The Real Housewives of
brings me to my ideas of keeping curve
Atlanta and New Jersey!However, I think the
the best mag ever. Bring me a spotlight on local hottest hook-up is that of Danielle Staub
communities, one at a time. Bring the glam and Lori Michaels! Only because I believe
to my front door, and my neighbors. Jane in theirs was the real deal and not just a pubrural Wisconsin doesn't have the same rights
licity stunt. Don't get me wrong I love Kim
[they] have in L.A., and I would like to hear
Zolciak but to me she does seem to be a
about it. I read all too often that our
bit media hungry. So, hands
youth are being left out. Well, baby,
down my vote goes to Danielle
and Lori!
they don't have the first due of what
they missed. They walk through
our streets and bars and ask,
P.S. I love curve and only
"What the hell's wrong with
wish I could get it more
easily here in Kansas!
you old dykes?" We were, 20
-Rebeckha Davis, Kansas
years ago and some still are,
afraid. Educate our youth on
What's your favorite
the grassroots. We old bitches
Editor's
Note:One question
way to travel?
we receiveoften is: "Where
hand-paved those roads for
can I buy curve?" Our
them. Nothing like having a
Bycar,
roadtrip baby!
best advice: Subscribe! By
stiletto crammed into your
back, as they can now finally
subscribingyou not onlyget
Byplane,20,000
feet is the onlyway
come out and be 'gay" and rule
10 issues of the greatest (in
to travel
our humble opinion) lesbian
the world. So there you have
Bytrain,I can't
it. You asked. I want it all. I
magazine in the world,
resistthe romance
want the allure of something
you're
doing your part to
of the rails
better, with all the glam, and
also support independent
Byboat,lesbians
the comfort of my own back
lesbianpublishing. Besides,
onthe highseas
there's no more convenient
yard at my finger tips. Thanks
According
to a curvemag.com
poll
for listening!
location to pick up a
-Hannah,
- Treve, London, Ontario
The
Ultimate
Orgasm
Guide
Bridal Figures
Oakland, Calif.
I absolutely love curve magazine! I live on the
east coast of Canada and it's hell trying to find
a copy of curve. It's especially killing me this
month with Nikki and Jill being on the cover. I
just thought Ia drop you a line telling you how
much I love your magazine and can't wait until it
is more widely distributed. Thank you for putting out such an excellent magazine.
-Bianca, Canada
Poll
56%
25%
13%
6%
copy than from your own
mailbox. curve is also availablenationwide at
Bordersand Barnes and Noble stores.
Diggin' the Diversity
I recently read your magazine for the first
time. The issue I picked up had Wanda Sykes
(my idol) on the cover and a feature story on
Margaret Cho (love her work) and ads that
feature black queer women! Thank you for
writing about groundbreaking women of color
activists and performers. Seeing little bits
of me in both of these women, I've found a
magazine that speaks my language. It seems
CORRECTIONS
In "The Real Deal" [Vol. 21#1] Jill Sloane
Goldstein's dress is Winnie Coutour of
Beverly Hills and Nikki Weiss-Goldstein's
dresss is David Fielden of London. In "11
Tantalizing Taboos to Tip Her Over the
Edge" [Vol. 21#1] One Night Stand does not
feature videos by Joanna Angel. ■
s I curve
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CJ
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You Asked, I'll Tell
I am a 45-year-old. gay /lesbian/ dyke/butch
woman (please label me, the label gives me
rights to be queer) who has spent all of my
life living in the queer community. I have
watched a lot of growth. In your Editor's
Letter you asked for our take on what makes
curve the best. I have to tell you, it is so
~
0
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LIU
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SEND LETTERS TO:
curve magazine I
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PO Box 467, New York, NY 10034
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EMAIL:
letters@curvemag.com • subscribe
FAX:510.380.7487
GOTO:curvemag.com/letters
• renew
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The Doctor is In
With a doctorate in clinical psychology and a gift for making
matches, lesbian yenta Dr. Frankie has added advice columnist for
curvemag.com to her many hats. And now she is ready to help
you find true love! Visit curvemag.com to send her questions of
your own!
~
Natasha
Bedingfield
loves us up
Vanity Theft
Read our interview with drummer Elyse Driskill of the up-andcoming pop rock group Vanity Theft. Driskill spills on the origin
of the band, tour bus antics and getting wild with the gals from
Sick of Sarah. Plus, read our review of their new album Get
What You Came For on page 71.
~
in
On the Road Again
Editor extraordinaire turned eco-adventurer Diane AndersonMinshall shares the trials, tribulations and triumphs of her RV
journey to save the planet, in her new blog Rambling Ma'am.
On the road with the~
eoo-blogger Diane
Anderson-Minshall
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Read The Words on Her Lips
We get the low down on pop star Natasha Bedingfield in our
interview with he sexy popstar and Dinah Shore headliner.
The Dinah Lineup
Want to find out who's playing at this year's Club Skirts
The Dinah? Check out curvemag.com for the full sexy lineup!
Dr. Frankie's got
some love spells
for you
March 2011
I9
Activist, community organizer and History Maker
Award-winner Adaora Asala on founding the
queer women of color group OWOC+ Boston,
her Nigerian roots and being the voice behind
the afrofeminist blog Spectra Speaks.
Biker Babe
Angela Riccobono is the queer anarcha-feminist
behind the sustainable small business Cherry Bombin'
Wear. Dedicated to the environment, Riccobono has
created an entire fashion line out of recycled bike
tubing. It's a practice that keeps rubber out of landfills,
reduces cruelty to animals and helps lighten our carbon
footprint with practical, yet butch/ femme-fashionable accessories for our green dyke community, from
our green dyke community.
Already an avid bicyclist, Riccobono saw a PBS
special featuring a bike-tubing crafty couple in
2002 which, she says, not only gave her ideas of
what to do with "all of the bike tubes piled to the
hilt in the garage;' but aligned perfectly with her
green lifestyle which includes a vegan diet and carfree travel. Three years and some sewing lessons later,
Riccobono fell in love at first sight with a bike tube
wallet while living in San Francisco. "I loved how
perfectly the rubber equaled animal-free and was a
defining part of my bike culture lifestyle. This was
more than perfect; it meant recycling, art, vegan,
bicycle-whore ... me in a nutshell!"
Cherry Bombin' Wear began in 2007, in Arizona,
when Riccobono hand-sewed her first bike-tube wallet.
"I was hand sewing everything and was destined to get
an industrial machine to start sewing messenger bags,
which happened nine months after I started. Soon
thereafter I partook in a local fashion show where
I had designed a couple of skirts and shirts:' Now
equipped with the right tools, and a never-shorting
supply of bike rubber, Cherry Bombin' Wear's
complete line includes dresses, custom bathing suits,
seven wallet designs, messenger bags, purses, belts,
wrist- and ankle-restraints
and cuffs. "My restraints
are my absolute favorite;'
she admits, "but I do rock
many of my designs on the
regular like my forearm
cuff, belt and bag:'
So how do you bike a
mile in Riccobono's vegan
shoes? Slap on her eco-erotic
bedroom restraints and check out the DIY step-bystep site lnstructables.com which shows you how to
make your own recycled bike tubing harness to match.
But Riccobono warns, "the process of making all this
stuff out of bike tubes looks a dirty filthy mess. But
I've always been known for liking it dirty;' she laughs.
Recyclingjust got a little more interesting.
Riccobono continues to bring us green gear from
Phoenix, where she is currently planning an industrial
fashion show this year. Get your Cherry Bombin'
rubber before it hits the runway at cherrybombinwear.com. [YanaTallon-Hicks]
It's a practice
that keeps
rubber out
of landfills,
reduces
cruelty to
animals and
helps lighten
our carbon
footprint with
practical, yet
butch/femmefashionable
accessories
for our
green dyke
community,
from our
green dyke
community.
Cherry
Bombin'
Wear's bags
and cuffs
redefine
rugged beauty
March 2011
I 11
CURVATURES
Online magazine DIS has created a dyke-tastic replacement for
the cringe-inducing, oh-so-heteronormative salon hairstyle posters
with their new lesbian visibility barbershop poster: W4W Buzz. This
subversive style smorgasbord is paired with an incisive treatise by
Katerina Llanes on lesbian 'dos and how they relate to ever-changing
gender theory. Here's a standout quote: "More than any other
stylistic signifier, hair has become our window into lesbian visibility.
The shorter the hair, the more visibly identifiable one becomes as
a lesbian. While these assumptions can prove useful within queer
communities as shorthand for lesbian cruising, we should be careful
not to ground them in the world at large as they are often ill-founded
and politically misaligned-re-asserting a gendered binary based
on heteronormative codes." Very heady. But hello-how hot is that
poster? We'll take three. Find out how to get one for your local beauty
shop on dismagazine.com. [RachelShatto]
the rundown
Colorado
Deputy Attorney
has
General MonicaMarquez
been appointed to the state's
Supreme Court making her
the first Latina and the first
openly gay person to sit on the
state's highest court. Marquez's
father was the first Latino appointed to the Colorado
Court of Appeals in 1988 and swore his daughter
in. After being sworn in, and in response to critics,
Marquez told the media: "On the bench, of course,
my allegiance is to the law, not to any particular
a former high school
constituency" ... KatieBrenny,
was on track
golf champion for the state of Minnesota,
of Minnesota's
to become the couch of the University
women's golf team. Brenny is now threatening to sue
the school alleging that after it was discovered that
she is a lesbian she was demoted to a desk job. The
University
University denies the allegations ... Harvard
police are in the midst of investigating a bias crime
on campus. Thousands of dollars in LGBT books
belonging to the campus library were found soaked
in urine, and are too damaged to be saved ... A new
study first published in the Journalof theAmerican
Academy
of Pediatrics
has shown that LGBT teenagers
are significantly more likely than heterosexual peers to
be stopped by police, arrested or convicted of a crime.
Particularly interesting, girls who identify as lesbian
or bisexual were shown
to be at the highest risk
of punishment by law
enforcement with a 50
percent higher rate of
stops by police and risk
of arrest and convic~
tion ... AnnetteBening,
who played a lesbian
mom in the comedy
The Kids areAll Righthas been quoted as saying she
would welcome the opportunity to be part of a sequel
to the film, which has earned her a Golden Globe
nomination. Bening told reporters, "I have played
people who are mentally ill, or killers, and they're
interesting to explore, but with this character, I
felt really comfortable. I loved playing her"... A new
survey recently released from Harris Interactive shows
that 55 percent ofLGBT adults reported to"personally
care a great deal about the currentstateandfutureof
theenvironment"
whereas only 33 percent of hetero~
sexual adults in the United States reported the same
level of concern. Nearly one in two LGBT adults also
said they found it"very to extremely important" to
consider the environment when making purchases.
[Sassafrass
Lowrey]
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Seattle Gets Sapphic
A new site gives voice to lesbians in the Emerald City.
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Seattle,based lesbian writer and activist
Sarah Toce is well,known in the LGBT
community for her celebrity interviews
at SheWired.com-interviews
with the
likes of Cyndi Lauper, Chely Wright and
Margaret Cho. Last October, however, the
plucky journalist was struck by the entrepre,
neurial spirit and decided to launch a new
website, TheSeattleLesbian.com, with her
wife, photographer Stephanie Brusig and
fellow executive editor, Kate West.
When asked what inspired her to take on
such a mammoth task, Toce replies, "It was
time. Seattle needed a resource for the lesbian
community and we simply did not have one.
With all of my celebrity interviews, activism,
news stories and editing experience, I knew
that I could do it and do it well, so I went
into the project full,steam ahead. My business
partner, executive editor Kate West, had
been talking about creating a website like
The Seattle Lesbian for over a year:'
Part of the drive behind the project was
the fact that, while Seattle had gay outlets,
they were largely male,focused.
"Honestly, I was a little soured by the
Seattle market being an old boys club. Finally,
Kate and I stopped complaining, put pen to
paper-literally-and
brainstormed what
we could bring to the table to put [lesbian]
Seattle on the map. The old boys club was
not going to stop us. If they wouldn't let us
have a voice through their publications, then
we would create our own. And we did:'
The Seattle Lesbian is 100 percent adver,
tising,based, which means that they rely on
thesupportofthecommunitytobesuccessful.
However, Toce and West realize that to get a
little sometimes you need to give a lot. As
such, the site features a "suicide prevention"
section that provides counseling for youth
dealing with bullying or homophobia.
"Kate and I had been discussing this sec,
tion for over a year;' Toce explains. "Before
the bullying news hit CNN and before the
It Gets Better Project was around. We just
knew, like they did, that the LGBT popu,
lation needed a resource in order to thrive
and survive. It's a tough world out there
when you're feeling depressed, alone, confused
and bullied. Seattle's Aurora Bridge is the
March 2011
I 13
second~highest suicide~related bridge behind
San Francisco's Golden Gate. Seattle is not
going to stay silent about this epidemic any
longer. Not on our website:'
The site also has message boards that
include a lesbian parenting section, an ''Ask
the Handywoman" section where readers
can inquire about different home projects
and get advice from real electricians.
There is also a large catalog of celebrity
interviews by Toce, and Brusig-the
staff
photographer-covers
high~profile LGBT
events like the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film
Festival, Club Skirts The Dinah in Palm
Springs, San Francisco's GLAAD Media
Awards and last year's Lilith Fair at the
Gorge with Sarah Mclachlan.
Toce's enthusiasm for her local community
is palpable, and it shows in her work on the
website. "The Seattle lesbian community
is full of beautiful, vibrant artists, mothers,
partners, wives, sisters, daughters, cafe owners,
entrepreneurs and really creative, inspiring
voices. We're passionate about nature and
preservation. We love to run, bike, ski, hike
and see local films. We enjoy writing and
sharing our life stories with great friends.
We rally together when times get rough and
we stand by one another when anyone needs
support. We are a very large and diverse
group and I think that is what makes us
so beautiful and intriguing. Seattle is abso~
lutely breathtaking and there is a very large
lesbian population here just waiting to be
validated. The Seattle Lesbian is doing just
that:' [LisaGunther]
OUTINFRONT
Driven
Women
Leading the pack on
the road to equality.
By Sheryl Kay
AfricanEquality
At 28 years old, Kate Kamundedescribes
herself as an activist, poet, vocalist and
composer, and a blogger who identifies as
a queer woman of color. In fact, she's all
that and more. Kamunde is currently an
administrator with the Gay and Lesbian
Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), an umbrella
organization that includes Minority Women
in Action (MWA), Transgender Education
and Advocacy (TEA) and Persons Marginalized and Aggrieved (PEMA Kenya). She's
also a co-founder and very active member
of Artists for Recognition and Acceptance
(AFRA-Kenya), a group of lesbian, bisexual
and transgender women artists who advocate
for human rights through the arts.
She's bravely committed to social justice
in a country where same-gender sex is illegal;
where being gay is viewed as evil, deviant,
and depraved; and where most gays live as
heterosexuals, because those who do come
out often fear for their lives.
"It breaks my heart to see my fellow
women lost in alcohol and substance abuse
as they try to deal with who they are;' says
Kamunde. "Life is difficult even when one
is in the closet. It takes a toll on mental and
physical health:'
Kamunde knows this firsthand. After
five years of living in the closet, she says she
could no longer pretend to be someone she
wasn't. But coming out, especially as an activist,
has come with it's own dangers. More than
once, she has been threatened by strangers
who recognize her from the media.
Still, she continues on. In the past year,
she's helped to host a Woman-to-Woman
Health Forum, organize a march to the
Health Ministry in Nairobi for increased
funding for sexual minorities in Kenya, all
while sitting on a board that works on
decriminalization strategies. She's also just
organized the first-ever LGBT film festival
in Nairobi.
"Running away from our problems will
not solve them;' says Kamunde. "Let us stay
home and fight for our basic existence as gay
women. It is our right:'
GoodCar-ma
Cars are in Lori Johnson's
blood. Like her
father, and his father before him, she makes
a living in the automotive industry. In fact,
she's a technical expert.
Over the past two decades, Johnson has
done it all, going from hands-on floor technician and repair mechanic to supervisor. She's
also edited engine manuals and served as an
instructor in automotive technology at the
Community College of Philadelphia.
Today, Johnson is the president of Ladies,
Start Your Engines-a company that specializes in automotive education for women. Her
company offers classes that are interactive and
that encourage women to ask questions in a
nonthreatening environment.
"It's about sharing knowledge, not just
being a talking head;' says Johnson. "And, I
think the fact that I'm a woman also puts
them at ease. They know that I understand
their frustrations:'
Even today, notes Johnson, the automotive industry is mostly a man's world. She has
faced her share of double takes."! still have to
prove myself every time I meet someone new
in the industry who doesn't know what I do
for a living;' she says. "It's always interesting
how they talk to me and how that changes
once they realize I know exactly what they're
talking about:'
And while the stereotypical every-womanmechanic-is-a-lesbian notion still exists, she
"can think of 10 women off the top of my
head that work on cars and are straight. Are
there lesbians out there? Of course;' she says,
smiling, "but it's not a requirement of the job:'
Gay or straight, you need to learn about
your vehicle, and Johnson encourages women
to attend local adult-education classes. In
the end, it's all about safety, whether you're
on the road, or monitoring the work done by
your local repair shop.
"Empower yourself ... and maybe you'll be
showing someone how to change her tire:• ■
March 2011
I 17
LESBOFILE
Keeping it Real Disney girls go faux gay, the O.C. gets a lesbian,
Oprah and Gayle get the XXX treatment and new LiRo drama. By Jocelyn Voo
straight girls" shtick has
been used by teenage
pop~tart celebrities since
the dawn of time (yeah
Britney, we're lookin'
at you). Well, you can
now add Disney dar~
ling Demi Lovato and
singer Miley Cyrus to
the list. Photos have
surfaced of a girl help~
ing Lovato pull down
her neckline to show
off some cleavage, while another snap shows
Cyrus's assistant pretending to lick Cyrus's
nipple through her dress. But while fans
have gone crazy over these "racy" fauxmo~
sexual pies, we're much more interested in
some more potentially realistic rumoringespecially when it involves one Miss Lady
Gaga, Showbiz Tonight's Most
Celebrity
for
NewGay-bors
SapphicSpoof
They say if you can't beat 'em, join 'em-and
Lindsay Lohan must've taken this one to
heart. Though her ex Samantha Ronson has
made it very clear that the two of them are
over, the freshly rehabbed actor has decided to
move in next door, and the outcome couldn't
be more hilarious. TMZ has video of an
angry Ronson, who could barely get out of
her driveway because Lohan's moving trucks
were blocking the way.
"Trust me, it wasn't planned;' is all she'll
say about Lohan's arrival.
We can't wait to see how the Welcome
Wagon pans out.
Looks like it doesn't matter how many times
Oprah denies a lesbian relationship with
BFF Gayle King-Hustler's
going to riff
on it anyway. The pornography distributor
has locked down two XXX actors to spoof
the talk show queen and her best friend in
Untrue Hollywood Stories: Oprah. We don't
even care that the two women cast don't
look even remotely close to the real thingwe just can't imagine what kind of "on the
couch" plotline the sex tape opens with.
18
I curve
JailbaitTurnedLesbianBait
It seems like the whole "straight girls kissing
Recently, photos taken
circa 2008 have sur~
faced of the bisexual
singer getting close and
personal with another
woman. One benign
photo depicts Gaga being
bent over a woman's knee
and getting her ass grabbed.
The second, though, shows Gaga simulating
oral sex on the mystery woman-something
that seems much more in~line with a performer
who'll wear a steak as a hat rather than girls
once part of the Disney troupe. Oh Gaga,
will we ever tire of you?
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TheO.C.'sNew Lezzie
The Real Housewives of Orange County are
getting a new addition, and this time she's
a smoking hot lesbian. Fernanda Rocha,
a 33~year~old fitness trainer from Laguna
Beach, debuts this season. Sadly, she's not one
of the main housewives (though someone
should put a few out of their misery-seri~
ously), but she will be a solid staple. Orange
County, lock up your daughters. ■
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She Said
"It used to bother me, and now I say, 'OK, if people
believe it, there's nothing we can do to change their
minds.' Oprah has been so outspoken and I have about
my dating life, my desire to have a significant other, that
it's just silly that we would deny or hide that because it
implies something is wrong .... That's what bothers me
more than anything. There's nothing wrong."
-Gayle King to USA Today
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She's All Wright
Almost a year on, the country music star reflects on her landmark coming out.
By Merryn Johns
In the June 2010 issue of curve Chely
Wright came out, sharing her struggle and
passion to live openly. The moving interview,
which revealed her brush with suicide, her
childhood pacts with God and her romantic
loss, won her admiration from the lesbian
community. On the eve of her performance
at Club Skirts The Dinah, Wright reflects on
coming out, and why she didn't participate in
the It Gets Better campaign.
Howdidyoureactto thespateof gayyouthsuicideslastyear?
I can tell you I was really losing sleep over it.
Had I not been out at that time I would have
been more devastated. Young people taking
their own lives,being bullied for being different,
feeling internalized homophobia because of
what the church says ... this is not new. What
is new is that mainstream America is now
aware that LGBT youth
4 Sexy Relationship Secrets 10 Tips to Survive Pride
have a hard time and that
Looking
backoverthelastyear,was
words do matter. Even
it worthit?
though it's 2011, it's hard
for kids.
It was worth it ten~fold. It was a
protracted experience because I
·- Butyoudidnotdoan It Gets
did decide to come out in 2007,
Bettervideo.Why?
that's when I began my book, and
I did not do it for a reason.
I did not want to send the
began assembling my team and
educating myself about LGBT
message to young people
issues ... making sure that I could
that you have to survive
the misery of high school;
hit the ground running as an
just survive it because once
effective voice. My ultimate goal
was to just live freely but I also wanted to be
you get through it, it will get better. I want it
an advocate and help change the discussion.
to get better now.
In that regard it's been so much more gratifying Youknewyouweregayat anearlyage.Didyou
focusonyourtalentto compensate?
than I ever imagined.
Canyoushareonemoment
whenyouknewyou Of course I did. In fact, before I realized the
weremakinga difference?
incredible role that love and companionship
play in a person's life, I made deals with God
It happens in the smallest glimmers and the
that I would forgo love if I could just have
loudest explosions. You have a chance to be
music. ... But then my life tipped over on me. I
on Oprahand that's a big bang. Then you're at
lost my partner; we were in hiding, the hiding
a small book signing on the West Coast and
somebody stands in line and it's their turn to
ripped us apart, and the worldly possessions,
the hit records, the awards I had didn't seem
speak to you and they say, "I was contem~
to matter. And I found myself to be on the
plating suicide and reading your book made
verge of suicide and that's when it occurred to
me feel less alone and I don't think I'm going
to do it now:' Coming out for anybody is a big me: Stand up.
Andyouhavefoundlovenow?
deal. Any time a person steps forward and
says, I'm different than anybody else it's hard.
Well, I have ... I'm really happy to say I'm in a
great relationship with a native New Yorker
But, doing it in the public eye really exposes
[author Lauren Blitzer] and it's amazing
a person to a lot of daggers and I felt the full
brunt of that, but I've also gotten to absorb all what a relationship is when you don't have
any hiding, secrets. It's out in the open. Her
the beauty, too. I've had a lot of folks say a lot
family knows, my family knows. It's just so
of amazing things to me.
20
I curve
great, I love it, and I'm very much in love and
very happy.
Soyourpersonallife improved
by comingout,
butwhataboutyourprofessional
life?Wasthere
a backlash?
There was a backlash. There is a portion of
the public that is pro~LGBT rights and there
is a portion of the public who are anti~LGBT
rights and they're primarily rooted in fun~
damental Christian beliefs. And there is a
portion of the general public that we call the
moveable middle and we find that those people
are affected by personal stories. If they hear a
story, or their neighbor or favorite teacher or
their favorite country music singer reveals to
them that, 'Tm the person that you love and I
happen to be gay;' oftentimes they are moved
and it doesn't seem fair to them to be anti~gay
rights. My goal was to affect the moveable
middle in the country music listening com~
munity. I didn't think that I'd be able to move
those on the far spectrum. I do believe that I
lost those. I can tell in certain letters I got or
certain people who didn't buy my record.
Didyougainanynewfans?
I got some. There's a cultural fan base and
there's a musical fan base. A lot of the LGBT
folks who have come to my Facebook page
that didn't know who I was before have hit
the Like button or comment, "Hey, I read
your book, I like you now:' But that's a long
way from them purchasing a country record
and coming to a show.
Whyyourallegiance
to countrymusic?Didyou
neverwantto takeyourtalentto anothergenre
of musicwhereyoursexualitywouldn'tbe as
muchof an issue?
Well, it's kind of: I am who I am. My records
w
in the last year have been a bit more folk/ ~
alternative country, so the edges are a little bit
Q.
blurred. But I think to pick up and abandon ti
what I do would be disingenuous. I really am
who I am. I really am a gay country singer. ~
&
5
(chely.com)■
:::J
:S
Chely Wright
Rocks The Dinah
•
•
OnFriday,April1, 2011at
8:00p.m.,ChelyWrightwill
performliveat TheRivieraResortandSpain PalmSprings,
Calif.andwill signherbook
April2 at
LikeMeonSaturday,
the afternoonpoolparty.Isshe
readyto be mobbedby lesbian
bringit on,
fans?"Absolutely,
I can'twait,"shelaughs."I
can'twaitto meeteverybody,
I knowit's goingto bereally
relaxedandfun.I enjoyfans,
andhearingpeople'sstories.
get
That'showsongwriters
ideas.Wetalkto people,so I
lookforwardto hearingstories
andmaybeI'll turntheminto
songs."(thedinah.com)
I've Got It Bad for Teacher Stop swooning over the unattainable
college counselor. By Lipstick and Dipstick
Dear Dipstick and Lipstick: I'm a 20-year-old who has it bad
for my college counselor. I don't know why I always crush on
unattainable women. She's older and happily partnered. I'm
young, inexperienced and in the closet (it's complicated).
The only same-sex sexual encounter I've had was at a pelvic
exam. Got any advice?-Bunged
Lipstick:
First things first: Get out of the closet.
It's always complicated and that permission
slip expired in the '90s. Once you've taken
that step, you'll stop majoring in self~sabo~
tage and move on to an accelerated program
in dykeonomics.
Dipstick:
There's nothing wrong with having
a crush on a college counselor. We've all done
it. A hot older woman-yum!
Your desire
stems from needing to be taken under her
wing, nurtured and nudged until you're ready
to leap from the nest on your own. I think the
Greeks had it right when they eased young
adults into their first sexual experiences with
a gentle older partner. Unfortunately, modern
day Americans frown upon such relation~
ships (unless you're Hugh Hefner). But this
older lady can be the mentor and friend you
need to get you ready for your first real same~
sex encounter. She can give you tips on where
to meet women, how to ask a girl out, which
sex toys to buy (and which ones to avoid) and,
most importantly, how to set up a revolving
credit account with U~Haul.
DearLipstickandDipstick:
I needsomeserious
advice.I knowthe answer,butI justwantconfirmation.
Mypartner,
Joanna,pretended
to love
everything
aboutme whenwe first met, and
afterthreemonthssheaskedmeto marryher.
Well,it's beenfive yearsin a bliss-freemarriage,andnowshehateseverything
I do.Last
night,shetoldmeto stoplaughing
tooloud.But
22
I curve
Up in Boulder
shelaughsveryloudwith bothheradultchildrenall the time.I was hurt.I ask her if there's
something
goingonandshetellsmeeverything
is justfine.Shetriesto dictatemyeverymove.
I'm a freespiritanddon'tcareaboutwhatshe
does-whichis lie in bedandwatchwrestling
and murdershowsnonstop.
We'vetried marriagecounseling,
but my partnerdoesn'tseea
problem.The counselor
told me privatelythat
I shouldleaveJoannabecauseit's clearshe
doesn'trespectme.Joannapaysforeverything
becauseI'm disabled.I'll loseall my medical
insurance
andmy home.I thinkthat'swhyI'm
staying.ButI shouldleavefor my ownsanity,
beforeit reallygetsugly.Right?-Dismayed
and
Disrespected
Dipstick:You're in a rut, and so are we. We
can't tell you how many lesbians write to us
about an unhappy relationship, unsure of
how to extricate themselves because of money,
children or other reasons. Your first priority is to
focus on your financial and medical problems.
Figure out a way to support yourself-and
not by moving in with another girlfriendbefore you dump this dishrag. Look into a
vocational rehab program, or see if you can
get into a job~training program. If you can't
work at all, apply for disability. Gain as much
independence as you can, and start inching
away from this unhealthy situation. While
you work on that, let me school the rest of
you reading this: Do not move in with a partner,
no matter what the reason, unless you've been
dating for at least a year. Never, ever cohabit
for financial reasons. That always backfires.
As my friend Mag says, you have to experi~
ence all four seasons of a relationship before
sharing room and board. Listen to your gut
and those little voices in your head. If some~
thing is telling you not to move forward, don't.
Weve never had a lesbian write to us and tell
us she regretted moving slowly. And finally,
ladies, no matter what, make sure you have a
way to support yoursel£ if the love turns sour
and you need out.
Lipstick:
I doubt Joanna was pretending when
she fell in love with you and adored all your
isms. It's not uncommon to eventually hate
what draws us into someones spell. Like,
my ex~girlfriend used to love that I listened
to Christmas music all year. That is, until I
came home one summer day and found her
grilling my John Denver & The Muppets: A
Christmas Together CD on the BBQ. If your
therapist believes Joanna has lost respect for
you, shes probably right. It's time to go. You're
a caged animal and respect is a critical factor
in a healthy relationship. Follow Dip's advice
and get on your own two feet.
DearLipstick
andDipstick:
I'min myfirstlesbian
relationship
with a stud.I've mostlybeenwith
femmesbeforebut founda stud that I was
attractedto. I knewabsolutely
nothingabout
stonelesbians,but now I realizenot onlywill
shenot let me touchher anywhereprivate,all
shewantsto dois usea strap-on.
Sheonlywent
downon me once-the firsttimewe hadsex.
I reallyfeel like I'm with an unemotional
man.
Whatthefuck!I lovebeingwitha womanforall
thethingsa manisn't.HowdidI endupwithone
anyway?-Stunned
byMyStud
Dipstick:This is just wrong, wrong, wrong.
Stone butches get off on pleasing their part~
ners. If you don't like her lovin' then what's
the point:' Perhaps she thinks this is what
you want. Are you pretending to enjoy it:' Or
~
a:
if:
w
~
~
Lipstick & Dipstick ADVICE
"Stopmajoringin
self-sabotagewith a
maybe she thinks pounding the pillow prin~
cess is what she needs to do to be a real stud.
Either way, this dyke needs some schooling
from Dipstick. A good lover listens not only
with her ears, but with her whole essence.
If she's not getting the message that you're
bored, you're going to have to find a way to
tell her. Next time she reaches for her silicone
pet, gently take ahold of the handle and push
it aside. Guide your lover's hands and lips to
the places you want her attention. Tell her,
"Hey, Baby, can't we leave the Black Stallion [I
know she's named the dil, all dykes do] in the
drawer tonightt Take responsibility for your
own pleasure and demand she do you right.
Lipstick:
You said it-WTF
is right, Stunned.
You have two choices. You can either tell
your stud you're unhappy and hope she listens,
or you can continue spreading your legs in
misery. The choice is yours. But let me warn
you about something. If you choose the latter,
your hungry heart and libido will eventu~
ally lead you to another trough, if this one
isn't feeding you. So many people suffer
disgruntled sex lives because of one simple
reason: They're chicken. Chicken to be hon~
est. Chicken to complain. Chicken to
explore. Be the brave one and speak up
to your stud-maybe you've underesti~
mated your Dipstick. ■
minorin bad choices
and moveon to an
acceleratedprogram
in dykeonomics."
Tune in to curvemag.com/lipstickanddipstick
to watchthe The Lipstick& DipstickShow.
Or, write to tv@lipstickdipstick.com.
March 2011
I 23
ADVICE Money
Plan Your Life
Know your rights and take control of your life.
By Merryn Johns
Confusing. Uncomfortable. Scary. These are words that may come to
mind when you consider writing a will, assigning a power of attorney,
or even creating a partnership agreement. But making these decisions
and putting them into action are essential steps in life planning and
should not be put off until it's too late. Taking these steps now protect ourselves and our loved ones, which is vital when we don't have
the same protections and rights as our hetero counterparts. Mary
Blanchett-who
founded her company Gay Life Planning with the
express purpose of empowering LGBT adults to plan around punitive laws-explains why,
when it comes to getting serious about planning, there's no time like the present.
',
..-.' ..-
,._-~--.
.....
.......
1. Weare stilla minorityandstilldiscriminated
against.Doyourhomework
on how.
Our community is not protected, and many
of us don't realize there's a need and a way to
protect ourselves. Even though some national
LGBT organizations have some type of
education on building your own safety net,
many people don't take the time to learn
how we are vulnerable and act to reverse it.
I tell people to read Lambda Legal's Take the
Power: Tools for Life and Financial Planning
and the NCLR's Lifelines: Documents to
Protect You and Your Family and Planning
with Purpose: Legal Basicsfor LGBT Elders.
2. Identify the punitive laws against LGBT
peoplein the UnitedStatesand protectyourself againstthem.
The mother lode of discriminatory laws is
DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act),
which does not allow same-sex couples to be
recognized, even when they are legally married
in their own state. Because ofDOMA, federal
benefit agencies cannot recognize your samesex partner or spouse.
Same-sex partners and spouses are excluded
from COBRA (Consolidated
Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act)-which maintains
a spouse's and family's health insurance after
the insured spouse loses her job-and
from
Social Security's spousal and survivor benefits.
You cannot cover your ineligible spouse for
Medicare, or transfer wealth to your spouse
without incurring estate tax. You cannot visit
your spouse in a hospital or nursing home.
You cannot take Family and Medical Leave
Act (FMLA) time off to care for your spouse,
or make medical decisions for her, or access
tax-free employer-paid medical insurance for
her. You are not entitled to income tax benefits
for couples. Your foreign-born spouse is not
entitled to U.S. citizenship. You cannot adopt
your spouse's child. You cannot take spousal
bereavement leave, and do not have the right a:
to bury your spouse. All this is separate and ~
w
a:
not equal treatment.
IEven with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't wz
i:i:
Tell, LGBT service members will not be w
I
eligible for any of the spousal benefits that t:i:
~
(/)
24
I curve
different~sex married couples have. That's
because DOMA is still in effect.
3. Evenif youthinkyoudon'thavemuch,get a
grip on yourassets,and yourpartner'srights
to them,especiallyif you think you mightbe
blindedby love.
A partnership agreement can be drawn
up by an LGBT~knowledgeable attorney.
It's good planning, regardless of how long
you've known your partner before you move
in together. This can outline each partner's
responsibility to the home, to each other, to
children and to debt; it can state the owner~
ship of assets, pets and property; and it can
specify what obligation each person has if
the relationship ends.
I have heard many sad stories of breakups.
Everything from ex~partners who lost cher~
ished family heirlooms and pets, to those
who discovered major credit card debt in
"Learn how aging and long-term care can be different for
us. We know LGBT adults are not afforded the same rights
as others, so find out where the disparities are and push
your elected officials to end the discrimination."
their name. We should do anything we can
to diminish potential hardship for ourselves.
4. Will is a four-letterword,and it's one that
youshoulduse.
The two biggest mistakes are in wills and
medical decision~making authority. Many
lesbians think they don't have enough assets
to require a will. They don't realize that each
state has intestate laws to decide who gets
your goods when you're gone-which means
that those close friends who are more like
family than your real family don't get any~
thing. And those charities you've been donating
time and money to are left out as well.
Designating
medical decision~making
authority, either through a health~care proxy
or through a power of attorney for health~
care decisions, is often seen as unnecessary.
But people really do get into accidents and
are sometimes unable to speak for them~
selves in the emergency room. That's the most
important time to have someone speaking on
your behal£ to have your wishes expressed
and followed.
5. Don'tbe in denialaboutgettingolder.Look
forwardto it andplan.
Empower yourself through learning as much
as possible about your own changing health
conditions, including menopause and midlife
crisis. Talk to your doctors about it and share
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off site, call for more information.
March 2011
I 25
I
ADVICEMoney
rs
Be out with your docto
it with other women.
h ,
.
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selfbeforetakmg
We know LGBT ad u ts are
care of
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I erent for us.
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ire
, so
oth
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oth
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imagine
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AFTER
I
STARS
Spring Fling
March keeps us guessing.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
make more money in the process. At least
that is the promise this March. Most girl-ongirl Twins would like to rely on their ample
charm rather than elbow grease but don't slip
on your own oil. Use it instead to grease the
wheels of negotiation with you-know-who.
Pisces(Feb.20-March20)
Guppies are in love with love and not usually
discreet with their many paramours: So keep
a tight lip on your various romances. Tongues
are wagging about your whereabouts and
who-abouts. With these goings on, what is
going on in your career:' Those in power sit up
and take notice. Is it because you're a go-getter
or because you know how to get her:'
Aries(March21-April 20)
March is a month of surprises. A gal pal can
turn into a bosom buddy. There you are,
minding your own business when she tries
to get into yours. Sparks fly and knock your
socks off, among other things. There's much
more happening behind the scenes than you
think. Phonies and backstabbers get their
comeuppance. Be aware. Be subtle. Be smart.
But don't be caught plotting your revenge.
Heh heh.
a:
w
~
Taurus(April21-May 21)
Move in different social circles to showcase
your ample attributes. You're sexy, titillating
and juicy this March. Squeeze a little joy into
every interaction and show the world why
Sapphic Bulls are so proud. You receive attention for even your crackpot ideas and attract
stares from ladies in power circles. Maybe
that's because your power suit is fishnet:'
LL
~
u
cc Gemini(May22-June21)
~ Work hard, fly right and you might even
Cancer(June22-July 23)
You are hot, hot, hot this March. Turn it up to a
rapid boil and then get out there and melt a few
hearts. Go far afield and take a well-deserved
vacation. Not only will you attract any exotic
lady you want, you'll even attract a few who
you don't. Share your bounty with the less fortunate. If you've run out of vacation days, find
ways to travel for business. Business can take
you to hot locales where you can boil anew.
Leo(July24-Aug.23)
Tickle your taste buds with an entirely new sexual tasting menu. Go for the sweet and sugary.
You have a big cavity to fill. And while you're at
it, explore ways to use your power of persuasion
to untangle any vexing mystery that has been
costing you too much time and money. You can
find the best way to cheat your way out of any
punishment. Unless you're into punishment:'
Virgo(Aug.24-Sept.23)
Queer Virgins can focus on health and exercise
and turn their bodies into objects of worship.
But even if you stay as beautiful as you are,
the hard work will be worth it. Someone is
waiting for you at the gym, ready to make the
steam room extra steamy with you. For those
in a relationship, try to place work ahead of
lovergrrls. Can you mix business with pleasure:'
If so, get down to business with her.
Libra(Sept.24-0ct. 23)
Have fun this March. Party hearty and see
who catches your eye. A light flirtation can
turn into a heavy romance before you realize
it. Try to make it last through spring but if not
have fun while it lasts. Work will be a bit of
an intrusive annoyance. They ask too much of
you so try not to get buried by endless projects.
Either say "no" or find a creative way to fob the
work off on someone else.
Scorpio(Oct.24-Nov.22)
Be lazy and luxurious in March. You need to
recharge your energies and can do so while
surrounded by a bevy of beauties who peel
your grapes. Will you be elected Ms. Popularity
or Most Likely To:' Let's guess. Of course you
still have work issues to attend to. Putting a
stink bomb in the supply closet seems like a
good idea but you'll find that the reality may
not match the promise. Surprised:'
Sagittarius(Nov.23-Dec.22)
You are eloquent and diplomatic for a change.
Words oflove get you what you want from her.
But be careful of talking in your sleep-you
never know who'll appear in your wet dreams.
Use your powers of persuasion to finesse at
work. You're apt to rebel from the evil forces by
calling in sick-sick and tired. Plan your next
big move from the living room while an ablebodied personal assistant moves with you.
Capricorn(Dec.23-Jan. 20)
They say it is as easy to fall in love with a poor
lady as it is with a rich one, but let's face it, rich
is usually better. Find your sugar momma this
March and make her sticky while she supplies
the sweets. Maybe your finances will improve
and you won't have to bend over backwards to
get what you truly deserve at work. Otherwise
you'll have to be especially diplomatic with the
boss this March. Uh oh, now we're in trouble.
Aquarius(Jan.21-Feb.19)
This is not the month to be shy and retiring.
Demonstrate how you really feel and do it
like you mean it around lovergrrls. Let your
actions speak louder and prouder than your
words. Bold moves effectively translate into
professional oomph at work. A risky move
could bring a big payout both politically and
economically. But remember that the greater
the reward, the greater the risk. Err, how big
is big again:' ■
CharleneLichtensteinis the author
of Herscopes:
A Guideto Astrologyfor
Lesbians(Simon& Schuster)(tinyurl.
com/HerScopes)
March 2011
I 27
POLITICS
Aging Disgracefully
Preparing for your retirement is an important political act. By Victoria A. Brownworth
January 1, 2011, marked more than the first
day of a new decade. Signaling the day that
the first Baby Boomers began to turn 65, it
also marked the beginning of a sociological,
medical and financial tidal wave.
According to U.S. Census statistics,
10,000 Baby Boomers-those
born between
1946 and 1964-will
hit retirement age
every single day for the next two decades.
The stresses on both the economy and the
medical establishment are expected to be
immense, as nearly a third of adult Americans
are in that demographic-most
of my close
friends and I among them.
My best friend just turned 65. Two other
close friends just turned 60. Another friend
held her 75th birthday celebration a few
months back. Baby dykes may be in abundance, but so are silver sapphics.
While my spouse and I are at the younger
end of the Baby Boomer generation, she and
I talk about retirement often. Her mother is
in her 80s, my father in his 70s. Two of our
2s
I curve
parents are already deceased. As we watch
our parents age and die, we can no longer
ignore the reality that we are middle-aged
and will be elderly ourselves one day.
While my friends are all vibrant in their
old age, each one has concerns over who will
take care of her as she begins to get infirm.
According to the queer seniors group
Social Security benefits already being cut by
President Obama's recent tax deals with the
Republicans, that cushion will no longer be
something to depend on. Which means that
right now we all need to be thinking about
what will happen when we turn 65.
Since Baby Boomers include the first generation of out queers, we are also aging in
public. According to the National Lesbian
and Gay Task Force (NLGTF), there are
currently 3 million elder LGBT people in the
U.S. The NLGTF estimates that within 20
years that number will at least double.
What does the future hold for aging
lesbians?
The realities of aging in the queer community have long been ignored. Older
queers have found themselves increasingly
marginalized. Fear of aging has kept many
from preparing for the prospect of getting
older. Others have been impeded by the
economic straits they have faced throughout
their lifetimes. It is estimated that half of all
LGBT people hover near the poverty levelparticularly lesbians, transgender people and
queers of color.
According to the most recent U.S. Census
statistics, the elderly constitute the largest
group of indigent people, meaning elderly
queers are highly likely to face a financially
uncertain old age.
Isolation impacts all older people and can
It is estimatedthat halfof all LGBT people
hovernear the povertylevel-particularly lesbians,
transgenderpeople and queers of color.
SAGE, two-thirds of seniors over 65 do not
have partners, and nearly 90 percent do not
have children.
Most women who are single-or, in the
case of lesbians, are counted in the census
as single-are expected to have both a lower
income and a higher life expectancy than
our male counterparts. And with future
lead to depression and even suicide. But for
queers, getting older creates additional problems, like dealing with homophobia from
health care or social service professionals.
Lambda Legal Defense has repeatedly addressed the elder abuse of lesbians and gay
men in nursing home facilities, where homophobia is rampant.
TRANSPARENT AGENDA
One friend, now in her early 70s and in fragile health, told
me she feared moving to an assisted living facility because
she felt she would have to "go back in the closet" after years
of being out. "I don't want to have to pretend I am straight
just to get appropriate care;' she says. She wonders if her
friends-all lesbians-will be welcome at a nursing home as
her visitors.
In nursing homes, abuse is already a pandemic: The
Department of Health and Human Services noted in 2009
that nearly 90 percent of all nursing homes and assisted care
facilities had problems with abuse and neglect. Numerous
studies show that queer seniors are at greater risk for abuse,
and for being separated from their partners/ spouses and
friends within assisted living and nursing home facilities,
many of which have religious affiliations.
Stories of abuse and separation have sparked a movement
to establish retirement centers for elder queers as well as
groups to help seniors connect with one another. SAGE and
Old Lesbians for Organizing Change are among the groups
helping senior queers to build communities and find queerfriendly places to live. (OLOC will hold its annual gathering
in Tacoma, Wash.,July 2011.)
Eleven states already have LGBT retirement communities,
and another 20 are planned across the country, mostly in the
West and Southwest. Among the recent additions to these
retirement facilities is Agesong at Lake Merritt in Oakland,
Calif., and Fountaingrove Lodge in Sonoma, Calif. Aegis
Senior Living, a well-known West Coast assisted-living
management company, is currently building an LGBT senior
community in Santa Rosa, Cali£
In October 2010, Pennsylvania allotted $7 million to help
fund a retirement complex in the heart of Philadelphia's gayborhood. It is the first apartment complex with a focus on
small units, for low- and middle-income LGBT seniors.
Alas, most lesbians have not even addressed the basics of
planning for retirement. According to the MetLife Mature
Market Institute, less than half of all lesbians have a will or
a directive for end-of-life care. Less than half of all lesbians
have enough savings to cover a year of retirement, let alone
the 15 years past retirement age that is the average life expectancy for women.
The prospect of retirement may be nearer for some lesbians
than for others, but all lesbians need to plan for their own
"Golden Years:' The National Center for Lesbian Rights urges
lesbians of all ages to have their papers in order, whether
retirement is months or decades away.
Prepare financially for your retirement now. You will
need almost as much to live on after you stop working as you
did when you were working. Where will that money come
from:' Savings:' Retirement accounts:' Working part-time to
supplement Social Security and pension benefits:'
When it comes to retirement and its many facets, preparation takes time and careful planning. We are our own best,
and often our only, advocates. What we need and want and
demand as we age is up to us. ■
An illuminating photography project highlights
the need for trans healthcare reform.
Whilethe passageof the
MatthewShepardAct in 2009
finallygavetransgender
individualslegalprotectionfromviolence
anddiscrimination,
transfolks
continueto be marginalized
in
criticalareassuchas healthcare.
My RightSelf,is an important photography
projectthat
documentsthe experiences
of
threetransindividualsandtwo
couples,andcontainstheir own
reflectionson howtheyare
perceivedin the world.Allie,a
transwomanfeaturedin the
project,recallsthat whenshe
was shoppingfor healthinsurancea coupleof yearsago,she
was literallylaughedat by an
insurancerep."Hesaid,'Yeah,
don'tevenbother,'andhungup."
My RightSelf,is the work
of ArthurRobinson
Williams,a
photographer
andUniversityof
Pennsylvania
medicalstudent.
Consistingof a 25-piececolor
photography
exhibitwith text
panelsanda companionwebsite
(myrightself.org},
the project
hastouredmedicalschoolsand
healthcarecentersaroundthe
countrysinceits debutin 2008.
"I think genderidentityand
transgenderism
is extremely
importantin termsof sociopoliticalgainsfor queercommunities,
but especiallywithin medicine,"
Williamssays."I thinkthe
medicaleducationsystemis
a coupleof decadesbehindin
termsof educatingstudentsand
doctorsaboutLGBThealthin
general,but especiallythe 'T';
it's oftenforgotten."Headdsthat
transfolkstendto be uninsured
or underinsured,
andevenif they
havehealthinsurance,
treatmentsandprocedures
that are
coveredfor otherpurposesare
oftenexplicitlywrittenout of
coverageif usedfor a genderalteringpurpose.
That'scertainlybeenAllie's
experience.
"Theybasicallytry
to invalidateyourclaim,andthey
try to invalidatewhoyouare,"
shesays."Forinstance,I've had
to dealwith beingcalled'he'
whenI'mquiteclearlypresenting
asfemale,becausemy chart
says'male.'"
WhenAlliefinallydid get
coverage,
heronlyoptionwasthe
mostexpensiveplanavailable,a
hardburdento bearwhileworking
for minimumwageandgoing
to schoolfull time.Thoughshe
nowhasinsurancethroughher
employer,
Alliestill spendsa significantpartof her paycheckon
hormonesandanti-androgens,
andcontinuesto savefor her
surgery.
ButwhileAlliewouldlike
to seeMy RightSelf,educate
the healthcareindustryabout
the uniquemedicalneedsand
situationsof transfolks,she
alsohopesthe projectmakesa
broaderimpact.
"It actuallyhelpeda lot with
howI seemyself,in termsof my
bodyandhowpeopleseeme,"
shesaysof the project.Shealso
hopesit canhelpmakethejourney
easierfor the nextgeneration
of transkids,"so theydon'tget
thrownout bytheir parents,so
theydon't get ostracized,
sothey
don'tget beatenupfor being
whotheyare.''[MattSorrell]
March 2011
I 29
LAUGH
TRACK
Q&A: Sandra Valls
The motor-mouth comic dishes on lesbian fashion. By Merryn Johns
Let's be honest, there isn't fruit that's much
lower-hanging than that of lesbian fashion
stereotypes. From flannel to Birkenstocks, to
the ever-popular mullet, there's plenty to poke
fun at. But as any lezzie worth their L-card
knows, we gay gals do know fashion. From
urbane butches in tailored suits to highfemmes in haute couture, lesbians are making fierce fashion statements-and
don't get
us started on the iiber-chic DIY movement
that has all sorts of dykes rocking homemade
high fashion. But since the stereotype persists,
particularly in comedy circles, who better to
set the gay threads record straight than the
always-debonair comic, Sandra Valls.
Manylesbians
adopta "uniform."
Why?
This is so funny. I feel some of us have fallen
30
I curve
into the "average straight man Dad look:'
Some lesbians are all about comfort and efficiency and not enough about looking sexy.
We just throw any old shorts and T-shirt
on and call it a day. We don't want to carry
a purse so we try the hands-free fanny pack.
Fanny pack is not sexy. It's convenient. Instead
of a fanny pack, try to carry a teardrop or
messenger backpack- hands free yet stylish.
Birkenstocks are very comfortable and I do
wear them at home and nowhere else. When
going out-even Home Depot-try
wearing
insoles in your cool sneakers instead. There
you go ... comfort, efficiency and style.
Whatis lesbianfashionto you?
It's an attitude. It's looking put together at
all times. It's a certain swagger and confidence that we exude when we know we look
fresh. It's strength. It's standing out from the
crowd. It's being uniquely and wholly yourself... your true sel£ expressed through clothing.
Unfortunately, when people think of lesbian
fashion, they think of bland, no color, male
clothes, a ratty T-shirt tucked into jeans
pulled up way too high. There's no reason we
should look like soccer moms or truckers.
Whoareyourlesbianstyleicons?
My partner Jackie Kennedy rocks it out,
Amy Tee-fellow comic-is always styling.
Rachel Maddow, Ellen and Portia, Pink,
Missy Elliot, Jodie Foster, k.d. lang.
Femmes
liketo dressup.Whataboutbutches?
Hell, yeah. We love to dress up. We love
looking cute for the femmes. And we love
attention. Some just don't know how. They
are stuck because they do not like wearing
>0
w
z
~
~
w
6
u
'."i
women's clothes but then when they shop for
men's clothes, it's usually too big or doesn't fit
well. If you like wearing men's suits, please
have them altered. No long flappy sleeves on
shirts or suits. Make sure the shirt collar fits
right around your neck, not too loose. Learn
how to tie a tie. The tip of the tie should
just hit the top of the belt buckle and not
any longer. Do not look like you're wearing
your father's suit. Femmes, if you like how
we look, let us know.
Thebiggest
fashionmistakeyouevermade?
I went years without waxing my eyebrows
and upper lip. I'm so embarrassed no one
told me. Yes, there are pictures. Oh ... and
I wore flannel. But it was the '90s and the
grunge era was in full swing.
Why shouldlesbianstake more interestin
lookinghot?
It's not so much about looking hot as it is
about bringing an attitude from the inside
out. When you do that, that's hot. I feel
everyone, gay or straight, should want to
look their best and spruce themselves up. We
should want to look good for our partners
but most importantly, ourselves. Whether
you like it or not, you are making a statement
with your clothes. We are unique individuals.
Stand up straight and carry yourself with
grace and you will radiate confidence. Let's
go out and turn some heads, girls.
Whatisyourfavoritethingto wearonstage?
I love wearing cool, comfortable jeans with
a blingy buckle from Dewberries Boutique,
a long~sleeved, button down shirt, funky
sneakers, just the right bracelets and acces~
sories and my favorite cologne. It's all about
the swagger, baby.
Yourgirlfriendand Dewberries
ownerJackie
Kennedy
hasgoneprowithfashion.
Wow, she's just "wow!" Even when she's
lounging around the house, she looks stunning
in her Hello Kitty pajamas and matching house
shoes. She loves to express herself through
her clothes. I can always tell if she's feeling
sexy, playful, funky, rebellious by how she
dresses. Her hair is always perfect. Her nails
are always done. She has tons of accessories.
She's taught me so much. She really feels
that everyone wants to be styled but some
just don't know how. That's why she opened
Dewberries, so she can assist you in creating
a cool, personal style for yourself in a safe,
fun environment.
Whencanwe nextseeyoustrutyourstuff?
Jackie and I will be busy at Dewberries
Boutique & Lounge holding events including
burlesque classes, empowerment workshops,
make~up/fashion
classes for bois-yes,
you read right-comedy
classes, fairy card
readings, charm classes, tea parties and net~
working (luvthatdewberries.com). I will be
performing on the Olivia Mexican Riviera
cruise, March 26-April 2, 2011 and at the
Enchanted Hawaii Resort Oct. 29-Nov. 4.
(welovesandra.com and olivia.com) ■
March 2011
I 31
JFierce
eitUitUe
Jessica Clark dishes on fashion, sexuality
and her new film,Sara. By Lisa Gunther
,..
secretly want to play a badass action hero in a
film;' lesbian model and actor Jessica Clark reveals.
~
Considering her roster of accomplishmentsbreaking into the competitive world of modeling at 16, work~
ing as a life coach, starring in a new film, a lesbian love story
called Sara and set to star in Nicole Conn's latest project,
A Perfect Ending-it wouldn't surprise us if her secret wish
someday came true.
After winning a nationwide modeling competition in
London, where she was born and raised, Clark had the rare
opportunity to travel the world and enjoy financial indepen~
dence when she was just a teenager, but she has always kept a
level head about the fashion industry.
"Modeling was never really a goal of mine. In fact, I was
always very disdainful of the idea of relying on your looks. As
it turned out, I realized that to do well in the fashion indus~
try you had to become a pretty savvy business person, and I
have enjoyed that aspect of it. But I definitely try to keep it in
perspective. Fashion can be amazing, but I don't want it to be
my whole life:'
Indeed, years before her career in the fashion industry
began, Clark displayed a love of theatrical make~believe.
When she was just a girl she would write plays for her sib~
lings to star in, and when she moved to New York City, after
her modeling career took off, she began taking acting classes,
just for fun. But she got her biggest break in 2004, when she
famously starred in Usher's music video for "Burn'' -a move
that would mark a turning point in both her career and her
public identity.
In a 2008 interview with Vibe magazine, Usher stated,
"Women have started to become lovers of each other as a
result of not having enough men:' When this article appeared,
AfterEllen.com responded by repudiating his claims and
remarking on the irony that his "Burn" video had starred a
lesbian. Though she was already more or less open about her
sexuality, Clark quickly had to come to terms with some very
public scrutiny of her sexuality.
"What I did have a hard time with, initially, was the
response of other lesbians;' Clark explains. "I would find
myself having to convince them that I really did like women,
and I was pretty uncomfortable with that-what
with being
...
32lcurve
so new to the scene ... At the time, I was very insecure that I
wasn't 'gay enough:"
Clark now enjoys the visibility that she has been given as a
lesbian in a business that all too often promotes conformity.
Being of Nigerian, Indian and Irish descent, she knew from an
early age what it felt like to be different.
"When I was younger I sometimes found it difficult, in the
sense that I didn't feel that I had any strongly rooted identity,
both in terms of heritage and lifestyle. It wasn't particularly
easy, but it definitely helped me become a strong and very
independent woman. I am very comfortable with who I am
now. I am a woman, a lesbian; I am multi~ethnic, a wife, an
actor, a writer, a daughter, a fashion model. All of these are a
part of how I see myself:'
Clark's recent project, Sara-a lesbian love story written,
produced and directed by Stan-has
given her even more
of an opportunity to spread her wings as an actor. The film
was distributed online late last year, and has screened in Los
Angeles at the Fusion Film Festival and at OutFest, and at the
New York Lesbian Film Festival.
When asked how acting compares with modeling, Clark
responds, "Technically the number one difference is that as
a model you are trained to always be aware of the camera.
Everything is for the camera. As an actor, there is the need
to exist as the person you are playing, and with whoever else
is in the scene with you. The camera just so happens to be
there observing. I learned so much, and it really awakened a
passion in me to tell stories that could make people think in
someway:'
Clark will also get to hone her acting skills in the upcoming
short film Bed Head."! play the lead, Maya. It's a really interesting
piece, which challenges the easy assumptions that we can all
make about people. I can't really say anymore right now-but
it should be on the festival circuit in early 2011 ... I am actually
spending a large amount of time in L.A. these days; training,
auditioning and building my profile out here. [There are] so
many new things to learn and experience!"
She's still waiting for that badass female role she so covets;
but until she lands it, she'll continue exploring many different
artistic avenues, and maybe even take some classes in mixed
martial arts, just for fun. ■
"I am a woman, a
lesbian; I am multiethnic, a wife, an actor,
a writer, a daughter, a
fashion model. All of
these are a part f
how I see mysel ."
March 2011
I 33
esbians and leathe
complicated relationship.
Admittedly, leather not ror everyone and we would
never suggest you compromise
uriethics regarding
animal products. But historically leather has been part
of the LGBT community's fashion identity: Rebellious,
primal, tough. There's a case for the environrQental advantages of
leather over plastics, since pleather and PV
environmentally
damaging materials, having received t
oxicity from
Greenpeace. "I love animals, and I wouldn use their skin frivolously,"
says Lucky Dog Leather owner and designer, Lucia Gerbino, ~
believes that one leather accessory will o
non- atural
material or petroleum by-product items.
as green as
its supplier's practices, which is why Ger
ecologically
aware suppliers. At Lucky Dog everything
made to order
and made to last. Metal and stone are incorpo ed into many of the
designs offering a talismanic appeal, lendi
trength to the wearer. It's
this mixture of style and eco-conciousnes
hat has made Lucky Dog
popular with celesbians and lesbian faves ke Abisha Uhl and Jamie
Holm of the band Sick of Sarah who rock i out this month sporting
Lucky
g Leather accessories that truly efit the rock 'n' roll chick.
luckydogleather. com)
34
urve
Photos/artdirection:
KerryKrenzin
Production
Assistant:
ShannanLeighReeve
Models:
AbishaUhland
JamieHolmof the band
Sickof Sarah,courtesy
of AdamantRecords
MakeupArtisUHairStylist:
DanielBlaylock
(danielblaylock.com)
Jamie (left) with the Lapis
5 wrap bracelet.
Abisha (right) with the Silver
Nugget 5 wrap bracelet.
Off
the
Sick of Sarah rockers Abisha Uhl and Jamie Holm
strap into Lucky Dog Leather. By Merryn Johns
LESBIAN CHIC
Jamie and Abisha wear selections
from the Wrap Collection including
Tiger's Eye, Black Onyx, Sterling
silver and Gold vermeil. Gemini
Collection and Marquee Collection
and Wide Cuffs are also shown.
J
'-'-,-~
36
I curve
Silver Nugget 5 wrap
and Gold Vermeil 3
wrap bracelets.
(
I
I
Abisha wears a 1.5 inch
and 1.25 inch ring cuff and
matching 1.5 inch wide ring
belt, Cosmo belt, black
onyx double wrap bracelet
and silver Crown dog tag
and Fleur-de-lis cross on
silver ball chains.
/
I
/
Jamie (main) has on a Lapis 5
wrap and a Tiger's eye 3 wrap
bracelet. Abisha has on the
Silver Nugget 5 wrap bracelet.
38
I curve
Abisha {left) wears a black
onyx double wrap bracelet,
one black and one red
Solo from the Gemini
Collection, a red Gemini
Original and 1.5 inch wide
Ring belt, Cosmo belt and
silver Crown dog tag
and Fleur-de-lis cross.
Jamie (right) wears a
Tiger's Eye wrap bracelet,
a Gemini Original and two
Gemini Solo bracelets as
well as two braid bracelets.
The necklace is the Royal
Crown Dog Tag. The belt is
the popular Spot Stud Belt.
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March 2011
I 39
LESBIAN CHIC -liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~liiiiiiillliiialiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
High
Photographer Tasya Van Ree shares her vision.
By Constance Parten.
n the famous daguerreotype of La
Contessa Castiglione by Pierre-Louise
Pierson, the female subject, bedecked in
her finery, looks back at the photographer
through a cut-out frame. Who is framing
whom? In the case of photographer Tasya Van
Ree, partner of actor Amber Heard, it's all a
matter of perspective and instinct. Van Ree
gives us an insider's tour of her technique.
••·I
Whendidyoudiscover
yourpassion
forphotography?
Diane Arbus' Revelations exhibit at LACMA. At first glance,
I was intrigued with the cognitive influences behind the
images she captured. Her photographs contained visuals of
the forgotten, the weak, the hidden, the normal. .. and as I
walked deeper into this exhibit, I fell in love instantly.
Whendidyourealizeyouhad"aneye"anddidyoustudy?
Probably when I received my first compliment on a photograph that I had taken. I could never study something that
is so fluid. It defeats the whole purpose of art
and of being a true artist. I think the more
unrefined the better. It all goes back to the
purity of instinct.
Describethefirst importantphotoyoutook?
I came across a homeless man in downtown
Los Angeles years ago. It was obvious that the
elements of living on the streets had aged him
beyond his years. His clothes were tattered
and falling off of his body. I stopped him in his
tracks and asked him I if could take a picture.
He agreed and I took his portrait. When I got
the proof sheets back I looked at the photo and
what I saw I didn't see in real life. The photograph depicted a beautiful specimen of time. His
expression told a million stories. It was at this moment that
I wanted to share this simple discovery. Something that we as
humans seem to overlook: The details of a moment.
Whoareyourinfluences
andhowdoyoudefinephotography?
Surrealists and photojournalists. A photograph is the captured image of our imagination.
Whatdoyoushootwithandwhy?
If I'm shooting for my personal use I'll use one of my random
cameras that I've collected over the years. Some of them have
March 2011
I 41
imagination goes wild at night then my mind reels me in the
next day to focus in on what message I want to portray in the
photograph. I find the middle ground of chaos and serenity
and the end result is what I end up shooting.
Doyoupreferphotographing
maleorfemalemodels?
When I'm choosing my subjects I never base it on sex, but
on individuality and personality. Both women and men can
give me whatever it is that I'm looking for when I'm shooting,
depending on how comfortable they are with themselves.
When I'm visualizing what I want to shoot, I base it on the
feeling of masculinity or femininity. I think both male and
female can portray this feeling equally.
Cartier-Bresson
saidthat photography
was aboutcapturingthe
momentafternothinghappened.
Howimportantis timing?
Although timing is necessary, I think intuition is the most
important element that a photographer must have to make
him or her exceptional. They need to be able to feel what a
moment needs to make for the perfect photograph.
Whatprogressare femalephotographers
makingin the fashion
photography
world?
In the beginning, female photographers worked as photographic assistants in their husbands' studios. They could only
shoot portraits of women and children, the only permissible
subjects for women to pursue at that time. In the modern era
defects with their lenses or bodies. I love it because you never
of photography, female photographers like Annie Leibovitz
know what you'll get once you shoot. The idiosyncrasies make or Ellen von Unwerth have shown their talent in unprecefor a more creative outcome. If I'm shooting for an exhibit or
dented ways, progressing as fast as their male counterparts,
working in the fashion, editorial, and advertising worlds. As
a client and I want a more professional look I'll shoot with
women become more successful in society, the more visible
my Hasselblad or Leica.
In an era when"tacksharp"is the norm,youusea lot of grain, their presence.
particularly
in theblackandwhites.Why?
Wouldmorelesbiansbe attractedto modelingif theyknewthey
mightworkwithfemalephotographers?
I have an affection for old black and white photographs.
There's an essence of reality there that represents so much.
I think finding a photographer with talent and professionalism
The degree of depth radiates a palpable aura that cannot be
would be more of a selling point for someone who would
explained. I love using the technical behaviors of the masters,
want to model, and of course the ability to make them look
and combining it with the modern aesthetics of today's eye to
as beautiful as possible.
Doyoubelievein musesandif so,whois yours?
create something that incorporates the past and the present
My muse is my infatuation with love and the infinite rarity
in one photograph.
Is it truenobodyshootsfilm now?Is anythinglostwithdigital? she possesses.
There's an elegance that is disappearing at an accelerated rate,
If it weren'tfor photography,
howwouldyouexpressyourself?
Science. I'm quite fascinated by the natural world and the
a genuine feeling of reality that is no longer apparent. I'm trying
to hang on to the heart of photography for as long as I can. laws of nature.
Whowouldyoumostliketo photograph
andwhy?
I'll be shooting film till the day I die.
Howdoyoupreparefora shoot?
My mother. So she can see how beautiful she is from an outside perspective. ( tasyavanree.com)■
Insomnia from the night before always plays a key role. My
42
I curve
"A photograph
is the captured
image of our
imagination."
LESBIAN CHIC _._iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Turn "Home Sweet Home" into "Home Sexy Home"
with this lesbian couple's vision. By Merryn Johns
es, the pitchfork Sherry Joniff Solomon is holding
as she poses with her wife and business partner
Dana Solomon is a subversive nod to the famous
painting, ''American Gothic;' which depicts a
steadfast, puritanical, pioneering American couple.
Sherry and Dana are pioneering and steadfast,
too, but leave puritanical at the door. The lesbian couple runs
a Los Angeles furniture design store, 22 Bond St., which
stands by the philosophy of "fulfillment living, the freedom
to live out loud;' says Sherry. A house is more than shelterit's a haven. And furniture is not just something to sit on-it's
a philosophy.
"There's a whole energy and feng shui that we put into
customizing and laying out furniture;' explains Dana, who
was born and raised in Israel, where she served in the Israeli
Defense Forces for three years, then fell in love with Los
Angeles and decided to stay. "Most of our clients get a room
or a few rooms in the house done by us, and we create
a certain flow that energetically works for the person and
44
I curve
for the house. We look at our clients to see what is going
on in their lives: What kind of people they are, their dreams
and ambitions, if they want to get married, if they're trying
to have children, if they want to switch their job, if they're
moving on to the next phase in their life, and we try to create
something with them that will empower them. Not for a year
or two. We're trying to create balance for a decade at least:'
If this all this custom, iiber-glam furniture sounds like
it's outside the ordinary lesbian's budget-think
again. "It's
industrial grade materials and solid, quality, reclaimed old
woods, coming mostly from Europe we're using, yet the price
point is amazing;' says Sherry. "We don't want clients to have
to pay $15,000 for a love seat:'
Many of us are drawn to furniture franchises because we
believe they are cheaper and offer choice. But not so, says
Sherry. "In the last two decades in the industries of fashion
and interior design, price gouging and price markup have
been so significant, retailers and consumers have been brainwashed into thinking they have to pay a certain amount. Why
Far left: Sherry Joniff
Solomon and Dana
Solomon pose la
American Gothic
a
Left and below: The
eclectic, sexy, sustainable
and often affordable
custom made furnishings
of 22 Bond St.
is Pottery Barn, for example, so expensive? Our price point
is on par with, if not less than mass~produced places except
the quality is extremely high in comparison, and we're using
reclaimed old woods like mahogany or oak, not Chinese elm
or alder or pine or woods that are prematurely cut:'
Convenience, along with conservation, is also a priority
at 22 Bond St. When you custom order a bed, couch or an
ottoman you choose every aspect of it, the wait time is only
around 14 days as opposed to the usual month or more
most custom furniture outlets require, and it comes with a
lifetime warranty.
Their motto Home, Sexy Home is "really about indepen~
dence and finding your own voice. Sexy is more dynamic than
sweet. It's independently definable. Gays and lesbians choose
to live in a non~conventional way: Do it right and do it well;'
says Sherry, who is a graduate of women's liberal arts college,
Smith, where she learned to elevate the female consciousness
for the greater good. It is possible for women, and gays and
lesbians, to have it all. And Sherry and Dana do.
The couple met at an L Word premiere party six years ago
and instantly connected-to
the dismay of their respective
dates. Sherry had the pluck to ask for Dana's number and they
dated "for a nanosecond;' says Sherry. Two years later, Dana,
who ran the Nuni Gallery, wanted to hire Sherry to help take
the business in a new direction. Together they rebranded the
business into 22 Bond St., a success attracting celebrity clients
such as Sheryl Crow, Katy Perry and Queen Latifah, as well as
the many gays and lesbians from nearby West Hollywood.
The couple married in California's brief window of
opportunity and last year, Dana gave birth to their daughter,
Sterling-after
working in the showroom till her water
broke. "It's a brilliant energy in that space;' says Dana.
Three years on the business is thriving in an economy where
glam commands a more sustainable price tag. "We have a high
expectation of creating franchises, of taking the business to
the next level;' says Dana. And family is not incompatible
with business and luxe living. "We've got a couple more car
seats to fill;' Sherry laughs. (22hondst.com) ■
March 2011
I 45
LESBIAN CHIC
Frorrn Swedlen9
with Lovce
Swedish star and style icon Efva Attling shares her creations
with the gay and lesbian community. By Merryn Johns
fva Attling is dancing. The stylish blonde with
sapphire blue eyes and bone structure that made
Eileen Ford sit up and take notice still cuts a
fashionable figure at 59. Radiating star quality
she could be at Studio 54 rather than at one of Stockholm's
popular gay dubs, Paradise, on a chilly winter's evening. The
gay boys are dancing with her and the gay girls are ogling their
46
I curve
idol. Attling is a legend in Sweden and featured prominently
at Stockholm airport arrivals gate alongside Liv Ullmann and
Greta Garbo. Except Attling is sunnier and more approach~
able. And the lesbian fans do approach her, thanking her for
everything she has done for them.
What has she done to earn adulation on a crowded dance
floor:' Well, Efva Attling has an air of confidence that only
comes from knowing who she is, what she wants and how to
live. She travels through life with a dear~cut vision, as sleek
and understated as her designs. And gay rights aside, being
a public (formerly heterosexual) figure in Sweden who came
out in her 40s became just another thing to admire about
her. First, there was her discovery by Eileen Ford of New
York's Ford modeling agency; her band the X~Models with
their top ten hit "Two of Us;" her numerous appearances on
Swedish television; her marriages to (male) rock stars; the
launch of her successful jewelry line now worn by Madonna,
Kylie Minogue, Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep; design com~
missions for Absolut, Orrefors, Scandinavian Eyewear, Levi's
and H&M. Then there was her marriage to a chart~topping
Swedish rock star. Female.
Let's pause and catch a breath. I meet Attling in her Lower
East Side hotel while she is in New York to promote her latest
(very gay) jewelry line, homosapiens.nu. She's impeccably
turned out in a smart gray blazer and perky fedora, her blue
eyes bright with excitement about life and her "beauty with a
thought" jewelry, especially the Homo Sapiens pendants.
We talk about her remarkable career but I'm desperate
to ask her about how she fell in love with Sweden's iconic
music goddess, Eva Dahlgren, the two having been friends
since 1980, more than a decade before the fireworks went off
one night across a room. How did it happen all of a sudden:'
Attling shrugs. "I don't know. It was just a real 'Super
Trouper' moment;' she says, and breaks into ABBA: "Super
Trouper beams are gonna blind me/ But I won't feel blue ...
somewhere in the crowd there's you:'
Married twice to men-the father of her two sons is still
her best friend-it looks like this one's for keeps: Attling is
dearly still besotted by the acclaimed and statuesque song~
stress. "No one has more [Swedish Grammys] than my Eva.
None of the guys. The best singer in the world is Eva, but
k.d. lang has a special place in my heart:' Love, for Attling,
-'
~
,~
~
~
a:
<(
I
()
runs deep, symbolized by her line of rings
engraved with the motto From here to
eternity. Attling has married Dahlgren
three times: Once in a registered part~
nership in 1996, then when Sweden
passed its gender~neutral marriage law
in November 2009, and between those,
in Las Vegas with an Elvis~themed wed~
ding that surprised her bride. (In her
characteristically engaging manner,
Attling invited a female taxi cab driver
to the ceremony after she found out
she was also a lesbian).
When pressed on the issue of coming
out late, which continues to fascinate
the American media, it appears that,
like Cynthia Nixon, Attling had no
closet to come out 0£ no prior lesbian
leanings. She simply says, "Everything has
its time:'
"I was a determined child;' says Attling.
"My mother knew if I had an idea not to
stop me from doing it. At school I changed
places with the boys and took woodwork
and metalwork. While I was hammering
metal and wood I thought, This is what I
like doing. It never conflicted with my sense
of femininity or meant that I couldn't do or
like other things like music, modeling and
fashion:' At the age of 16 the multi~talented
Attling studied under one of Sweden's best
silversmiths but she ended up taking a 27 ~
year detour to jewelry, feeding her music and
fashion interests first, which have been the
other constants in her life.
Attling scoffs at the idea that lesbians are
ambivalent about fashion. "It's a ridiculous
thought that lesbians don't care about fash~
ion. It doesn't matter that you might have
signals you want to send that mean you
are butch or whatever. That's not fash~
ion and the young lesbians today are
not defining themselves by those
rules. You can't tell what they are.
I'm a fashion freak if I'm a lesbian
or if I'm pregnant. I love fashion.
To play. To be like a bird. Get into
your woman power:'
While some debate the politics
of modeling, from the addictions
and eating disorders of individual mod~
els to their perpetuation of unattainable
male beauty standards, Attling views
her former modeling career as an
education. "Modeling was my way of
traveling the world, of learning and
meeting people I would never norm~
ally get to meet whether they were
Ethiopian or American:'
Fashion, she believes, is an endur~
ing part of culture. Attling admires
Tom Ford and believes those Prada
boots and bags you drool over are
worth the outlay. "So, it's more expen~
sive, but it lasts for 10 years and I don't
want something if it's not going to
last 10 years:'
(/)
't>
Similarly, jewelry isn't only about
lJ
status: It's about permanence. The
idea for the Homo Sapiens necklace
came from the talisman. "Wear it
as a statement;' advises Attling, "Or
wear it close to your heart. It's good for
us. It's a reminder. Memento Vivere;' she says.
"Remember to Live:'
This credo is one of deep personal signifi~
cance for Attling. When it became clear that
her beloved mother was dying, Attling asked
for her thumb print so she could preserve her
memory forever in her Lifeline jewelry. "My
jewelry line is my life. As a child I wanted to
be an inventor, and now I realize, that's what
I do:' ( efvaattling.com) ■
Stockholm Gay&Lesbian Network
www.flysas.com/us
Scandinavian
Airlines
use it against them. For Mitchell's character
Emily, that primary secret is that she's gay.
When auditioning for Pretty Little Liars,
Mitchell initially read for the role of Spencer,
the type A, straight go~getter of the bunch,
SHAYMITCHELL
is lovely. Yes, The Pretty Little Liars star but was instead offered the role of Emily,
who's won our hearts playing Emily, the gay girl next door, is the sweet, closeted tomboy. For Mitchell,
absolutely stunning, but it's more than that. It's not just her the decision to play gay in her first leading
exotic eye~catching looks ( thanks to her Filipino and Western
role was an easy one. "I didn't hesitate for a
European heritage) or her figure-which is great, or even the millisecond;' she says. "I think it's awesome.
mane of shiny black hair that landed her the role of Pantene's I'm trying my best playing a gay character to
newest spokesperson. What makes Mitchell lovely is her aura represent that community in just the small~
of infectious enthusiasm, modesty and most of all, her sincere est way that I can and I'm so proud to do so.
passion for being an ally and voice for troubled gay teens.
Growing up, some of my best friends were
A Toronto native, Mitchell and her family moved to gay and a lot of my family members are gay
Vancouver where shortly after she landed a modeling con~ and it's never been anything for me, I don't
tracts in an open casting call. Despite a successful career in even think twice about it. A lot of people say
modeling that took her around the world, working in Europe
I'm brave for taking on this character and
and Asia, her true passion was always acting. "I would see the playing a gay character and I'm like, What?
trailers on set in Vancouver and think, I would pay you to be it's not even an issue:'
While it's always exciting to see another
in that show;' she tells curve. Once she set her sights on an
queer character on TV admittedly, the history
acting career, it wasn't long before Mitchell was booking
national commercials and an appearance on Degrassi High: of lesbian characters on TV is pretty grim.
The Next Generation and was featured in the Sean Paul For every Buffy the Vampire Slayer and South
video for"Hold My Hand:' But her big break came when she of Nowhere there are three that bring in the
clinched the part of Emily Fields on ABC Family's sleeper exploitative lesbian storyline for sweeps
then neatly send it packing in time for a
hit, Pretty Little Liars.
For those who haven't been swept up in Pretty Little Liars hetero~friendly finale. So it was with a cynical
heart that I began watching PLL. What I
mania, the show is based on a series popular young adult
book by Sara Shepard and follows four best friends who are discovered both surprised and delighted me.
reunited one year after their friend, (the very Heathers~esque) Amidst the whirling dervish of sensational
plot twists and morally questionable
Alison, has gone missing. Adding to the tragedy, the girlsromances (Aria and the handsome but very
Emily, Aria, Spencer and Hanna-begin
receiving harassing
text messages from someone known only as ''A;' who seems to much not a minor teacher Mr. Fitz, tsk tsk)
know their deepest secrets, taunting them and threatening to there was a sweet, oh so relatable lesbian
romance brewing between Mitchell's character Emily and
Maya (Bianca Lawson).
The relationship between Emily and Maya has been
surprising on a number of levels, not the least of which is
that it stuck around, something Mitchell is proud 0£ "It
can so easily be put in for ratings as just two hot girls ... I've
joked about having the fans blowing their hair and making
it so sexualized and hot, when really it's this sweet, sincere
relationship. Emily is not this overly sexual character by any
means more so that any of the other girls: She's the normal
girl next door who has feelings for Maya and they're going to
showcase that. It's very sweet, it's genuine:'
PLL breaks the mold in another bold way that we are
thankful for, it portrays public displays of affection between
Emily and Maya in a realistic and natural way. From South
of Nowhere to Modern Family,same~sex couples are regularly
depicted as downright chaste in comparison to their overtly
affectionate hetero counterparts, despite increased gay inclu~
sivity in television programming. But that's not so for Emily
and her girlfriend, Maya, a fact that Mitchell is well aware 0£
'Tm extremely proud of it. When you watch TV, boyfriend/
girlfriend couples are showing public displays of affection, so
why wouldn't our relationship do the exact same thing? Just
because it's 'Oh, it's two girls doing it' -so what, we're in a
relationship. I have feelings for her, her character has feelings
for my character and we're going to show that and be affec~
tionate. I think it's great that the writers have put that in:'
Much of Mitchell's storyline has been about understanding
her sexuality and finding love with Maya. The second half
of the series kicked off with Emily spontaneously coming
out to her father. In a refreshingly understated and intimate
scene, Emily is confronted by her father who
demands to know why she has become so
withdrawn. Rather than an overly extended
buildup or explosive, melodramatic closet~
buster, an off~guard Emily simply whispers,
'Tm gay:' It's a powerful scene and one
Mitchell did a lot of prep for. ''I'd spoken
to several people and gotten their story of
when they'd come out and I wanted to do it
right and give the word justice and make it
sound real and emote all those feelings that
Emily was feeling because that was a huge
rollercoaster scene for her. One moment she's
talking to Maya, who's her girlfriend, and
she's said, 'I miss you. I can't wait to see you.
I want to see you' and the next minute her
dad's there and she's trying to cover up and it
comes out. So, there were so many emotions
in there that I just wanted to do it right:'
It's from this same desire to do right by
the gay community that Mitchell has become
such a passionate ally."It just shows you that
the sun does rise the
next day and it will get
better. You might not
think that you have
that many supportive
people around
you,
but you really do have
more than you think;'
she says. "I just have
to say to all of those
people, girls and guys
around the world that
are dealing with the
same thing: you' re not
alone. If you feel like
you don't have that
support of community
surrounding you ... just
know that there is sup~
port out there .. .like the Trevor Project, and
all of these phone lines, they're available to
you, because there's nothing worse than bot~
ding it up:'
In the wake of last September's bullying~
inspired suicides, Mitchell is in a unique
position: That of playing a gay character on
a series targeting the age group so affected by
them-a role she takes very seriously."Emily's
character on the show, when she was having
to hide it and even trying to hide it from her~
sel£ it was the worst thing. I felt that pressure
on me when I was doing certain scenes, just
wanting to break free and say, 'No, I want to
" 11
• cy I
we,11,e,
vrv~
,, l.>p
-~,v
~Ti"'
NI
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i
..... ~v.
JI'\.
~~-~~~
~~~~~~
====
~ QJY\.4'W,e,/11,e, ~ to, ~ tlwi."==
March 2010
I
51
play her how she is, and this isn't it, she's hiding:To talk about
it and talk to somebody, there are phone lines that are available and all you have to do is call them up-there are people
wanting to listen. It's a huge thing, and if I can say that to as
many people, and I can, then that's great.
"The show is doing an awesome job for me to get it out
there. I hope that coming out, that weight that was lifted off
of my character's shoulders, just shows you that the sun does
rise the next day and it will get better. You might not think
that you have that many supportive people around you, but
you really do have more than you think:'
And her fans are hearing her. Daily she receives messages
via Twitter and Facebook sharing with Mitchell how she has
impacted their lives. Mitchell shared one message that was
particularly touching for her:
"I just wanted to say thank you so muchfor everythingyou've
done with your role on PLL. Also, thank you for not shying away
from the questionsand interviewsand beingsincerewith responses.
You've becomesuch a great allyfor girls strugglingwith their sexuality, and even though I'm out I just wanted to say watchingyou
has helped me lead a more authentic life."- @joanna592
Canyoukeepa secret?
I havesecrets
I'venevertold.I
cankeepa secret.
What'syourguiltiestpleasure?
Ordering
a pizzaandstaying
in
bedalldaywithTVora movie.
What'syourbiggestvice?
Wine.
Anypets?
Yes,I havea dog.She'sa
Pomeranian
namedFoxy.
Dreamrole?
A Bondgirl.Theyaresofeminine
andyetpowerful.
I'veskydived
andI amupforanything
once.
If youcouldgiveEmilyany
advicewhatwouldit be?
Betruetoyourself.
FemaleCrush?
PaulaPatton.
Ona scalefrom1 - 10 how
well doesBiancaLawsonkiss?
A 10!
So what does the future hold for Emily's
character? Mitchell hints that the future for
Emily and Maya is rocky, saying that Emily
is young and people come and go, but promises that we'll be happy with where she ends
up. But for Mitchell's lovely self the future
couldn't be brighter. With a hit series and a
major ad campaign under her belt (and an
army of lesbian fans to boot), Mitchell is a
star on the rise.
And how does she feel about her new
lesbian fan base?"I think it's so awesome that
I have that following. I'm excited about it. I
hope I play more gay characters in the future.
That's another thing that's often brought up,
'What ifl play another gay character after this?'
And I'm like, What ifl do? That's amazing:' ■
BOUND
T
O
DIFFERENT
G
E
CULTURE
T
-
H
SAME
E
R
LIFESTYLE
Come along and join Lesbians from Australia and the USA
BORA BORA, Tahiti
18th - 25th September 2011
Land only packages start from $2633.
For more information email: silke@avalonmedia.com.au
r
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March 2011
I 55
Fine digs and dining:
Hotel Frank's king room
is contemporary cool;
The Slanted Door's spring
rolls make for delectable
eats; Boom at Orson warms
up those cool nights with
girls and cocktails
you are in a mall. The city seems shopping crazy: It
even has a hit musical called Shopping!The Musical
(bobrowproduct~ions.com).
Tasty dining options
are also available, or just great coffee and artisanal choco~
late as a pick~me~up. You may want to save your appetite for
some of the city's more enticing dining options.
One restaurant was recommended to us consistently, The
Slanted Door, a modern Vietnamese establishment in an
enviable location: The restored Ferry Building with views
over the Bay. Even though the trendy, minimalist space
designed by Olle Lundberg is large (at full capacity seating
almost 200 people), you'll still need a reservation. The Slanted
Door is a foodies paradise showcasing the freshest and best
ingredients from the area, especially ecologically~farmed local
produce.
We kept things light with a seafood and vegetable theme,
starting with a selection of delectable oysters, followed by
daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms, wood oven
roasted manila clams with Thai basil, crispy pork belly and
fresh chilies, cellophane noodles with fresh Dungeness crab
and pan~seared day boat scallops with spinach and spicy
pineapple~coconut sauce. The wine list is especially strong on
crisp whites. If you're on the wagon, enjoy fresh~squeezed,
organic or biodynamic juices and specialty Chinese teas.
Another restaurant worth experiencing is Coco500
(coco500.com). This casual yet elegant dining experience
presents a simple, fresh Italian~inspired menu and is both
romantic and good for groups who like ordering "family
style:' We snacked on the truffied mushroom flatbread with
parmesan (an orgasmic experience for vegetarians or anyone,
really), an heirloom tomato salad that was revelatory, and
several glasses of excellent wine that our knowledgeable
waiter recommended. After dinner, there are plenty of gay
gatherings to explore, but one in particular is a must~do.
56
I curve
Meet the Girls
The lesbian scene in San Francisco is not to be missed but it's
easy to miss if you don't know where to look. Boom, which
is currently held at world~famous lesbian chef Elizabeth
Faulkner's Orson Restaurant Bar and Lounge on Thursdays
presents a high class ladies night where you will meet some
very interesting and attractive women, and where you won't
have to shout to be heard. Meet, mingle and play with
new friends in a vibey atmosphere over quality wines and
cocktails. For updates and info on this popular girls' night,
stay connected at boomsf.com or via Facebook.
Go Green, Get Mobile
San Francisco makes a concerted effort to be green (it was
the first U.S. city to ban plastic shopping bags and has a 77
percent recycling rate) so if you feel some buyer's remorse
about all you've purchased and consumed during your trip,
feel good about supporting a city that supports eco~initiatives.
The city's taxi fleet is over 57 percent hybrid and aims to
improve on that this year. To lighten your carbon footprint
even more, use your feet: This pedestrian~friendly city was
voted one of the Top 10 Best U.S. Walking Cities according to
the American Podiatric Medical Association and we walked
easily between neighborhoods. Volunteer~based group City
Guides ( sfcityguides.org) offer around 80 free tours to help
you explore. Discover what made San Francisco so gay by
Cruisin' the Castro and Castro: Tales of the Village tours
which explore the evolution of the area from the Gold Rush
to Harvey Milk and beyond. Feeling tired? Sit down at a eco~
cultural event such as the Green Film Festival ( sfgreenfilmfest.
org) of films that explore living sustainably. ■
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..A lesbian amalgamof Walking Tall and Billy Jack" - Village Voice
Featuringthe longestkiss in film history!
ElegantElena(NecarZadegan,TV's"24"),the devotedwife to her pastorhusband, The remarkablyhard-bodiedactress/aerialistDreya Weber ( The Gymnast)stars
surprisinglyfalls passionatelyin lovewith lesbianwriter Peyton(Traci Dinwiddie, as Alex,a decoratedMarineofficer who is blindsidedby the military's"Don't Ask,
TV's"Supernatural").
Don'tTelr policy.
FOUR-FACED
SlamdanceFilm FestivalSensation!
The story of Bridget,a hip womanizinglesbian,whose life is hilariously
complicatedwhen she meetsstraight-lacedMolly andthe two women
fall in love.
..Anincrediblysexyandentertaining
feature!"- Philadelphia
aFest
A beautiful and highly successfulNew York sex worker (playedby the stunning
NicoleLaliberte) chasesher dreamto becomea filmmaker.
Available
onDVD,
OnDemand
andforDownload
~ WotfeVideo.com
Your
Best
Lesbian-Owned
Source
forDVDS
•
m
--
I Qc1NEMF1Now
I
Africa is a place of fascination for many, especially those who
love its iconic spectrum of indigenous wildlife. But lately,
lesbians have had reason to rethink this compelling continent:
Homophobia is sweeping several African nations. To help us
navigate a once-in-a-lifetime African adventure, we sought
out Jody Cole, the owner of Wild Rainbow African Safaris,
and asked her to share her story and expertise.
WhatinitiallydrewyoutoAfricaandwhatkeepsyougoingback?
As a child, I was drawn to Africa from what I read and saw on
TV-Mutual
of Omaha's Wild Kingdom,reading Tarzan and
Born Free.But my favorite book was My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George, where a young boy runs away from
home and survives on his own in the wilderness. I also spent
many summer days exploring my grandparents' plantation
in southern Georgia, creating my own wild adventures. That
same thrill lives on every time I return to Africa, and I see
it in the faces of my guests, as well.
WhathasAfricataughtyou?Howdoesit changeyou?
Life in Africa is immediate and real. There are no buffers
ss I curve
between life and death, like there are in this country. My time
spent in Africa returns me to a mental and spiritual place
that is very old, very primal and very human. Witnessing the
cycle of life in the birthplace of humankind is something that
resonates with everyone. It may sound scary, but actually it's
just the opposite. It is a reawakening of the soul. That is the
Africa my guests experience and take back with them to
enrich their lives in the States.
Wouldyousharea life-changing
moment
thatoccurred
ona trip?
When I stepped off that very first plane deep in the bush of
South Africa, back in 1998-we landed on a green-grassand-red-soil runway in the middle of nowhere-when
I
stepped out onto the top step of the ladder to disembark,
I immediately recognized the warm, earthy smell. The first
time I heard the call of the Cape turtledove and I looked
around, I felt I knew this place. I was at home. Another life~
changing moment was while we were canoeing down the
Zambezi River that divides Zambia and Zimbabwe. Our
guide was steering our canoe while another guest and I were
in the front, paddling. The guide warned us about a particularly
dangerous pod of hippo around the next bend and told us
how to react, should we be charged by the bull. I thought to
myself, "This seems simple enough. I mean, how quick can
a hippo get to us when they're on the bank and we have the
entire width of the river on our sider" At that very moment, I
witnessed another canoe ahead of us panic as a massive form
rushed their boat! In seconds, our canoe was in their midst as
well. I began paddling with every fiber of my being to get past
these huge creatures. Then it happened. The bull came right
for us, rushing so fast he created a huge wave in front of him,
his mouth completely agape. I was terrified! I lived to tell the
tale, but I noted our guide had unlocked his pistol, ready to
shoot if we had been overturned. I became acutely aware of
just how precious and tenuous life can be.
Asa white,femaleguidehaveyouexperienced
discrimination?
As far as being female-in
Africa, if you can pull your
own weight, you gain respect from your fellow guides and
instructors on that basis alone. Being an American puts me
at a disadvantage in that I am not able to
spend months on end training in the bush,
and I'm sure some of my fellow guides
initially wondered if this was just a hobby
of mine. Then there's the discrimination
that comes from my race. In Africa, race is
discussed openly-and
remember, they are
only 20~some years out of apartheid. I must
say, however, that once I get on the ground,
get working, those differences quickly disap~
pear, because although I am a white, female
American, I know my stuff right down to
the tip of a lion's tail.
With the anti-gayviolencein Africa,how do you encourage Wild Rainbow
Safaris owner
lesbians
to goona safari?
Jody Cole
In America, we often receive a skewed picture of the world
outside. Africa is a huge and diverse continent. Just as if
you only heard the news from, say, the Oklahoma Chronicle
and thought that was the way all of America was, you
hear about the kill~the~gays bill in Uganda or lesbian
rape in Soweto and you might believe that is how all of
Africa is. There are many diverse ideologies. When you are
traveling in third~world countries anywhere in the world,
I recommend that my guests respect the culture they are
~
WILD
RAINBOW
AFRICAN
SAFAR.IS
Let us make your dreams come true. Booking 2011-2012 safaris now.
www.wildrainbowsafaris.com
707.467.0676
info@wildrainbowsafaris.com
March 2011
I 59
visiting. In turn, I have never experienced any discrimination,
nor have I had an incidence of disrespect toward any of my
guests due to their nationality, race or sexual orientation.
When you are my guest, you are going to experience a level
of personal service not often seen in the States. Tourism
is often the main source of income for African countries.
By and large, the African people are warm, generous
and welcoming. In February, I joined the board of the
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission,
where I will be engaged in these issues firsthand.
Willtheattitudein Africatowardhomosexuality
change?
Africans will change their views on homosexuality when the
church and her leaders do so. Right now, with the hardships
and suffering of the African people due to HIV/ AIDS and
poverty, there is fertile ground for those who wish us harm
to plant the seeds of hate. American religious leaders must
shoulder some of the blame for stirring the pot. It is easier
to create some outside source to blame for the suffering,
instead of laying the blame on the government, the church
or outdated beliefs. In just the few years I have been traveling
to Africa, access to the internet and outside news sources has
moved and continues to move Africa forward, albeit slowly.
Shouldanimalloversbeconcerned
abouta safari?
Animal conservation is paramount in Africa; however, I
believe the view of animal rights in Africa is built on an
experience unlike what we have here in the States. If you are
visiting a lodge or bush camp in Africa, whether in a reserve
or game park, you are already experiencing the ultimate
animal right-the right to roam free. You will be surrounded
by people who are intimately involved in protecting animals
60
I curve
and educating others about the web oflife that is essential for
their survival in the wild. Poaching is a real threat brought
on by the poverty and the increasingly large populations
in and around the bush areas. Those who are in the tourism
business are the very people who exemplify what can be achieved
when there is cooperation between people and animals. I choose
ground companies with long-standing records, companies
that take an active role in animal conservation.
WhatexcitesyouabouttheGrandPeaceParksSafariin April?
The Grand Peace Parks Safari is our primary safari for 2011.
It is an amazing journey across four countries that are
actively participating in opening the migration trails over
their borders. This is a unique opportunity for my guests to
see a number of countries, including a return to Zimbabwe.
This tour in particular puts the animals first and foremost.
By following these ancient migration trails, we will be concentrating on animal behavior that has been occurring for
thousands of years, was interrupted by international borders
and now for the first time will resume.
Whatfeedbackhaveyoureceived
fromlesbians
onyourtrips?
Lesbians enjoy traveling together, whether they're in couples
or alone. What a safari does is create close bonds through
common experiences-the
roar of lions in the morning, the
direct gaze of an elephant, the sounds of wildebeest herds in
the sunset. We love our safari preparations, but once we are
there, spending hours together exploring wildlife, then sharing
our own stories by firelight that evening-once
Africa
is in your blood you will never forget the good times and
adventures you've had while on safari. It truly is the trip of a
lifetime, and how better than to share it with one another:'
Is a safariforeveryone?
Is it dangerous?
When you travel with me, I am guiding you all the way. I am
very accessible, and after traveling over 30 times to Africa,
I'm more than happy to share my experience with you. You
deserve to live your dreams and my role is to help you make
them a reality. Many travelers are very concerned about their
personal safety, their accommodations, down to getting the
right shots. One thing I do that no other company does is
I hold a pre-trip meeting with my guests, so they can meet
one another, have a forum to discuss their concerns and get
answers. And when they step off that plane in Africa, I am
the first to greet them. It is this personal care that sets Wild
Rainbow African Safaris apart.
Aretherecertainqualitiesyouneedin orderto enjoy?
Well, certainly, if you are not interested in the animal
kingdom, I'd suggest doing something else! If you mean are
there physical barriers-people
from all walks of life are
going on safari every day. In our personal experience, we
had a 99-year-old woman who just returned from Kenya
this past summer. I guided a guest with AIDS who had to
bring an oxygen tank, someone who needed refrigerated
prescription drugs daily, and we went on safari. If you're
vegan, vegetarian, allergic to avocado, all your particular ~
needs can be accommodated. I simply recommend that ~
you bring your imagination with you and keep your mind ffi
open. Let Africa do the rest. ( wildrainbowsafaris.com)■
i5
Turn over a new leaf in this ecological paradise. By Mary McGrath
~
~
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For years, I'd been salivating at the thought of going to Costa
Rica. Everything I'd read about this tiny country spoke to
me. Its abundant wildlife, its close proximity to the United
States, the lack of political strife and, of course, its eco~
friendly approach to tourism all combined to make it a
win~win destination.
My partner finally conceded that it might be fun-agreeing
to forgo her annual European cathedrals fix-and we began
making plans for Central America. We had only a week to
spend there, and I wanted us to get the most out of our trip.
First of all, there are two seasons in Costa Rica, the wet
season (low) going from May through November, and the
dry season (high) going from December through April. Most
people travel to Costa Rica in the spring, but that's also when
it's more expensive, since there's less rainfall and humidity.
We opted to go in early December, before the swarms of
Americans arrived and after the rainy season-we hoped it
would be mostly dry.
Although Costa Rica is relatively small, roughly the size
of West Virginia, it contains a number of geographical
regions, all with their own climate zones, amounts of rainfall,
ecological advantages and navigational challenges. Where
you decide to go depends on what you want out of your
trip. There are beaches, volcanoes, heavy rainforests and an
abundance of wildlife, all within a few hours' drive. But no
matter when or where you go, Costa Rica is an ecological
paradise for many reasons.
Costa Rica has taken a pledge to become the first carbon~
neutral developing nation in the world, joining such countries
as New Zealand, Norway and Iceland in taking on the
challenge to become carbon neutral.
What is carbon neutrality? In simple terms, it involves
achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by balancing
the amount of carbon dioxide that is released from fossil
fuels with the amount of carbon dioxide that is offset-say,
by planting trees.
It's estimated that Costa Rica contains over 5 percent of
the world's plant and animal species, and since 80 percent of
its energy is currently generated through renewable sources
such as water and wind, carbon neutrality is the next logical
step in this ecological progression.
Costa Rica
is the perfect
destination
for nature
lovers
March 2011
I 61
But tourism in Costa Rica is escalating every year, and
country greatly in its efforts to achieve complete carbon
because of this so are the greenhouse gas emissions from jet
neutrality. Eat a French fry while you're traveling through
fuel, due to all the air traffic into and out of the country.
Costa Rica and you're actually improving the environment.
In an effort to combat this, FONAFIFO encourages
How cool is that?
tourists to donate between $5-60 to Costa Rica's forestry
When you're traveling to Costa Rica, there is another
financing fund. The money is used for reforestation through~
way you can lower your carbon footprint. When choosing
where to stay, you'll see that there's a sustainability index for
out Costa Rica, which helps with carbon absorption.
Besides FONAFIFO, there's also a small transportation
each property. Five green leaves is the best rating, one leaf
company called NatureAir, based in the Costa Rican capital
the worst. It's based on how actively the property promotes
city, San Jose, which flies between major airports and many
recycling, reforestation, waste management and environ~
smaller destinations throughout Costa Rica, including tourism
mental education.
If you have the time, try to visit a few different climate areas.
and eco hotspots such as the Osa Peninsula, Tamarindo
and Tortuguero National Park. Although its rainbow~colored
Within a few hours, you can be immersed in a rainforest, hiking
near a volcano, surfing at the
planes still utilize jet fuel, the company is focusing a great
deal of effort on reforestation
beach or zip~lining through the
and conservation measures.
trees. If you want the creature
comforts, check out one of the
Together
with
Aerotica,
"f ou're not prepared for
an aviation fuel company,
many all~inclusive resorts, such
Heat rash can happen~u~idity. Take lots of sunNatureAir has opened up the
as Barcelo Langosta Beach in
the temperatures and
II t and clothes that dry
first private biodiesel filling
the town of Tamarindo. This
screen, a hat, insect repe ennt and the last thing
area, with its near~perfect
station in Costa Rica. In fact,
quickly. Rains can be fre~u~ y~u're trying to enjoy
you want is a wet bum w e on drivingtime, simply
all its land vehicles use biodiesel
surfing and windsurfing con~
your vacation. To cut do~~ your first destination,
fuels, such as cooking and veg~
ditions, is quickly becoming 5:
fly into the airport closes ~ring a GPS if you're
etable oils. This measure alone
very popular, since the cost ~
and then travel from the:~~ Rica is very dark at
saves 160 tons of carbon dioxide
of living is still low and the ~
~
driving on your o~lnd.l~:springs into action.
climatic extremes are less 0
emissions a year and helps the
. ht when thew, '
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visittourism.co.er
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62
I curve
prevalent than in other parts of the country.
But if you want a more rustic experience,
check out some of the outlying areas near
the volcanoes, the other beaches and the
rainforests. We met a couple who had taken
a shower while a sloth gazed at them from
the trees! All levels of comfort are available
throughout Costa Rica.
The roads can be primitive, except for
the main arteries around airports and
major cities, and the driving style in
this normally laid~back country is very
aggressive, so driving can be a challenge.
Many of the smaller roads are often unpaved, unmarked
and riddled with potholes. It can be charming, though, as
the forest engulfs you in its thick evergreen arms. Jaguars,
iguanas, crocodiles and all types of birds can be seen, and if
you're as lucky as we were, a howler monkey may pee on your
car if you get too close.
Many places we had intended on visiting were just too far
away, so we'll have to plan better when we return again. But
whether you want to chill or thrill, it's all available in Costa
Rica, the country with a carbon~neutral conscience. ■
WITHI N AFEW
HOURS, ·10UCAN
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I 63
DESERT
HEARTS
A lesbian oasis awaits in Alice Springs, Australia.
By Nicole Clausing
Sitting at a restaurant in Alice Springs, Australia, I realized
I'd never been this far from home before. Or this close to the
middle of nowhere.
It had taken my partner, Pipi, and me 14 hours on a plane
and two days on a train to reach this town of27,000, situated
very near the center of the Australian continent (and almost
1,000 miles from the nearest major city). Now that we were
there, the menu at the Red Ochre Grill was not making me
feel any more at home. Many of the items on it were either
unfamiliar or offputting. What's a bush tomato:' Can bar~
ramundi hurt me:' Do people really eat kangaroo:'
Just when I was sure my bearings were lost for good, I took
a look around the restaurant and instantly felt more at home.
and I were surrounded by sensible shoes and fanny packs. "Is
there an Olivia cruise in town:"' she asked, and the suggestion
made so much sense that I was embarrassingly late to get the
joke-Alice Springs is 750 miles from the nearest ocean.
Was this some sort of jet lag-induced mirage:' Happily,
no. It turns out that Alice Springs (''Alice;' to its friends)
really is a lesbian oasis in the middle of the desert outback.
Just how many lavender ladies are there in Alice:' Though
no one's ever counted, estimates run from about 300 (according
to the iconic Desert Rose Connolly, writing in a 2002 edition
64
I curve
of her Desert Dykes newsletter), to "several thousand;' ( the
estimate in the 2007 Australian documentary Destiny in
Alice).Whatever the actual count, the town's queer population
is big enough to support the Alice IS Wonderland gay Mardi
Gras every year.
Why Alice:' Conventional wisdom says that the sisterhood
came to protest the nearby Pine Gap intelligence~gathering
facility in 1983 and never went home. But historian Megg
Kelham, in her contribution to the Queers of the Desert
online archive, notes that Alice has probably always been
attractive to lesbians looking to get out of the city, because
it's a rare inland town that does not have its origin in the
male~dominated mining industry. (Alice was founded as a
telegraph station in 1872-and was named after Alice Todd,
the wife of a former postmaster general.) Or, as Desert
Rose puts it, "It's the womb thing-this
is the centre of the
universe, a woman's place ... you can be yourself here:'
If it's hard to know why everyone come here, it's easy to
see why they stuck around. There's a lot to do, for a town
so small. On our first day in town, Pipi and I had a choice
between the Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre, the National ~
iii
Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame and the remarkable School o
~
of the Air, where you can listen in on lessons broadcast to o
students living on cattle stations too remote to allow them access to public
schools.
Though Pipi and I like pioneering women and indigenous culture as much
as the next lezzies, there is one thing we like still more, and that's animals. So,
our first stop was the Alice Springs Desert Park. We arrived at the park by
taxi. (Our driver was a gloriously tattooed woman who lit up our gaydar but
then broke our hearts when she revealed that her partner is a straight cis man.
This word "partner': we learned, is commonly used by all Australians, gay and
straight, to describe their significant others.)
Alice Springs Desert Park is laid out around a mile-long path. This track,
though, is so studded with learning opportunities that it was one of the slowest
miles I've ever covered. We watched thorny devil (Molochhorridus)lizards
snuffle up ants just inches from our noses at the reptile habitat. A few hundred
yards later, we were walking among kangaroos. The next thing we knew, we
were watching rabbidike bilbies hop around in the dark in a nocturnal house
that rivals the one at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. We watched a bird show
featuring swooping eagles and kites, and then serendipitously stumbled upon
a talk on traditional desert living given by Doug, an engaging Arrernte man
whose ancestors have survived in the so-called Dead Heart of Oz for tens of
thousands of years.
We probably could have stayed at the park longer, but by mid-afternoon
our brains were full and the camels were calling-the
camels at Pyndan
Camel Tracks, about eight miles outside of town at the base of the ancient
MacDonnell Ranges.
Camels, while not native to Australia, take so well to the desert and have
been imported in such numbers that Centralians don't consider them exotic.
But I certainly felt adventurous as I climbed into the saddle in front of the
single hump of B.J., a surprisingly easy-going, non-spitting dromedary. Pipi
climbed on behind the hump and, with a scary back-and-forth lurch, B.J. rose
from his belly to his full height. Any fears we had about our camel-riding
skills were quickly allayed when it became clear that the ride would really
be more of a lope on animals that were tethered to one another and led by a
rancher on foot.
At this pace, we had all the time in the world to contemplate the sun setting
over the fiery red hills. Sure, the parrot chatter and magpie calls sounded foreign,
but the landscape, with its red earth, scrubby brush and eroded rocks, looked
a lot like the American Southwest. I was feeling not so far from home at all,
until the surreal sight of two wild kangaroos bounding across my field of vision
startled me out of my Sonoran reverie. But that's just what Alice Springs is
like, I decided: both familiar and otherworldly at the same time.
And thoroughly queer, in every sense of the word. ■
\f ~OUGO
Whereto Stay:
Toddy's
39-41 GapRoad
AliceSprings
$18-$76/night
(toddys.com.au)
Whereto Eat:
RedOchreGrill
ToddMall
AliceSprings
(redochrealice.com.au)
Barraon Todd
34 StottTerrace
AliceSprings
(chifleyhotels.com.au)
Whatto Do:
Henley-on-Todd
Regatta,
AliceSpringsDesertPark:
late August:Runnerscarry
LarapintaDrive,AliceSprings.
bottomless
vesselsalongthe
(alicespringsdesertpark.
normallydryToddRiverbed
com.au)
in the world'sonlyboatrace
PyndanCamelTracks:Call
that is canceledif there's
water.(henleyontodd.com.au)aheadto arrangea pickupat
yourhotel.(came/tracks.com)
AliceIS Wonderland
gay
MardiGras:Februaryor
Busto Uluru:Wewerehappy
March;normallya weekafter with ourMT Kingstour,especiallysincewe wereableto
the SydneyGay& Lesbian
reserveourspotsbeforewe
MardiGras.
left home.(aatkings.com)
NationalPioneerWomen's
Hallof Fame:2 Stuart
Terrace,
AliceSprings.
(pioneerwomen.com.au)
AboriginalArt & Culture
Centre:125ToddStreet,
AliceSprings.
(aboriginalart.com.au)
Schoolof the Air:80 Head
Street,AliceSprings.
(assoa.nt.edu.au)
ASIOETRIP10ULURU
Whetheryoucall it by its
Europeanname,AyersRock,or
by its Aboriginalmoniker,Uluru
(pronounced
"Ooolooroo,"
with
equalemphasison everysyllable),
there'sno denyingthat the
mysteriousmonolithrisingmore
than 1,000feet out of the outback
packsa spiritualpunch.Uluruis
285milesfromAliceSprings,but
it wouldbe a shameto comeso
far andmissout on seeingthis
naturalwonder.Here'show:
Drive:There'sso little traffic on
the StuartandLasseterhighways
that you'll getthe hangof leftsidedrivingwithoutendangering
anyone.Avis,HertzandThrifty
provideone-wayrentalsbetween
AliceandUluru.Allowfor at least
five hoursof drivingtime,and
bringlots of waterif youtravelin
the summer-temperaturesthen
routinelytop 11OF.
Bus:Lotsof tour companiesrun
coachesbetweenAliceSprings
andUluru,startingat around
$100.Toursusuallyincludea
I
few stops,as well as narration
explainingthe cultureandlandscapeyou'repassingthrough.
Fly:Thisoptionis expensivHn
the neighborhood
of $300--butit
enablesyouto makea daytrip of
it, if youhaveto.ThehopfromAlice
(ASP)
toAyersRock(AYQ)
Airportis
onlyabout45 minuteslong.
March 2011
I 65
LUXURlOUS
LONDON
Treat yourself to some
luxe livin' across
the pond. By Stepha
nie Schroeder
My girl and I arrived late
on a warm midsummer
evening, and for
our first night in London
I wanted a special pla
ce. We took the
Heathrow Express, a rail
line that travels at ligh
tning speed, and
in just 15 minutes we ma
de it from the airport to
the Hotel Indigo
(hipaddington.com), ver
y near Paddington Station
, in the heart of
the city.
A funky boutique hotel,
the Indigo gave us a sm
all room that
was big on decor and
amenities. We had A/C
, but chose to cool
down by cracking the Fre
nch doors overlooking
London Street. The
hotel offers free Wi~ Fi,
the use of the gym and
either a continental
or a full English breakf
ast (for an additional fee
). The full English
breakfast is something
we both came to enjoy
immensely; it consists
of eggs, scrambled or
fried; bacon or sausag
e, often vegetarian;
mushrooms; baked bea
ns; hash browns; and a
grilled tomato.
To round out our stay
in central London, I che
cked in with Visit
Britain (visitbritain.org)
for recommendations
on a few hidden
gems. I found an unlike
ly blend of queer and
feminist history at
the Cadogan Hotel in
Knightsbridge. The app
eal of this elegant
establishment lies in its
charming stodginess mix
ed with a con~
temporary edge. The Cad
ogan's bar and drawing
room feature the
original ( 1887) stained
glass windows and oak
paneling. The drawing
room is just the place
to enjoy afternoon tea
, a time~honored
English tradition, after
which you may wish to
drop to one knee
and propose to your com
panion. Lucky thing the
hotel has two
refurbished and fully equ
ipped banquet rooms
for private celebra~
tions. In fact, the Cadoga
n holds a civil wedding
license for marrying
same~sex couples.
The story of the Cadoga
n goes like this: It wa
s once the home
of Lillie Langtry, the fam
ous actress and "close per
sonal friend" of
King Edward VIL She
sold the house, but con
tinued to live in her
old bedroom (room 109
) until her death. Howe
ver, the Cadogan is
perhaps best known for
its association with Osc
ar Wilde (an early
fan ofLangtry's), who,
in 1895, was arrested for
"committing acts of
gross indecency with oth
er male persons" in roo
m 118.
Room 118 is now the site
of one of the Cadogan's
most exquisite
specials, the Green Car
nation Package. Upon
arrival, guests will
find a bottle of Perrier~
Jouet rose Champagne
chilling on ice and a
book of Oscar Wilde's
famous quotes. It seems
that Oscar Wilde
was also famous for his
tipple of choice, "P~J' Ch
ampagne, which
66 \ curve
he frequently indulged in at the hotel. Following his arrest
at the Cadogan, he wrote to his partner requesting that he
please visit the hotel to settle his Pj account.
During the evening, Green Carnation guests dine on a dee~
adent three~course meal in the elegant Langtry's Restaurant,
with a limitless supply of wine. The next morning, guests
enjoy a full English breakfast in Langtry's or relax in their
room with breakfast in bed.
Dining at Langtry's (langtrysrestaurant.com) was a treat. It
turns out that the formal dining room, with original historical
detail and very proper wait service, presents ultramodern
cuisine in a casual atmosphere, accommodating those people
who, like me, insist on wearing jeans everywhere. As a starter,
the wild garlic soup, slightly sweet and with no aftertaste,
was a welcome surprise. Our main course of prime rib cut
through like butter. The dessert menu consisted of various
puddings and I had to inquire about the summer consort.
This tiny jelly jar of summer berries topped by lightly toasted
GETTING
THERE
Flyingqueer-friendly
American
Airlines(aa.com/rainbow)
direct
to London
is a sweetalternative
tothemoreexpensive
Britishbasedairlines.
Usethemoney
yousaveonyourticketto
treatyourself
andyourgalpal
tosomemuch-deserved
luxe
London
living.
68
I curve
sponge cake and drizzled with berry compote was a refreshing
finish to the meal.
Since we were within walking distance, we decided to
saunter over to Regent's Park for the Taste of London Festival
( tastefestivals.com). The lively crowd, colorful displays and
scrumptious food filled us up and we walked away with sensory
overload of the best possible kind.
On a Saturday, we headed over to Broadway Market
(broadwaymarket.co.uk) to check out the fresh produce,
charcuterie, thrift~shop clothes and amazing baked goods.
We found a new favorite at the Violet Cakes stall: An almond
polenta cupcake with mango frosting. We later found the
bakery itself, on Wilton Way in Hackney, and copped a box
of six tiny cupcakes to sample, along with a scone concoction
with clotted cream and rhubarb, and a homemade moon pie.
Theatre is huge in London, so Londoners can be counted
on to flock to see the latest live performances. We caught a
show during a special series of comedies at the SoHo Theatre,
whereOscarWildewasarrested
for
"grossindecency"
(a euphemism),
TheCadoganHotel
in 1895.Situated
betweenKnightsbridge
75 SloaneStreet,Knightsbridge,
andSloaneSquare,
theCadogan
London
SW1X 9SG
Hotelhasanenviable
address.
Onthe
Reservations:
02072357141
doorstep
ofsomeoftheworld'smost
Prices:Startfrom$460(excluding
VAT} famousfashion
boutiques,
including
fora DoubleGuestroom.
Fendi,GucciandPrada,it'salsoa short
walkfromsomeof Britain's
bestshopTheCadogan,
oneof London's
prestigping
at
Harvey
Nichols
and
Harrods.
iousfive-starKnightsbridge
hotels,is
(cadogan.com)
WHERE
TOSTAY
which boasts unique performers and avant~
garde presentations. We attended the London
International Festival of Theatre (liftfestival.
com), then met local friends for a drink at
the Benugo Bar & Kitchen at the British Film
Institute, South bank. Walking there (and get~
ting lost) we caught a glimpse of the impressive
London Eye (the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe).
I wouldn't be caught dead riding it, but even
from the ground it was a spectacular sight!
On our last evening, we decided to go all out
and have a four~course dinner at 108 Marylebone
Lane (108marylebonelane.com). This chic bras~
serie, situated in the upscale, sophisticated West
End, serves fabulous British food with ingredients sourced
from local companies such as Biggies Sausages, The Ginger Pig,
La Fromagerie and Jane Parker. Our meal was full of delicious
contradictions: Biggies vegetarian sausages along with another
prime rib cooked to perfection, with not a bit of fat on it. We
emptied a bottle of dry white wine hand~picked by the staff,
finished with a yummy cheese plate and went on our way.
When we landed at JFK in New York we felt tired but calm,
well~fedand very satisfied after two delicious weeks of indulging
ourselves together in England's spectacular capital city. ■
I-IOTEL l=RANK
386 Geary Street
(between Powell and Mason)
415.986.2000 • Hotelfranksf.com
Treat your
palate to
an evening
at 108
Marylebone
Lane
THELlVEU CROW □, COLORFUL
OISPUffSANO
SCRUM
PT10USFOOOFlLLEOUSUPJ!.NOWE
WP,
LKEO/J;WP."1
WITHSENSOR·10VERLOJ!,0 0F
THEBESTPOSSIBLE
KIN □.
Surrounded by the contemporary hip-meets-classic Thomas
Schoos' design, the hotel is an ideal home-away-from-home
for
the leisure or business traveler. From retro mod '60s chic, to hip,
new millennium styling, Hotel Frank comes alive with a harmonious
blend of ageless and up-to-the-minute
shapes, colors and textures.
Located steps away from the pulsing heart of San Francisco's Union
Square and a quick trip to the historic Castro district, your options
are endless: From shopping to award winning theater to a bustling
arts district ... even take a ride on a cable car.
Member of the Golden Gate Business Association and the International
Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
March 2011
I 69
REVIEWSMusic Watch
LostAnd Found
Mary Gauthier discusses her most personal album to date. By Dave Steinfeld
Over the course of half a dozen discs, New
Orleans-born,
Nashville-based
singersongwriter Mary Gauthier has earned acclaim
from fans, critics and fellow artists alike. Her
latest album, The Foundling, is special because
it's her most autobiographical work to date.
Adopted when she was a year old, The
Foundling deals with Gauthier's sense of
rootlessness and her search for her birth
mother. The album's centerpiece, "March 11,
1962" is absolutely stunning; it recounts the
phone conversation she had with her birth
mother when she finally got the nerve to call
her-only to find out that the woman wanted
nothing to do with her. I recently got a chance
to chat with this talented musician during
her stay in New York. The only thing more
remarkable than hearing Mary Gauthier's
music is having a conversation with her.
Youlivein Nashville
andyou'reout.Areyou
frustratedbyotherswhoaren't?
70
I curve
My experience in Nashville has been one of
acceptance. I didn't hit any roadblocks being
out. My frustration has been with other
artists that refuse to come out. Yet, I also
have compassion for their position. A lot of
them are mainstream country, and it would
be a real challenge for [country radio stations]
to play a gay artist. But Chely Wright just
came out [and] I'm really proud of her. She's
the first. There's so many more! We'll see if
anybody else has the courage Chely's been
showing. I didn't want to come out. The way
to not have to come out is to just to beout! I've
never not been out. I've never not been gay.
You'vedescribed
an emptyfeelingyou'vehad
throughout
yourlife.Didit stemfromfinding
outyouwereadopted?
There probably was a correlation but I didn't
[make it]. I always knew I was adopted. I
don't remember being told, it was just always
I was adopted and it was always pitched as
a good thing. "We chose you. We wanted
you. We waited a long time to get you in
our family:' So, that made me feel special.
Somewhere along the way I realized that
being chosen is not the same as being born.
And there's a feeling of not being born that
comes with adoption that's hard to describe.
Most people get told the story of their birth,
like, "Your Dad was in the waiting room and
he was frantic" or "When I first held you, I
cried:' But there's nothing when you're
adopted-there's
just a blankness.
"March11th,1962"is the centerpiece
of the
album.Whatdidit takefor youto writeit?
It took everything I had. It's the hardest thing
I've ever done. It was a process; it wasn't an
event. It took me six months from when I
[received] her phone number to actually call
her. But it took me 40 years to hire a private
detective to get the phone number. I had to
find a reason to call her and I didn't understand why I felt the need to call her. But...
what finally gave me the courage to pull the
ffi
§
~
~::J
8
ifi
[ij
ti
Q+A
Sugarbeach
In a world where girl-loves-boy lyrics permeate
pop, Sugarbeach is an exciting discovery for
the lesbian pop-loving community. Based
in Vancouver, Canada, Sugarbeach consists
of Marlee Walchuk and Tully Callender,
two out artists who bring queer issues into
the limelight through ear-catching tracks.
Musical partners and a real-life couple,
Walchuk and Callender have carved an
impressive niche for themselves: Their album
I Just Love Girls claimed the No. 1 spot
for three months on the Out Voice top 40
chart and they wrote a track featured in the
lesbian film The 6 Month Rule.
HowdoPrideaudiences
respond
to you?
Callender:
Quite inspired, not only by the
queer nature of our music, but by our
relationship, as well. The first time we did a
Pride event, a young girl came up to us and
said, "Because of that song, I came out to my
father:' That was the moment we knew that
we were doing exactly the right thing.
Tellusaboutsomeofyoursongsandtheinspirationbehindthem.
Walchuk:
Songs like "Give Me Your Body"
are about our life. Other songs-like "Not
S:?
<t:
~
I
~
~
<t:
I
N
::J
i
i'ti
~
~
i
~
~
0
ffi
~
a:
cr.i
trigger and dial the number was it
occurred to me that I should thank her.
That'sa verycompassionate
approach.
Well, part of my journey has been
dealing with my own drug and alcohol
addiction. I got sober in 1990 and
part of my job as a person in recovery
has been to learn what the high road
actually is and give it a try every now
and then.
Tellmeaboutyourcollaboration
with
NanciGriffithandElizabeth
Cook,"Three
BroadsandtheTruth."
Elizabeth has a Loretta Lynn quality
to her. And she's also drop-dead gorgeous. But as soon as she opens her
mouth, she's disarming because she's
so country and so humble. You don't
expect that personality from someone
that gorgeous. [So] you've got the
Americana founding mother, Loretta
Lynn in hot pants and the lesbian! ■
Deserted;' which is about the story of Carl
Joseph Hoover, the young black boy who
committed suicide last year as a result of
anti-gay bullying-are things we see in the
news. Often things touch us really deeply,
and we feel like we have to get out there
and either blog about them or write about
them. Music is a great vehicle for that.
Howdidyoutwomeet,andgofromdatingto
makingmusictogether?
Walchuk:
We were with other people when
we met in Australia about nine years ago, and
there was an immediate connection between
us. It was quite disconcerting, as neither of
us were really prepared for it or knew what
to do with it. So, we were just friends for
five years, basically until our relationships
broke down to a point where we just weren't
happy in them. We began to hang out a little
bit more and realized there was something
much deeper there.
Callender:
We were planning on doing music
together, but we'd never planned on it being
as big as it is now.
Whatdoyouultimately
hopeto achieve
through
yourmusic?
Walchuk:
We're passionate about improving
TheMostWanted
ShundaK
(FanaticRecords)
Formerlyof the openlylesbian,label-defying
HipHoptrio,YoMajesty,ShundaK'slatestsolo
hasherbackto doing
effort,TheMostWanted,
whatshedoesbest,beinga musicalprovocateur.
MostWanted
is packedwith hertrademarkbold,
explicitexpression
andlyricalexplosions
that
proclaimbothhersexualidentityanddemand
hervoiceto be heard.Challenging
stereotypes,
genresandherselfwithtracksthat rangefrom
the deeplypersonal"ChasingOatSound,"which
toucheson bothhersexualityandherdevout
spirituality,to the unapologetically
self-assured
"I'm DaBest,"ShundaK makesno bonesabout
beingat thetop of hergame.Fansof bothher
workwithYoMajestyandhersoloprojectswill
findthis latestalbummostwanted,indeed.
(fanaticrecords.
com)
the lives of the LGBT community. I would
say that that's right at the top. We want to
do that through positivity and promotingjoy
and love [as much as that sounds like a' 60s
mantra]. And I think that our connection
with each other is really important. We have
been absolutely blessed to find the person in
this world that is right for us.
Doyouhopeto crossoverto a mainstream
audience?
Callender:
We'd certainly love to see one
day very soon that it be absolutely normal
for gay themes and LGBT themes to be on
mainstream radio. Girl singing to girl, boy
singing to boy.
Walchuk:
The crossover to mainstream is
a big thing to us because if it happens for
us it will happen for other queer artists.
Real change needs to happen in the minds
of straight people-otherwise
we're just
preaching to the choir. (sugarbeachmusic.com)
[EleniStephanides]
GetWhatYouCameFor
A queerinclusivequartet,the ladiesof Vanity
Theftaremuchmorethanjust (very)prettyfaces.
Hailingfrom Dayton,Ohiothe groupgottheirstart
as a garagebandwhileguitaristBrittanyHill,
singer-keyboardist
AliciaGrodecki
anddrummer
ElyseDriskillwerestill in highschool.Nowjoined
byformerchildactorturnedbassslappingrock
Vanity
goddessLalaineParas(LizzieMcGuire),
Thefthascreatedan instantlyinfectiouspoprock
album,withan electronicedge.This10-track
albumis populated
with club-friendly
songslike
the revenge-tinged
"LimbFromLimb"andthe
feisty,upbeat"RattleRattle,"whichmanageto be
equalpartsbubblegum
andangst.It'sthe perfect
setlistfor gymor a fist pumpinggirlsnightout.
Catchthemontournowwithfellowlesbianfave
(adamantrecords.com)
HunterValentine.
March 2011
I 71
REVIEWSIn The Stacks
Pulp Pioneer
Ann Bannon reflects on writing lesbian fiction in the "1950s. By Merryn Johns
Published at the end of the McCarthy era,
Ann Bannon's first novel, Odd Girl Out, was a
revelation for closeted lesbians living in sub~
urban and small town America. Written by
a young housewife-who
was just coming
to terms with her sexuality-this
enduring
tale of love in the "shadows" is still one of the
best~loved lesbian romances. Now out and
a lesbian publishing legend, Bannon takes
us back to the bygone era of pre~Stonewall
Greenwich Village to tell her story, share
the inspiration for her most iconic character,
Beebo Brinker, and reflect on why her pulp
fiction remains relevant today.
Didyoueverthinkwhenyouwere startingout
thatyou'dbe partof literaryhistory?
Not even in my wildest dreams. I'm pretty
sure that I, like most of the [paperback
writers] back then, was convinced that we
721
curve
were wntmg throwaway
fiction, that this wasjust an
ephemeral entertainment.
There was one glimmer
of a suggestion that people were taking the
books seriously. I can remember sit~ting at
the Beverly Hills Hotel with my publisher
and editor, talking to movie producers, and
even about possibly casting the stories-this
was back in the 1950s-but people were just
too scared to give it a try. But never did we
think our books would end up in university
collections.
Didyoumixwith otherlesbianpulpwriters?
I was pretty isolated, except for my furtive
trips to Greenwich Village when [my hus~
band and I] were living near Philadelphia.
But then we moved out to California and
I had children and less freedom ... I did
meet the Mattachine [Society] guys ... l
connected with the Los Angeles chapter
of the Daughters of Bilitis, which was just
getting started then. But mostly they were
back in New York. I didn't have the freedom
to get away and get connected to people.
Whatdid yourhusbandthink at the time?Did
he knowyouwerea lesbianwriter?
[Laughs] Well, he knew I was writing. He
began to realize a little bit of what it was
about. He would get home from work and
read a paragraph or so that was in a stack by
the typewriter, but it made him very uncom~
fortable. We'd only been married a little over
a year when this started, and he was quite dis~
couraging until Odd Girl Out was published
and we began to see the sales figures. It
cheered
him up a lot to take those checks
to the bank. [Laughs] He was
very controlling. He didn't want
me to have friends, certainly not
lesbian friends. He wanted me at
home with the babies, and that
was not atypical for that era.
He was predisposed to accept
it because the books were so
successful. [He thought that]
behind the pen name no one
would know who I was, and
each of the books would die a
natural death. And here I was
thinking that I had to do what
my mother did and what her mother did.
Didyoufeelyouwerenotlivingfully?
Yes, there was a part of me that was not
lived. I tried to sustain it after we moved to
California, but people began to show up at
my front door uninvited and my husband was
beside himsel£ I had to cut off all contacts. I
learned to live a life between my ears. I did
a lot of living through the books. It was just
so difficult, bogged down with children and
a disapproving husband. I stopped writing
and shifted gears entirely and went back to
academia.
Wastherean exactmomentwhenyoucame
outof thecloset?
I wasn't deliberately sequestering myself in
2
i
~
I
~
z
(3
z
0
(/)
'."i
the closet, but you can imagine the amount
of work piled on, earning a master's degree
and a doctorate, and then from there I went
right into a teaching position in Sacramento.
And then when you become a dean it's
24/7. In the early '80s my husband and I
finally separated and Naiad Press reissued
the books. Then I was walking across cam~
pus one day, probably around 1983, and (a
librarian] stopped me and said, "Guess what,
we just bought your book:' It was the New
York Times hardcover edition. Even students
knew. I was sitting at my desk and a very shy
young woman came in and she put a little
bouquet on my desk and said, "I just found
out who you are;' and she sort of backed out
of the room. I started doing some lecturing
and documentaries, Stonewall and Forbidden
Love. I was perfectly up~front about it. I just
hadn't been active in the community before
that time.
Youwereinspired
to startwritingpulpbyVin
Packer'sSpringFire.DidyouknowthatVin
PackerwasMaryjaneMeaker,a lesbian?
You know, I wasn't 100 percent sure when I
picked that book up off the drugstore counter,
but it was clear from the cover art and the
blurb what it was about. I realized as I
read the book it had to be by [a lesbian]. I
thought, I can do this. I wrote to her through
Gold Medal Books, and miraculously she
wrote back. Fifty years later I said to her,
"What in the world did you write back to
me fort I know what fan letters are like. She
said, "Well, yours was different. I thought
you were sort of a fey kid ... I was just sort
of intrigued:' So I wrote back to her and said
I was writing a novel, and she said, "Well, if
you can get yourself to New York, I'll introduce
you to my editor. Bring your manuscript:'
And I did and she did.
Whatinspiredyouto createcharacters
like
BeeboBrinker?
Didyouknowtheyexisted?
When I decided I wanted to continue and
tell the story of Laura, after she reached New
York and began living a new life, I was already
daydreaming about someone like Beebo. By
then, I had been in Greenwich Village a few
times. I was looking around every cornerto see, would she be there:' what would she
look like:' and so forth. I couldn't quite get
her put together. I had this mental image,
a blend of Ingrid Bergman and Johnny
Weissmuller, when he used to play Tarzan.
(Laughs] Obviously, I wasn't finding that,
but I was seeing some very handsome young
women, and it was my good luck to have a
chance to spend some time in N.Y.C. near
Columbia University, staying with a friend,
and she had a little apartment near the
university and it had a roof deck and I'd
climb up there and look out over New York
thinking, My next book has got to have this
wonderful butch in it, and I want her to be
like a young buccaneer ... I was up on that
roof looking at all those sparkling lights
when I thought of Beebo.
Wastheunderground
lesbiansceneof postwar
Americamoreliberated
thanwe think?
There was a community of women who defied
convention, who had the spirit and guts to
tell their family and friends, This is how I
am and this is how I'm
going to live. But what
you were facing-and
the vast majority took
a more conventional
path just out of self~
preservation-was
the fact that the ma~
jority of the establishment
was against you. The federal
government made your identity
illegal, the medical establish~
ment told you that you were
sick and you just weren't trying
hard enough to get well. I think
that's why so many women grav~
itated toward the big city-at
least there were the begin~
nings of community there.
It was pretty tough but, on the
other hand, when something is forbidden it
does add a lot of spice, and there was that
sense that we're in this together. You had a
little troop of friends you could absolutely
trust. The humor was incredible, the kind of
humor that comes out of tremendous pres~
sure. We didn't have such things as LGBT
community centers, herstory archives, gay
and lesbian studies, the Internet. What we
had were the gay and lesbian bars and the
pulps. Personal contact sustained people.
Doyoulookbackandfeelpartlyresponsible
for kickstarting
lesbianliterature?
I would hesitate to make grand claims for
it, but I do think, in retrospect, that, yes, we
kind of established a launch pad from which
the younger women who followed us could
work, and from which their careers took of£
We wrote before we had any idea that the civil
rights movement was just around the corner;
that the women's rights movement was just
ahead; that Stonewall was going to happen.
And yet I think, in the face of everything we
had to deal with, the younger women took
courage from that and saw that it could be
done. A lot of us were survivors and we were
offering them a start. We had our literature
to give, when there was so little else.
Whatisthemodernappealof lesbianpulps?
They're fun. We did have fun. It wasn't just
all grim, and the basics of human emotion do
not alter that much as time goes by. People
still fall in love, hopes run high, passions run
deep. All that great stuff is part of
discovering your own sexual iden~
tity. That's timeless. Then there's
the aspect of social history. I now
realize that I actually was draw~
ing a portrait of a time and a
place that has come to be quite
significant in our history. It's a
snapshot of how we were liv~
ing our lives. If you're a young
woman and you want to
know what it was like back
then, the work we give you
opens that door.
(annbannon.com) ■
CALLING ALL LESBIAN
PULP READERS!
A postgraduate
studentat Nottingham
Trent
University
in the U.K.is studyinglesbian
pulpfiction,howit influenced
its readers
andlesbianwritingtoday.Sheis asking
readersof lesbianpulpto completea short,
anonymous
questionnaire
abouttheirexperiencesof readingthegenre.Totakepart,
emailclaire.henson2002@my.ntu.ac.uk
by
June30,2011.
March 2011
I 73
REVIEWSSapphic Screen
The Whole Truth
Our candid interview with The Four-FacedLiar's writer and star, Marja Lewis Ryan. By Rachel Shatto
Last year, Marja Lewis Ryan's dream came
true. The Four-FacedLiar, a film she wrote,
co-produced and stars in, premiered on the
festival circuit to overwhelming success.
Screenings sold out and critics and audiences
were equally wowed. Ryan was deemed an
overnight success, but like anyone given this
moniker will admit, there's no such thing as
an overnightsuccess.
For Ryan the road to indie darling began
when she, along with her three best friendsand fellow Four-FacedLiar co-stars: Emily
Peck, Daniel Carlisle and Todd Kubrakmoved together from New York to Los
Angeles, following their NYU graduation.
Taking to heart the mantra, "create your own
work'' Ryan wrote a play for herself and her
friends that over years of collaboration and
polishing became Liar.Joined by Liz Osborn
as Trip's cuckolded girlfriend Chloe, The
Four-FacedLiar follows Molly (Peck) and
Greg (Carlisle), a straight-laced couple who,
new to New York, become friends with Trip
(Kubrak) and his Bronte-loving heartbreaker
of a lesbian roommate, Bridget (Ryan). It
doesn't take long for the chemistry to build
between Molly and Bridget. It's passion
versus security, a la Wuthering Heights, as
Molly has to decide between her safe but
boring relationship with Greg and her new,
confusing but exhilarating love with Bridget.
Were you surprisedby the overwhelmingly
positiveresponseyourfilm received?
We just wanted people to come see it. For me
it's more amazing that people sit there and
watch this movie. I can't really get over that;
it's a very strange feeling.
How did you make such a good-looking
film
with indiefunding?
First of all, we shot on the streets of New
York. And I mean that city is just so beautiful
and it sort of creates its own aesthetic. The
second thing is our cinematographer, Danny
Grunes, just has a really, really amazing eye
for film. Third factor: Michael Fitzgerald
and his crew came on and built, designed and
74
I curve
constructed all of our interior locations. That
leads to the fourth one: Our director Jacob
Chase ... who graduated from the Brooks
Institute of photography up in Ventura, and
they let us shoot, build, use their stuff, use
their students, so that was like a huge money
saver for us. We shot on three sound stages
for three weeks and paid like $100 a day.
Didyoufilm in the actualFour-Faced
Liarbar?
All the bar stuff is actually shot in the bar.
That's another thing, too, to rent a bar location
in New York City in real life is like $6,000 a
day. But when you drink every day at one bar
your entire college experience, they let you
film for free. [Laughs]
Wasthat somewhere
youhangout?
We all went to NYU together and I moved
off campus my second year, and I lived right
off of Christopher Street on Hudson, which
is like just west ofNYU's main campus area,
and the Four Faced Liar was geographically
the midpoint between my location and the
campus, and I went there ... every day. I'm
confident that I paid for the owner's child's
college education with my patronage. My
parents are really proud. [Laughs] But honestly, it wasn't even just like we would drink
there, I mean it became like our library, it
Lezzie Lightening Ro1'1n
What'syourfavoritefilm?
A Leagueof TheirOwn.
What'syourfavoritelesbianfilm?
If TheseWallsCouldTalk2.
What'sthe mostoverrated
film?
Crash!It's reallyoverrated.
WhatwasyourNewYear'sresolution?
Tofind a balance.
If youcouldhaveanyrole,whatwouldit be?
I don'tknowif it's a "dreamrole,"but I think I
couldhaveplayedJuno.
If youcouldreworkanyfilm intoa
lesbian-themed
one,whatwouldit be?
TheNotebook.
Whowouldyoucastin yournextfilmfor thechanceto kiss?
HughLaurie.
became our study room, we would like bring
books there because it was so conveniently
located and the people that owned the
place ... had this great energy.
Thefilm'schemistry
anddialogfeelveryrealwasdidthatalsocameoutof collaboration?
Yeah, well, I think ... that we are friends,
and so we do inherently have chemistry
together ... even my own mother ... was like,
"God it looks like you're in love:' Chemistry
is chemistry and our relationships in real life
aren't what they are on the screen, but you
can't deny some things. Some things are just
there. Like I do really love Emily and Emily
does really love me, so like that comes across.
The second thing is that I do have an ear for
dialog. I'm really interested in the way that
people speak, and ... I had this former pro~
fessor sit down with me ... and he just really
encouraged me to find nuance in subtlety. So
w if Bridget always says "sure" or "yep" or "OK"
§ then Greg has to say "all right:' Like they're
<(
~ both saying "yes;' but how do they say it dif
::?:
~ ferent that make one square and one cool.
Thecentralstoryofthefilmisa straightwoman
:::i fallingforherfemalefriend,butyoudidn'twant
(3
w
a "comingout"story.
z
We wanted to make something that was
~
<(
::?: reflective of our own college experience [and
{ it wasn't all] about being gay. What's inter~
~ esting about my experience in college is that
~0 it was just as irrelevant or just as relevant as
I
anything else. There was no negative or positive
~:::)
connotation put on that part of me, or that
<(
I
~ part of people who went to school with us,
<(
~ I mean it just wasn't. But I never wanted it
~ to be a coming out story. I didn't want Molly
gto have that question of: Am I gay or am I
:::)
;;- straight? Because the women who experi~
enced that, that I know of, that wasn't their
&3 first thought. Their first thought was do I
s:
~ like this person or that person. So I wanted
~ to try and tell that story as best as I could,
~ with some fart jokes, too. [Laughs]
~ Wasthe plotinspired
bypersonal
experience?
[ Have I ever fallen for a straight friend that
~ I couldn't have is the question on the table.
~ Hmm. [Speaks to someone in a muffied
~ voice, on the other end of the line] I think
~ she wants me to tell you that she's sitting next
a:
~ to me right now-I
think that's what she's
6 saying right now. Maybe, maybe not, maybe
i
not by her face-that's not what she wanted
me to say. [Laughs] Yeah, I know something
about that story. But, can I be corny? I think
that love really does change things. I think
that love can have profound effects on how
you identify or how you see yoursel£ I think
that once you find someone who kind of
"gets"you, which is pretty much what the en~
tire movie's about.
What'snextforyou?
I'm going to have a short on the circuit
this year that is lesbian themed. It's called
Daydreamer. So, I will continue to make
content that includes the LGBT community
as much as possible, but I'm equally inter~
Check out the chemistry:
Ryan (left) and Peck play
friends turned lovers
Huge
(ShoutFactory}
AlienAnthology
(20thCenturyFox}
Createdbyoutlesbian
Savannah
Dooley
(anddaughterof My
SoCalledLifecreator
WinnieHolzman)
this
heart-warming,
boldly
subversive
andpainfullyfamiliardrama
centersona groupof
teensat a summer
weightlosscamp.
StarringcutiepiesNikki
BlonskyandHayley
Hasselhoff
theseries
exploreseverything
fromyourstandard
unrequited
crushesto
fat acceptance,
eating
disorders,
gayteens
andevenasexuality.
Sweet,charmingand
heartbreaking,
Huge
is a seriesaheadof
itstime.Trackdowna
copy,we promiseyou
won'tbesorryyoudid.
(shoutfactory.
com)
Oneof myearliest
heroesis the alien
CreatedbyAcademy
butt-kickingEllen
Award-winner
Diablo
Ripley(playedbythe
Cody,UnitedStatesof
statuesque
Sigourney TarastarsToniCollette
Weaver)in Alienand
asa womansearching
its sequels.From
for theoriginof her
survivingintergalactic dissociative
disorder
baddiesto getting
andhowherrareand
subtextually
hot
oftendestructive
condiandheavywiththe
tionaffectsall those
WinonaRyderin
aroundher.Season
two
Alien:Resurrection
of thisdarklyhilarious
(whichaccording
andbrilliantly-acted
to screenwriter
and
seriespacksshocking
curve lesbroJoss
surprisetwistsalong
Whedonwasfar more withall thefamily
overtin hisoriginal
dramaandendearingly
draft)is nowavailable dysfunctional
castof
in gorgeouscrystalcharacters
we'vecome
clearBlu-rayin this
to love.Plus,we getto
special
editionanthology. seeoneof herpersonRemastered
and
alitiestakeupwitha
packedwith extrasand localfemalebartender
Eastereggsthis set is
playedbyJoeyLauren
a must-seefor geeky
Adams(Chasing
Amy).
dykes.(foxconnect.com)Hot.(sho.com)
(/)
d
ested in writing strong comedic roles for
women in general. ■
UnitedStatesof Tara: NurseJackie:
TheSecondSeason Season2
(Showtime}
(Showtime}
Returning
for its
secondbrilliantseason,
NurseJackiecontinues
its welcometrendof
lesbianinclusivity.
Focusing
onJackie
Peyton,
a drug
addictedRNleadinga
doublelife,playedto
devastating
effectby
thealways-divine
Edie
Falco,thesophomoreseasonsees
Jackiecontinuing
and
failingto juggleher
compartmentalized
life.
Butasthewallsclose
in on her,thecloset
doorsfly openfor her
bestfriendDr.Eleanor
O'Hara(EveBest)who
copsto anon-againoff-againrelationship
witha journalistplayed
bygueststarJulia
Ormond.
(sho.com)
March 2011
I 75
REVIEWSTech
Geek Chic
Geeks and fashion: Time was, those words were
the very definition of mutually exclusive. But as any
geeky dyke worth her Dr. Who companions fan
club card will tell you, times are a-changin.' Geeks
have never been more in the zeitgeist; at long last
our shameful socially awkward passions have made
their way up from our mother's basement, out of the
cosplay convention halls and onto runways. Comic
books, mathematics, anime, video games, sci-fi and
tech have merged with design to create a geekapproved aesthetic that has captured the imaginations
of professional and DIY couturiers alike. Here are 10
of the hottest geek-inspired fashions, calculated to
give you a plus 5 towards looking fierce.
By Rachel Shatto
1. Styleis Key
If you'rethe typewhoappreciates
a goodhandbag,andwill neverforgetyourfirst Commodore
64, looknofurtherthanJoaoSabina'sadorabley
chicKeybags.
($170,joaosabino.pt)
2. FutureSexy
Bladerunner
meetsH.R.Gigerin the astonishing
Kineticfiberopticlit-upstilletosbyAnastasia
Radevich.
(anastasiaradevich.com)
3. RaceyWristWear
Inspiredby TRON
Legacythiscuttingedgegunmetalandlucitecuff'ssci-fi meetssophistication
designwill pleasethe geekandthefashonista
in you.($365,tomtomjewelry.com
9. Ona BeachFar,FarAway 1O.Periodic
TableCuff
Finally,swimwearthatgives Nothingsaysgoodchemistry
PrincessLeia'sgoldbikini
likethe periodictable.Plus,
a runfor its money.Black
madefrom reclaimedblack
Milk'sThreepioandArtoo
leather,eco-butches
will feel
bathingsuitsareso hot,they rightin theirelementin this
mayturnyourobosexual.
cuff byTransaction.
($30,
($85,blackmilkclothing.com)etsy.com/shop/transaction)
4. YouLightUpthe Room
3Iectromode's
LEDembedded
dressusesconductive
threadand
15 lightsto createthis unique
unionof styleandtech.Sold
assembled
or as a kit. ($250,
3Iectromode.com)
5. SuperHeroineChic
Turnheadsat yourlocal
comicbookshopwiththese
handpainted
hot mamas.
($329,studiojellyfish.com)
6. HarajukuGirl
We'dgladlyshelloutthe cashfor
AbbyShot'sG-I-GShrug,inspired
bythe hit animeseriesGhostin the
Shell.($130,abbyshot.com)
7. RetroGame-her
Giveyourlobesa sexy1-up
with Mysticmetalsvideo
game-inspired
plugs($20,
mysticmetalsbodyjewelry.com)
8. HolyCityona Ring,Batman!
NoirJewelry'sspecial
collectionfor DCComicshasus
grinninglikeHarleyQuinnfor their
Batgirl,Wonder
Woman,
SuperGirl
andCatWoman-inspired
baubles.
($225,noirjewelry.com)
March 2011
I 77
REVIEWSFood
ReciQeFor Life
Food writer Kim Severson savors eight remarkable culinary women. By Constance Parten
KIM
peas. Her latest book is no exception. Born
out of the experiences of her career and life,
Spoon Fed is part memoir, part coming out
story and a celebration of the women cooks
who have fed her, inspired her and in some
significant way changed her life.
I spoke with Severson as she was "riding
shotgun" somewhere on an Atlanta highway, her wife, journalist Katia Hetter, at the
wheel. The two were on their
way to dinner with Atlanta
Journal-Constitutionfood critic
John Kessler. It was a rare free
moment for Severson, who
recently took over as chief of
the Times' Atlanta bureau. On
top of continuing her work as
a Times food writer. And on
top of motherhood. She and
SEVERSON
Katia have a three-year-old
daughter, Samantha.
We spoke about Atlanta, her family's new
home: 'Tm just surprised at how it's sort of
secretly awesome;" about food movements,
like eating invasive species: "They're not all
that delicious, and that isjust one big problem;"
heirloom agriculture: "That whole notion of
eating it to save it is great;" and even her most
embarrassing food likes-Jack in the Box
tacos and "Chick-fil-A. Even though they're
anti-gay and Baptist, I still think it's a really
good product:' But mostly, we talked about
Spoon Fed.
They say you can't know a woman until
you've walked a mile in her shoes, so I figured
the same goes for food writers and food: you
have to try on their favorite recipes. As such,
one of Kim Severson's first attempts to "cook
a really good Southern thing" is bubbling
away on the stove in my kitchen-blackeyed peas with smoked turkey.
Severson shared the recipe during our
78
I curve
Initially, she wanted the book to focus on
the women who went deep into one culinary
subject, who wrote cookbooks and taught
people how to cook. "I thought those women
were going to get kind oflost" amid the rising
tide of today's food celebrities, she says.
recent discussion about her book, Spoon
"The very kernel of the idea was to do
Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life. Now, something about Marion Cunningham and
if you're a foodie, you've probably heard of then I started thinking about these other
this James Beard award-winning food writer
women cooks who were cookbook authors
who worked for The San FranciscoChronicle who I thought might be forgotten;' she explains.
and, most recently, The New York Times. If "So it started with that kind of raw premise
you're not familiar, well, here's a quick introand then, as I started to look at who I might
duction: Severson's style of writing is simple
want to write about, I realized I had been
and approachable. And tasty-a lot like her attracted to, and come to spend time with,
women. It just seemed like a really natural
fit. And then, as it became more memoir-y,
I thought about my mom, and, you know, I
just thought I'd keep with the whole uterine theme. Stick with that as an organizing
principal:'
So how do eight cooks save a woman's
life? By helping her see herself. With Marion
Cunningham, the adoring aunt of a generation of American chefs, it was the mirror of
shared alcoholism. "The first day I met her,
I started to cry when she told me she had
quit drinking;' Severson writes in Spoon Fed.
"Then I told her my dark secret: I was a fraud
and an alcoholic and I was scared to death
I would fail. Fail the interview. Fail the job.
Fail my life. I would be a disappointment:'
With Rachael Ray, the irrepressible, grinning cook, it was the importance ofbeing real.
"Spending a little time close to the tornado
that is Rachael Ray helped me understand
the value of authenticity;' she writes. "The
most valuable thing I have is who I am:'
And former Gourmet magazine editor
Ruth Reichl taught Severson to deal with
popular girls. "The New York writers were
the most popular kids in school, and Ruth
Reichl was their leader;' writes Severson. "If
I was going to survive, I had to find a way to
claim a seat at their lunch table:'
Of course, the book includes recipes from
eight inspirational culinary women, but what
makes Spoon Fed a truly great read is the very
personal time Severson spent with these
women, for example, farm-to-table visionary
Alice Waters, who cooked in Severson's
Brooklyn kitchen (quick, hide the donuts!).
They've each left an indelible impression,
and while Severson perhaps doesn't walk a
mile in their shoes, she certainly learns from
them how to appreciate her own path. And,
of course, how to appreciate food. ■
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March 2011
I 79
TOPTENREASONS
WELOVE
...
Annie
Sprinkle &
Elizabeth
Stephens
1 . In an agedominated
bytechnology,
they're
keepinglive art alive."Live art is essential
lest we forget that we really have bodies;' says
Stephens. And audiences have embraced their
work."Performance artists give me something
profound that no other kind of art or social
networking does, " says Sprinkle. "It touches
me from the inside out and makes me feel
great. It's a lot like having sex: Deeply satisfying
in a way nothing else quite is:'
have any hope of continuing to live on this
planet that we are rapidly destroying:'
the Hallmark corporation:' Could it dispel
the pervasive anti~gay marriage sentiment
in the U.S.:' Could it roll back the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq :1 And yet, its mission
is simpler still. It's basically "two artists in
love, Beth and I, who do what we love to do,
and what we find meaningful;' says Sprinkle.
Follow the project at loveartlab.org.
a Silver Year: Union, Bliss, Crown. "We're
using the chakra system at the suggestionof artist
Linda Montano who has used the chakras as
a way to both inspire and organize her own
work for the last 21 years;' says Stephens.
6. Theyinventtheirown eco-sexylanguage.
"Ecosexual was a dating term, like metrosexual.
But we decided that now it means that you
find the Earth erotic;' explains Stephens. "We
think of the Earth as our lover and treat her/
him/ they with the love, tenderness and grace
that you would shower upon your lover:'
Why these "love artists" are
making the environmental
2. Theirmessageis simple:Loveis all you 7. TheyapplytheHinduChakras
to NewYear's
movement sexy and fun. need.Really.The Love Art Lab began as an resolutions.
2010 was a Purple Year: Intuition,
By Merryn Johns experiment: Could love be stolen back from Wisdom, Third Eye while 2011 will be
8. Theyhavea tip for the Democrats.
"The
Democratic Party needs a makeover;' says
Stephens. 'J\nd some lessons in how to frame
3. Theywon't giveup on marriageequality. issues differently than the Republicans in
order to differentiate themselves ... define the
"Six years ago;' says Sprinkle, "we went to San
Francisco City Hall to get married and were
territory and value systems that they believe
told we couldn't, the court stopped the gay in and represent. Their inability to do so
cost them dearly in the midterm elections
weddings, so that pissed us off. That is partly
why we have done 10 weddings in five years. and could cost even more in the upcoming
presidential election. I, mysel£ am going to
In protest! We just want gay folks to have the
same rights as our hetero friends and family. I join the Green Party:'
do think we will get those rights eventually:'
9. They'replanning
anecosexual
makeover
for
4. They'relovingenvironmentalism.
Literally. SarahPalin.While Stephens finds the idea of
Sarah Palin as president is definitely "a little
Every year Sprinkle and Stephens stage
performance art weddings but now, says scary;' Sprinkle has a loving plan of attack. "If
we could turn Sarah Palin on to the eroticism
Stephens, "instead of marrying each other
of nature, marry her to the Earth, indoctrinate
we marry environmental entities who need
our love. So, we have married the Earth, the
her into our way of thinking and feeling, maybe
sky, the sea, the Moon and the Appalachian
she'd stop shooting all those beautiful, inno~
Mountains:'
cent animals and see the light ...an amusing
Fromprostitute
andpornstarto performance
fantasy, don't you think:"'
inthepowerofprotest.
Love Art
artistandsexologist
witha Ph.D.,Annie 5. Theybelieve
10. Theykeepperforming
and agitatingand
Sprinklehasdealtwithsexandlovein Lab is fighting against mountain top removal
mining
in
Appalachia,
which
has
destroyed
2011
is busy with a
have
no
plans
of
quitting.
manyforms.Famous
for herPublicCervix
over
500
mountains
and
1,500
miles
of
visual
art
exhibit
called
the
Ecosex
Manifesto,
Announcement,
wheretheatergoers
streams in one of the oldest mountain ranges
Montreal's Edgy Women festival, March 19
wereinvitedto examinehercervixwitha
in the world in the quest for cheap coal. "This
through April 2, and an environmental action
speculum,
Sprinkleis nowjoinedbyher
is a national tragedy that most people don't
where the couple anticipates they might just
partner,Elizabeth
Stephens,
whomshe
even know about;' says Stephens. "We intend
get arrested. But most of all they hope to con~
marriedin Canadain 2007,andthecoupleare to keep focusing on environmental issues and
tinue loving their other partner, Lover Earth.
setto begintheseventhandfinalyearoftheir bringing more love and empathy to the way "We hope to spend some quality time in na~
LoveArtLab-a performance
art,visualart that we view and treat the Earth. We have to
ture; by the sea, in the redwoods, under the
andlife-as-artproject.(loveartlab.org)continue this if we as a species are going to stars;' says Sprinkle. ■
so I curve
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