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Description
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ToC A Very Dapper Holiday (p34); Designing Women (p38); Sole Man (p40); Get the Edge (p42); Special Culture Section (p44); Cover: Out at the Opera - Adrianne Pieczonka (p54); Listen Up Ladies (p56); Girls Gone Wild (p70); Ice, Ice, Baby (p72).
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issue
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6
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Date Issued
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Nov-Dec 2015
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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_Vol25_No6_November-December-2015_OCR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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THE
CULTURE
ISSUE
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NOV/DEC
2015
FEATURES
3~
A VERY DAPPER HOLIDAY
Who says L.A. is casual? Meet
the spruced up style mavens
from Sharpe Suiting.
38
DESIGNING WOMAN
An out lesbian applies her
international flair to inspirational
interior design.
SOLEMAN
Transman NiK Kacy creates
fancy footwear for androgynous
wearers.
~2
GET THE EDGE
The Verge fashion show in
Brooklyn delivered hot new
genderqueer trends.
n
SPECIAL CULTURE SECTION
Artistry, activism and identity
are the ingredients for some
cultural landmarks this year.
56
LISTEN UP, LADIES
Meet the lesbian musicians
making sound waves this year.
70
GIRLS GONE WILD
Soul Kiss films is at it again
with their most adventurous
lesbian flick yet!
72
ICE, ICE, BABY
Chill out in the Arctic Circle at
Sweden's legendary Ice Hotel.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
1
NOV/DEC
2015
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
11
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
10 LES LOOKS LIKE
Each issue we pick a lesbian
with a look and a life to match.
24 FILM
The wait is over! We finally
review Carol. Plus we take
you behind the scenes of the
most anticpated international
feature of the year, the Aussie
flick, All About E. By Lisa
Tedesco
12 BEAUTY
The best cruelty-free products
for your face and body.
14 LESBOFILE
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
By Jocelyn Voo
VIEWS
16 POLITICS
Deep thoughts and heartfelt
convictions on a different topic
each issue from our contributing politics editor. By Victoria
A. Brownworth
18 OUT IN FRONT
Meet the community leaders
who are doing us proud. By
Sheryl Kay
18 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ...
2
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
28 FOOD
Cat Cora is back at work with
a very personal and at times
hard-hitting memoir, a must
read for every culinary-inclined
lesbian. Plus we review other
fabulous foodie memoirs. By
Merryn Johns
31 DRINKS
The absolutely best and most
delicious beverages to crack
open during the festive season.
32 SEX
Allison Moon delivers an indispensible illusrated sexed book
like no other, Girl Sex 101. By
Yana Tallon-Hicks
LGBT news from across the
country. By Sassafras Lowrey
LAST LOOK
22 LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Relationship advice from our
trusted butch-femme duo.
79 CROSSWORD
Can you tame our Queer Quiz?
By Myles Mellor
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for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series. Out director Lisa
Cholodenko, who has given us some terrifically complex films, such
as High Art and The Kids Are All Right,picked up the award for
Its writer,Jane Anderson,
Outstanding Directing for OliveKitteridge.
also out, won for Outstanding Writing. OrangeIs the New Blaclis
Uzo Aduba won her second consecutive Emmy for our beloved
"Crazy Eyes:' HBO's Bessiewon four Creative Arts Emmys, and Jane
Lynch won an Emmy as Outstanding Host for NBC's Hollywood
GameNight.Viola Davis won Outstanding Lead Actress for How to
Get Away With Murder,and we've now learned that her character,
Annalise Keating, is bisexual. Marisa Tomei joins the cast of Empire
as a lesbian billionaire (how wonderful to think there are any), and
even ABC's OnceUpona Time will explore a lesbian storyline. That's
just the small screen!
The big screen is being flooded with lesbian representation this fall
and winter, too, with powerful lesbian-themed feature films including
All About E, Sand Dollars,Summer,The Girl King,Freeheld,Raven's
Touch,and of course, the long-awaited Carol.I enjoyed talking to Carol
screenwriter Phyllis Nagy for this issue, and learning of the immense
effort it took to bring this cherished lesbian novel to the screen.
And we can't forget the journey Lisa Kron took to get the Tonywinning musical Fun Home onto Broadway. As Lisa notes in her
interview on page 50, Fun Home'scommercial success strikes a blow
against "the vanquishing of lesbian visibility:'
The culture has changed, and we'vechanged it. Audiences-rather
than being titillated by an onscreen kiss that lasts a few seconds-are
welcoming characters and storylines that span seasons. We're here,
we're queer-and we're here to stay.So pass the popcorn, please.
This is our Culture issue, and in it we celebrate many of the queer
culture makers-filmmakers, fashionistas, actors, authors, advocates,
chefs, artists, and numerous out-and-proud musicians-who made a
difference this year.We celebrate Northampton, Mass., and Michfest,
those hotbeds of lesbian culture. And since this issue coincides with
the Holidays, I hope you find time to curl up somewhere cozy with
Curveand enjoy the fruits of our lesbian labors. What a wonderful
year it's been!
Queering the Culture
s our friends at GLAAD know, "Words and Images
Matter;' or so their tagline goes. But as hard as that mediamonitoring watchdog works, and as much as we at Curve
put our creation proudly into the mainstream with every issue, it's
sometimes hard to know if we're making real and lasting impact.
2015 delivered the sad news of the passing of many lesbian cultural
figures, the closing of lesbian bars, and the final year of Michfest, and
yet, expressions oflesbian culture and identity persist.
At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in September, when
GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis was interviewed on
the red carpet, she noted that 2015 was a milestone year for LGBT
representation in TV.
"We really need to accelerate acceptance in this country, and TV
is such a great way to do it;' she said. Turns out it was a jackpot year
for queer women. Transparentcreator Jill Soloway won the Emmy
A
~·
MERZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
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MEGAN VOLPERT
Megan is the author of six books on communication and popular
culture, including two Lambda Literary Award finalists. Her next
work is 1976 (Sibling Rivalry Press,2016), a collection of essays
on punk spirit during the Bicentennial. She writes regularly for
PopMatters and Atlanta INtown, and edited the American Library
Association-honored anthology This assignment is so gay: LGBTIQ
Poets on the Art of Teaching. Visit meganvolpert.com.
C
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curve
THE BEST-SELLING
NOV/DEC
2015
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
» VOLUME
25 NUMBER
6
PUBLISHERSilke Bader
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFMerryn Johns
SENIORCOPY EDITOR Katherine Wright
CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS Melanie Barker, Kathy Beige,
Marcie Bianco, Victoria A. Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Sheryl Kay, Gillian Kendall, Dave
Steinfeld, Jocelyn Voo
PROOFREADER
Tiffany Ceridwen Lowana
EDITORIAL
ASSISTANTSLisa Tedesco, Annalese Davis
VICTORIA BOND
OPERATIONS
Victoria is a New York based writer who has contributed to The
Guardian, The New Republic, Al Jazeera America, The Huffington
Post, and Ebony.com, among others. Co-author of the novel
for children Zora and Me, she received the American Library
Association's Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New
Talent. Victoria has also been nominated for The Mystery Writers of
America's Edgar Award. Follow Victoria on Twitter @waytogobitch.
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONSJeannie Sotheran
ADVERTISING
NATIONALSALES
Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021, todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTORBruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCAL MEDIA
MANAGEREmma Cornish
INTERNSLucy Doyle, Erika Tamm, Lex Giggs
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
JULIE R. ENSZER
Julie is a scholar and a poet. Her book A Fine Bind is a history of
lesbian-feminist presses 1969-2009. She is the author of Sisterhood
and Handmade Love, and editor of Milk & Honey. A Celebration of
Jewish Lesbian Poetry, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in
Lesbian Poetry. She has her MFA and PhD from the University of
Maryland. She is also the editor of Sinister Wisdom, a lesbian literary
and art journal. Read more of Julie's work at julierenszer.com.
Melany Joy Beck, Jenny Block, Kelsy Chauvin, Jill Goldstein,
Kristin Flickinger, Gillian Kendall, Kim Hoffman, Francesca
Lewis, Charlene Lichtenstein, Tiffany Ceridwen Lowana,
Sassafras Lowrey, Kelly McCartney, Emelina Minero, Laurie
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Rosanna Rios-Spicer, Stella & Lucy, Yana Tallon-Hicks,
Sarah Toce
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Steph Brusig, Grace Chu, Meagan Cignoli, Sophy Holland,
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Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
CONTACT INFO
Curve Magazine
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PHONE{415) 871-0569
PALLAVIBHATTACHARYA
Pallavi is a freelance journalist with 16 years of experience and
hundreds of articles published in reputed Indian publications such
as Readers' Digest India, India Today Plus, Hindustan Times, and The
Statesman. She has written on youth, education, women, health,
beauty, lifestyle, food and nutrition, spirituality, religion, psychology,
parenting, travel, films, television, theatre, music, culture, society,
pets, animals, crime, leisure and recreation, love and relationships.
BECK LEWIS
Beck is an FTM who has always known the difference between
being a tomboy and being a boy. Upon stumbling across YouTube
videos of other transgender men, Beck found the peace he had
been searching for. He has been documenting his transition on
YouTube and has shared his story in several LGBTQ newspapers
with hopes to continue to educate, open minds, and assist others
who are struggling with coming to terms with who they truly are.
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Volume 25 Issue 6 Curve (ISSN 1087-867X) is published 6 times
per year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August,
September/October,
November/December)
by Avalon Media,
LLC, PO Box 467, New York NY 10034. Subscription price:
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Publication of the name or photograph of any persons or
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CURVE
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2015
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RONT /
FEEDBACK
I became an instant fan. When
I read Nikki's story I began
to think seriously about my
own breast health. I performed
my first self examine and also
due to Nikki's advice I have
scheduled my first mammo~
gram appointment. Thank you,
Nikki and Jill (everyday rock
stars)! Long Live Love!
- Kelley G., ForestvilleMD.
FABULOUS AND FIT
LET'S BEAT THIS!
It was brave of these survivors
and their loved ones to
share their stories in such a
transparent manner ["Survi~
vors' Stories;' V.25#5]. Their
strength and courage to fight
this awful illness is heroic.
How I loved the Fitness Issue
of Curve.Sometimes I feel that
all the healthy and physical
women in our community
don't get their due, especially
some of our best athletes. I
was glued to every page of
this magazine, which I think
is one of your best issues yet.
Although I could definitely
spend more time at the gym
and less time with the cookie
jar, I never once felt talked
down to by the articles in this
issue. Instead I felt motivated
and inspired to get fit.
- Nancy Gallo,Plant City FL.
A SPORTING CHANCE
It's a crime that women's sport
doesn't get more coverage,
recognition, or financial
reward in this country. Thank
you for your celebratory piece
on the U.S. Women's Soccer
Team [V.25#5, "The Win~
ning Team'']. I just loved the
pictures that captured such a
moment. What great girls, a
credit to their country, and not
bad to look at, either. Abby
Wambach is my dream girl!
GETTING BEHIND GREECE
Thank you for your supportive
article on Athens [V.25#5,
'J\bsolutely Athens"]. I am a
British lesbian with a house
on the island of Lesbos and,
as if the financial crisis was
not enough, we are in crisis
again with thousands upon
thousands of refugees from
Syria and Afghanistan fleeing
and landing on Lesbos (on a
clear day you can see Turkey).
Our tourism and businesses
are suffering and will continue
to do so unless we all pitch in
and settle these people in Ath~
ens and other European cities.
Thank you for your support.
Don't give up on paradise.
- SophieM., Suffolk, UK.
- M. King, Cleveland,OH.
~:;:E:::~:~
~~~~:;::~::~::·
:II
:~:::~~~~~~1::s::EA~~~~~~UR
1.1:
6%
Plan a vacation somewhere warm
4,2%
22%
Find a girl to get cozy with
Start saving for the silly season
30~o
Make myself a cocktail
I:::.
I::::
!I
11
!I
::::::..........
_._._._.
:::::::::·.:·::::::::::::::::::·:::::::::::::::::·:::::::::I
..I
WRITE
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letters@curvemagazine.com
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NOV/DEC
Online:
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Subscriber Services are now available at
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here's to happily ever after.
Come in-store to get your free tote and howbook~ our registry guide that's
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the wedding cf£ gift registry
BEDBATH&
BEYONll:lf
TRENDS/
THE GAYDAR
p
~~ THEGAYDAR
Takes one to know one? Let our gaydar help
you decide who's hot, who's not, who's
~ shaking it and who's faking it in lesboland.
%
~
BY MELANIE
BARKER
~
At The Emmy Awards, out
writer-directors Jill Soloway,
Lisa Cholodenko and Jane
Anderson walk away with
prizes for Transparent and
Olive Kitteridge
Vogue continues to cover
lesbians and queer women,
this time super chefs
Gabrielle Hamilton and
Ashley Merriman in love
A UK medic tells TV
presenter Sue Perkins
that she is infertile but
"You're a lesbian so it's
easier
Fox's new series, Rosewood
features a cute and committed
lesbian couple, Pippy and Tara
Cancer, you
sucklNancy
Bernstein,
Dream Works
exec and
producer of Lord
of the Rings and
X-Men dies of
cancerat55
Those Demi
Lovato-Selena
Gomez-Ruby
Rose hookup
rumors to sell
albums. Nice try
honeys, but do
we care?
NORARY
MELESBIAN
BERSHIP
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Lilith St.
Augustine,
erotica author,
pens Kim Goes
to Jail. An Erotic
Story to parody
homophobic
bigot and
Kentucky county
clerk Kim Davis
Lesbian punk
poet Eileen
Myles finally
gets media
recognition
after 20 books,
including I Must
Be Living Twice
and the reissue
of Chelsea Girls
w
::,
Out lesbian Dawn
Airey appointed
CEO of Getty
Images; lesbian
artist Nicole
Eisenman wins
MacArthur "genius
Grant"
Australian hit TV show Neighbours
character, Steph Scully, is
reintroduced, this time as a lesbian
Hattie Mandahla Rose in
the excellent lezzie Aussie
road flick, All About E
Amy Schumer
continues her selfpromoting public
flirtation with
A-List females,
from Jennifer
Lawrence to
Madonna
<.'.)
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>
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
11
TRENDS/
BEAUTY
Iloliday Ilelpers
BEAUTYPRODUCTSTHAT NOT ONLY WORK,THEY'REDELICIOUSLYFESTIVE.
Sugar and SJ>iccand \JI rlbing__~
Nice
Cranberry Crush
Brenda Brock continues to trail blaze the "green" beauty scene with
Farmaesthetics' Cinnamon Girl, the ultimate sweet treat for your body
this fall. Begin with Sweet Soy, Geranium & Rose Bath Beauty Oil to
soften your skin and uplift you, both physically and psychically. Mix it
with the Cinnamon Rose & Cornmeal Body Scrub to create a heavenly
exfoliating paste. The organic Rainwater, Cinnamon and Rose Bath &
Beauty Bar lathers luxuriously, cleans, and brightens, stimulating your
senses with spices. And finally, the organic Cinnamon Stick & Rose
Petals are to be added to your bathtub, imparting their beneficial
properties. If you don't like floaties in your tub, make a cup of tea out
of them-they're edible and organic! What a great gift idea or at-home
splurge for the self. ($39, farmaesthetics.com)
The flavor of Christmas, on your face-what a great ideal We loved this
Holiday-themed and truly effective limited edition Holiday Exfoliator
in Cranberry Orange scent by Jan Marini Skin Research. This rich,
delicious-smelling, gentle, but clinical-strength resurfacer immediately
refines the texture and follicle size of your face, leaving your skin with
a radiant, polished glow-and perfect for helping you to "scrub up" to
meet friends and family for the busy and social holiday season. And
this gorgeously gooey exfoliator may smell like cranberry orange cake
dough, but one of the secret ingredients is actually green papaya I ($85
and up, janmarini.com)
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On a family farm in picturesque Southern California, a mother-daughter
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milk soaps using fresh goat milk, plant-derived essential oils, and fair
trade shea butter from a certified co-op in Africa. Choose from a range
of yummy flavors such as Grapefruit & Basil, Cucumber & Mint, or Vanilla
& Verbena. The latter is good enough to eat: "We steep bourbon vanilla
beans in rich, nutty hazelnut oil, then swirl with unrefined, raw cocoa
butter, deeply nourishing goat milk and aromatherapeutic Peru balsam
essential oil." This past summer, for their 'Popi' line of soaps, Polly and
Piper tied their simple and attractive packaging in with the queercentric
hit, Orange Is the New Black. ($6, chivasskincare.com)
Organic, cold-pressed from the hand-harvested, fresh kernels of the
Argan fruit comes an oil that can be luxuriously applied to body, face,
lips, legs, and hair. What an exotic ideal Kesh Beauty Argan Oil was
founded by socially-conscious Moroccan-American Lisa Chetrit, who
had a desire to preserve her Moroccan heritage and pursue a career
in sustainability. Infused with gorgeous Middle Eastern essences such
as orange blossom or rosewater, this is "green" beauty at its best: one
product for many uses-anti-aging, post-waxing, hydration, hair-styling,
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2015
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THE BEST-SELLING
LESBIAN
MAGAZINE
GOSSIp
TRENDS/
LES
BO
FILE
IT'S FALL, AND OUR FAVORITECELESBIANSARE KEEPINGTHEIR COOL.
BY JOCELYN VOO
• O'NEAL'S DEAL
These days, it seems like every
young female celebrity is either
actively dating or has admitted to
fooling around with other women.
At first blush, Tatum O'Neal doesn't
seem to have any overlap. What
does an Academy Award-winning
Brittney Griner:baby mama drama over?
actress in her 50s, who's famously
dated Michael Jackson in the '70s
• CHANGING HER TUNE
and later married tennis legend
WNBA superstars
When Miley Cyrus was spotted ca-
John McEnroe, have in common
Glory Johnson and Brittney Griner
vorting around town with Victoria's
were embroiled in some serious baby
Secret
• FOUL PLAY
Last we
heard,
model
Stella Maxwell,
bed-
and
gender-hopping
20-somethings? A lot, it seems.
for the
O'Neal tells Harper's Bazaar that
mama drama, with the pair announc-
took
ing Johnson's pregnancy in May, only
Internet
that the pair
after her divorce, she went on her
a month after getting
were an item. But the singer is now
first date with a woman and, in her
then Griner filing for an annulment
setting the record (for the lack of
words, she "knew that [she] was
the very next day due to alleged infi-
a better word) straight: "I'm 22, I'm
interested in women, but [she]
delity. Since then Johnson was suing
going on dates, but I change
was a little uncomfortable with it"
her ex for $20K in monthly financial
style every two weeks, let alone
However, now in her 50s and finally
support,
who
reflecting about this revelation from
hitched,
and
since her season with the
all of two seconds
with
it
to declare
I'm with," she told
my
Elle UK.
Tulsa Shock was put on hold. But a
Yup, it's not that she doesn't want
two decades prior, "now I'm clean
judge has ruled that, nope, a month
to be linked with a lady-it's
that
and aware and alive and interested
of wedlock
she doesn't want to be tied down,
in the world, saying, 'Dating women
cash in this case. This may be the
label-wise.
Spoken
is exciting to me, and this is turning
end of the season for this basketball
Millennial;
we're just
saga ... at least until baby gets here.
the hashtag.
doesn't
equal stacks of
like
a
waiting
true
for
meon
As O'Neal has been exploring
the female dating pool, the media,
in response, has been going nuts,
even so far as linking her with Rosie
•AN
W PAGE
O'Donnell, though O'Donnell has
Amid the numerous screenings at September's
shot this idea down. "What's new for
Toronto International
me is figuring out how beautiful and
one particularly
Film Festival, there was
Ellen Page
honest women can be with each
artist and
other and how there's a different
Thomas. Page, who was
closeness than you'll have with any
special
and her new girlfriend,
surfer Samantha
debut:
multimedia
there to premiere her latest film, Freehe/d,told
man," O'Neal tells Bazaar."I hope I'll
E! News, "Walking down the carpet holding
inspire women to experiment more
special." And
and try dating women if they want
why tonight,
my girlfriend's
of all nights, to unveil her new
hand is pretty
to. If I can help a little girl who feels
relationship?
The best possible answer: "I'm
14
CURVE
trapped to come out-oh, my gosh,
EllenPage:hearts SamanthaThomas
in love."
NOV/DEC
2015
that would mean the world to me."
TRENDstSHE
SAID
was so nice and
made me feel so welcome.
The funny thing though was
when I showed up, the very first
scene we have to be in our underwear!
So, basically it was like, 'Welcome, now
please take your clothes off.'"
Jeanna Han on her experience as
an andro Asian lesbian on the
set of Scream Queens to
AfterEllen.com
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NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
15
A Ilome JOrthe Ilolidays
How a sense of place sustains the LGBT spirit.
BY VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
My wife and I have a new house. It's
hard to explain how for 16 years we have
lived in separate houses, but we have.
Neither of us wanted to move. She lived
in town, I lived in one of our city's many
ethnic neighborhoods. For all those years,
she has felt displaced in my house as I have
in hers, because these were the houses we
lived in with our previous long~term part~
ners. Always looming over both places
was the underlying feeling that they still
belonged to the exes, even though, really,
they didn't.
But now we have our own house, with
rooms painted the colors we chose togeth~
er ( the dining room is a deep, warm red
called "dinner party") and a kitchen we
built together, with a fabulous stove that
16
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
has a grill in the center, because we both
love to cook. I have never owned a dish~
washer or clothes dryer, always washing
my dishes by hand and hanging my clothes
outside to dry. Our new house has both.
My wife is an artist and a college art pro~
fessor. Her studio is big and bright, with
the natural light she needs to paint. It's
also an inviting space she can bring clients
to. It's different from her studio in townthat room has a panoramic view of the city
from the third floor of her row house. But
we both have made compromises.
My compromise is that my new studio
has a window that opens onto a brick wall.
Not lovely. But also not distracting. For
years I have worked cross~legged on my
bed, laptop on my lap. That almost led
to my death from a pulmonary embolism
(see last issue), so I had to break that habit
or risk my life. My new studio has a good
chair, a small desk, and the ubiquitous
bookcases. It is serene.
We have a fireplace in the living room.
I haven't had a fireplace since I was in my
20s and living in a historic trinity with
fireplaces on each floor. Pigeons regularly
fell into the flue, and it was always a race to
get to them before my two cats did. Once
a squirrel came down. That was quite a
drama, but we all got out of it alive. An~
other time, an unlucky bat came down. We
held a small funeral for him. This chimney
has a grate over it. No birds, no bats, no
squirrels.
The fireplace means that this Christ~
VIEWS/
mas the stockings will be "hung by the
chimney with care;' as one of my mother's
great~great~great~uncles once wrote in ''A
Visit From St. Nicholas" (better known as
"'Twas the Night Before Christmas"). The
new house means a Christmas tree and a
menorah and, best of all, a big dining room
table where we can entertain guests.
Thanksgiving will be our unveiling of
the house. For the past decade, we have
gone elsewhere for this holiday-my sis~
ter's, her brother's. They were lovely holi~
days, but they never felt like our own. This
year will be like our first Thanksgiving to~
gether, 16 years ago-intimate
and magi~
cal. And lesbian.
It was Thanksgiving when I was ban~
ished from my parents' house. I had been
revealed to be a lesbian when I was ex~
pelled from my all~girls high school for
being a "bad moral influence" on all the
other girls (even though no one thought to
dismiss the lesbian teachers who had been
there since my mother was a student, more
than 20 years earlier). That Thanksgiving
was fraught and angry, and my mother,
who always sat me next to her at the end
of the table because I was lefr~handed and
she didn't want me jostling other guests,
had slapped me in front of everyone and
called me a name unprintable in any news~
paper or magazine.
I left home. I was exiled. It would be
more than 20 years before I would again
be at a Thanksgiving with my parents.
Many LGBT people have stories like
this. Perhaps not as violent, perhaps more.
But many of my LGBT friends have fam~
ilies from whom the truth of their lives
must be at best withheld, at worst hidden.
These are the margins within which
many of us live. It is not a comfortable or
an easy space.
In the years when I wasn't speaking to
my parents, I created a holiday for the
dispossessed among my friends-the
les~
bians who had been banished from their
families of origin or for whom going home
was too painful, too emotionally disrup~
tive. Those were lovely holidays, as the
photographs show. We were convivial, we
were loving, and most of all, we were safe.
And yet, at the time, I know I was strug~
gling. Some years, I felt lost and depressed
and empty-I felt as if I would never have
the kind of family that straight people had.
It took me a long time to realize that we
all make our own families, and none looks
quite like the next. The Rockwellian holi~
day we all grew up trying to emulate was
no more or less real than my holiday table
packed with lesbians.
As I contemplate this Thanksgiving
in our new home, I think about how im~
portant it is for us, as LGBT people, to be
safe at the holidays, to understand that we
must create safe spaces for ourselves where
we can be loved unconditionally. Loved
I LEFT HOME. I
WAS EXILED. IT
WOULD BE MORE
THAN 20 YEARS
BEFORE I WOULD
AGAIN BE AT A
THAN l<SGIVING
WITH MY
PARENTS.
''
unconditionally the way we are supposed
to be loved by our families of origin, not
made to feel like outsiders looking into a
world we can never truly be part 0£
Not everyone will walk away from those
families, the way I did for more than 20
years. Not everyone can or even wants to.
But what we must do is consider ourselves
first. Black radical lesbian theorist Audre
Lorde called self~care a revolutionary act
for lesbians, and she was right. We are of
ten trying to fit ourselves into the spaces
POLI ICS
others make for us, and the fit is often dis~
comfiting at best, painful at worst.
When Pope Francis visited my city in
September, he spoke about diverse fami~
lies. He said there was often the "throwing
of plates:' He alluded to his own conflicts
at home-he
was partly raised by his
grandmother, his abuela.
The pope also said about families, and
the metaphor of family, "In my own home,
do we shout, or do we speak to each other
with love and tenderness? That's a good
way of measuring our love:'
I would add this: Do we make a safe
space for ourselves and those we love? Be~
cause more than anything, LGBT people
need to feel safe, respected, held in that
love and tenderness the pope spoke of.
I want my new home-our
new
home-to
be a space of love and ten~
derness, a space of safety from the out~
side world, which is still so rife with
homophobia, bigotry, and of course, mi~
sogyny.
I want our new home to be open to
our friends, our lesbian family, as a place
where they can feel safe and loved.
To make a safe space for ourselves
doesn't require a new home. Lesbian
feminist poet and theorist Adrienne
Rich wrote, "There must be those among
whom we can sit down and weep and still
be counted as warriors:'
This holiday season, make a safe place
for yourselves. Make Thanksgiving a
day for which you can truly give thanks.
Make Christmas, Hanukkah, Solsticewhatever you celebrate-a holiday of in~
vitation to love and tenderness, to sharing
and giving, to weeping as warriors, for we
are all warriors, those of us who are 0th~
er, those of us who are on the margins.
We will be happy this Thanksgiving,
with our lesbian family in our lesbian
home. We will open our door and wel~
come those we love. And we will send
them back out into the world-the
straight world that is still so unwelcom~
ing of us-shielded
by that love and
tenderness. Because that is the mea~
sure of our love for our lesbian family
and our lesbian selves-for
which we
give thanks. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
17
st PROFILE
Dawn Hancock
>>Chicago
Designand Community
She'sbeen called a troublemakerand a bleeding heart.
Designerby trade, do-gooder by choice, Dawn Hancock,
founder and managing director of FirebellyDesignin
Chicago, has successfullycreated a corporate culture with
an underlyinggoal of makingthe world (or at least her local
community) a better place.
"It'snever been about the money for me,"saysHancock.
"I realizedearly on that focusingon the quality of the work
and the reasonfor doing it was way more important to me
than how much we were paid. Of course,we have to pay our
employees,and the rent, and all those other expenses,so it's
not that we don't care about money at all-we're just smart
about the work we select."
Grant for Good is one of Hancock'sbrilliantoutreach
programs.As a way to create real change within an organization, Grant for Good providesa lucky nonprofitwith the
opportunity to reinventitselfthrough the servicesof seven
different companies for an entire year,for free. This includes
everythingfrom organizationaldevelopment to social media
strategyto a reconfiguredoffice space.
"We had previouslybeen designing piecemeal projects,
never really making an impact,"she says."The yearlong grant
offersan incrediblechance to truly make a difference for a
The program'srecent grantee is PlantChicago, an organizationfocused on new models for energy conservation,
food production,and waste re-use,as well as the benefitsof
circulareconomies. Hancock saysthe work PlantChicago is
doing is vital to creating a sustainablefuture for us all.
Beinga lesbianin the design world has been a pretty
neutral experience. "The only people it matters to are other
queers;' she says."I think they like knowingthere is a lesbian
leading a thoughtful design practice like Firebelly."
Hancock has also served as Community Outreach chair
for the American Instituteof Graphic Arts (AIGA)Chicago,
where she created a mentorship program to encourage a more active collaborationacrossthe local design
"I feel in my soul that I am here to help others;'she says.
"Whether it'sas simple as sayinghello to someone livingon
the street, or creating opportunitiesfor studentsto come together over a 10-day summer camp, what I have experienced
is people just want to be seen, heard, and, most importantly,
loved:' BySherylKay
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community.
NOV/DEC
2015
AN
OUT
LESBIAN
HIGH
SCHOOL
STUDENT
1nChesnee, S.C., was suspended after wearing a "Nobody
Knows I'm a Lesbian" T-shirt to school. Briana Popour said
she's worn the shirt before without 1nc1dent,but on that day
was removed from class and told 1twas "d1srupt1ve"and violated the school's dress code. Popour approached school
administrators, saying that nothing in the student handbook
forbade students from expressing their sexual orientation, but
when she refused to cover her shirt, or change 1t,she was suspended. After rece1v1nga letter from Lambda Legal, Chesnee
High School Principal Thomas Ezell agreed to allow Popour to
wear the T-shirt.
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DENICIA
MACKLIN,
a 26•year olc
African-American lesbian 1nNew
York City, has sued the coffee chain
Dunkin' Donuts, claiming that as
an employee she was harassed by
managers and coworkers because
of her gender, race, and sexual
orientation Macklin quit the Job
after she was groped by colleagues,
sprayed with an air freshener, and
called a boy because she didn't
dress 1na traditionally fem1n1neway
Mackl1n'slawsuit asks for lost wages,
plus damages and names former
~~~~~'.e~~n~~,"~~~~~,:~i~he
• THE
DISTRICT
COURT
OF
APPEALS
in KansasCity, Mo, ruled
that a lesbian who had planned to
raise twin children with her longterm partner can seek custody of
the children, now that the partners
have separated The woman
seeking custody 1srepresented
by the National Center for Lesbian
Rights The ex-couple's twins
were conceived through donor
1nsem1nat1on,
and the children were
raised by both women for more
than nine years When the couple
separated, the b1olog1calmother
kept her former partner from seeing
the children This Appeals Court
ruling overturns an earlier ruling that
non-b1olog1calparents could not
seek custody
• MAVIS
AMPONSAH,
a Ghanaian
c1t1zenand a lesbian, entered Israel
on a tourist visa and then filed for
pol1t1calasylum Amponsah says that
in Ghana she and her partner were
assaulted on two occasions and
threatened by community members,
;;,~~~a,~s::~:~a ~sh~:s~=~I:
'~:~'.stry
of the Interior and an advisory
committee on refugees reJected
her asylum appl1cat1on,saying that
Amponsah had "chosen to adopt a
lesbian lifestyle" and c1t1ngevidence
that she had supposedly been 1na
previous relat1onsh1pwith a man
They also argued that she hadn't
"acted" on her "alleged preference"
since arriving 1nIsrael Amponsah's
partner remains 1nGhana
Historically, Israel has claimed to
be one of the few havens for LGBT
people seeking asylum in the Middle
East By SassafrasLowrey
TRACI DINWIDDIE
Paid Adverlorial
(Photo Credit: Chris Stewarl)
LOVE WARRIOR IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS
T
a fully-supported ride, and there was (and
still is) an entire season of training, and
Training Ride Leaders who guided me
through the entire process. I learned how
to clip in and out of my pedals, change a
tire, call out hazards, and ride with the safest crew all over the streets of Los Angeles.
What started out as little weekend 20-milers turned into 100+ mile rides and a whole
new confidence in myself. It is greatly empowering to know that I could ride my bike
anywhere, all day!
bicycle)! The Ride is fully-supported by
the kindest people on Earth, also known
as "Rockin' Roadies". Most importantly,
HIV/AIDS is still an issue that needs our
attention. I truly believe we can end this
pandemic in our lifetime. It takes funds,
commitment, awareness, and love warriors
to break down stigma so people can talk
about it and get the help they need.
What in the world possessed you to ride
your bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles?
How many times have you done this?
Why do it more than once?
AIDS/LifeCycle had been on my
RADAR for several years before I took
the leap to join. My spiritual mentor had
been a long-time "Roadie" on this ride, and
she sang its praises to me often. Another
tipping point was losing a dear friend to
AIDS-related illnesses in 2012. I have so
many sober friends who are HIV positive,
and I wanted to give back. An added plus
was the opportunity to learn how to be a
cyclist, and elevate my fitness for an amazing cause!
This year will be my 4th time participating in AIDS/LifeCycle. The love and
support within this special community is
staggering. I've had the extreme joy of witnessing first-time HIV positive participants
find peace with themselves among us. It's
deeply touching, and I can't imagine not
being a part of this "love bubble". Your
own broken pieces are mended by being
a healing source for others. If you're like
me, you will want to come back again and
again.
There are still Cyclist seats open for
people who live in Southern California, but
anyone can join the Ride as a Roadie or
Virtual Cyclist. I have had teammates join
from over 26 countries. Some are Roadies
(those who come on the ride to volunteer
their help) and some have been amazing
Virtual Cyclists who have created their
own personal fitness challenges to help
raise funds and awareness for those living
with HIV/AIDS. Last year my team, Team
Goodisness, raised over a quarter of a million dollars!
Do you have to be an avid cyclist to do
this ride?
Why this ride?
raci Dinwiddie is the star of the
popular lesbian film "Elena Undone", as well as the star of "Raven's Touch" and "Stuff', both of
which premiered this summer. Traci is also
known for her Youtube Moustache Monday videos, and the 7-day, 545-mile bike
ride she takes each year from San Francisco to Los Angeles to help end AIDS. We
sat down with Traci to talk about that ride:
AIDS/LifeCycle.
I was not a cyclist when I began my
AIDS/LifeCycle adventure. Luckily, it's
The safety values of AIDS/LifeCycle
are impeccable. The west coast terrain is
gorgeous (especially when viewed from a
How would someone who is interested in joining you on AIDS/LifeCycle do
that?
Tojoin Traci, visit
www.aidslifecycle.org/register
and use discount code: JOINTRACI for
$25 off of registration!
I-1esbiaa"'in India
Queer Indian women act on love and desire in the digital age.
BY PALLAVI BHATTACHARYA
n 2013, a TV commercial in India for
Titan Fastrack wristwatches shows two
young women stumbling out of a pink
wardrobe, adjusting their clothes, and
checking the time on their watches. The ad
ends with the tagline "Come out of the dos~
er:' The closet door opened even wider when
Myntra.com, an Indian e~commerce fashion
company, launched its 2015 commercial "The
Visit:' It depicts a lesbian couple gearing up
to meet one of the girls' parents. Longhaired
Yamini is putting on Myntra apparel and ap~
plying makeup. Shorthaired Tanaz wakes
from a nap, goes to take a shower, and then
enters wearing the traditional apparel favored
by women of an older generation. "I want
your mother to like me;' Tanaz says. The ad
ends with Yamini declaring that she's sure of
their relationship and can't go on hiding it.
'The Visit'' went viral, eliciting both
positive and homophobic comments. Its pro~
ducer, Avishek Ghosh, says, 'The film deals
with situations and moments that are not
usually discussed very openly in Indian soci~
ety. But the fact is that they exist, and women
do go through these issues. The whole con~
cept developed by the team from Ogilvy &
Mather, Bangalore, was to bring the woman
I
20
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
wearing ethnic wear out from the preconceived
notion of what's prevalent in our society and
position her as someone who is outgoing,
bold-someone who makes decisions for her~
self and deals with the situations that she faces:'
The ad was praised for transcending sexu~
ality and depicting a couple seeking parental
approval. Ghosh says, "We treated the film
as two people in love and in a relationship,
primarily, and that's the essence of the story.'
MEETTHE PARENTS
Just how Yamini's parents will react when
she reveals her sexual orientation is left to the
imagination in "The Visit:' Indian parents re~
spond variously when a daughter comes out
to them: some accept it; others come around
after an initial shock; some ostracize their child
or cut her out of their will; others might coerce
their daughter into marrying a man, under the
delusion that it'll 'cure'' her of homosexuality.
Parents have also been known to try pills and
potions, sacred chants, aura healing, occult
rituals, and other "spiritual" means-falsely
hoping that something can change lesbians
into heterosexuals. Recently, some quacks
have used electric shock, medicines that in~
duce seizure, and hormonal therapy to treat
homosexuality. Some parents might actually
resort to physical violence and corrective rape.
Sonal Giani, advocacy manager at
Hamsafar Trust, a nonprofit organization in
Mumbai that fights for LGBT rights, says,"For
an Indian woman to convince her family re~
garding her sexuality may be tough. However,
if there's the backing of a trust, the task may
be much easier. The social worker first asks
parents what they think of homosexuality.
Non~acceptance stems from the ignorance
parents suffer from. When we explain the sit~
uation logically to them, they come around:'
Because premarital sex isn't common in
India, explains Giani, "parents erroneously
think that because their daughter hasn't ex~
perienced man~woman intimacy before, she
is hesitating over it. Some lesbians are so de~
pressed that they feel suicidal,as they can't bear
to think of the ordeal they'll have to undergo
post~marriage. Some lesbian couples perform
joint suicide, as they hope that they'll be able
to be together after death:' Giani notes that
some parents file kidnapping charges if their
daughter elopes with her lesbian partner.
Hamsafar Trust has helped lesbians trapped
in a straight marriage to get out. "These
women haven't married with the deliber~
ate intention to ruin a man's life;' Giani says.
"We've counseled both the husband and wife
to deal with the situation and get a divorce:'
Giani, who is bisexual, also went through
some degree of parental opposition. She met
her first girlfi-iend in college. Both of them
unfortunately became the butt of ridicule
as people put up their pictures all over the
campus, questioning whether they were a ho~
mosexual couple. Consequently, Giani spiraled
into depression. She later moved to Mumbai,
a cosmopolitan city that is more open~mind~
ed toward homosexuality. Initially,she started
giving interviews to publications using a false
name. Then she started using her real name.
In 2013, she and her girlfi-iendappeared on
national television.She recallsthat she received
hundreds of emails in support of her and just
one homophobic message. She now won~
ders why she was fearful about coming out.
AJ. Hariharan, secretary of the Indian
Community Welfare Organiation, Chennai's
lesbian helpline, says,"Some moralistic callers
chide us for what we do. Others call asking
what homosexuality is all about. At times,
husbandHo~be call asking us if there's any
way they can find out if their fiancee is a les~
bian. Anxious parents call, suspecting that
their daughters are lesbians. They often
think that once a daughter marries and has
v1Ews1ISSU
a baby, she'll forgo homosexual inclinations:'
The most barbaric forms of parental hin~
drance are corrective rape and honor killings
(murdering a family member who is perceived
to have tarnished the family's reputation).
Deepthi Tadanki, who is working on a feature
film about corrective rape, says,"Parents, sadly,
don't view it as brutality. Rather, they see it as a
duty, as they regard homosexuality as an abnor~
mality.They feel that it's their responsibility to
set their child on the right track. They generally
get a familymember to rape the girl,as they don't
want anyone outside the family to know about
the girl'ssexual orientation. Most of the victims
don't want to register a police complaint. It is,
after all,their family that is the perpetrator, and
they are inhibited to go against their blood kin:'
IN RURALINDIA
Giani says that instances of lesbian suicide
are higher in rural India than in cities because
the rural folk have less information on the
LGBT movement. However, Maya Sharma,
who is an activist working with the women's
group Vikalp (formed in 1996 to fight do~
mestic violence and discrimination against
women in Gujarat, India) and the author of
the book Loving Women: Being Lesbian in
UnprivilegedIndia, feels that rural folk aren't
thoroughly ignorant. She claims that alternate
sexual preferences are included in some tra~
ditional folklore. "Occasionally,we have seen
parental approval in deep rural areas;' she says.
Of course, anti~homosexual views are also
prevalent in the countryside. "Ofi:en, stigma
and silenceprevail over such relationships.This
necessitates cover~ups over one's sexual pref~
erence. More than ignorance, it is looking the
other way, or a tacit denial of same~sexlovi'
Vikalp has helped to spread awareness of
homosexuality in rural India, says Sharma.
"It's been through community organizing,
making interventions in crises, supporting
couples in ways they think would be best for
them. The growing queer movement has cer~
tainly made it possible to talk of same~sex
love more openly than before, with campaigns
even taking to the streets in rural areas:'
LEGALLYSPEAKING
Manusmriti, an ancient Indian legaltext written
between the second century BCE and the third
century AD, meted out these punishments for
lesbianism:"Ifa female virgin has homosexual~
ity [with] another female virgin, she should be
fined 200 [pennies],be made to pay double [the
girl's]bride~price,and receiveten whip [lashes].
But if a [mature] woman does it to a female
virgin, her head should be shaved immediately
or two of her fingers should be cut off, and she
should be made to ride on a donkey in publiC:'
And yet, homoerotic encounters certain~
ly occur in Hindu mythology, with Hindu
gods even being in same~sex relationships.
The Krittivasi version of the Hindu epic
Ramayana contains the tale of two queens
conceiving an infant together. Ancient Indian
sculptures also have homosexual themes.
It was in 1860, in British~ruled India, that
Lord Macaulay introduced Section 377 of the
Indian Penal Code declaring penile non~vagi~
nal intercourse a punishable offence.However,
"non~penile penetration is not forbidden un~
der the law, thereby excluding sex between
two women from the ambit of criminal law;'
notes Amritananda Chakravorty, senior legal
officer at the Lawyers Collective,India. "Since
1860, no lesbian couple has been pronounced
guilty,since they are not covered under the law:'
Nevertheless, Sonal Giani adds, "Though
lesbian sex isn't illegal, when a law like IPC
377 comes into place, it becomes socially
non~acceptingfor a lesbian woman. Lower lev~
el police officers like the constables, who don't
understand the technicalities of the law, may
avail [themselves] of this to harass lesbians:'
And while the former Law Commission
Chairman Justice A.P. Shah delivered a his~
toric judgment at the Delhi High Court in
2009, reading down IPC 377, thereby decrim~
inalizing homosexual acts in private between
consenting adults, the Supreme Court oflndia
quashed that verdict in December 2013, plac~
ing an obstacle in the way of LGBT rights.
MAKING LESBIANFAMILY
Legally, a lesbian can become a mother.
Amritananda Chakravorty says, "In India,
a woman can have a child outside of mar~
riage. There is no legal bar, and the courts
have increasingly recognized the right of
unwed mothers. Besides, a single woman,
whether she is a lesbian or not, can become
the mother of a child through surrogacy, ar~
tificial insemination, and adoption in India.
But a lesbian couple will not be able to adopt:'
Unwed mothers are, however, prone to
social stigma in India. Many gynecologists re~
fuse to help lesbians and single women have
biologicalkids on moral grounds. Giani points
out that in the case of adoption by a lesbian,
social workers may take the child away, with
the excuse that he or she isn't in the right en~
vironment. Chakravorty clarifies, "A single
mother, irrespective of her sexual orientation,
can be the sole guardian of her child and the
''
SOME LESBIAN
COUPLES
PERFORM
JOINT SUICIDE/
AS THEY HOPE
THAT THEY LL
BE ABLE TO
BE TOGETHER
AFTER DEATH.
1
''
school cannot discriminate against her child on
the grounds of her marital status. Further, The
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009, has been enacted by
the Parliament, which obligates the appro~
priate government and the local authority to
ensure that the children belonging to a disad~
vantaged group are not discriminated against
and prevented from pursuing and complet~
ing elementary education on any grounds:'
The reality is that many schools are biased
against single mothers, and if the school learns
that the child has a lesbian parent, it may
choose not to admit the child, without giving
a valid reason. The child may also be teased
and find it tough to make friends. Chakravorty
argues that, "In terms of same~sex marriage
and adoption in India, one cannot really pre~
diet the time span [of rights progress], but
decriminalization of adult homosexual acts
is critical for the advancement of same~sex
couples' rights to marry, adopt, inherit a part~
ner's property, etc. Though lesbians are not
covered under Section 377, there is no legal
recognition of lesbian relationships in India:'
Nevertheless, lesbian dating goes on:
Facebook groups aimed at lesbians and bi~cu~
rious women, and some lesbian dating sites
exist for this purpose. Meeting a partner at
a party or social gathering is another option,
but might not suit those without good social
skills. Sonal Giani says that many of the les~
bians who call the Humsafar helpline want to
find a partner, and that support groups can be
comfortable spaces in which to meet women.•
For more information on LGBTrights in India
go to humsafar.org.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
21
Feeling <JockJJ
Should I have a threesome with a man?
BY LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick:
I am a lesbian and my girlfriend, Tanya, is bisexual. We've
been together for almost a year and both of us feel like
we're in this for the long haul. We get along great in every
aspect of our relationship and have a really good sex life.
However, Tanya recently expressed that she misses having
sex with men and has asked me if I would consider the two
of us having an intimate encounter with a man. I really don't
know how to feel or react. I love her and want to respect her
identity, her desires and fantasies. But I'm afraid this may
have a negative impact on our relationship. I have never had
a sexual experience with a man and have no idea what to
expect, if I will enjoy myself or become uncomfortable.
-Concerned About the C*ck
WE DON'T ALWAYS
GET EVERYTHING
WE WANT
ESPECIALLY WHEN
0TH ER PEOPLE'S
HEARTS ARE
INVOLVED WHEN
WE CHOOSE A
MONOGAMOUS
RELATIONSHIP
WITH SOMEONE,
WE DON'T GET TO
HAVE SEX WITH
0TH ER PEOPLE
''
Dipstick: You're going to hate it. Watching
Lipstick: True that! There is some
Dipstick: I can't eat gluten anymore because
Tanya snog a guy is going to make you want
serious trouble in your future, CC. I hate
it makes me sick. Yes, I miss pizza from time
to hurl. Trust Dipstick. And having sex with
to tell you this, but you are fixin' to get
to time, but missing it is OK because I know if
someone because another person wants you
hurt. It's not because your girlfriend is
I have a cheesy pepperoni slice, I'll be messed
to is a terrible reason to get laid. Period. Even
bisexual, or that she misses the peen,
up for days. So, I guarantee you, it's like me
if that person is your fiancee. In fact, even
it's that she wants to be with someone
putting gluten in my system-bringing
worse if that person is your fianceei
who's not you.
into your relationship is sure to mess you up.
22
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
a dude
VIEWS/
Lipstick: Wha? Talking about pizza isn't
Lipstick: Yauch, babe. This is heartbreaking.
going to curb Tanya'scraving for a specific
First, I strongly encourage you not to tell
type of sausage, Dip. Neither will telling her
Megan's husband. You, and your bruised
"no effing way." CC, if Tanya is hungry for a
ego, would only be doing it out of spite.
topping you can't offer, regardless of your
Nothing good ever comes from either of
answer, there's a damn good chance she's
those places, so take the high road. Second,
going to go out and get it anyway. Eventually.
this behavior is quite common when someone finds out they're sick-believe it or not.
Dipstick: What is it with this current gener-
It's a coping mechanism. They're like, "Oh
ation, thinking they're entitled to absolutely
fuck, I might die," and then they reevaluate
everything? From the newest phone, to the
and want to do all the things they've never
hottest body, to a Caribbean vacation or
done before, act on unrequited feelings,
a huge house they can't afford. Life is not
check things off their bucket list. It's tough
like that. We don't always get everything we
stuff, so you can't really blame them. Facing
want. Especially when other people's hearts
a serious illness puts you toe-to-toe with your
are involved. When we choose a monoga-
own mortality, and creates a huge emotional
mous relationship with someone, we don't
storm on every front. You and your daughter,
get to have sex with other people. It's not that
unfortunately, are getting caught up in those
complicated. Don't doubt yourself for anoth-
squalls and microbursts. What you need to
er moment, CC. Hold firm to your values and
focus on right now is protecting yourself and
tell Tanya it's a no-go on the pogo stick.
taking care of your child. Let Erin do what
she needs to do and try to move on. Still love
Lipstick: If you're a monogamist, this is going
and support her as a friend, if possible, but
to snowball into a real problem. Follow Dip's
certainly don't put your life on hold. If she
advice about boundaries. Do not cross the
wants you back at some point, you'll have
threesome threshold! It will be like walking
to decide if you're able to unlock your heart
into a key party with a gun to your head. Or,
again. Right now, she's making honest choic-
rather, to your heartl
es amid her existential crisis, and you need to
respect those, no matter how much it hurts.
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick: My wife, Erin, and I
have been together for eight years. She was
Dipstick: Right on, Lip! When my cousin was
always the reserved one and never liked to
diagnosed with cancer, she left her husband
go out and party. Just recently, she found
and moved to a cottage in the country. A
out she has cancer, and her whole persona
friend of mine quit her job and traveled all
has changed. She now has a ton of friends,
over South America. I don't know what the
which I'm fine with, but she recently told
cancer diagnosis is stirring up in Erin, but I do
me she slept with one of her "straight" best
know that, like Lipstick said, it causes many
friends, Megan. She said it was a one-time
people to stop and look closely at their life
thing and would never happen again. We
and the people in it. It's time for you and Erin
broke up because she said she needed to
to have a serious sit-down, and she needs to
see how life was without me. She claims that
be frank with you. It's appropriate that she's
this fling with Megan is over, but they are still
looking at herself and reevaluating her life,
in constant contact, and she ditches me,
but dragging you through the muck of un-
as well as our daughter, to be with Megan.
certainty with her is not fair. Lipstick is right.
I have recently thought about informing
Do some soul searching of your own-so
Megan's husband of their affair, but I don't
you'll be prepared for whatever
know if I should cause more drama or just
life-altering outcome Erin
leave it alone. I want him to know because
might lay on you.
it's not fair that my marriage is the only one
suffering. Erin says that she wants to get
Do you have a burning
back with me once this phase is over, and I
question for Lipstick
told her I might not be here waiting for her.
& Dipstick? Write to
What should I do?-Wife in Waiting
ask@lipstickdipstick.com
LIPSTICK+DI
PS
All About E brings the babes, the punches, the fun and the drama to the silver screen.
BY LISA TEDESCO
T
ake a sexy female DJ with
coming-out issues, add her
flamboyant Irish gay roommate, a side of romance, a
dash of crime, and what do you haver
A concoction for an absolutely superb
film that's guaranteed to entertain you
on your next Movie Night.
All About E, the new lesbian feature film from director/ screenwriter
Louise Wadley, follows E (Mandahla
24
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
Rose), a queer-but-closeted
DJ, as she
works the nightclub scene where the
ladies are hot for her. Little do her traditional Lebanese parents know that
she, too, is hot for the ladies. A classical music student who has given up her
studies to work in her "uncle's" club,
E realizes she's in way over her head
with the lie she's created when her girlfriend, Trish (Julia Billington), leaves
her for not coming out to her par-
ents about their relationship. Twelve
months after their breakup, and after
having probably a dozen women in her
bed, E leaves the club one night only
to find that she has taken the wrong
duffel bag-and
in it a stack of cash
that belongs to Johnny, the nightclub
owner. Instead of returning the cash, E
embarks on a road trip with her GBF,
Matt (Brett Rogers), with the nightclub goons in hot pursuit. After several days on the run, the duo eventually
ends up on Trish's farm, in the middle
of nowhere, seeking safety from the
mob. Will old flames re-igniter Can E
keep the money and live on the run?
The energy in All About E is simply
magical. All the characters have their
own personalities, and the way they're
thrown together makes for a vibrant
mix-not
to mention an eclectic abundance of accents.
But perhaps the most interesting
creation is E herself, a character we haven't yet seen on the big screen. There
are many sides to E: serious musician,
womanizer,
dreamer, bandit.
Mandahla Rose, our next big lesbian heartthrob, says, "I adored playing each of
the roles within E. There were parts of
REVIEWS/
shooting that were challenging-but
E, she seemed to come naturally."
"I had wanted to make a film with
complex heroines," says writer-director Wadley. And that she did. E's life
is complicated and the plot isn't just
about losing the love of her life-it's
about possibly losing her life. Meanwhile, Trish, who is out, proud, and
independent,
knows what she wants,
and wants the same for E.
"I was also sure I wanted it to be
really entertaining,
while being about
something real," explains Wadley. "I
love road movies because the characters are forced to act, and in doing so
they face themselves:'
When it comes to what we all want
from a lesbian film, high on our list
is the chemistry between the female
characters, and-let's
face it-a
good
sex scene. "That's the ultimate test,
right:' That you believe in the relationship between the two lovers," says
Billington. "Dahls [Mandahla]
and I
had instant chemistry from the moment we met in my audition. We both
entered those roles wanting to make
the best, most truthful lesbian love
story we could, and so we kinda gave
each other permission to just really go
there."
All About E has that buildup we
crave and delivers an incredibly tender and passionate
love scene that
will have you reaching for the rewind
button. "It's not often we get accurately portrayed lesbian relationships
on
screen," says Rose. "I think that Louise wrote something that is not only
emotionally satisfying for the lesbian
community, but the film also speaks to
anyone who has ever been in love."
If you haven't seen All About Eat one
of the many LGBT film festivals this
year, put it on your must-watch list. "If
you want to see a movie that is about
real people, that is fun, sexy, and has
great actors and a great soundtrack,
then this is your film," says Wadley.
Billington
agrees. "You ain't seen
FlLM
nothing like this film yet! It's fun, it's
heart-breaking,
it's thrilling, it's beautiful, it shows off Australia's stunning
countryside, it has intricate and deep
central characters-they're
also rather
hot, if I do say so myself!-and
the
dog steals the show.".
Seriously, what more do you want:'•
All About E is released by Wolfe
Video on January 2016. For the
latest festival screenings go to:
facebook.com/ AllAboutEmovie
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
25
HOT
FLICKS))
BYMERRYNJOHNS
Carolr9We1riste11
Coroary,
The eagerly-awaited feature film Carol is, in short, worth
the wait. In spite of Cate Banchett's discussion of Carol in
the mainstream media as a universal love story, and one not
necessarily connected to definitions of lesbian identity and
culture, there is plenty in this film to make it ours. Director Todd
Haynes, screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, and producers Elizabeth
Karlsen and Christine Vachon have delivered a triumph to the
screen. Originally created by 28-year-old crime writer Patricia
Highsmith as the 1952 novel The Price of Salt, Carol does
Highsmith justice (and then some) by employing the aesthetics
and conventions of midcentury American cinema (including
melodrama and film noir) with its codes and framing that barely
mask unspeakable passions and moral transgressions.
While we've known for some time that lesbian subculture
flourished in New York City in the 195Os,the characters of Carol
Aird (Cate Blanchett) and Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) seem
far less certain of their futures. Therese is a department store
clerk and nascent photographer who cautiously dates boys. Her
life lacks focus until she sees Carol, a self-possessed and alluring
married woman shopping for Christmas presents. The attraction
is unexpected, instantaneous, mutual. Carol and Therese realize
they must escape their male partners to pursue their connection,
no matter how transgressive it may be. Carol's divorce from Harge
(Kyle Chandler) is messy and jeopardizes her relationship with her
daughter, Rindy. Her ex, Abby (Sarah Paulson), is sympathetic but
powerless to help. Carol longs to escape and invites Therese on a
road trip, also a way of testing what they have together, far from
prying eyes. Or so she thinks.
The production design of Carol is atmospheric and true to the
period, the cinematography is beautiful and moody, the script is
lean, meaningful, and rich with subtext. When Carol says over
lunch with Therese, ''I'm starved," we know she's not really
referring to her entree, but to the fact that Therese is the dish
she's been craving. Blanchett's voice is world-weary but her
catlike gaze gives away Carol's true appetite. As does Mara's
laserlike focus on Blanchett, which does much to drive the film.
There is no coming out here. Rather, it's a "coming into" tale: this
is a May-December romance between two women at a time when
the odds of that ending well was like expecting an orchid to bloom
in a snowstorm.
It is, in the end, a universal kind of desire that drives these
characters. Carol and Therese don't fit neatly into a subculture
"or in that time, an underground movement," Blanchett says in the
press notes. They are fugitives on the run: they're not searching
for a dyke bar in Greenwich Village: they're searching for each
other, and for themselves. They fit, almost electrically so, but are
'they' possible in their culture? In a record store, Therese sees a
butch-femme lesbian couple who also see her. It's a moment of
recognition, and one which shocks Therese. The look on her face
says, 'I know what you are but am I that?' She's Carol-sexual. And
in Therese, this "strange girl ...flung out of space," Carol finds the
person she's also been missing.
They see themselves for the first time, through each other:
Therese peers through her lens at Carol, pores over her black
and white photos of her: and Carol, with her pale mask of a face
stares across a table at Therese and dares her to love her.
One thing's certain: you'll fall in love with them, too.
26
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
The story of one of the world's
most famous and controversial women
"The Girl King is a traditional epic ... What breaks the
mold isthe characterof Kristina."- La Presse
The epic story of Queen Kristina, an enigmatic, flamboyant woman
centuries ahead of her time who ascended the Swedish throne at age
six, was raised as a prince, and strived to bring peace and education to
her country - while pursuing an illicit romance with her female royal
attendant. In English.
"The Girl King is beautiful... the chemistry
between the two women is spot on."
- AfterEllen. com
, WINNER)"
BESTACTRESS
(
{I!
MALIN BUSKA
MONTREALWORLD
FILM FESTIVAL
?~~N~~)"
MOST POPULAR
CANADIANFILM
MONTREALWORLD
FILM FESTIVAL
Romance based on the acclaimed play
by Jane Chambers "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove"
"Patricia Velasquez captivates in Liz in September ... the film is
deep, funny, and filled with great performances."
-AfterEllen.com
Latina lesbian supermodel Patricia Velasquez stars as Liz, a party girl
and womanizer who celebrates her birthday every year with friends at a
Caribbean beach retreat. This year, Liz is hiding a serious illness from
them, but takes a dare to seduce Eva,an outsider - and nothing turns out
as expected. Spanish with English subtitles.
, AUDIENCE
WINNER)~
AWARD
(
BESTFEATURE
MIAMI GAY& LESBIAN
FILM FESTIVAL
,WINNER)~.
AUDIENCEAWARD
(
BESTFEATURE
OUTFILM
CONNECTICUT
"Must
see film"
- The Advocate
"Featuring laughs, suspense, a deliriously good sex scene,
and a rousing finale, All About E has something for everyone."
~
- San Francisco Chronicle
When E,a beautiful and sexy DJ at Sydney's hottest nightclub, stumbles
on a stash of cash, she and her friend Matt are forced to run to the
outback and appeal to her lost love Trish to hide them. Can E keep the
money, conquer her demons, AND get the girl?
IL
~~ ~
FICIAL SELECTION
OFFICIAL
ameline39
Lo<;~i:i~~Es
FRANCISCO
INTERNATIONAL
LGBT
SELECTION
Fl~~l~ESTIVAL
LGBTQFILMFESTIVAL
~
"A
breath of fresh air
for lesbian cinema"
- Gay News Network
Wolfe·
WolfeVideo.com/WolfeOnDemand.com
Yourtrusted community sourcefor LGBTmovies
G
obetrotting superchef Cat Cora
is-unusually-at
home in Santa Barbara rather than traveling,
which she does 200 days of the
year. She's returned from a month-long summer road trip vacation, making'one big circle''
around the Pacific Northwest with her wife,
Jennifer, and their four sons. "Everything was
beautiful. Fly fishing, river rafung, we hiked,
there were waterfalls, it was just gorgeous;'
says Cora, who has never before undertaken
such an ambitious family break.
America's first female Iron Chef has
changed her workaholic ways, thanks to
a widely publicized DUI charge in 2012,
during which the driver of another vehicle
filmed a drunk (but charming) Cora. Her
life had spun out of control. The very things
that made her tick were about to make her
28
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
explode. Looking back now, she sees "someone who was under tremendous pressure to
support a family of six-I'm the sole breadwinner, I was traveling an insane amount of
days. My father had just passed away.It was
such a, gosh, it was really one of the roughest
periods of my life.Jennifer and I were in turmoil. We had four young boys-two infants,
two toddlers practically still in diapers-and
me having to get on a plane 200 days a year or
more. I'd given birth a year and a half before
and had not had time to really be home with
the babies. I was still post-partum. It was a
whole perfect storm of crazy going on:'
I remember talking to Cora about a year
before that incident, and she told me about
her reliance on Skype to connect with her
family. She sounded upbeat, determined to
make it work. But"it was a life that was out of
balance;' she admits now. "I had to look very
deep into my soul to turn it around. I had
to unravel some things that were taking me
away from home too much. I had to look at
my schedule. I had to cut things out of my calendar. I had to be home more and find more
stability:'
Which explains why she's diverted some of
her energy away from work and into her family."It was just really great to have that quality
time with the kids and with my wife;' she acknowledges. After two decades of building a
brilliant but frenetic career,the DUI incident,
which happened not far from home and in
broad daylight, made Cora stop and realize,
"'OK, you're going down a rabbit hole and
you've got to now take a big look at all aspects
of your life:"
Now, she takes on projects selectively,such
REVIEWS/
as opening Ocean Restaurant at the S.E.A.
Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa, off
the coast of Singapore, in 2013. And she still
drives Chefs for Humanity, the charity she
founded more than 10 years ago to address
the issues of hunger relie£ nutrition educa~
tion, humanitarian aid, and women's empow~
erment at home and around the world. She's
trying to implement some of Michelle
Obama's initiatives,"really trying to focus on
and bring awareness to the problem of hun~
ger in America. You wouldn't think we have a
hunger epidemic, but we do;' says Cora. And
writing a memoir was also part of this process.
It "was healing in a lot of ways:'
The DUI might have been Cora's 'come
to Jesus" moment, but her memoir, Cookingas
"Oh yeah;' admits Cora with heaviness in
her voice."In an amazing way and in a very
sad way,it's something that absolutely shaped
who I was determined to not be. It was a big
part of me absolutely thinking, Tm not going
to be a victim. You're not going to win. You're
not going to beat me down: In my very early
years, in my 20s and 30s, it drove me so hard
to be the person I am today. And then, in my
40s, I had to start healing. It can work, until it
doesn't work anymore. And then it can start
being counterproductive to who you are:'
The memoir also lifts the lid on her mar~
riage. How did Jennifer feel about that dis~
closure? "That was a whole journey,'' admits
Cora. "That was something that we both had
a lot of conversations about. We talked a lot
Fastas I Can:A Chef'sStoryof Family,Food, about it, even in therapy. How are we navigat~
and Forgiveness,
is the "big look" she wanted
ing this? I'll be reallyhonest: She wasn't happy
to give her life."I think I have a story to tell. I
about me writing the book. [But] she's also
think I've been through some successes,some been praised for being such a strong mom,
missteps. There's a lot there that the public for keeping the home fires burning, for being
can relate to-being a mom, climbing the lad~ such a strong foundation for all of us. It's been
der, trying to make a living, trying to live the
reframed in a lot of ways-from what it was,
American Dream, going through trauma. So
which was, 'Ugh, you're writing a book and
many Americans can relate to that:'
I'm going to be in it; to getting to a place where
It's almost shocking how honest Cora is in we're at peace with it and on story.
the book: She doesn't make a hero of herself;
"This is a tell~allabout me. I'm not out to
she doesn't gloss over episodes she'd rather
do a tell~all about anyone else's life. They're
leave behind. The truth comes out about the
included in the book as a part of my life, but
things that have driven her, such as her hum~ this is really about my journey, my story, and
ble beginnings in the South, and the trauma
hopefully inspiring other people to embrace
that shaped her-sexual abuse at the hands of who they are through this, warts and all. And
an older male friend. As with the ingredients
so we did come to a place where we could say,
in a recipe, these are some of the many factors 'OK, this is good, this is honest, it's what we
that went into making Cora who she is today. went through:"
'i\.bsolutely;' she admits. "It took a lot of
They're still together after 16 years and,
thought, a lot of reflection. Ultimately, I did
with four boys, Cora says,"We'rejust trying to
decide, if I was going to do it, I was going to
love each other, to keep it all together, to be
do it. There's no point in writing a memoir if respectful, to grow-hopefully old-togeth~
you're not raw and honest:'
er. And, you know, marriage is work every day,
And she did it for her kids. "One day, my and it's an evolution. It's a journey. But I want~
kids, my grandkids and my great~grandkids ed to be honest about it because we don't have
will understand me. They'll know what I went
the perfect marriage. You see us in a feature in
through. How hard work can pay off,how be~ a glossy magazine and we all look like we're
ing authentic can pay of£ You can live your perfect. But it's not perfect. It's messy some~
dream, despite all the obstacles. You can be times. You work through it. You don't throw
whatever you want to be. If Cathy Cora from
in the towel so easy because life gets tough to~
Mississippi can do it, then anyone can do it:'
gether. You work through it the best you can:'
When marriage equality happened, Cora
While pure determination is the driving
force behind her success, and largely came was overjoyed, for herself and for everyone.
"We actually have been together for so long
from her family-especially her mother and
that for us it was more about yes, of course
grandmother, who encouraged her to tap into
her strength, to be an achiever,to leaveMissis~ we want to be legallymarried. We already felt
married, but we ran down to the justice of the
sippi and go out into the world-her will to
succeed was also intensified by the trauma of peace and got married and it was really fun
sexual abuse, especially her ordinarily loving and lovely:'
Life has slowed down a little for Cora, and
father's unexpected reaction to it.
FOOD
she's finding the balance she so desperately
needed. She even hopes to be home for (one
of) the holidays."We're going to be in South~
east Asia on Christmas, so I really wanted
to be home for Thanksgiving. We're going
to try and fly my mom out here and we're
going to try and have a home Thanksgiving.
Surrounded by great family and great foodthat's as thankful as I can get. If you have that,
you've won the lottery:'
Cat Cora has certainly won the career
lottery. "When I started, I never thought of
being famous. I thought Ia.have a restaurant,
and maybe a cookbook, and that was a great
life. This is all a sweet surprise in so many
ways, and it's been a wild ride. Even with
the valleys, there've been so many beautiful
peaks. I've been able to travel the world. I've
been given a life I'm very blessed with. I have
made that goal list, that bucket list more than
twice. I'm still amazed at the opportunities
I've been given, and I feel super~humble, even
after 20~something years. I still have dreams
and aspirations for various things, but yes, I
couldn't be happier. If it all went away today,
I would be extremely happy with all my ac~
complishments:'
Another unexpected revelation in the
memoir is that Cat Cora almost didn't make
it. She struggled in culinary school, dropped
out, and came close to missing her calling
(thankfully, she went back). What might've
happened to the Cat Cora who quit? "She
would've taken a VW bus to L.A. and tried
to become an actress;' she laughs. "Ended up
waiting tables. I still would've fallen into the
food business somehow. That's how the uni~
verse works, right?" (catcora.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
29
FABULOUS FOODIE FABLES
Poor Man's f?east:
rflte H.aging Skillet:
A Love Story of Comfort,
The TrueLife Story of Chef
Desire,and the Art of Simple
Rossi(The Feminist Press)
Cooking (Berkley)
·somet1meshe1nbNN1klng,oft-,ih11a,10111,... -oftheflnest
food ITl9fTIOirs
of rKefll yun.
•-n,.
New Yorlr Timn Book R•view
A beautifully written book with a
This heartfelt, occasionally
lofty view of food-quite
tongue-in-cheek tale from the
literally.
Manhattan catering kid and blogA LOVE STORY OF
COMFORT, DESIRE, AND
THE ART OF SIMPLE
COOKING
ger ElissaAltman confesses to
an obsession with luxe ingredients, preferably from Europe,
and fancy "tall" food, until she
falls in love with a woman who
leads a much simpler, grassroots
life in Connecticut. A sensual,
saliva-inducing page-turner about
mastering the art of cooking-and
loving-simply.
~
m~ing (/1
sklllef
the true life
story of
chefrossi
a memoir
with
recipes •
"orthodox lite," fiercely Jewish,
feminist-lesbian caterer/chef
Rossi comes complete with foolproof fun and nostalgic recipes
that are fun to read and to make.
Rossi is a true knockabout and
delivers a rambunctious read
that'll have you laughing out
loud, and longing for the days
before celebrity chefs sanitized
their profession for TV.
•---------
~
DRI~
Classy Cocktails
The best open bar is at your place this festive season.
Uade
10
Uingle
You know the old drinkingmotto "nevermix, never
worry"rWell, lesbianentrepreneurStephenie Harris
shakes it up with the launch of her own mixed
beverage,Maven,"aunique cocktailbased on the
belief that wine was meant to mingle:'Harris spent
nearly20 yearsworking for some of the world's
top wine and spiritsbrandsand now appliesthat
expertiseto createa product that solvesyour happy
hour indecision.The Pinot Noir Vodka Cocktail
tastes like a light, off dry pinot with its notes of
cherry,but amped up with a vodka shot. The
Chardonnayand Vodka Cocktail is surprisingly
citrusy,savoryand refreshing.Perhapsthe best news
yet: they'reonly 38 caloriesa serveand $24 gets you
a handy 4~pack.(mavencocktails.com)
30
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
REVIEWS/
DRINK
,~cslii.,e,-fco
Forget the punch, and start with a drink that packs
a punch. Get your party started with a welcome
cocktail such as a POM Island Iced tea (lefi:).Over
ice, mix 2 oz. POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate
Juice, a dash each of vodka, gin, triple sec, rum, and
simple syrup, and a splash of Coca~Cola®,stir well,
then garnish with a lemon wheel. The classic crimson,
festive, rich, and healthy PO M juices are great to have
on hand during the holidays to add to cocktails such
as the Peach Derby, at right. (simplywonderfuLcom)
ll inc HJJn omen
In Northeastern Italy is a winery owned
and operated by a mom and her two
daughters: Elena, Julia and Karoline Walch.
Elena, "Queen of the Gewiirztraminer;' is
famous for producing quality wines that
will impress even the toughest critic. Her
Gewiirztraminer Kastelaz 2013 ($32) is
a delightful and complex fruity white, the
perfect match for blue cheese and dried fruits.
When it comes to serving holiday meats such
as roasted pork, turkey, or game, reach for the
Lagrein Riserva Castel Ringberg 2009 ($45),
a full~bodied and velvety wine, with spicy
aromas, meaty tannins, notes of Christmas
fruits, and a even a touch of chocolate.
(elenawalch.com)
Goy mul Glittery
f~,nwenr Pe1·1·ier
ONEHOPE Wine blends lovely
bubbles with good causes. What better
cork to pop on New Year's Eve than a
special edition Sparkling Brut ($59) in
collaboration with The Trevor Project,
the leading national organization
providing crisis intervention and suicide
prevention services to LGBTQyouth.
Half the proceeds from this gorgeous,
glittering bottle go directly to The
Trevor Project, with every four bottles
funding one hour of operational costs
of its Lifeline. And what's inside your
glass is great, too: crisp green apple and
stone fruit, with a hint of freshly~baked
bread. Perfect for a party with passed
appetizers or a toast to a cause.
(onehopewine.com)
Clink glasses with something really
special at midnight and splurge on
Laurent~ Perrier Brut Millesime 2006
($65). This blend of Chardonnay
grands crus from Cote des Blancs
and Pinot Noir grands crus from
Montagne de Reims makes for
an elegant wine: golden~yellow in
hue with delicate beading, fine and
persistent bubbles bursting with fresh
fruit aromas and the subtlest hints
of pineapple, apricots and almonds.
There really is nothing like French
vintage champagne, and the 50 / 50
blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
from the 2006 harvest has resulted in
a very special drink indeed.
(laurent~perrier.com/ en)
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
31
The (Allison)
Moon Mission
Queer sex education that matters.
hen I turned 19young and queer in
San Francisco-I
was working at the
feminist sex~toy store Good Vibrations,
where I was trained by legendary sex~
ologist Carol Queen and had unlimited
access to a carefully curated library of
porn, erotica, and sex writing. Now,
10 years into working as a sex writer
and educator myself, I think it's safe to
say I've been good and spoiled when it
comes to sex ed. Vibrators, harnesses,
dildos, and lube rain from the re~
view~seeking sky, while the latest books
slide across my desk before they're
stocked on any shelves. Until Girl Sex
101, I hadn't read a sexed book that
excited that special "Hey! I'm learning
something new!" spark in a long while.
REV1Ews1SEX
T
his super~stacked, 388~page,
queer~inclusive
sex tome
by Allison Moon ( and a # 1
Best Seller on Amazon)
brags contributors like Jiz Lee, Ducky
Doolittle, Reid Mihalko, Julia Serano,
and Tristan Taormino, writers who top
the list of dream people to learn about
sex from. Illustrations by KO Diamond
and an ongoing erotic story line almost
make you forget you're learning so much
new, applicable information about your~
self, your partners, and your sex life
when you read this book.
But the best part of all is that Girl Sex
101 makes you feel like you're just hang~
ing out, talking to your funny, honest,
affirming, highly sex~educated friends.
Which was exactly Moon's goal all along.
"My father was an RN and taught me
the proper words for all my body parts.
My mother was a feminist who taught
me to self~advocate. So, I became the
kindergartner
in Catholic school who
taught everyone the words 'vulva' and
'testicles; " Moon recounts. "Growing
up, my peers sought me out for accurate
sex ed. I loved being the person to dispel
myths and offer solid information. That
never changed. And I want Girl Sex 101
to offer the same fun, sisterly tone that I
do in person:'
Moon's mission statement is clear
when it comes to the education she
hopes to impart to the queer community.
"It's no secret: American sex education is
abysmal. And education that focuses on
pleasure? Forget about it. If you're queer,
you may as well be invisible. Books [like
Girl Sex 101] can travel the world and
offer education to people in rural areas,
small towns, and other sex~ed deserts:'
Moon's commitment to these beliefs
is evident on each page of Girl Sex 101,
which includes the voices of 16 sex ed
contributors
paired with Diamond's
lighthearted,
diverse illustrations
to
"help illuminate the manifold nature of
sex, and help readers see themselves re~
fleeted on the page:'
Moon knows that the standard bi~
nary approach to sex ed is broken and
does nothing for our modern queer ( or
straight!)
communities.
Binaries at~
tempt to stuff our multilayered human
experiences and identities into two rigid
categories (gay or straight? top or bot~
tom? male or female?), leaving no room
for variation, when the human sexual
experience is nothing but variant. With
ease and grace, humor and authenticity,
Girl Sex 101 represents the entire spec~
trum of gender and sexual fluidity that
you find in today's queer community.
Moon's book embraces sexual fluidity
in an organic, approachable way, encour~
aging readers to take or leave the infor~
mation as it suits them, and by including
often~overlooked aspects of sex ed such
as menstrual sex, sex with postsurgical
bodies, and relational details like how
to be present, how to be a good listen~
er, and even how to read your partner's
eyes.
With Girl Sex 101, Moon reminds us
that if the sex and relationships we're
experiencing don't feel good to us, we
should feel equipped enough to re~strat~
egize. "All sex education breaks down to
two skills: Learn how to know what feels
good in your own body, and learn how to
talk about it and ask good questions. All
the technique and anatomy in the world
is useless unless you can talk about what
feels good:'
The starting point? According to
Moon, it's giving ourselves permis~
sion to explore all the sexual pleasure
that embraces who we are. "I hope Girl
Sex 101 will be, as fellow sex educa~
tor Kate McCombs says, a 'beacon of
permission: I want people to get new
ideas, shake up preconceived notions,
and gain permission to create the kind
of sex life they want and deserve;'
she says. Per(mission)
accomplished.
(girlsexlOLcom) •
Have a Happy,
Get the festive look from dapperQ and Sharpe Suiting.
PHOTOS BY GENNA SANDLER
FEATURES/
STYILE
T
he City of Angels is also known as the Land
of Casual in the fashion world. Howev~
er, the sartorially smart Los Angeles queer
scene is gearing up to get dapper in holiday
outfits inspired by seasonal festivities and the beauty
of their perennially sunny city. For this shoot, stylist
Cee Sando of the queer style site dapperQ paired
up with uber~entrepreneur Leon Wu, Owner and
Head Designer of Sharpe Suiting, to capture this
season's L.A. holidaze style modeled by local queer
trendsetters. Sharpe prides itself in creating cus~
tom quality suits and formal attire undefined by
gender. They focus on tailoring fit to each client's
unique style and shape, no matter how they identify.
(dapperq.com, sharpesuiting.com). •
Dapper Ho ·day
Wardrobe: Leon Wu
Makeup: Autumn Skibinski
I
I
Wardrobe Stylist: Cee Sando
I
Hair: Matilde Campos
Models: Stephanie Neal, Lali Muthusamy, Dominick Cole, Madin Lopez
Dress by
Single;
earrings, ring
model's own;
bracelet
stylist's own.
Jumpsuit and dress
by Single; earrings
model's own; bracelet
stylist's own.
Dresses by Single; model's own
earrings.
Sharpe Suiting jacket, ties, shirts, vest;
hat by Goorin Bros.
Dresses by Single; shoes stylist's own;
earrings model's o"-'rt
Jacket, vest, shirts and ties by Shar-pe
Suiting; hat by Goorin Br~~
Sharpe Suiting shirts, ties, vest
and jacket; hat by Goorin Bros.
Master·ng the Arts
Soraida Bedoya's world of interior design.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
FEATURES/
S
oraida Bedoya's international background and training
in fine art and art therapy makes her a natural for the
upscale world of interior design. Her company, Related
Arts Interior Designs, draws on 14 years of experience
across two hemispheres and exposure to a variety of artistic lin~
eages. Bedoya, an out lesbian, was born in Colombia and she has
lived in Brazil, Australia, and now New York City. Her aesthet~
ic sensibilities have been honed to perfection and yet she has a
practical and down~to~earth approach to her profession. She is
attuned to the fluctuations of the art world, and adept at applying
aspects of it to the world of her clients, no matter who they are.
"My first question is: how do you want to feel in your spacer
I ask them to create a look book, with images taken from cata~
logues. I base the look on their lifestyle: Do they have children, do
they like to entertain, is one room used only by one person? I take
it in layers and try to work out what their story is:'
Design is not somethingjust for the pages of glossy magazines,
fancy shop windows, or luxe mail order catalogues. It is a way to
explore and enrich our surroundings. "When I come home I want
a sanctuary;' says Bedoya, who doesn't like clutter or overdesign.
Her preferred style is contemporary with a selective if minimalist
approach. Her background in sculpture gives her a unique appre~
ciation of objects. "I ask: How do we live with objects, how do we
relate to them? The objects we're attached to tell the story of us.
We hang onto those cherished possessions but often, when we
have the urge to redecorate, it's because we want to purge, because
things are shifting in our lives:'
STYILE
Bedoya is well acquainted with such shifts. She sought ref
uge in the Long Island village of Sag Harbor to recover from a
breakup, and returned to sculpture as a process of making whole
again. Of all her possessions her bed is the most prized-it
is
a home within a home. "At the end of the day that is where we
all end up;' she says. And, like a bed, the objects in your space
should be there to support you.
Embarking on a home redo can be exhausting, expensive, and
emotional, but it can add value to your home-not
to mention,
your wellbeing. A service Bedoya offers clients is "Before You Be~
gin;' which sets out taste, budget, timelines, expectations, and
marries them with the realities of a design project. While most
of us make do pacing the aisles of Home Depot, IKEA, Crate
& Barrel, and patching a "look'' together, it's worth consulting a
designer and asking yoursel£ when it comes to home, what are
the values that are most important to you (and your partner). It's
quite the discovery project, too. For example, what object do you
think you can't live without? Which room in the house is most
important to you? Where do you spend the most time?
Bedoya can lead you to these discoveries and answer other
questions such as what's in vogue now, and what will be in a de~
cade. How important is texture, shape, color, style?
Ironically, while many men don't see the value in interior de~
sign, and their wives do, it's gay men that have cornered the de~
sign market. Bedoya is that rare thing: a lesbian interior designer.
And with her impeccable sense of style, I'm glad she's mastered
the art. (relatedarts.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
39
Heart & So e
Inside NiK Kacy's gender-neutral footwear brand.
BY MEGAN VOLPERT
Footwear afficionado NiK Kacy
FEATURES/
wear men's shoes. Tough broads often do. For the 10 years
weve been together, my vertically challenged wife with funsize feet has been living vicariously though my favorite leather
boots. Nobody manufactures luxury gender-neutral footwear
to accommodate her (she wears a women's 7.5), so she settles for
appreciating my much cooler and more comfortable situation.
Most fashion-conscious 5-foot- 3-inch queers could tell you a
similar story. So NiK Kacy is taking it upon himself to solve this.
As a transperson, Kacy has long been using clothing as a means
to authentically portray his insides on the outside. He recalls with
gravity how he burst into tears the first time he tried on his favorite
Tshirt after having top surgery. It finally looked just right, after hed
been struggling with the way it fit for years, while others all around
him took the simple act of getting dressed for granted. Because of
Kacy's unique size, shape, and gender expression, his wardrobe often suffered a lack of good-quality basics. But his strongest lamentations were always about the futile search for that perfect shoe.
So he left his dream job at Google and took a leap of faith that led
him to an international shoe fair in Italy. Kacy had been doodling
shoes since he was a little kid, and in Porto, Portugal, he found a
manufacturer willing to make his sketches a reality. He saw that the
extreme kindness and generosity with which the Portuguese treated
him was reflected in the way one special factory treated its workers,
and he chose that place to produce his line ofNiK Kacy Footwear.
The company is pretty much a one-man show, but thanks to the
budding trend in queer alternative apparel, Kacy doesn't feel lonely. Hes been learning the ropes from other entrepreneurs through
collaborations with Butch Basix, Harvey Charles, and particularly
Leon Wu of Sharpe Suiting. Where the LGBT community at large
often hits speed bumps-ranging from petty divisiveness to fundamental differences-the LGBT fashion business is full steam ahead
in its duty to serve and to build inclusiveness. The fledging industry
is short on veteran mentors for the moment, but the list of partners
and colleaguesgrows larger every day,one introduction paid forward
into the next, with many designers pitching in to pull the next one up.
STYILE
Kacy in particular is poised to rocket to the top because he
designs shoes that are classic without devolving into the mundane. He has stuck closely to an accessible, traditional set of
designs because for years his own closet had been missing just
such foundational pieces. This first collection consists of masculine-of-center boots and derby wingtips, with plans in the
works for a feminine-of-center collection of heels. As he builds a
clientele base, Kacy plans to drive his prices way down to make
awesome gender-neutral shoes more available to everyone.
One look in his eyes and you just know this is a 40-year-old with
a heart of gold. Every decision Kacy makes is about furthering his
sense of community. It's why he began as a brilliant workaholic at
Google and why he left to serve his fellow small-footed friends.
It's how he picked his manufacturer and the army of volunteers
who model in or photograph his ad campaigns. It's why he specially arranged to get the first pair of shoes off his line two months
before the public shipping date in early November: in time for
my wife to rock them at our 10th wedding anniversary in Vegas.
The NiK Kacy Footwear slogan is "walk your way:' On its face,
it's promoting individualism and acceptance. Indeed, my wife finally feels respectable kicking her feet up next to mine. She no longer
has to sacrifice comfort or fashion, the twin demons of Doc Marten and John Fluevog. Brands like those two have actually been
uniting the LGBT community for a long time. We collectively
gravitate toward them because their fashion is also a sound philosophy, which means Kacy is next in line in a most excellent tradition.
He wants to lift up a group of overlooked, disenfranchised people. He knows about it because hes one of us, and longed to have this
particular need met. People judge you by your shoes. When we galloped down the aisle for a second time together, I wanted my wife to
have on some shoes so fully expressing the type of person she is that
the Elvis impersonator presiding over the ceremony would glare
down at them with envy. And he might have been 14 inches taller
than she is, but you know that old saying about dudes with big feet?
Thanks to NiK Kacy, it's about to go out of style. (nikkacy.com) •
On the Verge
Queer style struts its stuff at New York Fashion Week.
PHOTOS BY GRACE CHU
FEATURES/
ueer culture has finally made its impact felt in the
mainstream fashion scene-at tony New York Fashion
Week, no less. VERGE, an epic queer runway show
presented at Brooklyn Museum, was a collaboration
between dapper~ bklyn boihood, Posturemagazine, and DYDH.
The eight featured designers showing that night all address gender
nonconformity and intersectionality: NotEqual by Fabio Costa;
KQK by Karen Quirion; LACTIC; Fony; MARKANTOINE;
SAGA by Sandra Gagalo; SunSun and Jag & Co. Styles ranged
from ready-to-wear masculine suits for all genders, to avant-garde
and futuristic outfits.
To showcase the garments, over 70 gorgeous, gender nonconforming models took to the runway, including Rain Dove (a female
model frequently cast in men's shows), Prince Harvey (a hip hop
Q
STYILE
artist), and Ryley Rubin Pogensky (a trans model featured in a Barneys'
New York ad campaign shot by Bruce Weber). The event was emceed by
trans-activist Tiq Milan, and attended by VIP guests including A-List
androgynous models Elliott Sailors and Harmony Boucher.
Heralding this new queering of fashion, VERGE executive producer and dapperQ owner Anita Dolce Vita said, "Queer style should not
simply be reduced to white, cis gay male fashion designers creating binary, gender normative, heteronormative collections to fit the fashion
industry's unattainable beauty ideals. VERGE was about inclusion and
dismantling everything weve been taught about beauty norms rooted in
ableism, classism, fatphobia, ageism, racism, misogyny, transphobia, and
self-hate:' The show, she believes,was more than a step in the right direction, bringing queer talent that has been hidden behind the scenes into
the limelight at last. (dapperq.com) •
I
I
I
I
DIVAS.
BY VICTORIA
BOND
argaret Rose Vendryes, an artist
and art historian, pinpoints with
her paintbrush one of Amer~
ican culture's prevailing perceptions of
African American women: that they're solo
acts. From the single mother to the black
superstar, African American women are
stereotyped as strong, sexual, and often alone.
In her African Diva Project, a luminous
group of paintings based on the album
covers of black female solo artists, Vendryes,
a distinguished lecturer in Fine Arts at York
College, CUNY, ingeniously covers the faces
of music legends with masks, and in doing so
places her divas in the long~overdue company
of their African ancestors.
Traditionally worn only by men, the
African masks were chosen by Vendryes
(who identifies as a lesbian) for how they
complement the personas of the artists,
investing the iconic women with the agency,
respect, and protection exclusive to male
performers in African cultures. With subjects
ranging from Diana Ross and Tina Turner
to Tracy Chapman and Nina Simone, the
African Diva project has been exhibited in
spaces that include the prestigious Schorn~
burg Center for Research in Black Culture,
in Harlem. Part of the appeal of the project is
how evocatively it comments on race, gender,
and art history.
'Tm not interested in portraits, and that's
where the masks come in. I have been asked
why I have made beautiful women ugly;'
Vendryes says."The masks, along with the
use of color and other things, are actually
how I have made these paintings beautiful.
Using a medium designed for marketing
and consumption-the
album cover-I am
linking these women to their cultural legacy
of performance in Africa:'
Vendryes' paintings start from the idea
that celebrity itself is a mask."People think
they own celebrities. We call them by their
first names and feel as if we have a sense of
them, but we don't know who they really are
as people. The same thing applies to African
masks. Both what people think they know
about celebrities and about the masks is what
I call a fabrication of knowledge. The slave
trade and the passage of time have so broken
down the tradition of masquerading that
the fullest sense of how masks were used in
Africa has been lost:'
The act of wearing a psychological mask,
especially for women of color, points to vul~
nerability, not invincibility. Yet, the sensuality
spilling from the African Diva paintings,
with goddess~like representations of Aretha
Franklin in Bwa Aretha and Donna Summer
in Baule Donna, casts a spell of seduction.
Unlike the heads of Ven dry es' women, which
are literally consumed by concealment, the
bodies of her divas glow and glisten with
what she calls "the hook of beauty;' a strategy
the artist consciously employs to 'create
museum quality work:'
Vendryes has this piece of advice for worn~
en artists eager to be recognized by the art
world: "Pay attention to who you're trying to
reach. Who is your audience? Who is going
to appreciate your pieces?" As this applies to
her own paintings, anyone who finds some~
thing to be celebrated in a masterful woman
artist exploring the legacy of female icons is
sure to discover a treasure in the African Diva
Project. (margaretrosevendryes.com) •
Picturedclockwisefrom the left handpage:
SoweiRuPaul:MbloEartha:KweleBetty; Dan
Joan;and DanLeela.Theseries includes33
oil canvasesmodeledafter a 12"LPcover
featuringa full-figureportrait of a popularblack
femalesoloistwearingan African mask.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
45
FINAL MICHIGAN
WOMYN'S MUSIC
FESTIVAL.
BY JULIE R. ENSZER
hen I first went to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, controver,
sy was raging. One group of women challenged festival organizers
about what kinds of bodies and behaviors were welcome on "the
land;' 650 wooded acres near Hart, Mich.
Rhetoric raged across various factions; lines were drawn. Activists challenged
many women's core ideas about what constituted lesbian, and sex, and sexuality.
In 1989, this controversy was not about transgender wimmin, it was about
S&M and how it could be expressed on the land. I was 19, a baby dyke wearing
my first pair of Birkenstocks and my first tie,dyed tee. I had kissed girls and
put my fingers on their clitorises, but not yet lain my whole fist inside another
woman's vagina. I listened to womyn's music-Cris Williamson, Teresa Trull,
Ferron, Melanie DeMore, Sweet Honey in
the Rock, Meg Christian-on a cassette
player, my"Walkperson:' The fullcatalog
of our music had not yet been converted
to CDs. I remember it rained. I remember
unexpectedly menstruating. I remember
seeing more women's bodies, naked and
unashamed, than I ever imagined possible.
I remember seeing a pathway through life,
from my age to adulthood to middle age and
beyond. I remember thinking, This is what I
could become. I remember believing deeply
and truly in the power of women to build our
own communities.
After that first festival,I attended a handful of others. I lived in Michigan. As a young
woman, it was easy to pack up the car on a
Thursday afternoon and take off to the western side of the state. I never owned a tent and
always had to borrow a sleeping bag, but the
pilgrimage to Hart is an important part of
my story. It covers the terrain of my coming
into community, coming into mysel£
What I have always valued about Michfest
is how lesbians created, for one week a year,
an intentional space where women could
come together to celebrate and fight and
argue and expound and delineate and determine and debate. It was a physical location,
yes, but it was also a conversation in which
ideas could be tried and tested, could succeed
and fail. Michfest flourished in the face of
multiple controversies.
The conflict about sexual expression that
I witnessed at my first festival was just one
of the many conflicts women negotiated at
Michigan. How could camping be inclusive
of women with disabilities? How could
women who smoke live and work alongside
women who do not? How could women
who like to drink and party co-exist with the
clean and sober crowd? How could women
express land-based spirituality alongside
ardent atheists and passionate Jews? Womyn
engaged these questions and hundreds of
others at Michfest. Together, we found some
answers, some brief moments of resolution,
and many points of continued contention.
The current dialogue about transgender
women and Michfest is a continuation of a
long conversation, inside and outside Michfest, about who is included, who is present,
and who belongs.
Returning to the 40th anniversary Michigan Womyn's Music Festival in August, I
was reminded of the many things that I love
about it: the music, the nudity, the ferns, the
handmade signs, the smell of the trees after
it rains, and the community, intentional,
embattled. At Michfest, community is not
assumed; community is constructed and
engaged, thoughtfully and angrily. I love all
these things about Michfest. The end of
Michfest is the end of a vital space that values
womyn's culture and creates processes that
center womyn and affirm our importance in
the world. For these reasons, I felt extraordinary sadness about the end of the Michigan
Womyn's Music Festival.
At the same time, I was aware keenly that
while Michfest felt familiar,'J\rea 51;' the
affectionate festival term for the 51 other
weeks of the year, had changed radically.In
August 2015, lesbians could be married in
every state in the United States and in every
province in Canada. Lesbians could legally
be parents to children. And, while there were
still consequences to coming out in local
communities and at work (people could
still lose jobs for being queer), the material
conditions oflesbians' lives were radically
different from what they were when I first
encountered Michfest in 1989.
I remember listening to lesbian moms in
the late '80s and early '90s talk about their
challenges: custody battles with ex-husbands,
fear oflosing custody if people found out
they were gay,concerns about teachers at
school finding out, anxiety about parents
of children's friends discovering they were
lesbians.Twenty-five years ago, it was
extraordinarily risky for a lesbian, any lesbian,
and particularly a lesbian mother, to come
to Michfest. The risks for lesbian mothers
are fewer today. Living as a lesbian in 2015
carries less risk than it did in the past, particularly for white lesbians and lesbians with the
economic resources to take vacations and buy
festival tickets. The material realities of our
lives have changed.
Yet, these changed material conditions do
not mean that we no longer need places like
the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. The
need for womon-only spaces has not ended.
There is still important work to be accomplished in womon-only spaces, however
we might define them. The need for events
that create beauty and celebrate womyn
and lesbians persists. The end of Michfest
is a challenge to create new womon-centric
events, new spaces in which to continue our
liberatory work, new environments where we
can imagine future work for lesbian power.
The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
ended, but it is not the last space that lesbians
will invest with social, political, and cultural
meaning. Something else may arise-a new
festival of women (or womon) and music-to continue the heritage of Hart, and
most certainly a thousand other projects will
emerge from the labor and love oflesbians
for one another.
Leaving Michfest, I realized, This is what
lesbians do: We create spaces that value
womyn. We create environments that are
self interrogating, committed to difficult
conversations and painful negotiations. We
celebrate the accomplishments oflesbians
and incubate future visions and dreams.
Generational change is afoot, yes, and lesbian-feminism is alive and well, being reborn,
reimagined, reinvigorated every day.•
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
47
A TRANSMAN
MAKES A
BY BECK LEWIS
hen I think of Brandon Teena, the words "brave;"'misunderstood;'
and 'gone too soon" come to mind. The story of this transgender
man is known around the world, and if he were with us today, I am
sure he would be thrilled at the progress that the transgender community has
made. Many are familiar with the Academy Award-winning movie BoysDon't
Cry,starring Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny. But it is the documentary The
Brandon TeenaStory,which traces his life, and gives an account of his rape and
murder, along with the murders of two other people on Dec. 31, 1993.The men
responsible for those lost lives-John Lotter and Tom Nissen-are still sitting
on death row today.
Brandon's story touched the lives of many, and since I share something in
common with him, I made it my mission to try to connect with him, however I
could. I am a transgender male, born female in 1997;I started my gender transi~
tion in 2010 with the goal of living a happier and more fulfilling life. All my life,
I've felt like a boy. Now, I know there is a difference between being a tomboy and
being transgender. Even at a young age, I knew I wasn't just a tomboy.
For years, I struggled to figure myself out. Why did I not like being referred to
by female pronouns? Why did I have such a dislike for my body? Most people
will argue that when men and women make
the decision to transition, it must be because
of major issues stemming from their past. I
think it's easier for people to accept the idea if
the decision is linked to some tragic event. To
me, this is the same mind-set that can't wrap
itself around why someone is a lesbian. I lived
a normal childhood, raised by two loving
parents along with my identical twin sister. If
I hadn't been born female, I wouldn't be the
person I am today. I am a proud transgender
man now, a brother and a son.
Back in 2012, I had an amazing opportunity to take a cross-country road trip from
Florida to Washington State. Before I began
my trip, I asked myself what I wanted to see
in each state Ia.be driving through. Brandon
Teena's resting place was at the top of my
list. Now, anyone can look this up. It's online.
What wasn't easy to find was the home of the
late Lisa Lambert, where the triple homicide
took place.
When I arrived in Humboldt, Nebraska,
it was late, and very dark. All I had for light
was the flashlight on my cell phone. I entered
Lincoln Memorial Cemetery and knew
which section I had to find, but with no map,
and with the grounds being very large, I was
not positive that I would find his headstone.
I walked around for what seemed like hours,
and I have to admit that strolling around a
cemetery at night did startle me. I remember
shining my flashlight on every headstone.
Finally, I stopped. I couldn't move my feet.
I couldn't move my body. I just stood there,
staring at the name Teena Brandon. Eventually,I sat down right in front of him. Now I
know that some might think I was just sitting
in front of a cement slab with lettering on
it, but I felt that I was truly in his presence.
I wish I could say that the emotions I felt
were all happy but they weren't. I felt a great
sadness, thinking that there hadn't been any
justice for Brandon since his life was taken.
I was very proud to be where I was though,
and felt like I was visiting a friend that I never
had the chance to meet.
That night, I decided to stay in Humboldt,
so that I could attempt to find the home of
the late Lisa Lambert where she, Brandon
Teena, and Phillip De Vine lost their lives. I
cannot tell you how many people I approached to ask if they knew where Lisa's old
house was. With their faces full of concern,
some asked why I wanted to know that. Others had no idea who I was talking about, or
maybe they were just pretending. I remember
a young store clerk telling me that she knew
who was occupying the house and proceeded
to give me directions. The problem was, her
directions were, like,'Go past the big tree,
turn right, you will see a dirt road, make a left
at the fork, and you will see a smaller tree ..:
By then, I had spent all afternoon looking,
but I wasn't going to give up. I asked a gentleman who was sitting on his lawn mower
if he knew where Lisa Lambert's old house
was. I told him I just wanted to see it as I was
passing through Nebraska. What happened
next, I never expected. The man gave me a
set of directions (a bit clearer this time) and
said, 'Just remember, there are still some nice
people here:' I smiled at him, thanked him,
and began trying to locate my destination
one last time.
Now, the documentary The Brandon
TeenaStory shows the very long side road
that leads to Lisa Lambert's house. The night
of the murders was New Year's Eve, so in
the documentary all the roads are covered in
snow. However, when I saw one particular
road, I knew that I had finally found it. As
I drove up the road, I didn't know what to
expect. I wondered who occupied the house,
or if I could even muster up the courage to
knock on the door, or if I knew what to say if
someone should open it and realize that I was
a stranger. It was so quiet you could hear a pin
drop, but ifl screamed, I bet no one would
hear me. I studied the shed off to the side (in
BoysDon't Cry,Brandon hid in that shed with
Lana Tisdel on several occasions). I was in
awe and even more speechless when I looked
inside one of the windows of the house.
There, on a bedroom floor, was a bouquet of
fake flowers. The floor was ripped up from
where the closet started to about the center of
the room, where I imagine the foot of the bed
would have been. My heart stopped. I knew
the floor was torn up because I was looking at
the very room where Brandon and Lisa lost
their lives.
Eventually, I realized that the back door
was unlocked and that the house was in fact
abandoned. I had to walk past huge trash
bags in the garage filled with tons of empty
beer cans just to get to the back door. Upon
entering, I could hear a smoke detector. This
to me was a sign that the place had recently
been occupied. But it smelled old and moldy
and there were cobwebs everywhere. It looked
like not much had changed since the 1998
documentary. I remember seeing the three
small windows on the front door and instantly thought of the scene in the documentary
showing that door with a Santa Claus hanging from the doorknob. I got chills. I peeked
in the bathroom and really didn't want to
touch much. I thought to mysel£ Wow! This
is where Brandon stayed. This is where he
showered. I didn't want to stay long,just long
enough to capture some photographs and
video. Lisa must have been one kind woman
to open up her home to Brandon, even after
she learned that he was born female. I felt bad
for Phillip De Vine, whom they do not even
make mention of in BoysDon't Cry.He was
in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost
his life with the others that tragic night. The
movie was not filmed in Nebraska. The closeknit, sparsely populated town was so shaken
up after this event that no one could possibly
think of filming a movie there.
I get asked a lot about where the house
is located, and I have been told that it has
since been demolished. I couldn't even begin
to remember where it was, if I had to find it
again. However, you can pay your respects
to Brandon at his grave in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Section Z. He is buried next to
his father. Many in the transgender community are furious that his headstone does not
read"son'' or "brother;' b ~
on it what they
ted, and, in my opinion,
that is to be espected, even though we may
not agr with them. If Brandon were with
us to ay, I am sure he would be amazed at
t many resources that are now available
o transgender persons. They would have
enabled him to live the life that he
wanted to live. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
49
en accepting the 2015 Best New Musical Tony Award for Fun
Home,the playwright Lisa Kron described a recurring dream in
MIRACLE
FUN HOME.
BY MERRYNJOHNS
which she discovered that the apartment she lived in had rooms she
didn't know were there. ''I've been thinking about that dream as I've been thinking
about this amazing Broadway season;' she said, in a moment that other thespians
might have taken to talk about themselves, "because we alllive in this big house,
and weve allbeen sitting in the same one or two main rooms and thinking this
was the whole house. And this season some lights got turned on in some other
rooms .... The thing is, allthose other rooms have always been there, and there
have always been really interesting people in them doing really interesting things.
And wouldn't it be so great if after this season we didn't alljust go back into the
living room:'
Kron is keen to raise awareness about the rightful place of diversity in theater,
"not as a socialjustice issue but as an artistic issue' She tells me that, according to
statistics, less than 20 percent of plays are produced by women. That number is
'even lower on Broadway. The numbers for racial and ethnic diversity are also ex,
tremely low.' Which makes the commercial and critical success of Fun Homeeven
more important and remarkable. The musical, based on lesbian author Alison Be,
chdel's tragicomic graphic novel, tells the tale of a midlife lesbian who looks back
at her budding lesbian self and her diflicult
relationship with her closeted gay dad. It's
both specific and universal and one of a dutch
of shows in 2015 that are true expressions of
diversity,including Hamilton,which combines
hip~hop with history, and a Deaf production
of SpringAwakening.
'There's been this suggestion that there is
a new Golden Age of Broadway right now,'
says Kron, "which is an astonishing thing,
but it's not a coincidence, that [those shows]
are on Broadway right now. Theater is made
of diversity.Theater isn't one person telling a
single story from a single point of view:•
Kron was raised to look at the world
through an outsider lens. Born to a Christian
mother community activist and a Jewish
Holocaust survivor lawyer father in Michigan,
she walked the talk of diversity at an early age.
In her autobiographical play Well,she reveals
that she was sent to an African American
elementary school in an early attempt at racial
integration. And for most of her life,being
involved in the laboratory of theater, Kron has
continued this model of integration. Her true
theatrical awakening happened in New York
City's East Village when she saw the exper~
imental lesbian Split Britches theater group
perform at the WOW Cafe in 1986."lt
changed my world; it was what [playwright]
Paula Vogel calls the God Play, the play you
see that changes your life. There was Holly
Hughes' The Lady Dick,all kinds of shows at
WOW. It was terrible and frustrating that
nobody was paying any attention to what was
happening at WOW except for the Village
Voiceand some lesbian academics:•
This lesbian creativity, some of the greatest
work that Kron has ever seen,'couldn't get
purchase in the mainstream;' says Kron. At
that time, Peggy Shaw, Lois Weaver and Deb
Margolin's ability to deconstruct gender using
butch~femme identity"wasn't recognizable'' to
those outside lesbian culture. It took a quarter
of a century, and marriage equality, for the
paradigm to shift and for lesbian lives to enter
public discourse. Now we acknowledge that
gender is fluid, love is love, and all families
have problems.
With Fun Home"there was enough of
a framework there so that audiences could
come and recognize it;' says Kron. 'That was
something I never expected to see in my life.
To have that audience be able to watch that
show and recognize themselves
in those lesbian
characters:'
The standout song in Fun Home is "Ring
of Keys:'Small Alison is in a luncheonette
with her father when she sees a butch delivery
woman. It is a powerful moment of recogni~
tion and something changes in her. She sings,
"Yourswaggerandyour bearingI and thejust
rightclothesyoure wearingI Yourshorthairand
your dungareesI And your laceup boots.I And
your keys,ohhhI Yourringof keys:'
With this song, Kron walked a knife edge
of representation. "One of the tricky things
was how we would capture the notion of
butchness, which is something that feels clear
to lesbians and very elusive to [others]. A little
girl who wants to dress in boys' clothes-a
tomboy-it's something that many people
can relate to but it's not the same thing. It's not
about wanting to be a man. What is it about
butchnesst
As she worked with Fun Home'scomposer
Jeanine Tesori, Kron struggled with the lyrics
"because butches have been objects of deri~
sion and ridicule, so how to not make it about
reflexivecomic throwawayst Kron didn't
want the audience to laugh, and in the early
workshops of the play, they did. So many of
the words that are descriptive of butches are
'joke words;' says Kron. But finally the song
worked, and to see the child actor Sydney
Lucas perform it as a valorization of butch
identity provided me with a moment in the
theater that I will never forget. Audiences, and
critics, agree.
"Commercial success with this particular
play means a lot to me especially with the
vanquishing oflesbian visibility,"says Kron.
"There are downtown old school dykes who
came to see the show and felt like it was their
show. It was very important that this show ex~
ist in a lesbian paradigm, and not be lesbians
moving in a mainstream heterosexual para~
digm. A downtown show making sense to an
uptown audience-that felt like an evolution
of the world:' The world has indeed evolved
because of the activism in our community, but
also because Kron chose to carry forward her
influences and the excitement she felt about
lesbian performance.
''.Artistically,theater is made in small rooms.
Even a Broadway house is a small room.
What happens in one small room is astonish~
ing. My whole career has felt charmed to me
because-from the moment that I saw the
Split Britches company- I felt that whatever
success I would know, at the heart of it, all
that really matters is that moment of connec~
tion between your show and the audience:•
It was only fairly recently that Kron
thought Fun Home"would just be a gloriou
failed experiment:' Now it looks like it will
Kron, director Sam Gold, and Tesori
tour the country, there will be productions
internationally, possibly even a movie. While
she acknowledges that its success would
not have been likely a decade, perhaps even
five years ago,"FunHome didn't happen in a
vacuum. Culture is an imaginative framework
through which we're able to see people outside
of the closed circuit of our own consciousness.
People who aren't like us. We need a cultural
framework to be able to recognize them.
"Lesbians have been creating work for a
long time. It's always most exciting when a
culture that's had invisibility is forging, cutting
their way into the culture. It makes sense that
right now there's incredibly exciting work
by women, by lesbians, because those are
the people who are cutting, creative, moving,
they're doing something new. And then it will
be somebody else. There are other people
who are out there right now doing interesting
things and there are cultures that we might
not know much about right now:•
While accepting the Walking Stick Award
with Jeanine Tesori at the New York Women's
Foundation Gala in October, Kron said that
many well~meaning folk had tried to com li~
ng, "This show
ment her on Fun Home b
is so much bigger an a lesbian story:'She
would respo :'This show is exactlythe size
of a lesb • story.' While narrative conven~
tions ave insisted that men are universal and
w men are specific; that lesbians-and other
·norities-should be confined to offOff
Broadway, Kron holds the view that if a great
play can feature guys named Willy Loman
or Hamlet, a great play can feature a lesbian
named Alison.
And that's how you get the first lesbian
protagonist on Broadway. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
51
PHYLLIS
NAGY'S 15-YEAR
f you think you've waited forever for Carol to hit the big screen, spare
a thought for its screenwriter, Phyllis Nagy. She's been working on
the film adaptation since 1999, and her connection to crime writer
Patricia Highsmith's cult lesbian opus goes back even further than
that-to Highsmith hersel£ who died in 1995.
Nagy, who was a latent writer not yet pursuing her now illustrious
career, became friends with Highsmith during a visit to a cemetery, and
"became very good pals over the last decade of her life;' she says. During
their friendship, Highsmith gave Nagy a copy of The Price of Salt but
the budding wordsmith didn't actually read it until after Highsmith was
dead. "She spoke about it in such personal terms, I felt it would be like
reading a friend's diary;' Nagy tells me from L.A., where she is based.
"Subsequently, when I did read it, I found out it isn't [like a diary] at all,
and I felt a little foolish for not having read it prior to that:'
Perhaps Highsmith had intuited something about Nagy: not only was
she also gay, but she'd one day become a writer intrigued by the motives
of the human heart and mind.
"It was about halfway through our friendship that I started writing
and carving out a career in theater;' reveals Nagy. "Pat was actually very
supportive and helpful-in the way that all writers who have been
around the block a few times, and know about the universal disappoint~
ments and such, can be helpful in keeping you sane:'
It wasn't until four years after Highsmith died that Nagy, by that time
1--teJ
:1=I=I~]~
llf;ft
l•l •)1-1#1
=1•111:t
CINEMATIC
TREAT.
BY MERRYNJOHNS
an established playwright and based in
England, was approached to write the
script for Carol. A producer had the
rights to the book, and a little development money. Word spread like wildfire
amongst literary lesbians who have been
waiting ever since ( this writer included)
to see one of their favorite stories bear
cinematic fruit in the way that so many
other Highsmith tales have.
But The Price of Salt or Carol was not
The Talented Mr. Ripley and getting a
film about 1950s lesbians up and running proved to be a challenge. Eventually
the rights to the book lapsed. "I thought
it was dead, done, a lesson in how difficult it was for films that were fronted by
women-not
necessarily lesbian-just
women in general;' says Nagy.
But in 2005 Nagy worked with British
producer Elizabeth Karlsen on a noirish
film for HBO, Mrs. Harris, about the
spurned headmistress Jean Harris who
murdered her diet-doctor lover. Karlsen
"was well aware of the Carol story, and
the ups and downs, and when the rights
to the book lapsed, about a year later,
she persuaded the Highsmith estate to
give her the rights to the book:' She also
persuaded Nagy to continue with the
project.
Many more years, five drafts and
numerous polishes later, came a script
that"was a primer, a crash course in
screenwriting:' Not only did Nagy want
to do her old friend and mentor justice;
she needed to balance "the interests and
demands of a host of other people;' too.
"Oddly, it has worked out rather well, for
something that has gone through a fair
amount of iterations;' she says.
Rather well, indeed, perhaps because
along the way Nagy never lost sight of
what she valued most about The Price of
Salt-"that there is an utter lack of banal
psychologizing about the state of being
a lesbian. Therese and Carol never really
question their identities, which is quite
radical, back in the late '40s early '50s,
when Highsmith wrote that book. And
it's still pretty radical today. It felt like a
pretty compelling subject still after all
these years:'
Fans of the book may be surprised
about where the film begins, or that
some characters have been excised, and
some scenes condensed, added, or modified to make the story play out on screen.
"There are such different temporal
concerns in the novel in which a plethora
of complications, what's going on in
Carol's life, are dispatched in two or
three sentences in the mind of Therese;'
says Nagy. "The decision to take it out of
Therese's sole point of view and make it
a shift in point of view made other decisions easy:' These decisions included not
relying on voiceovers, creating a discernible life for Carol, and jettisoning some
of the novel, such as "the second strange
part of that road trip in which Therese is
on her own and pining after Carol:'
"People will want to see a lot of what
happens between these two;' says Nagy.
And they'll want to see it clearly, especially the romantic development which,
in the book, is often veiled. For example,
the love scene where Carol and Therese
drink glasses of milk and fall asleep
would be impossible to realize onscreen
without laughing. The adaptation has
improved on this. When Therese says,
"Take me to bed," one feels like cheering.
Nagy preserves the best of the
Highsmith dialogue, and, occasionally, gets to the point herself. Elsewhere, she leaves it to the actors, a
deference that pays off in the capable
hands of Cate Blanchett and Rooney
Mara. "These two," says Nagy, still
in awe. "There were things that they
were doing that I couldn't even imagine. I'm thinking of the ending, the
car scene and the looks they give each
other ... That's all in the script, and all
brought out to more beautiful effect
by Todd [Haynes] and the actors."
It might seem surprising, but Cate
Blanchett was the first and only actor
attached to the eponymous lead. "I
didn't write with any actors in mind,"
reveals Nagy, "but my model for Carol
throughout the writing has always
been the Grace Kelly of Rear Window.
That movie, that look in particular-her
coolness, and her absolute
filthiness underneath that."
Once Todd Haynes was on board
as director, Rooney Mara, perhaps
the finest female actor of her generation, was cast. Nagy agrees that
the Blanchett-Mara
couple is swoon
worthy. "The moment I saw them
together on set I couldn't imagine
anyone else. There was no point in
playing those games any more-if
you
could have anyone from history .... It's
like a Christmas present:'•
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
53
TUNE IN TO
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
e musical stereotypes, when it comes to lesbians, are pretty narrowly
defined, and consist of folk singers and rocker chicks, for the most part,
along with an occasional pop or hip,hop star. But oh so rare is the opera
diva. Enter Adrianne Pieczonka.
Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Pieczonka (pyeh,CHON,kuh)
lived in
Europe for a time and has made quite a name for herself on both sides of the
pond. Critics callher a "revelation" and a "tour de force;' hard,earned and well,de,
served accolades for a singer who has dedicated herself to her art. 'The training to
be an opera singer is intense. You can sort of compare it to the training of a pro,
fessional tennis player or sprinter;' Pieczonka says."You can't snap your fingers
and be an opera star overnight. I studied for seven years before I turned profes,
sional, and I still practice nearly daily to keep my voice in tip,top shape' Even so,
a great voice is but one of several key components, all of which are necessary to
succeed in the opera world. Pieczonka adds, "Speaking other languages-French,
Italian, German, and Russian-is a real plus, and also one needs to develop good
acting, good stage skills, too:'
As a freelance performer, Pieczonka travels around the world, taking on
different roles with different companies. Though opera performances are her
~
~
~
"bread and butter;' she gives solo concerts
and recitals as well. She started her career in
Vienna, Austria, and still performs primarily
in Germany and Austria, countries "where
there is a very old tradition of classical music
and opera;' she explains. Though she's hard~
pressed to pick an absolute favorite opera,
Pieczonka's favorite composers are Verdi,
Puccini, Strauss, Wagner, and Mozart. What
about a favorite aria?'"Vissi d'arte; which is
from Puccini's Tosca;'she says."Maria Callas
was a famous Tosca, in her day, and she is a
big inspiration to me. In the aria, Tosca says
that she has lived for art, lived for love, and
dedicated her life to her singing. It's pretty
wonderful:'
Pieczonka's repertoire is a formidable
one but, again, not something she acquired
overnight."! started out with lots of Mozart
and then I began to sing Verdi and Puc~
cini;' she says."Then I tackled the heavier
Germanic repertoire of Wagner and Strauss:'
Like actors, opera singers stop playing roles
when they are no longer age~appropriate.
Considering the breadth of her career thus
far, the 52~year~oldPieczonka has no regrets
about missed opportunities."! suppose one
role which I might never do- I am still on
the fence about it-is Isolde from Wagner's
Tristan und Isolde.It's a marathon role, but an
iconic one. But I'm really satisfied and proud
of my body of work:'
Besides, a new role is quite an undertak~
ing-one that, ideally, Pieczonka would
like to have six months to learn. "I mostly
don't have the luxury of this amount of time
at my disposal, and so I am ofi:en trying to
learn a new role between performances of
other operas;' she says, adding, "This is not
easy!" Because she plays the piano fairly well,
Pieczonka starts there, playing the score to
learn the part. Once she has the basics down,
"Then I take it to a pianist or coach, so that I
can further memorize the role. My wife is a
mezzo~soprano, but she is now also doing a
lot of voice teaching. She has been my vocal
coach now for about two years, and it's won~
derful to have this professional relationship
alongside our marriage:'
Pieczonka is just as proud of her marriage
as she is of her career, and she doesn't feel that
she's ever suffered any professional discrim~
ination because of it. Though she has never
proclaimed her orientation in an official way,
and she isn't heavily immersed in LGBTQ
politics, Pieczonka understands that her role
as a public figure has an impact.
"In 2002, I gave a big, national newspaper
interview in my hometown of Toronto, and I
was asked by the journalist about my private
life, my love life;' she recounts."! gave a vague
answer, saying I was indeed involved in a
relationship, but I did not specify that it was
with a woman. The article came out and the
journalist wrote, 'She is happily involved with
someone, but won't give his name: This was
rather embarrassing for me, as my family and
friends had known for years that I was gay. It
was a wake~up call, and since that interview
I am very dear about my sexuality, when
asked .... As a public performer, I feel that if I
am open about being gay,it might help others
to be more aware and accepting of other
lifestyles:'
So, as the lesbian ambassador to opera,
what pieces does Pieczonka recommend for
newbies?"! think many newbies would enjoy
Puccini-Madame Buttetji.y,La Boheme, or
Tosca-as an introduction to opera;' she says.
"These operas are not too long, and they are
filled with wonderful, ofi:en very recognizable
melodies. There are many full~length operas
on YouTube with English subtitles. Check
them out!" And check out Pieczonka, too. A
list of upcoming international performances
is on her website. (adriannepieczonka.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
55
MELISSA
STARTING
OVER
Melissa Ferrick is back, and back to basics.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
-~
j
~-'
•
',.
...,
-~:·.·~~~~
Melissa Ferrick has all the cred to make her
a fixture in the music biz, and a firm favorite
with lesbians: classicalviolin lessons at age 5;
piano, trumpet, and bass not long after that;
study at the Berklee College of Music and the
New England Conservatory; acoustic coffee~
house gigs in New York'sEast Village;a major
label contract in the 1990s; and then-not
necessarily in this order-rock star behavior;
getting sober; founding her own record label;
writing songs and touring like a maniac; fac~
ing bankruptcy; starting over and founding
a label again. Along the way, the out artist
created 12 original albums, garnered glow~
ing reviews from the independent press, and
won the undying loyalty of fans who value
her openness and honesty as much as they do
the extraordinary sounds she coaxes from her
guitar and her voice. It's little wonder that all
those fans who love and admire Ferrick, 45,
also helped fund her latest effort, and ascribe
to her a status enjoyed by only a few female
artists, icons such as Ani DiFranco and Me~
lissa Etheridge. Curve caught up with Ferrick
during her busy fall tour.
song. I believeall songs, stopped down to their
skeletons, should hold up, to be sure it's a good
song. How you dress it up is the artist's choice,
and sometimes it's really fun to push myself
stylistically,which I have done in the past.
This album was purposeful in the production.
I was mostly listening to For Emma, Forever
Ago by Bon Iver at the time, and I can certain~
ly hear that influence on this album's overall
sound and simplicity.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK ON THIS
ALBUM-AND
CAN
YOU SHARE A LYRIC
YOU'RE REALLYPROUD OF?
I think "Careful" is the best song on the re~
cord-the most personal and heartfelt. "See~
nic View" comes in a dose second. I am proud
of the lyrics in both of these songs. I took my
time editing both of them. As far as a line I am
extremely proud 0£ Ia go with a line in verse
two of"Careful": Let's not let ourfuture down I
bywanderingaroundin ourpast.
SELF-TITLED ALBUM?
The inspiration for it really came from the
songwriting itsel£ The process this time was
very sweet, intentional, and thought through.
I left MPress Records to reopen my label, so
going it alone again is a theme here. The al~
bum was partially financed by fans, who chose
to become members of my subscriber~based
platform, voxco.audio,which was built with a
fan friend who lives in Michigan. The mem~
bers helped in some decisions throughout
the recording of the album. I would post new
songs I had written, mixes I was working on,
and even the tide of the album was up for a
vote. This whole process was really different
from anything I have ever done before.
GINNING. WHY THE NEW LABEL, RIGHT ON
It's a starting over,with the relaunching of my
label Right On Records. The label went dor~
mant in 2010 after I had to claim Chapter 13,
and when I signed with MPress Records in
order to continue making albums. So in this
very specific way it is a starting over. It is also
a restart in its style,and in its simplicity.I have
purposefully moved away from larger pro~
duction and big studio sounds and returned
to how I started-honestly, how I feel most
comfortable and how I believe I excel artisti~
cally-on my own, in a room with a few mies,
letting the songs and the performances speak
for themselves.
AS A FOLK ROCK SINGER-SONGWRITER?
I really don't mind "folk rock;' but the simpler
"singer~songwriter"feels better to me these
days. Defining my genre feels so isolating to
me now, because I am a songwriter first and
foremost, before the style is set in, meaning
that the production I choose to put around
the song-that to me defines the style of a
AND IN YOUR HEART THAT CREATED THESE
It's good when I have a bunch of songs writ~
ten within a relatively short period of time,
because they make sense together. There were
five songs that didn't make this album, be~
cause they were written in the year before,just
after I released The Truth Is. Although I think
they are good songs, they just didn't fit next to
these ones. These days, I am into authenticity,
trying to live as closelyto my truth as possible.
I am getting braver with my words and my
heart, enough to really get down to some of
the more specific reasons I am the way I am,
or I feel the way I feel.I am less afraid of what
others will think, and more interested in how
well I am living.
YOU'RE TOURING A LOT THIS WINTER. WHAT
ARE THE MAIN SHOWS COMING UP?
YOU ENGINEER YOUR OWN WORK, AND THIS
ALBUM IS TECHNICALLY BEAUTIFUL. CAN YOU
TAKE US INSIDE THE PRODUCTION PROCESS?
HOW DO YOU LABEL YOURSELF MUSICALLY?
IT TOOK YOU A YEAR TO WRITE AND RECORD
THE ALBUM. WHAT WAS ON YOUR MIND
SONGS?
YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A NEW BE-
RECORDS?
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR NEW
fected the overall vibe of the record. I believe
this is why this album feels more real and
more like a liveperformance.Two, there are no
edits, meaning every track was performed live
without combining other performances. This
also gives each song more realness, because
there are mistakes, there are moments where
things just come together and feel good, and
there are moments where things feel like they
are falling apart, but inevitably they find their
homes. Three, I played and sang every song
at the same time. I didn't separate my vocal
performances from my guitar performances.
In the past, this is something that has been
asked of me by producers, and it has always
felt very unnatural. I won't bore you with the
engineering stuff-it's pretty elaborate and
geeky.[Laughs] I love it though.
Sure, and thanks for saying so. I did a lot of
reading in engineering magazines about how
other people recorded specific albums-mic
placement, panning, amounts of effects, etc.
But in the end, it's always just the take, the
performance. Three things are completely
different from any album I have made before:
One, I didn't use any dick tracks, meaning all
the timing is human time and this really af~
I am touring, doing some dates with Joan Ar~
matrading and Alejandro Escavedo, as well as
my own shows in Portland, Maine, Burling~
ton, Vt., Northampton, Mass., New Hope,
Pa., then a Florida tour with Loudon Wain~
wright III, playing West Palm, Ponte Verde,
and Clearwater, then my own shows in St.
Augustine, Fla., Chapel Hill, N.C., and Ash~
land, Va. Then I end my year-as I always
do-at Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass.,
playing Dec. 26 and 27, two shows per night
with special guests. (melissaferrick.com)•
BY DAVE STEINFELD
While Kristen Merlin is a young, openly gay woman from Massachusetts who
came to the public's attention on The Voice,
the all-American tomboy is not aiming for
a career in dancey pop rock; she's shooting
for the country mainstream. If her expe-
riences to date are anything to go by, she's
got a good chance of making it.
A New Englander through and through,
Merlin grew up in the small town of Hanson, Mass., before going to college at the
University of New Haven, Conn. After
receiving her bachelor's degree in Music
and Sound Recording, she headed back
to Massachusetts, where she spent several
years fronting her own band and playing
with the cover band Six Foot Sunday. She
also had the honor of performing the national anthem at Fenway Park.
But perhaps Merlin is best known to
lesbians as part of Team Shakira on Season 6 of The Voice, where she went all the
way to the top four.
"It was pretty crazy;' she says of working with Shakira. "It wasn't really until after coming off the show that I could wrap
my brain around what just happened!
[But Shakira] was super sweet . . . really
down to earth and really dedicated:' That
brings us to 2015. Merlin released the EP
Boomerang earlier this year, as a teaser for
a full album.
Though she grew up listening to "a little bit of everything;' there's no question
that Merlin always loved country music.
"Country's a good time;' she states. "People are starting to come around to that
and [to) realize that it's not all hokey-especially now, where country has more of
a crossover feel. That's where I think my
music fits in:'
That said, the mainstream country music audience is not as quick to accept an
openly gay singer as, say, the world of alternative rock. This fact isn't lost on Merlin, who was ridiculed while growing up
for having a tomboy image. "I think sometimes it's fear of the unknown, [and) that's
OK;' she says, diplomatically.
"Some people kind of pick apart [my
songs] lyrically. You know, for them it's
a different meaning because I'm talking
about a girl. But I've always just been comfortable with who I am and how I dress.
I'm not one for short skirts and little tops
or something. Put me in a pants suit, you
know?"
In addition to the title track, the fivesong Boomerang includes the upbeat
"Pocket Love Song" and a more serious
ballad called "Confusion;' which Merlin
says was written about pursuing a woman
who had put up an emotional barrier. Of
her upcoming full-length, she says, "It'll
be an all-original album. I wanna keep
a mix of the serious side [and] the party
side. Never stray too far from who I am
but definitely cater to who my audience is:'
She's proud to be gay, and she has her head
on straight. (kristenmerlin.com) •
The title of Jesse Lafser's new album is
Raised on the Plains. Originally from St.
Louis and currently based in East Nashville, Lafser has spent a lot of time driving
the open roads of this country and was in
New Mexico when we spoke. The new disc
is her sophomore set and the follow-up to
2012's Land in Sight.
"With Raised on the Plains, I wanted to
have this live, kind of cut-loose energy;' she
says when I ask her how this album differs
from her debut. "We tracked all the songs
completely live, with guitar and vocals at
the same time ... I try not to do something
the same way twice:' Lafser co-produced
the album with Grammy-nominated Peter Cooper.
Raised on the Plains features a dozen
songs that split the difference between
folk, blues, and country. They show off
Lafser's ability as a songwriter and a guitarist. Lafser also shot a video for the lead
track, "Jack Hat Blues;' which, she says,
"came about from my time out West,
about two years ago. That song is like the
character that sort of developed out of my
time on the road, alone:'
On the tune "Circus of Saints;' she is
joined by the group SHEL-the
four
talented young Holbrook sisters, Sarah,
Hannah, Eva, and Liza. "They're really awesome;' she says. "I wanted them to
play on that song specifically because they
come from sort of a Celtic- Irish influence,
and that song is in six-eight time ... That's
sort of a traditional Irish time. I was really
lucky to have them on that one. I feel like
it gave a fresh vibe to the record:'
Of being out, she says, "It's been interesting. I'm lucky to live in a really cool
neighborhood, East Nashville. It's [a] very
progressive, supportive community. But I
think overall it's hard.
"There are a lot of gay and lesbian songwriters, but I think it's a bit harder in the
country world to be a gay performer. And
I definitely have friends who have really struggled to walk the line. You know,
they wanna have a great career, but they
don't wanna sacrifice their personal beliefs.
There is that old, conservative country
[music] mentality, for sure. But the underground scene that's happening in East
Nashville now is really exciting. Everyone's
very open-minded-so
I'm hoping that's
where the future is headed:'
(jesselafser.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
59
Singer-songwriter Sinclair on living, loving, and
making music in the Bible Belt.
BY KELLY MCCARTNEY
Growing up gay in rural upstate New
York would be hard enough without having any other weights to bear. But add on
eight siblings and a preacher dad and ...
"There are some amazing aspects to it that
I'm really appreciative 0£ now;' Sinclair
says. "I did have a really good childhood
in a lot of ways:' But this sweet-voiced
young pop singer/ songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist has been quick to make
some life-defining changes. She dropped
her first name, Julia, for poetic purposes,
and she also moved to Nashville as soon
as she could. Music was what got her
out-out of St. Lawrence County and out
of the proverbial closet. As she recounts
her exit strategy, "My parents didn't want
me to leave, and I was really running away
from home. That's why I picked Nashville.
I needed to leave the North Country, for
sure. And I wanted to be in a music city,
where I could actually make a living off
of music. New York and L.A. just seemed
like ... I wasn't really sure that I would be
able to get on my own two feet that quickly. So I moved to Nashville, where my best
friend was- I just had one person I knew
here. I got in a car that I'd bought the year
before and just went:'
That was four years ago.
Whether her family is more disappointed by her sexual or her professional orientation is hard to say, but Sinclair would
rather live honestly, without them, than
dishonestly, with. "My church was not at
all progressive, to say the least. And my
parents preached against homosexuality.
So, when I came out and told them that
I was gay, and that there was really nothing I could do about it, that didn't go over
well;' she says. 'Tm in touch with them,
here and there, but they're not supportive.
They haven't come to meet my now-wife.
But one of my sisters has. Most of my siblings, though, are kind of in the same boat
as my parents, and they all still live in the
same area:'
She continues, "The plus side was, even
though they don't support my music now,
they did support me playing music growing up. If I hadn't had that, I wouldn't
even have had the guts to leave the North
Country, I think:' Sinclair played the cello
in high school and has since graduated to
guitar, bass, mandolin, and piano, as well.
In Nashville, she has carved out a nice
little place for hersel£ working studio gigs to
pay the bills, while writing and performing
her own music on the side. Last November,
she released her groove-laden Sweet Talk EP
and has been touring a bit to support itincluding a performance at Nashville Pride
this year. She is also gearing up to make a
full-length record. "I really want to tour on
the EP, even though I'm writing for a fulllength already, and I have quite a bit of that
under my belt;' she says."But I'm really anxious to let the EP have a little bit of a life of
its own. And, in between times, just write
and get all that going:' Music City being a cowrite kind of town, Sinclair has had to adapt
her craft somewhat, in order to really fit in.
"I definitely have done a lot of co-writing
since I moved to Nashville;' she laughs, adding, "But I grew up writing by mysel£ That's
where I discovered that I loved it:'
Even with the progress that Nashville has
made, politically and musically, over the
past decade or so, a queer pop artist is still
a bit of an outsider in Tennessee, right? "I
definitely would say so;' Sinclair says. ''I've
got my own tight-knit community, and I
definitely plan to build my local shows and
stuff, but the focus isn't so much on that as
it is on being close to the community that
I've already built. We're in the Southsurrounded by the Bible Belt, at any rate.
I don't know that I expect to get massively
embraced in Nashville anytime soon, but
it is a good place to be touring from. It's
just a good community:'
The anchor of Sinclair's Nashville community is her wife, Natalie. They got married in San Francisco last summer because
marriage equality had not yet reached the
Volunteer State. She says of their notquite-shotgun wedding, "Some people ask
me, 'Well, what was the hurry?' It wasn't
like we had a huge hurry, although my
wife has Type I diabetes and I wanted to
have healthcare together, at least, so that I
would not have to be waiting outside while
she calls her mom to fly in from Texas:' A
practical rebel, but a rebel nonetheless,
Sinclair's making her own family, and in
her own way.•
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
As part of the Atlanta music scene that
yielded the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins,
Sugarland, and John Mayer, singeMongwriter Michelle Malone has come a long way since
her first independent record in 1988."When I
started, we all did it, because it was a stepping
stone to the next level;'she recalls.''.Amy[Ray]
and Emily [Saliers] made an independent record with John Keane, and I was there with
them, so I thought,'Oh, that's what you do: So
I went and made an independent record with
John Keane and then we all got signed:'
Though Malone did get signed to Arista
Records with her band Drag the River, she
has primarily been an indie artist throughout her career. It'sjust in her nature to go her
own way."Frankly, I just hate for someone to
tell me what to do, because I'll second-guess
62
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
them;' she says with a laugh. 'Tm fiercely independent in that I've learned a selfreliance
from the beginning of my life that has worked
for me, in whatever capacity:'
She pauses, then adds, "It may have come
back to bite me in the ass, but I'm still alive
and I'm still kicking:'
Some 30 years into her career, Malone has
just issued her 18th album, Stronger Than You
Think. So, has it gotten harder or easier to be
a working musician over the past few decades?
"It really depends on your attitude at the
time-and your expectations. I can make it as
easy or as difficult as I want. And I've found
that it is easier now simply because I'm older
and wiser. I make it easy and I don't sweat the
little stuff... Also, it's not a means to an end. It's
just part of a journey now:'
Along that journey, Malone has built a
mutually beneficial fellowship with her fans.
They fund her records through her "Kick
Start Me Up" campaigns, and they fill her
heart through their personal stories. "I get
a lot of folks saying, 'This song really helped
me get through a divorce...or chemo; things
like that. And that is amazing;' she says."The
power of song. I'm sure there are a lot of other
things in their life that contribute to them being able to get through these hardships, but to
be part of that? That means so much to me,
so much more than the 10 bucks Ict.make off
a record. It's an honor to be part of someone's
life, in that respect. You're part of the giant
quilt of someone's life,and it just goes to prove
the theory that we're all connected:'
However much older and wiser she may be,
the 49-year-old Malone is still as feisty as she
was in her teens. That much is perfectly clear
throughout Stronger Than You Think, and it's
a result of her continual striving on the artistic front. "I just try to keep raising the bar for
mysel£ with each record, with each song, with
each show. I think I've been able to do that;'
she says."I love my new record. People seem
to connect to it, and it seems to make a lot of
people happy. That is a win for me, because if
I'm not connecting to people and making the
world a better place then I don't know what
the fucking point is:' (michellemalone.com) •
Sacramento native Karmen Buttler
grew up in, essentially, the Partridge family minus the bus. Her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles-everyone had musical
inclinations, if not outright talent. So it
seemed quite natural that Buttler would
join the school band at the age of 9 and
start writing songs as a young teen.
Soon came another major milestone.
"I came out at 14 and, besides some very
minor bumps in the road, have had a very
smooth ride ever since;' she says, then provides an example of a minor bump. "Let's
just say it involved getting baptized into
a born-again church so I could hang out
with my middle-school crush. Seriously,
though, I had it pretty easy. It makes a
tremendous difference when young people are allowed to be their real selves while
growing up, and I'm so grateful to have
had that experience:'
During those early years, Buttler came
to realize that music was her path and her
passion. "It's so easy, out of fear or presumed necessity, to over-occupy yourself
with activities or tasks that aren't aligned
with your passions or values;' she offers.
"We often do jobs we don't care much
about, or we follow paths that we think
are more appropriate than our dream.
My feeling is, anytime you step away from
your true passion-your
most important
work-you
are stepping away from your
authentic sel£ and that can cause great
struggle and unhappiness:'
Before she came to that realization,
though, Buttler attended Mills College in
Oakland "for approximately five minutes;'
she jokes. As an interesting counterpart to
her life as an artist she pursued hairdressing. "It's proven to be a great complement
to my artistic endeavors;' she says of her
day job. "Your primary job is to pay close
attention to the needs and expectations of
others-to really take care of people. I find
this to be an excellent balance to the often
solitary and self-consuming nature of being an artist:'
Even as her music career blossoms, Buttler maintains a roster of clients in San
Francisco, because she understands that
the artist's way of life is a financial rollercoaster, and because she and her wife
live in Marin County, which doesn't come
cheap. In between cuts and colors, Buttler
ventures out to play shows in support of
her Daze of Love album. Her calendar includes both queer music festivals and standard club gigs. In both cases, Buttler says,
"My goal is to be mysel£ regardless of the
audience. When I'm true to that, I'm able
to give so much more, and that is ultimately my job as a performer and musician.
And, hopefully, the audience will feel not
only entertained but also taken care of'
(karmenmusic.com) •
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
As both a solo artist and the front woman
for K's Choice, Belgian rocker Sarah Bettens
had been a favorite with the LGBTQ com~
munity even before she officially came out,
more than a dozen years ago. Around that
same time, Bettens put K's Choice on hold,
stepping back from the spotlight and into
domesticity with her now~wifeand two step~
children. The couple has since adopted two
more kids and Bettens has regrouped with
K's Choice, most recently for The Phantom
Cowboy.
But something else happened a few years
back: After gaining US. citizenship, Bettens
became a firefighter."I don't know how I first
came up with it, but it sounded exactly like
what I wanted to do;' she says."I had a high
need of doing something that had nothing to
do with music and was very different in na~
ture:' Because Bettens-along with her broth~
er Gert-jumped into K's Choice at a fairly
young age, she missed the college experience.
And the life of a touring musician can be all
consuming, she says."It's hard to do hobbies
with music, and get into any kind of routine
of playing soccer on Sundays, stuff like that,
because I was gone a lot of the Sundays. All
these things sound very small-and they are,
in a way-but, put together, I felt like there
was something I still had to do that I couldn't
find in my music career:'
So, on a bit of a whim, she interviewed to
be a firefighter and got hired, which meant go~
ing through a training program with a bunch
of 25~year~oldguys. Bettens explains,"It was
challenging. It still is. I completely fell head~
over~heelsin love with it. I liked the public
service aspect of it. I liked the physical aspect
of it. And what I really liked about it was that
it was outlined, as in 24~hour shifts, and when
it's done, it's done. I have to show up, do a good
job, and then it's over:'
When it is over,Bettens switches gears and
goes home to her family.And sometimes she
switches into that other gear and steps back
into rock star mode, although she even does
that differently these days. The Bettens sib~
lings worked eight~hour days over the course
of two weeks to write The Phantom Cowboy
and ended up with one of the most assertive,
no~nonsense records of their career. Part of
that focus came from Bettens being 43, and
no longer suffering fools-including hersel£
"I used to think the stars had to be aligned
in a certain way, and the light had to come
through my window at a certain angle, and I
had to have at least five hours ahead of me of
nothing, and be in just the right space for,'OK,
I think I might be able to write a song today;"
she laughs."This time, it was like,'Well, you're
here. We gotta write. It's 9 o'clock, let's go:
Why did I take my own songs so seriously?
It'sjust a flipping song. It's not a novel. It's not
a life~and~deathsituation:'
Even though Bettens has learned to take
herself a bit less seriously, she does not take
her career any less seriously."Not every word
in every song has to be the deepest truth ever
written anymore;' she says."I wanted to write
a fun record. I want everyone to jump up and
down when they hear it. That's the kind of
music I want to make. I still want to talk about
meaningful things, but it doesn't all have to be
about me anymore. It can float a little more.
At some point, you really learn to cut through
a lot of bullshit and say,'This is the art, this
is what I want to talk about: And there it is:'
(kschoice.rocks) •
Most people know Michelle Chamuel ei,
ther as the runner,up on season four of The
Voice or as the girlfriend of the lovely and
talented Mary Lambert. But Chamuel, 29,
had actually been making music for nearly a
decade before she became familiar to Voice
viewers. In the mid, 2000s, while attending
collegein Ann Arbor, Mich., she was part of
a large dance,pop collective called Ella Riot.
After that band broke up, she and Tyler Dun,
can, a former Ella Riot bandmate, became a
duo and issued a self,titled album called s/he.
In addition, Chamuel did some solo work and
production under the moniker The Reverb
Junkie. Finally,in 2013, the soft,spoken, be,
spectacled singer from Massachusetts decided
she was ready for her close,up.
It wasn't an easy decision. While she's al,
ways been a determined person, and one who
loves music, Chamuel has also felt like an out,
sider for most of her life.She's an out lesbian,
an only child, and the daughter of Jewish
refugees from the Middle East. "Being an
only child, and trying to fit in at school and
stuff-fitting in, in a lot of different ways,
was something that I [struggled with]. And
when I found music, I felt a sense of belong,
ing:' She adds, "If I was anxious or mad, put
music on and all of a sudden I was OK. And
at some point I started wanting to make
music-for myself and also for other peo,
ple. I hoped that it would help them process
different parts of their life, in the same way
[that it] did for me:'
Perhaps tellingly, Chamuel sang the
Katy Perry hit "I Kissed a Girl" at her
blind audition for The Voice. That led to
joining Team Usher and took her all the
way to the finals, where she lost to Dan,
ielle Bradbery. But the experience was still
a resounding success and led to the release
of Face the Fire at the beginning of this
year. An unabashed pop album-and the
first disc to be released under her given
name-Face the Fire found Chamuel once
again working with her old pal Tyler Dun,
can, as well as another former Ella Riot
bandmate, Theo Katzman.
"I made this album with two of my
really good friends;' she confirms. "Theo,
Tyler and I co,wrote, performed, and
co,produced. Everybody did their thing
and came up with stuff.' Of the title
track-which
is also the opening song
on the album and a sort of mission state,
ment-Chamuel
says, "The imagery I get
when singing this song is that I'm in front
of a big fire... It's almost a trancelike state:'
About the song "Rock It;' she says, "Ev,
ery pop album that I love has something
dance,y (on it]. So I called up Theo and
Tyler and they came back with that hook.
(Then] we all got together and fleshed it
out:'
As far as the women who have in,
fluenced her musically, they're a diverse
group. Chamuel lists everyone from Ella
Fitzgerald to The Dixie Chicks to Chris,
tina Aguilera. 'J\nd then, Imogen Heap
blew my mind;' she adds. "Because she
was the first female producer that I really
heard. Not only [was] her singing awe,
some, but she was also doing production
stuff.' On a personal note, Chamuel gives
props to her family. "First off, my mom;'
she says."My grandma. All my female rel,
atives. They're very loving and very power,
ful women:' (michellechamuel.com) •
I
"You don't own me I I'm not just one of
your many toys."
Those opening lyrics to Lesley Gore's
classic "You Don't Own Me" preview what
would become a feminist anthem. The song
was released in 1963, the same year as Bet~
ty Friedan's groundbreaking feminist book
The Feminine Mystique. Gore was only 17
and still in high school when her song hit
the number 2 spot on the Billboard 100
where it hovered for several weeks just
below the Beatles' hit "I Want to Hold
Your Hand:' That song wasn't Gore's only
top hit-she would go on to become the
best~selling female single pop artist of the
1960s in the U.S., with her songs of teen
angst. She opened a door for other single
female artists in the era of girl groups and
male bands. Her producer, the legendary
Quincy Jones, said when Gore died on Feb.
~EAK
ORY
BY VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
16, 2015 at 68, that"this little girl with the
big voice"had helped propel his career back
into the fast lane, when Jones had just become head of A&R for Mercury Records.
I'm not sure how old I was when I first
heard Lesley Gore's songs. They vibrated
on the periphery of my grade school years,
as the high school girls would sing them in
the cafeteria. When I was in college in the
1970s, I had a lesbian radio program-the
first in the country. Lesbian music was still
nascent, so I would cull songs by female
artists with ambiguous lyrics. "You Don't
Own Me'' was one of them, as was Gore's
"Secret Love;' with its gay subtext: "Once I
had a secret love I that lived within the heart
of me I All too soon my secret love I became
impatient to befree:'
But the song ends with a triumphant
coming out: "Now, I shout itfrom the highest
hills I Even told the golden daffodils I At last,
my heart's an open door I And my secret love's
no secret anymore:'
In another hit, "Sometimes I Wish I
Were a Boy;' Gore sings that'Tm a girl, and
it's wonderful" but "sometimes, yes, sometimes I wish I were a boy"-because boys
can do what they want and girls can't. Because it's still the 1960s.
Gore was nominated for Grammys and
Marvin Hamlisch had his first big hit with
her. She was nominated for an Oscar for
her song "Out Here on My Own;' from
the musical Fame for which she wrote the
lyrics. (Her brother Michael was the composer on the film; he won the Oscar for the
title song.) The lyrics to "Out Here on My
Own'' are deep and moving. Irene Cara's
performance of Lesley Gore's song is one
of the most poignant in the film. The lyrics
repeat what was a constant for Gore-the
outsider looking in: "Sometimes I wonder I
Where I've been I Who I am, do I fit in? I
Make-believing is hard alone I Out here, on
my own."
Gore wasn't on her own forever. When
she died, she had been partnered with jeweler Lois Sasson for 3 3 years. Sasson told
the media, "Lesley was a wonderful human
being-caring,
giving, a great feminist,
great woman, great human being, great humanitarian:'
Yet unquestionably Gore's sexual orientation, which she would later say she
discovered while a college student at Sar-
ah Lawrence, altered her career. She never
stopped performing, but her days at the top
of the Billboard 100 ended in the 1970s.
Gore's most powerful song was one she
only sang in concert. She wrote "My Secret
Love'' (not to be confused with the 1960s
hit,"Secret Love") for Allison Anders' 1996
film Grace of My Heart. The film details
the rise of a female singer, based loosely on
Carole King, and has a subplot featuring a
closeted female singer, Kelly Porter (played
by Bridget Fonda), based on Gore. The film
captures how the Sexual Revolution was
for straight people-not
lesbians. Kelly
stands in the recording booth and sings,
"Girls like me have to hide our hearts away."
With anguish on her face, she continues, "J_f
only we could live one day without the need to
hide away I I'd tell the truth to everyone, how
I livefor you I But people never understand,
they'll destroy us if they can..."
In 2004, Gore hosted the PBS LGBT
series In the Life, where she officially came out, although she insisted she
was never really in the closet. In June
2005 she released her final album, Ever
Since, which included the song "Words
We Don't Say;' which was used on The
L Word. The album received critical acclaim from the New York Times, Rolling
Stone and Billboard magazine. Among
the songs mostly written by Gore was
a reprise of "You Don't Own Me"-a
deeper, even stronger version than the
original, more than 40 years earlier.
Lesley Gore may seem like a voice
from a distant past, but as she continued
to write songs, even as she stopped making hits, her voice was being heardspeaking out to the marginalized, the
closeted, the lesbians who, like her, were
held in check by a homophobic society.
Lesley Gore was called "the voice of
teenage heartbreak" and she was. Her
lyrics described the atmosphere of fear
at that time: "No! Don't say a single word
I Can't be sure, can't be sure that we won't
be heard." She provided a soundtrack to
life in the closet-the
"secret loves" of a
time not very long ago. It's the sound of
our heartbreak. And of our history. •
You Don't Own Me: The Life and Times
of Lesley Gore by Trevor Tolliver is out
now from Backbeat Books.
he LGBTQ film genre has evolved rapidly over the
span of a few decades. Today, more lesbian and feminist
films are on offer than ever before, through independent
cinema, fan~funded features, and web series. Boundar~
ies are being pushed to create more roles for queer women and
women in general, and numerous crowdfunding campaigns and
initiatives aim at increasing diversity on our screens. It's apparent
that when women support one another, amazing things happen.
Marina Rice Bader's Soul Kiss Films, a woman~empower~
ing production company based out of Glendale, Cali£, has just
released its best feature so far, Raven's Touch.Written by Dreya
Weber (The Gymnast,A Marine Story),produced by Rice Bader
(Elena Undone,Anatomy of a Love Seen),and co~directed by them
both, this independent film was a completely donation~based proj~
ect and was made possible by the hundreds of people who chose to
get involved and help Rice Bader and Weber bring its story-and
the remarkable character of Raven-to life.
Actor~director~screenwriter Weber knew that the main pur~
pose of Soul Kiss Films was to produce films by women, for worn~
en, and when Rice Bader approached her with a collaboration
opportunity that would create a powerful and empowering piece
for the screen, Weber was enthralled.
"[Marina] had been kicking around an idea where a single mom
with two teenagers goes camping in an attempt to connect with
them, away from the distractions of technology and the teenag~
ers' burgeoning sexuality;' says Weber. "Why is the other woman
in the woods? I became interested in exploring our urge to isolate
in times of sadness and loss, when we have the greatest need for
human interaction for healing. That's how the character of Raven
was born:'
If that sounds potentially messy-co~directing an emotionally
powerful film with the writer, who is also the lead-Rice Bader
and Weber's collaboration faced hardly any challenges at all. "We
had it worked out where I would direct the scenes she was in and
she would direct the scenes she wasn't in;' explains Rice Bader.
"Once in a while we stepped on each other's toes, but it was bare~
ly noticeable, because one of us would mention it and the other
would be, 'OK, cool: Were both very direct women who don't play
games, so we get along really well:'
Blaming herself for a tragic accident, Raven Michaels (Weber)
isolates herself in a remote cabin in the woods. On the verge of
a breakdown, she hopes to come to terms with reality through
her seclusion, and wanders the woods seeking peace. Meanwhile,
Kate Royce (Traci Dinwiddie) takes her two teenage kids camping
far from the distractions of technology and young romance, but
shes also fleeing and seeking refuge from an abusive relationship
with Angela (Nadege August). In the midst of nature, Raven's and
Kates worlds collide-and miraculously the two women offer each
other the opportunity to overcome their situations, conquer their
demons, and find healing-through intimacy.
I happily accepted an invitation to attend the San Francisco
screening of this intriguing film in August because I knew that
Marina Rice Bader's Soul Kiss label never disappoints its adoring
lesbian audience.
It may surprise fans to learn that the conception of this film oc~
curred over three years ago, in 2012. Raven'sTouch,just like many
other films, took time to make. But Rice Bader, along with the Soul
Kiss team, knew that with this new film she had something unique
to offer the women of the world.
"The themes of love, pain, loss, joy, grief, redemption, so many
universal emotions run through the film;' says Rice Bader. "The
truth is always there:'
"This film was a great experiment for all of us, if I do say so
myself says the lead actor, Traci Dinwiddie, who was attracted to
the role of Raven when she first read the script. "I later realized
that Kate would be the greater acting challenge for me, and I really
wanted to work with Dreya Weber. She and I bonded several years
prior, while sharing a dressing room during a show at The Actors'
Gang. Dreya inspired me to take on trapeze, and I knew she would
be a powerful screen partner. Shes earthy, gutsy, and a true artist in
every sense of the word:'
Shot on location in Latigo Canyon and the Los Angeles Na~
tional Forest, Raven'sTouchgives the outdoorswoman inside us all
a breath of fresh air, offering wondrous views of serene landscapes.
"Latigo Canyon is very special to me, as I have proudly ridden
my bicycle up that gnarly 9.5 mile switchback several times while
training for AIDS/LifeCycle;' says Dinwiddie. "The vistas at both
locations were breathtaking. Add to that the great company of pas~
sionate actors, crew, and directors!"
Dinwiddie elaborates on the experimental experience the film
offered the cast and crew. "There were aspects that worked and
others that didn't quite land, but we were a team. Our trust in each
other made the more challenging times worth every lesson:'
This experience has found its way into the film itsel£ Raven's
Touch is anything but cliche when it comes to offering up a les~
bian storyline. Inherent in it is evidence that lesbian culture, and
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
69
1raci Dinwiddie
therefore lesbian filmmaking, is moving forward: Kate not only is
a lesbian mother of two children, she is a single lesbian mother of
two children. As a society, we haven't witnessed that in a film yet.
The present day, especially for the LGBTQ community, has a lot to
do with how we make and choose family. Raven'sTouch,although
a predominantly lesbian film, has an abundance of family values
attached to it. Kate's kids, Maya (Victoria Park) and Jack (Chris
O'Neal) are part of the glue that holds everything together in this
film. Even if they seem like your normal everyday teenagers, want~
ing to break away from their mother's grasp and get back into the
realm of smart phones and tablets, these two are the driving force
behind the climax of the film.
Nothing is more important to Kate than her children. They
may piss her off, but she is truly a mother hen in the vast woods of
70
CURVE
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2015
(left) and Dreya Weber
her grandfather's old campgrounds. Raven, on the other hand, has
never had children of her own but had a special and close bond
with her niece, who, we learn, was tragically killed. Raven takes a
liking to-and even becomes protective of-Kate's kids. So when
Angela emerges from the darkness one night to take them back,
Maya and Jack escape into the woods, where it's up to Raven to
bring them home to Kate safely.
"I loved working with these kids;' says Dinwiddie. "They
brought a whole other level of authenticity to the story. Honestly,
they crack me up every time I watch the film at screenings. Playing
their mom was a shocking 'aha'moment for me, too. Like, damn!
I'm playing a mom of teenagers. Whoa. How did I get HERE?"
IfI had to guess, from their honest portrayals onscreen I would
think that Dinwiddie, Park, and O'Neal were actually a family.
Raven's Touch also demonstrates that there isn't a difference
between dysfunctional or abusive heterosexual relationships and
same-sex ones. As the film opens, Kate is taking her two children
and leaving a toxic marriage. We understand it's a lesbian couple
only after we hear the name Angela.
In mainstream society, and perhaps even in our own community, people aren't coming to terms quite yet with the fact that two
women can be stuck in a situation like this. What makes Raven's
Touch so unique, and in tune with the post-marriage equality
world, is that Kate is actually getting out of a lesbian marriage with
children, rather than coming out, falling in love, and getting into
one, which has been the mainstay oflesbian cinema for some time.
"I really wanted to present a modern family-lesbian parents,
adoption, various ethnicities-without
saying a word about it:'
says Rice Bader. With this screenplay, Rice Bader and Weber
creatively nail it in presenting that "modern family:' With samesex marriage riding a new wave of acceptance in this country and
the world, Soul Kiss Films wanted to implement it and bring it
to life on the big screen.
Another aspect of today's society and culture is the urge to
respond to grief and depression with medication, and the film
reflects this in the way Raven deals with the knowledge that she
could have prevented her niece's death. It is a severely traumatic
experience for her, one she is holding on to and blaming herself
for. Kate and her children are the"medication'' she needs to begin
the healing process.
"We all experience devastating sadness;' says Weber. "But the
beauty that we offer each other with human connection is the
balance. Grief isn't pretty or glamorous to look at, but it happens,
and sharing the human experience is why art exists:'
Raven's Touch certainly opens the door for the next installment of independent lesbian features. Along with the personal
and emotional battles these women fight, they can't help but find
solace, comfort, and redemption in knowing that someone else
shares their struggle-to break free of the past.
Dinwiddie urges viewers to watch the film for "the gorgeous
cinematography and the spirit of family, healing, and love:' If
there was ever an original concept in lesbian filmmaking, Raven's
Touch is it. From the raw emotions of its characters, to its depiction of a nontraditional family-which is, after all, just a family-Raven's Touch should be seen and appreciated by all. And if
it leaves you wanting more, we have good news: Soul Kiss Films
is currently in pre-production for the next feature, Ava's Impossible Things.(soulkissfilms.com) •
The quiet splendor of polar nights in the Arctic Circle.
BY KELSY CHAUVIN
he morning I woke up inside an ice
room at the Arctic Circle was atmo~
spherically surreal. It was freezing,
yes, but I was quite warm. In my
soft, heat~retaining Uniqlo thermals and
my sub~zero sleeping bag I was swaddled
like a newborn. But my face, exposed to
the constant 23° F of the Icehotel Sweden,
felt like a dry~ice mask, while every breath
shot sharp, frosty air down my throat.
"Good morning!" The red~bearded hip~
ster, a cheerful human alarm clock, poked
his head through my doorway. From his
big backpack thermos he poured me some
warm lingonberry juice and asked me how
I slept.
"Surprisingly well;' I said. ''I'll definitely
never forget it:'
"Well that's why you're here;' he said
with a smile.
Right he was. The original Icehotel
Sweden (icehotel.com) has a lot of amaz~
ing experiences to offer, but the real take~
home trophy is the memory. I arrived in
72
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2015
this Arctic winter wonderland with the
enthusiasm of a naturally hot~blooded
person, ready to relish the frigid tempera~
tures and dare to slumber below freezing.
By day, however, the Icehotel is a year~
round, nature~loving destination open to
guests who prefer either green or white
landscapes.
Located in Jukkasjarvi, near the quiet
mining town of Kiruna, the resort occu~
pies a large site on the banks of the Torne
River. In summer, the Torne becomes a
place for swimming and water sports.
In the cold months, it's the source of the
5,000 tons of ice that's stacked and shaped
into about 65 "cool" rooms. There are of
course a few dozen "warm" (i.e., normal)
hotel rooms too, and they're open all year
for those who prefer climate control.
On top of packing many thermal layers,
I prepped for my Icehotel visit by instant~
ly getting in the chilled spirit-making
the trip from the Kiruna Airport by dog~
sled. Before taking my spot on the sled,
FEATURES/
I thought the Alaskan huskies seemed
incredibly small to be pulling four of us
through the woods and along the frozen
Tome for an hour. That is, until they actu~
ally stopped howling and began running.
And running, and fervently running. It's so
satisfying to see a creature doing what it's
born to do.
The huskies were not unlike the ready~
to~run reindeer I met at the Nutti Sa.mi
Siida ( nutti.se) camp, where draft reindeer
are bred and sometimes hitched to racing
sleds for adventurous visitors. Though
they weren't quite as fast as the snowmo~
biles we later rode on the river and into the
snowy hills.
Every year, the lcehotel hosts couples
from around the world who want to get
TRA
married in a "snice" chapel ( made of snow
and ice), and the couple I saw savored
their memorable nuptials as we all toast~
ed them inside the lcebar. The wedding
party raised their ice glasses and, for a
moment, our rainbow of bold and layered
travelers became a family, tied together
forever by memories of one winter at the
top of the earth. •
HOT TIPS FOR THE ICEHOTEL
1. The lcehotel provides guests with heavily insulated over-
alls, boots, a parka, a facemask, and mittens. It's on you
to bring heat-packing essentials like thermal underwear,
a scarf, a good hat (or two), socks (wool stays drier), and
gloves.
2. Sunglasses aren't as important during the dark days of
the Arctic winter, but tinted ski goggles are great for
keeping blowing snow out of your eyes and brightening
up the ambient light.
.._
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r
•
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---··
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3. If it's cold enough, moisturizer may freeze and crack on
your face, but lip balm is vital! Put the balm on to keep
your lips from peeling off.
4. Hydrate! Arctic aridity is real, and while Aquavit may
include the word "aqua," water it is not. Turn to roomtemp water or warm lingonberry juice to keep your body
moving.
5. Take breaks from the cold. You'll be safely insulated and
comfortable staying outside for long stints. But it's key
to retreat into the lcehotel's warm lodges to defrost and
stretch before all that heavy gear weighs you down .
STOCKHOLM STOPOVER
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NOV/DEC
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CURVE
73
■Pnlrt
Faces across from Dobra, a tea shop where
you can lie on a couch and sip the specialty of
your choice from the dozens of exotic,powerful blends on offer, each cup brewed to your
liking. At the lingerie shop Gazebo, a sweetfaced, middle-age lady who looked like your
favorite auntie was delighted by my astonishment at the wares tucked between the rows
of pink lace and ivory silk: They sell personal
massagers there-and not the flimsy-cheapo
kind, either, but good, solid Lelo vibrators.
One of the queer-identified staff members,
Michaela, is the "LGBT fit specialist;' who
helps make the store a "transgender safe space''
and specializes in helping non-gender-conforming customers feel comfortable and supported in all the right places. I dropped into
Gazebo looking for black tights, not expecting the most progressive lingerie place on the
planet. But that's normal in Northampton.
Michaela got her degree in (yes) Sexuality
Studies from Mount Holyoke College, and a
good number of the downtown dykes are undergrads at Smith, which is one of the town's
main employers and biggest influences. Its attractive campus (and attractive students) give
the town gravitas and visual appeal, and the
Smith College Museum of Art is one of the
finest college museums in the country. Below
its three floors of well-filled galleries, there's
a special bonus feature in the basement: The
two "artist-designed" loos deserve a visit even
if you don't need the facilities (and, in keeping
with the all-inclusivevibe of the town, women
are welcome to visit the men's room).
Lesbians abound here. Blue Heron Restaurant has been the lesbian-owned dinner place
of dyke choice ever sinceJane Lynch and Lara
Embry famously hosted their wedding there
in 2010. It is also the dinner destination of
everyone else in the area. Maybe it's the imposing, church-like structure (the restaurant
is housed in a renovated town hall) or the
painted, tin-stamped walls, but most likely it's
the food: purportedly and apparently fresh,
local, and made with love.
If I lived in the area, though, Ia.be dining at
Blue Heron maybe once a year, for a blowout
occasion: celebrating a birthday or marrying a
TV star. For more everyday fare, lct stop early
and often to see the ever-changing menu at
a small lesbian-owned cafe called Bela's.I ate
lunch there twice in two days and, uncharacteristically, had the same thing both days
(brown rice with a tofu-tomato-kale-caper
topping). My partner and I also sampled the
spicy curry, the ample salads, and the morethan-ample vegan desserts. It's rare to go into
NORTHAMPTON
The fabled town where it's more than okay to be gay.
BY GILLIAN KENDALL
wenty-plus years ago, when I came out,
the woman I was besotted with used to
talk about a town she was besotted with,
a place in Western Mass. called Northampton. She told me about the old buildings, the
cobblestone alleyways (good for secret love
affairs), the lefty vibe, and the endless flow of
cultural activities. Not that she'd ever much
gone to any of the talks, plays, concerts, or art
openings, she said, but it was nice to know
they were there. "Yeah, yeah;' I said then. "I
like it right here:'
Fast-forward a few decades, a few girlfriends, and a lot of travel to lezzo hot spots,
and somehow it's 2015. By the time I made
my first visit to the fabled Northampton, Ia.
forgotten its reputation as Lesbian Central,
but I did notice that the first day I spent in
"Noho'' was unexpectedly great. My girlfriend took me downtown-that
is, to the
main street, where we drank tea, bought coffee for a homeless person, and browsed the
artsy boutiques and bookshops: all pleasant
enough activities, sure, but nothing inherently outstanding. Only as we were driving
home did I realize why I felt so good: The
whole day, I'd been unaware of being gay in
a hetero world.
My partner and I held hands as we walked
74
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NOV/DEC
2015
through the streets, we shopped for commitment rings, and we were as cozy and comfortable together as if we'd been in our own
home (if our own home contained an excellent vegetarian restaurant like Bela's, or a selection of artisan jewelry). I didn't think about
whether anyone was glancing askance at our
hand holding (no one was), nor did I consider
whether the people we talked to were, or were
not, queer, too (some were, some weren't). I
felt just fine in Northampton: Everyone we
talked to seemed both friendly and smart, a
rare combination in much of the US of A.
"We're very sophisticated in Northampton,
and we'll be the first to tell you so;' said the
owner of the Old Book Store, one of several
excellentused bookshops."This is a good town
for books and for women. The mayor's a lesbian, too:' I came across the place (its entrance
set modestly down a few steps from street
level) by chance, while looking for somewhere
to eat. The fact that I found a good used bookshop within a few steps of a fantastic vegetarian cafe and a huge women's history mural, all
on a block that was being traversed by lesbian
couples, was surprising; even more so was the
fact that within easy walking distance there
were other equally groovy gay-friendly combinations, such as the funny, outre gift shop
FEATURES/
a place and feel good about ordering anything
on the menu, but at Bela'sall particulars (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) are carefully
attended to-and you know the place is serious because there are signs warning that customers wearing fragrance will not be served,
due to the chef's sensitivity.
I guess it's no surprise that a place so chockfull oflesbian delights isn't the cheapest vacation spot. For a small town in New England,
the restaurants and accommodations are
on the high end, though for Lesbian Central they're reasonable. For medium-grade
accommodations, the Elm Street Inn offers
comfortable, slope-roofed rooms with kitchenettes and breakfast for about $100 a night,
but its excellent location, right across from the
Smith campus, means significant traffic noise.
For slightly more money (about $115 a
night), you can sleep in profound peace at
an award-winning 'green" inn, the Starlight
Llama. Owners Dee and John have taken 65
acres ofland long held by John's ancestors and
turned it into a restricted conservation zone
(no development, no cell towers, no nuclear
power plants allowed; wildlife and peace encouraged). The rooms are graceful and uncluttered, with cool colors and original art, but
what's outside is most unusual: a small farm
with chickens, goats, an emu, a darling rescue
donkey, peacocks and peahens, and several
large, quiet llamas, making the rolling New
England landscape look faintly South American. It's warm, well lit, and comfortable; and,
best of all, four miles from the road, it's luxuriously quiet. My girlfriend and I loved petting
the rescue donkey and collecting fallen feathers on the farm.
Just half an hour away,in South Deerfield,
is the Butterfly Conservancy. The indoor,
8,000-square-foot butterfly house feels and
smells like a Hawaiian rainforest, which was
an excellent antidote to the New England
winter outdoors. The air was thick with the
soft, damp scent and color of flowers, and
the butterflies flitted softly and silently everywhere. People try wearing bright blue or red
to attract them, but one trick I inadvertently
discovered is to take off your shoes: The butterflies are drawn to smelly socks!
Of all the great places to eat in and around
Northampton-and
we found many-only
one offers world-class cookery as well as
hands-on demonstrations. At the new cooking school at Good Stock Farm, guests can
join small one-day cooking demos or classes
in which chef Sandy D'.Amato (winner of just
about every award there is for cooking) and
his wife Angie create fantabulous meals from
superb ingredients from the local area (their
own backyard).
While Sandy encourages participation,
and I did become proficient at rolling pasta
into little ovoid nests to support the main
course, mostly we students sat mesmerized,
watching Sandy deftly chop, whisk, stir, and
otherwise coax the ingredients into a memorable meal: poached-egg salad, baked fish,
and rhubarb upside-down cake. Meanwhile
we drank homemade lemon verbena iced
tea and Prosecco and asked questions, hoping that we'd be able to replicate the dishes ourselves. (Note: We can! They gave us
recipes!) If every lesbian couple who visited
Northampton took this cooking class, our
collective gastronomic skills would soarand so would our potlucks.
It took me 22 years to get there, but
Northampton was worth the wait.
(visitnorthampton.net) •
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NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
75
Savoring a sweet and snowy Jasper Pride Festival.
BY KATHY BELGE
Y
ou're going to start seeing wildlife soon, I guarantee it," my ride
from
Edmonton
International Airport announced as soon as we
passed through the entrance to Jasper
National Park. Sure enough, within a
few miles we saw a herd of wapiti ( elk)
grazing on the side of the road. One
picked up her head and glanced at us as
we slowed to look, as if to welcome me
to the Canadian Rockies. I saw plenty
more wildlife during my late- March
76
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
visit-eagles,
coyote, bighorn sheep,
deer, mountain goats-but
Jasper Pride
was devoid of any of the wild party life
often associated with other Gay Pride
festivals. And I didn't miss it for a second.
I'd been invited to Jasper Pride by
Sue McCarthy, who lives in Jasper full
time, helped start the festival six years
ago, and co-chaired it this year. She
takes great pride in the festival's growth
and ever-increasing
involvement
of
the community.
After I settled into my hotel room,
I headed out to the opening night activities, which included a pub gathering
to unveil Wicked White Weissbier, a
brew specially crafted for Jasper Pride.
I joined a long table of women, and
soon they were educating me about the
sport of curling, as a match played on a
nearby TV. I smiled to myself, thinking
I couldn't be having a more quintessentially Canadian experience.
Jasper is a small mountain town in
Alberta, about three hours from Edmonton, five hours from Calgary. The
park that surrounds it is not as well
known as its nearby sister, Banff, but
is just as spectacular. Strict building
codes have kept the town of Jasper from
being over-commercialized.
Most tourists visit in the summer months, taking
advantage of the beautiful lakes, rivers,
and trails for fishing, boating, hiking,
and camping. Winter visitors come for
2015 STATEMENT
OF OWNERSHIP
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Publication No. 0010-355
Filing Date: Oct 1, 2015
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Number of Issues Published Annually: 6
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Complete Mailing Address: PO Box 467 New York NY 10034.
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Telephone (415) 871-0569
Publisher: Silke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Editor: Merryn Johns PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Owner(s): Avalon Media LLC Po Box 467 New York
NY10034
SiIke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Publication Title: Curve.
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Nov 24.
Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average No.
Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months:
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run: 48,569. B) Paid
Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
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on Form 354110954; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
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78
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
the snow act1v1t1es, to view the
Northern Lights, and for a week in
March to celebrate Jasper Gay Pride,
aka Wicked White Winter.
As I walked around town, I noticed
locals and visitors alike getting into the
Pride spirit. I overheard baristas at cor
fee shops talking about what they were
going to wear to the White party. I saw
shop windows hand-decorated just for
Pride and rainbow flags flying over the
main drag.
Adding to the welcoming atmosphere, most activities were free, including a Friday night concert, an
opening reception with an amazing
spread of free food, a documentary
film, a burlesque show, a singer-songwriter showcase, and drag karaoke.
There is no Pride parade in Jasper. Instead, we strapped on snowshoes and marched across a frozen
lake while the snow-capped Canadian Rockies glistened in the distance.
Others skied down Marmot Basin
(in costumes, of course), or rented
fat tire bikes to ride across the snowy
trails. One highlight of the trip was
a hike on a frozen river through Maligne Canyon, where icy waterfalls
and frozen canyon walls enveloped us
in a crystal-blue glow. Unseasonably
warm weather cancelled the dogsled
rides.
Jasper Pride's main event was the
Wicked White Winter Party at the
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. The
lodge itself is a historic property,
set on beautiful Lac Beauvert. Just
as the guests were arriving, a light
snow began to fall, adding a sparkly magic to the evening. Inside, the
cozy lodge was sassied up and ready
to receive the drag queens in white,
cute butches with rainbow bow ties,
buff boys in tiny white Speedos, and
hipster locals in their finest thrift
store white. The drag performances
dragged on a bit too long, and the
DJ was so-so, but the crowd enjoyed
themselves, admiring one another's
outfits, dancing and cruising, and
making new friends.
Jasper Pride is small enough that
you can meet someone on Thursday, run into them on Friday, make
plans for Saturday, and by the time
you say goodbye on Sunday you
feel like you're life-long friends. I
left Jasper with a few new connections and definite plans to return
for one of the sweetest Gay Pride
events I've been to in a long time.
(jasperpride.ca) •
LAST LOOK/
CROSSWORD
Test your
lesbian knowledge
with our queer quiz.
BY MYLES MELLOR
ACROSS
1.
3.
9.
Lesbian film starring Angelina
Jolie and Faye Dunaway
Dream-like neo-noir movie
set in LA, goes with 11across
Julie Burchill novel that was
developed into a TV series, 2
words
34. Cuddly
7.
Spanish for girlfriend
38. Pixar film about Carl Fredricksen
8.
Gown
40. The Girl Who Played With _
by Stieg Larsson
41. Author of The Paying Guests
and Fingersmith
11. See 3 across
45. Sex or verse?
12. The L Word star, Jennifer_
47. Popular Canadian songster,
_ Murray
15. Samantha Ronson and Tracy
Young, for example
48. Singer of "I kissed a girl," Jill
18. Annoyance for a princess
19. Medical drips
10. Take advantage of
40. Distance measurement, for
short
12. Author of Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae
42. Steal
13. Smart word for clothing
14. Jeans brand
15. English princess
43. Famous computer of sci-fi
44. Morning show time
46. Compass direction
47. Artificial intelligence, abbr.
16. Draw forth
17. Pro vote
22. Dated
49. Like some reading lamps
20. Far from Xanadu book by
Julie Anne
21. _ Armatrading's "The Weakness in Me"
39. Philadelphia was set in this
state
23. Zip
26. Et_? (and so on)
DOWN
27. Have faith in
28. Gives in
1.
Tinder uses it to locate nearby love interests
25. Weather forecast staple
2.
Summer month, abbr.
31. One-hit wonder of 1984
27. Writer of Fun Home, Alison
3.
She's playing a lesbian billionaire in Empire, 2 words
32. Has the hots for, with after
30. She famously kissed Scarlett
Johansson in Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, first name
4.
Orange Is the New Black star,
2 words
36. 1996 film starring Jennifer
Tilly and Gina Gershon
5.
The sound of laughter
33. Hawaiian garland
6.
Barenaked
37. "Assassin's Creed Syndicate"
character,_
Frye
24. Brittney Griner's org,
29. Unagi in a sushi bar
35. Bomber pilot in Catch-22
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
79
TLOOKtSTARS
A Flirty FestiveSeason
Mars and Venus cuddle up with Libra, creating giddy flirtations.
Get ready for some good gossip!
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Good Morning America anchor
Robin Roberts is 55 on Nov. 23
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Aries nestles in the comforts
of a special relationship now.
The mutual feelings can be
exhilarating. Will you two
shut out the rest of the world
and explore more personal
territories? Do it! Still single?
Plug into the social circuit and
see who lights up your life. Let's
hope it is not the lady wearing
the lampshade.
/'. Taurus (April 21-May 21)
SCORPIO 1/,
(Oct 24-Nov 22)
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
SAGITTARIUS1/,
(Nov 23-Dec 22) 1/,
1/,
Expect your Sagittarian 1/,
woman to be surrounded 1/,
by exotic, international gal 1/,
pals she collected on her 1/,
1/,
travels. Don't be suspicious 1/,
if she says that these spicy 1/,
compadres are really just 1/,
friends. Trust and believe her; 1/,
1/,
Sagittarians simply cannot 1/,
lie. It's simply too much 1/,
trouble to try to remember a 1/,
cover-up. 1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
Charlene
Lichtenstein
istheauthor 1/,
to Astrology1/,
of HerScopes:
A Guide
ForLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster),1/,
1/,
nowavailable
asanebook(tinyurl. 1/,
You can recognize a Scorpio
sister by her intense nature
and serious appearance.
She dresses not only to
impress but to also create a
persona. If tattoos, overalls
and jackboots are de rigueur,
she's got to have 'em. But
if she's a corporate animal,
expect some imported
power suits in her wardrobe.
And money is no object
either, cousin.
Check yourself out in the
mirror. It may be a good time
to concentrate on your health,
diet and exercise regime. While
it may be difficult to keep
temptations at bay during the
holiday season, try to temper
your cravings for sugar with
saccharine love notes, sweet
nothings in her ear or a bevy of
luscious honeys.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Get ready to party hearty this
holiday season, Gemini. The
fates conspire to turn your
moribund social life into a
festive feeding frenzy. Suddenly
you are the one to know and
show. Not a moment too soon.
You were getting too sedate
and homebound. So pick your
posse, grab your favorite gal
pals and march to the nearest
dyke bar.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
If the world won't come to you,
open up your front door and let
the world in this winter. Invite
some bosom buddies over for
an intimate evening. In fact, you
could plan a series of dinners
that are designed to open up
your nest to an entirely new
flock of birds. Just what will you
com/HerScopes).
'./ do with all those eggs, Cancer?
80
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
Leo (July 24-Aug 23)
You have a few pithy opinions
that need to be expressed,
Lioness. So why not do so this
winter when you have a power
of persuasion that is coupled
with an extra dose of charisma?
Not only will you have the
ladies eating out of your hand,
you may advance to a more
powerful position.
Virgo (Aug 24-Sept 23)
Virgos may turn their attention
to their finances this holiday
season. And that is because
they not only have many gifts
to buy, they also have their eye
on a few personal trinkets for
themselves. Be sure that you
get what and who you pay for.
In your desire to have it all, you
may find that all is not what you
expected.
Libra(Sept24-Oct23)
Don't sit at home waiting,
Libra. It's time to really think
about what and who you want
and seek your success. Your
innate charisma is a real turn
on and leads you to powerful
and influential women who can
make things happen. Very few
will be able to resist your allure.
So pour it on and see how much
your charm overflows.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
With all of the intrigue swirling
in the background, how can
a grrl concentrate? Lucky for
you, Scorpio, you have strong
powers of concentration and
focus. So take all of the cosmic
hints, yet-to-be revealed
secrets, and add a dash of
karmic payback and see how
you can exact your revenge,
undo the bad energies, and
achieve nirvana.
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 22)
There is something exciting
waiting for you in the universe
this winter. But you have
to discover it yourself by
joining a new club, group or
organization-something out
of your sphere. Expand your
social circle into a globe and
become a planet with its own
gravitational pull. You never
know what type of heavenly
bodies you will attract.
Capricorn (Dec 23-Jan 20)
You are in your element,
Capricorn. Suddenly all of
your hard work will pay off
in a meaningful way. The
powerbrokers sit up and take
notice of you and business
opportunities seem to present
themselves effortlessly. How will
you decide which is worthwhile
out of all of the delectable
choices?
Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)
Don't let events tie you too
close to home. You need a
bit of freedom and adventure
before winter comes. Start with
any longstanding legal issues
that can (finally) be resolved.
Some Aqueerians are ready for
the good and fair fight. Good
thing too, sister. I hear the jury
is Out.
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
Pisces are fish who are ready
to be fried and eaten. You are
sexy, zesty and have lots of
energy to spread around. Don't
spend your days swimming in
your own pond with the same
set of gills. Take a splashy trip
to bigger waters and see who
swims by. Will she be a rainbow
trout or a guppie? It depends
on your bait.
GET IT ON
~ Google play
2016 GLA45 AMG shown in Mountain Grey with optional equipment ©2015 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC For more information, call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES, or visit MBUSA.com.
See all items with this value
-
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NOV/DEC
2015
FEATURES
3~
A VERY DAPPER HOLIDAY
Who says L.A. is casual? Meet
the spruced up style mavens
from Sharpe Suiting.
38
DESIGNING WOMAN
An out lesbian applies her
international flair to inspirational
interior design.
SOLEMAN
Transman NiK Kacy creates
fancy footwear for androgynous
wearers.
~2
GET THE EDGE
The Verge fashion show in
Brooklyn delivered hot new
genderqueer trends.
n
SPECIAL CULTURE SECTION
Artistry, activism and identity
are the ingredients for some
cultural landmarks this year.
56
LISTEN UP, LADIES
Meet the lesbian musicians
making sound waves this year.
70
GIRLS GONE WILD
Soul Kiss films is at it again
with their most adventurous
lesbian flick yet!
72
ICE, ICE, BABY
Chill out in the Arctic Circle at
Sweden's legendary Ice Hotel.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
1
NOV/DEC
2015
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
11
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
10 LES LOOKS LIKE
Each issue we pick a lesbian
with a look and a life to match.
24 FILM
The wait is over! We finally
review Carol. Plus we take
you behind the scenes of the
most anticpated international
feature of the year, the Aussie
flick, All About E. By Lisa
Tedesco
12 BEAUTY
The best cruelty-free products
for your face and body.
14 LESBOFILE
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
By Jocelyn Voo
VIEWS
16 POLITICS
Deep thoughts and heartfelt
convictions on a different topic
each issue from our contributing politics editor. By Victoria
A. Brownworth
18 OUT IN FRONT
Meet the community leaders
who are doing us proud. By
Sheryl Kay
18 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ...
2
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
28 FOOD
Cat Cora is back at work with
a very personal and at times
hard-hitting memoir, a must
read for every culinary-inclined
lesbian. Plus we review other
fabulous foodie memoirs. By
Merryn Johns
31 DRINKS
The absolutely best and most
delicious beverages to crack
open during the festive season.
32 SEX
Allison Moon delivers an indispensible illusrated sexed book
like no other, Girl Sex 101. By
Yana Tallon-Hicks
LGBT news from across the
country. By Sassafras Lowrey
LAST LOOK
22 LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Relationship advice from our
trusted butch-femme duo.
79 CROSSWORD
Can you tame our Queer Quiz?
By Myles Mellor
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for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series. Out director Lisa
Cholodenko, who has given us some terrifically complex films, such
as High Art and The Kids Are All Right,picked up the award for
Its writer,Jane Anderson,
Outstanding Directing for OliveKitteridge.
also out, won for Outstanding Writing. OrangeIs the New Blaclis
Uzo Aduba won her second consecutive Emmy for our beloved
"Crazy Eyes:' HBO's Bessiewon four Creative Arts Emmys, and Jane
Lynch won an Emmy as Outstanding Host for NBC's Hollywood
GameNight.Viola Davis won Outstanding Lead Actress for How to
Get Away With Murder,and we've now learned that her character,
Annalise Keating, is bisexual. Marisa Tomei joins the cast of Empire
as a lesbian billionaire (how wonderful to think there are any), and
even ABC's OnceUpona Time will explore a lesbian storyline. That's
just the small screen!
The big screen is being flooded with lesbian representation this fall
and winter, too, with powerful lesbian-themed feature films including
All About E, Sand Dollars,Summer,The Girl King,Freeheld,Raven's
Touch,and of course, the long-awaited Carol.I enjoyed talking to Carol
screenwriter Phyllis Nagy for this issue, and learning of the immense
effort it took to bring this cherished lesbian novel to the screen.
And we can't forget the journey Lisa Kron took to get the Tonywinning musical Fun Home onto Broadway. As Lisa notes in her
interview on page 50, Fun Home'scommercial success strikes a blow
against "the vanquishing of lesbian visibility:'
The culture has changed, and we'vechanged it. Audiences-rather
than being titillated by an onscreen kiss that lasts a few seconds-are
welcoming characters and storylines that span seasons. We're here,
we're queer-and we're here to stay.So pass the popcorn, please.
This is our Culture issue, and in it we celebrate many of the queer
culture makers-filmmakers, fashionistas, actors, authors, advocates,
chefs, artists, and numerous out-and-proud musicians-who made a
difference this year.We celebrate Northampton, Mass., and Michfest,
those hotbeds of lesbian culture. And since this issue coincides with
the Holidays, I hope you find time to curl up somewhere cozy with
Curveand enjoy the fruits of our lesbian labors. What a wonderful
year it's been!
Queering the Culture
s our friends at GLAAD know, "Words and Images
Matter;' or so their tagline goes. But as hard as that mediamonitoring watchdog works, and as much as we at Curve
put our creation proudly into the mainstream with every issue, it's
sometimes hard to know if we're making real and lasting impact.
2015 delivered the sad news of the passing of many lesbian cultural
figures, the closing of lesbian bars, and the final year of Michfest, and
yet, expressions oflesbian culture and identity persist.
At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in September, when
GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis was interviewed on
the red carpet, she noted that 2015 was a milestone year for LGBT
representation in TV.
"We really need to accelerate acceptance in this country, and TV
is such a great way to do it;' she said. Turns out it was a jackpot year
for queer women. Transparentcreator Jill Soloway won the Emmy
A
~·
MERZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
NOTEO.RtONG! With hundreds of solos on every one of our vacations, you have
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MEGAN VOLPERT
Megan is the author of six books on communication and popular
culture, including two Lambda Literary Award finalists. Her next
work is 1976 (Sibling Rivalry Press,2016), a collection of essays
on punk spirit during the Bicentennial. She writes regularly for
PopMatters and Atlanta INtown, and edited the American Library
Association-honored anthology This assignment is so gay: LGBTIQ
Poets on the Art of Teaching. Visit meganvolpert.com.
C
j
.D
0
a:
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
NOV/DEC
2015
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
» VOLUME
25 NUMBER
6
PUBLISHERSilke Bader
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFMerryn Johns
SENIORCOPY EDITOR Katherine Wright
CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS Melanie Barker, Kathy Beige,
Marcie Bianco, Victoria A. Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Sheryl Kay, Gillian Kendall, Dave
Steinfeld, Jocelyn Voo
PROOFREADER
Tiffany Ceridwen Lowana
EDITORIAL
ASSISTANTSLisa Tedesco, Annalese Davis
VICTORIA BOND
OPERATIONS
Victoria is a New York based writer who has contributed to The
Guardian, The New Republic, Al Jazeera America, The Huffington
Post, and Ebony.com, among others. Co-author of the novel
for children Zora and Me, she received the American Library
Association's Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New
Talent. Victoria has also been nominated for The Mystery Writers of
America's Edgar Award. Follow Victoria on Twitter @waytogobitch.
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONSJeannie Sotheran
ADVERTISING
NATIONALSALES
Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021, todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTORBruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCAL MEDIA
MANAGEREmma Cornish
INTERNSLucy Doyle, Erika Tamm, Lex Giggs
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
JULIE R. ENSZER
Julie is a scholar and a poet. Her book A Fine Bind is a history of
lesbian-feminist presses 1969-2009. She is the author of Sisterhood
and Handmade Love, and editor of Milk & Honey. A Celebration of
Jewish Lesbian Poetry, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in
Lesbian Poetry. She has her MFA and PhD from the University of
Maryland. She is also the editor of Sinister Wisdom, a lesbian literary
and art journal. Read more of Julie's work at julierenszer.com.
Melany Joy Beck, Jenny Block, Kelsy Chauvin, Jill Goldstein,
Kristin Flickinger, Gillian Kendall, Kim Hoffman, Francesca
Lewis, Charlene Lichtenstein, Tiffany Ceridwen Lowana,
Sassafras Lowrey, Kelly McCartney, Emelina Minero, Laurie
K. Schenden, Stephanie Schroeder, Janelle Sorenson,
Rosanna Rios-Spicer, Stella & Lucy, Yana Tallon-Hicks,
Sarah Toce
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
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BECK LEWIS
Beck is an FTM who has always known the difference between
being a tomboy and being a boy. Upon stumbling across YouTube
videos of other transgender men, Beck found the peace he had
been searching for. He has been documenting his transition on
YouTube and has shared his story in several LGBTQ newspapers
with hopes to continue to educate, open minds, and assist others
who are struggling with coming to terms with who they truly are.
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FEEDBACK
I became an instant fan. When
I read Nikki's story I began
to think seriously about my
own breast health. I performed
my first self examine and also
due to Nikki's advice I have
scheduled my first mammo~
gram appointment. Thank you,
Nikki and Jill (everyday rock
stars)! Long Live Love!
- Kelley G., ForestvilleMD.
FABULOUS AND FIT
LET'S BEAT THIS!
It was brave of these survivors
and their loved ones to
share their stories in such a
transparent manner ["Survi~
vors' Stories;' V.25#5]. Their
strength and courage to fight
this awful illness is heroic.
How I loved the Fitness Issue
of Curve.Sometimes I feel that
all the healthy and physical
women in our community
don't get their due, especially
some of our best athletes. I
was glued to every page of
this magazine, which I think
is one of your best issues yet.
Although I could definitely
spend more time at the gym
and less time with the cookie
jar, I never once felt talked
down to by the articles in this
issue. Instead I felt motivated
and inspired to get fit.
- Nancy Gallo,Plant City FL.
A SPORTING CHANCE
It's a crime that women's sport
doesn't get more coverage,
recognition, or financial
reward in this country. Thank
you for your celebratory piece
on the U.S. Women's Soccer
Team [V.25#5, "The Win~
ning Team'']. I just loved the
pictures that captured such a
moment. What great girls, a
credit to their country, and not
bad to look at, either. Abby
Wambach is my dream girl!
GETTING BEHIND GREECE
Thank you for your supportive
article on Athens [V.25#5,
'J\bsolutely Athens"]. I am a
British lesbian with a house
on the island of Lesbos and,
as if the financial crisis was
not enough, we are in crisis
again with thousands upon
thousands of refugees from
Syria and Afghanistan fleeing
and landing on Lesbos (on a
clear day you can see Turkey).
Our tourism and businesses
are suffering and will continue
to do so unless we all pitch in
and settle these people in Ath~
ens and other European cities.
Thank you for your support.
Don't give up on paradise.
- SophieM., Suffolk, UK.
- M. King, Cleveland,OH.
~:;:E:::~:~
~~~~:;::~::~::·
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1.1:
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Plan a vacation somewhere warm
4,2%
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Find a girl to get cozy with
Start saving for the silly season
30~o
Make myself a cocktail
I:::.
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11
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here's to happily ever after.
Come in-store to get your free tote and howbook~ our registry guide that's
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~ shaking it and who's faking it in lesboland.
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BY MELANIE
BARKER
~
At The Emmy Awards, out
writer-directors Jill Soloway,
Lisa Cholodenko and Jane
Anderson walk away with
prizes for Transparent and
Olive Kitteridge
Vogue continues to cover
lesbians and queer women,
this time super chefs
Gabrielle Hamilton and
Ashley Merriman in love
A UK medic tells TV
presenter Sue Perkins
that she is infertile but
"You're a lesbian so it's
easier
Fox's new series, Rosewood
features a cute and committed
lesbian couple, Pippy and Tara
Cancer, you
sucklNancy
Bernstein,
Dream Works
exec and
producer of Lord
of the Rings and
X-Men dies of
cancerat55
Those Demi
Lovato-Selena
Gomez-Ruby
Rose hookup
rumors to sell
albums. Nice try
honeys, but do
we care?
NORARY
MELESBIAN
BERSHIP
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Lilith St.
Augustine,
erotica author,
pens Kim Goes
to Jail. An Erotic
Story to parody
homophobic
bigot and
Kentucky county
clerk Kim Davis
Lesbian punk
poet Eileen
Myles finally
gets media
recognition
after 20 books,
including I Must
Be Living Twice
and the reissue
of Chelsea Girls
w
::,
Out lesbian Dawn
Airey appointed
CEO of Getty
Images; lesbian
artist Nicole
Eisenman wins
MacArthur "genius
Grant"
Australian hit TV show Neighbours
character, Steph Scully, is
reintroduced, this time as a lesbian
Hattie Mandahla Rose in
the excellent lezzie Aussie
road flick, All About E
Amy Schumer
continues her selfpromoting public
flirtation with
A-List females,
from Jennifer
Lawrence to
Madonna
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NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
11
TRENDS/
BEAUTY
Iloliday Ilelpers
BEAUTYPRODUCTSTHAT NOT ONLY WORK,THEY'REDELICIOUSLYFESTIVE.
Sugar and SJ>iccand \JI rlbing__~
Nice
Cranberry Crush
Brenda Brock continues to trail blaze the "green" beauty scene with
Farmaesthetics' Cinnamon Girl, the ultimate sweet treat for your body
this fall. Begin with Sweet Soy, Geranium & Rose Bath Beauty Oil to
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Petals are to be added to your bathtub, imparting their beneficial
properties. If you don't like floaties in your tub, make a cup of tea out
of them-they're edible and organic! What a great gift idea or at-home
splurge for the self. ($39, farmaesthetics.com)
The flavor of Christmas, on your face-what a great ideal We loved this
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in Cranberry Orange scent by Jan Marini Skin Research. This rich,
delicious-smelling, gentle, but clinical-strength resurfacer immediately
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meet friends and family for the busy and social holiday season. And
this gorgeously gooey exfoliator may smell like cranberry orange cake
dough, but one of the secret ingredients is actually green papaya I ($85
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butter, deeply nourishing goat milk and aromatherapeutic Peru balsam
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LES
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FILE
IT'S FALL, AND OUR FAVORITECELESBIANSARE KEEPINGTHEIR COOL.
BY JOCELYN VOO
• O'NEAL'S DEAL
These days, it seems like every
young female celebrity is either
actively dating or has admitted to
fooling around with other women.
At first blush, Tatum O'Neal doesn't
seem to have any overlap. What
does an Academy Award-winning
Brittney Griner:baby mama drama over?
actress in her 50s, who's famously
dated Michael Jackson in the '70s
• CHANGING HER TUNE
and later married tennis legend
WNBA superstars
When Miley Cyrus was spotted ca-
John McEnroe, have in common
Glory Johnson and Brittney Griner
vorting around town with Victoria's
were embroiled in some serious baby
Secret
• FOUL PLAY
Last we
heard,
model
Stella Maxwell,
bed-
and
gender-hopping
20-somethings? A lot, it seems.
for the
O'Neal tells Harper's Bazaar that
mama drama, with the pair announc-
took
ing Johnson's pregnancy in May, only
Internet
that the pair
after her divorce, she went on her
a month after getting
were an item. But the singer is now
first date with a woman and, in her
then Griner filing for an annulment
setting the record (for the lack of
words, she "knew that [she] was
the very next day due to alleged infi-
a better word) straight: "I'm 22, I'm
interested in women, but [she]
delity. Since then Johnson was suing
going on dates, but I change
was a little uncomfortable with it"
her ex for $20K in monthly financial
style every two weeks, let alone
However, now in her 50s and finally
support,
who
reflecting about this revelation from
hitched,
and
since her season with the
all of two seconds
with
it
to declare
I'm with," she told
my
Elle UK.
Tulsa Shock was put on hold. But a
Yup, it's not that she doesn't want
two decades prior, "now I'm clean
judge has ruled that, nope, a month
to be linked with a lady-it's
that
and aware and alive and interested
of wedlock
she doesn't want to be tied down,
in the world, saying, 'Dating women
cash in this case. This may be the
label-wise.
Spoken
is exciting to me, and this is turning
end of the season for this basketball
Millennial;
we're just
saga ... at least until baby gets here.
the hashtag.
doesn't
equal stacks of
like
a
waiting
true
for
meon
As O'Neal has been exploring
the female dating pool, the media,
in response, has been going nuts,
even so far as linking her with Rosie
•AN
W PAGE
O'Donnell, though O'Donnell has
Amid the numerous screenings at September's
shot this idea down. "What's new for
Toronto International
me is figuring out how beautiful and
one particularly
Film Festival, there was
Ellen Page
honest women can be with each
artist and
other and how there's a different
Thomas. Page, who was
closeness than you'll have with any
special
and her new girlfriend,
surfer Samantha
debut:
multimedia
there to premiere her latest film, Freehe/d,told
man," O'Neal tells Bazaar."I hope I'll
E! News, "Walking down the carpet holding
inspire women to experiment more
special." And
and try dating women if they want
why tonight,
my girlfriend's
of all nights, to unveil her new
hand is pretty
to. If I can help a little girl who feels
relationship?
The best possible answer: "I'm
14
CURVE
trapped to come out-oh, my gosh,
EllenPage:hearts SamanthaThomas
in love."
NOV/DEC
2015
that would mean the world to me."
TRENDstSHE
SAID
was so nice and
made me feel so welcome.
The funny thing though was
when I showed up, the very first
scene we have to be in our underwear!
So, basically it was like, 'Welcome, now
please take your clothes off.'"
Jeanna Han on her experience as
an andro Asian lesbian on the
set of Scream Queens to
AfterEllen.com
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NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
15
A Ilome JOrthe Ilolidays
How a sense of place sustains the LGBT spirit.
BY VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
My wife and I have a new house. It's
hard to explain how for 16 years we have
lived in separate houses, but we have.
Neither of us wanted to move. She lived
in town, I lived in one of our city's many
ethnic neighborhoods. For all those years,
she has felt displaced in my house as I have
in hers, because these were the houses we
lived in with our previous long~term part~
ners. Always looming over both places
was the underlying feeling that they still
belonged to the exes, even though, really,
they didn't.
But now we have our own house, with
rooms painted the colors we chose togeth~
er ( the dining room is a deep, warm red
called "dinner party") and a kitchen we
built together, with a fabulous stove that
16
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
has a grill in the center, because we both
love to cook. I have never owned a dish~
washer or clothes dryer, always washing
my dishes by hand and hanging my clothes
outside to dry. Our new house has both.
My wife is an artist and a college art pro~
fessor. Her studio is big and bright, with
the natural light she needs to paint. It's
also an inviting space she can bring clients
to. It's different from her studio in townthat room has a panoramic view of the city
from the third floor of her row house. But
we both have made compromises.
My compromise is that my new studio
has a window that opens onto a brick wall.
Not lovely. But also not distracting. For
years I have worked cross~legged on my
bed, laptop on my lap. That almost led
to my death from a pulmonary embolism
(see last issue), so I had to break that habit
or risk my life. My new studio has a good
chair, a small desk, and the ubiquitous
bookcases. It is serene.
We have a fireplace in the living room.
I haven't had a fireplace since I was in my
20s and living in a historic trinity with
fireplaces on each floor. Pigeons regularly
fell into the flue, and it was always a race to
get to them before my two cats did. Once
a squirrel came down. That was quite a
drama, but we all got out of it alive. An~
other time, an unlucky bat came down. We
held a small funeral for him. This chimney
has a grate over it. No birds, no bats, no
squirrels.
The fireplace means that this Christ~
VIEWS/
mas the stockings will be "hung by the
chimney with care;' as one of my mother's
great~great~great~uncles once wrote in ''A
Visit From St. Nicholas" (better known as
"'Twas the Night Before Christmas"). The
new house means a Christmas tree and a
menorah and, best of all, a big dining room
table where we can entertain guests.
Thanksgiving will be our unveiling of
the house. For the past decade, we have
gone elsewhere for this holiday-my sis~
ter's, her brother's. They were lovely holi~
days, but they never felt like our own. This
year will be like our first Thanksgiving to~
gether, 16 years ago-intimate
and magi~
cal. And lesbian.
It was Thanksgiving when I was ban~
ished from my parents' house. I had been
revealed to be a lesbian when I was ex~
pelled from my all~girls high school for
being a "bad moral influence" on all the
other girls (even though no one thought to
dismiss the lesbian teachers who had been
there since my mother was a student, more
than 20 years earlier). That Thanksgiving
was fraught and angry, and my mother,
who always sat me next to her at the end
of the table because I was lefr~handed and
she didn't want me jostling other guests,
had slapped me in front of everyone and
called me a name unprintable in any news~
paper or magazine.
I left home. I was exiled. It would be
more than 20 years before I would again
be at a Thanksgiving with my parents.
Many LGBT people have stories like
this. Perhaps not as violent, perhaps more.
But many of my LGBT friends have fam~
ilies from whom the truth of their lives
must be at best withheld, at worst hidden.
These are the margins within which
many of us live. It is not a comfortable or
an easy space.
In the years when I wasn't speaking to
my parents, I created a holiday for the
dispossessed among my friends-the
les~
bians who had been banished from their
families of origin or for whom going home
was too painful, too emotionally disrup~
tive. Those were lovely holidays, as the
photographs show. We were convivial, we
were loving, and most of all, we were safe.
And yet, at the time, I know I was strug~
gling. Some years, I felt lost and depressed
and empty-I felt as if I would never have
the kind of family that straight people had.
It took me a long time to realize that we
all make our own families, and none looks
quite like the next. The Rockwellian holi~
day we all grew up trying to emulate was
no more or less real than my holiday table
packed with lesbians.
As I contemplate this Thanksgiving
in our new home, I think about how im~
portant it is for us, as LGBT people, to be
safe at the holidays, to understand that we
must create safe spaces for ourselves where
we can be loved unconditionally. Loved
I LEFT HOME. I
WAS EXILED. IT
WOULD BE MORE
THAN 20 YEARS
BEFORE I WOULD
AGAIN BE AT A
THAN l<SGIVING
WITH MY
PARENTS.
''
unconditionally the way we are supposed
to be loved by our families of origin, not
made to feel like outsiders looking into a
world we can never truly be part 0£
Not everyone will walk away from those
families, the way I did for more than 20
years. Not everyone can or even wants to.
But what we must do is consider ourselves
first. Black radical lesbian theorist Audre
Lorde called self~care a revolutionary act
for lesbians, and she was right. We are of
ten trying to fit ourselves into the spaces
POLI ICS
others make for us, and the fit is often dis~
comfiting at best, painful at worst.
When Pope Francis visited my city in
September, he spoke about diverse fami~
lies. He said there was often the "throwing
of plates:' He alluded to his own conflicts
at home-he
was partly raised by his
grandmother, his abuela.
The pope also said about families, and
the metaphor of family, "In my own home,
do we shout, or do we speak to each other
with love and tenderness? That's a good
way of measuring our love:'
I would add this: Do we make a safe
space for ourselves and those we love? Be~
cause more than anything, LGBT people
need to feel safe, respected, held in that
love and tenderness the pope spoke of.
I want my new home-our
new
home-to
be a space of love and ten~
derness, a space of safety from the out~
side world, which is still so rife with
homophobia, bigotry, and of course, mi~
sogyny.
I want our new home to be open to
our friends, our lesbian family, as a place
where they can feel safe and loved.
To make a safe space for ourselves
doesn't require a new home. Lesbian
feminist poet and theorist Adrienne
Rich wrote, "There must be those among
whom we can sit down and weep and still
be counted as warriors:'
This holiday season, make a safe place
for yourselves. Make Thanksgiving a
day for which you can truly give thanks.
Make Christmas, Hanukkah, Solsticewhatever you celebrate-a holiday of in~
vitation to love and tenderness, to sharing
and giving, to weeping as warriors, for we
are all warriors, those of us who are 0th~
er, those of us who are on the margins.
We will be happy this Thanksgiving,
with our lesbian family in our lesbian
home. We will open our door and wel~
come those we love. And we will send
them back out into the world-the
straight world that is still so unwelcom~
ing of us-shielded
by that love and
tenderness. Because that is the mea~
sure of our love for our lesbian family
and our lesbian selves-for
which we
give thanks. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
17
st PROFILE
Dawn Hancock
>>Chicago
Designand Community
She'sbeen called a troublemakerand a bleeding heart.
Designerby trade, do-gooder by choice, Dawn Hancock,
founder and managing director of FirebellyDesignin
Chicago, has successfullycreated a corporate culture with
an underlyinggoal of makingthe world (or at least her local
community) a better place.
"It'snever been about the money for me,"saysHancock.
"I realizedearly on that focusingon the quality of the work
and the reasonfor doing it was way more important to me
than how much we were paid. Of course,we have to pay our
employees,and the rent, and all those other expenses,so it's
not that we don't care about money at all-we're just smart
about the work we select."
Grant for Good is one of Hancock'sbrilliantoutreach
programs.As a way to create real change within an organization, Grant for Good providesa lucky nonprofitwith the
opportunity to reinventitselfthrough the servicesof seven
different companies for an entire year,for free. This includes
everythingfrom organizationaldevelopment to social media
strategyto a reconfiguredoffice space.
"We had previouslybeen designing piecemeal projects,
never really making an impact,"she says."The yearlong grant
offersan incrediblechance to truly make a difference for a
The program'srecent grantee is PlantChicago, an organizationfocused on new models for energy conservation,
food production,and waste re-use,as well as the benefitsof
circulareconomies. Hancock saysthe work PlantChicago is
doing is vital to creating a sustainablefuture for us all.
Beinga lesbianin the design world has been a pretty
neutral experience. "The only people it matters to are other
queers;' she says."I think they like knowingthere is a lesbian
leading a thoughtful design practice like Firebelly."
Hancock has also served as Community Outreach chair
for the American Instituteof Graphic Arts (AIGA)Chicago,
where she created a mentorship program to encourage a more active collaborationacrossthe local design
"I feel in my soul that I am here to help others;'she says.
"Whether it'sas simple as sayinghello to someone livingon
the street, or creating opportunitiesfor studentsto come together over a 10-day summer camp, what I have experienced
is people just want to be seen, heard, and, most importantly,
loved:' BySherylKay
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community.
NOV/DEC
2015
AN
OUT
LESBIAN
HIGH
SCHOOL
STUDENT
1nChesnee, S.C., was suspended after wearing a "Nobody
Knows I'm a Lesbian" T-shirt to school. Briana Popour said
she's worn the shirt before without 1nc1dent,but on that day
was removed from class and told 1twas "d1srupt1ve"and violated the school's dress code. Popour approached school
administrators, saying that nothing in the student handbook
forbade students from expressing their sexual orientation, but
when she refused to cover her shirt, or change 1t,she was suspended. After rece1v1nga letter from Lambda Legal, Chesnee
High School Principal Thomas Ezell agreed to allow Popour to
wear the T-shirt.
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DENICIA
MACKLIN,
a 26•year olc
African-American lesbian 1nNew
York City, has sued the coffee chain
Dunkin' Donuts, claiming that as
an employee she was harassed by
managers and coworkers because
of her gender, race, and sexual
orientation Macklin quit the Job
after she was groped by colleagues,
sprayed with an air freshener, and
called a boy because she didn't
dress 1na traditionally fem1n1neway
Mackl1n'slawsuit asks for lost wages,
plus damages and names former
~~~~~'.e~~n~~,"~~~~~,:~i~he
• THE
DISTRICT
COURT
OF
APPEALS
in KansasCity, Mo, ruled
that a lesbian who had planned to
raise twin children with her longterm partner can seek custody of
the children, now that the partners
have separated The woman
seeking custody 1srepresented
by the National Center for Lesbian
Rights The ex-couple's twins
were conceived through donor
1nsem1nat1on,
and the children were
raised by both women for more
than nine years When the couple
separated, the b1olog1calmother
kept her former partner from seeing
the children This Appeals Court
ruling overturns an earlier ruling that
non-b1olog1calparents could not
seek custody
• MAVIS
AMPONSAH,
a Ghanaian
c1t1zenand a lesbian, entered Israel
on a tourist visa and then filed for
pol1t1calasylum Amponsah says that
in Ghana she and her partner were
assaulted on two occasions and
threatened by community members,
;;,~~~a,~s::~:~a ~sh~:s~=~I:
'~:~'.stry
of the Interior and an advisory
committee on refugees reJected
her asylum appl1cat1on,saying that
Amponsah had "chosen to adopt a
lesbian lifestyle" and c1t1ngevidence
that she had supposedly been 1na
previous relat1onsh1pwith a man
They also argued that she hadn't
"acted" on her "alleged preference"
since arriving 1nIsrael Amponsah's
partner remains 1nGhana
Historically, Israel has claimed to
be one of the few havens for LGBT
people seeking asylum in the Middle
East By SassafrasLowrey
TRACI DINWIDDIE
Paid Adverlorial
(Photo Credit: Chris Stewarl)
LOVE WARRIOR IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS
T
a fully-supported ride, and there was (and
still is) an entire season of training, and
Training Ride Leaders who guided me
through the entire process. I learned how
to clip in and out of my pedals, change a
tire, call out hazards, and ride with the safest crew all over the streets of Los Angeles.
What started out as little weekend 20-milers turned into 100+ mile rides and a whole
new confidence in myself. It is greatly empowering to know that I could ride my bike
anywhere, all day!
bicycle)! The Ride is fully-supported by
the kindest people on Earth, also known
as "Rockin' Roadies". Most importantly,
HIV/AIDS is still an issue that needs our
attention. I truly believe we can end this
pandemic in our lifetime. It takes funds,
commitment, awareness, and love warriors
to break down stigma so people can talk
about it and get the help they need.
What in the world possessed you to ride
your bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles?
How many times have you done this?
Why do it more than once?
AIDS/LifeCycle had been on my
RADAR for several years before I took
the leap to join. My spiritual mentor had
been a long-time "Roadie" on this ride, and
she sang its praises to me often. Another
tipping point was losing a dear friend to
AIDS-related illnesses in 2012. I have so
many sober friends who are HIV positive,
and I wanted to give back. An added plus
was the opportunity to learn how to be a
cyclist, and elevate my fitness for an amazing cause!
This year will be my 4th time participating in AIDS/LifeCycle. The love and
support within this special community is
staggering. I've had the extreme joy of witnessing first-time HIV positive participants
find peace with themselves among us. It's
deeply touching, and I can't imagine not
being a part of this "love bubble". Your
own broken pieces are mended by being
a healing source for others. If you're like
me, you will want to come back again and
again.
There are still Cyclist seats open for
people who live in Southern California, but
anyone can join the Ride as a Roadie or
Virtual Cyclist. I have had teammates join
from over 26 countries. Some are Roadies
(those who come on the ride to volunteer
their help) and some have been amazing
Virtual Cyclists who have created their
own personal fitness challenges to help
raise funds and awareness for those living
with HIV/AIDS. Last year my team, Team
Goodisness, raised over a quarter of a million dollars!
Do you have to be an avid cyclist to do
this ride?
Why this ride?
raci Dinwiddie is the star of the
popular lesbian film "Elena Undone", as well as the star of "Raven's Touch" and "Stuff', both of
which premiered this summer. Traci is also
known for her Youtube Moustache Monday videos, and the 7-day, 545-mile bike
ride she takes each year from San Francisco to Los Angeles to help end AIDS. We
sat down with Traci to talk about that ride:
AIDS/LifeCycle.
I was not a cyclist when I began my
AIDS/LifeCycle adventure. Luckily, it's
The safety values of AIDS/LifeCycle
are impeccable. The west coast terrain is
gorgeous (especially when viewed from a
How would someone who is interested in joining you on AIDS/LifeCycle do
that?
Tojoin Traci, visit
www.aidslifecycle.org/register
and use discount code: JOINTRACI for
$25 off of registration!
I-1esbiaa"'in India
Queer Indian women act on love and desire in the digital age.
BY PALLAVI BHATTACHARYA
n 2013, a TV commercial in India for
Titan Fastrack wristwatches shows two
young women stumbling out of a pink
wardrobe, adjusting their clothes, and
checking the time on their watches. The ad
ends with the tagline "Come out of the dos~
er:' The closet door opened even wider when
Myntra.com, an Indian e~commerce fashion
company, launched its 2015 commercial "The
Visit:' It depicts a lesbian couple gearing up
to meet one of the girls' parents. Longhaired
Yamini is putting on Myntra apparel and ap~
plying makeup. Shorthaired Tanaz wakes
from a nap, goes to take a shower, and then
enters wearing the traditional apparel favored
by women of an older generation. "I want
your mother to like me;' Tanaz says. The ad
ends with Yamini declaring that she's sure of
their relationship and can't go on hiding it.
'The Visit'' went viral, eliciting both
positive and homophobic comments. Its pro~
ducer, Avishek Ghosh, says, 'The film deals
with situations and moments that are not
usually discussed very openly in Indian soci~
ety. But the fact is that they exist, and women
do go through these issues. The whole con~
cept developed by the team from Ogilvy &
Mather, Bangalore, was to bring the woman
I
20
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
wearing ethnic wear out from the preconceived
notion of what's prevalent in our society and
position her as someone who is outgoing,
bold-someone who makes decisions for her~
self and deals with the situations that she faces:'
The ad was praised for transcending sexu~
ality and depicting a couple seeking parental
approval. Ghosh says, "We treated the film
as two people in love and in a relationship,
primarily, and that's the essence of the story.'
MEETTHE PARENTS
Just how Yamini's parents will react when
she reveals her sexual orientation is left to the
imagination in "The Visit:' Indian parents re~
spond variously when a daughter comes out
to them: some accept it; others come around
after an initial shock; some ostracize their child
or cut her out of their will; others might coerce
their daughter into marrying a man, under the
delusion that it'll 'cure'' her of homosexuality.
Parents have also been known to try pills and
potions, sacred chants, aura healing, occult
rituals, and other "spiritual" means-falsely
hoping that something can change lesbians
into heterosexuals. Recently, some quacks
have used electric shock, medicines that in~
duce seizure, and hormonal therapy to treat
homosexuality. Some parents might actually
resort to physical violence and corrective rape.
Sonal Giani, advocacy manager at
Hamsafar Trust, a nonprofit organization in
Mumbai that fights for LGBT rights, says,"For
an Indian woman to convince her family re~
garding her sexuality may be tough. However,
if there's the backing of a trust, the task may
be much easier. The social worker first asks
parents what they think of homosexuality.
Non~acceptance stems from the ignorance
parents suffer from. When we explain the sit~
uation logically to them, they come around:'
Because premarital sex isn't common in
India, explains Giani, "parents erroneously
think that because their daughter hasn't ex~
perienced man~woman intimacy before, she
is hesitating over it. Some lesbians are so de~
pressed that they feel suicidal,as they can't bear
to think of the ordeal they'll have to undergo
post~marriage. Some lesbian couples perform
joint suicide, as they hope that they'll be able
to be together after death:' Giani notes that
some parents file kidnapping charges if their
daughter elopes with her lesbian partner.
Hamsafar Trust has helped lesbians trapped
in a straight marriage to get out. "These
women haven't married with the deliber~
ate intention to ruin a man's life;' Giani says.
"We've counseled both the husband and wife
to deal with the situation and get a divorce:'
Giani, who is bisexual, also went through
some degree of parental opposition. She met
her first girlfi-iend in college. Both of them
unfortunately became the butt of ridicule
as people put up their pictures all over the
campus, questioning whether they were a ho~
mosexual couple. Consequently, Giani spiraled
into depression. She later moved to Mumbai,
a cosmopolitan city that is more open~mind~
ed toward homosexuality. Initially,she started
giving interviews to publications using a false
name. Then she started using her real name.
In 2013, she and her girlfi-iendappeared on
national television.She recallsthat she received
hundreds of emails in support of her and just
one homophobic message. She now won~
ders why she was fearful about coming out.
AJ. Hariharan, secretary of the Indian
Community Welfare Organiation, Chennai's
lesbian helpline, says,"Some moralistic callers
chide us for what we do. Others call asking
what homosexuality is all about. At times,
husbandHo~be call asking us if there's any
way they can find out if their fiancee is a les~
bian. Anxious parents call, suspecting that
their daughters are lesbians. They often
think that once a daughter marries and has
v1Ews1ISSU
a baby, she'll forgo homosexual inclinations:'
The most barbaric forms of parental hin~
drance are corrective rape and honor killings
(murdering a family member who is perceived
to have tarnished the family's reputation).
Deepthi Tadanki, who is working on a feature
film about corrective rape, says,"Parents, sadly,
don't view it as brutality. Rather, they see it as a
duty, as they regard homosexuality as an abnor~
mality.They feel that it's their responsibility to
set their child on the right track. They generally
get a familymember to rape the girl,as they don't
want anyone outside the family to know about
the girl'ssexual orientation. Most of the victims
don't want to register a police complaint. It is,
after all,their family that is the perpetrator, and
they are inhibited to go against their blood kin:'
IN RURALINDIA
Giani says that instances of lesbian suicide
are higher in rural India than in cities because
the rural folk have less information on the
LGBT movement. However, Maya Sharma,
who is an activist working with the women's
group Vikalp (formed in 1996 to fight do~
mestic violence and discrimination against
women in Gujarat, India) and the author of
the book Loving Women: Being Lesbian in
UnprivilegedIndia, feels that rural folk aren't
thoroughly ignorant. She claims that alternate
sexual preferences are included in some tra~
ditional folklore. "Occasionally,we have seen
parental approval in deep rural areas;' she says.
Of course, anti~homosexual views are also
prevalent in the countryside. "Ofi:en, stigma
and silenceprevail over such relationships.This
necessitates cover~ups over one's sexual pref~
erence. More than ignorance, it is looking the
other way, or a tacit denial of same~sexlovi'
Vikalp has helped to spread awareness of
homosexuality in rural India, says Sharma.
"It's been through community organizing,
making interventions in crises, supporting
couples in ways they think would be best for
them. The growing queer movement has cer~
tainly made it possible to talk of same~sex
love more openly than before, with campaigns
even taking to the streets in rural areas:'
LEGALLYSPEAKING
Manusmriti, an ancient Indian legaltext written
between the second century BCE and the third
century AD, meted out these punishments for
lesbianism:"Ifa female virgin has homosexual~
ity [with] another female virgin, she should be
fined 200 [pennies],be made to pay double [the
girl's]bride~price,and receiveten whip [lashes].
But if a [mature] woman does it to a female
virgin, her head should be shaved immediately
or two of her fingers should be cut off, and she
should be made to ride on a donkey in publiC:'
And yet, homoerotic encounters certain~
ly occur in Hindu mythology, with Hindu
gods even being in same~sex relationships.
The Krittivasi version of the Hindu epic
Ramayana contains the tale of two queens
conceiving an infant together. Ancient Indian
sculptures also have homosexual themes.
It was in 1860, in British~ruled India, that
Lord Macaulay introduced Section 377 of the
Indian Penal Code declaring penile non~vagi~
nal intercourse a punishable offence.However,
"non~penile penetration is not forbidden un~
der the law, thereby excluding sex between
two women from the ambit of criminal law;'
notes Amritananda Chakravorty, senior legal
officer at the Lawyers Collective,India. "Since
1860, no lesbian couple has been pronounced
guilty,since they are not covered under the law:'
Nevertheless, Sonal Giani adds, "Though
lesbian sex isn't illegal, when a law like IPC
377 comes into place, it becomes socially
non~acceptingfor a lesbian woman. Lower lev~
el police officers like the constables, who don't
understand the technicalities of the law, may
avail [themselves] of this to harass lesbians:'
And while the former Law Commission
Chairman Justice A.P. Shah delivered a his~
toric judgment at the Delhi High Court in
2009, reading down IPC 377, thereby decrim~
inalizing homosexual acts in private between
consenting adults, the Supreme Court oflndia
quashed that verdict in December 2013, plac~
ing an obstacle in the way of LGBT rights.
MAKING LESBIANFAMILY
Legally, a lesbian can become a mother.
Amritananda Chakravorty says, "In India,
a woman can have a child outside of mar~
riage. There is no legal bar, and the courts
have increasingly recognized the right of
unwed mothers. Besides, a single woman,
whether she is a lesbian or not, can become
the mother of a child through surrogacy, ar~
tificial insemination, and adoption in India.
But a lesbian couple will not be able to adopt:'
Unwed mothers are, however, prone to
social stigma in India. Many gynecologists re~
fuse to help lesbians and single women have
biologicalkids on moral grounds. Giani points
out that in the case of adoption by a lesbian,
social workers may take the child away, with
the excuse that he or she isn't in the right en~
vironment. Chakravorty clarifies, "A single
mother, irrespective of her sexual orientation,
can be the sole guardian of her child and the
''
SOME LESBIAN
COUPLES
PERFORM
JOINT SUICIDE/
AS THEY HOPE
THAT THEY LL
BE ABLE TO
BE TOGETHER
AFTER DEATH.
1
''
school cannot discriminate against her child on
the grounds of her marital status. Further, The
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009, has been enacted by
the Parliament, which obligates the appro~
priate government and the local authority to
ensure that the children belonging to a disad~
vantaged group are not discriminated against
and prevented from pursuing and complet~
ing elementary education on any grounds:'
The reality is that many schools are biased
against single mothers, and if the school learns
that the child has a lesbian parent, it may
choose not to admit the child, without giving
a valid reason. The child may also be teased
and find it tough to make friends. Chakravorty
argues that, "In terms of same~sex marriage
and adoption in India, one cannot really pre~
diet the time span [of rights progress], but
decriminalization of adult homosexual acts
is critical for the advancement of same~sex
couples' rights to marry, adopt, inherit a part~
ner's property, etc. Though lesbians are not
covered under Section 377, there is no legal
recognition of lesbian relationships in India:'
Nevertheless, lesbian dating goes on:
Facebook groups aimed at lesbians and bi~cu~
rious women, and some lesbian dating sites
exist for this purpose. Meeting a partner at
a party or social gathering is another option,
but might not suit those without good social
skills. Sonal Giani says that many of the les~
bians who call the Humsafar helpline want to
find a partner, and that support groups can be
comfortable spaces in which to meet women.•
For more information on LGBTrights in India
go to humsafar.org.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
21
Feeling <JockJJ
Should I have a threesome with a man?
BY LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick:
I am a lesbian and my girlfriend, Tanya, is bisexual. We've
been together for almost a year and both of us feel like
we're in this for the long haul. We get along great in every
aspect of our relationship and have a really good sex life.
However, Tanya recently expressed that she misses having
sex with men and has asked me if I would consider the two
of us having an intimate encounter with a man. I really don't
know how to feel or react. I love her and want to respect her
identity, her desires and fantasies. But I'm afraid this may
have a negative impact on our relationship. I have never had
a sexual experience with a man and have no idea what to
expect, if I will enjoy myself or become uncomfortable.
-Concerned About the C*ck
WE DON'T ALWAYS
GET EVERYTHING
WE WANT
ESPECIALLY WHEN
0TH ER PEOPLE'S
HEARTS ARE
INVOLVED WHEN
WE CHOOSE A
MONOGAMOUS
RELATIONSHIP
WITH SOMEONE,
WE DON'T GET TO
HAVE SEX WITH
0TH ER PEOPLE
''
Dipstick: You're going to hate it. Watching
Lipstick: True that! There is some
Dipstick: I can't eat gluten anymore because
Tanya snog a guy is going to make you want
serious trouble in your future, CC. I hate
it makes me sick. Yes, I miss pizza from time
to hurl. Trust Dipstick. And having sex with
to tell you this, but you are fixin' to get
to time, but missing it is OK because I know if
someone because another person wants you
hurt. It's not because your girlfriend is
I have a cheesy pepperoni slice, I'll be messed
to is a terrible reason to get laid. Period. Even
bisexual, or that she misses the peen,
up for days. So, I guarantee you, it's like me
if that person is your fiancee. In fact, even
it's that she wants to be with someone
putting gluten in my system-bringing
worse if that person is your fianceei
who's not you.
into your relationship is sure to mess you up.
22
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
a dude
VIEWS/
Lipstick: Wha? Talking about pizza isn't
Lipstick: Yauch, babe. This is heartbreaking.
going to curb Tanya'scraving for a specific
First, I strongly encourage you not to tell
type of sausage, Dip. Neither will telling her
Megan's husband. You, and your bruised
"no effing way." CC, if Tanya is hungry for a
ego, would only be doing it out of spite.
topping you can't offer, regardless of your
Nothing good ever comes from either of
answer, there's a damn good chance she's
those places, so take the high road. Second,
going to go out and get it anyway. Eventually.
this behavior is quite common when someone finds out they're sick-believe it or not.
Dipstick: What is it with this current gener-
It's a coping mechanism. They're like, "Oh
ation, thinking they're entitled to absolutely
fuck, I might die," and then they reevaluate
everything? From the newest phone, to the
and want to do all the things they've never
hottest body, to a Caribbean vacation or
done before, act on unrequited feelings,
a huge house they can't afford. Life is not
check things off their bucket list. It's tough
like that. We don't always get everything we
stuff, so you can't really blame them. Facing
want. Especially when other people's hearts
a serious illness puts you toe-to-toe with your
are involved. When we choose a monoga-
own mortality, and creates a huge emotional
mous relationship with someone, we don't
storm on every front. You and your daughter,
get to have sex with other people. It's not that
unfortunately, are getting caught up in those
complicated. Don't doubt yourself for anoth-
squalls and microbursts. What you need to
er moment, CC. Hold firm to your values and
focus on right now is protecting yourself and
tell Tanya it's a no-go on the pogo stick.
taking care of your child. Let Erin do what
she needs to do and try to move on. Still love
Lipstick: If you're a monogamist, this is going
and support her as a friend, if possible, but
to snowball into a real problem. Follow Dip's
certainly don't put your life on hold. If she
advice about boundaries. Do not cross the
wants you back at some point, you'll have
threesome threshold! It will be like walking
to decide if you're able to unlock your heart
into a key party with a gun to your head. Or,
again. Right now, she's making honest choic-
rather, to your heartl
es amid her existential crisis, and you need to
respect those, no matter how much it hurts.
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick: My wife, Erin, and I
have been together for eight years. She was
Dipstick: Right on, Lip! When my cousin was
always the reserved one and never liked to
diagnosed with cancer, she left her husband
go out and party. Just recently, she found
and moved to a cottage in the country. A
out she has cancer, and her whole persona
friend of mine quit her job and traveled all
has changed. She now has a ton of friends,
over South America. I don't know what the
which I'm fine with, but she recently told
cancer diagnosis is stirring up in Erin, but I do
me she slept with one of her "straight" best
know that, like Lipstick said, it causes many
friends, Megan. She said it was a one-time
people to stop and look closely at their life
thing and would never happen again. We
and the people in it. It's time for you and Erin
broke up because she said she needed to
to have a serious sit-down, and she needs to
see how life was without me. She claims that
be frank with you. It's appropriate that she's
this fling with Megan is over, but they are still
looking at herself and reevaluating her life,
in constant contact, and she ditches me,
but dragging you through the muck of un-
as well as our daughter, to be with Megan.
certainty with her is not fair. Lipstick is right.
I have recently thought about informing
Do some soul searching of your own-so
Megan's husband of their affair, but I don't
you'll be prepared for whatever
know if I should cause more drama or just
life-altering outcome Erin
leave it alone. I want him to know because
might lay on you.
it's not fair that my marriage is the only one
suffering. Erin says that she wants to get
Do you have a burning
back with me once this phase is over, and I
question for Lipstick
told her I might not be here waiting for her.
& Dipstick? Write to
What should I do?-Wife in Waiting
ask@lipstickdipstick.com
LIPSTICK+DI
PS
All About E brings the babes, the punches, the fun and the drama to the silver screen.
BY LISA TEDESCO
T
ake a sexy female DJ with
coming-out issues, add her
flamboyant Irish gay roommate, a side of romance, a
dash of crime, and what do you haver
A concoction for an absolutely superb
film that's guaranteed to entertain you
on your next Movie Night.
All About E, the new lesbian feature film from director/ screenwriter
Louise Wadley, follows E (Mandahla
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CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
Rose), a queer-but-closeted
DJ, as she
works the nightclub scene where the
ladies are hot for her. Little do her traditional Lebanese parents know that
she, too, is hot for the ladies. A classical music student who has given up her
studies to work in her "uncle's" club,
E realizes she's in way over her head
with the lie she's created when her girlfriend, Trish (Julia Billington), leaves
her for not coming out to her par-
ents about their relationship. Twelve
months after their breakup, and after
having probably a dozen women in her
bed, E leaves the club one night only
to find that she has taken the wrong
duffel bag-and
in it a stack of cash
that belongs to Johnny, the nightclub
owner. Instead of returning the cash, E
embarks on a road trip with her GBF,
Matt (Brett Rogers), with the nightclub goons in hot pursuit. After several days on the run, the duo eventually
ends up on Trish's farm, in the middle
of nowhere, seeking safety from the
mob. Will old flames re-igniter Can E
keep the money and live on the run?
The energy in All About E is simply
magical. All the characters have their
own personalities, and the way they're
thrown together makes for a vibrant
mix-not
to mention an eclectic abundance of accents.
But perhaps the most interesting
creation is E herself, a character we haven't yet seen on the big screen. There
are many sides to E: serious musician,
womanizer,
dreamer, bandit.
Mandahla Rose, our next big lesbian heartthrob, says, "I adored playing each of
the roles within E. There were parts of
REVIEWS/
shooting that were challenging-but
E, she seemed to come naturally."
"I had wanted to make a film with
complex heroines," says writer-director Wadley. And that she did. E's life
is complicated and the plot isn't just
about losing the love of her life-it's
about possibly losing her life. Meanwhile, Trish, who is out, proud, and
independent,
knows what she wants,
and wants the same for E.
"I was also sure I wanted it to be
really entertaining,
while being about
something real," explains Wadley. "I
love road movies because the characters are forced to act, and in doing so
they face themselves:'
When it comes to what we all want
from a lesbian film, high on our list
is the chemistry between the female
characters, and-let's
face it-a
good
sex scene. "That's the ultimate test,
right:' That you believe in the relationship between the two lovers," says
Billington. "Dahls [Mandahla]
and I
had instant chemistry from the moment we met in my audition. We both
entered those roles wanting to make
the best, most truthful lesbian love
story we could, and so we kinda gave
each other permission to just really go
there."
All About E has that buildup we
crave and delivers an incredibly tender and passionate
love scene that
will have you reaching for the rewind
button. "It's not often we get accurately portrayed lesbian relationships
on
screen," says Rose. "I think that Louise wrote something that is not only
emotionally satisfying for the lesbian
community, but the film also speaks to
anyone who has ever been in love."
If you haven't seen All About Eat one
of the many LGBT film festivals this
year, put it on your must-watch list. "If
you want to see a movie that is about
real people, that is fun, sexy, and has
great actors and a great soundtrack,
then this is your film," says Wadley.
Billington
agrees. "You ain't seen
FlLM
nothing like this film yet! It's fun, it's
heart-breaking,
it's thrilling, it's beautiful, it shows off Australia's stunning
countryside, it has intricate and deep
central characters-they're
also rather
hot, if I do say so myself!-and
the
dog steals the show.".
Seriously, what more do you want:'•
All About E is released by Wolfe
Video on January 2016. For the
latest festival screenings go to:
facebook.com/ AllAboutEmovie
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
25
HOT
FLICKS))
BYMERRYNJOHNS
Carolr9We1riste11
Coroary,
The eagerly-awaited feature film Carol is, in short, worth
the wait. In spite of Cate Banchett's discussion of Carol in
the mainstream media as a universal love story, and one not
necessarily connected to definitions of lesbian identity and
culture, there is plenty in this film to make it ours. Director Todd
Haynes, screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, and producers Elizabeth
Karlsen and Christine Vachon have delivered a triumph to the
screen. Originally created by 28-year-old crime writer Patricia
Highsmith as the 1952 novel The Price of Salt, Carol does
Highsmith justice (and then some) by employing the aesthetics
and conventions of midcentury American cinema (including
melodrama and film noir) with its codes and framing that barely
mask unspeakable passions and moral transgressions.
While we've known for some time that lesbian subculture
flourished in New York City in the 195Os,the characters of Carol
Aird (Cate Blanchett) and Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) seem
far less certain of their futures. Therese is a department store
clerk and nascent photographer who cautiously dates boys. Her
life lacks focus until she sees Carol, a self-possessed and alluring
married woman shopping for Christmas presents. The attraction
is unexpected, instantaneous, mutual. Carol and Therese realize
they must escape their male partners to pursue their connection,
no matter how transgressive it may be. Carol's divorce from Harge
(Kyle Chandler) is messy and jeopardizes her relationship with her
daughter, Rindy. Her ex, Abby (Sarah Paulson), is sympathetic but
powerless to help. Carol longs to escape and invites Therese on a
road trip, also a way of testing what they have together, far from
prying eyes. Or so she thinks.
The production design of Carol is atmospheric and true to the
period, the cinematography is beautiful and moody, the script is
lean, meaningful, and rich with subtext. When Carol says over
lunch with Therese, ''I'm starved," we know she's not really
referring to her entree, but to the fact that Therese is the dish
she's been craving. Blanchett's voice is world-weary but her
catlike gaze gives away Carol's true appetite. As does Mara's
laserlike focus on Blanchett, which does much to drive the film.
There is no coming out here. Rather, it's a "coming into" tale: this
is a May-December romance between two women at a time when
the odds of that ending well was like expecting an orchid to bloom
in a snowstorm.
It is, in the end, a universal kind of desire that drives these
characters. Carol and Therese don't fit neatly into a subculture
"or in that time, an underground movement," Blanchett says in the
press notes. They are fugitives on the run: they're not searching
for a dyke bar in Greenwich Village: they're searching for each
other, and for themselves. They fit, almost electrically so, but are
'they' possible in their culture? In a record store, Therese sees a
butch-femme lesbian couple who also see her. It's a moment of
recognition, and one which shocks Therese. The look on her face
says, 'I know what you are but am I that?' She's Carol-sexual. And
in Therese, this "strange girl ...flung out of space," Carol finds the
person she's also been missing.
They see themselves for the first time, through each other:
Therese peers through her lens at Carol, pores over her black
and white photos of her: and Carol, with her pale mask of a face
stares across a table at Therese and dares her to love her.
One thing's certain: you'll fall in love with them, too.
26
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NOV/DEC
2015
The story of one of the world's
most famous and controversial women
"The Girl King is a traditional epic ... What breaks the
mold isthe characterof Kristina."- La Presse
The epic story of Queen Kristina, an enigmatic, flamboyant woman
centuries ahead of her time who ascended the Swedish throne at age
six, was raised as a prince, and strived to bring peace and education to
her country - while pursuing an illicit romance with her female royal
attendant. In English.
"The Girl King is beautiful... the chemistry
between the two women is spot on."
- AfterEllen. com
, WINNER)"
BESTACTRESS
(
{I!
MALIN BUSKA
MONTREALWORLD
FILM FESTIVAL
?~~N~~)"
MOST POPULAR
CANADIANFILM
MONTREALWORLD
FILM FESTIVAL
Romance based on the acclaimed play
by Jane Chambers "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove"
"Patricia Velasquez captivates in Liz in September ... the film is
deep, funny, and filled with great performances."
-AfterEllen.com
Latina lesbian supermodel Patricia Velasquez stars as Liz, a party girl
and womanizer who celebrates her birthday every year with friends at a
Caribbean beach retreat. This year, Liz is hiding a serious illness from
them, but takes a dare to seduce Eva,an outsider - and nothing turns out
as expected. Spanish with English subtitles.
, AUDIENCE
WINNER)~
AWARD
(
BESTFEATURE
MIAMI GAY& LESBIAN
FILM FESTIVAL
,WINNER)~.
AUDIENCEAWARD
(
BESTFEATURE
OUTFILM
CONNECTICUT
"Must
see film"
- The Advocate
"Featuring laughs, suspense, a deliriously good sex scene,
and a rousing finale, All About E has something for everyone."
~
- San Francisco Chronicle
When E,a beautiful and sexy DJ at Sydney's hottest nightclub, stumbles
on a stash of cash, she and her friend Matt are forced to run to the
outback and appeal to her lost love Trish to hide them. Can E keep the
money, conquer her demons, AND get the girl?
IL
~~ ~
FICIAL SELECTION
OFFICIAL
ameline39
Lo<;~i:i~~Es
FRANCISCO
INTERNATIONAL
LGBT
SELECTION
Fl~~l~ESTIVAL
LGBTQFILMFESTIVAL
~
"A
breath of fresh air
for lesbian cinema"
- Gay News Network
Wolfe·
WolfeVideo.com/WolfeOnDemand.com
Yourtrusted community sourcefor LGBTmovies
G
obetrotting superchef Cat Cora
is-unusually-at
home in Santa Barbara rather than traveling,
which she does 200 days of the
year. She's returned from a month-long summer road trip vacation, making'one big circle''
around the Pacific Northwest with her wife,
Jennifer, and their four sons. "Everything was
beautiful. Fly fishing, river rafung, we hiked,
there were waterfalls, it was just gorgeous;'
says Cora, who has never before undertaken
such an ambitious family break.
America's first female Iron Chef has
changed her workaholic ways, thanks to
a widely publicized DUI charge in 2012,
during which the driver of another vehicle
filmed a drunk (but charming) Cora. Her
life had spun out of control. The very things
that made her tick were about to make her
28
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
explode. Looking back now, she sees "someone who was under tremendous pressure to
support a family of six-I'm the sole breadwinner, I was traveling an insane amount of
days. My father had just passed away.It was
such a, gosh, it was really one of the roughest
periods of my life.Jennifer and I were in turmoil. We had four young boys-two infants,
two toddlers practically still in diapers-and
me having to get on a plane 200 days a year or
more. I'd given birth a year and a half before
and had not had time to really be home with
the babies. I was still post-partum. It was a
whole perfect storm of crazy going on:'
I remember talking to Cora about a year
before that incident, and she told me about
her reliance on Skype to connect with her
family. She sounded upbeat, determined to
make it work. But"it was a life that was out of
balance;' she admits now. "I had to look very
deep into my soul to turn it around. I had
to unravel some things that were taking me
away from home too much. I had to look at
my schedule. I had to cut things out of my calendar. I had to be home more and find more
stability:'
Which explains why she's diverted some of
her energy away from work and into her family."It was just really great to have that quality
time with the kids and with my wife;' she acknowledges. After two decades of building a
brilliant but frenetic career,the DUI incident,
which happened not far from home and in
broad daylight, made Cora stop and realize,
"'OK, you're going down a rabbit hole and
you've got to now take a big look at all aspects
of your life:"
Now, she takes on projects selectively,such
REVIEWS/
as opening Ocean Restaurant at the S.E.A.
Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa, off
the coast of Singapore, in 2013. And she still
drives Chefs for Humanity, the charity she
founded more than 10 years ago to address
the issues of hunger relie£ nutrition educa~
tion, humanitarian aid, and women's empow~
erment at home and around the world. She's
trying to implement some of Michelle
Obama's initiatives,"really trying to focus on
and bring awareness to the problem of hun~
ger in America. You wouldn't think we have a
hunger epidemic, but we do;' says Cora. And
writing a memoir was also part of this process.
It "was healing in a lot of ways:'
The DUI might have been Cora's 'come
to Jesus" moment, but her memoir, Cookingas
"Oh yeah;' admits Cora with heaviness in
her voice."In an amazing way and in a very
sad way,it's something that absolutely shaped
who I was determined to not be. It was a big
part of me absolutely thinking, Tm not going
to be a victim. You're not going to win. You're
not going to beat me down: In my very early
years, in my 20s and 30s, it drove me so hard
to be the person I am today. And then, in my
40s, I had to start healing. It can work, until it
doesn't work anymore. And then it can start
being counterproductive to who you are:'
The memoir also lifts the lid on her mar~
riage. How did Jennifer feel about that dis~
closure? "That was a whole journey,'' admits
Cora. "That was something that we both had
a lot of conversations about. We talked a lot
Fastas I Can:A Chef'sStoryof Family,Food, about it, even in therapy. How are we navigat~
and Forgiveness,
is the "big look" she wanted
ing this? I'll be reallyhonest: She wasn't happy
to give her life."I think I have a story to tell. I
about me writing the book. [But] she's also
think I've been through some successes,some been praised for being such a strong mom,
missteps. There's a lot there that the public for keeping the home fires burning, for being
can relate to-being a mom, climbing the lad~ such a strong foundation for all of us. It's been
der, trying to make a living, trying to live the
reframed in a lot of ways-from what it was,
American Dream, going through trauma. So
which was, 'Ugh, you're writing a book and
many Americans can relate to that:'
I'm going to be in it; to getting to a place where
It's almost shocking how honest Cora is in we're at peace with it and on story.
the book: She doesn't make a hero of herself;
"This is a tell~allabout me. I'm not out to
she doesn't gloss over episodes she'd rather
do a tell~all about anyone else's life. They're
leave behind. The truth comes out about the
included in the book as a part of my life, but
things that have driven her, such as her hum~ this is really about my journey, my story, and
ble beginnings in the South, and the trauma
hopefully inspiring other people to embrace
that shaped her-sexual abuse at the hands of who they are through this, warts and all. And
an older male friend. As with the ingredients
so we did come to a place where we could say,
in a recipe, these are some of the many factors 'OK, this is good, this is honest, it's what we
that went into making Cora who she is today. went through:"
'i\.bsolutely;' she admits. "It took a lot of
They're still together after 16 years and,
thought, a lot of reflection. Ultimately, I did
with four boys, Cora says,"We'rejust trying to
decide, if I was going to do it, I was going to
love each other, to keep it all together, to be
do it. There's no point in writing a memoir if respectful, to grow-hopefully old-togeth~
you're not raw and honest:'
er. And, you know, marriage is work every day,
And she did it for her kids. "One day, my and it's an evolution. It's a journey. But I want~
kids, my grandkids and my great~grandkids ed to be honest about it because we don't have
will understand me. They'll know what I went
the perfect marriage. You see us in a feature in
through. How hard work can pay off,how be~ a glossy magazine and we all look like we're
ing authentic can pay of£ You can live your perfect. But it's not perfect. It's messy some~
dream, despite all the obstacles. You can be times. You work through it. You don't throw
whatever you want to be. If Cathy Cora from
in the towel so easy because life gets tough to~
Mississippi can do it, then anyone can do it:'
gether. You work through it the best you can:'
When marriage equality happened, Cora
While pure determination is the driving
force behind her success, and largely came was overjoyed, for herself and for everyone.
"We actually have been together for so long
from her family-especially her mother and
that for us it was more about yes, of course
grandmother, who encouraged her to tap into
her strength, to be an achiever,to leaveMissis~ we want to be legallymarried. We already felt
married, but we ran down to the justice of the
sippi and go out into the world-her will to
succeed was also intensified by the trauma of peace and got married and it was really fun
sexual abuse, especially her ordinarily loving and lovely:'
Life has slowed down a little for Cora, and
father's unexpected reaction to it.
FOOD
she's finding the balance she so desperately
needed. She even hopes to be home for (one
of) the holidays."We're going to be in South~
east Asia on Christmas, so I really wanted
to be home for Thanksgiving. We're going
to try and fly my mom out here and we're
going to try and have a home Thanksgiving.
Surrounded by great family and great foodthat's as thankful as I can get. If you have that,
you've won the lottery:'
Cat Cora has certainly won the career
lottery. "When I started, I never thought of
being famous. I thought Ia.have a restaurant,
and maybe a cookbook, and that was a great
life. This is all a sweet surprise in so many
ways, and it's been a wild ride. Even with
the valleys, there've been so many beautiful
peaks. I've been able to travel the world. I've
been given a life I'm very blessed with. I have
made that goal list, that bucket list more than
twice. I'm still amazed at the opportunities
I've been given, and I feel super~humble, even
after 20~something years. I still have dreams
and aspirations for various things, but yes, I
couldn't be happier. If it all went away today,
I would be extremely happy with all my ac~
complishments:'
Another unexpected revelation in the
memoir is that Cat Cora almost didn't make
it. She struggled in culinary school, dropped
out, and came close to missing her calling
(thankfully, she went back). What might've
happened to the Cat Cora who quit? "She
would've taken a VW bus to L.A. and tried
to become an actress;' she laughs. "Ended up
waiting tables. I still would've fallen into the
food business somehow. That's how the uni~
verse works, right?" (catcora.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
29
FABULOUS FOODIE FABLES
Poor Man's f?east:
rflte H.aging Skillet:
A Love Story of Comfort,
The TrueLife Story of Chef
Desire,and the Art of Simple
Rossi(The Feminist Press)
Cooking (Berkley)
·somet1meshe1nbNN1klng,oft-,ih11a,10111,... -oftheflnest
food ITl9fTIOirs
of rKefll yun.
•-n,.
New Yorlr Timn Book R•view
A beautifully written book with a
This heartfelt, occasionally
lofty view of food-quite
tongue-in-cheek tale from the
literally.
Manhattan catering kid and blogA LOVE STORY OF
COMFORT, DESIRE, AND
THE ART OF SIMPLE
COOKING
ger ElissaAltman confesses to
an obsession with luxe ingredients, preferably from Europe,
and fancy "tall" food, until she
falls in love with a woman who
leads a much simpler, grassroots
life in Connecticut. A sensual,
saliva-inducing page-turner about
mastering the art of cooking-and
loving-simply.
~
m~ing (/1
sklllef
the true life
story of
chefrossi
a memoir
with
recipes •
"orthodox lite," fiercely Jewish,
feminist-lesbian caterer/chef
Rossi comes complete with foolproof fun and nostalgic recipes
that are fun to read and to make.
Rossi is a true knockabout and
delivers a rambunctious read
that'll have you laughing out
loud, and longing for the days
before celebrity chefs sanitized
their profession for TV.
•---------
~
DRI~
Classy Cocktails
The best open bar is at your place this festive season.
Uade
10
Uingle
You know the old drinkingmotto "nevermix, never
worry"rWell, lesbianentrepreneurStephenie Harris
shakes it up with the launch of her own mixed
beverage,Maven,"aunique cocktailbased on the
belief that wine was meant to mingle:'Harris spent
nearly20 yearsworking for some of the world's
top wine and spiritsbrandsand now appliesthat
expertiseto createa product that solvesyour happy
hour indecision.The Pinot Noir Vodka Cocktail
tastes like a light, off dry pinot with its notes of
cherry,but amped up with a vodka shot. The
Chardonnayand Vodka Cocktail is surprisingly
citrusy,savoryand refreshing.Perhapsthe best news
yet: they'reonly 38 caloriesa serveand $24 gets you
a handy 4~pack.(mavencocktails.com)
30
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
REVIEWS/
DRINK
,~cslii.,e,-fco
Forget the punch, and start with a drink that packs
a punch. Get your party started with a welcome
cocktail such as a POM Island Iced tea (lefi:).Over
ice, mix 2 oz. POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate
Juice, a dash each of vodka, gin, triple sec, rum, and
simple syrup, and a splash of Coca~Cola®,stir well,
then garnish with a lemon wheel. The classic crimson,
festive, rich, and healthy PO M juices are great to have
on hand during the holidays to add to cocktails such
as the Peach Derby, at right. (simplywonderfuLcom)
ll inc HJJn omen
In Northeastern Italy is a winery owned
and operated by a mom and her two
daughters: Elena, Julia and Karoline Walch.
Elena, "Queen of the Gewiirztraminer;' is
famous for producing quality wines that
will impress even the toughest critic. Her
Gewiirztraminer Kastelaz 2013 ($32) is
a delightful and complex fruity white, the
perfect match for blue cheese and dried fruits.
When it comes to serving holiday meats such
as roasted pork, turkey, or game, reach for the
Lagrein Riserva Castel Ringberg 2009 ($45),
a full~bodied and velvety wine, with spicy
aromas, meaty tannins, notes of Christmas
fruits, and a even a touch of chocolate.
(elenawalch.com)
Goy mul Glittery
f~,nwenr Pe1·1·ier
ONEHOPE Wine blends lovely
bubbles with good causes. What better
cork to pop on New Year's Eve than a
special edition Sparkling Brut ($59) in
collaboration with The Trevor Project,
the leading national organization
providing crisis intervention and suicide
prevention services to LGBTQyouth.
Half the proceeds from this gorgeous,
glittering bottle go directly to The
Trevor Project, with every four bottles
funding one hour of operational costs
of its Lifeline. And what's inside your
glass is great, too: crisp green apple and
stone fruit, with a hint of freshly~baked
bread. Perfect for a party with passed
appetizers or a toast to a cause.
(onehopewine.com)
Clink glasses with something really
special at midnight and splurge on
Laurent~ Perrier Brut Millesime 2006
($65). This blend of Chardonnay
grands crus from Cote des Blancs
and Pinot Noir grands crus from
Montagne de Reims makes for
an elegant wine: golden~yellow in
hue with delicate beading, fine and
persistent bubbles bursting with fresh
fruit aromas and the subtlest hints
of pineapple, apricots and almonds.
There really is nothing like French
vintage champagne, and the 50 / 50
blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
from the 2006 harvest has resulted in
a very special drink indeed.
(laurent~perrier.com/ en)
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
31
The (Allison)
Moon Mission
Queer sex education that matters.
hen I turned 19young and queer in
San Francisco-I
was working at the
feminist sex~toy store Good Vibrations,
where I was trained by legendary sex~
ologist Carol Queen and had unlimited
access to a carefully curated library of
porn, erotica, and sex writing. Now,
10 years into working as a sex writer
and educator myself, I think it's safe to
say I've been good and spoiled when it
comes to sex ed. Vibrators, harnesses,
dildos, and lube rain from the re~
view~seeking sky, while the latest books
slide across my desk before they're
stocked on any shelves. Until Girl Sex
101, I hadn't read a sexed book that
excited that special "Hey! I'm learning
something new!" spark in a long while.
REV1Ews1SEX
T
his super~stacked, 388~page,
queer~inclusive
sex tome
by Allison Moon ( and a # 1
Best Seller on Amazon)
brags contributors like Jiz Lee, Ducky
Doolittle, Reid Mihalko, Julia Serano,
and Tristan Taormino, writers who top
the list of dream people to learn about
sex from. Illustrations by KO Diamond
and an ongoing erotic story line almost
make you forget you're learning so much
new, applicable information about your~
self, your partners, and your sex life
when you read this book.
But the best part of all is that Girl Sex
101 makes you feel like you're just hang~
ing out, talking to your funny, honest,
affirming, highly sex~educated friends.
Which was exactly Moon's goal all along.
"My father was an RN and taught me
the proper words for all my body parts.
My mother was a feminist who taught
me to self~advocate. So, I became the
kindergartner
in Catholic school who
taught everyone the words 'vulva' and
'testicles; " Moon recounts. "Growing
up, my peers sought me out for accurate
sex ed. I loved being the person to dispel
myths and offer solid information. That
never changed. And I want Girl Sex 101
to offer the same fun, sisterly tone that I
do in person:'
Moon's mission statement is clear
when it comes to the education she
hopes to impart to the queer community.
"It's no secret: American sex education is
abysmal. And education that focuses on
pleasure? Forget about it. If you're queer,
you may as well be invisible. Books [like
Girl Sex 101] can travel the world and
offer education to people in rural areas,
small towns, and other sex~ed deserts:'
Moon's commitment to these beliefs
is evident on each page of Girl Sex 101,
which includes the voices of 16 sex ed
contributors
paired with Diamond's
lighthearted,
diverse illustrations
to
"help illuminate the manifold nature of
sex, and help readers see themselves re~
fleeted on the page:'
Moon knows that the standard bi~
nary approach to sex ed is broken and
does nothing for our modern queer ( or
straight!)
communities.
Binaries at~
tempt to stuff our multilayered human
experiences and identities into two rigid
categories (gay or straight? top or bot~
tom? male or female?), leaving no room
for variation, when the human sexual
experience is nothing but variant. With
ease and grace, humor and authenticity,
Girl Sex 101 represents the entire spec~
trum of gender and sexual fluidity that
you find in today's queer community.
Moon's book embraces sexual fluidity
in an organic, approachable way, encour~
aging readers to take or leave the infor~
mation as it suits them, and by including
often~overlooked aspects of sex ed such
as menstrual sex, sex with postsurgical
bodies, and relational details like how
to be present, how to be a good listen~
er, and even how to read your partner's
eyes.
With Girl Sex 101, Moon reminds us
that if the sex and relationships we're
experiencing don't feel good to us, we
should feel equipped enough to re~strat~
egize. "All sex education breaks down to
two skills: Learn how to know what feels
good in your own body, and learn how to
talk about it and ask good questions. All
the technique and anatomy in the world
is useless unless you can talk about what
feels good:'
The starting point? According to
Moon, it's giving ourselves permis~
sion to explore all the sexual pleasure
that embraces who we are. "I hope Girl
Sex 101 will be, as fellow sex educa~
tor Kate McCombs says, a 'beacon of
permission: I want people to get new
ideas, shake up preconceived notions,
and gain permission to create the kind
of sex life they want and deserve;'
she says. Per(mission)
accomplished.
(girlsexlOLcom) •
Have a Happy,
Get the festive look from dapperQ and Sharpe Suiting.
PHOTOS BY GENNA SANDLER
FEATURES/
STYILE
T
he City of Angels is also known as the Land
of Casual in the fashion world. Howev~
er, the sartorially smart Los Angeles queer
scene is gearing up to get dapper in holiday
outfits inspired by seasonal festivities and the beauty
of their perennially sunny city. For this shoot, stylist
Cee Sando of the queer style site dapperQ paired
up with uber~entrepreneur Leon Wu, Owner and
Head Designer of Sharpe Suiting, to capture this
season's L.A. holidaze style modeled by local queer
trendsetters. Sharpe prides itself in creating cus~
tom quality suits and formal attire undefined by
gender. They focus on tailoring fit to each client's
unique style and shape, no matter how they identify.
(dapperq.com, sharpesuiting.com). •
Dapper Ho ·day
Wardrobe: Leon Wu
Makeup: Autumn Skibinski
I
I
Wardrobe Stylist: Cee Sando
I
Hair: Matilde Campos
Models: Stephanie Neal, Lali Muthusamy, Dominick Cole, Madin Lopez
Dress by
Single;
earrings, ring
model's own;
bracelet
stylist's own.
Jumpsuit and dress
by Single; earrings
model's own; bracelet
stylist's own.
Dresses by Single; model's own
earrings.
Sharpe Suiting jacket, ties, shirts, vest;
hat by Goorin Bros.
Dresses by Single; shoes stylist's own;
earrings model's o"-'rt
Jacket, vest, shirts and ties by Shar-pe
Suiting; hat by Goorin Br~~
Sharpe Suiting shirts, ties, vest
and jacket; hat by Goorin Bros.
Master·ng the Arts
Soraida Bedoya's world of interior design.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
FEATURES/
S
oraida Bedoya's international background and training
in fine art and art therapy makes her a natural for the
upscale world of interior design. Her company, Related
Arts Interior Designs, draws on 14 years of experience
across two hemispheres and exposure to a variety of artistic lin~
eages. Bedoya, an out lesbian, was born in Colombia and she has
lived in Brazil, Australia, and now New York City. Her aesthet~
ic sensibilities have been honed to perfection and yet she has a
practical and down~to~earth approach to her profession. She is
attuned to the fluctuations of the art world, and adept at applying
aspects of it to the world of her clients, no matter who they are.
"My first question is: how do you want to feel in your spacer
I ask them to create a look book, with images taken from cata~
logues. I base the look on their lifestyle: Do they have children, do
they like to entertain, is one room used only by one person? I take
it in layers and try to work out what their story is:'
Design is not somethingjust for the pages of glossy magazines,
fancy shop windows, or luxe mail order catalogues. It is a way to
explore and enrich our surroundings. "When I come home I want
a sanctuary;' says Bedoya, who doesn't like clutter or overdesign.
Her preferred style is contemporary with a selective if minimalist
approach. Her background in sculpture gives her a unique appre~
ciation of objects. "I ask: How do we live with objects, how do we
relate to them? The objects we're attached to tell the story of us.
We hang onto those cherished possessions but often, when we
have the urge to redecorate, it's because we want to purge, because
things are shifting in our lives:'
STYILE
Bedoya is well acquainted with such shifts. She sought ref
uge in the Long Island village of Sag Harbor to recover from a
breakup, and returned to sculpture as a process of making whole
again. Of all her possessions her bed is the most prized-it
is
a home within a home. "At the end of the day that is where we
all end up;' she says. And, like a bed, the objects in your space
should be there to support you.
Embarking on a home redo can be exhausting, expensive, and
emotional, but it can add value to your home-not
to mention,
your wellbeing. A service Bedoya offers clients is "Before You Be~
gin;' which sets out taste, budget, timelines, expectations, and
marries them with the realities of a design project. While most
of us make do pacing the aisles of Home Depot, IKEA, Crate
& Barrel, and patching a "look'' together, it's worth consulting a
designer and asking yoursel£ when it comes to home, what are
the values that are most important to you (and your partner). It's
quite the discovery project, too. For example, what object do you
think you can't live without? Which room in the house is most
important to you? Where do you spend the most time?
Bedoya can lead you to these discoveries and answer other
questions such as what's in vogue now, and what will be in a de~
cade. How important is texture, shape, color, style?
Ironically, while many men don't see the value in interior de~
sign, and their wives do, it's gay men that have cornered the de~
sign market. Bedoya is that rare thing: a lesbian interior designer.
And with her impeccable sense of style, I'm glad she's mastered
the art. (relatedarts.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
39
Heart & So e
Inside NiK Kacy's gender-neutral footwear brand.
BY MEGAN VOLPERT
Footwear afficionado NiK Kacy
FEATURES/
wear men's shoes. Tough broads often do. For the 10 years
weve been together, my vertically challenged wife with funsize feet has been living vicariously though my favorite leather
boots. Nobody manufactures luxury gender-neutral footwear
to accommodate her (she wears a women's 7.5), so she settles for
appreciating my much cooler and more comfortable situation.
Most fashion-conscious 5-foot- 3-inch queers could tell you a
similar story. So NiK Kacy is taking it upon himself to solve this.
As a transperson, Kacy has long been using clothing as a means
to authentically portray his insides on the outside. He recalls with
gravity how he burst into tears the first time he tried on his favorite
Tshirt after having top surgery. It finally looked just right, after hed
been struggling with the way it fit for years, while others all around
him took the simple act of getting dressed for granted. Because of
Kacy's unique size, shape, and gender expression, his wardrobe often suffered a lack of good-quality basics. But his strongest lamentations were always about the futile search for that perfect shoe.
So he left his dream job at Google and took a leap of faith that led
him to an international shoe fair in Italy. Kacy had been doodling
shoes since he was a little kid, and in Porto, Portugal, he found a
manufacturer willing to make his sketches a reality. He saw that the
extreme kindness and generosity with which the Portuguese treated
him was reflected in the way one special factory treated its workers,
and he chose that place to produce his line ofNiK Kacy Footwear.
The company is pretty much a one-man show, but thanks to the
budding trend in queer alternative apparel, Kacy doesn't feel lonely. Hes been learning the ropes from other entrepreneurs through
collaborations with Butch Basix, Harvey Charles, and particularly
Leon Wu of Sharpe Suiting. Where the LGBT community at large
often hits speed bumps-ranging from petty divisiveness to fundamental differences-the LGBT fashion business is full steam ahead
in its duty to serve and to build inclusiveness. The fledging industry
is short on veteran mentors for the moment, but the list of partners
and colleaguesgrows larger every day,one introduction paid forward
into the next, with many designers pitching in to pull the next one up.
STYILE
Kacy in particular is poised to rocket to the top because he
designs shoes that are classic without devolving into the mundane. He has stuck closely to an accessible, traditional set of
designs because for years his own closet had been missing just
such foundational pieces. This first collection consists of masculine-of-center boots and derby wingtips, with plans in the
works for a feminine-of-center collection of heels. As he builds a
clientele base, Kacy plans to drive his prices way down to make
awesome gender-neutral shoes more available to everyone.
One look in his eyes and you just know this is a 40-year-old with
a heart of gold. Every decision Kacy makes is about furthering his
sense of community. It's why he began as a brilliant workaholic at
Google and why he left to serve his fellow small-footed friends.
It's how he picked his manufacturer and the army of volunteers
who model in or photograph his ad campaigns. It's why he specially arranged to get the first pair of shoes off his line two months
before the public shipping date in early November: in time for
my wife to rock them at our 10th wedding anniversary in Vegas.
The NiK Kacy Footwear slogan is "walk your way:' On its face,
it's promoting individualism and acceptance. Indeed, my wife finally feels respectable kicking her feet up next to mine. She no longer
has to sacrifice comfort or fashion, the twin demons of Doc Marten and John Fluevog. Brands like those two have actually been
uniting the LGBT community for a long time. We collectively
gravitate toward them because their fashion is also a sound philosophy, which means Kacy is next in line in a most excellent tradition.
He wants to lift up a group of overlooked, disenfranchised people. He knows about it because hes one of us, and longed to have this
particular need met. People judge you by your shoes. When we galloped down the aisle for a second time together, I wanted my wife to
have on some shoes so fully expressing the type of person she is that
the Elvis impersonator presiding over the ceremony would glare
down at them with envy. And he might have been 14 inches taller
than she is, but you know that old saying about dudes with big feet?
Thanks to NiK Kacy, it's about to go out of style. (nikkacy.com) •
On the Verge
Queer style struts its stuff at New York Fashion Week.
PHOTOS BY GRACE CHU
FEATURES/
ueer culture has finally made its impact felt in the
mainstream fashion scene-at tony New York Fashion
Week, no less. VERGE, an epic queer runway show
presented at Brooklyn Museum, was a collaboration
between dapper~ bklyn boihood, Posturemagazine, and DYDH.
The eight featured designers showing that night all address gender
nonconformity and intersectionality: NotEqual by Fabio Costa;
KQK by Karen Quirion; LACTIC; Fony; MARKANTOINE;
SAGA by Sandra Gagalo; SunSun and Jag & Co. Styles ranged
from ready-to-wear masculine suits for all genders, to avant-garde
and futuristic outfits.
To showcase the garments, over 70 gorgeous, gender nonconforming models took to the runway, including Rain Dove (a female
model frequently cast in men's shows), Prince Harvey (a hip hop
Q
STYILE
artist), and Ryley Rubin Pogensky (a trans model featured in a Barneys'
New York ad campaign shot by Bruce Weber). The event was emceed by
trans-activist Tiq Milan, and attended by VIP guests including A-List
androgynous models Elliott Sailors and Harmony Boucher.
Heralding this new queering of fashion, VERGE executive producer and dapperQ owner Anita Dolce Vita said, "Queer style should not
simply be reduced to white, cis gay male fashion designers creating binary, gender normative, heteronormative collections to fit the fashion
industry's unattainable beauty ideals. VERGE was about inclusion and
dismantling everything weve been taught about beauty norms rooted in
ableism, classism, fatphobia, ageism, racism, misogyny, transphobia, and
self-hate:' The show, she believes,was more than a step in the right direction, bringing queer talent that has been hidden behind the scenes into
the limelight at last. (dapperq.com) •
I
I
I
I
DIVAS.
BY VICTORIA
BOND
argaret Rose Vendryes, an artist
and art historian, pinpoints with
her paintbrush one of Amer~
ican culture's prevailing perceptions of
African American women: that they're solo
acts. From the single mother to the black
superstar, African American women are
stereotyped as strong, sexual, and often alone.
In her African Diva Project, a luminous
group of paintings based on the album
covers of black female solo artists, Vendryes,
a distinguished lecturer in Fine Arts at York
College, CUNY, ingeniously covers the faces
of music legends with masks, and in doing so
places her divas in the long~overdue company
of their African ancestors.
Traditionally worn only by men, the
African masks were chosen by Vendryes
(who identifies as a lesbian) for how they
complement the personas of the artists,
investing the iconic women with the agency,
respect, and protection exclusive to male
performers in African cultures. With subjects
ranging from Diana Ross and Tina Turner
to Tracy Chapman and Nina Simone, the
African Diva project has been exhibited in
spaces that include the prestigious Schorn~
burg Center for Research in Black Culture,
in Harlem. Part of the appeal of the project is
how evocatively it comments on race, gender,
and art history.
'Tm not interested in portraits, and that's
where the masks come in. I have been asked
why I have made beautiful women ugly;'
Vendryes says."The masks, along with the
use of color and other things, are actually
how I have made these paintings beautiful.
Using a medium designed for marketing
and consumption-the
album cover-I am
linking these women to their cultural legacy
of performance in Africa:'
Vendryes' paintings start from the idea
that celebrity itself is a mask."People think
they own celebrities. We call them by their
first names and feel as if we have a sense of
them, but we don't know who they really are
as people. The same thing applies to African
masks. Both what people think they know
about celebrities and about the masks is what
I call a fabrication of knowledge. The slave
trade and the passage of time have so broken
down the tradition of masquerading that
the fullest sense of how masks were used in
Africa has been lost:'
The act of wearing a psychological mask,
especially for women of color, points to vul~
nerability, not invincibility. Yet, the sensuality
spilling from the African Diva paintings,
with goddess~like representations of Aretha
Franklin in Bwa Aretha and Donna Summer
in Baule Donna, casts a spell of seduction.
Unlike the heads of Ven dry es' women, which
are literally consumed by concealment, the
bodies of her divas glow and glisten with
what she calls "the hook of beauty;' a strategy
the artist consciously employs to 'create
museum quality work:'
Vendryes has this piece of advice for worn~
en artists eager to be recognized by the art
world: "Pay attention to who you're trying to
reach. Who is your audience? Who is going
to appreciate your pieces?" As this applies to
her own paintings, anyone who finds some~
thing to be celebrated in a masterful woman
artist exploring the legacy of female icons is
sure to discover a treasure in the African Diva
Project. (margaretrosevendryes.com) •
Picturedclockwisefrom the left handpage:
SoweiRuPaul:MbloEartha:KweleBetty; Dan
Joan;and DanLeela.Theseries includes33
oil canvasesmodeledafter a 12"LPcover
featuringa full-figureportrait of a popularblack
femalesoloistwearingan African mask.
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
45
FINAL MICHIGAN
WOMYN'S MUSIC
FESTIVAL.
BY JULIE R. ENSZER
hen I first went to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, controver,
sy was raging. One group of women challenged festival organizers
about what kinds of bodies and behaviors were welcome on "the
land;' 650 wooded acres near Hart, Mich.
Rhetoric raged across various factions; lines were drawn. Activists challenged
many women's core ideas about what constituted lesbian, and sex, and sexuality.
In 1989, this controversy was not about transgender wimmin, it was about
S&M and how it could be expressed on the land. I was 19, a baby dyke wearing
my first pair of Birkenstocks and my first tie,dyed tee. I had kissed girls and
put my fingers on their clitorises, but not yet lain my whole fist inside another
woman's vagina. I listened to womyn's music-Cris Williamson, Teresa Trull,
Ferron, Melanie DeMore, Sweet Honey in
the Rock, Meg Christian-on a cassette
player, my"Walkperson:' The fullcatalog
of our music had not yet been converted
to CDs. I remember it rained. I remember
unexpectedly menstruating. I remember
seeing more women's bodies, naked and
unashamed, than I ever imagined possible.
I remember seeing a pathway through life,
from my age to adulthood to middle age and
beyond. I remember thinking, This is what I
could become. I remember believing deeply
and truly in the power of women to build our
own communities.
After that first festival,I attended a handful of others. I lived in Michigan. As a young
woman, it was easy to pack up the car on a
Thursday afternoon and take off to the western side of the state. I never owned a tent and
always had to borrow a sleeping bag, but the
pilgrimage to Hart is an important part of
my story. It covers the terrain of my coming
into community, coming into mysel£
What I have always valued about Michfest
is how lesbians created, for one week a year,
an intentional space where women could
come together to celebrate and fight and
argue and expound and delineate and determine and debate. It was a physical location,
yes, but it was also a conversation in which
ideas could be tried and tested, could succeed
and fail. Michfest flourished in the face of
multiple controversies.
The conflict about sexual expression that
I witnessed at my first festival was just one
of the many conflicts women negotiated at
Michigan. How could camping be inclusive
of women with disabilities? How could
women who smoke live and work alongside
women who do not? How could women
who like to drink and party co-exist with the
clean and sober crowd? How could women
express land-based spirituality alongside
ardent atheists and passionate Jews? Womyn
engaged these questions and hundreds of
others at Michfest. Together, we found some
answers, some brief moments of resolution,
and many points of continued contention.
The current dialogue about transgender
women and Michfest is a continuation of a
long conversation, inside and outside Michfest, about who is included, who is present,
and who belongs.
Returning to the 40th anniversary Michigan Womyn's Music Festival in August, I
was reminded of the many things that I love
about it: the music, the nudity, the ferns, the
handmade signs, the smell of the trees after
it rains, and the community, intentional,
embattled. At Michfest, community is not
assumed; community is constructed and
engaged, thoughtfully and angrily. I love all
these things about Michfest. The end of
Michfest is the end of a vital space that values
womyn's culture and creates processes that
center womyn and affirm our importance in
the world. For these reasons, I felt extraordinary sadness about the end of the Michigan
Womyn's Music Festival.
At the same time, I was aware keenly that
while Michfest felt familiar,'J\rea 51;' the
affectionate festival term for the 51 other
weeks of the year, had changed radically.In
August 2015, lesbians could be married in
every state in the United States and in every
province in Canada. Lesbians could legally
be parents to children. And, while there were
still consequences to coming out in local
communities and at work (people could
still lose jobs for being queer), the material
conditions oflesbians' lives were radically
different from what they were when I first
encountered Michfest in 1989.
I remember listening to lesbian moms in
the late '80s and early '90s talk about their
challenges: custody battles with ex-husbands,
fear oflosing custody if people found out
they were gay,concerns about teachers at
school finding out, anxiety about parents
of children's friends discovering they were
lesbians.Twenty-five years ago, it was
extraordinarily risky for a lesbian, any lesbian,
and particularly a lesbian mother, to come
to Michfest. The risks for lesbian mothers
are fewer today. Living as a lesbian in 2015
carries less risk than it did in the past, particularly for white lesbians and lesbians with the
economic resources to take vacations and buy
festival tickets. The material realities of our
lives have changed.
Yet, these changed material conditions do
not mean that we no longer need places like
the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. The
need for womon-only spaces has not ended.
There is still important work to be accomplished in womon-only spaces, however
we might define them. The need for events
that create beauty and celebrate womyn
and lesbians persists. The end of Michfest
is a challenge to create new womon-centric
events, new spaces in which to continue our
liberatory work, new environments where we
can imagine future work for lesbian power.
The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
ended, but it is not the last space that lesbians
will invest with social, political, and cultural
meaning. Something else may arise-a new
festival of women (or womon) and music-to continue the heritage of Hart, and
most certainly a thousand other projects will
emerge from the labor and love oflesbians
for one another.
Leaving Michfest, I realized, This is what
lesbians do: We create spaces that value
womyn. We create environments that are
self interrogating, committed to difficult
conversations and painful negotiations. We
celebrate the accomplishments oflesbians
and incubate future visions and dreams.
Generational change is afoot, yes, and lesbian-feminism is alive and well, being reborn,
reimagined, reinvigorated every day.•
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
47
A TRANSMAN
MAKES A
BY BECK LEWIS
hen I think of Brandon Teena, the words "brave;"'misunderstood;'
and 'gone too soon" come to mind. The story of this transgender
man is known around the world, and if he were with us today, I am
sure he would be thrilled at the progress that the transgender community has
made. Many are familiar with the Academy Award-winning movie BoysDon't
Cry,starring Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny. But it is the documentary The
Brandon TeenaStory,which traces his life, and gives an account of his rape and
murder, along with the murders of two other people on Dec. 31, 1993.The men
responsible for those lost lives-John Lotter and Tom Nissen-are still sitting
on death row today.
Brandon's story touched the lives of many, and since I share something in
common with him, I made it my mission to try to connect with him, however I
could. I am a transgender male, born female in 1997;I started my gender transi~
tion in 2010 with the goal of living a happier and more fulfilling life. All my life,
I've felt like a boy. Now, I know there is a difference between being a tomboy and
being transgender. Even at a young age, I knew I wasn't just a tomboy.
For years, I struggled to figure myself out. Why did I not like being referred to
by female pronouns? Why did I have such a dislike for my body? Most people
will argue that when men and women make
the decision to transition, it must be because
of major issues stemming from their past. I
think it's easier for people to accept the idea if
the decision is linked to some tragic event. To
me, this is the same mind-set that can't wrap
itself around why someone is a lesbian. I lived
a normal childhood, raised by two loving
parents along with my identical twin sister. If
I hadn't been born female, I wouldn't be the
person I am today. I am a proud transgender
man now, a brother and a son.
Back in 2012, I had an amazing opportunity to take a cross-country road trip from
Florida to Washington State. Before I began
my trip, I asked myself what I wanted to see
in each state Ia.be driving through. Brandon
Teena's resting place was at the top of my
list. Now, anyone can look this up. It's online.
What wasn't easy to find was the home of the
late Lisa Lambert, where the triple homicide
took place.
When I arrived in Humboldt, Nebraska,
it was late, and very dark. All I had for light
was the flashlight on my cell phone. I entered
Lincoln Memorial Cemetery and knew
which section I had to find, but with no map,
and with the grounds being very large, I was
not positive that I would find his headstone.
I walked around for what seemed like hours,
and I have to admit that strolling around a
cemetery at night did startle me. I remember
shining my flashlight on every headstone.
Finally, I stopped. I couldn't move my feet.
I couldn't move my body. I just stood there,
staring at the name Teena Brandon. Eventually,I sat down right in front of him. Now I
know that some might think I was just sitting
in front of a cement slab with lettering on
it, but I felt that I was truly in his presence.
I wish I could say that the emotions I felt
were all happy but they weren't. I felt a great
sadness, thinking that there hadn't been any
justice for Brandon since his life was taken.
I was very proud to be where I was though,
and felt like I was visiting a friend that I never
had the chance to meet.
That night, I decided to stay in Humboldt,
so that I could attempt to find the home of
the late Lisa Lambert where she, Brandon
Teena, and Phillip De Vine lost their lives. I
cannot tell you how many people I approached to ask if they knew where Lisa's old
house was. With their faces full of concern,
some asked why I wanted to know that. Others had no idea who I was talking about, or
maybe they were just pretending. I remember
a young store clerk telling me that she knew
who was occupying the house and proceeded
to give me directions. The problem was, her
directions were, like,'Go past the big tree,
turn right, you will see a dirt road, make a left
at the fork, and you will see a smaller tree ..:
By then, I had spent all afternoon looking,
but I wasn't going to give up. I asked a gentleman who was sitting on his lawn mower
if he knew where Lisa Lambert's old house
was. I told him I just wanted to see it as I was
passing through Nebraska. What happened
next, I never expected. The man gave me a
set of directions (a bit clearer this time) and
said, 'Just remember, there are still some nice
people here:' I smiled at him, thanked him,
and began trying to locate my destination
one last time.
Now, the documentary The Brandon
TeenaStory shows the very long side road
that leads to Lisa Lambert's house. The night
of the murders was New Year's Eve, so in
the documentary all the roads are covered in
snow. However, when I saw one particular
road, I knew that I had finally found it. As
I drove up the road, I didn't know what to
expect. I wondered who occupied the house,
or if I could even muster up the courage to
knock on the door, or if I knew what to say if
someone should open it and realize that I was
a stranger. It was so quiet you could hear a pin
drop, but ifl screamed, I bet no one would
hear me. I studied the shed off to the side (in
BoysDon't Cry,Brandon hid in that shed with
Lana Tisdel on several occasions). I was in
awe and even more speechless when I looked
inside one of the windows of the house.
There, on a bedroom floor, was a bouquet of
fake flowers. The floor was ripped up from
where the closet started to about the center of
the room, where I imagine the foot of the bed
would have been. My heart stopped. I knew
the floor was torn up because I was looking at
the very room where Brandon and Lisa lost
their lives.
Eventually, I realized that the back door
was unlocked and that the house was in fact
abandoned. I had to walk past huge trash
bags in the garage filled with tons of empty
beer cans just to get to the back door. Upon
entering, I could hear a smoke detector. This
to me was a sign that the place had recently
been occupied. But it smelled old and moldy
and there were cobwebs everywhere. It looked
like not much had changed since the 1998
documentary. I remember seeing the three
small windows on the front door and instantly thought of the scene in the documentary
showing that door with a Santa Claus hanging from the doorknob. I got chills. I peeked
in the bathroom and really didn't want to
touch much. I thought to mysel£ Wow! This
is where Brandon stayed. This is where he
showered. I didn't want to stay long,just long
enough to capture some photographs and
video. Lisa must have been one kind woman
to open up her home to Brandon, even after
she learned that he was born female. I felt bad
for Phillip De Vine, whom they do not even
make mention of in BoysDon't Cry.He was
in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost
his life with the others that tragic night. The
movie was not filmed in Nebraska. The closeknit, sparsely populated town was so shaken
up after this event that no one could possibly
think of filming a movie there.
I get asked a lot about where the house
is located, and I have been told that it has
since been demolished. I couldn't even begin
to remember where it was, if I had to find it
again. However, you can pay your respects
to Brandon at his grave in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Section Z. He is buried next to
his father. Many in the transgender community are furious that his headstone does not
read"son'' or "brother;' b ~
on it what they
ted, and, in my opinion,
that is to be espected, even though we may
not agr with them. If Brandon were with
us to ay, I am sure he would be amazed at
t many resources that are now available
o transgender persons. They would have
enabled him to live the life that he
wanted to live. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
49
en accepting the 2015 Best New Musical Tony Award for Fun
Home,the playwright Lisa Kron described a recurring dream in
MIRACLE
FUN HOME.
BY MERRYNJOHNS
which she discovered that the apartment she lived in had rooms she
didn't know were there. ''I've been thinking about that dream as I've been thinking
about this amazing Broadway season;' she said, in a moment that other thespians
might have taken to talk about themselves, "because we alllive in this big house,
and weve allbeen sitting in the same one or two main rooms and thinking this
was the whole house. And this season some lights got turned on in some other
rooms .... The thing is, allthose other rooms have always been there, and there
have always been really interesting people in them doing really interesting things.
And wouldn't it be so great if after this season we didn't alljust go back into the
living room:'
Kron is keen to raise awareness about the rightful place of diversity in theater,
"not as a socialjustice issue but as an artistic issue' She tells me that, according to
statistics, less than 20 percent of plays are produced by women. That number is
'even lower on Broadway. The numbers for racial and ethnic diversity are also ex,
tremely low.' Which makes the commercial and critical success of Fun Homeeven
more important and remarkable. The musical, based on lesbian author Alison Be,
chdel's tragicomic graphic novel, tells the tale of a midlife lesbian who looks back
at her budding lesbian self and her diflicult
relationship with her closeted gay dad. It's
both specific and universal and one of a dutch
of shows in 2015 that are true expressions of
diversity,including Hamilton,which combines
hip~hop with history, and a Deaf production
of SpringAwakening.
'There's been this suggestion that there is
a new Golden Age of Broadway right now,'
says Kron, "which is an astonishing thing,
but it's not a coincidence, that [those shows]
are on Broadway right now. Theater is made
of diversity.Theater isn't one person telling a
single story from a single point of view:•
Kron was raised to look at the world
through an outsider lens. Born to a Christian
mother community activist and a Jewish
Holocaust survivor lawyer father in Michigan,
she walked the talk of diversity at an early age.
In her autobiographical play Well,she reveals
that she was sent to an African American
elementary school in an early attempt at racial
integration. And for most of her life,being
involved in the laboratory of theater, Kron has
continued this model of integration. Her true
theatrical awakening happened in New York
City's East Village when she saw the exper~
imental lesbian Split Britches theater group
perform at the WOW Cafe in 1986."lt
changed my world; it was what [playwright]
Paula Vogel calls the God Play, the play you
see that changes your life. There was Holly
Hughes' The Lady Dick,all kinds of shows at
WOW. It was terrible and frustrating that
nobody was paying any attention to what was
happening at WOW except for the Village
Voiceand some lesbian academics:•
This lesbian creativity, some of the greatest
work that Kron has ever seen,'couldn't get
purchase in the mainstream;' says Kron. At
that time, Peggy Shaw, Lois Weaver and Deb
Margolin's ability to deconstruct gender using
butch~femme identity"wasn't recognizable'' to
those outside lesbian culture. It took a quarter
of a century, and marriage equality, for the
paradigm to shift and for lesbian lives to enter
public discourse. Now we acknowledge that
gender is fluid, love is love, and all families
have problems.
With Fun Home"there was enough of
a framework there so that audiences could
come and recognize it;' says Kron. 'That was
something I never expected to see in my life.
To have that audience be able to watch that
show and recognize themselves
in those lesbian
characters:'
The standout song in Fun Home is "Ring
of Keys:'Small Alison is in a luncheonette
with her father when she sees a butch delivery
woman. It is a powerful moment of recogni~
tion and something changes in her. She sings,
"Yourswaggerandyour bearingI and thejust
rightclothesyoure wearingI Yourshorthairand
your dungareesI And your laceup boots.I And
your keys,ohhhI Yourringof keys:'
With this song, Kron walked a knife edge
of representation. "One of the tricky things
was how we would capture the notion of
butchness, which is something that feels clear
to lesbians and very elusive to [others]. A little
girl who wants to dress in boys' clothes-a
tomboy-it's something that many people
can relate to but it's not the same thing. It's not
about wanting to be a man. What is it about
butchnesst
As she worked with Fun Home'scomposer
Jeanine Tesori, Kron struggled with the lyrics
"because butches have been objects of deri~
sion and ridicule, so how to not make it about
reflexivecomic throwawayst Kron didn't
want the audience to laugh, and in the early
workshops of the play, they did. So many of
the words that are descriptive of butches are
'joke words;' says Kron. But finally the song
worked, and to see the child actor Sydney
Lucas perform it as a valorization of butch
identity provided me with a moment in the
theater that I will never forget. Audiences, and
critics, agree.
"Commercial success with this particular
play means a lot to me especially with the
vanquishing oflesbian visibility,"says Kron.
"There are downtown old school dykes who
came to see the show and felt like it was their
show. It was very important that this show ex~
ist in a lesbian paradigm, and not be lesbians
moving in a mainstream heterosexual para~
digm. A downtown show making sense to an
uptown audience-that felt like an evolution
of the world:' The world has indeed evolved
because of the activism in our community, but
also because Kron chose to carry forward her
influences and the excitement she felt about
lesbian performance.
''.Artistically,theater is made in small rooms.
Even a Broadway house is a small room.
What happens in one small room is astonish~
ing. My whole career has felt charmed to me
because-from the moment that I saw the
Split Britches company- I felt that whatever
success I would know, at the heart of it, all
that really matters is that moment of connec~
tion between your show and the audience:•
It was only fairly recently that Kron
thought Fun Home"would just be a gloriou
failed experiment:' Now it looks like it will
Kron, director Sam Gold, and Tesori
tour the country, there will be productions
internationally, possibly even a movie. While
she acknowledges that its success would
not have been likely a decade, perhaps even
five years ago,"FunHome didn't happen in a
vacuum. Culture is an imaginative framework
through which we're able to see people outside
of the closed circuit of our own consciousness.
People who aren't like us. We need a cultural
framework to be able to recognize them.
"Lesbians have been creating work for a
long time. It's always most exciting when a
culture that's had invisibility is forging, cutting
their way into the culture. It makes sense that
right now there's incredibly exciting work
by women, by lesbians, because those are
the people who are cutting, creative, moving,
they're doing something new. And then it will
be somebody else. There are other people
who are out there right now doing interesting
things and there are cultures that we might
not know much about right now:•
While accepting the Walking Stick Award
with Jeanine Tesori at the New York Women's
Foundation Gala in October, Kron said that
many well~meaning folk had tried to com li~
ng, "This show
ment her on Fun Home b
is so much bigger an a lesbian story:'She
would respo :'This show is exactlythe size
of a lesb • story.' While narrative conven~
tions ave insisted that men are universal and
w men are specific; that lesbians-and other
·norities-should be confined to offOff
Broadway, Kron holds the view that if a great
play can feature guys named Willy Loman
or Hamlet, a great play can feature a lesbian
named Alison.
And that's how you get the first lesbian
protagonist on Broadway. •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
51
PHYLLIS
NAGY'S 15-YEAR
f you think you've waited forever for Carol to hit the big screen, spare
a thought for its screenwriter, Phyllis Nagy. She's been working on
the film adaptation since 1999, and her connection to crime writer
Patricia Highsmith's cult lesbian opus goes back even further than
that-to Highsmith hersel£ who died in 1995.
Nagy, who was a latent writer not yet pursuing her now illustrious
career, became friends with Highsmith during a visit to a cemetery, and
"became very good pals over the last decade of her life;' she says. During
their friendship, Highsmith gave Nagy a copy of The Price of Salt but
the budding wordsmith didn't actually read it until after Highsmith was
dead. "She spoke about it in such personal terms, I felt it would be like
reading a friend's diary;' Nagy tells me from L.A., where she is based.
"Subsequently, when I did read it, I found out it isn't [like a diary] at all,
and I felt a little foolish for not having read it prior to that:'
Perhaps Highsmith had intuited something about Nagy: not only was
she also gay, but she'd one day become a writer intrigued by the motives
of the human heart and mind.
"It was about halfway through our friendship that I started writing
and carving out a career in theater;' reveals Nagy. "Pat was actually very
supportive and helpful-in the way that all writers who have been
around the block a few times, and know about the universal disappoint~
ments and such, can be helpful in keeping you sane:'
It wasn't until four years after Highsmith died that Nagy, by that time
1--teJ
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CINEMATIC
TREAT.
BY MERRYNJOHNS
an established playwright and based in
England, was approached to write the
script for Carol. A producer had the
rights to the book, and a little development money. Word spread like wildfire
amongst literary lesbians who have been
waiting ever since ( this writer included)
to see one of their favorite stories bear
cinematic fruit in the way that so many
other Highsmith tales have.
But The Price of Salt or Carol was not
The Talented Mr. Ripley and getting a
film about 1950s lesbians up and running proved to be a challenge. Eventually
the rights to the book lapsed. "I thought
it was dead, done, a lesson in how difficult it was for films that were fronted by
women-not
necessarily lesbian-just
women in general;' says Nagy.
But in 2005 Nagy worked with British
producer Elizabeth Karlsen on a noirish
film for HBO, Mrs. Harris, about the
spurned headmistress Jean Harris who
murdered her diet-doctor lover. Karlsen
"was well aware of the Carol story, and
the ups and downs, and when the rights
to the book lapsed, about a year later,
she persuaded the Highsmith estate to
give her the rights to the book:' She also
persuaded Nagy to continue with the
project.
Many more years, five drafts and
numerous polishes later, came a script
that"was a primer, a crash course in
screenwriting:' Not only did Nagy want
to do her old friend and mentor justice;
she needed to balance "the interests and
demands of a host of other people;' too.
"Oddly, it has worked out rather well, for
something that has gone through a fair
amount of iterations;' she says.
Rather well, indeed, perhaps because
along the way Nagy never lost sight of
what she valued most about The Price of
Salt-"that there is an utter lack of banal
psychologizing about the state of being
a lesbian. Therese and Carol never really
question their identities, which is quite
radical, back in the late '40s early '50s,
when Highsmith wrote that book. And
it's still pretty radical today. It felt like a
pretty compelling subject still after all
these years:'
Fans of the book may be surprised
about where the film begins, or that
some characters have been excised, and
some scenes condensed, added, or modified to make the story play out on screen.
"There are such different temporal
concerns in the novel in which a plethora
of complications, what's going on in
Carol's life, are dispatched in two or
three sentences in the mind of Therese;'
says Nagy. "The decision to take it out of
Therese's sole point of view and make it
a shift in point of view made other decisions easy:' These decisions included not
relying on voiceovers, creating a discernible life for Carol, and jettisoning some
of the novel, such as "the second strange
part of that road trip in which Therese is
on her own and pining after Carol:'
"People will want to see a lot of what
happens between these two;' says Nagy.
And they'll want to see it clearly, especially the romantic development which,
in the book, is often veiled. For example,
the love scene where Carol and Therese
drink glasses of milk and fall asleep
would be impossible to realize onscreen
without laughing. The adaptation has
improved on this. When Therese says,
"Take me to bed," one feels like cheering.
Nagy preserves the best of the
Highsmith dialogue, and, occasionally, gets to the point herself. Elsewhere, she leaves it to the actors, a
deference that pays off in the capable
hands of Cate Blanchett and Rooney
Mara. "These two," says Nagy, still
in awe. "There were things that they
were doing that I couldn't even imagine. I'm thinking of the ending, the
car scene and the looks they give each
other ... That's all in the script, and all
brought out to more beautiful effect
by Todd [Haynes] and the actors."
It might seem surprising, but Cate
Blanchett was the first and only actor
attached to the eponymous lead. "I
didn't write with any actors in mind,"
reveals Nagy, "but my model for Carol
throughout the writing has always
been the Grace Kelly of Rear Window.
That movie, that look in particular-her
coolness, and her absolute
filthiness underneath that."
Once Todd Haynes was on board
as director, Rooney Mara, perhaps
the finest female actor of her generation, was cast. Nagy agrees that
the Blanchett-Mara
couple is swoon
worthy. "The moment I saw them
together on set I couldn't imagine
anyone else. There was no point in
playing those games any more-if
you
could have anyone from history .... It's
like a Christmas present:'•
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
53
TUNE IN TO
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
e musical stereotypes, when it comes to lesbians, are pretty narrowly
defined, and consist of folk singers and rocker chicks, for the most part,
along with an occasional pop or hip,hop star. But oh so rare is the opera
diva. Enter Adrianne Pieczonka.
Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Pieczonka (pyeh,CHON,kuh)
lived in
Europe for a time and has made quite a name for herself on both sides of the
pond. Critics callher a "revelation" and a "tour de force;' hard,earned and well,de,
served accolades for a singer who has dedicated herself to her art. 'The training to
be an opera singer is intense. You can sort of compare it to the training of a pro,
fessional tennis player or sprinter;' Pieczonka says."You can't snap your fingers
and be an opera star overnight. I studied for seven years before I turned profes,
sional, and I still practice nearly daily to keep my voice in tip,top shape' Even so,
a great voice is but one of several key components, all of which are necessary to
succeed in the opera world. Pieczonka adds, "Speaking other languages-French,
Italian, German, and Russian-is a real plus, and also one needs to develop good
acting, good stage skills, too:'
As a freelance performer, Pieczonka travels around the world, taking on
different roles with different companies. Though opera performances are her
~
~
~
"bread and butter;' she gives solo concerts
and recitals as well. She started her career in
Vienna, Austria, and still performs primarily
in Germany and Austria, countries "where
there is a very old tradition of classical music
and opera;' she explains. Though she's hard~
pressed to pick an absolute favorite opera,
Pieczonka's favorite composers are Verdi,
Puccini, Strauss, Wagner, and Mozart. What
about a favorite aria?'"Vissi d'arte; which is
from Puccini's Tosca;'she says."Maria Callas
was a famous Tosca, in her day, and she is a
big inspiration to me. In the aria, Tosca says
that she has lived for art, lived for love, and
dedicated her life to her singing. It's pretty
wonderful:'
Pieczonka's repertoire is a formidable
one but, again, not something she acquired
overnight."! started out with lots of Mozart
and then I began to sing Verdi and Puc~
cini;' she says."Then I tackled the heavier
Germanic repertoire of Wagner and Strauss:'
Like actors, opera singers stop playing roles
when they are no longer age~appropriate.
Considering the breadth of her career thus
far, the 52~year~oldPieczonka has no regrets
about missed opportunities."! suppose one
role which I might never do- I am still on
the fence about it-is Isolde from Wagner's
Tristan und Isolde.It's a marathon role, but an
iconic one. But I'm really satisfied and proud
of my body of work:'
Besides, a new role is quite an undertak~
ing-one that, ideally, Pieczonka would
like to have six months to learn. "I mostly
don't have the luxury of this amount of time
at my disposal, and so I am ofi:en trying to
learn a new role between performances of
other operas;' she says, adding, "This is not
easy!" Because she plays the piano fairly well,
Pieczonka starts there, playing the score to
learn the part. Once she has the basics down,
"Then I take it to a pianist or coach, so that I
can further memorize the role. My wife is a
mezzo~soprano, but she is now also doing a
lot of voice teaching. She has been my vocal
coach now for about two years, and it's won~
derful to have this professional relationship
alongside our marriage:'
Pieczonka is just as proud of her marriage
as she is of her career, and she doesn't feel that
she's ever suffered any professional discrim~
ination because of it. Though she has never
proclaimed her orientation in an official way,
and she isn't heavily immersed in LGBTQ
politics, Pieczonka understands that her role
as a public figure has an impact.
"In 2002, I gave a big, national newspaper
interview in my hometown of Toronto, and I
was asked by the journalist about my private
life, my love life;' she recounts."! gave a vague
answer, saying I was indeed involved in a
relationship, but I did not specify that it was
with a woman. The article came out and the
journalist wrote, 'She is happily involved with
someone, but won't give his name: This was
rather embarrassing for me, as my family and
friends had known for years that I was gay. It
was a wake~up call, and since that interview
I am very dear about my sexuality, when
asked .... As a public performer, I feel that if I
am open about being gay,it might help others
to be more aware and accepting of other
lifestyles:'
So, as the lesbian ambassador to opera,
what pieces does Pieczonka recommend for
newbies?"! think many newbies would enjoy
Puccini-Madame Buttetji.y,La Boheme, or
Tosca-as an introduction to opera;' she says.
"These operas are not too long, and they are
filled with wonderful, ofi:en very recognizable
melodies. There are many full~length operas
on YouTube with English subtitles. Check
them out!" And check out Pieczonka, too. A
list of upcoming international performances
is on her website. (adriannepieczonka.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
55
MELISSA
STARTING
OVER
Melissa Ferrick is back, and back to basics.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
-~
j
~-'
•
',.
...,
-~:·.·~~~~
Melissa Ferrick has all the cred to make her
a fixture in the music biz, and a firm favorite
with lesbians: classicalviolin lessons at age 5;
piano, trumpet, and bass not long after that;
study at the Berklee College of Music and the
New England Conservatory; acoustic coffee~
house gigs in New York'sEast Village;a major
label contract in the 1990s; and then-not
necessarily in this order-rock star behavior;
getting sober; founding her own record label;
writing songs and touring like a maniac; fac~
ing bankruptcy; starting over and founding
a label again. Along the way, the out artist
created 12 original albums, garnered glow~
ing reviews from the independent press, and
won the undying loyalty of fans who value
her openness and honesty as much as they do
the extraordinary sounds she coaxes from her
guitar and her voice. It's little wonder that all
those fans who love and admire Ferrick, 45,
also helped fund her latest effort, and ascribe
to her a status enjoyed by only a few female
artists, icons such as Ani DiFranco and Me~
lissa Etheridge. Curve caught up with Ferrick
during her busy fall tour.
song. I believeall songs, stopped down to their
skeletons, should hold up, to be sure it's a good
song. How you dress it up is the artist's choice,
and sometimes it's really fun to push myself
stylistically,which I have done in the past.
This album was purposeful in the production.
I was mostly listening to For Emma, Forever
Ago by Bon Iver at the time, and I can certain~
ly hear that influence on this album's overall
sound and simplicity.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK ON THIS
ALBUM-AND
CAN
YOU SHARE A LYRIC
YOU'RE REALLYPROUD OF?
I think "Careful" is the best song on the re~
cord-the most personal and heartfelt. "See~
nic View" comes in a dose second. I am proud
of the lyrics in both of these songs. I took my
time editing both of them. As far as a line I am
extremely proud 0£ Ia go with a line in verse
two of"Careful": Let's not let ourfuture down I
bywanderingaroundin ourpast.
SELF-TITLED ALBUM?
The inspiration for it really came from the
songwriting itsel£ The process this time was
very sweet, intentional, and thought through.
I left MPress Records to reopen my label, so
going it alone again is a theme here. The al~
bum was partially financed by fans, who chose
to become members of my subscriber~based
platform, voxco.audio,which was built with a
fan friend who lives in Michigan. The mem~
bers helped in some decisions throughout
the recording of the album. I would post new
songs I had written, mixes I was working on,
and even the tide of the album was up for a
vote. This whole process was really different
from anything I have ever done before.
GINNING. WHY THE NEW LABEL, RIGHT ON
It's a starting over,with the relaunching of my
label Right On Records. The label went dor~
mant in 2010 after I had to claim Chapter 13,
and when I signed with MPress Records in
order to continue making albums. So in this
very specific way it is a starting over. It is also
a restart in its style,and in its simplicity.I have
purposefully moved away from larger pro~
duction and big studio sounds and returned
to how I started-honestly, how I feel most
comfortable and how I believe I excel artisti~
cally-on my own, in a room with a few mies,
letting the songs and the performances speak
for themselves.
AS A FOLK ROCK SINGER-SONGWRITER?
I really don't mind "folk rock;' but the simpler
"singer~songwriter"feels better to me these
days. Defining my genre feels so isolating to
me now, because I am a songwriter first and
foremost, before the style is set in, meaning
that the production I choose to put around
the song-that to me defines the style of a
AND IN YOUR HEART THAT CREATED THESE
It's good when I have a bunch of songs writ~
ten within a relatively short period of time,
because they make sense together. There were
five songs that didn't make this album, be~
cause they were written in the year before,just
after I released The Truth Is. Although I think
they are good songs, they just didn't fit next to
these ones. These days, I am into authenticity,
trying to live as closelyto my truth as possible.
I am getting braver with my words and my
heart, enough to really get down to some of
the more specific reasons I am the way I am,
or I feel the way I feel.I am less afraid of what
others will think, and more interested in how
well I am living.
YOU'RE TOURING A LOT THIS WINTER. WHAT
ARE THE MAIN SHOWS COMING UP?
YOU ENGINEER YOUR OWN WORK, AND THIS
ALBUM IS TECHNICALLY BEAUTIFUL. CAN YOU
TAKE US INSIDE THE PRODUCTION PROCESS?
HOW DO YOU LABEL YOURSELF MUSICALLY?
IT TOOK YOU A YEAR TO WRITE AND RECORD
THE ALBUM. WHAT WAS ON YOUR MIND
SONGS?
YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A NEW BE-
RECORDS?
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR NEW
fected the overall vibe of the record. I believe
this is why this album feels more real and
more like a liveperformance.Two, there are no
edits, meaning every track was performed live
without combining other performances. This
also gives each song more realness, because
there are mistakes, there are moments where
things just come together and feel good, and
there are moments where things feel like they
are falling apart, but inevitably they find their
homes. Three, I played and sang every song
at the same time. I didn't separate my vocal
performances from my guitar performances.
In the past, this is something that has been
asked of me by producers, and it has always
felt very unnatural. I won't bore you with the
engineering stuff-it's pretty elaborate and
geeky.[Laughs] I love it though.
Sure, and thanks for saying so. I did a lot of
reading in engineering magazines about how
other people recorded specific albums-mic
placement, panning, amounts of effects, etc.
But in the end, it's always just the take, the
performance. Three things are completely
different from any album I have made before:
One, I didn't use any dick tracks, meaning all
the timing is human time and this really af~
I am touring, doing some dates with Joan Ar~
matrading and Alejandro Escavedo, as well as
my own shows in Portland, Maine, Burling~
ton, Vt., Northampton, Mass., New Hope,
Pa., then a Florida tour with Loudon Wain~
wright III, playing West Palm, Ponte Verde,
and Clearwater, then my own shows in St.
Augustine, Fla., Chapel Hill, N.C., and Ash~
land, Va. Then I end my year-as I always
do-at Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass.,
playing Dec. 26 and 27, two shows per night
with special guests. (melissaferrick.com)•
BY DAVE STEINFELD
While Kristen Merlin is a young, openly gay woman from Massachusetts who
came to the public's attention on The Voice,
the all-American tomboy is not aiming for
a career in dancey pop rock; she's shooting
for the country mainstream. If her expe-
riences to date are anything to go by, she's
got a good chance of making it.
A New Englander through and through,
Merlin grew up in the small town of Hanson, Mass., before going to college at the
University of New Haven, Conn. After
receiving her bachelor's degree in Music
and Sound Recording, she headed back
to Massachusetts, where she spent several
years fronting her own band and playing
with the cover band Six Foot Sunday. She
also had the honor of performing the national anthem at Fenway Park.
But perhaps Merlin is best known to
lesbians as part of Team Shakira on Season 6 of The Voice, where she went all the
way to the top four.
"It was pretty crazy;' she says of working with Shakira. "It wasn't really until after coming off the show that I could wrap
my brain around what just happened!
[But Shakira] was super sweet . . . really
down to earth and really dedicated:' That
brings us to 2015. Merlin released the EP
Boomerang earlier this year, as a teaser for
a full album.
Though she grew up listening to "a little bit of everything;' there's no question
that Merlin always loved country music.
"Country's a good time;' she states. "People are starting to come around to that
and [to) realize that it's not all hokey-especially now, where country has more of
a crossover feel. That's where I think my
music fits in:'
That said, the mainstream country music audience is not as quick to accept an
openly gay singer as, say, the world of alternative rock. This fact isn't lost on Merlin, who was ridiculed while growing up
for having a tomboy image. "I think sometimes it's fear of the unknown, [and) that's
OK;' she says, diplomatically.
"Some people kind of pick apart [my
songs] lyrically. You know, for them it's
a different meaning because I'm talking
about a girl. But I've always just been comfortable with who I am and how I dress.
I'm not one for short skirts and little tops
or something. Put me in a pants suit, you
know?"
In addition to the title track, the fivesong Boomerang includes the upbeat
"Pocket Love Song" and a more serious
ballad called "Confusion;' which Merlin
says was written about pursuing a woman
who had put up an emotional barrier. Of
her upcoming full-length, she says, "It'll
be an all-original album. I wanna keep
a mix of the serious side [and] the party
side. Never stray too far from who I am
but definitely cater to who my audience is:'
She's proud to be gay, and she has her head
on straight. (kristenmerlin.com) •
The title of Jesse Lafser's new album is
Raised on the Plains. Originally from St.
Louis and currently based in East Nashville, Lafser has spent a lot of time driving
the open roads of this country and was in
New Mexico when we spoke. The new disc
is her sophomore set and the follow-up to
2012's Land in Sight.
"With Raised on the Plains, I wanted to
have this live, kind of cut-loose energy;' she
says when I ask her how this album differs
from her debut. "We tracked all the songs
completely live, with guitar and vocals at
the same time ... I try not to do something
the same way twice:' Lafser co-produced
the album with Grammy-nominated Peter Cooper.
Raised on the Plains features a dozen
songs that split the difference between
folk, blues, and country. They show off
Lafser's ability as a songwriter and a guitarist. Lafser also shot a video for the lead
track, "Jack Hat Blues;' which, she says,
"came about from my time out West,
about two years ago. That song is like the
character that sort of developed out of my
time on the road, alone:'
On the tune "Circus of Saints;' she is
joined by the group SHEL-the
four
talented young Holbrook sisters, Sarah,
Hannah, Eva, and Liza. "They're really awesome;' she says. "I wanted them to
play on that song specifically because they
come from sort of a Celtic- Irish influence,
and that song is in six-eight time ... That's
sort of a traditional Irish time. I was really
lucky to have them on that one. I feel like
it gave a fresh vibe to the record:'
Of being out, she says, "It's been interesting. I'm lucky to live in a really cool
neighborhood, East Nashville. It's [a] very
progressive, supportive community. But I
think overall it's hard.
"There are a lot of gay and lesbian songwriters, but I think it's a bit harder in the
country world to be a gay performer. And
I definitely have friends who have really struggled to walk the line. You know,
they wanna have a great career, but they
don't wanna sacrifice their personal beliefs.
There is that old, conservative country
[music] mentality, for sure. But the underground scene that's happening in East
Nashville now is really exciting. Everyone's
very open-minded-so
I'm hoping that's
where the future is headed:'
(jesselafser.com) •
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
59
Singer-songwriter Sinclair on living, loving, and
making music in the Bible Belt.
BY KELLY MCCARTNEY
Growing up gay in rural upstate New
York would be hard enough without having any other weights to bear. But add on
eight siblings and a preacher dad and ...
"There are some amazing aspects to it that
I'm really appreciative 0£ now;' Sinclair
says. "I did have a really good childhood
in a lot of ways:' But this sweet-voiced
young pop singer/ songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist has been quick to make
some life-defining changes. She dropped
her first name, Julia, for poetic purposes,
and she also moved to Nashville as soon
as she could. Music was what got her
out-out of St. Lawrence County and out
of the proverbial closet. As she recounts
her exit strategy, "My parents didn't want
me to leave, and I was really running away
from home. That's why I picked Nashville.
I needed to leave the North Country, for
sure. And I wanted to be in a music city,
where I could actually make a living off
of music. New York and L.A. just seemed
like ... I wasn't really sure that I would be
able to get on my own two feet that quickly. So I moved to Nashville, where my best
friend was- I just had one person I knew
here. I got in a car that I'd bought the year
before and just went:'
That was four years ago.
Whether her family is more disappointed by her sexual or her professional orientation is hard to say, but Sinclair would
rather live honestly, without them, than
dishonestly, with. "My church was not at
all progressive, to say the least. And my
parents preached against homosexuality.
So, when I came out and told them that
I was gay, and that there was really nothing I could do about it, that didn't go over
well;' she says. 'Tm in touch with them,
here and there, but they're not supportive.
They haven't come to meet my now-wife.
But one of my sisters has. Most of my siblings, though, are kind of in the same boat
as my parents, and they all still live in the
same area:'
She continues, "The plus side was, even
though they don't support my music now,
they did support me playing music growing up. If I hadn't had that, I wouldn't
even have had the guts to leave the North
Country, I think:' Sinclair played the cello
in high school and has since graduated to
guitar, bass, mandolin, and piano, as well.
In Nashville, she has carved out a nice
little place for hersel£ working studio gigs to
pay the bills, while writing and performing
her own music on the side. Last November,
she released her groove-laden Sweet Talk EP
and has been touring a bit to support itincluding a performance at Nashville Pride
this year. She is also gearing up to make a
full-length record. "I really want to tour on
the EP, even though I'm writing for a fulllength already, and I have quite a bit of that
under my belt;' she says."But I'm really anxious to let the EP have a little bit of a life of
its own. And, in between times, just write
and get all that going:' Music City being a cowrite kind of town, Sinclair has had to adapt
her craft somewhat, in order to really fit in.
"I definitely have done a lot of co-writing
since I moved to Nashville;' she laughs, adding, "But I grew up writing by mysel£ That's
where I discovered that I loved it:'
Even with the progress that Nashville has
made, politically and musically, over the
past decade or so, a queer pop artist is still
a bit of an outsider in Tennessee, right? "I
definitely would say so;' Sinclair says. ''I've
got my own tight-knit community, and I
definitely plan to build my local shows and
stuff, but the focus isn't so much on that as
it is on being close to the community that
I've already built. We're in the Southsurrounded by the Bible Belt, at any rate.
I don't know that I expect to get massively
embraced in Nashville anytime soon, but
it is a good place to be touring from. It's
just a good community:'
The anchor of Sinclair's Nashville community is her wife, Natalie. They got married in San Francisco last summer because
marriage equality had not yet reached the
Volunteer State. She says of their notquite-shotgun wedding, "Some people ask
me, 'Well, what was the hurry?' It wasn't
like we had a huge hurry, although my
wife has Type I diabetes and I wanted to
have healthcare together, at least, so that I
would not have to be waiting outside while
she calls her mom to fly in from Texas:' A
practical rebel, but a rebel nonetheless,
Sinclair's making her own family, and in
her own way.•
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
As part of the Atlanta music scene that
yielded the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins,
Sugarland, and John Mayer, singeMongwriter Michelle Malone has come a long way since
her first independent record in 1988."When I
started, we all did it, because it was a stepping
stone to the next level;'she recalls.''.Amy[Ray]
and Emily [Saliers] made an independent record with John Keane, and I was there with
them, so I thought,'Oh, that's what you do: So
I went and made an independent record with
John Keane and then we all got signed:'
Though Malone did get signed to Arista
Records with her band Drag the River, she
has primarily been an indie artist throughout her career. It'sjust in her nature to go her
own way."Frankly, I just hate for someone to
tell me what to do, because I'll second-guess
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them;' she says with a laugh. 'Tm fiercely independent in that I've learned a selfreliance
from the beginning of my life that has worked
for me, in whatever capacity:'
She pauses, then adds, "It may have come
back to bite me in the ass, but I'm still alive
and I'm still kicking:'
Some 30 years into her career, Malone has
just issued her 18th album, Stronger Than You
Think. So, has it gotten harder or easier to be
a working musician over the past few decades?
"It really depends on your attitude at the
time-and your expectations. I can make it as
easy or as difficult as I want. And I've found
that it is easier now simply because I'm older
and wiser. I make it easy and I don't sweat the
little stuff... Also, it's not a means to an end. It's
just part of a journey now:'
Along that journey, Malone has built a
mutually beneficial fellowship with her fans.
They fund her records through her "Kick
Start Me Up" campaigns, and they fill her
heart through their personal stories. "I get
a lot of folks saying, 'This song really helped
me get through a divorce...or chemo; things
like that. And that is amazing;' she says."The
power of song. I'm sure there are a lot of other
things in their life that contribute to them being able to get through these hardships, but to
be part of that? That means so much to me,
so much more than the 10 bucks Ict.make off
a record. It's an honor to be part of someone's
life, in that respect. You're part of the giant
quilt of someone's life,and it just goes to prove
the theory that we're all connected:'
However much older and wiser she may be,
the 49-year-old Malone is still as feisty as she
was in her teens. That much is perfectly clear
throughout Stronger Than You Think, and it's
a result of her continual striving on the artistic front. "I just try to keep raising the bar for
mysel£ with each record, with each song, with
each show. I think I've been able to do that;'
she says."I love my new record. People seem
to connect to it, and it seems to make a lot of
people happy. That is a win for me, because if
I'm not connecting to people and making the
world a better place then I don't know what
the fucking point is:' (michellemalone.com) •
Sacramento native Karmen Buttler
grew up in, essentially, the Partridge family minus the bus. Her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles-everyone had musical
inclinations, if not outright talent. So it
seemed quite natural that Buttler would
join the school band at the age of 9 and
start writing songs as a young teen.
Soon came another major milestone.
"I came out at 14 and, besides some very
minor bumps in the road, have had a very
smooth ride ever since;' she says, then provides an example of a minor bump. "Let's
just say it involved getting baptized into
a born-again church so I could hang out
with my middle-school crush. Seriously,
though, I had it pretty easy. It makes a
tremendous difference when young people are allowed to be their real selves while
growing up, and I'm so grateful to have
had that experience:'
During those early years, Buttler came
to realize that music was her path and her
passion. "It's so easy, out of fear or presumed necessity, to over-occupy yourself
with activities or tasks that aren't aligned
with your passions or values;' she offers.
"We often do jobs we don't care much
about, or we follow paths that we think
are more appropriate than our dream.
My feeling is, anytime you step away from
your true passion-your
most important
work-you
are stepping away from your
authentic sel£ and that can cause great
struggle and unhappiness:'
Before she came to that realization,
though, Buttler attended Mills College in
Oakland "for approximately five minutes;'
she jokes. As an interesting counterpart to
her life as an artist she pursued hairdressing. "It's proven to be a great complement
to my artistic endeavors;' she says of her
day job. "Your primary job is to pay close
attention to the needs and expectations of
others-to really take care of people. I find
this to be an excellent balance to the often
solitary and self-consuming nature of being an artist:'
Even as her music career blossoms, Buttler maintains a roster of clients in San
Francisco, because she understands that
the artist's way of life is a financial rollercoaster, and because she and her wife
live in Marin County, which doesn't come
cheap. In between cuts and colors, Buttler
ventures out to play shows in support of
her Daze of Love album. Her calendar includes both queer music festivals and standard club gigs. In both cases, Buttler says,
"My goal is to be mysel£ regardless of the
audience. When I'm true to that, I'm able
to give so much more, and that is ultimately my job as a performer and musician.
And, hopefully, the audience will feel not
only entertained but also taken care of'
(karmenmusic.com) •
BY KELLYMCCARTNEY
As both a solo artist and the front woman
for K's Choice, Belgian rocker Sarah Bettens
had been a favorite with the LGBTQ com~
munity even before she officially came out,
more than a dozen years ago. Around that
same time, Bettens put K's Choice on hold,
stepping back from the spotlight and into
domesticity with her now~wifeand two step~
children. The couple has since adopted two
more kids and Bettens has regrouped with
K's Choice, most recently for The Phantom
Cowboy.
But something else happened a few years
back: After gaining US. citizenship, Bettens
became a firefighter."I don't know how I first
came up with it, but it sounded exactly like
what I wanted to do;' she says."I had a high
need of doing something that had nothing to
do with music and was very different in na~
ture:' Because Bettens-along with her broth~
er Gert-jumped into K's Choice at a fairly
young age, she missed the college experience.
And the life of a touring musician can be all
consuming, she says."It's hard to do hobbies
with music, and get into any kind of routine
of playing soccer on Sundays, stuff like that,
because I was gone a lot of the Sundays. All
these things sound very small-and they are,
in a way-but, put together, I felt like there
was something I still had to do that I couldn't
find in my music career:'
So, on a bit of a whim, she interviewed to
be a firefighter and got hired, which meant go~
ing through a training program with a bunch
of 25~year~oldguys. Bettens explains,"It was
challenging. It still is. I completely fell head~
over~heelsin love with it. I liked the public
service aspect of it. I liked the physical aspect
of it. And what I really liked about it was that
it was outlined, as in 24~hour shifts, and when
it's done, it's done. I have to show up, do a good
job, and then it's over:'
When it is over,Bettens switches gears and
goes home to her family.And sometimes she
switches into that other gear and steps back
into rock star mode, although she even does
that differently these days. The Bettens sib~
lings worked eight~hour days over the course
of two weeks to write The Phantom Cowboy
and ended up with one of the most assertive,
no~nonsense records of their career. Part of
that focus came from Bettens being 43, and
no longer suffering fools-including hersel£
"I used to think the stars had to be aligned
in a certain way, and the light had to come
through my window at a certain angle, and I
had to have at least five hours ahead of me of
nothing, and be in just the right space for,'OK,
I think I might be able to write a song today;"
she laughs."This time, it was like,'Well, you're
here. We gotta write. It's 9 o'clock, let's go:
Why did I take my own songs so seriously?
It'sjust a flipping song. It's not a novel. It's not
a life~and~deathsituation:'
Even though Bettens has learned to take
herself a bit less seriously, she does not take
her career any less seriously."Not every word
in every song has to be the deepest truth ever
written anymore;' she says."I wanted to write
a fun record. I want everyone to jump up and
down when they hear it. That's the kind of
music I want to make. I still want to talk about
meaningful things, but it doesn't all have to be
about me anymore. It can float a little more.
At some point, you really learn to cut through
a lot of bullshit and say,'This is the art, this
is what I want to talk about: And there it is:'
(kschoice.rocks) •
Most people know Michelle Chamuel ei,
ther as the runner,up on season four of The
Voice or as the girlfriend of the lovely and
talented Mary Lambert. But Chamuel, 29,
had actually been making music for nearly a
decade before she became familiar to Voice
viewers. In the mid, 2000s, while attending
collegein Ann Arbor, Mich., she was part of
a large dance,pop collective called Ella Riot.
After that band broke up, she and Tyler Dun,
can, a former Ella Riot bandmate, became a
duo and issued a self,titled album called s/he.
In addition, Chamuel did some solo work and
production under the moniker The Reverb
Junkie. Finally,in 2013, the soft,spoken, be,
spectacled singer from Massachusetts decided
she was ready for her close,up.
It wasn't an easy decision. While she's al,
ways been a determined person, and one who
loves music, Chamuel has also felt like an out,
sider for most of her life.She's an out lesbian,
an only child, and the daughter of Jewish
refugees from the Middle East. "Being an
only child, and trying to fit in at school and
stuff-fitting in, in a lot of different ways,
was something that I [struggled with]. And
when I found music, I felt a sense of belong,
ing:' She adds, "If I was anxious or mad, put
music on and all of a sudden I was OK. And
at some point I started wanting to make
music-for myself and also for other peo,
ple. I hoped that it would help them process
different parts of their life, in the same way
[that it] did for me:'
Perhaps tellingly, Chamuel sang the
Katy Perry hit "I Kissed a Girl" at her
blind audition for The Voice. That led to
joining Team Usher and took her all the
way to the finals, where she lost to Dan,
ielle Bradbery. But the experience was still
a resounding success and led to the release
of Face the Fire at the beginning of this
year. An unabashed pop album-and the
first disc to be released under her given
name-Face the Fire found Chamuel once
again working with her old pal Tyler Dun,
can, as well as another former Ella Riot
bandmate, Theo Katzman.
"I made this album with two of my
really good friends;' she confirms. "Theo,
Tyler and I co,wrote, performed, and
co,produced. Everybody did their thing
and came up with stuff.' Of the title
track-which
is also the opening song
on the album and a sort of mission state,
ment-Chamuel
says, "The imagery I get
when singing this song is that I'm in front
of a big fire... It's almost a trancelike state:'
About the song "Rock It;' she says, "Ev,
ery pop album that I love has something
dance,y (on it]. So I called up Theo and
Tyler and they came back with that hook.
(Then] we all got together and fleshed it
out:'
As far as the women who have in,
fluenced her musically, they're a diverse
group. Chamuel lists everyone from Ella
Fitzgerald to The Dixie Chicks to Chris,
tina Aguilera. 'J\nd then, Imogen Heap
blew my mind;' she adds. "Because she
was the first female producer that I really
heard. Not only [was] her singing awe,
some, but she was also doing production
stuff.' On a personal note, Chamuel gives
props to her family. "First off, my mom;'
she says."My grandma. All my female rel,
atives. They're very loving and very power,
ful women:' (michellechamuel.com) •
I
"You don't own me I I'm not just one of
your many toys."
Those opening lyrics to Lesley Gore's
classic "You Don't Own Me" preview what
would become a feminist anthem. The song
was released in 1963, the same year as Bet~
ty Friedan's groundbreaking feminist book
The Feminine Mystique. Gore was only 17
and still in high school when her song hit
the number 2 spot on the Billboard 100
where it hovered for several weeks just
below the Beatles' hit "I Want to Hold
Your Hand:' That song wasn't Gore's only
top hit-she would go on to become the
best~selling female single pop artist of the
1960s in the U.S., with her songs of teen
angst. She opened a door for other single
female artists in the era of girl groups and
male bands. Her producer, the legendary
Quincy Jones, said when Gore died on Feb.
~EAK
ORY
BY VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
16, 2015 at 68, that"this little girl with the
big voice"had helped propel his career back
into the fast lane, when Jones had just become head of A&R for Mercury Records.
I'm not sure how old I was when I first
heard Lesley Gore's songs. They vibrated
on the periphery of my grade school years,
as the high school girls would sing them in
the cafeteria. When I was in college in the
1970s, I had a lesbian radio program-the
first in the country. Lesbian music was still
nascent, so I would cull songs by female
artists with ambiguous lyrics. "You Don't
Own Me'' was one of them, as was Gore's
"Secret Love;' with its gay subtext: "Once I
had a secret love I that lived within the heart
of me I All too soon my secret love I became
impatient to befree:'
But the song ends with a triumphant
coming out: "Now, I shout itfrom the highest
hills I Even told the golden daffodils I At last,
my heart's an open door I And my secret love's
no secret anymore:'
In another hit, "Sometimes I Wish I
Were a Boy;' Gore sings that'Tm a girl, and
it's wonderful" but "sometimes, yes, sometimes I wish I were a boy"-because boys
can do what they want and girls can't. Because it's still the 1960s.
Gore was nominated for Grammys and
Marvin Hamlisch had his first big hit with
her. She was nominated for an Oscar for
her song "Out Here on My Own;' from
the musical Fame for which she wrote the
lyrics. (Her brother Michael was the composer on the film; he won the Oscar for the
title song.) The lyrics to "Out Here on My
Own'' are deep and moving. Irene Cara's
performance of Lesley Gore's song is one
of the most poignant in the film. The lyrics
repeat what was a constant for Gore-the
outsider looking in: "Sometimes I wonder I
Where I've been I Who I am, do I fit in? I
Make-believing is hard alone I Out here, on
my own."
Gore wasn't on her own forever. When
she died, she had been partnered with jeweler Lois Sasson for 3 3 years. Sasson told
the media, "Lesley was a wonderful human
being-caring,
giving, a great feminist,
great woman, great human being, great humanitarian:'
Yet unquestionably Gore's sexual orientation, which she would later say she
discovered while a college student at Sar-
ah Lawrence, altered her career. She never
stopped performing, but her days at the top
of the Billboard 100 ended in the 1970s.
Gore's most powerful song was one she
only sang in concert. She wrote "My Secret
Love'' (not to be confused with the 1960s
hit,"Secret Love") for Allison Anders' 1996
film Grace of My Heart. The film details
the rise of a female singer, based loosely on
Carole King, and has a subplot featuring a
closeted female singer, Kelly Porter (played
by Bridget Fonda), based on Gore. The film
captures how the Sexual Revolution was
for straight people-not
lesbians. Kelly
stands in the recording booth and sings,
"Girls like me have to hide our hearts away."
With anguish on her face, she continues, "J_f
only we could live one day without the need to
hide away I I'd tell the truth to everyone, how
I livefor you I But people never understand,
they'll destroy us if they can..."
In 2004, Gore hosted the PBS LGBT
series In the Life, where she officially came out, although she insisted she
was never really in the closet. In June
2005 she released her final album, Ever
Since, which included the song "Words
We Don't Say;' which was used on The
L Word. The album received critical acclaim from the New York Times, Rolling
Stone and Billboard magazine. Among
the songs mostly written by Gore was
a reprise of "You Don't Own Me"-a
deeper, even stronger version than the
original, more than 40 years earlier.
Lesley Gore may seem like a voice
from a distant past, but as she continued
to write songs, even as she stopped making hits, her voice was being heardspeaking out to the marginalized, the
closeted, the lesbians who, like her, were
held in check by a homophobic society.
Lesley Gore was called "the voice of
teenage heartbreak" and she was. Her
lyrics described the atmosphere of fear
at that time: "No! Don't say a single word
I Can't be sure, can't be sure that we won't
be heard." She provided a soundtrack to
life in the closet-the
"secret loves" of a
time not very long ago. It's the sound of
our heartbreak. And of our history. •
You Don't Own Me: The Life and Times
of Lesley Gore by Trevor Tolliver is out
now from Backbeat Books.
he LGBTQ film genre has evolved rapidly over the
span of a few decades. Today, more lesbian and feminist
films are on offer than ever before, through independent
cinema, fan~funded features, and web series. Boundar~
ies are being pushed to create more roles for queer women and
women in general, and numerous crowdfunding campaigns and
initiatives aim at increasing diversity on our screens. It's apparent
that when women support one another, amazing things happen.
Marina Rice Bader's Soul Kiss Films, a woman~empower~
ing production company based out of Glendale, Cali£, has just
released its best feature so far, Raven's Touch.Written by Dreya
Weber (The Gymnast,A Marine Story),produced by Rice Bader
(Elena Undone,Anatomy of a Love Seen),and co~directed by them
both, this independent film was a completely donation~based proj~
ect and was made possible by the hundreds of people who chose to
get involved and help Rice Bader and Weber bring its story-and
the remarkable character of Raven-to life.
Actor~director~screenwriter Weber knew that the main pur~
pose of Soul Kiss Films was to produce films by women, for worn~
en, and when Rice Bader approached her with a collaboration
opportunity that would create a powerful and empowering piece
for the screen, Weber was enthralled.
"[Marina] had been kicking around an idea where a single mom
with two teenagers goes camping in an attempt to connect with
them, away from the distractions of technology and the teenag~
ers' burgeoning sexuality;' says Weber. "Why is the other woman
in the woods? I became interested in exploring our urge to isolate
in times of sadness and loss, when we have the greatest need for
human interaction for healing. That's how the character of Raven
was born:'
If that sounds potentially messy-co~directing an emotionally
powerful film with the writer, who is also the lead-Rice Bader
and Weber's collaboration faced hardly any challenges at all. "We
had it worked out where I would direct the scenes she was in and
she would direct the scenes she wasn't in;' explains Rice Bader.
"Once in a while we stepped on each other's toes, but it was bare~
ly noticeable, because one of us would mention it and the other
would be, 'OK, cool: Were both very direct women who don't play
games, so we get along really well:'
Blaming herself for a tragic accident, Raven Michaels (Weber)
isolates herself in a remote cabin in the woods. On the verge of
a breakdown, she hopes to come to terms with reality through
her seclusion, and wanders the woods seeking peace. Meanwhile,
Kate Royce (Traci Dinwiddie) takes her two teenage kids camping
far from the distractions of technology and young romance, but
shes also fleeing and seeking refuge from an abusive relationship
with Angela (Nadege August). In the midst of nature, Raven's and
Kates worlds collide-and miraculously the two women offer each
other the opportunity to overcome their situations, conquer their
demons, and find healing-through intimacy.
I happily accepted an invitation to attend the San Francisco
screening of this intriguing film in August because I knew that
Marina Rice Bader's Soul Kiss label never disappoints its adoring
lesbian audience.
It may surprise fans to learn that the conception of this film oc~
curred over three years ago, in 2012. Raven'sTouch,just like many
other films, took time to make. But Rice Bader, along with the Soul
Kiss team, knew that with this new film she had something unique
to offer the women of the world.
"The themes of love, pain, loss, joy, grief, redemption, so many
universal emotions run through the film;' says Rice Bader. "The
truth is always there:'
"This film was a great experiment for all of us, if I do say so
myself says the lead actor, Traci Dinwiddie, who was attracted to
the role of Raven when she first read the script. "I later realized
that Kate would be the greater acting challenge for me, and I really
wanted to work with Dreya Weber. She and I bonded several years
prior, while sharing a dressing room during a show at The Actors'
Gang. Dreya inspired me to take on trapeze, and I knew she would
be a powerful screen partner. Shes earthy, gutsy, and a true artist in
every sense of the word:'
Shot on location in Latigo Canyon and the Los Angeles Na~
tional Forest, Raven'sTouchgives the outdoorswoman inside us all
a breath of fresh air, offering wondrous views of serene landscapes.
"Latigo Canyon is very special to me, as I have proudly ridden
my bicycle up that gnarly 9.5 mile switchback several times while
training for AIDS/LifeCycle;' says Dinwiddie. "The vistas at both
locations were breathtaking. Add to that the great company of pas~
sionate actors, crew, and directors!"
Dinwiddie elaborates on the experimental experience the film
offered the cast and crew. "There were aspects that worked and
others that didn't quite land, but we were a team. Our trust in each
other made the more challenging times worth every lesson:'
This experience has found its way into the film itsel£ Raven's
Touch is anything but cliche when it comes to offering up a les~
bian storyline. Inherent in it is evidence that lesbian culture, and
NOV/DEC
2015
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69
1raci Dinwiddie
therefore lesbian filmmaking, is moving forward: Kate not only is
a lesbian mother of two children, she is a single lesbian mother of
two children. As a society, we haven't witnessed that in a film yet.
The present day, especially for the LGBTQ community, has a lot to
do with how we make and choose family. Raven'sTouch,although
a predominantly lesbian film, has an abundance of family values
attached to it. Kate's kids, Maya (Victoria Park) and Jack (Chris
O'Neal) are part of the glue that holds everything together in this
film. Even if they seem like your normal everyday teenagers, want~
ing to break away from their mother's grasp and get back into the
realm of smart phones and tablets, these two are the driving force
behind the climax of the film.
Nothing is more important to Kate than her children. They
may piss her off, but she is truly a mother hen in the vast woods of
70
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2015
(left) and Dreya Weber
her grandfather's old campgrounds. Raven, on the other hand, has
never had children of her own but had a special and close bond
with her niece, who, we learn, was tragically killed. Raven takes a
liking to-and even becomes protective of-Kate's kids. So when
Angela emerges from the darkness one night to take them back,
Maya and Jack escape into the woods, where it's up to Raven to
bring them home to Kate safely.
"I loved working with these kids;' says Dinwiddie. "They
brought a whole other level of authenticity to the story. Honestly,
they crack me up every time I watch the film at screenings. Playing
their mom was a shocking 'aha'moment for me, too. Like, damn!
I'm playing a mom of teenagers. Whoa. How did I get HERE?"
IfI had to guess, from their honest portrayals onscreen I would
think that Dinwiddie, Park, and O'Neal were actually a family.
Raven's Touch also demonstrates that there isn't a difference
between dysfunctional or abusive heterosexual relationships and
same-sex ones. As the film opens, Kate is taking her two children
and leaving a toxic marriage. We understand it's a lesbian couple
only after we hear the name Angela.
In mainstream society, and perhaps even in our own community, people aren't coming to terms quite yet with the fact that two
women can be stuck in a situation like this. What makes Raven's
Touch so unique, and in tune with the post-marriage equality
world, is that Kate is actually getting out of a lesbian marriage with
children, rather than coming out, falling in love, and getting into
one, which has been the mainstay oflesbian cinema for some time.
"I really wanted to present a modern family-lesbian parents,
adoption, various ethnicities-without
saying a word about it:'
says Rice Bader. With this screenplay, Rice Bader and Weber
creatively nail it in presenting that "modern family:' With samesex marriage riding a new wave of acceptance in this country and
the world, Soul Kiss Films wanted to implement it and bring it
to life on the big screen.
Another aspect of today's society and culture is the urge to
respond to grief and depression with medication, and the film
reflects this in the way Raven deals with the knowledge that she
could have prevented her niece's death. It is a severely traumatic
experience for her, one she is holding on to and blaming herself
for. Kate and her children are the"medication'' she needs to begin
the healing process.
"We all experience devastating sadness;' says Weber. "But the
beauty that we offer each other with human connection is the
balance. Grief isn't pretty or glamorous to look at, but it happens,
and sharing the human experience is why art exists:'
Raven's Touch certainly opens the door for the next installment of independent lesbian features. Along with the personal
and emotional battles these women fight, they can't help but find
solace, comfort, and redemption in knowing that someone else
shares their struggle-to break free of the past.
Dinwiddie urges viewers to watch the film for "the gorgeous
cinematography and the spirit of family, healing, and love:' If
there was ever an original concept in lesbian filmmaking, Raven's
Touch is it. From the raw emotions of its characters, to its depiction of a nontraditional family-which is, after all, just a family-Raven's Touch should be seen and appreciated by all. And if
it leaves you wanting more, we have good news: Soul Kiss Films
is currently in pre-production for the next feature, Ava's Impossible Things.(soulkissfilms.com) •
The quiet splendor of polar nights in the Arctic Circle.
BY KELSY CHAUVIN
he morning I woke up inside an ice
room at the Arctic Circle was atmo~
spherically surreal. It was freezing,
yes, but I was quite warm. In my
soft, heat~retaining Uniqlo thermals and
my sub~zero sleeping bag I was swaddled
like a newborn. But my face, exposed to
the constant 23° F of the Icehotel Sweden,
felt like a dry~ice mask, while every breath
shot sharp, frosty air down my throat.
"Good morning!" The red~bearded hip~
ster, a cheerful human alarm clock, poked
his head through my doorway. From his
big backpack thermos he poured me some
warm lingonberry juice and asked me how
I slept.
"Surprisingly well;' I said. ''I'll definitely
never forget it:'
"Well that's why you're here;' he said
with a smile.
Right he was. The original Icehotel
Sweden (icehotel.com) has a lot of amaz~
ing experiences to offer, but the real take~
home trophy is the memory. I arrived in
72
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
this Arctic winter wonderland with the
enthusiasm of a naturally hot~blooded
person, ready to relish the frigid tempera~
tures and dare to slumber below freezing.
By day, however, the Icehotel is a year~
round, nature~loving destination open to
guests who prefer either green or white
landscapes.
Located in Jukkasjarvi, near the quiet
mining town of Kiruna, the resort occu~
pies a large site on the banks of the Torne
River. In summer, the Torne becomes a
place for swimming and water sports.
In the cold months, it's the source of the
5,000 tons of ice that's stacked and shaped
into about 65 "cool" rooms. There are of
course a few dozen "warm" (i.e., normal)
hotel rooms too, and they're open all year
for those who prefer climate control.
On top of packing many thermal layers,
I prepped for my Icehotel visit by instant~
ly getting in the chilled spirit-making
the trip from the Kiruna Airport by dog~
sled. Before taking my spot on the sled,
FEATURES/
I thought the Alaskan huskies seemed
incredibly small to be pulling four of us
through the woods and along the frozen
Tome for an hour. That is, until they actu~
ally stopped howling and began running.
And running, and fervently running. It's so
satisfying to see a creature doing what it's
born to do.
The huskies were not unlike the ready~
to~run reindeer I met at the Nutti Sa.mi
Siida ( nutti.se) camp, where draft reindeer
are bred and sometimes hitched to racing
sleds for adventurous visitors. Though
they weren't quite as fast as the snowmo~
biles we later rode on the river and into the
snowy hills.
Every year, the lcehotel hosts couples
from around the world who want to get
TRA
married in a "snice" chapel ( made of snow
and ice), and the couple I saw savored
their memorable nuptials as we all toast~
ed them inside the lcebar. The wedding
party raised their ice glasses and, for a
moment, our rainbow of bold and layered
travelers became a family, tied together
forever by memories of one winter at the
top of the earth. •
HOT TIPS FOR THE ICEHOTEL
1. The lcehotel provides guests with heavily insulated over-
alls, boots, a parka, a facemask, and mittens. It's on you
to bring heat-packing essentials like thermal underwear,
a scarf, a good hat (or two), socks (wool stays drier), and
gloves.
2. Sunglasses aren't as important during the dark days of
the Arctic winter, but tinted ski goggles are great for
keeping blowing snow out of your eyes and brightening
up the ambient light.
.._
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r
•
,,1!
.....
~
~
~
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---··
.......,.,
3. If it's cold enough, moisturizer may freeze and crack on
your face, but lip balm is vital! Put the balm on to keep
your lips from peeling off.
4. Hydrate! Arctic aridity is real, and while Aquavit may
include the word "aqua," water it is not. Turn to roomtemp water or warm lingonberry juice to keep your body
moving.
5. Take breaks from the cold. You'll be safely insulated and
comfortable staying outside for long stints. But it's key
to retreat into the lcehotel's warm lodges to defrost and
stretch before all that heavy gear weighs you down .
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•
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
73
■Pnlrt
Faces across from Dobra, a tea shop where
you can lie on a couch and sip the specialty of
your choice from the dozens of exotic,powerful blends on offer, each cup brewed to your
liking. At the lingerie shop Gazebo, a sweetfaced, middle-age lady who looked like your
favorite auntie was delighted by my astonishment at the wares tucked between the rows
of pink lace and ivory silk: They sell personal
massagers there-and not the flimsy-cheapo
kind, either, but good, solid Lelo vibrators.
One of the queer-identified staff members,
Michaela, is the "LGBT fit specialist;' who
helps make the store a "transgender safe space''
and specializes in helping non-gender-conforming customers feel comfortable and supported in all the right places. I dropped into
Gazebo looking for black tights, not expecting the most progressive lingerie place on the
planet. But that's normal in Northampton.
Michaela got her degree in (yes) Sexuality
Studies from Mount Holyoke College, and a
good number of the downtown dykes are undergrads at Smith, which is one of the town's
main employers and biggest influences. Its attractive campus (and attractive students) give
the town gravitas and visual appeal, and the
Smith College Museum of Art is one of the
finest college museums in the country. Below
its three floors of well-filled galleries, there's
a special bonus feature in the basement: The
two "artist-designed" loos deserve a visit even
if you don't need the facilities (and, in keeping
with the all-inclusivevibe of the town, women
are welcome to visit the men's room).
Lesbians abound here. Blue Heron Restaurant has been the lesbian-owned dinner place
of dyke choice ever sinceJane Lynch and Lara
Embry famously hosted their wedding there
in 2010. It is also the dinner destination of
everyone else in the area. Maybe it's the imposing, church-like structure (the restaurant
is housed in a renovated town hall) or the
painted, tin-stamped walls, but most likely it's
the food: purportedly and apparently fresh,
local, and made with love.
If I lived in the area, though, Ia.be dining at
Blue Heron maybe once a year, for a blowout
occasion: celebrating a birthday or marrying a
TV star. For more everyday fare, lct stop early
and often to see the ever-changing menu at
a small lesbian-owned cafe called Bela's.I ate
lunch there twice in two days and, uncharacteristically, had the same thing both days
(brown rice with a tofu-tomato-kale-caper
topping). My partner and I also sampled the
spicy curry, the ample salads, and the morethan-ample vegan desserts. It's rare to go into
NORTHAMPTON
The fabled town where it's more than okay to be gay.
BY GILLIAN KENDALL
wenty-plus years ago, when I came out,
the woman I was besotted with used to
talk about a town she was besotted with,
a place in Western Mass. called Northampton. She told me about the old buildings, the
cobblestone alleyways (good for secret love
affairs), the lefty vibe, and the endless flow of
cultural activities. Not that she'd ever much
gone to any of the talks, plays, concerts, or art
openings, she said, but it was nice to know
they were there. "Yeah, yeah;' I said then. "I
like it right here:'
Fast-forward a few decades, a few girlfriends, and a lot of travel to lezzo hot spots,
and somehow it's 2015. By the time I made
my first visit to the fabled Northampton, Ia.
forgotten its reputation as Lesbian Central,
but I did notice that the first day I spent in
"Noho'' was unexpectedly great. My girlfriend took me downtown-that
is, to the
main street, where we drank tea, bought coffee for a homeless person, and browsed the
artsy boutiques and bookshops: all pleasant
enough activities, sure, but nothing inherently outstanding. Only as we were driving
home did I realize why I felt so good: The
whole day, I'd been unaware of being gay in
a hetero world.
My partner and I held hands as we walked
74
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
through the streets, we shopped for commitment rings, and we were as cozy and comfortable together as if we'd been in our own
home (if our own home contained an excellent vegetarian restaurant like Bela's, or a selection of artisan jewelry). I didn't think about
whether anyone was glancing askance at our
hand holding (no one was), nor did I consider
whether the people we talked to were, or were
not, queer, too (some were, some weren't). I
felt just fine in Northampton: Everyone we
talked to seemed both friendly and smart, a
rare combination in much of the US of A.
"We're very sophisticated in Northampton,
and we'll be the first to tell you so;' said the
owner of the Old Book Store, one of several
excellentused bookshops."This is a good town
for books and for women. The mayor's a lesbian, too:' I came across the place (its entrance
set modestly down a few steps from street
level) by chance, while looking for somewhere
to eat. The fact that I found a good used bookshop within a few steps of a fantastic vegetarian cafe and a huge women's history mural, all
on a block that was being traversed by lesbian
couples, was surprising; even more so was the
fact that within easy walking distance there
were other equally groovy gay-friendly combinations, such as the funny, outre gift shop
FEATURES/
a place and feel good about ordering anything
on the menu, but at Bela'sall particulars (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) are carefully
attended to-and you know the place is serious because there are signs warning that customers wearing fragrance will not be served,
due to the chef's sensitivity.
I guess it's no surprise that a place so chockfull oflesbian delights isn't the cheapest vacation spot. For a small town in New England,
the restaurants and accommodations are
on the high end, though for Lesbian Central they're reasonable. For medium-grade
accommodations, the Elm Street Inn offers
comfortable, slope-roofed rooms with kitchenettes and breakfast for about $100 a night,
but its excellent location, right across from the
Smith campus, means significant traffic noise.
For slightly more money (about $115 a
night), you can sleep in profound peace at
an award-winning 'green" inn, the Starlight
Llama. Owners Dee and John have taken 65
acres ofland long held by John's ancestors and
turned it into a restricted conservation zone
(no development, no cell towers, no nuclear
power plants allowed; wildlife and peace encouraged). The rooms are graceful and uncluttered, with cool colors and original art, but
what's outside is most unusual: a small farm
with chickens, goats, an emu, a darling rescue
donkey, peacocks and peahens, and several
large, quiet llamas, making the rolling New
England landscape look faintly South American. It's warm, well lit, and comfortable; and,
best of all, four miles from the road, it's luxuriously quiet. My girlfriend and I loved petting
the rescue donkey and collecting fallen feathers on the farm.
Just half an hour away,in South Deerfield,
is the Butterfly Conservancy. The indoor,
8,000-square-foot butterfly house feels and
smells like a Hawaiian rainforest, which was
an excellent antidote to the New England
winter outdoors. The air was thick with the
soft, damp scent and color of flowers, and
the butterflies flitted softly and silently everywhere. People try wearing bright blue or red
to attract them, but one trick I inadvertently
discovered is to take off your shoes: The butterflies are drawn to smelly socks!
Of all the great places to eat in and around
Northampton-and
we found many-only
one offers world-class cookery as well as
hands-on demonstrations. At the new cooking school at Good Stock Farm, guests can
join small one-day cooking demos or classes
in which chef Sandy D'.Amato (winner of just
about every award there is for cooking) and
his wife Angie create fantabulous meals from
superb ingredients from the local area (their
own backyard).
While Sandy encourages participation,
and I did become proficient at rolling pasta
into little ovoid nests to support the main
course, mostly we students sat mesmerized,
watching Sandy deftly chop, whisk, stir, and
otherwise coax the ingredients into a memorable meal: poached-egg salad, baked fish,
and rhubarb upside-down cake. Meanwhile
we drank homemade lemon verbena iced
tea and Prosecco and asked questions, hoping that we'd be able to replicate the dishes ourselves. (Note: We can! They gave us
recipes!) If every lesbian couple who visited
Northampton took this cooking class, our
collective gastronomic skills would soarand so would our potlucks.
It took me 22 years to get there, but
Northampton was worth the wait.
(visitnorthampton.net) •
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NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
75
Savoring a sweet and snowy Jasper Pride Festival.
BY KATHY BELGE
Y
ou're going to start seeing wildlife soon, I guarantee it," my ride
from
Edmonton
International Airport announced as soon as we
passed through the entrance to Jasper
National Park. Sure enough, within a
few miles we saw a herd of wapiti ( elk)
grazing on the side of the road. One
picked up her head and glanced at us as
we slowed to look, as if to welcome me
to the Canadian Rockies. I saw plenty
more wildlife during my late- March
76
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
visit-eagles,
coyote, bighorn sheep,
deer, mountain goats-but
Jasper Pride
was devoid of any of the wild party life
often associated with other Gay Pride
festivals. And I didn't miss it for a second.
I'd been invited to Jasper Pride by
Sue McCarthy, who lives in Jasper full
time, helped start the festival six years
ago, and co-chaired it this year. She
takes great pride in the festival's growth
and ever-increasing
involvement
of
the community.
After I settled into my hotel room,
I headed out to the opening night activities, which included a pub gathering
to unveil Wicked White Weissbier, a
brew specially crafted for Jasper Pride.
I joined a long table of women, and
soon they were educating me about the
sport of curling, as a match played on a
nearby TV. I smiled to myself, thinking
I couldn't be having a more quintessentially Canadian experience.
Jasper is a small mountain town in
Alberta, about three hours from Edmonton, five hours from Calgary. The
park that surrounds it is not as well
known as its nearby sister, Banff, but
is just as spectacular. Strict building
codes have kept the town of Jasper from
being over-commercialized.
Most tourists visit in the summer months, taking
advantage of the beautiful lakes, rivers,
and trails for fishing, boating, hiking,
and camping. Winter visitors come for
2015 STATEMENT
OF OWNERSHIP
Publication Title: Curve.
Publication No. 0010-355
Filing Date: Oct 1, 2015
Issue Frequency: Bi-monthly
Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, July/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec
Number of Issues Published Annually: 6
Annual Subscription Price: $19.90
Complete Mailing Address: PO Box 467 New York NY 10034.
Contact Person: Silke Bader
Telephone (415) 871-0569
Publisher: Silke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Editor: Merryn Johns PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Owner(s): Avalon Media LLC Po Box 467 New York
NY10034
SiIke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Publication Title: Curve.
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Nov 24.
Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average No.
Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months:
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run: 48,569. B) Paid
Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 354110954; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution outside
USPS:23,458; (4) Paid Distribution by Other
Classes of Mail_ rough the USPS:2,015. C) Total
Paid Distribution: 36,427. D) Free or Nominal
Rate Distribution by Mail and Outside the Mail·
(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies
included on Form 3541: 0; (2) Free or Nominal
Rate In-County Copies included on Form 3541: 0;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other
Classes Mailed_ rough the USPS:59; (4) Free
or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
10,998. E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
11,057 F) Total Distribution: 47,484. G) Copies
Not Distributed: 897 H) Total: 48,381 I) Percent
Paid 76%. Extent and Nature of Circulation/No.
Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing
Date A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run 45,879. B)
Paid Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 3541: 9857; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS: 21,871;(4)
Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail_ rough
the USPS:1015. C) Total Paid Distribution: 32,743.
D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (by Mail
and Outside the Mail) (1) Free or Nominal Rate
Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541: 0; (2)
Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on
Form 3541: 0; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
Mailed at Other Classes_ rough the USPS:35; (4)
Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
10,912.E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
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Not Distributed: 1009. H) Total 44,699. I) Percent
Paid: 74.9%. Publication of Statement of
Ownership: Nov/Dec 2015
78
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
the snow act1v1t1es, to view the
Northern Lights, and for a week in
March to celebrate Jasper Gay Pride,
aka Wicked White Winter.
As I walked around town, I noticed
locals and visitors alike getting into the
Pride spirit. I overheard baristas at cor
fee shops talking about what they were
going to wear to the White party. I saw
shop windows hand-decorated just for
Pride and rainbow flags flying over the
main drag.
Adding to the welcoming atmosphere, most activities were free, including a Friday night concert, an
opening reception with an amazing
spread of free food, a documentary
film, a burlesque show, a singer-songwriter showcase, and drag karaoke.
There is no Pride parade in Jasper. Instead, we strapped on snowshoes and marched across a frozen
lake while the snow-capped Canadian Rockies glistened in the distance.
Others skied down Marmot Basin
(in costumes, of course), or rented
fat tire bikes to ride across the snowy
trails. One highlight of the trip was
a hike on a frozen river through Maligne Canyon, where icy waterfalls
and frozen canyon walls enveloped us
in a crystal-blue glow. Unseasonably
warm weather cancelled the dogsled
rides.
Jasper Pride's main event was the
Wicked White Winter Party at the
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. The
lodge itself is a historic property,
set on beautiful Lac Beauvert. Just
as the guests were arriving, a light
snow began to fall, adding a sparkly magic to the evening. Inside, the
cozy lodge was sassied up and ready
to receive the drag queens in white,
cute butches with rainbow bow ties,
buff boys in tiny white Speedos, and
hipster locals in their finest thrift
store white. The drag performances
dragged on a bit too long, and the
DJ was so-so, but the crowd enjoyed
themselves, admiring one another's
outfits, dancing and cruising, and
making new friends.
Jasper Pride is small enough that
you can meet someone on Thursday, run into them on Friday, make
plans for Saturday, and by the time
you say goodbye on Sunday you
feel like you're life-long friends. I
left Jasper with a few new connections and definite plans to return
for one of the sweetest Gay Pride
events I've been to in a long time.
(jasperpride.ca) •
LAST LOOK/
CROSSWORD
Test your
lesbian knowledge
with our queer quiz.
BY MYLES MELLOR
ACROSS
1.
3.
9.
Lesbian film starring Angelina
Jolie and Faye Dunaway
Dream-like neo-noir movie
set in LA, goes with 11across
Julie Burchill novel that was
developed into a TV series, 2
words
34. Cuddly
7.
Spanish for girlfriend
38. Pixar film about Carl Fredricksen
8.
Gown
40. The Girl Who Played With _
by Stieg Larsson
41. Author of The Paying Guests
and Fingersmith
11. See 3 across
45. Sex or verse?
12. The L Word star, Jennifer_
47. Popular Canadian songster,
_ Murray
15. Samantha Ronson and Tracy
Young, for example
48. Singer of "I kissed a girl," Jill
18. Annoyance for a princess
19. Medical drips
10. Take advantage of
40. Distance measurement, for
short
12. Author of Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae
42. Steal
13. Smart word for clothing
14. Jeans brand
15. English princess
43. Famous computer of sci-fi
44. Morning show time
46. Compass direction
47. Artificial intelligence, abbr.
16. Draw forth
17. Pro vote
22. Dated
49. Like some reading lamps
20. Far from Xanadu book by
Julie Anne
21. _ Armatrading's "The Weakness in Me"
39. Philadelphia was set in this
state
23. Zip
26. Et_? (and so on)
DOWN
27. Have faith in
28. Gives in
1.
Tinder uses it to locate nearby love interests
25. Weather forecast staple
2.
Summer month, abbr.
31. One-hit wonder of 1984
27. Writer of Fun Home, Alison
3.
She's playing a lesbian billionaire in Empire, 2 words
32. Has the hots for, with after
30. She famously kissed Scarlett
Johansson in Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, first name
4.
Orange Is the New Black star,
2 words
36. 1996 film starring Jennifer
Tilly and Gina Gershon
5.
The sound of laughter
33. Hawaiian garland
6.
Barenaked
37. "Assassin's Creed Syndicate"
character,_
Frye
24. Brittney Griner's org,
29. Unagi in a sushi bar
35. Bomber pilot in Catch-22
NOV/DEC
2015
CURVE
79
TLOOKtSTARS
A Flirty FestiveSeason
Mars and Venus cuddle up with Libra, creating giddy flirtations.
Get ready for some good gossip!
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Good Morning America anchor
Robin Roberts is 55 on Nov. 23
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Aries nestles in the comforts
of a special relationship now.
The mutual feelings can be
exhilarating. Will you two
shut out the rest of the world
and explore more personal
territories? Do it! Still single?
Plug into the social circuit and
see who lights up your life. Let's
hope it is not the lady wearing
the lampshade.
/'. Taurus (April 21-May 21)
SCORPIO 1/,
(Oct 24-Nov 22)
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
SAGITTARIUS1/,
(Nov 23-Dec 22) 1/,
1/,
Expect your Sagittarian 1/,
woman to be surrounded 1/,
by exotic, international gal 1/,
pals she collected on her 1/,
1/,
travels. Don't be suspicious 1/,
if she says that these spicy 1/,
compadres are really just 1/,
friends. Trust and believe her; 1/,
1/,
Sagittarians simply cannot 1/,
lie. It's simply too much 1/,
trouble to try to remember a 1/,
cover-up. 1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
1/,
Charlene
Lichtenstein
istheauthor 1/,
to Astrology1/,
of HerScopes:
A Guide
ForLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster),1/,
1/,
nowavailable
asanebook(tinyurl. 1/,
You can recognize a Scorpio
sister by her intense nature
and serious appearance.
She dresses not only to
impress but to also create a
persona. If tattoos, overalls
and jackboots are de rigueur,
she's got to have 'em. But
if she's a corporate animal,
expect some imported
power suits in her wardrobe.
And money is no object
either, cousin.
Check yourself out in the
mirror. It may be a good time
to concentrate on your health,
diet and exercise regime. While
it may be difficult to keep
temptations at bay during the
holiday season, try to temper
your cravings for sugar with
saccharine love notes, sweet
nothings in her ear or a bevy of
luscious honeys.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Get ready to party hearty this
holiday season, Gemini. The
fates conspire to turn your
moribund social life into a
festive feeding frenzy. Suddenly
you are the one to know and
show. Not a moment too soon.
You were getting too sedate
and homebound. So pick your
posse, grab your favorite gal
pals and march to the nearest
dyke bar.
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
If the world won't come to you,
open up your front door and let
the world in this winter. Invite
some bosom buddies over for
an intimate evening. In fact, you
could plan a series of dinners
that are designed to open up
your nest to an entirely new
flock of birds. Just what will you
com/HerScopes).
'./ do with all those eggs, Cancer?
80
CURVE
NOV/DEC
2015
Leo (July 24-Aug 23)
You have a few pithy opinions
that need to be expressed,
Lioness. So why not do so this
winter when you have a power
of persuasion that is coupled
with an extra dose of charisma?
Not only will you have the
ladies eating out of your hand,
you may advance to a more
powerful position.
Virgo (Aug 24-Sept 23)
Virgos may turn their attention
to their finances this holiday
season. And that is because
they not only have many gifts
to buy, they also have their eye
on a few personal trinkets for
themselves. Be sure that you
get what and who you pay for.
In your desire to have it all, you
may find that all is not what you
expected.
Libra(Sept24-Oct23)
Don't sit at home waiting,
Libra. It's time to really think
about what and who you want
and seek your success. Your
innate charisma is a real turn
on and leads you to powerful
and influential women who can
make things happen. Very few
will be able to resist your allure.
So pour it on and see how much
your charm overflows.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
With all of the intrigue swirling
in the background, how can
a grrl concentrate? Lucky for
you, Scorpio, you have strong
powers of concentration and
focus. So take all of the cosmic
hints, yet-to-be revealed
secrets, and add a dash of
karmic payback and see how
you can exact your revenge,
undo the bad energies, and
achieve nirvana.
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 22)
There is something exciting
waiting for you in the universe
this winter. But you have
to discover it yourself by
joining a new club, group or
organization-something out
of your sphere. Expand your
social circle into a globe and
become a planet with its own
gravitational pull. You never
know what type of heavenly
bodies you will attract.
Capricorn (Dec 23-Jan 20)
You are in your element,
Capricorn. Suddenly all of
your hard work will pay off
in a meaningful way. The
powerbrokers sit up and take
notice of you and business
opportunities seem to present
themselves effortlessly. How will
you decide which is worthwhile
out of all of the delectable
choices?
Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)
Don't let events tie you too
close to home. You need a
bit of freedom and adventure
before winter comes. Start with
any longstanding legal issues
that can (finally) be resolved.
Some Aqueerians are ready for
the good and fair fight. Good
thing too, sister. I hear the jury
is Out.
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
Pisces are fish who are ready
to be fried and eaten. You are
sexy, zesty and have lots of
energy to spread around. Don't
spend your days swimming in
your own pond with the same
set of gills. Take a splashy trip
to bigger waters and see who
swims by. Will she be a rainbow
trout or a guppie? It depends
on your bait.
GET IT ON
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