-
Description
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ToC Looking Foxy (p36); Special Section: Survivors' Stories (p43); The Winning Team (p52); Jackie Warner's Superdetox (p57); Cover: Lacey Stone's Fitness Challenge (p60); A True Laugh Story (p64); Gay-Friendly Skies (p66); Amazing Austria (p74).
See all items with this value
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Sports Issue
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issue
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5
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Date Issued
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Sep-Oct 2015
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Format
-
PDF/A
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Publisher
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Frances Stevens
-
Identifier
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Curve_Vol25_No5_September-October-2015_OCR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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-
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SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES
36
LOOKING FOXY
The latest androgynous
designs for you to proudly
sport. By Marcie Bianco
.
LACEY •
•'::·.s,oNE'S.
:-.:.~-~FITNESS
·
~5
CHALLENGE
SPECIAL SECTION:
SURVIVORS' STORIES
Met the women who stood up
to cancer and won their lives
back. They share their courage,
and their advice.
The ·celebrity tr.amer
invites you to step up
to the plate.
52
.•
•••
THE WINNING TEAM
We celebrate the U.S.
Women's National Team World
Cup victory. By Lyndsey
D'Arcangelo and Grace Chu
57
JACKIE WARNER'S
SUPERDETOX
The wellness guru's new
book will cure what ails you,
and may just deliver you the
perfect life. By Merryn Johns
6~
A TRUE LAUGH STORY
Two lesbian standups walk into
a bar...The funny love story of
Rhea Butcher and Cameron
Esposito. By Marcie Bianco
.
.•..
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66
GAY-FRIENDLY SKIES
Meet the lesbian United
Airlines pilot who is breaking
barriers. By Lyndsey
D'Arcange/o
..,•
7~
AMAZING AUSTRIA
All about postcard perfect
Vienna and Salzburg, set to the
strains of Mozart! By Silke K.
Bader
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
1
SEP/OCT
2015
12
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
11
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
10 LES LOOKS LIKE
Meet poster girl for The
Handsome Revolution Project,
Tiffany Tisdale.
24 MUSIC
Butterfly Boucher is on the
radar of Sarah Mclachlan
and Ruby Rose, so she should
be on yours, too! By Kelly
McCartney
12 BEAUTY
Beautify your environment with
these fragrant candles.
14 LESBOFILE
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
VIEWS
16 POLITICS
When our senior political writer
has an unexpected near-death
experience, she decides to
write about how our bodies,
and the medical profession's
blind spots, can endanger
lesbian health. By Victoria A.
Brown worth
18 OUT IN FRONT
Meet our community leaders.
18 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ... LGBT news from across
the country. By Sassafras
Lowrey
22 LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Relationship advice from our
trusted butch-femme duo.
2
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
28 FOOD
Aarum Hurse is
LesBlntheKitchen and boy
does she have a story and a
recipe for you. But you better
like a side of bacon with your
breakup!
30 BOOKS
Coming Out Like a Porn Star
takes you into the lives of
genderqueer porn star Jiz Lee
and friends, and reveals what it
was like for them to come out.
By Dar Dowling
32 SEX
Meet Jenny Block. She wants
you to have the perfect
orgasm, so she's written a
book about how to. By Yana
Tallon-Hicks
34 FILM
Revisiting the cinematic work
of German filmmaker Monika
Treut. By Marcie Bianco
Fighting Fit
ith the high of marriage equality still with us, it's natural
that we picture ourselves as happy, healthy brides
looking our best as we head to the altar, then blissfully
ensconced at home with our loved ones. Illness isn't often a reality
for most newlyweds, in spite of the "in sickness and in health" part of
many marriage vows.
The movie Freeheld, released this fall, is a sobering reminder
that even the strongest love between two people cannot ward off
the specter of disease. This outstanding feature film, starring Ellen
Page and Julianne Moore, is based on a true story. New Jersey police
lieutenant Laurel Hester is still in the honeymoon phase of her
relationship with her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree,
when she is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She and Andree
have just bought and renovated a house, and must now battle to
W
secure Hester's pension benefits, so that Andree, who earns little as a
mechanic, can live on in the house after Hester has passed away. They
fight a seemingly doomed battle even as Hester is dying painfully
from cancer. It is the early 1990s, and there is no real marriage
equality movement, no viable legal protection; as a clerk says while
shuffling the paperwork for their benefits application, "This domestic
partnership thing is new:' So new that local officials disregard it,
sanctimoniously denying the request of a dying woman to transfer
her benefits to her same-sex partner-even
as they bend the law
to collect multiple pensions for themselves. Hester, who has spent
decades fighting crime and maintaining justice, finds that there may
be none for her ...
It's a harrowing reminder of how long and far we have come to
secure some of the basic rights enjoyed by heterosexuals. We may
now accept that "love is love;' but in the eyes of the law it wasn't
always so. And yes, perhaps "love is all you need;' but to truly enjoy it
you need your health.
This is our Health & Fitness issue, and inside you'll find many
inspiring stories of women who have overcome the challenges
of cancer and survived, spirits intact, to go on and continue to be
valued members of their family, community, profession, and team.
We celebrate the physical presence and beauty of breast cancer
survivors-some
of whom are even on a gender queer modeling
mission! We hear from fitness experts and personal trainers, who talk
about what you can do to stay in shape and beat disease. And we also
pay tribute to the U.S. Women's National Team and their historic
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup win!
"Every time you fall down, it gives you an opportunity to
question yourself, question your integrity. It's not about the actual
failure itself-it's how you respond to it:' This inspiring quote by
Abby Wambach went viral on the Internet and it's easy to see why.
I won't tell you how Freeheld ends: You should see it for yourself.
But I like it that Hester and Andree responded to failure like winners.
After you read this issue, I hope you come away feeling fighting fit,
and ready to respond to your next challenge like the champions
within these pages.
!z
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
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WE GIVE YOU A BETTER NIGHT
-<-
You put more carpe in the diem
TYLENOL®
For what matters mosr
Use only as directed.
TYLENOL® PM relieves pain while helping
you fall fast asleep and stay asleep.
RONT /
cu RVETTES
,~~-,
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~~
curve
.
.·.~
THE BEST-SELLING
'
•··.
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·".
•..
SEP/OCT
2015
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
» VOLUME
25 NUMBER
5
PUBLISHER Silke Bader
.;•
(
•..
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR·IN·CHIEF Merryn 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
EDITORIALASSISTANTSKaty Santa Maria, Lisa Tedesco,
Micheline Tawilian
MIKI VARGAS
DAR DOWLING
Miki Vargas was born and raised in Costa
Rica but has called the Bay Area of
California home for nearly 30 years. Her
ability to connect with folks allows her to
see their innermost beauty, such as the
portraits she creates for the Handsome
Revolution Project. "Being able to shine the
spotlight on so many beautiful masculine·
of ·center individuals, and have them see
themselves in that light for the first time, is
so special to me," says Miki. Check out one
of her portraits on page 10. For more of her
work visit mikivargasphotography.com.
A spelunker of quizzical caves, toppler of
mediocrity and eschewer of mores, Dar
Dowling is always looking for adventure,
which might just mean hanging out on
the set of the newest lesbian adult film,
interviewing a fun loving celebrity, or
getting her spiritual groove on at a blissedout gong bath or sweat lodge. Dar's newest
adventures include launching a worldwide
media branding company, and gearing up
to produce her first feature film complete
with a super sexy lead. There's more, but
she wants to save something for next time.
OPERATIONS
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONS Jeannie Sotheran
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL SALES
Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021, todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR Bruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCAL MEDIA
MANAGEREmma Cornish
INTERNSLucy Doyle, Erika Tamm, Lex Giggs
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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
Steph Brusig, Grace Chu, Meagan Cignoli, Sophy Holland,
Syd London, Maggie Parker, Diana Price, B. Proud, Robin
Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
CONTACT INFO
Curve Magazine
PO Box 467
New York, NY 10034
PHONE(415) 871-0569
FAX (510) 380-7487
SUBSCRIPTIONINQUIRIES(800) 705-0070
(toll-free in US only)
(818) 286-3102 (outside US)
ADVERTISINGEMAIL todd@curvemagazine.com
EDITORIALEMAIL editor@curvemag.com
LETTERSTO THE EDITOREMAIL letters@curvemagazine.com
KATHLEENBRENNAN
LYNDSEYD'ARCANGELO
Kathleen Brennan is an award·winning,
multi-disciplinary artist with an extensive
background in photography and video. Her
diverse body of work-ranging from portrait
to documentary, natural landscape to urban
scenes-provides an enduring testament to
the transformative processes of our world.
Kathleen's work can be found in private,
corporate, and museum collections, or view
it at brennanstudio.com. Kathleen lives in
Taos, N.M. with her spouse Kat, where they
keep chickens, raise vegetables, and enjoy
their friends.
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo is an award-winning
author from Buffalo, N.Y.She's also a sports
junkie and a baggy•clothes wearing tomboy
who isn't afraid to blog openly about her
experience as a stay-at-home mom for
CurveMag.com. She's interviewed many
Olympians and sports stars including Megan
Rapinoe, Caitlin Cahow, Ginny Gilder, and
Brittney Griner for Curve. This month she
gets up close and personal with cancer
survivor and rising football star Jillian Potter.
Visit her at lyndseydarcangelo.com.
Volume 25 Issue 5 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:
$39.90/year, $39.90 Canadian (U.S. funds only) and $69.90
international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks will be assessed
a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA
94114 and at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents
of Curve Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either
whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
Publication of the name or photograph of any persons or
organizations appearing, advertising or listing in Curve may not be
taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries,
unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response.
Lack of any representation only signifies insufficient materials.
Submissions cannot be returned unless a self-addressed stamped
envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed for loss or
damages. The contents do not necessaraly represent the opinions
of the editor, unless specifically stated. All magazines sent discreetly.
Subscription Inquiries: Please write to Curve, Avalon Media LLC.,
PO Box 467 New York NY 10034, email crvcs@magserv.com.
Canadian Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster: Send
Canadian address changes to crvcs@magserv.com, Curve, PO
Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S8. Send U.S. address changes to
crvcs@magserv.com,
Curve, PO Box 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printed in the U.S.
curvemag.com
6
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
STAR
ATTRACTIO
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FEEDBACK
LOVE WINS
Your #Love Wins Marriage
Equality issue of the magazine
brought me to tears. I do not
think I have ever seen so many
beautiful and meaningful
images and words put together
into one lesbian magazine. I'm
an older lesbian who waited
many years to see the representation of our community
achieved with such ease. You
are doing an incredible job.
Keep doing it! - Hannah Epel,
Coral Gables FL.
I was very moved by your
poignant, nuanced editorial on
marriage and how it came into
your life-published just as
the Supreme Court decision
was issued ["LoveWins" by
MerrynJohns, V.25#4]. It is
more than enough to imagine
how American literature,
biography and media are going
to be shaped and reshaped by
experiences similar to your
own, as the decades unfold
ahead of us. As a man married
for 28 years to an incredible
woman, I really wish you the
ultimate happiness that this
life commitment can bring. In
the meantime, keep doing the
great work you do with Curve.
It is a terrific, class publication,
deserving of a wide- dare I
say mainstream?-audience.
-Patrick A. Berzinski, New
York, N.Y.
wife. I found her, and we've
been together for 37 years
now. I wish you all the happiness in the world! -Maria
Sabine, Germany
A VERY GOOD FIT
It was refreshing to see a
fashion spread featuring a
differently-abled model. Way
to go, Curve, keep the diversity coming! -Karin Figgis,
Brooklyn N.Y.
I'm a 47 -year-old lesbian
(with a service dog) who has
been out since my mid-twenties. My disability is that I
have osteogenesis imperfecta.
I've been a huge fan of your
magazine for years now but I
was wondering if you would
do a feature on disability and
sexuality. I feel that people in
general don't think that the
disabled community are sexual
beings. This is one barrier I
feel needs to be addressed.
Thank you for your time.
-Maureen Murphy, Ponte
Vedra, FL.
[Editor's note: Thank you for
the suggestion! We will be running editorial on disability and
sexuality in an upcoming issue.]
HAPPILYEVERAFTER
A hearty congratulations to
you both for your marriage
["LoveWins" by Merryn
Johns]! [Your wife] is right
that a couple counts as family,
even without children. When
I was young I also wanted a
NOW
THAT
MARRIAGE
EQUALITY
ISLAW,
ARE
YOU
GITTING
HITCHED?
13% No, I like playing the
field too much to settle down
35% Maybe, when all the
excitement dies down
9%
Yes, I'm racing to the
altar with my girl
42°0
I'm already married
and loving it
WRITE
Curve magazine, PO Box 467, New York, NY 10034
letters@curvemagazine.com
US! 510.380.7487
curvemag.com/letters
Send to:
Email:
Fax:
8
CURVE
SEP/OCT
Online:
2015
Subscriber Services are now available at
curvemag.com/customerservice
✓ subscribe
✓ pay your bill
✓ change address
✓ get missing issues
✓ give a gift
✓ renew
Curve's online selection of must-do, must-try, must-have extras.
NEWS
NATIONAL
THENEW YORKTIMESVERSUS
HILLARYCLINTON
The New York Times has long been
considered America's-if not the
world's-newspaper of record. It's
where we turn for the tough investigative journalism many other
newspapers avoid as both too
labor-intensive and too fraught
for
advertisers. Curve political
columnist Victoria A. Brownworth
reads it every morning, as do
most
political analysts, to see
what new scoop there might be.
That was where she saw an article
that seemed to threaten the frontrunner in the Democratic Party's
race for the 2016 presidency.
LIFESTYLE
HEALTH
G Read more on curvemag.com
FROM KEEPINGFOOD NUTRIENTFRESHTO
CARB-LOADING
Going gluten-free may be a hot diet trend, but
any nutritional benefits for healthy women. These
CULTURE
INTERNATIONAL
specialty products are designed to help people suf-
COOKING WITH MUXES,MEXICO'STHIRD GENDER
there is no science showing that doing so offers
fering from coeliac disease, a disorder that makes
Muxes (pronounced moo-shays), which translates to "woman," refers to
the body unable to digest gluten, a protein found in
Juchitan's third gender, a population which identifies neither as men nor as
wheat, rye, and barley. For the rest of us, however,
women. Because of this understanding, muxes often don't face the same
eating gluten-free foods can cause weight gain.
level of discrimination that gay men or trans women do in Juchitan.
G Read more on curvemag.com
G Read more on curvemag.com
MEET
THE
BLOGGERS
LIFESTYLE
SPORTS
RENEERICHARDSBLAZEDTHE TRAIL FOR TRANSGENDERATHLETES
Renee Richards, now aged 80, is a well-known American physician, author,
and a professional tennis player for many years. She transitioned fully in 1975
and began playing tennis against other women. Her personal story is filled
with a heavy mixture of discrimination, heartache, determination and triumph.
G Read more on curvemag.com
CurveMag.com has some of
the leading voices in our community sharing their thoughts
on love and romance, parenting and politics, and sex and
spirituality-not to mention our
huge collection of lesbian fandom.
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
9
TRENDS/
THE GAYO
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
~
Lucy Lawless celebrates
her enduring friendship
with Xena castmate Renee
O'Connor via social media
Rubyfruit Jungle author Rita
Mae Brown tells the Golden
Crown Literary Awards
audience "Never celebrate
your oppression"
Stonewall the movie
puts a fictitious gay
white male at the center
of the uprising and
erases trans and lesbians
Katherine Heigl does her best
in Jenny's Wedding but it seems
like old news, post-marriage
equality victory
Kristen Stewart
is evasive in an
interview with
NYLON, doesn't
come out, says,
"Google me, I'm
not hiding ...l'm
just a kid making
movies."
A female-founded
London escort
agency offers a
lesbian service to
women clients with
a price tag of £250
per hour
NORARY
IME
LESBIAN
MBERSHIP
!NG
.,~TGUN
{RISTEN
STEWART
CRASHING
I.NERICA'S
lIGGUT
IFO
~TY
'
...J
"'
ci
...J
...J
Diane Keaton
meets Lena
Dunham, asks if
she's a lesbian, and
Lena likes it!
<i
2
w
:;:
~0
I
Cf)
Kathy Wolfe
of Wolfe Video
donates a
lesbian DVD
library to the
June Mazer
Lesbian
Archives
Ellen Page
attends
Jamaica's first
ever Pride while
filming Gaycation
in the notoriously
homophobic
Caribbean island
Glee star Dianna
Agron is playing
a tomboy lesbian
in new indie flick
Hollow in the
Land. We can't
wait!
Lesbian lawyer Lea Krauss, the
former President of the Gay
& Lesbian Lawyers Network,
campaigns for Circuit Court Judge
Supermodel Cara
Delevingne brings
Millennial openness about
her sexuality to a VOGUE
cover story
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
11
NOT ALL SCENTEDCANDLESARE CREATEDEQUAL. BEAUTIFYYOUR HOME
TH IS SEASONWITH TH ESEGORGEOUSLYFRAGRANTFLAMES
Get the Skinnv
sk1nn~k1nny♦
CARDAMOM
&PINK
PEPPERCORN
ESSENTIAL
OILCANDLE
If you prefer natural a~d eco-friendly
candles with a fine, clean scent, Skinny
Skinny candles are for you! These are
hand-poured, non-GMO, made from
soy with a cotton wick, and infused
with pure organic essential oils. That
means they burn cleanly and brightly.
No perfumes, scents or beeswax is
used-they're vegan and cruelty free.
Plus they're packaged in eco-friendly
materials. ($34, skinnyskinny.com)
leeling Blue
Hand-crafted with pride in the
Mississippi, Capri Blue candles are
high quality and artistic in design,
and adventurous in scent. We loved
Volcano, with its heady and exotic
citrus notes. The Eastern-influenced,
antique, or apothecary containers
match with many home decors. Our
pick: the 8.5oz travel tin brings a
touch of style wherever you go.
($14, capribluecandles.com)
Ft•csh Ft•om
thel~rest
A top selling candle, the
Frasier Fir with its aromatic
and rich scent of pristine
pine forests signals the
change in season-crisp, cool
nights and the anticipation
of the approaching holidays.
Outdoorsy and yet cozy and
calming, a great gift or way
to "spruce" up your home.
($28, thymes.com)
LuxcLire
The MTodd candle collection is for the upmarket lady who wishes to add a touch
of luxury to her abode. Designed to create a special mood, these candles are bold,
sensuous and carry the complex notes of a rich parfum. Ready to set the scene
for a seduction this season? Choose from a range of options displaying humor
and haute couture-The Artist, The Intellectual, The Romantic, The Free Spirit, and
naturally, The Seducer! Pamper yourself-and her! ($54 and up, marietodd.com)
12
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
Animal 1'htgnetism
Artist and founder, Elana Joelle Hendler specializes in pen
drawings of sea creatures, flora and endangered fauna. We
loved her debut Wildlife Collection series featuring limited
edition artwork, and her commitment to eco-aware and
natural ingredients. Each handcrafted EJH Brand candle is
made from all-natural coconut wax, fragranced exclusively
with 100% pure essential oils and hand poured in Los
Angeles. Our fave-Wild Ginger. ($52, ejhbrand.com)
Nost
GOSSIP
p
I LESBOFILE
~
~
~
AS SUMMER LEAVES US, IT'S A MIX OF
CELEBRATION AND CONSTERNATION
FOR CELESBIAN LOVE CHOICES
~
BY JOCELYN VOO
WHEN CAITLYNMET CANDIS
Now that famed Olympian/reality TV dad
Bruce Jenner is famed trans activist/reality TV
star Caitlyn Jenner, mainstream media is hot
on her tail as to ...well, who's on her tail.
But it seems Star magazine may have
jumped the gun when they announced that
Jenner and trans actress Candis Cayne, who
has become something of a mentor to Jenner
and was her date to the ESPYAwards, were a
hot item. A Cayne source scoffs at this notion,
according to Us Weekly:"It was so ridiculous.
What, is Candis suddenly a lesbian now?
Candis is currently single but is only interested
in men, and Caitlyn is a woman."
THE ROYALTREATMENT
Imagine your grandmother going ballistic
Ah, the straight world navigating trans
that her supposedly straight granddaughter is
partying in gay bars. Now imagine your grand-
relations'
mother is Queen Elizabeth.
MILEYTO THE MAX
Princess Eugenie of York, who, at 25
And now in Formerly Straight Ladies Who
Now Maybe Date Other Ladies news:
years old, is eighth in line to the throne, hasn't
exactly been following the Kate Middleton
Songstress Miley Cyrus, who in recent
role to a T. Instead, she already caught royal
months has made multiple declarations that
flack for dating (gasp') a waiter for five years.
she's not just attracted to men, has been get-
But now a source has revealed to Star maga-
ting cozy with blonde Victoria's Secret model
zine that Eugenie "secretly frequents lesbian
Stella Maxwell. Maxwell tells V Magazine
nightclubs late at night, where she drinks and
that the pair met through Cyrus's personal as-
dances until the early hours of the morning."
sistant on lnstagram, and the pair have been
The Princess's security detail insist it's just
spotted out and about together, with Maxwell
so she can unwind without men hitting on
referring to Cyrus as "my lady" on social me-
her-except
dia. New power couple on the horizon?
has been partying hard since at least 2009
in gay bars, as evidenced by her gap year in
Court papers filed in July by Griner allege
MOM'S THE WORD
Thailand. Wed venture to say that the Princess
that Johnson had been sleeping with a man
Meanwhile, Kristen Stewart
was sor-
for the little fact that Eugenie
may be "unwinding" for quite some time ...
who allegedly told the Sunday Mirror that
her daughter and personal assistant Alicia
up till their engagement, and had been texting with an ex-boyfriend after their marriage.
ta-kinda-maybe outed by her own mom Jules,
TULSASHOCK INDEED
She claims that she had been pressured to
Hoo-boy, hold onto your hats for this one:
marry "under duress," and in a June statement
claimed the marriage was "based on fraud."
Cargile were an item: "I've met Kristen's new
Remember how
girlfriend, I like her. What's not to accept? She's
Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson tied the
Johnson, meanwhile, is suing for spousal
a lovely girl." However, Jules later clarified to
knot in May, despite a few domestic violence
support to the tune of $20K a month, as well
WNBA golden
children
Us Weekly that she never said anything of
run-ins? And how quite quickly after, they put
as attorney fees, since she can't go back to
the sort, although she did concede to saying
a bun in Johnson's oven? And then just as
basketball while she's carrying their child.
Cargile was "a lovely girl."
quickly as they put the oven on, Griner filed
Celebrity moms and media noodling with
a ring on it? Yep.
your love life. Gotta love it.
14
CURVE
SEP/OCT
for an annulment-just
2015
28 days after they put
This crazy story has all the red cards flying.
Watch this space for more.
TRENDS/
SHEs
"There is
definitely sex occurring
but it's not happening in the
WJ
(fJ
g
shower with no shower curtains. If
z
you get caught having sex in prison ...
~
0
0
2
you go to the SHU, which is solitary
confinement. So the idea that you would have
(fJ
0
it so openly ...l never saw it. In fact, I might
0
z
have stayed had that been the case. And
~
(fJ
there'd be a line to get into the prisons if it
(.')
(.')
;';;
~
g
"For
a long time, I
wished I'd been born
a boy. I didn't know there
was as much fun as Orange /s The New
Black shows it." - Cleary Wolters
{the real Alex Vause) to
Huff Post Live
were options like gender
neutral or gender fluid. I later
realized you could be a girl
and dress like a guy."
- Ruby Rose to
Cosmo
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X
S:
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
15
()up fJo,lies, ()111~ f~ires
What we don't know can kill us.
BY VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
I had been working around the clock
to finish my most recent book, Ordinary
Mayhem. The next book was due in a few
months, so there was no time to sit back
and rest on my laurels, or anything else. I
kept working.
I have had asthma since childhood,
and a few years ago I was diagnosed with
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease). COPD is most often a disease
of smokers, but I have never smoked. For
me, the most likely cause of my asthma and
the COPD was that both my parents were
chain-smokers, so I was regularly exposed
to second-hand smoke, which is deadly.
Since the COPD diagnosis, I have been
on lung meds every day to keep me breathing. When the seasons change-notably
summer to fall and winter to springbreathing gets especially difficult. So I assumed I was having a COPD flare-up.
I was not.
I was dying from a pulmonary embolism
(PE), and time was running out.
Pulmonary embolisms occur often in
the U.S., but you'd never know it since we
never hear about them. Yet, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 600,000 and 1
million people get one each year; the CDC
also states that this health crisis is vastly
under-reported. More than 100,000 people die from pulmonary embolisms each
year, and the majority of them are women.
I knew little about pulmonary embolisms before I got one. I thought a PE was
something people got from being on long
airplane flights, or was a result of old age or
accidents. I didn't know that the cause-a
deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in which a
blood clot in your leg breaks off and travels
to your lungs and kills you-could happen
in many different ways.
I got it from sitting cross-legged on the
bed, surrounded by my research. I'd been
writing for hours on end, and the blood
flow in my legs was restricted by my favorite sitting position, even though I'd been
sitting that way all my life without incident.
That night, I'd been struggling to breathe
for several hours over the course of the evening. My heart rate was way up-like I'd
been running. I'd done an extra breathing
treatment. I'd taken the emergency heart
medication that people with COPD often have to take. It wasn't helping. I finally
decided to call the doctor. I barely had the
breath to get out a sentence when the doctor called me back. He was explicit: Get to
the ER immediately.
I was lucky. I'm still alive. Another hour
or two of ignoring the symptoms and I
would have died. As it was, I spent more
than two weeks in the ICU and have had
a very slow recovery. As I write this, I have
been out of the hospital for exactly two
months, but I am still seriously ill. I have
to endure an injection of a powerful blood
thinner in my stomach twice a day, and I
VIEWS/
am on oxygen 24 /7.
I am afraid. Afraid of what my pulmonologist said as he stood over my bed in
the hospital and explained why I would
need to be on blood thinners for at least
six months, maybe a year, possibly for life:
"If you survive the first one, the second one
kills you:'
Investigative reporters like information.
I started researching DVT and PE when I
got home and was still much too ill to work
on my book or take on my regular assignments.
Anyone can get a DVT. Women get
them from childbirth, and from using
birth control pills or hormone replacement
therapy (HRT), which many women use
either to regulate their periods or to lessen
perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms.
Women can get them from injuries-a
fracture, or muscle damage (like that torn
ligament from a softball game). Women
can get them from being overweight, which
70 percent of American women are. And
women can get them from sitting for long
periods of time, especially with crossed
legs, which is how most of us who have
deskjobs sit every single day. Smoking puts
women at an even higher risk of DVT /PE.
So does lung or heart disease.
I did an interview for Curve in 2013 with
breast cancer specialist Dr. Susan Love. In
talking about cancer preventatives, she advised: Stop smoking, lose weight, exercise.
But she also said, "Sitting is the new smoking:' I heard it and I completely ignored it.
Sitting almost killed me.
According to the CDC, a third of the
people who get a PE will get another one.
Also, nearly a third of the people who have
a DVT will have long-term complications
caused by post-thrombotic
syndrome
(PTS), the damage that the clot does to the
valves in the vein-which I now have. I also
have another side effect: atrial fibrillation,
an irregular heart rhythm that can be a killer all on its own, and for which I will have
surgery that may or may not correct it.
In America, the only women's disease
that we discuss is breast cancer. Yet that's
not even the leading cause of cancer in
women in the U.S. It comes in third-after
lung and colon cancers.
In 2015, estimates are that 231,840 new
cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with
60,290 new cases of noninvasive (in situ)
breast cancer.
In 2015, about 40,000 women in the
U.S. are expected to die from breast cancer,
though death rates have been decreasing
since 1989. But lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, much of it following COPD. My own
mother died of it.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), "Women are 37 percent
I WAS
LUCl<Y. l M
STILL ALIVE.
ANOTHER
HOUR OR
TWO OF
IGNORING THE
SYMPTOMS
AND I WOULD
HAVE DIED.
1
''
more likely to have COPD than men and
now account for more than half of all
deaths attributed to COPD in our nation:'
(The ALA has a sobering report released
in 2013 about this health disparity. It's
called"Taking Her Breath Away: The Rise
of COPD in Women;' and the eight-page,
consumer-friendly version is a must-read.)
COPD is the third-leading cause of
death for both women and men in the U.S.
Who knew? I didn't know anything
about COPD until I was diagnosed with
it. I certainly didn't know it was a leading
cause of death among women. Yet TV
commercials for various drugs to treat it
feature only men. Why?
Here are some other diseases that are
killing us, but that there is little or no
awareness of: Hypertension-high
blood
pressure-is
a leading cause of death
among women of color, especially black,
Latino and American Indian women, who
are two to three times as likely to suffer
from it and to have it go undiagnosed.
According to the CDC, black women
are more likely than black men or white
women to have high blood pressure and to
have it from an early age. The CDC cites
hypertension as a complication in more
than 360,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2013.
Uncontrolled hypertension can result in
a stroke, but most commonly in kidney
disease. The same number of black Americans are waiting for kidney transplants as
are white Americans-but
only 13 percent of the U.S. population is black.
Another disease impacting women is
type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, although you can get it at
any age, even in childhood. Women are
now twice as likely as men to have the
disease and more likely to get it earlier-in
their teens or 20s. Women are
also more likely to suffer a serious health
complication from the disease than men;
These complications
include stroke,
amputation,
or blindness. Polycystic
ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is another
complication. About 29 million Americans have diabetes. As many as 25 percent of them do not know they have it.
According to the CDC, the most
common causes of death among women
in the U.S., in order, are: heart disease,
all cancers, COPD, stroke, Alzheimer's
(which affects more women than men),
and diabetes.
Know your body. Know when something simply doesn't feel right. I'd had
a pain in my leg for a while before I
had the pulmonary
embolism. That
pain was the deep vein thrombosis, but
even though it was severe, I thought it
was just muscle cramping.
Women are often afraid to call the
doctor or go to the ER. And lesbians
have always had a dicey relationship
with the medical establishment. Coming out endlessly with doctors and
medical personnel isn't easy.
But your life matters. I was dying
and I didn't know it. How many women have died too soon from these hidden diseases? Thousands. Don't be one
of them.•
2015
CURVE
17
VIEWS/PROFILE
Kerri R. Smith-Osei
>>California
CommunityLife Coaching
Ten yearsago, KerriR. Smith-Oseiwould have described
herselfas a "hard core, rainbowflag-toting, shout it from
the rooftopsLESBIAN:'She was barely30 yearsold but
AGRAND
JURY
INGALVESTON,
knew she wanted to start a mega-movementto change the
way lesbiansview themselves.
Texas, has indicted James Cosby in the murder of his
daughter, Britney Cosby, and her girlfriend, Crystal Jackson. The indictment comes after a year of police investigation into the discovery of the couple's bodies behind
a garbage can near Cosby's home. Relatives say that
Cosby killed his daughter and her girlfriend because they
were gay. He now faces a capital murder charge.
Togetherwith her then-partner,Smith-Oseicreated
LesbianClicks,an organizationthat produced onlinevideos
about self-esteem,highlightingcommunity outreach
eventsand workshops."The responsewas phenomenal;'
she recalls."Youngwomen were so inspired:'
By helpingthese women create safe zones, both physicallyand spiritually,Smith-Oseilearnedthe ins and outs
of self-acceptanceand celebration.Then she took those
experiencesinto her professionalcareer.As a life coach,
she started offeringthe lesbiancommunity specialized
• MADELYNN
LEE
TAYLOR
has won
techniquesfor personalgrowth, includingmany waysto
a federal lawsuit against the Idaho
State Veterans Cemetery, ensuring
that the ashes of her deceased
wife, Jean M1xner,will be interred
with her at the cemetery when she
dies Taylor Is 74 years old and a US
Navy veteran. The cemetery had
previously denied her wishes to be
buried with her wife, cItIng Idaho's
ban on same-sex marriage
effectivelyaddresstheir life challenges.
"Lesbiansneed a specializedcoach becausewe do have
some unique challengesin our personalrelationshipsand
how we view ourselves,"saysSmith-Osei."It'snot about
singlingus out and sayingwe are so differentand don't experience what other people do, but the realityis we are in
some ways very different.And, let'sbe honest here, the less
you haveto explainhow being a lesbian,quote unquote,
works,the better!"
• ST.PETERSBURG,
Fl, police
Respondingto the dire needs of some of the youth
arrested Annette K1elhurnon
charges of domestic battery against
her estranged partner, Gamze
Capaner-R1dley Police were In the
home to oversee Capaner-R1dley's
removal of personal items from
the couple's home Officers report
that the couple began arguing over
belongings and, after being ordered
not to touch Capaner-R1dley,
K1elhurn began shoving a dildo In
her face as they argued over who It
belonged to
in our community,Smith-Oseialso servesas a mentor
through the specializedcoachingcoursesshe offersfor
free to LGBTQyouth. She'salso activelyinvolvedin the Los
AngelesLGBTCenter and is a member of the LosAngeles
Women'sNetwork,a diversemembershiporganizationthat
supportsthe center'svital servicesfor women and girls.
"We'vecome a long way and made great strides,but
because I am in the communityand talkingto people one
on one every day, I knowthe feelingsthat stillneed to be
reconciledand healed within the LGBTcommunity,"she
says."I lookforward to the day when no one in the LGBT
communityfeels marginalized,and familiesand friendsand
strangersare accepting and embracing, but untilthat day
comes, I feel compelled to keep doing the work that I am
doing. Beinga lesbiandoesn't make you 'lessthan; and it's
not wrong, because love is not wrong. Be proud, be you:'
BySherylKay
18
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
• FLORIDA
POLICE
Sgt Jesus
W
~
~
Menocal, Jr has been suspended
with pay after allegations of sexual
abuse from a lesbian couple who
were pulled over In a routine
traffic stop The teenage couple,
who have not been 1dent1f1ed,
say officer Menocal separated
them and began asking sexually
inappropriate questions about
how the couple had sex, before
forcing one of the young
women to strip at the police
station while he rubbed his
genitals. The couple had been
pulled over for making a U-turn.
• MELISSA
AND
AARON
KLEIN,
the owners of the Sweet Cakes
by Melissa bakery In Gresham,
Ore , were ordered by the
Oregon Labor Comm1ss1onerto
pay a $135,000 fine and abide
by a gag order after refusing
to bake a wedding cake for
a lesbian couple The Kle1ns
refused to bake the couple's
cake after learning they were
lesbians, and stated that samesex marriage went against their
Christian faith The Kle1nsare
f1ght1ngthe ruling, claiming It
Is part of the "persecution of
Chr1st1ans"In America
By Sassafras Lowrey
I'm safe being me.
I walk the halls with
confidence. Not fear.
Inspiring confidence in LGBTyouth
Last year, 8 out of 10 LGBT students reported being harassed or intimidated at school. And many will see no other
option but to drop out due to low self-esteem and fearing for their safety. But making small changes, such as helping
students identify supportive educators, can have a huge impact.
In 2014, we helped GLSEN reach its goal of putting a Safe Space Kit in every middle school and high school across
the country. With the simple guide, poster, and stickers found inside, teachers are creating spaces where students
feel empowered, safe to be themselves, and free to reach their maximum potential.
Little by little, we can all do a lot to improve the lives of LGBT students. Small is Huge~M
Learn more about our continued support of the LGBT community at wellsfargo.com/lgbt.
And remember to join us in wearing purple on Spirit Day, October 15th.
Together we'll go far
© 2015
WellsFargo
Bank,
N.A.Allrightsreserved.
ECG-1268730
Power couple Beth Bishop, 31 (above), and Kristin
Vallacher, 29 (right), met at a girls' night in Boston. But
what began as a cheeky and somewhat hazy hookup
turned into a long-term commitment that spanned both
coasts. Now, they work together at The Phoenix Effect,
the hottest new fitness studio in Los Angeles.
20
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
v,.ws, Two OF ~s
HOW THEY MET
2014, and while we're too busy to plan a
me out. I may seem cool, collected, and
BETH: For the record, Kristin told her
wedding at the moment, we both proudly
confident, but I do suffer from crippling self-
parents we met at book club. But really we
wear our rings and plan to get married
doubt from time to time. She's one of the
met at a lesbian night at Machine, a gay
sometime around the spring of 2016.
few people who can pull me out of it.
clearly have overlapping interests and
make fun of her a little bit. She was pretty
WHAT THEY EACH BRINGTO THE
PHOENIXEFFECT
cute, too.
BETH: I am one of the owners of The
work really well together because we
Phoenix Effect, along with my business
couldn't be more opposite. Moreover, we
KRISTIN: Next thing I know, we're making
partners, Darren Misaresh and Alexis Ong.
acknowledge and celebrate our myriad
out behind a curtain. Then, we're in line
I oversee the fitness program's strategic
differences. Also, who can get mad at that
to get our coats-it was winter, so maybe
vision and marketing, and manage the
face? I'm talking about my own here.
around O degrees- before walking to Beth's
fitness staff. It's a startup, so I wear a lot
apartment. I thought it would be a one-night
of different hats. I used to work in project
club in Boston, on Valentine's Day. She was
wearing an acid wash vest and jeans and a
glow stick, and I had to go over to her and
KRISTIN: Beth and I-even though we
passions, such as each other and fitness-
navigate the moving pieces of the business.
ON HOW THEY RESOLVE
DIFFERENCESOR SETTLE
ARGUMENTS
I am lucky to have such wonderful partners
KRISTIN:Of course we have disagreements.
stand, but it turns out I couldn't help but ask
management for a microfinance company,
her out for several official dates.
so that skill set really has helped me
THEIRFIRSTIMPRESSIONS
and people on my team. We all really
I'd like to say that we pull out the kiddie pool
BETH: I thought, Who does this girl think
work together and contribute something
and Jello, but we typically talk it out, being
she is! She was very confident-and
so
small. I had never gone after someone
shorter than me before, and I'm 5'4".
unique. Kristin is our programming director
sure to explain our perspective and affirm
and programs many of our workouts. She's
that we very likely want the same thing.
an evil programming genius who puts
together brilliantly horrific workouts that
BETH:We usually just talk it out. Good
leave your body going, "What the EFFjust
communication is one of my favorite parts
I loved that she said what was on her mind
happened to me-and why do I look so
of our relationship.
at all times. She still does! It's funny, though,
great and move so well!"
KRISTIN: I thought she was hot as hell, and
because at the time she was dressed all in
ADVICE FORCOUPLESWHO
LOVE,LIVE,AND WORK
TOGETHER
black and had dyed her hair and eyebrows
KRISTIN: Beth definitely brings the "boss"
a "cherry cola"-type shade, but it turns out
side of things-she
she's blonde, from Minnesota, and not a
team and is constantly thinking of ways
brooding hipster, my former type, at all.
to make The Phoenix Effect even better. I
BETH: Make sure that your relationship has
used to manage people and don't really
a solid foundation and that you have clear
miss it, so my role has more to do with the
methods of communication and conflict
BETH: I was intrigued.
manages the entire
creative components: As the director of
resolution. It's always important to listen,
programming, I'm in charge of our exercise
take your ego out of things, and support
sight. We waited several months to
library as well as the overall workout
each other along the way. Date nights are
say "love;' but there was absolutely an
design. I literally wrote-though
also a must. Make sure you take time out of
immediate connection.
write, since we have never once repeated
KRISTIN: It was "something" at first
a workout and never will-the
I should say
business time to work on your relationship.
guide to
how TPEcurrently programs workouts for
KRISTIN: First, watch as many episodes
ON GETTINGTOGETHER
its athletes. My professional background
of Kitchen Nightmares as possible. Then,
KRISTIN:We lived separately until several
prior to fitness is in social media project
forget you've ever seen them and just go
of my roommates boycotted rent, and
management, and my academic
for it. If your relationship brings you joy,
then-not
background is in linguistics, as well as
and you can't imagine working with anyone
in with Beth for the better part of a year
postmodern South American poetry, so I
else, do it. Just establish boundaries-"Hey,
before she convinced me to move to Los
Angeles (I had never been), whereupon we
don't know how to finish this sentence!
using a U-Haul per se-I moved
still didn't get a literal U-Haul so much as
a moving van and a VW Jetta. We have a
"son," a 9-year-old dog. I adopted him when
I love you, but I can't talk about work over
dinner. Can we talk about 0/TNB instead?"and communicate, communicate,
ON WHY THEYWORK SO WELL
TOGETHER
first fazed me in a major way-so much so
communicate. Working with my fiancee at
he was about 8 weeks old, a Katrina rescue,
BETH: For starters, I think we're both pretty
that I didn't join TPEteam until September
and he and Beth became close once she
deemed herself the "cool mom" by giving
capable and intelligent people who don't
2014 because the stakes seemed so high,
like to make excuses. We get stuff done and
and I knew it would be awkward if she fired
him human food and letting him sleep in the
do a good job. We reflect and learn from
me-but
bed. Beth and I have been engaged since
our mistakes and successes. There's really
and inspires me to as well. (phoenixeffectla.
the day after her 30th birthday, August 1,
no time for BS or drama. Kristin balances
com)•
my role model, Beth, takes risks
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
21
Secrets and Lies
What to do when young love goes awry.
BY LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick:
I've been with my lesbian stud girlfriend for four years now.
We are 19 and 20 years of age. Lately, things have been very
rocky, and she has decided to break it off because of some
lies I've told and some things I've said that hurt her feelings.
She has now started talking to a new girl and wants to cut
communication with me. We have been joined at the hip
since our first date, and I don't know how to handle this! Is
this just another phase in our relationship, or should I look to
move on? Help me, please.
- Lipstick Junior
Dipstick: You were kids when you met
they give us a unique perspective on our
and even though you've both grown up a
lives. We are challenged in relationships
lot since that first date, you are still quite
in ways we are not when we're single. In
young. Like most of us, you've made some
the same vein, there are other lessons
''
WHAT
YOU RE
FEELING NOW
IS WHAT ALL
THOSE SAO
LOVE SONGS
ARE ABOUT
-IT S CALLEO
HEARTACHE
ANO IT
WILL PASS.
1
1
''
mistakes along the way. That's part of life.
we can learn only when we're solo. Use
more. I know, kind of a shocker. LJ, you
Rather than focusing on the stud and if she
this separation to work on your integrity
need to get to the reason why you lied and
will come back to you, look at yourself and
and the things that caused you to hurt
work from there. Where did it go awry?
what it was that caused you to lie to her
the one person who's most dear to you.
you learn? Relationships are great because
22
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
How can you stop history from repeating
itself? This is a teachable moment, and
and hurt her in the first place. What can
Lipstick: Well, Dipstick, I couldn't agree
you must lean into the sharp point of it. It's
v1Ews1LIPSTICK+DIPS
ICK
going to be super hard-because
you've
people are still stuck in their own ignorant
been connected at the hip for a big chunk
little prison, the walls of which are built
of your young life-but
with bricks of their own shit. Unresolved
you need to give
issues around their own sexuality, insecu-
the stud space. This may well be the
period at the end of your sentence. What
rity, and fear-mongering foolishness at its
you're feeling now is what all those sad
finest. Didn't they get the memo? It's OK
love songs are about-it's
to be gay now.
called heartache
and it will pass. With time. Trust me on
this. You just need to let yourself feel it
Dipstick: Lipstick, there you go
wholly and not try to numb it away. Here's
again-"human
my advice, for when you're feeling a bit
ing." How about, my leeriness about this
consciousness is expand-
better: Why not start chatting up a new
service is expanding! Paying, how will
girl of your own, ay?
talking to a mom who can be uber-sup-
Dipstick: Did you just say "ay"?
connection to you help heal the wounds
portive because she has no real emotional
from your family of origin? She just might
Lipstick: Yes, I'm a Canadian now. "When
make you feel worse about yourself and
in Rome ..."
the shitwall between you and your own
folks. I liken it to when someone's having
Dipstick: Lipstick, didn't you hear
issues with their partner, so they go online
anything I said? Junior does not need to
and start having an emotional affair with
chat up a new girl. She needs to contem-
an Internet stranger. They may be getting
plate her own life-go
their needs met, but not in a healthy or a
to a silent retreat,
meditate, drive cross-country, hitchhike
healing way.
through Europe, take a welding class.
This is a time-you
can call it a phase-of
Lipstick: Whaaat? Don't listen to Dip.
self-discovery and growth. Make the most
Just be strong, babe-you
of it!
order that Mom-by-Phone. Lipstick has
go ahead and
decided it's a fine, inventive idea. Get love
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick: Same old story.
and support where you can. We're all the
My parents have never accepted who I
same, we're all connected, and, as I see it,
am. They weren't outright mean when I
it's no different from paying for a therapist.
came out, they just pretended they didn't
Except maybe you can score some home-
hear it and have done their best to ignore
made cookies out of the deal!
it ever since. I see them once or twice a
year. So here's the weird thing: I found
Dipstick: Instead of hiring a pseudo-mom,
a service where you pay for a substitute
why don't you pick up the phone and give
mom to call you up and talk to you. I've
your non-commission-earning
never seen anything like this, and I'm not
call? Start taking baby steps toward an
sure what to make of it. I haven't used the
adult relationship. Don't wait for an invita-
service yet, and I know I should just grow
tion. Call her. Visit her. Talk to her the way
up and get over it, but it still hurts that my
you want to be talked to. Relationships
own mom would rather ignore me than
can heal, but both parties need to put in
face who I am. Do you think there is some-
the work and the time. Give her another
thing wrong with using a service like this?
chance to be your supportivemom.com.
It seems legit (mysupportivemom.com).
- Paying for a Parent
Lipstick: Of course it still hurts. How are
you ever going to "get over" your parents
passive-aggressively rejecting you? I'm
fascinated by your question, because we
had no idea such a service existed. My
first thought: How interesting-paying
for
positive energy. My second thought: How
Do you have a burning
sad. I guess no matter how far it seems
we've come, and no matter how much
question for Lipstick
& Dipstick? Write to
human consciousness is expanding, some
ask@lipstickdipstick.com
mother a
Rickie's Return
Eclectic artist Rickie Lee Jones has a new album-and
a new hometown.
BY DAVE STEINFELD
"It's Christmas time here in New Orleans
The streets are empty but for
we three Queens
Who follow the fire of an old guitar
That burns so bright over the local bar"
R
ickie Lee Jones exploded onto the music scene
in 1979, fully formed. Her self-tided debut
featured 11 songs that ranged from the catchy,
lighthearted "Chuck E's in Love'' (a Top 5 hit)
to heartbreaking ballads like "The Last Chance Texaco" and
"Company:' That album made her an overnight success: She
graced the cover of Rolling Stone, won the Grammy for Best
New Artist of 1979, and became the first musical guest on
Saturday Night Live to be allowed three songs instead of the
customary two.
But Jones defied expectations right off the bat. Her
sophomore set, Pirates, bore little resemblance to the jazzy
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2015
stream-ofconsciousness
lyricism that had made her famous.
Pirates was the first of many left turns she would take. Among
other things, Jones has released three collections of covers ( the
most recent being The Devil You Know); tackled trip-hop on
1997's Ghostyhead; and unveiled a concept album about Jesus
Christ (her 2007 masterpiece, The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard). Despite the temptation to record "Chuck E's Still in
Love" or "Chuck E Gets Divorced;' Jones has never made the
same record twice.
Her new album, The Other Side of Desire, is significant for
several reasons. It's her first album of all-new material in at
least a decade; it's the first on her new indie label, The Other
Side of Desire Music; and it's the first since she left the West
Coast-where
she's lived for decades-and
moved to New
Orleans. You can feel that city's presence on the new disc the
way you could feel Los Angeles on her earlier efforts.
"Now you wake up again in that old black hat
Another dream of me,
bet you don't tell her that
Now you roll over, turn and smell her hair
It's warm down here for Christmas; we all
hope you're cold up there"
"I don't think there would be a record if I didn't move here;'
says Jones when she calls me from the Crescent City on a late
spring morning."! tried to stick solely to New Orleans-based
sounds. There's one song called 'Haunted' that evokes the girl
groups of the '60s that came out of this town. [Then] there's
the Fats Domino kind [of song], 'Jai Connais Pas: I was able
to stay focused and inspired by all the kinds of music I hear
[in New Orleans]:'
The Other Side of Desire-which was produced separately
by John Porter and Mark Howard-isJones's
best album since
The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard. Its tide comes from the
track"Christmas in New Orleans:"'! thought, I wanna write a
Christmas song-maybe somebody'll [actually] play it!" says
Jones with a laugh. "I imagined
the three kings, and walking
around New Orleans when the
streets are empty, and a nativity story happening, but maybe
not on Earth ... ! don't tell people [this] because everybody
goes, 'Oh, I didn't get that; and
I don't wanna quash the meaning for them. But for me, the
end of [this song] makes it clear
that this is a letter from hell.
Maybe hell is New Orleans,
and we live here, drinking and
singing songs, while the people
up North have their money and
their happily-ever-after. And
we re sending postcards saying
'Wish you were here:"
The album's opening song,
"Jimmy Choos;' is another standout and hearkens back to her
earlier work. "[That] was written one evening after a difficult
phone call;' Jones explains. "When I hung up, I took refuge in
the guitar ... And whatever that spirit is that speaks to me, it
spoke through me, and I was lifted ... ! [had] images of [someone] throwing pop bottles from a rooL.I thought she might
be a transvestite, but in the end it didn't matter. Whoever is
wearing those shoes, come out tonight-someone
loves you:'
"So when you're lost out here on The
Other Side of Desire
Come on in and warm your hands on
our eternal fire
We're all drinking and singing songs,
full of Christmas cheer
And every ghost there at the bar wishes
that you were here"
2015 is a big year for Jones. In addition to the release
of her new album, a documentary about her that was directed by the Canadian filmmaker Gail Harvey is slated to
open in the fall."[Gail] came to see me play ... and we hit it
off," says Jones. "You know, we're about the same age, and
I'm just able to be a way with her that I haven't been able
to be with guys. I like guys-but
there's a whole other dynamic [with them]. So she's the man right now!" (For the
record, she adds, "I have so many lesbian friends:')
In the film's trailer, there is a powerful moment as Jones
reflects on the arc of her career and how she's gone from
being the It girl, appearing in Rolling Stone and recording for Warner Brothers, to someone who now, at the age
of 60, releases her music independently. She says, "It's a
profound, horrible experience to be treated like you're
no longer important. Because you don't wanna fuck me
anymore, I'm not important:' FUCK YOU!" When we
speak, I ask Jones to expand on that. "I think that is the
story of menopause," she replies. "There's this thing that
happens when you're young and
attractive. Horrible men whistle
at you as you walk by, and you
go, 'I hate that! When will that
end:" And it does end-and
it's
wonderful. You don't feel in danger anymore. But the other thing
that happens is that people start
to call you 'ma'am:'Ma'am' means
'Step back ... I no longer accept
you as a girl. You are a ma'am:
So it's a dubious blessing. At the
same time that I don't feel like
lecherous people are looking at
me, I feel like I am incrementally
being thrown away. Now, when I
go to a public place where I have
to wait in line, they'll wait on
everybody but me! They don't
even see me anymore, because
I'm a middle-aged woman. And it is because I'm no longer
a sexual object," she continues. "[As if] that was my only
attraction ... It hurts:'
"How do we explain a time as crazy as ours?
How do you explain a love that fell down
from the stars
And burned a light into the dark?
That was my life for a while ..."
Thirty-five years after Rickie Lee Jones won that Grammy
and graced the cover of Rolling Stone, her life is still a singular
one. New Orleans may have replaced L.A. as home, but she
is still the uniquely gifted artist she always has been, singing
about young girls and pirates, rivers and trains. She can still
hit one note and make you weak in the knees. And whether
the music business and the general public know it or not, she
is still beautiful. (rickieleejones.com) •
SEP/OCT
2015
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25
HOT
LICKS
))BYKELLYMCCARTNEY
Kacey
Musgraves
C,1vers1I
MlsirGT
1p)
Pageant
Material
KaceyMusgravesis one of
the staunchest alliesthe
LGBTQcommunityhas right
now in the world of country
music. Not only did her last
album'sbiggesthit, "Follow
YourArrow," includea musical
highfive to girls kissinggirls,
but the releaseparty for her
new PageantMaterial was
held at a Nashvillegay bar
and Musgravesinvited local
drag queensto lip sync the
tunes. It was a brilliant and
sincere ploy on her part, and
it fit the songs perfectly. Like its predecessor, PageantMaterial is chock full
of ruminationson weed smokingand smalltown living,with an ever-present
theme of beingokay with exactly who and how you are: "I'd rather lose
for what I am than win for what I ain't," she sings in the title track. While it
definitely feels like Musgraveshas found her strength and she's playingto it,
if you don't find the first five tracks thoroughly endearing,then maybe music
just isn't your thing.
MARKtTP
So Close ... So Romantic
10%Offwith
promo code
CU2015
Lesbian Owned
,: Be-achfront
Shelby
Lynne
I Cantlnagine
(Ro~n~eu-js;
Let'sbe clear about one thing
right up front: ShelbyLynne
can sing. Her soulfulvoice
is nimbleenoughto belt one
phraseand whisper the next.
Evenjust the openingtrack
of I Can'tImaginemakesthat
point abundantlyclear as its
lyrics alignthemselveswith
her delivery:"I threw these
colors down in a fit of rage.
My feelingshardlyfit onto the
page.Cloudymemoriesmake
for darker days, but blue is
how I paint myselftoday."
After that, though,Lynnesettles into mostly softer sways and swaggersthan
we've heardfrom her on records past. Listeningpast the voice, the writing,
too, employsa lightertouch. Thereare no brash proclamationshere-a Lynne
trademark-but it's hard to criticize someonefor not writing what mightnot
be true for them in that moment.In the end, I Can'tImagineis a pleasantenoughlisteningexperience;it's just not a highwater mark in a discography
filled with highwater marks.
Lega
nage,
Honeymoons
and RomanticGetaways
www. high landstnn-nh .com
1-877-LES-B-INN
26
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2015
Hotinthe
Kitchen
Aarum Hurse is ready
to cook for you.
BY MELANIE
BARKER
B
m and raised in Detroit,
Aarum Hurse, a.k.a.
esBlnTheKitchen,
as spent her entire life
around food. Her culinary education
started in the kitchens of her greatgreat grandmother, grandmother,
mother, and aunts-the
kitchens where friends and neighbors
would congregate, lured by the
lovely aromas of good cooking.
"It was like having extra family
members!" recalls Hurse. "My
passion for food started then:'
She's pursued the art of cooking
ever since, even as she worked a
day job in TV production, but
it's her cooking that has built her
a following on lnstagram. "People
love the fact that I'm not a che£ just
a home cook who enjoys getting in
the kitchen and drinking whiskey and
seeing what I can come up with. I love
food-it's truly my passion-and
women:' Aarum Hurse has now written her first cookbook, Culinary Cool:
Everyday Food,which is availableas an
e-book. "Cooking should be quick and
fun!" she says."Now I'm ready to cook
for you, you, and you over there!"
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2015
NAME THE THREE INGREDIENTS THAT
ARE ALWAYS IN YOUR PANTRY.
BACON, BACON, and BACON!
OK, really,bacon is my go-to food, and
it's what my next cookbook is about: It's
called Bacon, Bitches & Breakups.Also,
I'm in love with goat cheese and sea salt.
YOUR ULTIMATE DATE NIGHT MEAL TO
WOO A SPECIAL LADY?
This question is funny to me. I never cook for women on the first date,
or even the first few dates. It's just so
easy-they can see that coming a mile
away. If I had to woo a special lady, I
guess I would go with whatever she
likes-even if it's seafood, which I'm
deathly allergic to but have made for
ex-girlfriends. And if I do, this means I
really like you, because I can't even smell
it without getting a little sick. Now, who
I would love to cook for and almost die
for is Kerry Washington, or Jasika Nicole
from Fringe.Yes,these two women I would
gladly get rushed to the ER for.
WOULD YOU LIKE JUST ONE LADY TO HAVE A
PERMANENT PLACE AT YOUR TABLE?
I am flying solo, very much single. I tend to
get women to fall for me, but then, about
30 days later, hey, they are like, "Yeah, never
REVIEWS/
FOOD
MAPLE BACON WRAPPED PORK TENDERLOIN
STUFFEDWITH SAGE & WHOLE GARLIC
mind, you are such a bull-headed Taurus:' I'm very
set in my ways-growing and learning, but it's taking
time for me in some areas. I just decided to no longer
chase women. I love women-like, almost as much
as bacon-but I have been romancing the hell out
of them for about 15 years and I'm over it, ready for
someone to chase me. All my friends think I will never
pick just one, but I'm more than ready for a wife, and
maybe kids. Ready to come home and have someone
cook for me!
YOU LEARNED TO COOK FROM THE WOMEN IN YOUR
FAMILY, BUT WHY TURN COOKING INTO A CAREER?
My career producing reality TV hit the wall after eight
years, and I started to cook more and more just to relax
after work. And my friends kept saying,"You have to
do something with this food!" So @LesBln TheKitchen was born. After my almost-four-year relationship
ended and my career hit the wall, I moved to Seattle,
changed career paths, and started working more on
the book. I've grown my followers and I'm ready to
grow the brand even more. What the followers like is
the fact that I'm just a home cook who thinks outside
the box, and that I'm transparent-I can be having
a bad day and they will know about it, but mostly in
those bad days I'm still cooking and smiling, and they
dig that. Also doesn't hurt that they love my boobs and
bacon posts!
WHICH CELEBRITY CHEF INSPIRES YOU?
My favorite celebrity che£ hands down, is Anthony
Bourdain. I love this guy.His shows are amazing. He
has the same zero-fucks point of view as I do, and is all
about the food and the moment. He's my spirit animal
for sure, and ifl could meet him and also have a food
show like his then my life would be the shit.
Bacon,Bitches& Breakupsis out this winter in time for
INGREDIENTS:
1 head of garlic, top sliced off
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 to 11/2 lbs. each)
1 tbsp. ground sage
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
12 fresh sage leaves
1 handful chopped fresh thyme leaves
12 (1/4-inch thick) slices maple bacon
Cooking time: 1 hour & 10 minutes
Temperature: 375°F
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Arrange tenderloins on work surface. Season each tenderloin
with half the ground sage and ground cumin. Cut 3 slits
in the top of each tenderloin. Stuff the slits with uncooked
whole garlic bulbs and sage leaves.
- Wrap 6 strips of bacon around each tenderloin and tie the
bacon in place with kitchen twine.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sear
the tenderloins until golden brown on all sides.
- Transfer seared tenderloins to a medium roasting pan, place
in the oven, and cook to medium doneness, about 1 hour to 1
hour & 10 minutes.
- Transfer tenderloins to a cutting board and let stand for 10
minutes. Remove twine before carving.
- Plate and serve.
Christmas.•
SEP/OCT
2015
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29
G
enderqueer porn star Jiz Lee burst onto the scene
a decade ago in Crash Pad, a game-changing adult
film, and has been a force to be reckoned with
ever since, but they ("They" and "their" are Lee's
preferred pronouns) are changing the game again with their
new anthology, aptly entitled Coming Out Like a Porn Star: Essays on Pornography, Protection, and Privacy (ThreeL Media).
Whether or not you've ever wondered what it's like to tell your
people-friends,
family, whoever else is in your life-that
you're doing porn, you'll need to read this book. It's that good.
The stories are fierce, poignant, funny, dramatic, and at
times a big ol' mess-and
you may well find yourself identifying with the feelings, frustrations, and triumphs of the
storytellers and the issues they invoke, because, after all, they
are coming out. And, interestingly enough, the contributors
Lee has chosen for this book include many popular queer
porn stars, including Drew De Veaux, Papi Coxxx, Cinnamon
Maxxine, Betty Blac, Jackie Strano, and Lyric Seal, as well as
the sex-positive icon Annie Sprinkle, who gives readers tips
that are profound, direct, and oh so very real.
The idea for Coming Out Like a Porn Star was sparked by
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2015
Lee's own coming out process. While they have been a queer
porn star for over a decade, it was still hard to come out. As
you may well imagine, being close to their family and living a
double life was taking its toll. "It was creating a divide between
me and my family," says Lee.
Lee also knew there was a very real chance that the family
would find out on their own, which was becoming a very real
possibility, not because they were looking-they
weren't-but
because Lee is often interviewed by the media, so the clock was
ticking. In "Noooooooodie Girl," adult performer and writer
Stoya makes a great point: "Murphy's Law of Inappropriate
Behavior states that if you make a habit of taking your clothes
off in public, eventually everyone in your family (including members so distant they share less DNA with you than
a chimpanzee does with a cuttlefish) will somehow stumble
upon documentation of what you're up to:' And in Lee's case it
held true. "After I came out to my family, that is exactly what
happened. My stepmom opened her computer and an interview I did with MSNBC was already on her browser:'
Coming out in any way is a wild ride of emotion, and for
Lee it was no different-and
they were afraid. "To help me
find the courage to come out, I started asking other performers how they did it:'
Their stories helped, so Lee began coming out to people one by one-starting
with their father and saving their mom for last-a beautiful and, yes, surprising
story in its own right. "My mom is a Christian, and I thought she would take it
the hardest, so I told her, at last, while we were out walking her dog-and
I was
actually sorry I waited. She surprised me by saying, 'A good Christian doesn't
judge, and it sounds like what you're doing is making you happy and healthy:"
Happy and healthy indeed, but for Lee the coming out process still isn't over.
They still have their teenage brother and sister to tell, so it's a work progress,
but it's one that has been good to them. "The biggest fear is that we're going to
lose the people close to us, but sometimes it can bring us closer:' For Lee that
was definitely true, but in this anthology, just like in life, you will find all kinds
of different experiences-some
will break your heart, some will make you smile,
others will make you think, and still others will inspire you. But no matter what
the outcome of coming out, the performers in this book all have something in
common-courage.
"People showed so much bravery in writing about this and
being willing to step outside their comfort zone;' says Lee.
Lee's own warrior nature also deserves to be recognized. By giving voice to the
experiences of the performers in the book, Lee is taking on the cultural stigma
that comes with making your living in the sex industry, and the obstacles it ere~
ates for many performers to be open and honest about who they are and what
they do. In a larger context, Lee is also taking on our "culture of sexual shame;'
and giving readers a sex~positive message that is transgressive, courageous, and,
well, life affirming.
Yes, go ahead and give Coming Out Like a Porn Star a read, but be warned-you
may just find yourself jonesing for the sequel. ( comingoutlikeapornstar.com)
•
HOT
READS
))BYKATYSANTA
MARIA
Patience
andSarah
I' ,u(
,ou
v,u
Jluu1
Audible Studios announces some fantastic
news for avid readers, car-driving listeners, and
queer-loving folks everywhere: An audiobook of
the coveted historical fiction novel and lesbian
classic Patience and Sarah, by Isabel Miller,
will be released this September. Miller's novel,
which was originally called A Place for Us, was
self-published into 1,000 copies and hand-sold
on New York street corners in 1969. Two years
later, it was taken up by a publisher and given
the American Library Association's first Gay
Book Award in 1971.
Interestingly enough, Miller wrote the novel
based on the true story of two nineteenth
century lovers, painter Mary Ann Willson and
her partner, who lived in Greene County, New
York. Women in the early 1800s had limited modes of public expression-regardless
of their sexual orientation-so the novel certainly makes for an informative and
enjoyable read of two women's beloved, sexy "promiscuity."
Patience and Sarah will be narrated by two-time Grammy Award winner and
singer-songwriter Janis Ian, as well as three-time Emmy Award winner and film,
television, and stage actress Jean Smart.
We recommend that you prepare early for this much-awaited audiobook debut:
Plan a long road trip, pack headphones on your airplane travel, or simply anticipate
curling up in bed, listening to Ian and Smart's soothing voices-you don't want to miss
out this September. (audible.com)
~
Perfecting the Big 0
Lesbian author Jenny Block on how to have the ultimate orgasm.
BY YANA TALLON-HICKS
J
enny Block, Lambda Literary
Award-winner, sex writer, and
author of the new must-have sex
manual O Wow: Discovering Your
Ultimate Orgasm, wants you to come so
hard you can't even see straight."You know
you've had an ultimate orgasm when you're
unable to operate a motor vehicle after having it;' Block exclaims loudly to me over the
phone as she walks around her neighborhood in Texas. "I don't mind talking to my
16-year-old daughter about these things,
but she doesn't much like hearing me do it.
"When I've had an ultimate orgasm;' she
shouts excitedly, "I feel like I wouldn't be
able to pass a drug test, because that's how
high I feel after having it! It's as if women
have all secretly agreed to settle for some
diluted version of an orgasm-like
we're
grateful for whatever we can get. When you
really commit to your orgasm, you feel like
you're going to scratch your eyes out if you
don't come. Sometimes you cry, sometimes
you shake. I've even passed out. That's the
kind of orgasm we should be striving for:'
Block's passion about passion is almost
as climactic as an orgasm itsel£ and this
genuine commitment to female-bodied
pleasure shines through every page of 0
Wow, which covers everything from clits
to cunnilingus to cultural shame. As Block
is a woman who once finessed her own
orgasmic capabilities with the fairy godmother of female orgasms herself-Betty
Dodson-I'm
certainly inclined to follow
her lead. "Betty Dodson taught me that
having an orgasm is something you can
do as a learning situation. Like dancing
or singing or anything else, having an ultimate orgasm is taking your body's innate
ability and honing your skills to make it
better:'
Though we're inundated with the latest
in technology and tricks when it comes
to modern sex advice, Block's best suggestions for better orgasms begin at the
beginning, with our bodies, brains, and
often-overlooked basics:
32
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2015
GET BACK INTO YOUR BODY: "Be selfish.
Be present. Give yourself permission to feel
the things women have been taught not to
let ourselves feel-our partner's touch and
sexual pleasure:'
INSERT TAB A INTO TABB?: "Lesbian sex is
pleasure-oriented instead of goal-oriented:
We're both familiar with the equipment,
and we don't have Cosmo magazine telling
us what we should be doing. Women who
sleep with women are really lucky because
what sex looks like isn't laid out for us. Sex
has been heterosexually defined as inserting Tab A into Tab B, but with lesbian sex
ibly important, whether you're on your own
or with a partner. Of course it bruises my
ego when my girlfriend asks me if she can
touch herself when we're having sex, but
I always say yes and I always mean it. We
need to let go of this sexual ego and take
our time with each other and our bodies:•
AN XXX RATING CAN BE OVERRATED:
"Girl-on-girl porn is more back rubbing,
showering, and hair brushing than anything else. We need to remember that porn
is entertainment, not education. I don't
know about you, but I can't remember the
last time I had an orgasm from getting my
hair brushed:'
GET REAL ABOUT REAL SEX: "My partner
is so ticklish, she starts laughing hysterically
when I'm in the heat of it. You'd think this
would kill the mood, but some of my best
orgasms happen after my girlfriend and I
let ourselves laugh and play. The best sex
comes from letting go of all the serious
stuff-candles
burning and curtains billowing-and just having real sex:•
STOP TRYING SO HARD: "An ultimate
orgasm is giving yourself permission to
come really hard, every time! To have all
the things you want to have and try all the
things you want to try. We try so hard to be
good girls-socially, sexually, and culturally-and we're trying our way right out of
great sex. We've got to stop that:'
there is no Tab A. We get to make up our
own rules and we should embrace this. The
second we give in to heteronormative definitions of what sex is, we lose our homecourt advantage:'
GET OVER YOURSELF: "Let go of this bravado of 'making a woman come: You can
facilitate her orgasm, sure, but you cannot
make her come. You are not solely responsible for her orgasm. Masturbation is incred-
I picture Block rounding the corner back
to her house in what I imagine is a quaint
suburban Texas town, having just woken
the neighbors with shouts of ultimate orgasms and pornographic hair brushing.
And, having been around the block with
Block just once, I marvel at how much we've
all learned about how to be good at not being "the good girl:' You say you're not into
shouting from your front lawn about how
hard you came last night:' That's OK-you
can just read the book. •
REVIEWS/
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
SEX
33
Of Girls, Horses, and Cameras
Revisiting the cinematic oeuvre of lesbian filmmaker Monika Treut.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
F
or Monika Treut's many fans,
her 2014 film Of Girls and
Horses, released last June by
Wolfe Video, may seem to be a
sharp departure. It's not an unadulterated
exploration of female sexuality, like Virgin
Machine, Seduction: The Cruel Woman, or
Lesbian Nation, and it's not a documenta~
ry, like Female Misbehavior, which stars the
notorious lesbian~feminist cultural critic
Camille Paglia. Treut's latest film is a com~
ing~of~age story about a troubled lesbian
teen, and an homage to the writer/ direc~
tor's lifelong love of horses.
34
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2015
"It's always hard for me to compare
my own films. This film is just another
side of me," Treut tells Curve, claiming
that the notion of a "career" is some~
thing foreign to her. "I am still in the
fortunate situation that my life is very
closely connected to my filmmaking,
so that I can really follow my own cu~
riosity about certain subjects," she says,
explaining that 30 years ago she made
films about sadomasochism because it
was a particular interest in her private
life. "But now, I'm not that interested in
sadomasochism anymore;' she laughs.
While she may modestly dismiss the
formal application of the word "career"
to her oeuvre, Treut has made over 20
films since 1981, beginning with How
Does the Camel Go Through the Needle's
Eye?, and, with the exception of the
iconic Barbara Hammer, no one else
has been dedicated to making lesbian
films for as long. A PhD in philology
(from the University of Marburg, in
Germany), Treut began her career in
film as an avid member of the audience.
"As a teenager, I really enjoyed seeing
movies by [Rainer Werner] Fassbinder;
some German directors, like Alexander
Kluge, whose theory was that movies
exist to expand people's imagination;
and, at that point, Polanski," Treut
says. Films by these directors, especial~
ly Kluge, including more broadly the
REVIEWS/
independent cinema of the 1970s and
'80s, had the most impact on her as a
nascent filmmaker. For Treut, the Berlin Film Festival was her film school.
"I would go there in the morning, and
I would camp out in the Academy of
Arts, and I would see, like, six or seven
films a daY:'
Cinema, especially LGBT cinema,
has changed meteorically since Treut's
early days of filmmaking. When asked
if she thinks LGBT cinema has become
more conservative as it has merged
into the mainstream, Treut observes,
"I wouldn't call it more conservative. I
would call it more commercial:' Pointing to the example of San Francisco's
Frameline Festival in the 1980s, she
says, "The audiences and the programmers were so much more open to experimental and avant garde film then,"
but suggests that part of the problem
is that there is just so much gay cinema
right now-festival
programmers
are
simply "overwhelmed with the amount
of product out there."
Another part of the problem is the
capitalist pressures put into place by
commercialism.
The same types of
films-"boy
meets boy" and "girl meets
girl," she says-are
being made in recent years. "Obviously, it must fulfill a
need, so I don't belittle it, but I am personally not drawn to these films:'
At the same time, Treut, like the rest
of the lesbian world, is waiting with bated breath to see Carol, Todd Haynes's
adaptation
of Patricia
Highsmith's
1952 novel, The Price of Salt. "Haynes is
a fantastic filmmaker," she says. "I love
his work, and I feel that he has almost
like an androgynous sensibility. I don't
regard him as a male filmmaker-he
has an amazing ability to portray women in his films."
For queer female filmmakers who
may be struggling to financially produce their work, Treut encourages them
to avoid professionalism at all costs and
just gather some friends
and be playful with the
camera. "I see so much
about training sessions,"
she laments, "I feel the
art is being removed, and
the fun is gone, even before they start making a
movie. I wish they would
be more daring and just
jump into it, without being so stressed and afraid
of fulfilling [professional
obligations]:•
Treut, for her part, is
going to continue living
life-which,
for her is
synonymous with making films. And for that,
FlLM
audiences are grateful. At the close of
the interview, when I ask her which of
her films she recommends to young
queer women, Treut chuckles. "I can
say that, funny enough, after all these
years my little old badgered Virgin Machine still gets feedback from young
women about how it has changed their
lives and that they enjoy it so much.
I'm happy that this film in particular
is shown around the world-in
Turkey,
in Asian nations, in countries that are a
little bit behind in women's and queer
liberation. This film;' she ruminates, "is
doing something still:' •
HOT
FLICKS
))BYMARCIE
BIANCO
Tig
"Comedy is always a risk," Tig Notaro says about the response to her now-legendary
show at the Largo in 2012, in which she announced that she had cancer. Whether it's
with "little titties" or no titties, Notaro fearlessly puts her body-a 44-year-old, cancersurviving, seemingly androgynous body-on display front and center in her new
documentary, Tig,now available on Netflix. Like Amy Schumer, whose acclaimed show
Notaro has written for, she is revolutionizing physical comedy, but in her own way. On
the heels of her other documentary, Knock Knock, It's Tig Notaro, which premiered on
Showtime back in May, this new one offers a much more intimate lens through which
audiences can encounter the comedian. More than just a rehearsal of her life-altering
year-a debilitating C. diff bacterial infection, her mother's unexpected death, a serious
breakup, and breast cancer, all of which happened in 2012- Tigfollows Notaro as she
endeavors to rebuild her life and to make a family, including getting pregnant, which
is nearly impossible for survivors of breast cancer. For Notaro, pregnancy and child
rearing would be a way to connect with her mother, whose untimely passing has had a
lasting emotional impact on her. The documentary also tenderly follows Notaro's budding
relationship with her flancee, the comedic actor Stephanie Allynne, whom she met on
the set of Lake Bell's In A World-a relationship that began on promising yet precarious grounds, since Allynne had never before considered
dating a woman. Tigis a touching portrait of the comedian as she moves beyond the stage and into her life's journey. (beachsidefllms.com/#tig).
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
35
••
Alana Powellwears
Androgynous Fox Logo
VNeck
Photo: Molly Adams
Imaginative designs from a
fashion-influenced lesbian.
Beck Holladay wears
Take Notes, Boys V
Neck
Photo: Nick Woolley
BY MARCIE BIANCO
enee Periat grew up as a young and
confused tomboy in a small Califor~
nian coastal town with a population
of around 600. After a period of
acting girly to fit in, she acknowledged what she
had suspected from a young age: that she was
a lesbian. Moving away to a larger town with
more visible diversity, she began to experiment
with her selfpresentation. The girly~girl lie
she'd been living gave way to a more masculine
look. "My gender pendulum swung back and
forth for the next several years as I tried to
find my comfort zone;' explains Periat, who
is the creator of Androgynous Fox, the latest
cool clothier for fashion~forward androgynes.
"It wasn't until the age of 27 that I stumbled
upon pictures of [androgynous English fashion
model] Agyness Deyn, and felt something
inside me awaken. It wasn't sexual attraction or
curiosity- I had found myself in her:'
36
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
...
...
..
Elise Applegate wears
Genderless Is More
Crew Neck and V Neck
Photo: Rebecca
Richards
....
.
.....
...
...
...
..
..
:
......
• 38
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
......
......
......
FEATURES /
ST
..
she dressed lik:e
her confidence increased.
Marissa Lauren wears
Androgynous Fox Logo
Baseball Tee
Renee Periat
Photo: Elanor Jarque &
Amelia Spitler
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
39
Inspirational tees for every tomboy.
40
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES /
.:LA~
BRAVE
ST
I
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
41
~
Wt WPP
Cool accessories that support
awesome causes.
42
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES /
ST
BE THE END OF CANCER
SEP/OCT
2015
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43
SURVIVORS'STORIES
BOLD
LINES
Underwear that is out for awareness.
BY MELANIE BARKER
G
endedess underwear brand PLAY OUT's summer campaign this year featured a power~
ful body~positive photo series featuring breast cancer survivors who had undergone double
mastectomies and chosen not to have breast reconstruction. Rather than wear prostheses,
these women, like approximately 60 percent of female breast cancer survivors, chose to re~
main bilaterally Bat. And far from being shy about their scars, they posed in PLAY OUT's bold new
summer line of undies to achieve three goals: challenge gender norms; champion body positivity; and
promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
Pictured above from the photo series "Emily & Jodi" are bilaterally Bat breast cancer survivors
Emily Jensen and Jodi Jaecks.Jaecks (left), is a Seattle breast cancer survivor who won the right, after
months of appeals, to swim topless in a city pool after her double mastectomy made wearing swim
tops painful. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department reversed a decision and decided to allow
Jaecks, and others whose breasts had been surgically removed, to swim with freedom and comfort.
Born and made in the USA, PLAY OUT is an androgynous and gender inclusive line of boxer~
brief style and trunk~style underwear marked by a comfortable ht, quality fabric, bold prints and
colors. PLAY OUT Co~founder Abby Sugar is on a mission to make wearers "feel comfortable in
their own skin, no matter their gender (or even if they don't identify with a gender), and in turn, feel
comfortable in their most intimate garments-underwear:'
(playout~underwear.com)
...J
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0
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
45
THECOURAGE
TO PERSIST
A lesbian photographer documents her wife's mastectomy and recovery.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN BRENNAN
hen I recently visited Taos, N.M., I
met the lesbian creative couple Kath~
leen Brennan and Kat Duff. Brennan
is a documentarian and a photog~
rapher, Duff is an author. She is also a breast
cancer survivor.
In 2003, when Duff was diagnosed with
breast cancer, Brennan documented her phys~
ical and emotional journey with photographic
portraits in the style of American photogra~
phers Edward Steichen and Diane Arbus.
"I think for Kat this was a way to remember
her breast, her body as she knew it all her life.
Photographing the changes her body was go~
ing through was as much for my dealing with
her loss as it was for her;' Brennan wrote in the
catalogue for the 2004 exhibition "In Praise of
What Persists" at the Harwood Museum of
Art, Taos.
After the photos were completed, Brennan
says that Duff had returned to her vital sel£
"She looked like a beautiful butterfly emerg~
ing from her cocoon to express her new body.
These pictures are about the triumph of the
human spirit, regardless of what is happening,
even in the face of death:'
Duff, the subject of these images, which
some may find confronting, had a lot to come
to terms with: "I don't get cancer! I may get
other things, but I don't get cancer;' she re~
calls thinking. Then came the reality of losing
a breast (and later losing the other, too), and
dealing with "the unsettling residue of surgery:'
"People tell me I'm brave to allow these pho~
tographs to be shown;' says Duff. "To me it's
not that brave. Brave is facing the needles and
knives of cancer treatment. Brave is caring for
a loved one losing parts of hersel£ a loved one
you might lose. Now I look around me and see
so many, many people with the courage to per~
sist through life's ravages and love among life's
uncertainties. It's the human miracle:'
W
SEP/OCT
2015
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47
LONGLIVE LOVE
H
igh-powered
Hollywood
talent agent Nikki Weiss, the lithe,
in-control blonde on season one
of The Real L Word, found the
love of her life in Jill Goldstein, a friend from
childhood. They married, they had a child
together, and life was picture perfect for the
fit and telegenic couple. But life threw them
a curve ball when Weiss, then 40, was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer.At the same
time, as they were raising a 3-month-old baby,
Goldstein was losing her father to cancer.She
entered a state of shock and denial. 'This was
the love of my life.This was the person I was
supposed to livewith till we were old and gray.
This was not supposed to happen to her. I
was overcome with such paralyzing fear that
the only way to be the pillar of strength she
needed was to enter a true state of denial. So
I went into warrior mode, where action was
the only course. But inside I was dealing with
a sense of dread and panic that brought me
to my knees. The notion oflosing her, of Adler losing his momma ...there aren't adequate
words to describe those feelings:'
Weiss was initially diagnosed with stage
2A, ER&PR-positive breast cancer with one
lymph node involved, but when her doctor
requested additional MRI testing, her right
breast lit up suspiciously."!thank my surgeon,
Dr. Kristi Funk, for saving my life, as the initial biopsy of my right breast, after the MRI,
came back negative. Dr. Funk didn't trust the
results, and truly it's a blessing that she didn't.
I don't know where Ia.be today:'
For seven long months, Weiss kept the diagnosis a secret from most family members,
friends, and co-workers. "I truly didn't want
to believe that I was sick, nor did I want anyone to treat me like a patient, feeling sorry for
me:' She took the drug Herceptin, underwent
a targeted form of chemo once every three
weeks for a year to attack the HER2 cancer,
and had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. She takes the drug Tamoxifen daily and
The Real L Word's Nikki and Jill beat cancer and add to the family.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
think it's so important for our son Adler to
probably will for 10 years. Studies show that
the longer the drug is taken, the more benefi~ grow up with a sibling, especially since I am
cial it is. But she's had a hysterectomy, since a an only child and never had that experience.
side effect ofTamoxifen is uterine cancer. 'Jill's Also,Jill and I are older parents. She is 39, I'm
the baby~maker of the family;'jokesWeiss,"so 43. I want him to have someone to go through
I figured one working uterus is enough, and I life with, and someone to take care of us with
didn't want to take any chances:'
when we're old! Because you know, I expect to
be here another 40~plus years:'
Weiss's prognosis is good. But she's not
Goldstein always wanted a second child,
complacent for herself-or for other women
who may be unaware of the dangers of breast but during her wife'sdiagnosis and treatment
cancer.Currently diagnosed as N.E.D. (no ev~ that dream faded. "I knew she'd be scared to
idence of disease), she is closelymonitored by death about bringing another child into this
her breast cancer surgeon and her OB~GYN,
world. She used to tell me that she didn't want
and by her oncologist through blood work, to leave me alone with two kids. It broke my
tumor marker tests, and a physical exam. heart to even hear those words:'
Weiss admits that she has real fears of a
She has a scan once a year."I hold my breath
during every exam, and I don't think this will recurrence. "I would never want my children
ever change:'
and wife to be left behind. But, Jill always tells
She shared her story with the world me, if I worry about tomorrow, I'm going to
through a piece she wrote for The Huffington miss today.And she'sright. I'm here. I'm living.
Post,and appeared on HujJPostLive."Through I'm currently healthy and I intend to stay that
that cathartic essay and conversation, I began way for a long time:'
A lot changed for Weiss: She no longer has
my true healing process:'
Goldstein marvels at her wife's resilience. time for the panic attacks that she used to suf~
"Nikki was a true warrior who held her fer fi-om,and she'snot the workaholic she used
head up high through every step of surgery, to be. "Now I allow myself to pick Adler up
fi-om school, to close the office a little earlier
recovery, and healing;' says Goldstein. "Her
complaints were almost non~existent. She on a Friday,to put down my phones and com~
accepted everything she had to endure with puters at 6 p.m., to go on vacation:'
"Our family grew stronger every minute of
such grace. But I knew that despite her game
face, on the inside my fighter was scared and the process;' adds Goldstein. "Our apprecia~
hurting. And there was so little I could do, tion of one another grew immensely.Life,love,
outside of providing the normal care [for her togethemess ...none of these things are taken
and Adler] and around~the~clock hand~ and for granted anymore:'
heart~holding:'
While the disease took its toll on the
couple's
love life-"understandably, Nikki
Looking back, Weiss sees how Goldstein
felt
un~sexual
for quite some time;' confides
and Adler were her motivation for fighting
and surviving. "He brings me so much joy. Jill-she focused instead on fostering "a beau~
He's the light of our lives. So, with no more tiful emotional intimacy and appreciation that
treatments and no evidence of disease, we propelled our marriage and family forward
thought it was the right time to commence ever further. Happy to say that two years into
remission, all'sback on track!"
our growing family:'
And baby boy No. 2 is due in December.
In July, Weiss broke the news that Gold~
stein was expecting their second child, a "He'll be our little Hanukkah present;' laughs
brother for their son Adler, who was 2. "I Goldstein.
imr.erative tnat r.ou are tested for the BRC~
ease and finding out that she was a carrier.
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
49
A TALEOF
RESILIENCE
hen Jillian Potter first stepped onto
the rugby field at the University
of New Mexico, she had no idea
what she was doing. But after a few
scrums and tackles, she was smitten, instantly
hooked on the physicality of the sport. Everything was new and exciting-from the people
she met to the smell of the dirt and grass beneath her cleats."Everyonewas so inviting and
so welcoming, even though I didn't know how
to play,'' Potter says, laughing. But then she
turns thoughtful. "There's this sacrifice that
you have to have for your teammates, because
you lay it all out every minute of every game.
It's incredibly unique:'
For Potter, now a 28-year-old lesbian athlete, U.S. Olympic hopeful, and professional
rugby player, her first foray into the sport was
in college. But she was able to hold her own
while she learned the rules and regulations
on the fly.Within just a few months, others
started to take notice of her athletic prowess
and asked her to participate in a USA Rugby
Under- 19 Training Camp.
"When I first started playing, I just tackled
the person with the ball;' Potter explains. "So
I had a bit of a learning curve when I arrived
at camp. I remember the coach talking to me,
and he was going on and on about the lines of
the field, and I had no idea what he meant. I
was clueless:'
Nevertheless, the coach was impressed.
Potter received an invite back to camp and
was soon scouted for the USA Rugby Under-23 squad. At 19 years old, she joined the
USA Rugby Women's Eagles Team to represent the country in international play. She's
been playing for them ever since.
"I think that representing your country is
a remarkable privilege;' Potter says. "It's hard
to put into words, but the feeling is incredible.
Every time I hear the national anthem, I tear
up, whether I hear it before I play or watch it
W
Professional rugby player Jillian Potter has been knocked down by everything from
injury to cancer. And she keeps on getting back up.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
on TV. It's so moving for me. I'm honored to
get to play the sport that I love:'
Potter isn't the only one who loves to play
rugby. The appeal of this sport has spread
across the country, and today more women
are joining dub teams than ever before. Potter
is proud to be a catalyst for that, which is why
she plays the game, as openly and honestly as
possible.''Alot of people will say that rugby is
a gay sport;' she laughs,"but it's not. It'sjust an
open arena to be who you are, and people are
so supportive of you being who you are:'
Coincidentally, Potter happened to meet
her wife on the rugby field after moving to
Denver, Colo., in 2011. When you move to
another city as an Olympic rugby player, says
Potter, the first thing you do is look for a serious dub team to join. "I met [Carol] on the
practice field for the Glendale Raptors R.F.C.;'
she adds. "Our first date was weight lifting:'
The two were married in August 2013.
Hearing Potter talk about playing rugby
is like hearing a composer talk about a symphony-she's incredibly passionate about her
craft and completely dedicated to the sport.
When she suffered a broken neck in 2010, it
seemed like some kind of cruel joke. "It was a
fluke accident;' Potter explains."Stufflike that
rarely happens. I didn't even know it was broken until a month later. That's when I knew I
had to take my recovery more seriously:'
Potter had to spend the next three months
in a neck brace, and a year doing physical therapy. She missed the 2010 Women's Rugby
World Cup, and she was determined not to
miss out on the 2014 World Cup. After struggling through a variety of muscle imbalances,
especially on one side of her body, and training hard to get into pre-injury form, Potter
worked her way back onto the rugby field.
Incredibly,the crueljoke didn't end there. In
July 2014, Potter discovered she had a tumor.
The doctors thought it was benign, but after
numerous tests she was diagnosed with a rare
form of cancer- stage III synovial sarcoma.
"I went through shock-like, whatr" Potter
confesses."I thought, how is this happening?
I'm young, I work out, I eat well, I do all the
good things people are supposed to do, and
you're telling me I have this? It didn't sink in
until I had to tell my team. And then again
when I had to tell my mom. Who wants to tell
their parents something like thatr"
Throughout the course of her cancer treatment plan, Potter was on a mental, emotional,
and physical rollercoaster. She candidly admits that she had plenty of good and bad days,
but her teammates and the rugby community as a whole were there to support her and
helped her pull through. Potter also says that
Carol was a driving force in her resilience and
recovery."Shewas my No.1 person, who, even
ifI was sitting on the couch crying, feeling depressed or sad or angry, she would never make
me feel bad for feeling that way, she would allow me to feel those emotions:'
After almost two years of treatment and
chemotherapy cycles, Potter started training
this summer for the 2016 Summer Olympics
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will be rugby's
return to the Olympics after 92 years. By the
end of the summer she should have the same
strength and endurance she had before the diagnosis. Even though she feelsgood physically,
synovial sarcoma has a high rate of recurrence
for the first fiveyears following treatment. Every three months, Potter has to go back to the
doctor for monitoring and an MRL
''The amount of fear and anxiety that goes
on when I think about if the cancer will come
back still haunts me;' she says. "You have to
find a way to push it into the back of your
mind, because it's always there. But you can't
live your life in fear. Cancer is uncontrollable,
but I can control how I respond to it:'
Potter's life story is an inspiring one. Al-
ready, she's had to overcome more obstacles
than any one person should have in a lifetime,
and yet she's done it with grace, honesty, determination, and an unbelievable amount of
courage. Although there's no how-to instruction manual to help guide you through life's
pitfalls, setbacks, and unexpected twists, if
there were such a book, Potter would be the
author. And it would be a bestseller.
Victory for the United States Women's National
Soccer Team.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
A
ccording to Wikipedia, a tick~
er~tape parade is a "parade
event held in a populated
urban setting, allowing large
amounts of shredded paper ( original~
ly actual ticker tape) to be thrown from
nearby office buildings along the parade
route:' It takes a lot of planning and fund~
ing to pull off something of this mag~
nitude on the streets of New York City,
which is why these types of parades have
only been reserved for the city's champi~
onship pro~sports teams.
The most recent parade was originally
up for debate amongst city officials but
it needed to happen-not
only to cele~
brate the momentous achievement of the
United States Women's National Team
(USWNT) but also because the last fe~
male athlete to earn a ticker~tape parade
honor was women's figure skater Carol
52
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
PHOTOS BY GRACE CHU
FEATURES/
sPO
FEATURES/
-
Heiss Jenkins, for her gold medal-winning performance in the 1960 Olympics.
It's now 2015.
What the USWNT accomplished far
transcends the soccer field, and goes way
beyond gender. The television ratings of
the championship game against Japan
were so high (25.4 million), they beat
Game Six of the NBA Finals between the
Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland
Cavaliers. The previous ratings mark set
for the Women's World Cup happened in
1999, the last time the USWNT won the
title.
Title IX, the transformative federal law
that prohibits discrimination on the basis
of gender in any federally funded activity, was enacted in 1972. It is the primary
base in which all women's sports organizations, teams and athletic achievements
have been subsequently built upon. With-
sPO
out it, there would be no Women's World
Cup. There would be no USWNT. There
would be no Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd
or Megan Rapinoe. Soccer is at the highest popularity peak the sport has ever
seen in this country. And to deny that the
USWNT had something to do with that
fact is to deny history in the making.
When Mayor Bill de Blasio took the
podium after the parade to explain why
he was giving the USWNT the Key to
the City, he began by saying, "There's a
special honor we give here in New York
City but you have to be someone truly
extraordinary, because we have very high
standards [in this city]:'
The USWNT has won a total of four
Olympic medals, 10 Algarve Cups, andof course-is the only women's international team to win three World Cup titles.
Extraordinary is an understatement. •
URES/
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
FEVER
Anticipating Key West's Kelly McGillis
Classic Flag Football Championship.
BY MELANIE BARKER
PHOTOS BY DOC
It's shaping up to be a big season for In~
ternational Women's & Girls' Flag Football
with sporty women set to gather in Key
West for the Kelly McGillis Classic Inter~
national Women's & Girls' Flag Football
Championship.
The sporting challenge, held January 25
through February 12016, is named for and
endorsed by award~winning out actor Kelly
McGillis, a former Key West resident.
Diane Beruldsen, president and found~
er of the IWFFA, told Curve that more
than 60 teams from North America, Latin
America and Europe have been invited to
join McGillis for the special 25th annual
56
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
championship. "This event showcases the
different styles of female flag football from
around the world and highlights the best
of the best as well as welcoming beginners
playing for the first time:'
After three days of Key West activities
that incorporate team building and flag
football training, the opening ceremony is
set for 3 p.m. Thursday, January 28, at the
Rum Barrel, 528 Front St. Presentations
by Key West city officials and guests are
planned. Competing teams will then pro~
ceed down Key West's renowned Duval
Street in the 16th Annual Kelly McGillis
Players Parade, led by McGillis as Grand
Marshall. The games are held at Key West's
Wickers Sports Complex with awards pre~
sentations to the winning teams planned for
Sunday at Turtle Kraals Restaurant on 231
Margaret St.
Following this event, Beruldsen hinted
there will be other highlights in the IWF~
FA's calendar: a 3~month promotional tour
across the U.S. and Canada and a two~
month tour to Latin America.
For more information and a full schedule
of events for the Kelly McGillis Classic, or
for information about lodging in Key West,
visit the International Women's Flag Foot~
ball Association website. (iwffa.com) •
I
f you're sick and tired of hearing about the latest fad diet, accept~
able body shape, or hot workout trend-even when you have no
spare time to work out and it shows with that spare tire around
your middle-grab yourself a copy of Jackie Warner's This Is Why
You're Sick & Tired (And How to Look and Feel Amazing).
Warner's third book is her best yet. Structured as a three~week detox
plan, it connects this nation's epidemic of depression and autoimmune
diseases with the quotidian: what you put in your mouth each day,
what you do with your iPhone, and a bunch of other habitual behaviors
we're locked into. Best of all: It's not a diet book. Dropping extra weight
is secondary for Warner: She's on a mission to work out why Ameri~
cans, especiallywomen, are so sick, and how we can get the amazing life
we all aspire to. Her super~detox combines scientifically proven meal
plans with a reasonable exercise regimen and some serious rethinking.
Over the past few years, Warner has transformed herself from an
elite trainer and reality TV star into a wellness guru, because she knows
that your problems-from chronic illness, to stress to a general sense
oflethargy-will not be solvedjust by hitting the gym.'Tm not telling
you what the perfect workout is. What I'm talking to you about is what
it's like to have a perfect life.;' she tells Curve. "How do you become a
balanced person? How do you have a better feeling about yoursel£ your
well~being,the people in your life? How do you change the energy?"
Warner's aha moment came when her mother, who's 'constantly at
the doctor's office;'was being prescribed drugs to counteract the effects
of previously prescribed drugs. Her doctor admitted that she was pow~
erless to offer any other solution. "Doctors don't take preventive care
classes in med school;' explains Warner. "The emphasis is on prescrib~
ing medications. Listening to that doctor be so honest, and say,'I don't
know how to do preventive care; really awakened me-because I do:'
Warner has always had an interest in the science of nutrition, and for
her there is a way to heal and improve the body without using drugs:
food. "When I was young and in school I took Nutrition 101 because
I was 20 years old and I was always dieting. I asked the teacher what
to eat to stay trim and she said, "Variety, variety,variety.' And what she
meant was, we need variety in our diet because food is a drug. It has a
biological effectjust as strong as if you took a Xanax or Prozac. When
food breaks down and is absorbed in the body, it creates a chemical
reaction in your brain and in your body. You can control a lot of your
physiological signs and symptoms through food:'
This Is Why You re Sick & Tired has recipes and meal plans that are
easy,enticing, and effective.Would you say no to an Apple Pie Smooth~
ie and a Portabella Burger with Grilled Asparagus? I didn't think so.
Warner doesn't want you to binge on kale or cut carbs. These fad diets
are bad for you. If she favors any diet, it's Zone. A combo of proteins,
carbs, fruits, and veggies go into Warner's eating plan, but if you hate
veggies,do what she does: "I make myself take some spinach and some
broccoli. I put it in a cup and I microwave it and I gulp that down like
a vitamin. Or when I'm making a protein shake in the morning, I add
some frozen spinach to it. There you go:'
What you put into your body is important because it's one of the
things you can actually control. "We can live with toxins in the envi~
ronment;' says Warner. 'Tm not asking you to go live in a commune
somewhere. I live in a very toxic Los Angeles society.If you drive down~
town in some cities in America, it's like smoking a pack of cigarettes
58
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2015
that day.But that is not the thing that is killing us and making us sick.
It is our food supply. We have to be very careful about what we eat,
particularly meat and dairy-anything that comes from an animal
source. What they do in factory farming is abhorrent, not just for the
animals but for us as a species. We should not be ingesting this poi~
son. If you can't eat organic meat, then you need to be a vegetarian:'
Another toxic factor is technology. "My phone gets plugged in,
along with my computer, in a separate room that is far from my bed.
We know now that we should not have technology even an hour
before bed:' In fact, you should try to ration your use of gadgets and
social media, or at least be conscious of their chemical effect on you.
"(Social media] spikes a hormone called oxytocin;' says Warner.
"It's what we get in a huge dose when we're having sex, or when we're
in love with someone, or when we're interacting with our pets. This
hormone is very addictive. When we get the instant gratification of
someone giving us positive affirmation, it releases oxytocin:'
What's wrong with overdosing on oxytocin?
"We have an emotional engagement based on those chemicals.
Social media releases oxytocin all over the place, but it can cause anx~
iety when we don't get the answer that we want. When you're not
getting the reiteration you want, you can have a negative psycholog~
ical response to it. So I say just put all technology and social media
down an hour before bed:'
There is a gadget Warner is in favor 0£ and that's the iPod."Music
is a must in the gym. If my iPod dies and I don't have music, I ac~
tually will get up and leave the gym;' she laughs. "Music is fantastic
to get you into a meditative state. When you are working out, your
mind starts reacting as if you did a 20~minute meditation. It's a real
good delivery system to reframe your thinking. I only visualize things
I would like to achieve: a person I would like to meet, a trip I might
like to take. Because your mind just soaks that in:' And for the re~
cord, Warner's playlist includes "any Madonna remix;' Sia, Hole, and
Goldfrapp. ''.Anythingthat moves you:'
Now here's the tough part: Getting to the gym can be difficult
with our longer working hours, and the filters provided by social
media, which make us look better than we do. "Fitness has become
a hard sell for everybody,"admits Warner. It's much easier "tojust live
in a state of not being self~awareand not making a change, because
it's very hard to make a change:' But it's worth it. Working out took
Warner from an unfit wallflower to the woman she is today."Fitness
changed my energy. I had more confidence, I looked people directly
in the eye. The body is the carrying card for your energy, and that
energy can literally open doors-in your career, with money, with
girlfriends, with your potential for love. "It has nothing to do with
looks. It has to do with how you carry yourself If you're constantly
slumping your shoulders down, trying to hide your stomach, trying
to hide yoursel£ you're going to be a shier person in life. But if you
have your chest out, shoulders up, chin out, you're going to feel confi~
dent about yourself as you cut through the room:'
The key, she says, is the "miracle of muscle:' Muscle gives you en~
ergy, promotes restful sleep, maintains weight loss, improves your
immune system, and de~ages you. "You don't have to go under the
knife;' urges Warner. "You just have to work out. My mom started
working out at 64:'
.........
,_
•
..
NISYOUTOIG
AND
TRAIN
HER
WAY.
•
BY MARCIE BIANCO
PHOTOS BY.MAGGI£ ZULOVIC
-
.at do~s -being ''fit" meaii. -In a.
. nashtag -feminist wodg ~h~e. .
•• _the mantra •of '"b~dy ·positivi:·~
. ty"~ems to divide women irito
two categories, "real" and "not
real;" where the B~dy Mass..'Ind~x (BMI)
has been debunked' as· the sole indicatO( of
your fitnessi where reality enterprises :li~e , ..
TheBigg~~t.L_oserhave be~n revealed for the
shams they are; an9- whe~e the Internet is
saturated with conflicting, misleading, anct
downright •egregious information •about
how to lose w1ght and get in_shape?
For celebrity fitne_sstrainer and -out les~·.
bian Lacey Sto_n~,_
~ttitude is everything. "A
happy he;;i.rtmore often than ~t leads to
lasting fitness change;' she tells Curve. This
year Stone, who moved· from New York to
L.A. a few years ago and has fteadily been
focusing on her career after her divorce (rom
out lesbian actress Jessica Clarke, relaunched
her website and newsletter, the "Lacey s•tone
Fitnes~ Daily;' this su~mer, ~oncomitant.
-~
with the debµt of her new: YouTube chan~
nel. For Stone, being fit is about much more
than just appeara11,fe."It's all about how you
feel, and when aJl the-pieces of your)ife are
in good shape' it's much easier-for your body
.. . to transform;' -she says. "I like to think· that
your body is a collaboration of all the pieces •
--'of our life. If your job, your relations~ips,
or,your h~me life is bothering you;' she elab~
orates, stressing that she intentiornµly sur~
rounds h~rself with good people, "it tenas to
affec~your happin~ss, which contributes to
poor health decisions:'
..,...
• With this holistic frame of mind, Stone
champions the idea that fitness is about life~
style."If a person's lifestyle isn't healthy, they
can't expect their b9dy to be, either:'
Alluding to· her 9~~kground as a person~
al trainer at Equil\OX, Stone gives a basic
definition of good health as depending 85
percent on diet and 15percent on training.
This advice is supported by numerous re~
cent studies, reported this past June in the
New York Times, suggesting that our overall
-fitness and health depends on what we put
in our mouths rather than how many min~
utes we spend on the treadmill. Although,
particularly for women over the age of 40,
the caveat to this is that the significance of
ex-erciseon one's overall fitness increases as
we age. "Trendy workouts and fad diets are
ineffective in the long term;' she notes. They
.'are tmsustain;bl~ and impossible to incor~
. P?rate into a daily lifestyle:·• .J~ow: ctoes Stone maint;:t'inher always glis~
tening, ripped body?'The college basketball
I
·.,.
.,,
...-
IT'S
ASSI
AND
Br~U
,,
.••
,.
'!I
. ·athlet~ tur-r\~dp..ers~n;ltr~n~r hates /unni~g
fitness.:;2 ,;~gure out 'what body_sryle.··.hey\\'.ant;'
. ( which 1snot easy on the knee joipts t s ·she ~in or~er t-0._attpnetheir workouts accordingly, and
"visuali~e th~ir'goals and i:hink 'of the body.
it!
• op-~sfor'lift.ji;i.g~eights twic:e ; week and, as .
th ft>
1
. .. one of ·the m'aster instrustors at Flywheel . • they'd like to have:'
f .'
•
.' LofAngeles, spins· eight times :t week and
''An easy answer;' she says, "would be, if you
• • . also~orks-out via ~~r own sdt~stylized boo~~
want to be fit,you sl:iould really work out' five days
camp. And· she is m1riaful about what she
a week. Bootcamps are great'because they are a
~ • • . puts into h~.~~d('Right now, I'n:,.;01:af~o~.
coq,.bin;i.tipn of strength and cardio,,which saves . ,.:delivery service calleq:KLEAN, which mal<:es. time. I, sU:ggestdoing a..bootcamp -.two to three
time; a week, theri· rtifming or, spinning the re~
eating fasy, [ what _widi]my busy lifestyle-!'
Realizi~ tf1~.t n?t·Jveryone- is f~~tunate
maind~r of the week:' •
enough ·to get to work out for a hvmg, or
Stone1s i big proponent of ~he b~otcamp, el~
that every~ne cap afford a luxui;y, soy~free;
ements of which she_has showcase9-on tele'vi'sion
·gluten~free, locally~sotirced food ser~ice, she
show~·likeGood MorningAmericaand Dr. Oz. She
advises ~thers ·who w_aA.tto improve the_ir . reco"'m~ends them especially fg:rp~ople w~ry of or
boi:ed by solo W<?rl<o.uts,
and who· prefer the com~
pany of others while sweating it out.
Pier· ethos is motivational in a military~light
style, clearly a resigual of her days as an athlete,
.which is i:nanifested both in the gym and also
on Stone's• social media feeds. Her style is most
equipped for the quip~friendly Twitter, where
JfOU can find her at @L~eyStoneFIT. Gy~sper~
ational tweets fill her feed;-from "Get>Wednesday!
It's as simple as, 'Wake Up and Be Fucking Awe~
: •some!"' to ''Actions speak WAY J,ouder than words!
•• #TalkisCheap:' •
•
•
Stone's is a brand· that is u;;pologetic about
health and· fitness, wl;ich is r~freshing in an age . ,.
I whe;e society conditions women to be apologet~
ic-to begin sentences with 'Tm sorry" or "Sor,r'½',.'
but" -especially aboHt their bodies.
//
"
--·
~~
,r
~
•
''
, ST0Nf'S1s
ABRAND
THAT
IS
UNAPOlOGtTIC
ABOUT
~ITNtSS,
WHICH
ISRffRrSHING
INANAGtWHtRtSOCltTY
CONDITIONS
WOMtN
TOBr
APOlOGtTIC,
tSPtCIAllY
ABOUT
THtlRBODltS
.•
''
,.....
,-,.
in light of the current. cultural discourse <1,round
oftep claijns that only "real
women have curves;' Stone says she does know of
''.heavier people with healthy hearts that can out
run fitness models·. However, if it's negatively af-,
fectirtg your health, then ·yes it's .counter productive if your BMI puts you at risk of a heart atta~k
or dying young:' •
_
In general, though, she is "really tired" of our
culture discussing weight and body shape in relation orily to women; our obsession ~ith 'calling
certain body types 'real women'" and marginalizing others. "What about. the other wom~l), are
they not real? There's way tl90. much value plac.ed
""' on what a woman looks like and not enough on
how smart or interesting sh~ is. This needs to be • •
.,,.-a major national conversatio~. It is out of control!"
Whatever your body sh.ape, you can start the
process of becoming fit. And simply looking
rippeq or tg.ned doesn't mean you're healthy; it
really is aJl about building a completely balanced.
lifestyle. Stone's mission is to attract clients who
"want to be the best version of them{elves" and
see ·the potential for that self-actualization in her. • •.
No woman, regardless of her fitness level, should .•
have her gender expression or presentation inter-.
rogated because she doesn't conform to a cfrt_ain
body type.
•
. •
.
/
"I focµs on figuring out what-will make rny clients happy, it:}and outside,the gym;' Stone sa,ys.
'T happy if you're happy in your own ~kin:'
•q,odypositivity, which
Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher on their
comedic coupledom.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
It's not often that two funny ladies get together onstage and in real life. But that's the
true lo e, true life, or should we say, true laugh story of Cameron Esposito (left) and
Rhea B tcher (right). The cute couple will be performing their unique brand of comedy as part of the power lineup at the Northern California Women's Music Festival,
Octob r 23 and 24 (northerncaliforniawomensmusicfestival.com).
Or catch them any
time of year via their podcast, Put Your Hands Together.
THE TWO OF YOU FIRST MET PROFESSIONALLY. HOW DID THAT GO DOWN?
RHEA: I'd been taking improv classes in
Chicago and one of my teachers suggested I should try standup. Cameron was
running an open mic 5 minutes from
my house and it was one the best shows
in the city. I went and watched her host
it every week for 6 months before finally
signing up. I did 3 minutes at 1 o'clock in
the morning.
CAMERON: Yeah. I introduced Rhea
when she did that first set. She was amazing right away and-she hates when I say
this-kind of a standup prodigy. No one's
good when they first start, but Rhea was.
WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OF EACH OTHER AND DID THEY TURN
OUT TO BE TRUE?
64
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
RHEA: I thought Cameron was a brilliant
comic. And that is 100 percent true.
CAMERON: I thought Rhea had a great
T-shirt collection that she'd certainly let
me borrow from but she DOES NOT let
me borrow her T-shirts. Terrible.
some and had asked her to open for me on
the road. Peoria's the first place we went
for shows after we were actually dating.
I believe we went to a Denny's (Country
Kitchen) and "I love you" happened right
after.
STANDUP COMICS CAN BE A PUSHY,
DO I FEEL A U-HAUL JOKE COMING
EGOTISTICAL BUNCH, SO WHO MADE
ON ... ? DO YOU LIVE TOGETHER?
THE FIRST MOVE?
RHEA: Yes, we live together.
RHEA: I did.
CAMERON: Yeah, we're an engaged cou-
CAMERON: True.
ple in our early thirties and we've been on
the together pretty ceaselessly for the past
year. I'm trying to imagine what it would
look like if we didn't live together.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST USE THE 'L' WORD
WITH EACH OTHER?
RHEA:
In Peoria, actually.
CAMERON: Yes. Peoria, IL. Rhea and I
TWO COMEDIANS
were friends for a year before we started
dating. We toured together during that
time-I thought Rhea's material was awe-
WHAT IS THE UPSIDE AND THE DOWN-
LIVING TOGETHER:
SIDE OF THAT?
RHEA: The upside is that we really un-
FEATURES/
derstand each other and get what we are
talking about. We also help each other a
lot. These things are also the downside.
CAMERON: Upside: We get to spend so
much time together! Downside: We get to
spend too much time together!
SO, YOU'RE ENGAGED. BUT MARRIAGE:
IS IT FOR YOU?
RHEA: I'm going to find out!
and we co~host a show at the Upright
Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles
every Tuesday night.
RHEA: That show-it's
called Put Your
Hands Together-has been running for
two and a half years.
CAMERON: It's nice to have a place we
can be onstage together. I think it's im~
proved our timing and listening skills and
made us both better comics.
CAMERON: Right. We'll let you know
after we get married in December. I'm re~
cording a standup special in Chicago in
December, two days before we get mar~
ried.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST PERFORM TOGETHER AND DID IT WORK-OR
DID IT
NEED WORK?
CAMERON: We do standup
separately
LAUGH TRA
ern family so being questioned is one of
the worst things you can do to me.
CAMERON: What do you mean by that,
Rhea?
CAN YOU MAKE THE OTHER LAUGH? IS
IT IMPORTANT?
Well, Rhea's the funniest
person I know.
RHEA: We make each other laugh all the
time. It's VERY important.
CAMERON:
WHAT DO YOU MOST LIKE ABOUT EACH
OTHER? AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT
HOW
DRIVES YOU CRAZY?
MORE OF YOU?
CAN
RHEA: Cameron is very organized and
very business oriented. I love that about
her. The thing that bothers me is that she
is from a lawyer family (dad and sister)
and so she questions EVERYTHING.
I
am from a silent Appalachian/Midwest~
RHEA: Our standup show, Put Your
Hands Together, is also available as a
podcast, so your readers can listen from
home no matter where they live.
CAMERON: Yep! We could be streaming
in your headphones RIGHT NOW.
CURVE
SEP/OCT
READERS
2015
CURVE
HEAR
65
United pilot Kathy DuIson opens up about
being a lesbian in a male-dominated industry.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
F
or as long as she can remember, Kathy Dulson
has been obsessed with airplanes.
"I spent my summer days on the softball
field watching planes fly overhead in and out of
Chicago O'Hare [airport];' the 4 7 ~year~old pilot recalls.
"I took my first plane ride at the age of 12. We flew from
Midway Airport to Akron, Ohio. I knew then I wanted to
spend my career in the sky:'
Dulson has been working in the airline industry for more
than 25 years. She started out as a customer service and
operations agent at Chicago O'Hare. During that time, she
started taking flying lessons and eventually became a flight
instructor at a local airport. Dulson then worked her way
into the captain's seat, flying regional jets. Now, she proudly
works for United Airlines as a first officer, flying not just
across the U.S., but all over North America.
"United is a great company to work for, both as a female
pilot and as a lesbian;' says Dulson. "They have a larger
than average percentage of female pilots, compared to the
rest of the industry. We have a business resource group
called EQUAL, which not only supports and encourages
the hiring of LGBT employees, but also arranges social
gatherings and provides valuable professional development
opportunities. United is also involved in several Pride
events throughout the country:'
Coming out at work is something Dulson has been ad~
mittedly cautious about in the past. But with United, she's
66
CURVE
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2015
noticed a difference. "I fly with a different pilot every trip,
which usually last two to four days;' she says. "With thou~
sands of co~workers, I come out several times a week. Most
people will ask questions about my family, and they are
very supportive. United has a very diverse group of pilots.
Over the years, I have seen the male pilots grow in accep~
tance of their female counterparts, realizing we are just as
good at piloting a plane:'
Dulson currently resides in California, with her wife,
Leslie, and their dog, Kia. As an airplane pilot, she could
easily live anywhere in the country. And with the recent
Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, she's relieved that
she doesn't have to worry about whether her marriage
would be legally recognized if she did decide to move to
another state. "In California, Leslie and I were already le~
gally married, but it is now more validating and unifying
that all Americans share the right to marry:'
In the near future, Dulson hopes to move from first
officer at United to captain, as soon as her pilot seniority
allows her to do so. As for now, she's content to enjoy the
ride-and
the responsibilities of her role as co~pilot.
"I love that no day is ever the same. The places I fly,
the weather, my co~workers, the challenges of an airline
operation, and my customers are always different. I have
a unique life. I've traveled to places I would never have
seen otherwise. Plus, I always have a fantastic view out
the window:' •
SIGN
UP
TODAY
ON
CURVEMAG.COM
CKSTEADY
A tiny Caribbean island is an LGBT paradise.
BY JENNY BLOCK
' 'Hi, how are you:"' the beautiful girl at the bar said before scooting
over to make room for me. We had never met, and it wasn't as if she
was expecting me, either. Yet she seemed to give new meaning to the
words "friendly"and "inclusive:'She was a Saba Island girl, a transplant
from Holland, like many of the 1,500 people living on this tiny island in the
Netherlands Antilles.
I had landed on Saba Island only a few hours earlier, a terrifyingly exhil~
arating experience because I'd descended onto the world's shortest interna~
tional runway. It's not surprising that Saba would merit such a distinction,
considering that the whole island totals only 5 square miles. It'sjust 28 miles
southwest of St. Maarten, but it could not be any more different from its typ~
icallytouristy neighbor.
First of all, it is so green. Green, green, green. Filled with hiking trails and
views that make it almost impossible to take a bad photograph, Saba has an~
gular terrain and craggy vistas everywhere, but only one little~bitty manmade
beach.
Amazingly, as the very first Caribbean island to legalize gay marriage, this
little rock is also a forward~thinking trendsetter. Hard not to love it just on
first blush, and getting to know it seals the deal.
After checking in at my own little fairytale cottage at Juliana's Hotel (com~
plete with outdoor shower and private lily~ponded garden); devouring the
70
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2015
FEATURES/
freshest tuna at the restaurant, Tropics Cafe; and lying in the sun
at the pool, with the most enchanting mountain vistas all around,
I wandered back into Tropics for Happy Hour (julianas~hotel.
com).
From the second I walked in, Vera (the aforementioned girl)
treated me like a friend, introduced me to two more of her friends,
and just like that I was part of the gang. Saba Island was beginning
to feel suspiciously like the home I never even knew I had been
longing for. Funny how a place you've never been to before can feel
so embracing and familiar.
Even the cab drivers on Saba knew my name, from the minute
I hailed a ride at the airport. No one is a stranger there. Anddon't tell my mom-I hitchhiked for the very first time in my life
there. If you can even call it that. A truck stopped and asked if I
needed a lift and I jumped in. That's the magic of Saba. Every~
one is welcome and everyone knows everyone. So much so that
as I wandered the village shops of Windwardside, where Juliana's
is nestled, someone asked if I was "that sex writer who's in town
for the weekend:' I happily replied, "yes;' and continued my walk
along the steepest streets I've ever seen.
On my second day on the rock, after a hike that left me breath~
less from the physical challenge as well as from the sweeping views
of mountain and sea, I made my way to the studio of glass master
Jobean Chambers, where I learned from her protege how to make
glass beads worthy of wearing at a party. Such a strange treat, but
one of the most wonderful experiences you can have on this funny
little rock.
Luckily,I had such a party to attend. Every night is a special one
somewhere on this island, and the party that Saturday night, with
live Latin music, was at the Queen's Garden, where I had the priv~
TRA
ilege of staying for two of my nights on Saba (queensaba.com).
All the rooms there are suites, and mine had a hot tub that
seemed to almost float amidst the hills and sky,massive windows
opening to the most exquisite views, and living space fitfor royalty.
The resort is also home to a spa that is designed to serve just
one client-or couple-at a time in its delicious open~air setting.
And the restaurant is arguably the best on the rock. The food is
fresh, the menu inventive, and the indoor/ outdoor venue offers
you the option to eat in a tree, which I did every chance I got while
I was there.
That night, the music was playing outdoors, just below my
room, and beckoned me to join anyone and everyone on Saba.
My new friends arrived, and I felt more local than I do in the very
city where I've lived for 10 years. We danced under the stars until
the music faded into the night. To say it was perfect would not be
hyperbole, just a matter of fact.
My time on Saba was way too short. But I did my darnedest
to soak in as much of its magic as I could, both at sea level and
below. I did two stellar dives, where the sea life seemed almost too
abundant to be real. Sharks and rays and turtles and fish of other~
worldly color palettes enveloped me.
The beauty of this abundant and gracious rock is just spectac~
ular. And the people. Oh, the people. Characters, every one, with
the most incredible stories and lives. The idea that I could go to
this tiny rock alone and be looped into such a charming group
within an hour still just makes me shake my head with joy and
disbelie£
If you're looking to hide, Saba is not the place to go. But if
you're looking to be embraced by sea and sky and hearts as big
and wide as both, this just might be your rock island home, too.•
SEP/OCT
2015
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71
■ ~TO
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,.
RICAN PARADISE
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s come to Puerto Rico,
and to its most exclusive island resort.
Marriage equality ha
BY MERRYNJOHNS
I
•
• , been worth the wait: Honeymooni~g
t's been a long time commg, but_i~s
f the most beautiful and exotic
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ding a passport! V1eques is
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mai'nland · To get there, you
located eight miles east of the Pue v·
Air Link from Isla Grande
d take the ieques
need to Hyinto San Juan ;
. plane ride in a verylightplane. You
Airport. This is a short an scemc
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anxieties and have fun. If you re
white~knuckle it, or you can just le; go ofr;;:;an Juan is possible, although it's
too scared to fly in small planes,
. bla erry
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not near Yas re ar or as reha e. • h W Retreat & Spa. Th ey operate a
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72
CURVE
JUL/AUG
2015
FEATURES/
this property. Perched on the edge of a gentle bluff, the W Retreat
& Spa has many natural attractions, including its own private beach,
and a small peninsula called Paradise Edge, where you can stage your
wedding vows or indulge in a private dinner with your love. Then
there are the design-centric touches weve come to expect from the
W: uber-cool rooms (mine had a corrugated iron soaking tub); fabulous common areas, a pool table in the lobby (which is called the Living Room); and an outdoor fire pit on the terrace. Then theres the
swimming pool that seems to stretch for an acre, and another pool
in the property's gardens-this one designed like a pond, lined with
black lava, and inset with twinkling little lights. Framed by tropical
plants, it's a haven for the little native coqui frogs that chirp all night
long. Take a dip after dark for a marvelous experience!
A very special meal can be arranged not only on Paradise Edge,
but at Away®Spa Lawn-a tranquil and verdant experience. And
speaking of Away®Spa, don't forget to indulge in one of their treatments. Simply heaven. Otherwise, try breakfast, lunch, and dinner
at Sorce, the property's signature dining venue. It has prime ocean
views and serves fresh, excellent, and imaginative food at every meal.
You should drag yourself away from the resort to experience the
other great thing about Vieques-its beaches. Rent a Jeep at the
W and take a leisurely drive to Red Beach (known to the locals as
Playa Caracas), which offers a gorgeous stretch of sugar-white sand
TRA
and crystal-dear water to swim or snorkel in. Another beach that
delivers a truly magical, if rustic, experience is Playa Negra, a beach
of black sand, which is said to have beneficial mineral properties.
You may want to stretch out and cover yourself head to toe with
magnetite, although be careful to keep cameras and phones off the
ground, as they may be affected by the magnetic properties of the
sand. Visually, Playa Negra is quite startling: As the teal-colored
ocean drags at the shoreline, chevrons of rich volcanic sand emerge,
which in itself is a spectacle-that is, until wild horses appear out of
nowhere and gallop down the beach. And you may even see them
again, trotting through town or grazing by the side of the road. In
many ways, these horses represent the spirit of Vieques: a wild and
beautiful place with a noble connection to the Old World and its
colonization of the New.
Legend has it that in 1521, during the Spanish Colonial period,
Ponce de Leon gathered 50 horses on his search for the Fountain of
Youth, and these horses were bred on Vieques, known even then for
its superior equines. I don't know if that's true, but it's an appealing
thought, and may explain why Vieques and the W Retreat & Spa
both have a touch of the Fountain ofYouth about them. I came away
feeling better than I had in a very long time, and when I look back at
my photos from that trip, everything seems suffused with a paradisiacal glow. (wvieques.com). •
AZING AUSTRIA
Arrive, revive, and indulge in history, culture, cuisine, and nature.
BY SILKE K. BADER
W
dged in between East and West, Austria established
tself as an international political meeting point over
centuries. Its attitude of thoughtful politeness has its
roots far back in history, when Austrians used diplo~
macy to bring together parties in conflict.To say"No" is rude-Austrians
would rather say,"We will see:' Even today, the first impression you have
of Vienna, Austria's capital, is its acceptance and diversity. The tourist
brochures that proudly list historic highlights, natural wonders, and cul~
rural activities, are not at all reticent to include Europe's biggest AIDS
fundraiser, the Life Ball (lifeball.org).
THE MOST LIVEABLECITY
Vienna has been voted the world's most liveable city for six years in
a row, and it's easy to understand why. The pace is relaxed and friendly;
more than that, it seems genuinely welcoming. The people of Vienna are
proud of it. The city's heritage is preserved in its buildings and business~
es. A pharmacy that is over 500 years old, renovated down to the finest
details, still continues to flourish. A cooperative space offers artists the
opportunity to develop their business-creating the quirkiest items you
can imagine, such as hand~sewn postcards. The Russian Barber showcas~
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FEATURES/
TRA
es his heritage, adding to Vienna's diverse cultural mix.
Vienna is always embracing the new and conserving the old, a
stimulating combination that has transformed the city over the
last 20 years. From public art installations to music festivals, the
cultural calendar attracts visitors of all ages. The city's tolerance
is reflected in the hugely popular new traffic signs, which feature
straight, gay,and lesbian couples. The sheer diversity of the capital
means that for gay and lesbian visitors in particular the city offers
every opportunity to be themselves.
Because Vienna is one of the most tolerant and gay~fuendly
cities anywhere in Europe, gay and lesbian events are supported
by the City Council, and weeks before the Rainbow Parade gets
under way, the capital's trams are decked out with rainbow flags.
"Over the past few decades, Vienna has changed massively for the
better;' notes Holger "Miss Candy" Thor, who is Austria's best~
known drag queen. "Gays and lesbians have a high standing in so~
ciety,and people have a completely open approach to the subject,
in the truest sense of the word. The days of having to hide away
are long gone:'
FOR FOOD AND WINE LOVERS
Vienna produces 2.4 million litres of wine per year. Viennese
wine and its agriculture are an important part of the city's history
and lifestyle. In fact, wine growing in the region was introduced
by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. The vineyards are not far
from the city, and it's a lovely experience to enjoy a glass of local
wine as you gaze over the city.Wineries and breweries, traditional
and modern coffeehouses, and European eateries famed for their
quality and hospitality are on every corner of the city.
There is a very wide choice of traditional restaurants in Vienna,
but here is my pick:
Cobenzl Winery, where you can enjoy local wine on the out~
skirts of Vienna, overlooking the city (weingutcobenzl.at); for
beer lovers, Ottakringer Brewery is the place to try the local brews
(ottakringer.at); Schweizerhaus is the best place to try traditional
pork dishes and is walking distance from the Prata (schweizer~
haus.at); Palmenhaus, right on the famous RingstraBe, is a mod~
ern restaurant offering live music, local wine, and excellent food
(palmenhaus.at); and Restaurant Oben is in the heart of Vienna,
for those wanting to dine right on top of all the action (oben.at).
THE CITY'S HISTORY
From its military grounds to its showpiece boulevard, Vienna's
RingstraBe is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015. The city's
main artery represents the traditional meeting the contemporary.
It's a treasure trove of architectural details, from the sculptural
decoration on the facades of its mansions to the design of its stair~
wells and entrances.
The Vienna Prater, is an amusement park, home to the city'sfa~
mous Giant Ferris Wheel, and an oasis of greenery wrapped into
one. It has been described as one of the 10 best city parks in the
world, and covers an astonishing 6 million square meters in area.
WHERETO STAY
25hours Hotel is part of the 25hour chain. This hotel's theme
SEP/OCT
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THE SOUNDS OF SALZBURG
Salzburg is Vienna's slightly more conservative sister city and the birthplace of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It maintains
its strict traditions, proudly showing
itself off to tourists worldwide. With over
1.5 million visitors per year, Salzburg is
hardly a hidden gem. Located on the
German border, with views of the Eastern Alps and a population of just above
145,000, Salzburg is known not only
as the birthplace of Mozart but as the
long incarnation, which was created for
London's Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in
1999, The Sound of Music (1965) is the story
of the von Trapp family and has fascinated
the entire world for 50 years. When production began in Salzburg in 1964, nobody
dreamed that this movie, starring Julie
Andrews as a nun-turned-nanny, would
become famous throughout the world:
300,000 visitors a year come to see where
The Sound Of Music was filmed, an impressive number though a small percentage of
Salzburg's tourists overall. But Mozart is still
setting for the film The Sound of Music.
It is a town that stimulates your senses:
You'll want to climb that mountain, eat
the main draw; his presence is reflected
on every corner of this beautiful medieval
town.
a meal in a restaurant dating back to
803-and discover the fascinating musi-
TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS
cal history of Mozart.
These accommodations, where it is easy
A long-time favorite of the LGBT community, especially in its camp sing-a-
76
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2015
to be transported back in time on so many
levels. may be your first choice. Villa Trapp,
which became the new home of the von
Trapp family, has been tastefully renovated, each room named after a family
member. The many black-and-white
photographs of the family throughout
the house constantly remind you of
their presence. (villa-trapp.com)
Schloss FuschI Resort & Spa is part of
Salzburg's Lake District, a 20-minute
drive from the city through rolling
hills replete with grazing cows and
traditional Austrian houses, with their
dark wooden roofs. When you arrive
at Schloss Fuschl, named after Lake
Fuschl, you are immediately taken back
in time: The resort offers a quiet and sophisticated setting, especially if you are
celebrating a special occasion. Rooms
start from Euro 240 per night, and go
to above Euro 3,000 for a two-bedroom
cottage by the lake. This is perfect for
FEATURES/
is based around circuses (25hours~hotels.com). At Hotel Alt~
stadt, the rooms are individually designed; the amazing art on
display includes works by Andy Warhol; and the hotel is located
in the heart of old Vienna. To live,sleep, and enjoy Vienna in one
of its historic buildings is in itself an absolute must. (altstadt.at)
ASK ALEXA: CITY GUIDE ALEXA BRAUNER'$ TOP 3
THINGS TO DO IN VIENNA:
1. Visit a museum, especially the Kunsthistorische Museum
(khm.at), to see the imperial art collection. Must~sees: Brueghel,
Velazques, Rubens, Titian.
2. Try Vienna's delights: coffee and cake, wine, Schnitzel. The
coffeehouses I recommend are Priickel, Landtmann, and Cafe
Sperl. Sample a Schnitzel or Tafelspitz at Plachutta Gasthaus zur
honeymooners or a group of friends here
to celebrate something special; the private
TRA
Oper. Go to a Heuriger (wine tavern) for dinner and have a
glass of Viennese wine (Wiener Gemischter Satz or Gruner
Veltliner). My favorites are Mayer am Pfarrplatz, Wieninger,
and Christ.
3. Check out Vienna's 2015 highlight: RingstraBe, (Ring
Boulevard), which celebrates 150 years this year.You can walk
it or do it on a city bike for free. Here you will find lots of in~
teresting palaces, coffeehouses, museums, and theatres. (alex~
abrauner.at)
IFYOUGO
Buy a Vienna Card, which givesyou a discount at more than
200 museums and sights, as well as unlimited free travel by
underground, bus, and tram. (wien.info) •
THE OLDEST RESTAURANT
IN EUROPE
the sheer number of unique and special
places is overwhelming.
Salzburg has maintained a conservative
attitude, but always with a smile. Perhaps it
is based on the importance of keeping the
past alive and celebrating its famous residents, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Why are so many people enchanted by
St. Peter Stiftskeller is the oldest restaurant
in central Europe, with 1,200 years of tradition. Established in 803, St. Peter Stiftskeller celebrates this long history with regular
Salzburg Festival? Or do the Salzburg
culinary highlights like Salzburger Nockerln draw the visitors? Maybe it is the
mixture of 1,000 years of history with
1,000 contemporary attractions that
makes this city such a hit.
sauna in your suite is not a setup you see
every day.
Schloss Leopoldskron was not open to the
public and went into the hotel business
in early 2014. The library comes with a
hidden staircase, and the walls are covered
with authentic artwork. It once offered the
largest collection of paintings Salzburg had
ever known, including the work of artists
such as Rembrandt and Rubens. Schloss
Leopoldskron has been dubbed the Sound
of Music palace. One of the main rooms in
the palace, the Venetian Room on the first
floor, was replicated in the film down to the
magnificent handcrafted gold wall panels
and mirrors, and served as a model for the
ballroom scene. It was also the backdrop
for the private performance of the marionette theater. (schloss.leopoldskron.com)
concerts. Guests enjoy a traditional menu,
presented as it was served during Mozart's
time. (stpeter-stiftskeller.at)
DISCOVER HISTORY WITH YOUR LOCAL CITY GUIDE
As you walk through the Old City, hire a city
guide. The historic locations in Salzburg,
the customs and traditions of its people,
Salzburg? Is it because of the music
of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the
baroque architecture from the times
of the archbishops, the spirit-lifting
See the beautiful flowers of the Mirabel I
Gardens, spoil yourself with a shopping
spree in Getreidegasse, visit Mozart's
birthplace, marvel at the magnificent
baroque cathedrals, and enjoy the buzz
of the city with a cool beer or cup of
good coffee.
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'
"Asimply
stunning
coming-of-age
story:'"SPECIALJUllYMENTION
~
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London
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DlllECTOJtMONIKATRE.•UT, l
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SCIIMITZ-CIIUII
ANDALISSA
WILMS
IMACE + NATION FIL.II Fl:SI'
This beautiful drama from Monika Treut
deftly
unfolds the coming-of-age
of
rebellious teen Alex. Sent away to a horse
farm in the country, Alex keeps up her bad
girl ways but is gradually enamored with the
horses - and with the resident lesbian riding
instructor, Nina. As Nina tries to help Alex find
purpose and maturity, the arrival of
privileged young equestrian Kathy presents
new challenges as Alex grapples with her
longing for love and connection.
German with subtitles.
~
Wolfe
"Subtle
andstartling"
AherEl!en
"HeartfeIt"
Image
Out
This high-energy romantic road movie co-stars the beautiful
Sinha Gierke (It's Not Over) as aspiring law student Lucca, and
the stunning Verena Wustkamp as her new friend Valerie.
Irresistible chemistry blossoms between them as the two
women embark on a wild adventure to
deliver the ashes of recently deceased
friend Herma to her final resting place against the wishes of Herma's family.
"Aquirky
romance
drama:'
Autostraddle
-
ACROSS
1.
3.
9.
Lesbian film starring Angelina
Jolie and Faye Dunaway
33. Hawaiian garland
7.
Spanish for gal pal
34. Cuddly
8.
Gown
Dream-like neo-noir movie
set in L.A., goes with 11
across
38. Pixar film about Carl
Fredricksen
10. Take advantage of
40. Distance measurement, for
short
12. Author of Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae
42. Steal
Julie Burchill novel that was
developed into a TV Series, 2
words
11. See 3 across
12. The L Word star, Jennifer_
15. Samantha Ronson and Tracy
Young, for example
18. Annoyance for a princess
19. Medical drips
40. The Girl who Played with _
by Stieg Larsson
41. Author of The Paying Guests
and Fingersmith
45. Sex or verse?
14. Jeans brand
15. English princess
47. Popular Canadian songster,
_Murray
16. Draw forth
48. Singer of "I Kissed a Girl," Jill
22. Dated
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DOWN
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Tinder uses it to locate nearby love interests
29. Unagi in a sushi bar
2.
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31. One-hit wonder of 1984
25. Weather forecast staple
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She played a lesbian billionaire in Empire, 2 words
32. Has the hots for
30. She famously kissed Scarlett
Johansson in Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, first name
44. Morning show time
46. Compass direction
17. Pro vote
24. Brittney Griner's org, minus
one letter
27. Writer of Fun Home, Alison
43. Famous computer of sci-fi
23. Zip
49. Like some reading lamps
20. Far from Xanadu book by
Julie Anne
21. _ Armatrading's "The Weakness in Me"
13. Smart word for clothing
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state
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2 words
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Barenaked
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TLOOKtSTARS
Autumn Sonata
Summer is winding down, but with Venus in lusty Leo
and Mars in earthy Virgo, things heat up again.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Grace and Frankie star Lily Tomlin
turns 76 on September 1
VIRGO :%
%
%
Virgo makes friends from %
all walks of life but prefers %
"workers" rather than %
"slackers."She's always there %
%
to help a friend, to a point. %
There will be a time, however, %
when the well of compassion %
will dry up. It tends to happen %
%
when she perceives that her %
generosity is being taken %
advantage of and her efforts %
are not producing changes. %
%
Then, the best you can %
hope for is some practical %
advice and directions to the %
employment office. %
%
%
%
LIBRA %
(Sept 24-Oct 23) %
Proud, generous Libra is %
%
not particularly materialistic %
and tends to acquire lovely %
objects more to beautify her %
surroundings rather than %
%
to impress. What she has is %
yours and vice versa. She %
has no compunction about %
going through your stuff and %
borrowing whatever catches %
%
her roving eye. She'll soon %
forget that it ever belonged %
to you and will happily lend %
it out to uhhhh ...someone ... %
%
she forgets who. Oh, did you %
want it back? %
(Aug 24-Sept 23)
~
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Leo (July 24-Aug 23)
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 22)
Make your to-do list and just
Lionesses are charmers this
Get out of your rut, Sagittarius.
do it, Aries. Even the most
autumn and can become
You need a total refresh and
mundane tasks have their allure
influential movers and shakers
recharge. This could mean a
now as you get a helping hand
if they can prioritize and
relaxing vacation, a spa day or
when you need it. In fact, all
implement their future plans.
even a weekend in bed with
efforts could be fun if you can
The challenge is that everything
you-know-who doing who-
get a group of bosom buddies
and everyone looks so enticing.
knows-what. You may find that
to focus and work together for
a common cause. Group efforts
Be choosy, Leo, and spend your
time on powerful ladies who can
all of the relaxing stimuli will
propel you to take new action on
produce amazing results. Or is it
give you a leg up.
any long-term goals.
Virgo (Aug 24-Sept 23)
Capricorn (Dec 23-Jan 20)
grope efforts ...?
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Romantic intrigue that you
Forget about another night
Pursue anything or anyone
might try to keep secret will
in front of the television set.
who sparks your artistic
have a way of bursting out
Capricorns need to rouse
interest. It can lead to overall
over the next few weeks. This
themselves, get out of their
comfort zones and strut their
improvements in your attitudes
is actually good news, Virgo.
towards your family, your
It means that you don't have
beautiful stuff around town this
surroundings and even in how
to hide your love away. But it
autumn. You are even sexier than
you feel on a deeply personal
also means you could become
usual and have a dash of special
level. Express yourself, Taurus.
gist for the gossip mill. Grind it
something. Set your sights high
Paint, write, dance, act up. Show
exceedingly fine and it will feel
and spread your personal oil all
the world what Pride looks like.
exceedingly fine.
over town. Or over her.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Libra (Sept 24-Oct 23)
Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)
Geminis are hostesses with the
Is there a certain gal pal who
Relationships go even better
mostest this autumn. Put a bit
of flair into your home design.
yearns to be your bosom buddy,
than usual. Maybe it's because
Libra? You may be pleasantly
you realize how important
Then, show it off by arranging
surprised at who it is! Intrigue
she is to your wellbeing and
some intimate dinner parties
reigns as lust, passion and
happiness. Or maybe you've
with a select L-list. Add some
jealousy mix together and create
found that compromise can be
more intoxicating than fighting.
pithy, passionate and persuasive
a sensuous love potion. See if
conversation into the mix and
you can capture the ultimate
For Aqueerians seeking a love
the party will last into the wee
prize. Or maybe the booby prize
connection, send out good
hours. Tongues will be wagging
is more fun?
vibes. Who knows which fly
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
flytrap?
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
You may need a helping hand in
Your bold statements and
the next few weeks, Scorpio, as
opinions will have bold results
your professional aims could use
Even the most routine tasks
now. Are you prepared to say
a push. Girlfriends can come to
feel more invigorating now,
what you mean and mean what
your rescue and give you sage
especially on the job. Tackle
you say, Cancer? You will not
advice, an important career
procrastinated projects, clear off
only be taken seriously by some
contact or even a new job lead.
your desk and plan your next big
important opinion leaders, it
Charlene
Lichtenstein
istheauthor~ might even pay off monetarily. If
of HerScopes:
A Guide
toAstrology
so, spread your largess around
forLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster),~ and fund your pet projects.
nowavailable
asaneBook,
tinyurl.com/HerScopes
~
%
%
80
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
girl you'll lure into your Venus
for months ...
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
You are innately strategic and
move. Office shenanigans may
will know who to press and
also be entertaining. A fresh new
impress ...press again.
face can get very fresh indeed.
Will she perk your morning
coffee or give you an excuse to
take a loooong lunch?
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SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES
36
LOOKING FOXY
The latest androgynous
designs for you to proudly
sport. By Marcie Bianco
.
LACEY •
•'::·.s,oNE'S.
:-.:.~-~FITNESS
·
~5
CHALLENGE
SPECIAL SECTION:
SURVIVORS' STORIES
Met the women who stood up
to cancer and won their lives
back. They share their courage,
and their advice.
The ·celebrity tr.amer
invites you to step up
to the plate.
52
.•
•••
THE WINNING TEAM
We celebrate the U.S.
Women's National Team World
Cup victory. By Lyndsey
D'Arcangelo and Grace Chu
57
JACKIE WARNER'S
SUPERDETOX
The wellness guru's new
book will cure what ails you,
and may just deliver you the
perfect life. By Merryn Johns
6~
A TRUE LAUGH STORY
Two lesbian standups walk into
a bar...The funny love story of
Rhea Butcher and Cameron
Esposito. By Marcie Bianco
.
.•..
..
•IJ.4.•
.•
-. .
.•
_.,.,,•.
"
.
..
." .
66
GAY-FRIENDLY SKIES
Meet the lesbian United
Airlines pilot who is breaking
barriers. By Lyndsey
D'Arcange/o
..,•
7~
AMAZING AUSTRIA
All about postcard perfect
Vienna and Salzburg, set to the
strains of Mozart! By Silke K.
Bader
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
1
SEP/OCT
2015
12
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
11
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
10 LES LOOKS LIKE
Meet poster girl for The
Handsome Revolution Project,
Tiffany Tisdale.
24 MUSIC
Butterfly Boucher is on the
radar of Sarah Mclachlan
and Ruby Rose, so she should
be on yours, too! By Kelly
McCartney
12 BEAUTY
Beautify your environment with
these fragrant candles.
14 LESBOFILE
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
VIEWS
16 POLITICS
When our senior political writer
has an unexpected near-death
experience, she decides to
write about how our bodies,
and the medical profession's
blind spots, can endanger
lesbian health. By Victoria A.
Brown worth
18 OUT IN FRONT
Meet our community leaders.
18 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ... LGBT news from across
the country. By Sassafras
Lowrey
22 LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Relationship advice from our
trusted butch-femme duo.
2
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
28 FOOD
Aarum Hurse is
LesBlntheKitchen and boy
does she have a story and a
recipe for you. But you better
like a side of bacon with your
breakup!
30 BOOKS
Coming Out Like a Porn Star
takes you into the lives of
genderqueer porn star Jiz Lee
and friends, and reveals what it
was like for them to come out.
By Dar Dowling
32 SEX
Meet Jenny Block. She wants
you to have the perfect
orgasm, so she's written a
book about how to. By Yana
Tallon-Hicks
34 FILM
Revisiting the cinematic work
of German filmmaker Monika
Treut. By Marcie Bianco
Fighting Fit
ith the high of marriage equality still with us, it's natural
that we picture ourselves as happy, healthy brides
looking our best as we head to the altar, then blissfully
ensconced at home with our loved ones. Illness isn't often a reality
for most newlyweds, in spite of the "in sickness and in health" part of
many marriage vows.
The movie Freeheld, released this fall, is a sobering reminder
that even the strongest love between two people cannot ward off
the specter of disease. This outstanding feature film, starring Ellen
Page and Julianne Moore, is based on a true story. New Jersey police
lieutenant Laurel Hester is still in the honeymoon phase of her
relationship with her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree,
when she is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She and Andree
have just bought and renovated a house, and must now battle to
W
secure Hester's pension benefits, so that Andree, who earns little as a
mechanic, can live on in the house after Hester has passed away. They
fight a seemingly doomed battle even as Hester is dying painfully
from cancer. It is the early 1990s, and there is no real marriage
equality movement, no viable legal protection; as a clerk says while
shuffling the paperwork for their benefits application, "This domestic
partnership thing is new:' So new that local officials disregard it,
sanctimoniously denying the request of a dying woman to transfer
her benefits to her same-sex partner-even
as they bend the law
to collect multiple pensions for themselves. Hester, who has spent
decades fighting crime and maintaining justice, finds that there may
be none for her ...
It's a harrowing reminder of how long and far we have come to
secure some of the basic rights enjoyed by heterosexuals. We may
now accept that "love is love;' but in the eyes of the law it wasn't
always so. And yes, perhaps "love is all you need;' but to truly enjoy it
you need your health.
This is our Health & Fitness issue, and inside you'll find many
inspiring stories of women who have overcome the challenges
of cancer and survived, spirits intact, to go on and continue to be
valued members of their family, community, profession, and team.
We celebrate the physical presence and beauty of breast cancer
survivors-some
of whom are even on a gender queer modeling
mission! We hear from fitness experts and personal trainers, who talk
about what you can do to stay in shape and beat disease. And we also
pay tribute to the U.S. Women's National Team and their historic
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup win!
"Every time you fall down, it gives you an opportunity to
question yourself, question your integrity. It's not about the actual
failure itself-it's how you respond to it:' This inspiring quote by
Abby Wambach went viral on the Internet and it's easy to see why.
I won't tell you how Freeheld ends: You should see it for yourself.
But I like it that Hester and Andree responded to failure like winners.
After you read this issue, I hope you come away feeling fighting fit,
and ready to respond to your next challenge like the champions
within these pages.
!z
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
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WE GIVE YOU A BETTER NIGHT
-<-
You put more carpe in the diem
TYLENOL®
For what matters mosr
Use only as directed.
TYLENOL® PM relieves pain while helping
you fall fast asleep and stay asleep.
RONT /
cu RVETTES
,~~-,
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~~
curve
.
.·.~
THE BEST-SELLING
'
•··.
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·".
•..
SEP/OCT
2015
LESBIAN MAGAZINE
» VOLUME
25 NUMBER
5
PUBLISHER Silke Bader
.;•
(
•..
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR·IN·CHIEF Merryn 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
EDITORIALASSISTANTSKaty Santa Maria, Lisa Tedesco,
Micheline Tawilian
MIKI VARGAS
DAR DOWLING
Miki Vargas was born and raised in Costa
Rica but has called the Bay Area of
California home for nearly 30 years. Her
ability to connect with folks allows her to
see their innermost beauty, such as the
portraits she creates for the Handsome
Revolution Project. "Being able to shine the
spotlight on so many beautiful masculine·
of ·center individuals, and have them see
themselves in that light for the first time, is
so special to me," says Miki. Check out one
of her portraits on page 10. For more of her
work visit mikivargasphotography.com.
A spelunker of quizzical caves, toppler of
mediocrity and eschewer of mores, Dar
Dowling is always looking for adventure,
which might just mean hanging out on
the set of the newest lesbian adult film,
interviewing a fun loving celebrity, or
getting her spiritual groove on at a blissedout gong bath or sweat lodge. Dar's newest
adventures include launching a worldwide
media branding company, and gearing up
to produce her first feature film complete
with a super sexy lead. There's more, but
she wants to save something for next time.
OPERATIONS
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONS Jeannie Sotheran
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL SALES
Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021, todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR Bruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCAL MEDIA
MANAGEREmma Cornish
INTERNSLucy Doyle, Erika Tamm, Lex Giggs
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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
Steph Brusig, Grace Chu, Meagan Cignoli, Sophy Holland,
Syd London, Maggie Parker, Diana Price, B. Proud, Robin
Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
CONTACT INFO
Curve Magazine
PO Box 467
New York, NY 10034
PHONE(415) 871-0569
FAX (510) 380-7487
SUBSCRIPTIONINQUIRIES(800) 705-0070
(toll-free in US only)
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ADVERTISINGEMAIL todd@curvemagazine.com
EDITORIALEMAIL editor@curvemag.com
LETTERSTO THE EDITOREMAIL letters@curvemagazine.com
KATHLEENBRENNAN
LYNDSEYD'ARCANGELO
Kathleen Brennan is an award·winning,
multi-disciplinary artist with an extensive
background in photography and video. Her
diverse body of work-ranging from portrait
to documentary, natural landscape to urban
scenes-provides an enduring testament to
the transformative processes of our world.
Kathleen's work can be found in private,
corporate, and museum collections, or view
it at brennanstudio.com. Kathleen lives in
Taos, N.M. with her spouse Kat, where they
keep chickens, raise vegetables, and enjoy
their friends.
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo is an award-winning
author from Buffalo, N.Y.She's also a sports
junkie and a baggy•clothes wearing tomboy
who isn't afraid to blog openly about her
experience as a stay-at-home mom for
CurveMag.com. She's interviewed many
Olympians and sports stars including Megan
Rapinoe, Caitlin Cahow, Ginny Gilder, and
Brittney Griner for Curve. This month she
gets up close and personal with cancer
survivor and rising football star Jillian Potter.
Visit her at lyndseydarcangelo.com.
Volume 25 Issue 5 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:
$39.90/year, $39.90 Canadian (U.S. funds only) and $69.90
international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks will be assessed
a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA
94114 and at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents
of Curve Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either
whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
Publication of the name or photograph of any persons or
organizations appearing, advertising or listing in Curve may not be
taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters, queries,
unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response.
Lack of any representation only signifies insufficient materials.
Submissions cannot be returned unless a self-addressed stamped
envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed for loss or
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Subscription Inquiries: Please write to Curve, Avalon Media LLC.,
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Curve, PO Box 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printed in the U.S.
curvemag.com
6
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
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FEEDBACK
LOVE WINS
Your #Love Wins Marriage
Equality issue of the magazine
brought me to tears. I do not
think I have ever seen so many
beautiful and meaningful
images and words put together
into one lesbian magazine. I'm
an older lesbian who waited
many years to see the representation of our community
achieved with such ease. You
are doing an incredible job.
Keep doing it! - Hannah Epel,
Coral Gables FL.
I was very moved by your
poignant, nuanced editorial on
marriage and how it came into
your life-published just as
the Supreme Court decision
was issued ["LoveWins" by
MerrynJohns, V.25#4]. It is
more than enough to imagine
how American literature,
biography and media are going
to be shaped and reshaped by
experiences similar to your
own, as the decades unfold
ahead of us. As a man married
for 28 years to an incredible
woman, I really wish you the
ultimate happiness that this
life commitment can bring. In
the meantime, keep doing the
great work you do with Curve.
It is a terrific, class publication,
deserving of a wide- dare I
say mainstream?-audience.
-Patrick A. Berzinski, New
York, N.Y.
wife. I found her, and we've
been together for 37 years
now. I wish you all the happiness in the world! -Maria
Sabine, Germany
A VERY GOOD FIT
It was refreshing to see a
fashion spread featuring a
differently-abled model. Way
to go, Curve, keep the diversity coming! -Karin Figgis,
Brooklyn N.Y.
I'm a 47 -year-old lesbian
(with a service dog) who has
been out since my mid-twenties. My disability is that I
have osteogenesis imperfecta.
I've been a huge fan of your
magazine for years now but I
was wondering if you would
do a feature on disability and
sexuality. I feel that people in
general don't think that the
disabled community are sexual
beings. This is one barrier I
feel needs to be addressed.
Thank you for your time.
-Maureen Murphy, Ponte
Vedra, FL.
[Editor's note: Thank you for
the suggestion! We will be running editorial on disability and
sexuality in an upcoming issue.]
HAPPILYEVERAFTER
A hearty congratulations to
you both for your marriage
["LoveWins" by Merryn
Johns]! [Your wife] is right
that a couple counts as family,
even without children. When
I was young I also wanted a
NOW
THAT
MARRIAGE
EQUALITY
ISLAW,
ARE
YOU
GITTING
HITCHED?
13% No, I like playing the
field too much to settle down
35% Maybe, when all the
excitement dies down
9%
Yes, I'm racing to the
altar with my girl
42°0
I'm already married
and loving it
WRITE
Curve magazine, PO Box 467, New York, NY 10034
letters@curvemagazine.com
US! 510.380.7487
curvemag.com/letters
Send to:
Email:
Fax:
8
CURVE
SEP/OCT
Online:
2015
Subscriber Services are now available at
curvemag.com/customerservice
✓ subscribe
✓ pay your bill
✓ change address
✓ get missing issues
✓ give a gift
✓ renew
Curve's online selection of must-do, must-try, must-have extras.
NEWS
NATIONAL
THENEW YORKTIMESVERSUS
HILLARYCLINTON
The New York Times has long been
considered America's-if not the
world's-newspaper of record. It's
where we turn for the tough investigative journalism many other
newspapers avoid as both too
labor-intensive and too fraught
for
advertisers. Curve political
columnist Victoria A. Brownworth
reads it every morning, as do
most
political analysts, to see
what new scoop there might be.
That was where she saw an article
that seemed to threaten the frontrunner in the Democratic Party's
race for the 2016 presidency.
LIFESTYLE
HEALTH
G Read more on curvemag.com
FROM KEEPINGFOOD NUTRIENTFRESHTO
CARB-LOADING
Going gluten-free may be a hot diet trend, but
any nutritional benefits for healthy women. These
CULTURE
INTERNATIONAL
specialty products are designed to help people suf-
COOKING WITH MUXES,MEXICO'STHIRD GENDER
there is no science showing that doing so offers
fering from coeliac disease, a disorder that makes
Muxes (pronounced moo-shays), which translates to "woman," refers to
the body unable to digest gluten, a protein found in
Juchitan's third gender, a population which identifies neither as men nor as
wheat, rye, and barley. For the rest of us, however,
women. Because of this understanding, muxes often don't face the same
eating gluten-free foods can cause weight gain.
level of discrimination that gay men or trans women do in Juchitan.
G Read more on curvemag.com
G Read more on curvemag.com
MEET
THE
BLOGGERS
LIFESTYLE
SPORTS
RENEERICHARDSBLAZEDTHE TRAIL FOR TRANSGENDERATHLETES
Renee Richards, now aged 80, is a well-known American physician, author,
and a professional tennis player for many years. She transitioned fully in 1975
and began playing tennis against other women. Her personal story is filled
with a heavy mixture of discrimination, heartache, determination and triumph.
G Read more on curvemag.com
CurveMag.com has some of
the leading voices in our community sharing their thoughts
on love and romance, parenting and politics, and sex and
spirituality-not to mention our
huge collection of lesbian fandom.
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
9
TRENDS/
THE GAYO
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
~
Lucy Lawless celebrates
her enduring friendship
with Xena castmate Renee
O'Connor via social media
Rubyfruit Jungle author Rita
Mae Brown tells the Golden
Crown Literary Awards
audience "Never celebrate
your oppression"
Stonewall the movie
puts a fictitious gay
white male at the center
of the uprising and
erases trans and lesbians
Katherine Heigl does her best
in Jenny's Wedding but it seems
like old news, post-marriage
equality victory
Kristen Stewart
is evasive in an
interview with
NYLON, doesn't
come out, says,
"Google me, I'm
not hiding ...l'm
just a kid making
movies."
A female-founded
London escort
agency offers a
lesbian service to
women clients with
a price tag of £250
per hour
NORARY
IME
LESBIAN
MBERSHIP
!NG
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{RISTEN
STEWART
CRASHING
I.NERICA'S
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Diane Keaton
meets Lena
Dunham, asks if
she's a lesbian, and
Lena likes it!
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Kathy Wolfe
of Wolfe Video
donates a
lesbian DVD
library to the
June Mazer
Lesbian
Archives
Ellen Page
attends
Jamaica's first
ever Pride while
filming Gaycation
in the notoriously
homophobic
Caribbean island
Glee star Dianna
Agron is playing
a tomboy lesbian
in new indie flick
Hollow in the
Land. We can't
wait!
Lesbian lawyer Lea Krauss, the
former President of the Gay
& Lesbian Lawyers Network,
campaigns for Circuit Court Judge
Supermodel Cara
Delevingne brings
Millennial openness about
her sexuality to a VOGUE
cover story
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
11
NOT ALL SCENTEDCANDLESARE CREATEDEQUAL. BEAUTIFYYOUR HOME
TH IS SEASONWITH TH ESEGORGEOUSLYFRAGRANTFLAMES
Get the Skinnv
sk1nn~k1nny♦
CARDAMOM
&PINK
PEPPERCORN
ESSENTIAL
OILCANDLE
If you prefer natural a~d eco-friendly
candles with a fine, clean scent, Skinny
Skinny candles are for you! These are
hand-poured, non-GMO, made from
soy with a cotton wick, and infused
with pure organic essential oils. That
means they burn cleanly and brightly.
No perfumes, scents or beeswax is
used-they're vegan and cruelty free.
Plus they're packaged in eco-friendly
materials. ($34, skinnyskinny.com)
leeling Blue
Hand-crafted with pride in the
Mississippi, Capri Blue candles are
high quality and artistic in design,
and adventurous in scent. We loved
Volcano, with its heady and exotic
citrus notes. The Eastern-influenced,
antique, or apothecary containers
match with many home decors. Our
pick: the 8.5oz travel tin brings a
touch of style wherever you go.
($14, capribluecandles.com)
Ft•csh Ft•om
thel~rest
A top selling candle, the
Frasier Fir with its aromatic
and rich scent of pristine
pine forests signals the
change in season-crisp, cool
nights and the anticipation
of the approaching holidays.
Outdoorsy and yet cozy and
calming, a great gift or way
to "spruce" up your home.
($28, thymes.com)
LuxcLire
The MTodd candle collection is for the upmarket lady who wishes to add a touch
of luxury to her abode. Designed to create a special mood, these candles are bold,
sensuous and carry the complex notes of a rich parfum. Ready to set the scene
for a seduction this season? Choose from a range of options displaying humor
and haute couture-The Artist, The Intellectual, The Romantic, The Free Spirit, and
naturally, The Seducer! Pamper yourself-and her! ($54 and up, marietodd.com)
12
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
Animal 1'htgnetism
Artist and founder, Elana Joelle Hendler specializes in pen
drawings of sea creatures, flora and endangered fauna. We
loved her debut Wildlife Collection series featuring limited
edition artwork, and her commitment to eco-aware and
natural ingredients. Each handcrafted EJH Brand candle is
made from all-natural coconut wax, fragranced exclusively
with 100% pure essential oils and hand poured in Los
Angeles. Our fave-Wild Ginger. ($52, ejhbrand.com)
Nost
GOSSIP
p
I LESBOFILE
~
~
~
AS SUMMER LEAVES US, IT'S A MIX OF
CELEBRATION AND CONSTERNATION
FOR CELESBIAN LOVE CHOICES
~
BY JOCELYN VOO
WHEN CAITLYNMET CANDIS
Now that famed Olympian/reality TV dad
Bruce Jenner is famed trans activist/reality TV
star Caitlyn Jenner, mainstream media is hot
on her tail as to ...well, who's on her tail.
But it seems Star magazine may have
jumped the gun when they announced that
Jenner and trans actress Candis Cayne, who
has become something of a mentor to Jenner
and was her date to the ESPYAwards, were a
hot item. A Cayne source scoffs at this notion,
according to Us Weekly:"It was so ridiculous.
What, is Candis suddenly a lesbian now?
Candis is currently single but is only interested
in men, and Caitlyn is a woman."
THE ROYALTREATMENT
Imagine your grandmother going ballistic
Ah, the straight world navigating trans
that her supposedly straight granddaughter is
partying in gay bars. Now imagine your grand-
relations'
mother is Queen Elizabeth.
MILEYTO THE MAX
Princess Eugenie of York, who, at 25
And now in Formerly Straight Ladies Who
Now Maybe Date Other Ladies news:
years old, is eighth in line to the throne, hasn't
exactly been following the Kate Middleton
Songstress Miley Cyrus, who in recent
role to a T. Instead, she already caught royal
months has made multiple declarations that
flack for dating (gasp') a waiter for five years.
she's not just attracted to men, has been get-
But now a source has revealed to Star maga-
ting cozy with blonde Victoria's Secret model
zine that Eugenie "secretly frequents lesbian
Stella Maxwell. Maxwell tells V Magazine
nightclubs late at night, where she drinks and
that the pair met through Cyrus's personal as-
dances until the early hours of the morning."
sistant on lnstagram, and the pair have been
The Princess's security detail insist it's just
spotted out and about together, with Maxwell
so she can unwind without men hitting on
referring to Cyrus as "my lady" on social me-
her-except
dia. New power couple on the horizon?
has been partying hard since at least 2009
in gay bars, as evidenced by her gap year in
Court papers filed in July by Griner allege
MOM'S THE WORD
Thailand. Wed venture to say that the Princess
that Johnson had been sleeping with a man
Meanwhile, Kristen Stewart
was sor-
for the little fact that Eugenie
may be "unwinding" for quite some time ...
who allegedly told the Sunday Mirror that
her daughter and personal assistant Alicia
up till their engagement, and had been texting with an ex-boyfriend after their marriage.
ta-kinda-maybe outed by her own mom Jules,
TULSASHOCK INDEED
She claims that she had been pressured to
Hoo-boy, hold onto your hats for this one:
marry "under duress," and in a June statement
claimed the marriage was "based on fraud."
Cargile were an item: "I've met Kristen's new
Remember how
girlfriend, I like her. What's not to accept? She's
Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson tied the
Johnson, meanwhile, is suing for spousal
a lovely girl." However, Jules later clarified to
knot in May, despite a few domestic violence
support to the tune of $20K a month, as well
WNBA golden
children
Us Weekly that she never said anything of
run-ins? And how quite quickly after, they put
as attorney fees, since she can't go back to
the sort, although she did concede to saying
a bun in Johnson's oven? And then just as
basketball while she's carrying their child.
Cargile was "a lovely girl."
quickly as they put the oven on, Griner filed
Celebrity moms and media noodling with
a ring on it? Yep.
your love life. Gotta love it.
14
CURVE
SEP/OCT
for an annulment-just
2015
28 days after they put
This crazy story has all the red cards flying.
Watch this space for more.
TRENDS/
SHEs
"There is
definitely sex occurring
but it's not happening in the
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"For
a long time, I
wished I'd been born
a boy. I didn't know there
was as much fun as Orange /s The New
Black shows it." - Cleary Wolters
{the real Alex Vause) to
Huff Post Live
were options like gender
neutral or gender fluid. I later
realized you could be a girl
and dress like a guy."
- Ruby Rose to
Cosmo
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SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
15
()up fJo,lies, ()111~ f~ires
What we don't know can kill us.
BY VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
I had been working around the clock
to finish my most recent book, Ordinary
Mayhem. The next book was due in a few
months, so there was no time to sit back
and rest on my laurels, or anything else. I
kept working.
I have had asthma since childhood,
and a few years ago I was diagnosed with
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease). COPD is most often a disease
of smokers, but I have never smoked. For
me, the most likely cause of my asthma and
the COPD was that both my parents were
chain-smokers, so I was regularly exposed
to second-hand smoke, which is deadly.
Since the COPD diagnosis, I have been
on lung meds every day to keep me breathing. When the seasons change-notably
summer to fall and winter to springbreathing gets especially difficult. So I assumed I was having a COPD flare-up.
I was not.
I was dying from a pulmonary embolism
(PE), and time was running out.
Pulmonary embolisms occur often in
the U.S., but you'd never know it since we
never hear about them. Yet, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 600,000 and 1
million people get one each year; the CDC
also states that this health crisis is vastly
under-reported. More than 100,000 people die from pulmonary embolisms each
year, and the majority of them are women.
I knew little about pulmonary embolisms before I got one. I thought a PE was
something people got from being on long
airplane flights, or was a result of old age or
accidents. I didn't know that the cause-a
deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in which a
blood clot in your leg breaks off and travels
to your lungs and kills you-could happen
in many different ways.
I got it from sitting cross-legged on the
bed, surrounded by my research. I'd been
writing for hours on end, and the blood
flow in my legs was restricted by my favorite sitting position, even though I'd been
sitting that way all my life without incident.
That night, I'd been struggling to breathe
for several hours over the course of the evening. My heart rate was way up-like I'd
been running. I'd done an extra breathing
treatment. I'd taken the emergency heart
medication that people with COPD often have to take. It wasn't helping. I finally
decided to call the doctor. I barely had the
breath to get out a sentence when the doctor called me back. He was explicit: Get to
the ER immediately.
I was lucky. I'm still alive. Another hour
or two of ignoring the symptoms and I
would have died. As it was, I spent more
than two weeks in the ICU and have had
a very slow recovery. As I write this, I have
been out of the hospital for exactly two
months, but I am still seriously ill. I have
to endure an injection of a powerful blood
thinner in my stomach twice a day, and I
VIEWS/
am on oxygen 24 /7.
I am afraid. Afraid of what my pulmonologist said as he stood over my bed in
the hospital and explained why I would
need to be on blood thinners for at least
six months, maybe a year, possibly for life:
"If you survive the first one, the second one
kills you:'
Investigative reporters like information.
I started researching DVT and PE when I
got home and was still much too ill to work
on my book or take on my regular assignments.
Anyone can get a DVT. Women get
them from childbirth, and from using
birth control pills or hormone replacement
therapy (HRT), which many women use
either to regulate their periods or to lessen
perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms.
Women can get them from injuries-a
fracture, or muscle damage (like that torn
ligament from a softball game). Women
can get them from being overweight, which
70 percent of American women are. And
women can get them from sitting for long
periods of time, especially with crossed
legs, which is how most of us who have
deskjobs sit every single day. Smoking puts
women at an even higher risk of DVT /PE.
So does lung or heart disease.
I did an interview for Curve in 2013 with
breast cancer specialist Dr. Susan Love. In
talking about cancer preventatives, she advised: Stop smoking, lose weight, exercise.
But she also said, "Sitting is the new smoking:' I heard it and I completely ignored it.
Sitting almost killed me.
According to the CDC, a third of the
people who get a PE will get another one.
Also, nearly a third of the people who have
a DVT will have long-term complications
caused by post-thrombotic
syndrome
(PTS), the damage that the clot does to the
valves in the vein-which I now have. I also
have another side effect: atrial fibrillation,
an irregular heart rhythm that can be a killer all on its own, and for which I will have
surgery that may or may not correct it.
In America, the only women's disease
that we discuss is breast cancer. Yet that's
not even the leading cause of cancer in
women in the U.S. It comes in third-after
lung and colon cancers.
In 2015, estimates are that 231,840 new
cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with
60,290 new cases of noninvasive (in situ)
breast cancer.
In 2015, about 40,000 women in the
U.S. are expected to die from breast cancer,
though death rates have been decreasing
since 1989. But lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, much of it following COPD. My own
mother died of it.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), "Women are 37 percent
I WAS
LUCl<Y. l M
STILL ALIVE.
ANOTHER
HOUR OR
TWO OF
IGNORING THE
SYMPTOMS
AND I WOULD
HAVE DIED.
1
''
more likely to have COPD than men and
now account for more than half of all
deaths attributed to COPD in our nation:'
(The ALA has a sobering report released
in 2013 about this health disparity. It's
called"Taking Her Breath Away: The Rise
of COPD in Women;' and the eight-page,
consumer-friendly version is a must-read.)
COPD is the third-leading cause of
death for both women and men in the U.S.
Who knew? I didn't know anything
about COPD until I was diagnosed with
it. I certainly didn't know it was a leading
cause of death among women. Yet TV
commercials for various drugs to treat it
feature only men. Why?
Here are some other diseases that are
killing us, but that there is little or no
awareness of: Hypertension-high
blood
pressure-is
a leading cause of death
among women of color, especially black,
Latino and American Indian women, who
are two to three times as likely to suffer
from it and to have it go undiagnosed.
According to the CDC, black women
are more likely than black men or white
women to have high blood pressure and to
have it from an early age. The CDC cites
hypertension as a complication in more
than 360,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2013.
Uncontrolled hypertension can result in
a stroke, but most commonly in kidney
disease. The same number of black Americans are waiting for kidney transplants as
are white Americans-but
only 13 percent of the U.S. population is black.
Another disease impacting women is
type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, although you can get it at
any age, even in childhood. Women are
now twice as likely as men to have the
disease and more likely to get it earlier-in
their teens or 20s. Women are
also more likely to suffer a serious health
complication from the disease than men;
These complications
include stroke,
amputation,
or blindness. Polycystic
ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is another
complication. About 29 million Americans have diabetes. As many as 25 percent of them do not know they have it.
According to the CDC, the most
common causes of death among women
in the U.S., in order, are: heart disease,
all cancers, COPD, stroke, Alzheimer's
(which affects more women than men),
and diabetes.
Know your body. Know when something simply doesn't feel right. I'd had
a pain in my leg for a while before I
had the pulmonary
embolism. That
pain was the deep vein thrombosis, but
even though it was severe, I thought it
was just muscle cramping.
Women are often afraid to call the
doctor or go to the ER. And lesbians
have always had a dicey relationship
with the medical establishment. Coming out endlessly with doctors and
medical personnel isn't easy.
But your life matters. I was dying
and I didn't know it. How many women have died too soon from these hidden diseases? Thousands. Don't be one
of them.•
2015
CURVE
17
VIEWS/PROFILE
Kerri R. Smith-Osei
>>California
CommunityLife Coaching
Ten yearsago, KerriR. Smith-Oseiwould have described
herselfas a "hard core, rainbowflag-toting, shout it from
the rooftopsLESBIAN:'She was barely30 yearsold but
AGRAND
JURY
INGALVESTON,
knew she wanted to start a mega-movementto change the
way lesbiansview themselves.
Texas, has indicted James Cosby in the murder of his
daughter, Britney Cosby, and her girlfriend, Crystal Jackson. The indictment comes after a year of police investigation into the discovery of the couple's bodies behind
a garbage can near Cosby's home. Relatives say that
Cosby killed his daughter and her girlfriend because they
were gay. He now faces a capital murder charge.
Togetherwith her then-partner,Smith-Oseicreated
LesbianClicks,an organizationthat produced onlinevideos
about self-esteem,highlightingcommunity outreach
eventsand workshops."The responsewas phenomenal;'
she recalls."Youngwomen were so inspired:'
By helpingthese women create safe zones, both physicallyand spiritually,Smith-Oseilearnedthe ins and outs
of self-acceptanceand celebration.Then she took those
experiencesinto her professionalcareer.As a life coach,
she started offeringthe lesbiancommunity specialized
• MADELYNN
LEE
TAYLOR
has won
techniquesfor personalgrowth, includingmany waysto
a federal lawsuit against the Idaho
State Veterans Cemetery, ensuring
that the ashes of her deceased
wife, Jean M1xner,will be interred
with her at the cemetery when she
dies Taylor Is 74 years old and a US
Navy veteran. The cemetery had
previously denied her wishes to be
buried with her wife, cItIng Idaho's
ban on same-sex marriage
effectivelyaddresstheir life challenges.
"Lesbiansneed a specializedcoach becausewe do have
some unique challengesin our personalrelationshipsand
how we view ourselves,"saysSmith-Osei."It'snot about
singlingus out and sayingwe are so differentand don't experience what other people do, but the realityis we are in
some ways very different.And, let'sbe honest here, the less
you haveto explainhow being a lesbian,quote unquote,
works,the better!"
• ST.PETERSBURG,
Fl, police
Respondingto the dire needs of some of the youth
arrested Annette K1elhurnon
charges of domestic battery against
her estranged partner, Gamze
Capaner-R1dley Police were In the
home to oversee Capaner-R1dley's
removal of personal items from
the couple's home Officers report
that the couple began arguing over
belongings and, after being ordered
not to touch Capaner-R1dley,
K1elhurn began shoving a dildo In
her face as they argued over who It
belonged to
in our community,Smith-Oseialso servesas a mentor
through the specializedcoachingcoursesshe offersfor
free to LGBTQyouth. She'salso activelyinvolvedin the Los
AngelesLGBTCenter and is a member of the LosAngeles
Women'sNetwork,a diversemembershiporganizationthat
supportsthe center'svital servicesfor women and girls.
"We'vecome a long way and made great strides,but
because I am in the communityand talkingto people one
on one every day, I knowthe feelingsthat stillneed to be
reconciledand healed within the LGBTcommunity,"she
says."I lookforward to the day when no one in the LGBT
communityfeels marginalized,and familiesand friendsand
strangersare accepting and embracing, but untilthat day
comes, I feel compelled to keep doing the work that I am
doing. Beinga lesbiandoesn't make you 'lessthan; and it's
not wrong, because love is not wrong. Be proud, be you:'
BySherylKay
18
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
• FLORIDA
POLICE
Sgt Jesus
W
~
~
Menocal, Jr has been suspended
with pay after allegations of sexual
abuse from a lesbian couple who
were pulled over In a routine
traffic stop The teenage couple,
who have not been 1dent1f1ed,
say officer Menocal separated
them and began asking sexually
inappropriate questions about
how the couple had sex, before
forcing one of the young
women to strip at the police
station while he rubbed his
genitals. The couple had been
pulled over for making a U-turn.
• MELISSA
AND
AARON
KLEIN,
the owners of the Sweet Cakes
by Melissa bakery In Gresham,
Ore , were ordered by the
Oregon Labor Comm1ss1onerto
pay a $135,000 fine and abide
by a gag order after refusing
to bake a wedding cake for
a lesbian couple The Kle1ns
refused to bake the couple's
cake after learning they were
lesbians, and stated that samesex marriage went against their
Christian faith The Kle1nsare
f1ght1ngthe ruling, claiming It
Is part of the "persecution of
Chr1st1ans"In America
By Sassafras Lowrey
I'm safe being me.
I walk the halls with
confidence. Not fear.
Inspiring confidence in LGBTyouth
Last year, 8 out of 10 LGBT students reported being harassed or intimidated at school. And many will see no other
option but to drop out due to low self-esteem and fearing for their safety. But making small changes, such as helping
students identify supportive educators, can have a huge impact.
In 2014, we helped GLSEN reach its goal of putting a Safe Space Kit in every middle school and high school across
the country. With the simple guide, poster, and stickers found inside, teachers are creating spaces where students
feel empowered, safe to be themselves, and free to reach their maximum potential.
Little by little, we can all do a lot to improve the lives of LGBT students. Small is Huge~M
Learn more about our continued support of the LGBT community at wellsfargo.com/lgbt.
And remember to join us in wearing purple on Spirit Day, October 15th.
Together we'll go far
© 2015
WellsFargo
Bank,
N.A.Allrightsreserved.
ECG-1268730
Power couple Beth Bishop, 31 (above), and Kristin
Vallacher, 29 (right), met at a girls' night in Boston. But
what began as a cheeky and somewhat hazy hookup
turned into a long-term commitment that spanned both
coasts. Now, they work together at The Phoenix Effect,
the hottest new fitness studio in Los Angeles.
20
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
v,.ws, Two OF ~s
HOW THEY MET
2014, and while we're too busy to plan a
me out. I may seem cool, collected, and
BETH: For the record, Kristin told her
wedding at the moment, we both proudly
confident, but I do suffer from crippling self-
parents we met at book club. But really we
wear our rings and plan to get married
doubt from time to time. She's one of the
met at a lesbian night at Machine, a gay
sometime around the spring of 2016.
few people who can pull me out of it.
clearly have overlapping interests and
make fun of her a little bit. She was pretty
WHAT THEY EACH BRINGTO THE
PHOENIXEFFECT
cute, too.
BETH: I am one of the owners of The
work really well together because we
Phoenix Effect, along with my business
couldn't be more opposite. Moreover, we
KRISTIN: Next thing I know, we're making
partners, Darren Misaresh and Alexis Ong.
acknowledge and celebrate our myriad
out behind a curtain. Then, we're in line
I oversee the fitness program's strategic
differences. Also, who can get mad at that
to get our coats-it was winter, so maybe
vision and marketing, and manage the
face? I'm talking about my own here.
around O degrees- before walking to Beth's
fitness staff. It's a startup, so I wear a lot
apartment. I thought it would be a one-night
of different hats. I used to work in project
club in Boston, on Valentine's Day. She was
wearing an acid wash vest and jeans and a
glow stick, and I had to go over to her and
KRISTIN: Beth and I-even though we
passions, such as each other and fitness-
navigate the moving pieces of the business.
ON HOW THEY RESOLVE
DIFFERENCESOR SETTLE
ARGUMENTS
I am lucky to have such wonderful partners
KRISTIN:Of course we have disagreements.
stand, but it turns out I couldn't help but ask
management for a microfinance company,
her out for several official dates.
so that skill set really has helped me
THEIRFIRSTIMPRESSIONS
and people on my team. We all really
I'd like to say that we pull out the kiddie pool
BETH: I thought, Who does this girl think
work together and contribute something
and Jello, but we typically talk it out, being
she is! She was very confident-and
so
small. I had never gone after someone
shorter than me before, and I'm 5'4".
unique. Kristin is our programming director
sure to explain our perspective and affirm
and programs many of our workouts. She's
that we very likely want the same thing.
an evil programming genius who puts
together brilliantly horrific workouts that
BETH:We usually just talk it out. Good
leave your body going, "What the EFFjust
communication is one of my favorite parts
I loved that she said what was on her mind
happened to me-and why do I look so
of our relationship.
at all times. She still does! It's funny, though,
great and move so well!"
KRISTIN: I thought she was hot as hell, and
because at the time she was dressed all in
ADVICE FORCOUPLESWHO
LOVE,LIVE,AND WORK
TOGETHER
black and had dyed her hair and eyebrows
KRISTIN: Beth definitely brings the "boss"
a "cherry cola"-type shade, but it turns out
side of things-she
she's blonde, from Minnesota, and not a
team and is constantly thinking of ways
brooding hipster, my former type, at all.
to make The Phoenix Effect even better. I
BETH: Make sure that your relationship has
used to manage people and don't really
a solid foundation and that you have clear
miss it, so my role has more to do with the
methods of communication and conflict
BETH: I was intrigued.
manages the entire
creative components: As the director of
resolution. It's always important to listen,
programming, I'm in charge of our exercise
take your ego out of things, and support
sight. We waited several months to
library as well as the overall workout
each other along the way. Date nights are
say "love;' but there was absolutely an
design. I literally wrote-though
also a must. Make sure you take time out of
immediate connection.
write, since we have never once repeated
KRISTIN: It was "something" at first
a workout and never will-the
I should say
business time to work on your relationship.
guide to
how TPEcurrently programs workouts for
KRISTIN: First, watch as many episodes
ON GETTINGTOGETHER
its athletes. My professional background
of Kitchen Nightmares as possible. Then,
KRISTIN:We lived separately until several
prior to fitness is in social media project
forget you've ever seen them and just go
of my roommates boycotted rent, and
management, and my academic
for it. If your relationship brings you joy,
then-not
background is in linguistics, as well as
and you can't imagine working with anyone
in with Beth for the better part of a year
postmodern South American poetry, so I
else, do it. Just establish boundaries-"Hey,
before she convinced me to move to Los
Angeles (I had never been), whereupon we
don't know how to finish this sentence!
using a U-Haul per se-I moved
still didn't get a literal U-Haul so much as
a moving van and a VW Jetta. We have a
"son," a 9-year-old dog. I adopted him when
I love you, but I can't talk about work over
dinner. Can we talk about 0/TNB instead?"and communicate, communicate,
ON WHY THEYWORK SO WELL
TOGETHER
first fazed me in a major way-so much so
communicate. Working with my fiancee at
he was about 8 weeks old, a Katrina rescue,
BETH: For starters, I think we're both pretty
that I didn't join TPEteam until September
and he and Beth became close once she
deemed herself the "cool mom" by giving
capable and intelligent people who don't
2014 because the stakes seemed so high,
like to make excuses. We get stuff done and
and I knew it would be awkward if she fired
him human food and letting him sleep in the
do a good job. We reflect and learn from
me-but
bed. Beth and I have been engaged since
our mistakes and successes. There's really
and inspires me to as well. (phoenixeffectla.
the day after her 30th birthday, August 1,
no time for BS or drama. Kristin balances
com)•
my role model, Beth, takes risks
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
21
Secrets and Lies
What to do when young love goes awry.
BY LIPSTICK & DIPSTICK
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick:
I've been with my lesbian stud girlfriend for four years now.
We are 19 and 20 years of age. Lately, things have been very
rocky, and she has decided to break it off because of some
lies I've told and some things I've said that hurt her feelings.
She has now started talking to a new girl and wants to cut
communication with me. We have been joined at the hip
since our first date, and I don't know how to handle this! Is
this just another phase in our relationship, or should I look to
move on? Help me, please.
- Lipstick Junior
Dipstick: You were kids when you met
they give us a unique perspective on our
and even though you've both grown up a
lives. We are challenged in relationships
lot since that first date, you are still quite
in ways we are not when we're single. In
young. Like most of us, you've made some
the same vein, there are other lessons
''
WHAT
YOU RE
FEELING NOW
IS WHAT ALL
THOSE SAO
LOVE SONGS
ARE ABOUT
-IT S CALLEO
HEARTACHE
ANO IT
WILL PASS.
1
1
''
mistakes along the way. That's part of life.
we can learn only when we're solo. Use
more. I know, kind of a shocker. LJ, you
Rather than focusing on the stud and if she
this separation to work on your integrity
need to get to the reason why you lied and
will come back to you, look at yourself and
and the things that caused you to hurt
work from there. Where did it go awry?
what it was that caused you to lie to her
the one person who's most dear to you.
you learn? Relationships are great because
22
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
How can you stop history from repeating
itself? This is a teachable moment, and
and hurt her in the first place. What can
Lipstick: Well, Dipstick, I couldn't agree
you must lean into the sharp point of it. It's
v1Ews1LIPSTICK+DIPS
ICK
going to be super hard-because
you've
people are still stuck in their own ignorant
been connected at the hip for a big chunk
little prison, the walls of which are built
of your young life-but
with bricks of their own shit. Unresolved
you need to give
issues around their own sexuality, insecu-
the stud space. This may well be the
period at the end of your sentence. What
rity, and fear-mongering foolishness at its
you're feeling now is what all those sad
finest. Didn't they get the memo? It's OK
love songs are about-it's
to be gay now.
called heartache
and it will pass. With time. Trust me on
this. You just need to let yourself feel it
Dipstick: Lipstick, there you go
wholly and not try to numb it away. Here's
again-"human
my advice, for when you're feeling a bit
ing." How about, my leeriness about this
consciousness is expand-
better: Why not start chatting up a new
service is expanding! Paying, how will
girl of your own, ay?
talking to a mom who can be uber-sup-
Dipstick: Did you just say "ay"?
connection to you help heal the wounds
portive because she has no real emotional
from your family of origin? She just might
Lipstick: Yes, I'm a Canadian now. "When
make you feel worse about yourself and
in Rome ..."
the shitwall between you and your own
folks. I liken it to when someone's having
Dipstick: Lipstick, didn't you hear
issues with their partner, so they go online
anything I said? Junior does not need to
and start having an emotional affair with
chat up a new girl. She needs to contem-
an Internet stranger. They may be getting
plate her own life-go
their needs met, but not in a healthy or a
to a silent retreat,
meditate, drive cross-country, hitchhike
healing way.
through Europe, take a welding class.
This is a time-you
can call it a phase-of
Lipstick: Whaaat? Don't listen to Dip.
self-discovery and growth. Make the most
Just be strong, babe-you
of it!
order that Mom-by-Phone. Lipstick has
go ahead and
decided it's a fine, inventive idea. Get love
Dear Lipstick & Dipstick: Same old story.
and support where you can. We're all the
My parents have never accepted who I
same, we're all connected, and, as I see it,
am. They weren't outright mean when I
it's no different from paying for a therapist.
came out, they just pretended they didn't
Except maybe you can score some home-
hear it and have done their best to ignore
made cookies out of the deal!
it ever since. I see them once or twice a
year. So here's the weird thing: I found
Dipstick: Instead of hiring a pseudo-mom,
a service where you pay for a substitute
why don't you pick up the phone and give
mom to call you up and talk to you. I've
your non-commission-earning
never seen anything like this, and I'm not
call? Start taking baby steps toward an
sure what to make of it. I haven't used the
adult relationship. Don't wait for an invita-
service yet, and I know I should just grow
tion. Call her. Visit her. Talk to her the way
up and get over it, but it still hurts that my
you want to be talked to. Relationships
own mom would rather ignore me than
can heal, but both parties need to put in
face who I am. Do you think there is some-
the work and the time. Give her another
thing wrong with using a service like this?
chance to be your supportivemom.com.
It seems legit (mysupportivemom.com).
- Paying for a Parent
Lipstick: Of course it still hurts. How are
you ever going to "get over" your parents
passive-aggressively rejecting you? I'm
fascinated by your question, because we
had no idea such a service existed. My
first thought: How interesting-paying
for
positive energy. My second thought: How
Do you have a burning
sad. I guess no matter how far it seems
we've come, and no matter how much
question for Lipstick
& Dipstick? Write to
human consciousness is expanding, some
ask@lipstickdipstick.com
mother a
Rickie's Return
Eclectic artist Rickie Lee Jones has a new album-and
a new hometown.
BY DAVE STEINFELD
"It's Christmas time here in New Orleans
The streets are empty but for
we three Queens
Who follow the fire of an old guitar
That burns so bright over the local bar"
R
ickie Lee Jones exploded onto the music scene
in 1979, fully formed. Her self-tided debut
featured 11 songs that ranged from the catchy,
lighthearted "Chuck E's in Love'' (a Top 5 hit)
to heartbreaking ballads like "The Last Chance Texaco" and
"Company:' That album made her an overnight success: She
graced the cover of Rolling Stone, won the Grammy for Best
New Artist of 1979, and became the first musical guest on
Saturday Night Live to be allowed three songs instead of the
customary two.
But Jones defied expectations right off the bat. Her
sophomore set, Pirates, bore little resemblance to the jazzy
24
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
stream-ofconsciousness
lyricism that had made her famous.
Pirates was the first of many left turns she would take. Among
other things, Jones has released three collections of covers ( the
most recent being The Devil You Know); tackled trip-hop on
1997's Ghostyhead; and unveiled a concept album about Jesus
Christ (her 2007 masterpiece, The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard). Despite the temptation to record "Chuck E's Still in
Love" or "Chuck E Gets Divorced;' Jones has never made the
same record twice.
Her new album, The Other Side of Desire, is significant for
several reasons. It's her first album of all-new material in at
least a decade; it's the first on her new indie label, The Other
Side of Desire Music; and it's the first since she left the West
Coast-where
she's lived for decades-and
moved to New
Orleans. You can feel that city's presence on the new disc the
way you could feel Los Angeles on her earlier efforts.
"Now you wake up again in that old black hat
Another dream of me,
bet you don't tell her that
Now you roll over, turn and smell her hair
It's warm down here for Christmas; we all
hope you're cold up there"
"I don't think there would be a record if I didn't move here;'
says Jones when she calls me from the Crescent City on a late
spring morning."! tried to stick solely to New Orleans-based
sounds. There's one song called 'Haunted' that evokes the girl
groups of the '60s that came out of this town. [Then] there's
the Fats Domino kind [of song], 'Jai Connais Pas: I was able
to stay focused and inspired by all the kinds of music I hear
[in New Orleans]:'
The Other Side of Desire-which was produced separately
by John Porter and Mark Howard-isJones's
best album since
The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard. Its tide comes from the
track"Christmas in New Orleans:"'! thought, I wanna write a
Christmas song-maybe somebody'll [actually] play it!" says
Jones with a laugh. "I imagined
the three kings, and walking
around New Orleans when the
streets are empty, and a nativity story happening, but maybe
not on Earth ... ! don't tell people [this] because everybody
goes, 'Oh, I didn't get that; and
I don't wanna quash the meaning for them. But for me, the
end of [this song] makes it clear
that this is a letter from hell.
Maybe hell is New Orleans,
and we live here, drinking and
singing songs, while the people
up North have their money and
their happily-ever-after. And
we re sending postcards saying
'Wish you were here:"
The album's opening song,
"Jimmy Choos;' is another standout and hearkens back to her
earlier work. "[That] was written one evening after a difficult
phone call;' Jones explains. "When I hung up, I took refuge in
the guitar ... And whatever that spirit is that speaks to me, it
spoke through me, and I was lifted ... ! [had] images of [someone] throwing pop bottles from a rooL.I thought she might
be a transvestite, but in the end it didn't matter. Whoever is
wearing those shoes, come out tonight-someone
loves you:'
"So when you're lost out here on The
Other Side of Desire
Come on in and warm your hands on
our eternal fire
We're all drinking and singing songs,
full of Christmas cheer
And every ghost there at the bar wishes
that you were here"
2015 is a big year for Jones. In addition to the release
of her new album, a documentary about her that was directed by the Canadian filmmaker Gail Harvey is slated to
open in the fall."[Gail] came to see me play ... and we hit it
off," says Jones. "You know, we're about the same age, and
I'm just able to be a way with her that I haven't been able
to be with guys. I like guys-but
there's a whole other dynamic [with them]. So she's the man right now!" (For the
record, she adds, "I have so many lesbian friends:')
In the film's trailer, there is a powerful moment as Jones
reflects on the arc of her career and how she's gone from
being the It girl, appearing in Rolling Stone and recording for Warner Brothers, to someone who now, at the age
of 60, releases her music independently. She says, "It's a
profound, horrible experience to be treated like you're
no longer important. Because you don't wanna fuck me
anymore, I'm not important:' FUCK YOU!" When we
speak, I ask Jones to expand on that. "I think that is the
story of menopause," she replies. "There's this thing that
happens when you're young and
attractive. Horrible men whistle
at you as you walk by, and you
go, 'I hate that! When will that
end:" And it does end-and
it's
wonderful. You don't feel in danger anymore. But the other thing
that happens is that people start
to call you 'ma'am:'Ma'am' means
'Step back ... I no longer accept
you as a girl. You are a ma'am:
So it's a dubious blessing. At the
same time that I don't feel like
lecherous people are looking at
me, I feel like I am incrementally
being thrown away. Now, when I
go to a public place where I have
to wait in line, they'll wait on
everybody but me! They don't
even see me anymore, because
I'm a middle-aged woman. And it is because I'm no longer
a sexual object," she continues. "[As if] that was my only
attraction ... It hurts:'
"How do we explain a time as crazy as ours?
How do you explain a love that fell down
from the stars
And burned a light into the dark?
That was my life for a while ..."
Thirty-five years after Rickie Lee Jones won that Grammy
and graced the cover of Rolling Stone, her life is still a singular
one. New Orleans may have replaced L.A. as home, but she
is still the uniquely gifted artist she always has been, singing
about young girls and pirates, rivers and trains. She can still
hit one note and make you weak in the knees. And whether
the music business and the general public know it or not, she
is still beautiful. (rickieleejones.com) •
SEP/OCT
2015
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25
HOT
LICKS
))BYKELLYMCCARTNEY
Kacey
Musgraves
C,1vers1I
MlsirGT
1p)
Pageant
Material
KaceyMusgravesis one of
the staunchest alliesthe
LGBTQcommunityhas right
now in the world of country
music. Not only did her last
album'sbiggesthit, "Follow
YourArrow," includea musical
highfive to girls kissinggirls,
but the releaseparty for her
new PageantMaterial was
held at a Nashvillegay bar
and Musgravesinvited local
drag queensto lip sync the
tunes. It was a brilliant and
sincere ploy on her part, and
it fit the songs perfectly. Like its predecessor, PageantMaterial is chock full
of ruminationson weed smokingand smalltown living,with an ever-present
theme of beingokay with exactly who and how you are: "I'd rather lose
for what I am than win for what I ain't," she sings in the title track. While it
definitely feels like Musgraveshas found her strength and she's playingto it,
if you don't find the first five tracks thoroughly endearing,then maybe music
just isn't your thing.
MARKtTP
So Close ... So Romantic
10%Offwith
promo code
CU2015
Lesbian Owned
,: Be-achfront
Shelby
Lynne
I Cantlnagine
(Ro~n~eu-js;
Let'sbe clear about one thing
right up front: ShelbyLynne
can sing. Her soulfulvoice
is nimbleenoughto belt one
phraseand whisper the next.
Evenjust the openingtrack
of I Can'tImaginemakesthat
point abundantlyclear as its
lyrics alignthemselveswith
her delivery:"I threw these
colors down in a fit of rage.
My feelingshardlyfit onto the
page.Cloudymemoriesmake
for darker days, but blue is
how I paint myselftoday."
After that, though,Lynnesettles into mostly softer sways and swaggersthan
we've heardfrom her on records past. Listeningpast the voice, the writing,
too, employsa lightertouch. Thereare no brash proclamationshere-a Lynne
trademark-but it's hard to criticize someonefor not writing what mightnot
be true for them in that moment.In the end, I Can'tImagineis a pleasantenoughlisteningexperience;it's just not a highwater mark in a discography
filled with highwater marks.
Lega
nage,
Honeymoons
and RomanticGetaways
www. high landstnn-nh .com
1-877-LES-B-INN
26
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2015
Hotinthe
Kitchen
Aarum Hurse is ready
to cook for you.
BY MELANIE
BARKER
B
m and raised in Detroit,
Aarum Hurse, a.k.a.
esBlnTheKitchen,
as spent her entire life
around food. Her culinary education
started in the kitchens of her greatgreat grandmother, grandmother,
mother, and aunts-the
kitchens where friends and neighbors
would congregate, lured by the
lovely aromas of good cooking.
"It was like having extra family
members!" recalls Hurse. "My
passion for food started then:'
She's pursued the art of cooking
ever since, even as she worked a
day job in TV production, but
it's her cooking that has built her
a following on lnstagram. "People
love the fact that I'm not a che£ just
a home cook who enjoys getting in
the kitchen and drinking whiskey and
seeing what I can come up with. I love
food-it's truly my passion-and
women:' Aarum Hurse has now written her first cookbook, Culinary Cool:
Everyday Food,which is availableas an
e-book. "Cooking should be quick and
fun!" she says."Now I'm ready to cook
for you, you, and you over there!"
28
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2015
NAME THE THREE INGREDIENTS THAT
ARE ALWAYS IN YOUR PANTRY.
BACON, BACON, and BACON!
OK, really,bacon is my go-to food, and
it's what my next cookbook is about: It's
called Bacon, Bitches & Breakups.Also,
I'm in love with goat cheese and sea salt.
YOUR ULTIMATE DATE NIGHT MEAL TO
WOO A SPECIAL LADY?
This question is funny to me. I never cook for women on the first date,
or even the first few dates. It's just so
easy-they can see that coming a mile
away. If I had to woo a special lady, I
guess I would go with whatever she
likes-even if it's seafood, which I'm
deathly allergic to but have made for
ex-girlfriends. And if I do, this means I
really like you, because I can't even smell
it without getting a little sick. Now, who
I would love to cook for and almost die
for is Kerry Washington, or Jasika Nicole
from Fringe.Yes,these two women I would
gladly get rushed to the ER for.
WOULD YOU LIKE JUST ONE LADY TO HAVE A
PERMANENT PLACE AT YOUR TABLE?
I am flying solo, very much single. I tend to
get women to fall for me, but then, about
30 days later, hey, they are like, "Yeah, never
REVIEWS/
FOOD
MAPLE BACON WRAPPED PORK TENDERLOIN
STUFFEDWITH SAGE & WHOLE GARLIC
mind, you are such a bull-headed Taurus:' I'm very
set in my ways-growing and learning, but it's taking
time for me in some areas. I just decided to no longer
chase women. I love women-like, almost as much
as bacon-but I have been romancing the hell out
of them for about 15 years and I'm over it, ready for
someone to chase me. All my friends think I will never
pick just one, but I'm more than ready for a wife, and
maybe kids. Ready to come home and have someone
cook for me!
YOU LEARNED TO COOK FROM THE WOMEN IN YOUR
FAMILY, BUT WHY TURN COOKING INTO A CAREER?
My career producing reality TV hit the wall after eight
years, and I started to cook more and more just to relax
after work. And my friends kept saying,"You have to
do something with this food!" So @LesBln TheKitchen was born. After my almost-four-year relationship
ended and my career hit the wall, I moved to Seattle,
changed career paths, and started working more on
the book. I've grown my followers and I'm ready to
grow the brand even more. What the followers like is
the fact that I'm just a home cook who thinks outside
the box, and that I'm transparent-I can be having
a bad day and they will know about it, but mostly in
those bad days I'm still cooking and smiling, and they
dig that. Also doesn't hurt that they love my boobs and
bacon posts!
WHICH CELEBRITY CHEF INSPIRES YOU?
My favorite celebrity che£ hands down, is Anthony
Bourdain. I love this guy.His shows are amazing. He
has the same zero-fucks point of view as I do, and is all
about the food and the moment. He's my spirit animal
for sure, and ifl could meet him and also have a food
show like his then my life would be the shit.
Bacon,Bitches& Breakupsis out this winter in time for
INGREDIENTS:
1 head of garlic, top sliced off
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 to 11/2 lbs. each)
1 tbsp. ground sage
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
12 fresh sage leaves
1 handful chopped fresh thyme leaves
12 (1/4-inch thick) slices maple bacon
Cooking time: 1 hour & 10 minutes
Temperature: 375°F
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Arrange tenderloins on work surface. Season each tenderloin
with half the ground sage and ground cumin. Cut 3 slits
in the top of each tenderloin. Stuff the slits with uncooked
whole garlic bulbs and sage leaves.
- Wrap 6 strips of bacon around each tenderloin and tie the
bacon in place with kitchen twine.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sear
the tenderloins until golden brown on all sides.
- Transfer seared tenderloins to a medium roasting pan, place
in the oven, and cook to medium doneness, about 1 hour to 1
hour & 10 minutes.
- Transfer tenderloins to a cutting board and let stand for 10
minutes. Remove twine before carving.
- Plate and serve.
Christmas.•
SEP/OCT
2015
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29
G
enderqueer porn star Jiz Lee burst onto the scene
a decade ago in Crash Pad, a game-changing adult
film, and has been a force to be reckoned with
ever since, but they ("They" and "their" are Lee's
preferred pronouns) are changing the game again with their
new anthology, aptly entitled Coming Out Like a Porn Star: Essays on Pornography, Protection, and Privacy (ThreeL Media).
Whether or not you've ever wondered what it's like to tell your
people-friends,
family, whoever else is in your life-that
you're doing porn, you'll need to read this book. It's that good.
The stories are fierce, poignant, funny, dramatic, and at
times a big ol' mess-and
you may well find yourself identifying with the feelings, frustrations, and triumphs of the
storytellers and the issues they invoke, because, after all, they
are coming out. And, interestingly enough, the contributors
Lee has chosen for this book include many popular queer
porn stars, including Drew De Veaux, Papi Coxxx, Cinnamon
Maxxine, Betty Blac, Jackie Strano, and Lyric Seal, as well as
the sex-positive icon Annie Sprinkle, who gives readers tips
that are profound, direct, and oh so very real.
The idea for Coming Out Like a Porn Star was sparked by
30
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SEP/OCT
2015
Lee's own coming out process. While they have been a queer
porn star for over a decade, it was still hard to come out. As
you may well imagine, being close to their family and living a
double life was taking its toll. "It was creating a divide between
me and my family," says Lee.
Lee also knew there was a very real chance that the family
would find out on their own, which was becoming a very real
possibility, not because they were looking-they
weren't-but
because Lee is often interviewed by the media, so the clock was
ticking. In "Noooooooodie Girl," adult performer and writer
Stoya makes a great point: "Murphy's Law of Inappropriate
Behavior states that if you make a habit of taking your clothes
off in public, eventually everyone in your family (including members so distant they share less DNA with you than
a chimpanzee does with a cuttlefish) will somehow stumble
upon documentation of what you're up to:' And in Lee's case it
held true. "After I came out to my family, that is exactly what
happened. My stepmom opened her computer and an interview I did with MSNBC was already on her browser:'
Coming out in any way is a wild ride of emotion, and for
Lee it was no different-and
they were afraid. "To help me
find the courage to come out, I started asking other performers how they did it:'
Their stories helped, so Lee began coming out to people one by one-starting
with their father and saving their mom for last-a beautiful and, yes, surprising
story in its own right. "My mom is a Christian, and I thought she would take it
the hardest, so I told her, at last, while we were out walking her dog-and
I was
actually sorry I waited. She surprised me by saying, 'A good Christian doesn't
judge, and it sounds like what you're doing is making you happy and healthy:"
Happy and healthy indeed, but for Lee the coming out process still isn't over.
They still have their teenage brother and sister to tell, so it's a work progress,
but it's one that has been good to them. "The biggest fear is that we're going to
lose the people close to us, but sometimes it can bring us closer:' For Lee that
was definitely true, but in this anthology, just like in life, you will find all kinds
of different experiences-some
will break your heart, some will make you smile,
others will make you think, and still others will inspire you. But no matter what
the outcome of coming out, the performers in this book all have something in
common-courage.
"People showed so much bravery in writing about this and
being willing to step outside their comfort zone;' says Lee.
Lee's own warrior nature also deserves to be recognized. By giving voice to the
experiences of the performers in the book, Lee is taking on the cultural stigma
that comes with making your living in the sex industry, and the obstacles it ere~
ates for many performers to be open and honest about who they are and what
they do. In a larger context, Lee is also taking on our "culture of sexual shame;'
and giving readers a sex~positive message that is transgressive, courageous, and,
well, life affirming.
Yes, go ahead and give Coming Out Like a Porn Star a read, but be warned-you
may just find yourself jonesing for the sequel. ( comingoutlikeapornstar.com)
•
HOT
READS
))BYKATYSANTA
MARIA
Patience
andSarah
I' ,u(
,ou
v,u
Jluu1
Audible Studios announces some fantastic
news for avid readers, car-driving listeners, and
queer-loving folks everywhere: An audiobook of
the coveted historical fiction novel and lesbian
classic Patience and Sarah, by Isabel Miller,
will be released this September. Miller's novel,
which was originally called A Place for Us, was
self-published into 1,000 copies and hand-sold
on New York street corners in 1969. Two years
later, it was taken up by a publisher and given
the American Library Association's first Gay
Book Award in 1971.
Interestingly enough, Miller wrote the novel
based on the true story of two nineteenth
century lovers, painter Mary Ann Willson and
her partner, who lived in Greene County, New
York. Women in the early 1800s had limited modes of public expression-regardless
of their sexual orientation-so the novel certainly makes for an informative and
enjoyable read of two women's beloved, sexy "promiscuity."
Patience and Sarah will be narrated by two-time Grammy Award winner and
singer-songwriter Janis Ian, as well as three-time Emmy Award winner and film,
television, and stage actress Jean Smart.
We recommend that you prepare early for this much-awaited audiobook debut:
Plan a long road trip, pack headphones on your airplane travel, or simply anticipate
curling up in bed, listening to Ian and Smart's soothing voices-you don't want to miss
out this September. (audible.com)
~
Perfecting the Big 0
Lesbian author Jenny Block on how to have the ultimate orgasm.
BY YANA TALLON-HICKS
J
enny Block, Lambda Literary
Award-winner, sex writer, and
author of the new must-have sex
manual O Wow: Discovering Your
Ultimate Orgasm, wants you to come so
hard you can't even see straight."You know
you've had an ultimate orgasm when you're
unable to operate a motor vehicle after having it;' Block exclaims loudly to me over the
phone as she walks around her neighborhood in Texas. "I don't mind talking to my
16-year-old daughter about these things,
but she doesn't much like hearing me do it.
"When I've had an ultimate orgasm;' she
shouts excitedly, "I feel like I wouldn't be
able to pass a drug test, because that's how
high I feel after having it! It's as if women
have all secretly agreed to settle for some
diluted version of an orgasm-like
we're
grateful for whatever we can get. When you
really commit to your orgasm, you feel like
you're going to scratch your eyes out if you
don't come. Sometimes you cry, sometimes
you shake. I've even passed out. That's the
kind of orgasm we should be striving for:'
Block's passion about passion is almost
as climactic as an orgasm itsel£ and this
genuine commitment to female-bodied
pleasure shines through every page of 0
Wow, which covers everything from clits
to cunnilingus to cultural shame. As Block
is a woman who once finessed her own
orgasmic capabilities with the fairy godmother of female orgasms herself-Betty
Dodson-I'm
certainly inclined to follow
her lead. "Betty Dodson taught me that
having an orgasm is something you can
do as a learning situation. Like dancing
or singing or anything else, having an ultimate orgasm is taking your body's innate
ability and honing your skills to make it
better:'
Though we're inundated with the latest
in technology and tricks when it comes
to modern sex advice, Block's best suggestions for better orgasms begin at the
beginning, with our bodies, brains, and
often-overlooked basics:
32
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SEP/OCT
2015
GET BACK INTO YOUR BODY: "Be selfish.
Be present. Give yourself permission to feel
the things women have been taught not to
let ourselves feel-our partner's touch and
sexual pleasure:'
INSERT TAB A INTO TABB?: "Lesbian sex is
pleasure-oriented instead of goal-oriented:
We're both familiar with the equipment,
and we don't have Cosmo magazine telling
us what we should be doing. Women who
sleep with women are really lucky because
what sex looks like isn't laid out for us. Sex
has been heterosexually defined as inserting Tab A into Tab B, but with lesbian sex
ibly important, whether you're on your own
or with a partner. Of course it bruises my
ego when my girlfriend asks me if she can
touch herself when we're having sex, but
I always say yes and I always mean it. We
need to let go of this sexual ego and take
our time with each other and our bodies:•
AN XXX RATING CAN BE OVERRATED:
"Girl-on-girl porn is more back rubbing,
showering, and hair brushing than anything else. We need to remember that porn
is entertainment, not education. I don't
know about you, but I can't remember the
last time I had an orgasm from getting my
hair brushed:'
GET REAL ABOUT REAL SEX: "My partner
is so ticklish, she starts laughing hysterically
when I'm in the heat of it. You'd think this
would kill the mood, but some of my best
orgasms happen after my girlfriend and I
let ourselves laugh and play. The best sex
comes from letting go of all the serious
stuff-candles
burning and curtains billowing-and just having real sex:•
STOP TRYING SO HARD: "An ultimate
orgasm is giving yourself permission to
come really hard, every time! To have all
the things you want to have and try all the
things you want to try. We try so hard to be
good girls-socially, sexually, and culturally-and we're trying our way right out of
great sex. We've got to stop that:'
there is no Tab A. We get to make up our
own rules and we should embrace this. The
second we give in to heteronormative definitions of what sex is, we lose our homecourt advantage:'
GET OVER YOURSELF: "Let go of this bravado of 'making a woman come: You can
facilitate her orgasm, sure, but you cannot
make her come. You are not solely responsible for her orgasm. Masturbation is incred-
I picture Block rounding the corner back
to her house in what I imagine is a quaint
suburban Texas town, having just woken
the neighbors with shouts of ultimate orgasms and pornographic hair brushing.
And, having been around the block with
Block just once, I marvel at how much we've
all learned about how to be good at not being "the good girl:' You say you're not into
shouting from your front lawn about how
hard you came last night:' That's OK-you
can just read the book. •
REVIEWS/
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
SEX
33
Of Girls, Horses, and Cameras
Revisiting the cinematic oeuvre of lesbian filmmaker Monika Treut.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
F
or Monika Treut's many fans,
her 2014 film Of Girls and
Horses, released last June by
Wolfe Video, may seem to be a
sharp departure. It's not an unadulterated
exploration of female sexuality, like Virgin
Machine, Seduction: The Cruel Woman, or
Lesbian Nation, and it's not a documenta~
ry, like Female Misbehavior, which stars the
notorious lesbian~feminist cultural critic
Camille Paglia. Treut's latest film is a com~
ing~of~age story about a troubled lesbian
teen, and an homage to the writer/ direc~
tor's lifelong love of horses.
34
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2015
"It's always hard for me to compare
my own films. This film is just another
side of me," Treut tells Curve, claiming
that the notion of a "career" is some~
thing foreign to her. "I am still in the
fortunate situation that my life is very
closely connected to my filmmaking,
so that I can really follow my own cu~
riosity about certain subjects," she says,
explaining that 30 years ago she made
films about sadomasochism because it
was a particular interest in her private
life. "But now, I'm not that interested in
sadomasochism anymore;' she laughs.
While she may modestly dismiss the
formal application of the word "career"
to her oeuvre, Treut has made over 20
films since 1981, beginning with How
Does the Camel Go Through the Needle's
Eye?, and, with the exception of the
iconic Barbara Hammer, no one else
has been dedicated to making lesbian
films for as long. A PhD in philology
(from the University of Marburg, in
Germany), Treut began her career in
film as an avid member of the audience.
"As a teenager, I really enjoyed seeing
movies by [Rainer Werner] Fassbinder;
some German directors, like Alexander
Kluge, whose theory was that movies
exist to expand people's imagination;
and, at that point, Polanski," Treut
says. Films by these directors, especial~
ly Kluge, including more broadly the
REVIEWS/
independent cinema of the 1970s and
'80s, had the most impact on her as a
nascent filmmaker. For Treut, the Berlin Film Festival was her film school.
"I would go there in the morning, and
I would camp out in the Academy of
Arts, and I would see, like, six or seven
films a daY:'
Cinema, especially LGBT cinema,
has changed meteorically since Treut's
early days of filmmaking. When asked
if she thinks LGBT cinema has become
more conservative as it has merged
into the mainstream, Treut observes,
"I wouldn't call it more conservative. I
would call it more commercial:' Pointing to the example of San Francisco's
Frameline Festival in the 1980s, she
says, "The audiences and the programmers were so much more open to experimental and avant garde film then,"
but suggests that part of the problem
is that there is just so much gay cinema
right now-festival
programmers
are
simply "overwhelmed with the amount
of product out there."
Another part of the problem is the
capitalist pressures put into place by
commercialism.
The same types of
films-"boy
meets boy" and "girl meets
girl," she says-are
being made in recent years. "Obviously, it must fulfill a
need, so I don't belittle it, but I am personally not drawn to these films:'
At the same time, Treut, like the rest
of the lesbian world, is waiting with bated breath to see Carol, Todd Haynes's
adaptation
of Patricia
Highsmith's
1952 novel, The Price of Salt. "Haynes is
a fantastic filmmaker," she says. "I love
his work, and I feel that he has almost
like an androgynous sensibility. I don't
regard him as a male filmmaker-he
has an amazing ability to portray women in his films."
For queer female filmmakers who
may be struggling to financially produce their work, Treut encourages them
to avoid professionalism at all costs and
just gather some friends
and be playful with the
camera. "I see so much
about training sessions,"
she laments, "I feel the
art is being removed, and
the fun is gone, even before they start making a
movie. I wish they would
be more daring and just
jump into it, without being so stressed and afraid
of fulfilling [professional
obligations]:•
Treut, for her part, is
going to continue living
life-which,
for her is
synonymous with making films. And for that,
FlLM
audiences are grateful. At the close of
the interview, when I ask her which of
her films she recommends to young
queer women, Treut chuckles. "I can
say that, funny enough, after all these
years my little old badgered Virgin Machine still gets feedback from young
women about how it has changed their
lives and that they enjoy it so much.
I'm happy that this film in particular
is shown around the world-in
Turkey,
in Asian nations, in countries that are a
little bit behind in women's and queer
liberation. This film;' she ruminates, "is
doing something still:' •
HOT
FLICKS
))BYMARCIE
BIANCO
Tig
"Comedy is always a risk," Tig Notaro says about the response to her now-legendary
show at the Largo in 2012, in which she announced that she had cancer. Whether it's
with "little titties" or no titties, Notaro fearlessly puts her body-a 44-year-old, cancersurviving, seemingly androgynous body-on display front and center in her new
documentary, Tig,now available on Netflix. Like Amy Schumer, whose acclaimed show
Notaro has written for, she is revolutionizing physical comedy, but in her own way. On
the heels of her other documentary, Knock Knock, It's Tig Notaro, which premiered on
Showtime back in May, this new one offers a much more intimate lens through which
audiences can encounter the comedian. More than just a rehearsal of her life-altering
year-a debilitating C. diff bacterial infection, her mother's unexpected death, a serious
breakup, and breast cancer, all of which happened in 2012- Tigfollows Notaro as she
endeavors to rebuild her life and to make a family, including getting pregnant, which
is nearly impossible for survivors of breast cancer. For Notaro, pregnancy and child
rearing would be a way to connect with her mother, whose untimely passing has had a
lasting emotional impact on her. The documentary also tenderly follows Notaro's budding
relationship with her flancee, the comedic actor Stephanie Allynne, whom she met on
the set of Lake Bell's In A World-a relationship that began on promising yet precarious grounds, since Allynne had never before considered
dating a woman. Tigis a touching portrait of the comedian as she moves beyond the stage and into her life's journey. (beachsidefllms.com/#tig).
SEP/OCT
2015
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35
••
Alana Powellwears
Androgynous Fox Logo
VNeck
Photo: Molly Adams
Imaginative designs from a
fashion-influenced lesbian.
Beck Holladay wears
Take Notes, Boys V
Neck
Photo: Nick Woolley
BY MARCIE BIANCO
enee Periat grew up as a young and
confused tomboy in a small Califor~
nian coastal town with a population
of around 600. After a period of
acting girly to fit in, she acknowledged what she
had suspected from a young age: that she was
a lesbian. Moving away to a larger town with
more visible diversity, she began to experiment
with her selfpresentation. The girly~girl lie
she'd been living gave way to a more masculine
look. "My gender pendulum swung back and
forth for the next several years as I tried to
find my comfort zone;' explains Periat, who
is the creator of Androgynous Fox, the latest
cool clothier for fashion~forward androgynes.
"It wasn't until the age of 27 that I stumbled
upon pictures of [androgynous English fashion
model] Agyness Deyn, and felt something
inside me awaken. It wasn't sexual attraction or
curiosity- I had found myself in her:'
36
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SEP/OCT
2015
...
...
..
Elise Applegate wears
Genderless Is More
Crew Neck and V Neck
Photo: Rebecca
Richards
....
.
.....
...
...
...
..
..
:
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• 38
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SEP/OCT
2015
......
......
......
FEATURES /
ST
..
she dressed lik:e
her confidence increased.
Marissa Lauren wears
Androgynous Fox Logo
Baseball Tee
Renee Periat
Photo: Elanor Jarque &
Amelia Spitler
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
39
Inspirational tees for every tomboy.
40
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SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES /
.:LA~
BRAVE
ST
I
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
41
~
Wt WPP
Cool accessories that support
awesome causes.
42
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SEP/OCT
2015
FEATURES /
ST
BE THE END OF CANCER
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
43
SURVIVORS'STORIES
BOLD
LINES
Underwear that is out for awareness.
BY MELANIE BARKER
G
endedess underwear brand PLAY OUT's summer campaign this year featured a power~
ful body~positive photo series featuring breast cancer survivors who had undergone double
mastectomies and chosen not to have breast reconstruction. Rather than wear prostheses,
these women, like approximately 60 percent of female breast cancer survivors, chose to re~
main bilaterally Bat. And far from being shy about their scars, they posed in PLAY OUT's bold new
summer line of undies to achieve three goals: challenge gender norms; champion body positivity; and
promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
Pictured above from the photo series "Emily & Jodi" are bilaterally Bat breast cancer survivors
Emily Jensen and Jodi Jaecks.Jaecks (left), is a Seattle breast cancer survivor who won the right, after
months of appeals, to swim topless in a city pool after her double mastectomy made wearing swim
tops painful. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department reversed a decision and decided to allow
Jaecks, and others whose breasts had been surgically removed, to swim with freedom and comfort.
Born and made in the USA, PLAY OUT is an androgynous and gender inclusive line of boxer~
brief style and trunk~style underwear marked by a comfortable ht, quality fabric, bold prints and
colors. PLAY OUT Co~founder Abby Sugar is on a mission to make wearers "feel comfortable in
their own skin, no matter their gender (or even if they don't identify with a gender), and in turn, feel
comfortable in their most intimate garments-underwear:'
(playout~underwear.com)
...J
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0
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0
z
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0
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
45
THECOURAGE
TO PERSIST
A lesbian photographer documents her wife's mastectomy and recovery.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN BRENNAN
hen I recently visited Taos, N.M., I
met the lesbian creative couple Kath~
leen Brennan and Kat Duff. Brennan
is a documentarian and a photog~
rapher, Duff is an author. She is also a breast
cancer survivor.
In 2003, when Duff was diagnosed with
breast cancer, Brennan documented her phys~
ical and emotional journey with photographic
portraits in the style of American photogra~
phers Edward Steichen and Diane Arbus.
"I think for Kat this was a way to remember
her breast, her body as she knew it all her life.
Photographing the changes her body was go~
ing through was as much for my dealing with
her loss as it was for her;' Brennan wrote in the
catalogue for the 2004 exhibition "In Praise of
What Persists" at the Harwood Museum of
Art, Taos.
After the photos were completed, Brennan
says that Duff had returned to her vital sel£
"She looked like a beautiful butterfly emerg~
ing from her cocoon to express her new body.
These pictures are about the triumph of the
human spirit, regardless of what is happening,
even in the face of death:'
Duff, the subject of these images, which
some may find confronting, had a lot to come
to terms with: "I don't get cancer! I may get
other things, but I don't get cancer;' she re~
calls thinking. Then came the reality of losing
a breast (and later losing the other, too), and
dealing with "the unsettling residue of surgery:'
"People tell me I'm brave to allow these pho~
tographs to be shown;' says Duff. "To me it's
not that brave. Brave is facing the needles and
knives of cancer treatment. Brave is caring for
a loved one losing parts of hersel£ a loved one
you might lose. Now I look around me and see
so many, many people with the courage to per~
sist through life's ravages and love among life's
uncertainties. It's the human miracle:'
W
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
47
LONGLIVE LOVE
H
igh-powered
Hollywood
talent agent Nikki Weiss, the lithe,
in-control blonde on season one
of The Real L Word, found the
love of her life in Jill Goldstein, a friend from
childhood. They married, they had a child
together, and life was picture perfect for the
fit and telegenic couple. But life threw them
a curve ball when Weiss, then 40, was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer.At the same
time, as they were raising a 3-month-old baby,
Goldstein was losing her father to cancer.She
entered a state of shock and denial. 'This was
the love of my life.This was the person I was
supposed to livewith till we were old and gray.
This was not supposed to happen to her. I
was overcome with such paralyzing fear that
the only way to be the pillar of strength she
needed was to enter a true state of denial. So
I went into warrior mode, where action was
the only course. But inside I was dealing with
a sense of dread and panic that brought me
to my knees. The notion oflosing her, of Adler losing his momma ...there aren't adequate
words to describe those feelings:'
Weiss was initially diagnosed with stage
2A, ER&PR-positive breast cancer with one
lymph node involved, but when her doctor
requested additional MRI testing, her right
breast lit up suspiciously."!thank my surgeon,
Dr. Kristi Funk, for saving my life, as the initial biopsy of my right breast, after the MRI,
came back negative. Dr. Funk didn't trust the
results, and truly it's a blessing that she didn't.
I don't know where Ia.be today:'
For seven long months, Weiss kept the diagnosis a secret from most family members,
friends, and co-workers. "I truly didn't want
to believe that I was sick, nor did I want anyone to treat me like a patient, feeling sorry for
me:' She took the drug Herceptin, underwent
a targeted form of chemo once every three
weeks for a year to attack the HER2 cancer,
and had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. She takes the drug Tamoxifen daily and
The Real L Word's Nikki and Jill beat cancer and add to the family.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
think it's so important for our son Adler to
probably will for 10 years. Studies show that
the longer the drug is taken, the more benefi~ grow up with a sibling, especially since I am
cial it is. But she's had a hysterectomy, since a an only child and never had that experience.
side effect ofTamoxifen is uterine cancer. 'Jill's Also,Jill and I are older parents. She is 39, I'm
the baby~maker of the family;'jokesWeiss,"so 43. I want him to have someone to go through
I figured one working uterus is enough, and I life with, and someone to take care of us with
didn't want to take any chances:'
when we're old! Because you know, I expect to
be here another 40~plus years:'
Weiss's prognosis is good. But she's not
Goldstein always wanted a second child,
complacent for herself-or for other women
who may be unaware of the dangers of breast but during her wife'sdiagnosis and treatment
cancer.Currently diagnosed as N.E.D. (no ev~ that dream faded. "I knew she'd be scared to
idence of disease), she is closelymonitored by death about bringing another child into this
her breast cancer surgeon and her OB~GYN,
world. She used to tell me that she didn't want
and by her oncologist through blood work, to leave me alone with two kids. It broke my
tumor marker tests, and a physical exam. heart to even hear those words:'
Weiss admits that she has real fears of a
She has a scan once a year."I hold my breath
during every exam, and I don't think this will recurrence. "I would never want my children
ever change:'
and wife to be left behind. But, Jill always tells
She shared her story with the world me, if I worry about tomorrow, I'm going to
through a piece she wrote for The Huffington miss today.And she'sright. I'm here. I'm living.
Post,and appeared on HujJPostLive."Through I'm currently healthy and I intend to stay that
that cathartic essay and conversation, I began way for a long time:'
A lot changed for Weiss: She no longer has
my true healing process:'
Goldstein marvels at her wife's resilience. time for the panic attacks that she used to suf~
"Nikki was a true warrior who held her fer fi-om,and she'snot the workaholic she used
head up high through every step of surgery, to be. "Now I allow myself to pick Adler up
fi-om school, to close the office a little earlier
recovery, and healing;' says Goldstein. "Her
complaints were almost non~existent. She on a Friday,to put down my phones and com~
accepted everything she had to endure with puters at 6 p.m., to go on vacation:'
"Our family grew stronger every minute of
such grace. But I knew that despite her game
face, on the inside my fighter was scared and the process;' adds Goldstein. "Our apprecia~
hurting. And there was so little I could do, tion of one another grew immensely.Life,love,
outside of providing the normal care [for her togethemess ...none of these things are taken
and Adler] and around~the~clock hand~ and for granted anymore:'
heart~holding:'
While the disease took its toll on the
couple's
love life-"understandably, Nikki
Looking back, Weiss sees how Goldstein
felt
un~sexual
for quite some time;' confides
and Adler were her motivation for fighting
and surviving. "He brings me so much joy. Jill-she focused instead on fostering "a beau~
He's the light of our lives. So, with no more tiful emotional intimacy and appreciation that
treatments and no evidence of disease, we propelled our marriage and family forward
thought it was the right time to commence ever further. Happy to say that two years into
remission, all'sback on track!"
our growing family:'
And baby boy No. 2 is due in December.
In July, Weiss broke the news that Gold~
stein was expecting their second child, a "He'll be our little Hanukkah present;' laughs
brother for their son Adler, who was 2. "I Goldstein.
imr.erative tnat r.ou are tested for the BRC~
ease and finding out that she was a carrier.
SEP/OCT
2015
CURVE
49
A TALEOF
RESILIENCE
hen Jillian Potter first stepped onto
the rugby field at the University
of New Mexico, she had no idea
what she was doing. But after a few
scrums and tackles, she was smitten, instantly
hooked on the physicality of the sport. Everything was new and exciting-from the people
she met to the smell of the dirt and grass beneath her cleats."Everyonewas so inviting and
so welcoming, even though I didn't know how
to play,'' Potter says, laughing. But then she
turns thoughtful. "There's this sacrifice that
you have to have for your teammates, because
you lay it all out every minute of every game.
It's incredibly unique:'
For Potter, now a 28-year-old lesbian athlete, U.S. Olympic hopeful, and professional
rugby player, her first foray into the sport was
in college. But she was able to hold her own
while she learned the rules and regulations
on the fly.Within just a few months, others
started to take notice of her athletic prowess
and asked her to participate in a USA Rugby
Under- 19 Training Camp.
"When I first started playing, I just tackled
the person with the ball;' Potter explains. "So
I had a bit of a learning curve when I arrived
at camp. I remember the coach talking to me,
and he was going on and on about the lines of
the field, and I had no idea what he meant. I
was clueless:'
Nevertheless, the coach was impressed.
Potter received an invite back to camp and
was soon scouted for the USA Rugby Under-23 squad. At 19 years old, she joined the
USA Rugby Women's Eagles Team to represent the country in international play. She's
been playing for them ever since.
"I think that representing your country is
a remarkable privilege;' Potter says. "It's hard
to put into words, but the feeling is incredible.
Every time I hear the national anthem, I tear
up, whether I hear it before I play or watch it
W
Professional rugby player Jillian Potter has been knocked down by everything from
injury to cancer. And she keeps on getting back up.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
on TV. It's so moving for me. I'm honored to
get to play the sport that I love:'
Potter isn't the only one who loves to play
rugby. The appeal of this sport has spread
across the country, and today more women
are joining dub teams than ever before. Potter
is proud to be a catalyst for that, which is why
she plays the game, as openly and honestly as
possible.''Alot of people will say that rugby is
a gay sport;' she laughs,"but it's not. It'sjust an
open arena to be who you are, and people are
so supportive of you being who you are:'
Coincidentally, Potter happened to meet
her wife on the rugby field after moving to
Denver, Colo., in 2011. When you move to
another city as an Olympic rugby player, says
Potter, the first thing you do is look for a serious dub team to join. "I met [Carol] on the
practice field for the Glendale Raptors R.F.C.;'
she adds. "Our first date was weight lifting:'
The two were married in August 2013.
Hearing Potter talk about playing rugby
is like hearing a composer talk about a symphony-she's incredibly passionate about her
craft and completely dedicated to the sport.
When she suffered a broken neck in 2010, it
seemed like some kind of cruel joke. "It was a
fluke accident;' Potter explains."Stufflike that
rarely happens. I didn't even know it was broken until a month later. That's when I knew I
had to take my recovery more seriously:'
Potter had to spend the next three months
in a neck brace, and a year doing physical therapy. She missed the 2010 Women's Rugby
World Cup, and she was determined not to
miss out on the 2014 World Cup. After struggling through a variety of muscle imbalances,
especially on one side of her body, and training hard to get into pre-injury form, Potter
worked her way back onto the rugby field.
Incredibly,the crueljoke didn't end there. In
July 2014, Potter discovered she had a tumor.
The doctors thought it was benign, but after
numerous tests she was diagnosed with a rare
form of cancer- stage III synovial sarcoma.
"I went through shock-like, whatr" Potter
confesses."I thought, how is this happening?
I'm young, I work out, I eat well, I do all the
good things people are supposed to do, and
you're telling me I have this? It didn't sink in
until I had to tell my team. And then again
when I had to tell my mom. Who wants to tell
their parents something like thatr"
Throughout the course of her cancer treatment plan, Potter was on a mental, emotional,
and physical rollercoaster. She candidly admits that she had plenty of good and bad days,
but her teammates and the rugby community as a whole were there to support her and
helped her pull through. Potter also says that
Carol was a driving force in her resilience and
recovery."Shewas my No.1 person, who, even
ifI was sitting on the couch crying, feeling depressed or sad or angry, she would never make
me feel bad for feeling that way, she would allow me to feel those emotions:'
After almost two years of treatment and
chemotherapy cycles, Potter started training
this summer for the 2016 Summer Olympics
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will be rugby's
return to the Olympics after 92 years. By the
end of the summer she should have the same
strength and endurance she had before the diagnosis. Even though she feelsgood physically,
synovial sarcoma has a high rate of recurrence
for the first fiveyears following treatment. Every three months, Potter has to go back to the
doctor for monitoring and an MRL
''The amount of fear and anxiety that goes
on when I think about if the cancer will come
back still haunts me;' she says. "You have to
find a way to push it into the back of your
mind, because it's always there. But you can't
live your life in fear. Cancer is uncontrollable,
but I can control how I respond to it:'
Potter's life story is an inspiring one. Al-
ready, she's had to overcome more obstacles
than any one person should have in a lifetime,
and yet she's done it with grace, honesty, determination, and an unbelievable amount of
courage. Although there's no how-to instruction manual to help guide you through life's
pitfalls, setbacks, and unexpected twists, if
there were such a book, Potter would be the
author. And it would be a bestseller.
Victory for the United States Women's National
Soccer Team.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
A
ccording to Wikipedia, a tick~
er~tape parade is a "parade
event held in a populated
urban setting, allowing large
amounts of shredded paper ( original~
ly actual ticker tape) to be thrown from
nearby office buildings along the parade
route:' It takes a lot of planning and fund~
ing to pull off something of this mag~
nitude on the streets of New York City,
which is why these types of parades have
only been reserved for the city's champi~
onship pro~sports teams.
The most recent parade was originally
up for debate amongst city officials but
it needed to happen-not
only to cele~
brate the momentous achievement of the
United States Women's National Team
(USWNT) but also because the last fe~
male athlete to earn a ticker~tape parade
honor was women's figure skater Carol
52
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SEP/OCT
2015
PHOTOS BY GRACE CHU
FEATURES/
sPO
FEATURES/
-
Heiss Jenkins, for her gold medal-winning performance in the 1960 Olympics.
It's now 2015.
What the USWNT accomplished far
transcends the soccer field, and goes way
beyond gender. The television ratings of
the championship game against Japan
were so high (25.4 million), they beat
Game Six of the NBA Finals between the
Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland
Cavaliers. The previous ratings mark set
for the Women's World Cup happened in
1999, the last time the USWNT won the
title.
Title IX, the transformative federal law
that prohibits discrimination on the basis
of gender in any federally funded activity, was enacted in 1972. It is the primary
base in which all women's sports organizations, teams and athletic achievements
have been subsequently built upon. With-
sPO
out it, there would be no Women's World
Cup. There would be no USWNT. There
would be no Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd
or Megan Rapinoe. Soccer is at the highest popularity peak the sport has ever
seen in this country. And to deny that the
USWNT had something to do with that
fact is to deny history in the making.
When Mayor Bill de Blasio took the
podium after the parade to explain why
he was giving the USWNT the Key to
the City, he began by saying, "There's a
special honor we give here in New York
City but you have to be someone truly
extraordinary, because we have very high
standards [in this city]:'
The USWNT has won a total of four
Olympic medals, 10 Algarve Cups, andof course-is the only women's international team to win three World Cup titles.
Extraordinary is an understatement. •
URES/
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
FEVER
Anticipating Key West's Kelly McGillis
Classic Flag Football Championship.
BY MELANIE BARKER
PHOTOS BY DOC
It's shaping up to be a big season for In~
ternational Women's & Girls' Flag Football
with sporty women set to gather in Key
West for the Kelly McGillis Classic Inter~
national Women's & Girls' Flag Football
Championship.
The sporting challenge, held January 25
through February 12016, is named for and
endorsed by award~winning out actor Kelly
McGillis, a former Key West resident.
Diane Beruldsen, president and found~
er of the IWFFA, told Curve that more
than 60 teams from North America, Latin
America and Europe have been invited to
join McGillis for the special 25th annual
56
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
championship. "This event showcases the
different styles of female flag football from
around the world and highlights the best
of the best as well as welcoming beginners
playing for the first time:'
After three days of Key West activities
that incorporate team building and flag
football training, the opening ceremony is
set for 3 p.m. Thursday, January 28, at the
Rum Barrel, 528 Front St. Presentations
by Key West city officials and guests are
planned. Competing teams will then pro~
ceed down Key West's renowned Duval
Street in the 16th Annual Kelly McGillis
Players Parade, led by McGillis as Grand
Marshall. The games are held at Key West's
Wickers Sports Complex with awards pre~
sentations to the winning teams planned for
Sunday at Turtle Kraals Restaurant on 231
Margaret St.
Following this event, Beruldsen hinted
there will be other highlights in the IWF~
FA's calendar: a 3~month promotional tour
across the U.S. and Canada and a two~
month tour to Latin America.
For more information and a full schedule
of events for the Kelly McGillis Classic, or
for information about lodging in Key West,
visit the International Women's Flag Foot~
ball Association website. (iwffa.com) •
I
f you're sick and tired of hearing about the latest fad diet, accept~
able body shape, or hot workout trend-even when you have no
spare time to work out and it shows with that spare tire around
your middle-grab yourself a copy of Jackie Warner's This Is Why
You're Sick & Tired (And How to Look and Feel Amazing).
Warner's third book is her best yet. Structured as a three~week detox
plan, it connects this nation's epidemic of depression and autoimmune
diseases with the quotidian: what you put in your mouth each day,
what you do with your iPhone, and a bunch of other habitual behaviors
we're locked into. Best of all: It's not a diet book. Dropping extra weight
is secondary for Warner: She's on a mission to work out why Ameri~
cans, especiallywomen, are so sick, and how we can get the amazing life
we all aspire to. Her super~detox combines scientifically proven meal
plans with a reasonable exercise regimen and some serious rethinking.
Over the past few years, Warner has transformed herself from an
elite trainer and reality TV star into a wellness guru, because she knows
that your problems-from chronic illness, to stress to a general sense
oflethargy-will not be solvedjust by hitting the gym.'Tm not telling
you what the perfect workout is. What I'm talking to you about is what
it's like to have a perfect life.;' she tells Curve. "How do you become a
balanced person? How do you have a better feeling about yoursel£ your
well~being,the people in your life? How do you change the energy?"
Warner's aha moment came when her mother, who's 'constantly at
the doctor's office;'was being prescribed drugs to counteract the effects
of previously prescribed drugs. Her doctor admitted that she was pow~
erless to offer any other solution. "Doctors don't take preventive care
classes in med school;' explains Warner. "The emphasis is on prescrib~
ing medications. Listening to that doctor be so honest, and say,'I don't
know how to do preventive care; really awakened me-because I do:'
Warner has always had an interest in the science of nutrition, and for
her there is a way to heal and improve the body without using drugs:
food. "When I was young and in school I took Nutrition 101 because
I was 20 years old and I was always dieting. I asked the teacher what
to eat to stay trim and she said, "Variety, variety,variety.' And what she
meant was, we need variety in our diet because food is a drug. It has a
biological effectjust as strong as if you took a Xanax or Prozac. When
food breaks down and is absorbed in the body, it creates a chemical
reaction in your brain and in your body. You can control a lot of your
physiological signs and symptoms through food:'
This Is Why You re Sick & Tired has recipes and meal plans that are
easy,enticing, and effective.Would you say no to an Apple Pie Smooth~
ie and a Portabella Burger with Grilled Asparagus? I didn't think so.
Warner doesn't want you to binge on kale or cut carbs. These fad diets
are bad for you. If she favors any diet, it's Zone. A combo of proteins,
carbs, fruits, and veggies go into Warner's eating plan, but if you hate
veggies,do what she does: "I make myself take some spinach and some
broccoli. I put it in a cup and I microwave it and I gulp that down like
a vitamin. Or when I'm making a protein shake in the morning, I add
some frozen spinach to it. There you go:'
What you put into your body is important because it's one of the
things you can actually control. "We can live with toxins in the envi~
ronment;' says Warner. 'Tm not asking you to go live in a commune
somewhere. I live in a very toxic Los Angeles society.If you drive down~
town in some cities in America, it's like smoking a pack of cigarettes
58
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
that day.But that is not the thing that is killing us and making us sick.
It is our food supply. We have to be very careful about what we eat,
particularly meat and dairy-anything that comes from an animal
source. What they do in factory farming is abhorrent, not just for the
animals but for us as a species. We should not be ingesting this poi~
son. If you can't eat organic meat, then you need to be a vegetarian:'
Another toxic factor is technology. "My phone gets plugged in,
along with my computer, in a separate room that is far from my bed.
We know now that we should not have technology even an hour
before bed:' In fact, you should try to ration your use of gadgets and
social media, or at least be conscious of their chemical effect on you.
"(Social media] spikes a hormone called oxytocin;' says Warner.
"It's what we get in a huge dose when we're having sex, or when we're
in love with someone, or when we're interacting with our pets. This
hormone is very addictive. When we get the instant gratification of
someone giving us positive affirmation, it releases oxytocin:'
What's wrong with overdosing on oxytocin?
"We have an emotional engagement based on those chemicals.
Social media releases oxytocin all over the place, but it can cause anx~
iety when we don't get the answer that we want. When you're not
getting the reiteration you want, you can have a negative psycholog~
ical response to it. So I say just put all technology and social media
down an hour before bed:'
There is a gadget Warner is in favor 0£ and that's the iPod."Music
is a must in the gym. If my iPod dies and I don't have music, I ac~
tually will get up and leave the gym;' she laughs. "Music is fantastic
to get you into a meditative state. When you are working out, your
mind starts reacting as if you did a 20~minute meditation. It's a real
good delivery system to reframe your thinking. I only visualize things
I would like to achieve: a person I would like to meet, a trip I might
like to take. Because your mind just soaks that in:' And for the re~
cord, Warner's playlist includes "any Madonna remix;' Sia, Hole, and
Goldfrapp. ''.Anythingthat moves you:'
Now here's the tough part: Getting to the gym can be difficult
with our longer working hours, and the filters provided by social
media, which make us look better than we do. "Fitness has become
a hard sell for everybody,"admits Warner. It's much easier "tojust live
in a state of not being self~awareand not making a change, because
it's very hard to make a change:' But it's worth it. Working out took
Warner from an unfit wallflower to the woman she is today."Fitness
changed my energy. I had more confidence, I looked people directly
in the eye. The body is the carrying card for your energy, and that
energy can literally open doors-in your career, with money, with
girlfriends, with your potential for love. "It has nothing to do with
looks. It has to do with how you carry yourself If you're constantly
slumping your shoulders down, trying to hide your stomach, trying
to hide yoursel£ you're going to be a shier person in life. But if you
have your chest out, shoulders up, chin out, you're going to feel confi~
dent about yourself as you cut through the room:'
The key, she says, is the "miracle of muscle:' Muscle gives you en~
ergy, promotes restful sleep, maintains weight loss, improves your
immune system, and de~ages you. "You don't have to go under the
knife;' urges Warner. "You just have to work out. My mom started
working out at 64:'
.........
,_
•
..
NISYOUTOIG
AND
TRAIN
HER
WAY.
•
BY MARCIE BIANCO
PHOTOS BY.MAGGI£ ZULOVIC
-
.at do~s -being ''fit" meaii. -In a.
. nashtag -feminist wodg ~h~e. .
•• _the mantra •of '"b~dy ·positivi:·~
. ty"~ems to divide women irito
two categories, "real" and "not
real;" where the B~dy Mass..'Ind~x (BMI)
has been debunked' as· the sole indicatO( of
your fitnessi where reality enterprises :li~e , ..
TheBigg~~t.L_oserhave be~n revealed for the
shams they are; an9- whe~e the Internet is
saturated with conflicting, misleading, anct
downright •egregious information •about
how to lose w1ght and get in_shape?
For celebrity fitne_sstrainer and -out les~·.
bian Lacey Sto_n~,_
~ttitude is everything. "A
happy he;;i.rtmore often than ~t leads to
lasting fitness change;' she tells Curve. This
year Stone, who moved· from New York to
L.A. a few years ago and has fteadily been
focusing on her career after her divorce (rom
out lesbian actress Jessica Clarke, relaunched
her website and newsletter, the "Lacey s•tone
Fitnes~ Daily;' this su~mer, ~oncomitant.
-~
with the debµt of her new: YouTube chan~
nel. For Stone, being fit is about much more
than just appeara11,fe."It's all about how you
feel, and when aJl the-pieces of your)ife are
in good shape' it's much easier-for your body
.. . to transform;' -she says. "I like to think· that
your body is a collaboration of all the pieces •
--'of our life. If your job, your relations~ips,
or,your h~me life is bothering you;' she elab~
orates, stressing that she intentiornµly sur~
rounds h~rself with good people, "it tenas to
affec~your happin~ss, which contributes to
poor health decisions:'
..,...
• With this holistic frame of mind, Stone
champions the idea that fitness is about life~
style."If a person's lifestyle isn't healthy, they
can't expect their b9dy to be, either:'
Alluding to· her 9~~kground as a person~
al trainer at Equil\OX, Stone gives a basic
definition of good health as depending 85
percent on diet and 15percent on training.
This advice is supported by numerous re~
cent studies, reported this past June in the
New York Times, suggesting that our overall
-fitness and health depends on what we put
in our mouths rather than how many min~
utes we spend on the treadmill. Although,
particularly for women over the age of 40,
the caveat to this is that the significance of
ex-erciseon one's overall fitness increases as
we age. "Trendy workouts and fad diets are
ineffective in the long term;' she notes. They
.'are tmsustain;bl~ and impossible to incor~
. P?rate into a daily lifestyle:·• .J~ow: ctoes Stone maint;:t'inher always glis~
tening, ripped body?'The college basketball
I
·.,.
.,,
...-
IT'S
ASSI
AND
Br~U
,,
.••
,.
'!I
. ·athlet~ tur-r\~dp..ers~n;ltr~n~r hates /unni~g
fitness.:;2 ,;~gure out 'what body_sryle.··.hey\\'.ant;'
. ( which 1snot easy on the knee joipts t s ·she ~in or~er t-0._attpnetheir workouts accordingly, and
"visuali~e th~ir'goals and i:hink 'of the body.
it!
• op-~sfor'lift.ji;i.g~eights twic:e ; week and, as .
th ft>
1
. .. one of ·the m'aster instrustors at Flywheel . • they'd like to have:'
f .'
•
.' LofAngeles, spins· eight times :t week and
''An easy answer;' she says, "would be, if you
• • . also~orks-out via ~~r own sdt~stylized boo~~
want to be fit,you sl:iould really work out' five days
camp. And· she is m1riaful about what she
a week. Bootcamps are great'because they are a
~ • • . puts into h~.~~d('Right now, I'n:,.;01:af~o~.
coq,.bin;i.tipn of strength and cardio,,which saves . ,.:delivery service calleq:KLEAN, which mal<:es. time. I, sU:ggestdoing a..bootcamp -.two to three
time; a week, theri· rtifming or, spinning the re~
eating fasy, [ what _widi]my busy lifestyle-!'
Realizi~ tf1~.t n?t·Jveryone- is f~~tunate
maind~r of the week:' •
enough ·to get to work out for a hvmg, or
Stone1s i big proponent of ~he b~otcamp, el~
that every~ne cap afford a luxui;y, soy~free;
ements of which she_has showcase9-on tele'vi'sion
·gluten~free, locally~sotirced food ser~ice, she
show~·likeGood MorningAmericaand Dr. Oz. She
advises ~thers ·who w_aA.tto improve the_ir . reco"'m~ends them especially fg:rp~ople w~ry of or
boi:ed by solo W<?rl<o.uts,
and who· prefer the com~
pany of others while sweating it out.
Pier· ethos is motivational in a military~light
style, clearly a resigual of her days as an athlete,
.which is i:nanifested both in the gym and also
on Stone's• social media feeds. Her style is most
equipped for the quip~friendly Twitter, where
JfOU can find her at @L~eyStoneFIT. Gy~sper~
ational tweets fill her feed;-from "Get>Wednesday!
It's as simple as, 'Wake Up and Be Fucking Awe~
: •some!"' to ''Actions speak WAY J,ouder than words!
•• #TalkisCheap:' •
•
•
Stone's is a brand· that is u;;pologetic about
health and· fitness, wl;ich is r~freshing in an age . ,.
I whe;e society conditions women to be apologet~
ic-to begin sentences with 'Tm sorry" or "Sor,r'½',.'
but" -especially aboHt their bodies.
//
"
--·
~~
,r
~
•
''
, ST0Nf'S1s
ABRAND
THAT
IS
UNAPOlOGtTIC
ABOUT
~ITNtSS,
WHICH
ISRffRrSHING
INANAGtWHtRtSOCltTY
CONDITIONS
WOMtN
TOBr
APOlOGtTIC,
tSPtCIAllY
ABOUT
THtlRBODltS
.•
''
,.....
,-,.
in light of the current. cultural discourse <1,round
oftep claijns that only "real
women have curves;' Stone says she does know of
''.heavier people with healthy hearts that can out
run fitness models·. However, if it's negatively af-,
fectirtg your health, then ·yes it's .counter productive if your BMI puts you at risk of a heart atta~k
or dying young:' •
_
In general, though, she is "really tired" of our
culture discussing weight and body shape in relation orily to women; our obsession ~ith 'calling
certain body types 'real women'" and marginalizing others. "What about. the other wom~l), are
they not real? There's way tl90. much value plac.ed
""' on what a woman looks like and not enough on
how smart or interesting sh~ is. This needs to be • •
.,,.-a major national conversatio~. It is out of control!"
Whatever your body sh.ape, you can start the
process of becoming fit. And simply looking
rippeq or tg.ned doesn't mean you're healthy; it
really is aJl about building a completely balanced.
lifestyle. Stone's mission is to attract clients who
"want to be the best version of them{elves" and
see ·the potential for that self-actualization in her. • •.
No woman, regardless of her fitness level, should .•
have her gender expression or presentation inter-.
rogated because she doesn't conform to a cfrt_ain
body type.
•
. •
.
/
"I focµs on figuring out what-will make rny clients happy, it:}and outside,the gym;' Stone sa,ys.
'T happy if you're happy in your own ~kin:'
•q,odypositivity, which
Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher on their
comedic coupledom.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
It's not often that two funny ladies get together onstage and in real life. But that's the
true lo e, true life, or should we say, true laugh story of Cameron Esposito (left) and
Rhea B tcher (right). The cute couple will be performing their unique brand of comedy as part of the power lineup at the Northern California Women's Music Festival,
Octob r 23 and 24 (northerncaliforniawomensmusicfestival.com).
Or catch them any
time of year via their podcast, Put Your Hands Together.
THE TWO OF YOU FIRST MET PROFESSIONALLY. HOW DID THAT GO DOWN?
RHEA: I'd been taking improv classes in
Chicago and one of my teachers suggested I should try standup. Cameron was
running an open mic 5 minutes from
my house and it was one the best shows
in the city. I went and watched her host
it every week for 6 months before finally
signing up. I did 3 minutes at 1 o'clock in
the morning.
CAMERON: Yeah. I introduced Rhea
when she did that first set. She was amazing right away and-she hates when I say
this-kind of a standup prodigy. No one's
good when they first start, but Rhea was.
WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OF EACH OTHER AND DID THEY TURN
OUT TO BE TRUE?
64
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SEP/OCT
2015
RHEA: I thought Cameron was a brilliant
comic. And that is 100 percent true.
CAMERON: I thought Rhea had a great
T-shirt collection that she'd certainly let
me borrow from but she DOES NOT let
me borrow her T-shirts. Terrible.
some and had asked her to open for me on
the road. Peoria's the first place we went
for shows after we were actually dating.
I believe we went to a Denny's (Country
Kitchen) and "I love you" happened right
after.
STANDUP COMICS CAN BE A PUSHY,
DO I FEEL A U-HAUL JOKE COMING
EGOTISTICAL BUNCH, SO WHO MADE
ON ... ? DO YOU LIVE TOGETHER?
THE FIRST MOVE?
RHEA: Yes, we live together.
RHEA: I did.
CAMERON: Yeah, we're an engaged cou-
CAMERON: True.
ple in our early thirties and we've been on
the together pretty ceaselessly for the past
year. I'm trying to imagine what it would
look like if we didn't live together.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST USE THE 'L' WORD
WITH EACH OTHER?
RHEA:
In Peoria, actually.
CAMERON: Yes. Peoria, IL. Rhea and I
TWO COMEDIANS
were friends for a year before we started
dating. We toured together during that
time-I thought Rhea's material was awe-
WHAT IS THE UPSIDE AND THE DOWN-
LIVING TOGETHER:
SIDE OF THAT?
RHEA: The upside is that we really un-
FEATURES/
derstand each other and get what we are
talking about. We also help each other a
lot. These things are also the downside.
CAMERON: Upside: We get to spend so
much time together! Downside: We get to
spend too much time together!
SO, YOU'RE ENGAGED. BUT MARRIAGE:
IS IT FOR YOU?
RHEA: I'm going to find out!
and we co~host a show at the Upright
Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles
every Tuesday night.
RHEA: That show-it's
called Put Your
Hands Together-has been running for
two and a half years.
CAMERON: It's nice to have a place we
can be onstage together. I think it's im~
proved our timing and listening skills and
made us both better comics.
CAMERON: Right. We'll let you know
after we get married in December. I'm re~
cording a standup special in Chicago in
December, two days before we get mar~
ried.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST PERFORM TOGETHER AND DID IT WORK-OR
DID IT
NEED WORK?
CAMERON: We do standup
separately
LAUGH TRA
ern family so being questioned is one of
the worst things you can do to me.
CAMERON: What do you mean by that,
Rhea?
CAN YOU MAKE THE OTHER LAUGH? IS
IT IMPORTANT?
Well, Rhea's the funniest
person I know.
RHEA: We make each other laugh all the
time. It's VERY important.
CAMERON:
WHAT DO YOU MOST LIKE ABOUT EACH
OTHER? AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT
HOW
DRIVES YOU CRAZY?
MORE OF YOU?
CAN
RHEA: Cameron is very organized and
very business oriented. I love that about
her. The thing that bothers me is that she
is from a lawyer family (dad and sister)
and so she questions EVERYTHING.
I
am from a silent Appalachian/Midwest~
RHEA: Our standup show, Put Your
Hands Together, is also available as a
podcast, so your readers can listen from
home no matter where they live.
CAMERON: Yep! We could be streaming
in your headphones RIGHT NOW.
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SEP/OCT
READERS
2015
CURVE
HEAR
65
United pilot Kathy DuIson opens up about
being a lesbian in a male-dominated industry.
BY LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO
F
or as long as she can remember, Kathy Dulson
has been obsessed with airplanes.
"I spent my summer days on the softball
field watching planes fly overhead in and out of
Chicago O'Hare [airport];' the 4 7 ~year~old pilot recalls.
"I took my first plane ride at the age of 12. We flew from
Midway Airport to Akron, Ohio. I knew then I wanted to
spend my career in the sky:'
Dulson has been working in the airline industry for more
than 25 years. She started out as a customer service and
operations agent at Chicago O'Hare. During that time, she
started taking flying lessons and eventually became a flight
instructor at a local airport. Dulson then worked her way
into the captain's seat, flying regional jets. Now, she proudly
works for United Airlines as a first officer, flying not just
across the U.S., but all over North America.
"United is a great company to work for, both as a female
pilot and as a lesbian;' says Dulson. "They have a larger
than average percentage of female pilots, compared to the
rest of the industry. We have a business resource group
called EQUAL, which not only supports and encourages
the hiring of LGBT employees, but also arranges social
gatherings and provides valuable professional development
opportunities. United is also involved in several Pride
events throughout the country:'
Coming out at work is something Dulson has been ad~
mittedly cautious about in the past. But with United, she's
66
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2015
noticed a difference. "I fly with a different pilot every trip,
which usually last two to four days;' she says. "With thou~
sands of co~workers, I come out several times a week. Most
people will ask questions about my family, and they are
very supportive. United has a very diverse group of pilots.
Over the years, I have seen the male pilots grow in accep~
tance of their female counterparts, realizing we are just as
good at piloting a plane:'
Dulson currently resides in California, with her wife,
Leslie, and their dog, Kia. As an airplane pilot, she could
easily live anywhere in the country. And with the recent
Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, she's relieved that
she doesn't have to worry about whether her marriage
would be legally recognized if she did decide to move to
another state. "In California, Leslie and I were already le~
gally married, but it is now more validating and unifying
that all Americans share the right to marry:'
In the near future, Dulson hopes to move from first
officer at United to captain, as soon as her pilot seniority
allows her to do so. As for now, she's content to enjoy the
ride-and
the responsibilities of her role as co~pilot.
"I love that no day is ever the same. The places I fly,
the weather, my co~workers, the challenges of an airline
operation, and my customers are always different. I have
a unique life. I've traveled to places I would never have
seen otherwise. Plus, I always have a fantastic view out
the window:' •
SIGN
UP
TODAY
ON
CURVEMAG.COM
CKSTEADY
A tiny Caribbean island is an LGBT paradise.
BY JENNY BLOCK
' 'Hi, how are you:"' the beautiful girl at the bar said before scooting
over to make room for me. We had never met, and it wasn't as if she
was expecting me, either. Yet she seemed to give new meaning to the
words "friendly"and "inclusive:'She was a Saba Island girl, a transplant
from Holland, like many of the 1,500 people living on this tiny island in the
Netherlands Antilles.
I had landed on Saba Island only a few hours earlier, a terrifyingly exhil~
arating experience because I'd descended onto the world's shortest interna~
tional runway. It's not surprising that Saba would merit such a distinction,
considering that the whole island totals only 5 square miles. It'sjust 28 miles
southwest of St. Maarten, but it could not be any more different from its typ~
icallytouristy neighbor.
First of all, it is so green. Green, green, green. Filled with hiking trails and
views that make it almost impossible to take a bad photograph, Saba has an~
gular terrain and craggy vistas everywhere, but only one little~bitty manmade
beach.
Amazingly, as the very first Caribbean island to legalize gay marriage, this
little rock is also a forward~thinking trendsetter. Hard not to love it just on
first blush, and getting to know it seals the deal.
After checking in at my own little fairytale cottage at Juliana's Hotel (com~
plete with outdoor shower and private lily~ponded garden); devouring the
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FEATURES/
freshest tuna at the restaurant, Tropics Cafe; and lying in the sun
at the pool, with the most enchanting mountain vistas all around,
I wandered back into Tropics for Happy Hour (julianas~hotel.
com).
From the second I walked in, Vera (the aforementioned girl)
treated me like a friend, introduced me to two more of her friends,
and just like that I was part of the gang. Saba Island was beginning
to feel suspiciously like the home I never even knew I had been
longing for. Funny how a place you've never been to before can feel
so embracing and familiar.
Even the cab drivers on Saba knew my name, from the minute
I hailed a ride at the airport. No one is a stranger there. Anddon't tell my mom-I hitchhiked for the very first time in my life
there. If you can even call it that. A truck stopped and asked if I
needed a lift and I jumped in. That's the magic of Saba. Every~
one is welcome and everyone knows everyone. So much so that
as I wandered the village shops of Windwardside, where Juliana's
is nestled, someone asked if I was "that sex writer who's in town
for the weekend:' I happily replied, "yes;' and continued my walk
along the steepest streets I've ever seen.
On my second day on the rock, after a hike that left me breath~
less from the physical challenge as well as from the sweeping views
of mountain and sea, I made my way to the studio of glass master
Jobean Chambers, where I learned from her protege how to make
glass beads worthy of wearing at a party. Such a strange treat, but
one of the most wonderful experiences you can have on this funny
little rock.
Luckily,I had such a party to attend. Every night is a special one
somewhere on this island, and the party that Saturday night, with
live Latin music, was at the Queen's Garden, where I had the priv~
TRA
ilege of staying for two of my nights on Saba (queensaba.com).
All the rooms there are suites, and mine had a hot tub that
seemed to almost float amidst the hills and sky,massive windows
opening to the most exquisite views, and living space fitfor royalty.
The resort is also home to a spa that is designed to serve just
one client-or couple-at a time in its delicious open~air setting.
And the restaurant is arguably the best on the rock. The food is
fresh, the menu inventive, and the indoor/ outdoor venue offers
you the option to eat in a tree, which I did every chance I got while
I was there.
That night, the music was playing outdoors, just below my
room, and beckoned me to join anyone and everyone on Saba.
My new friends arrived, and I felt more local than I do in the very
city where I've lived for 10 years. We danced under the stars until
the music faded into the night. To say it was perfect would not be
hyperbole, just a matter of fact.
My time on Saba was way too short. But I did my darnedest
to soak in as much of its magic as I could, both at sea level and
below. I did two stellar dives, where the sea life seemed almost too
abundant to be real. Sharks and rays and turtles and fish of other~
worldly color palettes enveloped me.
The beauty of this abundant and gracious rock is just spectac~
ular. And the people. Oh, the people. Characters, every one, with
the most incredible stories and lives. The idea that I could go to
this tiny rock alone and be looped into such a charming group
within an hour still just makes me shake my head with joy and
disbelie£
If you're looking to hide, Saba is not the place to go. But if
you're looking to be embraced by sea and sky and hearts as big
and wide as both, this just might be your rock island home, too.•
SEP/OCT
2015
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71
■ ~TO
-.
r
,.
RICAN PARADISE
W
.
•
s come to Puerto Rico,
and to its most exclusive island resort.
Marriage equality ha
BY MERRYNJOHNS
I
•
• , been worth the wait: Honeymooni~g
t's been a long time commg, but_i~s
f the most beautiful and exotic
• b ·d an v1s1tone o
.
·
American lesbian n es c
ding a passport! V1eques is
.bb
·thout even nee
• lan ds in the Can ean w1
.
1s
rto Rican
mai'nland · To get there, you
located eight miles east of the Pue v·
Air Link from Isla Grande
d take the ieques
need to Hyinto San Juan ;
. plane ride in a verylightplane. You
Airport. This is a short an scemc
f
anxieties and have fun. If you re
white~knuckle it, or you can just le; go ofr;;:;an Juan is possible, although it's
too scared to fly in small planes,
. bla erry
l
gul
not near Yas re ar or as reha e. • h W Retreat & Spa. Th ey operate a
The place to stay on Vieques is t e d en present you with a welcome
fr
h •rport, an ev
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transfer service to and_ om t e
ort Lounge and a ride in a fancy eep to
k 1 hen you arnve at the rp
coc tn w
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the property!
& S a be sure to head to the
When you check in at the W Retreat_ p 0' rder some refreshments and
B &
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72
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JUL/AUG
2015
FEATURES/
this property. Perched on the edge of a gentle bluff, the W Retreat
& Spa has many natural attractions, including its own private beach,
and a small peninsula called Paradise Edge, where you can stage your
wedding vows or indulge in a private dinner with your love. Then
there are the design-centric touches weve come to expect from the
W: uber-cool rooms (mine had a corrugated iron soaking tub); fabulous common areas, a pool table in the lobby (which is called the Living Room); and an outdoor fire pit on the terrace. Then theres the
swimming pool that seems to stretch for an acre, and another pool
in the property's gardens-this one designed like a pond, lined with
black lava, and inset with twinkling little lights. Framed by tropical
plants, it's a haven for the little native coqui frogs that chirp all night
long. Take a dip after dark for a marvelous experience!
A very special meal can be arranged not only on Paradise Edge,
but at Away®Spa Lawn-a tranquil and verdant experience. And
speaking of Away®Spa, don't forget to indulge in one of their treatments. Simply heaven. Otherwise, try breakfast, lunch, and dinner
at Sorce, the property's signature dining venue. It has prime ocean
views and serves fresh, excellent, and imaginative food at every meal.
You should drag yourself away from the resort to experience the
other great thing about Vieques-its beaches. Rent a Jeep at the
W and take a leisurely drive to Red Beach (known to the locals as
Playa Caracas), which offers a gorgeous stretch of sugar-white sand
TRA
and crystal-dear water to swim or snorkel in. Another beach that
delivers a truly magical, if rustic, experience is Playa Negra, a beach
of black sand, which is said to have beneficial mineral properties.
You may want to stretch out and cover yourself head to toe with
magnetite, although be careful to keep cameras and phones off the
ground, as they may be affected by the magnetic properties of the
sand. Visually, Playa Negra is quite startling: As the teal-colored
ocean drags at the shoreline, chevrons of rich volcanic sand emerge,
which in itself is a spectacle-that is, until wild horses appear out of
nowhere and gallop down the beach. And you may even see them
again, trotting through town or grazing by the side of the road. In
many ways, these horses represent the spirit of Vieques: a wild and
beautiful place with a noble connection to the Old World and its
colonization of the New.
Legend has it that in 1521, during the Spanish Colonial period,
Ponce de Leon gathered 50 horses on his search for the Fountain of
Youth, and these horses were bred on Vieques, known even then for
its superior equines. I don't know if that's true, but it's an appealing
thought, and may explain why Vieques and the W Retreat & Spa
both have a touch of the Fountain ofYouth about them. I came away
feeling better than I had in a very long time, and when I look back at
my photos from that trip, everything seems suffused with a paradisiacal glow. (wvieques.com). •
AZING AUSTRIA
Arrive, revive, and indulge in history, culture, cuisine, and nature.
BY SILKE K. BADER
W
dged in between East and West, Austria established
tself as an international political meeting point over
centuries. Its attitude of thoughtful politeness has its
roots far back in history, when Austrians used diplo~
macy to bring together parties in conflict.To say"No" is rude-Austrians
would rather say,"We will see:' Even today, the first impression you have
of Vienna, Austria's capital, is its acceptance and diversity. The tourist
brochures that proudly list historic highlights, natural wonders, and cul~
rural activities, are not at all reticent to include Europe's biggest AIDS
fundraiser, the Life Ball (lifeball.org).
THE MOST LIVEABLECITY
Vienna has been voted the world's most liveable city for six years in
a row, and it's easy to understand why. The pace is relaxed and friendly;
more than that, it seems genuinely welcoming. The people of Vienna are
proud of it. The city's heritage is preserved in its buildings and business~
es. A pharmacy that is over 500 years old, renovated down to the finest
details, still continues to flourish. A cooperative space offers artists the
opportunity to develop their business-creating the quirkiest items you
can imagine, such as hand~sewn postcards. The Russian Barber showcas~
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TRA
es his heritage, adding to Vienna's diverse cultural mix.
Vienna is always embracing the new and conserving the old, a
stimulating combination that has transformed the city over the
last 20 years. From public art installations to music festivals, the
cultural calendar attracts visitors of all ages. The city's tolerance
is reflected in the hugely popular new traffic signs, which feature
straight, gay,and lesbian couples. The sheer diversity of the capital
means that for gay and lesbian visitors in particular the city offers
every opportunity to be themselves.
Because Vienna is one of the most tolerant and gay~fuendly
cities anywhere in Europe, gay and lesbian events are supported
by the City Council, and weeks before the Rainbow Parade gets
under way, the capital's trams are decked out with rainbow flags.
"Over the past few decades, Vienna has changed massively for the
better;' notes Holger "Miss Candy" Thor, who is Austria's best~
known drag queen. "Gays and lesbians have a high standing in so~
ciety,and people have a completely open approach to the subject,
in the truest sense of the word. The days of having to hide away
are long gone:'
FOR FOOD AND WINE LOVERS
Vienna produces 2.4 million litres of wine per year. Viennese
wine and its agriculture are an important part of the city's history
and lifestyle. In fact, wine growing in the region was introduced
by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. The vineyards are not far
from the city, and it's a lovely experience to enjoy a glass of local
wine as you gaze over the city.Wineries and breweries, traditional
and modern coffeehouses, and European eateries famed for their
quality and hospitality are on every corner of the city.
There is a very wide choice of traditional restaurants in Vienna,
but here is my pick:
Cobenzl Winery, where you can enjoy local wine on the out~
skirts of Vienna, overlooking the city (weingutcobenzl.at); for
beer lovers, Ottakringer Brewery is the place to try the local brews
(ottakringer.at); Schweizerhaus is the best place to try traditional
pork dishes and is walking distance from the Prata (schweizer~
haus.at); Palmenhaus, right on the famous RingstraBe, is a mod~
ern restaurant offering live music, local wine, and excellent food
(palmenhaus.at); and Restaurant Oben is in the heart of Vienna,
for those wanting to dine right on top of all the action (oben.at).
THE CITY'S HISTORY
From its military grounds to its showpiece boulevard, Vienna's
RingstraBe is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015. The city's
main artery represents the traditional meeting the contemporary.
It's a treasure trove of architectural details, from the sculptural
decoration on the facades of its mansions to the design of its stair~
wells and entrances.
The Vienna Prater, is an amusement park, home to the city'sfa~
mous Giant Ferris Wheel, and an oasis of greenery wrapped into
one. It has been described as one of the 10 best city parks in the
world, and covers an astonishing 6 million square meters in area.
WHERETO STAY
25hours Hotel is part of the 25hour chain. This hotel's theme
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THE SOUNDS OF SALZBURG
Salzburg is Vienna's slightly more conservative sister city and the birthplace of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It maintains
its strict traditions, proudly showing
itself off to tourists worldwide. With over
1.5 million visitors per year, Salzburg is
hardly a hidden gem. Located on the
German border, with views of the Eastern Alps and a population of just above
145,000, Salzburg is known not only
as the birthplace of Mozart but as the
long incarnation, which was created for
London's Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in
1999, The Sound of Music (1965) is the story
of the von Trapp family and has fascinated
the entire world for 50 years. When production began in Salzburg in 1964, nobody
dreamed that this movie, starring Julie
Andrews as a nun-turned-nanny, would
become famous throughout the world:
300,000 visitors a year come to see where
The Sound Of Music was filmed, an impressive number though a small percentage of
Salzburg's tourists overall. But Mozart is still
setting for the film The Sound of Music.
It is a town that stimulates your senses:
You'll want to climb that mountain, eat
the main draw; his presence is reflected
on every corner of this beautiful medieval
town.
a meal in a restaurant dating back to
803-and discover the fascinating musi-
TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS
cal history of Mozart.
These accommodations, where it is easy
A long-time favorite of the LGBT community, especially in its camp sing-a-
76
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to be transported back in time on so many
levels. may be your first choice. Villa Trapp,
which became the new home of the von
Trapp family, has been tastefully renovated, each room named after a family
member. The many black-and-white
photographs of the family throughout
the house constantly remind you of
their presence. (villa-trapp.com)
Schloss FuschI Resort & Spa is part of
Salzburg's Lake District, a 20-minute
drive from the city through rolling
hills replete with grazing cows and
traditional Austrian houses, with their
dark wooden roofs. When you arrive
at Schloss Fuschl, named after Lake
Fuschl, you are immediately taken back
in time: The resort offers a quiet and sophisticated setting, especially if you are
celebrating a special occasion. Rooms
start from Euro 240 per night, and go
to above Euro 3,000 for a two-bedroom
cottage by the lake. This is perfect for
FEATURES/
is based around circuses (25hours~hotels.com). At Hotel Alt~
stadt, the rooms are individually designed; the amazing art on
display includes works by Andy Warhol; and the hotel is located
in the heart of old Vienna. To live,sleep, and enjoy Vienna in one
of its historic buildings is in itself an absolute must. (altstadt.at)
ASK ALEXA: CITY GUIDE ALEXA BRAUNER'$ TOP 3
THINGS TO DO IN VIENNA:
1. Visit a museum, especially the Kunsthistorische Museum
(khm.at), to see the imperial art collection. Must~sees: Brueghel,
Velazques, Rubens, Titian.
2. Try Vienna's delights: coffee and cake, wine, Schnitzel. The
coffeehouses I recommend are Priickel, Landtmann, and Cafe
Sperl. Sample a Schnitzel or Tafelspitz at Plachutta Gasthaus zur
honeymooners or a group of friends here
to celebrate something special; the private
TRA
Oper. Go to a Heuriger (wine tavern) for dinner and have a
glass of Viennese wine (Wiener Gemischter Satz or Gruner
Veltliner). My favorites are Mayer am Pfarrplatz, Wieninger,
and Christ.
3. Check out Vienna's 2015 highlight: RingstraBe, (Ring
Boulevard), which celebrates 150 years this year.You can walk
it or do it on a city bike for free. Here you will find lots of in~
teresting palaces, coffeehouses, museums, and theatres. (alex~
abrauner.at)
IFYOUGO
Buy a Vienna Card, which givesyou a discount at more than
200 museums and sights, as well as unlimited free travel by
underground, bus, and tram. (wien.info) •
THE OLDEST RESTAURANT
IN EUROPE
the sheer number of unique and special
places is overwhelming.
Salzburg has maintained a conservative
attitude, but always with a smile. Perhaps it
is based on the importance of keeping the
past alive and celebrating its famous residents, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Why are so many people enchanted by
St. Peter Stiftskeller is the oldest restaurant
in central Europe, with 1,200 years of tradition. Established in 803, St. Peter Stiftskeller celebrates this long history with regular
Salzburg Festival? Or do the Salzburg
culinary highlights like Salzburger Nockerln draw the visitors? Maybe it is the
mixture of 1,000 years of history with
1,000 contemporary attractions that
makes this city such a hit.
sauna in your suite is not a setup you see
every day.
Schloss Leopoldskron was not open to the
public and went into the hotel business
in early 2014. The library comes with a
hidden staircase, and the walls are covered
with authentic artwork. It once offered the
largest collection of paintings Salzburg had
ever known, including the work of artists
such as Rembrandt and Rubens. Schloss
Leopoldskron has been dubbed the Sound
of Music palace. One of the main rooms in
the palace, the Venetian Room on the first
floor, was replicated in the film down to the
magnificent handcrafted gold wall panels
and mirrors, and served as a model for the
ballroom scene. It was also the backdrop
for the private performance of the marionette theater. (schloss.leopoldskron.com)
concerts. Guests enjoy a traditional menu,
presented as it was served during Mozart's
time. (stpeter-stiftskeller.at)
DISCOVER HISTORY WITH YOUR LOCAL CITY GUIDE
As you walk through the Old City, hire a city
guide. The historic locations in Salzburg,
the customs and traditions of its people,
Salzburg? Is it because of the music
of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the
baroque architecture from the times
of the archbishops, the spirit-lifting
See the beautiful flowers of the Mirabel I
Gardens, spoil yourself with a shopping
spree in Getreidegasse, visit Mozart's
birthplace, marvel at the magnificent
baroque cathedrals, and enjoy the buzz
of the city with a cool beer or cup of
good coffee.
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'
"Asimply
stunning
coming-of-age
story:'"SPECIALJUllYMENTION
~
Planet
London
~
DlllECTOJtMONIKATRE.•UT, l
ACTousCECI
SCIIMITZ-CIIUII
ANDALISSA
WILMS
IMACE + NATION FIL.II Fl:SI'
This beautiful drama from Monika Treut
deftly
unfolds the coming-of-age
of
rebellious teen Alex. Sent away to a horse
farm in the country, Alex keeps up her bad
girl ways but is gradually enamored with the
horses - and with the resident lesbian riding
instructor, Nina. As Nina tries to help Alex find
purpose and maturity, the arrival of
privileged young equestrian Kathy presents
new challenges as Alex grapples with her
longing for love and connection.
German with subtitles.
~
Wolfe
"Subtle
andstartling"
AherEl!en
"HeartfeIt"
Image
Out
This high-energy romantic road movie co-stars the beautiful
Sinha Gierke (It's Not Over) as aspiring law student Lucca, and
the stunning Verena Wustkamp as her new friend Valerie.
Irresistible chemistry blossoms between them as the two
women embark on a wild adventure to
deliver the ashes of recently deceased
friend Herma to her final resting place against the wishes of Herma's family.
"Aquirky
romance
drama:'
Autostraddle
-
ACROSS
1.
3.
9.
Lesbian film starring Angelina
Jolie and Faye Dunaway
33. Hawaiian garland
7.
Spanish for gal pal
34. Cuddly
8.
Gown
Dream-like neo-noir movie
set in L.A., goes with 11
across
38. Pixar film about Carl
Fredricksen
10. Take advantage of
40. Distance measurement, for
short
12. Author of Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae
42. Steal
Julie Burchill novel that was
developed into a TV Series, 2
words
11. See 3 across
12. The L Word star, Jennifer_
15. Samantha Ronson and Tracy
Young, for example
18. Annoyance for a princess
19. Medical drips
40. The Girl who Played with _
by Stieg Larsson
41. Author of The Paying Guests
and Fingersmith
45. Sex or verse?
14. Jeans brand
15. English princess
47. Popular Canadian songster,
_Murray
16. Draw forth
48. Singer of "I Kissed a Girl," Jill
22. Dated
47. Artificial intelligence, abbr.
DOWN
1.
26. Et_? (and so on)
27. Have faith in
■ 3
28. Gives in
Tinder uses it to locate nearby love interests
29. Unagi in a sushi bar
2.
Summer month, abbr.
31. One-hit wonder of 1984
25. Weather forecast staple
3.
She played a lesbian billionaire in Empire, 2 words
32. Has the hots for
30. She famously kissed Scarlett
Johansson in Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, first name
44. Morning show time
46. Compass direction
17. Pro vote
24. Brittney Griner's org, minus
one letter
27. Writer of Fun Home, Alison
43. Famous computer of sci-fi
23. Zip
49. Like some reading lamps
20. Far from Xanadu book by
Julie Anne
21. _ Armatrading's "The Weakness in Me"
13. Smart word for clothing
39. Philadelphia was set in this
state
4.
5.
6.
Orange /s the New Black star,
2 words
The sound of laughter
Barenaked
35. Bomber pilot in Catch-22
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TLOOKtSTARS
Autumn Sonata
Summer is winding down, but with Venus in lusty Leo
and Mars in earthy Virgo, things heat up again.
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Grace and Frankie star Lily Tomlin
turns 76 on September 1
VIRGO :%
%
%
Virgo makes friends from %
all walks of life but prefers %
"workers" rather than %
"slackers."She's always there %
%
to help a friend, to a point. %
There will be a time, however, %
when the well of compassion %
will dry up. It tends to happen %
%
when she perceives that her %
generosity is being taken %
advantage of and her efforts %
are not producing changes. %
%
Then, the best you can %
hope for is some practical %
advice and directions to the %
employment office. %
%
%
%
LIBRA %
(Sept 24-Oct 23) %
Proud, generous Libra is %
%
not particularly materialistic %
and tends to acquire lovely %
objects more to beautify her %
surroundings rather than %
%
to impress. What she has is %
yours and vice versa. She %
has no compunction about %
going through your stuff and %
borrowing whatever catches %
%
her roving eye. She'll soon %
forget that it ever belonged %
to you and will happily lend %
it out to uhhhh ...someone ... %
%
she forgets who. Oh, did you %
want it back? %
(Aug 24-Sept 23)
~
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Leo (July 24-Aug 23)
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 22)
Make your to-do list and just
Lionesses are charmers this
Get out of your rut, Sagittarius.
do it, Aries. Even the most
autumn and can become
You need a total refresh and
mundane tasks have their allure
influential movers and shakers
recharge. This could mean a
now as you get a helping hand
if they can prioritize and
relaxing vacation, a spa day or
when you need it. In fact, all
implement their future plans.
even a weekend in bed with
efforts could be fun if you can
The challenge is that everything
you-know-who doing who-
get a group of bosom buddies
and everyone looks so enticing.
knows-what. You may find that
to focus and work together for
a common cause. Group efforts
Be choosy, Leo, and spend your
time on powerful ladies who can
all of the relaxing stimuli will
propel you to take new action on
produce amazing results. Or is it
give you a leg up.
any long-term goals.
Virgo (Aug 24-Sept 23)
Capricorn (Dec 23-Jan 20)
grope efforts ...?
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Romantic intrigue that you
Forget about another night
Pursue anything or anyone
might try to keep secret will
in front of the television set.
who sparks your artistic
have a way of bursting out
Capricorns need to rouse
interest. It can lead to overall
over the next few weeks. This
themselves, get out of their
comfort zones and strut their
improvements in your attitudes
is actually good news, Virgo.
towards your family, your
It means that you don't have
beautiful stuff around town this
surroundings and even in how
to hide your love away. But it
autumn. You are even sexier than
you feel on a deeply personal
also means you could become
usual and have a dash of special
level. Express yourself, Taurus.
gist for the gossip mill. Grind it
something. Set your sights high
Paint, write, dance, act up. Show
exceedingly fine and it will feel
and spread your personal oil all
the world what Pride looks like.
exceedingly fine.
over town. Or over her.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Libra (Sept 24-Oct 23)
Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)
Geminis are hostesses with the
Is there a certain gal pal who
Relationships go even better
mostest this autumn. Put a bit
of flair into your home design.
yearns to be your bosom buddy,
than usual. Maybe it's because
Libra? You may be pleasantly
you realize how important
Then, show it off by arranging
surprised at who it is! Intrigue
she is to your wellbeing and
some intimate dinner parties
reigns as lust, passion and
happiness. Or maybe you've
with a select L-list. Add some
jealousy mix together and create
found that compromise can be
more intoxicating than fighting.
pithy, passionate and persuasive
a sensuous love potion. See if
conversation into the mix and
you can capture the ultimate
For Aqueerians seeking a love
the party will last into the wee
prize. Or maybe the booby prize
connection, send out good
hours. Tongues will be wagging
is more fun?
vibes. Who knows which fly
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
flytrap?
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
You may need a helping hand in
Your bold statements and
the next few weeks, Scorpio, as
opinions will have bold results
your professional aims could use
Even the most routine tasks
now. Are you prepared to say
a push. Girlfriends can come to
feel more invigorating now,
what you mean and mean what
your rescue and give you sage
especially on the job. Tackle
you say, Cancer? You will not
advice, an important career
procrastinated projects, clear off
only be taken seriously by some
contact or even a new job lead.
your desk and plan your next big
important opinion leaders, it
Charlene
Lichtenstein
istheauthor~ might even pay off monetarily. If
of HerScopes:
A Guide
toAstrology
so, spread your largess around
forLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster),~ and fund your pet projects.
nowavailable
asaneBook,
tinyurl.com/HerScopes
~
%
%
80
CURVE
SEP/OCT
2015
girl you'll lure into your Venus
for months ...
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
You are innately strategic and
move. Office shenanigans may
will know who to press and
also be entertaining. A fresh new
impress ...press again.
face can get very fresh indeed.
Will she perk your morning
coffee or give you an excuse to
take a loooong lunch?
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