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Description
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ToC Farewell Edie Windsor (p16); The Green Rush (p20); Behold the Butch (p24); A Lesbian Chef's Table (p32); Time for Tracy Young (p37); Through A Lesbian Lens (p46); Women of Color Weekend (p56); Cover: Ellen Page (p62); Discovering Kauai (p68); River Cruise Heaven (p71).
See all items with this value
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issue
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6
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Date Issued
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Dec 2017-Jan 2018
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Format
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PDF/A
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Publisher
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Frances Stevens
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Identifier
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Curve_Vol27_No6_December-January-2018_OCR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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DEC/JAN 2018 VOLUME 27#6
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BELIE\IE
SHEC U
S S E
ID
DEC/JAN
2018
FEATURES
J(J
FAREWELL EDIE WINDSOR
We celebrate the legacy of a
marriage equality activist and
lesbian icon.
2()
THE GREEN RUSH
Queer cannabis is booming,
but is it right for you?
2~J
BEHOLD THE BUTCH
Lesbian masculinity receives
the royal treatment in a new
coffee table book.
:12
A LESBIAN CHEF'S TABLE
Michele Ragussis'sculinary
adventures, from Cape Cod to
the Hudson Valley.
:i,
TIME FOR TRACY YOUNG
25 years of the top Miami DJ's
dance-floor magic.
~J(l
THROUGH A LESBIAN LENS
Meet filmmaker Lisa Gunning.
o(J
WOMEN OF
COLOR WEEKEND
Meet the force behind the
Provincetown event.
(JS
DISCOVERING KAUAI
The Garden Isle is a Hawaiian
haven for women.
71
RIVER CRUISE HEAVEN
Uniworld offers an LGBTfriendly boutique river cruise
2
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
10
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
11 OUT IN FRONT
Meet the community leaders
who are doing us proud. By
30 FILMS
Feature film Professor Marston
and the Wonder Women
discovers the queer side of the
creation of a comic book icon.
Sheryl Kay
11 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ... LGBT news from across
the country.
12 WOMEN WE LOVE
Each issue we pick a lucky lady
with a look and a life to match.
13 CURVE CONFIDENTIAL
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
By Chloe Curran
14 SHE SAID
The best celebrity quotes from
interesting queer women and
allies.
By Lisa Tedesco
34 BOOKS
New releases that will leave
you feeling inspired about lesbian culture. By Marcie Bianco
37 MUSIC SPECIAL
Meet some of our favorite
recording artists from 2017.
By Janelle Beck and Melanie
Barker
LAST LOOK
79 CROSSWORD
Can you tame our Queer Quiz?
VIEWS
By Myles Mellor
16 POLITICS
Deep thoughts and heartfelt
convictions on a different topic
each issue from our contributing politics editor. By Victoria A.
80 STARS
What do the heavens have in
store for you this starry issue?
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Brownworth
20 ISSUES
Our in-depth look into a hot
button topic affecting queer
women worldwide.
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
3
This issue we meet
women who/
just by being
themselves/ have
changed our culture
Creative
Choice
Dictionary definitions, or even a certain view of history, might
have us believe that cultural pursuits are rare, elitist, or a privilege
of the few. But in this issue of Curve-in which we end one year
and begin the next-we meet many women who, just by virtue of
being themselves and giving energy to what they like and what
they believe in, have changed our culture as a whole. From our
cover girl, Ellen Page, whose decision to come out affected every
creative choice she made thereafter, to the late Edie Windsor, who
stood up to the dominant culture when she realized she would
be penalized for committing to her same-sex life partner-we
celebrate women who have made a difference.
What does it mean to lesbian culture that Edie Windsor has
passed? Rather than merely the end of an era, I see her life as proof
positive that one person can change things.
And like the activist, the artist is often driven by a singular
conviction and a desire to bring it to the group and thereby make
the world a better place.
In this issue we meet members of our community who created
work that created change. Playwright Susan Miller didn't just
complain about a lack of representation for women in the theatershe wrote a play with five women's roles! Photographer Meg Allen
didn't bemoan the erasure of butch lesbian identity-she made a
gorgeous book about the butches she knows! Top DJTracy Young
didn't just make gay dance-floors great-she did it for 25 years!
Filmmaker Angela Robinson didn't just read that Wonder Woman
had a kinky, queer origin-she made a mainstream movie about it!
Musician Rachael Sage didn't let the events of 2017 crush her creative spirit-she turned adversity into a message of hope and joy.
It's heartening to see minority communities ringing out the old
year and embracing the next with messages of visibility: Comic
Sandra Valls wants you to grab tickets to A Latina Christmas
Special, and event director Jha D reminds you to save the date for
Women of Color Weekend in Provincetown next spring.
Whatever your cultural jam-whether it's sourcing the best legal
cannabis, learning to cook clams with out chef Michele Ragussis,
or exploring the island pleasures of Kauai-I hope you enjoy
everything this issue has to offer.
4'!7
MERRYNJOHNS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
~ @Merryn1
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RONT /
cu RVETTES
SARARAUCH
Sara Rauch is the author of What Shines From It and her
fiction and essays can be found online at Hobart, Split
Lip, Gravel, Luna Luna, and Lunch Ticket. In 2012, she
founded the literary journal, Cactus Heart, where she
served as Fiction and Managing Editor for four years.
She holds an MFA in Fiction from Pacific University and
teaches at Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop.A longtime resident of Western Massachusetts, she lives in
Easthampton with her family. (sararauch.com)
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
DEC/JAN
2018
LESBIAN
» VOLUME
MAGAZINE
27 NUMBER
6
PUBLISHER Silke Bader
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR·IN·CHIEF Merryn Johns
SENIORCOPY EDITOR Katherine Wright
CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS Marcie Bianco, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Anita Dolce Vita,
Sheryl Kay, Gillian Kendall, Dave Steinfeld
EDITORIALASSISTANTSGemma Dart
OPERATIONS
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONS Jeannie Sotheran
MEG ALLEN
Meg Allen is a photographer, adventurer and artist born
in San Francisco, CA. Her series "BUTCH" has been
featured in many online magazines including Huffington
Post, i-D Magazine, KQEDArts, Buzz Feed, DapperQ
and published in print magazines in the U.S., Australia,
Germany and France. Currently, she is freelancing in
all aspects of photography, video and documentary
film. She loves a good story and travels whenever the
opportunity presents itself. She currently resides in
Oakland, California. (megallenstudio.com)
PROOFING
PROOFREADERMarcie Bianco
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL SALES Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021
EMAIL todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR Bruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCIAL MEDIA
MANAGERGemma Dart
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Melany Joy Beck, Janelle Beck, Roxy Bourdillon, Kelsy
Chauvin, Chloe Curran, Jane Czyzselska, Mallorie DeRiggi,
Dar Dowling, Kristin Flickinger, Sanya Franich, Jessica
Halem, Sarah Hasu, Kim Hoffman, Charlene Lichtenstein,
Sassafras Lowrey, Kelly McCartney, Myles Mellor, Bella
Qvist, Laurie K. Schenden, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Lisa Tedesco
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Steph Brusig, Erica Camille, Grace Chu, Meagan Cignoli,
Shelby Coley, Sara Lautman, Syd London, Maggie Parker,
Diana Price, B. Proud, Robin Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
STEPHANIESCHROEDER
Stephanie Schroeder is a freelance writer and peer
advocate based in New York City. She has written for
The Guardian, Healthline.com, Lambda Literary Review,
and other outlets. Her work has been anthologized
in a variety of collections and she is the author of the
memoir Beautiful Wreck: Sex, Lies & Suicide. Schroeder
is currently co-editing the anthology HEADCASE:
LGBTQ Writers & Artists on Mental Health and Wellness
forthcoming from Oxford University Press.
(stephanieschroederauthor.com)
KELSYCHAUVIN
Kelsy Chauvin writes about legal marijuana and the
lesbian community in this issue. When she's not
covering the "green rush," Kelsy is mainly a travel writer
specializing in LGBT explorations, from her hometown
of New York, to destinations as far away as South Africa,
Myanmar, and Peru. She contributes to Fodor's, Conde
Nast Traveler, The Points Guy, Rand McNally, and other
publications. This issue, she visits two of her favorite
cities, Seattle and Portland. Follow her travels on
lnstagram and Twitter @kelsycc
CONTACT INFO
Curve Magazine
PO Box 17138
N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7138
PHONE (415) 871-0569
SUBSCRIPTIONINQUIRIES(800) 705-0070
(toll-free in
EDITORIALEMAIL editor@curvemag.com
LETTERSTO THE EDITOREMAIL letters@curvemagazine.com
Volume 27 Issue 6 Curve (ISSN 1087·867X) is published 6 times per
year (February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September,
October/ November/, December/January)
by Avalon Media,
LLC, PO Box 17138 N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7138. Subscription
price: $35/year, $45 Canadian (U.S. funds only) and $55
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
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Inquiries: Please write to Curve, Avalon Media LLC., PO Box 467 New
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Printed in the U.S.
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2018
usonly)
ADVERTISINGEMAIL todd@curvemagazine.com
GOLD
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TheDinah.com
II
Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
W @DinahShore I #TheDinahShore I 888-92dinah
RONT /
FEEDBACK
have made be wound back.
I hope that the women who
have achieved glory know
they are valued and admired
by women like me. And thank
you for introducing me to
Nicola Adams. What a delight
to know of her achievements
in the UK, also.
-Karen Offenheim, Saint
Paul, Minn.
INSPIRING SPORTS ISSUE
I was thrilled by your Cover
Story [V.27#5) on Sue Bird
and the discussion inside
about the importance of Title
IX to equality for women and
girls in America. The whole
issue was a feast for the
eyes, mind and heart and I
thoroughly enjoyed reading
it cover to cover. We cannot
possibly let the strides we
WELCOME WANDERLUST
I have really been enjoying
your travel section lately,
especially the real-life stories
of lesbian adventurers. The
article on the Vagabroads
["Vagabond Girls" by Laurie
Holloway, V.27#5) was
fantastic, really inspiring
and well-written. My wife
and I have been debating
the merits of selling up and
traveling the world together
while we are still young
enough to physically handle
a life on the road. This article
might just have tipped us
over the brink of indecision.
-Ally & Elizabeth, Burlington,
Vt.
if possible. Festivals like this
are important to establish
queer women's culture. There
are so many lesbian/bi/queer
female musicians, artists and
creators and we need a home
for them and their fans!
-Julie R-K, via email
MORE ON MOTHERSHIP
As someone who always
wanted to go to MichFest,
but didn't because of their
trans exclusion policy, I
was very curious to see if
Mothership would actually
land or not. I was all set to go
when I had a family drama
and couldn't make it in time.
So I would love to read an
article by someone who
did go, and find out what
happened, who performed,
and plan ahead for next year
BESTOF BEAUTY
Your beauty product
recommendation of
Soapwalla has saved my
skin-literally. I suffer from
rosacea flare-ups, especially
when I get stressed, and I
bounce around from product
to product trying to find a
solution. Soapwalla products
work and I feel even better
knowing they were created by
a lesbian. Thank you!
-Name withheld
■i•ii■:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::=·1
WHO
DID
THE
MOST
TOSHAPE
LESBIAN
CULTURE
IN2017?
6%
BILLIEJEAN KING
6%
LENAWAITHE
14%
KRISTENSTEWART
32%
KATEMCKINNON
42%
ELLENDEGENERES
For editorial submissions: editor@curvemag.com
EMAIL
Have your say: letters@curvemagazine.com
LISI
8
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
Subscriber Services are now available at
curvemag.com/magazine
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10
GIRL GAYDAR
13 CELESBIANGOSSIP
14
THEY SAID WHAT?
12
JANA
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
9
THE GAYDAR
NDS/
p
I THEGAYDAR
~
Takesone to know one? Let our gaydar
~
who'sfaking it in lesboland.
~ help you decide who'sshakingit and
~
BY MARCIE
BIANCO
Former jailed county
clerk Kim Davis is
touring Romania
to encourage the
government to ban
LGBTQ rights and
marriage equality
Gloria Steinem's tireless global
tour of duty in the name of all
women-at 83 years of age
Ellen DeGeneres asks Cate
Blanchett who was her most fun
to kiss co-star and she replies,
"Oooh, Rooney Mara"
A trailer by
Mashable
reimagines
Mean Girls as a
forbidden lesbian
romance between
Cady and Janis
The U.S. gets
serious about
erasing its
minorities:
LGBTQs
will not be
counted in the
2020Census
l
::s
SNLand
Gal Gadot
spoof Wonder
Woman's
Amazon-lesbian
appeal with
Kate McKinnon
as a geeky dyke
who strikes out
ENTQ
~~-~I~
rn
Kate
McKinnon
makes the
cover of
Vanity Fair
Cate Blanchett
and Rooney
Mara reunite
for fall fashion
and flirting at
Paris Fashion
Week and drive
shippers wild
Lena Waithe keeps it
real, brave, and gay,
post-Emmys win
Lucy Lawless plays nightclub
diva "Sappho" in gay-themed
'80s-inspired New Zealand-made
musical, Pleasuredome
10
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
The Ellen Show's
brilliant new segment,
"Oh Straight People,"
which, um, mocks
straight people
Fox's new cop drama, The Dime,
based on Kathleen Kent's novel
with a lesbian lead character, is
in development
TRENDS/
ALICIA
OESER
>>Beverly
Hills,
Fighting
Gender-Based
Violence
After the very first call she took, working for Chicago's
NE
HONG
KONG
MOVIE
STAR
JACKIE
CHAN'S
DAUGHTER
COMES
OUT
Etta Ng, 17 (at right), who is estranged from her globally famous
father, announced
her news on lnstagram by posting a silhouette
domestic violence hotline, Alicia Oeser knew she was
of herself in front of a rainbow background,
home.
Today, more than 10 years later, Oeser is the director
herself with her social influencer girlfriend, Andi Autumn (left). Ng
and further images of
posted an anniversary message to Autumn, "After all these years of
of the Campus Assault Resources & Education Program
negativity, living in shame and being afraid of the world I've come
(CARE)at UCLA. "Preventing sexual and gender-based
to the conclusion
violence makes sense to me, and I really believe supporting
love or be loved. Especially as a lesbian in a culturally sensitive so-
survivors is prevention. [In terms of a career,] I don't even
ciety I would be doing my family a favour staying hidden, silent, sit
know what else is out there. This work is who I am;' she
and behave like I've been instructed all my life. but Then you came
says.
along and proved me wrong, I de-served to be happy, love and be
After working for a decade to provide better resources
that it's easier to accept that I am never meant to
loved. @andiautumn
you accepted every single part of me."
to combat sexual violence, Oeser says the field is evolving:
In the past, sexual assault was viewed as something that
disproportionately impacted women as a whole, but today
there also needs to be a strong focus on women who are
trans and non binary. In any discussion of sexual violence,
expectations about gender need to be dismantled.
Before her recent move to UCLA, Oeser held a similar
position at Harvard. The college, she says, is exceptional
in many ways, but no school, no matter how prestigious or
elite, is exempt from sexual and gender-based violence.
"If you think about equity, which is a significant correlate
to this sort of violence, it is antithetical to elitism," she explains. "Inequity is not inevitable, but combating it requires
more work and more vigilance because of the power
imbalances that naturally occur in a highly competitive
environment with a history of exclusivity:'
While her experiences may shade the numbers a little,
Oeser notes that queer women face higher rates of violence
than their straight counterparts, and that goes back to the
issue of inequity.
"The more marginalization a person or community
• AGEORGIA
LESBIAN'S
DISCRIMINATION
LAWSUIT
is supported by 17 states and
Washington D.C.with New
York Attorney General Eric T.
Schneiderman filing an amicus
brief urging the U.S.Supreme
Court to hear and rule in the
case of Jameka Evans who
claims her former employer
discriminated against her on
the basis of sexual orientation.
The brief asks the court to
decide whether Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act protects
LGBTQ individuals can be
applied in instances where
people have been mistreated,
harassed, or fired because of
their sexual orientation.
experiences, the greater is their vulnerability; and less intentionality is offered to their health and safety," says Oeser. "I
hope as queer and trans visibility increases, we continue to
fight for intersectionality in our movements:'
In some ways the recent shift in the stance and viewpoint
of the U.S.government is a predictable outcome when
many millions of Americans have been silently tolerating
racism and misogyny.
"We are going to have to fix it;' Oeser says, "and we are
going to have to center our focus on the experiences of our
most vulnerable and marginalized first and always thereaf-
• CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR
JERRY
BROWN
HAS
SIGNED
ABILL
that will recognize transgender
people for their preferred
gender while incarcerated.
Senate Bill 310, by Sen. Toni
Atkins (D-San Diego), requires
corrections officials to use the
chosen name of a trans person
and to list the former or birth
name as an alias only.
• SERBIA'S
FIRST
OPENLY
LESBIAN
PRIME
MINISTER
marched in the Serbian
capital's Gay Pride Parade on
Sept. 17, joining hundreds
of activists and participants
carrying rainbow flags and
marching through the streets
of Belgrade. Prime Minister
Ana Brnabic told reporters,
"The government is here for
all citizens and will secure
the respect of rights for all
citizens. We want to send a
signal that diversity makes our
society stronger, that together
we can do more:'
• ALESBIAN
SOLDIER'S
FUNERAL
WAS
PICKETED
BYWESTBORO
Baptist Church on October
14. Sgt. Donna Johnson,
29, of Raeford, N.C., died in
Afghanistan on October 1. The
Westboro group, established
by Fred Phelps in Kansas, has
for years picketed the funerals
of LGBTservicemembers,
saying that their deaths were
God's punishment for the U.S:s
promotion of homosexuality.
ter, because safety for some is really safety for none."
- By Sheryl Kay
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
11
NDS/
PROFILE
w
"'
a.
::,
0
i
::;:
12
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
~
TRENDstGOS
CURVE
CONFIDENTIAL
Celesbians ... they're just like us.
BY CHLOE CURRAN
~
• CARA DELEVINGNE WAS SEXUALLY HARASSED BY WEINSTEIN
Harvey Weinstein spent decades sexually harassing and assaulting women. Since the
New York Times initially broke the story, dozens of women in the entertainment industry
have come forward with horrifying accounts of sexual abuse at the hands of the once
powerful producer. Joining the chorus is supermodel and actor Cara Delevingne, whose
experience with Weinstein reflects a common truth for queer women: many men view
female homosexuality as only acceptable when it pleasures, benefits, and involves men.
Delevingne shared her story on lnstagram, including her account of how Weinstein
insinuated Delevingne's career would inevitably suffer because she publicly dated women.
• LESBIAN PRODUCER ALLEGES SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY AMAZON EXEC
Amazon Programming Chief Roy Price allegedly harassed lesbian producer Isa Hackett
while en-route to and during an Amazon party. They shared a taxi to the event and once
inside the cab, Hackett says that Price repeatedly sexually harassed her, insisting, "You
will love my dick." Hackett told Price that she was gay, married, a mother, and absolutely
not interested. Hackett says Price continued harassing her for the cab ride and at the
Amazon party. Inspired by the women standing up to Weinstein, Hackett went public in
an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter. After two years' silence, but within
three hours of the story's publication, Amazon suspended Price. He has since resigned.
• EVAN RACHEL WOOD EXPLAINS WHY SHE HASN'T NAMED HER RAPISTS
Evan Rachel Wood spoke out about her assault in an emotional YouTube video, also inspired by
the Harvey Weinstein scandal. While Wood applauds other women for naming their abusers,
she says she can't bring herself to do the same-yet. "People are wondering why women don't
come forward sooner or why they come out in numbers is because it's safer. They don't feel
safe enough to do so, period;' Wood explained. "I'm guilty of this as well because I have not
named my abusers, not because I don't plan on saying these people's names eventually but
because to start that process is an emotionally draining, financially draining, really everything
draining thing to do and to go through. I want to do it ... when I'm ready."
• ILENE CHAIKEN HINTS THAT L WORD REBOOT MAY BRING BACK DANA
We were teased with an L Word reboot months ago, but there's been no confirmation since
those initial headlines broke. In a new interview with TV Guide, Ilene Chaiken hinted at more
details of the new and improved L Word. "We've made progress, we've backslid in some
ways, we've gotten older, some of us, and there are new young women whose stories we're
going to tell," Chaiken revealed. "But I will say that The L Word in 2018 will be more reflective,
more inclusive than the original show we did." Chaiken misses Dana Fairbanks, who gutted
us all by dying of breast cancer. "I hope we'll be seeing Erin Daniels [who played Dana] on
the show;' Chaiken said. "I love Erin Daniels, and maybe there's some way-who knows. I've
never let go of Dana and neither has the audience ... maybe we will [see her]."
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
13
NDstSHESAID
"I appreciate
my wife every day. I
can't imagine calling her
anything else."
-Ellen DeGeneres tweets
in support of Australian
but not least, my
LGBTQIAfamily ...l see each
and every one of you. The things
that make us different, those are our
superpowers - every day when you walk
out the door and put on your imaginary
cape and go out there and conquer the
world because the world would not be as
beautiful as it is if we weren't in it."
- Lena Waithe accepting her
award for Best Comedy
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1
ENCOUNTERINGKATEMILLETT
2
INSIDECANNABIS CULTURE
DEC/JAN
2018
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Death of an Icon,
RebirthoJa
~foventent
Celebrating the legacy of Edie Windsor.
BY VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
Edie Windsor died on September 12,
2017. I cried as I wrote her obituary for
Curve's website. Tears led to sobs until I
had to stop writing and just take a breath.
That's how profound and personal the
loss of her felt, because Edie Windsor
represented a kind of lesbian activism
that is disappearing from the American
political landscape.
Edie Windsor was the lesbian great
aunt we all would love to have had"small but fierce," as Hillary Clinton said
in her eulogy at Windsor's funeral. Edie
Windsor was also representative of our
political and cultural history-the
time
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before Stonewall and the time after. At
88, she'd weathered the 1940s and '50s,
the era that produced the Ann Bannon
novels and other lesbian pulp fiction.
She'd come of age when lesbians met via
word of mouth in bars and restaurants,
intimate clubs and big private house
parties. She met Thea Spyer, her first
wife and her partner for 46 years, at the
Portofino, a Greenwich Village restaurant
that went gay on the weekends in the
1950s and '60s. She met her second wife,
Judith Kasen, at the LGBT Community
Center in the West Village, decades later.
Edie Windsor's life paralleled the course
of the modern lesbian movement in
America.
Windsor was charming, funny, bawdy.
She was as full of life as any teenager.
And she was devoted to making the lives
of lesbians-and
other GBT peoplebetter. She knew what it was to be on the
receiving end of discrimination; she knew
what it was to be silent and hidden, to live
a double life. Edie Windsor knew what it
was to be a second-class citizen and she
didn't want that for anyone else.
When Windsor was working in tech,
as one of the first women to rise through
the ranks of computer engineering until
she had national security clearance and
was working on UNIVAC, a computer the
size of a Manhattan city block, she had to
disguise her engagement to Thea Spyer.
Rather than explain a diamond on her
ring finger, she wore a diamond circle
pin, every day until the two married in
Canada two years before Spyer's death
in 2009. Windsor attempted, once, to get
Spyer on her insurance at IBM, where she
had risen to the company's highest-level
technical position, but her application
had been rejected. In 1975, she took
early retirement to focus on activism and
VIEWS/
caring for her increasingly debilitated
partner, who had progressive MS.
In the 1950s, in the days before
Stonewall, being out was a crime, being a
lesbian was a mental illness, and being an
out lesbian was one of the scariest, most
solitary, most dangerous things to be in
America. At the time of her death at 88,
Edie Windsor had lived the fullest of lives.
Not only had her fight for equality for
lesbians led America to marriage equality,
with the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling
in her case, United States v. Windsor, but
the path Windsor had taken for decades
to get to that place had also chipped
away at the bedrock securing misogynist
claims to men-only spaces in science and
technology and legal precedent.
Edie Windsor was an iconoclast in
the truest sense, and one of the last of
her generation of activists and cultural
warriors.
She championed
lesbian
visibility, lesbian love, lesbian desire.
She championed us as the unique and
separate and discriminated-against class
that we are. It is my hope that her story will
propel other women to take up her cause
for lesbians-for our lives, our loves, our
history, our increasingly tenuous futures.
Since 2015, I've been working on a
book on lesbian erasure. It's a history
that goes back centuries and leads into
the present day. Lesbian erasure includes
witch-burnings,
stonings, and honor
killings. It includes incarceration in mental
hospitals,
enforced
heterosexuality,
conversion therapy, corrective
rape.
Lesbian erasure includes laws meant to
penalize or obliterate lesbian existence.
Lesbian erasure includes the denial
of lesbian desire and lesbian agency
in academic treatises on "romantic
friendships," or the erasure of butch
and gender non-conforming
lesbians
by means of transgender revisionism.
Lesbian erasure includes dismissing our
separate, distinct, and unique lesbian
culture, obliterating it with terms that
some argue are broad enough to replace
it, like "queer" and "questioning."
Erasure is real. Discussing it is not just
an academic or a rhetorical exercise.
That's why Edie Windsor fought her entire
lesbian life for lesbian visibility. Lesbians
continue to fight not just for recognition
of our existence, but for our very lives. On
the day I wrote this column, Nikki Haley,
the United States ambassador to the
United Nations, voted along with some of
the most repressive regimes in the world
against the lives of lesbians and gay
men. While the UN approved a resolution
condemning the use of the death penalty
in a discriminatory fashion, including to
punish "apostasy, blasphemy, adultery,
and consensual same-sex relations,"
Haley, voting for the Trump administration
and the U.S., the most powerful nation in
the world with arguably the most gays
and lesbians, voted against the resolution
and for international law to condone the
execution of lesbians and gay men simply
for being who we are.
Thirteen
countries
currently
have death-penalty
statutes against
consensual same-sex relations. Over
70 countries have laws criminalizing
consensual same-sex relations, which
were illegal in the U.S. until the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v.
Texas in 2003. Lesbians are frequently
targeted by these laws in more oblique,
extrajudicial ways, as signaled by the
epidemic of corrective rape of lesbians in
South Africa, Jamaica, and other nations,
as well as the incarceration of lesbians
who are openly defiant of anti-gay laws.
These laws have always been used to
separate women from their children,
and the lack of protections still, even in
the U.S., means that lesbians are fighting
decades-long battles. Sometime in 2018,
the fight for protection for lesbians in
employment may make it all the way to
the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of
Jameka Evans or Kimberly Hively, two
lesbians, one black, one white, who were
fired from their jobs for being gay.
All of which makes fighting for lesbian
visibility and agency more vital.
Edie Windsor was the antidote to
erasure. She loved lesbians and she loved
being a lesbian. At Pride festivals and
events, Windsor could be seen in a rakish
fedora or in a T-shirt that read "DYKE" or
"Nobody Knows I'm a Lesbian."
Almost no one writes about lesbian
love, but in the announcement of the
2016 marriage of Edie Windsor and Judith
Kasen, the New York Times focused on
the odyssey of lesbian love. Edie Windsor
had fought to memorialize her marriage
POLITI
to Thea Spyer, and to gain all the legal
benefits that accrued to heterosexual
marriages. With her lawsuit, she won that
right-to have lesbian and gay marriages,
our romantic lives, have legal and social
meaning. But would she herself ever love
again? Yes, as it happens, she did. Of
Kasen she said, "I was empty, and then
this woman walked into my life. I didn't
think it would happen again, and it did.
She is it."
A few years ago, while interviewing the
iconic lesbian mystery writer Katherine
Forrest, who had also come of age
before Stonewall, Forrest told me, "Our
histories are just beginning to be written.
These stories must be told, they can't be
allowed to disappear."
As women,
lesbians have been
acculturated to think that our lives have
less meaning than those of men. It's
imprinted on us from birth-imprinted
so
deeply that we may not even be aware that
we've inculcated that perception of our
lives. But how else to explain the dearth
of lesbian histories, the acceptance
of academic works that redefine our
passionate lovers as cuddlesome pals,
the shrugging off of the very word
"lesbian," which is subsumed under "gay"
or "queer."
Edie Windsor, for me, stands as a
signpost of our collective lesbian past
and a beacon into our collective lesbian
future. Lesbians Who Tech named their
coding scholarship for lesbians, queer
and gender-nonconforming women after
Windsor. The scholarship provides the
visibility, tuition and support for LGBTQ
women that Windsor herself never had,
but thanks to her, now can. The trail she
blazed will continue for others to follow.
Remember Edie Windsor. Don't let our
lesbian history, the challenges we have
faced and the ones we have yet to face,
go unremarked on. We are at a historical
point when those in power want to turn
back the clock to a time when a 23-yearold Edie Windsor moved to Manhattan
to pursue a life in tech when there were
no women in tech, and pursue a quest
for lesbian love when everyone said
that not only was it not possible, it was
also twisted and wrong. Edie Windsor
fought till her final breath. How can we
possibly do less?•
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S/
TRIBUTE
Millett (left), and Schroeder
Rest in
Power,
Kate
Millett
Remembering the
iconic lesbian-feminist.
BY STEPHANIE SCHROEDER
I'm not going to lie. Kate Millett was
frustrating to interact with.
Her classic book Sexual Politics,
a radical feminist analysis of the
oppression of women published in 1970,
was based on her PhD dissertation. Kate
was both a celebrated theoretician of
second-wave feminism and, to those
who knew her, a very complicated
individual. Both intellectually brilliant
and tortured by mental illness, she was
alternately charming and brutal.
I met Kate Millett at The Farm, her
art colony near Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She
had purchased 10 acres of land with the
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money she received for Sexual Politics.
She subsequently purchased additional
acreage, opened the place to women
artists, and turned the land into a
Christmas tree farm in order to make it
self-sustaining.
When I landed in front of The Farm
on Old Overlook Road, I was exhausted
and befuddled. It was my first time
encountering
such a large group
of Amazonian
women,
presumably
lesbians. They were assembling furniture
in the front yard of the farmhouse.
I must have had a frightened look
on my face. No one noticed I was there
except Kate, who walked over, put her
arm around my shoulder, and said,
"Kid, everything is going to be OK." She
smiled warmly and directed me to the
cottage where I would stay that summer.
I was 22.
I had, of course, read Kate's books.
Her reputation as an outspoken radical
activist and artist was enormously
appealing to me. As a budding lesbianfeminist from the Midwest, I was thrilled
by her forthrightness in discussing both
misogyny and lesbian sex.
I worked with Kate in her silk screen
studio and learned the art of hand-pulled
silk-screening. Alongside a crew of
other women, I also helped to renovate
existing structures on the land and build
others from scratch. I drove tractors,
pruned pine trees, and had passionate
and many times divisive conversations
around a huge dinner table in the
evenings. I remember, too, numerous
arguments during which Kate became
enraged-bellowing
in a deep, affected
Irish brogue that everyone was against
her.
I spent several summers at The Farm,
meeting activists and writers of all
kinds, including Phyllis Chesler, Andrea
Dworkin, Dorothy Randall Gray, Barbara
Love, Sydney Abbott, and the current
first lady of New York City, Chirlane
McCray.
My time at The Farm took place in the
context of Bowers v. Hardwick, a case
in which the Supreme Court upheld the
conviction of a gay man who had been
arrested and charged for engaging in
sodomy in his own home in Georgia.
Tracy Chapman was "Talkin' About a
Revolution."
I visited The Farm on and off in the
years after my residency there but had
various negative encounters with Kate,
became estranged from her, lost touch,
and moved on.
rekindled
my relationship
with
Kate after 9/11, and after I received
my own diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
She blurbed my 2012 memoir, and
more recently she contributed to the
anthology about LGBTQ mental health
that I am co-editing. In fact, her longtime
partner and collaborator, Sophie Keir,
emailed me the day before she and Kate
left for Paris to check in about the photo
file for the book and to say they hoped to
get together when they returned.
Kate was in Paris, where she and
Sophie went every year to celebrate
their birthdays, when she had a fatal
heart attack just eight days shy of her
83rd birthday.
One of the many memories I have
of Kate is a time when the residents at
The Farm were discussing our safety as
lesbian, bisexual, and feminist women.
She advised us to always make sure
our passports were up to date-and
nearby-just
in case we had to "pull
an Angela Davis." Not so far-fetched,
then or now.•
-
___ 7·-4
_
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(Jonnobis, Queers, and
America~~ (~reen Future
It's high time you learned about the budding business of marijuana.
BY KELSY CHAUVIN
The future is getting greener every
day. That's what entrepreneurs in the
cannabis industry are saying. So are the
politicos who are raking in weed-related tax revenue. So are consumers, now
enjoying newfound freedom in cities
across America. And it's evolving faster
than you can roll a joint.
Welcome to the legal-marijuana universe. It all started back in 1996, when
California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis; through 2012, 14
more states had followed suit. That same
year, however, Colorado and Washington took it to the next level when voters
approved recreational marijuana.
So began the "green rush," and the
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numbers show that this is only the beginning. Already, 29 states now allow
medical use. Eight of them plus Washington, D.C., also allow it recreationally,
thanks to pro-weed ballots cast in 2016
(though some laws aren't yet in effect). A
dozen or more states could join the party
by Election Day 2018.
But this new and rapidly changing legal landscape has left many of us feeling
uninformed about the virtual explosion
of pot-related businesses-not to mention all the innovations in cultivating
and consuming. It seems like even the
most knowledgeable dispensary "budtenders" and doctors must work hard to
keep up with all the new ways to smoke,
eat, and drink ganga, or even rub it on
for topical pain relief.
HERB 101
First things first: Newbies curious
about weed should ask lots of questions
before they light up or ingest it. Since
most Americans aren't yet in legal-pot
states, walking into a dispensary can be
daunting-but
it needn't be, since budtenders are accustomed to rookies.
Plus, pot tends to make people friendly, says Melissa Romero of Social Media
Unicorn (socialmediaunicorn.com), a Las
Vegas-based marketing firm that exclusively represents cannabis companies.
"[Budtenders]
are genuinely excit-
VIEWS!HEA
ed to educate, talk to you about their
product, make additional recommendations, or just share tips and tricks," says
Romero. "They really, truly believe in the
healing power of cannabis, and it's a
beautiful thing."
One basic fact is that THC is the psychoactive part that gets you stoned,
while CBD tamps down that "high" and
is therefore the more medicinal component. Different kinds of pot have different
proportions of each.
Marijuana can be sativa, indica, or a
combination of both. Sativa strains are
generally more energizing and uplifting,
while indica is more relaxing and mellow. You can buy fresh herb (or "flower")
to smoke; oil to use in a vaporizer for a
softer hit; edibles in countless forms;
plus more intense concentrates like resin, wax, or shatter (collectively called
"dabs").
But even seasoned
weed-lovers
should be aware of the intensity of the
In my experience,
people within
the cannabis
community are
much more likely
to be accepting of
people within the
LGBTcommunity.
''
cannabis now being sold in legal-weed
states, because it can be way more potent than what you're used to. A good
rule of thumb is to start with a very small
amount, around 5 or 10 milligrams of
THC, and only gradually consume more
(e.g., stick with only a few puffs, or little
nibbles).
CANNABIS AND QUEERS
Romero says the LGBT and cannabis
communities actually intersect, because
they have a lot in common. "In my experience, people within the cannabis community are much more likely to be open
and accepting of the LGBT community,"
she says. The cannabis realm tends to be
way more left-leaning anyway, plus "cannabis consumers [are often] treated as
outsiders. They've experienced stigmas
and assumptions surrounding marijuana, so they're more likely to understand
the cultural and societal oppression that
the LGBT community faces."
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s1HEALTH
Meanwhile, Natural Cannabis Company (naturalcannabis.com)
founder
Dona Frank says she dove into California's budding industry in 2005 expressly
because she "wanted to create a place
where women, people of color, and
LGBT people could feel safe and access
safe, clean cannabis."
Frank is a Coast Guard veteran who
today lives in Sonoma, Calif., an enclave
of healthy living and organic farming
where marijuana is "very much part of
the lifestyle." Her company essentially
combines those factors, working with
small farms and cultivators.
"Ninety-five percent of our cannabis is grown on small farms by artisan
cultivators in Northern California," says
Frank. "Many dispensaries grow and sell
their own cannabis-and that's certainly
a way to turn a profit-but
we're much
more interested in partnering with people producing small-batch, carefully cultivated strains."
There's more to it than the product,
however.
"Cannabis is very much a white cismale industry, and that's reflected in
everything from staffing to marketing.
It's the main reason I started Natural
Cannabis," says Frank, whose company has grown steadily online and in its
three California retail shops, along with
its High Art open-call annual creative
contest. "There's a lot of room in the
cannabis industry for growth in diversity and safety. I take the responsibility of mentor-ing the next generation
of women in cannabis very seriously,
and our belief in diversity is reflected
in our staffing."
WEED AND WELLNESS
The cannabis industry itself is growing,
thanks to incredible demand, but so are
discoveries about its many benefits.
Cat Goldberg is the founder of BrainBuzz, a Miami-based neuromarketing
company. Her book, How to Hack the Legal Cannabis Industry and Generate Revenue, explores how neuromarketing (a
strategy for tailoring com-munications)
and the cannabis industry overlap.
Among cannabis's many benefits, she
says, is relief from anxiety, something
members of the LGBT community often
experience. But more than that, Goldberg sees a future where queers and ev-
eryone else get to know weed's versatile
uses, from relaxation to alleviating PMS.
"I believe we'll see a shift in behavior,"
says Goldberg. "Instead of taking opioids
for pain, people will take a big dab. If you
can't sleep, forget the Ambien and grab
some indica. Or if you want to wake up in
the morning and not be super caffeinated, smoke some sativa.
"Cannabis comes in all forms," she
adds. "Not all of it is psychoactive. Lotions are incredible for pain relief. I've
seen a nonverbal autistic child speak
for the first time after being treated with
CBD oil. People [claim to] cure their cancer with RSO oil. The Googles, Nikes, and
Apples of the cannabis industry are just
waiting to be created."
Frank concurs, and offers this advice:
"Please try it all to see which is a good fit
for you. Use it as a medicine, as a recreational party drug, or just as something
that helps lull you off to sleep after a long
day. Hopefully, you'll find the thing that
gives you the most pleasure, relief, or the
much-desired perma-grin."
She adds, "Try it and don't be afraid or
ashamed-especially
you older women
who have been curious but unsure about
what to do. Take the leap and see if this is
right for you, because it's so much better
than many of the current pharmaceuticals out there. That's why it's still mostly
illegal, right?"•
FOR MORE INFO GO TO
Leafly.com and TheCannabist.co.
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A CHEF'S STORY
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PHOTOGRAP
BUTCH
IS
BEAUTIF
lmagemaker Meg Allen celebrates female
masculinity in a new coffee table book.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
San Francisco Bay Area native Meg Allen has
given our community a gift with her new book,
BUTCH. Showcasing 123 butches-from
trans
butches to classic butches, from butches who
identify as women to those who identify as menthe photographer, a self-identified "butch hapa
queer chick," memorializes the butch not only
for posterity but also to illustrate that the butch is
very much alive and well in the 21st century. The
collection of photographs, available both in a limited-release, leather-bound (and leather-belted),
hardback edition, and in soft cover, archives the
history of this much-maligned masculine lesbian
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identity. For Allen, to be butch is to be
beautiful, "a lesbian laser that re-knits the
universes of male and female," to quote
the late Jeanne Cordova.
Allen never set out with the intention
of producing this book. The origins of the
project are less intentional: A few years
ago, Allen was hanging out with a butch
friend who was pregnant, and was captivated by her. Her friend's body, with her
belly and breasts swollen in pregnancy,
expressed both masculine and feminine
features. She was holding a skateboard,
to boot. It was a moment, to quote historian Gayle Rubin, that encapsulated the
flirtatious interplay "of masculine traits
with a female anatomy." And, at that moment, Allen took her friend's photograph.
It marked the beginning of a project that
has spanned over five years and dozens
upon dozens of photo shoots with friends
and acquaintances who wanted to be-
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PHOTOGRAP
come a part of this archival visual history.
After four years, and a series of exhibits in which she showed various assortments of her butch photographs,
Allen determined to expand her collection and then preserve it in book form.
Butch pride through visibility is a prominent objective of BUTCH. Yet Allen, as
her photography illustrates, wanted to
make the entire butch community visible. Butch identity is complex; as Rubin
wrote in another essay, "forms of masculinity are molded by experiences and
expectations of class, race, ethnicity,
religion, occupation, age, subculture,
and individual personality." Allen's photography is a testament to the diversity of butch identity in all its gorgeous,
sensual, and physical beauty. Her subjects vary by race, ethnicity, age, class,
and gender identity and expression.
Some have had top surgery, and some
go topless. Some wear spectacles, and
some wear their biceps. Furthermore,
Allen photographed her subjects at
locations they felt comfortable in. The
landscapes work to frame and in a way
enhance the images.
As she is quoted in the introduction,
Allen wanted to create "an homage to
the bull-daggers and female husbands
before me, and to the young studs,
gender queers, and bois who continue to bloom in the present:' The book
is nothing less than a love letter to this
community, and to the larger LGBTQ
community as well. What BUTCH shows
is that there is no one way to be butch,
and this is a liberating realization in a
society structured and driven by identity categories. In this regard, BUTCH
offers a salve to the tensions between
trans and woman-identified
butches, and to all the gender troubles that
plague our community.
The adage may be that a picture is
worth a thousand words, but Allen has
proven that a picture is worth much
more. (megallenstudio.com) •
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OUTING
AN
ICON
Ever wonder where Wonder Woman came from?
A new film discovers the kinky origin story of our
favorite comic book super-heroine.
BY LISA TEDESCO
Fresh from its world premiere at the
Toronto
International
Film Festival,
and its national release this past October, Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women created serious showbiz buzz
and critical acclaim. The film depicts
the lives of the three people-two
of
them women-who
together were the
driving force behind the creation of the
iconic superhero, Wonder Woman.
Writer/director
Angela Robinson
(DEBS, The L Word, True Blood, How
to Get Away With Murder) is a lifelong
fan of the beloved comic-book series.
Almost a decade ago she came across
startling facts about the origins of the
superhero that stuck in her mind. In a
Wonder Woman history book, Robinson
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discovered a discussion on the creator,
Dr. William Moulton Marston (played in
the film by Luke Evans), and the 1920s
sexual bondage controversy surrounding his polyamorous relationship with
his wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and
one of his college students, Olive Byrne
(Bella Heathcote). And thus Robinson's
magical film journey began.
Hidden in the once unexamined life
of Dr. Marston was a polysexual feminist adventure. Marston resisted the
male-centric superhero craze that was
taking the nation by storm and, instead,
wanted to show the world that a woman
could have the same amount of power and strength as her male superhero
counterparts.
Marston wasn't even a
writer. He was a psychologist, with a
Harvard Ph.D., and the inventor of the
lie detector machine. How did he came
to write one of the most famous comics
of all time with a background like that?
He incorporated his very own life experiences and relationships with women
he loved into the creation of an iconic
and beloved character.
Marston was a feminist who developed the concept of the DISC theory-a
behavioral tool that shows us that all
human interaction can be broken down
into four behaviors: dominance, inducement, submission and compliance. The
essence of Wonder Woman stems directly from this theory while embodying
a part of Marston himself and the worn-
REVIEWS/
en he loved.
The film closely examines this love
triangle and the price paid for unconventional ideas. "This was a truly organic love story between three people,"
Robinson told Curve at the Toronto International Film Festival. "Their love was
like a tripod. If one leg fails it would topple over and break."
While researching new ways to perfect the lie detector machine through
the use of monitoring the human body,
Marston and Elizabeth enlist the help
of Olive, the eager student in Marston's
psychology class.
The three begin to question their feelings toward one another, which causes
a slight rift at first but quickly escalates
to a full-scale passionate romance when
their attractions ignite one late evening
at the university.
Discovered, they were excused from
their academic positions, compromising their research and livelihood; but
they persevered. The thruple moved to
the New York City suburbs and started
having children.
"This relationship was so contemporary for the time. It was really important
not to label their relationship, either,"
said Robinson. "There weren't identities. It was a modern interoperation."
Marston took each of Elizabeth and
Olive's vivacious traits and created a
composite woman, eternal and empowered. "These two women were profound with sexuality," said Robinson. "It
infused into Wonder Woman's DNA."
When some of the overt sexuality
depicted in the comic books raised red
flags with censorship boards, Marston
was put under scrutiny and interrogated about the overall messaging of the
comic, specifically Wonder Woman's
golden rope, which signified bondage
and dominance.
In order to explore the bondage element of the Marston triangular relationship, Robinson recruited the help of
female dominatrices, "because I wanted it to be explained from a woman's
perspective and to include the emotional and intellectual reasons Marston
found it attractive."
The unfortunate reality of the time
period was that they were condemned
for their beliefs, practices and behaviors. In spite of the fear of becoming
social pariahs, the three ultimately persevered through their struggles.
Robinson is successful in showing
a truly polyamorous relationship that
withstands the pressures of the time
and remains interesting
today. The
power exchange between each character flows through the film with ease,
and shines brightly in the superhero
we know today. The strength of Wonder Woman wouldn't exist without this
tripartite bond and the romance that
forged it.
Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women delivers an important message
about pursuing truth and complete
dedication to one's beliefs. These three
have a longing to be with one another,
they respect each other, and they value
each other on the highest pedestal.
FIL
This was a truly
organic love
story between
three people.
Their love was
like a tripod. If
one leg fails it
would topple
over and break.
''
In an age where we feel as though the
times are headed backwards, and being
a woman means you have to fight for
equality all over again, Robinson shows
us that women did, do, and can hold the
power.
When asked what she thought the
definition of a "wonder woman" was,
she simply responded, "Take out the
'wonder' and you'll have your answer."
(professorm.movie.com) •
Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women will be available on Blu-ray and
digital in January 2018.
DEC/JAN
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brity chef Michele Ragussis has
lived all over the Northeast, hailing originally from Derby, Conn., and studying
de Island where she learned to
resh seafood. For a time she was
in the hipster heartland of Brookyn, and most recently, Provincetown,
that LGBTQ oasis on Cape Cod where,
as executive chef of Central House at
The Crown & Anchor, she turned out
delicious classic plates for three yearsthink freshly-shucked
local Wellfleet
oysters, baked lobster mac 'n' cheese,
grilled rib eye, and on Thursday nights,
an Italian dinner featuring her signature
linguine and clams with garlic, shallots,
chilies, clams, white wine, butter and
herbs.
"My style of food is New England seafood with a Greek Sicilian flair," Ragussis
told me this fall as she was prepping for
the festive season. "I am known for sea-
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2018
food but I also make a lot of pasta-I am
half Greek, half Sicilian so almost every
dish is influenced by that in some way."
she says. Her approach to seafood is
seasonal, for example, steamed littleneck clams in the summer match with
corn and basil, and in fall or winter she
switches to chorizo, white beans and
kale to make a heartier clam dish.
While Ragussis has relished her time
out on the Cape, loving "the raw beauty of the coast, and the marine life
that I get to see when I drive around
the beaches," she also feels the pull of
spontaneous creativity and of New York.
This winter she will relocate to the Hudson Valley, N.Y. where she hopes to tap
into the local farm-to-table movement,
and plot her next culinary adventureoffering one-off tasting menus of up to
10 courses, and underground pop-ups
restaurant dinners that create buzz,
enrich local culture, support local winemakers, and tie in charities including
animal welfare causes and the Make-AWish Foundation.
"Because you're not doing anything
in this world if you're not helping somebody," she says. "I want to help. This
world is going to pieces right now and
not enough of us are doing our part."
The community of food and the ritual of
eating together is a way of doing that.
Ragussis, who is currently single, is
also looking forward to shorter hours,
spare time, and creating more lesbian
community. "I've dated on an off but it's
very hard, especially working 13 hours a
day. You don't want to go out and talk or
hang out at the end of the day." She admires and understands the small lesbian
and queer pop-up supper clubs such
as Queer Soup Night and the frequently sold-out food-focused
Babetown
REV1Ews1FO
SIGNATURE
DISH:
LINGUINE
AND
CLAMS
parties. Massive restaurants with 100
seats don't allow for creative minds,
she says. "Anybody who's creative cannot be boxed. I honestly think, with the
world the way it is, people are doing
whatever they can to make themselves
happy and create a sense of freedom."
In commercial cooking, women, she
says, "have to be strong, confident and
talented to not be chewed up and spat
out" by a still male-dominated industry.
But increasingly, consumers are demanding more creativity from the food
scene. "People want an experience
when they go out to eat and it gets
boring to just order a steak or a pasta
plate. It's more fun to have an interactive experience, a sense of community,
meet new people, and get to try 10 different things that are seasonal, healthy,
and delicious-I think that's making a
movement right now."
Ragussis has the drive, vision and
confidence to have landed herself 13
reality TV experiences, but her own
show eludes her. Last year she developed Funny Food on YouTube where
she taught comics such as Kate Clinton
how to cook. She still thinks it's a good
idea for a TV show. "It's hard to get your
own television show. I've done a lot of
TV and I love doing it so I'm hoping I
do more."
But until Food Network calls again,
Ragussis is "gonna go and do what I
honestly think I have a shot at doing
and I'm going to be extremely happy
doing it."
And in the meantime, you have one
last opportunity to catch Chef Michele's
last hurrah the week of New Year's at
Central House in P-town. There will be
a brunch menu, a dinner menu, and a
special menu for New Year's Eve featuring classic dishes such as surf and turf
with lobster, and scallops with shaved
truffles, asparagus and baby potato
hash. Her Italian influence might also
make an appearance with a sweet potato ravioli. If you can't take a seat at
her table, try the recipe, at right, or follow her on lnstagram @chefmichele. •
"My favorite dish, and I think I have perfected it! I always had it as a kid and just
thought it was always missing something. Most people who come into the restaurant say this is the best linguine and clams they have ever had." -Chef Michele
INGREDIENTS:
16 littleneck clams
1 pint of fresh chopped
clams
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/2 tsp chili flakes (add
more if you like spicy)
1 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 pound linguine
1 cup good white wine
12 bunches fresh
parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
METHOD:
1. Put linguine on to boil in salted
water.
2. In a teaspoon of canola oil, saute
shallots, garlic, whole clams, chili
and half of the parsley, salt, pepper.
2. When the garlic is a perfect golden
brown, add wine to stop the cooking and keep the flavor before it
burns.
3. Cover and steam about 8 mins until
clams open and liquid is reduced
by half.
4. Take out clams and set aside in dish.
5. Add 2 tablespoons butter and
chopped clams.
6. When cooked, take linguine
straight from the water and add
to clam mixture. Add 1 or 2 tbs
of pasta water, reduce, turn
heat to low and toss.
7. Add parmesan and parsley, mix
well, and arrange on a platter.
Top with clams in shell, lemon
zest, the remaining parsley,
and top with any leftover liquid
from the cooked littlenecks.
Serves 4
DEC/JAN
2018
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•+-t-·M
Marriage of a Thousand Lies
We Were Witches
By SJ Sindu
By Ariel Gore
In her very impressive authorial debut, Sindu's Sri Lankan-American protagonist, Lakshmi, navigates closeted relationship
waters out of respect for her traditional Sri Lankan family, but
reaches a breaking point when she falls in love with her childhood friend, who has agreed to an arranged marriage with a
man. Identity, in Sindu's novel, is strongly influenced by, and
tethered to, ideas of community and belonging. A rare bookone that focuses on a South Asian queer woman's story.
Gore observes, with satiric sharpness, the life of a fictionalized
protagonist named Ariel Gore-a teen mom and queer feminist
witch whose survival strategy is humor as she tries to nurture
her burgeoning writing career and raise her young daughter
while pursuing a college education during the first Bush administration. Guiding her through this life of resistance are the
works of seminal feminist writers like Adrienne Rich and Audre
Larde-and, yes, the occasional hot professor.
Pages for Her
By Sylvia Brownrigg
Brownrigg queers the student-teacher sexual paradigm by having two academics as her female protagonists. Former lovers, both are now professors,
but in the past, they'd had a tempestuous affair, when one was an undergraduate and the other was a graduate student who briefly served as her TA.
After decades of following each other's careers and respective heterosexual
relationships, they come together at a conference called "Women Write the
World." A quick, pleasurable, and poetic read with rich psychological and
corporeal underpinnings that will delight academics and romance lovers.
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REVIEWS/
BO
AfU~TOFU6ttr
""'Ott.trl{!Alj!
,• d).
A Burst of Light and Other Essays
Coming of Age: The Sexual Awakening of
Margaret Mead
By Audre Lorde
By Deborah Beatriz Blum
Dover Publications has reissued this book with a new foreword
by Sonia Sanchez. Winner of the 1988 Before Columbus Foundation National Book Award, A Burst of Light includes Lorde's
controversial interview on S/M and her heart-wrenching "A
Burst of Light" essay about living with cancer, as well as writings
on race, gender, and sexuality that interrogate what it means
to live in a white man's world as a black lesbian feminist. Today, these essays are as relevant as ever-if not more so, and
required reading for anyone who wants to understand the importance of intersectionality.
A fascinating study of one of the greatest cultural figures of the
20th century. Mead's "coming of age" was simultaneously intellectual and sexual, and Blum brilliantly weaves Mead's memoir
and letters into a narrative that exposes this integral, pedagogical connection. Mead's sexual awakening-in which she carried
on affairs with men and women at the same time-finds an interesting and revealing corollary in her groundbreaking anthropological work, Coming of Age in Samoa, in which she studied the
sexual behavior of adolescent Samoan girls.
Jane Crow: The Life of Pauli Murray
By Rosalind Rosenberg
A mixed-race orphan who graduated first in her class at Howard Law School,
Murray originated the idea of "Jane Crow," whereby, she argued, the same
reasons used to condemn race discrimination could be used to battle gender discrimination. Rejecting arbitrary distinctions, she lived most of her life
uncomfortably "in between" genders, often crossdressing to court female
lovers. Jane Crow shows us that Murray's life and contributions to the various
modern civil rights movements are well worth knowing, especially today.
DEC/JAN
2018
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35
FELIZ
NAVIDAD,
LATINA
STYLE
A special holiday
show returns for
a third year of
laughter and joy.
BY MELANIE BARKER
Deck the halls with guacamole! Back
by popular demand, The Latina Christmas
Special, written and performed by out
comedian Sandra Valls, out actor-writer
Diana Yanez, and LGBT ally and Teen Wolf
actor Maria Russell, returns to The Los Angeles Theatre Center for a celebrated third
consecutive year.
Let these three amigas help get you
through the holidays with a hilarious, heart-
36
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2018
warming autobiographical play. "We're just
hanging out in my apartment, drinking
and sharing," says Sandra Valls. "We dance
and sing and get personal in three mini
one-woman shows, rolled into one. I don't
hold back, I've always been out," says the
award-winning lesbian comic who starred
in Showtime's Latin Divas of Comedy.
Valls vents over childhood memories
like "getting a Farah Fawcett makeup head
and not a backhoe bulldozer Tonka truck
for Christmas. How did my mother not
know who I was?" But Valls'sfavorite part of
the play is sharing memories of her mom,
and caring for her until she passed away.
"At first I hesitated to talk about it, but you
grow up, your life changes. When my mom
fell ill, the holidays were very hard, but
you turn it around. I didn't realize that I am
brave and courageous and a badass until I
was her caregiver."
In addition to storytelling, the women
indugle in tequila, salsa, singing and slideshows-including some hilarious and awkward personal Catholic photos.
"When I was growing up, all the white
people had Christmas specials but Latinas
never did," says Valls. "I'm looking forward
to more healing and laughter and to representing the Latina community and the
LGBTQ community, especially now. What
amazing people we are:'
So give yourself a gift this silly season
-the gift of catharsis with three first-generation Latinas. The Latina Christmas Special "is very personal and beautiful," says
Valls. The play has earned The Los Angeles
Times' Critic's Choice for two years running and plays from Dec. 1 to Jan. 7 at
the Los Angeles Theatre Center, proudly
presented by The Latino Theater Company. (latinachristmasspecial.com) •
REV1Ews1MUSICSPECI
Celebrating 25 years of dance-floor magic with Tracy Young.
BY JANELLE BECK
Longevity is rare in the music industry.
For many musicians it's a struggle just to
overcome sophomore slump, let alone
make it to 25 years in this competitive
business. With 48 number one hits on
the Billboard club charts, out DJ/mixer/
producer Tracy Young has proven herself to be an artist with staying power.
"I've always loved music. When I started going to nightclubs, I was trying to
figure out how it was all one continuous
song. Once I snuck into the DJ booth
and saw how it was done, I was completely taken and drawn to that," Young
says. "I loved all music, and I still do."
Having started her career in the nightclubs of Washington, D.C., Young then
relocated to Miami, Fla., where she has
become a huge part of the thriving club
music scene. She has re-mixed hits from
a multitude of chart-toppers, including
Pink, Cher, Lady Gaga, and perhaps
most notably Madonna. She has a longstanding relationship with the pop icon,
which stemmed from her time as a DJ at
the South Beach nightclub Liquid.
"My relationship with Madonna is
very hard to put into words, but she
was always somebody that I aspired
to be, because she was a woman, she
was strong, and she had such a vision
of what she wanted to do in life," Young
says. "I am so loyal to her and her vision.
She always knew what she wanted, and
she taught me to be fearless and just go
for my dreams."
Not only has Young collaborated with
Madonna, she has contributed a remix
to Hillary Clinton's presidential run.
"I did the remix of 'Stronger Together,'
which was her campaign song. Having
worked on that, I started volunteering
at some of the voting polls in Florida.
The lines were predicted to be so long
that they wanted to keep entertainment
there, so people wouldn't leave. I started
deejaying at one of the polls and Hillary
caught wind of it and wanted to show
up. I actually got to meet her, which I
didn't expect," Young says.
After working on "Stronger Together"
only to face the disappointment of the
election results, Young has pondered
the role of music in this unsettled political climate.
"I feel like music is the missing element right now. It was part of all these
political movements in the past, I mean,
John Lennon wrote some of his greatest records, "Give Peace a Chance" and
"Imagine," as anti-war songs. And there
was Live Aid. I don't see music being a
part of this political movement at all,"
Young says.
In honor of her 25th anniversary,
Young is planning to release a new al-
DEC/JAN
2018
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bum, including hits from the past as well
as new music. Her most recent single,
"Peace, Love, and Music" (with Ceevox),
has an uplifting dance beat and is climbing the charts. Young is also busy planning Genesis, her annual New Year's Day
party in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and will be
announcing further details on her website.
"I'm creating my own stuff. I'm trying
to stay positive in my own music," she
says.
In addition to the new release, Young
is hitting the airwaves every Saturday
night at 9:00 PM EST on the iHeartRadio
station 93.9 MIA to spin tunes from the
1980s to today.
"It's an open-format show, so I play
house music and it's all just happy,"
Young says. ''I'm having a lot of fun with
that."
Looking back over more than two decades of an accomplished career, and
looking forward to a future of spinning
beats and continuing to collaborate
with the hottest stars in music, Young
reflects on how grateful she is to have a
job that she loves.
"Whether it's TV or radio, it all stems
a career out of something I'm so pas-
back to the love I have for music. I'm
sionate about and love so much. I think
proud that I do what I love every day,
that's the ultimate key to being happy."
and that I've figured out how to make
(tracyyoung.com) •
designed no doubt to provoke ladywoodl)_
With the release of her new EP Like You Mean
It this past summer, and the sexy video to
the first single off the EP,"Up and Away," the
androgynous hottie's career is set to explode.
"Up and Away" is an emotive duet featuring
powerhouse vocalist Hayley Teal,and an edgy
video to match the raw and truthful lyrics.
Other singles on the EP include party track
"Superstar Dance," and the sexy, dancey,
very slick party track "Animals." LadyHood
has collaborated with some music royalty,
including Grammy Award-winning producer
WELCOME
TO
THE
'HOOD
Fresh off her dazzling U.S. and European
tour,
LadyHood is developing a
reputation, and we love it.
38
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2018
which
included
a
spectacular
Jeff Bova and GoGo's rock legend drummer
Gina Schock, among others. If you enjoy
performance at the legendary queer gala,
Pink, Sia, and the stylings of Ruby Rose and
the Vienna Life Ball, LadyHood (Aussie music
La Roux, you need to get LadyHood on your
maven Brihony Dawson, whose band name
playlist. She's a natural performer who loves
cheekily conjures all things clitoral) is a star
an audience and relishes channeling her rock
to watch out for. Those who are in the know
star persona specifically to charm the ladies.
sat up and noticed LadyHood's 2015 release
Who doesn't like a dynamic blond Aussie who
"Naked," the first single from her EPFinger On
once described herself as "a bad girl for all the
The Pulse (and the unabashedly lezzie video,
right reasons"? (ladyhoodmusic.com)
REV1Ews1MUSIC
SPECI
Rachael Sage has a positive message to see out a troubled year.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
Last year, Rachael Sage gifted us with
the album Choreographic and its gorgeously melodic, balletic and uplifting
tracks "Try, Try, Try" and "I Don't Believe
It." Sage was revisiting her formative
training as a ballet dancer. "Even though
aspects of dance were both physically
and emotionally painful," she tells me,
"I feel enormous gratitude for how my
studies at the School of American Ballet
ignited my creative identity. This album
is a love letter to an often bittersweet
but always provocative art form. Pursuing authenticity is at the heart of many
of the songs."
While "Try Try Try" is influenced by
'50s musicians like Buddy Holly and
Chuck Berry (when Sage wrote the guitar section she visualized people doing
'The Twist), "I Don't Believe It" was composed as an anti-bullying anthem. Sage
was inspired by a barefoot performance
she saw of Florence Welch, where she
was "moving so freely across the stage
with absolute abandon." For the video
Sage cast an 11-year-old dancer named
Kaci King who possesses "a musicality and lyrical sensitivity far beyond her
years" and embodies a sense of innocence triumphing over adversity.
To help get the album out, Sage visited dance and grammar schools across
the UK, Ireland and the U.S. and performed
"choreographic"
workshops,
combining storytelling, musical performance, dance improvisation and interactive songwriting with students of all
ages. "The results were wildly varied, but
always fascinating and extremely gratifying," says Sage.
Not only was she giving back to young
people; Sage was sharing a positive
message of acceptance, and sparking
creative expression in kids of all ages,
from diverse backgrounds. The experience was humbling and connected Sage
to the young people who had heard her
songs on the TV show Dance Moms.
"Idealism and innovation are inextricably linked, especially in the arts.
When we are young we are naturally
always dreaming, and all too often it is
older people-parents
or sadly, teachers-who trample rather than build up
our confidence into adulthood. Working
with young dancers and students gives
me hope, and I feel a responsibility to
nurture and protect that innocence, and
that idealism so it can thrive and create
the possibility for transformation."
This passing year has been a year of
shock and turbulence, with almost unrelenting news of disaster threatening
to turn us all numb. But in among all the
bad news, Sage has observed "humanity
and generosity among average people,
DEC/JAN
2018
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especially in crowdfunding,
petitions,
and on social media. "For better or for
worse, the 'new normal' requires us to
dig deeper to reflect and then act upon
our individual empathy in a very public
way; we are all accountable to each other more now than ever."
Take, for example, her own EP The
Tide, which offered a response to the
upheaval and human tragedy of 2016
and 2017, such as the Syrian refugee crisis. All proceeds from the EP of protest
songs were donated to ArcRelief.org.
With her colorful appearance-her
pink and purple hair, sequins, glitter, and
vibrant clothes are her celebrity signature-it's easy to assume Sage is a privileged optimist. But she confides that
most of her songs "spring from sadness,
conflict, and melancholy." She then
looks for "moments of light, of possibility, of empowerment and opportunity" in
any story or situation.
"Human beings are so fucking resilient. At our finest, we are hope, we create beauty and we embody love, and all
of that is what I personally believe comprises divinity. To be divine is to uplift
and transform pain into comfort; I can't
think of anything more hopeful than
that. I've been told that this is both very
Jewish, and very hippie," she laughs.
40
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2018
It's a welcome surprise, then, that this
Jewish hippie has gifted us with a Holiday EP,simply titled Joy. On Dec. 13 Sage
and her band The Sequins, plus select
guest vocalists, will perform a special
Holiday Show at Rockwood Music Hall in
New York City for her release party, and
also as a benefit for the MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund.
"As one of only two or three Jewish
kids at my school, I never really saw a difference between Holiday and Christmas
music," she says. "I remember being relieved when my mom told me she loved
Christmas carols after I asked if it was
okay for me to sing a solo in the school
Christmas pageant. I was also happy to
learn from her that 'White Christmas'
was penned by Irving Berlin.
"Music is music. We can share each
other's holidays, and no one has a monopoly on a good tune."
There aren't many catchy Hanukkah songs, so Sage developed some.
"I started to add some funny comedic
shpiel to my annual December shows
in NYC. These events evolved into holiday-themed concerts, which I began
calling 'Tchatchkes & Latkes.' So the
Hanukkah material on this EP evolved
from those shows, and my cover of 'Joy
To The World' was sparked by a friend's
request for me to perform a Christmas
song at a cancer benefit last December. It is literally impossible to sing 'Joy
to the world ... !' and not feel joy; I think
the holidays encourage us to give more,
to receive more, and to appreciate each
other more."
So while it's been yet another harrowing year, don't let that get you down. Do
something about it.
"This is the time when artists, activists
and culture-makers become more vital
and essential than ever," says Sage. "As
a member of the LGBTQ community and
the human family, period, I cling to the
earliest lesson I ever learned in Hebrew
school, based on the premise that 'every
person is a universe': If you change one
life, you change the universe. The opportunity to be impactful and truly make a
difference in each other's lives abounds
every day."
And Sage has reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. She joins
British pop icon Howard Jones for his
upcoming U.S. tour, and works on new
material from her forthcoming
fulllength album Myopia, due out in May
2018. "I'll be playing all over the country from NYC to Los Angeles, trying to
spread good vibes, glitter and catharsis."
(rachaelsage.com) •
REV1Ews1MUSICSPECI
Seattle duo Sisters fights for equality.
BY JANELLE BECK
lntersectional
activism isn't something frequently embraced by up-andcoming pop bands, but SISTERS is
anything but average.
"Our brand of activism is extremely
inclusive," says Emily Westman, one-half
of the Seattle-based duo.
Westman's counterpart, Andrew Vait,
agrees: "We can use our platform to
speak about the things that matter to
us and affect our community, which
include women's rights, LGBTQ rights,
rights for people of color, and refugees."
Westman and Vait first met when they
both attended the University of Miami's
Frost School of Music, though it wasn't
until they crossed paths once again in
2011 as members of the Seattle Rock Orchestra that they finally made the musical connection.
After their debut EP, Westman and
Vait headed to Woodinville, Wash., to
work with producer Ryan Hadlock (Ra
Ra Riot, the Lumineers) to put together their first full-length record, Drink
Champagne. Their dynamic pop soundscape features 11 songs that act as the
perfect antidote to the proverbial darkness currently hanging over the American psyche.
Not content on stopping there, Vait
and Westman went back to the studio in
April to complete Wait Don't Wait, their
latest LP due out October 13th, 2017 on
new label Tender Loving Empire.
Wait Don't Wait is another undeniably
catchy album, a reflection of the intimate friendship the duo share and the
passion they have for both music and
social commentary.
Though their music could be summarized as delightful pop, Westman
and Vait are inspired by more serious
concerns, and where Drink Champagne
uses the band's access to a certain
demographic to spread a message of
equality, Wait Don't Wait calls the listener
to action. Vait and Westman command
their audience to dance, embrace joy,
and reject the anger and hatred that has
engulfed so much of the world in 2017.
"We are asking ourselves on a daily
basis what we can do to advance our
message and what we can do to use our
platform to push the agenda of equality," says Vait.
"How do we break down the lines
of intersectionality? What is our role? I
have to come at it from a perspective
different from Emily's, because Emily is
a gay female Jew. I try to make decisions
in my own career to advance women in
the music industry. I do my best to put
the women I work with on a level playing
field. I think that's action. That's more
than words," Vait says.
DEC/JAN
2018
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Not only do they use their music and
their public platform to reach audiences
and change hearts, Vait is also passionate about using his privilege to actively
create space for others.
"As a white man living in Seattle, I get
asked to do gigs that my counterparts
who are women, or people of color, do
not, and I have been thinking about what
it means to acknowledge that you are af-
forded that opportunity and renounce it
and give it away," he says.
Perhaps now, more than anytime in
recent years, people have sought solace
in community, and where there used to
be lines of division, there is a sense of
passion and unity.
"It's important to get together about
what you can," says Westman. "We're in
such a time ...
knowing in your heart
what is right and what is wrong. It has
got to be the closest to what the civil
rights movement felt like at the time.
How embarrassing to have been alive at
that time and to have been on the wrong
side of it. Everybody knows what is right
and wrong."
For SISTERS, releasing both Drink
Champagne and Wait Don't Wait in one
year is cause for celebration.
When asked what
Pride means to
her Westman says, "For me, it's just joy.
We live in a really awesome place. Our
whole year in Seattle feels like Pride,
compared to other places. It's pure joy,
community, and celebration."
(sisterstheband.com) •
we wanted to recapture the amazing times we
had playing dual lead guitars in [bitchin', hardpartying band] Helldorado. So we decided
we would put a blues band together to play
shows in NYC and take as many guitar solos
as we wanted."
Hightop put out feelers and found Cool
Whip and they clicked. Next came Mary,who'd
played with High Top in hardcore band The
Wives. "Mary and I always kept in touch but
I didn't think she would want to play blues-
THE
BLUES
ISFEMALE
Meet all-girl band Jane Lee Hooker.
debuted with their punk-blues influenced
she's got a punk rock background-but
album No B! in 2016 and they've played just
jumped in and it worked immediately." Next in
about every joint in the country-and
was Dana. "We found her in a matter of hours
around
the world since.
Meet the gang (pictured left to right): Hail
she
and invited her to hang out and play with us
in the studio. Instrumentally, the band was
Mary Zadroga on bass guitar; Tracy Hightop
monstrous-better
on guitar; Tina "T-Bone" Gorin on guitar;
Sometimes when you don't think or plan or
than my wildest dreams.
Melissa "Cool Whip" Houston on drums; Dana
want anything you get magical results."
"Danger" Athens on vocals-a girl gang whose
This improvized jamming is the spirit of
formation was kismet. Guitarist Hightop, who
their second album, Spiritus. "Let the spirits
Jett? Women in rock and blues who could
has a 6-year-old daughter with her wife of 12
take you on a joy ride," says Hightop. "Because
belt it out. It's time you got to a Jane Lee
years, shared the band's story with Curve.
honestly, that's what this band is: the world's
Do you long for the days of Joplin, Quatro,
Hooker gig. These five native New Yorkers
42
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
"Afew years back, T Bone and I decided that
loudest joy ride." (janeleehooker.com)
REV1Ews1MUSIC
Julia Weldon has a new lease on life-and
SPECI
identity.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
faced 34-year-old with a shock
erry blond hair, Julia Weldon
er-son writers on the queer indie music
scene. And there's a lot to the Brooklyn-based artist that makes this so.
Weldon, who identifies as trans and
gender-nonconforming
and goes by
they/them-although
does accept she/
her under certain circumstances-studied philosophy at Vassar (with Anne Hathaway) and was a child and teenaged
actor appearing opposite Meryl Streep
and Mariska Hargitay. Weldon is still acting, and when we speak they're headed
to a reading for a pilot in which they play
"a lesbian handyman heartbreaker."
But parallel to lighting up the screen,
Weldon has always made music. "I was
that kid who walks around on the sidewalk singing made-up songs. I picked
up my parent's shitty guitar when I was
12 and taught myself. I started writing
songs when I was 15 or 16 and never re-
ally stopped. And playing different characters definitely informs my songwriting
and my performance. There's no way to
really disconnect them."
You might know Weldon's face from
appearances in Law and Order-or from
their acclaimed 2013 album Light Is a
Ghost and its standout tracks "Careful in
the Dark" and "All the Birds."
With that album and touring, Weldon's
star was on the rise, but a career-andlife detour came in the form of "intense
heartbreak," and the decision to undergo gender confirmation surgery before
completing another album. "I wasn't out
about it until the day before the surgery. I
remember when I posted on lnstagram, it
was this huge deal to me to be out about
having surgery. I think I just didn't understand what role it played in my public
persona, if at all, but then I decided that I
did want to be visible and out about this,
so I said I identified as gender nonconforming and was having top surgery in a
couple of days, and your support means
so much to me. People responded so
well, and then I had the surgery ...," which
did not go so well.
Weldon had imagined they'd be out of
commission for a couple of months after
the surgery. What they didn't expect was
to suffer medical complications-viral
encephalitis, which causes swelling of
the brain, sometimes permanent brain
damage, and even life-threatening complications. Imagine coming out of anesthesia and feeling gravely ill-memory
loss, throwing up, seizures. Weldon ended up in the ER, was heavily sedated and
transferred to NYU medical center. "They
basically said to my partner, 'Julia should
wake up in a couple hours.' But I didn't
wake up."
It was days before Weldon emerged
from a coma and entered the long process of retrieving their brain function.
"I was in three doctors' appointments a
week for three months: physical therapy,
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
43
occupational therapy, cognitive remediation." For those first months, gender
and art took a backseat to survival. "My
brain came back in parts, and then slowly
came back to normal."
As an artist, Weldon feels that the neardeath experience was a wake-up call and
an experience that has left them with "a
priceless perspective on how important
it is to be happy and healthy and close to
people I love. I think it has changed my
entire writing process. I think that all of
my songs from here on out and from that
point forward will have that experience in
them."
While waking from a coma is its own
unique experience, so is waking with
what may seem a newly-confirmed
gender identity. After surgery, Weldon
thought they would maybe want to start
taking testosterone immediately, but as a
singer, Weldon's vocal chords would be
irreversibly changed, so they decided to
halt the transition process. While Weldon
identifies as trans and gender non-binary, "being a lesbian or gay woman was
a large part of my life," they explain,
"and so it's not something that I feel disconnected from. A lot of people who
transition have a strong sense of their
identity and their preferred gender pronouns, and I just don't have that-at least
44
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
yet. It took me 10 years to decide to have
top surgery and to realize that I definitely
wanted to do that. I just don't take changing my pronoun or my name lightly."
Weldon is "still not that comfortable
telling everyone to use 'they/them' or
whatever it is. Sometimes I pass as a
16-year-old boy, and that's fine too. It's
part of the experience that comes with
not being either/or."
This ambivalence and fluidity is an asset, creatively. "I just got cast in an indie
film in which I play a butch lesbian, which
is really funny because I don't identify as
butch as much as boyish-but still, I run
the gamut, being cast as a lesbian or a
young trans male character, or someone
in-between."
But the connection to the idea of collective LGBTQ spaces is strong. Weldon
recently attended a Curve event for
women and is open to using "she/her" as
pronouns for female-oriented audiences
such as Billboard's "Soul Sisters" podcast. And in this spirit, the first single off
Comatose Hope, "Til the Crying Fades,"
is a tribute to our community, specifically the queer Latinx victims of the Pulse
shooting in Orlando. The song's powerful
dirge-like intro hypnotizes the listener,
and Weldon's tender vocals provide a
thread of hope into a soft, slow-tempo
dance melody. The accompanying video, directed by Alessandra Lacorazza,
portrays diverse queer folk dancing in a
club not unlike Pulse, and Weldon also
makes a cameo, removing their top on
the dance-floor and joyfully revealing
their post-surgery chest.
For Comatose Hope, an album that
spans pre- and post-surgery states of
being, heartbreak and new love, Weldon
traveled to England to record with Drew
Morgan (producer of Perfume Genius).
The result is a work of beautiful textures
and diverse moods. Some tracks are pure
dream pop, others pop-rock. The effect is
dreamy, ruminative, submerged-punctuated by moments of waking up, and
Weldon mimics the rhythms of losing
consciousness, regaining it, and fighting
to be awake and embrace the pain and
possibility of renewal.
"That's why I chose this producer-to
create this ambient bed of sound that
really makes you feel feelings; a well of
sound that you can keep dipping your
toes in," says Weldon.
The album is as subtle, as nuanced,
and as explorative as Weldon is, both as
an artist and as a person. With this third
album, and with a new lease on life and
its processes, Weldon looks to the future
with hope and determination. And always, there is the struggle to maintain a
space as an LGBTQ artist.
"It was really hard to come out of this
crazy experience and make this album.
I've come so far but I'm still trying so hard
to reach other goals. I want to open for
Tegan and Sara, naturally," says Weldon
with characteristic pluck and humor.
It's fate perhaps, that when Weldon
played at the Everyone Is Gay 5th Annual All-Ages Pride Party in NYC this year,
a fragment of the Tegan and Sara dream
materialized. "I was playing and I looked
out straight ahead of me and Tegan
was standing right there. And then she
grabbed my arm and was like, 'You were
really great.'"
It's been a brutal couple of years
during which many of us have wondered
whether or not we'll survive. Weldon's
corporeal and creative rebirth gives us
all hope-as diverse individuals, and as
a culture that shares a unique collective
consciousness. (juliaweldon.com) •
46QUEERCULTUREMAKERS
56WOMEN OF COLOR WEEKEND
60ROOTING FOR EMILYSALIERS
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
45
THE FILM EDITOR,
DIRECTORAND WRITERHAS
BUILTA TRANSATLANTIC
CAREER.
BY JANE CZYZSELSKA
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
I didn't expect to find myself teary-eyed
the deep end when he asked me to edit
his particular iterations of misogyny, she
after watching a 60-second commercial for
his movie Breaking and Entering. I didn't
finds hope. Alma Har'el (Bombay Beach,
Kaiser Permanente, but under Hollywood
know anything
hotshot Lisa Gunning's skillful direction, I
and he trusted me." Minghella asked her
the Bid, has revolutionized the advertising
confess I was moved. Full disclosure: When
back for his film adaptation of Samuel
world in an effort to combat gender bias.
I'm not writing, I'm a psychotherapist, so
Beckett's Play, as well as the 2008 hit TV
In one short year, Har'el's game-changing
feelings are my shtick. Nonetheless, I'm
series The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. It
campaign has helped hundreds of female
not prone to crying over TV commercials
was through Minghella that Gunning first
directors
about healthcare. But Gunning is one of
collaborated with Sam Taylor-Johnson on
"It's become quite fashionable to have
a growing
about
cutting
movies
LoveTrue), founder of the initiative Free
become
creative
leaders.
number of female director-
her BAFTAAward-winning short film, Love
female directors for films, videos, and
editors who are making their mark in film,
You More, her first feature film, Nowhere
commercials," says Gunning, "and I have
commercials, and music videos.
Boy, and most recently 50 Shades of Grey.
benefited from that greatly. Even though
Gunning, who is British, moved into her
"Sam is very loyal, we're close friends, and
the last four jobs I've been pitching were
pad in Venice, Calif., just a few months
she always wants me on hand. I guess I'm a
against big male directors who are much
ago, inspired as much by the weather and
habit now," she laughs.
more experienced than me, I've been
the "anything's possible" West Coast vibe
Gunning's first shot at directing came
as by her desire to reduce the 10-hour
when she worked with her partner, Alison
has done a lot of work here in Hollywood
commute from her native East London. The
Goldfrapp, on the video for the single
and globally in advertising, and Hollywood-
commercial is the latest of several she's
"Believer," and the
lo-fi documentary
wise there are movements run by women
directed for global brands. Her next gig,
Yellow Halo, made on her iPhone during
supporting other women, with quite a few
for Hewlett Packard, is particularly exciting
the band's 2013 tour in Brazil, paved the
men championing
because of its message of diversity. "We've
way for her big break into direction-
perfect, and there's a long way to go, but
chosen. I'm being given a chance. Alma
women. It's still not
been casting for every possible calibration
Goldfrapp's cinematic album Ta/es of Us.
there are giant leaps being made and I'm
of LGBTQ family: old, young, kids, no
Gunning was then signed to the prestigious
excited."
kids, boys, girls, everything-and
it's been
London production company Black Label
Which lesbians are rocking her world?
super-moving to work with such a beautiful
as a director. Rewatching Ta/es before we
"There's a great lesbian media presence
range of unconventional families. Hewlett
speak, I spot the signature dreamy, sensual
in Hollywood, in charge of big things
Packard wants to say they support any
aesthetic in the atmospheric black-and-
here.
kind of family, so that's a really beautiful
white
Vachon, Jodie Foster, and Megan Ellison
message and I'm glad to be part of that:'
migrate
Gunning
became a director after a
successful career as a film editor, which
short
to
films
that,
Gunning's
miraculously,
latest
creative
habitat, the 60-second commercial.
There's
Jill
Soloway,
Christine
of Annapurna pictures, among others.
I've been introduced to so many women
"I do love a sort of dreamy sensuality,
who are pushing things forward, like Sarah
began in her mid 20s through a chance
and I'm really interested in that daydream
Gubbins and the people behind Amazon
meeting
director
thing when your mind goes off and things
Prime's/ Love Dick ...l've been working with
Anthony Minghella. "He just took a bit of a
become magically revealed in your head.
Tammy Reiker,who shot Lisa Cholodenko's
punt on me because he needed someone
I'm also really interested in storytelling, so
High Art. It's been inspiring meeting these
urgently [for the British fundraising chari-
that you can anchor yourself in a character
people. They are changing the form of
ty Comic Relief] and we instantly hit it off.
that you care about and you relate to, and
what TV is:'
with
the
legendary
Then he flew me out to San Francisco to
ultimately [the story] tells you something
In addition to a grueling work schedule
edit some musical scenes in The Talented
that you didn't know before. That's my aim
that takes her across the globe almost every
Mr. Ripley, and just like that he kicked off
as a filmmaker:'
week, Gunning is writing a screenplay. "I'm
my movie career. He had extreme faith
She's been trying to import some of the
really excited about it;' she tells me. "It's my
in people, once he decided they knew
ideas that emerged in Ta/es into her work
own story, about a road trip I took with my
what they were doing. I didn't think I
on commercials. Which brings us back to
dad in the 1980s. He was a mad alcoholic
knew what I was doing, but for some
the Kaiser Permanente ad, in which she tells
and I was 13, so it's a coming-of-age cross
reason he did;' she says, via Skype. "And
an emotional story about a father who has
between Lost in Translation, Little Miss
that
cancer. "I'm really interested in just moving
Sunshine, and Leaving Las Vegas. Gunning,
who also counts Carol screenwriter Phyllis
gave me enormous
confidence."
Minghella's approach to a story, "thinking
people either to laughter or tears, just
over, under, and around it," and his guiding
creating some kind of reaction, because I
Nagy as a friend, is bound to come up
voice stay with her today as she works,
think that's magical, if you can do that."
with a humdinger of a movie. No wonder
nine years after his death. "[Working
Gunning is that rare breed of Brit who,
with him] was like going to the most
like the kindred spirits she's found in L.A.,
protegee. Expect to see more of Gunning's
incredible film school. He threw me in at
oozes optimism. Even as Trump reigns with
work on a screen near you.•
Minghella saw so much in his friend and
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
47
and crew. It's timely, then, that Miller's 20th
For some time now, our culture has
Miller's other work without even realizing:
asked: why do so few stories about women,
The L Word, for which she was writer and
Century Blues offers roles for five women-
written by women, directed by women,
consulting producer; and the massively
and we don't mean ingenues. We mean
and starring women, make it to stage and
successful web series Anyone But Me, for
complex characters aged in their 60s (one
screen? We are, after all, 50 percent of
which she and co-creator Tina Cesa Ward
is 91 and in assisted living) who embody
the population. Without answering this
won the first Writers Guild of America
lifetimes of rich and varied experiences
question in any programmatic or polemical
Award for Outstanding Achievement in
woven into an intriguing ensemble storyline
way, award-winning
playwright
Susan
Writing Original New Media. This four-
that follows their changing, aging selves as
Miller has addressed it through her career
season drama
romantic
they navigate relationships, careers, children,
and with her new play, 20th Century Blues.
tribulations of teens-to-twenty-somethings
and current events. The play hones in on the
Aster and Vivian and-in
the
dynamics of female friendship as a way of
1994 one-woman show, My Left Breast.
web series medium on the map, inspiring a
examining women's place and power in the
That play drew together the themes of
veritable lesbian web series boom. To date,
world.
parenthood, LGBTQ identity and breast
Anyone But Me has attracted 50 million
cancer in a funny, honest, and direct solo
viewers globally.
I first encountered Miller in her landmark
followed
the
2008-put
"I knew I wanted to do something that
features women," Miller says, "where we
could see their changing lives, but I needed
performance that won an OBIE award and
If you're a seasoned theatergoer you
the coveted Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
know that while colleges are brimming
an anchor for that. I wanted the characters all
And what a tagline: "I am a one-breasted,
with talented female thespians, the ranks
to be different-bring
menopausal, Jewish, bisexual lesbian mom,
are considerably thinner in the "real world."
jobs, ambitions, and struggles to the story-
and I'm coming soon to a theatre near you!"
It's rare to encounter main-stage plays that
but what was the story?"
Curve readers may have encountered
are female-driven or feature a female cast
48
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
specific personalities,
Without giving the plot away, Miller found a
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
the century to which we are still tethered,
And I have a son. And that involves a great
most of its problems unsolved-especially
deal of love, at least for the men in my life-
for women. "These are women who have
certain courageous ones:'
lived a major part of their lives in the 20th
The struggle of feminism to be fully-
century, and I think it's part of who we are.
realized is "eye-opening, it's sad, and at the
I also wanted to look at the complications
same time, though, you have to look at the
of history-our
larger, communal history,
younger generation and what they are now
and their history with one another, as
fired up about. I will say, with new media we
characters-and to look at the construct of
are able to get things out there: stories, things
device that would bring them together and
time. I hope people will come up with their
that are actually happening, and we can
give audiences the dramatic suspense of
own ideas about what the title means, after
speak to them:'
intimacies between women being tested.
they've seen the play:'
"These five women met 40 years prior in
Miller feels that social media has increased
These days, when theater is prohibitively
opportunities for women, especially through
an unusual circumstance. For some reason
expensive, attending
can be a sacred
Facebook groups and The Lilly Awards for
they were drawn to each other and they
pilgrimage. And so it is for Miller, and has
female playwrights. She tries to support as
many women playwrights as possible and has
began to get together once a year-one
been ever since high school. "When I think
of them is a photographer and she takes
of something I want to write, the theater is
mentored many, including Anna Ziegler who
their picture-as an excuse to get together.
the place I'd want to give it as a home;' she
currently has two plays on in New York City.
And that turns into something else:' What
says. What she least likes about the medium
As part of the generation of leading female
else? You'll have to see 20th Century Blues,
is the time is takes to get a script read and a
playwrights
which opens in New York in November-
production up and running. What she most
Wendy Wasserstein, and Tina Howe, who
including
Marsha
Norman,
perfect timing for Thanksgiving, a time
loves is the "combination of artifice and
Miller cites as contemporaries, it's younger
when we re-examine our social bonds.
actual that plunges an audience into the
women playwrights who inspire her now.
One of the real pleasures of playwriting
depths of emotion and strife and contra-
"They get my juices going," says Miller, who
is creating good dialogue, and Miller is a
diction. I love that about the theater. It's just
has taught playwriting at NYU, and a Masters
master. "I wanted to see women get into
different from every other form. And it is
Degree program at Stephens College where,
it with each other," she says, "not always
complicated by the fact that there are living
she says, all of her students were women.
agreeing, not always being polite, and to
beings doing it."
show that way of speaking that people
She has pushed aside the subject of
And in 20th Century Blues those beings
pervasive sexism amongst reviewers and
are-with the exception of one character-
the lack of industry-wide gender parity to
from
women. "What a time to be a woman;' says
focus on achieving this particular staging of
love all the
Miller. "This century and last. Can women
women. Currently, she is enjoying rehearsals
characters, I really do;' confides Miller, "but
have it all? Is that even the right question
with acclaimed feminist director Emily Mann.
there's just something about the African-
to ask when we know what happens to
"It's a special collaboration," says Miller. "Our
American character-a freelance journalist
women and girls everywhere?"
time is now in terms of working together. This
often have who know each other:'
And
good
dialogue
believable characters.
"I
comes
And is it a relevant question when the
is the right play and I feel that we are the right
about the actress who plays that part. I
thing so many of us hoped for and ex-
collaborators. Emily and I have a connection.
who happens also to be a lesbian-and
She's a writer as well as a director and runs
like her because she's got zingers and the
pected-our
wonderful complications of being all those
happen? "I was hoping this play would arrive
a theater. Her understanding of the play and
things:' People have asked Miller why she
with Hillary;' laughs Miller ruefully. "But the
the fact that-even though she is so busy she
wrote a character that was both black and
play's not dependent on that. It's also not
committed to it-is very special."
gay. "It's just the way I see the world, the
a repetition of the conversations that so
way I live in it. When I create a character I
many of us have had and are having about
Lida Orzeck, through
have to learn about who that character is.
the political situation we're now in. But it's
ensemble speaks volumes, and I hope it
That's a great thing."
first female president-didn't
heartbreaking and maddening-I'm
now
The support Miller has felt from producer
to Mann and the
radiates over the footlights, into the hearts
speaking as myself not my characters-to
of audiences, and into the women's theater
credible: a photographer, a veterinarian, a
live in a time when we're forced to look at
community-and
real estate agent. "In dramatic situations
this misogyny and disdain for women:'
women who, if they support each other,
The
other
characters
are
equally
they are both informed by what they do for
Nevertheless, Miller has hope-in gender
the next generation
of
won't have the blues. "Tell your friends,
relations and in the culture at large. "Two of
tell
If you're wondering about the meaning
my main supporters as a playwright were
theater seat," says Miller. I'm already there.
of the play's title, Miller says it refers to
men: Joseph Papp and Gordon Davidson.
(susanmillerplaywright.com) •
a living as well as their personalities."
the
world,
and
DEC/JAN
put
2018
yourself
CURVE
in a
49
FEATURES/Cu
Based in Boston, where she has a busy
return on a yearly basis."
LTU
during WoCW:'
day job as an architect, Jha D carves out
While Jha D came out at 17, she didn't
What is effectively a 4-day pride festival
time to spearhead one of the most beloved
experience events for women of color
is geared to a full range of ages as well
events in the Northeast: Women of Color
until she attended WoCW. "In full honesty,
as singles, couples and families. At its
Weekend, in Provincetown, Mass.
my perception of Provincetown was that
peak, WoCW attracts approximately 1,000
it only catered to an older and whiter
women of color, their friends, families and
"because the work needed to be done,"
demographic;
allies in attendance.
she says. "I was passionate enough about
would be events and venues that warmly
the Weekend-as well as confident enough
welcomed my 20-something black queer
the event a success: fundraising
in myself and my community-to
take on
self. I believe that WoCW is transforming
awareness; monthly-turned-weekly squad
the honor and responsibility of being the
the existing culture by signaling to the
meetings; surveys, debates and decisions
Executive Producer and Director:'
queer communities of color that there is, in
on the programming;
fact, space for us in P-town; we just gotta
other community orgs and their leaders for
show up first!"
support and feedback. One of Jha D's key
Making time for the event was easy,
Jha D recalls the first time she attended
the weekend close to ten years ago. "I was
I had no idea that there
Extensive planning goes into making
and
and outreach to
so emotional and excited that such an
For those who have not yet experienced
event existed and hoped that something
WoCW, Jha D describes it "like culture,
like it would always exist:' Soon after, she
intersectionality, expression, and love all
Ambassador. "It is a interactive way to
was invited by LezbnsNPower, Boston's
walked into a bar and called it Women of
contribute to the success of the weekend
biggest promoter for lesbians of color at the
Color Weekend," she laughs. The vibe is
as well as an opportunity to get access to
time, to perform for its Talent Showcase. "I
unlike anything else I've ever experienced,
free events throughout the weekend," says
attended again once or twice after that, but
and trust me, I've attended many events!
Jha D. "Ambassadors have an opportunity
in 2010 I was consumed by grad school
There is literally something for everyone!
to attend the entire weekend for free and
and therefore unable to attend for three
Transformative and informative workshops,
even get assistance with travel/lodging."
years. In 2014 I got a phone call from Mimi
entertaining
and engaging
shows and
See the website for details.
Gonzalez and Sherri Quist inquiring if I'd
showcases,
packed
1nv1gorating
be willing to help with promoting WoCW
parties,
throughout
Boston, based on my work
delicious
and
food,
great
music,
beautiful people and all in one amazing
otherwise have thought to visit; a place that
and better, so come be part of history!"
you've never experienced quite like we do
(womenofcolorweekend.org) •
"Very early on, I made it clear that I was
that it could be and as we approached
the 10-year anniversary Lynette asked me
if I would be willing to step up as the new
director."
Jha D has already made a difference.
"This past year we saw an inspiring increase in attendance as well as a surge in
organization and access to information for
the 11th annual WoCW. I will continue to
stamp this life-changing event with growth,
possibility, abundance and success."
It's a meaningful investment in a culture
that resonates with Jha D and many
women. "My mother and I would often
vacation on the Cape when I was a child,
and as she began to notice my sexuality,
she brought me to P-town, I suppose to
gauge how I responded to the outness
and freedom of it all. I immediately fell in
love with everything about it, and asked to
might
"I can confidently say that after this
and was invited to meet with [Women's
dedicated to making the event the best
you
So mark your calendars for May 31stJune 3rd, 2018.
open mic movement. Naturally, I said yes,
rest of the team.
that
involved as an
year's event we can only get bigger
Week organizer] Lynette Molnar and the
place
You can even get
not
with the 'If you can Feel it, you can Speak it'
walkable
goals is affordability, and also accessibility.
FORGETALTERNATIVEFACTS-THIS
WRITERIS QUEERINGCURRENTEVENTS.
BY SARA RAUCH
She's been likened to Haruki Murakami,
Flannery O'Connor, Kelly Link, and Roxane
Gay. High praise indeed, but don't let the
big names distract you-award-winning
gothic undertones and burnished with
about the area where I'm from. They really
dark sense of humor.
want to understand these people."
In 2017, Seven Stories Press published
That understanding is a crucial element
Woods' third book, Things to Do When
in the alchemy of Woods' writing. Her
author Chavisa Woods' writing style is all
You're Goth in the Country and Other
characters are lesbian, transgender, goth,
her own. And there's never been a better
Stories.
time than now to pick up this talented
vision of contemporary
writer's work.
transcendent
Contained
within
prose and
is
a
raw
America; with
clever
plots
war
veterans,
schizophrenic
addicts-a
evangelical
Christians,
Mensa members,
meth
slew of people too rarely found
Born and raised in rural Southern
Woods skillfully lays bare the heart of our
in fiction. And while her previous books,
Illinois, Woods has been writing stories
country, exposing its strange, vulnerable
Love Does Not Make Me Gentle or Kind and
since childhood. She recalls one of her
core.
first
controversial
poem about
pieces,
a narrative
a slave and a princess
The Albino Album, spoke beautifully and
And though she's been a New York
City
resident
for
15 years now, the
explicitly of racism, class, and sexuality,
her newest is more subtle.
who fall in love: "I read this poem to my
America Woods depicts in her stories
Which isn't to say that it shies away
grandmother.
She was very disturbed
is one that, with the 2016 election and
from the painful ugliness of the world.
by it ... But she had been reading me the
Trump presidency, has recently come
Case in point: the peripheral lurk of war.
Bible, almost every day all my life. And I'm
into sharper focus. She says: "Not all, but
In the title piece, it's Air Force helicopters
certain the violent, intense and political
most of the stories in this book are about
swarming over rural porches. In "How
bible stories I was so familiar with had
people who are either lower-working class
to Quit Smoking in Nineteen Thousand
deeply informed
or very poor. I finished this book before
Two Hundred and Eighty-seven Seconds,
my subject-matter
at
that time."
the recent election, and now, the media
Usama," it's Osama bin Laden's death. In
Perhaps it comes as no surprise, then,
is taking notice of these people. Before,
"A New Mohawk," it's the Palestine-Israel
that the fiction Woods writes as an adult
when I spoke about them, they were a
conflict.
is a remarkable blend of philosophy,
novelty [to New Yorkers]. Now people
News?," Desert Storm and the Iraq War
ferocity,
immediately lean in, when I read and talk
bracket the narrative.
52
CURVE
and empathy,
DEC/JAN
threaded
2018
with
In "What's Happening
in the
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
THE POET AS OUT ORACLE.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
Whether it's a book, a record, or a
The lead single, "Your Life," presents
paperback Take me With You, in which
spoken word performance, genderqueer
recitations on queer identity, while
artist Andrea Gibson gives voice to truth
elsewhere the album tackles themes of
politics, sexuality, family, and forgiveness
in a world of increasing chaos and noise.
overcoming adversity through self-love
through poetry accompanied by
Gibson has two major releases this
and healing. "Orlando" brutally relives
stunning line drawings by Sarah J.
January.
the massacre at the Pulse nightclub
Coleman.
Hey Galaxy, their seventh studio album,
Gibson explores themes of love, gender,
paired with Gibson's own struggles
To celebrate the two releases, Gibson
addresses the challenges of life today as
with coming out, while "Letter To White
is performing over 100 shows in sold-
a queer-identified person. It's a post-
Queers" details the dichotomy between
out clubs and theaters and on college
election social justice project inspired
white privilege and the Black Lives
campuses.
by the likes of writer Roxane Gay, the
Matter movement.
protest at Standing Rock, and the
Wherever you fall on the gender and
"They're going to keep telling you
sexuality spectrum, Gibson's words will
your heartbeat is a preexisting condition.
musical Fun Home.
"There's a quote that says, 'Art should
speak to you with wisdom on politics,
They're going to keep telling you you
identity, sexuality, and love. Andrea
comfort the disturbed and disturb the
are a crime of nature. You're going to
Gibson has a voice uniquely their own,
comfortable.' I wanted to do that," says
look at all of your options and choose
for our times, and for listeners and
Gibson. "I wanted to make something
conviction," announces Gibson in a
readers who are looking for a muse, a
political and human and gutsy in its
characteristically rhythmic proclamation.
messenger, or for a guide from darkness
revolt."
The other release is the pocket-sized
Woods astutely renders war as just
outside the mainframe,
exists for
much as war
most Americans-heard
something very urgent I had to say about
into light. (andreagibson.com)
in some of my writing.''
It sure does-in
America."
on
But when asked if she feels she has
the best possible way.
Like her previous books, Things to Do
news clips, caught in snippets of opinion
any social responsibility as a writer, she
When You're Goth in the Country is the
at parties, glorified on movie screens.
says no. "Sometimes the artist needs to
perfect blend of politics and pleasure.
And not all the wars in Woods' stories are
challenge society, to break it apart, to
Easy-to-read,
fought in far-off locales by soldiers: here
make it look at itself, to try to destroy it,
and
alongside UFO sightings and exorcisms
to make it uncomfortable, and sometimes
hilarious, Woods knows the power of
and acid trips are class warfare, cultural
the artist needs to create something
words. Commenting on the stories in this
warfare, and religious warfare.
entirely
collection, she says, "The tension is high.
Sound eerily familiar? It will to anyone
paying attention to the news these days.
aesthetic,
story, that
doesn't
or
tell
a strange
take society
into
consideration whatsoever.''
"This isn't true with everything I write,"
That said, she admits to feeling the
Woods says, "but ... a major reason I
burden of her social responsibility as a
wrote this [book] is because there was
person, "and it probably comes through
deeply
moving,
engaged,
often
weird
laugh-out-loud
The pain is excruciating, and at the same
time, they are very funny, and bright and
awful, and that's the kind of story I love.''
Amen to that.
(chavisawoodsbooks.com)
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
53
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FEATURES/Cu
in London in the 1990s, she wrote a book
wanting to know "what happens next" in
(as yet unpublished) about lesbians and
the life of the 84-year-old title character,
aging. In the 2000s, she wrote another
who comes out when she falls in love
on her business card. "I live to write, and
book (also as yet unpublished)
with a 79-year-old
I live to fight the good fight," she says.
the role of people over 50 in alternative
Longtime
activist
and author
Sue
Katz, 70, has seen a lot.
"Wordsmith and Rebel" is emblazoned
Katz lived abroad for 24 years and
moved back to the United States in late
2000. Since she's been back, the political landscape
looks so very different
from what it was when she left-the
1970s were
America,
a revolutionary
especially
time
in
for the women's
movement and LGBT rights.
'Tm appalled by the political
and the plunge
having
reality
into fascism.
a collective,"
she
I miss
says.
"In
about
sexual communities.
"I found that there was a great deal
of reluctance,
until very recently,
publish
anything
certainly
about
and doubly
about
aging
aging,
to
most
and sexuality,
about aging and lesbian
woman. The story
ends when they walk hand-in-hand into
Manor
House,
facility
for
an independent-living
seniors.
"Everybody
said,
'This hand-in-hand just doesn't do it for
me-how
did they do it, where did they
do it, and what was the response?'
"This was a universal reaction
I got
sexuality. So I have run into that barrier
from readers. So, I decided to write a
for a very long time."
novel about their affair," says Katz. "For
Ultimately,
writing
most
Katz
succeeded
and publishing
intimate
in
me, Lillian in Love has three characters:
some of the
Lillian, her lover Sarah, and the senior
and authentic
stories
housing
environment.
Having worked
about lesbians and aging that are now
with
in print, and currently
available from
know senior housing very well. I still
early days, and it was an amazing group
Amazon. Her books Lillian's Last Affair
teach senior fitness and dance and go
that believed
(Consenting
London,
I worked
with WAF-Women
Against Fundamentalism.
It was in the
fundamentalism
of any
Adult
Press, 2014) and
seniors
in various
capacities,
into all sorts of different
I
subsidized
sort has at the core of its agenda the
Lillian in Love (2017) detail lesbian love,
senior
control
romance, and sexuality later in life, a
now, of course, my friends live in senior
topic she explores in a very matter-of-
housing, so I see it even more intimately.
of women
It was a brilliant
and reproduction.
group with
brilliant
people from all over the world and of all
religions. That was my political home."
In addition to activism, Katz has been
confronting
the issue of aging
ever
fact yet sexy manner.
She wrote
National
Lillian
Novel
(nanowrimo.org)
Writing
Month
two years ago with her
friend Elizabeth Woodcraft,
a younger woman, who, one night in
Award-winning
said, "I'm so into older
developments.
And
I know the problems about 'who's sitting
in Love during
since she was 25 and going out with
the afterglow,
housing
a Lambda
writer in London.
in which chair' and 'who is dining with
whom,' and all of those issues. I know
them very well."
The response to both Lillian's Last
Affair and Lillian in Love has been so
"When I did the book of short stories
overwhelmingly
positive
that
Katz is
women." Katz was about to say "me too"
Lillian's Last Affair, there were things I
when she realized her lover was talking
wanted, but I knew I could not get from
novel, this time from the point of view
about her.
a publisher. I wanted a big font, lots of
of Lillian's lover, Sarah. The original
entertaining
the idea of writing another
"The issue of aging has been with
white space, and for it to be inexpen-
story, told
me ever since," says Katz, "and not just
sive," says Katz. "I knew that all three
is that of a straight woman navigating
because I have worked with elders for
of those things
to the
her first lesbian relationship at 84 years
most of my professional
interests of mainstream publishers, but
old. For Katz's readers and Lillian's fans,
life, in one
were counter
from
self-
I felt very insistent that a book about old
understanding
defense for seniors back in the '70s,
people should be legible to old people."
a lifelong
capacity
or another. I pioneered
and in order to do that course I became
It was never her intention
to write
Lillian's perspective,
the experience of Sarah,
lesbian, would add another
dimension to the story.
in the physiology of aging, so
a sequel to her book of short stories,
that I could teach elders without killing
but as she made over 40 appearances,
aging,
them."
reading
lesbian perspective,
certified
The issue of aging has always been a
part of Katz's writing. In fact, while living
the
title
story
events across the country,
a tremendous
at
author
there was
response from
people
With
the
dearth
of
particularly
the subject
would
about
from
another
a
novel on
be most welcome.
(suekatz.typepad.com)
DEC/JAN
novels
aging
•
2018
CURVE
57
WHAT
AREYOU
LOO<NG
AT?
A painter is queering female portraits.
BY MELANIE BARKER
58
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
Queer women rarely make the subjects
"A portrait inherently objectifies
"I create figurative portrait paintings
its
of gallery canvases. But emerging artist
of LGBTQ+ identified
and queer-allied
subject," says Leutwyler, who confronts
Kim Leutwyler
that. The
women, most recently focusing on those
the dynamic of women's looked-atness
American-born painter studied at Arizona
who have impacted my life in some way,"
directly. "The female body in particular
State University and graduated from the
she says. "My work toys with the con-
has been
Art Institute of Chicago with a Painting
cepts of glorification, objectification
of
and Drawing degree, and migrated to
modification, touching on the mutability
historical contexts that build a sense of
Australia in 2012. She has created original
of identity, gender and beauty."
glorification, and sometimes eroticism."
is changing
and
portrayed
societal,
in
cultural,
a multitude
scientific
and
mediums,
But Leutwyler challenges notions of
the man with the brush but for a woman
Leutwyler focuses on painting in order
the "ideal" and says that we ourselves
who is more like themselves. Leutwyler's
to infiltrate
have changed what we view as desirable
work has been exhibited in the prestigious
masculine-dominated
Archibald and Sulman exhibition at the
been
Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney,
especially through its objectification
Australia.
women by male artists.
paintings in which women pose not for
Adept
at
a
variety
of
and disrupt a traditionally
elevated
by
mode
Western
that
has
canonof
perfection. "Body art, plastic surgery and
piercings are not uncommon among the
women you see in my work," she notes.
(kimleutwyler.com) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
59
t was 30 years ago that Emily
I had no idea it was going to come from
Saliers and Amy Ray released
Lyris until she started producing these
my personality that likes to watch football.
their debut
Strange
little snippets of ideas in her home studio
With this album, I don't have a purpose
Indigo
Girls.
and sending them to me. And I was like,
except to be truthful to what I experience
They'd been playing
music
'This is what I want:"
or how I see the world.
Fire,
album,
as the
social issues. But I also have an easy part to
together for a few years at that
Over the course of three years, they
point, and Saliers for much longer, on her
pinned down the songs, the arrangements,
beginning,
own. The daughter of a theologian, Saliers
and the studio time, then Hung recruited
Indigo Girls music have found spots where
grew up in a predominantly
a group of players-including
"And just thankfully, ever since the
people who've
listened to
bassist Tim
it fits into their own lives and with what
in New Haven,
LeFebvre, keyboardist Rachel Eckroth, and
they think about. But we never set out to
Conn., soaking up all the gospel music
drummers Robert "Sput" Searight and Will
write geared toward anything. It was just
she could. The family eventually moved
Calhoun-who
the way that we saw the world, and it's the
American neighborhood
African-
could bring their vision to
to Atlanta, Ga., where she continued her
life in a way that programmed beats never
musical education,
taking in Southern
could. "She wanted to make sure that
soul, R&B,and, eventually, hip-hop. Artists
human beings played the beats," Saliers
like India.Arie, Mary J. Blige, and
Though the Indigo Girls have
stayed fairly true to their folkSaliers takes any
number of left turns on her solo
debut,
the
wonderfully
world-
beat tinged Murmuration Nation.
Produced by longtime Indigo Girls
side player Lyris Hung, the set
finds Saliers diving deep into the
artistic waters that the Girls only
To fund the project,
to PledgeMusic.
''THEISSUES
ONE
OF
Kendrick Lamar are among her
current favorites.
rock sound,
same for me as it ever has been."
the album
like Shaming of the Sun, Swamp
Ophelia, and One Lost Day. "I
pre-order
for $10, or they
could nab higher-priced
and
a
experiences,
a
items
including
personalized
message,
birthday
Skype
lesson, an in-home
SHE
WANTED
TO
ADDRESS
WAS
THE
'GUN
SICKNESS'
INTHE
UNITED
STATES.
dangled their toes into on albums
Saliers turned
Fans could
guitar
concert,
and more. Though Saliers was
hesitant about the whole thing,
thinking some of the big-ticket
items felt a bit elitist, it was
,,
a wonderful
connect
opportunity
to
with fans-which,
in
many ways, was more valuable
than the financial support.
"In the end, the personal
contact I had with all those fans
love India.Arie," she says. "I love that her
recounts, "and I said, 'No, it won't feel like
was incredible. I mean, they're so loyal,"
lyrics are thoughtful, but she uses a lot of
hip-hop: And she's like, 'You're not a hip-
she says. "I'm a small artist, but the love
acoustic guitar, and the soul influences
hop artist. You're going to want the human
was big. And I really enjoy doing Skype
are in there. So I wanted to make a record
element.' So I had to do a lot of struggling
sessions, having brunch
that, obviously, would have to be me, but I
to have faith in her vision for some things,
meeting them, doing guitar lessons. All
because I didn't exactly trust it at first. I
the contact I had, I really, really loved it."
wanted it to have the rhythmic things."
Being three decades into a successful
duo career, but wanting to explore and
thought maybe I had the better idea and,
in the end, I didn't."
with people,
The Indigo Girls have always been
grassroots, and the whole process was
a way for Saliers to circle back to those
express all of those elements, Saliers
Where Saliers did have the better idea
cobbled together 15 songs and started
was in the songwriting. One of the issues
beginnings. "This record has my name
making demo recordings. Seeing as Ray
she wanted to address was the "gun
on it, but it is such a team record," she
has released a handful of solo albums,
sickness" in the United States, which
adds. "I've always known that. Now I
why did it take so long for Saliers stand
she tackles on "OK Corral." "But it's not
really feel it. I feel so grateful that I can
center-stage alone? "I needed someone to
purposeful," she says. "I don't feel like I'm
be doing this, at this age, when I have
wrangle me, because I have things floating
on a mission of any kind. I don't think that
a great career, and Amy and I are still
around
excitement
I have a responsibility to deliver certain
going strong and love each other as
about things that are unattainable in the
kinds of songs. Songwriting has always
much as ever, if not more. I think, 'Should
present moment, but I have a very difficult
been nothing but reflective of the things
I be doing this?' And I think having a
time focusing on the steps that lead to
that I think about, the way that I feel. So
child and having a family and feeling
accomplishing
how deep those blessings are just make
in my
head and
the project. So the first
this album is very much me, because I
thing I had to do was find someone who
am a person who's an activist, and I am
me more relaxed, to be like, 'Why not?' "
could do what I wanted, creatively, and
concerned every day, all day long, about
(emilysaliers.com) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
61
It's been almost four years since Ellen Page came out, on February
global scale, championing LGBTrights and promoting visibility through
14, 2014, during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign's Time to
her series Gaycation, where she hits the road with her best friend, Ian
THRIVEconference in Las Vegas, and later that year she made TheAd-
Daniel, to explore surprising LGBTQcultures around the world.
At only 31 years of age, she seems to have lived a lifetime in the glare
vocate's annual "40 Under 40" list.
It might seem ironic that her breakthrough performance in Juno-
of the showbiz spotlight. Once deeply conflicted about coming out-to
the film that turned her into an instant star and earned her an Oscar
the extent that she didn't deny rumors in the press that she was having
nomination at age 20-featured
her as a plucky, pregnant, and presum-
an affair with a male co-star-she's since spoken out about her former
ably straight teen. But even that early in her career, we could see the
closeted status in Hollywood, arguing that out actors can still enjoy
mix of risk and certainty that is pure Ellen Page.
successful careers playing heterosexual romantic leads.
Not only has the diminutive Canadian actor continued to seek out
Last January, Page told Elle UK, "There's still that double standard.
Freeheld,in which she
I look at all the things I've done in movies: I've drugged a guy, tortured
played the tomboyish domestic partner of a lesbian detective played
someone, become a roller-derby star overnight. But now I'm gay, I can't
by Julianne Moore-she's pursued the right to live her own truth on a
play a straight person?"
interesting and truthful film projects-especially
In 2013, when Page played a straight woman in East, opposite
Alexander Skarsgard, the press reported that the pair were in a rela-
was no doubt left rattled that an innocent heterosexual friendship
could inspire such malevolence.
tionship. Page appeared to go along with it, cozying up to Skarsgard
In the movie Freeheld,based on a true story, Page plays Stacie An-
for pictures that wound up on Twitter. But that kind of publicity didn't
dree, the lesbian partner of dying New Jersey detective Laurel Hester
go over too well. "I'm going to murder Ellen Page. She's dead," read a
(Julianne Moore) who battles the law to see that Andree is provided
Twitter message, according to the gossip website TMZ. "Ellen Page, if
for, just the same as the surviving spouse in a heterosexual couple
you continue to date Alexander [Skarsgard] I will K-1-L-Lyou in public
would be. The role provoked a crisis of conscience in Page, informing
in the next year ... Be it in a club, at a game, in a restaurant, or when
her decision to come out at the HRC function in 2014 (and on Valen-
you're signing autographs," read another angry message. Page had
tine's Day, no less)-well before the October 2015 release of this land-
been spotted with Skarsgard at a hockey game in Los Angeles, and
mark gay rights movie.
TMZ claimed the threatening messages were sent from two fan ac-
Soon after, Page went global with her gayness, developing Gaycation with Viceland, for which she received an Emmy nomination as producer of the series. She also produced and starred in Into the Forest
counts, before they were removed. Page, whose own Twitter account
describes her as "a tiny Canadian," and boasts 1.42 million followers,
With Emma Portner
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with bisexualactor EvanRachelWood, directed by lesbianfilmmaker
Patricia Rozema.Next up is My Days of Mercy, a drama-romancein
which Pageplays Lucy,whose father is on death row. Lucy falls in love
with Mercy (played by Page'sreal-lifefriend Kate Mara,who was also
a producer}, in spite of their differing political views. Pageand Mara
had wanted to work on a film project together after collaborating on a
"Funnyor Die" video and bonding over their sharedlove of early Jodie
Fostermovies.That they chose a heavy romance is testament to their
artistic credability. In what is possibly a cinematic first, they share a
sex scene that was choreographed by director Tali Shalom Ezerand
her wife. My Daysof Mercy screenedat the Toronto InternationalFilm
Festivaland awaits national release.
This past fall, Pagestarred in Flatliners,a remakeof the 1990 Joel
Schumacherfilm starring Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts,which
exploreshow five ambitious medical students attempt to trigger neardeath experiencesin order to explore the possibility of an afterlife. It's
not a gay movie,and it marksa return to more mainstreamterritory for
Page,reinforcing her belief that gay actors can of course play gay, but
they should unquestionablyhave accessto mainstream,heterosexual
roles,too.
Whichever path Page'scareer takes, in coming out she has found
her true north, and she has no regretsabout her decision.
"From one day to the next I felt a happinessand an inner peace
which I hadn't known for years,"Pagesays."My life now is overwhelming, and I'm glad to be in a position where I can support my community
and also help show that you can still play all kinds of roles after you are
out. Thingsare changing fast, and the more that people come out, the
more they will ultimately help put an end to the idea that coming out
destroysyour career.We haveto makethat happen."
Recently,Page has been more forthcoming about her romantic
life, too. She has made red carpet appearanceswith surfer Samantha
Thomas,who she dated in 2016, and with the contemporary dancer
and choreographer Emma Portner, her current love. Last fall, Refinery29 described them as "the new It couple." Pageand Portnerattended the Flatlinerspremiere in Hollywood together, and when they took
to the red carpet Pagetold EntertainmentTonight how much it means
to have her partner by her side. "Oh, it's the best," she enthused. And
Pagereturns the favor, regularlycelebrating her admiration of Portner
and her talents on her lnstagramaccount.
Pagerecently chatted about how coming out has had an impact on
her state of mind, on her career developments, and on the work she
can do to campaign for and defend her community.
FEATURES/COVER
WHATLEDYOUTO WORKON THE REMAKEOF FLATLINERS?
I was a big fan of the original Flatlinersand I'm excited to be a part
of it. It's an interesting concept and it was great to work with [director]
Niels Arden Oplev and a really great cast.
ST
have to put on masks and hide your identity. I feel an inner peace now,
which I hadn't felt in a very long time.
I feel like I've been able to open up to the world. As an individual, it's
night and day. It's affected the way I move and the energy I have, just
the way I spend my day.
THERE'SALSO A CANADIAN CONNECTION. KIEFERSUTHERLAND,A
I can also be open about my relationships and not worry about that,
FELLOWCANADIAN,STARREDIN THEORIGINALAND HASA CAMEOIN
and if I want to take someone on the red carpet I can now do that with
YOURFILM.AREYOU PROUDOF THAT?
a girlfriend and tell people that I'm in love, if I choose to do that. These
Oh, sure. It was also so nice to be able to shoot the film in Toronto,
a city that I love, and spend some time back in Canada. I miss Canada
are all changes in my life that have made me feel so much freer and
happier.
and I also miss Nova Scotia, where I'm from.
DID HIDING YOUR SEXUALITYBECOME AN INTOLERABLEBURDEN
YOUR LIFE HAS UNDERGONEA REMARKABLECHANGE SINCE YOU
CAME OUT IN 2014. HOW DOES IT FEELAT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE
AND CAREER?
FORYOU?
Some people can make an adjustment and live by hiding their true
selves. For me, it was a toxic situation, the fear that comes with the
I'm so happy to be able for the first time in my life to align my authen-
hiding. You can't hold hands with your girlfriend if you're walking down
tic self with my creative world. Before, I had to hide my sexuality and
the street. You can't talk about your partner. It becomes frustrating not
that made me increasingly unhappy and uncomfortable and anxious.
to be able to involve them in your life or invite them to events in your
I'm excited and enthusiastic about my work again, and it feels the same
professional life that are very meaningful to you. You are simply not
way it did when I was 15 and beginning my career. It's such a different
able to live your authentic self and live openly with someone you love.
feeling to be open about who you are and simply live that way and not
You also feel uncomfortable just in terms of your body language and
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not being able to dress the way you'd like.
parents and they simply wanted me to enjoy my time in school, to
WHEN YOU WERE MAKING FREEHELD,YOU MUST HAVE RECOG-
study and get good grades, and to keep doing things like playing
soccer. They regarded my acting ambitions as something which if
What Laurel [Hester] and Stacie [Andree] did was very brave and
it works out, great, but they also wanted me to have an education
and have other interests to fall back on. They were very supportive.
remarkable for their time, and we've made so much progress since
then, even though we still have a long way to go. There's still a lot of
WERETHEY SHOCKEDWHEN THEY LEARNEDTHAT YOU WEREGAY?
discrimination going on and a lot of fear. Also, the LGBTQcommunity is facing a backlash and a lot of negative rhetoric from prominent
It wasn't complicated or traumatic moment at all. One day I introduced them to my girlfriend and that was it. That also meant a lot
politicians in reaction to that progress.
That's why it's important to keep fighting, and that's another great
to me, because obviously many sons and daughters don't have an
easy time telling their parents.
benefit of my being out. I can actively campaign and work for and
defend my community, and also be part of different projects that ad-
I'm also fortunate in that I'm in a position where I've received a lot
of support from many people because I'm known as an actor. Most
dress such issues. I also hope that my coming out would help young
people who are still struggling with shame and bullying.
people in my community don't receive that kind of support and can
feel very alone or fearful when they decide to come out.
HAS IT ALSO BEENA RELIEFTO NO LONGERFEELTHE FEAROF BEING
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR CAREERPATH NOW, AND YOUR
OUTEDAND THE IMPACTTHAT MIGHT HAVEHAD ON YOURCAREER?
DECISIONTO COME OUT?
NIZED SOME PARALLELS
TO YOUROWN LIFE.
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I reached a point where my desire to come out was so great that
I'm very excited about the way things have been going. I'm get-
even if everyone in Hollywood had told me that I'd never work again
it wouldn't have made any difference. I didn't want to hide anymore.
ting to be part of projects that I believe in, and I can produce films
like the one I did with Evan Rachel Wood last year [Into the Forest]
But a lot of fear still exists in my industry, and a lot of gay actors or
gay people who work in the industry feel this pressure to hide their
and do similar kinds of things that I couldn't do or hesitated to do
sexuality.
U)
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YOU STARTEDACTING AS A TEENAGERIN CANADA. DID YOUR PARENTSTRYTO DISSUADEYOU FROM PURSUINGTHAT CAREER?
No. My parents didn't try to influence me at all. They weren't stage
before.
Looking back at the last few years, it makes me wish that I had
come out much sooner. There's a huge ripple effect to this kind of
a journey, and it changes every aspect of your world. Because my
life is so much happier now and I couldn't feel more grateful and
fortunate than I do now.
71 UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVERCRUISES
74 ADVENTURESIN ANN ARBOR
KEEPCALM
IN KAUAI
68
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WHERETO STAY
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &
Spa (kauai.hyatt.com) is grand indeed.
Set
on
50
beautifully-landscaped
direct oceanfront acres, you are free
to stroll through lush tropical gardens,
manicured lawns and a meandering
network of ponds, lagoons, and pools
during your stay. The resort pool features
a lava rock-lined lazy river pool with
waterfalls, seating nooks, secret caves,
and a 150-foot waterslide. There's also
an adult pool area, and depending on the
tides, you can step down onto the white
sand of Shipwreck Beach.
Also grand are the spacious rooms,
with king or queen comfy pillow-top
beds, Hawaiian-style lanais, large flatscreen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. But you'll not
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stay inside for long, lured perhaps by
the 18-hole championship golf course,
open-air Anara Spa, and delightful
alfresco dining experiences.
Sip a
sunset cocktail at the outdoor Captain's
Bar, and have dinner at Tidepools, a
contemporary Hawaiian restaurant set
amidst tropical gardens and overlooking
the large koi lagoon. If this is a special
occasion, consider "sharing the stars
with someone you love" in a special and
intimate 4-course tasting menu, served
by your own butler. On-resort activities
include tennis clinic, scuba lessons,
wildlife walk and garden tour, and of
course the Grand Hyatt Kauai Luau-a
feast of food and culture. Friendly staff
can point you to the best local activities
during your stay.
If you want to plan an extended stay,
check out Kukui'ula in Koloa. These club
bungalows, cottages and villas, available
for rental (some are for purchase!), are
perfect for special vacation events
such as weddings and honeymoons,
offering plantation-style, self-contained
living with one to four bedrooms and
bathrooms-and
amenities such as fire
pits, BBQs, plunge pools and lanais with
ocean views. Your luxury basecamp
includes the use of resort features
including the clubhouse and great lawn
with fire pit; interconnected saltwater
pools and cascading waterfalls, sandy
bottom lagoon and beach; the lush 10acre Farm, which provides the restaurant
with much of its produce; and Hi'ilani
Spa + Fitness with its indulgent and
invigorating Seven Step Wet Ritual.
Kukui'ula is luxury, and if you can afford
it, well worth the splurge.
WHERETO EAT
The Hawaiian Islands are experiencing
a farm-to-table food boom and Kauai is
too! To see this bounty in its full glory,
head to Kauai Culinary Market, weekly
on Wednesdays,atTheShopsat Kukui'ula
in Poipu (theshopsatkukuiula.com/event/
kauai-culinary-market). Sample gardenand-plantation-fresh
local
produce
such as pineapples, attend casual
cooking demonstrations, and meet the
friendly locals. For a sit-down dinner,
head upstairs to the lovely Merriman's
Fish House
(merrimanshawaii.com),
a culinary mainstay when it comes to
promoting Hawaii's sustainable, fresh,
and authentic local cuisine in a way that
benefits everybody-from
farmer and
fisherman, to the diners themselves.
Tuck into a Kalua pig quesadilla or an
organic handcrafted pizza with Hamakua
mushrooms and feel good about eating
right by the planet.
If for any reason you should have to
wait for a table, check out the excellent
contemporary art on show at Galerie
103 (galerie103.com), or the local art on
display at any of the seven other galleries.
For classic Hawaii, The Beach House
Restaurant (the-beach-house.com)
is
a local favorite and has been for many
years. Positioned on a little palm-fringed
peninsula lit by flaming torches, sip your
cocktails, watch the sunset, surfers, and
savor casual Pacific Rim Cuisine and
locally-sourced seafood in paradise.
THINGS TO DO
Active types will be sated by the
many outdoor activities offered on
Kauai. The Napali Coast is a mustsee, especially
when
experienced
as a snorkel and sail with Holo Holo
Charters (holoholocharters.com).
Drive
to Port Allen Marina Center (about 30
minutes from the Grand Hyatt) and
bring your swimsuit, windbreaker, towel,
sunscreen, and sunglasses. The water
can be choppy on this catamaran ride,
so take some Dramamine as well. Then sit
back, relax, and soak up the majesty of
the stunning and dramatic Napali Coast
with its green-capped craggy cliffs that
plunge into impossibly blue water. You
even get to stop for a snorkel!
If you're a landlubber at heart you
might prefer the Kauai ATV Waterfall
Tour at Koloa (kauaiatv.com). Kauai
ATV
provides
mud-proof
shorts,
T-shirts, helmets, goggles and souvenir
bandanas. Do bring bug spray, and a
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2017 STATEMENT
OF OWNERSHIP
Publication Title: Curve
Publication No. 0010-355
Filing Date: Nov 1, 2017
Issue Frequency: Bi-monthly
Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/July, Aug/Sep, Oct/ Nov, Dec/
Jan
Number of Issues Published Annually: 6
Annual Subscription Price: $35.00
Complete Mailing Address: PO Box 467 New York NY
10034.
Contact Person: Silke Bader
Telephone (415) 871-0569
Publisher: SiIke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Editor: Merryn Johns PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Owner(s): Avalon Media LLC PO Box 467 New York
NY10034
Silke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Publication Title: Curve
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Nov 24
Extent and Nature of Circulation Average No.
Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months:
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run 50,129. B) Paid
Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 354110,924; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution outside
USPS:24,366; (4) Paid Distribution by Other
Classes of Mail_ rough the USPS 2013. C) Total
Paid Distribution: 37,303. D) Free or Nominal
Rate Distribution by Mail and Outside the Mail:
(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies
included on Form 3541: 0; (2) Free or Nominal
Rate In-County Copies included on Form 3541: 0;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other
Classes Mailed_ rough the USPS:66; (4) Free
or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
11,942.E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
12,008. F) Total Distribution: 49,311 G) Copies
Not Distributed 818. H) Total 50,129. I) Percent
Paid 75.6%. Extent and Nature of Circulation/No.
Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing
Date A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run 45,068. B)
Paid Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 3541: 9776; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS: 21,644; (4)
Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail_ rough
the USPS:1903. C) Total Paid Distribution: 33,323
D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (by Mail
and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or Nominal Rate
Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541: 0; (2)
Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on
Form 3541: 0; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
Mailed at Other Classes_ rough the USPS:55; (4)
Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
12,034 E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
12,089. F) Total Distribution 44,245. G) Copies
Not Distributed: 823. H) Total: 45,068 I) Percent
Paid: 75.3%. Publication of Statement of
Ownership: Nov/Dec 2017
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swimsuit, towel and water-friendly closed
(outfitterskauai.com).
toe shoes for the optional waterfall swim
Tours and Activities in Poipu by Trip
Ranked
#1
Best
during your deli lunch. The tour takes
Advisor, they'll have a tour for your ability
you through tunnels, jungle, and into the
and appetite for adventure.
stunning open pastures where Jurassic
Park was filmed. This activity is active and
GETTING THERE
not for princesses; it's muddy fun, but our
We flew from New York City into Lihue
inner tomboys loved it!
on
Hawaiian Airlines (hawaiianairlines.
You can also try kayaking, ziplining,
com) and picked up an Avis car rental at
paddle-boarding and downhill biking in
the airport (avis.com). For more info visit
Waimea Canyon with Outfitters
(gohawaii.com/islands/kauai).
Kauai
Aloha!•
WHAT'S ON BOARD
The River Queen is a unique, elegantly
proportioned, and intimate ship. If you
choose a Suite as your stateroom you'll
be afforded 215 square feet including a
small sitting area, bar, handcrafted Savoir
beds, and a marble bathrooms with
Hermes bath products. It's room enough
to lounge around and enjoy a cocktail,
read, or watch some TV. But since you'll
be on deck, or wining and dining in the
fabulous royal-blue restaurant, relaxing
in the Captain's Lounge with magazines,
or touring one of the many charming and
historic riverside villages along the way,
your cabin will be a sweet haven from
socializing and sightseeing during this
voyage of a lifetime. Certainly, the vessel
itself is a delightful place to tarry, with
indoor patio, lounge and bar perfect for
afternoon tea, cocktails, and listening to
live piano music. Plus,there's an expansive
sundeck to relax and sunbathe on. There's
also a small fitness center so you can keep
up your health regime while sailing and
if you're an early bird, guided wellness
sessions are in the main lounge or sundeck
each morning. Wi-Fi is available, but due
to the course of the river through several
countries, the signal can be intermittent.
All the better for relaxing! Throughout the
trip, fun and entertainment are offered,
from the sail away champagne sabering
ceremony, to such activities as bartending
courses, cocktail receptions, barbecues
on the upper deck, signature lectures,
and specialty entertainment such as the
classical trio La Strada, or Hungarian Fire's
Budapest Dance Band.
EATING AND DRINKING
The food on board, courtesy of the topflight executive chef, is varied and consists
of gourmet quality European cuisine, with
three meals served daily including special
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themed menus and buffets that reflect the
local culinary traditions. Spritis and ine
local wines are also included in this luxe
all-inclusive.
TOURING AND SIGHTSEEING
The itinerary for European Jewels is
extensive, enchanting, and has the effect
of transporting the voyager into an old
world picture book. After sailing from
Amsterdam you dock in Cologne, in full
view of its famous bridge and cathedral.
There's also a Chocolate Museum and
numerous cafes at which to sample coffee
and pastries. From Cologne onwards,
it's day after day of scenic sailing along
the romantic Rhine, through a fairytale
landscape dotted with ancient castles,
rolling vineyards and quaint medieval
towns. At Rudesheim you can take the
cable car to Niederwald Heights to truly
appreciate the breathtaking scenery that
inspired "Rhine Romanticism" and the
works of Byron, Turner, and Wagner, to
name just a few. The township itself is
picturesque and filled with shops selling
icecream, Riesling, chocolates, and gifts
perfect for Christmas. With the world
in as much trouble as it is, this is the
way to escape it: following a 40-mile,
fairytale-worthy stretch of the Rhine as it
gently twists and turns and reveals a new
spectacle around each bend. Can you
picture yourself supping on a barbecue
lunch of grilled German sausages and
beer, while gazing at the sun-soaked
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vineyards and ancient castles built upon
craggy outcrops-all
from the comfort
of the sundeck where, after a couple of
hours, your charming bartender fetches
you an Aperol Spritz? Now that's relaxing!
Next stop is the financial center of
Frankfurt and a city walking tour that
includes a sampling of local apple cider,
and green sauce ("grun sose") with eggs
and potatoes. Delicious! The historic
Romer Square, with its 15th century
apartment buildings, shops, and old town
hall, their Renaissance style unspoiled
even today. Drop by the poet Goethe's
house, which is still there, right in the
city, or enjoy perusing the fruits, flowers,
meats, seafood, cakes, pastries, teas,
chocolates, spices and other delicacies
prized by locals at the Klein Market Hall.
Continuing to Wertheim takes you into
the heart of Rhineland, and this town and
its ruined castle dates back to the 13th
century. It's the perfect stop for pretzelmaking and wine tasting at a private
Franconian wine estate. Wertheim Castle
is one of the most picturesque ruins in
Germany, and in spite of being under
gunfire siege during the Thirty Years' War,
it's still a majestic sight to behold.
A true jewel is to be discovered at your
next stop, in Wurzburg: the 18th century
Neue Residenz, a 300-room baroque
palace where more truly is more-and
most of it survived Allied bombing in
1945! The UNESCO World Heritage city of
Bamberg possesses one of the largest and
fully-preserved medieval town centers in
Europe and it's also the heart of Bavaria's
all-natural beer brewing culture (maybe
that's why it was spared WWII bombing!)
Perhaps because of Allied thirst, the
entire town and its hundreds of medieval
buildings are intact. But Germany's history
isn't all happy, as we know. The city of
Nuremberg is a reminder of Germany's
complex past; from its romantic 14th and
15th century medieval and Renaissance
structures to Hitler's failed architectural
complex designed by Albert Speer.
The Danube carries you blissfully
into Regensburg, one of Germany's top
college towns, and with a 2,000-year
history, to boot. Then onto pretty Passau
with its cobblestone streets, green onion
dome cathedral, and beautiful Bavarian
countryside perfect for an active bike ride.
Leaving Germany and crossing into
Austria you then dock at Weissenkirchen,
the first visible landmark being its famous
white church. What an experience it is
to wake up to the stunning scenery of
the Wachau Valley-a beautiful 20-mile
stretch of river featuring a mix of little
towns, forested foothills and terraced
vineyards that produce Gruner Veltliner.
Weissenkirchen is the prettiest of towns,
with the 18th century Benedictine Abbey
in the nearby town of Melk, and its Baroque
library of 100,000 volumes.
Arriving in Vienna, the jewels of this
voyage become even more opulent,
with visits to the Schonbrunn Palace, the
Winter Palace and the Kunstkammer Wien,
which houses some of Europe's greatest
treasures. The cherry on the torte has
to be a bespoke concert of Mozart and
Strauss performed at a Viennese palais.
By this stage in the voyage you will have
been dazzled by everything, including
the sight of white swans against a perfect
sunset, but even that won't compare with
your last stop: Budapest, Hungary. This
beautiful twin city (Buda and Pest, built on
either side of the river) is distinguished by
its magnificent architecture, best enjoyed
at night from the upper deck of the River
Queen. The Parliament lit up against a sky
of midnight blue is a sight you won't soon
forget. Budapest really is the "Queen of
the Danube."
SERVICE REQUIRING SUPERLATIVES
During our cruise, as though in a
fairytale, we were gifted with a butler. He
greeted us at the end of an afternoon's
sightseeing, brought us aperitifs and
snacks, took away our dirty laundry and
brought it back magically pressed and
folded. Sometimes we had no tasks for
him, but he was always delightful. We're
But if you're a high maintenance femme
you'll be rewarded with service fit for a
queen! All staff-hotel manager, purser,
cruise manager, restaurant manager, and
house keeper-are impeccably trained,
unwaveringly polite, genuinely friendly,
and graciously accommodating. Whether
that's making sure you get your favorite
table for dinner, a cocktail brought to you
on deck, a snack between meal service,
or advice on which tour to take from
the cruise director himself-you will be
treated royally. One of the reasons that
the itineraries are so varied and satisfying
is that staff, especially our cruise manager
Preston Coe, have perfected the itineraries
by consistently listening to customer
feedback so that your experiences on
and off the boat are seamless, enjoyable,
and memorable. And transfers to and
from the airport-no
matter how early
your flights-are all part of the service.
Consider yourself a VIP.
Uniworld is a proud member of the
International Gay & Lesbian Travel
Association (IGTLA), and we found our
sexuality to be a non-issue. In fact, it was
warmly acknowledged and embraced.
Uniworld recently partnered with R Family
Vacations to offer LGBTtravelers and their
families a luxurious travel experience in
sought-after destinations. In the summer
of 2018, R Family Vacations will host
several sailings, and will include group
dinners, cocktail parties and excursions
for LGBT guests, led by R Family cofounders Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli
Carpenter. Upcoming itineraries can be
found at uniworld.com/en/promotions/
lgbt. For the full range of Uniworld's 2018
itineraries, visit uniworld.com. •
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PREP WITH PEP
Do college
towns
have good
accommodation? This one does! The
Graduate in downtown Ann Arbor is a
former Campus Inn that's been given a luxe
hipster-preppy makeover (graduatehotels.
com/ann-arbor). And when we say preppy
we mean fun and fine: Comfy beds, cool
bathrooms, and in the lobby is a 40foot long table where you can order fine
wine and craft cocktails, and the rooms
and public spaces are decorated with
whimsical and hip decor harking back to
the 1930s and 1940s.
OF BEERAND TEA
The brewmeister at Ypsi Alehouse
(ypsialehouse.com) in nearby Ypsilanti
has been making beer since 1982 and has
mastered all manner of ales and pales,
wheat beer, porter, stout, and bitter. Pair
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any of these with the excellent gastropub
offerings devised by Chef Mary Potts,
who also trains and competes in JiuJitsu. Over at Arbor Brewing Company
(arborbrewing.com), Matt and Rene Greff
produce the crispest pilsners through
to chocolatey stouts and have helped
transform downtown since 1995. Prefer
to stay sober? TeaHaus (teahaus.com)
is run by certified "tea sommelier" Lisa
McDonald who knows everything under
the sun about that other brew, tea, right
down to food pairings.
SEE A SHOW, GO TO A CLUB
Whatever play is on at The Purple Rose
Theater (purple-rosetheater.org), under
the vision of artistic director Guy Sanville,
this cultural venue sparkles and speaks
to generations who aren't frequently
represented. Founded in 1991 by actor
and local Jeff Daniels, it's dedicated
to producing the New American play,
delivered with a Midwestern voice. After
curtain call, party the night away at LIVE
downtown, with Candy Bar, Ann Arbor's
weekly LGBT dance party on Thursdays.
LIVE (livea2.com) has two bars, a large
dance floor, and a booming sound system
that is frequently operated by lesbian and
trans DJs.
OF CHEESE AND CHERRIES
Zingerman's
Creamery
makes
mouthwatering cheeses, mostly without
preservatives, that you can purchase at
Zingerman's Deli (zingermansdeli.com).
All cheeses are made from local cow's and
goat's milk and range from soft-ripened
cheeses, to hard raw cow's milk cheese.
The variety and quality is outstanding.
Did you know that more than two million
cherry trees cover the hills of of Michigan's
Lower Peninsula? Purchase the delicious
fruits of the Cherry Capital of the World
at Cherry Republic (cherryrepublic.com),
the largest exclusive retailer of cherry
products, from candy to wine, in the U.S.
ARTS AND EDIFICATION
The University of Michigan Museum
of Art is both a stunning architectural
space and an impressive collection that
rivals major cities with more than 18,000
works of art in its permanent collection,
representing 150 years of collecting.
From Chinese ceramics to contemporary
American, there's something for everyone
(umma.umich.edu). Stop by the Kelsey
Museum of Archaeology and step back
in time with 100,000 objects belonging
to ancient cultures, from Greece to Egypt
(umich.edu/kelsey). For contemporary
artifacts drop into Yourist Studio Gallery
(youristpottery.com), established in the
'70s by potter Kay Yourist as a community,
studio and workspace. Pick up a piece or
two at the gallery shop.
TASTESOF ANN ARBOR
Gratzi, a mainstay of local dining
since 1987, suits both dates and groups
(gratzirestaurant.com), serving upscale
Italian in an elegant environment.
Middle-Eastern restaurant Casablanca
(casablancaypsilanti.com) may be located
in a former Taco Bell, but owner Abdul
Mani serves sumptuous
homestyle
dishes fragrant with saffron, cardamom
and other spices. If you prefer American
food you can't beat Red Rock Downtown
Barbecue (redrockypsi.com). Savor many
styles of American barbecue, including
Kansas City, North Carolina, St. Louis, and
Texas. Asian food is popular in Ann Arbor
and one of the newest additions is Miss
Kim (misskimannarbor.com). Chef Ji Hye
Kim left an insurance career in New York
to transform Korean cuisine into delicate
delights. Take a tequila tasting at lsalita
(isalita.com) and learn all about agave
while noshing on Mexican snacks. Kick
on right next door to the delightfully large
and loud Mani Osteria & Bar specializing
in brick-oven pizza and Old World wines
(maniosteria.com).
ANTIQUES, AUTOS AND ATELIERS
Ypsilanti has a time machine-worthy
antiques
trail,
including
Schmidt's
Antiques, specializing in 18th, 19th, and
20th century European finds. Browse
the boutiques along Michigan Avenue
including Bowerbird Mongo and The
Rocket. Visit the Ypsilanti Automotive
Heritage Museum, one of the original
Hudson auto dealerships, displaying
Chevy Corvairs and a Tucker, both made
locally. From cars to girls: Muse Atelier
Vintage is the place to go for great, girlie
vintage clothes, accessories and art
curated by Tanya Luz and Luna Legare. This
boutique and fantasy studio is housed in a
classic red barn loaded with goodies like a
lesbian treasure chest! The Muse mavens
not only handpick the best of glamour
wear from bygone days: they organize
art shows, empowerment
workshops
and performance events. Follow them on
facebook.com/museateliervintage/.
OF FIREAND FESTIVITIES
KindleFest, now in its 9th year, is a
outdoor holiday market held at the Ann
Arbor Farmer's Market in Kerrytown (right
near Common Language Books, so
stop by and support this historic LGBT
bookstore!). KindleFest features music,
fire pits, handmade gifts, decorations,
and sustenance including chestnuts and
mulled wines. KindleFest is held on the
same night as the Midnight Madness extended shopping hours. Another classic
Christmas tradition is the performance
of Handel's Messiah by the Ann Arbor
Symphony Orchestra and the Grammy
Award-winning University Musical Society
Choral Union at Hill Auditorium.
Ann Arbor is a welcoming and diverse
place with plenty to discover. Legend has
it that the town was named after the wives
of its founders, and the two Anns (hence
the city's nickname, A2) enjoyed sitting
together under a wild grape arbor. It's
nice to think of these fast female friends as
establishing the spirit of the town, and that
today they'd welcome a gay lady or two to
join them. (visitannarbor.org) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
75
Here's the rub: No matter what you
know about Seattle, the city seems most
famous for its rain. In truth, it's more
about gray skies than actual rainfall.
Regardless, some say that enjoying
Seattle is like "being in love with a
beautiful woman who's sick all the time." I
know there's truth in that, because I lived
in the Emerald City for many years-yet
I'm still giddy every time I return, like I'm
visiting an ex I just can't live without.
I miss the city's magical ability to
balance arts and commerce, history and
modernity, quirkiness and pragmatism.
When I return these days, however, I see
a city that leans into its future smartly,
knowing that change is inevitable, so it
might as well be done right. Thankfully,
some of the biggest changes since I
moved away over a decade ago are
transportation-related,
like
Sound
Transit's light-rail system, which links
Sea-Tac Airport to the city center, plus
the county's underground-bus network,
which lets you skip Seattle's notorious
traffic jams.
New architecture
and attractions
76
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
have left their mark on the skyline, from
high-rise towers in South Lake Union,
to the waterfront's Great Wheel, to the
Seahawks Centurylink football stadium
(whose retractable roof makes for the
most vaginal-looking
stadium design
anywhere).
There's even a $74 million addition
to the historic Pike Place Market. Called
MarketFront, in 2017 it has added to the
already bustling downtown landmark,
with an expansive public space, local
retail and restaurants, senior housing,
and unrivaled Puget Sound and Olympic
Mountain views.
Still, what's always been grand about
Seattle remains vital to its progress.
People here invest in their community
and recognize equality: It has long
made events like June's Pride festival
(seattlepride.org) more of a celebration
than a protest. There's a good dose of
free will in all this progressive thinking
too, exemplified by the 2012 popular
vote legalizing recreational marijuana
across Washington.
To me, the funny thing about Seattle
is that sometimes the older spots may
seem as intriguing as they were on day
one, and new places can seem like
they've been around forever. To see
what I mean, head to Capitol Hill, the
city's LGBT center and all-around cool
neighborhood. The Pike-Pine Corridor
(named for two parallel commercial
strips) has long been lined with shops,
bars, cafes, and eateries that tempt
travelers and locals alike.
Zero in on little 10th Avenue, where
Elliott Bay Book Company(elliottbaybook.
com) relocated from Pioneer Square a
few years back, bringing its heritage as
one of the country's great booksellersplus the readings and other literary
events that one might expect in a smart
city like Seattle. Elliott Bay is an older
brand that found new life by moving
to Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, next door,
Oddfellows Cafe + Bar (oddfellowscafe.
com) opened in 2008 but feels like it
has always been there, thanks to the
preserved
architectural
details and
industrial decor, and the nouveau-classic
food and drink on the menu.
The queer scene has its new/old
mixture too, anchored by the Wildrose
(thewildrosebar.com), one of the country's
longest-running lesbian bars and still as
much fun as ever. Back in 1999, the 'Rose
got the best neighbor ever in Hothouse
(hothousespa.com), a women-only spa
that's deeply relaxing and perfectly
located, just steps away from a bar full of
flirty dykes at the 'Rose.
Mixed gay bars litter Pike, Pine, and
their cross streets, like locals' hangout R
Place (rplaceseattle.com) and Neighbours
(neighboursnightclub.com),
where you
can see shows and dance into the wee
hours.
By day, break away for a sip of truly
good Seattle espresso at Caffe Vita
(caffevita.com) or Victrola Coffee Roasters
(victrolacoffee.com), farther down Pike
Street. Duck into the Oddfellows Building
(yes, shared by the restaurant) to browse
cool fashions at NuBe Green (nubegreen.
com), accessorize with handcrafted goods
from Retail Therapy (ineedretailtherapy.
com), or find serious secondhand deals
at the nonprofit Lifelong Thrift Store
(lifelongthrift.com).
Dining sans gluten never tasted so
good as at Capitol Cider (capitolcider.
com), where cider-battered fish and chips
are only the beginning of an excellent slate
of dining choices in a lovely atmosphere.
And while you may not expect it, Omega
Ouzeri (omegaouzeri.com) will show
you how good Seattle's Greek and
Mediterranean gastronomy can be-try
the tender grilled octopus and be sure to
order extra tzatziki.
Head down the hill to check in at
one of the coolest hotels in town, Hotel
Max (hotelmaxseattle.com).
It's in a
prime location, yet stands apart from
the ubiquitous downtown hotel chains,
offering perks like free craft-beer tastings
in the evening, and rooms with turntables
to play locally produced vinyl.
A few blocks from Hotel Max you'll find
many of the city's best attractions. It's
just a quick walk to Pike Place, i as well
as the impressive Seattle Art Museum
(seattleartmuseum.org) and mesmerizing
Seattle
Aquarium
(seattleaquarium.
org). Both are excellent reasons to drift
down to the waterfront and maybe hop
on a historic streetcar to visit the brilliant
Olympic Sculpture Park.
Head to the Seattle Center for even
better views atop the iconic Space Needle
(spaceneedle.com). There you can also
visit the most eye-catching structure in
town: the Frank Gehry-designed Museum
of Pop Culture (mopop.org), whose
multicolor, gleaming fa9ade encloses
fascinating exhibits on rock 'n roll and
other contemporary culture.
Once you're properly inspired, hear live
music at Belltown's famous Dimitriou's
Jazz Alley (jazzalley.com), or rock out at
The Crocodile (thecrocodile.com), one of
the clubs where '90s alt music took root.
And yes, while you're in Seattle it's
liable to be gray or rainy at some point.
But when the sun comes out and the
evergreen trees color the city's hills, you'll
remember why people fall for this town.
You may even wonder if all this time it's
been the Seattleites who were spreading
those rumors of heavy rainfall, just to
keep people out of their Emerald haven.
(visitseattle.org) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
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DEC/JAN
2018
Lovely Portland, Ore. shares many
similarities with Seattle-a
wildly
liberal culture, incredible
nature,
and legal cannabis-but
proudly
asserts its own personality. Portland's
population is only slightly smaller
than that of its northern neighbor, yet
it offers more of a small-town vibe.
Bike lanes, weekend markets, and
affordability are part of that, but even
better is the natural hospitality of
this city where even newer residents
subscribe to the insta-chill attitude.
Everywhere you turn you'll find
friendly faces, like at Sweedeedee
(sweedeedee.com), a woman-owned
daytime eatery in North Portland
("NoPo") frequented and staffed by
smiling tattooed ladies. Nearby, stroll
along Mississippi Avenue to check
out shops and cafes, or slip into Por
Que No (porquenotacos.com)
for
tacos or a colorful happy hour.
DowntownPDXisnowahotspot,and
not just for the sinfully good Voodoo
Doughnuts (voodoodoughnut.com)
or ever-wondrous Powell's City of
Books (powells.com). These days,
historic skyscrapers are finding new
life as smartly designed, budgetwise hotels such as the artsy Hotel
Lucia (hotellucia.com)
and the
cinematically inclined Hotel deluxe
(hoteldeluxeportland.com).
You can
also drop by the downtown outpost
of Serra (shopserra.com) for a chic
cannabis-browsing experience.
LGBT life is easy-breezy in Portland.
You'll find
queers
everywhere,
but head to Crush (crushbar.com)
in SE Portland for strong drinks
and nightly events, or hang on
the patio of the White Owl Social
Club
(whiteowlsocialclub.com)
for quality cocktails and peoplewatching. NoPo is home to the retrodive Florida Room (floridaroom.
org), the easygoing Local Lounge
(locallounge.wordpress.com),
and
Mississippi Studios and Bar Bar
(mississippistudios.com), with good
food and live music.
Hawthorne is one of the best
streets in town to take in on a stroll.
Memorable dining spots abound, like
the Waffle Window (wafflewindow.
com), serving its pastry sweet or
savory style. For dining inside a
historic cinema, don't miss the Bagdad
Theater & Pub (mcmenamins.com), or
grab brunch or dinner at tasty Bread
& Ink (breadandinkcafe.com). There's
excellent retail too, but above all are
the killer vintage shops, like Red Light
(redlightclothingexchange.com)
and
the House of Vintage emporium.
Many a hip-minded person has
fallen hard for The Rose City, which
explains its soaring popularity in
recent years. You too may find
yourself enchanted by its magic,
and set adrift there on a rose-tinted
holiday. It's understandable. Just be
sure not to miss your ride home.
(travelportland.com)
-Kelsy Chauvin
LAST LOOK/
CROSSWORD
Test your
lesbian knowledge
with our queer crossword.
BY MYLES MELLOR
ACROSS
1. Lesbian singer who sang
"Ain't it Heavy"
6. Stretched out
8. Iconic lesbian show, by
Ilene Chaiken
9. Fitness guru living with
Heidi Rhoades, first
name
11. O/TNB actress who
played Stella Carlin,
Ruby_
12. Snuggle, and the
surname of lesbianfeminist writer, Joan
15. Utmost, as a degree
17. Bi singer,_ DiFranco
19. Not coming out
21. Greek poet who wrote
lesbian poems
23. Dined
25. Something up your
sleeve
26. Cold one
28. Author of the lesbian-
29.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
themed novel Rubyfruit
Jungle, goes with 29
across
See 28 across
Lesbian who sang with
Gossip, _ Ditto
Memorial Day month
Kisses and more
Bi singer who had a big
hit with "1000 Forms of
Fear"
Top grades
DOWN
1. Page who played Juno
2. Brittney Griner's sport, in
slang
3. Catch -handed
4. Karate school
5. She's the voice of Dory in
Finding Nemo
6. The L Word actor who
plays Alice, 2 words
7. Chinese principle
10. Exists
11. Email subject line intro
13. It may be fragile or
bruised
14. Openly affectionate
couple
16. Lesbos, for one
18. Refusal
19. Popular lesbian singer
who sang "Give me One
Reason," Tracy_
20. Holiday tuber
22. Dad, for short
24. Club Skirts Dinah Shore
weekend has many
27. Took the gold
30. List's last, often
31. Third word of many
limericks
32. Arts Degree
33. One of the first blues
singers who sang "Prove
it on Me,"_ Rainey
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
79
LAST LOOK/STARS
Jollyolidays
Mars in sexy Scorpio and Venus in adventurous
Sagittarius light our trees and rings in the New Year.
BY CHARLENE LICHTENSTEIN
ARIES
(MARCH
21-APRIL
20)
Aries are hot to trot all
through the holiday season.
So get moving! You exude
an extra dollop of sexiness
and sensuality now and can
attract any lovergrrl you want.
KATE MOENNIG
But don't over-gorge. Try to
was born on December 29, 1977. be choosey. Don't waste your
time on ladies who are not
1/,
/, interested in commitment,
(NOV
23-DEC
22) 1/,
1/, unless you're into light bites.
A career that involves 1/,
~
international travel or meeting 1/, TAURUS
(APRIL
21-MAY
21)
foreign folks will keep a ~
If
you
are
currently
in a
~
wandering Sagittarian woman 1/, relationship, find ways of
1/,
fulfilled. Because she seeks 1/, spicing it up. Toss out those
1/,
to meet all types of people
i old furry slippers and ratty
in all walks of life, she holds 1/, bathrobe and trade them in
1/,
no prejudice and can be 1/, for ...nothing! If you are on
blunt and outspoken. This is ~
the hoof, try grazing in new
a woman who can harness i
i pastures. Taureans need their
any cause close to her heart 1/, engines revved on a constant
/,
and take it the next step. 1/, basis. Get charged up now and
Enlist her help in political and 1/,
1/, rule the road.
community causes and you 1/,
1/,
will have a winner. 1/, GEMINI
(MAY
22-JUNE
21)
SAGITTARIUS
1/,
1/, While you would rather party
1/,
CAPRICORN
//
hearty, you can actually get a
(DEC
23-JAN
20) 1/,
1/,
lot more stuff done at work.
;,,
prepare it for the New Year.
~
course, you may want to avoid
Capricorn gals tend to have
sharp memories and a good
perspective on certain
situations. For these reasons
they are sought after as
advisors on everything from
career paths to choice of
girlfriends. While they excel
in career advice I would
hesitate to take their advice
in love; they will always advise
choosing the girl in wingtips
with a good steady job, which
may not necessarily be your
slice of paradise.
1/, Clean off your desk and
1/;
1/,
1/, Don't feel that you are missing
1/, out on any gaiety, however.
1/,
1/, The festivities will find you. Of
~
;%
/, a compromising butt xerox
1/, with you-know-who ...
~
%
/,
1/, r.ANCER
UUNE
22-JULY
23)
~ The festivities reach fever
1/,
~ pitch for you, Cancer. Your
~
presence will be requested at
every event from A to Z. How
'.%
1/, many parties can you attend all
1/,
..................................................
1/, at one time? It may be fun to
figure that out. A light romance
Charlene
Lichtenstein
is theauthor ~
j may be in the cards and seem
of HerScopes:
A Guide
toAstrology
i
ForLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster) 1 so bubbly that you may float
nowavailable
asanebook. 1~
on air. But pack a pillow should
(tinyurl.com/HerScopes)
~ reality bite.
80
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
//I
//
LEO
UULY
24-AUG
23)
SAGITTARIUS
(NOV
23-DEC
22)
Lionesses may prefer to stay
home this holiday season.
And why not? Your home is a
comfortable cave of delights.
Thatgoesforyourdecor
as much as it does for your
lovely guests. Plan some get
togethers with bosom buddies.
Stir up excitement with festive
touches. How touchy will you
get? Let's hope a lot.
Do you sense that change
is afoot? You may be right,
Sagittarius. There's a lot
going on behind the scenes
where tongues are wagging
and emotions run high. All
good because you're out of
the drama and able to take
advantage of any opportunity
that is presented. Opportunity
knocks. Answer the door.
VIRGO
(AUG
24-SEPT
23)
rAPRICORN
(DEC
23-JAN
20)
What's on your mind, Virgo?
You have a lot of great ideas to
share and the opportunity to
share them with your admirers.
But don't spend too much time
on lofty ideals when you can
use your gift of persuasion on
more down-to-earth matters.
Get things done. And when it
comes to your love life, well
done, not rare.
Girlfriends help you celebrate
the holidays and prepare for
life experiences in the New
Year. But don't stick with
familiar faces. Use this time to
expand your social circle into
a globe by joining international
groups and organizations.
Who knows where it can all
lead? Maui? Paris?
AOUARIUS
UAN
21-FEB
19)
LIBRA
(SEPT
24-0CT
23)
If you find yourself splurging
on a trinket or two this holiday
season, enjoy, but know your
limits and don't spend what
you don't have. However, this
holiday season may see some
financial upside-especially if
you can find a well-endowed
benefactress who can spoil
you. You can only hope!
If you have figured out your
path to corporate success,
implement it while the
executives relax and party
down. Aqueerians may
upend business as usual and
install their own system of
management. Good thing too.
Your progress was getting
stalled. Find your opening,
make your move, grab power
while you can.
SCORPIO
(OCT
24-NOV
22)
Scorpios are not only the
center of attention, they can
also expand their influence
to an entirely new fan girl
base. Plan 2018 now as you
rub elbows (and other parts)
with some influential women
who can help you make things
happen. So don your gay
apparel and show the world
what pride is all about.
PSIS(FEB
20-MARCH
20)
Guppies are off on a grand
adventure that takes them out
of their hum drum routines.
Your world opens up like an
oyster and you should slurp
it up. For those with less time
to spare and little money to
spend for world travel, open
up your vistas virtually or
closer to home.
~OW
TOH~
ULTI~ATE
ORGA
W11,111
'"-''
~sroN·
Li
TAKING
PRIDE
INDIVERSITY
ABSOLUT;
SWEDISH
TRADITION
SINCE 1879
PUREABSOLUT® VODKA. NO SUGAR ADDED.
ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.
ABSOLUT VODKA. PRODUCTOF SWEDEN. 40% ALC./VOL. DISTILLEDFROM GRAIN. ©2017 IMPORTEDBYABSOLUTSPIRITSCO., NEW YORK, NY.
18764F35742884
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DEC/JAN 2018 VOLUME 27#6
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DEC/JAN
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FEATURES
J(J
FAREWELL EDIE WINDSOR
We celebrate the legacy of a
marriage equality activist and
lesbian icon.
2()
THE GREEN RUSH
Queer cannabis is booming,
but is it right for you?
2~J
BEHOLD THE BUTCH
Lesbian masculinity receives
the royal treatment in a new
coffee table book.
:12
A LESBIAN CHEF'S TABLE
Michele Ragussis'sculinary
adventures, from Cape Cod to
the Hudson Valley.
:i,
TIME FOR TRACY YOUNG
25 years of the top Miami DJ's
dance-floor magic.
~J(l
THROUGH A LESBIAN LENS
Meet filmmaker Lisa Gunning.
o(J
WOMEN OF
COLOR WEEKEND
Meet the force behind the
Provincetown event.
(JS
DISCOVERING KAUAI
The Garden Isle is a Hawaiian
haven for women.
71
RIVER CRUISE HEAVEN
Uniworld offers an LGBTfriendly boutique river cruise
2
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
IN EVERYISSUE
4
EDITOR'S NOTE
6
CURVETTES
8
FEEDBACK
10
THE GAYDAR
80
STARS
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TRENDS
REVIEWS
11 OUT IN FRONT
Meet the community leaders
who are doing us proud. By
30 FILMS
Feature film Professor Marston
and the Wonder Women
discovers the queer side of the
creation of a comic book icon.
Sheryl Kay
11 IN CASE YOU MISSED
IT ... LGBT news from across
the country.
12 WOMEN WE LOVE
Each issue we pick a lucky lady
with a look and a life to match.
13 CURVE CONFIDENTIAL
What's new and noteworthy
with our favorite celesbians.
By Chloe Curran
14 SHE SAID
The best celebrity quotes from
interesting queer women and
allies.
By Lisa Tedesco
34 BOOKS
New releases that will leave
you feeling inspired about lesbian culture. By Marcie Bianco
37 MUSIC SPECIAL
Meet some of our favorite
recording artists from 2017.
By Janelle Beck and Melanie
Barker
LAST LOOK
79 CROSSWORD
Can you tame our Queer Quiz?
VIEWS
By Myles Mellor
16 POLITICS
Deep thoughts and heartfelt
convictions on a different topic
each issue from our contributing politics editor. By Victoria A.
80 STARS
What do the heavens have in
store for you this starry issue?
By Charlene Lichtenstein
Brownworth
20 ISSUES
Our in-depth look into a hot
button topic affecting queer
women worldwide.
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
3
This issue we meet
women who/
just by being
themselves/ have
changed our culture
Creative
Choice
Dictionary definitions, or even a certain view of history, might
have us believe that cultural pursuits are rare, elitist, or a privilege
of the few. But in this issue of Curve-in which we end one year
and begin the next-we meet many women who, just by virtue of
being themselves and giving energy to what they like and what
they believe in, have changed our culture as a whole. From our
cover girl, Ellen Page, whose decision to come out affected every
creative choice she made thereafter, to the late Edie Windsor, who
stood up to the dominant culture when she realized she would
be penalized for committing to her same-sex life partner-we
celebrate women who have made a difference.
What does it mean to lesbian culture that Edie Windsor has
passed? Rather than merely the end of an era, I see her life as proof
positive that one person can change things.
And like the activist, the artist is often driven by a singular
conviction and a desire to bring it to the group and thereby make
the world a better place.
In this issue we meet members of our community who created
work that created change. Playwright Susan Miller didn't just
complain about a lack of representation for women in the theatershe wrote a play with five women's roles! Photographer Meg Allen
didn't bemoan the erasure of butch lesbian identity-she made a
gorgeous book about the butches she knows! Top DJTracy Young
didn't just make gay dance-floors great-she did it for 25 years!
Filmmaker Angela Robinson didn't just read that Wonder Woman
had a kinky, queer origin-she made a mainstream movie about it!
Musician Rachael Sage didn't let the events of 2017 crush her creative spirit-she turned adversity into a message of hope and joy.
It's heartening to see minority communities ringing out the old
year and embracing the next with messages of visibility: Comic
Sandra Valls wants you to grab tickets to A Latina Christmas
Special, and event director Jha D reminds you to save the date for
Women of Color Weekend in Provincetown next spring.
Whatever your cultural jam-whether it's sourcing the best legal
cannabis, learning to cook clams with out chef Michele Ragussis,
or exploring the island pleasures of Kauai-I hope you enjoy
everything this issue has to offer.
4'!7
MERRYNJOHNS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
merryn@curvemag.com
~ @Merryn1
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RONT /
cu RVETTES
SARARAUCH
Sara Rauch is the author of What Shines From It and her
fiction and essays can be found online at Hobart, Split
Lip, Gravel, Luna Luna, and Lunch Ticket. In 2012, she
founded the literary journal, Cactus Heart, where she
served as Fiction and Managing Editor for four years.
She holds an MFA in Fiction from Pacific University and
teaches at Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop.A longtime resident of Western Massachusetts, she lives in
Easthampton with her family. (sararauch.com)
curve
THE BEST-SELLING
DEC/JAN
2018
LESBIAN
» VOLUME
MAGAZINE
27 NUMBER
6
PUBLISHER Silke Bader
FOUNDINGPUBLISHER Frances Stevens
EDITORIAL
EDITOR·IN·CHIEF Merryn Johns
SENIORCOPY EDITOR Katherine Wright
CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS Marcie Bianco, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, Anita Dolce Vita,
Sheryl Kay, Gillian Kendall, Dave Steinfeld
EDITORIALASSISTANTSGemma Dart
OPERATIONS
DIRECTOROF OPERATIONS Jeannie Sotheran
MEG ALLEN
Meg Allen is a photographer, adventurer and artist born
in San Francisco, CA. Her series "BUTCH" has been
featured in many online magazines including Huffington
Post, i-D Magazine, KQEDArts, Buzz Feed, DapperQ
and published in print magazines in the U.S., Australia,
Germany and France. Currently, she is freelancing in
all aspects of photography, video and documentary
film. She loves a good story and travels whenever the
opportunity presents itself. She currently resides in
Oakland, California. (megallenstudio.com)
PROOFING
PROOFREADERMarcie Bianco
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL SALES Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021
EMAIL todd@curvemagazine.com
ART/PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR Bruno Cesar Guimaraes
SOCIAL MEDIA
MANAGERGemma Dart
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Melany Joy Beck, Janelle Beck, Roxy Bourdillon, Kelsy
Chauvin, Chloe Curran, Jane Czyzselska, Mallorie DeRiggi,
Dar Dowling, Kristin Flickinger, Sanya Franich, Jessica
Halem, Sarah Hasu, Kim Hoffman, Charlene Lichtenstein,
Sassafras Lowrey, Kelly McCartney, Myles Mellor, Bella
Qvist, Laurie K. Schenden, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Lisa Tedesco
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Steph Brusig, Erica Camille, Grace Chu, Meagan Cignoli,
Shelby Coley, Sara Lautman, Syd London, Maggie Parker,
Diana Price, B. Proud, Robin Roemer, Leslie Van Stelten
STEPHANIESCHROEDER
Stephanie Schroeder is a freelance writer and peer
advocate based in New York City. She has written for
The Guardian, Healthline.com, Lambda Literary Review,
and other outlets. Her work has been anthologized
in a variety of collections and she is the author of the
memoir Beautiful Wreck: Sex, Lies & Suicide. Schroeder
is currently co-editing the anthology HEADCASE:
LGBTQ Writers & Artists on Mental Health and Wellness
forthcoming from Oxford University Press.
(stephanieschroederauthor.com)
KELSYCHAUVIN
Kelsy Chauvin writes about legal marijuana and the
lesbian community in this issue. When she's not
covering the "green rush," Kelsy is mainly a travel writer
specializing in LGBT explorations, from her hometown
of New York, to destinations as far away as South Africa,
Myanmar, and Peru. She contributes to Fodor's, Conde
Nast Traveler, The Points Guy, Rand McNally, and other
publications. This issue, she visits two of her favorite
cities, Seattle and Portland. Follow her travels on
lnstagram and Twitter @kelsycc
CONTACT INFO
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by Avalon Media,
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RONT /
FEEDBACK
have made be wound back.
I hope that the women who
have achieved glory know
they are valued and admired
by women like me. And thank
you for introducing me to
Nicola Adams. What a delight
to know of her achievements
in the UK, also.
-Karen Offenheim, Saint
Paul, Minn.
INSPIRING SPORTS ISSUE
I was thrilled by your Cover
Story [V.27#5) on Sue Bird
and the discussion inside
about the importance of Title
IX to equality for women and
girls in America. The whole
issue was a feast for the
eyes, mind and heart and I
thoroughly enjoyed reading
it cover to cover. We cannot
possibly let the strides we
WELCOME WANDERLUST
I have really been enjoying
your travel section lately,
especially the real-life stories
of lesbian adventurers. The
article on the Vagabroads
["Vagabond Girls" by Laurie
Holloway, V.27#5) was
fantastic, really inspiring
and well-written. My wife
and I have been debating
the merits of selling up and
traveling the world together
while we are still young
enough to physically handle
a life on the road. This article
might just have tipped us
over the brink of indecision.
-Ally & Elizabeth, Burlington,
Vt.
if possible. Festivals like this
are important to establish
queer women's culture. There
are so many lesbian/bi/queer
female musicians, artists and
creators and we need a home
for them and their fans!
-Julie R-K, via email
MORE ON MOTHERSHIP
As someone who always
wanted to go to MichFest,
but didn't because of their
trans exclusion policy, I
was very curious to see if
Mothership would actually
land or not. I was all set to go
when I had a family drama
and couldn't make it in time.
So I would love to read an
article by someone who
did go, and find out what
happened, who performed,
and plan ahead for next year
BESTOF BEAUTY
Your beauty product
recommendation of
Soapwalla has saved my
skin-literally. I suffer from
rosacea flare-ups, especially
when I get stressed, and I
bounce around from product
to product trying to find a
solution. Soapwalla products
work and I feel even better
knowing they were created by
a lesbian. Thank you!
-Name withheld
■i•ii■:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::=·1
WHO
DID
THE
MOST
TOSHAPE
LESBIAN
CULTURE
IN2017?
6%
BILLIEJEAN KING
6%
LENAWAITHE
14%
KRISTENSTEWART
32%
KATEMCKINNON
42%
ELLENDEGENERES
For editorial submissions: editor@curvemag.com
EMAIL
Have your say: letters@curvemagazine.com
LISI
8
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
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10
GIRL GAYDAR
13 CELESBIANGOSSIP
14
THEY SAID WHAT?
12
JANA
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
9
THE GAYDAR
NDS/
p
I THEGAYDAR
~
Takesone to know one? Let our gaydar
~
who'sfaking it in lesboland.
~ help you decide who'sshakingit and
~
BY MARCIE
BIANCO
Former jailed county
clerk Kim Davis is
touring Romania
to encourage the
government to ban
LGBTQ rights and
marriage equality
Gloria Steinem's tireless global
tour of duty in the name of all
women-at 83 years of age
Ellen DeGeneres asks Cate
Blanchett who was her most fun
to kiss co-star and she replies,
"Oooh, Rooney Mara"
A trailer by
Mashable
reimagines
Mean Girls as a
forbidden lesbian
romance between
Cady and Janis
The U.S. gets
serious about
erasing its
minorities:
LGBTQs
will not be
counted in the
2020Census
l
::s
SNLand
Gal Gadot
spoof Wonder
Woman's
Amazon-lesbian
appeal with
Kate McKinnon
as a geeky dyke
who strikes out
ENTQ
~~-~I~
rn
Kate
McKinnon
makes the
cover of
Vanity Fair
Cate Blanchett
and Rooney
Mara reunite
for fall fashion
and flirting at
Paris Fashion
Week and drive
shippers wild
Lena Waithe keeps it
real, brave, and gay,
post-Emmys win
Lucy Lawless plays nightclub
diva "Sappho" in gay-themed
'80s-inspired New Zealand-made
musical, Pleasuredome
10
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
The Ellen Show's
brilliant new segment,
"Oh Straight People,"
which, um, mocks
straight people
Fox's new cop drama, The Dime,
based on Kathleen Kent's novel
with a lesbian lead character, is
in development
TRENDS/
ALICIA
OESER
>>Beverly
Hills,
Fighting
Gender-Based
Violence
After the very first call she took, working for Chicago's
NE
HONG
KONG
MOVIE
STAR
JACKIE
CHAN'S
DAUGHTER
COMES
OUT
Etta Ng, 17 (at right), who is estranged from her globally famous
father, announced
her news on lnstagram by posting a silhouette
domestic violence hotline, Alicia Oeser knew she was
of herself in front of a rainbow background,
home.
Today, more than 10 years later, Oeser is the director
herself with her social influencer girlfriend, Andi Autumn (left). Ng
and further images of
posted an anniversary message to Autumn, "After all these years of
of the Campus Assault Resources & Education Program
negativity, living in shame and being afraid of the world I've come
(CARE)at UCLA. "Preventing sexual and gender-based
to the conclusion
violence makes sense to me, and I really believe supporting
love or be loved. Especially as a lesbian in a culturally sensitive so-
survivors is prevention. [In terms of a career,] I don't even
ciety I would be doing my family a favour staying hidden, silent, sit
know what else is out there. This work is who I am;' she
and behave like I've been instructed all my life. but Then you came
says.
along and proved me wrong, I de-served to be happy, love and be
After working for a decade to provide better resources
that it's easier to accept that I am never meant to
loved. @andiautumn
you accepted every single part of me."
to combat sexual violence, Oeser says the field is evolving:
In the past, sexual assault was viewed as something that
disproportionately impacted women as a whole, but today
there also needs to be a strong focus on women who are
trans and non binary. In any discussion of sexual violence,
expectations about gender need to be dismantled.
Before her recent move to UCLA, Oeser held a similar
position at Harvard. The college, she says, is exceptional
in many ways, but no school, no matter how prestigious or
elite, is exempt from sexual and gender-based violence.
"If you think about equity, which is a significant correlate
to this sort of violence, it is antithetical to elitism," she explains. "Inequity is not inevitable, but combating it requires
more work and more vigilance because of the power
imbalances that naturally occur in a highly competitive
environment with a history of exclusivity:'
While her experiences may shade the numbers a little,
Oeser notes that queer women face higher rates of violence
than their straight counterparts, and that goes back to the
issue of inequity.
"The more marginalization a person or community
• AGEORGIA
LESBIAN'S
DISCRIMINATION
LAWSUIT
is supported by 17 states and
Washington D.C.with New
York Attorney General Eric T.
Schneiderman filing an amicus
brief urging the U.S.Supreme
Court to hear and rule in the
case of Jameka Evans who
claims her former employer
discriminated against her on
the basis of sexual orientation.
The brief asks the court to
decide whether Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act protects
LGBTQ individuals can be
applied in instances where
people have been mistreated,
harassed, or fired because of
their sexual orientation.
experiences, the greater is their vulnerability; and less intentionality is offered to their health and safety," says Oeser. "I
hope as queer and trans visibility increases, we continue to
fight for intersectionality in our movements:'
In some ways the recent shift in the stance and viewpoint
of the U.S.government is a predictable outcome when
many millions of Americans have been silently tolerating
racism and misogyny.
"We are going to have to fix it;' Oeser says, "and we are
going to have to center our focus on the experiences of our
most vulnerable and marginalized first and always thereaf-
• CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR
JERRY
BROWN
HAS
SIGNED
ABILL
that will recognize transgender
people for their preferred
gender while incarcerated.
Senate Bill 310, by Sen. Toni
Atkins (D-San Diego), requires
corrections officials to use the
chosen name of a trans person
and to list the former or birth
name as an alias only.
• SERBIA'S
FIRST
OPENLY
LESBIAN
PRIME
MINISTER
marched in the Serbian
capital's Gay Pride Parade on
Sept. 17, joining hundreds
of activists and participants
carrying rainbow flags and
marching through the streets
of Belgrade. Prime Minister
Ana Brnabic told reporters,
"The government is here for
all citizens and will secure
the respect of rights for all
citizens. We want to send a
signal that diversity makes our
society stronger, that together
we can do more:'
• ALESBIAN
SOLDIER'S
FUNERAL
WAS
PICKETED
BYWESTBORO
Baptist Church on October
14. Sgt. Donna Johnson,
29, of Raeford, N.C., died in
Afghanistan on October 1. The
Westboro group, established
by Fred Phelps in Kansas, has
for years picketed the funerals
of LGBTservicemembers,
saying that their deaths were
God's punishment for the U.S:s
promotion of homosexuality.
ter, because safety for some is really safety for none."
- By Sheryl Kay
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
11
NDS/
PROFILE
w
"'
a.
::,
0
i
::;:
12
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
~
TRENDstGOS
CURVE
CONFIDENTIAL
Celesbians ... they're just like us.
BY CHLOE CURRAN
~
• CARA DELEVINGNE WAS SEXUALLY HARASSED BY WEINSTEIN
Harvey Weinstein spent decades sexually harassing and assaulting women. Since the
New York Times initially broke the story, dozens of women in the entertainment industry
have come forward with horrifying accounts of sexual abuse at the hands of the once
powerful producer. Joining the chorus is supermodel and actor Cara Delevingne, whose
experience with Weinstein reflects a common truth for queer women: many men view
female homosexuality as only acceptable when it pleasures, benefits, and involves men.
Delevingne shared her story on lnstagram, including her account of how Weinstein
insinuated Delevingne's career would inevitably suffer because she publicly dated women.
• LESBIAN PRODUCER ALLEGES SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY AMAZON EXEC
Amazon Programming Chief Roy Price allegedly harassed lesbian producer Isa Hackett
while en-route to and during an Amazon party. They shared a taxi to the event and once
inside the cab, Hackett says that Price repeatedly sexually harassed her, insisting, "You
will love my dick." Hackett told Price that she was gay, married, a mother, and absolutely
not interested. Hackett says Price continued harassing her for the cab ride and at the
Amazon party. Inspired by the women standing up to Weinstein, Hackett went public in
an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter. After two years' silence, but within
three hours of the story's publication, Amazon suspended Price. He has since resigned.
• EVAN RACHEL WOOD EXPLAINS WHY SHE HASN'T NAMED HER RAPISTS
Evan Rachel Wood spoke out about her assault in an emotional YouTube video, also inspired by
the Harvey Weinstein scandal. While Wood applauds other women for naming their abusers,
she says she can't bring herself to do the same-yet. "People are wondering why women don't
come forward sooner or why they come out in numbers is because it's safer. They don't feel
safe enough to do so, period;' Wood explained. "I'm guilty of this as well because I have not
named my abusers, not because I don't plan on saying these people's names eventually but
because to start that process is an emotionally draining, financially draining, really everything
draining thing to do and to go through. I want to do it ... when I'm ready."
• ILENE CHAIKEN HINTS THAT L WORD REBOOT MAY BRING BACK DANA
We were teased with an L Word reboot months ago, but there's been no confirmation since
those initial headlines broke. In a new interview with TV Guide, Ilene Chaiken hinted at more
details of the new and improved L Word. "We've made progress, we've backslid in some
ways, we've gotten older, some of us, and there are new young women whose stories we're
going to tell," Chaiken revealed. "But I will say that The L Word in 2018 will be more reflective,
more inclusive than the original show we did." Chaiken misses Dana Fairbanks, who gutted
us all by dying of breast cancer. "I hope we'll be seeing Erin Daniels [who played Dana] on
the show;' Chaiken said. "I love Erin Daniels, and maybe there's some way-who knows. I've
never let go of Dana and neither has the audience ... maybe we will [see her]."
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
13
NDstSHESAID
"I appreciate
my wife every day. I
can't imagine calling her
anything else."
-Ellen DeGeneres tweets
in support of Australian
but not least, my
LGBTQIAfamily ...l see each
and every one of you. The things
that make us different, those are our
superpowers - every day when you walk
out the door and put on your imaginary
cape and go out there and conquer the
world because the world would not be as
beautiful as it is if we weren't in it."
- Lena Waithe accepting her
award for Best Comedy
14
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
1
ENCOUNTERINGKATEMILLETT
2
INSIDECANNABIS CULTURE
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
15
Death of an Icon,
RebirthoJa
~foventent
Celebrating the legacy of Edie Windsor.
BY VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
Edie Windsor died on September 12,
2017. I cried as I wrote her obituary for
Curve's website. Tears led to sobs until I
had to stop writing and just take a breath.
That's how profound and personal the
loss of her felt, because Edie Windsor
represented a kind of lesbian activism
that is disappearing from the American
political landscape.
Edie Windsor was the lesbian great
aunt we all would love to have had"small but fierce," as Hillary Clinton said
in her eulogy at Windsor's funeral. Edie
Windsor was also representative of our
political and cultural history-the
time
16
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
before Stonewall and the time after. At
88, she'd weathered the 1940s and '50s,
the era that produced the Ann Bannon
novels and other lesbian pulp fiction.
She'd come of age when lesbians met via
word of mouth in bars and restaurants,
intimate clubs and big private house
parties. She met Thea Spyer, her first
wife and her partner for 46 years, at the
Portofino, a Greenwich Village restaurant
that went gay on the weekends in the
1950s and '60s. She met her second wife,
Judith Kasen, at the LGBT Community
Center in the West Village, decades later.
Edie Windsor's life paralleled the course
of the modern lesbian movement in
America.
Windsor was charming, funny, bawdy.
She was as full of life as any teenager.
And she was devoted to making the lives
of lesbians-and
other GBT peoplebetter. She knew what it was to be on the
receiving end of discrimination; she knew
what it was to be silent and hidden, to live
a double life. Edie Windsor knew what it
was to be a second-class citizen and she
didn't want that for anyone else.
When Windsor was working in tech,
as one of the first women to rise through
the ranks of computer engineering until
she had national security clearance and
was working on UNIVAC, a computer the
size of a Manhattan city block, she had to
disguise her engagement to Thea Spyer.
Rather than explain a diamond on her
ring finger, she wore a diamond circle
pin, every day until the two married in
Canada two years before Spyer's death
in 2009. Windsor attempted, once, to get
Spyer on her insurance at IBM, where she
had risen to the company's highest-level
technical position, but her application
had been rejected. In 1975, she took
early retirement to focus on activism and
VIEWS/
caring for her increasingly debilitated
partner, who had progressive MS.
In the 1950s, in the days before
Stonewall, being out was a crime, being a
lesbian was a mental illness, and being an
out lesbian was one of the scariest, most
solitary, most dangerous things to be in
America. At the time of her death at 88,
Edie Windsor had lived the fullest of lives.
Not only had her fight for equality for
lesbians led America to marriage equality,
with the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling
in her case, United States v. Windsor, but
the path Windsor had taken for decades
to get to that place had also chipped
away at the bedrock securing misogynist
claims to men-only spaces in science and
technology and legal precedent.
Edie Windsor was an iconoclast in
the truest sense, and one of the last of
her generation of activists and cultural
warriors.
She championed
lesbian
visibility, lesbian love, lesbian desire.
She championed us as the unique and
separate and discriminated-against class
that we are. It is my hope that her story will
propel other women to take up her cause
for lesbians-for our lives, our loves, our
history, our increasingly tenuous futures.
Since 2015, I've been working on a
book on lesbian erasure. It's a history
that goes back centuries and leads into
the present day. Lesbian erasure includes
witch-burnings,
stonings, and honor
killings. It includes incarceration in mental
hospitals,
enforced
heterosexuality,
conversion therapy, corrective
rape.
Lesbian erasure includes laws meant to
penalize or obliterate lesbian existence.
Lesbian erasure includes the denial
of lesbian desire and lesbian agency
in academic treatises on "romantic
friendships," or the erasure of butch
and gender non-conforming
lesbians
by means of transgender revisionism.
Lesbian erasure includes dismissing our
separate, distinct, and unique lesbian
culture, obliterating it with terms that
some argue are broad enough to replace
it, like "queer" and "questioning."
Erasure is real. Discussing it is not just
an academic or a rhetorical exercise.
That's why Edie Windsor fought her entire
lesbian life for lesbian visibility. Lesbians
continue to fight not just for recognition
of our existence, but for our very lives. On
the day I wrote this column, Nikki Haley,
the United States ambassador to the
United Nations, voted along with some of
the most repressive regimes in the world
against the lives of lesbians and gay
men. While the UN approved a resolution
condemning the use of the death penalty
in a discriminatory fashion, including to
punish "apostasy, blasphemy, adultery,
and consensual same-sex relations,"
Haley, voting for the Trump administration
and the U.S., the most powerful nation in
the world with arguably the most gays
and lesbians, voted against the resolution
and for international law to condone the
execution of lesbians and gay men simply
for being who we are.
Thirteen
countries
currently
have death-penalty
statutes against
consensual same-sex relations. Over
70 countries have laws criminalizing
consensual same-sex relations, which
were illegal in the U.S. until the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v.
Texas in 2003. Lesbians are frequently
targeted by these laws in more oblique,
extrajudicial ways, as signaled by the
epidemic of corrective rape of lesbians in
South Africa, Jamaica, and other nations,
as well as the incarceration of lesbians
who are openly defiant of anti-gay laws.
These laws have always been used to
separate women from their children,
and the lack of protections still, even in
the U.S., means that lesbians are fighting
decades-long battles. Sometime in 2018,
the fight for protection for lesbians in
employment may make it all the way to
the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of
Jameka Evans or Kimberly Hively, two
lesbians, one black, one white, who were
fired from their jobs for being gay.
All of which makes fighting for lesbian
visibility and agency more vital.
Edie Windsor was the antidote to
erasure. She loved lesbians and she loved
being a lesbian. At Pride festivals and
events, Windsor could be seen in a rakish
fedora or in a T-shirt that read "DYKE" or
"Nobody Knows I'm a Lesbian."
Almost no one writes about lesbian
love, but in the announcement of the
2016 marriage of Edie Windsor and Judith
Kasen, the New York Times focused on
the odyssey of lesbian love. Edie Windsor
had fought to memorialize her marriage
POLITI
to Thea Spyer, and to gain all the legal
benefits that accrued to heterosexual
marriages. With her lawsuit, she won that
right-to have lesbian and gay marriages,
our romantic lives, have legal and social
meaning. But would she herself ever love
again? Yes, as it happens, she did. Of
Kasen she said, "I was empty, and then
this woman walked into my life. I didn't
think it would happen again, and it did.
She is it."
A few years ago, while interviewing the
iconic lesbian mystery writer Katherine
Forrest, who had also come of age
before Stonewall, Forrest told me, "Our
histories are just beginning to be written.
These stories must be told, they can't be
allowed to disappear."
As women,
lesbians have been
acculturated to think that our lives have
less meaning than those of men. It's
imprinted on us from birth-imprinted
so
deeply that we may not even be aware that
we've inculcated that perception of our
lives. But how else to explain the dearth
of lesbian histories, the acceptance
of academic works that redefine our
passionate lovers as cuddlesome pals,
the shrugging off of the very word
"lesbian," which is subsumed under "gay"
or "queer."
Edie Windsor, for me, stands as a
signpost of our collective lesbian past
and a beacon into our collective lesbian
future. Lesbians Who Tech named their
coding scholarship for lesbians, queer
and gender-nonconforming women after
Windsor. The scholarship provides the
visibility, tuition and support for LGBTQ
women that Windsor herself never had,
but thanks to her, now can. The trail she
blazed will continue for others to follow.
Remember Edie Windsor. Don't let our
lesbian history, the challenges we have
faced and the ones we have yet to face,
go unremarked on. We are at a historical
point when those in power want to turn
back the clock to a time when a 23-yearold Edie Windsor moved to Manhattan
to pursue a life in tech when there were
no women in tech, and pursue a quest
for lesbian love when everyone said
that not only was it not possible, it was
also twisted and wrong. Edie Windsor
fought till her final breath. How can we
possibly do less?•
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S/
TRIBUTE
Millett (left), and Schroeder
Rest in
Power,
Kate
Millett
Remembering the
iconic lesbian-feminist.
BY STEPHANIE SCHROEDER
I'm not going to lie. Kate Millett was
frustrating to interact with.
Her classic book Sexual Politics,
a radical feminist analysis of the
oppression of women published in 1970,
was based on her PhD dissertation. Kate
was both a celebrated theoretician of
second-wave feminism and, to those
who knew her, a very complicated
individual. Both intellectually brilliant
and tortured by mental illness, she was
alternately charming and brutal.
I met Kate Millett at The Farm, her
art colony near Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She
had purchased 10 acres of land with the
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money she received for Sexual Politics.
She subsequently purchased additional
acreage, opened the place to women
artists, and turned the land into a
Christmas tree farm in order to make it
self-sustaining.
When I landed in front of The Farm
on Old Overlook Road, I was exhausted
and befuddled. It was my first time
encountering
such a large group
of Amazonian
women,
presumably
lesbians. They were assembling furniture
in the front yard of the farmhouse.
I must have had a frightened look
on my face. No one noticed I was there
except Kate, who walked over, put her
arm around my shoulder, and said,
"Kid, everything is going to be OK." She
smiled warmly and directed me to the
cottage where I would stay that summer.
I was 22.
I had, of course, read Kate's books.
Her reputation as an outspoken radical
activist and artist was enormously
appealing to me. As a budding lesbianfeminist from the Midwest, I was thrilled
by her forthrightness in discussing both
misogyny and lesbian sex.
I worked with Kate in her silk screen
studio and learned the art of hand-pulled
silk-screening. Alongside a crew of
other women, I also helped to renovate
existing structures on the land and build
others from scratch. I drove tractors,
pruned pine trees, and had passionate
and many times divisive conversations
around a huge dinner table in the
evenings. I remember, too, numerous
arguments during which Kate became
enraged-bellowing
in a deep, affected
Irish brogue that everyone was against
her.
I spent several summers at The Farm,
meeting activists and writers of all
kinds, including Phyllis Chesler, Andrea
Dworkin, Dorothy Randall Gray, Barbara
Love, Sydney Abbott, and the current
first lady of New York City, Chirlane
McCray.
My time at The Farm took place in the
context of Bowers v. Hardwick, a case
in which the Supreme Court upheld the
conviction of a gay man who had been
arrested and charged for engaging in
sodomy in his own home in Georgia.
Tracy Chapman was "Talkin' About a
Revolution."
I visited The Farm on and off in the
years after my residency there but had
various negative encounters with Kate,
became estranged from her, lost touch,
and moved on.
rekindled
my relationship
with
Kate after 9/11, and after I received
my own diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
She blurbed my 2012 memoir, and
more recently she contributed to the
anthology about LGBTQ mental health
that I am co-editing. In fact, her longtime
partner and collaborator, Sophie Keir,
emailed me the day before she and Kate
left for Paris to check in about the photo
file for the book and to say they hoped to
get together when they returned.
Kate was in Paris, where she and
Sophie went every year to celebrate
their birthdays, when she had a fatal
heart attack just eight days shy of her
83rd birthday.
One of the many memories I have
of Kate is a time when the residents at
The Farm were discussing our safety as
lesbian, bisexual, and feminist women.
She advised us to always make sure
our passports were up to date-and
nearby-just
in case we had to "pull
an Angela Davis." Not so far-fetched,
then or now.•
-
___ 7·-4
_
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(Jonnobis, Queers, and
America~~ (~reen Future
It's high time you learned about the budding business of marijuana.
BY KELSY CHAUVIN
The future is getting greener every
day. That's what entrepreneurs in the
cannabis industry are saying. So are the
politicos who are raking in weed-related tax revenue. So are consumers, now
enjoying newfound freedom in cities
across America. And it's evolving faster
than you can roll a joint.
Welcome to the legal-marijuana universe. It all started back in 1996, when
California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis; through 2012, 14
more states had followed suit. That same
year, however, Colorado and Washington took it to the next level when voters
approved recreational marijuana.
So began the "green rush," and the
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numbers show that this is only the beginning. Already, 29 states now allow
medical use. Eight of them plus Washington, D.C., also allow it recreationally,
thanks to pro-weed ballots cast in 2016
(though some laws aren't yet in effect). A
dozen or more states could join the party
by Election Day 2018.
But this new and rapidly changing legal landscape has left many of us feeling
uninformed about the virtual explosion
of pot-related businesses-not to mention all the innovations in cultivating
and consuming. It seems like even the
most knowledgeable dispensary "budtenders" and doctors must work hard to
keep up with all the new ways to smoke,
eat, and drink ganga, or even rub it on
for topical pain relief.
HERB 101
First things first: Newbies curious
about weed should ask lots of questions
before they light up or ingest it. Since
most Americans aren't yet in legal-pot
states, walking into a dispensary can be
daunting-but
it needn't be, since budtenders are accustomed to rookies.
Plus, pot tends to make people friendly, says Melissa Romero of Social Media
Unicorn (socialmediaunicorn.com), a Las
Vegas-based marketing firm that exclusively represents cannabis companies.
"[Budtenders]
are genuinely excit-
VIEWS!HEA
ed to educate, talk to you about their
product, make additional recommendations, or just share tips and tricks," says
Romero. "They really, truly believe in the
healing power of cannabis, and it's a
beautiful thing."
One basic fact is that THC is the psychoactive part that gets you stoned,
while CBD tamps down that "high" and
is therefore the more medicinal component. Different kinds of pot have different
proportions of each.
Marijuana can be sativa, indica, or a
combination of both. Sativa strains are
generally more energizing and uplifting,
while indica is more relaxing and mellow. You can buy fresh herb (or "flower")
to smoke; oil to use in a vaporizer for a
softer hit; edibles in countless forms;
plus more intense concentrates like resin, wax, or shatter (collectively called
"dabs").
But even seasoned
weed-lovers
should be aware of the intensity of the
In my experience,
people within
the cannabis
community are
much more likely
to be accepting of
people within the
LGBTcommunity.
''
cannabis now being sold in legal-weed
states, because it can be way more potent than what you're used to. A good
rule of thumb is to start with a very small
amount, around 5 or 10 milligrams of
THC, and only gradually consume more
(e.g., stick with only a few puffs, or little
nibbles).
CANNABIS AND QUEERS
Romero says the LGBT and cannabis
communities actually intersect, because
they have a lot in common. "In my experience, people within the cannabis community are much more likely to be open
and accepting of the LGBT community,"
she says. The cannabis realm tends to be
way more left-leaning anyway, plus "cannabis consumers [are often] treated as
outsiders. They've experienced stigmas
and assumptions surrounding marijuana, so they're more likely to understand
the cultural and societal oppression that
the LGBT community faces."
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21
s1HEALTH
Meanwhile, Natural Cannabis Company (naturalcannabis.com)
founder
Dona Frank says she dove into California's budding industry in 2005 expressly
because she "wanted to create a place
where women, people of color, and
LGBT people could feel safe and access
safe, clean cannabis."
Frank is a Coast Guard veteran who
today lives in Sonoma, Calif., an enclave
of healthy living and organic farming
where marijuana is "very much part of
the lifestyle." Her company essentially
combines those factors, working with
small farms and cultivators.
"Ninety-five percent of our cannabis is grown on small farms by artisan
cultivators in Northern California," says
Frank. "Many dispensaries grow and sell
their own cannabis-and that's certainly
a way to turn a profit-but
we're much
more interested in partnering with people producing small-batch, carefully cultivated strains."
There's more to it than the product,
however.
"Cannabis is very much a white cismale industry, and that's reflected in
everything from staffing to marketing.
It's the main reason I started Natural
Cannabis," says Frank, whose company has grown steadily online and in its
three California retail shops, along with
its High Art open-call annual creative
contest. "There's a lot of room in the
cannabis industry for growth in diversity and safety. I take the responsibility of mentor-ing the next generation
of women in cannabis very seriously,
and our belief in diversity is reflected
in our staffing."
WEED AND WELLNESS
The cannabis industry itself is growing,
thanks to incredible demand, but so are
discoveries about its many benefits.
Cat Goldberg is the founder of BrainBuzz, a Miami-based neuromarketing
company. Her book, How to Hack the Legal Cannabis Industry and Generate Revenue, explores how neuromarketing (a
strategy for tailoring com-munications)
and the cannabis industry overlap.
Among cannabis's many benefits, she
says, is relief from anxiety, something
members of the LGBT community often
experience. But more than that, Goldberg sees a future where queers and ev-
eryone else get to know weed's versatile
uses, from relaxation to alleviating PMS.
"I believe we'll see a shift in behavior,"
says Goldberg. "Instead of taking opioids
for pain, people will take a big dab. If you
can't sleep, forget the Ambien and grab
some indica. Or if you want to wake up in
the morning and not be super caffeinated, smoke some sativa.
"Cannabis comes in all forms," she
adds. "Not all of it is psychoactive. Lotions are incredible for pain relief. I've
seen a nonverbal autistic child speak
for the first time after being treated with
CBD oil. People [claim to] cure their cancer with RSO oil. The Googles, Nikes, and
Apples of the cannabis industry are just
waiting to be created."
Frank concurs, and offers this advice:
"Please try it all to see which is a good fit
for you. Use it as a medicine, as a recreational party drug, or just as something
that helps lull you off to sleep after a long
day. Hopefully, you'll find the thing that
gives you the most pleasure, relief, or the
much-desired perma-grin."
She adds, "Try it and don't be afraid or
ashamed-especially
you older women
who have been curious but unsure about
what to do. Take the leap and see if this is
right for you, because it's so much better
than many of the current pharmaceuticals out there. That's why it's still mostly
illegal, right?"•
FOR MORE INFO GO TO
Leafly.com and TheCannabist.co.
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30WONDERWOMAN'S SECRET
32
A CHEF'S STORY
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REVIEWS/
PHOTOGRAP
BUTCH
IS
BEAUTIF
lmagemaker Meg Allen celebrates female
masculinity in a new coffee table book.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
San Francisco Bay Area native Meg Allen has
given our community a gift with her new book,
BUTCH. Showcasing 123 butches-from
trans
butches to classic butches, from butches who
identify as women to those who identify as menthe photographer, a self-identified "butch hapa
queer chick," memorializes the butch not only
for posterity but also to illustrate that the butch is
very much alive and well in the 21st century. The
collection of photographs, available both in a limited-release, leather-bound (and leather-belted),
hardback edition, and in soft cover, archives the
history of this much-maligned masculine lesbian
DEC/JAN
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identity. For Allen, to be butch is to be
beautiful, "a lesbian laser that re-knits the
universes of male and female," to quote
the late Jeanne Cordova.
Allen never set out with the intention
of producing this book. The origins of the
project are less intentional: A few years
ago, Allen was hanging out with a butch
friend who was pregnant, and was captivated by her. Her friend's body, with her
belly and breasts swollen in pregnancy,
expressed both masculine and feminine
features. She was holding a skateboard,
to boot. It was a moment, to quote historian Gayle Rubin, that encapsulated the
flirtatious interplay "of masculine traits
with a female anatomy." And, at that moment, Allen took her friend's photograph.
It marked the beginning of a project that
has spanned over five years and dozens
upon dozens of photo shoots with friends
and acquaintances who wanted to be-
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REVIEWS/
PHOTOGRAP
come a part of this archival visual history.
After four years, and a series of exhibits in which she showed various assortments of her butch photographs,
Allen determined to expand her collection and then preserve it in book form.
Butch pride through visibility is a prominent objective of BUTCH. Yet Allen, as
her photography illustrates, wanted to
make the entire butch community visible. Butch identity is complex; as Rubin
wrote in another essay, "forms of masculinity are molded by experiences and
expectations of class, race, ethnicity,
religion, occupation, age, subculture,
and individual personality." Allen's photography is a testament to the diversity of butch identity in all its gorgeous,
sensual, and physical beauty. Her subjects vary by race, ethnicity, age, class,
and gender identity and expression.
Some have had top surgery, and some
go topless. Some wear spectacles, and
some wear their biceps. Furthermore,
Allen photographed her subjects at
locations they felt comfortable in. The
landscapes work to frame and in a way
enhance the images.
As she is quoted in the introduction,
Allen wanted to create "an homage to
the bull-daggers and female husbands
before me, and to the young studs,
gender queers, and bois who continue to bloom in the present:' The book
is nothing less than a love letter to this
community, and to the larger LGBTQ
community as well. What BUTCH shows
is that there is no one way to be butch,
and this is a liberating realization in a
society structured and driven by identity categories. In this regard, BUTCH
offers a salve to the tensions between
trans and woman-identified
butches, and to all the gender troubles that
plague our community.
The adage may be that a picture is
worth a thousand words, but Allen has
proven that a picture is worth much
more. (megallenstudio.com) •
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OUTING
AN
ICON
Ever wonder where Wonder Woman came from?
A new film discovers the kinky origin story of our
favorite comic book super-heroine.
BY LISA TEDESCO
Fresh from its world premiere at the
Toronto
International
Film Festival,
and its national release this past October, Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women created serious showbiz buzz
and critical acclaim. The film depicts
the lives of the three people-two
of
them women-who
together were the
driving force behind the creation of the
iconic superhero, Wonder Woman.
Writer/director
Angela Robinson
(DEBS, The L Word, True Blood, How
to Get Away With Murder) is a lifelong
fan of the beloved comic-book series.
Almost a decade ago she came across
startling facts about the origins of the
superhero that stuck in her mind. In a
Wonder Woman history book, Robinson
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discovered a discussion on the creator,
Dr. William Moulton Marston (played in
the film by Luke Evans), and the 1920s
sexual bondage controversy surrounding his polyamorous relationship with
his wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and
one of his college students, Olive Byrne
(Bella Heathcote). And thus Robinson's
magical film journey began.
Hidden in the once unexamined life
of Dr. Marston was a polysexual feminist adventure. Marston resisted the
male-centric superhero craze that was
taking the nation by storm and, instead,
wanted to show the world that a woman
could have the same amount of power and strength as her male superhero
counterparts.
Marston wasn't even a
writer. He was a psychologist, with a
Harvard Ph.D., and the inventor of the
lie detector machine. How did he came
to write one of the most famous comics
of all time with a background like that?
He incorporated his very own life experiences and relationships with women
he loved into the creation of an iconic
and beloved character.
Marston was a feminist who developed the concept of the DISC theory-a
behavioral tool that shows us that all
human interaction can be broken down
into four behaviors: dominance, inducement, submission and compliance. The
essence of Wonder Woman stems directly from this theory while embodying
a part of Marston himself and the worn-
REVIEWS/
en he loved.
The film closely examines this love
triangle and the price paid for unconventional ideas. "This was a truly organic love story between three people,"
Robinson told Curve at the Toronto International Film Festival. "Their love was
like a tripod. If one leg fails it would topple over and break."
While researching new ways to perfect the lie detector machine through
the use of monitoring the human body,
Marston and Elizabeth enlist the help
of Olive, the eager student in Marston's
psychology class.
The three begin to question their feelings toward one another, which causes
a slight rift at first but quickly escalates
to a full-scale passionate romance when
their attractions ignite one late evening
at the university.
Discovered, they were excused from
their academic positions, compromising their research and livelihood; but
they persevered. The thruple moved to
the New York City suburbs and started
having children.
"This relationship was so contemporary for the time. It was really important
not to label their relationship, either,"
said Robinson. "There weren't identities. It was a modern interoperation."
Marston took each of Elizabeth and
Olive's vivacious traits and created a
composite woman, eternal and empowered. "These two women were profound with sexuality," said Robinson. "It
infused into Wonder Woman's DNA."
When some of the overt sexuality
depicted in the comic books raised red
flags with censorship boards, Marston
was put under scrutiny and interrogated about the overall messaging of the
comic, specifically Wonder Woman's
golden rope, which signified bondage
and dominance.
In order to explore the bondage element of the Marston triangular relationship, Robinson recruited the help of
female dominatrices, "because I wanted it to be explained from a woman's
perspective and to include the emotional and intellectual reasons Marston
found it attractive."
The unfortunate reality of the time
period was that they were condemned
for their beliefs, practices and behaviors. In spite of the fear of becoming
social pariahs, the three ultimately persevered through their struggles.
Robinson is successful in showing
a truly polyamorous relationship that
withstands the pressures of the time
and remains interesting
today. The
power exchange between each character flows through the film with ease,
and shines brightly in the superhero
we know today. The strength of Wonder Woman wouldn't exist without this
tripartite bond and the romance that
forged it.
Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women delivers an important message
about pursuing truth and complete
dedication to one's beliefs. These three
have a longing to be with one another,
they respect each other, and they value
each other on the highest pedestal.
FIL
This was a truly
organic love
story between
three people.
Their love was
like a tripod. If
one leg fails it
would topple
over and break.
''
In an age where we feel as though the
times are headed backwards, and being
a woman means you have to fight for
equality all over again, Robinson shows
us that women did, do, and can hold the
power.
When asked what she thought the
definition of a "wonder woman" was,
she simply responded, "Take out the
'wonder' and you'll have your answer."
(professorm.movie.com) •
Professor Marston and the Wonder
Women will be available on Blu-ray and
digital in January 2018.
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brity chef Michele Ragussis has
lived all over the Northeast, hailing originally from Derby, Conn., and studying
de Island where she learned to
resh seafood. For a time she was
in the hipster heartland of Brookyn, and most recently, Provincetown,
that LGBTQ oasis on Cape Cod where,
as executive chef of Central House at
The Crown & Anchor, she turned out
delicious classic plates for three yearsthink freshly-shucked
local Wellfleet
oysters, baked lobster mac 'n' cheese,
grilled rib eye, and on Thursday nights,
an Italian dinner featuring her signature
linguine and clams with garlic, shallots,
chilies, clams, white wine, butter and
herbs.
"My style of food is New England seafood with a Greek Sicilian flair," Ragussis
told me this fall as she was prepping for
the festive season. "I am known for sea-
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food but I also make a lot of pasta-I am
half Greek, half Sicilian so almost every
dish is influenced by that in some way."
she says. Her approach to seafood is
seasonal, for example, steamed littleneck clams in the summer match with
corn and basil, and in fall or winter she
switches to chorizo, white beans and
kale to make a heartier clam dish.
While Ragussis has relished her time
out on the Cape, loving "the raw beauty of the coast, and the marine life
that I get to see when I drive around
the beaches," she also feels the pull of
spontaneous creativity and of New York.
This winter she will relocate to the Hudson Valley, N.Y. where she hopes to tap
into the local farm-to-table movement,
and plot her next culinary adventureoffering one-off tasting menus of up to
10 courses, and underground pop-ups
restaurant dinners that create buzz,
enrich local culture, support local winemakers, and tie in charities including
animal welfare causes and the Make-AWish Foundation.
"Because you're not doing anything
in this world if you're not helping somebody," she says. "I want to help. This
world is going to pieces right now and
not enough of us are doing our part."
The community of food and the ritual of
eating together is a way of doing that.
Ragussis, who is currently single, is
also looking forward to shorter hours,
spare time, and creating more lesbian
community. "I've dated on an off but it's
very hard, especially working 13 hours a
day. You don't want to go out and talk or
hang out at the end of the day." She admires and understands the small lesbian
and queer pop-up supper clubs such
as Queer Soup Night and the frequently sold-out food-focused
Babetown
REV1Ews1FO
SIGNATURE
DISH:
LINGUINE
AND
CLAMS
parties. Massive restaurants with 100
seats don't allow for creative minds,
she says. "Anybody who's creative cannot be boxed. I honestly think, with the
world the way it is, people are doing
whatever they can to make themselves
happy and create a sense of freedom."
In commercial cooking, women, she
says, "have to be strong, confident and
talented to not be chewed up and spat
out" by a still male-dominated industry.
But increasingly, consumers are demanding more creativity from the food
scene. "People want an experience
when they go out to eat and it gets
boring to just order a steak or a pasta
plate. It's more fun to have an interactive experience, a sense of community,
meet new people, and get to try 10 different things that are seasonal, healthy,
and delicious-I think that's making a
movement right now."
Ragussis has the drive, vision and
confidence to have landed herself 13
reality TV experiences, but her own
show eludes her. Last year she developed Funny Food on YouTube where
she taught comics such as Kate Clinton
how to cook. She still thinks it's a good
idea for a TV show. "It's hard to get your
own television show. I've done a lot of
TV and I love doing it so I'm hoping I
do more."
But until Food Network calls again,
Ragussis is "gonna go and do what I
honestly think I have a shot at doing
and I'm going to be extremely happy
doing it."
And in the meantime, you have one
last opportunity to catch Chef Michele's
last hurrah the week of New Year's at
Central House in P-town. There will be
a brunch menu, a dinner menu, and a
special menu for New Year's Eve featuring classic dishes such as surf and turf
with lobster, and scallops with shaved
truffles, asparagus and baby potato
hash. Her Italian influence might also
make an appearance with a sweet potato ravioli. If you can't take a seat at
her table, try the recipe, at right, or follow her on lnstagram @chefmichele. •
"My favorite dish, and I think I have perfected it! I always had it as a kid and just
thought it was always missing something. Most people who come into the restaurant say this is the best linguine and clams they have ever had." -Chef Michele
INGREDIENTS:
16 littleneck clams
1 pint of fresh chopped
clams
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/2 tsp chili flakes (add
more if you like spicy)
1 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 pound linguine
1 cup good white wine
12 bunches fresh
parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
METHOD:
1. Put linguine on to boil in salted
water.
2. In a teaspoon of canola oil, saute
shallots, garlic, whole clams, chili
and half of the parsley, salt, pepper.
2. When the garlic is a perfect golden
brown, add wine to stop the cooking and keep the flavor before it
burns.
3. Cover and steam about 8 mins until
clams open and liquid is reduced
by half.
4. Take out clams and set aside in dish.
5. Add 2 tablespoons butter and
chopped clams.
6. When cooked, take linguine
straight from the water and add
to clam mixture. Add 1 or 2 tbs
of pasta water, reduce, turn
heat to low and toss.
7. Add parmesan and parsley, mix
well, and arrange on a platter.
Top with clams in shell, lemon
zest, the remaining parsley,
and top with any leftover liquid
from the cooked littlenecks.
Serves 4
DEC/JAN
2018
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•+-t-·M
Marriage of a Thousand Lies
We Were Witches
By SJ Sindu
By Ariel Gore
In her very impressive authorial debut, Sindu's Sri Lankan-American protagonist, Lakshmi, navigates closeted relationship
waters out of respect for her traditional Sri Lankan family, but
reaches a breaking point when she falls in love with her childhood friend, who has agreed to an arranged marriage with a
man. Identity, in Sindu's novel, is strongly influenced by, and
tethered to, ideas of community and belonging. A rare bookone that focuses on a South Asian queer woman's story.
Gore observes, with satiric sharpness, the life of a fictionalized
protagonist named Ariel Gore-a teen mom and queer feminist
witch whose survival strategy is humor as she tries to nurture
her burgeoning writing career and raise her young daughter
while pursuing a college education during the first Bush administration. Guiding her through this life of resistance are the
works of seminal feminist writers like Adrienne Rich and Audre
Larde-and, yes, the occasional hot professor.
Pages for Her
By Sylvia Brownrigg
Brownrigg queers the student-teacher sexual paradigm by having two academics as her female protagonists. Former lovers, both are now professors,
but in the past, they'd had a tempestuous affair, when one was an undergraduate and the other was a graduate student who briefly served as her TA.
After decades of following each other's careers and respective heterosexual
relationships, they come together at a conference called "Women Write the
World." A quick, pleasurable, and poetic read with rich psychological and
corporeal underpinnings that will delight academics and romance lovers.
34
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2018
REVIEWS/
BO
AfU~TOFU6ttr
""'Ott.trl{!Alj!
,• d).
A Burst of Light and Other Essays
Coming of Age: The Sexual Awakening of
Margaret Mead
By Audre Lorde
By Deborah Beatriz Blum
Dover Publications has reissued this book with a new foreword
by Sonia Sanchez. Winner of the 1988 Before Columbus Foundation National Book Award, A Burst of Light includes Lorde's
controversial interview on S/M and her heart-wrenching "A
Burst of Light" essay about living with cancer, as well as writings
on race, gender, and sexuality that interrogate what it means
to live in a white man's world as a black lesbian feminist. Today, these essays are as relevant as ever-if not more so, and
required reading for anyone who wants to understand the importance of intersectionality.
A fascinating study of one of the greatest cultural figures of the
20th century. Mead's "coming of age" was simultaneously intellectual and sexual, and Blum brilliantly weaves Mead's memoir
and letters into a narrative that exposes this integral, pedagogical connection. Mead's sexual awakening-in which she carried
on affairs with men and women at the same time-finds an interesting and revealing corollary in her groundbreaking anthropological work, Coming of Age in Samoa, in which she studied the
sexual behavior of adolescent Samoan girls.
Jane Crow: The Life of Pauli Murray
By Rosalind Rosenberg
A mixed-race orphan who graduated first in her class at Howard Law School,
Murray originated the idea of "Jane Crow," whereby, she argued, the same
reasons used to condemn race discrimination could be used to battle gender discrimination. Rejecting arbitrary distinctions, she lived most of her life
uncomfortably "in between" genders, often crossdressing to court female
lovers. Jane Crow shows us that Murray's life and contributions to the various
modern civil rights movements are well worth knowing, especially today.
DEC/JAN
2018
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FELIZ
NAVIDAD,
LATINA
STYLE
A special holiday
show returns for
a third year of
laughter and joy.
BY MELANIE BARKER
Deck the halls with guacamole! Back
by popular demand, The Latina Christmas
Special, written and performed by out
comedian Sandra Valls, out actor-writer
Diana Yanez, and LGBT ally and Teen Wolf
actor Maria Russell, returns to The Los Angeles Theatre Center for a celebrated third
consecutive year.
Let these three amigas help get you
through the holidays with a hilarious, heart-
36
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2018
warming autobiographical play. "We're just
hanging out in my apartment, drinking
and sharing," says Sandra Valls. "We dance
and sing and get personal in three mini
one-woman shows, rolled into one. I don't
hold back, I've always been out," says the
award-winning lesbian comic who starred
in Showtime's Latin Divas of Comedy.
Valls vents over childhood memories
like "getting a Farah Fawcett makeup head
and not a backhoe bulldozer Tonka truck
for Christmas. How did my mother not
know who I was?" But Valls'sfavorite part of
the play is sharing memories of her mom,
and caring for her until she passed away.
"At first I hesitated to talk about it, but you
grow up, your life changes. When my mom
fell ill, the holidays were very hard, but
you turn it around. I didn't realize that I am
brave and courageous and a badass until I
was her caregiver."
In addition to storytelling, the women
indugle in tequila, salsa, singing and slideshows-including some hilarious and awkward personal Catholic photos.
"When I was growing up, all the white
people had Christmas specials but Latinas
never did," says Valls. "I'm looking forward
to more healing and laughter and to representing the Latina community and the
LGBTQ community, especially now. What
amazing people we are:'
So give yourself a gift this silly season
-the gift of catharsis with three first-generation Latinas. The Latina Christmas Special "is very personal and beautiful," says
Valls. The play has earned The Los Angeles
Times' Critic's Choice for two years running and plays from Dec. 1 to Jan. 7 at
the Los Angeles Theatre Center, proudly
presented by The Latino Theater Company. (latinachristmasspecial.com) •
REV1Ews1MUSICSPECI
Celebrating 25 years of dance-floor magic with Tracy Young.
BY JANELLE BECK
Longevity is rare in the music industry.
For many musicians it's a struggle just to
overcome sophomore slump, let alone
make it to 25 years in this competitive
business. With 48 number one hits on
the Billboard club charts, out DJ/mixer/
producer Tracy Young has proven herself to be an artist with staying power.
"I've always loved music. When I started going to nightclubs, I was trying to
figure out how it was all one continuous
song. Once I snuck into the DJ booth
and saw how it was done, I was completely taken and drawn to that," Young
says. "I loved all music, and I still do."
Having started her career in the nightclubs of Washington, D.C., Young then
relocated to Miami, Fla., where she has
become a huge part of the thriving club
music scene. She has re-mixed hits from
a multitude of chart-toppers, including
Pink, Cher, Lady Gaga, and perhaps
most notably Madonna. She has a longstanding relationship with the pop icon,
which stemmed from her time as a DJ at
the South Beach nightclub Liquid.
"My relationship with Madonna is
very hard to put into words, but she
was always somebody that I aspired
to be, because she was a woman, she
was strong, and she had such a vision
of what she wanted to do in life," Young
says. "I am so loyal to her and her vision.
She always knew what she wanted, and
she taught me to be fearless and just go
for my dreams."
Not only has Young collaborated with
Madonna, she has contributed a remix
to Hillary Clinton's presidential run.
"I did the remix of 'Stronger Together,'
which was her campaign song. Having
worked on that, I started volunteering
at some of the voting polls in Florida.
The lines were predicted to be so long
that they wanted to keep entertainment
there, so people wouldn't leave. I started
deejaying at one of the polls and Hillary
caught wind of it and wanted to show
up. I actually got to meet her, which I
didn't expect," Young says.
After working on "Stronger Together"
only to face the disappointment of the
election results, Young has pondered
the role of music in this unsettled political climate.
"I feel like music is the missing element right now. It was part of all these
political movements in the past, I mean,
John Lennon wrote some of his greatest records, "Give Peace a Chance" and
"Imagine," as anti-war songs. And there
was Live Aid. I don't see music being a
part of this political movement at all,"
Young says.
In honor of her 25th anniversary,
Young is planning to release a new al-
DEC/JAN
2018
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bum, including hits from the past as well
as new music. Her most recent single,
"Peace, Love, and Music" (with Ceevox),
has an uplifting dance beat and is climbing the charts. Young is also busy planning Genesis, her annual New Year's Day
party in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and will be
announcing further details on her website.
"I'm creating my own stuff. I'm trying
to stay positive in my own music," she
says.
In addition to the new release, Young
is hitting the airwaves every Saturday
night at 9:00 PM EST on the iHeartRadio
station 93.9 MIA to spin tunes from the
1980s to today.
"It's an open-format show, so I play
house music and it's all just happy,"
Young says. ''I'm having a lot of fun with
that."
Looking back over more than two decades of an accomplished career, and
looking forward to a future of spinning
beats and continuing to collaborate
with the hottest stars in music, Young
reflects on how grateful she is to have a
job that she loves.
"Whether it's TV or radio, it all stems
a career out of something I'm so pas-
back to the love I have for music. I'm
sionate about and love so much. I think
proud that I do what I love every day,
that's the ultimate key to being happy."
and that I've figured out how to make
(tracyyoung.com) •
designed no doubt to provoke ladywoodl)_
With the release of her new EP Like You Mean
It this past summer, and the sexy video to
the first single off the EP,"Up and Away," the
androgynous hottie's career is set to explode.
"Up and Away" is an emotive duet featuring
powerhouse vocalist Hayley Teal,and an edgy
video to match the raw and truthful lyrics.
Other singles on the EP include party track
"Superstar Dance," and the sexy, dancey,
very slick party track "Animals." LadyHood
has collaborated with some music royalty,
including Grammy Award-winning producer
WELCOME
TO
THE
'HOOD
Fresh off her dazzling U.S. and European
tour,
LadyHood is developing a
reputation, and we love it.
38
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2018
which
included
a
spectacular
Jeff Bova and GoGo's rock legend drummer
Gina Schock, among others. If you enjoy
performance at the legendary queer gala,
Pink, Sia, and the stylings of Ruby Rose and
the Vienna Life Ball, LadyHood (Aussie music
La Roux, you need to get LadyHood on your
maven Brihony Dawson, whose band name
playlist. She's a natural performer who loves
cheekily conjures all things clitoral) is a star
an audience and relishes channeling her rock
to watch out for. Those who are in the know
star persona specifically to charm the ladies.
sat up and noticed LadyHood's 2015 release
Who doesn't like a dynamic blond Aussie who
"Naked," the first single from her EPFinger On
once described herself as "a bad girl for all the
The Pulse (and the unabashedly lezzie video,
right reasons"? (ladyhoodmusic.com)
REV1Ews1MUSIC
SPECI
Rachael Sage has a positive message to see out a troubled year.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
Last year, Rachael Sage gifted us with
the album Choreographic and its gorgeously melodic, balletic and uplifting
tracks "Try, Try, Try" and "I Don't Believe
It." Sage was revisiting her formative
training as a ballet dancer. "Even though
aspects of dance were both physically
and emotionally painful," she tells me,
"I feel enormous gratitude for how my
studies at the School of American Ballet
ignited my creative identity. This album
is a love letter to an often bittersweet
but always provocative art form. Pursuing authenticity is at the heart of many
of the songs."
While "Try Try Try" is influenced by
'50s musicians like Buddy Holly and
Chuck Berry (when Sage wrote the guitar section she visualized people doing
'The Twist), "I Don't Believe It" was composed as an anti-bullying anthem. Sage
was inspired by a barefoot performance
she saw of Florence Welch, where she
was "moving so freely across the stage
with absolute abandon." For the video
Sage cast an 11-year-old dancer named
Kaci King who possesses "a musicality and lyrical sensitivity far beyond her
years" and embodies a sense of innocence triumphing over adversity.
To help get the album out, Sage visited dance and grammar schools across
the UK, Ireland and the U.S. and performed
"choreographic"
workshops,
combining storytelling, musical performance, dance improvisation and interactive songwriting with students of all
ages. "The results were wildly varied, but
always fascinating and extremely gratifying," says Sage.
Not only was she giving back to young
people; Sage was sharing a positive
message of acceptance, and sparking
creative expression in kids of all ages,
from diverse backgrounds. The experience was humbling and connected Sage
to the young people who had heard her
songs on the TV show Dance Moms.
"Idealism and innovation are inextricably linked, especially in the arts.
When we are young we are naturally
always dreaming, and all too often it is
older people-parents
or sadly, teachers-who trample rather than build up
our confidence into adulthood. Working
with young dancers and students gives
me hope, and I feel a responsibility to
nurture and protect that innocence, and
that idealism so it can thrive and create
the possibility for transformation."
This passing year has been a year of
shock and turbulence, with almost unrelenting news of disaster threatening
to turn us all numb. But in among all the
bad news, Sage has observed "humanity
and generosity among average people,
DEC/JAN
2018
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39
especially in crowdfunding,
petitions,
and on social media. "For better or for
worse, the 'new normal' requires us to
dig deeper to reflect and then act upon
our individual empathy in a very public
way; we are all accountable to each other more now than ever."
Take, for example, her own EP The
Tide, which offered a response to the
upheaval and human tragedy of 2016
and 2017, such as the Syrian refugee crisis. All proceeds from the EP of protest
songs were donated to ArcRelief.org.
With her colorful appearance-her
pink and purple hair, sequins, glitter, and
vibrant clothes are her celebrity signature-it's easy to assume Sage is a privileged optimist. But she confides that
most of her songs "spring from sadness,
conflict, and melancholy." She then
looks for "moments of light, of possibility, of empowerment and opportunity" in
any story or situation.
"Human beings are so fucking resilient. At our finest, we are hope, we create beauty and we embody love, and all
of that is what I personally believe comprises divinity. To be divine is to uplift
and transform pain into comfort; I can't
think of anything more hopeful than
that. I've been told that this is both very
Jewish, and very hippie," she laughs.
40
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2018
It's a welcome surprise, then, that this
Jewish hippie has gifted us with a Holiday EP,simply titled Joy. On Dec. 13 Sage
and her band The Sequins, plus select
guest vocalists, will perform a special
Holiday Show at Rockwood Music Hall in
New York City for her release party, and
also as a benefit for the MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund.
"As one of only two or three Jewish
kids at my school, I never really saw a difference between Holiday and Christmas
music," she says. "I remember being relieved when my mom told me she loved
Christmas carols after I asked if it was
okay for me to sing a solo in the school
Christmas pageant. I was also happy to
learn from her that 'White Christmas'
was penned by Irving Berlin.
"Music is music. We can share each
other's holidays, and no one has a monopoly on a good tune."
There aren't many catchy Hanukkah songs, so Sage developed some.
"I started to add some funny comedic
shpiel to my annual December shows
in NYC. These events evolved into holiday-themed concerts, which I began
calling 'Tchatchkes & Latkes.' So the
Hanukkah material on this EP evolved
from those shows, and my cover of 'Joy
To The World' was sparked by a friend's
request for me to perform a Christmas
song at a cancer benefit last December. It is literally impossible to sing 'Joy
to the world ... !' and not feel joy; I think
the holidays encourage us to give more,
to receive more, and to appreciate each
other more."
So while it's been yet another harrowing year, don't let that get you down. Do
something about it.
"This is the time when artists, activists
and culture-makers become more vital
and essential than ever," says Sage. "As
a member of the LGBTQ community and
the human family, period, I cling to the
earliest lesson I ever learned in Hebrew
school, based on the premise that 'every
person is a universe': If you change one
life, you change the universe. The opportunity to be impactful and truly make a
difference in each other's lives abounds
every day."
And Sage has reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. She joins
British pop icon Howard Jones for his
upcoming U.S. tour, and works on new
material from her forthcoming
fulllength album Myopia, due out in May
2018. "I'll be playing all over the country from NYC to Los Angeles, trying to
spread good vibes, glitter and catharsis."
(rachaelsage.com) •
REV1Ews1MUSICSPECI
Seattle duo Sisters fights for equality.
BY JANELLE BECK
lntersectional
activism isn't something frequently embraced by up-andcoming pop bands, but SISTERS is
anything but average.
"Our brand of activism is extremely
inclusive," says Emily Westman, one-half
of the Seattle-based duo.
Westman's counterpart, Andrew Vait,
agrees: "We can use our platform to
speak about the things that matter to
us and affect our community, which
include women's rights, LGBTQ rights,
rights for people of color, and refugees."
Westman and Vait first met when they
both attended the University of Miami's
Frost School of Music, though it wasn't
until they crossed paths once again in
2011 as members of the Seattle Rock Orchestra that they finally made the musical connection.
After their debut EP, Westman and
Vait headed to Woodinville, Wash., to
work with producer Ryan Hadlock (Ra
Ra Riot, the Lumineers) to put together their first full-length record, Drink
Champagne. Their dynamic pop soundscape features 11 songs that act as the
perfect antidote to the proverbial darkness currently hanging over the American psyche.
Not content on stopping there, Vait
and Westman went back to the studio in
April to complete Wait Don't Wait, their
latest LP due out October 13th, 2017 on
new label Tender Loving Empire.
Wait Don't Wait is another undeniably
catchy album, a reflection of the intimate friendship the duo share and the
passion they have for both music and
social commentary.
Though their music could be summarized as delightful pop, Westman
and Vait are inspired by more serious
concerns, and where Drink Champagne
uses the band's access to a certain
demographic to spread a message of
equality, Wait Don't Wait calls the listener
to action. Vait and Westman command
their audience to dance, embrace joy,
and reject the anger and hatred that has
engulfed so much of the world in 2017.
"We are asking ourselves on a daily
basis what we can do to advance our
message and what we can do to use our
platform to push the agenda of equality," says Vait.
"How do we break down the lines
of intersectionality? What is our role? I
have to come at it from a perspective
different from Emily's, because Emily is
a gay female Jew. I try to make decisions
in my own career to advance women in
the music industry. I do my best to put
the women I work with on a level playing
field. I think that's action. That's more
than words," Vait says.
DEC/JAN
2018
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Not only do they use their music and
their public platform to reach audiences
and change hearts, Vait is also passionate about using his privilege to actively
create space for others.
"As a white man living in Seattle, I get
asked to do gigs that my counterparts
who are women, or people of color, do
not, and I have been thinking about what
it means to acknowledge that you are af-
forded that opportunity and renounce it
and give it away," he says.
Perhaps now, more than anytime in
recent years, people have sought solace
in community, and where there used to
be lines of division, there is a sense of
passion and unity.
"It's important to get together about
what you can," says Westman. "We're in
such a time ...
knowing in your heart
what is right and what is wrong. It has
got to be the closest to what the civil
rights movement felt like at the time.
How embarrassing to have been alive at
that time and to have been on the wrong
side of it. Everybody knows what is right
and wrong."
For SISTERS, releasing both Drink
Champagne and Wait Don't Wait in one
year is cause for celebration.
When asked what
Pride means to
her Westman says, "For me, it's just joy.
We live in a really awesome place. Our
whole year in Seattle feels like Pride,
compared to other places. It's pure joy,
community, and celebration."
(sisterstheband.com) •
we wanted to recapture the amazing times we
had playing dual lead guitars in [bitchin', hardpartying band] Helldorado. So we decided
we would put a blues band together to play
shows in NYC and take as many guitar solos
as we wanted."
Hightop put out feelers and found Cool
Whip and they clicked. Next came Mary,who'd
played with High Top in hardcore band The
Wives. "Mary and I always kept in touch but
I didn't think she would want to play blues-
THE
BLUES
ISFEMALE
Meet all-girl band Jane Lee Hooker.
debuted with their punk-blues influenced
she's got a punk rock background-but
album No B! in 2016 and they've played just
jumped in and it worked immediately." Next in
about every joint in the country-and
was Dana. "We found her in a matter of hours
around
the world since.
Meet the gang (pictured left to right): Hail
she
and invited her to hang out and play with us
in the studio. Instrumentally, the band was
Mary Zadroga on bass guitar; Tracy Hightop
monstrous-better
on guitar; Tina "T-Bone" Gorin on guitar;
Sometimes when you don't think or plan or
than my wildest dreams.
Melissa "Cool Whip" Houston on drums; Dana
want anything you get magical results."
"Danger" Athens on vocals-a girl gang whose
This improvized jamming is the spirit of
formation was kismet. Guitarist Hightop, who
their second album, Spiritus. "Let the spirits
Jett? Women in rock and blues who could
has a 6-year-old daughter with her wife of 12
take you on a joy ride," says Hightop. "Because
belt it out. It's time you got to a Jane Lee
years, shared the band's story with Curve.
honestly, that's what this band is: the world's
Do you long for the days of Joplin, Quatro,
Hooker gig. These five native New Yorkers
42
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2018
"Afew years back, T Bone and I decided that
loudest joy ride." (janeleehooker.com)
REV1Ews1MUSIC
Julia Weldon has a new lease on life-and
SPECI
identity.
BY MERRYN JOHNS
faced 34-year-old with a shock
erry blond hair, Julia Weldon
er-son writers on the queer indie music
scene. And there's a lot to the Brooklyn-based artist that makes this so.
Weldon, who identifies as trans and
gender-nonconforming
and goes by
they/them-although
does accept she/
her under certain circumstances-studied philosophy at Vassar (with Anne Hathaway) and was a child and teenaged
actor appearing opposite Meryl Streep
and Mariska Hargitay. Weldon is still acting, and when we speak they're headed
to a reading for a pilot in which they play
"a lesbian handyman heartbreaker."
But parallel to lighting up the screen,
Weldon has always made music. "I was
that kid who walks around on the sidewalk singing made-up songs. I picked
up my parent's shitty guitar when I was
12 and taught myself. I started writing
songs when I was 15 or 16 and never re-
ally stopped. And playing different characters definitely informs my songwriting
and my performance. There's no way to
really disconnect them."
You might know Weldon's face from
appearances in Law and Order-or from
their acclaimed 2013 album Light Is a
Ghost and its standout tracks "Careful in
the Dark" and "All the Birds."
With that album and touring, Weldon's
star was on the rise, but a career-andlife detour came in the form of "intense
heartbreak," and the decision to undergo gender confirmation surgery before
completing another album. "I wasn't out
about it until the day before the surgery. I
remember when I posted on lnstagram, it
was this huge deal to me to be out about
having surgery. I think I just didn't understand what role it played in my public
persona, if at all, but then I decided that I
did want to be visible and out about this,
so I said I identified as gender nonconforming and was having top surgery in a
couple of days, and your support means
so much to me. People responded so
well, and then I had the surgery ...," which
did not go so well.
Weldon had imagined they'd be out of
commission for a couple of months after
the surgery. What they didn't expect was
to suffer medical complications-viral
encephalitis, which causes swelling of
the brain, sometimes permanent brain
damage, and even life-threatening complications. Imagine coming out of anesthesia and feeling gravely ill-memory
loss, throwing up, seizures. Weldon ended up in the ER, was heavily sedated and
transferred to NYU medical center. "They
basically said to my partner, 'Julia should
wake up in a couple hours.' But I didn't
wake up."
It was days before Weldon emerged
from a coma and entered the long process of retrieving their brain function.
"I was in three doctors' appointments a
week for three months: physical therapy,
DEC/JAN
2018
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43
occupational therapy, cognitive remediation." For those first months, gender
and art took a backseat to survival. "My
brain came back in parts, and then slowly
came back to normal."
As an artist, Weldon feels that the neardeath experience was a wake-up call and
an experience that has left them with "a
priceless perspective on how important
it is to be happy and healthy and close to
people I love. I think it has changed my
entire writing process. I think that all of
my songs from here on out and from that
point forward will have that experience in
them."
While waking from a coma is its own
unique experience, so is waking with
what may seem a newly-confirmed
gender identity. After surgery, Weldon
thought they would maybe want to start
taking testosterone immediately, but as a
singer, Weldon's vocal chords would be
irreversibly changed, so they decided to
halt the transition process. While Weldon
identifies as trans and gender non-binary, "being a lesbian or gay woman was
a large part of my life," they explain,
"and so it's not something that I feel disconnected from. A lot of people who
transition have a strong sense of their
identity and their preferred gender pronouns, and I just don't have that-at least
44
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2018
yet. It took me 10 years to decide to have
top surgery and to realize that I definitely
wanted to do that. I just don't take changing my pronoun or my name lightly."
Weldon is "still not that comfortable
telling everyone to use 'they/them' or
whatever it is. Sometimes I pass as a
16-year-old boy, and that's fine too. It's
part of the experience that comes with
not being either/or."
This ambivalence and fluidity is an asset, creatively. "I just got cast in an indie
film in which I play a butch lesbian, which
is really funny because I don't identify as
butch as much as boyish-but still, I run
the gamut, being cast as a lesbian or a
young trans male character, or someone
in-between."
But the connection to the idea of collective LGBTQ spaces is strong. Weldon
recently attended a Curve event for
women and is open to using "she/her" as
pronouns for female-oriented audiences
such as Billboard's "Soul Sisters" podcast. And in this spirit, the first single off
Comatose Hope, "Til the Crying Fades,"
is a tribute to our community, specifically the queer Latinx victims of the Pulse
shooting in Orlando. The song's powerful
dirge-like intro hypnotizes the listener,
and Weldon's tender vocals provide a
thread of hope into a soft, slow-tempo
dance melody. The accompanying video, directed by Alessandra Lacorazza,
portrays diverse queer folk dancing in a
club not unlike Pulse, and Weldon also
makes a cameo, removing their top on
the dance-floor and joyfully revealing
their post-surgery chest.
For Comatose Hope, an album that
spans pre- and post-surgery states of
being, heartbreak and new love, Weldon
traveled to England to record with Drew
Morgan (producer of Perfume Genius).
The result is a work of beautiful textures
and diverse moods. Some tracks are pure
dream pop, others pop-rock. The effect is
dreamy, ruminative, submerged-punctuated by moments of waking up, and
Weldon mimics the rhythms of losing
consciousness, regaining it, and fighting
to be awake and embrace the pain and
possibility of renewal.
"That's why I chose this producer-to
create this ambient bed of sound that
really makes you feel feelings; a well of
sound that you can keep dipping your
toes in," says Weldon.
The album is as subtle, as nuanced,
and as explorative as Weldon is, both as
an artist and as a person. With this third
album, and with a new lease on life and
its processes, Weldon looks to the future
with hope and determination. And always, there is the struggle to maintain a
space as an LGBTQ artist.
"It was really hard to come out of this
crazy experience and make this album.
I've come so far but I'm still trying so hard
to reach other goals. I want to open for
Tegan and Sara, naturally," says Weldon
with characteristic pluck and humor.
It's fate perhaps, that when Weldon
played at the Everyone Is Gay 5th Annual All-Ages Pride Party in NYC this year,
a fragment of the Tegan and Sara dream
materialized. "I was playing and I looked
out straight ahead of me and Tegan
was standing right there. And then she
grabbed my arm and was like, 'You were
really great.'"
It's been a brutal couple of years
during which many of us have wondered
whether or not we'll survive. Weldon's
corporeal and creative rebirth gives us
all hope-as diverse individuals, and as
a culture that shares a unique collective
consciousness. (juliaweldon.com) •
46QUEERCULTUREMAKERS
56WOMEN OF COLOR WEEKEND
60ROOTING FOR EMILYSALIERS
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
45
THE FILM EDITOR,
DIRECTORAND WRITERHAS
BUILTA TRANSATLANTIC
CAREER.
BY JANE CZYZSELSKA
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
I didn't expect to find myself teary-eyed
the deep end when he asked me to edit
his particular iterations of misogyny, she
after watching a 60-second commercial for
his movie Breaking and Entering. I didn't
finds hope. Alma Har'el (Bombay Beach,
Kaiser Permanente, but under Hollywood
know anything
hotshot Lisa Gunning's skillful direction, I
and he trusted me." Minghella asked her
the Bid, has revolutionized the advertising
confess I was moved. Full disclosure: When
back for his film adaptation of Samuel
world in an effort to combat gender bias.
I'm not writing, I'm a psychotherapist, so
Beckett's Play, as well as the 2008 hit TV
In one short year, Har'el's game-changing
feelings are my shtick. Nonetheless, I'm
series The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. It
campaign has helped hundreds of female
not prone to crying over TV commercials
was through Minghella that Gunning first
directors
about healthcare. But Gunning is one of
collaborated with Sam Taylor-Johnson on
"It's become quite fashionable to have
a growing
about
cutting
movies
LoveTrue), founder of the initiative Free
become
creative
leaders.
number of female director-
her BAFTAAward-winning short film, Love
female directors for films, videos, and
editors who are making their mark in film,
You More, her first feature film, Nowhere
commercials," says Gunning, "and I have
commercials, and music videos.
Boy, and most recently 50 Shades of Grey.
benefited from that greatly. Even though
Gunning, who is British, moved into her
"Sam is very loyal, we're close friends, and
the last four jobs I've been pitching were
pad in Venice, Calif., just a few months
she always wants me on hand. I guess I'm a
against big male directors who are much
ago, inspired as much by the weather and
habit now," she laughs.
more experienced than me, I've been
the "anything's possible" West Coast vibe
Gunning's first shot at directing came
as by her desire to reduce the 10-hour
when she worked with her partner, Alison
has done a lot of work here in Hollywood
commute from her native East London. The
Goldfrapp, on the video for the single
and globally in advertising, and Hollywood-
commercial is the latest of several she's
"Believer," and the
lo-fi documentary
wise there are movements run by women
directed for global brands. Her next gig,
Yellow Halo, made on her iPhone during
supporting other women, with quite a few
for Hewlett Packard, is particularly exciting
the band's 2013 tour in Brazil, paved the
men championing
because of its message of diversity. "We've
way for her big break into direction-
perfect, and there's a long way to go, but
chosen. I'm being given a chance. Alma
women. It's still not
been casting for every possible calibration
Goldfrapp's cinematic album Ta/es of Us.
there are giant leaps being made and I'm
of LGBTQ family: old, young, kids, no
Gunning was then signed to the prestigious
excited."
kids, boys, girls, everything-and
it's been
London production company Black Label
Which lesbians are rocking her world?
super-moving to work with such a beautiful
as a director. Rewatching Ta/es before we
"There's a great lesbian media presence
range of unconventional families. Hewlett
speak, I spot the signature dreamy, sensual
in Hollywood, in charge of big things
Packard wants to say they support any
aesthetic in the atmospheric black-and-
here.
kind of family, so that's a really beautiful
white
Vachon, Jodie Foster, and Megan Ellison
message and I'm glad to be part of that:'
migrate
Gunning
became a director after a
successful career as a film editor, which
short
to
films
that,
Gunning's
miraculously,
latest
creative
habitat, the 60-second commercial.
There's
Jill
Soloway,
Christine
of Annapurna pictures, among others.
I've been introduced to so many women
"I do love a sort of dreamy sensuality,
who are pushing things forward, like Sarah
began in her mid 20s through a chance
and I'm really interested in that daydream
Gubbins and the people behind Amazon
meeting
director
thing when your mind goes off and things
Prime's/ Love Dick ...l've been working with
Anthony Minghella. "He just took a bit of a
become magically revealed in your head.
Tammy Reiker,who shot Lisa Cholodenko's
punt on me because he needed someone
I'm also really interested in storytelling, so
High Art. It's been inspiring meeting these
urgently [for the British fundraising chari-
that you can anchor yourself in a character
people. They are changing the form of
ty Comic Relief] and we instantly hit it off.
that you care about and you relate to, and
what TV is:'
with
the
legendary
Then he flew me out to San Francisco to
ultimately [the story] tells you something
In addition to a grueling work schedule
edit some musical scenes in The Talented
that you didn't know before. That's my aim
that takes her across the globe almost every
Mr. Ripley, and just like that he kicked off
as a filmmaker:'
week, Gunning is writing a screenplay. "I'm
my movie career. He had extreme faith
She's been trying to import some of the
really excited about it;' she tells me. "It's my
in people, once he decided they knew
ideas that emerged in Ta/es into her work
own story, about a road trip I took with my
what they were doing. I didn't think I
on commercials. Which brings us back to
dad in the 1980s. He was a mad alcoholic
knew what I was doing, but for some
the Kaiser Permanente ad, in which she tells
and I was 13, so it's a coming-of-age cross
reason he did;' she says, via Skype. "And
an emotional story about a father who has
between Lost in Translation, Little Miss
that
cancer. "I'm really interested in just moving
Sunshine, and Leaving Las Vegas. Gunning,
who also counts Carol screenwriter Phyllis
gave me enormous
confidence."
Minghella's approach to a story, "thinking
people either to laughter or tears, just
over, under, and around it," and his guiding
creating some kind of reaction, because I
Nagy as a friend, is bound to come up
voice stay with her today as she works,
think that's magical, if you can do that."
with a humdinger of a movie. No wonder
nine years after his death. "[Working
Gunning is that rare breed of Brit who,
with him] was like going to the most
like the kindred spirits she's found in L.A.,
protegee. Expect to see more of Gunning's
incredible film school. He threw me in at
oozes optimism. Even as Trump reigns with
work on a screen near you.•
Minghella saw so much in his friend and
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
47
and crew. It's timely, then, that Miller's 20th
For some time now, our culture has
Miller's other work without even realizing:
asked: why do so few stories about women,
The L Word, for which she was writer and
Century Blues offers roles for five women-
written by women, directed by women,
consulting producer; and the massively
and we don't mean ingenues. We mean
and starring women, make it to stage and
successful web series Anyone But Me, for
complex characters aged in their 60s (one
screen? We are, after all, 50 percent of
which she and co-creator Tina Cesa Ward
is 91 and in assisted living) who embody
the population. Without answering this
won the first Writers Guild of America
lifetimes of rich and varied experiences
question in any programmatic or polemical
Award for Outstanding Achievement in
woven into an intriguing ensemble storyline
way, award-winning
playwright
Susan
Writing Original New Media. This four-
that follows their changing, aging selves as
Miller has addressed it through her career
season drama
romantic
they navigate relationships, careers, children,
and with her new play, 20th Century Blues.
tribulations of teens-to-twenty-somethings
and current events. The play hones in on the
Aster and Vivian and-in
the
dynamics of female friendship as a way of
1994 one-woman show, My Left Breast.
web series medium on the map, inspiring a
examining women's place and power in the
That play drew together the themes of
veritable lesbian web series boom. To date,
world.
parenthood, LGBTQ identity and breast
Anyone But Me has attracted 50 million
cancer in a funny, honest, and direct solo
viewers globally.
I first encountered Miller in her landmark
followed
the
2008-put
"I knew I wanted to do something that
features women," Miller says, "where we
could see their changing lives, but I needed
performance that won an OBIE award and
If you're a seasoned theatergoer you
the coveted Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
know that while colleges are brimming
an anchor for that. I wanted the characters all
And what a tagline: "I am a one-breasted,
with talented female thespians, the ranks
to be different-bring
menopausal, Jewish, bisexual lesbian mom,
are considerably thinner in the "real world."
jobs, ambitions, and struggles to the story-
and I'm coming soon to a theatre near you!"
It's rare to encounter main-stage plays that
but what was the story?"
Curve readers may have encountered
are female-driven or feature a female cast
48
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
specific personalities,
Without giving the plot away, Miller found a
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
the century to which we are still tethered,
And I have a son. And that involves a great
most of its problems unsolved-especially
deal of love, at least for the men in my life-
for women. "These are women who have
certain courageous ones:'
lived a major part of their lives in the 20th
The struggle of feminism to be fully-
century, and I think it's part of who we are.
realized is "eye-opening, it's sad, and at the
I also wanted to look at the complications
same time, though, you have to look at the
of history-our
larger, communal history,
younger generation and what they are now
and their history with one another, as
fired up about. I will say, with new media we
characters-and to look at the construct of
are able to get things out there: stories, things
device that would bring them together and
time. I hope people will come up with their
that are actually happening, and we can
give audiences the dramatic suspense of
own ideas about what the title means, after
speak to them:'
intimacies between women being tested.
they've seen the play:'
"These five women met 40 years prior in
Miller feels that social media has increased
These days, when theater is prohibitively
opportunities for women, especially through
an unusual circumstance. For some reason
expensive, attending
can be a sacred
Facebook groups and The Lilly Awards for
they were drawn to each other and they
pilgrimage. And so it is for Miller, and has
female playwrights. She tries to support as
many women playwrights as possible and has
began to get together once a year-one
been ever since high school. "When I think
of them is a photographer and she takes
of something I want to write, the theater is
mentored many, including Anna Ziegler who
their picture-as an excuse to get together.
the place I'd want to give it as a home;' she
currently has two plays on in New York City.
And that turns into something else:' What
says. What she least likes about the medium
As part of the generation of leading female
else? You'll have to see 20th Century Blues,
is the time is takes to get a script read and a
playwrights
which opens in New York in November-
production up and running. What she most
Wendy Wasserstein, and Tina Howe, who
including
Marsha
Norman,
perfect timing for Thanksgiving, a time
loves is the "combination of artifice and
Miller cites as contemporaries, it's younger
when we re-examine our social bonds.
actual that plunges an audience into the
women playwrights who inspire her now.
One of the real pleasures of playwriting
depths of emotion and strife and contra-
"They get my juices going," says Miller, who
is creating good dialogue, and Miller is a
diction. I love that about the theater. It's just
has taught playwriting at NYU, and a Masters
master. "I wanted to see women get into
different from every other form. And it is
Degree program at Stephens College where,
it with each other," she says, "not always
complicated by the fact that there are living
she says, all of her students were women.
agreeing, not always being polite, and to
beings doing it."
show that way of speaking that people
She has pushed aside the subject of
And in 20th Century Blues those beings
pervasive sexism amongst reviewers and
are-with the exception of one character-
the lack of industry-wide gender parity to
from
women. "What a time to be a woman;' says
focus on achieving this particular staging of
love all the
Miller. "This century and last. Can women
women. Currently, she is enjoying rehearsals
characters, I really do;' confides Miller, "but
have it all? Is that even the right question
with acclaimed feminist director Emily Mann.
there's just something about the African-
to ask when we know what happens to
"It's a special collaboration," says Miller. "Our
American character-a freelance journalist
women and girls everywhere?"
time is now in terms of working together. This
often have who know each other:'
And
good
dialogue
believable characters.
"I
comes
And is it a relevant question when the
is the right play and I feel that we are the right
about the actress who plays that part. I
thing so many of us hoped for and ex-
collaborators. Emily and I have a connection.
who happens also to be a lesbian-and
She's a writer as well as a director and runs
like her because she's got zingers and the
pected-our
wonderful complications of being all those
happen? "I was hoping this play would arrive
a theater. Her understanding of the play and
things:' People have asked Miller why she
with Hillary;' laughs Miller ruefully. "But the
the fact that-even though she is so busy she
wrote a character that was both black and
play's not dependent on that. It's also not
committed to it-is very special."
gay. "It's just the way I see the world, the
a repetition of the conversations that so
way I live in it. When I create a character I
many of us have had and are having about
Lida Orzeck, through
have to learn about who that character is.
the political situation we're now in. But it's
ensemble speaks volumes, and I hope it
That's a great thing."
first female president-didn't
heartbreaking and maddening-I'm
now
The support Miller has felt from producer
to Mann and the
radiates over the footlights, into the hearts
speaking as myself not my characters-to
of audiences, and into the women's theater
credible: a photographer, a veterinarian, a
live in a time when we're forced to look at
community-and
real estate agent. "In dramatic situations
this misogyny and disdain for women:'
women who, if they support each other,
The
other
characters
are
equally
they are both informed by what they do for
Nevertheless, Miller has hope-in gender
the next generation
of
won't have the blues. "Tell your friends,
relations and in the culture at large. "Two of
tell
If you're wondering about the meaning
my main supporters as a playwright were
theater seat," says Miller. I'm already there.
of the play's title, Miller says it refers to
men: Joseph Papp and Gordon Davidson.
(susanmillerplaywright.com) •
a living as well as their personalities."
the
world,
and
DEC/JAN
put
2018
yourself
CURVE
in a
49
FEATURES/Cu
Based in Boston, where she has a busy
return on a yearly basis."
LTU
during WoCW:'
day job as an architect, Jha D carves out
While Jha D came out at 17, she didn't
What is effectively a 4-day pride festival
time to spearhead one of the most beloved
experience events for women of color
is geared to a full range of ages as well
events in the Northeast: Women of Color
until she attended WoCW. "In full honesty,
as singles, couples and families. At its
Weekend, in Provincetown, Mass.
my perception of Provincetown was that
peak, WoCW attracts approximately 1,000
it only catered to an older and whiter
women of color, their friends, families and
"because the work needed to be done,"
demographic;
allies in attendance.
she says. "I was passionate enough about
would be events and venues that warmly
the Weekend-as well as confident enough
welcomed my 20-something black queer
the event a success: fundraising
in myself and my community-to
take on
self. I believe that WoCW is transforming
awareness; monthly-turned-weekly squad
the honor and responsibility of being the
the existing culture by signaling to the
meetings; surveys, debates and decisions
Executive Producer and Director:'
queer communities of color that there is, in
on the programming;
fact, space for us in P-town; we just gotta
other community orgs and their leaders for
show up first!"
support and feedback. One of Jha D's key
Making time for the event was easy,
Jha D recalls the first time she attended
the weekend close to ten years ago. "I was
I had no idea that there
Extensive planning goes into making
and
and outreach to
so emotional and excited that such an
For those who have not yet experienced
event existed and hoped that something
WoCW, Jha D describes it "like culture,
like it would always exist:' Soon after, she
intersectionality, expression, and love all
Ambassador. "It is a interactive way to
was invited by LezbnsNPower, Boston's
walked into a bar and called it Women of
contribute to the success of the weekend
biggest promoter for lesbians of color at the
Color Weekend," she laughs. The vibe is
as well as an opportunity to get access to
time, to perform for its Talent Showcase. "I
unlike anything else I've ever experienced,
free events throughout the weekend," says
attended again once or twice after that, but
and trust me, I've attended many events!
Jha D. "Ambassadors have an opportunity
in 2010 I was consumed by grad school
There is literally something for everyone!
to attend the entire weekend for free and
and therefore unable to attend for three
Transformative and informative workshops,
even get assistance with travel/lodging."
years. In 2014 I got a phone call from Mimi
entertaining
and engaging
shows and
See the website for details.
Gonzalez and Sherri Quist inquiring if I'd
showcases,
packed
1nv1gorating
be willing to help with promoting WoCW
parties,
throughout
Boston, based on my work
delicious
and
food,
great
music,
beautiful people and all in one amazing
otherwise have thought to visit; a place that
and better, so come be part of history!"
you've never experienced quite like we do
(womenofcolorweekend.org) •
"Very early on, I made it clear that I was
that it could be and as we approached
the 10-year anniversary Lynette asked me
if I would be willing to step up as the new
director."
Jha D has already made a difference.
"This past year we saw an inspiring increase in attendance as well as a surge in
organization and access to information for
the 11th annual WoCW. I will continue to
stamp this life-changing event with growth,
possibility, abundance and success."
It's a meaningful investment in a culture
that resonates with Jha D and many
women. "My mother and I would often
vacation on the Cape when I was a child,
and as she began to notice my sexuality,
she brought me to P-town, I suppose to
gauge how I responded to the outness
and freedom of it all. I immediately fell in
love with everything about it, and asked to
might
"I can confidently say that after this
and was invited to meet with [Women's
dedicated to making the event the best
you
So mark your calendars for May 31stJune 3rd, 2018.
open mic movement. Naturally, I said yes,
rest of the team.
that
involved as an
year's event we can only get bigger
Week organizer] Lynette Molnar and the
place
You can even get
not
with the 'If you can Feel it, you can Speak it'
walkable
goals is affordability, and also accessibility.
FORGETALTERNATIVEFACTS-THIS
WRITERIS QUEERINGCURRENTEVENTS.
BY SARA RAUCH
She's been likened to Haruki Murakami,
Flannery O'Connor, Kelly Link, and Roxane
Gay. High praise indeed, but don't let the
big names distract you-award-winning
gothic undertones and burnished with
about the area where I'm from. They really
dark sense of humor.
want to understand these people."
In 2017, Seven Stories Press published
That understanding is a crucial element
Woods' third book, Things to Do When
in the alchemy of Woods' writing. Her
author Chavisa Woods' writing style is all
You're Goth in the Country and Other
characters are lesbian, transgender, goth,
her own. And there's never been a better
Stories.
time than now to pick up this talented
vision of contemporary
writer's work.
transcendent
Contained
within
prose and
is
a
raw
America; with
clever
plots
war
veterans,
schizophrenic
addicts-a
evangelical
Christians,
Mensa members,
meth
slew of people too rarely found
Born and raised in rural Southern
Woods skillfully lays bare the heart of our
in fiction. And while her previous books,
Illinois, Woods has been writing stories
country, exposing its strange, vulnerable
Love Does Not Make Me Gentle or Kind and
since childhood. She recalls one of her
core.
first
controversial
poem about
pieces,
a narrative
a slave and a princess
The Albino Album, spoke beautifully and
And though she's been a New York
City
resident
for
15 years now, the
explicitly of racism, class, and sexuality,
her newest is more subtle.
who fall in love: "I read this poem to my
America Woods depicts in her stories
Which isn't to say that it shies away
grandmother.
She was very disturbed
is one that, with the 2016 election and
from the painful ugliness of the world.
by it ... But she had been reading me the
Trump presidency, has recently come
Case in point: the peripheral lurk of war.
Bible, almost every day all my life. And I'm
into sharper focus. She says: "Not all, but
In the title piece, it's Air Force helicopters
certain the violent, intense and political
most of the stories in this book are about
swarming over rural porches. In "How
bible stories I was so familiar with had
people who are either lower-working class
to Quit Smoking in Nineteen Thousand
deeply informed
or very poor. I finished this book before
Two Hundred and Eighty-seven Seconds,
my subject-matter
at
that time."
the recent election, and now, the media
Usama," it's Osama bin Laden's death. In
Perhaps it comes as no surprise, then,
is taking notice of these people. Before,
"A New Mohawk," it's the Palestine-Israel
that the fiction Woods writes as an adult
when I spoke about them, they were a
conflict.
is a remarkable blend of philosophy,
novelty [to New Yorkers]. Now people
News?," Desert Storm and the Iraq War
ferocity,
immediately lean in, when I read and talk
bracket the narrative.
52
CURVE
and empathy,
DEC/JAN
threaded
2018
with
In "What's Happening
in the
FEATURES/Cu
LTU
THE POET AS OUT ORACLE.
BY MARCIE BIANCO
Whether it's a book, a record, or a
The lead single, "Your Life," presents
paperback Take me With You, in which
spoken word performance, genderqueer
recitations on queer identity, while
artist Andrea Gibson gives voice to truth
elsewhere the album tackles themes of
politics, sexuality, family, and forgiveness
in a world of increasing chaos and noise.
overcoming adversity through self-love
through poetry accompanied by
Gibson has two major releases this
and healing. "Orlando" brutally relives
stunning line drawings by Sarah J.
January.
the massacre at the Pulse nightclub
Coleman.
Hey Galaxy, their seventh studio album,
Gibson explores themes of love, gender,
paired with Gibson's own struggles
To celebrate the two releases, Gibson
addresses the challenges of life today as
with coming out, while "Letter To White
is performing over 100 shows in sold-
a queer-identified person. It's a post-
Queers" details the dichotomy between
out clubs and theaters and on college
election social justice project inspired
white privilege and the Black Lives
campuses.
by the likes of writer Roxane Gay, the
Matter movement.
protest at Standing Rock, and the
Wherever you fall on the gender and
"They're going to keep telling you
sexuality spectrum, Gibson's words will
your heartbeat is a preexisting condition.
musical Fun Home.
"There's a quote that says, 'Art should
speak to you with wisdom on politics,
They're going to keep telling you you
identity, sexuality, and love. Andrea
comfort the disturbed and disturb the
are a crime of nature. You're going to
Gibson has a voice uniquely their own,
comfortable.' I wanted to do that," says
look at all of your options and choose
for our times, and for listeners and
Gibson. "I wanted to make something
conviction," announces Gibson in a
readers who are looking for a muse, a
political and human and gutsy in its
characteristically rhythmic proclamation.
messenger, or for a guide from darkness
revolt."
The other release is the pocket-sized
Woods astutely renders war as just
outside the mainframe,
exists for
much as war
most Americans-heard
something very urgent I had to say about
into light. (andreagibson.com)
in some of my writing.''
It sure does-in
America."
on
But when asked if she feels she has
the best possible way.
Like her previous books, Things to Do
news clips, caught in snippets of opinion
any social responsibility as a writer, she
When You're Goth in the Country is the
at parties, glorified on movie screens.
says no. "Sometimes the artist needs to
perfect blend of politics and pleasure.
And not all the wars in Woods' stories are
challenge society, to break it apart, to
Easy-to-read,
fought in far-off locales by soldiers: here
make it look at itself, to try to destroy it,
and
alongside UFO sightings and exorcisms
to make it uncomfortable, and sometimes
hilarious, Woods knows the power of
and acid trips are class warfare, cultural
the artist needs to create something
words. Commenting on the stories in this
warfare, and religious warfare.
entirely
collection, she says, "The tension is high.
Sound eerily familiar? It will to anyone
paying attention to the news these days.
aesthetic,
story, that
doesn't
or
tell
a strange
take society
into
consideration whatsoever.''
"This isn't true with everything I write,"
That said, she admits to feeling the
Woods says, "but ... a major reason I
burden of her social responsibility as a
wrote this [book] is because there was
person, "and it probably comes through
deeply
moving,
engaged,
often
weird
laugh-out-loud
The pain is excruciating, and at the same
time, they are very funny, and bright and
awful, and that's the kind of story I love.''
Amen to that.
(chavisawoodsbooks.com)
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
53
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in London in the 1990s, she wrote a book
wanting to know "what happens next" in
(as yet unpublished) about lesbians and
the life of the 84-year-old title character,
aging. In the 2000s, she wrote another
who comes out when she falls in love
on her business card. "I live to write, and
book (also as yet unpublished)
with a 79-year-old
I live to fight the good fight," she says.
the role of people over 50 in alternative
Longtime
activist
and author
Sue
Katz, 70, has seen a lot.
"Wordsmith and Rebel" is emblazoned
Katz lived abroad for 24 years and
moved back to the United States in late
2000. Since she's been back, the political landscape
looks so very different
from what it was when she left-the
1970s were
America,
a revolutionary
especially
time
in
for the women's
movement and LGBT rights.
'Tm appalled by the political
and the plunge
having
reality
into fascism.
a collective,"
she
I miss
says.
"In
about
sexual communities.
"I found that there was a great deal
of reluctance,
until very recently,
publish
anything
certainly
about
and doubly
about
aging
aging,
to
most
and sexuality,
about aging and lesbian
woman. The story
ends when they walk hand-in-hand into
Manor
House,
facility
for
an independent-living
seniors.
"Everybody
said,
'This hand-in-hand just doesn't do it for
me-how
did they do it, where did they
do it, and what was the response?'
"This was a universal reaction
I got
sexuality. So I have run into that barrier
from readers. So, I decided to write a
for a very long time."
novel about their affair," says Katz. "For
Ultimately,
writing
most
Katz
succeeded
and publishing
intimate
in
me, Lillian in Love has three characters:
some of the
Lillian, her lover Sarah, and the senior
and authentic
stories
housing
environment.
Having worked
about lesbians and aging that are now
with
in print, and currently
available from
know senior housing very well. I still
early days, and it was an amazing group
Amazon. Her books Lillian's Last Affair
teach senior fitness and dance and go
that believed
(Consenting
London,
I worked
with WAF-Women
Against Fundamentalism.
It was in the
fundamentalism
of any
Adult
Press, 2014) and
seniors
in various
capacities,
into all sorts of different
I
subsidized
sort has at the core of its agenda the
Lillian in Love (2017) detail lesbian love,
senior
control
romance, and sexuality later in life, a
now, of course, my friends live in senior
topic she explores in a very matter-of-
housing, so I see it even more intimately.
of women
It was a brilliant
and reproduction.
group with
brilliant
people from all over the world and of all
religions. That was my political home."
In addition to activism, Katz has been
confronting
the issue of aging
ever
fact yet sexy manner.
She wrote
National
Lillian
Novel
(nanowrimo.org)
Writing
Month
two years ago with her
friend Elizabeth Woodcraft,
a younger woman, who, one night in
Award-winning
said, "I'm so into older
developments.
And
I know the problems about 'who's sitting
in Love during
since she was 25 and going out with
the afterglow,
housing
a Lambda
writer in London.
in which chair' and 'who is dining with
whom,' and all of those issues. I know
them very well."
The response to both Lillian's Last
Affair and Lillian in Love has been so
"When I did the book of short stories
overwhelmingly
positive
that
Katz is
women." Katz was about to say "me too"
Lillian's Last Affair, there were things I
when she realized her lover was talking
wanted, but I knew I could not get from
novel, this time from the point of view
about her.
a publisher. I wanted a big font, lots of
of Lillian's lover, Sarah. The original
entertaining
the idea of writing another
"The issue of aging has been with
white space, and for it to be inexpen-
story, told
me ever since," says Katz, "and not just
sive," says Katz. "I knew that all three
is that of a straight woman navigating
because I have worked with elders for
of those things
to the
her first lesbian relationship at 84 years
most of my professional
interests of mainstream publishers, but
old. For Katz's readers and Lillian's fans,
life, in one
were counter
from
self-
I felt very insistent that a book about old
understanding
defense for seniors back in the '70s,
people should be legible to old people."
a lifelong
capacity
or another. I pioneered
and in order to do that course I became
It was never her intention
to write
Lillian's perspective,
the experience of Sarah,
lesbian, would add another
dimension to the story.
in the physiology of aging, so
a sequel to her book of short stories,
that I could teach elders without killing
but as she made over 40 appearances,
aging,
them."
reading
lesbian perspective,
certified
The issue of aging has always been a
part of Katz's writing. In fact, while living
the
title
story
events across the country,
a tremendous
at
author
there was
response from
people
With
the
dearth
of
particularly
the subject
would
about
from
another
a
novel on
be most welcome.
(suekatz.typepad.com)
DEC/JAN
novels
aging
•
2018
CURVE
57
WHAT
AREYOU
LOO<NG
AT?
A painter is queering female portraits.
BY MELANIE BARKER
58
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
Queer women rarely make the subjects
"A portrait inherently objectifies
"I create figurative portrait paintings
its
of gallery canvases. But emerging artist
of LGBTQ+ identified
and queer-allied
subject," says Leutwyler, who confronts
Kim Leutwyler
that. The
women, most recently focusing on those
the dynamic of women's looked-atness
American-born painter studied at Arizona
who have impacted my life in some way,"
directly. "The female body in particular
State University and graduated from the
she says. "My work toys with the con-
has been
Art Institute of Chicago with a Painting
cepts of glorification, objectification
of
and Drawing degree, and migrated to
modification, touching on the mutability
historical contexts that build a sense of
Australia in 2012. She has created original
of identity, gender and beauty."
glorification, and sometimes eroticism."
is changing
and
portrayed
societal,
in
cultural,
a multitude
scientific
and
mediums,
But Leutwyler challenges notions of
the man with the brush but for a woman
Leutwyler focuses on painting in order
the "ideal" and says that we ourselves
who is more like themselves. Leutwyler's
to infiltrate
have changed what we view as desirable
work has been exhibited in the prestigious
masculine-dominated
Archibald and Sulman exhibition at the
been
Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney,
especially through its objectification
Australia.
women by male artists.
paintings in which women pose not for
Adept
at
a
variety
of
and disrupt a traditionally
elevated
by
mode
Western
that
has
canonof
perfection. "Body art, plastic surgery and
piercings are not uncommon among the
women you see in my work," she notes.
(kimleutwyler.com) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
59
t was 30 years ago that Emily
I had no idea it was going to come from
Saliers and Amy Ray released
Lyris until she started producing these
my personality that likes to watch football.
their debut
Strange
little snippets of ideas in her home studio
With this album, I don't have a purpose
Indigo
Girls.
and sending them to me. And I was like,
except to be truthful to what I experience
They'd been playing
music
'This is what I want:"
or how I see the world.
Fire,
album,
as the
social issues. But I also have an easy part to
together for a few years at that
Over the course of three years, they
point, and Saliers for much longer, on her
pinned down the songs, the arrangements,
beginning,
own. The daughter of a theologian, Saliers
and the studio time, then Hung recruited
Indigo Girls music have found spots where
grew up in a predominantly
a group of players-including
"And just thankfully, ever since the
people who've
listened to
bassist Tim
it fits into their own lives and with what
in New Haven,
LeFebvre, keyboardist Rachel Eckroth, and
they think about. But we never set out to
Conn., soaking up all the gospel music
drummers Robert "Sput" Searight and Will
write geared toward anything. It was just
she could. The family eventually moved
Calhoun-who
the way that we saw the world, and it's the
American neighborhood
African-
could bring their vision to
to Atlanta, Ga., where she continued her
life in a way that programmed beats never
musical education,
taking in Southern
could. "She wanted to make sure that
soul, R&B,and, eventually, hip-hop. Artists
human beings played the beats," Saliers
like India.Arie, Mary J. Blige, and
Though the Indigo Girls have
stayed fairly true to their folkSaliers takes any
number of left turns on her solo
debut,
the
wonderfully
world-
beat tinged Murmuration Nation.
Produced by longtime Indigo Girls
side player Lyris Hung, the set
finds Saliers diving deep into the
artistic waters that the Girls only
To fund the project,
to PledgeMusic.
''THEISSUES
ONE
OF
Kendrick Lamar are among her
current favorites.
rock sound,
same for me as it ever has been."
the album
like Shaming of the Sun, Swamp
Ophelia, and One Lost Day. "I
pre-order
for $10, or they
could nab higher-priced
and
a
experiences,
a
items
including
personalized
message,
birthday
Skype
lesson, an in-home
SHE
WANTED
TO
ADDRESS
WAS
THE
'GUN
SICKNESS'
INTHE
UNITED
STATES.
dangled their toes into on albums
Saliers turned
Fans could
guitar
concert,
and more. Though Saliers was
hesitant about the whole thing,
thinking some of the big-ticket
items felt a bit elitist, it was
,,
a wonderful
connect
opportunity
to
with fans-which,
in
many ways, was more valuable
than the financial support.
"In the end, the personal
contact I had with all those fans
love India.Arie," she says. "I love that her
recounts, "and I said, 'No, it won't feel like
was incredible. I mean, they're so loyal,"
lyrics are thoughtful, but she uses a lot of
hip-hop: And she's like, 'You're not a hip-
she says. "I'm a small artist, but the love
acoustic guitar, and the soul influences
hop artist. You're going to want the human
was big. And I really enjoy doing Skype
are in there. So I wanted to make a record
element.' So I had to do a lot of struggling
sessions, having brunch
that, obviously, would have to be me, but I
to have faith in her vision for some things,
meeting them, doing guitar lessons. All
because I didn't exactly trust it at first. I
the contact I had, I really, really loved it."
wanted it to have the rhythmic things."
Being three decades into a successful
duo career, but wanting to explore and
thought maybe I had the better idea and,
in the end, I didn't."
with people,
The Indigo Girls have always been
grassroots, and the whole process was
a way for Saliers to circle back to those
express all of those elements, Saliers
Where Saliers did have the better idea
cobbled together 15 songs and started
was in the songwriting. One of the issues
beginnings. "This record has my name
making demo recordings. Seeing as Ray
she wanted to address was the "gun
on it, but it is such a team record," she
has released a handful of solo albums,
sickness" in the United States, which
adds. "I've always known that. Now I
why did it take so long for Saliers stand
she tackles on "OK Corral." "But it's not
really feel it. I feel so grateful that I can
center-stage alone? "I needed someone to
purposeful," she says. "I don't feel like I'm
be doing this, at this age, when I have
wrangle me, because I have things floating
on a mission of any kind. I don't think that
a great career, and Amy and I are still
around
excitement
I have a responsibility to deliver certain
going strong and love each other as
about things that are unattainable in the
kinds of songs. Songwriting has always
much as ever, if not more. I think, 'Should
present moment, but I have a very difficult
been nothing but reflective of the things
I be doing this?' And I think having a
time focusing on the steps that lead to
that I think about, the way that I feel. So
child and having a family and feeling
accomplishing
how deep those blessings are just make
in my
head and
the project. So the first
this album is very much me, because I
thing I had to do was find someone who
am a person who's an activist, and I am
me more relaxed, to be like, 'Why not?' "
could do what I wanted, creatively, and
concerned every day, all day long, about
(emilysaliers.com) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
61
It's been almost four years since Ellen Page came out, on February
global scale, championing LGBTrights and promoting visibility through
14, 2014, during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign's Time to
her series Gaycation, where she hits the road with her best friend, Ian
THRIVEconference in Las Vegas, and later that year she made TheAd-
Daniel, to explore surprising LGBTQcultures around the world.
At only 31 years of age, she seems to have lived a lifetime in the glare
vocate's annual "40 Under 40" list.
It might seem ironic that her breakthrough performance in Juno-
of the showbiz spotlight. Once deeply conflicted about coming out-to
the film that turned her into an instant star and earned her an Oscar
the extent that she didn't deny rumors in the press that she was having
nomination at age 20-featured
her as a plucky, pregnant, and presum-
an affair with a male co-star-she's since spoken out about her former
ably straight teen. But even that early in her career, we could see the
closeted status in Hollywood, arguing that out actors can still enjoy
mix of risk and certainty that is pure Ellen Page.
successful careers playing heterosexual romantic leads.
Not only has the diminutive Canadian actor continued to seek out
Last January, Page told Elle UK, "There's still that double standard.
Freeheld,in which she
I look at all the things I've done in movies: I've drugged a guy, tortured
played the tomboyish domestic partner of a lesbian detective played
someone, become a roller-derby star overnight. But now I'm gay, I can't
by Julianne Moore-she's pursued the right to live her own truth on a
play a straight person?"
interesting and truthful film projects-especially
In 2013, when Page played a straight woman in East, opposite
Alexander Skarsgard, the press reported that the pair were in a rela-
was no doubt left rattled that an innocent heterosexual friendship
could inspire such malevolence.
tionship. Page appeared to go along with it, cozying up to Skarsgard
In the movie Freeheld,based on a true story, Page plays Stacie An-
for pictures that wound up on Twitter. But that kind of publicity didn't
dree, the lesbian partner of dying New Jersey detective Laurel Hester
go over too well. "I'm going to murder Ellen Page. She's dead," read a
(Julianne Moore) who battles the law to see that Andree is provided
Twitter message, according to the gossip website TMZ. "Ellen Page, if
for, just the same as the surviving spouse in a heterosexual couple
you continue to date Alexander [Skarsgard] I will K-1-L-Lyou in public
would be. The role provoked a crisis of conscience in Page, informing
in the next year ... Be it in a club, at a game, in a restaurant, or when
her decision to come out at the HRC function in 2014 (and on Valen-
you're signing autographs," read another angry message. Page had
tine's Day, no less)-well before the October 2015 release of this land-
been spotted with Skarsgard at a hockey game in Los Angeles, and
mark gay rights movie.
TMZ claimed the threatening messages were sent from two fan ac-
Soon after, Page went global with her gayness, developing Gaycation with Viceland, for which she received an Emmy nomination as producer of the series. She also produced and starred in Into the Forest
counts, before they were removed. Page, whose own Twitter account
describes her as "a tiny Canadian," and boasts 1.42 million followers,
With Emma Portner
w
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with bisexualactor EvanRachelWood, directed by lesbianfilmmaker
Patricia Rozema.Next up is My Days of Mercy, a drama-romancein
which Pageplays Lucy,whose father is on death row. Lucy falls in love
with Mercy (played by Page'sreal-lifefriend Kate Mara,who was also
a producer}, in spite of their differing political views. Pageand Mara
had wanted to work on a film project together after collaborating on a
"Funnyor Die" video and bonding over their sharedlove of early Jodie
Fostermovies.That they chose a heavy romance is testament to their
artistic credability. In what is possibly a cinematic first, they share a
sex scene that was choreographed by director Tali Shalom Ezerand
her wife. My Daysof Mercy screenedat the Toronto InternationalFilm
Festivaland awaits national release.
This past fall, Pagestarred in Flatliners,a remakeof the 1990 Joel
Schumacherfilm starring Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts,which
exploreshow five ambitious medical students attempt to trigger neardeath experiencesin order to explore the possibility of an afterlife. It's
not a gay movie,and it marksa return to more mainstreamterritory for
Page,reinforcing her belief that gay actors can of course play gay, but
they should unquestionablyhave accessto mainstream,heterosexual
roles,too.
Whichever path Page'scareer takes, in coming out she has found
her true north, and she has no regretsabout her decision.
"From one day to the next I felt a happinessand an inner peace
which I hadn't known for years,"Pagesays."My life now is overwhelming, and I'm glad to be in a position where I can support my community
and also help show that you can still play all kinds of roles after you are
out. Thingsare changing fast, and the more that people come out, the
more they will ultimately help put an end to the idea that coming out
destroysyour career.We haveto makethat happen."
Recently,Page has been more forthcoming about her romantic
life, too. She has made red carpet appearanceswith surfer Samantha
Thomas,who she dated in 2016, and with the contemporary dancer
and choreographer Emma Portner, her current love. Last fall, Refinery29 described them as "the new It couple." Pageand Portnerattended the Flatlinerspremiere in Hollywood together, and when they took
to the red carpet Pagetold EntertainmentTonight how much it means
to have her partner by her side. "Oh, it's the best," she enthused. And
Pagereturns the favor, regularlycelebrating her admiration of Portner
and her talents on her lnstagramaccount.
Pagerecently chatted about how coming out has had an impact on
her state of mind, on her career developments, and on the work she
can do to campaign for and defend her community.
FEATURES/COVER
WHATLEDYOUTO WORKON THE REMAKEOF FLATLINERS?
I was a big fan of the original Flatlinersand I'm excited to be a part
of it. It's an interesting concept and it was great to work with [director]
Niels Arden Oplev and a really great cast.
ST
have to put on masks and hide your identity. I feel an inner peace now,
which I hadn't felt in a very long time.
I feel like I've been able to open up to the world. As an individual, it's
night and day. It's affected the way I move and the energy I have, just
the way I spend my day.
THERE'SALSO A CANADIAN CONNECTION. KIEFERSUTHERLAND,A
I can also be open about my relationships and not worry about that,
FELLOWCANADIAN,STARREDIN THEORIGINALAND HASA CAMEOIN
and if I want to take someone on the red carpet I can now do that with
YOURFILM.AREYOU PROUDOF THAT?
a girlfriend and tell people that I'm in love, if I choose to do that. These
Oh, sure. It was also so nice to be able to shoot the film in Toronto,
a city that I love, and spend some time back in Canada. I miss Canada
are all changes in my life that have made me feel so much freer and
happier.
and I also miss Nova Scotia, where I'm from.
DID HIDING YOUR SEXUALITYBECOME AN INTOLERABLEBURDEN
YOUR LIFE HAS UNDERGONEA REMARKABLECHANGE SINCE YOU
CAME OUT IN 2014. HOW DOES IT FEELAT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE
AND CAREER?
FORYOU?
Some people can make an adjustment and live by hiding their true
selves. For me, it was a toxic situation, the fear that comes with the
I'm so happy to be able for the first time in my life to align my authen-
hiding. You can't hold hands with your girlfriend if you're walking down
tic self with my creative world. Before, I had to hide my sexuality and
the street. You can't talk about your partner. It becomes frustrating not
that made me increasingly unhappy and uncomfortable and anxious.
to be able to involve them in your life or invite them to events in your
I'm excited and enthusiastic about my work again, and it feels the same
professional life that are very meaningful to you. You are simply not
way it did when I was 15 and beginning my career. It's such a different
able to live your authentic self and live openly with someone you love.
feeling to be open about who you are and simply live that way and not
You also feel uncomfortable just in terms of your body language and
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
65
not being able to dress the way you'd like.
parents and they simply wanted me to enjoy my time in school, to
WHEN YOU WERE MAKING FREEHELD,YOU MUST HAVE RECOG-
study and get good grades, and to keep doing things like playing
soccer. They regarded my acting ambitions as something which if
What Laurel [Hester] and Stacie [Andree] did was very brave and
it works out, great, but they also wanted me to have an education
and have other interests to fall back on. They were very supportive.
remarkable for their time, and we've made so much progress since
then, even though we still have a long way to go. There's still a lot of
WERETHEY SHOCKEDWHEN THEY LEARNEDTHAT YOU WEREGAY?
discrimination going on and a lot of fear. Also, the LGBTQcommunity is facing a backlash and a lot of negative rhetoric from prominent
It wasn't complicated or traumatic moment at all. One day I introduced them to my girlfriend and that was it. That also meant a lot
politicians in reaction to that progress.
That's why it's important to keep fighting, and that's another great
to me, because obviously many sons and daughters don't have an
easy time telling their parents.
benefit of my being out. I can actively campaign and work for and
defend my community, and also be part of different projects that ad-
I'm also fortunate in that I'm in a position where I've received a lot
of support from many people because I'm known as an actor. Most
dress such issues. I also hope that my coming out would help young
people who are still struggling with shame and bullying.
people in my community don't receive that kind of support and can
feel very alone or fearful when they decide to come out.
HAS IT ALSO BEENA RELIEFTO NO LONGERFEELTHE FEAROF BEING
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR CAREERPATH NOW, AND YOUR
OUTEDAND THE IMPACTTHAT MIGHT HAVEHAD ON YOURCAREER?
DECISIONTO COME OUT?
NIZED SOME PARALLELS
TO YOUROWN LIFE.
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I reached a point where my desire to come out was so great that
I'm very excited about the way things have been going. I'm get-
even if everyone in Hollywood had told me that I'd never work again
it wouldn't have made any difference. I didn't want to hide anymore.
ting to be part of projects that I believe in, and I can produce films
like the one I did with Evan Rachel Wood last year [Into the Forest]
But a lot of fear still exists in my industry, and a lot of gay actors or
gay people who work in the industry feel this pressure to hide their
and do similar kinds of things that I couldn't do or hesitated to do
sexuality.
U)
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YOU STARTEDACTING AS A TEENAGERIN CANADA. DID YOUR PARENTSTRYTO DISSUADEYOU FROM PURSUINGTHAT CAREER?
No. My parents didn't try to influence me at all. They weren't stage
before.
Looking back at the last few years, it makes me wish that I had
come out much sooner. There's a huge ripple effect to this kind of
a journey, and it changes every aspect of your world. Because my
life is so much happier now and I couldn't feel more grateful and
fortunate than I do now.
71 UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVERCRUISES
74 ADVENTURESIN ANN ARBOR
KEEPCALM
IN KAUAI
68
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WHERETO STAY
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &
Spa (kauai.hyatt.com) is grand indeed.
Set
on
50
beautifully-landscaped
direct oceanfront acres, you are free
to stroll through lush tropical gardens,
manicured lawns and a meandering
network of ponds, lagoons, and pools
during your stay. The resort pool features
a lava rock-lined lazy river pool with
waterfalls, seating nooks, secret caves,
and a 150-foot waterslide. There's also
an adult pool area, and depending on the
tides, you can step down onto the white
sand of Shipwreck Beach.
Also grand are the spacious rooms,
with king or queen comfy pillow-top
beds, Hawaiian-style lanais, large flatscreen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. But you'll not
68
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
stay inside for long, lured perhaps by
the 18-hole championship golf course,
open-air Anara Spa, and delightful
alfresco dining experiences.
Sip a
sunset cocktail at the outdoor Captain's
Bar, and have dinner at Tidepools, a
contemporary Hawaiian restaurant set
amidst tropical gardens and overlooking
the large koi lagoon. If this is a special
occasion, consider "sharing the stars
with someone you love" in a special and
intimate 4-course tasting menu, served
by your own butler. On-resort activities
include tennis clinic, scuba lessons,
wildlife walk and garden tour, and of
course the Grand Hyatt Kauai Luau-a
feast of food and culture. Friendly staff
can point you to the best local activities
during your stay.
If you want to plan an extended stay,
check out Kukui'ula in Koloa. These club
bungalows, cottages and villas, available
for rental (some are for purchase!), are
perfect for special vacation events
such as weddings and honeymoons,
offering plantation-style, self-contained
living with one to four bedrooms and
bathrooms-and
amenities such as fire
pits, BBQs, plunge pools and lanais with
ocean views. Your luxury basecamp
includes the use of resort features
including the clubhouse and great lawn
with fire pit; interconnected saltwater
pools and cascading waterfalls, sandy
bottom lagoon and beach; the lush 10acre Farm, which provides the restaurant
with much of its produce; and Hi'ilani
Spa + Fitness with its indulgent and
invigorating Seven Step Wet Ritual.
Kukui'ula is luxury, and if you can afford
it, well worth the splurge.
WHERETO EAT
The Hawaiian Islands are experiencing
a farm-to-table food boom and Kauai is
too! To see this bounty in its full glory,
head to Kauai Culinary Market, weekly
on Wednesdays,atTheShopsat Kukui'ula
in Poipu (theshopsatkukuiula.com/event/
kauai-culinary-market). Sample gardenand-plantation-fresh
local
produce
such as pineapples, attend casual
cooking demonstrations, and meet the
friendly locals. For a sit-down dinner,
head upstairs to the lovely Merriman's
Fish House
(merrimanshawaii.com),
a culinary mainstay when it comes to
promoting Hawaii's sustainable, fresh,
and authentic local cuisine in a way that
benefits everybody-from
farmer and
fisherman, to the diners themselves.
Tuck into a Kalua pig quesadilla or an
organic handcrafted pizza with Hamakua
mushrooms and feel good about eating
right by the planet.
If for any reason you should have to
wait for a table, check out the excellent
contemporary art on show at Galerie
103 (galerie103.com), or the local art on
display at any of the seven other galleries.
For classic Hawaii, The Beach House
Restaurant (the-beach-house.com)
is
a local favorite and has been for many
years. Positioned on a little palm-fringed
peninsula lit by flaming torches, sip your
cocktails, watch the sunset, surfers, and
savor casual Pacific Rim Cuisine and
locally-sourced seafood in paradise.
THINGS TO DO
Active types will be sated by the
many outdoor activities offered on
Kauai. The Napali Coast is a mustsee, especially
when
experienced
as a snorkel and sail with Holo Holo
Charters (holoholocharters.com).
Drive
to Port Allen Marina Center (about 30
minutes from the Grand Hyatt) and
bring your swimsuit, windbreaker, towel,
sunscreen, and sunglasses. The water
can be choppy on this catamaran ride,
so take some Dramamine as well. Then sit
back, relax, and soak up the majesty of
the stunning and dramatic Napali Coast
with its green-capped craggy cliffs that
plunge into impossibly blue water. You
even get to stop for a snorkel!
If you're a landlubber at heart you
might prefer the Kauai ATV Waterfall
Tour at Koloa (kauaiatv.com). Kauai
ATV
provides
mud-proof
shorts,
T-shirts, helmets, goggles and souvenir
bandanas. Do bring bug spray, and a
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2017 STATEMENT
OF OWNERSHIP
Publication Title: Curve
Publication No. 0010-355
Filing Date: Nov 1, 2017
Issue Frequency: Bi-monthly
Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/July, Aug/Sep, Oct/ Nov, Dec/
Jan
Number of Issues Published Annually: 6
Annual Subscription Price: $35.00
Complete Mailing Address: PO Box 467 New York NY
10034.
Contact Person: Silke Bader
Telephone (415) 871-0569
Publisher: SiIke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Editor: Merryn Johns PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Owner(s): Avalon Media LLC PO Box 467 New York
NY10034
Silke Bader PO Box 467 New York NY 10034
Publication Title: Curve
Issue Date for Circulation Data: Nov 24
Extent and Nature of Circulation Average No.
Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months:
A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run 50,129. B) Paid
Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 354110,924; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution outside
USPS:24,366; (4) Paid Distribution by Other
Classes of Mail_ rough the USPS 2013. C) Total
Paid Distribution: 37,303. D) Free or Nominal
Rate Distribution by Mail and Outside the Mail:
(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies
included on Form 3541: 0; (2) Free or Nominal
Rate In-County Copies included on Form 3541: 0;
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other
Classes Mailed_ rough the USPS:66; (4) Free
or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
11,942.E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
12,008. F) Total Distribution: 49,311 G) Copies
Not Distributed 818. H) Total 50,129. I) Percent
Paid 75.6%. Extent and Nature of Circulation/No.
Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing
Date A) Total No. Copies Net Press Run 45,068. B)
Paid Circulation. (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1)
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on Form 3541: 9776; (2) Mailed In-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales
_ rough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS: 21,644; (4)
Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail_ rough
the USPS:1903. C) Total Paid Distribution: 33,323
D) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (by Mail
and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or Nominal Rate
Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541: 0; (2)
Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on
Form 3541: 0; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
Mailed at Other Classes_ rough the USPS:55; (4)
Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
12,034 E) Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution:
12,089. F) Total Distribution 44,245. G) Copies
Not Distributed: 823. H) Total: 45,068 I) Percent
Paid: 75.3%. Publication of Statement of
Ownership: Nov/Dec 2017
70
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swimsuit, towel and water-friendly closed
(outfitterskauai.com).
toe shoes for the optional waterfall swim
Tours and Activities in Poipu by Trip
Ranked
#1
Best
during your deli lunch. The tour takes
Advisor, they'll have a tour for your ability
you through tunnels, jungle, and into the
and appetite for adventure.
stunning open pastures where Jurassic
Park was filmed. This activity is active and
GETTING THERE
not for princesses; it's muddy fun, but our
We flew from New York City into Lihue
inner tomboys loved it!
on
Hawaiian Airlines (hawaiianairlines.
You can also try kayaking, ziplining,
com) and picked up an Avis car rental at
paddle-boarding and downhill biking in
the airport (avis.com). For more info visit
Waimea Canyon with Outfitters
(gohawaii.com/islands/kauai).
Kauai
Aloha!•
WHAT'S ON BOARD
The River Queen is a unique, elegantly
proportioned, and intimate ship. If you
choose a Suite as your stateroom you'll
be afforded 215 square feet including a
small sitting area, bar, handcrafted Savoir
beds, and a marble bathrooms with
Hermes bath products. It's room enough
to lounge around and enjoy a cocktail,
read, or watch some TV. But since you'll
be on deck, or wining and dining in the
fabulous royal-blue restaurant, relaxing
in the Captain's Lounge with magazines,
or touring one of the many charming and
historic riverside villages along the way,
your cabin will be a sweet haven from
socializing and sightseeing during this
voyage of a lifetime. Certainly, the vessel
itself is a delightful place to tarry, with
indoor patio, lounge and bar perfect for
afternoon tea, cocktails, and listening to
live piano music. Plus,there's an expansive
sundeck to relax and sunbathe on. There's
also a small fitness center so you can keep
up your health regime while sailing and
if you're an early bird, guided wellness
sessions are in the main lounge or sundeck
each morning. Wi-Fi is available, but due
to the course of the river through several
countries, the signal can be intermittent.
All the better for relaxing! Throughout the
trip, fun and entertainment are offered,
from the sail away champagne sabering
ceremony, to such activities as bartending
courses, cocktail receptions, barbecues
on the upper deck, signature lectures,
and specialty entertainment such as the
classical trio La Strada, or Hungarian Fire's
Budapest Dance Band.
EATING AND DRINKING
The food on board, courtesy of the topflight executive chef, is varied and consists
of gourmet quality European cuisine, with
three meals served daily including special
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themed menus and buffets that reflect the
local culinary traditions. Spritis and ine
local wines are also included in this luxe
all-inclusive.
TOURING AND SIGHTSEEING
The itinerary for European Jewels is
extensive, enchanting, and has the effect
of transporting the voyager into an old
world picture book. After sailing from
Amsterdam you dock in Cologne, in full
view of its famous bridge and cathedral.
There's also a Chocolate Museum and
numerous cafes at which to sample coffee
and pastries. From Cologne onwards,
it's day after day of scenic sailing along
the romantic Rhine, through a fairytale
landscape dotted with ancient castles,
rolling vineyards and quaint medieval
towns. At Rudesheim you can take the
cable car to Niederwald Heights to truly
appreciate the breathtaking scenery that
inspired "Rhine Romanticism" and the
works of Byron, Turner, and Wagner, to
name just a few. The township itself is
picturesque and filled with shops selling
icecream, Riesling, chocolates, and gifts
perfect for Christmas. With the world
in as much trouble as it is, this is the
way to escape it: following a 40-mile,
fairytale-worthy stretch of the Rhine as it
gently twists and turns and reveals a new
spectacle around each bend. Can you
picture yourself supping on a barbecue
lunch of grilled German sausages and
beer, while gazing at the sun-soaked
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vineyards and ancient castles built upon
craggy outcrops-all
from the comfort
of the sundeck where, after a couple of
hours, your charming bartender fetches
you an Aperol Spritz? Now that's relaxing!
Next stop is the financial center of
Frankfurt and a city walking tour that
includes a sampling of local apple cider,
and green sauce ("grun sose") with eggs
and potatoes. Delicious! The historic
Romer Square, with its 15th century
apartment buildings, shops, and old town
hall, their Renaissance style unspoiled
even today. Drop by the poet Goethe's
house, which is still there, right in the
city, or enjoy perusing the fruits, flowers,
meats, seafood, cakes, pastries, teas,
chocolates, spices and other delicacies
prized by locals at the Klein Market Hall.
Continuing to Wertheim takes you into
the heart of Rhineland, and this town and
its ruined castle dates back to the 13th
century. It's the perfect stop for pretzelmaking and wine tasting at a private
Franconian wine estate. Wertheim Castle
is one of the most picturesque ruins in
Germany, and in spite of being under
gunfire siege during the Thirty Years' War,
it's still a majestic sight to behold.
A true jewel is to be discovered at your
next stop, in Wurzburg: the 18th century
Neue Residenz, a 300-room baroque
palace where more truly is more-and
most of it survived Allied bombing in
1945! The UNESCO World Heritage city of
Bamberg possesses one of the largest and
fully-preserved medieval town centers in
Europe and it's also the heart of Bavaria's
all-natural beer brewing culture (maybe
that's why it was spared WWII bombing!)
Perhaps because of Allied thirst, the
entire town and its hundreds of medieval
buildings are intact. But Germany's history
isn't all happy, as we know. The city of
Nuremberg is a reminder of Germany's
complex past; from its romantic 14th and
15th century medieval and Renaissance
structures to Hitler's failed architectural
complex designed by Albert Speer.
The Danube carries you blissfully
into Regensburg, one of Germany's top
college towns, and with a 2,000-year
history, to boot. Then onto pretty Passau
with its cobblestone streets, green onion
dome cathedral, and beautiful Bavarian
countryside perfect for an active bike ride.
Leaving Germany and crossing into
Austria you then dock at Weissenkirchen,
the first visible landmark being its famous
white church. What an experience it is
to wake up to the stunning scenery of
the Wachau Valley-a beautiful 20-mile
stretch of river featuring a mix of little
towns, forested foothills and terraced
vineyards that produce Gruner Veltliner.
Weissenkirchen is the prettiest of towns,
with the 18th century Benedictine Abbey
in the nearby town of Melk, and its Baroque
library of 100,000 volumes.
Arriving in Vienna, the jewels of this
voyage become even more opulent,
with visits to the Schonbrunn Palace, the
Winter Palace and the Kunstkammer Wien,
which houses some of Europe's greatest
treasures. The cherry on the torte has
to be a bespoke concert of Mozart and
Strauss performed at a Viennese palais.
By this stage in the voyage you will have
been dazzled by everything, including
the sight of white swans against a perfect
sunset, but even that won't compare with
your last stop: Budapest, Hungary. This
beautiful twin city (Buda and Pest, built on
either side of the river) is distinguished by
its magnificent architecture, best enjoyed
at night from the upper deck of the River
Queen. The Parliament lit up against a sky
of midnight blue is a sight you won't soon
forget. Budapest really is the "Queen of
the Danube."
SERVICE REQUIRING SUPERLATIVES
During our cruise, as though in a
fairytale, we were gifted with a butler. He
greeted us at the end of an afternoon's
sightseeing, brought us aperitifs and
snacks, took away our dirty laundry and
brought it back magically pressed and
folded. Sometimes we had no tasks for
him, but he was always delightful. We're
But if you're a high maintenance femme
you'll be rewarded with service fit for a
queen! All staff-hotel manager, purser,
cruise manager, restaurant manager, and
house keeper-are impeccably trained,
unwaveringly polite, genuinely friendly,
and graciously accommodating. Whether
that's making sure you get your favorite
table for dinner, a cocktail brought to you
on deck, a snack between meal service,
or advice on which tour to take from
the cruise director himself-you will be
treated royally. One of the reasons that
the itineraries are so varied and satisfying
is that staff, especially our cruise manager
Preston Coe, have perfected the itineraries
by consistently listening to customer
feedback so that your experiences on
and off the boat are seamless, enjoyable,
and memorable. And transfers to and
from the airport-no
matter how early
your flights-are all part of the service.
Consider yourself a VIP.
Uniworld is a proud member of the
International Gay & Lesbian Travel
Association (IGTLA), and we found our
sexuality to be a non-issue. In fact, it was
warmly acknowledged and embraced.
Uniworld recently partnered with R Family
Vacations to offer LGBTtravelers and their
families a luxurious travel experience in
sought-after destinations. In the summer
of 2018, R Family Vacations will host
several sailings, and will include group
dinners, cocktail parties and excursions
for LGBT guests, led by R Family cofounders Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli
Carpenter. Upcoming itineraries can be
found at uniworld.com/en/promotions/
lgbt. For the full range of Uniworld's 2018
itineraries, visit uniworld.com. •
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PREP WITH PEP
Do college
towns
have good
accommodation? This one does! The
Graduate in downtown Ann Arbor is a
former Campus Inn that's been given a luxe
hipster-preppy makeover (graduatehotels.
com/ann-arbor). And when we say preppy
we mean fun and fine: Comfy beds, cool
bathrooms, and in the lobby is a 40foot long table where you can order fine
wine and craft cocktails, and the rooms
and public spaces are decorated with
whimsical and hip decor harking back to
the 1930s and 1940s.
OF BEERAND TEA
The brewmeister at Ypsi Alehouse
(ypsialehouse.com) in nearby Ypsilanti
has been making beer since 1982 and has
mastered all manner of ales and pales,
wheat beer, porter, stout, and bitter. Pair
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any of these with the excellent gastropub
offerings devised by Chef Mary Potts,
who also trains and competes in JiuJitsu. Over at Arbor Brewing Company
(arborbrewing.com), Matt and Rene Greff
produce the crispest pilsners through
to chocolatey stouts and have helped
transform downtown since 1995. Prefer
to stay sober? TeaHaus (teahaus.com)
is run by certified "tea sommelier" Lisa
McDonald who knows everything under
the sun about that other brew, tea, right
down to food pairings.
SEE A SHOW, GO TO A CLUB
Whatever play is on at The Purple Rose
Theater (purple-rosetheater.org), under
the vision of artistic director Guy Sanville,
this cultural venue sparkles and speaks
to generations who aren't frequently
represented. Founded in 1991 by actor
and local Jeff Daniels, it's dedicated
to producing the New American play,
delivered with a Midwestern voice. After
curtain call, party the night away at LIVE
downtown, with Candy Bar, Ann Arbor's
weekly LGBT dance party on Thursdays.
LIVE (livea2.com) has two bars, a large
dance floor, and a booming sound system
that is frequently operated by lesbian and
trans DJs.
OF CHEESE AND CHERRIES
Zingerman's
Creamery
makes
mouthwatering cheeses, mostly without
preservatives, that you can purchase at
Zingerman's Deli (zingermansdeli.com).
All cheeses are made from local cow's and
goat's milk and range from soft-ripened
cheeses, to hard raw cow's milk cheese.
The variety and quality is outstanding.
Did you know that more than two million
cherry trees cover the hills of of Michigan's
Lower Peninsula? Purchase the delicious
fruits of the Cherry Capital of the World
at Cherry Republic (cherryrepublic.com),
the largest exclusive retailer of cherry
products, from candy to wine, in the U.S.
ARTS AND EDIFICATION
The University of Michigan Museum
of Art is both a stunning architectural
space and an impressive collection that
rivals major cities with more than 18,000
works of art in its permanent collection,
representing 150 years of collecting.
From Chinese ceramics to contemporary
American, there's something for everyone
(umma.umich.edu). Stop by the Kelsey
Museum of Archaeology and step back
in time with 100,000 objects belonging
to ancient cultures, from Greece to Egypt
(umich.edu/kelsey). For contemporary
artifacts drop into Yourist Studio Gallery
(youristpottery.com), established in the
'70s by potter Kay Yourist as a community,
studio and workspace. Pick up a piece or
two at the gallery shop.
TASTESOF ANN ARBOR
Gratzi, a mainstay of local dining
since 1987, suits both dates and groups
(gratzirestaurant.com), serving upscale
Italian in an elegant environment.
Middle-Eastern restaurant Casablanca
(casablancaypsilanti.com) may be located
in a former Taco Bell, but owner Abdul
Mani serves sumptuous
homestyle
dishes fragrant with saffron, cardamom
and other spices. If you prefer American
food you can't beat Red Rock Downtown
Barbecue (redrockypsi.com). Savor many
styles of American barbecue, including
Kansas City, North Carolina, St. Louis, and
Texas. Asian food is popular in Ann Arbor
and one of the newest additions is Miss
Kim (misskimannarbor.com). Chef Ji Hye
Kim left an insurance career in New York
to transform Korean cuisine into delicate
delights. Take a tequila tasting at lsalita
(isalita.com) and learn all about agave
while noshing on Mexican snacks. Kick
on right next door to the delightfully large
and loud Mani Osteria & Bar specializing
in brick-oven pizza and Old World wines
(maniosteria.com).
ANTIQUES, AUTOS AND ATELIERS
Ypsilanti has a time machine-worthy
antiques
trail,
including
Schmidt's
Antiques, specializing in 18th, 19th, and
20th century European finds. Browse
the boutiques along Michigan Avenue
including Bowerbird Mongo and The
Rocket. Visit the Ypsilanti Automotive
Heritage Museum, one of the original
Hudson auto dealerships, displaying
Chevy Corvairs and a Tucker, both made
locally. From cars to girls: Muse Atelier
Vintage is the place to go for great, girlie
vintage clothes, accessories and art
curated by Tanya Luz and Luna Legare. This
boutique and fantasy studio is housed in a
classic red barn loaded with goodies like a
lesbian treasure chest! The Muse mavens
not only handpick the best of glamour
wear from bygone days: they organize
art shows, empowerment
workshops
and performance events. Follow them on
facebook.com/museateliervintage/.
OF FIREAND FESTIVITIES
KindleFest, now in its 9th year, is a
outdoor holiday market held at the Ann
Arbor Farmer's Market in Kerrytown (right
near Common Language Books, so
stop by and support this historic LGBT
bookstore!). KindleFest features music,
fire pits, handmade gifts, decorations,
and sustenance including chestnuts and
mulled wines. KindleFest is held on the
same night as the Midnight Madness extended shopping hours. Another classic
Christmas tradition is the performance
of Handel's Messiah by the Ann Arbor
Symphony Orchestra and the Grammy
Award-winning University Musical Society
Choral Union at Hill Auditorium.
Ann Arbor is a welcoming and diverse
place with plenty to discover. Legend has
it that the town was named after the wives
of its founders, and the two Anns (hence
the city's nickname, A2) enjoyed sitting
together under a wild grape arbor. It's
nice to think of these fast female friends as
establishing the spirit of the town, and that
today they'd welcome a gay lady or two to
join them. (visitannarbor.org) •
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Here's the rub: No matter what you
know about Seattle, the city seems most
famous for its rain. In truth, it's more
about gray skies than actual rainfall.
Regardless, some say that enjoying
Seattle is like "being in love with a
beautiful woman who's sick all the time." I
know there's truth in that, because I lived
in the Emerald City for many years-yet
I'm still giddy every time I return, like I'm
visiting an ex I just can't live without.
I miss the city's magical ability to
balance arts and commerce, history and
modernity, quirkiness and pragmatism.
When I return these days, however, I see
a city that leans into its future smartly,
knowing that change is inevitable, so it
might as well be done right. Thankfully,
some of the biggest changes since I
moved away over a decade ago are
transportation-related,
like
Sound
Transit's light-rail system, which links
Sea-Tac Airport to the city center, plus
the county's underground-bus network,
which lets you skip Seattle's notorious
traffic jams.
New architecture
and attractions
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have left their mark on the skyline, from
high-rise towers in South Lake Union,
to the waterfront's Great Wheel, to the
Seahawks Centurylink football stadium
(whose retractable roof makes for the
most vaginal-looking
stadium design
anywhere).
There's even a $74 million addition
to the historic Pike Place Market. Called
MarketFront, in 2017 it has added to the
already bustling downtown landmark,
with an expansive public space, local
retail and restaurants, senior housing,
and unrivaled Puget Sound and Olympic
Mountain views.
Still, what's always been grand about
Seattle remains vital to its progress.
People here invest in their community
and recognize equality: It has long
made events like June's Pride festival
(seattlepride.org) more of a celebration
than a protest. There's a good dose of
free will in all this progressive thinking
too, exemplified by the 2012 popular
vote legalizing recreational marijuana
across Washington.
To me, the funny thing about Seattle
is that sometimes the older spots may
seem as intriguing as they were on day
one, and new places can seem like
they've been around forever. To see
what I mean, head to Capitol Hill, the
city's LGBT center and all-around cool
neighborhood. The Pike-Pine Corridor
(named for two parallel commercial
strips) has long been lined with shops,
bars, cafes, and eateries that tempt
travelers and locals alike.
Zero in on little 10th Avenue, where
Elliott Bay Book Company(elliottbaybook.
com) relocated from Pioneer Square a
few years back, bringing its heritage as
one of the country's great booksellersplus the readings and other literary
events that one might expect in a smart
city like Seattle. Elliott Bay is an older
brand that found new life by moving
to Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, next door,
Oddfellows Cafe + Bar (oddfellowscafe.
com) opened in 2008 but feels like it
has always been there, thanks to the
preserved
architectural
details and
industrial decor, and the nouveau-classic
food and drink on the menu.
The queer scene has its new/old
mixture too, anchored by the Wildrose
(thewildrosebar.com), one of the country's
longest-running lesbian bars and still as
much fun as ever. Back in 1999, the 'Rose
got the best neighbor ever in Hothouse
(hothousespa.com), a women-only spa
that's deeply relaxing and perfectly
located, just steps away from a bar full of
flirty dykes at the 'Rose.
Mixed gay bars litter Pike, Pine, and
their cross streets, like locals' hangout R
Place (rplaceseattle.com) and Neighbours
(neighboursnightclub.com),
where you
can see shows and dance into the wee
hours.
By day, break away for a sip of truly
good Seattle espresso at Caffe Vita
(caffevita.com) or Victrola Coffee Roasters
(victrolacoffee.com), farther down Pike
Street. Duck into the Oddfellows Building
(yes, shared by the restaurant) to browse
cool fashions at NuBe Green (nubegreen.
com), accessorize with handcrafted goods
from Retail Therapy (ineedretailtherapy.
com), or find serious secondhand deals
at the nonprofit Lifelong Thrift Store
(lifelongthrift.com).
Dining sans gluten never tasted so
good as at Capitol Cider (capitolcider.
com), where cider-battered fish and chips
are only the beginning of an excellent slate
of dining choices in a lovely atmosphere.
And while you may not expect it, Omega
Ouzeri (omegaouzeri.com) will show
you how good Seattle's Greek and
Mediterranean gastronomy can be-try
the tender grilled octopus and be sure to
order extra tzatziki.
Head down the hill to check in at
one of the coolest hotels in town, Hotel
Max (hotelmaxseattle.com).
It's in a
prime location, yet stands apart from
the ubiquitous downtown hotel chains,
offering perks like free craft-beer tastings
in the evening, and rooms with turntables
to play locally produced vinyl.
A few blocks from Hotel Max you'll find
many of the city's best attractions. It's
just a quick walk to Pike Place, i as well
as the impressive Seattle Art Museum
(seattleartmuseum.org) and mesmerizing
Seattle
Aquarium
(seattleaquarium.
org). Both are excellent reasons to drift
down to the waterfront and maybe hop
on a historic streetcar to visit the brilliant
Olympic Sculpture Park.
Head to the Seattle Center for even
better views atop the iconic Space Needle
(spaceneedle.com). There you can also
visit the most eye-catching structure in
town: the Frank Gehry-designed Museum
of Pop Culture (mopop.org), whose
multicolor, gleaming fa9ade encloses
fascinating exhibits on rock 'n roll and
other contemporary culture.
Once you're properly inspired, hear live
music at Belltown's famous Dimitriou's
Jazz Alley (jazzalley.com), or rock out at
The Crocodile (thecrocodile.com), one of
the clubs where '90s alt music took root.
And yes, while you're in Seattle it's
liable to be gray or rainy at some point.
But when the sun comes out and the
evergreen trees color the city's hills, you'll
remember why people fall for this town.
You may even wonder if all this time it's
been the Seattleites who were spreading
those rumors of heavy rainfall, just to
keep people out of their Emerald haven.
(visitseattle.org) •
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
77
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CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
Lovely Portland, Ore. shares many
similarities with Seattle-a
wildly
liberal culture, incredible
nature,
and legal cannabis-but
proudly
asserts its own personality. Portland's
population is only slightly smaller
than that of its northern neighbor, yet
it offers more of a small-town vibe.
Bike lanes, weekend markets, and
affordability are part of that, but even
better is the natural hospitality of
this city where even newer residents
subscribe to the insta-chill attitude.
Everywhere you turn you'll find
friendly faces, like at Sweedeedee
(sweedeedee.com), a woman-owned
daytime eatery in North Portland
("NoPo") frequented and staffed by
smiling tattooed ladies. Nearby, stroll
along Mississippi Avenue to check
out shops and cafes, or slip into Por
Que No (porquenotacos.com)
for
tacos or a colorful happy hour.
DowntownPDXisnowahotspot,and
not just for the sinfully good Voodoo
Doughnuts (voodoodoughnut.com)
or ever-wondrous Powell's City of
Books (powells.com). These days,
historic skyscrapers are finding new
life as smartly designed, budgetwise hotels such as the artsy Hotel
Lucia (hotellucia.com)
and the
cinematically inclined Hotel deluxe
(hoteldeluxeportland.com).
You can
also drop by the downtown outpost
of Serra (shopserra.com) for a chic
cannabis-browsing experience.
LGBT life is easy-breezy in Portland.
You'll find
queers
everywhere,
but head to Crush (crushbar.com)
in SE Portland for strong drinks
and nightly events, or hang on
the patio of the White Owl Social
Club
(whiteowlsocialclub.com)
for quality cocktails and peoplewatching. NoPo is home to the retrodive Florida Room (floridaroom.
org), the easygoing Local Lounge
(locallounge.wordpress.com),
and
Mississippi Studios and Bar Bar
(mississippistudios.com), with good
food and live music.
Hawthorne is one of the best
streets in town to take in on a stroll.
Memorable dining spots abound, like
the Waffle Window (wafflewindow.
com), serving its pastry sweet or
savory style. For dining inside a
historic cinema, don't miss the Bagdad
Theater & Pub (mcmenamins.com), or
grab brunch or dinner at tasty Bread
& Ink (breadandinkcafe.com). There's
excellent retail too, but above all are
the killer vintage shops, like Red Light
(redlightclothingexchange.com)
and
the House of Vintage emporium.
Many a hip-minded person has
fallen hard for The Rose City, which
explains its soaring popularity in
recent years. You too may find
yourself enchanted by its magic,
and set adrift there on a rose-tinted
holiday. It's understandable. Just be
sure not to miss your ride home.
(travelportland.com)
-Kelsy Chauvin
LAST LOOK/
CROSSWORD
Test your
lesbian knowledge
with our queer crossword.
BY MYLES MELLOR
ACROSS
1. Lesbian singer who sang
"Ain't it Heavy"
6. Stretched out
8. Iconic lesbian show, by
Ilene Chaiken
9. Fitness guru living with
Heidi Rhoades, first
name
11. O/TNB actress who
played Stella Carlin,
Ruby_
12. Snuggle, and the
surname of lesbianfeminist writer, Joan
15. Utmost, as a degree
17. Bi singer,_ DiFranco
19. Not coming out
21. Greek poet who wrote
lesbian poems
23. Dined
25. Something up your
sleeve
26. Cold one
28. Author of the lesbian-
29.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
themed novel Rubyfruit
Jungle, goes with 29
across
See 28 across
Lesbian who sang with
Gossip, _ Ditto
Memorial Day month
Kisses and more
Bi singer who had a big
hit with "1000 Forms of
Fear"
Top grades
DOWN
1. Page who played Juno
2. Brittney Griner's sport, in
slang
3. Catch -handed
4. Karate school
5. She's the voice of Dory in
Finding Nemo
6. The L Word actor who
plays Alice, 2 words
7. Chinese principle
10. Exists
11. Email subject line intro
13. It may be fragile or
bruised
14. Openly affectionate
couple
16. Lesbos, for one
18. Refusal
19. Popular lesbian singer
who sang "Give me One
Reason," Tracy_
20. Holiday tuber
22. Dad, for short
24. Club Skirts Dinah Shore
weekend has many
27. Took the gold
30. List's last, often
31. Third word of many
limericks
32. Arts Degree
33. One of the first blues
singers who sang "Prove
it on Me,"_ Rainey
DEC/JAN
2018
CURVE
79
LAST LOOK/STARS
Jollyolidays
Mars in sexy Scorpio and Venus in adventurous
Sagittarius light our trees and rings in the New Year.
BY CHARLENE LICHTENSTEIN
ARIES
(MARCH
21-APRIL
20)
Aries are hot to trot all
through the holiday season.
So get moving! You exude
an extra dollop of sexiness
and sensuality now and can
attract any lovergrrl you want.
KATE MOENNIG
But don't over-gorge. Try to
was born on December 29, 1977. be choosey. Don't waste your
time on ladies who are not
1/,
/, interested in commitment,
(NOV
23-DEC
22) 1/,
1/, unless you're into light bites.
A career that involves 1/,
~
international travel or meeting 1/, TAURUS
(APRIL
21-MAY
21)
foreign folks will keep a ~
If
you
are
currently
in a
~
wandering Sagittarian woman 1/, relationship, find ways of
1/,
fulfilled. Because she seeks 1/, spicing it up. Toss out those
1/,
to meet all types of people
i old furry slippers and ratty
in all walks of life, she holds 1/, bathrobe and trade them in
1/,
no prejudice and can be 1/, for ...nothing! If you are on
blunt and outspoken. This is ~
the hoof, try grazing in new
a woman who can harness i
i pastures. Taureans need their
any cause close to her heart 1/, engines revved on a constant
/,
and take it the next step. 1/, basis. Get charged up now and
Enlist her help in political and 1/,
1/, rule the road.
community causes and you 1/,
1/,
will have a winner. 1/, GEMINI
(MAY
22-JUNE
21)
SAGITTARIUS
1/,
1/, While you would rather party
1/,
CAPRICORN
//
hearty, you can actually get a
(DEC
23-JAN
20) 1/,
1/,
lot more stuff done at work.
;,,
prepare it for the New Year.
~
course, you may want to avoid
Capricorn gals tend to have
sharp memories and a good
perspective on certain
situations. For these reasons
they are sought after as
advisors on everything from
career paths to choice of
girlfriends. While they excel
in career advice I would
hesitate to take their advice
in love; they will always advise
choosing the girl in wingtips
with a good steady job, which
may not necessarily be your
slice of paradise.
1/, Clean off your desk and
1/;
1/,
1/, Don't feel that you are missing
1/, out on any gaiety, however.
1/,
1/, The festivities will find you. Of
~
;%
/, a compromising butt xerox
1/, with you-know-who ...
~
%
/,
1/, r.ANCER
UUNE
22-JULY
23)
~ The festivities reach fever
1/,
~ pitch for you, Cancer. Your
~
presence will be requested at
every event from A to Z. How
'.%
1/, many parties can you attend all
1/,
..................................................
1/, at one time? It may be fun to
figure that out. A light romance
Charlene
Lichtenstein
is theauthor ~
j may be in the cards and seem
of HerScopes:
A Guide
toAstrology
i
ForLesbians
(Simon
& Schuster) 1 so bubbly that you may float
nowavailable
asanebook. 1~
on air. But pack a pillow should
(tinyurl.com/HerScopes)
~ reality bite.
80
CURVE
DEC/JAN
2018
//I
//
LEO
UULY
24-AUG
23)
SAGITTARIUS
(NOV
23-DEC
22)
Lionesses may prefer to stay
home this holiday season.
And why not? Your home is a
comfortable cave of delights.
Thatgoesforyourdecor
as much as it does for your
lovely guests. Plan some get
togethers with bosom buddies.
Stir up excitement with festive
touches. How touchy will you
get? Let's hope a lot.
Do you sense that change
is afoot? You may be right,
Sagittarius. There's a lot
going on behind the scenes
where tongues are wagging
and emotions run high. All
good because you're out of
the drama and able to take
advantage of any opportunity
that is presented. Opportunity
knocks. Answer the door.
VIRGO
(AUG
24-SEPT
23)
rAPRICORN
(DEC
23-JAN
20)
What's on your mind, Virgo?
You have a lot of great ideas to
share and the opportunity to
share them with your admirers.
But don't spend too much time
on lofty ideals when you can
use your gift of persuasion on
more down-to-earth matters.
Get things done. And when it
comes to your love life, well
done, not rare.
Girlfriends help you celebrate
the holidays and prepare for
life experiences in the New
Year. But don't stick with
familiar faces. Use this time to
expand your social circle into
a globe by joining international
groups and organizations.
Who knows where it can all
lead? Maui? Paris?
AOUARIUS
UAN
21-FEB
19)
LIBRA
(SEPT
24-0CT
23)
If you find yourself splurging
on a trinket or two this holiday
season, enjoy, but know your
limits and don't spend what
you don't have. However, this
holiday season may see some
financial upside-especially if
you can find a well-endowed
benefactress who can spoil
you. You can only hope!
If you have figured out your
path to corporate success,
implement it while the
executives relax and party
down. Aqueerians may
upend business as usual and
install their own system of
management. Good thing too.
Your progress was getting
stalled. Find your opening,
make your move, grab power
while you can.
SCORPIO
(OCT
24-NOV
22)
Scorpios are not only the
center of attention, they can
also expand their influence
to an entirely new fan girl
base. Plan 2018 now as you
rub elbows (and other parts)
with some influential women
who can help you make things
happen. So don your gay
apparel and show the world
what pride is all about.
PSIS(FEB
20-MARCH
20)
Guppies are off on a grand
adventure that takes them out
of their hum drum routines.
Your world opens up like an
oyster and you should slurp
it up. For those with less time
to spare and little money to
spend for world travel, open
up your vistas virtually or
closer to home.
~OW
TOH~
ULTI~ATE
ORGA
W11,111
'"-''
~sroN·
Li
TAKING
PRIDE
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