[2009] Metro Star Magazine, January 1, 2009; Volume 6, Issue 1

[2009] Metro Star Magazine, January 1, 2009; Volume 6, Issue 1

Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics

The Metro Star’s first issue began in August of 2008. Before this issue was Ozarks Pride (2004), The Ozark’s Star (2004), and The Star (2005).

This magazine discusses topics of AIDs, education, politics, local and national civil rights of the LGBT community, and advice for relationships and places to visit.

This collection is PDF searchable. Physical copies are also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.

Star Media, Ltd

https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19

Star Media, Ltd

January 1, 2009

Chaz Ward
Victor Gorin
Greg Steele
James Nimmo
Joey D.
Rex Wockner
Susan A. Muscari
Gerald Libonati
Vernon Britt
Romeo San Vicente
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ronald Blake
Ray Williams
Jack Fertig
Judy G.

The Metro Star, December 1, 2008; Volume 5, Issue 12
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/199

The Metro Star Magazine, February 1, 2009; Volume 6, Issue 2
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/131

Image
Online text
PDF

English

magazine

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/132

Southwest Missouri,
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)

"WWW.METROSTA~qEWS.COM "WE DELIVER DIVERSITY"
UN Ge era Assembly hears pro-gay presentation
"9gockner News ~/ire
It was read into the record by
Argentine AmbassadorJorge
Argtiello.
q’he 66 countries affirmed "the
principle of non-discrimination,
which requires that human rights
apply equally to every hmman
being regardless ofsexual orientation
or gender identity; and
denounced "violence, harassment,
discrimination, exclusion, stigmatization
and prejudice ... because
of sexual orientation or gender
identity:’
statement also called for
the decriminalization ofgay sex,
77
SLxty-sLx nations at the UN General Assembly supported a
groundbrealdng statement Dec. 18 confirming that international
human rights protections include sexual orientation and
gender identit):
It was the first time a statement condemning rights abuses
against GLBT people was presented in the General Assembly.
gay
Americans support
Woclmer News Wire
A Harris Interactive poll released Dec. 3 found that Americans
support a range ofpolicies and protections for gay people.
The Pulse ofEquality survey, cmmnissioned by the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, found that majorities of
Americans favor either marriage or civil unions for gay couples,
hate-crime laws to protect gay and transgender people, letting
gays in the military serve openly, and allowing gays and lesbians
to adopt children.
~ae telephone survey questioned 2,000 adults beBveen Nov. 13
and 17 and had a margin oferror ofplus or minus 2 percentage
points.
Among the specific findings:
* Seventy-five percent of U.S. adults favor either marriage or
domestic partnerships/civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.
Only 22 percent oppose any legal recognition ofgay couples.
........... Continued See POLL Page-8
Saudi Arabia
"To love is not a crime;’ said
Louis-Georges Tin, president of the International Day Against
Homophobia Committee, which initiated the process that led
to the statement. "To decriminalize homosexuality world,vide is
a batde t’or human rights.... This (statement) is a great achievement
(but) I also want to remind everyone that ending the
criminalization ofsame-sex love wilt be a long, hard battle:’
Leading British activist Peter Tatchell called the statement "history
in the making."
"The UN statement goes much further than see’king the decriminalization
ofsame-sex acts;’ Tatchell said. "k €ondemns all
human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender
identity, urges countries to protect the human rights ofLGBT
people and to bring to justice those who violate these rights,
and calls for human rights defenders who oppose homophobic
and transphobic victimization to be allowed to carry out their
advocacy and humanitarian work unimpeded."
........... Continued See UN Page-14
JANUARY 1, 2009
Oklahoma’s 2009 Mr. O.G.R.A.
Larry Bourne chats with the
Metro Star.
By Victor Gorin
Photo: ~adr. OGRA 2009 Larry Bour~ze By Victor Gorin
The Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association ( better known as
OGRA) has a proud history ofnot only promoting the country
lifestyle in the GLBT community, but also to the straight community
as well. Letting gay cowboys knmv they can truly be
themselves is a cause they promote proudly, but they do more.
OGRA also has a proud history ofhelping wordBvhile charities
such as Other Options, Infant Crisis Services, Young Gay
Lesbian Alliance, and R.A.I.N.
Also a proud tradition are the OGRA Royalty, which features a
Mr. OGRA, a Ms. OGRA" Brooklyn" and Miss OGRA Anita
Ryder.. The new Mr. OGRA is Larry Bourne, who’s made many
cowboys happy bartending at the Finishline the past 5 years.
Sharing his life and his thoughts with the Metro Star, he gives us
his perspective on our community and OGRA.
................Continued See OGP,A page- 15
comes out ....Page-7
Janua~ 2009
2
$8 VALUE WITH PURCHASE
OF 2 D~ER E~TREES
AT REGULAR PRICE
Bring this ad width you to
receive this special often
Not valid with any other
coupon, discount or offers.
COMEORT FOOD & DALLY SPECIALS
ALL PREPAI~D IN AN AMBIANCE
THAT WILL TEMPT YOUR SENSES.
Let us ~ro~ot~ your business in
8TAR A~VERTJSJNG
~.metrostarnews.com ~÷t~oSTAR 3
World Aids Day December
1, Remembering the
Past-Facing Future-
The Crisis is not over.
By Victor Gorin
Following the Mayflower UCC ~:orldAIDS
Day Service, Reverend Loyce Newton Edwards
places a card on a o’oss honod~ her siste,;
Lavonn Newton whopassd ~tv~yfivm AIDS
related illness.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ On December
1, the 20th World Aids Day Service was held at
Mayflower Congregational Church, along with
countless others worldwide. Along with music,
preaching and praise was not only remembrance
of those xvho have passed on because of
HIV, bur also hope for the future. The service
concluded with the opportunity to fill out a
card of a loved one lost to HIV and attach it
to one ofa group of crosses in the courtyard.
For Rev. Loyce Newton-Edwards the service
had special meaning, as she had lost a transgen-
&red sister, Lavonne Newton to AIDS related
illness. As she put it, "The service was deeply
moving and a wonderful way to honor the precious
lives that have been lost to AIDS, and to
offer comfort to their devastated families. My
prayers continue for more community compassion,
HIV prevention advocacy, as well as more
effective HIV/AIDS related medications."
Being that World AIDS Day is now in it’s 20th
year, this reminds us that although advances
have been made in the treatment of HIV, there
is no reason for complacency. In Oklahoma
there are around 4500 known cases ofpeople
infected with HIV, including around 1700 in
Oklahoma County alone. Currently the fastest
growing rate of infection among demographic
groups tragically is young people aged 15-24,
disproportionately gay and male.
Although medical science is far ahead ofwhere
it was over 20 years ago when AIDS first
became an issue, safe sex is still important. As
Chuck Longacre ofRed Rock North, an HIV
testing/counseling facility pointed out, "R’s still
a deadly disease. The disease can still be fatal.
However, often one can be helped ifthe virus is
detected early, so we encourage those who are
sexually active to be tested every 3 months."
Testing is still available at Red Rock North,
4400 N. Lincoln Botdevard (OKC), telephone
(405 424 7711. It’s a free test, and in
most cases can be completed in around 20
minutes. This, coupled with educational efforts
is also part ofthe reason for the day, and that is
the hope for a better future.
Angda Monson Runs For
O dahoma City School
Board Chair
By Victor Gorin
Photo: Angela Monson, State Representative Anastasia
Pittman-District 99 (Center)Jesus Gasper Lovie
Givens e3~ Danielle Gaddis by Hctor Gorin
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ Angela Monson,
on the last day offiling, got into the race
for Oklahoma City School Board chair. She
challenges incumbent Kirk Humphreys, and
the election will be February 10. As a Democrat,
she was elected to the Oklahoma State
House ofR~epresentatives in 1990-District 99,
and was later elected to the Oklahoma State
Senate in 1993 -District 48. She Served as a
State Senator until forced out by term limits in
2005. She is currently Associate Provost with
the Oklahoma University Health Sciences
Center, and is a longtime ally ofnot only the
GLBT commtmity but numerous progressive
Causes.
Kirk Humphreys was appointed as Chair by
the OKC School Board when the position
was vacated by CliffHudson, and is a former
mayor ofOklahoma City, and an ally ofmany
conservative causes. Learn more about this key
race with our next issuel
Metro Star Classfieds
2" square for as litde as
$43 per issue.
Email: starnews@sbcglobal.~
918.1
’Unsung Heroes’ Honored
for AIDS Awareness
Advocacy
TULSA, OK (PR) __ On Tuesday, three Tulsa
CARES employees were recognized by the
AIDS Coalition ofTulsa at the 19th annual
Evergreen Spirit Awards Luncheon, which
recognizes the work ofcolleagues and volunteers
who have gone the extra mile in the fight
against AIDS in our community:
Jamie Baker, care coordinator; Bruce Lewis, ofrice
manager/executive assistant; and Marianne
X~etherill, registered dietician were among
those recognized with the Evergreen Spirit
Award, which symbolizes strength, courage,
commitment and resilience.
"It is so important to recognize ’the unsung heroes’
in Tulsa’s effort to stop AIDS," said Janice
Nicklas, director ofTnlsa Community AIDS
Partnership and senior planner for the Community
Service Council. ~Our colleagues still
work long hours, to the point ofexhaustion,
and many have vowed to stay at it until we get
the epidemic under control. Sadly, the numbers
ofHIV positive Americans are growing larger
each year and many Tulsans are getting infected
who are unaware that that they are at risk,"
Other Evergreen Spirit Award winners are:
Gary Meadows, Community ofHOPE; Terry
Klein, St. Joseph~s Residence; Chaz Gaut,
Hospice of Green Country; David Odle, Oklahoma
Department ofHuman Services; Barbara
Saunders, community volunteer with the HIV
Prevention Program for Incarcerated Women’s
Program; and Stan Smalts, Oklahoma Department
ofHuman Services. Two top awards were
also given at the annual luncheon: the Truman
Geren Memorial Award for HIV Prevention
was awarded to Heather Nash, American Red
Cross, and the Richard Shackelford Award for
HIV Care honored Shana Cozad, Oklahoma
State Department of Health.
"Our award winners are constantly reminding
Tulsa area.residents to take the HIV test - it is
quick, free and painless," Nicldas said. "Everyone
should know their HIV status."
Founded in t991, Tulsa CARES, a United Way
organization, delivers services to low-income
people living with HIV/AIDS in northeastern
Oklahoma. Services include: case management
by professional social workers, access to physicians
and prescription medication, counseling
services, housing
assistance, access to
nutrition information at
its on-site food pantry,
as well as other forms of
support. Tulsa CARES’
mission is "Delivering
social services to
people affected by
HIV/AIDS: For more
information about Tulsa
CARES, visit www.
tulsacares.org.
Tulsa CARES Celebrates
Life
34icah Hartwdl, Nutrition Services Directo~
begins digging~r the Tulsa CARES’ Celebration
ofLife tree-planting co’emony.
TULSA, OK (PR) __ In observance ofWorld
AIDS Day, Tulsa CARES hosted a "Celebration
of Life" reception for its clients.
On Monday, December 1, Tulsa CARES clients,
staffmembers, and friends came together
to celebrate the lives 0f those still living xvith
HIV/AIDS and to rmnember the lives ofthose
who have died from this disease. The "Celebration
ofLife" was replete with food, crafts and
a tree planting ceremony that symbolizes hope
for a cure.
Tulsa CARES’ Celebration of Life in-kind
sponsors ,sere Starbucks, Q~eenies and QEikTrip.
Five Crepe Myrtle trees were donated by
Up with Trees.
Tulsa CARES’ mission is ddivering social
services to people affected by HIWAIDS.
Tulsa CARES is a United W’ay Agency.
For more information, visit vcww.tulsacares.org.
SAVE & FILL YOUR PIGGY
4 January 2009
in the spirit of Christmas, the 18th annual Loaves and Fishes
Dinner Show was held at the Copa OKC, raising over $6956.
Featuring entertainers (Photo) Ben Williams, Kitty Bob Aimes,
Sonja Martinez, John Beebe and Matthew Heath Fitzgerald, the
show was held on both December 8 and 9, with proceeds going
to help the Winds House, a home & hospice for those living
with HIV.
PeggyJohnson and ReVerend Dl: Kathy McCallie at Church of
the Open Arms Fundaraiser
Oldahoma Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth with OGLPC
Co-Chair Paul ~nompson at the ,amnual NAACP Banquet in
Oklahoma City.
.... Scotty Mandell, Robin D0rner and Loring Wagner strike a pose
at the Diversity Bttsiness Association’s Christmas Party.
Ken Sims, Jennifer Lancaster, Rebecca Hurst and Blaze Bush
at the Marriage Equality Rally in downtown Oklahoma City
December 20.
Santa ( Pam Norton) and Mrs. Santa (Victorola) at the Church
ofthe Open Arms Christmas Party
Dear Editor:
My name is Robaire ~atson and I’m a gay military veteran
who’s been living in the San Francisco Bay Area for 18 years. I
spent 6 years in the military as an openly gay, man. At age 23 I
joined the Navy in search of adventure. Being a gay man, I was
determined that I wasn’t going to allow the military to change
my true identity. My story isn’t about the latest trend or the latest
hot actor, or the latest hot "trick~ it’s about the importance
of"being who you want to be"! Who needs to serve in silence ?
I just want to bring a positive ground breaking story to the
fbrefront. I grexv up in a primarily white small Texas town and
the middle child of a Southern Baptist family. I was in the Cub
Scouts and Boy Scouts, played high school football for a brief
time. I always knew I was gay. After high school, I earned money
t’or college by working in the oil fields. I studied design and
fashion merchandising in Dallas at ~ades School of Design. I
joined the US NaW in 1989 and served six years through two
enlistments until 1995.
Being openly gay in the military and not receiving threats to my
life, allowed me to keep my integrity: I never felt the need to tell
anyone on my command that I was gay or introduce them to
my boyfriend. I always felt that people knew I was different, just
by the way I conducted myself. When you sho~v others respect,
they show you respect in return.
I was a US Navy Ship’s barber who served aboard the USS
Kansas City as it traveled the seas promoting freedom during
the Gulf’~Y~ar and Operation Southern XWatch offthe coast of
Somalia in 1993, traveling to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong,
Dubai, Jebel All, UAE, British Columbia, Mexico, and the
Philippines during my two enlistments. I’m black and openly
gay and never encountered the slightest discrimination aboard
this xvarship.
I have never forced my sexual preference on anyone. I don’t ~vant
someone who’s straight doing that to me. gqaen the "Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell" law xvas passed, my shipmates told me, "\X[atso!~, we
don’t have to ask and we don’t have to tell."
I had a group ofgay friends on the USS Kansas City. We were
the gay version of"Sex and the City" onboard the ship. XXre were
known as the Fierce-Four. Our personal lives were better than
any episode of Q~.eer as Folk. My friends said, because of me,
they were able to be themselves without prejudice. I took several
ofmy shipmates to gay bars & dance clubs, not because it was
my idea, but because they asked me too!
I dated an Ensign and a Lieutenant while in the military. I ,also
dated a Major in the United States Army and a Marine. All the
following military men who came across my, life had to keep
their personal life a secret. It’s not about being an officer in the
military or subjecting yourselfto starring in a skin flick to get
your point across, about "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: It’s knowing
that you have a job to do and a mission to accomplish. ~bu can’t
allow your sexual preference to interfere.
The government needs to worry about the individuals who they
allow to enter the military that haven’t been outside the county
line, and refuse to accept someone who is different. Sometimes,
these type ofpeople want to judge you, based on their religious
beliefs. Ifyou can’t accept me for my race or sexual preference,
will you be there for me in a time ofwar ?
I’m very fortunate that I was able to be openly gay and live
my life accordingly during active duty. I want other men and
women who enter the armed forces who are gay to be able to live
their lives just as openly as their straight counterparts and when
they become veterans to be treated ~vith dignity and respect. I’m
very proud to have done my duty serving my country:
Thank you,
Robaire Watson
San Francisco, CA
wv,~v.metrostamews.com ~ot~oSTAR 5
A NEW PLACE TO
ENDUP
By Victor Gorin
Photo: End ~o owner Blake (Center) wit,§ the
End [J)) dancers
TULSA, OK__ When the first Endup club
on Memorial closed a few years ago, it left a gap
that Blake Alterman knew needed to be filled.
While not for everybody, there are truly gay
men that love to watch the hot boys dance. Not
far from some ofTulsgs other gay clubs, it’s located
at 5336 E. Admiral Place, a site vacant for
over a year last occupied by a straight biker club
called The Luclo! Shamrock. Dancers will be
featured 7 nights a xveek, taking up where the
old Endup left off, but with more than twice
the space and ample parking.
While it is planned and destined to be a swinging
spot for those wanting to watch male dancers,
it has more to offer as well. A section ofthe
bat" ,vi!l be like a regular bar, with pool tables,
cruising and conversation. Other fun endeavors
are planned also with Bathroom Bingo Nights
starting in January, hosted by emcee Earnest
from the ladle’s bathroom, rewarding winning
participants with cash and prizes.
Hours are from noon tmtil 2 a.m. 7 days a
week, so stop by and check it out, especially
during Happy Hour with $1 offall liquor
drinks from noon until 8 p.m. 7 days a week.
As Blake puts it, "xg&’re just looking to have a
good time with a bar that everybody’s gonna
love coming to." Sounds like a great beginning.
SUPPORTERS OF
IT¥ LIGHT UP
DOWNTOWN OKC
By Victor Gorin
Photo: Organizer Trey Hill with activistJames
Nimmo by Hctor Gorin
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ Around 30
determined souls braved the icy chill December
20 in OKC’s Bricktown near the entrance
of the Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark,
holding a candlelight vigil supporting marriage
equality for all Americans, including the GLBT
community. Surprising, there were no negative
epithets, fisticuffs or even threats thereofmade
by Bricktown partygoers, only some interested
glances. The event did get media coverage by
KOKH Channel 25, and participants got a free
"Oklahoman for Marriage Equality T-Shirt;’
made possible thru the generosity ofJames
Nimmo, his partner Don Chabot and Brittany
Novotny.
The event came together through the organization
ofTrey Dill & Chuck Longacre, activists
also largely responsible for a previous rally at
the Oklahoma City Hall November 15 xvhich
brought out over 200 people protesting the
passage of Proposition 8, Which took away the
right ofsame sex marriage in California.
As Ms. Novotny praised the marchers, "As we
keep getting people out for events like this,
people won’t feel they have to be scared to be
who they are, and straight people won’t be as
scared to support us. We’ll keep doing this until
all ofOklahoma says Yes, You all are part ofus
and we’re all equal:
January 2009
N
Wockner News Service
Reports: No quick action
against DADT
President-elect Barack Obama rnay not move
quickly to repeal the military’s "don’t ask, don’t
tell" ban on open gays, according to published
reports.
A Nov. 24 report in The AtlantaJournal-Constitution
said: "Very quietly, the Obama team
has let it be known that the new administration
will not immediately reassess the U.S. military’s
policy of’don’t ask, don’t tell: ... Raising the
topic ofgays in the military was considered by
many to be the second oftwo out-of-the-box
decisions that ended badly for a newly elected
President Bill Clinton (in 1993)’.’
The National Journal and The Washington
Tunes said Obama might wait until 2010 to
’tackle the ban.
However, the gay newspaper ~Tashington
Blade reported Nov. 25 that an unnamed
Obama spokesperson said the mainstream-media
reports were premature.
"An Obama transition team spokesperson, who
spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the
decision on how to approach repealing ’Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell’ ... would be ma& after more
experts have joined the Obama administration;’
the paper said.
"Tnese decisions will not be made before the
full national security team is in place;’ the
Blade quoted the spokesperson as saying.
AJuly poll by The \Vashington Post and ABC
News found that 75 percent ofAmericans said
"yes" when ~isked, "Do you think that homosexuals
who do publicly disclose their sexual
orientation should be allowed to serve in the
military or not ?"
The poll found that even Republicans (64
percent) and white evangelical Christians (57
percent) supported scrapping the ban.
The random survey of 1,119 Aanerican adults
had a margin oferror ofplus or minus 3 percentage
points.
Florida’s ban on gay
adoption struck down
A Florida circuit court in Miami struck down a
state law that barred lesbians and gay men from
adopting Nov. 25.
The court granted adoptions to a gay man,
represented by the American Civil Liberties
Union, who has been raising two foster children
since 2004.
"Our family just got a lot more to be thankful
for this Naanksgiving;’ said Martin Gill,
a North Miami resident who is raising two
brothers, ages 4 and 8, with his partner.
are extremely relieved that the court has recognized
that it is wrong to deny our boys the legal
protections and security that only" come with
adoption."
The court ruled that tile ban violated the equalprotection
guarantees of the state constitution
because it irrationally singled out gay people
and their children for different treatment.
The court also found that the ban denied
children the right to permanency provided by
federal and state law under the Adoption and
Safe Families Act of 1997.
"Reports and studies find that there are no
differences in the parenting ofhomosexuals
or the adjustment oftheir children;’ the court
said. "TheSe conclusions have been accepted,
adopted and ratified by the American psychological
Association, the American Psychiatry
Association, the American PediatriCAssociation,
the American Academy ofPediatrics,
the Child Welfare League ofAmerica and the
National Association ofSocial Workers. Based
on the robust nature ofthe evidence available
in the field, this Court is satisfied that the
issue is so far beyond dispute that it would be
irrational to hold otherwise; the best~interests
ofchildren are not preserved by prohibiting
homosexual adoption."
The Florida law barring gays and lesbians from
adopting was the most expansive anti-gay parenting
law in the country. It was passed in 1977
in response to an anti-gay crusade led by Miss
Oklalloma 1958, and orange-juice spokeswoman
Anita Bryant.
Admirals, Generals urge
DADT repeal
A former Army secretary and 103 retired admirals
and generals issued a call Nov. 17 for repeal
ofthe military’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" ban on
open gays.
Among the document’s signers were a former
Naval Academy superintendent, retired
four-star Adm. Chades Larson, and former
PresidentJimmy Carter’s Army secretary, Clifford
Mexander.
It is believed that there are about 65,000 gay
people serving in the military, not counting the
627 who were kicked out last year for failing to
stay sufficiently closeted.
Gay band, anti-gay
preacher to participate in
inauguration
Wanda Sykes comes out,
blasts Prop 8
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association, which
is composed of 34 marching and concert
bands fi’om the U.S., Canada and Australia,
will march in President-elect Barack Obama’s
inaugural parade Jan. 20.
Although LGBA concert bands performed at
inaugural celebratious t’or Bill Clinton in 1993
and 1997, this will be the first time a gay band
has marched in a presidential inaugural parade.
~ihe gay contingent will include t77 musicians
in the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue a~er
Obama is sworn in on the steps ofthe U.S.
Capitol.
In making their selections, the Presidential
Inaugural Committee and military musicians
assessed the applications of 1,400 marching
bands, drill teams and musical groups.
Nae committee’s Web site lists more than 40
such participating contingents, including several
high-school and university bands.
Meanwhile, Obama came under fire from gay
activists on Dec. 17 for selecting influential
evangelical preacher Rick xWarren to deliver the
invocation at the inauguration.
Human Rights Caxnpaign President Joe Solmonese
calAed the move ’h genuine bl0w to LGBT
Americans."
"We feel a deep level ofdisrespect when one
ofthe architects and promoters of an anti-gay
agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit
ofyour historic nomination; Solmonese said.
"Vge urge you to reconsider this announcement."
The National Gay arid Lesbian Task Force said,
"We urge President-elect Obama to withdraw
his invitation to Rick Warren and instead select
a faith leader who embraces fairness, equality
and the ideals the president-elect himselfhas
called the nation to uphold:
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
President Nell Giuliano said, "It is ... deeply
troubling that the President-elect has selected
.....Continued See Inauguration Page-11 ’
Comedian xYC:anda Sykes came out publicly
Nov. 15 at a Las Vegas rally against California’s
Proposition 8.
"When California passed Prop 8 ... I felt like
I was being attacked, personally attacked,
our community was attacked," Sykes said. "I
got married Oct. 25. You know, I don’t really
talk about nay sexual orientation, I didn’t feel
like I had to, I was just living my life and, not
necessarily in tile closet, but I was just living
my life. Everybody that knows me personally,
they know I’m gay. And that’s the way people
should be able to live their lives, xgre shouldn’t
have to be standing out here demanding
something that we automatically should have
as citizens ofthis country. And I got pissed off.
They pissed me off. I said, You know what, now
I gotta get in your face. And that’s what we all
have to do now."
Sykes said, as others have, that the passage of
Prop 8 did have an upside.
"They pissed offthe ~vrong group ofpeople,"
she said. "They have galvanized a community:
XWe are so together now and we all want the
same tiling and we are not going to settle for
less."
Direct Cremation From $595
T ON
MORTUARY SERVICE,~e
Tradition!! Funeral Services at Affordable Prices
(405) 230- 1310 or !-800-913-1310
Pre-Need Plaa
CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
The Las Vegas rally was part of a national day
ofprotest against Prop 8 that saw demonstrations
in 300 U.S. cities
and towns, including
such unlikely places
as Allentown, Fargo,
Fayetteville, La Crosse,
Macon, Shreveport and
Missoula.
In California, there
were protests Nov. 15
in 58 separate towns
and cities.
www.metrostarnews.corn N~÷troSTAR 7
Same-sex marriage bill
to be introduced in New
Hampshire
New Hampshire State Rep. Jim Splaine plans
to introduce a bill next year to legalize same-sex
marriage.
New Hampshire already has a comprehensive
same-sex civil-union law, and nearby Connecticut
and Massachusetts allow gay couples
to marry~
Splaine told the Concord Monitor newspaper
that the civil-union law bestows only about
90 percent of the state-level benefits and
obligations of marriage, xvhich leaves same-sex
couples without full equality under the law.
Some 600 same-sex couples have entered into a
civil union in New Hampshire.
EltonJohn does not support
same-sex marriage
Elton John says gays are wrong to want to get
married and should settle for civil unions.
"We’re (David Furnish and I) not married.
Let’s get that right;’ John told USA Today on
Nov. 12. "We have a civil partnership. What
is wrong with Proposition 8 is that mey went
for marriage. Marriage is going to put a lot of
people off, the,vord marriage.
"I don’t want to be married;’ John said.
very happy with a civil partnership. If gay
people want to get mar}led, Or get together,
they should have a civil partnership.... You ~et
the same e~ual rights.... Heterosexual peopm
get married:
John’s assertion about ~equal rights" is essentially
true in the United Kingdom, where John
and Furnish entered their civil partnership. ~Ihe
UK civil-partnership law is national in scope.
In the U.S., on the other hand, civil-union and
domestic-parmership laws are state laws that
grant equal rights only on the state level, leaving
civilly united gay couples without access
to-more than 1,000 federal rights, benefits and
obligations ofmarriage.
But, at the same time, the U.S. government also
does not recognize the same-sex marriages that
have taken place in California, Connecticut,
Massachusetts or abroad. However, it would
require less ofan overhaul of federal policy to
start recognizing married same-sex couples
than it would to create some kind ofnational
recognition of states’ hodgepodge ofcivilunion
and domestic-partnership laws, some of
which grant all state-level rights of marriage
and others ofwhich do not.
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said
repeatedly that he supports extending federal
recognition to same-sex unions, though he
does not favor opening marriage itseltto samesex
couples, citing religious objections. Obama
nonetheless opposed California’s Proposition
8, in which voters amended the state constitution
on Nov. 4 to re-ban same-sex marriage.
ha a nutshell, Obama does not think gay
couples should have access to marriage but also
does not think any laws should be passed to
prevent gay couples from accessing marriage.
* U.S. adults are evenly divided on xvhether gay
couples should have access to marriage -- 47
percent say yes and 49 percent say no.
* Sixty-four percent think gays in the military
should not have to stay closeted, as required by
the =don’t ask, don’t tell" policy.
* Sixty-three percent support expanding
hate-crime la~vs to cover gay and transgender
people. At present, 31 states and the District
of Columbia have such laws that cover sexual
orientation and 12 of those laws also encompass
gender identity.
* Fifty-one percent favor protecting gay and
transgender people under existing laws that ban
discrimination in employment, housing and
public accommodations. Twenty states and the
District of Columbia have such laws that cover
sexual orientation and 13 of those laws also
encompass gender identity.
* Sixty-nine percent oppose bans on gay adoption.
=We observed a positive relationship between
knowing a gay or transgender person and one’s
attitudes toward them and the policy issues
that affect their lives," said Laura Light, Harris
Interactive’s vice president ofpublic-relations
research.
"Based on other surveys we have conducted
on attitudes toward LGBT people and issues,
the results ofthis survey suggest that public
sentiment in the U.S. is trending toward greater
acceptanF~ ofgay- and transgender-related
policy issues:’
The survey found that people under 65, and especially
those 18-34, are more gay-friendly than
people over 65. Women are generally more
supportive than men. Latinos are more supportive
than whites and blacks when it comes
to gays in the military. Blacks are more supportive
than whites and Latinos on hate-crime
laws. And Catholics and "mainline" Christians
(Protestant, Mormon or %ther Christian") are
more supportive than "born-again" Protestants,
Mormons or other Christians.
Nineteen percent ofthose questioned said
their feelings toward gay people have become
more favorable over the past five years. They
attributed the change to such things as knmving
someone who is gay, seeing gay people
on TV and in movies, passage ofgay-friendly
laws, news coverage ofgay issues, and learning
of the gay-friendly positions offriends, family
members and religious leaders.
"Knowing someone who is gay or lesbian" ,vas
the most significant factor, cited by 79 percent
ofthose whose feelings had evolved.
Seventy-three percent ofthose qu{stioned
know or work with a gay or transgender person
and halfof that 73 percent know or work with
five or more gay or traaasgender people, the
survey found.
Full poll results: tinyurl.com/6nojlq.
Iowa Supreme Court
hears marriage case
The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments
Dec. 9 in Lan~bda Legal’s case on behalfof
same-sex couples who want to marry.
"XTge put our best case forward, and hope that
the court breathes life into the Iowa Constitution’s
promise of equality," said Senior Staff
Attorney Camilla Taylor.
The couples’ case was argued by former Iowa
Solicitor General Dennis Johnson of Dorsey &
Whimey.
"The government has no business standing in
the way ofa loving same-sex couple who wants
to take responsibility for each other and their
fancily," Johnson said.
Lambda filed suit in Polk County District
Court in 2005 on behalfofsix same-sex
couples who were denied marriage licenses,
arguing that the denials violated the liberty
and equality guarantees in the Iowa Constitution.
In 2007, the court agreed that banning
same-sex couples from marrying was unc0nstitutional,
and the county recorder and registrar
appealed to the state Supreme Court.
One gay couple -- Sean and Tim McQ,u)llan
ofAmes -- got married before Judge Robert
Hanson quickly suspended his ruling when it
was appealed.
8 ~÷~roSTAR January 2009
DVD" ’re Angels"
with the release oftheir album.
Jason and &Marco have recently
taken a&antage of C~l~ornlas
United
Metropolitan Community Church
Sunday Services @ 11:00 AM
1623 N. l~laplewood Tulsa, OK
918-838-1715
w.mcctuisa.org
Troy Don Wheat34ar 19, 1966 - Dec 6, 2008
TULSA, OK (OkEq) __ Troy Wheat, son
of Betty and Paul Wheat was born on March
19, 1966 in Alva, Oklahoma. He died on the
6th of December, at his home in Tulsa, at the
age of42 years, 8 months and 18 days.
Troy is survived by his parents Paul and Betty;
a sister and her husband, Paula and Bill Miller
ofWoodward; his significant other, Christopher
Roberts ofTulsa; two nieces and their
spouses, Shannon and Craig Chestnut and
thei} children Jace and Jayden ofMustang, Karrie
and Kendel Kay and their children Sloan,
Reece, Braton and Kinley ofAshland, Kansas;
a number ofother relatives and many friends.
He graduated from Alva High School in 1984.
After moving to Tulsa, Troy attended and
graduated cosmetology school in Jenks. He
became a successful stylist in Tulsa. He was
very involved in the Miss Cinderella, Miss
Oklahoma and Miss America Pageants. One
of the highlights ofhis life was when his client
won Miss America in 2006.
A family and friends visitation reception
was held Thursday December 1 lth at Ninde
Brookside Chapel, 3841 S. Peoria, Tul’sa, Oklahoma
74105.
Obituary ofMary Lorene Marlett,
mother ofDemo Candidate Ron
Marlett
Ron Marlett was the Democratic candidate
runmng against Mrs. Kern in HD 84.
The following is from Ron:
My mother. Mary Lorene Marlett, passed from
this world December 17.
She has suffered from Alzeheimers Disease the
past two years,
From my earliest years. I can remember her
involvement in the Canadian County Democratic
Party. She described herself as a Yellow
Dog Democrat, someone who would vote for a
yellow dog before voting for a Republican.
However. she loved her Republican friends.
In a community where racial epithets were
socially acceptable, she taught that those words
wouldn’t be tolerated in our household. When
I hear politicians talk of"family values", I
wonder if they were taught that racism wasn’t a
family value. I attended precinct meetings with
her and accompanied her to a state convention.
She raised my brother and me with values of
equality, fairness and the value ofhard work.
When I was younger she saw that I got to Little
League baseball games when my dad was tied
up responding to an electric outage in the rural
electric cooperative, xXihen I left home, she
became involved in my brother’s scouting as
was extremely proud ofhis attaining his Eagle
Scout Award.
When my father became disabled, she ;,cent
to work at XXrestern Hectric, later AT&T. She
continued there until being offered an early
retirement. She continued to live in Union
City after my father’s death in 1987. She began
having health problems that probably signalled
the onset ofAlzheirmers, but I was too close to
the situation to recognize it. About two years
ago a doctor diagnosed it and told me she had
two years left.
She celebrated her 75th birthday and received
letters from Oklahoma politicians praising
her for her ~vork for the party. Her long time
Democratic friend, Oberta Bergdall attended
that party.
She was particularly proud of having attended
President Carter’s inaugural ball. Toward the
end ofher life, no one in the Democratic Party
could really remember her. When I attended
the C:anadian County Democratic Bean Supper,
I felt I represented her.
She died surrounded by people who loved her
and was very peaceful mad free ofpain. I am
struck by the reliefI feel that she no longer
suffers and the realization that I will not see her
again.
She was a blessing to those she cared for and to
the Democratic Party she loved.
Ron Marlett
www.metrostarnews.com ~Oet~oSTAR 9
Close, but no cigar.
ByJan~es Nimmo
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ q-he recent release of the biopic
"Milk" about the life and death ofSan Francisco Supervisor
Harvey Milk revivified interest in Milk’s most famous phrases
such as "Come out, come out, wherever you are;’ and "Don’t
blend in:’
Another openly gay activist to have his speeches and writings
dusted offis Bayard Rustin, an openly gay African-American
who was a colleague ofDr. M.L. King and who was given behind-
the-scenes credit for organizing the March on Washington
in August, 1963 where Dr... King made his iconic and forward
lookAng"I Have a Dream" speech. Mr. Rustin was forced to take
a back-seat due to fears that his orientation and arrest record
would undoubtedly be used against the civil tights movement.
From the book Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings
of Bayard Rustin by Bayard Rustin (Cleis Press, Carbado and
Weise, editors) we get the succinct gay agenda, if there ever was
one, that I think most ofus gay/lesbian activists can agree on
"the job ofthe gay comnaunity is not to deal with extremists
who would castrate us or put us on an island and drop an Hbomb
on us."
The fact ofthe matter is that there is a small percentage of
people in America who understand the true nature of the
homosexual cornmunity. There is another small percentage who
will never understand us. Our job is not to get those people who
dislike us to love us. Nor was our aim in the civil rights movement
to get prejudiced white people to love us. Our aim was
to try to create the Idnd ofAmerica, legislatively, morally, and
psychologically, such that even though some whites continued
to hate us, they could not openly manifest that hate. That’s our
job today: to control the extent to which people can publicly
manifest anti-gay sentiment." (http://tiwurl.com/5w77yr)
What we should continue to be doing is proving our gay/lesbian
equality ofcitizenship to the broad range of the valuable demographic
~mown as the undecided, who politicians always court.
For our purposes it’s those people who all have gay and lesbian
family members or friends, xvho wouldn’t think ofhurting them
but somehow aren’t connecting the dots that ifsome of us gays
and lesbians are getting hurt, all ofus get hurt.
Dr. King said it in a more engraved style: "It may be true that
the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from
lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important."
Laws don’t prevent crime or change the minds of the incorrigible,
but laws do provide a way to legally make it uncomfortable
for prejudice and violence to be acted out against minorities.
~is is one reason our enemies are very anxious that hate crimes
bills that include language for the protection ofsexual orientation
and gender presentation are not passed either at the Federal
or state level. Our opponents claim such laws would limit
speech and hamper the free exercise of religion. But as Rep Barhey
Dank (Mass.) said earlier in December, 2008 at a Victory
Fund luncheon, these laws are directed at actions ofviolence not
at xvords; expression is not the target ofhate crimes laws, but
physica! behavior is. (http://tinyurl.com/5963au)
Yes, we truly live in the age ofOrwell xvhere words can be
wolves in sheep’s clothing. We read ofMormon and Catholic
spokespeople offended by the peaceful protests ofgay/lesbian
supporters in reaction to losing the November Prop. 8 vote in
California.
It seems these t~vo denominations that gave much of the money
fueling the thei~ ofa civil right in California were surprised
by the bacHash to the imposition of their religious dogma on
the non-member citizens of California
( http:/itinyurl.com/6qp2xz ), (http://tinyurl.com/6215gd).
To me, it looks as ifthe First Amendment establishment clause
is being ignored because there are some denominations that ~vill
perform same-gender marriages yet their religious freedom is being
abridged by the passage ofProp 8.
And just why does prejudice and discrimination seem to originate
with bible-trumpeting homo-haters ?
Could it be because they already live in a ddusional world of
superstition and make-believe, offairy stories about sky-based
good things, and dark-and-dirty ground-based bad things ?
Could it be because they still live in the world ofBronze Age
nomads ~vho had no science and no concept ofa world beyond
the horizon they could walk toward in a day?
The current (I hesitate to call them "modern day") generation
offtmdies lives in a world of technology and communication
that would seem like godly magic to their Abrahamic ancestors.
They use this science to disperse their simplistic balderdash
that’s rooted in desert-wandering myths and witch-doctoring
and think nothing ofthe plain evidence and contradictions that
shows them to be deeply deluded and ignorant. "Ihe last hundred
years have passed them by and disproved the ancient runes
and cabals they so desperately need to explain their conflicting
childhood dreams ofomnipotent, omniscient super heroes
rescuing them from death and oblivion.
Personally I don’t care what they do as consenting adults in the
privacy of their religious establishments or even on the public
street corner. However, no group has the legal prover to impose
religious dogma in the law books ofany state or Federa! code.
There continues to be a principle ofseparation ofchurch and
state, equality and liberty for all, that is paramount to the continuation
of this country as it was founded. African-Americans,
Native Americans, and women have gained their civil equality
in spite of the restrictions originally written in the Constitution
and later remedied by Amendments.
So far, 30 states have amendments or laws forbidding same-gender
marriage in addition to the alleged "Defense ofMarriage
Act" (DOMA). Two states have understood the rights ofgays
and lesbians to have civil marriage, Massachusetts and Connecticut,
with a handful ofstates having various marriage-like rights
available but not the real thing. Close, but no cigar!
Just as Plessy ~: Ferguson was overturned by Brown v. Board
ofEducation ending educational segregation; just as Bowers
v. Hardwick was overturned by Lawrence and Garner v. Texas
removing sodomy laws from enforcement, just as Colorado’s
Amendment 2 was overturned with Romer v. Evans, we can
look forward to our day in a courtroom as well as the court of
public opinion.
Although Frederick Douglass was disappointed by the 1857
Dredd Scott decision that refused full citizenship to free blacks
as well as slaves, he found a reason to look forward, saying, "My
hopes were never brighter than now." Slavery was brought to
forefront ofthe country and the unsavory ownership ofpeople
could no longer be ignored.
Though we gay citizens are not owued physically, our social and
economic prospects are curtailed. Thanks to our enemies, our
own equality prospects been brought to the forefront and our
equality will be won.
Straights and Homophobes: lae
Words hat Bind Us.
By Gerald Libonati
Language shapes our self-image and some of the words we use
are misleading, inadequate or just plain wrong.
Take the word straig!at, for instance. "We use it to describe
heteros; men and women who are not gay or lesbian. And every
time we use the term we indirectly insult ourselves. What does
the word mean in our society?
Straight means proper, upstanding, law-abiding and decent. Are
~oruugbs,eiynogu’srterasitgrahitgwhti.thIfmyoeu, ’rreefegrosotdo,hyoonuetsrta)v:eWl thheenstyroaiug’rhet-oafnfdnarrow.
’Damn straight’ means emphatically right, unequiv0-
cally correct.
So ifheteros are straight what does that make us - crooked,
dishonest, drugged and apparently indecent ?
We need to think ofourselves in a way that reflects the goodness
and quality that exists within our ranks, g[e are terrific people
and we may as well acknowledge that in our language.
Another word that completely escaped our gaydar is the term
homophobia. We use it to define prejudice against gay and lesbian
people. But it just doesn’t seem to be up to the job. It’s weak
and ambiguous. When we talk about someone who dislikes others
based on their skin color we call them racist. Much stronger
word. Phobic people, in general, tend to be fearful but polite.
People who openly disapprove ofgay/lesbian folks are neither.
Are we too nice when ~ve describe our critics in such an affable
way? Homophobic! Doesn’t sound so bad. Surely, the terms
they have for us are more forthright.
Who thought of calling hatred a phobia, anyway? Ac,t,t}ally, it
was psychologist George Weinberg in his 1972book Society
and the Healthy Honaosexual:’ He was tapping into the theory
that violence toward gay people came about because of a fear of
homosexuality, especially by those repressing their own same-sex
urges.
But what about all the other gay bashers who aren’t reacting to
their inner homo ?
The rest ofthe world has already learned that words define us
to others and molds our selfqmage. That’swhy secretaries are
executive assistants and garbage men are sanitation engineers.
GeraM Libonati is the author afthe neu, novel Pete*" [’Vo~7 the storr af:a
fiam°uv.~Ta ro& star who ~oes incognito mfind love. He ~s an award-winningjournalist
in &uth £1orig, workingfir the Sun-SentineL He has also
wri~enJbr ~e .~iiami He,ald, ~e dd~ocam andfi’egznce~jbrgaT/tesbian
newspapers around t,~e munW.
10 ~,~÷t~oSTAR January 2009
ROBERT MATSON’S LATEST
EPIC "A GATHERING" AND
HIS NEW NTURES UPCOMING
By Victor Gorin
Photo: RobertMatson by Victor Go,qn
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ Lyric’s Plaza Theater hosted
a unique play with A Gathering, but Robert is a playwright
where one can count on non-convention. After all he brought
us Tails of the Closet and Drama Q~eens, and even a masculine
answer to the Vagina Monologues entitled Beneath the Zipper,
which celebrated the penis. But who ~v0~ld have expdcted agay
thriller on stage, with seat edging suspense that would have awed
Agatha Christie herself? But there it was, entitled A Gathering,
where 9 gay men are trapped on an isolated island, cut offffom
the outside world, and there is a killer or killers among them.
With a scenario almost identical to Agatha Christie’s novel,
"And then there were None," it starts offfun and campy with
the wisecracking antics ofToW "Toneisha" Hayes ( portrayed by
Chris Castleberry) who was supposed to be drag entertainment
but instead was the first to go. Then there was the hard drinking
Dr. James Armstrong ( portrayed by Timothy Stewart), a self
proclaimed bisexual who was enamored with Toneisha ~vhile
she lasted. The play ends in surprise as character Neil Lawrence
( portrayed by Jerome Stevenson) turns out to be the killer, and
concludes with his suicide and that of the last left one left alive,
the handsome resort employee Courmey Claythorne( portrayed
by Scott Hynes), who xvas left xvith the bitter choice ofself destruction
or being accused of murdering all the others when the
authorities eventually arrived.
What inspired this wild tale ? W’ell, besides Agatha Christie, Mr.
Matson added that "I love murder mysteries. I wanted to give
Agatha’s story a different twist. This xvould be a great piece to
work with, and how to make it xvork with 9 gay men. I worked
on it for about 2 years."
Although he has done past work with maW theater companies
includingJewel Box, CityRep, Guthrie’s Pollard Theater &
Carpenter Square, he is currently the Academy Administrator
for Lyric Academy, which involves registration for acting classes
taught there and he teaches adult acting classes as well. As for
the fnture, he is working on" a couple things, including a loud
gay comedy with Oklahoma ties to it." But that’s all he’ll say
right now, so we can all be breathless with anticipation.
someone whose defamatory and damaging anti-gay statements
and vie~vs ... clearly divide rather than unite Americans."
Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., called Obama’s move very
disappointing.
~Religious leaders obviously have every right to speak out in opposition
to anti-discrimination measures, even in the degrading
terms that Rev. Warren has used with regard to same-sex marriage;’
Frank said. "But that does not confer upon them the right
to a place ofhonor in the inauguration ceremony of a president
whose stated commitment to LGBT rights won him the strong
support ofthe great majority ofthose who support that cause:’
GeoffKors, executive director of Equality California, said he is
so annoyed by Warren’s participation that he will boycott the
inauguration.
"I have decided to decline the invitation to attend the inauguration
as I cannot be part ofa celebration that highlights and
gives voice to someone who advocated repealing rights from me
and millions ofother Californians;’ Kors said. "Rick Warren ...
actively works to dMde Americans based on who we are and has
been an ardent supporter of efforts to ostracize LGBT Americans:’
Speaking in support of California’s Proposition 8 before the
November election, Warren said, "We should not let 2 percent
of the population change a definition ofmarriage that has been
supported by every single culture and every single religion for
5,000 years.
In reality, many cultures over the past 5,000 years have embraced
polygamy.
More recently, Warren told
Beliefnet.com that same-sex
marriage is equivalent to
"having a broth& anff Sist& b~
together
... an 01der ~ "
and calling that a marriage...
one gw having multiple wives
and calling that marriage."
(Warren: ’Tin opposed to the
redefinition ofa 5,000-year definition
ofmarriage. I’m opposed
to having a brother and sister be
together and call that marriage.
I’m opposed to an older gny
marrying a child and calling that
a marriage. I’m opposed to one
guy having multiple wives and
calling that marriage:’ Interviewer:
"You think those are
equivalent to gays getting married?"
Warren: "Oh, I do:’)
Brooklyn man
dies after probable
ha e attack
A Brooklyn man who was attacked
with a baseball bat Dec.
7 as he walked arm in arm with
his brother died on Dec. 12.
Josd Sucuzhafia); a 31-year-old
Ecuadorean immigrant, and his
brother were walking together
in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood
after a night out when
three black men shouting
nationa
anti-gay and anti-Latino slurs jumped from an SUV and broke
a beer bottle over Sucuzhafiay’s head, beat him with a bat and
kicked him.
The brother, Romel, escaped down the street, then returned
to the scene and scared offthe attackers by telling them he’d
phoned police on his cell phone.
Police are investigating the killing as a hate crime and are offering
a $27,000 award for information leading to apprehension of
the assailants.
On Dec. 13, hundreds ofprotesters marched from a Bushwick
park to the site of the attack.
Hundreds ofprotesters marched in Brooklyn Dec. 13 after an
Ecuadorean man who was walkinga~n in arm with h# brother
was attacked with a baseball bat and later died. 2he assailants
shouted ann’-gay slurs. Photo byJoeJervis.
www.metrostarnews.com [~Ie~°oSTAR 11
@ Bamboo Lounge, Tulsa
@ Steve’s Hideaway, Tulsa
@Club 209, Tulsa
@ ~e Second Chance Animal Sanctuary
@ Finishline, Oklahoma City
@ The Copa, Oklahoma City
@ The End Up, Tulsa
@Angles, Oklahoma City
@Club Majestic, Tulsa
@ The Ledo, Oklahoma City
CLUB 209 HOSTS PHOTOGPHERVINCENT
SCOTT
Ok ahomans for Equality art gallery
opens Josh New photo e libit
By Judy Gabbard
Arches by Photographer Hncent Scott
Photography Art byJosh New
TULSA, OK (PR) __ The Dennis R. Neill Equality Center art
gallery starts a new year ofit’s monthly First Thursday meetthe-
artist receptions featuring photographs from native Tulsa
resident Josh New. The reception will be held Thursday, January
1st, 2009, from 6-9pm.
Josh New, a teacher ofJapanese at Booker T Washington High
School, is currently a graduate student at the University of
Tulsa in photography.
TULSA, OK__ Dennis Olson, owner ofDoArt Worlds,
sponsored the opening of "Pioneering Seas6n" featuring the
photography ofVincent Scott at Club 209, Tulsds Arts Bar in
the historical Brady District. Club 209 features various artists
throughout the year. The Club is also a great place to enjoy local
entertainment on weekends, such as Vallerie Star Light Rock +
Acoustic, Rebecca Ungerma~i with the Frank Brown Trio and
the Three Penny Upright, A Little Bluegrass. Visit Club 209
on the web at www.club209tulsa.com for monthly updates on
art exhibits and entdrtainment.
Vincent Scott is a world traveled photographer whose eye for
the beauty in our world, has thrilled many onlookers coast to
coast. Dennis Olson, an artist in his own right, chose to sponsor
these photographs because ofMr. Scott’s photographic eye and
production techniques. To contact Dennis Olson emaih do@
doart~vorld.org. The opening night was an exciting experience of
fine art, flowing wine and the admiration’ ofhundreds ofguest.
After graduating from Oklahoma State, Mr. New worked in
Japan for three years, where he developed a love oftravel and
the exotic. Since then he has traveled to many countries and
discovered a talent in photography. That love and talent has
brought Inm to TU to ~rther hone his s-kill aa~d allow hu~ the
freedom to experiment aa~d take his photographs further than
just glorified vacation photos.
"My photographs have been, more than anything, my attempt
to control and catalog the world around me’; states New. "I’m
moving in a direction where I am starting to manipulate my
images to illuminate my thoughts and ideas, but they primarily
remain shots ofthe patterns and vibrant colors I see around
me. This exhibit is a sampling ofboth photos I have taken on
my journeys and the first steps in my attempt to, essentially,
photograph my thoughts, which also seem to be constructed in
colors and patterns"
The exhibit will remain up through the month ofJanuary, and
can be viewed Monday thru Saturday from 3-9pro. The Dennis
R. Neill Equality Center is located at 621 E. 4th St., in downtown
Tulsa. More info can be found on the web at okeq.org.
Community Fellowship
"A place where you can be who God created
you to be andfriendghips becomefamily"
ors ip Experience
Sund s 5:30 p.m.
Pastor Neill @urgin
Pasto ressionsOKC, corn
(~05) 761-1878
"~w.ExpressionsOKC.com
Meeting at
Lansbrook ~¢ent Center
6009 NWE~pressway
Oklahoma Cio~, OK
Calif. Attorney
General Brown:
Prop 8 is invalid
by Rex g¢ockne~
In a stunninglegal move,
California Attorney General
Jerry Brown formally urged the
California Supreme Court to
invalidate Proposition 8 on Dec.
19 because, in re-banning sanaesex
couples from marrying, the
voter-approved constitutional
amendment deprived people
of an aspect ofliberty that the
Supreme Court previously had
concluded is guaranteed by the
California Constitution.
Ordinarily, it is the attorney geqeral’s job to defend the state’s
laws, not attack them.
"Proposition 8 must be invalidated because the amendment
process cannot be used to extinguish fundamental constitutional
rights without compelling justification;’ Brown said in a
statement.
"There are certain rights that are not to be subject to popular
votes, otherwise they are not fundaanental rights;’ he added in
an interview xvith the San Jose Mercury News. "Ifevery fundamental
liberty can be stripped away by a majority vote, then it’s
not a fundamental liberty:’
Rejecting recent arguments submitted to the state Supreme
Court by gay-rights lawyers, Brown concluded that existing
case-law precedents ofthe court do not invalidate Proposition
8 either as an improper revision of the state constitution or as
a violation ofthe separation-of-provers doctrine. But that does
not resolve the matter; he said.
In its May 15 decision legalizing same-sex marriage, the state
Supreme Court "held that article I, section 1 ofthe California
Constitution provides a right to marry that cannot be denied
to same-sex couples;’ Brown’s office said. "In order to invalidate
such a fundamental right, the court must determine that there
is a compelling justification to do so. But in (its decision), the
court found that no such compelling justification exists. Accordingly,
Proposition 8 must be stricken."
"~ae use ofthe (ballot) initiative power to take avcay a legal
right deemed by this Court to be fundamental and from a group
defined by a suspect classification is a matter ofgrave concern;’
Brown said in his brief to the court. "Proposition 8 should be
invalidated as violating the inalienable right ofliberty found in
article I, section 1 ofour Constitution."
In its May decision, the state Supreme Court struck dmwa the
state’s opposite-sex definition ofmarriage as unconstitutional,
citing a fundamental right to marry under the state constitution
and the constitution’s guarantee ofequal protection under the
lav,r,
The court further determined -- in a move that legal analysts
said was unprecedented for a supreme court -- that any discrimination
based on sexual orientation is constitutionally subject to
the strictest level ofscrutiny by courts, which made it dramatically
harder for any level ofgovernment in California to defend
itself in any arena where gays, lesbians and bisexuals are not
treated the same as heterosexuals.
This was accomplished by the court’s declaring sexual orientation
to be, like race and religion, a so-called "suspect classification"
-- a categorization that forces any government in California
that treats GLB people differently in any way to prove it has
a specific compelling interest, rather than a mere rational basis,
for doing so.
While Prop 8 wiped out the part of the court’s decision that
legalized same-sex marriage, it did not alter the more ground-
,b,reaking part of the ruling that found sexual orientatiT~n to be a
suspect classification.
Gay rights lawyers said back in May that the suspect-classification
determination would prove to be even more ofa
game-changer for California gays in the long run than xvas the
decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
IfBrown’s argument passes muster with the state Supreme
Court, that prediction will have been borne out.
Equality California Executive Director GeoffKors praised
Brown’s court brief and its novel argument.
"He just demonstrated the ldnd ofleadership that isn’t motivated
bypolitical expediency but by what is right," said the head
of the state’s leading gay lobby group.
HIV diagnoses among
European gay men nearly
double since 2000
HIV diagnoses among men who have sex
with men (MSM) increased 86 percent in 23
European countries between 2000 and 2006
-- from 3,003 cases to 5,571 cases -- according
tO a report in the journal Sexually Transmitted
Infections.
Researchers from the EuroHIV program
analyzed data from 24 of the 27 member nations
of the European Union along with data
from Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, and
compared those figures with similar year-2000
data gathered from 23 nations.
There were 7,693 ne,v HIV cases reported
overall among MSM in 2006, ofwhich 2,597
occurred in the United Kingdom. Other
nations with high diagnosis rates included
the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal and
Switzerland.
Much lower rates ofMSM diagnoses were
found in Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia,
even though Hungary saw a 118 percent
increase over 2000 and Slovenia saw a 257
percent increase.
Four nations saw a decline in new HIV diagnoses
among MSM over the six-year period:
Cyprus, Iceland, Lithuania and Luxembourg
(though Luxembourg’s rate is still high).
The researchers said stepped-up HIV testing
may have affected the statistics to some degree,
meaning an increase in diagnoses may not
correlate precisely ~vith an increase in actual
infections.
They also suggested that infections may be
increasing as HIV-positive men who have sex
with men live longer and remain sexually active
and presumably able to pass on the virus.
Other findings included:
* In 20 countries, the percentage ofMSM who
had full-blown AIDS at the time oftheir HIV
diagnosis decreased from 25 percent in 2000 to
t0 percent in 2006.
* In 30 countries, full-blown AIDS diagnoses
decreased from 2,422 in 2000 to 1,445 in
2006.
* In those same countries, HIV-related deaths
decreased 57 percent over the period, from 876
in 2000 to 373 in 2006.
"’qge have reported a recent increase in the
number ofHIV diagnoses among MSM in
nearly all (European) countries, and in some
countries this probably" represents a true increase
in incidence;’ the researchers said. "This,
combined with the high prevalence ofHIV
reported in many gay community settings,
the high prevalence ofHIV among MSM
diagnosed with STI (sexually transmitted
infection) and the high sexual mobility of this
population, highlight the need for a Europewide
HIV prevention strategy:’
Wockner News Service
Sweden to strike six sexual
diagnoses from list
Sweden’s National Board ofHealth and Welfare
will strike six sexual diagnoses from the
nation’s official list ofmedical diagnoses onJan.
1, Stocldaolm’s ~ae Local newspaper reported.
The agency will remove transvestism, fetishism,
fetishistic transvestism, sadomasochism,
gender-identity disorder in youth and multiple
disorders ofsexual preferences from the list.
"W’e don’t want to contribute to certain sexual
behaviors being thought ofas diseases," said
board director Lars-Erik Holm. "These diagnoses
are rooted in a time when everything other
th~ the heterosexual missionary position was
seen as sexual perversions."
Homosexuality was removed from the list 30
years ago.
Australian Parliament
gives gay couples equal
rights
Australia’s Senate and House of Representatives
passed legislation in late November that
changes some 100 laws to give gay couples
equal rights.
The measure now goes to the Governor-General
for formal approval.
The changes, introduced by the federal government,
extend spousal rights to same-sex
de facto couples in areas such as health care, ’
taxation, pensions, parenting, public benefits,
workplace benefits, workers’ compensation,
veterans’ affairs, elder care and educational
assistance.
"At long last we have removed discrimination
against same-sex couples from commonwealth
law;’ said Attorney-General Robert McClelland.
Gay campaigners cheered the.move but said
gay couples will not have complete equality
until they can get married.
Chinese gay HIV cases
increase
The percentage ofgay men in China ~vho are
HIV-positive increased from 0.4 percent in
2005 to 4.9 percent this year, the Ministry of
Health said Nov. 28.
But straight sex remains the predominant way
HIV is transmitted in China, accounting for
40 percent ofnew infections, compared with
28 percent from IV drug use and 5 percent
from gay sex.
The gay statistics were based on data collected
from 18,000 gay men in more than 60 cities.
China has recorded a total of260,000 HIV
cases, 77,000 AIDS cases and 34,000 AIDSrelated
deaths.
Burundi’s parliament
votes to ban gay sex
The parliament of the Central African nation
ofBurundi voted to specifically criminalize gay
sex Nov. 22 as part ofa package ofmore than
600 legal changes that included abolition ofthe
death penalty, news reports said.
According to Amnesty International, male,
male sex previously was banned and,ptmished
under laxvs governing "immoral acts.
The vote on the changes was 90 to 0 with 10
abstentions. The measure now moves to the
Senate, then to President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Neither is expected to oppose it.
The small, landlocked nation has a population
of 8.7 million, a life expectancy ofless than 52
years, and a per capita gross domestic product
at purchasing-power parity of $300. ~l-he comparable
figure for the U.S. is $45,800. Norway’s
is $ 53,300, Mexico’s is $12,400 and Vietnam’s
is $2,600.
80% ofSouth A ricans
thimk gay sex is wrong
Despite a constitutional ban on discrimination
based on sexual orientation and its being one
of only six nations where same-sex couples can
marry, South Africa remains deeply homophobic,
a new survey has found.
The Human Sciences Research Council’s annual
South African Social Attitudes Survey,
released Nov. 24, found that 80 percent of
respondents think gay sex is wrong.
Whites, city dwellers and highly educated
people polled less anti-gay than blacks, "coloureds"
(mixed-race people), people with less
education and those living in rural areas, the
Sunday Times reported.
Britain to count gay populafion
Britain’s Office for National Statistics is going
to count the gay
population.
Starting in January, a sexual-orientation question
will be included in
several of the office’s routine surveys, leading to
an eventual estimate
of the size of the nation’s gay community.
Respondents will choose from heterosexual/
straight, gay/lesbian,
bisexual or "other" -- or can opt not to answer.
Officials say the results will be useful for gauging
levels of
discrimination and unequal treatment and addressing
those problems.
The signatories overcame strong opposition
from a group ofgovernments that routinely try
to block UN attention to issues ofsexual orientation
and gender identity. Fifty-seven nations
signed an alternative statement, promoted by
the Organization of the Islamic Conference,
that affirmed the "principles of non-discrimination
and equality," but said universal human
rights do not include "the attempt to focus
on the rights ofcertain persons" because "the
notion oforientation spans a wide range of
persona] choices that expand way beyond
the individual’s sexual interest in copulatory
behavior with normal consenting adult human
beings, thereby ushering in the social normalization,
and possibly legitimization ofmany
deplorable acts:
~ae countries that signed the pro-gay statement
are Mbania, Andorra, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia,
Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius,
Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, S~o
Tomd and Prlncipe, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Former
Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, Timor-Leste,
unite~Kingd0m, Uruguay ~Venezueta~ .....
The United States refused to sign the statement,
saying its broad language could reach
into areas that fall outside of federal jurisdiction,
such as the right of each U.S. state to
define marriage.
qt is altogether shameful that on this 60th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, the Bush administration should
take one final swipe at the universal application
ofhuman rights for all;’ said Julie Dorfof the
Council for Global Equality. "The shoe incident
in Iraq last week painfully shows us how
low this country has sunk in the world’s view."
Gays march in Hong
Kong £or first time
Hong Kong saw its first gay pride parade Dec.
13. About 1,000 people marched, including
many who came from Taiwan and mainland
China.
~he two-mile procession traversed Hennessy
Road in the city center.
Attendance may have been positively, influenced
by news reports before the parade, when
Hong Kong’s biggest bus company refused to
rent a double-decker bus to pride organizers.
14 Janua~ 2009
Larry: I see it as being a representative, not just for OGRA or
the gay community but also the State of Oklahoma. We go to
other states and other rodeos and meet a lot ofpeople. Also
important is our fund-raising, which is one ofthe reasons I went
for this title.
Victor: This fund-raising not only helps the charities themselves,
but I’m sure you also see it as promoting the positive
image ofthe GLBT people in the cowboy lifestyle.
Larry: It think it has, and I think a lot ofyoung people have
gotten interested in it because ofthe fund-raising, shows and related
activity. Also people see you don’t have to be a full fledged
cmvboy, just interested in die country lifestyle and having fun.
Victor: Although the world is changing, OGRA still defies
sonle stereotypica! beliefs..
Photo by Chaz
competition is asgreatfor the Cowgirls and Cowboys at
OGR~4’~; Great PLains Rodeo as an), other rodeo.
Larry: Strangely enough, there are still people we encounter
who are shod~ed that there are gay cowboys, that they even exist.
They have interesting questions, such as "Are the rodeos really
rodeos ? .... Do you really ride horses ?"
Victor: Have you ever really roped a cow ?
Larry: Yes I have, nay parents have owned ranches and I have
roped cows, branded cattle, pulled calves, done all diat.
Victor: You grew up in a small town?
Larry: Ha}wcorth, a small town not far from Idabel. g[e lived
on a f~trm there, went to school, did our chores, slopped the
hogs, fed the chickens, took care ofthe horses. We even rode our
horses to school when the buses couldn’t get through.
Victor: So you had a typical growing up there ?
Larry: Yes, but my family moved around a lot, and I experienced
city life as well. I got involved ~vitll the gay community after I
graduated from O!dahonia Christian University ofEdmond
witli a degree of Marketing & Business. After moving back to
IdabeI, my first gay bar experience was the Roundup in Dallas.
I soon began working with HIV organizations including the
Mariah Foundation, Carepoint, and with the OHahoma State
Health Department.
Victor: But the shining star ofOGRA is the Great Plains Rodeo,
which has been held at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds for
many years as a Memorial Day weekend celebration.
Larry: More and more people are coming to that and really having
fun. Some people are surprised that our rodeos are truly the
same "kind ofrodeos, although we do feature goat dressing and
sometimes other campy events thrown in.
Victor: What impact do you think t~he movie Brokeback
Mountain had on the gay community, society in general, and in
particular gay cowboys ?
Larry: Really it brought the gay community into the mainstream,
that there was more to the gay community than an
urbaaa community ofdrag queens & flamboyant individuals, to
see them as regular people with difficulties we all face in real life.
It made the gay cowboys feel more accepted, to let them kalow
they can be themselves. It also educated the urban gay community
of the problems rural gays face.
Victor: ~¢¢’here do you see die future ofOGRA?
Larry: When OGRA began we were teaming up witl~ other
states, and now we’re doing one the largest rodeos on our own.
Ofcourse we’d like to see more people volunteer, but to put tllis
on with the resources we have shows a true hardworking spirit of
Oklahomans.
Victor: How long have you been in Oklahoma City ?
Larry: Seven years, and I have felt good seeing the increased
interest in OGRA and the friends I have made there. I have been
glad to hear from out oftowners how impressed they are that
the various parts ofthe gay communit); the disco crowd, drag
queens, the cowboys, the lesbians, get along so well together
compared to other places.
Victor: So how do people learu more about OGRA?
Larry: ~lere~ our website ~a-,wv.ogra.net, to learn what we’re
doing, about our events, and other related organizations & chatrooms
where one can talk with other cowboys and learn even
more. There’s room for all types ofpeople and talent, lesbians,
gay" men and we also have some straight members.
There you have it, a proud tradition now 23 years young derived
from the frontier spirit ofOklahoma. The GLBT community
ofOklahoma can look forward to ~vhat OGRA can do for our
future.
Connecticut unlikely to amend
constitution on marriage
Connecticut voters strong!y oppose anaending the state constitution
to re-ban same-sex marriage, according to a QEinnipiac
University poll released Dec. 17.
The poll of 1,445 registered voters found that 61 percent oppose
an anlendment and only 33 percent support it.
Same-sex couples began marrying in Connecticut on Nov. 12
after the state Supreme Court ruled that offering gay couples
onbi civil unions violated the state constitution’s guarantee of
equal protection under the law.
The poll found dlat 52 percent ofvoters agreed with the Supreme
Court’s decision, 39 percent did not and 9 percent had
no opinion.
The poll’s margin oferror was plus or minus 2.6 percentage
points.
MERI Day ofService to Provide
for Foster Children in Rhode Island
& Arkansas
RHODE ISLAND (PR) Dec 8 __ As Marriage Equality
Rh6de Island (MERI) made a commitment to community
service this holiday season it couldn’t help but acknovdedge
sorrow at the passage ofAct 1 in Arkansas, a thinly veiled attack
on the gay community that bans unmarried couples from
adopting children or serving as foster parents. Although the
Arkansas state motto calls for both "Mercy andJustice; neither
was demonstrated by proponents ofthis legislation which harms
families and children. MERI fights for the rights and protection
ofall families in seeking marriage equality for Rhode Island’s
GLBT residents.
On \Vednesday,
December
10 MERI xvas
at the State
House to collect
items for
not only" the
RI Food Bank,
Crossroads,
Amos House
mid the IRIE
Transitional
Home for
women and
children, but
also the foster
children ofArkansas
xvhose
wishes for new
families have
been curtailed.
Mayor Dani
Joy ofEureka ....
Springs, Arkansas
accepted
and distributed
RI donations.
In her letter
to MERI,
Joy stated, "I am greatly honored that your organization would
focus your energy and compassion on our many children that receive
foster care throughout our state. With the passage ofAct I
our state is left with a large number ofchildren that are either in
need offoster care, or currently in foster care... Again, let me say
that I am in axve ofyour compassion during this holiday, season.
We are truly grateful,"
File Photo Eureka Springs Birayor DaniJoy
Food bank requests included boxed and canned goods, pmvered
and evaporated milk, potato flakes, cereal, oatmeal, pasta, rice,
soup, condiments, crackers, tuna, peanut butter, jelly/jam and
juice. Amos House needs coffee and personal hygiene items.
Crossroads could use slippers, hats, mittens, gloves and scarves
for men, women and children (4 mos - 18).
The young women and their children living at the IRIE Transitional
Program, under the auspices of the RI Foster Parent
Association (RIFPA) learn skills to improve their lives mid break
the cycle ofpoverty. Ten teens ages 16-20 and their 7 children,
ages 4 months - 6 years, live in the facility. Contact MERI for
items noted on the IRIE wish list.
MERI Day ofService partners include RI Pride, inFOCUS and
the Gay Straight Alliance ofWarwick Veteran’s Memorial High
School. For raore information, contact Susan MacNeil at smacneil@
marriageequalityri.org or by calling 401-463-5368
www.metrostarnews.com ~÷t~oSTAR 15
We have a lot to celebrate including the January
20th date for President elect Obama. This year
may be the start of something big for each of
us and our personal endeavors. This is truly a
time to click our glasses together. Here is a litde
about sparkling wines from France and Spain
Champagne
French monks were the first to bottle a sparkling
forra ofwine called Champagne, named
after the Champagne region ofFrance.
The method of making "mousse" (another
name fbr bubbles) in a bottle was invented by
the efforts ofD~reJean Oudart (1654 - 1742)
and Dora Pierre Pdrignon (1639 - 1715),
Benedictine monks and cellarmasters at the
respective abbeys of Saint-Pierre aux Monts de
Chalons and Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers,
The region ofChampagne has a colder and
shorter growing season. Champagne grapes
had to be picked late in the year, with less time
available for fermentation. During fermentation
yeasts are used to convert the sugars of
the grape juice into alcohol and cold winter
temperatures stopped the process. The monks
developed a method of making Champagne
wine by using a second fermentation process
that took place in the bottle during the following
spring. The second fermentation created
carbon-dioxide bubbles that are the sparkle of
Champagne.
Cava
A Spanish sparkling wine is called Cava and
was first made as early as 1851, although the
true roots ofthe Cava wine industry can be
traced back to Josd Raventos’ travels through
Europe in the 1860s, where he was promoting
the still wines ofhis Codorniu winery. His
visits to the Champagne region sparked an
interest in the potential of a Spanish version
Happy fmay noF fi~ ~yeryqne s budget, and its super New ~.... " DPoenr~lgnon. Rose 96/Sn-nply_ _puta; lthough.
h~rd to fifid~ thi~ wifie is ~ller~
of the sparHing wine, usifig th~ same~ , p.roduction
methods. ~e local Maekbeo, P~retlada Inmerial Nectar/This one is
and Xareldo grapes were well smtqd t~h~s more in~er~sting than {he Wliite Star. It~ fruit
wine st de and whereas earlY versions W~e f.o.rw.a.rd..& 9ffdry- deh-cl¯ous.
called champ~n or xampany after Champa~~ .
Catalan winemakers wadted ~o dis{ingui-sh 5~< [: Piper,Hela ieck B~Ut
from the Vr nc €0un par ,
adopted the name Cava aAer the Cat’an qV6?a Toad H611ow Amplexus Brnt/~is one is
~r cave, where ~e wines were tradi{~on~lly ported to Califbrnia from the Cremant region ~::
stored. ...... of F{auce.
Accordin~ t.o S.pan.ish.wine laws, Cava cache C0dorniu Cava Brut/ SparHing wines f"rom
produced m s:x wine [eg~ous ~such as A~:md} ~pain can be among the most interesting in
de Duero, Navarra and ~oja)but 95% ~f taste. ~ey’re usually fi-uit forward & quite
Spanish Cava production takes affbrdable;
Pene&s region. In order for the wines
called "Card’ they must be made in
tional m&hode champenoise. Wines
the lmv-cost "Charmat process" may
called "Spanish sparkling wine".
Food
Champagne tends to
ers or opening courses in a
well with
shellfish like
ofcourse
gegura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva
This writer is one ofthe manager~ at the Grand Vin
wine shop. He also bar tends and hosts wine & food
events known in town as dae
Enthusiasts ofTulsa.
9fwine byJames Laube/
This months recipe courtesy of:
Shrimp Verde
Ingredients:
] pound thin linguine, cappelini or PRIMI
PI?~TTI
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
I Bag Spinach
1 Pound Shrimp-fresh ot fi’ozen- shelled and
&veined
2 Cloves Garlic
8 tablespoons thatsanice "VERDE" basil
pesto crema sauce
To prepare:
Boil water in large pot with splash ofsalt and
drop of oil to keep pasta from.sticking
-pasta as directed on package making sure not
to overcook, drain, set aside
Sautd olive oil, gatlic and spinach about 5-10
minutes, add fresh or defrosted shrimp and
sautd in mixture until pink!orange in color.
Add thatsanice! "VERDE" and mix together,
pour entire mLxture over pasta and toss making
sure pasta is evenly coated.
If desired, top with some grated Parmesan
cheese (although strict old school Italians
frmvn on putting cheese over seafood but it
tastes good !)
Serving ideas:
Serve as a first course with a fish entrde like
halibut or swordfish
like
s
)ver
[en& modern
traditional flavors. Ifyou
y from them and they offer
f~atured on many television shows including
the Food Network and have been featured in
nmen
At The BOK Center Tulsa
Brad Paisley
Jan 24, 2009 at BOK Center
With special guests!
Dierks Bentley
Darius Rucker
Ticket Prices: $39.75 & $46.75 Tickets On Sale Now
Cdine Dion
Feb 2, 2009 at BOK Center
RESCHEDULED DATE!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009
All tickets previously purchased for the original date will be
honored. Refunds xvill be available at point ofpurchase.
Time: 8:00pm Doors: 7:00pm
Ticket Prices: $167.00, $127.00, $77.00, $49.50
~hlsa is one of45 cites and the only city in Oklahoma on this
tour. 2q~roughout her career, Celine has been honored with
over 1000 Awards, including Grammys, Oscars, Golden Globes,
World Music, Juno and Felix Awards. She is the biggest-selling
female artist ofall time.
Billy Joel & Elton John
Mar 17, 2009 at BOK Center
Billy Joel & Elton John
Face 2 Face Tour
March 17, 2009
7:30pro
Tickets On Sale Now
There is no presale for this concert
Ticket Prices: $179, $99, $53.50
Billy Joel and Elton John, the most successful and longest-running
concert pairing in pop history! Billy and Elton open the
concert with a series ofduets, playing tvcin pianos and trading
vocals. Each artist then performs a set with his own band. A
grand finale brings the two superstars and their supporting musicians
ba& together for a dosing encore. This includes some of
both Billy and Elton’s greatest hits along with an unpredictable
selection ofrock and roll classics.
INSIDE
HOLLYWOOD By Romeo San Vicente
Deep Inside Hollywood,
which reports on a new
project for Margaret Cho
and Kal Penn
Cho and Penn Unite for Sisters
Q~eer-identified entertainer Margaret Cho is quite the Renaissance
svoman- she’s a stand-up comic, author, actress, blogger,
and activist. And now she can add "director" to her resume with
Two Sisters, her feature debut. Ifyou were expecting something
racy from the potty-mouthed comedian, forget it; the movie is
slated to premiere on ABC Family. Plot details are being kept
under wraps, but Cho has assembled an impressive cast, including
Kal Penn (from the Harold and Kumar movies, as xvell as
The Namesake) and the gorgeous Tamlyn Tomita (who recently
popped up on Heroes), plus Kathy Najimy (King of the Hill)
and Elaine Hendrix (Tru Loved, The Parent Trap). As for the
lady herself, Cho will also appear in a small role. Look for Two
Sisters to make its premiere on ABC Family in 2009.
Pee-wee Comes Back to the Playhouse
~Pnere are a lot ofunanswered questions floating around about
Pee-wee’s Playhouse: Ti~e Movie, like "Is it really happening?"
and "Is Johnny Depp playing Pee-wee ?" So far the only certainty
is that Paul Reubens, ~vho, than!ffull); is still in charge ofPeexvee
Inc., is jump-starting this cash cow one more time and is
working on the goal ofa 2009 release date for the slow-moving
production. Plot details are few and up for debate. Casting, too.
(Who’ll replace the late Phil Hartanan? What happened to the
guy who played the unambiguously gayJambi ? Will S. Epatha
Merkerson return as Reba the Mail Lady? Please?) But all will
surely be answered eventually, possibly via ticker-tape readout
from Conky the Robot’s torso. And ifJohnny Depp shows up,
even as a Pee-wee doppelganger, that’s just fine, too. Now ifthe
cameras would only hurry up and roll.
No, Really: Lesbian Vaanpire Killers
Whether it’s Snakes on a Plane or ~Pne Incredibly Strange Creatures
Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!?,
a movie’s title can sometimes tell you everything you need to
knm,: And so it is with Lesbian Vampire Killers, a new British
horror-comedy about a Welsh village whose xvomen have
been cursed by the local Sapphic bloodsuckers. In aa~ attempt to
improve matters, the tovcn sends txvo hapless visitors (played by
James Corden and Mathew Home, the stars ofthe BBC sitcom
Gavin & Stacey) into the woods as a sacrifice to the titular
undead. The film also features Paul McGann (Withnail & I,
Doctor Who) as one of the few remaining men in the village.
Lesbian Vampire Killers ~vill put the bite on audiences in 2009.
Next Christmas, Make the Yuletide Gay
Romeo loves a good holiday dassic, and some gay filmmakers
obviously feel the same way about the genre, with Make the
Yuletide Gay now going into production. O.Eueer actor Adamo
Ruggiero (who played out-and-eventually-proud Marco on Degrassi:
~e Next Generation) and Allison Arngrim (best known
as frontier mean girl Nellie Oleson on Little House on the
Prairie) will don their gay apparel for this coraedy about what
happens when a guy who’s not out to his faanily goes home for
the holidays and then has to explain the sudden appearance of
his boyfriend. Yuletide also features Ian Buchanan (Twin Peaks)
and gay" indie-fihn vets Derek Long (Socket) and Steve Callahan
(East Side Story). Look for Make the Yuletide Gay to pop up at
around the same time as 2009 Advent calendars.
w,~w.metrostarnews.com ~etroSTAR 17
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"T VELING AND MEETING PEOPLE"
Photo: Donald Pile & Ray Williams
Since we are always telling our readers to
"Always remember to have fun when traveling,
meet new people and talk to everyone"
we decided to devote this travel column to the
fabulous and interesting people that we have
met and dealt with, in our travels. These, ~ve
will list in no particular order and they live
from coast to coast.
Hizabeth Taylor has always been so gracious to
remember our anniversaries and holidays. We
have so many to list in Palm Springs. There is
Jim Doyle &Jerry Efron, Tyke, Wayne, Millie,
Shirley, Jim LaMarrina, Ken & Grant, Tom &
Doug at the Terrazzo, Burt XWahquist, artists
Robert Sharer & Giorgio and restaurateurs, Sol
and Chris ~vho we first met when they owned a
B & B in San Francisco and now mvn a restaurant
in Puerto Vallarta and also own a home in
Pahn Springs.
In New
~%rk City,
Jean-
Claude
Baker,
the exciting
owner
ofChez
Josephine’s
Restaurant,
author
Tom
Monsell,
play-
~vright
Matthew
Lom-
Photo: Chq~G~r!os at the Hi-Life bardo
C,~e in Ft. Lauderdale (Tea at
Five and
Looped) and movie director/producer Rick
McKay. His movie "Broadway: The Golden
Age" is a terrific movie.
In Florida, the famous portrait photographer
Jack Mitchell & Bob Pavlik, entertainers
Auntie Marne, ToW & Gloria, the best jazz
duo and Miguel Reyna, who without a doubt
is the finest piano entertainer/singer that we
have ever met! and the lovely and extremely
talented Faye Harrod and her friend Gloria
Delro); Casey Koslowki, owner; Herb Pianin,
General Manager; Peter Mehas, Guest Services
Manager and the entire staff at the Grand
Resort and Spa in Ft. Lauderdale who operates
the finest gay resort in the country, Chuck
Smith and ChefCarlos at the Hi-Lit~ Care,
Alan Beck & Nick and Norma. Also in Ft.
Lauderdale, Al & Tom and Steve & Ells~vorth
and the deceased fabulous pianist/entertainer,
Houston, and then dear, dears friends, Ed
Hayes &John Dunne in St. Petersburg who
are truly delightful.
And there are the people that we have met
quite by accident who have become dear
friends such as Ginny & Willy in Florida, Kala
& Frank, the absolutely ~beyond Fabulous"
owners of the Luna Vista B and B in Rimrock,
Arizona, Michael McFall & Luis Gonzalez in
Phoenix, ChefMarcdlino and his fabulous
wife Sima, owners ofMarcellino Ristorante
in Phoenix, Gordon & Kin at the Inn of the
410 in Flagstaff who are super special guys and
Charlotte Welch and her daughter Katie in
Flagstaff.
In Billings, Montana we met Barbara Hill, a
wonderful
entertainer
who has
"come
OUt~
no not
lesbian,
but "just
simply
came
out to
life"
and has
found
true
happi- ,-
ness at
last. We Photo: Actor LeslieJordan
just wish
that everybody could find themselves like she
did. In St. Louis, Michael Lance &JeffArchuleta,
owners ofNapoleons’ Retreat B & B where
we first met the "fun couple; Smitty and Eddy
in Mississippi who we will be seeing again on
our way driving to Florida in January. They
can’t help it because they were born straight!
And then there is actor, Leslie Jordan, authors
Christopher Rice and Robert Hofmann,
filmmaker Craig Highberger, (Superstar In A
Housedress) and filmmaker Mialyn Hanna
(White Shadows). A new friend who ~ve are
in contact with but haven’t actually met yet,
author Louise Penny in Canada.
Photo: Countess Alexis &Ray ~qlliams
Also wonderful people like the Countess
Mexis, the QEeen Diva who now" lives in Hollywood.
She certainly epitomizes elegance and
"old Hollywood", plaDvright Gene Danklin
Smith and Steve Nycklemore, director of the
Hollywood Museum, our good friend, Attorney
Andrew Lee who now resides in Mexico,
Dean Perkins (Crystal Chandelier) in New
Hampshire, Rodger & J.T. in the Q.~ad cities,
Chris X~alsh in San Francisco as wel! as gZalter
Edgar, owner ofthe 24 Henry B&B and the
Village House B&B in San Francisco. In Seatrle,
Stephen Bennett, owner of the Gaslight
Inn B and B and visiting there,ave met Tom
& Doris Friedman from the Hamton’s in New
York who ,are will visit When we are in New
England next year. In Santa Fe, New Mexico,
Ralph Bolton and Robert Frost, owners ofthe
Inn ofthe Turquoise Inn.
Four o~tstanding people are the late Dalee
Henderson who was and is an inspiration to
thousands ofpeople and to Raymond Bilbool,
former owner ofthe Secret Garden B&B in
West Hollywood and our dear friend Stefan
Hemming, owner ofthe Liberace Estate in
Palm Springs who hosted our 35th Anniversary
two years ago and to Mel Haber, owner of
Melvyn’s Restaurant and the Ingleside Inn in
Palm Springs. Their lives have reached many.
So here we are, two guys who live in the middle
ofthe country who are fortunate in that we
get to travel a lot and meet so many people. In
our travels, we really have been so fortunate
to meet so many fun, interesting and exciting
individuals.
q-his column is warmly dedicated to all of daese
people that we have met in our travels and we
are looking forward to meeting many more in
our future. Remember, in the words of the
late Dalee Henderson, "When you wake up in
the morning, it is a miracle! The rest ofthe day
is up to you!" Truly, today is the first day of the
rest ofyour life. Ifyou are not happy with your
life it is no one’s ffmlt but your own.
We want to thank our dear friend Chaz XWard,
Publisher-Editor ofthe Metro Star for his support.
internationa
Boy George could face
jail for ’imprisoning’
escort
Singer Boy George may land in jail after being
convicted Dec. 5 of
falsely in~prisoning male escort Audun Carlsen
in London.
Last April, George handcuffed Carlsen to a
book on the wall of George’s
bedroom fbr about an hour, saying he suspected
Carlsen had hacked into
his coruputer following a previous photo session
between the two men.
Car!sen claims George also attacked him with a
metal chain af,er he
broke free and began his escape from the apartment.
Car!sen told the court the computer story was
made up and that George
probably was upset because Car!sen refused to
have sex ~vith him the
previous time they met.
City apologizes for past
anti-gay actions
1he City Council ofHobart, Tasmania, in Australia,
apologized Dec. 10 for banning a booth promoting
gay law reform from the city’s weekly Salamanca
Market in 1988.
In the weeks that followed, more than 100 people
were arrested for refusing to vacate the site, marking
Australia’s largest-ever act ofgay civil disobedience.
The apology, delivered by Lord Mayor Rob Valentine
before more than 200 former arrestees, GLBT
community members and civil leaders, including
state Premier David Bartlett, coincided with the
20th anniversary ofthe crackdown and the 60th anniversary
ofthe signing ofthe Universa! Declaration
ofHuman Rights.
"The Hobart City Cotmcil apologizes for prohibiting
the gay law reform stall at Salamanca Market
in 1988 and for the resulting arrests aud bans,"
Valentine said. "We are sorry for the pain and
trauma caused to all involved, including GLBTI
people; their family members, friends and supporters;
and those council officers who were required to
carry out the council decision. We are also sorry that
the actions we took may have encouraged ill-will
and discrimination towards GLBTI people in the
broader community. We resolve that actions such as
these will never happen again."
The apology was formally accepted by Rodney
Croome ofthe Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights
Group, which has operated the booth continuously
at the Saturday outdoor street market since 1988.
"Twenty years ago, as we sat in police cells for the
crime of being ourselves, we could not possibly have
imagined something like this," Croome said. "People
everDvhere who suffer human rights abuses should
take this apology as a sign that no matter how bad
things seem there is ~lways hope ofa better future:
Prior to the apology, a City Council-sponsored
photo exhibit ofthe arrests was unveiled at the Salamanca
Arts Centre. The council also is sponsoring a
~ublic art work at Salamanca Place commemorating
e arrests.
18 #~troSTAR January 2009
, and two
and
instruc-
~.metrostarnews.com
OKC Civic Center Music
Ha~1 January Events
Jan. 5 SWEENY TODD presented by Broadway
Tonight
Jan. 9 -Jan. 31 ORPHANS a comedy-drama
by Lyle Kessler
Jan. 9-Jan. 31 Orphans
Jan. 10 INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS
presented by the Oldahoma City Philharmonic
Jan. 22-Jan. 25 Julius Caesar
Jan. 23 -Jan. 24 CHRIS BOTTI presented by
Oklahoma City Philharmonic
Jan. 25 HOLD THE CANNONS! ~e
Story and Glory ofTchaikovsky and the 1812
Overture
Jan. 27- Feb. 1 OPRAH WINFREY’S THE
COLOR PURPLE
Jammry At The Ford
Center OKC
Jan. 21 st - Jan. 25th ~;,hlking With Dinosaurs
Jan. 30th -Jan. 31st ~l!ie Revolve Tour
January At The P.A.C.
Tulsa
Jan 4 David Finckel and "Wu Hart
John H. Williams Theatre
6-31 FP~EE Highway412
PAC Gallery
Jan 10 Miss Gay Oklahoma USofA Pageant
Liddy Doenges Theatre
Jan 17 An Infinite Ache
Liddy Doenges Theatre
Jan 20-25 Oprah Winfrey Presents: Wue
Color Purple Chapman Music Hall
Jan 23 The Tannahill Vgeavers
John H. xg/illiams Tneatre
Jan 24 Ralph’s World
John H. Williams Theatre
Jan 27 Ethel Cabaret
Liddy Doenges Theatre
Jan 28 Ethel Concert
John H. Williams Theatre
Jan 30-31 OMEAAll-State Music Festival
Chapman Music Hall
bitter girl
FOR
Webs#e- www.kylecomics.com
en~il: bittergifl@qsyndtcate.com w~wcjoanhilty.net
20 #4etroSTAR January 2009
by Jack Fertig January 2009
"Toot your horn, Taurus!"
Jupiter is starting his yearlong passage
through Aquarius, where he inspires
new visions offreedom aa~d scientific
exp,,loration. This mini "age ofAquarius
is a year ofgreat luck to anyone
with that Sun sign or Ascendant, but
check with your astrologer to see when
that lucky year actually starts!
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): You’ll be
amazed to see what your friends would
do for you. Take the opportunity to
advance yourself politically and socially,
and to promote whatever goals and ideals
you see improving the world.
TAURUS (April 20 o May 20): Don’t be
shy! Toot your horn and let everyone
know what you’re worth. This is your
chance to rise to any position you’re
qualified for. You have a bigger career
peak in 12 years, but promotions now
can boost your trajectory.
GEMINi (May 21 - June 20): .At least
give a listen to the Wackiest, most
far-out ideas coming your way. Take
classes that challenge everything you
believe in. Ask yourself and the world
all the hard questions, and be ready for
whole new worlds of answers.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): New
sexual adventures beckon - and
celibacy and monogamy may count as
"adventures," if they’re new to you. You
can get your sex life where it should be
or wherever you want it. Are they the
same? Be careful what you wish for!
LEO (Ju~y 23 o August 22): This is your
lucky year for relationships. That could
include becoming very happy with being
single. Join in political or community
groups; do things that fulfill you, get
you out among others, and accomplish
some good. Love will come when it is
ready.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22):
Health-wise, this is generally a good
year, but be careful of your liver. You
can get almost any job you want, if
you’re suited for it. Make sure to have
the education you need for the post you
want.
LIBFL~k (September 23 - October 22):
If you wants kids, now’s the time! If
you prefer having time for fun, explore
new pleasures, hobbies, and creative
directions. Try something you’ve only
considered at the edges of your wildest
dreams. The more "out there" and daring,
the better!
SCORPIO (October 23 - November
21): Whether it involves moving or
decorating, embark on the big domestic
changes that will make your home what
you really want it to be. Do what you
can to heal family problems. You can
hardly go wrong.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December
20): Could you be any more
loquacious? Keep your mouth out of
trouble by harnessing the brain behind
it. Learn a new skill or language, or sign
up for any class that offers you a different
direction.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January
19): This should be your lucky
year for money, but it comes with some
deceptive lures. Still, odd chances that
shouldn’t work might prove very lucrative.
Think ahead, but be ready to take
advantage of sudden opportunities.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February
18): In a 12-year cycle, this is your
lucky year. Buy a few lottery tickets now
and then, travel, or take some classes.
You can expand yourself educationally,
economically, and/or otherwise. But
watch your diet!
PISCES (February 19 -March 19):
The worst things that happen to you
could turn out for the best, although it
may take a while to see that. By next
year, you’ll be very glad for the experience
and insights.
MCC0
Rev Steve T. Urie
Spidt0fChdst MCC
2g02 E2~ Street
J0plin, M064804
417-52~
Worship Saturdays at 10:00 AM
Community Meal Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
MCC 0fthe Living Spdng
17 Elk S~eet
Eureka Spriags, AR 72632
47525: 9337
Worship Sundays at 6:00 PM
Have a God filled and BleSSed Day!
53
~65
54 55 56
Across
1 Gay horror writer Perry
6 Release from bondage’
11 Be in the hole
14 writer X~stan ~ugh
15 Lincoln Center s Walter
16 Brownb Dirt
1’
~aeater
3 Af~eck’s Chasing Aany crush
4 \~’ork under Edith Head, perhaps
5 Cut quickly
6 Seduction step, perhaps
7 M0by Dick, to ~daab
8 Retreat for D.H. Lawrence
9 Same~sex vow’ in Connecticut
10Always, to Emilg Dickinson
11 Cather novel of 1913
12 Place for a Rivera mural
13 What Carson Kressley did to the straight
guy?
18 Glenn Burke, formerly
22 James Deans East ofEden role
24 Wol£bn ofFreedom to Marry
ww~.metrostarnews.com ~et~oSTAR 21
¢
Heights Historic District is: [ BUY G1 Joe Action F~gm:es
GAYEST Neighbo£hood t12" size Only)
myg0oe@cox.net or
cai!(405) 249-4515
I BW OLD or
NEW ~n Box or
Out ofBox
(send pic with asking price)
DS (2437)
Oklahoma’s HIV/STD H0tline
PROTECT YOURSELF
PROT£CT YOUR PARTNER(8)
Nens Oul~each P~mm
©ommunity
People ~iving
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for people who are HIVe and
or living with AIDS to help combat the
social isolation that many of our
people live through each and everyday.
VVe provide a Toiletry and Household
Pantry ’for those who are HIV+
and or living with AiDS who cannot
afford to purchase these itelT~s for
themselves. VVe invite anyone who
would like to volunteer or provide financial
assistance to please contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-mail
ourhouseioo9865@sbcglobal.net
KING OF
MASSAGE
Great Touch
Man to Man
F~dl Body Massage
2 hands or 4 hands
available
Now Hiring Male & Female
[] []
WVTW.METROSTARNEV, ogS.COM
22 Metr0STAR January 2009
Support those who support us. Their
HABANA INN
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-528-222t
www.habanainn.com
KELLY KIRBY, CPA
4815 S. HARVARD, SUITE 424
Tulsa, OK * 918-747-5466
Certified Public Accountant
VALEI~E VZtLLIFORD
625 N.\~ 13th Street
Oldahoma City, OK
405-226-8585
OKC MORTUARY
2415-C N. \VALNUT .A.VE.
Oldahorna City, OK
800-913-1310
ANGLES
2117 NW 39th St.
Oklahoma City, OK
v.~vw.anglesclub.com
BAMBOO LOUNGE
7204 E. PINE
TulSa, OK
918_836_8700...........................
wwwabaingooloungetulsa.com
CLUB 209
209 N. BOULDER
Tulsa, OK
918-584-9944
CLUB MAJESTIC
124 N. BOSTON
2htsa, OK
918-584-9494
www.clubmajestictulsa.com
FINISHLINE
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSX~TAY
Oklal~oma City, OK
405-525-2900
www.habanainn.com
STEVES HIDEAWAY LOUNGE
11730 E. 11TH
Tulsa, OK
918-437-0449
Open Sun- Sat 2pro to 2am
THE COPA
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESS\gAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
www.habanainn.com
THE END UP
5336 E. ADMIRAL PLACE
Tulsa, OK
918-836-0915
THE LEDO
2200 NW 39TH EKPt~SSWAY
Oklahoma Cit7, OK
405-525-0730
www.habanainn.com
EXPP,ESSIONS Comm Fellowship
6009 NW Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK
405-761-1878
www.expressionsOKC.com
ads allow us to distribute your community news FREE to you.
HOPE TESTING CLINIC
3540 E. 31st
7hlsa, OK
800-535-2437
Oklahomgs HIV/STD Hotline
SPIRIT OF CHRIST MCC
2902 E. 20TH STREET,
Joplin, MO * 479-529-8480
Service Saturday 9:30 AM
CHUCK BRECKENI~DGE
K.elter Williams Realty
Tulsa, OK
918-706-!887
GAY BRADY HEIGHTS-Tulsa
New and Historic Homes for Sale
and Rent For Info:
www.gaybradyheightstulsa.com
MCC of the LI\qNG SPRING
17 Elk Street
Eureka Springs, AR 72632
479-253-9337
Worship Sundays 6pm
MCC UNITED
1623 N. Maplewood, Tulsa, OK
918-838-1715
~w~v.mcctulsa.org
OPENARMS YOUTH PROJECT
2015 -B S. Lakewood
Tulsa, OK 74112
918-838-7104
www. openarmsproject.org
OUR HOUSE, TOO
203 N. Nogales Ave
Tulsa, OK 74127
918-585-9552
KING OF MASSAGE
In or Out Calls
Oldahoma City, OK
GUSHER’S RESTAURANT
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
Located inside Habana Inn
TOM &JERRYS
1501 N.W. 23RD
Oklahoma City, OK
405-524-9100
>>
405-314-3898
JUDY G. PHOT0’S
Tulsa, OK
judvgphotos@sb%lobal.net
918-743-8636
CENTURY 21 GOLD CASTLE
3627 N\Xz EXPPd~SSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
405-840-2106
www.c21 goldcastle.com
B
A
D
G
E
R
U
R
A
L
O
O E
AW
$ E
V
ON
OO
H$
L
E
N
E
E
$
$
E
D
o
N
C
A
N
R
A
ow
PA Y
~ L ~
OLD
N
R ~ 0
STS
NST
WED
:~.metrostarnews.com ~®troSTAR 23

magazine