[2007] The Star Magazine, August 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 8

[2007] The Star Magazine, August 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 8

Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics

The Star Magazine’s first issue began February of 2005. Before this issue was Ozarks Pride (2004) and The Ozark Star (2004). Follows is The Metro Star (2008).

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

August 01, 2007

Greg Steele
Jeanne Flanigan
Paul Wortman
James Nimmo
Joey D.
Victor Gorin
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ronald Blake
Ray Williams
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Devre Jackson
Chaz Ward
Michael Leach

The Star Magazine, July 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 7
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/207

The Star Magazine, September 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 9
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/213

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PDF
Online text

English

magazine

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/203

Southwestern Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeastern Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)

2 the STAR W~N.ozarksstar.com
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 3
T
~ Y~3LSA HONE YO~3R
Brady Heights has a spectacular history
of rebirth. Suffering from abandonment
and crime in the 60’s and 70’s, a renaissance
began in the early 80’s when Brady
Heights was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Scheduled Events for Summer Diversity
Weekend Eureka Springs Arkansas.
August 3-5th
In April 1954, Los Angeles station
KTTV ran a program called Confidential
File featuring a policeman, a psychiatrist,
and a gay man, Dale Olson.
SUMMER WINES: She said "I want
to discover new white wines for
the warm weather and the wines
must be ABC."
Gay Travelers: St. Louis, Missouri
Out of Town: Portland, Oregon
Dining In or OUT
Approximately, 50,000 served prison
terms as convicted homosexuals, while
an unknown number were institutionalized
in mental hospitals.
Ferguson could be the first openly
transgender candidate for President.
BOOKS
This book will help you to live authentically
and achieve your dreams. You
can embrace who you are, get ,vhat
you want, and make a difference in the
world. Love, money, joy, peace, power
and passion can be yours.
ON THE COVER: EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
STAR DISTRIBUTION:
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FAYETTEVtLLE * FT SMITH * EUREKA SPRINGS * HOT SPRINGS * BENTONVILLE * ROGERS * KANSAS
CITY * SPRINGFIELD * JOPLIN * BRANSON AREA* WICHITA* PITTSBURG * JUNCTION CITY
4 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
Home Tour sllated
for O dest
Historic District
"Brady Heights" Green Renovation
Home Tour 2007"
TULSA, OK___On Sunday, October 14th
residents of Brady Heights, Tulsa’s oldest
historic district, will open their homes to
the public for a neighborhood tour of some
of the State’s most original and historic
homes, as part of Oklahoma’s Centennial
celebration.
Oklahoma’s early political, mercantile, oil,
spiritual and social leaders made Brady
Heights their home in an era that spanned
Territorial Days through the 1930s. The
homes vary in style and design from
Victorian and American Foursquare Style,
through to the Wright inspired Prairie Style
and the Craftsman Bungalow Style.
Residents have lovingly restored the homes
and guests will be treated to casual discussions
by the homeowners relating the
history of their home and the machinations
they Went through to restore them. Many
of the homes still retain original details such
as: leaded glass, carriage houses, craftsman
made detailing and broad front porches.
The tour provides a unique look into the
preservation of Oklahoma’s architectural
history while highlighting resource conversation.
Visitors will have the opportunity
to review the resource-conserving materials
and practices used in these historic restorations
as well as talk with providers of"greeff’
products and technologies.
Brady Heights abuts the Brady Arts District
and lies on North Denver and North Cheyenne
Avenues. The tour will start at 12 noon
on Sunday, October 14th and begins at the
Centenary United Methodist Church, 621
N. Denver Ave. The fee is $7.50 for adults
and $3.00 for children under seventeen with
no charge for children under twelve. Tickets
will be available until 4pm the day of the
event and the tour ends at 5pm. Advance
tickets are available at www.bradyheights.
com. Proceeds will benefit community projects
of the Brady Heights Neighborhood
Association.
www.ozarksstar.com
Brady Heights has a spectacular history of rebirth. Suffering from abandonment and crime
in the 60’s and 70’s, a renaissance began in the early 80’s when Brady Heights was placed
On the National Register of Historic Places. The most diverse neighborhood in Tulsa, Brady
Heights boasts a co!-
lection of families
and individuals of
all races, income
ranges, ages, sexual
orientations and religions.
Proud urban
pioneers were guaranteed
continued
historic integrity
of their homes and
neighborhood when
the Brady Heights
Historic District
was granted the Historic
Preservation
Overlay Zoning by
the City ofTulsa.
For more information about Brady Heights mad The Historic Home Tour, please visit
www.bradyheights.com.
the STAR 5
6 the STAR
By James Nimmo
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ I’m a big fan
of the Internet and think it’s one of the most
momentous advances in human communication
since our hairy, howling, humanoid
ancestors developed spoken language.
Then, with Gutenberg and the invention of
movable type, it became possible for large
numbers of people to communicate over
great distance and beyond life times, two of
the greatest inconveniences in maintaining
human progress.
Now, the electronic Internet takes care
of distance and time, while cell phones
introduce the convenience of mobility in
communication.
TXT MSGing (text messaging) has caught
on in a big way. It allows frequently used
expressions to be condensed to acronyms
and abbreviations for quick notes to be
displayed in the small confines of the cell
phone display window.
"l-he American LGBT equality movement
has its own list ofTXT MSG acronyms that
represents the core of discrimination still being
directed at us, even as many countries in
western Europe, the Southern Hemisphere,
Canada, and Mexico have recognized the
inherent right of their own LGBT citizens
to the legal equality of a modern, humane
society.
ENDA -- Employment Non-Discrimination
Act
MSA/HCPA -- Mathew Shepard Act/Hate
Crimes Protection Act
DOMA -- Defense of Marriage Act
DODT -- Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (Don’t
Pursue)
Anyone who knows he/she is LGBT should
be familiar with these text letters and know
the importance of having the first two
passed and the last two overturned.
ENDA and MSA have passed the House
where there is a Democratic majority,
though full disclosure nags me to remind
you that Oklahoma’s lone DEMO in
DC, Dan Boren, voted against our LGBT
citizenship, but then he was swimming
upstream against the popular tide with the
minority of House GOP’ers.
I say against the tide because a recent NYTimes
poll indicated that 75% ofDEMOS
and 49% of GOP’ers thought same-gender
couples should have marriage equality or
civil marriage. Can it be anymore clear that
the people are ahead, the engine is in front
of the caboose.
A recent report tabulating the current roster
of presidential candidates published by
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF, www.thetaskforce.org) shows that
based on the candidates’s own words, all the
DEMOS support ENDA and MSA, while
the GOP’ers have disdain or no opinion.
With DOMA and DODT the count is
much the same.
But some DEMOS are dragging their feet in
regard to same-gender marriage. Only Kucinich
and Gravel clearly support unequivocally
full-blown same-gender marriage.
IMO, we LGBT people need to tell our candidates
to get on the equality train. Never
before have our issues been so prominently
in the spotlight of public view and we need
to push our candidates, regardless of party,
to keep the light on fairness and parity.
BTW, CUA, and THX for reading. EOM.
Creating
Community for
People living
~7ith
H Dd/AiDS
A 501 c (3) Non Profit" Org~tnizat~ioia
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for people who are HIV+ and
or living with AIDS to help combat the
soolal isolation that many of our
people live through each and everyday.
We provide a Toiletry and Household
Pantry for those "~,’ho are HIV+
and or living with AIDS who cannot
afford to purchase these items for
themselves, We invite anyone
would like to volunteer or provide
nancial assistan~ to please contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-mail
harrisrnmjr@yahco.com.
www.0zarksstar.c0m
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 7
Recognized by Keller Williams
For outstanding achi~rnent 2005 and 2006
Chuck Breckenddge
918-706-1887
8 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 9
Summer 2007 Diversity Weekend
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, August 3,5
By STAR Staff
EUREKA SPRINGS, AR__Ifyour planning a trip to the Gayest
little city in America, this coming weekend should prove to be a
fun time, and if you plan to hitch up with that special love of your
life with a Domestic Partner Registration you will need to get there
early on Friday August 3rd or you’ll have to wait until Monday.
Applicants must appear in person with proof of age and the $35 registration
fee in cash. Application forms are available at http://www.
cityofeurekasprings.org/. Certificates of Registry will not be mailed
to applicants.
The City Clerk’s office is in the City Hall, lower level of the Western
Carroll County Courthouse, 44 S. Main. Office hours are 9:30 a.m.
to 12 noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Once you have that certificate safely tucked away in your travel bag,
step out and enjoy some live action, good food and the great hospitality
of Eureka Springs.
Friday/Saturday, August 3, 4:
Hitch up the U-Haul: The 12th annual YARDS AND YARDS OF
YARD SALES (almost 100 last year). Find locator maps at shops
and restaurants. Sponsored-oddly-by the Greater Eureka Springs
Chamber of Commerce. Patronized-avidly-by antique queens from
far and near.
Friday - Sunday, August 3, 4, 5:
Hitch up the Pop-up: DIVERSITY CAMP OUT, Lake Leather~
vood (nice combo there, doncha think?) campground (479)
253-2866. Advance reservations for RV sites ($15/night) and cabins
($70/night) required. Tenters ($10/night) pre-register at (479) 387-
2871 or RaeSwt@yahoo.com by July 30.
Canoe & Paddle Boat Rentals Available. Fishing, Hiking, Biking
and Swimming. Community Potluck Dinners & Campfires.
Weenies and S’mores. Just two miles west of Eureka Springs offU.S.
Highway 62.
Frida~ August 3
S&M: Stand and Model at the Diversity Weekend Kick-Off Party.
Serious cruising begins here. ’PRINCESS’ WELCOME MIXER
Caribe Restaurante y Cantina, 309 W. Van Buren, 7-9 p.m.ish. Cosponsored
by Diversity Pride Events and Eureka Pride.
Mix and mingle with locals and visitors from around the country-
Lipstick ladies and sturdy gurls, leather to Levi guys, twinks, trans,
clones, bis and burly bears. Contact: info@eurekapride.com
Spin Cycle: 10 pm - DJ Kyle Egan Live at Henri’s Just One More,
19 1/2 Spring St. Dance to the hottest hip hop and R&B mixed live
on two turntables. Shot specials all night.
Saturdaj6 August 4
Straddle This: DIVERSITY BIKERS BRUNCH & RIDE 10AM.
Join Diversity Pride Events and the Diversity Bikers at the Best
Western Inn of the Ozarks, 207 WVan Buren. Then, saddle up and
ride to show your true Rainbmv colors.
\Vet n’ Wild: MENS AND WOMENS SWIM PARTIES, 11 a.m.
to 4 p,m.
MEN: Rodeway Inn Swiss Holiday Resort, 2015 E. Van Buren.
Featuring DJ Rob.
\VOMEN: Carolyn’s Ozark Swiss Inn, 3061 E. Van Buren.
Kiss Off: PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION (PDA) photo
shoot, 12 noon in Basin Park band shell, downtown. A G-rated
opportunity to smooch your sweetie-or the perfect stranger-for
posterity. And to amuse the tourists and annoy the fundies.
A chance, too, to show a Christian biker group-the Jericho Riders
from Missouri-the difference between love and hate. The bikers will
be in the park at the same time, praying for the Domestic Partnership
Registry to go away. Not a chance. But be NICE to them
anywa): Remember, the whole world is watching.
Cake ’n Cocktails: A reception honoring DOMESTIC PARTNERS,
family and friends at 6 to 8 p.m. Generously hosted by
Henri’s Just One More, 19 1/2 Spring St. Sponsored by gaynewsbureau.
com. No cover. Cash bar. Open to the public. Even-or
especially-the Jericho Christian Bikers.
Splane it to us Lucy: Robbie Walker and a special guest, or a cavalcade
of stars, xWith Robbie, you just never know. 9 pm Saturday
night at Henri’s Just One More. Come early. Robbie PACKS the
house.
Subterranean Collision Course: Diversity Pride Events brings
"COLLIDE" DANCE PARTY to Eureka Live Night Club, one
flight belmv street level at 35 N. Main, 9 p.m.-2 p.m. Featuring DJ
Rob. Contact: deborah@diversitypride.com
Disco Hoedown: Diversity Pride Event’s RETRO/COUNTRY
D~a~NCE & CABARET, 9 pm. to 2 p.m. at Caribe Restaurante y
Cantina, 309 W. Van Buren. Featuring DJ/singer Mary King and
additional performers. Contact: deborah@diversitypride.com
Sunday, August 5:
A Feather In Your Cap: See Hitchcock classic "THE BIRDS" at
our downtown BYO-canvas-chair-or-blanket and kids-and-dogs
outdoor, under-the-stars Luckyl3 Starlight Cinema. The TIPI
HEDREN LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST alone is reason enough to
extend your visit to Eureka Springs one more day. In the parking lot
next to the Basin Park Bath House (huh?), 1 N. Main St. Start time:
When the bats fly.
Weekend schedule provided by http://www.eurekagaynews.com/
10 the STAR ~wvw.ozarksstar.com
Joplin’s Seventh Annual "Night of
Stars 2007" %Viii Feature Ben Miller
Band
By STAR Staff
JOPLIN, MO Tim and Tom’s 7th annual Night of Stars Gala is
scheduled for September 12th. ~Ihe Event will be held at Kitchen
Pass Bar and Restaurant, 1212 S. Main Street, Joplin, MO. Phone
417-624-9095. The Night of Stars affair is held each year to raise
awareness within the GLBTA community, and to raise money for
the critical needs of those living with HIV/AIDS in the SW Missouri
area. All proceeds go to the non-profit organization AIDS
Project of the Ozarks.
In an interview Tim said, "We still need auction items. This year
we are doing a buffet from 5:30 pm to 7pm and 2 beer tickets for
$25.00 per person or you can buy a table for 10 for $200.00. After
7:00 pm door charge will be $6.00 per person. Entertainment this
year will be the Ben Miller Band. The silent auction will start then
also. I think it will be a great night and raise money for a greater
cause. We are looking forward to seeing you there."
If you have any questions please feel free to call Tom @ 417-629-
8994 or Tim @ 417-629-8995
1-800-535-NDS (2437)
Oklahoma’s HIVISTD Hotline
www.ozarksstar.com
No Surprises Staying with... Rodeway inn
Ozarks Family Owned!
Great Sunday, Thursday Rates
’Visitors center and area attraction ticket center
o Jacuzzi king rooms for two, On.site weddings and
wedding .packages Close to restaurants and
attraCti0ns Small pets allowed. Family reunions
,0~ark Mountain Motorcycle Tours of popular area
deStinations, Picnic. and barbecue area- Group rates
and package plans Church group packages,a{,ailable
, Friendliest atmosphere in Eureka.Springs Family
. ofwonrgeudeasntsd.oCpoenratitneedn,taTlroblrleeyaksfatospt . MFreeeetitnagnnr0inog~bteod
h01d 80 with full kitchen ; On-site massage therapy
mater,Guest aundry Center of all attracti0ns
Call for toll free reservations:
1-888o582o84 4
P.O’ Box 430° Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
479’253-9501
www,eurekaspringsresort,com
the STAR 11
]~t~s hard to believe. Here’s a x 6thcentury
Baroque master whose bold
naturalistic painting style t~rst created
whose life was filled
with ~e turbulence
and excess of a do~e:n
Mario Pu~o novels.
~ouM~,u~yfound re~mption
and i~ormliW in his ~t. But does the averag~ kid
on the s~eer even know ~vho Carava~io
F~hgedaboudit.
T~ ~d. Xs~cmHy when you consider how much
our c~ldren can lea~ ~om the conflicted life
a ~eat ar~st like Miche~ngelo Caravaggio.
~e grew up in less ~an ideal circ~stances. Most
ofhis f~ily died m the plague. Much of his youth
was misspent on the mean s~¢ets of Rome. And as a
young artist he strt~gg]ed for years
to make a living. He was angry.
Yet the angry contrast between iight
and darkness in h~ work isthe very
reason it no~v hangs in countless
museums ~around the world.
If nothing else, it’s a case study
of the importance of having art as
an outlet. Unfomanately, one we’re
fast removing from our kids" lives.
If the arts are indeed a vital part o£ your child’s
education ~and studies show
you believe they a~e), th,n you
should demand his or her fair
share. To find out how, or for
more information about
benefits of arts education,
please visit us at AmericansForTheArts;org, Because,
as Caravagglo would tel! you~ life without artis tomlre.
Historic American
Event August 9th on
LOGO TVo
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__ Maintaining
its grassroots traditions, the Oklahoma
Democratic Party and OK Stonewall Democrats
will host a meet-n-greet on Thursday,
August 9, starting at 6:00pm at the Party’s
headquarters at 4100 N. Lincoln Boulevard.
This informal reception will have refreshments
and live entertainment until 8:00pro.
Following immediately will be a watch
party to view the live streaming video of the
LOGO TV and Human Rights Campaign
sponsored forum between the Democratic
Presidential candidates. This is the first
forum in American election history devoted
exclusively to LGBT concerns.
Both events are free to the public.
Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats (wwv.okstonewall.
org) is a chapter of National Stonwall
Democrats in Washington, DC (wvw.
stonewalldemocrats.org) and a recognized
dub of the State Democratic Party (www.
okdemocrats.org). We work for the equality
ofAmerica’s LGBT citizens in its social and
political life.
TAMMY FAYE DIES
AT AGE 65
WASHINGTON, DC~The National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force expressed its condolences
at the passing ofTammy Faye (Bakker)
Messner, ex-wife of disgraced evangelist
Jim Bakker. Messner died last Friday after a
long battle with cancer.
Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
"Tammy Faye became an icon for our community.
In spite of-- and perhaps because
of the hardships she faced -- she embraced
us, she refused to judge and repudiated
those who did. She will be long-remembered
and deeply missed. Our condolences
go to her family and her wide circle of loving
friends."
Christmas In Ju y
Fundraiser A Great
Success!
By STAR Staff
TULSA, OK Yes Mrs. Hood, there is a
Santa Clause! But in July?
Bamboo Lounge Tulsa and Miss Bamboo
2007, Holly Rose hosted the First Annual
Miss Bamboo Christmas in July charity
event to a packed house and a delighted
crowd. The entertainers and auction raised
$600 to benefit H.O.EE. Clinic ofTulsa.
Clinic personnel were also in attendance
and administering free AIDS/HIV testing.
H.O.EE. testing clinic is a non-profit Mens
Outreach program providing free HIV
testing, including the 20 minute OraQuick
test. The Clinic is located at 3540 East 31st
Street in Tulsa. Phone (918) 812-7045. The
Clinic is closed on Friday and Sunday.
Their Oklahoma HIV/STD Hotline number
is (800) 535-2437
Combine ingredients in mixi~
glass. Add ice, stir to
strain into your chille(
Glass.
Pop in
CD for fun
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 13
stream society
elevision is a major influence
on American popular
culture, and the evolving
presence ofLGBT people
on the small screen has
both reflected and fostered
acceptance of gays in main-
In the 1950s and 1960s - a time when
homosexuality ~vas regarded as a crime or
a mental illness - a few brave queers began
appearing on local television talk shows. In
April 1954, Los Angeles station KTTV ran
a program called Confidential File featuring
a policeman, a psychiatrist, and a gay
man, Dale Olson. Asked whether he would
change his sexual orientation if he could,
Olson replied that he would not; the next
day, he was fired from his job. Four years
later, New York’s WABD ran a similar
program featuring sympathetic psychologist
Albert Ellis and Gonzolo Segura, a gay
chemist who wore a hood to hide his identity.
In November 1964, New York Mattachine
Society member Randy, Wicker went
undisguised on the popular Les Crane Show,
and in 1967, activists Franklin Kameny,
Jack Nichols, and Lilli Vincenz appeared
on channel WOOK in Washington, D.C.
"Once we started appearing on TV and on
talk radio shows, [the public] started seeing
us as more real," Vincenz later said.
LGBT people garnered a national audience
in March 1967 with a special episode of
CBS Reports entitled "The Homosexuals,"
hosted by Mike Wallace. The program
- which ran with virtually no ads since sponsors
wouldn’t touch it - featured Jack Nichols,
author Gore Vidal, a federal judge, and
conservative psychiatrist Charles Socarides;
though Nichols used an alias, he too lost his
job. That same year, New York Mattachine
president Dick Leitsch appeared on The
David Susskind Show, which aired on PBS
stations nationwide. In 1971, Susskind featured
a panel of lesbians, including Daughters
of Bilitis member Barbara Gittings,
Wayland Flowers (with his puppet
"Madame")
who proclaimed, "Homosexuals today are
taking it for granted that their homosexuality
is not at all something dreadful - it’s
good, it’s right, it’s natural, it’s moral, and
this is the way they are going to be." By the
late 1960s, talk show host Phil Donahue
also began featuring queer people (originally
on his local program in Dayton, Ohio,
which was later nationally syndicated), despite
his fear that some viewers might think
he was gay, himself.
After the Stonewall Riots in June 1969,
occasional queer characters began to appear
on TV with increasing frequency. The CBS
series Medical Center (1969-1976) featured
perhaps the first-ever sympathetic portrayals
of gay and lesbian characters on television.
During the first season of CBS’s _All in the
Family_ in 1971, Archie Bunker was taken
aback to learn that an old drinking buddy
- a former pro football player - was gay. The
show prompted then-president Richard Nixon
to complain to his staff, "Goddamn it, I
don’t think you glorify [homosexuality] on
public television." In a later episode, Archie
saved the life of a female impersonator, and
in the spin-offThe Jeffersons, lead character
George reunited with an old Navy buddy
who was now a woman. The 1970s also saw
the first sympathetic made-for-TV movies,
including That Certain Summer (1972), in
which a teenage boy discovers his father is
gay.
While reality TV is often regarded as a
recent phenomenon, the 1970s PBS series
An American Family portrayed the real-life
travails of a Southern California family,
the Louds. Teenage son Lance came out
on screen in January 1973, sparking both
condemnation and applause. He performed
in a punk rock band and wrote for magazines,
including The Advocate, before dying
of liver failure related to HIV and hepatitis
C at age 50.
Variety shows of the 1970s, such as Rowan
and Martin’s Laugh-In and Saturday Night
Live, addressed homosexuality in their skits,
often by making fun of stereotypical gay
characters. By mid-decade, three gay men
- Paul Lynde (~vho previously played a bachelor
warlock on Bewitched), Charles Nelson
Reilly (who had a role in the children’s show
Lidsville), and Wayland Flmvers (with his
puppet "Madame"), had become flamboyant
fixtures on popular game shows, though
they did not openly acknowledge their
sexuality.
While several programs in the 1970s occasionally
featured queers, regular LGBT
characters were scarce, q-he first, in 1972,
was Peter Panama, a gay designer on the
short-lived ABC sitcom The Corner Bar.
This was followed in 1975 by the first gay
male couple, on the network’s Hot L Baltimore.
An unhappily married woman on
the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives
admitted she was bisexual in 1977, but the
storyline was brief. A longer-running and
better-known example of a recurring queer
character was Jodie Dallas on ABC’s Soap
(1977-1982).
14 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
As the gay liberation movement gained
political clout, the National Gay Task Force
and other activists protested against shows
that cast queers in a negative light, including
a 1974 episode of Marcus Welby, M.D.,
in which a male teacher molested a boy.
During the first season of Soap, the campy,
effeminate Jodie dated a closeted football
player and planned to have a sex-change
operation, until the Task Force successfially
demanded that the script be altered. By the
late 1970s, however, the religious right had
also become more powerful, and producers
and advertisers began to face competing
boycott threats from queers and conservatives.
(Continued in part 2.)
What were some milestones
for queers on
television? (Part 2)
milestones.
espite growing pressure
from conservatives follmving
the proliferation of
LGBT characters in the
mid-1970s, the 1980s and
1990s witnessed no shortage
of queer television
In 1981, ABC’s popular Dynasty introduced
Steven Carrington, the first openly bisexual
regular character in a dramatic series. The
network’s daytime soap opera All My
Children featured its first gay storyline in
1983, when erstwhile heterosexual Devon
McFadden declared her love for her lesbian
psychiatrist. Five years later, ABC presented
the first recurring out lesbian character in
prime time - nurse Marilyn McGrath on the
short-lived medical drama Heartbeat.
During these decades, television increasingly
addressed issues of concern to the
LGBT community. The 1985 made-for-TV
movie An Early Frost offered one of the first
portrayals of people with AIDS. MTV’s The
Real World also dealt with AIDS, featuring
HIV-positive Pedro Zamora during its 1994
season. That same year saw the first televised
gay male wedding, on the CBS series Northern
Exposure, set in a small Alaska town
founded by a lesbian couple.
www.ozarksstar.com
Paul Lynde (who previouslyplayed a bachelor
warlock on Bewitched)
The first same-sex wedding be~veen two
women - with activist Candace Gingrich
serving as the minister - came on Friends in
1996. NBC’s TV movie Serving in Silence
(1995) related the story of Lt. Margarethe
Cammermeyer, who was ousted from the
military after acknowledging that she was a
lesbian. But not until 2006 did The L Word
introduce Moira/Max, the first female-tomale
character to transition on the small
screen, followed later that year by Zarf/Zoe’s
male-to-female transition on All My Children.
In a bid for increased visibility, LGBT
people continued to appear on television
talk shows, even as such programs shifted
from the measured affairs hosted by David
Susskind and Phil Donahue to shows in
which hosts and audience members blatantly
attacked the guests. The controversy
over "trash TV" came to a head in March
1995, when Jonathan Schmitz killed Scott
Amedure after Amedure revealed his crush
on Schmitz on The JenW Jones Show.
Over the years, expressions of same-sex affection
between women were more accepted
than those between men. In November
1989, the sitcom thirtysomething lost
more than $1 million in ad revenue when
it showed two men in bed together, even
though a preceding kiss was axed. In February
1991, C.J. Lamb and Abby Perkins, two
attorneys on NBC’s L.A. Law, shared the
first lesbian kiss on network TV. In 1994,
over the objections of network executives,
Roseanne kissed a lesbian character played
by Mariel Hemingway, and the following
year on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the
character Jadzia Dax kissed a woman who
xvas the re-embodiment of her dead husband.
AJanuary 1997 episode of Relativity
showed a passionate, close-up lesbian
lip-lock, and two years latin; TV lawyer Ally
McBeal shared a prolonged smooch with
a female office rival. Fox’s _Melrose Place_
deleted a planned prime-time gay male kiss
due to boycott threats in 1994, leaving Jack
and Ethan on WB Network’s Dawson’s
Creek to break that barrier in 2000.
The late 1990s saw the first shows with
prominent LGBT lead characters. On April
30, 1997 - after months of innuendo - Ellen
DeGeneres had the most famous smallscreen
coming-out, in a star-studded episode
of her ABC sitcom Ellen that attracted some
35 million viewers. But not tong thereafter,
her same-sex kiss on the show prompted a
parental advisory warning, and the program’s
ratings dropped as it began to focus
more on gay issues. NBC’s Will and Grace
also broke new ground, though some viewers
were disappointed that the gay male lead
never had an ongoing romantic relationship.
The turn of the century witnessed the most
visible queer personality on reality TV since
Lance Loud, when self-proclaimed "fat
naked fag" Richard Hatch - who later served
time for evading taxes on his prize money
- won the first season of Survivor in 2000.
Reichen Lehmkuhl and Chip Arndt, the
couple who triumphed in the fourth season
of CBS’s The Amazing Race (2003), proved
to be more likable gay role models. That
year also saw the debut of Bravo’s popular
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, featuring
five gay men giving fashion and lifestyle
advice to style-challenged heterosexuals.
Cable television offered the most daring
series featuring primarily queer casts, beginning
with Showtime’s Queer as Folk in 2000
and The L Word in 2004. In a reflection of
growing LGBT economic clout, Canada’s
PrideVision (later renamed OutTV) became
the world’s first channel offering full-time
programming for a queer audience in
1991. The U.S. cable channels Here! TV,
QTelevision Network, and MTV/Viacom’s
Logo followed suit,
................ Continued page 23
the STAR 15




One ofPortland’s hippest hangoutsfor cocktails and terrificfood, the Mint restaurant and
adjoining 820 bar are owned by highly talented and openly gay drink mixologist Lucy Brennan.
(Photo by Andrew Collins)
It’s both a cliche and an injustice to compare
Portland xvith Seat~e and Vancouver,
but people do it all the rime - the three
eiries are, after all, the crown jewels of the
Pacific Northxvest. Portland stands very
much on its oxvn, however, and despite
its considerable groxv~ in recent years, it
retains a surprisingly intimate scale and lowkeyed
personalit3: Gay and lesbian visitors
xvill discover a city xvith no predon~finantly
alternative neighborhood, but a progressive,
welcoming attitude that permeates every
inch of the city.
The city’s strengths include a plethora of
classy, gay-friendly, boutique-style hotds
(many of them xvithin walking distance of
the city’s best gay bars); a pedestrian-friendly
downtown with lively cultural venues
and engaging retail strips; and one of the
most exciting restaurant scenes around.
Even better, accommodations and meals
cost considerably l~ss here than in other
West Coast cities of comparable acclaim. If
it seems odd that you haven’t heard more
about Portland, keep in mind that locals are
fiercely intent on keeping it from groxving
too big and too croxvded - the city is, by
design, a well-guarded secret.
Portland lies just below the confluence of
the Columbia and the Willamette rivers. The
Columbia forms the border between Washington
and Oregon; from it, the Willamette
txvists in a southerly direction, bisecting the
city and its attractive skyline. In this eclectic
city center, high-end boutiques border
funky pawn shops, dapper bistros sit beside
humble burger joints, and postmodern office
towers rise above cast-iron Victorians.
Along the river, Tom McCall Waterfront
Park stretches for more than a mile, providing
a scenic venue for cycling, jogging, and
sunning.
Brown baggers congregate at Pioneer
Square, a tidy redbrick plaza at Yamhill
Street and Broadxvay. Many high-end chain
stores are clustered here, including NikeTown,
the unabashedly commercial tribute
to the Portland-based maker of athletic
wear, and Nordstrom. South of Pioneer
Square the impressive Portland Center for
the Performing Arts presents ballet, opera,
and classical music, and the Portland Art
Museum specializes in Native American,
regional contemporary, and graphic arts.
A fexv blocks northwest lies the city’s
compact gay entertainment district, mostly
along bar-studded Stark Street. Vintageclothing,
book, and used-record shops line
Burnside and Oak streets, including one
of the nation’s most famous bookstores,
Powell’s, which has an enormous GLBT
section. Across Burnside is Portland’s
hottest neighborhood, the swank Pearl
District, where massive warehouse buildings
have been converted into trendy loft-style
condos and hip eateries. The Pearl District’s
Bluehour is well-regarded for its inventive
seafood, such as semolina-encrusted halibut
with lava beans and an herb-risotto cake.
The same culinary team is behind Saucebox,
a sdf-conseiously hip care delivering tasty
multinational fare.
Budget time to explore Portland’s Northwest
neighborhood, along 23rd and 21st
avenues, where upscale boutiques and
restaurants proliferate, including one of
Portland’s hottest purveyors of Pacific
Northwest cuisine, Wildwood. The menu
here changes often but might feature, for
example, day-oven roasted leg of lamb with
summer squash grarin. From Northwest
you’re a short drive from Metro Washington
Park Zoo, which anchors 322-acre, densely
wooded Washington Park, opposite xvhich
sits the International Rose Test Garden;
10,000 bushes with more than 500 varieties
are displayed xvithin its 4 acres. Just up
the hill is a serene Japanese garden. The
wooded grounds abut the 5,000-acre Forest
Park, great for hiking and biking.
Across the Williamette River from downtown
you’ll find several neighborhoods
acclaimed for their artsy fed, popularity
with gays and lesbians, and wealth of great
shopping and dining options. The Hawthorne
District might just be Portland’s
most lesbian-popular neighborhood, and it
also has scads of pleasing retail and dining
options, including the superb Castagna
Restaurant, known for its creative regional
Northwestern cuisine. Bread and Ink Care
is another Hawthorne favorite, captivating
regulars with its Mediterranean, Mexican,
and Yiddish fare (how’s that for an unlikely
trinity?). The cheeseburgers garner raves all
around, as do the chicken enchiladas.
Nearby Southeast Stark and Southeast Belmont
streets also hold a share of the area’s
coffeehouses, boutiques, and music clubs.
Other East Side neighborhoods of note
20 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
include Alberta, Division/Clinton, and East Burnside. And the once
derelict industrial area on the northeastern shores of the Willamette,
the Lloyd District, now contains a convention center, sports stadiums,
and the impressive 200-store Lloyd Center mall. The variety
of excellent, gay-friendly restaurants on the East Side is staggering,
but standouts include Mint/820, a contemporary bistro and cocktail
bar owned by openly gay and nationally renowned drink mixologist
Lucy Brennan; and Rocket, a see-and-be-seen space known for such
simple but mouthwatering fare as braised beef rib with red wine
jus and black cod with a radish salad. Also consider sassy Rou_x for
imaginatively rendered New Orleans-style cuisine; Helser’s on Alberta
for amazingly delicious breakfast and lunch fare; and Vindalho
for modern Indian food.
There are countless opportunities for getting out and enjoying the
countryside within a short drive of Portland. Rooster Rock (aka
Cock Rock) State Park lies 20 miles east of the city in the scenic
Columbia Gorge and is a favorite place for gay sunbathers. Sauvies
Island, about 8 miles northwest of Portland, has another scenic and
scene-y clothing-optional beach with a decidedly gay following. This
area is also poptflar for kayaking and boating - you can rent kayaks
or take tours from Scappoose Bay Kayaking, and Portland’s own
Out Kayatdng is a GLBT social group dedicated to this very ?ctivity
- it welcomes visitors on its frequent weekend excursions. In the
other direction, magnificent Mt. Hood (elevation 11,300 feet) offers
year-round skiing, great hiking, challenging rock-climbing, and
plenty more to get the blood flowing. In the same area, you can take
a hair-raising whitewater rafting trip on the roiling Clackamas River
- a highly reliable outfitter for this activity is Destination Wilderness.
And south of Portland, you’ll find the fantastic Willamette
Valley wine country, which has become internationally renowned
for its pinot noir and pinot gris. Numerous wineries in the valley are
open for tastings.
With one of the more pronounced and vibrant women’s scenes on
the West Coast, Portland has not only a couple of popular lesbian
bars but also many spots where both women and men congregate.
Near Hawthorne, the Egyptian Club is the most popular such
venue, with strippers some nights and always a big crowd for dancing.
Also on the east side of town, Crush is a swish and sophisticated
cocktail lounge drawing a mix ofwomen and men. The kitchen
here turns out excellent bistro fare, and there’s a popular brunch on
weekends.
Stark Street has the bulk of the city’s top gay clubs, including Boxxes
and Red Cap, a pulsing dance club-cum-video bar; Eagle PDX, a
cruisy leather bar; Silverado (think go-go boys); and Scandals, a
convivial and laid-back video bar popular with the after-work set.
After the bars close, gay meets grunge in the neighborhood’s 24-
hour diner, the Roxy; on any given night you’ll see big hair, pierced
extremities, lotsa muscle, leather, rubber, drag - you name it.
Old Town, a short walk from the Stark Street area, also has a handful
of noteworthy gay hangouts, among them the upscale steak
house Hobo’s - this popular lounge has piano music nightly. Darcelle
XV Showplace is famous for its elaborate drag revues; on nights
the gals don’t dress up, strippers dress down. C. C. Slaughter’s is Old
Town’s top gay dance club, pulling in a mostly under-35 crowd and
pulsing into the late hours.
Portland abounds with distinctive hotels. The famously gay-friendly
Kimpton Group has a pair of gems. With the Hotel Monaco,
Kimpton improved on a familiar Portland strategy: Take a classy
old building and convert it into a charming hotel. Many of the
accommodations here are full suites, and all have such high-end
amenities as DVD players and 12Occitane bath products. You’ll find
the same level of quality at intimate Hotel Vintage Plaza. Rooms in
this restored downtown 1894 building are large and done in warm
colors; many have two-person hot tubs and spiral staircases leading
to second-story sleeping lofts. The hotel’s Pazzo Ristorante serves
exceptional contemporary Italian fare.
You’l! find several more gay-friendly hotels of note around the city,
some high-end, and some geared toward travelers on a budget. On
the inexpensive side, try the offbeat Ace Hotel, which is set inside
a vintage 1912 building along Stark Street’s gay bar strip. There’s a
bohemian sensibility to the place, from the coffeehouse off the lobby
to the contemporary paintings in the large but modestly furnished
rooms. Upscale choices include the Hotel Deluxe, a retro-cool property
with plush rooms and one of the coolest little bars in the city,
the Driftwood Room. Its sister property is the even more stunning
Hotel Lucia, a modern, artful lodging in the heart of downtown.
Among the perks are iPod docking stations in every room.
For a more intimate experience, try the MacMaster House B&B,
which is on swank King’s Hill, two blocks from Washington Park.
This grand turn-of-the-century Colonial Revival home is convenient
to the business district. The rooms have a romantic mix of antiques
and reproductions, and four have fireplaces. Arguably Portland’s
most distinctive accommodations, however, are found at the Jupiter
Hotel, which is just across the Willamette from downtown and is a
favorite roost among hipsters, musicians, artists, and bon vivants.
The once prosaic motor court has been transformed into a mod
boutique hotel with sleek furnishings and a playful sensibility. ~he
on-site Doug Fir restaurant and lounge hosts a wide range of indie
rock bands, and the Jupiter has its own branch of the popular Portland
adult erotica shop, Spartacus Leathers. This is one hotel where
you’re never far from romantic inspiration.
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 21
AUGUST 2007
Repeating Holocaust History
Lesbian Notions, looks atpeople who seem toforget the history ofthe Holocaust.
Photo: Anti-Gayprotest marc,b 1939Nazi Germany
it wasn’t unril the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum in Washington,
D.C., opened in 1993 that
this treatment was brought to national
and international attention.
As a second-generation Jew on the cusp of
turning 50, I grew up with stories ofWorld
War II and the reality ofthd Holocaust. My
father fought in the war; my mother was
in the Signal Corps. Anti-Semitism was a
hatred I was taught about at an early age
- from hearing the stories of pogroms in
Eastern Europe, where my family was from,
to reading and talking about Hitler’s rage
against anyone different from his Aryan
ideal.
In the 1960s and ’70s, few publicly questioned
whether the Holocaust happened, as
some revisionist historians, Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and others do
today. It was a time when the slogan "Never
I was in D.C. for the 1993 lesbian
and gay March on Washington.
Hundreds of us gathered at the
museum the evening before it
opened, laying down carnations
to symbolize the lives of gays and
lesbians lost in the Holocaust and
praying for their souls.
Since opening, the museum has printed
educational material, sponsored major
exhibitions about gays and the Holocaust,
and has an online exhibition dedicated to
the subject.
Thousands of gay men were killed in the
concentration camps, forced to wear pink
triangles so everyone knew why they ~vere
there. These men ~vere not only abused
- and even killed - by the Nazis and the
people who ran the camps, but they were
also subjected to the homophobic reactions
of their fellow prisoners.
Again" was a rallying cry for American Jews
More than 100,000 gay men were arrested
under the Nazis’ notorious Paragraph 175
so that we would never forget the six million law that broadly defined lewd behavior
who died in the camps, between men. A man could literally be ar-
It was only after I came out that I learned
that gay men and lesbians were also interred
in the concentration camps. It certainly
wasn’t something I was taught in Hebrew
school.
I knew early on that Jews were not the
only ones targeted by the Nazis, although
we were the largest group. Germans with
disabilities or mental illness, Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Gypsies, Poles, and Soviet prisoners
of war, among others, also found themselves
in concentration camps. But no one ever
talked about the gays.
Richard Plant published The Pink Triangle
in 1988, which chronicled the atrocities
against lesbians and gays inthe camps. But
rested for just looking at another man the
"wrong" way.
Approximately, 50,000 served prison
terms as convicted homosexuals, while an
unknown number were institutionalized in
mental hospitals. Hundreds of men were
castrated under court order or coercion.
According to the museum, record-keeping
on gay concentration camp victims is
sketchy, but it estimates that between 5,000
and 15,000 gay men were imprisoned at the
camps, where many died from starvation,
disease, exhaustion, beatings, and murder.
After the camps were liberated, many of
the German gays were sent back to prison
to finish their terms, because Paragraph
175 was not among the Nazi laws that were
repealed.
22 the STAR
The museum is one of the world’s leaders in
making sure we don’t forget what happened
during the Nazi reign of terror. Too bad
some others - like the ultra-orthodox Haredi
sect ofJews in Israel - apparently haven’t
made the trip to D.C. or availed themselves
of the museum’s online resources.
The Haredi are the folks who routinely
protest Gay Pride parades in Israel - the
country that was established as a democracy
that would be a haven for the persecuted
Jews of Nazi Germany, the former Soviet
Union, and other countries. All the Haredi
are doing is repeating the hatred that fueled
the Holocaust in the first place.
They put a hate-filled coalition of reactionary
Christians, Muslims, and Jews together
to try and stop World Pride from happening
in Jerusalem. It always amazes me how conveniently
and quickly enemies become allies
when it comes to denying us our rights, our
pride, our way of life.
This year in Jerusalem, the Orthodox
Righteous Court of Law actually placed a
curse on the city’s Pride parade organizers
and marchers, as well as on the police who
helped to keep the event safe and secure.
It went like this: "To all those involved,
sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and
protects them, may they feel a curse on their
souls, may it plague them and may evil pursue
them; they will not be acquitted of their
transgressions from heavenly judgment."
Then you have the ultra-orthodox members
of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, sponsoring
bills to outlaw al! gay Pride parades or to
establish "rehab centers" to teach us how to
repress our sexuality.
Knesset member Nissim Ze’ev considers us
dangerous and says that the government
needs to keep an eye on us. The rehab centers
would be staffed with a special team of
psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers
who will help us return to "a normal
life." According to Ze’ev, lesbian and gay
people must be made aware of "how their
lifestyle is destroying our existence."
Camps, curses, making us the enemy of society
- it all smacks of Hitler’s rhetoric. But
this time, it’s wrapped in an ultra-orthodox
tallit (prayer shawl) that gives it a credibility
it doesn’ deserve.
www.ozarksstar.com
Past Out:
producing original programs such as Noah’s
Arc - described by The Economist as a takeoff
on Sex and the City from an African-
American gay male perspective - and the
supernatural gay drama Dante’s Cove.
The increased presence of LGBT people
on TV over the past half century reflects
the growing influence of both out queers
in the entertainment industry and straight
producers who grew up in an era of greater
acceptance of sexual diversity. Nonetheless,
the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
found that during the 2006-2007
broadcast network television season, only
1.3 percent of regular characters on scripted,
prime-time programs were gay or lesbian,
and none were bisexual or transgender.
For further information:
Alwood, Edward. 1996. Straight News:
Gays, Lesbians, and the News Media (Columbia
University Press).
Eisenbach, David. 2006. Gay Power: An
American Revolution (Carroll & Graf).
Raymond, Susan, and Alan Raymond.
2002. Lance Loud! A Death in an American
Family (PBS documentary).
Transgender Seeks
Office ofPresident of
the United States.
by STAR Staff
HUTCHINSON, KS__Bennie Lee Ferguson,
of Hutchinson, Kansas, has officially
declared candidacy for the office of President
of The United States, and for a House
of Representatives seat in Kansas district
104. Born on February 25, 1953 at Grace
Hospital in Hutchinson, Kansas. The son
of an Air Force aerospace engineer and a
Kansas farm girl, he spent his childhood in
cities and towns all across the nation, from
Massachusetts to California, always returning,
however, to his home in Reno County
and Hutchinson. Ferguson is running on
the Libertarian ticket, and will be a write-in
candidate in the General Presidential Election
in 2008.
While openly transgender candidates for
office like Kim Coco Iwamoto (HI),
Dana Beyers (MD) and Amanda Simpson
(AZ) have experienced some modicum
of success at the state level, Ferguson could
be the first openly transgender candidate for
President, and is certainly the first transgender
candidate for a state legislative seat in
the state that elected Sam Brownback (R,
KS). It should be noted that now Republican
Presidential Candidate Brownback
was one of the three candidates at the first
Republican debate to declare the theory of
evolution invalid.
Ferguson’s campaign isn’t necessarily based
on being transgender. The candidate’s
platform is firmly rooted in the Libertarian
philosophy, preservation of personal
civil liberties being the supporting plank of
the Libertarian platform. While Ferguson
is not running specifically as a transgender
candidate, the idea of the preservation of individual
liberties is certainly consistent with
the interests of the transgender community.
Candidate Ferguson faces an uphill batde
in both the Presidential and the House of
Representatives race. This is her second bid
for a seat in this district. Of course, the opportunity
to project a positive image of
transgender people as active participants in
the American political process is certainly an
endeavor worth supporting.
Ferguson holds a Bachelor’s degree from
Wichita State University where he is
currently enrolled in the graduate program.
He expects to graduate with a Master’s degree
in history in spring of 2008. In connection
with his master’s thesis on the subject
of micropatrology (the study of small
self-proclaimed nations), he has founded
The Kingdom of Fergus within the city
limits of Hutchinson, Kansas. The principles
espoused by the micronations movement are
philosophically akin to Libertarian views.
Following his graduation, he intends to
commute to law school at Oklahoma
City University having already taken the
Law School Admissions Test in 2004.
Ferguson also continues to work as an entertainer.
The Ben Ferguson Band is a popular
attraction throughout the area and he has
appeared several times at Hutch Fest and the
Kansas State Fair.
Bennie will answer your questions and accept
campaign contributions at bennieleeferg@
hotmail.com.
www.ozarksstar.com The STAR 23


ARE RIGHT AROUND THE CO ER
FROM NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
AND SHE IS COMING OUT IN A BIG WAY
@~nother National
Coming Out Day is approaching
and change is in the air.
Gays are fighting for the right
to get legally married and to
be legally protected against
hate crimes and discrimination.
Scientists are looking for
the gay gene. Gay themes are
frequently seen in major T~.
shows. We have GLBT cable
stations, LOGO and here! and
shows like Queer as Folk, Will
and Grace, Noah’s Arc, and the
L-Word, which focus on the
lives of homosexual people.
Openly gay people like Rosie
O’Donnell, Melissa Ethridge,
and Ellen have successful careers
that are building a bridge
between gays and straight
people. And The Secret, a new
bestselling book by Rhonda
Byrnes, describes a new spirituality,
a new way of thinking
about God, the universe and
ourselves.
So, where are we headed? We
are running down the yellow
brick road toward freedom
- freedom in the truest sense of
the word. Freedom from discrimination;
freedom to marry
the one we love; freedom from
traditional spirituality; freedom
to feel good about ourselves;
freedom to break down cultural
walls, freedom from labels of
good and bad, freedom from
society’s rules and government
propaganda, freedom from the "musts" and "shoulds" and "need
tos;" freedom from limiting beliefs about who we are and our value
to the world; freedom from separateness and freedom to pursue our
dreams.
Grace Lawson realized at the age of 41 that she is gay. Since then
she has gone through significant personal transformation including
leaving a heterosexual
marriage, finding her
true love, and moving
from a traditional Christian
view of God to a
much deeper spirituality.
She has written a book
called Coming Out
Coming Alive which is
about personal freedom;
about becoming who you
truly are. And this book
is the final stage of her
own coming out. The
environment at the corporate
office where she
works may be homophobic
and she could loose
her job over this, but she
is willing to take the risk
for the sake of the book
and what it can do for
the world.
This book will help you
to live authentically and
achieve your dreams. You
can embrace who you
are, get what you want,
and make a difference in
the world. Love, money,
joy, peace, power and
passion can be yours.
htm.
Coming Out Coming
Alive will be in stores on
September 1st, but you
can get it early at http://
www.comingoutcomingalive.
com/COCABook.
26 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
Openly-Gay Democrats
Elected to Lead Young
Democrats ofAmerica
Stonewall Democrats to Serve as
YDA President and Vice President
WASHINGTON, DC Today July 23rd,
the Nationa! Stonewall Democrats (NSD)
congratulated a newly-elected leadership of
the Young Democrats ofAmerica (YDA),
including two openly-gay Stonewall Democrats
who will now lead the organization
as President and Executive Vice-President
through 2009.
"Young voters are the new base of the
Democratic Party, and we are proud that
the Young Democrats ofAmerica support
equality for LGBT families and have placed
their faith in the leadership of two great
Democratic leaders who happen to be gay,"
said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director.
"The future of our party now has an opportunity
to demonstrate to all Democrats how
fully engaging our community is politically
viable and smart."
On Sunday, David Hardt (Texas) was
elected as President of the Young Democrats
ofAmerica with 93% of the delegate votes
during the organization’ s national convention
in Dallas. Also elected on Sunday was
Chris kaqderson (Tennessee) as the organization’
s Executive Vice President. The election
of Hardt and Anderson mark the first time
that the Young Democrats ofAmerica will
be led by an openly-gay leadership team.
The Young Democrats of America
GLBT Caucus also elected its new leadership
on Saturday, including the election of
NSD Board Member Kyle Bailey (Georgia)
as Caucus Vice-Chair. Bailey also serves as
President of the Atlanta Stonewall Democrats.
The other elected GLBT Caucus
officers include Rachel Kau-Tayler (California)
as Caucus Chair, Rob Hudson (Florida)
as Caucus Secretary and Byron LaMasters
(Texas) as Caucus Treasurer.
The Young Democrats ofAmerica have
undertaken a dramatic outreach to LGBT
Democrats over the past several years. Congruently,
the National Stonewall Democrats
have also increased their outreach to LGBT
Young and College Democrats. NSD has
established youth scholarships for national
trainings, including the "Keith Smith Fund"
designed to honor the outreach work of
former NSD Board Member Keith Smith
of Oklahoma. Over the past two years,
young leaders within the Stonewall Democrats
have also established Stonewall Young
Democrats chapters across the country,
which serve to organize LGBT Youth within
the Democratic Party.
As the official youth arm of the Democratic
Party, YDA mobilizes young people
under the age of 36 to participate in the
electoral process, influence the ideals oft,he
Democratic Party and develops the skills
of the youth generation to serve as leaders
at the local and national level. YDA has 43
chartered states and US territories with over
1,500 local chapters. In 2003, members of
the National Stonewall Democrats authored
and passed language adopted by YDA which
declared the organization’ s support for civil
marriage for same-sex couples.
To learn more about the Keith Smith Fund
for LGBT Students go to:
www.stonewal ldemocrats, org/smithfund/
Task Force, Inc., releases
first comprehensive
analysis of2008 presidential
candidates’ positions
on LGBT issues
WASHINGTON, June 27 -- The National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Inc., today
released the first comprehensive analysis of
the top 19 candidates for the 2008 presidency
on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) issues. Democrats discussed
in this report include Hillary Clinton, John
Edwards and Barack Obama. Republicans
include Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and
Mitt Romney.
The report, The 2008 Presidential Candidates’
Positions on Lesbian, Gay; Bisexual
and Transgender Issues, and its accompanying
chart are based on an analysis of the
voting records and public statements of the
candidates in eight key LGBT issue areas,
including sexual orientation and gender
identity nondiscrimination and hate crimes
laws; HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment;
lifting the military’s ban on openly lesbian,
gay and bisexual service members; and partnership
recognition for same-sex couples.
According to the report, all Democratic
candidates are supportive of the majority
of LGBT issues, including transgender-inclusive
nondiscrimination and hate crimes
laws. Only two Democratic candidates support
marriage equality for same-sex couples,
however, yet all of them are in support of
other partnership recognition fights, such as
civil unions. Across the board, Republican
candidates were in opposition to the majority
ofLGBT issues, with most publicly
opposing lifting the military’s ban on openly
lesbian, gay and bisexual service members.
Ten of 11 Republican candidates also oppose
any partnership recognition for samesex
couples, whether it be marriage equality,
civil unions or domestic partnerships.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is the only 2008
presidential candidate who has publicly
supported all eight LGBT issues. Former
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the
only 2008 presidential candidate who has
publicly opposed all eight LGBT issues.
Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive
Director National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, Inc.
"The differences between the Democratic
and Republican fields of candidates on lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender issues are
shockingly stark and profoundly depressing.
Over time, the majority ofAmeficans have
moved to support basic fairness for LGBT
Americans, including nondiscrimination
and hate crimes laws, repeal of ’Don’t Ask
Don’t’ Tell,’ and protections for our families.
Sadly, the Republican field has gone in the
opposite direction, still dearly pandering to
the venom of the so-called ’religious right.’
This only means that they will continue to
use our lives as cultural wedge fodder whenever
it’s deemed politically expedient.
"The public statements and voting records
of the Democratic candidates show that they
are clearly light years ahead of the Republicans
on almost every issue important to the
LGBT community. Nevertheless, the lack
of courage on marriage equality is disturbing
on both political and moral grounds.
Politically, being for civil unions but against
marriage doesn’t bring a single voter over
from the other side. Morally, it’s hard to
understand how a Democratic candidate
can say to people they know individually
and to one of the most loyal and generous
voting blocs the party has, ’Sorry, I just can’t
go there -- you understand, right?’ Actually,
we don’t."
wvw~.ozarksstar.com the STAR 27
"Take a hike, Sagittarius!"
Venus squaring Mars provokes libido and creativity.
Mars is moving forward from Taurus to Gemini, and
Venus is retrograding from Virgo into Leo. This activity
creates bold talk and uncertain or ill-considered
action. Be very careful what you wish for, especially
out loud!
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Baby wants to play! But it’s
going to end up costing you in ways you hadn’t bargained
on. Caution and forethought were never the best traits of
your sign; this would be a good time to work on developing
them!
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Most families are mortal
embarrassments, but we see the flaws at home far more
clearly than our guests do. (At least we’ll invite the guests
back!) These universal constants are driving you mad.
Think about home impro.vements, but don’t act now.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): With your current inability to
keep a secret, you must be careful to listen to none. Your
own secrets - so deep and dark, even you don’t know them
- can come to light in playful banter, so be careful whom
you play with!
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Your friends will surely enjoy
your charitable impulses, but let a little generosity go a long
way. Spending like a drunken sailor could leave you with a
titanic financial hangover.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): You feel pretty, and you _are_
pretty. Everyone already sees that, and even your slightest
efforts to play up your glamour will only push you way over
the top. Relax, honey. You’re already too fabulous.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): You want to be
absolutely correct, but nobody is! Don’t fret. Worrying about
it can lead you into silly arguments, provoking others to
feel criticized and take offense, even when your aims are
entirely self-critical.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Your reputation as a
lover is getting around, perhaps with details you’d prefer to
keep quiet. Take it all with good humor. Cheerfully refusing
either to admit or to deny anything may be your best bet. Or
invite some of the gossipers to find out for themselves.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): You’re concerned
about your career, but you have other problems closer to
home. Discussions, even arguments, with your partner
should clear the air, perhaps even shedding light on those
issues at work!
28 the STAR
SAGITTAR~US (November 22 - December 20): Your
wanderlust is showing, and that could be causing both
general nervous tension for you and irritation among your
colleagues. Go ahead and get away if you can. At least put
on the lederhosen and go for a hike in the hills.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): You’re feeling
a little too frisky, and everyone’s noticing it. Getting it out
of your system won’t stop the indiscretion; but if everyone
suspects you of philandering, you might as well be guilty!
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Are you showering
your darling with too much or too little praise and attention?
Pay close attention to your baby’s needs, but you’re
still likely to get it wrong. Talking about it at home helps.
Listening is even better!
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Wanting to shine at
work can cause friction with your colleagues. Just do your
best work, let it speak for itself, and make sure to share all
due credit - and perhaps a bit more - with the rest of the
team.
MCC METROPOLITAN
COMMUNITY CHURCHES
Rev Steve T. Urie
Spirit of Christ MCC
2902 E 20th Street
Joplin, MO 64804
417-529-8480
Worship Saturdays at 10:00 AM
Community Meal Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
MCC of the Living Spring
17 Elk Street
Eureka Springs, AR 72632
479,253-9337
Worship Sundays at 6:00 PM
Have a God filled and Blessed Day!
www.ozarksstar.com
Arkansas, Bentonville/Rogers (479)
NWA GLBT Ctr .... www.nwaglbtcc.org.........888-391-9222
Barnes & Noble Bks - - 261 N. 46th St., Rogers- - - -479-636-2002
Arkansas, Eureka Springs (479)
Diversity Pride Events .............. ww~.diversitypdde.com
A Byrd’s Eye View..... 36 N. Main........... 479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante.... 309 W VanBuren....... 479-253-8102
Henri’s 19 1/2 Spring St ............. 479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren....... 479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - 17 Elk Street- Service 6PM- - -479-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- .... 888-582-8464
Tiki Torch........ 75 S. Main Street- 479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge - 141 W. VanBuren- 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Condom Sense 418 W. Dickson...... -479-444-6228
Curry’s Video - - - 6t2 N. College Ave- -479-521-0009
Flames Bar--- 40 E. Center-- -- 479-251-1922
Passages ......930 N. College Ave- - -479-442-5845
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave. 479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Klub XLR8 ......1022 Dodson Ave- - - 479-782-9578
Red Rock City - - - 917 N. "A" St.- 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge .... 1010 E. Grand Ave ........501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street ....1021 Jessie Rd- -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- ............... www.dsra.org
Discovery- .... 1021 Jessie Rd- -501-666-6900
Sidetracks- ~- 415 Main St--North L.R. 501-244-0444
The Factory ...... 412 Louisiana St.- ......... 501-372-3070
Club U.B.U. - ..... 824 W Capitol Ave. 501-375-8580
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club...... 384 Grant Ave. 785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.-- 1701 S. Broadway- ..............620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- - 1709 N. Walnut- -Service 11AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40..... 3201 S. Hillside......316-682-5494
Club Glacier- ........ 2828 E. 31st South......316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground ................. 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Fantasy- 2331 E 7th St- ....... -417-626-7275
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th, - ......Sat Service-9:30AM
Joplin Gay/Lesbian Cntr- PO Box 4383, zip 64803- -417-622-7821
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
40th Street Inn....www.40thstreetinn.com.......816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd 816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs - www.hydeskc.com - - 816-561-1010
Missie B’s....805 W. 39th St................816-561-0625
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge..... 424 Boonville Ave- 417-831-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commedcal- 417-869-3978
JR’s Nightclub.... 504 E. Commerical. 417-831-9001
Martha’s Vineyard- - - 219 W Olive -417-864-4572
Ronisuz Place....821 College............... 417-864-0036
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books....104 Sunset 580-242-6838
Oklahoma, Law-ton (580)
Ingrids Bookstore..... 1124 NW Cache Rd......580-353-1488
Oklahoma, IVlcAlester (918)
McPride........... POBox 1515, - .... McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642...... 405-495-1111
Blue Dog Liquor- ..... -4015 N. Penn 405-606-7000
Boom Room....... 2807 NW 36th St- 405-601-7200
Border’s Books...... 3209 NW Expressway- .... 405-848-2667
CD Warehouse...... 4001 N. Penn 405-525-7766
Christie’s Toy Box.....3126 N. May Ave 405-946-4438
Church of Open Arms......3131 N. Penn...... 405-525-9555
Copa- ,2200 NW 39th Exp........ -405-525-0730
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave....... -405-6726459
Finishline ....... 2200 NW 39th Expwy........405-525-9200
First Amendment Tatoo Shop- - - 2135 NW 39th - - -405-604-3911
Gushers Restaurant- ....2200 NW 39Exp ...... 405-525-0730
Habana Inn .2200 NW 39th Exp 405-528-2221
Herland Sisters Resources.... 2312 NW 39th St--405-521-9696
Hi-Lo Club ....... 1221 NW 50th............ 405-843-1722
Jungle Reds .......2200 NW Expwy
Ledo- .2200 NW Expwy- -
Naughty But Nice .... 3121 SW 29th St .......
Partners. 2805 NW 36th St -
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St-
Phoenix Rising .... 2120 NW 39th St.
The Park 2125 NW 39th St
The Patio........ 320! N. MayAve ........
Tramps. -2201 NW 39th.
Ziggy’s. -4005 N. Penn.
-405-524-5733
405-525-0730
-405-681-5044
-405-942-2199
-405-525-5165
-405-601-3711
-405-528-4690
-405-917-1663
-405-521-9888
-405-521-9999
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge....7204 E. Pine
Border’s Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st.
Border’s Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale
Circle Cinema...... 10 S. Lewis-
Club 209 209 N. Boulder - -
Club Majestic........ 124 N. Boston ......
Club Maverick- .... 822 S. Sheridan
Cosmo Dell & Bar - - 6746 S. Memorial - ~ ......
Dreamland Bks .... 8807 E. Admiral PI ....
Equality Center ..... 621 E. 4th Street........
Hideaway Cocktail Lounge--- 11730 E. 11th.....
918-836-8700
918-712-9955
918-494-2665
918-592-3456
918-584-9944
.... 918-584-9494
.918-835-3301
-918-459-0497
-918-834-1051
-918-743-4297
-918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- ...... 3540 E. 31st ............ 918-749-8378
Midtown 319 E. 3rd- 918-584-3112
Openarms Youth Projt - - - 2015 S. Lakewood.....918-838-7104
Our House, Too ....203 N Nogales Ave.........918-585-9552
Renegades........ 1649 S. Main 918-585-3405
Tulsa CARES.... 3507 E. Admiral PI- 918-834-4194
Tulsa Central Library ...... 400 Civic Center- - - - 918-596-7977
Tulsa Eagle.....1338 E. 3rd 918-592-1188
TNT’s 2114 S. Memorial- 918-660-0856
Yellow-Brick-Rd....... 2630 E. 15th.......... 918-293-0304
HAG R~,~Y
AN GOTTA
TAKE TNIG...
ART CRITIC FROM THE
VO/C~"
bitter girl
email: bittergirl@qsyndicate,com
30 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
N~V Arkansas GLBT
Communi~ Center
"Linking Together as One"
For more information:
888-391-9222
WWW.NWAGLBTCC.ORG
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 31
F
Ghad[¢k
07
Speakers, 9ames, food, information booths and our terrific #i¢ni¢ show!
GING LAMAR
Oklahoma’s Cowboy Crooner
Matthew HeathoFitzgerald
Susan Leah
10i Ways

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