[2007] The Star Magazine, February 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 2

[2007] The Star Magazine, February 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 2

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

February 01, 2007

Greg Steele
Jeanne Flanigan
Douglas Glenn
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Vicotr Gorin
Greg Gatewood
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ronald Blake
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Devre Jackson
Chaz Ward

The Star Magazine, January 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 1
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/206

The Star Magazine, March 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 3
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/209

Image
PDF
Online text

English

magazine

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/205

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

2 the STAR
www.ozarksstar.com
The of Sair t
Valentine’s Day started in the time of the Roman
Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday
to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman
Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as
the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day,
February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.The lives
of young boys and girls were
strictly separate. However,
one of the customs of the
young people was name
drawing.
On the eve of the festival
of Lupercalia the names of
Roman girls were written on
slips of paper and placed
into jars. Each young man
would draw a girl’s name
from the jar and would then
be partners for the duration
of the festival with the girl
whom he chose.
Sometimes the pairing of
the children lasted an entire
year, and often, they would
fall in love and would later
marry. Under the rule of Emperor
Claudius II Rome was
involved in many bloody and
unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a
difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues.
He believed that the reason was that roman men did not
want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius
cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.
The good Saint Valentine (photo above) was a priest
at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius
aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples,
and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended
and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who
condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and
to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the
14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it
was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed,
to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia,
feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions,
amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of
young women were placed in a box, from which they
were drawn by the men as chance directed.The pastors
of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to
do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting
the names of saints for those of maidens. And
as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February,
the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine’s Day
for the celebration of this new feast.
So it seems that the custom of young men choosing
maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming
year, arose in this way.
www.ozarksstar.com
1 (2437)
Oklahoma’s HIVtSTD Hotlir~e
PROTECT
CastI÷
"At Century 2I Gold Castle our
the STAR 3
Eight new laws advancing lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender equality and
protections go into effect in California
4@ TV
here! Networks’ Original Horror Series
’q2ae Lair" Coming This Spring. Starring
Peter Stickles and David Moretti
Who was Oliver Sipple? The Gay man
who saved Presidents Fords life.
"Cowboy Junction" DVD to be
released Feb. 27th- page 11
Gay Travelers "Fire Island, NY"
Out of Town "Phoenix, Arizona"
Valentines Day. While some believe in saying
it ~vith roses, Uncle has always been fond
of unconventional tokens of affection. A
bouquet of flavored lubes and massage oils
always brought a little warmth my way.
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"The Lair" StalTing Peter Stickles
and David Moretti - page 10
STAR DISTRIBUTION:
Equality Center Grand Opening
-page 15
OKLAHOMA CITY * TULSA* LAWTON * MCALESTER * ENID * LITTLE ROCK * NORTH LITTLE RODK *
FAYETTEVILLE * FT SMITH * EUREKA SPRINGS * HOT SPRINGS * BENTONVILLE * ROGERS * KANSAS
CITY * SPRINGFIELD * JOPLIN * BRANSON AREA * WICHITA * PITTSBURG * JUNCTION CITY
4 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
Eight new laws adv dng lesbian,
gay; bisexual and transgender equality
and pro ec ions go into effect irt
California
%gqth eight pro-equality laws going into effect this month, California stands
head and shoulders above any ol/Jer state in treating all its people equally under
the law. "-- Matt Foreman, Evec~tive Director; National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force applauds Equality California (EQCA) and legislative leaders
for the record number of pro-equality laws taking effect this month
in California.
"With eight pro-equality laws going into effect this month, California
stands head and shoulders above aW other state in treating
all its people equally under the law," said Matt Foreman, executive
¯ director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Thanks to
the extraordinary leadership of Geoff Kors and Equality California
and lesbian and gay members of the Legislature -- Senators Sheila
Kuehl, Christine Kehoe and Carole Migden and Assemblymember
Mark Leno -- tens of thousands will now have greater access to
health care, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
people in housing and state services will be prohibited, and
the use of the pernicious ’homosexual panic’ defense will be limited,
among many other advances."
One of the most sweeping rneasures is the Equal Benefits in State
Contracting law, which prohibits the state from contracting with
businesses that do not offer equal benefits to employees with domestic
partners on the same terms that benefits are offered to employees
with spouses. The measure, authored by former Assemblymember
and current Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, passed during the
2003-2004 legislative session and took effect on Jan. 1. It was modeled
after a very successful 1996 equal benefits ordinance enacted in
San Francisco.
"\gre are excited to see this policy become state law," said EQCA
Executive Director Geoff Kors, who initiated the idea of enacting an
equal benefits policy in San Francisco in the 1990s. "The new law
establishes the fair principle of equal pay for equal work, regardless
of sexual orientation."
In addition to the equal benefits law, domestic partners in 2007
have the right to prepare their California income tax returns together.
Couples can file jointly in 2008, covering the 2007 tax year.
Other new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1 reduce courtroom
bias against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,
expand the state’s nondiscrimination protections, and ensure dignity
and stability for LGBT seniors.
"These new laws not only provide essential protections for the
LGBT community, but they also reiterate California’s commitment
to treat all people equally under the law," Kors said.
The following pro-equality bills were enacted in California on Jan.
1:
Equal Benefits in State Contracting (2003)
AB 17: Assemblymember Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego
terms that benefits are offered to employees with spouses.
Prohibits the state from contracting with businesses that do not offer
equal benefits to employees with domestic partners on the same
State Income Tax Equity Act
SB 1827: Sen. Carole Migden~ D-San Francisco
Enables registered domestic partners to file joint state income tax returns
and have their earned income treated as community property.
Civil Rights Housing Act of 2006
AB 2800: Assemblymember John Laird, D-Santa Cruz
Prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion,
national origin, ancestry, disability and sex (including gender identity),
marital status, sexual orientation, familial status and source of
income.
Older Californians Equality and Protection Act
AB 2920: Assemblymember Mark Leno, D-San Francisco
Ensures that LGBT seniors are adequately served by government
services available to older Californians.
Nondiscrimination in State Programs and Activities Act
SB 1441: Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica
Prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender
identity in state-operated programs.
Equality in Prevention and Services for Domestic Abuse Act
AB 2051: Assemblymember Rebecca Cohn, D-Saratoga
Creates a fund to develop and support education and services for
LGBT victims of domestic violence.
Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act
AB 1160: Assemblymember Sally Lieber, D-San Jose
Creates jury instructions and prosecutor training to limit the use of
so-called"panic strategies" to influence criminal trial proceedings.
Code of Fair Campaign Practices
AB 1207: Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee, D-San Francisco
Prohibits the use of negative appeals based on prejudice against
LGBT people by candidates who sign the voluntary pledge in the
Code of Fair Campaign Practices. (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
vetoed a similar bill in 2005.)
MARDI GRAS FAT TUESDAY
Official name Mardi Gras
Also called Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday
Observed by Various locales, usually ones historically associated
with Catholic populations
Type Local, cultural, christian
Significance Celebration prior to fasting season of Lent.
Date Day before Ash Wednesday 2007 date February 20
Celebrations Parades, parties
Related to Carnival
w~wv.ozarksstar.com the STAR 5
Northern Mexican state of Coahuila
approves law recognizing gay unions
The Associated Press
Published: January 12, 2007
PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico__ The legislature for the northern
Mexican state of Coahuila approved a law recognizing gay unions
on Thursday, the second assembly to take such an action in the
predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
The measure, which will provide gay couples with numerous social
benefits similar to those of married couples, was approved with 20
votes in favor and13 votes against, said Rep. Julieta Lopez, of the
centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Lopez helped the
draft the bill.
Coahuila Gov. Humberto Moreira, who is also in the PRI, is expected
to sign the bill into law.
In November, the Mexico City assembly passed a similar measure
for the first time in the nation’s history.
That law has been sharply criticized by the Roman Catholic Church
and the conservative Nation.al Action Party of President Felipe
Calderon.
While homosexuality is still taboo in many rural parts of Latin
America, the region’s urban areas are becoming more socially liberal.
Mexico City and Coahuila join the Argentine capital of Buenos
Aires and the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in legalizing
same-sex civil unions.
At the national level, lawmakers in Costa Rica and Colombia have
debated, but not passed, similar measures.
http://www.iht, corn/articles/ap/2007/01/12/america/LA-GENMexico-
Gay-Unions.php
Joplin Gay/Lesbian Center to host
wine and beer reception.
JOPLIN, MO__A "Freedom To Marry Week" event in support of
Equal Civil Marriage For Gays and Lesbians will be held on Saturday
night February 17th, 7pm to 1 lpm at the UCCFF Building,
204 North Jackson Ave. The event hosted by the Joplin Gay/Lesbian
Center will include Dancing, Show, Music with DJ, Wedding Cake,
Wine and Beer. The fundraiser is to raise money for Joplin Gay &
Lesbian Center, to have fun, socialize, and to meet new people.
The Joplin Gay/Lesbian Center is a newly formed non-profit organization
in Joplin, MO. For more information contact Lee McDaniel
at 417/622-7821 or email: gaylesbiancenter@yahoo.com
Mardi Gras Parw at the Hollywood
Hotel to benefit Her!and Sister
Resources
by Jeanne Flanigan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__Lose the winter blues at the First Annual
Herland Mardi Gras Party, on Saturday, February 17, at the
Hollywood Hotel and Suites, 3535 NW Expressway, OKC. Tickets
are $7 per person, at the door, or from Herland Sister Resources
(HSR) Board members. Sorry, no table reservations. ~lere will be
a cash bar, and the event is smoke-free. There are several smoking
areas within the hotel, and outside under the portico. All room
rentals are $45 during the winter season.
The fun will start at 7 pm with live music by Tara Henry, Alison
Scott, DeShawna, Shannen Porter, and others TBA. In between
entertainers Miss Ivanna DeVille will dazzle the crowd, and a DJ
will play tunes to get dmvn by. A costume contest for the Best
Solo, the Best Couple and the Best Group will be held at 9 pm.
Between music sets, a couple of other contests will be held: the
selection of a King and Queen (by who raises the most money), not
to be confused with the Hog-Calling contest (xvhich will raise the
most laughs). A silent auction will be conducted, with bidding
closing at 10 pm. Several tables near the entrance will be reserved
for information from CimarronArts Project, Okdahoma Visual Arts
Coalition, AIDS Mastery Workshop, Herland, and OKC Pride.
HSR is a woraen’s collective founded over 20 years ago. Their
bookstore is located at 2312 NW 39th, in OKC, just west of the
Strip. The bookstore hosts poetry readings, art shows, and is a
lending library and reading room, open Saturdays flora 1-5. HSR
also sponsors monthly events, such as the Supper Club, nature
hikes, game and nights, and potluck dinners. Yearly events include
the Pride Picnic, the Spring and Fall Retreats, and several holiday
parties. HSR is highly valued for the publishing of the "Herland
Voice" newsletter, with events, articles, and an annual Poetry issue.
Nxe Mardi Gras Party will help to pay for the printing and postage
of the newsletter for 2007.
Donations of auction items are needed, small and large, due
Saturday, February 10th, at the bookstore. For further information,
contact Herland at herland@herlandsisters.org, or call (405)
521-9696 and leave a message. All donations are tax-deductible.
Herland’s website is www.herlandsisters.org
Come and part,/down with the sisters.., and brothers too!
6 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 7
DiversiW Weekend
April 13-t5, 2007
437 E. 141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL (3275)
ORDERS BY 12NOON GUARANTEED SAME DAY DELIVERY
Glenpool Cleaners {inside Glenpoo[ Flowers] 9z8-z91-3275
8 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com

works’ Or g na I orror Ser es
LOS ANGELES, CA -January 16, 2007 - here!, America’s premium
gay television network, is pleased to announce that it has
wrapped production on the first season of the new provocative
original, scripted series 7he Lair. The first of six half-hour episodes
will premiere on the network in Spring 2007.
"The Lair continues herd’s substantial rollout of provocative
original programming in 2007 that can only, be seen on here!," said
Paul Colichman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of here!
Networks. "This newest addition to our line up authentically and
unapologetically reclaims the horror genre for a LGBT audience."
Set in a small coastal town, ~l~ne Lair opens as the bodies of young
nameless men are turning up dead with vicious wounds to their
necks. A young journalist is investigating a series of mysterious
John Doe murders. Clues to these crimes lead him directly to a
private gentlemen’s club called "Ihe Lair, where the deepest, darkest
desires are fulfilled. As he gets closer to solving the mystery, Thorn
finds himself ensnared in a blood thirsty coven of vampires.
The Lair stars Peter Stickles, who gathered a following this year
~’rom his work in the acclaimed indie Shortbus, as Damian, the
leader of the coven of gay vampires, as well as newcomer David
Moretti, who takes the lead as "iI~om.
"With a strong, talented cast, we are pleased to add "I-he Lair as
another original scripted series to our growing slate of projects,"
noted Meredith Kadtec, here!’s Vice President of Original Programming.
"Our programming runs the gamut, from sexy soap operas
to thought-provokdng documentaries, and The Lair is a welcome
addition to that line up."
The Lair is the latest project reflecting here!’s commitment to bring
fresh original programming to the LGBT communib: For a sampiing
of provocative and innovative here! content, visit the here!
Video Player found at www.heret~acom/videoplayer. Read more
about here! and out how to get the channel in your area at www.
heretv.com.
Recent and upcoming here! original films, series and specials
include: The DL Chronicles, an award-~vinning series focusing on
the diverse stories of men of color who by consequence and by choice, live sexually duplicitous and secret lifestyles; The Lair, a provocative
and sexy vampire horror series; Dante’s Cove, ranked "Best Soap of the Year" by The Advocate; the critically acclaimed Shock To The
System: A Donald Strachey Mystery, the second installment in the series of original films starring Chad Mlen as a gay private investigator;
the provocative six-part docu-series Lesbian Sex and Sexuality, an unblinking look inside the world of lesbian culture from award-winning
producer Katherine Linton; and the original film Shelter, an indie romantic drama about love, family and trying to stay true to yourself.
Photofi’orn: here!
here!, America’s premium gay television network, was established in 2002 and is currently available nationwide on all major cable systems
and Internet TV providers as either a 24/7 premium subscription channel, a video on demand (VOD) service, and/or a subscription video
on demand (SVOD) service, here! offers a wide variety of ground breaking and acclaimed original movies and series plus the world’s largest
collection of gay and lesbian films appealing to the broad-based, diverse LGBT audience.
10 the STAR w,~v.ozarksstar.com
COWBOYJUNCTION DVD TO
RELEASED FEBRUARY 27TH.
BE
James Bobby - The Coxvboy
Matt Austin - Young Co~vboy
The Hustler
"Cowboy JunctioN’ was originally conceived as a short
story entitled Me, Bobby McGee and the Gun. The
simple yet sweet tale of two men who meet by chance
and throw caution to the wind has always resonated for
screenwriter Gregory Christian. "It is a fairy-tale of sorts,"
he has said. "Just think back to the last time you fell in
love with a stranger." But this "boy meets boy" tale took
on a completely different twist when he began adapting it
as a short screenplay for entry into the film festival circuit.
Suddenly, one of the boys was now a married man caught
up in a world of homo-erotic fantasy and coveting his
gardener (the Bobby McGee character now envisioned as a
rugged cowboy).
When the script was ready, the problem of finding two
suitable leads arose. \Vhile working at the Kingsmen
Shakespeare Festival, Mr. Christian decided, after much
debate, to cast himself as the MAN and fellow actor James
Bobby as the COWBOY. Bobby was more than up for
the task of tackling such challenging and tongue-in-cheek
material. The wheels were in motion and a summer 2004
shoot was set. Gregory calls the short a "one-day ,vonder."
The entire piece was shot on a Saturday in August in less
than 14 hours. When the final cut was ready, he began
submitting it to numerous film festivals.
In May 2005, the "Cowboy Junction" short premiered at
the Miami Film Festival. It played on multiple screens at
the Regal Theatre as part of their wildly popular "Boys’
Shorts" program. The piece was a definite crowd pleaser
and also garnered a cover on local Floridian magazine
"411" as part of an article about the festival. The short was
so well-received, Mr. Christian announced at the showings
that the short would be pulled off the circuit and a feature
would be going into production.
The script was ready, the cast and crew were in place and
production was set for five days following the conclusion
of the festival. The character of the wife was now a prominent
part of the storlyine and would be played by veteran
actress Elyse Mirto (another Kingsmen Shakespeare
alumni). The tale was now a story of her husband’s sexual
repression and gut-wrenching "coming out," amongst
the most dire of circumstances. The entire movie was a
wonder in it’s own right: completed in nine days of total
production time.
Gregory Christian - The Husband
Executive Producer, Director
Screemvriter
Elyse Mirto - The Wife
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 11
Little Reck CapitN
Pride Nects new
President
LITTLE ROCK, AR Little Rock Capital
Pride Board President, David \vvq. Quinn,
has stepped down in order to pursue other
personal and professional goals. David plans
to remain active in the group and the board
wishes him well in his future endeavors.
Following David’s resignation, the board of
Little Rock Capital Pride has voted to name
Board Secretary, Joe LaFountaine, its new
leader. Joe is a native Arkansan that returned
home this May, most recently from Atlanta,
Georgia where he was a volunteer with
Atlanta Pride Committee, which produces
the third largest Pride festival in the United
States. In October, Joe received a scholarship
to represent LRCP at the InterPride
World Conference in Portland, Maine. The
conference provided workshops on many
facets of Pride planning, entertainment and
networking with over 200 Pride organizers
representing over 50 Pride groups from
across the world. With less than six months
remaining until the third annual Capital
Pride celebration, Joe asks the community
for its support and assistance to help
achieve the lofty" goals the board has set.
Capital Pride will be held June 3rd at the
Little Rock River Market Amphitheatre and
financial support and participation is very
much needed for a successful event. To learn
more about how Capital Pride, please visit
http://www.littlerockcapitalpride.org.
About Little Rock Capital Pride
Little Rock Capital Pride (http://www.
littlerockcapitalpride.org/) is a 501(c) 3
non-profit organization whose mission is
to host events that honor the history and
diversity of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgender (GLBT) individuals in the
State ofArkansas and surrounding areas and
create unity within the GLBT community
and its allies by providing social support and
enhancing awareness of the past and present
contributions of GLBT individuals through
community activities and services, including
an annual Pride event.
Arkansas Citizens
First Congress is still
seeking interns.
Bill Kopsky
LITTLE ROCK, AR The Arkansas Citizens
First Congress is still seeking interns for
this coming session of the Arkansas General
Assembly.
Interns are a key part of the Congress’
ability to monitor a legislative process that
considers over 3000 pieces of legislation in
a little over 3 months; while also moving
key parts of a proactive agenda forward. The
Congress is looking for one full-time intern
who will receive $200 a week, and several
part-time interns who will be volunteers.
Academic credit is possible from many
institutions.
Interns will be joining an experienced staff
led by lobbyist and Policy Director Alice
Lightle who is a veteran of several legislative
sessions as well as time in the Governor’s
Office, the Attorney General’s Office and as
a campaign manager for Federal and State
Offices. We are recruiting mature candidates
who want hands on experience in how state
government works and how grass roots
communities can affect it. Job description is
pasted below as well as attached.
Full-time position 45+ hours a week during
the Arkansas legislative session January thru
mid-April Part-time positions Minimum of
12 hours / week during the Arkansas
legislative session January thru mid-April
Send resumes and letter of inquiry to:
The Arkansas Citizens First Congress
1308 West Second Little Rock, AR 72201
or email: Congress@CitizensFirst.org
Web at www.CitizensFirst.org
The Arkansas Citizens First Congress is a
coalition of community and labor organizations
from across Arkansas that advocate
a common agenda before the Arkansas
legislature and some state agencies. We
are a multi-issue coalition working on the
environment, civil rights, agriculture, economic
justice, government accountability,
and consumer rights.
DIVERSITY WEEKEID DATES
Eureka Springs, Arkansa
VALENTINE’S DIVERSITYWEEKEND
Frida> Feb 16, 2007- Sunda> Feb 18,
2007
SPRING DIVERSITY WEEKEND
Friday, April 13, 2007 - Sunday, April 15,
2007
SUMMER DIVERSITY WEEKEND
Friday, Aug 3, 2007 - Sunday Aug 5, 2007
FALL DIVERSITY WEEKEND
Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - Sunday, Nov 4, 2007
For more information go to:
www.diversitypride.com
Creating
Community for
People iving
DS
501 c (3) Non Profit Orga~aization
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for people who are HIV+ and
or living with AIDS to help combat the
social isolation that many of our
people live through each and everyday.
We provide a Toiletry and Household
Pantry for those who are HIV+
and or living with AIDS who cannot
afford to purchase these items for
themselves. We invite anyone who
would like to volunteer or provide financial
assistance to please contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-mail
harrismmjr@yahoo.com.
12 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
Photo: Ronald Blake
~11IReally Need To Know
was a book written by Robert Ful:
simplicity. Everyone wants to make the
that is why it becomes so complicated.
and healthy body, let’s adhere to some of
presented in Mr. Fulgham’s opus.
Goldfish and white mice and hamsters all
a mother load to throw at
dressed sometime. The sooner, the better. This
the time to prepare for the inevitable passing ofI
the pondering as to why some lucky squares live
others. \X~ny mommy? Because some folks treat ~
dumpsters while others treat them
go easy on the booze, exercise frequently, and eat
Lohan but less than Bruce Vilanch.
Warm cookies and cold milk are
morsel of advice. However, let’s wave the wand
those delicious cookies into Snack~vells or wheat
troduce that dairy product as a skim milk variety.
you sir, can I have another?
~l:ake a nap every afternoon. A smashing and dare I
cept. Don’t you even think of working through
or engaging in that nonsensical gossip with your
quiet office space or your Nissan Maxima and
fifteen to twenty minutes. It’s a devil of a lot better
Pepsi, a cancer stick, or that proliferation of a vicious
ugly Betty in the loss prevention department.
Wash your hands before you eat. Germs are omnipresent
ing their opportunity to invade and infect you. There are
places you go and many things you touch that are laden
guys. Don’t go Mommy Dearest on me and obsess about the i
of it all. Just lather up the Lifebuoy or the Lever 2000
away those microbial monsters before your eating events.
Put things back where you found them. If you have a
membershi]3 then you know the importance of this lodestar.
conspicuous signs adorning the fitness room walls should
www.ozarksstar.com ¯ the STAR 3
was Oliver Sipple?
Oliver Sipple is credited with saving the life
of President Gerald Ford in 1975, but the
outing that followed his heroic act wreaked
havoc on his personal life.
Sipple, known by the nickname "Billy,"
was born in Detroit in November 1941. In
high school, he was a star football player.
During the mid-1960s, after moving to
New York City, Sipple hung out with a
circle of gay men who frequented Kelly’s, a
hustler bar. He began a relationship with Joe
Campbell (later immortalized as the "Sugar
Plum Fairy" in Lou Reed’s song "Walk on
the Wild Side"), who previously had been
a lover of Harvey Milk. 7he couple moved
to Fort Lauderdale, but S~pple soon left
Campbell, prompting Campbel! to attempt
suicide.
During the Vietnam War, Sipple joined the
Marine Corps as a private first-class. He was
wounded twice, and completed his tour of
duty in a Philadelphia veterans’ hospital.
He received an honorable discharge in 1970
and moved to San Francisco, where he lived
on a veteran’s pension due to physical and
psychological disability. He had numerous
friends among the city’s burgeoning gay
community, and he worked on Milk’s campaign
for a seat on the Board of Supervisors.
On the afternoon of Sept. 22, 1975, Sipple
was taking a walk when he joined a crowd
gathered outside the St. Francis Hotel in
Union Square to greet President Ford - who
just weeks earlier had survived an assassination
attempt by Charles Manson follower
Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme.
As Ford exited the hotel, Sipple noticed
that the gray-haired woman standing beside
him - later identified as Sara Jane Moore
- had pulled a revolver out of her raincoat.
Sipple grabbed Moore’s arm, causing her
shot to miss the president by a few feet,
then wrestled her to the ground to prevent
her from firing again; Moore was captured,
pleaded guilty, and is serving a life sentence
in prison. (photo rig,bt)
When questioned by police and Secret Service
agents, Sipple asked them not to release
his name. Nevertheless, reporters got wind
of him, and he was hailed as a hero. According
to journalist Randy Shilts, Milk told
San Francisco Chronicle_ gossip columnist
Herb Caen that Sipple was gay. "That guy
saved the president’s life," Milk reportedly
said. "It shows that we do good things, not
just all that ca-ca about molesting children
and hanging out in bathrooms."
Caen noted in a column that Sipple was
gay, and the news was picked up by several
other papers across the country - including
the Chicago Sun-Times, which called Sipple
a "Homosexual Hero." But Sipple was not
interested in being a "gay hero." "My sexual
orientation has nothing to do with saving
the president’s life," he said, "just as the
color of my eyes or my race has nothing to
do with what happened in front of the St.
Francis Hotel."
The outing devastated Sipple, who had
not revealed his sexuality to his conservative
family back in Michigan. "My mother
told me today she can’t walk out of her
front door, or even go to church, because of
the pressures she feels because of the press
stories concerning my sexual orientation,"
Sipple lamented to reporters. His brother
George later recalled that he, his father, and
another brother, all ofwhom worked for
General Motors, were taunted on the factory
floor. Sipple’s parents cut off contact with
him, although George said that they did
not disown him and eventually reconciled.
Sipple filed a $15 million lawsuit against the
Chronicle, the Sun-Times, and five other
newspapers for invasion of privacy. A San
Francisco Superior Court judge dismissed
the case on First Amendment grounds, and
a state appeals court upheld the decision in
May 1984.
Although Sipple received a letter expressing
Ford’s "heartfelt appreciation," he was never
invited to the White House to accept more
formal recognition. Milk and some other
activists attributed this slight to Sipple’s
sexuality, but Ford later told a reporter that
he thought he had "done the right thing,"
and that he hadn’t learned until sometime
later that Sipple was gay.
In the years that followed, Sipple grew
14 the STAR
increasingly bitter and descended into alcoholism.
"There were a lot of times he wished
he had never saved the president’s life, for
all the anguish it caused him," his brother
recalled. "He said life -would have been so
m~ch simpler if he hadn’t have done it."
Though in ill health, Sipple was a regular
denizen at several gay watering holes on
Polk Street. On Feb. 2, 1989, after Sipple
had failed to appear for several days, a
friend found him dead in his Tenderloin
apartment, the walls plastered with press
clippings from the 1975 incident. Ford
sent a letter of condolence to the patrons
of the New Bell Saloon - acknowledging
them as Sipple’s chosen family - stating that
he "strongly regretted the problems that
developed" for Sipple after the assassination
attempt.
The tragic end to Sipple’s life contributed to
a debate within the LGBT community over
identity politics and outing that persists to
this day. In addition, his story is widely used
in law and journalism schools as a case study
in the ethics of revealing a person’s sexual
orientation against his or her will.
Oliver Sip2ole thwarted an assassination atte,
wt on President Ford in 1975
For further information:
Duke, Lynne. 2006. "Caught in Fate’s
Trajectory, Along With Gerald Ford."
Washington Post (December 31).
hilts, Randy. 1982. The Mayor of Castro
Street(St. Martin’s Press).
www.ozarksstar.com
GRAND
OPENING of
EQUALITY
CENTER
Defying conventional expectations, Tulsa is
now home to one of the largest lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community
centers in the United States. Beginning
February 14th, a five-day Grand Opening
celebration will be held at the Equality
Center, an 18,000 square-foot facility in the
gentrifying East End district of downtown
Tulsa at 621 E. 4th Street. For a schedule of
events, see below.
Oklahomans for Equality/OkEq (formerly
Tulsa Oldahomans for Human Rights/
TOHR) mvns and operates the Equality
Center. In addition to serving as a base for
statewide advocacy efforts, the Equality
Center will house wellness programs, a David
Bohnett Cyber Center, the Tulsa LGBT
History Project, meeting rooms, health
testing services, a pro-bono legal clinic, an
art gallery, retail operations, the Nancy &
Joe Rainbow Library, and rental space for
events.
An eviction for using gay in signage at the
first Tulsa LGBT Community Center and
landlordsfi€TM repeated refusals to lease space
to a gay organization inspired Oklahomans
for Equality to purchase a home of its own.
Established in 2000, the OkEq capital campaign
has currently raised almost $900,000
in private and foundation gifts. Not a cent
of public or corporate money has been
contributed toward the costs of purchasing
or renovating the formerly
abandoned industrial building. Over the last
year, more than 225 unique volunteers have
worked over 6000 hours in refurbishing the
facility. At the same time, an outstanding
team of design professionals have volunteered
their services in orchestrating exterior
and interior design concepts and dra-wings.
EQUALITY CENTER GRAND OPENING
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Love: The Higher Law ~tlursday, February
14th
In support of the 10th anniversary of
Freedom to Marry Week, Oklahomans
for Equality (O"~q) is sponsoring Love:
The Higher Law, a Valentine’s Day demonstration
calling for marriage equality for
same-gender Oklahomans. A coalition of
same-gender couples, pro-LGBT ministers,
and activists will go to the Tulsa County
Courthouse and attempt to register for
marriage licenses. If you are interested in
participating in this historic event, please
contact OkEq President Laura Behnonte at
labelmonte@hotmail.com or 918.906.2134.
Xhere will be a mandatory training session
for all participants prior to the demonstration.
Following the Valentines Day action,
a wedding reception will be held in the
Great Hall of the Equality Center from 5:00
to 7:00 PM. Free and open to the public,
the wedding reception honors those ~vho
attempted to register for marriage licenses
earlier in the day and all same-sex couples
denied the 1,049 federal benefits of marriage
equality.
Opening Doors Art Exhibit &
Competition ~Pnursday, Februa~7 15tih
Unique art that speaks to all and opens
doors to the heart, soul and mind ~vill be
featured during the Opening Doors
Exhibit & Competition. The exhibit/competition
debuts on Thursday, February 15,
2007 with a flee Champagne & Chocolate
reception from 5:00-9:00 PM and runs
through March 15, 2007. Each entry of the
exhibit and competition will be on, or a part
of, a door - car, cabinet, house or any other
type of door. Individuals, groups and organizations
are ~velcome to submit an entry
free of charge. Awards, determined by a vote
of the public, will recognize an outstanding
piece by a young adult (under 21), as well as
an adult entry.
GayBingO Friday, February 16th
No straight lines - just nice shapes. No toy
prizes just cash. This isdt the bingo your
grandmother played! GayBingO makes its
debut on Friday, February 16, 7:00-10:00
PM, in the Event Center. Outrageous
entertainment, 6 of the gayest bingo games
you’ve seen, drink specials like the BingoBlast,
and a couple of special surprises
make GayBingO the night you won’t want
to miss. Tickets, $15 in advance, include
a fi’ee drink and are available at the Equality
Center, 621 E 4th Street in downtown
Tulsa.
XWelcome Home Open House - LGBT
Community Expo & TestFest 2007
Saturda> February 17th
A full, free afternoon dedicated to the
LGBT & allied community is featured on
Saturday, February 17, 2007, 2:00-6:00
PM. The Welcome Home Open House
features tours of the new facility and refreshments
in the Great Hall. You’ll be able to
learn more of the numerous community
groups, social organizations, houses of worship
and agencies during the LGBT Community,
Expo in the Wellness Center. While
you’re enjoying the afternoon, free HIV and
syphilis tests will be available during Test-
Fest 2007 in the Health Testing Ofiqce and
additional locations in the Center.
\Vild Hearts Ball VII - Mardi Gras Madness
Saturday, February 17th
The signature event of the Ok~q Capital
Campaign, the Wild Hearts Ball, celebrates
its 7th year with Mardi Gras Madness,
8:00-11:00 PM, in the Event Center of
the Equality Center. Free food, delicious
dancers, cash bar and a live DJ will make
you want to dance the night away. The
drawing for the Great Divide, your chance
to win thousands of dollars ($20/ticket) in
the 50/50 cash split, will also be held during
the Wild Hearts Ball. Of course, it wouldn’t
be Mardi Gras without a little madness. If
you come in full Mardi Gras regalia, as long
as itfi€% legal, you can compete for prizes
during the costume contest at 10:00 PM.
Tickets, $15 in advance or $20 at the door,
are available at the Equality Center, 621 E
4th Street in downto~vn Tulsa
............ Continued2age-23
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 15
This IS the season to enjoy red wines. While visiting wine country in
California this holiday season, I was most impressed with the Zins.
From Paso Robles to Sonoma, Zins are truly worth exploring.
Briefhistory ofthe grape:
[ZIHN-fuhn-dehl] This is considered California’s red-wine grape because it’s
not widely gro~vn in other parts of the world. Zinfandel vines were brought to
California in the 1850’s. By the 1880’s, this variety was rapidly gaining acceptance
by California growers, and it is now that state’s second most extensively
planted red grape behind cabernet sauvignon. For years Zinfandel’s origins were
~" mysterious. Initially, research confirmed a relationship between Zinfandel
Primitivo (a variety grown in Italy’s Puglia region), causing speculation that
might have originated in Italy¯ ~However, in late 2001, DNA findetermined
that Crljenak KaAitelanski (a little-known grape from
and Zinfandel have identical DNA profiles.
existence of Crljenak Ka~_itelanski could be found in only one vineyard
" thousands of vines and dozens of varieties, of which only nine vines
Zinfandel. Vineyards get replanted periodically, and nobody recognized
special about this particular vineyard, so it is likely that in a few years
grape might have ceased to exist.
Beside the Zinfandel grown in California (and Italy’s Primitivo),
there are only isolated planting of this grape, mainly in South
Africa and Australia. Zinfandel is vinified in many styles, which
vary greatly in quality. One popular style is white zinfandel, a
fruity-flavored blush wine that’s usually slightly sweet and ranges
in color from light to dark pink. When made into red wine,
Zinfandel can produce wines ranging from light, nouveau styles
to hearty, robust reds with berrylike, spicy (sometimes peppery)
flavors, plenty of tannins, enough complexity and longevity to be
compared to cabernet sauvignons. Another style is late-harvest
Zinfandel, which exhibits higher alcohol levels and some residual
sugar. The Italians produce dry red Primitivo grape-based wines
that are similar to some California Zins. As Zinfandel’s popularity
increases, more and more enterprising Italian Primitivo growers
are labeling their wines "Zinfandel" and exporting them to the
United States.
Foods thatpair well:
Vegetable pasta dishes, beef sirloin tips, BBQ ribs, sausages, brisket
and some sharp cheeses¯
Some cool vineyards to look out for Rodney Strong Sonoma
County Reserve 2004, Gnarly Red 2005, J. Lohr Old Vines 2004,
Dancing Bull 2004, Norman Vineyards, the Monster, Fire Station
Red/Old Vines 2003, Calistoga Cellars 2003
Thanks for reading, now go into your favorite wine shop and ask
questions. Bring some bottles home and share some food & wine
with friends.
1 6 the 8TAF~ www.ozarksstar.com
Ingredients:
-Spaghetti Josephine-
(Serves: 4)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1/4 cup carrots, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-1/4 cups (8 oz.) ground beef
1-1/4 cups (8 oz.) ground pork
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups brown veal stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/’8 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 lb. fedelini pasta #2
Parmesan cheese to taste
1 ounce chopped parsley
1. Pour the olive oi! into a large saute pan over
medium heat. Cook the onions, celery, shallots and
carrots, stirring frequently, until soft.
2. Add the garlic, ground beef and ground pork.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the tomato paste and
stir for I minute. Add the red wine and veal stock.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add red
pepper flakes and nutmeg. Taste for seasonings.
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. In a
large serving bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce.
Add Parmesan cheese to taste and garnish with
parsley.
Serve.
More on ChezJosephine ownerJean-Claude Bake~"
andJosephine Baker, page 19.
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
evening. ’~’~ also recon~at~e~d that you purchase your bee~ liquor
and groceries in Sayvitle b4{bre tal~ng the f~rry to Fire Island and
save yourself a LOT of money~ YOU can take ~;NYFHING on the
ferry with you! \x;’%en you debark from the ferry they has,e F~E
little red wagons for tourists tO Use to cart your groceries and luggage
to your accommodations.
Located abou~ 50 miles East ofNew York Cib~ on the South
side of Long Island. Fire Island is the gay" Fantasy Island in the
United States. It is a "barrier island approximately 30 miles long
az~d a half mile wide. Once you get offthe ferry that takes you from
Sa;~wille, New ~%rk to this ,£onderful enchanted Island, you KNOW
}o~ are in gay heaven. It is a world unto itsel£ Except for the very
:xpensive plane hop, the only way to the Island is by the ferry, "
which takes about 20 minutes. It leaves every hour ~n the weekends
a~3d ever5" two hours weekdays. From NYC you can take the bus m
Sayville or, if you have a car, a just park it in the ferry parking lot.
Fire Island is quite small and there are no autos, no bicycles
or any other means of transportation other than walking, which
At the Fire Island Pines, Low [lSa {aka "Ihe %a Dan~") is
a tradition going back many mOonS that continues today on it’s
original turf- ~ne Blue W~ale LoW%a takes place eac!~ day at the
Blue Whale. From
5 PM to 8PM.
Bartenders serve up
concocuons to get
your hydrated before
you sweat it all
out dancing to the
tunes of one of their
DJ~. High Tea is
your chance to coot
is done either on the beach or on the boardwalks. Literally, board down after burning
" plank:; are raised above the sand and measure from ~hree to six feet i. tHuepldateLacohwd%ayaat
wide. The ~wo communities on Fire Island are "l~ne Pines and Cherry"
Grove which are located about a 25 minute walk apart, ~he Pines
is more upscale and costly: Cherry- Grove is a bit more taSd back.
Prices for accommodations, food mid drink are very expensive at
either place. All fbod. liquor, hotd supplies, etc. have to be brought
over by the ferry each day, so don’t expect any bargains here. But it
is 99% ~y! You pay ~br what you get.
Fire Island is a must when travding ro the East coast for a few
days. New York gays have been coming here for years, mostly on
weekends as a great ge>a-way fi:omthe cib: A lot ofNew 21~rkers
have built weekend homes here and the parties run 24 hours
a day" on weekends.. Don’t expect any great accommodations on
Fire Island. there iust aren’t any. [~e Botet Pines and Dunes Yacht
Club are the only public hotel in the Pines and it is really in need
of updating. ~the Fire Island Pines is relatively new. On the CherU
Grove side, there are severa! options including the Dune Poim, a
small sb: unit lodging: the Carousel Guest House, Holly House and
the Cherry Grove Hotel. Then there is the Belevedere Guesthouse
which wa~ built in 1957 and has almost 40 rooms. It is qui~e nice
and has wonderful views. Most of the restaurants on the, Island are
in Cherry Grove. For night life you might enjoy Cherry} which has
a piano bar, video bar and poll table or the Gro;,oe Hotel whi& has
a grea~ disco bar. On the Pines side, be sure and check out Island
Club with it~ piano bar and dance floor and the Pavilion which is
the largest disco on the entire Island.
the balcoW above
Pavilion, High .Tea
kicks off at 8 PM
aid runs till 10 PM.
It~ w)ur chance m
lounge and watch
all the
the
ashore with literally
a boa>load of guys
for you to meet. ~e
sure and take your
camera as there are
real deer all over
the Island and they
wil! come right uP
to you for fi~od,
Nature hiking is
a great exPefience
here as the trees,
bushes and flowers are very" plentiful. We promise you witi love it ~n
Fire Island as it is an experience ofa lifetime, it is simply, the gavest
place in Am4rica, even ~ore so than San FranciscO! "l:~t~e gr~at"
webSites are:ww~a:fireisland,com/, htrp:/Ix~vw.cherrygrovd.com/and
hrtp://www.fireistandmen.com/
Path:. sun and sex are the only reasons to go to Fire Island and
you certainly won’, get much res,:. ~Ihey par~" begins the moment
you step off" the ferry and doesn’t stop until you get back on it fi)r
your return to the mainland. Needless to say~ dress is veiT informal
and dnring the days, most just wear their swimming shorts or
bikinis. ~lhe "IN" season begins on Memorial Day and runs through
I.abor DaB however it is open all )’ear long. Ifyou are not looking
to be with throngs of people the go during the offseason when the
prices are much lower. Prices almost double on weekends so if you
can, stay during the week. Another alternative would be to stay in
5a)’vil~e and take the ferry- over in the morning and return in the
18 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
"TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS WORLD"
by Donald iPile & Ray \Villiams
CHEZ JOSEPHINE in NewYork Citywho
have dined at Chez Josephine~ and they relate ~he same sroLv
that we had. "Ihey catfr wai~ ro return ro enjoy themselves. A grea
restaurant stays basically the same year after year after year. It was
perfect when they opened and it is soil perfect today. Why change
a perfiect thing? But it is the "People" who make a restaurant. ~e
owner/host, entire restaurant staff’as we!l as the customers who
inrermi ngle with each other while enjoying their own fine dining
experience.
On our first dining experience at Chez Josephin&
we nler a
tfyou have never dined at Chez Josephine Restaurant
in New ~i)rk City you sim ly have not lived mu Located at
4 !4 \g~est 42nd Street it is right in the heart of the Theatre
District. For over 20 years, the "beyond Fabulous" owner,
Jean-Claude Baker h£s been the finest host of any restaurant
in the city. A tribute to the late Josephine Baker, the
restaurant and it’s live music exude theatrical panache.
Recently remodeled, now with a private dining room,
this landmark jewel is even more inviting and romantic
with its blue-On ceiling, red velvet walls and
cavalcade of chandeliers which light up the vintage
portraits of "La Baker": 7he eclectic menu reinvents
the traditional Cuisine of the French bistro
in an explosion of tantalizing flavors. They have
won numerous awards over the years including
the AAA Four Diamond Award and Zagats.
When we dine out. whether it be in
New York Cit% Chicago, Palm Beach, Palm
Springs or wh~tever, selecting the right restaurant
is so important. Any "cook" can
prepare a ,ned that is edible! So we have ~
to search for something far beyond that.
We always tell Our readers that when they travel,
that "people" are the most important thing. So it is when
had never had
anyone send them
a gift just for sitting
next to them ar a
restaurant but that is
how it is when dining at
Chez Josephine. It is £~
experience.
dining at a restaurant.... People! From the moment you walk into
the door at a restaurant until the time you leave, "People" is what it \g’~e have been in fine restaurants
is all about. Sure, a restaurant HAS to have properly prepared food in the country from Coast to CoaSt but
and presented in a wonderful manner. Tile restaurant itself~S to dais is one takes the cake so to speak for the finest
have a certain ambiance. But it is the "People" who make a dining in everything! ~e ambiance, the service, the ~bod.....
experience ~br us. everything is just PERFECY ! ! ! ! ! Jean-Claude lmows how to treat
his guests and they return over the years in droves. It m~es for a
From the moment we walked into Chez Josephine’s the first marvelous din!,ng experience. Fron.i the momentyo,u. step in th~
rime, the absolutely fabtflous host, Jean-Claude was standing there restaurant until you leave, you are m a completely different world,
waiting, for us His Charm emnowered the entire restaurant The leaving behind your troubles and that of dae world. You really never
waiters and entire staffmade certain that we were the most m" apor- ~ant to lea~~e¯
rant people in the restaurant, as they do with every- customer. Even
thou we new none of the other customers we all had a common ca- "lhey serve dinner from 5 PM to 1 AM Tuesday thru Saturday
maraderie amongst ourselves. We were all taking part in a delightful and Sunday Brunch and Dinner from Noon to 10 PM. Their menu
and unfbrgettable dining experience and we all tmew it. You were in offers Spaghetti Josephine, Grilled Atlantic Salmon, Maryland Crab
a very special place ar a very special time and everything was perfect! Cakes. Lobster Cassoutet with Shrimp, Lemon Shrimp ~sotto,
~md we know }br certain that this takes place every day with every Boudin Noir, Elvira’s Down Home Fried chicken, French Cut
customer at Chez Josephine’s. .~aixish Chicken Breast, Roasted Duck a t’Orange, Pan Seared Calf’s
Live. Grilled Skirt Steak, Black _&ngus Filet Mignon arid Double
Now that they have reached a memorable milestone of being i~ Cut Lamb Chops.
business for 20 years, ttxere legacy just continues and gets better and
better each year. As we travel to both coasts we talk with others Their website is: ww~v.chezjosephine.com and their phone number
is: 212.594.1925.
~.ozarksstar.com the STAR 19
7/se S/semton Wild Horse Pass, just a 20-minute driveJ~om the gay nightlife and shopping of
downtown Phoenix, is acclaimedfor its superb Kai restaurant and elegant Aji Spa. (Photo by
Andrew Collins)
Februa ’ 2007
The action centers on Copper Square and
its massively expanded convention center,
plus dozens of trendy restaurants, high-end
hotels, and fine performance venues. There
are also a 24-screen cinema, several museurns,
and sports stadiums that host baseball’s
Arizona Diamondbacks and basketball’s
Phoenix Suns. A cultural must is the outstanding
Phoenix ~t Museum, a dramatic
green-quartz structure containing 19th-century
European paintings, delightful artworks
of the American West, and Abstract Expressionist
masterworks. Two blocks north is the
Heard Museum, a 1928 Spanish Colonial
Revival hacienda containing the nation’s
top collection of Native American art and
artifacts.
ew cities have grown faster and more dramatically in the past half-century than
Phoenix, which in 2,005 overtook Philadelphia to become the fifth most populous
city in the nation. It s also larger in area than Los Angeles and the hub of a metro
region that includes several other fast-growing metropolises, including Scottsdale,
Mesa, Tempe, and Glendale. But the "Valley of the Sun" is much more than a
popular place to live - tourism here has taken off thanks to the bounty of lavish resorts,
a cultural renaissance in downtown Phoenix, and some of the best shopping,
dining, and recreational opportunities in the West. More recently, the region’s oI~ce
of tourism has begun enthusiastically wooing GLBT travelers.
A highly contemporary metropolis surrounded by mountains and high desert, Phoenix is
in many ways the last stronghold of the western frontier. The region is dogged by certain
challenges prevalent in the West, such as rampant sprawl and sometimes oppressive smog.
It’s also bone-dry here - only the Sahara is less humid than Phoenix’s Sonoran Desert. Most
of the year, the weather is ideal for outdoor recreation, with winter highs in the mid-60s and
spring and fall highs in the mid-80s. About the only period with blistering heat is summer,
when daytime temperatures routinely climb into the low 100s (and many accommodations
drop their rates precipitously).
In terms of gay-friendliness, Phoenix defies labels. This somewhat conservative capital city
has long maintained strong Republican leanings, but some of the region’s most famous
right-of-center politicians - including Sen. John McCain and the late Sen. Barry Goldwater
- have expressed relatively accepting attitudes toward gays and lesbians. And somewhat surprisingly
in 2006, this traditionally "red" state became the first in the nation to vote down a
proposed ban on same-sex marriage. Phoenix has a highly visible GLBT community, and a
huge number of queer bars, social organizations, and "family"-fi’iendly eateries.
Visitors to this area have traditionally madea beeline for swanky Scottsdale, with its chichi
hotels, lush golf courses, haute galleries, and sumptuous spas. However, Phoenix proper
- which is home to most of the region’s GLBT bars and other businesses - has enjoyed a
notable comeback of late, especially the once soulless downtown commercial center.
20 the STAR
Several peripheral residential neighborhoods
have become gentrified of late, such as the
Willo and Garfield Place historic districts.
Of particular note is Roosevelt Row, a burgeoning
mixed-use residential district that
supports several excellent galleries as well
as a wonderful bakery, Tammie Coe Cakes
(stop in for a latte and a sweet treat or two).
Speaking of baked goods, ardent pizza connoisseurs
have been k~own to travel thousands
of miles for a meal at Pizzeria Bianco,
inside a historic building in the heart of the
bustling Heritage Square section of downtown.
Chef-owner Chris Bianco has been
dubbed a pizza-making genius for his simply
sensational wood-fired pies, including the
Wiseguy (topped ~vith roasted onion, housesmoked
mozzarella, and fennel sausage). Just
beware the long lines.
Vinophiles have taken a shine to Cheuvront
Wine & Cheese Cafe, the brainchild
of the city’s openly gay state senator, Ken
Cheuvront. This happening place near
the Phoenix Art Museum serves countless
vintages by the glass and bottle as well as a
long menu of stellar cheeses, salads, pizzas,
and snacks. It’s a short walk down Central
Avenue from here to reach the city’s premier
gay bar, Amsterdam, an elegant lounge that’s
part of a larger complex that includes Club
Miami and Malibu Beach Bar. Other gay
night spots within a short drive include the
lesbian-favored Club Vibe, which replaced
long-running Ain’t Nobody’s Biz and offers
dancing, darts, and pool; the leather-and-
Levi’s-oriented Phoenix Eagle; and the highenergy
Karamba Nightclub. Gay two-steppers
and country-western fans gather at Chartie’s,
while fans of drag and karaoke get their fix at
Burger Betty’s, an Aussie-themed gay restaurant
and bar.
www.ozarksstar.com
With all the snazzy new resorts that have opened in Scottsdale and
other outlying cities, it’s easy to forget that Phoenix itself is home to
a pair of aces: the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Arizona Biltmore,
and the intimate, old-world Royal Palms, both of which opened in
the late ’20s. ~ne 40-acre Biltmore, with its gray, low-slung, angular
buildings containing 738 guest rooms, lies in the shadows of Phoenix
Mountain Reserve. There’s also fine golfing and an acclaimed
spa. Set aside an evening to dine at Wright’s at the Biltmore, where
such inventive regional American fare as milk-poached pork tenderloin
with foie gras sauce draws fawning accolades. Many a diva
whiles away a Saturday afternoon at the nearby Biltmore Fashion
Park, strolling through high-end boutiques and snacking at trendy
restaurants.
~lhe genteel and cozier Royal Palms Resort and Spa could pass for a
splendid private villa in Spain, with its fanciful stone paths meandering
past flagrant gardens and citrus-tree-shrouded casitas decked
in old-world antiques and tiles. The weekend brunch at T. Cook’s
- best enjoyed on the sunny patio - is a Phoenix tradition, and the
resort’s tranquil Alvadora Spa provides some of the most supremely
relaxing treatments you can imagine, from Watsu water therapy to
crystal-stone facials. Die-hard massage junkies should book one of
the seven state-of-the-art spa suites.
In downtown Phoenix, the upscale Hyatt Regency Phoenix and
the eight-story, moderately priced Best Western Central Phoenix
Inn are solid options, all within a short drive or walk of area bars,
restaurants, shops, and museums. A less obvious pick is the funky,
gay-friendly Hotel San Carlos, a grand if faded 121-room Italian
Renaissance-style lodging that’s allegedly haunted (by friendly
ghosts). It’s definitely seen better days, but for the price, it’s a good
bet with a convenient, central location - especially if you prefer
quirky over glamorous.
Nearby Scottsdale abounds with more recently built resorts, from
the supremely cushy Sanctuary Camelback Mountain resort and
swish Four Seasons Scottsdale, to the sexy and hip Scottsdale Mondrian
and retro-chic Hotel Valley Ho. In Chandler, consider the
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass (which is expected to become a Starwood
Luxury Collection property later in 2007), an attractive spread on
the Gila River Indian Reservation, 20 miles southeast of downtown.
The vibe here is low-keyed and unpretentious, thanks in part to the
consistently genial employees. The much-lauded Kai restaurant and
the transcendent Aii Spa remind you,however, that you’re staying
at a truly splendid desert hideaway. An equestrian center offering
trail rides and a campy ersatz frontier town called Rawhide (think
stagecoach rides, goofy gift shops, and gunfightin’ reenactments)
may help you to channel your inner cowgirl or -boy.
Greater Phoenix also has a handful of gay-oriented accommodations,
which range flom homey B&Bs to saucy clothing-optional
retreats. Downtown’s gay-owned but mainstream Yum Yum Tree
Guest House, in the hip and historic Willo neighborhood, occupies
a 1920s school building with soaring ceilings and Mexican-tile
floors. Shaded patios and gurgling fountains surround the Spanish
Mission-style building, which also adjoins a relaxing pool area. A
racier option is the Arizona Royal Villa, a nudity-permitted men’s
compound with an impressively enticing pool, hot tub, and sunning
area and rooms and suites in a variety of configurations. For $10,
non-overnight guests can spend the day here swimming, tanning,
and mingling with fellow sun-bunnies. It may lack the pizzazz of the
Biltmore, but this frisky compound is the closest you’ll find in these
parts to a Palm Springs-style gay resort.
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 21
FEBRUARY 2007
"The Facts Will Set Us Free"
~he Republican Party may be do,vn, but make no mistake, it is far
from out.
Ttxe foundation of its revolution is still solid, and perhaps more
energized than ever. I’m not talking about the "Get Out the Vote"
folks or candidates wing for office. I’m talking about the base from
which most Republican activity evolves.
Former New Jersey U.S. Senator and 2000 Democratic presidential
candidate Bill Bradley ~vrote a piece in the March 30, 2005, New
York Times entitled ’[A Party Inverted," which explained that the
GOP is structured like a pyramid - with the top being the president,
who can be changed every four years, and the base being the rich
conservative financiers and the Republican think tanks they finance.
It’s those think tanks - like the Family Research Institute or the
Heritage Foundation - that have armed the Republicans with the
"facts and figures" they use.to advance their conservative agenda.
These think tanks have been instrumental in casting us as demons
and sinners in any of the myriad issues we fight for, from nondiscrimination
laws to marriage equality.
Just because the Republicans have policy institutes doesn’t mean that
tactically it’s the wrong way to do things. Developing think tanks on
LGBT issues - and, hopefully, the well-to-do donor base one needs
to fund them - is crucial if we are to succeed in being recognized as
first-class citizens.
Lee Badgett, an out lesbian, who also happens to have a Ph.D. in
economics from the University of California at Berkeley, understands
how important academia can be in shaping public policy
- especially the public policy that affects our everyday lives.
Currently the research director of the Williams Institute at UCLA,
Badgett founded what is considered the first LGBT academic think
tank in the nation, the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies
(IGLSS), in the mid-’90s when she was living in Washington,
D.C.
"Living in D.C., I saw how important those big think tanks were.
They were the heart of the Republican resurgence, well-funded,
strategically creative - they pulled the various conservative movements
together," Badgett told me in a recent telephone interview.
"Together with activists and academics, we formed IGLSS because
we all saw we needed to have some kind of institution to bridge
the big gap of what was happening in the academic world and the
real world. We needed the facts and figures to fight back against the
stereotypes and distortions from the right."
When Badgett got a teaching job at the University of Massachusetts
at Amherst, she brought IGLSS with her. As a separate not-forprofit,
IGLSS was never formally associated with the school, but
her colleagues were quite supportive. More of a virtual think tank
than a bricks-and-mortar institution, IGLSS published a number
of groundbreaking studies that have helped the community move
forward.
22 the STAR
"\Ve’ve done a lot of family-related research on domestic-partner
benefits and the economics of marriage. We looked at the fiscal
impact same-sex marriage would have on states," she said. "\Vvre’ve
studied the psychological impact of antigay policies and the strategies
to overcome them. We’ve also received funding from the Ford
Foundation to do methodological research on how to ask questions
about sexual orientation - it’s not as easy as you’d think."
Badgett has successfully brought the Williams Institute and IGLSS
together. "We’re talking about it as more of joining of forces," she
told me, but the reality is that IGLSS has merged with Williams,
creating an even stronger, more academically rigorous think tank for
our issues.
Whether Badgett will remain on the West Coast is a bit up in the
air. She and her partner, Elizabeth Silver, a legal services attorney, are
wife and wife in Massachusetts, so California, while warmer, may
not ultimately be the best place for them. Badgett still has a position
waiting for her in the UMass-Amherst economics department.
What will be in her future is more research on LGBT issues. "I’m
sure that marriage will continue to be one of our biggest areas of
research," she said. "Policy makers want to know what the impact
on their own particular states will be. These issues are pertinent
everywhere because we are everywhere. We’ll be asking whether
marriage really makes a difference for gay people, and what does it
mean for those who dofft get married."
She said that employment discrimination is also on the research
agenda, since only 17 states have nondiscrimination laws. "A lot
of people think this is good time to focus on this issue again," she
said. "\Ve’re still lacking data - for some reason, people don’t want to
believe that antigay discrimination really exists."
As LGBT people, we live that reality every day. We know discrimination
exists; we know that civil unions give us second-class status.
With researchers like Badgett and think tanks like Williams, the
truth (facts) will inevitably set us free.
www.ozarksstar.com
Equality Center:
Brunch & Blessings Sunday, February 18th
A buffet brunch & live gospel entertainment
will close out the Equality, Center Grand
Opening weekend on Sunday, February 18,
2007. You’ll have not one, but two opportunities
to enjoy this unique event for the
LGBT & allied community: An 11:00 AM
seating, as well as a 1:00 PM seating, will fill
your stomach with a delicious brunch and
bring you to your feet ,vith hand-clapping,
foot-stomping inspiration. Tickets, $10 in
advance, are available at the Equality Center,
621 E 4th Street in downtown Tulsa.
Please visit www.okeq.org or call
918.743.4297 for more information on the
events of the Grand Opening celebration
Equality Center serving the LGBT & allied
community since 1980.
Oklahomansfor Equalio, (OkEq) seeks equal
rightsfor Lesbian, Gg)’, Bis~’ual dr 7?ansgender
(LGBT) individuals andfamilies through
advocao; educatian, lord,’ares, alliances, and
the operation ofthe Equali{y Center:
Hdp Feed Your
CommunisT!
Become A Distributor.
By Steve T. Urie
What a difference volunteerism can make
in a community. In 2005 Spirit of Christ
MCC, a member church of the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches founded by Rev. Troy D. Perry,
started serving the greater Joplin, MO community
with a food program. One of the
smallest MCC churches in the country and
in the middle of the Bible Belt we found
ourselves answering a call to provide lowcost,
high value foods stuffs to people in our
area. A large Christian church had previously
worked with this program but gave
up after being unsuccessful in maintaining a
volunteer program large enough to serve the
area. Spirit of Christ MCC with a membership
of only 18 members took on the task
and was the original site in Joplin.
Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, nondenominational
organization dedicated to
providing grocery relief to communities
throughout the United States. Now serving
32 states it continues to grow as more
people in different communities answer the
need.
www,ozarksstar.com
The program is open to all people without
restriction. It doesn’t matter what the need
or socio-economic group; there is simply no
qualifying. The program is set up to assist
people to learn accountability by planning
their food dollars, being responsible to pay
for their food and to bring a box to take
their food home in. A box of food (restaurant
quality) will feed a family of four
for about a week, two people for about two
weeks and a single person for a month.
host site is different but we continue to take
checks, cash and are approved for Food
Stamp EBT payments.
Over half of our clients do not belong to
our GLBT community and many of them
have at times joined us for our Wednesday
evening meal or Sunday service. Nothing
but positive come from this good works being
servants to our community.
At Spirit of Christ MCC our volunteers
will pack your food and carry it out to the
car for you. We take orders on Wednesdays
from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Saturdays
from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Questions
concerning sites in Tulsa, OK; the greater
Joplin, MO area or Eureka Springs, AR may
be directed to spiritofchrist@cableone.net
or you can go to www.angelfoodministries.
com/and look under host sites. Donations
for food orders may be sent to Spirit of
Christ MCC, PO Box 4711, Joplin, MO
64803.
Angel Food’s groceries are sold in a quantity
that can fit into a medium-sized box at $25
per unit. Each month’s menu is different
than the previous month and consists of
both fresh and frozen items with an average
retail value of approximately $50. Comparison
shopping has been done across the
country in various communities using a
wide range of retail grocery stores and has
resulted in the same food items costing
from between $42 and $78.
Organizations wanting to become a host of
the program go to www.angelfoodministries
for an application. Or call 770-267-7015 or
888-819-3745.
ENADINE
MES, ORANGES
CHERRIES
1. Add all ingr
with ice. ..... . ~
2. Shake well.
3. Chil martini glasses with ice and
water.
4. Pour into martini glasses and garnish
with fruit.
ENJOY
The STAR 23

OKLAHOMA COUNTY
By James Nimrao
Photo by ½"ctor Gorin: Jim Roth taking oath Former Oklahoma State
Attorney General Robert Hemy administers oath, partner Worth in
background.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK__Since the January 2nd swearing-in
ceremony, two-thirds of Oklahoma County has been in the safe
hands of the returning veteran Jim Roth, district 1; and the rookie
Ray Vaughn, district 3. Later in the day, Mr.. Roth was re-elected
for the third year in a row as chair of the County Commission.
In his remarks from the stage Mr. Roth thanked the voters for
re-hiring him and his team. He continued by renewing his commitment
to doing good by the strangers ,ve will never meet the
physically ~nd mentally ill, the downtrodden, the homeless those
who rarely have an advocate in elected office.
In his turn Mr. Vaughn pledged to run an office in a professional
manner without personal disputes.
Commissioners Roth and Vaughn, along with most of the County
officers, are keen to restore the county budget board which will
bring back greater scrutiny of tax dollar expenditures; this oversight
board was abolished two years ago by Commissioners Brent Rinehart
and Stan Inman. This action played a major role in removing
Stan Inman from office.
The remaining Commissioner, Brent Rinehart, district 2, was in attendance
at the ceremony and seemed to be listening intently to the
comments being made. Mr. Rinehart has proven to be divisive and
contrary during the first two years of his term. He now has two
good examples to work with.
Should he wish to run for a second term, he’ll have to be a quick
study and clean up his act in the less than two years remaining to
him on the County Commission.
Time will tell.
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 25
Salutations Kittens Once more too Uncle Mikey’s take on
all things Queer. February here again, bringing us another
chance at being a twinkle in that someone’s special eye, this
Valentines Day. While some believe in saying it with roses,
Uncle has always been fond of unconventional tokens of affection.
A bouquet of flavored lubes and massage oils always
brought a little warmth my way. Yes, however you choose to
say I love you, or what was your name again, whatever the
case may be, Tis the month oflovin’. Let’s see what others
have on their mind this chilly February.
Dear Uncle Mikey.
I am seriously thinking of asking the man I have been with for a
year now to marry me. I l~ow a lot of guys do not think even a
commitment ceremony means much since we lack the rights as
those in the straight world; however, I truly am in love with this
man. He has brought so much into my life, and I am ready to settle
down and spend my life with him alone. How should I pop the
question?
Ready to Pop
Dearest Jiffy,
Kitten, have you come to the right place. You know you just would
not believe how maW times I have used that line. The key to a
successful proposal is romance. This is a serious question in which
you want to convey the intense love and commitment you hold for
this person. Personalize the moment with an activity you two share,
making it an unforgettable moment in time, one the two ofyou will
always share. Most of all do convey the love you have in your heart
for him. All other matters will fall into place. Smooches_ Uncle
Mikey
Uncles third husband popped at the bathhouse. Imagine my surprise
in the shower room, when he handed me that shiny steel ring.
Tt~at was a night, I will never forget. I asked the gentleman I was
entertaining in that moment to hold the ring while I rewarded that
man of mine. It ,vas a night the three of us never did forget. I swear
I get all misty just thinking of it.
Uncle Mikey,
I am twenty-four years old and an avid fan of the rodeo. I want to
work the circuit one day. Hmvever, none of my
friends shares my lust for the pastime and they give me a hard time
for it. I do not care for club hoping or the typical gay lifestyle. How
can I show them the pride and adventure of this lifestyle?
Rodeo boy
Dear Rodeo Boy,
Kitten, the rodeo is an adventuresome good time. You cannot allow
others to dictate your likes and dislikes. Sometimes a man must
stand-alone for ,vhat he desires or believes in. If you want them
to except your choices, than you must have a solid conviction,
which will magnify your confidence through inner self. Uncle has
loved many a cowboy in his time, and yes, Virginia the south will
rise again! Saddle up young one its rodeo time. Smooches Uncle
Mikey
Uncle Mikey,
I feel like no one in the gay world understands me. I am looking for
someone to share my life. I want someone who can find contentment
in loving only one. I have been hurt so many times, and so
many men have walked over me using me as their doormat. I do not
think there are truly any monogamous men left in the world, no
wonder the straight world sees us the way they do. We bring it on
ourselves. Am I the only one seeing this?
Tired of being gay
Dear Zinfandel,
Darling, may I offer you some serious to go with that Wine?
Sweetheart and I say this with all of the love in Uncles heart, (taxes
and fees not included. Excluded in some states), you have to stop
sounding like such a victim if you truly want people to stop treating
you as though. I mean just by the time I finished your words; I was
ready to sleep with your best friend and steal your escalade. Sometimes
we must help ourselves before we can look or expect others
to see us for who we really are beneath the emotional mess we have
allowed ourselves to become. Of course, uncle means you by us, as
I am too fabulous to allow victimization here. It sounds as if you
seriously need a makeover. Also, one last matter. Kitten, we are not
being gay. We are gay, don’t allow self-loathing to become the next
cross you carry.
Smooches- Uncle Mikey
Well Kittens, I fear I have just exhausted myself. I must refresh,
maybe have a twinky or two. You know, I am a manabectic. It is important
prescribed by my personal physician of love, that I keep my
romantic strength up. Yea, that is it. Proving my love for Queerdom
one man at a time-Next!
Smooches Uncle Mikey and Tiddles too!
26 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
CLUB IVIAJESTIC: Talent Show
w/Rachael Erikk~
THE COPA: Open Talent wlShemoane
Somemore 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournanient 10pro
LEDO: Kari-Okie host, Pancho 9pm
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
HIDEA\VAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
THE COPA: !vide Dancers 9pro
GUSHERS: Late Night Breakfast Buffet
lan~-3:30am
HIDEAWAY: Male Dancers, 9pro
SUNDAY Fe
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pm, Dancers 4pro
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Cada Lee Love
Shmv 10pro
THE COPA: Rachael Erikks Show
10:30pm
HIDEA~,VAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
TNT’s: Super Bowl Part)" wlfood.
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
THE COPA: Strip-Off Contest !2am
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm.
TNT’S: Karaoke 9pm.
THE COPA: Variety Show 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pro
HIDEAWAY: Bobby Page Talent Shiny
t0:30pm sharp.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show
w/Rachael Eril&s
THE COPA: Open Talent w/Shemoane
Somemore 10:30pro
LEDO: Kari-Okie host, Pancho 9pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pra
Febm~~ 9
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
CLUB MAJESTIC: Majestic Kings
Show !0pm.
HIDEAWAY: Mate Dancers, 9pro
SATURDAY February" 10
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pro
GUSHERS: Late Night Break~st Buffet
lam-3:30am
HIDEAWAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
SUNDAY February 11
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pro, Dancers 4pm
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Catia Lee Love
Show 10pm
THE COPA: Rachael Eritd~ Show
10:30pm
HIDEA"~SAY: Dominique LaRtle’s Girls
Night Out, 10:30pro.
MONDAY February 12
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
THE COPA: Strip-OffContest
Midnight.
VALENTINES DAY
BAMBOO LOUNGE: RED PARTT!
Karaoke 9pro
TNT’S: Karaoke 9pro.
THE COPA: Variety Shiny t0:30pm
FINISHLINE: DartToumament 10pro
HIDEAWAY: Bobby Page Talent Show
10:30pro sharp.
TNT’s: Black & White Valentines Party,
Open 7pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show
~v/Rachael Erikks
THE COPA: Open Talent xvlShemoane
Somemore 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pm
LEDO: Kari-Okie host, Pancho 9pm
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Mardi Gras
Part),!~ "\Vhat will you do for beads"
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
CLUB ROX: Mison Scott Showg:30pm
HIDEA~VAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Mardi Gras
Party! "What xvill you do for beads"
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
GUSHERS: Late Night Breakfast Buffet
lam-3:30am
HIDEAWAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pro, Dancers 4pm Kns Koht Sho
8pm. Mardi Gras QUEEN & KING
Contest,
CLUB ROX: Whimey Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Carla Lee Love
Show 10pro
THE COPA: Rachael Erikks Show
10:30pro
HIDEA’~VAY: Male Dancers, 9pro
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Kamoke 9pm.
FAT TUESDAY
THE COPA: Strip-O~Contest ¯
Midnight.
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
TNT’S: Karaoke 9pm.
THE COPA: Variety Show 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pro
HIDEAWAY: Bobby Page Talent Show
10:30pm sharp.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show w/
Rachael Erikks
THE COPA: Open Talent w/Shemoane
Somemore 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pm
LEDO: Kari-Okie host, Pancho 9pm
THE COPA: Mate Dancers 9pm
HIDEA’WAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pro
GUSHERS: Late Night Breakfast Buffet
1 am-3:30am
HIDEA\VAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pm, Dancers 4pm
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Carla Lee Love
Shiny 10pm
THE COPA: Rachad Erikks Shiny
10:30pm
HIDEAWAY: Male Dancers, 9pm
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm,
THE COPA: Strip-OffContest
Midnight¯
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
TNT’S: Karaoke 9pm.
THE COPA: Variety Show 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament 10pro
HIDEAWAY: Bobby Page Talent Show
10:30pm sharp.
After Dark is a free secvice m our advertisers and is the responsibility of the advertiser to inform the STAR in
www.ozarksstar.com writing of updates, addkions or discontinued events. Nxe STAR is not responsible for accuracy. the STAR 27
"Roll up your sleeves, Capricorn!"
We still have that Jupiter-Uranus square shaking things
up. Mars and the Sun are helping us to see ways to turn
surprises into opportunities. Ha~d work, foresight, and cooperation
come a little more easily and will prove well worth
the effort.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Hard work wilt pay off in any
event. Utilizing your connections and looking ahead wilt
help a lot. Coping innovatively with the inevitable snafus will
get you recognized as a brilliant achiever.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Friends and their demands
are getting complicated, leading to political conflicts. Going
to bed with pals is not one of your values, so play that card
carefully, if at all. Stay true to your own values and goals,
and let your friends work around them.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Your partner’s efforts to
promote your career will lead to some interesting new
developments - perhaps a new career? Taking a long-range
perspective and keeping your baby busy in bed can avoid
trouble and help inspire your own career moves.
CANCER (June 21 - Ju~y 22): Urges for novelty and experimentation
can lead you into risky territory. Sexplay with
someone you love and trust is the safest way to satisfy that
desire. Exotic strangers can be great fun, but those you
meet now may have some awful disease.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): Real creativity takes discipline.
This is one of those times you can be more creative by
focusing your attention on the mundane tasks at hand and
being supportive of your partner. Out of these everyday
details will come inspiration and joy.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): It’s a great time for
fussing around the house and decorating. Doing it with your
partner, or even a roommate, can vastly improve your relationship.
Play with new and different ideas; you don’t need
to commit to any of them.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Explore some new,
expressive outlet or take a class to brush up on neglected
skills. Grab the first mad impulse in your head, think it
through, make a plan, and let reality throw you into "Plan
B." It will work out better than your "Plan A."
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Practicing
domestic economy does not mean hitting the sales and
spending "less" money. Sort treasures from trash, but take
a creative look at the latter. There should be some new life
or good resale value in your old junk.
SAGITTARlUS (November 22 - December 20): You are
especially articulate now on matters of family or community
finances. Work on those issues with others in your tribe;
28 the STAR
alone, you could invite disaster. Even without broaching
the subject, talking with relatives will provide grounding and
insight.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January t9): Volunteer
work is ultimately about enlightened self-interest. Even if
the point is ostensibly to help others, you’ll quickly see what
you have to gain from your "altruistic" efforts. Roll up your
sleeves and dig in!
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Recent financial
upsets could be opportunities in disguise. Confirm inspirations
and hunches by talking with friends you trust about
such matters. Your own brilliance may carry the day, but
only if you acknowledge the efforts of others.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Friends will draw notice
your way when you least expect or want it. Relax and
accept the attention with good grace. It could prove very
helpful for your career. Professionally or otherwise, your
reputation will be boosted.
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE NIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
Tesdng appointment 417-529-8480.
2902 E. 20th St.,
PO Box 4711
Joplin, Mo 64803
SATURDAY Service 9:30AM
Your Invited to our Community Dinner Every Wed.
6pm just $4.00. No one is turned a~vay.
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 .............. www.diversitypride.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
Spexton........ t7B Spring Street .......... 479-981-6060
Tiki Torch. 75 S. Main Street. - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge - 141 W. VanBuren. 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant--- 412 W. Dixon--- 479-442-3515
Condom Sense ........ 418 W. Dickson...... -479-444-6228
Curry’s Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - 479-521-0009
Passages ......930 N. College Ave- - 479442-5845
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - 479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads.......1004 1/2 Garrison Ave........ 479-783-9988
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- 50!-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
Priscilla’s..... 6143 W Kellogg Dr- -316-942-1244
Club Glacier......... 2828 E. 31st South......316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
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. Commerical- 4!7-869-3978
JR’s Nightclub.... 504 E. Commerical- 417-831-9001
Martha’s Vineyard- - - 219 W Olive -417-8644572
Ronisuz Place....82t College- 417-864-0036
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books....104 Sunset .............. 580-242-6838
Priscilla’s........ 48!0-A West Garriott- ...... 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Law,on (580)
Ingrids Bookstore..... 1124 NW Cache Rd......580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester (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
Club Rox.......3535 NW 39th Expwy.........405-947-2351
Christie’s Toy Box.....3126 N. May Ave ....... 405-9464438
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....... 405-525-0730
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
Hollywood Hotel.... 3535 NW 39th Exp ........405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club ....... 1221 NW 50th............ 405-843-1722
Jungle Reds .......2200 NW Expwy- 405-524-5733
Ledo -2200 NW Expwy.... - ..... 405-525-0730
Naughty But Nice .... 3121 SW 29th St - ~ ..... 405-68!-5044
Partners- 2805 NW 36th St ......... 405-942-2199
Pec’s...........3535 NW 39th Expw ....... -405-947-2351
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St........... 405-525-5165
Rudy’s Place......3535 NW39th Expw........ 405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising .... 2120 NW 39th St- 405-601-3711
The Park. 2125 NW 39th St- 405-5284690
The Rockies...... 3201 N. MayAve ......... 405-917-1663
Topanga Grill & Bar- - - 3535 NW 39th 405-947-2351
Tramps- .2201 NW 39th. - 405-521-9888
Ziggy’s- - - 4005 N. Penn- 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
Club 209 ....... 209 N. Boulder - -
Club Majestic........ 124 N. Boston ..........
Club Maverick..... 822 S. Sheridan
Cosmo Care..... 67.46 S. Memorial -918459-0497
Dreamland Bks .... 8807 E. Admiral PI -918-834-1051
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 621 E. 4th Street- 918-7434297
Hideaway Lounge..... 11730 E. 11th- -918437-0449
HOPE Clinic....... 3540 E. 31st- 918-749-8378
Jazz’s Lounge...... 426 S. Memorial ,- 918-836-8544
Midtown- 319 E. 3rd.............. 918-584-3112
Openarms Youth Projt - - - 2015 S. Lakewood.....918-838-7!04
Our House, Too ....203 N Nogales Ave.........918-585-9552
Priscilla’s -7925 E. 41st.............918-6274884
Priscilla’s 5634 W. Skelly - - - 918446-6336
Priscilla’s 11344 E. 11th 9184384224
Priscilla’s 2333 E. 71st.............918499-1661
Renegades. 1649 S. Main ........... 918-585-3405
Rob’s Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- 918-627-1505
St. Michaels Alley......3324-L E 31st- 918-745-9998
Sterling & Co. Salon- - -1606 E.15th St.- ........ 918-742-9999
Sappho’s........ 6373-C E 31st St - - 918-836-0299
Tulsa CARES.... 3507 E. Admiral PI. .918-8344194
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
918-836-8700
918-712-9955
918-494-2665/
918-584-9944
918-584-9494
.918-835-3301
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