[2007] The Star Magazine, November 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 11

[2007] The Star Magazine, November 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 11

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; Tulsa, OK

November 01, 2007

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

The Star Magazine, October 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 10
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/212

The Star Magazine, December 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 12
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/204

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PDF
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English

magazine

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/211

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

Happy Thanksgiving
STATEHOOD DAY
San Francisco & Austin, Texas
West 7th Street (corner 7th & Bolder Ave) o Tulsa, Ok 74t t 9 o www.downtownplazatulsa~com
Reservations: 918.585.5998 ® 800.585.5101
Where you can b YOU"
2 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 3
{ LOCAL
Real Men Fry Turkeys and International
Gay Bowling hits OKC.
Oklahoma’s Centennial Kicks off in our
first Capitol, Guthrie.
October 1930 (77 years ago last month)
Sociologist Laud Humphreys is born in
Chickasha, Oklahoma.
Pinot Noir is one of the oldest vine
grape varieties known. This grape has
been cultivated in Burgundy since the
1st century AD.
Rachael Sage Talks with the STAR
before her performap,ce in Tulsa.
Gay Travelers: San Francisco
Out of Town: Austin, Texas
Dining In or OUT
Lesbian Notions, an interview with Jennifer
Chrisler, executive director of the
Family Equality Council.
Introspection can lead you to better
understand yourself and ultimately to
achieve greater happiness.
ON THE COVER: Deborah Harry & Rachael Sage
4 the STAR
In the interview with Nick Post, the new owner of
Angles, we incorrectly stated due to a typo that he had
acquired the Finishline, Copa, Ledo and Gushers in
2007. It was actually 2000. We regret the error.
STAR DISTRIBUTION:
OKLAHOMA CITY * TULSA * LAWTON * MCALESTER * ENID * NEW ORLEANS * NORTH LITTLE RODK *
FAYETTEVILLE * FT SMITH * EUREKA SPRINGS * HOT SPRINGS * BENTONVILLE * ROGERS * KANSAS
CITY * SPRINGFIELD * JOPLIN * BRANSON AREA* WICHITA* PITTSBURG * JUNCTION CITY
www.ozarksstar.com
R÷a
By Greg Steele
With all the outing
of gay penguins,
sheep, dogs and other
species, is there a possibility
there are gay
turkeys? How would
you know if you
were eating one of our own? I mean the poor critters are just
herded into the slaughter pen, humanely killed, I presume,
plucked and whisked off to Walmart. I for one will be asking
the Walmart meat lady if my turkey was gay! I refuse to bake,
fry, barbecue or boil a family member.
We assume that all turkeys are hetero, and it’s OK to bake
or fry ect., a homophobic hetero turkey, but what if your
turkey was hetero and gay friendly?
This outing of animals and now fowl is just not right. It
raises so many questions and creates so many problems and
it’s Thanksgiving for God’s sake. Where are the Fowl Rights
people when you need them!
Have a Great Holiday!
INTERNATIONAL GAY BOWLING
TOURNAMENT AND CONVENTION
ROLLS INTO OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (P/R) __ Oklahoma City wilt be hosting
the International Gay Bowling Organization’s (IGBO) 2007
Mid-Year Tournament and Convention, November 7-12, 2007.
This event will cap offtwo years of preparation by the OKClassic
Bowling Association as it welcomes bmvlers from al! over the United
States and Canada.
IGBO is the world’s largest GLBT sports organization with over
170 member leagues and over 60 member tournaments. OKClassic
has hosted one of IGBO’s largest and most-respected tournaments
for over 16 years and has donated over $100,000 to local charities in
the process. Oklahoma City hosted IGBO’s 1994 Annual Tournament
and Convention.
The convention activities will be held at The Holiday Inn Hotel
& Suites on NW 63rd & Robinson. IGBO’s Board of Directors,
Regional. Representatives, and league and tournament representatives
from around the world will conduct various business meetings
at the ......................................... Continuedpa~,e- 27
www.ozarksstar.com the STAR 5
rocre tior Uber AlOes
OK~.AHOMA CITY, OK__ Who would
have thought that the successful union of a
spermatozoa and an ovum would be a taxpaying
citizen’s certification of citizenship.
¯he highest court of the state of Maryland
has recently joined New York and Washington
state in ruling that because same-gendered
people can’t procreate they can not be
married in the same way that opposite-gendered
people can.
Reading between the lines it seems straight
people who have the corresponding slot
A and tab B are automatically entitled to
the approximately 1,400 Federal and state
benefits that accrue with state-sponsored
marriage.
I always thought that paying taxes made one
a citizen.
Odd, that even though I have no children,
I’m still required to pay school taxes. Additionally,
I pay a sales tax to help pay for
municipal structures such as sports arenas
that I will never use, my gasoline taxes are
used to pave roads which I’ll never drive
on, and my library taxes will pay for books
which H1 never read.
And now, at least in Maryland, New York
and Washington-- I have to pony up with
a wife and child in order to be a REAL
citizen? Paying taxes isn’t enough?
I’m glad these anti-gay judicial decisions
are finally exposing the hypocrisy of our socalled
civil society where the First Amendment
defense of the separation of secular
and sacred is being ignored and willfully
convoluted in order to perpetuate the ideas
of religious supremacy, the power of the
penis, and the submissiveness of the vagina.
Since when was being the father or mother
of a child necessary to prove one’s citizenship?
Is that really the case?
Don’t we all know married straights who
have never had biological children? Are
their marriages in danger of being repudiated
in those states that have ruled procreation
as a necessary possibility for a complete
marriage? Are childless marriages
breaking the law? Doesn’t this suggestion
smell strongly ofNazism and other totalitarian
creeds such as one-child China?
AS our American society devolves into a
seriously reality-adverse Gulag of religiously
based proscriptions against equality, and as
the "demos" is removed from Democracy
and replaced with "theos", I’ve written a
proposed bill that someone like Trent "gays
have Heptomania" Lott, Larry ’Tm not gay"
Craig, David "diaper" Vitter, or Jim "no
gays in my family" Inhofe wil! take up on
the floor of Congress.
IfI were a God-fearing, Bible-banging GOP
straight man truly interested in the precepts
of the great Creator who knows all things
and requires the institution of marriage to
be solely and soulfully about procreation I
would legislate for the fol!owing policy to be
instituted.
A provisional license would be issued following
a medical examination to determine
the gender and procreative viability of the
man and woman applying.
Should one applicant fai! this examination
in either part no license from the state
would be allowed. In addition the failing
partner would be required to register on a
publicly available website to insure against
fraud and redundancy.
Opposite gendered married couples that
do not procreate vcithin three years of their
marriage will have that marriage annulled.
If a procreative impediment, other than
self-induced conditions, develops after the
issuance of the provisional license as ~vell
as after the issuance of the final license, the
marriage would be allowed to continue.
Should there be a stillbirth or death within
one year of the birth of a living child, an extension
of one year would allowed for each
subsequent stillbirth or early death. Such
extensions would continue until the natural
menopausal advancement occurs with the
woman. The man is considered to be fertile
for life.
As the balance scale of Lady Justice is
replaced with a cudgel, and her blindfold
exchanged for binoculars it would do for
us all, gay or straight, to reassess just what
makes a civil society.
6 the STAR wxvw.ozarksstar.corn
~’wvw.ozarksstar.com the STAR 7
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8 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
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AIDS WALK OKC
R~MEMBEIUNG THOSEPASSED ON,
WORKING TOWA~ocDSABETTER
FUTURE.
By Victor Gorin
Photo:Joe @dgle); OKCsc~ool teacher and
political activist with Miss America Lauren
Nelson
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK __ Keeping up
a proud tradition begun in 1998, the Oklahoma
City AIDS Walk was held again on
Sunday, September 29 as usual sponsored
and supported by a wide variety of groups
& people from all walks of life to help those
living with HIV, prevention and education,
as well as remembering those passed on.
~his year the occasion was honored as Miss
America, Oklahoma’s own Lauren Nelson,
headlined as this year’s Grand Marshall. This
year’s walk raised over $60,000. The Walk
benefits the AIDS Support Program/Winds
House, RAIN (Regional AIDS Intercommunity
Network), Guiding Right, Legal
Aid Services of Oklahoma-HIV/AIDS Legal
Resource Project, Northern Lights Alternatives,
Other Options Inc, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma & Red Rock North.
Currently over 6000 Oklahomans are living
with HIV or AIDS.
OKC MDS Walk President Danny Morgan
looked to the future with his statement,
"We are really excited over the increase in
attendance and money raised over last year,
and we’re looking forward to an even bigger
event with yet more money raised for the
valuable work that our agencies do in the
Oklahoma City area."
STOP HATE N THE HALLWAYS
A BULLYNG CONFERENCE
THAT NADE
H STORY
By Victor Gorin
OKLAHOIVlA CITY, OK __ On October
11 history was made in Oklahoma. Although
there had been numerous conferences
and seminars about school safety in
the past, there had always been something
conspicuously missing, and to one group of
victims, along with their friends and families,
it was obvious. It was students harassed
because of their real or perceived sexual
orientation.
The Stop Hate in the Hallways Conference
was held at the Springlake Metro Tech
Campus, organized by Cimarron Alliance
and co-sponsored by numerous organizations.
The conference was attended by over
300 people, among them teachers, school
administrators, law enforcement, and other
people from all walks of life throughout
Oklahoma. As one of the organizers, OKC
Councilperson Ann Simank pointed out, "
I think the conference is addressing many
issues that should have been addressed years
and years ago. The whole goal is for the
attendees today to obtain some real knowledge
and tools to take back to their communities
so that they’ll be able to make children
safer and feel better, to feel accepted."
The conference explored the price society
pays for school bullying. Victims of bullying
are less likely to go on to college, many even
drop out of high school to escape abuse,
thus doing serious damage to their careers.
School districts have been successfiAly sued
when harassment was deliberately allowed,
and tragedies have resulted that have made
schools less safe.
The keynote speaker was Kevin Jennings,
the founder and national director of
GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education
Network), which works to educate the public
and school systems about the problems
faced by students harassed due to sexual
orientation. A former teacher himself, he
pointed out that a generic policy prohibiting
bullying" is no more valuable than no
policy at all.
Gay students likelihood of skipping school
is when they see themselves specifically mentioned
in the policy, among race, religion,
color, and so on". He also pointed out that
it has been shown that schools that have a
policy specifically protecting students from
harassment due to sexual orientation have a
lower incidence of bullying overall.
On a positive note, he stated that among
parents surveyed almost 83% support school
policies protecting students from bullying
due to real or perceived sexual orientation,
even 77% of those parents identified as born
again Christians. Although there are many
differences of opinion, the overall consensus
of parents is that they want their children’s
schools to be safe. He compared the threats
& opposition of fundamentalist parents
opposing a policy of this protection to be
"like a dog on the other side of a door that
is really a chihuahua. "
There was discussion about the Oklahoma
City School District, which last year posted
on their website the upcoming Student
Handbook, which included among the
categories protected from bullying & harassment
"sexual orientation," then mysteriously
pulled those words two days later. Despite
numerous appeals by many diverse speakers
and groups, the Oklahoma City School
Board has yet to give any reply as to why
this happened, or why there is no policy
protecting OKC students from this category
of harassment to this day. To attend the
conference, personnel from the OKC school
systera had to take personal time off from
their jobs.
In closing Richard Odgen, President of
Cimarron Alliance had some optimism in
saying, "I think this will not be the end of
this discussion, but the beginning. We’re
hopeful that in the years to come that rather
than the State Secretary of Education saying
’ I’m too busy’ she wil! be here. Rather than
a lack of support from largest school district
in the state, there will be a policy of sending
teachers to the conference. We’re letting
people know, we are going to talk about it,
it isn’t right that that these hot topics aren’t
discussed, in fact that is why the), must be
discussed. "
10 the STAR ~.ozarksstar.com
TULSA, OK (P/R) __ The Dennis 1L Neill
Equality Center art gallery will host its
monthly meet-the-artist reception from 6-
9pm, Thursday, November 1, 2007, for the
opening of its November exhibit, "Schizo",
works by artist Patrick Uva.
Uva comes to Tulsa via New York City
where he studied art at City College ofNew
York. Since moving to his new home, Patrick
has created a prolific collection of new
paintings and sculpture.
His new shmv "SCHIZO" was inspired by
the auditory hallucinations he struggles with
every day. "I wanted to express my struggle
with the voices, but also the idea of collective
freedom. I have this ’built-in’ collective
consciousness so I wanted to show how
individual awareness affects humanity as a
whole.
Patrick uses vibrant colors, fabric, dirt, sand
and even cigarette ash within the confines
of a skewed geometry to produce art that is
at once violent, harmonious, haunting and
ioy6 l.
The exhibit will remain up through the
month of November, and can be viewed
Monday thru Saturday from 3-9pm. The
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center is located
at 621 E. 4th St., in downtown Tulsa. More
info can be found on the web at okeq.org.
This monthly event is hosted by Oklahoman’s
for Equality (OkEq). OkEq seeks
equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender (LGBT) individuals and families
through advocacy, education, programs,
alliances, and the operation of the Dennis
R. Neill Equality Center.
Cdebrate 1st
Arm versary
Oklahoma’s Log Cabin Republicans (LCR)
will be celebrating their first year as a
chapter of the national organization with a
special free barbecue dinner November 1.
The social event is for members only and
their friends, including many Democrats
who have been invited. It is also an event
geared toward welcoming potential new
members.
"We are going to throw a nice dinner party
for our members and friends, to celebrate
the fact we completed the requirements
of our national committee for full chapter
status," said Tim O’Herin, president of the
group. LCR is the nation’s largest organization
of Republicans who support fairness,
freedom, and equality for gay and lesbian
Americans. It has state chapters nationwide,
a full-time staff in \Vashington, DC, and a
Federal political action committee.
"Although LCR of Oklahoma has been active
in the gay community for about three
years, this is our first year as a recognized
chapter," he said.
The party is by invitation only, and will
be held in a member’s home in the south
Edmond, North Oklahoma City area. The
barbecue dinner is being provided by Head
Country Barbecue of Ponca City. Dinner
will be at 7:30 PM., with a one hour cocktail
hour at 6:30 PM.
"We encourage any gay man or lesbian who
is a Republican, or supports our goals, to
contact us for details about the dinner," he
said.
"Since it is being held at a private residence,
we will not publicize the exact details of its
location, but anyone who is interested in attending
can contact us for further information,"
O’Herin said.
....................Continued page 27
Deborah Harry
per£orm At T sa’s
Historic Brady eater
TULSA, OK (P/R) __ The lead singer
for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Blondie, Deborah Harry is performing at
Tulsa’s Historic Brady Theater on Tuesday
November 27th.
The ultimate pop-rock, new wave diva,
Debbie Harry set the mold, incorporating
everything she learned from culture pioneers
like Andy Warhot, Giorgio Moroder and
Fab Five Freddy into her fashion, look and,
particularly, sound. With Blondie, she and
Chris Stein brought the worlds of disco
and rock together with "Heart of Glass",
"Dreaming", "The Tide Is High", and "Call
Me" and broke ground by combining hiphop
and pop on "Rapture." As a solo artist,
Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards co-produced
her first release Koo Koo in 1981. She
continues to defy expectations with such
genre-busting efforts as "French Kissing in
t~he U.S.A.," "Rush Rush," "Rain", ’[Atomic",
and "The Jam Was Moving." Before
there was Madonna and Gwen Stefani, Debbie
Harry was rock’s reigning blonde pin-up
icon, and both are quick to acknowledge
her inspiration, as are countless female (and
male) rockers who have since formed bands.
On the heels of her sixth solo album
"Necessary Evil", Deborah Harry will be
performing live at Tulsa’s Historic Brady
Theater Tuesday November 27th, 2007.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and show starts
at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29, $39 & $49.
at www.bradytheater.com, Tulsa’s Historic
Brady Theater at 105 West Brady, or by calling
the Brady Theater Ticket Office at (918)
58-BRADY (27239).
www.ozarksstar.corn the ST.~R 11
Y÷a !
GUTHRIE, OK__ The Guthrie
Centennial Committee, in coordination
with the Oklahoma State
Centennial Commission, is proud
to present a major state celebration
in Guthrie, Oklahoma on
November 16, 2007.
This State Holiday celebrates the 100
Year Proclamation of Oklahoma Statehood
by President Theodore Roosevelt
on November 16, 1907. Guthrie,
as Oklahoma’s First State Capital, will
host historical re-enactments of the
statehood proclamation, the swearing-
in of Oklahoma’s First Governor,
Cliarles Haskell, and the symbolic
wedding of Oklahoma Territory with
Indian Territory. These re-enactments
will be held at the historic Carnegie
Library in Guthrie, where they actually
occurred in 1907.
At 12 Noon, a historic parade will be
held, just as occurred in 1907, and will
retrace the route from the Scottish Rite
Temple to Mineral Wells Park.
This historic parade will include major
university marching bands such as the
University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
State University, Langston University,
the University of Central Oklahoma,
and the Oklahoma Centennial All Star
Band. In addition, marching bands
from Logan County high schools will
also perform.
At Mineral Wells Park, a barbeque will
be held with the identical menu which
occurred a century ago...barbeque,
bread, a pickle, coffee and lemonade.
Other events and entertainment venues
will also be held throughout the
downtown area during the day.
State and national dignitaries will be
in Guthrie, to participate in the reenactments,
and in the parade. The
President of the United States has
been invited to be in Guthrie also on
this day.
The City of Guthrie has been advised
that between 75,000 and 100, 000
visitors may attend events on this historic
day. As a small city, the challenge
of these crowds will be enormous. City
planning is ongoing throughout 2007
to anticipate and deal with crowds.
Many volunteers from the Guthrie
and Logan County communities, and
from the region, will assist in making a
historic day for visitors.
Lodging, dining, other details:
Residents are being encouraged to
wear early 1900 "Period Dress" for
the Statehood Day events. Victorian,
Edwardian, and Western dress is
encouraged but not required. Visitors
to Guthrie are also welcome to wear
period attire.
Lodging and dining referrals may be
found through the Chamber of Commerce
at 405-282-1947.
Historic Pollard Inn at 405-282-1000
The Guthrie Bed & Breakfast Association
through v~.guthriebb.com
Sleep Inn at 405-260-1400
With the large anticipated crowds,
visitors may desire to bring personal or
picnic lunches.
12 the STAR w~wv.ozarksstar.com
PlanetOu InCo Sells
RSVP Vacations
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (PRNewswire-
FirstCall __PlanetOut inc., the leading media
and entertainment company exclusively
focused on the gay and lesbian market,
today announced that it has entered into a
definitive agreement with Atlantis Events,
Inc. for Atlantis to acquire RSVP Vacations.
The transaction is subject to customary closing
conditions and is expected to close on or
about October 24, 2007. The sale will not
affect RSVP’s scheduled itinerary, nor will it
affect current passenger bookings.
"We are extremely pleased that RSVP wil!
become part of the Atlantis family," said
Karen Magee, chief executive officer, Planet-
Out Inc. "Atlantis plans to preserve RSVP’s
distinct brand, enabling Atlantis to expand
the audience it serves by taking advantage
of RSVP’s unique positioning within the
LGBT community. We believe this combination
also will be a real positive for RSVP’S
customers and business partners. It really is
a perfect match and we’re looking forward
to expanding and extending our marketing
relationship with Atlantis."
"From a corporate perspective, we believe
this transaction demonstrates to our shareholders
that we are continuing to deliver on
our commitment to leverage our strengths
by simplifying our business model and
emphasizing our core competencies," added
Magee. "We are focused on ensuring that
we are in the best position to realize our full
potential as the leading media and entertainment
company exclusively serving the
LGBT market, while also strengthening our
balance sheet."
Magee also pointed out that the sale of
RSVP reflects PlanetOut’s strategy of shifting
its business to a model which has advertising
revenue at its core, and draws strength
from the company’s powerful, iconic media
brands.
Quot bBe Quotes
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear
a challenge to Alabama’s ban on the sale of
sex toys, ending a nine-year legal battle and
sending a warning to store owners to clean
off their shelves.
Sherri Williams, owner of Pleasures stores
in Huntsville and Decatur, said she was
disappointed, but plans to sue again on First
Amendment free speech grounds.
"My motto has been ’They are going to
have to pry this vibrator from my cold, dead
hand.’ I refuse to give up," she said.
George Takei gets own asteroid:
"I am now a heavenly body,’, says the out
gay actor ofAsteroid 1994 GT9’s official
renaming in honor of his long "Star Trek"
service.
George Takei already had a place among
the stars in the minds of millions of"Star
Trek" fans. Now he’s taking up permanent
residence as the namesake of the asteroid
formerly known as the 1994 GTg.
The asteroid, located between Mars and
Jupiter, has been renamed 7307 Takei in
honor of the actor, who is best known for
his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star
Trek" series.
"I think the opponents of gay marriage
really fall into two categories. A small
group of people just don’t like gay people.
If you don’t like one, you don’t like two. It’s
geometric. The larger percentage are people
who are generally supportive of equal rights,
as they have been in Massachusetts, but hear
these predictions that it’s going to be socially
very chaotic, and they figure, why take the
chance?" --
Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., to
the Wellesley [Mass.] Townsman.
Photo: Presenting the CarlAlbertAward to
Mr. Lemon (right) isfim Frasier, a Tulsa
Stonezoall Democrat
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK __ On October
20 at the Oklahoma State Democratic
Party’s annual Carl Albert Dinner, Bob
Lemon received the Carl Albert Award
along with the late State Senator Keith Leftwich.
Mr.Lemon, who describes himself as
"straight but not narrow," is an active member
of the Oldahoma StonewaB Democrats
and a generous supporter of many causes
of the GLBT community.
Quotable Quotes
Opponents of Oregon’s new same-sex
domestic partnership law failed to turn in
enough valid signatures to block the measure
that takes effect Jan. 1, 2008.
"We’re thrilled to bring Atlantis and RSVP
together into the same family for the first
time," said Rich Campbell, chief executive
officer ofAtlantis. "The two companies are
stronger together than they are apart, and
taken together demonstrate the strength and
vitality of the gay travel market."
www.ozarksstar.corn the STAR 13
October 1930 (77 yeas ago this month): Sociologist
Laud I-tumphreys is born in Chickasha,
Oklahoma.
was ONahoman
Lau d Humphreys?
aud I-Iumphreys’ 1970 book,
Tearoom Trade: Impersonal
Sex in Public Places, presented
a landmark ethnographic
study of men who cruise for
anonymous sex in public
bathrooms - a topic that
remains relevant to this day.
Robert Allan Humphreys was born October
16, 1930, in Chickasha, Okla., the son of
a conservative member of the state House
of Representatives. After graduating from
college in Colorado Springs, Humphreys
earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1955
and was ordained an Episcopal priest (at
which time he adopted the name "Laud").
He married his wife Nancy at age 30, and
the couple had two children.
Humphreys’ involvement in black civil
rights and antiwar activism in the 1960s
garnered attention from the FBI and
angered prominent members of his various
congregations. After he was dismissed from
a parish post in Wichita, Kan., he enrolled
in graduate school at Washington University
in St. Louis to study socio!ogy and crimino!-
ogy.
Possibly motivated both by the discovery
that his deceased father led a secret homosexual
life and by struggles with his own
sexuali~ Humphreys decided to study men
who seek sex in public toilets, or "tearooms."
Though Humphreys claimed he was a
"watch queen," or a voyeur who acted as a
lookout, many suspect he was a more direct
participant. Humphreys recorded the license
plate numbers of more than 100 men he
observed having sex - mainly fellatio - in the
bathrooms of a city park, used these to track
down their addresses, and later visited their
homes in disguise, posing as a public health
interviewer. ~ne subjects never knew they
were part of a study, much less gave their
consent.
Humphreys’ Ph.D. dissertation, published
as Tearoom Trade in !970, detailed the steps
involved in the homosexual public sex ritual
- positioning, signaling, maneuvering, contracting,
foreplay, and the payoff- as well as
the intricate back-and-forth as men gauged
one another’s interest. As such, he concluded,
it was highly unlikely that an unwitting
straight man would be molested or pestered
for sex. Though the men went to great
lengths to avoid both arrest arid violence
from uninterested heterosexuals, police used
the cruising code for entrapment. "W-hen
a homosexual takes a seat in the adjacent
commode and starts tapping his foot, the
decoy will tap back," Humphreys wrote.
Humphreys found that just over half the
men he studied were married, 38 percent
did not consider themselves either homosexual
or bisexual, and only !4 percent were
openly gay. They came from diverse races
and socioeconomic classes and were generally
similar to "normal" heterosexual men,
except that the cruisers tended to be politica~
y and socially conservative pillars of their
community. "In donning the breastplate
of righteousness," Humphreys wrote, "the
covert deviant assumes a protective shield of
superpropriety."
Humphreys’ dissertation caused an immediate
furor. ~Pne university chancellor sought
to have his degree revoked for abetting
felonies, sociology colleaDles criticized his
dishonest research methods, and some gay
activists regarded the study as an embarrassment
- though it shored up the argument
that since homosexual cruisers bothered no
one else, bathroom busts were a waste of
resources. Nevertheless, _Tearoom
Trade won the prestigious C. Wright Mills
award from the Society for the Study of
Social Problems.
In 1972, Humphreys was hired as a professor
of sociology and criminal justice at
Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif. - a contract
he negotiated from a jail cell where he
was serving time for invading a draft board
office and smashing a portrait of Richard
Nixon. He came out publicly at the 1974
annual meeting of the American Sociological
Association as part of a panel discussion
in which he also outed Edward Sagarin
(who
had written the groundbrea~ng Tlxe Homosexual
in ka~aerica under the name Donald
Webster CoW in 1951, but had since grown
critica! of the gay movement). Humphreys
went on to co-found the Sociologists’ Gay
(now LGBT) Caucus.
By the mid- !970s, Humphreys’ scholarly
productivity had declined, and he began to
shirk his academic responsibilities. In 1980,
he left his wife, moved in with a male protege,
started a private counseling practice,
and became increasingly involved with the
Los Angeles gay community. In his later
years, he returned to the ministry, serving
people with AIDS. A heavy smoker, he died
of lung cancer at the age of 58.
The ethics of Humphreys’ study are still
widely debated. Along with other questionable
research in various fields, it helped
usher in strong informed consent requirements
and institutional review boards to
protect research participants. But his work
has undergone reconsideration in recent
years. None of his subjects were actually
harmed (Humphreys kept their information
under lock and key), and some commentators
have suggested that much of the initial
furor was motivated more by distaste for
the topic than true concern for the subjects.
Further, information about public
sex cultures proved invaluable in devising
AIDS prevention strategies, and partidpantobserver
research with an advocacy" angle
became more acceptable.
Almost four decades after its publication,
Tearoom Trade remains the definitive guide
to homosexual toilet sex. Despite a much
larger GLBT community, many more
venues for meeting, and pervasive sex on the
Internet, anonymous sex in public places
shows no sign of dissipating among gay or
non-gay-identified men.
For further reading:
Galliher, John, W’ayne Brekhaus, and David Keys.
2004. Laud Humphreys: Prophet of Homosexuality
and Sociology (University of Wisconsin).
Horowitz, Irving. 2003. Tributes: Personal Reflections
on a Century of Social Research (Transaction Publishers).
Schacht, Steven. 2004. Moving Beyond the ControversT:
Remembering the Many Contributions of Laud
Humphreys to Sociology and the Study of Sexuality.
International Journal o-fSociolo{~y and Social Policy
(Vol. 24; special issue on Humpnreys).
14 the STAR ~w.ozarksstar.com
AbriefhiSlory ofthe grape
Pinot Noir comes from all over
world. It’s grown in many coun
including: France, Argent
Austria (called
burgunder),
(Sp&tburgunder),
(Pinot Nero
Zealand,
"Dole" when
the United States,
gundac).
Pinot Noir is a difficult
with. The plant is
A parent plant can
wildly different ~erry size ar
even flavor. Cabernet I
genetically individual clones
Noir has
it ages
earthiness, smoke
Chardonnay
in spar-
Ion in
inot Noirgoes l~hrough a range of
langes as it matures. A young wine will
fruity characteristics including: Cal
raspberry and strawberry.
4. Jayer-Glf
Hautes Cot
Burgundy
5. Etude
Carneros ’05
California
6 Raptor Ridge
Willamette Valley ’05
0~egon
And as always, I say go to your favorite
www.ozarksstar.corn the STAR 15
OnSaturday night November I0
Tulsans "W~II have an opportunity to hear
one ofAmerica’s greatest songrcesses, a remalkable
artist with her own eclectic brand
of modern folk music with her own unique
twist. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut
and growing up as a talented prodigy, she
studied at the American School of Ballet,
went on to earn a drama degree at Stanford
Universi~ founded her own MPress Record
label, racked up a repertoire of discography,
and has even written & performed nasionally
known TV commerai£s. She has toured
extensively in both the United States and
Europe. Described by Judy Collins as
great glfx...an incredible talent and beauty,"
the shares her thoughts, hopes and aspirations
with us.
STAR: Glad to have you with us, we’re
delighted you’re coming m Oklahoma. Have
you been here before?
MS SAGE: I have, I played there a couple of
years ago at your Tulsa Pride Festival.
STAR: How would you describe your
unique brand of music?
MS. SAGE: I would tend to call my music
arc-pop, which kind of btingr in some of
the pop music that I listened to growing up
from the 50s, 60s and 70s and some of the
classical music I heard as a ballerina.
STAR: As a record coflector myself I was
intrigaed with some of the music that influenced
you growing up, like the records your
parents had of Broadway shows, the Beades
¯nd the do-wop artists of the 60s.
MS. SAGE; Certainly the Beades, a lot of
classical music, and Broadway musicals. In
the 70s a best friend tttrned me on to a lot
of folk ardsts like Carole King, James Taylor
1 6 the STAR
& Cat Stevens. Of course I heard Isreali
folk music when I was at Temple,
STAR: Did the music you hear at your
synagogue have a big influence on
your style?
MS.SAGE: Mosdy the Temple music
made me love to sing. Tae cultural
aspects of tynagugue exposed me to
a lot of music, a lot of minor keys
& beautifid melodies, another area
that showed me how music can bring
people together.
MS.SAGE: Well, I was
always into music, sounding
music out on the piano by
ear when I was about 2 ½
years old. Actually the first
Broadly show I saw was
Ok~homa, and when I gut
home I would try to play
the score by ear. I gut into
dance, which was a good
part ofmy muaiol
education a~ well.
STAR: You had written
and performed for
some nationally known
TV commercials. What
are some that we might
remember?
MS. SAGE: I did one for
Gillette, ~nd another one
for Cwstal L
7 or 8 years ~
inside you, takes you away,
Crystal Light, 5 different
STAR: I love it! What
influences your music
most of nil today?
SPINNAKER CRAB CAKES
Ingredients:
1 pinch white pepper
a bowl with crab meat may<:~rt~i~ eggs, chives and seasonlow
heat. Slowly now or they WJI! ~l to bum. Ser~e with a side
of mayonnaise into which a few dl~p~ of fresh lemon juice and
TRAVEL
by Donald Pite and Ray Williams
SAN FRANCISCO AND "THE CASTRO"
~ehave just returned froio the beauttfial "City by the
Bay~ and it is tr~y as wonderful, exciting alld lnagl~ificellt as ever.
For some strange re~.son it kad been 6 years shace we were last there
and we used to go once a year, but we got involved with othes places
to visit instead, but we were so happy to visit San Frmlcisco again.
\Ve find it am~iog how many gays around the country have never
been to gan Francisco so we will start of by saying that Saa Frmacisco
is the city ~uxd "]he Castro" is the gay district in Sm~ Frmacisco
which is filled with lots of great restaurants, shops and ofcourse
plenty of bars. "!bns of bars so whatever you ~re into you will be sure
to find a bar just for you! "The Cusrco" has been around for y~
a~d years. All up ~nd dco~n the Castro d~strict ~re gay ttags waving
e,mrywhere ~d the largest one is just as you step offthe pubic transportation
system and you are laced with the largest gay ttag that we
and a wondert~ c~mmunity room located t~ght at the front which
overlooks the mreet where you c~n watch hmtdreds ofgays w~k b?;
18 the STAR
ins and a public email statina, available 2417. And in addition you
have access to their refrigerator and mlcro-wave. They care about
their guests! Just wish that more B and B’s were as considerate and
caring. Why ~xor stay where you are partying? Be sure ~nd check out
both of these B and B’s before making a trip to San Francisco.
Shopping for gifts, clothing, decorating items or even groceries
are all within a couple bIoch area of the Castro. T~e res~aura~*rs axe
a~ individu.tlly owned and off&s a wide ~ango of menus. A~xd of
course by s tayla~g at the Village House you ~e right i~ tlm middle of
everyth~g ~d can w~kk everywhe~[
~en there is San Francisco i~sel£ What a beaurifu[ dty and
of art work, museums, down,town shopping on Union Squaxe. Chinatown
is just a few bhicl~ from downtown and you certainly don’t
want to miss the shopping and food there, From downtown take
one of the cable cars to Fisherman’s Wharf alld Pier 39 to see all die

The gay section ofHippie Hollow Park is afavorite Austin kangout
on weekend afternoons. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
Austin, Texas
Fast-growing Aastin has been one ofAmerica’s most talked about
cities over the past decade, having not o~ly increased its population
by nearly 50 percent but also solidified its [eputation as an ultracool
place ro live and visit. The fact that Austin is oppressively hot
for a few months each summer is about its only maior negative.
A~ auctman approaches, however, Austin cools off again ~nd this
means the city’s myd~ad cafes, lounges, music dubs, and gay hangouts
sizzle with activit~
If yoffve been to this lefr leaning - especially by Texas standards
- city before, say five or more yeaxs ago, you may have trouble
recoguiaing it. The downtown landscape has been transformed by
recendy constructed office and hotel towers, and a fantastic new air
port makes traveling here a breeze. Here’s a recipe for enjoying the
perfect three-day weekend in this upbeat, welcoming metropolis.
Consider staying in the forty downtown Warehouse District, with
its bounty of both gay and gay-friendly bars as wdl as hip restau
rants and offbeat boutiques. Worthy recommendatiorts include
the most glamorous hotd in town, the Intercontinental Stephen E
Austin. an opulent 16-stoty beauty with marne baths, 1920s era
furnishings, mad twice-daily maid service. Perfectly appealing yet
less pricey downtown alternatives include the Radisson Town Lake,
whgse rooms face the scenic Colorado River (known as Tow~ Lake
20 the STAR
in this part of the dty), and the H~apton Irm and Suites, an attractive,
reasonably priced mid-rise opened a few years ago.
Across the river, within walking distance of downtown, you’ll find
another excellent todging base, the retro-trendy South Congress
district, home to the devedy restored Austin Motel. Many rooms
at dais quirky slice of ’50s-style Americana have tile floors, kitchenettes,
Jacuzai rubs, and kidney shaped patios. There’s an on-site
Mexican restaurant, El Sol y La Luna, that turns out fiery, kich-ass
huevos rancheros and carne asada. A few blocks away, the swankier
Hotel San Jose is another old motor court that’s been given a postmodern,
mlnlmalist makeover. The spacious courtyard suites are
downright posh (and pricey), but a simpler though soil snazzy room
with a shared bath runs for under $100 nighd)~ Entertain g~ests in
the hotel’s scene-y iounga-cum-coffechouse.
OI~ Friday, your first night in town, decompress ~tfter your flight or
car ride with a rel~xh~g, informal meal at one of the city’s well-regarded
purveyors ofTex-Mex, such as Guero’s or Manuel’s. A former
feed store that’s now a fabulous taqueria, Guero’s serves some of
the best Mexic~m f~re in central Texas - flora standard but artl~ly
seasoned tamales to more innovative creations like marinated grilled
pork on a corn tortilla with onions, cilantro, mad fresh pineapple.
Fancier than most oFabe Mexican testaments in town, M~nuel’s is
a sleek, deco-inspired space i~ the Warehouse District with a sassy
little bar in back. Try some of the more innovative creations, fike
corn-battered colossal thdmp with a poblano-chile c~rn, or pork
enchiladas in a velvety mole sauce.
Al~er your meal. it’s time to check out at least a couple ofAustin’s
inviting gay bars - it’s a topsy-turvy scene in these parts, with one or
two bars coming and going seemingly every year. But you can consistendy
count on there being roughly a half dozen gay bars downtown,
mosdy concentrated in the Warehouse Distticr. Worthwhile
options on Fridays include the relatively new Rain on 4th, which
opened in the Warehouse District in 2006, and has a kively deck
out back, a cozy bifliards bar up front, and a mldssize dance b~r iu
file middle; and Chadie’s, the city’s oldest gay bar, which fies in the
shadows of the state capitol building. Go-go boys perform inside,
~nd there’s a spacious deck in back. If you’re looking to keep it mellow
your first night, have an ~er-dlnner cocktail, fruit smoothie,
or espresso drink at the stylJth Halcyon Coffeehouse and Lounge, a
hlpster-i~fested, gay friendly bengout across the street from Rain on
Rise a~*d shine on Saturday morning with breakfast at one ofAustin’s
more eccentric nosh pits, Magnolia Crate, which has branches
along South Congress Avenue ~aad also just west of downtown on
Lake Austin Boulevard. The delicious, filling breakfast specialties
range from the "Solar Landscape" (seasoned grilled potatoes, red
onions, and ham topped with queso ~nd chipotle sauce) to hefty
gingerbread pancakes bursting with blueberties.
Very dose to the South Congress neighborhood, you can take to the
outdoors and work offsome calories with a stroll through beautiful
350-acre Zilber Park, a fine spot to tan your hide on sunny days.
The park’s spting-fed Barton Springs Pool, a popular and enormous
swimming hule, remains an invigorating 68 degrees year-round, so
bring along a swimsuit if the weather’s nice.
Austin’s best outdoor attraction, however, is Hippie Hollow Park,
which hugs the shores of stunning Lake Travis, about a 30-minute
drive west of town. This is the region’s only official clothing-optional
sunbathing spot. The gay section, which draws substantial crowds
on just about any day with temperatures above 65 degrees, lies at
the very end of the pathway that leads from the parking lot. On
weekend afternoons you’ll often see pleasure boats packed with cute
guys docked just offshore. Break for refreshments with a meal at the
Oasis, a massive outdoor compound set high on a bluff overlooking
the lake and Hippie Hollow - it’s a short drive from the park. The
mediocre Mexican food at Oasis won’t win any culinary awards, but
the views and the potent margaritas make this a winner.
On your way back into town, treat yourself to some truly heavenly
ice cream at Amy’s, a shrine to fattening dairy treats. Mexican
vanilla, pumpkin cheesecake, and honeyed brandy are a few poptflar
flavors at this local chain with outposts in several handy locations,
induding South Congress Avenue and 6th Street downtown. If you
still have a litde time left, stroll among the cool antiques, homefurnishings,
and second-hand clothing shops a!ong South Congress
Avenue and also in the Warehouse District.
Saturday-night dinner options are many. Stick with the Warehouse
District for the best people-watching, plus proximity to gay nightlife.
Excellent dining bets include Kenichi, a mod, happening place
where pretty young things hobnob over superbly rendered Japanese
cuisine. At nearby Malaga, you can savor plate after plate of terrific
tapas, such as braised beef short ribs in Riojo vdne. It’s a dramatic
space with tall brick walls and marble tables, and there’s Latin music
most nights.
Saturday is Austin’s big night for gay revelry. Rain on 4th and
Charlie’s remain popular options, but this is also the best night to
check out Rain’s neighbor, Oilcan Harry’s, which has been a £xture
in the city for years. This always-packed stand-and-model bar attracts
a hot collegiate crowd. There are a couple of bar areas, a patio
in back, and a good (loud) sound system serving the tiny but pulsing
dance floor. Austin’s many queer country-western fans head to
the nearby Rainbow Cattle Co., where they two-step and line-dance
below a sea ofwagon wheels and Wild West artifacts. If you’re into
leather, head to the Chain Drive, which cultivates a bearish and rugged
ambience.
The city also has dozens of clubs and lounges hosting bands and
singers ofjust about every ilk, making Austin one of the nation’s
top cities for live music. Just stroll through the Warehouse District,
especially along East 6th Street, and listen for the sounds of music
to your liking. In Austin, nobody cares much about looks, labels,
and agendas - you’ll be made to feel welcome most anywhere.
Sunday morning offers a fresh opportunity to sample one ofAustin’s
great brunch or lunch spots - depending on how late you sleep
in. A favorite of the gay community, Katz Dell is renowned for its
half-pound sandwiches - the grilled three-cheese with tomatoes is
especially good. Another enjoyable option is the South Congress
Cafe, a handsome space known for such toothsome brunch treats as
duck-and-oyster gumbo, and a luscious carrot cake French toast.
Spend your final afternoon in town exploring the leafy 357-acre
campus of the University ofTexas, whose attractions include the
Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum and the
Texas Memorial Museum, which has exhibits on state history and
local flora and fauna. UT’s Blanton Museum ofArt is well-regarded
for its collections of Renaissance paintings as well as modern Latin
American art. Guadalupe Street, known along its border with LIT
as "the Drag," is a haven of alternative culture as well as the place to
shop for locally made arts and crafts, Longhorn memorabilia, and
other offbeat goods.
On your final night in Austin, you might go all out with a highticket
dinner at one of the city’s most sophisticated restaurants, such
as dark and sexy Jeffrey’s, which has the polish of a big-city supper
dub and a clientele that ranges from celebs to politicos. The lamb
T-bone with spinach-parmesan souffle and onion-mint confit is a
typically sublime dish. Don’t miss the white-chocolate parfait with
brandied cherries and pistachios i~or dessert - a memorable ending to
a great Austin weekend.
72% of gays and lesbians prefer to buy from companies that advertise
to them directly. (Source: Harris/Witeck-Combs)
Brand loyal, 89% of gays and lesbians are highly likely to seek out
brands that advertise to them; the majority are willing to pay a premium
for quality products and services. (Source: Simmons)
~,~twv.ozarksstar,com the STAR 21
by Donald Pile & Ray Williams
Featuring Cuisine From Coast to Coast
lae Spinnaker Restaurant, On San Francisco Bay
The Spinnaker Restaurant in downtown
Sausalito, California is one of our very
favorite restaurants in the country. We have
dined there many times over the years and
it just keeps getting better and better. Chef
Phil Collins has been there since 1982 and
Jeff Scharosch the General Manager has
been there since 1994. q-hey do a remarkable
job and it shows!
"l-he Spinnaker Restaurant has panoramic
views of the Sausalito waterfront, San
Francisco skyline, Angel Island, Belvedere,
Alcatraz, & the Bay Bridge. Floor to ceiling
glass walls enable guests the chance to enjoy
the scenery from every angle in the dining
room, which is built on piers directly over
the water. The view is unrivaled and is the
best in the San Francisco Bay Area. Located
in beautiful historic Sausalito, The Spinnaker
is just a short drive from the Golden
Gate Bridge. The stunning view is only
surpassed by our extensive menu, featuring
the freshest seafood & finest ingredients.
You can also take the Ferry or bus service to
Sausalito and it is just a 5 minute walk from
either terminals to the restaurant.
For over 47 years they have been treating
guests to the finest in seafood and pasta.
q-hey are open everyday from 11:00 AM to
11:00 PM. Their menus offers something
for everyone, with fresh seafood, pasta,
steak, chicken, & vegetarian options. Seafood
highlights include the Mixed Seafood
Grill, Spinnaker Paella, Pacific Mahi Saut~
with Crab & Brie, Grilled Lobster Tail, &
Petrale Filet with a Crouton & Macadamia
nut crust. Our pasta selections include
Penne with Grilled Chicken, Four-Cheese
Ravioli with Walnut Alfredo or Pesto Sauce,
& Fettuccini with Crab. They also offer
Petite New York Steak or Filet Mignon
with Cabernet Bordelaise, Piquant Chicken
Breasts Saute, & Braised Chicken Breasts
in a Champagne reduction. Vegetarians can
choose from an array of salads, Pasta Primavera,
Bruschetta, Cheese Quesadilla, or
Baked Brie with Roast Garlic. If you wish to
dine for lunch, they also offer many delighttiff
sandwiches including the Crab, Shrimp
& Avocado Club, Club House Sandwich, &
The Spinnaker Hamburger. For those with
a sweet tooth, their desserts will surely hit
the spot. Cr~me Brule, Berry Trifle, Warm
Apple Tart with Vanilla Bean Gelato, & Hot
Fudge Sundae axe just a few of their sinful
selections.
They also have a huge wine selection
and banquet facilities are available for
special events and parties. Valet parking is
available. Be sure and check their website
at: www.thespinnaker.com No trip to San
Francisco would be complete without dining
at Spinnaker’s!
22 the STAR www.ozarksstar.corn
A Family Affair
Lesbian Notions, an interview with Jennifer Chrisle~ executive director
ofthe Family Equality Council
No good deed goes unpunished.
That is certainly the case for Michael Gregg
Valdez and Michael Oberg, who took in the
four young children ofValdez’s niece. The
niece asked the couple to take care of her
children while she dealt with some drug-related
criminal matters.
Already parenting Valdez’s biological daughter,
Michael and Gregg, as Valdez in known,
are more than happy to provide a stable,
loving home until the children’s mother is
ready to do the same. The problem is they
live in Utah, where two unmarried people
cohabitating cannot serve as foster or adoptive
parents.
And in Texas, the state is proposing spending
close to $3 million to investigate current
foster parents. If any of the parents are
found to be LGBT, the kids will be yanked
from the homes.
Chrisler has been working to protect those
kids and their LGBT families since Apri! of
2005, when she came to the Council, then
located in Washington, D.C., after serving
as a fundraising consultant for political
campaigns and LGBT organizations in
Massachusetts. She and her spouse, Cheryl
Jacques (yes, the same Cheryl Jacques who
helmed the Human Rights Campaign for a
brief and shining moment) recently moved
The state’s Division of Children and Family
Services asked the courts to take the
children away from the two men so they
could be placed in foster homes more to
the state’s liking - married, heterosexual
households. Instead of handing custody to
the state, the court took custody of the kids
and then turned around and granted Gregg
temporary custody. For now, the four will
stay together.
Remember the Easter Egg
Roll at the White House,
where LGBT families wore
rainbow leis and received
national media attention?
That was thanks to FEC.
This is just the type of situation that fuels
the passion ofJennifer Chrisler, the executive
director of the Family Equality Council.
You may have knmvn the organization
as Family Pride - the name was recently
changed to reflect their purpose of achieving
family equality for all loving families.
"Mike and Gregg’s willingness to open their
homes and hearts highlights ~vhat is best
about families - love, commitment, strength,
and support," Chrisler told me recently.
"Utah’s law regarding placement of foster
care children is not good public policy, nor
is it good for children."
Ballot initiatives banning gay adoption and
fostering may well raise their ugly heads
in the 2008 presidential race - although
when that tactic was used in 2004, it didn’t
gain much traction. However, according to
Chrisler, Arkansas is likely to mount a ballot
initiative that in the long run will just hurt
kids in need of loving homes.
back to the Bay State with their 5-year-old
fraternal twins, Tim and Tom. The organization
moved with them, and is now headquartered
in Boston.
’Tm a mother. I’m raising my kids in a
world where our families don’t have what
they need to keep each other strong and
protected," she noted. "Kids spend a lot of
time explaining who their families are, and
I’d like that to stop."
In the little more than two years that
Chrisler has been at FEC, she has transformed
the organization into a political
powerhouse.
Remember the Easter Egg Roll at the White
House, where LGBT families wore rainbow
leis and received national media attention?
That was thanks to FEC.
When James Dobson from Focus on the
Family wrote a hatefiA op-ed in _Time
Magazine_ about Mary Cheney’s pregnancy,
FEC pressured the conservative weekly to
run a counterpoint piece entitled "Two
Mommies or Two Daddies Will Do Fine,
Thanks," authored by Chrisler. The piece
focused on the inequity ofVirginia state law
- where Cheney and her partner, Heather
Poe, live with their son - and how Poe is
without any legal parental rights.
"Some of the pressing issues we face are
marriage equality and uniform parenting
laws," said Chrisler. "We need laws that
recognize the complicated and creative
ways our families are created. Issues such as
surrogacy, sperm donors, and divorce create
legal complications. It would be nice to have
a uniform law to protect our families."
A community organizer at heart, Chrisler
understands that she can’t be the only one
out there speaking on behalf of family
equality. Through OUTspoken Families,
the organization’s national speakers bureau,
more than 1,000 people in 39 states,
D.C., one U.S. territory, and three foreign
countries have been trained to speak out on
family equality issues.
"We’re training people to be advocates
for themselves, their families, friends, and
people they care about at every level of
their life, from responding to a comment
in an elevator to speaking to the PTA," said
Chrisler. "We have a lot of people raising
the issue of family equality at lots of different
levels...we’re working to change the
hearts and minds of straight people we come
into contact with."
Changing those hearts and minds means
changing the way LGBT families live. Many
of us no longer have to live in the shadows,
afraid that someone will find out that our
kids have two mommies or two daddies. But
for those who do, FEC and Chrisler work to
change laws, make schools safer, and create
a national LGBT family movement that can
no longer be ignored.
www.ozarksstar.com The STAR 23
Diversityl~

~ho are your greatest enemies? Luke
Skywalker batded the respiratory challenged
scoundrel Darth Vader. Superman played
chess games with the Mensa maniac Lex
Luthor. Batman and Robin were vexed with
the likes of the Joker when they weren’t
exploring the depths of their’batcaves. You
and I have much worse enemies to ward off.
These foes rear their ugly heads daily and
seek to divert us from our health and fitness
goals. The Bangles rendition of Manic
Monday starts us heading through a sea of
procrastination and fitness evasion.
There is the Monday happy hour and 2-4-1
drinks the rest of the night at your favorite
watering hole. This double headed monster
lures you from your daily workout with
promises of sweet intoxication and the
aroma of tangy mouth-watering boneless
buffalo wings. This enemy gets extra fire
power during October, November, and
December ~vith Monday night football.
Resistance is futile.
Tuesday night should be your cardiovascular
workout on the elliptical machine. However,
that new television lineup on NBC isn’t
going to watch itself. It took scores of actors,
directors, producers, grips, and cameramen
many weeks to compile "Must See TV". You
could just TIVO it all and catch up some
other night. You would then be terrifyingly
ignorant around the water cooler the next
morning. That’s too dangerous to chance.
Bad guys win again!
It’s hump day and you’ll get back on that fitness
wagon that you fell off of earlier in the
week. I smell a conjunction though. BUT....
the guy in shipping and receiving is requesting
your attendance at his birthday bonanza
at the Hoo-Ha Lounge. The enemy here
26 the STAR
calls himself GUILT. Your coworkers needle
you about missing the retirement party for
Nallely in the claims department. The decision
is dear. You can always hit the weights
tomorrow at the gym.
Thursday dawns on you and what knave
could be lurking to derail your plans today?
Out of the bushes and over the grassy knoll
are fired two shots. They are in the form of
two tickets to that sold-out Erasure concert.
No way! Get out! Andy Bell is in town and
you’ve got your daws on some front row
seats. You know every song and every lyric.
That arm and chest workout can be shelved
until tomorrow!
What a concert! You have a hoarse voice but
at least it’s Friday. Oh no! It’s Friday! There’s
no way you can hit the gym tonight. Everybody
who’s anybody will be at that new
dub in downtown. Those hot DJ’s from
KGAY will be handing out free T-shirts and
selling $1 shooters for charity. You have all
weekend offwork and you can surely make
up for missed workout time then. After all
Scarlet, tomorrow is another day.
Saturday brings bright skies and temperatures
in the low 90’s. The phone rings and
it’s the boys. They’re heading for the lake
with the boat, sunscreen, and a cooler
stocked full of barley pops. There is no
way you can miss this. I know you’ve said
it before. But this has just been an unusual
week. You really will get back on track soon.
Right?
Sunday comes and you can probably write
your own defeat against an evil enemy. It
doesn’t have to be this way. Stay strong
against the dark side. With some discipline
and some proper planning, you can keep a
workout routine. Know what is important
and stay focused. Tomorrow is always the
busiest day of the year. Don’t let it be that
way. Take charge today!
~is column is brought to you by that guy who
likes to stomp hisfeet in bathroom stallsJUST
for attention. Thatguy is Ron Blake and he
can be reached at www.goblakefirness.com.
Quotable Quotes
Uganda’s leading Muslim cleric has proposed
to President Yoweri Museveni that
gays be rounded up and marooned on an
island in Lake Victoria unti! they die.
Sheikh Ramathan Shaban Mubajje told
reporters of his plan following a much publicized
meeting with Museveni.
"I asked President Museveni to get us an
island on Lake Victoria and we take these
homosexuals and they die out there,"
Mubajje told a news conference.
"If they die there then we shall have no
more homosexuals in the country."
Creating
Community for
People iving
with
HP4iAtDS
A 501 c (3) Non Profit Organization
Our House, Too offers a vadety 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 IMng 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
hardsmmjr@yahoo.com.
www.ozarksstar.com
R~chad Sage continued:
MS. SAGE: So very many independent artists
actually, because the bulk of my listening
time is spent evaluating and listening to
music independent artists are sending me at
my record label, MPress Records.
’,We do compilations which benefit charity
called New Arrivals, we’ve released 2 so far
and are working on a third. It’s a great opportunity
to hear all kinds of independent
music, spanning the range of folk, rock,
alternative pop. I think that more inspires
than influences me. I try to find my own
voice continually, which I have found is a
never ending process. As far as mainstream
artists I always look forward to the next
record from Fiona Apple, and Rufus Wainwright
is one ofmy very favorite artists. I
also like Coldplay, U2, and I still pull out
my Carole King records, am I’m looking
forward to an upcoming new Mark Cohn
album.
STAR: What kinds of audiences do you
mainly appeal to now?
MS. SAGE: Actually there are several,
that’s one of the fun things of starting out
at a young age. There is the folk world, the
alternative college listeners xvhich are ever
changing, a younger set and also those in
their 40s 50s and beyond from the coffeehouse
scene. I love to play at Pride festivals
every summer, about 10 or 15 every year. Of
course the GLBT community is a wonderfid
and supportive audience. As a matter of fact,
we’re about to pul! into Provincetown where
we will be playing a gig for Women’s Week.
STAR: ~his tour promotes your newest CD
The Blistering Sun, what inspired the title?
MS.SAGE: It’s a lyric from one of the songs
of the album, "Surprise" which was written
for my sister’s wedding years ago. It came
out almost a year ago, and I’m almost ready
to bring out another one in the spring of
2008 called Chandelier. The Blistering Sun
is really about self-determination, coming to
that place where you are true to yourself, a
process and lesson that really never ends.
ST/MR: Anything special you’d like to say to
the music lovers ofTulsa?
MS. SAGE: Just that I’m really excited to
come back, it’s been quite a few years. I can’t
wait-it’ll be fun!
STAR-Looking forward to it, i’ll see you at
the Bamboo Lounge Tulsa.
www.ozarksstar.com
Log Cabin Ref)ublicans continued:
Oldahomds LCR is one of the newest
organizations in OkAahoma dedicated to
promoting gay rights. During the past
three years it has been active and present at
most gay public events, including gay pride
celebrations in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and
McAAester.
"I believe the positive changes we need to
make in America for gay rights can best be
made when both major political parties are
confronted with the reality of its gay members,"
O’Herin said. "This is espedally true
of the Republican Party."
For further details contact O’Herin at
OKLOGCABIN@aol.com, or call 405-945-
0368.
(IGBO) Continued:
hotel. Holiday Inn will also host the registration
suite, hospitality suite, many social
events and a display of panels of the AIDS
quilt. The tournament activities will be held
at Heritage Lanes at 122nd & Penn and
Windsor Lanes at NW 23rd & Meridian.
Single and doubles bowling events will be
held at Heritage Lanes and the team and
Scratch Masters events will be held at Windsor
Lanes. Management and staff at both
centers are excited about hosting this special
event.
The weekend will wrap up with a gala
awards ceremony to be held in the Sam
Noble Special Events Center inside the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage
Museum on Sunday evening. This remarkable
room will host a catered meal, special
presentations by the IGBO Board of Directors,
rousing entertainment by Lyric Theatre
and the announcement of the winners of the
tournament.
The tournament will coincide directly with
the state of Oklahoma’s Centennial cdebration.
We hope our guests will take time
to enjoy the city as it steps into its second
century of growth and excitement.
Please extend a hearty Oklahoma welcome
to our guests as they visit our city for this
special event!
More information about IGBO can be
found at www.igbo.org. More information
about IGBO Mid-Year 2007 in Oklahoma
City can be found at www.igbomy2007.org.
MCCJopt r ,
Ce eBrates 10th
Anniversary
JOPLIN, MO (P/R) __Spirit of Christ
MCC cdebrates ten year of service to the
greater Joplin, MO area. This church was
started in 1996 in the home of our pastor,
Rev. Steve Urie. During the last ten years
we have survived in a community where our
own GLBT people said we would not survive.
We have fed hundreds for the holidays,
work closely with our local office ofAIDS
Project of the Ozarks, have been a sanctuary
for students dismissed for being GLBT, and
have a food program available for everyone.
Just this year Spirit of Christ MCC joined
with MCC of the Living Spring to support
the Domestic Partnership Registry in Eureka
Springs, AR. We continue our concert
series with such talented artists as Marsha
Stevens, Terry Lee Ousley~ Shawn Thomas
and Sam Sampson. During our celebration
Marsha Stevens, Sam Sampson, Rev. Carolyn
Mobley from Tulsa, Rev Kurt Krieger
from Kansas City and friends from Eureka
Springs, AR were all present.
We are a member church ofMCC Churches.
As a church made up of people from
all walks of life, all economic classes, every
gender, and a wide variety of ethnic and religious
backgrounds. This rich heritage is our
greatest blessing, because it brings the whole
rainbow of Gods creation together under
the same roof. It also presents our greatest
challenge as we always strive to reflect this
rich diversity in our ministry, programs and
services.
Spirit of Christ MCC has spent ten years
focusing on the needs of our community
through acts of kindness while standing for
the justice that should be available to all
people.
Our church is open to all people and while
celebrating the traditional church we recognize
our God is not in a box. That realization
is what frees us and all who worship
with us.
Find an MCC in your area: in Eureka
Springs, AR visit MCC of the Living Spring
at 17 Elk Street Sundays at 6PM; in Tulsa,
OK visit MCC United at 1623 Maplewood
Sundays at 11AM; in Kansas City, MO visit
Spirit of Hope MCC at 3801 Wyandotte
Sundays at 10:15AM and in Joplin, MO
visit Spirit of Christ MCC at 2902 E 20th
Street Saturdays at 10:00 AM.
the STAR 27
Venus enters her own sign, Libra, helping us all
to be more accommodating, artistic, and gracious.
And more manipulative? Venus may not
be to blame on her own. The Sun is in Scorpio
squaring Neptune, inflating our desires and blurring
boundaries.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Teamwork comes more easily
now, so work on those skills! Erotic tension between you
and a good friend needs expression and clarification. Acting
on it could be a mistake, but maybe.not. Discussing it is
necessary, and probably quite sufficient.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Explore new ways to play
and create with others, and find satisfaction there for now.
Work is likely to be frustrated by confusion with close associates.
Rethinking your goals could help. Express feelings
and hunches clearly, and check them out before acting on
them.
SAGITTARJUS (November 22 - December 20): This is the
time to curry favor with your superiors. Avoid gossip and
subterfuge. Simply refuse to listen or to participate. As juicy
as the dish may be, it will only get you into trouble.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Forget the
"tall, dark stranger." Flirt instead with the foreign cutie with
dimples - you’ll be luckier in international affairs. But you’re
less lucky now with finances. See where those sails need
trimming, but wait another week to readjust plans.
AQUARIUS (January 20 o February 18): Be very careful
who you flirt with. You could seduce almost anyone you
like, but you may find your erotic adventures complicating
your professional life. At least be very clear about who you
are and what you want to do.
PISCES (February 19 - Niarch 19): Falling in love comes
too easily to you, but ride that warm current now, either
basking in the adoration of your partner, or enjoying an
amour du jour. Foreign mystical philosophies have a special
appeal; follow your instincts, and you may gain terrific
insights.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Mend fences with family
members or roommates. Be _very_ careful about safe sex!
The most exotic and unusual bugs are looking for you. If
there’s no spiritual fulfillment in your work, find a way to
work it into your exercise. (Yoga? Haikido?)
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Your seductive powers are
now at their height. You are perhaps a little too sexy and
playful, and that could get you into trouble. But just as you
can talk your way into anything now, you can almost always
talk your way out, too.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): Domestic disputes are nearly
inevitable now. A drink or a shopping escapade seems to
be the easiest way to ameliorate the problem - but drinking
only makes it worse, and shopping is just a diversion. Still,
a diversion could help!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Some advice from
your partner or another close friend could help you to
improve your looks or to feel better about yourself. Appearances
count, but go deeper and discuss health issues that
you normally wouldn’t.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Enjoy quiet, meditative
music and art. A private retreat will give you room to
explore your own aesthetics without being influenced by
others. Go to a museum or show on your own, and never
mind what others like.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Your social
charms are strong now, but what you want for others may
not be what they care for. Explaining your goals may come
off a bit too strong, so first ask others what they want.
28 the STAR
METROPOLITAN
COMMUNITY CHURCHES
Rev Steve T. Urie
Spirit of Christ MCC
2902 E 20th Street
Joplin, MO 64804
417-529-8480
Worship Saturdays at t0:00 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
DOWNTOWN PLAZA ofTULSA
17 West 7th Street
Tulsa, OK
918-585-5998
www.downtownplazatulsa.com
HABANA INN
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-528-2221
www.habanainn.com
KELLY KIRBY, CPA
4815 S. HARVARD, SUITE 424
Tulsa, OK * 918-747-5466
Certified Public Accountant
DREXEL ONTHE PARKAPTS.
3041NW41ST
Oklahoma City, OK
405-946-0588
BRADYTHEATER
105 WBrady
Tulsa, OK
918-582-7339
www.bradytheater.com
CENTURY 21 GOLD CASTLE
3627 NW EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
405-840-2106
www.c2 lgoldcastle.com
CHUCK BRECKENRIDGE
Keller Williams Realty
Tulsa, OK
918-706-1887
GAY BRADY HHGHTS-TUlsa
New and Historic Homes for Sale
and Rent For Info:
www.gaybradyheightstulsa.com
GUSHER’S RESTAURANT
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
Located inside Habana Inn
ANGLES
2117 NW 39th St.
Oklahoma City, OK
www.anglesdub.com
BAMBOO LOUNGE
7204 E. PINE
Tulsa, OK
918-836-8700
www.bambooloungetulsa.com
www.ozarksstar.com
CLUB MAJESTIC
124 N. BOSTON
Tulsa, OK
918-584-9494
www.dubmajestictulsa.com
FINISHLINE
2~00 NW 39TH EXPRESS\VAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
www.habanainn.com
THE COPA
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
www.habanainn.com
THE LEDO
2200 NW 39TH EXPRESSWAY
Oklahoma City, OK
405-525-0730
www.habanainn.com
DIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CNTR
211 S. Garnett
Tulsa, OK 74128
www.realacceptance.com
OUR HOUSE, TOO
203 N. Nogales Ave
Tulsa, OK 74127
918-585-9552
HOPE TESTING CLINIC
3540 E. 31st
Tulsa, OK
800-535-2437
Oklahoma’s HIV/STD Hodine
SPIRIT OF CHRIST MCC
2902 E. 20TH STREET,
Joplin, MO * 479-529-8480
Service Saturday 9:30 AM
MCC of the LIVING SPRING
17 Elk Street
Eureka Springs, AR 72632
479-253-9337
Worship Sundays 6pm
NWARKANSAS GLBT CENTER
Bentonville/Rogers
888-391-9222
WWNVdNWAGLBTCC.ORG
DIVERSITY PRIDE EVENTS
479-253-2555
Eureka Springs, AR
www.diversitypride.com
Want the STAR delivered to your home or business?
12 issues for $29.95 will be mailed in a sealed
envelope the 1st of each month. Complete the form
below and send with a check or moneyorder to:
The STAR
5103 S. Sheridan Rd., #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
(Single Copies $3.00 per issue)
NAME:
Address:
City: St: Zip:.
Phone:
Check enclosed
Money Order
Start Date:
V/hether buying or selling
I’ll work hard for you.
t~~~sas GLBT
Communi~- Center
"Linking Together as One"
For more information:
888-391-9222
V!W~.NWAGLBTCC.ORG
30 the STAR www.ozarksstar.com
w~’~,’.ozarksstar.com the STAR 31
Nov. 2
Event Center
Special Guests 7 p.m.
Jon Hoadley
National Stonewal Democrats lim Roth
Oklahoma Corporation A1 McAffrey Commissioner
Featuring
Scott, Shannen Porter, DeFawna DeLay
Kelly Moore, & Melody Michaels
unforgettable evening
drink &en~em
$30 ~mnual Membership Admission
~-’~ Okla"hThoemLGaBTSVtooicenoefwthealDlemDoecrmaticoPcarrtay~ts

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