[2006] The Star Magazine, January 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 1

[2006] The Star Magazine, January 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 1

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

January 01, 2006

C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
John Patrick
Matt Brooks
Steve T. Urie
L.H. Garey
Carlotta Carlisle
Libby Post
Paula Martinac
Andrew Collins
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz

The Star Magazine, December 1, 2005; Volume 2, Issue 12
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/216

The Star Magazine, February 1, 2005; Volume 3, Issue 2

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Online text
PDF

English

magazine

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/227

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

Sco,tt Crow, lVlanag.ing .. 0'£u~ker
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- - 1
Langley, Oklahoma
ScottCrow.:tttcg;raw.ok.con1
91B.782.3211
· Quality web newsprfat at affordable prices
405-478-4009 • 6725 N. Mir--a.rna.rBlvd. Okla City, OK 73111
Fading
by Carlotta Carlisle
omance
way?
When was the last time you went on a date without
having sex with your date? Have you or do you read
romance books, such as Harlequin-style gay romance
novels from Romentics gay romances? Has gay life
become just sex, disco and sex?
Where have the days gone when you dressed to the
hilt and went to a nice dimly lit restaurant with your
partner or date, listen to some soft music and looked into
the eyes of the person across the table and said, whow
you are beautiful? It seems to me gay life has become
fast food, weird cloths, drugs, loud music and sex, sex,
sex! Now some may say, that sounds like fun, that's the
life. When was the last time you sent your partner
flowers for no special ocqision, but to say I love you?
Tulsa is strategically situated in an area that has
close access to beautiful iakes, mountains, smali romantic
towns like Eureka Springs, AR. Cities with totally gay
restaurants and lodging such as, Kansas City, Dallas,
Oklahoma City. Many weekend get-a-ways at our door
steps. There are severai all gay camp grounds for those
who want to get back to nature. There are numerous
places to just go be romantic with your partner.
With valentines coming in February and spring just
around the comer why not make a date, get those fine
threads out of moth balls, step out and do some star
gazing and iots of smooching. Get the candles out, put
on the white table c!oth, by some flowers and invite your
favorite man or women over for a intimate dinner and
suck some face. Whow! I'm in the mood now.
olitics of
tal eth
A non-profit executive, governmentalemployee,
financial advisor, travel agent, student, fashion designer -
what these gay men have•in common is a knowledge of
pain, obsession, despair, degradation, and finally
freedom from the one element that connects their stories:
crystal meth use.
Dr. Ken Cimino reveals the intimate and horrifying
nature of math abuse and presents ten inspiring true life
dramas of math use and recovery in The Politics of
Crystal Meth: <;;ay Men Share Rersonal Stories of
Addiction and Recovery (www.gayitics.com). He
describes the many reasons why gay men use
methamphetarilines, from gay oppression to homophobia
to building self.esteem to HIV issues. From addiction to
resolution, he then shares ten personal and motivating
stories of meth use and recovery.
In The Politics of Crystal Meth, experts such as Kathy
Rebak, Walter Odets and Lucianq Colonna talk about
issues and problems created by gay men who use meth.
· .~ .. Gay men addicts bear a social stigma that straight men
· don't, for example, making it hard for them to admit their
addiction and seek treatment. The Politics of Crystal
Meth also answers the difficult questions, "Am I an
addict?" and "T;c>'.whom do I turn?" It describes the
principles of the n1ost successful treatment programs
and lists the experts currently bringing help to gay men
who have meth and.other addiction problems.
The Politics of Crystal Meth will educate you, possibly
scare you, and.alert you to math addiction as
experienced by ordinary, respectable, average gay men.
Whether you think you may be an addict, know someone
or IQve someone who is, or work with gay addicts, this
book offers self he!p through understanding and support.
Dr. Kenneth Cimino has written for numerous
publications including Advocate.com, GFN and CBS
Marketwatch. His first non-fiction manuscript, Gay
Assimilation: The Group Consciousness of Gay
Conservatives, is forthcoming next year. He is a
graduate of Claremont Graduate University with a Ph.D.
in Political Science and also has a Master's in Public
Administration from the University of Southern California.
Quotable Quotes
"When people show you who they are, believe them the
first time ............. ..
MAYA ANGELOU
Reconsiders,
dve ise in ay
By Ross von Matzke
o.
ill
edia
Dearborn, Ml_ Representatives for the Ford Motor Co.
have announced advertisements featuring the company's
eight vehicle brands will ryn in gay publications,
responding to complaints from gay rights groups when
Jaguar and Land Rover pulled their spots.
In a letter addressed to the groups, Ford said not only
will it resume buying corporate ads featuring Land Rover
and Jaguar, it will begin advertising Ford's other brands
in gay-:themed publications as well. In the past, Ford had
not purchased advertisements for the Ford, Mercury and
Lincoln brands in gay-oriented publications.
"I think we're back in gear with Ford," Matt Foreman,
executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian
Taskforce, said Thursday. "They responded to each of
the concerns we raised in a positive way. It's a great
outcome."
Last week, Ford cited a need to cut marketing costs
as its primary reason for pulling Jaguar and Land Rover
ads from several gay publications in 2006. The
announcement came days after the conservative
American Family Association announced it had reached
an agreement with Ford and declared victory.
In May, the AFA threatened Foid with a boycott
because it objected to the automaker extending partner
benefits to gay employees and because Ford supported
gay events and advertised in gay publlcations.
Ford officials denied that pressure from the AFA had
any effect on their decision. But gay groups questioned
the timing of the ad Withdrawals and the decision by the
American Family Association to cail off the boycott.
On Wednesday, Ford wrote the gay rights groups that
the luxury brands "made a business decision about their
media plans and it wouid be inconsistent with the way we
manage our business to direct them to do otherwise."
Instead, Ford pledged to run corporate ads in the
publications that would include its full lineup.
"It is my hope that this will remove any ambiguity
about Ford's desire to advertise to ail important
audiences and put this particular issue to rest," wrote Joe
continued page-10

Out of Town
Sydney has emerged in recent years as one of the world
capitals of inventive dining - there are great restaurants all
over town. For a truly special occasion, few restaurants in
Australia deliver more ·wow• factor than Rockpool, a temple of
creative modem Australian (aka "Mod Oz") cuisine, where you
might sample such innovate fare as stir-fried squid and King
prawns with squid-ink noodles, smoked bacon, tomatoes,
chilies, and coriander. Another must for gourmands is Altitude,
which sits atop the ritzy Shangri-La Hotel (on the 36th floor),
affording unrivaled views of Sydney Harbour and serving
stellar Mod Oz fare.
For more casual dining and drinking, stop by one of the
city's quintessentially old-school pubs, such as the warm and
festive Lord Nelson Hotel, which serves a nice array of ales
arid lagers as well as superb Aussie wines and tasty pub food.
And for incredibly delicious Thai•food, look to Sailors Thai, an
elegant restaurant on one of the Rocks' busiest streets.
If Asian cuisine il3your weaknes.s1 you've come to the right
city. For the ultimate experience, venture a bit farther east into
the Surry Hills n.eighborhood to Bniy;Kwong, an intimate
restaurant wher~. international · Kylie Kwong dreams
up magically modem takes on Cantonese food.
In the heart of the main gay district, for inexpensive, homestyle
food, drop byfaid-back Betty:!> Soup Kitchen, which is
known for its huge, meal-size bov.,iin:if soup, from lentil to
gazpacho, .plus simple pastas and,hQmemade desserts. The
Grumpy Baker is a cute coffeehouse with delicious :baked
goods and a typically delicious-looking clientele, too. On
Taylor Square, Lure Fish Cafe and Oyster Bar serves up some
of the best chow i.n the area. It's a hip space with clean lines
and minimalist decor.
Wok on ll)n and Don Don are side-by-side cheap and
handy Asian restaurants, the first specializing in noodle bowls
and the second in sushi. Nearby in trendy Paddington, Toko
Sushi on Oxford turns out some of the most inventive sushi in
town, in an uber-trendy dining room.
In the up-and-coming Inner West part of Sydney, the
Newtown and Glebe neighborhoods have become popular for
funky shopping and ethnic dining. Great dining spots in these
districts include Kilimanjaro for inexpensive, delicious African
fare; Sumalee for tasty Thai treats; and lku Kitchen for
vegetarian victuals.
Sydney has a number of inviiing accommodations, most of
them downtown, which is either a pleasant 20-minute walk or
a relatively qllick cab ride from Oxford Street. Directly facing
Sydney Harbour, you'll find the stunning Park Hyatt, a fourstory
hotel with unbelievably cushy rooms, round-the-clock
butler service, and a loyal celeb following. If you get a chance,
eat iunch in the hotel's open~air dining room overlooking the
harbor and opera house.
Up tM street, The Establishment, run by Aussie design
guru Justin Hemmes, turns heads with its 33 super-stylish
rooms and chic public spaces, such as Tank nightclub, Est
restaurant, and Sushi e cafe. For the ultimate in style, book
one of the sleek rooms at the W Hotel Sydney, where Russell
Crowe is said to have an apartment.
There aren't too many accommodations right along Oxford
Street, but one iove!y and relatively affordable option is
Sullivans Hotei, just east of Darlinghurst in Paddington. This
intimate and friendly property has 64 reasonably priced rooms
plus a pool and exercise room. Right on Hyde Park, there's
the Sheraton on the Park, a thoroughly upscale lodging with
about 550 sleek rooms and a great health club, pool, and spa.
If you're seeking a little extra leg room, try the nearby
Southern Cross Suites, whose spacious and relatively
affordable.- studio rooms have kitchenettes. Another smart
Darlinghurst option is the Medusa, which has just 18 rooms,
col.ors and mod furnishings.
. . downt9.wn Sydney but right by the
ocean, consider staying arDiyi:I Hotel, which is in Coogee
Beach and just steps from the sand.This intimate 14-room
hotel is done in cool blacks and w~it,es with striking modem
furniture. In fact,·even if you don'tovemight out in this
direction, at least plan a bi:iefexcursion. Sydney's fashionable
seaside neighborhoods h~ve loads of character plus intriguing
shops and restaurants. ·· · :.:: ··
You might plan to watch the.sun set from Bondi Beach's
hottest restaurant, lcebergS'; a futuristic, glass-walled cantina
overlooking the ocean and'serving·such memorable Mod Oz
fare as char-grilled quail with gni,pe salad, and smoked eel
with creme fraiche, arugala, and horseradish. The dessert of
vanilla panna cotta with chocolate sauce and chestnut honey
is a marvelous way to finish off a perfect Sydney evening.
Tli.~ llitle Black Book
. (the country code for Australia is 61)
Altitude (Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland St'., 02/9250-6123).
ARQ (16 Flin:aers St, 02/9380-8700, www.arqsydriey.com.:m).
Bank Hotel (324 King St., 02/9557-1692). Betty's Soup Kitchen (84
Oxford St., 02/9 .. Kwong (355 Crown St., 02/9332-
3300). BridgeCJi~lt~ 4-"c7777, www.bridgeclimb.com).
Colombian Hotd,(Gxford .and Crown Sts., 02/9360-2151). Dive
Hotel (234 Aiden St., 02/9665-5538, www.divehotel.com.au). Don·
Don (80 Oxford_ St.; 02/9331-3544). The Establishment (5 Bridge
La.! 02/9240-3100; ~.esfahlishmenthotel.com). Exchange Hotel
(34-44 Oxford St., 02/9331-1936). Grumpy Baker (151 Oxford St.,
02/9380-4177). Icebergs (1 Notts Ave., 02/9365-9000). Iku )(itchen
(25A Glebe Point Rd., 02/9692-8720). Imperial Hotel (35
Erskineville Rd., 02/9519-9899). Kilimanjaro (280 King St., 02/
9557-4565). Kinsclas Hotel (383-387 Bourke St., 02/9331-3100).
Lord Nelson Hotel (Kent and Argy:leSts.; 02/9251-1532). Lure
Fish Cafe and Oyster Bar (381 Bourke St., 'J'.aylor Square, 02/9361-
3366). Manacle (b~sement .of Taylor Square Hotel, 1 Flinders St.,
02/9331-2950). Medusa (267 Darlinghurst Rd., 02/9331-1000
www.medusa:com'.au). Midnight Shift' (85 Oxford St., 02/9360-
4319). Newrown Hotel (King and Watkins Sts., 02/9557-1329).
Oxford Hotel (134 Oxford St., 02/9~~1-3467). Pm Hyatt (J
Hickson Rd., 02/9241-1234, · · · om).
Rockpool (107 George St., 02/9 . . (106 George
St., 02/9251-2466). Sheraton on the P.aik(t61 Elizabeth St, 02/
9286-6000, www.sheraton.com/syd · · · ,,· · · · · s
(Wentworth and Goulbnrn Sts., . Stonewall Hotel
(175 Oxford St., 02/936Q-1963). S~s Hotel (21 Oxford St., 02/
9361-0211, www.sullivans.com.au). Sumalee (324 King St., 02/9565-
1730). Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mildi Gras (www.mardigras.org.au).
Toko Sushi on Oxford (362 Oxford St., 02/9380-7001). W Hotel
Sydney (6 Cooper Wharf Rd., 02/9331-9000, www.whotels.com).
Wok on Inn (80 Oxford St., 02/9332-4554).
oo,n
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ACLU Urges Arkansas Supreme Court
to Uphold Ruling Overturning
Anti-Gay Foster Care Ban
LITTLE ROCK - Joined by an array of national child
advocacy organizations, the American Civil Liberties
Union.flied a brief.today asking the Arkansas Supreme
Court to uphold an ear1ier court decision striking down a
state regulation that banned gay people and anyone
living in a household with a gay adult from being foster
parents in the state,: The trial court had found that living
with gay or lesbian parents doesn't hann children.
"This anti-gay foster parenting ban goes against the
recommendation of every major ctiildren!s health and
welfare organization in the.country," said Rita Sklar,
Executive Director of the ACLU of Arkansas. •These
experts understand all too well how this policy hurts the
many children in Arkansas in need of safe, stable
homes:
The la\1/suit was flied against the state in 1999 on behalf
. of four prospective foster parents. In addition to today's
brief from th.a ACLU, several other groups have
submitted friend-of-the-court briefs in the case, including
the Child Welfare League of America, the National
Association of Social Workers and its Arkansas chapter,
and the American Psychological Association.
·one thing that the proponents.of this policy can't seem
to explain is, 'How do they expect the state to find homes
for the children in Arkansas who need foster care when
you diminish the already small pool of potential
parents?'" said Rob Woro11off, a program manager with
the Child Welfare League of America. "Policymakers
should heed the advice of the child welfare professionals
who know that the best way to meet the needs of foster
children is to assess all prospective parents on a caseby-
case basis:
Four friend-of-the-court briefs, representing a broad
range of support for ending the foster care ban, were
flied today in support of the ACLU's lawsuit. These
included:
A brief signed by the Child Welfare League of
America and the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
explaining how all major child welfare organizations
oppose categorical bans like the one in Arkansas
because they deprive child.ran of.qualffied caregivers.
A brief signed by the American Psychological
Association, the Arkansas Psychological Association,
and the National Association of Social Workers and its
Arkansas chapter detailing over two decades of social
science research showing that gay people·are equally
capable parents who raise healthy children and that
these facts are well-established and accepted in the
scientific community.
A brief from an assortment of Arkansas law
professors and religious leaders explaining ttiat basing
government discrimination against a group of people on
nothing but moral disapproval is not a legitimate basis for
the government to disadvantage a group and that
different religious groups have diverse moral views about
lesbian and gay people.
SENATE APPROVES MEDICAID CUTS, HARMS
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS LIVING WITH HIV/ AIDS
'On HIV and AIDS, Congress handed over authority to
extremists with the potential to hann thousands of
Americans,' said Human Rights Campaign President
Joe Solmonese.
December 21, 2005
WASHINGTON- Tl)is morning in a vote of 50 to 50,
with Vice President D.ick Cheney casting the tie-breaking
vote, the U.S. Senate approved the budget reconciliation
conference report containing billions in cuts to Medicaid
that put at risk the lives of hundred of thousands of
Americans living with HIV/AIDS; however, due to a
Democratic point of or:c1er, the conference report will now
be sent back to the H9(Jse of Representatives. The
budget package permits new premiums and deductibles,
and higher cost-sharing on Medicaid beneficiaries who
already find themselves on the edge of being able to
seek quality care and treatment for their HIV/AIDS.
Medicaid is the nation's largest payer of HIV/AIDS care.
·on HIV and AIDS, Congress handed over authority
to extremistswith the potential to hann thousands of
Americans," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe
Solmonese."lt is unacceptable to pull tlie rug out from
under hundreds of thousands of our neighbors living with
HIV/AIDS and simply say your government is not there
for you. We should be focusing on ways to improve these
programs, not shoving them onto the cutting room floor."
A provision in the Senate's version of the
reconciliation bill was stripped out in conference that
would have given some states the option to extend
Medicaid coverage through a demonstration program to
chiidless adults with HIV who are currently ineligible for
Medicaid until they develop AIDS.
Currently, the law requires that all Medicaid
beneficiaries be treated fair1y and have access to all of
the medically necessary Medicaid services their state
provides. The budget reconciliation package changes
current law to provide new "flexibility" to states by
allowing states to discriminate against groups of
Medicaid beneficiaries. States will now be allowed to
provide more services to some beneficiaries than others,
based on political or arbitrary considerations - instead
of relying on the professional judgments of health care
providers about the necessity of Medicaid services.
What Republicans Have
Accomplished for the Gay Community!
Dear Editor:
Many Gay activists mockingly ask an important
question that is rarely answered honestly in the gay
press. ·
What have Log C_abin Republicans accomplished with
their loyalty to the GOP?
In the evolution of gay rights, the Republican Party has
proven capable of making a place at the table for gay
people, and stopping or opposing destructive legislation
toward gay people,
In 197 4, conservative GOP icon Ronald Regan
opposed a California state amendment to outlaw the
firing of homosexuals in public schools. The amendment
failed with Reagan's help. Had toe amendment passed, it
would be legal to fire any public school employee for
being gay.
In his retirement, the 1964 GOP Presidential nominee
Barry Goldwater spoke out in support of gays in the
military. ''Yqu don't have to be straight to shoot straight,"
he famously said.
In 1996, Presidential Republican nominee Rol:>ert Dole
returned a $25,000.00 contribution check to the Log
Cabin Repuglicans. For several years now, Robert Dole
now gives an annual $25,000.00 personal check to a
New York-based disability group for PWAs.
The Massachusetts Supreme Court majority in
support of gay marriage was made up ENTIRELY of
Republican appointees to the bench who were appointed
by Republican governors. A fact that has little or no
prominence in gay media coverage. Why? Does it not fit
into the bias of many gay writers?
Passage of the Connecticut civil unions law was
primarily l~d by Republican Governor Jodi Rell. Across
the country most gay writers were very muted in
underscoring the Republican Governor's partisan
identity.
In Ohio,,the Republican Governor, GOP Attorney
Generai, GOP U.S. Senators George Voinovich and
Mike Dewine and the C9lumbus area GOP
Congresswoman Deborah Pryce- the fourth ianking
Republican in the U.S. House all publicly opposed state
amendments to outlaw gay marriage.
State Legislators in Michigan, Kansas, Minnesota,
and Idaho opposed for the record amendments denying
gay marriage. None of the gay friendly Republicans were
defeated for re-election.
Severai Republican Congresspersons from South and
Centrai Florida voted to support federal hate crimes
legisiation; repeal "Don't Ask.Don't Tell"; and have
received local awards for their efforts in AIDS advocacy.
At the same time,-traditional gay activists need to realize
that not all is well in the Democratic Party of Inclusion.
John Kerry pollsters determined that 45% of his voters
voted AGAINST gay marriage, including 60+ percent of
Hispanics, African-Americans and labor union
households - pillars of the Democratic Party.
Gay activists must not allow themselves to be
uninformed ideologues: all venomous emotion, and little
substantive research knowledge except for ghetto
propaganda. Nor can they make themselves feel better
by pretending that gay legislation can pass without GOP
support. Historical land mark legislation requires large
numbers of votes from both parties: ·
Gay Democrats, get a grip. Get the facts
Bob Ruyack & Matthew Tsien
Florida Gold Coast Log cabin Republicans
atrimony!
"Can you believe it?" Spence said.
By Cam Lindquist
"Yes I can believe it. You are always telling me about
some conquest or another. This is a small town ... now
hu~_h, some~ne might hear you," I replied.
"But that 1s crazy. There are only two hundred or so
people here. Half of them must be family. co-workers
straight, or lesbians. So when you take them out the fact
~h~t I have slept with fifty two guys here is amazing. That
1s Irk~, more than half of the gay men in this room right
now. Spence seemed amazed and proud of himself all
at the same time.
":ine Spene~. Hush now, his momma could be right
behind you talking smack at her son's wedding. You
think knowing how many of the guests you slept with is
how she wants to remember today?" I said.
"Oh quit being such a granny, Cam. Besides, no one can
hear ~s, we are whispering. Anyway, I have slept with
the bnde and the groom so either one of their Mommas
can chew on that piecE:' of fatback!" Spence was silent,
for now, but the smug look of satisfaction
plastered across his face was not going anywhere.
Spence's notched headboard wasn't the onlv drama
that came up at the nuptials of Hugh and Barry.' Hugh
and Barry are two British blokes who met in London
almost fifteen years ago. They crossed "The Pond" and
the Mason-Dixon Line almost five years ago when
Barry's employer asked him to become the director of
?pera~ions .ova~ th~ir U~ distribution. Three years ago
Lhey_ a,most cahed 1t qu,ts but therapy was cheaper than
moving all of Hugh's stuff back to the UK. So several
months of couples counseling and many boxes of tissues
iater (for crying oniy since the therapist was one of the
guys Barry, Hugh, and Spence hadn't slept with) Barrv
and Hugh professed their undying love for each other'
and promised eternal monogamy.
T~is was a disappointment to many, many gay men in
our httle town. Barry and Hugh had the most open of
open relationships. If you didn't mind, they didn't mind.
They were both extraordinarily gorgeous, smart, witty,
and the accents usually sealed the deal. They threw
~uge partie~ that even prudes like myself had a great
time attending. And after I went home along with all the
other guys who didn't "do orgies" the party raged on - no
pun intended.
But our little town in the South had to say goodbye to
those days well over a year ago. And after they hit the • "
year mark of fidelity they wanted to do it the old
fas~ioned way. So they planned a shindig, ball-andchain-
style, complete with matching tuxes and a white
wedding cake. .
_The drama all around us was people whispering and
going on about how these two would never make it. Even
some of their fellow countrymen and -women were
hovering around the punch bowl at the reception placing
be~s on everything from which bloke would stray first to
which one would end up with their seaside home.
B~t ironically: it was neither Spence nor the couple's
gossip-worthy history that stole the show; it was Barry's
you~ger bm_ther Bart. Bartwas a beefier, more rugged
version of his older, more refined sibling. While his
brother was tall, lean and looked like an International
male model, Bart was .about three inches shy and twenty
pounds heavier than Barry. But it looked good on him
and every guy in the place thought so.
Bart didn't seem too friendly at first. But•after several
trips to the punch bowl his frown flipped upside down. He
bec~me ~he_life of the party, floating from group to group,
flexing his biceps for attentive groups of queens who
oohhed and aahhed! I think he even let a few of the drag
queens grab his butt to prove he had the best rear in the
whole place. Of course the sisterhood agreed
wholeheartedly.
Barry and Hugh found his behavior quite amusing. He
was the best man and gave a heartfelt, lovingly
supp?rtive speech a~out love, their parents, and years of
happiness. The dancing began and as I listened to
Spence halfheartedly, I noticed my eye candy had been
gone for a while.
Less than five minutes later he reappeared, John
Travolta style, on the dance floor -sliding across the floor ,
on his knees. Then he got up and twirled his jacket off ,. ·
trying to toss it to one of his adoring fans but it didn't
make it because it appeared to be caught on his cufflink.
He shook and swung, completely loosing his suave ?O's
king of the disco tech air in exchange for a delusional
schizophrenic who's off his mads thing. Finally the
attached garments came undone. The "cufflink" in
que~tion actually turned out to be a tiny pair of pink
panties. The whole room was silent, even the music had
stopped because the Dj had been waiting to restart it
when Bart regained his composure. Bart stood iooking at
continued page-23
HA~PY NEW'YEARI
. . . -
' Welcome to a new year of possit)iHties and wonders
for you and your garde.n. Your probably thinking it's ten
degrees and she'stalking about gardening?
True, butto ensur,e your garden comes back with
strength ana (lJatLtrify itne~ds, there are a few musts,
even when the;ter:rip~ ytailt to keep you inside.
First thing first. Trim your bush! Prune deciduous
shrubsfor i(ijtial shape and for restoration. Also prune
deciduous shrubs that flower on new shoots.
Prune bush roses, inpluding hybrid teas, floribundas
and miniatures, repeat flowering roses and china, bourbon
and portland old roses. You may have a huge bud,
but who can see the blossom for the bush?
Preve.nt snow damage to conifers by brushing it off
immediateiy or tying the plant with twine Oi panty hose,
you know you have a pair or two, to preserve the shape in
heavy snow areas. Don't forget the vines. Prune established
climbers and wall shiubs that flower on the current
seasons shoots. Thin overgrown clematis and cut back.
Check supports and renew them if necessary. Finish
planting containerized and container grown shrubs. Give
them an initial pruning after planting and stake if needed.
Cut back hardy grasses an.d l;>amboos that have been ieft
over winter to the ground before they start into growth.
And the list goes on. With aii that done if your sitting
looking out the window at the baron trees and dormant
iawn, there is a fix for the gardening goddess who must
have blossoms all year. Take it from a girl with huge
forced bulbs, that's right forced bulbs, you know like
paperwhites, tulips, hyacinth, and daffodiis to name a few.
All you need is a groovy container that is water tight . a
few stones, pebbles, marbles, rocks or whatevei it takes
to keep your bulbs up and sunlight.
You can find most of these easily at your local garden
center quite cheap this time of year. Simply place the
rooting end of the bulb into the water supported by the
contents. Keep in a sunny window and before you know it
you will have beautiful indoor blooms to help keep the
winter blues away.
Don't forget our woodland friends this season, as they
also bring something to the winter garden by the way of
flight and song. Keeping bird feeders, whether seed or
suet, will bring hours of enjoyment for you and much
needed nourishment for them. Water is also a welcome
treat when temps fall below fre~zing. So put out water
whenever possible for our·winged friends. No I didn't
mean fairies.
Auntie is a busy girl forcing her bulbs and trimming
bushes and all, so until next time, and remember, in these
cold temps the only difference between pink and purple is
your grip.
See ya in the dirt!
''You can lead a hor-to-culture, but
you can't make her think"
~o
FlowezS ~Gifts
Earl Wheeler
437 E.141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL {3275)
the Tulsa Metro tvea for i:11er 21 Years with PRIDE!
CUSTOM DECORATING * HOLIDAY SPEOALS
Congratulations to Elton John and David Furnish
who were married in a civil ceremony in the royal town of
Windsor December 21, 2005. The long time couple of
twelve years tied the knot at Guildhall, the same building
where heir-to-the throne Britain's Prince Charles married
Camilla Parker Bowles this year.
Elton had married once before to a women Renata
Blauelin 1984. They separated and divorced in 1988. He
was engaged once before to Linda Woodrow in the ?O's,
but nothing came of it. He tried to get out of it, and even
tried suicide. That is where the song, "Someone Saved
My Life Tonight", came from. He has no children.
New Travel Company for Women
Launches with 2006 Slate of
Cruises and Tours
Press Release:
Exploring the Emerald Shores of Turkey with a
marine archaeoiogist, watching the sun set over Capri
and sipping Limoncello on a culinary cruise or teeing off
at St. Andrew's with an LPGA tour.ing pro. 12 Muses, a
New York-based travel venture catering to lesbians and
open-minded women, announces a maiden year line-up
of five women-only itineraries to these destinations and
more~
Margo Mallar, a travei-industry veteran who has spent
more than a dozen years leading small-ship educationai
cruises for alumni and cultural groups, founded the
company to provide
intimate travel experiences to women who want both
physical comforts and intellectual stimulation.
The five programs for 2006 include a Culinary Cruise
to Southern Italy and Sicily in April, the Greek Isles in
late May/Early June, Golfing in Scotland in July, Berlin,
Prague, Vienna and Budapest in September and
Southern Turkev in November.
Cruises accommodate up to 34 passengers who will
interact with a powerhouse line-up of guest lecturers
including women's studies pioneer Lillian Faderman,
poet Honor Moore, marriage historian Stephanie Coontz
and LPGA touring pro Patty Rizzo, who accompany
groups offering their insights and observations.
The rates for 12 Muses cruises and land programs
range from $3595:-5295 per person; ten percent of the
proceeds of three of the trips go to support the efforts of
the Pride Foundation, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and
Defenders and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
The company has also released a CD entitled 12 Muses,
Live from the Drylongso, a collection of 12 singersongwriters
including Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis, Mary
Gauthier, Jennifer Kimball and Grammy-nominee Bill
Morrissey, the proceeds of which go to benefit New
England Equality organizations. For more information,
check out the website at www.12Muses.com or call 1
866-926 MUSE.
The Ozarks STAR since 2003
Will
Show in
Tulsa?
'TIJLSA,OK _ Confiding
reports where
everywhere surrounding
the
opening of
"Brokeback Mountain•
in Tulsa and if AMC Southroads 20 would allow it to
be shown here. The rumor mill had the movie opening
Dec:ember 9th. Then the movie was canceled because of
content. The Star reported in our December issue the
movie would be opening in San Francisco, Chicago and
New York on,oecember 3rd. At that time there was not a
release date for Tulsa. •
The ST AR contacted Senior Manager of the the~ter
complex Troy Sagaser and he graciously responded with
this comnieht.
'We were originally told. wee.ks ago that we would be
tentatively opening Brokeback Mountain on 12/9, but
since then, Focus Features decided to go into this
platform release, pushing off the date. At this time, we
don't know what the date might be. It could be as early
as 12/16, or as late as mid".'January, depending on how
Focus Features wants to roll it out. The movie exhibitors,
like AMC Theatres, have no say on how this is done; it is
solely up to the distributor on dates that their fiim opens.
The idea that AMC Southroads 20 was thinking about
not playing it because of its subject matter or content is
not true at all. We have played several gay-theme films
over the years, and we have hosted a portion of the Out
OK Film Festival for the last three years. We (and I) have
avidly supported and played hundreds of independent
fiims that show several different points of view. After this
explanation, I certainly hope that you will not think ill of
me, AMC Southroads 20, or AMC Theatres as a whole
Troy Sagaser has beenfarifastic with the Tulsa GLBT
community. He has brought many GLBT related movies
here. Sagaser evidently has no problem with
communicating with the GLBT press and in. a
communique dated December 15th Troy updated us with
a possible opening date for Tulsa. •we have heard from
Focus Features that we will tentatively be opening the
film on February 3rd• Considering how well the film did
this past weekend at the few theatres it played in, I
personally wouldn't be surprised if it opened earlier than
that".
KRISS KOHL
•. "
AN OKLAHOMA LEGEND
by Greg Steele .
TULSA, OK_ Thirty :years of entertaining the Oklahoma
· · · GLBT community
and the four states
· region.A female
illusionist, Kriss Kohl
is also known for his
tireless fundraising
efforts.for non-profit
organizations who
benefit people with
,HIV and AIDS.•Knss
has the ability to
stage a show equal
to, or exceed most
'female impersonator
'productions we are
exposed to in the
GLBT community.
. . It's not just another
drag show! As a Diva amo; . he can ~ring together
the best entertainer's available in our area. Star's
like Tabitha Taylor, Matthew Heath Fitzgerald, Catia Lee
Love just to name a few. Former owner of the old
Playmor Club and Miss Okia.homa USofA 1999, Kriss has
earned the respect of his piers and fans aiike and just
keeps on running! Be sure and catch his show at the
Bamboo Lounge Tu!sa every 3rd Sunday of the month,
8pm. You won't be disappointed.
Serving the community in Missouri, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
Greg W. Tainter, LUTCF
Tel: (866)208-9480
gtainte helterinsuranee.com
Auto - Home - Life - au.tness
Seek ShelerTodayl
urn
· lation
Both winners will be repiesenting Oklahoma at.the Mis~ Gay
USofA PageanNn Dallas in May of 2006. The. pageant was
held in Oklahoma City at the Copa on December 11-12.
Category Winners were: Interview • Victoria. Weston, Evening
Gown. Isabella Vancartier, Talent- Kirsten Grey,
Contestants *
# 1 • Raven DclRay • repre11enting Lawton USofA.
# 2 • Rhapsody DeMilJe • repretenting N.E. Oklahoma USofA
/I 3 • Kirsten Grey• representing Capitol City USofA
ii 4 • Jodyn Welch• representing COPA USofA
II 5 • Bobby Page • representing Tulsa USofA
Ii 6 • Aurora LeKohl • representing N.E. Oklahoma USofA
II 7 • Mya Mokka • representing Capitol City USofA
# 8 • Josie Lee • representing OYP Oklahoma USofA
If 9 • Baija T. Towers• representing Tulsa USofA
#10 • Sama Kovalinskiy • representing OYP Oklahoma USofA
111 · Adrianna • representing Oklahoma City USofA
#12 • Lace.y St. James•. representing COPA USofA
N13 • Lacie Dawn • representin,. Sooner States USofA
11-4 • Taylor Bryan's * representing MidWcmrn Plains USofA
115. Isabella Vancartier • representing Lawton USofA
#16 * Victoria Weston• rep:esendng Oklahoma City USofA
PromotenrRagfin Productions of Dallas, Texas. For
more information visit: MrW ITUJHlQ/$ a omausofa,com
Few ave.
"Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the
Starship• Enterprise, Its five year mission to explore
sfralJ!J~ new worlds, to seek out new life, and new
civilizatic,ns, to boldly go where no man has gone
befbre ... "
Almost forty years ago; acto·r George Takai v.ras a part
of something gi1>llndbreaking. He was cast as Mr. Si.Jiu
on the beloved original Star Trek series. With a racially
diverse cast, the show tackled difficult issues such as
racism and. intolerance, and even featured TV's first
interracial Jdss. It was challenging sJuff for the '60s.
George Ta~f:3f is still tackling difficult issues. He
recently made . .headlines in the national news when he
came out p4bUcly at age 68. In an interview with
Frontiers, a biweekly gay and lesbian Web magazine,
Mr. Takai talked openly c1bout his 18-year relationship
with his partner Brad Altman. Technically, Mr. Takai
wasri't really coming out, since he has made public
appearances with his partner in the past, but he was
making a very public statement to the press for the first
time. •rve been 'open,•· Takai said in his interview, "but I
have not talked to the press: He described it as a
process, •more like a long, long walk through what began
as a narrow corridor that starts to widen.·
Just days before Mr. Takei's interview was published,
another prominent celebrity came out, WNBA star Sheryl
Swoopes. Considered by many to be the greatest
female basketball player in history, Swoopes has been
named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player a recordbreaking
three times, and helped lead her team, the
Houston Comets, to win four National Championships in
a row-something no other team has ever done. She
was also the first female athlete to have a Nike shoe
named for her. By coming out on Good Morning America
in late October, Swoopes added another first to her list
She became the first major athlete to come out at the
pinnacle of a career in a pro team sport.
She decided to come out because she was tired of
hiding who she was and lying about her seven-year
relationship with partner Alisa "Scotty" Scott, a former
assistant coach for the Comets. "I feel there's been a
huge weight that's been taken off my shoulders,"
Swoopes told the Advocate in a recent interview, "and I
feel I can inhale, I can
exhale: ·
These celebrity
•outingsa are significant
for more than just the
headlines or the future
Jeopardy questions
they will surely inspire.
I have a confession.
I'm addicted to
Fark.com. Fark is an
irreverent community
news website that
allows readers to
comment on stories
collected from around
the world. When I heard
about Swoopes and
Takei coming out, I was
eager to read the
forums to gauge
reactions. For the most
part, those posting were
supportive of both, but
there was one
sentiment that kept
popping up that caught my attention. As one farker put it,
·why do homosexuals feel the need to tell everyone they
are homosexual? I don't know of any hetero's who make
press announcements that they are straight. I mean
really. Who caresr
On the one hand, you could take this as a positive
sign. Besides the fact that there's no need foi a straight
person to •come out" since we live in a predominantly
heterocentrist worid where most people are assumed to
be straight, this person obviously considered the news of
a celebrity coming out as a nonevent. That implies that
he or she views being gay as completely normai, or at
least not newsworthy. Unfortunately, many do not share
that view, which is exactly why it's so important for
celebrities to keep coming out publicly.
As evidenced by the anti-gay backlash that has
spread across the US and world in recent months, gays
and lesbians are not yet accepted. We are far from
equal. We do not share the same rights as our
HEART TO HEART
heterosexual counterparts. Our relationships are not
recognized in most of the country. Our families are not
valued or respected.
Every time a celebrity comes out, it helps put a face
on gay rights. One of the reasons George Takei came
out was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of a bill
legalizing same-sex marriage in California. When the
Governator vetoed that bill, he wasn't just taking
marriage right away from a bunch of faceless queers, he
was denying Mr. Sulu the opportunity to have his
relationship legally recognized as equal to that of
heterosexuals'.
Openly gay and lesbian celebrities serve as
ambassadors to the straight world. The more people who
come out, the more chances there are that someone will
relate to at least one of them-something that could
make a difference in how they think about gay rights. It's
great that Ellen DeGeneres and Melissa Etheridge are
out, but while Ellen's everyman humor and Melissa's
recent victory over breast cancer have made each of
them more relatable to many, not everyone can identify
with these women. As Sheryl Swoopes said in her
interview, " ... I was trying to figure out what gay AfricanAmerican
woman has come out and can represent the
gay African~American community. And I can't really think
of one."
L.ikewise, there are very few out Asian-Americans.
GeorgeTakei joins a very short list consisting of actors
BO Wong and Alec Mapa. We need more closeted
celebrities to come out in every field-actors, musicians,
politicians, athletes-and of every race.
Of course, celebrities aren't the only ambassadors,
and they shoulgn't be expected to shoulder the entire
burden. While it's grectt when someone famous reveals
that they are gay, oftentimes, knowing someone
personally will make an even bigger impact. It's one
thing to deny Rosie, Ellen, or George Takai the right to
get married, it's something else entirely when it's your
best friend, coworker, or relative.
Maybe one day the sexuality of celebrities really
won't be an issue. Maybe stars won't have to come out
because they'll never have been in the closet in the first
place. Maybe it really won't matter wha der they
love. That is what we're all working for, er all.
Unfortunately, we're not there yet-as the fact that
Congress is once again considering an anti-gay federal
marriage amendment proves.
In the meantime, we welcome Sheryl Swoopes and
George Takei with open arms, thank them for having the
courage to do what so many fear, and we will keep
fighting for the rights that we are unjustly denied. We wiB
continue our mission to change the world, to seek equal
lives and better civilizations, to boldly go where few have
gone before ...
The views expressed in this column are my opinions only. You
don't have to agree with them. I just ask that you read them with
an <YfJen heart and mind.
Want the STAR delivered to your home
or business?
12 issues for $26.95 will be mailed in a
sealed envelo he 1st of each month.
Complete the orm below and send with
a check or moneyorder to:
Ozarks STAR
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Sunday Service 6PM
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No one ts tum away.
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
JANUARY 2006
"Today's McCarthys"
awfew weeks back I went to see Good
Night and Good Luck. George Clooney's
excellent film about how Edward R. Murrow,
who set the standard for what journalism could
be, brought down U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy
and his anticommunist witch hunts.
· It all happened in 1953 and 1954. After years of
McCarthy accusing everyone - including President
Eisenhower - of being a communist or a sympathizer,
Murrow and his boys at CBS said enough was enough ..
They exposed McCarthy by showing him in action.
McCarthy's rants and raves in his Senate subcommittee
hearings were broadcast on television, and within
months his reign of terror on freedom of thought was
over.
So much has changed in the 50 or so years since
those witch hunts, yet so much has also stayed the
same. The need to scapegoat one group for the
problems in our country and our society has not gone
away.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
community is today's Communist Party. We're not
necessarily accused of a wholesale takeover of the U.S.
government. Instead, we're blamed and scapegoated for
everything today's McCarthys see wrong with our
culture. Did you know that our community is responsible
for ruining heterosexual marriage, or that we've
destroyed the family because we have kids, or that we
are to blame for every youth that comes out as 14, 15, or
16, if not younger?
Today's McCarthys are Donald Wildman and James
Dobson and their organizations, the American Famiiy
Association and Focus on the Family. They are Jerry
Falwell and Pat Robertson, members of the clergy who
use their positions to demonize us. They are Baylor
University and Seton Hall University, religiously affiliated
schools, which purge gay aiumni, faculty, staff, and
students.
Today's McCarthys are Kari Rove and George Bush,
who used our desire to marry to hoodwink the nation and
re-elect a poiitically and morally bankrupt administration.
They are the Pope and his cardinals with their new
directive against gay priests. They are the high school
principals who confiscate the student newspaper simply
because there was an ad for a LGBT support group or an
article about LGBT students.
Today's McCarthys are all around us, and some of
their witch hunts are like McCarthy's - threatening to
expose and purge - and some have taken on new and
unusual forms.
For a good old-fashioned witch hunt against the LGBT
community, you don't have to look any further than the
military. Its tactics are straight out of the McCarthy
playbook - exploit someone you know to be gay, and get
them to name names. The military has "don't ask, don't
tel!" to hide behind, but now that we're at war, the
amount of LGBT purging has dropped precipitously. But
don't for a minute think they actually want us. If it were
feasible, they would continue their LGBT witch hunts with
fervor.
Then there's the witch hunt of harassment that has
gone on unchecked at Penn State University for years. It
seems the school's women's basketball coach, Rene
Portland, really hates lesbians. This might be an "I think
she doth protest too much" situation, but nonetheless
Portland's rants and raves over the years have
effectively either kept the lesbians on her squad deep in
the closet or purged them.
But she went too far and kept accusing a straight
player, Jennifer Harris, of being a dyke. Harris in turn has
gone public and filed a suit with Pennsylvania's Human
Rights Commission. Her actions gave other former
players the courage to speak about their experiences as
well. But Portland is still the coach, and her reign of
terror against lesbians continues.
And then there's the witch hunt that doesn't look like a
witch hunt. Instead of purging us from this year's White
House Conference on Aging, the administration simply
refused to let us participate. Once every 10 years, aging
experts gather for this· conference to meet, present
papers, and make recommendations to the president and
Congress on national aging policies. The last conference
took place during the Clinton administration, and while
our concerns never made it into any resolutions, at least
there was discussion. But Bush ar;Jd his people even
refuse to entertain that we exist and that there are issues
specific to us as an aging population.
A haif century ago, Murrow had the guts to stand up to
McCarthy's demagoguery. Fifty years later, there may
not be one person in the mainstream media willing to
foilow in Murrow's footsteps and expose the sham and
shame of today's McCarthies, but, thankfully, there are
plenty of us in the LGBT community who are.
anadian ou
ules roup
x Legal.
December 22, 2005
OTTAWA "Consensual conduct behind code-locked
doors canhardly be supposed to jeopardize a society as
vigorous and tolerant as Canadian society," said the
opinion of the seven-to-two majority, written by Chief
~fl Justice Beverley Mclachlin.
·~ The decision does not affect laws against prostitution
because no money changed hands among the adults
having sex.
Group sex among consenting adults is neither
prostitution nor a threat to society; the Supreme Court of
Canada ruled on Wednesday as it lifted a ban on socalled
"swingers" clubs or gay bathhouses.
The court was reviewing an appeal by Jean-Paul
Labaye, who ran the L'Orage (Thunderstorm) club. He
had been convicted in 1999 of running a "bawdy house" -
defined as a place where prostifl.1tion or acts of public
indecency took place.
Labaye - who is still running L'Orage despite his earlier
conviction - said he was relieved, and would now go
ahead with a new venture with backing from a group of
Florida investors.
"We hope clients will be more calm. This will probably
lead the way to a good future," he told reporters, saying
he was looking at adding a Jacuzzi and a swimming
pool. .
Labaye said he had a6out 2,000 regular clients who
paid around C$20 ($17) a year for a membership card.
The high court threw out Labaye's conviction and
affirmed the Kouri decision.
"Entry to the club and participation in the activities
were voluntary. No one was forced to do anything or
watch anything. No one was paid for sex," Mclachlin
wrote in reference to the Labaye case.
In indecency cases, Canadian courts have traditionally
probed whether the acts in question "breached the rules
of conduct necessary for the proper functioning of
society". The Supreme Court ruled that from now on,
judges should pay more attention to whether society
would be actively harmed.
· lfGPN -to OE1" MIDDLE 1'MERICA 1b SSE. '-'SROKE&ACK MOUN,-AIN"
ast ut
by
Liz Highleyman
JANUARY
2006
Summary : Past Out is a retrospective of key moments,
.personalities, and subjects in LGBT history. Each
installment brings the past to life by exploring the
diversity of the gay past and its impact on the queer
present.
(104 years ago this month):
Bisexual screen legend Marlene
Dietrich is born in Berlin.
Who was Marlene Dietrich?
Marlene Dietrich, one of the premier stars of
Hollywood's Golden Era, was infamous for her masculine
dress and her numerous affairs with both women and
men. Unlike many of the screen and stage divas beloved
by gay men, Dietrich was queer in her own· right.
Maria Magdalene Dietrich was · · ·
born December 27, 1901, to a
bourgeois family in suburban
Berlin; she adopted the name
"Marlene" as a young girl. One of
her earliest romantic relationships
was reportedly with a female
music teacher at her all-girls high
school.
Forced to give up playing violin
due to a hand injury, in 1921
Dietrich enrolled in a drama school
run by renowned director Max
Reinhardt. Taking small roles in
stage plays and films, she
immersed herself in the decadent
Weimar-era Berlin social scene. At
·age 22, she married director's
assistant Rudolf Sieber; she gave
birth to her oniy child the following
year.
After director Josef von
Sternberg saw her in a cabaret
performance, he cast the thenobscure
actress to star in Germany's first major sound
film, Der Blaue Engle (The Blue Angel). Dietrich's iconic
portrayal of Lola Lola - a cabaret singer who seduces a
repressed professor with oerformance of
"~ailing in Love Again" - catapu her to fame. On the
day of the film's German debut in April 1930, she
departed for the United States to accept an
offer from Paramount Studios, which positioned her as a
rival to Swedish glamour queen Greta Garbo.
In her American debut, Morocco (1930), Dietrich
donned a white tailcoat and top hat and kissed a woman
on the lips. That "masculine attitude" would increase her
charm, van St~rnberg later explained. "I didn't only want
to show a lesbian scene, but Marlene's own special
sexuality." Though fondly remembered for this
androgynous role, she mostly played femmes fatales -
often prostitutes - in movies such as Shanghai Express
(1932) and _Blond Venus (1932). By the mid-1930s, she
was the most highly paid actress of her day.
Off screen, Dietrich lived up to her image as an
independent, sexually liberated woman. Remarked
British critic Kenneth Tynan, "Marlene's masculinity
appeals to women and her sexuality to men." Indeed,
though she remained married to Sieber until his death in
1976, Dietrich had numerous affairs with both sexes. "In
Europe it doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman,"
she once said. "We make love with anyone we find
attractive."
Dietrich's many male lovers - documented or rumored
- included Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Yul Brynner, John
Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Hemingway, General
George Patton, and both President John F. Kennedy and
his father, Joseph. But according to her daughter and
biographer, Maria Riva, Dietrich was seeking romance
and companionship, and didn't enjoy sex for its own
sake. As such, she reportedly had a special fondness for
men who were impotent (such as
writer Erich Maria Remarque) or
queer (like Maurice Chevalier and
Noel Coward).
Dietrich was part of a group of
lesbian and bisexual Hollywood
women referred to as the •sewing
circle." Her female lovers
reportedly included actresses
Tallulah Bankhead and Claudette
Colbert, chanteuse Edith Piaf. and
French author Colette. In the ·
· 1930s, Dietrich had an unusually
.open relationship with SpanishCuban
writer Mercedes de Acosta,
after de Acosta was dumped by
Garbo. Many have speculated on
.the possibility of a sexual liaison
between Dietrich and Garbo, both
of whom - somewhat implausibly,
given the incestuous nature of
their circle - denied they had ever
met before 1945. Former
Washington Post society columnist
Diana Mclellan, for one, asserts
that the two women had a brief affair in 1925 while
working together on an obscure flim, The Joyless Street.
But in a 2002 interview, Riva toid The Advocate "No
matter how much your readers might wish it we;e so
Dietrich never had a relationship with Garbo." '
.... continued next a e.
The Ozarks STAR since 2f}f}$.
Past Out:
After parting ways with van Sternberg in the mid-1930s,
Dietrich switched to more comic roles, including saloon
hostess Frenchy in the Jimmy Stewart Western _Destry
Rides Again_ (1939). Having become a U.S. citizen in
1937, she rejected an invita~ion from Adolf Hitler to
return to Germany during World War II to make .
propaganda films (and perhaps to be his mistress),
opting instead to entertain American Gls near the front
lines in Europe and North Africa. While some Germans
long regarded her as a traitor, she called this "the only
important work I've ever done.". .
Dn1wing on her USO experience, Dietrich embarked
on a career as a cabaret singer in the 1950s, performing
in Las Vegas, on Broadway, and at venues throughout
the world for the nexttwp decades. In the 1970s, she
began drinking heavily, suffered several o.n-stage
accidents, and started overusing pain medication. After
breaking her leg in 1975, s.he finally retired. Unable to
maintain her glamorous-image, she thereafter lived a
secluded life in her, Paris apartment (although sl)e wrote
hundreds of lette115 and spent thousands of dollars on
phone calls). Dietriclidied in her sleep in 1992 and was
buried next to her rnother in Berlin.
Far from ruin reer, Dietrich's gender".'
bending . ed to ner:
allure; H - as mucfr.as
her Jfnqrogyridus atilte .: helped change society)iJmage
of femininity. .· ..... ,, . . .
For·turther readlfig: .
·, ·; ~ '::<,·.,
Bach, Steven. 2000. · Marlene Dietrich: Life and
Legend~ (Da Oapo ). -
McLellan,.Diana;2000. _The Girls: Sappho Goes to
Hollywood_ (St.'Martin's Press).
Riva, Maria. 199A. _Marlene Dietrich_ (Ballantine).
Ford:
Laymon, .Ford's group vice president for c9rporate
human resources. · ·
A spokesman for the American Family Association
said the group. had no c.o.mment on Ford's reversal. The
group owns 200 radio stations under the American
Family Radio name and claims more than q million
supporters. Last month, the association canceled its
boycott after meeting with Ford officials and dealers. A
dealer who attended the meeting said he initiated the
summit because he. and other Ford dealers in the
South feared that a boycott would hurt sales.
Gay Matrimony
the pink panties a bit confused, as if he didn't know
where they came from.
Then a huge gasp of embarrassment followed by
footsteps racing away came from the caterf ng table as a
cute college girl ran off covering her face. in shame.
Bart's reaction was a "oh yeh, that is where I got these"
grunt which he promptly followed by discarding t.hem with
the jacket. Though by now no one caught either one. The
entire room laughed out loud.hysterically and Bart was
unmoved by the reaction. A~ .. the music played he began
dancing. Within .a few moments everyone else returned
to what they had Ileen c:fping.,. .
Everyone except.tfi~ 91,,t}tmen who had been
salivating over Bart, all dissipated
throughout the room . knowing he was
straight, good looking, and accepting wasn't enough to
overshadow the reality of the. situation. Yes, you may
grab his posterior or his. bicep, but it is the cute browneyed
girl who ends up in the coat closet with him!
Not that I blame them at all. Doesn't everyone do the
same thing? Somet~ing is shiny, intriguing, or interesting
until the reality of the situation slaps us in the face. Like
having a crush on the foreman of a building crew that
you pass everyday on your way to work until that fateful
Friday morning when a stop light catches you and you
catch him picking his nose. Or that Land Rover you
really, really want until you find out a bulb for the
headlight, which you can only get at the dealer, is sixty
eight dollars.
Because nothing and no one in life is reaily perfect.
Everything has a catch, a string. or a flaw. You either
realize you love the flaws as part of the whole package
or move on and find a deal that fits you better. The ironic
thing is that those who choose to move on find
themselves continuaily at this crossroads, having to
choose ... again and again.
But, as Barry and Hugh discovered the secret to real
happiness is to stop running and choose to iove what
you have and cherish the one you are with. So as my
grandfather used to say, "play the hand you were dealt,
my friend." After all, in poker isn't a true that two pairs
beat a straight?
January 1
, STAR Is on
. the streets.
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15
22
29
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23 24
30 31
11 12 13 14
18 19 20 21
Deadline
for February
STAR
25 26 February2] 28
STAR ship
date to 4
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Advice Column!
January 2006
Hello Queerdom! Welcome 2006 ... It will be a new year
of the fabulousness Queer. Yes Kittens, Uncle rocked
in the New Year on the waves of fabulousness with a
Twink and a wink. It was a record setting time. Uncle
arrived on the stroke of midnight ready to blow in the
New Year. I assure you my date, Blake Worthington,
was ever so grateful. The Doctor's have assured me
that he will make a full recovery. He should regain the
use of his legs soon. Uncle made his night most
memorable to say the least.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
My New Year's.pate was a man i met online. I thought
.we were ready to meet face-to-face. It was a night of
love and lust. We danced, laughed, and had a wonderful
time. I thought, Finally, i have met someone worth
meeting. A someone that wiH hang around longer than
the tricks that i have met in the past. I was looking for
something more. Now, after all is said and done he has
avoided me by not answering his phone or my emails. i
am at a lost. I don't know what went wrong. What should
!do?
Lost in Love
Dearest Kitten.
What went wrong is that you were ordering off the wrong
menu. While Internet iove has sprung upon us all like
wild flowers in the mist, it is not without the old·
fashioned risk of meeting outside of cyber-land. It sounds
as though your midnight lovin was just that. Sorry but
your Prince Charming was really your Midnight
Minuteman.
Kitten it is easy to get caught up in the moment of the
world ~lebration, feeling the new unknown time at hand,
of a new year. Allowing oneself to be carried away ever
so blindly into the arms of false love. Uncle would
cherish the night of the whirlwind romance and leave it at
that. Do not become this poor misguided man's stalking
reminder that he drank from the forbidden fruits.
Celebrate the fact that in that moment you felt the
passion of a special time and utilize that goodness to fuel
your search for Prince Charming. Kitten, love will find a
way, if you allow fate to guide your heart.
Smooches Mikey
I swear Kittens; it is as if my words run as ,a fountain of
pure inspiration. If I was not a modest soul, I might point
that fact out!
Dear Uncle Mikey,
Is sex wrorig if you are almost related?
Cousin in Love
Kitten, like your short letter, I found myself shortly
hearing banjos in. th~ Bdyot.l. Uncle is just afraid of that
question! Almost nothing has ever proved to be an
uneasy topic for Uncle. It is all or nothing and in this
case, unless you-know how to play a banjo, Uncle would
have to say to leave whatever devilish ideas of kissir,g
cousins you have going on, in that dangerous fork in the
road. Turn back now, while you can still hold your head
up at family reunions. Talk about a near miss, Aunt Pearl
would never stand the shock kitten.
Smooches Uncle
Dear Mikey,
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A WOMEN I HAVE BEEN
SEEING FOR A FEW MONTHS. She has literary come
into my life like a storm. She says she loves my daughte,
and wants to be a family. However, she is jobless, and
makes minimal effort to find a new one. She sits on my
couch, while I go to work, and than acts like it is too
much to pick up my daughter from school for me, I am
having serious doubts about her intentions. However, it
is also nice again having a companion for myself. Am I
just being narcotic here?
Looking for Mrs. Right
Dearest Kitten,
You words convey such an innocent, if not perhaps
ignorant view. It seems that if ms. Couch potato, was
even half as worried about the relationship as you, she
would at the very least, happily help out in any way she
could. I think you better watch your food stamps with
this one. It is easy to convince oneself it is better to live
with irritable circumstances, verse a cold bed. I mean
Kitten, if Uncle met a man, who thought he wouid move
Continued next a e .. ......... .
Ask Uncle Mikey:
onto my couch with his jobless wonder well, kitten, the
laughter would be heard around the world. Throw this
one back, and find one worthy of you and your daughter.
It is better to love the employed, than suffer the trail of
debt the homeless wonder will create for you.
Smooches-Uncle
Well Kittens, Uncle shall take his leave once more.
Queerdom remember, sometimes love.is not enough.
Do not settle for someone out of desperate reasoning.
Accept someone equally fabulous while worthy of your
love. Also, a footnote, it helps if. you do not swim in the
same gene pool, kittens.
Smooches Uncle Mikey and Tiddles too!
Want more of Mikey? Visit Mikey's comer at
www.askunclemikey.com. Free/ande w.J1ter Michael
Hinzman, joining communities throughou{Queerclom ...
NOW AVAILABLE IN
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"Fiesta Pa Dip"
2 pounds ground Italian Sausage or hamburger meat.
1 can cream of mushroom soup.
1 can cream of chicken soup.
1 large jar Pace Picante sauce (medium or hot)
1 small'white onion chopped.
1 bell peppei chopped.
1 small tomato chopped.
1/2.ppund Velveeta cheese.
3-4 green onions chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Brown meat in large sauce pan over medium heat, pour
off excess fat, add cream of mushroom and chicken soup
(do not add milk). Add 1/2 jar picante sauce, white onion,
bell peppers and tomatoes: You may add more picante
sauce if the sauce is to thick. Cook about 10-15 minutes,
then add veiveeta cheese and simmer until cheese is
melted. Pour dip into a crock pot on low to keep warm.
serve warm. Serve with tortilia chips and pita bread.
Chef john wishes you a Fabuious Food Year 20061
Seo es
by Jack Fertig
• J JANUARY 2006
··"Try a different approach, Capricorn!"
· With the Sun in Capricorn, of course we focus on goals
and improvements in the new year. The Sun in harmony
with Jupiter and Mars gives your resolutions some extra
dedication and momentum. Some of them just might
make it this year!
ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Sex and shopping are
especially d1str1:1cting. Focus instead on human and
material resources that can help you get ahead. Your
reputation is at stake now. Your sexual reputation is
already made, so focus on the professional.
TAURUS (April 20- May 20): Usually your charm lies in
your beauty and sensuality. With that as a given, reach
out beyond your sexuality and be willing to embrace new
ideas. The latter is a bit of a challenge, but you'll find the
stretch exhilarating.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Sex releases stress, but
what's causing the stress? If questions of sexual
integrity, values, and self-worth are at the root om,
acting out will only feed a cycle of tension. Now is a great
time to clarify those issues!
CANCER,(June 21- July 22): Adapt your current efforts
to serve your long-range purpose. Invite and graciously
accept any critical support. Your partner - even a partner
du jour - brings luck and feeds creativity. Welcome any
and all suggestions!
LEO (July 23 -August 22): Work, work, work ... It's the
key to success, so keep your nose to the grindstone.
Your inner reserves and inherited talents will come to the
fore if you apply yourself. Your efforts are better seen
and appreciated than you know.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Get into some good
debates, or if you're too shy, just listen. New ideas will
open your brain and your heart to new possibilities. The
more you open up, the more you - and others - will
realize how much you have to offer.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): It's hard to teli
what's important for you personally, and what social
concerns you need to address. Ask yourself how Mother
would solve the dilemma. If that doesn't provide the
answer, it wiH at least serve as a springboard.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21 ): Don't be
afraid of arguments. It's an ideal time to take on the
tough issues in your personai ielationships. Be willing
to let go of your present stance so you can be open to
deeper truths and stronger partnerships.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20):
Worries, doubts, and general fretting undermine your
health. Regular meditation helps, as does a spa
retreat. Focus on priorities and values. Decide what
matters in your life, and your worries will evaporate.
CAPRICORN (December 21 · January 19): The more
you find pleasure in your efforts now, the more you will
see the rewards down the road. If you're not having
fun, you're doing something wrong. Try a different
approach!
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Demands at
home and at work are taxing, but the real work you
need to do is internal.. Take a little time out to be clear
about your motivations, fears, dreams, assumptions,
and habits, and your tasks will be much easier.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Peace-loving,
open-minded Pisces is now some other fish - a
barracuda with a s~rong opinion, or a shark in an
argument.Good quarrels are not about who's right or
wrong, but about learning from the other person!
You can find copies of the
STAR at these 4 states
business & organizations.
ARKANSAS KANSAS
Arkansas, Eureka Springs
Diversity Pride Event - - :www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View7 - 36 N. M~n- - - -479-253-0200
CaribcRestaurante~ -309 W VanBuren-- 253-8102
Henri's-·· -19 tf~ SpringSt. - - - - - 479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&:<irili-i OS E VanBuren-253-0400
MCC Living Spring .: - - - - • - - • - - - 870-253-9337
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Condom Sense, - c.;4,18 W. Dickson- -479-444-6228
Curry's Vjdeo :. - 612iN. College Ave- 479-521 70009
P11.ss11.ges - ~ 930 Nd:Zollege Ave- - - - 479-442-5845
· Arkansas, 'Fort Smith (479)
Club 1022 -'·-'1022 D6dsori Ave. - - - - 479-782-1845
Kinkeads-1004112.furri~~nAve~ 479-783-9988
;\r~11n1as, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge: : 1J)10 E. Gnmd Ave -501-624-5455
Arkansa_s, Little Rock (501)
Back Strc~t - - - ~1021 Tessie Rd- -- - - - -501-664-2744
Diamond State ~;cji;~·,6.ss6~:- - - - - www.dsra.org
Dis~overy- - - 102tfessit- Rd- -- - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - 4151iairi Sti -N: LR.- 501-244-0444
The Factory - -412 L:misiJtnJtSt- - - - - .srJl-372-3070
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
River of Life Church - 1709 N Walnut - -11AM
PSU-QSA- - 17oi'·S. Broadway- - - - 620-231-0938
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Club Glacier - - 2828 E. 31st South - 316-612-9331
J's Lounge - - - - • 513 .E. Central - - - 316-262-1363
Our Fantasy- - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - -316-682-5494
The Otberside- - -447 N. St Francis- - 316-262-7825
Shatai - - - - - - - - 4000 S. Broadway- - 316-522--2028
Sidestrect Mens Bu -1106 S. Pattie-~ -316-267-0324
South 40 - - - - - 3201 S. Hillside - - -316-682-5494
Trends Bar - -1507 S. Pawnee-• - 316-262-453('
Missouri, Ava
Cams Canyon Campground - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- - - 716 S. Main - - - - - - - -417-627-9035
MCC Spirit of Chrisc-2902 E 20th, - - -Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
Buddie~ · - · - 37 15 Main St - - - 816-561-2600
Club NV - - 220 Admiral Blvd- - 816-421-NVKC
DB Warehouse- 1915 Mai11 St- - -816-471-1575
Missie B's- - - -8()5 \X'. 39th St·. - -- - 816-561-0625
Sidestreet Bar - -413 E. 3rd- - - - 816-531-1775
Sidddck5 Saloon - - 3707 .'.fain St- 816- 931-1430
Missouri, Lampe
KOKOMO Campground • - - -
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- -424 Boonville Ave- - - - --417-831-4 700
GLO Comm. Ctr- -518 E. Commerical- -869-3978
Liquors & Kickers- -1109 E. Commercial-873-2225
Manha's Vineyard- 219 W Olive - 417-864-4572
Priscilla's - - - - 1918 S. Glenstone
Oz Bu - 504 E. Commercial
Ronisuz Place- --821 College- - - -
Rumor5 --1109 E. Commercial- - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- · - - POBox 1515, McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
Boom Room- 2807 NW 36th St- - - - -405-601-7200
Club Rox- - -3535 NW 39th Expwy. 405-947-2351
Criscies Toy Box- - 3126 N. May Ave - 405-946-4438
Finish Line - -2200 NW 39th Expwy- - 405-525_-0730
· Gushers RestJturant-2200 NW 39Exp405-525-0730
HollywoodHotel- 3535 NW 39th Ex- 405-947-2351
Habana Inn - 2200 NW 39th Exp- 405-528-2221
Hi-Lo Club - - 1221 NW SOth- - -405-843-1"22
Jungle Reds - 2200 NW Expwy- . - 405-524-5733
Partners- - - -2805 NW 36th St - - - - - 405-942-2199
Pri5cilla's- 615 E. Memorial- - - - -405-755-8600
Red Rock North-2240 NW39th StSisters-
- - - · 2120 NW 39th St - -
The Rockies- -3201 N. May Ave 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- 3535 NW 39th-- 405-947-2351
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- 7204 E. Pine - - -- - - 918-836-8700
Club Majestic- - 124 N. Boston - - - - 918-584-9494
Club MJtverick:- - 822 S. Sheridan -918-835-3301
DreJtmland Bies -- - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - -834-1051
Elite Bookstore --814 S. Sheridan- -
End Up Club- - - 424 S. MemorialGLBT
Comm. Ctr- -5545 E. 41st- -
Hideaway Lounge-11730 E. 11th-
Midtown- - - 319 E. 3rd-
Nite Spot -3007 E. Admiral Pl
Priscilla's - - 7925 E. 41st - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscilla's - - - 5634 W. Skelly
Priscilla's - - - -11344 E. , 1th - - - -- - -918-438-4224
Priscill11.'s 2333 E. 71st - -918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - 1649 S. Main 918-585-3405
Tulsa CARES- -3507 E. Admiral Pi- - 918-834-4;94
Tulsa Eagle- - - - -1338 E. 3rd - 918-592.-1188
TNT's - - - - 2114 S. Memorial- - - - -918-660-0856
Underguy.com - - -15 E. Brady
Whirtier News Stand- - 1 N. Lewis-~-
eliow-Brick-Rd- - -2630 E. 15th- -

TOU
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