The Letter November 2008

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LETTER www.theletteronline.com

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 11 • november 2008

THE LETTER Organizing Kentuckiana Radio Show

Hoosier Radio Broadcast Advances Gay Agenda Who would have thought that in south-central the infamous “gay agenda” would advance by means of a weekly radio broadcast? The program is carried by not just one – but four – non-commercial radio stations, as well as “podcasted” world-wide via the Internet. The one hour broadcast of BloomingOut (which is officially spelled, “bloomingOUT”) can be heard every Thursday at 6:00pm (Eastern) on 98.1fm: Bloomington, 91.3fm: South Central Indiana, 100.7fm: Brown County and 106.3fm: Ellettsville. If you live outside of south-central Indiana,

use your web browser software anytime to listen to the podcast at www.wfhb.org/ bloomingout. Originating from Bloomington, BloomingOut is the only such radio program originating within Indiana, and one of the few in the Midwest and the nation. Hosted by long-time activist Helen Harrell and attorney Sean Lemieux, BloomingOut offers the latest local, national and international GLBT news, a calendar of local and statewide events, interviews with community leaders, politicians, academics,

students, celebrities and entertainers from around the world. “Everyday folks” and queer-friendly music are also regularly featured on the broadcast. According to information posted on the braodcast’s website, BloomingOut is intended “To educate, entertain, and engage listeners on issues and events affecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intesex, and queer population of south central Indiana” by facilitating communication both within the queer community and between the queer and straight communities.

Not to be outdone by our Hoosier queer cousins, THE LETTER is currently in the process of organizing the first GLBT-focused radio show focused on Metro Louisville and originated in the Commonwealth. Persons who would like to volunteer a few hours each month for this noncommercial broadcast are encouraged to contact Dave VanderPol at (502) 338-4153 or editor@theletteronline. com. VanderPol, who worked in radio for over a decade before joining the staff of THE LETTER, hopes the radio show will lead to renewed interest in the development of a GLBT community center to serve the greater Kentuckiana area. In addition to being broadcast initially on two radio stations in the Bluegrass, KentuckyQ will be podcast through the newspaper’s websites: www.theletteronline.com and theletter.win.net.

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Around The Region Indianapolis Murders Appear To Be Hate Crimes After several months of harassment, two gay senior citizens were found violently slain in their Indianapolis home on October 20, 2008. Milton Lindgren, age 70, and Eric Hendricks, age 73, were partners in life, and tragically in death. The double homicide followed vandalism and harassment due to their sexual orientation, including having their cable lines cut and anti-gay statements posted on the front door of their home. Indiana Equality (IE) is seeking assurance that, unlike some previous incidents, this crime will be thoroughly investigated. The fairness organization is demanding that the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Marion County Prosecutor investigate this incident as a possibly bias-motivated crime. According to existing state law, if a crime appears to be bias-related, the Prosecutor and police department must report such findings to the Indiana State Police and to the Federal

Bureau of Investigation. “Bias crimes are particularly heinous and threatening to a community” commented Jon Keep, IE President. “Two murdered gays should warrant a bold response.” Indiana tragically seems to be no stranger to bias motivated crime. Just five months ago a group of Ball State University students were violently beaten in Muncie as anti-gay slurs were used against them by their attackers. Indiana Equality, in conjunction with partners such as the Indiana NAACP State Conference, Indiana AFL-CIO, American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 62, and Lambda Legal, has worked with State Representative Greg Porter and members of the General Assembly to enact a state bias crimes law. Indiana is one of only five states that lack bias crimes protections.

World AIDS Day Service: Remembering & Celebrating Life The international theme for this year’s World AIDS Day campaign is: “STOP AIDS: Keep the Promise- Lead, Empower, Deliver.” Begun in 1988, World AIDS Day is designed to focus attention on the critical issues of HIV/AIDS. It is commemorated around the world on December 1st. Twenty-seven years after the virus was first diagnosed, World AIDS Day is a call to action to support the nearly 33.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the globe and an opportunity to honor the 25 million lives lost to this devastating pandemic. One day a year we are asked to gather to raise public awareness, fight discrimination and strengthen our commitment. This day we advocate for people who are living with HIV/AIDS. This day we honor our sisters and brothers who have died from the disease. This year Metro Louisville residents are invited to observe World AIDS Day on Monday, December 1st at 7:00pm at the Muhammad Ali Center’s View Pointe Hall. The Ali Center is wheelchair accessible and accessible from several TARC routes. Anyone wearing a red ribbon on World AIDS Day can ride TARC for free. The annual service is sponsored by AIDS Services Center Coalition. The event is free open to the public. A reception with light food and beverages will be served. For more information, please call (502) 574-0161 or visit: www.asccinc.org/worldaidsday. In addition to Louisville, World AIDS Day observances will also take place in many of the major metropolitan areas served by THE LETTER. For more information on events to be held in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Columbus, Cleveland and Nashville, write editor@ theletteronline.com.

THANK YOU !!! With your help, the 2008 Louisville AIDS Walk was able to raise $15,000 more than it did in 2007! This is amazing and inspiring, especially considering our nation’s current economic situation! Thank you for making a difference! Donations are still being accepted! You may contribute online at www. louisvilleaidswalk.org or by mailing your tax-deductible gift to Louisville AIDS Walk; Attention: Donations Coordinator; 810 Barret Avenue, Suite 305, Louisville, KY 40204. november 2008

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The

LETTER www.theletteronline.com Post Office Box 7842 Louisville, KY 40257 Founded in June 1990 by Humphrey Marshall & Jeffrey Goldsmith EXECUTIVE EDITOR/WEBMASTER ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION: Dave VanderPol: (502) 338-4153 [email protected] GRAPHIC DESIGN Deanna Sullivan - Designs by Deanna GRAPHIC DESIGN ASSISTANT Bryn Marlow HIV RESOURCES EDITOR Brad Hampton [email protected] With an estimated readership of over 14,000, THE LETTER is distributed throughout the seven state region of Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan & Missouri

NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media: (212) 242-6863 REGULAR CONTRIBUTERS Brad Hampton James Hensley Bryn Marlow Brandon Monson

Beth Ann Rubin Brian Rzepczynski Tina Storm David Williams

Publication of the name, photograph or likeness of any person, organization, or business in articles or advertising in THE LETTER or on its companion website is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation of such person, organization or business. THE LETTER assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. THE LETTER reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement. © 2008, The Letter News, LLC. All rights reserved.

December 2008 DEADLINES Press releases, Regional Calendar items and Community Groups listings must be received no later than Wednesday, November 12, 2008. Advertising reservations must be received no later than Wednesday, November 19, 2008. All items should be sent to:

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Chicago Gay-Friendly High School Challenged: Go Vegetarian One year before it is expected to open, a gay-friendly high school is already facing a challenge of sorts: serve only vegetarian food if you really care about the problem of oppression. After learning that Chicago's Social Justice High School will open the gay-friendly Pride Campus, Persons for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent a letter to a school official urging that vegetarian-only meals be served at the future school. The Pride Campus of Social Justice High School doesn't have a location set and is to open in 2010. It will eventually serve 600 students by offering a safe and affirming environment for GLBTQ students and their allies. "Oppression—regardless of the species or sexual orientation of the victim—is dead wrong," says PETA Director of Media Relations Michael McGraw. "To truly succeed in teaching tolerance and fighting oppression, the Pride Campus needs to keep prejudice out of its classrooms and off its plates."

Claiming that killing animals and eating their meat is “only because of prejudice”, the PETA missive stated that “Leaders of social justice movements have historically recognized that the liberation of one oppressed group is linked to the liberation of other groups.” Steven Simmons, a PETA staffer and gay rights activist who died of AIDS many years ago, wrote, "It's time for us to end this hierarchy of who has the right to live, who deserves not to suffer, who should be respected, [the idea] that there's a limit to the amount of compassion that we can have for our fellow creatures." PETA offered to “arrange for a professional chef who has worked with major corporations” to give the new school’s cafeteria staff free consultations on how to prepare tasty, healthy, and humane vegetarian meals.” As of press time their was no official response from school officials to PETA’s demand.

Martial Arts Group Meeting At Various Locations Over the past several months, the Triangle Martial Arts Association has met on Tuesday evenings at Fuzion bar on Story Avenue. However with a recent reduction in bar hours, the group is now meeting in various locations throughout Metro Louisville, including Seneca Park and a facility near the University of Louisville’s Belknap campus. The gay-friendly group welcomes beginners and experienced individuals. For more information, including upcoming meeting times and locations, visit [email protected].

Kentucky: Library & Archives Receive Major Donations Thanks to three generous donors, the size of the library at the Williams-Nichols collection at the University of Louisville has risen extensively. After collecting gay and lesbian books for several years, local gay pioneer Carl Enoch reluctantly parted with his extensive collection in October. Topics of the books ranged from AIDS and spiritual matters, to psychology, sociology and a few works of fiction. Among his more important papers was a bound copy of documents presented to the old Louisville Board of Aldermen in 1986 in an initial attempt at getting a gay and lesbian civil rights ordinance passed. That effort failed, as would others in 1991, 1992, 1995, and 1997. The Fairness Amendment was finally approved in January 1999: the first such law in Kentucky. Louisville remains one of the few major Southern cities protecting citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Enoch also presented bound copies of the meeting minutes of Gays and Lesbians

United for Equality, a seminal organization that led the fledgling Louisville GLBT community through its birth pangs in the 1980s. Another extensive donation came from Jimmy Secat of Louisville, who gave the archives 85 books, much of them works of fiction. Among the more notable was a first edition, first print of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City from 1978, and works by such notable gay authors as David Leavitt, Andrew Holleran, and Ethan Mordden. Two books by John Preston added to the archives near-complete collection of his works. Finally, Ronnie Doggett of Louisville donated nearly two dozen issues of After Dark, an early, 1970s entertainment magazine with a large gay male readership. Thanks to his donation, the archives has nearly 95 percent of that magazine’s 17year run. It folded in 1983. The Williams-Nichols Archive & Library for GLBT Studies is constantly adding to its collection, which is one of the

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most utilized at the University of Louisville. Any book or publication or any interest to the GLBT community is welcomed. The archives also accepts such ephemera as posters, theater programs, t-shirts and ball caps as well as gay bar matchbook covers, rainbow-themed items, and even swizzle sticks. One of its more unusual items is a pink Frisbee from the early 1980s with a gay lambda symbol on it. The collection is a 501c(3) incorporated as the Williams-Nichols Institute, Inc. All donations are fully tax-deductible under current law. The archive and library is located in the Special Collections division of Ekstrom Library on the main campus of the University of Louisville. It’s one of the ten largest GLBT libraries and archives in the country. For more information, and to make donations of cash or materials, contact David Williams at (502) 636-0935 or Delinda Buie at (502) 852-6762.

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New Social Group Forms by David Williams Tired of the bar circuit but don’t know where else to turn to meet new friends? While Louisville’s gays and lesbians have had an active private social scene going back to the days of the very late Queen Victoria, oftentimes it’s devolved into cliquish circles where it’s hard to gain entrée. Enter the Louisville Pride Friends Network, a new venture for gays and lesbians that offers a fun alternative to the usual drink and drown weekends. “It's always been my contention that there is a group of us out there who would love to be able to hang out, mingle, and to just generally socialize but isn't into the bar scene,” founder Thomas Hicks tells The Letter. “I'm very excited and optimistic that this is going to become one of the more popular groups of its kind.” Several people, he says, have already shown interest via the internet. As of October 25, nearly 1,400 visitors had checked out its Web site. For now, while the group is busy spreading the word, it has no events planned. Among activities contemplated are camping and hiking, theme park outings, movie nights, potluck dinners, dining at various Louisville restaurants, and whatever else members may propose. Need two more for cards? This might just be the place to meet. The group is open to anyone who’s interested in casual social activities and is within driving distance of its various events. For more information, go to www.freewebs.com/louisvillepridefriends or email [email protected].

ONLY ON OUR WEBSITE Be sure to visit TheLetterOnline.com to check out this month’s COMMUNITY PHOTO GALLERY! You’ll find pictures from a recent protest at a Louisville McDonald’s and BITCHES WITH BALLS, a hugely successful fundraiser than benefited central Indiana AIDS charities!

Men's Chorus Offers Holiday Album The Cincinnati Men’s Chorus has a new recording with 16 selections to warm your heart during the winter holiday season. Safe and Warm, Together for the Holidays is the latest CD from the 50-voice chorus of gay and gay-supportive men. "Safe and Warm captures the fun and community of our live performances," stated Patrick Coyle, the chorus’ artistic director. The album can be purchased at the chorus’ website: www.cincinnatimenschorus.org, for $15.00 each or 2 for $25.00.

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Holiday Shopping? 30th Annual Winterfair!

Winterfair, a juried art and craft fair featuring the work of nearly 200 artists from across the country, will take place across from downtown Cincinnati at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington on November 28, 29 & 30.

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Quality Thrift Items Wednesday thru Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm Sunday: 12:00noon – 4:00pm Store Proceeds Benefit Glade House & House of Ruth Volunteers Always Welcome! Space for this ad donated by Dr. Fred Schloemer www.SchloemerServices.com 6

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Featuring ceramics, glass, wearable art, jewelry, sculpture, painting and photography, Winterfair is an artists’ market where discerning shoppers will find items that fit a range of budgets. Items range in price from as little as $15.00 to several thousand dollars. This year’s fair hours cater to earlybird shoppers: Friday, November 28 and Saturday, November 29 from 10:00am – 5:00pm, and Sunday, November 30, 11:00am – 4:00pm. Admission: $7.00 for adults, children 12 and under free. Winterfair is produced by Ohio Designer Craftsmen,anonprofitorganizationdedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of fine craft, and helping artists develop professional skills. Membership is open to both artists and craft enthusiasts. For more information visit www.ohiocraft.org.

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november 2008

RegionalCalendar sponsored by Mark England Items listed must be of interested to the GLBT community. Items are listed for FREE from non-profit community organizations, support and social groups. We also publicize events sponsored by businesses and professionals currently advertising in THE LETTER. Please send us information at least four to six weeks in advance of your event. Contact: [email protected] and be careful to type “Regional Calendar” in the subject line of your message. Every Monday 7:00pm. Movie Mania at Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Cincinnati, 4119 Hamilton Avenue. Free. For movie titles click on the icon for the GLBT Calendar page at www.glbtcentercincinnati.com. Every Tuesday 2:45pm. GLBT Mental Health Issues Support Group at The Recovery Center, 2340 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati. (513) 241-1411. 6:30 -8:00pm. Triangle Martial Arts Association: Tae Kwon Do training for GLBT community. Beginners & experienced welcome. For location write:. Write: [email protected]. 7:30pm. Women’s Tuesday Night Coming Out Group at Off The Avenue, 1546 Knowlton Street, Cincinnati. (513) 535-2517. Every Friday 9:15pm - Midnight. Derby City Kickers Country & Western Dancing at Q, 921 West Main Street, Louisville. No cover before 10:00pm. $3.00 cover after 10:00pm. 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00pm. Gay Men’s Support Group meets at Metropolitan Community Church of Louisville, 1432 Highland Avenue. 3rd Wednesdays Louisville Gay Professionals. Group meets at a different bar each month. More information: [email protected]. 4th Wednesdays 6:00pm. Kentuckiana Rainbow Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting. For location visit www.KentuckianaRainbowCoC.org or call (502) 815-7195. ================================== Tuesday, November 11 7:00pm. Cincinnati Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) meeting. Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, 103 William Howard Taft Road. For more information call (513) 755-6150. Sunday, November 16 3:30pm. Heartland Fairness, affiliated with the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, monthly meeting at 326 West Dixie Avenue in Elizabethtown. Write: heartlandfairness@ starband.net. Sunday, November 16 4:00pm. Cincinnati Women Out Front’s Spirituality & Alternative Health Group. Sidewinder Café in Northside. Information: www.myspace.com/womenoutfront.

SAVE A TREE / BUY AN E-SUBSCRIPTION Interested in downloading to your computer a full copy of THE LETTER each month? E-Subscriptions are now available and quite affordable.

Wednesday, November 19 6:30pm. Indy Bi-Versity, confidential discussion group. For more information, including the meeting location, write: [email protected].

1 year: $15.00 • 2 years: $27.50 3 years: $35.00 E-Subscriptions must be purchased online with a VISA or MasterCard credit or debit card.

Wednesday, December 3 7:00pm. Crossport Crossdresser Support Group, Cincinnati. (513) 919-4850. Sunday, December 21 3:00pm. Community Holiday Party hosted by Metro Louisville Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays. First Lutheran Church, 417 East Broadway. For more information call (502) 329-0229 or write [email protected]. Confidentiality respected.

For more information write: [email protected] and type “E-Subscription” in the subject line of your message.

november 2008

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George Stinson Appointed To Civil Rights Commission

KENNETH C. PLOTNIK Attorney at Law

607 West Ormsby Avenue Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Governor Steven Beshear recently appointed four new commissioners to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights (KCHR). They replace members whose terms have expired. George Stinson of Louisville, co-owner of the Connection bar and real estate developer, was among those appointed. One of the largest gay bar complexes in the region, the Connection celebrated it's 20th anniversary on October 31. KCHR is the state government agency that enforces the Kentucky Civil Rights Act and policies of federal civil rights laws. In addition to Stinson, Samuel Coleman Jr. of Middlesboro, Virginia Burton of Lexington and Timothy Thomas of Madisonville were also appointed to three year terms.

(502) 636-0361 Fax: (502) 634-0576

What Path Calls You?

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Delicious Fundraising: Dining Out For Life

INFORM YOUR PARTNER StopTheSpreadOnline.org To stop the cycle of STD’s growing in our community, sexual partners need to be tested and if necessary treated. 8

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On Wednesday, December 3, 55 of Louisville and Southern Indiana’s finest restaurants will join together to support House of Ruth and Glade House. Participating restaurants have agreed to give a percentage of their gross sales to help support HIV/AIDS services provided by House of Ruth and Glade House. 100% of the proceeds will be used to help the people served by House of Ruth. For a full list of participating restaurants, and the meals in which they are participating, please visit www.diningoutforlife.com , or call JacQue at (502) 587-5080, extension 23. november 2008

Spiritual Connection Louisville Pastor To Celebrate 25 Years

Rev. Dee Dale

Rev. Dee Dale, pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Louisville, is set to celebrate her 25th anniversary at the helm of the church in December. Before becoming pastor in 1983, Dale had worked with the church for several years. She came to MCC after studying at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. The festivities begin Friday, December, 5 with a reception and music program at the church, located at 1432 Highland Avenue in the Original Highlands. A celebration banquet will be held the next night at 7:00 PM at the Ramada Inn at Zorn Avenue and I-75. The weekend will conclude back at the church on Sunday morning with a worship celebration. MCC will hold a worship celebration the following day starting at 10:30am. The Friday and Sunday events are free and open to the public. Cost of the banquet is just $25.00 per person. Deadline for reservations is November 6 GPT (gay people time). For more information, and to make reservations, call the church at (502) 587-6225 or email mcclville@ aol.com. november 2008

Clergy Gaydar: Vatican Approves Testing To Eliminate “Defective” (Gay) Seminarians The Vatican has acknowledged that psychological tests should be used to identify candidates for the Roman Catholic priesthood who show homosexual tendencies. While condoning the use of such tests by Catholic seminaries, a document approved by Pope Benedict XVI says such testing must be strictly voluntary. “Deep-seated homosexual tendencies” and “uncertain sexual identity” are listed in the document along with “excessive rigidity of character” and “strong affective dependencies” as traits that might make a candidate unsuitable for the priesthood. The anti-gay hit piece, made public by the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education, requires that anti-gay testing must always have the potential seminarian’s “previous, explicit, informed, and free consent” before it may be administered. The Vatican document, titled Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood, admits that “Errors in discerning of vocations are not rare.” The authors caution that “in all too many cases psychological defects, sometimes of a pathological kind, reveal themselves only after ordination to the priesthood. Detecting defects earlier would help avoid many tragic experiences.” The document noted that, “Those who today ask admittance to the seminary reflect in a more or less accentuated way the unease of an emerging mentality characterized by consumerism, instability in family and social relationships, moral relativism, erroneous visions of sexuality... and a systematic negation of values, especially by the media.”

City of Refuge Worship Center Come Worship Freely Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 1041 Goss Avenue, Suite 101, Louisville, KY 40217 (502) 762-8986 / (502) 495-2603 Rev. Randy Meadows, Pastor Sunday Bible Study: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am & 7:00pm Wednesday Worship: 7:00pm www.cityofrefugewc.org

Progressive Pathways Fellowship

What Path Calls You? Sunday Worship and Education: 5:30pm. Tuesday Book Chat: 6:15pm. #208 1/2 Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave., Louisville, KY 40206 http://www.progressivepathways.org

Inclusive Faith Communities listings are an affordable way to let the GLBT community know about your fellowship! Prepaid listings cost $90.00 for six months or $150.00 for one year. For more information write: [email protected]

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November 14 - 16 Harvest Weekend Special November 27 - 30 Thanksgiving Feast Weekend December 5 - 7 7th Annual Christmas Open House Weekend December 24 Christmas Holiday Gathering

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Romeo San Vicente can be reached at [email protected]. 14

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Our Nation

Gay Sci-Fi Website Launches Online Theater A California-based website designed especially for GLBT fans of science fiction entertainment (www.doorQ.Com) recently added an “online theater” that features genre-specific animation and films with gay heroes. “This has been a key dream of mine since we started the site” last year, said Jody Wheeler, a founding partner in the website. “Gay people have always wanted to see themselves as the main characters in stories set on alien worlds, in fantastic lands, or threatened by horrible monsters. Now they can.” The video theater, free on the website, provides a wide range of content, from short films to web serials to sneak peak clips, all featuring Gay heroes and themes. Trailers, clips and sneaks from mainstream movies are also represented. “Because our fans are part of the larger pop-culture landscape too,” Wheeler said. To create the online theater, doorQ.compartnered with Twistage Inc., providers of the white-label video platform that powers sites like FastCompany.tv, Mochila and PerezHilton.Com. Twistage works behind the scenes, providing the software, technology and technical expertise necessary to publish, play, and monetize video on the web. They were instrumental in bringing the theater space to life. Content for the theater comes from three different sources: partners, in-house productions and user submissions.

Wednesday, December 3rd

December 3, 2008

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 3, 2008 when you can enjoy dining at a participating restaurant and thanks to the generous support of our area restaurateurs, a portion of your check will benefit HIV/AIDS services provided by House of Ruth for Glade House. Learn more at 502.587.5080, or for a list of participating restaurants and the Benefiting: meals they are participating in, visit www.diningoutforlife.com. Please lend your fork to a good cause!

Presented by:

and

For more information please visit www.diningoutforlife.com. november 2008

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How Same-Sex Marriage Affects Gay Couples: A Tale Of Two Research Studies A study conducted 13 months after same-sex marriage in Massachusetts became legal found that obtaining legal protections and making a public statement of commitment were the most often mentioned motivations for same-sex marriage. It also found that lack of family approval and difficulties planning and paying for the wedding were the most noted obstacles to marriage. The study, "Attractions and Obstacles While Considering Legally Recognized Same-Sex Marriage," was conducted by Pamela J. Lannutti, PhD, associate professor of communication at Boston College and was published in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, Vol. 4(2), 2008. "The arrival of same-sex marriage brings up many issues that often lurk in the background in families. It forces same-sex couples and their parents to confront their deepest feelings about same-sex love," said Robert-Jay Green, PhD, executive director of Rockway Institute, a national center for psychology research, education, and public policy on sexual orientation and gender issues. For this study, Lannutti's sample of 263 partners in same-sex couples had an average relationship duration of 7.5 years. Seventytwo percent had gotten legally married in the 13 months after same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts, and 28 percent planned to marry within 16 months. Attractions to marriage listed by the respondents included legal protections (24 percent), making a public statement of commitment (20 percent), feelings for partner (15 percent), means to acknowledgement from family (14 percent), legal protection for help in having children (13 percent), means to acknowledgement from friends (eight percent), political reasons (four percent) and religious reasons (two percent). The couples' comments converged around the theme that security was an important motivation for marriage. One person said "We thought we should get married so that we could take better care of each other as we got older; or if someone got sick… nobody could take our right to provide for each other away." Another concern was raising children. One man who had adopted a son with his partner said "It felt like maybe after that marriage, nobody could threaten our family." Couples mentioned a desire to declare their commitment publicly. They also mentioned the need to make a public statement. "It seemed wrong to be a committed couple with the right (to marry) and not use it," said one. Another said "we want our presence felt when they try to take marriage away from us in the future." Obstacles to marriage included lack of family approval (41 percent), difficulties in funding and planning the ceremony and reception (27 percent), philosophical or political objections to

marriage (14 percent), the legal limitations of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts such as no federal recognition or benefits of marriage (10 percent), lack of approval from friends (four percent), or unresolved previous relationships (four percent). "Lack of family approval" usually meant parents' approval, Lannutti reported. "We almost didn't get married because my parents were so angry and mean about it," said one female participant. "We almost changed our minds about getting married," said a male participant, "We thought our families were OK with us as a couple, but when we wanted to send out wedding invitations, his parents freaked out." Couples reported their most frequent strategy for overcoming these obstacles was to ignore them (58 percent). Other strategies included discussing the obstacle with their partner (22 percent), discussing the obstacle with the person causing it (eight percent), or engaging in political action (12 percent), such as demonstrating, donating money and volunteering in activist causes. The above data gathered 13 months after same-sex marriage was legal in Massachusetts complemented earlier data Lannutti had gathered in 2003- 2004, before same-sex marriage was legal. The earlier study titled "The Influence of Same-Sex Marriage on the Understanding of Same-Sex Relationships" was published in the Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 53(3) 2007. Two-thirds of the 288 participants in the earlier research were in a relationship that had lasted 1-36 years. Approximately 59 percent of the participants were women, 39 percent were men and two percent (six individuals) did not report their gender. Participants reported that the "possibility of legal marriage" made them feel different about the place of their relationship in the larger society, "making the relationship more real, serious or secure." Said one participant: "[The prospect of same-sex marriage becoming legal] not only makes me take my relationship more seriously, it's making me take my country more seriously." After always feeling on the outside of the law, "my relationship counts and I count, too." Lannutti reported that the possibility of legal marriage had "the potential to shift the way outsiders saw the relationship." Among those outsiders were employers and family members who would gain a clearer understanding of the relationship because it was now called a marriage, rather than a "union" or "partnership." The Rockway Institute brings together scientific research and professional expertise to counter antigay prejudice and inform public policies affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

A Gift For Yourself: Padded Butt Underwear Butt For You, an online retailer of padded underwear, is recognized throughout the gay community for their ability to design and manufacture high-quality padded briefs. The company’s body shaping, padded underwear are crafted using a unique combination of materials, which create an enhanced yet realistic shape. The briefs provide a discreet, but convincing solution for both women and men who are in need of extra “rear padding”. The padded briefs are meticulously tailored to accommodate the body shaping pads, giving a healthy, youthful, natural and virile appearance. Undetectable under the even the sleekest of pants, these briefs are not only conform to the body’s natural shape, but provide continuous comfort. The smooth, durable, elastic waistband, exceptional quality and the double material in both front and back panels, ensures pad stability and wearer comfort. The briefs move with your body - not against it. In addition to men’s briefs and swimsuits, the sexy undergarment comes in women’s panties. For more information or to purchase Butt For You products online, visit www. buttforyou.com. 16

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Northwest U.S. Hate Crimes On College Campuses On Rise The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is urging media outlets in Washington and Idaho to draw attention to hate motivated harassment and violence against gay and transgender students at universities in these states. This follows a series of incidents involving anti-gay and anti-transgender harassment and violence at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. and the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. Between September 29 and October 20, five attacks have targeted the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities of Washington State University and the University of Idaho: • September 29: University of Idaho student Korey Larabee finds anti-gay vandalism and a death threat written on his door. • October 12: A gay Washington State University student returns to find his door vandalized with anti-gay slurs. • October 15: An openly gay student is physically assaulted by another individual while walking on Washington State University's campus. • October 18: An openly gay student is physically assaulted by a group of three people wearing Halloween masks at Washington State University. • October 20: A transgender student is knocked to the ground and kicked while attackers yell anti-transgender slurs in a Washington State University parking structure. The attacks and intimidation of the last few weeks are part of disturbing nationwide trend of a rise in anti-gay and antitransgender motivated crimes. This month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released 2007 Hate Crimes Statistics, which revealed a 6 percent increase in anti-gay violence from 2006 to 2007. Earlier this year, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) found that the number of individuals that were harassed or assaulted because they were perceived to be gay or transgender rose by 24 percent from 2006. "We urge media in Washington and Idaho to report on these incidents of anti-gay and anti-transgender violence," said Neil G. Giuliano, President of GLAAD. "These media outlets have the chance to play a vital role in determining community and law enforcement responses to these crimes and to advocate that campus administration take steps to prevent future incidents from occurring." While investigations into these incidents as possible hate crimes are still in process at both campuses, GLAAD urges the media to investigate the increase in anti-gay and anti-transgender violence as well as the community's response to it. The media can play a vital role in determining community and law enforcement response to hate crimes as well as motivate local law enforcement and campus administrators to more strongly and transparently address these incidents. november 2008

Community Dialogue LIBERAL ON THE SAUCE

Miles To Go by David Williams So here we are, 2008. As I write, the election is still 10 days away. By the time this column sees print, I hope we’ll all be basking in the glow of a tsunamic victory by Barack Obama. If we aren’t, ponder these four words: see you in Mexico. Having grown up in a Southern border town, I have many race-based memories. Some are fond, others decidedly not. It’s almost patronizing to expound how far we’ve come from the days of Jim Crow. Yes, we have, but -- Obama’s very presence at the top of the Democratic ticket is tectonic enough, but this country has many more miles to go before we can track down the heart of racism and finally drive a stake through it. Recently I had our family’s old home movies transferred to DVD before they disintegrated forever. One of the first is from Christmas 1950: the year I asked for—and got—a doll house. Shades of things to come. That’s a topic for another column, though. In one scene, suddenly a little black boy and girl appear among our toys. They were the children of our housekeeper, Sadie. My Midwestern parents weren’t all that socially liberal, but they thought nothing of what was then called “race mixing.” We must have been the only white family in Louisville to invite blacks to celebrate Christmas that year. A couple of years, Sadie was replaced by Mary Lee. I remember mom telling me about the first day Mary Lee came to work. After she’d fixed lunch for mom and herself, Mary Lee put mom’s plate on the dining room table and returned to the kitchen to eat. My mom was puzzled and asked Mary Lee to join her. Mary Lee had never eaten with whites before, so I’m sure she was uncomfortable at first, but they continued eating together until mom died 13 years ago. (Mary Lee’s still going strong). Through the late 1950s I have many memories—some of them disconcerting—of interactions with African-Americans. My mom taking Mary Lee home in Newburg, down a muddy road full of potholes not a mile from our house. The community well in the middle of the street. Mary Lee’s pot belly stove: the only source of heat. The lone light bulb hanging from the ceiling without a shade. The time Mary Lee’s daughter, Linda, got married. Mary Lee put our floral arrangement on top of the stove. If such interactions weren’t shocking enough to some of our neighbors, I’m sure they must have held their children hostage behind closed doors when they saw my brothers and I playing with black boys in our own backyard. There are better memories. My dad taking me to hear Mahalia Jackson. We were one of the few white faces in the audience. We may have heard Marian Anderson another time. Then there’s Louis. Louis Armstrong’s appearance at Memorial Auditorium generated a local controversy because it was one of the first times blacks and whites were allowed to sit together on the main floor. Sadly, even though he was the greatest musician of his time, the hall was only half-full. november 2008

After the show, I insisted we go to the stage door and see if we could meet him. There he was, sitting on a stool with a white “mammy rag” on his head (he sweated profusely). Being able to get his autograph was one of the highlights of my teenage years. I’ll always remember my dad pointing to Satchmo and exclaiming, “This is the man!” Uglier memories, yes. The time the movie “Porgy and Bess” played at the Brown Theatre, and Mr. Brown refused to allow integrated audiences. When our family went to see it, we had to pass a picket line consisting of one lone African-American holding a sign. I felt uneasy. Another time I remember waiting for a bus on Eastern Parkway at Poplar Level. Suddenly some young white boy on another bus waiting at the light started calling a black pedestrian a “black bass,” not just once but many times. It was like he was having a party with his own hatred. It strengthened my resolve to do something, though I didn’t know what. I was only 14. There’s the time a black girl, Brenda Smiley, gave me a Valentine at school. For days after that I was the butt of a lot of teasing. I thought it was because Brenda was a little goofy. It didn’t dawn on me till later what the teasing was really about. Then there’s a time around 1961 when my cousin and I happened upon a white guy in the woods near my house. For some reason he started talking about how the civil rights movement was destroying the South’s “way of life.” My cousin, who lived in Toledo, stomped off but I stayed to listen in a futile attempt to understand him. It didn’t work. He just made me sick. To this day, I still don’t understand the workings of such minds. Around 1959 I remember watching a Sunday afternoon television variety program with mom. One part showed a man and woman performing a ballet on a barge, but the camera was at some distance so you couldn’t see their faces. The more I watched, the more I felt something was different. Finally, I turned to mom and asked, “Is that guy a Negro?” (The woman was obviously white). She replied, “Naw, they wouldn’t be able to do get away with something like that.” 2009. Barack Obama is president thanks to the votes of whites and blacks together. We’ve made a great deal of progress, but we’re still not done: not yet. As Robert Frost once wrote: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” I’m not sleepy yet. Long-time community activist David Williams is the former publisher of THE LETTER and founder of the Kentucky Gay & Lesbian Library and Archives, housed in the Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville.

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HOOSIER VALUES

Indianapolis Murders Deserve Close Examination by Brandon Monson After several months of harassment, two gay senior citizens were found violently slain in their Indianapolis home on Monday, October 20, 2008. Milton Lindgren, age 70, and Eric Hendricks, age 73, were partners in life, and tragically in death. The double homicide followed vandalism and harassment due to their sexual orientation, including having their cable lines cut and anti-gay statements posted on the front door of their home. Indiana Equality seeks assurances that, unlike some previous incidents, this crime will be thoroughly investigated. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Marion County Prosecutor should investigate this incident as a possible bias-motivated crime. According to existing state law, if a crime appears to be bias-related, the Prosecutor and police department must report such findings to the Indiana State Police and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Bias crimes are particularly heinous and threatening to a community” commented Kathy Sarris of Indiana Equality. “Two murdered gays should warrant a bold response.” Indiana tragically seems to be no stranger to bias-motivated crime. Only five months ago, a group of Ball State University students were violently beaten in Muncie as anti-

gay slurs were used against them by their attackers. Vivian Benge, Indiana Equality board member, observed “The death of these two elderly men is nothing short of tragic and heartbreaking. With bias motivated crimes occurring regularly in our state, the victims only stand to suffer due to Indiana’s lack of bias crime legislation.” Indiana Equality, in conjunction with partners such as the Indiana NAACP State Conference, Indiana AFL-CIO, American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 62, and Lambda Legal, has worked with State Representative Greg Porter and members of the General Assembly to enact a state bias crimes law. Indiana is one of only five states that lack bias crimes protections. “All Hoosiers deserve to feel safe regardless of their color, creed, race, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability,” commented Walter Botich, Indiana Equality Legislative Committee Chair. “We should all take a hard look at why Indiana still lacks such fundamental protections and insist that our State Legislature and Governor make them a reality.” What will you do to help stop the violence?

Brandon Monson is the Communications Director for Indiana Equality, the Hoosier State's premier fairness organization. 18

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Rainbow of Thought GAY LOVE COACH

"I Want Him, He Wants Me Not" by Brian Rzepczynski, M.S.W.

Dear Coach: I hired a contractor to do some work at my house and we became friends (yes, he’s gay!). Right from the start, we were very flirty with each other and spent a lot of time doing recreational things. After finally having an open talk about “us”, we both admitted that we were attracted to one another. However, he gave me the big “I don’t want a relationship” speech. Since then, we’ve continued to hang out and a couple times he’s felt compelled to remind me that he doesn’t want a relationship. In the meantime, we’ve spent a couple nights together cuddling and making out, but no sex. He told me that he can’t have sex with me because he doesn’t want to mess up our friendship. I, of course, take this as a big rejection and have tried hard not to have all the negative thoughts around what could be the problem with me. He says it’s not a rejection and that I’m too important and valuable to him. He told me he doesn’t want all this talk to ruin our friendship and he’d be upset if I stopped talking with him. I have tried to approach this relationship with the idea that we have fun together, let’s see where it evolves. However, every time it seems to start to go somewhere, he needs to have “the talk” with me. I keep trying to get through the heartbreak in the hopes that I can get beyond this and just be friends, but it makes it hard for me to deal with it when I feel like I keep getting pulled

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closer and then pushed away again. Am I being a doormat by wanting to try and be friends with him? -- Wanting More Dear Wanting More: It sounds like you’ve got it bad, my friend! This guy seems to have made quite an impact on you and you’d really like to take things to the next level; unfortunately, to his protest. It can be so frustrating and torturous when you want one thing and he wants another, particularly since you’ve both acknowledged your mutual attraction for each other. You like him, he likes you, and you both find each other desirable—so what’s the holdup, you must be thinking? Not having a working psychology about what makes your new love interest tick, it’s difficult to specify why exactly he’s set the boundaries with you that he has. Maybe he has intimacy issues and is scared of the closeness he feels toward you. Maybe he’s not ready or has no interest in a relationship at this juncture of his life. Maybe he truly just sees you as a friend and doesn’t want to damage what you guys have by sexualizing it since good friends are hard to find. Perhaps your overt or covert behavior contributes to his limit-setting. The reasons are endless, but to theorize is only going to cause you further angst with more preoccupation and giving up your own emotional power.

Since he’s repeatedly reminded you of his need for “friendship only”, you must respect his boundary for fear of alienating him if it’s continually tested. You have to protect yourself by really listening to what he’s saying---that he is not available to you in the ways that you want him to be. Investing your heart into something that has already been denied is setting yourself up for pain. You deserve someone who will love you unconditionally and gladly reciprocate your feelings. My suggestion would be to work on developing a mindset of this guy as a good friend and discover healthy outlets to channel your attractions for him. You may find it difficult “downshifting” from “love interest” to “just friends”, and if this remains too challenging over the long haul, you may have to consider terminating the relationship for your own well-being. Additionally, it is cruel and inappropriate for your friend to be sending you mixed signals (cuddling, making out), especially when he knows how much you desire more from the relationship. “Just friends” don’t typically engage in these intimate activities together. If you choose to remain friends with him, you’ll need to set some boundaries with him too, defining the parameters of what “just friends” means---and this means he can’t

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have his cake and eat it too. Kissing and cuddling are off limits, unless he’s prepared to begin dating you! And you must enforce these limits should they be crossed, no matter how tempting it may be! You might want to have one more “talk” with him and get some real closure on what exactly your relationship is with him. If he maintains his current stance, set your own boundaries (with him and yourself ) and then determine as time goes on if this is a situation you can live with. He may come around once you’ve taken back control of your life again… but he may not, and it’s important not to count on that. There are no guarantees in relationships. And then live your life to the max! And it is not a rejection of you as a person; it has everything to do with his own needs, projections, and feelings stemming from his life history and goals. One good catch deserves another, and it’ll happen for you when everything is in-sync with the most compatible man! Good luck! ©2008 Brian L. Rzepczynski, All rights reserved. To sign up for the FREE Gay Love Coach Newsletter filled with dating and relationship tips and skills for gay singles and couples, as well as to check out current coaching groups, programs, and teleclasses, visit www.TheGayLoveCoach.com.

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OUTLOOK WITHIN

Change We Need by Bryn Marlow Last month I went to see history in the making and the man making it happen. I attended a campaign rally at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis. I parked near a double row of cement barricades that bisected the entire field—ubiquitous reminders of war on terror. Grandstands on one side, parking on the other. I wanted to hear first-hand this energetic, thoughtful, intelligent politician who has inspired people of all races and ages. I wanted to see the black man who is poised to take up residency in a house that has been all too white all too long. As an openly gay man in conservative rural Indiana, I value a leader who knows what it is to be on the outside looking in. After the rally I waited over an hour for traffic to clear. Walking about, I passed an African-American woman who symbolized for me a generation of people Martin Luther King, Jr. once called the “disinherited children of God." Her face was wonderfully wrinkled, reminded me of my grandmother. She wore a red plastic rain hat, carried a cane and an Obama-Biden poster. She had left the meeting grounds by a back route, taken what

looked to be a short-cut to avoid the crowd, the stairs, a tunnel. Now she stood between the double row of concrete barriers, leaning against the first section, breathing heavily. I wanted to greet her but she was looking into the distance. I went on. I spotted her red hat when I returned. She was halfway down the long cement corridor. An older man was near the far end, near where my car was parked. “He’s checking to see if there’s an opening in the wall,” a bystander told me. “To see if that lady can get out.” I hadn’t realized her predicament. The cement sections abutted each other, formed a solid barrier about three-and-a-half feet high. I quickened my steps. The man waved, called that there was an opening on down a ways. I caught up with the red hatter. She kept moving. “He says there’s an opening down there,” I said. She stopped, looked over at me. A long pause. “I was getting ready to climb over this wall,” she said. She sounded as if she meant it. “I had made up my mind. I was going to climb this wall if I had to.” “I’m glad you don’t have to,” I said. “He

says there’s an opening down there where you can get through.” She resumed walking. She put the cane’s tip down far out in front of her, leaned into each step. “This is only the second time I’ve been on these grounds,” she said. “Really? Me, too. When was the first time?” She named the year I was born. “1959. My husband died that year and my baby wanted to come to the fair so I brought her.” “It’s quite an occasion that brings you back. “Yes, it is. Quite an occasion.” We walked in silence. When we parted I wished her good journeys. “You, too,” she said. I walked to my car, threw myself on the seat, a dawning realization churning in my gut. I'd come to see history in the making. To watch this nation take a giant step forward in living up to its ideals about equality and the worth of all persons. To see unfolding the “change we need” (slogan of the Obama campaign) and the man who would help make it happen.

Bryn Marlow lives in north-central Indiana with his husband Dave and enjoys being surrounded by the beauty of nature. Instead I saw how history is made and on whose shoulders it rides. History moves on old tired feet. It advances a few paces, pauses, plods on. Making history requires determination and courage, invincible spirit. It is not the work of one man, one minute, one month, one election year. It may take a lifetime; it may take generations. History is made by people whom no one notices, whom no one cheers, by people who know hard times, who experience loss, who keep on going. History is made by people who will not be stopped, who even in old age find themselves still having to scale walls, surmount barriers. Who somehow make up their minds that if that’s what it takes, that’s what they’re going to do. On whose shoulders does history ride? Mine. Yours. We can wait for no one else. We are the change we need. Sure, it’s a heavy burden. The walls thrown round about us are long, hard, real. Time we got a move on.

THE SIENNA FEATHER

Tears of A Community, Part 2 On May 22, 2005, a twenty-two year old transgender Louisville native was murdered, and three years later, a family and community continues to suffer the loss. Born Timothy Blair, Jr., better known in the community as Paris, was found dead with multiple gun shot wounds while cross-dressed in the west end. Like many of us, Paris had a long history to validate an alternate gender identity. From playing with dolls as a child to seeking work on the stage as an adult, Paris was doing her best to live her life, as life would allow. Today, Roseland Blair continues to seek justice for the child she can still picture in her heart and her mind. Not only is the killer still free, Roseland will not forget the eyewitness accounts told to her of the police officers’ behavior in working the crime scene; nor will she forget the way the coroner refused to allow her to see the body of her child or how they acted like “the body was contaminated by AIDS.” In continuing to seek justice for her child, Ms. Blair pushes for the police to continue their investigation. The ACLU has had little success in pushing the Blair investigation, and attorneys are always willing to take the family’s money, but little has been said or done to gain justice for this homicide. The Jefferson County Police Department 20

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continues to refuse to provide any information regarding this homicide or that of Nakhia Williams. The coroners office replied they only follow state laws and the regulations of the coroners office, but admit releasing information violates HIPPA privacy laws. In the case of Nakhia Williams’s murder, Julie Tam, of FOX 41, states she reported the news as it was reported to her by the coroner’s office, even though she refuses to provide her source of information. If the deputy coroner violates the law, shouldn‘t Julie Tam be better educated and smarter than poorly reporting the murder of a trans-woman the way she did? Low media standards and flakey reporting have only added insult to injury to the transgender community and families who suffer the loss. The very reason we gather together every year for The Transgender Day of Remembrance is to bring community education in remembering those individuals who lost their lives simply because they were transgender or because of bias against transgender people. The Day of Remembrance (TDOR) allows people of the trans community to gather with our friends, families, and allies so we don’t forget the danger our lives draw by remembering those who are gone. Many people forget we are still

by Tina Storm

human and continue to think of us as “it.” Many of the people who we will be memorializing would otherwise be forgotten. Last year, we memorialized eleven transgender people, by calling each name and lighting a candle in their honor, during the annual service. This year we will be observing the tenth annual TDOR service, which is traditionally hosted by the Women’s Center of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS) in association with More Light. LPTS is located at 1044 Alta Vista Road, the candle light vigil and memorial service will be held in the Caldwell Chapel November 20th, beginning at 7:00 PM, and followed by a reception. For a complete list of all local events associated with the Tenth Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, visit the web at: http:// wimminwiselpts.wordpress.com or www.tgsienna.org. During our October Sienna meeting, we discussed transgender activism and the need for members of our group and community to find pride in themselves and learn how to use their voice to educate the people around us about being transgender. Our speaker, transgender activist Dawn Wilson, discussed how everyone in the transgender community

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could take a stand and work toward the end of trans-repression and begin liberation of the transgender community from stuffing envelopes to working with political parties and through public speaking. Not everyone is capable of taking on public speaking, but every little thing each transperson can do will benefit the transgender cause. The least each of us can do is make a good impression with everyone we come in contact with, keep a good attitude, and stay out of trouble. What you do today can bring about change in the world tomorrow. Whether that change is good or bad lies in your abilities and ultimately your hand. Become better educated, to learn more, plan to attend our monthly Sienna group meetings. More information about the International Transgender Day of Remembrance can be found at: www.remembringourdead.org and please plan on attending the local TDOR services November 20. Tina Storm is the Outreach Coordinator for Sienna. She works as a nurse, serves on the Transgender Day of Remembrance Committee and the advisory board of U of L’s Office for LGBT Services. november 2008

Tasteful Culture DINING OUT

The Queen Of Sheba Reigns In Louisville by Beth Ann Rubin

Are you an adventurous sort, willing to try new foods and dining experiences? Does the thought of spicy vegetable and meat dishes make your mouth water? Do you relish becoming one with the food you eat? Then a visit to the Queen of Sheba is definitely in order. The Queen of Sheba is a restaurant that specializes in authentic Ethiopian cuisine, generally served communal style at your table. The owners relocated the eatery from its previous location on Bardstown Road next to the expressway to the more visible spot on Taylorsville Road in the former Mazzoni’s. Although I have enjoyed meals in both locations, their new digs seem more spacious and light. The atmosphere emits an exoticism that places the diner in a Marrakesh café. We were greeted at the restaurant by one of the owners who showed us to our table and determined that we were, in fact, not newbies to the cuisine. After ordering our cocktails (beer and wine are available), we relaxed with our menus and perused the list of appetizers and entrees. Ethiopian food is distinguished by its liberal use of spices, mainly chilies and chili powders and kibe, a spiced clarified butter. Chicken, beef, lamb are the meat options with some fish choices as well and there are a number of vegetarian dishes available. “Wot” dishes are basically stews and the “tip” dishes are sautéed entrees. Your food is brought to your table on one large platter for all to share. Oh, and did I mention that there is no silverware? Traditionally, the food is scooped up with pieces of Injera, an Ethiopian flat bread that takes up to three days to cook and is characterized by its spongy texture and slightly tangy flavor. The bread comes rolled up on your platter and you simply tear off pieces and pick up the food with your Injera utensil. If you truly need a fork, your server will supply one. I was the wimp at the table who had to eat her salad with a fork. But I got all down and dirty with the main courses and my bread scooper! We could not start the meal without a traditional Ethiopian appetizer. We selected the Chicken Kosta wrap ($5.00) from a list of 8 options. The wrap consisted of chicken strips, spinach, onions and garlic mixed with Aybe, a type of cottage cheese. The filling was wrapped in Injera. We enjoyed the 4 pieces that evoked the flavor of Greek cuisine with the spinach and cheese playing off the piquancy of the bread. The wraps are also available with beef, spinach or cooked vegetables. All are priced $5.00 or less with the exception of the platter at $7.00. Entrees are also very reasonably priced, ranging from $7.00 for most of the vegetarian options to $12.00 for a combo platter for one. My one dining partner selected the Zilzil Tips ($10.00) which was prime beef cubes sautéed with the Ethiopian seasoned butter and spices. My second companion opted for the Meat Combination for one ($12.00) which included Doro wot, Segawot and Alicha sega wot. He was into stews that evening. I wanted something on the spicy side so our server suggested the Lega Doro Tips ($10.00). I chose the chicken which was sautéed with onions, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, garlic and spices and served in a light tomato sauce. All dishes come with an ample amount of Injera, salad and Kik Wot, a deliciously seasoned lentil stew. Because we were sharing a platter, it was easy to sample everyone’s dinner choice. All of the wot dishes were so tender, with the meat succulent due to slow cooking and the underlying spiciness noticeable but not unbearable. My Lega Doro was more fiery than the wots but it still downplayed the heat with the vegetables and smooth tomato sauce. The Tilzil Tips were the most simple of our entrees but the flavor of the beef combined with the spiced butter was melt in your mouth delicious. The house salad provided the needed cooling effect with the greens lightly doused in a lovely lemon dressing. And I cannot say enough about the lentil stew. On a previous visit, I selected that as my entrée and it still is one of my favorites. The lentils are simmered in berbere, a red chili used in stews, and the overall result is sheer legume heaven. The Queen of Sheba is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and they offer a lunch buffet throughout the week from 11:30 to 2:30. I would recommend the buffet for first timers since you have the option of trying several Ethiopian specialties during one visit and then you can choose your favorite(s). [Queen of Sheba 2804 Taylorsville Road; Louisville, KY 40205. (502)459-6301.] Chicago native Beth Ann Rubin has been reviewing restaurants for THE LETTER for over three years. A talented cook in her own right, her baked goods have won her many awards at the Kentucky State Fair. november 2008

Ethiopian Beef and Peppers and Spicy Braised Chicken.

Johan In this bizarre meta-story from French filmmaker Philippe Valois, one never quite knows who’s who or what’s what, but that’s okay, because even if you lose the narrative thread, there’s plenty, and I mean plenty of gorgeous footage of beautiful men in various states of undress doing everything from dancing to playing cards to making sweet, humpy love to each other. Set in Paris, the plot concerns a filmmaker trying to make a movie about his erstwhile lover, Johan, who is “the kind of man you see once and never forget.” Trouble is, none of the actors he auditions can quite get it right. For that matter, the filmmaker can’t manage to cast himself either, because two other men portray him during the course of the film. As unhinged as the ‘70s gay scene itself, Johan paints a dizzying portrait of gay youth in all its enthralling and often narcissistic glory. We’re shown gay cruising in public gardens, awkward encounters with doting mothers, bravura dance performances and even glimpses into that strange and wonderful relationship gay men have with raucous, free-spirited straight women. All this plus forehead tattoos and bell-bottoms make Johan a wild retro trip that is sure to tease, titillate and astound the viewer. (French with English subtitles) Johan is available for rent at Wild & Woolly Video, 1021 Bardstown Road in Louisville. For hours and more information on the region's gay-friendliest video store call (502) 473-0969.

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Anarchists and Homosexuality Terence Kissack’s masterful new study on early 20th century anarchists’ views of homosexuality is a stunner. In my 30 years of reading everything I could find about homosexuality, I had never heard of its intersection with anarchism. Kissack’s book—a reprint of his doctoral thesis—is an eye-opener. Anarchism isn’t all about bomb throwing, an image that’s plagued it ever since one of its followers brutally assassinated Tsar Alexander II in 1881 by doing just that. It has more in common with today’s much tamer descendent: libertarianism. Anarchism seeks to dismantle all government authority so that men and women may be free to make their own compacts among themselves without any outside interference: a sort of Garden of Eden approach to human interaction. Because such a philosophy is totally impractical in real life, anarchists have had to modify their philosophy through the years. The hippies of the 60s and the Libertarians of today are much watered-down versions, accepting some minimal form of government as necessary. As part of their philosophy, anarchists saw little problem embracing what we would now call gay liberation. To their thinking, all men and women of whatever sexual orientation should be free to make—and break—relationships of whatever kind whenever they see fit. (Never mind the emotional toll). In their world view, free love, polygamy, and homosexuality were all permissible. The government and the church had no business in the private affairs of men and women. Perhaps the most ardent supporter of gay rights in the early two decades of the last century was Emma Goldman, who, though heterosexual, may have had a fling or two with other women herself. For a time, Goldman could talk of little else but gay liberation. Another prominent anarchist was Alexander Berkman, whose Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist is now a classic. Berkman—sentenced to 14 years for attempting to kill a corporate magnate—at first found prison sex repulsive. But after developing a close friendship with a young man who later died, he changed his views. His 1912 memoir (an original copy of which is at the Williams-Nichols Archive at the University of Louisville) is one of the first books to argue in favor of gay rights. Kissack’s book is well-researched and heavy with footnotes, the type of book any history buff would relish, so it’s not for everybody. But like Charles Kaiser’s groundbreaking book about gay life in New York City during the same era, Kissack’s book is an important addition to our understanding of a period in gay and lesbian history that has long been overlooked because of the frustrating difficulties entailed in uncovering it. [Kissack, Terence. Free Comrades: Anarchism and Homosexuality in the United States, 1895-1917. Oakland, CA: AK Press, 2008. $17.95 paperback. ISBN 978-1904859116.] 22

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10 YEARS GRAPHIC DESIGN EXPERIENCE WEDDING INVITATIONS BUSINESS CARDS PAGE LAYOUT MARKETING DESIGNS PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS NEWSLETTERS AND MORE EMAIL: [email protected] november 2008

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