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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] Pride Photos
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photos from the 2006 Tulsa Pride Parade and Pride activities
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2006
Description
An account of the resource
20 photos from the 2006 Tulsa Pride Parade and other Pride related activities.
2006
2006 Pride
Blockbuster
Blockbuster Cares
CARES
Community Hero Award
Families First
Gayly Oklahoman
Kirk Holt
Matthew Sumner
Open Arms
Open Arms Project
Open Arms Youth Project
Open Arms Youth Project (OYP)
OpenArms
OpenArms Project
Openarms Youth Project
Openarms Youth Project (OYP)
OYP
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
PFLAG
PFLAG Stillwater
PFLAG Tulsa Chapter
Pride 2006
pride festival
pride Parade
Pride Parade and festival
Sue Welch
Tulsa CARES
Tulsa PFLAG
Tulsa Pride
Tulsa Pride 2006
Tulsa Pride Events
Tulsa Pride Festival
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Openarms Float
Description
An account of the resource
Several people sitting on the Openarms Youth parade float
Photo
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] Pride Photos
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photos from the 2006 Pride Parade
Description
An account of the resource
176 photos from the 2006 Pride Parade.
2006
ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH
Blockbuster
Blockbuster Cares
Church of the Restoration
Club Majestic
Club Majestic Tulsa
Community Hero Award
Driller Bears
Ekklesia
Ekklesia The Gathering
Families First
Fellowship Congregational Church
Gayly Oklahoman
GLBT Community Center
Hips Publishing Company
HOPE
Hope Unitarian Church
Kirk Holt
Lambda Bowling League
Lambda League Summer Bowling
Matthew Sumner
Open Arms Project
Open Arms Youth Project
Open Arms Youth Project (OYP)
OpenArms
OpenArms Project
Openarms Youth Project
Openarms Youth Project (OYP)
OYP
parade
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
PFLAG
PFLAG Stillwater
PFLAG Tulsa Chapter
photo
photos
Pride
pride Parade
pride protestors
Prime Timers
Prime Timers of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
protestors
Sue Welch
The Gathering
TOHR
Tulsa CARES
Tulsa GLBT Community Center
Tulsa Leather
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
Tulsa PFLAG
Tulsa Uniform & Leather Seekers Association
Tulsa Uniform and Leather Seekers Association
Tulsa Uniform and Leather Seekers Association (T.U.L.S.A.)
Tulsa Uniform and Leather Seekers Association (TULSA)
Tulsa Uniform Leather Seekers Association
Unitarian Church of the Restoration
Unitarian Churches
Unitarian Churches Tulsa
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] Pride Photos from Roger Francis
Subject
The topic of the resource
2006 Tulsa Pride Photos from Roger Francis
Description
An account of the resource
39 photos of the 2006 Tulsa Pride Parade and Festival contributed by Roger Francis.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Roger Francis
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2006
2006
2006 Pride
ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH
Blockbuster
Blockbuster Cares
Club Maverick
Club Renegade
Diamonds
drag
drag queens
Driller Bears
Lambda Bowling League
MetLife
New Age Renegade
Palace Cafe
photos
Pride
Pride 2006
pride festival
pride Parade
Pride Parade and festival
pride protestors
protestors
Renegade
Roger Francis
St. Paul's United Methodist
Tulsa Lambda Bowling
Tulsa Lambda Bowling League
Tulsa Leather
Tulsa Pride
Tulsa Pride 2006
Tulsa Pride Events
Tulsa Pride Festival
-
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews
Description
An account of the resource
<strong>Physical Media:</strong> <br />Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program<br />Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007<br /><br /><strong>Digital Media:</strong>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] Terry Luce Interview
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
January 27, 2006
Description
An account of the resource
Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on January 27, 2006. <strong>Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. </strong>Terry was born in New Jersey in 1933. Served in the 10 military and was in South Korea toward the end of the war. He attended Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, the University of Maryland and then came to Tulsa in 1968 to join the faculty of the University of Tulsa teaching psychology where he stayed until his retirement in 2005. He became an anti-war activist. In 1976 was asked by then mayor Robert LaFortune to head a task force of the Human Rights Commission exploring if gay people should be protected by city ordinances from discrimination in housing, employment, etc. The one-year study and survey was a ground-breaking effort and received local and national coverage when the report was presented to the Human Rights Commission. With the election of Jim Inhofe in 1978, the work of the Sexual Orientation Taskforce and its recommendations where shelved. In 1993, another committee under the Tulsa Human Rights Commission was formed to add to the work from the 1970s. Attorney Bil Hinkle, co-chair of the committee [Dennis Neill served as the other co-chair] asked Terry to join the new effort, which he did. He discussed the strong negative reaction to the report at the public meetings when it was released. Married to Nancy Moran, Terry was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. He died on November 4, 2020, in Tulsa.
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Terry Luce Oral History Project Interview from January 27, 2006
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Terry Luce, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill
2006
anti-discrimination laws
Attorney Bil Hinkle
available at Center
Bil Hinkle
Dennis Neill
Dennis R. Neill
discrimination bans
Human Rights Commission
interview
Jim Inhofe
Laura A. Belmonte
Laura Belmonte
Nancy Moran
OKEQ Oral History Project
oral history
oral history interview
Oral History Project
oral history transcript
Robert LaFortune
Sexual Orientation Task Force
Terry Luce
Texas Christian University
transcript
TU
Tulsa Human Rights Commission
University of Maryland
University of Tulsa
video
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THE EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE GAY
AND BISEXUAL MALE SUBCULTURE IN
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA,
1889-2005
By
AARON LEE BACHHOFER, II
Bachelor of Arts
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1992
Master of Arts
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma
1996
Submitted to the Faculty of the
Graduate College of
Oklahoma State University
in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for
the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
May, 2006
�Copyright by
AARON LEE BACHHOFER, II
May, 2006
All Rights Reserved
ii
�THE EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE GAY
AND BISEXUAL MALE SUBCULTURE
IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA,
1889-2005
Thesis Approved:
Laura A. Belmonte
Thesis Advisor
Elizabeth A. Williams
Michael F. Logan
Brad A. Bays
A. Gordon Emslie
Dean of the Graduate College
iii
�ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
So many wonderful and professional people offered their assistance while I
prepared this manuscript. My entire graduate committee deserves a commendation for
seeing my course of study to completion, as interruptions and reevaluations characterized
the entire process. Until his retirement, Joseph Allen Stout served as my advisor and
friend at Oklahoma State University. He prodded when necessary, challenged me when
he felt I needed it, and he allowed me a great deal of freedom to work on a dissertation
well outside of his research interests. His old-school approach to historical scholarship
made me a better student, and his honesty prepared me for the peaks and valleys inherent
in writing a dissertation. Laura Belmonte served as director of this dissertation in all
respects. She took over officially when Dr. Stout retired, but her guidance at all
junctures made this project possible. It was in her 20th-century United States reading
seminar that I discovered the possibilities of research into the history of sexuality. Her
encouragement and careful analysis of my work made it more professional, readable, and
pertinent. Her wit made the process much more enjoyable. Michael Logan never failed
to encourage me or offer helpful suggestions, and I appreciate his friendship and
professionalism very much. Elizabeth Williams pulled me along through my European
field, patiently indulging my Amero-centric view of world history. Her careful reading
and pointed critiques eliminated a number of errors in this manuscript. Brad Bays also
iv
�provided an insightful critique of my work, and his emphasis on using maps made my
dissertation more complete.
Susan Oliver and Diana Hover, the guardian angels of the Oklahoma State
University History Department, never failed to answer my questions or look out for my
best interests. Diana, in particular, made sure that documents were signed, papers were
mailed, and that I was kept informed about news from the History Department.
A large number of wonderful people outside of Oklahoma State University also
made this research project possible. I am deeply indebted to Peter Boag, chairman of the
history faculty at the University of Colorado-Boulder, who is both a scholar and a
gentleman. He read a draft of this dissertation and brought his considerable insights on
the history of sexuality to my aid. He did so in spite of his inordinately challenging
schedule and personal projects. Rob Howard, an Oklahoma City gay rights activist and
president of the Central Oklahoma Prime Timers Club, allowed me to make a
presentation to his group (COPTA), which was both informative and enjoyable. Ralph
Prevette provided me with wonderful personal interviews and referrals and never ceased
in his support of my project. Mick Shirron went out of his way to see that I made
interview contacts and had access to archived issues of the Gayly Oklahoman. He and
the staff also designed an excellent advertisement for soliciting interviews and provided it
at a very reasonable rate. Victor Gorin slogged through back issues of the Gayly to
fulfill my outlandish research article requests. He was always polite, enthusiastic, and
encouraging. Mark Cox with Hard News Online agreed to run a story on my project,
and he assigned the article to John Roberts, who did a fantastic job interviewing me. As
a result, I received several interview contacts and responses from men and women in the
v
�LGBT community. William Welge, head archivist at the Oklahoma Historical Society
(OHS) spoke at length with me about research possibilities. He and his staff also made
records housed all over Oklahoma City available very quickly. Chad Williams routinely
rearranged his schedule to allow me to peruse felony arrest records at the OHS warehouse
in Oklahoma City. Ross Jury and Larry Lynch, both OHS employees, moved boxes and
materials from the warehouse to the OHS center for me, and did so at a moment’s notice.
Arrinda Desser, a volunteer at OHS, waded through boxes of unorganized county records
tracking down obscure cases, and did so with a smile. At the Oklahoma County
Sheriff’s Office, records supervisor Carolyn Russell performed record searches and
provided copies for me at no cost. Lola Martin and Kathleen Stanley, records
supervisors at the Oklahoma County Courthouse, saved my life by looking up a number
of old legal cases from their archives and provided me with key information about the
availability and storage of old files. The efforts of all of these kind people made the
creation of this dissertation possible. However, I am solely resposible for any errors
contained in the following pages.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge the debt my family paid while I attended graduate
school. My parents, Aaron and Geri Bachhofer, and my grandparents, Carl and Wanda
Bachhofer, always encouraged me to pursue an education and stretch my limits, and they
supported my efforts every step of the way. Rachael, Noah, and Gabriel all allowed me
to be absent from their worlds, both figuratively and literally, while I worked on this
project. Although they complained from time to time, they did not do so loudly. My
beautiful wife Jennifer helped me craft the maps included in this dissertation. In
vi
�addition, she never allowed me to entertain thoughts of withdrawing. She more than any
other individual is responsible for seeing that I finished this work. I love her very much.
vii
�TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
Page
I.
The Historiography of American LGBT Sexuality:….……………………..1
Oklahoma City’s Place in the Debate
II.
Sodomy in the City: Gay and Bisexual Love………………………………29
in Oklahoma City, 1889-1940
III.
The Downtown Mecca:………………..……………………………………68
Public Expressions of Private Passions
IV.
Female Impersonation in Oklahoma City:…………………………………119
The Rise and Fall of the Inferno
V.
Crackdown: The Oklahoma City Gay……………………………………..149
Male World on the Defensive
VI.
The Pink Tea Queens: Class, Status, and Position…………………………202
Within the “Respectable” Queer World
VII.
The Helms Bill, OHR, and the Politicization of the………………………..232
Oklahoma City Gay Male World, 1970-1989
VIII.
From All Angles: The Maturation of the…………………………………...265
Oklahoma City Gay Male World
IX.
AIDS in Oklahoma City..………………………………..………………….312
X.
Epilogue: The Dickensian Gay and Bisexual…..…….………………….....338
Male World in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………365
Appendixes……………………………………………………………………………..379
viii
�Appendix A—Gay, Bisexual, and Gay-Friendly Bars in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1889-2005………………………………..379
Appendix B—Felony Charges for Sodomy and
‘Crime Against Nature’ in Oklahoma County, 1889-1969……….......383
Appendix C—Oklahoma County Felony Court Records
Manually Checked for Sodomy Cases……………………………….389
Appendix D—Demographics of Interview Participants………………………...392
Appendix E—Interview Script/Questionnaire…………..……………………...393
Appendix F—Oklahoma State University Institutional Review Board.……..…397
ix
�TABLES AND FIGURES
Figure One: Downtown Oklahoma City, 1889-1907…………………………..35
Figure Two: Downtown Hotels and Rooming Houses,
1889-1930………………………………………………………..…..…47
Table One: Sentence Data for Sodomy Cases in Oklahoma County,
1889-1940………………………………………………………………62
Figure Three: Popular Sources for LGBT Sex and
Socialization, 1941-1970…..……………………………………………97
Figure Four: The Transformation of Northwest 39th Street,
1980-1990………………………………………………………………287
x
�Chapter I
The Historiography of American LGBT Sexuality:
Oklahoma City’s Place in the Debate
The field of U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history
coalesced after 1970, the product of freer attitudes about sexuality in general and the
revolution that was social history in particular, especially its emphasis on crafting history
from “the bottom up.” It might be said that the field passed through three distinct
phases. The first phase, encompassing much of the pre-1976 work, was anecdotal,
autobiographical, and written by members of the gay and lesbian rights movement.
Topics usually centered on the macrohistory of being gay in the United States, ignoring
how long-range historical trends affected gay communities, or whether communities
existed at all. Martin Duberman’s Black Mountain, an exploration of the North Carolina
artist commune that produced Robert Creely and Anna and Josef Albers, provided a
glimpse into a world with less rigid sexual boundaries. In that work Duberman also first
admitted that he was gay, no small feat for an academic at that juncture. Jonathan Ned
Katz’s Gay American History was one of the finest modern collections of narratives and
documents by gay Americans about their history.1 Despite their shortcomings, these
1
Martin Duberman, Black Mountain: An Exploration in Community (New York 1972);
Duberman discusses the suffocating atmosphere in which he and other gay scholars
worked throughout the 1950s, and his struggle to accept his sexuality in the face of
hostile medical and academic opinions in his Cures: A Gay Man’s Odyssey (New York:
Penguin Books, 1991), introduction, 27, 123; See also Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay
American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A., A Documentary (New York,
1
�early examples by pioneers in the field encouraged gays and lesbians to be more aware of
their history, and it inspired graduate students to seriously study aspects of homosexual
history.
By the early 1980s the field entered a second phase, during which several seminal
works appeared that put American sexuality in the broader fabric of American history.
Academic historians who focused on homosexual history, many of whom previously
found it difficult to secure jobs,2 brought the field into a sharper theoretical focus,
touching on issues like economics, resistance, victimization, and politics. These works
borrowed heavily from the impressive body of work being completed on women’s
history, which was energized by feminism and the women’s liberation movement.3 Gay
scholars took from their debates the belief that issues related to gender could augment
historical analysis -- just as the female perspective and experience enriched the larger
American historical narrative, so too would the gay experience. Academics immersed
1976). Although this work was less theoretical, Katz’s later work made him one of the
leading social constructionists of the Foucault school of thought on sexuality: sexuality is
socially constructed and historically specific.
2
John D’Emilio, “Not a Simple Matter: Gay History and Gay Historians,” Journal of
American History 76, no. 2 (September 1989): 435-442. D’Emilio found that despite
placing over 50 applications with universities, after publishing a major work, after
graduating from an Ivy League school and training under an eminent American historian,
he received only one substantial job consideration.
3
Examples include Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, “The Female World of Love and Ritual:
Relations Between Women in Nineteenth-Century Americans,” Signs (Autumn 1975), 129; Nancy Cott, The Bonds of Womanhood: “Women’s Sphere” in New England, 17801835 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1977); Sara Evans, Personal Politics: The
Roots of Women’s Liberation in the Civil Rights Movements and the New Left (New
York: Knopf, 1979).
2
�themselves in the history of sexuality, writing books, articles, theses, and dissertations on
a wide range of topics.4
John D’Emilio, who trained at Columbia under William Leuchtenburg, turned his
1982 dissertation into the powerful Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities, a work that
continues to set the standard in the field. D’Emilio argued that gay subcultures
developed during the late nineteenth century in response to structural changes in the
American economy and society that made living outside of the traditional family sphere
possible. In this regard, D’Emilio is rather Marxist, seeing a linear progression in queer
subculture formation -- from desire, to acts, to identities, to communities, and finally to
movements. Indeed, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities is steeped in the concepts of
“class” and “consciousness,” and he clearly views sexuality as being socially
constructed.5 According to D’Emilio, changes began in the late Victorian Era, when the
perception of homosexuality shifted from being a behavior descriptor to a matter of
personal identity. In larger cities like New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and
St. Louis, a number of drinking establishments, parks, bathhouses, and public theaters
became key socialization centers for gay and bisexual men after 1900. Many of these
4
Two early examples include Salvatore Licata, “Gay Power: a History of the American
Gay Movement, 1908-1974.” Ph.D. diss, University of Southern California, 1978, and
Ramon Gutierrez, “Marriage, Sex, and Family: Social Change in Colonial New Mexico,
1690-1846.” Ph.D. diss., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1980.
5
John D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of A Homosexual
Minority in the United States, 1940-1970 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983);
Marc Stein, “Theoretical Politics, Local Communities: The Making of U.S. LGBT
Historiography,” Gay and Lesbian Quarterly 11, no. 2 (2005): 605-625. Stein believes
that D’Emilio, like many scholars steeped in the language of the 1970s feminist political
concepts of “consciousness-raising” and Marxist notions of “class,” was heavily
influenced by the work of E.P. Thompson, especially his massive tome, The Making of
the English Working Class (New York: Pantheon, 1964).
3
�institutions prospered because they were located in the “rougher” parts of town, areas
abandoned by respectable businessmen and residents as the cities expanded, and they
grew to the point that many establishments “specialized,” offering distinct entertainments
based upon class or sexual interest. By World War I, such institutions were augmented
by professional associations, literary groups, and networks of private socialization that
catered to gay and lesbian residents.6
Central to D’Emilio’s analysis, however, were the massive economic and social
disruptions wrought by World War II, which culminated the century-long spread of
capitalism, industrialization, and urbanization, and this proved to be a huge catalyst in the
formation of collective gay life. While more repressive, the post-war years also
witnessed significant growth of urban gay subcultures and fledgling political
organizations like the Mattachine Society. Although the Stonewall incident was an
important spark for the modern gay rights movement for D’Emilio, he paid greater
homage to the years of work by other activists who made that spark possible. Thus the
post-1969 movement must be viewed as the culmination of Homophile efforts in the
1940s and 1950s, which were energized and made possible by structural changes in
American society inaugurated by World War II. The notion that pre-Stonewall gay
Americans lived in “silence, invisibility, and isolation” was simply incorrect for
D’Emilio.7
Building on D’Emilio’s work, Martin Duberman released About Time in 1986, a
collection of primary documents and essays by a wide range of gay, lesbian, political, and
educational figures. Duberman illustrated that gay and lesbian Americans had a history,
6
D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities, introduction, 1, 12-13.
4
�that it existed in a wide range of printed materials, both public and private, and that
LGBT studies could sustain itself as a field of productive historical inquiry. About Time
included excerpts from such resources as the diaries of eighteenth and nineteenth-century
gay men and women, Alfred Kinsey’s study and his letters to colleagues, and articles
reprinted by police detectives regarding the arrest of sodomy suspects. Duberman
followed About Time with an important anthology two years later, a project on which he
shared editing duties with George Chauncey and Martha Vicinus. Hidden From History
included almost thirty essays that touched on the sexuality of everyone from seventeenthcentury Samurai and Kabuki in Japan, to South African miners, to World War I sailors.
These were huge works in the late 1980s, encompassing as they did the primary materials
previously ignored by the historical profession.8
The field of LGBT sexual history made large strides by the end of the 1980s, with
research on bars, prominent homosexuals, World War II, and repression dominating the
historical discourse, but syntheses designed to place sexuality into the larger rubric of
American history lagged behind. That changed with the publication of John D’Emilio
and Estelle B. Freedman’s Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America, arguably
the single most important work released on the history of sexuality to date. D’Emilio
and Freedman showed that the history of sexuality in the United States did not follow
strict progression from repression to liberation, ignorance to wisdom, and intolerance to
liberalism. Rather, over the last three hundred years, changes in the meaning and place
7
Ibid.
8
Martin Duberman, About Time: Exploring the Gay Past (New York: Penguin Books,
1986); Martin Duberman, George Chauncey, and Martha Vicinus, Hidden From History:
Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past (New York: Meridian Press, 1990).
5
�of sexuality in American life paralleled changes in the economy, the family, and politics.
In particular, the authors defined American sexuality in explicitly political terms, and
they noted that three critical patterns recurred. First, political movements that seek to
change sexual ideas and mores flourish when an older political system is in disarray and a
new one is forming. Second, sexuality becomes political when WASP male authorities
attempt to define female and homosexual sexual boundaries and women and
homosexuals resist these proscriptions. Third, the politics of sexuality respond to both
real and symbolic issues. This explains why attempts to regulate prostitution increased
as more immigrants came to the United States and why African-American men were
lynched in the South for rape as economic and political competition between blacks and
whites became acute.9 Now in its eighth printing, Intimate Matters remains only one of
two full-length syntheses of new work on sexuality since 1975. 10
Freedman and D’Emilio provided an excellent synthesis of social and cultural
forces and their impacts upon sexuality, but scholars from outside of the history
profession---English and sociology in particular---provided a quasi-psychological and
philosophical perspective. In 1990, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick redefined the concept of
the “closet” and argued that it was not some mystical baggage that gays cast off after
Stonewall, nor was it of recent origins. Essentially, Sedgwick searched for a middle
ground between the two dominant philosophical approaches to studying sexuality then at
work – the essentialist and the social constructionist. The essentialist approach argues
9
John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in
America (New York: Harper and Row, 1988).
10
A smaller, provocative summary that charts same-sex history only is Leila J. Rupp, A
Desired Past: A Short History of Same-Sex Love in America (University of Chicago
Press, 1999).
6
�that sexuality is biologically constructed. Popular with gay rights activists for many
years, essentialism provides the basis of gay identity politics – namely, that gay people
have always existed, suffered abuse from their community, and thus deserve
amelioration. The social constructionist theory holds that the “homosexual,” as a distinct
species, is of recent origins and grew out of the Victorian-era medical and academic
discourses that studied a wide range of sexual deviance. At that juncture, according to
proponents like Michel Foucault, sexual acts once described merely as an aspect of
personal behavior came to be viewed as a fundamental personality trait, and thus a new
sexual identity emerged, which in turn codified a hetero-homo dichotomy that dominated
Americans understanding of sexuality since.11
For Sedgwick, both approaches seemed correct, and incorrect, at the same time--the closet was one of the only things giving consistency to gay culture and identity in the
twentieth century. The Epistemology of the Closet was a very dense and influential
deconstructionist work that is part literary criticism, part history, and part political
science. Sedgwick argued that almost every facet of thought and knowledge in
twentieth-century Western culture split along a hetero-homo sexual dynamic. This socalled Great Paradigm Shift started in the late 19th century, was “decidedly male,” and
permeated the entire cultural milieu. Sedgwick believed that sexual categories came into
vogue in Europe and the United States during the last third of the nineteenth century, and
she used the literary works of Melville, Nietzsche, Proust, James, and Wilde to trace that
development. The use of the word “homosexual” predated the use of the word
“heterosexual,” implying that before the 1890s sexuality, as a defining aspect of an
11
Vicki Eaklor, “Learning from History: A Queer Problem.” Journal of Gay, Lesbian,
and Bisexual Identity 3 (July 1998), 196-197.
7
�individual’s life and worth, was not salient. After 1900 sexuality, like gender, became
assignable. This process occurred at a time when power relations between genders and
nations were in flux via the growth of the modern women’s rights movement and the
maelstrom of political and diplomatic discontent wrought by events leading to World
War I. The categorization of sexuality and devaluation of homosexuality emerged as a
logical step in the process to redefine the Western social and cultural order following
these challenges. The explosion of psychological, legal, medical, and literary discourses
refined the sexual types and codified the hetero-homo dynamic. These discourses
contributed to the “otherness” of the homosexual, a negative evolution that culminated in
such things as a “homosexual panic” defense of the 1980s.12
Jonathan Ned Katz supported Kosofsky, D’Emilio, and other scholars’
assumptions regarding the social construction of homosexuality. In the Invention of
Heterosexuality Katz argued that the codification of heterosexuality as normative
sexuality resulted from the evolving opinions and expectations regarding the relationships
between men and women and men with each other. Scientists like Sigmund Freud and
German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing, and later, Alfred Kinsey, by publishing
their “expert” opinions in medical journals and dictionaries all over the world, added
legitimacy to the evolving concepts of gender, sexuality, and their categorization.
During the nineteenth century, the social order was not split into the "homo” and “hetero”
dichotomy so common today. Katz thus questioned the authenticity of expectations
12
Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Epistemology of the Closet (Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1990), 3.
8
�Americans hold regarding gender and provided a compelling critique of cherished beliefs
about sexuality.13
Cultural historian Siobahn Sommerville paralleled the changing attitudes about
race in the United States with the evolving conceptualizations of sexuality, postulating
that race was just as salient as politics, economics, or philosophy in early twentiethcentury transformations. Sommerville described the rise of race control and the
classification of sexuality, post-1880, as parallel events. Specifically, she argued that the
“negotiation of the color line” shaped and was shaped by newly emerging notions of
sexual identity proffered by writers Pauline Hopkins, James Weldon Johnson, Jean
Toomer, and a wide range of scientific and political discourses on sexuality and race.
Particularly interesting was her argument that the “invert" classification, a sexually
intermediate type halfway between pure male and pure female, sprang from the methods
and conclusions mobilized by racial science in its descriptions of mulattos and other
"half-breeds." Yet, by the 1920s, the new model of homosexuality supplanted the earlier
model of gender inversion, and it left no room for intermediate types. For Sommerville,
this new polarization of bodies and focus on desires reflected a similar, simultaneous shift
in racial thinking. The cultural figure of the mulatto gave way to a new vision of the
races as natural opposites, and increasing numbers of legal and social mechanisms
prevented people of different races from intermingling. Thus the emergence of new
sexual categories mirrored the hardening of the color line.14
13
Jonathan Ned Katz, The Invention of Heterosexuality (New York: Penguin Books,
1995).
14
Siobhan B. Somerville, Queering the Color Line: Race and the Invention of
Homosexuality in American Culture (Durham: Duke University Press, 2000). This is a
very ambitious and compelling work, as books that treat race and sexuality
9
�By the early 1990s, scholars specializing in the field of sexual history had
produced some impressive works detailing the place of homosexuality in the larger
American historical narrative. However, the relatively small number of scholars
specializing in the field meant that the same people wrote much the same thing for a wide
range of books, articles, and compendiums. In many ways, the love that dared not speak
its name now would not shut up. The second phase in the historiography of sexuality
was necessary and useful, especially for adding a theoretical dimension to the debate.
Works in this phase focused on the convergence of specific factors---economic, urban,
political, structural, and even international forces---and the roles they played in the
development of gay and lesbian subcultures in the United States, at large. But missing
were local studies and community studies of greater depth, those that might challenge or
support the excellent meta-narratives developed by D’Emilio and others.
A third phase began in the early 1990s, and works appeared that described gay
culture and gender issues in relation to other community factors, what might truly be
called the social history of homosexuality. Book-length community studies appeared,
histories that got to the heart of the queer social, political, economic, and sexual world
where it mattered most -- right outside of the protagonists’ front doors. In fact, works
that appeared over the last two decades or so focused almost exclusively on state and
simultaneously are in short supply. Her use of texts is dangerous---it makes the work
highly selective, a slave to its time frame, and regional (Southern). The author’s
readings indicate that both systems of differentiation and classification existed
simultaneously for some sexual/racial groups for some time post-1900, something that
questions just how much of a “shift” took place and how both systems were
“intertwined.” Also, the author’s tendency to see sexual hierarchies and racial
hierarchies as analogous (her comparison of the mulatto and “invert” as being similar
conceptual categories) is clearly inappropriate, given the wide range of sexualized and
racialized categories that her sources describe. One might also question whether this
“hardening” took place in the 1920s or was already well under way by the 1890s.
10
�local issues, and many tested the sturdy hypothesis offered by D’Emilio in Sexual
Politics, Sexual Communities.15
In 1990, Allan Berube produced one of the best social histories written in the last
twenty years when Coming Out Under Fire appeared. Berube made a strong case for the
emergence of a unique gay subculture for soldiers during World War II, one that allowed
homosexuals to survive repeated attempts to oust and humiliate them, and in some cases
to thrive. Participation in World War II quickly became a double-edged sword for many
gay soldiers. It provided new and provocative environments in which they expressed
their sexuality, or at least came to terms with being gay, yet the war also empowered
many confused or prejudiced officials to humiliate homosexual soldiers and make their
post-war years difficult. Wartime tolerance gave way to postwar backlash, when the
United States’ military instituted a policy to "blue," or dishonorably discharge
homosexuals. Officers subjected homosexuals to humiliating interrogations, sometimes
simply on the word of a single accuser.
The military constructed holding areas that in
some cases resembled concentration camps in which soldiers waited several months for a
trial. Blue discharges haunted homosexuals for years: they lost their veterans benefits,
any medals they earned, and found it difficult to get jobs and secure loans at home.
Overall, however, Berube indicated that gay men and women emerged from World War
II stronger and more determined to fight for their rights as gay citizens.16
15
Mark Stein, “Theoretical Politics, Local Communities,” 4.
16
Allan Berube, Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World
War II (New York: The Free Press, 1990). Margot Canaday discusses the post-World
War II relationships between homosexuals, the military, and the federal government in
“Building A Straight State: Sexuality and Social Citizenship under the 1944 G.I. Bill,”
Journal of American History 90, no. 3 (December 2003): 935-957. Canaday argues that
when the government made soldiers discharged for being homosexual ineligible for G.I.
11
�Just as Berube took the field by storm with his work, other scholars found that gay
subcultures existed in larger urban areas in the United States, some by the turn of the
twentieth century, which predated D’Emilio’s time frame for such developments.
Principal among these was George Chauncey’s Gay New York which appeared in 1993,
the first community study of male homosexuality of any depth.17 Chauncey found that a
visible, coherent, and bawdy gay male subculture developed in parts of New York City
by the early 1900s, well before the 1960s when conventional wisdom assumed this to be
true. Chauncey noted that gender relationships at this time were decidedly more fluid
than previously assumed. In fact, heterosexual working-class men could have ongoing
sexual relationships with passive, effeminate “fairies” and not suffer societal ostracism or
questions regarding their masculinity. He concluded that these passive inverts exhibited
a third sexual orientation, and thus were not seen as socially or morally threatening.
While this figure disappeared in the late 1930s, in part due to a conservative backlash
against the perceived excesses of the 1920s, the gay male subculture did not disappear.
Rather, that subculture relied upon the cultural norms, language, and behavior that had
developed for decades to remain “in” society at large yet shielded from the sting of public
scorn.
Chauncey’s work took the field by storm and opened up a wide range of
possibilities for community studies, even regionalization. Scholars produced community
Bill benefits – a process facilitated by the military when gay soldiers were no longer
indispensable -- this represented an “explicit” exclusion of queer Americans from the
welfare state, an exclusion that only intensified into the 1950s.
17
George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the
Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994).
12
�studies of large urban areas in the northeast and far west that showed community building
did not follow consistent patterns. In addition, the themes of race, class, urbanization,
and politics found their way into the analyses, which only broadened their appeal. Brett
Beemyn reconstructed the gay male world in Washington, D.C., and focused primarily on
the African-American experience, from 1890 through such seminal events as World War
II and the Great Purges of the 1950s. John Loughery produced an eloquent history of the
Washington, D.C. white gay male world using the rich diaries of one long-time resident,
from World War I until the 1990s.18 Marc Stein, emphasizing politics in sub cultural
growth and development, described Philadelphia between 1945 and 1972 as a cuttingedge city on key 20th -century changes in relations between gay women and men.
Challenging the notion that gay men and lesbians were either “entirely distinct” or
“completely conjoined,” Stein focused on the fluidity of gender and sexual desire to show
that everyday interactions between gays and lesbians were just as political and capable of
transforming the political landscape as the Gay Liberation Front or the Homophile
Movement. He also suggested that if a LGBT subculture existed in a “forgotten big
city” like Philadelphia, then they likely existed in every large city in the United States,
regardless of region.19
18
Brett Beemyn, “A Queer Capital: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Life in Washington,
D.C., 1890-1955” (Ph. D dissertation, University of Iowa, 1997); John Loughery, The
Other Side of Silence: Men’s Lives and Gay Identities: A Twentieth-Century History
(New York: Henry Holt, 1998).
19
Marc Stein, The City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia,
1945-1972 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), ix, 1-3, 17. The central
problem with Stein’s analysis involves his need to see everything in political terms---his
definition of politics is terribly broad and his frequent reference to “everyday resistance”
is tedious---as is his need to place relationships between gays and lesbians as the central
agent for change. He implies that gay men and women essentially revamped societal
13
�Regional work on the Midwest and the South showed that homosexuals carved
out livable existences in areas previously thought barren of such subcultures, a fact which
seriously questioned whether gay community development and urbanization were
interdependent. Sociologist Will Fellows argued that rural gay men encountered rigid
gender roles, social isolation, racism, religious conservatism, sexual prudism, and the
suspicion of the unfamiliar in the years spent on the farm. Worse yet, no role models
existed that might offer any hope as to the possibility of living an alternative lifestyle.
However, Fellows illustrated that in this seemingly homophobic environment, queer men
carved out livable existences, as non-traditional gender behavior was more likely to be
excused as eccentricity by family members. Isolation also gave them time to think about
their emerging sexualities and remain free from excessive peer pressure to conform. In
the end, Fellows contends, most farm people accept things for what they are, and this was
a good thing for rural gay men.20
James Sears and John Howard also contributed to the understanding of regional
aspects of sexuality, this time for the South, but each offered strikingly different
perspectives. In a multi-volume history of queer Southern life, Sears showed that the
Homophile movement provided the infrastructure within southern communities to
harness the new, post-Stonewall activism. He chronicled the forgotten efforts of the
“rebel,” “rubyfruit,” and “rhinestone” brigades, his terms for Southern gay and lesbian
residents based upon their sexuality, to carve out queer space for themselves and
expectations and notions of homosexuality on their own, when I would argue that
changes in the level of acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality came from the
liberalization of heterosexuals, which gay men and women certainly helped bring about.
20
Will Fellows, Farm Boys: Lives of Gay Men from the Rural Midwest (Madison:
University of Wisconsin Press, 1996), 9-25.
14
�overcome the community pressures and intra-group conflicts that made being “out”
before Stonewall almost impossible. Sears looked at a wide geographic range of cities -from Richmond and Birmingham all the way to Houston -- between the time of the
Stonewall rebellion and the March on Washington in 1979. For Sears, the Dade County,
Florida referendum, the successful 1978 fight waged by Anita Bryant and other Save Our
Children supporters to overturn a local anti-discrimination ordinance, “lit the fuse for
mainstream political activism in the South and the country.” It and the subsequent
March on Washington capitalized on the efforts of homophile predecessors, providing the
networks and activism history necessary to encourage a gay rights movement in the
South.21
John Howard produced some of the best work on the South, and offered a
different perspective on queer culture than Sears. A native of Mississippi who trained
under Martin Duberman at Emory University, Howard produced Carryin’ On in the
Lesbian and Gay South in 1997, a series of articles on gay and lesbian history in the
21
James T. Sears, Lonely Hunters: An Oral History of Lesbian and Gay Southern Life,
1948-1968 (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1997); James T. Sears, Rebels,
Rubyfruit, and Rhinestones: Queering Space in the Stonewall South (New Brunswick,
New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 2001), 1-4, 317. Sears works are excellent oral
histories of Southern gay activism, but they have shortcomings. His argument that the
homophile movement was “largely forgotten” might be true for southern homophiles, but
the homophile movement in areas along the West coast and in New York and Chicago
was well known. At times, Sears seems to contradict himself---activism was muted at
best and the gay/lesbian south was “less a community than a non-public lifestyle” at one
point in the narrative. Later, he cites activism from the “Lonely Hunters” era as
providing a blueprint for later protest actions, and he notes the relatively consistent
presence of interracial gay sex, coded language, bars, softball leagues, drag shows, and
networks of friends/parties---all of which are hallmarks of “community.” Pre-1969
communities were different, no doubt, but not nonexistent. Probably the most intriguing
argument Sears makes is that “homosexual discretion and heterosexual disregard”
allowed communities to exist and develop (even though he denies that REAL
communities existed elsewhere in the book).
15
�South, from the antebellum period to publication. Howard called it the “first book of
Southern lesbian and gay history,” rightly noting the exclusion of gays and gay history in
the South by both well-meaning and malevolent archivists, as well as the bi-coastal bias
in gay history---only New York and California had gay histories, and forget about rural
folks having their say. Southern homosexuals were not the self-loathing, closeted
prisoners that expatriates in California and New York suggested. Howard saw “three
R’s” running through the fabric of Southern gay and lesbian history: race, religion, and
“rurality.” Protestant evangelicalism “proved vital” in shaping the lives of gays and
lesbians in the South, as did the South’s peculiar historical institution – slavery -- and its
lingering impact on race relations. Rurality, or more specifically the excessive rurality of
the South in general, meant that space and movement must be accounted for in gay and
lesbian history. Anybody can have same-sex desire, but acting on it requires people to
move in the South – between isolated communities and urban environments, even
between states.22
Howard expanded that argument and took a leaf from Chauncey in Men Like
That. Howard dissected the Mississippi gay male world, denying that it was a wasteland
for the gay and transgendered after World War II. He found that there was much sex
between men, usually local – and unlike Chauncey, rural in nature -- until good roads
were built in the 1960s. In addition, Howard portrayed the 1950s as key years of
personal and sexual freedom in Mississippi, likely the product of post-World War II era
liberalism, when gay and bisexual men could look and act “queer” without too much fear
of reprisal so long as they played by certain rules. Men wrote about sex and acted upon
22
John Howard, Carryin’ On in the Lesbian and Gay South (New York: New York
University Press, 1997), 4-5.
16
�their desires, although almost all remained mindful of community standards of decency.
Desire, instead of politics and community, served as the organizing category for this
study, and alternative lifestyles fell under the large umbrella of what was considered
“queer”---everything from eccentricities in dress, speech, hobbies, personal behavior, to
sexual practices. This made gay sexuality less threatening, especially when combined
with the “deflective pretense of ignorance” so common in rural southern towns. Men
Like That refuted the notion that rural gay men missed out or needed to move to an urban
environment to live fully gay lives. It was a powerful answer to D’Emilio and his
emphasis on urbanization and capitalism in that regard.23
Just as the Northeast was considered an urban Mecca for gay subcultures,
historians studied the far West in some detail as well. California occupies a longstanding position as an oasis for gays and lesbians, especially after World War II. Nan
Boyd explored the wild days of community development in San Francisco before 1965 in
her influential Wide Open Town.
Boyd showed why San Francisco was “San Francisco”
for gay men and lesbians----from its large entertainment districts, the presence of worldrenowned gay bars that served as precursors of queer culture formation, and an overall
liberalism that made it an attractive place for gays and lesbians to live, especially after the
end of Prohibition in 1933. She also focused on why San Francisco was unique in the
grand scheme of gay community history---its coastal location, its popularity with tourists
and immigrants, and the presence of large numbers of military personnel during and after
23
John Howard, Men Like That: A Southern Queer History (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1999), x-xii. It should be noted, however, that Howard places special
emphasis on Mississippi’s largest city, Jackson, for placing a “spell” on gay and bisexual
men who resided in the more rural areas of the state on page 14. This would seem to
suggest that urban areas, even in the South, were important for LGBT community
formation.
17
�World War II. Boyd illustrated that San Francisco’s reputation for queer frivolity and
being a “wide open town” was hard-earned, as gay residents fought everything from local
crackdowns to the national backlash against gays in the federal government in the 1950s.
Gay city residents had already used the legal and political system with aplomb to
challenge repression when the Stonewall Rebellion occurred in New York. Boyd, in a
most provocative way, indicated that ultimately the gay subculture in the Bay City
struggled as much as other urban gay enclaves in the United States to establish itself and
prosper.24
Peter Boag shifted the focus further north to Oregon in Same-Sex Affairs, a work
as soulful as George Chauncey’s but more heavily tilted to issues of class, race, and even
age. Boag found that two distinct queer subcultures developed in the Pacific Northwest:
one, dominated by transient workers, working class youth, and immigrants that
eventually encountered an official Progressive-Era crackdown by middle-class
authorities; another, a middle-class gay subculture that took advantage of good wages and
access to education to forge a more “successful” subculture able to withstand the
community’s backlash. Unlike Chauncey, who described a sexual world in New York
categorized by gender-based behavior, Boag found age and class to be the most
predictable determinant of one’s role during sex and the community’s reaction to that sex.
Also for Boag, it was in mid-size Western towns and others of similar size all across the
United States that the first, real gay subcultures developed, an argument that redefines
24
Nan Alamilla Boyd, Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003). Boyd should be commended for her
protracted look at the lesbian perspective in San Francisco.
18
�our understanding of the impact of urbanization and population in relation to community
development.25
This brief examination of the historiography of U.S. LGBT sexuality suggests that
a wide geographic gap developed in the generation of community studies. Specifically,
nothing substantive for states east of California to the Mississippi River exists.
An
article or two on gay bars in Denver and Boise, Idaho, offered glimpses of gay sexuality
in western urban subcultures.
Together, however, they hardly constitute a viable data
sampling from which to generalize about homosexuality in the western United States.
To date, nothing of substance has been completed on homosexual enclaves in cities that
seem to call out for investigation, such as Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Santa Fe, or
Oklahoma City for example.
It was for these reasons that a study of the origins, character, and history of
Oklahoma City’s gay male subculture seemed necessary. Drawing heavily on the work
of George Chauncey and Peter Boag, this dissertation will uncover the cultural aspects of
Oklahoma City’s homosexual community----where gay and bisexual men lived and
worked, how their sexuality influenced their public and private lives, where they
congregated, and how their family and friends reacted to their sexuality. It will include
an analysis of certain elements frequently cited as watershed developments in the growth
of a homosexual subculture----hostile medical opinions, the availability of the
automobile, World War II, the Cold War, and the Stonewall Rebellion----and how those
national events affected the queer male world in Oklahoma City, if at all.
25
Peter Boag, Same-Sex Affairs: Constructing and Controlling Homosexuality in the
Pacific Northwest (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 3-10.
19
�Oklahoma City represents a perfect case study.
Settled late and in a frenetic,
boom-town fashion, Oklahoma City had a cosmopolitan population of varying ethnic and
social classes that from the beginning worked side by side to build a new kind of city in
record time.
Oilmen, jazz artists, authors, Native Americans, political opportunists,
cowboys, and early-day civil rights activists roamed the streets in Oklahoma City.
By
World War I, distinct residential and business districts developed, all of which separated
residents along socioeconomic and ethnic lines, but Oklahoma City housed one of the
roughest vice situations in the western United States.
Indeed, “Hell’s Half-Acre,” an
area bound by Broadway to Santa Fe Streets and from Grand to California, contained
rough women and saloons, few law enforcement officers, and a reputation for murder and
mayhem of all sorts.
In this environment, isolated from respectable society and yet
located so close to it and the downtown centers of commerce, men could successfully
express non-normative sexual orientations. As the capital of Oklahoma and
geographically centralized within the state, Oklahoma City was much more tolerant than
its rural counterparts throughout the state, yet prone to be just as wild and chaotic as any
boomtown. Describing how the gay and bisexual subculture survived and evolved in an
evangelical, Southern, conservative state, which is how Oklahoma is generally perceived,
would also give this study a wider appeal.
From a methodological standpoint, this study owes a great deal to George
Chauncey’s Gay New York.
Chauncey used New York City police records and court
documents relating to sodomy trials to map out the physical and psychic dimensions of
the gay male community. Case records listed where, when, and why an individual was
arrested and how the case evolved in the system, but they proved especially valuable
20
�because they contained telling information as to how heterosexual New Yorkers felt
about homosexuals. Personal interviews, private writings and memorabilia, newspapers,
and other materials rounded out the work and gave it a participant perspective.
This dissertation also relied on police records, court records, newspaper research,
census returns, and interviews with gay and bisexual residents, but the author
encountered a number of difficulties while trying to access police records. Despite the
Oklahoma City Police Department’s open records policy,26 requests for arrest records
were lost, returned as incomplete, or the records were characterized as “missing.” Clerks
insisted that applications include the social security number for men arrested as early as
the 1920s, and record requests once returned as missing or unavailable might
occasionally be filled if resubmitted later. Once record clerks and supervisors discovered
what kind of research the author was performing – investigations of same-sex sexual
activity in Oklahoma City – they were unhelpful at best and openly thwarted research
efforts at worst.
Other difficulties surfaced – many of the same issues faced by other scholars of
LGBT history – relating to this dissertation’s use of personal interviews to document the
feelings and actions queer Oklahoma City residents. John Howard speaks to the obvious
difficulties associated with participant-driven sources: they offer one participant’s
perspective, or a group of individual perspectives, which may or may not be collaborated
by other documentation, and are subject to the whims of romanticized or selective
memory. Also, the danger of asking self-identified gay men about their gay life history
26
Essentially, if a citizen fills out an application, knows basic information about an event
that the Oklahoma City police investigated, and pays the search fee, the records are made
available. Records involving minors, rape, or incest are redacted before they are
released.
21
�would “isolate sexuality and remove it from everyday life.”
The author acknowledges
these pitfalls and does not contend that oral history is superior to documents or other
historical records, nor that participant perspectives should be privileged when they
contradict written source materials.
It seems to violate the sanctity of the historical
method, however, to ignore gay oral histories, or subject them to an even higher standard
of credibility than other interview sources, especially when they are the only materials
available for documenting the existence of gay bars in the 1940s, reactions to
homophobic officials and closeted members of the gay and bisexual community, and how
their sexuality affected their personal and professional lives. The remembrances of gay
Americans are no less valuable – or historically relevant and accurate -- than, say, the
slave narratives complied in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.
As
Howard correctly points out, “(t)he age-old squelching of our words and desires can be
replicated over time when we adhere to ill-suited and unbending standards of historical
methodology.”27
For this study, interview participants were solicited through an advertisement
placed in the Gayly Oklahoman, Oklahoma’s biweekly statewide LGBT newspaper. In
addition, a presentation the author made at a monthly meeting of the Central Oklahoma
PrimeTimers – a social and community-based organization open to mature gay and
bisexual men – encouraged several members of that group to contact me about
interviewing for this project.
I interviewed over thirty participants for this study –
twenty-four men, six women, and one male-to-female transsexual. The majority of the
interviews occurred face-to-face, usually in the participants’ home or other familiar
27
John Howard, Men Like That, 5-6.
22
�location, and they were tape-recorded for transcription later. Some respondents who live
outside of Oklahoma preferred email or telephone interviews.
The age range of
participants was wide, between twenty-five and eighty-one at the time of interview, but
eleven were over seventy and eighteen were over sixty years old. Only three were under
forty years of age, which heavily tilts the interview pool to those born before 1945. The
occupations of those interviewed varied, but twenty-six of thirty fell into four broad
categories: professional, entertainment/working class, non-entertainment/working class,
and medical. And those occupational categories were evenly distributed -- just as many
architects, accountants, educators, and attorneys made up the interview pool as did
hairdressers, contractors, mechanics, and bartenders.
majority of interview subjects were Caucasian.
Unfortunately, the overwhelming
With the exception of one Hispanic
gentleman, no other non-Caucasian individual responded to interview solicitations, nor
did any of those who participated in the interview process refer a single person of color
for a possible interview.
Some information regarding African-American LGBT
Oklahoma City residents is included in this study, but admittedly it is slight.28 While the
overall social, educational, and economic characteristics of the interview participants is
well-balanced, the same cannot be said of the racial component, and although it could not
be remedied, this stands as an unexamined aspect of the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual
male world.
The interviews were crucial to outlining the parameters of everyday social,
political, and sexual elements of the queer community in Oklahoma City. Names, dates,
and events recalled by respondents proved quite accurate when compared to court records
28
See Appendix D for participant demographics.
23
�and newspaper articles.
Their opinions and personal reflections gave this study an
authenticity it would otherwise lack, for court documents, newspapers, and census
records cannot communicate the emotional toll that police brutality took on residents, or
the flush of excitement felt by closeted men who attended a drag show in the 1940s for
the first time for instance.
In a related manner, the development of a community study brings with it
concomitant charges of localism, as well as a constant pressure to explain local events as
an outgrowth of the national.
Marc Stein discusses the pitfalls, which have appeared
quite regularly in the community studies genre that has dominated local LGBT history for
the last two decades. Authors can become mired in the “microhistorical” aspects of their
work, which limits their effectiveness according to some, to say nothing of making their
work boring to non-residents.
Worse, the pressure to “out queer” other scholars’
community histories – to show that one city’s LGBT community was more outrageous,
supportive, browbeaten, resilient, or political -- to say nothing of the history profession’s
expectation that local events occurred in response to national events, “have encouraged
premature pronouncements about the typical, atypical, or prototypical aspects of local
phenomena.”29
Yet another difficulty, faced by any investigator sifting through the historical
record for evidence of sexuality, is one of definition.
How can the sexuality of men
engaging in same-sex relations in the 1900s and 1910s, for instance, be adequately
historicized and described.
Ultimately, the terms “gay,” “bisexual,” or “straight” are
inadequate and inappropriate, as men from that era did not define their sexuality in those
29
Stein, “Theoretical Politics, Local Communities,” 4.
24
�terms.
As a result, evidence of same-sex activities is difficult to uncover and,
occasionally, forever lost in a morass of obscure legal charges.
In addition, scholars
have illustrated that men of all ages engaged in homosexual acts for a variety of reasons –
money, companionship, sexual gratification, professional advancement, protection, or
mentoring to name a few.30
To describe same-sex activity as “homosexuality” or its
practitioners as “homosexual” or “bisexual” prevents a critical analysis of sexuality in
relation to other historical forces, and it does not fully explain why people made the
sexual choices they made or how they felt about those choices.31
This author believes that some of these challenges simply are germane to the
creation of LGBT community studies.
Many if not all of the source materials used in
such works, whether documents or interviews, will be local in nature and therefore of
only peripheral interest to scholars unfamiliar with the state or region. It is also possible
that scholars feel some duty to tell that community’s story in greater detail, especially if
that community has been particularly exploited in the past, which privileges local events
and sources. Grappling with defining and historicizing same-sex sexuality in Oklahoma
City turned out to be no less onerous than it was for other scholars in their respective
community studies. Ultimately, this author referred to male same-sex activity as “queer”
throughout the text in order to distinguish it as non-normative sexuality. However, when
interview participants referred to themselves as “gay” or “bisexual,” that characterization
also was used in the text. Although perhaps less precise than some might prefer, “queer”
is exclusive enough to discuss adequately the same-sex sexual behavior of male
30
Boag, Same-Sex Affairs, 15-86; Chauncey, Gay New York, 47-63, 65-97.
31
Peter Boag, email to author, 2/5/2006.
25
�Oklahoma City residents while broad enough to encapsulate the sexual behavior of those
whose sexuality – and feelings about the sexuality -- would be impossible to gauge at the
best of times.
Despite these challenges, enough records slipped through and interview
participants generously relayed enough information to indicate that Oklahoma City was
not a wasteland for gay and bisexual men, at any time in the city’s turbulent history.
From the moment that a federal marshal fired his gun into the air in April 1889, until the
1960s, men roamed the streets of Oklahoma City looking for other men for sex, for
companionship, and for love.
Although the state responded by charging men, when
applicable, with crimes against nature, they did not do so zealously. By World War II, a
number of downtown restaurants and bars catered to homosexuals, at least on a part-time
basis, and some did so exclusively by the 1950s.
The predictable backlash occurred
much like it unfolded in other parts of the United States, but it did so later, in the 1960s,
and was largely the result of the previous decades’ openness.
The backlash coincided
with the end of prohibition in Oklahoma in 1959, which altered the trajectory and focus
of civil authorities in relation to vice control, and the ascendance of politicians and
community leaders on a holy crusade to eradicate homosexuality.
A striking aspect of
this investigation was that although some of the individuals harping about the “sex
deviates” used Biblical imagery and religion as a weapon with which to attack queer
men, religious authorities in general paid less attention to the matter.
Sermons rarely
attacked homosexuality, and protests specifically targeting homosexuals were virtually
nonexistent.
This might indicate that evangelical religious fervor was less salient in
26
�policing the gay male world or shaping its destiny than was politics in Oklahoma City,
and possibly in the West, generally.
Finally, it should be noted that the history of Oklahoma City’s male same-sex
landscape did not mirror those found in other cities on the east and west coasts, and that
should not be surprising given the peculiarities of Oklahoma City’s founding. That the
Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male subculture did not have pansy balls in the 1920s
does not mean that it was any less open or queer than New York City’s Greenwich
Village, from the members’ perspective. The historical record is replete with examples
of same-sex desire, queer restaurants, private parties, drag shows, gay bars, and gay
sexuality expressed publicly, so that it is impossible to deny the presence of queer men
from the turn-of-the-century.
Queer Oklahoma City residents did not react to the
Stonewall Rebellion by galvanizing the community to greater and more daring acts of
defiance. It took another decade for the political awakening to occur in Oklahoma City,
when gay and bisexual Oklahoma City residents responded to political attacks and police
repression in an unprecedented way.
Although this awakening occurred well after the
infamous events in Greenwich Village, and in a more sedate way -- using the legal
system for redress -- it was just as empowering and inspirational. Some might argue it
was more effective in the long run as well.
The Oklahoma City gay male world was
remarkably like gay subcultures in other cities, not only by 2000 but even in the 1940s
and 1950s.
That this can be said of Oklahoma City, capital of one of the most
conservative states in the Union, strongly questions the conventional wisdom that
describes the geographic expanse between New York and San Francisco as a queer
wasteland, devoid of the cultural and political legacies necessary to sustain gay life. To
27
�think anything less denies queer residents in Oklahoma City the authenticity of lives
lived, lovers loved, and the stories they shared.
28
�Chapter II
Sodomy in the City:
Queer Love in Oklahoma City, 1889-1940
A queer world existed in Oklahoma City, from at least the turn of the twentieth
century, one that took advantage of the peculiarities of Oklahoma City’s founding to
allow members to find one another, have sex with one another, and establish networks
that continually allowed other men to join the fold. Vice and lawlessness dominated the
Oklahoma City social landscape before statehood and left an indelible mark on the city’s
early development. With prostitutes roaming the streets or setting up shop in any
number of establishments, and queer men renting rooms for sex in Hell’s Half-Acre, it
indicates that city residents tolerated alternative displays of sexuality. An undermanned
and corrupt police force was powerless to stop social vice anyway, and they usually
focused on the more common and easily identifiable crimes like prohibited liquor or
gambling. The various construction booms that took place in Oklahoma City between
1889 and World War II meant plentiful jobs existed for men, both married and single.
Downtown rooming houses were full of men, and they took full advantage of all that the
Oklahoma City social and sexual worlds offered. Court records indicate that men risked
a great deal by engaging in sex with other men, as the punishments were severe and
certain. This did not deter queer men, however, as they ventured forth in search of
others who shared their sexuality. They navigated the rocky terrain in Oklahoma City,
29
�and carved out a viable existence that set the stage for the post-World War II gay coming
out party.
The land that eventually became known as Oklahoma City was situated within the
heart of the Indian territories. During the 1820s and 1830s, the federal government
ceded huge tracts of land to the Five Tribes, removing them in order to facilitate white
settlement in the southeastern United States. At that juncture, the Cherokee, the
Choctaw, and the Creek were the only tribes of any significant size in the territory, and
they owned virtually the entire region. In 1833 some of the Seminole retired and moved
to Indian Territory to live with the Creek, and in 1837, the Chickasaw removed to the
Choctaw Nation in the southeast corner of the territory. Over the years, the Chickasaw
split from the Choctaw Nation and were given their own domain, and new tribes were
removed to Indian Territory until the late 1870s. In 1881, when the federal government
allocated reservations to Oklahoma tribes for the last time, a problem developed, one
with long-range implications. In the center of the territory, surrounded by reservations,
sat over 1.8 million acres of unallocated land, the famous Unassigned Lands. Originally,
the Seminoles and Creeks controlled the lands, but they ceded them back to the federal
government following the Civil War. It was to be given to other tribes to encourage their
removal to the territory, but the nearly two million acres were never reallocated. Over
the years word spread that these “uninhabited” lands were prime agricultural tracts and
would make excellent farms, and many whites came to Indian Territory to investigate
these claims. Railroad companies, banking interests from Kansas and Missouri, and
wholesalers and merchants all hoped to cash in on a population explosion in the
Territory, so they pushed for the federal government to open tracts for settlement.
30
�Rough, ambitious men like David Payne and William Couch led the “Boomer” brigades,
hired by moneyed interests, to promote settlements and pressure Congress for access to
the lands. In the face of this constant pressure, the federal government cleared the titles
to the land by paying the Creek and Seminoles over $4 million in January 1889.
President Benjamin Harrison then signed an order throwing the Unassigned Lands open
for settlement.1
On April 22, 1889, the legendary Oklahoma Land Run took place. In the days
leading up to the Run, people flooded into the territory hoping to get land. Estimates
varied, but most put the number of inhabitants at between twelve- and twenty-thousand
people. Since no cities existed, people congregated around the Atchison, Topeka, and
Santa Fe depots, as these outposts offered the only goods or services available. Of the
Guthrie, Kingfisher, Norman, and Oklahoma Stations, Oklahoma Station was the largest
depot and centrally located in the Unassigned Lands. After the run, some 10,000 people
set up a tent city there. Oklahoma City literally was born grown.2
Although the federal government worked very quickly to release the Unassigned
Lands, it made no provision for how the new territory would be governed, and Oklahoma
Station and its history would forever bear the mark of that oversight. Until Congress
passed the Organic Act in May 1890 creating Oklahoma Territory and providing a
uniform system of government, Oklahoma City was essentially left to its own devices for
1
Arrell Morgan Gibson, Oklahoma: A History of Five Centuries (Norman: University
of Oklahoma Press, 1965), see chapters 6 and 14; Howard Wayne Morgan and Anne
Hodges Morgan, Oklahoma: A History (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1977),
47-50; Roy P. Stewart, Born Grown: An Oklahoma City History (Oklahoma City:
Fidelity Bank, 1974), xiv-7.
2
Stewart, Born Grown, xiv-7.
31
�at least a year. The Oklahoma City Council drafted ordinances covering everything from
land statutes and claim laws to livestock rules, but they left the finer points of law to the
imagination. To be sure, serious disputes arose, usually involving property conflicts,
survey errors, and claim jumping, but the most serious problems dealt with the lack of
legitimacy that residents accorded the provisional leaders. By the end of 1889, the
provisional city government was a shambles, so much so that the U.S. Attorney General
ordered it dissolved and all Oklahoma City ordinances revoked. Federal marshals kept
the peace as best as they could, but this period of absolute lawlessness spawned a
subculture of vice and violence that Oklahoma City never completely overcame.3
Also playing roles in the early solidification of vice in Oklahoma City were the
construction booms of 1898 and 1903, fueled by railroad expansion, which saw the
population increase from 4,000 to 14,000.4 These booms started and continued until
World War I. Like most frontier areas, men outnumbered women in Oklahoma City
from the beginning. In June 1889, two months after the Run, there were still over 2000
men and only 721 women in the Oklahoma City area. The construction work brought
many young, unattached workers to Oklahoma City, causing the number of amusements
that catered to men generally and single men specifically to explode. The saloons,
3
Stewart, Born Grown, 18-21; Albert McRill, And Satan Came Also: An Inside Story of
a City’s Social and Political History (Oklahoma City: Britton Publishing Company,
1955), 19.
4
Bob L. Blackburn, Heart of the Promised Land: Oklahoma County, An Illustrated
History (Woodland Hills, California: Windsor Publications, 1982), 85; For the
economic and social impact of the completion of the St. Louis and Oklahoma City
Railroad, see Aaron Bachhofer II, “Forgotten Founder: Charles G. ‘Gristmill’ Jones and
the Growth of Oklahoma City, 1889-1911.” Chronicles of Oklahoma 80 (Spring 2002):
44-61.
32
�brothels, gambling dens, and private clubs soon became prosperous businesses in the new
city. In fact, license fees and fines imposed on patrons by city authorities provided the
fledgling city with its first dependable source of income.5
Given that Oklahoma City needed revenue, that men outnumbered women almost
four to one, and that the respect for law and order was lacking, the vice problem grew
unabated. The one-square block bound by Front Street and Broadway, and Grand
Avenue and California became known as “Hell’s Half-Acre.”6 Here, one found most of
the entertainments and businesses that a young, single man might ever need, all within
walking distance. There were the Red Onion, Rattlesnake Jake’s, and John Burgess’s
first club, all of which sold liquor twenty-four-hours a day. The most notorious madam
ever to work in Oklahoma City – and one of the most notorious in the West – also moved
to the Half-Acre. “Big Anne” Wynn set up a tent on Front Street right after the Run. A
native of Colorado, Wynn was young, blonde, and weighed over two-hundred pounds.
Her tent, and the larger house she built on Second Street and Walker when the
prostitution cartel moved north later, were “notorious dens of vice, where robbery, rape,
and murder and every other crime in the category, would be committed, and she would
never be convicted of anything.” Anne parlayed her knowledge of sensitive information
on city officials and the value of her services in general into a position of prominence for
5
McRill, And Satan Came Also, 21. Opening a saloon in Oklahoma City was relatively
easy. All one needed was a building, a clientele, and a $250 annual license fee. Despite
that exorbitant fee (by 1900 standards), Oklahoma City was never at a loss for drinking
establishments.
6
Front Street is now known as Santa Fe, and Grand Avenue was renamed Sheridan
Avenue in the early 1960s.
33
�twenty years.7
A block north of the Half-Acre, things did not improve much. On north
Broadway, or “Battle Row” as residents named it for the number of fights it handled
daily, was the Vendome, Oklahoma City’s most luxurious brothel. Owned by Ethel
Clopton, the Vendome boasted beautiful girls, Belgian rugs, and the highest prices in
town. Next door was the Commercial Saloon, and across the street were the Black and
Rogers Saloon and the Two Johns Saloon, John Burgess’s second club, the roughest and
most notorious watering holes in Oklahoma City’s history. The Two Johns’ saw more
illegal action, political wrangling, and underworld deals than any other Oklahoma City
drinking establishment. Ironically, the Two Johns was located right next to City Hall, a
fact that never seemed to cause the saloon any grief until mandatory prohibition started in
1907.8
7
Information and quote on Wynn from McRill, And Satan Came Also, 6; Some argue
that prostitutes were powerless, by definition, and thus question Wynn’s historical
importance. Apparently, Wynn collected sensitive information about prominent
Oklahoma City political leaders that she used essentially to blackmail her way out of
raids and arrests. In addition, we must remember that Anne Wynn was not a prostitute,
she was a madam, and more importantly Oklahoma City was not a frontier town by 1900
but a modest-sized metropolis with a relatively modern infrastructure. The prostitutes
Anne Butler described in her book – the broken women, with no other options but
prostitution, who usually suffered life-long physical and emotional scars as a result of the
flesh trade -- were likely not found in Oklahoma City. This was certainly true of Wynn’s
second brothel, a plush home on Northwest Second Street. See Butler’s book,
Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Mercy: Prostitutes in the American West, 1865-1890.
Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1985.
8
Ronald J. Owens, Oklahoma Justice: The Oklahoma City Police, A Century of
Gunfighters, Gangsters, and Terrorists (Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing
Company, 1995), 7-15, 49. Owens was a long-time member of the Oklahoma City
police force and had access to records, reminisces, and photographs that would never be
available to the general public. This work, although somewhat anecdotal, provides a
crucial description of crime and punishment in Oklahoma City; McRill, And Satan Came
Also, 6, 29.
34
�Figure One
Downtown Oklahoma City, 1889-1907
CALIFORNIA AVENUE
3
S HARVEY
HOP BOULEVARD
S ROBIN SON
2
S BROADWAY
1
7
4
8
FRON T STREET
6
5
9
BUNCO ALLEY
10
11
WEST GRAND
12
◊
13
14
17
15
18
19
20
16
24
25
WEST MAIN
HELL'S HALF-ACRE
1 – Red Onion Saloon
2 – Rattlesnake Jake’s Saloon
3 – Kid Bannister’s Bank
4 – Big Anne Wynn’s Tent
5 – John Burgess’s Club
6 – Southern Club
7 – Cottonwood de Bastille
8 – First Courthouse Shack
9 – Overholser Opera House (1st )
10 – Blue Front Saloon
11 – Billingsley’s Place
12 – The Vendome
13 – Commercial Saloon
14 – City Hall North
BATTLE ROW
15 – Two John’s Saloon
16 – Black and Rogers Saloon
17 – Orient Saloon
st
18 – Police Station and County Jail (1 )
19 – Overholser Theater
20 – OKC Athletic Club
21 – Lee Hotel
st
22 – Post Office (1 )
23 – City Council Headquarters (1st)
24 – Arlington Club
25 – First Bank
35
N H ARVE Y
23
N ROBI NSON
22
N BROADWAY
21
�Thus it can be said that Oklahoma City, from the beginning, exhibited what might
be called a high degree of lawlessness and an institutionalized subculture of vice, one that
operated freely, waxed and waned, but never completely disappeared. Even when Grand
Avenue became a central thoroughfare in a bustling downtown Oklahoma City after
World War II, it was still home to some of the most notorious nightspots in the city, gay
and straight. This was an environment where residents expressed non-normative
behavior more openly, if only slightly so; a place where alternative sexualities might be
exhibited with little notice. In addition, the sheer number of saloons and bawdy houses
in the district made the control of liquor and prostitution a primary focus for law
enforcement officials and morals crusaders until the late 1950s. This allowed queer men
even more freedom in an area already devoid of social restraint.
On the surface, gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City before World War II
would seem to be non-existent, and for good reason. There were no ostensibly gay bars
that served as meeting places and cultural hubs around which queer men would
congregate, nor were there any obviously gay men whom others could emulate or use to
counter their feelings of isolation. The city’s largest newspaper, the Daily Oklahoman,
contains almost no overt references to same-sex love. However, the historical record
contains evidence that queer men lived in Oklahoma City, and that they found willing
sexual partners. A critical examination of court records, newspapers, and census returns
indicates this. In addition, the very concept of homosexuality, as contemporary residents
understand it, was neither familiar to early twentieth-century Oklahoma City residents
36
�nor indicative of how they policed same-sex sexuality in general.9 Men accused of
sodomy, or ‘crimes against nature,’ with other consenting adult men were tried and
punished by Oklahoma County authorities just as swiftly and harshly as those accused of
such crimes with women, or even children. This indicates that authorities punished
sodomy, not homosexuality, a fact that places Oklahoma City outside of the norm with
regard to post-Progressive Era criminalization of same-sex behavior. In Portland,
Progressive-era crackdowns of heterosexual sex set the stage for later, post-1920
increases in attacks on gay and bisexual men. There, attempts to reestablish the potency
of anti-sodomy laws and control homosexuals in public flowed from Oregonians’
attempts to regulate prostitution, venereal disease, and middle-class adultery during the
previous decade. In New York City, George Chauncey notes that the social purity
societies who worked tirelessly to rid the city of prostitutes and police corruption in the
years before World War I gained valuable expertise and motivation to attack the gay and
bisexual subculture in the 1920s and 1930s. Until that time, the “City of Bachelors” had
operated rather brazenly; afterward, city officials and community groups effectively
closeted the New York City gay male world leading to a thorough “exclusion of
homosexuality from the public sphere” during the Depression. Oklahoma City seemed
to have more in common with San Francisco, which actually emerged from the social
9
Although the criminalization of same-sex sexual acts had been underway in some states
since before the American Revolution, the binary classification of sexuality along the
hetero-homo axis did not exist in the United States until the 1890s. John D’Emilio and
Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America (New York:
Harper and Row, 1988), 120-130. The best theoretical explanation of the rise of sexual
categories in the United States is offered by Jonathan Ned Katz, The Invention of
Heterosexuality (New York: Penguin Books, 1995) and Love Stories: Sex Between Men
Before Homosexuality (Chicago: University Press, 2001).
37
�purity crusades of the early twentieth century with what Boyd called “publicly visible
queer cultures and communities.” There, visibly queer bars and nightclubs flourished
post-Prohibition, which seemed to diffuse much of the Progressive reformers’ vigor. 10
By the early 1900s, Oklahoma City was roughly a decade old, filled with a
number of new industrial companies, a modest downtown area, and a sense of optimism
regarding its continued economic expansion. The city was also home to brothels, drug
users, prostitutes, and any number of criminals and hooligans. Since Oklahoma City was
not a large city, the names of those arrested for various offenses often found their way
into the Daily Oklahoman under the long-running column, “Pavement Pickups.” An
examination of arrests listed throughout the territorial period shows that Oklahoma City
police officers arrested residents for everything from larceny to bigamy. They also
arrested men for any number of imprecise offenses, those that did not fit into the
conventional penal vocabulary, encounters that could very easily have involved same-sex
sexual activity.
In May of 1902, L. Williamson, a truck driver, broke into the home of one J.R.
Graves. According to police information used by the Daily Oklahoman, Williamson
made “indecent proposals” to Graves, and authorities held him over for trial that very day
in the court of Judge Miller.11 In December of that year, the police arrested Mike Casey
for lewd conduct, and the following July of 1903, they cited John Grant for indecent
10
Peter Boag, Same-Sex Affairs: Constructing and Controlling Homosexuality in the
Pacific Northwest (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 186-206; George
Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male
World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994), 136-149, 331-354; Nan Alamilla
Boyd, Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965 (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2003), 2-6.
11
Daily Oklahoman, 5/20/1902.
38
�exposure at the Planter Hotel located at Reno Avenue.12 Other arrests for indecent
exposure included J.W. Matthews, a visitor from Guthrie, Sam Sarzlara, B. Harrison, J.H.
Humphrey, and Dan Garret, all between 1904 and 1905. The police arrested Garrett so
many times on indecent exposure complaints that city prosecutors turned his case over to
Oklahoma County authorities, who charged him with a felony. Other charges were less
specific but seemed to glow with a sense of indecency. In 1910, city resident Ed May
pled guilty in police court to “an immoral charge.” No other information about his case
exists, but it is interesting that it was a generic “immoral charge” that May faced instead
of a more specific one such as vagrancy by prostitution or public exposure. 13
Realistically, men arrested for exposing themselves engaged in one of three types
of behavior. First, they were caught in a sexual act, of some kind, with a female
prostitute. Second, they were publicly exposing themselves, either intentionally or
unintentionally, and residents reported this to the police who arrested them. Third, they
were engaged in a sexual act, of some kind, with another man. The first possibility is
easily dismissed, as when arrests for prostitution made their way to “Pavement Pickups,”
both the prostitutes and the men arrested would be listed together. The charge for
prostitution was also listed as “immoral acts” or “lewd behavior” instead of the more
specific charge of indecent exposure. The second possibility -- that they acted in a
solitary fashion, intentionally or unintentionally -- is more plausible than the first
possibility, but not completely realistic. The rash of charges – seven different offenders
12
Daily Oklahoman, 12/1902, and 7/12/1903.
13
Daily Oklahoman, 7/26/1904, 1/24/1904, 4/16/1905, 8/4/1905, and 9/28/1910.
39
�within eleven months, all arrested at downtown rooming houses or hotels, and all for
exposing themselves to the public -- seems unusual at the least.
It is possible that the men arrested for these and other non-specific crimes were
engaging in some kind of same-sex sexual activity. This seems likely if one considers
that Oklahoma City’s indecent exposure law covered a wide range of offenses.
According to the statute, people guilty of indecent exposure included:
Any person who shall conduct himself in a riotous or disorderly manner, or who
shall openly use profane or indecent language, or who shall indecently expose his
or her person, or who shall be guilty of any lewd or lascivious conduct in public,
or who shall commit any nuisance upon any street, alley, or sidewalk, or other
public place in the City shall be deemed guilty of an offense.”14
In short, virtually any behavior could be construed as indecent, if the arresting officer
decided it was so. Perhaps this became a convenient, generic charge that queer men
might be subjected to, one that was easier to plead guilty to and pay a fine than fight.15
This was a common practice in larger cities throughout the United States, a product of
late nineteenth-century reforms by anti-vice societies. Authorities classified disorderly
conduct, vagrancy, lewdness, indecency, or loitering as misdemeanor charges, charges
that became double-edged swords for queer men. On one hand, the ease with which the
charges could be disposed of -- by paying a fine or using a false name – probably made
queer men more comfortable to pursue sexual relationships and be visible in the
14
Oklahoma City Revised Ordinances, 1948 (Oklahoma City: Harlow Publishing 1948):
Chapter 4, sec. 7-51. This statute, apparently, remained unchanged from when first
passed by the Oklahoma City Council.
15
For the role that generic charges played in policing the gay community in New York
and elsewhere, see George Chauncey, ”’What Gay Studies Taught the Court:’ The
Historians’ Amicus Brief in Lawrence v. Texas.” Gay and Lesbian Quarterly v. 10, n.3
(2004): 13-14.
40
�community. On the other hand, the ease with which authorities could harass them with a
plethora of annoying charges initiated a systemic approach to policing the gay
community, one that escalated easily.16
While there was probably some male same-sex activity in Oklahoma City
obscured by the generic charges of disorderly conduct or indecent exposure, other, more
concrete examples of same-sex love exist in the historical record. Some of the most
notorious involved a young neer-do-well named James Blaine Hathaway. Hathaway was
born in Missouri in 1885 and moved to Oklahoma City sometime around 1900. He
quickly grew into a young adult who had problems with authority, which led to a number
of run-ins with Oklahoma City police and Oklahoma County authorities for everything
from burglary to jail escape. He was a laborer according to census returns, but also
delivered whisky for prominent local bootlegger F.D. “Dick” Taggert. Apparently
Blaine was quick to anger as he once threatened his brother Otto’s life with a shotgun,
shortly after being released from the city jail for carrying a pair of concealed revolvers.17
16
Ibid.; The best discussion of reform societies, their role in anti-vice crusades, and classbased nativism is Paul Boyer, Urban Masses and Moral Order in America, 1820-1920
(Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978), 123-131; Anti-prostitution campaigns are
detailed more fully in Allan Brandt, No Magic Bullet: A Social History of Venereal
Disease in the United States Since 1880 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), and
Ruth Rosen, The Lost Sisterhood: Prostitution in America, 1900-1918 (Baltimore: Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1982).
17
Daily Oklahoman, 12/5/1911, 14; “West Grand Terrorized By Boy With Shotgun”;
Daily Oklahoman, 3/31/1910; Daily Oklahoman, 10/10/1908; See 1910 Oklahoma
Census (Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City, Ward 8, Enumeration District 188, sheet 4a),
and Fourteenth Census of the United States. State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma County,
Oklahoma City, 1920 (Ward 4, ED 161, sheet 20a). Hathaway’s legal problems were
somewhat legendary before World War I. He and Lige Gabel were given 10-year terms
in the state penitentiary for armed robbery in 1913, and Hathaway was convicted of
assault with a dangerous weapon, liquor transportation, and other violent crimes too
many times to mention. See cases #3020, #3479, and #4787, State v. Blaine Hathaway,
41
�In the summer of 1905, the Oklahoma County sheriff held Hathaway for what authorities
labeled a “serious charge.” It seems Blaine met G.C. Walker, an “unsophisticated”
young man from Stonewall, Oklahoma, and Hathaway quickly gained the boy’s trust.
Hathaway procured a room for Walker at a downtown boarding house, according to a
newspaper account, a room that the two men apparently shared. Walker charged that
“after he had undressed, Hathaway secured his trousers for a time and when they were
returned to him he was minus $4.50.”18
Several obvious questions arise from this incident, such as why was Hathaway
procuring a room for another man, who was presumably of age to do so on his own, and
why was this man undressing in the same room with Hathaway, a perfect stranger?
Given the availability of cheap rooms in Oklahoma City, Walker certainly did not need
Hathaway to procure one, especially if he had $4.50 in his pocket, and it is doubtful that
he needed Hathaway to fold his clothing for him. Hathaway lived with his parents at 114
East California, which was only a block or two from the downtown area, so he certainly
did not need to rent a room for habitation.19 The likely answer is that Hathaway and
Walker engaged in some kind of sexual activity, and Walker became upset with
Hathaway over the missing money and filed a police report. It is worth noting that
authorities only filed charges of petty larceny against Hathaway and not the more serious
charge of sodomy in state court, which suggests that authorities used wide latitude when
Oklahoma County Court House, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, for the felony charges he
faced before 1920 alone.
18
“Blaine Hathaway Again.” Daily Oklahoman, 6/8/1905, 5.
19
Twelfth Census of the United States. Territory of Oklahoma. Oklahoma County
Ward 5, ED 171, sheet 1B, 1900.
42
�charging men with crimes. Lesser charges, such as disorderly conduct or in Hathaway’s
case petty larceny, would be much easier to prove in court – if the case even made it that
far. Defendants might be inclined to simply plead guilty, pay the fine, and have the
matter resolved quickly.
If Hathaway and Walker indeed had just met, perhaps Hathaway was hustling on
the bustling streets of Oklahoma City, supplementing his meager income with funds from
the sex trade. If true, he was not alone in that trade, for prostitution had been a source of
embarrassment for city leaders and a target of numerous vice crackdowns since the first
days of Oklahoma City’s existence.20 It is certainly possible that male prostitutes
worked downtown in Oklahoma City, as the incident between Hathaway and Walker
suggests. Perhaps Hathaway needed money, as he seemed to gravitate toward illegal
activities such as gambling and bootlegging to make ends meet. Male prostitution could
be an economic strategy for survival, just as it was for women, especially in Oklahoma
City when times were tough and employment difficult to come by. The ease with which
Hathaway and Walker found one another suggests that young queer men were visible
elements in the Oklahoma City landscape, even if only to other young queer men.
In fact, one of the hallmarks of American social history after World War I was the
increased importance of peer cultures. As historian Paula Fass illustrates, post-1918
American youth invented and reveled in a culture that was more independent of the home
and family than ever before. Greater numbers of young, middle-class Americans started
20
Prostitution in Oklahoma City was a continuing source of embarrassment and concern
for city leaders since 1890. See McRill, And Satan Came Also, 25-32, and throughout
the entire book for references. References to prostitution arrests abound in the Daily
Oklahoman, and Ron Owens documents the politics of vice in the Oklahoma City police
department. Police chiefs might be dismissed as quickly for being too successful at
fighting vice than for not doing enough. Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 60-64, 161-165.
43
�going to college, driving automobiles, and expanding their attitudes regarding acceptable
standards of sexuality. Central to this peer culture was the freedom from home life and
parental supervision. This freedom allowed the youth peer culture to experience new
things and make new friends at the same time it prepared its members to assume the adult
roles and responsibilities shared by their parents. “In a culture slowly moving toward the
future, they were caught between those encroaching Main Street roles that they would
soon assume and those innovations that had twisted their lives in new directions. So they
were optimistic about business and naughty about sex. They could tolerate latitude in the
behavior of others but must prudently guard against suspicion in their own,” according to
Fass. “There was no hostility toward the world of their elders, only a sense of
difference.” Thus attitudes changed more than behavior, but it was that change in
attitudes that created a generation that was more tolerant.21
This phenomenon was not limited to heterosexual American youth, either. John
D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman show that this development extended to queer American
youth as well. They took advantage of automobiles, college life, and fraternal
organizations to explore their own social and sexual boundaries. Possibly, the
development and worship of youth culture was more salient to homosexual Americans in
that they had even fewer public options for such things at home than their heterosexual
21
Paula Fass, The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920’s (New
York: Oxford Press, 1977), quotes taken from 368 and 376. Chapter two details changes
in the nuclear family brought on by the rise of such things as the automobile and peer
culture, and chapters three and four detail all aspects of the new peer culture and how it
came to dominate the lives of post-World War I adolescent in the United States
44
�counterparts, and it allowed them to explore their sexuality as well.22 In Oklahoma City,
that youth culture was decidedly working-class. Of the fourteen cases of adult-to-adult
sodomy prosecuted in Oklahoma County before 1940, at least half involved one party
under the age of twenty-five, and all were laborers---brick masons, factory workers, street
maintenance workers, and general laborers. A few were lower middle-class – salesmen
and clerks – but construction workers and general laborers were those arrested for
sodomy most often.23
Peer cultures, gay or straight, found plenty of opportunities to be sexually active
at a plethora of downtown rooming houses and hotels located along Grand Avenue and
Broadway. The size of hotels and rooming houses in downtown Oklahoma City varied,
but most were located in the 3rd Ward. Many were small, with reasonable rates, and their
location near the downtown shops and transportation hubs made them very attractive for
guests. Others were quite large and catered to long-term tenants, most of whom were
single men. By 1920, these establishments operated at almost 100% occupancy, and the
overwhelming majority of tenants were young, single men under forty. In fact, the 1920
census indicates that almost eight out of ten residents in the 15th and 16th precincts, which
22
John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters, chapter 11, “Beyond
Reproduction.”
23
David Johnson, “The Kids of Fairytown,” in Creating a Place for Ourselves: Lesbian,
Gay, and Bisexual Community Histories, ed. Brett Beemyn (New York: Routledge Press,
1997), 99. Employment data came from information cited in case files or in Oklahoma
County census records, previously cited. For a closer representation of the employment
demographics for gay men in Oklahoma City, only those cases where a man was charged
with sodomy committed on or with another adult male are included in this statistic.
Crimes committed against children are, by definition, pedophilia and not indicative of a
person’s sexual preference, so they were omitted. Interestingly enough, even in those
cases involving minors, the primary occupations of the offenders were working-class in
nature.
45
�encompassed most of the downtown area, were men.24 One of the most popular
institutions in downtown Oklahoma City was the Grand Hotel, located at 113 West
Grand, and managed by a Greek immigrant named George Tramejon. The Grand in
particular had a very high concentration of men using its facilities, many of whom
enjoyed the in-house café. The Grand was owned by local entrepreneur and civic leader
Edward Overholser, and he designed his two-story, eighty-room hotel with single men in
mind.25 There were other rooming houses and cheap hotels as well. The Victoria Hotel
sat at 205 South Broadway, and further up on the opposite side of the street was the New
Empire Rooms, located at 226 South Broadway. The Denver Hotel was a block west of
Broadway at 206 South Robinson, and the Southern Rooms were next door. Only a
block east from the New Empire Rooms were the Century Rooms, located near the Santa
Fe tracks on Reno. In addition to these and other smaller rooming houses, there were
always rooms for rent in nearby residential neighborhoods. In all of these places, single
men could find affordable, temporary housing and the companionship of a prostitute, or
another man, was close at hand.26
Historians have illustrated that the so-called rooming house culture was decidedly
more fluid -- and forgiving -- than traditional cultures found in the family home for many
young men. The rooms in downtown Oklahoma City were plentiful, furnished, and
24
Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920 State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma County,
Enumeration District 155, 16th voting precinct. Of the 1713 residents enumerated, 1342
were men, which translates into a male population of 78.34%.
25
26
“Hotels, Cafes, and Refreshment Places,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/10/1907, 3.
Of the sodomy trials in Oklahoma County, nine of those charged or listed as a
secondary party lived in the downtown rooming house and hotel district. The list
included Archie Wilson, Blaine Hathaway, Frank Johnson, Henry Dismuke, D. Johnson,
Raymond Guy, Anderson King, Jack Cloud, and Delbert Smith.
46
�Figure Two
Downtown Hotels and Rooming Houses, 1889-1930
3
6
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4
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CALIFORNIA
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U
D
S
O
N
N
N
H
A
R
V
E
Y
H
U
D
S
O
N
8
WEST GRAND
11
15
16
N
B
R
O
A
D
W
A
Y
1
10
N
14
WEST MAIN
1 – Grand Hotel
2 – Victoria Hotel
3 – New Empire Rooms
4 – New Century Rooms
5 – Denver Hotel
6 – Southern Rooms
7 – Thornton Hotel
8 – Oxford Rooms/Hotel
9 – Hotel Jordan
11 – Hotel Kingkade
12 – Kross Hotel
R
O
B
I
N
S
O
N
12
17
13 – Majestic European Hotel
14 – Stewart Hotel
15 – Garrison Hotel (Renamed Grace Hotel 1905)
16 – Lee Hotel
17 – Illinois Hotel
47
�inexpensive. Long-term leases were unheard of, as most rented by the week, which
made them ideal for men with seasonal or construction employment. This was a culture
of privacy. For some men, these might be the first residences they inhabited away from
the family home or farm, something that likely made them popular with queer men.27
By the 1920s, Oklahoma City cannot be said to have had a homosexual subculture
comparable to New York City’s. Then again, Oklahoma City was much smaller in terms
of overall population than most boroughs in New York. We know, however, that samesex activities occurred, or were at least hinted at, from a variety of sources. Men looking
for other men found them at some point. This indicates that enough points of common
socialization existed that queer men could meet, knew where to meet, and communicated
that fact among their peer group. It was a community, albeit on a smaller and less formal
scale than what might be found in other metropolitan areas in the 1920s.
Another factor that obscures the presence of queer men was an absence of gay
bars. One of the hallmarks of any gay subculture in the United States was socialization
centers, places where gay and lesbian Americans went to be with others who shared their
sexual and emotional desires. Gay bars were some of the most common socialization
centers, but they were virtually non-existent in Oklahoma City before World War II.
The reason was simple -- prohibition. Oklahoma entered the union in 1907 as a dry
27
For rooming-house environments, see Mark Peel, “In the Margins: Lodgers and
Boarders in Boston, 1860-1900.” Journal of American History 72 (1986): 813-834;
Joanne Meyerowitz, Women Adrift: Independent Wage Earners in Chicago, 1880-1930
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988); Chauncey, Gay New York, 152-154.
Although he equates the rise of gay communities all across the country almost
exclusively with the spread of twentieth-century capitalism, John D’Emilio makes some
pertinent points regarding the new spaces for sexuality that hotels and rental spaces
offered in “Capitalism and Gay Identity.” Powers of Desire: The Politics of Sexuality, ed.
Ann Snitow, Christine Stansell, and Sharon Thompson (New York: Monthly Review
Press, 1983); Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 65.
48
�state, so well before national prohibition began in 1919 the legitimate bar business in
Oklahoma City collapsed. Even when the 21st Amendment passed in 1933, Oklahoma
remained dry until a state-wide referendum allowed 3.2 beer to be sold -- proponents
argued that 3.2 beer was “non-intoxicating” anyway. Liquor was not available legally
until 1959, when a statewide referendum amended the Oklahoma constitution. Of course
to argue that Oklahoma was “dry” at any point during its fifty-two years of prohibition is
ludicrous, as evidence of the thriving bootleg trade attests.28 Yet, the lack of opportunity
for gay and bisexual men to start a bar, or for groups of homosexuals to make an existing
establishment a popular hangout, prevented a more public gay presence from developing
in Oklahoma City. It also forced queer men to be more creative, using parks and other
public facilities to meet other men and have sex.
A more concrete source from which to draw conclusions about gay sexuality in
Oklahoma City can be found in criminal prosecution records for sodomy, or “crime
against nature.” Oklahoma’s law prohibiting the crime against nature dated from 1890
when the first territorial legislature adopted it along with much of the new territory’s
penal code. Again, the quirks of Oklahoma history played a role in how the so-called
sodomy statute came to pass. By 1900 most of the state legislatures in east and west
coast states refined their existing sodomy statutes in response to the discovery of a
“homosexual ring” or an obvious public presence of queer men. Many of the laws had
28
Aside from the almost daily references to illegal liquor raids and seizures in Oklahoma
County found in the Daily Oklahoman between 1907 and 1959, see James Edward Klein,
“A Social History of Prohibition in Oklahoma, 1900-1920.” (Ph.D. diss., Oklahoma
State University, 2003); Jimmie Lewis Franklin, Born Sober: Prohibition in Oklahoma,
1907-1959 (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1971).
49
�been in place since the 1860s.29 Oklahoma Territory’s statute grandfathered in, just like
much of the rest of the penal code. On December 10, 1890, 2nd Council District member
James L. Brown introduced Council Bill 99, entitled “An Act to Provide a Penal Code for
the Territory of Oklahoma.” The first Oklahoma Territorial legislature was undoubtedly
under a great deal of pressure to establish a workable, uniform system of government
after over a year of virtual chaos. Delegates borrowed heavily from the civil and penal
codes of other state governments, in this case from the penal statutes of the Dakota
Territory. Large portions of the compiled laws of Dakota Territory were copied
verbatim, including the crimes against nature statute. It read, simply:
Every person who is guilty of the detestable and abominable crime against nature,
committed with mankind or with a beast, is punishable by imprisonment in the
penitentiary not exceeding ten years…Any sexual penetration, however slight, is
sufficient to complete the crime against nature.
Council Bill 99 passed with little debate in both houses of the Oklahoma Territorial
legislature, sailed through the appropriate committees, and was signed by Governor
George Steele, all within a period of two weeks.30
29
Peter Boag, Same-Sex Affairs: Constructing and Controlling Homosexuality in the
Pacific Northwest (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 202-206. Statutes
against sodomy had been in effect since 1853 in Oregon, Idaho in 1864, and Montana in
1865. The Oregon legislature tightened the language of their statute following the
infamous homosexual scandal of 1912 in Portland, and a general Progressive Era trend to
strengthen sex-related offenses between same-sex lovers was underway all over the
United States. George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the
Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994), 140, notes
that sodomy laws in New York had been in place since 1796. The laws were strictly
enforced between 1880-1920, as a local child welfare reform group pushed for stiffer
sentences.
30
Journal of the First Session of the Legislative Assembly of Oklahoma Territory,
Beginning August 27, 1890 (Guthrie, O.T.: Oklahoma News Publishing Company,
1890), 783; The Compiled Laws of the Territory of Dakota, 1887 (Bismarck, Dakota:
50
�However, it would be almost thirty years before Oklahoma County tried its first
case involving a violation of that statute. The reason for this is unclear. Since the
Oklahoma penal statutes were copied almost verbatim from the Dakota Statutes, at a time
of great chaos in Oklahoma government, seeking to punish those engaging in sodomy
was probably not a high priority and the law gathered dust for decades. Another reason
for the dearth in sodomy prosecutions before 1920 was how difficult it could be to sustain
such a charge. Without eyewitnesses, prosecutors needed one of the two people
involved to turn on the other, which amounted to a public disclosure that they engaged in
that kind of behavior. Authorities probably allowed the men to plead guilty to a lesser
misdemeanor charge, pay a fine, and move on to clear the docket if nothing else. In any
case, the 1920s saw a number of sodomy prosecutions in Oklahoma County District
Court, and an acceleration of prosecutions in the 1930s, and these are crucial in outlining
the gay male world in Oklahoma City before World War II. Those that survive paint a
useful picture of both legal and community reactions to same-sex love, and illustrate that
queer men navigated the social and economic terrain in Oklahoma City with some
aplomb well before this would seem plausible in conventional historical narratives.
In the summer of 1920, authorities charged Anderson King with two counts of
committing the crime against nature. That July, King had a sexual contact with Jessee
Harris, a minor, and in August of 1920 with Edgar Blackwell, also a minor. King was
held in lieu of $3000 in bail. County Attorney O.A. Cargill prosecuted both cases, and
he allowed Jessee Harris to testify at the Blackwell trial. Facing two counts of sodomy,
and after seeing that young Harris likely would provide damning testimony, King pled
1887), Chapter 31, sections 6544-6548; The Statutes of Oklahoma, 1890 (Guthrie, O.T.:
State Capital Publishing, 1891).
51
�guilty and received a two-year sentence at the Oklahoma penitentiary from Judge T.F.
Donnell.31
Only a few months later, Ruben Lawson was charged in Oklahoma County with
committing a “venereal affair,” and that he did “carnally know” one Will Peters, a
fourteen-year-old mulatto boy. Lawson was African-American, which probably affected
the way his case was handled in the Oklahoma judicial system. Listed as witnesses were
Miss Julie Glover, C.W. Winfield, and Peters, all of whom testified that Lawson
sodomized the boy. Lawson likely knew his fate was sealed, and he changed his plea to
guilty. He received a two-year sentence at the Granite Reformatory. Apparently,
Lawson was a perennial lawbreaker. After he served his first sentence at Granite,
Lawson was convicted in Oklahoma County district court in 1923 for stealing over $38
worth of women’s apparel from the Herskowitz Dry Goods shop. He served one year,
and returned for another two-year stint at McAlester following a burglary conviction in
1924.32
Raymond C. Guy was another man charged in Oklahoma County with sodomy,
twice in less than a month. Trouble seemed to follow Guy. Born in Missouri in 1896,
Guy was a painter and general laborer, but he was not afraid to look outside the law to
31
State v. Anderson King, case #4663 and #4669, 13th District Court, Oklahoma County,
Oklahoma. Records available at the Oklahoma Historical Society, Manuscripts and
Archives Division, Oklahoma City (hereafter cited as OHS). See Appendix Five, a “Note
on Sources” for more detailed information on these records; 1920 Oklahoma Census,
Oklahoma County, Enumeration District 118, sheet 16b. Harris lived with his aunt and
uncle.
32
State v. Ruben Lawson, case #4802, 13th District Court, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
(OHS). For the robbery charges, see State v. Ruben Lawson, case #5534 (8/14/1923)
and #5755 (8/8/1924), 13th District Court, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; Peters was
listed as a mulatto on the Oklahoma City 1920 census (1920 Oklahoma Census,
Oklahoma County, Enumeration District 144, sheet 20a, stamped page number 91).
52
�supplement his income. In December 1915, he and a friend, Roy Spencer, were charged
with the attempted murder of Oklahoma County Sheriff Deputy James Karnes. Karnes
was injured in a shootout with Spencer and Guy while trying to apprehend them
following a lengthy crime spree, which included various assaults and robberies all over
Oklahoma County. They were given ten-year sentences for the attempt on Karnes’s life.
On February 14, 1925, Raymond C. Guy forcibly sodomized one Robert Voerster, a
minor boy, according to his father, Robert, who signed the complaint. Guy was held on
$5000 bond initially, but he must have made bail, for three months later on May 28,
1925, he attempted to rape a nine-year-old girl named Jewel Wehran. Apparently, he
was interrupted by a neighbor, C.E. Barker, and unable fully to assault the young girl.
The Oklahoma County Attorney’s office chose to try Guy on the attempted rape charge
instead of the forcible sodomy charge. This was probably because the young girl
represented a more sympathetic focus point for a jury. It might also have had something
to do with the fact that the complaint was sworn in February, but Guy was not officially
charged until April of 1925, a time gap that a defense attorney would attack. Guy was
convicted on the rape charge and because he had previous felony convictions, was
sentenced to seven years in the Oklahoma penitentiary.33
In July of 1923, one of the first cases of adult-to-adult same-sex behavior was
prosecuted in Oklahoma County. On July 4th, Archie Wilson and Blaine Hathaway
probably enjoyed the annual holiday events the city offered, such as fireworks at Wheeler
Park and any number of community ice cream socials and private celebrations.
33
1920 State of Oklahoma Census, Oklahoma County, Enumeration District 162, sheet
13b; State v. R.C. Guy, case #5893 and #5894, 13th District Court, Oklahoma County,
Oklahoma (OHS); State v. Roy Spencer and R.C. Guy, case #3847, 13th District Court,
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.
53
�Sweltering temperatures and the liquor both men consumed likely produced euphoria.
Where the two went after the evening’s festivities concluded is unknown, but it likely
was John Arlett’s South Broadway rooming house where Wilson lived, given that
Hathaway lived with his parents. Wilson was a laborer at the local Wilson packing
house, which employed a large number of residents in Oklahoma City. Hathaway, of
course, was a neer-do-well who found trouble with authorities easily. 34 Whatever the
situation, Hathaway and Wilson had some kind of consensual sexual activity that
evening, according to witnesses W.M. Cavanor and Ida Conwell. Wilson and Hathaway
were arrested, charged, and convicted by July 6th with sodomy, “unnatural copulation one
with the other.” Judge O.L. Price sentenced Wilson, a man with no known record, to a
term of five years in the Oklahoma Penitentiary. Blaine Hathaway was given the full
sentence under the Oklahoma sodomy law – ten years -- also at McAlester. Both men
appealed their convictions, and Judge Price denied both appeals.35
A number of other sodomy cases handled in the 1920s developed much as did the
earlier ones. In 1926, Charles “Speedy” Brown, a Massachusetts-born salesman with a
local pipe company, was charged with committing sodomy on Fannie Donaldson, a
woman who apparently suffered from some kind of psychological or emotional problem.
Prosecutors charged and tried both of them separately for the crime, and guilty verdicts
followed. Brown went to McAlester for three years, and authorities confined Donaldson
34
For Wilson, see 1920 Oklahoma County Census, Ward 3, pct. 16, ED 155, Sheet 13b;
for Hathaway, same source, pct. 6, ED 161, sheet 20a.
35
State v. Wilson and Hathaway, case #5396, 13th District Court, Oklahoma County,
Oklahoma (OHS).
54
�to a local sanitarium, where she spent the next eight months.36
Ed Woods received a
three-year sentence for sodomizing Ellis Meeks, an eleven-year-old boy in 1927, and
authorities dismissed two other cases for lack of a complaining witness. In one of the
more bizarre cases, E.H. Felder pled guilty to having sex with his bulldog in September
of 1928. Judge Sam Hooker sentenced Felder to fifteen months in the state
penitentiary.37
On the surface, this brief examination of sodomy trials in Oklahoma City in the
1920s indicates that authorities treated consensual adult male same-sex activities more
harshly than what today would be considered pedophilia, but the nuances inherent in
describing adult-juvenile sexual relationships in the U.S., post-1900, cloud such a
generalization. Peter Boag’s study of the Pacific Northwest illustrates that adult-juvenile
sexual contacts – especially among the working class -- were more common before
middle-class, Progressive-era social reform movements began policing the exploitation of
children in earnest. Young men frequently initiated sexual liaisons with older men for
any number of reasons -- economic or physical security, genuine sexual attraction, or to
meet an emotional need.38 It is impossible to know the true intentions of any participant
in these sodomy cases, adult or juvenile, but it seems certain that authorities brought their
values and conceptualizations of adult-juvenile/adolescent sexuality to bear on these
cases, and these values were decidedly white, middle-class, and male. With the
36
State v. Charles Brown, case #6254, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; 1930 Oklahoma
Census, Oklahoma City, 3rd Ward; State v. Fannie Donaldson, case #6258, Oklahoma
County, Oklahoma. Donaldson was released from the sanitarium in June of 1927.
37
State v. Ed Woods, Case #6421 (April 1927), Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; State v.
Arly Holman, case #6589, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (October 1927); State v. E.H.
Felder, case #6803 (September 1928), Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.
38
Boag, Same-Sex Affairs, 8-9, 27-32.
55
�exception of the Wilson-Hathaway and Brown-Donaldson trials, all of these cases
involved same-sex activities between adults and minors, crimes that would seem serious
enough to merit a harsh sentence. Yet, in the King and Lawson cases, each defendant
received only a two-year sentence, and King was a repeat offender. Even “Speedy”
Brown’s sentence of three years for oral sex with an adult female matched the sentence
meted out to Ed Woods for sex with a younger boy. The adult-juvenile offenders had
lower bail amounts and shorter sentences, even if they were repeat offenders. Yet in the
Wilson-Hathaway case, it should be noted that Blaine Hathaway was a perennial
lawbreaker, someone who gave the Oklahoma City police department headaches running
liquor, committing violent acts, and burglarizing businesses. By all accounts Wilson was
a model citizen, one who had a good job at the Wilson packing plant. Wilson’s
association with Hathaway likely made his sentence longer. However the fact that this
case involved consenting adults, engaged in same-sex behavior, and the community
reacted so quickly and forcefully, says a great deal about how queer sex was criminalized
at an early date. It also explains why discretion was a must among same-sex lovers.
During the 1930s, prosecutions for sodomy in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma
County became more common. In fact, there were twenty-six cases prosecuted in
Oklahoma County between 1930 and 1939, compared to only twelve cases for all of the
1920s. In addition, more of the cases involved male adult-adult and male adultadolescent sexual activities than was true earlier. One possible explanation for the
increase in prosecutions was the rapid population growth in Oklahoma City -- over
120,000 residents moved to Oklahoma City between 1917 and 1930. Another
explanation could be the determination by county attorneys to fully prosecute sodomy
56
�charges. One Oklahoma County attorney, Draper Grigsby, prosecuted almost all of the
adult-to-adult same-sex sodomy cases from Oklahoma City in the 1930s.39
In February of 1930, authorities charged D. Johnson with forcibly committing the
crime against nature on G. Henry Dismuke. This case was a bit unusual in that Dismuke
signed the complaint personally, meaning he initiated the investigation with police, and
apparently he was the only witness called by the prosecution. Dismuke lived at 312 ½
West California, a rooming house, and worked at the New Empire Hotel at 234 South
Broadway, so it is unlikely he used the Century Rooms, located only two blocks from his
residence, for a place to sleep. According to the remaining case documents, Johnson
allegedly forced himself on Dismuke, a charge vehemently denied by Johnson’s attorney.
The judge subpoenaed the guest register of the Century Rooms, which suggests that at
issue was whether Johnson or Dismuke rented the room and might indicate that Dismuke
initiated the sexual act, whether for money or pleasure. The jury found Johnson not
guilty, and both men fade from the historical record.40
In June of 1932, the most extensive sodomy prosecution to date occurred in
Oklahoma County. Little is known about the accused, Al Bumbrey, other than that he
was charged with three counts of sodomy in what was apparently a series of sex acts
involving at least three other men. On the 25 th of June, Bumbrey allegedly “inserted his
penis into the rectums” of both DeWitt Stevenson and Frank Johnson, and “took into his
39
Trial statistics taken from list compiled in Appendix B; See also Blackburn, Heart of
the Promised Land, 114, 127, for population statistics. Oklahoma City’s population
increased from about 60,000 in 1917 to 185,389 in 1930.
40
State v. Johnson, case #7461, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Felony Court Records
(OHS).
57
�mouth” the penis of Charles Elliot. These were unprecedented cases, in that all involved
different suspects, and all three crimes occurred on the same day, possibly even at the
same time. Apparently, all of the sex acts were consensual, in that Bumbrey was both an
active and passive participant, which makes the disposition of these cases important to
ascertain how the legal system viewed same-sex activity. Assistant County Attorney
Draper Grigsby tried Bumbrey, this time before Justice of the Peace Ernest Lippert.
Despite their own involvement in the crimes, all three men who participated in the sex
acts testified against Bumbrey, and the witness list also included four more city residents
and various police personnel. No felony counts were filed against the others, possibly in
exchange for their testimony. Given that it only took three days from the time the sex
acts occurred until Bumbrey was charged and found guilty, this case was one that
authorities took seriously. The transcripts were then sent to district court for sentencing,
where Judge Sam Hooker gave Bumbrey three ten-year sentences, one on each count, to
be served concurrently.41
Whether this sentence was warranted is open to debate, but it was not out of line
with other sentences handed down in state court sodomy cases involving members of the
opposite sex, or adults with children. Fred Ackerman faced two counts of sodomy and
one count of first-degree rape for having sexual relationships with two of his minor
daughters. County attorney William Ridge prosecuted the cases, which were apparently
very strong and included testimony from three of Ackerman’s daughters. After waiving
a preliminary hearing and pleading guilty, Ackerman received two ten-year sentences for
41
State v. Al M. Bumbrey, case # 8717, 8718, and 8719, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Felony Court Records (OHS).
58
�sodomy, and a twenty-five-year sentence for rape. All sentences were served
concurrently, and all were the maximum for their crime. 42 Another case in 1932
involved forcible sodomy, again between two male residents, but one was an eight-yearold boy. Arlie Holman allegedly forced himself on Francis Brooks on May 27, 1932.
Witnesses were H.W. Harrell and his son Aubrey, with whom Brooks lived. This was
not the first time that Holman was charged with sodomy. In 1927, Holman allegedly
sodomized a five-year-old boy, but charges were dismissed when the boy refused to
cooperate in Holman’s prosecution. Assistant County Attorney Draper Grigsby
prosecuted Holman and sought the maximum penalty for sodomy – ten years -- and
received that when the jury returned a guilty verdict.43
In another case, a city resident and an unknown accomplice attempted to
sodomize Tom Treadwell. On September 17, 1933, Jimmie Payne and John Doe “tried
to insert their penises into the mouth of Tom Treadwell.” Where the act occurred is
unknown, but the trial was held on September 20, only three days after the crime
occurred. Payne pled not guilty, but the testimony of Treadwell was compelling. The
jury returned a guilty verdict, and Judge R.P. Hill sentenced Payne to five years in prison,
the maximum penalty for attempted sodomy in Oklahoma at the time.44
42
State v. Fred Ackerman, cases 8864-8866, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Felony Court
Records (OHS).
43
State v. Arlie Holman, case #8685, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Felony Court
Records (OHS); 1930 Oklahoma Census, Oklahoma County, Enumeration District 55141, sheet 9b. See State v. Arly Holman, case #6589, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
(October 1927) for details of the earlier charges.
44
State v. Jimmie Payne and John Doe, case #9351, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Felony Court Records (OHS).
59
�In January of 1934, Jack Cloud committed the crime against nature with one
Edward Chambers, an eighteen-year-old Oklahoma City resident fresh out of the Sand
Springs Home for Boys. Chambers was young, with no visible means of support, and he
had a criminal record. Perhaps like Blaine Hathaway, Chambers trolled the streets
hustling downtown. The fifty-three-year-old Cloud fit the profile of most of the other
men prosecuted in Oklahoma County for sodomy since the 1920s -- he was a laborer,
specifically a bricklayer, he lived alone in a boarding house near the downtown strip, and
he apparently had no resources with which to hire an attorney.45 Once again, Draper
Grigsby prosecuted the case, which was held only three days after charges were sworn by
County Attorney Mart Brown. This case might have involved consensual sex, given that
the County Attorney swore out the complaint instead of a party involved. The witness
list included Chambers and four male neighbors who lived on Southwest 11th in
Oklahoma City. Grigsby reluctantly dismissed charges against Cloud when authorities
failed to locate Edward Chambers to testify.46
On the surface, in the 1930s the fines and sentences for male same-sex sexuality
were not any more punitive than those given to sex crimes involving adults and children,
regardless of the victim’s gender. It was probably obvious to gay and bisexual men that
they had much to fear, however, as conviction of sodomy in state court – regardless of the
circumstances – meant a sentence to the penitentiary. Draper Grigsby often prosecuted
sodomy offenses in general, and he prosecuted every single same-sex adult sodomy case
45
For information on Chambers, see 1930 Oklahoma Census, Tulsa County, Wekiwa
Township, Enumeration District 72-180, sheet 1b; For information on Cloud, see 1930
Oklahoma Census, Oklahoma County, Enumeration District 55-121, sheet 2b.
46
State v. Jack Cloud, case #9477, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Felony Court Records
(OHS).
60
�in Oklahoma County while he served as assistant county attorney. Grigsby first became
an assistant county attorney in 1930 after only a few years in private practice. He was
thirty-three-years-old in 1930, with a wife and small child. No doubt his youth and
ambition made him a fiery prosecutor, and he used a common procedural tool when
prosecuting defendants for sodomy---turn one of the two parties against the other by
offering immunity for their testimony. Grigsby apparently offered exactly that to
Edward Chambers, Charles Elliot, DeWitt Stevenson, and Frank Johnson, all of whom
were adults, and all of whom willingly participated in the sex acts by all accounts. They
were, in essence, accomplices. Their testimony made the difference in each trial that
Grigsby prosecuted. To be fair, many of these witnesses possibly offered testimony out
of fear. Hoping to keep their records clean and avoid even more embarrassment, the
men chose to implicate others as the instigators. While it might seem a bit unseemly,
such behavior could speak to the fear that queer men shared about having their sexuality
discovered in Oklahoma City.
That fear, if that was a motivating factor, was rather real as men charged with
sodomy in Oklahoma County certainly received little mercy from prosecutors.
According to Table One, they received even less from judges. Of the forty cases of
sodomy prosecuted in Oklahoma County between 1920 and 1940, the average sentence
for all of those convicted, regardless of circumstances, was 5.7 years. The sentences for
sodomy cases involving consenting male adults was identical to the total average of 5.7
years. Judge Sam Hooker heard fifteen of the forty cases prosecuted, the highest by far
of any other district judge, and his sentences were slightly higher overall at 6.05 years,
while his sentences for same-sex sodomy cases were lower at 5.28 years. An interesting
61
�aspect of the data gleaned from Oklahoma County sodomy prosecutions was that cases
involving adult men and minor boys actually received lighter sentences than adult-adult
sodomy suspects, and sodomy between adult men and minor girls received the harshest
sentence of all, by almost three years.
Table 1
Sentence Data for Sodomy Cases in Oklahoma County,
1889-1940
Parties Involved
Number of cases
Percent of Total
Avg. Sentence
Male Adult, Male Adult
14
35%
5.7 years
Male Adult, Female Minor
12
30%
8.5 years
Male Adult, Male Minor
11
27.5%
3.7 years
Male Adult, Animal
2
5%
1.5 years
Male Adult, Female Adult
1
2.5%
3.0 years
TOTALS
40
100%
5.7 years
Nor did queer men receive much leeway from police, who probably looked at
male gender and sexual nonconformity in a negative way. In 1907, schoolteacher J.A.
Baker had his teaching certificate revoked by the Oklahoma County superintendent of
instruction for impersonating a woman. Before coming to Oklahoma in 1906, Baker had
been an administrator and educator in Iowa and Kansas. Because of his feminine
features and appearance, Baker had lost good jobs in both states, as well as in Guthrie and
Edmond in Oklahoma. He was fired from his position in Harrah, Oklahoma, in 1907
62
�once again for donning a dress and makeup and trying to pass as a woman. Baker’s
wife, who was also a schoolteacher, had her contract renewed despite the controversy.47
The arrest of Raymond Guy and his friend Roy Spencer for attempting to kill an
Oklahoma County sheriff deputy also reminds us that being different, not hewing to
community expectations regarding gender or sexuality, would generate a negative
response. After eluding authorities for some time, Guy and Spencer were arrested by
Oklahoma City police officers while the pair walked along the 400 block of South
Broadway. The arresting officer noted that “the little one (Spencer) looks like the ‘sissy
guy’ of the pair, but he is the dangerous one of the two.”48 That comment may or may
not indicate that Spencer and Guy shared a romantic attachment, but it is certainly
instructive as to how non-normative male gender behavior was viewed by police.
Spencer, by his smallish, feminine appearance was a “sissy” to the officer, and his
ruthlessness was out of character, not what the officer expected. Guy and Spencer
received ten-year sentences for the Karnes shooting. How Spencer’s effeminate
mannerisms and behavior affected the outcome of the trial is unknown, but they certainly
did not help his cause with the police.
This was also true for a young man arrested in 1927 by former Oklahoma City
police sergeant J.W. Berry. That September, Berry was riding in a city street car near
Grand and Broadway when a suspicious looking woman caught his attention. Sixteenyear-old Migelle Gibson -- decked out in full drag, including “unmentionables” -boarded the car, his destination unknown. Berry stopped the trolley and immediately
47
48
“Man Schoolmarm Is Out of a Job,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/6/1907, 7.
Daily Oklahoman, 12/22/1915, 8
63
�took Gibson to police headquarters. Gibson argued that it simply was all part of a dare,
which might have been more persuasive if it had not been apparent that he was wearing
female undergarments and makeup too. The police took the matter very seriously,
however, and held Gibson for investigation, a process usually reserved for sex arrests. A
telling aspect of this incident revolved around the fact that Berry was no longer affiliated
with the police department at the time he arrested Gibson. He was then serving as
Oklahoma County clerk and had no authority whatsoever to detain Gibson, yet he did.49
Men engaged in non-normative gender behavior, to say nothing of unconventional
sexual behavior, were thus subject to serious repercussions. J.A. Baker lost his
professional credentials, which seriously hampered his ability to make a living. Baker’s
occupation, as an educator who worked with young people, made him an easy target.
Any sort of perceived effeminacy or moral failing would automatically exclude him from
the classroom. Raymond Guy already faced serious charges for being an accomplice in a
shooting involving a peace officer, but his association with a “sissy boy,” Roy Spencer,
likely made a bad situation worse. Migelle Gibson had the details of his arrest plastered
across the front page of the Daily Oklahoman, which probably caused him, or his family,
a great deal of embarrassment. In all of these cases, the public humiliation was by
design. By printing their names and addresses in the newspaper, the Oklahoma City
police and community leaders hoped to dissuade other men from following their
example, as well as mete out humiliation fit for stepping outside of accepted gender and
sexual norms.
49
“’Maid’ Is Arrested By County Clerk.” Daily Oklahoman, 9/13/1927, page 1.
64
�The same cannot be said for women in Oklahoma City, however, as the case of
long-time cross dresser and Oklahoma City jazz musician Dorothy “Billy” Tipton
illustrates. Just as the seedier side of life, namely bootlegging and prostitution, brought
people of varying backgrounds and sexual appetites together and allowed them a
modicum of public privacy, so too did the jazz and nightclub scene that emerged in
Oklahoma City during the late 1920s. Tipton was born in Oklahoma City to passionate,
unstable parents and grew up fast, moving around a lot and suffering the slings of
poverty. What helped young Dorothy gain a sense of purpose and escape the doldrums
of her station was music, any music. In the early 1930s, while living with her needy
mother in one of the low-rent hotels downtown, Tipton actively sought work as a
saxophone and piano player in a number of clubs and speakeasies but was usually turned
away, the product of Depression-era underemployment and her gender -- some musicians
did not feel comfortable working with female band members. This led Dorothy to
morph into Billy, a smallish but talented male musician and bandleader who spent the
next five decades performing in clubs all over the West Coast. Billy married at least five
times, adopted children, and created an illusion of masculinity that was so successful
none of his wives suspected he was a woman, a fact discovered only after Billy’s death in
Spokane, Washington, in 1989.50
50
Diane Wood Middlebrook, Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton (New York:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998). Middlebrook has difficulty deciding where Tipton
belonged on the scale of gender non-conformity---whether it was a psychosocial
phenomenon or merely a means to a professional end, one that spiraled as she aged.
Although Tipton dressed as a man but did not change her gender identity while living in
Oklahoma City, she applied for a social security card as a man and fooled several women
into thinking she was male, both of which clearly indicate that she had antithetical
notions of her gender and sexuality that transcended professional considerations.
65
�What is pertinent to this investigation is that Billy Tipton worked as a man,
presented herself as a man in private life by the mid-1930s, lived with a rather notorious
and gregarious woman named Non Earl Harrell, and a number of Oklahoma City
residents knew this was the case and accepted it. Tipton had a friend, Mary Louise
“Buck” Thomason, the daughter of a local radio station owner that allowed Billy and
friends to play live on KFXR, who also wore men’s clothing and had girlfriends and lived
a life of reckless abandon. One might expect that the sight of these two, girlfriends on
each arm, must have elicited a negative reaction in Oklahoma City, yet exactly the
opposite was the case. Those who did not know for sure about Tipton and Buck’s
sexuality never cared enough to ask. Musicians who shared stage time with Billy and
knew Buck said that they never gave much thought to their need to present themselves as
men. As Wayne Benson, a bass player who worked with Billy in Oklahoma City
between 1936 and 1938 recalled, “Well, there again, it was common knowledge, you
know, with the band and the guys and everything, that she was a female…To me there
was nothing wrong with her. I really didn’t see anything unusual…Really, no one
thought anything about it around here.”51 That this degree of gender and sexual nonconformity existed in Oklahoma City, and was met with as little interest as it did in the
entertainment and red light districts, indicates that the boundaries of what constituted
normative sexuality in Oklahoma City was wider overall than one might expect.
Despite the risks, queer Oklahoma City residents boldly expressed their sexuality,
sought out friends and partners, even in the face of assured prison time. From the early
days of its founding, Oklahoma City had been a place where unconventional personal
51
Ibid., 67-93. Benson quote taken from page 92.
66
�behavior and sexuality might be expressed with little more than a headshake. The
whirlwind growth and construction booms brought a large number of unattached men to
the downtown area, into a world of inexpensive rooming houses and hotels, where they
lived in an environment largely devoid of women. This gave gay men the opportunity
and the means with which to pursue sex with other men. As a result of meager budgets
and the Oklahoma City community’s expectation that liquor and prostitution would be
major issues for authorities, the police department and county attorneys focused on the
more obvious examples of wrongdoing. The dearth of sodomy prosecutions in
Oklahoma County until the 1920s, despite the fact that the anti-sodomy law had been in
effect for almost thirty years, suggests that an atmosphere existed where queer men might
explore their sexuality and build nascent community networks. When prosecutions for
crime against nature occurred, starting in the 1920s, those engaging in same-sex activity
with other adult men did not elicit harsher sentences or treatment than those convicted of
having sexual contact with children. In fact, they often received shorter sentences than
pedophiles. This indicates that it was the crime of sodomy that motivated authorities to
prosecute offenders, rather than the sexuality of those involved, a finding that is
consistent with other historians’ findings on the social construction of sexuality in the
United States before World War II. In any case, queer men risked almost a guaranteed
sentence in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary if caught making love to another man. How
and why a more vibrant gay and bisexual male subculture developed in Oklahoma City,
in spite of this, is the subject of the next chapter.
67
�Chapter III
The Downtown Mecca:
Public Expressions of Private Passions
Jim was a good kid who came from a strong, proud Cherokee family. He
attended Classen High School during the day and took a streetcar downtown to his afterhours job at the post office. One can assume that Jim enjoyed the sense of freedom and
independence that his job offered, even if he did not relish the work. After work, Jim
again boarded a bus and traveled back home. As the bus lumbered through the
downtown area of Oklahoma City after dark, Jim looked out of his window and saw men
walking the streets, talking to one another, and socializing. Most of the men likely were
heading to bars, taking in shows at the popular downtown theaters, or going home from
work just like Jim. Perhaps some searched for prostitutes, as the downtown area was a
central hub for the flesh trade in Oklahoma City. A number of men, however, sought out
other men in order to enjoy a furtive sexual encounter. Jim found this to be true one
evening as he strolled down Grand Avenue, his curiosity piqued. At the Criterion, one
of Oklahoma City’s most opulent theaters, the night janitor persuaded Jim into
accompanying him to the balcony for sex. The year was 1944.1
1
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/17/2005. Interview
participants for this project were recruited via advertisements placed in the Gayly
Oklahoman and Hard News Online, as well as by referral. Participants were interviewed
about their experiences in Oklahoma City using a script, which is included in the
appendix. Most of the interviews were audiotaped, although some telephone interviews
68
�From the end of World War II until the 1960s, downtown Oklahoma City was
crawling with men looking for sex, offering sex, and engaging in sex. Queer men
enjoyed furtive, anonymous encounters in public restrooms and theaters, socialized in
relative comfort at a number of bars, and cruised for sex rather brazenly along Grand
Avenue and Main Street without attracting too much attention from the police or
community leaders. Oklahoma in general is perceived as an evangelical, conservative
state, a place where “alternative lifestyles” are viewed with suspicion at the very least.2
That this level of openness existed, or that a gay subculture operated at all there,
and email interviews occurred. While some of the participants chose to use their real
identities, most preferred to remain anonymous. The author currently retains records of
these interviews.
2
Everybody interviewed mentioned some way that religion had “touched” their lives,
and a few studies have noted how religious Oklahomans are in general. Historical
geographers have done a fine job of mapping out the dimensions of American religious
fervor, exploring everything from church membership to the popularity of evangelical
religious television programs. One of the most general and important works was Wilbur
Zelinsky, “An Approach to the Religious Geography of the United States: Patterns in
Church Membership in 1952.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 51
(1961): 139-167, an article that divided the United States into religious regions based on
church membership. James T. Shortridge followed these up with two articles, “A New
Regionalization of American Religion,” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 16
(1977): 143-153, and “Patterns of Religion in the United States,” Geographical Review
66 (1976): 420-434. Shortridge places Oklahoma in the interminably large southern
region, which is marked off by high proportions of church attendance to total population,
as well as the prevalence of Southern Baptist denominations, traditionally one of the most
conservative sects of American Christianity. His ultimate conclusion, however,
describes Oklahoma City as “marginal” in being classified as the “buckle” of the Bible
Belt. Other important works include Samuel S. Hill, “Religion and Region in
America,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 480 (July
1985): 132-141; Roger Stump, “Religious Divergence in Religious Affiliation in the
United States,” Sociological Analysis 45 (Winter 1984); Charles Heatwole, “The Bible
Belt: A Problem in Regional Definition,” Journal of Geography 77 (February 1978):
50-55; Stephen W. Tweedie, “Viewing the Bible Belt.” Journal of Popular Culture 11
(Spring 1978): 865-876. Ultimately, the criteria used to judge the “religiosity” of
particularly areas affected how scholars described the regionalization of North American
religion. In all of these studies, Oklahoma is portrayed as a predominantly conservative,
evangelical state.
69
�challenges the belief that Oklahoma City in particular, and Oklahoma in general, were
bastions of intolerance. It should also encourage historians to look more closely at the
social and sexual dynamics of queer subcultures in the western U.S., outside of the
Pacific Coast.
For many gay and bisexual men, the 1940s and 1950s were exciting times.
Soldiers returned from World War II having visited places where people enjoyed their
sexuality more freely and with less denigration than in the United States. Traveling to
boot camp and fighting in either the European or Pacific Theater represented the first
excursions some men made outside of their hometowns. Many gay men realized for the
first time that others “like them” existed. The widespread use of penicillin extinguished
once potentially fatal diseases like syphilis, or kept annoying ones like gonorrhea under
control.3 The Kinsey Reports, published in 1948 and 1953, described for the first time
the extent to which Americans had engaged in some kind of homosexual behavior, and
the numbers shocked people. At least one-half of the male respondents reported having
an erotic response to another man, and at least one-third had a sexual encounter, after
puberty, with another man that led to orgasm. Most shocking, 1 out of 8---over 12%--admitted being exclusively homosexual for a significant portion of their adult life. The
Kinsey Report showed, in scientific detail, that homosexuality, or homosexual behavior,
was more prevalent than previously assumed.4
3
Allen Berube, Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World
War II (New York: Free Press, 1990).
4
Charles Kaiser, The Gay Metropolis, 1940-1996 (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997),
119. Kinsey statistics are from John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters:
A History of Sexuality in America (New York: Harper and Row, 1988), 291-292.
70
�A dark current, or backlash, tempered this newfound openness and optimism, one
that threatened to derail careers, ruin reputations, and destroy any semblance of selfworth enjoyed by gay and bisexual men in many larger metropolitan areas. David
Johnson related that in the early 1950s, Washington, D.C. became the center of a
“Lavender Scare” involving homosexuals in sensitive government positions. Indeed, in
the minds of many Americans, being homosexual was just as dastardly and undesirable as
being a communist. People lost their jobs, their reputations, and sometimes their lives.5
Smaller cities were involved too. Neil Miller described the arrests, the blackmailed
confessions, and the general abuse of civil rights suffered by over twenty gay men in
Sioux City, Iowa, following the murder investigations of two young children. Many of
those arrested were homosexuals, a fact that branded them “sexual psychopaths” by
medical and legal authorities and led to lengthy stays in a local mental hospital.6
Another panic, in Boise, Idaho, evolved after the discovery in 1955 of an alleged
“homosexual ring,” which included several pedophiles. Authorities charged that all of
those arrested were pedophiles when in fact most were simply gay or bisexual. Seven
men to prison, all from the lower classes of society, and the politics and viciousness of
life in 1950s small-town America was laid bare.7
5
David K. Johnson, The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and
Lesbians in the Federal Government (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004).
6
Neil Miller, Sex-Crime Panic: A Journey to the Paranoid Heart of the 1950s (New
York: Alyson Books, 2002). Miller’s book is terribly depressing, especially his
discussion of the men involved being shipped to a mental hospital and forced to say and
do the “right” things to get released.
7
John Gerassi, The Boys of Boise: Furor, Vice, and Folly in an American City (New
York: Macmillan, 1966). Gerassi, then an editor at Time, met resistance from police,
townspeople, and even the Governor of Idaho when writing the book. He does admit
71
�As the research on Oklahoma City will illustrate, no widespread campaigns
against gay and bisexual men, on that scale, occurred. Certainly the community
responded from time to time to reports of sexual degeneracy or perversion in the
downtown area, and events conspired in the 1960s to make Oklahoma City less
hospitable for the queer male subculture than ever before, but in regard to the 1950s
Oklahoma City’s gay and bisexual male subculture did not adhere to the national
standard. This also suggests that it was easier at times being gay in Oklahoma City than
in historically queer capitals like New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Washington,
D.C. Queer men carved out a sphere of public sexuality in downtown Oklahoma City
that provided them with opportunities for sex and a modicum of privacy in public. By
openly expressing their sexuality in bars, parks, restrooms, and other public places, gay
and bisexual Oklahoma City residents gained valuable social and psychological
nourishment and yet remained shielded from public scorn.8
that some of those arrested were pedophiles, but agues that hysteria and the politics of
retribution allowed the situation to get out of hand.
8
George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the
Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994), 180-205, 331-354. The
concept of public privacy is an old one, but Chauncey applies that to gay men in New
York in the 1920s. He also portrays the 1930s and early 1940s as a time of decline, when
the gay subculture retreated to the closet in the face of an official crackdown; Marc Stein,
The City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia, 1945-1972
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 49-51, 155-176. Stein places violence and
organized crackdowns as being especially acute in the 1950s and early 1960s; Nan
Alamilla Boyd, Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965 (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2003), 57, 96, 115-133. Boyd shows that the crackdown
on gay bars and nightspots started during World War II, with the military’s preoccupation
with vice near military bases, and continued and escalated throughout the 1950s after the
San Francisco political establishment became involved; Brett Beemyn, “A Queer Capital:
Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Life in Washington, D.C., 1890-1955.” (Ph.D. diss.,
University of Iowa, 1997), 196-216. For Beemyn, Washington, D.C. had always been
somewhat strident in policing gay men, but the mid-1940s to the late 1950s saw the
72
�In the early 1940s, Oklahoma City was a bustling metropolis with over 200,000
inhabitants.9 From a sexual standpoint, Oklahoma City’s downtown area ran south of
Main Street and north of Reno, east to Santa Fe and west to Walker Avenue. These
boundaries were not absolute of course, but much of the male-to-male sexual activity
exercised in public occurred here, and it occurred right under the authorities’ noses, both
civil and religious. At this juncture, the downtown area was crowded with people, as
department stores, bars, restaurants, theaters, and private clubs existed in abundance.
Like many cities west of the Mississippi River, Oklahoma City emerged from the Great
Depression and enjoyed an economic expansion thanks to the start of World War II. By
1941, the federal government was spending over $30 million annually in Oklahoma City
in defense contracts and related expenditures, an income boost that meant jobs and steady
paychecks, money that was recycled into the local economy time and again.10 Will
Rogers Field in Oklahoma City was home to the Army Air Corps, which was a precursor
to the U.S. Air Force. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Navy built a $4.5
million dollar reserve aviation base on property leased from the University of Oklahoma
in Norman. Indeed, construction of Max Westheimer Field finished in record time. 11
Fort Sill, located in Lawton, Oklahoma, housed the Army infantry during the Korean
“most extensive and well-organized police crackdowns,” replete with a sense of “moral
anxiety” that previous raids lacked.
9
Roy P. Stewart, Born Grown: The Story of Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City: Fidelity
Bank, National Association, 1974), 248. The 1940 population was officially 204,517,
which represented an increase of about 10% from the 1930 figure of 185,389.
10
Bob L. Blackburn, Heart of the Promised Land: Oklahoma County, An Illustrated
History (Woodland Hills, California: Windsor Publications, 1982), 155.
11
“Navy to Rush Norman Base.” Daily Oklahoman, 3/22/1942.
73
�War. It was only about an hour and a half from Oklahoma City by bus. In 1941, the
Army Air Corps agreed to locate a major air depot on Southeast 29th Street. That $14
million depot became Tinker Field, employed over 3500 workers, and made the
Oklahoma City metropolitan area one of the most important cogs in the military
industrial complex.12 Overall, the construction, employment, and corollary industries
associated with the bases brought over 40,000 new residents to Oklahoma City by 1943, a
20% increase in total population in only three years.
Abundant opportunities existed for military men on leave to find a drink, a show,
or sex in Oklahoma City. In fact, soldiers from Will Rogers Field frequented the
downtown area often, if military orders restricting the servicemen’s travels are any
indication. In November of 1941, just a few short weeks before U.S. entry into World
War II, headquarters banned soldiers from Will Rogers Field from a seven-block area
bordered by Reno and California, and from the Santa Fe railroad to Dewey Avenue.
Military police officers, a contingent of which patrolled the district on their own, arrested
any soldier found in the out-of-bounds area immediately and returned him to the base.
The rationale for the strict order was the Oklahoma City police department’s inability to
control the vice and prostitution problem downtown according to Colonel DeFord, the
base’s commanding officer. Police Chief Frank Smith welcomed the help. “I will
continue to cooperate with the government as best I can. I’m trying to make this a decent
city in which to live.” Within the segregated area, officers made over five hundred
arrests for prostitution, some 40% of the city’s annual total. In addition, over thirty
12
Blackburn, Heart of the Promised Land, 155-158.
74
�hotels and fourteen taverns operated in the zone, all of which provided ample
opportunities for servicemen to engage a prostitute.13
At that juncture, controlling vice in Oklahoma City became a political issue with
high stakes. For many years, Oklahoma City officials tried to control prostitution and
liquor law violations only half-heartedly, as they lacked the manpower and resources
necessary, and corruption was rampant.14 Although military officials claimed that
“unescorted teenaged girls” were the focus of their intervention, curbing prostitution was
the primary motivation. Shortly before the base’s order, the federal government warned
municipalities that entrepreneurs who operated houses of prostitution within a certain
distance from military installations would be charged with a felony, and that federal
authorities would clean the areas up if the cities proved unable to do so. The federal
government threatened to intervene because the rates of venereal infections at military
installations in central Oklahoma allegedly were the highest in the nation.15 The
Oklahoma City police department attempted to police it, eradicate it, or control it for
decades to no avail. Part of the problem stemmed from the relatively painless way that
authorities treated prostitutes. Prostitutes in Oklahoma City usually were charged with
disorderly conduct, a broad categorization and only a misdemeanor, and fined $20.
13
“Area in City Closed to Will Rogers Men,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/10/1941, 1.
14
Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 19, 22, 38, 43-52, 134-165; McRill, And Satan Came Also,
21-36, 74-78, 118-131, 146-170. Owens notes that police officers, in general, were
underpaid with few benefits. Interview participants Gil Ray, Lance, Ralph Prevette, and
Jim Fortenberry noted that payoffs to beat cops, as well as supervisors, were very
common. Long-time city booster and city manager Albert McRill makes veiled
references to police corruption throughout his book.
15
“Area in City Closed to Will Rogers Men,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/10/1941, 1; “Girls,
Merchants Resent Seven-Block Army Ban,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/15/1941, 5; “Threat
of U.S. Vice Cleanup Is Made Here,” Daily Oklahoman, 1//7/1942, 1.
75
�Many prostitutes simply paid the fine, as contesting the charge in court often proved
more expensive and troublesome than simply getting back to work.16
Because Oklahoma City hoped to secure military bases, city leaders in early 1942
stepped up efforts to curb vice found in downtown areas by instituting a fraternization
law. It prohibited the sale of 3.2 percent beer, the only legally-available alcoholic
beverage in Oklahoma at the time, in any public dance hall establishment, unless the
dance hall was located in a hotel. It also banned the sale of beer between midnight and
7:00 AM on weeknights, and bars could not open until noon on Sunday. Violators lost
their beer license and their dance hall permit, which effectively shut down their business.
The rationale behind the law was simple if naive. The military personnel complained
that many teenaged girls infected with gonorrhea frequented beer halls because they liked
to dance, and soldiers on leave liked to drink and fraternize with young women. By
dividing the entertainments completely, officials hoped to discourage fraternization,
which would curtail the spread of venereal disease. The various military bases’
proximity to Oklahoma City, and the city’s desire to clean things up before the
completion of the new naval base in Norman, made the law very popular. In addition,
religious leaders, long opposed to alcohol and prostitution, promised to persuade their
congregations and the public at large to support it. In fact, these ministers took
advantage of the pressure Oklahoma City received from federal officials over vice to
apply pressure of their own. They promised to fight the legality of selling 3.2 beer in
Oklahoma, which technically was illegal by even the most liberal interpretation of the
16
“Girls, Merchants Resent Seven-Block Army Ban,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/15/1941, 5.
76
�Oklahoma constitution, if the law to separate liquor and dancing failed to pass. 17
However, the Oklahoma legislature passed the law in 1943 and it remained in effect until
the 1970s.18
The ban was not as successful as city leaders hoped, for this was not the last time
that military authorities intervened in city affairs. In May 1944, military authorities
declared off-limits ten hotels and twelve beer halls for allowing “unescorted” girls to
frequent their establishments and book immoral dates. That brought the total number of
cited establishments in the city to thirty-six. Apparently, the city ordinance passed in
1943 did not prevent a significant rise in venereal disease rates among soldiers at the
base, a climb which started shortly before 1944 according to military officials.19
Apparently soldiers from the nearby military bases provided beer taverns with a
large portion of their business, because less than a week after the military ban twenty-one
of the thirty-six off-limits establishments signed an accord with the military to prohibit
unattached girls from loitering inside.20 What is interesting, however, is that Bishop’s
17
“They’re Just Standing Still At 330 Club,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/21/1942, 21; “Ten
Ministers To Help City’s War on Vice,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/26/1942, 1; “Clean City…”
Daily Oklahoman, 7/11/1942, 1; “City Ministers…,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/28/1942, 1;
“Uniform-Struck Girls Blamed for Infecting Soldiers in State,” Daily Oklahoman,
11/25/1942, 18; “Law Divorcing Beer, Dancing Now in Effect,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/30/1943, 1.
18
Title 37 Oklahoma Statutes Supp. 1943, sections 211-218.
19
“City Hotels, Beer Halls Placed Off-Bounds by Military,” Daily Oklahoman, 12 May
1944, 1; “Stag Girl Ban Returns Beer to GIs Here,” Daily Oklahoman, 19 May 1944, 1.
20
“They’re Just Standing Still At 330 Club,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/21/1942, 21; “Ten
Ministers To Help City’s War on Vice,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/26/1942, 1; “Clean City…”
Daily Oklahoman, 7/11/1942, 1; “City Ministers…,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/28/1942, 1;
“Uniform-Struck Girls Blamed for Infecting Soldiers in State,” Daily Oklahoman,
77
�Tap Room, the It’ll Do Club, the Talk-of-the-Town Club, and several others that were at
least gay-friendly were all on the list of offending taverns that eventually complied with
the ordinance.21 Although some of the soldiers that spent their free time downtown in
the 1940s likely were gay or bisexual, their sexuality was less important than the
availability of a willing partner. As long-time city resident Jim remembers, “Downtown
it was just a wave of white. The sailors liked to hang out and pick up the girls at the
bars, but there were FAR too many sailors, and they were out to have a good time.”
Another long-time Oklahoma City resident noted that “In the mid-1950s, you had sailors
coming in from Norman, Tinker had people, and also weekenders from Fort Sill during
the Korean War.” Apparently, same-sex contact was sufficient enough to warrant the
military police to patrol the downtown area “constantly.”22
Although picking up servicemen downtown was an overt example of “public
privacy,” some gay and bisexual men sought anonymous sex in other, semi-public
locations. A “tearoom” circuit developed along the older beautiful hotels downtown,
where men satisfied their passions safely and quickly. 23 The Lee-Huckins Hotel was the
11/25/1942, 18; “Law Divorcing Beer, Dancing Now in Effect,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/30/1943, 1.
21
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005; Jim
Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005;
Linda Cole, interview by author, 7/11/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/26/2005; Rex
Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005. All of these establishments were listed as gay or
gay-friendly in their interviews.
22
23
GJP, interview by author, 3/19/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
A tearoom, or “toilet room,” was a public restroom of moderate size, usually with
booths but not always, where men with a variety of sexual preferences and appetites
congregated for anonymous sex. A tearoom gained its reputation based upon its level of
safety and availability of willing men, and that reputation spread by word of mouth
throughout the gay and bisexual community. For a thorough discussion of tearoom
78
�finest hotel in Oklahoma City when constructed in 1909. It was the second incarnation
of the hotel, as a devastating fire destroyed its predecessor the previous year. The
Huckins boasted of a massive lobby, marble walls, separate resting parlors for men and
women, and an exquisite ballroom that was a popular spot for weddings and dances. 24
The Huckins main restroom, located in the basement, was also rather opulent, featuring
marble stall dividers and restroom attendants. By the 1940s, the demand for high-end
hotels had waned somewhat, so it is possible that the management ignored the high
volume of men frequenting their main restroom, which was one of the busiest downtown
tearooms. Some enterprising person cut “glory holes” into the marble stall dividers, no
small feat in the 1940s, and the tearoom was “going full blast” according to one frequent
visitor.25
Another popular tearoom was located at the Biltmore Hotel, a grand structure
built in the early 1930s as part of the great skyscraper race in Oklahoma City. Although
Oklahoma City and the nation were in the grips of the Great Depression by the early
1930s, banking and oil interests invested millions into the downtown area, building the
aesthetics, see Laud Humphreys, Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places
(Hawthorne, New York: Aldine de Gruyter Press, 1975).
24
Terry L. Griffith, Oklahoma City: Statehood to 1930 (Charleston, SC: Arcadia
Publishing, 2000), 34-35.
25
Quote from Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005. A glory hole is an
opening made between stall dividers in a restroom through which men performed fellatio
or other sex acts on one other. The Huckins’ tearoom was still popular by the late 1960s,
as police kept it under surveillance and arrested residents for lewd and lascivious
behavior from time to time. In one of the more high-profile examples, a prominent local
Presbyterian minister was arrested there in 1967, according to the Daily Oklahoman,
1/30/1967.
79
�Ramsey Tower, the First National Building, and the Biltmore Hotel all in record time.26
The twenty-six story Biltmore rivaled the Skirvin in opulence and surpassed it in size.
The exact size of the Biltmore was unknown, a product of its staggered design, but
estimates placed the total square footage at over 285,000. In addition to amenities like a
ten-story garage for guest parking, the Biltmore had a huge downstairs restroom that
residents likened to a locker room at the YMCA for its notoriety and sexual offerings.
Being arrested at the Biltmore tearoom was almost like a rite of passage in the Oklahoma
City gay community, and involved some of the most respected members of the
community from time to time. As at the Huckins, when not cruising the Biltmore
tearoom, gay and bisexual residents checked into the massive hotel and entertained on a
more extensive scale. Jim Fortenberry and several friends “rented rooms at the Biltmore
and raided downtown like Hoover vacuums.”27
The Biltmore and the Huckins were in transition by the 1950s. Gone were the
days when luxury hotels were at a premium, as the Biltmore, the Skirvin, the Huckins,
and others had saturated the small market in Oklahoma City. Cheaper, smaller but still
26
Griffith, Oklahoma City, 1930 to the Millenium, 23-33; Stewart, Born Grown, 234237. Apparently, people took bets as to which buildings would be finished first. These
construction jobs helped many Oklahoma City residents through some of the hardest
Depression years and are a testament to the generosity and forward-thinking ability of
some residents.
27
Statistics on the Biltmore came from an article in the Daily Oklahoman, 1/4/1931, 20;
Information on the buildings footage from Griffith, Oklahoma City: 1930 to the
Millenium, 71; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/17/2005; Lance,
interview by author, 1/11/2005; Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005. Being
arrested might be an important hallmark in one’s coming out, but it could also be risky
for the well connected. An Oklahoma City mayor was arrested there in the late 1950s,
according to some interview participants, something that would surely have derailed his
political career in Oklahoma.
80
�elegant hotels like the Black, the Hudson, and the Sieber offered stiff competition as well.
Lower room rates resulted, which made these places attractive for a late-night rendezvous
and rather anonymous and safe given their sheer size. As a result the management could
do little to stop the influx of sex bought, sold, and traded within their hotels, even if they
wished. The inexpensive rooms, in large supply, made cruising the downtown area in
Oklahoma City much easier and safer for gay men, and were a major reason that
downtown hotels dominated the city’s gay sexual landscape for years to come.
Hotels were not the only buildings in which queer men carved out sexual space.
The headquarters of Montgomery Ward, built in 1929 on the corner of Main and
Walker,28 had a fourth floor restroom that became a mainstay for downtown tearoom
queens for some time. It was so popular that men stood in line to gain entrance. How
ironic that it was located just east of the Oklahoma County Court House, the site of
numerous sodomy trials since statehood. Oklahoma City Hall provided another
dangerous yet popular outlet for sex downtown. “City Hall was a GREAT place with
huge (glory) holes---somebody brought a blowtorch up there! I’ve been there a number
of times coming home from work. You sat on the toilet and made your sheet (toilet
paper) go up and down and that was the ‘O.K.’ Somebody would watch the door and
snap their fingers and everybody would stop sucking and read their papers,” remembers
Earnest, a healthcare worker.29
Although perhaps cliché, Oklahoma City’s downtown YMCA also provided
ample opportunities for a sexual encounter. The YMCA was the oldest social
28
Stewart, Born Grown, 231.
29
Earnest, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/27/2005.
81
�organization in Oklahoma City history, as residents met and decided upon the outlines of
the association on the first evening after the Land Run in 1889. After meeting in several
downtown office buildings, a fundraising campaign in 1917 led to the construction of the
first YMCA building on 2nd Street between Broadway and Robinson. The organization
sponsored baseball, swimming, and camp activities for city residents and became so
popular that construction of a larger building, located at Northwest 5th and Robinson,
began in 1952. 30 Because the YMCA was essentially a private male club, and racially
segregated, it became a popular place for white gay men to go, socialize, and have sex.
Rex Ball remembers that “the YMCA was very active, but some people I knew made fun
of me for being there so I never went back…Oklahoma City’s YMCA was just like the
popular song says! Many of the straights seemed to know what was going on with the
gays so you might get ridiculed if observed.” 31
Perhaps sensitive to the stereotype, however, the Oklahoma City YMCA
attempted to curtail same-sex activity. In 1957, YMCA officials asked the police to
investigate suspicious activity in the room of Robert Adolph Rose, a 34-year-old
newspaper vendor. According to police reports, Rose frequently held “all-male sex
parties” and enjoyed “large numbers of young boys making frequent visits” to his room.
When arrested, Rose was entertaining six teenaged boys in his room, all of whom went
downtown for questioning, and police confiscated a large stash of pornographic
materials. Police expected to call other young men in for investigation.32 How the case
30
Stewart, Born Grown, 84-86. A branch was constructed on the east side of Oklahoma
City for black residents.
31
Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005, and 3/9/2005 email follow-up.
82
�played out is unknown, but it shows that same-sex activity occurred at the YMCA, and
that it was noticeable enough to warrant a police investigation.
One of the safest and busiest spots for anonymous sex was the men’s restroom at
the old Union Station depot located at 300 West 7th Street. Built in the late 1920s when
Oklahoma City relocated the Frisco and Rock Island Railroad tracks south during another
wave of downtown construction, Union Station was an imposing Spanish-colonial style
structure replete with chandeliers hanging from its 5000-square-foot waiting room.
When automobiles and buses surpassed trains for basic transportation, the need for Union
Station declined, and by the early 1950s most of the passenger traffic was absent,
although the depot remained partially open. 33 The key spot for cruising here was the
huge restroom, situated so that it was lower than the outside walkways. It had rows of
stalls, some with glory holes, and huge windows. Whenever authorities policed it,
patrons simply stepped outside and drove away. The relative seclusion of the Union
Station and its accommodating restroom layout made it one of the easiest and most
notorious places for anonymous sex and provided gay and bisexual men with a centrally
located place where they could meet and socialize. 34
32
“City Man Jailed In Morals Probe,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/9/1957, 2. Although the
“victims” in the story were referred to as teenagers, this does not necessarily mean they
were minors. Exaggeration for effect is possible, and any young man might be
considered a teenager to a hardened vice detective. In fact, in this author’s research
experience, many of the “victims” mentioned in newspaper accounts or prosecution
summaries in Oklahoma County were actually over eighteen.
33
On Union Station, see Terry L. Griffith, Oklahoma City: Statehood to 1930
(Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishers, 2000), 121; Blackburn, Heart of the Promised
Land, 187; Stewart, Born Grown, 148-149.
34
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author,
8/13/2005; A number of interview respondents indicated that Union Station was a
83
�The popularity of these sources of public sex likely resulted from numerous
advantages that tearoom sex offered. As sociologist Laud Humphrey illustrated in his
work on gay public sexuality, the restroom offered a public location for sex with enough
danger and anonymity to appeal to the rebel in any willing participant, but it was also
somewhat safe and easily disguised should anybody enter unexpectedly. In fact, during
the “hunting season” -- common parlance for the period between April and October with
more accommodating weather -- sex in public restrooms was the most popular and oftenused source for sexual gratification outside of personal bedrooms according to
Humphreys. More importantly, tearooms provided uninitiated gay and bisexual men
with a recognizable, safe spot in which they might become acclimated to the homosexual
landscape. For married gay or bisexual men, being outside the home or workplace
provided valuable discretion as well.35
Humphrey’s findings are consistent with the rationales offered by Oklahoma City
men as to the popularity of tearoom sex. Several respondents indicated that, since they
were married, tearooms offered some of the most convenient – if not the only – sources
of sex with other men. The fact that tearooms opened in dangerous places in Oklahoma
City, such as at City Hall, added a degree of danger that made for “GREAT sex,”
according to Earnest. In addition, word got around about where the best places were to
cruising favorite, or at least they heard it was “cruisy.” The station closed for good in
the 1970s and was later remodeled by a local business enterprise for office space.
35
Laud Humphreys, Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places (Chicago:
Aaldine Press, 1975), 1-5. Humphrey’s work is essential reading for those seeking to
understand the sociological and psychological basis for gay public sex. It was
controversial, however, in that Humphreys interjected himself into the study by serving
as a participant in some encounters as both a lookout and voyeur.
84
�have sex, which helped those just coming to terms with their sexuality find opportunities
for sex.36
Downtown Oklahoma City theaters also saw plenty of same-sex action, despite
the fact that they offered less privacy than tearooms. Like many other cities in the
United States after 1920, Oklahoma City found an expanding market for theaters, both
stage and cinema, driven by local residents with disposable income. Even during the
heady days of the Great Depression, many city residents managed to scrape together
enough money to attend the occasional movie, and if nothing else it provided a
momentary escape from the doldrums of economic hardship. Two of the more popular
theaters downtown were the Criterion and the Orpheum. Located on Main Street
between Robinson and Broadway, the Criterion was constructed in 1921 at a cost over
$750,000. The interior was awash with walnut paneling, artwork, and velvet finery.
The Criterion boasted of luxurious restrooms, a nursery for young children, a tea room, a
shoe emporium, a cigar shop, and other small businesses that catered to discriminating
theater patrons. State of the art lighting and sound systems were complemented by
architectural amenities like mezzanines, balconies, and trinkets like luxurious drapes and
heavy overstuffed furniture. Residents and guests alike considered the Criterion one of
the finest theaters in the Southwest. The Orpheum was a remodeled incarnation of the
old Overholser Opera House, located at 213 West Grand, Oklahoma City’s first true
venue for cultural entertainments that appealed to middle- and upper-class residents. It
also opened in 1921 and although less opulent than the Criterion, it provided theater
36
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005;
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/26/2005; Rex
Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005.
85
�patrons with a fine venue to view stage or screen productions. In 1930, the Orpheum
closed for renovations and reopened as the Warner Theater, complete with its own
Rockette-style chorus line modeled after the Roxy in New York City, and a master of
ceremonies who introduced acts and movies.37
While the Criterion and the Warner might be considered “super theaters,” several
other theaters that catered to smaller audiences opened at about the same time. The
Rialto opened in 1921 and promised nothing but first-run movies for the 500 or so
patrons who enjoyed its overstuffed leather seats. Located at 131 West Grand up the
block from the Warner, the Rialto was another popular cruising spot for gay men.38
Other theaters frequently mentioned for anonymous sex were the Center, opened in 1945
on Couch Drive, the Midwest, the Uptown, and the Midway.39 Virtually all of the
downtown theaters provided opportunities for clandestine same-sex sexual encounters
according to those interviewed. Most of the larger theaters were several decades old by
the 1950s, constructed in a heavy old-fashioned style that included balconies and dim
lighting, and remained inexpensive, especially during the daylight hours when the lack of
large crowds only made them more attractive for such action.
Bookstores in Oklahoma City also served as very public arenas where gay and
bisexual men might solicit sexual partners. The possibilities varied. Circumspect men
37
W.F. Kerr, The Story of Oklahoma City (Chicago: S.J. Clarke and Company, 1922) v.
2, 516; Daily Oklahoman 4/21/1921; Daily Oklahoman, 12/21/1930; Blackburn, Heart
of the Promised Land, 150.
38
GJP, follow-up telephone conversation, 7/15/2005. See Daily Oklahoman, 4/10/1921,
46, for an article dealing with the Rialto’s opening.
39
GJP, interview by author, 3/19/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 7/3/2005;
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
86
�might thumb through magazines or lurk about in the sports section waiting for another
interested partner, always looking for sustained eye contact or “crotch-cruising.” 40
Aggressive queer men might approach other men and make an overt offer to engage in
sex. “They had the bookstores, of course, going full blast…there were 12 that I know
of,” recalled long-time resident Jim.41 One popular pickup place was a bookstore in the
Sieber Hotel, located at Northwest 12th and Hudson. Built in 1928, the Sieber Hotel was
the first apartment hotel constructed in Oklahoma City, and true to the era, a number of
small shops or businesses were located in its lobby.42
That bookstore was “run by a
rather ancient gay man,” Rex remembers. The literature available for gay men in the late
1940s was limited, but the very act of perusing certain books or magazines made it clear
for what one was searching, and it was easy to get picked up.
Then, the earliest observations were from muscle magazines---Western
Photography Guild and AMC---which were disguised to some extent. Starting at
age sixteen when I could drive, there was a bookstore at the Sieber Hotel. My
first overtly gay experience was with (the manager). He took me next door after
seeing me look at a muscle magazine. It was not a good experience---he was
aggressive to me, and I was pretty distant, but I had an orgasm. He asked me to
reciprocate but I told him no, and he began to sob and talk about how cruel I was.
This was a man close to 70—my age now—and I decided that this was not how I
wanted to end up: on my knees in front of some sixteen year-old kid crying. 43
40
“Crotch-cruising” refers to the practice of gay men making eye contact with other men
they are attracted to, immediately looking down at that person’s groin, and then returning
their gaze to the person’s eyes. It served as both a sign of interest by the crusier and a
safe, convenient way to ascertain the cruisee’s interest.
41
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/17/2005.
42
Terry L. Griffith, Oklahoma City: Statehood to 1930 (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Press,
2000), 126.
43
Rex Ball, interview by author, Tulsa, 1/14/2005.
87
�Apparently, downtown bookstores, theaters, and tearooms were notorious enough
to elicit attention from police. Responding to what was described as “disgraceful sex
perversion” at a number of downtown spots, the Oklahoma City police vice squad ran a
week-long undercover surveillance campaign in November of 1952. Over that week
detectives watched five theaters, a drug store, a bookstore, several restrooms, as well as
public transportation depots looking for homosexual sex perverts. Police came away
disappointed with the results, as they made only two arrests, both of young men who
propositioned undercover officers in downtown theaters.44
Although the Daily Oklahoman related that a single letter from a concerned
citizen initiated this investigation, the issue was likely more widespread. The police
were watching downtown restrooms, bookstores, theaters, and transportation depots – all
of which were rather popular sources for same-sex sexual activities according to
interview respondents cited earlier. Authorities managed only two arrests, both in
theaters, and they labeled the charges “mostly rumor” and the whole raid
“disappointing.”45 This might indicate that gay and bisexual men were less active, or at
least more invisible in Oklahoma City, than other sources claim. However, a number of
other possibilities might also explain the dearth in arrests. Since the operation occurred
in November, around election time, perhaps the lack of arrests indicate that gay and
bisexual men were more careful at that time. Authorities seemed to police the bars and
cruise spots during election season, the holidays, and during good weather, and members
44
“Police Discount Perversion Report,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/12/1952, 46.
45
Ibid.
88
�of the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual world knew this. 46 The number of arrests made
in such a sting would also hinge on just how “undercover” police officers went. If they
were not successfully posing as gay men, or at least men open to the idea of sex with
other men, the solicitations from their intended targets would not be forthcoming.
Interview participants Ralph Prevette, Jim Fortenberry, and Rex Ball all noted how easy
it was to spot an undercover officer most of the time.47 The level of the officers’
undercover skills is impossible to ascertain, as is their commitment to the task at hand.
Although police officials labeled the charges as “mostly rumor,” the fact that so many of
the most common sources of gay sex in Oklahoma City were targeted – theaters,
bookstores, restrooms, and transportation depots -- implies that gay and bisexual men
were visible to the community at large, to some degree.
Tearooms, theaters, and bookstores provided Oklahoma City gay and bisexual
men with ample opportunities for sexual gratification, but they were neither the only, nor
the most public outlet, for such behavior. In fact, prostitution was easily one of the most
common and public sources of gay male sexuality after World War II in Oklahoma City,
a fact that remained true well into the 1970s.48 Although often considered a female
exploit, prostitution was a rather popular diversion for young men in Oklahoma City, and
46
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004; Jim Fortenberry, interview by
author, 4/17/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005. The most extensive surveillance and
arrest of gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City occurred on Thanksgiving weekend in
1957. For details, see the Daily Oklahoman, 11/26/1957, 30.
47
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author,
4/17/2005; Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005.
48
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005; Ginger Lamarr, interview by author,
9/10/2004; Earnest, interview by author, 3/26/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
89
�these hustlers worked the streets for a variety of reasons. Some wanted to be free from
the constraints of a regular job, others wanted to make money quickly or have something
to do, and still others found the lure of anonymous sex too good to pass up. That they
were paid for it only made the decision easier:
Well, I was married and in the middle of a divorce. I ended up, with all of my debts
(alimony, child support), I got $5 every two weeks. They (Navy) had to give you
that for shaving gear, toothpaste, etc. So, you know where I went---right to the
streets, on Grand Avenue. That’s where I started. It wasn’t exactly the money, for
me it was a way to have a place to spend the weekend and have some enjoyment
away from the base. It was all I could do, really. I could hit the streets and in five
minutes I was gone.49
Another respondent who hustled, Jim, was attracted to the lifestyle for the money it
provided and the excitement associated with raw sexuality. He remembers how quickly
men picked one another up in downtown Oklahoma City in the 1950s:
That would have been when I was 14 or 15, and then again when I was 18. I
liked the underground world, I liked the excitement and energy flow I received
from this “no-no” deal. It started downtown one night walking home. An
unattractive man pulled up and asked if I wanted to get into the car, and I said I
didn’t know, and he asked how much did I charge. I felt an adrenaline gush, and
told him to keep laying money out on the (car) console, and he did. It was the
most exciting thing I have ever done. People told you what they wanted and you
named the price.50
Whatever the motivation, a man could find plenty of willing partners downtown
along Grand Avenue, all the way from Broadway to Pennsylvania. As the center of
Oklahoma City’s business and social life at the turn-of-the-century, Grand quickly
became the center of a sexual environment in which men satisfied alternative desires just
49
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005.
50
Jim McMurray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/20/2005.
90
�as quickly and often as the mainstream. Race was also not an issue for downtown street
cruisers as it might have been in the segregated restaurant and hotel facilities located
elsewhere. “There was a subculture of black gays, who had no place to go, so they
worked the streets downtown too,” recalled Jim, a connoisseur of downtown anonymous
sex.51 Those with the means or inclination to be out could be so in Oklahoma City with
a vengeance in the 1940s and 1950s, and the military presence only made it easier:
A lot of “girls” rode around downtown singing, quite openly out of the back of
convertibles: “We are the girls of the green star chorus, normal boys simply bore
us, we don’t go on our vacations, we suck **** at the naval station.” They had
this gorgeous convertible and they rode around downtown singing this. It wasn’t
boring…Between Lawton (Fort Sill) and Norman (Naval base), a lot of those
boys came to town and were picked up.52
Although common, downtown sexual activity between male prostitutes and other
men rarely attracted notice from police or religious authorities, if the almost complete
lack of evidence regarding arrests for prostitution is any indication. This might seem
surprising, given the prevalence of the practice according to interview participants, but
several factors made it unlikely that a hustler would ever be arrested for prostitution in
the 1940s and 1950s in Oklahoma City. First, there was nothing unusual, or at least
overtly sexual, read into a situation where one man got into an automobile with another.
Conversely, an unattached female engaging in exactly the same behavior would be much
more suspicious, especially if she had prior arrests or no gainful employment. Second,
when authorities caught two men in a compromising sexual position, prosecutors likely
preferred more serious charges against them, such as felony sodomy violations in state
court, instead of a misdemeanor charge of vagrancy by prostitution in city court.
51
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/15/2005.
52
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
91
�Anonymous sex and public sex are common historical constructs in post-World
War II gay male subcultures in the United States, but entertainment spots – usually gay
bars – gave those subcultures shape and depth. These were public places that offered
entertainment and socialization, with varying degrees of flamboyance, but shielded
patrons from direct public scrutiny by limiting membership and strictly policing the
coming and going of clientele. Oklahoma City had its share of such establishments,
ranging from the pseudo-straight Bishop’s Tap Room to the overtly queer Mayflower
Lounge, with a range of other establishments that fell somewhere between these two
poles. Gay bars were important inculcators of community spirit for Oklahoma City gay
and bisexual men, and they operated with a reasonable amount of freedom at a time when
this was not true in other larger cities.
Bishop’s Restaurant was a familiar hangout for many people in downtown
Oklahoma City. William W. Bishop opened the restaurant, located at 113 North
Broadway, by 1923, and it remained in business until at least 1969. Conveniently
located across from the Skirvin Hotel, Bishop’s was famous for its Brown Derby Steaks,
shrimp cocktail, and walls covered with autographed photos of celebrities. The wood
paneled walls and accent lighting gave the downtown establishment a classy touch, and in
keeping with that theme all hostesses always wore proper “after-five” attire, and some
took modeling lessons and modeled clothes by Harry Katz and Neiman-Marcus.53 The
layout was typical for dual-purpose rectangular buildings, with a long counter located at
the front, shadowing a large number of booths and tables in the back. Green plants were
everywhere. Located at the very back of the restaurant, and running perpendicular to it
53
“Folks Dined at Bishop’s for 43 Years,” Daily Oklahoman, 3 March 1999, 65.
92
�so as to form an L-shaped building, was Bishop’s Tap Room, which first opened in 1938.
The Tap Room boasted of its dark, quiet atmosphere and the “decorative wall sketches by
Damberg.” Bishop’s was also completely air-conditioned, something that probably set it
apart from other establishments in downtown Oklahoma City at the time. 54
In the 1940s and until the late 1950s, Bishop’s Tap Room was Oklahoma City’s
premier nightspot for gay and lesbian residents. Most bars in Oklahoma City were stuck
with a 12:00 AM curfew as per a city ordinance.55 Bishop’s Restaurant stayed open well
into the morning, however, so people filtered back in from the Taproom for an early
breakfast after a night of revelry. The restaurant served as a staging ground for people to
regroup before leaving for home or private gatherings. One popular gadabout relates,
“Bishop’s was PACKED, (especially) on the weekends. There were a few straights there,
but it was packed with gays. I went there seven nights a week, so I know it was there.” 56
One young Oklahoma man visited Bishop’s before he was old enough to do so legally:
“Oh, it was wonderful, wonderful. The best salad ever! It was a restaurant, and
behind it was the Tap Room. Gay guys went in later (in the day). One time our
band came to the State Fair for a competition, and we passed right by it. Later
that evening, me and some friends snuck out of the hotel and went in. It was full
of “older” gay men---at least older to me at the time since I was just a senior in
high school. One of the men just picked me up and placed me on the bar, saying
54
Apparently, the Tap Room was considered a separate business by city authorities,
given it had a separate address of 110 W 1st . “Bishop’s Announces its New Tap Room,”
Daily Oklahoman, 6/13/1938, 11.
55
This was a condition of the Beer Ban Bill passed in the Oklahoma legislature in 1942
in an effort to prevent the spread of VD among soldiers at newly-opened Will Rogers
Field. The law proscribed the hours a beer hall could be open, prohibited dancing in the
establishment unless it was located within a hotel, and held owners and managers
accountable if underage and unattached females were allowed to congregate there.
56
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
93
�“can we take you home?.” It was a better class of people than what they had
during the day (at night).”57
The phenomenon of a club or restaurant being “straight” during the day and
“queer” at night is not a new one.
In lesser-populated regions of the United States,
especially after World War II, gay men and women took advantage of any opportunity to
socialize in a comfortable environment. Ricardo Brown fondly remembers his days in St
Paul, Minnesota, where a well-known restaurant run by a German immigrant couple was
only too happy to serve gays after the dinner rush. In many ways this seemed like the
perfect relationship for all concerned. Business owners provided services to mixed or
straight crowds during the day, free from public harassment, and then catered to gay and
lesbian crowds after hours, capitalizing on the legitimacy earned earlier.58 This situation
likely replicated itself in regard to Bishop’s.
If Bishop’s quickly gained a reputation among homosexuals as a location in
which to congregate, it also did so among the community at large, and a few people
complained. Police visited Bishop’s from time to time to disperse rowdy patrons or
clean up after a fight.59 In 1947, authorities raided Bishop’s as part of a larger liquor
sweep of downtown bars, restaurants, and clubs. The police arrested sixteen people and
57
Gil Ray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005.
58
Ricardo J. Brown, The Evening Crowd at Kirkser’s: A Gay Life in the 1940s. ed.
William Reichard (University of Minnesota Press, 2001). This pattern also occurred in
larger cities. See Brett Beemyn, “A Queer Capital: Race, Class, Gender, and the
Changing Social Landscape of Washington’s Gay Communities, 1940-1955,” in Creating
A Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community Histories, ed. Brett
Beemyn (New York: Routledge, 1997), 185.
59
“Two Are Injured In Tap Room Fight,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/3/1947, 25; “Man
Charged After Setto With Police,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/7/1948, 22.
94
�took them to headquarters during what vice Lieutenant Charles Scott described as
“cleaning out some spots.”60 Another raid in 1951, again part of a weekend-long foray
into the Oklahoma City nightlife by police, led to the arrest of forty-six people, sixteen of
whom were detained for a more intensive investigation. Most of those arrested were
residents of Oklahoma City, although a few listed Norman and Tulsa as home.
Lieutenant Scott stated that “We have had scores of complaints contending that sex
perverts are permitted to congregate” at the bar.61
These raids proved disappointing for authorities, however, as Police Judge Mike
Foster dismissed the charges against twelve of the sixteen men arrested during the 1947
raid. According to Foster, officers “failed to make cases” against the men and offered no
testimony that supported the charges of disorderly conduct. As has been demonstrated,
Bishop’s was a relatively well-known point of socialization for Oklahoma City gay and
bisexual men. The fact that most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct, and that
authorities held up to one-third of those arrested for investigation, suggests that many of
those arrested were queer men.62 This was a common practice whenever the police
arrested “sex perverts” in other cities across the United States, as the police wanted to
make sure that those suspected of being gay did not have outstanding warrants or prior
felonies that merited state charges. Otherwise, straight residents or passing gay and
bisexual residents were merely fined and released. The very act of investigating gay and
60
“Police Grab 78 In City Tavern Clean-up Drive,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/27/1947, 22;
“Weekend Raids Bring $1,360,” Daily Oklahoman 10/28/1947, 2.
61
62
“City Vice Raid Nets 46 Persons,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/12/1951, 35.
“Police Grab 78 In City Tavern Clean-up Drive,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/27/1947, 22;
“Weekend Raids Bring $1,360,” Daily Oklahoman 10/28/1947, 2.
95
�bisexual men, something that obviously-straight men did not experience, was harassment
aimed at their subculture.63
Bishop’s Tap Room was a well-known gay hub after dark, and apparently the
police knew of this since at least the mid-1940s.
That these two raids were the only
ones significant enough to be mentioned in the Daily Oklahoman, and that they occurred
only in conjunction with a larger raiding sweep of downtown Oklahoma City drinking
establishments, might suggest that the level of public, obvious homosexuality did not
exist on such a level as to merit concern. This seems unlikely given the first-hand
accounts of Bishop’s popularity with gay and bisexual Oklahoma City residents, as well
as Lieutenant Scott’s reference to the “scores” of complaints his department received
about homosexuals congregating there. The dearth of “gay” raids on Bishop’s might
simply mean that gay and bisexual men cleverly avoided detection. Bishop’s cultivated
a reputation for being an upscale tavern, at least during the day, and perhaps gay and
bisexual men benefited from that if officers randomly appeared for occasional identity
checks or surveillance. In any case, Bishop’s Tap Room served as a powerful source of
identity-formation and support for gay and bisexual men interviewed for this study.64
One of the first bars other than Bishop’s to gain a loyal following among
downtown cruisers was the Circus Room, a rather plain-looking beer bar. Located at 221
West Grand Avenue across from the Biltmore Hotel, the Circus was “flamboyantly gay,
63
Chauncey, Gay New York, 171-172; Stein, City of Sisterly and Brotherly Love, 50;
Beemyn, “A Queer Capital,” 212-213
64
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005; Jim
Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005;
Linda Cole, interview by author, 6/29/2005; J.L.Asher, interview by author, 9/10/2004.
96
�Figure Three
Popular Sources for LGBT Sex and Socialization, 1941-1970
18
4th
3rd
W
A
L
K
E
R
D
E
W
E
Y
2nd
H
U
D
S
O
N
22
1st
R
O
B
I
N
S
O
N
H
A
R
V
E
Y
17
1
B
R
O
A
D
W
A
Y
9
6
MAIN
16
10
11 4
3 2 20 19 13
14 23
GRAND
7
1 – Bishop’s Tap Room
2 – Circus Room, Ruby’s (1950s), Manhattan (1960s)
3 – Blue Lounge, Sweet Leona’s
4 – Mirror Lounge (basement of Hudson Hotel)
5 – Talk-of-the-Town
6 – Club Burgundy
7 – Biltmore Hotel
8 – Huckins Hotel
9 – Skirvin Hotel
10 – Black Hotel
11 – Hudson Hotel
12 – Criterion Theater
97
13 – Orpheum and Warner Theater
14 – Rialto Theater
15 – Midway Theater
16 – Montgomery Ward’s
st
17 – YMCA (1 location)
18 – YMCA (2nd location)
19 – Beverly’s Chicken House
20 – Tiger Lounge
22 – Union Bus Station
23 – It’ll Do Club
�on the inside, but when you hit the street you had to ‘butch it up’.”65 Red Holder owned
the Circus, which first opened in about 1952. Red knew the value of running a tight ship
and he encouraged patrons and employees alike to steer clear of controversy. He gave
bartenders a bottle of whiskey and $20 to deliver to a minister waiting in the alley behind
the club every Saturday, apparently to keep the local religious authorities at bay. The bar
also gained a reputation for being very cliquish. When the John A. Brown department
store located downtown, some of the more “elegant” employees frequented the Circus
Room, much to the chagrin of the regular, working-class customers. Derisively referred
to as “elevator boys,” these high-bred boys were told that they could hang out with the
regulars when they could “suck better dick.” 66
The Circus Room also hosted the occasional local female impersonation show, a
rare event in queer bars in the 1950s in Oklahoma City. While the Jewel Box Revue and
other national performers came through town and found large audiences, local talent
performed in only a few venues, and most were limited to special events or holidays like
Halloween. Gil Ray, then fresh out of high school in 1954, attended a Halloween ball at
the Circus Room. It was his first ever performance and it motivated him to develop his
talent. “I never thought about the money,” Gil states, “I got a little attention, and I
wasn’t tied up (committed), so just get up and go! It was something special.” 67
65
GJP, interview by author, 3/19/2005. “Butch it up” referred to acting masculine, or at
least not overtly gay, in public.
66
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
67
Ibid.
98
�A fact of life for many bars in Oklahoma City, whether they courted a gay or
straight clientele, was that they were probably not open very long. The costs associated
with running a bar were tremendous. People usually just bought the right to do business
in an establishment, not the building itself, which meant lease terminations and increased
rental costs could occur at any time. Fines for serving alcohol to underage patrons, for
allowing the house to become “disorderly,” and for having illegal liquor in the bar -- even
if a patron brought it in -- could cripple a business.
Payoffs to local authorities could
also make turning a profit almost impossible. Despite the turnover in bar ownership,
once a bar was known and recognized as a gay bar by the community, that location
usually stayed queer. The Circus stayed open until sometime in early 1956, when it
became Ruby’s Lounge, owned by a straight couple. It lasted only a short time before
becoming the Manhattan in 1959. Owned by Park Bingham, the Manhattan employed a
Mexican bartender with a sharp tongue affectionately known as Tijuana Mamma.
Because rental rooms were attached to it, patrons could dance at the Manhattan, which
made it very popular with gay crowds. In all of its incarnations -- the Circus, Ruby’s,
and the Manhattan -- it remained a gay bar by and large.68
This phenomenon presented itself once again in regard to the Blue Lounge and
the Mirror Lounge, both run by Robert M. Hargrove. Open since the 1940s, the Blue
Lounge was rather non-descript, located next door to the Circus Room at 231 West
Grand. A few blocks up the street sat the Mirror Lounge, located at 14 North Hudson in
the basement of the Hudson Hotel, and across from the Black Hotel, both of which
68
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by
author, 2/11/2005; Linda Cole, interview by author, 7/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by
author, 8/9/2005.
99
�offered inexpensive rooms. This location, near the downtown cruising paradise of Grand
Avenue and at the terminal for the interurban streetcars, made the Mirror Lounge very
popular with gay and bisexual men. “It was busy, busy, busy” remembers Jim
Fortenberry in regard to the availability of a sexual encounter.69 Hargrove sold both the
Mirror and the Blue in 1957, likely due to problems associated with licensure. Leona
Pierce purchased the former Blue Lounge and rechristened it Sweet Leona’s. An
average beer bar, Sweet Leona’s was a place that was very “gay friendly” but would
never become a self-identified gay establishment. Some residents remember it as more
of a trade haven---a place to pick up straight or curious men for a non-reciprocated sex
act. Sweet Leona’s became a popular spot for downtown cruisers and businessmen at
lunch, and the crowd was usually 40% gay, 60% straight all day long, according to
patrons, unlike Bishop’s which went gay after dark.70 Leona’s was a key portal into the
downtown world of gay and bisexual men, however, since the mixed crowd gave people
a safe environment in which to explore their sexuality. “The guys that didn’t selfidentify as gay went there. It was the kind of place a “straight” guy could go, have a
beer, and hook up with a queen. It was a convenient place.”71 The Mirror Lounge
traded hands several times before ending up with Leona Pierce as well.72 Ginger Lamar
69
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
70
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005; Bill Rogers, interview by author,
9/18/2004; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Ginger Lamar, interview by
author, 9/10/2004; Earnest, interview by author, 3/26/2005.
71
72
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005
The bar was incorporated as Club Mirror Lounge by G.C. Pierce, Leona Pierce, and
W.B.Lowery on 5/3/1962 and remained open until at least 1981.
100
�remembers her first trip to Sweet Leona’s and the Mirror Lounge as part of her
introduction to the Oklahoma City gay community:
There was the Mirror Lounge, located in the Hudson Hotel, and it was a bisexual
club. You had everything from hookers in there, and you could pick up a guy.
There was a club---Sweet Leona’s---that looked like a straight club, but if you sat
there long enough you could get picked up. I had a friend that took me down
there to see it. Leona was a big, large busted brassy blond---a cheesy Dolly
Parton type. And loud! Everybody came there to see her. The first time I went
in there were a lot of men and couples. My friend said that if we sat there long
enough, something would come along. It was just a mixture of people---gay and
strait---and the straits didn’t care. 73
Gay patrons were admonished against acting too nelly in either establishment, which
suggests that management feared being identified as a gay bar. “The ownership did not
want any gays, but the waitresses knew they were going to get good tips, so if you got a
little ‘out of bunch’ they would say ‘shut up, I’m losing my crowd’.”74
The presence and popularity of these so-called bisexual bars might indicate that
the gay male subculture in the 1950s was more closeted than was actually the case.
Although the Circus Room opened as a queer bar from the beginning, it did not last long
enough to make a significant mark in the historical legend of Oklahoma City’s gay male
world. Sweet Leona’s, the Blue Lounge, and the Mirror Lounge were places where gay,
bisexual, and straight residents congregated -- sometimes in a very rowdy way -- yet none
of the establishments ever became conspicuously gay. This does not diminish their
significance in the process of community building for gay men in Oklahoma City,
however. Gay and bisexual men shared these spaces with straights, and they each used
73
Ginger Lamarr, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/10/2004.
74
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005. “Out of bunch” referred to gay patrons
getting loud and or campy inside the bar.
101
�the space for different things. Straight men likely failed to realize that gay and bisexual
men sat at tables next to them, but that truly speaks to their importance. Gay men fought
to project and sustain their own public presence in these so-called bisexual bars, taking
advantage of the legitimacy offered by the large number of straight patrons to maintain a
safe, known queer presence downtown. Gay men did not shrink away from places like
this, but they carefully negotiated their way into situations where they could use public
space for their own needs, and on their own terms. The popularity of bisexual bars for
gay and bisexual men illustrates two very important things: first, that the means and
availability for gay socialization extended into the straight arena more than previously
assumed; second, that the sexual landscape downtown was more complex and varied than
implied by the caricature of Oklahoma City as a bastion of intolerance and religious
conservatism.75
While bisexual bars were very popular with queer men in Oklahoma City,
residents did have at least one gay-owned and operated establishment in the 1950s, and it
was one of the most enduring. The Mayflower Lounge was never what one might call
ritzy, but it quickly gained a reputation as being Oklahoma City’s most popular gay bar. 76
Located at the northeast corner of Northwest 23rd and Classen, the Mayflower Lounge
75
George Chauncey talks about the concept of “shared spaces” between gay and straight
New York residents in Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the
Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994), chapter five.
76
Every participant interviewed for this project either spent a great deal of time at the
Mayflower or went to it exclusively when they went to a bar. That location, 1133 NW
23rd was home to a variety of bars and grills through the years. It was even called the
Mayflower Lounge in 1952 when Don and Ollie Stobaugh owned it. By all accounts,
only when Pritchard and Mitchell opened their incarnation of the Mayflower Lounge in
1957 was it gay.
102
�opened in the late 1940s as the Mayflower Grill in a dingy building once used as a real
estate office. According to one frequent visitor, the Grill instantly became a popular
place for gays and lesbians, but did not emerge as a gay bar until the late 1950s. 77 In
1958, Bill Mitchell and Roger Pritchard, two of the most colorful business owners in the
history of Oklahoma City, purchased the Mayflower and transformed it into a gay bar,
one designed to cater to both lesbians and gay men. Mitchell was Oklahoma City’s
premier gay bootlegger, known for his James Dean looks, his fiery temper, and his ability
to conceive of and start successful businesses.78 Roger Pritchard was also a shrewd
businessman, and the more polished of the two. The two mercurial men shared a
turbulent personal relationship, one that spilled over into their professional relationship.
They started a number of bars in short succession, made them successful, and then sold
them just as they started to thrive in an effort to salvage their rocky relationship.79 More
than one person remarked that a party never seemed to rock unless Bill and Roger tried to
kill each other, and humor gave way to reality in 1965 when Roger shot Bill in the face
77
GJP, follow-up interview, Oklahoma City, 7/15/2005.
78
“Bandit is Shot by Bootleggers.” Daily Oklahoman, 1/31/1954, page 1. As a
function of being a “dry” state, bootleggers found a built-in business with incredible
supply and demand. Oklahoma City authorities tried in vain to police the sale of illegal
liquor, frequently arresting drivers and shutting down supply lines, only to see them
reappear instantly. The level of corruption was high, and the Oklahoma City police were
notoriously ineffective.
79
The pair owned the Mayflower, the Inferno, the Beer House, the Jungle Pit, and
others.
103
�after an argument.80 By sheer force of personality, Bill and Roger made any new venture
they pursued the talk of Oklahoma City.
The Mayflower opened as a beer bar from the beginning, which meant that the
clientele would be primarily working-class, that dancing was prohibited, and the décor
was rather simple. When visitors entered, they ran right into the seating area, which
gave the bar an old-world saloon feel. Located up about six stairs or so in the back was
the bar. A leaky roof heavily damaged the ceiling by the time Mitchell and Pritchard
rented the building, and at first the wall board would crumble and fall into patrons’
glasses. Soon after, somebody donated an old military parachute, and the management
tacked it up in the bar to prevent more fallout. One can imagine how dark the
Mayflower must have been, but it had a certain charm. A local artist named Billy
Dawson painted a large mural on one wall, framed in gold, that featured a reclining fat
woman beckoning patrons to “feed me a grape, baby!”81
Part of the attraction for gay men to the Mayflower may well have been the
presence of large numbers of young men at the coffeehouse located upstairs. Local
ordinance required that all taverns and clubs not located inside a hotel or rooming house
close by midnight, and the Mayflower could not take advantage of that loophole.
Always forward-thinking, Bill and Roger catered to the large contingent of revelers that
hoped to continue socializing by adding a small restaurant to the club. The two lived in
80
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005; Linda Cole, interview by
author, 6/29/2005; Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 6/29/2005; “Gunfire Ends Pair’s
Dispute,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/22/1965, 3.
81
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Linda Cole, telephone interview, 7/11/2005;
Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005.
104
�a loft located above the Mayflower for a time, but moved out and converted the living
quarters into a small breakfast nook called the CoffeeHouse. Liquor was not served at
the CoffeeHouse, so anybody could go, including the underage or “chicken.” At about
midnight, when the Mayflower closed as per local ordinance, all of the Mayflower
patrons went upstairs to check on the availability of unattached young men.82 The
CoffeeHouse functioned as a convenient source of sex for late-night cruisers and
introduced young gay men into the Oklahoma City homosexual subculture.
Another attraction that brought plenty of business to the Mayflower was the
presence of Gil Ray, a petite young farm boy who first sauntered into Oklahoma City in
the mid-1950s while on a Future Farmers of America field trip. Gil had been something
of an anomaly in the rural Oklahoma town where he grew up, prone to show animals at
FFA conventions and plow wheat fields in drag. One long-time acquaintance
remembered that “Gil had sweet and forbearing parents. He lived out in western
Oklahoma where you went miles without seeing people, and if you did see them, you
waved. Gil was out in this big old wheat field, in full drag---pumps, everything---and all
of these farmers are driving by staring, while he waves! He was a very fine exotic
dancer and great entertainer.”83
Ray, famous for his gymnastic abilities and high kicks,
worked as a bartender and barmaid at the Mayflower during the late-1950s. “When I
first met Gil, he was working at the Mayflower, wearing high-heeled white pumps and a
82
Ibid.; Jim McMurray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/20/2005. When Bill and
Roger sold the Mayflower, the new owners renamed the CoffeeHouse the Frantic Attic.
“Chicken” was a term used to describe young gay man, barely eighteen but possibly
younger.
83
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005.
105
�one piece bathing suit. He kicked his leg so high he got his shoe caught in the parachute
over the bar…He was an institution.”84 Gil parlayed his gymnastic abilities and
personality into a successful career as a female impersonator and a long-time bar owner
in Oklahoma City.
Because Oklahoma City had a modest number of queer bars, and a relatively open
sexual subculture in the downtown area, it probably was inevitable that gay and bisexual
men would experience some level of violence from the general population. Much of the
physical violence or intimidation that queer men in Oklahoma City faced came from
teenagers.85 J.L., an Oklahoma City tailor, remembers being harassed by some young
men while leaving the bar. “I was assaulted one evening leaving the Mayflower. Some
friends were visiting from Dallas, and we parked out on the side of the theatre. I was just
acting silly carrying one of the dykes that was visiting and some straight boys walked up
and said, ‘Here’s one,’ and just knocked us down and hit me in the head.” Other patrons
were assaulted with baseball bats, ambushed when they returned to their automobiles, or
had bricks hurled at them.86
The police also harassed gay and bisexual men, but that occurred most often when
patrons left gay establishments. For years, the police seemed content to allow gay and
bisexual men a modicum of tolerance, so long as their revelry remained inside queer bars,
84
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
85
The issue of juvenile delinquency and teenage mayhem is discussed more fully in the
next chapter.
86
J.L. Asher, interview by author, 9/10/2004.
106
�away from the general public.87 Officers who were motivated to harass queer residents,
however, found plenty of opportunities for such pursuits, and the more flamboyant
members of the Oklahoma City gay subculture were easy targets. “Now, the ones they
usually went after were the very effeminate ones---the ones who demanded acceptance. I
was usually stopped after leaving the (Mayflower), would be questioned, or searched…I
was never attacked for the simple fact that I am tall and have always been big…When I
was 16, the DA and I had a hell of a lot in common, so he left me alone and my friends
alone, but he liked his favors. There were cops that liked their favors too…”88
Although the physical intimidation of gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City by
teenagers or the police was a very real threat, not all of those targeted retreated from it.
Mayflower patrons developed an escort system, whereby those leaving the bar had
several friends walk them to their car and stay until they could safely leave the parking
lot.89 Other gay and bisexual residents were not afraid to respond to the physical
violence, which surprised their attackers.
It could even come from some of the least-
likely of sources – drag queens. As Gil Ray related:
(The Mayflower) was already known to be gay, and so all of the little high school
kids tried to run us down all the time. It was a common thing for everyone to
have a brick when you went into the bar. They would throw bricks at us, but we
would keep ours, and when we went back out we would just plow them. It was
teenagers---big-time. One time we had a hairdresser and his name was Hugh---a
big boy---but I mean he was always chasing (cruising) these boys. One day they
87
GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005; Linda Cole, telephone interview by author,
6/29/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author,
2/11/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
88
Quote from Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by
author, 2/11/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005.
89
Ibid.
107
�(the boys) got him and tied him up to an electrical (pole) and he was there all
night. He told us he thought they were going to kill him. I had an old blue pickup
with stock racks on it and I said “where are the bastards, do you know the car?” I
had done a drag show and had a pair of heels in the truck. It was on a Sunday and
there was no traffic (on Classen Boulevard), and all of the sudden Hugh said
“there they are.” Since nothing could really hurt my truck, I plowed right into
them---they didn’t know what hit them. One of them came out and I just knocked
the shit out of him and I reached over and picked one of my high heels up and just
planted it in his forehead. Blood was all over, and Hugh said “you’re going to kill
him!” and I said “let him die—look what they did to you.” After that, they
(teenagers) were scared of us. I was just a little person…90
Another incident, which occurred in 1950, illustrated that queer residents would
fight back with deadly force if necessary. It involved the Hi-Lite Club, also known as
the Night Winds Club, located at 4910 North Lincoln. By all accounts, gay men loved
this short-lived club, an unusual one of the period in that it was situated outside of the
downtown area.91 One of the club’s patrons returned to his automobile early one Sunday
morning to retrieve some photographs to show friends, when a large group of teenagers
attacked him. Hearing the commotion outside, the club owner and several acquaintances
ran outside and attempted to help the man. The young men later admitted that they came
to the Hi-Lite Club to assault as many patrons as they could find, and they apparently
formed a sizeable mob. At some point, the owner fired a pistol into the crowd and
wounded one of the teenagers. After investigating the incident, the Oklahoma City
90
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
91
The Oklahoma City Times, 7/24/1950, 3. The Times, the evening edition published by
the Daily Oklahoman, alleged that the men at the club were targeted for making
inappropriate advances to children at a local theater. This is impossible to substantiate
but seems unlikely. One of the boys who assaulted the bar patron made the claim as
prosecutors attempted to file charges against those involved. He had a vested interest in
making the men seem as unseemly as possible. Also the bar’s owner admitted being a
“pervert” when authorities questioned him, a term normally reserved for homosexuals by
Oklahoma City police.
108
�police shut the club down. They had “known for some time” that this was a club for
perverts, but the shooting incident was the final straw.92
What is striking about the presence of a number of gay and gay-friendly bars in
Oklahoma City before 1960 was the relatively modest level of harassment that bar
owners and patrons faced from the police. To be fair, gay and bisexual men were
arrested at Bishop’s Tap Room, the Circus Room, and the Mayflower from time to time,
but raids on these establishments usually occurred only in conjunction with larger liquor
or vice raids on all downtown Oklahoma City establishments.93 A major reason that the
police allowed these institutions to exist under the radar was blatant corruption. Police
officers walking beats downtown frequently took bribes from bar owners, hotel keepers,
and other establishments that walked a thin line between respectability and illegality.
The bribes included cash payments made to groups of officers monthly, but they also
included agreements to employ off-duty officers as security guards and bouncers. In a
sense, this represented a kind of informal regulation on the part of the police, augmented
by the willingness of gay and bisexual men to remain somewhat circumspect, to allow
homosexuals the freedom to thrive while keeping the general public in the dark. So long
as the entertainment occurred inside the establishments, all went well in this symbiotic
relationship. It was a quasi-visible red light district for homosexuals. “It (Mayflower)
was raided several times,” remembers Lance. “When Bill was the bootlegger…there
(were) prices he could pay for protection and all of that. It was all set up.”94
92
“Youth Is Shot In Club Fight,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/24/1950, 1.
93
This issue is discussed more fully in chapter five.
94
Quote taken from Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005; Ralph
Prevette, interviews by author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005 and 6/29/2005; Gil Ray,
109
�Another factor that gave men sexual license downtown, and it grew somewhat
from the corruption in the police department, was the weak enforcement of already weak
laws. Most men arrested for some kind of sexual offense, whether soliciting or engaging
in prostitution or having sex in public, were arraigned in city court under the broad
charge of disorderly conduct.95 This created advantages for both the police and those
charged. First, defendants frequently gave false addresses and used pseudonyms, and the
police knew this and rarely checked. In a sense this became a survival strategy for gay
and bisexual residents, a way for them to fight the constraints placed upon their
subculture by civil authorities. Second, the fine remained pitifully small---$15 or $20--even into the 1960s, so the defendants could afford to plead guilty, pay the fine, and get
on with their lives. For Oklahoma City, the fines generated some revenue, and the broad
charge of being disorderly was very discretionary, meaning defendants rarely challenged
the charges and arrest-to-conviction ratios looked good for the police.96 Officers
interview by author, 4/20/2005, Oklahoma City; Jim Fortenberry, follow-up interview by
author, 7/3/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/11/2005; G.J.P.,
interview by author, 7/15/2005; Linda Cole, telephone interview by author, 6/29/2005;
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005. Every participant interviewed that
worked in the entertainment or bar trade in Oklahoma City noted how easy -- and
necessary -- it was to get along (bribe) with beat cops.
95
Beemyn, “A Queer Capital,” 212-213; Chauncey, Gay New York, 185-186; Stein, City
of Sisterly and Brotherly Love, 50; D’Emilio and Freedman, Intimate Matters, 293-294;
Tim Retzloff, “Cars and Bars: Assembling Gay Men in Postwar Flint, Michigan,” in
Creating a Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community Histories. Brett
Beemyn ed. (New York: Routledge Press, 1997), 238-239. According to Beemyn, in
Washington, D.C., the bond for disorderly conduct was $25, and most defendants chose
to forfeit that instead of fighting the charge and adding to their embarrassment. In fact,
2/3 of the over 983 misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges made there between 1947
and 1950 were handled in exactly that manner. This was a very common approach
authorities took to policing gay and bisexual subcultures all over the United States. In
New York, this system was in place already before World War I.
96
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
110
�appeared tough on vice, revelers enjoyed their fun, and the Oklahoma City gay male
subculture operated just under the radar. Residents usually took great care, however, in
using pseudonyms or they might be lost in the system. Jim Fortenberry remembers that
once, during a raid at the Mayflower that included news coverage via local television
stations, the police questioned and booked a good lesbian friend of his who went through
the drill of giving false personal information to the police. “We didn’t know what name
she used at the station, so it took us three days to get her bailed out!”97
The Mayflower remained open until early 1964, when according to the Daily
Oklahoman, it suffered a major fire and over $10,000 in damages.98 The owners of the
establishment decided that this was too much to justify rebuilding, so they razed the
building and the property became a parking lot for the Mayflower Theater located next
door. The Mayflower played an important role in the emergence of the Oklahoma City
gay male world. It was the first openly gay bar in Oklahoma City and the longest
running gay bar of its era, remaining in business at least six years. The significance of
the Mayflower Lounge reached beyond Oklahoma City, as Johnny Carson mentioned its
demise on the Tonight Show. 99 Gay and lesbian city residents used the Mayflower as an
anchor, around which the sexual and social activities of their subculture revolved. Its
passing left a huge gap in that world.
97
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
98
Daily Oklahoman, 12/31/1963. Residents cannot seem to agree on exactly when the
Mayflower closed. All agree that a devastating fire on New Years Eve was the catalyst
for its closure. The year is usually given as 1964 or 1965. This fire, with a $10,000
damage estimate, was probably the one that led to closure.
99
The reference to Johnny Carson mentioning the demise of the Mayflower on the
Tonight Show came from interviews with Linda Cole, 6/29/2005, and Ralph Prevette,
1/12/2005. Cole was a long-time bar maid at the Mayflower.
111
�Traditionally, gay bars were essential elements in building a sense of community
and group identity in gay subcultures all over the United States,100 and that was certainly
true of those located in Oklahoma City. Before the Homophile movement took off or
people started coming out, bar owners were some of the only community heroes around.
They started and maintained places of socialization where gay and bisexual men could
feel safe, express their sexuality, and come back again and again. The lengths that bar
owners went to ensure that clubs stayed open – paying off police officers, ministers, and
city employees for protection; bailing out patrons arrested in their bars – gave gay and
bisexual men support that they rarely received elsewhere. Many never forgot the
sacrifices people like Bill Mitchell, Roger Pritchard, Red Holder, Park Bingham, Arnold
Lee, or Leona Pierce made on their behalf and remained loyal to them until the day their
bars closed. In Oklahoma City, the population of gay and bisexual men was not large
enough to facilitate the growth of gay neighborhoods, support a gay-themed community
newspaper, or even consider political activity for gay rights for several decades. Bars
provided some of the only public, non-sexual socialization centers open to gay and
bisexual men, and the community held on to them dearly.101
Although gay and bisexual men could find any number of outlets for sex, alcohol,
and socialization in Oklahoma City proper, the need to be discreet led many residents to
seek such comforts just outside of city limits, and a small enclave of establishments
100
Elizabeth Kennedy and Madeline Davis, Boots of Leather, Slippers of
Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community (New York: Routledge Press, 1993), 10;
Chauncey, Gay New York, 335-350; Stein, City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves, 62-80.
101
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005;
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005;
Ginger Lamar, interview by author, 9/10/2004; Keith Smith, interview by author,
7/20/2005.
112
�appeared that catered to that group. The rationale was simple enough. Bars and
nightspots located outside of Oklahoma City remained immune to harassment or
exorbitant payoffs to city police officers, to say nothing of being shielded from religious
authorities and nosy neighbors. Hard liquor was served in most of the Oklahoma County
nightspots, while all of the gay and lesbian establishments in Oklahoma City served only
beer. State officials rarely policed individual establishments, outside of enforcing liquor
license laws, but this was of no concern to nightspots without licenses in the first place.
This left the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s office as the last source of authority that might
intrude on revelers’ fun. That force was woefully inadequate in the 1950s and according
to respondents not much to worry about. “The county guys, as a general rule, they are
much like they were in Los Angeles---they didn’t want any trouble and they were easy to
pay off. Sheriffs’ offices are rather simple in their corruption.”102 A final reason these
places remained popular with gay and bisexual men was that they allowed some of the
most complete mixing of gays, straights, and lesbians, in the history of Oklahoma City.
In these establishments, opportunity for sex or socialization was tantamount to their
success, not the gender or sexual preference of their clientele. Accordingly, people of all
sexual appetites congregated at these places.
Pat’s place was one of the most notorious nightspots to ever open in Oklahoma
County.103 Located near the corner of Pennsylvania and Grand Avenue, it was a large
old home at the end of a long secluded driveway. The owners gutted the interior walls to
102
Quote from Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2004; Jim Fortenberry,
interview by author, 4/15/2005.
103
This speakeasy is often conflated with Pat’s Club, a joint opened by a pair of retired
Oklahoma City police detectives in the 1950s located on May Avenue.
113
�create a huge dance floor and it saw plenty of action.
Pat’s also contained giant
windows, a very useful feature if the county sheriff made an occasional visit. Pat’s was
open every weekend by the late 1940s and offered hard liquor as well as beer for thirsty
patrons, a fact that instantly set it apart from other establishments in Oklahoma.
Although well-known and notorious, Pat’s held its share of secrets, including the identity
of the owners.
None of the participants can remember who owned the club, or why it
was called Pat’s, yet most of the old timers remember it well. “We danced until dawn,
night after night. Everybody that you never saw other places went to Pat’s.” 104
Another spot and territory, both sharing the same name, that offered gay and
bisexual men a wild place to socialize was Green Pastures.105 Most of the establishments
located in Green Pastures were owned by African Americans, a fact that made even the
appearance at such a place by Caucasians taboo. Whites did not return that courtesy,
however, as blacks were not allowed in and did not frequent predominantly white bars
until the 1970s:
A lot of times when everything would close down, we would go out to the black
joints, and that’s where they were. It was a territory. A lot of the gay kids went
there…a lot of dykes went there. Back then, almost every one of the butch
dykes had a chippie that prostituted, and the girls worked and roamed those
places, and they were accepted. We had very few (blacks that came in to white
bars in OKC) however.106
104
Jim Fortenberry, follow-up interview by author, 7/2/2005; Gil Ray, interview by
author, 8/9/2005. When Pat’s first opened is unclear. Most remember it being open by
1947, although others recall it was first around in the early 1950s.
105
Green Pastures is a euphemism for the rolling hills and fertile farm tracts found in
eastern Oklahoma County. At least one of the clubs popular here was also called Green
Pastures.
106
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005.
114
�Establishments in Green Pastures were also not necessarily gay bars, either, but
gays and lesbians took advantage of the licentious atmosphere to greatly expand the
geographic circle of socialization.
African Americans probably did not give it much
thought, as they undoubtedly found running a legitimate operation within Oklahoma City
limits rather difficult.
An unincorporated area, free of official harassment and well-
situated -- as a large number of African Americans lived east of Oklahoma City – meant
that black bar owners remained much more tolerant of non-normative social and sexual
behavior exhibited by paying customers.
Like Pat’s, establishments in Green Pastures
were located outside the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma City Police, and the County Sheriff
rarely stopped by, so these places stayed open until dawn, sold bootleg liquor at
exorbitant prices, and attracted many of the revelers forced to vacate downtown
establishments after midnight.
Green Pastures, the bar, was the best of the worst, and
remained open until the 1960s:
Green Pastures was an after hours place on the eastern outskirts of the black
ghetto, way out off of Northeast 36th Street. It was a shack that sold booze
illegally after hours to anyone who could crawl in the door. Management must
have had undercover bouncers working the crowd, because there was never any
trouble and the crowd was really drunk. Also very mixed---straight, gay, black,
white, young, old, rich, poor----you name it. Of course the payoffs to the cops
eventually crippled the place. I am sure it was a cover for drug dealing, pussypeddling, and moppery and doppery in general, but it was a fun place on a strictly
occasional sort of basis.107
That mixing of people, of all races and sexual appetites, was unusual in most
American cities, even larger ones like Buffalo, New York City, or Philadelphia. While
African-Americans rarely frequented bars owned by whites in Oklahoma City, white gays
and lesbians almost universally visited African-American establishments in eastern
107
Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 2/19/2005 and 6/29/2005.
115
�Oklahoma County.
Also notable here was that gay men and lesbians frequented the
same places. In Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City,
lesbians and gay men usually socialized separately.108 In Oklahoma City, the number of
places gays and lesbians could go, by comparison, was smaller, especially for lesbians.
As a result, they often found themselves at Pat’s, Green Pastures, or the Mayflower right
along with the boys.
By the early 1950s, several bars and restaurants that catered almost exclusively to
homosexuals existed in Oklahoma City. By World War II, Bishop’s Tap Room was the
spot for gays and lesbians to socialize, commune, and get picked up, but it was ostensibly
a straight club that “went gay” after hours. It nonetheless remained a popular hangout
into the 1960s. The Mayflower, the Circus Club, and the Blue Lounge catered to a gay
clientele from the start, and although the Circus and the Blue closed after only a short
period, they reopened under different names but still remained primarily gay. Two
restaurants that served as important sources of community development were Bishop’s
Restaurant and Beverly’s Grill. Both were by all appearances straight restaurants, but
queer men used them as important gathering points and socialization centers. All of
these institutions operated in full view of the police and religious authorities. Other
108
Brett Beemyn, “A Queer Capital,” 185-188; Rory Thorpe, ”The Changing Face of
Lesbian Bars in Detroit, 1938-1965,” in Creating A Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay,
and Bisexual Community Histories, Brett Beemyn ed. (New York: Routledge, 1997),
166-178; Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeline Davis, Boots of Leather, Slippers
of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community (New York: Routledge, 1993); Marc
Stein, The City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia, 19451972 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 61-69. Stein argues that in
Philadelphia, gays and lesbians shared space when necessary, but preferred to have their
own establishments whenever possible. Nan Boyd found much the same thing to be true
in her Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965 (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2003).
116
�establishments sprang up just outside of Oklahoma City city limits and offered patrons a
wilder atmosphere in which to socialize. Places like Pat’s Club and a number of bars in
Green Pastures operated in direct violation of state liquor laws, and the licentious
behavior made possible by their location probably made gay men and women more
emboldened.
The overall openness of the Oklahoma City sexual landscape located downtown,
coupled with an almost open disdain for police and their procedures, suggests that
working-class gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City were not terribly concerned with
the police or what charges they might face, but preferred to spend their time focusing on
revelry and community. This is in contrast to what scholars found in Philadelphia,
Chicago, and New York City. For New York, Chauncey argued that “the state built a
closet in the 1930s, and forced gay people to hide in it.” Jim Fortenberry remembers
traveling to New York as late as the 1940s and being amazed at how much more
vivacious the Oklahoma City gay world was. Everywhere he looked were signs that
warned men not to dance or touch each other. “Oklahoma City was wide open in
comparison.” Although much smaller than the gay Meccas in terms of population,
Oklahoma City was certainly not closeted.109 The success enjoyed by gay and bisexual
men in Oklahoma City in establishing socialization centers, places for sexual liaisons,
and maintaining a public presence, at a time when this was increasingly difficult in other
parts of the United States, strongly questions the efficacy of considering the subcultures
109
David Johnson, “The Kids of Fairy Town: Gay Male Culture on Chicago’s Near
North Side in the 1930s.” in Creating a Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual
Community Histories, Brett Beemyn ed. (New York: Routledge, 1997), 112-113; Stein,
The City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves, 17-41; Chauncey, Gay New York, 9; Jim
Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
117
�in New York, Philadelphia, or San Francisco as representative of gay sexuality in the
United States, and certainly the western United States.
118
�Chapter IV
Female Impersonation in Oklahoma City:
The Rise and Fall of the Inferno
The importance of female impersonation, or drag, to the formation and support of
gay male subcultures in the United States is well-documented. During World War II,
female impersonators and the myriad of routines they performed were just as vital as the
USO troupes to the war effort. Gay soldiers entertained, socialized, and expressed their
sexuality in “open disguise,” one that remained relatively free from public scorn. In fact,
during the casting and staging of these shows, many gay soldiers found one another and
formed support networks. The importance of these shows led military officials to shield
performers from insinuations regarding their sexuality, working with the press to promote
the recreational and therapeutic value inherent in the productions. Straight soldiers
enjoyed the entertainment and found validation of their masculinity in shows that often
poked fun at effeminate men.1
Drag also solidified a queer presence in entertainment districts and nightspots,
literally and psychologically, from the turn of twentieth century. In New York City, the
“pansy craze” of the late 1920s and 1930s brought the gay subculture that had been
percolating along the periphery of the city in places like Harlem and Greenwich Village
1
Alan Berube, Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World
War II (New York: Free Press, 1990), 67-95.
119
�into the main artery of Times Square. Drag played a crucial role in that transformation,
as it merged with Prohibition-era excess and kept gay and bisexual men at the center of
nighttime entertainment and encouraged them to brazenly carve out a niche for
themselves in New York.2 In Seattle, the world-renowned Garden of Allah provided
post-World War II gay and lesbian residents a haven in which to explore their sexuality
and communicate with the subculture that was only then beginning to test the limits of
public acceptance and tolerance. As a visual manifestation of otherness, and by living
authentic gay lives thanks in part to the support tendered by the Garden, those drag
queens did as much for the development of a queer political consciousness in Seattle as
the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society.3 In Chicago in the 1950s, building
on over twenty years of popularity, “Finnie’s Balls” were held at Halloween and on New
Year’s Eve. Hundreds of residents attended, people of all races and sexual orientations.
Of even greater significance was the fact that all of this occurred at a time when being
gay in the United States was becoming much more problematic.4 In San Francisco, drag
was important to the latent gay and lesbian subculture, but it was also big business. One
of the most notorious drag bars in San Francisco, Finocchio’s, was a straight bar that
2
George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the
Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (New York: BasicBooks, 1994), 301-319, 327-329.
3
Don Paulson, An Evening at the Garden of Allah: A Gay Cabaret in Seattle (New
York: Columbia Press, 1996); Gary L. Atkins, Gay Seattle: Stories of Exile and
Belonging (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2003), 59-68.
4
Allen Drexel, “Before Paris Burned: Race, Class, and Male Homosexuality on the
Chicago South Side, 1935-1960,” in Creating a Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Community Histories, ed. Brett Beemyn (New York: Routledge, 1997). Alfred
Finnie, a black gambler and male prostitute from Chicago, held his first ball in 1935.
After his death in 1943, the annual events continued, sometimes up to five times
annually, and drew attention from national publications aimed at African Americans such
as Ebony and Jet.
120
�catered to tourists, by design. People came to sample the exotic---and excellent---talents
featured nightly at the bar.5 In cities all over the United States, both large and small,
drag served important functions----everything from homosexual communal support and a
coded means to ape straight society, to a viable means to make a living and more openly
express alternative sexualities.
Female impersonation first became a socially acceptable form of entertainment
during the late nineteenth-century, which paralleled the crest in popularity of American
vaudeville.6 Vaudeville encompassed a wide range of dramatic, comedic, and minstrel
productions that produced a unique brand of entertainment normally found in the concert
saloons and large entertainment districts of larger cities. People of all classes came to
watch, if only out of curiosity, but by and large vaudeville remained the purview of
upper-middle and upper-class men and women. Vaudeville provided female
impersonators with valuable training, a medium with which to push for cultural
legitimacy, and a steady income. It was not unheard of for large venues to pay acts
between $100 and $200 a week. By the early 20th century, most cities of even moderate
size had an opera house or concert hall in which the emerging vaudeville circuit system
sent touring companies of diverse acts. In a way, vaudeville houses were the forerunners
5
Nan Alamilla Boyd, Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 49-56.
6
The term “female impersonator” in this chapter refers generally to any man who sought
to create the illusion of womanhood for entertainment and/or monetary gain. They sang
in their own voice or lip-synced to music, made elaborate costumes or bought off of the
rack, studied the talent of those they impersonated or created their own illusion, and
generally speaking were gay. Purists will draw greater distinctions between
impersonators and drag queens, but my emphasis is on the intent of the performers, not
the level of success at achieving womanhood.
121
�of movie theaters and were quite effective at introducing Americans to new forms of
entertainment.7
Oklahoma City was certainly no stranger to vaudeville in general and female
impersonators in particular. The Lyric Theater on the corner of Grand Avenue and
Harvey, an open-air structure, advertised for “Advanced Vaudeville” in the summer of
1908. In addition to dance artists and song performances, the Lyric had a “Lyriscope”
on which the latest moving pictures could be viewed. Also offered at the Lyric was
entertainment provided by one Lou Bates, a “famous female impersonator” according to
advertisements.8
A decade later, one of the premier female impersonators of all time came to
Oklahoma City, and he made quite an impact. Born William Dalton in Massachusetts in
1883, Julian Eltinge pushed the craft of female impersonation more fully into comedy
and glamour. He toured the world and made huge sums of money at times promulgating
his own unique brand of musical theater and illusion. Eltinge set the stage for later
female impersonators by investing the medium with a sense of respectability and
legitimacy it previously had lacked.9 On August 23, 1919, Eltinge and his Revue
stopped for at least two nights at the Overholser Opera House in Oklahoma City. The
Overholser was an imposing structure, built in 1903 and located at 217 West Grand
Avenue. It seated close to 2500 people, was four stories high, and offered patrons
7
One of the most thorough historical treatments of female impersonation in the United
States to date is Thomas A. Bolze, “Female Impersonation in the United States, 19001970” (Ph.D. diss., State University of New York at Buffalo, 1994), 24-30.
8
Daily Oklahoman, 1/12/1908, 22.
9
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 39-55, 59.
122
�leather seating and toilets on each floor. When built, the Overholser boasted of having
the largest stage in the West.10 Eltinge’s stop was part of his larger world-wide tour, and
the revue included a cast of over forty people. That it was the opening act for the
Overholser Theater’s dramatic season, and that the Revue returned for another two-night
engagement in October 1919, speaks to the respect accorded Eltinge and the popularity of
female impersonation in Oklahoma City from an early date.11
By the dawn of the 1930s, however, female impersonators found their craft in
transition. This was the byproduct of cultural and economic changes spawned by the
Great Depression. As Thomas Bolze argues, the practice lost some of its popularity and
perceived respectability with the ascendance of other forms of entertainment, like movies
and radio. The venues where female impersonators were usually welcomed shifted away
from stage and theaters and into nightclubs and speakeasies. This movement was made
easier by the fact that the number of nightclubs in the United States skyrocketed with the
end of Prohibition in 1933, which paradoxically meant more opportunities for female
impersonators to perform as it simultaneously branded it as entertainment suitable
primarily for working-class people. The movement to nightclubs and the decline in
vaudeville in general also initiated another change, one that forever stigmatized the
performance and its practitioners. By the 1930s, the general public almost universally
10
Daily Oklahoman, 8/23/1919, section C, 13; Terry L. Griffith, Oklahoma City: Land
Run to Statehood (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 1999), 7; Roy P.
Stewart, Born Grown: The Story of Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City: Fidelity Bank,
National Association, 1974), 88-90. Henry Overholser, one of Oklahoma City’s
founding fathers, refused to lease his hall out to any Democrat, for he was a rock-ribbed
Republican.
11
Daily Oklahoman, 10/5/1919.
123
�assumed that female impersonators were homosexual. Before, performers expected and
received polite indifference to their sexuality in a theater setting. With the growth of
nightclubs and the movement of the performances to them almost exclusively, a
stigmatization of the performers’ sexuality, and impersonation in general, followed.
Arguably, it continues to the current time.12
This did not, however, mean that impersonators found it difficult to find places to
perform in Oklahoma City. In fact, the relatively high number of nightclubs and bars
meant that jobs were easier to come by, post-Prohibition. A club located just south of
Oklahoma City known as The Garden of Allah, a name likely inspired by the 1936 film
starring Marlene Dietrich and Charles Boyer, hosted female impersonators regularly
enough that they could afford to pay out-of-town performers. In 1938, a group of five
female impersonators, all from the Midwest and East, appeared at the Garden to large
audiences and brought a performance style that quickly earned it the attention of
authorities. On February 9th, all five of the men, wearing wigs and various evening
attire, were arrested by Oklahoma County sheriff deputies at the Garden. The officers
responded to complaints that a “rough” floor show was staged nightly at the club, and
investigators confirmed that a bubble dance and striptease were occurring. Prosecutors
charged the five men with outraging public decency and held them on $1000 bond, a
considerable sum in 1938. Unable to post bail, the impersonators languished at the
Oklahoma County jail for almost a month while prosecutors and sheriff deputies argued
over their disposition. Deputies wanted to release the men on condition that they leave
Oklahoma and never return. County attorneys wanted the men to serve jail time,
12
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 230-248, 322-326.
124
�especially when it became clear they were gay or bisexual. On March 1, 1938, Judge
Charles Conner warned the performers that they had been very lucky: “If they catch you
down here, sometimes they don’t put you in jail but just take care of the matter some
other way.” When presented with the option of parole provided they leave the state
immediately, all five shouted “We will leave right away.”13
Although the performers in the Garden episode were stung by the legal system in
Oklahoma, this did not discourage other female impersonators from testing the waters in
Oklahoma City, including at the Garden. The club remained open thereafter and
eventually became Louie’s 29 Club, owned by longtime Oklahoma City entrepreneur
Louis Strauch. Louie’s 29 Club booked Mr. Adrian Ames, billed as “Hollywood’s
Favorite Female Impersonator,” in 1950 as its premier dinner club attraction.14 In 1955,
Louie’s also offered the exotic talents of one “Bonita Secret,” famous for her Indian
Drum Dance. Later that year, Larry Lombard brought his Calumet City Special routine,
an exotic dance performance, to the club as well.15 Louie’s would go on to host more
elaborate impersonation shows and be a favorite of local residents, gay and straight, for
years thereafter.16
13
Daily Oklahoman, 2/9/1938, 1, 2/10/1938, 21, 2/20/1938, 30, and 3/1/1938, 11. The
Garden was located at 2929 SW 29th. All but two of the record jackets at the Oklahoma
County Sheriff’s Office on these men were empty. Two contained FBI record searches,
signed by J. Edgar Hoover, describing the men as having been arrested and found guilty
of “inversion,” or being homosexual, at some point.
14
Daily Oklahoman, 7/23/1950 and 7/30/1950, entertainment section.
15
See advertisements in the Daily Oklahoman, 8/7/1955 and 10/2/1955.
16
GJP, Interview by author, 3/18/2005.
125
�By the dawn of World War II, the popularity of traveling female impersonation
shows rivaled any regular club appearances by local performers, and the most famous and
enduring of these was the Jewel Box Revue. Originally produced in Miami’s Jewel Box
Club in 1939 by entertainers determined to reestablish the mystery and artistry of
impersonation, the Revue featured sophisticated stage shows. Bejeweled men with
meticulous costumes danced, sang in their own voices, and quite often impersonated
famous celebrities against a diverse backdrop of sets. The Revue made several stops in
Oklahoma City in the 1950s. The Daily Oklahoman carried articles detailing the Revue,
which it called “one of the most elaborate productions to be staged in a night club.”
Several of the most famous participants in the Revue came---T.C. Jones, La Verne
Cummings, Jackie Mayer and more formed the core of the 90-minute shows, which were
performed three times nightly. Ricky Renee, owner of a $10,000 costume array that
included a solid rhinestone dress and mink coat, wowed crowds in 1954 with his split
second wardrobe changes. By all accounts, the Revue was well-received, as the Derby
Club booked the group for weeks at a time and opened on Sunday evening just to
accommodate the overflow crowds. The Revue played at other clubs too, including
Louie’s 29 Club. One local entertainer, himself a female illusionist, remembered that
“the traveling Jewell Box reviews (held at Louie’s) had a huge impact on the Oklahoma
City drag scene. That placed was packed when they came---gay or straight it didn’t
matter.”17
17
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 335; Daily Oklahoman, 4/5/1953, 82, 4/26/1953, 92
(quote taken), 3/21/1954, 2/27/1955, 3-E, and 5/17/1957; Quote provided by GJP,
interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/18/2005. The Derby Club was, by all accounts, a
predominantly straight nightclub located at 3133 NE 23rd. Louie’s Club 29 was located
at 2929 SW 29th .
126
�Throughout the 1950s, the Jewel Box Revue made stops at the Derby or Louie’s
and stayed over for extra performances. It was one of the most popular attractions in
Oklahoma City when it arrived, just as it was when it played in other parts of the country.
According to patrons, not once was any club that sponsored the Revue raided or its
patrons harassed. This likely had something to do with the fact that patrons and police
alike accorded these performers with a modicum of respect. By the 1950s, people
assumed that female impersonators were homosexual, a shift from the earlier vaudevillian
conceptualization of impersonation as performance art, with no thoughts about the
performers’ sexuality.18 The quality of the shows, however, mitigated any perceived
threat that the performers’ sexuality offered. As Carol Durrell, a participant with the
Revue in the early 1960s, wryly noted, “People who called you ‘faggot’ and ‘sissy’ out
on the street were suddenly in awe of your talent.” The vocal, comedic, and dance
routines resembled tamer versions of well-known burlesque reviews, so if the shows
started early enough in the evening, some people brought their families to enjoy them.
The performances contained enough gay symbolism and camp, however, that gay and
bisexual men found them appealing as well. In this way, female impersonators gained a
sense of empowerment and respect from their audiences, gay or straight.19
18
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 320-350, 394-95. Bolze argues that after the 1920s,
female impersonation increasingly became associated with shadier nightclubs, was
frequently targeted by police and morals crusaders, and was hammered by ever-hardening
gender and sex roles. Indeed, the “nightclub phase” of female impersonation was
viewed as a retreat from respectability, although many performers still made a fine living
and traveled all over the country performing.
19
Ibid., 376-377.
127
�These and other examples indicate that female impersonation remained a popular,
socially acceptable medium of entertainment put on display at Oklahoma City nightclubs,
even as the artists were universally assumed to be homosexual. Part of their success
stemmed from the fact that they catered primarily to straight audiences at first. Once
they gained support in that arena, female impersonators became fixtures at gay clubs and
nightspots all over Oklahoma City. Drag queens did not compromise their integrity or
relinquish their ability to transform perceptions about gay men by doing this, however.
The very compelling and contradictory nature of the performances made them
provocative entertainment for straight men and women, and a powerful expression of
protest, both formal and informal, for the performers. As other scholars argued, drag is
in many ways a “performing protest,” an entertainment medium that supports traditional
sexual categories and gender expectations at the same time it challenges them.20 By
poking fun at heterosexuals, often in a very graphic manner, and then turning the tables
and poking fun at themselves, female impersonators immediately disarmed their
heterosexual counterparts and made poignant commentaries about gender and sexuality.
The presence of female impersonators in clubs provided straight audiences with safe,
provocative entertainment that reinforced Cold War-era gender expectations. During the
1950s, when communism seemed to be an aggressive, destructive menace that highranking government officials supposedly aided, Americans turned inward and viewed any
non-normative sexual or personal habits with suspicion, as threats to domesticity.
20
Leila Rupp and Verta Taylor, Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret (University of
Chicago Press, 2003), chapter ten. Rupp and Taylor’s work studies the role drag played
in forging a sense of community within the 801 Cabaret in Key West, Florida, and in the
community at large. Drag as a form of social protest is also a fixture in Esther Newton’s
classic study, Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1972, 1979).
128
�Homosexuals represented quintessential threats to domesticity and the family, as they
lived lives unencumbered by children, mortgages, and monogamy according to many.
By forsaking heterosexuality, sometimes rather openly and successfully, they threatened
the neat categorizations many Americans developed regarding men and women’s roles in
the home, the workplace, and society. As Michael Kimmel reminds us, homosexuality
like communism represented “gender failure,” one that compromised an American male’s
mission, post-1945: being a father, providing an income for his family, and always being
a model of modesty, strength, temperance, and silence.21 Seeing female impersonators
challenge those norms, usually with humor and in a boisterous way, while constantly
reminding audiences that they were gay, allowed straight patrons to feel good about their
lot and gave gay men a means to express their talent and challenge hegemonic
heterosexuality, all under the guise of a simple supper show. Performers and gay
audience members alike walked a fine line between being “respectable” and “out.”
Neither was mutually exclusive of the other.22
While “legitimate” places used female impersonators with some regularity in
Oklahoma City, so too did establishments that operated on the fringes of respectability.
21
Michael Kimmel, Manhood in America: A Cultural History (New York: Free Press,
1996), 226-237; Barbara Ehrenreich suggests that this post-1945 male manifesto was so
pervasive and powerful that it “kept heterosexual men in line as husbands and
breadwinners….The ultimate reason why a man would not just ‘walk out the door’ was
the taint of homosexuality which was likely to follow him” in The Hearts of Men:
American Dreams and the Flight from Commitment (Garden City, New York: 1983), 26,
34.
22
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 319-324; Allen Drexel, “Before Paris Burned,” 122.
For the complicated nature of gay-straight mixing in clubs in New York and Chicago, see
Chad Heap, “’Slumming’: Sexuality, Race, and Urban Commercial Leisure, 1900-1940.”
(Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 2000): 244-247.
129
�A growing trend in Oklahoma City in the 1940s and 1950s was the appearance of drag
balls, usually held at Halloween to avoid as much community hostility as possible. This
medium shared much in common with shows held in nightclubs. People wore gowns,
they spent a great deal of time and money on their costume, and they rehearsed their
routines regularly. Also, contestants often sang in their own voice, something that is
unheard of today. It was a terribly competitive enterprise: “People would say, ‘what are
you wearing, bitch,’ and I’d reply, ’fuck off’,” remembers Gil Ray.23 An important and
fundamental difference, however, was that the Halloween drag balls were exclusively
targeted for the gay and lesbian audience in Oklahoma City. They were some of the
first, real attempts to establish an overtly gay public presence in Oklahoma City, and if
the crowds that attended these functions were any indication, they were very successful. 24
A surprising fact about drag ball culture in Oklahoma City was that some of the
balls were held in the northeast sections of Oklahoma City, at clubs and establishments
owned by and that catered to African Americans. This was very unusual in the history of
racial and social relations in Oklahoma City proper, as blacks and whites usually stayed
in their own establishments and avoided mixing. Organizers held one of the earliest
balls at a club called “Eagle Nest” in northeast Oklahoma City, probably in 1954. In
keeping with the segregation of races in clubs in Oklahoma City, black patrons were not
initially allowed to see the show, even though Eagle Nest was owned and operated by
African Americans. This was the first ball that local legend Gil Ray ever attended, and
he remembered that “Everybody had a nice car to deliver us out to it, and we had gowns
23
Gil Ray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005.
24
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005.
130
�and everything. Those black folks went berserk over it. Whoever put it on leased it (the
club) just for that night, but a lot of them (blacks) came in, even though they weren’t
supposed to.” Another successful ball was held at Bryant Center, a community hub built
for the African-American community by the state of Oklahoma in 1960. Within its
35,000 square foot confines were a huge dance floor, an orchestra pit, a sixteen-lane
bowling alley, and a roller skating rink. Community groups frequently used Bryant
Center for dances and parties, and some of the most well-known African-American
entertainers made stops at the center, such as Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Ike and Tina
Turner, and Ben E. King. Sponsors for this 1960 event are unknown, but almost thirty
contestants entered the drag show, which Gil Ray won with his signature rendition of
“The Days of Wine and Roses.”25
It is both ironic and instructive that the Oklahoma City gay male world went to
another minority subculture in order to flourish. In general, black and white worlds
remained distinct in Oklahoma City, including at nightclubs and other social institutions.
Although some racial intermingling occurred in jazz clubs located in Deep Deuce, it was
far less common than separatism.26 Whites preferred that blacks remained in the eastern
part of town, shop in their own stores, and eat at their own restaurants. Blacks were
probably content to oblige, if only to avoid confrontations with bigoted downtown
25
Gil Ray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005. Bryant Center was located
at 2701 NE 21st . See advertisements for these and other performers in the October 1960,
November 1961, and January 1962 editions of the Daily Oklahoman.
26
Diane Wood Middlebrook, Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton (New York:
Houghton Mifflin, 1998). Some of the most important jazz musicians in American
history either started out or at least spent time at clubs like the Goody Goody or the Cave
along Deep Deuce (2nd Street) in Oklahoma City. Here, the racial component of the
bandstands and the crowds was more likely to be mixed than at any other spots in town.
131
�residents and the police. It was common for whites, however, to attend festivities in a
bar or community center located in African-American neighborhoods, and the Caucasians
expected nothing to be said about it.27
If drag balls aided gay and bisexual men in developing a sense of community,
they were also very lucrative and successful business enterprises. Such was true of the
legendary Halloween Balls in the 1950s sponsored by Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell,
co-founders of the Mayflower. Pritchard and Mitchell held Halloween Balls all over
Oklahoma County, and rented out large halls for them. One was held at the Veterans of
Foreign Wars Hall in El Reno, one of the most rigidly masculine cultural institutions in
Oklahoma. Upwards of 300 people attended, many from out of state.28 Another ball
was held at the Norman Country Club hall in an upstairs annex. “Everybody was just
flowing in there. I felt like a real woman. Then, POW, everybody screamed ‘get out!’
The party was upstairs, but the bathrooms were downstairs where the straights were, and
they didn’t know what kind of a party it was. So, away we went. We were just pushing
people into cars…”29 Still another ball was held at the Biltmore Hotel, whose basement
contained a very popular tearoom for anonymous sex. Bill and Roger advertised by
word of mouth at their club, the Mayflower, and news quickly spread throughout gay
circles. Patrons bought a ticket and that entitled them to enjoy the show and the food
27
Ron Owens, Oklahoma Justice---The Oklahoma City Police: A Century of
Gunfighters, Gangsters, and Terrorists (Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing, 1995),
160-162. The Oklahoma City Police Department had a “colored” corps of officers that
patrolled those beats east of Broadway and south of Reno in Oklahoma City, the area
commonly referred to as “black town” or “nigger town”; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Ralph Prevette, interview by author,
1/12/2005.
28
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005.
29
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
132
�and occasionally a band that played. More importantly, it gave men a chance to dress in
drag, congregate with other gays and lesbians in public, and have a good time. And have
a good time is exactly what the gay and bisexual male world did, when they could get the
community at large to leave them alone. One of the reasons the balls moved from year
to year was that they were rarely allowed back. Once community leaders realized what
was going on, they tried to run the Halloween revelers off, and they refused to rent space
to them again.30
It was precisely for that reason that Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell started the
Inferno, Oklahoma City’s first so-called drag bar, in 1958. Located at 9200 South
Shields across from Coots Service Station, the Inferno was wildly gay, wildly successful,
and salient to the development of a sense of community in queer Oklahoma City. From
the outside, the Inferno appeared rather inauspicious. Constructed of cinder blocks and
decorated in a flame motif, the club had a single light out front, and patrons parked in the
back. Inside, it was just a big open space with alcohol and a dance floor. Although the
Inferno had a beer license, most patrons took advantage of the Inferno’s location in
unincorporated territory and brought their own bottles. Bill and Roger provided the ice
and occasionally, food, for a small cover charge. Since Mitchell and Pritchard owned
the Mayflower, their time was a bit circumscribed, so they opened the Inferno on
weekends and holidays only. In addition, they leased the space out to gay and lesbian
Oklahoma City residents for parties, birthday celebrations, anniversaries and such. In
30
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author,
Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005.
133
�that regard, the Inferno might correctly be considered the first community center for the
gay and bisexual residents of Oklahoma City.31
The location of the Inferno was particularly important in the establishment’s
history and popularity. Although now part of Oklahoma City’s city limits, the bar was
situated in an unincorporated area of Cleveland County during the late 1950s. This
meant that Oklahoma City police officers and Norman police officers had no jurisdiction
over the place, and county sheriffs showed little interest in raiding the establishment at
first. Since it fell out of the jurisdiction of the city authorities, the Inferno became a
wild, bustling night spot, and age was rarely a barrier to entrance. As Jim McMurray
relates:
The first bar I went to (Inferno) I looked around and thought, ’my God!’ It was
gay---anyone of any age could go, and the cops could not touch you. Now after
you were through partying, you got in your car and sat there until you were sober,
because the cops were waiting on each side. I started going there when I was 13.
It was just a building, with female impersonators, shows, just wide-open. Of
course they had tremendous business because, most gay men like young, young
men.32
Nor was age a barrier for performers. “Shelly Summers,” the stage name of the late
Michael Benham, started performing at the weekly drag shows at the Inferno when he
was only fifteen-years-old and still a student at Classen High School. His teacher, Jim
Fortenberry, remembers walking into the club one night and seeing his young student,
31
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 7/2/2005; Ralph Prevette,
interview by author, 2/19/2005; Linda Cole, interview by author, 7/11/2005; Gil Ray,
interview by author, 4/20/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005. This was the
standard way that Oklahomans drank alcohol in public between the end of statewide
prohibition in 1959 and the passage of liquor-by-the-drink legislation, which is currently
in place in forty-two of Oklahoma’s seventy-seven counties. A liquor license was still
required if liquor was consumed on the premises or if beer was sold.
32
Jim McMurray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/20/2005.
134
�“decked out in miles of gingham,” performing for packed crowds. “At least it explained
why he slept through my class.”33
The crowd that attended events at the Inferno was a mix of lesbians as well as gay
men, a fact that at first deflected attention from its core constituency and protected each
group if things ever got hot. Much like the Green Pastures nightspots in eastern
Oklahoma County, the Inferno served as an important point of gay and lesbian
interaction, and by all accounts patrons seemed to get along rather well.34 This was
unusual, as gay bars in most other urban areas were segregated by sex.35 The reason that
gays and lesbians mixed so easily and often in Oklahoma City was two-fold. First, not
enough gay bars existed in Oklahoma City in the 1950s to encourage “specialization,” or
the growth of sex-segregated bars and nightspots. Mitchell and Pritchard actively
courted lesbians, as they saw in them an untapped source of income. Second, it was a
matter of convenience, especially during a raid. Men and women visiting with one
another drew little suspicion, and a quick switch of dance partners meant that the Inferno
looked like any other club by the time police finally got a look. Getting in was indeed a
problem for authorities, as like a lot of other nightclubs across the country, the Inferno
developed a distinct series of light cues that the management used to warn patrons of
impending trouble with authorities. Red, blue, and white signal lights warned patrons to
33
Jim Fortenberry, interview with author, 7/2/2005.
34
Linda Cole, interview with author, 7/11/2005.
35
See Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeline Davis, Boots of Leather, Slippers of
Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community (New York: Routledge, 1993), and Esther
Newton, Cherry Grove, Fire Island: Sixty Years in America’s First Gay and Lesbian
Community (Boston: Beacon Press, 1993).
135
�hide their liquor, grab a member of the opposite sex, stop dancing, or stop having sex.
Indeed, the Inferno provided a convenient place for gay men to hook up and have a
sexual encounter. The toilet facilities consisted of long troughs, open on both sides,
which gay and bisexual men often used to cruise other men for sex.36
In some respects, the Inferno was just an average gay bar and might have
remained so if not for the female impersonation shows held there almost every weekend.
This represented an historic shift in the role and venues for female impersonation shows
in Oklahoma City. Until the mid-1950s, shows were usually found in straight supper
clubs and bars, or limited to special occasions like Halloween in rented spaces. As
demonstrated earlier, the respectability and legitimacy that straight crowds infused
female impersonation shows shielded the queens from harassment by religious and
political authorities. By all accounts, the Inferno was the first show bar in Oklahoma
City that catered exclusively to gay men and women. Its institutionalization of female
impersonation fostered an important link that continues to date between gay bars and the
medium.37
The quality of the Inferno shows was very high, thanks primarily to the driving
organizational efforts of Tony Sinclair. Tony Sinclair is easily the most well-known
female impersonator ever to set up shop in Oklahoma. Supporters and detractors alike
agree that he is a true impersonator, someone who works tirelessly to perfect
36
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/27/2005.
37
Bolze, “Female Impersonation,” 348. Bolze argues that gay bars rarely used female
impersonators except at Halloween and other special events. Esther Newton notes that
most show bars where female impersonators performed regularly were almost universally
owned and operated by straight men or couples. Esther Newton, Mother Camp: Female
Impersonation in America (University of Chicago Press, 1972, 1979 edition), 4, note 10.
136
�impersonations of famous celebrities and strike the illusion of femininity in general.38
Anybody could dress like a woman and lip-sync to music, but Tony tried to become a
woman when on stage.
Born back east as Tony Morrison, Sinclair toured the United States as a member
of a drag troupe and allegedly starred at the Jewell Box Theater in Kansas City, a show
bar loosely modeled after Hollywood’s infamous tourist show bar, Finocchio’s. One
can assume he received much of his early training and impressionist skills while working
with the Revue. Whether he first came to Oklahoma City during one of the Jewell Box
engagements here is also unknown, but his first appearance in Oklahoma City was
certainly after 1965, the date he often ascribes to his arrival. He advertised for
unattached female dancers for his Inferno revue in 1960, and his presence at the Inferno
in the late 1950s would indicate an earlier arrival than he remembers. Tony was an
excellent wardrobe designer and tailor, and made specialized outfits for striptease artists
and showgirls in Oklahoma City and the southwest, including legendary Dallas dancer,
stripper, and burlesque entertainer Candy Barr.39 It provided him with the skills
necessary to make some of the dazzling wardrobe accessories for his Inferno troupe, and
the “Boylesque” reviews he started later in his career. Although Sinclair made many of
his elaborate costumes, he also borrowed some of the beautiful outfits he sold from
38
As of this writing, Tony Sinclair still performs once weekly at the Hi-Lo Club and at
Tramps, a popular bar owned by Tony and his lover, Hayden.
39
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; For information about Barr, see “Candy Barr,
Famous Exotic Dancer, Dies at Age 70,” Abilene Reporter-News, 1/1/2006.
137
�Payton-Marcus, the downtown department store in which Tony worked during the day.
He took them out on approval, used them, and then returned them to the store.40
Sinclair was also tough, on himself and his girls, but he probably had to be. Traveling
across the United States, dressing in kitchens, and performing in front of demanding
audiences required an unparalleled degree of professionalism, especially during an age
when the number of show bars in this part of the country was small. Noted for having a
sharp tongue, Tony Sinclair inspired both loyalty and contempt in colleagues, and to this
date the mention of his name is greeted with either a smile or a scowl.41
Although controversial, Tony Sinclair is definitely as shrewd as he is talented.
Tony made a living for years performing at straight clubs all over the United States as
well as in downtown Oklahoma City, a fact that kept him working and solidified his
reputation as a professional. His self-deprecating humor and willingness to ingratiate
himself to straight audiences kept him in high demand, and Sinclair was not viewed as a
threat by his audiences.42 One of Tony’s favorite spots to appear was the After-5 Club,
located in the basement of the Hotel Black, at the northwest corner of Grand and Hudson.
There Tony actually performed a strip-tease routine, much to the delight of standing-
40
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2005.
41
See “City Drag Queen Struts His Stuff.” Daily Oklahoman, 8/19/1984, 201, for some
facts about Sinclair’s early years and his perspective on female impersonation. One
interview subject believes Sinclair was from Cincinnati, Ohio. Sinclair advertised for
unattached female dancers for a chorus line in the Daily Oklahoman, 2/19/1960, 52. See
an advertisement in the Daily Oklahoman, 11/5/1964, 20, for the Dug-Out Club, 3407
NW 10th. Sinclair declined to participate in this research study when asked about the
Inferno. See also “Tony’s In The Spotlight,” Gayly Oklahoman (February 1984), 21 or
31 (illegible on copy).
42
“Tony’s In The Spotlight,” Gayly Oklahoman (February 1984), 21 or 31 (illegible on
copy).
138
�room-only audiences. As Jim remembers: “He was absolutely, astronomically
gorgeous….He gave my dad a lap dance and he (father) did not know it was a man until
Tony took the wig off. He was awesome.”43 Indeed, Sinclair made a living as a
teenager stripping, as a woman, in straight clubs according to one long-time
acquaintance. Ginger Lamar, another friend and legendary female impersonator in
Oklahoma City, credits Sinclair with guiding and inspiring her career via the shows at the
After 5 Club:
I saw Tony before I was legal to go out. I was 20 years old and most people won't
remember this--it was the Hotel Black & the After 5 Club in the basement. Tony
did a show, and I thought he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my
life. Tony was so gorgeous. I would follow wherever he was. He worked at the
Stage Door Club, over on South Robinson and he stripped-- he was a stripper.
And I would go any time I could go---I was mesmerized by him. And, to this day
a lot of what I've done with my career I've tried to pattern after what I've seen him
do. Not to copy, because we're as opposite as we can be in looks and appearance.
But, he has that class that I have always tried to get, and keep through the years. 44
Like any diva, Tony Sinclair refuses to divulge his age or early origins, and as a
result both supporters and detractors alike have interesting stories to tell. “There is
probably a whole other Tony Sinclair someplace made up of all of the skin he’s had
nipped and tucked off,” laughed Paul Thompson, citing Sinclair’s legendary fascination
with plastic surgery.45 Another friend, who refused to be identified, stated that Sinclair
is so fastidious about his appearance that if he sees a line on his face when he looks in the
43
Jim McMurray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/20/2005.
44
See “Ginger Speaks” and the topic “About Tony Sinclair” at Lamar’s website,
www.gingerlamar.com.
45
Ibid.
139
�mirror, he puts his finger on it, drives over to his plastic surgeon’s office, and says, “get
rid of it!” Rumors persist that he lived and worked as a woman in the 1950s in
Oklahoma City, that he is at least seventy-five years old, and that his drive to preserve his
looks motivated him to have plastic surgeries, such as cheek and pectoral implants, long
before they were commonly performed.46
Personal peccadilloes aside, the significance of Tony Sinclair to the success of the
Inferno, and the gay and bisexual community in Oklahoma City, cannot be denied. His
influence in Oklahoma parallels that of Jose Sarria in San Francisco. Sarria started
performing in drag at San Francisco’s infamous bohemian bar – the Black Cat Café – in
the 1940s, and his career blossomed well into the 1960s. Sarria’s operatic parodies and
campy humor thrilled audiences, as did his determination to defy the police and
community leaders hostile to homosexuals. In an effort to convince fellow queer men of
their worth, Sarria in 1961 ran for the office of city supervisor. He was one of the first
openly gay office seekers in California, and although his candidacy failed, Sarria
provided gay and bisexual men with a public, prominent role model at a crucial juncture
in the political awakening of the San Francisco LGBT community.47 Like Sarria, Tony
Sinclair never hid his homosexuality, his love of female impersonation, or his willingness
to support the gay community. In this regard, Sinclair was also a role model at a time
46
Tony Sinclair acknowledges that he underwent plastic surgery in “City Drag Queen
Struts His Stuff,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/19/1984, 201. People that have known Sinclair
for years had two kinds of Tony stories---those they would tell on the record, and those
they told off the record. Those told off the record were considerably more colorful, and
plentiful; Arnold Lee, interview by author, 8/13/2005. Arnold Lee states that Sinclair is
“at least” as old as he is which would currently make him seventy-eight.
47
D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities, 187-190; Boyd, Wide-Open Town, 5762.
140
�when they were hard to come by for gay men in Oklahoma City, even outside of the bar
culture. As Paul Thompson relates,
(Tony) was the first person I met that I knew for certain was gay. I worked for
John A. Brown in display and he worked in the display department at PeytonMarcus. I had friends that I worked with who knew I was gay and tried to get
me to see it. Within the first year I worked at Brown’s, one of them fetched me
down the street to meet Tony Sinclair because they wanted me to meet a selfconfessed gay person. Tony has done many things to help the community and
present a different option of how to be, a more positive way to be…48
In addition, Tony Sinclair is said to be the finest female impersonator ever to
perform in Oklahoma City, with a reputation that stretches from coast to coast.49 Tony
encouraged all of the girls who trained under him to develop a talent -- preferably
something live, like singing or dancing -- and to always be aware of the venue in which
they were performing. Costumes were absolutely essential to the act, as was cultivating
impressions of famous people. Sinclair impersonated a wide range of celebrities -- from
Mae West to Marilyn Monroe to Diana Ross -- and he spent a great deal of time studying
their performances and personal characteristics and mannerisms. One former protégé
who learned from Tony and eventually worked in Las Vegas and Europe remembers that
he was tough, but honest:
Tony is a real icon in the world of female impersonation. He is a perfectionist
and has a sharp tongue. I learned so much from him. I think people outside
Oklahoma would be greatly surprised how many people know of him…Because
of his strict foundation of drag I learned how to do it all---make-up, hair, and
costuming. To this day I still do most of my own costuming and all of my hair. I
48
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2004.
49
Ginger Lamar, interview by author, 9/10/2004; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005
and 7/15/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Jim McMurray,
interview by author, 1/20/2005; Linda Cole, interview by author, 6/29/2005 and
7/11/2005; Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
141
�was very unsure of so much stuff in those days. I worship the drag ground Tony
walked on and wanted him to look at me as being good.50
While Tony Sinclair was the highest profile performer in the Les Girls Revue, as
the Inferno impressionist show was called, a number of other artists contributed their
unique talents to the production and helped make it an enviable performance troupe. Gil
Ray, he of the high kick, splits, acrobatic bar moves, and Broadway-style dance routines,
used his small and athletic frame to provide the physical talent of the show and was
generally considered the athlete of the group. He performed the final number of the
show, which in his words meant his routine was “the best in town,” and occasionally that
involved a strip tease. Gil was also known for his comedic talents and impressions of
Judy Garland. Shelly Summers, stage name of the late Michael Benham who performed
at the Inferno at the tender age of sixteen, became Sinclair’s protégé. He apparently
modeled much of his later work after Sinclair. Shelly was a very small boy, according to
Gil Ray, and the chorus boys picked him up and twirled him about with ease. Shelly did
not lip-synch but sang live, something that was unusual even then, and this gave Les
Girls Revue a show with few rivals. Tony’s lover, David Morrison, played the piano and
put all of the music together for the show, and of course, Tony served as emcee.51 Six
headliners---Tony, Shelly, Gil, Bobby, and two show boys---were complemented by three
showgirls, each of whom wore headdresses that were ten feet tall. “It was a
showstopper…It would be great to this day,” said Gil Ray. “We started doing really
good drag, with music, large crowds. We had a wonderful group. If we weren’t
50
Stephanie Williams, email interview, 1/21/2005.
51
Gil Ray, follow-up telephone interview by author, 8/9/2005.
142
�rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing, we were beading dresses. Sometimes until 2:00 AM.
The best thing in town!”
Performers at the Inferno worked for tips, no doubt a scary
proposition in 1950s Oklahoma City, but they made a lot of money. Bill and Roger tried
to use them every weekend at the Inferno if possible, as they drew large crowds. 52
Given the elaborate costumes and grueling rehearsals, it was undoubtedly Tony
Sinclair’s intention to start a troupe that rivaled the Jewell Box crew. Indeed, Les Girls
Revue used the Inferno as a base from which they traveled to other clubs in Oklahoma
and Texas, hoping to eventually tour the country. Tulsa, Dallas, and Fort Worth were
spots the group visited. Once, the group traveled to Fort Worth where they had the
unfortunate luck of performing at a club during a local election. The performers’ talent
and courage, however, saved the day:
We went to Fort Worth once, while they were having an election for something
and nobody told us. Le Girls Revue was there, and you could not get into that bar
it was so crowded. Suddenly, the Texas Rangers, the Texas Liquor Board, and
about 15 other authorities came down on us. I was out there doing the show, and
had just done a high kick, when Tony said, “Queen! Queen! It’s a raid!!!!” They
put us all in the back (paddy wagon) and Tony told us not to take any of our
clothes off. We had showgirls, beautiful strong men, everything. Anyway, I had
my jeans nearby and was going to change but the cops wouldn’t let me. So I went
over to them, wearing pasties, and said,” Do you know what they call these in
Chicago?---the Unsuckables!” Those guys just died laughing, and I was able to
change. We all had to go to jail and pay a $90 fine. They put us in the drunk
tank, and what did we do but the whole damn show for them! 53
Frequent visitors noted that Mitchell and Pritchard took pains to make the club as
raid-proof as possible, but given the popularity of the Inferno, and its location in an
52
Gil Ray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005; Lance, interview by author,
1/11/2005; “Tony’s In The Spotlight.” Gayly Oklahoman (February 1984).
53
Gil Ray, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/20/2005.
143
�unincorporated area, trouble proved difficult to avoid completely.54 In February of 1959,
only about a year after Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell opened the club, the Cleveland
County Sheriff’s office inspected several obscure county establishments. Three clubs –
Louie’s 700 Club, Edith’s Place, and the Inferno -- were cited for a variety of offenses,
including selling alcohol to minors. At the Inferno, deputies only cited Roger Pritchard
for serving beer after midnight, a common though potentially serious charge. Whether it
was the Inferno’s refusal to freely admit city and county authorities or its reputation for
being a notorious queer space that motivated the Cleveland County District Attorney, he
asked for and received a revocation of the Inferno’s liquor license. Now, Pritchard was
no longer licensed to sell alcohol, and Bill Mitchell’s felony bootlegging convictions
precluded him from having a liquor license in the first place. From that moment, the
Inferno was a dry club that only provided ice and set-ups to patrons until prohibition
ended in 1959.55
Later that summer, an even more serious brush with the law brought authorities to
the Inferno once again, as a 29-year-old woman committed suicide inside the bar.
County Sheriff Olen Garner found the woman’s body, with a pearl-handled pistol nearby.
Why the woman committed suicide, or why she chose to do so inside the Inferno is
unclear, but these events, coupled with the chaotic personal relationship between Mitchell
54
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Earnest, interview by author,
3/26/2005.
55
“Revoking Beer License Asked.” Daily Oklahoman, 2/10/1959, 6; “Charge against
Tavern Dropped by Norman Court.” Daily Oklahoman, 3/4/1959, 12. Charges against
Edith’s Place were dropped after a complaining witness could not be located; Lance,
interview by author, 1/11/2005.
144
�and Pritchard, caused the two men to sever ties with the club.56 After 1960, the Inferno
was leased to Bill Kennedy, a married man who worked for OG&E, and he took even
greater pains to make the club as raid-proof as possible. Kennedy secured liquor permits
in both Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties, so whenever authorities tried to enter the
place or demand a document check, he had papers in hand. Eventually, Kennedy moved
to Dallas when the lease expired.57 After that, Pritchard sold the Inferno to his mother in
about 1962, who redesigned it as a country and western-themed bar. It closed shortly
afterward.
The significance of the Inferno and the impressionists who worked there extended
beyond the confines of the cinder blocked club on the Oklahoma-Cleveland County line.
They were truly the first openly gay people that lived authentic gay lives in Oklahoma
City.
“I’ve never been a closet case,” Tony Sinclair once told an interviewer with the
Daily Oklahoman, and he was correct, but many Oklahoma City residents who chose to
remain closeted found refuge at the Inferno.58
They could meet friends, have a drink,
dance, and watch female impersonators defy the limits placed upon them by the
Oklahoma City community at large. The very act of watching gay performers, in a gay
56
“Body Found, Probe Starts.” Daily Oklahoman, 8/19/1959, 17. According to the
article, sheriff’s deputies were tipped off about the incident by the woman’s husband,
who called an ambulance service and stated his wife was about to kill herself.
57
According to all of the interview participants in note 26, Bill Kennedy, a married man,
wanted to start a lucrative business -- “either a cockfight or a gay bar” according to one
respondent -- so he leased the Inferno from Mitchell and Pritchard, probably in early
1960.
58
“City Drag Queen Struts His Stuff,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/19/1984, 201.
145
�club, was in some ways a pre-political coming out party for rank and file gay men at a
time when the options for overt displays of queer sexual identity were circumscribed. 59
In many ways, the Inferno represented for gay men in Oklahoma City what the
Garden of Allah represented for homosexuals in Seattle.
Opened in 1946 in an old
Victorian-era hotel in Seattle’s Tin Pan Alley that had a history of providing illegal
entertainment of all sorts, the Garden of Allah resurrected a once-thriving system of gay
burlesque. The owners paid off the police and kept a relatively low profile, which
allowed gays and lesbians to explore their sexuality and gender relationships
unencumbered. The Garden contained a huge Wurlitzer organ and roughly 5000 squarefeet of space, and regularly packed crowds in excess of 200 to watch the glamorous
impersonators provide classic minstrel-show standards---the Prima Donna and the Dame,
replete with Camp---as well as strip tease shows.
Many of the regulars used their
relationship with the Garden of Allah and the atmosphere of tolerance it provided to live
openly as a gay man or woman. The actors actually performed---sang songs, made their
own costumes when possible, choreographed the shows carefully, and generally made a
living from their exploits at Allah. Nationally known impersonators like Ray Bourbon
also stopped to perform at the Garden.
Although it closed by the mid-1950s, the
Garden’s legacy was immense: it validated a gay subculture battered by a World War and
a depression within a hostile society to create institutions of protection and affirmation.
Being “out” at the Garden during a time of increased anti-gay hostility provided the
confidence for gays and lesbians to form a political group consciousness and challenge
59
For just such a concept, see Gary L. Atkins, Gay Seattle: Stories of Exile and
Belonging (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2003), 59-68. This is still true
today according to Rupp, Drag Queens, chapter 10.
146
�City Hall in the 1960s and 1970s. The very act of entering, watching or participating in
shows, and returning again and again was in essence a coming out party.
The
impersonators were also community heroes. 60
Thus it might be said that the real significance of the Inferno rests in the fact that
it provided gay and bisexual men with one of the first truly, openly gay settings in which
to congregate in Oklahoma City. There was never any doubt as to the sexuality of its
patrons – or its owners -- unlike the other popular nightspots in Oklahoma City that
catered to gay crowds after dinner, such as Bishop’s Tap Room or other establishments
located outside city limits. It was queer from the beginning, by design, and its patrons
absolutely loved it. Whatever it lacked in opulence or charm, the Inferno made up for in
its furious abandon and licentious atmosphere, a place where queer Oklahoma City
residents could be out. The performers were role models to the patrons and the fledgling
gay community at large. “I don’t know anybody that was ‘out’ but the drag queens from
that era,” related long-time political activist Bill Rogers. Tony Sinclair and Gil Ray
parlayed their experiences and exposure at the Inferno into long-running careers in
female impersonation and entertainment in Oklahoma City, and both are considered
pillars in the gay community to this day.61 Part bar, part community center, and staffed
with the most openly gay residents in Oklahoma City, the Inferno’s very existence
encouraged others who were just starting to test the waters regarding their true sexual
feelings to perhaps put a foot in, or even a leg. Female impersonation as an important
60
Don Paulson, An Evening at the Garden of Allah: A Gay Cabaret in Seattle (New
York: Columbia Press, 1996). Paulson, like Alan Berube and others, puts the gay bar as
both a consequence of and center of post-World War II gay life; Atkins, Gay Seattle, 5968.
61
Bill Rogers, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/18/2004.
147
�source of information dissemination and subculture formation was cemented by the
vivacious, albeit short run, of the Inferno.
148
�Chapter V
Crackdown: The Oklahoma City Gay Male World on the Defensive
By the 1950s, the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male world operated with a
reasonable amount of openness. Several bars and restaurants catered to them almost
exclusively, and the police rarely bothered those establishments any more than straight
clubs. Female impersonators found eager club owners and audiences that adored the
unusual entertainment they provided. Men could enjoy plenty of anonymous sexual
encounters at the older hotels and secluded public restrooms downtown, and private
parties and informal get-togethers gave even the most retiring of gay and bisexual
residents a gateway into an alternative sexual universe. That this queer subculture
existed in a city long considered a bastion of conservatism is significant.
By the late 1950s, however, the elements that contributed to Oklahoma City’s
reputation for being homophobic came to the fore. The change occurred abruptly and
accelerated throughout the 1960s, and the shift can be traced to several key
developments. International politics and paranoia in the United States initiated a hysteria
that altered the American social and political climate in many ways. Politicians,
commentators, and citizens from all walks of life shared little use for anything
unconventional, and they renewed the focus on issues like crime and other social ills.
Oklahoma City was not immune to that. A perception lingered, both in Oklahoma City
and across the United States, that Oklahoma City was a nightmare of vice and crime. In
149
�response, watchdog citizen groups worked to expose corruption and vice. Their efforts
resulted in the reorganization of the Oklahoma City Police Department, a change which
allowed detectives to pursue homosexuals more easily. Second, prohibition in
Oklahoma ended via statewide vote on April 7, 1959. Like the reorganization of the
police department, the end of prohibition allowed authorities, both religious and political,
to focus on other “vices” that seemed to consume the United States in the 1950s, such as
homosexuality. In a sense, queer men were suffering for the openness and frivolity of
earlier decades. Third, powerful people worked diligently to see that gay and bisexual
men enjoyed little peace in Oklahoma City. In 1964, Oklahoma County residents elected
as county attorney one Curtis Harris, a man whose efforts to remove homosexuals from
Oklahoma City are legendary. Also, the Daily Oklahoman provided a huge deterrent to
public gay male socialization. People caught in a compromising situation found their
names in the newspaper under headlines like “vice” or “immoral” or “lewd.” These
powerful interests used religious imagery for their own ends, denigrating gay and
bisexual men and drumming up support for their continued crackdown on anything queer.
As a result of these changes, Oklahoma City entered the 1970s more closeted and more
intolerant of homosexuality than ever before, at a time when gay male subcultures in
other parts of the United States were just coming into their own.
Although the Oklahoma City police allowed the gay community to establish itself
and prosper, they never completely ignored queer establishments. Chapter three
discussed two well-publicized cleanup raids on Bishop’s Tap Room, one in 1947 and
another in 1951, which were part of a larger liquor raid on various downtown
150
�establishments.1 Another raid previously discussed, at the Hi-Lite Club, started after a
band of teenagers attacked a gay man leaving the club early one morning. The owner
defended the patron, but fired a pistol into the crowd and wounded a young man.2 This
corresponds to a familiar pattern in Oklahoma City police campaigns against gay men
until the late 1950s. As long as queer residents kept a lower profile, and stayed out of
trouble, the police left them alone by and large. On both Bishop’s raids mentioned
above the bar was raided as part of a larger, politically-motivated crackdown on illegal
liquor sales, not to harass gay men. Most of the men arrested during the two raids
avoided charges, which suggests that police hassled gay and bisexual men at the tap
room, but not any more than they did patrons in the other clubs raided that night. If not
for the shooting incident, the Hi-Lite Club would likely have continued to operate. After
all, the Oklahoma City police knew that gay men frequented the club, but they only
bothered to shut it down once a young man was injured. In most cases the police
enforced liquor and curfew laws, but it is telling that several well-known nightspots that
openly catered to a gay and bisexual clientele received no more harassment than other
bars in Oklahoma City, which suggests that gay and bisexual men enjoyed a relatively
high level of freedom in public in the 1940s and 1950s.
Times slowly changed for queer men throughout the 1950s, however, as national
events and hysteria trickled down to Oklahoma City. As the Cold War and international
relations made the American mission and presence abroad more urgent, Americans prized
1
“Police Grab 78 in City Tavern Clean-up Drive,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/27/1947, 22;
“Weekend Raids Bring $1,360,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/28/1947, 2; “City Vice Raid Nets
46 Persons,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/12/1951, 35.
2
“Youth Is Shot In Club Fight,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/24/1950, 1; The Oklahoma City
Times, 7/24/1950, 3.
151
�conformity, uniformity, and solidarity at home more than ever before. The McCarthy
hearings in Washington attempted to blacklist anybody who failed to live and vote with
appropriate American-ness, and issues like crime, juvenile delinquency, drug use,
prostitution, homosexuality, and other so-called deviant behaviors came under increasing
attack. In this environment, a redefinition of roles and relationships within the family
occurred, and women often lost out in that realignment. Indeed, the very essence of
American masculinity was on trial, subjectively and literally, so any behavior not
considered masculine and forceful, in an old-school sense, aroused suspicion.3
Residents in Oklahoma City had lamented the growth of juvenile delinquency
since the 1940s, arguing that unruly teenagers later turned into incorrigible adult
criminals. “Child Delinquency Is a Social Blight” warned one typical headline, and
everyone from Police Chief L.J. Hilbert to Oklahoma City FBI agents intervened to curb
teenagers roaming the streets, an increase in petty theft, and drunkenness.4 Popular
Daily Oklahoman columnist and moralist Edith Johnson wrote several opinion pieces that
3
The literature on these issues is massive, but some of the best include Stephen Whitfield, The
Culture of the Cold War (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1996); David Caute, The Great
Fear: The Anti-Communist Purge Under Truman and Eisenhower (New York: Simon and
Schuster, 1978); M.J. Heale, McCarthy’s Americans: Red Scare Politics in State and Nation,
1935-1965 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1998); Elaine Tyler May, Homeward Bound:
American Families in the Cold War Era (New York: Basic Books, 1988); David Johnson, The
Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004); Robert D. Dean, Imperial Brotherhood: Gender
and the Making of Cold War Foreign Policy (Boston: University of Massachusetts Press, 2001);
K.A. Cuordileone, “’Politics in an Age of Anxiety’: Cold War Political Culture and the Crisis in
American Masculinity, 1949-1960,” Journal of American History (September 2000): 522-
525.
4
Daily Oklahoman, 5/15/1944, 12; “Police Dust Off Curfew in City,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/22/1945, 2; “Crime Wave Here, FBI Agent Says,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/16/1947, 20.
152
�warned residents against permissive parenting practices and allowing children to run with
the wrong crowd.5
Against this backdrop of simmering community anxiety came two articles that
appeared in national magazines, both of which generated long-range changes in the
Oklahoma City police department and the gay male subculture. The first was in Look
magazine in February of 1952. Calling Oklahoma City one of the ten worst vice spots in
the country -- a hotbed of “organized vice and prostitution openly operating with boughtand-paid-for connivance of the local officials…threatening an entire generation with
disease and disgrace” -- the article was a black eye not only on the city but the police
force.6 The article outraged citizens, dredging up feelings of inadequacy and
backwardness that had plagued residents for decades.7 The focus of community outrage
5
Bob L. Blackburn, Heart of the Promised Land: Oklahoma County, An Illustrated
History (Woodland Hills, California: Windsor Publications, 1982), 141. “Miss Edith”
Johnson was a mainstay at the Daily Oklahoman from her first appointment as a food
critic in 1908. For the next 50 years, Johnson offered readers a common sense approach
to life and morality. By 1918, she was part of the editorial staff with her own column.
Johnson received national syndication by 1920 and was considered one of the United
States’ pioneer female journalists. She authored many articles that dealt with the
consequences of lax parenting in the 1940s and 1950s at the height of Oklahoma City’s
so-called delinquency crisis. One stated that girls were more emotional than boys and
more likely to be homosexual, especially if they were incarcerated. See “When Girls
Are Wilder Than Boys of Like Age,” Daily Oklahoman, 12/30/1943, 6, “Why Are Sex
Perverts Allowed to Run Amuck?,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/10/1946, 6.
6
7
Look, February 1952.
The ultimate source of embarrassment and self-loathing via literature was John
Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, which many Oklahomans felt portrayed them as dirty,
ignorant, shiftless deadbeats, despite the rather poignant image of resiliency that
Steinbeck lent to most of the characters. Angie Debo writes of the “abnormal
sensitiveness” Oklahomans exhibit to how others perceive them in Foot-Loose and
Fancy-Free (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1949, 1989); The literature on
Oklahoma’s image, both self-perceived and other-perceived, is surprisingly strong. See
Tommy R. Thompson, “Milk and Honey and A Few Bad Apples: The Image of
153
�landed squarely on the shoulders of Police Chief Lawrence J. “Smokey” Hilbert, whose
tenure from 1943 to 1954 was mired in controversy. Smokey had a rather cavalier
attitude in regard to enforcement of vice laws. During the last two years of his tenure,
Hilbert dealt with allegations of bribery against high-ranking detectives, payoffs by local
tavern owners demanded by beat cops walking the eastern wards, the Look allegations,
and charges of voter improprieties in the 1952 Oklahoma City elections. A grand jury
investigated the charges of voting fraud and corruption in October of 1953, and panelists
recommended sweeping changes to the police department. As a direct result of the Look
article and Hilbert’s troubles, city officials reorganized the vice squad and took it out
from under the direct control of the police chief. Officers rotated in and out of the unit
every six months so as to discourage systemic corruption and prevent burnout.8
Just as the Oklahoma City metropolitan residents thought that the reforms were
bringing vice under control, the national media once again placed a white-hot spotlight on
the city. In January of 1955, the Saturday Evening Post ran the first of five articles
dealing with juvenile delinquency in certain United States’ cities, one of which was
Oklahoma City. Written by Richard Clendenen and Herbert Beaser, both members of a
Senate judiciary subcommittee that investigated juvenile delinquency, the article alleged
Oklahoma in Popular Magazines.” Chronicles of Oklahoma 68 (1990): 276-295; Jack
Spears, “Hollywood’s Oklahoma.” Chronicles of Oklahoma 67 (1989), 340-381; Alvin
O. Turner, “Vanity, Vanity Thy Name is History.” Chronicles of Oklahoma 63 (1985):
148-165.
8
Ronald J. Owens, Oklahoma Justice: The Oklahoma City Police: A Century of
Gunfighters, Gangsters, and Terrorists (Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing
Company, 1995), 148, 152-163. A retired Oklahoma City police officer, Owens is fair
and his work is extremely informative and surprisingly candid regarding the failings of
the department. Officers rotating in and out of the vice squad was a short-lived reform
however, as later officers like Ken “Sugar” Smith made a career in vice.
154
�that Oklahoma City was teeming with teenage prostitutes and drug addicts, homosexuals,
abortionists, and other nefarious characters. In addition, local law enforcement was
portrayed as lax and corrupt.9
The primary source for the Post article was Robert Cunningham, a state legislator
from Oklahoma County, who testified before the Senate subcommittee directed by
Clendenen and Beaser. Cunningham testified in late 1953, almost fourteen months
before the Post article appeared, and the Daily Oklahoman summarized his testimony in
an article shortly after. Cunningham told Congress that before authorities sprang to
action, Oklahoma City was crawling with juvenile delinquents, and that their behavior
rapidly escalated to more serious offenses. After a five-month investigation,
Cunningham reported that teenage sex orgies, some of them homosexual, occurred right
under the noses of authorities in apartments rented by teenagers. In addition, over 250
teenage drug addicts were using barbiturates and other prescription drugs made available
to them by incompetent pharmacists and quack physicians. Cunningham lauded the
round-the-clock police attempts to curb the problems, and the modest success that the
campaign enjoyed, but he argued that poor pay scales and little help from federal officials
prevented a more thorough cleanup.10
The problem, unfortunately, was that both Beaser and Clendenen selectively
quoted from Cunningham’s testimony when crafting the Post article, and the article
appeared even before the subcommittee’s final report became public. This ultimately led
9
Saturday Evening Post, 227, no. 29 (January 1955): 32-33, and 70-73. This series of
five articles dealing with juvenile delinquency in the U.S. ran on Jan 8, Jan 15, Jan 22,
Jan 29, and Feb 5, 1955. Oklahoma City was featured in the Jan 15th issue.
10
“Cunningham Stars in Teen-Age Quiz,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/25/1953, 1.
155
�to their resignation from the subcommittee. Robert Cunningham also acknowledged that
he exaggerated many of his figures and he received compensation for advising the
authors. According to police chief Roy Bergman, the 250 teenage drug addicts
supposedly roaming the streets in Oklahoma City were actually the sum total of all drug
addicts – of all ages -- found statewide during the investigation. Bergman noted that the
sex orgies and rampant homosexuality were actually limited to one heterosexual sex party
involving young adults and a single incident of a homosexual party, involving four
African-American residents from the east side Oklahoma City.11
The fallout from the Look and Saturday Evening Post articles was tremendous.
Not only was the vice squad reorganized and encouraged to actively pursue wrongdoing,
but city leaders gave them more money and manpower with which to wage war.12
Some complained that the new vice squad enforced the law too well. By late 1954,
illegal liquor seizures increased almost seventy percent, arrests for gambling shot up
fourfold, and enforcement statistics in every other category were climbing. In 1956, new
police Chief Roy Bergman asked for and received the largest budgetary increase in
Oklahoma City history -- over $160,000 -- to establish a mobile crime squad replete with
new cars and increased manpower. The squad would work on “problem areas,”
everything from traffic duty to vice.13
11
“Cunningham’s Teen Sin Story Blasted,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/11/1955, 1; “Teen Sin
Story Authors Resign,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/10/1955, 1. It is interesting that Bergman
made sure to state that the homosexual party involved several black residents.
12
“More City Vice Officers Asked in Police Budget,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/9/1953, 33;
“Law on Perversion Called Inadequate,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/13/1952, 2.
13
Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 164-168.
156
�The gay community felt the sting of enhanced police determination following the
controversy very quickly. Closer examinations and undercover operations against
downtown establishments increased. In what was hardly a coincidental move, the police
chief ordered raids on all downtown taprooms and pool halls, where officers checked
patrons and evaluated the general appearance and cleanliness of the establishments. In a
three-day campaign launched in February of 1952, Oklahoma City police officers and
Oklahoma County sheriffs’ deputies visited the 18 Club, Louie’s 29 Club, and a host of
other Oklahoma County establishments, legitimate and otherwise. Over forty people
went to jail. Officers checked identifications, arrested people for vagrancy and
drunkenness and selling beer to minors, and city officers made it clear to patrons in
establishments along Grand Avenue that they would be back.14 When the police failed
to arrest bar patrons for liquor violations, they went after the entertainments that bars
provided. In 1956, police rounded up a group of Oklahoma City residents and charged
them with producing and selling lewd photographs. All of the photos were of young
men, ages seventeen to thirty-one, most of whom were weight lifters or athletes. The
photos were “sold in downtown bars in packages of 10,” a description that strongly
suggests that the photos were targeted for gay men.15
Just at the juncture when the police pursued vice in a more strident fashion, they
received help in searching out sex deviates from the medical community in Oklahoma.
The psychological parameters of sexual orientation had been a popular topic for the
psychoanalytical profession since the turn of twentieth century. Estelle Freedman argues
14
“Police Call on Taverns with Paddy Wagon,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/23/1952, 1;
“Taverns Outside City’s Limits Get Visits, Too,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/24/1952, 1.
15
“Lewd Picture Charge Filed,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/31/1956, 3.
157
�that in the debates over how to treat sexual “psychopaths,” as the medical community
labeled practitioners of non-normative sexuality, a strict demarcation between
heterosexuality and homosexuality developed. Protecting society from aggressive male
sexual desire and perversion supplanted the need to preserve female virtue. Community
leaders criminalized alternative sexualities by equating homosexual men with child
molesters and homosexual recruiters. The male homosexual, always nefarious, was
considered more dangerous than ever before. 16
World War II initiated new debates on the topic, although it is doubtful that the
new conception meant better things for many same-sex lovers. The seemingly large
numbers of homosexuals and the growth of homosexual subcultures after the war
encouraged scholars to approach the “problem” from a new angle, a social science
perspective, from what might be called an industrial standpoint. Under this industrial
theory, family dynamics were less important than external issues associated with the
Depression, World War II, and nuclear technology in leading many men into a “flight
from masculinity” and an embrace of homosexuality. Scientists still considered
homosexuals deviant in the strictest sense, but they no longer considered that deviance a
disorganized social adaptation. Scholars approached homosexuality as an alternative
psycho-social organization, a unique subculture, replete with norms that did not mirror
16
Estelle Freedman, “’Uncontrolled Desires’: The Response to the Sexual Psychopath,
1920-1960,” Journal of American History 74 (June 1987): pp. 100-104. Another ironic
result of the debates over the proper expression of sexuality was that it led to the
discussion and legitimization of sexual practices, such as oral and anal sex, between
consenting heterosexual adults. In general, the debates demystified certain sexual
practices and brought them out for discussion, which was unparalleled and liberating for
some.
158
�those held by society at large. Thus, “deviance” might simply be an alternative set of
social expectations instead of a pathological and inherently dangerous maladjustment.17
Unfortunately, either approach was fraught with difficulties for gay and bisexual
men. If authorities viewed homosexuality as a psychopathic disorder, it conflated samesex activity with violent acts like rape or assault. In that case, homosexuals were
predatory and in need of a harsh response. If one viewed same-sex activity as simply a
different orientation of sexual and social norms, it was easier to see sexual orientation as
a choice, a choice that might be altered if society applied the right amount of pressure.
Both perspectives found their way into the discussions by medical authorities in
Oklahoma City. The attitudes of medical professionals, both native Oklahomans and
national experts, legitimized the treatment of non-normative sexuality as something to be
feared and curtailed.
Oklahomans had followed the national debates over homosexuals in the federal
government from the early 1950s, however the removal of civil servants in Washington,
D.C. would likely have been a remote issue to the average Oklahoma City resident, as
vice, police corruption, and juvenile delinquency were urgent problems. Edith Johnson
discussed homosexuality in her columns occasionally, but it remained incidental to her
larger arguments regarding parental responsibility and individual initiative. In several
opinion pieces that appeared in the Daily Oklahoman in the 1940s, Johnson argued that
17
John D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual
Minority in the United States, 1940-1970 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983),
140-143; Beth Bailey, Sex in the Heartland (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard
University Press, 1999), 54-58. Bailey, in her study of Lawrence, Kansas, found that the
new social scientific approach to categorizing and studying homosexuality remained
“enmeshed” in the older moralistic approach. In fact, the newer approaches were often
used to support the older claims.
159
�poor parental control and a general lack of ambition lead to juvenile delinquency, and
occasionally, homosexuality. She also lamented the lack of treatment options for
pedophiles, as imprisoning them for short periods without treatment only exacerbated
their condition.18
By the mid-1950s, the response to adult same-sex behavior from high-ranking
medical professionals in Oklahoma was more overt, and their opinions likely contributed
to the misery felt by LGBT residents at the hands of the police and moral authorities. At
a seminar for homicide investigators held in Oklahoma City in 1956, Oklahoma state
mental health director Dr. Hayden Donahue told officers that sex deviance -- he
apparently lumped all manner of sexual crimes like rape and incest into the same
category as homosexuality -- was on the increase in Europe and the United States,
especially among “learned people such as college students and businessmen.” In an odd
counter-logical vein, Donahue related that although homosexuality caused the ruin of
many great empires, and “homosexualists” killed their “victims” from time to time, they
were not generally prone to criminal behavior. Donahue called for changes in sex crime
laws, as treatment for passive homosexuals was preferable to incarceration.19 Given his
description of homosexual-induced crumbling empires and murderous homosexual
18
Several articles by Edith Johnson spoke about the dangers posed by unruly teenagers.
Homosexuality, especially among girls, was a consequence of permissive parenting
practices. She also cautioned residents to be on the lookout for sex criminals – which she
defined almost exclusively as pedophiles or men who raped adult women. She found
women partially to blame for wearing sexually arousing clothing. See “When Girls Are
Wilder Than Boys of Like Age,” Daily Oklahoman, 12/30/1943, 6, “Why Are Sex
Perverts Allowed to Run Amuck?,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/10/1946, 6; How Shall We Treat
Our Sex Criminals?” Daily Oklahoman, 7/25/1946, 12; “Sex Criminals Face the Law.”
Daily Oklahoman, 1/18/1950, 14.
19
“Sex Deviation on Increase,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/17/1956, 28.
160
�predators, it is doubtful that Donahue’s plea to create a treatment system for gay and
bisexual men was given much consideration.
Donahue’s words and those of other medical professionals inspired moralists to
harp on the “disease factor” for their own ends. Local columnist Edith Johnson echoed
that thinking in a column she authored in 1957. Using the letter of a 24-year-old “former
deviate” who was now married with children and calling for treatment for homosexuals,
Johnson discussed whether homosexuality was a sin or an illness. She reminded readers
in every paragraph that prominent historical figures who practiced deviation, and the
civilizations that deemed it acceptable like the Roman and Greek, were now dead.
Bringing the Bible into the discussion, Johnson argued that God destroyed Sodom and
Gomorrah because of rampant homosexuality, and the same thing might happen in the
United States:
Judging by all signs and portents the practice of deviation which is expressed in
more than 30 ways, is growing among us…As it seems to increase in our own
country there arises a fear that it may seriously affect the integrity and strength of
the nation, weakening it morally and then politically. Whether it be sin or disease
it remains ‘an abomination before the Lord.’”
Despite her complete lack of medical or psychological training, Johnson reasoned that the
prospects for rehabilitation were slim because homosexuals were anti-social, guilt-ridden,
self-loathing people who eschew change: “it is an affliction much harder to cure than
alcoholism. Few deviates, in all likelihood, would be willing to join a (therapy) group
lest their identity become known.”20
20
“Deviation… Sin, Illness?” Daily Oklahoman, 12/31/1957, 10.
161
�The comments by Donahue and Johnson mirrored a growing trend in how
Oklahoma City residents treated same-sex activity. In categorizing homosexuality as sex
deviation, a deviation just as prevalent and feared as serial sex crimes and rape, Donahue
indirectly encouraged the police to equate consensual homosexuality with such serious
crimes. Donahue reinforced that notion by arguing “such perversion can be cured if the
victim is sincere and willing…like alcoholism, the person must have a great desire before
a psychiatrist can do him or her any good.” By arguing that homosexuality was a
psychosocial maladjustment that could be cured if the offenders had the proper
motivation, the medical community reinforced the idea that homosexuality was a lifestyle
choice, that gay men could and should be heterosexual but chose otherwise. Johnson
argued that point more forcefully. For her, it was a sin, the title of her article and the
intent of the young man’s letter aside, and it threatened the stability of her country. Her
voice carried a huge weight in the state of Oklahoma and nationally in her syndicated
column.
Words by Donahue and Johnson likely made the police, legal authorities, civil
authorities, and the Oklahoma City community less tolerant of homosexuality than was
already the case, and perhaps inspired citizens to be more aware of same-sex activity in
their neighborhoods. In fact, everyday citizens played a significant role in policing their
communities in the 1950s. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in the sodomy case of
Oklahoma City resident Wilburn Berryman. One hot August evening in 1953, S.C.
Killman was out for an after-dinner walk when he came upon a car parked in the alley
behind his residence. Killman knew the car belonged to his neighbor, Berrryman, so he
did not find anything unusual about its location at first. As he got closer, Killman
162
�realized that a young man was sitting in the car. He believed that the youth was trying to
steal Berryman’s car, so he quietly investigated. When he came alongside, Killman
observed his neighbor Berryman performing a sex act on another young man in the back
seat. He immediately reported his observations to Oklahoma City police detectives, who
then arrested Berryman.21
As more details about the case emerged, Berryman’s difficulties magnified. Both
of the boys were minors – J.L. was fifteen and J.J. was sixteen – and both worked for him
moving heavy items and performing other odd jobs. The young men reported that
Berryman had performed fellatio on them, together and separately, for several months.
Prosecutor Granville Scanland painted Berryman, a married traveling salesman, as being
even worse than a pedophile in that he essentially blackmailed the desperate boys by
making their employment contingent upon sex with him. J.L. testified at Berryman’s
trial, and he probably made things worse for the accused. Particularly damning was the
admission by one of the boys that had Killman not discovered them, the activity would
have continued unabated. Only fifteen, J.L. was terrified by the whole concept of a trial,
and apparently he was reticent to condemn Berryman, a man that gave him a job and
money. The shame of publicly admitting what Berryman did to him – and
acknowledging that it was possible that they liked it -- would also have been humiliating.
“I would have said anything to get out of that chair,” he later related. Berryman denied
21
State v. (William) Wilburn Alfred Berryman, case #22102 and #22103, Oklahoma
County, Oklahoma; Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, Berryman v. State, 1955 OK
CR 51, case #A-12122, decided 4/13/1955.
163
�the charges, but admitted under cross-examination that he received a dishonorable
discharge from the service after being convicted of sodomy.22
Despite these admissions, Berryman struggled to mount a credible defense, which
became complicated when questions regarding his sanity arose during the trial. Shortly
after prosecutors filed sodomy charges against him, Berryman was committed to the
Eastern State Hospital in Vinita, Oklahoma, possibly due to a mental illness or stress.
Doctors released him on November 6, 1953, and declared him sane, but Berryman
protested and demanded a sanity hearing before his trial could recommence. It is
possible that Berryman was using the medical establishment to his advantage, for if he
could convince the court that he was impaired, his sentence would likely be reduced, or
he might be sentenced to a treatment facility instead of prison. In February of 1954, Dr.
F.M. Adams, the medical superintendent of Eastern State Mental Hospital, reiterated his
physicians’ diagnosis, but admitted that Berryman suffered from “an aberration in
relation to his will power,” one that could not be cured. A Dr. Katis, a psychology
professor at the University of Oklahoma, testified at the sanity hearing that Berryman
suffered from a “mental aberration…he has certain impulses which we have all learned to
master but are not controllable as far as he is concerned.” Using this testimony,
Berryman’s attorney Sid White argued that he should, if convicted, receive a sentence to
an appropriate medical facility for treatment instead of incarceration in the penitentiary.
However, Scanland asked both men, upon cross examination, whether Berryman could
22
Ibid. Included in the case file is a letter from J.L. to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal
Appeals in which the young man, then a military recruit serving in Maine, expressed
disbelief that Berryman was still in jail. He also implied that prosecutors led his
testimony by capitalizing on his fear of the whole trial process.
164
�distinguish between right and wrong. Both testified that he could. The jury and Judge
William Fogg ruled Berryman sane and his sodomy trial resumed. On February 23,
1954, Judge Fogg found Berryman guilty and two weeks later sentenced him to five years
in prison at McAlester.
Berryman appealed but received little sympathy from legal authorities. All three
of the judges on the Criminal Appeals Court agreed that Berryman received a fair trial,
according to the letter of the law, and knew right from wrong. Because the state
legislature did not provide a medical treatment option for those deemed guilty of sodomy,
Berryman received the standard sentence for men convicted of sodomy with minors.
Judge Powell offered on rehearing that Berryman likely needed the services of a
psychiatrist if true rehabilitation was to occur, and that incarcerating him with a bunch of
other men made little sense:
The argument that the…purpose of the law is to act as a deterrent rather than
punishment for punishment’s sake, and that the real purpose of the law is in fact
circumvented when a person with the record of the within defendant is placed in
penitentiary among young boys and persons not sexually perverted and thus given
opportunity to follow a compelling urge to prey on such persons, is not without
merit. It is said that perverts are not isolated at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary,
and that there is no provision to afford them required medical treatment…In this
case I would reduce the sentence from five years to four years to forcefully call
attention to the duty of the State to attempt the rehabilitation of sex perverts in
view of the demoralization and moral decay brought about by such persons and
where the condition with which they may be afflicted is by many becoming
recognized as a form of mental disease.23
Berryman’s case was not the only one in which medical authorities played a
significant role in determining the outcome. In 1949, Robert Forest Ervin faced three
counts of crime against nature for having oral and anal sex with two young boys, both
23
Berryman v. State, 1955 OK CR 51, Case #A-12122, concurring opinion by Judge
Powell.
165
�under fifteen, which could easily have merited a thirty-year sentence under Oklahoma
law. At the time, Ervin was a thirty-four-year-old drifter who lived in his 1936 Dodge
truck along the South Canadian River near Reno Avenue. Ervin never received more
than a rudimentary mental evaluation by the court, but by all accounts he was considered
mentally challenged. Under a plea agreement reached with Oklahoma County Attorney
R.B. Halloway, the state would drop two of the three charges against Ervin if he agreed
to allow prison officials to castrate him. Ervin would also receive credit for fifty-nine
days in jail waiting trial, and prosecutors would recommend immediate parole. Ervin
accepted the plea bargain, changed his plea to guilty, and received a ten-year sentence
from Judge Baker Melone.24
Controlling the sexual and reproductive habits of American citizens – by political,
social hygiene, and religious authorities -- was hardly a new concept by the 1950s. The
poor, the unwed, immigrants, and ethnic minorities were much more likely to face
unwanted sterilization, especially if they were charged with a crime. One of the
hallmarks of Progressive-era eugenicists, sterilization was seen as a good, natural way to
weed out undesirable elements from the American gene pool. At least thirty-three states
had laws which governed state-mandated sterilizations in the 20 th-century, including
Oklahoma. 25 Castration for rapists had been the subject of much debate in the medical
24
State v. Robert Forest Ervin, Case #18805, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; Ex Parte
Ervin, 1954 OK CR 16, Case #A-12016, decided 2/23/1954.
25
D’Emilio and Freedman, Intimate Matters, 255; Alexandra Minna Stern, Eugenic
Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2005), 2-17. Stern shows that forced sterilizations
occurred rather frequently in the western United States, and although the numbers crested
between 1935-1945, the practice was still an accepted means to police blacks and
immigrants well into the 1960s; Rickie Solinger discusses the racial, political, and class166
�community since the 1930s, as at that juncture the threat to American culture and the
family became identified with male failings instead of female degeneracy. This
encouraged authorities to emplace more drastic measures to curtail “sexual psychopaths,”
but castration was rarely advocated for homosexual men.26 In Ervin’s case, with his
diminished mental capacity, it seemed like a reasonable and medically-sanctioned way
for Oklahoma County authorities to be rid of him. Ervin underwent castration while at
McAlester, but not before languishing 202 days in the Oklahoma County jail awaiting
transfer to the penitentiary. For the next five years, he failed to receive parole, even
though prominent figures associated with his case sent letters of recommendation, such as
Oklahoma County Attorney Granville Scanland, Judge Baker Melone, and former
assistant county attorney Russell Halloway, the man who essentially conned Ervin into
accepting the plea agreement. The Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals rejected his
1954 appeal as well, correctly citing a lack of jurisdiction, but by then Ervin was almost
ready for release on credit for good behavior. He served almost an entire year in prison
while waiting for trial or to be transported to serve his sentence. That, coupled with his
lack of counsel and agreement to be castrated, inspired a scathing opinion from Judge
Powell:
based parameters of sterilization in the United States in Pregnancy and Power: A Short
History of Reproduction Politics in America (New York: New York University Press,
2005), and Abortion Wars: A Half-Century of Struggle, 1950-2000 (Berkeley: University
of California Press, 1998), 27, 141-146.
26
Neil Miller, Sex Crime Panic: A Journey to the Paranoid Heart of the 1950s (New
York: Alyson Books, 2002), 158. According to Miller, medical officials only halfheartedly discussed castrating those men arrested during the Sioux Falls raids of the
1950s; Estelle Freedman, “’Uncontrolled Desires’: The Response to the Sexual
Psychopath, 1920-1960,” Journal of American History 74 (June 1987), 96-98.
167
�This court under the circumstances in this case is not disposed to charge to the
defendant the latches of the officials. He had agreed to undergo an operation that
few persons with average intelligence would normally agree to. His sexual
predilection or condition, an abnormal and detestable one, could only be
accounted for by reason of some mental quirk. If this court had the authority, the
writ (for release) would be granted , because no matter how guilty a person may
be who is charged with or convicted of crime, he is entitled to fair, honest and
conscientious treatment by the officers and the courts. By reason of the apparent
oversight, the petitioner was kept in jail an unreasonable time after sentence
before he was transported to the State Penitentiary. He has not received fair
treatment…A person in his mental state without counsel should not be expected to
take advantage of the measures that a normal person would.27
As the Berryman and Ervin cases suggest, the evolving medical opinions then
circulating about homosexuals and their “disorder” played significant roles in the
prosecution and incarceration of gay and bisexual residents, just as they did nationally.28
Berryman, unlike most men convicted of sodomy in Oklahoma County for the previous
thirty odd years, served his entire sentence, despite letters of support from J.L. and prison
officials. To be sure, his sexual relationship with two teenaged boys – even though the
contact apparently was consensual – possibly made it more expedient and politicallyadvantageous to punish Berryman. However, Berryman was not the first adult male
convicted of having inappropriate homosexual contact with a minor in Oklahoma County
27
State v. Robert Forest Ervin, Case #18805, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; Ex Parte
Ervin, 1954 OK CR 16, Case #A-12016, decided 2/23/1954.
28
Estelle Freedman, “’Uncontrolled Desires’: The Response to the Sexual Psychopath,
1920-1960,” Journal of American History 74 (June 1987). 83-86. Freedman provides an
outline of the sex-crime panics that started in the 1930s, waned during World War II, and
reappeared during the Cold War. It was usually at the local level where attempts to
eradicate the sexual psychopath, post-1930, wrought significant changes in attitudes
regarding non-procreative married sex as well as homosexuality. The paranoia over
“psychopaths” ironically liberated heterosexuals to try many of the behaviors for which
authorities chastised same-sex lovers.
168
�and yet he served one of the longest sentences.29 Ervin agreed to castration as a means
to significantly reduce his prison sentence at the request of the county attorney, who
received spurious medical advice regarding the effectiveness of castration on repeat
sexual offenses. Physicians, some of whom had little training in the treatment of the
psychological aspects of sexual issues, had much to say about whether residents were
pathological, received parole, or were even entitled to counsel during criminal trials.
Local law enforcement agencies received much of their training about “sex perverts”
from these experts, so their words went a long way in defining the boundaries of
acceptable sexuality and how it was expressed in Oklahoma City for years.
Armed with the tools and perspective to pursue vice, the Oklahoma City police
did so on a more consistent basis. As a direct result of the Oklahoma City police vice
squad’s reorganization, officers were free to more stringently police the gay and bisexual
male community. Perhaps the most obvious example of how tolerance for
homosexuality lessened in Oklahoma City was the undercover sting operation conducted
by the city police at Lincoln Park Zoo in 1957. As was noted in chapter three, public
restrooms, or tearooms, were very popular places for queer men to have anonymous
sexual encounters. The police received a number of complaints from zoo patrons that
the restroom was a significant congregation point for gay men, and so on the weekend of
November 22-24, 1957, vice detectives working in conjunction with zoo officials set up a
29
See appendix B for a sentence comparison. It was not unusual for men convicted of
sodomy with underage girls and boys to receive longer sentences than Berryman – some
even ten years in length – but many of the defendants served only one to three years of
the sentence. Some defendants guilty of sex with minors received very short sentences –
one year or less in some instances.
169
�clandestine trap in the men’s restroom. That weekend, the squad arrested eleven men and
took them downtown for questioning.30
Lincoln Park was the largest and most heavily trafficked park in Oklahoma City.
Acquired in 1909 and located at Northeast 36th Street and Lincoln Boulevard, Lincoln
Park encompassed over 635 total acres, forty of which included significant
improvements. Lincoln Park offered city residents a wide range of amusements and
leisure activities, as playgrounds, ball fields, horseback riding, swimming, and tennis
courts were available. In addition, it was the only park in Oklahoma City that offered
patrons a bathhouse and a zoo on grounds. As a result, Lincoln Park was a very popular
place for city residents of all races, creeds, and sexual appetites, and it was so heavily
visited that the Oklahoma City police department gave the area its own patrol.31
As to the 1957 crackdown, the arrests at Lincoln Park Zoo went down much like
other vice sting operations in the 1950s.32 Detectives drilled a small peep hole in the
ceiling and wired a buzzer alarm to a common area located in the back, where officers
waited to arrest offenders. When groups of men entered the restroom together,
detectives monitored their behavior and responded accordingly. Arrest records for four
30
Daily Oklahoman, 11/26/1957, 30. Ten suspects were arrested that weekend, and
another man on the following Monday.
31
Oklahoma City Planning Commission, “A Preliminary Report on Schools and Parks
for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.” (April 1949), Table 6, found at Edmon Low Library,
Oklahoma State University, call number M396OK5 P25 p924.
32
See David Johnson, The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and
Lesbians in the Federal Government (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004), and
Neil Miller, Sex Crime Panic: A Journey to the Paranoid Heart of the 1950s (New
York: Alyson Books, 2002) for a discussion of surveillance tactics and evidentiary issues
associated with undercover sting operations.
170
�of the eleven suspects apprehended that weekend indicated that men performed fellatio
on each other through “glory holes” 33 drilled in the stall walls. One subject, forty-eightyear-old Duard Wilson Graves, “took his false teeth out of his mouth placing them in his
right shirt pocket…(he) massaged the other subject’s penis two or three times and stuck it
into his mouth.” The other party involved was fifty-four-year-old Richard Webster who
readily admitted his participation in the act. Graves, however, initially resisted the
officers’ suggestion that he was a “pervert” and threatened to sue anybody involved in the
sting. According to the police report, Graves eventually “admitted he was a pervert, that
he had recently become one, and that this was his first offense. Admitted that he had
taken part in the above mentioned act.”34
Prosecutors charged eight of those arrested in the sting with the customary
disorderly conduct, and all of the men posted the customary $20 bond and never returned
for their date in police court. Police Captain Worthy singled out four of those arrested -Graves, Webster, Morris Smoot, and Earl Knocke -- to face felony sodomy charges in
state court.35 Why authorities chose these four men remains unclear. Possibly, the early
confessions by Graves and Webster made the felony case easier to sustain, and Graves’s
bombast and threats would have won him little support at headquarters. Of the eleven
33
A glory hole is a hole, usually 2-8 inches in diameter, drilled between restroom stalls
through which people perform sex acts on one another.
34
Quotes from detectives taken from Police Department Investigation Report, Oklahoma
City Police, case number 54006 and 54007, B.R. number 84097 and 84098, 11/23/1957.
Hereafter cited as “OKC Police Reports” with appropriate case references.
35
Ibid. Graves and Webster were released to the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office on
warrants charging crime against nature. Police reports for others arrested no longer
exist according to clerks at the city police station. Supposedly, they only saved these
four!
171
�arrested that weekend, at least five were married, and the four charged with felonies were
not, so perhaps the authorities viewed the married suspects’ involvement in the sex acts
as a one-time indiscretion. Some of those arrested were professionals -- a professor, a
barber, and several business owners – and perhaps that prevented the scandal from
growing, although historically the higher-profile person arrested in such situations
suffered more. Duard Graves, an unmarried truck driver, alleged that the police coerced
the confession out of him with a disingenuous promise that if he pled guilty in city court
he would only receive a $20 fine. As Graves told Dal McEntire of One magazine, a
popular national gay publication, “I made the admission only to keep the slander off my
family and to preserve my reputation.” However, Oklahoma County Attorney Charles
Gregory tried Graves and Webster together on the sodomy charges on December 20,
1957, less than one month after their arrest, and the jury returned a guilty verdict. Oddly
enough, Graves and Webster received only a two-year suspended sentence, something
that suggests the timing of the sting and trial -- over the Thanksgiving and Christmas
holidays -- to say nothing of the coerced confessions, probably jeopardized the legitimacy
of any harsh sentences.36
Despite the myriad of unknown details surrounding this major sting operation,
one fact emerges: all of these men suffered public humiliation due to their arrest. The
Daily Oklahoman ran the names, ages, and addresses of all of those arrested, regardless
of whether prosecutors charged them with a crime. Some of the men were married, were
professionals, or held other high-profile positions in the community. The Gaylord
36
“Tangents: News and Views,” One, February 1958, 18; State v. Richard Webster and
Duard Graves, case #24802, 13th District Court, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma,
12/20/1957. Many details about the case are unknown, as the trial transcripts no longer
exist in the file jacket, and the district attorney’s office refused to release their copy.
172
�family, or more specifically its patriarch Edward K. Gaylord, apparently took an active
interest in moral issues facing Oklahoma. In addition to publicizing the names of those
arrested on a variety of vice charges, Gaylord once pressured University of Oklahoma
President Joseph Brandt in 1942 after receiving an anonymous letter from the mother of a
fraternity pledge. According to the letter, the fraternity members forced her son to
participate in rush activities in the nude, masturbate in front of upperclassmen, and
engage in sodomy. He was also taken to the Biltmore Hotel and coerced into having sex
with a prostitute. Gaylord brazenly told Brandt that “we could set our reporters and
other investigators to work and bring out a story that would rock the University to its
foundations. I believe that such action might do untold harm to the institution…Mere
denouncements or threats will not cure the situation…I am leaving the matter in your
hands because I believe that you will act decisively to purge the University of obscene
orgies.”37
Although the Daily Oklahoman could alter the trajectory of socialization and
sexual practices enjoyed by gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City, the change in
emphasis authorities used to police the gay male world proved more significant, and the
end of prohibition in Oklahoma in 1959 was of central importance. Prohibition had been
a powerful and seemingly intractable issue when the Twin Territories applied for
statehood. Many felt that given Indian Territory’s large Native American population,
prohibition for the entire state was the only logical way to keep liquor away from people
allegedly prone to alcoholism. The Enabling Act mandated that Indian Territory be dry,
but technically Oklahoma Territory could still legally allow alcohol. Wet and dry forces
37
E.K. Gaylord to Joseph Brandt, 10/14/1942. University of Oklahoma, Joseph Brandt
Collection, Western History Collections, Box 3, folder 19.
173
�clashed heavily while the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention was in session. Wets
argued that free enterprise could not be impeded and that morality could not be controlled
or legislated. Drys harped on the obvious conundrum -- keeping one section of
Oklahoma dry and allowing another section to sell alcohol essentially made the whole
state wet, something that jeopardized the statehood process. Federal authorities refused
to budge, and both sides wanted statehood more than anything, so the issue was
effectively settled. Oklahoma entered the union in 1907 as a dry state.38
This did not mean that liquor was hard to find in Oklahoma. For years,
authorities struggled and failed to control the flow of illegal alcohol in Oklahoma City,
and Oklahoma in general. By the 1910s, over 1000 bootleggers and runners operated in
open disguise in Oklahoma City, many of whom worked for infamous liquor peddler
William Creekmore.39 Understaffed police authorities fought against a population that
generally liked to drink once in a while, and a healthy number of bars and saloons
operated in Oklahoma City, from its founding and well into the 1930s. Barely a week
went by when the Daily Oklahoman failed to run stories that detailed liquor raids,
complete with the number of pints seized, only to see the same people arrested the very
next week. Policing the sale and distribution of liquor was very draining for the police,
and rumors of police corruption and payoffs were common---and highly likely, given the
low pay that many beat officers and detectives received.40
38
Jimmie Lewis Franklin, Born Sober: Prohibition in Oklahoma, 1907-1959 (Norman:
University of Oklahoma Press, 1971), 17-25; James Ralph Scales and Danney Goble,
Oklahoma Politics: A History (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1982).
39
40
Franklin, Born Sober, 43-44.
A recent and very detailed account of the social costs and failures of prohibition in
Oklahoma is James Edward Klein, “A Social History of Prohibition in Oklahoma, 1900174
�With the end of national prohibition in 1933, the situation only got worse in
Oklahoma City. Wets in Oklahoma used the passage of the 21 st Amendment to legalize
the sale of 3.2 percent beer, for even though prohibition ended nationally in 1933
Oklahoma was constitutionally mandated to remain dry. As a result, bars and taverns
enjoyed a renaissance in Oklahoma City, a development that created another headache
for authorities: enforcement of prohibition in a state where “non-intoxicating” beer was
sold. It was a losing proposition from the beginning. “Any decent nightclub and
restaurant in Oklahoma City had velvet bags under the table to hold your bottle of
booze,” remembers Jim Fortenberry.41
The sheer number of taverns meant that before 1959, beat officers stuck their
heads into a bar and hauled off the obviously drunk, but they rarely made wholesale raids
on gay establishments simply because they were gay. The relatively few times
authorities harassed gay bars, it was usually part of a larger raid against illegal liquor or
gambling, and most raids occurred close to municipal elections and holidays when
authorities likely hoped to appear tough on crime. Shortly after Oklahomans voted to
end state-wide prohibition in 1959, Oklahoma City was home to 90 private clubs and 173
taverns, serving a population of approximately 370,000. The number of taverns, postrepeal increased only slightly, as they sold beer, which had been legal in Oklahoma City
since 1933. The increase in private clubs was very significant, however, as between
1920” (Ph.D. diss., Oklahoma State University, 2003); Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 155156. An Oklahoma City police officer’s monthly salary in the early 1950s was $175. As
a result, the police force was chronically understaffed.
41
Jim Fortenberry, follow-up telephone interview by author, 7/2/2005.
175
�1960 and 1963, the number increased by fifty percent, from sixty to ninety.42
Traditionally, private clubs proved more difficult to police because patrons gained
admission only by invitation, and the police could not simply saunter in and make
identification checks on a whim -- they needed just cause to enter. The rapid increase of
private clubs in a short two-year period, meant that the police were simply unable to
monitor them all. This forced them to be somewhat selective, and as a result they started
going after the high-profile arrests, places with reputations for vice and debauchery. Gay
and gay-friendly bars were easy targets, given the freedom they enjoyed throughout the
late-1940s and 1950s, and authorities stepped up enforcement.43
A final and very significant factor that radically affected the Oklahoma City gay
male subculture was the election of Curtis P. Harris as Oklahoma County Attorney in
1964.44 Admitted to the Oklahoma bar in 1933, Harris served eighteen years as a federal
attorney and also spent time as an assistant in the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s
office. Harris campaigned in 1964 to clean up Oklahoma City, promising a “complete
new deal” if elected. He cited “unwieldy and lackadaisical methods of the present
administration…(that) stems from the lack of rigid prosecution” as being to blame for the
rapid increase in major crimes in Oklahoma County. Once elected, Harris fought
everything from illegal liquor sales, to prostitution, to lewd movies, often using his
assistant county attorneys as informants, or even bait, during his personal investigations.
42
“Repeal Increases Nightlife in City,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/12/1964, 9.
43
Arnold Lee, interviews by author, 2/11/2005 and 8/13/2005; Jim Fortenberry,
interviews by author, 4/17/2005 and 7/3/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Gil
Ray, interview by author, 8/9/2005.
44
County Attorneys are now classified as District Attorneys in Oklahoma.
176
�He was so zealous in his efforts that one exasperated Oklahoma City resident remarked to
his face, “you’re only interested in queers, whores, and dirty bookstores.” Harris’s
hatred for gay and bisexual men was communicated to and felt by virtually every
individual interviewed for this project. “He was going to clean up Oklahoma City---his
own personal crusade,” recalled Jim Fortenberry.45
Indeed, vice and sex crimes formed a core element of Harris’s entire tenure as
County Attorney, which lasted until his death in 1976, but homosexuality was always
near the top of his hit list.46 The exact motivation behind Harris’s hatred of gay men is
unknown, but his feelings on the subject were far from unknown. A devout Baptist,
Harris frequently invoked Biblical imagery when discussing crime and punishment in
Oklahoma County. In 1965, he made the lecture circuit in Baptist churches all over
Oklahoma County, preaching to the choir so to speak, giving talks on “Crime and
Delinquency.”47 In a 1968 address before a group of Kiwanis clubs in Midwest City,
Curtis Harris argued that sex deviation was a grave societal threat through which “races
of mankind throughout history have destroyed themselves.” In a presentation complete
with examples of morally unacceptable magazines, books, and pornographic films
45
“Spirited Contest Seen for County Attorney,” Daily Oklahoman 4/20/1964, 51; Ralph
Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005. Prevette’s mother confronted Harris during one
of his celebratory reelection campaign stops and made the remark concerning his
fascination with victimless crime; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 7/3/2005; See
articles in the Daily Oklahoman, 5/21/1965, 4, 11/1/1965, 16, and 4/24/1969, 16.
46
Daily Oklahoman, 8/25/1974, 33. In 1974, Harris was running for reelection and was
opposed by his long-time lieutenant, Al Hoch. Hoch stated that he and other Oklahoma
County residents were dismayed at Harris’s long-time preoccupation with vice and
victimless crimes.
47
“Harris Slates Talk at Church,” Daily Oklahoman 8/21/1965, 12. Harris spoke at
Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Nicoma Park’s First Baptist Church, and Del City’s First
Southern Baptist Church during the fall of 1965.
177
�gathered by his office during raids, the Oklahoma County attorney warned that society “is
coming to the point where sex perversion is becoming fashionable,” and he encouraged
citizens to support the police department in battling this social cancer.48
Several months later, in a debate at a University of Oklahoma Philosophy Club
meeting with professor Francis Kovach, Curtis Harris laid bare his feelings even more
clearly. “Many of our children are influenced into a life of sex crimes after reading
pornographic literature,” he argued. “I have 20 books here. Let a man read these every
night for six months and I guarantee he can’t help but become a sex pervert.” In adding
that educators should promote “character development” instead of materialism, Harris
stressed that societies must “follow the Ten Commandments or they will perish.” One of
the more than 200 students who attended the debate asked Harris whether he feared
becoming a sex pervert since he reads aloud from so much of the material he finds
objectionable. The county attorney sardonically replied that he was “older” and immune
to that sort of thing.49
Curtis Harris and his attacks from the county attorney’s office are legendary, but
he often stepped outside of his function as head prosecutor to actually investigate crimes,
both real and perceived. Shortly after becoming county attorney he accompanied police
on a New Year’s Eve raid at the Congress Jolly Inn, where several young residents had
rented rooms and were drinking. It was a mixed group of both adults and minors,
although all were under twenty-two. Harris called police and watched the raid unfold.
48
“Harris Slaps Sex Deviation,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/23/1968, 47. It seems odd that
the district attorney would personally accompany county sheriff deputies on raids, but
apparently it was common under Harris.
49
“Obscenity Debated: DA, Professor Disagree,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/3/1968, 49.
178
�A common pleas judge dismissed the charges for lack of evidence, as Harris failed to
secure warrants and all of those drinking alcohol were of age. An exasperated Harris
declared, “What is immoral anymore?,” apparently dissatisfied that the judge did not
share his distaste for alcohol.50
The social and economic standing of those investigated was less important than
uncovering and rooting out the homosexual menace for Harris, but if those investigated
happened to be professional, wealthy, or members of high society, so much the better.
Even members of the bar, who possessed the knowledge and means to fight such a
campaign, were not immune:
There was a very hostile attitude officially in Oklahoma City. (In the 1960s) the
district attorney was a man named Curtis Harris and he had an assistant. They
used to go to my friend’s house, his name was “JS,” he’s dead now, and take
license tags of people who were at social functions. It was very invasive. I got a
call from this assistant who said that if I would give him the names of all the
people at the parties he would close my file. I said, “You and I went to different
law schools, and I am not about to do that.” That was the last I heard of it, but it
was scary. Another friend of mine at the same time was called in for an
interview. He is now in Tulsa and a well-known interior designer, but it scared
him so bad he closed his shop in Shepherd Mall and moved to Dallas.51
In January of 1966, Harris launched an ambitious six-month investigation into a
“homosexual ring” in the Oklahoma City public schools. His goal was to identify
homosexuals and keep them from corrupting children. In an interesting side-note,
prosecuting the offenders was not the goal, and apparently not a single educator faced
charges. Like so many of Harris’s campaigns, this was about public humiliation, for gay
and bisexual men could teach in Oklahoma City in 1966, unless their past included some
50
“Six City Motel Raid Cases Dropped,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/22/1966, 1.
51
Interview with Bill Rogers, 9/18/2004, Oklahoma City.
179
�kind of compromising sexual situation. Statistics regarding the success of the purge
varied widely. According to Harris, some twenty-six faculty members and
administrators resigned by the following July, all of them admitted homosexuals. Alex
Higdon, an assistant to the superintendent, believed that over the previous three years
only twelve resignations for such activity had occurred.52 This was high drama for
Harris, however, and it played to his political promise to “clean things up.” That it
targeted otherwise respected professionals only added to the satisfaction. Harris noted
that prominent citizens pressured him to quash the investigation, but he intended to
pursue it to the end. The bombast by Harris and the fear this campaign generated made
national news, as the New York Times ran a small article about the investigation. While
he served as Oklahoma County attorney, Curtis Harris actively pursued homosexuals, and
sought to eliminate them from Oklahoma City if by no other means than humiliating
them:
Curtis P. Harris was an evil man on his best day. Rumor has it that he had a gay
son, who he had institutionalized because he (Harris) couldn’t handle it. Not
only did he go out of his way to persecute gay people, but he also believed that if
you had ever been arrested or served time for anything, you should be in jail for
the rest of your life. What they would also do if you were in jail for shoplifting or
writing bad checks, and they were looking for a rapist, they would haul you out of
work or home to stand in a lineup. How long do you think you would be able to
keep a job? They would keep doing it and keep doing it until they put people in a
position where they didn’t have any choice but to break the law, and then they put
them back in jail. The man was insane. I know of vendettas against gay people,
periodic rounding up of people---not merely before elections as in the past. He
really hated gay people.53
52
See Oklahoma Journal, 7/10/1966; “26 Quit School Jobs in Drive On Oklahoma City
Deviates,” New York Times, 7/12/1966, 36.
53
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2004.
180
�Harris’s reach and reputation extended so far that merely the threat of his
involvement made gay and bisexual men quake in fear. More gay and bisexual
Oklahoma City residents moved, shut down their businesses, or succumbed to blackmail
in order to avoid dealing with Harris.
80% of the queers in this world are not “out,” men especially, so it makes one
vulnerable to blackmail and depression. The reason why W.A. had to sell half of
his interest in the Red Lion---it was a goldmine!---he fell in love with a 19-yearold kid. W.A. wrote letters. Never write a letter! The kid had a whole stack of
them, and was going to go to Curtis Harris, so (W.A.) gave him money. He ended
up selling his half of the bar for $1000. Hell, that place made that much money
for him in a month! But (W.A.) was between a rock and a hard place, because he
was a barber, and all of these self-regulated industries had morals clauses in their
licensure---every friggin one of them. If someone wants to play hardball with
you, it’s very easy for them to do.54
Although state sodomy prosecutions continued under Curtis Harris’ term, the
incidence of lesser-felony charges, and a host of misdemeanor charges, increased
dramatically. For instance, in 1966, H.T. propositioned an Oklahoma City undercover
police detective at the Playland Arcade, located on Sheridan Avenue downtown. The
prosecutor reduced the charge, from attempted sodomy to offering to engage in an act of
lewdness. The following year, a similar charge was filed against R.M.B., this time at
Penn Square Mall, a popular site for cruising in the late 1960s. R.M.B. pled guilty to the
lewdness charge, received a suspended sentence, and a $50 fine. Later that year,
Oklahoma City police officers caught two men having sex in a parked car in southwest
Oklahoma City. Before Harris assumed office, these two almost certainly would have
faced sodomy charges in state court, instead of engaging in acts of lewdness, which
54
Quote taken from Ralph Prevette, follow-up interview by author, 1/12/2005; Bill
Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005.
181
�carried a decidedly smaller sentence.55 One possible reason that Harris and his deputies
occasionally opted for the lesser charges was that they were less complicated. People
charged with lewdness would plead guilty, pay a fine, and move on, as the charge was
less specific and carried fewer stigmas than a sodomy charge. Handling sex crimes cases
in this way allowed the county attorney’s office to look tough on crime, clear a boatload
of cases quickly since many men pled guilty, and still manage to punish gay and bisexual
men. Even though charges were reduced, the names of those charged with lewdness
made the Daily Oklahoman with enough details to make sure that readers knew that the
offense involved homosexual relations. Harris did not care anyway – he was about longrange punishment and humiliation. Names in the newspaper were more salient in that
regard than suspended sodomy sentences.
Perhaps the depth of Curtis Harris’s hatred for gay and bisexual men, and the
tenacity with which he pursued them, is most clearly illuminated by the way he hounded
gay bar owners in Oklahoma City, particularly local club legend Arnold Lee. Lee
opened one of Oklahoma City’s most notorious bars, Lee’s Lounge, in 1965. Orphaned
at a very young age, Lee moved around a lot as a child while living with various family
members, most of whom were Pentecostal Holiness ministers. While living in Oakland,
California, the fanaticism and alcoholism of his family drove him to strike out on his own
when only fourteen years old. Lee worked as a busboy in a number of restaurants until
he stumbled into a gay bar in Los Angeles and met a man who lived in drag. Arnold was
55
State v. H.T., case #35123, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; State v. R.M.B., case
#36125, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; State v. D.A.M. and C.J.H, case #37446,
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. Details of these and other cases appeared in the Daily
Oklahoman after 1964.
182
�immediately smitten and the two moved in together, and Arnold started living in drag as
well. While fleeing after a party that the two attended on Sunset Boulevard was raided,
the police arrested Arnold Lee and threw him into the female holding cell awaiting a
mandatory check for venereal diseases. A terrified Arnold kept going to the back of the
line again and again until he was forced to tell a jailer his secret. Thereafter isolated
from the other prisoners, Arnold was the target of amazement: “now I know how a caged
animal feels, as everybody came to take a look.”
After a short stay in a reform school,
Arnold came back to Oklahoma and lived with an aunt and uncle in Guthrie, who allowed
him to join the Navy while underage.56
After his obligatory service in Europe during World War II ended, Arnold Lee
returned to Oklahoma City with a Latvian national as his bride, and they enrolled in
beauty college together. Eventually, the pair opened their own hair and nail salon
located on Western Avenue. In 1960, a friend talked Arnold into opening a beer bar
down in the Paseo district, an event that launched his long and lucrative career in the bar
business in Oklahoma City. Lee’s Lounge was not a glamorous place to visit, but it had
its charms. Like the Mayflower, Lee’s Lounge featured an elaborate art piece painted on
the entry wall, but it was certainly more risqué----a “Peter Tree,” with penis and testicle
shaped fruit hanging from the branches. People came from all over to see it. 57 The
Lounge also had a modest stage on which Arnold Lee held drag shows. Current female
impersonator legend Ginger Lamar performed at Lee’s:
56
Arnold Lee, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/11/2005.
57
Ibid.
183
�There usually was one bar per city that had a show. In Oklahoma City at the time,
it was Lee's Lounge, and that's where I first appeared in Oklahoma City. When I
first worked there, they did their shows on Sunday nights, and they had guest
bands that would come in. My first night, they had a black band that did all the
Motown Music- soul music. When you put your music on- at that time it was
records, this band would play background music for you, so it gave you that
feeling that you were almost singing live. It was a very small work area, & you
basically stood there & lip synced. But there was always a full house every time
there was a show.58
By the mid-1960s, Lee’s Lounge enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the gay bar
business in Oklahoma City, simply because other successful gay institutions---the
Inferno, the Mayflower, the Circus Club---closed, and newer ones did not immediately
take their place.59 Other bars came and went, remaining open just long enough to
receive an obligatory visit from party-minded queer residents, but Harris’s war on
homosexuality and the difficulties of starting a bar even under ideal circumstances stifled
most chances for success. In this intolerant atmosphere, Arnold’s club became an
institution in Oklahoma City, but not because the bar offered striking amenities. Air
conditioning was unknown at the club, and patrons broke the commodes once during
either a fight or rough sex, and Arnold did not immediately replace them. Visitors used
the sewer pipe for relief, and all manner of fluids covered the floor. In addition, the
condition of the beer kegs left one new Oklahoma City resident in shock:
Arnold NEVER at anytime he was in the bar business had his beer kegs cleaned.
Yeast grows in those lines from the keg to the tap and inside the spigot.
Anybody that drank draw beer at Lee’s Lounge was asking for an immediate case
of dysentery. That was the first thing I was told when I came through the door
there in 1966, fresh from California. I knew you could drink liquor here, but you
58
See “Ginger Speaks” for her thoughts on Lee’s Lounge at www.gingerlamar.com
59
A Guild Guide, according to Ralph Prevette, listed 4 gay bars in Oklahoma City when
he first arrived in 1966---Lee’s Lounge, the Jug, the Urn, and the Click. The Jug, Urn,
and Click all closed by 1965, so only Lee’s Lounge was open at that time.
184
�had to take your own bottle, in theory. I waltzed in with a bottle of vodka and sat
on a barstool, and Arnold was behind the bar. He asked me what I’d have, and I
said a “Black Russian”---you know, L.A. faggot! He reaches for a bottle of
Crème de Coco, to which I replied “where is the Kahlua,” and he said “this is the
same thing…” “No, no, no nooooo!” I replied. Arnold made Vodka Gimlets
with RealLemon, and screwdrivers with Donald Duck orange juice…the learning
curve was kind of ugly!60
Despite the club’s shortcomings, Lee’s Lounge was very successful. For many
gay and bisexual men, it was the first totally, openly gay bar they visited, and it provided
them with a relatively safe place to meet and socialize at a time when things were
growing much more difficult for them in Oklahoma City. Ralph Prevette noted that “my
first night there, I met about 30 people, and those that are still alive I know today.”61
As a pioneer in the gay community, Arnold soon ran afoul of some very powerful
people, including Curtis Harris. Whether it was at Harris’ request or not is unclear, but
police raided Lee’s Lounge about twice a month and arrested Arnold Lee. The charge
was always that he permitted dancing in a beer bar, which was prohibited per local
ordinance.62 Lee responded by setting up a light alarm that would let patrons know
when police officers entered the establishment. The police only half-heartedly bothered
Arnold, though, as he usually bailed out within minutes and reopened the Lounge within
60
Ralph Prevette, follow-up interview by author, 1/12/2005.
61
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005.
62
Title 37, Oklahoma Statutes Supp. 1943, sections 211 to 218 inclusive, forbade the
sale of 3.2 beer, the only liquor allowed to be sold in Oklahoma, in dance halls and
taverns where dancing was allowed. The statute provided an exemption to hotels with a
certain number of rooms. Virtually every bar in Oklahoma City was affected by this
law. Arnold Lee believed that Harris was responsible for the raids on his establishment.
185
�a couple of hours. “I never even had to wear handcuffs,” said Lee, and the fines were so
low that they could not put a dent in Arnold’s resolve or his wallet.63
At that point, Lee’s Lounge was one of only two openly gay male bars in all of
Oklahoma City, the other being the Red Lion. The Red Lion, another Oklahoma City
gay institution, first opened in 1966 and remained in business until at least 1972.
Originally owned by Kenny Tivis, the Red Lion was located at Northwest 40th and May--again, outside of the traditional downtown geographic base of gay entertainment. At the
height of its popularity until 1970, it was just a beer bar, which meant that eighteen was
the age to enter and dancing was prohibited. The bar was relatively small, but extremely
popular.
The place was always packed and everybody went there, from near-street people
to Nichols Hills’ piss- elegant queens. To give you an idea of the Red Lion's
business, the draught sales manager at Ford Distributing (the Coors dealership)
told me that the Red Lion sold more beer for its size than any bar in the state of
Oklahoma. The crowd was very friendly--it had to be. We were jammed in there
like sardines in a can, and a small can at that!”64
Although Lee’s Lounge was one of only two gay bars open in Oklahoma City -and earned Arnold Lee a lot of money -- Lee grew weary of the constant raids and
Harris’s harassment, so he looked for another location in which to start a bar. Arnold
landed in an unincorporated area in Logan County, just over the Oklahoma County line,
in a large secluded building that he christened the Continental Club. Once owned by
gamblers, the Continental Club sported an imposing twelve-foot chain link fence topped
by razor wire that the former occupants relied on to discourage raids by authorities.
63
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
64
Ralph Prevette, follow-up interview by author, 6/29/2004.
186
�Arnold Lee opened the Continental in 1965 and quickly turned it into a successful and
notorious nightspot, conveniently outside the purview of Oklahoma County District
Attorney Curtis Harris. The place rocked, even though Lee opened it only three nights a
week---Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Arnold Lee ignored liquor laws and forbade
customers to bring their own bottle to the club, a requirement for those drinking in 1960s
Oklahoma, and sold patrons alcohol on his own. He made a tremendous amount of
money in a very short time.65 The Continental held lavish drag shows behind the razor
wire. Famed female impersonator, hairstylist, madam, and gay celebrity Kenneth
Marlowe, also known as “Mr. Madam,” came to the secluded club and filmed over two
hours of footage at one of Arnold’s balls in 1966.66
As the previous chapter demonstrated, female impersonation and its lesseresteemed but more prevalent cousin drag provided obvious, tangible evidence of the gay
community’s presence in Oklahoma City, even during times of struggle. As a
consequence of the increased policing of the gay community in general, the number of
impersonation acts declined precipitously. Tony Sinclair and Gil Ray continued to work,
and newcomer Ginger Lamar was just getting started, but overall it was a medium in
decline. The Continental Club and Lee’s Lounge provided valuable outlets for
65
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005; Jim McMurray, interview by author,
1/20/2005; Ginger Lamar, interview by author, 9/10/2004; Jim Fortenberry, interview by
author, 4/17/2005.
66
For information on Madam, see his autobiography, Kenneth Marlowe, Mr. Madam:
Confessions of a Male Madam (Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press, 1964). Marlowe and
Arnold Lee’s careers converged in a number of ways---both were hairdressers by
principal trade, both were female impersonators, and both had less than angelic
childhoods, marked by tragedy and discontent. Marlowe knew and worked for a number
of stars in Hollywood as a hairdresser.
187
�impersonators, and Arnold Lee was a pioneer in regard to keeping the medium at the
center of the gay community:
Now, the drag balls back then were real drag balls, meaning people spent $1000
or $1500 on a gown at the least. Very overly exaggerated, and probably some of
the most fun times in Oklahoma. One particular (person) went to the Mayflower
first, stood out in front, because his ball gown was so full he had to ride in a
pickup. Back then we didn’t have RV’s and such. So a pickup pulls up, and he’s
dressed out---pink gown, hair, flame city. He gets into the pickup, holds onto a
rope, and rides out there (to the Continental). Cars were almost having wrecks
and he was throwing candy. It was that time in the gay life that was wonderful--it was magic, fantasy, probably the most exciting time of my life.67
All good things must end, however, and this was true for the Continental. Curtis
Harris knew that Arnold devoted much of his energy to the Logan County operation, but
for a long time he could do nothing about it. Apparently, the club and its patrons
somehow managed to avoid much notice from authorities. In fact, undercover sheriff
deputies came to collect information for a planned raid, but they enjoyed themselves so
much that they brought their wives back and had the time of their lives, according to
Arnold.68 Like most of Arnold Lee’s clubs, plenty of younger gay men prowled about –
some of them under the legal drinking age. Although keeping people with fake
identifications out of any bar, gay or straight, is problematic, Lee turned a blind eye to
underage people in his bar for two reasons. First, they made money for him, because
wherever young and single gay men are carousing, so too will older gay and bisexual
men attracted to the young and beautiful, and the latter group spends money. Second,
Lee genuinely wanted to provide young queer men with a place to call their own, a place
free from harassment. This became problematic after a couple of serious auto accidents67
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005.
68
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005 .
188
�--the product of inebriation and a hairpin curve in front of the club---brought attention to
the club. Curtis Harris was the principal informant for the raid conducted by Logan
County sheriff deputies on November 27, 1966. Deputies hauled twenty people off to
the Logan County jail, including Arnold Lee and his bartender. Most of those arrested
were under twenty-one, so prosecutors charged them with vagrancy. Lee faced charges
of operating an open saloon, permitting dancing where beer was sold, and selling beer
after hours. The Continental closed that night at 2:30 A.M., and it never reopened.69
That raid, much like the Continental itself, became something of a legendary
event in the Oklahoma City gay community. “One year we went and the place was
raided and they had a fence with barbed wire around the whole thing. You have never
seen so many petticoats and rhinestones hanging from a fence in your life because they
jumped the fence and half of the costume stayed put,” remarked Jim McMurray.70
The liquor charges and presence of minors in the bar were serious, and Curtis Harris
probably felt rather pleased that he could shake Arnold Lee down once again, even from
afar. In a curious turn of events, however, Arnold Lee managed to avoid massive fines
or jail time, and Curtis Harris would be denied a great deal of satisfaction. As Ralph
Prevette related:
The night they were busted, there were over 60 people there, and about 30 of
them were minors. What saved his ass was that (one of those arrested) was only
sixteen, and (his) daddums was a Logan County Commissioner, and he was not
about to have his name besmirched. Now Curtis Harris, the OK County DA had
been the instigating informant, and he had tipped off state authorities, but all
prosecutions had to be in Logan County. The county judge had no desire to get
69
“Club Raided Near Guthrie,” Daily Oklahoman 11/28/1966, 1; “Club Owner,
Bartender Post Bonds Following Raid,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/29/1966, 41.
70
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005.
189
�into a pissing contest with a county commissioner. So, they dismissed the
charges---pure luck for Arnold Lee!71
The events in Logan County left Arnold Lee discouraged. All of his attempts to
own and operate openly-gay establishments were besieged by bad luck and zealous
authorities, and Arnold’s health suffered as a result. Arnold Lee kept a low profile for a
while before resurfacing in the summer of 1969 when he opened the Villa Royale.
Located on Paseo next door to his former club, Lee’s Lounge, the Villa Royale was one
of the swankiest clubs in Oklahoma City and easily the nicest club Lee ever owned.
Modeled after the Jewel Box in Kansas City,72 the Villa offered patrons rich velvet
upholstered drapes and overstuffed high-backed chairs. Unlike Arnold’s other bars, he
opened the Villa Royale to attract straight customers. It was ironic that Lee coveted a
straight clientele for his new venture, given that the number of places they had to
socialize already outnumbered gay establishments ten-to-one, and some members of the
Oklahoma City queer community felt a little betrayed.73 To be fair, Arnold likely tried
to keep his foot in the bar business in Oklahoma City by opening the Villa. Lee’s
Lounge, rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1968, would no longer sustain him thanks to
Curtis Harris. He leased the club to another individual, who tried to make a go of it, but
71
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
72
The Jewel Box was located at 3219 Troost in Kansas City and was part of an
entertainment complex containing two other gay bars. It was open six days a week and
featured 3 to 4 shows nightly by some of the most outstanding female impersonators, or
“femme mimics,” around. It was probably a less glitzy version of the infamous tourist
bar in San Francisco, Finnochio’s.
73
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005.
190
�ran into financing problems. The Villa Royale was his last shot, Arnold assumed, and he
wanted to expand his customer base.74
Since Lee hoped to attract a mixed audience, he booked entertainment that would
be popular with all patrons, regardless of their sexuality. Rusty Warren appeared several
times to packed audiences, as did well-known female impersonators Billy Carroll, Pat St.
Patrick, and Kelly Spencer, who also worked at Jewel Box. Tony Sinclair, late of the
Inferno fame, made the majority of his appearances in straight clubs all over town when
he agreed to showcase at the Villa. On an amusing note, when Lee advertised for his
new club, he photographed Tony Sinclair reclining on a chair under the theme of
“unusual floor shows.” The advertising staff at the Daily Oklahoman apparently did not
understand that the Villa Royale was a nightclub, and that Tony Sinclair was actually a
man, because they ran the notice in the women’s section of the paper, right beside
advertisements for Jerome’s and Everest Galleries. The Villa initially was a huge
success, netting Arnold Lee over $5000 in its first month, but its lifespan was to be cut
short. The Villa Royale closed six months later as a result of continued harassment from
locals and the Oklahoma City police.75
At that juncture, the LGBT community was reeling in Oklahoma City. The
newly-empowered police department harassed gay bars and nightspots, and Curtis
Harris’s prosecutorial zeal shocked many residents and altered the social landscape
considerably. Urban renewal also altered socialization patterns for queer residents.
74
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
75
Rusty Warren, email interview by author, 7/25/2005; Daily Oklahoman, 5/23/1969, 37;
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
191
�Urban renewal in Oklahoma City was a controversial program, even in the 1960s. While
touted as a way to attract investors to the downtown area and bring Oklahoma City into
the 20th century – indeed urban renewal is steeped in the notion that people have the
ability to transform their world – many historically-significant properties needlessly were
razed. The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority (OCURA) was created in 1961 by
the city council, taking advantage of a bill authorizing such groups that was passed by the
state legislature in 1959. A pronounced downtown retail flight had occurred for some
time but it became especially acute during the late 1950s and early 1960s when both
Shepherd Mall and Penn Square Mall were completed. These significant retail outlets
siphoned off businesses that had called downtown Oklahoma City home for decades.
OCURA proceeded slowly, as funding problems prevented any significant projects from
starting until 1963. The organization spent much of the late 1960s and early 1970s
buying land all over Oklahoma City, destroying many older buildings, some of which
dated from statehood. To be sure, the renovations required to bring some of the
structures up to current utility and safety standards were simply too expensive. Others
simply had outlived their usefulness. Some managed to be converted into private hands,
such as Union Station and the Colcord Building, and were significantly remodeled, which
effectively removed them from the public use. Between 1967 and 1973, OCURA spent
over $63 million buying land, demolishing structures, realigning streets, and updating
utilities. As a result, Oklahoma City residents were able to build a state-of-the-art
medical complex and research center, and the John F. Kennedy Housing Project, which
192
�resulted in over 1000 new homes and several apartment structures for low-income
residents.76
Even more ambitious was OCURA’s downtown rehabilitation program that
started in 1964, and drastically altered the physical landscape. One of the primary forces
behind the program was Mayor George Shirk, a prominent Oklahoma City attorney,
historian, and civic leader who was essentially drafted to become mayor in 1964.77 As a
committed historical preservationist, Shirk deeply loved the architecture of the downtown
skyline, but he knew that some of the buildings were too outdated or too expensive to
renovate. Only two days after Shirk took office, architect I.M. Pei unveiled a twentyyear plan to revitalize the downtown area he had prepared for several prominent city
businessmen associated with OCURA. Modeled after Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen,
the plan called for a centralized convention center, urban housing, and a slew of retail and
business centers all around the core downtown area. The overall economic investment
by private sources to downtown Oklahoma City, upon completion of the over fivehundred acre plan, was expected to be in excess of $220 million. It was, however, going
to be expensive to start and require long-term financial backing. Shirk stumped hard for
the Pei Plan, speaking all over Oklahoma City at clubs and luncheons asking for
residents’ support. Shirk also lobbied the state legislature to allow cities to charge a
sales tax to finance improvements. This was vital not only for the future of the Pei Plan,
but also to make Oklahoma City’s fiscal system as modern and stable as those found in
76
Blackburn, Heart of the Promised Land, 166-171; Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 236;
Roy P. Stewart, Born Grown: The Story of Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City: Fidelity
Bank, National Association, 1974), 284-293; .
77
“Support Reportedly Lined Up to Appoint George Shirk Mayor,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/16/1964, 1; “Citizen to Mayor In Three Minutes,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/17/1964.
193
�any other like-sized metropolis. The legislature approved the bill, and Mayor Shirk
quickly put a one-cent sales tax proposal before Oklahoma City residents. It passed by a
two-to-one margin, no small feat for those familiar with the prospects of raising taxes in
Oklahoma.78
The effects of the Pei Plan, and urban renewal in general, on the gay and bisexual
male subculture in Oklahoma City were pronounced. Grand Avenue, which had been
renamed Sheridan in 1962, was almost completely destroyed between Broadway and
Robinson to build the Myriad Gardens Center. This meant that many of the small beer
bars that queer residents used since the 1940s as social and sexual gateways were
demolished. Gone were the Manhattan, Sweet Leona’s and the original Mirror Lounge.
The Biltmore Hotel, the Huckins Hotel, the Kingkade Hotel, and the Hudson Hotel – all
popular sexual spots downtown -- were also felled, as were the Criterion, the Warner, and
the Midwest Theaters. Union Station was purchased by a private company and
remodeled for use as an office building, which effectively removed it from among the
city’s queer sexual landscape as well.79
Other downtown buildings were razed to accommodate utility relocation, the
owner’s inability to bring them up to local codes, or the owners’ opportunistic escape.
This altered the cruising atmosphere tremendously in the late 1960s. Before, with a
plethora of downtown spots for sex, food, and socialization, downtown became and
remained the sexual center for gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City. Gay and
78
Howard Meredith and Mary Ellen Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History: The Life of
George H. Shirk (Oklahoma City: Western Heritage Association Books, 1982), 90-94,
103-127; Stewart, Born Grown, 284-293; Daily Oklahoman, 11/10/1965.
79
Owens, Oklahoma Justice, 236-237; Griffith, Oklahoma City, 1930 to the Millennium,
11, 68-77.
194
�bisexual men created a public presence that did not immediately lead to any kind of
significant or sustained police action. After so many of these landmarks disappeared,
however, downtown became almost completely synonymous with hustlers and “rough
trade,”80 an element that a lot of gay and bisexual residents tried to avoid. Gay
businessmen recognized this as well, and it suggests why places like the Red Lion, Lee’s
Lounge, and the Circa – all queer landmarks by the early 1970s – were located outside of
the old downtown area.81
Complementing the changes wrought by urban renewal in altering the downtown
sexual landscape was the continued diligence on the part of the police to control it. As
discussed earlier, the Oklahoma City Police Department significantly altered the scope
and practice of controlling vice after constitutionally-mandated prohibition ended in
1959. New methods, better equipment, and a shift in targets -- from alcohol to
prostitution and homosexuality -- made for high-profile arrests and a rising level of
discomfort felt by gay and bisexual men. The fresh wave of police officers that entered
the force, many of whom undoubtedly hoped to advance their careers by making arrests
and getting their names in the newspaper, also accelerated the war on vice. The vice
squad consisted of only about sixteen detectives, but that force equaled other divisions
80
“Trade” is a euphemism for men – straight or possibly bisexual – who sought out
sexual release that would not be reciprocated on their part. Presumably, “rough trade”
would be those who were also somewhat more physical or violent than some gay men
preferred.
81
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2004; Jim McMurray, interview by author,
1/20/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/27/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author,
4/17/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
195
�within the police department in size, and these officers were dedicated.82 One new
officer that figured prominently in virtually every major vice bust for the next twenty
years was Kenneth “Sugar” Smith.83 Ever diligent, Smith once arrested a pair of young
men stopped at an intersection in Oklahoma City for kissing one another in a car.84
Smith’s colleagues also went in search of homosexuals, sometimes going to great
extremes to make an arrest. In 1968, officers arrested a man for making a lewd
suggestion to an undercover police detective in the restroom of the downtown public
library. The man made small talk with the officer in a restroom across the street, and the
officer followed the suspect into the library restroom where he allegedly made the
advance. It is striking, in this case, that a detective followed the suspect all the way
across the street into another restroom, to see if the man would make a lewd gesture
toward him. The suspect told police he was a female impersonator from Long Beach,
California, a fact that probably won him little respect with the officer.85 As this case
suggests, the vice squad pursued gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City more
aggressively, and they were getting better at it.
82
“Is There Victimless Crime?” Daily Oklahoman, 10/1/1972, 21. Police Chief Watson
argued that vice was a low priority under his administration, yet statistics for 1971
indicated that the vice squad had the same number of detectives as the homicide, juvenile,
and stolen property divisions. In addition, the arrests for vice and other serious crimes
like rape and robbery and assault, were almost identical. It was clear that vice remained
a very important part of the police department’s focus.
83
The sobriquet “Sugar” stemmed from his arrest and subsequent unsuccessful
prosecution of activist Paul Thompson in 1969, detailed in chapter eight. Thompson,
upon declaring his innocence, addressed his note to Officer “Sugar” Smith, a nickname
that followed him throughout his career.
84
“Pair Arrested In Morals Case,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/4/1968, 10.
85
“Visit Leads Man to Jail,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/9/1968, 13.
196
�When not patrolling tearooms, officers started making undercover visits to gay
bars all over Oklahoma City. In June of 1965, authorities arrested twenty-one men
during a raid at a downtown club. Vice detectives Tony Boswell and Ken “Sugar” Smith
sat in the Jug Bar, 411 West Sheridan, for almost two hours, watching patrons and taking
mental notes. At the accepted time, uniformed police entered and made the arrests for
what the undercover officers called “making indecent and lewd gestures and motions.”
The Jug closed shortly after the raid, having been in business only about two years.86
A larger raid occurred in 1968, one significant for its motivation and portents for
the future. On September 15, 1968, vice detectives Larry Henderson and Benny Lovett
staked out The Warehouse, located at 919 North Hudson. After spending a couple of
hours in the establishment observing “men kissing and caressing each other,” Henderson
and Lovett called for backup, and the police arrested thirty people -- twenty-seven men
and three women -- and charged them with the usual litany of disorderly conduct and
loitering around a disorderly house. This raid was memorable, however, for two reasons.
First, at the time of the raid, patrons were enjoying a drag show, which police clumsily
referred to as a “beauty contest for men.” The presence of drag immediately identified
the Warehouse as a gay club, and it probably gave the officers and the general public a
chuckle as the newspaper recounted that some of the men “were clad in tight fitting
women’s dresses and their faces were caked with lipstick, mascara, and rouge.” Second,
86
For information on the Jug, see “21 Arrested in Club Raid.” Daily Oklahoman,
6/8/1965, page 2.
197
�in a chilling final comment, Lieutenant Jim Watson noted that at least six other bars and
taverns that “cater to a particular type of crowd” were under surveillance. 87
Only five months later, vice detectives raided another gay bar, this time arresting
forty men, the largest haul yet. Detective Harold Behrens observed men dancing with
each other at The Club, located at 1724 Northwest 16th . Officers arrested patrons and
charged them with disorderly conduct, while the owner, Roy Mastin, faced charges of
permitting dancing in an establishment where beer was sold.88 This raid signaled that the
Oklahoma City police now targeted gay clubs simply because they were for gay men.
By all accounts, The Club was a rather upscale establishment. As Ralph relates,
Roy was a little guy who ‘refinished’ antique furniture and ‘antiqued’ the wood in
old houses, both of which were foolish fixations of 1960s yuppies. He got The
Club, faux-finished everything in it, laid rather pretty Mexican tile floors,
installed a bridge table by the fireplace, and had black-light visible Beardsley
drawings on the walls. Needless to say, The Club was a great hit with the chi-chi
set.89
These raids on the Warehouse and The Club put gay bars in Oklahoma City on
notice -- the police were coming, they were singling out gay bars for surveillance, and
they were serious about shutting them down. While the Warehouse was rather notorious,
The Club was an upscale tavern, one known as a predominantly gay establishment only
by reputation. The fact that police targeted it, and arrested so many patrons simply for
being there, sent a signal throughout the Oklahoma City gay male world. Gay bars, once
the only salvation for many, now were an “enter at your own risk” proposition.
87
“Police Arrest 30 in ‘Beauty’ Show,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/16/1968, 1.
88
“40 Men Jailed In Raid on Club,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/15/1969, 1.
89
Ralph Prevette, email correspondence, 10/24/2004.
198
�As a result of the continued police presence, and the wrecking ball via urban
renewal, the number of gay bars in downtown Oklahoma City declined precipitously, and
those that remained open became little more than hustler havens. This truism applied to
one of the last new gay bars to open downtown, the Burgundy Club, owned by Virginia
“Ginny” White. Located at 434 West Main next to the Union Bus Station, the Burgundy
was not unlike other downtown establishments in the 1960s---small, inelegant, owned by
a woman, and home to a thriving hustler trade. By the late 1960s, street cruising by male
prostitutes got much riskier, as undercover officers roamed Sheridan Avenue in force
looking for arrests. As a result, the area trolled by male prostitutes shrank in order to
take advantage of strength in numbers: fewer streets, and more eyes searching for police
officers. The area along Harvey Street, between Sheridan and Couch, became legendary
for having more hustlers per square-foot than any other spot in Oklahoma City.
Interview participants fondly referred to it as the “milk run” or the “meat rack,” a
reference to the high volume of sex traded, sought, and sold. The Burgundy was located
only a block from this meat rack, and the fondness with which patrons recalled the
Burgundy varied directly to their preference for young hustlers. “It was a terrific little
hustler bar,” remembered one patron, while another recalled “that place was for rough
trade on Main Street, and pimps.” People of all races made up the regular clientele of
the Burgundy, which made it unusual among gay bars in Oklahoma City but more in
keeping with establishments in other, larger cities like New York and Philadelphia.90
90
Originally, Virginia White incorporated the Burgundy as the Holiday Lounge Club.
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/27/2005;
Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005.
199
�All cities of a certain size have bars like the Burgundy. It was always located
within walking distance of the bus station, where prison punks fresh out of the
joint with their cheap suit and $20 went. The guys come out of the bus station
and if they don’t know where the nearest queer bar is, they’ll find out. They go
there, they hookup, whatever. I mean it was a given. I was in the Burgundy
probably about a dozen times the whole time I was here.91
By the close of the 1960s, the Oklahoma City gay male world was much less
prosperous, open, or visible than it had been in the 1950s due to a convergence of factors.
First, the increased attention that Americans paid to crime and delinquency in general hit
home for many Oklahoma City residents when a series of embarrassing articles made the
city look unwholesome. Residents demanded that something be done, and the city
responded by reorganizing the police department and increasing the frequency and
severity of raids on homosexual institutions. Hostile medical opinions made life
miserable for many gay men. By classifying homosexuals as mentally unstable people,
they encouraged officials to seek treatment for gay men, which in at least one case
included castration. When Oklahomans repealed constitutionally-mandated prohibition
in 1959, it effectively ended the long, unsuccessful and all-consuming war that authorities
had raged on alcohol. Resources and manpower now shifted to other social ills, such as
homosexuality. Patrons never knew if the cute young man sitting next to them in a bar
was a vice detective, waiting to arrest them and haul them downtown. Their names
would likely be made public if they fought the charges. The increased police presence
led downtown hustlers and meat mongers to congregate in smaller areas and in a few
seedy downtown bars. Curtis Harris unleashed the most direct assaults on gay men to
date in Oklahoma City in 1964 following his election as Oklahoma County Attorney.
91
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
200
�Harris fused his deep religious convictions and his wide prosecutorial power to ruin
people’s lives and make running a gay business infinitely more difficult.
Harris, more
than any other single individual, changed the character of queer life in Oklahoma City.
When these factors merged with a general movement of the economic and social centers
of Oklahoma City to the north and west of downtown via urban renewal, predominantly
gay bars, owned by openly gay men and women, no longer existed downtown. The
Oklahoma City gay male world, once thriving, suffered a major setback in the 1960s, as
the post-World War II years of relative success and openness gave way to fear.
201
�Chapter VI
The Pink Tea Queens:
Class, Status, and Position Within the Respectable Queer World
For decades in Oklahoma City, a divide ran throughout the gay and bisexual
community, one that separated men according to class and social position. Caucasian
men from lower middle and lower socioeconomic circumstances found it easier to be gay
in Oklahoma City, some going so far as to take a lover, regularly attend gay bars and drag
shows, and generally live an openly gay lifestyle for the time. Wealthier men, men who
occupied positions of status and political importance, and those who held occupational
licenses with strict morals clauses, entertained privately. Through a circuit of private
parties, civic affairs, interstate travel, and fraternal organizations, these upper class gay
and bisexual men forged their own subculture, one that operated parallel to the gay and
bisexual subculture at large. Many undoubtedly hoped to avoid detection, as losing their
jobs or clientele was a possibility, but public humiliation was guaranteed. Others simply
preferred socializing with men from their own socioeconomic background. In any case,
the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male world was one that had the trappings of class
divisions, and rarely did those divisions blur.
Two of the most remarkable aspects of the Oklahoma City sexual landscape from
its founding were its variety and chutzpah. As earlier chapters demonstrated, downtown
Oklahoma City had always been a Mecca for sexuality openly displayed. Theaters, bars,
202
�and private clubs catered to gay and straight audiences alike. Prostitution was a
constant, again for people of any sexual orientation, and the police proved unable and
unwilling to stop it. In this atmosphere of benign indifference, working-class gay and
bisexual men carved out a public space that, in retrospect, was obvious to those willing to
look. Another stratum of gay and bisexual men chose to remain somewhat removed
from the mainstream gay world in Oklahoma City. These were middle-class and
wealthy men, those who were college-educated, had better jobs or at least professional
occupations, and more disposable income to fund their activities. Many came from
pioneer Oklahoma City founding families, and they had connections.
Others came to
Oklahoma City directly out of the military1 and decided to stay when they realized that
gay people existed here:
I did not have a lot of gay companions, not until I came to Oklahoma City. I was
in the Army for 39 months. I was a front-line medic, and I had a tent-mate who
was also French. It just killed me…I loved him so much! He left to join the Free
French movement and I then had my tent alone. Then I became a nurse, finished
in the Air Force, and then came to Oklahoma City instead of going back east. I
met a lot of gay guys here!2
The means and methods of socialization used by upper-class men were not
entirely distinct from their working-class counterparts, but they were certainly more
discreet. As a result of higher incomes and family money, these men held parties in their
homes in some of the finest neighborhoods in Oklahoma City, such as Heritage Hills and
1
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005; Earnest, interview by author,
3/27/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005.
2
Earnest, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/27/2005.
203
�Nichols Hills.3 “We always met at each others’ homes for parties---not sex parties,
usually---and threw the hash around. Sometimes we’d get in drag and have a lot of fun,”
remembers Earnest, a retired health care professional.4 Attorney William “Bill” Rogers
also remembers that:
I had quite a number of gay friends. From the beginning when I came out there
was a subculture of people that entertained in our homes basically…It was
actually a very secretive subculture. People were VERY careful. My first lover
had not been “out” but self-identified as gay, and he already had a circle of friends
that I fit right into. And people came and went. There was a party most
weekends and a lot of Sunday afternoon partying. They were both planned and
informal.5
Although the concept of remaining hidden or circumspect -- closeted, even -might seem contrary to the notion of community-building, it was in fact central to it for
Pink Tea Queens.6 For a sense of community to develop, it would seem axiomatic that
gay and bisexual men would need to find one another, enjoy common sources of
recreation and socialization, and communicate sub cultural norms between members in
such a way that led to the codification of those norms. Since bar attendance was not
possible on a consistent basis, private parties became extensions of community building,
albeit on a more circumspect scale. By holding parties in the homes of wealthy
homosexuals, by communicating the location of these parties and “advertising” them via
word of mouth and private communication, upper-class gay and bisexual men carved out
3
For a discussion of the development of Heritage Hills and its historical significance, see
Bob L. Blackburn, Heritage Hills: Preservation of A Historic Neighborhood (Oklahoma
City: Western Heritage Books, 1990).
4
Earnest, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/27/2005.
5
Bill Rogers, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/18/2004 and 3/3/2005 follow-up.
6
A sobriquet used by working-class Oklahoma City residents that referred to wellheeled gay and bisexual men.
204
�a world for themselves that was nourishing, queer, and workable within the larger,
heterosexual socioeconomic world in Oklahoma City. Private affairs allowed a safe,
controlled atmosphere for socialization where men expressed alternative sexual
preferences within their peer group. Thus, private parties could function as springboards
for upper-class men into the gay and bisexual world and also as key markers of subcultural development. The virtual lack of public information about these parties is a
testament to the effectiveness of the secrecy that the community used, yet this party
network was obviously functional. “There was the ‘in’ crowd as they called themselves.
This was back in the 1940s when I first came (to Oklahoma City). They had their own
parties and such,” related a working-class bar patron who was regularly excluded from
those affairs. In much the same way that southern men in Atlanta formed communities
in the face of increased hostility, so too did gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City.7
With threats to one’s reputation or economic livelihood so close at hand, members
of this subculture operated under a rather thick veil of secrecy. Ironically, because of this
secrecy, it could be difficult for upper-middle-class gay men to explore the inner sanctum
of same-sex socialization networks. Joe, a financial analyst for a large investment firm,
spent much of his early adult life immersed in work as a way to avoid dealing with his
sexuality. Joe frequently worked long hours and almost every weekend to avoid
7
For a discussion of how valuable private parties were to queer subculture formation, see
David K. Johnson, “The Kids of Fairytown: Gay Male Culture on Chicago’s Near North
Side in the 1930s,” in Creating a Place for Ourselves: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual
Community Histories, ed. Brett Beemyn (New York: Routledge Press, 1997), 112-113;
J.L. Asher, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/10/2002; John Howard, “The
Library, the Park, and the Pervert: Public Space and Homosexual Encounter in PostWorld War II Atlanta,” Radical History Review 62 (1995): 166-l87. Howard discusses
the private world of entertaining that occurred in Atlanta in the face of increased hostility
in the 1950s and religious intolerance. See especially footnote 50.
205
�embarrassing questions about his marital status. When he finally mustered enough nerve
to venture out into bars in the Oklahoma City area, he found it difficult to find others to
socialize with, and was thwarted by colleagues at work:
There was another guy at work that must have known I was gay, and he always
called me “Josie” or “Josephine.” He was the supervisor of the cost department
and I hated to go in there. He would come up behind me and stick his finger in
my ear. He was the same person as I was getting into my 40s that would (with a
group of others) go up and down 39th street and patrol the gay bars’ parking lots
looking for cars they recognized. I thought, this was the only way I could meet
any gay people at all and they’ve got the parking lot staked out! I would have
been fired or laid off if they knew for sure.8
Losing one’s livelihood was certainly a possibility if employers found out about
an employee’s homosexuality, and that reality was obvious enough if a man was caught
downtown in a tearoom or at a park engaged in a sexual act with another man, but from
time to time local authorities went looking for suspected homosexuals. As Curtis
Harris’s campaign against Oklahoma City teachers in 1966 illustrated, even being gay or
bisexual provided grounds for termination. As members of the teaching profession,
these men fell into a higher educational and social block than the majority of visible gay
and bisexual men in Oklahoma City. Their very public difficulties undoubtedly
encouraged other gay and bisexual professionals to keep lower profiles. “In the 1960s,
they were always dragging people out and closing things. I think they were naming
people in the newspaper, and there was no way I would do that.”9
While the prospect of losing jobs or businesses forced many same-sex lovers to
remain discreet, other gay and bisexual men narrowed the boundaries of their cultural and
8
Joe, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/14/2005.
9
Ibid.
206
�sexual playground by choice. They simply preferred to live, work, and have sexual
relationships with those they considered their social equals. Rex, a successful architect
and interior design specialist, grew up near Northwest Twenty-Third and Villa in
Oklahoma City in the 1940s. Although he was aware of certain bars and restaurants that
were popular gay hangouts, he found plenty of possibilities for furtive sexual
relationships all along his street at night with other friends. “There were sufficient
enough partners that I didn’t seek out others, and I am something of a snob anyway, so I
looked for people of my social standing or better, even somebody that could help my
career,” Rex said.10 This is something Rex recognized and appreciated among members
of “his group,” by the 1940s, and it is something another resident suggests continues
unabated:
The gay community has been and still can be very classist. There are gay men
who will go to the very chi-chi parties, and some will go to the bars too, but there
are some gay men---and it isn’t about not being openly gay men---who just don’t
go where the common folk go. They give and go to the nice parties in nice
houses, and now they can have a membership to the Petroleum Club and go, and
they can now belong to the symphony. They are not really forced to have to
pretend. In a lot of ways in Oklahoma, there is a lot of acceptance of gay people.
To some extent---and I think that I am the recipient of that too---we are accepted
by well-intentioned, good, well-off straight people. It’s like, ”I can be friendly
with you, a gay person, because you are not like what I am afraid gay people are--you are better, you are different.” 11
A consequence of the separation of gay and bisexual men based on class was that highprofile men in positions of power were not outwardly gay. This deprived other gay and
bisexual men of support and reinforced the notion that being queer was a liability.
“There were not any visible role models in my life that were gay and partnered, so I had
10
Rex Ball, interview by author, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1/14/2005.
11
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2004.
207
�always associated it with unhappiness and persecution, and being alone. That was
reinforced as an adult when most of the gays I knew were married as well.” 12
In the 1960s, however, one powerful exception to this truism assumed a
prominent role in Oklahoma City political and civic affairs, one who served as a valuable
example for men struggling to express and accept their sexuality. Oklahoma City
attorney, philanthropist, historian, and mayor, George Shirk, was not openly gay, by
contemporary standards, but he was suspected of being a homosexual by many members
of the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual community. Throughout the 1960s, George
Shirk emerged as an anomaly in the sexual world of Oklahoma City. He was wealthy,
powerful, and his private life -- beyond his sexuality -- was above reproach. Even his
detractors respected his undying love for Oklahoma City. His career in Oklahoma City
law and politics speaks to both the opportunities and liabilities that upper-class
homosexuals faced.
George Henry Shirk was born in Oklahoma City on May 1, 1913, the first of four
children to John and Carrie Hinderer Shirk. A prominent Oklahoma City attorney, John
Shirk served the community on various boards and commissions and helped the new city
prosper soon after his arrival from Indiana in 1903. Carrie was a kind, intelligent woman
who fostered a sense of curiosity and intellectual passion in her son George that strongly
influenced the rest of his life. George spent his childhood years in Oklahoma City,
usually reading or playing sports. After graduating from Central High School, Shirk
enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, where he studied law in order to follow in his
father’s footsteps. Shirk passed the Oklahoma Bar exam in 1936 and worked at his
12
Rex Ball, interview by author, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1/14/2005.
208
�father’s firm, Shirk and Danner, becoming a respected attorney. George had been in the
ROTC program while at OU, and when World War II broke out, he served overseas at the
European Theater Organization headquarters. Shirk eventually became the youngest
colonel ever promoted under Dwight Eisenhower.13
George Shirk’s military service made him a much more confident, polished man.
After he returned to the United States, Shirk set his sights on municipal law and
government, where he spent much of the rest of his career, and also focused on his true
love -- Oklahoma history. Shirk served on numerous government-sponsored citizen
committees that did everything from propose solutions to Oklahoma City’s water supply
crises of the 1950s, to amend the deficiencies in the salaries of city employees. His
penchant for professional ethics and civic-mindedness cultivated a sterling reputation
among residents in Oklahoma City, and he was a man in high demand by political and
social societies.
It was widely rumored in the Oklahoma City gay male world, and suspected by
some in the community at large, that George Shirk was gay. Howard Meredith and Mary
Ellen Meredith note that during the summer of 1934 when Shirk toiled as an intern at his
father’s law firm in Oklahoma City, he seemed “particularly smitten with Marjorie Trapp
and Phoebe Larrimore.”14 At 21 years of age that summer, perhaps George was trying
on the suit of responsibility and respectability laid out by his father and other members of
his social standing, assuming that his destiny included marriage and heterosexuality.
13
Howard Meredith and Mary Ellen Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History: The Life of
George H. Shirk (Oklahoma City: Western Heritage Association Books, 1982), 9-50.
14
Ibid., 25. This information came directly from one of Shirk’s diaries.
209
�Shirk’s sister, Lucyl, lived with her brother virtually her entire life and felt that her
brother, if he was gay, hid that aspect of his life very well. She also related that it would
never have occurred to her family to be disturbed by Shirk’s homosexuality, as they were
always so proud of George and his achievements.15
Whether he was gay or bisexual, or ever identified his sexuality in those terms,
George Shirk apparently had sexual relationships with men throughout his adult life.16
At what point Shirk first realized his alternative sexual appetite is unknown, but his years
at the University of Oklahoma as an undergraduate and law student likely provided him
the freedom to pursue romantic relationships that would be impossible at home with his
family on Thirteenth Street in Oklahoma City. In fact, Shirk made a number of
important, life-long male friends at OU. Whether George was romantically linked to any
of these men is unknown, but the untimely death of Hamilton DeMeules in the spring of
1936 deeply affected him. He and “Ham” had been terribly close during their stay at
OU, belonging to the same legal fraternities, social clubs, and sporting groups. On the
day Ham died, Shirk wrote in his diary that:
Allen called at 9:15 and said that Ham had passed on at 8:30 this morning. A
rather dreary day for us---tempus onrnes sed memorias sapit—at 10:00 Allen and
I went to the city and watched the board for awhile. At lunch with Father at the
Biltmore. I could not watch the figures at all.17
15
Lucyl Shirk, telephone conversation with author, 1/21/2006.
16
Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Paul Thompson,
interview by author, 12/22/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/6/2005; Bill Rogers,
interview by author, 9/18/2004; Joseph Kirk, email interview by author, 1/12/2005;
Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Jim
Fortenberry, interview by author, 7/3/2005.
17
Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History, 28. Here find a reprint of George Shirk’s diary
entry, 3/19/1936.
210
�Given his social position, education, and wealth, Shirk’s family expected him to
assume a prominent role in Oklahoma City civic affairs. He did this with ease,
entertaining and being seen at all of the posh upper-class hangouts around. Many of
these functions were coed, which would be somewhat problematic for Shirk if he indeed
was gay. Perhaps it was for this reason that in 1938 George and fellow bachelor friends
started a group called the Bachelor’s Club. The Bachelor’s Club was by definition a
men’s fraternal organization dedicated to civic responsibility and social obligations.
Membership was by invitation only, open to those who had never married, and the
Bachelors’ Club catered to the highest society members in Oklahoma City. The group
sponsored social functions throughout the season at the Skirvin Towers, the Oklahoma
Golf and Country Club, and the Beacon Club. Some early famous members included
oilman Tom Slick, Jr., publisher Edward L. Gaylord, philanthropist William Hefner,
attorney Fred Dunlevy, founding partner of Crowe and Dunlevy, and Charles Urschel, an
Oklahoma City businessman kidnapped by George “Machine Gun” Kelley only a few
years earlier.18
One of the enduring events sponsored by the Bachelor’s Club was the annual
Debutante Party held at Christmas, where members introduced the daughters of
influential Oklahoma City Brahmins to society. 19 The first ball was held in 1946, shortly
after George Shirk returned from World War II, and all of the proceeds from the lavish
18
“Bachelors’ Club Will Give Gala Dinner Dance Tonight,” Daily Oklahoman,
12/28/1938, 4; For a complete discussion of Urschel’s kidnapping and subsequent role in
bringing Kelley down, see Stanley Hamilton, Machine Gun Kelley’s Last Stand
(Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 2003).
19
Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History, 34-35, 56.
211
�affair went to local charities. As was customary when George was an officer of the
organization, he served as emcee of the event, and according to his sister Lucyl Shirk,
George adored the pomp and pageantry associated with the event:
He enjoyed himself doing this, and he had a sort of flair when he presented those
debs. Of course, back then it was far different from what it is now. George’s
ability to do this kind of thing just came naturally to him. How he acquired the
skill to do it I’ll never know. He wasn’t particularly social minded in college. He
wasn’t the “Joe College” type at dances. But he had a manner about him, and he
did everything with a flourish. He personally took great enjoyment from
presenting those girls at the Christmas party.20
The Bachelors’ Club by all appearances was an elitist singles organization that
sponsored social events where men and women of higher social standing could socialize
and possibly marry. Indeed, the engagement announcements in the Daily Oklahoman for
years after the Bachelor’s Club’s founding made mention of the grooms’ membership in
the organization.21 Most members of the Bachelor’s Club were probably heterosexual,
but portions were bisexual and homosexual. “The whole crowd at my level in Oklahoma
had male experiences, starting at the Bachelors Club, and I was aware of that,” related
Rex Ball. “No one was ‘out,’ then or now as far as I know. Nevertheless many of its
members have never married and others married out of sexual ignorance.”22 It might be
said, then, that the Bachelor’s Club was a popular organization for wealthier or upperclass gay men, but remained a predominantly straight club that some gay men happened
to fall into for sociocultural reasons.
20
Ibid., 35.
21
A similar social organization for upwardly mobile ladies in Oklahoma City was known
as the French Heels Club.
22
Rex Ball, interview by author, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1/14/2005 and 3/9/2005.
212
�George Shirk was the organization’s first president, and its membership included
several of his close friends, many of whom were closeted homosexual men of power in
Oklahoma City. In a way, the Bachelor’s Club eased the transition for some upper-class
and elite men into a more openly gay lifestyle. The club gave men a legitimate excuse to
meet, travel together, and socialize in an atmosphere that might be devoid of women
without raising suspicion. Members completed numerous business transactions at
meetings, and the convenience for a sexual hookup would seem obvious. That one of the
organization’s keynote fundraisers was a debutante ball -- where all of the girls were both
underage and of no interest to some members -- provided a convenient shield against
community questions as well.
When he was not working to preserve some part of Oklahoma City history or
traveling across the state documenting historic sites with good friend Muriel Wright,
George Shirk spent most of his free time at his secluded country estate near Lake Aluma.
Shirk purchased the fourteen acres just east of Oklahoma City off of Northeast Fiftieth
Street in the late 1930s and soon set about to build an authentic one-room pioneer cabin.
Shirk shipped logs in from Arkansas and oversaw every aspect of construction, and he
built a swimming pool with his own hands, complete with a clever cistern system to keep
it full. Here, George loved to entertain friends and companions whenever possible. Ed
Vaught and Ed Oppenheim, Bachelor Club friends from college, frequently shared host
duties with George. Since the home was rather secluded, Shirk climbed atop the
windmill that supplied his home with water and hung a railroad lantern to serve as a
beacon for approaching guests. Cars would be lined up the dirt road for hundreds of
yards. Years later, Shirk built a huge home in front of the cabin that he shared with his
213
�aged mother and sister, Lucyl. Shirk divided the spacious home into two wings---his
section was on one end, complete with a huge bedroom and office, while his mother
Carrie and sister Lucyl shared the other section.23
In 1964, George Shirk’s life took an important turn when the Association for
Responsible Government (ARG) persuaded him to become mayor of Oklahoma City.
The ARG was a citizen advisory group founded in 1962 to sponsor candidates and
campaign for city reforms. The group formed in response to a myriad of disagreements
and inaction that city leaders exhibited over impending fiscal and infrastructure crises.
They successfully placed four candidates and the mayor on the Oklahoma City Council
by 1964, with four holdover council members from the previous administration. As a
result, they concluded very little business and tension among council members remained
high throughout the summer. That constant tension caused newly-elected Mayor Jack
Wilkes to resign in June of 1964. This vacancy left the eight-member Oklahoma City
Council deadlocked and unable to function. At the request of the ARG, George Shirk
agreed to fill in, and he was a perfect choice: someone known as a capable, disciplined
peacemaker who pursued win-win situations for all parties involved.24
Edward L. Gaylord, owner and editor of the Daily Oklahoman, called the move a
“welcome solution,” describing George Shirk as a qualified civic leader who should help
get city business back on track. That assessment was correct. Shirk, as president of the
Oklahoma Historical Society, had connections all over the state, and his love of
23
Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History, 33-34.
24
“Support Reportedly Lined Up to Appoint George Shirk Mayor,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/16/1964, 1; Meredith, Mister Oklahoma History, 90-94; “Citizen to Mayor In Three
Minutes,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/17/1964.
214
�Oklahoma City was well known. He had some expertise with the intricacies of city
planning and organization as well, having served on a citizen advisory board that helped
draft the city charter in 1957. Gaylord was polite enough to Shirk in the editorial, which
he used to set the council’s agenda---“adequate municipal funding is a first necessity, of
course. Other pressing matters are metropolitan planning and urban renewal”---but he
made what to anyone in the know would consider a swipe at Shirk, referring to him as
“the 51-year old bachelor mayor.”25
Shirk immediately became Oklahoma City’s most visible public official, making
daily radio appearances and speaking engagements at civic club banquets, where he
encouraged residents to think long-term and in new ways about Oklahoma City’s
problems. Between 1959 and 1964 alone, city fathers annexed almost 400 square miles
into city limits, an increase from eighty square miles, which severely taxed outdated
sewer, water, electrical, and public transit systems. At City Hall, Mayor Shirk smoothed
some ruffled feathers among the “gang of four” -- those not elected on the ARG platform
of 1964 -- by voting with them on how to best utilize federal money for acquiring rightof-ways.26 Shirk also dealt with urban renewal, a controversial issue that a lack of
funding had stalled since 1961. Shirk campaigned hard for the Pei Plan, as the master
revitalization blueprint for downtown Oklahoma City was called, and he convinced
Oklahoma City residents to support a sales tax increase to fund the plan. When it
passed, Shirk proudly claimed that “This is an endorsement of the present city
administration. It heralds a new era for the first time since statehood when the local
25
Daily Oklahoman, 6/17/1964, 18.
26
Meredith, Mr. Oklahoma History, 90-94.
215
�government can be adequately financed and increase its services.”27 By 1965 when he
sought reelection, George H. Shirk had gained a reputation as one of the finest executives
ever to serve Oklahoma City. The Tulsa Tribune, fresh off the sales tax victory, hailed
him, noting that “much of the city’s self-defeating attitude of the past was smothered by
Mayor George Shirk, the first outstanding municipal leader there in a generation.”28
The world was George Shirk’s pearl by the mid-1960s. He was a very wellrespected member of the Oklahoma City social and political world, he was a popular
mayor of the capital city, and he was able to live a semi-openly gay life at a time when
this would seem unthinkable in Oklahoma. Many gay and bisexual men marveled that
Shirk juggled all of these roles and remained above reproach in the public’s eye. Part of
this stemmed from the fact that his professional life was enviable and he remained a
tireless champion of Oklahoma City, both of which gave Shirk the benefit of the doubt
among city residents curious about his sustained bachelorhood. George played coy with
women, too. In an interview with Mary Jo Nelson of the Oklahoma City Times shortly
before he became mayor, Shirk noted that “the looks don’t count as much…If you can
find a woman who would try to see your point of view as much as you strive to see hers,
then someone who could bring that to a union would be worth having.”29 The fact that
he cultivated the illusion that he was eligible, that he was heterosexual, suggests that
being a queer politician was not possible in Oklahoma City in the 1960s, at least one who
acknowledged his homosexuality. Some within the straight community knew of George
27
Ibid., 103-127; Daily Oklahoman, 11/10/1965.
28
Tulsa Tribune, 11/10/1965.
29
“Leap Year Bachelor Supply Good.” Oklahoma City Times, 1/21/1960.
216
�Shirk’s sexuality anyway. One Oklahoma City resident remembers being within earshot
when the police chief scolded several officers who were heavily-policing and threatening
to shut down some downtown gay bars. The chief warned them to “be careful, or our
dear mayor won’t have any place to socialize!”30
George Shirk continued to use his country home to entertain handsome young
men away from prying eyes, even after he became the mayor of Oklahoma City. Paul
Thompson remembers that “George Shirk was the worst kept secret in Oklahoma City.
He had a place in the country, was very wealthy, very well-connected, and to me as
obvious as a train wreck. He kept a lot of sixteen- and eighteen-year-old muscular young
men who worked and lived at his place. He went completely nelly when Carol Channing
came to Oklahoma City with Hello Dolly for the first time---and it was captured on the
6:00 news.” 31 In addition to peddling his famous steak and spaghetti dinner to friends
and acquaintances, Shirk occasionally entertained celebrities. One party in particular
was memorable because author Truman Capote was a guest. Apparently, several
wealthy gay men in Oklahoma City knew Capote and arranged for Shirk to play host at
his estate. Capote stopped by – late according to guests -- and immediately made the
rounds charming those present with his wit and party demeanor. Mayor Shirk was not as
impressed, and apparently the evening ended on a sour note:
George Shirk…was gayer than a three dollar bill. He’s mayor, and Truman
Capote, who was in Kansas, had just finished writing In Cold Blood. Truman was
on his way to New Orleans. He had gotten the manuscript off and it was party
time. For some reason he stopped here…George Shirk was an extremely hairy
30
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 4/17/2005.
31
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2004; Daily Oklahoman,
1/4/1966. Channing came with the Hello Dolly troupe to Oklahoma City in 1966, staying
for several performances of the mega-hit show.
217
�man, and like a lot of people who are very hairy, he was a little flinchy on the
subject. So, one of his gay nicknames, which you never used to his face unless
you wanted to be slapped upside the head---George was not a bashful kind of
fairy---was “Gorilla Mary.” Entirely appropriate if he was sans shirt! Well, he
was out there in a fairly brief pair of trunks, and by this time Truman had had too
many martinis and said something about “Oh, it’s Gorilla Mary.” Shirk, who had
also had a martini or two himself, picked Truman up and threw him in the pool.
And that was the end of the party.32
Although George Shirk was not openly gay by today’s standards, his sexuality
was obvious to a large number of gay men in Oklahoma City since the 1940s. Shirk had
life-long friendships with other “confirmed bachelors,” people of his social standing and
education in Oklahoma, who spent their entire lives socializing in private, taking
extended vacations together, and entertaining in a grand way. Shirk also had overtly gay
relationships with men in Oklahoma City. According to some residents, one of George
Shirk’s long-time lovers was Wendell Howell, a young law student when he met Shirk in
the early 1960s, who was thirty years younger than the Mayor. Affectionately known as
“Gorilla Mary and the First Lady” among the gay community, George and Wendell
shared much in common.33 Both were avid Civil War collectors and history buffs, both
were lawyers, both were politically astute and experienced, as Howell ran for House
District 90 seat in 1964, and both had an innate intellectual curiosity that drove them to
read voraciously and explore the world around them. According to Shirk’s sister, Lucyl,
George mentored Howell and felt some responsibility to steer him into more productive
32
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005; Bill Rogers, interview
by author, 9/18/2004.
33
Bill Rogers, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/18/2004; Joe, interview by author,
3/14/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/26/2005; Rex Ball, interview by author,
1/14/2005; Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Lance,
interview by author, 1/11/2005; Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004
218
�pursuits. Once George Shirk became mayor, he relied on Wendell’s advice and
diplomacy to run Oklahoma City, making him an administrative assistant on a number of
committees.34
As perfectly matched as Wendell and George seemed on the surface, their
relationship was turbulent. Wendell frequently had affairs according to one confidant,
and he had several brushes with the law regarding DUI arrests, but George was not a
model partner either.35 At some point, Wendell lost his military deferment and was
drafted and sent to Vietnam for a year. George apparently saw his commitment to
Wendell in decidedly less esteem than anyone assumed, as he started seeing Wendell’s
younger brother, Scott. This was a volatile situation from the beginning according to
one of the Howell brothers’ acquaintances: “Scotty was perfectly presentable as long as
he was sober. Scotty had to mix drugs with drink before he got out of line. Wendell on
the other hand was as crazy as a shit-house rat, before he went to Nam, and he came back
worse. They committed indiscretion upon indiscretion, and the cops were called time
and again.”36 Things became especially acute when Wendell returned from the armed
forces and Scott refused to give up his place at Shirk’s side. One of the most notorious
incidents occurred in May of 1967, when the Oklahoma City police arrested Scott after
he fired off a few rounds from an old 45 caliber gun he “borrowed” from George Shirk.
34
Lucyl Shirk, telephone interview by author, 1/21/2006; “Nine New Politicians Enter
Race,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/22/1964, 33; “Shirk Rounds Out Bond Committee,” Daily
Oklahoman, 7/3/1964, 3; Wendell Howell served on Oklahoma City’s citizens advisory
committee on public improvement. He also managed a local theater chain.
35
Earnest, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/27/2005; Ralph Prevette, interview by
author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005.
36
Ralph Prevette, follow-up interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/12/2005.
219
�After leaving Lee’ Lounge, a notorious Oklahoma City gay club, a drunken Scott and a
couple of teenage boys shot at some buildings near Twenty-seventh and Robinson.37
When contacted by police, Shirk refused to press charges. The Daily Oklahoman ran a
story about the incident in which Shirk admitted that Scott lived at his estate. It was
probably a very embarrassing public exposure for a man that rather successfully kept his
sexuality out of the public eye.
With events involving the Howell brothers coming to a head, and the tenure of
Curtis Harris as Oklahoma County Attorney just starting, George Shirk likely grew weary
of trying to keep his private life out of the public sphere. Some speculated that Shirk
entertained notions of running for governor or possibly United States senator at one point,
so his stint as mayor would be a stepping stone toward that goal, although his sister
denies that George ever intended to run for any political office. According to those who
knew George, even superficially, it was widely believed that local politicos forced Shirk
out of office. The story goes that well-connected and powerful city officials invited
Shirk to a business lunch, where they presented the mayor with a file folder containing
damaging personal information – about his sexuality and the Howell brothers -- that
would be leaked should Shirk run for office again.38 Certainly, there were prominent
37
“Suspect Held In Shooting,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/24/1967, 19; Both of the Howell
brothers led short, troubled lives. Scott was arrested numerous times for DUI, and killed
a passenger in his vehicle during a collision in 1988. Murder charges were eventually
dropped, and Scott moved to Florida, where he died in 1994. Wendell also faced felony
DUI and assault charges in Oklahoma County. He was killed in an ATM robbery in
1994 at the age of 51. See “Man Blamed for Death,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/24/1988, 3,
and Daily Oklahoman, 2/27/1994, 18.
38
Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005; Lucyl Shirk, telephone conversation,
1/21/2006; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005; Lance, interview by author,
220
�residents who weighed in on Shirk’s future. In January of 1967 at a chamber of
commerce luncheon, Edward Gaylord was asked to introduce Shirk to the group. He
went so far as to tell those gathered that Shirk would not run again, but that his tenure
was successful and Shirk was a “great” mayor. Shirk quickly replied that he needed to
attend to his law practice, but that he still had not made up his mind about running again,
as many people were urging him to remain mayor. 39 Ultimately, Gaylord’s prediction
came true, as George Shirk announced several weeks later that he would not seek
reelection when his term expired. At a televised news conference in his office, Shirk
cited the demands of his law practice as the primary reason for not running again. In an
interesting sidebar, four councilmen, all original members of the Association for
Responsible Government that drafted Shirk to become mayor, also announced at the
news conference their intentions to return to private life.40 Perhaps this was merely a
coincidence, or perhaps it indicates that Shirk was forced from office and this amounted
to a peaceful protest of Shirk’s removal. In any event, one of Oklahoma City’s finest
and most successful mayors ended his political career in 1967, and the gay and bisexual
male world lost a powerful – albeit circumspect – queer public servant.
While George Shirk represented what for the time was the most openly gay public
official in Oklahoma City, there were other extremely high-profile people who kept their
sexuality hidden from the public at all costs. These were men with aspirations of state
1/11/2005; Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Paul
Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
39
“Mayor Shirk’s Still Undecided,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/28/1967, 8.
40
“Four Councilmen, Mayor Won’t Run,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/2/1967, 1.
221
�and national office, and they were extremely careful. They were, however, known
among the gay community, and in some cases reckless when among other gay and
lesbian residents. These included senators, governors, media magnates, oil tycoons,
physicians, and many wealthy self-employed businessmen in Oklahoma City. Their
presence at private parties and occasionally even the Mayflower, was a confidence boost
to other gay and bisexual men, many of whom were deeply closeted. The Pink Tea
Queens’ reputations also protected other gay men who ran in their entourage, as outing a
well-connected public official could cost people their jobs in the police department, the
county attorneys’ office, or the newspaper.
It was all over Oklahoma City throughout the 1940s that a local media magnate
was either gay or bisexual. Regularly appearing at Bishop’s Tap Room in the evening,
this wealthy Oklahoma City Brahmin regularly danced on the bar with other patrons and
left with willing sexual partners on each arm. His parents were evidently concerned
enough with their son’s behavior that they sent him back east for a time.41 He returned
after some months and married, fathering several children, and became a strong
proponent of conservative Christianity and moral reform.
Also in that circle was Walter Powell, long-time Oklahoma City municipal
attorney. The son of a prominent local judge, Powell attended the University of
Oklahoma law school, passed the bar in 1953, and took a job as Assistant Municipal
Counselor for Oklahoma City in 1954. He served as principal counsel to Mayor Shirk
and his successors, city department heads, and the City Council in that capacity until his
death in 1984. Like George Shirk, Walter Powell joined the Bachelor’s Club and served
41
GJP, interview by author, 3/19/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
222
�three terms as the organization’s president. He shared George’s love of preservation and
history, as he also participated on the Heritage Hills Preservation Trust, and he also
helped raise money for the Oklahoma City Opera Association and medical research.
Wealth, power, and status meant that many closeted gay and bisexual men had the
means to travel from Oklahoma City on a regular basis and express their sexuality
elsewhere. Walter Powell represented a portion of elite gay and bisexual men in
Oklahoma City that did just that: “As it happens Walter Powell and I were fraternity
brothers and roommates at OU. He was VERY closeted and pretty much confined his
gay activities to out-of-town trips. I am told that he married late in his life and he perhaps
considered himself bisexual,” remembers Bill Rogers.42 Long-time bartender Ralph
Prevette acknowledges that wealth and class made traveling for sex a luxury for most
residents, but a necessity for the pink tea queen set. “In any given town, the rich queers
always find one another, and in a town like Oklahoma City it was very easy. They did
not want to be publicly queer, especially in those days, but they had similar interests and
a lot of money and power---either politically or the power that money gives you. When
they entertained, they did so privately. Once you meet one member of a clique, you
usually end up meeting them all, but they do their entertaining elsewhere.” 43
42
Rex Ball, interview by author, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1/14/2005; Bill Rogers, email followup interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/2/2005; “City Lawyer Dies at 55,” Daily
Oklahoman, 7/9/1984, 23; See also Walter Powell’s obituary, Daily Oklahoman,
7/11/1984, 112. In an article on the Bachelor’s Club, debutante ball coordinator Judy
Lehmbeck stated that Powell married, which made him an alumni member. An annual
award bearing his name is given to a lucky alumni member. See “Bachelors Club Honors
Alumnus.” Daily Oklahoman, 1/1/2006, 1E-2E.
43
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 2/19/2005.
223
�Other prominent Oklahoma City gay and bisexual men risked exposure by
socializing in grand style right here. One political stalwart from central Oklahoma was
very gay, and also very closeted, but before becoming Oklahoma’s chief executive this
man hosted fabulous parties at his home and entertained in drag. He shared a lover with
one Oklahoma City resident, who described him as jealous, vicious, and well-endowed.44
To members of the gay community in Oklahoma City, his eventual political image
makeover, replete with wife and children, was a joke, especially when his wife had a less
than sterling reputation of her own:
I remember when I was in high school, (him) coming and doing an assembly--one of those pride kind of things. He had been in education for a very short while
and from what I understood was a “chicken hawk,” but they wanted to groom him
for political purposes here. One thing he obviously needed was a wife, and (he)
was quite obviously never going to get one on his own. So, (his wife) had
reached about the end of her youth as a hooker, and it was an arrangement---she
got to be married and respectable…she had some kids by him. He had a wife and
kids and (was considered) respectable.45
The Oklahoma City community would be shocked to learn that many of these
powerful men, some of whom were staunch opponents of homosexuals, were actually
notorious members of that subculture, but that was not unusual for members of this class.
Although wealthy, the loss of social standing and respect among peers proved sufficient
enough motivation to live a lie. And while the elite members of the gay community in
Oklahoma City socialized privately and among their own station, they were never
completely removed from the more overtly gay institutions in Oklahoma City. Many
gay and bisexual powerbrokers made their way to the Mayflower and other bars, if only
44
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 4/17/2005.
45
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
224
�to take a peek.46 They were not welcome, however, an indication that class bias
extended up the social scale as well as down in Oklahoma City.
Back when I first got here, the pink tea queens didn’t go to the bars, unless it was
late after a party or something to see what the peasants were doing. They were
roundly despised by the peasants and rightly so! There is definitely a class
distinction---they had money, and some had social pretensions, but it was mainly
money. 47
The danger posed by the public exposure of one’s sexuality in Oklahoma would
seem obvious. Even the unsubstantiated charge of being gay or bisexual could derail
careers and change the course of politics, as the career of George Shirk likely indicates.
Another high profile example of how Oklahomans treated homosexuality involved a
1978 United States Senate race, during which charges of homosexuality, corruption, and
blackmail made for an ugly end to a campaign that was never really in doubt. It is
instructive, however, as to why many gay and bisexual men of status preferred to remain
closeted to all but their closest associates, and how the Oklahoma City community
reacted to and processed the information. On the whole, that reaction suggests that a
political or prominent person’s sexuality was less important to their success than their
relationship to the primary organ of political power -- the Daily Oklahoman.
David Boren was the youngest man ever elected governor of the state of
Oklahoma. Originally from Seminole, Oklahoma, Boren was bright, capable, and by any
account an honest man who came from a politically astute and connected family. His
father, Lyle, served as an Oklahoma state representative from Seminole during the Great
Depression. Boren was a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oklahoma and after
46
Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005.
47
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
225
�returning from England, studied law at his alma mater and prepared for a life in politics.
In 1974, at the age of thirty seven, David Boren unseated Democratic incumbent
Governor David Hall in the primary and eventually gained over sixty percent of all votes
cast against Republican James Inhofe the following November. This was no small feat,
as the relatively unknown Democrat ran at a time when Oklahoma was swiftly becoming
a more fertile ground for Republican candidates, its history notwithstanding.48
In 1978, Boren was seeking the office of United States Senator from Oklahoma.
He along with long-time Oklahoma City defense attorney and state senator Grover
Miskovsky, state congressman Gene Stipe from McAlester, and several other minor
candidates sought the Democratic nomination. The governor was considered the frontrunner against Stipe, with Miskovsky trailing both men. Miskovsky, then in his midseventies, was a fiery opponent, a veteran of Oklahoma City politics and not afraid to
sling mud. In August of 1978, just three months prior to the election, Miskovsky
dropped a bombshell at a press conference when he told reporters of a letter he wrote
Boren charging that the governor was a homosexual. Another candidate in the race,
Anthony Points, made the allegations at a Democratic women’s club meeting in El Reno.
Points distributed a pamphlet that said “There is a side of David Boren that is a known
fact in legal and political circles, and that’s the fact David Boren frequents with
homosexuals, and I’m putting it lightly.” Miskovsky pounced on the allegations, which
appeared only a few weeks before the primary election, and wrote an open letter to the
48
James Ralph Scales and Danney Goble, Oklahoma Politics: A History (Norman:
University of Oklahoma Press, 1982), 335-337, 344.
226
�governor asking if he was gay or bisexual, or had ever engaged in gay or bisexual
behavior.49
These highly-publicized allegations stunned political observers, and the whole
incident was steeped in religious bigotry and eerily reminiscent of the politics of the
1950s. Points claimed to have photographs and affidavits from people supporting his
allegations, although he failed to produce them when pressed by reporters because he
feared that Governor Boren’s political machine would buy off the witnesses if he exposed
them. Points told reporters that the information on Governor Boren’s sexuality came to
light following a two-year investigation into homosexuality in Oklahoma, completed by a
thirty-member staff he directed, that included surveillance and infiltration of private
social gatherings. Ferreting out homosexuals was an all-consuming passion for Points,
who freely acknowledged his position: “As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ was
not a queer and that the devil is a queer. People have the right to choose right from
wrong.” Besides details regarding the Governor’s sexuality, Points found that forty
percent of state employees were homosexual, and half of Oklahoma’s teachers were gay
as well. Points offered no proof on these allegations, either. Points believed that gays
were “threats to national security” because their sexual preference made them subject to
blackmail, an argument that could have spewed from the mouths of Joseph McCarthy or
Roy Cohn two decades earlier.50
Naturally, Boren called the allegations outrageous and politically motivated, a
correct assumption by all accounts. Miskovsky owned a reputation for being a tenacious
49
“Sex Charge a Lie, Gov. Boren Replies,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/11/1978, 1.
50
“Points Claims He Has ‘Proof’’,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/12/1978, 48.
227
�defense lawyer, and he made a number of county attorneys and judges furious with his
courtroom theatrics, and his candidacy was faltering. In addition, Points assured other
minor candidates in the race of their defeat, and that they should endorse another
candidate. He made his allegations about Boren to them, and apparently they ignored
him. The timing of the allegations and the lack of evidence Points cited seriously
challenged his credibility and made the whole episode look suspicious.
Such allegations had been leveled at Boren before, however. Gossip swirled
about the state capital for some time about the governor’s personal life and his sexuality.
Boren’s divorce from his first wife, during his first year as governor, reignited the
rumors, and his subsequent remarriage to Molly Shi, daughter of a pioneer Indian
Territory family, did not serve to quiet the talk, either.51 Wild rumors of gay parties at
the governor’s mansion and the police finding Boren in compromising positions with
other men circulated in Oklahoma City throughout his term in office.52
Boren did receive support from an unlikely source, given their penchant for
publishing the names of people engaging in any kind of homosexual behavior -- the
editorial page at the Daily Oklahoman. An editorial ran the day after Boren responded to
Miskovsky’s allegations that called his words “despicable and stupid.” The Oklahoman
left little doubt that Miskovsky hoped to resurrect his faltering political ambitions by
making allegations that were impossible to prove: “So what does an aging ex-politician,
51
Lance, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 1/11/2005. Molly Shi’s sister, Bessie
Jane Shi, was a regular at the Mayflower Lounge where she entertained on the piano.
According to the “conspiracy theorists” who believe Boren is a closeted homosexual, the
Shi marriage was one for convenience and appearances. They married in November
1977 at the governor’s mansion, and shortly after Boren became a candidate for Senator.
52
Ibid.; Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005; Jim Fortenberry, interview by
author, 4/17/2005.
228
�hungry for the limelight again, do in a situation like this? More often than not, he goes to
the old mudball.” The newspaper’s support of Boren was unprecedented, given the
charges of immorality that he faced. Jim Standard, managing editor of the Daily
Oklahoman, had heard rumors about Boren’s sexuality since 1974. Apparently, the
newspaper tried to investigate the allegations but “couldn’t track anyone down.” He
discussed the rumors with the governor personally in 1976 while on a trip with him to
Korea. Boren denied the charges then and worried that they might be used in a political
campaign against him. Satisfied with Boren’s answer, Standard ignored the charges
made by Points until Miskovsky made them public, reasoning that they were “nonsense”
and Points was unreliable.53 Standard could easily have kept the story alive and
thoroughly investigated the matter on his own, but he chose to drop it instead. “We are
not in the business of publishing rumours,” he said. The editorial response was unusual
to say the least, especially since other homosexuals -- teachers for instance -- received a
great deal of grief from the newspaper throughout 1978 and beyond.54
The fallout from the Boren allegations proved less spectacular than any side
imagined. Grover Miskovsky and Anthony Points filed multi-million dollar libel suits
against OPUBCO, the corporate organ that owned the Daily Oklahoman, for the
editorials and articles that followed Miskovsky’s press conference. Neither successfully
proved the charge, nor at no time did Points provide investigators, journalists, or
53
Daily Oklahoman, 8/11/1978, 10; “Boren Privately Denied Rumor in ’76, Editor
Says,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/24/1979, 6.
54
Standard’s quote taken from “Boren Privately Denied Rumor in ’76, Editor Says,”
Daily Oklahoman, 10/24/1979, 6. See chapter seven for details of the Helm Bill and the
Daily Oklahoman’s coverage.
229
�attorneys with the iron-clad “proof” he gathered about Boren.55 More charges of
homosexuality followed Boren in 1980, when the owner of a mental health organization
in Oklahoma alleged that Boren initiated a federal investigation against his business in
retaliation for leaking information about Boren’s sexuality.56 None of the allegations
hurt Boren’s career, as he served three terms as United States Senator before returning to
Norman to become president of the University of Oklahoma in 1994. Boren received the
benefit of the doubt because he was twice married, fathered children, and had not been
involved in a publicly-proven indiscretion.
The public debate about David Boren’s sexuality, and the unseemly way that
charges could be made, might suggest why the wealthy, public officials, and people with
aspirations for state and national office remained closeted in Oklahoma City until only
recently. The Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male subculture was separated by class,
both out of necessity and by design. Through a series of private parties, civic affairs,
fraternal organizations, and interstate travel, well-connected men enjoyed a sexual and
social world that remained distinct from the working-class arena of bars and drag balls.
Some residents chose to socialize privately and run with their own set; others did so to
avoid detection and embarrassing questions. A surprising number of Oklahoma
governors, senators, district attorneys, lawyers, judges, police chiefs, and media members
made up the Pink Tea Queen set, most of whom successfully concealed their sexuality
55
“Points Limits Answers,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/25/1979, 1.
56
“Barkouras Aides Say Some ‘Foes’ Are Homosexual,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/4/1980,
1. Barkouras owned a counseling facility that was under investigation by the federal
government. He believed the investigation was initiated by Boren after several of
Barkouras’ aides made allegations regarding Boren’s sexuality.
230
�from a large majority of residents. Others, like George Shirk, were less closeted but
were still able to build enviable reputations and careers. The class divisions within the
Oklahoma City gay and bisexual subculture were real, however, and they went a long
way in determining how residents expressed their sexuality and, in turn, how the
community responded to those expressions.
231
�Chapter VII
The Helms Bill, OHR, and
the Politicization of the Oklahoma City Gay Male World, 1970-1989
The 1970s were important years in the development of a political consciousness
in LGBT communities all across the United States. The growth of the New Right, which
accelerated as a consequence of the perceived excesses of the Civil Rights era and
Vietnam-era protests, meant that a highly motivated and well-funded group of politicians
began to dominate state and local politics. 1968 was a watershed year in this
development, as in its first months the Tet offensive reenergized the debate over
American involvement in Vietnam, assassins murdered Martin Luther King, Jr., and
Robert Kennedy, and protesters rocked the Democratic national convention in Chicago.
Conservatives took advantage of the apparent chaos in American social, political, and
cultural arenas – and the decline of the New Deal Democratic coalitions -- and parlayed
that discontent into a grass-roots counter counter-culture movement, one that arguably
continues unabated.1 Preserving the traditional family structure emerged as a major
element of the New Right agenda, which made gay and lesbian Americans easy targets.
1
Literature on this phenomenon is plentiful. On events in the 1960s generally and 1968
in particular, see David Caute, The Year of the Barricades: A Journey Through 1968
(New York: HarperCollins, 1990) and William Henry Chafe, The Unfinished Journey:
America Since World War II. 5th ed. (New York: Oxford Press, 2003). David Burner’s
synthesis, Making Peace With the 1960s (Princeton: University Press, 1996), is also
excellent. See Alan Matusow, The Unraveling of America: A History of Liberalism in
232
�The growth of gay and lesbian activism paralleled the emergence of the New
Right, and nothing signaled the degree of resistance quite like the Stonewall Rebellion.
On June 27, 1969, at the Greenwich Village gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, the Manhattan
police department once again attempted to intimidate and shake down bar patrons. This
occurred regularly according to Greenwich Village residents, but the mayor faced
reelection in 1969 and wanted to appear tough on crime and vice, so the abuse became
more acute. As officers led angry patrons from the establishment, they formed a crowd
outside the bar, one that was more militant and motivated than ever before, and they
attacked officers who attempted to arrest several female impersonators and the bartender.
Bottles flew, fires raged, and protestors eventually forced authorities to rescue the police
from the surrounded enclave. All night long protests ripped through Greenwich Village,
as emboldened homosexuals unleashed a torrent of frustration on the community that had
for too long ignored their plight. “Gay power” were the watchwords in gay communities
all across the United States.2
the 1960s (New York: Harper and Rowe, 1984) for a discussion regarding the retreat of
American liberalism. For Matusow, that retreat and the 1960s war on poverty were the
era’s biggest failures. Following the 1968 election, the liberal coalition fell apart and its
intellectuals froze, having sold out after their cherished projects -- Vietnam, Great
Society -- proved fruitless for Matusow, causing social cohesion to decline and America
began to “unravel.” Mary Brennan discusses the concurrent takeover of the Republican
Party by conservative ideologues in Turning Right in the 1960s: The Conservative
Capture of the GOP (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1995). For
Brennan, the central irony of 1960s history was the rise of a new conservatism, embodied
in the 1964 nomination of Barry Goldwater for president that generated a right-wing
populism characterized by law/order, “family values,” and love of country. Ultimately,
the Right was more successful then at exploiting discontent and grassroots activism.
2
John D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual
Minority in the United States, 1940-1970 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998
ed.), 220-239.
233
�Historians argue that the significance of the Stonewall Rebellion was more
complex than Americans perceived at that juncture. Although usually credited with
starting the gay rights movement, and for bringing significant increases to the number of
rank and file members of protest organizations, the leadership of the movement was
decidedly old-school. The Gay Liberation Front and other political organizations that
developed post-Stonewall took advantage of the many years of organizational expertise
and experience provided by activists from the so-called Homophile Movement.
Homophiles worked diligently throughout the 1950s and beyond to demystify
homosexuals and their lifestyle. They illustrated that homosexuals were good
employees, talented, creative, and intelligent people who merely wanted to live their lives
with as much respect and dignity as heterosexual Americans. Taking advantage of
declining taboos regarding the portrayal of sexuality in film and the media in general, and
the discussion of homosexuality in particular, activists in Washington, D.C., San
Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles parlayed the Stonewall event into a national
coming out party for larger, well-established gay communities in major cities.3
Stonewall did not, however, translate into immediate political activism in
Oklahoma City. “We were very aware of Stonewall. It probably raised the
consciousness level, but there was no direct action that I am aware. Getting people
energized in the gay movement is very difficult---they don’t do anything until they’re
3
John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in
America (New York: Harper and Row, 1988), 318-321. The best single account of
Stonewall, complete with participant biographies and perspectives, is Martin Duberman,
Stonewall (New York: Plume Press, 1994); D’Emilio, Sexual Politics, Sexual
Communities, 233-235.
234
�threatened,” related longtime Oklahoma City attorney and activist Bill Rogers.4 That is
probably a fair characterization of the level of politicization of the Oklahoma City gay
male world until the late 1970s. Harassment existed, as earlier chapters have illustrated,
but it was aimed at bars and other public queer cultural institutions, and it waxed and
waned over time. The relative openness of the 1940s and 1950s preceded the
crackdowns of the 1960s, and this sapped much of the motivation to mount an organized
response. Unlike Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City did not have a political juggernaut
on which to focus its rage, or one that might discriminate against homosexuals on a
widespread basis and merit said rage. Fear also eroded the climate for resistance in
Oklahoma City. With the election of Curtis Harris, gay and bisexual men felt that any
activism would cost them their jobs, their community standing, and possibly lead to
violence.
This fear remained a common theme in the gay community until 1978 when
national and local events conspired to ignite a political fire in the Oklahoma City gay
community that has yet to be extinguished. That it occurred a decade or more later than
in cities like Philadelphia, New York, or San Francisco was not a testament to
homophobia in Oklahoma City, or the power of the Christian Right to suppress dissent.
The delay of the politicization in the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual community was a
function of practicality. The means did not justify the ends until 1978, when a very
public and powerful local attack against homosexuals occurred when the Oklahoma
legislature passed the Helm Bill. Queer political activism and apparatus grew in spurts,
but it did not retreat, which is a testament to the efforts of several pioneer gay activists in
4
Bill Rogers, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/18/2004.
235
�Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City gay and bisexual politics evolved as local situations
demanded, not as national events dictated. Therefore to say that Oklahoma City was
“behind the times” or in a “lag” in relation to other much larger cities misses a crucial
point about gay politics in Oklahoma City and nationally; the need to organize and be
politically active was not acute until 1978, but when that need arose, local residents met
that challenge successfully.5
By the mid-1970s, the gay rights movement had gained enough ground to place a
number of equal protection measures and laws guaranteeing civil rights on the ballot in
several states.6 In Miami, Florida, city leaders actually passed an anti-discrimination
ordinance which specifically prohibited discrimination based upon a resident’s sexuality.
In response, groups that hoped to preserve traditional standards of morality vowed to
fight this and other ordinances, and Miami literally became the line in the sand. One of
the more outspoken opponents of the Miami ordinance was regional celebrity and former
5
Thomas E. Guild, et al., “Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” in “An Oklahoma I
Had Never Seen Before”: Alternative Views of Oklahoma History,” ed. Davis Joyce
(Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1994), 328-339. Guild and associates imply
that because gay political activism did not occur in Oklahoma until 1979, some ten years
after the Stonewall Rebellion, that “It would be reasonable to postulate that today, in
terms of visible political action and success in developing an internally cohesive
community, Oklahoma is in a similar approximate ten-year cyclical lag.” This seems
rather simplistic, and wrong. Their analysis assumes that Stonewall was the point at
which a modern gay political activism first occurred, an argument that recent scholarship
refutes. Second, it assumes that such activism progressed along a neat, linear continuum
in other communities. Finally, it makes politics the central ingredient of “an internally
cohesive community,” as though interest group politics can ever be said to create
cohesion or community.
6
Peter N. Carroll, It Seemed Like Nothing Happened: America in the 1970s (New York:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1982, 1990), 292-294. Carroll shows that the 1970s were
more than just a sedate interim between the turbulent 1960s and the “me” oriented 1980s.
Advances were made in the politicization of gay and lesbian communities in smaller
communities like Wichita, St. Paul, and Eugene, Oregon in addition to larger cities like
San Francisco and Seattle.
236
�Miss Oklahoma, Anita Bryant. Bryant was Oklahoma’s sweetheart -- the state’s “most
famous woman” according to one state legislator -- and much of the South and Midwest
had a crush on her too. She was pretty, talented, wholesome, conservative and
evangelical. Supporters believed that she was the perfect spokesperson for the New
Right, and she proved to be as adept at pitching her own brand of conservative
wholesomeness as when she sponsored Minute Maid orange juice. Vowing to stop the
“insidious attack on God and His laws,” Bryant and her husband formed the Save Our
Children movement. Using her powerful appeal and fundraising prowess, Bryant argued
that homosexuality was “perverse and dangerous,” and charged that these “human
garbage” heaps recruited children into their flock. She received help from conservative
politicos like George Will, and religious leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, all
of whom equated attempts to pass legislation ensuring equality for homosexuals with the
ruin of American society. The Save Our Children campaign successfully placed a recall
initiative to overturn the anti-discrimination law on the ballot in Miami, and residents
passed it by a two-to-one margin.7
Anita Bryant and other like-minded supporters relished their victory, and it
shaped the debates and political battles over the proper place of homosexuality in society
all across the U.S. Similar battles emerged in Wichita, Kansas; Eugene, Oregon; and St.
Paul, Minnesota. Conservatives managed to defeat anti-discrimination measures in all of
these locales.8 For conservatives, these tangible victories indicated that Americans, in
7
Carroll, It Seemed Like Nothing Happened, 290-291; D’Emilio and Friedman, Intimate
Matters, 346-348.
8
D’Emilio and Friedman, Intimate Matters, 346-348.
237
�general, were anti-homosexual and determined to fight any attempts to extend
employment or housing safeguards to them.
Prior to the 1970s, much of the discrimination felt by gay and bisexual men in
Oklahoma City at the hands of authorities revolved around sex. Men charged with
sodomy, or a wide range of less specific misdemeanor offenses related to the public
display of their sexuality, certainly suffered public humiliation and anguish. Authorities
used existing laws, that were admittedly applied more stringently to homosexuals, to
harass gay and bisexual men, but no serious attempt to codify discrimination had been
attempted.
In 1978, Oklahoma lawmakers jumped on the bandwagon that Anita Bryant and
her supporters started when they passed legislation that brought Oklahoma to the
forefront of the gay rights struggle. Oklahoma state representative John Monks, a
Democrat from Muskogee and Senator Mary Helm, a Republican from Oklahoma City,
co-sponsored a bill that allowed school boards to dismiss teachers who engaged in
“crimes against nature” or otherwise promoted homosexuality in an indiscreet or public
manner.9 Representative Monks argued that school boards currently were powerless “to
fire those who are afflicted with this degenerate problem---people who are mentally
deranged in some way.” Monks noted that his bill applied to “both queers and lesbians,”
who would not be allowed to practice, disseminate, or inculcate homosexuality in
Oklahoma public schools. The bill set out a list of factors that would be considered
when school districts removed a suspected homosexual: the likelihood that the activity
would adversely affect students or employees, the proximity in “time or place” of the
9
“Homosexual Reins Voted,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/8/1978, 1.
238
�behavior to the teacher’s official duties, any extenuating or aggravating circumstances,
and whether the behavior in question was repeated or promoted to students as being
acceptable. The debate over Monks’s legislation, known as House Bill 1629, remained
relatively benign. Representative George Vaughn, a Democrat from Big Cabin,
addressed the most logical issue regarding identification: “How would you know they
are this way? Would you have them sign an oath?” “Not necessarily,” Monks retorted,
"I’m sure word would get around." On February 7, 1978, the Oklahoma House of
Representatives approved HB 1629 by an 88-2 margin.10
Once it was sent to the senate, the bill’s co-author, Mary Helm, pulled out all of
the stops to see that it passed. Unlike Monks, whose bigotry was more overt, Helm
preferred that homosexuals keep quiet about their sexuality. Mary Helm was the
Republican Party’s shining star in 1978. She was the first woman to serve in the
Oklahoma Senate since 1929 and only the second ever to do so. Intensely conservative,
Helm opposed the Equal Rights Amendment and proudly proclaimed membership in the
John Birch Society, a group on whose behalf she traveled across the country and spoke.11
Although her version of the bill did not automatically exclude homosexuals from seeking
employment as a teacher or school aid, it clearly ensured that a teacher’s sexual
preference in no way impact students.
As part of a massive public relations salvo in support of HB 1629, Senator Helm
invited Anita Bryant to address the Senate. On February 21, 1978, Bryant flew in to
10
Ibid.
11
“Opponent of Equal Rights Amendment Aiming Campaign at ‘Grass Roots’,” Daily
Oklahoman, 1/15/1982, 45.
239
�Wiley Post Airport from her lush Miami, Florida, mansion to encourage Oklahomans to
help stop the widespread trend of legislating immorality. The night before her Senate
appearance, Bryant and her grass-roots support group, “Oklahomans for Anita,” held a
rally that drew over 3000 guests at the State Fair Arena. The program sandwiched Bible
passages and exhortations for money between musical performances and Bryant’s
diatribes against immorality. Also, a renegade group of teenaged Ku Klux Klan
members tried in vain to carry a Confederate battle flag into the arena. No violence
occurred, but the frenzied atmosphere concerned the Gay Student Alliance, the
University of Oklahoma gay student association that picketed the event. Nine members
asked several of the more than thirty Oklahoma City police officers who attended the
event to provide them with escorts back to their cars.12
On February 21, 1978, Bryant addressed the state senate, a standing-room-only
event heavily stacked with HB 1629 supporters. Oklahomans must return to the moral
standards “which our forefathers fought and died for” Bryant shouted, arguing that “we
cannot legislate morality” but Oklahomans must have the “guts… (to) stop legislating
immorality.” Lauding her own efforts to stamp out homosexuality, Bryant related that
her campaign has “decreased the number of homosexuals, at least those who outwardly
profess homosexuality,” and that the Helm bill was a “defense against pro-homosexual
bills.” Bryant even managed to tell a joke at the gathering: “I have thought about
running for President…But I changed my mind when I realized my husband would be the
12
“Anita’s Plea to the Senate: Don’t Legislate Immorality,” Daily Oklahoman,
2/22/1978, 1-2. Klan participation in political rallies is hardly an unknown facet of
Oklahoma’s political history. See Charles C. Alexander, The Ku Klux Klan in the
Southwest (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995 edition).
240
�First Lady.” Although steeped in the evangelical revival politics of a by-gone era, the
event proved very effective. On April 6, 1978, the Oklahoma Senate unanimously
passed HB 1629, 42-0. In a final twist, Governor David Boren announced he would sign
the bill immediately.13 Anita Bryant and the anti-homosexual lobby successfully denied
rights to homosexuals that other citizens took for granted. The climate of intolerance
that simmered since the 1950s in Oklahoma City for homosexuals now reached a rapid
boil.
Just as the Miami-Dade defeat enraged homosexual activists across the country,
the 1978 Helm case stirred some of the first pangs of political organization and political
consciousness in Oklahoma City. Before 1977, queer political activism in Oklahoma
was virtually non-existent. A number of campus protests and concurrent court battles
occurred at both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University regarding
frustrated attempts to start campus-wide gay and lesbian organizations in the early 1970s.
However, no organizations outside of academia sought sustained political action or
interest group activity before 1978.14
The Helm Bill and Anita Bryant’s visit motivated gays and lesbians to strike back.
This was certainly true for long-time activist and attorney William “Bill” Rogers.
13
Ibid. “Homosexual Firing Bill Approved,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/7/1978, 1. For
Bryant’s role in passing the law, see Ralph Slovenko, “The Homosexual and Society: A
Historical Perspective,” University of Dayton Law Review 10, no. 3 (Spring 1985), 453.
David Boren would be saddled with charges that he was gay in his bid for the United
States Senate seat in 1978. His opponents, Grover Miskovsky and Anthony Points, made
note of the beautiful young men that always surrounded Boren, and publicly challenged
the governor about the charges. Boren hotly denied the smear. See chapter six for a
more thorough discussion of these events.
14
For a discussion of campus protest and litigation in Oklahoma, see Guild, et al.,
“Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” 332-334.
241
�Rogers, like many of his social contemporaries in Oklahoma City, lived a quiet life and
avoided controversy whenever possible. He did, however, have a loose affiliation with
the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a friendship with its
local executive director, Shirley Barry. Following a difficult coming out process, which
included losing both his family and a share in a lucrative law practice, Rogers sensed that
times had changed:
I think that we were energized by Anita Bryant’s appearance at the (Oklahoma)
legislature and the subsequent passage of what was known as the Helms Bill…
Shortly after that, I went to my first gay pride march in New York and became
acquainted with a man named Bruce Voeller. A delightful, brilliant man! He
was the first president of the Gay Activist Alliance in New York and the first co
-director of the National Gay Task Force, which eventually became the Gay and
Lesbian Task Force. Bruce and I became very close friends and he encouraged
my activism, and the (annual Gay Pride) march in New York was just
invigorating and exciting. I came back with a determination to do something
here.15
That determination led Bill Rogers to found the Oklahomans for Human Rights in
1979. This group profoundly influenced the way the Oklahoma queer political
movement developed. It was the first quasi-political, organized, focused group that
lobbied effectively for equal protection for gays and lesbians in Oklahoma. It also
tapped into a heretofore-invisible element within the gay community -- the professional
class. Wealthy and professional gay men had never been out to the community at large,
seemingly for fear of losing their standing in the community, lucrative jobs, professional
certificates, or derailing promising political careers. The Oklahomans for Human Rights
fought to protect the rights of gay citizens, but the very fact that “gay” did not appear in
the group’s name allowed some of the more deeply closeted community members to
15
Bill Rogers, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 9/18/2004.
242
�participate.16 It was also an organization that found a fast following, as thirty to forty
people participated regularly at events. OHR quickly began publishing a newsletter, Our
Time, and Bill Rogers helped establish a successful sister chapter in Tulsa in 1979. The
membership included many well-respected residents of the Oklahoma City community,
and they had a lot to lose. “There was a lot of courage displayed in those days,” relates
Bill Rogers.17
OHR made fighting the Helm Bill its first priority, and they fought it vigorously,
and they were not afraid to ask for help from national organizations. Although no
educators were relieved of duty as a result of the legislation, several teachers in the
Oklahoma City school district feared this was coming and felt that a challenge was in
order. Several teachers belonged to the National Gay Task Force (NGTF), easily the
most successful gay and lesbian rights advocacy groups since its founding in 1973.18
Bruce Voeller, Bill Rogers’ political mentor, ran NGTF in 1978, and they sponsored
litigation against the Oklahoma State Board of Education.19 A small group of Oklahoma
City residents, all of whom remained anonymous to protect their jobs, attempted to fight
the Helms bill in September 1979, when they filed a motion against the State Board of
Education. Their argument was simple. By singling out homosexuals, the law
encouraged harassment and discrimination against teachers and staff for being gay, for
16
Guild, “Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” 330.
17
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004; Dennis Neill, email correspondence,
10/5/2005.
18
Stephen Engel, The Unfinished Revolution: Social Movement Theory and the Gay and
Lesbian Movement (Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2001),
39-46.
19
Guild, “Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” 334.
243
�associating with and supporting those who are gay, and those who simply tolerate
homosexuality. It clearly violated the first amendment right to speech and assembly
argued attorney Mike Gassaway.20 This suit failed to generate an injunction or further
action in part because it challenged the Oklahoma State Board of Education instead of a
particular school district, where the law would be administered and discrimination would
occur directly.
With this in mind, one of the first things that Rogers, the OHR, the National Gay
Task Force, and the Oklahoma ACLU did was to help sponsor a new lawsuit against the
Helm Bill, and this time they named the Oklahoma City Board of Education as defendant
in the case. The plaintiff in the suit was an Oklahoma City University graduate student
named Stan Easter. Easter, a gay man, possessed an Oklahoma teaching license and
studied opera when OHR filed the challenge. At that time, he did not teach in an
Oklahoma school district, nor did he feel particularly good about his chances of securing
employment. Easter argued that the problem “is that people don’t realize that
homosexuals are human beings. There is no need for me to even apply for a job under
the present law.”
Bill Rogers served as Easter’s attorney in the matter and he noted that
although Easter had never been denied employment because of his sexuality, he and other
homosexuals “are threatened with loss of earning a living the rest of their lives.” The
Helm law created a “chilling effect” on the employment prospects for gay teachers in
Oklahoma. Moreover, it was a blatant violation of the First Amendment guarantee of
free speech and expression.21
20
“Gay Statute Hit in Teacher Suit,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/1/1979, 15.
21
“Gays Challenging State Teacher Law,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/14/1980, 1.
244
�Advocates believed that the NGTF v. Board of Education of City of Oklahoma
City would have a profound impact upon the future employment status of gays and
lesbians throughout the United States. Supporters knew from the beginning that the case
would be hotly contested and hoped it would eventually reach the United States Supreme
Court, where the issue of hiring standards based upon sexual preference would be
decided once and for all. State ACLU Executive Director Shirley Barry called it the
most “significant challenge ever filed on this issue,” and as a result the reactions were
mixed. The number of letters fired off to the Daily Oklahoman regarding the issue was
probably significant, with most likely not in support of the lawsuit. However, the
Oklahoman printed only one letter from an Oklahoma City resident opposed to the suit,
and none in support of it. The anonymous “CEM” faulted the ACLU for being “up to
their disruptive legal tricks” in supporting the Easter lawsuit. “Oklahomans in general
and parents of school-age children in particular are painfully aware that homosexuals are
degenerate human beings by their own choice…We don’t want a potential classroom
Gacy in a position to molest and murder our children,” he continued.22
The first action on the lawsuit occurred on June 29, 1982, when U.S. District
Judge Luther Eubanks ruled against Easter and upheld a local school board’s right to
terminate an employee for engaging in “public” homosexual activity. The ruling
surprised no one, according to Bill Rogers, who vowed to appeal. Judge Eubanks called
many of Easter’s claims of possible discrimination and retaliation “unwarranted,” and
argued that “public homosexual activity would likely affect the efficiency of a teacher.
22
Ibid.; Daily Oklahoman, 10/19/1980, 22.
245
�Clearly a teacher’s efficiency is related to the performance of his job and hence, his
fitness to teach.”23
The ruling undoubtedly pleased opponents of Easter, as their goals seemed
consistent with mainstream American feelings regarding homosexuality. A series of
Gallup Polls conducted in July of 1977 showed that Americans held some very definite
beliefs about homosexuality, homosexuals, and their place in society. Two-thirds of
Americans believed that homosexuality was more widespread than ever before, and about
fifty-six percent believed that environment and socialization determined one’s sexual
preference, rather than it being an innate personal characteristic. Seventy percent of
Americans felt that homosexuals should not be allowed to adopt children; about fifty
percent thought that private sexual behavior of homosexuals should remain illegal, and
thirty-three percent believed that homosexuals could not be considered good Christians or
Jews as a result of their sexual preference. While over fifty-six percent of respondents
believed that gays and lesbians should have the same protections and access to jobs as
heterosexuals, over sixty-five percent considered certain occupations inappropriate for
homosexuals. Respondents believed that homosexuals were fit to serve as doctors,
salespeople, and military personnel -- positions which involved a great deal of contact
with the general public – but not to work in public schools or as clergy.24 Perhaps the
thought of homosexuals recruiting young children to their ranks – a common belief for
some – made people uneasy about LGBT schoolteachers. In any case, Oklahomans
23
“Judge Backs Ability to Fire Gay Teachers,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/30/1982, 38.
24
“Poll Backs ‘Gays’ Job Rights,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/17/1977, 194; “Public sees Gay
Upswing.” Daily Oklahoman, 7/18/1977, 5; “Poll Says Gays’ Future Difficult,” Daily
Oklahoman, 7/19/1977, 13.
246
�would likely have been even more conservative in regard to national opinions on these
issues.
Any celebrations by the pro-HB 1629 lobby were tempered by the prophetic
warning Judge Eubanks included at the end of his ruling, however. Serious
constitutional issues would arise if schools refused to retain or hire an educator “who
merely advocates equality in or tolerance of homosexuality; a teacher who assigns for
class study articles and books written by advocates of gay rights; a teacher who expresses
an opinion, publicly” about the issue. In essence, Judge Eubanks provided the rationale
by which another court case might challenge the Helms law by pointing out what activists
and laymen alike already knew. From a common-sense standpoint, how could a school
district clearly and rationally define the “advocating, soliciting, imposing, encouraging or
promoting public or private homosexual activity in a manner that creates a substantial
risk” to school employees?25 Further, what qualified as “promotion” of homosexuality?
Would making statements condemning homophobic language and attitudes used by
students be considered promotional in nature? How would homosexuals and their
private life be made public in the school setting? Would the testimony of colleagues be
sufficient enough to start an investigation? The nature of the arguments used against
allowing gays and lesbians to teach -- that they must recruit “members” since they cannot
procreate, that their sexual orientation is a contagious and degenerate lifestyle choice that
might be easily disseminated to impressionable Oklahoma children, and that their sexual
preference renders them incapable of a non-sexual thought -- suggested that the personal
25
Official designation of HB 1629 was Oklahoma Statutes, Title 70, Sec. 6-103-15(A)(2).
247
�behavior of the individual, even if beyond reproach in every way, was irrelevant. If they
were openly gay, they were targeted for removal. For years, teachers convicted of moral
turpitude lost their teaching certificates anyway, which effectively barred educators
caught making inappropriate advances to students or other sex-related offenses from
teaching in Oklahoma before the Helm bill passed. When Representative Monks said on
the floor of the Oklahoma legislature that names of gay teachers would “get around” the
schools and make the offender known to the administration, the impracticality of
administering the law, to say nothing of its rather chilling reminder of the purges of
homosexuals from the federal workforce in the 1950s, was obvious.26
From a legal standpoint, a number of First Amendment violations existed in the
Helm Bill. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case on these grounds in 1984.
Bill Rogers helped argue the case, and he felt the appeal would successfully overturn
Judge Eubanks’s decision. By a 2-1 vote, the court ruled that a school district could still
fire homosexuals for public, overt expressions of sexuality, just as they might a
heterosexual teacher. The court found unconstitutional the provisions of the law that
encouraged “punishment of teachers for public homosexual conduct,” noting that “its
deterrent effect on legitimate expression is both real and substantial.” Further, the court
clarified the difference between an implied and imminent threat: “encouraging and
promoting, like advocating, do not necessarily imply incitement to imminent action…A
state’s interest outweighs a teacher’s interest only when the expression results in a
material or substantial interference or disruption in the normal activities of the school.”
In short, gay and lesbian Oklahomans deserved the same free speech protections that any
26
Monks quote taken from “Homosexual Reins Voted,” Daily Oklahoman, 2/8/1978, 1.
248
�other citizen held.27 The Oklahoma law would allow a teacher to be removed or refused
employment whether or not any measurable “disruption” occurred.
The Daily Oklahoman responded with a series of stinging editorials that attacked
the plaintiffs for twisting the intent of the law. In calling the decision a “boost for
permissiveness,” the paper chided judges for contributing to the deterioration of
American morality by upholding gay schoolteachers’ rights of free speech:
The court’s majority seemed to say that it is all right for a teacher to tell the pupils
that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle, as long as the teacher doesn’t touch
one of the children. One wonders if the judges would allow the same freedom of
expression for a teacher extolling the virtues of adultery. Both are considered by
most people to be immoral conduct.28
Later, when the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case on appeal, the editors found
it shameful that “the state’s effort to protect its school children from possible
indoctrination into a lifestyle most of its citizens find immoral and abhorrent must be
defended before the highest court in the land.” The NGTF twisted the original intent of
the law, which the newspaper defined as “preventing homosexual teachers from using
their position of authority and influence to shape the ideas of impressionable children,”
into some kind of free speech crusade in their eyes. In a rather odd editorial shortly
before the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments, the paper called the action “A Test for
27
“State Can’t Fire Teachers for Being Gay,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/15/1984, 9; “Court
Takes Gay Case,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/2/1984, 35.
28
Daily Oklahoman, 3/16/1984, 12.
249
�Sooner Attitude,” as though sheer will and determination to champion Oklahoma
morality might somehow determine the outcome.29
The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case on January 14, 1985. Oklahoma City
University law professor Dennis Arrow argued for the Oklahoma City school board, and
Laurence Tribe, Harvard University law professor, represented the NGTF. Arrow took
the position that the law could be applied fairly as written, without violating the First
Amendment rights of homosexuals in Oklahoma, by policing only the overt promotions
of homosexuality. Tribe responded by calling the bill a “heavy-handed attempt to limit
debate on an important public issue by forbidding all public school teachers from
speaking out on homosexuality.” Tribe painted Oklahoma as anti-homosexual, and
noted that although twenty-nine states had repealed anti-sodomy laws to date,
Oklahoma’s sodomy law was still in effect. The language of the Helms bill also only
prohibited homosexuals from “advocating” or “promoting” sodomy, he argued, which
again seemed to violate the First Amendment by unfairly targeting gay teachers for
removal when they “promoted” homosexuality in the classroom. The final word on the
Helms bill came down on March 26, 1985. By a 4-4 vote, the Court affirmed the 10th
Circuit’s judgment that parts of HB 1629 violated the First Amendment. 30
The circumstances surrounding the decision were somewhat unusual. Justice
Lewis Powell, despite listening to arguments on January 14th, was supposedly ill and
unable to cast a vote. Legal scholars considered Powell a fairly conservative judge, one
29
“Intent of Law Twisted,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/3/1984, 6; “A Test for Sooner
Attitude,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/2/1985, 10.
30
National Gay Task Force v. Board of Education, City of Oklahoma City, 470 U.S. 903
(1985).
250
�who consistently voted to allow local schools to make decisions for their own benefit. In
addition, the Court did not issue a written opinion, a fact that made later attempts to
refine the bill in the Oklahoma legislature more difficult and denied gay rights activists a
powerful and symbolic victory for the entire country. With a tie vote, the decision
automatically affirmed the 10th Circuit’s ruling, but the case could not be used as a
precedent, and the decision only affected states in the 10th Circuit.31
After the victory, the editorial staff at the Daily Oklahoman encouraged teachers
in Oklahoma to fight back. “The American Civil Liberties Union…surely won’t object
if teachers who believe that homosexuality is wrong speak their peace about it, in the
classroom or outside, just to provide some balance.” Apparently, the editorial staff
reasoned that since homosexuals now had the right of free speech and expression, they
were probably going to exercise it incessantly. The editorial wryly noted how
“unfortunate” Justice Lewis Powell’s absence was from such an important vote,
especially when the court had already rescheduled three other cases due to his illness.32
Why the court refused to reschedule this case is unclear. Perhaps the justices
wanted to strike down an unfair piece of legislation without setting a historic precedent or
opening itself to revisit still more cases of abuse. The Court’s refusal to issue a written
opinion suggests this was possible, as it prevented lawmakers from redesigning the law
via their arguments to make it pass muster. Dennis Arrow believed that Powell would
31
Slovenko, “The Homosexual and Society,” 453; “Defeat of Law Allowing Gay
Teacher Firings Called Victory,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/27/1985, 15; “Court Axes AntiGay Statute,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/27/1985, 97-98. The six states in the 10th District at
the time the decision was rendered were Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah,
Wyoming, and Oklahoma.
32
“Free Speech for Everyone,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/28/1985, 18.
251
�have upheld the Oklahoma statute, given his staunch belief in the sanctity of home rule
and local discretion on school matters. Perhaps, but others believed that Powell would
have found the First Amendment violations, to say nothing of the due process restrictions
contained in the Helm Bill, impossible to sustain.
Many Oklahomans greeted the Supreme Court’s decision with apprehension, as a
sign that gays and lesbians were pushing a radical agenda. Lawmakers tried to contain
this murky threat by proposing legislation that once again denied gays and lesbians basic
fundamental rights, and although all would eventually fail, they spoke to the heightened
level of homophobia in Oklahoma by 1985. With the help of State Attorney General
Mike Turpin, State Representatives Gary Sherrer, Frank Harbin, and Michael Hunter
proposed HB 1569 in April of 1985. The bill refined the language of the Helm Bill to
prohibit the “promotion of homosexuality during school or school-related activities…in
such a manner that such activity is indiscreet and not practiced in private.” Like the
Helm Bill, HB 1569 sought to eliminate homosexuals from the classroom, and it clearly
failed the constitutional test outlined in NGTF v Board of Education less than a month
earlier. As Rep. Sherrer argued, “we just feel like the people of Oklahoma concur in the
feeling that homosexuals should not be allowed to teach in the classroom.” 33 That
comment, once again, illustrated that if the bill passed, school districts could fire gay and
lesbian teachers simply for being gay, even if they practiced their “homosexuality” in a
discreet or private fashion.
In an even more egregious attempt to circumvent the rights of homosexuals,
Senator Jerry Pierce, a Republican from Bartlesville, attached an amendment to a fair
33
“House Bill Replaces Gay Teacher Statute,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/17/1985, 1.
252
�housing bill then under consideration. The Oklahoma legislature hoped to develop fair
housing standards that targeted discriminatory practices in renting and selling property
based on race, religion, sex, age, handicap, or nationality. Only ten states lacked such a
standard by 1985, one of them being Oklahoma. Senator Pierce’s amendment excluded
homosexuality from the acceptable list of offenses by which the Oklahoma Human
Rights Commission could investigate housing discrimination. A landlord himself, Pierce
believed that “I should be able to consider if I want to sell to someone who has that kind
of lifestyle.” Senator Bernard McIntyre, a Democrat from Tulsa, had fought the Helm
Bill, and he opposed Pierce’s amendment for the same reason. “It’s a clear-cut
indication that they want to discriminate against gays…What people do in their personal
lives is none of my business.” McIntyre planned to get a severalty clause attached to the
bill, which would have allowed the new standards for housing discrimination to go into
effect even if a court invalidated part of the bill dealing with homosexuals. All of these
bills died in committee, according to lobbyist Keith Smith, who campaigned tirelessly to
see that the legislature respected the rights of gay and lesbian residents in Oklahoma.34
Despite the attempts to undermine it, NGTF v. Board of Education was an
important victory for gays and lesbians all across the United States. For the first time in
almost twenty years, the Supreme Court heard a case involving discrimination against
homosexuals and ruled in their favor. In Oklahoma City, the victory intensified the
political activity of gays and lesbians and brought more and more people out to support
their causes. OHR remained vigilant in seeking to meet discrimination against
34
Ibid.
253
�homosexuals with legal challenges, and they continued campaigns to remove legislators
who sponsored such legislation.
Mary Helm was an early target of the fledgling organization, as before ink on the
Helm Bill was even dry, OHR set out to find a viable candidate to oppose her 1978
reelection bid. They found him in Bernest Cain, a lobbyist with Common Cause, an
Oklahoma City-based lobby group. Cain, a Democrat, was seen as a “good, liberal
person” who would fight for what was right, regardless of the political fallout. Cain
struggled early just to make it on to the November ballot, as independent candidate
Nelson Berry and Democrat Jeff Laird filed a challenge with the State Election Board
arguing Cain had not lived in District 46 for six months prior to filing for the seat.35 The
gay community came out in full force to support Cain. “She (Helm) was the enemy,
word was out. We called on virtually every voter in that district,” remembered one gay
rights activist.
In a close election, 5182 votes to 5005 votes, marred by a
malfunctioning voting machine, Cain defeated Helm and represented District 46 for the
next twenty-four years.36 The results proved very gratifying for OHR and the gay
community, as this represented their first truly grassroots political effort that yielded
35
Description of Cain from Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004; “Cain
Candidacy Upheld,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/5/1978, 22.
36
Quote taken from “Gays Flexing Political Muscles, But remain Divided on Strategy,”
Daily Oklahoman, 5/4/1983, 9; The election was so close---only 177 votes separated the
candidates---that when news that a voting machine containing almost 200 votes had
malfunctioned, Helm filed a protest with the Oklahoma Election Board that was
eventually settled by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on January 3, 1979. Apparently, the
party designations for each candidate were reversed in the machine, possibly causing
straight-party votes for each candidate to be reversed. See “Helm Protests Election
Tally,” Daily Oklahoman, 11/10/1978, 1; “High Court to Consider Helm Case,” Daily
Oklahoman, 11/29/1978, 13; “Cain the Victor, Court Declares,” Daily Oklahoman,
1/4/1979, 1.
254
�tangible results. “(Cain) is a wonderful person, a good liberal person who has never
forgotten he was elected largely through the efforts of the gay and lesbian community,
and he has always been willing to do anything he could do for us in the legislature.”37
The Cain victory made the gay community in Oklahoma City an important and courted
interest group for the first time.
OHR’s successes were impressive but not absolute, especially in regard to
establishing what direction the organization would take, and the means by which that
direction would be traveled. There were conflicts between Bill Rogers and other
“power-egos” involved with OHR from the beginning. Rogers was by most accounts a
militant personality -- a “scorched Earth everybody should be out of the closet” kind of
person, according to Paul Thompson. A highly motivated attorney, Rogers ran in the
same circles with high-profile gay rights advocates in larger cities like New York and San
Francisco. Another, significant portion of OHR preferred to keep a lower profile.
Many of them were schoolteachers or other licensed professionals who could not afford
to lose their certifications, and they preferred a more accommodating approach.38
This
group believed that a lot of people in Oklahoma City would react negatively to politically
active homosexuals, and given the historical record, they probably were correct. Rogers
did not care. He sensed that now was the perfect time for the Oklahoma City gay
community to become a political force. The stark and irreconcilable differences between
significant groups within OHR led many to leave the group, but those who stayed set the
37
Paul Thompson, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 12/22/2004.
38
Ibid.
255
�direction of the organization and played a large role in defining gay political activism in
Oklahoma City for years to come.
Paul Thompson was one resident who became involved in OHR after the split. A
political activist and life-long Oklahoma City resident, Thompson knew the ups and
downs of being a gay man in Oklahoma well. He was married, divorced, suffered the
problems of coming out to his wife and children, and felt frustrated at the low priority
that gay men and women gave political activism in Oklahoma City. After deciding to
rejoin OHR, Thompson actively pursued issues aimed to make the Oklahoma City gay
and bisexual community more “communal.”
A friend of mine got involved at the same time. We went to the National Gay
Leadership Conference in Dallas, the first national gay and lesbian conference in
the United States, (which discussed) how gay and lesbian people could empower
themselves in their communities. We found that what gay and lesbian
communities that had a real sense of “community” had in common were a
community newspaper and community center. So we came back and decided to
do some of that stuff.39
From that point came a push to establish some permanent trappings of community
for gay and lesbian Oklahoma City residents, and one of the seminal elements established
at that time was the Oasis Gay Community Center. The center was an important,
permanent part of the subculture, and one of the first that was not tied to entertainment
pursuits per se. The gay and lesbian community in Oklahoma City, as was true of all
non-coastal communities in the United States at that juncture, had no physical, dedicated
space in which to hold conferences, distribute information, or provide an anchor for
emotional and material support before 1983. In that year, OHR made the establishment
of a community center a high priority, and Paul Thompson’s vision became a reality.
39
Ibid.
256
�Bill Rogers and Scott Foster met with Scott Wilson and Don Hill, owners of the
pioneering Oklahoma City gay disco, Angles, and encouraged the men to donate a
building next door to their club to house the new community center. Some within OHR
were leery of Scott Wilson and Don Hill’s involvement in the center, as both had a
reputation for being “business-first, community-second” people, especially since they
only leased the building to the Center. In truth, their motives were at least partially
driven by financial gain. “Part of why they wanted to do it was at the time there was a
big debate over whether 39th Street was going to be the gay center or Classen Boulevard,
with the Free Spirit. (Wilson and Hill) wanted it (Oasis) as an anchor to draw the
community there so they would make money,” remembers Thompson. In any case, Hill
and Wilson allowed the Oasis Center to locate in their building, and it opened in July of
1984.40
The gay community’s tepid reaction to the Oasis Center disappointed members of
OHR like Thompson and Rogers, both of whom fought the Helm Bill and generally
devoted much of their free time and professional contacts to advancing the cause for gay
and lesbian equality in Oklahoma City. Thompson said, “The community had NO
interest whatever… there was a group of about eight of us, but the community had no
interest. We had no history of people working together for any kind of mutual goals or
anything.”41 The original eight, however, were instrumental in seeing the Center to
fruition. They planned a wide range of activities for the community, such as a gay film
40
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004; Ralph Prevette, interview by author,
2/19/2005 and 6/19/2005; Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004; Guild, et al.,
“Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” 330; “Angles Celebrates 20 Years,” Gayly
Oklahoman (15 September 2002).
41
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
257
�festival, scheduled regular meetings for Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics
Anonymous, disseminated information about AIDS, sponsored an early PFLAG meeting,
and developed a food bank and clothes closet program for needy people in the
community, gay or straight. That original dedicated group also helped fund the Center’s
activities by organizing garage sales, soliciting donations, and by using their own money,
and they staffed the Center by volunteering on the weekends.42
Part of the reluctance to embrace the Oasis Center stemmed from the fact that
other quasi-political and interest groups feared not being able to control the direction of
the Center. This inaction hurt the Center’s overall effectiveness and worked against one
of its core goals – to cultivate rank-and-file participation and political activism by gay
and bisexual community members. With this in mind, Thompson and others held a
“last-chance” meeting for groups to sign on to the Center’s board and help shape policy.
A large number of people showed up, took their place on the board, and within a few
months voted to sever ties completely with OHR. According to Thompson, they then
“rewrote history about what a wonderful job they did putting this Center together.”43
Thompson’s bitterness is understandable, given his extensive efforts to keep the
Center going, but the conflicts that plagued OHR over the ways and means to move the
Oklahoma City gay subculture made it controversial from its inception. Also, Bill
Rogers rubbed some people the wrong way. Long-time Oklahoma City political lobbyist
and gay activist Keith Smith described Rogers this way:
42
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004; Lynnette Hill, “Oasis, the
Gay/Lesbian Community Center Celebrates 5 Years of Service in OKC,” Gayly
Oklahoman (October 1988); Peggy Johnson, “Hopes Run High For Center,” Gayly
Oklahoman (July 1984).
43
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
258
�Bill is very different from gay activists I meet today: very opinionated, very
lacking in diplomacy skills from time to time. But he got it started. I’ve been in
the trenches with him, and I’ve been fighting it out with him. It is really hard for
some people in our movement to disagree vehemently with someone without
deciding they are your enemy for life. Thank God Bill and I have never done
that, because we have disagreed HEAVILY before. If I could change anything
about Bill…because I think that he is so smart and he was always such a good
image for our community, especially in the early days, because he was a very
handsome 40-50 year old attorney that you would never think was gay. Bill is
rigid and opinionated---sometimes that is what it takes. If Bill had just come out
this week and tried to get active in organizations, he would be less liked and
respected than he was back then for several reasons. There was less need for
diplomacy back then---it was war! 44
Given the controversy, some simply stayed away from OHR, and the Center’s affiliation
with OHR kept some residents from volunteering, or donating money. The Tulsa sister
chapter decided to incorporate on its own in 1985, in part due to concerns about
Oklahoma City OHR’s continued viability.45 In any case, after 1984, the Oasis
Community Center was no longer linked to OHR in any meaningful way, and both sides
likely were relieved.
Although starting the Oasis Center would be a crown jewel in any gay and
lesbian political organization’s history, the development of the Gayly Oklahoman
probably had a greater immediate impact on the community at large. When first
organized, OHR published a monthly newsletter called Our Time, which kept people
abreast of political events and community information. Paul Thompson was on the
steering committee that created the newsletter until two other members of OHR took
over. The driving organizer was Ron Shaffer, an ordained Southern Baptist minister
defrocked by the Southern Baptist Convention once revelations about his sexuality
44
Keith Smith, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 7/20/2005.
45
Dennis Neill, email correspondence, 10/5/2005.
259
�emerged. The other was Don Hawkins, a local businessman and Shaffer’s lover.
Shaffer and Hawkins took over Our Time and quickly made it an important source of
social, political, and entertainment news for the entire community.46
Eventually, the publication of Our Time became problematic largely as a result of
its expanding size and success. Shaffer told the OHR board that one of two things
needed to occur. To keep publishing Our Time under its present format required more
money, or else the magazine must shrink and be more specialized, thus alienating much
of its core audience. Or it must spin off into its own identity and continue to evolve into
what it was already becoming: a community newspaper. The OHR board, apparently
eager to be relieved of the cost of publishing Our Time, chose the latter.47
Hawkins and Shaffer introduced the Gayly Oklahoman, so named as a direct slap
at the Gaylord family newspaper – the Daily Oklahoman -- in October of 1983.
Growing pains were evident from the beginning, as the two struggled to raise printing
and binding fees, and more often than not the money came out of their own pockets.
Journal Record Publishing printed the Gayly for the first year or so “until management
got homophobic and canceled our (contract).” Some of the employees at JRP helped
Hawkins and Shaffer find another printer, however, one they used until the Gayly
suspended publication in January 2006.48 The community at-large helped out
considerably, and the usual suspects turned out in force, such as long-time Oklahoma
City gay rights activists and businessmen like Harry Livesay, Mark Clark, and Keith
46
Ibid; Paula Sophia, “The Gayly Goodbye.” The Gayly Oklahoman, 24, no. 2
(1/15/2006).
47
Ibid; Guild, et al., “Oklahoma’s Gay Liberation Movement,” 330.
48
Don Hawkins, email interview, 8/3/2005.
260
�Smith. Smith remembers that “a bunch of us were volunteering for… the Gayly
Oklahoman. For the first year or so, they did not have any paid staff, so those of us in the
community that felt it was very important to have a way to disseminate information out to
the community (volunteered). You never could find anything, good or bad, on the news.
It was like we were invisible and marginalized.” Initially, the paper went out to about
4000 residents monthly.49 During the early days of the AIDS crisis, the Gayly was one
of the only sources for information about the disease’s spread and treatment options. It
was also very important in helping LGBT residents come to terms with their sexuality.
In a regular feature entitled “Out and About,” local residents and business owners were
asked to be photographed and share some aspect of their lives with readers. This was in
keeping with Hawkins and Shaffer’s desire to remind readers that they were “more than
who they love.” As Hawkins related: “The biggest difference between now and then is
the willingness of people to be photographed. Nobody except drag queens would allow
us to take pictures of them. It’s a lot different today. I guess that’s the most significant
measure of progress.” 50
By 1984, OHR’s affiliation with the Oasis Center was officially over, Our Time
had morphed into the Gayly Oklahoman and developed into a self-sufficient newspaper,
and OHR the organization died not long after. A number of factors led to the group’s
implosion, but they all led back to one essential element---OHR successfully met most of
its stated goals. The organization defeated the Helm Bill and opposed homophobic
49
Keith Smith, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 7/20/2005; Don Hawkins, interview
by author, 8/3/2005. The Gayly Oklahoman is now published bi-weekly and has a
circulation of over 10,000 per issue.
50
Sophia, “The Gayly Goodbye,” 3.
261
�candidates like Mary Helm, it helped start a community center that is still in operation
today, it essentially started the Gayly Oklahoman, and it raised the political consciousness
and expectations for the entire LGBT community in Oklahoma City. “In a way it was
like people whose whole identity comes from being parents---when the kids grow up they
don’t know who they are anymore. We had a list of goals, OHR did, and we realized
them all. We didn’t know what to do next, and it really faltered and caved in.”51
Into that political void stepped the Oklahoma Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus
(OGLPC), created in 1985 by Keith Smith.52 OGLPC was much broader in its activism
than the OHR, although it benefited from the earlier efforts by OHR to empower the
Oklahoma City gay male world. Smith was a political animal by this time, having
participated in gay and lesbian politics in Wichita opposing Anita Bryant and her Save
Our Children campaign, as well as the controversy surrounding the Helm Bill here in
Oklahoma. While still a student at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Smith
joined OHR and made frequent trips to Oklahoma City to attend meetings, go to gay
clubs, and be a part of the Oklahoma City gay community. OHR never quite lived up to
his expectations, however:
It focused on support for the community, with activities and functions---we had a
free university where people came in and taught classes. It really wasn’t
completely political, and most everyone was very closeted. It was a way to be
around other professional gay people in more of a social setting than anything.
Slowly we evolved and became more political, but it was more of a community
organization.
51
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
52
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005. Originally, the organization was called
the Oklahoma Gay Political Caucus. In 1989, the organization voted to become the
OGLPC, no doubt in recognition of its female membership.
262
�Accordingly, Smith started OGLPC with a desire to directly influence policy and work to
elect candidates for office who supported gay and bisexual causes. He and other
activists like Harry Livesay developed intricate networks with legislators and important
civic and business leaders all over Oklahoma City. One of Smith’s favorite and most
successful means to preserve the rights of gay and bisexual Oklahoma City residents was
to channel harmful legislation into Bernest Cain’s committee, which effectively killed it.
Sometimes he convinced legislators to kill such bills outright. The fight was lonely at
times, as the group had a difficult time convincing people to join and be politically active:
I quickly understood ---quicker than most in the gay community---that we weren’t
going to get anywhere unless we did it with politics. If we were ever going to get
straight people to think we were OK, we had to get political---influence political
figures and get people elected that were going to create a better society for us. So
I created the OGLPC… There were so few of us really. It’s hard to get people
involved today, but it was REALLY hard back then. The vast majority of us lived
two separate lives. So, it was like beating your head against a wall to get people
involved…I don’t know how people saw us, whether they saw us as too nerdy or
what. We were doing politics, and they had no interest. It was threatening and
scary because it could force you out of the closet and you might suffer job
discrimination or violence. We always had a hard time getting it off the ground
and getting people involved.53
By 1990, Oklahoma City’s gay and bisexual male world was politically active,
provided its members found the right motivation, and much of the credit for that
transformation must go to organizations like OHR and men like Bill Rogers, Paul
Thompson, and Keith Smith. Fighting the Helm Bill marshaled community fear and
outrage. OHR then channeled those feelings into a grassroots politicization that set the
stage for later political victories for gay and bisexual men. This transformation occurred
later in Oklahoma City than in cities like San Francisco or New York City, but it
53
Ibid.
263
�happened nonetheless. Local attacks on homosexuals escalated in the late 1970s, and it
was at that juncture, when the ends finally justified the means, that this politicization
occurred. The machinery of gay and bisexual politics grew in a haphazard way to be
sure, but it did not retreat. The timing of Oklahoma City’s politicization followed the
demands of local events, rather than adhering to the scripts written by coastal Meccas like
San Francisco. That does not diminish its significance, or its relevance, to the greater
narrative of gay and bisexual political awareness in the United States.
264
�Chapter VIII
From All Angles: The Maturation of the Oklahoma City Gay Male World
As the previous chapter indicated, the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual
male world changed dramatically in the late 1970s. Many of its high-profile members
participated in local politics and helped establish the gay community as an interest group
willing and motivated to redress inequality. Although this development was a key aspect
of the subculture’s maturity, it was no more important than the changes in the patterns of
socialization and sexual relations that occurred throughout the 1970s. With the
disappearance of many of the safer spots downtown for anonymous sex, the 1970s
witnessed a movement of sex to other locations. Four of the most popular places
included parks, rest stops along the interstate highways, bookstores, and a rather
notorious bathhouse. The movement here was both geographic and psychic. By
physically moving public sex to places right on the city limits or just beyond, queer
residents hoped to avoid persecution, to carve out a sexualized space free from the
constraints of curfew and beer laws. This movement also engendered a spiritual shift in
the way Oklahoma City gay men enjoyed sex with one another in public. As a direct
consequence of the crackdown by city authorities, public gay sex became more varied,
more available in the long run, and more brazen. Men openly had sex in public -- even
on picnic tables -- and they opened new tearooms in the most unlikely and dangerous of
places. Also occurring at this juncture was the physical movement of the entertainment
265
�and socialization center of the gay and lesbian community to Northwest 39th Street.
Here, Oklahoma City gay residents experienced their own Stonewall, when in response to
police brutality and harassment a local disco fought back and helped make this area the
permanent socialization center for the gay and lesbian community. Drawing on the
tradition of resistance established by gay residents in the 1940s and 1950s, post-Angles
queer residents were more determined than ever to fight back, compete for public space
with heterosexuals, and remain visible.
Historians have documented the lure of sex in public parks for gay men, and in
some cases it dates from the early 20th century. George Chauncey showed that a variety
of public parks, especially Central Park and Bryant Park, served as socialization centers,
convenient locations for furtive sex hookups, and a point of entry into the queer New
York milieu for hundreds of young gay men after World War I. Philadelphia’s
Rittenhouse Square, Cobbs Creek Park, and League Island Park were central hubs in that
city’s gay and lesbian social landscape before World War II. Likewise, Washington,
D.C.’s notorious Lafayette Park, located across the street from the White House, Franklin
Park, Farragut Square, and the Smithsonian Park were the most popular spots for samesex and interracial sexual interaction in the nation’s capital. Even Portland’s Lownsdale
Park, a well-known queer space by the 1910s, served as a key source of gay sex, bought
and sold.1
1
Chauncey, Gay New York, 180-183; Stein, City of Sisterly and Brotherly Love, 87-94;
Brett Beemyn, “A Queer Capital: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Life in Washington, D.C.,
1890-1955” (Ph. D dissertation, University of Iowa, 1997), 20-28; Peter Boag, SameSex Affairs: Constructing and Controlling Homosexuality in the Pacific Northwest
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003), 113-115.
266
�In Oklahoma City, same-sex activity occurred less frequently in public parks until
after World War II, and authorities never seriously policed it until the 1960s.2 A number
of possible explanations exist, but the most obvious is that the availability of cheap rooms
downtown made same-sex activity in parks less attractive. The rooms were safer and
just as convenient. The availability of nightspots and bars, which operated in relative
openness in Oklahoma City, provided gay and bisexual men with numerous sources of
socialization and camaraderie, which further eroded the popularity of parks as a meeting
point. Another factor that kept public parks from becoming key sex and socialization
centers earlier was the high number of parks in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
While it is likely that gay and bisexual men cruised parks in Oklahoma City for many
years, the sheer number of available parks prevented one park from becoming “the place”
and thus men walking into the woods for sex or sitting in a park parking lot looking for a
partner drew little attention from residents and authorities.
With the decline of both the downtown entertainment district on Grand Avenue
and in the number of gay bars, public parks assumed a more prominent place in the
Oklahoma City sexual landscape for gay and bisexual men. One of the more infamous
spots for those desiring quick, anonymous sex was Hobie Point at Lake Hefner, located in
the far northern part of Oklahoma City. Technically inside Oklahoma City limits, Lake
Hefner drew many urban visitors, yet it remained secluded enough that authorities
ignored it unless they received complaints. In the mid-1960s, Hobie Point was a nice
lakefront picnic area, set off by a long drive lined with trees that cruisers used as a blind
2
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005; Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005;
Jim Fortenberry, interview by author, 7/3/2005; Earnest, interview by author, 3/6/2005.
267
�to hide from passers-by. In addition, a large brick restroom sat in the middle of the
beach, one that became notorious for casual homosexual encounters.
When I first got here, Terry F. and I used to go out to the Point out at Lake
Hefner. The OG&E and ONG and Southwestern Bell guys would come out there
for lunch, play volleyball, take their shirts off, and get their dicks sucked…Terry
and I took picnic lunches and a quilt out there… We spent many a fun afternoon
out there entertaining the troops! 3
Gay men virtually took over at the Point, mainly due to its seclusion and the fact
it was never particularly popular in the afternoon with mothers and children. A sharp
eye trained on the long drive and open spaces kept potential problems from police raids
to a minimum. As Ralph remembers, “If things looked awkward, you could just lean
across the horn to get something out of the car. They (vice) always drove those ratty little
Fords anyway.”4 Consequently, gay men became emboldened and pushed the envelope
of acceptable sexual behavior to the breaking point. “Toward the last of the Lake Hefner
era, they started going down there and parking (for sex). It’s one thing if two guys go
into the bushes or into the tearoom, but when you start having groups of cars parking and
(people) getting out with quilts and stuff, this brings heat.”5
Other city parks found more and more gay men cruising for sex as well. Will
Rogers’ Park, located at Northwest 36th and Portland, Memorial Park, located at
Northwest 35th and Classen, and Trosper Park, located at Southeast 29th and Eastern were
terribly popular. Located near the old downtown strip, Will Rogers Park and Memorial
3
Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, Oklahoma City, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005.
4
Quote from Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Joe,
interview by author, 3/14/2005; Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
5
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
268
�Park were mainstays for many gay men simply because of their centralized location, as
the drive to Lake Hefner might be too far for those on their lunch hour. The police
responded to these areas, but usually only close to election time. “It was on the news--Will Rogers and others. They were in the newspapers too. It was almost an annual
event: ‘Clamp down on the restrooms’ campaign.”6
The substantial degree of freedom continued into the 1970s, and gay and bisexual
residents took advantage of this lull in police harassment, but authorities eventually
heeded calls for a major cleanup by the vice detail. Nearby residents and park patrons
noticed the increased presence of gay men, and that they used parks for anonymous – and
sometimes very public -- sexual encounters. A group of senior citizens complained to
police that gay men were taking most of the available parking close to a brand new
community center built for them at Will Rogers Park and then headed into the wooded
trails for sex.7 The police worked undercover and arrested those making indecent
proposals, and their presence made a difference, but they never drove gay and bisexual
men from the park completely. In 1978, the Oklahoma City vice squad unit, sex crimes
division, stepped up surveillance of areas reputed to be popular hangouts for gay men.
Unit commander Kenneth “Sugar” Smith reported that in January of 1978, the number of
officers patrolling parks, municipal buildings, and other areas would increase. In April
of 1978 following surveillance of the second floor restroom at the Oklahoma City-County
Library, undercover officers arrested two men for soliciting sex from them. Later that
6
Joe, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 3/14/2005; Terressa Terrell, email interview,
4/16/2005.
7
“Park Gays Rile Elderly,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/18/1978; “City Police Arrest Four On
Charge of Lewdness,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/29/1978, 23; “Two City Men Accused of
Homosexual Activity,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/5/1978, 9.
269
�week, the police arrested four more men at the City Hall restroom, also for lewd
behavior. Arrests continued, off and on, until 1980. 8
Gay and bisexual men who enjoyed the expanding popularity of parks as sexual
and socialization centers worried about more than just the stepped-up police patrols.
Some gay men stayed away, not out of fear of being arrested, but for fear of being
assaulted by teenagers or other gay men. By the early 1970s, gay men made Will Rogers
Park a popular socialization center, where people went not only to have sex but also to
play frisbee, exercise, or just talk. The beautiful scenery and sedate surroundings belied
the danger that could creep up at any moment. Teenage boys drove through the park at
high speeds hurling rocks and epithets at whomever they could find. The bathrooms and
surrounding woods provided notorious hiding places for male prostitutes and “trolls”--gay men, usually over fifty years of age, known for aggressively pursuing younger men
for sex. Younger gay men complained that they could not simply come to the park and
enjoy the weather or socialize for fear of being assaulted or associated with the less
desirable elements.9
When park sex was either unavailable or inconvenient, gay and bisexual men
could always look to popular highway rest stops or truck stops for satisfaction. The reststop located along Interstate 35 about eight miles south of Guthrie, was easily one of the
most popular. Situated outside of city limits and in Logan County, the secluded rest stop
was still close enough to Oklahoma City so that patrons looking for sex could make
8
“Police Nab Three on Sex Counts,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/12/1978, 17; “More Held On
Morals Complaints,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/13/1978, 20; “4 Arrested In Lewdness
Complaints.” Daily Oklahoman, 1/24/1980, 22.
9
“’Trolls’ Replace Straights as Primary Threat to Homosexuals,” Daily Oklahoman,
5/27/1984, 12.
270
�frequent visits. The Logan County Sheriff’s office consisted of exactly seven officers in
the late 1960s and early 1970s, which meant they could not police the area with any
regularity. As a result, the Guthrie rest stop emerged as a favorite cruising spot for men
like Ralph:
Well for notorious, Jackie and I went out to the Roadhouse on Halloween 1974.
We were drunk when we got there, and more so when we left, and we decided to
go to Guthrie rest stop. It was 3 or 4:00 in the morning, huge moon out there, and
cold. I get there, and…so I went out and started knocking on the (truckers’)
windows. Three of them said no, in a polite way, and three of them said yes, so I
had some brief encounters. So with the last one, he not only said no, but he came
out of there with a tire iron. I am tired, I’m drunk, and…Jackie was on the other
side (of the Interstate 35) waiting to see me. When he sees the guy with the tire
tool he races down the median, crosses the road, and he starts yelling “run faster,
he’s gaining on you!” I barely escaped… The Hi-Po’s (Highway Patrol Officer)
never had any problem with it. Their theory was they would rather have one
cocksucking heaven and have the rest of the highway be cool, and that was a
terribly intelligent way to look at it. The only complaints anyway were from
transients and tourists, and they shouldn’t have been wandering around out there
at 2:00 AM.10
Although the Oklahoma Highway Patrol might have preferred to have a single
“cocksucking heaven,” the Logan County District Attorney did not share that view.
William W. Wheeler, then only twenty-seven-years-old and on the job a mere four
months, ordered a raid on the Guthrie rest area in the spring of 1973 after receiving
complaints of men openly indulging in sex or offering to engage in lewd behavior.
Undercover deputies arrested eleven people, including a staff member from the
University of Oklahoma. The district attorney allowed six of the eleven to plead down
to outraging public decency instead of oral sodomy, and they paid a $250 fine. The
Daily Oklahoman magnified their shame by running a story that provided readers with
their names, ages, and addresses. Wheeler hoped to make the rest areas safe for travelers
10
Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005.
271
�and prevent the Logan County stops “from becoming a gay hangout.”11 Another raid
occurred in 1979, this time with nine people arrested. Following a two-month
undercover investigation, officers described the area as a “haven for prostitution and
homosexual activity,” and again baited people frequenting the rest stop. A young man
from Meridian, Oklahoma, assaulted an undercover officer who attempted to arrest him
for allegedly making a sexual advance.12 Undercover operations continued from time to
time, but the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Logan County Sheriff’s Department, and the
Oklahoma Transportation Department failed to clean up the rest area for very long.
Officials tried to police the area by keeping it closed to traffic every evening at sundown
starting in August of 1982.13 By the 1990s, the stop closed permanently.
The Union Truck Stop, located at Interstate 40 and Morgan Road, was also a
popular highway spot for cruising. It contained a gas station, restaurant, and restroom
that remained open all night long, and it always seemed to be teeming with visitors.
Hustlers found plenty of work at Union Truck Stop, and the area was well known as a
convenient place for anonymous sex. In fact, many married gay and bisexual men used
the Union Truck Stop for sex, as it provided a convenient shield behind which the
motives of their visit might be concealed.14 This was also a dangerous place for gay and
11
“Police to Continue Park Surveillance,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/5/1973, 65.
12
“2-Month Probe Ends---Rest Stop Raid Nets 9,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/4/1979.
13
“Criminal Activities Take Break at I-35 Rest Stop,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/8/1982, 17.
14
Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005; Ralph Prevette, interview by author,
1/12/2005.
272
�bisexual men to congregate, however. Stories of male prostitutes robbing, assaulting,
and even killing some of the visitors were not uncommon. 15
Although normally associated with larger gay subcultures in cities like San
Francisco, bathhouses existed all across the United States, and they operated primarily for
the same purpose -- to create a smorgasbord of anonymous sex for gay and bisexual men.
The Renaissance Athletic Club was Oklahoma City’s first and only bathhouse, and it
catered exclusively to gay men. Known affectionately as “The RAC,” Renaissance was
located across from Oklahoma City University at 1704 Northwest 23rd Street. Owned by
Richard Garcia, the RAC was open by 1979 and offered patrons a variety of water-based
enjoyments, such as a sunning patio, an indoor pool, a steam room, and a Jacuzzi. The
RAC was from the beginning a place where frequent, anonymous, and easy sexual
hookups could take place, and it offered patrons exotic entertainments like a sling room 16
and a large screen video room to watch pornographic videos. In addition, a shop was
located inside that sold sex toys, magazines, poppers17 , and sex lubricants of all measure.
Patrons could buy admission by the hour or by the day, and Monday was always “buddy
night,” a promotion that kept the RAC packed with men of all ages and appetites. Open
twenty-four-hours-a-day, the RAC often saw promiscuous young men engage in multiple
15
“Man Reports Abduction, $50 Theft.” Daily Oklahoman, 8/17/1975, 15; “Police
Doubt Murder Suspect.” Daily Oklahoman, 9/15/1976, 17; “Missing Man’s Body
Discovered.” Daily Oklahoman, 12/24/1980, 1; “Robbery Broached As Death Motive.”
Daily Oklahoman, 12/27/1980, 13.
16
A sling room housed various chain- and leather-supported straps in which men were
suspended so as to provide users with a plethora of sexual positions.
17
Slang term for amyl-nitrate, a substance inhaled by users that relaxed the soft muscles
of the body, making intercourse more comfortable and pleasurable.
273
�sexual relationships on a nightly basis. Renaissance closed in 1986 due to a decline in
business attributed to increased awareness of AIDS, but while it was open, it was the
most outrageous source of raw sex available for gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma
City.18
The danger for those caught at parks, truck stops, or rest areas searching for sex
escalated by the late 1960s and 1970s in Oklahoma City. Until the 1960s, those arrested
might be charged in municipal court with disorderly conduct, pay a fine, and never look
back. The police and district attorneys probably preferred that, as it generated income
from the fines, served as a deterrent if only a mild one, and prevented a huge caseload.
With the election of Curtis Harris as County Attorney, charges for sodomy or crime
against nature were augmented by misdemeanor charges for lewd acts, and Harris made it
his business to harass gay men whenever possible. The Oklahoma City vice squad took
an unprecedented interest in searching for homosexual congregation points and social
spots. They employed new tactics, such as infiltration and undercover work, which
resulted in more arrests of gay men for sex related offenses than ever before. In
addition, a defendant could count on his name and address being mentioned in the Daily
Oklahoman in conjunction with headlines like “lewd” or “moral complaints,” and
occasionally they listed his place of employment as well. However, the fact that gay
men reestablished circuits of private sex in public places---at truck stops, public parks, a
bathhouse, and even in municipal office buildings---and continued to frequent them in the
18
Victor Gorin, telephone interview by author, 8/11/2005; See advertisements for the
RAC in the Gayly Oklahoman, (November 1983).
274
�face of this pressure indicates that they fought back on their own terms and made the best
of a bad situation.
While gay and bisexual men undoubtedly faced a very hostile political and social
climate in Oklahoma City by the 1970s, the landscape was not devoid of brave men who
openly challenged their oppression and worked to end discrimination. While continuing
to frequent parks or truck stops was an important, if passive form of resistance, some
members of the Oklahoma City gay male world took an overt approach. Local activist
Paul Thompson remembers being arrested by vice detective extraordinaire Kenneth
Smith in 1969 simply for kissing a few friends on the neck at The Cleaners, a bar he
owned. The Cleaners had been under surveillance apparently, and when Thompson
stepped outside to go home, police cars surrounded him and officers arrested him for his
“lewd and lascivious” public behavior. At that juncture, paying a fine and simply getting
on with things was not possible for Thompson:
At the time, if gay people were arrested in a gay bar, they always just went and
paid the fine, because you didn’t dare go to court. If you didn’t fight it there was
a good chance that your name wouldn’t be used (in the paper), unless it was pretty
heinous. I just wasn’t used to being treated that way, and I wasn’t…going to be!
I was very nervous about it but I got a lawyer, and went to court. The city statute
at the time said, ‘nobody shall behave in public in a way that shall be considered
lewd and lascivious.’ What…does that mean? It could not be legal because it
put the interpretation of the law up to the policeman instead of the court. We
weren’t going to plead innocent! (After hearing the officer’s testimony), the
judge asked, ‘is that all that happened?’ and the police officer said ‘well,
something was going on in the back.’ The judge said, ‘are there any charges here
on that?’ and the officer said ‘no’, so the judge dismissed the case. This was a
watershed event because gay people had never gone down and protested being
arrested.19
19
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
275
�Ralph Prevette also recalled a brief encounter with police shortly after he arrived in
Oklahoma City in 1966. He and several friends were pulled over by the police after
leaving Lee’s Lounge one night. The officers made a disparaging remark about the
“faggot in the back seat,” and threatened to take him downtown for investigation. Ralph
gained all of his street smarts in California, and he called their bluff: “I replied that I
knew all about the infamous elevator ride down at the station, so if I had a mark on me in
the morning I would have all kinds of lawyers down there. They ran over people who
would buy into it, but if you stood up for yourself….They were bullies mostly.” 20
Other forms of resistance were more subtle but rather effective in the long run.
This was especially true of gay men visiting popular though controversial places like the
Roadhouse. Veteran Oklahoma City bar owner Arnold Lee opened the Roadhouse
Supper Club on January 3rd, 1970, at a location on the grounds of what is now Frontier
City on Interstate 35, between Hefner Road and 122nd Street. Frontier City was a
struggling amusement park in 1970, already a decade old and not exactly a keynote
attraction in central Oklahoma. As a result, the owners welcomed virtually any business
or novelty that might bring people to the area and gave the tenant a great deal of leeway,
a situation that seemed tailor-made for Arnold Lee. The Roadhouse was in many
respects the sum product of all that Lee learned in dealing with authorities of all hues in
Oklahoma City. Its location outside of Oklahoma City limits – barely -- meant that the
club remained immune to the harassment from city vice detectives who plagued Lee’s
Lounge only a few years earlier. In addition, the Roadhouse provided food for
customers, something Arnold’s earlier clubs did not. As a result, Lee obtained a
20
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
276
�restaurant license, which was much less expensive than a liquor-only license, and it
allowed him to serve alcohol anyway. The restaurant license also meant that the
presence of younger men and the occasional minor was not ostensibly illegal and did not
draw attention from county authorities.21
Fate and a little luck helped Arnold get over the hump as well. Years earlier,
Arnold and a high-ranking law enforcement official were involved in a sexual encounter.
That official agreed to leave the Roadhouse alone if Arnold could make the business
successful enough to draw gay and bisexual men away from the downtown area for
good.22 The Roadhouse remained open until 1978, and it was arguably the most
important institution in the metropolitan area for gay men to gather, socialize, and present
themselves as a gay community after the crackdown of the 1960s.
The Roadhouse was a cross between Arnold’s first successful venture, Lee’s
Lounge, and his second nightclub, the Continental Club. Although open only on Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday nights, which were the most lucrative nights of the week for bars
anyway, the Roadhouse generated a great deal of income. Lee capitalized on his
restaurant license by serving liquor in the secluded “Cave” to those of age, sometimes
until dawn, and provided food to all patrons, which made the club wildly popular with
people who left other drinking establishments that closed by law at midnight. For
Arnold, it must have been quite gratifying to be beyond the reaches of Oklahoma City
police after years of arrests. Linking opportunity and need, Lee used the club to make a
lot of money and give gay and bisexual men that eschewed the downtown area, which
21
Terressa Terrell, email interview, 3/22/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author,
2/11/2005.
22
Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
277
�was growing increasingly more dangerous. 23 It also bridged the gap between the age of
downtown cruising and sex, which was rapidly on its way out, and the birth of the 39th
Street Glitter Alley, something that will be discussed further in a moment.
Drag was a staple at the Road House, just as it had been at Lee’s Lounge and the
Continental. In fact, Arnold’s use of female impersonators solidified the link between
drag and queer clubs in Oklahoma City, one that continues to date. One of the most
popular and talented queens to work at the Road House, Terressa Terrell, remembers that
“Terry M. took me to see the ‘beauties,’ and I was awed and totally loved it. I was hired
one week later by Arnold Lee and worked there until the night it closed, ten years later.”
Terrell was also underage -- only 15 years old when she was first allowed to enter the
Road House by Larry “Fuzzy” Braker, Arnold’s lover. Arnold told her to get a fake
identification, use Main Street in Las Vegas as her address, and to get busy. Terrell did
just that, booking shows for the Road House and winning “Entertainer of the Year” at the
annual balls Lee sponsored until the Road House closed.24
A large number of drag queens worked at the Roadhouse, and apparently the
queens formed an Imperial Family,25 something usually limited to larger urban gay
23
Ibid. See chapter five for a discussion of urban renewal and its role in making
downtown Oklahoma City almost exclusively a haven for hustlers by the mid-1970s.
24
25
Terressa Terrell, email interviews 3/22/2005 and 4/12/2005
An imperial family was usually led by an older, experienced pageant queen who took
new girls under her wing and introduced them to the world of drag. The relationships
were frequently, for effect, marked off by titles of royalty---The Imperial House of…” for
instance. Imperial Courts were noted as much for their charitable works as they were for
tremendous drag – and incredibly competitive rivalries. An excellent discussion of the
foundation of the Imperial Court System is Michael Robert Gorman, The Empress Is A
Man: Stories from the Life and Times of Jose Sarria (Binghamton, New York: Haworth
278
�subcultures like Chicago or New York City. Terressa Terrell was a show director at the
Roadhouse for a decade, and she brought many talented performers to the club, some that
owner Arnold Lee could not persuade to come himself. “My ‘house’ was the Imperial
Family of Lady Topaz, Elizabeth, Brandi, and Cinnamon” remembers Terressa. Many
of the girls competed in pageants all over the United States. The exotic array of talents
at the Roadhouse included Miss Topaz -- Jack Henderson – who functioned as Terressa’s
drag mother, and was extremely unusual in that she only impersonated African-American
celebrities. “We called her the ‘Imperial Negress,’ and she was so talented.”26
If the impersonators at the Roadhouse could be excused for looking at the club
through rose-colored glasses, the general public was less forgiving. Derisively known
by some patrons as the “RoadHog,” the Roadhouse provided gay men with a safe
environment in which to be gay, but it was never as palatial as others remembered. The
air-conditioning rarely worked, a fact that made partying in the hot Oklahoma summer
months almost unbearable in a packed restaurant. The toilets frequently malfunctioned.
It did, however, offer patrons a source of community at a time when that was sorely
lacking in Oklahoma City:
The RoadHog had drag shows every weekend, and that was one of the things we
did for something to do. Because of the circumstances of being gay, if you were
openly gay and you wanted to go out for an evening, and go out and have dinner,
unless you were kind of a prissy little upper-class wanna-be gay person, you had
to go to some kind of a gay restaurant like this one. It wasn’t all that clean, and
the service wasn’t all that good, but you just kind of held your nose and ate the
Press, 1998), 1-5. See also Paris Is Burning, a documentary by Jennie Livingston about
drag balls and the social hierarchies within groups of queens.
26
Terressa Terrell, email interview by author, 3/22/2005; For the importance of a show
director to ensuring the success of a drag troupe, see Leila Rupp and Verta Taylor, Drag
Queens at the 801 Cabaret (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003).
279
�food anyway because there were no other choices. To go out for an evening or a
weekend, to go to a crummy restaurant with lousy food ---you took that tight
corset of (being) somebody else off, and got to be yourself for a while.27
The Roadhouse played an important role in introducing many young gay and bisexual
men into a queer culture not found in small towns all across the state, but not all of the
new visitors were impressed. Indeed, a distinct love-hate relationship developed in
regard to Arnold Lee and the Roadhouse for many gay and bisexual men. Oklahoma
City political activist Keith Smith was mortified when he first stepped into the
Roadhouse, his first foray into any gay bar:
I came here when I was still living in Alva. An older friend who was out (we
weren’t) brought us with a bunch of our straight friends. That place scared the
shit out of me, because of the drag queens, and I thought “O.K., I’m not really
gay, because I don’t want to be like them and I wasn’t attracted to them.” I think
that is what a lot of young gay people do, without role models, you don’t know
what “gay” really is, at least back then. They were fine---very flaming and loud--but I was not attracted to them, and I knew that I didn’t want to be like them.28
Another long-time Oklahoma City resident remembers that the quality of the shows also
left something to be desired:
If Arnold had a bar you knew three things about them---they were going to be
filthy, the drinks were going to be watered, and there would be chicken
everywhere you looked and thus chicken hawks. And bad drag shows too. The
ultimate Arnold Lee drag show…The night Judy Garland died, Arnold promised
them at Lee’s Lounge that if they let him do his all-night tribute to Judy Garland,
that he would never perform Judy Garland again. A couple of years later at the
Road House, he comes out doing Judy Garland, and (a patron) at the back of the
room stands up with a wonderful fishwife voice and says, “you bitch, you
promised us if we listened to you do Judy Garland all night you’d never do her
again---you lying sow.” So he gets off the stage, and this black queen starts
performing Tina Turner. She danced very well---couldn’t lip-sync…but that
27
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
28
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005.
280
�didn’t matter---but at the end she did the splits, executed it perfectly, and
everything would’ve just been peachy if her leotard hadn’t split and his (genitalia)
hadn’t fallen out on stage. All of the people in the front rows were dykes and they
yelled “aaaarghhhh!” That was the (typical) Arnold Lee drag show.
“Professional” wasn’t in there anywhere. 29
A number of gay and bisexual men believed that drag actually set back the
movement for queer acceptance by the community at large. The makeup, gowns, and
campy routines stereotyped all gay men as secretly harboring a desire to be female, to say
nothing about the perceived lack of masculine toughness that drag projected. Some gay
and bisexual Oklahoma City residents chose to bypass the Roadhouse, and Arnold Lee
also alienated members of the community he so brazenly courted. Known for permitting
teenagers into his clubs, for allowing his establishments to remain filthy, and for a
number of ethically questionable business deals, Lee provoked a visceral response on the
part of LGBT activists who preferred to cast an image of Oklahoma homosexuals that
was decidedly more sedate and responsible.30
Overall, what the Roadhouse and its owner lacked in professionalism, they made
up for in sheer chutzpah, and they brought a volume of business to the club that made it a
landmark in the gay community for almost a decade. It might not have been perfect, but
the Roadhouse provided gay and bisexual Oklahoma City residents a place to call their
own, free from constant surveillance and harassment by the city police, where they could
let their hair down and be openly gay if only for a few hours. The Roadhouse quickly
29
30
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
Joseph Kirk, email interview by author, 1/12/2005; Ralph Prevette, interviews by
author, 1/12/2005, 2/19/2005, and 6/29/2005; Paul Thompson, interview by author,
12/22/2004; Linda Cole, telephone interview by author, 6/29/2005; Keith Smith,
interview by author, 7/20/2005.; GJP, interview by author, 3/18/2005.
281
�became the perfect foil for authorities hoping to crush the gay social scene in Oklahoma
City---it was located outside of city limits, it was technically a restaurant instead of a bar,
and it was located in a frontier theme park that at the time was struggling to increase
attendance. The Roadhouse gave the gay male world in Oklahoma City an anchor at a
time when its sexual and psychic dimensions were in transition.
True to form in the history of Arnold Lee’s clubs, the Roadhouse died an ignoble
death in 1980 when Frontier City refused to renew the club’s lease. A legion of reasons
led to its demise, but the primary ones included several drug overdoses involving minors
-- one being fatal -- community fatigue, and expanding competition by other clubs in
Oklahoma City.31 In fact, during the mid-1970s a number of new bars opened in
Oklahoma City proper, all of which slowly siphoned away customers from the
Roadhouse. Lee Burrus opened The Rusty Nail in the early 1970s, and it became a
popular hangout for straight-acting gay men. Following his experience at the
Roadhouse, Keith Smith and friends traveled to the Rusty Nail and instantly felt more
comfortable: “Later that same night, we went to (The Rusty Nail) and everybody looked
totally normal so I went, ‘Oh, we might ought to rethink this!’ There were a lot of goodlooking men.”32 In 1973, John Magevar opened Disco 36, the first club in Oklahoma
City that provided laser light shows and fogged dance floors. Located at Northwest 36th
and Shartel, Disco 36 effectively put Burrus’ Rusty Nail out of business. Undaunted,
Burrus opened Huggy Bares in an old straight beer bar located on Northwest 39th Street.
31
Terressa Terrell, email interview, 3/22/2005. Her lover, Eddie Robinson, died of a
massive PCP overdose in the club in November of 1977. His body was later discovered
in a stalled car on Hefner Road, near the RoadHouse.
32
Ibid.
282
�It offered patrons go-go boys in suspended cages, but it did not last long either. Local
drag legend Tony Sinclair started a club in the late 1970s on May Avenue called Tony’s
Club, which he eventually moved to Western Avenue and rechristened Tony’s Club
North. Tony’s Club gave the Roadhouse some competition for the best drag shows in
town, and the animosity between the two businesses escalated when a Roadhouse queen
won best talent at Tony’s annual Halloween Ball. “Tony hollered ‘and our winner is the
FANTABULOUS.....the Uh...fantabu......OH BITCH COME ON AND GET YOUR
DAMN AWARDS....Miss TERRESSA ladies and gentlemen’ to a THUNDEROUS
applause. I took Ms. Arnold Lee the huge trophy, and she was very happy.”33 All of
these bars provided centrally located alternatives to the Roadhouse. The decline in
business was steep, and the Roadhouse closed in 1979.
With the demise of the Roadhouse and various other short-lived drinking
establishments by 1980, there were approximately three gay bars in Oklahoma City
frequented by a majority of gay and bisexual men---the Circa 2201, the Free Spirit, and
Saddle Tramps. Originally owned by John Magevar and Larry Haggard, the Circa 2201
opened in December of 1972. “The Circa was by far the biggest bar in town, and it
made money---we’re talking about dedicated alcoholics here!”34 With Saddle Tramps,
and entirely new generation of gay and bisexual men were introduced to Gil Ray, whose
brief flirtation with retirement did not suit him. Later, Gil Ray, Larry Crosby, and Gil’s
lover Richard bought the Circa and moved Saddle Tramps up to that location. The Free
Spirit was a discotheque located on Classen Boulevard in a large old Episcopal church
33
“Optimism Provides Business Success for Gay Entrepreneur,” Hard News Online, V.
2, n, 28, 1/8/2004; Terressa Terrell, email interview, 4/12/2005.
34
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 2/19/2005.
283
�building. Patrons usually referred to it as the Evil Spirit, and more than one commented
on what bad taste it was for a gay disco to locate in a church. 35 Two of those bars---the
Circa and Saddle Tramps---were located on Northwest 39th Street, between Pennsylvania
and May Avenue. By this time, the Roadhouse was closed, and although the Free Spirit
was packed with people, its location on Classen Boulevard, surrounded by residential
neighborhoods, kept it from developing into an institution, one that would draw gay and
lesbian residents from all over the state, every night. A new dance club was about to
open, however, that would establish 39th Street and its series of bars, stores, and
restaurants as “the Strip,” or “Glitter Alley.”
Angles opened on September 15th, 1982, and was from the beginning a club that
drew crowds easily. Located at 2117 NW 39th behind the Habanna Inn, the club was
started by Don Hill and Scott Wilson, two out-of-state businessmen who took a huge
gamble when opening the place. Hill and Wilson, then lovers, vacationed all over the
United States visiting popular clubs, especially those in New York and San Francisco.
Both men loved Studio 54, and it was here one night while dancing beside Calvin Klein
and Grace Jones that they first noticed one of the club’s unusual amenities -- moveable
trusses. They came back to Oklahoma City and commissioned Bart Shedeck, one of
Oklahoma’s premier architects, to design a club unlike anything ever seen in this state.
Moveable trusses with a variety of lighting systems complemented a prototype sound
system designed by Klipsch, the master of European club sound systems. Shedeck
designed Angles to accommodate large crowds by maximizing traffic flow, and he made
sure to include provisions for future expansions of lighting, sound, and video systems. It
35
Ibid.
284
�was the most ambitious ground-up construction project ever attempted on behalf of
Oklahoma City’s gay community, and travelers from all over the United States expressed
amazement that such a facility existed in Oklahoma.36
In addition to being the most modern club in Oklahoma City, Angles also offered
unparalleled entertainment for the gay and bisexual male community. All of the popular
high-energy disco acts of the era came to Angles, including the Weather Girls and Dead
or Alive. Disco divas Sylvester and Divine, and the gender-bending Boy George
performed at the club as well. Although a historic connection existed in Oklahoma City
between gay clubs and drag, Angles refused to welcome female impersonators initially.
Wilson and Hill wanted to model their club after Studio 54 and other popular dance clubs
on both coasts, and drag was not a staple in those places. Trying to provide
entertainment, on an ongoing basis, for a club open seven days a week probably proved
to be a challenge, and it led them to embrace the medium. Fritz Capone served as emcee
and show director for a mid-week revue, but the weekend entertainment left something to
be desired. The owners turned to drag icon Ginger Lamar, who started performing
regularly at Angles, and she made an immediate impact.
I ran into Scott Wilson. He talked to me about coming to work for him. That was
about 1983. Angles had opened a year before, and they didn't want drag of any
kind in their bar. They didn't like it, but that was a big time for drag. In the 80's
drag was very big. Angles had to add it to make their club successful. They had a
show on Sunday night and hosting---I don't remember her name, I wouldn't
mention it if I did, because she was horrible. And when the show was announced,
everybody would get up and leave. So, I said 'I can make this work…I guarantee
you within a month this place will be packed.' By the second Sunday I was there,
it was full. I did not work with a cast then, I was the only regular on Sunday
night. But it went over so well, they started moving some of their Tuesday night
entertainers in. And we slowly built a cast for Sunday night & established a
36
“Angles Celebrates 20 Years,” The Gayly Oklahoman (15 September 2002), 1, 7.
285
�show. It was very successful. And, whether it's quoted or not, I dare say, it has
never been as successful since I have not been there.37
From the beginning, Angles was a controversial venture, and many in the
Oklahoma City gay community believed that something was amiss. Rumors flew that a
consortium in Dallas owned the bar, and that as a satellite club it would never be loyal to
the Oklahoma City gay community. Others believed something even more sinister
accounted for the secrecy surrounding Angles’ construction. Many pointed to possible
mafia connections, as “that bar never made the kind of money -- ever -- that would build
that kind of home (for Hill and Wilson) on the golf course at the Oklahoma City Country
Club.38
Rumors aside, the presence of Angles fundamentally changed the character of the
39th Street area. The high-energy dance club brought scores of young gay and bisexual
men to the area, which meant an increase in business volume for the other queer clubs
already located there -- Saddle Tramps, the Circa, and the Outrigger. Located almost
directly behind Angles, the Habanna Inn -- formerly a mid-size travel lodge that offered
straight supper shows at the dank nightclub housed inside -- quickly became a queer
resort noted in gay travel guides all over the country and a safe haven for intoxicated
revelers. A number of new bars opened along the small stretch of 39 th Street – Night
37
Ibid.; See the ”Ginger Speaks” section at www.gingerlamar.com for her take on
Angles and the 1980s club scene; Victor Gorin and Helen Bedd, “Exclusive Interview:
Ginger Lamar,” Gayly Oklahoman (November 1989); “Fritz Capone: The Queen of
Chaos,” Gayly Oklahoman (March 1989), 10-11.
38
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005.
286
�Figure Four
The Transformation of Northwest 39th Street, 1980-1990
I-44
12
11
13
15
2
4
7
6
1
9
8
10
N
NW 39th Street
B
a
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n
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14
Y
o
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s
A
v
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NW 38th Street
B
l
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1 – Angles
2 – Saddle Tramps (ORIGINAL)
3 – Outrigger
4 – Circa 2201 Club (Tramps today)
5 – Oasis Community Center
6 – The Park
7 – The Wreck Room
8 – The Night-Life Club
9 – The Warehouse Juice Parlor
P
e
n
n
s
y
l
v
a
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10 – The Kozan
11 – Habanna Inn Complex
12 – Gushers Bar
13 – Finish Line
14 – Bijou
15 – Ledo
287
�Life Club, the Wharehouse Juice Parlor, and the Bijou Club. Angles’ owners Scott
Wilson and Don Hill also added two other clubs to their arsenal, the Park and an under21 establishment called the Wreck Room. Although the Bijou and the Warehouse Juice
Parlor were not open long, new clubs moved in just as others closed. By 1988, the
Habanna had a gay bar inside its confines – Gushers Club -- owned by Lee Burris. Two
years later, a gay country and western bar known as the Finish Line also located within
the Habanna.39 By the mid-1980s, all but a handful of the gay bars in Oklahoma City
were located on 39th Street. With the destruction of the downtown sexual and social
landscape via urban renewal, the Strip, or Glitter Alley, was now the anchor for
Oklahoma City’s gay and bisexual male subculture.
Not all of the local residents found the changes on 39th Street as exciting. The
number of patrons going down to the area increased dramatically with the opening of
Angles, especially among the under-30 set. The area became a magnet for gay and
lesbians all over the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, and brought with it the aspects of
entertainment districts that most business owners could live without -- drugs, sex in
parking lots, and trespassing on local residential areas to name only a few. In addition,
the revelry did not end at midnight, which was always the custom, but rather continued
on until after 2 AM. This shift in what might be called an “entertainment schedule” did
not sit well with local residents, many of whom were over sixty-five, especially on
weeknights. During November and December of 1982, the Oklahoma City council
received numerous complaints about the bars near 39th and Pennsylvania, and police
39
Ralph Prevette, interviews by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Victor Gorin,
telephone conversation with author, 8/11/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005;
“Optimism Provides Business Success for Gay Entrepreneur.” Hard News Online
(www.hnokc.com), v. 2 n. 28 (1/8/2004).
288
�spokesmen Tom Mundy noted that the police received “an inordinate number of
disturbance calls” during a six-week period, which coincided with the opening of Angles.
City residents demanded that public nuisance hearings on the private clubs and taverns
begin immediately. Val Hawkins represented a consortium of business owners and
sixteen homeowners who lived right across the street from Angles, and her group
presented the city council with a petition against five clubs on the block. “We are mostly
senior citizens in this neighborhood. On my block alone, there are nine people over age
60. They feel intimidated,” Hawkins said. The petition decried the “loud music, foul
language, illegal fighting, broken bottles and other litter and improper parking” violations
that occurred nightly near her neighborhood.40
The City Council was in a rather rough spot, as they felt that they owed the
community a fair hearing, but that all of the businesses were properly licensed and the
area zoned for commercial use. Ward 5 Councilman Jim Scott noted that “If a citizen
complains, we’re obligated to listen, but we can’t just declare something a public
nuisance because we don’t like wet T-shirt contests.” The bars on 39th Street fell into
Ward 2, represented at that time by Marge Feighny. She toured four of the clubs after
she received Hawkins’ petition and found the charges lacking. “I spoke with the club
owners and the patrons. They couldn’t have been nicer to me. I reminded them that the
residents of the area had been there a long time and their rights should be considered.”
Even more telling, while Feighny and a delegation from OHR toured the clubs, the police
40
“Public Nuisance Ruling Causes Headaches for City Council,” Daily Oklahoman,
11/21/1982, 35.
289
�arrived to investigate a complaint made against them for making too much noise, an
event that Feighny found telling. The council tabled the discussion for a week.41
Although the sexuality of those involved was supposedly not the issue, it was
interesting that the public expected immediate action against these private clubs “which
cater to persons whose mode of living is completely alien to residents of this area.”
Hawkins added, “I have nothing but sympathy and pity for true gays, who I believe are
victims of a hormonal imbalance.” Gay bar owners were also upset, because the
allegations Hawkins raised in her petition brought local news cameras to the area,
ostensibly to investigate whether crowds were getting out of hand, but also to publicize
the “dark” side of Oklahoma City’s nightlife. “Since then,” noted Night Life bar owner
Barbara Swepston, “I’ve had a lot of trouble with incidents in which three or four straight
men have walked in and said, ‘Hey, we heard this was a gay girls’ bar. We just want to
see what its like.’ Well, we’re not a side show. We’re a private club.” Apparently the
situation spiraled out of control because more gay and bisexual men roamed the streets
along Glitter Alley than the clubs could accommodate. As a result, groups of people
who either could not afford a club membership or were unable to get inside congregated
in the parking lots, brought their own liquor and drank, or had sex in cars. Hawkins
noted that some of these “undesirables” ran through the streets in front of her house nude,
and she discovered one young man urinating on her shrubbery. Night Life owner
Barbara Swepston tried to appease Hawkins, and even offered to purchase a fence to
41
Ibid.
290
�place between her property and the club. “She made us all look like a bunch of sex
fiends.”42
Incidents at Angles also made other bar owners leery, and they had a rather chilly
relationship with the Angles crew. Gil Ray, long-time bar owner and community
activist, remembers how relieved he was to be away from Angles following Saddle
Tramps’ relocation. After operating Saddle Tramps for many years, Gil Ray and his
partners grew tired of fighting with local business and homeowners over noise and
trespassing complaints once Angles opened. They purchased a building up the street--the old Circa 2201 club that Angles coveted as well---and planned to move Saddle
Tramps there. Fearing some kind of backlash from Angles, Gil Ray asked for and
received escorts from the Oklahoma City police department while moving to the new
location, which they rechristened Saddle Tramps West. “I called and told Bill Citty
(chief now) that we were going back up the street and thank God we were going to be
away from those noisemakers (Angles). I asked him (Citty) to put somebody out there
so we could move in peace. 17 trucks moved the club one early morning.”43
By all accounts, Angles made a lot of noise in the community, literally and
figuratively, and as a result the Oklahoma City police stepped up their presence along
Northwest 39th Street, a presence that made all parties involved uncomfortable.
Between November, 1982, and January, 1983, the Oklahoma City police regularly made
visits at Angles, and employees received citations for everything from serving drunken
patrons, to making an illegal guest list and violating noise ordinances. The police cited
42
Ibid.
43
Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005.
291
�numerous complaints from residents and obvious examples of lewd behavior on the part
of patrons as the primary reasons for their frequent visits.44
Angles patrons, and its owners Don Hill and Scott Wilson, described the patrols
somewhat differently. The corporation under which Angles applied for all city
construction inspections and liquor licenses was Cotton-Eyed Joe’s, a deliberate decision
by Wilson and Hill to deceive people into thinking that Angles would join the legions of
country and western bars all over Oklahoma City. Once it became known that Angles
was actually a gay disco, the police “became enraged” and initiated a campaign of terror
that threatened to destroy the fledgling business. According to patrons, the police overpatrolled parking lots and streets in front of Angles, sometimes parking five or six squad
cars by the entrance. Once inside, they intimidated guests, cited employees for phantom
ordinances like not having a kitchen stove with four working burners on the premises,
and turned stand-alone video games over to check for permits while guests were playing.
They cited the club for “disturbing the peace” innumerable times, even though Wilson
and Hill hired sound engineers from Oklahoma City and Dallas who secretly and
randomly monitored decibel levels outside the club, at all hours, for several months.
According to their independent reports, Angles never went over city noise limits. As
Wilson and Hill remember, “In the course of the next four months we were cited about 50
or 60 times for various and sundry things. We fought and won every single one of
them.” More disturbing was the physical violence the police inflicted upon patrons.
“When the Police Academy had their latest batch of graduates, three of the more
experienced patrolmen brought in 12 rookies on a Saturday night and showed them how
44
“Police Document All Checks of Homosexual Bars,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/5/1983, 21.
292
�to mistreat the gays. They were basically telling them, with us standing right there,
‘Now this is how you handle these people.’ It was sick.” The police discouraged many
gay and bisexual men from even entering the club, and this led to a drop in business
volume estimated at over 60%.45
The tension between gay and bisexual men and the Oklahoma City police boiled
over on one night, about four months after Angles first opened, and it fundamentally
changed the character of gay and lesbian socialization patterns. According to witnesses,
on January 6, 1983, police officers arrested local businessman Robert Tim Gravel as he
sat inside Angles, allegedly for public intoxication. How or why they arrived at this
conclusion was unclear, as officers singled Gravel out only seconds after entering.
Witnesses claimed that officers manhandled Gravel, threw him into a police cruiser, and
removed him from the Angles parking lot. What happened next, according to Gravel,
was that the officers took him to a dark street, where they verbally and physically abused
him. While handcuffed, Officer Van Schuyver hit Gravel in the face, stomped on his
foot, and choked him to the point of unconsciousness.46 The officers returned to Angles
and dumped Gravel in the parking lot. He was in terrible shape, and required extensive
medical treatment.47
This was not the last alleged incident of violence committed against a gay man in
Oklahoma City by police officers. Only ten days after officers accosted Gravel and other
45
“Angles Celebrates 20 Years,” Gayly Oklahoman (15 September 2002), 1, 7; Quotes
from Scott Wilson and Don Hill taken from “Angles’ Owners Speak Out on the City’s
Settlement of Federal Lawsuit,” Gayly Oklahoman (October 1983), 8-9.
46
“Gay Charges Police Abuse,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/22/1983, 19.
47
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
293
�guests at Angles, Officers Van Schuyver and Mercer were involved in another violent
incident in which the victim charged police brutality. The officers pulled Robert Bigger
out of his car near Glitter Alley shortly after he left Angles. Bigger alleged that Van
Schuyver and other unidentified officers forced him from the car, smashed his face
against it, and beat and kicked him the whole time he was processed at the police station.
Mercer stood and watched while the other officers beat Bigger.48
In light of these events, gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City believed that the
police department was waging war on them. Patrons lived in fear that they might be
pulled out of a club, interrogated, beaten, or worse. Even if officers merely over-policed
the clubs, the possibility that they might take suspects on long drives down dark alleys, or
worse -- see their name in the newspaper -- had a debilitating effect on the gay male
subculture in Oklahoma City. Some patrons who suffered abuse during and following the
Angles controversy never reported it. As one Oklahoma City attorney reminded us,
“Gays who have been abused by police or straights often don’t press charges because
they can’t afford to be found out. You must get in touch with the fear that is pervasive in
this community. Loss of parental support, friends, jobs---everything goes if you’re
identified as a gay person.”49 The problems at Angles went beyond simple harassment,
though, and many feared that gay and bisexual men might be killed if the abuse continued
unabated. “We had CPAs, doctors, members of the straight community, who were
48
Quote taken from “Poor Training, Orders Cited As Police Brutality Defense,” Daily
Oklahoman, 4/25/1984, 12.
49
“Cloud of Fear Hangs Over City’s Homosexual Community,” Daily Oklahoman,
5/2/1983, 31, 34; Joe, interview by author, 3/14/2005; J.L. Asher, interview by author,
9/10/2004; Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005; Keith Smith, interview by
author, 7/20/2005.
294
�willing to testify. We had several professional people who would have a lot to lose, who
were willing to testify,” remembered Hill and Wilson.50 To be fair, Wilson and Hill and
a huge investment to protect, and the 60% drop in business volume would have crippled
the new venture, so their motives were not entirely community-oriented. It was for these
reasons that Angles, Robert Tim Gravel, and Robert Bigger decided to fight back.
On February 11th, 1983, Cotton-Eyed Joes, Inc., the corporate owners of Angles,
filed a federal lawsuit against Oklahoma City alleging that Angles had suffered under an
ongoing campaign of terror and harassment since the bar opened. Eric Groves, a former
Oklahoma City council member and successful attorney, represented the corporation,
shareholder Don Hill, and three employees in the suit, which sought over $800,000 in
damages. A month later, Gravel also hired Eric Groves and filed a federal lawsuit
against Oklahoma City seeking over $8 million in damages. Specifically, Gravel named
Mayor Patience Latting and Police Chief Lloyd Gramling for failing to end the police
harassment of the gay community along 39th Street, which the suit alleged had occurred
since 1979.51 Robert Bigger sued Oklahoma City for failing to properly train officers
and for encouraging officers to physically assault gay men. His federal suit, filed in
April of 1984, sought over $500,000 in damages.52
Van Schuyver denied the allegations at first, saying he did not remember arresting
Gravel. He was considered a good police officer, having recently earned a
commendation for saving a young girl’s life and was named the OKC Kiwanis Club
police officer of the year in 1981. Shortly after attorneys filed the lawsuits, Van
50
“Angles’ Owners Speak Out,” 9.
51
Daily Oklahoman, 3/22/1983, 19.
52
“Poor Training…,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/25/1984, 12.
295
�Schuyver decided to work in dispatch instead of patrolling the streets. The Oklahoma
City police department conducted its own investigation in May of 1983, during which
Van Schuyver testified that he did not believe the allegations against him “were very
serious.” However, he believed them serious enough to resign before the Police
Disciplinary Review Board recommended any sanctions against him. “They’re not
jumping on me and they’re not coming out to support me…Nobody puts their neck on the
line. That kind of shocked me,” he told a reporter shortly after his resignation became
public.53
Even more shocking was an admission Van Schuyver made in his defense of the
Bigger lawsuit. According to Van Schuyver, the chief of police “specifically advised”
him and Mercer to treat those arrested along 39 th street in a rough fashion. Given that
Van Schuyver admitted he felt betrayed by the lack of support offered him by the
Oklahoma City Police Department, it certainly is possible that he exaggerated, but this
was damaging for the city. In order to expedite the matter, Scott Wilson and Don Hill
made an offer to drop their lawsuit, provided Oklahoma City made several important
though painless concessions, and the city agreed. On September 13th, 1983, the
Oklahoma City Council agreed to pay the owners of Angles $1 in damages plus almost
$29,000 in legal fees. Part of the settlement also included a permanent injunction against
the Oklahoma City police to respect the civil rights of Angles patrons and employees as
well as sensitivity training for current and future officers. The City Council settled the
Gravel civil rights lawsuit as well, paying him $25,000 rather than open Oklahoma City
to a massive jury award that municipal counselor Walter Powell cautioned might have
53
“City Officer Quits With Suit Pending,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/20/1983, 105.
296
�“no limit.” Some council members objected to what they felt was an open-ended right to
revelry, but Powell assured council members that this was the correct, and most
expedient, resolution.54
Although on paper the settlement would seem but a slap on the wrist for the
police department, its effect was striking. The promise to respect the civil rights of
Angles’ employees and customers in reality amounted to a wide-ranging freedom from
extensive police presence all along 39th Street between Pennsylvania and May Avenue.
The police agreed not to harass or otherwise shake down club patrons. The settlement
ended what gay and bisexual residents considered illegal searches, invasions of privacy,
and false arrests, and the police steered clear of the area if for no other reason than to
avoid any hint of such charges. The Angles decision, and the courage shown by
employees, the owners, Robert Gravel, and Robert Bigger, made Northwest 39th Street
the safest spot for gays and lesbians in perpetuity. The owners of Angles, Don Hill and
Scott Wilson, faced the issue with tremendous courage, because neither was out before
they filed the federal lawsuit. “Before we filed the suit, Don’s and my parents were in
the dark on our sexual preference, to us being lovers, and to our business interest in the
club. We had to come out totally to them…We had to pay some prices, but we felt that
you’ve got to make a stand somewhere.”55
54
“Poor Training…,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/25/1984, 12; “Proposal to Settle Suit Angers
City Councilmen,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/7/1983, 9; “Council Settles Out of Court With
Club for Homosexuals,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/14/1983, 15; “Angles’ Owners Speak
Out…,” 9; “City Council Agrees to Pay $25,000 To Settle Police Brutality Lawsuit,”
Daily Oklahoman, 10/19/1983, 21.
55
“Angles’ Owners Speak Out…,” 9-10.
297
�If the troubles at Angles in 1982 did nothing else, they kept the Oklahoma City
gay male world on the minds and lips of local residents in an unprecedented way. Until
that time, only negative stories involving Oklahoma City gay and bisexual residents
received attention in the newspaper and on the news. In January of 1983, the Daily
Oklahoman, on the heels of the Angles controversy, allowed three investigative reporters
to “infiltrate” the gay world in Oklahoma, with a heavy emphasis on Oklahoma City.
They spoke to business owners, gathered hundreds of hours of interviews with gay men
and women, and otherwise observed the nuances of gay socialization for over four
months. Articles explored everything from bars to female impersonation, to the “closet”
and to AIDS, and they did so candidly. The series was entitled “Oklahoma’s Gays: The
Invisible Minority,” an unfortunate choice of words that was neither supported by the
information presented nor the previous ninety years of Oklahoma City’s gay and bisexual
history.56 However, the groundbreaking series provided Oklahoma City residents with
the first substantial, sustained, and somewhat positive contact with their gay subculture.
The first article contained a number of references to the large size of Oklahoma
City’s gay population, and described how so many gay residents were proud to be gay
and optimistic about the changes that occurred in Oklahoma City over time. The second
article made note of the Angles lawsuit and the “cloud of fear” hanging over the
community as the result of gay bashing and threats of violence that seemed to be
everywhere. That same edition also included an article dealing with the invisible killer –
AIDS -- and its expected horrific impact on the gay male world. That article featured
quotes from Oklahoma State University sociologist Chuck Edgely who argued that
56
The articles appeared in the Daily Oklahoman during the week of May 1-4, 1983.
298
�Oklahoma gays were “the most repressed in the nation” and “constantly are put on the
defensive about their sexual orientation.” The fourth article detailed the pivotal role that
gay bars and gay churches played in providing the gay community with a sense of
belonging and spiritual wholeness. The final article dealt with the ways that gays and
lesbians fought the establishment -- legally and politically -- and cited bars as the gay and
bisexual answer to town hall meetings.57
Although informative and well-written, the articles left a bad taste in the mouths
of some of those who agreed to interviews. It brought attention to the 39th Street bars,
much of it unwelcome for closeted gay and bisexual men. The tone of the articles also
incorrectly suggested that a majority of gay and lesbian residents in Oklahoma City were
miserable, and ignored many of the hard-fought gains that long-time residents had
pursued. Staff writers Terrie Clifford, Jim Killackey, and Kevin Stoner, all heterosexual
according to their article, concluded their research with the headline, “Even at Its Best,
the Gay Life Is a Hard One.” Stoner related that “many times, when festivities were at
their height, I couldn’t help but discern an underlying sadness, an almost frantic attempt
to have a good time. If ever there was a Cinderella society, rushing to beat midnight, this
is it.” Jim Killackey found that an incredible tension ran throughout the community -between “excitement and anguish…resolve and despondency…love and self-hate” -- that
prevented gays from ever living fulfilled lives. Terrie Clifford, the lone female
investigator, came away lamenting the fact that although educating the public was the
57
“Gays Open Closet Door,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/1/1983, 1; “Cloud of Fear Hangs Over
City’s Homosexual Community,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/2/1983, 31; “Other Troubles
Tend to Pale at the Threat of Aids,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/2/1983, 34; “Bars Center of
Gay Life,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/3/1983, 21; “Gays Flexing Political Muscles, But
Remain Divided on Strategy,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/4/1983, 9.
299
�primary goal for all involved in the series, few of the participants related experiences not
infused with a great deal of pain and sadness. She concluded, “The only clear
impression I went away with is that their existence here cannot be an easy one.”58
The reaction to the series from readers all across the state was hard to gauge. The
Daily Oklahoman reprinted nine letters to the editor it received after the series ran, and
predictably, eight of those expressed shock or revulsion. Vinita Valle admonished the
editor for including a front-page picture of two men embracing in a gay bar. “I cannot
believe that there was nothing more important going on in Oklahoma that could have
gone in that space with one of the articles…I was also very surprised to read that the gay
community here has its own church…how can they believe the Lord condones their
sexual preference?” Reverend Dale Vanderburg from Blanchard, Oklahoma, asked “if
The Daily Oklahoman has turned into the gay headquarters of Oklahoma?...who do you
think cares about a bunch of queer people, except other homosexuals?...I for one am sick
and tired of the news media building up a bunch of sexual degenerates as if they were the
norm and not abnormal and sick.” Other, anonymous readers wished gays would just
stay in the closet. “Why can’t they just be ‘people’ and keep their sexual preferences to
themselves?” Jane Berryman was the only respondent who praised the Oklahoman for
“adhering to the primary purpose of any newspaper: to inform the public.”59 Although it
is impossible to know how many letters the newspaper received in support of the articles
or the information they contained, the editor chose to publish primarily the negative
58
“Even at Its Best, the Gay Life Is a Hard One,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/4/1983, 37.
59
“Readers Respond to Series on Oklahoma’s Gay Community,” Daily Oklahoman,
5/8/1983, 272.
300
�responses. These and other adverse reactions undoubtedly were blows to the community
leaders who hoped that by publicizing a small part of their world that tolerance might be
forthcoming.60
Despite these disappointments, queer residents gained important footholds in
Oklahoma City by 1986, both politically and physically. Gay and bisexual men shared a
safe, centralized location---Glitter Alley---along which they could go to clubs, socialize,
or have community events. Although hardly considered a tolerant atmosphere by most
gay and bisexual men, Oklahoma City was more tolerant and open after the Angles’
lawsuit, which built upon the efforts of activists and everyday residents to remain visible
in the community since the late 1960s. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of OHR, the
continued attempts by gay men to start gay bars and businesses, and the Angles lawsuit,
was that they demonstrated that the legal system would support them and preserve their
rights, albeit grudgingly at times. This made gay and bisexual residents more willing
and motivated to pursue the trappings of community normally found in larger
metropolitan areas on the east and west coasts.61
The centrality of bars to the Oklahoma City queer landscape was established early
and never quite dissipated. One of the reasons that national gay organizations perceive
that Oklahoma City does not have a progressive queer community stems from the
centrality of bar culture in Oklahoma City. To be clear, bars are essential elements of
socialization and camaraderie in queer communities in any city, but in Oklahoma City
60
Gil Ray, telephone follow-up interview by author, 8/29/2005. Ray participated in the
survey for the Daily Oklahoman and noted how “dark” the pieces seemed to be.
61
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/24/2004; Bill Rogers, interview by author,
9/18/2004; Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author,
4/20/2005; Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005.
301
�they often appear to be the only sources of community. The centrality of gay bars in
Oklahoma City stems from the unique position of freedom and relative openness that gay
and gay-friendly bars enjoyed in Oklahoma City in the 1940s and 1950s. Gay bars were
the only places where closeted gay and bisexual men, or even the openly gay, could go at
that juncture. That they remained open for so long, and received no more harassment
from the community and authorities than most other bars and taverns, made them
galvanizing institutions within the gay community, and many in that community felt that
having the bars was enough. Given the wide range of social and political functions
served by gay bars in Oklahoma City, that was certainly not an unreasonable assumption.
It was in bars that gay and bisexual men weathered the storm of the 1960s, when Curtis
Harris and the police stepped up campaigns to rid Oklahoma City of homosexuals, and it
was in bars that patrons heard about community events, political information, and raised
money for worthy causes. Queer men often referred to bars as their town halls, their
public meeting places, even their churches, so they served as more than merely a
convenient place to find a sex partner. 62 Until the late 1970s, after political activism by
gays and lesbians escalated all across the United States, Oklahoma City had not yet
experienced a Stonewall moment, a unifying event or incident that provoked a
groundswell of political and social protest. That did not mean that social and political
issues were absent from the minds of gay and bisexual residents here. In fact, it was in
gay bars in Oklahoma City that those issues remained on the table and dominated
discussions among patrons. In truth, the presence of gay bars in Oklahoma City enriched
62
“Gays Flexing Political Muscles, But Remain Divided on Strategy,” Daily
Oklahoman, 5/4/1983, 9.
302
�the gay and bisexual subculture and represented an adaptation to historical elements
unique to Oklahoma City history. 63
If the Angles controversy did nothing else, it encouraged gay and bisexual men to
make larger strides in integrating their subculture into the larger Oklahoma City cultural
milieu. Most of the time, those efforts were successful, as the history of gay and lesbian
participation in competitive sports – specifically softball, bowling, and rodeo – suggests.
In 1983, the Tulsa branch of the Oklahomans for Human Rights founded the Sooner
Softball League of Oklahoma, the first gay softball league in Oklahoma, as a means to
provide gay athletes a structured, competitive outlet. Oklahoma City fielded a team in
1984, when the Oklahoma City Mainliners were one of the better clubs in the entire
league. In 1985, Oklahoma City also added the Bunkhouse crew and the Metropolitan
Community Church Saints, a coed team, to the league as well. This league was
sanctioned by both the Association for Sports and Gay Athletics, and more importantly,
the American Softball Association. These affiliations encouraged both the participants
and the general public to take the league seriously, and the quality of play was rather
high. Most of the League teams came from Stillwater, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa, and
the bulk of the participants were gay, although sexual orientation was irrelevant for
eligibility. Tulsa’s most successful team, the Tulsa Outlaws, was sponsored by Tim
Turner, owner of Tim’s Playroom, a popular gay bar in Tulsa. The Outlaws won the
Sooner Softball League championship in 1983, and they regularly chartered buses and
traveled to Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Kansas City to play in tournaments. At the
63
Gil Ray, interviews by author, 4/20/2005 and 8/9/2005; Ralph Prevette, interviews by
author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Arnold Lee, interviews by author, 2/11/2005 and
8/13/2005; Keith Smith, interviews by author, 7/20/2005; Paul Thompson, interview by
author, 12/22/2004.
303
�annual Southwest Invitation tournament held in Tulsa, it was not unusual for teams from
New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta to make the journey to
play in the tournament. “It was mostly recreational, but one usually participates in sports
to prove something.... whether it is to win or just to be a part of something bigger,”
recalled Tim Turner. Particularly gratifying was the Outlaws’ ability to beat almost any
team they played, including those with straight players. Despite the heady times in
which they played, Turner could not remember any significant homophobic or hurtful
remarks made by other players. Participants also used the softball tournaments as major
sources of revenue for charity work. Tim’s Outlaws made a significant donation to the
sponsor of the 1984 tournament championship, the Easter Seal Foundation of Oklahoma.
The Sooner Softball League and its teams remained popular with the gay community, as
the Gayly Oklahoman included a sports section in each issue primarily to keep people
updated about gay softball. In addition, the Sooner Softball League received
sponsorship from large companies, as the Budweiser/Golden distributorship in Tulsa
sponsored the 1984 pre-season tournament.64
Another sport that attracted a number of gay and lesbian residents in Oklahoma
City was bowling. In 1985, the first gay bowling league in Oklahoma City formed, and
they held tournaments of their own that drew large crowds. The Lambda Bowling
Association held its first two league seasons at local Oklahoma City bowling alleys, and
rented them out entirely for events. Apparently, the association was very popular, as the
membership grew virtually every year since. Since 1989, the OK Classic bowling
64
“Sooner Softball League Begins 1984 Season,” Gayly Oklahoman, (1984); “Form Rags
to Riches?” Gayly Oklahoman, (1984); Sports Section, Gayly Oklahoman, (August
1985); Tim Turner, email interview, 11/3/2004.
304
�tournament has been held in Oklahoma City, replete with large cash prizes. Recognized
by the International Gay Bowling Organization, OK Classic was easily one of the largest
tournaments held in the southwestern United States.65
Easily the most important and enduring sport institutions that capitalized on the
post-Angles climate of renewed vigor in Oklahoma City was the Oklahoma Gay Rodeo
Association (OGRA), which first organized in 1985. The principal forces in getting the
OGRA started were Les Krambeal and Walt Rupprecht, owners of a popular Oklahoma
City western-themed gay bar called the Bunkhouse. Krambeal and Rupprecht regularly
attended a gay rodeo in Reno, Nevada that raised money for muscular dystrophy, and
both felt that a gay rodeo association would be very popular in Oklahoma, given the
state’s western heritage and untiring support of both the cattle and horse industries. In
the summer of 1985, Krambeal and Rupprecht went to the International Gay Rodeo
Association convention in Denver and formally applied for an Oklahoma state chapter.
At that time, the IGRA was a fledgling organization with only four charter state
members----California, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona. They were impressed with
Oklahoma’s application and approved it, and the OGRA quickly announced that it would
host the Great Plains Rodeo the following summer.66 In only a few short months,
Oklahoma City proved to be a pioneer in bringing gay rodeo to Oklahomans and
showcasing gay talent to the rest of the southwest.
65
See www.okclassic.com for information on the annual tournament that brings
hundreds of gay and bisexual bowlers to Oklahoma City. See also information about
Lambda in the Gayly Oklahoman, vol 3, no. 9 (August 1985).
66
“20th Annual Great Plains Rodeo!,” Gayly Oklahoman, 23, no. 9 (5/1/2005); Gayly
Oklahoman, June 1986, 8.
305
�The OGRA events were extremely successful, professional enterprises that served
as a powerful indicator of how far the gay community in Oklahoma City had come in
gaining mainstream acceptance. Like other IGRA rodeos, events were open to all
competitors regardless of race, sexuality, or gender. Women rode bulls, men competed
in the pole bend and barrel racing competitions, and most contestants competed at an
extraordinarily high level. The continued success of the OGRA event in Oklahoma City
is evidenced by the fact that many straight professional rodeo riders compete in the Great
Plains Rodeo, not only for the ever-increasing prize money but also for the valuable
competitive experience it offers, and year after year the rodeo is welcomed at the
Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, the site of all major fairs and livestock events held in
Oklahoma.67 Capitalizing on the public exposure of all things queer in the wake of the
Angles controversy, the Oklahoma City gay male world fused form and function to
provide one of the most popular and mainstream sources of entertainment featuring gay
men and women to date. This was a powerful symbol for gay and bisexual men of just
how far their subculture had traveled in only a few short years.
In addition to sports, gay and bisexual residents explored other communitybuilding elements -- those that were for the gay community, by the gay community – and
the most important of these was the annual Pride Parade, first held in 1988. Gay Pride
parades are, in general, controversial elements of community building. Some argue that
the very act of gathering together in large numbers and parading through the streets of
your neighborhood is a quintessential coming-out and queer-affirming experience.
Others point out that the stereotypical behavior exhibited by some participants, whether
67
Ibid.
306
�marching or not, only makes every other day of the year that much more difficult. That
was certainly the position held by those who feared exposing their homosexuality to
friends and family. Other, more openly gay members of the Oklahoma City subculture
felt much the same way, too:
They (activists) were all feeling very, ”we have gone up on the mountain side and
seen Jerusalem.” Here’s my age showing. It wasn’t a bad idea, it just wasn’t a
good idea---no real purpose to be served. Parades do not raise consciousnesses.
Having the “faggot” live next door and realizing he’s a human being, that raises
consciousnesses, people coming out helps, etc. With a parade you get “Dykes on
Trikes” and “Fags in Drag,” and it perpetuates every fucking stereotype that ever
existed. But that’s my age talking---the younger ones thought it was the bees
knees. They think that it has accomplished some good, because some straight
families show up with their kids. 68
Oklahoma City’s first Gay Pride march occurred in 1988, and it went off with few
problems. For several years, gay and bisexual residents marked the national Gay Pride
Week celebrations by sponsoring a prominent speaker or having a block party along
Northwest 39th Street. At first the community reaction was rather negative. Bill Rogers
remembered renting a restaurant in Quail Creek to celebrate Pride Week in the late 1970s
and having to carry a gun to the celebration because people made threats.69 By 1988, a
more tolerant atmosphere, in which gay and bisexual men could publicly proclaim and
celebrate their sexuality, existed in Oklahoma City. That year, Andy Southam, Paul
Thompson, Bill Rogers and others organized the first Gay Pride March under the theme
“Rightfully Proud in ’88.” The parade started at Memorial Park, on Northwest 36th
Street, and proceeded along 39th Street to the Oasis Community Center where the annual
Pride block party occurred. Bill Rogers’s pull with the National Gay and Lesbian Task
68
Ralph Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005.
69
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
307
�Force was in evidence, as the organization’s executive director, Jeff Levi, flew to
Oklahoma City and served as the event’s keynote speaker. Local talent was on display,
as several bars entered floats, prominent drag queens performed, and an honor guard
from the OGRA marched. Making a highly emotional appearance were community
members suffering from AIDS, who served as honorary grand marshals. On that
beautiful June day, between 500 and 700 people showed up to show their support for the
marchers. The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department and the Police
Department offered “complete cooperation” according to organizers. However, a few
local residents voiced their displeasure with the parade. KATT radio DJ Rick Walker
urged people to “mow down some queers” as the parade passed along 39th Street. The
Ku Klux Klan planned a violent demonstration, hoping to scare marchers away.
According to participants, when the throng of over five hundred supporters crested the
hill on 39th Street just east of Pennsylvania, the KKK members ran to their vehicles and
drove away. In fact, none of the participants were subjected to violence. The only
protest came from a determined though peaceful group from Windsor Hills Baptist
Church led by Jim Vineyard, its pastor. Otherwise, Oklahoma City’s first gay pride
parade went off as planned.70
Given that Oklahoma is perceived as an intensely religious state, it should come
as no surprise that religion played an important role in the lives of many queer Oklahoma
City residents. Although denunciations from the pulpit made many feel uncomfortable
or ashamed of their sexuality, a number of churches and ministers in Oklahoma City
70
Gayly Oklahoman, April 1989, 9; “Proud Gays to Parade,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/16/1988, 4; “400 on Hand for Gay March,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/20/1988; Harry
Livesay, “First Oklahoma Gay Pride Parade A Success,” Gayly Oklahoman (July 1988),
5; Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
308
�welcomed gays and lesbians with open arms. In fact, local churches provided gay and
bisexual men with support and guidance through some of the darkest days in Oklahoma
City.
One of the first gay-friendly churches in Oklahoma City was Christ the King
Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), which opened its doors in 1971. Located on
Northwest 12th Street, MCC offered its worshipers commitment ceremonies, communion,
and regular services at a time when these things were forbidden to homosexuals in
mainline denominations. Worship leader Linda Laster believed her church filled a huge
void in the hearts of gays and lesbians. “Just because someone is homosexual doesn’t
mean that they don’t have God in their lives. Gays have been told for so long that they’re
unacceptable that they’ve begun to buy into it.” 71
The Mayflower United Congregational Church of Christ was another religious
institution that accepted homosexuals. Robin Meyers, a life-long Oklahoma City
resident and Biblical scholar, has been pastor at Mayflower since 1985. The Mayflower
was affiliated with the United Church of Christ, a denomination known to be on the
cutting edge of religious change – they had both the first female minister and first black
minister ever ordained in a Protestant denomination. The Mayflower was also selfgoverning, a fact that made adapting church doctrine to local issues easier, and the church
commits almost fifty percent of its operating budget to charity work. In 1998, the
Mayflower congregation adopted an inclusivity statement that made the church one of the
most welcoming of gays and lesbians in Oklahoma. The vote was unanimous. As a
result of that inclusivity, many gay and lesbian Oklahoma City residents call the
71
“Some Seek God’s Love,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/3/1983, 21.
309
�Mayflower their spiritual home. Many committed gay couples participate at services,
sing in the choir, and bring their unique talents to bear on the congregation. Meyers
cherishes their involvement, and notes that he has a nice mix of gay, straight, bisexual,
and transgendered worshipers.72
The Church of the Open Arms was another Oklahoma City church that embraced
the gay and lesbian community, so much so that it became almost completely identified
as a gay church. Kathy McCallie was a Methodist minister in the 1990s when she
became disenchanted with her church leadership and its stand on homosexuality. Robin
Meyers encouraged her to join the United Church of Christ, which she did, and started
the Church of Open Arms. Located at 3131 North Pennsylvania, the Church of the Open
Arms quickly became a gay institution, something that both helps and hinders it. By
having such an open attitude regarding homosexuality, it naturally brought large numbers
of gay and lesbian residents into its flock. In the long run, however, this cultural
balkanization encourages separatism, according to Robin Meyers, as mainline
denominations feel no need to accept gays and lesbians, and since queer residents have
their own churches, homosexuals feel no need to seek membership in the mainline
churches.73
By the dawn of the 1990s, Oklahoma City’s gay and bisexual male subculture had
firmly established its right to exist and publicly celebrated a sense of diversity and
community. Annual Pride Week festivities, where gay Oklahoma City residents
unabashedly proclaimed their sexuality, punctuated the virtual monopoly on
72
Robin Meyers, telephone interview by author, 11/5/2004.
73
Ibid.
310
�entertainment and business locations that gays and lesbians enjoyed along 39th Street
between Pennsylvania and May Avenue. The judicial system in Oklahoma had been
very good to gay causes by and large, largely due to the bold way in which prominent and
plebian men fought such challenges as the Helm Bill and the Angles controversy. Rank
and file community members -- those who found new and more emboldened ways to
express their sexuality -- also played a huge role in this transformation. Downtown
Oklahoma City ceased to offer the plethora of sexual and social situations that had been
available since the 1940s largely because the physical space changed via urban renewal,
and authorities took a much more strident interest in policing queer social and sexual
habits. In response to these challenges, gay and bisexual men moved elsewhere, carving
out spaces for communal expression, both social and sexual, that perplexed authorities
and served as a valuable example of determination for those still too reticent to be out.
Oklahoma City did not have a Stonewall Rebellion as such, but it did have several
Stonewall moments that built incrementally on the successes of activists since the 1970s.
The most important of these was the Angles incident. Here a group of queer residents,
each for their own reasons, decided that a line had been drawn. No longer would
indiscriminant and petty harassment -- to say nothing of overt violence -- be taken in
stride. The Angles incident established a central zone of queer space in Oklahoma City,
a place with bars and a community center free from an overt police presence. Since
those heady days in the early 1980s, the soul of the Oklahoma City gay male subculture
has resided there.
311
�Chapter IX
AIDS in Oklahoma City
In late 1980, a number of young gay men, presumably in good health, started
coming down with two rare ailments – a devastating form of pneumonia, and an
extremely rare skin cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma, usually found in older people of
Mediterranean descent. The cases were very unusual, fatal, and were geographically
scattered to the farthest reaches of the United States, from New York City to Los Angeles
and San Francisco. Doctors quickly realized that some kind of new immuno-deficiency
disease was at work, and it seemed to target gay and bisexual men at first. Over the next
three years, the caseloads in these metropolitan areas seemed to skyrocket, and people
died at an alarming rate. After much research the Centers for Disease Control and other
dedicated scientists finally let the world know that Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome, or AIDS, was the culprit. Without a cure, and without a reliable test,
scientists feared that the disease would spread like wildfire through gay and bisexual
communities first, but that it was only a matter of time before all Americans -- regardless
of their sexual preference -- would face the specter of AIDS. Their fears were well
founded, and the level of ignorance, homophobia, and general fear made AIDS a political
firestorm. Politicians, doctors, and religious figures all offered a variety of ways to
combat the disease -- strengthening and enforcing sodomy laws, starting gay
312
�concentration camps, testing immigrants for the virus -- all of which at some level
targeted gay men and called into question just how far the gay liberation movement had
traveled. Despite the rapid rise of heterosexual AIDS cases by 1986, gay and bisexual
men, through their supposedly hedonistic lifestyle, received blame for the disease. Their
world, and their lives, would never be the same.1
AIDS blazed through the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male community much
like it did in other, larger cities throughout the United States, although not as early, and it
engendered the same fears, prejudice, and homophobia. Much like on the national level,
however, the health crisis led to unparalleled activism by the community at large.
Building upon the recent successes of the Oklahomans for Human Rights and the Angles
lawsuit against Oklahoma City, AIDS caused people from all walks of life – and classes –
to unite in an effort to support those stricken with the disease. Gay and bisexual men
became more circumspect in their sexual behavior. Socialization patterns changed,
promiscuity declined, and gay and bisexual men made taking care of AIDS their
problem. They realized rather quickly that they would not receive much help from
anybody else.
Gay and bisexual male residents in Oklahoma City followed the AIDS crisis in
larger metropolitan areas since 1981 when some of the first cases of a mysterious cancer
affecting gay men were reported in New York and California. Despite some concerns,
many in the gay community felt safe in Oklahoma City, in part because gay and bisexual
men enjoyed a high degree of freedom in the 1970s and 1980s. A number of bars and
1
John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in
America (New York: Harper and Row, 1988), 354-360.
313
�well-known public gathering places were available for a sexual hookup, and unless their
behavior was too outrageous, authorities usually left them alone. Business at the “RAC”
was booming, and it was not unheard of for young gay and bisexual men to have
anonymous sex, with multiple partners, on a daily basis. Even after AIDS first gained
national attention, queer Oklahoma City residents paid very little attention to it, reasoning
that this was a “San Francisco disease.”2 Community leader Bill Rogers remembers his
own early attempts to educate Oklahomans about AIDS and how even gay members of
the medical community could be rather obtuse about the issue:
I first heard about AIDS when I was on the board of directors of the National Gay
Task Force and we met in New York. In 1981 or 1982 I went to a board meeting
there and Bruce (Voeller) and all of the others were talking about it. Bruce was a
biochemist or something, a very scientific type. I came home and had Roger
McFarland as a guest, who founded Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York, and I
hosted a dinner party with some local gay doctors so that Roger could alert them
to what was coming and what to do about it. They all pooh-poohed it, saying
‘that’s not coming here, not to Oklahoma.’3
Soon, that optimism gave way to the harsh reality that AIDS does not respect any
boundary, be it racial, sexual, or geographic. The Oklahoma State Health Department
(OSHD) acknowledged that AIDS struck in Oklahoma in April 1983, when the first
positive case was reported. By June, OSHD documented four cases of the disease in
Oklahoma, and of those, one patient already had died. All of those infected were from
either Oklahoma City or Tulsa, and perhaps in an effort to allay fears of Oklahoma
residents, OSHD stated that two of the men became infected in cities outside of
2
Victor Gorin, telephone conversation with author, 8/11/2005.
3
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
314
�Oklahoma. By the end of 1983, at least three people died from AIDS, and the health
department logged seven new diagnoses.4
The reaction from the straight community was somewhat predictable, and it was
not unlike the reactions expressed all over the United States. Before people knew that
AIDS was a blood-bourne illness, one that could strike anybody, the disease became
almost universally identified with gay and bisexual men. As fear gripped Oklahomans,
regular articles appeared in the Daily Oklahoman that detailed the latest news and scope
of spread of AIDS.5 Editorials appeared in the Daily Oklahoman from the Washington
news bureau that blamed gay men for the spread of the disease. “The sexual revolution
has begun to devour its children.” The proof, according to the editorial, included the
“fact” that the mortality rate for AIDS was highest among gay activists. No statistical
information was included to back up these claims.6 Local editorials discussed the
efficacy of increased federal funds for studying the disease, especially since many other
“pressing public health priorities” -- diseases usually found in heterosexual populations,
like herpes – were on the rise. Besides, the “obvious” need for gay men to curtail their
sexual license and be more responsible would eradicate the disease anyway:
4
“First State Aids Death Is Reported,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/13/1983, 1; “Three New
Cases of AIDS Reported to Oklahoma Department of Health,” Daily Oklahoman,
11/4/1983, 9.
5
“Male Homosexuals Discouraged From Donating Blood,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/3/1983,
1, 27; “Other Troubles Tend to Pale at the Threat of AIDS,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/2/1983,
34; “AIDS Victims Wasting Away; No Medical Help in Sight,” Daily Oklahoman,
1/13/1984, 1.
6
“Awful AIDS IS Nature’s Retribution,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/26/1983, 10.
315
�Homosexuals confronted with the reality of acquired immune deficiency
syndrome have every reason to be scared. The heterosexual counterpart – herpes
– is an annoying malady, but certainly not life-threatening…Homosexual men
caught up in the AIDS crisis do need compassion, understanding and the best
medical attention. But it does seem reasonable that, at the same time, they must
take a closer look at their own sexual lifestyles. They simply must be less
promiscuous and show considerably more restraint and self-control. There are
far more pressing health priorities deserving of federal attention than AIDS,
among them a renewed incidence of curable venereal disease and an alarming
recurrence of several preventable childhood diseases.7
Other stories highlighted the fear that many Oklahomans felt regarding AIDS –
and heightened homophobia as well -- and their appearance on the front page of
Oklahoma’s largest newspaper brought residents the specter of the disease almost daily.
Shortly after the news broke that AIDS entered Oklahoma, a story appeared in the Daily
Oklahoman that detailed how city officials in Tulsa drained and disinfected a city pool at
the request of concerned citizens after OHR, an organization by then perceived to be
almost exclusively a homosexual lobby, had held a private party there. As early as
January of 1983, before even the first case of AIDS was confirmed in Oklahoma, the
Oklahoma Blood Institute publicly asked gay men to stop donating blood, under any
circumstances. OBI director Ron Gilcher planned to speak with local gay groups to
encourage their participation in the ban, something that proved difficult to sell since gay
Oklahoma City residents were some of the most loyal blood donors. Later, when the
Oklahoma Blood Institute destroyed over 120 pints of blood after twenty-one of them
tested positive for AIDS antibodies, no mention was made of the fact that a new test
existed which could help in detection, which would have prevented tainted blood from
7
“Remedy for AIDS Available,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/8/1983, 4.
316
�being given to another patient. Although the intent of the story was likely to show
readers that OBI worked diligently to protect Oklahoma’s blood supply, it also played to
fears that AIDS-tainted blood streamed through Oklahoma’s blood supply.8 Other
articles focused on the misery and despondency that gay men with AIDS felt, how
difficult it was to receive treatment and find housing, and the community ostracism that
came with admitting one had AIDS.9
Virtually anything found in print regarding AIDS in Oklahoma identified the
disease exclusively with homosexuals. Although understandable during the early 1980s
when facts about the disease and its transmission were lacking, this had a chilling effect
on gay and bisexual men in Oklahoma City. Some Oklahoma City residents noticed a
profound shift in attitudes regarding how other residents treated them. At first, straight
people were worried and wanted to know how the disease spread. After news stories and
the government labeled it a “gay thing” in many people’s minds, their focus shifted:
“their attitude quickly became like ‘fuck you, queer.’” 10 The gay and bisexual
community reacted to AIDS in a variety of ways. Those who were overly promiscuous
continued to be so, racking up conquest totals and engaging in decidedly high-risk
8
“Tulsa Pool Drained Because of AIDS Fears,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/20/1983, 1; “120
Pints of Blood Destroyed After AIDS Test,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/7/1985, 1.
9
“’You Want the News? I’m Dying and That’s the News,” Daily Oklahoman,
10/27/1985, 15.
10
“Male Homosexuals Discouraged From Donating Blood Because of Risks,” Daily
Oklahoman, 1/3/1983, 1, 27; “Gay Community Will Cooperate, Activist Thinks,” Daily
Oklahoman, 1/3/1983, 2; Victor Gorin, telephone conversation, 10/13/2005; Interviews
with Bill Rogers, Ralph Prevette, Keith Smith, Joe, Gil Ray, Arnold Lee, and Jim
McMurray; Quote taken from interview with Manny, 7/14/2005, Oklahoma City.
317
�behaviors, reasoning that they were already infected or likely to become infected very
soon. Others chose celibacy, with varying degrees of success, and retreated back deep
into the closet to avoid painful questions from friends and coworkers fearful of AIDS.
The majority of gay and bisexual Oklahoma City residents altered their sexual behavior
in order to reduce their chances of becoming infected. One prominent Oklahoma City
lawyer told the Daily Oklahoman that “I’ve been overly promiscuous all my adult life,
but the emergence of AIDS has curtailed my activity tremendously. The plague killed
fewer people than AIDS is going to kill.”11 Particularly hard-hit was the drag queen set,
those courageous and outrageous members of the community who served both as sources
of emulation and revulsion for gay and bisexual residents. Long-time Oklahoma City
impersonator Terressa Terrell remembers that she, unlike some of the queens, chose to be
more circumspect when the crisis hit. “That is probably why I am alive and 99.9% of all
true RoadHouse girls are dead of AIDS. I am very alone without my girlfriends.”12 The
sheer number of anonymous sexual encounters declined, and places that promoted such
practices – like the Renaissance Athletic Club – went out of business. The publicity
surrounding high-profile deaths like Rock Hudson encouraged many at-risk people to get
tested. Others sought social and psychological help in an effort to alter their lifestyles or
11
“Other Troubles Tend to Pale at the Threat of AIDS,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/2/1983, 34;
“Ignorance, Apathy Boosting Spread of AIDS in Oklahoma,” Daily Oklahoman,
6/18/1989, 8.
12
Terressa Terrell, email interview by author, 4/16/2005. Arnold Lee and Terressa both
spoke of the toll AIDS took on RoadHouse regulars.
318
�come to terms with their sexuality, thereby raising their self-esteem and making them less
susceptible to risk-laden behaviors.13
Because AIDS was viewed almost unilaterally as a gay plague, combating the
disease in Oklahoma City was a fight waged primarily by the gay community, a
community that traditionally failed to heed the call on macro issues affecting LGBT
Americans. As previous chapters indicated, it took many years before the gay and
bisexual world in Oklahoma City fought discrimination in a coordinated manner, and it
remained unlikely to rise up and respond unless challenged specifically by such things as
homophobic police officers or county attorneys. Many gay and bisexual men seemed
content to socialize privately at home or in the popular gay bars, of which there were an
impressive number for a town the size of Oklahoma City. AIDS remained a terrifying
unknown in the early 1980s; many, from activists to medical professionals to rank-andfile citizens, did not know how to react or mobilize what limited resources were
available. There was no reason, given its history, to assume that the Oklahoma City gay
and bisexual male world would respond with a great deal of organization.
At first this was absolutely the case, as the story of one Oklahoma AIDS victim
illustrates. Local gay political activist and lobbyist Keith Smith wrote a poignant, heartwrenching story about the ninth victim of AIDS in Oklahoma, known simply as “#9.” A
native Oklahoman, #9 moved to West Hollywood when he was only seventeen. He was
not a typical young gay man in West Hollywood in the late 1970s, before AIDS: he was
13
The Renaissance Athletic Club closed for good in 1986; “AIDS Victims Wasting
Away; No Medical Help in Sight,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/13/1985, 1; “AIDS Strikes, Kills
– All Vulnerable,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/27/1985, 1; Keith Smith, interview by author,
7/20/2005; Victor Gorin, telephone conversation with author, 8/11/2005; Joseph Kirk,
interview by author, 1/12/2005.
319
�monogamous and in a long-term, committed relationship. In the early 1980s, his lover
committed suicide, possibly after learning that he had contracted AIDS, and #9 continued
to live and work in California until he, too, discovered he had AIDS. Soon, he was
unable to find a place to live, his friends turned their backs on him, and he returned to
Oklahoma and lived with his judgmental parents. A local non-emergency transport
service refused to shuttle #9 back and forth to the hospital until medical officials
explained exactly how AIDS was transmitted. Given the pervasive fear of the unknown
regarding AIDS, it was unfortunate but not surprising that technicians wore hazardous
material suits and used a telephone to turn pages on #9’s chart to avoid contact with him,
and they completely sterilized their van after each trip. After a stint in Oklahoma
Memorial Hospital, #9’s parents were unable and unwilling to care for him any longer.
Nursing homes refused to take him in. Out of fifty nursing facilities that health officials
contacted, only one agreed to care for him, and the home’s administrator suffered
mightily for that decision when the parent company’s quality control advisor forced them
to implement a number of outlandish and ridiculous safety precautions. #9 died in late
1983, the ninth victim of AIDS in Oklahoma. Keith Smith chastised his fellow
Oklahoma City gay and bisexual residents, most of whom ignored the plight of people
like #9. “I know you will be shocked by the insensitivity of referring to a human being
as a number but let’s be consistent, we treated him with insensitivity when he was still
alive so why fall all over ourselves now? The only thing is (to) make sure it never
happens again.”14
14
“Meet #9,” Gayly Oklahoman (January 1984).
320
�Many gay and bisexual men who read Keith Smith’s article, whether they agreed
with his politics or not, were shocked at how they treated one of their own, and the seed
for change had been planted.15 In fact, AIDS ignited the Oklahoma City gay and
bisexual world to push for change, expand minds, and care for the sick. As Bill Rogers
related, “I think the AIDS crisis helped the political movement (here) more than it hurt.
People were forced out of the closet by the lesions on their face. They started having
meetings, support meetings, and you found out people were gay that you didn’t know
were gay. I think we were energized by the AIDS crisis.”16 One of the first
organizations to step up and meet the AIDS crisis head on was the Oasis Community
Center. Through its publication, Our Time, and its evolutionary endpoint the Gayly
Oklahoman, the Center made AIDS education and resource allocation high priorities.
Many of the volunteers who started and nourished the Center and the Gayly through those
very difficult first years also volunteered at the Oklahoma Blood Institute, manning the
phones at its hotline established shortly after officials reported the first AIDS death in
Oklahoma City.17
The AIDS Support Program also sprang from the Center. Founded in 1985, the
Support Group was a loosely organized cadre of volunteers who raised money to help
defray health care costs and provide emotional and psychological counseling for those
15
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005. Smith noted that “a lot” of gay and
bisexual people he met at fund-raisers, political rallies, and support meetings mentioned
his article and how it motivated them to get involved with AIDS amelioration.
16
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
17
“AIDS Clinics, Hotline Open To Help Gay Community,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/6/1983,
8.
321
�stricken with AIDS. It was the first group that dedicated itself to ameliorating the effects
of AIDS, and it was successful despite obstacles imposed upon it by the straight
community. Bill Rogers remembers that “The Oklahoma AIDS Support Group leased
offices in a building near Grand and NW 63rd and there was a restaurant next to it.
Although they had a long-term lease, the restaurant owner insisted they vacate the
premises, and they did. He was scared that they would run his customers off.”18
The Support Group forged a productive and powerful cooperative relationship
with Oklahoma City gay bar owners, something that was truly groundbreaking.
Historically, gay bar owners in Oklahoma City did not cultivate or appreciate political
agitation from patrons. In their view, just being able to socialize at an openly gay bar
was a major advance from the days when bars were nonexistent or pretended to be
straight.19 With an enemy like AIDS, that kind of detachment could no longer be
sustained. Leading the way were Don Hill and Scott Wilson, the owners of Angles and
the Park, and living legend Gil Ray, former owner of Saddle Tramps and proprietor of the
Hi-Lo. Angles regularly held AIDS fundraisers, and they raised a lot of money just from
the bar alone. Hill and Wilson donated most of the proceeds raised to the Winds House,
Oklahoma City’s first and only shelter for AIDS patients. They both also helped
sponsor, in conjunction with local car dealer Jackie Cooper, the Red Tie Night party, an
evening of glamorous socialization between wealthy Oklahoma City residents and
prominent members of the gay community that usually ended with large checks being
18
“OKC AIDS Support Group Formed,” Gayly Oklahoman (September 1985), 3; Bill
Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
19
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005; Gil Ray, interview by author, 4/20/2005;
Lance, interview by author, 1/11/2005; Arnold Lee, interview by author, 2/11/2005.
322
�written to local AIDS charities. Angles, Sisters, Tramps, and other bars along Glitter
Alley unite annually to throw the 39th Street Block Party for the gay community, and all
money raised goes to Winds. The Hi-Lo held their annual Turn-About Show, usually in
September, and all proceeds go to the Oklahoma City AidsWalk, an annual event that
started in 1992 in memory of local activist Ken Taylor.20
Other community groups used their events as a springboard for fundraising and
education about AIDS as well. The Oklahoma Gay Rodeo raised over $10,000 at their
annual event in Oklahoma City in 1986, a phenomenal amount given that this
organization was still in its infancy.21 The money raised by these annual events helped
AIDS sufferers and HIV-positive Oklahoma City residents to receive a wide range of
assistance: food, health care, medicine, and housing. In fact, much of the money raised
went to alleviate the most pressing need for those already diagnosed with AIDS, health
care, as well as prevention.
It was in the arena of education and prevention that a number of sympathetic
Oklahomans – many of whom were straight – joined the fight. Former schoolteacher
Vickie White, a freshman Democratic representative from Norman, proposed HB 1476
on the floor of the House on February 25th, 1987, in her zest to educate young
Oklahomans about the dangers of AIDS. It was a simple amendment that placed AIDS
education on the list of required subjects taught in Oklahoma schools. The bill, by
design, was somewhat flexible in that it left curriculum development to the State
20
“Angles Celebrates Twenty Years,” Gayly Oklahoman, 8/15/2002, 7; Gil Ray,
interview by author, 4/20/2005; “Walk to Benefit AIDS Programs,” Daily Oklahoman,
10/30/1992, 131.
21
“Rodeo to Help AIDS Victims,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/19/1986, 39.
323
�Department of Education and implementation to local school boards. Jeff Hamilton, also
a freshman Democratic representative from Midwest City, stumped with White to see
that the bill passed. Hamilton’s son convinced him that not addressing the issue, given
the grave threat that AIDS posed in Oklahoma, would be “irresponsible.” With its
passage later that summer, Oklahoma became the first state in the nation to require such
education for students.22
HB 1476 seemed broad enough to appease conservatives who prized home rule,
and specific enough to appease those seeking to educate Oklahoma students about all
aspects of AIDS, so White and Hamilton hoped the bill would sail through the capitol.
Their initial optimism quickly gave way to the reality, and enormity, of what passing a
bill like that would require. Not only did they have to craft the bill, work tirelessly to
drum up support, but they had to educate many lawmakers about AIDS, as in many cases
they were under-informed about essential facts associated with the disease. The debate
over HB 1476 was intense. White, Hamilton, and other supporters introduced statistics
issued by the OSHD that showed AIDS treatment would cost Oklahoma taxpayers over
$50 million annually by 1991, and that forty percent of those with AIDS were indigent.
Moreover, teenagers would be the next highest high-risk group soon, so it made sense to
educate them now, and heterosexuals would soon see a twenty-fold increase in HIV
transmission statistics if trends did not subside through education. Republicans in both
houses argued that the bill amounted to mandatory sex education, something they
believed was a parental responsibility, and it would essentially teach and encourage
22
House Panel Votes to Require Education on AIDS,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/12/1987, 1;
“AIDS Bill Passes after ‘Safe Sex’ Talk,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/18/1987, 1.
324
�adolescents to engage in sex. Worse yet, the bill would require discussion of
homosexuality and homosexual practices in public schools, something they adamantly
opposed, and might be viewed as condoning an immoral lifestyle. “My simple statement
is that AIDS education teaches kids how to have sex and not not to have sex,” stated
Representative Jim Reese, a Republican from Deer Creek. Anti-abortion activist Ruth
McFarlane testified that AIDS education would not stop the spread of AIDS, just as sex
education in Oklahoma had not prevented STD spread or unplanned pregnancies. “We
must teach our children that chastity is to be desired.” In an obvious attempt to sink the
bill, at one point during the debate Representative Mike Morris, a Republican from
Ripley, introduced sections from a pamphlet entitled “Safe Sex Guidelines” he received
from an anti-abortion group that detailed explicit sexual practices, and he tried to goad
Vickie White into reading passages aloud. The pamphlet, created by a San Francisco
group, was obviously intended for adults, and would never be presented to students in
Oklahoma schools in such a frank and demeaning way, according to White. House
leaders sanctioned Morris and suggested that he apologize for his profane display. After
much debate and arm-twisting, the measure passed the House 55-42, and it went to the
senate one week later.23
When HB 1476 came to the senate, the freshman representatives received help
from two unlikely sources — long-time state senator Gene Stipe and Republican
Governor Henry Bellmon. Stipe believed it was cost effective to prevent the disease
rather than treat it, and Governor Bellmon stated rather emphatically that he supported
AIDS education and prevention measures. HB 1467 quickly went to a joint committee,
23
Ibid.
325
�where Stipe brokered a compromise. The compromise version of HB 1467 emphasized
abstinence over all else. It stated that students must be told that AIDS is most easily
contracted through intravenous drug use, promiscuous sexual activity, and contact with
contaminated blood. In addition, the bill required that the curriculum hammer home the
idea that sexual activity of any kind – even with condoms – with somebody that is HIVpositive puts people into a high-risk category for contracting HIV. Students would
receive the educational materials once between the seventh and ninth grades, and once
between the tenth and twelfth grades, and parents had the right to examine course
materials and to prevent their children from participating in the program if they wished.
Local school districts were given a great deal of leeway in implementing the
curriculum.24
White’s struggle left her battered but optimistic that she had achieved some
positive headway in the fight against AIDS. A colleague noted that “She got six years
experience with that one bill,” and White acknowledged that her naiveté probably helped.
Despite the changes to her bill, White was glad that it passed, and noted that education
was paramount until the discovery of a vaccine for AIDS. Governor Henry Bellmon
signed the bill, on April 25, 1987, and all schools in Oklahoma began to teach an AIDS
curriculum the following school year.25 Like most controversial bills, however, the
24
“Senate Panel OKs AIDS Education Bill,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/7/1987, 1; “AIDS
Education Required in Schools,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/25/1987, 12
25
“AIDS Measure Proponent Feels Scars of Battle,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/26/1987, 1, 2.
The author remembers being a senior in an Oklahoma high school in 1988 and receiving
the first AIDS/HIV informational workshop offered at that school as a result of HB 1467.
Taught by an assistant football coach, in a sex-segregated room, the curriculum featured
326
�AIDS education act did not translate into immediate action, nor was it universally
applied. The state legislature failed to fund the program annually, and the Oklahoma
Department of Education rarely monitored the program with any diligence. As a result,
AIDS education still, in 2005, is “fragmented, lacking, and unmonitored” according to
one activist.26
Although education was a huge priority, the gay community branched out into
other, more immediate needs in regard to AIDS support. The Winds House was the
brainchild of the AIDS Support Program, who oversaw operations and secured funding
for the shelter. It started in 1986 as a place where those afflicted with AIDS might
receive compassionate care, companionship, and support through various medical crises,
as well as those final, difficult days. Located in the heart of the historic Gatewood
district near downtown Oklahoma City, the two-story, 3000 square-foot Winds House
served as many as eight residents at a time. Live-ins paid approximately $350 a month
to offset utility costs, but most residents were on disability and could not afford the entire
amount. ASP and the LGBT community sponsored fundraisers to offset costs and allow
people to stay at Winds who could not afford it. In addition to companionship,
transportation, and help with basic living needs, the Winds offered large Sunday meals
for residents and their families, as well as weekly support meetings. The need was
crucial, as Oklahoma City, to say nothing of Oklahoma, had neither intermediate care for
those hoping to return to their homes nor intensive support for end-stage AIDS patients.
important, honest assessments of risk-laden behaviors, transmission methods, and current
treatment options.
26
Kay Holladay, email interview by author, 10/31/2005.
327
�It was close to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the flagship location
in AIDS treatment at that juncture. Ken Miller, who ran the Winds for ASP, noted
“people who come to homes like ours often have no place else to go. Family members
often kick them out---because telling your family you have AIDS is probably also telling
your family for the first time that you’re homosexual.” Miller and his volunteer staff
stressed that although most residents succumbed at Winds in the beginning, “This is not a
death house. The environment is very much a place to live.”27
While Winds House met the immediate needs of those afflicted with AIDS in
Oklahoma City, another organization, R.A.I.N. -- Regional AIDS Interfaith Network -approached AIDS care in a more all-encompassing way. R.A.I.N. started in 1990, and
its mission was to alleviate discrimination and promote compassion for those with AIDS
in faith communities all over Oklahoma. It targeted faith-based organizations, private
schools and colleges, and professional groups for education about AIDS. It was a
volunteer-based group, staffed by members of the gay and lesbian community, and was
administered statewide, something that was unheard of in AIDS amelioration attempts
before 1990. R.A.I.N. was unusual in that it relied completely on private funding,
something that was both terrifying and exhilarating to organizers – they were not at the
mercy of federal or state requirements regarding how they could spend the money, but if
they did not raise it, programs went unfunded. Over time, R.A.I.N. offered a remarkable
range of services, considering how it was funded. Case management services, which
made prescription drugs and a wide range of medical facilities available, complemented
27
“AIDS Sufferer Discovers Haven at City Shelter,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/9/1987, 1.
328
�the other programs that provided housing assistance, nutritional assessments, and HIV
testing and education. Funding issues remained acute, and R.A.I.N. almost folded in
2002 due to a dearth of donations. Emergency private and corporate sponsorship kept
R.A.I.N. going, however, and the programs continue to the present day.28
One compelling reason that AIDS received little financial assistance from state
sources in Oklahoma was simply that it took longer for enough cases to be diagnosed in
Oklahoma to warrant a response in the minds of some people. Statistics from the OSDH
show that the number of AIDS and HIV diagnoses did not crest in Oklahoma until the
early 1990s. In fact, 1991-1997 represented the peak years of total diagnoses in
Oklahoma – and deaths from HIV/AIDS did not crest until 1993-1995 -- so it is no
coincidence that many of the most fully funded programs started after 1990. Nationally,
over 300,000 people died of AIDS between 1981 and 1998. In Oklahoma, as late as
September 30, 2005, only 7034 cases of HIV and AIDS have been diagnosed in the entire
state, with some 2742 deaths, a significant number to be sure, but not the kind of
representation that would encourage a conservative Oklahoma legislature to fund AIDS
and HIV-related programs with any regularity.29
28
Michael Harmon, email interview by author, 11/3/2005; Jean Ann Van Krevelen, email
interview by author, 10/31/2005. In January of 2005, R.A.I.N. merged with CarePoint to
offer the widest range of services for those suffering from HIV/AIDS to date.
29
Oklahoma Statewide Epidemiologic Profile for HIV Prevention Community Planning,
Oklahoma State Department of Health (Oklahoma City, 2005), 8, 16, 25, 30; Same
source, supporting documents, Table 1: Oklahoma Reported HIV and AIDS Summary
Statistics, Cumulative as of 9/30/2005; The national statistics are taken from Stephen M.
Engel, The Unfinished Revolution: Social Movement Theory and the Gay and Lesbian
Movement (United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2001), 47.
329
�Into that void stepped the federal government, which provided sorely needed
funds that the medical community in Oklahoma City used to treat AIDS and educate
health care providers and the general public. One of the most substantial federal
programs ever developed to deal with AIDS was the Ryan White CARE (Comprehensive
AIDS Resources Emergency) Act, which passed in 1990. Named after the gentle young
hemophiliac who captured America’s heart during his struggle with AIDS, this legislation
poured hundreds of millions of dollars into organizations that treated all aspects of HIV
and AIDS. In fact, funding for RWCA was the largest single budgetary outlay from the
Health Resources and Services Administration of the federal government. The RWCA
was controversial, however. Many saw it as a well-deserved reward for activists who
had spent years agitating for homosexual rights and on behalf of AIDS, and it provided
sustained funding for many organizations all over the United States. Others lamented
the federal restrictions that came with RWCA funds, as well as the separatism it
promoted. For years, activists worked to make AIDS and its treatment part of the larger
mainstream medical establishment. RWCA and the continual fight to keep it funded did
just the opposite – keeping AIDS as a cottage industry, marked by being the only diseasespecific program that the federal government funded. Also, RWCA represented only
18% of what the federal government spent on AIDS research and treatment in total by
1998, with the majority of services being funded by Medicaid and Medicare. As a result,
RWCA supporters constantly feared losing their funding in political dramas following
congressional elections.30
30
John-Manuel Andriote, “The Ryan White Care Act: An Impressive, Dubious
Accomplishment,” in Creating Change: Sexuality, Public Policy, and Civil Rights, ed.
330
�RWCA funds proved to be a godsend for Oklahomans, however, by spawning
new agencies and fully funding those most capable of offering amelioration. OK-CARE,
an acronym for Oklahoma Center for AIDS Resources and Education, started in 1990
after the RWCA funds were released. That grant made funds available to the University
of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, under the College of Medicine, where Jennifer
Nelson oversaw a program designed to educate physicians, dentists, and other health care
providers about the nuances of AIDS and HIV transmission, and the psychological and
social implications of the disease. “In the early days of HIV disease in Oklahoma, there
were many health professionals who would refuse health care and treatment to persons
infected with the virus that causes AIDS. Ignorance was abundant about the disease and
its transmission,” related Kay Holladay, an AIDS advocate and long-time volunteer in the
community who currently directs the Surveillance and Care Directory division of the
HIV/STD service at the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Michael Harmon, chief
of the HIV/STD service, noted that
Homophobia in Oklahoma City did increase because of the AIDS epidemic.
There were physicians, dentists, nurses and other clinicians who refused to treat
individuals with AIDS because of fear. Some AIDS patients who were
hospitalized reported that some nurses would cross to the other side of the hall as
they passed their rooms, and that when entering their room, would gown up, cover
their hands with latex gloves and put masks on.31
John D’Emilio (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000): 407-410. Andriote touches on the
controversial aspects of the RWCA, showing that it undermines many of the larger goals
that gay rights activists pursue, but it provides necessary funding for all manner of AIDS
programs all over the United States.
31
Michael Harmon, email interview by author, 11/3/2005.
331
�OK-CARE was the first source available to health care providers in Oklahoma, but it was
woefully under-staffed and under-funded. In fact, for some time OK-CARE consisted of
exactly one educator, one administrator, and one secretary to serve the entire state of
Oklahoma, something that limited its effectiveness.32
While OK-CARE focused on advocacy and educating the medical community,
CarePoint was one of the first organizations started to alleviate the misery of those
directly affected by HIV and AIDS. Started in 1993 by Michael Harmon, CarePoint was
also a nonprofit organization that offered services to Oklahomans living with HIV and
AIDS in fifty-four of Oklahoma’s seventy-seven counties. CarePoint’s first president
was Kay Holladay, one of the founders of OK-CARE who had some experience dealing
with AIDS advocacy issues in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, private sources of funding
were lacking, and the most common source of local nonprofit funds -- the United Way -refused to help CarePoint. Undaunted, Harmon took advantage of a grant from RWCA
to fund CarePoint, whose mission was to provide health care and support for those
afflicted with AIDS, as well as education and prevention for the community at large.
CarePoint placed special emphasis on maintaining the independence of those suffering
with AIDS. The need for CarePoint was acute, and the federal government apparently
realized this. The program skyrocketed during its first three years in operation---from an
annual budget of $90,000 and one full-time employee to a $1.2 million annual budget and
twenty full-time employees. Harmon and his staff were thrilled with the expansion, but
it brought its own share of headaches. “The biggest obstacle in the beginning was the
rapid growth of government funding which created new programs and added additional
32
Kay Holladay, email interview by author, 10/31/2005.
332
�staff at a rate that was difficult to manage. Funds emerged for new program areas, such
as employment assistance and case management. This required hiring specific skill sets
and resulted in immediate training and space needs.” CarePoint adapted quickly,
however, and eventually received funding from a variety of state resources, such as the
Oklahoma State Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Oklahoma Housing and
Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and even the City
of Oklahoma City. CarePoint was a valuable and successful program, if one uses its
longevity and the wide range of services it offered as criteria. It remained in force until
January of 2005 when it merged with R.A.I.N. to become RAINOK, Regional AIDS
Intercommunity Network of Oklahoma, a move that Harmon believed would make
raising money for services much easier.33
While educating the general public and working to end discrimination were
laudable goals, long-term home health care and hospice services were an urgent need for
many suffering from AIDS in Oklahoma City, and yet it took some time before any were
available on a regular basis. Home Care Options, then the second largest home care
operation in Oklahoma, opened in 1992, almost nine years after the OSDH recorded an
AIDS case in Oklahoma. With forty-five employees, HCO brought skilled nursing and a
wide range of physical and occupational therapies to the doorsteps of those afflicted with
any number of conditions, twenty-four-hours a day. It was the dearth of such services
available for HIV patients that persuaded two of its founders, Deborah Graumann and
Grant Bell, to bring that care to AIDS patients. Although HCO was not devoted solely
33
Michael Harmon, email interview by author, 11/3/2005.
333
�to HIV and AIDS care, they were the only home health provider willing to care for those
afflicted with the disease in 1992. In fact, one HIV-positive client received weekly
breathing treatments from HCO, and that patient lived in Hugo, Oklahoma, a three-hour
drive from Oklahoma City. An HCO technician made that trip every week, for one
billable treatment hour, and passed at least three other home health facilities and a
hospital along the way that could administer the medicine to him but refused. Given that
level of ignorance and outright homophobia, providing these services to AIDS victims
was a courageous decision for the young business, as they risked being blackballed by
doctors who refused to refer patients. Much of the care HCO provided to AIDS patients
was given free of charge, something made possible by profits generated from the sheer
volume of HCO business. It was, like so many other sacrifices made by gay men on
behalf of other gay men, a labor of love.34
Specialized health care finally came to Oklahoma City when Northwinds, the first
long-term care facility in Oklahoma for AIDS patients, opened in May of 1994, the
product of much soul-searching and hard work by Judy and Tom Crane. The Cranes
purchased a decaying nursing home located on Portland Avenue, on April 1, 1994,
determined to help AIDS and HIV sufferers. “People were terrified” of AIDS even then,
“for most of them, we are all they’ve got.” Crane watched her mother receive good,
compassionate care during her unsuccessful battle with cancer, yet she saw HIV and
AIDS patients receive terribly poor care in the very same facilities. “I didn’t like that at
all!” The initial days were 20-hours-long, as the OSDH gave the pair only one month to
34
“Home Health Care Expands for HIV/AIDS Patients,” Gayly Oklahoman, 5/15/1994,
7.
334
�correct deficiencies left over from the previous owners’ inspections or else they would
lose their license. The fact that no regulations for nursing facilities devoted to AIDS
care existed in 1994 also complicated matters, as Northwinds literally helped write the
book on such matters as they went along.35
All of the hard work paid off, as the first patient moved in on May 1, 1994.
Although Northwinds welcomed non-HIV-positive patients, almost all of the residents at
the twenty-nine-bed facility were HIV-positive. At first, Northwinds focused on endstage health care, but with newer treatments and drug cocktails, their goal shifted to help
restore health, so people could return home if they wished. Residents received excellent
care and corollary support – everything from nutritional advice and social services to
transportation -- and the facilities included a small chapel, exercise equipment, and
common space for gatherings and family visits
When end-of-life care became
necessary, they provided that as well. Northwinds is still one of the only total-care
facilities in the southwest, and they care for patients from Louisiana, Kansas, Texas, and
even as far away as Hawaii. All of them state that nothing quite like Northwinds exists
in their home state.36
Sadly, even by 1994 when Northwinds opened, Oklahomans remained painfully
uninformed about AIDS and how the disease spread. One of the first patients Crane
welcomed at Northwinds transferred from a nursing home in eastern Oklahoma County.
“Fred” had never known what the touch of another caregiver felt like. At his previous
35
Judy Crane, telephone interview by author, 8/10/2005; “First Oklahoma AIDS Nursing
Home Opens in OKC,” Gayly Oklahoman, 5/15/1994, 7.
36
Ibid.
335
�facilities, nursing assistants brought his medicine to him on a disposable tray, and they
trashed all of his drinking and eating utensils after he used them. Fred was surprised that
Crane touched him, and that they allowed him to paint his room any color he wished. He
chose green, something he had dreamed about since he was a child. He thoroughly
enjoyed his new home until the disease forced him into the hospital one last time. Fred
told his mother he could die then, however, because he finally got to live in his green
room. “That makes it all worthwhile,” Crane related. 37
While the need for a facility like Northwinds was acute, Judy Crane found to her
surprise how difficult it was to get started, as well as gain trust from members of the gay
community. Of great concern to many AIDS activists and health care professionals was
the fact that Northwinds was not a non-profit organization. The Cranes owned several
nursing facilities in Oklahoma City, having been in the nursing field for over fifteen
years, and Northwinds was neither their largest nor the most likely to be profitable. “I
assumed we wouldn’t make a profit anyway, but that non-profit issue was a big
stumbling block for some,” Crane recalled. Some Oklahoma AIDS activists were also
troubled because Crane was straight, and married. Apparently, with few exceptions,
AIDS in 1995 was still a self-help proposition according to gay and bisexual residents of
Oklahoma City. Colleagues and friends asked her point blank, ‘Why are you helping
them? Do you have AIDS?’ “It was just sad,” remembers Crane.38 Despite the rocky
beginnings, though, Northwinds eventually won over any doubters with the quality of
37
Judy Crane, telephone interview by author, 8/10/2005.
38
Ibid.
336
�care that residents received and the compassion that the Cranes exhibited for all who
walked through their doors.
By 2000, residents in Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City, managed AIDS rather well.
Years of leg work by dedicated health professionals and gay activists had created an
environment where HIV-positive and AIDS-stricken residents could find access to health
care, education, housing, employment, and a variety of other services, all designed to
make their lives as full and productive as possible. Ignorance, homophobia, and
discrimination continue of course, and probably always will. The political establishment
in the state of Oklahoma let down residents with HIV and AIDS, from the beginning.
Politicians refused to make money available, for either prevention or health care, until
federal money started to flow with such programs as RWCA. They argued about
nuances of sex education and how providing money for AIDS would appear to condone
homosexuality instead of concentrating on keeping the disease under wraps. This forced
the gay and bisexual community in Oklahoma City to take much of the responsibility for
AIDS amelioration on its shoulders, and they rose to the occasion. In most respects,
AIDS was a gay disease in Oklahoma well into the 1990s, and the numbers bear that out.
Drawing on the tradition of grass-roots activism provided by OHR, and emboldened by
the courage shown by community members during the Angles controversy, gay and
bisexual Oklahoma City residents took it upon themselves to organize, raise money, alter
their sexual habits, and reach out to their brothers and sisters in need. They did so as
well as any other gay and lesbian subculture in the United States, albeit with a lowerprofile. They had no choice.
337
�Chapter X
Epilogue: The Dickensian Gay and Bisexual Male
World in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
By the dawn of the millennium, the Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male world
had made impressive strides. Northwest 39th Street provided gay residents with a
number of gay bars in which they could safely socialize, and Glitter Alley was almost
devoid of a police presence. A string of political victories – starting with the Helm Bill
and continuing on through the Angles controversy -- gave gay and bisexual men the
confidence to pursue their civil rights. The reaction of the LGBT community to AIDS,
which was self-help by necessity, seemed to unite the community as never before. The
Oklahoma City gay and bisexual community was at its zenith by 2000.
That tradition of success extended into 2001, when a controversy erupted
following the Cimarron Alliance Foundation’s attempt to hang banners on utility poles in
Oklahoma City promoting gay history month celebrations. Cimarron Alliance
Foundation was a non-profit lobbying and education group that in 1997 formed out of an
earlier political action committee called the Cimarron Alliance. Cimarron Alliance
Foundation increasingly found itself on the cutting edge of numerous gay and lesbian
political issues in Oklahoma City, and this issue would be no exception. Oklahoma City
had allowed groups to hang banners on over one thousand utility pole brackets since
338
�1989, when celebrations of the Oklahoma Land Run centennial and the Oklahoma
Olympic Festival occurred, as a way to keep people informed of events. Bill Rogers was
a key member of Cimarron and he helped design the banners, which were tasteful yet
powerful. They included a representation of a torch, burning with the colors of the gay
rainbow, surrounded by Cimarron’s central message, “Education, Enlightenment,
Equality.” The Cimarron Foundation chose to hang their banners on forty-four of the
poles located along Classen Boulevard, a heavily traveled street in Oklahoma City, and
they applied for and received all necessary permits. City employees hung the banners
and all seemed well until Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys ordered the banners
removed. His reason was simply that he did not think they were appropriate. “They
(homosexuals) have a right to behave that way if they want to – although some aspects of
it are illegal quite frankly. I find it offensive that we won’t put up a religious message,
but we will put up an irreligious message.” The Daily Oklahoman agreed with
Humphreys, deriding Cimarron as a “bullying political group,” and compared the matter
to a “similar” situation in Mississippi involving the Ku Klux Klan’s attempt to be part of
their state’s adopt-a-highway program. “At least the Klan wasn’t pushing a political
agenda on the sign,” noted the editorial. Lawyers for Cimarron contacted the city and
threatened to sue over the matter, and Humphreys agreed to reinstall their banners while
city leaders searched for a solution.1
Kirk Humphreys, like a number of politicians in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma
County, was a devout Christian man who openly expressed his religious convictions.
The successful Republican businessman made no secret of his distaste for homosexuality,
1
“Mayor Urging Change in City Banner Policy,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/11/2001, 1, 6a;
“Bully Pulpit: Banners No Place for ‘Gay’ Agenda,” Daily Oklahoman, 7/13/2001, 8.
339
�and he ran for Mayor of Oklahoma City on the rather popular though ill-defined notion of
‘family values.’ On the other side of the issue was Bill Rogers, the long-time political
activist and attorney who was involved with the Cimarron banners from the beginning.
Rogers saw this as a key test as to how far the Oklahoma City LGBT community had
traveled politically over the last twenty years, and he felt confident that the Cimarron
banners would annoy some people, but he was unprepared for the reaction from
Humphreys.
Well…we knew we would get a reaction. We didn’t know they would take them
down, but we knew they would be controversial. He (Humphreys) said he got a
lot of calls, but I think he would have done it (removed them) anyway. He’s a
conservative, Christian fundamentalist that talks to God, and God talks back. I
had a meeting with him. He was very cordial, he has a very winning personality,
and after about 35 minutes he told me “not no but hell no” (Bill’s paraphrase), and
that if we sued him, so what!2
Over the next two months, Humphreys, city manger Jim Couch, and other likeminded city council members labored to find a way to block Cimarron’s banners for
good. In August of 2001, the city council adopted by a 6-3 vote a new ordinance that
denied permits for any banners that contained a political, religious, or social advocacy
message. The ban on commercial advertising also remained in effect. Only those
messages that “promote or celebrate the city, its civic institutions, or public activities or
events” would be allowed.3 Legal experts and even some members of the city council
warned that the ordinance would likely never withstand a constitutional test.
Councilwomen Amy Brooks, Willa Johnson, and Ann Simank wondered who would
2
3
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
Quote from policy taken from “Council Examines Policy on Banner, Bench Messages,”
Daily Oklahoman, 8/15/2001, 4;
340
�evaluate the merits of a banner application, and how those standards could ever be
applied in any uniform way. Apparently, Mayor Humphreys did not care. “We do get
sued by people all the time.” In Humphreys’ view, the banners pushed a homosexual
agenda or message that was social in nature and thus should be prohibited. It was a
battle that the Daily Oklahoman found worthwhile. “A group that already considers
itself persecuted will no doubt cast itself as the targeted victim of the policy change. The
real victims, though, could be a city that is one day forced by this group to fly no
banners.”4 Although by most accounts this was a doomed position to take – to deny a
significant portion of Oklahoma City residents their 1st Amendment rights -- Humphreys
and company pursued it anyway.5
So with the help of the ACLU, the Cimarron Alliance Foundation sued Oklahoma
City in December of 2001, after another gay organization – Peace House – tried to get a
permit under the new ordinance to hang gay pride banners. Attorneys Michael Salem
and Mark Henricksen filed the suit, and they argued simply that the city ordinance was
arbitrary, malicious, and a clear violation of free speech rights. Chief Federal Judge for
the Western District in Oklahoma Robin Cauthron agreed and declared unconstitutional
the “social advocacy” restrictions Oklahoma City officials placed on the banners.
4
“Ex-Councilman Assails City Banner Proposal,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/25/2001, 442;
“City adopts New Laws on Banners,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/29/2001, 1. The Daily
Oklahoman buried former city councilman Eric Groves’s prophetic warning that the
ordinance would fail on page 442 of the newspaper. Groves represented the owners of
Angles and several residents in lawsuits against Oklahoma City for police brutality in
1983.
5
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2005. Rogers, as a successful veteran in
litigation against Oklahoma anti-gay measures, would be a formidable opponent in any
kind of anti-discrimination lawsuit. In his conversation with Humphrey, Rogers strongly
suggested that this case was not winnable, but the mayor refused to acquiesce. The
resulting legal wrangling cost Oklahoma City over $1,000,000.
341
�Cauthron noted that “the ordinance allows a subjective determination by the official as to
what banner qualifies as a ‘political, religious or social advocacy message’…and may be
enforced only against those who express unpopular opinions and may thus be used as a
device for censorship.” After Cauthron’s ruling, a settlement was reached between
Oklahoma City and Cimarron that required city officials to cease enforcing the ordinance,
gave Cimarron the unfettered right to hang banners again in the upcoming 2003 Pride
Week celebrations in June 2003, and prohibited city authorities from amending the policy
until the following January. A disappointed Mayor Humphreys announced that he and
city manager Jim Crouch would enforce the ruling, although they vowed to explore other
options. The city council accepted the settlement 8-1, the lone holdout being Brent
Rinehart.6
There were other national issues affecting LGBT Americans decided between
2003 and 2005 that should have been close to any Oklahoma City gay or bisexual man’s
heart. In 2003, the U. S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision, Lawrence
v. Texas. This case overturned the court’s 1986 decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, which
reaffirmed the right of states to enact anti-sodomy laws for consenting adults, and had
been used in some states to prohibit sexual relationships only between homosexuals. At
that juncture, Oklahoma was one of only thirteen states with active anti-sodomy laws in
place, and only one of four that precluded gay sodomy only. Oklahoma’s law had been
on the books since 1890 and remained substantially unchanged until 1986, when an
6
“City Ban on Banners Overturned,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/17/2002, 1; “Mayor to Enforce
Ruling Allowing Gay and Lesbian Parade Banners,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/18/2002, 10;
“Xx,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/9/2002, 1; “Council to Let OG&E Decide Banner Issue,”
Daily Oklahoman, 2/5/2003, 1. Eventually, the city council decided to dump the whole
banner problem on the owner of the utility poles, Oklahoma Gas and Electric. They
were not thrilled with the new administrative responsibilities.
342
�Oklahoma appeals court lifted the ban on heterosexual sodomy. Granted, prosecutions
rarely if ever happened under the archaic law, but the fact that the law still existed, and
applied only to homosexuals, served as a symbolic statement of how Oklahomans so
casually ascribed second-class citizenship to gays and lesbians. 7 Local long-time activist
Keith Smith referred to the Lawrence decision as a “monumental ruling…It’s a great day
to be an American, but an even greater day to be a gay American.”8 Yet, the reaction
from the gay community in Oklahoma City was somewhat reserved. Although a
powerful, if obscure, impediment to GLBT equality had finally been struck down, the
average queer man in Oklahoma City failed to be energized by the Lawrence decision.
“It didn’t affect me much. Gay people had sex before Lawrence, and they continue to
have it after. It was important I guess, but it didn’t change my life one bit,” remarked
Manny, a forty-year resident of Oklahoma City.9
The string of successes – at both the state and national levels -- that the gay and
bisexual male world in Oklahoma City enjoyed was about to end, however, and it started
in early 2004. HB 1821 was up for consideration by the state legislature, a bill that
originally clarified how Oklahoma registered foreign adoptions. An amendment was
added by senate Republican leader James Williamson from Tulsa that stated Oklahoma
would not recognize legal adoptions by homosexuals in other states, or by those
attempting to adopt Oklahoma children. Apparently, courts in Massachusetts and
7
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
8
“Sodomy Statute Rejected,” Daily Oklahoman, 6/27/2003, 1; George Chauncey, “’What
Gay Studies Taught the Court: The Historians Amicus Brief in Lawrence v. Texas.” Gay
and Lesbian Quarterly 10, no.3 (2004).
9
Manny, interview by author, Oklahoma City, 7/14/2005; Ralph Prevette, interview by
author, 2/19/2005; Joseph Kirk, email interview by author, 1/12/2005.
343
�Washington asked the Oklahoma State Health Department (OSHD) to alter the names on
two state-issued birth certificates for children adopted by gay male couples. Oklahoma
Attorney General Drew Edmondson issued an opinion saying that although Oklahoma
prohibited gays from adopting, state law mandated that the OSHD recognize legal
adoptions in other states, regardless of whether the parents were same-sex or not. This
elicited a firestorm at the state capitol, as three freshman congressmen promised to clarify
the law and prevent any more altered birth certificates for gay adoptions. Williamson
authored the amendment, although those initially pushing the issue included
Representative Thad Balkman, a Republican from Norman, Representative Lance Cargill,
a Republican from Harrah, and Senator Glenn Coffee, a Republican from Oklahoma City.
“I strongly believe, and I think the vast majority of Oklahomans believe, that children
should not be adopted by gay parents, and we don’t want to recognize an adoption
formed by two people of the same sex,” Williamson argued. Central to the debate was
the issue of whether both parents’ names would be added to a child’s birth certificate,
even if the parents were of the same sex. HB 1821 would mandate that only one parent’s
name would be listed on any birth certificate issued by Oklahoma if the out-of-state
adoption was by a gay couple. The bill sailed through both houses of congress, and
Governor Brad Henry signed the bill on May 3rd. It effectively ended any hope that gay
and lesbian Oklahomans could legally adopt children together and have completely equal
parental rights.10
10
“Gay Issues: AG Gives Opinion,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/20/2004, 1; “Senate Passes
Measure Concerning Adoptions,” Daily Oklahoman, 4/13/2004, 6; “State Bill Reaffirms
Stance on Adoption by Gays,” Daily Oklahoman, 5/1/2004, 7; “Adoption Ban among 17
Bills Signed,” Daily Oklahoman, May 4, 2004, 3.
344
�Oklahomans also tackled the explosive political issue of gay marriage, again as an
outgrowth of national debates following events in Vermont and Massachusetts. Gay and
lesbian issues played a large role in the 2004 political elections, with Democrats and
Republicans taking sides on sensitive issues like gay marriage, adoption, and domestic
partnership rights. President George W. Bush faced pressure not only from Log Cabin
Republicans and other moderates in his party to assume a more inclusive stance on issues
like gay marriage, but he was clearly at odds with his running mate, Richard Cheney,
over gay marriage and partner benefits. The President also received criticism from
conservative Republicans who demanded that a more forceful denunciation of “antifamily” issues relating to homosexuality be made. The issue was a powerful one that
motivated local conservatives all over the United States to push for state constitutional
amendments to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Eleven states had
such amendments on their November 2004 ballot. Oklahoma was one of them.11
The initiative to ban same-sex marriages in or their recognition by Oklahoma was
introduced in the legislature by state senate Republican leader James Williamson of Tulsa
and Republican state representative Thad Balkman of Norman, Oklahoma, both of whom
sponsored the ban on Oklahoma adoptions several months earlier. Williamson, an
evangelical Christian, argued that “I don’t like that behavior. If they want to live their
life quietly, in the privacy of their homes, that’s freedom in America. But when you
want to force the rest of us to accept a new definition of marriage, we’re not going to
11
“Both Sides Plot Strategy,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/12/2004, 9a. The other states besides
Oklahoma were Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Utah, and Oregon.
All of the measures passed.
345
�stand for that.”12 Thad Balkman, a Republican state representative from Norman and a
committed supporter of anything anti-queer, echoed that statement: “It’s pretty much a
cut-and-dried, black-and-white issue.”13
The response from the gay and bisexual community in Oklahoma City was
surprisingly tepid. Many seemed to believe that passage of SQ 711 was virtually
guaranteed, and the cost of a protracted political fight to educate Oklahomans about the
full impact of the bill would be tremendous. “I was surprised it even made it on the
ballot,” recalled Keith Smith, who has made a career of seeing legislation killed that was
harmful to gays in Oklahoma.14 A court challenge was seen as the last, best hope to keep
the issue off of the ballot and out of the Oklahoma constitution. Long-time activist Bill
Rogers played a prominent role in the case, but only after another high-profile attorney
backed out, largely due to the politics surrounding the amendment.
When this marriage thing came up…somebody else suggested Jimmie Goodman,
president of Crowe and Dunleavy, the largest law firm in the state, and they have
a lot more clout than I do. People pay attention when Crowe and Dunlevy speak,
whether you like it or not, including judges. Jimmie’s firm was divided on
whether or not he ought to do it and he got a lot of heat. Finally, he backed out--nobody’s mad about it of course---and it came back to me. I told them I would
do it only if Mark Henrickson would do it with me.15
On August 27, 2004, the ACLU filed a lawsuit in state court on behalf of twelve
residents seeking to prevent State Question 711 from being placed on the November
ballot. Their legal arguments were simple, but compelling. The United States Supreme
12
“Gays Face Decision to Stay or Leave,” Daily Oklahoman, 12/20/2004, page 7a.
13
“Both Sides Plot Strategy,”Daily Oklahoman, 8/12/2004, 9a.
14
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005.
15
Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
346
�Court held in Loving v. Virginia that marriage is a fundamental right guaranteed to all
Americans. That case dealt with interracial marriage, but the ruling did not specify
marriage only between people of the opposite sex, rather it said all Americans are entitled
to the benefit of marriage. The legal argument also relied on Roemer v. Evans, which
had identified gays as a protected group, as well as portions of the 14th Amendment. Bill
Rogers believed that the question also violated the 1st Amendment rights of freedom of
religion and the establishment clause. “It criminalizes a preacher who performs samesex marriage. Now, if Robin Meyers chooses to perform same-sex marriages in his
community church or Kathy McCalley in hers, this law deprives them of that right. It is
the state stepping into church activity and I think that is an argument that would even
appeal to a Baptist, one that had any sense at all!” Even more obvious to them, the
question violated a fundamental principle in how state questions could be presented to
voters in Oklahoma by addressing more than one issue in the petition. The lawsuit
argued that SQ 711 would not only outlaw same-sex marriage but would also outlaw
domestic partnerships and civil unions and common-law marriages between
heterosexuals. “The voter is not given a clear choice – people who would vote against
marriage but for civil unions are not going to know (how to express that).”16
Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson issued an opinion that said the
plaintiffs had failed to show that SQ 711 was unconstitutional, as written, and
amendment sponsors Thad Balkman and James Williamson argued that this was a
“desperate attempt” to avoid a vote on an issue that gays knew they would lose.
16
“Attorneys Argue Impact of Same-Sex Ballot Issue,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/9/2004,
10a; “Gay Activists Put Hopes in Court Intervention,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/17/2004,
11a; Bill Rogers, interview by author, 9/18/2004.
347
�Editorials in the Daily Oklahoman echoed that sentiment, and they took aim at an old foe
– the ACLU – for the “hypocrisy of a group that has long claimed the high ground when
it comes to protecting constitutional rights. The pre-emptive strike against State Question
711 is a slap at direct democracy, an attempt to circumvent the right of the people to vote
on the major issues of our time…it will likely pass by one of the largest margins of any
state question in history.”17
Gay activist Terry Gatewood, one of the founders of Cimarron Alliance, attacked
SQ 711 on the possible long-range negative impact it could have on luring new
businesses to Oklahoma. “The majority of large and many mid-sized corporations
already offer domestic partnership benefits…We can no longer afford to continue our
state’s reputation of ignorance and intolerance. It’s counterproductive to have our
chamber of commerce touting Oklahoma City as a diverse and tolerant work
environment, then vote for discrimination to be legalized in our constitution.” The
average gay resident in Oklahoma City did not get involved in the legal aspects of the
challenge, but felt that SQ 711 was silly and pointless anyway, since Oklahoma law
already prohibited gay marriage. One resident, who had been committed to his life
partner for over twenty-eight years, said it best. “The fact is that gay people do not want
anything extra. We want just the regular stuff -- I can go see Jimmy in the hospital. He
17
“Marriage Lawsuit Hearing Today,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/8/2004, 6a; “Advocacy
Overload: ACLU Seems at Odds with Itself,” Daily Oklahoman, 8/27/2004, 12a;
“Jumping the Gun: SQ 711 Challenge Based on Fear,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/13/2004, 8a.
348
�can inherit the house if I drop dead – those types of regular things that most people are
accustomed to having.”18
The Oklahoma State Supreme Court heard arguments on September 9 th, and in a
surprising development, the justices voted 7-0 to refuse jurisdiction in the case. Justice
Yvonne Kauger noted that a post-November challenge might provide the court with
jurisdiction, but that the plaintiffs filed their petition too late to reasonably expect an
injunction, as absentee ballots had already been printed and mailed out to voters. Justice
Marian Opala argued that plaintiffs failed to identify “even a single fatal state or federal
flaw” in SQ 711.19 Supporters were very pleased, as most polls indicated that
Oklahomans overwhelmingly would support the measure, so their battle was effectively
done. They also had powerful blocks of supporters, such as the Baptist General
Convention of Oklahoma, which numbered some 775,000 members, whose ministers
frequently spoke about the issue at church throughout the campaign season.20
Gay rights activists, gay residents, and sympathetic straight residents in Oklahoma
City vowed to fight on, and they did so in creative ways. An advertisement, paid for by
Cimarron Equality Oklahoma, appeared in the Daily Oklahoman starting on October 24th
that featured Vice-President Richard Cheney saying “People should be free to enter into
any kind of relationship they want to enter into,” to which supporters chortled “Thank
you, Mr.Vice-President. We couldn’t have said it better.” Cheney made headlines in the
weeks leading up to the November 2004 presidential election by breaking with
18
Terry Gatewood, “Legalizing Discrimination.” Daily Oklahoman (10/27/2004), 17a;
“Gay Activists Put Hopes in Court Intervention,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/17/2004, 11a.
19
“Same-Sex Ban Stays on Ballot,” Daily Oklahoman, 9/24/2004, 1a.
20
“Gay Activists Put Hopes in Court Intervention,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/17/2004, 11a.
349
�conservatives and President Bush in support of his daughter, Mary Cheney, who is a
lesbian.21 The Oklahoma Freedom and Equality Coalition gathered a group of clergy
members sympathetic to gay and lesbian causes to fight the issue in their churches. They
included ministers from Anglican, Lutheran, Quaker, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Methodist,
and United Church of Christ denominations, and they framed their struggle in terms of
the great Biblical upset, David over Goliath.22
In the end, the issue was never truly in doubt, as Oklahomans overwhelmingly
approved SQ 711 with support totals topping 75%, and Oklahoma joined ten other states
in banning gay marriage. Only Mississippi’s amendment passed by a greater margin
than Oklahoma’s. It was an expected but painful blow to many gay residents in
Oklahoma. Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights president Mark Bonney said, “We
couldn’t get married before, so it didn’t create any larger legal hurdle, but it’s got to hurt,
when you know that three out of four of your neighbors don’t want you around. It was a
statement of hate.” That statement of hate hurt gay and bisexual men, and some
considered leaving Oklahoma over it, but an even larger number decided to file lawsuits,
raise money for gay causes, and continue fighting for the everyday fight for acceptance.23
In a very odd turn of events, only six weeks after Oklahomans voted to ban gay
marriage, a new anti-bias employment policy made its way through channels in
Oklahoma County, one that made Oklahoma County government one of the most
progressive in the nation in regard to gay employment rights. The Oklahoma County
21
Daily Oklahoman, 10/24/2004, 12a.
22
“Group Fights Marriage Amendment,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/22/2004, 15a.
23
“Gays Face Decision to Stay or Leave,” Daily Oklahoman, 12/20/2004, 7a.
350
�Budget Board, a group of eight elected county officials, approved a new antidiscrimination policy on December 15, 2004, just over a month after Oklahomans
resoundingly passed SQ 711. The Board of County Commissioners approved it the
following day, and both votes were unanimous. The policy added sexual orientation,
medical problems, and political beliefs under the broad rubric of personal and
professional characteristics that were protected from discrimination in hiring practices for
Oklahoma County employees. It was a stunning achievement, as neither state nor
federal law prohibited discrimination in the workplace for gays and lesbians. The shift
came in response to several lawsuits filed against Oklahoma County charging workplace
discrimination and wrongful termination, all of which had cost Oklahoma County
taxpayers over $1 million since 1998 alone.24
The authors of the change, Oklahoma County district one Commissioner Jim Roth
and director of human resources Dan Matthews, believed that the change represented
excellent fiscal policy and, “it’s the right thing to do.” Matthews welcomed the change,
because he knew that Oklahoma County could be a leader in Oklahoma, and the nation,
on reevaluating discrimination in the workplace. “Through some training I had been to
on employment law, I recognized our policy was probably not as thorough as it needed to
be…I think we also wanted to send a statement to applicants and employees that as an
organization we don’t tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any level.”25
24
“Civil Rights Activists Hail Move,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/6/2005, 6a. The Oklahoma
County Budget Board formed in response to the widespread county commissioner
scandal that rocked Oklahoma in the 1980s. Its purpose was to provide checks and
balances on county commissioner boards, which wield incredible power in counties all
over Oklahoma. For a thorough discussion of the scandal, see Harry Holloway, Bad
Times for Good ‘Ol Boys: The Oklahoma County Commissioner Scandal (Norman:
University of Oklahoma Press, 1993).
351
�Roth was in his zenith as county commissioner. The first openly gay public official ever
elected in Oklahoma County, Roth defeated incumbent Beverly Hodges in a rough
campaign during which Hodge’s supporters reminded voters of Roth’s homosexuality
time and again. To their credit, and the massive grassroots effort that gay and lesbian
campaign workers put out to get Roth elected, a majority of district one residents looked
past the smears and voted for him. Young, smart, energetic, and committed to making
Oklahoma County government accessible and functional, Roth immediately sought to
streamline district one. He cut excess staff, realigned funding priorities, and tried to
eliminate waste whenever possible.
As a result of the changes he instituted, Roth made as many enemies as he did
friends, and drew the ire of those who opposed his lifestyle as much as they opposed his
political beliefs. Less than one day after the story announcing the anti-discrimination
policy ran in the Daily Oklahoman, newly-elected district two Commissioner Brent
Rinehart came out and publicly attacked Roth, the anti-bias policy, and firmly stated his
wish to reverse it. Rinehart was a member of the Oklahoma City Council during the
banner controversy, and he was the only member to vote against accepting the settlement
that allowed Cimarron to fly their banners. An evangelical Southern Baptist, one who
viewed public office as a “gift from God,” Rinehart won his post during the previous
November election, but his term did not begin until January 2005, almost a month after
officials cast the unanimous vote in favor of the anti-bias policy. Rinehart vowed to ask
state legislators to “take appropriate action…(to prevent) future attacks upon our
traditional family values.” Fervently anti-homosexual, he believed that the policy
25
“Civil Rights Activists Hail Move,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/6/2005, 6a.
352
�“legitimizes and endorses something that doesn’t necessarily agree with traditional
values.”26
On January 12, district three Commissioner Stan Inman, one of those who voted
in favor of the anti-bias policy less than a month earlier, sided with Rinehart and asked
that personnel director Dan Matthews create a new employment discrimination policy,
one that did not include sexual orientation under the umbrella of protected elements.
Inman stated that he had not read Matthews’ recommendation regarding the change in
employment policy in December 2004, but assumed that Matthews knew the law and
would bring Oklahoma County’s policy in line with current trends. Roth dissented, of
course, and vehemently replied that “I think it’s bad business for Oklahoma County to
suggest it will tolerate any form of workplace discrimination. They want to be vague and
hide their intention, but the reality is that they are asking for permission to discriminate at
taxpayer risk.” The 2-1 vote placed the issue back before the Oklahoma County Budget
Board for approval, which was made up of the three commissioners, and the five other
elected county officials, including the Oklahoma county clerk, and county treasurer. At
that point, the Board voted 4-4 to keep the policy, but that settled matters for only a short
time.27
The Daily Oklahoman publicized the conflict between Roth and Inman, and took
advantage of the political maelstrom that had brewed at the highest levels of Oklahoma
County government for some time to conflate the nondiscrimination policy with other,
26
“Xx,” Daily Oklahoman, 10/9/2002, 1; “Rinehart Seeks Policy Reversal,” Daily
Oklahoman, 1/7/2005, 7a.
27
“Workplace Bias Policy Change Requested,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/13/2005, 1.
353
�more nefarious events over the previous year. Oklahoma County Clerk Carolynn Caudill
had been under fire for using her staff and computers in her office to look at personnel
files and other sensitive documents that belonged to other county officials without
authorization. Caudill claimed it was incidental and part of a security sweep her office
conducted, but it looked bad. There were also conflicts between Caudill and other
county officials involving their right to freely peruse her records and budget issues, and
the atmosphere surrounding Oklahoma County government was both contentious and
political. An editorial that ran the day after Rinehart requested a reversal of the antidiscrimination policy called Roth and Caudill’s actions a “breach of trust“and intimated
that Roth had pushed the policy through “under the radar,” without consulting Rinehart or
publicizing it for public debate. “Most county residents would probably oppose the
discrimination policy because it treats ‘sexual orientation’ as the equivalent of race and
skin color. We doubt that most citizens are convinced this is true.”28
The events that followed played to this political turmoil and things quickly
escalated. Before the Oklahoma Board of Commissioners could vote on Rinehart’s
request to amend the anti-discrimination policy, Rinehart and Inman voted 2-1 – once
again with Roth dissenting – to eliminate the budget board effective July 1st and give
control over Oklahoma County’s $53 million budget back to the three-member county
commissioner board. Rinehart and Inman proposed that an excise board made up of
people appointed by the commissioners and the Oklahoma Tax Commission would
oversee the budgets approved by the three commissioners. The announcement stunned
28
“Breach of Trust: County Needs to Shore Up Procedures,” Daily Oklahoman,
1/12/2005, 14a.
354
�board members and the community at-large. County Assessor Leonard Sullivan was
infuriated at what he called a “two-person coup” and chided the commissioners for
rushing to judgment. Sullivan also questioned why the Budget Board, made up of
elected officials already drawing a salary, would need to be replaced by a paid
commission made up of new workers who would draw over $120,000 annually in
salaries. County Treasurer Butch Freeman called it a “rush to power,” and begged
commissioners to put the vote off until county officials and the general public could
weigh in on the issue. Inman countered that members of the Budget Board continually
overstepped their bounds, citing Sheriff John Whetsel’s attempt to take over the
emergency management office, Carolynn Caudill’s attempt to have the computer division
answer directly to her instead of county commissioners, and other members’ refusal to
submit information to the newly-created personnel office. He argued that no board was
better than a corrupt board.29
The Budget Board had been around for years and had been responsible for
administering Oklahoma County fiscal affairs since the county commissioner scandals of
the 1980s.30 By removing the budget board, the Oklahoma County Commissioners had a
huge amount of discretionary power, not only with budget issues, but also on a wide
range of policy decisions, including employment policy. To be fair, the political
problems between Caudill and the other commissioners played a large role in their
decision to quash the board, but Rinehart made his feelings about homosexuals known
29
County Plan to Cut Panel May Cost,” Daily Oklahoman, 1/25/2005, 1;
“Commissioners Vote to Disband County’s Budget Board,” Daily Oklahoman,
1/27/2005, 1.
30
For an in-depth look at the state-wide Oklahoma county commissioner scandal, see
Harry Holloway, Bad Times for Good Ol’ Boys: The Oklahoma County Commissioner
Scandal. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1993).
355
�early and often. It would be naïve to believe that his conflict with Roth over the antidiscrimination policy did not play a part in the decision.
The issue simmered for the next couple of months while commissioners and
county officials jockeyed for position. In March, Commissioner Rinehart asked the
Budget Board, as one of its last major duties, to redefine the sexual orientation in the antibias policy to apply only to heterosexuals. Roth exploded at the meeting: “You need to
stop wasting taxpayer money on political or personal vendettas. To suggest that we need
to define terms in a nondiscrimination policy hearkens back to a time when blacks were
considered three-fifths of an American. I really think this is getting to the point of
absurdity.” Rinehart insisted that he wanted only a clear definition of what “sexual
orientation” meant. However, when assistant district attorney Michelle Day informed
the commissioners that the Federal Office of Personnel Management used a much
broader conceptualization of sexual orientation – one that included bisexuals,
heterosexuals, and homosexuals – Rinehart backed off. “All I want is a definition,” he
told Board members.31 The political machinations surrounding the Budget Board’s
imminent demise kept commissioners busy for the rest of the summer months, and the
Board dissolved without ever changing the policy. The issue moved to the state level
when in March of 2005, Tulsa Republican representative Daniel Sullivan introduced and
passed a bill that did away with any non-discrimination policies adopted in Oklahoma by
local governments that included sexual orientation in their language. Ultimately the bill
31
“Nondiscrimination Policy Change Urged,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/9/2005, 6; “County
Asks to Define ‘Orientation’,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/10/2005, 1.
356
�never became law, but it spoke to the level of homophobia coursing over the Oklahoma
plains in 2005.32
As if the political issues were not enough, much of the Oklahoma City LGBT
community was surprised to learn that a landmark in the community – Angles – was
closing. The controversial and pioneering disco club that helped establish 39th Street as
“Glitter Alley,” Angles closed on a daily basis in October 2005. Owners Scott Wilson
and Don Hill cited a lack of business as the cause, but others pointed to poor management
and stiffer competition from newer nightspots in Bricktown as well as the Copa, which
features female impersonator Rachael Erikks, formerly the star of Angles.33 For several
years Angles had fought to keep its customer base by remodeling the club, booking new
talent and DJs, offering drink specials, and trying to introduce the club to a new
generation of Oklahoma LGBT residents. Ultimately, they failed to recapture their core
audience, and the club is now only open for special occasions and drag pageants.34
Shortly after the Angles announcement, Don Hawkins, owner and editor of The
Gayly Oklahoman, announced that the January 15th edition would be the final issue
32
House Bill Stirs Uproar,” Daily Oklahoman, 3/13/2005, 6a.
33
“Hard News Online Takes Look at Top 10 OKC News Stories for 2005.” Hard News
Online 4, no. 4 (26 January 2006). Bricktown is a euphemism applied to an area
encompassing several streets in downtown Oklahoma City, east of Broadway, that
include Sheridan (formerly Grand Avenue), Reno, and California, where many of the
streets are still paved with bricks. A plethora of bars, entertainment spots, and sporting
events have transformed this formerly desolate area into the premier entertainment
district in Oklahoma.
34
“Floyd’s Newsletter.” 5, no. 32 (19 October 2005). Floyd Martin is a local gay social
celebrity that knows most, if not all, of the important LGBT residents of Oklahoma City.
He publishes a weekly newsletter that includes facts, observances, photographs, and
historical information about the Oklahoma City LGBT subculture. Membership is free
and available by emailing Floyd at ITZFLOYD@aol.com.
357
�published. Despite weathering the death of co-founder Ron Shaffer, a devastating fire at
Hawkin’s home where the Gayly offices were housed, and a number of staff changes over
the years, the paper was to cease production for a very simple and understandable reason:
co-founder and editor Don Hawkins and partner Mick Shirron simply wished to devote
more time to their family. Over the years, The Gayly Oklahoman provided readers with
valuable community information, entertainment news, and celebrations of community
achievements and political victories. Hawkins, Shaffer, and Shirron were important
ambassadors for the Oklahoma City LGBT community through their work at the Gayly,
and its loss would be keenly felt. 35 Fortunately, a refurbished version of the Gayly, as
well as another new publication dedicated to LGBT community issues, are expected to
begin circulation in March 2006.
Although lamentable, the closing of Angles and the publication cessation of The
Gayly Oklahoman suggests that larger shifts in the acceptance of homosexuality in
Oklahoma City have occurred. The growth of clubs in other parts of Oklahoma City,
and the freedom that many younger gay and bisexual men feel to frequent them with
straight friends or even groups of queer friends, suggests that the social climate in
Oklahoma City has changed for the better. The Gayly suffered stiff competition in recent
years from other alternative newspapers, such as the Oklahoma Gazette, and national
publications like the Advocate and online news sources offered a more sophisticated
product according to some. The fact that new publications – Standout and Spectrum
OKC – stepped into the void so quickly after the Gayly folded speaks to the importance
of queer newspapers in Oklahoma City and the resilience of those associated with their
35
Paula Sophia, “The Gayly Goodbye,” Gayly Oklahoman, 1/15/2006.
358
�production.36 In a way, it might be said that the increased tolerance of homosexuality,
by spawning and supporting new sources of information, and the freedom to attend other
clubs – a transition that both Angles and the Gayly Oklahoman helped initiate –
ultimately led to their undoing.
On the other hand, with the stinging political defeats in 2005, Oklahoma City –
and Oklahoma in general -- was becoming one of the most intolerant places for gays and
lesbians to live. Yet the fundamental question that emerges, in light of the previous
century of gay and bisexual presence in Oklahoma City, is “Why?” The historical record
shows that gay and bisexual men developed a nourishing and visible subculture here,
replete with bars, a network of home-based parties, openly gay residents, a variegated
sexual landscape, and eventually an impressive political activism that met key challenges
and homophobia head-on when motivated to do so. Issues like gay marriage, antidiscrimination, adoption, sodomy, police brutality, and domestic partner rights all are
tied, one way or another, to a homosexual’s sense of self. The fact that Oklahoma denies
certain rights and socially-valuable institutions to homosexuals, simply because of their
sexual preference, would seem to inspire activism and determination from most gay and
bisexual men, and women for that matter. Yet the community has not, and has never
been, successful at combating the larger issues of inequality that plague gay and bisexual
men all over the United States. In fairness, the major issues floating around Oklahoma
between 2003-2005 -- gay marriage, gay adoptions, domestic partner issues – were
outgrowths of the national debate on such matters, and the speed with which the
36
“Hard News Online Takes Look at Top 10 OKC News Stories for 2005.” Hard News
Online 4, no. 4 (26 January 2006). The staff at HNO and The Gayly Oklahoman engaged
in more than a friendly rivalry since HNO debuted three years ago, so their perspective
must be viewed with caution.
359
�legislature codified discrimination in Oklahoma prevented a sustained defense from the
gay and bisexual community.37 Yet there seems to be something more at work here.
A number of explanations might suffice, the easiest being that queer inaction
stems from religious intolerance. Oklahoma is perceived as such a religious and
evangelical place to live that the gay and bisexual community’s inaction on these critical
issues is understandable, even expected. Oklahoma politicians use the Bible with
aplomb at election time, now more than ever, warning citizens about the evils of queers
and other sexual degenerates to obscure the fact that they have little political experience
or substance, or that they might even be gay or bisexual. Religious arguments used by
men like Curtis Harris attempted to destroy gay citizens’ resolve, and to force them to
accept second-class status. Yet that kind of religious bigotry has existed in Oklahoma
since its founding, so to say that it crippled gay and bisexual formation, in light of
previous successes, is likely inaccurate.
Another explanation might be the perceived lack of politically active men and
women, a dearth in leadership so to speak, which is often used by national activists when
discussing Oklahoma’s failings. On the surface, that argument seems to fall easily, as
the pioneering efforts by Bill Rogers, Keith Smith, Paul Thompson, and others guided the
Oklahoma City gay community through so many of the key political fights of the 1970s
and 1980s. The fact that they did so with a population that knew little of homophile
organizations or Stonewall is amazing, and Rogers and Smith both had ties to national
37
Keith Smith, interview by author, 7/20/2005. Smith, a long-time political activist and
lobbyist, notes how flabbergasted he was that the issues seemed to literally sail through
the Oklahoma legislature.
360
�organizations that helped establish a current of activism that still courses through the
Oklahoma political landscape.
That strong prolific cadre of activists has become something of a double-edged
sword for the community, however, according to one local LGBT activist. Mark
Timmons noted that he sees the same people at fund raisers, political events, protests, and
in articles and news stories relating to the Oklahoma City LGBT community. Because
of their visibility and hard work, they have “a strong sense of ownership” when it comes
to local issues, and it is well-earned and deserved. Unfortunately, that sense of
ownership is so strong that it chokes off attempts by younger people in the community to
get involved. In fact, it is not unusual for “the old guard (to) cut them off at the knees in
a graceful, southern-charmed backhanded compliment sort of way” whenever new
leaderships tries to step up.38
Of course, the argument might be made that the younger generation is simply not
interested in political activism on the scale that Bill Rogers, Keith Smith, Paul
Thompson, and others have exhibited – out of necessity -- for years. As a generation
that grew up with more LGBT exposure on film, television, newspapers, and the general
public discourse, they simply may not have the driving political force of their
predecessors. For younger Oklahoma City queer residents, those who came of age after
the establishment of 39th street and other aspects of community were in place, they did
not feel the gut-wrenching fear that the purges of the 1950s engendered or men like
Curtis Harris generated. They have little experience -- and little need for -- greater meta-
38
Mark Timmons, “Commentary: The Leaders of Tomorrow?” Hard News Online,
(www.hardnewsonline.com), v. 3, no 6, 12/15/2005.
361
�political activism that it would take to change hearts and minds. Timmons summarizes
the generational gap succinctly: “One cut their teeth on the Stonewall Riots, and the call
to arms of a generation, while the other was plugged into VH1 and ‘Queer as Folk’. One
generation had to fight for the right to simply love who they wanted, while the other
fought over whom to love that week.”39
It should be noted that the vision of the older generation of political stalwarts was
not universally shared by their contemporaries. For gay and bisexual men who remained
closeted for so long and suffered under the reign of Curtis Harris, the Angles controversy
and the freedom provided by that settlement gave them the oasis on 39th street, and that,
for their generation, was rather significant and perhaps “good enough.” As a result,
GLBT, both young and old, pick their battles and do not fight those they know they will
lose. This is often confused with apathy.
Perhaps Paul Thompson said it best: “Unfortunately, our gay community has been
way better about responding to challenges than we have about figuring out where we
want to go. It takes somebody poking us in the eye with a sharp stick.” 40 The Oklahoma
City gay and bisexual male world is a reactionary group, by nature, the product of its
birth and unique history. Primarily, gay and bisexual men at large have been unwilling
to push for change on these issues in Oklahoma, or Oklahoma City, and they remained
disconnected from the national gay rights movement for much of its history. While
activists like Bill Rogers were heavily involved in organizations like the ACLU and the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the average gay and bisexual Oklahoma City
39
Ibid.
40
Paul Thompson, interview by author, 12/22/2004.
362
�resident was not, and did not wish to be involved with them. Rogers noted after the
Cimarron victory concerning the banner controversy that “it cemented Cimarron’s
position in the community and let people know that we are a power to be reckoned with,”
and he was probably correct. However the banner controversy, like most political and
social fights undertaken within the gay community for the gay community in Oklahoma
City, was once again fought by gay rights activists – the same gay rights activists.
Also at work here is a rather perverted “don’t ask, don’t tell” complex in
Oklahoma City, much like the Southern benign pretense to ignorance that John Howard
mentions in Men Like That. Queer behavior is often dismissed as genteel eccentricity or
working-class coarseness, which allows Oklahomans to tolerate gay men at the same time
it isolates them and promotes feelings of self-loathing. 41 In a rather Faustian bargain,
gay and bisexual men exist, albeit uncomfortably, in an environment laced with bigotry
and hate. It is not even half a loaf, and it leads people from other states to assume that
Oklahomans forced gay and bisexual men to languish in absolute silence, and that they
never stepped to the plate to carve out a queer space for themselves.
That is a shame, because historically that caricature is completely false. The
Oklahoma City gay and bisexual male subculture enjoyed a higher degree of success in
establishing bars, socialization centers, sexualized spaces, and being visible at a time
when it was increasingly uncomfortable for gay men all over the United States. The
roots of that visibility extend back to the turn-of-the-century. In the 1960s, a powerful
41
John Howard, Men Like That: A Southern Queer History (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1999), introduction; Rex Ball, interview by author, 1/14/2005; Ralph
Prevette, interview by author, 1/12/2005 and 2/19/2005; Joe, interview by author,
3/14/2005; Jim McMurray, interview by author, 1/20/2005.
363
�backlash pushed many of the more flamboyant members of the community back into the
closet, and the Oklahoma City gay male subculture became more circumspect than ever
before. This represented another reversal of national trends. Although the Stonewall
Rebellion in 1969 was a remote event in the minds of man gay and bisexual Oklahoma
City residents, they nonetheless met the challenges posed by homophobic legislators and
AIDS in the 1970s and 1980s, bouncing back by creating a politically active and selfsustaining world of support for its members. The recent defeats on macro-issues like
same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination were disappointing to be sure, but they are
more indicative of long-range trends in the historical progression of Oklahoma’s gay
community than a complete absence of politicization or cultural legitimacy.
364
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ONE
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378
�Appendix A:
GAY, BISEXUAL, AND GAY-FRIENDLY BARS
IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY METROPOLITAN AREA,
1889-2004
Beer House (Near NW 16th and Linwood)
Opened in 1960 by Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell. Served steaks, lunches,
etc.
Bishop’s Tap Room (110 NW 1st )
Open since 1938 in back of Bishop’s restaurant. Closed in 1969
The Bijou (2200 Northwest 39th)
Started by Tony Sinclair in 1984. It was designed to appeal to strait and gay
audiences.
Blue Note Lounge (2408 North Robinson)
Robinson location owned by Zella Holub. Raided on 19 Dec 1964
Blue Lounge (231 West Grand)
Operated by Robert M. Hargrove. Open since end of WWII.
Crescendo Club (36th and May)
Opened by John Magevar in the 1970s.
The Mayflower (1135 NW 23rd)
Owned first by Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell. Then owned by Juanita H and
Bobbie McGuiness. Open by Feb 1957. Still open by Dec 31, 1964
The Garden of Allah (2900 SW 29th )
Raided by Ok county sheriffs on 9 Feb 1938). Managed by W.J. Stander
Louie’s Club 29 (2929 SW 29th)
Owned by Louis Strauch. First opened on 5/21/1941.
It’ll Do (113 West Grand)
Open by 1943.
The Continental Club (Oklahoma-Logan County border)
Owned by Arnold Lee. Raided and closed on 28 Nov 1966.
379
�Free Spirit (Classen Boulevard)
Started in the late 1970s by
Huggy Bares (39th Street)
Started by Lee Burris in the 1970s.
The Club (1724 NW 16th )
Owned by Roy Ray Mastin in about 1967. Private club, raided on 14 Feb 1969
The Jug (411 W Sheridan)
Owned by Thomas Leon Ryan. Raided 7 June 1965. Open since at least Spring
1963
Circus Club (221 West Grand)
Owned by Red Holder. “New” bar in August 1952. Open until 1955-56.
Derby Club (3133 NE 23rd)
The Frantic Attic (1133 NW 23rd)
Coffee shop located above Mayflower. Opened by Bill Mitchell and Roger
Pritchard initially. Owned at one point by Nida Love.
The Urn
Club Burgundy (434 West Main)
Holiday Lounge Club, Inc. owned by Virginia White
The Mirror Lounge (14 North Hudson)
Open since at least 1947 at 14 North Hudson, when owned by Robert Hargrove.
Incorporated as Club Mirror Lounge by G.C. Pierce, Leona Pierce, and
W.B.Lowery on 5/3/1962. Open until at least 1981.
Sweet Leona’s Lounge (231 West Grand)
Owned by Leona Pierce. Open in 1956 and open until 1968 at least.
The Click (On Classen, between 63rd Street and Britton Road)
Started by Bobby and Juanita after the Mayflower burned, 1964.
The Cleaners
Started and ran by Ralph Prevette. Sold to Paul Thompson in 1969-1970.
The Warehouse (919 North Hudson)
Owned by Woody Acklund. Open in late 1960s. Drag Ball raided on 15 Sept
1968
380
�The Inferno Inn (9200 South Shields)
Owned first by Roger Pritchard and Bill Mitchell. Later owned by Bill Kennedy,
and then Georgia and W.A. Coots. Open from 1958-1962.
Lee’s Lounge (3004 Paseo)
First opened in 1965. Owned by Arnold Lee. Serious fire closed it as Lee’s
Lounge in 1968/1969, when it was leased to another person.
The Hi-Lo Club (1221 Northwest 50 th)
Owned by Gil Ray
The Manhattan Club (221 West Grand)
Opened by 1959. Owned by Park Bingham
The Pink Flamingo
A lesbian bar, located inside the Free Spirit. Open by the early 1980s.
The Villa Royal (Located next to Lee’s Lounge on Paseo)
Owned by Arnold Lee. Opened first in May 1969 and closed a few months later.
Red Lion (Northwest 40th and May Avenue)
Owned by Woody Acklund and Kenny Tivis later.
Rusty Nail (23rd and Portland)
Owned by Lee Burris
Circa 2201 Club (2201 NW 39th, 39th and Barnes)
Originally the Circa 2201 Club but eventually became just the Circa. Opened in
December 1972. Owned by Kenny Tivis, owner of the Red Lion. Consolidated
with Saddle Tramps (Gil Ray) and was re-christened Tramps.
The RoadHouse (Frontier City headquarters, I-35 and Hefner)
Owned by Arnold Lee. Ran from 1970-1978.
The Jungle Pit (Northwest 12th and May Avenue area)
Opened in 1960 by Roger Pritchard
Wreck Room (2127 Northwest 39th)
Under-18 club owned by Scott Wilson and Don Hill. First opened in 1984.
The Copa (2200 Northwest 39th )
Opened by Lee Burris in 1988. Located inside the Habanna Inn, a gay-themed
hotel complex.
Club Levis (2805 NW 36th)
Originally known as the “Do Me.”
381
�Night-Life Club (2120 NW 39th)
Owned by Barbara Swepston
The Warehouse Juice Parlor (2124 NW 39th)
Trade Winds Club, aka HiLite Club (4910 N Lincoln)
Owned by Joe Wendell Moren
Tony’s Club North (North Western)
Angles (2117 NW 39th )
Opened September 15, 1982 by Don Hill and Scott Wilson. Closed except for
special occasions in late 2005.
The Outrigger (2460 NW 39th)
Open in 1970s in Rio Motor Hotel, by Arnold Lee. Now a battered women’s
shelter.
Saddle Tramps (2201 NW 39th)
Owned by Gil Ray, Larry Crosby, and another gentleman. Moved up the street
and merged with the Circa 2201 Club in the early 1980s and was rechristened
Saddle Tramps West. Now simply called Tramps, and is owned by Tony Sinclair
and Hayden Allen.
Club Jamboree, aka Jake’s Cowshed (633 NE 23rd)
Owned by Jake Samara
The Park (2125 Northwest 39th )
Opened in 1983 by Scott Wilson and Don Hill
382
�APPENDIX B:
FELONY STATE CHARGES FOR
SODOMY AND “CRIME AGAINST NATURE”
IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA,
1889-1969
State v. Anderson King
Case #4663, filed 1st July 1920
Crime against nature---sex with Jesse Harris, possibly a minor
Guilty: 2 year sentence
State v. Anderson King
Case #4669, filed 4 Aug 1920
Crime against nature---“sexual copulation” with Edgar Blackwell
Case dismissed (see above case)
State v. Ruben Lawson
Case #4802, filed Feb 1921
Crime against nature---did “carnally know” Will Peters, a 14-year-old boy
Pled guilty: 2 years sentence
State v. Archie Wilson and Blaine Hathaway
Case #5396, filed May 1923
Sodomy, crime against nature---“unnatural copulation, one with the other”
Guilty: Wilson received 5 years and Hathaway received 10 years
State v. R.C. Guy
Case #5893, filed 18th Feb 1925
Sodomy against Robert Voerster, a minor
Case apparently dismissed (see next case)
State v. R.C. Guy
Case #5894, filed 28 May 1925
Attempted rape---against Jewel Wehran, a nine-year-old girl
Guilty: 7 ½ year sentence
State v. Charles “Speedy” Brown
Case #6254 Filed December 1926
“Crime against nature”---against Fannie Donaldson
Plead guilty: 3 year sentence
383
�State v. Fannie Donaldson
Case #6258 Filed 1927
“Crime against nature”---allowed Charles “Speedy” Brown to commit sodomy
Case dismissed
State v. Ed Woods
Case #6421, filed 6 April 1927
Crime against nature---against Ellis Meeks, and 11 year old boy
Guilty: 3 year sentence
State v. Arly Holman, a/k/a Frank Williams
Case #6589, filed October 1927
Sodomy against Franklin Dunn, a five year old boy
Unknown verdict---incomplete file
State v. E.H. Felder
Case #6803, filed July 1928
Sodomy with a bulldog
Guilty: 15 month sentence
State v. Roy W. Goodman
Case #7179, filed 9th July 1929
Sodomy against Laura May Jackson Goodman
Incomplete file
State v. D. Johnson
Case #7461, filed June 1930
Crime against nature involving G. Henry Dismuke
Not guilty
State v. Arlie Holman
Case #8685, filed 16th May 1932
Crime against nature against Francis Brooks, a nine year old boy
Guilty: 10 year sentence
State v. Al Bumbrey
Case #8717, 8718, and 8719, filed 25th June 1932
Sodomy against DeWitt Stevenson, Charles Elliot, and Frank Johnson
Guilty: 3 concurrent 10 year sentences
State v. Fred Ackerman
Case #8864, #8865, filed September 1932
Sodomy against Charlotte and Blanche Ackerman, his daughters
Pled guilty: 2 concurrent 10 year sentences
384
�State v. Henry Sollers
Case # 9249, filed 9th July 1933
Oral sodomy with 9-year-old girl
Incomplete file
State v. Jimmie Payne and John Doe
Case #9351, filed 18 September 1933
Attempted sodomy against Tom Treadwell
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Jack Cloud
Case #9477, filed 25 Jan 1934
Crime against nature against Edward Chambers
Case dismissed: witness refused to prosecute
State v. Harvey Keele
Case #9974, filed January 1935
Crime against nature with Eugene Reeves, a minor
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Gaylon Walley
Case #10946, filed July 1936
Sodomy against Paul Brown
Guilty: 4 year sentence
State v. Earl Atkins
Case #10996, filed August 1936
Sodomy against Mary Catherine Pierce
Guilty: 7 year sentence
State v. Blackie Johnson
Case #11159, filed 11 November 1936
Sodomy against Raymond Alsup, a minor
Pled guilty: 3 year sentence
State v. Leonard Turpin
Case #11552, filed June 1937
Sodomy against Robert Hicks, a minor
5 year sentence
State v. Charles Purdum
Case #11553, filed June 1937
Sodomy against Robert Hicks
Case dismissed in 1941: witness refused to testify
385
�State v. Grady Essex
Case #11558, filed June 1937
Sodomy, intercourse with a dog
Guilty: 18 month sentence
State v. Earl Nichols
Case #11614, filed August 1937
Sodomy against Lawrence Crawford
Guilty: 2 ½ year sentence
State v. Ralph Miller
Case #11723, filed September 1937
Sodomy against Vina Yousey
Guilty: 10 year sentence
State v. Fred L. Loyd
Case #11737, filed 24 September 1937
Sodomy with Carl Musser
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Virgil Moore
Case #11796, filed 1 Nov 1937
Sodomy against Esther Fleming
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. John Clyde Roark
Case #11899, filed December 1937
Sodomy against Junior West
Pled guilty: 2 year sentence
State v. Arthur Yates
Case #12384, filed 1938
Sodomy against Dorothy Yates, his daughter
Guilty: 7 year sentence
State v. A.C. Walker
Case #12620, filed September 1938
Sodomy with Freddie Floyd, a minor
Guilty: 1 year sentence
State v. Rex Fay Greenlee
Case #12702, filed October 1938
Sodomy with Griggs Hunt, a minor
Guilty: 5 year sentence
386
�State v. T.J. Cleveland
Case #12816 and 12817, filed November 1938
Sodomy against Dorothy Cramer and LaJawanna Bryant
Guilty: 2 concurrent 10 year sentences
State v. J.A. Lynn
Case #12902, filed November 1938
Sodomy against LaJawanna Bryant
Incomplete file
State v. Tom Marsh, Jr.
Case #13424, filed 7th August 1939
Sodomy against Floyd Andrew Johnson
Found guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Ruben Lee Paschal
Case #13561, filed 21 August 1939
Sodomy against Kenneth Ray Hopper, a minor
Found guilty: 1 year sentence
State v. Ray B. Lewis (428 NW 13th)
Guilty of attempted sodomy, July 1943
State v. Jessie Curry (620 NE 1st )
Case # 16883, book 43, page 83, filed September 1944
Sodomy with Edgar M. Cherry
Case dismissed: witness refused to prosecute
State v. Harvey Walter Keel
Case # 17020, book 43, page 220, Filed August 1944 (2nd offense)
Sodomy against Paul Frances Picard, a 14 year old boy.
Incomplete file
State v. William Herman Beckham
Case #17167, book 43, page 367. Filed May/June 1945
Crime against nature after former felony conviction, against Billie Hutchens
Guilty: 10 year sentence
State v. Lewis Calvin Jackson
Case #18690, book 46, page 90. Trial started 7 April 1948.
Sodomy against Delbert B. Smith
Guilty: 2 year sentence
State v. Robert Forest Ervin
Case #18805, book 46, page 205. Filed June 1948.
Crime against nature against Donald Edward and William Leroy Wilson, minor brothers
387
�Guilty: 10 year sentence
State v. Cleveland Doss Woody
Case #19639, book 47, page 439, filed February 1950.
Crime against nature on Herbert Hopkins
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Ernest William Fisher
Case #20579, book 49, page 179.
Trial started 5 October 1951
State v. Wilburn A. Berryman
Case #22102 and 22103, book 51, pages 502-503. Trial started Sept 29, 1953
Sodomy against Jack Eugene Lacefield and James Lester Johnson
Guilty: 5 year sentence
State v. Richard L. Webster
Case #24802, book 56, page 202. Trial started 20 Dec 1957.
Sodomy against/with Duard Graves
Guilty: 2 year suspended sentence
State v. Harry Eugene Turner
Case #35123 (common pleas), filed June 1966
Engaging in an act of Lewdness
Trial started June 6, 1966---incomplete file
State v. Ralph Marshall Burnworth (Burnsworth)
Case #36125 (common pleas), filed January 1967
Engaging in an act of lewdness
Guilty: six month suspended sentence and costs
State v. Charles McFarland
Case #CRF-69-1166, filed May 1969
Oral sodomy with Mark Collins
Incomplete file
State v. Charles John Harford and David Allen Martin
Case #37446 (common pleas), filed December 28, 1967
Engaging in act of lewdness
Incomplete file
388
�APPENDIX C:
Oklahoma County Felony Court Records
Manually Checked for Sodomy Cases
Case by Case Check
YEARS
CASE NUMBER RANGE
1911-1912
1913-1916
1917-1921
1922-1924
1924-1925
1927-1930
1930-1931
1931-1932
1933-1935
3191-3244, 3304-3318
3410-3442, 3500-3510, 3589-4005
4006-4137, 4272-5133, 4600-4699, 4982-5049
5293-5604, 5500-5700
5811-6087
6382-7748
7908-7990, 8059-8325
8326-8999
9000-9157, 9200-9401, 9461-9490
These are Oklahoma County felony court records, from both the common pleas and
district courts, located at the Oklahoma Historical Society Archives, Warehouse Division.
They were donated to the archives in late 2003 and are the only surviving records of court
proceedings from the period. These records are not indexed, nor are they catalogued in
any meaningful way. They are simply stored in archival grade boxes, with case numbers
facing upward. The felony docket books, which are still located at the Oklahoma
County courthouse, list the particulars of every trial held since 1889, such as the date it
began, name of defendant(s), and the case number. The charges against the defendants
are not listed, however. A manual search is necessary to find particular classes of cases,
such as “sodomy” or “crime against nature.” Records at the Oklahoma County
Courthouse are not open for public perusal, so the records located at the Oklahoma
Historical Society represent the only record cache available for research on a case by case
basis.
389
�OKLAHOMA COUNTY CRIMINAL APPEARANCE
DOCKET BOOKS, MANUAL SEARCH
Miscellaneous
Book 5
Book 6
Book 7
Book 10
Cases 3001-3599
Cases 2703-3022
Cases 3023-3344
Cases 3995-4312
Pre-Statehood
Book 4
Cases 1-633
Book 5
Cases 471-936
Book 6
Cases 943-1340
Book 7
Cases 1342-1746
Post-Statehood
Book 8
Cases 1747-2000
Book 9
Cases 2111-2354
Book 10
Cases 2413-2831
Book 11
Cases 2832-3142
Book 12
Cases 3143-3454
Book 13
Cases 3455-3753
Book 14
Cases 3754-4073
Book 15
Cases 4074-4381
Book 16
Cases 4382-4691
Book 17
Cases 4693-4999
Book 18
Cases 5000-5313
Book 19
Cases 5314-5615
Book 20
Cases 5616-5919
Book 21
Missing Book
Book 22
Cases 6231-6549
Book 23
Cases 6550-6870
Book 24
Cases 6871-7190
Book 25
Cases 7201-7500
Book 26
Cases 7501-7815
Book 27
Cases 7816-8115
Book 28
Cases 8116-8415
Book 29
Cases 8416-9014
Book 30
Cases 9015-9615
Book 31
Cases 9616-10215
Book 32
Cases 10216-10808
Book 33
Cases 10815-11400
Book 34
Cases 11401-12000
Book 35
Cases 12001-12600
(1938-1939)---common pleas
(1911-1912)---county justice court
(1912-1913)---county justice court
(1915-1916)---county justice court
(1890-1898)
(June 1894-Sept. 1901)
(Sept. 1901-Oct. 1904)
(Oct.1904-May1906)
(1906-1907)
(1907-1908)
(1908-1910)
(1910-1911)
(1911-1912)
(10/1912-4/1915)
(1915-1916)
(1917-1919)
(1919-1921)
(1921-1922)
(1922-March 1923)
(Feb.1923-Jan.1924)
(1924-1924)
(Aug.1926-Oct.1927)
(Oct.1927-Nov.1928)
(Nov.1928-Aug.1929)
(Aug.1929-Mar.1930)
(Mar.1930-Nov.1930)
(Nov.1930-Apr.1931)
(1931-1931)
(Nov.1931-Feb.1933)
(Mar.1933-May1934)
(May 1934-May 1935)
(May 1935-May 1936)
(May 1936-April 1937)
(April 1937-Feb.1938)
(Feb.1938-Sept.1938)
390
�Book 36
Book 37
Cases 12601-13200
Cases 13201-13800
(Sept.1938-1939)
(1939-1940)
A manual check of these books yielded a number of cases charging sodomy, or crime
against nature. Most of the charges were listed beside the case number, which allowed
for a very complete search for some years, but not all of the books were as complete.
The diligence of the clerk determined how much information was included in the docket
books. In addition, the books are not numbered in a consistent fashion, due in part to the
multiple overlapping authorities in Oklahoma before statehood in 1907. Because court
jurisdictions changed, cases formerly considered felonies and heard before Oklahoma
County judges could also be heard in common pleas court before a justice of the peace.
A separate system of case docket books were generated for these cases, called common
pleas books, and the common pleas courts docketed 3 or 4 cases to every single County
felony case.
391
�APPENDIX D:
Demographics of Interview Participants
Participant
Sex
Age
Race
Occupation
Married/Children
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24
#25
#26
#27
#28
#29
#30
#31
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
F
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
F
M
M
F
M
F
F
M
M
73
71
81
77
75
74
58
74
50
78
65
63
61
74
38
58
65
70
25
58
55
60
75
NA
55
60
48
67
NA
50
63
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
H
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
Hairdresser
Architect
Nurse
Educator
Rancher
Entertainer
Entertainer
Accountant
Entertainer
Hairdresser
Bartender
Hairdresser
Aerospace
Attorney
Entertainer
Mechanic
Contractor
Educator
Grad Student
Activist
Lobbyist
Artist
Entertainer
Medical
Journalist
Medical
Activist
Medical
Medical
Psychology
Civil Servant
None
Both
None
Both
None
None
None
None
Both
Both
N/A
Married
Married
Both
None
None
Both
Both
None
None
None
None
N/A
N/A
None
Both
None
Both
N/A
Both
None
392
�APPENDIX E:
INTERVIEW SCRIPT/QUESTIONNAIRE
PERSONAL DATA: The level of anonymity is strictly up to the participant. If you
wish, refer to yourself with a pseudonym and alter any personal data accordingly to retain
anonymity. Your identity is not required to participate in this project.
Name/Pseudonym:
Date of Interview:
Age:
Occupation:
How long a resident of Oklahoma City?
**** Personal Stuff ****
Would you classify yourself as homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual for most of your
adult life?
If homosexual/bisexual, how long have you been “out”? When did you have your first
homosexual experience?
Did your sexual preference create problems for you or between you and your family?
Employment issues? Neighborhood issues?
Did/do you have a strong network of gay friends and/or acquaintances?
How did these relationships develop? When/how did you realize that there were others
that shared your sexual preference?
How visible were you and your friends in the community? Did you ever encounter
prejudice on the part of the police, government officials, etc.? What kind of
393
�relationships did you and your fiends have with the police, religious authorities, district
attorneys, etc.?
What were the limits of “acceptable” public behavior and how were the norms enforced?
**** Community ****
How did one know if somebody was homosexual in the 1920s/1930s/1940s/1950s in
Oklahoma City? Were there any distinctive attitudes, fashions, language, or occupations
that seemed to resonate with your homosexual friends than other groups?
How did you keep in touch with current events relating to your homosexuality? Any
underground newspapers or newsletters?
Where did you and your friends hang out? Any particular areas, establishments,
neighborhoods, parks, homes, or other places that were popular?
What about bars and honkey-tonks? Any of them exclusively cater to gay/bisexual
men/women? If so, where were they located and what were they called? What was the
first truly “gay’ bar in OKC?
A) Bishop’s Tap Room
B) Mayflower
C) Sweet Leona’s
D) Club Burgundy
E) Manhattan, It’ll Do Club
F) Mirror Lounge
G) Inferno
Were there ever any galas, socials, or “drag balls” in the Oklahoma City area that you
heard about or attended? Explain…
Any noticeable class differences between poorer and middle class gay men?
Describe differences in attitudes regarding monogamy in gay world, then and now. Any
class-based differences?
Any pictures or memorabilia you might like to share?
What impact did events like WWI, WWII, the Great Depression, or the tumultuous 1950s
have on your lifestyle, friendships, socializing patterns, etc. Any discernible turning
points in the acceptance/mortification of homosexuality that you can remember?
394
�a. What was your military experience like? Stats?
b. Were you “out”? Others?
Describe any distinctive examples of prejudice or violence you encountered in Oklahoma
City, 1889-1950, that stemmed from your sexual preference?
Any differences between local police, county officials, or state officials to gay men?
W H:
a) George Shirk
b) District attorney’s or sheriffs that were friendly?
Any particular time when things got noticeably more uncomfortable in OKC for gay
men?
Was Oklahoma City any less tolerant of homosexuality than other places you
lived/visited? Moreso perhaps? How did the city change over time? Any discernible
turning points? Discuss…
Was it easier being gay then than it is now? Explain…
**** Sex ****
Let’s talk about sex---where did gay/bisexual men in Oklahoma City go if they wanted to
have a sexual experience? Anonymous sex?
Was it easy to have a sexual encounter in Oklahoma City? Were the police or
community groups ever problematic in allowing these to occur?
What are some of the most notorious or memorable sexual encounters you have
personally had in Oklahoma City?
Was there ever any homosexual-heterosexual contact of which you remember? How
were the “straight” men viewed by the community? Any prejudice or negative
ramifications?
***** Impersonation *****
What do you know about the history of female impersonation in OKC?
When did you first dress in drag?
What led you to do this? Anybody “lead” you to it, or did it just occur naturally?
395
�Where would one go in the 1940s/1950s/1960s to do shows? Any notorious drag
bars/clubs? Private parties?
Were they high profile affairs? High profile people?
Did drag assume a large role in the gay community---was it a central aspect of
socialization, a humorous escapade, a means to make a living? Explain.
Impressions/remembrances of:
Tony Sinclair
Arnold Lee
Ginger Lamarr
Misc. people?
**** Bars ****
How many bars have you owned? Names, dates, etc.
Were they always “gay,” or did you cultivate mixed crowds?
Lucrative business?
Did you face a lot of community pressure, police pressure, familial pressure in regard to
starting/running a bar?
396
�397
�VITA
Aaron Lee Bachhofer, II
Candidate for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis:
THE EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE GAY AND
BISEXUAL MALE SUBCULTURE IN OKLAHOMA CITY,
OKLAHOMA, 1889-2005
Major Field: American History
Biographical:
Personal Data: Born on December18, 1969, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Education: Graduated from Luther High School, Luther, Oklahoma, in 1988.
Received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from
Oklahoma City University in 1992. Received a Master of Arts degree in
Southwestern Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1996.
Completed the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in
History at Oklahoma State University in May 2006.
Experience: History and Government Instructor, U.S. Grant High School,
Oklahoma City, 2005. Adjunct Professor in American History, Oklahoma
City University, 1996-1998. History and Government Instructor,
Millwood High School, 1994. Electrical apprentice, journeyman, and
contractor with State Electrical Contractors, Inc., 1986-2006.
Professional Memberships: Oklahoma Historical Society, Western History
Association, American Historical Association, Oklahoma Teachers
Association.
�Name: Aaron Lee Bachhofer, II
Date of Degree: May 2006
Institution: Oklahoma State University
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Title of Study: THE EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE GAY AND
BISEXUAL MALE SUBCULTURE IN OKLAHOMA CITY,
OKLAHOMA, 1889-2005
Pages in Study: 397
Candidate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Major Field: American History
Scope and Method of Study: This dissertation traces the development of the gay and
bisexual male subculture in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1889-2005. Utilizing a
variety of primary materials -- newspapers, sodomy court records, personal interviews,
and census records -- the author reconstructed the social and sexual lives of gay and
bisexual residents. Further, a comparison between Oklahoma City’s queer subculture
and those found in larger metropolitan areas was made throughout to test the validity
of assumptions regarding the roles played by geography, urbanization, World War II,
and Civil Rights-era protests on the growth of gay and bisexual subcultures.
Findings and Conclusions: Research indicated that a diverse gay and bisexual
world existed in Oklahoma City with roots that extended back before World War II.
That subculture included well-known spots for sex and socialization, openly-gay
residents, and it operated rather openly until the late 1950s. At that juncture, a sundry
of factors—the end of state-mandated prohibition, public outcries over vice, and the
election of a homophobic county attorney---allowed authorities to pursue vice more
fervently, and it forced many gay and bisexual men back into the closet. Although
Oklahoma City did not have a “Stonewall” moment, political activism was not absent
in the 1970s and 1980s. Serious grass-roots politicization occurred in response to an
Oklahoma legislator’s attempt to deny homosexuals the right to teach in public
schools, to combat police brutality, and to fight AIDS. Yet recent events, such as
Oklahoma’s prohibition against same-sex marriage, adoptions, and any
antidiscrimination measures that local governments might enact, overshadowed that
tradition of activism. This represents a fundamental weakness in the gay and bisexual
Oklahoma City community---an unwillingness to meet macro-issues affecting
homosexuals across the United States---and it stems from the openness that subculture
enjoyed into the 1950s
ADVISOR’S APPROVAL: ______ Laura A. Belmonte
_
�
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00eab8291fe6bef9ef38f4b864d8021b
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Text
�
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Title
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[Collection] Oklahoma LGBT+ History
Description
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<strong>Physical Media:</strong> <br /><br /><br /><strong>Digital Media:</strong>
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Title
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[2006] THE EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE GAY
AND BISEXUAL MALE SUBCULTURE IN
OKLAHOMA CITY,OKLAHOMA,
1889-2005
Creator
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Bachhofer II, Aaron Lee
Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May, 2006
As of 2019, Dr. Bachhofer is serving as Associate Dean of Social Sciences at Rose State University
Rights
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Copyright by Bachhofer, II, Aaron Lee
May, 2006
All Rights Reserved. Permission granted to OkEq to make available to the public.
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Date
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1889 - 2005
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Location:OkEq History Project/Ddatadrive/History-General (in Omeka)/GAY Male subculture in OKC 1889-2005 Aaron Lee Bachhofer
Aaron Bachhofer
Oklahoma City Gay Male History
Oklahoma State University
-
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Magazine
Text
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the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine.
Oral Roberts Universit
sends mixed mess
gays: "We love you do
not come onto our campus"
SOULFORCE PRESS RELEASE: March 20, 2006
TULSA, OK - The frigid air in Oklahoma was symbolic
of the welcome Oral Roberts University extended to the
Soulforce Equality Riders today, after repeated refusals for
dialogue with ORU officials resulted in more than 25 police
officers waiting at the entrance of the school. Before the
Riders were even allowed off the bus, a member of the Oral
Roberts police force and an officer from the Tulsa Police
Department entered the bus to talk with them. Summing up
the school's response to the Ride and to lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender (LGBT) students, the Oral Roberts
University officer told the Riders, "We love you all; do not
come onto our campus."
Speaking to media before leading the group to trespass
onto campus, Equality Ride co-director Jacob Reitan said,
"Colleges teach history, it is time for them to start reflecting
on what history has done to the lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender community. The time for this conversation
has come. We have a group of people who care enough
to at least try, and Oral Roberts does not want to welcome
them." ................... Continued page-16
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72 Hours in San Francisco
San Francisco may just be the most talked-about and dynamic
gay and lesbian destination in the world. But with so
much to see and do, how do you make the most of a short
visit to the City by the Bay? You'll want to soak up the culture
of cool neighborhoods like the Castro and the Mission.
You can't leave without glimpsing the must-see attractions,
such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the beautifully redesigned
de Young Museum. And then there are the incredible
restaurants, serving everything from fresh-harvested
oysters to bountiful organic salads to decadent chocolate
desserts.
Here's one approach to enjoying a long weekend in San
Francisco, ideal for both first-time and repeat visitors.
You might begin by purchasing a San Francisco CityPass,
which you can order online before you go. The pass, which
costs $42 per person, provides free admission to several of
the city's most prominent attractions as well as seven days
of unlimited travel on the Cable Car and Muni bus and train
network (a $24 value in itself) and sightseeing boat excursions
on the city's Blue and Gold Fleet.
Friday Night
Hayes Valley, a central neighborhood that's easily reached
from downtown or the Castro, has several fun, low-keyed
restaurants, perfect for your first evening in town. One of
the best is Cafe Delle Stelle, which serves superb, reasonably
inexpensive lt~lian fare. Although you could survive
on the rich Tuscan bread that comes w!th your meal,
you'li want to sample the delicious homemade pastas and
traditionai Italian dishes, ranging from polenta with roasted
portobello mushrooms to roasted pumpkin ravioli with sage
butter.
From here it's a 15-minute walk to the Castro, where you
can check out the dozens of lively gay bars and clubs, including
such neighborhood faves as the bustling and youthful
Cafe, the sleek and intimate Bar on Castro, the laid-back
and friendly Pilsner Inn, and the festive Metro, which has a
large balcony that's perfect for people-watching.
Or if you're walking back toward downtown, you can peek
inside one of the bars that still line Po!k Street, a longtime
gay-nightlife hub in the '?Os and '80s that has only a few
nightspots left these days. Good bets include the Cinch
Saloon, a mellow neighborhood joint, and N'Touch, which
is especially popular among Asian-American men and their
admirers.
Saturday
In the morning, head to the Castro to explore this famous
gay neighborhood during daylight hours. The best way
to learn of the area's rich history is by taking a walking
tour with Kathy Amendola, of Cruisin' the Castro Historical
& Cultural Walking Tours. Amendola leads visitors past
the Pink Triangle Park & Memorial, the residence of slain
gay icon Harvey Milk, and the ornate and historic Castro
Theatre - there's also a break for lunch at Firewood Cafe, a
very good local restaurant. The tours leave at 1 0 a.m. and
are also offered Tuesday through Friday.
After the tour, set aside some time for shopping. The Castro
has grown up over the past decade as a sophisticated
retail neighborhood, with everything from high-end clothiers
and boutiques (such as Diesel and Brand X Antiques)
to adult gift and bookshops with saucy names like Auto
Erotica and Castro Gulch.
Then walk (about 30 minutes) or take Muni over to lush
Golden Gate Park to visit the de Young Museum, which
received a stunning makeover in 2005 and now has a distinctive
copper exterior and a dramatic 145-foot observation
tower that looms high above the park's leafy trees. Spectacular
collections of American paintings and sculptures,
African art, and textiles fill this beautiful building.
Saturday Night
The Mission District is a great neighborhood for dinner,
with the Slow Club ranking among the top picks. Here in
this dark, seductive space you might order the juicy burger
slathered in balsamic-marinated onions, or a crispy-crust
pizza topped with montasio cheese, oyster mushrooms,
leeks. and thyme. Limon is another superb choice, serving
kicky Latin fusion fare and tangy sangria.
If you're up for nighttime fun, you can always head back to
the Castro, but the Mission is also home to the best lesbian
hangout in the city, the Lexington Club. Or If you're a serious
clubber, take a cab to the trendy SoMa neighborhood,
6 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Out of Town
where you'll find the famed Stud disco as well as raunchy
fetish and leather bars like the lovably sleazy Hole in the
Wall Saloon and the rough-and-tumble Eagle Tavern, which
brings in live bands many evenings.
Sunday
Walk or take Muni northeast along Market Street for a
leisurely late breakfast or early lunch at the Ferry Building
Marketplace, a gorgeous 1898 former transportation
hub that was converted a few years ago into fabulous food
shops and restaurants (there's also a farmers market held
on the grounds on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., spring
through fall). Order a tender ahi burger and garlic fries
at Taylor's Refresher, before devouring a few scoops of
Scharffen Berger Chocolate gelato at Ciao Bella.
Next, take Muni along the Embarcadero to Pier 41. This is
a touristy part of the city, adjoining Fisherman's Wharf and
its slew of annoyingly kitschy shops, but from Pier 41 you
can use your CityPass to take a free one-hour Blue & Gold
Fleet boat tour of San Francisco Bay. This is the quickest
and easiest, and arguably the most interesting, way to get a
sense of why San Francisco ranks among the most beautiful
cities in the world. These narrated tours pass under the
Golden Gate Bridge, by the tony towns of Sausalito and
Tiburon, and around the infamous former prison, Alcatraz.
Sunday Night
Head to one of the Castro's hottest gay-date spots, Catch,
which serves addictive trench fries tossed with Parmesan
cheese and white-truffle oil as well as a dandy grilled
monkfish with herb-mushroom risotto. But save room for
a dessert of Valrhona Chocolate molten cake with toffee
ice cream and almond butter across the street at 2223,
which also has a fine list of after-dinner cognacs, ports, and
liqueurs. This lively, handsome restaurant is also a great
place for dinner.
Monday
Depending on the exact time of your departure, you can set
aside Monday to check out a neighborhood you hadn't sufficient
time to explore, such as SoMa, home to outstanding
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Or perhaps
spend a little time browsing Macy's, Gump's, or any of
the hundreds of fine shops around Union Square. You can
break for lunch at the super-cruisy Wolfgang Puck Express
Cafe in the cellar at Macy's or enjoy a more substantial
meal at Town Hall, a superb contemporary American restaurant
set inside a vintage SoMa warehouse, where you
might sample duck-confit enchiladas with tomatillo sauce,
or a poached-shrimp club sandwich with bacon and heirloom
tomatoes.
Where to Stay
A splendidly restored 1909 Edwardian mansion straddling
the Castro and Mission neighborhoods, Parker House is
the Castro's most spectacular inn. Guests make
considerable use of the lavish public areas and appreciate
the antiques, rich fabrics, and modern conveniences (WiFi,
voicemail) in the 21 sun-filled rooms. Paths wind through ·
extensive gardens and lawns. A more affordable Castro
option is the Willows Inn, whose 12 cozy, warmly furnished
rooms share four bathrooms and four separate shower
rooms but have all the other charms and comforts you'd
expect of a far pricier small hotel. Both properties draw a
mix of lesbians and gay men.
If you'd prefer to stay downtown, consider booking a room
at one of the several hotels run by the gay-friendly Kimpton
or Joie de Vivre hotel chains. Favorite Kimpton properties
include the richly furnished Serrano Hotel, which is decorated
in Moroccan and Spanish style, and the more moderately
priced Hotel Triton, a hip and whimsical property that's
also one of the most eco-friendly hotels in the country.
Joie de Vivre has hotels in all prices ranges, from the bargain-
priced Commodore Hotel, whose basic but pieasant
rooms come with Aveda bath products and deco-inspired
furnishings, to the ultra-chic Hotel Vitale, which opened in
2005 across from the Ferry Building Marketplace and is
best-known for its nifty Panoramic Suites, with 180-degree
views of San Francisco Bay. A mid-priced option that's
noteworthy for its stellar Cortez restaurant and stvlish
contemporary interior, Joie de Vivre's Hotel Adagio occupies
a restored 16-story building just up the street from the
high-end shopping of Union Square. !n this city known for
its swank and sumptuous hotels, the biggest challenge you
may face during a three-day visit is finding the motivation to
leave your cushy guest room.
The Little Black Book
Baron Castro (456 Castro St., 415-626-7220). The Cafe
(2367 Market St., 415-861-3846). Cafe Delle Stelle (395 Hayes
St., 415-252-1110). Catch (2362 Market St., 415-431-5000). Cinch
Saloon (1723 Polk St., 415-776-4162). Commodore Hotel (825
Sutter St., 415-923-6800 or 800-338-6848, www.jdvhospitality.
com). Cruisin' the Castro Historical & Cultural Walking Tours (415-
550-8110, www.webcastro.com/castrotours). de Young Museum
(Golden Gate Park, 415-863-3330, www.deyoungmuseum.org).
Eagle Tavern (398 12th St., 415-626-0880). Ferry Building Marketplace
(Embarcadero at Market St., www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.
com). Hole in the Wall Saloon (289 8th St., 415-431-4695). Hotel
Adagio (550 Geary St., 415-775-5000 or 800-228-8830, www.
jdvhospitality.com). Hotel Triton (342 Grant St., 415-394-0500 or
800-800-1299, www.hoteitriton.comJ. Hotei Vitale (8 Mission St.,
415-278-3700 or 888-890-8688, www.hotelvitale.com). Lexington
Club (3464 19th St., 415-863-2052). Limon (524 Valencia St.,
415-252-0918). Metro (3600 16th St., 415-703-9750). N'Touch
(1548 Polk St., 415-441-8413). Parker House (520 Church St.,
415-621-3222 or 888-520-7275, www.parkerguesthouse.com ). Pilsner
inn (225 Church St., 415-621-7058). San Francisco CityPass
(888-330-5008, www.citypass.com). San Francisco Convention
and Visitors Bureau (reservation service, 888-782-9673; www.
sfvisitor.org). Serrano Hotei (405 Taylor St, 866-289-6561. www.
serranohoteLcom). Siow Club (250i Mariposa St., 415-241-9390).
Stud (399 9th St.. 415-252-7883). Town Hall (342 Howard St,
415-908-3900). 2223 (2223 Market St., 415-431-0692). Willows
Inn (710 14th St., 415-431-4770 or 800-431-0277. www.willowssf.
com). Wolfgang Puck Express Cafe (Macy's Union Square. 170
O'Farrell St., 415-296-4858).
the STAR, Celebrating our 3rd Year 2006. 7
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Tulsa, OK
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Advertising in the STAR is Just good business cents.
' 1r·
7204 E@ Pine - Tulsa, OK
1 Ill 0
Oklahoma's Oldest Gay Bar
(come check out our new system)
.,/-~ !
£vtr'f "Dunda'{
A Bamboo Lounge Tulsa Tradition
ncldrive:ies~ ihan
one mile and your into Ft. lauderdalEJ; iii~· ·>
port is the EASIEST airport in the U.S to fly
out of. Or you can do like we do and just dri
there. ·
There are dozens of gay resorts in Ft. Lauderdale but
very favorite is the GRAND RESORT ANO SPA which
is located just steps away from the beach. It is the largest
men's resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach and the finest.
one! They are beyond a doubt tfie .. number one preference
for the discerning gay traveler accustomed to fine travel
destinations worldwide. Their multilingual staff is ready to
assist you in whatever your plans are. The Grand offers
spacious, super cl~,1::m accommodations featuring cable TV,
VCR's, DVD's, Hi-Fi CD Music Systems, Voice Mail, irons
.. • and ironing boards, safes, hairdryer, refrigerator, gourmet
!7;,, pan ' and coffeemaker. Accommodations have
;l},. lnterrfet access .. They offer a wide ..
· . . . . ..... . guest room,
deluxe guest room, deluxejur:i~or suite; deluxe one b~droom,
deluxe · · · ·
.wise the . .
and truly care about theirgue$; The·entire staff of.the
Grandis the same way. We simply have never hadsuch a.
wonderful experience at any resort that we have stayed in.
EVERY staff member cares about the guests and are super
friendly and hospitable. Why can't all resorts operate in this
manner? While we were staying there in January one of
the guests was involved in a minor auto accident. He had
forgot to take his wallet with ID with him. He called the Resort
and one of the staff went to his room, got his wallet and
ID and drove it to him. Talk about service! We have stayed
there several times and it just keeps getting better and better
each time we stay there.
has a 30 foot fountain splashing in
can. soak in their 10 man Jacuzzi.
view~urideck for sunbathing. On
to 7 PM join in
their Social Hour
. chips and salsa on Fridays and wine
and cti~ese on Saturday. This js a great way to meet all
the gti$st~L Tlieftl;ts alwa · of social activity going
.· . . · .. · . .. her guests and meeting
people atttlE!;beach IJ)any of their guests never leave·the
property, except fo(lcinch and dinner. We alwaYt,,rn,eet such
fun, interesting, wonderful and fab . . · we
stay there. Many of their guests have. ·arthe Grand
many times and would never think of §laYi!}g anywhere
else .. When you have found the best, \liby;:look any fi}rther?
• 4,.
Tiley have aw
sp~¢iality faci
.m anicures an ·.
calming, nurturing
and are constantly bei
techniques. J.D. G
has been a licensed
expertise in Swedis.
~ ,.,
Re-Education and Trigger . a licensed
Esthetician, J. D. aiso specializes in a number of body
treatments that includes body wraps, scrubs, waxing and
faoials. Besides taking advantage of the Spa ourseives we
have talked with dozens of people who have taken advantage
of the Spa and everyone of them said that it was the
finest that they have ever been to. You do not need to be
a guest of the Resort to make an appointment at the Spa.
When you get hungry, there is only one place in town that
we highly recommend and that is the HI-LIFE CAFE. Chef
Carlos Fernandez and Host Chuck Smith have created
this fabulous restaurant that features a truly great dining
experience in a unique atmosphere. Located at 3000
North Federal Highway, they serve dinner nightly, Tuesday
thru Sunday and are closed on Monday. They recently
celebrated their 10th Anniversary for their restaurant and
they have a huge loyal following who KNOW that they are
the best restaurant in the city. Check out their website at:
www.hilifecafe.com. Chuck and Carlos are two of the nicest
and most sincere men that you would ever want to meet.
Their entree selections are Salmon, Crab cakes, Chicken,
Pork Osso Bucco, Duck, Steaks and they always
have wonderful specials of the day.
They also have a Pre- ·
Theatre Price
Fixe Menu.
(Photo right ''The
Beautiful Grand
Resort. 'JTheir
dessert offerings
are tremendous
but we prefer their
Southern Derby
Pecan Pie which is
to die for! Visitors to
Ft. Lauderdale have
been coming here for
that past 10 years.
Be sure to call ahead
to make reservations.
Their phone number
is: 954-563-1395. We
GUARANTEE that you
will love this restaurant!
We GUARANTEE IT! No
Ft. Lauderdale is complete
there.
trip to
unless you dine
Okay, so your accommodations and dining experiences are
taken care of in Ft. Lauderdale, now it's time to either head
for the beach and lay in the sun or to the bars to party.
From the GRAND RESORT just walk two very short blocks
and you are right at the beach. Walk about another 4 blocks
South and you will be at Sebastian Beach which is the Gay
Beach where you will encounter hundreds of other gay
men in ali shapes, sizes, ages and ? What a way to spend
your morning or afternoon! Downtown Ft. Lauderdale is iust
a few blocks away from the Grand and they have lovely·
and interesting shops to visit there. Lots of touristy things
abound in Ft. Lauderdale. Just pick up some of the many
packets, magazines and brochures at the front desk of your
resort. Always read a copy of the local newspaper in the
Club Room at the Grand to see the many entertainment
and cultural activities going on.
So now you ready to go to the bars and party. There are
dozens of gay bars in Ft Lauderdale. Way too many to talk
about in one column so we will basically just tell you what
kind of bars there are. Into Leather? Well, they have a
couple of leather bars that you need to check out: Ramrod's
and the Jackhammer. They have great piano bars
including the Tropics and Dudes. Our very favorite piano
entertainers in Ft. Lauderdale are Tony and Gloria who are
a piano/guitar duo. They entertain at both the Tropics and
Dudes bars. And be sure and pick up a copy of their latest
CD. There are plenty of strip bars if you are into that. Lots
of neighborhood bars and plenty of dance/disco bars are
found there. HOT SPOTS magazine has been publishing
their fine magazine weekly in Ft. Lauderdale for years
and it is a MUST to read to find out where all the
gay bars are located and what their
schedules are. Before
you go to Ft. Lauderdale
check out Hot
Spots at: www.hotspotsmagazine.
com .
And be sure to read
Rich's Corner which
is in each and
every issue of HOT
SPOTS. Rich is a
great writer and
keeps up on what
is happening.
Our very favorite
entertainer in Ft.
Lauderdale is
AUNTIE MAME
who is the best
of the best.
Such a dear
person. She.
is OUTRAGEOUS! which
is the way that drag queens should be!
Fun, funny and always a very caring person is what
Mame is. You can check her out at: www.auntiemame.biz
So, next time your bored and wanting to go someplace,
why not call the Grand Resort and Spa in Ft. Lauderdale
and book a few days with them. We promise you that you
will have fun, Fun and more FUN! That is the ONLY place
to stay in Ft. Lauderdale and don't forget to dine at the HiLife!
Chuck and Carlos are the best.
Quotable Quotes
"For me, 'Brokeback' isn't rebellious at a/i. It's a ve,y ordinary
movie. Peopie call it groundbreaking or what not. It
puts a lot of pressure on me. But I didn't feel this way when
I was making the movie. This is the way gays are. It's just
that they have been distorted. When two people are in love
and are scared, that's the way they are." ............... .
Oscar winning director- Ang Lee
the STAR 11
ly pie Diving Champion
reg Louganis Co-Host
"100 Champions" ay ames
Benefit at Soldier Field
Olympic Gold Medalist becomes
International Gay Games Ambassador
Chicago, IL - Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis will
serve as co-host of "A Night of 100 Champions," a gala
to benefit the Chicago 2006 Gay Games. Scheduled for
Saturday, 22 April 2006, the event will honor top U.S and
international sports legends and top artists at the Cadillac
Club at Soldier Field.
Louganis also will join the "Gay Games Ambassadors,"
an international group of prominent individuals supporting
the goals and principles of the quadrennial Gay Games.
Ambassadors include Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Billy
Bean, Billie Jean King and many other notable celebrities.
Greg Louganis will travel to Chicago to co-host "A Night of
100 Champions," the first of two events at Soldier Field's
Cadillac Club the weekend of 22-23 April 2006. More
than 100 individuals and organizations will be honored for
achievement in sports, culture and support of the GLBT
community. The event will include a silent auction, awards
presentation, VIP cocktail reception, celebrity concert, and
dancing on multiple stages.
The next morning, Sunday, 23 April, the Cadillac Club will
again be the site of "Breakfast with Champions." A brunch
buffet with entertainment will be followed by an intimate
Meet the Champions Panel Discussion hosted by a
surprise guest celebrity with the opportunity for questions
from the audience and autograph signing,
Tickets are $75 for "A Night of 100 Champions," $65
for "Breakfast with Champions" or $125 for both events.
Patron Tables of Thn are available at $1,500, $2,500 and
$5,000 levels, each offering a VIP Reception, preferred
seating and benefits according to donation levels. Sponsorship
levels starting at $10,000 provide upgrades to
premiere seating. distinctive recognition opportunities, and
specially crafted sponsorship packages.
Ticket and sponsorship information jS available at
v1ww. GayGamesChicago. org
About Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis is more than just an Olympic Champion
-- he stands out as an exceptional human being who has
led an extraordinary life. Greg's introduction to the world of
diving was at the age of ten, when he first began competing.
By age 16 he had won his first Olympic medal, a silver,
on the platform in the 1976 Olympics. In 1984, at age 24,
he became the first man ln 56 years to win two Olympic
gold medals in diving by winning both the platform and
springboard events. In 1986, Greg · won both the platform
and springboard events at the Championships.
Two years later at the 1988 Olympics, competing against
divers half his age, and despite a near disastrous injury
during a dive, he became the first man to win double gold
medals for diving in two consecutive Olympics.
Louganis' connection to the Gay Games is a special one.
He used the occa.sion of the 1994 Gay Games in New York
to first publicly acknowledge his sexuality and his status as
HIV itive. More recently he served as the narrator of
the y Games documentary, "Take the Flame," by filmmaker
David Secter (2005). "We continue to be amazed at
the life of this extraordinary man," said Kathleen Webster,
co-president of the international Federation of Gay Games.
"He has been a staunch supporter of the Gay Games for
more than a decade and we are grateful for his continued
support as the Gay Games returns to U S. for the first time
in 12 years.··
12 the STAR Oi<lahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine.
IS DEMOCRAT KATHY
TAYLOR THE CANDIDATE
OF CHOICE FOR TULSA'S
GLBT COMMUNITY?
YOU DECIDE.
From the STAR Editor:
Kathy Taylor for Tulsa Mayor website ask this question for
Tulsa voters. "How can I make your life better?"
The STAR's answer was. Bring equal rights to all people in
Tulsa including the GLBT community. And we posed this
question.
Question: Are you seeking the Gay/Lesbian vote in Tulsa?
The following is the response we received from her staff.
'Thank you for your message. Kathy Taylor believes in diversity
and in equal rights -- she has built a 25-year career
on those values. She doesn't ask her employees about
their personal lives, their political affiliation, their religion ...
You get the idea. Kathy Taylor hires people based on their
ability to do a job and she treats everyone with the respect
and dignity they deserve. She will be the same woman if
elected Tulsa's mayor.
I hope you'll help make that happen by voting for Kathy
Taylor for Mayor on April 4."
Lesbian crowned
college King.
FREDERICK, MD. -- Hood College is reviewing its homecoming
rules after a lesbian was crowned king, a college
official said.
Jennifer Jones, the 21-year-old senior who beat out three
men for the ciOwn, said it was a positive step for the private
liberal arts college.
"It is cool that Hood allows people to be themseives," Jones
said. "If people didn't want me to be king, they wouldn't
have nominated me and voted for me:·
More than two weeks after Jones was crowned, criticism
and praise were still rippling through the 2, 100-student
campus in western Maryland.
Santo Provenzano, 21, who competed for king, said Jones·
selection made the event seem like a joke. "It discourages
guys from wanting to take part in the future,"
Tulsa r. Leather 2006
nd The inner Is!
Photo left: winner "Tulsa Mr. Leather 2006" James Hollingswood.
Right: Jay Whiteside, 1st Runner Up.
by Greg Steele
TULSA, OK_ Tulsa Mr. Leather contest climaxed on Saturday
March 18th at Club Maverick with James Hollingswood
coming out on top. James will now advance to the Oklahoma
Mr. Leather contest to be held in October. The Okla- ·
homa Mr. Leather organization is franchise of "International
Mr. Leather" headquartered in Chicago.
Title holders must be present at as many community functions
as possible and must represent "Leather" in a positive
manner throughout the community. They must promote
unity, camaraderie, brother/sister hood. Winners must also
actively participate in at least 3 charity benefits during the
next 12 months.
The group heid a meet and greet party on Friday March
17th and ended their weekend event with a Sunday brunch
at the Metro Diner, Tulsa.
The STAR since 2003 13
14
I L Fl E
- ' Oklahoma City
ur 5th Anniversary
3 Days of Quality Workshops, Vendors, Great Plains Olympus
Contests, Cigar Smoker, Saints and Sinners Costume Contest, Many
Free Prizes, Play Parties, other Social Activities, N LA-I AGM and
as always, a surprise or two!
Only $125 if registered by April 21 !
Group Discounts for 6 or more!
Vendor Market is FREE and Open to the Public
www.TribalFire KC.com
the STAR, It's your community, we deliver it.
''A hysterical GLBT comedy troupe born from members of Chicago's famous
"SEC D CITY". They are determined to raise our spirits and make the Ozarks hills shake with
laughter with a show GLBTs and their straight friends & families can enjoy together!"
EUREKA SPRINGS, AR._Diversity Pride Events is proud
to present GAY-CO as part of our commitment to produce
quality events for GLBTs (gays, lesbians, bisexuals
a der) and their Allies. This comedy show will
e Spring Diversity Weekend in Eureka Springs,
Arkansas, April 7-9. On Saturday April 8, there will be
two performances of GAY-CO at a
2pm Matinee and at
7:30pm at the
historic Auditorium.
GayCo Productions
is a notfor-
profit theatre
ensemble that
specializes in creating
sketch-comedy
revues based
on gay/lesbian
themes.
An award winning
ensemble that was
established in 1996
as The "Second
City's" first lesbigay
and straight outreach
program. Ed Garza,
former Administrative
Director of The
"Second City'' Train-
Ing Center, brought
together nine performfrom
the training center
was to be c!n experimental workshop. Irreverent spirit is
just one reason why Rob Chambers, executive director
of The Second City Training Center, counts himself a fan.
"Given the current political and social climate, I can't wait to
see what they come up with ... 11 he says of the company that
can put its comedy chops next to those of more
esta names. GayCo is no less funny than, say, the
cast on the Second City main stage. They've amassed
an ever-growing fan base since their debut in 1996. HI
think they really touched on something that was needed,"
Chambers says.
Additional events during Diversity Weekend include a
'GOLDEN OLDIES' Dance & Socia! featuring dance hits
from the 1940's to present day, an 'OVER 16' Diversity
Dance, sponsored by Eureka Kid and another local charity,
and a DIVERSITY BIKERS 'Show 'n Shine'. A WELCOME
MIXER, co-sponsored by Diversity Pride Events and Eureka
Pride, with a Raffle to benefit the Food Bank, will be held
Friday night from 7pm - 9pm. And other local businesses
will be nouncing many
events. See
Eureka Pride.
ureka Springs,
sas prides
on it's diverpecially
on
ity Weeks,
GLBTand
LAG visitors
me from all
the world to
ittle village
e heart of.
activither
attractions,
ants geared toward
i Along with 0thvents
invites you to
visit Eureka year rou on FALL, SPRING,
SUMMER & VALENTIN WEEKENDS for
concerts, dances & other Pride Events. D.P.E. is committed
to producing and supporting quality events for GLBTs
(Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transgender) and Parents,
Friends, Families of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAGs) ... of ALL
ages to enjoy together!
"Our mission is to create intelligent and thought-provoking
sketch comedy based on Gay and Lesbian
themes that will entertain, educate and/or enlighten
our audience."
For more information go to: www.diversitypride.com or
www.gayco.net
The STAR since 2003
The Riders stood off campus hoping that the university
administration would have a change of heart: but when the time
came to attempt to have a conversation, their hopes were met
. with handcuffs. While the arrests were taking place, fellow Riders
waited across the street holding portraits of lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender people who committed suicide or were killed
because of religious messages that portrayed them as sick
and sinful.
In all, eight individuals were arrested when they attempted
to gain entrance to the campus -- 6 Equality Riders and 2
community members. Moving across police lines toward
the school's massive sculpture of praying hands, they carried
Bibles and quoted scripture passages that reflected
why they felt called to talk with students at Oral Roberts
about ending the school's policy of religion-based discrimination
against LGBT people.
Speaking about why she felt motivated to be arrested,
Jessie Sullivan said, "I had seriously considered going to
Oral Roberts for college; but when I came to campus to
visit I did not feel welcome. It was that unease that made
me feel as if I should make a statement about why colleges
should be welcoming to everyone, because we are all one
in Christ. God loves 1:1s wholly for who we are."
Several Orai Roberts students have contacted Riders by
email and phone to try to set up meetings and dialogue
off campus. ORU students have stated that the university
has blocked the Soulforce web site from web browsers of
resident students. Nathan Bengtson, one of the Riders in
charge of the Oral Roberts Univeisity stop, has vowed to
find ways to reach out to students regardless of the administration's
tactics. "We've met obstacles at every school
we've visited so far; and in every instance we have found
ways to dialogue with students. It is time for this issue to be
discussed."
y ur1JL
Sales Associate
ION DOLLAR PRODUCER"
ffice: (918) 496-2252
625-6377 fax (918)491-6351
· . . 91.02
".ilS6 t-!,3-". ',,
. . . .
16 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
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Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine. 17
The Cancer of
Fundamentalism
What is going on with the world right now? When did hate
become so acceptable? It's getting to the point where
reading the news is almost too depressing to handle -and
that's just the mainstream news. God forbid I should
check the LGBT news outlets. For a while, in the 90s, it
felt like things were looking up. There were progressive
governments in place in many countries, and bigotry and
discrimination were largely seen as bad things.
Then all that changed.
You can pretty much pinpoint the exact
day: December 14, 1999, when the Supreme
Court ruled 5 to 4 in favor of Bush
and stopped the Florida recount. It was all
downhill from there. When Bush became
president, the Fundamentalist Christian
Right took power. Bigotry and discrimination
went from being negative qualities
to presidential policy. As Episcopal priest
and former Republican Senator John C.
Danforth said in a 2005 editorial for The
New York Times, "Republicans have transformed
our [the Republican] party into the
political arm of conservative Christians."
Danforth went on to say, 'The problem is
not with people or churches that are politically
active. It is with a party that has gone
so far in adopting a sectarian agenda that
it has become the political extension of a
religious movement." In other words, the
United States is fast becoming a theocracy.
The danger with fundamentalism, whether we're talking
about Christians or Mus!ims, is that they aren't content to
simply believe a cer'tain way; they feel they have to force
their beliefs on everyone else as well. You must believe
the way they do or eise. That would be bad enough if
they simply ranted and raved and protested at funerals,
but when they start controlling politics to the point that
they are legislating their personal beliefs, the reai trouble
begins.
Need examples? Look no farther than the Federal Marriage
Amendment, or any one of the myriad states following
suit. As of February 16, 2006, thirteen states had
constitutional amendments pending that would limit or
prohibit same-sex marriage and/or other forms of reiationship
recognition. Six other states had approved such
amendments and were awaiting ratification by voters.
My own home state of Maryland is one of those with antigay
legislation pending. Last month, state Democrats
outmaneuvered Republicans in the House to kill a
proposed amendment that would have banned same-sex
marriage and civil unions in the state. A few weeks later,
the Republicans bounced back with another version that
would permit civil unions while prohibiting marriage. This
week, during testimony advising the proposed amendment
be dropped, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs interrupted
American University constitutional law professor James
Raskin to assert, "As I read Biblical principles, marriage
was intended, ordained and started by God - that is my
belief. For me, this is an issue solely based on religious
principals."
Well golly gee, Ms. Jacobs, ever hear of something called
separation of church and state? I don't really give a rat's
ass what your religious beliefs are. You were elected to
uphold the Constitution, not your interpretation of the Bible.
This is the part that always gets me. Why should your
religion be more valid than say Judaism? Or for that matter,
why should your version of Christianity be more valid than
any other? After all, not all Christians are
opposed to gay rights.
If legislating based on personal beliefs is
okay, then what if a Jehovah's Witness
was elected? They don't believe in celebrating
birthdays or exchanging gifts at
Christmas. Imagine the national outcry if
they introduced legislation outlawing birthday
parties and Christmas piesents. The
Fundies would be right at the forefront,
once again raising their ridiculous "War on
Christmas" banners.
My point is, while it's unreasonable to
expect that an elected official's personal
faith will have no influence on their decision
making process, it should never come
before Constitutional law. Moral codes
are variable and, despite what Conservatives
would like to believe, no one belief
system has a lock on the Truth. There is
no basis under civil law that can legitimately be used to
outlaw same-sex marriage. Historical precedent wasn't
good enough for woman's rights, black rights, or interracial
marriage, and it's not good enough for gay rights, either.
The only argument they have is based on religion, and the
fact is that's not valid.
Fundamentalism is like a cancer. It's eating away at the
United States, and, just like cancer, we can't afford to
ignore it. It's not going to simply go away. We have to cut it
out in order to start healing. Yes, damage has been done,
but none of it is irieparable. It's not too late, but we have to
wake up and start fighting back.
We have to get the slaves to the Fundies out of office. !t
won't be easy, especially in the South. They've been slowly
entrenching themselves there for decades now. The Conservative
Christian movement controls many Senators and
(~ontinued ncxr page
18 the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine.
HEART TO HEART
Representatives, contributing millions to their campaigns.
They are well-organized in getting the votes, using the
pulpit to spread their propaganda.
It's high time we organized against them, and it's finally
starting to happen. Many states have formed strong LGBT
political lobbyist groups in the last few years. These groups
are at long last getting the LGBT community and our allies
together. If you're not already involved in one of these
groups, or at the very .least on their mailing list, what are
you waiting for? 'Tm not political" is no longer an acceptable
excuse. This is about more than politics. The cancer is
spreading and if we don't do something soon, it will be too
late. Now that many states have won their war against gay
marriage, the Fundies are encouraged. They're moving on
to bigger and better things. Their newest issue is gay adoption
and, currently, there are 16 states addressing differing
levels of restriction.
First marriage, then adoption. It doesn't take much imagination
to see where this is leading. We can put a stop to it,
however, by electing fair-minded men and women as our
senators, representatives, governors, mayors, and, yes,
president. 2006 is a midterm election year. It could very
well set the tone for the next presidential election. Be sure
to know your candidates, get involved, and most importantly,
get out there and vote! It's the only way to stop the
cancer of Fundamentalism.
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I
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
APRIL 2006
"JUSTIFY OUR LOVE"
Leah Crask and Teresa Weeks met like many lesbians
meet - through some friends. One of Teresa's friends
actually asked Leah out first. But, as the saying goes, love
always finds a way, and now Leah and Teresa are happily
ensconced in their San Francisco home with a 9-month-old
son.
When San Fran's mayor, Gavin Newsom, decided it was
only fair for lesbians and gay to marry, Leah and Teresa
walked through the doors of City Hall and took their vows
on March 1, 2004.
· "Getting married was a huge difference," said Leah. "All of
a sudden my parents acknowledged that, 'Oh, you're gonna
be together forever.'"
Leah and Teresa's marital bliss did not last that long, but
they didn't break up. By the end of the month, the California
Supreme Court enjoined Newsom from granting any
more marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and nullified
the 4,000 or so same-sex marriages that took place while
those licenses were being granted. Instead of being legally
married, Leah and Teresa only have their domestic partner
registration to prove the validity of their relationship.
Not to be taken lightly, having domestic partner laws are
better than not having them, but just imagine how hurtful
it must have been for Leah, Teresa, and the thousands of
other couples who one day celebrated the love they always
knew to be true and the next day were told, "Sorry, you really
don't count."
According to a new ~dy entitled "I Do, But I Can't: The
Impact of Marriage Denial on the Mental Health and Sexual
Citizenship of Lesbians and Gay Men in the United States,"
being denied marriage rights has had a tremendous negative
impact on our mental heaith and well-being. Whiie we
have creatively taken the "defining our own family structure''
situation firmly in hand, the study found that our inability to
marry creates "the mental distress of second-class citizenship."
The "I Do, But I Can't" study is co-authored by Gilbert
Herdt, Ph.D., an anthropologist and director of the National
Sexuality Resource Center at San Francisco State University,
and Robert Kertzner, M.D., a practicing psychiatrist
who is also an adjunct associate research scientist in Coiumbia
University's Department of Psychiatry. When it
comes time for the Christian Right to try to discredit the study,
the authors' academic pedigrees should give the findings some
insulation.
So what did Herdt and Kertzner find?
When comparing married straights to unmarried straights, they
found that married individuals have better mental health, more
emotional support, less psychological distress, and lower rates of
psychiatric disorder than unmarried folks. They found that hetero
social networks support marriage. A case study in rural Oregon
showed how married hets can comfortably rely on their churches,
local schools, and neighborhood visibility to secure or enhance
jobs, form political alliances. and access social support such as
childcare. A same-sex couple iesiding in the same town was shut
out of these opportunities because ... they weren't a straight, married
couple.
When looking solely at gay and lesbian couples, the study found,
among many things, that the lack of legally recognized marriage
may cause couples not to value their relationships as legitimate
expressions of commitment and "intimate sexual citizenship."
Not being able to marry also deprives many of us of social and
family support. According to Herdt and Kertzner, having this type
of support counteracts stress and social isolation. Remember,
Leah's parents didn't consider her relationship with Teresa as real
until they got married.
While Leah and Teresa's legal marriage may be null and void,
they haven't fallen victim to devaluing their relationship. Yet, they
do struggle every day with having to prove to the world that they
are in a committed, loving relationship.
Leah became pregnant with Caden after their marriage was
voided. When it came time to make sure their son's birth certificate
listed both of them. Leah pre-packed their domestic partner
certificate so she had it when her delivery time came. "It's usually
not the first thing you think of when you go into labor," she said.
When it actually came time to fill out the certificate, the state
hadn't kept up with its own legislative changes, and the birth
certificate still said mom and dad. "There was no appropriate form
to recognize a domestic partner on a birth certificate." said Teresa.
Leah was surprised that they had to cmss out "mother and father"
and put down "parent 1 and parent 2."
But, in order to guarantee that Teresa is iegally Caden's parent,
they are going through the second-parent adoption process. Teresa
pointed out that if a married couple had to go to a sperm bank
in order to conceive, the husband wouldn't have to go through this
process, even though he is not genetically related to the child.
"It's a little hard to swaliow that we have to go through a different
process that's more invasive and more expensive," said Teresa.
"It's painful to have to adopt your own child."
But the pain is even deeper. "It's always, 'Is your relationship
enough?' 'Can you prove it enough?"'
20 The Ozarks STAR since 2003
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyman
APRIL
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.
Who Was John Preston?
Author John Preston is perhaps best known for creating
the archetypal leatherman, Mr. Benson, but he was also a
pioneering gay rights activist.
Born Dec. 11, 1945, Preston grew up in Medfield, Mass.
He discovered the gay community as a teenager, escaping
as often as possible to Harvard Square in Boston to
purchase physique magazines, and visiting the gay resort
of Provincetown. After graduating from high school in 1963,
Preston moved to Chicago to attend Lake Forest College.
He became involved in civil rights activism, traveling to Alabama
as a freedom rider and tutoring students in Chicago's
slums.
Having moved to Boston in 1969 in search of a gay community,
Preston chose to "come out with a vengeance" after
an early lover committed suicide. After this, Preston moved
to Minneapolis, where he co-founded Gay House ( one of
the first gay community centers) and Gay Community Services.
He was also a progressive Christian activist, serving
as a member of the National Council of Churches' Task
Force on Gay People in the Church; though he aspired to
become an Episcopal priest, he abandoned the idea due to
what he saw as the '<hurch's hypocrisy concerning homosexuality.
·
In the mid-1970s, Preston moved to Los Angeles, where
he was hired as editor of the national gay publication, The
Advocate_, a position he held for about a year. in a quest
to become "the ultimate gay man," he then worked as a
hustler in San Francisco before moving to New York City in
1978, where he immersed himself in the S/M underworld.
He later recalled that his first bondage scene was with a
New Jersey state trooper who tied him to a tree in a deserted
nature preserve.
In his East Viliage basement apartment, Preston wrote
his best-known work, a short story featuring the imperious
master Aristotle Benson and his slave Jamie. He submitted
the story to _Drummer_ magazine, and soon received a
call from the publisher asking if he could turn it into a serialized
novel. "Mr. Benson" first appeared in the May 1979 issue,
and before long fans were eagerly awaiting each new
installment.
To the surprise of many, Preston left New York's bustling
gay scene a year later, donning oxford-cloth shirts and
loafers and settling into small-town life in Portland, Maine,
where he could often be found walking his dog, Vlad the
Impaler. He had moved to Portland with his lover and slave,
Jason Klein, but Klein soon returned to San Francisco: he
died not long after as a result of an autoerotic asphyxiation
accident.
Due to the success of his Mr. Benson stories (published
as a book in 1983), Preston himself was cast into the role
of the archetypal Topman. But he eventually grew apart
from the leather scene, which he felt had been "overtaken
by sightseers." He later acknowledged that in writing about
that world, he helped popularize it. "Once the gates were
open, the mystique began to erode," he wrote. "Leathersex
has gone the way of all politics, it's lost its edge."
In 1987, Preston, who had become a safer sex educator,
learned that he himself was HIV-positive. Dismaye_d at the
diagnosis, he could barely write for more than a year, but
then went on to edit _Personal Dispatches: Writers Confront
AIDS_ (1989). "I certainly found my own imagination
rightly constricted by the idea of a deadly virus that was
spread by sexual intercourse," he wrote.
Preston brought sex writing into the realm of serious gay
literature, always resisting pressure to recast his pornography
as "erotica": 'The only difference is that erotica is the
stuff bought by rich people; pornography is what the rest
of us buy," he said. But while much of Preston's work was
devoted to sex, he wrote widely in other genres, including a
1984 novel, _Franny, the Queen of Provincetown_, a series
of adventure tales featuring gay undercover ex-Marine Alex
Kane, and a syndicated column about gay life in Maine.
He also edited numerous anthologies, including _Hometowns:
Gay Men Write About Where They Belong_ (1991)
and _ Sister and Brother: Lesbians and Gay Men Write
about Their Lives Together_ (1994, with Joan Nestle). He
regularly attended the annual OutWrite conference, was an
active member of the National Writers Union, and mentored
younger writers. His 1984 collection, I Once Had a Master
and Other Tales of Erotic Love_, was among the works
confiscated at the border by Canadian customs; he supported
the iawsuit of Vancouver's Little Sisters Book and
Art Emporium, but died before he could testify at the 1994
Canadian Supreme Court trial.
Though quite i!I from complications of AIDS, Preston continued
working on his final two anthologies from his hospital
bed. He died at his home in Portland on April 28. 1994.
A decade after his death, Preston's impact on the leather
world endures - in the words of columnist Jack Rinella, "He
gave it existence in the minds of thousands of readers,
gave image to the dreams we all thought and to the men for
whom we searched.
22 Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
What puzzles me about
this whole thin with Fred
Phelps in a, Kansas
by DOUGLAS GLENN
I get really get disgusted when I read or see in the news
about the idiot, Fred Phelps in Topeka who does all of
these bizarre things that he does in the name of "Christianity".
He has been around for a long time and has caused so
much havoc in the world and especially in Topeka, Kansas
where he lives. We all need to know who our enemies are
and he is indeed one of the worst. Even thou his website is
total garbage you need to go to it once in a while just to see
what kind of hate he is spewing: www.godhatesfags.com.
After reading all the crap that he is putting out, then go to
www.godhatesfredphelps.com to get another version of
exactly what he is doing.
The one thing that really irks me is that when he used to
picket gay funerals the local and State governments just
stood by and watched and wouldn't do anything about it.
Only when he began to picket the funerals of American
soldiers coming back from the war in Iraq did the local and
State governments finally step in and hurriedly enacted
laws keeping him at a great distance at funerals. It's great
that they finally enacted this law but why didn't they do it
before now?
We have made a LOT of progress in these past few years
and I do mean a LOT! But we need to continue the
progress each and every day. In many parts of the country,
being "gay" is just a part of life. Even in many cities
here in the Midwest gays lives in the suburbs and have no
problems with being gay at all: The teaching profession
which used to be a no-no for gays now has an open door
policy for "out'' gay teachers and they do not encounter any
problems. Seems as thou it is just in the major cities in the
Midwest that things are really changing and fast for gay
equality. Just like being black or Jew, almost any minority
still faces problems all the time. Will this ever change?
I would certainly like to think so but am afraid that we are
still a long way off. Sure gays can "pass" whereas blacks
cannot. Jews used to change their last names to "pass" and
it worked. But who wants to "pass" anymore? I certainly
don't! I am a single gay white male and proud of who I am.
I honestly believe that if there is a God, that God made me
the way that I am. Why shouldn't I be proud of who I am?
Is the cup half empty or half full? Each individual must
make that decision for themselves. I have taiked with many
older gay men in the community and they are amazed how
open it is to be gay now. Their dreams of long ago has arrived
and they are proud of what they did to encourage it. I
just hope that in the next few years that it will be completely
different than it is now. But we do have a lot of straight
allies in our community who along with us are fighting for
our rights. Always piaise them for what they are doing. We
need them and they are so nice to help us.
The STAR since 2003 23
Rs
Salutations and welcome once more to sluts "R" us, err something
like that. This month Cncle Mikey recovers from a love affair of
epic proportions. I mean whew, that man was just too much. It was
like being at rhe DQ and trying to take that extra dip, knowing your
body. just won't handle it. I mean; it just was not right. While appealing,
some mountains just are not meant to be climbed. Sadly, I
had ro cur that stallion loose, sending him back into the wild. I hope
he does not do any damage; talk about putting your eye out.
I bet the censors are just on the edge of their seats. I guess, I do
sound a little like a prom date gone bad. That man of substantial
lovin' made more of an impression than I realized. Kittens, I tried,
really I did. You just can't get a twelve in a size ten; I don't care
how you work ir.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
At the college I attend, I have met, well kind of mer, this man. He
is in some of my classes and all I can say is he is fine. He makes me
perk up every time I see him. I have seen him with several females,
assuming that he is straight. To teil you the truth that just makes
the attraction stronger. I want him only for a short rime. These are
my college years, I'm supposed to experiment. So, should I just get
him drunk so ne can eqjoy my tale!.'lts? I realiy want this guy, so bad
I have been ignoring the' guys who would giadly enjoy my company.
What should I do?
Frat-boy-lecious
Dear Kitten,
A.K.A. butter, you kaow what you want, and I would even say,
you have already greased the Kegger nozzles, awaiting your frat boy
knight. Uncle cautions howeYt:r, as though some straight wayward
boys may let pu play~ some may not. Ob' who are .,,·e kidding,
order rum a pizza and seal the deal. A straigh: colJege boy is like a
walking drive through; you can have it your \Vay, if there is a good
supply of beer and pizza. That's Amour'
Smooches-Michac
Uncle Mikey,
I think my boyfriend of ten years has been seeing someone on the
side. I have no real proof per say, just a nagging feeling in my gut.
Sex has become strained, and I figured it was just because we had
become so routine in our ways. I now see him acting like he is getting
ready for a hook up though he tells me, working late, going on
errands, ect. I do not want to be one of those jealous types, questioning
every move. I also do not want to be living with someone
else who is living with everybody. Know what I mean? What would
you do?
Suspecting in Ohio
Dearest Suspecting,
Kitten, I tell this repeatedly. If they are not getting ir at home, they
are getting it somewhere. Via, liaison, hand-to-hand combat, somewhere,
a man is a man after all. Secondly, if you feel something is
amiss than more likely than not, there is. I would sit your man down
and confront him with you feelings, prepared to hear whatever it
is awaiting for you. Communication can be taken for granted after
being with someone for a while, though never does the importance
change in any relationship. He may be wondering why you rwo are
not doing the bunny mambo across the front lawn anymore. Take
ir a step at a time, as anything and anyone worth having is worth
working for.
Smooches-'Mikey
Dear :Mikey,
Where did your site go? I really enjoyed it and miss going there
every week.
A fan of Mikey's
Kitten,
You have touched me; moreover, I am willing to touch back. Kitten,
The world is not ready for an entire corner of Mikey, lets break
them in slowly shall we? Smooches- :Mikey
Dear Uncle Mikey,
My friends all give me a hard time telling me that I am stuck in the
eighties. While, this is a joke to some, it is a way of life for me. I
belong to that rime, style, and music. It was a rime that meant something
more than found in the hallow music and style of today. Bring
back the eighties'.
Mrs. Garret's boy
Dearest Kitten,
Gimme-a-break! A virgin you are not, while time has turned and the
beat goes on. You must accept the, facts of life, if you really want
to enjoy tne good-times. This is a serious condition even if spoken
through ca::eless whispers. Hanging on to the past can only prevent
you from seeing the new and exciting rimes of today. You may be
missing opportunity if you are looking behind yot.:. If you want to
:1ear anyone say, I want your sex, ~han you must nip it in ci1e bud
;o to speak. Like a prayer, I send you good thoughts. Let go and let
Cheri ... Smooches-Mikey
Get with it, don't you wish your Guri was Hot like me? Yes, Kittens,
Uncle Mikey is time:ess, whi!s~ my flame shall lead yet another generations
of young queers evernvhere. \'{'ell Kittens, I guess that is all
the time for this month. Until next, time. Smooches-l'ncle Mikey
26 The STAR since 2003
Easter Blackberry Wine Cake
1 White cake mix
1 pkg (3oz) Royal Blackberry gelatin.
4 Eggs.
1 cooking oil.
1 lackberry wine (use real blackberry
wrne, not blackberry flavored.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine dry cake mix an latin, add
eggs, oil and wine. Beat mixer on low
speed until moistened, then beat on
Medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.
Grease and heavily flour a Sundt cake pan. Sprinkle pecan pieces in bottom
of pan. Pour in batter and bake 45 to 50 minutes.
Make aze while cake is baking. When cake is done, take from oven and
pour f glaze over warm cake while still in pan. Let cool 30 minutes,
turn cake out of pan. Add more powdered sugar glaze until thickened and
pour glaze over cake.
GLAZE
1 Cup powdered sugar.
1/3 cup butter or oleo.
1/2 cup blackberry wine.
~~to all. ...
and it's time for a spring
party. The April drink is a punch to
make for Sunday Brunch or any get
together. It's fruity delicious with the
taste of passion fruit and raspberries.
Mix up a pitcher full and enjoy.
PASSION FRUIT PUNCH
1 oz. Parrot Bay Passion Fruit Rum
1/2 oz Chambord
2 oz Orange Juice
2 oz Cranberry Juice
2 oz Pineapple Juice
Fill tall glass with ice.
Add all ingredients.
Garnish with lime, orange and
cherry.
Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 27
QSco
by Jack Fertig
APRIL 2006
"Write polemics, Aries!""
es
Mars opposing Pluto boosts stamina and determination, but
also raises tempers and belligerence. With Mars in Gemini
and Pluto in Sagittarius, it's more bark than bite. Keep longrange
goals in mind, and you can achieve almost anything.
Venus entering Pisces doesn't help you focus, but she does
bring more accommodation and gentleness.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Write polemics, take up a
challenging study, or do whatever you can to keep your hyper-
charged brain productive and out of useless arguments
that will quickly get very nasty. This is an ideal time to go in
drag as Ann Coulter.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Your sweetness and sensitivity
will boost your image and your career. Tangling with
banks, insurance, or tax offices is not a good idea right
now. Tangling with someone who knows how to talk dirty is
a much better option.
GEMINI (May 21- June 20): Although you believe in ideals
of sweetness and light, you are too tempted to get down
and dirty in the trenches. That makes for vicious arguments,
but fantastic, passionate sex.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Worry can make you sick.
Calm your mind and strengthen your body with some gentle
physical activity, such as hiking or tai chi - or sex. Dancing
is also helpful, and it makes you especially sexy.
LEO (July 23 -August 22): The fun just doesn't stop. Yo~
may want to apply that energy to some artistic brilliance - if
you can figure out what to do. The one you love offers great
inspiration, but no focus. If you can pick a goal and stick
with it, you can shifle!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Try to find purpose
and elegance in whatever task is at hand. This will calm
your furiously busy brain and help keep you out of trouble.
The boss may appreciate some of your ideas, but not
nearly all of them!
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Despite your i.ntention
to make things agreeable, your sense of justice can push
you to be very provocative. Sometimes that's necessary,
but now you tend to go overboard. Try to think of life more
as a creative game than as a struggle.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21 ): Although your sex
drive is especially high, thinking distracts from doing. What
are the actual value and cost of erotic fun? Traditional ideals
may offer grounding or confusion, but need to be dealt
with at some level.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Arguments
with your parlner are hard to avoid. Poetry, music, movies,
and arl all offer pleasant diversion. Just having it out and
clearing the air may be the better course, and the make-up
sex should be terrific!
CAPRICORN (December 21 -January 19): Remember
that your strength is in advancing carefully. Sudden frantic
bursts of activity threaten to undennine your work and your
health. Stay focused on your goals and don't get ahead of
yourself!
AQUARIUS (January 20- February 18): Harebrained
schemes are screaming for you to invest your time and
money. Put time into pleasure and future hopes, but guard
your money carefully! When friends let you down, remember
they are only human.
28 Adverlising in the STAR is just good business cents.
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Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - - -930 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - - -479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1 /2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - - 4 79-783-9988
Red Rock City - - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - - 101 O E. Grand Ave - - - - - - -501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501) ·
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - - -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - - 1021 Jessie Rd- - - - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - - - 415 Main St - -North LR.- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory - - - - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40- - - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Kellogg Dr- - - - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Club Glacier- - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - - 316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's---- --716S.Main- -------------417-627-9035
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th, - - - - - - - - - - - -- Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
Missie B's- - - -805 W. 39th St- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Concourse Park B&B - 300 Benton Blvd -- - - - -816-231-1196
Missouri, Lampe
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield {417)
The Edge- - - - - 424 Boonville Ave- - - - - -- - - - - - 417-831-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commerical- - - - - - - -417-869-3978
Liquors & Kickers- - - - - 1109 E. Commercial- - - - --417-873-2225
Martha's Vineyard- - - 219 W Olive - - - - - - - - - - 417-864-4572
Priscilia's - - - -1918 S. Gienstone - - - - - - - - - - -417-881-8444
Oz Bar-504 E Commercial- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -417-831-9001
Ronisuz Place- - -821 College- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - -1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid
Hastings Books- - - -1_04 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-242-6838
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton
Triangles- - - - - 29 SW "D" Ave- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-351-0620
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Boom Room- - - - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- -- - - - - -405-601-7200
Club Rox- - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Cristies Toy Box- - 3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - - - - 405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - - -405-672-6459
Fat Cat Bingo- - - - - - 3130 N. May Ave - - - - - -405-942-8875
Finish Line - - - - - - - 2200 NW 39th Expwy- - - 405-525-2900
Gushers Restaurant- - - - 2200 NW 39Exp - - - - - - -405-525-0730
HollywoodHotel- - - - 3535 NW 39th Ex- - - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Habana Inn - - - - - - 2200 NW 39th Exp- - - - - - - -405-528-2221
Hi-lo Club - - - - - - - 1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - - - - 405-843-1722
Jungle Reds - - - - - -2200 NW Expwy- - - - - - - - - - -405-524-5733
Partners- - - - - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - 615 E. Memorial- - - - - - - - - 405-755-8600
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Sisters- - - - - - - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - - -405-521-9533
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
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
Border's Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Border's Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Maverick- - - - - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - - 7 - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - - - - - - - -918-834-1051
Elite Bookstore - - - - -814 S. Sheridan- - - - - - - - - - 918-838-8503
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - - 3540 E. 31st - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz's Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nite Spot - - - - - - -3007 E. Admiral Pi - - - - - - - - - 918-834-3007
Priscilla's - - - - - - - - -7925 E. 41 st- - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 5634 W. Skelly - - - - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 11344 E. 11th - - - - -- - - - - - - -918-438-4224
Prisciila's - - - - - - - - 2333 E. ?1st- - - - - -- - - - - -918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- - - - - - - - - 918-627-1505
Tulsa CARES- - - 3507 E. Admiral Pl- - - - - - - - - - 918-834-4194
Tulsa Eagle- - - - -1338 E. 3rd - - - - - - - - - - - - - -918-592-1188
TNT's - - - - - - - - 2114 S. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - - 918-660-0856
Whittier News Stand- - 1 N. Lewis- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-592-0767
Yellow-Brick-Rd- - - - - - 2630 E. 15th- - - - - - - - - - 918-293-0304
TULSA EAGLE
1338 E 3rd, Tulsa, OK
918-592-1188
* Leather, Levi, Fetish
* Hottest Local Men
* Karaoke Wensday 1 0pm
* Male Dancers Fri & Sat
* Members Party Every Sun 6pm
PROPERTY FOR SALE OR LEASE
Condo for rent 980 Sq ft.1 bed room
plus den $500. pius Elect. 66th and
Peoria
House for rent or sale Aprox 1800 sq ft 2
bedroom 2.5 baths 2 I replace
$900.00 Month plus Sheridan
Area sales price $128.000 Possible lease
purchase.
FOR SALE: 6711 E 58th Pl. 3 Bed 2 Bath
2 Living Swimming Pool $140.500
Tracy 918-625-6377 Keller Williams
3007 E. ADMIRAL PLACE.
TULSA, OK
LADIES NITE
1.25 LONGNECKS 3- 8
50 cent pool tables. Shuffle Board.
918.834.3007
Open Sunday @ 12:00 Noon
Open Monday-Saturday 11 am
HIDEAWAY
11730 E. 11th Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
now open 12noon to 2am
C,osed Monday.
Get results with STAR Classifieds!
* Full Body, ~ports, Hot Stone
*- Hand and Foot Scrubs
* In-House Clinic
* Day~, Evenings and Weekends
Call for an appointment and rates.
918~857-2805
MAGICAL MASSAGE
Located in NW Oklahoma City
Full body deep tissue massage.
Call Mark
405-949-1991
Experience Total Relaxation
Jay Whiteside
918.902.1461
Tulsa Metro
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
31
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, April 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 4
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
April 01, 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
Bunky Walters
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz Ward
Format
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Image
Online text
PDF
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
magazine
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, March 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 3
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/239
The Star Magazine, May 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 4
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/240
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/223
Advice Column
Bamboo Lounge
Bitter Girl
Cartoon
Chelsea Boys
classifieds
Club Majestic
Club Maverick
Comics
Distributers
Easter Blackberry Wine Cake
Fred Phelps
Fundamentalism
Gay Games
Greg Louganis
H.O.P.E
Heart to Heart
John Preston
Kathy Taylor
Lesbian Notions
Mr. Leather
Oral Roberts University
Out of Service
Passion Fruit Punch
Past Out
Q Scopes
Soulforce Equality Riders
Star entertainment
Star Scene
The Gay Travelers
Uncle Mikey
vacation
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/0c8df105d73cb6996da784dabcad6623.jpg
95236ac6539ae57d128911a29cb5e611
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/60f94ba1cf602f7b825dc951e5dbbaf3.pdf
c78acfa197947304180821d86bac8076
PDF Text
Text
���������������������������������
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Magazine
Text
Any textual data included in the document
lahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
~M@M~
~@@@
~@
~[3@
~~
2114 S. Memorial Dr. * Tulsa, OK * 918.660.0856
2 the STAR, Ceiebrating our 3rd Year 2006.
ontents
06 HEART TO HEART
It ain't easy being green. Or
blind. Or gay. Let's work together
to make it a little easier
on all of us.
I O LESBIAN NOTIONS
Tennessee Burning! Used to be that
cross burnings were the KKK's calling
card against African Americans. Now
cross burnings have a different use.
14 PAST OUT
A retrospective of LGBT
History. This month "How
queer is science fiction?"
I 7 CIAO TRAVEL
Gay Travelers "OGUNQUIT,
1-1AINE" &
Out of Town "Philadelphia"
4
INDEX
Heart to Heart .......... 6
Lesbian Notions ..... 10
People ................... 12
Past Out... .............. 14
Entertainment... ..... 16
Ciao Travel. ........... 17
Star Scene ............ 24
Uncle Mikey .......... 26
The Bistro ............. 27
Horoscopes ........... 28
Distributors ............ 29
Cartoons ................ 30
Classifieds ............. 31
(}av men and lesbians face .... ~, , ', , ,,, , '
situations, whether single oras couples.
Let us help!
I
( 1 ) 7 -5 6
,4rkansas & Ok/ahoma1s 1\Aost Read GLBT ftAagazine
:Executive Director,
y ru::1d Lesbian Task Force
YORK, NY_I never expected New
,~ court to rule for us o:1 marriage,
solid legal reasons, New York
the first tier for marriage test
remember
task 10 years ago of
from going to court to
,en I read the stimmary Friday momtha-
c the state constitution doesn't
the recognition of same-sex mar-
. I expected the body of the decision
to b~ scholarly and well-reasoned, I also
· · · · it :would express sympathy for
· hardships gay
· couples face and that it would
~ge die Legislature to act to add,
tcss these jnjustices ...
:\<Boy, ~was ! ~n& The o~inion w~s m~re
,. ·· poorly.wtitten, illogical and 10sultmg
· · · • d;. it was olainlv homoohoppme
ex~mple'of .th~ failur; of
. . alitgedlf thinking straight people
,• .. · futbis·case judges - to grasp that we
.... f:tfe:fiilly andemially.liwnan.· Sentences like:
:Ji::?,· .. :.,
.ii::a~~~t:i~<;e sQgg~;t that a
· ·· · his or
in
n
cd
they can
ult of acci.dent or
{the inajonty of the New
·Yoi1c.Court6f Appeals sb:ould feel the rest
of their lives. *
F
AGAIN! NOW BY
THE US HOUSE OF
REPRESNTATIVES
WASHINGTON,July 18 _Right-wing
zealots are coming up empty-handed when
they aim to push discrimination into our
nation's Constimrion.
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives
voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment
bv an.o-vcrwhelmiog margin. With 187
Repres;ntatives v~tiog agl!,lllst the FMA, the
extremists pushing the amendment fell far
short of tl;tc two.:tliirds ~ajority needed co
write discrimination 1nto th; Constitution.
You and thousands.of committed Human
Rights Campaign §tipporters.have spoken
up time and time again, urging our elected
officials to stand on the side of equality
and fairness. Together, bur work to combat
discrirrunatlon.has' made a difference.
ive
.. nalGay
"Task Force
"Once ag~ii, a bipartisan bloc has soundly
rejecteq · stimtional iunenclment
. . . .
gay Americans andt:hcir families:.In spite
of intense
to getdris . . . .
the House-just as.it failed in the Senate.
Clearly, thet:e's· no· traction itl this issue.
. . .
''We i::o . Leader Nancy Pelosi,
Min y Hoyer and the entire
minority leadership, and especially Reps.
Tammy Baldwin, Jei:!,'old Nadler, James
McGo~ern and Barney Fr,-..nk for their work
in otgaoizix.ig oppositi~n to this,am,~qd.ment.
as well as all r.l}e others wno stood up
,, : , , ,' -> ,i , ,'' : ~' 1 - ' ' ·-· for our community ana our tamtl1es.
"We hone this vote today will be the basis
for a w~rjqng majority iri Congress to press
forn"ll.rd on basic fairness for lesbian, gay,
· bisexual and transgender people, including
protection from bate crimes and disc~nation
and access to the same protect:J.ons
enjoyed by all other families.
"Finally, as we move beyond yet another
sound defeat of this un-American proposal,
we hope all members of Congress
and the American people think hard about.
what truly is at stake here: Denying one ·
group of Americans the family recogni- .
rion granted to others would r~erse the . .
course of our nation's history oi: expanding
equal rights. It would condemn one group •
to a lesser citizenship and deny them the ·
social support our society has c<;>nsttucted
to help families and children flourish. Gay
and Ie'°sbian families need and deserve the.
kind of protection and support we currently·
extend to other families. Let's start acknowledging
that truth. Let's start talki~g abo'.1tfrj .
and let's start doing it because it 1s the right ·
thing to do."
Creating
Community for
People iiving
with
Our House. Too offers a variety of
activities for peopie \A/ho are HI\/+ and
or living vvith' AIDS to help cornbat the
social lsoiat!on that rnany of our
dE;f ;1;,~~.!:1o~~~1~1=ti::~:s~I~·
and or !!v!ng \.V!th ,A.!OS \.tvho cannot
afford to purchase these !ten1s for
themselves . ..,/Ve invite anyone \Vho
\Vouid like to voiunteer or provide fi·nanciai
assistance to piease contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-mail
harrisrnrnjr,gyahoo_co!T1.
the STAR 5
It Ain't Easy Being Green
It ain't easy being green. The plaintive lament of Kermit the
Frog became this year's theme at the annual meeting of
Blind Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual
People, BFLAG for short. The message was one of selfacceptance,
but the group is also fighting for another kind
of acceptance: inclusion in the gay
is to provide for the betterment of the lives of those who
are visually impaired and who are lesbian, gay, bisexuai or
transgender. Specifically, they're working to help blind gay
people integrate into society.
"LGBT disabled individuals have the same problems as
straight disabled individuals," reports BFLAG president
Butch Arnold. "Sometimes we're totally accepted but, more
often than not, we're assumed to be different and are not
accepted on an even playing field. With the closet factor
added to the mix, disabled people, especially those who
are visually impaired or blind, have major problems fitting
in or simply being accepted by other LGBT individuals.
This makes socializing difficult under many normal LGBT
circumstances."
Jason Perry, vice president of BFLAG and a law student
at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, agrees that
handicapped people are often excluded from gay culture.
'There's a fear, number one, of just 'Goodness, what do
we do?"' Perry explained. "The task iooks so monumental.
The second issue is just logistical. A lot of gay bars aren't
handicapped accessible."
So how do we work together to change that?
The first step, everyone agrees, is education. "Once a
visually impaired or blind individual gets to be known, most
barriers tend to disappear,'' Arnold asserted. •Educating the
general public helps immensely with the acceptance of all
disabled people."
Perry advocates integration. "I'm a firm believer in getting
blind gay people out in the community, in both the gay
and straight community, because if
community.
Many people with disabilities feel
isoiated from society, but gay people
with disabilities often face further
challenges.
It ain't easy being
green. Or blind.
you put a human face on what the
problems are, you help connect the
discussion. The issue becomes tangible
now. It's something people can
relate to."
;The LGBT community is not reaily
inclusive when it comes to the disabled,"
says Ken, a41-year-oid blind
gay man. "While that's not a problem
Or gay, Let's work
together to make it a
little easier on all of us.
"Disabled individuals don't bite and
our disabilities are not contagious,"
stressed Arnold. "People need to get
to know us. As a visually impaired
exclusive to the gay community, it
is made worse with their fixation on
beauty and perl'ection. A disability, no matter what it is,
makes you imperfect."
BFLAG started out as an inforrna! support group for people
who are gay and blind. They first met in 1996 at the nationa!
convention of the American Council of the Blind (ACB).
it was the first of several annual meetings, with attendance
continuing to grow year by year. The group became an
official affiliate of the ACS in 2000. They've grown from a
handful of attendees to about 150 active members
Today, BFLAG states on their Vv'ebsite that their purpose
individual, I'm often perceived to be
a snob when I don't see someone
wave or make eve contact with me.
If i don't know a person is attempting to communicate with
me, I can't respond. I have iost several potential friends
because of this. We al! must !earn to communicate better
and simply do more communicating."
Perry reiterated the importance of eye contact and body
ianguage, especialiy in American gay culture. He reported
that he found it easier to meet people in other countries
because it seemed they valued conversation over the complex
system of eye contact and flirting used in the US.
(:ontinued next page
6 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Heart to Heart
"Everyone must realize thai visually
impaired and blind people simply can't communicate
with body language and such,"
Arnold pointed out. "We still say and feel
the same things, but many of us simply
can't communicate in a visual manner."
Another unique challenge is transportation.
"Mobility seems to be of paramount
importance," Perry said. "My friends like to
go places and I don't drive, of course."
Then there's the common stereotype that, as
Ken put it, "disabled people are not thought
to be sexual." Perry added, "Whenever I
hang out at a gay bar, particularly if I've
never been there before and people don't
know me, a lot of times people look at me
as a casual friend, but not much else."
BFLAG is working hard to educate the LGBT
community. This year alone, four cities saw a
BFLAG contingent march in their pride parade:
Baltimore, MD; Tulsa, OK; Houston, TX; and
Washington, D.C. BFLAG helped organize a
gay pride event in Columbus, OH, and they've
also been accive in Katrina relief efforts doing
everything from providing housing to collecting
food and supplies.
BFLAG is also reaching out to visually impaired
LGBT people. They are currently working on
organizing affiliate chapters in Baltimore, Houston,
and Columbus. Arnold hopes that there will
be even more group,s formed in the next couple
years. They're also hoping to expand the website
(www.bflag.org) and produce a radio web show.
It's not just up to BFLAG, however. LGBT
organizations and individuals need to be more
proactive in reaching om to our disabled brothers
and sisters. More bars and clubs need to be
handicapped accessible. If you see a blind person
at a bar, stare a conversation with them. If you
know a blind person, invite him or her along the
next time you're going out.
Most importantly, let's not forget ::hat blind :ncn
and woman have the same feelings, needs, and
desires as anyone else. "We're just people," Ken
:nsists. "I can accept it if I'm :10t liked fo: my
personality, bat it ticks me off when someone
won't talk to me just because I'm blind.'"
It ain't easy being green. Or blind. Or gay.
Let's work together to make it a little easier
on all of us.
*
c Pride
Announces 2nd
nnual Family
Picnic.
by Carlotta Carlisie
McALESTER, OK_McPride, a McAlester
based non-profit GLBTA organization
who's mission is to create a support group
and provide help for the GLBT community
of Southeast Oklahoma as well as heterosexual
allies v;,ill be hosting the 2nd annual
McPride Family Picnic on Saturday, September
23rd, 11 am to 5pm at Chadick Park, 6th
and Delaware in McAlester.
In addition to picnic space there will be
space available for all pro GLBTA organizations
to sell or display thier resources. This
space must be reserved in advance. Sign
up forms are available at www.mcpride.
org or contact pau!@mcpride.org for more
information. A donation is requested for
this space.
This event is a great opportunity for the
GLBTA community of Oklahoma and
Western Arkansas to get out and meer new
people and show your support for this
Southeastern Oklahoma organization. Although
McAlester is a relitively small town
there is a vibrant GLBT community in the
Lake Eufaula area.
Food and drink vendors are also invited and
shouid contact Elizabeth at 918-423-7015
* Quotable Quotes
A.rka?Jsas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Friday
he hopes the Legisiature considers reimpos~
ing a ban on gay foster parems, struck down
a day earlier by the state Supreme Court.
Arkansas G,n-. Mike Huckabee said !:n.e state
high court was more concer:1ed abom looking
out for gay couples than foster chjldren.
arm Yery disappointed that the court seems
more interested in v,,rhat's good for gay
couples than \vhat's good for children needing
foster care," Huckabee said through his
spokes"..voman ,,;-\Jice Ste\·vart.
a diffaren~•
ct Oklahoma
I E
JOiN US FOR
McPride's 2nd
Annual Family Picnic
Saturday September 23rd
11AM to 5PM Chadick Park
6th and Delware, McAlester
Oklahoma.
Organizations Reserve your
display table now. Contact
paul@mcpride.org
Food and Drink vendors
Contact Elizabeth @ 918-
423-7015
www.mcpride.org
McPride"' PO Box 1515, f\.~ci\iester, OK 74502
the STAR 7
DVD Review
n Legend of Jackie Curtis"
Donald Pile and Ray Williams
We have run across one of the most interesting
and touching biographies that we have seen
in years! SUPERSTAR In a Housedress is a biography
of the late Jackie Curtis of New York City.
It is both a lmok and a DVD. Buv the book and
the DVD comes with it. Everyone should order
one and you can order so easily at amazon.com.
Craig B. Highberger the writer/ director was
a close friend of the late Jackie Curtis and he has
produced a very touching biography/ documentary.
The critics LOVE it! "Bright and entertaining''
writes Stephen Holden of the New York Times.
"Bitchy, catt:y, moving and hilarious" writes the
New York Magazine.
Jackie Curtis was a poet, a playwright, and an
Andy Warhol Superstar. He lived and
the STAR
. ;,
'· I .,/
performed ... sometimes as a man, sometimes as a
woman, but .ALWAYS performed! We think that the
Village Voice summed it up best when they wrote, "A
fabulouslv fond and entertainjng tribute."
The DVD has so many wonderful and delightful
imen·iews with such noted personalities as actor Paul
Ambrose; Penny Arcade the performance artist; Harvey
Fiersrein; Joe Franklin, the TV legend; Silvia Miles,
actress; the extra-ordinary photographer, Jack lvfitchell;
Michael Musto, entertainment journalise; Holly Woodland,
superstar herself;
Lily Tomlin; and our -very dear friend, the Countess
Alexis Del Lago, artist and STAR ! who now resides
in West Hollyv.rood. We always see her when we are in
California. She is indeed the last of a dying breed of
ELEGANT personalities.
Director/writer Craig Highberger has touched
on so many wonderful aspects of Jackie's life and the
many interesting people around him. Craig was a close
friend of Jackie's from 1972 until Jackie's death in
1985. This biography is certainly a true labor of love
and it shows. Craig and his partner Andy of over 30
years lives in Ohio. Craig is coming out with a new
biography on the life of photographer Jack Mitchell.
We can't wait to see that one.
If you want to read and see a DVD about a very
interesting and colorful character then run out and·
buy SUP ERST AR In a Housedress. You can check out
th~ biography at: http:/ /www.jackiecurtis.com/ and ·
Craig's new project on Jack !vfitchell at http:/ /www.
jackmitchellmovie.com/
Congratulations to Craig on not only one but
great biographies. ·
Photo above: Coumess Alexis
ol Arkansas
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NWA GLBT Community Center
To Host Picnic
BENTC)N1/ILLI~~ ,\R. _ ]]1e i'-~\X./\ c;LB-i·· (~canrnanity (:enter \vill
ho]d a HMeet and c;reet'' event 12th from noon to 4pm at
:tvlcCinre Park in Lo\veH. ~.Jc(]ur<:: Park 1::- across tb.e street frorn
the Lowell Elemcntan· Schoc,L It -xill be BYOP (Bring your Ow:~
Picnic) and there \viH b:..: ::1 :n·2jlable. fyfc(]ure Park 1~~ an excel•
~ s l ,r t lent p1aygrounc1 tor tne
MISSOURI
AUGUST 8TH
Be seen with the STAR, Advertise with us! 9
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
AUGUST 2006
Tennessee Burning
Used to be that cross burnings were the KKK's calling card
against African Americans. Now cross burnings have a different
use.
Just ask Brandon Waters. He and his partner, Brian Harmon,
were having a quiet evening at home on Thursday,
June 29, when Waters iooked out a window and saw a
7-foot cross burning on the front lawn of his Athens, Tenn.,
home.
They rushed out and doused the fire. In the morning, they
went back out to videotape the remains. On one of the
bricks used to prop up the cross was scrawled "Better
Leave Now Fags."
Waters called the Meigs County sheriff's department, which
started an investigation and cailed in the FBI to see if the
incident would be considered a hate crime under federal
statute. The feds said no, because under the federal hate
crimes law, there is no provision for crimes against gays,
lesbians, or the transgendered.
Clearly, Sheriff Walter Hickman isn't familiar with the law
- the nation's or his own state's. Tennessee has a hate
crimes law that _does_ cover sexual orientation.
"Why did they call in the FBI when they should have called
in the state?" Waters asked me rhetorically in a recent
interview. •·something doesn't sound right. It seems like the
police are not taking it very seriously."
! couldn't agree more. Even though hate crimes against the
LGBT community decreased siightly in 2005, the anti-LGBT
rhetoric that characterizes this nation's political debate
sends a clear message that we are and should continue
to be seen as second-class citizens who don ·t deserve full
protection under the law.
According to the 2005 report by the National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs, the number of anti-LGBT hate
crime incidents fell 13 percent from 2004, and the number
of victims who were tracked fell neariy at the same rate
- 12 percent The number of offenders. however, decreased
only half that rate, by 6 percent.
This paltry decrease. says the report. "signals a truiy retrograde
environment in which years of progress resuiting in
10 the STAR
fewer people willing to violently act out anti-LGBT bias has
been substantially reversed. With respect to hate-related
violence, we are in fact 'back to the future."'
That's certainly true for Waters and Harmon. "We've had
many incidents with people yelling at us - fags, queers. I
can't even sit out on my porch," said Waters.
Clearly, there's no reason for him to have any faith in the
local sheriff's department. "I feel like they're just blowing us
off. This is not the first incident I've reported to the police."
Waters had a hit-and-run with one of the local "yellers."
"When one of the policemen took the report, I told him my
name. He asked, 'How do you spell Brandon? Brandony?' I
was born and raised here, they all know me."
With local law enforcement not taking any of these incidents
seriously, Waters says he is fearful for his life.
He and Harmon have left their home and moved in with
Waters' mother. "I have been waking up in the middle of
the night, having nightmares and smelling smoke that's not
there," said Waters. "I'm really depressed. I just feel like my
civil rights have been violated, like the police are oot doing
what they're supposed to do, and I really don't know who to
turn to."
Despite all this, Waters is willing to fight. His family has no
resources to hire a lawyer, but he is willing to "pursue this
as far as I can take it."
if there was ever a case where nationai organizations could
and shouid come in as knights in shining armor, this is it.
To my mind, this is a perfect opportunity for Lambda Legal
or the ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project to make their
iegal presence known in Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's
home state. With both sides gearing up for what will no
doubt be a bruising campaign over the state's proposed
Amendment 1, which seeks to ban same-sex marriage, the
Task Force and the Human Rights Campaign should work
side by side with the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) to
turn this hate crime around to the LGBT community's political
advantage. Not doing so would certainly be an opportunity
lost!
In fact, TEP is now organizing a "Vote No on 1" campaign
against the amendment. !t's time for us to play hardball.
Why not use the image of a burning cross and the story of
discrimination expeiienced by these two men who just want
to iive their lives to underscore the need for marriage equaiity
in Tennessee?
i guarantee you that if the radical Christian right in Tennessee
had visual ad copy like this to use to further its antisame-
sex-marriage agenda, it would certainly use it.
Newly ed's Test
klahoma Tax
ommission.
Photo: Matt and Afichae! at the Cape Cod Wedding Ceremony.
TULSA, OK_ Like most married couples in Oklahoma, Matt
Brumley and Michaei Oaks struggle everyday: they struggle with the
bills, with the children, and with the State of Oklahoma.
But Matt and Michael's struggles are different in many respects
to other married couples in Oklahoma: they are married
to one another. While they hold a marriage certificate
from the state of Massachusetts, they are not recognized by
the State of Oklahoma.
Until Tuesday. The pair decided the family needed a new
car to accommodate both Matt and Michael's new jobs.
Inevitably, paperwork needed to be dealt with, and that included
going to the tag agency. When they produced their
marriage license, the State of Oklahoma waived the state
excise tax on the title of their car - a tax usually waived for
family members.
They met at their former jobs, as empioyees of St. Michaels
Alley in 2001. Both had children when they met. Daniel, 11, and
Lillian, 6, live with Man and Michael. As a family, ,hey take Daniel
and Lillian on fumilv trips. The fumilv relishes holidavs as time to
spend with their kids. · · ,
"I like decorating for the holidays," Matt said. "I love having fun
with the kids.r
They have struggled in the pasr five years, like aH couples do. They
occasionally found working together frustrating, but they managed
to overcome those difficulties.
"V.10 11 '; e got to 1o e _a~ goo ct' coup1i e ,.~r, y~u :-vorK1 togct'n e: an~d: ~,,~ ve
together and not klll each other1 said Kasey Cunun1ns~ a !'ormer coworker
of the couple. 'Td kill my husband if I ,vorke:d with him.
On l',1emorial Dav weekend, l',fatt and Michaei traveled to the East
Coast. During th~ir trip, they traveled to Barnstable, Massachusetts
to tie the knot. First, they flew into Providence, and drove to Newport,
R.I. They stayed at ,Rivera Beach Resor:. After checking into
the resort, the two performed a "tes: rm:" of Ihe trip to where they
would marry.
1he next day, they of course - had ro stop to buy a oattery charger
for their cell phone. After which, they saw the sites in Plymorh,
Salem, and Boston. Finally rhe next day they went to the village
of Barnstable.
They were then referred to the town of Barnstable; they were referred
back to a judge in the village of Barnstable, who would grant
a waiver for the marriage. Once they received the waiver, they went
back to the town of Barnstable, which issued the marriage license.
"The whole process rook about four hours," Michael said.
"The lady was so helpful," Matt said. "She ran her butt off for us."
Although their families were not present, they did gather at .:he ceremony
in Juiy. This time around, about 90 family and friends joined
Matt and Michael v,hen they exchanged vows. The Reverend Diane
Varner officiated.
In addition to attending, Marr and Michael's friends also macie sure
things ran smoothly with the ceremony. One friend, Susan Johnston,
catered the evem. The wedding was a prototype for future
enterprises; Johnston and the couple plan to he!p others in planning
their weddings.
Although the pair lived together for quite a whiie before marrying,
rhey are still making
preparations and attending
to family business. Recently,
both made the decision to
pursue different jobs. 1he
transition is a little bumpy,
but with the addition of a
new car, that transition has
become that much e:~sier.
The couple decided ::o
add Michael to rhe title of
the old car, and this task
required the tag agency.
When they went to th1: first
tag agency-" 17th and Harv:nd - tag agen;,:}' employees wuald add
Michael to rhe tide, but d1cy \vould be required to pay the stare
excise tax) vvhich ,vas $244. f~Jo.,,vever., the st3te ~.;;a!ves the fee fi)r
family members.
!viatt explained I'vfichacl -...vas his husband, ;;.nd tht
the state does not recognize n1arriage. ()n advice
the couple then tra_·,.,weled to t<:ig agency at 9isr and Sheridan. 'Ihe
employees' response \Vas different.
vvere asked fiJr their
rlbey vvere rc~ld •·w,:e
advised sht: -:.:vould ntx'd to
STAR 11
Josh ■ rov1s
Artist, Author, Columnist.
From the Editor:
As recognition for the 18th "Heart to Heart" column published
in the STAR, we wanted to introduce the author to
you. The Aterovis column has become one of the most
popuiar with our readers and hits on many issues important
to our community. 'rhe honesty, sensitivity and hard truth
style in which josh covei's the subject matter in each Heart
to Heart issue fits weil with the philosophy our magazine.
This young man of 20 something, is dedicated to the never
ending equality and everyday struggle of GLBT people. The
evidence 1s in his writing.
Josh Aterovis, a twenty-something artist-author, was born
and bred on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and lives there
with his husband. Jon. Aterovis is a Latin pseudonym
meaning "black sheep."
Whenever anyone asked Josh what he wanted to be vvhen
he grevv up, he aiways said an author. it got him plenty of
strange looks. but he never really expected it to come true:
12 the STAR
it was just one of those things a kid says. In 1999, Josh's
wishful dream became reality when he began to write a
story and post it on the Internet. Bleeding Hearts resonated
deeply with readers, who encouraged him to seek publication.
In 2001, the story was published by Renaissance
Alliance Publishing, !nc. Named the Best Whodunit of 2002
by the Stonewall Society, Bleeding Hearts became the first
book in the Ki!iian Kendall mystery series.
Reap the Whirlwind, his second book featuring amateur
sleuth Killian Kendall, was published in May of 2003 and
the Stonewall Society promptly awarded it the Best Whodunit
of the year. Josh has completed five books in the
series and is currently working on a rewrite and edit of All
Lost Things, the third book on the Killian Kendall series. He
has won numerous awards for his writing and for his web
site, which also features his well-received art gallery.
"In addition to my writing, my primary income is through my
artwork. I work in transparent watercolor. I paint in the purist
form. Sorry to disappoint, but that doesn't mean I paint
in the nude. It means I don't use any white paint. Any white
areas you see in a painting are the white of the paper. I do
take commissions, which means if you don't see-what you
want, tell me and I'll paint it just for you." Josh wrote.
In August of 2003, Josh and Jon publicly celebrated their
commitment with a wedding ceremony. it is not yet recognized
by the state of Mary!and or the United States of
America, but they live in the hope that one day it will be
fully legal.
Thank you Josh for your contribution to the STAR and for
the eighteenth issue of "Heart to Hearf, on the not much
talked about issues confronting disabied LGBT people.
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyn:an
AUGUST
2006
Summary : Past Out is a retrospective of key moments,
personalities, and subjects in LGBT hiscory. Each
installment brings the past to life by exploring the diwrsity
of the gay past and its impact on the queer present.
How queer is science fiction?
A few well-kno\;·n science fiction '.vtiters are gay, lesbian, bisexual,
or transgcndered, and many who are not han: included queer
themes in their work. For GLBT and strai,,ht authors aiii<.e, the C
genre lends itself to exploration of new possibilities in the realms
of sexuality, gender, and intimate relationships.
Science ficrim, is ofren stereotyped as a genre for "geekr'' straigh~
men, and indeeci, much of the ,.vork has historically been sexist
and i1omophoi)ic. Among the first stories to portray horroscxuality
sympatheticaUy was Theodore Sturgeon's "The \X'orid WclJ
Lost" (! 953), ·.;,·hich featared a gay male alien couple \Vho land on a
represfr;e Planet Earth.
\X;ith the ci,·ii rights mo,:ement and sexua; ~evo!uti()n •)f the 1960s
and 1970s, science fiction began to boldly explore sex,.iaiity and
gender. ;\JO[ed (jUCer authors who started writing during this period
include Samuel D:c!an}~ Joanna Ru,s, and Octavia Butler (who died
in Februan' 2006), all of whom received science fiction's i1ighe,t
awards, the Hugo anci Nebula. Russ was among several feminist
writers of :l:e era who exp!ored futuristic sepa!atis~ societies witi~out
men, a~ in "When It Ch;.nged" (197 2) and Ti1c Female Man
(1
Lcsb!an author Marion Zimmer Bradiey recalled that an agent
introduced her to the Daughters of Bilitis after detecting hints of
sarnc-sex croticisn1 in her science fiction and fantasy; i11 the 195th;
and 196Us} she ,vro(e f,,c~r the group\ rnagazinc, 'The I ,,adder, ,1nd
authored lesbian pulp ficrjon. _Arthur C:. C]arkc, one of the fathers
of tht: genre, neady can1c ot1t in a 1986 Playbuy i11tcr,-ie\v; \J~~hen
directly asked if he \Va~ gay, ho'-1,,,-evcr, he replied that he \\:\lS
cheerful.'"
and i\1ciissa Scott.
\\Titers farnous for other Fenres havt· also dabbled in science fi(tion,
Fellce Picano and Katherine \.1_ I::orre~;t~ ~,,.l·hosc
ftatured
14 the STAR
norm. In other cases, the tables are turned on heterosexuality: In
joe Haldeman'~ The Foren:r War (197 4), for exam1:!c, sr:aigh:
time-tra.-elers return to Earth ;1fter an interplanetary war, only t0
discm·er that homosexuality is no'.v the norm due '" m·crpc>pularion
and they are considered perverts.
Gay male rdarions!1ips haYe fascinated the straig!1t women authors
of ''olash" fiction, who envision liaisons bet\vec:: ch,ssic characters
such as Captain Kirk and ;\fr. Speck from Star Trek. ;\!any authors
have explored various a!ternariYe reiariu:1ship srr~JCtL:res, such as
the multi-partner marriages in Robe::t A. Heinleh's S~r«nger in a
Strange Land (1961). "Geniuses and superge,1:uses always make
their o,vn rules on sex as on e\~erything: else," a Hein;ein character
says in Friday (1982).
Gender nriance is also an enduring morif in science fiction; the
Jame~ A. Tiptree Award (named after the pseudonym of author Alice
Sheldon) was created for science fictio;; ur fanusy that ex;nncls
or explores understandings of gender. Sex ci1;111ge is a common
theme, either permanent or back-and-forth as the :nood s:rikes.
Lrsula Le Gui:i's The Lefr Haed of Darkness tl 969) features ;, race
of mutated humans who are i1,>ngcndered except d,:ring brief mating
periods '.vhen they randomh· take on the sexual charac!erisrics
of males or females; Le Gi.iin later said d:e regretted he: failure of
,magination in omitting same-sc:x reh,rionships.
In Delany's Troub!e on Tritc-n (1976), a maci1<> !nan p:.u'.~ucs an
unattainable woman in a sexuaily egalirnriaa society, at>d later
ends up as a woman searci;ing for the kind of man he '>nee xas.
.\Iany works feature aliens ·.vith more than t·.vc sexes, such as lsaac
Asimrx,'s The Gods Themsel-ves (! 972). In Scott's Shadow :vla:1
(1995), most advanced ·.vorlds recognize fiyc lntr.an sexes, but
individuals on the isolated plar:et Harn arc forced to live a~ either
male o;· female.
,\fany autl1ors have explored teciu~olof,rical inno•:ations in the realms
of sex and reproduction. As early as 1932, Aldous Huxley's Braye
New \'{iorld portrayed a high-tech society m ·xhicr1 babies y,:ere
grown in bottles in factories. Cloning anci parthenogenesis allm,·
humans to abandon sexuai reproduction as in Charlotte Perkins
Giiman's Berland (1915), about an all-fema:e utopia - ,ind inevitably
proc:uce talcs of individua:s having sex \.,,;th them~eh·es. Time
travel alkrHs charac~ers to go backwar(::, or fonvarl:s in time, often
having sex with their ancestors or dcscendcnts. 1\urhors have alsc
cn-n~ioned cross-breeding be0.veen species; in BL!tler's ''Blo()cichild"
11984), for example, a ma:e human is impregnated an insc:ct-Ekc
alien. Several authors have explored s:,1do1nasochisn1 or the sex trade
of the future. I)elany included an interspecies gay bathhouse sce:ie
in , __ Stars in lv!y Pock:c-t Like (Jrains of Sand (1984), \vbiic Storrn
c:onsrantinc's F1crn1ctech (]991) featured a
~\£rec~ tc, ha-ve his body
\1.·itb 1nultiple ~ex nrgart~,
/'1.uthor and editor >,;icob (irifhrh has \1,,Tlncn th:tt tjLlfl' rcaclers
different fu.:e:ristic or
dcnv:n1:-::tratt:
their
Photo: The new community center coming soon.
The Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender
(GLBT) Community Center, 5545 E
41 st Srreet in Highland Plaza, is the place to
be this August as events, acti:,ities and concerts
keep pace wit!: the heat of Summer.
The highlight of August is the Summer
Concert @ the Center featuring Amy
Steinberg of Orlando, Florida. l\. veteran
of performing with Ani DcFranco, Lisa
Loeb and many others, Amy visits the Tulsa
GLBT Communitv Center on Sundav, August
13. 2006. Am}· takes the stage a(7:00
PM. A cionation or SS :o $i0 is requested at
the door.
The Community Resource Kiosk is filled
with infor1nadQn on comtnunir-v organizarions,
health issues and businej~es tl1at support
the GI.BT & allied communicv. FREE
20-minute HI\r rests are available t:~7"erv
Tuesd,ay (6 t:i 8_ P:\t) an~ Saturday (4 t;, 7
PM). lt you·re hunting for bu1nper stickers~
je,Nelry, fla!:,tS, "'"vindsocks, item~ and
more you'U find them at the Pride Store.
The David Bohnctt ,.:vith 10
flat-panel co1nputer stations is FRJ~l~ for
you to chat \vith friends, finish that
research paper or sin1ply surf the \vcb, 'The
f,,fcf)onald Rainbo\V w;{
1
s
libraries of its kind in the Midwest
- all FREE to check-out.
You can learn more about all
the above by caliing the Tulsa
GLBT Information Line at
918.743.GAYS (429').
twentySomething, a social group
for young adults, the newest addition
to the Tulsa GLBT Community
Center and the future
of the communitv, meets on the
2nd Monday of th.e month at
7:00 P.M. The group joins the
community at the PFLAG Family
Picnic on Monday, August
14th at Whiteside Park, 41 st and
Pittsburg !between Harvard and
Yale).
The Tulsa Arca Prime-Timers,
for mature men and their
admirers, meet at the Tulsa
GLBT Community Center the
first Tuesday of the month at
6:30 PM.
Gender Outreach, a social and support
group for Transgendcr & Intersex individuals
and their friends, meet even· \X'ednesdav
of the month at 7:30 PM. Lockers and ·
changing rooms are provided for your
pnvacy.
The Tulsa Two-Spirit Society, a NativeAmerican
GLBT group, meets on the 1st
Wednesday of the month at the Tulsa
GLBT Community Cemer.
Thursdays bring the Lesbians of Tuisa to
the Center for a rciaxing evening of socializing.
Kick back and visit \Vith friends or
inakc nc\v ones, surf the ,v-eb or catch a
movie.
The last Thursday of the month is the
~rC)HR_ Board of Directors n1ecting. ()pen
to the public, the meetings gi,;c you rhc -=>pportunity
to become n1ore invob.,,-ed 1;virh tht.:
cornmunity, proYiding ·vision for the future.
-You're fabulous ~ and you ha·ve 1he chance
to przy,;.~e it .., :vith r7J\.B! Friday i\ftern{)OD
11ridge is your chance to sbo\\1 your skills
:lnd 1neet other;; in the senior~·--------·-···--·
(:ards and refreshments arc ,1, ailalJle for :11;
Kick your weekend off in style with Center
Cinema every Friday evening. The FREE
GLBT films are shown on a 65" HDTV,
gi,·ing you the opportunity ro get up close
and personal ,vith the scars.
Action kicks in!o high gear on Saturdays
and Sundavs. The I st Saturday of the
momh welcomes the Tulsa U~iform &
Leather Seekers Association (f.U.L.S.A.).
The Board of Directors of TU.LS.A meets
at 4:00 PM while the general membership
meets at 5:00 PM.
The Tulsa Deaf GLBT Group meets quarterly
at the Tulsa GLBT Communitv Center
on Saturdays. Look for a new videophone
at the Center soon, providing another opportunity
to get and stay connected to the
community and your family and friends.
Dinner and entertainment are featured during
Ol3T on the Town on the 2nd Saturday
of the month. You can join the communin·
for an evening of fun whether it's a night ;t
the theatre to a night of bowling.
Faith piays an important role for many in
the community. Ekklesia rhe Gathering,
featuring worship and song in a living-room
setting, meets every Sunday at 10:30 AM at
the Tulsa GLBT Community Center.
TOHR welcomes all in the community to
visit and enjoy the Tulsa GLBT Com~unity
Center, 5545 E 41 st Street in Highland
Plaza. Your Center is open Monday through
Saturday, 3:00 PM 9:00 PM. Log onto
www.tohr.org to learn more of whar's going
on at the Center, the additional programs
of TOHR and to sign up for free TOHR
cncws and Advocac,· Flashes.
MISSOURI
AUGUSTBTH
the STAR 15
TL;LSA, OK_ If rnu caught Bets,· and
the Band in ( )kLlhonu Cin·'s Pride h:stival
performing their first gig as Bersr and
the Edge, \·uu kn<N: the music sizzled tn
match the HOT weather! Some Blues, a
little Rock and a whole !1Jt of Countrr
made the show a roaring success. to
a delighted crowd.
Thri\·ing from Tulsa, ( )klahoma. Bctsr
Smittle is most we!! knmn1 f1 ,r the ::;
years she toured worldwide exclusffeh·
with brother Ganh Brooks. She performed
on Saturdm· \light Li\·c,J;n Leno
and mam· ocher 0'.BC speci:ils. Orhcr
artists that hare depended l)t1 Bet s\·'s numerous
musical rakrns arc: Gus Hardin,
1\1111 Bell and Phoontz and Ronnie Dunn
(of Brooks & Dunn). Her own album
released in [ lJ(J4 on the !\orthSr,uth/ ;\,!
antic label Bets\ "Rough r\mund tht:
Edgt:s'·. ,ms criticalli· accbimed worldwide.
Betsy's fa·,r,rite n·cnt in her career
\vas ha,-ing her O\\'rl float a1 the i 9<14
i\lacr's Da\· P,!ra,k.
BcLs~· is far frorn tr~;in.~ t, J ndc her
brother's ~hin L!ib. :--;he i> ,l ruggedly in
dependent Lid: dct ... -n~1in1-:d
t() car\·c ;t career nt. he;-, J\\'!l. Like li:t lebrother
(_!;1r;h, it i\ 1l1l- \Urcnor
(l( Bl·l~r\ \-{)ict.- :ii:~t '-l'!;s: l:c:.:r ;ir•;tr1 •
!lHi~ic:,tn ::nd ~it:,1.~cr i~\ tTi\h::-., :L·r .,-, ,:c·t.
b;t:.; i)t:t.'t: c- •uq,:tr-__ -d ·ur
b(HI-hr!_·;irh :-,;, ,ur11.! - ·1 H, ,:1::ic R.1'.;:: :tnd
AND
THE dge
B, Greg Steele
grmds. teases and demands in all the right
places. She rocks out as few women or
men can and when she murccrs on.:r tht:
fade of the song Draggin' it Back say
ing, "Drag ir back om· hea' honey, bring it
back to mama,'' you know thar she means
it1 ;\nwme who apprcciares a gut:-:,· female
mice will LO\'!-: Bcts\·1
::inct' t'.n· ,1gc of S. ~!tc hcL:,!!J
!1~_:r f:t1.nily'--: ,i!uspcl uri ,~ip :tnd ,~rh:.
: hr, \l,tEh{)ur her childh, :r ;d
Bili Guinn is :1 na,i,c of Tulsa OK ,md
has been playing the gunar since r:hc
age of I 2. l ic is J product of ::ccing
the J-k,1tk-s on J-:d ::-:ulliY,:r1 and knC\,·
rhc \\"ouk! he ;! gu!r:H· player fro!n rhat
point on, Pla\·intr in ,·:ulous locai bands
since he \\.a'.' I-~ he grc\\. up cxp(Jscd to
The Beatles, Rolling :-;1oncs. Cn:arn,Jimi
Hendrix. (rosh\·, Sti!b. '.',ash. & Young
etc. y.;hcn thl'!r n1u:.:ic \\·as fresh on ~;Jr1\1
\lcJst of hi~~ teen years ,,·ere spen1 in
front of :1 rccnrd pb\·cr \\·lth his guitar
h:tnging out ch< 1rd:-: and copyjng lyric:-:
for hi~ hand'.-,: tu pla:· :-:o:rll· of the grcatcsr
rock and roll in his.tor\·.
~ TRAVEL
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"OGUNQUIT, MAINE"
. gunquit, Maine is an artsy resort village
(located 66 miles north of Boston) that has been welcoming
gay and lesbian visitors and their families for over 100
years. Ogunquit has three miles of white sandy beaches,
dance clubs and restaurants for every taste and budget.
In summer and even winter, there is always plenty to see
and do! We will begin
with the lodging. Gay
and locally owned
gay Guesthouses,
Inns and B&B's offer
a variety of choices
and values for the
gay traveler. Whether
you're looking for an
exquisite luxurious
suite, condo rental,
or an affordable
summer vacation
at an in town B&B
close to the beach
- Ogunquit Maine
has it all! We stay at
Moon Over Maine
Bed and Breakfast
(Photo right) which is
located at 22 Berwick
Road. It is located
in the center of town
just a block from the nightclubs, shopping, restaurants and
a 5 minute walk to the beach. It features al! private baths,
oalcony rooms, par~ing. cable, dvd/vcr, refrigerators, ale,
iight breakfast and an outdoor hot tub. John. the owner is
extremely friendly and can give you any tips or suggestions
about the area. It is in an oid New England house and is
just wonderful. Their toll free 1umber is Cail 800.851.6837
and you can check out their website at: http://www.
rnoonovermaine.com. There are numerous other gay
ownea B and B's in the area ana you can check them ai!
tnd il:c :irc,t (;!-(er:-: ~'nr!c' 1;( the h·.:s;;'. .'.tHil],it
·ri1c j t,;y) l· 1:-rrL:r~ \];n:1n:,c 1dcntitic~. thi~
,( ~!!,.: bcttt-r !~nn\\-~~ :-:!1, :trc.1-: ic. 1~1t· l :1itcd
:'it.l!t5. ·rhr;.,·c ~ndc~ 1-1f hc:u.ni(~d \\·hue ~.incit." hc~ich. r~ttl·d a:; on~·:;;
iishinF. Dock Square i, as cute a wwri square as one will find in
~cw England. Tber:.:: is an exccilent seicction or· restaurants and it's
()nly 20 minutes awa\·. The Kittery Outlets arc just !5 minut~s aw~y,
with l2(; different stor:.::s, including Banana Rcpui)lic. Calvin Klein:
DK,\;Y and The Gap. Ir· pu like LL Bean, the Frceoorr Outlets l
arc about an hrmr ~orrh. 1\ short walk from downtown is Perkins
~on:, which is rmc of our ,·cry fan>rite places. Ir is a quaint New
Engi.rnd co,-c -_,.-ith bu,n,, shopping and wonderful restaurants. \X'e
arc alwa\·s thinking ,hat Jessica S.n-age from Murder She \Xfrote is
going n, be waH~ing around the corner at am· giYen rime.
,\ walk along the cliffs with dramatic views of the ocean the
i\!arginal \X·;y srart,. on Shore Road. From the center of ~own it's
just _a t:ew block, to the Sparhawk Motel. The Marginal Way srarts
behmc! rhe 5parh;;wk. You'!! see a iittle sign on the left side of the
street that sa,·s ·'Marginal \\'ay" and has an arrow. 1\s you follow
the path, be rnrc w look at the Sparhawk's flower gardens. They
haye an incredible number of flowers, and each type is labeled! The
Marginal Way speaks for itself. It has beautiful views of the ocean
and the rocky cliffs.
t ,·arious points so
ou can sit and enjoy
e beauty'. It's a
worth noting.
plicably, each
ne has the name
f a virrue printed
nit. The Marginal
y ends at Perkins
ve. When we are
Ogunquit we walk
e Marginal Way
very morning and
Nightlife in the
. . . smali town of Oguoc]
LHt !S rcaliv 5pccracu!ar to say the ;east. In this sleepy Little town
(,nc could univ imagine one tiny Ettlc bar, but you are in for a grand
surpri:-::d 1~1.·crythjng is nghr do\vntO\\>-n and you can \Valk from any
.1cco1nrnodation lo do\'-'l1tO\\.~n. ~rhc Front Porch Piano Bar at 9 ·
Shor-..'. Ro;:HJ ha:,;; been in business for O\~Cr 20 vears. Their \Vebsite
1s http:, /\\'YV\\:.thcfronrporch.ncr. 'Their cafc is open for l.,unch
& l)lnncr day:-; a ..._,:eek '\vith a late night rncnu a;·ailablc. Piano
LPU'.'((c open ~ d:ffs fr01°: 0lpn~ :iil ~ .im. h ,,id S,:rv1Cc now available
up~I;lir~. \ 11<..:0).: >;.;:n~:r rcccndy tt1ok ,JYcr and fron1 all reports he is
:1 F:\Bl · L< 1l 'S ]: ;h at tiic Front Porch! 'The ~IaincStreet Bar is
11 •catcd _it l 3 1 :-;~>u:b \lai:1 ~trccr (Route l; ;n do\vnto,vn ()gunquit.
'l'hcir \\-t:hs.t!c i:~: , -.-~.,. ~ .. -• · , - l)J·-~ · K
1('; J: 1,, '.',j,i, !in .. i ::l~'(::·:,'.:i:::c{;~1t1r~1~~;~;~~·;,;t,.l~d;;.:il
.\L1inc:--;:tc~·t > rttY\\' ~>;,u1 ;U . l·cAP_lrine: I Route 1
18 )Arkansas & Okiahorna ·s rno.st read GLBT i\t1agazu1e
GAY TRAVELERS:
W'e have been to both of these wonderful bars and they are indeed
wonderful!
John Lane's Ogunquit Playhouse is one of Soutnern Maine's most
important cultural landmarb and ·will celebrate 74 years of Broadway
at the Beach in 2006. Opening in 1933, the work and vision of
Walter and Maude Hartwig brought an outstanding, star-studded
performing ans company tG Ogunquit. Continuing this tradition
for aimost five decades, John Lane, owner and producer of ~he
Playhouse, sought to pwvide his audience with the finest professional
theatre in our region. In doing so, he successfully placed the
playhouse on the narionai cultural map. The Ogunquit Playhouse
Foundation, formed in 1995, is now the proud owner and trustee
of the Playhouse. This year the;: are featuring BEEHIVE, Andrea
McArdie in CABARffl~ Sally S:ruthers in HELLO DOLLY, Leslie
Uggams in CINDERELLA and MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL
Their website is http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.
There are dozeas of small res~aurants in and around Ogunquit and
most all of them are iocaliy mvned. fr is a sea lovers delight! If you
are im:o sea food you wiil ha,·e a marvelous time.
We have been going ,o 0 6TUnCjuit for se,,eral years and it just keeps
getting better and be0ter and be,ter. It is far better than Ptown, Fire
Island or any of the other gay resort places in New England. We
just can't wait to return. For more information on. Ogunquit go to:
http:/ /www.gayogunc1uit.com. This column is warmly dedicated to
our dear friend Crystlli Chandelier who lives near Ogunquit. He just
happens to be one of the most sincere, honest and fun people that
we have met in oμr tra·;e!s and SO ELEGANT ! We are so l:!appy
that he has found the LOVE of his life.
* WHAT OUR READERS
ARE SAYING!
We enjoyed reading your travel article about Dania Beach
in the STAR July 2006 issue, you were right on point. it is
all that you say and much more. We discovered Liberty
Suites a couple of years ago & wouldn't dream of staying
anywhere else. The accommodations are fabuious and the
guys are just great. We have been looking for a home in
Dania Beach and plan to retire there. By the way, ladies
are also welcome at Liberty Suites. Jack & Joe are the
best!!!!!!!
Annie & Shorty
health outreach prevention a<fucatlon, inc.
1-800-535-AIDS (2437)
Oklahoma's HIV/STD Hotline
PROTECT YOURSELF
PROTECT YOUR PARTNER(SJ
* Free nonjudgmental HIV testing, including the 20
minute OraQuick Test
KNOW
YOUR STATUS
• Free Syphiflis screening at the GLBT Community
Center on Tuesdays from 6-8pm
H.O.P.E. Testing Clinic
Mens Outreach Program
In Tulsa at (918) 812-7045
Arkansas & Oklahoma ·s most read GLBT Magazine 19
Photo: A view up Broad Street (aka "the Avenue of the Arts'') toward
Philadelphia's distinctive City Hall. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
Philadelphia
o city in the United States played a more critical role in
the nation's founding than Philadelphia, and this progressive
metropolis of about 1.5 million people has also
been a pioneer in gay and lesbian rights. The Philadelphia
Lesbian and Gay Task Force, formed in 1978, guided passage
of the 1982 Philadelphia Fair Practices Act, one of the country's
earliest gay civii rights measures, and countless other gay-positive
laws and policies have been passed or implemented since tl1en.
Additionally, the city's office of tourism was one of the first to enthusiastically
court gay and lesbian visitors. But apart from a warm
welcome, what else about the "City of Brm:herlv Love" makes it
ideal for a summercime·•visit?
Here's a list of just a fe'.v notable things to see or do, chronicied in
no particular order, that make Philad~lphia so appealing:
1. Rittenhouse Square Park
City-planning guru Jane Jacobs called this tiny patch of paradise
tl1e most successful urban park in the United States; indeed, Rit~
enhouse Square is picturesque, socially diverse, highly sak and
1argdy unsullied by post-\'forld War II ,irchitecrurc. Off the Square•~
southeast comer is the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, -;vhere
Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, and Ned Rorem studied, as well
as the Philadelphia .i\,rt 1\Jiiance, -.;,.vhich presents outstanding exhibits
and art sho\vs
The square is also the site of the gay-friendly Rittenhouse Hotel,
a sumptuous 98-room property that hosted the cast of the movie
_Pbladelphia_ during filming. Rooms here are downright ca·:ernous,
averaging more than 500 square feet, and all have iarge windows
framing the park or the city's dramatic skyline. A short walk
from the square, romantic Astral Plane has been a favorite gay-date
restaurant since it opened in 1973 (it's also drawn such fab celebs
as Bette 1,fidler, Liza Minnelli, Barry Maniiow, and Tommv Tune).
From the eclectic menu you might choose slow-roasted pork shank
,vith asiago potatoes, or grilled scallops ,vith lemongrass-and-ginger
butter. It's the perfect spot for a special dinner.
2. Clubbing in the Gayborhood
The city's compact gay district, nicknamed the Gayborhood, contains
the bulk of the Philadelphia's gay bars as well as quite a few
gay-popular shops, restaurants, and hotels. It's right in the center
of downtown, about as convenient to attractions, transportation,
and entertainment as any gay neighborhood in America. Highlights
include the city's premier lesbian club, Sisters, a three-floor establishment
with a restaurant and disco, and long-running \X'oody's,
a youthful video bar that pulis in a mostly male, some\Vhat cruisy,
stand-and-model crowd. The ultra-swank Bump Lounge offers
a more cosmopolitan ambience and is a great piace to chat witl1
friends, sip martinis, and dine on fine contemporary cuisine. Serious
revelers head to Pure, the city's top gay warehouse disco. Tavern
on Camac is a charming gay piano bar, with a cozy restaurant in
the basement. Other friendly options in the neighborhood include
Uncles, popular with players on Philly's lesbian and gay softball
teams; 12th _l\.ir Command, a cavernous cruise bar with fun drag
shows and dance parties; and the Venture Inn, tl1e oldest gay bar in
town, set in a historic cavern.
There are plenty of places to stay nearby. Particularly charming and
well-priced, the gay-owned Alexander Inn is a fine boutique hotel
right in the center of the action. The 48 rooms have a contemporary
look with sleek furnishings and muted tones - other bonu;es
include satellite TY, Wi-Fi, and Continental breakfast buffet. Practically
across from Woody's, the Holiday Inn Express ,\fidtown has
well-kept rooms and reasonable prices. Another excellent choice
that's just steps from gay nightlife is the upscale Doubletret: Philadelphia,
a handsome, contemporary high-rise whose rooms afford
superb city views. Tne hotel is a blocK away fro;n tl1e Kimmel Center
for the Performing .Arts, a magniticem 5-year-olci space designed
by seminal architect Rafael Vinoly.
3. Brunch at the White Dog
There's nothing more rciaxing on a sunny weekend mornini! or
afternoon '.ban .. enjuying brunch :it a lin:l~· w,taurant with g;ear
food and, ideally, some outside seating. Near the campus of the
lipjversity of Pennsy+vania, the gay-popular YXlhite Dog Cafe fits
the bill perfectly. This bric-a-brae-filled eatery set in t¾rce adjacent
\ 1ictorian to,vn houses ser ..... ·es such delicious brunch fare as lemontnascarpone
pancakes '\i/ith raspberry--n1aple syrup, and biack-pcpper-
seared organic beef salad -."vith crurnbled blue cheese and
balsamic "tinaigrette. i\Jso keep in mind that /\stral Plane restaurant~
mentioned above~ scrYes a t,:::rrific brunch on
.- ....... -·······-········(=ont1nucd next page:
20 Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
4. Cheesesteaks at Geno's or Pat's
It mav sound a bit cliched to search out a cheesesteak in this citv
that's, famous for them. But you're here - and you may as well h;ve a
bite of Philadelphia's quintessential treat. Many connoisseurs favor
two neighboring joints a bit south of downtown, Geno's and Pat's
(of course, plenty of ardent critics deride these two places as rourist
traps and prefer other holes-in-the-wall around town). Pat's is said
to have invented this delicacy in 1930 - the restaurant serves 'em
slathered with Cheez Whiz ~d fried onions, and the steak is finely
chopped. Across the street at Geno's, the steaks are not shredded,
and instead of Cheez Whiz, they come topped with provolone.
Which one is better? You be the judge.
5. The Philadelphia Museum of Art
One of the nation's most esteemed art institutions, the Philadelphia
Museum of Art sits within a dramatic Greek Revival building amid
10 landscaped acres. Standouts in the permanent collection include
contemporary masterpieces by Picasso, Braque, and Matisse as well
as works by a number of post-World War II artists. The outstanding
Marcel Duchamp collection includes renditions of his _Nude Descending
a Staircase_ (fhe "nude," people often overlook, is male).
Check out the fine collection of photos and paintings by gay artist
Thomas Eakins of young, virile men crewing and boating on the
nearby Schuylldll River. There's also an excellent display on Shaker
furniture.
And that's just scratching the surface. The museum is adjacent to
lushly landscaped Fairmount Park, which straddles the Schuylkill
River and comprises nearly 9,000 acres of picturesque gardens,
walkways, and bildng and bridle paths, plus about a dozen historic
(mostly Colonial} mansions, which are open to the public.
6. Reading Terminal Market
For a century; the more than 80 stalls at the cavernous Reading
Terminal Market have sold tantalizing, market-fresh foods, ranging
from local oroduce to international dishes from around the world.
There are (oo many great dining options to mention, but try not to
miss the regionai Mexican fare at 12th Street Cantina, the ddi items
at Saiumeria, Amish treats at Beiler's Bakery, ice cream at Bassetts,
the Pennsylvania Dutch breakfasts at Dutch Eating Place, Italian
hoagies at Carm~ds, and heavenly mac-and-cheese a, Delilah's. But
wherever vou end uD eating, you won': go wrong - around every
corner yo~'ll see, s:~eli, and have the cnance to taste delicio'.ls food.
7. Independence National Historic Park
Even if you're not a big history buff, you can't visit Philadelphia
and not soak up at ieast a whiff or ;:wo of the city's amazingly rich
heritage. The Old Ci:y neighborhood con:aim the bulk of :he pre-
1800s attractions, most them centered around Independence National
Historical Park, which celebrates the verr birth of our nation.
Most famous is the Liberty Beil Pavilion. si:e of America's be!o,·ed
and cracked 2,000-pound bell. Although commonly thought to have
played a significant role in Colonial history, the Jjberty Bell actually
rose to prominence during the 1830s as a symbol of the n1ovement
to abolish slavery.
Nearby Independence Hall is where the Second Continental Congress
met in 1775, the Dec!aration of Independence "·as adopted
in 177 6, the Articles of Confederation ,;verc signed in 1778, and the
Constitution was adopted in 1787. It \,;as also tl1e site of the cirr's
first major civil rights· demonstrations (which included the co1:c~rns
of lesbians and gays). The list of important sights within the park
goes on and on - you could easily spend a full day here.
8. Giovanni's Room
In an age
when independent
bookstores
are struggling
to keep their
doors open,
this wonderful
GLBT
bookswre
that's been
going strong
since 1973 is
a true marvel.
The homey
two-floor
shop on the
edge of the
Gayborhood
has hundreds
of queer titles
plus a wealth
of
(Woody's has long been one of Philadelphia's hottest
gay bars. Photo by Andrew Collins)
feminist works. There are several community bulletin boards, a \Vidc
range of periodicals, and a handful of skin mag,, too. The staff
is extremely helpful and has a real knack for finding out-of-print,
import, or hard-:o-find titles.
9. Coffee Kiatch
;\rguably .the ~ayeft j;,.va )oin_t_ in tuwn~_Yillage Coffrc House
anchors the (_7ayborhooc1, otrertng carte1ne add1cts a cozy 1ntc:rior
space as ,veil .as a ;=harniing cncl(:sed pa_ti:> tha: c~vc~ioo~~~ a ..
borhood garden. 1~{ere you can $1p spec1aJty dnnks (n1ao~: \\~uJ1.
Fair 1·radc coffee beans\ cute patrons, and nosh on cr,okics,
cheesecake, and tasty sand-.xichcs.
1\ short v.walk a~;vay, the
has been a fix.ture in the 'hood fur
insist is the best apple
~~!!~~;: i~~; t~:::::~ ,~~;;\;::t:~~•.,·,d1v0 ,
and plenty of coffee ~1nd tea drink·~. [t\ the bc:sr
\V!-1.ile a,1.·a,,- ~a af. C· ;l( _;{z,
Liuie BhKk Book: Cr;ntzrmed page 22.
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
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22 the STAR
Commission would accent Matt and .Michael as family. 1he empioyee
then checked with the Commission. The couple called the
next morning, anci ,hey paid $32.50 for the ovmer transfer title
fee and administrative costs. The State of Oklahoma had waived
1 • me excise tax.
\Vhile Matt and Michael are excited about the situation, ;:hey are
uncertain abour what h means. They realize legally, their marriage
is only recognized in Massachusetts. But this fact raises questions
for the couple, those of family rights and recognition.
Both have chosen to share their experience with others; with Johnsron,
the trio plans to help other gay and lesbian families come
together by offering wedding pianning. They are both ordained
ministers, and Michael also offers therapy of the soul and counseling.
For more information, please go to rhe couples' myspace page
at http:/ /www.myspace.com/equal_luv.
"All should have the right ro experience die joy and happiness that
:Michael and I have experienced," lvian said. "We wane to nelp
them do that."
As this issue of the STAR goes to press Matt and !vlichael are
anxiously waiting for the original auro title to arrive in the mail.
Hoping the state did not disallow the family exemption.
*
437 E. 141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL (3275)
Metro Area for over 21 Years with PRID
ORATING * HOLIDAY SPECIAL
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Aug 4-6, 2006
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COMING SOON!
11Jlld 6Lzdseed
Salutations Kittens' \X'elcomc once more to an unruly addition of
Vncle. Uncle :,like\· suffin:d another faiJulo,1s fourth. This year
Uncle was on a mission to enio:,· the !oYe of the community, and 2J!
I can ~ay is '.vhew - Uncle enjo\'i.:<l the Joye of the communitv!
Au1:,>1.1st is blowing in like a bitter qu.:cn <1t the cad of her reign
forced to release her crown. Cn6e prepares fot the cclebratio:1 of
Fall. Linde has agreed robe th!: speaker at ~cveral celestial e\·ents
this year. Cnclc's left ·vonckring if my thong sbmld be more in the
earth tones for the c,·ents, I shall se<.'.k m:,· fashion guru just to be
sure.
Dear l.inc!e Mikey,
My boyfriend and i have bcec rogether ffJr several years now. \'</hile
we age. I expected changes to take pkcc, howe,·cr :10t to ~he point
where I am embarrassed to be seen \\'ith him. liis fashion se:1se ha5
just been absence for some time no'.v, bur he is really being ro scare
me. He has been adorning tragic r;utfits rhis season of the sun. I
love him, ho\,'eYer not his blataEt disregard for g;.y fashion. Hu\·
can I te1l him about thi~ issue without seemin~ like a birch?
Li,·ing wirh a ia~hion ·.vasrela:1d.
Deare$t F\'(
Bitcn away bttd:! Ir is not only :-·,,ur dut}, bur abo rnur obligation
to queers everrtvhcrc. \X?c arc not kno\1.-n in society for n1any positiYc
attributes~ hcr\VCYe'r our i1npeccable taste and style happens to
be 1no~:.r recognized. \'Ct: 1nust readily ln\~asion of bad
taste. I ha\T: strict orders ft1r thcn1 to if (]1er forbid~ I
eYcr louse mv fashion sen.st·. l kno\1: \vhat you arc thinking~ it could
neYer happen! _Darling I have seen rn<n·e
then one: 1night think,. 1 rncan the bad
don1 couid choke a horse.
Stn<.lochcs-l}nc!e
])ear lJncle \likey.
!\Iv fficnd ha5 been
26 the STAR
a 1on:h f< n· this
jf he can con1c out
Dearest Closeted L.oYc.
Ir is all about mu Eve. Your kner screams self-serving motives. Ki,:ten, if
,·ou trah· hav; fce!ings for this man ,hen you first need to realize d1ac you
:nust decide if you are v:illing to s:and supporti\·cly by, whilst he makes his
way through the \Valk-in. You haYe your way with him if he so agrees after
the emotional task at hand. Besides, sex is alway~ better with a bit of drama
in the recipe.
Smooches-Cncle Mike,·
Dear Cncle,
1 ha\"C been seeing this guy for several months no\,: The orher day while in
che shuwer, I noticed t;1at he has some kind of sores on h1s genital area. I
was too embarrassed ro point this our to him. ! am now worried and do not
kno·,,· about continuing a physical relationship with him, as i am afraid he
mighr have some kind of STD or something, what should I do?
Looking for the free clinic
Dea~est Kitten,
While I sir here holding your lertcr with my old sa!aci tongs, ] find myself
cGnfuscd. Kmen, if Uncle l\likey c;-er suspecred, I would have an agent
form ,he CDC cxamimng my little playmate. Ler me put ir simpler, CSI ain't
got nothing on me, w'1en I was done with the black ligh, search, I would
~now what I was dealmg with. Cncle does not play when it comes to safecy.
i\n old \vise queen once told rr.e, "If ym1 hear the drums of the Congo
e<;ming from a tricks pants, its tune to reach out and wuch your own self."
Good luck to you and rnur enchamed member.
Smooches
Hand shakes,
Unck 1,!ikcy
Dea:: C ncle :vlikey,
Would you da,e your ex-boyfriend's new ex;
Kitten,
Shon and sweet. That reminds Uncle of his 6t!. husbanci. Ok, back on
track why haggle? Date them both'.
Smooches
Dear Uncle,
I am having an affair \,;th my mo:her's boyfriend. I know ,-;hat you're
ti1inking. but j, was an innocent night with too much drink. My feelings for
him !um: deepened. however I ca;rnot deal with what I am dQing. Should I
walk a•.v,iy for hl'.r, or sbo.;ld I tcii her, rhat we are going to be rogethcr? Am
I gcing to hell)
I ,,uvin' \fotn's i\ian
D:.:arcst Jean,
l ~.vanred to kt you knO\\~ your rcscr~:arion is confirmed and rhat you ,v!Jl
be ;ibk· ro get the stnoking ~cction, ~or only is the ans\vcr to your question
yts1 it is undoubtedly yes, in a gasoline Speedo. What planer arc you living
on? .\.for~l rnuch? Thar poor \VOt11en birthed you ,vhi1c also giving you the
bl'.st year.s of her •;..,·astcd Efc. \'ou in turn take her rnaa, •~vho '\Vou!d be your
Step i)addy. \'fell !10'\V, l kno\v that l)eliverancc is 1nore than an
urban legend. l(irten, sec;~ proft'ssional help, and that docs not rnean sleep
\\"ith your Unde'.
rncrnber fatnily reunions arc not the Snuthern version of
Bob tdls you'. lJntii ne:•:t tirne.
P.S.
*
Asparagus Stuffed Dover Sole.
4 Fillets of Sole
1 Bunch of fresh Asparagus
3 TBLSP Real Butter
3 TBLSP Flour
2 Containers Heavy Cream
1 Container Plain Yogurt
½ TBLSP Dry Dill
½ Cup Real Butter
½ TBLSP Lemon Zest
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut off ends of Asparagus and roil five
spikes in each fillet and lay in a shallow pan. In a heavy
saucepan melt 3TBLSP butter and add flour to make
roux, add cream, and cook until thickened. Add yogurt,
dil!, and lemon zest, while simmering adds ½ cup
butter. Once done, pour over sole in pan, baked 15-20
minutes (until asparagus is tender). Plate so!e, pour
extra sauce on top and garnish with sprig of rosemary
to serve.
"UNTIL NEXT MONTH, STAY COOL!"
This months recipe is a twist on a summer
classic. Have an outdoor party with
appetizers and pretty cocktails instead
of the same old bar-b-que and beer.
You can find seasonal plastic glasses in
fun colors for a festive gathering. Serve
up this recipe for a good time. Enjoy !
SUMMER MELON MARGARITA
(2 OZ) SKY VODKA
(1 OZ) MIDORI LIQUEUR
(1/2 OZ) TR!PLE SEC
(1/2 OZ) SWEET & SOUR
Fresh LIME JUICE
1. Chilled a martini giass.
2. Combine all ingredients with ice in shaker
and shake very weiL
3. Strain into martini glass and garnish with
A fresh lime wheel.
CELEBRATE The Long Hot Summer With A Cool Drink!
Arkansas & Okiahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
AUGUST 2006
"Stick to a budget, Libra!""
Sun in Leo squaring Jupiter in Scorpio shows flamboyance,
generosity, and libido all cranked up high.
Venus in Cancer quincunx Neptune in Aquarius
boosts generosity, but dulls judgment in favor of the
easiest option.
ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Your playfulness can easily
get the better of you. Be careful! Getting out of a situation is
a lot harder than getting into it. Some community work may
channel that energy more safely.
. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Stay home as much as you
can, playing with your partner or a good partner-prospect.
Work, on the other hand, requires a serious hand and some
finesse. Listen for hidden agendas, and be only as conciliatory
as you need to be.
GEMINI (May 21 * June 20): Showing off, or feeling you
need to prove yourself, can lead to spectacular accidents.
Stay focused on the job at hand! Arguments over money
come too easily, and you're both wrong. Shelve those issues
until next week, at least.
CANCER (June 21 a July 22): Being as sexy as you are
right now can get expensive. Be clever and resourceful
instead of extravagant. Getting high opens you to dangerous
risks. A clear head and a steady hand are better fun
anyway.
LEO (july 23 * August 22): Your birthday bash will be all
the more fabulous if.jt's a bit more intimate and takes place
at home. Think quality, not quantity. In an even cozier setting,
you and your love can open up to deeper sharing that
can change your relationship.
VIRGO (August 23 * September 22): Rosy notions about
where you'd like to be in the future clash with current
frustrations in your work. You need to adjust both ends of
the problem. Meditation and in-depth conversations with a
trusted friend can help.
LIBRA (September 23 • October 22): Charm and creativity
can further your goals. Focus. which comes on!y with
difficulty nov,1, 1Nou!d a!so heip. Set aside some money for
frivoious games or shopaholic indulgences - but stick to the
budget!
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Blowing your own
horn will look overbearing, but it's no time to be shy either.
Your work speaks loudly and clearly for itself. Distant older
relatives can shed light on family mysteries, but will you like
what you learn?
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): You are
not to be trusted with other people's secrets now. Better to
explore your own and share the deepest and darkest ones
with a counselor or teacher who can help you work them
out - or play them out - with an anonymous trick in a different
town.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): It's time to reevaluate
the whole "friends with benefits" business. What's
really important to you in any relationship, especially your
primary partnership? It's too easy to lose track of values
right now. Let your partner remind you of what's really
important!
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): You're a bit fuzzy
in your self-perception. And, although work offers some
comfort, it doesn't give you any more certainty. Cooperation,
now more than ever, is the key to success. Developing
culinary skills can also bring clarity .
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Creative efforts heip
to draw out your inner demons. Dealing with those demons
remains a challenge, but you're up for it. Your inner conflicts
can make you touchy and argumentative. Don't shy
away from debate, but stay focused on what the disputes
are really about!
, <
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE HIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
Testing appoinrment 417-529-8480.
2902 E. 20th St.,
PO Box 4711
joplin, Mo 64803
SATURDAY Service 9:30Aiv1
28 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Arkansas, Bentonville/Rogers (4
NWA GLBT Ctr - - - - www.nwaglbtcc.org- - - - - 1062
Barnes & Noble Bks - - 261 N. 46th St., Rogers- - -479-636-2002
Arkansas, Eureka Springs (479)
Diversity Pride Event - - - - - - - - - - - - - -www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View- - - - - 36 N. Main- - - - - - - - - -479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante- - - - 309 W VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-8102
Henri's - - - - - - - 19 1i2 Spring St - - - - - - - - - - -479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -870-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- - - - 888-582-8464
Spexton- - - - - - - - 178 Spring Street - - - - - - - -479-981-6060
Tiki Torch- - - - - - - - 75 S. Main Street- - - - - - - - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge -141 W. VanBuren- - - - - - - - - 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant- - - 412 W. Dixon - - 479-442-3515
Condom Sense - - - - - - - - 418 W. Dickson- - - - - -4 79-444-6228
Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - -930 N. Coliege Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
P;ide Street Live- - 523 W. Poplar St- - - - - - - - - 479-587-0557
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - - -479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1/2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - 479-783-9988
Red Rock City - - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - - 1010 E. Grand Ave - - - - - - - 501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- - - - - - - - - - - - -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - - 1021 Jessie Rd- - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - - - 415 Main St - -North LR.- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory - - - - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- - 1709 N. Wainut- - - - - - - -Service 11AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40- - - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Kellogg D;- - - - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Club Glacier- - - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - - 316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th. - - - -Sat Service-9:30AM
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
40th Street !nn- - - -www.40thstreetinn.com- - - - -816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd - - - - -816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs -www.hydeskc.com - 816-561-1010
Missie B's- - - -805 W. 39th St- - - - - .. - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe (417)
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- - - - - 424 Boonvil!e Ave- - - .. -- - ........ 417-831-4700
GLO Comm Ctr- - -518 E. Commerica!- - - - .. - - --417-869-3978
Martha's Vineyard- - - 219 W Olive - - - .... - - .. - 417-864-4572
Missouri, Springfield (417)
Priscilla's - - - -1918 S Glenstone - - - - - - - - - - - -417-881-8444
Ronisuz Place- - --821 College- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books- - - -104 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - .. - .... 580-242-6838
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton (580)
lngrids Bookstore- - - - - 1124 NW Cache Rd- - - - - -580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads 8&8 - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Boom Room- - - - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- - - - - - - - -405-601-7200
Border's Books- - - - - - 3209 NW Expressway- - - - 405-848-2667
Club Rox- - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Christie's Toy Box- - - - -3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - - 405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - - -405-672-6459
Fat Cat Bingo- - - - - - 3130 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - -405-942-8875
Hollywood Hotel- - - - 3535 NW 39th Exp - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club - - - - - - 1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - - - -405-843-1722
Partners- - - - - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Pec's- - - - - - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expw - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Priscilla's- - - - - - - 615 E. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - - 405-755-8600
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Rudy's Place- - - - -3535 NW39th Expw- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - - - -405-601-3711
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
The Rockies- - - - - - 3201 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - - 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- - - 3535 NW 39th- - - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Tramps- - - - - - - - - - - -2201 NW 39th- - - - - - - - - -405-521-9888
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- - - -7204 E. Pine - - -- - - - - - - - - -918-836-8700
Border's Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Border's Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Maverick- - - - - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - - - - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - - - - - - - -918-834-1051
Elite Bookstore - - - - -814 S. Sheridan- - - - - - - - - - 918-838-8503
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - 3540 E. 31st - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz's Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nita Spot· -- - - - - -3007 E. Admirai Pi - - - -- - - - - - 918-834-3007
Our House, Too - - - -203 N Nogales Ave- - - - - - - -918-585-9552
Priscilla's - - - - - - - - -7925 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscilla's - - - - - - - - 5634 W. Skelly - - - - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Priscilia's - - - - - - - - 11344 E. 11th - - - - -- - - - - - - -918-438-4224
Priscilla's-- ------2333 E. ?1st--- ------ --918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- - - - - - - - - 918-627-1505
St. Michaels Allev- - - - - -3324-L E 3ist- - - - - - - - 918-745-9998
Sterling & Co. Salon- - -1606 E.15th St.- - - - - - - - - 918-742-9999
Tulsa CARES- - - - 3507 E. Admiral Pi- - - - - - - - - - 918-834-4194
Tulsa Eagle- - - • -1338 E. 3rd - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -918-592-1188
TNTs - - - - - - - - - 2114 S. Memorial- - - - - - - - - 918-660-0856
Whittier News Stand- - 1 N. Lewis- - - - - - - - - - 918-592-0767
Yellow-Brick-Rd- - - - - - - 2630 E. 15th- - - - - - - ·· ·· - 918-293-0304
30
Gt.ttJ HAIC,OH
'#M
AUAN NWllliITTH
Gay Marriage, ..
SO NOW THE: GCN''f IS -ri:zYING
-ro i<E:Wl-!lre THI! CONS'fl1U'flON
AGAIN AND 01./rt.AW GAY
MAl<l<IAGE: .•• WHY SHOUl.-0 Y,,'f.
N!:!:D -ro ASK P!::l<M!SSION Of'
S'fl<AIGH'f SOCl!:'fY 'TO G!:i
Ml\1<1'11!:Df:" WHO Al<E: T'H/iY'TO
.JUDGE: THE: VAl.-101-rY OF OUR
1.:!:f..A 'flONSHIPS!:"
l Gl'l!:W UP WITH AN l'fAf..lAN MO-rHE:R WHO
WAS Pl-ANNIN' MY ,\IE:ODING SINCE: THE: DAY
I WAS 801'1N •.• SO IT 'TOOK Mi:: A WHIL-!: 'TO
GE:'f OVl,l'I MY FEAR OF WE:OOiNGS! su-r I
KNE:W I WANreo -ro BE: WITH THIS
FOi.: THE: RE:S'f OF MY f..lFc: •.. I i ---------, r-we
WE:N'f AH!:AD AN'
Gar H/'f'CHl:0/
OF COURSE: I WAN, MY
BROTJ-1!:1'1 ,o B!: HAPPY •.• BU'f
10 BE: HONEST, I THINK GOO
Cl'IE:AT!:D MARl'l!AGE: AS A
GACREC> UNION BE:'TWEE;N A
MAN AND A 1-\-0MAN.
OOGMA,
IFJCATlO
AND f..!:S
~'ARl'IY!
TOTH!:
'flONO
/~lf:fCDMPl!ri'/
1Wif c.«i$,-l'T 1:-'IJO',•✓
ADA~Tl-l!~ABDUT
-\OV!2NAf..l~M, 11,;e.
{:;E!:r-l U'>l~l'1Hi5.A
t.(W6 Tl11;, 1.l!:.S5
Be Seen With The Star
NWA GLBT CENTER
The Northwest Arkansas Gay,
Lesbian, Blsexuai and Transgendered
Community Center is a
group of like-minded individuals
who have come together to create
a nonprofit GLBT Community
Center in Northwest Arkansas.
www.nwaglbtcc.org
12th page classified
CALL F' □ R RATES
91 B.B35.78B7
11730 E. 11th Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
Wed. Talent Show with
Bobby Page, 11PM
Girls Nite Out w/Kris Kohl
Sun August 13th 10PM
Open Tues-Sun 2pm-2am
Check out our new Patio!
CHECK OUT UNIQUE
EUREKA.SPRINGS,
AR.KANSAS
www.diversitypride.com
and
www.eurekapride.com
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTISING SALES
REPRESENTATIVE
FOR WICHITA,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
gualifications to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
o: maii to: 5103 S. Sheridan, # 153
Tulsa, OK 74145
' '',',', ' ;
C~L:L r-OR RATES
9lta.S:35.7E1B7
Get resuits with STAR Classifieds!
LICENSED ·MASSAGE
Tulsa, OK
* Full Body, Sports, Hot Stone
* Hand and Foot Scrabs
* In-House Clinic
* Days, Evenings and Weekends
Cali for an appointment and rates.
918-857-2805
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
STANLY SMITH
AUGUST BTH
- L .
IL
Jay Whiteside
918.902.1461
Tulsa Metro
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
** OPEN AUDITIONS
FOR MALE DANCERS.**
Saturday's 5pm. Must be
available to dance Sunday's.
Compensation plus tips for
successful candidates.
31
D 'T RRY ...
hat happens at Hollywood
stays at Hollywoodl
POOL HOURS
10AM - llPM
POOL PASS So A OAi' AL'1 D
t:35 A MONTH
SAT HOT DOGS 2PM"6PM
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, August 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 8
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
August 01, 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlile
Victor Gorin
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz Ward
Victor Gorin
Teresa Goodrich
Format
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Image
Online text
PDF
Language
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English
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, July 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 7
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/228
The Star Magazine, September 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 9
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/243
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/224
Advice Column
Asparagus stuffed dover sole
Bamboo Lounge
Bitter Girl
Book/DVD Review
Chelsea Boys
Club Majestic
Comic Strips
Family Picnic
Heart to Heart
HIV/AIDs
Lesbian Notions
marriage equality
Matt Foreman
Oklahoma Tax Commission
Our House
Out of the Line of Fire
Past Out
politics
Q Scopes
Quotable Quotes
recipes
Shantel Mandalay
Star business center
star classified
Star Distributors
Star entertainment
Star Scene
Summer Melon Margarita
Too
travel
Tulsa Community Center
Uncle Mikey
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/1d83dd312b49dd3e9bc3a48f8d62741c.jpg
627a3bb469150bff9de1fce15aff2133
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/9ffdd433544ea0d5ea7ac58a9b3e2770.pdf
381e7de93626e21c6ab81a48621030cb
PDF Text
Text
��������������������������������
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
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magazine
Text
Any textual data included in the document
This issue of the STAR marks a milestone not only for
our magazine, but for GLBT news publications as well.
We have seen five regional community papers come and
go since ou; inception, most only in publication for a few
months. Weil, this month is our 3rd Anniversary issue. With
the beginning of our fourth year January 2007, we plan to
make some changes, add new features and continue to
bring you our readers, local, national and world news that
affects the GLBT community. A new feature in this issue is
our "AFTER DARK" calendar which list events and special
function announcements from our advertisers. A good reason
to keep the STAR on your coffee table all month.
The Star was launched in December 2003 in Joplin, Missouri.
Our first issue was a digest size black and white
GLBT news and information magazine of just twelve pages.
Our first printing was under 1000 copies and distributed to
Joplin, Springfield, Fayetteville and Tulsa. Needless to say,
the Ozarks STAR had a very meager beginning with just
three advertisers.
I have worked very hard the past 3 years to make this
magazine a vlabie source of community information, news
and entertainment. Our readers are traveling the region to
places that were unknown when we began. I have personally
made many wonderful new friendships and acquaintances
because of this magazine. You are sincerely appreciated.
A big KUDOS to the efforts of our contributing writers Donald
Pile. RayWilliams, Michael Hinzman, Paul Wortman,
John Patrick, Greg Gatewood, Victor Gorin, Josh Aterovls,
Steve Urie and many others who have kept us informed
and entertained. Also to our sales agents Michael Leach,
Victor Gorin, Devre Jackson and Kay Massey who have
contributed tremendousiy to our success. Last but not least
a big thank you to our advertisers and readers.
WE'VE COME A LONG WAN BABY!
Sincerely,
C. D. Ward
Publisher/Editor in Chief
'tlvv-...,.ozarksstar.com
Dear Chaz:
We notice that your publication, (The Star) is approaching its
3rd Anniversary and we are very proud of you. You have brought to
the Midwest a very intelligent and professional gay publicarion that
is now one of the main gay/lesbian publication in the tv1idwest.
Long are the days when so many gay pubiications were merely
"sleaze rags" Your content, articles and columns keeps everyone
abreast about events in the state, the Midwest, the country and the
world!
As we travel around the country, we always take extra copies of
the STAR with us to show other gays and they are amazed at the
quality of your publication.
Congratulations on your 3rd Anniversary and we wish you
continued success with your splendid work for many, many years to
come. We are very honored to be a small part of your success.
Respecdul!y,
Donald Piie
Ray Williams
.',<,<\',:·,,,'\/;,, ·. I.lei us help!
(91 ) - 6
the STAR 3
4 the STAR
Victor Gorin interview with newly
elected 2nd term Oklahoma County
Commisioner Jim Roth.
Election 2006 By Joe Solmonese. HRC
President. Solmonese examines the effects
of the 2006 election on the GLBT
community.
litfi HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA'S
We did some shopping for you!
Something unique, something cheap
and some bling.
Travelers "Savannah, GA"
0 of Town "Fort Lauderdale"
Uncle Mikey finds a Twink that wants
co be fabulous, while a queen ponders
the afterlife.
INDEX
An Interview with Jim Roth ..... 6
Book Review. . . . . . . . . . . ... 11
OUT in Arkansas ........... 12
Past Out. ................. 14
Tulsa GLBT Centei News ..... 15
Holiday Gift Idea's. . . . ... 16
Ciao Travel. . . . ........... 17
Lesbian Notions. . . . . . 22
Star Scene. . . . . . ..... 24
Uncle Mikey. . . .. 26
After Dark . . . . .. 27
Horoscopes.. . .......... 28
Distributors. . . . 29
Cartoons. . . . . . . ...... 30
Classifieds. . 31
STAR DISTRIBUTION:
Jolie Justice in Lesbian Notions
"Christmas in November''- page 22
Progressive Church Shakes Up
Norhwest Arkansas. - page 12
-~•,!!,.~.!';'!~.-.
History of gay motorcycle clubs in
~~pi\ST ()lIT~~ - page 14
OKLAHOMA C!TY .. TULSA"' LAV'/TON ~ t-.,lCA.lESTER ~ EiHD • UTTLE ROCK" NORTH LITTLE ROOK.,
FAYETTEVILLE i' FT SMITH " EUREKA SPRINGS • HOT SPRINGS * BENTONVILLE ~ ROGERS ~ KANSAS
CITY~ SPRlNGF!ELD ",JOPUN " BRA~JSON AREA:!, VVlCHlTA,.. PiTTSBURG • JUNCTION CITY
\/'.f'vvvv.ozarksstar.corn
AN INTERVIEW WITH
OKLAHOMA COUNTY
COMMISSIONERJIM ROTH.
By Victor Gorin
Phoro: Left Viaor Gorin and Jim Roth
In 2002, Jim Roth ran againsr anti-gay incumbent Beverly Hodges
in the race for Oklahoma County Commissioner of District One,
and become Oklahoma's first op~nly gay county commissioner. . He
made the most of rhis opportunity to do an excellent job in this position,
winning the respect of Oklahoma County voters from many
walks oflife. This year his Republican opponent, Dave Mehlhaff,
waged one of the most single issue, anti gay campaigns ever, and yet
Jim was re-elected. Now he shares with us how ir's been, and the
vision he has for che future
Victor: Well Commissioner, you ran a very strong and imeresting
campaign that always looked successful, but did you still feel a sense
of relief when it was over?
Jim: Absolutely. You never know until the last vote is counted. \ve
felt confident, we worked hard, but we didn't want to take anything
for granted.
Victor: Wdl, I'm sure you feel much better now. What do you feel
were the major factors.~hat made your victory so resounding?
Jim: Two things--First and foremost was our job performance. We
worked very hard and deiivered on what we promised, anci I don't
chink anyone has ever done better in District 1.
Second, my opponent's bigotry was rejected by a great number of
people that I think arc tired of that mean spirited side of politic;. l
think people realized from his approach rhat he had lirde to offer.
1/ictor: Truly over the past 4 years, v.rhen one considers the duties of
v;hat a county cotnn1issioner is supposed to do, you have a record
you can be proud of, including a balanced budget.
Jim: 1hat's right. Although all 3 discricts of ()kiahon1a (~ounty get
tht: sa1ne a111ount of n1oney for roads, I have the 1nf)St road n1ileage
6 the STAR
and still was the only one wirh a baianced budget. The pubiic in my
district is now driving over 54 miles of new road and 8 new bridges
with safer conditions. !vfy predecessor, Beverly Hodges, only built 1
bridge during her term.
Victor: You were instrumental during 2004 in impiementing and
keeping, despite a repeai attempt, a poiicy of nondiscrimination
for Oklahoma County employees that indudes sexual orientation.
Even now iI is the only government protection pertaining to sexual
orientation in the state of Oklahoma.
Jim: I serve this office with the premise char all peopie deserve respect
and dignity, and a public employment simation, of all places,
should be free of discrimination of any kind. We changed the current
policy to expand coverage in 3 areas, physical disabiliry, political
affiliation, and sexual orientation. I worked w implement this
policy for 3 reasons, to protect taxpayers from liability from officials
doing stupid things, attracting talent, and because it's the right thing
to do.
Victor: What do you hope do accomplish during your next term?
Our district is on a great rrajectory of improvement with a very aggressive
road and bridge program, a number of major projecrs. We
are also bringing a focus to senior citizens issues. Vie have to be sure
that we are that safety net so that their golden years are truly that.
Also I want to work on issues co help our memally ill in this county
so that they aren'r kept in the county jail without treatment.
Victor: Do you have future aspirations after .:his term of office?
Jim: Not right now, bur maybe in future years rhere will be something
I'll feel challenged w try.
Victor: \V'e!l, you obviousiy won the confidence of the voters in
Oklahoma County. Besr wishes and looking forward to four more
years! *
Two Night Tulsa Event Benefit
For Tulsa Cares Food Pantry.
By Greg Steele
TULSA, OK_Billed as Tulsa's Social Event of rhe year, the Bamboo
Lounge staged a two night benefit show hosted by Kris Kohl. The
5th annual Miss Bamboo Pageant was held on Saturday November
18th and the following night with Kris Kohl's show, The Bamboo
& Faces Present "REMEMBER OUR FAMILY". The two night
extravaganza packed the nighrc'.ub both nights and raised do;;:: ro
$500.00 for the Food Pantry.
The Miss Bamboo Pageant histed by Terry Hood and Stan Smith
dub co-owners is only one event out of 111any that the couple stage
each vear to benefit non-profit organizations in the Tiilsa area. 'The
out g~ing ~1iss Ba1nboo 2006. Mona Lott n:iuctandy reiinquishcd
her crown to Miss Bamboo 2007, Holly Rose, a newcomer to the
scene. Holly Rose campaigned extensiv~!y v.lith her slogan "!es
'Time For l1 l'~c",,v Generationn and sources say her ,veaithy husband
donated quite a sun1 to her success. lvfona Lott, J\.-1:iss Bamboo 2006
in a rage l~Jf despair crov,rned herself "E1npress of the Ban1boo'1 \Vhich
amounrs to nothing bur a cheap ploy to 1nainrain royal sratus in her
aging state! P.._ great time vva.s had by all and for a very gcJod cause.
Photo on page 25.
v1v,.;•.v,ozarksstar.com
Worl
Dece
i
/-,, . i
l_r,,,CJlj}OOtJ
o/1'f.o0 ,-L--/o1~, Lr:i !,•~ R~"L p/'~_?-/r: -1 )j
•'ThYJJ (Jr)g} ~ uikiff@ L1JJ'@:~?Jff i;J Y'ailif1
ORDERS BY 12NOON GUARANTEED S,'l.J,lE DAY DELIVERY
Glenpool Cleaners (inside Glenpool 1.'i,:w:-crsl 91S-29r-3275
Wear the Red Ribbon
on Dece111ber 1st.
Show th<: ,xorld ,-'.)ll c:rc that HIVi
AIDS is srill among us ,rnd du, people,
including manv ,·nuns people, arc cv<:!i
nov.' getting inf~•t'tcd. Let rhosc afF(·c(cd
knO\\' that you undcLStand .. 1nd support
thcn1 and the: figbt ~1gainst l-lI\/"f 1\I [)S.
HAP
C
3rd
l
(/
from all your pals in
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
,\~ Amber Bock
Sun--Thurs 1 pm---Midnight~
Fri ,-Sat 1 prrl~,,._ 2am
:·,:~:, t..· .2..c,,1., N.- ., M~ a·..1J s/:}--·iV -•~p.. -:,.~
on 'h1p.
New Tulsa
Organization For
Diversity Business
DBAT Means Business
TULSA, OK_Business is all abom connections
and growth, and the newly formed
Diversity Business Association ofTulsa
(DBAT), a program supported by Tulsa
Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR), is
working to help GLBT business owners and
professionals in green country form those
connections and succeed in today's competitive
marketplace.
DBAT's mission is to provide a forum to
the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
business and professional community and
its allies for ,he purpose of networking.
professional development, creating increased
visibility and strengthening relationships
among business and professional community
members.
The group meets monthly for the purpose
of networking, development and quarterly
workshops as well. Socials are being planned
for next year. D BAT membership is an
affordable investment at $30.00 annually
for individuals and $50.00 annually for~
business entity. Members receive:
A copy of the annual business guide with
inclusion of a business listing and advertising
opportunities within the business guide.
DBAT Newsletter
TOHR Membership
Reduced fee at quarterly workshops
A listing on the DBAT web site and banner
advertising opportunities.
Join us and connec, with other locai GLBT
business owners and professionals within
your community. For 1hform,1tion contact
Susan Hartman at 918-274-1699 or
through e-mail at slr:artrnan@cox.aer.
* Wear the Red Ribbon
on December 1st.
Show the world you care that I-flV/;\I!)S
is still a111ong us and that people, inc:iuding
rhen1 ::tnd tht
against
10 the STAR
Oklahoma Ci
Couple Exchange
Vo
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK_Paula Schonauer
& Pam Trotter were united in a Holy
Union ceremony on the lovely grounds of
the Backdoor Coffeeshop October 7, their
wedding officiated by the Reverend Scott
Jones of the Oklahoma City Cathedral of
Hope Church. Paula is an Oklahoma City
police officer and Pam is a floral designer.
Together they reside in Oklahoma City.
*
Tulsa Group Forms
Womens Supper Club.
TULSA, OK_Heather Hartman and a
group of other iadies have formed a new
club calied "LesDine Supper Club ofTulsa''.
Heather told us, "We meet the first Friday
of every month at Tulsa-area restaurants at
7 PM. For December we will be eating at
Jamil's Steakhouse, and in January we will
be eating at Caz's Chowhouse. For information,
peopie can emaii Lesdinesupperclub@
yahoo.com or visit v,ww.myspace.com/lcsdinesupperc!
ub . LesDine is for lesbianidentified
women in NE Oklahoma who
like to socialize and eat good food.
\,X,'e have been meeting for 6 month, now
and have had a great turn-om. Peopk are
finding out via ~ord-of-mou.t:h ancf thru
-.lahoof chat groups. Last n1onth \VC had 26
\von1cn attend.
The New Oklahoma
Mr. Leather 2007
By Victor Gorin
OKLAHOMA CITY~James Hollingwood
captured the tide of Oklahoma's new fvfr.
Leather at Oklahoma City's Pho~nix Rising
October 21, It was a festive occasion emceed
by California titleholder Mark tvfalon who
kept the evening lively and entertaining
with earchv humor, and even treated us to
his musical prowess with h1s priceless rendition
of a Shirley Bassey dassic, "Dildos are
Forever."
Attended bv;;. capacitv crowd of leather
folk and th~ir friends,' the contest featured
not only entenainmcnt but also education
and wonhwhile fundraising, the highlight
of which was the raffling of;; Garth Brooks
\Yiorld Tour Jacket that will be autographed
by the man himself. Proceeds for that raffie
went to Tulsa's Open Arms Youth Project.
David Tempie~on won the tide of First Runnerup,
and the reigning currelt Mr.Leather,
James Dean Scudder ofTi,is:,, passed the
tide on to Mr.Hollingwood. James wiil go
on to con1petc in the lntcrnationai l\-1r.
Leather Comest held in Cbicago during the
Memorial Day Weekend.
l() the cornrnunity Jarocs. had this to say/'
J fCci very honored that n1y peers have
honored n1c 1:1vith the ti tie of ()kiahon1a ~vir
Leather, and l \vill do rny unnost to support
the leather comrnunitics of'Tu!sa~ ()klahorna
(~ity and statevvide. I ;:1111 looking fon.vard to
the Jntcrnational lV1r. Leather contcsc but
1 an1 still in ~hock, letting this vvin sir1k in.
/tgain I say I ~un. honored that the cornrnu•~
has supported rne in rhis vvay
A Face in the Crowd celebrates the
and challenges of those who identify as gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
The book, "A Face in the Crowd: Expressions of Gay Life in
America," edited by John Peterson and Martin Bedogne, presents a
diverse group of people living their lives filled with iove, hope, and
happiness as well as fear and oppression. Highlighting stories and
profiles of gay men and women who share tales of families and challenges,
"A Face in the Crowd" poignantly illustrates that gay life in
North America does not fit a single stereotype.
Sponsored by the Matthew Shepard Foundation, ''A Face in the
Crowd" seeks to educate and empower today's youth w actively take
part in developing solutions to problems that are rooted in ignorance
and hatred. In the book's introduction, Judy Shepard, whose
son, Matthew, was the Yicdm of a gav hate crime, convevs, "A Face
in the Crowd is a reflection of Matthew's dreams. He id1ew that
judging people bdc,re knov;ing chem was rhe loss of an opportunity."
"A Face in rhe Crowd" can be ordered di,ectly from the ;\1atthcw
Shepard Foti!ldation, which will be signed by Judy Shepard and
includes the benefo: single "W'hat Matters" by Randi Driscoll. 'Ihe
mission of the ?vfanhew Shepard Foundation is w support divcrsirv
programs in education and ;o help youth organizatio;1s es.:ablish ·
environments where young people can fed safe and be themselves.
The goal of rhc !vfatthe,v Shepard Foundation is to replace hate ,vith
d
,. . . d .. . . ,. .
un erstanct1ng, compassion an acceptance. t-·or n1orc 1r1torn1at1on ;~~:,~;t~~:;~~;;~_Shepard Foundarion, visit their ·website: www.mar-
John Peterson created rhe initial concept for"~,\ 1:;ace in the (~rtnvcr·
and further developed and published the book to rr1eet the goals and
tnission of the ?viatthew Foundation. orders and
discounts on group saies arc availabic through the pubHsher. For
rnon~ inforn1<.,tion~ visit d1(:ir •.vcbsirc at
corn .
.., ,,..,_,w,.ozark.sstar.corn
Election 2006
By Joe Solmonese, HRC President
Tuesday was a watershed moment for our comrnunity. A wave of
pro-equality candidates was swept into office, from Philadelphia to
Fort Lauderdale and from Minneapolis to Tucson, and are now the
majority in the United States House and Senate. To date, 93 percent
ofHRC-endorsed candidates have won their races (210 of225),
with a handful of races still pending.
Perhaps most exciting of all, we had a first-ever win against a
discriminatory, anti-GLBT constitutionai amendment. While we
had heartbreaking losses in seven states, with a near-win in South
Dakota, Arizona made history this week by defeating a ban on domestic
partnerships. We salute everyone who worked to defeat these
discriminarory measures and we especially congratulate Arizona
Together for its successful campaign to defeat that state's discriminatory
initiative. HRC was proud to play a role in helping to achieve
this historic victory. Steve May, co-chair of Arizona Together, had
this to say about HRC's help in the campaign: "When we first got
started, no national organization thought we could win ... except
HRC. They believed in us and we thank them so much."
\Ve have an incredible slate of amazing trailblazers coming to
Washington - people like Congressman-Elect Harry Mitcheli, Senator-
Elect Amy Klobuchar and Senaror-Elect Sherrod Brown. We
fought to get them elected, and now they wil! fight for us. Congress
promises to be much friendlier now that bigots like Rick Santorum
are gone. With your help, we raised more than $375.000 for
Santorum's opponent, Bob Casey, and spent an additionai $200,000
to mobilize hundreds of volunteers to guarantee Santorum's defeat.
It paid off.
Here is what Senator-Elect Casey had to say about us: "HRC
got behind my campaign early and has been a tremendous help.
The energy and commitment they put behind our campaign was
exrraordinary. I iook forward to working with HRC's incredible staff
and membership, especially to advance hare crimes legislation in the
Senate."
All over tht country, anti-GLBT candidare$ and campaign tac.:ic,
were rejected by vorers. Scapegoating and anacking GLBT Amc:ricans
is no longer a winning campaign strategy. At least 21 Houst:
n1embers --~vith O percent votine: records on (;LB1-- issues ~,,vili not be
returning to ·wa.~hingron, and in the Senate, five Fcderai Marriage
A~ 1 .. 11 t r;.or i •,r•• .... nn,e1ia1nen. suppo, ...... s .. c,.,, , h.e ,•r b,'d, <•- .,.fo ,r ,-~n· t...• ih,..., .. .~-1d-·,.v, ... ,~ "•' . .....
Other races aiso mark in1pon::ant shifts in the debate about our
relationships. Supporters of fuH marriage equality \von the governorships
oft~c .. N ~{ork and 1v1assachusetts, and Jodi Rell ;vas rcst}undingiy
re-elected governor of Con.necticut: after signing ~~ civil union~
bilL Furthern1orel no candidate in f'1ev<l Jersey, or '"''·"''•"'·,. in rhc
country for that 1nar:t:erl appears r,,1 ha•le suffered from the f~c;;v
Supre111e Court's decision requiring and benefits
Progressive Church
Shakes Up Northwest
Arkansas.
by Kay Massey
BENTONVILLE, AR_ Amid the conservative
religious congregations in Northwest
Arkansas, an entrepreneurial deacon is offering
something ... a iittle different for Gays,
Lesbians and their allies.
In July 2006, the
Rev. Roger Joslin
moved to Bentonville
from Los
Angeles to start
the Episcopalian
Community of
Bentonville. Roger
is a native Texan,
receiving both a BA
and an MA from the
University ofTexas
at Austin. He did
additional graduate
work in International
Relations at the
University of Sussex
in Brighton, England.
After working
for many years in the
architectural woodwork
business, Roger
graduated from the
Episcopal 1beological
Seminarv of the Southwest in Austin
Texas in 2005 ·.vith a Masters of Divinity
degree.
Roger's bhck o:.nfic .md white clerical collar
mm heads wi11:rever he goes, and for now,
he's everywhere. His mission is dear: Find a
diverse group of people ~o form an Episcopal
congregation with radical hospitality at
its core. Joslin hopes :o offer a progressiv..:
aiternative to other churches in the ilrca.
HI think it 1.vill "vork here in t'Jorth\vest
1\rkansas/J he said of the radical hospjrality,
which focuse5 on meeting p;:<ople':, physical
and spiritual needs. <iit's a ·very friendly
place.'' ~❖7hile h:1s been treated ,vell
here~ he's not sure the reception \Vouid he as
~narn1 for a black, hon1oscxual or
12 the STA.R
poor person. "Ours is the kind of church
where everyone is welcome," he said. That
focus must start from the beginning. Rather
than creating a core group of white, middleclass
people, then expanding the group, Joslin
wants to start wirh a mixed core group
from the beginning. That is exactly what he
has done so far.
One of the local group members says,
"What makes this really special is that we
arc defining what we feel our church needs
to be about. We're all accepting, that's
very important, that ali backgrounds arc
welcome, all types of people, ro be very
hospitable and community-
oriented."
Joslin's church-planting
plans are moving
quickly. The plan is to
create small groups of
roughly 12 adults until
the total reaches about
300 people, which
could take about a year,
Joslin said. Currendv
·there are 4 groups of
adults that meet weekly,
a "Walk and Talk"
group for exercising
and meditating adulr.s,
and a group of children
who are exploring the
"Godly Play" progran1.
Roger stresses that a
person need nor be an
Episcopai ro parricipate
in any of the groups.
Study is designed for
people of any faith. 'Ihere are people from
all backgrnunds involved in the groups.
These are truly diverse groups of people on a
spirimai journey rogei:her.
Roger is continuously seek;ng out Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendcred group
and individuals in the area. hoping to welcome
:hem into the fold. "Many have been
raised in churches and have hj_d devout upbringings~
yet most churches have reiected
themn, Jos_Hn said,-_ Gay's and Lcsb~a1:s arc
an integral part ot our groups, anct tt1e soon
to be church. l\1any are already attending
the "\Ycekly meetings and becorning invoived t)!,~r?~:~~:~a~~~11~~~1:;;~:;:;;(~ Benwr;
other Episcopal churches in rhe area
there is a church in Henton ··~Lz.
progressive Episcopaiian church interprets
the Bible in terms of context and in light of
the times, he said. He believes fundamentalists
interpret the Bibic rno literally.
The Episcopalian church has liturgical
services like a Carhoiic Church, bu: Masses
and Sunday Communion ser✓ices - Eucharists
- arc in English, Joslin said.
The Diocese of Arkansas has been rhinking
about a church in Bentonville fOi about 15
years. Joslin seems rhe perfect fit. "I have a
strong enrreprcneurial bent," he said. "I do
like to create and start things. 'This is abour
creation." After many years of being involved
with the Church, Joslin was ordained
as a Deacon in May 2006. He will be ordained
as an Episcopal Priest on December
2, 2006 at St. Paul's Episcopal; Church in
Fayetteviiic, Ar.
Roger is aiso rhe author of Running the
Spiritual Path: A Runner's Guide to Breathing,
Meditating, and Exploring the Prayerful
Dimension of the Sport. He wrote the
book while a seminarian. He continues w
run and write in Arkansas as a dimension
of his spiritual practice. He is a ,'creran of
several marathons and thousands of miles
of solitary running on trails and back roads
throughout the United States. Rev. Joslin's
book emerged from a running journal
he maintained over the course of the iast
decade. Many years of meditation pr:1.ctice,
punctuated wfth the nurturing rnlitude of
periodic visits to numerous retreat cemcrs
~nd monasteries, led the author, quite naturally,
to combine his love for running with
his spiritual search.
Roger is borh an experienced ,cacher and a:1
engaging speaker and is ;;!ways eager to tab,
on the rask of avvakcning a wider audicnc,·
~o the value of spiriruai pracrict.
For n1orc infonnation about the ,-,,,,,,,,u,_,..,
c=o1n1nunity of Benton C:ounry, contacr
the IZcv. R,ngcr Joslin at 4?9-1~26-1 ')() j or
rogcrioslin@sbcg1obal.net .
V'l\-VV·J_ozarksstar.corn
The show went on and on and
on .... and oh, how we loved it!
ByD. Norman
EUREKA SPRINGS_AR~On Saturday November 4, 2006 during
FALL Diversity Weekend in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, ANT and
Sabrina tvfatthews flew in from Los Angeles, California to headline
Diversity Pride Events' first 'LOL Dive;:sity Comedy' Show and
simply awed everyone at rhc Al.JD!
Sabrina kjcked ofF the evening ddighting the very diverse crowd of
Glbti, straigi~t fricncis and allies. Both men and women were laughing
and nodding chcir heads in agreement at her hiiarious observations
of our lives. Her humor was down to earth and true to life,
covering everything from skim. p1.,rses, pets, job interviews and of
course, love lives. By the time she left the stage, you feit like she v1as
one of your pals.
ANT hit stage in an incredible spar~ling Hight suit covered with
rhinestones, setting the pace for a high energy non-stop ride to hysterical
bughre~. His jokes had u:; roar;ng, and he was at his absolute
bes: ribbing and n•·,.,..,, .. ,, .. ,, v,itb ,he audience. He pulled people
up on stage gettiag thrn1 to say and do things that had us failing
out of our seats and ('l:~tn ht~ ~cerncd an1azed at the quirky Siories he
brought out of Eurckans and her 'Vishors. He told us he just had to
use sorne of then1 ¥h:i-<~:•: Tl '>Vf" r"•~rtf~riranro •·n ,..h,::. "fon1oht 'hov.1 .i ,C_rs.,. {J"'-,. l•-•~. :h,.. .._._ '"' L, ,._., . •t,c" ...__, ,.
,vith Jay Leno
us he
and rhanked us for
i\nt i1rvited Sabrina to
and the audience- can1c
w,l,fr-•l'i.ozarksstar.com
tne cen1ctery
to end. He toid
h fun toe, stop.
con-1plin1ented
stand-up.
their ap~
It ''--Vas
Conservative Christian Group
Boycott almart.
By Staff Reporter
Donald E. \Vildmon, Fotmder and Chairman of American Family
Association, a Tupeio, MS conserntive Christian organization
ordered a mass-emailing to about 3 million recipients, on November
9, 2006. The petition was circulated because of Walmart's support
of GLBT organizations and GLBT equality in the workplace.
W'almart recently donated SS000 to N\'1/l\ GLBT Community Center
in Bentonville, AR. Below is the communication sem to \'1/almart
byWildmon.
Dear President Scott,
This will let you know that I will not be shopping at Wal-Mart or
Sam's Club on the Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving.
Your decision to financially support groups promoting homosexual
marriage is very unfortunate. You could have remained neutral but
decided to join the battle on the side of homosexuai activist organizations.
With great disappointment, I will help spread the word to my
friends and family about your decision.
*
t
GoldC8stle
"At Century 21 Gold Castie our
•. BEST properties are our PEOPLE''
4301 NW 63rd, Suite 100
pklahoma City, OK 73116
405.840.2106
the STAR 13
Summary: Past Out is a rerrospective of key moments, personalities, and subjects in LGBT
history. Each instailment brings the past to life by exploring the diversity of the gay past and
its impact on the queer present.
Photo: Madon Brando in The W'ild One (1953)
November 1954 (52 years ago last month): The Saytrs
motorcycle club is founded in Los Angeles.
What is the historv of gay motorcvde
clubs? · ,i
Motorcvcle dubs, a ~ainsrav <,f gav culture
since rh~ 19'i0s, ushered in ; ne; brand of
queer masculinity and gave rise to today',
leather.1SM co:wnunity.
Motorcyck culture 1:merged in the ·united
States in the l 920~ and i 930.,, ofteE revolving
around racing, ,viih enthusiasts "'Nho
forn1ed ciubs and vvore distinctive unifonns
and "colors.:,~ The popularity of n1otorcycles
grev; <luring \~1orld War JI - as n1otorcyclists
\vere regarded as son1ething of a n1odern-day
cavalry ~ and cheap n1ilitary surplus
becamt: available after the 1.var.
lJpon leaving n1i1itary si:rvicc in the late
1940s, n1any gay 1ncn in port cities
14 the STAR
ra,her than returning to their hometowns.
Just as the Hell's Angels were purpon:ediy
started by furmer bomber pilots and pararroopers
unwilling to settle into mainstream
life, gay men aiso sought an alternative.
"Only in the swashbuckling motorcycle
culture,'' argues author Guy Baldwin, were
they abie to retain the ''easy camaraderie.
the stress and thrill of real risk raking, and
the 111ascu!ine sexuality that they had kno1.vn
during their n1ilitary da:rs." (;ay and straight
n1cn alike einbraced the irnage of the outLnv
biker as a frcc~spirired rebel, as r.:xen1piified
by the Marlon Brande, fi!n1 The Wild
()ne inspired by an infirnous riot
at a n1ororcycie con1lcntion in Hollister,
in 1947,
The first gay motorcycle dub in the United
States was the Satyrs, founded in Los Angeles
in 1954; the second, Oedipus, was
an offshoot started in 1958. The eariiest
Norrhern California club was the \Y/ariocks,
founded in 1960, fo!!owed by the California
Motorcycle Club (CMC). By the
mid-1960s, San Francisco's Somh of Market
district had become a hotbed of the gay
motorcycle scene, home to clubs such as the
Constantines and the Barbary Coasters.
While California - with irs climate conducive
to year-round riding - continued
to host the greatest concentration of gay
motorcycle clubs, similar groups cropped up
around the country, including, in 1963, the
Second City Motorcyde Club in Chicago,
an early hub of rhe gay ieather scene. 1he
Empire City Motorcycle Club of New York
City, founded rhe following year, claims to
be the oldest ongoing GLBT organization
east of the Rockies. Gav motorcycle culture
also crossed over to Eu~ope, starting with
London's 69 Club. As motorcycle clubs grew
more numerous, they formed imerdub organizations
such as rhe Atlantic Motorcycle
Coordinating Council. ,
Gay motorcycle clubs provided an outlet
for socialization · and often for sex. The
earlv biker scene was closely allied with the
<;m;rging "Old Guard" lea;her/SM culture,
and the clubs watering holes became some
of the first leather bars. Stylized biker gear
became a son of uniform for a segment
of rhe gay community, feamring engineer
boors, crotchless black ieather chaps (designed
by D.L. Sterling in 1960), and military-
style caps. The look - which caught on
even among men wbo had never sat astride
a motorcycle - was embodied by e:av artis,
fom of Finland s characters. Pere; Berlin in
the movie _Nighrs in Black Le:nher (1973),
ana' ("1l enn J1'u ~g.h es o f t he d.i. sco group t he
VilL,ge Peopie.
~vfotorcycle club outings. known as runs,
typically involved n1anly activities such as
can1ping trips. But \vhilc bikers esche·.,vcd
;:~~ era. their ever~;:,·~~'.:!~:::::;~:•;~~~~
pageantry and can1p of a different sort)
including drag shov.-'s. Events such as the
annual (]v!(~ (~arnival becainc popular even
arnong nonbikers, and n1any n1en organized
their social H·ves around annu;-11 runs such as
vvw~lv. ozarkssta r. corn
Photo: lhe new community center coming soon.
Community Celebrations
]he end of a year brings things we all usualiy
like par.:ies, gathering wirh friends
and family, once-;,-year food and drink
- celebrations of all kinds. This year is no
differem. Special events, holiday dinners,
and concem fili foe momh of December
on the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexuai, Ti:ansgender
(GLBT) and allied Community Calendar.
A month full of acrivities begins in Tulsa on
Friday, December 1, 2006. 'w'ith the theme,
"Stop AIDS: Keep Ihe Promise," the annual
Wori<l AIDS Day Interfaith Service remembers
those losr r; HIV/ AIDS while renewing
o~ir cornmiunent to stop HIV/AIDS.
The candlclighr service, scheduied for 7:00
P?vf ar All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952
S Peoria, v.1iU f(~ature rhe n1usic of Council
C>ak Iv1cn's Chorale ((~(}fv1C) and guest
speakers Dr. 1v1clanie Spector and Iarnara
LcBak~ l\ssistant lviinister of/\H Souls lJni-·
tarian Church.
!'~ext up on the 'fulsa (~01nn1uniry C:alendar
is the [)inner on
Monday; l)eccn1ber 11th. ]he annual din~
ner features the presentation of the S..,·J?/t!"~J
.:~wards an.d the rnusic of the \Y/or:nen of
(:ouncil ()ale A. 6:30 PJv{ reception kicks c:fF
the at feilcnvship (:ongregationai
2~100 S I-1t1rYard. ~111e
~u 7:00 Pivt fr:atnn.:~ holiday entree~:
and harn1 drinks and r:~srive table~
~V\.vvv.ozarksstar.corn
side, or dessert. You'll wam to arrive early as
over 200 individuals, coupies and families
are expected for this annuai event co-sponsored
by Tulsa PFLAG and TOHR.
Music of A Snowv Starlit Nie-ht. the annual
COMC Holiday Cone~(, will thriE
you with seasonal fa;orites, as well as new
~unes to warm your heart. SRO crowds are
expected for the performances on December
12th, 15(h & 16th, 8:00 P1v1 each night at
All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S Peoria
in Tulsa.
The Tulsa GLBT Community Center will
celebrate the end of the leased space era with
the 41st Finale on Sunday, December 17,
2006. The evening, featuring a free concert,
free food and drinks, and door prizes will be
the last event held in the current Center at
5545 E 41st Streei:.
Ihe 41st Finale features the music of
recording-artist Amy 5(einberg of Orlando,
Florida. With irreverent humor and crafty
intelligence, Amy uses her original music to
promote tolerance, openness and diversity.
Combining a sassy sensibility and loquacious
socio-political and spiritual awareness,
Amy brings forth a fresh and solid energy.
The winner of several honors, including
Songwriter of the Year from the Songwrirer
Showcases of the Year and Best Individual
Performer bv the Orlando lvlusic Awards,
Amv tours ;u over the countrv. Notable
sho~s include performances ~ith Ani Defranco,
Alix Oison, Lisa Loeb, Melissa Ferrick,
Meredith Brooks and Vonda Shepard,
as well as many others.
Classically trained on the piano since age
4, with a degree in rheaue (from studies at
Boston Conservatory, American Musical
and Dramatic Academy and ?\.farvmount
Manhattan) and sclf-t;ught on the guitar,
Amys shows display ,.viid!y inaovative
musicality combined with extraordinary
perfonnance skills to create an arousing
;~nviron1nent like none other. 'Ihen1cs ~f
her 1nusic include sexuality, ,von1an po~,ver,
~-·.:
1
j~·h•.~.".!~~~.-. , ~~:~b~~.~1s~!~,o~1
1
.. ~d love. ·nie audience . ~-: .. :~ ~;_:;:; ;::-.:. t -· _, ~.. sings along, an(1
laughs untH they cry. a soul-shifting and
original n,.r,nnn nt,t "..V,dlt tu
rniss this FR .. EE concert 1.vith
1be 41st Finale marks the last day the Tulsa
GLBT Community Center will be open
before we pack-up, move-our and re-open
in the new location in downtown Tulsa!
The Tulsa GLBT Communitv Center will
close on December 18, 2006. and remain
closed through the end of the year. During
this time, we'll be packing up the last
items, loading up the moving trucks and
heading to the permanent location of the
Tulsa GLBT Community Center at 621 E
4th Street. We'll then re-open in January,
celebrating the Oklahoma-Centennial year
of 2007 - in a new, permanent home for the
Tulsa GLBT & allied community.
1itlsa Okiahomans for Human Rights
(TOHR) seeks equal rights for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT) individuals
and families through advocacy, education,
programs, alliances and the operation of the
Tulsa GLBT Community Cmter.
Creating
Community for
People living
vvith
HIV/AIDS
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for people who are HP✓+ and
or living with AIDS to help combat the
social isolation that many of our
people live through each and everyday.
·we provide a Toiletry and Household
Pantry for those who are HIV+
and or lh:ing ,,,;Ith AJDS \•Vho cannot
afford to purchase these items for
themsei\.res. \/Ve invite anyone \,vho
vvould Hke to \1olunteer or provide fi-nanciai
assistance to please contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-•rnaH
harrismrnjr@y·ahoo.corn.
\,•. . ._ _________________ /
the STAR 15
BOOK: i<A FACE IN THE CROWD"
Mart
Fore
Introduction
132 pages (150+
images) ·
12" x 12" ISBN:.
Price: $24.95 ~\.
ngle "What Matand
a personal mesISBN
0-9719618-
Can be purchased at any major bookstore,
Prospect Publishing: www.prospectpublishing.
com or www.matthewshepard.org
1 6 the STAR
Give a subscription
rn the STAR.
12 issue $29.95.
Check or Money
Order to:
Ozar~s STAR
5103 S Sheridan Rd
#i53
Tt:!sa, CK 7 4145
ping for you!
ng Unique, Something
eap and some Bling.
"6-Stripe" Stainless Steel and Gold Ring
Handcrafted stainless steel ring by
Spexton. Wide brushed finish band
with 22k gold stripe inlay. Sizes 5-15.
Arrives gift-boxed. Order on line at
.spexton.com or 479-981-6060
"Baked, Hammered" Wrist Band
Coior & Depth. Handcrafted stainless
steel cuff by Spexton. This wide cuff
features hammered edges and a.baked
surface adding depth and color. The
cuff can be bent open or closed, but
choose your wrist size and they will
shape it for you. Arrives gift-boxed.
www.spexton.com or 479-981-6060
$259.00
Product Dimensions:
3/4 Inch Wide
ssaoce Marines with
perieoce. Nooe are profesSome
of tnc hottest hunks in the i\Iarine
CorJJs are posing for the America's Heroes
2007 Calendar to raise money for •.vounded
service members and their families. Sergea::it
Rodolfo "Rud/' Reyes, and 9 other !T!ember,
of the elite Reconnaissance ?\farincs arc lea1/:
ng \\:omen pantin,2; and :nen wanting ,o enlist.
1◄ hc rcn 1nen ~vho p()~e in rhe :-\rnerica:s f-Icrncs
200--:- c:alendar arc all current or fonner
models (but they could be!) So
move o,·er Matthew McCooaughey
;;nd Patrick Dempsey, "sexiest men
ali..-e'', you ma,· nave some stiff competition.
SKl:: G1-00C,1
Pnce: S14.Ci9
Freedom ls Not Free (Not-Profit)
Tel: 858-847-9999
\V\V\\•:freedomisnotfree.com
1n fo@freedomisootfree.com
www.ozarksstar.com
1 cups
1/2 stic er (melted)
3 eggs (beaten)
3/4 cup light Karo Corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
1 /2 cup milk chocolate chips
2 Tbs. Bourbon
-mix pecans, choco1ate chips and bourbon and let
soak for 1 /2 hour. stirring occasional1y.
-blend meited outter into sugar unti: fully irtegrated.
-add beaten eggs and biend.
-add corn syrup and sait and blend ful 1y
-fold in pecan/chip mixtJre.
-pour into pie shei! with edges crimped (we nake
an old fashioned Crisco pie crust for '.his recipe. but
you can use ...vhatever ;::ie :.:rust you 11refer to rna~e \
-bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes unti
center o: pie rises and c0acks.
-let coo!. best se~ved slightly v,a:n: with eith0r f,esi·
whipped cream or vaniiia :ce crean:
enjcy1
~TRAVEL
by Donald Piie and Ray Williams
"SAVANNAH, GA"
Savannah, Georgia (better known as Savannah GA) is one of the
most historical cities in che country dating back to it's founding by
General James E, Ogiethorpe in 1733, It has a wealth of history and
archircccure that few American cities can match. Savannah has managed
to prcscrvc it', Southern Colonial grace and charm. The ciry's
many rich, green parks are blooming legacies of che brilliance of it's
founder. \¼'hat was already a remarkable city was re-invenc,d when
our friend John Berendr, che author wrote his fabulous book, MIDNIGHT
IN THE GARDEi\! OF GOOD AND EVIL about iifr
in Savannah a frw years ago. John Berendt's book takes the reader
through all che very colorfi.d characters in the town, in particular
with the late Jim \Villiams, the
gay amiqt!Cs dealer who was
said to have shot and killed
· his lrnsder/lover. He owned
the house that fonnerlv wa:,
owned by the song writer
Johnny Mercer. Clint Eastwood
later made the book
into a wonderfol moYic by the
same name ..
SaYannah sito on the
Atlantic Ocean and has a
population of about 140,000.
"fouri,t, Hock to the city
to cake adYantagc of all the
historical and architectural
highlight,. Savannah i, known
:1, the QUEE:-,.,.: CITY of
rhc Snuth, \vhcr~ you enter
,ome<me's home, d1l' FIRST
thing t!\l'\' ask i, "\\'hat cio vou w:mt w drink?'' Everyone there is
t·xtrcn1cl:· h<lspi1ablc.
[\,...: I Iisi<ni-.. i'>i:-itrict of \;1_•:annah i~ buzzing \Vith crcatiYiry) ~HI
\~',:~:.~;/:::j :\\~;lJ~:;~l.'\tl:~~j~,:::~)t:\\~~:'/;~;\''.\'.~:;· ::;~l:~:::i~!;\;:l\;'._,,_,
\Vith .).h':ii1il:ih ~~nLt tilO\'C there to li":t' in or!C or rh\.· oldc:-it ... :iti..:s in
, \111cr1c1 :1 site oi' !11:1nv L1n1lHt> H~z:~·ohllin11~HT &· ( ~ivli \\1ar B~lt.,
' .
Uc:-. }-lund_rcd~ o( int;,.Tl'.,tirq; ~it,_·s :_(1 sec includ;:-., tnon: :h;~c t\'.'cIH~n1onu1n'-'!
lI-'. p~nkl,, l ]i.stnri;,.· 1-•lornc,'l) ( 'hurchc:-i & i:(;rt;,
:<~nion.;~ 1-li;-;tc:·ic l :tr~liin;,1rk l )i~tr(c! in 1hc t "\,;\.
n1ixcd Cr<)\\·d and
Blaine·~ Backd, )1
B,!r, l :i l :, p,_ ,,:,,
St. 1~ rn< }re , )f _:
Cf0\V(1. ,\il th~ h:
an: extrt:1nch· fun
and fricndh'. Tk:;
LOVL their tour
ists in Sav,tnnah,
~rhcrc arc 22
original p:lrk:::. in
do\,·nto\\·n ~J;·.u; ·
g1ganuc n1t ,~:---.
draped u:,ks ,.nd
surrounded i)\"
statch· hornc:-- :1:·1t.i
husinc;,:~(·~< '['his 1s :; great .. ,\·aJking" lU\\'O
\•.:hen: c\·cry, )thcr hlnck~ ukc~ you into
:u1othcr ir11ercsting and hi~torical aspect
o( the cny. Ye 1u '.\·ill :iced td ~pend three
or r-our day--: to ukt: tn c·-.;cryihing:. ~fht:
hnn1c tqur"- :,n: r:.:.dl~- cxccptic;naL Special
pbcc:-, t1 i ,:isit slv)~;ld include the i\1erccr
! louse whcrc the \ruic.JUC~ l)c,1lcr, Jirn
\\-iili:l!H'.', ii\-cd, t !le ( h\·cn-T~1Pin,l~ hou~c.
! c::1uh I ).1\-cnp{ 1n l iou~;: Jnd t!h: (;n.:l'.n.\
L-iurii:1 I h)us1~-. The {:It'. ccn1ctcnc-~ ;~re
"TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS WORLD"
"Carlos Fernandez on Bravo TV's TOP CHEF"
By Donald Pile and Ray Williams
In our travels all over the country we are so fortunate
in that we meet so many wonderful and exciting people.
A few years ago in Florida we met Carios Fernandez and
Chuck Smith who are life partners and co-owners of the
Hi-LIFE CAFE which is a very upscale restaurant in Ft.
Lauderdale. It is located at 3000 North Federal Highway.
Chuck Smith who is the excellent host of the restaurant
and his partner Carlos Fernandez, the extremely talented
Chef opened the restaurant 11 years ago and they have
developed a very strong following of devoted follmvers
over the years. \Vhen we were there last time they were
celebrati~g their 10th Anniversary of the Hi-Lit~ Cafe.
rlheir hours are Tuesday-'Thursday 5:30 PM to 10:00
PM, Friday & Saturday, 5:30 PM - 11 PM and Sunday,
5:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Their website is: www.hilifecafe.
com. After laying in rhe sun all day at the beach and before
heading off for the night to party, be sure and dine
there. You won't be sorr1. It is a must-do for almost all
the gay tourists that goes to Ft. Lauderdale.
www.ozarksstar.com
Carlos is a fantastic Che£ Actually he is now on the
top rated Bravo TV sho\v; TOP CHEF! Filmed in Los
Angeles he is one of 15 chefs from ail over the country
that was chosen to be on the shmv. It airs on \'v'ednesdav
nights on Bravo. Stay tuned to see just how far he gees
on the show One Chef is eliminated each ,veek. The
TOP CHEF a.: the end receives $100,000.00l It's ahv,l\'s
g-- reat to see a .g..,,.,. av_, coup- le own a business together. \'fc (,_
wiil be down in Ft. Lauderdale at the season's finale and
what a grand pany it will be if he gets the top prize: He
will alwavs be our Number 1 Top Chef in Florida! l ,ast
January ,vhen ,ve were 111 Ft. Lauderdale we presented
Chuck and Carlos with a special crystal plate engr:r.. cd
with gold to help them ceiebrate their 10th c\nni,:ersar:,
of the Hi-Life.
the ST/\R 19
Fringing the ocean, Starwood Hotels' glimorous and gay-friendly Adantic
resort has been a key feature of Fort Lauderdale's stunning redevelopment.
(Photo ~y Andrew Collim)
December 2006
by Andrew Collins
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdaie, which has transformed itself into Florida's leading
gay vacation destination over rhe past decade, continues to turn
heads with the spectacular redevelopment of its stunning beachfrom.
1his neighborhood with a number of gay resorts has seen - or
will soon see - the opening of several upscale, gay-friendly hotels,
include the Adamic, the St. Regis, the W Hotel, and the Trump
International. New bars, restaurants, and attractions also continue
to open throughout the city and in the neighboring community of
Wilton Manors, helping to make the region a vibrant and exciting
gay destination year-round.
In deciding where to stay in Fort Lauderdale, consider whether
you'd prefer a gay, dor.~ing-optional resort or a ia:ger mainstream
provertv. Among the latrer is the charming Riverside HoteL set
;lo~g f;shionable Las Olas Boulevard. Ih; natty 1936 property
recendy complered a stunning, multimillion-dollar makeover. ~nw
first of Starwood Hotels' snazzy new beac:1front properties to open
here, rhe dashing Atlantic offers ucobHructed ocean views from the
majority of its spacious, airy rooms, aII of them with Bose CD-stereos,
lovely patios, and small kitchens. Starwood's St. Regis, with
a mid-December 2006 opening, is even more sumprnous: Jviost
roon1s overlook the ocean or Intracoastal \XlarerwayJ and they con1c
"'Nith such deluxe perks as burler service~ a f3.buious spa, and leather
furniture. Starwood·s next big project, th..: W Hord Fort Ltudcrdale,
is expected to open in [)ecember 2007.
LL..:: ~ay resorts, the upscale pro1=1erty that
I .... :1uderdale's gro\vth into a iT1ajor
and it continues
hotels. Perks hen.: ]ndudt'
20 the STAR
and beer, CD players and VCRs in many units, glass-brick showers
with high-end bath amenities, and dedicated top-notch service.
Guests can relax all day around the stunning pool with a waterfall
and fiber-optic lighting. There are several other fine upscale resorts
of comparable repute, including Pineapple Point, a handsome l 930s
spread that has the grace and st:yie of a Caribbean plantation. and
the Flamingo Resor;:, opened by the former direcwr of Paris' famous
Ritz hotel; it resembles a luxury boudque hotei on an exclusive British
West Indies isle, with its hand-carved dark-wood furniture and
sumptuous linens. Relatively new owners have continued ro upgrade
the reson: with improved furnishings and amenides.
The more reasonably priced Eiysium Resort, just 200 yards from
the beach, has p::rfectly comfortable rooms. Here you'll always find
friendly guys lounging on the expansive sundeck, with its hot tub,
hammock, and tropical bar - there are nvo heated pools. Even the
simplest rooms at nearby Villa Venice are warm and attractive, with
refrigerarnrs and microwaves. With its friendly staff and an extensive
pool area where breakfast is served, the resort draws an energetic
fun-in-the-sun bunch. The similarly priced Worthington Guest
House ranks among the cruisier resorts in town, wi,h a playful vibe
and attractive grounds for sunning and swimming au naturale. 1he
same owners opened the neighboring Alcazar Resort in 2006, also
featuring a frisky ambience and lovely rooms. Mode:ateiy priced
Coconut Cove, just a short walk from the beach, is another reliable
choice in the neighborhood.
The gav-resort scene in Fort Lauderdale is constantly evolving, with
rrend/new properties opening seemingly every few months, and
oider ones receiving massive makeovers. A great example of the latter
is the elegam Nev, Zealand House, which was vin:ually rebuilt in
2003; now its sleek rooms have flat-screen TVs, DVD/CD piayers,
cordless phones, and Wi-Fi. Orhcr highly recommended properties
include the Grand Resort, whose urbane decorative scheme contrasts
markedly with the tropical beachy ambience of Fon Lauderdale
beach; it's one of the few gay iodgings with a gym. With about
30 rooms, the Schubert Resort, fashioned out of a rerro-cool l 950s
hotel compound, affords a similar level of opuience and alluring facilities,
including a cafc with a full bar. Although it's set a shon drive
inland from the beach, the Coral Reef Guest House is a worthwhile
option thanks to its attractive g.1rdens, massage offerings, and eight
cheerfdly furnis'."!cci, reasonably priced rooms. One of the dosest
resorts to the mar:y gay bar, and restaurants in Wiiton ~Aanors,
Cabanas Guest House appeab w social butterflies, with its l 0-man
Jacuzzi and eight-man aroma,herapy steam room. The posh rooms
h~tvc goose-dov~rn con1fcH·ters~ Wi-I:i, and (=I)ifviP3 players.
Fort Lauderdaic is les~ about sightseeing than ~v1iami or ()rlando
- people come hnc ro relax in rhe sun :-u•~"''""-· and shop. This latter
activity you can enjoy at the fiuncd Sawgrass J\.-iills J\r1a1L whosr
more than .300 designer outlets include l)onna Karan) Saks, Ann
'riy1or; and ()r stroll along Las_
1
_;:~];:;_"_,,:, •• J-\
1~.'-,bich •~.~.. ~~_;:,:~r:
1
•~_:,
1
::
\",'ith fashion boutiques and __ .~ ..,__ --" c__ -~ ~ ---
and around 1-vatcr, and then: are sightseeing
cruises,
and
:-;ailing
rnany <)f the local :Jccornrnodations ,vork closely
outfitters, But if you do have a hanker--
of }\rt Fort I..,auderdaic
vvt.lvvv.ozark.sstar.corn
is also a great place to while away the occasional rainy afternoon.
It's known for its first-rate collection of works by leading American
impressionist painter Wiliiam Giackens.
The city's dining scene continues ro evolve. For creative contemporary
cuisine, it's hard to beat stylish Mark's Las Olas, which has a
chic decor and A-list clientele. Perhaps the hottest venue in town is
Johnny V, helmed by celeb chef Johnny Vinczencz - at this hip Las
Olas restaurant you might try ancho-cinnamon-grilled pork t~nderioin
or corn-dusted yellowtail snapper with smoked-pepper relish.
At the Atlantic hotel, Trina has become a favorite for its signature
Trinatini cocktails (with vodka, lavender syrup, and pomegranate
and lemon juices), such tempting Mediterranean-inspired fare as
Moroccan chicken pizza and tagine-baked grouper with almond
couscous, and the awesome ocean views.
Or consider one of Fort Lauderdale's several gay faves, such as HiLife,
a homey bistro with delicious, sensibly priced pastas, salads,
and seafood and poultry grills - try the grilled bacon-wrapped jalapenos
stuffed with shrimp and cheese. Kitchenetta Tratroria serves
some of the best Italian food in rhe region, including knockout
ricotra cheesecake for dessert. A favorite piano cabaret in Wilton
Manors, Tropics offers above-average Continental fare, such as a
prosciutto-pocket starrer - a pastry stuffed with prosciutro, apples,
walnuts, and mozzarella.
\v'ilton Manors is also home to Rosie's, a former Hamburger
Mary's restaurant that's still a convivial spot for casual pub fare
and socializing, and Galanga, known for its outstanding sushi and
weil-prepared Thai food. For dessert, coffee, and wine, or delicious
sandwiches during the day, be sure to stop by breezy and hip Stork's
Bakery. There's also a Stork's on Las Olas Boulevard, from which
you can book a romantic gondola tour along rhe Himmarshee
Canal. A great, relatively new addition to Wilton Manors is the
Naked Grape, a handsome iittle wine bar with light food and live
music most nights as well as a nice selection of microbrew beers to
go along with the vino.
Fort Lauderdale pulses with gay bars. If you're in the mood to cut
loose at a big-time warehouse disco, head to rhe Coliseum, a glitzy
megaclub with a variety of parties and theme nights. The elegant
China White nightclub has a number oflively parties throughout
the week, and has become quite famous for its giant elephant
sculpture and distinctive leopard-prim carpets and lavish Buddha
~tatuary.
Learher bars like the hard-edged Sr.eel lounge and dance dub and
the dungeoncsque Ramrod, with its Tom of Finland artwork, always
dra1.,v big crcn,vds. BHfs Fiiling Station is a quintessential neighbor~
hood hangout and home t0 one of the city's top happy hours, especially
an1ong the 35~and-older cro-\vd. \Xfilton Manors, a l 5-111inute
drive fro!n the beach resorts, has several appealing nightspots,
. ' •. ~ l 1 ., ~~ 1nclu~1ng a te\~l n:at_cate: ne.a:11r to r'ort .T.. _,au•~ erd' a. .1. _ e•-s CO!lS•H ' .1era• bI. e
over-)0 gay populatton. ln th1s latter group, (_,hardees, a restaurant
and lounge: is queen of the hill; its nightly piano cabaret is always
hie Sidelines Sports Bar dra"'.,v-s a great 1nix of folks to shoot
and vilatch sports on T\1~ and the lesbian-popular i-...Jev1 J\.,1oon~ a
neighborhood joint -.~vith great on Vr'eekends, (:lub
\AJV\.n.v~ozarksstar.com
Boom, Elements, and Georgie's Alibi are slick, happening video bars
nearby, ali three of them good places to meet locals and converse
with friends. There's something for everybody in this constantly
growing gay resort community.
Photo: White-faced (capuchin) monkeys frequently cavort in
the trees behind the beach in Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio
National Park. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
the STAR 21
DECEMBER 2006
"CHRISTMAS IN NOVEMBER"
Jolie Justus, newly elected member of the Missouri state Sena,e
I'm still a lirrle dazed - I was up pretty late on election night - but
I'm cerrainiy not confused. And neither is rhe country.
No longer content to be sv.-ayed by the politics ~f fear and hare,
1 middle Americans came our in record numbers lasr Tuesday ana
shoured from the rooftops - "We want change!" And change is what
they got.
President Bush and the Republican Party have been put on notice.
The Democrats have raken control of the U.S. House of RepresentatiYes,
a change that was 12 years in the making. And the improbable
is no-w reality - both Montana and Virginia have turned blue, giving
the U.S. Senate to the Democrats as we!L "I11e election is welcome
news certainly for us tried-and-true Dems, but also for rhe lesbian
and gay commc:nity.
i'fothing was more satisf1ing than to see Rick "man on dog" Sar,torum,
one of Pennsylvania's two Republican U.S. senators, become
history. Santorum is one of the most disgustingly homophobic
elected officials of ail time. He's been a wp Bush apologist, who carried
the radical Christian right's warer, and he w:11 now be replaced
by Bob Casey, the son of a forn1er Pennsylvania governor.
lust as sweet as Santorum\ exit from office is the fact that his chief
~f staff and coinn1unications director, Robert T'raynham, an
openly gay Af'rican-i\meric:m man, wiH soon b~ om of,,. jo~. L for
one, don't kno,v hovv 'Tfaynham can get up in the morning knov✓1ng
he helped elect and put ·\vords in the ffiouth of one of this counrry:s
biggest gay~haters.
'•X'hen you look at the cndors~:rricnts 1nade the l-!11n1an :Rights
C:an1pajgnt '\VC did pretty ·w·elL ()f !-1R..C:'s 231 endorsecs, 208
22 the STAR
won, while only 16 losr. (At press time, seven races were still undecided.'!
\Y/hen vou break down the numbers, rhere were 18 senators,
179 ~embers ~f r:he House, and 11 governors elected ,vho purportedly
support our issues.
Of the 51 key Congressional and Gubernatorial races tha.: HRC
identified, 15 candidares ,von in the House, and nine were successfui
in the Senate. HRC's president, Joe Soimonese, told me the day
after the election that his group's top priorii:ies were thre<:' Senate
races - Casey in Pennsylvania, Sherrod Brown in Ohio, and Amy
Klobuchar in Minnesota. All three won. But HRC's strategy went
beyond those top races.
"The greatest hope for our community resred in our ability to be a
powerful polirical force in key races and do ir in a way ,ha;: people
felt our oresence," said Solmonese. "We iooked within those states,
and as a 'national organization, considered what else we could do in
each of them to effect change for our community.''
In Minnesota, HRC pm: considerable resources into the state bod1
raising and spending money to organize the community and impact
the race. Klobuchar beat her Republican challenger, Mark Ken:1edy,
in an open race with 58 percent of rhe vote. Tim \Y/a!z, a Democ,r_at
endorsed by HRC, defeated an incumbent U.S. Congressma;:i, Gil
Gutknecht; and furthermore, according to HRC's website, thar
state's legislature will have a "fair-minded majority in 2007 .''
]be Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDNJ did a bit of its
own election analvsis and concluded that all the co-sponsors of the
bill to repeal "Do;1't Ask, Don't Tell" who sought re-~lection were
successful except for one outstanding race in Connecticut. SLDN
also said that no one was thrown out of office for supporting the repeal,
and that, according to a recent Gailup poll, nearly four in f.ve
Americans support gays and lesbian serving openly in the milh:ary.
Perhaps with the new Congression;,J leadership and rhe polii:ically
expedient exit of Secretary of Dei:ense Donald Rumsfeld, we'll actually
see some movement on rhis issue. The military is already hardpressed
to Eli its quotas, so not letting us serve is just plai1: sn:pid.
Unfortunately, all but one of the same-sex marriage bans passed.
i\rizona turned away from hatred and dcfca!ed its anti-gay-marriage
baliot measure, and Sourh Dako,a's vote was surprisingiy verv dose
- 52 percent for, 48 percent against. Virginia passed its measare, but
not after a long, hard fight and the organizing of a terrific coalirion
that \Vill hopefnlly continue ro battle for our rights.
,.;v~hile n1uch attention has been placed on the national scene. 1..ve
can\ forget that politics is aiso local, and that 1.ve did pretty ~~vell on
that levei, too.
v,.11,v,N, ozark.sstar. corn
performed charitable work, sponsorino
holiday toy drives for children and fi.u~draisers
that originally assisred injured riders and
iater helped people ·with AIDS.
While early gay motorcycle clubs were
men-only, some lesbian~ also embraced the
lifestyle, forming women's clubs such as the
Moving Violations in Boston (19851 and
the Sirens in New York Citv 0986): The
m_ost well-known queer wo.men motorcyclJSts
are the Dykes on Bikes. 1he original
group, which rode in the 1976 San F~ancisco
Pride parade, became a nonprofit
offici~lly known as the Women's Mororcycle
Contmgent. After the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office twice rejected the oroup's
application - claiming the word "dyk~" w;s
derogatory and vulgar it finally registered
the name 'Dykes on Bikes" in 2005.
Over the years, the nature of queer motorcycle
culture has changed. With the advent
of gay liberation in the iate 1960s, m.my
men no longer felt the need for secretive
fraternal organizations, and liberal activisrs
rejected the hierarchy anci militarism of the
early clubs. In the 1980s, rhe AIDS epidemic
devastated the gay male motorcycle
com~unity. With the emergence of groups
specifically devoted rn leather/SM, motorcycle
riding and fetish sexuality diverged as,
accor~ing to Bald"".in. ~ome .serious riders
were embarrassed by the irotic visibiliry of
the kinky crowd." ·
w'hile motorcycle dubs no longer plav
as prominent a role in rhe gav world, the
cuiture continues to thrive, 2~1d new dubs
emerge, such as the Stonewall Kniohts in
-Ft. L aua' erd a l' e and t I1 e '1--,:"va•l iers o~°- New
Orleans, both founded '11 2002. Mirroring
trends in the larger GLBT comnumitY,
many of today's motorcycic dubs wclcon;e
members of all genders and scxuai orientations.
In the words of ,he organizc:s of the
annual Queer Biker Invasior; of Dead~ Valley~
being queer is "a state of n1ind~ and vou
know if it fits you." '
For further information:
Baidwin, Guy. 1993. ~~fies ~!hat
(Daedaius).
Bloom, Scott, 2005.
Satyrs iv10torcycie (]ub _
Guggenheirn iv1usetu11. 1998.
fvianhi: 'The Biker Book _ .
w-NW.ozarksstar.corn
All in all. HRC flexed its political muscle in
unprecedented ways. We invested more than
$5 million in these elections and mobilized
our more than 650,000 members and supporters
to participate in campaigns and to
rnte. We placed 84 staffers in 30 races in
more than 18 states and we sent 22 HRC
Youth College campaign workers all over the
country. We also dramatically expanded our
field operations this election cycle, playing
key roles in coordinated progressive efforts
and helping fair-minded leaders take back
the New Hampshire state House and Senate,
the Iowa House and Senate, the Indiana
House, the Minnesota House, the Oregon
House and the Michigan House.
\'i/e were literally on the front lines in dozens
of states. (For a more extensive analysis on
what HRC accomplished, check our HRC
":ice President David Smith's insider postelection
analysis memo here:http:/ /www.hrc.
org/election2006/)
With a new fair-minded leadership in both
the United Srates House and Senate, the
Federal Marriage Amendment is dead! And
we look forward to working strategically ·
with our allies on the Hill to build momentum
and support for passing the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act and making
hate crimes protections the law of the land.
A truly exciting new chapter of GLBT history
is beginning.
I ~vant to offer a very special thanks to all
ot you. Your ongoing belief in rhe work we ?o made these historic vicrories possible.
Your contributions, the time vou rnok to
volunteer and your participation in HRC
evems and HRC-endorsed campaigns are
the reasons we were able to secure a more
pro-equality 11 Orh Congress and Senate. I
feel very iucky to work with such a talented
team at HRC ar;d, as I rravei around rhe
cmmtrv, I am inspired bv vour commirm~nr
to our ·rn.arch t<Y,,;ard full ;quaiitv. i·h~pe ~· ·
vou will rake some time to ~deb~atc o~r
~.,vins. because it trulv is a ne½~ dav for the
(;LR1. con1n1unity ;nd for our c~untry.
*
((3 OZ)GREY GOOSE voott\
(1 OZ) CHAMBORD
(1/2 OZ) PINEAPPLE JUICE.:___.
~~
1. Chill a martini glasses with ice and
water.
2. Add aii ingredients with ice in
shaker
3. Shake well.
4. Strain into the chilied martini
glasses.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU !
TheSTAR 23
Salutations Kittens and welcome to Uncle's corner of the world once
again. Like a friend with benefits, Uncle shall continue to provide
enjoyment to all that seek. Uncle Mikey finds a Twink that wants
to be fabulous, while a queen ponders the afteriife. Never a dull
moment in Uncle's corner, Kittens.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
Wby does everyone think that just because you are deeper than a basket of
hair products. you are a drag? I am so sick of this plastic existence, where
the most important matter of discussion is where the next piece of ass is
coming from. Can't we just pretend there is more to life than just a selfserving
int~rest?
Seeking Depth
Dearest SD,
Kitten, it takes all kinds to keep this world turning. I agree with your
plight of mind-candy. It was just this morning kittens that Uncle, while
sitting on the balcony. was pondering real life issues affecting us ail. Ifl
wear my blonde wig to the winter carnival, will the queens forgive me? Yes,
Kitten as you can see, Uncle Mikey is a twin soul; one seeking fun while the
other is seeking wisdom. Maybe I should call Ru!
Smooches,
Uncle Mikey
Dear Uncle,
I am beginning to wo,,der what comes in the afterlife. I am dating a man
of the church, who is in const211t deniai. He lies to himself, his wife, and
his church. I sit there, 01;. the sidelines in love, with a man who cannot
even walk with me in the light of day. I am wondering if there really is
anything after this !if-:. I mean, every day we hear from those in the church
who are noth:ng more thar, :mpostors living a life oflies. What is to come?
Seeing the jaded gates '\
Dearest Jade.
Kitten, I understmd t:hc bbrn::d iine between iife's happiness and moments
fillt:d wit!1 a fairhfoi search. I myself recall my first love, which happened to
be a priest, at« locai parish. He was the man who taught me passion, romance,
and commitment. A romance that gave uncie Mikey the first taste
oflo,·e and pass1on i,1 the southern skyway. It was the toughest break up of
my life. 'That vear was such a time of change for Uncle, the break up wi.:h
Father Flanagan and starting rniddlc schooi ail in one year. It was rough
but taught 1ne to be strong to say the lease
Smooches,
Uncle
[)ear lJnde fvfikcy,
1-io~~l do you tell someone you just want a booty call so they do not uy to
get aU hon1cn1akcr on your ass?
Booty-Boy
26 theSTAR
You could say something like, ·'Booty; parry of one!" Keep it simple young
player.
Uncle
Uncle Mikey,
I am surviving a breakup after ren years ofioving th:: s;ime and onl, man.
Now I find mvsdf in a world that has chane.ed in that de;::ade of bliss. 1he
men are so m{believably outrageous about tl1eir ways and desires. I fear
time has passed me ieaving me to remai!1 alone. I just do not know how
to be "so'' out there as it seems co be the protocol. Am I just destined to be
alone?
Party of One
Dearest One,
Poor love, iife is on a fast tr2ck rhac ;::an oe a bit unnerving at first. Uncle
has watched the times change, ar!d fads co;ne ;;nd go. \veicome to the
drive through of the booty age. wl1ere or.ce we had to seek out iove in
midnight hidden embraces, we now can't walk a park mile without rripping
over someone's throbbing desire. 111at reminds me of a walk Uncle took
the ocher dav, Kittens. This man was absolutclv Matthew fine! Well he
approached ·me with his! Oh sorry One! Uncle.got lost in the moment.
Back to rhe issue at hand! Kitten, buy a new ,vardrobe, and don a new look.
Tnen hit the town. Just think of the wonders tbat wait. Kitten, this too
shall pass, pd! up a ~cat to Twink :If]. and enjoy the new found,freedom!
Smooches
Uncle
Uncle Mikey,
Do you think it iS, wro~f ro ask a_ coapi~ to have a th,eesome, when you're
related ro one of tnem, tb(:y an: JUSt so not.
Looking for family .:ime
Kitten, I swear I am hearing banjos again. Let us step out of the trailer
court when looking for a hook up - shall we Darling? Remember there are
branches on the Famiiv Tree for a reason.
Smooches Mikey ·
Uncie Mikey, '
What do you tell a friend who is really getting to be: mer weight and chinking
they are still hot? I do not icnow what he sees when he looks in the mirror,
but people are talking. He jt!st seems no; :o care anymore. He never
works out anymore, and he eats anything ar;d evcryrh;ng. l am almost
embarrassed of him. What c,m I do;
Friend of chubby
A fdl-iength mirror v,ith overhead lighting should do the cick. "
Smooches r,1ikey
•Disclaimer - Looking at: oneself in a full-length rnirrnr \vich overhead lighting
may be hazardous to :{ou heahh. l}nck rccornnH:nds having a good stifF
one before doing this. \Ou do not ,varn to go into shock. Be afraid be
very afraid. (~onsult a queen near
Unde discovered
an overhead mirror JS you
has been there ev,:r since!
look best v.ri,Hc looking J.t yoursdf fron1
( 1!: ,r( ?fr ;),cn ... k, 1'.Jccdkss to say lJnde
tJnde is out of sight once nHHe, Until
rnake of itJ so
and. -i Hlct!es too.
v-rvi\N.ozarksstar,corn
FRIDAY December 1
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6.6-12
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
PEC'S: .\faie Dan~m, 9pm
SATURDAY December 2
THE ROCKIES: OGRA Benefit Shew
8:30gm
TH~ COPA: Maie D:rncers 9pm
GUSHERS: Late Night Breakfas: Buffet
1 arn.~.3:30am
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
PEC'S: Male Dancers, 9pm
SUNDAY December 3
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Fr~e Brunch
2pm, Danc~rs 4pm
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Caria Lee Love
Show 10pm
THE CO!'A: Raci,ac! Erikks Show
10:30pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
MONDAY December4
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9om
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
TUESDAY December 5
PEC'S: Well cirinks 2.50 from 7-9pm
,vcar lc•thcr.
THE COPA: Stip-Off Contest 12am
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
WEDNESDAY December 6
BAMBOO LOUNGE: K:uaoke 9pm.
PEC'S: Well drinks 2.50 from 7-9om
wear lcad:er. •
TNT'S: Karaoke 9pm
THE COPA: Variety Show 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dart Tournament l 0pm
THE ROCKlES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
THURSDAY December 7
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show
,viRachad Erikks :!,;at=;i:t;:;~ drink~ 2.50 from 7•9pm
THE COP~-'\.: ()pen Taienr ~NiShcrnoanc
~I~;~~;i~};/~f~:~ fotm,amcn, lGp:li
LEDO: Kari-,Okic host. Pancho 9orr:
THE ROCKJE..5: Beer Bust 'lpm~7pm
FRIDAY December 8
TBJ::. COPA: t .. {a!c l)ancers 9prn
THE ROCKIES: Beer Busr 1-6.6-12
CLUB ROX: Alison Scott. 9:30pm
PEC'S: ~\1Jlc l)~u1ccrs, 9pm
wNw.ozarksstar.com
SATURDAY December 9
THE COPA: Male Dancers 9pm
PEC'S: Maie Dar!cers, 9pm
GUSHERS: Lare Niehr Breakfast Buffe,
lam-3:30am ,.
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
SUNDAY December 10
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pm, Dancers 4pm
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAjESTiC: Catia Lee Love
Show 10pm
THE COPA: R;,;.chad Erikks Show
i0:30om
THE 'ROCKIES: Beer Bu!t 1-6,6-12
MONDAY December 11
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
TUESDAY. December Ii
PEC'S: Wdl drinks 2.50 from 7-9pm
wear leather.
THE COPA: Seip-Off Contest 12am
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
WEDNESDAY December 13
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
PEC'S: Wei! cl.inks 2.50 from 7-9pm
wear leather.
TNT'S: Karaoke 9om.
THE COPA· Variety Show i0:30pm
FiNISHLINE: Dart Tourn;smem 10pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bun 4pm-7pm
THURSDAY December 14
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show
w/Rachael Erikks
PEC'S: Wdl dri:-.ks 2.50 from 7-9om
wear leather. ·
THE COPA: Open Talem w/Shcmoanc
Somemore ! 0:30pm
FiNISHLINE: 6an ·fouroamcm 10L>m
LEDO: Kari-Okie host, Pancho 9p::;
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
FRIDAY December 15
CLUB MAJESTIC: Majestic Kings
Show 10pm. ··
Tl-iE COPA; J-..1:ak Dancers 9prn
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
PEC'S: Male l)ancers, 9prn
SATURDAY December 16
-rNT's: fundraiscr for Susln c; Komen
BreEr Cm1e<::r Foundation, l0;)m
Tl-IE COPA: ~1:.tlt l)311e.:-rs 9i,m
GCSHERS: 1..1,a
larn-J:30am
Brcakf1st Buffer
PECtS: fvfa.k D.1n-..:cc . c;t,,,·,.
THE RC)CKIES: Beer Bust l-6;6 .. 12
SUNDAY December 17
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pm, Dancers 4pm Kris Kohl Show
8pm
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Show
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Catia Lee Love
Show 10pm
THE COPA: Rachael Erikks Show
10:30pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
MONDAY December 18
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
TUESDAY December 19
PEC'S: Well drinks 2.50 from 7 -
9pm wear leather.
THE COPA: Sc;p-Off Comest
Midnight.
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
WEDNESDAY December 20
BA..\fBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
PEC'S: Well drinks 2.50 from 7-
9pm wear leather.
JNT'S: Karaoke 9pm.
THE COPA: Variety Show I 0:30pm
FINISHLINE: DanTournament 10pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
THURSDAY December 21
CLUB MAJESTIC: Taienc Show
w/Rachad Erikks
PECS: Wdl drinks 2.50 fcOJ:: 7-90::,
wear leathe,. ·
THE COPA: Open 'Ialmr wiShemo;;.nc
Somemore i 0:30pm
FJNISHUNE: Darr ·1ournamcnc l (1pm
LEDO: Kari-Okk host Pancho 9om
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm~7pm
FRIDAY D«.ember 22
THE COPA: Maie Dancers 9pm
PEC'S: lvfoJe I)ancers, 9pm
THE ROCKiES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
CLUB ROX: Alison Scott Show9:30pm
SATURDAY ~mber 23
TNT?s: Chrisrn1as P.anv. Raffle Benefit
for Childrcns f·iospitaL·
1-HE COPA: t.. ..i alc I)anccrs 9pm
GUSHERS: Luc l"J.ighr Bre:1kfasr Bufl{:1
J aJ11-3:30am
PEC'S; :v1ak Dancers, 9prr:
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bmt i--6.6-12
SUNDAY December 24
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Free Brunch
2pm. Dancers 4om
CLUB ROX: Whitney Paige Sh°'"
8:30pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Caria Lee Love
Show 10pm
THE COPA: Rachael Erikks Show
10:30pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
MONDAY December 25
CHRISTMAS DAY
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Christmas Din:
icr Se:-vcd 3pm. Karaoke 9pm.
THE ROCKIES: Beer Buse 4pm-7pm
TUESDAY December 26
PEC'S: Well drinks 2.50 from 7-
9pm wc;;.r leather.
THE COPA: Seip-Off Comest
Midnight.
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust ,ipm-7pm
WEDNESDAY December 27
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Karaoke 9pm
PEC'S: Wdl drinks 2.50 from 7-9pm
·wear leather.
TNT'S: Karaoke 9pm.
THE COPA: VarietJ Show 10:30pm
FINISHLINE: Dare Toarnament l 0pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
THURSDAY December 28
CLUB MAJESTIC: Talent Show wi
Rachael Erikks
PEC':".: Weil drinks 2.50 from 7-9pm
v;car buher.
THE COPA: Open Taicn, w/Shemoane
Somcmorc 10:300::1
FINISHLINE: Darr Tournamcn~ I 0pm
LEDO; Kari-Okie host. Pancho 9pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
FRIDAY December 29
THE COPA: ?,fale Dancer,; 9pm
PEC'S: Male Dancers, 9pm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust 1-6,6-12
SATURDAY December 30
Buffer
Lan-3:30am
PEC'S: \faie l);u1et:rs, tJpm
THE ROCKIES: Beer Bust i-6,6-12
SUNDAY December 31
t'1£~1YEARS E'✓-E
E'IERY()l~E P1\R1-IES!'.
}i()i~LYWOO[: HOTEL:
Ddarnore, f\1a!c Dan.:e Revm.:.
aHy i{ncnvn Surprise SiJ)gr.:r.
the STi\R 27
"Welcome criticism, Gemini!""
Venus aligns with Pluto (yes, to astrologers he's still a
planet!) drawing us to erotic confrontation and artistic or
financial challenges. Both planets trine Saturn in Leo,
grounding us to more secure personalities or others without
a need to prove themselves.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Embrace new adventures
like your life depends on it. The quality of your life depends
on a catalytic change; familiar pleasures aren't cutting it.
Don't be afraid of a challenge. There's more to fear if you
don't go for a big one!
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Review your mortgage or
debts to see if you can get a better deal. New erotic opportunities
will push your boundaries and rouse parental or cuitural
voices - all the better to face them down and be free.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If you want perfection, it's
best to work on yourself, not your partner! Even efforts
at self-improvement may come off as annoying to others.
Perhaps that's a clue to how you realiy need to adapt. Welcome
supportive criticism.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Be careful of your health,
especially when it comes to erotic and culinary indulgences
that could affect your liver. Hard work sustains you - up to
a point. Overwork is very dangerous. Know your limits and
err on the side of caution.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): You need some recreation to
steel yourself against life's challenges. Some light, fluffy
_divertissements_ will not do the trick, but a powerful creative
or athletic challenge is needed to provide the required
release and reinforcement.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Famiiy or roommates
will drive you mad if given half a chance. Take time
out and away from them to be centered and clear on your
own priorities. Then you can stand your ground with unwavering
assurance.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Your nOimally
famous diplomacy seems to be on vacation. Despite your
best efforts, you tend to come across as forceful and locked
onto an immutabie goal. That can be good in the right time
and place, but use your forcefulness wisely!
SCORPIO (October 23 w November 21 ): Having a crisis
of values is just a process of maturing. How you face and
resoive it is more important than the crisis itself. Your approach
to the problem will be on view and couid affect your
career.
28 the STAR
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 ® December 20): You could
seduce almost anyone you want now. The trick may be
keeping away those you don't want. !f you really want to
turn the seduction up, a mature, slightly exotic look will
work for you.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Erotic dreams
(nightmares?) are suddenly very vivid. They may shake up
familiar patterns, but isn't that a!i for the better? Embrace
the challenges and someone, perhaps with more experience,
who can share them with you.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): You love a good
debate, now more than ever. You are especially sure of
yourself, but learning is bettei than conquest. The greater
victory would be in keeping an open mind and respecting
whatever authority your opponent may have.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Hard work now can
have transformative effects on your career. Expend some
effort, but don't push too hard, to make sure your accomplishments
are noticed. Standing up to the boss may be
necessary. Be calm and open to criticism while holding firm
when you know you're right.
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SA1TRDKY Service 9:?ll:\~\f
Your lnYited to our Cornmunin· Dinner w·cd
6pm iust $4.00. No one is rurned a-.:.JJav.~
Vv\'-Nrozarksstar.com
rokeback (''B
(verb) to brokeback; the
act of affection between
two men in pubiic. Best
done while wearing
cowboy hats.
ex. "Aww, look, they're
brokebacking. Isn't.
that cute?"
Celebri.Vom rn ("sel-EB-ra-vom")
(noun) fast acting \
1
.,_ 1
new diet pill; very ' ,,.__ :; o,-:.
1 -c_.; /.
Popu ar t ./ ""',:.
all h / . ~ 0 t c youn p, , · ; , -
blonde, anorexic ::: O -
and bulimic / 1 \'
Hollywood starlets.
w.vw,joanh!lty.net
30 the STAR
(verb) to hatch;
sentenced
azenly
cheating on your
income taxes.
Also see: fat,
hairv; naked
prison bitch.
•rovtan
(adjective) the act of
being evil, porcine,
and manipulative.
ex. "Jed, that pig's
done gone all
karlrovian on us.
Better go git th' gun!
onna("ma
(verb) to madonna;
technical term used
in the magazine
industry for digitally
retouching the hell
out of deeply wrinkled
faces of middle-aged
ceiebrities.
wv.,w.ozarksstar.com
~
NW Arkansas GLBT
Communit.y, Center
"Linking Together as One"
For more information:
WWWNWAGLBTCC.ORG
r---------
i
V.'\VW.ozarksstar.com
Jay Whiteside
918.902.1461
Tulsa Metro
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
JJall fqr: an -appointment tmd rates.
;,'; i :';'",•, 9~1: ..
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTISINC3 SALES
REPRESENTATIVE
FOR OKLAHOMA, KANSAS
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
qualifications to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #~53
Tulsa, OK 74145
the STAR
N
B R RILL
Sunday Champagne Brunch
All you can eat soup and salad bar 1 lam-2pm
$8.99
Monday & Tuesday
Well Martinis $2.50 4pm-7 pm
Best Prime Rib in Town'
Friday & Saturday Nights
Bar fa\orites. restaurant favorites and many
!lC\Y item~ for your enjoyment pleasure
NEW WINTER RATES - $45•
,:, Plus tax. excludes suites
'1 I· ,- '
-,,.,r ~
i j' ,
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p 'S
A LEATHER/LEVI BAR
CLOSED MONDAYS
Sun 7pm - 2am,
Tues-Thurs 7pm-9pm wear your leather
and get your well drinks for $2.50
Sun - Thur. 7pm-2am
R
Fri and Sat. 4pm-2am
'S PL CE
PIANO BAR
Rudy's Place is a non-smoking
establisthment
Early for cocktails, late for a night cap
NEWYEAR$ EVE
R Delamore, Male Dance
VJ:y-.Known
, .'Surprise Sin"ger.
CLUB
CLOSED MONDAY
SIZZLIN' SUNDAYS
With Whitney Paige
ALISON SCOTT SHOW
December 8th & December 22nd
9:30pm
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, December 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 12
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
December 01, 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Victor Gorin
Greg Gatewood
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzmn
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz Ward
Victor Gorin
Format
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Image
Online text
PDF
Language
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English
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, November 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 11
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/241
The Star Magazine, January 1, 2007; Volume 4, Issue 1
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/206
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/225
Advice Column
Bamboo Lounge
Bitter Girl
books
Border Activity
Chelsea Boys
classifieds
Comic Strips
Diversity Business Association
gay motorcycle clubs
HIV testing
Holiday Gift Ideas
horoscopes
Jim Roth
Lesbian Notions
LesDine Supper Club of Tulsa
marriage
MCC church
Miss Bamboo Pageant
mixology
Mr. Leather
Our House
Q Scopes
Red Ribbon
Star Advertisers
Star Distributors
Star Scene
Too
travel
Tulsa GLBT community center news
Uncle Mikey
Walmart
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/d81268b4532043d3033810b59185b509.jpg
38272b932f20257bad24e3c5a837710a
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/e5e34eb01c62b0a420aaebcb503252f0.pdf
9955487f200d97828a32dec15c570b0b
PDF Text
Text
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magazine
Text
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'VilJJJtines Day. February 14th
'Hiitot¥ of St;Valentines Day
,... · · · page~11
fierfifer .GLBT Magazine." ,:,/>\'::,~·:, ,, '\,\,\,'.", ', ,, ,·<·' ' ,
lenp wets
Earl Wheeler
43 7 E. 141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL {3275)
Serving the Tulsa Metro Area for over 21 Years with PRIDE!
CUSTOM DECORATING * HOLIDAY SPECIALS
rs by 12noon guaranteed same day delivery.
Your order is treated with the upmost confidentiality.
NOW OPEN
y - Sunday 12noon
Closed Monday's
alent Sho
by Page E
ed.10:30
ur ran a e
- - lS n
on cale
IW£S
cott
c raw
.row, anagi• ng roKer
avisson · tewart, Realtors
• • 1
Langley, Oklahoma
ScottCrow.mcgrawok.com
918.782.3211
•'"-,:.
FEBRUARY, 20 □ 6
©Copyright 2006
Publisher
Star Media, Ltd.
The STAR
5103 S. Sheridan,# 153
Tulsa, OK 74145-7627
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
www.ozarksstar.com
Editor in Chief
C. D. Ward
Contributing Writers:
Greg Steele, josh Aterovis
John Patrick, Matt Brooks.
Paul Wortman, Carlotta Carlisle
Columnist:
Libby Post, Paula Martinac, Andrew Collins,
Donald Pile, Ray Williams, Michael Hinzman,
Jack Fertig, Liz Highleyman, Andrew Hicks
Photography:
byChaz
Advertising:
Tulsa Office - - - • • • • • -918-835-7887
or Email: ozarksstar@sbcgloba!.net
National Advertising Representative
Rlvendel! Media (212) 242-6863
· .. ·. Deadline for all advertising, articles and payment is the 20th of
· · each month for the next months issue.
Subscriptions
12 issues $26.95 / singles $3.00 Check or Money Order
The Ozarks Star or the Star is p;;biished & distributed monthly as a community
· Ltd. of Joplin, Missouri. Publication of the name, photograph
business or organization in this publication is not to be
conall'Oed. as any indication of sexual orientatlcn or preferences of such person,
bul!fM:113 or organization.
Opj,nloos expressed by columnists, advertisers or Letters to the Editor are not
nooe~sarily the opinion of The Ozarks Star, its staff. the publisher or it's advertisers.
C~o~nt of advertisements and articles are the sole responsibi'.iiy of the advertiser and
/Qr;aiilhor. The Publisher of the Ozarks Star or Star reserves the right to refuse
advertising material for any reason what so ever. The Ozarks Star or Star and ail
likenesses there of are sole properties of Sta, Madia, Ltd. Al! material ii; copyright
2008 the Ozarks S(a;.
Daily Specials
? s a week 6
•.
~yA
the STAR, Okiahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine. Page4
2005 A RECORD YEAR FOR GA LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND
TRANSGENDER STATE LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES
'The road has potholes but equality is on the horizon,' said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
WASHINGTON - Gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender Americans scored big wins in 2005,
according to a new report from the Human Rights
Campaign. The report "Equality from State to State:
GLBT Americans and State Legislation 2005" details
record-setting and historic state legislation affecting the
GLBT community over the past year.
"The road has potholes but equality is on the horizon,"
said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "This report proves
that as the national conversation over equality continues,
Americans come down on the side of fairness."
More state anti-discrimination bills passed in 2005
than in any other year. Eleven bills were passed in state
legislatures that established or strengthened statewide
anti-discrimination protections for the GLBT community.
While last year, 13 states amended their constitutions
to ban the protections and responsibilities of marriage for
same-sex couples, this year 15 states defeated attempts
to write discrimination into their state constitutions.
Another two states are likely to defeat marriage
amendments before the year ends.
"Last year saw same-sex couples and their families
disgracefully used as a political wedge issue," said
Solmonese. "When the fog of divisive politics recedes,
the real stories emerge of hard-working GLBT Americans
seeking equality and fairness wins."
California b.ecame the first state ever to pass a bill to
extend the freedom to marry to same-sex couples this
year. Unfortunately Republican Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger vetoed this important legislation.
Another historic milestone occurred in Connecticut as
well, where the instituted civil unions to provide statelevel
rights and responsibilities to long-term, committed
same-sex couples. The bill was signed by the state's
Republican governor, Jodi Rell.
Maryland and Colorado became the ninth and 10th
states to include gender identity and expression, and the
30th and 31st states to include sexual orientation in their
hate crimes laws. Again, both bills became law under the
states' Republican governors.
"The tremendous progress we've seen crosses party
lines and proves fairness need not have partisan
boundaries," said Solmonese.
HRC partners with statewide GLBT advocacy groups
across the country to advance pro-equality legislation
and beat back attacks on our families. In 2005, HRC
provided more than $820,000 directly to state
organizations, ballot campaigns and other work in the
states in addition to drafting bills, testifying in
statehouses, activating our members and providing
strategic assistance.
"Until every state treats its gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender citizens with dignity, respect and equality
under the law, our work as a community will not be
done," added Solmonese.
FEBRUARY 2006
by Andrew Collins
n
oming Back to
Louisiana
Just months after Hurricane Katrina wroughc severe damage upon New
Orie.ans, many of the city's neighborhoods have sprung back to life,
including Uptown 's Magazine Street. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
azed out the
plane window on the
final approach into
Louis Armstron New
Orleans lnterna I
Airport, the
suburb er, and I
immediate d
thousands
roofs. Kenner lies
several miles west of
New Orleans, and it
was largely spared the
full brunt of ust's
devastating H cane
Katrina. But even this
far west, roug 100
days after the rm,
protective blue tarps
covered the roofs of
thousands of homes
beneath me. Still, I also
saw neon restaurant
signs, cars speeding al Veterans Boulevard,
airport hotels with full ing lots, and plenty of
ene of America's most dynamic, and
gay ities. New Orleans looked
w atso very much alive.
I had flown in for a quick four-day visit, because I'm
about to update and revise my guidebook Moon
Handbooks New Oileans, which actually covers all of
southern Louisiana. I pianned one night in St Tammany
Parish (aka New Orleans North Shore, because of its
iocation on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain), which
sustained major Katrina damage especialiy in the
easternmost town of Slide!i. Then I set aside a night to
visit Lake Charles, at the opposite end of the state, which
was pummeled by Hurricane Rita just 25 days after
Katrina. And finally, I saved my last two nights for New
Orleans.
Before ! get into the specifics, let me assure anyone
who ioves visiting Louisiana: Hurricane Katrina may have
itself.forever altered the appearance and even personality
of New Orleans, but the city's tourism-driven
neighborhoods - the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny,
Uptown, the Garden Distiict, and the Central Business
District - have already bounced back with admirable, in
some cases amazing, vigor. The city is absolutely ready for
visitors - hundreds of hotels and B&Bs, restaurants, shops,
bars, and even quite a few attractions are up and running,
and dozens reopen each day. And if you're interested in
the rest of southern Louisiana, Baton Rouge and Lafayette
were spared by the storms, Lake Charies has almost fully
rebounded, and St. Tammany Parish is also making rapid
headway.
Now for the specifics, as of December 2005:
Hurricane Katrina leveled the greatest wind and storm
damage upon eastern New Orleans, and as I drove east
devastation is unbelievable.
from Faubourg
Marigny into the
adjacent (and
historic) Bywater
neighborhood, I
noticed a dramatic
difference in the
severity of
damage. The
floods that
resulted from
levee breaks
caused untold
damage to all of
eastern New
Orleans, but
flooding also
destroyed huge
swaths of the city
north of 1-10. I
spent a full
afternoon driving
through the worst
of the flooddamaged
areas,
and the
magnitude of
The perception seems to be that New Orleans' poorest
neighborhoods received the heaviest damage, and the
upscale ones were mostly spared, but this is a vast
oversimplification. In reality, the parts of the city that have
been decimated are largely residential, but they include
lower-income, middle-class, and upscaie areas, and they
encompass ali races.
What this means for visitors is that, indeed, the parts of
New Orleans you're probably most familiar with are the
parts now in the best shape" i sti!I noticed plenty of
moderate to miid hurricane damage in the French Quarter,
Uptown, and other prominent tourist-oriented areas, but
most of the worst messes had been cleaned up. indeed,
the citv has even olanned a scaled-down but stiil ambitious
Mardi Gras celebration for the last week of February (Mardi
Gras Tuesday falls on the 28th). For details on this event
log on to www.mardigrasneworieans.com, an exceilent
resource .
., .... continued nex page
Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Out of Town
Understandably, plenty of visitors to the city are curious
to learn about Katrina's wiath, and in December, Grny
Line New Orleans began offering a "Hurricane Katrina -
America's Worst Catastrophe" bus tour. This is not some
ghoulish romp exploiting the misery of others. Many Gray
Line employees lost their homes to the hurricane, and the
company is taking a sensitive approach to these tours,
which aim to educate visitors about the storm, and the
region's vanishing coastline, controversial levee system,
and oil and gas pipelines.
As for the city's fabled gay scene, most bars are up and
running, drawing plenty of big crowds. Famed bars like
Bourbon Pub, Cafe Lafitte in Exile, Oz, and Good Friends
are packed with revelers these days, and the lovably
raffish Clover Grill diner, long a fixture in the gay
community, had resumed 8 a.m.-to-mldnight hours as of
this writing. Other great gay-popular restaurants, such as
Marigny Brasserie, Peristyle, Bayona, and Elizabeth's are
serving up the same tantalizing New Orleans fare they
weie before Katrina. And Rue de la Course coffeehouse is
still a favOiite spot for a cup of java.
Finding a place to stay in town is becoming
increasingly easier, as more hoteis reopen, and fewer
properties are booked solid with relief workers. Gaypopular
mainstream hotels such as Hotel Monteleone,
International House, the Royal Sonesta, and the
Renaissance Arts Hotel (to name a few) have resumed
operations and have widespread room availability.
Another excellent option is to book a room at one of the
city's many gay-friendly B&Bs and inns. During my two
nights, I stayed at the delightful Elysian Fields Inn.
Owners Leigh and Jim Crawford bought the inn in summer
2005, and despite missing revenue during a nearly threemonth
closure and losing their beautiful sundeck to a
fallen tree, these folks have done a commendable job
reopening the inn and welcoming guests. Leigh and Jim
are gradually filling this handsome inn with music
memorabilia and local artwork. Other great gay-friendly
lodging choices include the historic Rathbone Inn, the
cozy Arts B&B, and the funky Fourteen Fifteen Creole
Gardens.
The North Shore of New Orleans, which consists
largely of St. Tammany Parish, has made a valiant
comeback, although parts of the town of Slidell will have
to be entirely rebuiit. The artsy community of Covington,
with its downtown of galleries, cafes, and cool shops,
looks better than ever. in nearby Abita Springs,
Longbranch had been slated to open the day after Katrina
hit and still managed a heroic September 16th opening.
It's quickly developed a reputation as one of the state's
hottest culinary venues, thanks to young star chefs Slade
and Allison Vines-Rushing.
Most of the state's Plantation Country (along the
Mississippi River) and Cajun Country were spared severe
storm damage and are going strong, including the bustling
city of Lafayette. Lake Charles, although it sustained
plenty of wind and water damage from Hurricane Rita,
looks good. The city did iose one of its top casinos,
Harrah's, indefinitely. But the L'Auberge du Lac casino
resort. which opened to much fanfare in 2005, has set a
new standard for gaming properties in the Gulf. This
Vegas-style stunner overlooks Lake Chailes, has severai
excellent restaurants, and draws plenty of top-name
entertainers.
And although Lake Charles doesn't have a tremendous
reputation as a gay destination, the city does have several
"family"-owned businesses. You can dance and mingle at
the gay disco, Crystal's. And you can enjoy a gi0at dinner
at gay-popular Pujo Street Cafe & Market, whose owners
also operate Aunt Ruby's B&B, a charming bed-andbreakfast.
Lake Charles is very much a city on the up, and
as it sits right along 1-10 between New Orleans and
Houston, it makes a great stopovei on any road trip
through southem Louisiana.
What does the future hold for New Orleans and other
storm-damaged parts of the state? Right now, if you ask
100 locals, you'll probably get 100 different answers. Many
speculate that New Orleans will never be quite the
convention destination and business powerhouse it was
before the storm, nor will the population mturn in fu!I. But
as a leisure destination, and one of the nation's fabled gay
getaways, the city's future looks good. There will be
obstacles to be sure, but New Orleans' inimitable spirit and
its tolerance of the unusual and the unexpected will sureiy
make it a wonderful vacation destination for decades to
come.
In ef ense of Broke back
f; ounta1n
By Josh Aterovis
You might find it strange that I would be defending a
movie that has been almost universally lauded by
mainstream critics and has been a surprising box office
smash, even in rural areas. The film has been called
"groundbreaking", "landmark", and "unforgettable", and it's
raking in the awards - including the Golden Globe for Best
Picture. It's on the fast track to bring home a few Oscars as
well. So why does Brokeback Mountain need defending?
I've noticed a phenomenon over the years that you may
have noticed as well. Some people just don't want to like
something everyone else likes. They have to be different.
They like to feel they are somehow superior to the general
public. I've seen people who once championed an
underground band suddenly lose interest when the band
becomes successful. "They sold out," is the usual lame
excuse. Then there are those who love a TV show until it
climbs into the top ten in the Nielson ratings, ihen
suddenly, all they can do is find fault with it. It seems they
only want to root for the underdog. If something becomes
too popular, you can almost guarantee a backlash.
That backlash has begun for Brokeback Mountain, but
surprisingly, it's not coming from the mainstream press.
The most virulent criticism isn't even coming from the
Christian press. It's coming from the very people who
would have been crying from the rooftops if this movie
hadn't been well-received - the LGBT press. In recent
weeks, I've seen a raft of negative reviews surfacing,
almost all of them from gay movie critics.
So what's their beef? Some have griped that they're
tired of hearing the movie and its actors described as
brave. Let's be honest here. It was brave. No matter what
we wish the world was like, we're in a BushCo controlled
America right now, currently featuring a walloping good
anti-gay backlash. It was brave for these two young
heterosexual leading men to make a movie about gay love.
It would be wonderful if we were living in a world where
Ennis Del Mar was just another role, but realistically, we're
not. It was brave o(Heath Ledger to take the'role and
devote himself so wholly to the character. He deserves all
the awards that come his way.
There have been a host of other complaints -
everything from the slow pace to the perceived lack of
chemistry between the leads - but from what I can gather,
it all boils down to the fact that the movie doesn't have a
happy ending. Have they read the book? The movie is
based on a short story written by Annie Proulx and first
pubiished in The New Yorker. The story is set in the
herding country of Wyoming and opens in 1963, a time
before the word gay was even used in the mainstream and
cowboys certainly weren't supposed to love other cowboys.
The filmmaker. director Ang Lee, could not be true to the
story he was telling and have a happy ending. It's a
tragedy, and while it isn't a true story, it certainiy reflects
many people's real experiences.
Soon after the movie opened, I heard from a dear friend
of ours who has lived in Texas -and in the closet- all
his life. He grew up on a ranch during the decades in
which Brokeback Mountain is set. He had been to see the
movie and it had affected him deeply. It was a haunting
reminder of his youth, or as he put it "the pre-Stonewall era
when so many of us [like the characters] were forced to
build our closets during a period when hate crime laws
were not even thought about."
You know what? I think most of the criticism stems from
a lack of understanding about that period, the preStonewall
era. Recently, on a discussion list for LGBT
authors, someone posted one of these negative reviews. A
lively debate sprung up, and eventually the discussion
came around to the fact that far too many gay people know
nothing of the struggle gays faced in the 60s and ?Os.
Author Lori L. Lake stated it best when she wrote, "It
seems a sad fact that once a battle has been won or
changes made, the descendants of those who made
sacrifices and fought so hard do not always know of the
cost or the facts. Often the historical repercussions are
completely lost on a new generation. Some young women
nowadays have no clue about the struggle for rights that
women had to go ihrough for most of the 20th century.
Young blacks are often amazingly unaware of much of the
civil rights movement. And both gays and lesbians have
been known to look at me and say things like, 'Yeah, that
Stonewall stuff ... everyone talks about it, but I really don't
get what happened.' In defense of those in 'minority'
groups who do not know their own history, I would have to
say that it's all made more complicated by the fact that it's
not like the mainstream does much to promote the
knowledge. It's left to us to try to find out about the past
and make sure we don't have to repeat it."
And that's where I think Brokeback Mountain can be
invaluable. This film simultaneously shows us how far
we've come as a society ... and how far we still have left to
go. Yes, in most areas of the U.S., gay and lesbian
couples can live openly, but there are still many areas
where homophobia rules supreme - and I'm not just
talking about geographic areas. Think about professional
sports or the military. Many states have already passed or
are in the process of passing same-sex marriage bans,
and even our president advocates a Federal ban on gay
marriage.
What I think Brokeback Mountain portrays very clearly
is the to!I homophobia takes on gay men and women. We
can use this film as a teaching tool to help people
understand our past and ensure our future. You have to be
a very cold person to waik out of the theater after seeing
this movie and not feel affected. It has the potential to
change hearts and minds, but we can't just sit back and
hope it accomplishes this on its own. We need to get out
there and talk about how homophobia has affected our
lives. We've all had our Brokeb·ack Mountains in our lives.
Some of us have overcome them - we climbed to the top
and we've seen the Promised Land - and some have
been dashed against the rocky slopes. Each and every
one of these stories is important. They make up the grand
and beautifui quilt that is the LGBT community and, for that
matter, America
In the end, what one thinks about Brokeback Mountain,
!ike any movie or book or television show, is nothing more
continued page-17
CREATING YOUR OWN
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
With all the wonderful "hype" about the new movie,
Brokeback Mountain, perhaps it's time to head for the
.hills and mountains and do some "cowboying". Perhaps
you too can find your "Jack or Ennis" except not have it
finish as it did in the movie!
Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico
and even Texas would be great places to begin. Most of
the major cities in these States have western/cowboy
bars and on weekends they are a "hopin and a dancin".
As we all know there are two types of cowboys ... the
drug store type and the real type. The real types can be
found at rodeos and on the ranches far from the city life.
A great place to start would be to go
to the Cheyenne, Wyoming Frontier
Days Rodeo which is billed as the
"Grandaddy of them all". We were there
several years ago and they do have
hundreds of real cowboys that attend
the event. Cheyenne is a rather small
city so you either need to book a room
far in advanced or camp out at one of
the local campgrounds. This year it will
be held July 21 thru the 30th. It all
began in 1897 and just keeps getting
bigger year after year. You can check
for information at: http://
www.cfdrodeo.com/. Wyoming is one of
the very few States that does not have
any gay bars but during the big rodeo
days, everything and anything goes!
The International Gay Rodeo
Association, ( http://www.igra.com/) is a
great website to start looking for
individual State rodeos. Gay Rodeo had
its beginnings in 1976 at the National
Reno Gay Rodeo in Nevada. Over the next eight years
local rodeo associations were formed in Colorado,
Texas, California, and Arizona. In 1985, these four Gay
Rodeo Associations along with Oklahoma founded the
IGRA. From these beginnings, the IGRA has spread the
Rodeo spirit across the United States and into Canada.
Through a Convention of its Member Associations, the
IGRA has evolved a code of fellowship and good
sportsmanship including the provision of standardized
rules and resources for the production of rodeo events.
IGRA-sanctloned rodeos are hosted by local
associations each year and culminate in an IGRA Finals
Rodeo where the top 20 contestants in each event
compete for the title of IGRA International Champion.
The IGRA has expanded its enrichment activities to
include social Country & Western activities. Throughout
the year, the regional associations sponsor dance
competitions in preparation for the IGRA's annual
International Dance Competition featuring the best men
and women dancers from across the country,
The Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association,
http://www.okgayrodeo.com/ just completed their 20th
Annual Great Piains Rodeo last May and they are the 3rd
largest rodeo with the IGRA association. Congratulations
to them!
The Texas Gay Rodeo Association (http://
www.texasgayrodeo.org/) will have their Cowtown Rodeo
March 3 thru the 5th. For Colorado check out their
website at: http://www.cgra.net/ For New Mexico, check
out www.nmgra.com/. For Arizona go to: http://
www.agra-phx.com/ and for Nevada go to: http://
www.ngra.com/. And the Missouri Gay Rodeo's website
is: http://mgra.us/
Here are some dates for the different gay rodeos
coming up for 2006.
Road Runner Region,,! Rodeo Phoenix,
Arizona -January 13 - l 5,
IGR:\ University L:,s V cgas - February 1:' 19,
Cowtown Rode(> Fort \'(/orrh, Texas - !vfarch 3
5,
Sunshine Stampede Fort Lauderdale, Florida
April 7 - 9,
Rodeo in The Rock Little Rock, Arkansas -
J\prii 28 30,
Greatc:r San Diego Rodeo Lakeside, C\ :\pril
28 30,
Gate,vay Regional Rodeo St. Louis, Missouri
May 5 - 7,
Heartland Rodeo Omaha, Nebraska - May 20 -
21,
Great Plains Rodeo - Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma May 26 28. Rocky Mountain
Regional Rodeo - Dem·er, Colorado Julv 7 9,
Zia Regional Rodeo • Albuquerque, l\;;\1 -
,i\ugust 18 • 20,
MGRA Show i\ic Stare Rodeo l'.ama, City,
September l 3,
Bay Arca Ga\' Rode<> San Frnnci,co, Cf\ -
September IS • I - ,
Bighorn Rodeo - LJs Vegas. -"c,:ada - ()ctobcr 6 - 8,
So, whether you like to participate or just watch this
might be something new to do this year. And, you just
might meet your new Jack or Ennis! And always check
out www.purpleroofs.com to find the finest and best in
gay owned and gay-friendly accommodations,
Always have fun when traveling and for any questions on
travel, email Donald and Ray at gaytravelers@aol.com
or visit their webpage at: http:/www,hometown.ao!.com/
gaytrave!ers
the STAR Oklahoma's Premie" GLBT Magazine Page ~o
The History of Saint
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman
Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday
to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman
Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as
the Goddess of women and marriage. The following
day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.The
lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate.
However, one of the customs of the young people was
name drawing.
On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of
Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed
into jars. Each young man would
draw a girl's name from the jar
and would then be partners for
the duration of the festival with the
girl whom he chose.
Sometimes the
pairing of the childrnn lasted an
entire year, and often.they
would fall in love and wouid
I a t e r marry.Under the
rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in
many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the
Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join
his military leagues. He believed that the reason was
that roman men did not want to leave their ioves or
families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages
and engagements in Rome.
· The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in
the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the
Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for
this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and
dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned
him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his
head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of
February, about the year 270. At that time it was the
custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to
celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia,
feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions,
amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of
young women were placed in a box, from which they
were drawn by the men as chance directed.The
pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome
endeavoured to do away with the pagan eiement in
these feasts by substituting the names of saints for
those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about
the middle of February; the pastors appear to have
chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this
new feast. ·
So it seems that the custom of young men choosing
maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the
coming year, arose in this way.
co,nin I
To Eurella Sprin~s. Arllansas
s GET ROMANTIC!
,6 COUPLES/ Surprise your true lovel
SINGLES! Find your true love?!
$SPEED-DATING'PARTYI
1MIMOSA BRUNCH'/
VALENTINE'S DINNER & DANCE
At local favorite CAR/BE' Restaurante y Cantina
DINE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY BEFORE THE DANCEi
8PM DANCE ~ 'Golden Oldies' to Today's Hits/
I
Diversity Weekend
April 7-9, 2006
!
At our historic Auditorium
A hysterical comedy troupe,
born from "Second City" members
in Chicago/ They are determined to raise our spirits
and shake the Ozarks hills with laughter and gayetyl
For details & other DIVERSITY info:
EurekaPride.com and DiversityPr'
RSVP Vacations Introduces
RSViP, the First Rewards
and Loyal Program
Exclusively for Gay and Lesbian Travelers.
Minneapolis, MN,_RSVP Vacations, the leading
presenter of gay and lesbian travel events, proudly
announces the first frequent traveler program designed
for LGBT travelers. RSViP rewards guests with points
based both on the dollar value of their travel packages
as well as the number of RSVP cruises, land tours and
resort vacations they have taken. Guests redeem points
for upgrades and free cabins on future sailings. Most
revolutionary is the RSViP program's Refer-a-Friend
feature. Frequent travelers who refer a first-time guest
to RSVP Vacations earn the same number of points as
their referral.
The full RSViP program launched on November 15,
2005. Membership levels are based on the number of
vacations a guest has taken with RSVP since January
2002. Exciting member benefits range from priority
notice of new events at the Bronze level to celebrity
cocktail parties, concierge service. and members-only
travel opportunities at the Platinum level. Fu!I details of
the program can be found at www.rsvpvacations.com,
where 500 free bonus points are available for signing
up for your RSViP number.
"The RSViP program is unprecedented," said Thomas
Roth, President of Community Marketing, Inc., a San
Francisco-based gay market research and
communications firm. "I commend RSVP, the original
gay vacation specialists, for retaining the competitive
edge in this increasingly competitive marketplace."
Roth also applauded the research that shaped this
new program. "RSVP asked and listened to their
customers, and RSViP is the result. Earning loyalty is
perhaps the single most important element in
successful LGBT marketing, and this new RSViP
program takes the industry to a whole new level."
"RSVP has consistently been an innovator in the field
of gay and lesbian travel," said Paul Figlmiller,
RSVP's President. "RSViP is designed to recognize
the thousands of loyal guests who travel with us year
after year and reward them when they bring their
friends along. I hope it inspires new guests to discover
the unique camaraderie and exceptional service of an
RSVP event."
About RSVP Vacations - Established in 1985,
RSVP was the originator of the gay and lesbian cruise
concept, and offers distinctive travel packages
designed for gay and lesbian travelers. More than
80,000 men and women have participated in RSVP's
big and small ship cruises, riverboat cruises, land
tours, and resort vacations. Destinations in 2006 will
include the Caribbean, Central America, the
Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, Ireland, Mexico,
Tahiti, Peru, and Thailand. RSVP has offices in
Minneapolis, MN and London and is available through
travel agencies.
ay at the
Legis
ahoma
ure
Sponsored by PFLAG Oklahoma
by Greg Steele
Tulsa, OK_After several date changes, Nancy McDonald
has announced a new date of May 9th, 10:00 am to 2:00
pm. "The Capitol has been reserved for our Day at the
Legislature", McDonald said in a recent communique.
Tweive tables have been reserved and GLBT groups, yout
groups. HIV/AIDS groups are encouraged to attend and
bring materiai. Council Oaks Mens Chorale is expected to
entertain, food and drink will be available. Estimated cost
is $20 - $25 per Chapter. The purpose of the lobby is to
give legislators and opportunity to learn more about the
GLBT community. Group leaders wili aiso be meeting with
state senators and representatives.
For more information contact Nancy at:
Nancymcdo@aol.com
Tu!sa PFLAG meets every 2nd Monday of each month at
Feiiowship Congregational Church. located at 29th and
Harvard. on the street just south of Bra urn's. Program time is
7:30pm, social time 6:45pm. More information is available
on their website: www.pflagtulsa.org
Iha STAR, Oklahoma's Pmmier GLBT Magazine.
Get Your Best Easter Bonnet
Out and Go To Washington!
WASHINGTON_ Outrageous bonnets and dresses may
not be ail that
gets attention
this Easter,
when
thousands of
children
including
those with
same-sex
parents wil!
gather on the
White House
lawn for the
annual Easter
Egg Roll.
A group of gay
rights
organizations
is urging gay and lesbian parents to join the Aprii 17
event, to highlight the similarities between themselves
and heterosexual families. While the event is months
away, the potential participation of gay famiiies has
already garnered White House attention. Sponsored by
The Family Prlde Coalition.
rial: ew pill bests
standa I
regimen
From PlanetOut Net\vork:
A new once-a-day HIV antiretroviral pill does a better job
of suppressing the virus, restoring immune function and
preserving body shape than the common treatment of
Sustiva plus Combivir, according to findings published in
the jan.19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers found the new pil!, which combines Viread,
Emtriva and Sustiva, did a better job in a three-year study
of HIV-infected subiects in reducing their viral load and
increasing CD4 celi counts without being as toxic to
patients as the combination of Sustiva and Combivir.
The finding is the first to show that one combination
regimen is superior to the other for initial HIV infection
treatment.
Gilead, which produces Viread and Emtriva, funded the
study.
rne 0zsr1<ss.i1AR sinc:e 2003 ·
10 eys to
by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Provided by: Chopra Blog
app1• ness
Physical well being is inseparable from emotional well
being. Happy people are healthy people. The wisdom
traditions of the world tell us that happiness does not
depend on what you have, but on who you are. As we
begin the new year, it may be worthwhile to reflect on
what really creates happiness in us. The following ten
keys, gleaned from the wisdom traditions, may give us
some insight.
Listen to your body's wisdom, which expresses itself
through signals of comfort and discomfort. When
choosing a certain behavior, ask your body,
"How do you feel about this?" If your body sends
a signal of physical or emotional distress, watch
out. If your body sends a signal of comfort and
eagerness, proceed.
Live in the present, for it is the only moment you
have. Keep your attention on what is here and
now; look for the fullness in every moment.
Accept what comes to you totally and completely
so that you can appreciate it, learn from it, and
then let it go. The present is as it should be. It
reflects infinite laws of Nature that have brought
you this exact thought, this exact physical
response. This moment is as it is because the
universe is as it is. Don't struggle against the
infinite scheme of things; instead, be at one with
it.
Take time to be silent, to meditate, to quiet the
internal dialogue. In moments of silence, realize
that you are recontacting your source of pure
awareness. Pay attention to your inner life so
that you can be guided by intuition rather than
externally imposed interpretations of what is or
isn't good for you.
Relinquish your need for external approval. You
alone are the judge of your worth, and your goa!
is to discover infinite worth in vourself, no matter
what anyone else thinks. There is great freedom
in this realization.
When you find yourself reacting with anger or
opposition to any person or circumstance, realize
that you are only struggling with yourself. Putting
up resistance is the response of defenses
created by old hurts. When you relinquish this
anger, you wi!I be healing yourself and
cooperating with the flow of the universe.
Know that the world "out there" reflects your reality
"in here." The people you react to most strongly,
whether with love or hate, are projections of your
inner world. What you most hate is what you
most deny in yourself. What you most love is
what you most wish for in yourself. Use the
mirror of relationships to guide your evolution.
The goal is total self-knowledge. When you
achieve that, what you most want will
automatically be there, and what you most
dislike will disappear.
Shed the burden of judgment - you will feel much
lighter. Judgment imposes right and wrong on
situations that just are. Everything can be
understood and forgiven, but when you judge,
you cut off understanding and shut down the
process of learning to love. In judging others,
you reflect your lack of self-acceptance.
Remember that every person you forgive adds to
your self-love.
Don't contaminate your body with toxins, either through
food, drink, or toxic emotions. Your body is more than a
life-support system. It is the vehicle that will carry you on
the journey of your evolution. The heaith of every cell
directly contributes to your state of well being, because
every cell is a point of awareness within the field of
awareness that is you.
Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated
behavior. Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in
the past. Remembering what hurt us before, we direct
our energies toward making certain that an oid hurt will
not repeat itself. But trying to impose the past on the
present will never wipe out the threat of being hurt. That
happens only when you find the security of your own
being, which is love. Motivated by the truth inside you,
you can face any threat because your inner strength is
invulnerable to fear.
Understand that the physical world is just a mirror of a
deeper intelligence. Intelligence is the invisible organizer
of all matter and energy, and since a portion of this
intelligence resides in you, you share in the organizing
power of the cosmos. Because you are inseparably
linked to everything, you cannot afford to foul the planet's
air and water. But at a deeper level, you cannot afford to
live with a toxic mind, because every thought makes an
impression on the whole field of intelligence. Living in
balance and purity is the highest good for you and the
Earth.
THE L WORD: THE THIRD
SEASON SOUNDTRACK
Silver Labelffommy Boy Entertainmeni
Release Date: January 24, 2006
Ecleciic, Exclusive New Songs
Enrich Show's Third Season Soundtrack
Just as "The L Word" lights up over 6 million screens
weekly with its cast of vibrant. vivacious and vital
characters, so. do the show's soundtrack albums fire up
the iPods and CD players of loyal fans. Working
closely with Tommy Boy Entertainment executive and
Silver Lab~I co-founder, Rosie Lopez, the show's
creator Ilene Chaiken delivers yet another smart,
sensuous and soulful soundtrack, 'The L Word: The
Third Season." The two-CD set - which includes a
sixteen page booklet - embraces twenty-foUi songs
by a cherry-picked roster of stellar lesbian and
lesbifriendly artists, deftly incorporating a refreshing
variety of genres: folk, electro, country, soul, pop.
classical.
NOTE: "The L Word: The Third Season" premiers
January 8 and airs through the end of March!
TULSA TIME AT THE BOO!
by Paul Wortman
TULSA, OK_Matthew Heath-Fitzgerald took the stage
Friday night December 16th at the Bamboo Lounge Tulsa
with a show opener of "Living on Tulsa Time". He was
fantastic as always and the crowed agreed with roaring
applause.
Oklahoma's cowboy crooner filled the house with his
country music and exceptional good looks. This was his
first performance at the Boo, but has performed at Tulsa's
Club Mavericks, Renegades and Club Majestic. You can
catch his show in Oklahoma City at Club Rox and the
Boom Room.
He performed three sets with such hits as "All Jacked
Up'', "Who's your Daddy" and brought down the house
with "Live Like You Were Dying" Matthew also did a
melody of Cher hits and was fabulous.
Also performing their hearts out were his special guests,
Kris Kohl (our own
Tulsa diva) bringing in
the holiday season
with "Silver Bells" and
Tiffany Adams from
Oklahoma City, who
was hilarious with his
costume's. Both were
in full holiday spirit
and made the evening
very festive. All three
made for a wonderful
night of entertainment.
Matthew
resides in Krebs,
Oklahoma with his
partner Jason. He has
entertained the gay
community for many years and recorded three CD's.
They can be purchased from his website,
www.matthewheath-fitzgeraid.com.
Is there a Shelter agent
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Call today to learn more about our services.
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-I I
To .Eurel2a Sprinqs. Arbansas
$ GET ROMANTIC!
COUPLES!
SINGLESf
'SPEED-DAT/NG'PARTY!
'MIMOSA BRUNCH'!
VALENTINE'S DINNER 81 DANCE
At local favorite CAR/BE' Restaurante y Cantina
DINE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY BEFORE THE DANCEi
8PM DANCE ,. 1Golden Oldies' to Today's Hits/
p I
Diversity Weekend
April 7-9, 2006
!
At our historic Auditorium
A hysterical comedy troupe,
born from "Second City" members
in Chicago/ They are determined to raise our spirits
and shake the Ozarks hills with laughter and gayetyl
For details & other DiVERSITY info:
EurekaPride.com and Divers
Brokeback Mountain:
than personal opinion. I left the theater deeply moved. I
felt almost overwhelmed with sadness for the !ives of the
two men portrayed on screen. but I also felt a sense of
thankfulness and hope. i was thankful for how far we've
come, that I am ab!e to openly live my life with partner
Jon, and i was hopeful that we might one day even be
able to get married legally.
As i write this column, e-mails are streaming into my
inbox with news about a Maryland Judge striking down the
State's gay marriage ban. in her decision, Baltimore City
Circuit Court Judge Brooke Murdock wrote that "while
tradition and societal va!ues are important," they're not
enough to justify a discriminatory iaw. Whiie the appeals
process will last for at least a year, and I'm sure there will
be a renewed call fo, a constitutional amendment and
cries of activist judges, it stili gives me a sense of hope
that we are progressing. Maybe one day, we'll iook back
at Brokeback !vfcuntain and wonder what all the fuss was
about.
Battle of the Sexes
Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. We've
all heard this little gem, implying that men and women
are just inherently different, and that difference extends
beyond mere plumbing. It's almost like we're from
different planets. Gay men have often bridged that gap
io form close relationships with straight women, but that
gulf still tends to exist between gay men and lesbians.
Why is that? Why can't we all just get along?
I think it was worse in past generations. The women
had their hangouts and organizations, the men had
theirs, and rarely did the twain meet. I do see
improvements, especially in the younger generations,
but I still see separation as well. That division bothers
me.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is a gay-friendly beach
resort not far from where Jon and I live. We go there
quite often, especially during the summer. The last few
times we've gone to bars there, though, I couldn't help
but notice they targeted very specific groups. We went
to see a good friend's band, Red Letter Day, play at the
Frogg Pond a couple months ago. The Frogg Pond
tends to be somewhat of a mixed crowd, but it's known
as a lesbian bar and that was the primary clientele. Our
last trip to Rehoboth, we went to see a friend perform in
a drag pageant at Cloud 9. We saw a lot more dresses
there, but they were all on men. The boys far
outnumbered the few women present.
Lesbians have been a big part of our life. In fact,
we've always had more lesbian friends than gay male
friends. I even wrote a tongue-in-cheek column once
about why lesbians make better friends than gay men.
That's why it bothers me that there are few places we
can go as a group and none of us feel at least a little out
of place.
These days, our circle of friends tends to be very
diverse. As I was.Jooking at pictures from our New
Year's Eve party, it ieally struck me what a varied bunch
we are. We had gay men, lesbians, and straight people;
couples and singletons; young and old - all mixing and
mingiing and having a ball. Jon and I value this diversity;
each and every person brings something unique to our
lives. ! can't imagine it any other way.
This is maybe why I can't understand the tendency
for people to separate themseives into neat,
homogenized segments, where everyone in their
immediate circle looks and thinks just like them. I get it
that some people like to be around others who are like
them - birds of a feather and all that - but I think
sometimes, we carry it too far. Over and over, I notice
that, at least in the area in
which we live, our diverse group is pretty unique. Most of
the cliques and circles I see others form tend to be
almost all-male or all-female.
This separatist attitude is even affecting the way we
talk and write. I recently read an article about the
increasing use of the phrase "gays and lesbians" in the
media. It used to be that the word "gay" was an umbrella
term that included both gay men and women. Some
women, however, felt that "gay" had come to be more
associated with men and felt that "lesbian" needed to be
included as well. Why? Do we really need more divisions
within our community?
Why are we so divided?
To discover one possible reason behind our
separatism, we may have to look back at oui LGBT
history. According to an article on glbtq.com, which bills
itself as an encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, and queer culture, lesbian feminists
decided to create spaces over which they themselves
had autonomy after encountering misogynistic attitudes
and practices in the gay liberation movement and antilesbian
discrimination in the women's liberation
movement. These lesbian separatists subscribed to a
"radical feminist" philosophy that views gender difference
in terms of essentialism. Unlike the liberal feminisfs of
the mainstream women's movement, who argued that
gender was a social construction, lesbian separatists
contended that the differences between men and women
are rooted in nature. Thus, women naturally possessed a
female energy characterized by its warmth, nurturing,
and pacifist qualities. On the other hand, due to their
male energy, men were hard-wired to be aggressive,
competitive, and destructive. Because men could not, or
would not, ever change their ways, lesbian separatists
believed that it was necessary for women to exclude
them from their lives.
Could these beliefs and attitudes still linger today? I'm
sure they do, at least in some circles. I suspect,
however, that today's separatism is less about deliberate
exclusion based on sex and more about maintaining the
status quo. This is the way we've done things for
decades and no one wants to rock the boat.
Well, i say it's time to iock the boat.
It's time gay men and women come together as one.
Now, more than ever, we need to be united. Our
opponents are working together to ensure we do not
receive equal rights. Even the most disparate groups
have joined forces to keep us from enjoying equal
protection under the !aw, marriage rights, Oi even
something as simple as the right to visit our sick or dying
partners in the hospital. Surely, we have much more in
common than these fundamentai, conservative religious
groups. We certainly have more to lose. We will never
win equality unless we learn how to work together toward
our common goal.
Continued next page
HEART TO HEART
It's not just about gays and lesbians, either. We also
need to embrace and accept our bisexual and
transgender brothers and sisters. LGBT needs to be
more than just a ubiquitous acronym. We need to stand
together against our common enemy - bigotry and
hatred.
Yes, obviously men and women are different. It
doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. But I think
it's high time we stop obsessing over our differences
and focus on our commonalities instead. The first step
will be to end the separatism. Who will take the first
step? How about you? Don't wait for someone else.
What about me, you ask? I'm thinking about calling up
some of my lesbian friends this weekend and heading
out to the Frogg Pond and Cloud 9. It's time to break
down some barriers.
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 open heart and mind.
By Marc Shoffman
PinkNews.co.uk
The Los Angeles Police Department has become the
first law enforcement group to sponsor the Gay Games
after announcing its support for next summer's competition
in Chicago.
At least 12 officers have signed up to compete in the
2006 Gay Games VII and plan on wearing their police
uniforms during the opening ceremony, scheduled for July
15.
The LAPD wili also be using the games as a
recruitment drive. Officer Michael Jolicoeur, who oversees
the department's gay and lesbian recruitment said: 'There
are two messages, we are hiring and they can be whoever
they are, no matter what that is."
Events wili include tennis, squash, racquetbail, diving,
water polo and wrestling.
Meanwhile the games, which aie open to anyone, have
already started courting controversy with gmups
threatening to boycott sponsors.
The 2006 Gay Games VII in Chicago is expected to bring
more than 100,000 people and millions of dollars in tourist
revenue to the city. Federation of Gay Games co-president
Robert Mantaci said: "Progress in Chicago is on track with
more sponsors, thousands of athletes already registered,
and. for the first time, television coverage of a Gay
Games."
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. '
Lesbian
Notions
i by Libby Post
!
1 FEBRUARY 2006
"My Generation, Your Generation"
... lillilillililailoiliiiiliiioi.._ ..... _____ _
I had my first LGBT generation gap encounter about 20
years ago.
I was at a lesbian bar in New York City. I looked
around and didn't see anyone who looked like me. No
longer were jeans, button-down shirts, and vests the
lesbian fashion statement. These younger dykes were in
stiletto heels, designer clothes, and makeup.
"Lipstick lesbians," I thought, shook my head, and tried
to make the best of it. I dismissed them as apolitical, only
interested in being social, live-for-the-next-dance-party
gay girls. What can I say? I was young. But they were
younger.
As I've gotten older and hopefully a little wiser, I've
come to appreciate lipstick lesbians - who, by the way,
aren't always younger lesbians. Thirteen years older than
me, my partner, Lynn, wears makeup; I have to admit it's
one of the things that drew me to her. But beyond that, her
almost never leaving the house without at least a little
lipstick and powder has helped me to appreciate the
diversity of the lesbian community - young, middle-aged,
and senior, we all have something to bring to the table.
Recognizing we all have something of value as
members of the LGBT community regardless of our age is
at the crux of the very real generation gap our community
is experiencing today. On one hand, an LGBT generation
gap is one more indicator that we really aren't any
different than our straight counterparts. Just as there has
been a gulf in understanding between straight
generations, there is one between and among our various
generations. On the other hand, an LGBT generation gap
speaks to much more pressing issues than what today's
LGBT fashion trends.
The Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies
(IGLSS), based at the University of Massachusetts at
Amherst Oust a stone's thmw from Lesbianville, a!so
known as Northampton), says we must overcome specific
communication challenges in order for all of us in the
LGBT community - across the spectrum of age - to work
together for positive change.
In the December 2005 edition of _Angles_, the
lnstitute's policy journal, Glenda M Russell, Ph.D., and
Janis S. Bohan, Ph.D., detailed their findings in an article
entitled "The Gay Generation Gap: Communicating Across
the LGBT Generational Divide." Not surprisingly, they
found that LGBT adults tend to project their own
experiences and beliefs onto our youth, and that our youth
think they've got all the answers.
The researchers singled out gay proms as one of the
ways us aider folks have projected our wants and desires
on our youth. These events, they say, seem to be designed
to meet the needs of the adult organizers who missed their
own proms, rather than the needs of today's LGBT youth.
One event was billed as 'The Night You Never Had,'' and
when a group of teens was asked about their same-sex
prom, one teen said the highlight of the evening was
seeing a newly out lesbian teacher dancing with her life
partner.
One of the other things we adults tend to do is to
presume that LGBT youth have been victimized. This is not
to say there isn't a lot of harassment of LGBT students in
our schools, but all you've got to do is read the story of
Kerry Pacer, the Advocate's Person of the Year, to see
how things have changed for our youth. Here's a lesbian
teen who took on her small, rural hometown of Cleveland.
Ga., and won. ·
The gay-straight alliance (GSA) Kerry started has since
been disbanded because the school board suspended all
extracurricular activity - presumably because of the GSA -
but Kerry has gotten her whole rural community talking
about LGBT issues.
Kerry became a very real face of the LGBT youth in her
town, where everyone knows everyone. Her organizing
brought Fred Phelps to town. After his hate-filled visit, the
local church leaders were forced to rethink their abject
homophobia, and her classmates their own prejudices. Her
sense of purpose and drive is summed up in the Advocate
article when she says, "I have to do this for the people that
come behind me and the people that can't do it.''
Kerry has set an example for her LGBT generation and
those that follow. She has also shown us veterans of LGBT
activism that our youth can stand up to the bullies and the
homophobes in a way that creates positive change for all
ofus.
The IGLSS study also detailed LGBT youth's role in our
community's generation gap. Kerry's actions show us how
our youth, who have grown up with a different LGBT reality
(_Will and Grace, Queer Eye, same-sex marriage debate,
civil unions - you get the picture), can bring a fresh
perspective to the challenges the community faces. They
may be less bound by what we think works, but they also
don't necessarily have the historical perspective, relevant
experience, and access to resources that LGBT adults
have. Of course, they think, as all youth do, that the world
started when they became conscious of their surroundings
and that older people meddle.
When LGBT aduits and youth work together. talk
together, and move forward together while valuing each
other's experiences and opinions, a true bridae can be
built. What this study shows, what Kerry's achievements
show, and what the work of anyone who has done
organizing in the LGBT community shows is that ciear,
respectful, inclusive communication is the key to breaking
down this generation gap and moving our community
forward.
Page20
... year event organizers wiil welcome g
.. play ball and dance the night away. .
•· .bas.eball ouffit and come to play h.ard
. fec1tur~s.prizei;, food and fun. Tiokets
· aHheTulsa GLBT Community Center
around the city $15 Advance and $20 Altf.i€f
the Sleeping Beauty is an enchanting
choreographed by Russian
Marius Petipa, who worked
· Tchail<pvi5,ky:. Tchail<ovsky
he compg~ed the bctllet hi
, his benefactress; Mme.
poetic, s~ in~pir~tidn~I to c .....
··by .it.# w'ijen it was. finisfiecfin.
3,000 rubles and a bonus of 2 .. -_ ,:·.. . /··- ·-- ,.
such an excellent
ut
b ,.
)
Liz Highleyman
FEBRUARY
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.
What was Germany's
Paragraph 175?
In eff~ct to~ ~or~ than a century, Germany's Paragraph
175, which cnminahzed homosexual activity between
men, sent thousands to their deaths and ruined the lives
of countless others.
In 1871. King Wilhelm I instituted a new penal code
after unifying several kingdoms to create the country of
Germany. Taken from the old 1794 Prussian code.
Paragraph 175 made "unnatural fornication between
persons of the male sex or by humans with animals"
punishable by imprisonment; the law never applied to
women.
Paragraph 175 was repeatedly debated by legislators
and opposed by early gay rights pioneers such as Karl
Heinrich Ulrichs and Magnus Hirschfeld. Arguing that
homosexuals should not be punished for their innate
nat~re, Hirschfeld gathered 6,000 petition signatures
against the law. In early 1898, Social Democratic Party
leader August Babel introduced a repeal measure before
the Reichstag, but it failed by a large margin.
During the Weimar Republic era, a burgeoning queer
subculture developed in Berlin and other German cities.
Yet even during the "roaring '20s," some 1,000 men were
arrested under Paragraph 175 each year. In 1929. a
Reichstag judiciary. committee recommended liberalizaton
of the iaw, but the changes were still pending when Adolf
Hitler was appointed chancellor in January 1933.
Espousing traditional values and exploiting the oub!ic's
existing prejudices and fear of social change, Hitler soon
?onsolidated his poiitica! control. According to the Nazi
ideology of ~ationalism and racial superiority,
homosexuality was a symptom of decadence and a
danger to the state because it did not lead to procreation.
But the Nazis' homosociai cult of masculinity attracted
considera~!e su~picion. A?cusations of homosexuality
were empioyed in turf batties between various Nazi
factions, and were used by political opponents to discredit
the regime.
Hitler banned homosexual organizations, ordered the
closure of nig~tclubs that catered to gay men, 1esbians.
and transvestites, and haited the sale of publications with
h?_mophile or sexual content. The regime encouraged
c1t1zens to denounce suspected homosexuals, cultivated a
network of informants, and forced arrested men to name
others. An untold number of queer men and women went
into hi?ing, entered sham marriages, emigrated to safer
countries, or committed suicide.
In June 1935, the Nazis imposed a stricter version of
Paragraph 175, subjecting any man who "commits lewd
and lascivious acts with another male," or "permits himself
to be abused" for such acts, to 10 years of penal servitude.
In section 175a, the revised law defined forced sex sex
with a dependent or subordinate, sex with a youth ~nder
age 21, and prostitution as "severe lewdness " while
sect!_on 175b prohibited bestiality. Previously,' "unnatural
acts· had usually been interpreted as anal or oral
intercourse, but the revision prohibited any type of
homoerotic interaction. In the ensuing years, convictions
for homosexuality increased ten-fold, reaching a peak of
more t~an 8,500 in 1938, and an estimated 100,000 during
the entire Nazi era.
. While m~st men convicted of homosexuality were held
m regular prisons, others - especially repeat offenders -
were remanded to "preventive custody." Some received
reduced sentences if they agreed to undeigo castration. B
one estimate, between 5,000 and 15,000 men accused of
h?mosexuali_ty were sent to concentration camps,.where
about two-thirds died.
In the camps, these men were marked with the letter
"A," a bla?k dot, the number "175," or a pink triangle. They
were subJected to harsh conditions, including forced labor
in quarries and munitions factories. Former inmate Heinz
H~ger iater_told how he was made to watch a young gay
prisoner being tortured by drunken SS guards. who
sodomized him with a broomstick. Pierre Seei' saw his
lover Jo ripped to shreds by dogs. Some "175ers" were
used in medical experiments, including infection with
typhus fever and implantation of testosterone capsules to
"reverse hormonal polarity."
In April 1945, Allied forces defeated the Nazi regime,
but the ordeal was not over for men charged with
homosexuality. The Allied Military Government sent some
to regular prisons, while others were freed and later rearrested.
In 1950, East Germany reverted back to the pre-
1935 version of Paragraph 175, and the law was
eliminated in 1988. West Germany retained the Nazi
version untii 1969; the law was revised in 1973 to
criminalize only sex with minors under age 18. Paragraph
175 was voided entirely on March 10, 1994, when East an
West German laws were reconci_led following reunification.
For many years following World War 11, homosexual
~urvivors of the Nazi regime remained invisible, largely
oecause homosexuality was still iliegal. Not only weie thev
d~nied reparations, but many found it difficult to obtain jobs
with Paragraph 175 convictions on their record. With the
success of the gay rights movement in the 1980s and
1990s, however, some survivors began to speak out and
demand justice. On May 17, 2002, the German parliament
pardon~d all men convicted under Paragraph 175 during
the Nazi era - of whom only a handful were still alive - but
ieft intact an equal number of convictions imposed betwee;
1946 and 1969.
.... continued rio:xt page.
The Ozarks STAR since 2003
Past Out:
"I suspect that some people prefer to remain silent
forever, afraid to stir up the hideous memories," Pierre
Seel said a few years before his death in November 2005
at age 82. "As for myself, after decades of silence, I have
made up my mind to speak, to accuse, to bear witness."
For further information:
Epstein, Rob, and Jeffrey Friedman. 2000 (documentary).
_Paragraph 175_ (Telling Pictures).
Heger, Heinz. 1980, 1994. _ The Men with the Pink
Triangle: The True, Life-and-Death Story of Homosexuals
in the Nazi Death Camps_ (Alyson).
Grau, Gunter, and Claudia Schoppmann (eds). 1995.
_Hidden Holocaust?: Gay and Lesbian Persecution in
Germany, 1933-1945_ (Cassell).
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Nazi
Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945." Online exhibit
at www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/hsx.
, '<< •" '
As Valentine's Day approaches we begin to plan that
special surprise for that special someone (or to find that
special someone).
This months recipe is perfect for a quite romantic
evening. It worked well on my fifth husband and I have
· the bling to prove it! It's pink, festive and a bit tropical, a
perfect seduction specimen for a fun evening with that
heart throb. Try popping an old classic movie into the ....
DVD and sipping this love potion with some tasty snacks.!
You may be amazed at the results. ·
VALENTINE COLADA
1 1./2 oz. dark rum
1 oz. cream of coconut
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. cranberry juice
• 1. Fill mixing glass with ice .
.. 2. Add rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and cranberry
ewell.
r into a highball glass filled with ice and garnish
• with a cheny.
Fort.he virgin version, simply leave out the rum. But
.· ·don't expect the same results.
· Love and cheers to all. Have a very successfui and
happy Valentine's Day.
Photo's by Chaz
Advice Column!
February 2006
Salutations Kittens Once more too Unc!e Mikey's take on
all things Queer. February here again, bringing us
another chance at being a twinkle in that someone's
special eye, this Valentines Day. While some believe in
saying it with roses, Uncle has aiways been fond of
unconventional tokens of affection. A bouquet of flavored
lubes and massage oils always brought a iittle warmth
my way. Yes, however you choose to say I love you, or
what was your name again, whatever the case may be,
Tis the month of lovin'. Let's see what others have on
their mind this chilly February.
Dear Uncle Mikey.
I am seriously thinking of asking the man I have been
with for a year now to marry me. I know a lot of guys do
not think even a commitment ceremony means much
since we lack the rights as those in the straight world;
however. I truly am in love with this man. He has brought
so much into my life, and I am ready to settle down and
spend my life with him alone. How should I pop the
question?
Ready to Pop
Dearest Jiffy,
Kitten, have you come to the right place. You know you
just would not believe how many times I have used that
line. The key to a successful proposal is romance. This
is a serious question in which you want to convey the
intense love and commitment you hold for this person.
Personalize the moment with an activity you two share,
making it an unforgettable moment in time, one the two
of you will always share. Most of all do convey the love
you have in your heart for him. Ali other matters will fall
into place. Smooches_ Uncle Mikey
Uncles third husband popped at the bathhouse. Imagine
my surprise in the shower room, when he handed me
that shiny steel ring. That was a night, I will never forget.
I asked the gentleman I was entertaining in that moment
to hold the ring while I rewarded that man of mine. It was
a night the three of us never did forget. I swear I get all
misty just thinking of it.
Uncle Mikey,
I am twenty-four years old and an avid fan of the rodeo. I
want to work the circuit one day. However, none of my
friends shares my lust for the pastime and they give me a
hard time for it. I do not care for club hoping or the typical
gay lifestyle. How can I show them the pride and
adventure of this lifestyle?
Rodeo boy
Dear Rodeo Boy,
Kitten, the rodeo is an adventuresome good time.-You
cannot allow others to dictate your likes and dislikes.
Sometimes a man must stand-alone for what he desires
or believes in. If you want them to except your choices,
than you must have a solid conviction, which will magnify
your confidence through inner self. Uncle has loved
many a cowboy in his time, and yes, Virginia the south
will rise again! Saddle up young one its rodeo time.
Smooches Uncle Mikey
Uncle Mikey,
I feei like no one in the gay world understands me. I am
looking for someone to share my life. I want someone
who can find contentment in loving only one. I have been
hurt so many times, and so many men have walked over
me using me as their doormat. I do not think there are
truly any monogamous men left in the world, no wonder
the straight world sees us the way they do. We bring it on
ourselves. Am I the only one seeing this?
Tired of being gay
Dear Zinfandel,
Darling, may I offer you some serious to go with that
Wine? Sweetheart and I say this with all of the love in
Uncles heart, (taxes and fees not included. Excluded in
some states), you have to stop sounding like such a
victim if you truly want people to stop treating you as
though.! mean just by the time I finished your words; I
was ready to sleep with your best friend and steal your
escalade. Sometimes we must heip ourselves before we
can look or expect others to see us for who we really are
beneath the emotional mess we have allowed ourselves
to become. Of course, uncle means you by us. as I am
too fabulous to aliow victimization here. It sounds as if
you seriously need a makeover. Also, one last matter.
Kitten, we are not being gay. We are gay, don't allow
. ... comim,ed next page.
The Ozarks STAR since 2003 Page26
Ask Uncle Mikey:
self-loathing to become the next cross you carry.
Smooches- Uncle Mikey
Well Kittens, I fear I have just exhausted myself. i must
refresh, maybe have a twinky or two. You know, I am a
manabectic. It is important prescribed by my personal
physician of love, that I keep my romantic strength up.
Yea, that is it. Proving my love for Queerdom one man at
a time-Next!
Smooches Uncle Mikey and Tiddles too!
Want more of Mikey? Visit Mikey's corner at
www.askunclemikey.com. Freelance writer Michael
Hinzman, joining communities throughout Queerdom. ..
1 / 1 2TH PAGE CLASSIFIED AD SPACE
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To Be Or Not To Be
Oklahoma City Theater company presents Shakespear's
twisted comedy A Midsummer Nights Dream running
through Fe_bruary 19th• Catch performances on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday's at 8 pm, Sundays at 2
pm. Shakespeare's comedy about two couples in love
with the wrong partners, and how they are finally brought
together rightly, thanks in part to the bungiing work of
Puck, Shakespeare's famous mischievous fairy. Chaos
abounds in this most famous of Shakespeare plays. For
more information and ticket prices check out
http://www.okctheatrecompany.org/
Valentine Dinner for Two
"Shrimp Pilaf Florentine"
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 small red bell pepper chopped.
3 green onions chopped.
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 1 /2 cups ORZO
2 teaspoons fresh dill weed.
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 can chicken broth.
1 cup water.
2 cups shredded spinach.
10 oz frozen cooked shrimp, thaw and remove tails.
1i4 cup fresh grated Romano cheese.
Heat oil over medium heat, add bell peppers, onions and
garlic until ·vegetables are tender. Stir in past, dill weed,
lemon pee! chicken i::imti~ and water. Heat to boiling,
:·educe heat. cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes unti\ pasta
:s tender. Stir in sr::inacl1 and snrinm. Cook 2-3 rn;nutes
:i,ore Plate it 2nd spri,·1<:!e 'ii!th Romano cheese. Serve with
;.i\vocado r1alves.
Tf,e Ozarks STAR .since
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
FEBRUARY 2006
''Trust your instincts, Aries!"
The Jupiter-Neptune square of late January continues
until April 6. That opens us to philosophical mysteries and
intuitive knowledge. It also invites ill-considered
experiments with drugs, and codependent excess. This
week, the Sun and Mercury conjoin Neptune, offering
some clarity on how you can make these next few months
more positive.
ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Are friends taking advantage
of you - or vice versa? There is a difference between
"benefits" and exploitation! In a generally confusing
period, this is the time to trust your instincts. Difficult
actions should be taken right now.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Relationships with
colleagues are going to be tricky for a while, and you may
easily be taken advantage of. Now is your time to be clear
about what you want and what you can rightfully expect.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): You can't win any arguments
now, but you can heed the arguments of others to see
where your own reasoning could stand improvement.
Ideals need not be rational, but how you spell them out
must be.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): The stars promise fantasy
sex - but is it your dreams coming true, or just all in your
dreams? Being openly playful with your partner is easy -
up to a point - but you need to articulate your secret
desires if you want them to be fulfilled!
LEO (July 23 - August 22): The next few months are
generally confusing with regard to your relationships.
Family traditions offer insights, but there will be more
confusion along the way. What you learn right now in this
moment of clarity can help you through the upcoming
muddle.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): The rest of this
winter sees you being very vulnerable to infections -
anything from sniffles on up. Be careful whom you play
with and how! Now is the time to see where your weak
spots are and how to care for yourself better.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Can you afford your
amusements? This is the time to get creative and figure
out more economicai pieasures. Harness your talents,
and your fun need not seem extravagant. it could even
prove lucrative.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21 ): Family problems
loom large. First question: Who (or what) really is your
"family"? Second question: Why? Those aren·t easy to
answer, but this week offers clear insights to start working
from.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): A door to
the Twilight Zone has opened in your brain, and will be
around until April. If you need help coping, ask a Pisces
friend. Now is the time to articulate things that wil! at other
times be very hard to express.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): This is the time
to clear through any financial muddle. The next few months
are going to be a monetary maze, so get what insights you
can right now. They will help you get through the rest of it.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Who are you?
What are you? You're used to others wondering, but now
_you're_ in a season of quandary. New insights and
answers this week will open up more questions, but they'll
be better questions than the ones you're struggling with
now.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Inside your head is a
dangerous place for you to be, even at the best of times.
Now there's a light in that darkness. What you figure out
now may be key to solving the next few months of relative
confusion.
You can find copies of the
STAR at these 4 states
business & organizations.
ARKANSAS KANSAS OKLAHOMA
Arkansas, Eureka Springs
Diversity Pride EYem - - www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's fa·e View- - 36 N. Main- -479-253-02(10
CaribeRestaurante- -309 \X' VanBuren-- 253-8102
Henri's- -19 1 /2 Spring St - 4-;9.253.5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill-105 E VanBuren- -253-0400
MCC Lidng Spring - - 870-253-9337
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Condom Sense - -418 \'C Dickson- -479-444-6228
Curry's Video 612 N. College :\ve- 479-521-0009
Pass~ges 930 N. College Ave- - - - - - 479-442-5845
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinke2ds- 1004 1/2 Garrison A,·e- 479-783-9988
Red Rock Citv 917 K "A'" St. 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
_Jesters Lounge 1010 E. Grand :\vc -501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street -lll21 Jessie Rd-
Diatnond Srntc Roden As.soc.Discovery-
- i021 Jessie Rd-
- - -5( 11-664-2744
\·n\~,v.dsra.org
- -50 i -666-6900
Sidetracks - 415 ~lam St -k LR.- Slll-244-0444
The Factory -'112 Louisiana St.- -501-372-3070
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- - 1701 S. Bro3dway- -
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Club Glacier 2828 E. 31st Sc,mh 316-612-9331
J's Lounge - 513 E. Central 316-262-1363
Our Fantas;·- - - - 3201 S, Hillside- - -316-682-5-,94
The Otherside- -447 N. St Francis- - 316-262-7825
Sharai 4000 S. Broacl\1.:ay- - .316-522--2028
Sidcstreet I\lens Bar -1106 S. Pattie- - -316-267-0324
South 4(1 - 3201 S. Hillside -'16-682-5494
Trends Bar - -15(17 S. Pawnee- - - ::' I 6-262-<l53C
Missouri, Ava
CanJs C,!:1yon Catnpgrc,und
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- 716S.i\iain
Missouri, Kansas Ci~ (816}
Missouri, Lampe
K( )K( ):,.1() C::,mpJ!rnund # ..
MISSOURI
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- -424 Boom·ille A,·e- - --417-831-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- -518 E. Commerical- -869-3978
Liquors & Kickers- -1109 E. Commercial-8-:'3-2225
il!arrha's Vineyard- 219 \X" Olh-e - 417-864-4572
Priscilla's - - 1918 S. Glenstone 417-881-8444
Oz Bar - 504 E. Commercial - - - - 417-831-9001
Ronisuz Place- - --821 College- - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, McAlester
J\!cPride- - POBox 1515, McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
Boom Room- 2807 NW 36th St- - - - -405-601-7200
Club Rox- -3535 N\X" 39th Expwy - 405-947-2351
Cristies Toy Box- 3126 N. May Ave - 405-946-4438
Finish Linc -2200 N\X' 39th Expwy- - 405-525-0730
G,1shcrs Restaurant-2200 N\X' 39Exp405-525-0730
HolkwoodHotel- 3535 t'I\X' 39th Ex- 405-947-2351
Habana Inn - 2200 !'l\\" 39th Exp- - 405-528-2221
Hi-Lo Club - 122! N\X' SOrh- -405-843-1722
Juni!k Red$ - - - 2200 NW" Expwy- 405-524-5733
P.:rrncrs- - -2805 N\X" 36th St 405-942-2199
Priscilb's- 615 E. Memorial -405-755-8600
Red Rock North-2240 N\X'39th St- - -405-525-5165
Sisters- - 2120 N\'\' 39th St - - - - -405-521-9533
The Rockies- - -32!11 N. May Ave - - - 405-947-9361
Top.mg.1 Grill & Bar- 3535 NW 39th-- 405-947-2351
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- 7204 E. Pine - - -- 918-836-8700
Club :\lajc<tic- 124 N. Boston 918-584-9494
Club Ma,·crick- 822 $. Sheridan - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks - 8807 E. Admiral Pl -834-1051
Eii1e Bookstore --814 S. Sheridan- - 918-838-8503
GLBT Comn1. Ctr- -5545 E. 41st- -
I lidn.,·ay Lounge-11730 E. 11th-
\lidtov;n- 319 E. 3rd-
N1te Spot - -3(,l)7 E. Admirnl Pi
Pnscilla·, -,925 E. 41st
5634 \X Skdh·
P:tiscilla's - -11344 F·:. ti th
918-743-4297
-918-'137-0449
918-584-3112
918-834-30()7
-9 i 8-627-4884
- - -918-446-63<1,
-9 l 8--!38-422'1
-9 18--199-1661
1649 S. \lain - - - - 9i8-585-3405
Ti.l!',a EagkT::'..:
T\
i~3B F. 3rd
21 ;.j S. ~lc,n::rial-
- - J18-"J2-l !B8
-918-660-0856
918-829-0824
918-203-0304
Business or Organizations wishing to distribute FREE copies of the STAR,
contact us at 918.835.7887 9am to 4pm mon - fri or email: ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
Page29
ti"FS .
. ·Qrhood
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HIDEAWAY
11730 E. 11th· Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
now 12noon to 2am
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open 6am to 2pm mon - sat.
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PAGE 32 THE STAR FEBRUARY 2006
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T
H
E
Dublin Core
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Title
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[2006] The Star Magazine, February 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 2
Date
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February 01, 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
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Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
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Star Media, Ltd
Format
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PDF
Language
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English
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Contributor
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C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Asterovis
John Patrick
Matt Brooks
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Libby Post
Paula Martinac
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Andrew Hicks
Chaz
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
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The Star Magazine, January 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 1
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/227
The Star Magazine, March 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 3
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/239
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/226
10 keys to happiness
A Couple of Guys
Bamboo Lounge
Battle of the Sexes
Bitter Girl
Brokeback Mountain
Business and organizations
Cartoon
Christopher Meloni
classifieds
Club Majestic
Gay Games
Heart to Heart
HIV regimen
HIV/AIDs
Jake Gyllenhaal
Lesbian Notions
Past Out
Q Scope
Shrimp Pilaf Florentine
Star Scene
Uncle Mikey
vacation
Valentine Colada
Valentine's Day
-
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a073bb24c0afc100d73e5cb123f7b05e
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d43ff5f9547bf3c3190d8bc89ef17b2d
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magazine
Text
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Sco,tt Crow, lVlanag.ing .. 0'£u~ker
~CG·raw Davisson ;Stewa,rt, Realtors.
- - 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
To Eurelm. S~s. Amensas
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For detalla & other DIVERSITY Info:
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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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NEEDLES!
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
Testing the last Sunday of each
month between 5PM and 6PM.
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PO Box 4711
Joplin, Mo 64803
Sunday Service 6PM
Your Invited to our Community_
Dinner !,very _Wed. just $4.U0.
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.
8
15
22
29
9 10
16 17
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
states
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
THE
STAR
.CALL F'CR RATES
91 B.B:35.7Bl;S7
or email: ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
Delivering Quality, Value, Integrity and
1tUst in Affordable Advertising Service.
"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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Title
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[2006] The Star Magazine, January 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 1
Date
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January 01, 2006
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
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Star Media, Ltd.
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Star Media, Ltd
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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
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PDF
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English
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magazine
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
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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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https://history.okeq.org/items/show/227
advertisement
Anti Gay Foster Care Ban
Arkansas Supreme Court
Aunt Mattie
Brokeback Mountain
Business and organizations
cartoons
Corralled
Cruises
Crystal Meth
Elton John
Fiesta Party Dip
Ford Motor Co.
Gardening Tips
Gay Matrimony
Group Sex
Heart to Heart
HIV/AIDs
Kirsten Grey
Kriss Kohl
Lesbian Notions
Medicaid Cuts
Miss Oklahoma
Past Out
Q Scope
Quotable Quotes
Short Stories
Star Scene
Uncle Mikey
vacation
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4
CONGRATULATIONS
To Our Tulsa Pride Festival
Give-A-Way WINNERS!
TULSA, OK_ \Xlhat a rantastic turn out for Tulsa Pride held June
10, 2006. In spite of the sweltering heat thouFands turned out to
celebrate Tulsa's "Pride Not Prejudice" Festival. Thanks to th& hundreds
who stopped by the STAR booth to say hello and to those
who entered our Pride Give-A-Way drawing.
The $40.00 Gift Certificate donated by Earl Wheeler of Glenpool
Flowers and Gifts in Glenpool, OK who has served the Tulsa
Metro area for 22 years went to Tom Votaw of Tulsa.
A 540.00 Gift Certificate from St. Michael's Alley Restaurant, a
wonderful dining experience located at 3324L E. 31st Street in Tulsa
was won by Da\·id Bryan of Tulsa.
The RCA DVD Player contribution from Michael Leach and the
STAR went ro Aaron Christensen of Tulsa. Thank you 1ficnael for
all your help and contributions.
Ralph Smith's name was drawn for the free 1 year subscription ;:o
the STAR.
*
( 1 ) - 6
l2roudly serving 1UJsa & OKCls (Jl.,B''f communities since 198
Arkansas & Oklahoma's Most Read GLBT Magazine.
Stonwall
Responds to lnhofe
· "No Gay" Claims
(\'.\'edm.:sday,June -::, 200:j)
"As you see here, and I think this is
maybe the most important prop we'll
have during the entire debate, my wife
and I have been married 47 years.
We have 20 kids and grandkids. I'm
really proud to say that in the recorded
history of our family, we've never had
a divorce or any kind of homosexual
relationship."
-United States Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
"Championing family values means more
than repeating rhetoric. It means that we
must value ail members of the American
family," said Jo Wyrick, NSD Interim Executive
Director. "I remember being taught
by scripture that love is kind, it does not
boast. Unfortunately, the Senator's words
were nor kind and through his boasting,
Senator Inhofe has further demonstrated
that Republicans are choosing to only offer
political rhetoric designed to appease campaign
donors rather than serve to actually
secure the stability of the family."
Senator Inhofe made his statements late
yesterday on the floor of the United States
Senate as pan of a Republican effort to
lobby public opinion on the issue of the
Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA)
which the Senate will vote on today. The
measure is expected to fail, and is opposed
by the majority of Americans according to
recent opinion polls.
Tnis is not the first time tha~ Senator Inhofe
i:tas issued aggressive anti-gay srarements
from the Senate. In 2004, the Republican
from Oklahoma made it clear to reporters
that he ·.,ouid never hire an openly-gay
Republican. Responding to allegations rhat
a member of his staff was g:w, Senator
Inhofe toid the C:iicagc Trib~.ne that the
allegations were fab:e since he wouldn'~ hire
a gay applicant .a due to the possibility of a
conflict of agenda.''
J\i2ny prornioent Republicans have been
noted t(J include openly-gay members
of their imn1ediate family including 1/ice
and
Alan Keyes.
the STAR 5
What Does Pride
Mean to You?
Every June, the debate begins: Is Gay Pride still imponant? Do we
need the parades and festivals? Is a month to celebrate homosexualitv
really necessary? Many claim that these public dispiays of all
thi~gs ga)· do more· harm than good. Yet, in these times of widespread,
government-sanctioned homophobia, pride events are more
popular rhan ever. What gives?
The simple answer may be that pride is empowering. Many gays
and lesbians feel isolated in a heterosexual world, bur pride eYents
remind rhem that the\· are far from alone. Being surrounded by
thousands of other p~ople like them is an affirming feeling.
The answer really isn't that simple, rhough. The truth is pride means
different thine:s ro different people. Pride doesn't last for only one
monrh a vear ~and it isn't always about waYing a rainbow flag. \'l~'ith
this in mind, I decided to inte~iew four young, openly gay men.
The conversarions were informal and far from scientific, but I discovered
some interesting similarities in their answer~.
Ley came out between the ages of 13 and 14, Brandon at 14, Matt
at 15, andJonarhan at 17. All four boys reported that thefd always
;ust know rhev were gav from their earliest memories. "I ngured J • V 0
something was different around fifth grade," Ley explained, "but
didn't put a word ro it umil sixth or sevenrh grade, and didn'! accept
that it really applied to me unril eighth grade.''
Their experiences are far from unique. According to Caitlin Ryan,
director of adolescent health initiative~ at San Francisco State
Universirv, who is conducting a long-term study of gay, lesbian, and
bisexual youths and their families, the average age for coming out
is dropping at a rapid rate. For many years, most gay men came out
between the ages of 19 and 23. Some srndics report that age has
dropped ro 14, and it's getting younger ail tl>e time.
A recent Time Magazine article offered more insight. Forty vears
ago, most gay males said they knew :hey were gay at age 14. Mal?
teens today say they've known since they were at least 10 years old.
What bro ugh~ about tJ::iis drastic drop? Experts disagrez on_ t~e
details, but most agree it's a resuit of incrca5ed exposure. K;cts are
aware of what it means to be gay much car:ier today ti1an m d:e
past. That means, as Ley described, they are able to put a name to
their feelings of being differe<J~ at rou!1ger ages.
:\fatt said he had labeled himself ··gav'' by the time he was 10. Still,
e"',rcn in his case "lvherc he had no quahns about gay, it rook
him five vcars to come out \'\fhy th<: delay?
E,\'en though kids are ccnning to terms '\.Vith their sexuality a.t n1uch
:~,:~~~: :::~, (:~,:~:;: t::!~onside/~h:
1
;i!:::;~:~e,:/f it's s~;;:n~:r
and fan1ily., thlnk ho\\' rnuch harder it is for a young teen. ,..rhc
prospect of getting kicked our of your horne ar t".vel .. \,~t· or thirteen i~:.
rnuch more young
"! was just sick of holding the secret in;' Matt told me. "It felt like
a giant weight on my shoulders that was constantly forcing me to
lie and cheat the people I loved. I finally cold myself that people's
opinion of me might change, but only for the better. The friends
that I might iose (which happened ro be none, rhankfully), would
nor be missed because they obviously did not love me in the way
that I loved them.''
Jonathan, who brags he was almost kicked out of first ~ade for
kissing a boy, came out for similar reasons he wanted to be honest
with his friends about who he was dating. "I didn't want to be
someone who couldn't be happy about a date and giggle with my
friends because I wasn't out. I wamed rhem to cheer me on, and tell
me that it ,vas gonna be fun, and ask me questions about the guy."
Brandon boiled it all down to a simple: "It just felt right."
The key to each of these boys coming out at such an early age was
pride. They were confident enough in who they were to share that
with those around them. W1rnt I found most interesting, however,
was the way pride :neant something slightly different to each of
them.
To Ley, it meant not being scared ro be who you are.
for Brandon, being proud meant standing up for a worthy cause.
To him. pride was more about celebrating our accomplishments and
looking forward to where we want w be.
Jonathan took a more personal approach. "Pride means living life
- with all its obstacles and hardship and stereotypes and still have
the abil.itv to look in the mirror and tell yourself that you're still
here. No· matter who vou love or what brand of clothing you use to
define yourself, nothi~g can change you. You are you -- and if I can
say that to myself, that's pride."
Matt's response perhaps best sums up the changing attitudes about
pride. "Pride, for me, is a very important thing. No matter what
asoect it is, you have ro be proud of who you are. If they had
an' "Americ~n Mutt" Pride Month, or a "Brown Hair and Brown
Eves" Pride Month, I'd be out waving my flag. Gay Pride Month
i/no different. It's ;us;: another aspect of myself, a tiny portion of
·Nhat makes me unique. r\ lot of peopie don't see the necessiry of
gav pri~11 e b ecausc 1· r t,s e1' rh er too out t h ere (.t o o queeny, •, oo " g ay " ,
wi1atever), or it's not necessary because throwing a rainbow flag
around doern't accomplish anything. Bu~ being proud of who you
a:e is1,'t nccessarilv about proactively accorr:plishing something. h's
about letting the public know that you are happy with yourself aad
cvernl:ing about \"<>u. But it's not reaiiy about other peop:e I'm
1Jro,~d of ·:,,.+10 I a~. reg-ardless oi h<Jw others feel. Cnfortunatdy,
I\·~ become ·-:en· mud; rer:10.-ed from a lot of the "traditioaal'' gay
pnde. l no longer attend the meetings of the Pride 1\lliance at my
... nor d\) I 1;articioate in the Pride Parades. lt's not that Pm no
longer proud -- l;elt I'~ here and I'rn queer, baby! Ifs much more
ab(;{Jt the fiicr that rm at a po1nt in 1ny life .., vhere rm trying to ~:~);:~:;n other ~::~:.~c;:~~:dl~;:s;:~·r!:Y:~:~ll:,!;}~t;~~;v~~~~ ::~ ;;~~
,..
0 Advettising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Heart to Heart
Pride means many things to different
people. The parades and festivals are still
meaningful to many, while others prefer a
more personal approach. \Vhatever it means
to you, find a way to celebrate it!
* Tulsa Rough
Riders Fundraise
For AIDS.
TULSA, OK_Tulsa Rough Riders through
various fund-raising events during ;:he
month of June raised $236.00 for charity.
The events proceeds will be given to St.
Joseph Residence organization of Tulsa. St.
Joseph Residence is an assisted living cemer
for low income people living with AIDS.
The group presented the proceeds to the
Director of St. Joseph Residence during
Pride Month 2006.
Tulsa Rough Riders recently presented
"colors" to the Tulsa Eagle, making it
the "HOME" bar for the club. \'fay to go
RoughRiders!!!!
"Homophobia is
a crime,"
An estimated 2.4 miliion peopie took to
the streets of Sao Paulo (wer :he weeicenci
to celebra:e the Brazilian city's 10th annua]
Gay Pride paracie, the Associated Pres~
reported.
l~he thetne for this year's event \Vas ''J:iomophobia
i~ a ,. to highiight propo,ed
anti-discrin1ination la~.vs. Discritnination is
still widespread across Brazil. Eighty-enc
Brazilians '\Vere ki!led 1a~t ';:,7ear because of
their sexual orientation} activ'"ists say,
Proposed la,;;vs vlou]d aHo\v san1e-sex civil
uni~ns throughout Brazil; are nu\1,~
permitted ortly in the southernmost state of
Rio CJrande do Sul.
Salt Lake City
Police Set Up
Recruiting Booth
at Gay Pride Event.
by Tonya Papanikolas
SALT LAKE CI1Y, UT_From baton-like
performers to floats that encouraged wlerance,
the Gay Pride parade was a colorful
affair.
"The parade is a chance for people to get
up and express who they are in a very public
way."
Law enforcement agencies were there not tO
keep the crowd under control, rather they
used the festival as a recruiting wol.
For severai years now, police officers and
gay community members have joined
together to work on a public safety committee
that addresses issues of understanding
between the two groups, but this is the first
time police agencies have formally recruited
at a Gay Pride event.
Police officers told us they've traditionally
been weak in recruiting from the gay
and lesbian community and they want this
community w feel comfortable with law enforcement.
To do that, they say gay, lesbian,
bisexual and cransgender people need to be
represented.
The Gav Pride Festival ar the Citv and
County ·building boasted music, food and
a lot of different vendors. This year, police
officers wanted a booth.
Capt. Kyle Jones, Salt Lake Police Department:
"The iirsr purpose is to let the gay
and lesbian communitV know that police departmen~
s in this valley are gay-friendly. Our
:,econci purpose is to do some recruiting."
Seven different police departments and
dispatch centers sent representatives to give
out information and talk t0 people about
iobs manv in the g·;r,1 and lesbian community
have traditionaliy·;b\ed av.-:-ay from or feit ~
locked out of.
Brian Reeder: ''The police force, it's gener~
lly somethi?g y::;u don~t _fe~l is frien~ly rt)
the gay< and 1esb1an populanon. But tney
seern to be. S<J that7s a
Capt.. Kyie Jones: "I think t'.1ere's an impression
that police officers are homophobic.
Years ago that may have been the case,
but it's not tl1e case now.''
The booth drew a lot of people curious to
see what police were doing there.
Todd Crane: "I think it's awesome. I think
we need to have more community im-olvement
with the police."
Others were truiy interested in law enforcement
jobs. Terry Reid: "I'd apply. I'd apply
for a dispatcher."
Brian Reeder: "Now that I know they're
willing to openly accept gay and lesbian
people, it's definitely a career option I
wouldn't rule out."
Terry Reid: "I applaud them. That's great.
That is great. I think we need to break down
these walls and get diversity"
The police departments say the more gay
and lesbian officers they have working for
them, the more the gay community will feel
its issues are represented. Police want ro
send a clear message.
Capt.. Kyle Jones: "We don't care about
who you are or who your partner is. We care
about, can you do good police work?"
The festival coordinator said that the Gay
Pride movement began in New York in
1969 when gay people got fed up with
police harassment in bars and started rioting
and fighting back. So, he said to haYe officers
here at the Festival this year sho-ws how
far the reiationship has come.
*
Quotable Quotes
In ]\iash-,-ille, 16 billboards went up \Vtth
this quote: '-(Jay and lesbian people have
families, and their families should haYe
protections, v.rhether by marriage or civil
union. :\ constitmionai amendment banning
sarne~sex marriages is a forrn of g;.1y bashing,
and it '\Vou}d do ar all ro ntotect
traditional marriages."' ...... .
Coretta Scott King 2004
theSTAR 7
Con atulation to andy Cayne,
MISS OKLAHOMi\ CONTINENTAL 2006-20070
by Greg Steele
Photo's by Chaz
; .::::::/ ,:,
0;.f)6ti~·}J~
. TULSA, OK_Held at Club Majestic in Tulsa, OK, this years
· · Miss Oklahoma Continental pagaent wasn't just another
· drag show. With the Eiffel Tower as a back drop, the show
. had a definite Gay Parisian theme. The opening number
· displayed more feathered ladies than the Moulin Rouge.
.. It was quite spectacular! The five contestants competed
· in four categories. Talent, Swimwear, Evening Gown and
Question-Answer.
Kandy
. · Cayne, a native
Tulsan residing
in Dallas, TX
swept three of
· the four catego-
. ries with Mendigan
!man Star
winning a well
deserved talent
· trophy.
Mendigan Iman
Star from Arkan-
. sas won First Alternate.
Second
Alternate winner
was Mya Mokha
· Iman from Oklahoma.
A special award was given to Tulsa's own Miss G~y
Oklahoma America 2006, Tabitha Tayior for the best
show production, an episode of Twisted Theatre. ·
Billed as the most fascinating pageant in Oklahoma, the
Miss Oklahoma Continental Pageant is open to contestants
from all states to compete. Contestants in this
years show hailed from Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
The pageant is a franchise of JF Enterprises of Chicago
Illinois and is in it's 27th year. Oklahoma Continental is
owned and operated by promoters James and Monica
Freeman of Tulsa.
If you missed this years show it will be avaiiable on DVD
soon. The 2004 and 2005 pageants are currently available
on DVD and can be purchased through the website
listed below,
Previous years Oklahoma Continental winners were:
Miss & Mr. Oklahoma Continental 2005 - 2006
Ebony Hall - Daniel Xavier
Miss Oklahoma Continental P!us 2004-2005
Domonique Daniels,
For more information visit the Miss Oklahoma Continental
website at: www.okcontinental.etechsolution.ca
Ph,;t;J L.·fL w Right. ;'\[iss Oklahoma r:cntmental 2005 !fall, ~\f1,,
( lldai1om:, Conrinentii 2006 "Kandy Cavne'·, ,'\,f1s, Continentai 0i2.::ionaL 21;!1!,
"Dunani(pe Shappelle"
NE DI
SPRING FIE
ION FOR
MO. PRIDE.
By Kay Massey
Springfield Pride Block Party, Photo by Teresa Goodrich.
BENTONVIILE, AR~The Northwest Arkansas (N\X'A) GLBT
Community Center, a newly formed community outreach organization
in Bentonville/Rogers, decorated their van for the drive from
Rogers, AR to Springfield, MO on June 18th to prove their community
pride, as ,;veil as to advertise Springfie!d1s Pride Festival tl1at
ended pride week "'Nith a bang . .l\. Block Par~y was staged on
Commercial street which is also the location of the Gay and Lesbian
Community Center of the Ozarks (GLO). The event was well
attended by over 2,000 people. There were drag Icing and queen
shows all day long. Some of the speakers addressing the crowd
were the Mayor of Springfield Thomas J.. Carlson and Midge Potts,
a transsexual running for US Congressional seat in Missouri's 7th
district against Roy Blunt, as well as many others.
'While all of the action was going on in the street, inside the Gay
and Lesbian Community Center of the Ozarks (GLO) a silent
auction was being held to financially support the Center. Another
fund raiser earlier in the week for the GLO Center, by Queen City
Cab3:tet. Queen City Cabaret brought in $8,000 for the community
center. The money will be used for the organization's operating
expenses.
The GLO Center took over the Annual Pride festival recentiy after
ShoMeMoPride, the previous organizer, went defunct and turned
the Festival over to the GLO Center. The GLO Center and Springfield
MO Pride coordinated efforts to put on one heck of a show
this year in support of Springfieid Pride.
NWA GLBT Community center had a large banner for e,eryone
in attendance to sign as a pledge of suppor: to t,'Je GLO Center
for the nexr 12 months. The banner was filled ',virh signatures by
attendees throughout the day and \Vas presented to the centers nev.r
Director Bill Harmon by Kay Mas$ey and CaroI Ri,;crs, Co-Directors
of the NWA GLBT Commi.:.nity Center, at the end of the
event. The banner ~~vill hang inside of the GLl) (:enter until next
:fear's Pride Event as a reminder of Pride 1n Springfield, and as a
pledge of support tcJ the GL() CenteL
Be seen with the SIAR, Advertise with us! 9
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
JULY 2006
TWO Is Better Than, "Won"!
If Wayne Besen has his way, the "ex-gay" myth will be no more.
The author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals
and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth_ launched a new organization
recently, Truth Wins Out (f\X'O), at the National Press Club in
\'vashington, D.C Named as a direct challenge to the Love Won
Out conferences sponsored by Focus on the Family, 1WO's mission
is to expose the lies and deceit of the "ex-gay" movement and to
strip the Radical Christian Right of its "love the sinner, hate the
sin" facade.
"The ex-gay ministry is the heart and the Achilles heel of the
Christian Right," Besen told me in a recent interview. "They use
these ministries - like Exodus International to shield their hate.
By [TWO] showing the ex-gay movement for what it really is, the
Christian Right wiil have to return to fire and brimstone. We want
Americans to know this is a hoax like selling swampland to senior
citizens in Florida. Right now it's a monologue, and they're doing all
the talking. We're going to make our ,·oices heard to the American
people loud and clear."
With the White House in the pocket of the Radical Christian Right,
the rhetoric of "ex-gayness" has become a GOP political truth.
\'vhen Bush held his press conference in early June to push for the
Marriage Protection Amendment, which would codifv discrimination
into the U.S. Constitution, Alan Chambers, Exoclus' president,
and Randy Thomas, its director of membership, stood by his side.
Their presence increased and solidified the political capital of their
lies and deception.
In a press release issued after being invited to the Wnite House but
before tl1e oress evem;,Chamoers said, "The lives of thousands of
former homosexuals, like me, verifv that homosexualitv is not an
immutable trait, therefore marriag; is not a civii right r~ be casuaily
granted to any group who demands it. Nor is it a rdationai right of
passage w Ix: awarded to those demonstrating a comrnitted, emotionai
bond. t;bmatdy. tbs debate is about nothing !es, than tile
preservation of future gcnerations.H
~' 01;1~one needs' :. ~o 1l et ('' • . • • 'd' r .. ~nam.bers 1n o~ a secret - \Ve~ve: bec~1 a~ 1ng
to tuture generations tor qu1te some nme no\V :and haYe r:.1.1sed son1e
~:,;:71~ek:1:s·s:~:;:>;;~~;l:::e:;,;;~~:~\
1~J1 ;(:~ !'.:;;~~:~:t:l~:~d
that deny gays and lesbian$ \vho are out and proud the abiJity to
\Valk do,vn the aisle? Belie\'(' rnc., I7rn for him Ch·1rnber~; i:.::
one of those folks \vhosc I,,(;J~T
re;.-okc iong ag<;,
10 the STAR
card I'd h,ri.'c liked to
But it seems to me that Chambers is realh- it!St a cioseted bisexual
clearly, he can do it with men and wom~:1, - and that's his prerogacive,
But by telling gay men and lesbians that we can enjoy "freedom
from homosexuality through the puv.rer of Jesus Cl:rist:' and bv
making a political crusade our of it, he has crossed ~t proYerbia:
line in the sand and needs to be met '.vith equal ferocity.
TWO and Besen are definitely up w that task.
"I think we need to get a lot more aggressive in tl1e movement,''
said Besen. "\Ve hai.e a tendency to ignore the attacks under the
premise of raking tl1e high road. I think our community is fed up
with being swift-boated [a referen,ce to how John Kerry's campaign
was sabotaged bv Republican operatives who claimed to be Viet
Nam vets and undermined the senator's war record].
"TWO is the group that will fight back. We'll make sure our community
cannot be collectively character-assassinated," said Besen.
"\Ve wam to be rhe war room for our movement to resnond to the
Radical Right." •
Right now, TWO is just Besen and some volunteers \vho soend
their rime researching and gathering the information they ~vill
need to continue to debunk rhe fallacy of ex-gayness. He intends
to move the operation to Washington, D.C., bur keep his-present
Miami office so he can maintain what he calls "the Florida turnpike
connection" between T\"(10 and Exodus' headquarters in Orlando.
Not wanting to become an LGBT organizational behemoth, 1WO
still needs to be supported by rhe community go to www.truthwinsout.
org, watch some of the unbelievable video clips of "ex-gay,"
born-again therapist Richard Cohen, and then click on "contribute"
and do the right thing.
"Truth Wins Out will put a laser-like focus on this issue things will
happen because we cause them to."
Spoken like a man who believes in the poy;er of the LGBT community
a power that still has not been fully realized, but with Besen's
help will stop the insanity of people nati!1g themselves because of
whom they love. When tl:at happem, then love and truth reallv do
win! ·
*
OKLAHOMA
JULY 25TH
DIVERSITY EEKEND
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Aug 4-6, 2006
Swiss, Holiday Resort
No Surprises Staying with , , , Rodeway Inn
Ozarks Family Owned!
Great Sunday - Thursday Rates
• Visitors center and area attraction ticket center
• jacuzzi king rooms for two • On-site weddings and
wedding packages ® Close to restaurants and
attractions • Small pets allowed • Family reunions
• Ozark Mountain Motorcycle Tours of popular area
destinations • Picnic and barbecue area • Group rates
and package plans • Church group packages available
• Friendliest atmosphere in Eureka Springs • Family
owned and operated• Trolley stop• Free tanning bed
for guests • Continental breakfast • Meeting room to
hold 80 with full kitchen • On-site massage therapy
center • Guest laundry • Center of all attractions
Call for toil free reservations:
1-8 - 4
P.O. Box 430 • Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
479-253-9501
www.eurekaspringsresort.com
the STAR 11
th" ampa~ n
New Epidemic
NEW YORK, NY_On rhe discovery of
AIDS 25th anniversary in June, the gay
community is grappling with a new epidemic
a dramatic increase in the use of what
many consider to be the most dangerous
drug in the United Stares Crystal Meth.
In an effort to combat abuse of this highly
addictive drug,
New York
City's Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual
& Transgender
Community
Center
(the Center)
announced
the launch
· of a new ad
campaign with
the message:
"Silence= Meth."
The phrase "Silence=Meth'' is a slightly
modified but equally haunting reinterpretation
of ACT UP's famous "Silence=Death"
campaign during the 1980s AIDS crisis,
when posters bearing the words
"Silence=Death'' were plastered throughout
New York City. The posters became a wakeup
call to action for those most vulnerable
to AIDS - gay and bisexual men.
"Twenty-five years ago our community refused
to be siiem about AIDS," said Richard
Burns, Executive Director of r;1e Center.
'Just as the ACT UP caippa;gn a;erted tl1e
gav community to AIDS in the 1980s and ✓ ✓
90s, the Ce;:iter's 'Silence=Meth' campaign
will focus attention on the danger of Crystal
Meth and what the entire community mt.st
do to he'.p prevent abuse and addiction to
,his drug."
1\ffecting all races, age~ and sexual onent:.1~
cions, <:rystal IV1eth is a po\\.·erful rnood •alteriag
stimulant that has been ~weeping
through com1nunitics across the United
States" In Niarch 2006, (~ongrcss passed the
(~ombat r"letharnphctamine 1\ct, ,..vhich restricts
the sale nf nver--the-courner coJd and
cant pseu<loephcdrinc~ an
12 the STAR
med to illegally manufacture Crysta! Meth.
Although seizures of "Moonshine Metn"
labs ha,-e slowed slightly under the new law,
the drug still holds a right grip on many
commwtities across the country including
New York's community of gay and bisexual
men.
"The ACT
UP ads put
our government
on
notice that
the gay
and lesbia!1
communir:,·
would no
longer tolerate
its silence
on the
devastation
of AIDS.
Today, we
need to keep talking within our community
about hm01 co address rhc impact of meth
use and we also need to hold government
accountable for giving us the necessary
resources to effectively implement meth
prevention and ,reatment," said Barbara
Warren, the Center's Director for Organizarional
Development, Planning and Research.
"Crvstal fvieth nor only affects the user, but
eve;vone in the user's iife friends, family,
cow~rkers, community and society. No one
can afford to be sile:1t about Me:h."
"The 25-year separation of rbe t\vo campai<'
ns is panic;.;.larlv relevant because the
epidemic; are so ci~>sely connected;· Burns
said. ''The relationship between Crysta!
;\!eth and HIV/AIDS has become clearer
o;·er the past fevv years with studies showing
that Crvstal Meth u~ers are :11ore likely w
engage· in unsafe sex and that f1 IV-:___positive
n,1:.::n are 1nore likely to use: c:rystaJ ,~..,,feth."
In a 2006 survey of gay and bisexual 1ncn in
approxitnatcly one in four
indicated the use of C:rystal ~feth in the period
of srx r11onth$ pnor to tlie assessn-1(~nt
In a "~.,, •. ,n,• 0
In addition to its counseling services, the
Center has addressed the Crystal Meth crisis
through its community forums, education
campaigns, public polic~ advocacy efforts,
and independent research. Congress demonstrated
in 2005 its support of tr..e Center
by allocating federal funds for the expansion
and enhancement of the Center's Crystal
J\Ieth prevention and counseling programs.
The announcement of the "Silence=Jvfeili"
campaign came just before June's National
Gay Pride Month - an event marked by the
annual parade through New York City on
the last Sunday of the month.
*
New Nutrient-Based
Approach Shows
Promise Against
Deadly Bird Flu
Symptoms
Clinician and Researcher Dr. Tim Guilford
is investigating a promising new treatment
for bird flu, which has potential for substantially
reducing the mortality rate associated
with H5N1 infections. Dr. Guilford explains
his strategy in layman's terms during
interview with Dr. Shoshana Zimmennan of
Bird Flu Beacon.
Los Altos, CA (PRWEB) June 6, 2006 -One
of the main causes of concern about
HSNl Avian Influenza (bird flu) is that
approximately 1/2 of the confirmed cases
have died. Experts attribute this mortality
rate to an unfortunate immune response
called a "cytokine storm." This ofte:1 fatai
side-effect is triggered when a virus gets
past ~he frontline defenses and rhe immune
system over-reacts. Dr. Guilford iikei;s this
occurrence to urban v,1arfare, in \Vhich the
,veapon:.-; used to take our the enemy also
inflict hca·v}~ civilian casualties. •~"Without
instructions tc back <Jff, the immune system
not only destroys the virus but the tissues
around the virus, causing such acute respiratory
distress (/tR~DS) that the i1ninunc sysrcrn
can readily kill the infected indi\tidual as
..._-,,.~eJi as the ,-irus.'~
the process in sorne\vhat more
ciinlcai tern1s, l)L (;uilford says~ '~In pan-
Continued next page . ..
Your Health:
TNF (tumor necrosis factor) from immune
and epithelial cells to help kill the virus.
However, the virus produces a protein that
causes the energy producing mitochondria
of the cell, located in the cell's nucleus, to
become suddenly sensitized to TNF. This
causes the mitochondria to break down
and release substances that trigger rapid
cellular death. While fighting a virus, excessive
TNF can simultaneously attack cellular
membranes and inrercellular biochemical
machinery. When enough of these mechanisms
are compromised in the lungs, Acute
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) occurs,
and it is ARDS that can lead to death
from bird flu."
Dr. Guilford notes the need to both
strengthen the body's frontline defenses and
to inhibit the damaging effects of a largescale
release of cytokines. He points out,
"There is accumulating e,--idence indicating
TNF is modulated by antioxidants in
normal tissues, especially the antioxidant
called reduced glutathione. People \¥1.th
acute respiratorv distress svndrome have
been test~d to be low in reduced Rlutathione
in lung fluid.'' ~
These findings have put Dr. Guilford onto
the trail of a potentially effective treatmem
for the disastrous effects of HSN1 infection.
He is currently investigating the use of
liposomal encapsulated reduced glutath.ione
to maintain normal glutathione levels. He
says, "Medical research w date has previously
focused primarily on stopping replication
and proliferation. However, if glucathione
can be shown in clinical studies ro modulate
the cytokine storm, it will prove to be an effective
and inexpemive approach to dealing
with virai infect.ions. Currently we have ver:
few medical tools for the cvt;kine storm. ,
and tbs approach appears promising." ·
* Photos Needed for
World AIDS D Remembrance
Service
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK_\Y/o:dd AIDS
l)ay P~men1brance Service v1iU be held
Thursda); 1'1overnber 30, 2006 at l\1avflo'..ver
Congregational Church 3901 N\:\' 6.3rd
Street, Oldahoma City, OK 73116. There
,;viU be a reception foUo,.,-ving the service.
or colleague of yours has died of AIDS,
please send a photograph(s) of this special
person in a jpeg or TIF format to the following
e-mail address to be added to this
presentation: patta1@cox.net For more
information about this presentation, please
e-mail Pat Hernandez at patta1@cox.net.
Startling statistics-
- Nearly 5,000 Oklal1omans are currently
living witl1 HIV/ AIDS. This number d~es
not include those individuals who are infected
but unaware of their infection.
- 15- to 24-year olds make up the largest
number of HIV infect.ions in the world.
- African Americans are disproportionately
affected by HIV: thev account for 33% of
total AIDS cases in the U.S., while comprising
only 11 % of the U.S. population.
Approximately 40 million people worldwide
are living with HIV/ AIDS.
- More tnan 25 mill.ion people ,vith HIV/
AIDS have died since the first AIDS cases
were identified in 1981.
- The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevent.ion (CDC) estimate that more than
one mill.ion people in the U.S. are living with
HIV infect.ion, one-quarter of whom are
una,vare of heir infection.
Join our efforts for a healthier Oklahoma.
For more information about World AIDS
Day and how you can become involved, go
to ,vww.aidswalkokc.org.
*
MISSOURI
AUGUSTBTH
COMMENTARY
by Michael Dee
'.'Different strokes for different folks'' is· the
old .saying that my grandmother used to teli
me sometimes. This is.altfine and dandy
but if you do want to be all that diff ercnt
then you have to stiffer. the consequences.
You can wear any kind of hairstyle that you
want but if you can't find a decent job due
to your hairstyle then perhaps you need. to
re-evaluate your self The same thing about
clothing .What employer wants to hire ·
somebody who doesn't fit into .their idea of
what they Wa.D;t t:hen: company to· represent.
The same widigoing out to din!"lei: or to a ·
bar. . t:hing to weai:
to a' Jot Of QUVS • ·.· .
and gals:wea~gWetnto H:te··oars: ~r one
. . . :r for.
mpubμci
us:
·most
, . . . yrhor~~;!;~~tt l:Ioestb dress shabbv. . . . . ·• · . . .
~~. · t'waiit 'to
fort·to. thetitselves lbl)kS~er. ' ... ·.. ... ) ..
,;'.:
I doti't care if vour ·
dragor"dr~ir' ·
.best. As a ma
in ieath(ll' and
E~~r notice •
· feans? It nsed
~e .t~ :go to th
gr<:at I ~~;..is· o
noticed that .
~ndlooks HOT!' Wh, ..
in the Mid:w:est? ·
,', ,,', ' ;,'' ::>, ', ,;',~i' ,,,,':',:< ,,:
»;'};to wnnts to go t.o a hru: and see a burich
of ~!eazy q..~ssedpeople withbasebill d:ps
on (and sometipies bac'.kwa!i:ls) . .Guess ..
thattlicy ~e ttving · · ·. , · ·
Well, th~y are ~otl
enough reputation the .,,.ray it is without us ·
contributfo£ to it more. Be nroua of who , ',' ':' '. i: ..-. 'j:. '1./", ,,,'~y ,,', ''.',',,"t:" :>>,;' ';::., ' you are anct maxe tne Dest out of lite..
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine * 13
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyman
JULY
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 pasr and its impact on the queer ptesent.
How queer was the Weimar era in Germany?
The era of ti1e \X'eimar Republic (1918-1933) ,vitnessed a flourishing
of the arts, liberalization of sociai attitudes, and the emergence
of a vibrant queer culture in Berlir. and other German cities. But
a conservative backlash, economic depression, and the rise of the
Nazi regime reYersed this progress after little more than a decade.
Like much of Earope, Germany was devastated by \X'orld \Var I.
Hungry for peace and cager for change, the country ousred the
monarchy of Kaiser \Vilhelm II in November 1918 and instituted a
parliamcman· democracy led b:i the Socialists. The following year,
the legislature drafted a ne,v comtiturion granting gender and class
equality, prirncy rights, and indi\·idual liberries such as freedom of
speech and assembiy.
Thus beg;m an era of rcmarirnble artistic and intellec.:ual ferment.
The realms of literature, drama, music, architecture, and ,he new
medium of iilm expioded. Philosophy and political theory enjoyed
a renaissance as weil. and medicine and science flourished, with new
advances in fields ranging from psychology to physics.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, a:1d transgender people were in the thick
of these de,·eiopme!lts. By this rime, G~rn{any already had the
strongest gay righ,s mm·emcnt in the worid. In 1897, Dr. Magnus
Hirschfeld and ethers had founded the Scientific ffomanitaria!1
Commit:ec the first:-c\·er i10me,sexrn,; rights group devoted to ~eform
of Paragraph 1 the (;cnnan ]a\v criminalizing sex ben.veen
men. In 1919, Hirschfeld opened the imtirnte for Sexual Science in
Ber~i:1, which h(,used i library, rnuseu;n, .1:1d c;inic. The mcvemc!·:t
\Vas even large (~nough t<, have internal schis1ns: 1\dolf Brand's
Gemeinsc!uft dcr Eigenrn (Comm;;nitv •.if Seif-( hvners), tot;ndcd
in 1903, cckbratcd :~;;sculmc culture a~d rejected Hi;·schfdd'~
medicaiizcd Yicrr of hon1osexuality.
c;ay social life fiouri~~hcd dunng the 1920~. \X>'hilc there v;ere hubs
of activity in cities such as :\.lunich, and (:olognc'.} Berlin
",.l?as \Virhout doubt rbc center of cp.1ecr culture. ;\nracted by the
heady attnosphere ,c1nd a ">;~vcak currency that n1ade li\~ing relatively
cheap, gay::: and lesbians flocked to the capital frorn across (;ennany
and around the \vorld. one --•en""''''' there ~~\~ere 35!\000 gay men
14 the STAR
pher Isherwood's Goodi)yc to Berlin (1 ?39\ \vhich inspired the
play and film _Cabaret_. Berlin boasted dozens of g:1y, lesbian, and
transvestite nightclubs, leading Hieschfc1l'd to note thar "Cranians
[his term for homosexuals] }ia;-e been $Ceo arri,·ing frcm the depths
o: the provinces weeping rears of JG,· ,,t the sight nf rhis spectacle."
Manv sue!: Yenues ·.,ere concentrateci in the Schoneberl! and Nollend~
rfpiatz neighborhoods, which ,emain centers elf g,~y lire today.
One of these, the Eldorado :~ightc!ub on :;\fotzstrn,se, sported
large signs over the entrance announcing "\·ou've ;:()und it1" and
"It's OK Herc!'' In addition, there were numer<ms cafes, bathhouses,
fetish clubs, bookstores, theaters, anci hotels rn,,m- op::::ated D\'
gay entrepreneurs as well as an c:stimateci 2,00() male, pr~1srimtcs. ·
Lesbian and bisexual '.':omen ,,·ere acfr,c in mixed-gender homosexual
organizatiom such as the League for H .. 1man Rights, ac' well
as in the burgeoning \,·omen's mo\·ement, '.wirkicg for cduca!ional
reform and the right to employment o .. :tside the l;<!me. B:; one
estimate, there were some 50 lesbian \Tm1es and organizations in
Berlin, including bars often frequented by burch/ t'em:ne couples
- salons, bowling clubs, and li-,-ing collecti-,es. Se0:cn'il well-kn,rwn
lesbian literary figures called t!:e city home, 1Ecluding w:iter
Christa \'('insloe (author of the noYei that .._,:as r.he basis of the Elm
\fa[dchen in Cniform) and American joumaiist Don rhy Thompson.
The new press fo:edorn enc<ll!ragec rhe cstablishn:em of some 3(1
queer iiternry and political publicatioGs, ,d1ich were sold Oj)enly
on newsstands and boasted a combiced circulation in the millions.
Among these \.Vere Branci\, Der Eigene (One's Own1 thought to
be the first-eYer gay mag .. zinc - Die freundsd:aft (Fncmisbr:), Die
Insel (fbe Island), Frnucnliebe ,.1.Xomen's LmT), a,1d Garconne.
But many Germans, disturbed b,· the era's cuh,ral chan(.'.es and economic
h;rciships. yearned for a ;eturn t,J uad:tiona! -.-ah;cs. Religious
conservatives decried si1ifting gender roles and pcrcei-.:.:d \ ices ,uch
as homosexuality, pornography, and abortion. "'T'hc nation's problems
were blamed on Communists, f c·x,, feminists, and hcmosexuals.
· ·
Adolf Hitler exploited these fears and preiudices to consolidate his
political power, aided by factionalism on ,he left. He was appointed
chance!lor in January 1933, a:1d the staged Retch~tag tire the folkr,
ving momh pro;·1ded a pretext for su,pcndin,',': ci·:•il hbcrtlcs. Ir:
Iv1ay, the Inscitute for Sexuai Science was ,ackcd ard its :rnnerials
burned bv right-wing: youth. Homosexual pabhcations ,,ere banned
and venues \Vere shurtert:d; the F~ldorado ~,.vas conYcrted into a Kazi
propaganda ccn:er.
In l 935~ Paragraph 175 \vas strcngtl1\.~ned. An cstin1atcd 5J)00 to
~5,(~(!0 a~cu:ed ho1n,?~cxual r:1cn ,·vcre sent tn conccntrauon carnps.
/\mid this ciltnate ot tear and an untt)ld nun1.ber of gutcr
grated to safer ccn.uurirst or con-H11ittcd suicide.
Yanishcd into a srili greater
s Brief
s Possible"
HAIR SUIT EXHIBIT
by Steve of Oklahoma.
ELECTION REMINDERS
Bv Victor Gorin
In order to vote in the upcoming July
25 Oklahoma Primary election, you must
be registered to vote bv JL,ne 30. If you are
registering by mail your card must be postmarked
that day or sooner.
Oklahoma has a closed primary system,
so Democrats can only vote for the Democratic
candidates, and Republicans may only
vote for Republican candidates in that election
to choose their respective nominees for
the General Election.
Within Oklahoma County there are 2
GLBT candidates running for office in the
Primary Election on the Democratic side,
Rhonda Rudd for State Senate District 46
and Al McAffrey for State House District
88.
If there are runoff elections, they will
happen August 22. In order to vote in tha::
election you must be registered by July 28.
In order to vote in the November 7
General Election you must be registered by
October 13.
Remember that you can register at any
county election board or tag agency in
Oklahoma, and other locations as well.
Registration has never been easier, and after
registration you \\'ill receive your voting
card in the mail which will have your polling
place on it.. If you have been convicted
of a felony you can still register ro vote if
you are not serving time either in lockup,
probation or parole (off paper). Other than
that, you only need to be a US citizen ,vho
has attained 18 years of age or will turn 18
before the next election.
If you are already registered, you don't
need to register again unless you have
moved or haven't voted for 4 years. If
you have moved since you last voted and
registration is still open you may register for
your new address, or you can vote in your
last polling place and register for your new
address at thi1t time. Remember that within
the same county voting system you cannot
change your party affiiiacion bet'.veen June
l and August 31. Also be aware that if y.:,u
register Independent, you belong to no
party and will not be abie w v(ne in primary
elections. If in doubt caJJ your county elec-•
rion board :and can confirm your status.
/tiso remen1ber that even if registration is
closed before an election, you may rnaiJ or
n..1rn in a voter application card and -...-ote in
elections foHow~ing the one
\'{lith each state\v-ide tJt
co1nes
before those elections you may Yote at your
Election Board H a.n1. until 6 p.1r1. 1
the next day Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1
p.m. and the following Monday from 8 a.m.
until 6 p.m. Polls are open on election days
for 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Other assistance is available in the form
o!' absentee voting and other forms of
speciai assistance if that is needed. Your
participation is vital, especially ,vith the
current political climate in America. Please
exercise your right and duty to vote.
*
Creating
Community for
People living
with
HIV/AIDS
Non Profit (}rganization
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for peop!e who are HIV+ and
or living 'Nlth AIDS to help combat the
social isolation that many of our
people live through each and everyday.
We provide a Toiletry and Household
Pantry fur those who are HIV+
and or living with AIDS 'Nho cannot
afford to purchase these items for
themselves. We invite anyone V✓ho
wouid iike to voiunteer or provide fi ..
nancial assistance to piease contact
us by phone 918-585-9552 or e-mail
hanismmjr@yahoo.com.
the STAR 15
/
By Greg Steeie
Micah Barnes
JULY2006
Singer, Musician, \/'✓ riter
Micah Barnes to headline
"Summer Diversity
Weekend" in Eureka
Springs, Arkansas.
EUREKA SPRINGS, AR_lf you missed the
Spring Diversity Festival in Eureka Springs
with the GAYCO show, this is another great
opportunity to get out of town and enjoy some
fantastic entertainment, good food or just relax
for a very fun weekend. The Summer Diversity
Weekend kicks off August 4th and runs
through the 6th. Micah Barnes will headline
the weekend with a performance at the Old
Auditorium in downtown Eureka Springs,
Sat. August 5th.
The LA Weekly said Barnes is ·'Bowie meets
Brecht in a dark alley". The Bay Area Reporter
rote "Barnes' vocals combine the dramatics
Freddie Mercury, the passion of Eddie Vedder,
the mournfulness of Morrissey with the
sweetness of Micheal Stipe". "Micah Barnes
eludes all the musical cliches. His lyrics, often
dryly comic, are a product of his quick intelligence,
a mischievous sense of humour, and
a bubbling show biz savvy." - The Globe and
Mail.
For more information and updates on Diversity
Weekend go to: www.diversitypride.com or
www.eurekapride.com
Tulsa's "PRIDE NOT PREJUDICE" GLBT
Festival, A Musical Success!
TULSA, OK_What a line up of entertainment at Tulsa's Pride
Festival or: June 10th. The talent was awesome. exceeding
rnost performances that I've paid to see! Th;s years entertainers
will be a hard act to follow for next years troops. Tulsa·s Tabitha
Tayior (photo at right) 'tv1iss Gay Okiahoma Ame~ica' is a sor:gstress
we ca:i a!i be proud of. A tremendous entertainer· Fro,n
r'oon to five o ciock they sang and p!ayed in unbearable heat
~rhe Council Oaks VVornens Chorale. Council Oaks lv1ens c:11t>·
cale, !v1ary King1 iviark [)odson and rnany CJthers ,,11; io 1.:;11~ei tairh-jc'.
a:12 crovvci
~ ~
ANCHORAGE,ALASKA
by Donald Pile & Ray Williams
ay men's resorts seem to be
everywhere and it is often very hard to find a
resort that is strictly for Lesbians. We have
found two really great ones and they are located
on both ends of the country. For Lesbians
wanting to get a way from it all and travel
we highly suggest these two places.
PEARL'S RAINBOW, the Distinctive
Resort for Women in Key West, Florida, offers
the perfect escape from the everyday world
for lesbians and gay-friendly women. Just two
blocks from the southernmost point in the continental
United States, they offer guesthouse
ambience, bed & breakfast chann, and resort
amenities in a collection of historic, renovated
buildings set amid tropical landscaping .
. . ... . . . . . .. . . . Continued page-18
Out on Vacation
"LESBIAN RESORTS"
Photo: Pearl's Rainbow Lesbian Resort
And their superb staff will make vour vacation
unforge~table. The,' offer 38.rooms
and suites in their 5 historic buildings.
They have 2 heated swimming pools and 2
outdoor hot ~ubs. The extensive sunny and
shady decks. The Strand
Restaurant serves breakfast
daiiy with Brunch on Sunday
and Chef Lisa's Dinner
in the Strand on weekend
e,0enings. Tl:ev also ha,·e
Pearl's Patio which is :heir
outside poois1de bar and
grili.
Their :ooms range from
the simple re the debxe, 2E
v.,ith features you'd expect
in any hotel. Thick, thirst;towe,~
and quality tropical
t(Jiictries pamper ycu. 1\
C()mplirr1entary light continental
breakfast starts yuur
tnorning, and fuli cooked
breakfasts are al~~o a"',.,~ailable
daily. J\ .. poolside bar
18
pools rejuvenate you. Hot cubs melt your
cares away. Chef Lisa Haas prepares breakfast
in The Strand restaurant, and dinner on
Friday and Saturday e·.,enings featuring her
eclectic island cuisine. All in a comfortable,
welcoming atmosphere just for women.
They are located at 525 United Scree;: Key
West, Florida 33040. Their toll free ;;umber
is (800) 749-6696 and their website is: V>'WW.
pearlsrainbo\\,com. To get to Key \X,'est,
iris best to fly into Ft. Lauderdale (rather
than rvliami) and then rent an amo and take
off for a fabulous scenic (and scarv) drive
thru all the Keys until you finallv K~v West.
After arriving in Key \'{fest, park you~ auto
and you can walk anywhere in town.
On the West Coast, try the Casitas
Laquita in Palm Springs. Owned by Denise
Roberson and Joanna Funaro, this ~vomen's
resort is wonderful. Once you enter the
gate you are in a different world of peace
and tranquility. It is located on 12 acres of
private spiritual grounds. The mountain
views are truly breathtaking'. They have
several choices of accommodations including
casitas or one and two bedroom suites.
Photo: Casitas Laquita in Palm Springs
the SIAR, TRAVEL SECTION
Ail accommodations comes with T\~ phone,
a Full kitchen and data ports so vou can
check your email or surf the web. The
rooms are decorated with tribal arcifacts and
each room is different and it would reallv be
hard to decide which to s!ay in. Everything
here is spotlesslv clean. They have a total
of 15 ditlerent ;ccommodations m choose
from. Our favorite was the one bedroom
suite with its own prirnte backyard for your
own personal use or for your guests.
Doreen is the manager when the owners are
out of tO\vn and she is EXCEPTIONAL!
She is a real dear! For more informacion
about Casitas Laquitas, check out their
website at:www.casitaslaquirn.com. Their
toll free number is 877-203-3410. And
when in Palm Springs, BE SURE and
dine at ~feb:yn's Restaurant located in the
Ingeleside Inn just west of downtown. The
owner, Mel Haber and his srnff are extremely
gayilesbian friendlv.
For all of our Lesbians sisters, we HIGHLY
recommend these tv,ro resort~ where vou
will feel VERY comfortable and retu;n
home with memories forever! The staff
of both of these
resorts will be more
than happy to give
you any and all information
O!l what
is happening in the
towns.
For any questions
about gay traveling,
email Donald and
Ray at gaytravelers@
aol.con1 or
'l .. ~isit their \1,rebpage
at: http:// \V\l/Vv:
hometown.aol.
com/ gaytravelers
0
~ 1m ill©oo~~
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"Dania Beach, Florida"
Visit the "New and Exciting" Dania Beach, Florida ,vhich is a
GREAT alternative to Ft. Lauderdale and South Beach and just
minu~es from either. Reiax and party in Dania Beach and enjoy their
small town atmosphere. Dania Beach is fast becoming THE place
to stav in Southea~t Florida and for gays the LIBERIT SUITES is
the ONLY place ~o stay!
Dania Beach locateci right on the Atlantic Ocean is a wonderful geta-
way for people living in the Midwest. It
is just a close drive
~o Ft. Lauderdale
or to South
Beacn but much
iess expensive
than either. The
city of only 28,000
is extremely gay
friendly and filled
with lots of antiques
and gift shops. With
its ideal location,
warm and sunny
climate and wide
range of ameniries
and attracrions, the
Greater Dania Beach
area has something
for evervone. Situated
between' Ft. Lauderdale
and Hollywood, Dania
Beach is minutes from
class arc museums, con- certs, plays, festivals, and other
cultura'. events. Professional sports ranging from football to hockey
to rodeo are also readily avail;ble. DaniJ Beach itself hosts a Jai Alai
fronton, a local perfor~,i~g arts theater, a natural hisron· museum
and rhe IGFi'>.Fishing Hallo~· fame.
Dania Beach is int:ernationaJJv kno,vn for its marine industrr l\1annas,
· reoair and storage facifaics, prominent shipbuilding compan,::s.
a!1d d;ckage for crnioe lines and other vessels are found all o·:er
Dania Beach'$ numerom waterways and canal~. Port Everglade~.
which spans over 2100 acres and occupic, part of Hoih'wood,
Dania Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, i~ (;!H: ,he 11;1.tio:1's ;:cp ,eaport:0,
~:t:~e~~:(~:·!~~:a~~~~:-T.~~~:::t;i\::~:~~~~;~:(:~~?:/~:~;;:,;:~;l~;~t( lfl
I)an1a Beach area plays ho~t to the largc~t nautlcal SY,iap shop, the
Dania ?vfarine Flea \'iarket.
~TRAVEL
Thanks to Joseph Van Eron and Jack Zimmerman who own the
Libert\· Apartments & Garden Suites, it h:as even gotten more gayfriendiv.
These two e-entle!rcen ha-;e literally turned the enrire cir,
a:ound in it's th.inki;;g a, far as a gay tourist center.
The Libert, Suites is locared at 1501 and across the street at 1500
S. \v'. Seco~d Avenue w~1ich is just one block \'fest of :he main
rughway thru the center_ of to':vn. It is the pe~frct p~ace for gays ,in
the Midwest to go to relax and haYe a great nme. \X-e get so urea
of "simple rooms" when ,ve travel. But at the Liberty Suites, all
rooms are aparcmen:s complete with kitchens, full size refrigerators,
ovens, microwave, dishwasher, coffee maker, cooking utensils
and complete with desk, linens, china, housewares and anything
eise oossible that vou wo'.l!d need. The bedrooms are huge and so
are tlle living ro~rns and they are decorated beautifully.
Just fly or drive dm.vn and you
can move right in for
a week, a month or
e. Your suitcase
l of bathing suits
is all you need.
Every apartment
mes with your
wn private teiene
and Cable
VCR. For
than wl:at
t accommoons
charge
a simple
mat the
u can get a
huge apartment
for less than
that! Grocery
and liquor stores
are within walking distance. We always
go to the fresh produce market~ and buy the freshest grapefruits
and ora:1ges. Since almost e:erybody in Florida loves to walk, 1t ts
about a mile from che beach and what .1 ;vonderful walk it is. And
most important, the Liberty Suites is pet friendiy so bring your
pets wifi~ you. Did we mention about their off street parking?_Dici
~ve mentio,. their on-site laundry facilitiesr _l(,e and Jack r:.ave cione
C\'ervthin_g perfect S() that you \Vill ha~,,rc a \-ery relaxed and carefree
stay.
\X'e baYe staved at the Liberty Suite5 fo~ i:he past fe,,.' years and it
iust keq)$ e;~mng better :;ni lx:tter The grea;:est thing is that you ;;~,~~;1;~:~~~;;7~1::::: ;::~;'ri:r.::::::~~ii::'.l!.'.:i'.:~~:::
~c~";-;/>t:~:·a I2: ~~'.:i~~:~;i~,~~~,:~:;~ ~~'. ~;,~~~;~a~e;~e;,l~::1 :~:~/:~:;:.~::at~
~;~e ti~:.i~:~~~~r~~:~~ ~1~~!~~;~:·~~;,~~,~~;,::,:;_<,_~,:;:t: ,ibm~-1
;:::::e;e!~:~7s
i\1 pL1cc to lire 1.vher; ;nv:1y fron1 hornc'·. Joe and Jack
..... ,. .... C(J~·rr1·--~l:r1:I) page 22
Arkansas & Oklahoma s most read GLBT Magazine 19
Photo below; A view of one of the several glaciers you'E see while
traveling on the Alaska Railroad's Glacier Discovery Train. (Photo
by Andrew Collins)
July 2006
by Andrew Collins
Anchorage, Alaska
Although it's a bit less than a century old, Anchorage has deveioped
into Alaska's largest city, with a population of about 260,000.
It's also an excellent jumping-off point for countless adventures
into the surrounding wilderness, from sea kavaking in Prince William
Sound to hiking at Denali National Park to skiing at i\lveska
Prince Resort in nearby Girdwood. But don't overlook the city
itself, a lively cultural hub v.'ith great shopping and dining and
immediate access to tl1e great outdoors. It's also the heart of the
state's relativelv nascent but increasingly Yisibie gay scene.
Summer is the most popular time to come, ·.vhen Anchorage
abounds with flowers in private and public gardens as well as in
wi!1dow boxes and hanging baskets on porches. The sun ri~e~
around 4:30 in the morning and doesn't set again umil almost midnignt,
allowing for ample time eacl: day to ~ec the sight~. But snowsports
Eans and bargain-seekers migh1 wane to consider 2 winter
,·isit, when hotel rates drop precipitouslv along ,.vid1 temperatures
(expecr January highs tif about 2G to 25 degr::c:s, Ycrsu,; 60- to 65-
degree high~ in July).
J\.nchoragc -...von't likely dazzle you~ dcAvnto\vn '\Vas largely destroyed
aunng a mar:sive 1964 ca:thquake, and much c,f the reconstru~
tion leaves a lot to be desired aesthetically. But it's nonctheiess
;h~u~:;~~;::~ ~;:t::::t~~~~~~ t~,:;ed:~t~:;~:tj !\la~ka ~~~~~;1!or
J\nchoragc Syrnphony ()rchestra~ 1\nchoragc ()pcra, and J\laska
Chamber Singer~
'The A.nchorage Ivfuscurn of }1istory and J\rt is a \vorld-class facil\
Vith an extensive tro,te of art and artifacts th~n trace the
of the region
perform2nces.
UF '""hrcugh th<~ rr-c,rl:•rr- ·1,;n. ·\n,J the /\.. hi.ska
you can learn abcjut rbc state's
csbii)ir·,s rki-:;.:r•.: v;d .::en11n:lf"-. and
Anchorage has long drawn outdoorsy types, as there are plenty of
ways to get your blood pounding ,vithin city limits, and you're also
,vithin driving distance of many great destinations for recreation
and nature-watching. You can hike miles of trails at Chugach Staie
Park, which fringes the city and extends for some 60 miles into
rhe wilderness to the south, offering climbs to numerous peaks
with elevations as high as 8,000 feet. Another grea~ venue is Eagle
River Narure Center, which offers hikes, naturalist programs, and
bird-watching outings among many o~her activities that showcase
the region's abundant flora and fauna. And that's just scratching the
surface don't overlook the Alaska Zoo (an excellent place to see
black bears up close) and the Alaska Botanical Gardens.
From a culinary standpoint, Anchorage has truly blossomed of late.
There are certain foods that appear routinely on area menus, parricularly
reindeer (often in the form of sausage), eik, and other area
game along with plenty of local seafood, from wild salmon to raw
ovsters to fresh berries. Kincaid Grill has been a pioneer in creatIYe
r~gional dining, as chef Al Levinsohn is constantly coming up with
excitine: new takes on Alaskan cuisine, from Kodiak scallops sen-ed
with a;; Asian ponzu sauce and stir-fried veggies to roasted balibut
Nicoise with olive tapenade. Another top choice is Sack's, a slick
contemporary dining room filled ,vith modern art and ser-·ing such
inno·,ative creations as pan-seared New Zealand rack of lamb ·.vith
blueberry-port demig!ace. Grab a table along the sidewalk in good
weather.
You'll find sophisticated contemporary cuisine at Mick's at the Inlet,
including a knockout elk chop ,vith goat cheese brioche pudding,
Bearnaise sauce, and a berry relish, and roasted skatefish wing with
blood oranges, fennel, chives, and olive oil. Drop by Cafe Savannah,
a cool little capas restaurant and wine bar with authentic Spanish
cooking, for the likes of Portobello mushrooms stuffed with chorizo
and Manchego cheese, and calamari with lemon-garlic aioli.
For a light meal and great people-watching and mingling, check
our Glacier Brewhouse, which is known as much for its delicious
house-brewed oatmeal stout and red-currant Iambic beer as for
tastv comfort food, such as seared ahi runa and Thai chicken pizza.
Ga-;-friendlv Sassafras Coffeehouse is a fine spot for a ligh! meal,
coffee. and ·free wireless Internet - it's right across the street from
Nord;trom's, by downtown's 5th Avenue Ma!L Try the rurkey-bacon-
avocado wrap.
;\Jso a block from the mail, Cyrano's Theatre Company cc)mprises
a performance space, arty bookstore, and pctic cafe (calied Twig's)
,;vhere you can grab a chicken-pecan salad or a ci.;p ()f seafood
chowder. The ,.heater p:oduces ,;.,ell-acted piavs throughou: the y;car
and has a strong gay following. The queer nightlife scene 1s limired
~~f ~~;;,:Eif £~:v!~i~!;~;::i::~:::::~'.:'.:,:~:~:;.1.~,
male-oriented and cruisy Raven~ ,vh.ich is JUST arc,uncl the corner.
I"herc arc several accomrnodations here that 1narkct to gay
n,:1wr~, among 1hem the i\laskan Leopard B&~~-;:;,1,:.::;t~~)i~:~sc:
crepes and sourdough \t,~affies arc a1r1ong the
and delicious breakfasts for \1/hich the inn bas a
20 Arkansas & Oklahoma ·s mo.st read GLBT Magazine
loyal following, and the owners can also organize a wide range of
wildlife tours throughout the surrounding area. Just on the edge
of downtov;n, the gay-owned \X'ildflower Inn contains three guest
rooms wit!:: sophisticated but comfy furnishings, including a beautiful
J\ifission-style bed in one and TV /VCRs in all of them (plus
Wi-Fi throughout r.he house). It's a great choice if you want to be
within wa!bng distance of museums, restaurants, and nightlife.
Another highly popular gay-owned property downtown is the
Copper \X'hale Inn, an urbane late-1930s house (a rare survivor of
the '64 quake) with 15 rooms, most of them affording panoramic
vistas of the surrounding mountains and Cook Inlet. Of larger
mainstream properties, one of the most luxurious is the Marriott
i\.nchorage Downtown. This airy, contemporary high-rise offers
dramatic views of the distant wilderness but also affords easy access
to local sights and restaurants.
You can make a number of excellent day trips or short overnights
from Anchorage. One of tne best full-service resorts in Alaska is
the luxurious ,'\lyeska Prince Resort, in the small village of Girdwood,
a 45-minute drive south of the city. In winter, it's the state's
top venue for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding,
snowmobiling, snow-tubing, and sledding. You can also take the
aerial tram up to ;\ft. Alyeska, ·.vhich has a restaurant at the top. In
summer, you can book a tandem paragliding ride off the rop of the
mountain.
Anorher option is the two-and-a-half-hour drive m Seward, a
slightly gritty old fishing town on the Kenai Peninsula. It's gradually
developed into a popu.iar cruise port and leisure destination,
thanks to its proximity to aarure and also the Alaska Sealife Center,
a marine-life research facility where visitors can observe the habitats
of 2,000-pound Sre!lar sea lions, diving puffins, and dancing King
crabs, among other creatures native to this region.
Just outside of Seward, you can visit Exit Glacier - in facr, you can
practically drive your car right up to the edge, as it's the most accessible
glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, which encompasses
more than 900 sguare miles. From the parking area it's a flat 15-
minute hike to the foot of the glacier. where you can get some great
up<lose pnotograph~ of this hulking, slowly retreating mass of ice.
Downtown Se,;rnrd has a handful of restaurants and som·e1ur
shops, mostly aiong 3rd and ~th .JTem,es. anci the community also
has plenty of tour oper,,tors offe:ing kayaking trips, fligh::seeing
excursions, and sailing ad\'cntures.
Perhaps the n1ost dramatic ,,vay to get ar<)und the region, especially
if you're a fan of "Vintage trains1 is to book {:>ne of the popular sightseeing
runs on the Alaska Railroad. There are extensive wurs lasting
frotn t\VO to 10 days through the J)eoali National Park's backcountry
and up into the /\.retie Cjrcic, as \veU as easy day trips that depart
,Anchorage :ind take you through rugged Chugach Forest, past soar ..
ing glaciers and 3cross \vildHo,ver-stre~v.;n meado\vs. f'vfany of these
trains ha~.re giass-dome alloYving incredible photo ops. These
coiorfu1 jaunts n;1rratcd by experienced naturalists offer the perfect
chance to
Arkansas & Okiahoma 's most ;ead GLBT Magazine 21
GAY TRAVELERS:
are true gay icons in the community and they deserve e~·ery bi~ of
recognition that they get. They have both worked extremely hard ar
building up Dania Beach and the whole communiq-, both gay and
straight, are so proud of them.
So the next time you are ready to take off for a week or more,
check out the Liberty Suites at: http:/ f,,vww.LibertySuites.com.
Their toll free telephone number is 877-927-0090 and their fax
number is 954-342-8944 or you can email them at: JJ@LibertySuites.
com
*
Want the STAR delivered to your home or business?
12 issues for $26.95 will be mailed in a sealed envelope
the 1st of each month. Complete the form
below and send with a check or moneyorder to:
Ozarks STAR
5103 S. Sheridan Rd., #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
(Single Copies $3.00 per issue)
Check e!'ldosed
Money Order
Start Date:
22 the STAR
Travel Plans
by
Dougias Glenn
As much as I like ;:o talk to a real person it just doesn't pay anymore
to do so. Take booking flight for instance. When I callee! my
favorite airlines recently to book a flignt I was told rhat if I booked
on line there would be no charge but if I did book over the phone
that there \Vould be a $10.00 charge. And this was the airline company
I was talking with! Talk about a rip-off! They want me to fly
with them, give them my hard earned money but then they \Vant ro
charge me for calling them and purchasing a ticke~! Well, needless to
say, I DID go on-line and book the flight and saved myself S10.00.
However it really irritated me to no end to ha\·e to do that.
\'\'hen I did go on line I was amazed at the different prices for
different times of the day. First and last flights of the day \\:ere iess
expensive and flying in the middle of the week (Tuesday, \\'.'ednesday
and Thursday) had cheaper rates also. Saturdays seerns ~o have
cheaper rates also. But forget about flying out :\1onday morrijng
or Friday afternoons as that is \vhen ail tbe businessmen do there
traveling.
I have found to always book directly \vith the airlines rather
than going thru a second source such 2.s a booking site. linles~ you
read the small print you wind up paying services charges that completely
wipes any savings tha, you think that you arc getting. When
I was going traveling overseas I sometimes use a m,vcl agency but
they also charge anymore. \Vhat happen.ed t0 sen-ice? A good \veb•
site to check out for best air fares and that is: http:/ iairconsumer.
ost.dot.gov / publications /bestfare.htm
It used to be that flying was so much fun but now it is such a
hassle, with parents and their children screaming and yelling and
shoving and pushing and well, guess you kinda get mv drift. Now it
is a total nightmare to just get a seat. But, since other than d,+,ing
that is the only alter:1afr1e I just ha,,e to grin and bear it. I alwa;·:,
taKe a good book or a couple of good magazines to read because
you never know when there might oe a delay.
(Jood luck v1ith your flight'.
*
Earl Wheeler
437 E. 141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL (3275)
Serving the Tu!sa Metro Area for over 21 Years with PRIDE!
CUSTOM DECORATING* HOLIDAY SPECIALS
~rders by 12noon guaranteed same day delivery.
F'R!!:E HOM!!: OEt.lVERY
5 Mi!e Service Area
918.734.6847
11mail lrrol>ol:8aol.t0m
Your order is treated with
the upmost confidentiality.
nd 111lxed. and 6a,~ed.
JVLld 6ltzdseed
ite:,:1-.00
73:j,f~ ·
TheSTAR 23
Salutations Kittens--Uncle Mikey here fresh from the pages of yet
another fabulous pride season, and what a season it is. Ende Mikey
is hurriedly gathering his second wind in time for the fourth. I
would like to rhank the many men who made this season so enjoyable,
and will be sending out thank vou notes accordingly. To all
those tasty treats ready for the independence celebration- heyyy!
Dear Uncle Mikey,
My boyfriend and I attended pride as a couple this year for the first
time. We agreed that we were building a monogamous relationship
which went straight out the window two hours into it. He acted as
if I were keeping him from having a good time and then we got
into a fight in the middle of the after pride events. I feel as though
this is a sign and that he is not that serious about me after all. He
ended up in our suite with another man, and asked me to join as if
there was nothing going on. What's the deal, am I wrong to think he
crossed a line?
Pride drama
Dearest Pride-drama,
Kitten, Uncle feels your pain but aliow me a moment to giYe you
another POV Even the ~ost -.veil intentio!l men in the world can
fall Drey to the OYer abundant bou:;r,c at a oride event. Fact: He
oro~ght his game home to shire wi:h his beloved, which oi:rvious!:,
suppor~s a lack of coRJmi.:nicacion here. \'fhat man is going ,o bring
home a trick- Unle~s he i$ simply a drama seeker, this action tells
r:1e tnere needs to be more cohc~iYe communication. Kitten, I couid
nor help but catch that mu didn't teE the nory o+ rejecting this
blunder, feeEng that it was a night tc remember for all., not thac 1
am judging. I \Vouid rnost assuredly address this J~sue ho,;_1f·e·\"er, if it
\Vere me~ 1 \Vould haYe taken pictures for our anniversary a]bu1n,
Smooches- t :. Mikey
Dear l]ncle l\1ikey~
~v~t~;::;l~~::;~t:e!~;;i;:1
1:~.~;~}~;~s:~L:::c;/;~;:~,c;~~~:i1r!:,.-:~~'.1
:nforgettable
places. f-le \1.ras passionate, attentive, grv'ing, intense sexy
and sc; romantic he absolutely rook 1ny breath. L.ooking into hi5
eye:::. 1 feit alive. ;lnd :as if \VC \\~ere S(•tne h.o\v C(:.innected. J feH
26 the STAR
name, and do not know where to 6nd him. I don't'k.now ,vhat to
do? My friends think I am making it up, but this man took me mind
body and soul. What can I do?
Lookjng for Gabe
Dearest Looking,
Kitten, you have fallen pray ro '.vhat Cncle c,;lls, rhe goiden-boot1·call.
The hottest, sweatiest, most passion you have ever felt before
as in your fe,·erish adolescem dreams. Hown·cr, this was a one time
shot-~ao pun intended. You have to except this and move on holding
this night as cherished moment in time. Kitten, I have known
this occurrence before.
Uncle had a friend we will call Steve, well Steve hGoked up with a
one name woeder who rook him w such pas$ionate heights he acruaHy
cried recalling the night t0 me. He became obsessed wicl1 finding
this trick in the night while losing site cf realty. He neglected his
job, his friends, his entire existence became a search for this man
of many orgasms. It was so sad, we tried e~;crything including an
intervention, when we realized ,ve lost him to this unknown sende~
of passions embrace. \'?ell, iong story short, be lost nis jobs, ignored
his friends, his apartment! Kitten, it was rent comrolleci., I swear it
brings a tear to my eye still yet.
3'foral: Kitten, if this man is meant to be than he shall return, i10we\
·er do not get hung up no matter ho\;• nung he was. I ,et it go while
moving forward chalking the nig!:t up for what it was, a wonderfu:
Golden-booty-call, you shali tell generations to come Queerdom.
Kitten, it is better to ha,-e hit that than to neYer ha,:e known it at all!
Smooches-U. Ivlikey
Uncle :,Iikey,
Is a threeso~e with your brother-in-law and boyfriend wrong?
Seriously considering it.
Dearest considering,
Not with the right lighting and mocivation. Bon appetite!
Ki~tens- A quick noteworthy mome::11:. Look ~o the right of Uncles
corner here. Al! I can say is yummy! Hey john and Paul...A delicious
recipe for a tasty meal, a sweet drink to wash it down and !wo cute
d , h - . . d 11 csserts, ,v at a recipe 1n eea:
Kittens, Uncle mus, once mo:-e take m,· leave, (1uicker than a trick
dot,:n the fire escape. I have to send n1y faithful house-boy to get
Cacies buli-; deln-er•, of Gatorade. [ swear sm~1mer heat has such an
effect <)11 lJncle. S01ne say sununcr furt~ I say summer ioYe. lJncle
\\~ant~ to remir1d one and aH to piay safe during the stunmer sizzic.
Remember to iove yourself, and luve one another; se':~:-cral times a
day if you ~. .v ;,inr to get really gc,od! I-iappy fourth (}uccrdorn--1
salure yc,u, in more \vays than one.
Sn1ooches l]ncle :vljkey and 'Tiddics too.
*
10 Large Potatoes.
1 cup chopped Celery.
1 cup chopped red onion.
1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles.
4 Boiled Eggs.
1/2 cup Real Mayonnaise.
1/2 cup Ha!f & Half cream.
1 Tablespoon Season Salt.
1/2 Tablespoon White Pepper.
In a large pot boil potatoes until tender.
Rinse with cold water, peel potatoes and cut into cubes.
In a large bowl add potatoes, seasoning, mayonnaise
and cream. Mix very weil, then add celery, onions, pickles,
Mix together boiled eggs then add to bowl. Chill for
about 2 hours and serve.
"HAVE A GREAT 4TH of JULY"
This months recipe is a delicious martini.
Serve these up some evening for
a nice cocktail hour (or 2 or 3). Jazz r
music goes very well with martinis so I
suggest a little Diana Krall on the stereo
and you'll have a great and enjoyable
LEMON DROP MARTINI
(6 parts) Absolute Citron Vodka
(2 dashes) Dry Vermouth
Fresh Lemon
Granulated Sugar
1 Rim a chilled martini glass with sugar.
2. Combine Vodka, Vermouth and fresh
squeeze of !emon with ice in shaker and
shake well.
3. Strain into martini glass and garnish with
a !emon twist
4. EN,JOY !!!
HAVE A SAFE JULY 4TH CELEBRATION!
Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 27
Scopes
by Jack Fertig
JULY 2006
"Be ready for adventure, Cancer!"
Mars opposing Neptune makes chemical overindulgence
easy and dangerous, especially when you're
showing off. Venus in Gemini encourages flirtations,
but she's square Uranus in Pisces, so confused signals
can build false expectations. Or maybe you reaily
do want more than you admit.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): You can't win in games or investments
now, but you can have lots of fun with the former
if you aim for idealistic benefits rather than mere victory.
Idealism in community service will make you a winner in
ways no game can match.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Trying to look good at work
will backfire. Just do your job and let accomplishment
speak for itself. Calling in o!d debts could yield some happy
surprises. It's also a great time for new pen pals or oniine
contacts.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): You're suddenly looking awfully
good, and you can use that for promotions or raises.
Take pride in your listening skills and flexibility, and stay out
of arguments! Anything you say will be held against you.
CANCER (June 21 00 July 22): No insurance or real estate
deais for you this week! Sex mixed with booze or drngs is
a dangerous combo - isn't it better when you're really all
there? Be ready for adventure in both flesh and spirit. The
world is opening to you in new ways.
LEO (July 23 $ August 22): Your adoration of the limelight
is annoying your co-star and aggravating misunderstandings.
Humility is your best feature, when you can manage it.
Discretion and social service wiil prove surprisingly beneficial
to your-sex life.
V!RGO (August 23 - September 22): Calm down, meditate,
and re!ax your fraglle nerves. Work is going better
than it seems. and you're sure to get noticed with some
support from your colleagues. Even if you're having some
awful snafus, others will understand and forgive.
LIBRA (September 23 00 October 22): You're ready for adventure,
but it could easily be a misadventure, and that's a
drag. Focus that urge for innovation at work where it's more
likely to make you shine. ~
SCORPIO (October 23 00 November 21): Past or present
issues with your parents seem especially complex now and
can creep into dealings with authority figures. Sexual role
play can shed some iight on those dynamics. Otherwise,
the boss isn't your mommy or daddy, and vice versa. Stay
present in the moment.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 $ December 20): You're
especially prone to exaggerate now and overwhelm people
with stories. Keep the truth clean and simple, but freely
regale your friends with wild yarns and jokes. Your spin on
legends and folk tales can be surprisingly seductive.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Your sexual
charm is strong, but has to be played carefully. Knowing the
right time and place for it is the trick. Your current attack of
klutziness may actually help a bit, giving you an endearing,
vulnerable quality.
AQUARIUS (January 20 $ February 18): Your partner's
wishes are much clearer than yours. That's making you feel
put down, but you just need to articulate. Sing out, Louise!
Pleasures that seem indulgently expensive are really accessible
if you budget and plan.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Be careful of hubris.
Fall back on your usual modesty at work. Fun and games
at home are where you now excel and can crow shamelessly.
Surprise some friends with new recipes and afterdinner
entertainments.
., <
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE HIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
Testing the last Sunday of each month
between SP},f and 6PM.
2902 E. 20th St.,
PO Box 4'11
Jc)plin, :\.fo 64803
Sunday Sernce 6P\1
Wed.
28 Advertising in the STAR is Just good business cents.
Arkansas, Bentonville (479)
NWA GLBT Ctr - - - - www.nwaglbtcc.org- - - - - - --479-586-1062
Arkansas, Eureka Springs
Diversity Pride Event - - - - - - - - - - - - - -www. ersitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View- - - - - 36 N. Main- - - - - - - - - -479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante- - - - 309 W VanBuren- - - - -479-253-8102
Henri's - - - - - - -19 1/2 Spring St - - - - - - - - - - - -479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -870-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- - - 888-582-8464
Spexton- - - - - - - - 17B Spring Street - - - - - - - - -918-829-0824
Tiki Torch- - - - - - - - 75 S. Main Street- - - - - - - - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge -141 W. YanBuren- - - - - - - - - 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant- - - 412 W. Dixon - -479-442-3515
Condom Sense - - - - - - - - 418 W. Dickson- - - - - -4 79-444-6228
Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - - -930 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
Pride Street Live- - 523 W. Poplar St-- - - - - - - - - - 479-587-0557
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - -479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1i2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - - 479-783-9988
Red Rock City - - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - - 1010 E. Grand Ave - - - - - - - 501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- - - - - - - - - - - - -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - - - 415 Main St - -North L.R.- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory- - - - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- - 1709 N. Walnut- - - - - - - -Service 11AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40- - - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Ke!iogg Dr- - - - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Club Glacier- - - - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - - 316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- - - - - - - 716 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-627-9035
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th, - - - - - - - - - - - -- - Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816}
40th Street Inn- - - -www.40thstreetinn.com- - - - - -816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd -- - - - -816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs - 1.-N.w.hydeskc.com - 816-56H010
Missie B's- - - -805 W 39th St- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe (417)
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- - - - 424 Boonv!HeAve- - - - - - - - - - -417-83i-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commerical- - - - - - - -417-869-3978
Martha's Vineyard- - - 219 W Oiive .. - -- - - - - - - - - 417-864-4572
Missouri, Springfield (417)
Priscilla's - - - - 1918-S Glenstone - - - - - - - - - - - -417-881-8444
Ronisuz Place- - --821 College- - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books- - - -104 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-242-6838
Prisciiia's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton (580)
Triangies- - - - - - - - - - -29 SW "D" Ave - - - - - - - - 580-351-0620
ingrids Bookstore- - - - - 1124 NW Cache Rd- - - - - -580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Boom Room- - - - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- -- - - - - - - -405-601-7200
Border's Books- - - - - 3209 NW Expressway- -- - - 405-848-2667
Club Rox- - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Christie's Toy Box- - - -3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - -405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - - -405-672-6459
Fat Cat Bingo- - - - - - 3130 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - -405-942-8875
Hollywood Hotel- - - - 3535 NW 39th Exp - - - - -405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club - - - - - - - 1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - 405-843-1722
Partners- - - - - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Pec's- - - - - - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expw - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - 615 E. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - - 405-755-8600
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Rudy's P!ace-- - - - -3535 NW39th Expw- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - - -405-601-3711
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
The Rockies- - - - - - 3201 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - - 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- - - 3535 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Tramps- - - - - - - - - - - -2201 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - - -405-521-9888
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- - - -7204 E. Pine - - -- - - - - - - - -918-836-8700
Border's Book Store- - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Border's Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - - - 918-58'i-9494
Ciub Maverick- - - - - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - - - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - - - - - -918-834-1051
Elite Bookstore - - - - -814 S. Sheridan- - - - - - - - - 918-838-8503
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41 st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - - 3540 E. 31st- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz·s Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nite Spot - -- - - - - -3007 E. Admiral Pl - - - -- - - - - - 918-834-3007
Our House, Too - - - -203 N Nogales Ave- - - -- - - - -918-585-9552
Prisci!la's - - - - - - - -7925 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscilla's - - - - ·· - - 5634 W. Skelly- - - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 11344 E. 11th - - - - -- - - - - - - -918-438-4224
Priscilla's - - - - - - - - - 2333 E. ?1st- - - - - -- - - - - - -918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- - - - - - - 918-627-1505
Sterling & Co. Saion- - -1606 E.15th St- - - - - - - - - 918-742-9999
Tulsa CARES- - - - 3507 E. Admiral Pi.- - - - - - - - - - 9"18-834-4194
Tuisa Eagie- - - - -1338 E 3rd - - - - - - - - - - - - -918-592-1188
TNT's - - - - - - - 2114 S. Memoriai- - - - - - - 918-660-0856
Whittier News Stand- - 1 N. Lewis- - - - - - •· - - - - 918-592-0767
~le!iO\\f-Brick-Rd- - - - - - - 2630 E. 15th~ - - - - - - ~ ~ 918-293-0304
ute FREE copies of the ST:.A,.R.
-.· email: oxarksstar@sbcglobal.net
30
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HAN;!.Ofll ·~" AU.AN
N6UWiltTH
NATHAN WAITS
TO ME:E:T i<ICHARO
FOi< A SATUl<DAY
t..UNCH DATE: ...
't)l:'-AR PA-<'f?ot-15,
,MJo1"1-\CR' Yic..TiM oF
Ri,,;i NG Ff,oM"'r',s:,
C.AFi O L-AY HAS
C:..tOS~P i-rs PooR'S''
-(tlAMt<S f'oR Yo'-'FZ,
,,, BuSiN~$.
rH.t'F, 15 >'OVR FAVt.V.'." Y
ARE: TURNING OUR GAY
UPPER WE:ST 910
OSHKOSH' OU
Be Seen VVith The Star
OH, NH!i-E, YOU ANO RUBEN
WE:R!: AWAY HAViNG TONS OF
GROVP SEX ON THAT M!:01-
T!:RRAN!:AN CRUISi::
Night club for sale Aprox 3000 sq. ft. occupancy
around 200 has storage building and small hou,e
on the property. S210.000
Great entertaining home on 15th street by fair
Grounds 4 bedroom 1.5 baths Large Su:uoom
with 10 person Hot Tub Hard wood floors
crown moiding L'1-rge Master Bedroom Aprox.
2050 sq. 5:. House is like new. $159.500
3 Bedroom 2 Bath 2 Edng 2 Car To~ally Up·
dated in South Tulsa 58,b Sheridan
area For Sale or Lease $145.000 or $1,200 per
month Rental.
3 Bedroom 2 Bath 2 Livi,ig 2 Car with Pool 58th
Place and Sheridan aprox 1850 sq. ft. $140.500
Condo"s for rem 66th and Peoria area 1 Bedroom
I Bath with small Dea $500.00 Fireplace
cover parking month plus eclectic.
Condo"s for rent 66th and Peoria area 2 Bedroom
2 Bath Fireplace co,·ercd parking
S550.00 plus eiectric.
Tracy Whyburn Keller Williams
Realtors 496-2252 Cell 625-6377
NWA GLBT CENTER
The Northwest Arkansas Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
Community Center is a
group of !Ike-minded individuals
who have come together to create
a nonprofit GLBT Community
Center in Northwest Arkansas.
www.nwaglbtcc.org
11730 E. 11th - Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
Wed. Showtime with Bobby
e, Miss Tulsa of America
Special Guest 10:30PM
Open Tues-Sun 2pm-2am
Closed on Monday's
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTISINl3 SALES
REPRESENTATIVE
F'OR WICHITA,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
qualifications to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
Get results with STAR Classifieds!
,',',', ',''
,,,'" ,.,.
ports, Hot Stone
oqtScrubs
liriic ·· ... ··.
ings an,:f We:~kends
Oklahoma City business owner
and beloved community friend
Gil Ray
passed away peacefully on
Friday June 16th at 3:42 AM
after a long illness. He had requested
cremation.
31
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, July 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 7
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
July 01, 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Micheal Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Micheal Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz Ward
Victor Gorin
Teresa Goodrich
Format
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Image
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PDF
Language
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English
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, June 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 6
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/229
The Star Magazine, August 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 8
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/224
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/228
Advice Column
AIDS
Avian Influenza
Bamboo Lounge
Bitter Girl
Chelsea Boys
Comic Strips
Crystal Meth
Happy Family
health
Heart to Heart
HIV/AIDs
homophobia
Kandy Cayne
Lemon Drop Martini
Lesbian Notions
Miss Oklahoma Continental
Momma's Summer Potato Salad
One Big
Past Out
Pride Not Prejudice Festival
Primary Election
Q Scope
Quotable Quotes
star classified
Star Distributors
Star entertainment
Star travel
The Star Scene
Tulsa Pride Festival
Uncle Mikey
vacation
World AIDS day
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/adfb94be1aa7b9e0db819a46456d1bd2.jpg
6adb773497756f46669e86cce7ccca20
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/4bfcb0d1b43a2abfc0b17c449e79825f.pdf
4e78cd608e7c1960940d0e9eae47a0d1
PDF Text
Text
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Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
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magazine
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Little Rock, Tulsa, Oklahoma City,
Fayetteville, Sprmgfield, Conway
au, • • • • ~ct!}
CCfufil@
STA.R Tra,
Familv Pride Spaghetti Dinner
Friday, June 2 @ 6 PM
Fellowship Congregational Church UCC
Gav Dav@the zoo
Saturday, June 3@ 11 AM - 3 PM
Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum
wcocancert
Saturday, June 3 @ 8 PM
Fellowship Congregational Church UCC
Interfaith Senice
Sunday, June 4 @ 4 PM
All Souls Unitarian Church
Fish Can't Flv
Monday, June 5 @ 7:30 PM
Circle Theatre
East Village Art Show
-Tuesday, June 6 @ 5 - 9 PM
Tulsa GLBT Community Center
Dressed to a T
Wednesday, June 7 @ 7 PM
OpenArms Youth Project
Singing with Pride
Thursday, June 8 @ 7 PM
Tuisa Central Library
Diversitv Gala 2006
Friday, June 9 @ 6 PM
Gilcrease Museum
Tulsa GLBT Pride Parade
Saturday, June 10@ 11 AM
Cherry St. to Main St. to Veterans Park
Tulsa GLBT Pride
Saturday, June 10@ 12 PM
Veterans Park
187 5 S Boulder
Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents. 3
l
I
I
I
I I
II
ii I
Iff,l
( 1 ) -5 6
Proudly serving Tulsa & OKC's GLBT cornmu,1ir;cs since 1982
4 Arkansas & Oklahoma's Most Read GLBT Magazine.
Deadly Silence
We've all heard it before, but have you e-ver really stopped to think
how true it is? In so many cases, silence can be literally lethal. Think
about unreported abuse, an o-,erlooked cry for help, an ignored
genocide.
In the Darfur region of Sudan, a human tragedy is taking place
and there has been precious little said or done about it. So far, that
silence has taken 400,000 lives. How did it get to this point?
In 2003, warfare broke out in the African nation when two loosely
allied rebel groups attacked militarv installations. \X'hile these atta~ks
were quickly followed by peace ag~eements, brokered by the Cnited
States, the government funded militia groups called the "Janjaweed"
to eliminate those considered disloyal to the S!.!danese government.
Over the next three years, the rest of the world has largely ignored
the atrocities committeci by the government-sanctioned Janjaweec:.
Thus far, according to reports by the World Food Program, the
United Nations, and the Coalition for International Justice, 3.5 million
people are now hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced due to
violence, and 400,000 people have died in Darfur. Rape has become
one of the most common ,vavs to artack the women ar,d children
of Darfur, once they have be;n driven from their homes. Now, the
threat of famine is dosing in or, the already desperate people of
Darfur.
Meanwhile, the government of Sudan does nothing ~o stop the
genocide. Many Janjaweed have been integrated into the army and
police. No one has been charged with any crime, and their actions
are not being challenged. There remains a state of total impunity.
In 2005, the United Nations finaEy took action ag~.inst Sudan, referring
the situation to the International Criminal Court. Howe-;er,
nothing more has happened since chat m!!e, and tb:: US nas ~raved
scraogeiy siient for a country tha;: daims to stand against :yrarn{y
and injustice. Our media has said very litt:e about th.c conflict, :md it
hasn't bee:1 a high priority for our go;,ernmem, although Ccmgre,s
is considering humanitarian and peacekeeoing funcling. The silence
has indeed been deadly. ,. ' · "
That silence wiU be ending on Sundav, 1\pril 30~ ho~:.le\~er. /\ R.alh:
to Stop Genoc:de is planr{eJ for 2 4:30 pm on rhe National J\.J:;il
between 3rd and 4th Streets in front of the I.JS (~apttoL S01nc of
the speakers scheduled to appear at the rally jnclude Barack ()barna,
Nancy Pelosi, (;eorge (]ooncy, Russell Si1nn1ons~ l(\\a~si ~lfume,
and many more. Il1e e,.7ent is intended ro dnr,.\' attention to the
critical ~iri1arion in I)arfut- ()rganiz•.::rs are expecting hundreds of
thousands to ;1ttend, after ()prah \"'Cinfrey rhe
raUy on her talk sho\1--.
This bre~king o~ the silence is only the !1rst step, however. We must
continue to pmh President Bush and ::he internati(mai community
to take the steps necessary to end the genocide and builci a lasting
peace.
What does ali this ha,·e to do ,,·ith gay issues? Personally, I believe
the LGBT community should be acti,·e in this battle. After
all, who knows more abour the poisonous effects of silence tl1an
us? \Y/e\·e been forced into silence for centuries, and the results
have often been fatal. \\?e'l'. never know how m~ny gay and iesbian
people chose to end ti1eir lives rather tnan continue living in the
dark silence of tl:e closet. How many more haYe been killed directly
because of their refusal to stay quiet? ·
I1:_ fact, we kno\J: so much about tl1e subject, ~en years ago a group
ot college students started :he National Day of Silence to protest
rhe silence most gav students and teachers are forced into, and the
ignored history and contributions of LGBT people. The students
refused to speak for an entire ciay. The evem quickly grew from
year to year. On Wednesday, April 26, 2006, ten vears after the Dav
of Silence began, an estimated 500.000 students.at 4000 colleges ·
and high schools participated. Ir has become the largest student-led
protest in historv.
How does it work) Participants usually wear red shirrs, often stickers
identifying ,hem as participants, :me! always hand our papers
called speaking cards, which explain why they are not speaking. The
card~ read: "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I
am participating in the Dav of Silence, a national vouth movement
protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexu~l and transgender
peopie and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence,
which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I
believe that ending the silence is the first step to\vard fighring these
injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing todav. What
are you going to do to end the silence?" ·· ·
Whiic things have certainly improved for LGBT teens, even in the
ten years since the Nationai Da\· of Silence srarted, we still cannot
afford to be silent. The co~servaci\·e antigay forces are hard at
work to drive us back into ~ne closer. In fact, last year, they began
a program called the Day of Truth. lJnjike the National Dav of Silence,
the Christian organizers of the Day of Truth encour~ge their
par:icipants to speak out -- against the gay and lesbian students and
their aiiies. Their goal is to "coumer the promotion of the homosexuai
agenda anci express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian
perspecfr;c."
Strate611cally, the Day of Truth i$ heid the daY after the Dav of
Silence and, as of this year. has become an a,nnual e\"ent. Their
participants arc also encouraged to \Vear t-shirts and pass out cards.
'rheirs reads: HJ arn speaking the 'Truth to break the silence. Silence
~;~~::e~;::":,-r:::~1ac::;;::;.~~:~-~~t::::i:~t,::>~~::i:i:~::;~~~By
proclaiming the 1'ruth in hurts \Vill be halted~ hearts ,vill be
healed~ and hves ....-viH be s~P'lccL'~
ironic that that silence is
not freedo1n .. but a constraJnr -- an the
missed the point of the Day
of Silence. tbc in their nJsh tr)
R V Advertising in the SIAR is just good busine,.5s cents.
Heart to Heart
The good news is, as the Day of Silence
continues to grow, I firmly believe our
opposition ,vill fail. Sometimes it takes a
·while for justice and equality to take hold,
bm: in the end, it alrr,ost always does. It can
only happen when enough people refuse
to remain silem. One voice crying in the
\vilderness is easily overlooked. Many yoices
raised together are much harder to ignore.
Speak up. Speak out. Silence is deadly.
*
This is an official Reportable
Health Information
and Notification in Oklahoma
(RHINO) Health
Alert Network Advisory
ercen ge O ~asesTnlYfSIDnTuTsa'"
Reaches 91%
The Oklahoma State Departmeni of Health
(OSDH), HIV/STD Service, continues to identify
an Increased number of syphilis cases in Tulsa
County among men who have sex with men
(MSM).
From January 1 to March 10, 2006, 11 early
syphilis cases were identified in Tulsa County.
Of those cases, 10 (91 %) occurred in MSM.
In addition, Tulsa Couniy likely will see an increase
In the annual number of Syphilis cases
for the second vear in a row. In 2005, Tulsa
County reported 14 cases of which 8 (57%)
were In MSM and in 2004, 13 cases of which 7
(54%) were In MSM. 65% of cases diagnosed
with syphilis were co-infected with HIV.
This increased activity in the MSM population
of Tulsa County continues to be a significant
concern for public health officials and suggests
a continued demographic shift in the
populations most at risk for developing syphilis
in Oklahoma. Early detection and treatment
prevents further damage syphilis may cause to
the body and may also reduce the risk for HIV
transmission. Consequently, persons at high
risk need to be aware and seek testing. Risk
factors Include having multiple sexual partners,
using intravenous drugs, having sex without
barrier protection, and being infected with HIV.
Health care providers should consider expandIng
their screening and prevention efforts particularly
among the MSM population. Prompt
reporting by providers to the Oklahoma State
Department of Health is essential in preventing
further spread of syphilis. Since January 1,
2006, six of the eleven (55%) new early syphilis
cases have been identified through OSDH's
contact investigation.
Early syphilis cases can be treated with single
doses of Benz:athine penicillin, which is avaiiable
at the Tulsa Health Deoartmeni. Health
care providers may contact.the OSDH HIV/STD
Service at (405) 271-4636.
Quotable Quotes
Tom Reilly a Democratic candidate for
Massachusetts governor, initialiy opposed
gay marriage, but later became a supporter.
saying he has seen that the samesex
unions have not hurt the State
More than 7,000 gay couples have wed in
Massachusetts since same-sex marriages
1Nere aliowed beginning in May 2004.
TheSTAR 7
8
Sanctioned Events
"Pride First Night"
Monday, June 19th
Featuring the comedy of
Danny McWilliams, Doors open at 6pm,
Dinner at 7, show at 8 at the Copa - $35 with
Silent Auction - Proceeds go to OKC Pride.
Sponsored by Oklahoma Leather Guard.
Leather Pride Night
Friday, june 23
Phoenix Rising
Sponsored by NLA-OKC
-, Herland Sisters Picnic
Saturday, June 24
5 pm at Herland
standout
Pride Festival
Saturday, June 24,
noon - 10 pm
25
Featured Band - Betsy and The Edge, 8 pm
Sunday, June 25,
noon - 5 pm
Large Children's Play Area, Two Stages of Live
Entertainment, PRIDE IDOL Contest on Saturday,
Dog Contest Sunday, Great Food, Refreshing
Beverages, a Host of Pride Items!
Parade Step-Off
Sunday, 5 pm
www.OKCPride.com
Sponsors as of May 10 ~' A!! rights reserved. OKC Pride, !nc copyright 2006
Advertising in the ST,4R is just good business cents.
ooloun
Be seen with the STAR. Advertise with us! 9
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
JUNE 2006
"Do The Paoerwork"
The man who sat across from me was good-looking and in
his mid-30s a corporate type who was crying as he ate his
bagel. Almost six momhs after losing his 41-year-old partner,
Rich Janulis, to a bad heart, Jim Salengo's pain is paipable. I
couldn't keep from welling up myseif.
They had been together for 13 years. They owned a house
together. Rich, who worked at the New York State AIDS
Institute, listed Jim as his domestic partner so that the latter
could o-et health insurance from the state while between jobs. . b
Thev, had built a life that was full of friends, family, , and fabulous
times together.
Thev had even taken the steps necessary to protect each other
in the event one of them would die. Thev took the steps but
never completed the journey. The day Ri~h died, none of the
paperw-ork the v.rills, the power~ of attorney, the medical
proxies had been signed. In the eyes of the law,Jim didn't
exist as Rich's partner.
Through Jim's tears came the anger he has felt for the past
six months. He's not angry with Ri.ch for dying; he's angry
because, despite 13 years together, their relationship wasn't
valued by anyone or anything "official."
Because Rich died at home, the police had to be called. "They
asked me if I was his roommate," Jim told me. "I told them,
'No, we're partners.' \Vhen I read the police report, it said
roommate." Jim's tear_;,; fl.owed.
Then it was dme to determine who was Rich's next of kin
- because the legal paperwork bad never been completed,
the designation went to Rich's mocher, who told Jim not
to ,vorn;, she would make sure he got what he deserved. If
't-v1om thought Jim dc'>er,cd hcarta~hc, pain, guilt, confusion,
and frustration,, ";v/cll, she made good <)11 her word. Instead of ::;~r:;;~J;,::~ ~tl:~~s~l;n;):~~1~:;~;);~J:~o:c;i~~:~ti~~~~
back pay and unpaid vacation. She also just left him tv/isting
1n the \Vlnd crnot1onally.
has been clearheaded
She
10 the STAR
Comptroller's office whicl~ would be distributing what the
state owed Rich would be a sympathetic ear.
,-1is resourceful as a \voman on a mission can be, Jackie
worked the svstem, and those funds went to the ~state and
not to the m;ther. Since Jackie was appointed by the court
as the estate's co-executor, there's some hope Jim will get
what he reallv deserves - the same benefits and respect rhat ;,,
heter-osexuai'survivor would have gotten in a similar scenario. ~
Much more complex and internecine than there's space for
in rhis column, the story comes back to Jim, who continues
to wipe his eyes in between bites. He tells me of their best
friends from Massachusetts two gay men who \Vere planning
a big wedding with Rich and Jim as their best men. They
called it off. It just wouldn't be the wedding they had hoped
for \Vithout both Rich and Jim to share in the special day.
He looked at me and asked why. \X'hy has it been so difficuit
for him to be seen as Rich's legal partner? \X'hy have he and
Jackie had to jump through hoops? \X'hy aren't our relationships
valued?
We all know the answers to those questions, and so did he.
He wanted to know what he could -do with his anger. I rold
him he could be a poster child for the same-~ex marriage
fight. "Maybe it's time to get involved," i1e said.
Jim's story is the story of so many in the lesbian and gay
community. Together for years, we never take the rime to put
our affairs in order. We think "nothing is going to happen,"
and we figure we can cake care or it next month, after we get
back from vacation, after Christmas, when we find a supportive
attorney, when we have the time.
\'fell I sav there's no rime like the present. If vou love each
othe~ ancr'are in it for the long haul, do yours;lf a favor - get
the paperv..-ork done. As the community continues to grow
and we get older, having all the iega! and estate-planning work
compiet~ is essential if we are going to protect each other. If
you own a home together, make sure both cf your names arc
on the deed. Luckily for Jim, both his and Rich's names were.
Othcnvise, he could have los: the house
Sit down with your partner and have the discussion -· \vho
gets what in the event either of you die. :\fak:: sure part::1crs
~xc listed as beneficiaries on pensions and !ifc insurance
poiicies, Do the research needed in your state to rnakc sure
~rrangen1cnts are iron-clad.
Candidates:
Jim Roth
Candidate for Oklahoma
County Commission
Jim Roth is running for re-election for the
position of Oklahoma County Commissioner
for the 1st District, for which he was
first elected in 2002.
He was the first openly gay candidate to
be elected to public office ir, Oklahoma
Coumy,Jim has served as the President of
the National Association of Civil County
Attorneys, and is the only person in Oklahoma
County hisrory to serve as a board
member of the Nati~nal Association of
Counties. He is also a member of several
other professional and civic organizations
including the Oklahoma, Kansas and
American Bar Associations, Kiwanis Club,
Rotary International, and the Chamber of
Commerce in Choctaw, 1\fidwest Citv and
the Capitol area. ·
\X'hile in office Jim has had many accomplishments.
Jim, along with other members
of county government, implemented a nondiscrimination
policy for Oklahoma Coumy
employees tha.: incl~des gays and lesbians. ·
Jim is also fighting to prevent Oklahoma
County Public Libraries from deleting
gay themed books from their shelves. He
co-chaired a committee that brought the
United States Holocaust 1-fuseum's traveling
exhibit, The Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals,
to O~Jahoma City.
In addition he also sanctioned a five year
road and bridge construction program that
,vill repair infrastructure ,vithin his discric:,
and while his predecessor only got one
direction District One has built 8. Looking
to the future, Jim has begun an initiative
program, CURE (County Urban Rivitilization
Effort) which \vill heip increase home
o,vnership by first time home buyers. Jim
has also ·worked tirelessly to assist our senior
citizens and ensure their golden years.
Jim's reputation as a person of integrity,
honesty, trustworthiness and professionalism
has garnered support from his constituents.
His positi,·e attitude and deep-rooted
values add to his success as a commissioner.
The Victory Fund is proud to support Jim
in his re-election effort. Help Jim continue
his effective and positiYe fight for equality
and a better Oklahoma County.
Individuals interested in helping Jim Roth
win in 2006 may contact the Campaign at:
roth4commissioner@cox.net or go online at
·wwV1.roth4commissioner.com
*
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the STAR 11
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights
Campaign's fight against the Federal Marriage
Amendment hit full swing this week as
the date for the Senate vote approaches.
With a vote scheduled the week of June
5, HRC launched an ad campaign in press
targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
Americans, urged
more than 250,000
fair-minded Americans
to act against the
amendment, released
an online video aimed
at encouraging action
by highlighting the
radical right's discriminatory
campaign
and continues to lead
the Coalition Against
Discrimination in the
Constitution, a coalition
of more than 120
groups in fighting the
amendment.
"This June the right wing will attempt w
make GLBT people second-class citizens
forever. Fight the Federal Marriage },mendment.
Scheduled Vote June 5."
With ads set to run as soon as this week, the
campaign features ads in ar least 26 publica-
The e-mail Action Alert, titled ''Countdown
Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco), San
Francisco Bay Times, Seattle Gay News,
Washington Blade.
to the Vote," begins:
"In five weeks, the United States Senate
will decide whether or
not to make gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender
Americans second-class
citizens in our nation's
Constitution. Where do
your senators stand?
"One month and
counting until the
Senate wastes more
time on singling out a
group of Americans
for discrimination.
The time to act is now
and every day to the
vote," said HRC President
Joe Solmonese.
"Our ads and posteard
campaign are just
pieces of the puzzle
M1..;, .. .1utiite-,-..~ ... -.,;it•oe--..OIML
lllo\lUIIA/ila-tNll•NT.--'--"90
THE RIGHT WING
"As early as June 5, d-1e
Senate will vote on the
discriminatory Federal
Marriage Amendment
in an attempt to write
discrimination into the
Constitution. The Human
Righrs Campaign
has launched an aggressive
campaign to stop
them. Click here to take
action now ....
...iw_oW_w.J ___ t,;p,,b WILL ATTEMPT TO MAKE
--•-~.rt.~\l!Qt•ia~btiliof•tbt bl•....._, GLBT PE PLE "Despite the fact that
the American people
want Congress to
focus on skyrocketing
gas prices, the war in
Iraq, and health care,
-,,,. H_, R,g•i, Cor.pojg• • ~ ""c.-. Hli
and -.c:rca tbe~ln l'IQltff 1w ~Mir• _l _ ,,..111-IIIINIIIIOH••:ht SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS
v.a. Ctai,1(1:~ 8t.c ..,_ Qlllll' do 11 .-.:-. ,ott.
tt U)QON Jo~ t.)W'JO'M....,,.,_i:i,ta#ld "Pf--t.,..~u..,..,__..,..,......,,
•ntmpC to PA Olll;ftlllil'.-,10., lrJtio .,.._~IQll'l.
2)AI.I.RT~ tri.fllldltMdflp,ly'1o N ~ •Ad•
!h•mloWIMl~a....a,
311'110111 rr IN°" - 1\,ad,J"1 E-~-i'>"'
t~ QC of,_. to ~,-.r IIVH ~-...,_WI
Cot,gt._ W.-:iiot ye# oppci,allio,, ¥ 20l/2:2 .. 4!21,
'IOIJR.V-Ill Cllrnc.1.1
HUMAN
RIGHTS
. right-wing leaders in
in motivating fairminded
Americans to
take action against the
amendment. While
we're on Capitol Hill
day in and day out
lobbying against any
www.hrc.org SCHEDULED VOTE JUNE 5
; Congress continue t0
pursue a discriminatory
anti-GLBT agenda.
Prompted by anti-gay
Senator Rick Samorum.
Senate Majority Leader
Bill Frist announced his
intention t0 force a vote
on the so-called Federal
!vfar:iage Amendment
during the week of hme
effort to put discriminatibn in our Constitution,
it's vitai that oack home aH fair-mincied
Americans are doing their part to make their
voices heard."
The online video features clips of anti-gay
rhemric from President Bush. Sens. Ri~k ·
Samorum and John Cornyn, the Rev. Pat
Robertson anci Bill O'Reillv. among 'Ot~1er~.
in reference to the amendmern and a:;ks
viewers to go to HRCs website to fight
back. View tne video.
The print ad includes a of Sens. !lick
Santorum and l~iU Frist \dth the foHo\ving
text:
12 the STAR
rions in two dozen cities acro~s the nation,
including:
Tne Advocate (nationwide). Southern Voice
(Atlanta), Bay Window~ (New England), Q
Notes ;,Charlotte, N.C.), Windy City Times
(Chicago), Outl•Jok News (Columbus), Dalias
Voice, ()uc Front (Denver), Bct\'vcen the
lines (Detroit) .. Houston \ 7oice, Frontiers
(Los Angeles), Lavender :Viagazine (Minneapolis/
St. Paul), Gay i'-~c\vs (1'-..Je .. \,v
York), Ne,,; York Blade, Orange County
Blade, \J?a.tennark (()rlando)~ Bottom t,inc
(Palm Springs), Philadelphia c;ay ~~e\VS,
J::cho {)?hoenix/Tucson)~Just Chn
land), Q Salt Lake, Pillar
& L,esb1an l~inics
5.
_-'\moag the grassroots efforts :n which the
e-maii asks s;,ipporters w participate is a
campai1:-,rn asking indi0:iduals to sig,1 pr>stcards
that. the Human Rights Campaign will
hand-deb·er to senators and representati.-es
asking then1 to vote no on the Federai lVfar·~
riage :\mcndment.
The Human Right, Campaign a;so continues
to lead the efforts of the (:oalirion
Discrimination 11.1 the
a coalition (Jf rr1orc tl1an 120 civil
crvi! 1iberties; labor and
nrganizations d1at are to defeat the
a1nen<.1rrn.:.nt.
*
ast Out
by
Liz Highle:1nan
JUNE
2006
Summary : Pasr 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.
Who was Aileen Wuornos?
Despite her grisly crimes, Aileen Wuornos branded bv the media
as a lesbian serial killer garnered sympathy from som~ due to her
tragic life and her futile quest for love.
I 11 1989, \X'uornos found a new ,vay to ob:ain money killing and
robbing middle-aged men who pickd ner up for sex along highway
I-75. She first mardered eiectronics-shop owner Richard Mallorv
in December, shooting him multiple ti~es ,vith a .22-caliber pis~o~.
O;·er several months in 1990, she killed at least nve more men,
including a sausage salesman, a police officer, and a missionary.
On July 4, \vuornos and ~vfoore ran off the road in a stolen car
oelonging co one of the dead men; they flea on foot, but were
identified by witnesses. Police traced the women through motel
receipts, a bloody handprint on the abandoned car, and thumbprints
Wuornos lefr on file when selling victims' belongings at pawnshops.
Two detectives cornered \'vuornos on Jan. 9, 1991, at a Port Orange
biker bar called the Last Resort and arrested her on an outstanding
warrant. The next day, authorities located Moore, who was visiting
her sister in Pennsylvania. She agreed to coopera.:e, persuading
\X'uornos to confess to the murders during taped telephone
conversations. r-Ioore never contacted \X!uornos in prison, and ~he
las;: rime they saw each other was when Ivfoore testified against
',Y,Iu ornos l. !l court.
\'<7uornos' arrest set off a media circus. Within two weeks, she and
her first attorney had sold movie rights co her storv, while three
leading investigators in the case were also negotiating with Hollywood.
After hearing about Wuornos on the news, a born-again
Christian woman, Arlene Pralle, said Jesus told her to contact Wuornos
in prison. Praile appeared on talk shows pleading on Wuornos'
behalf, and eventually legaily adopted her.
Wuornos was born Feb. 29, 1956, in Rochester, Mich. Her father,
whom she never knew, was a convicted child molester who hung
himself in prison. Her teenage mother abandoned Wuornos and
her older brother, leaving them in the care of their maternal grandparents.
Subject to emotional and physical abuse, W'uornos beca!De
sexually. active at an early age, trad- ..----------------------- Wuomos initially claimed ail the killings ·.vere
ing sex for money, cigarettes, and done in self-defense. In particular, she said
drugs. At age 14, she gave birth to Mallory had raped, sodomized, and tortured
a baby whom she was forced to put her. A.x her January 1992 trial, however, her
up for adoption. Her grandmother testimony was inconsistent and prosecudied
soon after, and Wuornos tors cast doubt on her credibility. She was
dropped out of school, left home, found guilty and sentenced to death, despite
and began eking out a living as a expert testimony that she was mentallv ill. In
prostitute. the months ahead, she pleaded guilty ;)r no
comest to five other murders. It was nor until
the following November that an investigative
reporter reYealecl that Mallorv had served time
for vioieat ~cxual assault.
\'i/uornos was arrested repeatedly
for violations such as drunk driving,
assault, and theft, once holding up
a convenience store clad only in a
bikini. When her brother died of
cancer in 1976, Wuornos received
a $10,000 life insurance payment,
which she soon squandered. She
was married briefly to a wealthy
elderly man, but h~ had the m;rriage annulled due to her abusive
behavior. By age 20, she had settled in Florida, ,vherc si·,c crmtinuec!
to commi:: increasin.e:lv serious crimes under a varierv of :iliases.
In the sun11ner of 1986, \\i/uornos - kncAvn a~ I~ee - 1net
Moore at a Daytona gay bar. !vfoore, then 24, had left her hon1~
town 111 Ohio due w friction with he;- iamih· on:r her sexuality_
'Though \X'\1ornos did not consider herseif ~ lesbian, the tv?o ~vorn-
:;,:;:~Jt:~,::;;J~~i 1~:t ,~:~a;:;1~::·;~5c~!~~:::i:a~1::~i;;~:;~:~::1
'
fiv~ years: W:.:ornos regarded ~1oorc a, her wift~ ~nd ~..-., ".,.,,,, her
as best she could \Vith earnjngs frcnn prostitution.
biographer~ue Russell~ wil1c real driYtng force in L,ee}s life \:vasn't
14 the STAR
Afrcr nearly a decade on death roVJ, Wuo;:nos
sought to end her appeals. She dropped her
earlier clairns of sc:f-defense, writing :n a 2001
:ettcr tc, the Florida Supreme C,;ur::""I'm oac
\ 1/ho seriously hates hurnan life and ,.vould kill
;!gain.'' She died bv icthal injection 0:1 Ocr. 9, 2002.
·n:,Jut~u;.~:~;;t~::t~~~:!:~i,:/;~~ ;~;:~1~;~B~1
;:;~:~~~~)
1
;::
1:Yr~:1~~~~r.
of rjme
11~~:~~:::' :i;:~1~.~~;·~ti):2~~~:t::~1:~:~:~:~ ;~:~;;,:~ ~:~;~;~l
though 1nost r1f ht:r had been ~,J/ith rncn. Some defcnd·-
cr~ n1aintaln that '(fuornos \1 .. +:1s a Ylctirn r)f her abusiv-c chHdhood,
predator}- ,.,-~,-,,,, __ ,, rnedia~ and an uniust legal system. ()rhher
1.~ain search for lo-,,.~c.
Phom: Cast of the Bobby Page Sho,,, Steve's Hideaway, Tulsa
Bene£tSJlo'Ys;;!5ag~an;,J~und-rai$er's,,thcs~·gitls w6rlc their
1:footie · · · · · · .. · · · · · · · bt:.t the
, r·,\\"'
six
Iser «.. ~ ..
beautiful with each rl.i·
,, ,',, ,','
',' •/'</:',., ' 'i'p' ,:: ,,,, :,,:, \\:~:-'",;",:~ Wener~ 111 Okiahoma·~t2Ull}~'
fabulous divli's. So okk
yorirlocai Girl muJio~ist.
cOmmunity.·
Orleans,
.. ·· thebrag
For the past
fo,.Jr years.
and support
td tb support our
'fi'''" ~. "' •-1 .,, .. ,,,.. ,;:,, ',,,•' N ",·:·,•.,',',l,>",,/h' '"·1 l·,:i 1 ~
'~/~ .!~~~~ fO~p~~ .tP~ ~9il?Ffll~-~~~~.·.~.e; ;~B~~~-· s1:1p,vs.1n
O~at,o·nj~. :(:ity~ ·~lS~t a~.~·: f}a~~ .·9}1~.~~~>"'p¢?t~~r~~tee · ~Lie
aCcurat.j. dUc 'ti,. t~~trurri~.I?v-e gOr..a:.1)~2<!iChe ':t.Ji1 ·.dori~f have a
BAMBOO LOUNGE: Kriss Kohl and friends the 3rd Sunday of
each month at 8pm.
CLUB MAJESTIC: Caria Lee Lo\·e on Sunday's 10pm. .\liss Oklahoma
Continental Pageant June 2nd 9pm.
STEVE'S HIDEAWAY: The Bobby Page Open Talent Show
\'\;ednesday's 10:30pm
RENEGADES: Tabitha TaylC>r, Caria Lee Lcwe, Liberty Leigh
check wiri1 Ciub Renegades for dates and times.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
BOOM ROOM: J\lis~ Ginger Lamar, Sunday's 10:30 PM.
CLUB ROX: The ;\lison Scott Sho,;,; 2nd Saturday each momh,
9:30 P:vl, Shantei MandDclay Show follows. !\Iiss Arnold Lee l)resents,
!st and 3rc! Sunday's each month, 7:30 PivL
Hilo CLUB: The Tony Sinclair Drai! Show, EYery Frida\· 10:30 PM.
LAWTON, OK
TRIANGLES: Vicki('. Dillard, Isabe!ia V,,:1eartier, l\Iici1a Eriks and
Kia Paige, Every Friciay and Saturday 11:30 PM drag time.
Be y Smi le
Forms ew Band
pc:·?:·crn1cd hLr ia3t ,1.-ith the grc•up ar (Jub :rvia ... ,~ericks 'fuisa on
?viay 19th. liets\~\ nc\v band \\.·iH be ·'"13ets\- and 'The
-rh~ hand 1ncff;bcrs are~ of course. Bcrsy on •.. - ocals and bas::- guitilr~
for \\\nonn;1) on Yoc2!'.'1 .c1nd
nounccd. 'The frJnncd Juth.'
uf fun and
the STAR 15
AUG
4, 5 & 6
2006
FRI
SAT
SUN
DIVERSITY WEEKEND "
Eureka Springs, AR
Calling All
DORIS DAY &
ROCK HUDSON
LOOK-A-LIKES!
cash
prizes!
•
MK .
tl>'.A. Jtf£! . .
Ya/I Gotta Wear somtJ
PINK on SAT Night!
ea . w.
S uctions!
and Annual
Pool Party • BBQ
aea'r-cuii:or1ii1y
CONTEST
S d nee & social
o d!
Donna Summer!
Hd fr,a co••11a#ty
PILLOW FIGHT/
DJ's JANE &
MARY KING
& Guest SINGERSt
PLUS MORE EVENTS TBA!
& DiversityPride
Tulsa's Diversity Gala 2006
TULSA OK IMAGINE the most elegnnt party, set in the
1920's in the beautiful Osage Hiils of Tulsa. for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) celebritries from
around the world. Well, that is what Tulsa Oklahomans for
Human Rights (TOHR) will be hosting Friday, June 9, 2006
at the Gilcrease Museum.
The evening will in part serve to recognize State Senator
Bernest Cain for his lifelong commitment to protecting the
human rights of ail peop! of Oklahoma. Senator Cain will
be receiving TOHR's Lifetime Achievement Award, a special
honor for those wt-io have provided ongoing leadership
and support in the GtBT & allied community.
Lynn Jones, retired Major with the Tuisa Pol!ce, as thi~ .
year's event chair and Nancy and Or. Joseph_ Mc£?ona,a ~s
Honorary chairs, would love to welcome you to this grana
evening.
The evening benefits the community programs and services
of Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights. Twenty-six
years ago. a smali group of individuals started an organization
seeking equality for gays and lesbians. Thanks to you
and others, TOHR has grown into the largest and oldest
GLBT organization in the state of Oklahoma. Thls year.
2006, will find us in the permanent TOHR-owned Tulsa
Glenpool Flowe~ GP Gifts
Earl Wheeler
437 E. 141st Street
Glenpool, OK 74033
918.291.EARL {3275)
Floral Arrangements For .•\I! Occasions & Hoiidays
Serving the Tulsa Metro Area for over 21 Years with PRIDE!
CUSTOM DECORATING * HOLIDAY SPECIALS
prders by 12noon guaranteed same day delivery.
Your order is treated with
the upmost confidentiaiity.
GLBT Community Center, an 18,000 square foot facility at
4th & Kenosha in Tulsa's East Village, within walking distance
to downtown and the Brady Arts District - all vibrant
urban spaces.
TOHR will provide even more community-oriented services
in the new Tulsa GLBT Community Center. Director Greg
Gatewood, Oklahoma's only full-time GLBT advocate,
with the help of an ever-increasing number of volunteers,
supervises over 20 programs i~cluding the Tu_lsa G_LBT
Community Center (the Center). The Center 1s on track
to welcome over 10,000 individuals this year. The Tulsa
GLBT Information Line fields over 3,000 calls annually
while the Nancy McDonald Rainbow Library now has over
4,000 GLBT titles on the shelves. The David Bohnett CyberCenter,
with 10 on-line computers, provides free internet
access and computer use to over 250 people per month.
The expanded Center wiil allow for additional programs and
iarger events to serve not only the GLBT & allied c~mmunitv,
but the entire Tulsa metro area. The expandea Center
will include leased retail space, creating the potentiai for a
GLBT neighborhood - something our community has been
seeking for years.
•'imaaine." You can reserve a table for your friends and
family or business associates. as weil as indi~~dual se~ts
here. Please feei free to cail 918.743.4297 With questions
or for more information,
16 ~4dverlising in the ST4R is just good business cents.
CHICAGO: HOST GAY GAMES
New Asian Gay and Lesbian
Travel Guide - page 22
The Caribbean,
Homo-Phobia In Paradise!
By Douglas Glenn
With e,·eryone traveling these days one
would think chat most everyplace would be
very gay-friendly ..... or at least one would
think that would be the case. Most small
foreign countries have travel as their main
source of revenue. They like to fill up their
hotels, bars,
restaurants
and shops
with American
tourists.
Did anyone
read the
Time magazine
article
a few weeks
ago calling
Jamaica
the "most
homophobic
place on
Earth"? According
to
Rebecca Schiefer of the United States based
Human Right Watch, ''.Jamaica is the worst
any of us has ever seen".
Not only is Jamaica homophobic but nearby
Islands of St. Maarten and
the Bahamas have had their
fair share of gay bashing.
If this were just an isolated
event we might look upon
it differently but it seems as
though the governments of
these Islands are absolutely
doing nothing about it. 0~
April 6, two CBS Nev,'!) employees
were attacked and severely beate2.
by a group of men on the Cario::)ean island
of St. Maarten where they were vac:,tioning
in what is described at as homophobic
attack. WFOR television in I',fiami reports
tbat Richard Jefferson, a senior prod~ccr for
che CBS Nightly News and his friend R::an
Smith a prociucer-researcher for 48 Hours
were attacked as they left a pcpular bar
after an altercation with the men earlier that
night inside the dub. The :mackc:rs allegedly
hurled homophobic insults at the two and
they were beaten ,vith a tire iron. Both n1en
were rns?ed to a iocai ho:piraL ~eff:r_S')D
susta.1.qect severe cuts on the baci( ot hts
head and his lov~1er back. Smith suffered a
18
fractured skull and possible neurological
damage.
Io Jamaica, Jamaican Aids activists, Steve
Harvey, an openly gay man was abductive
from his home and police reported his body
was found
miles away
in a wooded
area with
gun shots ro
his head and
back.
In ~hssau,
Bahamas the
Bahamian
government
banned
Brokeback
Moutain
from
showing
in theaters. The Rainbow Alliance, a gay
rights group, called the ban a "farce," and
said most Bahamians reject the idea that a
"small group of appointed individuals ? can
provide the moral compass for the entire
country.''
All Americans
need to be protected
when traveling, not
only gays a;;d lesbians
but everyone. ·'\/./e
have a right to travel
in a safe environment,
after all this is the 21st
centu::y! Life is too • short te> take a chance on going somewhere
vour not wanted. Gays and lesbians simply
need to take their travel doHars elsewhere.
There are reallv pientr of places ri211t here
in the !Jni:ed St;tes t~> tra~·d wher~: we can
enjoy ourselves without being haras$ed. If
you really need to go to an Island, then Ha·
:~~:5~v~:::~;1~~t:~;,::~~!e;~/,~~c;·~~!~J~;;;n
bars~ restaurancs as \vell a$ gay and lesbh1n
accomn1odations including several Bed and
Breakfasts. Gays cerrainly don)t haYe to
to
go on vacation 1:his year but it
the STAR, TRAVEL SECTION
won't be Jamaica or St. Maartens or the
Bahamas! I want to have a stress-free travel
vacation and don't ,vant to !rn,·e to worrY
about anything! ·
*
Which islands are gay-friendly
Planet OUT TtaYel Columnist Kenneth
Kiesnoski reporrs, while a chain of gayfriendly
island destinations encircles tl1e
globe, there has traditionailv been one missing
link any Caribbean isie.
That is, until now. Despite a welJ-deser·,:ed
reputation for entrenched homophobia,
frequent discrimination against gay citizens,
and even open hostility to gay and lesbian
travelers, there are signs that at least a handful
of Caribbean destinations are changing
their tunes.
Gay-friendly-isn Caribbean:
Whether prompted by economic consider·
ations or internal or external pressures -- or,
in some cases, ail three -- island nations
such as St. Lucia, the Netherlands Antilles
and the Cayman Islands arc, if not openlv
courting gay travelers, at least chalie~ging
reputations for rampant homopi1obia. The
U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico, St. Croix
and the GS Virgin Islands still offer the
closest approximations of gay life in the
Caribbean.
Caribbean travel veteran Alan Chastanet,
o-wner of S,. Lucia's Coco Resorts and vice
president of the island's hotel and tourist
board, said that as far as he and his hospita;ity
colleagues are concerned. homosexualitv
is a "non-issue." But even in hospitable Ca~
ribbcan island destinations. gay-specific or
gay-exciusive resorts and nightiife tend tu be
thin on the grcund, save perhaps in Puerto
Rican metropolis San Juan.
f-fere are a fe\1/ of the report card grades
from Ed Sah·ato and Ke'r,neth Kie~noski
Caribbean travel ,,Titer.
St. Barts: /\- St. Kitts/Ncv1s: B-·
Puerto Rico: 137 Cayn1an Islands: c: +
Curac,:ao: B+ S~. L:cia: C +
(;uadcloupc: B
Lvlartinique: J)
~\rnh~~· FL
Br~ti~~h
c;rcnada: C
~ llil ffi:©[&Y~~
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"CAMPING IT UP"
"Camping it up" got a whole new meaning after we discovered
the CAlvIPIT OUTDOOR RESORT in Fennville, Michigan, just 7
miles south of Saugatuck/Douglas, Michigan. It is about a 2 hour
drive from Chicago and is just a couple miles from Lake Michigan.
Campit is the :tvfidwest's largest and nicest gay and l
outdoor resort. Campit was establis
40 years ago and bec;me a gay and
lesbian campground 27 years ago.
The currem owners, Sally Howard
and :Michael O'Connor purchased
rhe campground in 2000. To clarify
things, :tvfichael ;s a wonderful gay
man and his business partner Sally is
a wonderful lesbian. They are excellent
hands-on owners. The owners KNOW
how to treat their guests and that is the
reason their guests keep coming back
year afi:er year after year. The owners
are constantly making new and exciting
changes including remodeling to the Outdoor
Resort. They added a privacy fence
all around and another 3 dozen camping
sires ha-:;e been aclded. A couple of years ago they added a
large swimming pool, bath house and recreation hall.
Campit Campground is completely secluded from the rest of
the world and you could easily stay there for days without ever leaving
che grounds. But if you wish to, the gay villages of Saugatuck
and Douglas, Michigan are just 7 miles north where there are numerous
gay businesses including antiques shops, gift ships, gay bars,
a fitness cemer and gay restaurants.
Campit Campground is composed of RV and tent sites. In addition
to tl1e Bunkhouse Bed and Breakfast you can rent a log cabin
or a traiier. There are total of over 50 "seasonal" RV, trailer and tent
sites. The Band B has 5 rooms, air-conditioning and serves a contintntal
breakfast. Guests choosing to stay in the Bunkhouse B and
B have ful] use of the campground facilities. In addition there is a
iog cabin that is available f~; renting. There are more than 23 acres
of wooded and open areas, a bath house with toilets and showers.
~rails and a piayground. They have an "adult's only" policy except
on "Family Pride \\:'eek". They are special tenting areas for nudists,
women. leather, etc. They have a camp store with snacks, beer, firewood,
ice and propane. The Campit is PERFECfL Y SPOTLESS!
You won't find any trash, bottles or beer cans thrown around the
grnunds. AU of a:he guests ::hink of this as r:heir second home.
Can yeu possibly think rJi a better way to have a great vacation
than ro g'l to :m all gay and lesbian campground resort? Getting
back ,o nature? Buiklmg a campfire, roasting marsh mellow~? Snug-
Yvith yGnr lo·ver in a tent under the stars? Isn't that romantic?
TRAVEL
Taking a hike in the woods? Swimming at their huge pooi or sun~
bathing? Even it you were not really into camping this would make
an ideal alternative for your next trip.
\X'hen we toured the campground it was unbelievable how many
people were there. Hundreds! Everyone was so Eriendiy. There is
truly a camaraderie going on there between all the guests. Many of
them are "seasonal" guests that park their RV's and trailers all year
long and come only on weekends from miles away and many of
their guests comes from Detroit, Chicago and Indiana as well as
ocher States.
They have special theme
weeks each summer including
Summer \X:'omen's Weekend,
Bears in the Woods, Commitment
Ceremony, Leather
weekend, Seasonal Gardening/
Landscaping, Family
pride week and of course
their famous Christmas in
Juiy weekend. The summers
on Lake :Michigan
are exo:emely cool and
at night you will neeci a
blanket.
Since this is a private resort,
membershio is mandatorv. However memberships
can be purchased fo~ as little as ${0.00 a year. The~ have
over 3200 members! Sally and Michael have put the emphasis on
their guests, making them feel like a family. The guests are what it's
all about. How many .times have you stayed at a resort or ho:el only
to be treated like a number? Not here! le is like a close-knit fum:ly. It
is the friendliest place that we've ever been. All of the guests enjoy
being around other people. It is certainly not a bar-like atmosphere
where everyone just stands around looking at each other. Everyone
here TALKS wich everyone and interacts. The personality of the
owners and staff of course play a large pan in all of this.
As most of our readers know, we are NOT "campers in the
·woods" however the next time we go co Saugatuck/Douglas, }\fichigan
in the summer we will certainiy stay ar thei:: Bunkhouse B and B
or in one of their log cabins.
The Campit is open from mid-April chru October. Their roll
free telephone number is: 877-CAlvfPIT 1. Check om their website
at: ,v,vw.campitresort.com or email ::hem at reservacions@campitresort.
com. On a personal note, we recommend the CAi\IPIT
very highly. Everything is done the ngn.t way there. The owners arc
extremely professional and conduct tl1eir busmesf in the righ, '-CW.
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 19
b:-he Gay Games are expected to draw more than 11,000 participants
land countless more spectators to the vibrant city of Chicago in July.
Chicago: Host of
ames II.
ay
For one week beginning on July i 5, Chicago will host what has
become rme of the most prominent gay and lesbian gatherings in
the worid, the Gay Games, which are expected to draw more than
1 1.,000 participants and countless more specta.:ors. America's i:hirdlarges:
city. Chicago has become one of rhe top gay destinations in
the country, known for its cxception,cl museums, restaurants, hotels,
arcnitecture, and performing ar.:s.
Even i[ you're in to·.\·n primariiy to play in or '.v:itch tl:e Games,
try to sec aside at least an afternoon to visit a fe,v il:ey attracrions
in the Loop, :he central business district ,hat ccmains Chic,gc's
most notev.ortny mu~et1:ns and archtectural mauels, including the
k~•.•iathan ;\farshaii Field & Co. department store, the Chicago Architecture
Foundaticn Shop and Tim;- Center (which gives ex.cellcnt
waikmg tours). and Grant Park. Don't miss the superb Art Imrjn:,::
of <:hicago, \vhosc a~tonishingly cotnprehensive collection spans ~~~;c~::::1t;~ :~;~it;::::_ ;~1~):.:;~~:~i: ii:\1~(,;s:)~1:E~:;::r~~1:1i~i~!~;~.;;·
{)ther (;rant Park tnusts include the John (1. Shedd 1\quariurn and
the sirniiariy hurnongous Field Ivluscutn f)f T'.Jatural 1-listory.
I~orth of the J.,OOf\ you'll find a collcctit.n1 of lively and eclectic
neighborhood~ - sorne nch •:.,:ith_ and others
kncnvn for shopp1ng and fancy ;ipartmtnts and hotels In R.i•.Tr
f,Jc.,rth~ l\1icb1~an ATenuc rhe ?v1agnificent i\1i1c) cornparcs \Vith
the finest ~-\1ncrica.n ;ind I:uropr:~;.u1 shopping districts. Still f:1rthcr
north hnci 1 l~!OO-acre Lin.cn]n P::u:k, \vbich ha~ St:\-cn;J n1t1scu.
1ns ;;~ \vcH as the sn1all but
arts and ofthcat ane1
Chicago's gayest neighborhoods, Lake·.'iew and 1\ndersonville, lie
'.vell north of dowmown and pulse with hip shops, see-anci-beseen
restaurants, and chic iounges and clubs. In hopping Lakeview,
J\Iatsuya sen-es excellent sushi and Japanese fare, includine- such
knock~out ,tarrers as deep-fried chicken ,vings a~d whitefi~h with
smelt roe. Although many imitators have opened nearby, \Iia Francesca
remains the best place in the neighborhood for sophisticated
but simple Northern Italian fare. HB is a cozy spot that features the
crearive dowr~home cookin' of the Food Network's much-loved
"Hearty Boys," Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith. X/0 is a s,vanky
newcomer that serves up a tantalizing three-course champagne
brunch, plus such innova.:ive crearions as grilled short ribs with
Vietnamese cabbage salad, and seared sea scallops with pumpkin
dumplings. ~!oxie is a trendy place for tasty tapas, designer cocktails,
and great people-watching it draws a mix of the neighborhood's
gay and straight folks.
You could survive solely on the flaky, freshiy baked cinnamon rolls
tnat accompany every meal at the haliowed Swedish diner Ann
Sather, which ha~ several gay-popular locations. Athietes seeking
healthy food should head for the Chicago Diner, which specializes
in creative vegan and vegetarian fare and serves delicious baked
goods. An attracti;-e little Thai restauram where the rice and noodie
dishes are delicious and cheap,Joy's Noodles serves a terrific ginger
chicken with a iragram bean sauce. If you're a jaya junkie, keep in
mi!1d that the cozy Lai;:cvie,\· outpost of the Caribou Coffee chain
is known ioca!iy as "Cari-bo," and "Queeribou" tlia, snould cell
you all you :1eed to know about the crowd.
Boys' Town is the heart of the city's gay-male nightlife scene. The
guppie bar Roscoe's is practically a Chicago institution, fun for
dancing and cruising any night of the week. A 6:iuy 5'Uzzling Bud
longnecks and another sipping cosmos can feel right at home
cogether at Cocktail, an intimate storefront bar where friends often
meet up before heading out to larger clubs. Chicago's classic standand-
model ,.cideo bar, SideTrack has plenty of rooms for mingling.
Hydrate is one of the hippest gay bars in town, great for after-work
ccc;.,_taiis or late-night dancing and cruising. A swank, smoke-free
lounge k:10'.\'n :or its colorful cocktails and slick crowd, ivtinibar
orened in fall 2005 and has become a favorite after-work spot. A
circuit-bov fr.,orite on \Veekends, Circuit pulses with a feverish
late-nigh~ dance crmni c•:en at midweek, ·.vhen ! ,atin nights are a
hit. T1~~ srdish Berlin disco draws a decidedlr fonkic:- a;d mor..:
altcrnati·n::- cro\vd than most of the preppy haunts in J,,ake-vie\\ ...
~carby Spin is an eclectic gay ciub \vith an aU-Jges crO\\,.d and fun
oance rnus1c
C:hadic':--: brings 1n fan5 c>f cou:ntry-\vcstcrn n1usic, \,vhilc the Gent:r\'
;~:r IIaJ~,ed is ,, B(::s~~~~;~-~~l~:~~;;1:1~fS~~::·:~:~v:r,~~i:~:~k!~~~o
Con1tTiodities Exchange~ check out the
ab(>Ut this
-I ~C:\-l's types cruise the C:cH Block. l'~orth of Boys' 'To\1/n
friendliest and rnost diverse bars,
20 Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine
restaurant, Tweet, which is known for its festive brunch and for
tasty organic fare. Another fun Uptown hangout is the Crew Bar,
which draws sports fans (there are 16 televisions airing big games)
and serves delicious food, too
One of the granddaddies of Chicago clubs, the Jeffrey Pub anchors
the South Shore African-American gay community. In the artsy, alternative
Bucktown and Wicker Park neighborhoods, virtually all of
the area's smoky, hipster-infested bars draw a share of the lavender
set, especially the Rainbo Club, a favorite of art students, rockers,
and slackers. Cafe Absinthe draws a grunge-y bunch but ranks
among Chicago's most esteemed neighborhood eateries. Francophiles
swear that Le Bouchon cooks up tl1e most authentic French
bistro fare this side of the Atlantic. For delicious Cuban and Latin
American food, book a table at kicky and gay-popular Cafe Bolero.
And head to hip del Toro for tasty, relatively affordable Spanish
tapas in an snazzy space v,;:ith Art Nouveau-inspired decor.
Funky Andersonville is the heart of the lesbian scene as well as
just being an all-around-cool neighborhood with a fast-emerging
dining repurarion. A lively and atmospheric bistro with a decidedly
queer following, Tomboy serves tempting fare like pan-seared duck
with crimini mushrooms and a port glaze. T's is a friendly, gay-popular
restaurant and bar - its Retro '80s Women's Night on Tuesdays
is a hit. You could spend the whole night at Star Gaze, the neighborhood's
top lesbian club, which serves dinner and also has DJs
on weekends, lesbian comedy and live-music nights, and a convivial
beer garden. And there's Atmosphere, a lively Andersonville dance
bar and lounge with a mixed gay male and lesbian crowd.
The neighborhood also has a few men's (mostly hard-core) leather
bars, such as the Chicago Eagle, which is attached to a bathhouse
and decorated like a motorcycle garage. If you have a place in your
heart for fitted jocks and Tom of Finland drawings, don't miss the
city's Leather Archives and Museum, which is packed \I.1th erotica,
fashion, and fascinating memorabilia from various international
leather contests.
Until recently, standard chain hotels dominated the lodging landscape
in Chicago, but quite a few hip hoteis have opened in the
past several years, including three run by the gay-friendly Kimpton
group: the French deco-inspired Hotel Monaco, the stylish and musically
themed Hotel Allegro, and the swell-elegant Hotel Burnham,
which is sec in the histodc 1894 cast-iron Reliance Building. The
superb Atwood Cafe occupies the ground floor. Another option
that offers style and luxury plus a fun attirude is the Hard Rock Hotel,
which is se~ inside the landmark 4(Lsrory Carbide and Carbon
Building, a fashionable property that's also home to the popular
China Griil.
lip near Boys' ·ro\l/11 there are fev:cr lodging options., but an excellent
resource 1s the gay-friendly ':'~eighborhood Inns group, which
runs a trio of boutique hotels ~wid1 charming roo1ns and great locariom,
City Suites sits along busy Belmom Avenue, closest to the dming
and club action, ~vhHe the more ron1anric f,1a1estic and ~ 7illo\-vs
hotels are set along peaceful resldential streets a fe\\~ blocks from
the accion. The city also has a handful of great inns and B&Bs, including
the gay~o,;vned Flemish f1ousc of Chicago, :.i restored 1890s
ro\v house with fiye handsomelv furnished bedrooms in the
tony r:old ('1:v1~: 1· ne1g11!),xJ-,o,:x1
Ultimately, the Gay Games will provide a wonderful opportunity for
Chicago to show off its world-class attractions, and for travelers to
get w know - or become reacquainted with - the great "City by the
Lake."
*
Arkansas & Okiahoma's most read GLBT A4agazine 21
I
1·
!
New Gay and Lesbian Travel
Guide To Singapore, Malaysia &
Indonesia.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia_The l.'topia Guide to Singapore,
Malaysia and Indonesia, launched in late April, is the first such guide
for the three countries, said Utopia Guides editor John Goss.
'We are simply shining a light on an aspect of society that exists in
every country around the globe, but one that has been mostlv in the
shadows here in Asia," Goss told The Associated Press via e-mail
from the Thai capital, Bangkok, where l'topia Guides is based.
The first e,:er travel guide to gay and lesbian life in Singapore,
Malaysia and Indonesia. Listings include organizations, bars, discos,
accommodations, spas, restaurants, and more. A speciai seccion of
the book highlights groups, clubs, and businesses that are especially
welcoming for women. Enjoy hundreds of san·y comments and
recommendacions from local Utopians and gay travelers alike. The
Utopia Guide to Singapore, I'vfaiaysia & Indonesia offers a landmark
first iook at Southeast Asia's vibrant gay and lesbian scene.
Although there are many unigue a!tracttons for the gay and lesbian
travel in Asia, the following travel advisory is listed on Utopia
Guide's web-site.
Advisory: Gay life in Malaysia, as in other Asian countries, is blossoming
despite conservative religion-based discrimination and
outdated colonial-era laws. Former Deputy Prime :Minister, Aff,var
Ibrahim, was famously removed from office by a ~rumped-up
sodomy conviction that was reversed by Malaysia's high court in
2004. Muslims, both locai and visitors, are also subiecr to religious
law which may (though rarely does) punish gay or lesbian sexual
activity with flogging and male trans,·estism with imprisonment.
Even though religious law does not apply to non-.Muslims, Isiam is
the state religion under Malaysia's constitution and thas homosexuai
citizens face official discrimination. Police may arrest any person
(Muslim or not) for sex in a pubiic place .;i.e. cruise spots), so visirors
are well-advised to respect Malaysian law and customs while
they are guests in the count:y. Having said that, police generall;·
have not de:ained forfigners ciuring raids on :ocal gay businesses,
focusing instead on ethnic Maiay customers, almost 1 orJ\ n of ·.vhom
are considered :t,foslim a: birth by :a,,·. For more information go to:
,vww .. utopia~asia.com
*
22 the STAR
rs
akrast
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egister for S
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Tlllu,, OK 74136
b,dq,e,,daa.Member Brolter_
Have a great birthday on June 4th from
Stan, Terry, Loren, Chaz and ail your
friends at the BOO!
Salutations ... Kittensl Uncle Mikey here with the Queer Yiew.
Summer is upon us. It is time once again for a more meaningful
social season. The ·white parties, raves, and galas, ,vhat wil1 I wear
kittens? I hope that my imported baby gamr swimsuit is ready in
time. I know what vou are thinicing, but he gaye his life willingly.
Now for the mailbag'.
Dear Uncie i\likey,
I ha,·e been seeing this guy for some time now and though 1 really
like him, I do not see a future for us. He wants to settle down and I
do not want to settle for anything less than fabulous, fast and flirty.
I have asked him to join me in rhe party know!l as my life, but he
wm not even try. I think that men were meant to single their earthly
pleasures. Should I just drop him, or continue to sway him my ,vav?
Hopeless Sex Da·wg
Dearest Pooch,· Unlcasheci,
Kitten it sounds as if the two of you are oil and water. You should
respect yourself as weil your man and tell him, your true imentions,
so that he will realize he is not going to change you, as he obviously
must fee!. This will a1lo·.\· him to search for a meaningful relationship,
whilst you concur your next boo:y-cal:.
Smooches,
U:1cle Mikey
HeyBigM,
I think \'OU are :,o fonny \vith you:- advice. Howe\·er, you seem to
ride the· fence \Vith mu;· advic~, Sometimes ,·::)U sav it is ok to play
and then other tin1es you act as though you are for the monogamy
thang. What gi\·es) \X'here do nm stand on this i~:::ue,
Just curious
Dearest Cufrms,
How did v(•u knov.c thn called i,. err l 1~1ca!l me. Big \.i? An.:: ,;ou a
~t~~~ i:::· ~~~!';tb:~:at7:,t:~~~~~~:~;~~r~;~~;: t~i~~c;_ ~~;;_'.~~a;ti;ecs
Queerdon1 ,,,.hen you ,vcrc but a men.:: drip on your daddy'~ leg.
lincle lives his life his O\V!l rules and an~:.:;,1,rers t() no one, Tn oti1er·
,vords .. until B1g !vfikey inv·ites vou rn-erJ
the ;Joor. ·\X'c'H caH
SmotJches.
T.Jncie
26 the STAR
Dear Cncle,
My friends are giving me crap because I have dropped out of college.
I ,vas tired of school and don't see why I should even iirijsh
,vhen I am making a killing as a bar entertainer/stripper. When I'm
in my g-scring, th; older ~en just fling their money ar me. I don't
feel that college is for e,uybody and :hink my time is better in the
field rather than studying abo:it it. \'<'hat do you ~hink?
• The Tv,inkstcr
Dear Twinkstcr,
Kitten, you might ·want to come from under that disco ball to hear
this. \•?hilst the reward of youth mighr be favoring you now, realize
this to shall pass. The skin does wrinkle; the •;ouch does fade, and
ves - young 1)layer, time will trump your spade! Falling back on tha~
college degree does not sound so bad when you think about it. I
mean I suppose even rhe retirement gay villas need some form of
entertainment, rhough I fear the dollars v.1.ll siow, and ~he change
·,,,jll jingle the bails. I would suggest tha;: you give some serious
thought to this matter, whilst you are shaking that monev-maker.
Smooches,
Uncle Mikey
Dear Uncle,
\\'.'hat do vou think about Gav cruises? Are :hey really •,vorti1 it=' I
am thinki~g abou;: going on ~ne, our am re!ucram to spend chat
kind of money, only .:o have a bad time. What do you think?
Man on a cruise
Dearest Kitten,
All aboard! Kinen, Uncle has seen his si1are of sunsets over the
horizon through the waves of the watery front. I can honestly say
I ne,;er had a bad one yet. I ha\·c had my share of loved shipmates;
hell, I have even had a fe\v seamen. I would suggest that if you have
never been, you go prepared, and ready ro party dl the ships whore
blows ashore1
Smooches
Uncle
Dear .i\fikev,
Can you h~ve too much pride? I have a friend who is a walking
rainbow parade. They see him coming from a mile away: l iusc don't
see why someone neecis to make everything a gay issue. I mean that
oniy gives the straight v.:-orki ammunition at our community.
Righti;POV
Dear lligh:y,
There is a reas,m whr rigbty is :ighcy and lefty i:, looser One can
ne,;cr !,ave enm:gh pride. As far as gi,0:ng ammunition, this ;s a
~~:i;;:ti/J;~~i<~:>~ fc::l~,}j:;~js~~~i;:;,~ tl~c;!~;~ ~;::;~!!:~ t!:~;l;:se
(;then;~ icss you rake their Yery funda1nental freed()m 4'";.vay. In other
\'•.:ords tighty, and let the sun shine on those pasty of
vours. 1 tis sun1n1er - t\Yinks for
l 1ncle
\X'cH kitt::ns thai .• ,~Jout\;:f~1pb t,p ~:.~~~ :._f:.sicn v, :.,h \UL11
{~uee·n- J(itr-en~\ loYt one another, and rer:nernber
in bulk.
Grilled Rosemary Chicken w/
Drunken Mushrooms.
1 Whole fryer chicken.
6 large portabello mushrooms.
3/4 cup white wine.
1 /2 stick of butter.
1 teaspoon rosemary (Prefer Fresh)
1 /2 teaspoon lemon pepper.
Fire up the grill, split chicken in half, melt
butter in saucepan, baste chicken with
butter. Mix spices together and season
the chicken. Take a strip of foil and make a packet,
chop mushrooms into quarters, place into packet and
pour wine over mushrooms, set on the grill. Cook
chicken for about 25 minutes or when temp ieaches
165 degrees. Remove chicken and mushrooms. In a
large plate, plate both chicken halves, pour mushrooms
and wine on top and serve.
"CELEBRATE GAY PRIDE 2006"
We have worked hard & we're not going back!
How about a drink recipe this month that
is light and refreshing. Made with chardonnay
this goes very well with poultry and
pastas. You can mix up a whole
Pitcher for get togethers and be all set for
Enjoy this one for laid back evenings at
home with good friends.
WHITE WINE COOLER
(4 oz) Chardonnay
(4 oz) 7-Up
(1/2 oz) Pineapple juice
(1/2 oz) Grapefruit juice
(1/2 oz) Lime juice
1, Mix all of the above and stir well with ice
2. Pour into a highball glass.
3. Garnish with a fresh lime wheel.
SUPER SIZE YOUR PRIDE CELEBRATION THIS JUNE !
Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 27
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
JUNE 2006
"Review your budget, Pisces!"
Venus just entered Taurus, drawing our attention
to sensuality and comfort. Soft and comfy is in,
and shock value is out - or so says Venus. But
the Sun is in Gemini aspecting Jupiter in Scorpio,
drawing out secrets and offering titillation. Ideally,
it's time to invite some friends over for a cozy
evening with an early John Waters movie.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Trying new looks on impulse
is fun, but now shop for quality you can count on. Your wit
is turning quite wicked, sure to get you into a steamy situation
or just hot water. A time and a place for everything,
love!
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Thrift shops serving charities
hold hidden treasures for you. Economy is good, and may
be difficult to discuss with your partner, but the two of you
need to sort out financial issues. Just outline the situation
now, and answers will come later.
GEMINI (May 21- June 20): Bringing treats or favors to a
meeting is obviously manipulative, but it works, especially
now. Don't bother being coy or discreet. Joke about it and
put your aims up front. Honest manipulation works better
than subterfuge.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Your reputation is strong,
but it wouldn't hurt to focus on appearances. Charity work
opens opportunities for pleasure. That doesn't mean mercy
sex! People who share your passions for improving the
world can share ottier passions as wel!.
LEO (Juiy 23 ® August 22): You are very persuasive now,
more through gentle charm than the force or logic of your
arguments. New friends can shake up your perceptions of
who is "family." Be flexibie and open to that lesson!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Your erotic sensuality,
usually underrated, comes to the foie now and could
become quite a topic of discussion! SUil, it's not what you
want to hear about over the water cooler. Pay attention.
and keep the talk at work focused to your advantage.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Little arguments or
critiques easily get under your skin and dig up very deep issues.
Accept the chalienge to deal with them constructively.
Now is the time to iron out any problems in your relationship
and/or strengthen any commitments.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Good health
habits and exercise regimens started now will be easier
to maintain. Results come in time, although slowly. Good
safe-sex habits will come in handy! Erotic adventures will
offer interesting challenges, so don't be shy.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Listen for
hidden motives, but be careful you don't go over the edge
into paranoia. A romantic retreat or an artistic, constructive
outlet will help you stay grounded and keep perspectiye.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Your instincts
for teamwork are unusually sharp now. Trust your intuition,
but be very flexible and accommodating in the actual task
at hand. Reward your efforts with cozy comforts and homey
treats.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Playful impulses
at work should be sublimated to creative labors. You're
being watched more than you know, and your actions can
be easily misinterpreted. Don't explain your efforts unless
asked, but allow every opportunity to be asked!
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Your ethnic roots are
showing. Affecting the accent of your forebears could be
very seductive or lead you into an interesting exchange of
ideas. Review your budget and financial plans.
28 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Arkansas, Bentonville (479)
NWA GLBT Ctr - PO Box 1161 Bentonville-72712--479-586-1062
Arkansas, Eureka Springs 9)
Diversity Pride Event - - - - - - - - - - - -www.d ersitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View- - - - - 36 N. Main- - - - - - - - - -479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante- - - - 309 W VanBuren- - - - -479-253-8102
Henri's - - - - - - 19 1/2 Spring St - - - - - - - - - - -479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -870-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- - - - 888-582-8464
Spexton- - - - - - - 17B Spring Street - - - - - - - -918-829-0824
Tiki Torch- - - - - - - - 75 S. Main Street- - - - - - - - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge -141 W. VanBuren- - - - - - - 800-243-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant- - - 412 W. Dixon - - 479-442-3515
Condom Sense - - - - - - - 418 W. Dickson- - - - - -479-444-6228
Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - - -930 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
Pride Street Live- - 523 W. Poplar St-- - - - - - - - - - 4 79-587 -0557
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - -4 79-587-9512
• Arkansas, Fort Smith (479j
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1 /2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - - 4 79-783-9988
Red Rock City - - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - 1010 E. Grand Ave - - - - - - - 501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - - -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - - 1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetrncks - - - 415 Main St - -North LR- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory - - - - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- - 1709 N. Walnut- - - - - - - - -Service 11 AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our FantasyiSouth40- - - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Kellogg Dr- - - - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Club Glaciei- - - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - - 316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- - - - - - - 716 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-627-9035
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th, - - - - - - - - - - - -- - Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
40th Street Inn- - - -www.40thstreetinn.com- - - - - -816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd -- - - - - -816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs -www.hydeskc.com - 816-561-1010
Missie B's- - - -805 W. 39th St- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Missouri; Lampe (417)
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- - - - 424 Boonville Ave- - - - - -- - - - - - 417-831-4 700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commerical- - - -417-869-3978
Martha's Vineyard- - - 219 'N Olive - - - - - - - - 417-864-4572
Missouri, Springfield (417)
Priscilia's - - - - 1918-S Glenstone - - - - - - - - - - -417-881-8444
Ronisuz P!ace- - --821 College- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books- - - -104 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-242-6838
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton (580)
Triangles- - - - - - - - - -29 SW "D" Ave - - - - - - - - - 580-351-0620
lngrids Bookstoie- - - - - 1124 NW Cache Rd- - - - - -580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Boom Room- - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- -- - - - - - - -405-601-7200
Border's Books- - - - 3209 NW Expressway- -- - - 405-848-2667
Club Rox- - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Christie's Toy Box- - - - -3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - - 405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - - -405-672-6459
Fat Cat Bingo- - - - - - 3130 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - -405-942-8875
Hollywood Hotel- - - - 3535 NW 39th Exp - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club - - - - - - - 1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - - - - 405-843-1722
Partners- - - - - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Pec's- - - - - - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expw - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - 615 E. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - - 405-755-8600
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Rudy's Place-- - - - -3535 NW39th Expw- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - - - -405-601-3711
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
The Rockies- - - - - 3201 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- - 3535 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Tramps- - - - - - - - - - -2201 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - -405-521-9888
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918) ·
Bamboo Lounge- - -7204 E. Pine - - -- - - - - - - - - -918-836-8700
Border's Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Borde;'s Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Maverick- - - - - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - - - - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral P! - - - - - - - - -918-83.1.-1051
Elite Bookstore - - - - -814 S. Sheridan- - - - - - - - - - 918-838-8503
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - - 3540 E. 31st - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz's Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nite Spot - -- - - - - -3007 E. Admiral Pl - - - -- - - - - - 918-834-3007
Priscma·s - . - - - - - - -7925 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Prisci!ia·s - - - - - - - - 5634 W. Skeiiy - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Prisci!ia s - - - - - - - -11344 E. 11th - - - - -- - - - - -918-438-4224
Pr:sciJla's - - - - - - - - - 2333 E. 71st- - - - -- - - - - - -918-499-1667
Renegades- - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob1s Records- - -2909 S; Sheridan Rd- - ,. ,. - - - - - 918-627-~1505
Tulsa CARES- - - - 3507 E Admiral Pl- - - - - - - 918-834-4194
Tulsa Eagle- - - - -1338 E. 3rd - - - -
TNTs •· - •· - - - 2114 S. Memorial-
\Vhittier News Stand- - , N. lewis- - - - •· •· - - •·
Yellow-Brick-Rd- - - - 2630 E 15th- - - ·· -
-
-- - 918-660-0856
- - - 918-592-0767
- 918-293-0304
,9~~~tl~~S ~van~gt~ 'd.iSttibute ,~'~, toP,i~~. Of th~ ~Ti,,R,
1~,~~5;7887 9am to 4pm n1on - fri-or email: ozar-ksstar@sbcg!obal.11et
29
30
BABY, AH COUI-DN'T BE:1-IENE: WE:1-1-, OF COUl-tSE: I
WANNA SUPPORT
SKY. AND I THINK 11"5
A PE:RFE:CT JOB FOR
HIM! AS WE: 80TH
KNOW, HE:'S NE:VE'R
HAD ANY PROBI-E:M
~y
GI.EN
HANSON
and
ALLAN
NEUWiR'fl-t
IT v.'HE:N YOU AGRE:
TO SKY'S NI.IOI:
SKY, I KNOW YOU'RE: GONNA
BE: A ;:'ABllf.OllS INST!-tUCiOR!
YOU JUST HAVE' TO SE:ND OUT
THAT NATUAAI-, WONDE:RFUIE:
NE:RGY OF YOURS, KE:SP
BRE:ATHING, AND DON',
WORRY--111-1- BE: RIGHT HE'RE:
THROUGH
THE: v.'1-1O!.-!:
Cl-ASS.
DOING YOGA IN
NL/DE.
Be Seen With The Star
I i'OOK MY 5110!?6 o;,F. I
ME:AN, l'M PA YING FOR THIS
Cl-ASS ... IT'S MY CHOICE TO
Night club for sale Aprox 3000 sq. fr. occupancy
around 200 has storage building and small house
on the propenv. $210.000
Great entertaining home on 15th street by fair
Grounds 4 bedroom 1.5 baths Large Sunroom
with !0 person Hot Tub Hard wood floors
crown molding Large ~aster Bedroom Aprox.
2050 sq. ft. House is li:.e :1ew. $159.500
3 Bedtoom 2 Bath 2 Living 2 Car Totally Updated
in South Tuisa 58th Sheridan
area For Sale or Lease $145.000 or $1,200 per
month Rental.
3 Bedroom 2 Bath 2 L:ving 2 Car with Pool 58th
Place and Sheridan aprox 1850 sq. ft. $140.500
Conclo"s for rent 66th and Peoria area ! Bedroom
1 Bath with small Den SS00.00 Fireplace
cover parking montn pius eclectic.
Condo'·s for rent 66th and Peona area 2 Bedroom
2 Bath Fireplace covered parking
$550.00 plus eicGric.
Tracy Whyburn Keller Williams
Realtors 496-2252 Cell 625-6377
12th page classified
CALL FOR RATES
91 B.B3S.78B7
11730 E. 11th - Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR 1'L'\LE
DANCERS EVERY \X'ED. 10:30PM
Congratulations to our own
Bobby 1st runner up in
Miss T of America.
Open Tues-Sun 2pm-2am
Closed on Monday' S
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTISING BALES
REPRESENTATIVE
F'OR WICHITA,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
qualifications to
ozarksstar@sbcgiobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
Get results with STAR Classifieds!
by David
Evenings & Weekends
In Studio or Out Calls
Credit Cards Accepted
( 405) 830-3679
ssified
CALL FOR RATES
91 B .. B35.7B87
31
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, June 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 6
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
June 01, 2006
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Online text
PDF
Language
A language of the resource
English
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
Bunky Walters
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle,
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz
Victor Gorin
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
magazine
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, May 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 5
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/240
The Star Magazine, July 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 7
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/228
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/229
Advice Column
Betsy Smittle
Caribbean
Club Majestic
Comic Strips
Diversity celebration
Diversity Gala
Federal Marriage Amendment
Gay and Lesbian travel
Gay Games
Grilled Rosemary Chicken w/ Drunken Mushrooms
H.O.P.E
Heart to Heart
homophobia
Island Hospital-ity
Jim Roth
Lesbian Notions
Night clubs
Past Out
Q Scopes
Quotable Quotes
Star business center
star classified
Star Distributors
Star entertainment
Star Scene
Star travel
syphilis
Tulsa Pride
Uncle Mikey
vacation
White Wine Cooler
-
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905a5370e5391a8069bda28d98cfd935
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ona ale
Scott · row,· Man.:aging Broker
Mc raw Davisson ew:art, R.ealtors
• 1
Langley, Oklahoma
s:cottCrow.mcgr,awok.com
918.782.3211
the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine.
The most important
direct-action you can
do is vote. Local and
state elections are this
r, with many close
ttles to be fought by
our strongest allies. In
rtnership with the
nal Association of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender
(GLBT) Community Centers, the Tulsa GLBT Community
Center annouces Promote the Vote. This program
seeks to enhance the advocacy and organizing capacity
of GLBT community centers by creating a visible, vocal
and voting constituency. More importantly, it gives voice
and power to the members of the GLBT community who
are often made to feel invisible and powerless.
Primaries are fast-approaching with local and state
supporters of the GLBT community in close contests. If
you aren't registered to vote - do it today. You can get
registered to vote at the Tulsa GLBT Community Center,
5545 E 41 st Street in Highland Plaza. It's simple to do,
the form is very short and we'll even send it in for you.
Stop by today and r ter to vote in one easy step
- then vote in every e action. It's important for you and
future generations.
ACLU ASK FOR DISMISSAL OF
REV. LONNIE LATHAM'S CASE
February 1, 2006
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a friend-of-the-court
brief toda}'. urging an Oklahoma court to dismiss charges
against a Soulhern · minister who was arrestea for
soliciting private sex another male.
'The Supreme Court has made it crystal clear that, when
it comes to their sex lives, ults are free to do
whatever the 8 Bell, Executive
Director of th klahoma. "Accordin to the police
report, Rev. Latham did nothing more tha e another
man to his hotel room for consensual sex. It is not a crime
merely to invite someone to have completely lawful sex. If it
were otherwise, every bar in the state may as well shut its
doors."
The Reverend Dr. Lonnie Latham was arrested on January
~. 2006,_ on the misdemeanor cha of "Off!:3ring to Engage
m an Act of ice ne
a ma! ted
r back to otel room for oral sex. It is not alleged
that Latham offered money in exchange for the sex
act.
The brief filed toda in the District Court of Oklahoma
Coun argues , arges should be dismissed against
because non-commercial sex between consentate
is a constitutional!
ACLU it is a violation s
free speech guarantee for the state to criminal
that is mereiy an invitation to engage in lawful
Latham's arrest. which generated a s·
of media attention, forced him to resig
as a board member of the Baptist Generai
Okiahoma.
ut of To~n
MARCH 2006
by Andrew Collins
lbuquerque,
New exico
Q,Jt<::, Mexico's largest city, set dramatically at
the base of the soaring Sandia Mountains, makes a great
- and affordable - base for exploring the rest of the Land of
Enchantment. Albuquerque lies just 60 miles south of Santa
Fe and within an afternoon's drive of countless Indian
pueblos, beautiful hiking and biking spots, and challenging
ski areas. The "Duke City" (named for the city's founder, the
Duke of Alburquerque - the first "r" was later dropped) enjoys
a sunny, mild climate, and it's home to New Mexico's
only gay bars as well as a handful of gay-owned B&Bs and
restaurants. And thr9.ughout 2006, Albuquerque celebrates
its tricentennial with dozens of performances, events, and
museum instaliations that trace its rich and vibrant history.
Albuquerque's once dull downtown has undergone an
ambitious revitalization in recent years, with loads of new
shops, restaurants, and bars along or near the main drag,
Central Avenue between 2nd and 8th streets, and also
along parallel Gold Avenue. From here, it's a five-minute
drive to historic Old Town, which was laid out in 1706 and
contains Albuquerque's earliest buiiding, the San Felipe de
Neri Church, which fronts the serene, tree-shaded Plaza.
The wares for sale at the more than 200 crafts and art galleries
and boutiques in the area run the gamut from fine to
kitschy, and a few very good restaurants are nearby. For an
offbeat experience, step inside the small but venomous
American International Rattlesnake Museum, which contains
the world's largest assemblage of live rattlers.
Within a short stroll of Old Town you'll find a handful of
the city's most prominent attractions, including the recently
expanded Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, which
houses an astounding collection of Spanish Colonial artifacts,
plus traditional and contemporary regional art. Exhibits
on geology, volcanoes, and dinosaurs await you across
the street at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History
and Science. Also check out the Albuquerque Aquarium,
Rio Grande Zoo, and Rio Grande Botanic Garden. It's just
a short drive from Old Town to the Indian Pueblo Cultural
Center as well as the National Hispanic Cultural Center of
New Mexico, both of which have exhibits, cafes, and performances
related to their respective cultures.
Much of Albuquerque's gay scene is focused in the
retro-hip Nob Hill neighborhood, a short drive east of
downtown along Historic Route 66 (Central Avenue), which
glows with the neon signs of coffeehouses. bars, greasyspoon
diners, galleries, and boutiques selling everything
from cool home-furnishings to campy giftsCentral Avenue
fringes the southern edge of the University of New Mexico
(UNM), whose noteworthy attractions include the Maxwell
Museum of Anthropology and the University Art Maseum.
The city sprawls a bit, and you need a car to venture out
to some of the worthwhile outlying attractions. On the west
side of town, visit Petroglyph National Monument to view
some 25,000 rock drawings inscribed as far back as a thousand
years ago along the 17-mile-long West Mesa escarpment.
Drive east across town into the city's lofty foothills
for a chance to ride the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway to the
crest of the 10,600-foot Sandia Mountains. The 2.7-mile
ride is the longest aerial tramway in the world. At the top
are observation decks, hiking trails, a visitor's center. and
the High Finance Restaurant.
On the north side of Albuquerque, you'll find the giamorous
new Sandia Casino resort, which in addition to
extensive gaming areas contains one of the city's best
restaurants (Bien Shur, on the resort's rooftop), a brandnew
luxury hotel and spa, and a golf course of considerable
acclaim.
The casino is close to Bailoon Fiesta Park, home to New
Mexico's most famous festival, the Albuquerque International
Balloon Fiesta. This colorful hot-air balloon gathering
- the world"s largest - takes place the first two weeks in October.
At any time of year you can visit the park's AndersonAbruzzo
international Balloon Museum, which opened in
fall 2005. There are also a number of outfitters throughout
Albuquerque offering hot-air balloon rides year-round; one
of the most reliable is Rainbow Ryders.
Albuquerque's already very good dining scene has
improved dramatically just in the past few years. in the
downtown area, don't miss gay-popu!ar Artichoke Cafe for
first-rate Continental cooking in a romantic yet casual ambience.
Thai Crystal is one of the city's top Asian restaurants,
while the cozy Goid Street Gaffe serves up some of the
........ Continued next page.
. Atw:efflsingin lfi~ STAIR/sjustgood business cents. Page6
Out of Town
best breakfasts around, plus iight lunch and dinner fare,
designer coffees, and delicious desserts. When in Old
Town, book a table at elegant Ambrozia Cafe & Wine Bar,
known for its quirky and inventive dishes, such as duck
meatloaf with truffted cream corn, and lobster corn dogs
with chipotle ketchup.
In Nob Hill, the swanky Zinc Wine Bar and Bis~ro
serves a memorable Sunday jazz brunch and terrific
French-inspired dinner fare - try the crisp uck-confit egg
rolls or mango creme brulee. Next door, y Fish serves
tasty proof that it's possible to find super-fresh and creatively
rendered sushi right in the heart of the des~rt.
Talented chef Jennifer James is one of the leading new
culinary stars of the Southwest, and you can sample her
deftly prepared food at Graze, which specializes in affordable
tapas-style small plates (she also owns the more formal
Restaurant Jennifer James, a few miles north). Across
the street, the upscale Gruet Steak House is run by the
city's acclaimed Gruet Winery, which produces S?me ?f the
nation's most respected champagne-style sparkling wines
as well as commendable pinot noirs and chardonnays.
Pre-clubbing gays and straights mix it ~ sophisticate~
Martini Grille which is lauded as much its tasty Amencan
fare as fbr the fancy drinks served up in the schnazzy
cocktail bar.
Hang out among UNM students and other local hipsters
at II Vicino, which serves out-of-this-world wood-fired
pizzas and filling calzones, plus a nice array of leafy dinner-
size salads. Try El Patio for some of the most authentic
(and fiery) New Mexican cooking in town - be sure to sit
on the tree-shaded The no-frills Frontier Restaurant
is a 24/7 institution for its breakfast burritos and
heavenly cinnamon buns - it's a real scene after the clubs
close. Another must-do in Albuquerque is coffee and dessert
at Flying Star, a bakery, restaurant, coffeehouse, and
wine bar all rolled into one, with five locations around town,
the gavest and coolest in Nob Hill and downtown.
Among Albuquerque's six gay nightspots, Pulse draws
th gest and wildest bunch for cruising and dancing
stive patio and compact but fierce dance floor.
Fans of line-dancing and two-stepping head to sprawling
Sidewinders Ranch, which is owned by the same folks as
Sidewinders in Palm Springs. Low-keyed Exhale (formerly
Renea's} is the only lesbian bar in the state, although it
pulls in of guys, too. The expansive Albuquerque
Mining ers to a diverse crowd with its several bars,
small dance area, and full volleyball court. The Albuquerque
Social Ciub, a garden-variety video bar across the
street from Pulse, attracts a fairly local following; guests
are pennitted in this private club but must purchase a
"membership" ( one year). The parking
lot at Foxes ith beat-up pickup trucks,
hints rish, and horny guys inside.
main entertainment
ue's lodging landscape is domin
hotels, you'll find some distinctive
historic properties and art-filled B&Bs, too. the
latter, the beautifully restored Mauger Esta sits
within easy walkin distance of downtown and Old Town.
Anne Victorian has an ornate
exterior, period antiques, wallpapers, and fabrics.
Another property is Hacienda Antigua,
a f ,ldadc>be hacienda northwest
of downtown, filled with claw-foot tubs, wood carvings and
Indian art, and beehive-shape kiva-style fireplaces.
the historic La
p grand dame,
opened in 1939 by Conrad Hilton (who honeymooned here
with Zsa Zsa Gabor). It's a stunning 10-story hotel in the
heart of downtown. A few blocks west, the art deco Hotel
Biue has simple but affordable rooms and a great location,
making it one of the city's best bargains.
Of the city's chain properties, the 17-story Albuquerque
Marriott is a commendable, upscale choice with great views
of the mountains. It's close to two shopping malls and a
short drive from gay nightlife. And a 20-minute drive north
of Albuauerque in the town of Bernalillo, the posh Hyatt
Regency Tamaya offers the most lavish accommodations in
the region. Amenities at this 500-acre resort on the. ~anta
Ana Pueblo include a world-class spa, horseback riding,
tennis, golf, superb restaurants, and ca_sino gaming. If
you're looking for sumptuous Palm Springs-style glamour
in the laid-back Duke City, look no further than this stunning
resort, the perfect place to celebrate an ultra-romantic
Southwest getaway.
The Little Black Book
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (www.balloonfiesta.
com).
Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (505-842-9918
or 800-284-2282, www.itsatrip.org; www.albuquerque300.
or deta que Tncentennial events).
Al uerque 1 Louisiana Blvd. NE, 505-881-
6800 or 800-334-208 , www.marriott.com).
uerque Mining Co. (7209 Central Ave. NE, 505-255-
que Social Club (4021 Central Ave. NE, 505-255-
Cafe & Wine Bar (108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW,
560).
(424 Central Ave. 5-243-0200).
5 Central Ave., N 232-3474).
arvard St. SE, 50 '
Flying tar 2 Centr;3I Ave. S 633; also
downtown at 723 Silver Ave. SW 99).
Foxes Lounge (8521 Central Av 5-3060).
Graze (3128 Central Ave. SE, 50 .
Frontier Restaurant (Cornell Dr. SE and Cen al Ave. SE,
505-266-0550).
Gold Street Gaffe (218 Gold Ave. SW, 505-765-1633).
Gruet Steak House (3201 Central Ave. NE, 505-256-
WINE). Hacienda Antigua (6708 Tierra Dr. NW, 505-345-
5399 or 800/201-2986, www.hac~ier1da;ar ua).
Hotel Blue (717 Central Ave. NW, 505-9 2400 or 877-
878-4868 www.thehotelblue.com).
9462).
· Bernalillo, 505-
att.com ).
also 11225
t. NW. 505-242-
05 .
, - __ 755 or
-725-2477, WWW.
. NW, 505-343-1554).
1-25 at Tramway Blvd., 505-796-7500 or
.sandiacasino.com J.
nch (8900 Central Ave. :::;E, 505-275-1616).
09 Gold Ave. SW. 505-244-
and Bistro (3009 Central A . . 505-254-
Dive
April
WE DO IT DIFFERENT in Eureka Springs, Arkansas!
At our hlatoric
Auditorium •
For GLBT• & their
Stra Pals to
I (ov•r
.,. to ral•• our •plrlt• an e
th• Ozarlc• hlll• with lau11hter and GAYETYI
TICKETS ONLINE - LIMITED SEATING/
Plus more events TBAI
For DIVERSITY info
& Diversity
health outreach prevention education, Inc.
1-800-535-AI DS (2437)
Oklahoma's HIV/STD Hotline
YOURSELF
PROTECT YOl.:IR.PARTNER(S)
* Free nonjudgmental HIV testing,· including the 20
minute OraQuick Test.
* Free Sypht1/is screening at .the GLBT Community
Centeron Tuesdaysf'roin 6-8pm
H~O.P.E. :resting Clinic ;
Mens·Outreach'P .....
In Tulsa at (918) .
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
or gays wanting to travel in the United States there are
main gay cities, Palm Spri , California and Ft.
le, Florida. Both cities ve a huge gay populah
are extremely gay friendly. Both have at least
f dozen gay resorts to stay and plenty of gay
restaurants, bars and shops.
n this column we will tell you about Palm Springs, Caliomia.
It is located about 120 miles East of Los Angeles.
hen flying in from the f:Aidwest or_ East you _can ei~her .
y directly into Palm Springs or fly into Ontario, California
hich is less expensive and is only about 50 miles \J\'est_
f Palm Springs. Since you will need to rent an auto It will
ve you money to fly to Ontario.
weather in Palm
ngs is beautiful all
r around except if you
't like weather over 100
grees then it is best not
July and August.
we love the dry heat
we love going there in
he summer when it is hot.
ecember thru April it is
very pleasant there.
e dozens of gay
stay however our
is the TERORT
(www.ter)
and located
st of downtown
Palm Canyon
toll free phone
is: 1-866-837-7996.
and hosts, Tom
nd Doug Sems are
of the best -'<'hen it
to knowing how to
their guests.
he Terrazzo Resort has 12 guest rooms surrounding
heated swimming pool, (clothing optional) of course,
· · and tropical gardens. The resort has
s that includes the finest of linens,
dial phones, Lar TV, DVD, VCR CD player, indiclimate
control, speed Internet access, pre-
Judith Jackson bath amenities and wonderful soft
oiquet robes for their guests. All rooms comes with a
· , refrigerator, wet bar, hair dryer, iron and ironing
rd. Don't have your lap top with you? Don't worry. you
check your emails in their guest services room. Comentary
breakfast is served each momin_g outside at _the
. A complimentary gourmet lunch Is served daily
lside. Complimentary beverages and snacks are
available throughout the day. In addition to their Resort
they also have a condoiapartment just a few blocks from
the Resort which can rented on a monthly basis. Guests
renting that can take full advantage of the Resort amenities
including pool, etc.
This is truly a fabulous resort for the gay traveler. It is the
only gay resort in Palm Springs that we recommend. As
we travel around the country we have noticed that many
owners hire managers and that in itself can be a major
problem. Tom and Doug are the owners AND managers
and they control everything themselves to insure that each
guest gets full attention. And full attention to every detail is
what you at the Terrazzo. They have received many award
and citations for their hi ality of service and accommodations.
Tom and Doug ve their work and what they are
doing and it shows! Be sure to check out their web site.
Downtown is just a few short blocks from the Terrazz<?
and is filled with major shopping, museums, art galleries,
restaurants, bars and even an Indian Casino. They have
about a doz bars in Palm Springs and they run the
range from piano bars, disco bars and just about
any type of bar you are looking for. The one great thing
about staying in a major gay city is that the bars are always
busy! And we do mean ALWAYS! So even if you are kinda
shy you won't have any problems meeti someo~e in
Springs.
o left Melvyn'
aurant)
There is so much
to see and do in
Palm Springs. Lots
of museums to
visit, great restaurants
and tons of
·ng to do.
UST SEE is
the FABULOUS
PALM SPRINGS
FOLLIES located
downtown at 128
So. Palm Canyon
Drive. It is a Las
Vegas type show
with singing, dancing
and plenty of
laughter. What
makes the show
so fabulous is that
all the performers
are over 55 and
they are GREAT!
There are numemus performing arts centers around the
city and plenty of concerts to go to. There are dozens and
dozens of restaurants in Palm Springs. After many years
of going there our very favorite 1s still Melvyn's Restaurant
located in the Ingleside Inn just a couple b!ocks West of
downtown at 200 W. Ramon. It is just like stepping back to
"Old Hollvwood". The food, the service and the atmosphere
is PERF CT!
Mel Haber, the owner knows how to keep h:s guests coming
back year after year. According to Life Styles of the. Ric.
and Famous it is rated one of the 10 best and we certainly
agree!
Continued next page:
the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine. Page 10
GAY TRAVELERS:
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest vertical
cable in the country and the view from the top is magnificent.
Take your lunch with you and dine right in the mountains.
Other options for Palm Spri are hiking, tennis or
sightseeing in the Joshua National , the Living Desert
or visiting the local Indian grounds. But of course the main
reason to go to Palm Springs is for the people! And what a
FABULOUS collection of friends we have made there over
the years. Our best to Stefan, Millie, Jerry, Jim, Tyke and
Wayne!
Check out www.palmspringsgay.com before making your
travel plans. For more information about traveling, email
Donald and Ray at gaytravelers@aol.com or visit their webpage
at: http://www.hometown.aol.com/gaytravelers.
Willie Nelson
Releases New Gay
Cowboy Song.
NASHVILLE, TN_Willie Nelson released his new song titled
"Cowboys Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond Of Each Other)"
on Valentines Day February 14th 2006.
Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond Of Each Other)"
wa in 1981 by Texas-born, NYC resident musician/
songwriter Ned Sublette, long before gay cowboys were the
current topic of conversation. Nelson recorded the song last
ar during an iTunes Originals session at his Perdernales,
io. This is the first time Nelson's version has been
released.
Dolly Parton did a song for "Transamerica," Emmylou
Harris cut a track for "Brokeback Mountain" and Willie
Nelson released a gay Valentine's song. Is country the new
gay genre?
HIV positive participants,
spectators to be welcomed into
United States during the 2006
Chicago Gay Games
'Designated Event Status· clears
U.S. entrance restrictions
SAN FRANCISCO A U.S. federal blanket waiver has
been approved allowing non-U.S. citizens living with HIV/
AIDS to travel to the United States to participate in or attend
the Gay Games 2006. The Federation of Gay Games
(FGG), an~ Chicago Ga~es, Inc. (CGI), announced today
that the waiver comes with federal approval of Designated
Event Status for Gay Games VII Sports & Cultural Festival
set for 15-22 July 2006 in Chicago, Illinois.
"Many people with HIV/AIDS and other life-affecting health
issues have competed and set Masters-division records at
past Gay Games, and we are happy that all participants
from outside the United States once again will be able to
travel freely to attend the Gay Games this summer," said
Kathleen Webster, co-president of the international Federation
of Gay Games.
HIV positive p · · nts and attendees of Gay Games
VII can now a a sin B-2 travel visa from
their local U.S. consulate. isa, valid 8-28 July 2006,
will be issued on a special form instead of being placed
permanently in the person·s passport.
"Achieving Designated Event Status demonstrates our
dedication to the Gay Games principles of Participation,
Inclusion and Personal Best™ and to our mission adfor
full acceptance and recognition of all LGBT
said Brian McGuinness, Gay Games Chicago
Executive Director. "We are grateful to Chicago Mayor
Richard M. Daley, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (DIL)
and the many CGI and FGG board, staff, volunteers
and allies for helping us meet this important commitment
to the HIV community."
Information regarding procedures on how to apply for the
B-2 visa at U.S. consulates in different countries will be
available shortly on the FGG Web site at \~":N';N-~aygames.
com) and the Chicago Gay Games eb site (www.
gaygameschicago . .erg).
For additionai information, lease contact Aimee Pine at
the ~hi Ga~es, Inc. o,ffic:esat (773) 907-2006 or by
email at mee.pme@gaygameschicago.org.
Grand Opening ai Fort Smith's
Newest Night Club.
RED ROCK CITY
By Bunky Walters
The pizza delivery guy walked in just after 8 p.m. amid
droningeleictnic drills, a symphony of cell phones and frenetic
atter.
But like an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"
everything was hammered, painted and plu in
by midnight for the grand opening of Red Rock C Fort
Smith's newest party venue, at 917 N. A St. ·
At 10 p.m., music was already blasting in beat to the din
of finishing touches being made inside the historic two-story
building with a red stone walls - hence the name of the
club. It's attractive yet calm exterior was in sharp contrast,
though, to the play pin being created inside.
Leading the whip-quick renovation was owner Andv
Osburn, who stayed cool as Crystal throughout the evening.
Osburn, by the way, also owns Kinkead's, just a
couple blocks away at 1004 ½ Garrison Ave.
When he wasn't lending a hand or answering his cell
phone, Osburn paused occasionally in the VIP lounge near
the cool metal grate-floored DJ booth, ave the
dance floor. By 11 p.m., some of his friend s
and Kansas City had arrived, and they made themselves
at home in the lounge, which was decorated with leather
chairs and ottomans situated around a large, wide-screen
TV. Roses and orchids were another elegant touch to the
room.
Out the lounge door several steps away was the upstairs
bar area, which has a dance floor, as well. It was
packed with le by 11 :30 p.m., slinging back beer
and sipping them up alongside buttery
nipple and cocksucker shots were bartenders in black
dress shirts, with the word "Rockers'; spelled out in red on
each one.
Not long after midnight, a voice on the mic invited folks
to "shake their tail feathers." They promptly obliged, spilling
down the confetti-carpetted stairs to the new dance floor.
The anced to everything from Salt 'n' Pepa to Depeche
,de, s1~oc1tina b,oots and scuttling about to the
rhythm of the pounding bass. Every now and then, there
were quick whooshes from the fog machine, blanketing the
crowded dance floor.
And it mig~t hav~ been chilly outside,. but it didn't keep
a obv1ol!s gym _memberships from whipping
o d shaking their bottoms under the dazzling
disco lights of the club's exposed rafters.
Not that but I had a ball and a half that night
OK, two. te the nail-biting push of the
midnight deadline, the club threw a flawless party. And I
have no doubt they'!i continue to send folks in Fort Smith
· and sweating to awesome beats and fabulous
for many, many weekends to come.
Speaking of coming, you should. Red Rock City is open
9 p.m.-5 a.m. Thursday-Saturday and 6 p.m.-midnight
Sunday.
· , either call (479) 242-CITY or visit
_GLBT Magazine. . Page 1.2 ..
NINTH ANNUAL RED RIBBON
GALA, SET FOR TULSA
MARCH 11, 2006.
Above left to right: Kim Wood -Chairperson RRG, Shane
Carter - Channel 2 Meteorologist and Master of Ceremonies,
Pat Chernicky- President Tulsa C.A.R.E.S.
TULSA, OK_Aa in the past, a sea of red wili encompass
distinguished guests and friends of Tulsa C.A.R.E.'s
RRG, as they arrive at one of Tulsa's most elegant and
worthwhile affairs. Again this year, the event will be held
at Southern Hills Country Club on Saturday, March 11th.
Set in an atmosphere that only Southern Hills can create,
the room will be ablaze with fabulous flower arrangements
created by board member Toni Garner. Kim Wood, Gala
Chairperson and Peter Walter, realtor extraordinaire, Gala
Honorary Chairperson wiil welcome guests to a feast for
the senses that will include the finest cuisine by Southern
Hills Chef Devin Levine, complimented by fine wines. A
portion of the festivities wili include both a silent and live
auction offering stellar iist of antiques, furniture, original
artwork, masterfully created jewelry, private dinner parties,
special inteiest classes to name a few. A new feature
this year, a special raffle of fine jewelry created by Tulsa
C.A.R.E.S. board member Susan Sadler, wi!I be held during
the event. Ali attending are encouraged to "just wear red"
... the color of AIDS awareness and a symbol of compassion
for those affected by the disease.
The Red Ribbon Gala is the largest fundraising activity
for Tulsa C.A.R.E.S (Center for AIDS Resources, Education
and Support). Ani:i, this year the event has received a
tremendous "kick off'' for 2006 with the generous grant from
the George Kaiser Famiiy Foundation and Bank of Oklahoma
Foundation as Presenting Sponsor. A United Way
agency, Tuisa C.A.R.E.S has been in existence since 1991.
Executive Director , Sharon Thoeie, credits the generosity
of the board members and donors of the difference they
make for some of the community's most needy members.
She states: "the best part of the Red Ribbon Gala is that it
supports the ongoing efforts of Tulsa C.A.R.E.S. to provide
a safe haven for low-income men, women and children
with HIV/AIDS throughout northeastern Oklahoma.
2 marks the 15th anniversary of providing support services
to the individuals no one wanted to serve. Without the
proceeds from the Red Ribbon Gala our ability to provide
these crucial services would cease."
Board President, Patricia Chernickv, adds: "the RRG is not
only a fabulous evening of food, fun and friends, but the
money raised from the event provides the organization with
the financial resources to serve over 450 individuals. HIV
does not affect o up of people, it affects us all." RRG
Chairperson, Kim also contributes: "A tremendous
op · is provided through the RRG to provide support
to Isa CARES so that the organization can continue to
provide the services for those patients and families affected
by the devastating disease."
The Red Ribbon Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. with flowing red
cocktails, stimulating conversation and a Ii silent auction
and raffle. Dinner foilows at 7:30 p.m. w live auction
commencing around 9:00 p.m. Dancing to music provided
by "The Hero Factor" will begin at 9:45 p.m.
Tickets are $150.00 per person. Sponsorship packages
and reservations for priority seating are available. For more
information, contact Bruce Lewis at (918) 834-4194.
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET
PRESENTS MIXED BAG ON
HIV/AIDS
WASHINGTON - President Bush's budget proposal, released
yesterday, presents a mixed bag on HIV/AIDS, with
modest funding increases in care and treatment programs,
additional cuts in Medicaid and a dangerous increase in
abstinence-only programs that keep thorough, scientific
information out of the hands of those who need it most.
"For the sake of hundreds of thousands of Americans
living with HIV and AIDS, we can and we must do more,"
said Human Rights Campaign President joe Solmonese.
"We welcome the president's attention to the critical needs
facing HIV/AIDS programs, yet the new funding does not
make up for the years of shortcomings and huge proposed
cuts that may harm beneficiaries in other areas."
The largest proposed HIV/AIDS increase is for the president's
$188 million domestic AIDS initiative, with money
split between the Ryan White CARE Act and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We need a comprehensive and targeted strategy to
combat this virus - particularly in at-risk communities and
among people of color," said Soimonese. "Attention to this
continually growing trend is long overdue."
There are more African Americans among new AIDS cases,
people estimated to be living with AIDS and H!V-reiated
deaths than any other racial or ethnic group in the United
States.
Continued .. Aids Budget-page 23
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I
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Pack'em In At
Club Maverick!
by Greg Steele
TULSA, OK_ Mary, Schellye, Brenda, Paula, &
Valerie known as Tulsa's Moodswing Band certainly
have the art of entertaining down pat. With
st guitarist Betsy Smittle and the Boys, Brad
in, Mark Dodson, Eric Daughtery, and Mike
Busby, entertained a standing room only crowd
at Tulsa's Club Maverick on January 27th. Just
another example of the talent we in Oklahoma
are fortunate enough to have in our GLBTA community.
A five piece all female band, Moodswing has
been together for two years. They have played
at many events including Tulsa Pride Picnic,
OKC Pride Picnic, Tulsa's Mayfest, The Women's
Music Festival in Dripping Springs, Texas, the
Sooner State Rodeo in Tulsa and Diversity Pride ·
Fall Festivai in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. And
continue to draw big crowds at Oklahoma City
and Tulsa nightclubs.
They are currently working on their 2nd CD
and hope to release it this summer. Their 1st CD
"Moodswing" was cut two years ago.
The boys were fantastic! Si · a variety of songs,
delighted the crowd with their ta ent dUiing the band
intermission. A very professional group and a wonderfully
entertaining evening.
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Crystal Meth.u The
Satanic Brew Crippling
the Gay Communi
By jimmy pa!mieri
Crystal Meth ... The Satanic Brew Crippling the
Gay Community
Meth, Tina, speed, chalk, ice, rock, glass are all street
names for the dnJa meth amphetamine. This noxious
recipe of chemica s, that may include, but are not limited to.
ephedrine, crystai drain cieaner, bleach, battery acid and
nail poiish remover, among others, has the capability of
destroying lives more quickly than any iilicit drug currently
availabie. It is so addicting to some, that after the first try,
so strong is the craving to use again, that all else becomes
secondary.
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iesbian community, with a particular ven ance on gay
males for a variety of reasons. The of meth make
the user less inhibited, and more euphoric in mindset. This
is particularly enticing to gay men, who may have been
admonished by their families, not accepted by their peers at
school, or have not fit into what even their own community
deems acceptable. Society has continually isolated s
and lesbians, leaving many with the desire or need
into some type of adopted crowd or fa1 Meth is sadly,
the common thread among many of the enfranchised.
Meth a!so has the distinct capability of making men more
libidinous, thereby making their feelings of inhibitions ali the
more exaggerated. This has created a devastating paralle!
between meth addiction, and HIV infection.
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A History of Violence
Anti-gay violence is on the rise -- not just in the U.S., but all
over the world.
!"- Swt:dish we~site lists 129 well-known gay individuals,
1~cluding pr(!minent actors, musicians, broadcasters, politicians
and priests, and calls for their death. Despite having
one of the world's toughest laws against the promotion of
hate, Sweden's _chief prosecutor says he is powerless to
shut down the site because it frames its death threats in the
form of Biblical quotes.
Britain is in the midst of a homophobic crime wave that
has esc~lated to the PC?int that police have urged the LGBT
?ommurnty to u~e _caution when going out. A young man
m Londonderry 1s rn danger of losing his eye after a recent
attack, and it wasn't the first time he'd been assaulted. A
g~y couf?le_ near London almost lost their home, and pos~
1bly th_eir life, w~en they discovered someone had pushed
1nc~nd1ary maten~I through their mail slot, starting a fire in
their hallw~y. Fortunately, they were able to extinguish the
nre before 1t spread. In another incident a lesbian couple
was pelted with snowballs that had sto~es and broken
glass embedded in them. Police say they believe there
have been dozens of other cases throughout the country
that have gone unreported. Officials believe that the
number of homophobic attacks on has increased with
the publicity over civil partnerships, ich became legal in
December.
In_ New Bedford, Massachusetts, a community about 50
miles south of Boston, a violent attack rocked a lar
gay club. A young man, 18 year old Jacot1 RcJbic struck
a customer in the head with a hatchet before shoo two
others. As I'm writing this, Robida is still on the run ile
his victims remain in the hospital -- one in critical condition.
When police searched Robida's room, they discovered
Nazi a. The teen is being sought on charges of attempt
murder, assault and civil-rights violations.
What is behi~d this.increase in homophobic violence?
Almost certainly, as the British officials stated it's due to
increased publicity as gay rights issues have taken center
stage in countries all over the worid. It's nothi new. Mankind
h_~s a hist?ry of violence. especially concerns
~ trad1t1~:mally do~ntr?~d~n group trying to claim equality.
During the 60 s c1v1I nghts movement it was violence
ag~in~t blacks. '.he ignorant always resort to violence when
their status quo 1s threatened. When the people the bigot
has always demeaned and reviled suddenlv dare to stand
up for themselves and demand rights, the bigot will lash
out.
It's no surprise th~ big~ts are worked up right now. Gay
are one of tne biggest issues in the world right now.
ng almost every state and country around the globe.
Almost every political race is influenced by gay rights, and
barely a day goes by when you don't see some LGBT-related
story in the media.
!n Canada_'s recent e_lec~ion, gay marriage was a crucial
issue. Dun_ng campaigning, qonservative leader Stephen
Harper claimed that overturning Canada's equal marriage
law would be one of his first priorities. The Tory Party did
win the election, but the results were less about rights
than a country unwilling to trust a scandal-ridde ral
;. Fortunately, with a minority government even smaller
he Liberals before them, the Conservatives will most
likely be unable to change the marriage law.
Continuing his homophobic policies, President Bush renewed
his attack on gay families in his recent State of the
Union Address. Addres · a joint session of Congress the
p~esident said that "ma ericans, especially parents,
still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture
and the health of our most basic institutions. They are '
concerned about unethical conduct by public officials. and
discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage."
"Trying to draw comparisons between the reprehensible
~cts of ~nethic~I politicians with fair and independent
Judges 1s both ridiculous and wrong," said Joe Solmonese.
president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). ·
Not is it ridiculous, but by continually demonizing gay
and ian families, President Bush and other outspoken
ns fan the flames of hatred. if someone like
Jacob a already believes that gays are evil sinners
then hearing the president make antigay statements only
confirms that belief in his mind. The crusading Religious
t, with their fire and brimstone wailing, will I fL1rtt1er
rce those feelings. If he is already unbalan or prone
to violence, it's just a matter of time before that hate will
build to the point that it erupts into violence.
What can we do to stem the tide of violence?
There's an old proverb that says something along the lines
of "in order to avoid repeating history, we have to learn from
the past." If there's anything we can learn from the Black
civil rights movement, it's that we have to keep fighting
for equality. We can't let fear defeat us. We have to stand
up against the bigots and hatemongers and demand our
rights.
So how do we do that?
Vote! One of the easiest we can do to make a difference
is elect fair-minded, p ressive officials. The only way to
stop the homophobic cians is to get them out of office.
Support gay-positive legislation and defeat antigay measur~
s. Many st~~E:~ are brin9i gay i~sues to the polls. We
caf'! t afford to sit 1dly oy while ant1gay forces muster
!heir troops with military precision. State after state is passmg
same-sex marriage bans while other states struggle to
P'.3Ss.antidiscrimination laws. Our opponents are well-organized
and we!i-funded, so that makes it all the more important
that we pay attention, spread the word. and vote Also
don't be afraid to contact your representatives and let the~
~now your feelings_ o~ important issu~s. As HRC president
Joe _Solmones_e sa1_? rn,.reterence to the ~tt~cks at the gay
bar rn MassacnuseLts, When a man walKs rnto a bar, asks
Continued next page
HEART TO HEART
if it's a gay bar and starts shooting, there couldn't be any
more glaringly obvious and enraging example that we need
uniform hate crimes law and that Congress has stubbornly
failed to act."
Come out and speak up! This is perhaps the hardest, yet
most important thing we can do as gay men and women.
Coming out is a powerful statement that has been proven
to change hearts and minds again and again. If you're
already out, speak up. If your friends, family, and coworkers
don't understand how these issues affect you, then how
can they care? The mor o know and understand
how homophobia adversely s their loved ones, the
more allies we'll have on our side.
I don't believe we are doomed to repeat history -- not if we
can learn from the past and work together to create a better
future. In 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Nonviolence
is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions
of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression
and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.
Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which
rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation
of such a method is love." That message is as true today as
it was then. Let's learn from our history and move forward
in love.
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 \vith
an open heart and mind.
Isa's ouncil ak
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oncert eason
2006
"A Musical Feast"
Thursday, May 11
Friday, May 12@ 8 PM
Saturday, May 13 @ 8 PM
"Summer in the City"
Friday, August 25 @ 8 PM
Saturday, August 26 @ 8 PM
Williams Theater
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
For more information and ticket sa!es cai! (918) 748-3888
or go to: www.counciloak.org
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Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
MARCH 2006
"STRANGE BEDFELLOWS"
The Bush administration's homophobia has gone
international.
At the United Nations recently, the United States joined
with some of the most repressive governments to deny two
international LGBT gro vernmental organization
(NGO) observer status it comes to marginalizing
the LGBT community, this administration will cozy up with
anyone.
Administration buddies like the American Family Association
and Focus on the Family have been joined on the
international scene by countries such as China, Zimbabwe,
and Iran. Yes, you read that right - Iran. We may demonize
that country publicly, but when it comes to privacy issues,
George is a political whore. He'll become political bedfellows
with anyone - an individual, an organization, or, in this
case, a country he considers our sworn enemy - to further
his radical°Christian right crusade against the LGBT community.
Who would have been hurt if the International Lesbian
and Gay Association (ILGA) and the Danish Association
of Gays and Lesbians (LBL) were allowed to speak for the
LGBT community at the United Natio.ns' Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC), which advises the international
organization on economic and social issues?
After all, there are 634 NGOs affiliated with ECOSOC.
We're talking about groups like the Humane Society, the
American Jewish Congress, and Greenpeace. But we're
also talking ab like Focus on the Family, Feminists
for Life of ica, the National Right to Life Education
Trust Fund, and the Alliance for Marriage. I think it
would only be fair tq balance out some of the homophobic
political perspectives inherent in some of these organizations
with a few LGBT voices
But instead of a fair hearing - which ali othei NGOs
who have requested representation have gotten - ILGA's
and LBL's requests were summarily dismissed without
any discussion. The dismissal, which was done by the
ECOSOC NGO committee, happened after ILGA and LBL
went through the rather exhausting process that got them
to the point where they could even ask for a hearing. All of
this was preceded by the behind-the-scenes maneuvering
of Egypt and the Organization of Islamic Conferences to
exclude the two groups.
Rosanna Flamer Caldera, co-secretary general of ILGA,
which ents a worldwide network of more than 400
LGBT zations, considers the exclusion "a clear violation
of due process and an attempt to discriminate against
LGBT NGOs on procedural grounds."
Some may shrug their shoulders at the U.S. actions. But
as 40 LGBT and LGBT-allied organizations pointed out to
Secietary of State Condoleezza Rice in a Jan. 25 letter, the
United States voted yes when the entire ECOSOC body
voted in 2002 to include ILGA as an NGO.
The groups, including the Human Rights Campaign,
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Human Rights
Watch, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the
National Black Justice Coalition, asked Rice if it was now
our country's policy to "oppose consultative status for all
organizations working to promote the rights of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender people."
If it is, this flies in the face of the State Department's
own reporting on severe human rights violations based
on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. The
department's 2004 report on Iran chronicled the executions
of men. Its report on Zimbabwe noted that President
Ro Mugabe has consistently denounced gays and lesbians,
blaming them for "Africa's ills."
So the question begs to be answered - how can the
United States recognize human rights atrocities against
LGBT people in other countries, yet refuse to give those
who are repressed a voice in bringing that repression to
light? We were more than happy to give voice to the Chinese
students in Tiananmen Square who bristled against
the yoke of that country's communist regime. Today, we're
all about building democracy in Iraq. But let LGB
stand up and speak for themselves? Never. And how
make sure LGBT people won't be heard? We get into bed
with our political enemies. If ever there was a situation that
shows how morally bankrupt this administration is, this is it.
I don't think Condi's written a response yet. But this
year, there will be two great opportunities for the international
LGBT community to respond for ourselves and shed
light on the United States' complicity. ILGA's next world
conference will be in Geneva from March 27-April 3, the
same time the U.N. Commission on Human Rights will be
in that city, and where the Commission's on-going discussion
about sexual orientation and human rights is sure to
continue.
Later, in the summer, some 2,000 LGBT activists from
around the globe will converge in Montreal from July 26-29
for the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights,
which is sponsored by OutGames, an international LGBT
sporting event that takes place right after the conference.
"Our ultimate goal with this conference is to adopt what
we're calling the 'Montreal Declaration,' an unequivocal
affirmation that LGBT right are human rights," said Louise
Roy, CEO of the conference and OutGames. "Once
passed, we will do everything in our power to bring that
resolution to the United Nations."
It may be easy for our administration to ignore the
events in Geneva. But when thousands of LGBT folks
g miles north of our border, it wili be a bit more
d turn a blind eye to the injustices we face each
and every day and our collective resolve to stop them. Or,
at least, it should be.
EDITOR'S NOTE: One of Libby Post's firms, OutMarketing.
biz, has been retained by Outgames Montreal 2006 to
coordinate the event's United States' public relations activities.
This column expresses her opinion and not that of her
clients.
The 0zar1<s STAR since 2003
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyman
MARCH
2006
Summary : Past Our is a retrospective of key moments,
personalities, and subjects in LGBT historv. Each
, '
installment brings the past to life by exploring the diversity
of the gay past and its impact on the queer present.
February 1976 (30 years ago this month): British figure
kater John Curry wins an Olympic gold medal.
y is figure skating s
As the most artisti etic events, figure skating is
ely believed to be teeming with gay men - and, indeed,
of the most renowned elite male skaters have been
·sexual. But the sport's fey reputation is I
to the perceived gender nonconformity
ants.
It is impossible to know now whether early champion
ater~ such as Jackson Haines, a ballet dancer by training
o pioneered the modern artistic form of figure skating in
1860s, were queer. Lorrie Kim, creator of the Rainbow
website, has compiled a list of 20 elite gay male skatrs,
but only a few publicly revealed their sexuality while
ey were champion contenders.
American Ronnie Robertson, the 1956 Olympic silver
edalist, was exposed as his former coach Mi-
Kirby, in a memoir the of Robertson's
(2000). The "Nureyev of the Ice, reat Britain's John
reportedly made a little-noticed announcement that
e was press conference shortly before winning
e 19 c gold medal. The bronze medalist that
r, Toller ston of Canada. mentioned affairs with
men and women in his two- · :ihi,es; during
1973 World Championships, , he was se-
Czech skater Ondrej Nepela, who went on to best
red Cranston and win the title. In 1992, another
was next after Cu come out
during his competitive career; Hali ikely holds
re skater to appear
Fallen ngtime
nadian champion Brian Orser was out when
ex-boyfriend filed a palimony lawsuit.
The best-known queer figure skater, Rudy Galindo - who
"an openly gay trailer-trash
ached the highest levels of pairs skating
then-partner, Kristi Yamaguchi, when she decided
on singles competition. After several years of
, ances, a bout with alcohol and drug
and the loss of his brother and two coaches to
alindo went on to win the 1996 U.S. Nationals.
his own HIV diagnosis and the cement of both
Galindo has reoeatedlv challe, conservative
rid - for example: performing to "Somewhere
ainbov( and a medley of Village People songs,
ueer ehte male skaters have included U.S. naRobert
Wagenhoffer (who had long-term
mmantic relationships with former junior champion Billy
Lawe and professional show skater Sylvain Beauregard)
champion ice dancer and choreographer Rob McCall, '
1978-80 Canadian national champion Brian Pockar and
former Dutch n~tional champion Edward van Campen; all
but Beauregara and van Campen died of AIDS. Galindo
once estimated that 98 percent of elite male skaters are
~traight. But "in the real trenches of show skating," according
to openly gay skater Christopher Nolan, "guys are out
all over the place."
Many male figure skaters have described the harassment
they received for pursing a sport considered to be
queer. In reaction, skaters such as Kurt Browning, Philippe
Candeloro, and Elvis Stojko emphasized a macho image
and athletic .style !n the 199~s; others, including three-time
U.S. champion Michael Weiss, regularly show off their
wives and children. Current U.S. national champion and
top Olympic contender Johnny Weir has tripped the gaydar
of many with his flamboyant outfits and effeminate mannerisms,
though he has yet to explicitly state his sexual
orientation.
Despite its queer reputation, the skating establishment
has long mandated strict gender roles. Although things
have come a long way since officials at the 1920 Olympics
scolded Theresa Weld for performing an "uni ke" jump
some judges still look askance at male skate o do too'
many spins and spirals. So strict are the gender conventions
that pie gold and bronze medalists Katarin
mas provoked shock by performing
in nontraditional costumes such as knee breeches and
full-length leotards, p~ompting t~e spo.rt's st governing
body, the International Skating Union (I to institute
a rule that female competitors must wear skirts that cover
their derrieres.
While male skaters are often assumed to be gay, the
sport's requisite femini renders queer women invisible.
There are no openly le or bisexual women skaters
among the elite ranks, though some of today's female
champion contenders are so young that it may be premature
to speculate about their sexuality. But a number
of queer women participate in nonelite adult competition.
including International Gay Figure Skating Union cofounder
Laura Moore, who started skating at age 32 after divorcing
her husband and coming out as a lesbian.
Ironically, no sport emphasizes the appearance of
hete~osexuality more tha~ competitive pair skating and ice
dancing. The ISU regulation that teams must consist of
"a man and a lady" has caused grief for elite skaters who
wish to perform with same-sex partners. The ISU does not
sanction events that do not adhere to its rules, but the inter
nati?nal_ Ice Skating Institute and son:ie national governing
~odIes, _includ I S1:ateis Figure Skating Associat;
on and offer sanctions or waivers for
the Gay Games and similar events. "[T]he thrili of seeing a,
op,enly gay pair team h_as nothi do with triple jumps,"
said Moore, who won tne 1994 y Games ice dance competition
with her partner, Linda Carney.
For further reading:
Brennan, Christine. 1996, _Inside Edge: A Revealing Journey
into the Secret World of Figure Skating_ (Anchor),
Galindo, Rudy, and Eric Marcus. 1997. Icebreaker: The
Autobiography of Rudy Galindo_ (Pocket Books).
Rainbow Ice - http://www.plover.com/rainbowice/
Page22
CITY LIFE:
1930s and 1940s and their successors with 68 works by
artists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David
Alfaro S ros as well as related works by Luis Nishizawa
and Gu r Gerzso. Mexican Masters expresses the
hopes, desires, idealism, and culture of early twentieth-century
Mexico through its artists. From the Mexican Revolution
and Spanish Civil War to the Second World War,
violent revolution and dramatic social change-both nationally
and internationally-shaped the ideals of Mexico and
its people. The Carrillo Gil Collection was molded by these
principles, and the works it includes portray not only the
artists' reactions to revolution, depression, and industrialization,
as well as the impact of religion and need for social
reform, but also the collector's. Mexican Masters pays
humble recognition to Mexico's violence, war, and suffering,
the United States Depression, and the artists' subsequent
impression of inhumanity in an industrialized nation. For
more information visit okcmoa.com.
AIDS BUDGET:
Among the president's proposals:
Medicaid - our nation's largest provider of HIV/AIDS treatment
and care - would face cuts of $5 billion over five
years and $12 billion over 10 years, forcing those trimmed
from Medicaid rolls to seek care through programs that are
already overextended and under-funded.
also pro cutting $15 million
Nationa Institutes of Health and
increases abstinence-only education funding by $28 million.
State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs would receive $70
million under the president's plan to ease the waiting lists
IDS program would receive
a welcomed increase of $14 million et this is short of
what is necessary to meet s needs.
rge Congress to
edicaid instead of weaken it, and put sound
science over ideology in educational programs," added
Solmonese.
1/12TH PAGE CLASSIFIED
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Advice Column!
Kittens, as the whirlwind month of love has once more
blown its course, Let us wipe the proverbial love awav
from our chin, and move forward. Uncle spent most of the
mont~ exhausted\y entertaining. A man briefly touched me;
so briefly, uncle did not realize he had already reached the
climatic point in the relationship. Alas Uncle finding himself
once more on the hunt while looking for a aood man. Leaving
me asking the uestion, how can someone be so bootylecious
and such ty at the same time? Hmm I have to
ponder that for a while.
After seeing the much taiked about "Brokeback", Uncle
f?und himself_ inspired to take riding lessons. After a positively
productive week at the horse farm, while working with
the trainer, Uncle has joined country riders everywhere. It
took sweat, and teacs. One must be dedicated while working
to achiev:3 ~ goal. ! have decided that next month, I may
graduate to ndmg a horse. You know what they say Rome
was not built in a day, baby steps! '
This mon~h Uncle has received several letters asking
abo~t ~e~mg revenge on a lover's betrayal. Well, Kittens,
Uncie Is Just shocked. A ay man, after revenge; it is just
n?.t donea€l Snicker s · Kittens, taking the higher road
w1il always allow you to mature into a well rounded. wonderfully
developed, lo · responsible adult. Uncle ·encourages
g~od karma, as w spiritual and personal growth.
That said, karma helps those who help themselves.
This month i dedicate my words of wisdom to a!I those
~ho h?ve found tha~ strange strap under the bed, hidden
ooots m the closet, text message from the blonde Twink in
the gym, who despite his physically delicious self, cant not
seem to manage a sentence stiUcture.
Since Uncle has given you pearls, let's get to the good
stuff.
The following is an actual list of carefully planned out exercises
in revenge which uncle has used over the years. I am
sure the men who each were carefully inspired by, will have
a mo~ent of ~ecall whi!e reading a bit of their own history
here m Uncles corner m Queerdom. Each one primed for
specific levels of revenge. Kittens, a side dish served best
when cold, I believe I feel a bitte; wind blowing in as we
speak, bundle up kittens, it is going to be a rather frosty
month of march.
12) Sleep with his best friends. Expected, yet sucker punch
in the gut.
11) Take your self-shopping with his credit cards buying
yourself that well deserved, while also delicious, little outfit
you have always wanted. You have earned it. I mean the
time on your knees alone warrants it.
10) Delivering a message to his co-workers that the clinic
calla~ '.3nd you ~eed to speak to him _urgently, allowing all
gossIpmg hags m ear shot to hear this, will defiantly deliver
a certain message.
9) Informing the mother out of concern, of a horrible drug
problem. Of course, this being the reason you have to
leave him. •
8) Did I mention sleep with his closets and dearest friends?
Oh, come now don't look at me that way. You have been
eyeing them all along anyway.
7) Donate the bulk of his wardrobe to a nearby good will.
Charity begins at home.
6) During conversations of the extreme vibe of hostility he
is receiving from you, serve him a delicious cup of ex-lax
cappuccino. This will allow for a few moments of him-time
he so truly needs.
5) Go on Jerry and tell it all, going for the Emmy , for betrayed
love interest.
4) Enter local hook up site under his name, hooking up with
t~e _troll of all trolls,_ inviting h!m over unexpected by said
vIctIm of course. Kitten, helping others is important.
3) Ciean the oven with his favorite label, leavina it in a pot
on the stove. Cleanliness is next to cherliness. ~
2) Announce to all of your friends, your inability of coping
with on more night of his constant weeping after sex.
~) Deliver his t~ings, in a. box to his job with a note saymg
good-bye, makmg sure his favorite sex toys are leaking
onto the reception desk!
Well there, it is in a nutshell. All is fair in love and revenae
Kittens, I would wear a cup, this could be a full contact ~
sport d~pendinQ on the players involved. Those of you
?etermmed against bette~ advice, to foll~w this vengeful
Journey, now have your flight plan. Sock !t and rock it, until
the cockcrows, or feels your wrath, whichever one comes
first. Until next time, smooches from your favorite guru, and
Tlddles too!
The Ozarks $TAR'slnce 20f)3 ·.
Do Gays Have a Choice?
Whether homosexuality is a genetic redisposition or a
product of environmental factors haE; be,en hotly debated for
the past several decades. The heart of the matter is: Does
a person have a choice about his or her sexuality? Science
att~mpts to answer this compelling question in the feature
article "Do Gays Have a Choice?" in the February/March
issue of Scientific American Mind.
New York, NY (PRWEB) - Whether homosexuality is a
genetic predisposition or a product of environmental factors
has been hotly debated for the past several decades.
The he~rt of the matter is: Does a person have a choice
about his or her sexuality? Science atte answer this
com · g question in the feature article ays Have a
Cho . " in the February/March issue of Scientific American
Mind. In addition to learning the science behind the
matter, one may take the test and find out "How Gay Are
You?" on Scientific American Mind's Web site (www.sciammind.
com).
According to the article's author, Robert Epstein, a Harvard-
trained PhD, sexual orientation is not a black or white
matter; rather, he concludes that sexuality falls on a continuum
with heterosexuality and homosexuality at opposite
ends. People may be attracted to members of both sexes
b · determined by both genetics and
their environment. n explains that genes determine
wh~re '!"~ start but society exerts tremendous pressure on
the md1v1dual to conform. Because the majority of people
are "straight," most of us become heterosexual.
The article also discusses the possibility of an individual
changi sexual orientation. Whereas some people have
as,serted that genes alone determine sexual orientation and
that changing from gay to straight is not possible, others
ha ued that homosexuality is a learned behavior and
th 10ic:e.Epi;tein V11r,tes that changing orientation is
possible for people whose sexuality lies toward the middle
of the Sexual Orientation Continuum, but for most gay people
such a switch would be very difficult if not impossible.
"Do Gays Have a Choice?" presents a new school of
thought that an individual's sexual orientation is not black or
white, straight or gay. Instead an individual's sexual orientation
falls along a continuum.
To take the sexual orientation quiz visit http://www.sciammind.
com, which will be available on Feb. 2, 2006
1 / 1 2TH PAGE CLASSiF"IED AD SPACE
NOW AVAILABLE IN
THE
STAR
CALL F'□ R RATES
9 1 B.S35.78B7
or email: ozarksstar@sbcgiobaLnet
Irish Soda Bread
1 cup curants
2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1 /4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat yogurt
1 cup nonfat milk
Heat oven to 375 degrees, soak curants in hot water for
about 5 minutes and drain. In a large mixing bowl, mix both
flours, baking soda, baking powder, caraway seed, salt and
curants, mix well. In a separate bowl mix yogurt plus milk
until smooth, slowly add wet ingredients to the dry mixture
until we\l blended. Flour hands and divide dough into 2
!oafs, slightly flatten dou onto a non stick baki sheet
a~out 8 inches. across. a X on top of each , bake for
about 30-35 minutes or untii you can tap on it and it sounds
hollow, and serve warm.
lip: Serve with French Onion Soup, it's great!
HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY!
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
MARCH 2006
"Pay your debts, Aquarius!"
Mercury turning retrograde in Pisces spreads confusion,
and he's squaring Pluto. This makes people dig in their
heels, insisting they are right (which is usually wrong), or
it challenges cooler heads to do research. Venus in Capricorn
eases the stress; do your best to be mature and
serene.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Avoid silly arguments by
focusing on your own problems and cleaning out your
baggage. The right balance of humility and confidence and
support from a woman in charge will help you get ahead.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Dares, challenges, and temptations
from friends should be considered very carefully, if
at all. Better to rely on your usual common sense. If you're
hu for a new experience, check out local museums or a
fore film.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If you must make any public
presentations, double-check every detail, and be prepared
to handle any screw-ups with good humor. If you come
under attack, look for underlying motives. You could charm
an apparent enemy into becoming a very good friend.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You're better off listening to
disputes than participating in them - unless you really want
intense criticism. Still, arguments could be educational, and
being very open-minded will make you look mighty attractive.
LEO (July 23 -August 22): Refresh yourself on safe-sex
information and techniques. Make sure to get the info first!
Other fun and games are especially risky now. Be very
careful of any sort of sporting injury.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Don't argue with your
partner about probl~ms around the home. Take a creative
approach and suggest constructive solutions, even if
they're only only a temporary fix. Or agree to start analyzing
problems so they can be solved later.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Most accidents
happen around the house, but home looks more like your
safety zone now. Still, be careful, and even more so out on
the streets. Stay focused when you drive. Don't let problems
distract you!
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21 ): A creative biock
could have · e repercussions. Write a letter to a sister
or aunt - or no·t yc,u have one, and even if you
don't maii. it. The exercise o writing wili help you to focus
on whatever is hanging you up right now.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Your
natural reaction to problems at home is to stand firm and
counterattack. Resist that impulse. Shopping, preferably
with housemates, actually helps! Think ahead about what
you need, and take your time looking for it.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Although small
disasters abound, do your best to maintain a calm, mature
demeanor. Every problem has a solution. Track each one
to its roots; consult with whomever you must. The clean-up
process will uncover new strengths, and annoyances may
then prove blessings in disguise.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Dig up receipts
and records, but let any real work on your taxes wait until
late March. Trying to collect on debts from friends can be
even more contentious than usual. Let that wait, too! Paying
your own debts will save a lot of trouble.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Be careful of what you
say and where you say it. Your mouth could get you into
trouble with the boss or other authorities. Letting off steam
and preparing important arguments with friends will help.
But avoid those arguments unless they are absolutely
necessary!
You cm :find. oopk-5 c-f ti:...::
S 'J'A Ji :i r rh er.e -1 .mm:!li
AR"'AN:'" .... ~ ICA.N!'tA;t
Arkansas, Eureka Springs
Diversity Pride EYem - www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye Vie..- 36 N. Main- -479-253-0200
CaribeRcstaurante- -309 W VanBuren-- 253-8102
Henri's- - -19 1 /2 Spring St - - - 479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill-105 E VanBuren- -253-0400
MCC Linng Spring - - 870-253-9337
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Condom Sense - -418 W. Dickson- -479-444-6228
Curry's Video 612 N. College Ave- 479-521-0009
Passages 930 N. College Ave- - 479-442-5845
Tangerine Club - -21 S. Block Ave- -479-444-6100
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- 1004 1/2 Garrison Ave- - 479-783-9988
Red Rock City - - 917 N. "N' St. 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesrers Lounge 1010 E. Grand Ave -501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - -1021 Jessie Rd- - -501-664-2744
Diamond Stare Rodeo Assoc.- - • v.-v.-w.dsra.org
Discovery- 1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - • - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - 415 Main St - -N. L.R.- 501-244-0444
The Factory -412 Louisiana St.- - - - - -501-372-3070
Kansas,•Pittsburg (620)
PSu-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- 620-231-0938
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our FantaS\'- 3201 S. Hiliside- -316-682-5494
Missouri, Ava
Catus Canyon Campground - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- 716 S. Main - - - - . 417-62'7-9035
MCC Spirit of Chris,-2902 E 20th, - -Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
Missie B's- -805 W 39th St- - 816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe
KOKQ]'.fO Campg~ound- - - • - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- -424 Boonvilie P•.ve- - - • - --417-83;-4?!)')
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -5i8 E. Commerical- 369-3978
Liquors & Kid,ers- -i i09 E. Commerciai- 873-2225
Martha's Vineyard- 2'.9 W Olive -417 -864-4572
Priscilla's - - -1918 S. Gkcstone .. 417-881-8444
Oz Bar - 504 E. Commercial -
Ronisuz Place- --821 College-
4F-831-900l
Oklahoma, Lawton
riangles- - 29 SW "D" Ave- - 580-351-0620
Oklahoma, McAlester
fcPride- - - - POBox 1515, McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
merican Crossroads B¾B - POBox 270642-495-1111
om Room- 2807 NW 36th Sr- - 405-601-7200
lub Rox- - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy - 405-947-2351
risties Toy Box- 3126 N. May Ave - - 4 05-946-4438
stern Ave Video- 1105 S Eastern Ave- 405-672-6459
inish Line -2200 NW 39th fapwy- - 405-525-0730
ushers Restaurant-2200 NW 39Exp - -4 05-525-0730
ollywoodHotel- 3535 NW 39th Ex- - - 405-947-2351
abana Inn - 2200 NW 39th Exp- -405-528-2221
1221 NW SOth- - - - 405-843-1722
2200 NW Expwy- - - -405-524-5733
armers- - -2805 NW 36th St - - - 405-942-2199
riscilla's- 615 E. Memorial - - - - - -405-755-8600
d Rock North-2240 NW39th St- - - -405-525-5165
- - 2120 NW' 39th St --405-521-9533
405-528-4690
e Rockies-• -3201 N. May Ave - - - 403-947-9361
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
amboo Lounge- 7204 E. Pine -918-836-8700
order's Book Store-2740 E. 21st- - 918-712-9955
order's Book Store -8015 S. Yale -918-494-2665
lub Majestic- - 124 N. Boston - - - - - 918-584-9494
lub 1faverick- 822 S. Sheridan -918-835-3301
- 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - 834-1051
ire Bookstore --814 S. Sheridan- - 918-838-85113
,z's Lounge- - 426 S. Memorial-
319 E. 3rd-
: -3007 E. Admi:al Pl
;iscilla's - - - 7925 E. 41 st - -
· scilla's - 5634 \X'. Skc:Jy -
risdla's - --1134 E. 11th -
918-743-4297
- -918-437-0449
-918-7 49-8378
-918-836-8544
- 918-584-3112
-- 918-834-3007
- - 918-627 -4884
-918-446-6336
918-438-4224
riscilla'~ 2333 E. 71 st - - - - -- -918-499-166 i
negades- - - - 1649 S. Main 918-585-3405
b's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- 918-627 -1505
;,,Isa CARE~- -3507 E. Admiral Pl- 918-834-4194
c1isa Eag:e- - - - - i 338 E. 3rd - - - 918-592-1188
:
1T\ - . - - 2i14 S Memoriai- - - - - 918-660-0856
Jexton Jcwdrv - - -15 E. Brady 918-829-0824
trier Ne\VS Stand- 1 N, Le,vis- ~ -918-592-0767
'ellow-Bricic-Rd- -2630 E. 15,h- - 918-293-031'.i
Yellow Brick Road
2630 E. 15th St, Tulsa, OK
918-293-0304
Yes Munchkins, Kevie is
back as Manager!
Po.ol Tournament- Mondays
Dart Tournament- Thursdays
Now Servitig Chimay Ale 5.00
LEASE
ft.1 bed room
Elect. 66th and
Aprox 1800 sq ft 2
replace
Sheridan
Area sales price $128.000 Possible lease
purchase. ·
Night Club for saleAprox 2500 sq ft. plus
small house and large•storage building
11th mingo area
Tracy 918-625"6377 Keller Williams
I p
3007 E. ADMIRAL PLACE.
TULSA, OK
~~-
Llve Music March 17th,
King Fish Band, NO COVER
50 cent. pool tables. Shuffle Board.
918.834.3007
Open Sunday @ 12:00 Noon
Open Monday-Saturday 11 am
HIDEAWAY
11730 E. 11th Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
now 12noon to 2am
ed Monday.
MAGICAL MASSAGE
Located in NW Oklahoma City
Full body deep tissue massage.
Call Mark
405-949-1991
Experience Total Relaxation
EMPLOYMENT
□ PP □ RTUNITY
ADVERT,BINC3 BALES
REPRESENTATIVE
FOR WICHITA,
OKLAHOMA CITY,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
guaiifications to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74i45
Dublin Core
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Title
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[2006] The Star Magazine, March 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 3
Date
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March 01, 2006
Format
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Image
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PDF
Language
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English
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
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Star Media, Ltd.
Publisher
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Star Media, Ltd. Tulsa, OK.
Contributor
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Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Bunky Walters
John Patrick
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Libby Post
Andrew Collin
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Andrew Hicks
Chaz Ward
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
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The Star Magazine, February 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 2
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/2https://history.okeq.org/items/show/23926
The Star Magazine, April 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 4
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/223
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/239
A Couple of Guys
Advice Column
AIDS
American Civil Liberties Union
Bitter Girl
budget
Business and organizations
cartoons
Choice
City Life
classifieds
Club Majestic
Club Maverick
Crystal Meth
Fat Cat's
Gay Games
Gay Oscar Night
Heart to Heart
HIV
Irish Soda Bread
Lesbian Notions
Medicaid Cuts
Mr. Right
Past Out
Q Scope
Red Ribbon
Star entertainment
Star Scene
Uncle Mikey
vacation
violence
Willie Nelson
-
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91d5b89d12182a6e579f2bb58991f1c1
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/11fd65a0e77b5d0dff4bbc3746c85e58.pdf
4319c8af04e54ca91707cf4faa90fc62
PDF Text
Text
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Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
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magazine
Text
Any textual data included in the document
,Ur
• LS .. n
ona ale
Scott · row,· Man.:aging Broker
Mc raw Davisson ew:art, R.ealtors
• 1
Langley, Oklahoma
s:cottCrow.mcgr,awok.com
918.782.3211
the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine.
The most important
direct-action you can
do is vote. Local and
state elections are this
r, with many close
ttles to be fought by
our strongest allies. In
rtnership with the
nal Association of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender
(GLBT) Community Centers, the Tulsa GLBT Community
Center annouces Promote the Vote. This program
seeks to enhance the advocacy and organizing capacity
of GLBT community centers by creating a visible, vocal
and voting constituency. More importantly, it gives voice
and power to the members of the GLBT community who
are often made to feel invisible and powerless.
Primaries are fast-approaching with local and state
supporters of the GLBT community in close contests. If
you aren't registered to vote - do it today. You can get
registered to vote at the Tulsa GLBT Community Center,
5545 E 41 st Street in Highland Plaza. It's simple to do,
the form is very short and we'll even send it in for you.
Stop by today and r ter to vote in one easy step
- then vote in every e action. It's important for you and
future generations.
ACLU ASK FOR DISMISSAL OF
REV. LONNIE LATHAM'S CASE
February 1, 2006
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a friend-of-the-court
brief toda}'. urging an Oklahoma court to dismiss charges
against a Soulhern · minister who was arrestea for
soliciting private sex another male.
'The Supreme Court has made it crystal clear that, when
it comes to their sex lives, ults are free to do
whatever the 8 Bell, Executive
Director of th klahoma. "Accordin to the police
report, Rev. Latham did nothing more tha e another
man to his hotel room for consensual sex. It is not a crime
merely to invite someone to have completely lawful sex. If it
were otherwise, every bar in the state may as well shut its
doors."
The Reverend Dr. Lonnie Latham was arrested on January
~. 2006,_ on the misdemeanor cha of "Off!:3ring to Engage
m an Act of ice ne
a ma! ted
r back to otel room for oral sex. It is not alleged
that Latham offered money in exchange for the sex
act.
The brief filed toda in the District Court of Oklahoma
Coun argues , arges should be dismissed against
because non-commercial sex between consentate
is a constitutional!
ACLU it is a violation s
free speech guarantee for the state to criminal
that is mereiy an invitation to engage in lawful
Latham's arrest. which generated a s·
of media attention, forced him to resig
as a board member of the Baptist Generai
Okiahoma.
ut of To~n
MARCH 2006
by Andrew Collins
lbuquerque,
New exico
Q,Jt<::, Mexico's largest city, set dramatically at
the base of the soaring Sandia Mountains, makes a great
- and affordable - base for exploring the rest of the Land of
Enchantment. Albuquerque lies just 60 miles south of Santa
Fe and within an afternoon's drive of countless Indian
pueblos, beautiful hiking and biking spots, and challenging
ski areas. The "Duke City" (named for the city's founder, the
Duke of Alburquerque - the first "r" was later dropped) enjoys
a sunny, mild climate, and it's home to New Mexico's
only gay bars as well as a handful of gay-owned B&Bs and
restaurants. And thr9.ughout 2006, Albuquerque celebrates
its tricentennial with dozens of performances, events, and
museum instaliations that trace its rich and vibrant history.
Albuquerque's once dull downtown has undergone an
ambitious revitalization in recent years, with loads of new
shops, restaurants, and bars along or near the main drag,
Central Avenue between 2nd and 8th streets, and also
along parallel Gold Avenue. From here, it's a five-minute
drive to historic Old Town, which was laid out in 1706 and
contains Albuquerque's earliest buiiding, the San Felipe de
Neri Church, which fronts the serene, tree-shaded Plaza.
The wares for sale at the more than 200 crafts and art galleries
and boutiques in the area run the gamut from fine to
kitschy, and a few very good restaurants are nearby. For an
offbeat experience, step inside the small but venomous
American International Rattlesnake Museum, which contains
the world's largest assemblage of live rattlers.
Within a short stroll of Old Town you'll find a handful of
the city's most prominent attractions, including the recently
expanded Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, which
houses an astounding collection of Spanish Colonial artifacts,
plus traditional and contemporary regional art. Exhibits
on geology, volcanoes, and dinosaurs await you across
the street at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History
and Science. Also check out the Albuquerque Aquarium,
Rio Grande Zoo, and Rio Grande Botanic Garden. It's just
a short drive from Old Town to the Indian Pueblo Cultural
Center as well as the National Hispanic Cultural Center of
New Mexico, both of which have exhibits, cafes, and performances
related to their respective cultures.
Much of Albuquerque's gay scene is focused in the
retro-hip Nob Hill neighborhood, a short drive east of
downtown along Historic Route 66 (Central Avenue), which
glows with the neon signs of coffeehouses. bars, greasyspoon
diners, galleries, and boutiques selling everything
from cool home-furnishings to campy giftsCentral Avenue
fringes the southern edge of the University of New Mexico
(UNM), whose noteworthy attractions include the Maxwell
Museum of Anthropology and the University Art Maseum.
The city sprawls a bit, and you need a car to venture out
to some of the worthwhile outlying attractions. On the west
side of town, visit Petroglyph National Monument to view
some 25,000 rock drawings inscribed as far back as a thousand
years ago along the 17-mile-long West Mesa escarpment.
Drive east across town into the city's lofty foothills
for a chance to ride the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway to the
crest of the 10,600-foot Sandia Mountains. The 2.7-mile
ride is the longest aerial tramway in the world. At the top
are observation decks, hiking trails, a visitor's center. and
the High Finance Restaurant.
On the north side of Albuquerque, you'll find the giamorous
new Sandia Casino resort, which in addition to
extensive gaming areas contains one of the city's best
restaurants (Bien Shur, on the resort's rooftop), a brandnew
luxury hotel and spa, and a golf course of considerable
acclaim.
The casino is close to Bailoon Fiesta Park, home to New
Mexico's most famous festival, the Albuquerque International
Balloon Fiesta. This colorful hot-air balloon gathering
- the world"s largest - takes place the first two weeks in October.
At any time of year you can visit the park's AndersonAbruzzo
international Balloon Museum, which opened in
fall 2005. There are also a number of outfitters throughout
Albuquerque offering hot-air balloon rides year-round; one
of the most reliable is Rainbow Ryders.
Albuquerque's already very good dining scene has
improved dramatically just in the past few years. in the
downtown area, don't miss gay-popu!ar Artichoke Cafe for
first-rate Continental cooking in a romantic yet casual ambience.
Thai Crystal is one of the city's top Asian restaurants,
while the cozy Goid Street Gaffe serves up some of the
........ Continued next page.
. Atw:efflsingin lfi~ STAIR/sjustgood business cents. Page6
Out of Town
best breakfasts around, plus iight lunch and dinner fare,
designer coffees, and delicious desserts. When in Old
Town, book a table at elegant Ambrozia Cafe & Wine Bar,
known for its quirky and inventive dishes, such as duck
meatloaf with truffted cream corn, and lobster corn dogs
with chipotle ketchup.
In Nob Hill, the swanky Zinc Wine Bar and Bis~ro
serves a memorable Sunday jazz brunch and terrific
French-inspired dinner fare - try the crisp uck-confit egg
rolls or mango creme brulee. Next door, y Fish serves
tasty proof that it's possible to find super-fresh and creatively
rendered sushi right in the heart of the des~rt.
Talented chef Jennifer James is one of the leading new
culinary stars of the Southwest, and you can sample her
deftly prepared food at Graze, which specializes in affordable
tapas-style small plates (she also owns the more formal
Restaurant Jennifer James, a few miles north). Across
the street, the upscale Gruet Steak House is run by the
city's acclaimed Gruet Winery, which produces S?me ?f the
nation's most respected champagne-style sparkling wines
as well as commendable pinot noirs and chardonnays.
Pre-clubbing gays and straights mix it ~ sophisticate~
Martini Grille which is lauded as much its tasty Amencan
fare as fbr the fancy drinks served up in the schnazzy
cocktail bar.
Hang out among UNM students and other local hipsters
at II Vicino, which serves out-of-this-world wood-fired
pizzas and filling calzones, plus a nice array of leafy dinner-
size salads. Try El Patio for some of the most authentic
(and fiery) New Mexican cooking in town - be sure to sit
on the tree-shaded The no-frills Frontier Restaurant
is a 24/7 institution for its breakfast burritos and
heavenly cinnamon buns - it's a real scene after the clubs
close. Another must-do in Albuquerque is coffee and dessert
at Flying Star, a bakery, restaurant, coffeehouse, and
wine bar all rolled into one, with five locations around town,
the gavest and coolest in Nob Hill and downtown.
Among Albuquerque's six gay nightspots, Pulse draws
th gest and wildest bunch for cruising and dancing
stive patio and compact but fierce dance floor.
Fans of line-dancing and two-stepping head to sprawling
Sidewinders Ranch, which is owned by the same folks as
Sidewinders in Palm Springs. Low-keyed Exhale (formerly
Renea's} is the only lesbian bar in the state, although it
pulls in of guys, too. The expansive Albuquerque
Mining ers to a diverse crowd with its several bars,
small dance area, and full volleyball court. The Albuquerque
Social Ciub, a garden-variety video bar across the
street from Pulse, attracts a fairly local following; guests
are pennitted in this private club but must purchase a
"membership" ( one year). The parking
lot at Foxes ith beat-up pickup trucks,
hints rish, and horny guys inside.
main entertainment
ue's lodging landscape is domin
hotels, you'll find some distinctive
historic properties and art-filled B&Bs, too. the
latter, the beautifully restored Mauger Esta sits
within easy walkin distance of downtown and Old Town.
Anne Victorian has an ornate
exterior, period antiques, wallpapers, and fabrics.
Another property is Hacienda Antigua,
a f ,ldadc>be hacienda northwest
of downtown, filled with claw-foot tubs, wood carvings and
Indian art, and beehive-shape kiva-style fireplaces.
the historic La
p grand dame,
opened in 1939 by Conrad Hilton (who honeymooned here
with Zsa Zsa Gabor). It's a stunning 10-story hotel in the
heart of downtown. A few blocks west, the art deco Hotel
Biue has simple but affordable rooms and a great location,
making it one of the city's best bargains.
Of the city's chain properties, the 17-story Albuquerque
Marriott is a commendable, upscale choice with great views
of the mountains. It's close to two shopping malls and a
short drive from gay nightlife. And a 20-minute drive north
of Albuauerque in the town of Bernalillo, the posh Hyatt
Regency Tamaya offers the most lavish accommodations in
the region. Amenities at this 500-acre resort on the. ~anta
Ana Pueblo include a world-class spa, horseback riding,
tennis, golf, superb restaurants, and ca_sino gaming. If
you're looking for sumptuous Palm Springs-style glamour
in the laid-back Duke City, look no further than this stunning
resort, the perfect place to celebrate an ultra-romantic
Southwest getaway.
The Little Black Book
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (www.balloonfiesta.
com).
Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (505-842-9918
or 800-284-2282, www.itsatrip.org; www.albuquerque300.
or deta que Tncentennial events).
Al uerque 1 Louisiana Blvd. NE, 505-881-
6800 or 800-334-208 , www.marriott.com).
uerque Mining Co. (7209 Central Ave. NE, 505-255-
que Social Club (4021 Central Ave. NE, 505-255-
Cafe & Wine Bar (108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW,
560).
(424 Central Ave. 5-243-0200).
5 Central Ave., N 232-3474).
arvard St. SE, 50 '
Flying tar 2 Centr;3I Ave. S 633; also
downtown at 723 Silver Ave. SW 99).
Foxes Lounge (8521 Central Av 5-3060).
Graze (3128 Central Ave. SE, 50 .
Frontier Restaurant (Cornell Dr. SE and Cen al Ave. SE,
505-266-0550).
Gold Street Gaffe (218 Gold Ave. SW, 505-765-1633).
Gruet Steak House (3201 Central Ave. NE, 505-256-
WINE). Hacienda Antigua (6708 Tierra Dr. NW, 505-345-
5399 or 800/201-2986, www.hac~ier1da;ar ua).
Hotel Blue (717 Central Ave. NW, 505-9 2400 or 877-
878-4868 www.thehotelblue.com).
9462).
· Bernalillo, 505-
att.com ).
also 11225
t. NW. 505-242-
05 .
, - __ 755 or
-725-2477, WWW.
. NW, 505-343-1554).
1-25 at Tramway Blvd., 505-796-7500 or
.sandiacasino.com J.
nch (8900 Central Ave. :::;E, 505-275-1616).
09 Gold Ave. SW. 505-244-
and Bistro (3009 Central A . . 505-254-
Dive
April
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PROTECT YOl.:IR.PARTNER(S)
* Free nonjudgmental HIV testing,· including the 20
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PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
or gays wanting to travel in the United States there are
main gay cities, Palm Spri , California and Ft.
le, Florida. Both cities ve a huge gay populah
are extremely gay friendly. Both have at least
f dozen gay resorts to stay and plenty of gay
restaurants, bars and shops.
n this column we will tell you about Palm Springs, Caliomia.
It is located about 120 miles East of Los Angeles.
hen flying in from the f:Aidwest or_ East you _can ei~her .
y directly into Palm Springs or fly into Ontario, California
hich is less expensive and is only about 50 miles \J\'est_
f Palm Springs. Since you will need to rent an auto It will
ve you money to fly to Ontario.
weather in Palm
ngs is beautiful all
r around except if you
't like weather over 100
grees then it is best not
July and August.
we love the dry heat
we love going there in
he summer when it is hot.
ecember thru April it is
very pleasant there.
e dozens of gay
stay however our
is the TERORT
(www.ter)
and located
st of downtown
Palm Canyon
toll free phone
is: 1-866-837-7996.
and hosts, Tom
nd Doug Sems are
of the best -'<'hen it
to knowing how to
their guests.
he Terrazzo Resort has 12 guest rooms surrounding
heated swimming pool, (clothing optional) of course,
· · and tropical gardens. The resort has
s that includes the finest of linens,
dial phones, Lar TV, DVD, VCR CD player, indiclimate
control, speed Internet access, pre-
Judith Jackson bath amenities and wonderful soft
oiquet robes for their guests. All rooms comes with a
· , refrigerator, wet bar, hair dryer, iron and ironing
rd. Don't have your lap top with you? Don't worry. you
check your emails in their guest services room. Comentary
breakfast is served each momin_g outside at _the
. A complimentary gourmet lunch Is served daily
lside. Complimentary beverages and snacks are
available throughout the day. In addition to their Resort
they also have a condoiapartment just a few blocks from
the Resort which can rented on a monthly basis. Guests
renting that can take full advantage of the Resort amenities
including pool, etc.
This is truly a fabulous resort for the gay traveler. It is the
only gay resort in Palm Springs that we recommend. As
we travel around the country we have noticed that many
owners hire managers and that in itself can be a major
problem. Tom and Doug are the owners AND managers
and they control everything themselves to insure that each
guest gets full attention. And full attention to every detail is
what you at the Terrazzo. They have received many award
and citations for their hi ality of service and accommodations.
Tom and Doug ve their work and what they are
doing and it shows! Be sure to check out their web site.
Downtown is just a few short blocks from the Terrazz<?
and is filled with major shopping, museums, art galleries,
restaurants, bars and even an Indian Casino. They have
about a doz bars in Palm Springs and they run the
range from piano bars, disco bars and just about
any type of bar you are looking for. The one great thing
about staying in a major gay city is that the bars are always
busy! And we do mean ALWAYS! So even if you are kinda
shy you won't have any problems meeti someo~e in
Springs.
o left Melvyn'
aurant)
There is so much
to see and do in
Palm Springs. Lots
of museums to
visit, great restaurants
and tons of
·ng to do.
UST SEE is
the FABULOUS
PALM SPRINGS
FOLLIES located
downtown at 128
So. Palm Canyon
Drive. It is a Las
Vegas type show
with singing, dancing
and plenty of
laughter. What
makes the show
so fabulous is that
all the performers
are over 55 and
they are GREAT!
There are numemus performing arts centers around the
city and plenty of concerts to go to. There are dozens and
dozens of restaurants in Palm Springs. After many years
of going there our very favorite 1s still Melvyn's Restaurant
located in the Ingleside Inn just a couple b!ocks West of
downtown at 200 W. Ramon. It is just like stepping back to
"Old Hollvwood". The food, the service and the atmosphere
is PERF CT!
Mel Haber, the owner knows how to keep h:s guests coming
back year after year. According to Life Styles of the. Ric.
and Famous it is rated one of the 10 best and we certainly
agree!
Continued next page:
the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine. Page 10
GAY TRAVELERS:
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest vertical
cable in the country and the view from the top is magnificent.
Take your lunch with you and dine right in the mountains.
Other options for Palm Spri are hiking, tennis or
sightseeing in the Joshua National , the Living Desert
or visiting the local Indian grounds. But of course the main
reason to go to Palm Springs is for the people! And what a
FABULOUS collection of friends we have made there over
the years. Our best to Stefan, Millie, Jerry, Jim, Tyke and
Wayne!
Check out www.palmspringsgay.com before making your
travel plans. For more information about traveling, email
Donald and Ray at gaytravelers@aol.com or visit their webpage
at: http://www.hometown.aol.com/gaytravelers.
Willie Nelson
Releases New Gay
Cowboy Song.
NASHVILLE, TN_Willie Nelson released his new song titled
"Cowboys Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond Of Each Other)"
on Valentines Day February 14th 2006.
Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond Of Each Other)"
wa in 1981 by Texas-born, NYC resident musician/
songwriter Ned Sublette, long before gay cowboys were the
current topic of conversation. Nelson recorded the song last
ar during an iTunes Originals session at his Perdernales,
io. This is the first time Nelson's version has been
released.
Dolly Parton did a song for "Transamerica," Emmylou
Harris cut a track for "Brokeback Mountain" and Willie
Nelson released a gay Valentine's song. Is country the new
gay genre?
HIV positive participants,
spectators to be welcomed into
United States during the 2006
Chicago Gay Games
'Designated Event Status· clears
U.S. entrance restrictions
SAN FRANCISCO A U.S. federal blanket waiver has
been approved allowing non-U.S. citizens living with HIV/
AIDS to travel to the United States to participate in or attend
the Gay Games 2006. The Federation of Gay Games
(FGG), an~ Chicago Ga~es, Inc. (CGI), announced today
that the waiver comes with federal approval of Designated
Event Status for Gay Games VII Sports & Cultural Festival
set for 15-22 July 2006 in Chicago, Illinois.
"Many people with HIV/AIDS and other life-affecting health
issues have competed and set Masters-division records at
past Gay Games, and we are happy that all participants
from outside the United States once again will be able to
travel freely to attend the Gay Games this summer," said
Kathleen Webster, co-president of the international Federation
of Gay Games.
HIV positive p · · nts and attendees of Gay Games
VII can now a a sin B-2 travel visa from
their local U.S. consulate. isa, valid 8-28 July 2006,
will be issued on a special form instead of being placed
permanently in the person·s passport.
"Achieving Designated Event Status demonstrates our
dedication to the Gay Games principles of Participation,
Inclusion and Personal Best™ and to our mission adfor
full acceptance and recognition of all LGBT
said Brian McGuinness, Gay Games Chicago
Executive Director. "We are grateful to Chicago Mayor
Richard M. Daley, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (DIL)
and the many CGI and FGG board, staff, volunteers
and allies for helping us meet this important commitment
to the HIV community."
Information regarding procedures on how to apply for the
B-2 visa at U.S. consulates in different countries will be
available shortly on the FGG Web site at \~":N';N-~aygames.
com) and the Chicago Gay Games eb site (www.
gaygameschicago . .erg).
For additionai information, lease contact Aimee Pine at
the ~hi Ga~es, Inc. o,ffic:esat (773) 907-2006 or by
email at mee.pme@gaygameschicago.org.
Grand Opening ai Fort Smith's
Newest Night Club.
RED ROCK CITY
By Bunky Walters
The pizza delivery guy walked in just after 8 p.m. amid
droningeleictnic drills, a symphony of cell phones and frenetic
atter.
But like an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"
everything was hammered, painted and plu in
by midnight for the grand opening of Red Rock C Fort
Smith's newest party venue, at 917 N. A St. ·
At 10 p.m., music was already blasting in beat to the din
of finishing touches being made inside the historic two-story
building with a red stone walls - hence the name of the
club. It's attractive yet calm exterior was in sharp contrast,
though, to the play pin being created inside.
Leading the whip-quick renovation was owner Andv
Osburn, who stayed cool as Crystal throughout the evening.
Osburn, by the way, also owns Kinkead's, just a
couple blocks away at 1004 ½ Garrison Ave.
When he wasn't lending a hand or answering his cell
phone, Osburn paused occasionally in the VIP lounge near
the cool metal grate-floored DJ booth, ave the
dance floor. By 11 p.m., some of his friend s
and Kansas City had arrived, and they made themselves
at home in the lounge, which was decorated with leather
chairs and ottomans situated around a large, wide-screen
TV. Roses and orchids were another elegant touch to the
room.
Out the lounge door several steps away was the upstairs
bar area, which has a dance floor, as well. It was
packed with le by 11 :30 p.m., slinging back beer
and sipping them up alongside buttery
nipple and cocksucker shots were bartenders in black
dress shirts, with the word "Rockers'; spelled out in red on
each one.
Not long after midnight, a voice on the mic invited folks
to "shake their tail feathers." They promptly obliged, spilling
down the confetti-carpetted stairs to the new dance floor.
The anced to everything from Salt 'n' Pepa to Depeche
,de, s1~oc1tina b,oots and scuttling about to the
rhythm of the pounding bass. Every now and then, there
were quick whooshes from the fog machine, blanketing the
crowded dance floor.
And it mig~t hav~ been chilly outside,. but it didn't keep
a obv1ol!s gym _memberships from whipping
o d shaking their bottoms under the dazzling
disco lights of the club's exposed rafters.
Not that but I had a ball and a half that night
OK, two. te the nail-biting push of the
midnight deadline, the club threw a flawless party. And I
have no doubt they'!i continue to send folks in Fort Smith
· and sweating to awesome beats and fabulous
for many, many weekends to come.
Speaking of coming, you should. Red Rock City is open
9 p.m.-5 a.m. Thursday-Saturday and 6 p.m.-midnight
Sunday.
· , either call (479) 242-CITY or visit
_GLBT Magazine. . Page 1.2 ..
NINTH ANNUAL RED RIBBON
GALA, SET FOR TULSA
MARCH 11, 2006.
Above left to right: Kim Wood -Chairperson RRG, Shane
Carter - Channel 2 Meteorologist and Master of Ceremonies,
Pat Chernicky- President Tulsa C.A.R.E.S.
TULSA, OK_Aa in the past, a sea of red wili encompass
distinguished guests and friends of Tulsa C.A.R.E.'s
RRG, as they arrive at one of Tulsa's most elegant and
worthwhile affairs. Again this year, the event will be held
at Southern Hills Country Club on Saturday, March 11th.
Set in an atmosphere that only Southern Hills can create,
the room will be ablaze with fabulous flower arrangements
created by board member Toni Garner. Kim Wood, Gala
Chairperson and Peter Walter, realtor extraordinaire, Gala
Honorary Chairperson wiil welcome guests to a feast for
the senses that will include the finest cuisine by Southern
Hills Chef Devin Levine, complimented by fine wines. A
portion of the festivities wili include both a silent and live
auction offering stellar iist of antiques, furniture, original
artwork, masterfully created jewelry, private dinner parties,
special inteiest classes to name a few. A new feature
this year, a special raffle of fine jewelry created by Tulsa
C.A.R.E.S. board member Susan Sadler, wi!I be held during
the event. Ali attending are encouraged to "just wear red"
... the color of AIDS awareness and a symbol of compassion
for those affected by the disease.
The Red Ribbon Gala is the largest fundraising activity
for Tulsa C.A.R.E.S (Center for AIDS Resources, Education
and Support). Ani:i, this year the event has received a
tremendous "kick off'' for 2006 with the generous grant from
the George Kaiser Famiiy Foundation and Bank of Oklahoma
Foundation as Presenting Sponsor. A United Way
agency, Tuisa C.A.R.E.S has been in existence since 1991.
Executive Director , Sharon Thoeie, credits the generosity
of the board members and donors of the difference they
make for some of the community's most needy members.
She states: "the best part of the Red Ribbon Gala is that it
supports the ongoing efforts of Tulsa C.A.R.E.S. to provide
a safe haven for low-income men, women and children
with HIV/AIDS throughout northeastern Oklahoma.
2 marks the 15th anniversary of providing support services
to the individuals no one wanted to serve. Without the
proceeds from the Red Ribbon Gala our ability to provide
these crucial services would cease."
Board President, Patricia Chernickv, adds: "the RRG is not
only a fabulous evening of food, fun and friends, but the
money raised from the event provides the organization with
the financial resources to serve over 450 individuals. HIV
does not affect o up of people, it affects us all." RRG
Chairperson, Kim also contributes: "A tremendous
op · is provided through the RRG to provide support
to Isa CARES so that the organization can continue to
provide the services for those patients and families affected
by the devastating disease."
The Red Ribbon Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. with flowing red
cocktails, stimulating conversation and a Ii silent auction
and raffle. Dinner foilows at 7:30 p.m. w live auction
commencing around 9:00 p.m. Dancing to music provided
by "The Hero Factor" will begin at 9:45 p.m.
Tickets are $150.00 per person. Sponsorship packages
and reservations for priority seating are available. For more
information, contact Bruce Lewis at (918) 834-4194.
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET
PRESENTS MIXED BAG ON
HIV/AIDS
WASHINGTON - President Bush's budget proposal, released
yesterday, presents a mixed bag on HIV/AIDS, with
modest funding increases in care and treatment programs,
additional cuts in Medicaid and a dangerous increase in
abstinence-only programs that keep thorough, scientific
information out of the hands of those who need it most.
"For the sake of hundreds of thousands of Americans
living with HIV and AIDS, we can and we must do more,"
said Human Rights Campaign President joe Solmonese.
"We welcome the president's attention to the critical needs
facing HIV/AIDS programs, yet the new funding does not
make up for the years of shortcomings and huge proposed
cuts that may harm beneficiaries in other areas."
The largest proposed HIV/AIDS increase is for the president's
$188 million domestic AIDS initiative, with money
split between the Ryan White CARE Act and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We need a comprehensive and targeted strategy to
combat this virus - particularly in at-risk communities and
among people of color," said Soimonese. "Attention to this
continually growing trend is long overdue."
There are more African Americans among new AIDS cases,
people estimated to be living with AIDS and H!V-reiated
deaths than any other racial or ethnic group in the United
States.
Continued .. Aids Budget-page 23
IN RESPONSE 1'0 YOUR.
PERSONAL AD LOOKING
FOR. SOMEONE WMO CAN11'
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I L Fl E
- ' Oklahoma City
ur 5th Anniversary
3 Days of Quality Workshops, Vendors, Great Piains Olympus
Contests, Cigar Smoker, Saints and Sinners Costume Contest, Many
Free Prizes, Play Parties, other Social Activities, NLA-1 AGM and
as always, a surprise or two!
Only $125 if registered by April 21 !
Group Discounts for 6 or more!
Vendor Market is FREE and Open to the Public
www. ibalfire .com
the STAR, Oklahoma's Premier GLBT Magazine. Page 14
I
& THE BOYS
Pack'em In At
Club Maverick!
by Greg Steele
TULSA, OK_ Mary, Schellye, Brenda, Paula, &
Valerie known as Tulsa's Moodswing Band certainly
have the art of entertaining down pat. With
st guitarist Betsy Smittle and the Boys, Brad
in, Mark Dodson, Eric Daughtery, and Mike
Busby, entertained a standing room only crowd
at Tulsa's Club Maverick on January 27th. Just
another example of the talent we in Oklahoma
are fortunate enough to have in our GLBTA community.
A five piece all female band, Moodswing has
been together for two years. They have played
at many events including Tulsa Pride Picnic,
OKC Pride Picnic, Tulsa's Mayfest, The Women's
Music Festival in Dripping Springs, Texas, the
Sooner State Rodeo in Tulsa and Diversity Pride ·
Fall Festivai in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. And
continue to draw big crowds at Oklahoma City
and Tulsa nightclubs.
They are currently working on their 2nd CD
and hope to release it this summer. Their 1st CD
"Moodswing" was cut two years ago.
The boys were fantastic! Si · a variety of songs,
delighted the crowd with their ta ent dUiing the band
intermission. A very professional group and a wonderfully
entertaining evening.
Is there a Shelter agent
for you?
Call today to learn more about our services.
Serving the community in Missouri, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
Greg W. Tainter, LUTCF
Tel: (866)208-9480
gtainte helterinsurance.com
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Crystal Meth.u The
Satanic Brew Crippling
the Gay Communi
By jimmy pa!mieri
Crystal Meth ... The Satanic Brew Crippling the
Gay Community
Meth, Tina, speed, chalk, ice, rock, glass are all street
names for the dnJa meth amphetamine. This noxious
recipe of chemica s, that may include, but are not limited to.
ephedrine, crystai drain cieaner, bleach, battery acid and
nail poiish remover, among others, has the capability of
destroying lives more quickly than any iilicit drug currently
availabie. It is so addicting to some, that after the first try,
so strong is the craving to use again, that all else becomes
secondary.
Seek Shelter Today!
• urn
Sales Associate
ION DOLL.AR PRODUCER"
8)49~2252
.3Tl tc,1 (918,)491-~?t ' '.,.· ", •, ', ,·',' ,
Crystal meth has taken a strong hold on the gay and
iesbian community, with a particular ven ance on gay
males for a variety of reasons. The of meth make
the user less inhibited, and more euphoric in mindset. This
is particularly enticing to gay men, who may have been
admonished by their families, not accepted by their peers at
school, or have not fit into what even their own community
deems acceptable. Society has continually isolated s
and lesbians, leaving many with the desire or need
into some type of adopted crowd or fa1 Meth is sadly,
the common thread among many of the enfranchised.
Meth a!so has the distinct capability of making men more
libidinous, thereby making their feelings of inhibitions ali the
more exaggerated. This has created a devastating paralle!
between meth addiction, and HIV infection.
www.Tulullaverlck.co111
9111 a Sllarldan, Tulsa, OK
918.aaL3301
THE
T
ith Sp iai Gu t
E CEE
John Pendal
lnternatio I r. Leather
2003
Fri, Sat, & Sun
March :I. 7th - :I.9th
Fri - 10pm Meat & Greet @
Club Maverick
Sat - 1.0pm Contest @
Club Maverick
Sun - :1:l:30am
Victory Brunch@
Metro Diner
A History of Violence
Anti-gay violence is on the rise -- not just in the U.S., but all
over the world.
!"- Swt:dish we~site lists 129 well-known gay individuals,
1~cluding pr(!minent actors, musicians, broadcasters, politicians
and priests, and calls for their death. Despite having
one of the world's toughest laws against the promotion of
hate, Sweden's _chief prosecutor says he is powerless to
shut down the site because it frames its death threats in the
form of Biblical quotes.
Britain is in the midst of a homophobic crime wave that
has esc~lated to the PC?int that police have urged the LGBT
?ommurnty to u~e _caution when going out. A young man
m Londonderry 1s rn danger of losing his eye after a recent
attack, and it wasn't the first time he'd been assaulted. A
g~y couf?le_ near London almost lost their home, and pos~
1bly th_eir life, w~en they discovered someone had pushed
1nc~nd1ary maten~I through their mail slot, starting a fire in
their hallw~y. Fortunately, they were able to extinguish the
nre before 1t spread. In another incident a lesbian couple
was pelted with snowballs that had sto~es and broken
glass embedded in them. Police say they believe there
have been dozens of other cases throughout the country
that have gone unreported. Officials believe that the
number of homophobic attacks on has increased with
the publicity over civil partnerships, ich became legal in
December.
In_ New Bedford, Massachusetts, a community about 50
miles south of Boston, a violent attack rocked a lar
gay club. A young man, 18 year old Jacot1 RcJbic struck
a customer in the head with a hatchet before shoo two
others. As I'm writing this, Robida is still on the run ile
his victims remain in the hospital -- one in critical condition.
When police searched Robida's room, they discovered
Nazi a. The teen is being sought on charges of attempt
murder, assault and civil-rights violations.
What is behi~d this.increase in homophobic violence?
Almost certainly, as the British officials stated it's due to
increased publicity as gay rights issues have taken center
stage in countries all over the worid. It's nothi new. Mankind
h_~s a hist?ry of violence. especially concerns
~ trad1t1~:mally do~ntr?~d~n group trying to claim equality.
During the 60 s c1v1I nghts movement it was violence
ag~in~t blacks. '.he ignorant always resort to violence when
their status quo 1s threatened. When the people the bigot
has always demeaned and reviled suddenlv dare to stand
up for themselves and demand rights, the bigot will lash
out.
It's no surprise th~ big~ts are worked up right now. Gay
are one of tne biggest issues in the world right now.
ng almost every state and country around the globe.
Almost every political race is influenced by gay rights, and
barely a day goes by when you don't see some LGBT-related
story in the media.
!n Canada_'s recent e_lec~ion, gay marriage was a crucial
issue. Dun_ng campaigning, qonservative leader Stephen
Harper claimed that overturning Canada's equal marriage
law would be one of his first priorities. The Tory Party did
win the election, but the results were less about rights
than a country unwilling to trust a scandal-ridde ral
;. Fortunately, with a minority government even smaller
he Liberals before them, the Conservatives will most
likely be unable to change the marriage law.
Continuing his homophobic policies, President Bush renewed
his attack on gay families in his recent State of the
Union Address. Addres · a joint session of Congress the
p~esident said that "ma ericans, especially parents,
still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture
and the health of our most basic institutions. They are '
concerned about unethical conduct by public officials. and
discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage."
"Trying to draw comparisons between the reprehensible
~cts of ~nethic~I politicians with fair and independent
Judges 1s both ridiculous and wrong," said Joe Solmonese.
president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). ·
Not is it ridiculous, but by continually demonizing gay
and ian families, President Bush and other outspoken
ns fan the flames of hatred. if someone like
Jacob a already believes that gays are evil sinners
then hearing the president make antigay statements only
confirms that belief in his mind. The crusading Religious
t, with their fire and brimstone wailing, will I fL1rtt1er
rce those feelings. If he is already unbalan or prone
to violence, it's just a matter of time before that hate will
build to the point that it erupts into violence.
What can we do to stem the tide of violence?
There's an old proverb that says something along the lines
of "in order to avoid repeating history, we have to learn from
the past." If there's anything we can learn from the Black
civil rights movement, it's that we have to keep fighting
for equality. We can't let fear defeat us. We have to stand
up against the bigots and hatemongers and demand our
rights.
So how do we do that?
Vote! One of the easiest we can do to make a difference
is elect fair-minded, p ressive officials. The only way to
stop the homophobic cians is to get them out of office.
Support gay-positive legislation and defeat antigay measur~
s. Many st~~E:~ are brin9i gay i~sues to the polls. We
caf'! t afford to sit 1dly oy while ant1gay forces muster
!heir troops with military precision. State after state is passmg
same-sex marriage bans while other states struggle to
P'.3Ss.antidiscrimination laws. Our opponents are well-organized
and we!i-funded, so that makes it all the more important
that we pay attention, spread the word. and vote Also
don't be afraid to contact your representatives and let the~
~now your feelings_ o~ important issu~s. As HRC president
Joe _Solmones_e sa1_? rn,.reterence to the ~tt~cks at the gay
bar rn MassacnuseLts, When a man walKs rnto a bar, asks
Continued next page
HEART TO HEART
if it's a gay bar and starts shooting, there couldn't be any
more glaringly obvious and enraging example that we need
uniform hate crimes law and that Congress has stubbornly
failed to act."
Come out and speak up! This is perhaps the hardest, yet
most important thing we can do as gay men and women.
Coming out is a powerful statement that has been proven
to change hearts and minds again and again. If you're
already out, speak up. If your friends, family, and coworkers
don't understand how these issues affect you, then how
can they care? The mor o know and understand
how homophobia adversely s their loved ones, the
more allies we'll have on our side.
I don't believe we are doomed to repeat history -- not if we
can learn from the past and work together to create a better
future. In 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Nonviolence
is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions
of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression
and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.
Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which
rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation
of such a method is love." That message is as true today as
it was then. Let's learn from our history and move forward
in love.
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 \vith
an open heart and mind.
Isa's ouncil ak
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oncert eason
2006
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Friday, May 12@ 8 PM
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Saturday, August 26 @ 8 PM
Williams Theater
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
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Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
MARCH 2006
"STRANGE BEDFELLOWS"
The Bush administration's homophobia has gone
international.
At the United Nations recently, the United States joined
with some of the most repressive governments to deny two
international LGBT gro vernmental organization
(NGO) observer status it comes to marginalizing
the LGBT community, this administration will cozy up with
anyone.
Administration buddies like the American Family Association
and Focus on the Family have been joined on the
international scene by countries such as China, Zimbabwe,
and Iran. Yes, you read that right - Iran. We may demonize
that country publicly, but when it comes to privacy issues,
George is a political whore. He'll become political bedfellows
with anyone - an individual, an organization, or, in this
case, a country he considers our sworn enemy - to further
his radical°Christian right crusade against the LGBT community.
Who would have been hurt if the International Lesbian
and Gay Association (ILGA) and the Danish Association
of Gays and Lesbians (LBL) were allowed to speak for the
LGBT community at the United Natio.ns' Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC), which advises the international
organization on economic and social issues?
After all, there are 634 NGOs affiliated with ECOSOC.
We're talking about groups like the Humane Society, the
American Jewish Congress, and Greenpeace. But we're
also talking ab like Focus on the Family, Feminists
for Life of ica, the National Right to Life Education
Trust Fund, and the Alliance for Marriage. I think it
would only be fair tq balance out some of the homophobic
political perspectives inherent in some of these organizations
with a few LGBT voices
But instead of a fair hearing - which ali othei NGOs
who have requested representation have gotten - ILGA's
and LBL's requests were summarily dismissed without
any discussion. The dismissal, which was done by the
ECOSOC NGO committee, happened after ILGA and LBL
went through the rather exhausting process that got them
to the point where they could even ask for a hearing. All of
this was preceded by the behind-the-scenes maneuvering
of Egypt and the Organization of Islamic Conferences to
exclude the two groups.
Rosanna Flamer Caldera, co-secretary general of ILGA,
which ents a worldwide network of more than 400
LGBT zations, considers the exclusion "a clear violation
of due process and an attempt to discriminate against
LGBT NGOs on procedural grounds."
Some may shrug their shoulders at the U.S. actions. But
as 40 LGBT and LGBT-allied organizations pointed out to
Secietary of State Condoleezza Rice in a Jan. 25 letter, the
United States voted yes when the entire ECOSOC body
voted in 2002 to include ILGA as an NGO.
The groups, including the Human Rights Campaign,
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Human Rights
Watch, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the
National Black Justice Coalition, asked Rice if it was now
our country's policy to "oppose consultative status for all
organizations working to promote the rights of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender people."
If it is, this flies in the face of the State Department's
own reporting on severe human rights violations based
on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. The
department's 2004 report on Iran chronicled the executions
of men. Its report on Zimbabwe noted that President
Ro Mugabe has consistently denounced gays and lesbians,
blaming them for "Africa's ills."
So the question begs to be answered - how can the
United States recognize human rights atrocities against
LGBT people in other countries, yet refuse to give those
who are repressed a voice in bringing that repression to
light? We were more than happy to give voice to the Chinese
students in Tiananmen Square who bristled against
the yoke of that country's communist regime. Today, we're
all about building democracy in Iraq. But let LGB
stand up and speak for themselves? Never. And how
make sure LGBT people won't be heard? We get into bed
with our political enemies. If ever there was a situation that
shows how morally bankrupt this administration is, this is it.
I don't think Condi's written a response yet. But this
year, there will be two great opportunities for the international
LGBT community to respond for ourselves and shed
light on the United States' complicity. ILGA's next world
conference will be in Geneva from March 27-April 3, the
same time the U.N. Commission on Human Rights will be
in that city, and where the Commission's on-going discussion
about sexual orientation and human rights is sure to
continue.
Later, in the summer, some 2,000 LGBT activists from
around the globe will converge in Montreal from July 26-29
for the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights,
which is sponsored by OutGames, an international LGBT
sporting event that takes place right after the conference.
"Our ultimate goal with this conference is to adopt what
we're calling the 'Montreal Declaration,' an unequivocal
affirmation that LGBT right are human rights," said Louise
Roy, CEO of the conference and OutGames. "Once
passed, we will do everything in our power to bring that
resolution to the United Nations."
It may be easy for our administration to ignore the
events in Geneva. But when thousands of LGBT folks
g miles north of our border, it wili be a bit more
d turn a blind eye to the injustices we face each
and every day and our collective resolve to stop them. Or,
at least, it should be.
EDITOR'S NOTE: One of Libby Post's firms, OutMarketing.
biz, has been retained by Outgames Montreal 2006 to
coordinate the event's United States' public relations activities.
This column expresses her opinion and not that of her
clients.
The 0zar1<s STAR since 2003
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyman
MARCH
2006
Summary : Past Our is a retrospective of key moments,
personalities, and subjects in LGBT historv. Each
, '
installment brings the past to life by exploring the diversity
of the gay past and its impact on the queer present.
February 1976 (30 years ago this month): British figure
kater John Curry wins an Olympic gold medal.
y is figure skating s
As the most artisti etic events, figure skating is
ely believed to be teeming with gay men - and, indeed,
of the most renowned elite male skaters have been
·sexual. But the sport's fey reputation is I
to the perceived gender nonconformity
ants.
It is impossible to know now whether early champion
ater~ such as Jackson Haines, a ballet dancer by training
o pioneered the modern artistic form of figure skating in
1860s, were queer. Lorrie Kim, creator of the Rainbow
website, has compiled a list of 20 elite gay male skatrs,
but only a few publicly revealed their sexuality while
ey were champion contenders.
American Ronnie Robertson, the 1956 Olympic silver
edalist, was exposed as his former coach Mi-
Kirby, in a memoir the of Robertson's
(2000). The "Nureyev of the Ice, reat Britain's John
reportedly made a little-noticed announcement that
e was press conference shortly before winning
e 19 c gold medal. The bronze medalist that
r, Toller ston of Canada. mentioned affairs with
men and women in his two- · :ihi,es; during
1973 World Championships, , he was se-
Czech skater Ondrej Nepela, who went on to best
red Cranston and win the title. In 1992, another
was next after Cu come out
during his competitive career; Hali ikely holds
re skater to appear
Fallen ngtime
nadian champion Brian Orser was out when
ex-boyfriend filed a palimony lawsuit.
The best-known queer figure skater, Rudy Galindo - who
"an openly gay trailer-trash
ached the highest levels of pairs skating
then-partner, Kristi Yamaguchi, when she decided
on singles competition. After several years of
, ances, a bout with alcohol and drug
and the loss of his brother and two coaches to
alindo went on to win the 1996 U.S. Nationals.
his own HIV diagnosis and the cement of both
Galindo has reoeatedlv challe, conservative
rid - for example: performing to "Somewhere
ainbov( and a medley of Village People songs,
ueer ehte male skaters have included U.S. naRobert
Wagenhoffer (who had long-term
mmantic relationships with former junior champion Billy
Lawe and professional show skater Sylvain Beauregard)
champion ice dancer and choreographer Rob McCall, '
1978-80 Canadian national champion Brian Pockar and
former Dutch n~tional champion Edward van Campen; all
but Beauregara and van Campen died of AIDS. Galindo
once estimated that 98 percent of elite male skaters are
~traight. But "in the real trenches of show skating," according
to openly gay skater Christopher Nolan, "guys are out
all over the place."
Many male figure skaters have described the harassment
they received for pursing a sport considered to be
queer. In reaction, skaters such as Kurt Browning, Philippe
Candeloro, and Elvis Stojko emphasized a macho image
and athletic .style !n the 199~s; others, including three-time
U.S. champion Michael Weiss, regularly show off their
wives and children. Current U.S. national champion and
top Olympic contender Johnny Weir has tripped the gaydar
of many with his flamboyant outfits and effeminate mannerisms,
though he has yet to explicitly state his sexual
orientation.
Despite its queer reputation, the skating establishment
has long mandated strict gender roles. Although things
have come a long way since officials at the 1920 Olympics
scolded Theresa Weld for performing an "uni ke" jump
some judges still look askance at male skate o do too'
many spins and spirals. So strict are the gender conventions
that pie gold and bronze medalists Katarin
mas provoked shock by performing
in nontraditional costumes such as knee breeches and
full-length leotards, p~ompting t~e spo.rt's st governing
body, the International Skating Union (I to institute
a rule that female competitors must wear skirts that cover
their derrieres.
While male skaters are often assumed to be gay, the
sport's requisite femini renders queer women invisible.
There are no openly le or bisexual women skaters
among the elite ranks, though some of today's female
champion contenders are so young that it may be premature
to speculate about their sexuality. But a number
of queer women participate in nonelite adult competition.
including International Gay Figure Skating Union cofounder
Laura Moore, who started skating at age 32 after divorcing
her husband and coming out as a lesbian.
Ironically, no sport emphasizes the appearance of
hete~osexuality more tha~ competitive pair skating and ice
dancing. The ISU regulation that teams must consist of
"a man and a lady" has caused grief for elite skaters who
wish to perform with same-sex partners. The ISU does not
sanction events that do not adhere to its rules, but the inter
nati?nal_ Ice Skating Institute and son:ie national governing
~odIes, _includ I S1:ateis Figure Skating Associat;
on and offer sanctions or waivers for
the Gay Games and similar events. "[T]he thrili of seeing a,
op,enly gay pair team h_as nothi do with triple jumps,"
said Moore, who won tne 1994 y Games ice dance competition
with her partner, Linda Carney.
For further reading:
Brennan, Christine. 1996, _Inside Edge: A Revealing Journey
into the Secret World of Figure Skating_ (Anchor),
Galindo, Rudy, and Eric Marcus. 1997. Icebreaker: The
Autobiography of Rudy Galindo_ (Pocket Books).
Rainbow Ice - http://www.plover.com/rainbowice/
Page22
CITY LIFE:
1930s and 1940s and their successors with 68 works by
artists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David
Alfaro S ros as well as related works by Luis Nishizawa
and Gu r Gerzso. Mexican Masters expresses the
hopes, desires, idealism, and culture of early twentieth-century
Mexico through its artists. From the Mexican Revolution
and Spanish Civil War to the Second World War,
violent revolution and dramatic social change-both nationally
and internationally-shaped the ideals of Mexico and
its people. The Carrillo Gil Collection was molded by these
principles, and the works it includes portray not only the
artists' reactions to revolution, depression, and industrialization,
as well as the impact of religion and need for social
reform, but also the collector's. Mexican Masters pays
humble recognition to Mexico's violence, war, and suffering,
the United States Depression, and the artists' subsequent
impression of inhumanity in an industrialized nation. For
more information visit okcmoa.com.
AIDS BUDGET:
Among the president's proposals:
Medicaid - our nation's largest provider of HIV/AIDS treatment
and care - would face cuts of $5 billion over five
years and $12 billion over 10 years, forcing those trimmed
from Medicaid rolls to seek care through programs that are
already overextended and under-funded.
also pro cutting $15 million
Nationa Institutes of Health and
increases abstinence-only education funding by $28 million.
State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs would receive $70
million under the president's plan to ease the waiting lists
IDS program would receive
a welcomed increase of $14 million et this is short of
what is necessary to meet s needs.
rge Congress to
edicaid instead of weaken it, and put sound
science over ideology in educational programs," added
Solmonese.
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Advice Column!
Kittens, as the whirlwind month of love has once more
blown its course, Let us wipe the proverbial love awav
from our chin, and move forward. Uncle spent most of the
mont~ exhausted\y entertaining. A man briefly touched me;
so briefly, uncle did not realize he had already reached the
climatic point in the relationship. Alas Uncle finding himself
once more on the hunt while looking for a aood man. Leaving
me asking the uestion, how can someone be so bootylecious
and such ty at the same time? Hmm I have to
ponder that for a while.
After seeing the much taiked about "Brokeback", Uncle
f?und himself_ inspired to take riding lessons. After a positively
productive week at the horse farm, while working with
the trainer, Uncle has joined country riders everywhere. It
took sweat, and teacs. One must be dedicated while working
to achiev:3 ~ goal. ! have decided that next month, I may
graduate to ndmg a horse. You know what they say Rome
was not built in a day, baby steps! '
This mon~h Uncle has received several letters asking
abo~t ~e~mg revenge on a lover's betrayal. Well, Kittens,
Uncie Is Just shocked. A ay man, after revenge; it is just
n?.t donea€l Snicker s · Kittens, taking the higher road
w1il always allow you to mature into a well rounded. wonderfully
developed, lo · responsible adult. Uncle ·encourages
g~od karma, as w spiritual and personal growth.
That said, karma helps those who help themselves.
This month i dedicate my words of wisdom to a!I those
~ho h?ve found tha~ strange strap under the bed, hidden
ooots m the closet, text message from the blonde Twink in
the gym, who despite his physically delicious self, cant not
seem to manage a sentence stiUcture.
Since Uncle has given you pearls, let's get to the good
stuff.
The following is an actual list of carefully planned out exercises
in revenge which uncle has used over the years. I am
sure the men who each were carefully inspired by, will have
a mo~ent of ~ecall whi!e reading a bit of their own history
here m Uncles corner m Queerdom. Each one primed for
specific levels of revenge. Kittens, a side dish served best
when cold, I believe I feel a bitte; wind blowing in as we
speak, bundle up kittens, it is going to be a rather frosty
month of march.
12) Sleep with his best friends. Expected, yet sucker punch
in the gut.
11) Take your self-shopping with his credit cards buying
yourself that well deserved, while also delicious, little outfit
you have always wanted. You have earned it. I mean the
time on your knees alone warrants it.
10) Delivering a message to his co-workers that the clinic
calla~ '.3nd you ~eed to speak to him _urgently, allowing all
gossIpmg hags m ear shot to hear this, will defiantly deliver
a certain message.
9) Informing the mother out of concern, of a horrible drug
problem. Of course, this being the reason you have to
leave him. •
8) Did I mention sleep with his closets and dearest friends?
Oh, come now don't look at me that way. You have been
eyeing them all along anyway.
7) Donate the bulk of his wardrobe to a nearby good will.
Charity begins at home.
6) During conversations of the extreme vibe of hostility he
is receiving from you, serve him a delicious cup of ex-lax
cappuccino. This will allow for a few moments of him-time
he so truly needs.
5) Go on Jerry and tell it all, going for the Emmy , for betrayed
love interest.
4) Enter local hook up site under his name, hooking up with
t~e _troll of all trolls,_ inviting h!m over unexpected by said
vIctIm of course. Kitten, helping others is important.
3) Ciean the oven with his favorite label, leavina it in a pot
on the stove. Cleanliness is next to cherliness. ~
2) Announce to all of your friends, your inability of coping
with on more night of his constant weeping after sex.
~) Deliver his t~ings, in a. box to his job with a note saymg
good-bye, makmg sure his favorite sex toys are leaking
onto the reception desk!
Well there, it is in a nutshell. All is fair in love and revenae
Kittens, I would wear a cup, this could be a full contact ~
sport d~pendinQ on the players involved. Those of you
?etermmed against bette~ advice, to foll~w this vengeful
Journey, now have your flight plan. Sock !t and rock it, until
the cockcrows, or feels your wrath, whichever one comes
first. Until next time, smooches from your favorite guru, and
Tlddles too!
The Ozarks $TAR'slnce 20f)3 ·.
Do Gays Have a Choice?
Whether homosexuality is a genetic redisposition or a
product of environmental factors haE; be,en hotly debated for
the past several decades. The heart of the matter is: Does
a person have a choice about his or her sexuality? Science
att~mpts to answer this compelling question in the feature
article "Do Gays Have a Choice?" in the February/March
issue of Scientific American Mind.
New York, NY (PRWEB) - Whether homosexuality is a
genetic predisposition or a product of environmental factors
has been hotly debated for the past several decades.
The he~rt of the matter is: Does a person have a choice
about his or her sexuality? Science atte answer this
com · g question in the feature article ays Have a
Cho . " in the February/March issue of Scientific American
Mind. In addition to learning the science behind the
matter, one may take the test and find out "How Gay Are
You?" on Scientific American Mind's Web site (www.sciammind.
com).
According to the article's author, Robert Epstein, a Harvard-
trained PhD, sexual orientation is not a black or white
matter; rather, he concludes that sexuality falls on a continuum
with heterosexuality and homosexuality at opposite
ends. People may be attracted to members of both sexes
b · determined by both genetics and
their environment. n explains that genes determine
wh~re '!"~ start but society exerts tremendous pressure on
the md1v1dual to conform. Because the majority of people
are "straight," most of us become heterosexual.
The article also discusses the possibility of an individual
changi sexual orientation. Whereas some people have
as,serted that genes alone determine sexual orientation and
that changing from gay to straight is not possible, others
ha ued that homosexuality is a learned behavior and
th 10ic:e.Epi;tein V11r,tes that changing orientation is
possible for people whose sexuality lies toward the middle
of the Sexual Orientation Continuum, but for most gay people
such a switch would be very difficult if not impossible.
"Do Gays Have a Choice?" presents a new school of
thought that an individual's sexual orientation is not black or
white, straight or gay. Instead an individual's sexual orientation
falls along a continuum.
To take the sexual orientation quiz visit http://www.sciammind.
com, which will be available on Feb. 2, 2006
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Irish Soda Bread
1 cup curants
2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1 /4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat yogurt
1 cup nonfat milk
Heat oven to 375 degrees, soak curants in hot water for
about 5 minutes and drain. In a large mixing bowl, mix both
flours, baking soda, baking powder, caraway seed, salt and
curants, mix well. In a separate bowl mix yogurt plus milk
until smooth, slowly add wet ingredients to the dry mixture
until we\l blended. Flour hands and divide dough into 2
!oafs, slightly flatten dou onto a non stick baki sheet
a~out 8 inches. across. a X on top of each , bake for
about 30-35 minutes or untii you can tap on it and it sounds
hollow, and serve warm.
lip: Serve with French Onion Soup, it's great!
HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY!
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
MARCH 2006
"Pay your debts, Aquarius!"
Mercury turning retrograde in Pisces spreads confusion,
and he's squaring Pluto. This makes people dig in their
heels, insisting they are right (which is usually wrong), or
it challenges cooler heads to do research. Venus in Capricorn
eases the stress; do your best to be mature and
serene.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Avoid silly arguments by
focusing on your own problems and cleaning out your
baggage. The right balance of humility and confidence and
support from a woman in charge will help you get ahead.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Dares, challenges, and temptations
from friends should be considered very carefully, if
at all. Better to rely on your usual common sense. If you're
hu for a new experience, check out local museums or a
fore film.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If you must make any public
presentations, double-check every detail, and be prepared
to handle any screw-ups with good humor. If you come
under attack, look for underlying motives. You could charm
an apparent enemy into becoming a very good friend.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You're better off listening to
disputes than participating in them - unless you really want
intense criticism. Still, arguments could be educational, and
being very open-minded will make you look mighty attractive.
LEO (July 23 -August 22): Refresh yourself on safe-sex
information and techniques. Make sure to get the info first!
Other fun and games are especially risky now. Be very
careful of any sort of sporting injury.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Don't argue with your
partner about probl~ms around the home. Take a creative
approach and suggest constructive solutions, even if
they're only only a temporary fix. Or agree to start analyzing
problems so they can be solved later.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Most accidents
happen around the house, but home looks more like your
safety zone now. Still, be careful, and even more so out on
the streets. Stay focused when you drive. Don't let problems
distract you!
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21 ): A creative biock
could have · e repercussions. Write a letter to a sister
or aunt - or no·t yc,u have one, and even if you
don't maii. it. The exercise o writing wili help you to focus
on whatever is hanging you up right now.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Your
natural reaction to problems at home is to stand firm and
counterattack. Resist that impulse. Shopping, preferably
with housemates, actually helps! Think ahead about what
you need, and take your time looking for it.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Although small
disasters abound, do your best to maintain a calm, mature
demeanor. Every problem has a solution. Track each one
to its roots; consult with whomever you must. The clean-up
process will uncover new strengths, and annoyances may
then prove blessings in disguise.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Dig up receipts
and records, but let any real work on your taxes wait until
late March. Trying to collect on debts from friends can be
even more contentious than usual. Let that wait, too! Paying
your own debts will save a lot of trouble.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Be careful of what you
say and where you say it. Your mouth could get you into
trouble with the boss or other authorities. Letting off steam
and preparing important arguments with friends will help.
But avoid those arguments unless they are absolutely
necessary!
You cm :find. oopk-5 c-f ti:...::
S 'J'A Ji :i r rh er.e -1 .mm:!li
AR"'AN:'" .... ~ ICA.N!'tA;t
Arkansas, Eureka Springs
Diversity Pride EYem - www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye Vie..- 36 N. Main- -479-253-0200
CaribeRcstaurante- -309 W VanBuren-- 253-8102
Henri's- - -19 1 /2 Spring St - - - 479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill-105 E VanBuren- -253-0400
MCC Linng Spring - - 870-253-9337
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Condom Sense - -418 W. Dickson- -479-444-6228
Curry's Video 612 N. College Ave- 479-521-0009
Passages 930 N. College Ave- - 479-442-5845
Tangerine Club - -21 S. Block Ave- -479-444-6100
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- 1004 1/2 Garrison Ave- - 479-783-9988
Red Rock City - - 917 N. "N' St. 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesrers Lounge 1010 E. Grand Ave -501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - -1021 Jessie Rd- - -501-664-2744
Diamond Stare Rodeo Assoc.- - • v.-v.-w.dsra.org
Discovery- 1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - • - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - 415 Main St - -N. L.R.- 501-244-0444
The Factory -412 Louisiana St.- - - - - -501-372-3070
Kansas,•Pittsburg (620)
PSu-QSA.- - 1701 S. Broadway- 620-231-0938
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our FantaS\'- 3201 S. Hiliside- -316-682-5494
Missouri, Ava
Catus Canyon Campground - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
Ree's- 716 S. Main - - - - . 417-62'7-9035
MCC Spirit of Chris,-2902 E 20th, - -Sun-6pm
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
Missie B's- -805 W 39th St- - 816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe
KOKQ]'.fO Campg~ound- - - • - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- -424 Boonvilie P•.ve- - - • - --417-83;-4?!)')
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -5i8 E. Commerical- 369-3978
Liquors & Kid,ers- -i i09 E. Commerciai- 873-2225
Martha's Vineyard- 2'.9 W Olive -417 -864-4572
Priscilla's - - -1918 S. Gkcstone .. 417-881-8444
Oz Bar - 504 E. Commercial -
Ronisuz Place- --821 College-
4F-831-900l
Oklahoma, Lawton
riangles- - 29 SW "D" Ave- - 580-351-0620
Oklahoma, McAlester
fcPride- - - - POBox 1515, McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
merican Crossroads B¾B - POBox 270642-495-1111
om Room- 2807 NW 36th Sr- - 405-601-7200
lub Rox- - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy - 405-947-2351
risties Toy Box- 3126 N. May Ave - - 4 05-946-4438
stern Ave Video- 1105 S Eastern Ave- 405-672-6459
inish Line -2200 NW 39th fapwy- - 405-525-0730
ushers Restaurant-2200 NW 39Exp - -4 05-525-0730
ollywoodHotel- 3535 NW 39th Ex- - - 405-947-2351
abana Inn - 2200 NW 39th Exp- -405-528-2221
1221 NW SOth- - - - 405-843-1722
2200 NW Expwy- - - -405-524-5733
armers- - -2805 NW 36th St - - - 405-942-2199
riscilla's- 615 E. Memorial - - - - - -405-755-8600
d Rock North-2240 NW39th St- - - -405-525-5165
- - 2120 NW' 39th St --405-521-9533
405-528-4690
e Rockies-• -3201 N. May Ave - - - 403-947-9361
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
amboo Lounge- 7204 E. Pine -918-836-8700
order's Book Store-2740 E. 21st- - 918-712-9955
order's Book Store -8015 S. Yale -918-494-2665
lub Majestic- - 124 N. Boston - - - - - 918-584-9494
lub 1faverick- 822 S. Sheridan -918-835-3301
- 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - 834-1051
ire Bookstore --814 S. Sheridan- - 918-838-85113
,z's Lounge- - 426 S. Memorial-
319 E. 3rd-
: -3007 E. Admi:al Pl
;iscilla's - - - 7925 E. 41 st - -
· scilla's - 5634 \X'. Skc:Jy -
risdla's - --1134 E. 11th -
918-743-4297
- -918-437-0449
-918-7 49-8378
-918-836-8544
- 918-584-3112
-- 918-834-3007
- - 918-627 -4884
-918-446-6336
918-438-4224
riscilla'~ 2333 E. 71 st - - - - -- -918-499-166 i
negades- - - - 1649 S. Main 918-585-3405
b's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- 918-627 -1505
;,,Isa CARE~- -3507 E. Admiral Pl- 918-834-4194
c1isa Eag:e- - - - - i 338 E. 3rd - - - 918-592-1188
:
1T\ - . - - 2i14 S Memoriai- - - - - 918-660-0856
Jexton Jcwdrv - - -15 E. Brady 918-829-0824
trier Ne\VS Stand- 1 N, Le,vis- ~ -918-592-0767
'ellow-Bricic-Rd- -2630 E. 15,h- - 918-293-031'.i
Yellow Brick Road
2630 E. 15th St, Tulsa, OK
918-293-0304
Yes Munchkins, Kevie is
back as Manager!
Po.ol Tournament- Mondays
Dart Tournament- Thursdays
Now Servitig Chimay Ale 5.00
LEASE
ft.1 bed room
Elect. 66th and
Aprox 1800 sq ft 2
replace
Sheridan
Area sales price $128.000 Possible lease
purchase. ·
Night Club for saleAprox 2500 sq ft. plus
small house and large•storage building
11th mingo area
Tracy 918-625"6377 Keller Williams
I p
3007 E. ADMIRAL PLACE.
TULSA, OK
~~-
Llve Music March 17th,
King Fish Band, NO COVER
50 cent. pool tables. Shuffle Board.
918.834.3007
Open Sunday @ 12:00 Noon
Open Monday-Saturday 11 am
HIDEAWAY
11730 E. 11th Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
now 12noon to 2am
ed Monday.
MAGICAL MASSAGE
Located in NW Oklahoma City
Full body deep tissue massage.
Call Mark
405-949-1991
Experience Total Relaxation
EMPLOYMENT
□ PP □ RTUNITY
ADVERT,BINC3 BALES
REPRESENTATIVE
FOR WICHITA,
OKLAHOMA CITY,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
guaiifications to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74i45
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, May 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 5
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
May 01, 2006
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Online text
PDF
Language
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English
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
Bunkey Walters
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Paul Wortman
Carlott Carlisle
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Chaz Ward
Vicor Gorin
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
magazine
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, April 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 4
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/223
The Star Magazine, June 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 6
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/229
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/240
A Day at the Legislature
A Night Out
Advice Column
Alabama Lemonade
Bamboo Lounge
Bar BQ Pork Loin
Bitter Girl
Chelsea Boys
Christopher Cabaldon
classifieds
Club Majestic
Comic Strips
Gay and Lesbian travelers
Gayco Show
Great Plains Rodeo
Heart to Heart
HIV testing
HOPE
Lesbian Notions
Past Out
Q Scopes
Red Ribbon
Star business center
Star Distributors
Star entertainment
Star Scene
travel
Tulsa Rough Riders
Uncle Mikey
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/b9c9a6279512a7a10048d90d650483d2.jpg
ccf67a476d394d378caa36f5bfb2fc4a
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/1ac048af6377978fa39ed58c5c85b213.pdf
2262c39edbaef673db3eeb5b909bc695
PDF Text
Text
���������������������������������
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
magazine
Text
Any textual data included in the document
=========.
The STAR is published by
Star Media, Ltd.
5103 S. Sheridan,# 153
Tuisa, OK 74145-7627
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
www.ozarksstar.com
Editor in Chiei, C. D. Ward
Contributing Writers:
Greg Steele, Josh Aterovis, Douglas Glenn,
John Patrick, Michael Dee,
Kay Massey, Paul Wortman, Carlotta Carlisle,
Victor Gorin, Greg Gatewood
Columnist:
Libby Post, Andrew Collins, Donald Pile,
Ray Williams. Michael Hinzman. Jack Fertig,
Liz Highleyman
Photography:
Chaz Ward, Victor Gorin,
Advertising:
Tulsa Office - - - - - - - -918-835-7887
or Email: ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
(Tulsa Metro) Michael Leach- - - - - 918-640-2049
(Oklahoma City Metro) Victor Gorin 405-947-2048
(Northwest Arkansas) Kay Massey- 479-273-2808
National Advertising Representative
Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863
Deadline for all advertising, articles and payment is
the 18th of each month for the next months issue.
Subscriptions
12 issues $26.95 / singles $3.00 Check or
Money Order
'!he Oz.irks Sr.tr or the Star is published & dimibutcd monthly
as a communitY ser;ice bv Star Medil, Ltd .. Publication of
the name, pho~ogclph o; iikcnc.':>s of any p~rson. business or
organization in this publica:t~on i:; no:· co be conscru~d a.~ any
indication of sexual oricnration or preferences of 5uch person,
bu1,jncss or org-ani1atioe.
Opinions cxpres5cJ by culumnis:.s, ~idvcrri~crs or Lener,,,: ro rhc
Editor arc nor necc5s,1rily the opiniun of 'fhr Ozarks Star. frs
staff, rhi.! publisher nr it's Jdvariscrs. Content of .1dverriscmcnrs
and ~uticlcs .1rt the suic r<:spunsibiiity of chc advertiser 3.nd /or
author. '1ht: Pubii5hrr of t!{c ()n.rk.\ ·s~ar or Srar reserve:~ rhc right
ro refuse a<lvcnising nutl..'.rlai f~_~ir ,1!1;' rta.1,on v,·hat so ever. 'Ih<..·
()z.3.rks Sur or Star ~nd all !ikc:ltS:)<:s ~h{:rt of arc sole oropt"rtics
of Star hicd!,1. Lrd. All m:Hrr!~tl (<) copyrigh~ 2006 chc ()zarb
S:ar.
Designed Hith Pride, Printed in Oklahoma, l'SA
N THE COVER Jud Shepard, Mother of Matthew
0 0 JUDY SHEPARD SPEAKS
'·If vou don't vote, you can't bitch.'
TI1a~'s what my son: Matthew, used to
sav. Afrer he t~1rned 18, one of the first
th.ings he did when he moved to :! ntw
location was register to vore.
Of) OUT In ARKANSAS
New! Lots of news from the Arkansas
GLBT Community.
First Openly GLBT Srnte Official.
FALL Diversity Weekend, EUREKA!
00 PAST OUT
A rctrosoectivc ofLGBT Historv. \'v'ho
was Da,phne du Maurier? .
0.z.7 CIAO TRAVEL
G ay '1r. rave1I ers "(a'a nta I·'c , N1' vI, "
Out of Town "Cosu Rica··
f)(3 ASK UNCLE MIKEY
Can you n.:aliy get an STD ju~t h\ _:.:,1·. -
ing ~on1eonc head?
\\'r,rried
Can rou re::l]y a,;k th:'t quc,u,,n \\·itl1
~t head?
INDEX
3,000 Walk For Aids ....
Judy Shepard Speaks ..
OUT in Arkansas ...
Past Out. .....
Tulsa GLBT Center Ne"Ns
Ciao Tra,;e!. ..
Lesb;an Notiors.
Oklahoma·s Adoption i __ ;:iv 1
Star S:::ene.
Uncle Mikey
inspiring Fitness
:-ioroscopes
Distr:buto:·s
Cartoc:.ns
C!asslfleds
In the la~t i:-isuc chc article on the
Rvan 'X'hitl· lkndit Shih\,\\<: inadn:
ncntl-.- :bn! the· 11:lill': Bn·,11:
\\!hit,. :\11 "hvio,,,, rrnr 1 ha1 v:c
on-rlookcd.
6
12
14
-----,..
Gold Castle
"At Centwy 21 Gold Castle our
BEST propei1ies are our PEOPLE'
4301 NW 63rd, Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
405.840.2106
.c21 goldcastle.com
(iay !lle/1 and le<·/,fc:ns (:ice many special tax
,·ifuutions. ,1·hcrher single nr as u,upies.
Let us help!
(918) 7 6
Phew;by Joe KirK
3,000 Walk for Awareness and
Funds at AIDS Walk of
Oklahoma Ci , Proceeds
Total $50,000
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK_.\n unprecedented .\000 peop;c
wa!k<:d on Sunday, Ocwber !sr fil!· a hcald1icr Oklahoma in the
2006 AIDS \X'alk of Okkhc;•na Cir-. Parricip:rnt, from greater
()klahon1a C:iry and hcyonJ \valkc<.f ro raise ;nvarcnc:-:s a1~d funds
for d1e treatment and pn:n:ntion of j,-jj\,'i AiDS. '.'rocceJs toulcd
S"i0,000, which included spomorsi1ip, and doi::u;on\ b!·ought rn
the AIDS Walk. ·111(: fdDS \X'aik of Okbhoma City will c!isrribure
these funds in the (o;-m of grants on \X'orld AIDS Day, December
1st, t(> qualifrin;2. local HIV/ A! I )S non-prnfit organizations. To
download a gram ap;)!icati'ln, go to \\Ww.aidswalkokc.org.
Funds arc still criticallr n-:cdcd and 0;1 he :1,adc ,ml inc ::t www.
aidswalkokc.org. For more inforna,ion en donarins w the AIDS
Walk of Oklahoma Ci,y, pica,-: comact Board Prcs'dcnr Linda Larason
at ,HJ'i/5~0-•i83"i.
Startling statistics-
- 1iAOIJ Oldaho1:1an, a:c rnrrunlr living ·.vi:h HIV/,.;I:)S. his
:rn:nbc:r doc, IhH inckdc incli·:iduaL ,die ;,re inkucd bm ,:n;:\\'.ll'<.'.
of their inb:.:tion.
- I":- ,o 2-,-vc;:r .,\\, rn,1kv up the larg,··,! numk·•· o,· ! I I\' in(ccc inn,
in (he \\'<Hid.
Tl s Tl
Because every one deserves a chance
Placing retired racing Greyhounds into loving homes throughout
Oklahoma, NW Arkansas, SW Missouri and North Central Texas
,r' fo1111/Greyhound riur)"t· , S. ~ ,lon
\· ~11· ·✓ 0q
Foster - Adopt - Support - Teach
401 N. FbrkSlreet-Serrrde, a< 74868-(405) 303-
VNNY.fasthound.org
Visit our website or contact us for more information
Jessica Lantagne
President
405-623-8390
Nikki Ortman
Vice President
405-833-5455
Paul Oratowski
Treasurer
405-205-79 35
jessica@fasthound.org Nikki@fasthound.org paul@fasthound.org
w, Do It Dlffsrsnt In Eunk1 Springs, Ark1n1s1/
CffAltlTY
'Poll:1rR11n'
'Show 'n Shin&'
in DIVERSITY WEEKEND the Nov 3.5, 200a
Ozarks!
A
BOBALOO!
71Jt go1I of the 011w An11u11 Dlver,ity Arts & Crafts Fest/vii Is to lr.1pirc1,
111pport 1ad promote 1rt tll1t SPECIFICALLY REFLECTS tht $8nsibiiitl,s
ind uptritnce, of G1ys, Lesbl1nt; Binxuaf,, Tr,ns & lntersu and
their 1triight friends and famlliu. We wish to 1mcour1gt artl1ts of ALL
1ex111I orient,tions and ger.dtr Identities to pruent their perspective of
of our 11111/tl-cult11ra!, rac/11 and ethnic div,rsity, through their art. As
th/1 fettlv,1 gmw, over the years, w11 hope to m,ke evall,bie ,rt, & cr,fts
th1t wt/I ,peak to and about our community ind to educ.ts and celebr,te
th• t!11t dl'lt11it, of our live,i Gai!ttifl li'ld/or thou /;, need of exhibit
1p1ct, ple,,e s,nd ,n em1fl to info@dlver,ltypriduom {EXH!Bff in the
subject line} or caii 479-253,2555 ASAP!
www.ozarksstar.com
health outreach prevention education, Inc.
1-800-535-AIDS (2437)
Oklahoma's HIV/STD Hotline
H.O.P.E. Test
Meris outreti
In Tulsa at {91
the STAR 9
Oklahoma Greyhound
Ad tion Group
Expands Service To Arkansas,
Missouri & Texas.
SEi\!I?'-~OLE, OK_ Fasthound Greyhound
Adoption is pleased to announce their
expanded service area. In addition to piacing
Retired Racing Greyhounds throughout
Oklahoma our service area now includes
North·,vcsr Arkansas, Southwest Missouri
and North Cemra! Texas.
Severai years ago when my liic partner Ed
befriended a coworker we met her Greyhound
Dance who was s0.vcet, gentle, calm
and affect'.onate. When ~e decided rhar
a Greyhound ":'a~ right for_ us, Dance';
mom suggestea tnat we might want to put
through CHJr application for adoption under
{)nly one of our narncs as the president of
the group ,;vas unlikely to approve the application
if \VC put it under both our natnes.
i"-~aturally \1.:-e
and adopted our
group ln .\ustin~ ,.r~{.
\Xie then dtcidt'd to start our (A\"T1
': 1<""• 11R1'
a service \\~here the everyone
10 the STAR
Photo: "Monty", is adoprable.
adopt one of these wonderful, loving canine
companions as a family unit without prejudice.
We have had great success in Oklahoma
and want to bring this same service
to our neighbors in Arkansas, Missouri and
Texas.
The Fasthound board members Jessica
Lantagne, Nikki Ortman and myself Paui
Oratowski have more than 15 years combined
experience in the foster and adoption
placement of retired Racing Greyhounds.
Visit our website at www.fasthound.org w
see our available greyhounds and learn more
abom us and our adoption process.
* UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST KANSASiOKLAHO:
tv1A CONFERENCE
VO l ES TO AFFIR..i\1 MARRIAGE
EQUALIIT
by Victor Gorin
OKIAHOt,1A CITY, OK_In keeping with
their longtime stand of support of equalitv
for GLBT people, the delegates of the
National Svnod of the United Church of
Christ Cor~ference in 2005 voted to pass
a resolution .stating that the UCC Church
supports marriag~ e9ua!ity induding same
sex n1arriage, and advocates for governnH~nts
to do so as well.
While this policy Ivas widely supported
through uc:c:~ it did generarc son1c controversyl
and \vhen the Kansas/Oklahoma
Regional Conference vvas held in \X/ichira
the follov..ring September a stnaH rural
l}(=C C~hurch from Litdc l\.iver, Kansas
introduced a resolution that the
i(a11sas/()klahonia ,.,...,,,.~,,._
the national poiicy of tJ(~(~ approving
sarnc- sex ma.rriagc. -]11is had been tabled f0r
further consideraric~n, but v1ouid l)e voted
on at th.e
Meanwhile rhe controversv imensified,
and the Little River UCC,sent ietters to all
the Kansas and Oklahoma l:CC churches,
urging them to withhold money from the
national lJCC as a form of economic pressure
to make them change their policy. In
response to this, affirming churches in Okiaho~
a and Kansas made special fundraising
efforrs ro not only maintain their level of
support for the national UCC, but actually
to increase rheir offering. In Oklahoma
City a joint fundraiser concert involving
UCC's Church of the Open Arms, Cathedral
of Hope and Mayflower Congregational
Church raised over $8000, and together
with the other affirming churches of Oklahoma
and Kansas over $18,000 of additional
money was brough.: ro the Kansas/
Oklahoma UCC Conference as a show of
suppon for the national UCC stand. When
the vote was called at the Regional Conference
as to whether they would support the
national policy of UCC, it was affirmed by a
vote over 75% in favor.
UCC has an impressive history of supporting
GLBT equaiity, and was the first mainstream
congregarion to ordain an openly
gay minister, Bill Johnson, in 1972. He was
present at rhe 2006 Kansas/Oklahoma UCC
Conference as a srrong show of his support.
.A.s pastor of the Church of rhe Open Arms
UCC of Okiahoma City Kathy McCallie
commented,"UCC has a long history of being
in rhe forefront of the gay righrs movement
which includes marriage equality, and
UCC also advocates change for marriage
equality from government as wdl, so this
was an affirming event for this region."
* Spirit of Christ MCC
Joplin Celebrate's
Ninth Anniversary.
JOPU~-.i, MO~"As we cdebme our Ninth
Anniversarl in a ciP..- v,rhcre we were told
nine years ;go that ;,ve could not and would
not survive, yet nine years later here we are."
Said Pastor Urie.
~pirit of Christ i\1CC serves the greater
Joplin; lv·f() area and surrounding com~
r ~ • • cl' ,1 r> ~ i'..1 r· 1nun1ucs sprea 1ng rne \J00d 1"lews or Jesus
(:hrist not only in vvord but in service,
taHcing the talk and ,valking the waik. Over
the la;t nine years Spirit of C::hrist fv!CC has
no~"l{l been rhe longest surviving (;JL/B/
'J/S organization in JopHn .
Cln;tinuetl fh1ge-23
www.ozarKsstar.com
ur
By Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard and b:erntive
Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation
"If you don't vote, you can't bitch." That's what my son, Matthew,
used w say. After he turned 18, one of the first things he did when
he moved to a new location was register to vote. He understood that
the righr to vote was also a privilege, a responsibility and a chance
to be heard. \Y/hen Matthew was beaten to death in 1998, anti-gay
hate stole Matthew's right to vote. Today, the Matthew Shepard
Foundation and I arc asking you to vote with him in mind this
November.
In the eight years since Matthew was murdered, l have traveled
around rhe coumry speaking to millions of people including over
a million college sttidents - about rhe importance of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights issues ,md hare-crimes
1e gis 1a tion. 0 ne tvu mg t.h at ha s struc.k me aga·m and aga·m 1·s tn' e 1a cr1::
of political involvement within the community. Polis suggesr that
numbers for voter registration and voter participation within the
LGBT community are shockingiy low.
The Matthew Shepard Foundation is undertaking an aggressive
''Get-Out-the-Vote" campaign this year to bring attention ro this
issue and to promore an increase in voter participation by LGBT
people and aliies. But what I really wanr to ask those in rhe community
who are not registered or v;ho have not voted recendy is: what
rhe heck are you thinking?!
At a time when the stakes have never been higher and LGBT issues
arc once again - in the fOrefront of the n1cdja and being rr1anipulated
to have a potentially negative impact on our co1nn1unity. this
lack of in'i.rolvetnenr is totally unacceptable. "~ primarily· politicai
tactic utilized throughout the nation by people •.vho oppose L(;B~r
civii rights .,Nas tapping into ho1nophobic fears and directly targeting ;~l~::~,~;;:::.~::.'til~J!~~~t:i?i~i:;;;:;:{;:;:.,
·wake up, people: ;.ve arc under arrack!
ln the current election and the elections that
sure that r:hc voice of the LGB'T' ;jnd allied
wwvv.ozarksstar.com
- in all of its
about the issues and t!!e candidates a:,d reach out to oar friencis and
families and l:!et them involved as well. We need to i10ld each other
accountable ~hen it coJnes to voting and, of cou;:se, we also need
to hold those who are elected accoumable. If we al!ov, ourselves and
each other to remain immobilized by apathy or pessimism, what
we are really doing is colluding wi:h those who oppose us. Friends
don't let friends not vo!e. -There is an old maxim that goes, "If you're
not part of the soiution, then you're pan of the problem." From my
perspective, if you don't vote, you become in you~ passivity a part of
the hate.
So what do you need to do to become pan: of the solution? There
are five tasks that vou can do that -.vi!l make a differe11ce: one, REGISTER
to vote; CV:,o, LEARN the issues - find out what candidates
wam to do for you-and to you; three, PASS IT ON, educare your
family, friends and business associa,es about the issues affecting rhe
LGBT community today and encourage them to use their vote;
four, actually VOTE in the election; and five, no ma.:rer who is
elected, STAY INVOLVED and hold your elected officials accountable.
You can go to our website ww-.v.MatthewShepard.org/Vote for
more information and to PLEDGE to vote this November 7 ,h.
Matthew's wallet always contained his voter registration card. He
took his responsibility seriously. I,fa,thew will neve~ vote again.
Today, I am asking you to vore for him. Use your voice. Iv1ake a difference
for this generation and the: next. * RESEARCH REFUTES ~1YTH OF
GAY THREAT TO CHILDREN
A study released today (http:/ /\w;w.i:1ternariom.lordcr.org/scandal_
response.html) refutes charges made by the religious right in
response to the Congressm:m Fo'.ey scandal that homosexuals are
significantly more inclined to moiest chiiciren than heterosexuals.
According to author Mark E. Pietrzyk, a number of conservative
religious groups have issued papers claiming that gay mc1:_ pose -
a highly disproportionate thrc,H to child:·en, citing a number or
scientific studies t<J support their claims. However, when one examines
the studies cited in these p;;pers, one finds that the religious
right has engaged in a serim:s. distor:(<m of the work~ 01: od1ers.
1he sdentis;:s ,d10 authored the studies made co suci1 clam, about
homosexuais posing a grearer threat to children, and in f3.ct in 1nany
cases argued the opposite.
!n addidon, n1anv in rhe l,(h ....:
~~;;,~,t~f ~:~i ~~:~~al~r:;,1~:l~r~!l~;~:g!~~~ ;~~~);!;1~11~'.~y crodi~;:11
traditional norn1s of sexual behavior. !-Io\vever, out
rhat the ,;slippery slopt.t is basec! on the false p•rernis<.: that
the I)rotection of children is a long-standing
part of the recently cornc un-
~ier assault as a re~u!t of the
approved of
• t • • tn aiJuit-rnu1or
the STAR 11
I i I
Arkansas Elects First Openly
GLBT State Official.
by Joe Lafountaine
--------------'
LITTLE ROCK, AR_History
was made in the May
23rd primary victory for
Kathy Webb in the race for
Arkansas State Representative
District 37 (Little Rock).
Unopposed in the general
election, Kathy will be sworn
in on January 8, 2007 as the
first openly GLBT elected
official in Arkansas.
Kathy has served as president
of the Stonewall Democratic
Club of Arkansas, as a board
member of the Arkansas
Hospitality Association
and as an active volunteer
for the Arkansas Foodbank
Network. She has also been
national secretary for the
National Organization for Women (NOW') and founding president
of the Chicago Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation. .
Kathy received endorsements from The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,
The Stonewail Democrats, l11c Victory Fund, ACORN, SEIU,
AFL-CIO, Arkansas Realtors PAC, AR Business and Professional
Women PAC and many local civic and business ieaders. As a smallbusiness
owner (Lilly's Dim Sum, Then Some Restaurant) and
volunteer, Kathy \Y/ebb is a proven leader who works tirelessly and
effectively for the good of her community. Her experience, her commitment
to solving problems, and her passion for improving the
quality oflife for all Arkansans will serve District 37 well.
~~aulu1gittht1J
ffir.crtinyn
12 the STAR
*
'lbe STAR
staff wishes
you a safe
and happy
1banksgiving
TT ! • I .-io11aay.
Fort Smith Readies For New
Night Club.
by Greg Steele
FORT SMITH, AR_Diana },filler and Leann Caugnman weil
known in the Fort Smith club scene, are anxiousi:v waiting on their
club license for the new Kiub XLR8.
Diana said in an interview, "We decided to go ahead and open Klub
XLR8 with all the regular events, performers, dances, DJ's, ·etc ...
everything but the alcohol. We are acmally classified as a "juice bar
and grill" for now, hoping shortly ro be able to classify ourselves as
a 'private club.' Ajd10ugh We are opening without alcohol, we wiil
continue ro remain a 21 and above business, due to smoking being
allowed inside.''
"Loca,ed in the old Ciub 1022 buiiding at i022 Dodson Ave.,
the faci!i;:ies have been complerelv renovated in$ide and out with
a lot of heart and soul placed int~ the building. We have plans for
several fund-raisers for different organizations/charities. dqg shows,
in-house pageants, live dj's, theme dance/parties, dance comests,
live bands, Karaoke, pool wurnamcnts, and holida;,' dinners. The
buiiding h .. s great sound, and a 32 foot projection screen that will
run during opening hours playing dance videos ,~nd graphic animations."
Said Miller.
For more information contan Diana at 479-7 82-9578 or visi~ ,he
website: wv.w.klubXLR8.com
*
LittleRockPride.Com
Celebrates 1 Year Online.
LITTLE ROCK, AR_LinieRockPridc.com celebrated its one vear
anniversary Oc;:ober 14, 2006. ·
u! v,ras told by several people t.vhen I sran:ed the \Y/eb~irc that nobod.y
had been able to succeed v.1ith this idea for Dion: than ont year,10
,
saic! Barb Kampbc;l, founder and owner of Li:tieRockPridc.com. "I
was not a,vare ~f other efforts \Vhen I had rhc idea and ran \vith it
despite some negativity about pasr failures from others. \VC've rr1ade
it a year and are sti11 going strong!''
l,usiness in this state \Vill have
a listing in the
choicc1 ynu choose tc~ support thern fir:;t.
vvv;w.ozarksstar.com
F· DIVERS!
END NOV 3-5, 2006
Eureka Springs
EUREKA SPRINGS, AR_This Fall is going to be a little different
in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. TI1ere are some new and intriguing
evems.
Al'U'S IN THE OZARKS WITH SABRINA MATTHEWS?!
During FALL Diversity Weekend will be the first 'LOL!' Diversity
Comedy Concert starring ANT and SABRINA MATTHEWS at
the historic 'AUD' IN Eureka Springs, Arkansas. One performance
only, on Saturday night Nov 4th at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm
Hyper, irreverent, and downright fabulous, ANT has steadily
climbed the comedy hill to become one of America's most successful
comedians of our time. A regular guest on The Tonight Show with
Jay Leno and 1he Tyra Banks show, ANT is the oniy comedian w
appear on all four seasons ofNBC's hit series Last Comic Standing.
Ct:rrentlv he is the host ofVH I's juggernaut Celebrity Fit Club
and stars in rhc LOGO series, "U.S. of ANT." See his hit stand-up
DVD, '~-\~T: America's Ready" and comedy CD "Follow my asi'
Sabrina Matthews ( vhoto
left) is an openly i~bian
cor:1ic who relares the
absurd in everyday life 11:
a witry anecdotal. style.
"Sabr:na's brand of comedy
is infectious, says afi:erel~
len.co1nj and she Hregularly
dra\vs out big laughs fron1
both gay and straight
audiences." Her hi!arlou~
half~hotir comedv special~
~~Con1edy Centr~l Presents
Sabrina Jvfatthe\vs'· \Vas a
hit and catch her nn the L()(;() C:f:il\Nl'-JEL. She is a star of
WW't✓.ozarksstar.com
the 2006 hit documentary, "Laughing Matters More!" and made her
television acting debut in ''America's .!'v1ost Wanted". (Yes, reaily.)
By presenting ANT and SABRINA, Diversity Pride Events once
again hopes to both entertain and unite our community. DPE is
very excited to have drawn such taiemed and uplifting performers to
the Ozarks region. Tickets are available online at DiversityPride.com
until Sunday 10-29-06, and then only at the door one hour before
show time.
BOBALOO IS BACK! 'Early Dinner Show'
Los Angeles comic Bobaloo, originally a mid-west boy, wowed the
Diversity Bears and their friends this past Summer Diversity Weekend,
and he also fell in love with the Eureka Springs community.
So, Diversity Pride Events has brought him back to "jolly things up
around Eureka".
He ·will perform in a new 'Early Dinner Show' at the Lumberyard
on Saturday at 5pm to 6pm, but suggest you come early because
4pm diners get preferential seating for his Show! $5 cover
DIVERSITY BIKERS Charitv 'POKER RUN' & 'SHOWN'
SHINE' A portion of the pro~eeds to benefit Children of Deployed
Service Members. The Diversitv Bikers 'Show N' Shine' will start
at 12:30 PM at Roadway Inn. Bikes will be judged in two categories,
Best in Show and Best 'Pride Dressed'. There will be a First
Place and Runner-up in each category. Then there will be the first
Diversity Bikers Charity 'Poker Run'. Entry fee is $10, pius at least
one stuffed animal.. · · ·
"
*
AAA~.nsas pplauds
ational Coming ut
Dav., '' Concert
By Teresa Qag) Goodrich
SPRINGDALE, AR_There are rwo kind of musicians in the
world, those that plav music and those that make music. \'ve had
the joy of hearing. rw'o such makers of music at the Jones Center for
Families in Springdaie Arkansas on October 1 l rh, National Coming
Our Day.
The concert, organized by the N\VA GLBT Community Center
brought Colleen Jameson down from Iowa as pan of her Midwest
1our. A cotnbination of angeiic voice, delightful acoustic guitar and
outspoken comn1entary made for a socially upiifting perfonnance.
She has also expressed a ·wish to \~isit the area again.
Northvvest Arkansas1 ovvT1, Jonathan Stiers
derful voice along ,vith truly vers:1tiie playing. ()ne concert
attendee ·\vas heard to con11ncrn: th;,n scerned as if rhc:- muslc just
came flo~Ning out of his finger$."' !-Je possesses a true fOr the
piano.
-.~·here vvas hope e:pressed for rnorc events of this type
the concert attendees,
the STAR '!3
Summan· : Past Out is a retrospective of
key mo1~ems, personalities, and subjects in
LGBT historv. Each installment brings the
past to life b}; exploring the diversity of the
gay past and irs impact on the queer present.
stander, when she was still a teenager. Her
first novei, 1he Loving Spirit, appeared in
1931; this was followed by Jamaica Inn. in
1936, which brought he, criticai acclaim
and financial success.
In rhe summer of 1932, du Maurier married
Frederick "Bov" Browning, a
rnilitarv officer 11 ·years her senior
who h;d sought her out after admiring
her work. Du Maurier was
ill-suited to the life of a traditional
military wife, howe,-er, and she
hired a nanny to care for the couple's
son and two daughters. After
several years, ,he family moved to
Cornwall, living in a l 7th-ce1:tury
mansion that served as a mociel for
Manderley, the setting of her bes:known
novel, Rebecca (1938).
Photo: Tttdith An!Urson as Afrs. Danvers and Joan Fontaine as
the sec;nd Afo. de Winter in rh~ film adaptation o_f Daphne du
Du Maurier and Browning spent
considerable time apart as he rose
to the rank of iiemenant general
and commanded the Bii,ish First
Airborne Division during Worid
Who was Daphne du Maurier?
Bisexual author Daphne du i\.faurier, best
known today through film adaptations of
her work, helped define the gotbic romance
genre of literature. \V'hile other writers of
her era were dealing wirh subjects such as
alienation, religion, Marxism, and World
War Ii, du Maurier, wrote professor Richard
Kelly, "produced 'old-fashioned' novels wid:
straightforward narratives that appealed to a
popular audience·s love of fantasy, ad·,,enture,
sexuality. and mysrery."
Du Maurier was born May 13, 1907. man
artistic family in Loncion. Her morher was
an actress. h~r father. Gerald. was a theater
manage~ and famous actor, and her grandfather,
George, was a wc!1'-known au:hor and
cartoonist for Punch magazine. Du Maurier
and her two sists:rs haci a-privileged and
permissive upbringing, educated privately
at hon1e and at schools in London and
Paris. An avid reader, she enjoyed creating
in1aginary worlds, often featuring a rnale
alter-ego she dubbed Hthc boy in the box.''
Her farnily\ hoiiday home in Cornw2.ll
;vouid later becornc the setting for n1uch of
her best worlc
short stories in his
14 the STAR
War II. 1he couple remained married
t:ntil Browning died in i 965.
Although she reportedly had a crush on a
female teacher while studying in Paris, ciu
1\1aurier's sapphic tendencies - which she
!·efcrred to as "Venetian" - came to the fore
in midlife. In the late i 9405, she became
infatuated with Ellen Doubleday, the wife
of her Americ:,n publisher, who did not
reciprocate her affections. ·'I glory in my
Ve1{ke, when I am in a Ve!lice mood, and
foro-et it when I am not,'' ciu l',1aurier wrote
in : letter to Doubleday. "'111e only chip is
the dreary knowicdgc that there can never
be Venic~ with you."
Soon thereafter, du Maur:e embarked on
a relationship with stage and film ac~re;;s ,
(~errrude L~nvrcncc, who had co-starred 1u10
h,1d -,p affair vvirh her father ·vcar::; eadier;
i~;r ;:i:tionship with La•,vren'~e continued
~:7;~~r:~; c0~~::c:~:;~\1i::;;:;::•"~~i~~~rD,,
. , b , d. t , J: >,~ :1nd r;::~:;;~ d~:~ :~: /:::t~~:~:.~·-:Hmti2G!Vc
\vord that begins \Vith 'L :,
[)u fvlaurier pioneered the
often f;aturing fi:rnale
and eictnents of the
,:_pvpJ.:: f•an:v,ri her
she is best knosvr1 ro n1odern Judicncc~;
n;frtd Hit ..... hi:.,o.:(k', .. n:r
adaptations of Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, and
her'short ,wry: "1h: Birds" (from her 1952
coEection, The Appie Tree). "foough some
critics have intcrnreted rhe relationship ber-'
teen Reoecca -the dead former wife of the
narrator's wealtl1y older husband - a1°d !:er
i~oi:sekeepe,, Mr.s. Danve,s, as lesbian, biog;-
apher Nica lrnerbach claims that Rebecca's
"gre-a trespass 1. s r:ot lo v.m g women Io ut
laughing at men.''
Over ,he course of her five-decade career, ciu
Maurier wrote more than 25 books, among
them fa~1iiv hismries and biographies (including
on; of her father). Her story about
Ganymede. the beautiful adolescent lover or the god Zeus, ,!ppears in an American
anthology of gay short fiction (In Another
Parr of the Forest, 1994). Her memoir.
Growiag Pains, published when she was 70,
chronicl~d oniv the vears ieading up to her
marriage. She decliu'eci to pen a fo!low-up,
tdling an interviewe;, "All I can s.ty is t:1at
I had a very happy macied life and have a
delightful family .. .! dor;°r iike books which
are fuil of name-dropping."
Even as her fame grew, du Mamier - who in
1969 was named a Dame of the British Empire
in recognition of her iiterary achievements
- became more reclusive, ,hough she
maintained contact w:th her two sisters,
both lesbians, and their fomaie parrners. She
spent h. er fi na1 y ears 1.1 1 ,,-~-, orn~val"l a,I one. save
for her dogs. "Here was the treedom I desired,
iong sought-for, nor yet known," she
wrote in V,mishing Cornwall (1967). "Freedom
to vi,ite, ~o ,;alk, to wander, freedom
to climb :1il!s, to pull a boat, to be alone.''
She diec! :here in Apri: 1989, a month shy
of her 82nd birthday, and h::r ashes wen;'.
,,cattered c,ver ,he cliffs near h,:r home.
Forf!trther readingi
Auerbach, Nina. 1999. Daphne Du
'.vlaurkr: Hau;::cci Heiress_
1993. l)aphne du
of
Vl\/VVv.ozarksstar.corn
Photo: The new community center coming soon.
BE THE CHANGE with YOUR VOTE
My vote doesn'r count. Voting is too hard. I
work all day. I don't have rime. I don't know
anything about the candidates. I don't know
where to vote. It's out of the way. These are
ail excases - and, not to criticize anyone,
but pretty bad excuses. Why?
• In the last ciection, two Tulsa-area Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT)
friendly candidates both won their respecth
·e races with a margin ofless than 25
votes. Your vote cioes count - especially for
our allies hoping to make a difference.
• A.ccording to statistics, the Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual electorate (Transgender vo,ers
are not yet measured in exit polling) constitute
as much as 9%1 of v~oters in large citiesi
nearly 4'}o in the suburbs and 2.3% in rural
.1.reas. Those numbers indicate rhe GLBT
& allied coinrnunity can be a serious force
to contend with in local, state and national
clection.s.
~ In Okb.bon1a~ you vote by dra,ving a Hnc.
Just con1picte the !ittle arro11.v. Paper and prn
provided.
Polis are open fron.1 7:00 ;'\}l! to 7:00 PlvL
'{ou can vot~ on rhe 'l:.vay to lVork} during
a break or afrer vvork on the
- if you do ·1.vork from 7 to
you time-off to
\\'V,.r\v. ozarksstar. com
Your vote can be the beginning of change
for the GLBT & allied community. You can
be part of that serious force to be ~eckoned
with when you make an informed vote.
How can you do that? How can you get
informed of the candidates and issues? It's
simple - just go to www.tohr.org. You and
your family and friends can log onto www.
tohr.org, go to the Advocacy Page and get
linked to the candidates and learn what they
stand for and what they might possibly do
if in office (stay calm, it's not all bad). You'll
also be able link to sites to learn where you
vote and much more ... simply log onto
www.tohr.org, get informed, and be part of
the change for GLBT equality when you
GO VOTE!
The TOHR Workout
Over 150 community volunteers, donating
5,000 hours of volunteer work, have helped
improve the new Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
& Transgender Community Center. Tne
TOHR Workout, aka Weekend Workdays,
with pulse-pounding drilling and calorieroasting
hammering, has certainly paid off
for volunteers, and the results are obvious at
the new Tulsa GLBT Community Center.
On Saturday and Sunday, November 4th
& 5th, beginning at 10:00 AM each day,
you have rhe opporruniry to join the masses
shaking their booties, enjoy free brunch/
lunch and drinks, and help finish the occupancy-
related renovarions for the permanent
Tulsa GLBT Community Center.
The new Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual &
Transgender (GLBT) Communiry Cenrer
is nearing compietion of the first phase of
renovations and improvements. Located ii~
the growing East End at 621 E 4th Street in
dmvntown Tulsa, rhe new Center now ha~
an operational fire-suppression syscem and
accessibie restrooms, whiie rhe new elevawr
and chair-lift will soon be complered.
Ductwork has been reconfigured, ~Id flooring
has been removed, new walls have been
constructed and others have been taken
down thanks to the work of con1n1.unity
·volunteers.
'\Ve'd Hke to thank AH Souls Unitarian
Church, the Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay &.
Transgender Association (BLGTA.) of the
l)niversity of'Tulsa, Ekklesia the c;ather,ing,
Sexual ()rientation f)iversity i\ssocia•tion
(SODA) of Oklahoma State Univer5i£":';l,
Sooner Srate Rodeo /tssociation
Tulsa Area Primetimers (TAPT), Tulsa Dungeon
Society (TDS), and Young Professionals
(YP) for their time and talents to help
improve the new Tulsa GLBT Community
Center.
Thank you - and we hope to see you on Saturday
and Sunday, November 4th and 5th
at the new Tulsa GLBT Community Center,
621 E 4th Stree;: for the TOHR Workout.
YOUR ODDS ARE GOOD TO WIN
$10,000
Your odds of winning big at a casino? Slim.
Your odds of winning the lottery? Even
slimmer.
Your odds of winning $10,000 with The
Great Divide? l in 1,000.
What would you do with $10,000? Take
a vacation? Pay off bills? Surprise someone
with a romantic get-a-way? Support the
community? Just imagine what $10,000
could do for you.
]be Great Divide is just that - a great divide
of $20,000 - split between the winner and
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Righcs
(TOHR). Proceeds support the communityoriented
programs ofTOHR, including the
Tulsa GLBT Community Cemer, the Tulsa
GLBT Information Line (918.743.GAYS),
the Community Resource Kiosk ... in ail,
over 20 programs for rhe GLBT & allied
community.
Only 1,000 tickets have been printed, so
your odds are 1 in 1,000 ... greater if
you buy 2 or more ticke,s ... and ar only
$20.00 a ticker, you can't afford to pass t:p
these odds to win S!0,000.
Simply srop by the folsa GLBT Community
Center, 5545 E 41 st Street in Highland
Plaza to purchase your tickets. ]be Ti.1lsa
GLBT CommunitY Center b oocn 3:00
PM ' ' to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
For more information on 1he Grear Divide,
the 'Tlllsa GLB1 ... Cornn1unity (:enter and aH
the c:ommunity~oriented progran1s of.Tulsa
Oklahoinans for f--Iurnan Rights CTOHRL
please visit 1~vv.. r vv.tohr.org or call ~) 18.743.
(·~, A, re 14.., ')'7\ -
"-.J,1 .IJ ~\ L-:, I},
the STAR 15
Hate stole my right to vote 8 years ago.
Don't waste your right to vote on November 7th.
H)l AL!TY
1 6 the STAR
Pledge to Vote on Matthew's behalf at www.MatthewShepard.orgNote
REGISTER! LEARN! PASS IT ON! VOTE!!' STAY INVOLVED!
www.ozarksstar.com
@
~~
~
-
, > ,I"
-~'..
~ ~
!" yo,u hav
-·""' F ,, . , NOW !
,. ther~clriivihg back horn • ,. ' • '1,.,....·
flying, fly into Alb
-· drive 55•miles
necessacy;iit
sea.,level and > ••• ,. ,.,,,_
~ 1;2,oqo feeL~~ '. i ••
· .Jlotels;_ri:iotels, -a
.t· restaurants and a
· - ther 5;690 r
- . ' t :fUR0UOIS
~ ~ .. ,' . " ... _. ...
, has .:.1,0 01ff .. .., 1'lt'
.nute walk to t
former estate
,. itter Bynr:ier ( 1881-1968
obert Huritwho lived the
ii his death. if you are not
ngs of Bynner, then
ase some of hi
~ TRAVEL
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO"
Each morning they serYe an expanded continental breakfast in
the dining room including fresh baked pastry and bread from their
ovens. A complimentary evening social hour brings al! the guests
together for a lively chat. 'l11is B and B is extremely srraight-friendiy
and we met a lot of very interesting people during our stay. Neil and
Francine from San Jose, California were particularly "delightful" to
talk with. 1he Inn of the Turquoise Bear is located at 342 E. Buena
Vista Street. Their toll free number is: 800-396-4104. Check out
their website ac: www.rnrauoisebear.com and their email is: bluebear@
newmexico.com ·rh~ hom are ful! of knowledge on where to
dine, where to shop and where to go for short d,!y trips. With their
hospitality, this is the O:t\"LY place to stay when visiting Sama Fe.
From the moment you step into the Inn of the Turquoise Bear you
will immediately fall in lm·e with Santa Fe and rhe surrounding
area. 'Il1c Inn and the owners will mesmerize you into a worid far
away from what you are used to. You can have complete peace and
solitude, reading ,! book. photographing or chatting with the other
guests.
We have been visiting Sama Fe fr)r 25 :-:ears :md can't wait to
return each time. 'lhc gay bar scene seems to change almost yearly
there. We always ..-:njoy rhe har at the Inn of the Anasazi which is
located right on rhc Plaza. "Iherc have ;;.!ways been several iocal gays
there.
"There arc several places that arc on the "must see" list when
visiting S:,nca Fe. rir;t there is the "Plaza" which is the downtown
area. Daring from the city's founding in 1610, rhe Plaza has always
been the social and cul rural heart of the city. Old churches dating
back ro 350 years with their architecture is;;. must see. Dozens of art
museums including t:1c newly built George O'K:._:effe Museum can
take days to ·1isit. From fin<: dining to open-air casual. the city is a
hub of creative chefs an<l innovative cuisint.
\Y/e ;tlways rake ·':_i-9· trips·· when visiting S,mra h: wnic:1 rakes
about 3 to ij bou:·.,. \\'c·s: on the: Jen,ez ;\founraii: Ti-aii where you
\Vili see rhc ruins of an ~!ncient c!vilization, Indian pueblos and the
collapsed crater of a long.-donnanr voic:u10. i'~ordnve.st to (~corgia
O'Keeffe cou!Hrv you will ~cc where she lived :he 1acrer par! of her
life. A. trip up >~onh to 'E1os ,vh~r~· you t.tkc the "high') road to gt't
there and return nn the '"in-.\·· Jp~cr,t,llc highw,!y :·en:ming to Santa
Fe. ·!he ·'high')road takc5- vou duu rhc tin,· Yiliagcs of (~hirnayo,
'Trucha.s. J.,as ·1·rarn 1t1a\ anc! Pcnasco. If vcn; onh: have one da1.,: to go , • ,' ,! ; ._
sighr-,eciag. he SURE and take' chi, uip. '!hc mnumair:s. v,,J[,::,,,
ai:d the uude ·,illagcs an: cx[r<:•ncly imcrcs;i:,g. 'ihcre arc zJ,o day
trip~ to the Fa.<.t ~1~ \VCI! a, thr.: trip South !)11 the "Ilirquoisc 'rrail.
18 the STAR
Besides operating the Inn, Robert and Ralph are extremely
busy. 1hey also own the Santa Fe Soap Company. All of their bath
products contain namra] :ngredients derived from native plants that
grow in the deserts and mountains of the American Southwest They
make wonderful holiday gifts. Check our their website at: WV;W.
samafesoap.com
Check out the )Jew Mexico website at: www.newmexico.org and
the Sama Fe website at: \VWW.santafe.org.
Always remember to have fun when traveiing, meet new peopie
and talk ro everyone!
The Inn of the Turquoise Bear, Sama Fe, New Mexico
The Inn of the Turquoise Bear, Santa Fe, New Mexico
www.ozarksstar.com
"TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS WORLD''
"Good Bye (Gay) Key West, Florida"
By Donald Pile and Ray Williams
e hate to be the bearer of bad news, but gay Key \Vest
is no more. For oYer 60 years Key \'fest was one of the major gay
meccas in the United States. Thousands and thousands of gays and
lesbians trekked down to Key West every year, many of them several
times a year. 1here were dozens of gay resorts and gay B and B's.
The wi:ole town was
either gay or extremely
gay-friendly. Drag
queens, leather guys
and gals, wanna be
cowboys and cowgiris
could walk down the
streets hanci ii~ hand
and did! 1here were
always lots gay bars
ooen till ali hours of the
n;orning. Gay artists,
writers, composers and
entertainers purchased
second homes there. It
was always just a fun
place to get away_ to,
where people could just
be themselves without
having to ever look
over their shoulder. \'•le
have been there several
times and it was aiways
a very fun and exciting
expe~ience.
Bur, alas, the parry is over. First the
cruise ships began landing there with hundred,
and hundreds of straight families and ,heir children coming in
for the dar Souvenir shops were plentiful as well as ordinary dining
piaccs inc!udi1:g fast food restaurants, and they kepr co~1ing and
kept coming. 'Then some of rhe straight tourists decided to spend
th~ nigbt or several nights. 1l1e mega hotels saw the light rather
quickly and began buying up prof!en:y. \:vithin the past nvo or ~hree
vcars rhev have purchased over a third of the small g_ay B and B s m
l( ev \"res;. A11d rh;:,v arp buvinP' up n1ore and rnore! ....(. :ondos are be- _._.,_ ,; . ~• ~ ~ -~ ..., / . -... . ,, . 0 ' ... • ' I J
ing built where rhe,e gua:nt lmk B and B s ,.vere 10careo.
vvww.ozarksstar.com
~TRAVEL
gone and gone forever: The local people, boti1 gay ~nd straight were
really eccentric and fun ~o ,,vatch. Now it is almost Eke Disneyland
with dozens and dozens of peopie lined up at the iocal \'v'endy's
downtown and people waiting in line to see the Ripley's Believe It o:
Not museum.
We realiy never thought that :bis would ever happen to Key West.
We thought rha.: it would forever be the gay mecca in the United
States, but at ieasr we wiil still have Palm Springs, Ft. Lauderdale,
San Francisco and P-town. But, beware of what is also happening in
If vou have never been to Key \X1est, we STRONGLY urge you
to o-o ,either this year or next year because it is changing so quickly 0 h I . ·1• I 1 that if vou wait too muc onger !t w1 1 on y oe a remnant o,C w h. at
it was. ·It WAS Wonderful!, Exciting!, Different! and FUN! To get
to Key West from the Midwest the easiest way is to fly directiy into
t. Laudert
than
iami and
Iv 30 miles
r~her Nor.:h.
.expensive in
orida, and
rive down
Key West
ich will
e spccracur.
Your cross
ver dozens
fbridges
n your way
Key West
d there are
p ency of stopping places
to rake phorographs.
Now, at Kev West you will have ro put up with a iot more straight
tourists but it will still be worth the trip to taste the flavor and enjoy
the sigh~s and sounds of Key \Vest.
For questions about gay traveiing, email Donald and Ray at:
gaytravelers@aol.com or Yisir tbeir webpage at: htrp:v,,vw.hometown.
aol.com/ gayrraveiers.
\i( HE F( )R US' NOVEMBER -:'TH
the STAR 19
The hor springs at luxurious Tabacon Grand Spa & Thermal Resort are
a relaxing pl.ace ro whil.e away an afternoon. (Photo b_y Andrew Collins
November 2006
by Andre\v Collins
10 DAYS IN
COSTA RICA
Verdant, moumainous, and unspeakabiy beautiful, Costa Rica
might just be the gay-friendliest nation in Latin America. In fact,
Cosra Ricans are resoluteiy cheerfui and helpful toward all visirors.
This small tropical country, which lies about 1,300 miles due south
of the Florida panhandle, makes for a diverting vacation locale - it's
close enough to the United States for a long weekend visit, but has
enough to see and do to keep travelers entertained for a couple of
weeks. Accommodations that enthusiastically welcome gays and lesbians
abound in Costa Rica's most appealing destinations, and there
are active gay scenes in the capital city of San Jose and the resort
rnwn of Quepos, which hugs the central Pacific $horeiine.
As you plan a trip here, factor in how you intend to get around
(renting a car, flying, or taking buses). and whether you're seeking
rest and relaxation, outdoorsy adventures, gay nightclubs and r::sorts,
or somt combination. Or better yet, ase the following l 0-day
itinerary of Costa Rica's must-s::'.e areas.
Spend your first couple of nights right in San lose, which is
20-miI;tlte drive fro~1 the airport, V✓here you ~an rent a car.
flica~s capital city has a handflli of attractions, plus sornc excellent
restaurant~ and lively gay nightclubs, such as La .:\vispa and La Iv1et~
ro. It~s also hornc to se .., /eral gay-oriented accom1nodations. includ~·
ing the outstanding C:oiours R.esort. 'shich is in a saf~, residcnt:ia]
neighborhood on rhe ,vest side of the
and bcautifui Sab,1na Park. 'This handsomely furnished
20 the STAR
Coionial-style prooerty has rooms in many sizes and configurations,
fro!11 cozy standards to lavish suites complete with full kitchens and
private terraces. Guests enjoy e2sy 2ccess to a pool, secluded garden
hor mb, and inviting bar and lounge where 2 foll breaHast is served
each morning. The professional staff goes out or its way to ensure
everybody's comfort anci can suggest plemy of things to see and do
around town.
O,her worthy, gay-friendly oprions in Sanjose include Hotel
Kekoldi (which also has an outpost in Quepos) and the Canyon
House, and there's a perfectly nice and handy Hampton Inn right
by the airport.
Days 3, 4, and 5: Arena!
From San Jose, it can rake anywhere from three to six hours to drive
to the Arena! region. The most scenic bm longest route entails a
zigzagging drive through the viliages of Grecia, Sarchi (known for its
many stores seliing hand-crafted furnirure), Naranjo, Zarcero, and
Ciudad Quesada. The terrain along here is alpine in places, reminiscent
of Switzerlanci, and on many days you'li drive litera!ly through
the clouds.
Anchoring rhe region is Mr. Arcnal, a live volcano that mosr nights
puts on an amazing show as its spits fiery rivers of giowing lava
down its flanks. Countless hotels, lodges, and inns line the main
road ,hat curYes beneath rhe volcano - the most luxurious lodging
is Tabacon Grand Spa & 1bermal Resort. Here you'll find beautifu!
iy decorated rooms, most of which afford views of the volcano.
And guests receive unlimited use of the hot springs, which consist
of myriad natural soaking pools, a full-service spa offering heavenly
treatments, a pool and swim-up bar, and a restaurant overlooking all
rhe action. Even if you don'r stav at Tabacon, consider spending a
day soaking in the hot springs.
Other good lodging options in the Arena! region include Hotel
La Mansio;1 Inn and Arena! Lodge. Be sure to spend one e.-ening
in the nearest large town, La Fortun2, ~\·hich is home to some fun
(straight) bars and enjoyable restaurants, including Vagabondo, an
excdlent pizzeria, and Restau~ante Luigi, an annospheric restauram
that serves delicious filer mignon flambecd tableside.
Arena! makes a great base for all ki:1ds of outdoorsy activities, from
guided hikes near the base of rhe voicano to ;:ip-line canopy tours
high abo\'C the ucc tops (on these votfre strapp,:d into a !1arne;s
that ·'zips" along a series ef lines connec:ing tree :o tree). You can
also visit the ncarbv ivionteverdc (:loud For~st Biological Ileserve.
[,Jiuncrous outfittc~s in the area offer just about every kind of excur,.
sion and. activirv.
I)ays 6, ---; . and 8: (-2_uepos and tv1anud 1\ntonio
l.P"PYP j\f[T1 '.fl iu::i,f:qg ,v,~st rl1r~ r:y~,-i rl"I•'>$" frin,--,-e-·
~.--•, •- ,~-; ••••- _,: azure Lake .A.renal and eventuaUy :.... . ~,,~ :- "-"-',1'',"-,,'c 0.... .1 .. ··,:•:;.f~/-, !.:., -h~::~-~-- <,d ,,._,. ..a ~,.~-.-.·,.,l,,,,1-L.:~.(-".-:-.
of'fiLaran. ]hen he1d south rcnvard 1hc coast to the funky village of
q 1!:rJ• :_: rh•- lv1anucl /1.ntonin l'Jational
V.f\lil\v.ozarksstar.com
Along the narrow, highland road that twists for a few miles between
Quepos and the national park, you'll find a slew of attractive inns
and restaurants, many of them with panoramic ocean views. One
short stretch contains severai gay-popular accommodations, the
most inviting of which is Big Ruby's La Plantacion (the owners also
have resorts in Key West, Paris, and southern France). Here at this
luxuriant, clothing-optional resort, you'll find stunningly furnished
rooms with tile floors and large bathrooms, cable TV with DVD
players, and breathtaking grounds laced with gardens and streams.
There's also a full three-bedroom house with its own pool and ocean
views. The other gay accommodations nearby, all of them highly
recommended, are Hotel Villa Roca (which underwent a major renovation
in early fali 2006), Hotel Casa Blanca, and Hotel Kekoldi,
but virtually e;ery properry in town is gay-friendly.
At Manuel Antonio National Park and the adjacent beach, there's
great nature-watching - you'il sometimes spy playful white-faced
monkeys cavorting in the trees just behind the sand. There's also a
secrion of beach that's particularly popular with gay sun-bunnies
- it's a little hard to find this section, which becomes inaccessible
for a couple of hours at high tide each day, but any local can give
you directions. You'li usualiy find plenty of gay folks along the main
beach, too.
There are a handful of excellent restaurants along the main road,
most wirhin walking distance of the gay hotels. These include Barba
Roja and Bambujam, which both serve creative and contemporary
seafood, and Aqua Azul, a casual, open-air bar and cafe with great
burgers and mahimahi sandwiches. After dining, plan to have drinks
and watch the sunser ar the rooftop Tutu bar, which draws a largely
gay crowd. Or for serious dancing, head down the road into the
town of Quepos, where the Arco Iris disco pulses into the wee hours
and attracts a mixed, although mostly hetero, bunch.
Days 9 and 10: Central Highlands
On your ninth day, drive back up the coast from Quepos and
ascend the winding but scenic highway into the Central Highlands
region, just west of San Jose. Here the air is crisper and cooler than
down along the coast, as the attractive hill towns west of San Jose
rise ro elevations of 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Amactions include Zoo
Ave (a ,.vonderful animal preserve where injured or abandoned animals
are rehabiiitated), La Guacima Bmterfly Farm, Irazu Voicano
crater lake, and Poas Volcano.
/1.n excellent place ::o spend your final nigh1: (or even two nights)
is Vista del Valle, a luxurious small im, perched awesomely on the
edge of spectacular Rio Grande Canyon. Mainstream but gayfriendly,
"Vista del \lalle has econo1ny-111inded roorns in the n1ain
house as ,veil as a series of fitncier? self--contained cottages set along a
network of 1neandering - rnost have private decks overiooking
the canyon. In evening~ the inn serves a cotnmendable :::1;h:i:~;t;,tt~:1::~yon. dining room, which is cantiievered
l;~:0'~,~~~~~~~:~t i~~11i!!:horo~:;~ ;~t;~i~!,altern;::t~,~ of
a 1 0-n1inute drive ffon1 the airport. 'This rel~xing tOrmer
has St:'{er.1 furnished roo1ns and sits amid
'-NVVW.ozarksstar.corn
fragrant gardens; several larger units have kitchens, fireplaces, and
patios. 1he owners are tremendously helpful and offer excellent
advice on touring nearby attractions.
Both of these are such loveiy properties that you may feel inspired
to postpone your return Bight home and hang around for a few
more days, soaking up the fresh air and endearing personality of this
charmed country.
Photo: White-faced (capuchin) monkeys frequently cavort in
the trees behind the beach in Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio
National Park. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
the STAR 21
Ii
!I Ii
NOVEMBER 2006
"HEALING THE WORLD"
to start a world relief agency based in the LGBT communir1-
It was a good thing he listened. In rhe p:m two years, the o::ganization
has raised ove!' $1 million for huma:1itarian aid and medical
£~fft' supplies in this country and abroad, from mostly $: 00 and $200
contribu.:ions. In 2005, R\Y/F raised $390,000 for Katrina re!ief and
sent $250,000 to the victims of che mmami that hit Indonesia.
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans last September, my
partner Lynn and I were transfixed by the images on television - the
death and destruction, the despair and heartbreak. We knew we
wanted to send money, bur didn't want to use the uadirional relief
route of the American Red Cross - we still had questions abom how
they managed the massive amount of money they raised after 9/11.
Then I received an e-maii from the Human Rights Campaign
about helping. There was a link to a group called the Rainbow
World Fund (v-rww.rainbowfund.org). I clicked through and, to my
surprise, I found the website for the LGBT community's oniy world
relief agencv. We were all too happv m make our $250 comribution
th;ough RWE Right up from: they told us the money would
go to America's Second 'Harvest to provide food for the foiks in the
Crescent City who lost everything.
Luckiiy for us, we could go on with our lives. A few '.V:c:eks later, W,c
received a hand-written thank-you note from Jeff Cotter, the fellow
who thought up R';QF. I was impressed with roday's technology
and fast pace, hand-written thank-you notes from nor-for-profits
have gone by the 'Nayside, except when they1re to major donors. i\nd
one $250 gift does nor a major donor make. So, I dcc;ded to check
out the RWF and have a chat with Cottec
1\ social " 1orker f0r about ! 5 years, Cotter said he just v.rasn\ fulfilled
professionally. ''I wanted to do something I had never dor1t
before. I 1..vantcd to have a positive in1pact on the planet and
people/ the San Prancisco~based c:ortcr told me in a phone interview.
;;I put those ideas out to the universe and let then-1 go."' l\ f~;•.1v
rpont-hs iatff, C'o ... rpr S'11<1, 1,_j,: ,yrpn i""1f1Pf voitP f'r)i(i Pim
22 the STAR
Coner just returned from a relief trip to Gu:.ltemaia Viith 15 KWF
volunteers plus two American nuns who served as their guides. The
group broughr $250,000 worth of medical supplies HIV, hea•r,
and diabetes medications; antibiotics; antifungal cream; hypodermic
needles; and other goods - to villages throughout the coumry.
In addition to 1,650 lbs. of supplies, RWF aiso brought benveen
500 and 600 stuffed animals to brighten the lives of children, and it
made direcr cash grants to an orphan«ge, a school, a medical clinic,
and OASIS, the coumry's only LGBT organizatio:1.
"We gave OASIS $5,000, and we also brought down 2,000 condoms,"
said Cotter. "This was our third humanitarian trip to Guatemaia
- it's differem from other Central Amer:can countries oecause
50 percem of the population is indigenous, and it encapsuiates the
developing world."
Through its work, R\X'F is also pre<enting ~he LGBT communi:v
to the world. "Our first priority is to heir those who need it, but
a by-product is changing how people se; rhe LGBT community,"
said Cotter. "]be Fund is a way of putting our highest vaiues - love,
kindness, and compassion - to wo:·k, and of providing a platform fo~
our concern and caring rn be seen and he.ud around :he world."
Cotter told me that when he approached /unerica's Second Harvest,
the group was thrilied to coliaborate. According ro Cotter, America's
Second Harvesr has quire a few gays :md lesbians working a, irs Chicago
headquarters. lbe same can't be ,aid for some of R\'VFs other
"s;;aight" philanthropic partners. Cotter said those other organizations
understand thar R\'VF helps them in more than one way.
''Making them more conscious, helpi1:g th<?m explo;·c LGBT issues,
:m area they haven', rhought abom before wciL rhat's also pan of
their mission in helping to heal the worid,'' said Corn:r. "And now,
the organizations \\re "\/Vork with are out about \Vorking ,vith the
L(~B1 .. comtnunity, v.rith us - rhey don 1: n1akc a secret about it in
any \V~1y.)1
(~otter is still \Vorking as a psychiatric social -..vorkcr thrct days
,veck - he docsn\ dra'\.v a salary frorn the llainbo,v \Xlcirld Fund. "\Xie
want to give LC BT dollars the
speak.''
a iot nf people~ '-Vbilc at the san1e rirne
to the LC; lfr
(~.otter and
real differeno.: in the lives of
'lV'NVv.ozarksstar.c:orn
MCCJoplin &om page-IO
The church is active in all Metropolitan
Community Church's ministries taking a
Social Justice stand on issues that affect our
community including ethical and equal
medical care for all people, antidiscrimination,
AJDS awareness, prevention and
treatment, and equality in marriage. Sharing
a progressive Christianity by creating an
open and welcoming community of faith
where people from all faith walks can join
in praise and worship. Providing a witness
of God's love to all people and following the
scriptures in providing for the love of God,
the love of self and the love of neighbor as
the core of our being.
The pastor, Rev. Steve T. Urie was ordained
by Metropolitan Community Churches on
Juiy 20, 2005 after completing his MCC
Intensives in 2002 at the Pacific School of
Religion in Berkley , CA . He was one of
the founding members of the church and
has continued to be an acdve communiry
leader.
The church celebrared with a Pot-Luck
attended bv Rev. Carolvn Moblev currendv
serving in Tulsa, OK ,'members,ofUniry ~f
Joplin, members from MCC of the Living
Spring in Eureka Springs , AR. It received
numerous accoiades from throughout the
country and around the world from MCC
leadership and sister churches.
*
klahoma's ntigay
doption
Invalidation Law
'It's dangerous and appa · thm: state of
ficials seek to jeopardize t safet;1 and well
being of children in Oklahoma. '
DENVER, CO October 17, 2006_ In
papers filed in court today, Lambda Legal
argued that the U. S. Con~t of Appeais
should affirm a lower court rniing that
Oklahoma's amigay Adopricm Invalidation
Law is unconstitutional.
"It's dangerous and appalling that state of.
ficials seek to jeopardize the safety and well
being of children in (Jklahoma," said Ken
Upton~ Senior Sraff ..A .ttorney in Latnbda
Legal1s South (:entrai Regional ()ffice and
lead attorney on the case. qiht Adoption
www.ozarksstar.com
Invalidation Law threatens the welfare of
children and their parents because it forbids
agents of the State such as police, heaith
officials, and child welfare officials from recognizing
these families, and it doesn't even
consider who would protect these children if
the State severs the ties between parent and
child."
U.S. Districr Judge Robin Cauthron wrote
in her decision released in May that, "The
very fact that the adoptions h~ve occurred
is evidence that a court of law has found the
adoptions to be in the best interests of the
children ... To now attempt to strip a child of
one of his or her parents seems far removed
from the statute's purpose and therefore
from Defendants'asserted important government
objective."
The Adoption Invalidation Law, hastily
passed at the end of the 2004 Oklahoma
legislative session, said that Oklahoma "shall
not recognize an adoption by more than one
individual of the same sex from any other
srate or foreign jurisdiction." Lambda Legal
argued rhat the law was unconstitutional
based on the United States Constitution's
guarantees of equal protection, due process
and righr to travel, as well as rhe mandates
of the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
The lower court found that the statute indeed
violated che United States Constitution
by singling out a specific group for discrimination
and upheld all of Lambda Legal's
ocher claims, except the right to travel. T11e
Court dismissed the ciaims of Lambda Legal
clients Ed Swaya and Greg Hampel, because
the Court found that the statute did not
harm them since the State of Oklahoma
granted the couple a birth certificate for
their adopted daughter listing the two men
as her parents prior ro the passage of the law
;,nd they did nor face immediate harm.
Orai argumrnts in rhe case v,ill be heard
in rhe Unired States Court of Appeals for
the 10th Circuit in Denver on Jvfonday,
:--fovember U.
Ken Upton, Senio:· Sratf At~orney in Lambda
Legai's South Central Regionai Office in
f?allas is Lambda Le?al's lead at~orney ~;:
the case. He is JOtned by Lambda Legal Sta.ff
Attorney, Brian Chase. and cooperating
attorney Sandy lngrahan1 of Ingraham &
Associates. PL.L.(:. in l\1cLoud. Oklaho1na.
-rhe c:asc is Finstuen et al V. Edmondson et
(2 OZ) SKY VODKA
(1 OZ) GODIVA LIQUOR
(1 OZ) CRANBERRY
(1 TSP) C
(1/2 OZ) CHILL
1 . Chi!! a martini glasses with ice and
water.
2. Add all ingredients (except Champagne)
with ice in shaker and iet
stand a fuli minute.
3. Shake for a fuli minute.
4. Strain into the chilled martini
glasses.
5. Top the glasses with Champagne.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU l
TheSTAR 23
Salutations and welcome to a blustery November addition of Uncle
Mikey, man of meat! Uncle prepares for a winter feast. Break out
the minks. and let's be on our way. This month uncle received the
most intriguing of letters, a straight man confused, while a gay man
cant seem to stop obsessing over his stylist. Mmmm it sound like a
full moon kittens.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
I have one for you. ~"1}' friend came to my job-site as a referral,
looking for a new job. I felt good about getting him a job, and being
able to help. Now, I am in shock as to the realization who this
man really is. He was flirting with the trainer, who is a screaming
queen. I thought well ok play your cards, I feel ya so far. However,
this £lining became a past time, as I watched this man allow himself
to be seduced, and basically had an affair with the trainer to ensure
he not only was hired, but goc a promotion into a new program.
I am telling you I was flabbergasted, and shocked. This man is
straight, what is worse he has a girlfriend at home. Am I the only
man lefr who believes morals count for something? Needless to say,
he dumped this man iike a bad habit, and is in my opinion trying
to convince himself that it never happened? Should I call him on his
iack of character, or is this the new trend, sex for hire?
Dazed by his blaze
Dearest Daze,
After reading your letter, my faithful houseboy had to help me off
the floor, as I attempted to restrain myself from the sheer force of
humor. I found here. Kitten, men have been seducing secretaries
since :he first piece of wpod s;;t at a desk. It is almost refreshing that
now, a)Jparendy, the straight world is even shifting to those Queens
in power. I guess he found our that vou really do have to kneel
before a queen, eh1 You think that is rough kitten, you should have
seen my interviewing process, my boys cara their positions while
learning a few new ones.
Smooches-i'vlikev
I)ear Uncle,
I am so over size queens. Just because I don't have a 12 inch monster
in my pants docs nnt make me a b;;d !over, why arc men so
crazed about size?
Kitten.,
I assure: "!,T;u not all of us arc size queens, as 1 have $aid before.
S()n1er.in1cs s1zc can be a roadblock in the tunnel of kn"c.
26 the STAR
allowing ali to score here. Length, girth, endurance, originality,
determination and of course-presemation. I assure you, I am an
equal opportunfry lover. I ha~·e e,·en acted as a reference if it was a
performance to remember, Oh believe me we talk, and ,..-e talk a lot.
Do not gee down about your tool; u~e it to create a masterpiece.
Smooches-1'fikev
Dear Uncle,
I have been friends with my best friend for ten years. He and I have
enjoyed many pursuits together while chasing men. Now, he has
been secretly chasing a female, and what is ,vorse he is pulling away
from me. He told me just the other day that he thinks he is tired of
the whole gay scene? Squeeze me? Now. we are a scene, and not a
lifestyle, and God gi,·en birthright to chase the cock? I don't know
what is going on with him, but I am not about to let him go wondering
off into the straight world, just because it would be easier.
\'•/hat should I do?
Chasing-(
Dearest chasing,
Kitten, first of aii you ha,·e to realize that your friend is a mature
adult and can make his own choice. If he wams to leave behind his
life, (as you so delicately put i,) cock chasing, than my darling this
is his and his alone to make. I mean, seriously is there a full moon
or something. Now we ha,·e a gay man coming out of the closet as
straight. I a;k you what will be next, straight men giving us fashion
advicd (Oh look -Delicious I made a funnv!. Darling, it sounds
like you ~eed to find some C of your own {c; take your mind of
vou; friends' confusion, and allo~v him time to fi!!d himself. I understand
going from flannel to silk, but the reverse, ooh my nervd
Smooches-~Iikey
Dear Uncle Mikey,
Can you really get an STD iust by giving someone head?
Worried
Can you realiy ask that question with a head?
*Warning- This 1\vink does not come with accessories. j\[ay be
hazardous to vour healtn. If you hear the sound of Congo upoc
the unzipping of said T\vink- Run Bitch Run 1
\X .. ow, I need a cirink after that'
~:fjkev,
I sa,\: }-our Ficturc in last month's issue Gn yoci; y<u are .~ handsome
guy, and funny'. ;\re you ever going to be out our \Vay? I '\VOuld
krvc to n1ccr you in pcrson-
Mikcyfan
:viikcyfan,
Srnooches- \Xlw.r\, a Gur1 to do'. I~ rhat an official inYite? You are
not rciarion of s-v:irn-fan arc snicker ~njckcr
that is about a1J the rjrnt 1 ha;,-e. Re1ncn1bcr this, it i:not
the s1zc of the tO\VtT~ nor the circun1ferenc<: r,f the panunereri
. . ,
H J~ not ClTn n1c of the . " . . .-
H 1s about styic, pertorn1ancc,
anct
* \.'VWw.ozarksstar.com
use it, to help us
However, most o
this non-frothy
such drinks as t
of these other
azing, and
to wash
, clean
citv, and co
c;iifomia
lease shouid
healthy.
t enough oi
instead choose
and beer. Ali
great as iong as
f the water. TI1e
1t 8 glasses of wave
shown as many
ans are at least mildly
n reasons of fatigue during the
that expb:ns some of why we
gh time a, work. 'That and a little
~v1ondays. Only a 2% drop in
r can create hazy shore-term meme
with simple math, and difficuicy
on the comourer screen or a
That makes ~ense considering
man brain is 95% water, biood
er, the iu:1gs arc 90% ·water, and
muscles are 75~{:i water.
\X,'ater is a great mineral which helps
prevent many conditions. What condition
might that oe Fitness Guy Ron? Well I'm
glad you asked! \"later can help prevent
kidney stones and it can also help lesson the
chance for devdopbg bladder, kidney, and
u~inarv :race infections. ·rhere has also been
a six year study of 20,000 hea!thy men and
women ages 38-100 from the May l, 2002
American Journal of Epider::iology. This
study found that women who drank more
than five giasses _of .., vatcr \Vere 41 '}0 iess
likeiy to die frorn a heart attack during the
study than these who drank k:ss than nvo
glasses. The prorcctivc effects of drinking
water ,vere even rnorc profi)und and n1uch
better in rnen. ,;Xlhat does this tel1 you?
WATER IS GOOD FOR YOC.
-n1ere are nu1nerous fiictors that affect your
,vater needs. You 1.vi!! need to n1odify )tour
fluid intake based on the f(.,li<)v1ing fi1ctors:
exercise, environn1ent, illnesses; and health
conditions,
-Exercise: jf you exercise or engage in an:1/
physical then you \viH need
wwvv.ozarksstar.com
During exe.
such as ever
replenishing
not Ief rhirst
alreadv be deh
thirsty~ If your
sweating then:
spores drink to
electrolytes.
drink more water.
you doing reading
drinking your
that time to ask
glass of water.
just zaps your
Oftentimes, we
water we lose th
summer. Do
heat'. Higher
incrcasc;d uri
ingwhich
loss ✓
-Illness and Hea!ch Conditions: Certain
signs and symptoms of illnesses such as
vomiting, fever, and diarrhea can cause
your body to lose extra fluids. Even that
pesky miid dehydration can make you more
susceptible ro viruses. Water can be quite a
powerful weapon in the battle against colds
a1:d other maladies.
\Xiarer can also act as a natural appetite suopressanc
so developing good wate~· drinki~g
habits c:.m pay tremendous dividends in
yom healthy weight main~enance. Water can
help the body digest and absorb vitamins
and :rnrrients in addition to aiding the kidneys
and liver by carrying av1ay \Vaste frorn
tb.~"v, h<c, o,\,f. v/ a Wat"\..,-~: r- an ."_V' ."_f ~ help. Jre,.n vou ~ .... "-'r ✓
regulac Oh God! Novv I'm going to sound
like the conversation at my grandmmher's
pinochle tab]c. But water does trulv help
prevent constipation by adding bulk to,
swo!s ,,nd more fluid to the colon. Tne
"end" result is sofrer and easier bowel mon:ments.
1\.nd \vho doesn\ vvant that?
ore thing before I give you some
s. You don't need to drink bottled
an drink the tap water. If you
cold me 20 years ago that water
? .00 per glass I would have
'mon peopie, it's water! There
erous studies that have
water is every bit as good
er. It's these corporations and
Avenue marketing schemes
ded our thinking on this.
era! years ago, I drank
m Budapest bathrooms and
g fine (despite what my friends
Line: Drink water and it's okay
ater. Just drink water!
he first thing in the morning.
f slumber equals dehydration.
ntainer on hand throughur
desk, in the car, at
e. Bring out the fine crystal
erously pour che water.
ing is a iot more fun to drink with
· cy glassware.
-Grab some fruits and veggies. Most of these
are aimost all water content. 'lliis can give
you some variety.
-And as always- HAVE FUN!
Let me know your questions, comments,
and ideas ac blake.fitness@yahoo.com.
FACT: In the 2004 presidential
eiection 71 million eligible voters
did not vote. Shame on us.
the STAR 27
"Use your charm wisely, Aries!"
The Sun is aligned with Venus in Scorpio, turning up
everyone's seductive charm and susceptibility. Both planets
are trine to Uranus, opening amazing possibilities. Cleverly
used, this magnetism can lead to opportunities and insights
that could change your life.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Your seductive charm is
working far better than you expect. Use it sparingly and
wisely; it could land you into situations you hadn't gambled
on. Secrets that come to light may include long-hidden
talents.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Getting out into a new and
different milieu - preferably someplace with a spiritual and/
or political focus - and making new friends offers a chance
to meet a wonderful new partner, or to revitalize an existing
relationship.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If looking sexy is part of your
work, you're bound to succeed. If it's not, you may have to
work extra hard to behave yourself and stay focused on the
task at hand. Of course, this, too, is a sure route to success.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Playful efforts to tease out
ideas can lead to profound discussions, perhaps even arguments.
Keep it friendly and principled and you can learn
- and teach - a lot more than you expected to. You'll need a
very open mind to take it all in!
LEO (July 23 -August 22): Fix an aphrodisiac supper for
the one you desire. The setting counts more than menu, although
some classic stand-bys like oysters will signai your
intentions. Make sure your boudoir is as eiegantly prepared
as the table!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Risque limericks,
weli-honed epigrams, or other outre witticisms will shock
others into taking notice of you. Your partnei - or your favorite
candidate for thatposition - will be properly impressed,
and you wiil be happily. "improperly·· rewarded.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Take care '?f finances
now - next week wouid be disastrous! You·re more
resourcefu! than usual now, making this the time not only
to evaluate material assets. but to develop useful skills for
doing so.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Your sexy charm
is now at its height, opening doors for a!I kinds of fun and
games. You're irresistible, and not just sexually. Engage
people at other levels. Be creatively flirtatious, and see
what opportunities that generates for you.
28 the STAR
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Carve out
a special place in your home for meditation. It would seem
that the point is to get grounded - but not quite. The space
will open energy for you in a way that will be centering -
freeing you from roots, not attaching you to them.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Any time
spent with friends will unlock secrets, either yours or theirs,
and that will be necessary for social or political success.
Have some secrets that you can reveal safely to protect
those you want to keep hidden.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): When tempted
to confront an authority figure, try instead to engage that
person diplomatically and find ways to co-operate. More
than you would imagine, your charm wil! get you ahead and
open doors to resources.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Explore any new, exotic
art or beauty. The more you can identify with it and fee!
it as a part of you, the more it - or he or she? - can show
you parts of yourself you never knew existed. ·
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE HIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
2902 20th
PO Box 4711
Joplin. i\[o 648!)3
S~KftTRI)1\Y Scr\--ice 9:3()/\.\'l
..Y. TcJus ln:vited to our C:on11nur1it\' l)inner
61)rr1 1ust S4.00. T'~<J ()rH: ls turned
vvWW.ozarksstar.com
30 the STAR
HE:'S 91::E:N L-iVIN1
N 'THIS BU!L-O!NG
INC!': 'THE: 195015.
t'L-L- SE:1' HE:
001::SN'TPAY
MOi:lE: THAN
1./00 81./CKS
A MONT'H
'.vww.joanhi!tynet
I
Vv'vvvv.ozarksstar.com
1st Annual Gala Celebration
"Linking Together as One"
Friday, December 15th, 2006 7:00
P.M. Clarion Inn - Fayetteville
1255 So. Shiloh, Fayetteville, AR
72701
For more information:
WV.'\XZN~✓AGLBTCC.ORG
www.ozarksstar.com
Luxury Townhouses
FOR RENT, Pine & E.72nd St
Area, TULSA
2 bed/1.5 baths/washerdryer/
hookup/prvt patio/2 car
garage, no pets.
$525/month + Deposit
Call: Patty (918)724-6475 or
Mark (918)724-1960
CHECK our QNIQUE
EUREKA: SJ?:R:INGS,
-',, '
ARrfANSA$
. www.diversifypride~com
and · .
ww.w.eurekapride.com
* Full Body, Sports, Hot Stone
* Hand and Foot Scrubs
* In-House Clinic
* Days, Evenings and Weekends
Call for an appointment and rates.
918-857-2805
Mike Lewis AKA "Morgan"
A iongtime Bartender at the
Finishline in Oklahoma City
passed away on the morning
of October 6, 2006. Morgan
was very well know and loved
by the GLBT community.
the STJ\R 31
B
N A
R & RILL
Sunday Champaqne Brunch
All you can eat soup and salad bar 11 am-2pm
$8.99
Monday & Tuesday
Well Martinis $2.50 4pm-7pm
Best Prime Rib in Town:
Friday & Saturday Nights
Bar favorites. restaurant favorites and man:,
new items for your enjoyment pleasure
NEW WINTER RATES - $45•
* Plus tax, excludes suites
I
r .... -
:~~;~,~~
p 'S
A LEATHER/LEVI BAR
CLOSED MO:'IDAYS
Sun 7pm - 2am.
Tues-Thur:. 7pm-9prn wear your h::Hhcr
and get your wd! drink:- fc,r :<?.50
Sun Thur. 7pm-2am
R
Fri and Sat. 4pm-2am
DY'S PL CE
PIANO BAR
Rudy ·s Place is a non-smukin!_:'.
e~tablisthmcnt
Early for cocktails. latc- t'or a night cap
CL BR X
CLOSED MONDAY
SIZZLIN' SUNDAYS
With Whitney Paige
VIXENS
Saturday i--;ighh
\\ ith Silan1ci \landala) at I Op1n
J\USON SCOTT SHOW
MISS HOLLYWOOD US Of A
Sunday Nowrnher 12. 20!)h
I si Prize: .'i, 1.000.00 PLLiS 5500.flO crcdn
tcn\·ard" haync Original Gown
i
.at•st~~~
r,
J' P1.
•
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, November 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 11
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
November 01. 2006
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Online text
PDF
Language
A language of the resource
English
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Victor Gorin
Greg Gatewood
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
magazine
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, October 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 10
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/242
The Star Magazine, December 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 12
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/225
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/241
3000 walk for AIDs
Advice Column
cartoons
classifieds
Distributers
fitness
horoscopes
Judy Shepard
Kathy Webb
Lesbian Notions
marriage equality
MCC church
molestation
molestation myth
National Coming Out Day
Oklahoma Adoption law
OUT in Arkansas
Past Out
Q Scopes
Star Scene
travel
Tulsa GLBT center news
Uncle Mikey
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/3606d446a128edc1e22445fb1018fdb3.jpg
ade86e8efdac34dbfc792e048a4b85a7
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/794df62bcf7175f9e841fabe5ca9d90f.pdf
cad8e29777e52185f3d966f17f06ee8c
PDF Text
Text
���������������������������������
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
magazine
Text
Any textual data included in the document
2 the STAR C) .. -rohcr 2oncthe
STAR (Jcrohc-r 2006 3
The STAR is published by
Star Media, Ltd.
5103 S. Sheridan,# 153
Tulsa, OK 74145-7627
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
www.ozarksstar.com
Editor in Chief, C. D. Ward
Contributing Writers:
Greg Steele, Josh Aterovis, Douglas Glenn,
John Patrick, Michael Dee,
Kay Massey, Paul Wortman, Carlotta Carlisle,
Victor Gorin, Greg Gatewood
Columnist:
Libby Post, Andrew Collins, Donald Pile,
Ray Williams, Michael Hinzman, Jack Fertig,
Liz Highleyman
Photography:
Chaz Ward, Victor Gorin.
Advertising:
Tulsa Office - - - - - - - - -918-835-7887
or Email: ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
(Tulsa Metro) Michael Leach- - - - - 918-640-2049
(Oklahoma City Metro) Vicior Gorin 405-947-2048
(Northwest Arkansas) Kay Massey- 4 79-586-1062
National Advertising Representative
Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863
Deadline for ali advertising, articles and payment is
the 18th of each month for the next months issue.
Subscriptions
12 issues $26.95 / singles $3.00 Check or
Money Order
The Ozarks Star or the Star is published & distrii:nucd mm1thiy
as a c0Jlu11unity service by Star !vfrdi.1, Ltd .. Publica.tion of
the name-: photograph or likcnc,;s of any pcr,on, husint·s,; or
org~nization in this publication is not rn be construed as .1ny
indication of sexual orieotarion or prefcrtncc., <.:f 5uc:h per!-0:-1,
businc~s or organi1ation. -
t)pinions expressed by cnlumni-,t.'i, J.dn.:rtiscr:. or Lt:ttt:r:.t 10 the
Editor arc n,·H nece~,;,~riiy rh{.'. opinion of'Ihc ()z~Hks Sue ir.-.
staff. th~ puhlisher \Jr ir's advertiser~- Content of :1Jn~ni~crncnt-"
and anid~s arc tb.: soi~ rcspvnsibi!iry of dtc s1dnTti~cr ,1nd /n:
author. The P1iillish~r o( thL ();;.1rk.-. Sur or ~c~r rc~~rvc:; d1t riJ;ht
to refuse advertising nuteriai fr>r .u;y rc:,!~on ;vh,at .so c:cc 'ihc
();;arks Sur or ~t.tr anJ all lik;_·no::.s.;-c-;. '11<.:rc of :u,.: .sol 1•
0f Srar l\kdi.1, Lt.d. :\H rn:Ht:ri::l CU}')Tig,h~ 2006
S:,r.
Designed with Pride, Prinkd in Ok!ahom:1, l'',A
JON THE COVER J1r:: Verraros, Americar :do! 1
00 LESBIAN NOTIONS
Banning Books by Intelligent Design:
''in the filrn. I-Titler Youth re,:dcd in
ra~sacking the school ~1nd thought nothing
of throv;ing ac1dc111k frccdo1n into th~ fire·'
Of) OUT In ARKANSAS
New! Lots of news from the Adzansas
GLBT Communitv. BOO BASH for
Capitol Pride at Sidetracks.
Summer OiV(:rsitT \Y/eekend. EUREKA'
00 PAST OUT
A rttrnspecrive of LG BT History. 1728:
.Notorious transvestite Chevalier
d'Eo11 is bom in Burgundy, Fmnce.
OD CIAO TRAVEL
Gav Travelers '·\'{'dcomc to Arizona''
Otit of Town "Vmcotffer, BC"
£)(3 ASK UNCLE MIKEY
!\1ikc\' rcco\·crs frorn a Ion: afE1ir of epic
prop~nion~. I n1c,ff1 ,vhc\V, that tna;1 \v.is
juq too n1uch. It ,,·~1s likl' being at the l)(~
and trying lO take th~n extra dip, knn\v!ng
your body, just ,n)uldn't h~u:dic it.
INDEX
T.O.H.R. in The News
Lesbian Notions ...
People
OUT in lvkansas ..
Past Out
Tulsa GLBT Ce:·ite:- !\Jews.
Dining In
Star Scene
Uncie
... 6
.10
II
. 15
r'
Gold Castle
"At Century 21 Gold Castle our
BEST properties are our PEOPLE"
4301 NW 63rd, Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
405.840.2106
c21 goldcastle.com
Let us he '•
( 18) 7 -5
Proud~y serving 1Ulsa &:: ()1<(:'s GL.B1~ C!.Jrnmunities since 1982
6 the STAR.
Isa Mayor Kathy
ylor pond es
. H. R. ncerns.
TULSA, OK_ Laura Belmonte, President, Tulsa Oklahomans for
Human Rights rook the initiative in expressing tne concerns of the
GLBT communities exclusion of civil rights protections in Tulsa.
The following is Dr. Belmonte's letter to Mayor Taylor and :he
Mayor's response.
Dear Mayor Taylor:
I am writing in regard to your call for Tulsans to extol the
virtues of our city in an effort to generate national interest in
our amenities and opportunities. While ! agree entirely with
your faith in Tulsa, I would also like to discuss a much-deserved
negative aspect of Tulsa's reputation.
Many thoughtful citizens think our city is doomed if it does
not take steps to protect and celebrate its diversity. This
is particularly true in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
(GLBT) community. By some indices, Oklahoma
ranks 45th in the nation in terms of inclusion and civil rights
protections for gay people. While Manford and Oklahoma
County have amended their non-discrimination ordinances
to encompass sexual orientation, Tulsa has not taken this
vital step despite the fact that the city's Human Rights
Commission first began recommending such a change in
1975.
As you undoubtedly know. GLBT people are an integral element
of this city. We own dozens of businesses and employ
thousands of people. We are doctors. lawyers, teachers,
firefighters, poiice officers, and every other occupation
under the sun. Eighty-six percent of Fortune 500 companies
now explicitly protect their GLBT employees. Despite
widespread and iegitimate concern for the city's economic
future, Tulsa has refused to join over 300 cites across the
United States including Cincinnati and Salt Lake City who
have expanded their non-discrimination policies to ensure
that sexual minorities are judged solely on their merits as
employees, tenants, and customers.
in my capacity as a piOfessoi at Okiahoma State University,
I have seen dozens of extremely promising gay people flee
our state or refuse job offers mainly because of the region's
reputation as a stronghold of intolerance. These individuals
include a Rhodes Scholar nominee, two Goldwater Fellows,
and Ph.D.s from universities including Harvard, Yale, and
Stanford. These are precisely the type of professionais we
must keep in and draw to Tulsa if we are to buiid the city to
which we aspire.
You have broad support in the GLBT community and we
very much hope you ,vii! rectify this giaring flaw in fabric of
our city .
Sincereiy,
Laura .A... Belmonte. Ph.D
President. Tu!sa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Chair. Say No to Hate Coa!ition
respo;Jsf.'
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI
AIDS WALK.
9:00 arn
Photo: Al McAffrey and Kayne Gillaspie by
Victor Gorin
OKLAHOMA STONEWALL
DEMOCRATS FUNDRAISER
OKI.AHO!v1A CITY, OK_ September 7, a
verv successful fundraiser for the Okiahoma
Sto~cwall Democrats \Vas held at the home
Al l,fcAffrey, who was recently elected
as a State Representative for State House
District 88. Mr. McAJfrey 's election made
history as he is tl1e first openly gay person
to be elected to the Oklahoma Legislature.
Pictured witl1 Al is celebrity guest Kayne
Gillaspie, who also did our state proud on
Bravo's reality TV show Project Runway.
* HERLAND ANNOUNCES
FALL RETREAT
OKLAHO1v1A CITY, OK_1he womyn of
Herland have scheduled cheir Fall Retreat
for the weekend of October 27, 28 and 29.
This year it will be held at Eufala State Park
and .;,iii feature a costume contest, sports
activities, a potluck dinner and a concert
featuring O~hi, a special drummer from
Washington srate.
Heriand's Spring and Fall Retreats have
been held since 1985,and that function
of Herland is their only activity that is for
women only. For over 20 years women have
enjoyed this celebration of empowerment
and feilowship. One can register for the
Retreat on!ine at v,v.-v,.herlandsisters.org or
caii (405l 521 9696.
*
Photo by: Scott Asi1ton
Jim Verraros,
Actor, Recording
Artist Scheduled To
Attend OUT-OK-5
Film Festival.
TULSA, OK_Jim Verraros, American Idol
Finalist, recording artist of the hit recording
"Rol!ercoaster" and star of the award winning
movie, "Eating Out" is scheduled to
appear in Tulsa and Oklahoma City for the
Out OK Film Festival. One of the featured.
fiims to show is the sequei to Eating Out,
called Sloppy Seconds. Jim was cast to
return as Kyle in a leading role.
Jim ,von the hearts all across America as a
featured performer on the 2002 American
Idols Live Tour, but his popularity really
soared after he came "out" in The Advocare
in January 2003. Jim's young fans, both
gay and straight, nor only embraced the
disclosure, bm verily celebrated it, p~oudly
signaling the broader acceptance of gays
among the next generation.
In addition to "Eat\ng Out-2: Sioppy Seconds''
The Oklahoma GLBT International
Film Festival opens with Srewart Wade's
deiightfui!v romamic comedv of errors,
·'ro· r::--Fii f)ATL''' 'W; h ·1· ·{,_,; " peri'o•· .. -.,..,, .a. t' -.. ,, ... , _,_ ~ .L . .1.Ld ll~J...-.,.OuS .tJ. ~'•
rnances from -\Xlilson Cruz So-(~alled
Lif.~, J'-.Joah:-s lire), ()scar-norninatcd Sally
Kirkland, Jonathan Silvt.~nnan, ninede's recn
singing sensation I)cborah C;ibson, and
Jonathan Bray. -n1e l::estival runs ()ctnbcr]
1-15~ 22 (l-i1ls:1) and C)ctober 19-~21
(()klahon1a
also be in "'"'"""''"
the STAR 7
Tulsa's Kris Kohl Host's Bryan
hite Benefit Show.
by Greg Steele
Photo: "Cowboy Crooner" Matthew Heath Fitzgerald.
TULSA, OK_On September 17th, Kris Kohl brought out his top
guns to the Bamboo Lounge Tulsa and raised dose to $500 for the
Bryan White AIDS Fund. Special Guest Entertainers induded Marthevf
I-ieath Fit-zgerald n Oklahoma's Cov1boy c.:roonern, ~frudy Tyler
'' The First Miss Gay Oklahoma Emeritus". Mona Lon .Miss
8 the STAR
Bamboo 2006", Singer's Sam and Lester, Clog Dancer Jay Whiteside
and many other great performers. All donated their time and
talent to this very worthy charity.
The OSU Internal Medicine Speciality Services Department in
Tulsa is one of five State non-profit organizations that administer
the Bryan White Aids fund. They cover 37 Counties in Oklahoma.
With 150 new patients lase year, administraror Midge Elliot told
che STAR in an interview that they are expecting many more for
this year. "45% are minority and 35% are from rural area's. We
help with medical, medicine, dental, transportation and other
necessities as funds wiil allow." she said. " Our mission is to ensure
rhac persons living with HIViAIDS in Eastern Oklahoma have access
to high quality, comprehensive primary medical care, specialty
care, and care coordination services delivered through OSU-COM's
uniquely meaningful, compassionate and state-of-;:he-art programs
and providers in one accessibie location".
The Federal Health Resources Adminiscration manages the Ryan
White Aids Fund and distributes to Oklahoma, who in turn allocates
the money to the state's five approved organizations based on
the number of patients in their care. Both the Health Resources Adminiscration
and the State of Oklahoma's grants have been reduced
drasticaliv since che Bush Administration cut funds to Brvan White
Fund. "Our funds are flat and we are depending on the fund raising
effom of organizations and individuals to keep our door's open,"
Elliot told us.
For more information er how to give a tax deductible contribution
direcc!y to OSU Internal Medicine Speciality Services contact
Midge Eiiiot at 918-382-3507. The clinic is located at 635 West
11th street, east of the Tulsa ]legional Hospitai in Tulsa.
}yfore 1--:JhotoS_frorn the Ben~:fir Shou1 in ST..4.R Scene-page 24-25
\Vlvw.ozarksstar.com
by Libby Post
OCTOBER 2006
Banning Books Intelligent
Design
One of the movies I rented when I got my first VCR (actually, it was
a SONY Beta recorder - remember those?) was Julia. The story was
based on a chapter from Lillian Hellman's memoir Pentimento.
1l1e title character was a childhood friend of Hellman's who became
a leader in the resistance to Hitler's reign of persecution, censorship,
and murder. The scene that has srayed with me all these years is the
massive bonfire in the courtyard of a European university. Not a
typical coilege celebratory bonfire, this conflagration was composed
of books and papers from the school's library and the offices of its
academics.
In the film, Hitler Youth reveled in ransacking the school and
thought nothing of throwing academic freedom into the fire. \'v'hen
one of the professors tried to get in their way, he was thrown over a
railing and killed.
Today we have our own version of Hitler's reign of terror on
academic freedom and thought. It's the radical Christian right's
persistent crusade to ban books from public and school libraries,
and its unfathomable drive to integrate "intelligent design" into our
children's classrooms.
The list of examples is endless. just check out the ,,\merican Librar,
Association's website (www.aia.;>rg), the section about their annual
"Banned Books Weck" (Sept. 23-30), to get an incredible sampling
of the stupidity going on in today's schools and libraries.
In Tacoma, Wash., the school district banned _The Geography
Club_, a gay-themed book about high school bullying and tolerance,
because paren-.:s complained that the protagonist, a gay teen, hooked
up with another <1ueer student oniine and that they e,;enrnally met
face to face.
Tacom;; Schoel Supcrintendcn: Patti Banks wici rl1e two p:.rcms
'.d10 rec1uested the borJk be removed from the school library, "\X'c
·:rnnt to send a strong, cor:sistem message to all our studcn':s that
meet:Jmr ii:di\0 iduals :ia the Imcrnet ;s e~tremelv :ugh-risk behaY:or.
To the ~xtent that this book might contradict cha:: ~essage, I ha,T
determined it should not be jn our libraries, in spite of other positivc
aspecrs a strong :anriharassmcnt thcrne).''
Gee thanks, Patti. \"ou'H buckle to the concerns of t\.VO parents
\vhilc dcpri.,,_--ing hundreds of srudcnts of the book1s real message
~· that bullying and harassing L(;B'T' students isn't acceptable.
Jn response; the book\, author~ Brent f'~larringcr, ~~vho hails fron1
T'acon1a~ said, ~•1·hc reason gay teen~ arc dra,vn to the Internet is
that's a safe place u; explore their identity \Vithout harassed or
builicd. lt\ ironic n1y boc,k_ 1.1.-ould be pulled for this reason~ cuntrib
uung to rh1s
10 ttle STAR
Parents Protecting the Minds of Chiidren. "Il1is Fayetteville, Ark.based
site explains that it doesn't want to pull books from ,he
shelves, just give parents control over what their kids can read.
While these folks have a problem with any book that deals openly
with sexuality, hetero or homo, all you have to do is click through
the site and you'll see just how obsessed they are with books that
paint a positive picture of LG BT lives. The bottom line for them is
rather succinct. In big bold letters, the site deciares, "For those who
didn't already know, now you know what Diversity Means!!! The
promotion ;f the homosexual agenda!!:"
If banning books wasn't enough for radical Christian righr parents,
they also want to integrate intelligent design (ID) imo biology curricula
al! over the country. No, inteliigent design isn't a new show
on HGT\~ It's the push to bring creationism back to our schools
- teaching that the world started with Adam and Eve (cenainiy not
Adam and Steve) and that Darwin's Theory of Evolution is a theory
and never proven.
'The drive for intelligent design lost some steam when, after the
Dover, Pa., school board instituted it, a U.S. District Court judge
threw it our. In handing down his decision, U.S. District Judge
John E. Jones Iii wrote that "overwhelming evidence at rriai established
that ID is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism,
and not a scientific theory." Jones found intelligent design failed
as a scientific theory because it can't be tested. Lucky for Dover's
students, their parents found that the school board failed as citizen
educators and voted all the members who supported ID out of office
last year.
Despite the ruling and the rout, bills to mandate ID as part of a
state's biology curricula continue to be introduced. In Ol<lahoma, a
bill has passed the state Assembly and now heads to the state Senate.
A leading radical Christian right wing nut, New York State Assemblyman
Dan Hooker (who thankfolly is not running for re-election
- instead he's serving his country in Iraq) is the soie sponsor of an
ID bill. Since the state Assembly is controlled by the Democrats, the
bill will go absolutely nowhere.
If only that were true for the rest of Hooker's compatriots across the
coun;ry, who have found our library sheh·es ;md our school rooms
to be 2-venues for their unique brand of censorship. Like ~he Hitler
Youth who burned those books in Julia, the radical Chriscian right
also thinks ii: has God on its sicie.
*
Berland Fall Womya.'s Retreat
Eufaula State Park
Fri.-Sun .. , October 27-29, 2006
Visit v;•.vw.heriandsisters.org fur cornp!ete
de~ils· and a registration form.
For m~e retreat info, ca!! Laura at (405) 602-1538.
Berland Si•ter Resource"
2312 NIN 39th St., OKC, OK 73112
Open Saturdays trom 1~Spm
(405) 521-9696
\'V\V\v.ozarksstar.corn
MICHAEL HINZMAN, aka "UNCLE MIKEY"
Michael Hinzman, author, columnist, and
student oflife, joined rhe Ozarks STAR
family in November 2004. This issue
makes his 24th 'Ask Uncle Mikev" column
published in the STAR. Uncle ~Aikey is our
longest consecutive running non-syndicated
column. As one of rhe most popular with
our readers, we thought vou would eniov
meeting the man behinci rhe big hat. ' ,
Michael hails from the middle-beit of Ohio,
where Michael continues his efforts to bring
humor and comic relief to ,he community.
Michael's goal and passion. second only w
his career in medidne. is :hat of being a
celebrated author. His goal became a reality
in May of 2005 with the publication of his
first novel ''l)rago1nir,'~ available at n1ost
rnajor book retailers. 1v1ichael pushes to
succeed in the ,vodd of \\Titers. Published
through several -venues, Iv1ichael's ~.. .v orks arc
in onlinc publications as -.,veil as in print.
::!~~=:jii~~~:::~~e~:~!~11::.!;1 !D SCYCta! ;;~:rs
lifestyle.
Lv1ichacl ha:;; been
as he continues his
""\JJ;,,.}~f•rg VJO!~cL; to(•
rain his reader:-: ,virh an''","'"-'"'"''.,,
following. " I love to make others
laugh, think, and in general look at
life through a different perspective."
Michael is continuing his education
in the Psychology and Nursing
fields. Michael is a current member
of the Alpha Beta Gamma's National
Honor Society. It is Michael's
experience and twisted
view of life's
issues ;:hat enables Michael to laugh at life's
trials faced by those in rhe GLBT community.
Michael supports the community throughout
manv ch,uitable oudets. An active
sponsor ~f the Life Share Program, \'!ichad
has volunteered his time in order to promore
the much-needed demand for blood
donations. 1vfichael also works with various
charities such as local food banks, Aids
events: youth n1.cntoring, and the specific
field deaiing "vith disabled n1en1ber~ of the
memallv retarded poouiadon. .Michael has
worked 'with the me~ta!iy ii! since 199 J ,
as 'Nell the medically fragile and rnentally
retarded. }.,:fichael encourages others to
back to the con1n1unity bringing
.._:t:s._, ~A ;1il.._ lJre.:1.king U.cJ\-01.
When Michael has down time, he joins his
loving partner Daryl, currently celebrating
their sixth year together. Michael is the
proud father of five beautiful children from
his brief, yet productive, time in the heterosexual
community. Family time is spent
camping, boating; as well enjoying many,
other family oriented activities. Full time
fathers raising their three eldest children,
Mikayla, Michael and Jacob, while the exwife
raises the two youngest; proving that
amilies of diversity can and do succeed.
oined in their extended family circle
by Vicky, AKA-Namn, inspired by her
endless contribution and inspirational
intelligence.
Michael continues to demonstrate
that life does not end with the
dreaded passing of the Twinky-
T wenties. Michael, a 34 year old,
enjoys the pursuits of happiness
in all aspects oflife. Michael's
firm belief; that ones only limit
is ones own will and imagination,
as seen in his continuous
uest. Finding life better in
the second half after surviving
his own 20 something
drama affliction, common•
ly known as the dubbers.
Michael also utiiizes
his character, Uncle
Mikev, in charitv
events withil~ the comdiunity,
in order to bring awareness to gay
issues; equal rights, aids benefits, and the
staggering homeless popuiation within the
gay yomh of America.
'The editor of the S'l;\R congratuiates
]\1ichaci on his 24th issue of 'Ask Uncle
M:kel and extends a huge ''Thank You for
your unwavering support.''
Feedback can be sent to f.!ichael at \vordsbyr~
i~e(~>ao).c~m,: tv1i~hael \\:elcorne! :ny
and :tll feedback Jrorn his readers ana to!kr,
vers and critics alike.
the STAR 11
NW Arkansas GLBT Communi
Center Granted Non
Profit Status.
BENTONVILLE, AR_On August 9th, 2006, the Northwest Arkansas
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trangendered Community Center,
Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas was granted 501/c)3 Non Profir
tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue service. This action was
retroactive to May 16, 2006.
1he NWA GLBT Community Center recognizes rhe need in
Northwest Arkansas to:
CONNECT: Unite and organize a GLBT community that is fragmemed
and often times disconnected.
SUPPORT: Cultivate a healthy and thriving community for NWA
GLBTs.
PROTECT: Ensure the safety, civil righrs and liberties of all NWA
GLBTs.
EDUCATE: Bring awareness and education to al! NWA community
members.
INVOLVE: Create fun and exciting community events and activities
for NWA GLBTs.
CENTRALIZE: Establish a brick and mortar GLBT Community
Center in NW A.
The website for the NWA GLBT Communiry Center can be viewed
at: www.nwaglbtcc.org
Tax deductible donations may be sent to the N\VA GLBT Community
Center at:
PO Box 1161 Bentonviile, Ar 72712-116L
om1" ng
once
ut"
and
JONATHAN STIERS, COLLEEN JAMESON
SPIUNGDALE, AR~ Coleen comes from Massachusetts to Arkansas
on her Midwest Tour. She is a voice for social justice. and has a
soundtrack for social'activism. You'li be cmem.:n~d bv her skillful
biend of up-beat rhythm guitar and thought-provoki1.lg Her
music brings poiitical issues to light in an accessible and poetic way.
!vfore than jmr another acoustic crooner. Colleen jameson :s the real
deal: the p<;crry of life's sorrcJ\VS set against the 1nelody of litC's joys.
Colleen not only sings about social justice, she has n1ade it her
profession. Working in snelters and with ur,dcr-sen·ed popuhtiom.
C:oHeen writes about real issues our of her O\"-'f1 ,,,,,,,.,,,.,,,-.·•
Jonathan is a t~orth,vest A.rkansas entertainer that has been :~:!c01~~; f~: :~:1~~~11:~:~:1;; ::~lomplished j ;,::;itl~;1;;,\J;~;d,
(:I)~ w1-hc Player & The Pawn" V./3.S part of the official c;L:\.l\.1) "VIP
bag that each attendee received, 'The event v,,ras held on
10th in San Francisco: f'~cver having an)''" fc;rrnal
plays car and sdll docs nor: read sheet nn1sic, ]t
12 the STAR.
when jonathan bought an old, beaten-up, wooden up,ight, that
he started to compose music and lyrics of his own. Jonathan was
fearnred in the August issue of Celebrate Arkansas magazine.
Enjoy an Exciting Revue of Artistic Talem for National COMING
OUT Dav suggested donation is $5.00 ar the door
All proceeds benefit the N\Y/A GLBT Communiry Center
PO Box 1161 Bentonville, AR 72712 W\,w.rrwaglbtcc.org
Concert is \Y/ednesday October 11, 200.6 6:00 pm Jones Center
Auditorium &Chapel, 922 East Emma, Springdale, Arkansas.
nsas
aveA
By Jeremy Pena
ew
iters
ome
October is going to be the start of something spectacuiar for GLBT
writers in Arkansas. A new group for GLBT writers is forming rnd
aH writers from all genres are welcome ro join in. We wcicome all
wrirers, published and non-published. From fiction writers to poets,
songwriters to writers iooking for ideas of where to begin.
'TI1e focus of the group is for socializing with other writers and
discussing various genres and writing styles, to support \'.Titer; in
the GLBT community with any necessary information needed with
regards to pubiishing their works, and sharing our works wirh each
other.
Each month there will be a focus on a specific genre ranging from
fiction to poetry. We will be focusing on novel writing in October to
prepare for a month-long event in November. Nation,;! Novel Writing
1Vlonth will begin No\·ember l and end at midnight November
31. Check out rhe websitewww.NaNo\VriMo.org for more dernils
and updates. Sign-ups for the event begin in October. You will also
find writing prompts each month focusing on our ~opic for i:hc
month on our group sire. 'The first writing prompr is on the site to
ge, re,;dy for our first gathering.
We wili also be focusing 0!1 writing for various publications in the
area and possibly raking on some addition.al n::sponsibiiitic:- to the
( :ommunity Center newsletter in the future.
A.nyonc interested can find more inforn1arion and join the group
on our yahoo groups site at http:/ /groups.yahoo.con1/groups/AJlGl.
BTWRITES.
--I11cn: .. .,,;ill be two n1eetings in ()ctober and ,veekiy n1ecrings in Novernber
to support rhc participants in this noYel c·\t<.:nt. lv1ectrin1t.::
s and h.1cations -..viil he posted on calendar on rhe group
sire and rcn1indcrs ~Nill be sent via c-rnail to group 1nern.bers.
·\:,:te look f(>r\vard to
v.., nrL<
you at our and your
Capitol Pride Boo Bash
Halloween Fund-Raiser
LITTLE ROCK, AR_Sidetracks bar will host Boo Bash, a Halloween-
themed fund-raising event to benefit Little Rock Capital Pride
on October 28th. Festivities will include prize drawings, costume
contesrs, drink specials and a silent auction of items donated by
many area businesses and groups. According to Kamrin Dodd,
fund-raising chair for LRCP, "Sidetracks is well-known for its ghost
sightings and other-worldly occurrences which makes it the perfect
location for our Halloween event. We look forward to a fun evening
that will help support Capital Pride."
NWA Ghost Connection which recently investigated Sidetracks
states, "the building was originally the home of two businesses; a
dirt-floored bar and a brothel. The bar was so dangerous and rough,
it was off limits to the military. The brothel, run by a woman
named Miss Birdie, was a popular night spot due to the building's
location near the railroads.
Early in the l 920's, rhe brothel became the site of an unfortunate
murder. A patron from the bar next door had fallen in love with
one of Miss Birdie's "employees," a 13-year-old girl named Anastasia.
When another man told the love-srruck patron that he had
just "been with" Anastasia, he stormed Birdie's ·establishment and
searched out Anastasia. Upon finding her, he slit her throat, tossed
her body over the baicony, and escaped out the window. 1his murder
was the demise of Birdie's, causing the establishmem to close. In
1923, the building became the home of a mortuary. The undertaker
used the building's basement for all of his embalming procedures.
According ro legend, when the mortuary closed, the undertaker left
all his equipment, ?.nd who knows what else in the basement.
During prohibition, the building housed a "newspaper stand"; a
cover for selling illegal liquors and beer. In an ironic turn of events,
rhe love struck patron who killed Anastasia years earlier was murdered
at the same location. He had his throat slit after getting into
an argumem with another man.
According to Phiilip. the O\V!ler of Sidetracks, there have been
several noted paranormal occurrences since he took over. They
have wic1cssed anyd1ing from water running, lights flickering: and
objects moving arot1:id the bar. On one occasion, a glass shelf containing
crystal stemware feil :o the floor, shattering the crystal. The
5hdf however. did no: break. Witnesses have seen the break.er box
opening and closing repeai:ediy, and occasionally the computer turns
itself on, typing aE som of icners and figures on the screen. Phillip
believes the ghosts of 1\nastasia and her love-stricken murderer stiii
haunr Sidetracks to this day.n
Little }lock (:apit:a.l Pride (http:/ h.vv.,.,vJirderockcapitalpride.org/ ) is
a 501 3 non-profit organization ,nhose rnission is ro host events
that honor the history a~d diversity of Gav. Lesbian) Bisexual and
Tfansgender · individuals i;1 the s;~;te of .A.rkansas and sur!
Oun<l~.ug J.t.~a:, 1Jud. r...r,.,,~ttc wirhi:1 the GLB'l" commun~ty :u,d
its allies by providing sociaJ support and enhancing ;nvareness of the
past an~1~:~~,~~:::, :J~~t~!,~;:~~::~~ i~~~!i!~' ;~~~;,~::~l~;~;;~!~ri~~rnl;
rkansas & Oklahoma~s tnost read GLBT Magazine
FALL DIVERSITY WEEKEND
NOV 3-5, 2006. "THE FIRST
DIVERSITY ARTS & CRAFTS
FESTIVAL"
This Fall is going to be a little different in Eureka Springs,
Arkansas. There are some new and intriguing events.
DIVERSITY COMEDY SHOW at the historic AUDITORIUM
By presenting a lesbian and gay man comic, once again Diversity
Pride Events hopes to entertain and unite our community. We can't
release the names yet, but DPE is very excited to have drawn such
talented and uplifting performers to the Ozarks region. Tickets will
soon be available online at DiversityPride.com
FIRST 'Ti-Talk' "Everything you wanted to know about... the 'T'
& T in GLBTI (Transgender, Transsexual and lntersex)., ... but _
were afraid to ask!" All glbti and pflag welcome. This is the first
of an ongoing series of "Talks" to educate and socialize within our
community. Plans for future talks will be fur, and about, Bisexuals,
Lesbians, Gay men. ''It's amazing how much we really don't know
about each other, savs Diversitv Pride Events, Deborah Rose. We
are fortunate to hav~ some wo;1derful people who have volunteered
to guide these talks and to foster a greater understanding of the true
diversity and size of our community. God was far more creative than
peopie ~ealize!" ·
DIVERSITY BIKERS Charity 'POKER RUN' & 'SHOWN'
SHINE' 1he Diversity Bikers 'Show N' Shine' will start at 12:30
PM at Roadway Inn. Bikes will be judged in two categories, Best in
Show and Best 'Pride Dressed'. 1l1ere will be a First Place and Run- '
ner-up in each category.
This will be the first Diversity Bikers Charity 'Poker Run', A portion
of the proceeds, along with stuffed animals andior cash donations
will be sent for Toys for Kids of deployed service members to heip
out with the holidays.
BEAR COMIC BOBALOO: COMING BACK Bobaloo wowed
the Diversity Bears this past Summer Diversity 'X'eekend and fell in
love with the Eureka Sp;:ings communit'/. So, Diversity Pride Events
has brought him back ro "jolly things up around Eureka" and MC
the 'GO-GO GUY & GA[ Dance Comest at the 'Golden Oldies'
Dance & Cabaret at Caribc\ on Saturday Nighr afrer rhc shov: at
the AUD.
And by the v...;ay~ you~H see son1e red cans around to\\-'H to collect
donations for those Kids of deployed service rnembers. I"\Jo n1atter
v:here you stand poiiticaHy, re1~,e~ber it's for rhe kids. So, dig into
your pocket and get rid of rhat loose change for a s•Neet cause (and
loose bills are weico::nc Sho,v rhen1 our con1,munity has a big
heart!
COt-~TA{~]~ Ii'•JF(): [)I'✓ E!tsrr·~y PRJI)E EVEt,rrs
Deborah Rose 479-253-2555
dcbor1i:1@:divcrsitypride.corn
tile STAR
Summary : Past Out is a retrospect:i,·e
of key moments, personalities, and
subjects in LGBT hiswry. Each
installment brings the past to life by
exploring rhe diversity of the gay past
and its impact on the queer present.
1728: Notorious transvestite Chevalier
d'Eon is born in Burgundy, France.
Who was Chevalier d'Eon?
Chevalier d'Eon, an 18th-century spy and
diplomat who inspired sexologist Havelock
Ellis to coin the term "eonism" for crossdressing,
was the subject of much spernlation
about his gender both during his
lifetime and in the decades since his death.
Charles Eon de Beaumont was born in
the Burgundy region of France in October
1728, the child of an attornev and a noblewoman.
In a ghostwritten l 779 autobiogrnphy,
d'Eon claimed he was born a girl, but
was passed off as a boy in order to ~suage
his father's grici over a son who !1ad dieci.
and to c!a;m an inhe~.tancc de,ignated for a
male heir. -'Mv father wanted m~ to become
a bad boy and my mother wanted me rn becom::
a good girl,'. he wrote. Later researchers
say he was born male. but his mother
often dressed hi.rn as a girl.
An excellent student, d'Eon graduated in
17 49 from (~c•Hege J\1azarin in Paris} where :::~~!i::j :::;~;':~:c:(~(;;~:~~~::::~~~~;:::: !:;
rhc city's fiscal deparrrnent and a.s a royal
censor. 'I hough slender and sorr1e\vhat delicate
in appearance, there is Hrdc indication
that d'Eon \Vas regarded as particularly
14 the STAR
effeminate as a young aduh.
D'Eon joined a secret network of spies
working for King Louis XV, and in~ i 7 56,
the king sent him on a mission to re-esrablish
an alliance with Empress Elisabeth of
Russia against the rival Hapsburg monarchy.
It was widely rumored that d'Eon disguised
himself as a woman to win the empress's
confidence (according to one version, the
king hit upon the idea after mistaking a
cross-dressed d'Eon for a !adv at a masquerade
ball); there is little c~ntemporary
evidence, however, ro support this tale.
In the early i 760s, d'Eon returned to
France and became a captain of the dragoons,
a light cavalry regiment. After he
was wounded in battle toward the end of
the Seven Years' War, he was awarded the
Cross of Saint-Louis and given the rank
of Chevalier. D'Eon then wem: to London,
where he worked as a diplomatic
minister. During this time. he enjoyed
a lavish lifestyle, amassed a large librar:\
and cemented his connections
bestowing gifts from his
family's vineyards.
Scandal
ensued
a few
years
later
when
d'Eon,
fearing
that he w;;s
about to be
rcn1oved frotn
his position by
a new an1bassad.
or; clain1ed in a
letter to the king
that the ambassador
had atten1ptcd
dn1n an<J kidnaD hirn: he :1is~}' published :.t book. of secret diplon1aric
correspondence, \vhich led ro his exile in
England.
bv ✓
large sums that d'Eon was really a woman,
or. alternarivelv, undoubtedlv a man; still
others though; he was a hen~aphrodite. In
1777, an English court entered the fray to
settle a bet, ruling that d'Eon was a woman;
rhe judge, disgusted at having to deal with
such a case, said he wished he cot.id m,ike
both parties lose. More recently, biographer
Gary Kates posited :hat d'Eon rebvemeci
himself as a woman afcer he had made
political enemies in high places and gotten
himself deeply in debt. For his part. d'Eon
seemed to relish the confusion, sometimes
claiming to have been bori: male, sometimes
female.
After iiving with his mother for a time at the
family estate in Tonnerre, d'Eon returned
to England in 1785. He embraced Cnristianit:
y and, according to Kates, seemed to
regard living as a woman as a for:n of "moral
purification." D'Eon never married. and
there is no record or· any sexuai relations11ips
wirh either women or men. Alt;.,<'ugh d'E;n
continued to dress as a woman, Iflos: reoorts
suggest he did not pass vcrv convind112.iv.
lv1ember of Parliament Ho~ace \Yia!pol~,
nored that "her hands and arms see;11 not to
have participated oc the change of sexes, but
are fitter to carry.~ chair than a fun."' Added
nobiem;;.n James Boswell, "She appeared rn
me a man in woman's clothes."
In 1796. d'Eon w2s seriously wounded
in a fencing match. Aithough an amopsy
after his death in }vfa\· 1810 revealed
ihat d'Eon was a bi~logically normal
maie, he has ncverthdess rce1ained a
subject of considerabic fascination:
Was d'Eon a uansgender woman
who spent half her life as a man.
or a ~an who 5JY.:nt half his life
as a \.vorn.an?
For further reading:
[fEon de Bcaun1onr~ c:haries
(2001). 'Jhc fv1aiden of
'fonncrrc: 'Ihc \/icissitudcs
of rhe (~hevalicr and
;.,,. the c:hcvalien:
I-<:atcs, (;ary. 1995, 200].
a "'•~?on1an: /\. ~Ede of Political ::ll1(1
Photo: The new community center coming soon.
October National GLBT
History Month
Each June, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender (GLBT) and allied community
ceiebrares our pride and diversity. It is
a time for parades and parties to celebrate
ourseives, our accomplishments and the
adv«nccs towards GLBT cquaiity. Each
October, we again cdebrate our communitv
· bur from a historical perspective. Octobe;
is recognized as GLBT History Month. In
1979, the first National Marci1 on \Vashington
for Lesbian & Gay Rights rook place.
Tens of thousands of G LBT individuals and
families crov:ded the nation's front yard, the
National Mail, to demand equality: In 1987,
another March on \'vashingwn occurred on
October l i th. The day is now recognized as
Nation .. ! Corning Out Day. 'Jhesc arc the
m;.in reasons whv Oc~ober was chosen as
GLBT History i,1omh. .
()kL1horna bas a rich and varied historv of
the GLBT & ;;,llied community. In 1980,
:1 sn1ail group of people concerned about
human rights and equaiitv for (;LB~r
()klahornans found~d ()klal1ornans for
~:~~f :m~~::::.i1Ii·~~:~;(f EI 1:,:if
In the 1980's~ll)li.R.
advent of HIV/AIDS, TOHR sent a medical
professional to health conferences to
remrn and advise the community on the
transmission of the virus. TOHR then
opened Northeast Oklahoma's first anonymous
HIV Testing Clinic, becoming a state
leader in HIV/AIDS testing and education.
In 1998, H.O.P.E. (Health Outreach, Prevention
and Education) became a separate
organization, allowing both H.O.P.E. and
TOHR to focus on their respective areas.
The new millennium broualu rapid arowth t> t>
for TO HR. Individual support expanded
programming and communitv involvement.
TOHR began its capitctl campaign,
"The Pyramid Project" in late 2000 while
being honored as ~n "OutGiving InCommunity"
host site for 200 l. "OutGiving"
allowed continued growth in education and
outreach as TOHR hosted the Denver-based
Gill Foundation's resource and community
building program. In 2001, TOHR was ·
selected as a "FastTrack" program, setting a
foundation for further growth to take the
community to the next level.
TOHR opened the first Tulsa GLBT Community
Center in October 1996. 1he Center
quickly became a community gathedng
spot with social and support groups, the
PRIDE Store, the Nancy McDonald Rainbow
Library, TV lounges and more. Two
locations later, the Tulsa GLBT Communitv
Center is now located at 5545 E 41st Stree(
in Highland Plaza. Open Monday through
Saturday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the
Center is growing in nearly every direction
and will welcome visitor number 10,000 for
the year by December.
The Tulsa GLBT Communitv Center is also
home to the Tulsa GLBT Hi;wry Project.
Begun in 2002, the Tulsa GLBT Hiswrv
Projecr uncovers, preserves and presents, the
rich contributions of Gav, Lesbian, Bisexual
and Transgendcr peopie ~,ithin the state
of Oklahoma. As we continue to fight for
a future society that more opcniy accepts
diversity and extends equal rights to all, the
sacrifices., contributions and dedication of
the GLBT community and its many SUD·
porters can be understood and apo;ccia;:ed
thr?ugh a:1 i?'portant source ofi~spiration
a n<t kno,v!edge.
·ro celebrate (;I.Jrr I-Iistorv J\.,1onth, T'C)HR
and the 'Ih!sa GLBI' Hist;ry Project are
~~;;;c:;~~! ~;~~;;~ f~1~:rj;;J::~~:~:~~ !il~-
"Center C:inen1a" 1he ()ctober c:~ruer
<:inetna line up of fi!nls includes fi!rn:i
covering the historical momems, places and
people of the GLBT & allied community.
First up is "The Times of Harvev Miik" ~n
Friday, October 6th at 7:00 Plvf. The film
highiights the life and tragic death of the
"Mayor of Castro'' - Harvey Milk, the first
openly gay member of San Francisco's Board
of Supervisors who was assassinated by
Dan White. Next up on the list is "Stonewall"
on Friday, October 13th at 7:00 PM.
"Stonewall" chronicles the events leading
up the famous riots commonly referred
to as the beginning of the modern GLBT
rights movement. 1he history of Fire Island
is documented next on Frid;y, October
20th with "When Ocean Meets Skv." 1he
film traces the history of the gay e1{clave
and how it became the social hotspot of the
Northeast. Last, but cerrainlv not least, is
the classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show."
The cult-classic shows at 7:00 PM on Friday,
October 27th - just in time for the unofficial
national gay holiday of Halloween.
AIDS Walk 2006 Tulsa
The history of the GLBT & allied community
has b~en greatly affected by HIV/AIDS.
Each year, the community comes together
to remember those lost while continuina
h
. t>
t e struggle to end this terrible disease. All
in the area who want to raise awareness of
HIV/AIDS and help meet the needs for
HIV prevention and care, are encouraged
to participate in AIDS Walk Tulsa 2006 on
Saturday, October 7 th. The festivities begin
at 9:00 AM at Veterans Park, 1875 S Boulder,
with the walk stepping off at 9:45 Alv1.
Refreshments and awards will be presented
to rhe top individuals and teams following
the 2-miie walk. Tulsa's 14th annual walk
raises funds to supporr direct HIV/ AIDS
services in Tulsa and receives matching
funds from a National AIDS Challenge
Grant. The Tbisa AIDS Walk is a pro{~cc
of the Community Service Co~:nci! or
rv'r eater ~1· i .l ls a, :,'-l-l 1v' er sponsors are th. e Gay &
Lesbian Fund forTuisa and Starbucks Coffee.
Bronze sponsors arc (:iao, Baby!~ Evan
Tayior Photography, MAC AlDS {und,
1'viiss Jackson's Nenvork-I. Ti1lsa PFLA..C;
andTul.sa Oklahomans for Human Right~
CTC)HR). Please visit 1.v\V\'l.aids\vaiktul~a. :i:!
1
;~'./~~;information ;.nd to sign up for
OUT OK 5 Film Festival ,:.:untiu.,ul
page-16
the STAR 15
(20Z)GREY
(1 OZ) .... ·.. . . .• . . .· ..
(1 OZ) CHAMBORG LIQUOR
(1/2 OZ) HALFc$ HAL;F .
FRESH RASPBERRIES
1. Chill a martini glass with ice· and
water.
2. Combin.e ali ingredients.with lee in
shaker and shake Y~ry .well. · · ·
3. · Strai.n int<> martini gla~s and g~rnisti
with a fresti raspberiy. .
YUMMY!
l 6 the STAR
OUT OK FILM FESTIVAL
OUT OK, the longest-running GLBT film
festivai in Oklahoma returns for another
outrageous year of celluloid fun. From
October 11-22, OUT OK unleashes firstrun,
independem, gay movies in Tulsa and
Oklahoma CitY. In addition to the verv
popuiar ABSOLUT RUBY RED Cock.tail
Parties, OUT OK is proud to announce
CLUB 209's "In Concert with FUNNY
KINDA GUY", following the screening of
the riveting Scottish documentary of the
same name. Direct from Scotland, Simon,
a post-op trans person will serenade us with
his tender, jazz /folk -inspired tunes, which
have captured the Glasgow music and dub
scene by storm.
With more tears and more tears of joy,
OUT OK is evolving, growing, and expanding.
There are more screening days,
more movies, and more beautiful actors
and ralented filmmakers. OUT OK opens
with Stewart Wade's delightfuily romantic
comedy of errors, COFFEE DATE. As
a practicai joke, gorgeous straigh~ man,
Todd, is sent on a biind date with hard and
hot gay man, Kelly. With hilarious performances
from Wilson Cruz (Mv So-Called
Life, Noah's Arc), Oscar-nomi~ated Sallv
Kirkland (Anna, Bruce Almighty), Jona~han
Silverman (Weekend at Bernie's, Death Becomes
Her), nineties teen singing sensation
Deborah Gibson, and Jonathan Bray (King
of Queens, The Practice), dating will never
be the same. Director and actors will be in
attendance.
Arguably the first gay sequel, writer/director
Q.Allan Brocka returns with EATING
OUT 2: SLOPPY SECONDS. Direcror
Phillip J. Bartell re-introduces Brocka's zany
cast of hot sex kittens, Gwen and Tiffani,
man-whore Marc, awkward gay boy Kyle
Oim Verraros -American Idol I). and a hot
bubbling menu of All-American beef and
succulem slabs of Grade-A man. To win
the bulging hearr ofTroy (Marco Dapper),
the new hunk in town, Kyle pretends ro be
straight, only to find himself joining the
campus ex-gay support group and landing
a vivacious girlfriend. Kyle's ex-boyfriend,
~-..farc (Brett Chukerman) is horrified at the
plan and decides to pursue Troy with his
own tactics. Ivfore raucous. More raunchy.
More mouth-watering fun. Fine-dining at·
its dirtiest-best! Actors will be in attendance.
For more information on OUT OK.
please visit wv,rw.out-ok.com or contact
Phiiip Au at 9 l 8.682A654, ext. 3 or pau@
out-ok.com
*
www. □ ZARKSSTAR.C □ M
~TRAVEL
@~
~[ti)@J!ill~~
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"WELCOME TO ARIZONA"
A colorful tapestry of culrures - from Hispanic and Native
American to the legendary Wild West - is woven throughout southern
Arizona, a land that thrived under
the flags ofboch Spain and Mexico
before becoming part of the U.S.
South of Flagstaff in the beautiful
Verde Valley area of north central
Arizona, Sedona including Jerome and
Prescott is red rock country. Many gay
men and lesbians - once they experience
the friendly atmosphere and small town
charm of Sedona - decide to relocate
here permanently. Women will find numerous
lesbian-owned accommodations.
Although Arizona is a landlocked
state, its desert dwellers cool off in the
warm waters of the state's many iakes. In
fact, Arizona boasts one of the highest
rates of boat ownership in che nation.
Home to che world-famous London
Bridge, Lake Havasu is both a water
lover's paradise and a desert lover's
dream. More than 400 miles of stunning
coasdine offers exceptional water sports,
including fishing and skiing, kayaking,
jet-skiing and houseboating. 1he western
region of the Seate can be amazing.
Northern Arizona is the Southwest at its best. It is a photographer's
paradise, a shopper's delight, a hiker's exploration, a history
buff's treasure trove of cultures and a boater's bonanza. Although
only a matter of hours from Phoenix deserts. Northern Ariz~ma can
be a world away in dimace. With elevations up to n:ore than 12.000
feet. If vou have never visited the Grand Canvon. ir trulv is one cf
the wo:iders of America. Stay at the historic f] ·i~n·ar c.,;c nii::lu. 'lh,
sccnic beauty is beyond description. If you ,ire h:mh0 cno~:gh to ukc
the mule excursion to the bottom. then bv all !1H.:ans de ,o. Or!1-
erwise jus~ stay at rhe hotel and have a drink. look 0L.r t11c wi!1d0".\'
and ~-icw rhe scenery_
\'(le have been to ali five areas and alw«y; l:aH a ;·::n:
ime. AE auto is an absolute :VfUST when visitini:: ;\;-i:wn,i :tr.d he:
St;RE a1:d keep plenty of gas in ,·ot:r ,ankl h I, t:!11:c: le·, abk
I'()\" n'an•, 0-"V owned· Band B's ~lv-r,• -r,· ;11 4ri"()Jl'.' nl,., d-,:-· 01, ! ~ • •>} b<.t,/ ~ ~A ,al.,.,,..., ,1_...., ! _a•'• ,_{ t ~-·• -~,.....,~ •
that arc cxtrcrneiy gay-friendly. Even in the ~tnaH 1cv.-n~, gJ~- iifr· i:cvenn,,
vherc.
Among our favorite places to stay in Arizona arc: LUNA VISTA
B And B in Rimrock (just South of Sedona) Kala and Frank are two
of the most wonderful people in the wori<l .. http:/ /www.iunavistabandb.
com/ An utterly "beyond FABULOUS experience s~aying
there. The ROYAL ELIZABETH B and B in Tucson is wonderful.
Jeff and Chuck know how to keep their guests returning year after
vear. http:/ /www.royalelizabeth.com/ and "The Casa de San Pedro
in Hereford is great: Karl and Patrick have done a wonderful job.
http:/ /www.bedandbirds.com/
In Phoenix, there are literaliy dozens uf gay bars to choose from
so just check out your bar guides before going. Whatever yom into,
there is perfect bar just for you:
There is a very strong gay community
in Arizona and some of the resources
can be found by going ro these:
http:/ /v1'ww.azpride.orgi. http:/ /www.
prescottpridecenter.com/ , http:/ /www,
cochise-pride.net/ , http:/ /www.flagstaffpride.
org/ and http:/ /wwv,. tucsonpride.
com/ Their local gay newspaper is a great
source for information: http:/ hvww,
echomag.com/,
Always remember to haYe a good
time when traveling and TALK TO EVERYBODY
! And, "don't cry because it's
over, SMILE because it happened and
you were a part of it!
* "ESSENTIAL INFORMATION WHEN
TRAVELING"
by Donald Pile and R:;y Williams
~lfavcling is incant to be fi.111. exciting and interesting, and if you
do vour homework ahead ,)f tl:nc it can keep :;Pu ;~,)m gett;:1g into
,rouble in so many vvays. Flyins has ,l~v,ays :1ecn a prob\tm and it of
course has gotrcn rnuch ,vorse since 9/11. If you are Hying sornc\
t·hcrc you just rI.i\VI--: to reaiize th~u you arc ill the rncrcr of the
airiin,:: '~?herhe, c:d,m:d. car:cc;ed o~ whatever d·,crc is i;CTl-iTNC
ti1.1~ vou can do about i! 'Jhen:forc. take 1 bouk . .:;·,,s,·.vnrd puzzlc.
1nag<l.zine, playing card~ or vlhatcver and ju.st ;,go \-Vith rhc flo\v,-
~....jo nt:ed to get upset o,:cr !->On1cthing d1~1t ~;ou have ab:-,oiurely no
cnrurol ov::1a-Yd!ing and and get ring up.,cz i:-- jusr not :1n
option_ /iirpurt food i~ v~:r;--- expensive and not ~dl rhat goqd :-,n tJkc
,dong .-;na1..:k~ or even a ~.u1d\vich ti) l'~U. For n1on: requeq
18 the STAR Arkansa:,; 8. Ok!21;oma's most read GLST lv/agazine
Gay Travelers:
an emergency aisle seat. Don't sit in rhe front of the emergency aisle
or in front of the bulkhead where seai:s may nor recline. If your
luggage gets lost or your flight is canceled, then complain RIGHT
AWAY! Don't wait a couple of days afterwards to complain.
Know how you are going to get into a city before arriving at the
airport. Mose ~ities ha\·e wonderful bus service into their downtown
area but some don't. So be sure to find out BEFORE you get there.
Otherwise a taxi ride an be terribly expensive. Of course anorher
aiternative is ro rem an auto.
If you are renting an auto for your trip, be sure and book it online
as there is a tremendous savings by booking on line rather than
calling their 800 number. Always double check to see if your auto
insurance covers your rental auto. If not, almost all Gold and Platinum
Visa and Master Cards cover the insurance. Always opt om
for filling your own gas thank when returning the auto to the rental
office. And if at all possible, NEVER rent an auto at the airport.
You will get stuck ~ith extra taxes that is imposed there. If you are
driving check with your auto club, (AAA, Costco, American Express
or whatever) and they will send you free maps and coupons for your
travels. Needless to say, if you are driving. NEVER have liquor in
your auto. Lock it in the trunk!
A~ we have mentioned in previous columns, NEVER let a
botcl/ motel/ resort make a copy o!.' your ciriver's license when you
check in. NEVER! Be happy to show them your l.D. bur never let
them make a copy of it. With that copy of your driver's license and
your credit card information any employee has ;:he means and in•
formation to pass along to anyone who wants to steal your identity.
This i5 ger:ting to be a real problem with hotels and motels. Just ask
to speak to the manage: on dt1ty and explain why you will be bppy
co show them your I.D. Howeve:, you will not iet them make a copy
r· 0. It.
If you ,vane to go to bars, find our where they are located before
vou rake off on vour travels. Find the exact locations and hours
for :he bars. The mo;e pre-planning you do the better things will
work for you: trip. \'X,'hether you're going :o be in a city for iust one
day or a week or more, plan ahead and make a scheduie before you
lem:c home. :\luseums, galleries ;md shops are closed different days
or the week. Always purchase :i local newspaper \vhen you get into
a city. They wii: usually have a full foting of things m do and e,·en
sp{.'.cials at local restaurants
Spc:iking of restamai1ts, it 1s always much less expensive re dine
late in che afrernoon ,!r l::mch menu prices rat.hc:r than a couple of
hoc.rs late: at dinf!er time. Alwavs remember the "special of the
dav'' no ione:-er rncans th~t the ,Price is lo'-;;¥cr. i\hvays ask ho\v tnxi.Ch
iris .. It's Y()'i_rR money ~'.1 don't frci embarrassed about asking the
pnce.
\\/e _r\.LSfA :{S pal· for on our trips \vith a credit card.
'Then \vhcn ~.rour l;ill,comes in, Pl/\·- -rI-fE r:tJLL ,:\1vI()L7NT l By
:;,;;~:~c\::: l: ;r~;l:~;~;~~c~;;::~ ct:;;: }::~~.f;r:t:1:::t ~:: ~-~::o~;;,\;
\1j1en a busi~1cs~ charges 50 cents or eve:n a dolbr to use your credit
card. cannot leiJlly do this ::nd •~vhen this docs happen~ call
your credit card ct ,rnpany irrnncdiatcly and rhcY ~. ., :iH rcin1bur:-e you
and fik
~TRAVEL
One time our bill showed oniy a total when we got our receipt.
When we go: home and checked our credit card account on !ine,
we found thev had made a mistake and h,,d overcharged an even
$1,000.00 to.our bill. With a phone call to our credit card company
it was taken care of immediatelv. h was just an honest mistake but it
was a mistake. It is very wise co' take cw~ different credit cards with
you when traveling.
Alwavs have fun when rraveiing, meet new people, see new
things an'd taste new food so that when you rerurn home you can
honestly say that you had a great time. Otherwise it is just money
wasted. Whether rraveling across rhe country or merely a few miles
away, traveling can be fun and exciting. Just don\ go imo the city
with the attitude of"Here I am. What do you have for me?" Everything
about your cravels is not going co be perfect so don't dweil on
it. There weather, the bars or the restal!rants might not be what you
expected so go to another bar or another resrauran:. Lite is too short
to stay someplace not to your liking.
For informadon about traveling e,nail Donaid and Ray at gayrravclers@
aol.com or visit their webpage at: hn:p:/ lwww.::ometown.ao1.
com/ gayrravelers.
Gold Castle
"At Century 21 Gold Castle our
BEST properties are our PEOPLE"
4301 NW 63rd, Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
405.840.2106
.c21 goldcastle.com
the STAt~ 10 j ,_;
One of the most beautiful cities in lvonh America, Vancouver is a
progressive, dynamic, and gay-popular vacation destination. (Photo by
john Sinai, courtesy of Tourism Vancouver)
October 2006
by Andrew Collins
Vancouver,
British Columbia
In V,noo""'• one of tl,, wodd', mos, smnning does, yon an
kayak in English Bay in rhe morning before skiing down Grouse
Mountain later that afternoon - indeed, few cities offer better access
to the great outdoors. The city's glimmering. postmodern city center
anchors a peninsula jutting into the rippling Strait of Georgia, irs
shoreline sculp,ed by bays and inlets. From just about anywhere on
this peninsula, you're within walking distance of two beaches, leafy
Stanley Park, the ultra-gay Davie Village district, and several similariy
diverring neighborhoods. It's for ail these reasons that VancouYer
- whid: is aiso in a country that has legaiized same-sex marriage
- has emerged as one'{)f ~he most wonderful gay destinations in the
world.
For Americans, visiting Vancouver :s quite easy. 'The city is just a
three-hour drive north of Seattle, and it aiso has direct flights from
nutnerous U.S. cities. just keep in Inind that in a couple of years;
you ,vill be required to show a valid passport Vi;hen crossing the
border (right !HW,, technically. you can get by with a driver·, license
but if you don't have a passport. you're likely to be pulh:d aside and
questioned thoroughly). Pi.lso keep in rnind that the lJ.S. dollar has
becon1e increasingly ,veak agajnst the C:anadian doilar in recent
years {US$ I equaled CAi'~$ l. l l as of mid-Septcmb(:f 2!106). ~o
iravding to Vancouver isn't quite the bargain it ~1.vas a couple of years
ago. StHL overalL it's less expensive than New "'Yorkl S;Jn Franc1scoJ
London: and many other place::- of .,,.,a,,w,~ popularity.
Vancouver is a highly progressive place - feminists, lesbians, and
gays piay a prominent role in local politics, have helped rejuvenate
several flagging neighborhoods, and support a compact but potent
restauram and club scene. The West End, which abuts Downtown
and was a prostitution-ridden eyesore in ;:he 1980s, is ;:he city's
main gay commercial and residential sector. You'll find most of the
gay nightlife and social scene along a roughly eight-block stretch of
Davie Street known as Davie Village. Farther north, Davie intersects
with another lively strip of cool shops and restaurants, Denman
Street. At this intersection, you're just steps from sparkling English
Bay Beach, a fine spot to catch a few rays on a warm afternoon.
Davie Viliage is a terrific neighborhood for eating and bar-hopping.
Bin 941 exemplifies the growing popularity of tapas-styie restaurants
in Vancouver. Try the mussels steamed ,vith habanero chi!es.
kafir-lime leaf, and cypress-honey lager, and enjoy a local vimage
from the fabulous wine list. The campy and affordable Cafe Luxy
serves humongous portions of pasta, and nearby Hamburger 1v1ary's
is a fun, !ate-night bet for burgers, fries, and diner fare. Near where
Davie meets Denman, you can sample inventive Pacific Northwestern
cuisine at the Raincit'/ Grill, where dishes like grilled bison strip
loin wirh lentil-and-braised-rib ragout await you. Grab an espresso
nearby at gay-popuiar Delany's or up the street at Melriches, which
is just around the corner from the acclaimed queer book and gift
shop, Little Sisters.
Later in the evening, check out Davie Street's gay bars, the most
popular being Celebrities and the Odyssey, which both draw young,
stylish crowds. Both spots pull their share oflesbians, but Celebrities
is the more diverse of the two. 'The Odvssey has a festive patio
and a great little dance floor. Other fun drinki~g spots along.Davie
include Oasis (an attractively decorated piano cabaret and resrnurant),
Pumpjack (a neighborhood pub with a leather-and-Levi's
vibe), 1181 (an ultra-chichi martini lounge drawing a well-coiffed
crowd), Fountainhead Pub (a fun sports bar with a great patio), and
Numbers (a lovably dive-y cruise bar with three levels). If you're
looking for action, drop by one of the city's popular bathhouses.
F212 Steam or M2M Playspace. 1hc latter is part of the saucy (but
quite affordable) Fahrenheit Hotel, a men's sex-plex with privare
rooms and a steamy vibe (there are rooms on one floor that are
geared more toward guests who want to keep their clothes on and
get a good night's sleep).
1here are severai gay-friendiy bed-and-breakfasts and ho,ds in the
neighborhood, the upscale West End Guest House being among the
best, wii:h its beautifullv decorated Edwardian rooms. Another luxurious
B&B that's highly appealing is O'Canada House, whose rooms
have spacious tile b:.,fa and TVs with VCRs. A bit less prlcey but
,till with ample charm, handsome furnishings, friendiy hosts, and
a great location near Davie Village, Ndson House has six inviting
guest rooms. You'll find 195 spJci<Hs. contemporary s:.:ites with full
kitchens and moderate rates at the Sandman Suites, a popuhr fuliseriice
hotd right in the heart of Davie Village ame:iirie, include
the popular Moxie's Grill restama:u, a spa, and a fitness cenrer. If
v(n/rc on a budget~ the Inn at False C:reck Qualitr Hotel is a repu~
:-,;1~·1·,.~ d,.... ... ,,i alI()'d'1·0· 1',c• ---n' ai1·, ,')pt;O-P n,-, the ,,r-l.,.e (~.F-D-;:~,,',r> 1/ii1'•1cr{"' ~ t,(,.u" ,_...,, ,_!Ji l (,. ._ ~ ~ . > ~i ... ~ ~/ .. ,._ ... us~- , .... ·~ .,_ ~~ ,;._b_,
Just steps fron1 the ~WC-st End discover the beautiful, rugged
Stanley Park, \.vhich occupies a peninsula of 1T101T than 1,000 un~
spoiicd acres of lush greenery, fi)rcsts of cedar ~1nd [)oug!as fir. sandy
beaches, and panorarnic n1aritfrne vistas.
20 Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT A1agazme
From here it's a short drive to North Vancouver, home to Grouse
Mountain ski area. For a great photo-op, stop by the nearby 450-
foot-long Capilano Suspension Bridge, which swings gently (for the
most part) 230 feet above the river below it.
Back in the city center, you'll find some of the city's best upscale
shopping along Robson Street, and you can enjoy a more historic
aspect of Vancouver by wandering through Gastown, the site of
Canada's transcontinental railroad terminus. The neighborhood
boomed throughout the late 1800s, foundered by the middle of this
century, and became a model for urban restoration in the '60s and
'70s. Today you can stroll along Gastown's main cobbled thoroughfare,
Water Street, past dozens of somewhat touristy shops and
restaurants.
Just a few blocks from Davie Village you'll find Yaletown, where
Vancouver's fine-arts-and-fashion elite have converted dozens of
early 20th-century warehouses into chic restaurants, galleries, and
shops (including the stellar gourmet food market, Urban Fare, an
excellent place to pick up picnic supplies). This hip district is also
home to the city's coolest hotel, the Opus, which also happens to be
one of North America's most gay-friendly addresses. 1his swank yet
unpretentious property with 96 rooms and suites is a favorite haunt
of visiting celebrities, who appreciate the super-efficient staff: boldly
designed rooms, and cool lobby lounge. Don't miss the hotel's
sensibly chic restaurant, Elixir, a postmodern vision of a Parisian
bistro noted for its brunches (try the duck hash with poached eggs
and sourdough bread) and superb contemporary cuisine, including
a knockout pan-roasted halibut with wild mushrooms and trufflemarjoram
sauce.
Another cool Yalctown address for sophisticated chow and memorable
people-watching is Blue Water Cafe, whose speciaities include
a sampler of f0tir ceviches with salmon, halibut, rnna, and scallops,
and a wonderful entree of local sablefish caramelized with soy and
sake. A block away, slick Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar can be forgiven
for its slightly pretentious and gimmicky ambience, because this
plays turns out delicious food, including tequila lamb satay with
lime-mint glaze, and spaghetti with truffles and Kobe meatballs.
From Yaletown, you can catch a water taxi to Granville Island, once
the shipping and processing center for the city's logging industry,
and now yer another successful urban renovation with a mammoth
public market and many galleries and artisrs' studios.
It's a 15-minm:e drive east of the citv cemer to Commercial Drive,
a neighborhood thai:'s been reborn in i:he past decade as the cit/s
lesbian hub. Here you'll find several v,roman-owned shops, including
\X!omyn's 'Ware, the definite source: for women's sex coys, lube,
and fetish ',Near. Most afternoons anci evening:,;, you'll see cute dvkes
passing time at the neighborhood's several shabby-chic coffeeho'uses.
lhis is aiso a great area for affordable, he;,Jthfui cuisine. Exceilent
options indude globallv inspired Stella's Tap & Tapas Bar and Havana,
a grea, source for' deli~ious Larin-inf;sed far~.
Finally, if you're looking for some outside fun on a sunny day? rnake
i:he 20-minute drive to \\'est Vancouver to 'Wreck Beach, which is
right by the campus of the l}niversity of British Colun1bia. l'-lot
especia!iy sandy or accessible (you must hike down a steep l 00-foot
trail), it's the cit}'~'s only more-or-less sanctioned nude beach (at ieast
the illegalig.r of Jetting it all hang out is overlooked by authorities).
-n1c south end of""Wreck Beach (to get there ~Yilol.,v the for trail
vvww. ozarksstar: com
number 6) is predominantly gay, and depending on your vantage
point, the views from this secluded swath of sand can be amazing,
whether you're admiring nature - or naturists.
*
health ouu-eaoh pmvention educaflon7 Inc.
1-800-535-AIDS (2437)
Oklahoma's HIV/STD Hotline
' '>, >>: ' ' ' ,_,. ', ✓
* Free nonjudgmenhlf HlVtesting, inclt1ding the 20
rniJiule OraQwg)( fest.. . .
• Free SyphiHis screening at thi:J GLBT
Center on Tuesdays from tJ.;Bpm
H.O.P~E. Te-1ing Clinic
MensOutreach Program
In Tulsa at (918) s1i..;7045
the STAR 21
he reamhelmet
ould Emily Post
pprove?
--
Recently, the CBS News \Vebsite posed the following hypothetical
scenario and question: "Strangers on a Plane: The stranger sitting
next ro you on a plane ieans over to reads your magazine, takes off
his shoes and socks, or keeps chatting when all you want to do is
nap. The guy in front of you cranks his seat all the way back, while
th: k!~ behind you kicks your seat. What's a polite passenger to
do'. ...
(PRWEB) September 12, 2006 -- Recent!v, the CBS News Website
posed the f<:!lowing hypothetical scenario.and question: "Strangers
on a Plane: l11e stranger sitting next to you on a plane leans over ro
reads your magazine, takes off his shoes and socks, or keeps chat~
i'.1g when all you want to do is nap. The guy in front of you cranks
n1s seat all the way back. while the kid behind you kicks vour seat.
What"s a polite passenger to do? ... " ·
Reporter Tracy Smith, aided by travel journalist Val D'Elia of
TravelWlth Val.com, offered some solutions on the Qune 24, 2006)
Sawrday Early Show. Val, who has endured her share of annoying
strangers on a plane, suggested that one solution to che problem was
~o make use of the Dreamhclmet.
Want the STAR delivered to your home or business?
12 issues for $26.95 will be mailed in a sealed envelope
the 1st of each month. Complete the form
below and send with a check or moneyorcler to:
Ozarks S1.l\R
5103 S. Sheridan Rd., #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
(Single Copies $3.00 per issue)
22 the STAR
Although the report suggested no specific reasons, it appears that average
air travelers of today are less likely to resemble Beaver Cleaver
and_family or Mr. Rogers, and more closely fit the profile of soccer
hooligans and players, or rapper wannabes and entourage. The
upshot is tha::, chances are, your fellow air passengers wi!l exhibit
less manners and grosser social graces than those of an eadier epoch,
when people sought the advice of Emily Post.
A changed view of air travel, from being something awesome and
novel, like going on a grear adventure, to being commonplace, like
riding the bus, may be partly to blame fur more hang-ioose social
behavior aboard. It also may be true that che average American really
does exhibit less well-mannered behavior, in any situation, than
his parents did.
On an airplane, you are a sort of captive participam. Situations can
occur at any time from which you might wish to make a gracefui
exit. So how can a Dreamhelmet save you from this kind of uncomfortable
social dilemma? ,
The Dreamhelmer is a combination sleep-mask pillow that blocks
!ighr and mufHes sound. It has sound-blocking foam sewed into the
pilk,w portion which covers the ears. The Drcamhelmer allows its
user to iean against the plane window or seatback (or uave!incr companion's
shoulder) and fa!] asleep. The pillow portion offer; s:rne
neck support. Secrer pockets located near the temple hide money,
valuables, foidable reading glasses, soft foam earpl~1gs (provided), or
an alarm watch so as not to oversleep.
Putting on your Dreamhelmet is like hanging out a ''Do Not
Disturb" sign. It is a polite, but effective, wav to let others know
you have retreated into your own space, no longer want to communicate,
and do want peace and quiet. It is not necessarv to do or sav
anything rude to anyone. It not only works for Val, b~r we think i;
is also what Emily Post would have done.
Dre:1mhelmet lets you sleep by blocking light with a generous sleep
mask and cradling your head in a soft cotton sound-blocking pillow.
Many amactive fabrics please all tastes. Dreamhelmets cost $29.95
plus $4.95 posrage The direct 24 hour telephone order number is
(888i918-5630.
More OUT in Arkansas
A gay reading group forms,
"LITERARY PRIDE"
by Amos Lassen
LITTLE ROCK, AR_Two years ago a group of gay men met and
organized "The Oscar Wilde Reading Group" which had several sessions
and then became defunct. When I moved to Little Rock after
Katrina, I tried to find a sense of communitv and whiie at Wordsworth
and Company Books, I noticed the ;nnouncement about
the reading group. I called and went to the next meeting. Little did
I know then, that this meeting was to be the last of the Oscar Wilde
group. I was determined that this was not going to happen. After
rwo unsuccessful attempts to get a group together, I finally decided
to hit the bars, the coffee shops and the bookstores and posted an
announcement of a new group to be formed. We finally met in
June--only 2 members of "Oscar Wilde' and a bevy of new faces
set up our organizational framework. Our first two meetings saw us
outgrow our meeting place at Sufficient Grounds in Hillcrest. So we
established the name "Literary Pride" and for our third meeting we
moved into one of the member's homes. 'We began our reading with
"Grief" by Andrew Hollerana book that explains that by grieving we
are keeping alive the memory of those we have loved and lost. Our
second book was ".My Lives" An Autobiography by Edmund White,
a tell ali no hoies barred life story of the pre-eminent gay writer alive
today as he took us on a whirlwind tour of his life as an out gay
man.
Each member has the opportunity to choose a book and the choice
simply alternates from person to person. Reviews of new books appear
regularly at littlerockpride.com.
1be beauty of Literary Pride is that the group is completely independent
of everything else and aside from enjoying reading, we also
enjoy getting together and just talking. Friendships have been made
and the excitement that each meeting generates is exciting. The
books we read are mainiy just a jumping off point to rhe discussions
of matters that affect gay life today. It is such a wonderful feeling for
us to come toged1er with the sole purpose being our enjoyment of
being together.
This year Literary Pride will participate in the Arkansas Literary Festival.
For the first time, gay literature will be part of the festival and
we are presently working to bring authors imo Arkansas for the festival.
We have just received word that one of the finest gay authors
writing today will honor us by attending the Festival. ANDREW
HOLLERAN, author of the gay classic "Dancer from the Dance'' as
well as "Nights in Aruba" and "'The Beauty of Men".
lhe group is open to anyone ( regardless of sex:uaI orientation and
gender) who wishes to participate. The only expense you may
have is the price of the book and members get a discount at a iocal
bookstore. 'Xie are looking forward w a greac year of activity. More
information can be gained by dropping me a line at alassenamos@
yahoo.com. Membershio is alwavs ooen and we look forward to
~vekoming a!L • , '
*
"San Francisco searcher
Discovers
atment
ImmuneS
Infected
roundbre ng
Stren hen
terns in HIVt1.
ents "
Study Featured in Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndromes August issue and Presented at 16th International
Worid AIDS Congress
TORONTO, CANADA_Micronutrient supplementation increases
CD4 count in HIV-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral
therapy (HA.ART), according to a study published in the
August 15th issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndromes. These results were presented at the 2006 World AIDS
Conference in Toronto on August 14th.
The study, authored by Jon D. Kaiser, M.D., demonstrates tl1at the
patients adding a micronuuient supplement while taking HA.ART
are able to increase their CD4 cell count by 24%, compared to no
change in the placebo group. CD4 cells act ro protect the body
against viral, fungal, and protozoal infections. When an individual is
HIV-infected, the virus continually kills CD4 cells. Over time, the
body is unable to replace the lost cells and their number declines,
making the body more susceptible to infections.
With twenty years of HIV treatment experience, Dr. Kaiser has investigated
many antioxidant combinations. "There have been several
recent clinical trials which show HIV-infected patients who begin to
take micronutrient supplements have improved clinical
outcomes,'' said Dr. Kaiser. "This most recem study proves to the
medical community that micronutrient supplementation holds
significant promise as a vital part of standard medical
creatment for people with HIV/AIDS."
Success of antiviral therapy ro date has been limited by a wide range
of debilitating side effects. The micronutrient supplement tested was
also shown to decrease one of the common side effects of antiviral
therapy, peripheral neuropathy, by 42% compared to a 33°10 decline
in the placebo group.
"!he abiiity of this micronutrient formula ro strengthen the immune
systems of people wirh HIV/AIDS - at substantiallv lower cost than
tl1at of anti'...,iral medication could potentially stabilize the health
of millions of people in the developing world until access to antiretroviral
medications improves.
Co-authors indude Adriana M. Campa, Ph.D., Joseph P. Ondercin,
PA-C, Gifford S. Leoung, I,1.D., Richard F. Piess. Ph.D., and
Jvfarianna K. Baum. Ph.D. The scudv was funded by Bristol-Myers
Squibb.
TheSTAR 23
Salutation kittens and loyal love slaves! This mooch Uncle
Mikey recovers from a love affair of epic proportions. I mean
whew, that man was just too much. It was iike being at the
DQ and trying to take that extra dip, knowing your body,
just wouldn't handle it. I mean; it just was not right. While
appealing, some mountains just are not meant to be climbed.
Sadly, I had to cut chat stallion ioose, sending him back into
the wild. I hope he does not do any damage; ralk about putting
your eye out.
I bet the censors arc just on the edge of their seats. I guess, I do
sound a little like a prom date gone bad. That man of substantial
lovin' made more of an impression than I realized. Kitcens, I tried,
really I did. You just cannot gee a twelve in a size ten; I don'c care
how you work it.
Uncle Mikey here once more to spread his wisdom, thought provoking
views, and midnight iove to those who qualify. Yes, like a
true timeless treasure, Uncle is on the scene looking out for those
in Queerdom. Let's get to it as my eighth husband wouid say, the
romantically challenged to say the lease, But I digress.
Dear Uncle },1ikey,
I am an older gay man with 2 children. Because, I take care of
myself, most people do not realize my children are in college. At
my oldesr son's lase cdllege break, he brought home one of his frat
brothers. His friend was a Greek god and I could not stop acting
iike a high school girl around him. I chink he was enjoying
the attention and was flirting with me by the end of the first day.
Because I was so bothered by this beautiful young man, I could not
sleep. Around 2:00 AM in the morning. I recreated to the kitchen
to try to drown my sexual frustration in some orange sherbec.
'When I turned around from the freezer, there was my soP:s friend
in nothing but his birthday suit. I was so shocked; (dropped the
sherbet on the floor. He chuckled and told me that it was all right
that my son had told him all about me and that's why he was there.
he wanted to be with an older man that looked as good as I did. I
couid no longer concroi mvseif and p!ay·ed out mv ~ildesr famasv ,t A / ,-
right there in the kitchent with my son asleep upstairs!
26 theSTAR
I have never done anything like this before and am feeling
tremendously guilty for my lack of seif-control. I am also flattered
because of having a 23 year old come onto me. I am feeling like a
troll! Unde Mikey help! How do I handle this flood of emotions?
Scarcer Troll
Dearest ST:
Darling, troll, I think not. Greek Gods would not mingie; I see the
start of a player extraordinaire. As for the sleeping lamb. this is not
an issue; all were consenting, and aware. I imagine some more
than others however, that is just the icing the way I see it. Enjoy
and cherish the memory of your fling in the night, it shall keep you
warm on those blustery winter eves.
Smooches-Mikey ·
Honey, Uncle can tell you from personal experience, a Twink in the
twilight can keep those batteries charged for a forcnighr. Oh my
nerves, I must have another drink before we go on. I hope chat
houseboy of mine has those batteries charged by now.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
Mv bovfriend has friends who like to partv. He has asked me what
I ~ould think about attending a sex p;rty., where we would not intermingle;
simply perform rhe act in front of each other .. He thinks
this would be hoc, while I think I would be too self-conscious to
enjoy it. Should I do it, as he says it is my duty?
Sexually confused
Dearest confused,
Confused, about what to wear? Kitten, some are bold and risk
takers. The proposal could have been worse, however the decision
remains solely yours. You must decide what you are comfortable
with, making it know you are not going to participate in something
you do nor want. Often couples will find themselves at the road,
where the desires divide the mind. It is important to find a common
ground, where both desires addressed respectfully, allow
personal growth and majority.
Dear Uncle Mikey,
Do you know of any really good sex positions?
Young-one
Dear Young one,
Do you know of any bad ones?
Smooches-Mikey
\'veil Kittens, I must take my ieave hmvever before I do remember
chis; Uncle's law in the sexu;l behavior- Harm none do what ye
wiii, do it well and thee wiil gee rhy fill. Safety comes before the
deed; wrap that meat before pumping chat steed. Smooches-Uncle
Mikey and Tiddles too!
Write to 1Jncic !vHkey at uncien1ikey4you@ao!.co1n
\¥ith those quandaries you dare not ask anyone else, take it to the
gay guru!
*
"The Laramie Project" A
Play About The Affect of
Mathew Shepard's Death.
INDEPENDENCE, KS_"The Laramie
Project," rhe ground-breaking drama by
Mo'ises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre
Project, will be performed by the William
Ing~ Center for the Arts Theatre Department
at Independence Community College,
Independence, Kansas.
Featuring an all-student cast, "The Laramie
Project" runs 1hursday through Saturday
Oct. 12-14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Oct.
15 at 2:30 p.m. at the William Inge 'Theatre
at ICC.
The Inge TI1eatre and the ICC is campus is
located south of the town of Independence.
From Main and I 0th Streets, proceed on
South I 0th Street for two miles and turn
right on Road 58. The thearre and campus
is on the right.
Scats mav be reserved by calling (620)
332-5492 and tickets will be hdd at the box
office for patrons until 20 minutes prior to
curtain, after which they are released for
general sale, Seating is general admission.
Tickets are $6 general admission.
"The Laramie Project'' premiered in 2000
and is the moving drama about the residents
of Laramie, Wyoming, and what rhey went
through following the 1998 murder of
Mathew Shepard, a gay college student.
Director is Perer Ellenstein, artistic director
of the Wiiliam Inge Cencer for the Arts.
Independence, Kansas, is located at the
iunction of Highways 75 and 160 in south~
ast Kansas. It is located 90 miles north of
Tulsa, 90 miles west of Joplin, 120 miies
south of Kansas City, and 120 miles southeast
of""Wichita.
The 2006-07 Mainstage seawn li1:: ICC
' · · ! 0 piays COfitlOUe Wlt 1 t1h._ e L•• 0 .n....1 C-d jv .. ..f 1u1 °~· -
Servant of Two \fasrers" Dec 7 - i 0 :md the
, 1 HT mus1ca1 r f appy E--;,d ,· • on ertola_ no re':-'.-.l:-"•
and Kurt Weill, March 15-18, 20<F. lhc
I(:C theater dcpartn1cnt b noted as one of
the outstanding r,;vo-year college thean:r
p·~ograms in th~ tvtid,vest. Spring 2006
~ ... ,,dua:rPs were accepted for transfer to lb~ Bo;to~ Conser:,axory, E1n.crson c:ol- ,''° g---· '•.. ""•p-hens c·O 1b1t •.g•c~. •..: tn r..1... .11.~ ,.. e r... t...,;,.1,a. ...., a. . 5, i..j, ,S-ch~;;i:;f th~ Arts~ Fo~ rnore inforn1ation:
,v,.:ii1,v.ingecenter.org
*
Gay & Lesbian
History Month celebrated
at Missouri
State University
SPRINGFIELD, MO_Dudng October,
Gay & Lesbian History Month wiil ~e .
celebrated on the Missouri State Umvermy
Springfield campus.
Events are planned for the celebration,
including a reception honoring the second
birrhdav of OLGA (Ozarks Lesbian &
Gav Ar~hives), a discussion of health issues
aff~cti~g gay men ~nd le~bians, an ~~plor~tion
or how the M1ssoun State pub11e affaus
mission with its emphasis on communiry
building encourages or discourages mino~iry
inclusion, and an "out on campus" in wl11ch
students, staff, and faculty discuss life at
Missouri State for openly gay people.
With the inauguration of a new administradon
at Missouri State, gay people are
hopeful that this year's program will be
supported campus wide. Holly B:ggett,
History Professor and President ot Lambda
Alliance, one of the co-sponsoring organizadons,
said that she hopes 1',1issouri State will
adopc a new attitude toward gay peopl_e.
"1here is a sense for many reasons havmg to
do with diversiry, hiring and accreditation.
mainstreaming the University, and just common
sense, that the Administration is now
encourai:dng gay men and lesbians to be visible
and\o play an active role on campus."
In addition to rhe Lambda Alliance which
advocates fair treatment for gay and lesbian
neoole ar MSU, Gay & Lesbian History
}.fo~th is sponsored by the MSU History
Departmem, and the MSU College of Humanities
and P:1biic Affairs.
·r·h•·o«o·l, r:"}' & I "Sbi;,n History Month, .l -~ ....._!-,._1 •-_,~,, ~>,- r •• r
rhe U1;iversicv is folfiliing irs goai of seiking
;; produce civil and educated citizens in a
metropolitan co1n1nunity.
I=or rnore infr1nnation contact Holly
Pn.:sidcnt. Oifce; 417-836-5206
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT ,i.,fagazine
Phone Home campaign!
WASHINGTON. DC_h's a campaign
to mobiiize fair-minded people everywhere
in the fight against the anti-~_GBT co~stitutional
amendments that will be on tl1e
November ballot in eight states: Arizona,
Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and \'?isconsin.
If vou come from or know anyone in any of
th;se states and surely you do then you can
take action today.
Just go to the campaign \Y/eb site, ww~w.
PhoneHome2006.org, where you'll find all
the tools you need to quickly and easily contact
vour relatives, friends, classmates and
for~er co-workers in these states and cell
them vou need them to do the right thing
on N~v. 7. You can also donate to the state
campaigns through this site.
*
Creating
Community for
Peopie living
with
HIV/AIDS
()ur House. Too offers a variety of
activities for people v:ho are HI\/+ and
or living 'Nith A.IDS to heip combat the
social isolation that rnany of our
dE;f ~;~~}if ~::~1=ti:~;e ~~;~~-
and or Hving v.tith ,A.JDS "Nho cannot
afford to ourchase these iteff:s for
thernseh1~s. VVe invite anyone ;,vho
•Nould !Ike to voiunteer or provicit? fi~.
nanciai assistance to piease contact
us by phone 918--585-9552 or
harrisrnmjrt@yahoo.corn
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
OCTOBER 2006
"Don't argue, Leo - entertain!"
Mars is already a bit weakened and lacking focus in Libra,
although normally that sign makes him a better team
player. As he trines Neptune in Aquarius, hedonistic indulgences
come easily, but directed, productive activity is
harder. Yoga, martial arts, or other activities tied to balancing
spirit will help.
ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Your partner wants to spend
more time alone with you, but you're feeling more openly
social. There's time for both; be considerate of your partner.
If you're single and looking. try a sporting event. Having
some friends along could help the search.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Lately, you've been uncertain
about what you want to be when you grow up. You can
take some satisfaction that your current job - and especially
your ability to work with others - will eventually help you find
your way to the top.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Try out new and different
entertainments. Iranian movies? Dervish performances?
Kinky experiments you haven't gotten around to yet?
Something with a spiritual twist will be most interesting. Be
very open to new possibilities as they offer themselves.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Never mind the bedroom
- take the fun to the kitchen! There you can imagine brilliant
new uses foi some of the utensils, and find great ingredients
for fun. If you don't have privacy there, pack a picnic
basket!
LEO (July 23 -August 22): The more forcefully you express
your points. the more illogical they seem to others.
If you can argue effectively a!ong emotional lines, using a
dramatic style, your lack of logic may not matter. Better yet,
don't argue. Just entertain!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Watch out for nervous
tension over any problem, especially money. Nothing
will be solved now. but you can get a sense of how to be
more effective working with others, which wiil he!p in the
long run.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): You're unusually energetic
and playfui these days. Be cautious: know your own
!imits and those of your playmates. You're sure to stumble
over them anyway, so just be careful that nobody gets hurt
and that necessary apologies are madei
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Either as a longterm
project or just for a few hours. make your bathroom
into a place of elegant pleasure where you can enjoy a
long, hot, relaxing soak. That's always a healing divertissement,
and now it's an absolute necessity!
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): You have
a sudden burst of energy for either social activity or politics;
stick with the social. !n politics you'll oniy wreak confusion
now. But at other occasions, your whimsical touch should
prove a huge asset!
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): You need reassurance
about where you're going in life and why. A little
confusion is good if it opens you to deeper understanding.
Talk with your boss - or a professional - about your goals
and your purpose.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): You're craving
adventure, but what kind? Let it be an adventure in trust.
Try to give up being a control queen long enough to let a
friend iead you somewhere entirely new. That doesn't necessarily
mean sex, but don't rule it out!
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): One fish is swimming
toward mad !ust, the other toward quiet retreat. Invite your
sexiest friend(s) to an erotic retreat where you car.i alternate
games of strip Twister with meditation, massage, and
shared baths.
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE HIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
MCC SPONSORS
Testing appointmcm 4 '. 7-529-8480.
2902 E. 20th St.,
PO Box 4711
jopbn, fvio 64803
'...." .. \[1. .•.r,.T.l_ :: ·RD.,-1..!:. \.. . ·vi · 1,~,,_·,~· ,.1..'. JCe,. _.9 ·h ")(,\j ,r,\ d7. .. ''l
28 Advet1ising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Arkansas, Bentonville/Rogers (479)
NWA GLBT Ctr - - - www.nwaglbtcc.org- - - - - --479-586-1062
Barnes & Noble Bks - - 261 N. 46th St., Rogers- - -479-636-2002
Arkansas, Eureka Springs (479}
Diversity Pride Event - - - - - - - - - - - - -www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View- - - - 36 N. Main- - - - - - - - - -479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante- - - - 309 W Van Buren- - - - - -479-253-8102
Henri's - - - - - - - 19 1i2 Spring St - - - - - - - - - - - -479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -870-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- - - - 888-582-8464
Spexton- - - - - - - - 178 Spring Street - - - - - - - - -479-981-6060
Tiki Torch- - - - - - - - 75 S. Main Street- - - - - - - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge -141 W. VanBuren- - - - - - - - - 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant- - - 412 W. Dixon - 479-442-3515
Condom Sense - - - - - - - - 418 W. Dickson- - - - - -4 79-444-6228
Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - -930 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
Pride Street Live- - 523 W. Poplar St-- - - - - - - - - - 4 79-587-0557
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - - -479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1 /2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - - 4 79-783-9988
Red Rock City - - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - - 1010 E. Grand Ave - - - - - - - 501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - -501-6642744
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - - 1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - - - 415 Main St- -North LR.- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory - : - - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- -1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- -1709 N. Walnut- - - - - - - - -Service 11AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40- - - - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Kellogg Dr- - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Ciub Giacier- - - - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - - 316-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E 20th, - - - - - -Sat Service-9:30AM
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
40th Street Inn- - -www.40thstreetinn.com- - - - - -816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd - - - - - -816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs - \A.'\Nw.hydeskc.com - 816-561-1010
Missie B's- - - -805 W. 39th St- - - - - - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe (417)
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417)
The Edge- - - - - 424 Boonville Ave- - - - - -- - - - - - 417-831-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commerical- - - - - - - - -417-869-3978
Martha's Vineyard- - 219 W Olive - - - - - - - - - - - 417-864-4572
Missouri, Springfield (417)
Ronisuz Place- - --821 College- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books- - - -104 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-242-6838
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton (580)
lngrids Bookstore- - - - -1124 NW Cache Rd- - - - - -580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Blue Dog Liquor- - - - - - -4015 N. Penn - - - - - - - - -405-606-7000
Boom Room- - - - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- -- - - - - - - -405-601-7200
Border's Books- - - - - - 3209 NW Expressway- -- - - 405-848-2667
CD Warehouse- - - - - - 4001 N. Penn - - - - - - - - - - 405-525-7766
Club Rox- - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Christie's Toy Box- - - - -3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - - 405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - -405-672-6459
Hollywood Hotel- - - - 3535 NW 39th Exp - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club - - - - - - -1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - - - -405-843-1722
Naughty But Nice - - - - 3121 SW 29th St- - - - - - - -405-681-5044
Partners- - - - - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Pec's- - - - - - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expw - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Rudy's Place-- - - - -3535 NW39th Expw- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - - - -405-601-3711
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
The Rockies- - - - - - 3201 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - - 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- - - 3535 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Tramps- - - - - - - - - - - -2201 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - - -405-521-9888
Ziggy's- - - - - - - - - - - - 4005 N. Penn- - - - - - - - - - -405-521-9999
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- - - -7204 E. Pine - - -- - - - - - - - - -918-836-8700
Border's Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Border's Book Store - - - 8015 S, Ya!e - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Maverick- - - - - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - - - - -9i8-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - - - - - - - -918-834-1051
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - - 3540 E. 31st- - - - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz's Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nite Spot - -- - - - - -3007 E. Admiral Pl - - - -- - - - - - 918-834-3007
Openarms Youth Projt- - - 2015 S. Lakewood- - - - -918-838-7104
Our House, Too - - - -203 N Nogaies Ave- - - -- - - - -918-585-9552
Priscma·s - - - - - - - - -7925 E 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscii!a's - - - - - - - - 5634 W. Ske!iy- - - - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 1134,1 E. 11th - - - - -918-438-4224
Priscii!a's - - - - - - - - - 2333 E. ?1st- - - - -- - - - - ~918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- - - - - - - 918-627-1505
St Michaels Aliev- - - - - -3324-L E 31st- - - - - - - 918-7 45-9998
Sterling & Co. Sa!on- - -1606 E.15t!l St.-· - - - - - - 918-742-9999
Titan's Lounge - - 6373-C E 31st St- - - - - - 9rn-836-0299
Tulsa CARES· - - - 3507 E. Admira! Pl- - • - - - - - 918-834-4194
Tulsa Central Library•• - - 400 Civic Center• - - 918-596-7977
Tulsa Eagle· - • - -1338 E. 3rd • - •· - • - - - • - - - -918-592-1188
TNT's - - - - - - • 2114 S. Memcriai- - • - - •· - • - 918-660-0856
YeHow-Brick-Rd- - 2630 E. 15th- - - - - - c, - 918-293-0304
\\~~;~i#~~~:,?~:'.f?;~~¥#~,~?~~ .~i~~~~g,t~?:,~listdbutt\ ~1r~.E ~1:>pJes of ,d:t .~Ti~R, .. contact us at 91 itS35;7887 9anito 4pm mon - fri or email: ozaiksstar@sbcglobaLnet 29
GA•~•t>a
'I'itlsa's GAIBSTNdghborhood'
New and Historic Homes forS~le and Rent.
GREAT HISTORIC APARTiMENTS &
FLATS TOOi. . .
Walk to Brady Arts District, Shovis,
Restaurants, Parks, Glubs}Ba:rs ..
Shops. On the Edge of D:Ovintowri.
For more info Go to:
www.gaybtadyheightstiJlsa.com
1st Annual Gala Celebration
"Linking Togei:her as One"
Friday, Deceinber 15th, 2006 7:00
P.1'.1. Clarion Inn Favettevi!le
1255 So. Shiloh, Fayetteville AR
72701 , '
For more informacion:
w-~"w'.NWAGLBTCC.ORG
Nj55 lorch Tulsa USofA
October 27th, 2006
Openarms Youth Project
Calling all Contestants
Entry fee $50.00
Official Prelim. to
Miss Oklahoma USofA
info@openarmsproject.org
CHECK OUT UNIQUE
EUREKA SPRINGS,
ARKANSAS
www.diversitypride.com
and
www.eurekapride.com
,',,' ' '
~ Full Boqy, Sport;, .f-lot .Stone
** Hand .c. u. rd F... Q..o tiScr.·.u .b s
,arid·Weekends
' : ' " '::·,'. ', :: '. ,,,;'" ,,. ', .
Call for an:app<intment and rates.
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTISING SALES
REPRESENTATIVE
FOR OKLAHOMA, KANSAS
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
qualifications ro
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
CONGRA-rOLA'flONS! 1-r•s GAY!
Get results with STAR Classifieds!
NGA
BAR.&GRILL
Sunday Champaqne Brunch
All you can eat soup and salad bar l lam-2pm
$8.99
Monday & Tuesday
Well Martinis $2.50 4pm-7pm
Best Prime Rib in Town'
Friday & Saturday Nights
Bar favorites, restaurant favorites and many
new items for your enjoyment pleasure
NEW WINTER RATES - $45•
* Plus tax, excludes suites
,.; -
'
\ 1
PEC'S
A LEATHER/LEVI BAR
CLOSED MONDAYS
Sun 7pm - 2am,
Tues-Thurs 7pm-9pm wear your leather
and get your well drinks for $2.50
Sun Thur, 7pm-2am
Fri and Sat, 4pm-2am
RUDY'S PLACE
PIANO BAR
Rudy's Place is a non-smoking
establisthment
Early for cocktails. late for a night cap
CLUB ROX
CLOSED MONDAY
SIZZLIN' SUNDAYS
With Whitney Paige
HOLLYWOOD IDOL
Wednesday Nights with Taylor Brayns
Sign up at 9:30pm, Starts at 10pm
Finals Audience Votes (the more people
you bring the more votes you get)
VIXENS
Saturday Nights
with Shantel Mandalay at l 0pm
ALISON SCOTT SHOW
Friday. Oct. I >th & 27th at 9:30pm
MISS HOLLYWOOD US OF A
Sunday Novei11ber J 2. 2006
I st Prize: $1,000.00 PLUS $500.00 credit
towards Kayne Original Gown
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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[2006] The Star Magazine, October 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 10
Date
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October 01, 2006
Format
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Image
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PDF
Language
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English
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
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Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
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Star Media, Ltd
Contributor
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C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Victor Gorin
Greg Gatewood
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinsman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Type
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magazine
Coverage
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Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
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The Star Magazine, September 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 9
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/243
The Star Magazine, November 1, 20006; Volume 3, Issue 11
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/241
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/242
Advice
Bitter Girl
Bryan White AIDs Fund
Chelsea Boys
Comic Strips
Gay and Lesbian History Month
Herland
HIV research
HIV/AIDs testing
Jim Verraros
Kathy Taylor
Kris Kohl
Lesbian Notions
Literary Pride
MCC
McWillie Chambers
Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats
OUT in Arkansas
OUT of the Womb
Out OK Film Festival
Past Out
Q Scopes
star classified
Star Distributors
Star Scene
The Laramie Project
travel
Tulsa Community Center
Uncle Mikey
-
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/2bff2a76c797c03b97759a28d4de8741.jpg
3f5f432ac56a627693978eb103ddf68a
https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/c9fd578a4bc89e0a1e36c5b23554be24.pdf
ba59ebfa3ba5042e99b1f72143c36cc0
PDF Text
Text
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magazine
Text
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4 the STAR
M HEART TO HEART
Acting Straight! The way gay men
have a tendency to worship the heterosexual
image. In white culture, it's the
whole Abercrombie model obsession. In
the African-American culture, thev call
them homothugs. ·
•• LESBIAN NOTIONS
Social Change Calling:
"Part of what you do as a member of
a community is rake care of others,"
Carey, 39, told me."
A retrospective ofLGBT History. Last
month "August 25, 1984 (22 years ago
this week): Author Truman Capote dies
in Los Angeles.
Gay Travelers "East Coast or Wesr
Coast?" & "West Hollywood"
Out of Town "Houston, Texas"
.. ASK UNCLE MIKEY
DEAR UNCLE: I caught my boyfriend at
a local park with another man. I had my
suspensions, and followed him to find him
doing a trick in the bathroom. I was so
appalled,
INDEX
Heart to Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 6
Lesbian Notions ................................. 10
Inspiring Fitness. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 12
Entertainment. .................... .
Past Out. .............................. .
Tulsa GLBT Center News. . ...... .
Star Scene ............ .
Uncie Mikey ........... .
The Bistro .............. .
C!assifieds ..
STAR DiSTRiBUTION:
15
. ..... .26
. ...... 27
... 28
29
.......... 30
.31
OKLAriOMA C1TY •TULSA• LAvVTON • MCALESTER ' !:NiD ' LITTLE ROCK * FAYETTEVILLE
FT SMITH • EUREKA SPRINGS • HOT SPRiNGS • BENTONVILLE ' ROGERS * K.ANSAS C!W
SPRINGFIELD• jQPL!N" BRANSON AREA.* WiCHffA • PITTSBURG • JUNCTION CTr'
TULSA GAY COUPLE IS
ALLOWED EXCISE TAX
EXEMPTION BY OKLAHOMA
TAX COMMISSION.
By Greg Steele
TULSA, 0 K__Memoriai Day weekend 2006 Matt Brumley and
Michael Oaks traveled to Barnstable, Massachusetts from Tulsa
and were legally married as a same sex couple under the laws of the
state of Massachusetts. Of course we all know same sex mariiage
is banned in the state of Oklahoma. In last months (August 2006)
issue of the STAR we reported on Matt and Michaels marriage and
their quest to transfer an automobile title from Matt to Michael.
The state iaw allows married couples to transfer or add a spouse to a
title without paying excise tax. In this case the tax was $244.
TI1e couple decided to take the Tax Commission to task and
presented their legal marriage license to a tag agency at 17th and
Harvard. The agency employee told them the State of Oklahoma
did not recognize gay marriage and they would have to pay the excise
tax. A friend then advise them to try another agency. An agency
employee at 91st and Sheridan checked with the tax commission
and the titled was issued. The couple was determined by the tax
commission w be family and the excise tax was waived.
As the STAR went w press last month Michael and Matt were anxiously
waiting for the original tide to arrive in the mail. Hoping the
state had not disailowed the family exemption. The next day Mact
called and told us rhey had received the certificate of tide from the
Oklahoma Tax Commission.
The foll.owing is the tax Jaw regarding exemptions. Article 710:60-7 -
2. HExcise tax is levied on e--,.:ery transfer of legal O'\vnership unless
a specific tax exemption applies. ()nly transfers made "'V?ithout
consideration bet\Veen husband and wife or parent and child or vice
versa, are exempt. A Fam.ily i\ffidavit (Forn-1 794) tnust be included
\vith the other supporting documentation and is to be attached to
the nde document."
:i\.fatt and ~vfichael did fiie the 1\Jfida">J,.-it and presented a copy
of their n!farriage I..icense as a supporting document.
*
( 1
Gold Castle
"At Centu,y 21 Gold Castle our
BEST properties are our PEOPLE'
)7
4301 NW 63rd, Suite 100
lahoma City, OK 73116
405.840.2106
-5
Proudly serving ]Ulsa & ()I(.C1s (;t,B'l'"' co1nmunities since '198
the STAR 5
"Acting Straight"
I recently watched rhe first season of the hit Logo series Noah's
Arc on DVD. Whiie I doubt there are any Emmy nominations in
the show's near future, it's really sweet and entertaining. I coum
myself among its fans now. One of che things that most impressed
me was the way it didn't shy away from tackling tough subjects
with unflinching honesty. One of the mpics raised was the way gay
men have a tendency to worship the heterosexual image. In whire
culture, it's the whole Abercrombie model obsession. In the AfricanAmerican
culture, they cali them homothugs.
That got me thinking about how ofi:en
I used to date a guy who could easily have been described as straight
acting. By his nature, he was very masculine: liked guns and cars,
played in a death-metai band, and always dressed in a sloppy-casual
style that was as far from the typical "gay styie" as you co~id get.
He had a sweet, sensitive side, but he viewed it as more of a weakness
than anything. On more than one occasion, I heard him make
extremely homophobic remarks. It alwavs bothered me, but I was
still struggling with finding my own ide"utity at the time, so I never
made an issue of it.
After we broke up, I remember him telling me about a time when
he was om with a group of his straight friends, none of whom knew
he was gay, and they started assaulting a couple of obviously oay • . t,.
guys. He couidn't understand why I found the situation so disturbing.
Eventua!iy, I came to realize that he was extremely self-hating.
Going into the military and having to crawl even deeper into the
closet certainly didn't help. Today, he's dating a woman even though
he's rold me he still considers himself gay. He's taking acting straight
to a whole new level.
I think a big part of his issue is chat he'!i never fit societv's idea of
what it means to be gay. He could never be somebody's.girlfriend.
Of course, you and I know thac not every gay man has to fit the
stereotype, but his fear was that if people knew he was gay, they
would assume he did. He was always afraid people would judge him
as someching he wasn't.
Obviousiv, we can't biame all his issues on societv. He's responsible
for his ov:;n actions, and the general pubiic is ch~nging as quickly
as it can. These things take time. However, the gay community has
to share in the blame. We've accepted the idea that rhere's a specific
code of conduce that makes one gay or straight.
So many gay people are caughr up in negative image ideas. Some
feel they have to act a certain way in order
I hear someone gay use the expression
"straight-acting" co describe another gay
man. The more I thought about it, the
more offensive it became. I'm sure I've
been guilty of using it in ,he past, but
more recently, I've come to realize iust how
damaging th~ term can be both ~vithin
and outside the LGBT community.
By continuing to
embrace phrases like
to be gay -- you have to worship lvfadonna,
call all your guy friends "girlfriend," and
sleep around as much as possibie. Hey, if
that's who vou reallv are,then great! You stra· -acting, we're be you. 'Th~ proble1~ is, I've seen so manv
young gay guys just coming out embrace
these rraits simply because they've been led
to believe that's what being gay means.
How does one even act straight? Is there
., • ' i - ....
pe, -,,_,,,uating the idea
that there is a proper
way to act gay. On the flip side, I've also seen many gay
guvs who are so busv trving to emulate
he~erosexuals rhat tl~ey ;tart rn resem ,heir
one prescnoect way to oe necerosexuai;
And why wouid a gay person eve,1 wane ro
act straight' Possibly because the flip side of acting sc:·aighc w·ouid be
acting gay.
Ask your average foe on the street v,hat it means to act crav and
you~re likely to ge~ a laundry list of gay stereotypes: !irn; ~rist, lispJ
obsession with appearance1 Aan1boyant. and efferninate. rnavbc v:ith
r H • in , . ,.. ,. , ,. ... ., , _,
a rev.r you goj gins thro\vn 1n tor good 1neasure. lJo I know any
gay peoph: who fit rhat description" Sure. But l knov, even more
w1' 10 d on) L 111 1e trutuh ,1 s th, ere are as n1any ,;,rays re act gay as tn' cre arc
to act straight. It's the stereotypes rhat scare son1e people, though.
more flamboyant brothers. I hate ro hear a
gay man say something iike, ·'I can't stand £Jamey guys:' That's just
as homophobic as Fred Phelps picketing a gay funeral with a "God
Hates Fags .. sign.
Again} I want to stress that jf you~re naturally inclined to be fi~n1i~
ain::: or, masculine, then rur; ,.~ith i(! I don't believe there's anything
rnore treeing than accepting \Vho you reaHy are. I have a close friend
v,;ho foughc for years against his desire to be a drag queen. 'X'hen -r>/ve
first n1et him, he ... vas struggling to tone do\vn his fiarnboyant nature
for the sake of his straight friends. C)ver the course of the. last fi~\\'
years, he stopped trying to be something he V/asn't and
c::nntinued next page
6 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents
Heart to Heart
simoly allowed the real him to shine
thr~ugh. Today, he's happier than ever, and
he didn't lose a single friend in the process.
In fact, all his friends have been 100 percent
supportive.
The idea that there is only one way to be gay
is extremely damaging, not just for those
of us already free from the closet, but for
those who haven't come out as well. Here's
the catch-22: The more non-stereotypical
gay people who come out, the more the
stereotypes will be debunked, but the very
ones V:I{o need to come out in order to do
this mav be afraid to come out because they
don't fe~l they fit the stereotypes.
By continuing to embrace phrases like
straight-acting, we're perpetuating the idea
that there is a proper way to act gay. The
truth is you can't act gay or straight. The
words only describe what gender you're
attracted to, and how do you act as if you're
attracted to the opposite sex?
So let's get rid of the mindset that there is
a particular way to be gay or straight. If we
want society to accept us as we are, we have
to accept each other first. We have to realize
thar v:e come in ail shapes and sizes, colors
and creeds. We range from magnificently
masculine to fabulously feminine, and
everything in-between: There is no one way
to "act gay," so let's celebrate all of the many
colors that make up our rainbow flag. We
need to stop acting like anything, and just
be who we -are.
Quotable Quotes
'Tm not even aware that I'm famous until people
remind me. I wake up every single day and I have
my life, and it's pretty normal. I drhie myself to
work. I don't get driven rn w-ork; I don't have a
chef that makes me breakfast in the morning. I
don't think that I'm fu.mous until I come hen::
and it's like, 'Oh, that's right.' Even then, this is
my job.''
Ellen DeGen.cres to The Advocate:,
Photo by Victor Gorin; Left to right Jennifer Seal Democrat running for State House
District 85, Al McAffery, Linda Gray Murphy and Krith Smith.
Oklahoma to get first
openly gay legislator
Third "red state" to
elect its first openly gay
lawmaker this year.
by Denis Dison
Washington DC - Al McAffrey is poised
to become the first openly gay member of
the Oklahoma state legislature after winning
his Democratic primary Tuesday night to
represent District 88 in the Oklahoma Srare
House. He faces no Republican opposirion
in the general election in November.
]he win in Oklahoma comes on the heels of
significant milestones for rhe LGBT community
in red states this year, including the
election of Patricia Todd to the state house
in Alabama, and the election of Karhy Webb
to the state house in Arkansas. Both Victory
Fund-endorsed candidates won their
Democratic primaries and are unopposed in
. ,. ..... . d 'b ... rhe general election. 1odd an Web w11!
becon1e their states' first-ever openly gay
elected officials.
''Ars ... .vin is more proof that what fair-tninded
Americans car~ about most are issues that
directly affect their lives/' said Chuck
Wolfe, President and CEO of the Gay &
Lesbian Victory Fund. "2006 is shaping up
to be a breakthrough year for the Victory
Fund. Smart, qualified LGBT candidates,
backed by our national network of donors,
are proving that we can add voices for equality
everywhere," Wolfe added.
McAffrey, 58, is a member of the Choctaw
Nation, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a formec
policeman, a father and a grandfather. He
was endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory
Fund, which helped raise thousands of dollars
to fund his campaign. Victory endorsee
Jim Roth, an incumbent who sits on the
Oklahoma Counrv Commission, was unopposed
in his prim~ry race. Rhonda Rudd:a
Victory candidate seeking the Democratic
nomination to represent Discrict 46 in the
Oklahoma State Senate, lost her race to a
Democratic Party insider.
The Gav & Lesbian Victory Fund provides
strategi~, technical and fin~cial support w
openly LGBT candidates and officials. It's
the only narional organization soldy committed
to increasing the number of openiy
LGBT public officiais at federal, state and
local levels of government. Victory is the
nation's largest LGBT political action committee.
In 15 years, Victory has helped the
number of openly LGBT officials in the
U.S. grow from 49 to more than 300. For
more information, visit w"'..vw.victoryfund.
org.
*
theSTAR 7
20tli}1.nniv
8 theSTAR
IVERSITY
FESTIVAL
FOR us and ABOUT us!
Con,e 1J1t•Y, shop and p,ay In HISTORIC
~ureka Springs, Ark•n••s, Voted one or
•THE 100 Bl!ST SMALL ART TOWNS*I
Find them something truly
UNZQUE1'or the holidays!
PLUS ••••
dance•, concen,,, and
ot:her pride •n,antal
Lesbian
Notions
by Libby Post
SEPTEMBER 2006
Social Change lling
A poker player. A mom. A dedicated LGBT activist. A top-notch
not-for-profit executive. ·
These are just a few of the ways you can describe Rea Carey, the
deputy executive director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force.
From Carey's peispective, how she defines herself is quite clear.
"Part of what you do as a member of a community is take care of
others," Carey, 39, told me. "In many ways, I can't imagine whar
else I'd be doing other than work that somehow makes change."
Creating change - while also the name of the Task Force's annual
confab of LGBT activists - is Carey's calling. It is what fuels her
commitment to LGBT issues and the work she does at the Task
Force.
It all started at home in Denver, Colo. She was influenced earlv
on by her politically active parents and the politicos who would
find their way into her living room - people like Pat Schroeder and
Gary Hart, who, at the time, Carey thought, were about 20 years
old. "They were actually older. They were young Democrats getting
elected," she said. "It lefc an imprint on me that people can get
elected and do good for their community."
Coming out at 16, at the very beginning of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic,
jump-started Carey's activism.
"I was affecred by HIV in a very personal way - a numbei of my
friends were getting infected. But politically and intellectually, I was
impacted by the broader group of thinkers who were writing for
Gay Community Ne~ (GCN) and Outlook," said Carey. Published
out of Boston, GCN was one of the country's first gay papers
and was national in iis scope. Outlook was a quarterly journal that
began publishing shortly after the 1987 March on Washington for
Lesbian and Gay Rights. While neither is still around, they are both
heralded in LGBT journalism circles for their ground-breaking
work
Not finding a "definabie community" in l 980s Denver, Carey
went to college where she was guaranteed one - Smith College in
Northampton, Mass. Northampton has, in the oast, been calied
Lesbianville in various mainstr;am media. '
After graduation, Carey ended up in the nation's caoitaL "I had
frie~ds i? D.C. I 'Nas j;st going ~o sray a few years. '1 ended up never
leaving.
10 the STAR
After 17 years of working with a host of advocacy and not-for-profit
organizations - with a brief hiatus to get a Master's in public administration
from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government - Carev
found herself as a consultant for ~he Task Force. - ,
"I have always loved rhe Task Force. I just love the values, the work,
and the longevity. I was consulting with them, Matt [Foreman,
the group's executive director] came on board, and I truly enjoyed
working with him," she explained. "After a whiie, we both agreed it
would be great if I came on as deputy executive director."
That happened in February of 2004, and Carey couldn't be happier.
She and Foreman work hand-in-hand running the Task Force. "He's
a New Yorker, but we're both from the West," she said. "We work
in partnership - Matt is the more public face, but I really enjoy the
internally focused and strategic work."
Carey has overseen some tremendous growth at the Task Force in
her two-year tenure. "If what we wanted to do was heip create political
power for the community from the ground up, we needed two
new program departments," she explained. In addition to rhe Policy
Institute, which serves as an LGBT think tank, and the Organizing
and Training department, the Task Force's two new departments are
Public Policy & Government Affuirs and Movement Building.
The public policy department is not just about monitoring legislation,
but about getting federal resources and funds flowing to locai
LGBT organizations, she explained. Along with that work, the
movement building initiative brings the Task Force's expertise to the
local level.
"\Xle've always been focused on the grassroots, and now we're able to
provide resources and give attention to the state and local organizations
and ro the infrastructure of the movement." To start, the Task
Force is working with five statewide groups in Maryland, Michigan,
Missouri, Washington, and Kentucky. "Over time, we'll hone the
model to benefit other srare organizations."
Carey may seem to be married to her work, but in reality she's in a
committed relationship with Margaret Conway, a DOB Worldwide
executive who creates advocacy campaigns. They met at a lesbian
poker game 12 years ago, have been together for six, and are raising
a daughter.
'Tm both proud and lucky to have been at the right place at the
right time to be able to participate in one of this country's key social
justice movements," she said. "The ability to actually live the values
that I grew up with, that I got from my parents and my community,
is what I certainly hope we pass along to our daughter.'
If her daughter is anything like her, I'm sure Carey has a budding
activist on her hands.
Mica Barnes Headlines
1st Summer
Diversi Pride in
Eureka Springs,
Arkansas.
By Carlotta Carlisle
Photo: Mica Barnes by Nancy Wood
EUREKA SPRlNGS, AR_The first Eureka
Springs Summer Diversity Weekend was
held August 3rd-5th. With ;;he Summer
event, Eureka Springs now boast four diversity
weekends a year. The Valentines Dance
in February, Spring and Fall Diversity celebrations
are heid in April and November.
Diversity Pride Events produced Micah
Barnes from Toronto, Canada, vocalisdrecording
artist/composer, for a concert at
the historic Auditorium. And made the
Diversity Bears happy with comic Bobaloo,
from Los _Angeles. Other v,rcekend activities
included n1en's and women1s pool parties,
Yards & 13.rds of:{ard Sales:- the first annual
City-Wide Silent Auction, Diversity Camp
()ut, an lJgliest Dresser c:ontest Golden
()ldie.s and other dances, and other events
geared tov1ard the gibt con1munity and their
straight ailies.
*
OKLAHOMA CITY TO HOST INTERNATIONAL
GAY BOWLING·
ORGANIZTION TOURNAMENT
AND CONVENTION.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The OKCiassic
Bowling Association is pleased to announce
that Oklahoma Citv will be the host citv for
the International Gay Bowling Organi~tion's
(IGBO) 2007 Mid-Year Tournament
and Convention. The event will be held
November 7-12, 2007.
Members of the OKClassic Bowling Association
committee traveled to Calgary,
Alberta, Canada in November of 2005 to
presem its bid to host this annual event.
The committee hosted a well-received
hospitality suite on Timrsday night. Early
Friday afternoon, the commirtee presented
a singing slideshow bid presentation to the
governing board ofIGBO. The presentation
was greeted with rousing applause
and an immediate vote to accept the bid as
presented.
IGBO is the world's largest GLBT sports
organization with over 170 member leagues
and over 60 member tournaments. OKClassic
has hosted one ofIGBO's largest
and most-respected tournaments for over 16
years and has donated over $100,000 to local
charities in the process. Oklahoma City
hosted IGBO's 1994 Annual Tournament
and Convention.
The com!nittee has begun the extensh·e
preparations required to host this event. I:
is expected that 600-800 people from all
over the world will attend this even:. in
addition to the bowling events, the committee
will host 4 days of IGBO i:msiness
meetings, many hospitaiit} and social eYents,
and a display of panels of ~he AIDS quilt.
Tl:e event culminate:~ :n an elaborate awa:ds
banquet on Sunday eYening.
~fhe theme for the tournan1ent and con,.
vention is "fr:erything's Going MY \X'ay''.
Host hotel for the event will be The Holiday
Inn Hotel & Suites at 63rd & Robm~on.
l{ost bo"-.vling centers ,vill be 1-ieritagc L.anes
at 122nd & Penn and 'X7indsor L,ancs at
23rd & J\1eridiarl. ·rne banquet ~rte \Vill be
1•h,;, e:-rkc R - m ... RP•'Y'li-- ttr:n 1) ~·1~ 1. ......... Jll .... 00.a.,.. .. at ..... ~ .. ._ ... ...11~.u'.~. l 3Jt\.
ivlore 1nfor1nation about the tournarncnt
*
Creating
Community for ,,
Peopie living
HI
\Vith
IQ('\ I \)
A ;01 r ,,J,,'1 "Nor: Prorr1t r1 .. g.0 111· "a-uion ...... V .,- ...... \ i .L' .1... -- ~ .. V-1. (t L·
Our House, Too offers a variety of
activities for people who are HIV+ and
or living with AIDS to heip combat the
social isolation that manv of our I
people live through each and everydav.
We provide a Toiletrv and House- , J
hold Pantry for those who are HlV+
and or iiving with AIDS vvho cannot
afford to purchase these items for
themseives. We invite anyone who
would like to volunteer or provide financial
assistance to please contact
us bv ohone 918-585-9552 or e.. maii / l •
harr1c:mmirt,:;,v~hon t'Drn I• • lV,, ,, f •;! ~J ""'-'. V, -..,i~ , t l,
the STAR 11
s I sit here listening to the Pet Shop Boys Go West, I contemplate
the proper way to begin this inaugural fitness column
for the STAR. It should begin with an introduction of
mvsel£ Mv name is Ron Blake and I am a personal fitness
trainer/ow~er for Blake Fitness in Phoenix, Arizona~ I have been
training individuals for ten years in Indiana, Illinois, California, and
now the Grand Canyon State. My favorite color is blue, my favorite
movie is Rear Window. and mv favorite beer is Stella Artois. OK, so
enough with the form~lities. Go to my website at www.blakefitness.
com and I'm sure I can bore you with more minutia.
Now that I have your atrention, let's get on with it. So how do I
NOW begin? The same way that I've always done it with everything
in life and especially my fitness training. le starts with levity and
fun. The key to life is to enjoy that very thing .. .life. How to do
that? Fun. Fun with moderate doses of responsibility. As a fimess
trainer, my job is to encourage you to take responsibility for your
life. Maybe not quire to the degree of your friendly neighborhood
preacher who pounds the pulpit and proclaims all homosexuals
doomed to kiss the conflagration of hell because of their evil and
irresponsible ways. i'm a kinder, gentler more compassionate kind
of fitness trainer. At least that's what they taught me whe;1 I was still
a straight boy in college. 1hen I saw the light when I ran into this
self-absorbed fitness enthusiast who converted me into a rainbow
flag-waving, Prada dressing exi:rovert and taught me that I too could
earn a free waster ifl could just convert three breeder boys to the
dark side. No more tangent ;:houghts or digressions. }bis is a fitness
column and I've got.a save you heathens from your licentiou$ and
hedonistic lifes,yies.
So as I was saying ... any fimess program you embrace shouid
iirvolve fun. Yeah, 1.-vorking out does involve hard work and dedication.
We aii know that. It shouid also be something you look forward
to and get excited about. Otherwise, why do it. Bur yes there is
hard work involved and I v,ould be remiss ifI didn't mention that.
.After all I come from a corn-fed lvfichvestern bac!r~round that is
engrained with a great -μ1ork ethic. 'Why else do you think fcllo\v
·12 the STAR
Hoosiers like David Letterman, Orville Redenbacher, Kurt Vonnegut,
and Michael Jackson would be so successful.
During my ten years of training clients and coaching high school
athietes, I have stressed one thing and that is for them to simply
enjoy the ride as each day passes. In many ways I feel like an entertainer
who tries to regale my clients with the lighter side of life.
Fitness training should be a method of escaping the harsh realities
of the daily grind. It makes a perfect opportunity to channel any
frustrations or aggressions in an appropriate manner.
I have informed my clients that they mighr not have control over
what goes ◊n in iife but that they certainly have the power to control
what goes on in their lives. This control should be used when
deciding the who and where of your workout. First who will you
workout with. Choose someone who will motivate vou, make you
laugh, and validate the quality person that you are. Choose so~eone
who is reliable, trustworthy, and goal-oriented. Choose someone
who will help you change your life for the better.
Then where will you work out? Choose someplace that has pretty
curtains, Tiffany lamps, and leather recumbent sofas. What? I'm just
being a smanass. It's not really my cup o' tea but hey if it works for
you then do it! You need to choose a piace that fits your scyle and
personality and a place that will allow you to have fun during your
workout sessions. Find that place where vou can adjust the radio to
any station and any volume: Find that place where you can take off
your shirt and walk around flexing in front of the mirrors like you
would at your favorite gay haunt on a Saturday night. Find someplace
that is relaxed and understanding.
We ail want results when we begin a fitness routine. It just doesn't
need to be approached as a dreaded task. You have the power. You
have the control. You can have fun. Two of my favorite motivational
sayings that I give to my clients are from Victor Borge and Mary
Pettibone Poole respectively: "Laughter is the shortest distance
between rwo people" and "He who laughs, lasts."
*
I've pia
gay ors
also
they sta
wouldr·
McGee·
'Yelvet
September 16th 2006:.,.
aid Llve'atTHE ~~ ·
riieOeBarge & Kr.i's
September 17th 2006:
(Tulsa, O!dahonia)
Sep;eniber 23rd 2006:
(MaA!ester, Oklahom
©ctobcr 6th 2006:.
(Oklalicima City)
13
ast Out
by
Liz Highleyman
SEPTEMBER
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.
Who was Truman Capote?
Author Truman Capote, who popularized the genre of creative
nonfiction, was as well-known for his open homosexuaiity and his
extravagant social life as he was for his writing.
Truman Streckfus Persons was born September 30. 1924, in t,Jew
Orleans. As a young boy, he was sent to live with his mother's
relatives in rural Monroeville, Ala., while his parents divorced. He
moved to New York City at about age 10 to llve with his mother
and her new husband, Cuban businessman Joseph Capote.
'Though highly intelligem, Capote despised school and dropped out
at age 17 ro take a job as a copy boy at the New Yorker. He never attended
college, believing that "either one was or wasn't a writer, and
no combination of professors could influence the outcome."
Capote's first major published work, the short story "Miriam,"
which appeared in _lvfademoise!!e_ in 1945, won an 0. Henry
Award and led to a book contract with Random House. By chis
time, he had already adopted a flamboyant style - _New Yorker_
colleague Brendan Gill recalled him "sweeping through the corridors
of the magazine in a black opera cape, his long golden hair falling to
his shoulders" - and a penchant for social climbing.
Capote's first book, _ Other Voices, Other Rooms (1948), was
a semi-autobiographical novel about his chi!dhood in Alabama.
'Though controversia! ~or its dep:ctions of ,ape, transvestism, and
homosexuality, the boqk was a smash hit. Equally sensational was
the photograph on che book jacket, ·,vhich showed the handsome
young author reclining in a ianguorons pose with a come-hither
expression.
Capote's work rcflecrc<l a mix of Somhern whimsy and New York
Citv. so1•h:··ti,"1t:or rrc">'hg wl•a, ,..,:,,,.1bom~, Dulre, _. ,I .. -' J.:')~ ~~~ . .l »} - ,a.!. J. , ,tl .,. .._.1._~l.r . u.,. .,\.. ~
characterized as "the quintessential hon1osexual v,riting style of the
1950s and 1960s." Many people were rahn with Capote's boyish
charm, including several high~socicr;,r n1atrons v.:ho acted as benefactors
. .:In those days 'Trun1an vvas about the best con1panion you
could ,vant." recalled feUtPN author I'cnnessee \Villiams. HI-le bad
not turned n1aliciousiy birchy.'1
Capote had one of his firsr serious:
a professor of literature :-H Srnith
14 the STAR
met Jack Dunphy, a working-class writer. 'Jhe two men shared a
nonexclusive partnership for neariy 40 years, living togerhe:· in Sicily
in the l 950s, and later residing in two separate houses on the same
property in the Hamptons on Long Island.
After returning from Europe, Capote puolishec one of his bestknown
worl.-_s, Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958), ·.vhich reiated :he adventures
of free-spirited Holiy Golightly. He was not happy with the
196 i film adaptation, starring i\ucirey Hepbur:1, which toned down
the language and made the male lead heterosexual.
In 1959, Capote began work on In Coici Blood, a story about the
murder of a rural Kansas farm family. which he researched with the
help of his childhood friend, author Harper Lee. 'Though the work
- serialized in the New Yorker in 1965 and published as;; book
the following year - was hugely popular, some critics charged that
Capote became too emotionaliy involved with the alleged killers,
yet failed to adequately aid their defense because he required their
execution as a dramatic denouemem ro his tale. In Cold Biood
brought Capote even more fame and considerable fortune. To celebrate,
he hosted a Black and White Ball at New York's Plaza Hotel
in November 1966, which many considered to be the social event of
the era.
Despite his success, Capote began drinking heavily and asing drugs
in rhe late l 960s. A fixture on the television talk-show circuit, he established
himself as a catty queen spreading scandalous gossip about
old friends and benefactors. During these years. he began work on
what he hoped wouid be his Proustian magnum opus, A . nswcred
Prayers. The book was never completed, but a few inscaliments appeared
in Esquire in the mid-l 970s. His mean-spirited portrayals
of the rich and famous earned him rhe nick;;ame "the Tinv Terror,''
and he was shunned by his former high-society friencis. '
W'ith the waning of his youthful good looks, Capo:e became a
caricarure of his former self. During a falling out with Dunphy in
the 1970s, he began frequenting New York City bathhouses, picking
up working-ciass men many years his junior. Ioward the end of the
decade, however, he entered drug and alcohol rehabilitation and reconciled
with Dunphy. Adopted into Andy Warhol's circle, Capote
became a habitue at Studio 54 and revived his career by writing for
Warhoi's Interview magazine. His last collection of short stories,
Music for Chameleons (1980), was again a bestsdler.
In his final years, Capote becan-:.e increasingiy jealous and paranoid,
accusing fellow authors of appropriating his sr1ie ai;.d compiaining
bitterly aoout what he viewed as inadeqt,ate recogni,ion of his work.
He conrir.ued to drink and use drugs, his health cic,eriorated, and
he grew increasing!:,' reclusive. r-ie died of liver disease ;ma drug
intoxication on August 25, l 984.
Despite his downfali, Capote largely fulfilied his dr,~am,. "l
\.Vas not ineant to vvork in an office/' he said in a 1978 intcrviclv. ,;I
ahvays knew that I ,.vanted to be a \-vritcr and that J vlan1.ed to he
rich and fan1ous."
For further reading:
Clarke, Gerald. 1988. __ Capme: A Biography_
Davis. Deborah. 2006. Parn· of the (~enturv: 'The Fabulous
ofTruman (:apote J.nd His Biack•~an.d-\{7hitt' Ball_
Piin1pton, George. 1997 _·rrurnan In \~(!hich \!ariou~
FricndsJ I~nernies .. Acquaintance;;, and
lent (Doub!eday).
Photo: The new community center coming soon.
Sign of the Times:
A Decade of Growth at the
Tulsa GLBT Community
Center
The sign wasn't flashv - it was vinvl. No
lights,~no neon, no iv screens .. '. just vinyl
with rhe words Gav Communitv Center
printed on it. Ti:affic,came to a cr~nching
hair. Some drivers honked in support.
Crcarive individuals voiced loud opinions
some good, some not so good. Others
took a different approach. Eviction.
A simple vinyl sign that caused the Tulsa
Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual & Transgender
(GLBT) Community Center to move 3
rimes in its firsr decade, also broughr a community
togcrher to realize a dream for rhe
second time. The fast dream had come true
ia October 1996, vvhcn Tulsa Oklahomans
for Human Rights (TOHR) opened the
original ''Pride Center'' at 38th & Peoria.
'Ihe 2nd-floor space in an unassuming
building quickly became crowded with of~
ferings for all in rhc comn1unity. Ihe ne,v
rni1lenniun1, and the fight over that vinyl
sign, brought a n1ove to 21st and Memorial,
and a ne,v nanu: the 'Ihisa Gay Comrnunit:{
Services Center. J\ sign •,1;ent up, but only
the initial~ GLBT were permine<l by the
landlord despite agreeing eariier to aliow the
vvords Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender.
n Four years of an abbreviated
still the no".v narned TUlsa
Community Center moved to an improved
space ac 5545 E 41st Street in Highland
Plaza - with plans to light up a sign. Those
pians yet again came to a halt as a third
landlord in ten years, despite rental agreements,
refused to approve even the initials
GLBT on an exterior sign.
Ihese objections were a sign of the times
that showed discrimination was still alive.
But, the unintended consequence was a
community more focused and galvanized
than ever before. The sign that caused cars
to crash also set into motion a community
determined to take a dream to the next level
- an owned Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual &
Transgender Community Cemer with a
sign that proudly said so.
That first vinyl sign will have a permanent
home in the soon-to-open Tulsa Gay, Lesbian,
Bi-sexual & Transgender Community
Center at 621 E 4th Street in downtown
Tulsa. A new sign thac will light up the East
Village will also be a beacon to the entire
region. 'Die sign of this time will proudly
announce the GLBT & allied communitv
has fully arrived, has a permanent home ;nd
will keep a permanent presence.
A Growing Community A Big Home
1he Tulsa GLBT Community Center, 5545
E 41st Street, is filled with what the sign
(inside the window) says community. The
Community Resource Kiosk, the PRIDE
Store, the Family Room, che Commons,
Health Testing, the Nancy McDonald
Rainbow Librarv a11d the David Bohnett
CvberCenter ar~ some of communiry-orie~
ted programs inside the Center. Now
in just over 3,000 square feet, the new
downtown Center, at 18,000 square feet,
will allow growth for a!l in the community.
the over 20 TOHR programs and most
importantly - provide growth for you, your
friends & family and for all of Oklahoma
and surrounding states.
In its l 0th Anniversarv year of 2006, the
Tulsa GLBT Commu~icy Center has seen a
317% growth in traffic. The move to the 6th
largest GLBT Community Center in the nation
comes none too soon as visitor number
l 0,000 - for just this year, will soon walk
through the doors. The growing list of community
groups utilizing the: Center will soon
find an extra 15,000 squaxe feet to serve ~~~:gr~=i~;:~::1 ~~::;1~~:i~e~~:grams ar~
of the lifespan of GLBT persons and their
families. The GLBT & allied community
will enjoy bigger and better facilities available
for social events, seminars, weddings,
meetings, private events ... the list is nearly
endless.
While the Tulsa GLBT Community Center
prepares to move this Fall, the current Center
at 5545 E 41st Street remains active and
open Monday through Saturday, 3:00-9:00
PM. The David Bohnett CyberCenter, with
10 flat-screen computer stations, welcomes
over 300 people a month. HIV Testing,
Tuesdays from 6 PM to 8 PM and Saturdays
from 4 PM to 7 PM, is the only place in
the area to get a free 20-minute result HIV
test. The PRIDE Store, with the area's largest
selection of rainbow merchandise, has
the best values in town. The Tulsa GLBT
Information Line at 918.743.GAYS (4297),
your source for nightclub locations, business
information and medical, legai, counseling,
etc. referrals, has experienced a 503%
increase in calls over the past year. The social
activities through the Center also hit a high
note this Fall. Two big events, Out on the
Town & the TO HR Annual Meeting, highlight
the month of September.
Out on the Town with Dinner & DIVAS
You don't always get it this good. Start the
evening in downtown Tulsa at Tsunami
Sushi. The famed entrees and intriguing
interior of the trend-setting downtown
restaurant begins a night Out on the Town
with Dinner & DNAS on Sarurday, September
9, 2006. After dinner, rhe expected
SRO crowd will walk down the block to
enjoy rhe DIVAS 2006 concerr ar the Tuisa
Performing Arts Center (PAC).
This year's concert is produced by local talent
Rebecca Ungerman and promises ro be a
nighr to remember. 'Ihe evening will include
an a!I-srar line-up, showcasing Rebecca
Ungermann, Cindy Cain, John Sawyer, Pam
Van Dyke-Crosby, Christy Hanewinkel, .Annie
Ellicott, lvfary Cogan, Heather RichettoRumly,
Debbie Zanerhaft ,md Meredith
'~eger. Tulsa World fashion columnist
Jason Ashley \Xrighr and Fox 23 anchor
Chera Kirniko will co~host the evening ,vith
heart fi.lied humor. DIVAS 2006 benefits
H.O.P.E. (Health Outreach, Prevention and
Education) and provides necessary resou.rces
to.co~,:~~u~ the fight against HJV/i\J[)S and
other ::i 1 D's.
the STAR 15
Lesbian poised to become
Missouri's first openly gay
state Senator.
by Denis Dison
Washington DC -August 9, 2006 - Jolie Justus will likely become
the first openly gay state senator in Missouri history after winning
her Democratic primary Tuesday night. Justus will face a Republican
opponent in November, but the district is considered a safe one
for Democrats.
"In Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and now Missouri, excellent
candidates are winning historic races. Jolie's win is a testament to
her courage, commitment and skill, but it also confirms that fairminded
voters everywhere care more about good government than
they do about whether their representatives are gay or lesbian," said
Chuck Wolfe, President and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory
Fund, which raised money for Justus' campaign from its national
donor network.
Other breakthrough Victory Fund-supported candidates this year
include:
Patricia Todd-The first openly gay elected official in Alabama history
Kathy Webb-The first openly gay elected official in Arkansas history
Al McAffrey-The first openly gay state legislator in Oklahoma
history
Jolie would join Victory endorsee Jeanette Mott-Oxford, who won
easiiy won her primary to retain her seat in the Missouri Srate
House.
In other election news last night, Allen Thornell, who was vying for
a seat in the Georgia State House, narrowly lost his runoff election
for the Democratic primary.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund provides strategic, technical and
financial support to openly LGBT candidates and officials. It's the
only national organization solely committed to increasing the number
of openly LGBT public officials at federal, state and local levels
of government. Victory is the nation's largest LGBT poiitical aciion
committee and one of the nation's largest non-connected PACs. In
15 years, Victory has helped the number of openly LGBT officials
grow from 49 to more than 300. So far in 2006 the Victory Fund
has endorsed 64 candidates.
*
REGISTER NOW! Registration
Deadline for the November 7th
General Election is October 13.
1 6 the STAR www. □ ZARKSSTAR.C □ M
~
by Donald Pile & Ray Williams
est Hollywood (nicknamed
WEHO) is proud to be the hip and happening
center of gay and lesbian life in Los Angeles.
Since its incorporation in 1984, the City
of West Hollywood has continued to be recognized
as a leading community in gay and
lesbian rights. Visitors are assured of welcoming
restaurants and bars, interesting special
events and comfortable hotel stays. And the
zip code for West Hollywood is 90069 !
AU of West Hollywood's hotels are open and
inviting to gay and lesbian travelers. San
Vicente Inn/Resort.is an exclusive all-gay
property with private. clothing optional, tropical
.Rama.de.Plaza West Hollywood
We have stayed at the Ramada Plaza seve~
I times and it is in the center of everything.
Just park your auto there
all-suit
Le Montrose Suite. Hotel,
Pare
Suite Hotel are within ce of "The
Boulevard.• Out very favorite place to stay was
tlie SECRET GARDEN Bed and Break.fast,
just a sl:H:>rt block Noi:th of Sunset Boulevard
at the foofof the Hollywood Hills. The owner,
Bilbao! is one of the nicest, most
d giving people that we have ever
':'.:.,.: .......... Continued page-19
~~0?~~
&:irfl
~~.·
~ TRAVEL
by Donald Pile and Ray Williams
"East Coast or West Coast?"
Ir seems as though most of the gays and lesbians living in the
Midwest have a definite opinion on which coast they prefer. Borh
coasts have so much to offer. \Xie enjoy both coasts and get to both
regularly ..... Florida for January, Califrirnia for April and September
and New York and New England .,ometimc in between.
California of courn: takes up most of the West Coast except for
\'iiashingron and Oregon which has their own gay agenda and it i,
:!bsolurcly beaucifol there. All three Scares on the West coast arc cxm:
mcly gay-friendly. And there i, such a div<.:r,ity of things to do on
che West coast whether your into huscle-busrie of the big cirie, iike
San Diego, Los Angele-, and San Fran..:i,co or enjoy the quicrness
and rhe beaury of Palm l,prings as
well a, the Sunes of \'11/ashington and
Oregon. '!he weather in Southern
California i, of course always great
and even up the coast as far as San
Francisco, the winters are extremclv
mild. We have spent the Holidays in
San Francisco and it is quit<.: warm.
Further North into Washington
and Oregon it is much cooler in tht
Wint<.'.r. One of rhese davs we want
w take a three week trip driving all
the way from Scarrie. Washington
down w San Diego which is nearly
J 300 mib. One time we did drii:c
from San hanciscn to Los Angeb
which is only a 400 mile drive
and hy the time we stopped and
vi~ited even-thing it took w, "i days! hut wcli worth it. Driving i;
the ONLY W,1)" to travel if vou h:ne the time. Driving dow1, from
San rL1nci\co you first ,·isir th<: hisroric tO\V!l of !\:lont.crcy, Pchbil'
Beach, ( :~~n1h:l and do;vn diru the Ltbulous ( .a .. ;rk·, S~t!: Sin1con to
S.u1t~! Barbar~~ and then on to ;\Ldibu, Los ~\ng<..:1:>. L,iguna ~uH.1 Pn
l(l ~~!ll J )icgo .. J he :11:iior h1ghvv·a~:~· v,-hi,_h !~, jght Oil the (P<l:--! i:-,
hrc·ath-tak!nf, 'Ih,_T,__' ::EC ;0!1s t)f
tiH .. ' \V;t\
Hut ilLn -~•Jl!ll' pr:.•i,.:r r 1'.cl'>I o;r•,t \V~~r_•:h ... ·: it j,. Il::·id~i. the
liddL.- :\rLPr >-~L'\','
i\frcr leaving Florida, drive ro .S;::.v~!nn~d1, (;eorgia frH a grand tin1c as
it is ~uch ::1 historical tO\Vn and the seuing f<.>r the book and n1ovic,
.\1idnigh, In 1 he Carden Of C,iud And h·il. For rho,r s(> inclined,
then Iv!yrdc Beach, .\(1u1h c:arolina is ~~nother good pi~tcc to Yisir. Be
sure 10 visit sornc of the oid c:~\'il \\:'~1r 1nt!\cun1s \vhilc your driving
up the coasr:. \firgini~~ Beach is ahYavs fun. -r~kc ,1bnur 3 dav~ ro visit
\vashington D.C:. One of rh~ hc~c i.hing, c1bom that citr is ·chat :1lmost
cv~rnhing i:, FREE1 The mt,,eum~, arr n!leri<:,. ,1;1d hiswricai
sigl1ts arc -~lil frc--~.
0
"lhen hit ~ew York Ci!\". but park vour .mw in one of the
surrounding cirie, about 60 miics' ;W.'a;, at one of the parking int,
and then take the commuter train into the Cir,-. Aim of churchc,
that is close to 1hr commuter train, have gat<.:d. ixukinv lots during '- ~ 0
the wc,·k very inexpensive. New York Cit)" is NOT a place w be
driving your auto. After Yl'll !ca1-c New York City then drive thru
the scenic wonckrs of the New Engbnd State,. Everything in New
England i, extremely gay friendly and ,·er,- historical. You crn so
easily get wrapped up in American history. Either end your journev
in P-Town or Ogunquit- Maine. Both wwm arc cnn:mcly gar and
pl('.11r:,.· o( gay acconirllodation:-; arc found 1h~T,:,
So ·.vhcthcr your .w l·.ast ( :oast pcr,on ,,r" \X:nt ( :oa,t perrnn,
rake ofr thi~ )UJ11!11er and
experience ne,v adventures,
make nnv friends and come
back lO !he i\lidwcst with a
HL'\V pcr:-.pccriv<: on life. \Ve
find it tot;1)h amuini; how
many people we mecr from
the Midwest when tr,1vcling
to either coast. Sadh· to say
hur borh coasts arc ;nuch ·
more gay-friencllr tbn here
in the Midwest. ,\nd of course
several Stares on both coasr~
arc now t<l[aily smoke free.
California, Florida, Maine
and many pans of New York
have ~in ()rdinance against
s1noking in JI1)' public place
iucluding bars. And the great thins is that the bars arc more popular
no\v than the;· ever \Vere. SLClll'.-i ~1~ though p:.:oplc h:1d '.\topped
going to th.: bars for only one reason and rh~~t i:; .so tht:.\~ \von!d Jh)!
have to ()U! ~:p .,,:i1h rhe \Jl10~~ ... - in the h:1L\. ><P\V. ain:o·< Jil of the
l~:lr> ari: ! ,;Jc:-.'->\\·(: I:ccd t;:kc tl [l,_-,_-,o:i fr( 1rn hdtL ,~·n~t:-:t_;.,_
GAY TRAVELERS West Hollywood:
!twas like living in "Old Hollywood" whenever we stayed there.
However Raymond has now semi-rerired and now resides in PalmSprings.
We wish him well.
The heart of the gay and iesbian communiry is Sama Monica
Boulevard. "The Boulevard" is a pedestrian-friendly street, lined
with cafes, shops and clubs. Traveiers wiil meet friendly people and
experience an ever-present fun, party-like atmosphere.
Arriving in West Hollywood is arriving in the epicenter of the
trends that define LA. Of course, the definition of trends in the
ciry is never complete without the hot restaurant scene in hip West
Hollywood. With LA's greatest and most celebrity-frequented hotspots,
restaurants like Mortons, Ago, Lucques and Katana anchor
an impressive number of fine and casual din[ng establishments. Experience
the tastes celebrities and the rich and famous have known
for years. In 1.9 square-miles, West Hollywood opens the doors to
kitchens from ail over the world. From quick 'n' casual drive-ups,
to some of' the hippest restaurants in LA: West Hollywood's 120+
restaura:ns guarantee chat you'il never go co bed h1;ngry.
Party as the partiers do and the "real" party is always in West Hollywood.
'X'hether on weeknights and always on weekends, a steady
flow of hipsters and party people flood into the hippest, most
fun-spiriced dry around. famous hotspots like Skybar and Standard
Lounge, !1ot to mention LAs iive music scene on the Sunset Strip
welcome the night right. On Santa Ivfonica Boulevard the party gets
red-hot at legendary clubs like Rage, Mickey's and Here Lounge.
Shopping is a sport in West Hollywood and with some of the
"hautc-esr" comure and sryiish pickings in interior design and art,
you are in for a mighty fine "work-our''. From Hermes to Valentino.
Anna Sui to Halston, to the rock star garb at Maxfield and Royal
Order, this city drops the pretense and shows you ro che latest trends
you could only expect from the most stylish place in LA.
Nowhere is looking and feeling good more important than in West
Hoilywood, where Holiywood's leading men, models, actors and
stressed industry types flock to che endiess selection of health dubs
and spas for pampering and conditioning. Famous spots like Lulur,
Ole Henri;c.sen FaceiBody, and Kinara provide some of the best
known spa treatments in the world, while a:nlctic facilities iike
Equinox and Angel City Gym provide the '.ares, and greatest in
physical conditionlng. Check in a,1d cl~eck out the re'.axa:ion rhat
awaits you.
And for Art and Cuicure there is the 1k,ors Circle ·n1eacrc. Archirecrure
& Design i\fosetun, Coast Playhouse, Globe Playhoi:se, Lee
Strasbcrg Thea'.re Mu<cun,, MAK Center for Arr and ?-,rchirccturc
and rhe Pacific De~ign Center. And of course don·r miss rhe Getty
Museum just a frw miles \Xfes, of\X,'est Holivwcod anci the: \viesemhal
j\fu,et:m of":i)Jlernnce ,·mici; h,.:s a ;pecia] section jusr for
gays/lesbians.
~TRAVEL
You Bv direct!v into lAX lnternacionai Airpon, take a shutr!~ to
West I-J:oilv,..,,C:od and vou don't ever have r~ bother with an auto.
EVERYTHI:.-~G is right there. They cio have wonderful pu6iic
transportation if you wam to venture out for the day but everything
is right there! Ir is a place that we certainly would nor wane to b·e
bur is a fantastic place to visit.
We always have a great time whenever we go there. And of course
the Movie Studios offers great tours, Beverly Hilis and the fabulous
shopping centers are a must do. It is just FUN and 1:ABULOUS!
There are simply way to many bars and restaurants for us to suggest
you try. Just walk up and down Sama Monica Boulevard and look
for yourself. There are dozens of weekly gay newspapers on the street
corners with ads for all the businesses inciuc!ing daiiy specials at bars
and restaurants.
Always have a great time when traveling, meet new and exciting
people and TALK TO EVERYONE!
For more information on traveling email Donald and Ray at gaytraveiers@
aol.com or visit their webpage ar: http:/ /www.hometown.
aoi.com/gaycravelers.
heaith outreach prevention education, inc.
1-800-535 IDS (2437)
Oklahoma's HIV/STD Hotline
PROTECT YOURSELF
PROTECT YOUR PARTNER(S)
.. Free nonjudgmental HIV testing, inciuding the 20
minute OraQuick Test.
KNOW
YOUR STATUS
* Free Syphiilis screening at the GLBT Community
Center on Tuesdays from 6-Bpm
H.O.P.E. Testing Clinic
Mens Outreach Program
In Tulsa at (918) 812-7045
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine i9
America's fourth-largest city, Housron has developed into a worldclass
center of culture, dining, and style. (Photo by Andrew Collins)
by Andrew Collins
Houston, Texas
cosmopolitan city that biends Western and Southern
heritage and style, Houston has been one of America's
great boomtowns of the past decade. Its once staid, business-
oriented downtown has become a trendy district
of restaurants, dubs, shops, condos, and hip hotels, along with an
architecturally stunning baseball stadium. Other central Houston
neighborhoods, inciuding gay-popular Montrose and up-and-coming
Midtown, have also seen big changes fur the better, helping
to turn the nation's fourth-largest city into a lively and downright
stylish getaway.
Houston acts as a cultural capital bridging the South and Southwest,
with some of the best museums in the country. Cultural highlights
include the Men)! Collection, wid: wor~ by Warhol, Leger,
and Picasso in a space designed in 1987 by Renze Piano. Within
walking distance are the Menil Collection's Cy Twombly Gallery,
plus rwo independent faci!ides: the Rothko Chapel, which contains
14 large-scale Mark Rothko paintings commissioned for the chapel
and a peacefui reflecting pool and plaza; and the Byzantine Fresco
Chapel, which showcases nvo 13th-century frescoes re$cued from
,var-torn Cyprus.
Many of the city's engaging attracdons iie in the Museum District.
south of downtown, anchored by lush Hermann Park. Don't miss
the Museum of Fine Arts, with its concentration of Impressionist, as
well as Itaiian and Spanish R.enaissance, pieces. The Contc1nporary
Arts Museum hosts reputable temporary exhibitions. And the ciry·s
I:--Ioiocaust Museun1 has changing exhibits (v,1hich sometiines
touch on the persecution of gays and lesbians) as we!i as a permanent
display that includes artifacts and personal effects recovered
from a Polish concentration camp. At the northern tip of Hermann
Park iies the Houston Museum of Natural Science, one of the
nation's most-visited museums. Check out the Burke Baker Planetarium,
which has a 25,000-square-foot tropical rain forest complete
with butterflies. (No joke: Spray Calvin Klein's Obsession on your
shoulder and the butterflies won't leave you alone!)
Houston's gay scene is centered in Montrose, an artractive neighborhood
a couple of miles southwest of downtown, with a mix of
early 20th-century homes and conages and several newer pockets
of condos and apartments. At the epicenter, where Westheimer
Road crosses Montrose Boulevard, you're within walking distance of
countless gay bars and gay-friendly restaurants. As you head farther
west along \Vestheimer, you'll pass a number of antiques shops and
funky boutiques. Consider taking a break from shopping with a
meal at the homey Empire Cafe, which is set inside a converted vintage
service station and offers splendid pizzas, hearty frittatas, and
such breakfast ueats as hot polenta with honey-cream and toasted
almonds. Anorher exce!lent nearby option is Diedrich Coffeehouse,
a spacious cafe with sunny seating areas and a shaded patio.
Montrose has dozens of other great eateries. Acclaimed chef l,1onica
Pope, one of the Southwest's culinary stars, brings great cooking to
the masses at T' afia, a sleek space on the eastern edge of the neighborhood,
where you might feast on such creative, globally inspired
fare as yellowfin tuna with coconut chutney, or buffalo rib-eye steak
with a tamarind glaze. With an ebullient, festive atmosphere but a
serious menu, La Strada serves fine, upscale Italian fare at dinner,
including a signature Italian paella. R~ggles Gri!le is highly popular
with the queer community, famous for its Sunday brunches and
delicious Southwestern-meets-Mediterranean food.
Mark's is an upscale hot spot in a deconsecrated church, serving appropriately
nonconformist fare like bourbon-glazed pork tenderloin
wirh moiasses, glazed yams, and ginger-apple compote. Mo Mong,
a spare-looking haunt known for great Vietnamese food, happens
also to be a favorite spot for cocktails (especially sake martinis on
Wednesdays) among queers in the know. For stellar, upscale regional
Mexican cuisine, book a table at the hip and high-ceilinged restaurant,
Hugo's.
Steps from the Montrose bar strip, Baba Yegas sprawls with sunny
dining rooms and shaded decks, which are constantly abuzz wirh
charter and gossip. Decent burgers, many veggie items, and other
light dishes are served. Barnaby's is a ctC\vn-home diner with a tn:s
gay following and consistently good, filling fare. And Katz's Deli
serves astonishingly large sandwiches, savory soups, and heavenly
cheesecakes in a handsome dining room that's open 'round the
dock.
\:vhile Momrose has pienty of gn:at gay-popular eateries, downtown
Houston is where a nurnber of top chefs are operating these days.
Among the neighborhood's most acclaimed din;ng options, Solero
serves delicious tap~ts in a sexy environment; and Bank (at the Hotel
IC~Ot',.~) presents the iefined~ ethereai, Asian-tinted French cuislne
of fan1ed chefJean,-Georges 'v:':}ngerichten. Berrveen do\vrno1.vn and
JY1ontrose~ the city~s lviidto·..vn neighborhood ha.s one of the hottest
20 Arkansas & Oklahoma ·s most read GLBT Magazine
real-estate markets in the country, as this once virtually deserted area
booms with new condos and town homes.
Cool restaurants are popping up, too, such as Farrago, a dapper
bistro serving creative pizzas, affordable pastas and burgers, and
wonderful weekend brunch fu.re. A more upscale but stiil moderately
priced option is Gravitas. 1his slick, beautifully designed space
is known for its terrific wine list and tantalizing American bistro
cuisine - rhe roasted Texas quail with sweet corn and applewoodsmoked
bacon is heavenly.
Houston has a tremendous number of gay bars and clubs. Here are
some of the more popular options: Extremely friendly and therefore
a great place to go if you're new in town, Brazos River Bottom
(BRB) is a good-sized country-western bar with two-stepping and
line-dancing some nights. Chances is one of the city's more lesbianoriented
hangouts, with dancing (both to pop and country-western
music) and a super-friendly, low-keyed crowd. J.R.'s - like its sister
bars in Dallas and Denver - is a quintessential stand-and-mode! bar
with attractive Southwestern-inspired decor and a fabulous patio.
Nearly next door, Blur Bar is a large new space with a packed dance
floor and a big pario. The Montrose Mining Co. draws a mix of
bears, Levi's-and-leather guys, and regular Joes into its dark and
cruisy confines. And Sourh Beach is the favorite warehouse-style
dance club in the heart of Montrose, with dancing and music into
the wee hours. Also pulsing nearly all night long, Rich's is an industrial-
looking downtown dance club.
The hip video lounge I,1eteor has extremely popular happy hours
and fun karaoke Sundays. Guava Lamp has live entertainment
some nights, great martinis, an array of video screens, and music at
decibels that allow conversation (and, of course, cruising). Regulars
at Club 1415, a !aid-back dance bar, love to mingle on the spacious
patio. A popular neighborhood bar among the city's over-35 gay
folks, Decades is also one of the friendlier hangouts in town. The
more hard-core of the city's leather bars, Ripcord is a fairly typical
such hangout, with the traditional black decor and dim lighting.
Houston's hotel scene has truly blossomed in recent years. Right
in the heart of !vfomrose, you'll find a rerrific, affordable, first-class
accommodation, the Lovett Inn, which draws a mostly gay and
lesbian crowd. 'There are 12 rooms and suites, some in the historic
main house - the former residence of a one-time Houston mayor -
and others in separate ombuildings set abour the attractive grounds
(which include a pool and hoc tub). A longtime favorite is in the
Houstonian Hotel, an opulent old-world property in the upscale
Post Oak section of the city. Om toward the ritzy Galleria Mall, the
trendy Hotel Derek is a super-sleek propeny done in bold colors
with dramatic contemporary furniture. Among dov,'lltown properties,.
the swanky Hotel ICON occupies the historic Union Nationai
Bank Building. 111e stunning rooms in this boutique property have
rhe ambience of a decadent Parisian flat, wirh vibrant red drapes,
plush bedding, and high-end toHerries. Although it's not especially
gay, the restauram·s nber-cool ':V11iskey Bar is a favorite downtown
spot for cocktails - e".\,ren if you~re not staying at the hotet consider
• ' •. I • I d ' . . . ~av1ng 1nart1.?1s 1ierer as you observe tne ramanc renaissance that 1s
downtown Houston
Houston, Texas the nations 4t.11 largest city.
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 21
CENTER NEWS: Out on the Town with Dinner & DIVAS begins
at 6:00 PM at Tsunami Sushi, 309 East 2nd, followed bv DIVAS
2006 at 8:00 PM at the Tulsa PAC. Please call TOHR at 918.743.
GAYS by September 6th to reserve your spot for a night Out on rhe
Town.
TOHR Annual Meeting
It's been an exciting and busy year for Tulsa Oklahomans for Human
Rights (TOHR). A building, the permanent home for the Tulsa
GLBT Community Center, has been bought, is being renovated
and will open in October. TOHR has partnered with Tulsa PFLAG
& OYP to plan and make "Diversity Celebration - Tulsa PRIDE!"
bigger and better - your input and ideas can help take it to the next
level. The Center has visited Tuisa PRIDE and OKC Pride and will
soon bring the rainbow to Southeastern Oklahoma during McPride
on September 23rd, 11 AM to 5 PM in Chadick Park in McAlesrer,
OK (log onto mcpride.org for more information). We're also implementing
a strategic plan and a marketing initiative that will change
Tulsa and Oklahoma for the better. You can help make it happen
with your support and attending the TOHRAnnual Meeting.
The TO HR Annual Meeting is Thursday, September 28, 2006 at
7:00 PM in the Tulsa GLBT Community Center, 5545 E 41st
Street. The State of the Organization, the Year in Review report
and Board of Director elections are planned, as well as celebratory
drinks and refreshments marking the last official TOHR function in
a leased location. As always, it's FREE. Join us Thursday, September
28th, 7:00 PM at the Tulsa GLBT Community Center at 5545 E
41st Street in Highland Plaza
Want the STAR delivered to your home or business?
12 issues for $26.95 will be mailed in a sealed envelope
the 1st of each month. Complete the form
below and send with a check or moneyorder to:
Ozarks STAR
5103 S. Sheridan Rd., #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
(Slngle Copies $3.00 per issue)
City: ________ St: ___ Zip: _ _
Check enclosed--~
Money Order
Start Date:-------~
22 the STAR
Li le Rock Capi
Elects Its Boa
I Pride
For 2007
LITTLE ROCK, AR~ Link Rock Capital Pride (formerly known
as Little Rock Gay and Lesbian Pride) electeci its new Board for the
2007 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006 anci ending june 30, 2007.
The new officers for 2006/2007 are:
President - David W Quinn
Vice Presidem - Barb Kampbe!l.
Treasurer Chad Allen
Secrerarv Toe Lafountaine
Board Me~bers-Janis Walters and Joy Evans
Little Rock Capital Pride was founded in 2005 by omgoing Board
President and Founder, John House, The success ofLirde Rock
Capital Pride has been through the hard work of the "All Volumed'
working membership, community support and its Board. \X'e iook
forward to seeing you at our 3rd Annual Little Rock Capital Pride
Celebration June 3, 2007.
The board is also pleased to announce that Capital Pride 200: will
be held June 3rd at rhe River Market Amphitheatre from 3 p.m.
- 10 p.m. Capital Pride has been heid for the past two years ar
.AJisop Park and the new venue ,'✓as selected to accommodate the
growth in attendance the evenr has enjoyed. Little Rock Capital
Pride Board President, David W. Quinn stated, "We are very excited
to host our third annual Capital Pride at the River lv1arket. We feel
the new venue will allow us-rn continue to grow the event, attract
more ~ponsors, garner more vendors and provide better entertainment.
Little Rock Capital Pride is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization
whose mission is to hosr events that honor the history and diversity
of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) individuals in
the State of Arkansas and surrounding areas and create unity within
the GLBT community and its allies by providing sociai support and
enhancing awareness of the past and present contributions of GLBT
individuals through community activities and services, induding an
annual Pride event.
* Northwest Arkansas GLBT Commu-
Center Receive's First Corporate
Donation.
BENTOI'~VILLE, AR _ ·'We received a donation check from Wal
Man this week. !tis our "Fim" corporate donation. It wiil go
~t~:::'.-1\::;;~~1~:r~:,~~:~:~~~~~~::::1: ~~:,~(1~:;_munity
Tne l'1ortir'\<vest Arkansas <,.;ay} Lesbian, Bisexu~11 and 'Thtnsgendered
c:ommunit;r' (:enter is a group of like-n1inded individuals '\Vho have
come toger.her to create a nonprofit (;LBl- ,.,.,,.,""''"'"' Center of
1"Jorthwest .Arkansas. For n1ore inforn1ation go to:
Congratulations K'rli Adams
Miss Gay Oklahoma America
Salutations Kittens, a weltered Uncle corning to you straight from
the summer best describe as, hotter than a Twink painted in body
glitter wearing only a thong! Take my word for it Kictens, he was as
hot as they come, no pun intended. My goodness this heat has been
enough to drive a queen mad, not that it would be a far haul mind
you. As we sail into hopefully a cooling off period in che monrh of
September, let us see what intrigues the minds of my faithful Queers
this month, besides yours rruly.
Dearest Uncle Mikey,
I have a friend at school that i wrote to you abour. I have had this
amazing crush on him for a while, and until now thought that he
was a great guy. He aliowed me a momentary pleasure after which
he quit talking to me altogethei. I mean he made me fed just cheap
and used. Am I a slut?
Kissing and telling
Dearest Teliing,
Kitten, I got steamier details our of Clinton's memoirs. What a
let down; now I need a drink. If you are going to dish, make sure
you include the steamy details of your campus copulation. To your
question, was ic done in taste? I mean one can give twenty blowjobs,
but if done with styie, and taste, one is simply a giver, nor a
slut. TI1is is my story and I am sticking to it! Smooches- Mikey
Dearest Uncle Mikey, • ..
My partner gets mad at me when I indulge myself in satisf1ing
myself through masturbation. He feels I am taking away from our
lovemaking when I am not always in the mood. I never used to really
enjoy i:, now I enjoy doing it seYeral times a week. I even tried
on day at work b a stall, but that is a different storv. Is it a bad
thing_whe~ you are in a relationship? ,
Mambo or one
Dearest Mambo,
Ah, masrnrbadon, Americas second pasi: time event. Kitten, it is
nor a bad ace as long as you are not attempting co buy cards and
flov,-ers for Mr. Righcy. You can even incorporate this little past
rime into your lovemaking. Allow your partner to watch, whiie you
pu t ~n a steamy s>n ow rr or mI • m. ~1 am sure you w1•1 1 n,~ nct• th• ;.s qm•t e
satisfying as him. Fantasy is a ma,ior role in most n1en~s sexual
26 theSTAR
drive. Reassure him that this is not about something lacking,
simply adding to. More importantly, you skip the work story and
leave me hanging like a low rider? Have I taught you all nothing? I
swear, I am going to need a warm shower after this momh's selection.
Dear Mikey:
I am a twenty two year oid lesbian living in a community where homosexuals
are not accepted. I am unable to meet any females living
my iifestyle, leaving me very lonely, what should I do?
Uno-les
Kitten,
Sister soldier, welcome to life in the mid-west. I would suggest that
you look for the Martha jailbird's tour, which I hear is done by lesbians
Inc, but you know how rumors get started. You must surround
yourselfbv others in vour life scyle. Easier said than done-mavbe
worth the' effort- defi~ntly. Fou~ out of five lesbians currentl/livi;1g
in the Midwest agree. Mind you darling those are the same proud
members of the secret fingei society heard about in lesbian campouts
everywhere! Smooches-Uncle
Dearest Mikey,
Did you find Tiddles?
Curious kitty lover
Dearest Curious,
Kitten, you do care. Yes, I found that cranked up ungrateful kitty
hoped up on catnip, hooking up with the neighbor hood pussies. I
mean really, all I ask is a note, is that so much! Tiddles the o-reat mv . t, ;
ass, more like Tidd.Jes the Josey goosey. (Stern looks at Tiddles)
Dear uncle Mikey,
I caught my boyfriend at a local park with another man. I had my suspensions,
and followed him to find him doing a trick in the bathroom. I was
so appalled, yet froze unable to formulate words. Now, I do not know
weather I should break it off or accept his apology. W'hat do )'OU think?
Looking at loneliness'
Dearest Looking:
Indulge me fur a moment. I hope you do!1't find chis question brazen however,
could your frozen state maybe been caused by a sudden lack ofblooci
flow possibly. I mean honestly Kitten; we ail have been there. ! mea!l I am
simply looking ac causation in your search for truth. Some of my greatest
moments have been porn out of what I like to :efer to as, Dear :nches moments.
Kitten, we live what we allow ourselves to live. You and on;y you
can decide if ,his bathroom iover is ;ight fo~ vou. Personallv, I sav e~iov
the little tart while you get read:y to BBD '.bi~er better deal) his ;orry ;tali
iovin' v.rays. Safely of course, you don't \Vant to take away any critter.st not
on a leash: Smooches-Uncle , ,
Well Kittens, like a trick in the night, I n1ust make a run for it. ?\iv fi1ithful
pool boy is due shortly and I have not vet waxed. What we do to i~ok good
for our men. Until next tirne kittens remember this, Uve HtC as if y(}U a~c
the hottest trick at the bathhouse, rnake then1 V/ork for it!
Got a question for ljncie? Write to hin1 at unciemikey4you({paol.corn
Smooches'. lJncle }Aikey and (tired) 'fiddles too
*
JOIN US FOR
McPride's 2nd
Annual Family Picnic
Saturday September 23rd
11 AM to 5PM Chadick Park
6th and Delware, McAlester
Oklahoma.
Organizations Resen,e your
display table now. Contact
paul@mcpride.org
Food and Drink vendors
Contact Elizabeth @ 918-
423-7015
www.mcpride.org
Marinated Pork Loin with Wild
3-4Ib pork lion
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
marinate pork overnight
4cups wild rice
1 cup chopped oranges/pineapples/
raisins
1 cup orange marmalade
Grill pork lion on hot grill for about 1 hour or internal
temp reaches165. In a large sauce pan cook wild rice,
after cooked and chopped fruit in a small pan heat marmaiade
over low heat. Place 1 cup of rice on plate. Slice
pork lion at a angle place about 4 slices on top of rice
and drizzle with orange marmalade. A delicious Pomegranate
Martini will go very well with this main course.
Comments or suggestions email Chef John
at: chefjohnp@cox .net
Here is a martini recipe that goes well
with pork, chicken, salads, etc ... or just
fun alone I Serve these to your guests
in fun martini glasses that are properly
chilled and you will impress them all.
Remember when entertaining to have
fun with it and your gathering will go
very well and everyone wiii have a great
time. Enjoy I
POMEGRANATE MARTINI
(2 OZ) ABSOLUTE CITRON VODKA
(2 OZ) POMEGRANATE JUICE
(1 OZ) CONTREAU LIQUOR
SPLASH OF 7-UP
FRESH SQUEEZE OF LEMON
1 . Chill a martini glass with ice and water.
2. Combine al! ingredients '..Vith ice in shaker
(except 7-up) and shake well.
3. Strain into martini glass and add splash
of 7-up, garnish with a fresh lemon twist.
CELEBRATE September With A Cool Drink!
Arkansas & Oklahoma's most read GLBT Magazine 27
Q Scopes
by Jack Fertig
SEPTEMBER 2006
"Patience, Aries!"
That dreary Neptune-Saturn uμ~;u;:,ition is getting
activated again, this time by ercury in Virgo, offering
hope that the muddle and mystery will come into critical
focus. Then Mercury squares Pluto, brin · any
new ideas or rationalizations into the spotlig t to be
challenged or enshrined.
ARIES (March 20 -April 19): Pessimism is weighing on
you heavily, and friends' assurances seem to backfire. The
future is what you make of it, so take care of your health
and keep your mind on your work. Patience, love! Every
little step forward counts.
TAURUS (April 20 ~ May 20): With a sense of uncertainty
at work, you're inclined to retreat into your nest, but mere
cocooning offers little satisfaction. Creative projects at
home can make you more generaliy confident of challenges
at work - and eager for challenges in bed!
GEMINI (May 21 M June 20): Messages from Mama or
anyone back home can help resolve the problems you're
struggling with. Shutting up and listening can help, too.
Don't let ideals get in the way of reality, but let reality clarify
those ideals!
CANCER. (June 21 00 July 22): Organizing bills and accounts
and/or baiancing your checkbook will hone your
mind toward a better understanding of your priorities, both
material and otherwise. That clarity couid improve your sex
life! Still, be careful to avoid accidents and needless arguments.
LEO (July 23 * August 22): Arguments over money come
out of your rigidity and your partner's uncertainty. Even so,
financial discussions can push you to loosen up a bit and
give your baby a little more security. Gambling and investments
now are sure losses.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Worrying too much
about guarding a secret can be the surest way to reveal it.
Put your mind elsewhere, especially on health matters. A
checkup now can nip something serious in the bud.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Efforts to ioosen
up some of your more conservative associates are sure
to backfire. Try instead to be sensitive to and meet their
wishes, even if you take them in an entirely new direction.
SCORPIO (October 23 m November 21}: Friends - and
especially colleagues - can help you work through the longrunning
muddle at home and stress at work that feed into
each other. If their suggestions seem a bit off, use them as
a starting point for new and better ideas.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 00 December 20): Arguments
are coming toward you and out of you more easily
than usual, and you had a head start! Accept advice from
someone whose authority you respect, and keep your rebellious
streak focused on productive battles.
CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Clever suggestions
from an unlikely source can help you improve
your sex life. But they may also challenge some of your
erotic values and ideals - perhaps even open unpleasant
memories and hidden fears, and through those, untapped
strength.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): To pep up your
sex life, move it to the bathroom. The shower may be the
best place to start. There are other possibilities, but once
you're near the piumbing, it's up to you and your partner!
PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Worries about your
health may drive you to a doctor, and a timely checkup is
always worthwhile. But a day at a spa with your partner
may be just as good. Any health advice from your baby is
especially valuable now, too!
SPIRIT OF CHRIST JOPLIN, MO
FREE HIV TESTING, NO NEEDLES
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
.MCC SPONSORS
Testing appointment 417-529-8480.
2902 E. 20th St.,
PO Box 4711
Joplin, Mo 64803
SA.TCRDAY Service 9:30.:\l\.J
Yot1r I11vited to our (~on1munitr Din11er E.,.rerv \XTed.
6prn just $4.00. No one is turned away:
28 Advertising in the STAR is just good business cents.
Arkansas, Bentonville/Rogers (4
NWA GLBT Ctr - - - www.nwaglbtcc.org- - - - - - 9-586-1062
Barnes & Noble Bks - - 261 N. 46th St., Rogers- - -479-636-2002
Arkansas, Eureka Springs (479)
Diversity Pride Event - - - - - - - - - - - - - -www.diversitypride.com
A Byrd's Eye View- - - - - 36 N. Main- - - - - - - - -479-253-0200
Caribe Restaurante- - - 309 W VanBuren- - - - -479-253-8102
Henri's - - - - - - - 19 1/2 Spring St - - - - - - - - - - - -479-253-5795
Lumberyard Bar&Grill- - - 105 E VanBuren- - - - - -479-253-0400
MCC Living Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -870-253-9337
Swiss Holiday Resort- Hwy 62 at Hwy 23 So.- - - - 888-582-8464
Spexton- - - - - - - 17B Spring Street - - - - - - - - -479-981-6060
Tiki Torch- - - - - - - - 75 S. Main Street- - - - - - - - -479-253-2305
Tradewinds Lodge 141 W. VanBuren- - - - - - - - - 800-242-1615
Arkansas, Fayetteville (479)
Common Ground Restaurant- - - 412 W. Dixon - 479-442-3515
Condom Sense - - - - - - - 418 W. Dickson- - - - - -4 79-444-6228
Curry's Video - - - 612 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-521-0009
Passages - - - - - -930 N. College Ave- - - - - - - - - -479-442-5845
Pride Street Live- - 523 W. Poplar St-- - - - - - - - - - 479-587-0557
Tangerine Club - -21 N. Block Ave-- - - - - - - - - - - -479-587-9512
Arkansas, Fort Smith (479)
Kinkeads- - - - - - -1004 1 /2 Garrison Ave- - - - - - - 4 79-783-9988
Red Rock City- - -917 N. "A" St. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 479-242-2489
Arkansas, Hot Springs (501)
Jesters Lounge - - - - 1010 E. Grand Ave - - - - - - - 501-624-5455
Arkansas, Little Rock (501)
Back Street - - - -1021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - - -501-66427 44
Diamond State Rodeo Assoc.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.dsra.org
Discovery- - - - - 1 021 Jessie Rd- -- - - - - - - - - - -501-666-6900
Sidetracks - - - 415 Main St- -North LR.- - - - - - - -501-244-0444
The Factory - : - - - 412 Louisiana St.- - - - - - - - - 501-372-3070
Kansas, Junction City (785)
Xcalibur Club- - - - - - 384 Grant Ave. - - - - - -785-762-2050
Kansas, Pittsburg (620)
PSU-QSA.- 1701 S. Broadway- - - - - - - - - - - -620-231-0938
River of Life Church.- - 1709 N. Walnut- - - - - - - - -Service 11 AM
Kansas, Wichita (316)
Our Fantasy/South40- - - 3201 S. Hillside- - - - - 316-682-5494
Priscilla's- - - - - 6143 W Kellogg Dr- - - - - - - - - - 316-942-1244
Club Glacier- - - - - - - - - 2828 E. 31st South- - - - 31.6-612-9331
Missouri, Ava (417)
Catus Canyon Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-683-9199
Missouri, Joplin (417)
MCC Spirit of Christ- - -2902 E. 20th. - - - - - -Sat Service-9:30AM
Missouri, Kansas City (816)
40th Street inn- - - -www.40thstreetinn.com- - - - - -816-561-7575
Concourse Park B&B - - 300 Benton Blvd -- - - - - -816-231-1196
Hydes KC Gym & Guest Hs www.hydeskc.com - 816-561-1010
Missie B's- - - -805 W. 39th St- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -816-561-0625
Missouri, Lampe (417)
KOKOMO Campground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -417-779-5084
Missouri, Springfield (417}
The Edge- - - - - 424 Boonville Ave- - - - - - - - - - - 417-831-4700
GLO Comm. Ctr- - -518 E. Commerical- - - - •· - - - -417-869-3978
Martha's Vineyard- - - 219 VV Olive - - - - - - - • - - 417-864-4572
Missouri, Springfield (417)
Priscilla's - - - 19HI S Glenstone - - - - - - - - - -417-881-8444
Ronisuz Place- - -821 College- - - - - - - - - - - -417-864-0036
Rumors - --1109 E. Commercial- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 417-873-2225
Oklahoma, Enid (580)
Hastings Books- - - -104 Sunset - - - - - - - - - - - - 580-242-6838
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - -4810-A West Garriott- - - - - - - 580-233-5511
Oklahoma, Lawton (580)
lngrids Bookstore- - - - -1124 NW Cache Rd- - - - -580-353-1488
Oklahoma, McAlester
McPride- - - - - - - - - - POBox 1515, - - - - - McAlester, OK 74502
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City (405)
American Crossroads B&B - POBox 270642- - - - - -405-495-1111
Boom Room- - - - - - 2807 NW 36th St- -- - - - - - - -405-601-7200
Border's Books- - - - - - 3209 NW Expressway- -- - - 405-848-2667
Club Rox- - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expwy- - - - - - -405-947-2351
Christie's Toy Box- - - - -3126 N. May Ave - - - - - - 405-946-4438
Eastern Ave Video- - -1105 S Eastern Ave- - - - - - - -405-672-6459
Hollywood Hotel- - - 3535 NW 39th Exp - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Hi-Lo Club - - - - - - - 1221 NW 50th- - - - - - - - - - - - 405-843-1722
Partners- - - - - - 2805 NW 36th St - - - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Pec's- - - - - - - - - - -3535 NW 39th Expw - - - - - - - -405-942-2199
Priscilla's- - - - - - - - 615 E. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - - 405-755-8600
Red Rock North- - - 2240 NW39th St- - - - - - - - - - 405-525-5165
Rudy's Place-- - - - -3535 NW39th Expw- - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Phoenix Rising - - - - 2120 NW 39th St- - - - -- - - -405-601-3711
The Park- - - - - - - - 2125 NW 39th St - - - - - - - - -405-528-4690
The Rockies- - - 3201 N. May Ave - - - - - - - - - 405-947-9361
Topanga Grill & Bar- - - 3535 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - - -405-947-2351
Tramps- - - - - - - - - - - -2201 NW 39th-- - - - - - - - - -405-521-9888
Oklahoma, Tulsa (918)
Bamboo Lounge- - - -7204 E. Pine - -- - - - - - - - - -918-836-8700
Border's Book Store- - - 2740 E. 21st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-712-9955
Border's Book Store - - - 8015 S. Yale - - - - - - - - - - 918-494-2665
Club 209 - - - - - - - 209 N. Boulder - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Majestic- - - - - 124 N. Boston - - - - - - 918-584-9494
Club Maverick- - 822 S. Sheridan - - - - - - -918-835-3301
Dreamland Bks -- - - 8807 E. Admiral Pl - - - - - - - - -918-834-1051
GLBT Comm. Ctr- - - - 5545 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - 918-743-4297
Hideaway Lounge- - - - - 11730 E. 11th- - - - - - - - -918-437-0449
HOPE Clinic- - - - - - - 3540 E. 31st- - - - - - - - - - - 918-749-8378
Jazz's Lounge- - - - - - 426 S. Memorial - - - - - - - - - 918-836-8544
Midtown- - - - - - - - - - 319 E. 3rd- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 918-584-3112
Nite Spot - -- - - - - -3007 E. Admiral Pl - - - -- - - - - - 918-834-3007
Our House, Too - - - -203 N Nogales Ave- - - -- - - - -918-585-9552
Prisciila's - - - - - - - - -7925 E. 41st- - - - - - - - - - - - -918-627-4884
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 5634 W. Skelly - - - - - - - - - - - 918-446-6336
Priscilla's - - - - - - - 11344 E 11th - - - - -- - - - - - - -918-438-4224
Priscilla's - - - - - - - - - 2333 E. ?1st- - - - - -- - - - - - -918-499-1661
Renegades- - - - - - - - 1649 S. Main - - - - - - - - - - - 918-585-3405
Rob's Records- - -2909 S. Sheridan Rd- - - - - - - - 918-627-1505
St. Michaels Aliey- - - - - -3324-L E 31st- - - - - - - 918-7 45-9998
Sterling & Co. Salon- - -1606 E.15th St.- - - - - - - 918-742-9999
Tulsa CARES- - - - 3507 E. Admiral Pi- - - - - - - - - - 918-834-4194
Tulsa Eagle- - - - -1338 E. 3rd - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -918-592-1188
TNTs - - - - - - - - - 21i4 S. Memorial- - - - - - - - - - 918-660-0856
Yeliow-Brick-Rd- - - - - - - 2630 E. 15ih- - - - - - - - - - 918-293-0304
· :&osfuiss of Orgaoizitldtrl1'1irttrrtgJo p.istl'Jll!ite FREE e;opies of the STAR;
contact us at 918;8J5:its&7,9aiifto4' - ®ll -'•fii 'br eiμail; 9i.a,."icsstar@sbc lobaLnet
DIVERSITY COALITION
Seeks Pff event coordinator
for annual festival and
parade
918-587-7222
eberlon.734@gmail.com
12th page classified
CALL FOR RATES
91 B.B3S.78B7
11730 E. 11th - Tulsa, OK
918.437.0449
Wed. Talent Show with
Bobby Page, 11PM
Open Tues-Sun 2pm-2am
Check out our new Patio!
OPPORTUNITY
ADVERTIS,NG BALES
REPRESENTATIVE
F'OR WICHITA,
MISSOURI OR ARKANSAS
gualificarions to
ozarksstar@sbcglobal.net
or mail to: 5103 S. Sheridan, #153
Tulsa, OK 74145
Get results with STAR Classifieds!
1 bed apts-remodeled
$495/month
$300 Security Deposite
1 FREE MONTH
Metro Properties
405-232-1236
405-627 -8087
** OPEN AUDITIONS
FOR MALE DANCERS.**
Saturday's 5pm. Must be
available to dance Sunday's.
Compensation plus tips for
successful candidates.
31
PANGA
BAR&GRILL
Sunday Champagne Brunch
All you can eat soup and salad bar llam-2pm
Monday & Tuesday
Well Martinis $2.50 4pm-7pm
Dinner new menu items from 4pm - 11 pm
Friday & Saturday
After Hours Dining
12am-3am
New menu starting on September I. 2006.
Bar favorites, restaurant favorites and many
new items for vour enjoyment pleasure.
- --F'~•:';''+<~~'~ ;::- ~- ""' ~· ,,,.,., , ,.,,,, ,.,,,,,,
\
PEC'S
A LEATHER/LEVI BAR
Mon Thur, 7pm-9pm wear your
leather
and get your well drinks for $2.50
Sun -Thur, 7pm-2am
Fri and Sat, 4pm-2am
RUDY'S PLACE
PIANO BAR
Rudy's Place is a non-smoking
establisthment
Eariy for cocktails, late for a night cap.
Live entertainment Wed, Fri and Sat.
CLUB ROX
HOLLYWOOD IDOL
Wednesday Nights
with Taylor Brayns
Sign up at 9:30pm, Starts at 10pm
VIXENS
Saturday Nights
with Shantel Mandalay atl0pm
ALISON SCOTT SHOW
Friday, Sept 8 at 9:30pm
BARBIE'S BOOTS AND BRIEFS
Every Thursday. Signup at 10:00 P.M.
and Show at 11:00 P.M. $50.00 First
Price and $25.00 Second Prize in CASH.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2006] The Star Magazine, September 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 9
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
September 01, 2006
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Online text
PDF
Language
A language of the resource
English
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation over LGBTQ+ topics
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Star Media, Ltd
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Star Media, Ltd
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C.D. Ward
Greg Steele
Josh Aterovis
Douglas Glenn
John Patrick
Michael Dee
Kay Massey
Paul Wortman
Carlotta Carlisle
Victor Gorin
Greg Gatewood
Libby Post
Andrew Collins
Donald Pile
Ray Williams
Michael Hinzman
Jack Fertig
Liz Highleyman
Ronald Blake
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
magazine
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Southwest Missouri
Western Arkansas
Southeast Kansas
Eastern Oklahoma
The United States of America (50 states)
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/19
Relation
A related resource
The Star Magazine, August 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 8
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/224
The Star Magazine, October 1, 2006; Volume 3, Issue 10
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/242
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/243
Advice Column
Al McAffrey
Bamboo Lounge
Bitter Girls
Chelsea Boys
Club Majestic
Comic Strips
Diversity Pride
Ewan McGregor
fitness
Heart to Heart
HIV/AIDs
HOPE
International Gay Bowling Organization
Jolie Justus
K'rli Adams
Lesbian Notions
Little Rock Capital Pride
Mica Barnes
Miss Gay Oklahoma
Oklahoma Tax Commission
Our House
Past Out
Pomegranate Martini
Q Scopes
Quotable Quotes
recipes
Snakes on a Train
Star business center
star classified
Star Distributors
Star entertainment
Star Scene
Star travel
The Night Listener
Too
Truman Capote
Tulsa Community Center
Uncle Mikey
Walmart
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4d9df71a4e1805b014401082c36656b0
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Text
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT) Community Center
2006 Year in Review
October 2005
• October 31, 2005
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) purchases the permanent Tulsa GLBT Community
Center at 621 E 4th Street in the East End of downtown Tulsa.
November 2005
• Raise the Flag
•
The 1st public event at the permanent Tulsa GLBT Community Center is held as the U.S.,
Oklahoma & Rainbow flags raised are raised over the building. An inter-denominational blessing of
building, COMC & WCO performances and over 200 in attendance filled out the day.
Creating Change – Oakland, CA
Center Director Greg and TOHR Presdent Laura Belmonte attend the 4-day conference, attending
the Community Center Institute, Advocacy Workshops, Coalition-Building, etc. and touring the SF
GLBT Community Center. Greg also gave a presentation at the David Bohnett CyberCenter
Reception during the opening night of the conference.
December 2005
• The Fairy Tree
Working in conjunction with RAIN, Tulsa CARES and Our House, Too, TOHR volunteers and
donors presented nearly 50 gifts to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS through the 4th
Annual Fairy Tree.
• Parent’s Night Out
Providing a night out on the town or an evening of shopping, parents were able to drop off their
children for a safe and fun evening at the Center. The permanent Tulsa GLBT Community Center
features an improved KidsCorner for similar activities and a safe space for children while parents
attend classes, meeting or social events.
• Holiday Dinner
A holiday tradition with PFLAG, nearly 200 people enjoyed a meal, entertainment and the
presentation of the Tulsa PFLAG Swan Awards at Fellowship Congregational Church UCC
• Christmas Day Dinner
The Tulsa GLBT Community Center hosted a catered Christmas Day Dinner with nearly 30 people
attending and enjoying the day with “family.”
January 2006
• BrokeBackQ Dinner
Over 80 people enjoyed a free BBQ meal at the Tulsa GLBT Community Center prior to the
premiere of the blockbuster Brokeback Mountain at AMC Southroads 20.
February
• Out on the Town
�Approximately 30 people enjoyed an evening Out on the Town with dinner at the Metro Diner,
followed by the play The Laramie Project at the University of Tulsa.
• Field of Dreams
Over 80 Oklahomans enjoyed the first formal event in the Great Hall of the permanent Tulsa GLBT
Community Center with dinner by Thyme – An American Bistro and wines from Wildhurst
Vineyards of CA, while raising over $160,000 for renovations and improvements for the permanent
Tulsa GLBT Community Center.
• Wild Hearts Ball V
The Field of Dreams continued into the night with the 5th Annual signature event of the Pyramid
Project, TOHR’s Capital Campaign. Nearly 250 individuals enjoyed thumping music, dugout
dancers and special drinks and surprises in the Event Center of the permanent Tulsa GLBT
Community Center.
March
•
April
• A Triple Hit
The one-year anniversary of one the most popular TOHR programs in the Tulsa GLBT Community
Center was recognized by the community with appreciation, as traffic to the Tulsa GLBT
Community Center tripled in the inaugural year of the David Bohnett CyberCenter (DBC).
May
• National Center for Lesbian Rights Seminar
Local attorneys Camille Quinn and Tim Studebaker, joined National Center for Lesbian Rights
(NCLR) attorneys and representatives to present a legal workshop at the Tulsa GLBT Community
Center covering the legalities of GLBT parenthood in Oklahoma.
June
• Diversity Celebration – Tulsa Pride 2006
Tulsa’s 24th annual celebration of GLBT pride and diversity continued to grow as the Diversity
Coalition of TOHR, PFLAG & OYP presented the week of special events, featuring the Tulsa GLBT
Pride Parade & Festival on the second Saturday of June. Tulsa police estimated a crowd of
15,000 at the Festival with an estimate of nearly 20,000 enjoyed all 11 events in 8 days. The 2006
celebration also featured the largest number of corporate sponsorships with Blockbuster Video,
Wild Oats Natural Marketplace & U.S. Cellular, among others, signing on to support GLBT equality.
• East Village Art Show
The permanent Tulsa GLBT Community Center hosted its inaugural art show with the East Village
Art Show during Diversity Celebration – Tulsa Pride 2006! Over 80 works of art in the Event
Center, hors d’oeuvres by TW’s Catering, wines by Wildhurst Vineyards and 250 in attendance
made the evening a success.
• Imagine – Diversity Gala 2006
TOHR’s largest fundraiser of the year broke the record books in all categories as 325 patrons and
guests filled the galleries and Vista Room at Tulsa’s Gilcrease Musueum. The dinner, by Thyme –
An American Bistro, wines by Loring Wines of California, presentation of the Community Hero
Awards and Volunteer of the Year and fantastic silent and live auctions combined to make the
evening the “night of the year.”
�• OKC Pride
TOHR, the Tulsa GLBT Community Center and the Pride Store spent two days at the OKC Pride
Festival. The Pride Store proved very popular, while thousands were reached with TOHR’s
newsletter the Torch and free copies of the Advocate.
July
• Out on the Town
A small but enthusiastic crowd enjoyed a perfect summer evening game of baseball at Drillers
Stadium. The permanent Center is located across the street from a relocated Drillers Stadium
planned for the East End of downtown Tulsa.
August
• Pagan Pride
The permanent Tulsa GLBT Community Center hosted its first non-TOHR related event with Pagan
Pride 2006. Approximately 500 people enjoyed the sights and sounds of a variety of cultures
during the 2-day event.
September
• Out on the Town
Dinner & DIVA’s were the feature of the fall Out on the Town. The DIVA concert benefited
H.O.P.E. (Health Outreach, Prevention & Education). H.O.P.E. also provides HIV testing at the
Tulsa GLBT Community Center twice per week.
• TDS September Event
Nearly 125 people enjoyed educational workshops and an evening party during the September
Event of TDS at the permanent Tulsa GLBT Community Center.
• McPride
TOHR, the Tulsa GLBT Community Center and the Pride Store visited the 2nd annual McPride
Family Picnic in McAlester, OK to help bring the rainbow to SE Oklahoma. A crowd of nearly 200
enjoyed the day in Chadick Park.
• Zarrow Mental Health Symposium
�
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[Sub-Series] OKEQ > Organizational History > TOHR, OHR
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Title
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[2006] TOHR History in Review
Creator
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Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Publisher
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Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Date
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2006
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Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
2006
History in Reveiw
TOHR
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https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/49a1f25eb3c3103d3a155d47cd00085d.pdf
2f188cc7466146e5565b78d19995de27
PDF Text
Text
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Oklahoma's has one of the best state songs around thanks to Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1943), a musical adaptation of Lynn Rigg's play Green Grow
the Lilacs (1931). Riggs was born in 1899 on a farm near Claremore. He escaped
Oklahoma when he turned 18, surviving on odd jobs in Chicago and New York. He
returned to Tulsa a year later and worked briefly as a reporter for the Oil and Gas
Journal. Part-Cherokee, Riggs used income from leasing his Claremore land allotment to attend the University of Oklahoma where he studied English and started to
write poetry. Stress and illness (probably connected with a growing awareness of
his homosexuality), however, prevented Riggs from graduating. Instead, in 1923,he
left Norman and moved to Santa Fe at the invitation of gay poet Witter (Hal) Bynner
(1881-1968) who had briefly taught at OU in 1922. Bynner, who edited the literary
journal the Laughing Horse, published a few of Rigg's early poems. Bynner's own
Santa Fe home is now a gay-friendly Bed and Breakfast, the Inn of the Turquoise
I\I|SW, LCSW
Counselor &
Psychothe
4870 E Lewis Ave
Suite 190
Tulsa, OK741 05
918 .284.A123
Bear.
In Santa Fe, Riggs joined an literary and artistic circle that partly rotated around the
wealthy Taos socialite Mabel Dodge Luhan who had talked bisexual British author
D. H. Lawrence into moving to New Mexico. Along with Bynner, Rigg's New
Mexico friends included gay artist Cady Wells and gay novelist Myron Brinig. Between 1935 and 1940, Riggs owned a home in Santa Fe located at 710 Acequia Madre. He also had an apartment in New York, at 1 Christopher St and also lived, for a
few years, in France and Los Angeles working on Hollywood movie screenplays
These included The Garden of Allah (1936), featuring Marlene Dietrich and Charles
Boyer, Cecil B. DeMille's The Plainsman (1936) starring Gary Cooper and Jean
Arthur, and also two early Basil Rathbone features, Sherlock Homes and the Voice
of Terror and Sherlock Holmes in Washington. In Hollywood, Joan Crawford was a
favorite beard. She gave Riggs a Scottish Terrier named Baron.
Providing Mental
He
fo r
olescents,
Adults and
Gouples.
Riggs only returned to Oklahoma for brief visits. One of these was to attend the
History Project Memories
(Continued on page l2)
6
tohr.o I
�(Continued from page 6)
opening of Oklahoma! in Tulsa's Convention Hall (Brady Theater) in April
1947. Riggs had mixed memories of
his boyhood state, describing Oklahomans as "a suspect fraternity, as fearful
of being recognized by others as they
were by themselves. Gamblers, traders, vagabonds, daredevils, fools. Men
with a sickness, men with a distemper.
Men disdainful of the settled, the admired, the regular ways of life. . . Pio-
neers, eaten peop[e." On the other
hand, he wrote his play Green Grow
okho
the Lilacs featuring Oklahomans
were not parsimonious of speech and
ordinarily, not parched in their fruity
enjoyment of life. These people were
few and far between indeed; but they
existed, uneaten, undisturbed, hearfy,
fertile, and gay."
Riggs had complicated relations with
friends and lovers. He had only two
longer-term partners, both younger:
the Mexican artist Enrique GasqueMolina (who painted and wrote as Ramon Naya) and Gui Machado, a performer in Jos6 Limon's New York
dance company. With profits kom Oklahoma!, Riggs bought a home on Shelter Island, off Long Island, where he
died from stomach cancer in 1958.
Besides Green Grow the Lilacs, Riggs
left behind a legacy of poems and plays
(including the experimental Cherokee
Night). And who can ignore Oklahoma!'s lyrical plea? Tlte.farmer and the cowman should be frtends,
Oh, the farmer and the cowman
should be friends.
One man likes to puslt a plough,
the other likes to chase a caw,
But that's no reason why they cain't be friends.
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(Continuedfrom page I l)
ma. Steve served as Diroctor of Environmental Programs for the American Lung
Association of Oklahoma for three years, trained as an Environmental Consultant
and now provides environmental consulting and education to homes, schools and
business through the University of Tulsa and Oklahoma State University. Steve has
worked for the past 28ry,ears with nearly 50 different not-for-profits in Tulsa, primarily in fundriising ahd Board service. Steve resides near downtown Tulsa, attends Holy Family Cathednalsnd hasa strong group of longtime friends with a common goal of serving those in need.
Janet Gearin
Oklahoma born and bred, Janet left Oklahoma to pursue degrees that would lead her
into a career as a Psychiatric Clinical Specialist. Her first stop was in Denver where
she spent 3 years getting her BS in Nursing. As a University of Colorado graduate,
Janet then had to make a decision of where to go for her Masters degree. She chose
the great city San Francisco and spent 2 years there getting that Clinical Specialist
certification from the University of California-San Francisco. Janet chose to return
to her home state to be close to family and to be the flrst Clinical Specialist to practice in the state of Oklahoma. She is now well into her 31st year with the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. In the 1980's, she began helping those with HIV and
AIDS. She was among those who established the TOHR helpline. She was with
Shanti for several years, served on its first Board of Directors , and worked as a facilitator for many support groups for friends, family and persons with HIV/AIDS.
Janet remembers the early days of RAN, PFLAG, and Interfaith AIDS Ministries as
organizations that led the way. She worked with the Community Service Council for
a number of years to expand, build and organize community services. She spoke to
many different groups...from secretaries to Dental hygienists to other nurses during
those years trying to build bridges of support and assistance for the Gay community
as well as those living with HIViAIDS. In 1989, with the founding of Follies Revue,
lnc., she found her real passion. She served as President several years and helped
Follies raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for HIV/AIDS support and service
organizations over a 10-year period of time. Since 2003, Janet has served on the
TOHR board and she also works as a Center volunteer on Friday evenings.
Lamont Lindstrom
Lamont currently serves as the 2nd Vice President of TOHR. Lamont received his
Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley and is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tulsa. Lamont is active in the Society of Gay and Lesbian
Anthropologists and the advisor of the University of Tulsa's BLGTA (Bi, Lesbian,
Gay & Transgender Association).
Michael Mills
a
Michael has approximately twenty-five years of diverse experience in private industry and higher education. For the past eighteen years, he has held a variety of administrative management positions at The University of Tulsa, encompassing the areas
of academic support services and student services administration. Currently, he
holds the position of Associate Dean of Students and Director of Career Services
and University and Community Service. Mr. Mills received his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University and his master's degree from The University
of Oklahoma. Mr. Mills has presented workshops on a variety of topics, including
Resume Writing, Interview Techniques, Dress-for-Success, Business Etiquette, The
Successful Job Search, and Effective Communication. He currently seryes as VicePresident for Community Outreach on the Board of Directors for Youth Services of
Tulsa.
(Continued on page l3)
12
tohr.o I
�
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Dublin Core
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Title
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[2006] TOHR Reporter "There Would Be No Oklahoma! Without Lynn Riggs"
Description
An account of the resource
TOHR Reporter article about the life and works of Lynn Riggs from the September - October 2006 issue, pages 6 and 12.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
September - October 2006
Subject
The topic of the resource
2006 TOHR Reporter Article "There Would Be No Oklahoma! Without Lynn Riggs"
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
TOHR Reporter
2006
history project
history project memories
Lynn Riggs
Oklahoma
Oklahoma musical
TOHR
TOHR Reporter
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
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https://www.history.okeq.org/files/original/3e283e21fbb325b6c81ba7626243c3b4.png
d30f2c67237b7f3fd588527ebfce42c3
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Original Format
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Logo
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Title
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[2006] TOHR Torch Logo
Subject
The topic of the resource
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Logo for Torch Publication
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) Logo for their Torch publication. The image shows the TOHR logo with a rainbow flag graphic above it.
Creator
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Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
Source
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Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2006
Language
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English
2006
logo
TOHR
TOHR logo
TOHR Torch
Torch
Torch Logo
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR)
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights logo