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1. Lisa Michele Hunt is the owner and lead planner of Epiphany Events, Event Manage- ment and Planning, LLC, located in the Quad Cities. A 20-year U.S. Army veteran, Lisa is a certified event and wedding planner. Her experience includesnumerousretire- ment ceremonies, award ceremonies, promotion ceremonies, promotion parties, military school graduations, corporate events,socialevents,andweddings. Sheisacertifiedinstruc- EPIPHANY EVENTS continued on page 5TT Conservatives rally to remove Wiggins On August 1, 2012, Republican Party of Iowa Chair- man A.J. Spiker issued a statement calling for the ouster of Justice David Wiggins. Justice Wiggins is one of the seven justices who unani- mouslyruledin2009thatdenyingsame-gendercouplesthe legalrightsofmarriageisunconstitutionalbecauseitdenies thosecouplesequalprotectionunderthelaw. In2010,social conservativegroups,includingtheNationalOrganizationfor Marriage(“NOM”)successfullyralliedagainsttheretention ofthreeofthosesevenjustices:ChiefJusticeMarshaTernus, JusticeMichaelStreit,andJusticeDavidBaker. LikeTernus, Streit, and Baker, Justice Wiggins has stated that he will not actively campaign to retain his position. OnAugust11,2012theIowa-basedconservativeChris- tianorganizationTheFAMiLYLeaderhostedits“leadership summit” and aimed its event at rallying activists to vote against the retention of Justice Wiggins. Speakers at the August 11th event included past conservative presidential hopefulsMikeHuckabee,RickPerry,andRickSantorum,as wellasIowasenatorChuckGrassleyandcongressmanSteve King. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage also spoke at the event, and announced that We Are the Youth is a photographic journalism project chronicling the individual stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenderyouthintheUnitedStates.Throughphotographic portraits and “as told to” interviews in the participants’ own voices, We Are the Youth captures the incredible diversity and uniqueness among the LGBT youth population. We Are the Youth addresses the lack of visibility of LGBT young people by providing a space to share stories in an honest and respectful way. Created by Laurel Golio and Diana Scholl, childhood friends and Brooklyn-based artists, We Are the Youth has aspirations to become national with a campaign in progress for the Midwest. Laurel’sworkrevolvesaroundtheexaminationofcommu- nityanditsvarioussubcultures.Sheisespeciallyinterestedin Eva Simmons Interview page 11TT What’sInside:Section 1: News & Politics Advertising rates 3 VigilAgainstViolence Organizers Release Statement 4 Inclusive LifeAnnounces New Omaha location 4 2012 CedarValley Pridefest a success 5 12th Sioux FallsAidsWalk 5 Des Moines gears up for Iowa LeatherWeekend 5 Minor Details by Robert Minor 6 How to Corrupt the Gov.Insurance Programs byT Hansen 7 Shrink Rap by LorenA Olson MD 7 Remarkables by JonathanWilson 8 The University and the UnitedWay byW.Blumenfeld 8 Digging Deeper interview byAmber Dunham 9 At 42,Paul Ryan is Out-of-Step by Rev.Irene Monroe 10 Creep of theWeek by D’AnneWitkowski 10 Section 2:Fun Guide Entertainment Picks for the Month 11 Introducing Eva Simons Interview by ChrisAzzopardi 11 Cedar Rapids’s New Kings interview byA.Geno-Stumme 12 WiredThisWay by Rachel Eliason 13 Cocktail Chatter by Ed Sikov 14 The Outfield by DanWoog 14 Inside Out:ER by Ellen Krug 15 SeptApple & Pear Recipes courtesy of Bisschopswijn 16 Hear Me Out by ChrisAzzopardi 21 Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo SanVicente 21 The Bookworm Sez byTerri Schlichenmeyer 22 Comics and Crossword Puzzle 22-23 Out ofTown byAndrew Collins 24 Section 3:Community FFBC :A Most DangerousWoman Indeed by Bruce Carr 25 Central Iowa PrimeTimers 25 Greater Omaha GLBT Network Calendar 25 The Project of the Quad Cities Calender 25 From the Pastor’s Pen by Rev.Jonathan Page 27 International Puppy 11/9 27 Midwest LeatherWeekend October 5-6 2012 27 Business Directory 28-29 The Power ofThankYou by Royal Bush,Multifaith Chaplain 30 Ask Lambda Legal–Access to Housing by Natalie Chin 31 Just Sayin’ by Beau Fodor 32 Arand-McIlrath Okoboji Stars 34 PITCH Calendar 2012 34 PITCH Conference Call 34 Page 5 Page 12 Page 26Page 21 HEARTLAND NEWS continued page 3TT Page 24 WE ARE THE YOUTH continued page 4TT The19th AnnualIowaWomen’sMusicFestival,produced by Prairie Voices Productions, and is set to showcase a talentedanddiverselineupofwomenintheartsonSeptem- ber 1-2, 2012 in Iowa City, Iowa. TheentertainmentstartsinIowaCity’sUpperCityPark atnoon,whenIWMFattendeeswillsetoutonagenre-bending musicalexperience,free-of-charge(noticketsarerequired), with EmJay, Coles Whalen, Big Bad Gina, Erika Luckett and Lisa Ferraro, Sharon Jackson Band, and Camille Bloom and TheRecovery.Theever-popularKim-CharMeredithreturns for a fifth year to host the event as Master of Ceremonies. The outdoor stage continues until 6 p.m. EveryoneiswelcometotheIowaWomen’sMusicFesti- val, and families are encouraged to attend. A kids’ area will be available, food and merchandise vendors will line the festival, and a silent auction is also in the works. Attendees should bring blankets or chairs for grass seating. The park is wheelchair accessible, and performances will be ASL interpreted. Pets on leashes are welcome. The rain location IWMF starts September right IWMF story on page 26TT We Are the Youth Chronicles LGBT Youth Population interviewbyAngelaGeno-Stumme Heartland NewsMilitary Past a plus for QC Event Planner interview by Arthur Breur Lisa Michele Hunt

2. BearingFalseWitness forJesus Why is it that the people shouting the loudest about biblical morals and values are soeagerlybreakingoneoftheTenCommand- ments while they do so? This past month in Waukee, Iowa, Bob Vander Plaats lied. There’s no other way to put it. Vander Plaats made the following statement about the new effort being made to unseat Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins: “When you raise your hand and you swear an oath to the constitution and then you go outside of the constitution, outside of your separation of powers, to legislate from thebench,toexecutefromthebench,toamend the constitution from the bench—we, the people must hold a person like that in check. Andthat’swhywe’regoingtosay,‘Votenoon Judge Wiggins.’” Exceptthatit’salie. JusticeWiggins—and theothersixIowaSupremeCourtJusticeswho unanimously agreed that same-sex couples deservethesamelegalrightsasopposite-sex couples—did none of those things. First, as I have pointed out before, the IowaConstitutionsaysnothingaboutmarriage except that the Iowa legislature is forbidden fromdivorcinganyone—sotherewasnothing in the Iowa Constitution defining the nature of legal marriage, and nothing requiring that the court go out of the constitution in order to make their ruling. Rather, in making their famous 2009 Varnum v. Brien decision, the Iowa Supreme Court was applying the very constitutional concept of “equal protection” to Iowa citizens. If opposite-sex couples get certainlegalrightsandprivileges,thosesame rights must be applied to same-sex couples. Further, what the court did was completely within their powers as separated by that same constitution. As for “legislat- ing from the bench”, it is absolutely the role of the Iowa Supreme Court to decide if laws fail to comply with Iowa’s constitution— which the law denying certain legal rights to same-sex couples clearly did. If that means that a law is struck down and certain other measures need to be put into place, then it is, again, completely within the role of the Iowa Supreme Court to order—to execute—that those things happen. Finally, the most obvious lie from Side- showBobishisrecurringclaimthattheIowa SupremeCourt“amendedtheconstitution”— when,infact,theIowaConstitutionisexactly the same, letter for letter, today as it was on April 2nd, 2009. And don’t just take my word for it that Vander Plaats lied. The Iowa State Bar Association(“ISBA”)evenissuedastatement this month condemning him for his deceit, referring to his words as “scare tactics and misinformation”. But I am not going to mince words and call it “misinformation”. These statements, from someone wearing the mantle of biblical morality and righteousness, are just plain lies. NOM would match up to $100,000 donated to the ousting of Justice Wiggins. RemovingJusticeWigginswillnothave any effect on the legality of same-gender marriage rights in Iowa, just as the removal of Ternus, Streit, and Baker had no effect on the law. The only way that the legal right to marry could be taken away from same- gender couples in Iowa is by a amending Iowa’sconstitution,aprocessthatcouldnot be completed before 2016 at the earliest. However, railing against same-gender marriage is still seen by many as a way to draw conservative (i.e., Republican) voters to the polls, especially when they are seen as less than enthusiastic about voting for Mitt Romney. A Republican surge in Iowa this November, caused by enthusiasm for ousting Justice Wiggins—without an equal responsebyprogressivesortheDemocratic Party—could tip Iowa’s electoral votes to Mitt Romney. “Rainbow Jane” accused of faking hate crime OnJuly22nd,2012,CharlieRogerstold Lincoln police that she had been tied up in her home by three intruders, and that they had cut gay slurs into her skin. The reported hate crime inspired numerous rallies and vigils, as well as a number of fundraisers to help Rogers with herrecovery.OnTuesday,August21st2012, Rogerswasarrestedarraignedonchargesof faking the crime. She pled not guilty to the charges and has been released on her own recognizance. “Shemaintainsherinnocence.Thishas been kind of a kick in the gut as a victim to turn around and be charged,” said Rogers’ attorney, Brett McArthur. Rogers’ previous attorney,MeganMikolajczyk,hadworkedto besurethatdonationswerenotsentdirectly to Rogers, and a trust account was set up. CNNreportsthatMcArthurclaimedtoknow nothingabouttheaccount. TheACCESSline has requested information from the Kirk & Mikolajczyk Law Offices on whether there is any recourse to recover or redirect those funds should the hate crime be proven to be a hoax. Subscribe to ACCESSline Thank you for reading ACCESSline, the Heartland’s LGBT+ monthly newspaper. Our goal continues to be to keep the community in- formed about gay organizations, events, HIV/AIDS news, politics, nationalandinternationalnews,andothercritical issues.Don’tmiss it! $42 for 12 issues. Subscribe at: ACCESSlineAMERICA.com Send this completed form with check or money order for $42 for a one year subscription (12 issues) or RENEW for $36. Send to: ACCESSline, P.O. Box 396, Des Moines, IA 50302-0396 and we’ll send you ACCESSline in a plain brown envelope! Good for the $42 annual rate or $36 renewal! Name:________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________ City:______________________________ State:______ Zip:______________ ACCESSline Wants To Hear From You! Send in photos and stories about your events... especially benefits, pageants. and conferences! Please send us information on any of the following: Corrections to articles • Stories of LGBT or HIV+ interest • Letters to the editor Editorials or opinion pieces • Engagement and wedding ceremony announcements or photos Questions on any topic we print • Photos and writeups about shows, events, pageants, and fundraisers Please email us at Editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com. You may also contact us at our regular address, ACCESSline, P.O. Box 396, Des Moines, IA 50302-0396 ACCESSline reserves the right to print letters to the editor and other feedback at the editor’s discretion. PUBLICATION INFORMATION Copyright © 2012, All rights reserved. ACCESSline P.O. Box 396 Des Moines, IA 50302-0396 (712) 560-1807 www.ACCESSlineAMERICA.com editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com ACCESSlineisa monthlypublicationby Breur Media Corporation. The paper was founded in 1986 by the non-profit organization ACCESS (A Concerned Community for Education, Safer-sex and Support) in Northeast Iowa. Arthur Breur, Editor in Chief Angela Geno-Stumme, Managing Editor Publication of the name, photograph or likenessofanyperson,businessororganiza- tion in ACCESSline is not to be construed as anyindicationofsexualorientation. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ACCESSline or the LGBT+community. Letterstothe editor may be published. We cannot be responsible for errors in advertising copy. We welcome the submission of original materials, including line drawings and cartoons, news stories, poems, essays. They should be clearly labeled with author/artist name, address, and phone number. We reserve the right to edit letters and other material for reasons of profanity, space, or clarity. Materials will not be returned. A writer’s guide is available for those wishing to submit original work. Advertising rates and deadlines are available at ACCESSlineAMERICA.com. All ads must be approved by ACCESSline’s editorial board. From The Editor continued from page 1SS HEARTLAND NEWS ACCESSline Page 3SEPTEMBER 2012 Section 1: News & Politics

3. usingportraituretoinvestigateissuesofself- presentation and identity. Laurel graduated from Smith College with a degree in Visual Anthropology. Diana Scholl is an award-winning journalist whose writing has appeared in New York Magazine, City Limits, POZ, and WestchesterMagazine.HerCityLimitsarticle, “ForTransgenderHomeless,ChoiceofShelter Can Prevent Violence” was recognized for Excellence in News writing by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalism Association. In addition to writing, she currently serves as SeniorExternalAffairsAssociateattheInsti- tuteforChildren,Poverty,andHomelessness. ShegraduatedfromNorthwesternUniversity with a degree in Journalism. We Are the Youth profiles youth up to age21whoareoutoranonymouslyforthose who are not. These profiles are published on WheAreTheYouth.org, Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr,andinbooks,newsarticles,andpublic art exhibits. How did We Are the Youth get started? We Are the Youth got started in June 2012 at a gay prom in Westchester County, New York, where we both grew up. Laurel had the idea to photograph LGBT youth as more of a short-term project. When she told me this idea, since my background is as a reporter, I suggested I could interview the youth and get their back-stories behind the photos. Pretty quickly the project evolved into something bigger— sharing the stories of youth all over the country. We did our first Kickstartercampaignshortlyafterlaunching theprojectandwewenttoGeorgia,Alabama, andMississippi.Sincethenwe’vemostlybeen focusedontheNewYorkarea,wherewelive. Butwearecurrentlyfundraisingtogotoyour part of the country! How did the collaboration between you (Diana Scholl) and Laurel Golio come about? WebecamefriendsasstudentsatAnnM. Dorner Middle School in Ossining, New York in 8th grade. We actually recently realized thatwebecamefriendsworkingonavolcano projectforEarthScienceclass,soinawayour friendship started as a professional collaboration! We stayed friends through the years, and working on the project together was a natural evolution and has been a fantastic experience. What is the goal of We Are the Youth? The goal really is to share the stories of LGBT youth. We want to both help youth realize they’re not alone and highlight the diversity of this population to the rest of the world. Theprojectalsoservesasbothatime capsule of a very unique time in the lives of people, since teenage-hood and early 20s is a very volatile time for most. As well as, a timecapsuleforsociety,sinceLGBTrightsare changingsofast,Ithinkpeoplewilllookatthis projectin20yearsandbesurprisedbyalotof the struggles of many of the participants. Talkaboutsomeprofilesthataffected you more strongly than others? In a way, they’re all my (and Laurel’s children),eachprofileaspecialinitsownway. But one that stands out in my mind is Audri, whowasbulliedasastudentinLaurel,Missis- sippi, and then became an activist at a very young age. Also, Elliot, who was involved in thecriminaljusticesysteminTampa,became HIV-positive,andreallydealtwithmoreinhis 21 years than anyone should have to. Whathaveyoulearnedsincestarting this project? I’velearnedoftheremarkableresilience and bravery of the youth we speak to. Also, Laurel and I are only 27, but we notice a remarkable difference in how the young people we talk to have thought about gender and sexuality than we did at their age. We’ve alsolearnedhowwonderfulpeopleare—it’s really remarkable how many people have offered to help us share the stories of LGBT youth. How are you expanding We Are the Youth into a community and resource? On wearetheyouth.org/resources, we have a map of resources throughout the country, and we are expanding it so that it can be a place that people everywhere can turn if they are looking for a place to help them. We also are growing our social media pages,particularlyTumblr,whereanyonecan sharetheirstoriesandtalktooneanother.It’s a constantly evolving process. YouarelookingtoexpandWeArethe YouthintotheMidwest,wherecanpeople go for more information and how can people be involved in this project? We can be emailed at hello@wearetheyouth.org. We are currently still mapping our route, but it will prob- ably include parts of Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska.SoifyoulivebetweenMinneapolis and Omaha, we’d love to hear from you. We also encourage everyone to donate to our Kickstarter (kickstarter.com/projects/1731188252/we-are- continued from page 1SS WE ARE THE YOUTH YOUTH cont’d page 33TT “In our continued effort to serve individuals, couples and families who don’t haveapastororchurchandforthosewhom many churches don’t offer care or services for, Inclusive Life is pleased to announce the opening of our new location at 3622 LeavenworthStreetonSeptember4,2012.” saysRev.RoyalD.Bush,InclusiveLifeChap- lain. InclusiveLife’snew officewill feature nearly 2,300 square feet of space, almost 10timeslargerthanthepreviouslocations which will include an almost 500 square foot community meeting room. “We know that a majority of the population no longer attends church on a regular basis. This community needs a resourcethatprovidescareandservicesfor all without exception. Inclusive Life offers pre marital coaching, wedding officiants, blessings, baptisms, naming ceremonies, end of life planning, hospital visits and funerals”.ChaplainRoyalsays“Wewillalso offer a weekly gathering, a new approach to bringing people of all walks of life and beliefs together to be in community.” Until August 1st , Inclusive Life has operated two offices in the metro area; one in Omaha at 105 S. 49th Street and one in Council Bluffs at 500 Willow Ave. The Council Bluffs location was closed at the end of July and the Dundee location (49th Street) will also be closed to allow for growth at the 3622 Leavenworth location. Inclusive Life has been serving Iowa and Nebraska since 2009. Inclusive Life is a multifaith, nonprofit Nebraska organization that provides religious, nonreligious and spiritual care and services to all without exception. Inclusive Life Announces New Omaha location Inclusive Life thanks Linda, Michael, Jonathan, and Stephen for helping get the office furniture moved. Now the real work begins—dry walling, removing carpet, and painting! (Photo courtesy of Inclusive Life) The Vigil Against Violence organizers: (Erin Anderson-Ravenholdt) Heartland Pride) (Beth Rigatuso, President) and Inclu- sive Life Pastoral Services (Royal D. Bush, Chaplain)releasethisstatementinresponse to Lincoln Police Department’s announcement of the conclusion of the recent assault investigation: TheVigilAgainstViolenceheldinOmaha was in response to a number of hate crimes happening across the US and of course also in response to what had been reported out of Lincoln. Our community came together in record numbers to stand against hate. We shared from our hearts a great deal of compassion and we must continue to stand strong, together. Weunderstandtheenormousamountof emotions we are now dealing with in regard to the report of the arrest in Lincoln today. Our community was racked by the reports when they first came out and we are again racked by the Lincoln Police reporting the complaint being determined as false. The false reports received by law enforcement every year do not invalidate the actual crimes. LawenforcementinLincolnhavereiter- atedserioushatecrimesdohappeninLincoln as well as across the nation. These crimes devastatetheveryfabricofeverycommunity. They cause people to live in fear and always feelasthoughtheyhavetobewatchingtheir backs. Any allegation of crime motivated by hate deserves a thorough investigation by law enforcement. By working with the FBI and multiple independent analysts, we are confident that this crime has received a balanced and thorough investigation. Itisimportantnottofocusontheactions ofanysingleindividual. Wemustcontinueto come together as a community and declare that violence and hate are not the values of ourcity. Wemustrememberasacommunity standingasonevoiceweshallovercomeand it is imperative at this time we continue to stand strong. We realize many of you will have questions, mixed emotions and confusion. If you need support we will be receiving updates from Lincoln about support opportunities in the near future and will make updates available at www.heartlandpride.org You may also contact Beth Rigatuso at president@heartlandpride.organdChaplain Royal at chaplainroyal@inclusivelife.org VigilAgainstViolence OrganizersReleaseStatement SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 4 Section 1: News & Politics

4. The Center for Equality, a 501(c) nonprofitorganizationlocatedinSiouxFalls, South Dakota, will sponsor the 12th annual Aids Event on Saturday, September 15, with registrationbeginningat8:30AM. Theevent will be held in Pasley Park in Eastern Sioux Falls just south of 26th Street and South- eastern Drive. The purpose of the annual Aids event is toraisemoniestoprovidepeoplelivingwith HIV/Aidsgiftsormoneythatassiststhemin their day to day living. The money raised is used entirely locally and may help someone with purchasing food, medical co-pay, rent, utilities, etc. There are increasing requests which other organizations cannot provide and are essential to their survival. People attending can participate in a 2 mile walk or a 5 K run at 9 AM either as individuals or as a team. Registration can becompletedonlineatSiouxFalls2012Aids Walk or on the day of the event. The cost of registration is $25.00 and a bag lunch will be provided at the completion of the event at approximately 12:30 PM. An exciting and important addition to theeventthisyearisasilentauctionopening at10:00AMandaliveauctionatabout11:15 AM following the run/walk, announcement ofsilentauctionwinners,andrafflewinners. Items for both have been donated by individuals and businesses and too numerous to mention. It is our hope that this 2012 event will surpass previous years in both attendance and monies raised and will bring hope to those living with HIV/Aids. In addition to daytolivingmoneyraisedprovidesfreeHIV testing as well as CDC approved prevention programs. This year’s event will also feature, for yourdonation,alocalartistpreparedtopaint your portrait. There are numerous choices for donat- ingtoacriticalcauseonSaturday,September 15; Run/Walk (individual/team), Silent Auction, Live Auction, Portrait Painted, and Raffle. All proceeds to bring…hope. 12th Sioux Falls Aids Walk9/15 Kinksters from all over the Midwest will converge on Des Moines, IA, the weekend of October 12-14, 2012, for Iowa Leather Weekend. All events take place at the legendary Blazing Saddle in downtown Des Moines’ Historic East Village. The fun starts at 10 PM Friday night with the Iowa Bears Party followed by the Contestant “Meat” & Greet for the Mr. Iowa Leather Contest (MIAL). On Saturday,comebackat10PMtoseesexymen compete to be Mr. Iowa Leather 2013. Stay afterwards for the Black Party, benefiting the AIDS project of central Iowa. On Sunday, the Corn Haulers and the Titans of the Midwest present Leather Brunch at 11 AM and the VictoryBeerBustat2PM,wherepatronscan meet the new Mr. Iowa Leather in person. This year’s Iowa Leather Weekend will featurefetishwearvendors; LeChateauExotic andJesseDriscoll,aswellasbootblacks,kink demos, and performances from a bevy of performers from the porn and drag worlds. This year’s judges for MIAL are Randy Carmenaty, American Leatherman 2008; Angel Velez, Mr. Chicago Leather 2012; Karen “Ultra” Crecelius; Sandy “Mama” Reinhardt; and Mike Pagano, Mr. Iowa Leather 2011. The emcee will be Jon Krongaard,ExecutiveCoordi- nator of IML. Guests can still book rooms at the official MIAL host hotel, The Hyatt Place Downtown, but rooms are going fast. Don’t miss this partyweekendlikeonlyIowa can throw! Des Moines gears up for Iowa Leather Weekend10/12-14 Organizers of the first annual “Cedar Valley Pridefest” were delighted and pleas- antlysurprisedbytheevent’slevelofsuccess. Attendancefortheone-dayevent,heldAugust 18, in downtown Waterloo, was estimated at 2,000 with more than 400 in attendance by midafternoon. Thefestivalincludedanumber of live musical groups, drag shows, a “drag race”, comedians, a roller derby demonstra- tion, and, of course, food and drink. Zach Wahls made an appearance as the event’s featured speaker, and as a part of his “Why Marriage Matters” tour. He and spoke totheafternooncrowdabouttheverynormal natureofhisexperiencegrowingupinafamily with two moms. 2012 Cedar Valley Pridefest a success Brazilian 2wins live at Cedar Valley Pridefest 2012. toratBlackhawkCommunityCollege,where she teaches Event Planning 101, to aspiring Event Planners. Amidst her busy schedule Lisa took the time to sit down and talk to me about Epiphany Events LLC. Whatdoyoufeelisuniqueabouthow youplanandmanageeventscomparedto other similar companies? I like to think that I bring a unique style to planning events. There are certain things that are scripted, but I believe that my personality—my ability to adapt to any situation—allows me to be successful. What geographic area do you serve? We are located in the Quad Cities, area, ontheIllinoisside.Wearepleasedtoservice theQuadCitiesandsurroundingareaswithin about a 75 mile radius. Do you travel? We are available for travel for destina- tion weddings/events. Your press kit mentions you were in the army. Do you feel your time in the militaryhelpedyoubepreparedforevent planning? (if so, how?) My military experience played a large part in preparing me for the Event Plan- ning Industry. There is a term that we use in the Army and that is called “Backwards Planning”. I use this concept when planning events because it allows me to cover every aspect of an event from the beginning to the end—except in reverse. Canyoutellusaboutthemostextrav- agant event you managed? Oneofthemostextravaganteventsthat I have had the pleasure of overseeing was a Military Change of Command Ceremony. Can you tell us about the smallest, quietest event you managed? I arranged a baby shower for a friend. She didn’t really want to have one in the first place, but in the end she was giddy and overjoyed. BeingbasedintheQuadCities,tellus aboutsomeofyourfavoriteeventvenues in the area. I think the newly renovated Blackhawk Hotel in Davenport, Iowa is one of the best venues in the Quad Cities. I also like the Waterfront Convention Center in Betten- dorf, IA What do you tell people who are on the fence about using an event planner rather than taking it on themselves? I have always been a fan of paying someonetodosomethingIreallydonotwant to do. As for wedding planning, I think every bride should have a planner—even when there are two brides—even if it is in a small capacity, just to make things easier the day of.Itsavesunnecessarystressandminimizes overspending. EventPlannersaredefinitely the saving grace, especially for brides. What special advice can you give same-sex couples about planning events? Incorporatebothofyourideasintoyour plan. Find a planner who is sympathetic to yourneedsandrespectsyouforwhoyouare. Be proud to celebrate your special day, and hire a planner who will be just as proud to help you make the most of it. What advice can you give same-sex couples regarding the differences in state laws, for example between Illinois and Iowa? Research and know the laws in your state. Even though Iowa and Illinois are neighbors, their laws differ and can create issues. Iowa has same-sex marriage, but Illinois only has civil unions; it important to remember that some states like New York will recognize marriage licenses between same-sex couples from other states, but have no legal equivalent for (and therefore no recognition of) “civil unions”. However, Illinois recognizes same-sex marriages as the equivalent of civil unions, so getting the legal marriage license in Iowa is definitely to your benefit. continued from page 1SS EPIPHANY EVENTS ACCESSline Page 5SEPTEMBER 2012 Section 1: News & Politics

5. On the Serious Politics of Lying It’s silly season. And it would be laughable if elections weren’t downright serious. We’re about to see the worst of politics. It’s been building all summer, but now the money really flows. So, here we go. “Awash in money” is understatement as the 1% bids for owning the political winners. The system is drowning in corporate and billionaires’ contributions. As cowboy-comedian Will Rogers, Jr, put it generations ago: “We’ve got the best Congress money can buy.” Not telling the truth has always been a part of politics, but we can expect outright liesfromtheright-wing to increase to a level never seen before. And when someone points out the lie, we can expect them to continue and do it blatantly. There’s no penalty in the mainstream media. Even if it’s a known lie, when repeated long enough, it becomes just another opinion taken equal to fact-based claims. It’s unusual to find anyone in the mainstream media who is any help. If it weren’t for the evening lineup on MSNBC, there’d be no TV personality willing to question what’s said. The right-wing has intentionally learned how to bully the media by repeat- edly labeling them as liberal. Now even that is too weak a bullying epithet for them. The official Republican language now labels them far left or far, far, left as well as socialist and Marxist. In response, the major networks, CNN, NPR, and PBS have moved further to the right from any centrist positions they might have ever held to in order to prove to the right-wing that they aren’t partial. They can no longer tell the truth and so must create false equivalencies as if “both sides” are constant liars. To claim that fundraisers thrown by Tom Hanks, Bill Maher, or Rob Reiner are on par with those thrownbyright-wing- ers like the corporate baron Koch brothers or casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson is just plain idiocy. The Hollywood stars want marriage equality, health insurance for all, funding for public education and social safety nets, while the corporatists are buying legislation to put more billions in their own pockets with little regard for whom it hurts. In fact, the right-wing believes that hurting people is good for the losers. It creates character or is just payment for deficiencies in the lives of the sufferers. Reporters worry about losing access to their right-wing sources. So the most of them won’t follow-up by challenging claims from politicians sitting right in front of them, looking them in the eye while repeating distractive and proven- false talking points. So-called “fact checking” organizations are also bullied and so aren’t always frank in order to appear “fair,” acting as if “both sides” are equally culpable. No matter how it’s not factually true that FOX and MSNBC are equivalent liars, we’ve been taught by the right-wing that the sophisticated position is to look down from above the fray and say that both sides “do it.” It’s as if the moral high ground is wishy-washy. And the so-called pundits are therefore required to search for some way to peer down with scorn from “fair and balanced” towers upon people with fact-based stands. The Karl Rove Super-PAC money is on the way—more than ever. It will be impos- sible to watch TV without seeing some lie told by Rove’s studios about Democrats. FOX News will continue to be the voice of the right-wing of the Republican Party and the exclusive source of what’s not going on to the base that doesn’t think there are facts anymore. They too are masters of lies and fabrications. Now, it’s against many people’s natures tocall someonealiar.It feels nicer, kinder, and even more winsome to find other ways of interpreting lies. We’ve often been taught not to say the word lie. We’ve been cautioned to try to understand the liar instead, put ourselves in their shoes, not be offensive. But the political lies we’re being told are not harmless little fibs. They’re inten- tional and meant to keep the power of the liars in place. They protect the powerful and lead to suffering and even death for the rest. The lies being told about healthcare reform, we know, will result in 45,000 more Americans dying this year. The lies being told about wars will result in thousands more deaths this year. The lies being told about LGBT people resulted in atleastthirtymurdersin2011, the highest number ever. We can’t be in denial about this. We must get over our shock that the right- wing lies. This does not mean that the rest of us are always truth tellers. It means that the lies right-wing leaders are telling are consciously so. They know they are. Even when confronted by that fact, they repeat them for their purposes. Even right-wing religious people believe that it’s okay to tell a lie if it promotes their own sectarian Truth. We can’t turn our heads. We can’t live off of our privileged positions and act as if lies don’t matter because they are not hurting us personally right now. Wemustbetruth- tellers. That doesn’t mean we have to be mean, but we have to make sure that we express our view of how things are. We can’t act as if all views are equally valid either. We have to stand for something. We can’t afford to turn away or turn inward. If we do, when the lies do come down on us we will be alone while we face the consequences. We have to present a model of beliefs for which we stand. We must act as if we mean it and it’s important, or we’re telling people it doesn’t really matter. We can’t afford to be relativists, thinking that all views are equally right. Relativism, too, is a privileged position that supports those who already have the power to maintain the status quo. The oppression of others is always evil. And lies supporting it are just plain reprehensible—and often deadly. Minor Details by Robert Minor We can’t afford to turn awayorturninward.Ifwedo, when the lies do come down on us we will be alone while we face the consequences. Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at www.FairnessProject.org. “DoIthinktherearepeoplelivingagay Christianlifewhoaregoingtobeinheaven with me? I do; if they have a relationship with God.” ~AlanChambers,ExodusInternationalPresident, said in an interview with Lisa Ling. The right-wing has intentionallylearnedhowto bully the media by repeat- edlylabelingthemasliberal. Now even that is too weak a bullying epithet for them. SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 6 Section 1: News & Politics

6. With the addition of Paul Ryan to the GOP Presidential ticket, we now have a clear choice between visions of the two major candidates. We can see a clear diver- gence of political philosophies that could shape the future of our country, just in the way that New Deal policies have shaped the past half century. While cost structures for Social Security (SSA) and Medicare (HMS) could use some attention, we have to seriously consider the possible consequences to Mr. Ryan’s proposal for overhaul of those programs. According to his proposals in Congress, Mr. Ryan wants the private sector to take over SSA and HMS. In his theory, this will save the Federal government the costs of handling these programs and leave more money for the HMS and SSA beneficiaries (otherwise known as the American people). We have to remember that SSA, HMS, and workforce benefits were set up to combat poverty, especially for the elderly. They were set up exclusively for the elderly tokeepprivatecompaniesinbusinessforthe rest of the population. As well, people are not prohibited from using other retirement savings. SSA and HMS programs, however, are designed to be stable and conservative investments to keep the funds at or above inflation with the idea that no one should be using the money on risky investment schemes that could ultimately rob Ameri- cans of their elderly livelihood. The people thatmanageSSAandHMSarenotallowedto defraudthebeneficiariesorusetheirmoney for risky schemes, hedge funds, or the like. Also, people are given a single entity from which to claim benefits, and there is little- to-no confusion as to the rules since they are equal across all plans and beneficiaries. This is meant to promote faith in the funds being there for the beneficiaries when they retire. A side benefit (whether a good thing or not) of the SSA and HMS funds is that the federal government can borrow against its own funds rather thanfromforeignenti- ties (see the Clinton years). Consider how this is similarto where people today can borrow against their Roth or 401K retirement accounts where they are essentially loaning to themselves from money they have in bank. There are rules to this, but essentially,thesesamepeoplecouldinstead borrowfromaloansharkandpayrelatively high interest rates to someone that is not even a friend. By borrowing against your own savings, you are repaying your own capital. Theintenthereisnottodebatewhether My Ryan’s characterization of the Social Security program as a Ponzi scheme is accurate. The program’s intended design, however, is that millions of Americans pay into a retirement savings for themselves withanexpectationthatitremainsaspartof their retirement income. The GOP has been lickingtheirchopsattheprospectofgetting capitalist hands into the money pot that is SSA and HMS. Just think of the tremendous amounts of capital that the United States could reap in revenue from aggressive (e.g. risky)formsofinvestmentusingthetrillions of dollars from those accounts. If one can invest$5000andgetamodest6.25%return that is roughly an average of $325 per year. If one can invest say $5 trillion and get that same return which is roughly $325 billion and suddenly, California no longer has a deficit issue? Yet, that 6.25 % return is a great day if the investment is sound and in actualcapital,butweallknowwhathappens whenpeoplearegivenabunchofmoneyand told to create profit (e.g. Lehman Brothers, GoldmanSachs,MerrillLynch,Madoff).Odd, considerthatpeopleweregivingmoneytoa mannamedMadoffwhoactually“madeoff” with their money and left the beneficiaries with nothing. That is precisely what we can envision with the Ryan-Romney plan for SSA and HMS.Weallknow“why”becausethatiswhat caused the crashes in the Great Depression, 1980s, and 2000s: greed. Private investors willbegrantedaccesstothishugemountain of cash with the idea that these “qualified” peopleknowhowtocapitalize. Thesepeople willthendesigncomplexinstruments,funds, ETFs, bonds, derivatives, transaction fees, balloon profits, and this will be backed by the full faith of the federal government (see FannieMaeandFreddieMac).Theywillsell tobeneficiariesthattheycanmaximizetheir return using these complicated or expen- sive instruments, and supposedly, with the assurance of the federal government, the money will be safe. One firm will be able to handle the retirement account differently than the other, and thanks to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court with respect to the Affordable Health Care Act, people can be compelled to pay into the system or fear a tax penalty. That is until the next bailoutisneededfromtheAmericanpeople tore-fundtheeventuallydestroyedSSAand HMS systems. Then, while the Americans are wondering what happened to their retirements,thefatcatsthatengineeredthe schemes will be able to continue living the high-life and toasting their “success”. We have a clear choice between the Obama and Romney teams, and the future ofSSAandHMSareattheheartofthediffer- ence. Further, the collapse of the entitle- ment programs will mean a collapse in the Americanmarketsandfinancialsystemthat will paralyze the global economy where 2008 will seem, by comparison, like a mere hiccup. Imayhavepaintedadireprediction ofprivatizationofthosefunds,butgiventhe recent balloon and bust of the mortgage crisis, can we seriously expect something different than this? Can we risk losing our retirements? That is a recipe to corrupt our government insurance programs. HowtoCorrupttheGovernmentInsuranceProgramsbyTonyE.Hansen Odd, consider that peopleweregivingmoney to a man named Madoff who actually “made off” with their money and left the beneficiaries with nothing. Tony E Hansen is a web developer, organizer, researcher, writer, martial artist, and vocalist from Des Moines. For more information go to tigersndragons.com. Our minds have a powerful capacity to suppress internal conflict. My first “homosexual panic” occurred in a St. Louis antique store the spring of 1968, shortly before my marriage. My brother and I had gone to see some Cardi- nals games, a bachelors’ weekend before the wedding. Beinginanantiqueshopsearchingfor blue-banded stoneware might have been a clue that I was gay, but I’d missed a lot of clues. Going to see the Cards was just anothercovertohidemysexualorientation from everyone, including myself. Some queers are as passionate about sports; I just never was, but I believed I was reasonably good at the heterosexual pretense. I was a regular guy with a little “quirk.” As I stood in the store, the manager, whowasaboutmyage,cameovertomeand began asking me about myself. Standing a little too close to me, he seemed genuinely interested in me. After a while, his fingers lightly moved across my crotch. I thought, “How clumsy of him!” I moved away to examine some other stoneware and he returned, inviting me to a party that evening. This time he more assertively caressed my crotch. I briefly questioned but dismissed the “accidental” nature of his behavior. Thethirdtimehetouchedmeengulfed melikeatsunami. “I’mheterosexual about tobemarried. A Cardinalsfan!Whywould he ever approach me?” I fled the store and ruminated all day and night. I considered reporting to the police that I had been sexually violated. I returned to Nebraska to finish medicalschoolandgetmarried. Evenwhen IbegantoconsiderreturningtoSt.Louisto continue my medical education, I failed to recognize what was pulling me back. My mind wouldn’t let me see what I was not yet prepared to accept. Questions for Loren A Olson can be sent courtesy of ACCESSline, PO Box 396 Des Moines, IA 50302-0396. Shrink Rap by Loren A Olson MD Loren A. Olson MD, DLFAPA is a board certified psychiatrist who has been engaged in the clinical practice of psychiatry for over 35 years. Dr. Olson has conducted independent research on mature gay men, and presented the initial results of this research at the World Congress in Psychiatry in Prague in September 2008 and throughout the United States. He writes for his own blog, MagneticFire.com, which has a strong following among mature gay men. He is the author of Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight, for more information go to FinallyOutBook.com or Facebook.com. ACCESSline Page 7SEPTEMBER 2012 Section 1: News & Politics

7. Our university, for a number of years, has dedicated enormous amounts of time, energy, and resources annually to success- fully promote and collect monetary donations for the United Way (UW), a global organization, according to its vision and goals “envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability, and healthy lives.” The United Way Worldwide represents itself as “the leadership and support organization for the network of nearly 1,800 community- based United Ways in 40 countries and territories.” Possibly the reason why so many colleges and universities have wedded themselves to UW could very well be that contributions to this single organization assist many worthwhile groups, which themselves help large numbers of individuals in real need. While I find the goals of UW extremely laudable, I also find myself torn for a number of reasons with critical questions and deep concerns over our university’s consistent and continuing support and focus on this organization. Firstly, by concentrating our charitable fundraising efforts solely or primarily on UW, other equally deserving organizations are ultimately restricted in the donations they receive. As the rationale goes, “Well, I have a limited amount that I can donate annually to charitable organizations, and I’ve already given this year to the United Way, so I can’t give to other groups.” A number of my family members have diabetes, and within the last three months alone, three of my close friends received a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diag- nosis, and I am concentrating my efforts on raising funds for cancer and diabetes research and treatment. That has been my own personal decision. Secondly, the other main concern I have is that UW distributes some of its donations to the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that has this year reaf- firmed its long- standing policy of rejecting gay, bisexual, transgender scouts (youthmembers), and scouters (adult leaders). According to their past position on homosexuality: “Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obliga- tions in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed….” While no one is advo- cating same-sex sexual conduct between scouts or between scout leaders and scouts, their position statement confuses conduct with identity since the organization rejects membership also in terms of one’s identity. In addition, no atheist or agnostic need apply either since the Boy ScoutsofAmerica“Anthem”proclaimsthat “The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God….The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowl- edgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizen- ship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members.” In June of 2010, the Chief Scout Executive and national president, Bob Mazzuca, convened a special eleven-member committee to evaluate the “anti-homosexual” policy for the purpose of deter- mining whether it was in the best inter- ests of the organization. The committee recommended that the policy continue. It concluded that the policy reflects the beliefs and perspectives of BSA membership. Mazzuca announced in a written statement on July 17, 2012 that “The vast majority of the parents of youth we serve value their right to address issues of same-sex orientation with their family, with spiritual advisers, and at the appropriate time and in the right setting. While a majority of our membership agrees with our policy, we fully understand that no single policy will accommodate the many diverse views among our membership or society.” No one is disputing parents’ and BLUMENFELD cont’d page 9TT While I find the goals of UW extremely laudable, I also find myself torn for a number of reasons with critical questions and deep concernsoverouruniversity’s consistent and continuing support and focus on this organization. A Metaphor and a Lesson I’m not crazy about Ohio Republican Representative LaTourette who recently announced his surprise resignation from Congress. He resigned because of extreme elementsinhispartythathavebeenmaking itimpossibletoreachconsensusandgovern because of ideology. He’s not the only one; he’s just the most recent. I’m not crazy about the guy despite his moderate—some might say enlightened— views on a variety of issues. I disagree with him on lots of what I consider his less enlightened“Republicanviews.” Plus—and thisistheimportantpartforme—moderate ornot,hispresenceasanominalRepublican hascontributedtoaRepublicanmajorityin the House of Representatives, the leadership of which is the proverbial dog being wagged by its errant tail. His resignation is a metaphor for what has been happening in the Republican Party for the past couple of decades. In that time, thanks to the likes of Ralph Reed, who invited evangelical so-called “Chris- tians” into active involvement in politics, moderate elements have abandoned the Party in droves until the Party became synonymous with the evangelical subset of those who count themselves Christians. Forthatbunch,almostnoonecanbe“pure” enough, so the evolution has been toward, not away from, the cult of evangelical “Christian”ideology. AnideologythatIdare say Christ himself would not recognize on a good day. I call them CINOs (Christians In Name Only). First left the moderate Right; followed by even the immoderate Right, and that disquieting evolution is continuing toward intolerant theocracy. Toward something onemightactuallyexpecttoseeincountries with a theocratic tradition, rather than a secular tradition such as ours. Riding a tiger is no doubt fast and definitelyexciting;theproblemcomeswith the dismount. The rest of us have been watching from the sidelines, thoroughly entertained by the spectacle, and far too content watching the Republican Party eat its own and “cleanse” the ranks. Some might mistake LaTourette’s resignation as a prin- cipled act of integrity. Not so. It was an act of cowardice, pure and simple. I’m reminded that“quittersneverwin,andwinnersnever quit.” LaTourette is a loser. So are those who went before him. His resignation was a cop-out, a metaphor for surrender. A metaphor for throwing in the towel. Make no mistake, the theocratic cancer will ultimately spread and will not be confined to the Republican Party that so richly deserves it. The country at large will inherit the same fate as moderate Republicans have endured. “Moderate Republicans,” whatever they may believe on important issues of our time, is a label that more accurately describes their level of commitment to the fight. Their fatal moderation has found expression in the weakness of their commitment, the luke- warmstrengthoftheirconvictions,andthe shortdurationoftheirwillingnesstofight— their unwillingness to keep on fighting. The Bible lists nine Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. That list misses one and, in politics, perhaps the most important one of all. The tenth Fruit of the Spirit is tenac- ity, the affirmative, undaunted dedication to keep on keeping on. It’s that spirit that gives birth to Olympic gold medalists. It’s that spirit that pits flowing water against a rock and eventually dissolves the rock. It’s thatspiritthathasbeen lacking among moder- ateRepublicansforthe past twenty years. Metaphors, like Biblicalparables,shouldteachalesson. The lessonhereisthatforewarnedisforearmed. The lesson here is that more ignorant people are being born every day and, when they become prideful in their ignorance— the very meaning of bigotry—they become dangerous to everyone around them. The lesson here is that enlightened education attacks bigotry at its core, and enlightened folks need to fire up, organize, and put more—andmorededicated—troopsinthe political field. Smart people learn from their own mistakes; wise people learn from the mistakes of others. We need to act and act wisely. We need to learn from the mistake ofCongressmanLaTouretteandotherswho abandoned the fight. This fight is different fromsomeinonerespect;itmustbefought again and again by every generation. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” Congress- man LaTourette , and others like him, have settled for vigilance of the temporary variety. Make no mistake, the theocratic cancer will ultimately spread and will not be confined to the Republican Party that so richly deserves it. Remarkables by Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson is an attorney at the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, and chairs the First Friday Breakfast Club (ffbciowa.org), an educational, non-profit corporation for gay men in Iowa who gather on the first Friday of every month to provide mutual support, to be educated on community affairs, and to further educate community opinion leaders with more positive images of gay men. It is the largest breakfast club in the state of Iowa. He can be contacted at JonathanWilson@DavisBrownLaw.com. Warren J. Blumenfeld is associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He is editor of Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price (Beacon Press), and co-editor of Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge) and Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States (Sense). www. warrenblumenfeld.com The University and the United Way by Warren J. Blumenfeld SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 8 Section 1: News & Politics

8. guardians’ “right to address issues of same-sex orientation with their family [and] with spiritual advisers.” Allowing gay, bisexual, and transgender scouts and leaders in the organization does not infringe on parents’ and guardians’ rights and abilities to discuss issues. In addition, since the organization comprises an estimated 2.7 million youth ages 7 to 21 plus another million volunteers in local councils throughout the U.S., I question whether BSA leadership actually under- took a scientifically valid and reliable poll of its full membership. Instead, eleven members of this “special committee” met secretly behind closed doors. Recently BSA demanded the resignation of Jennifer Tyrrill, lesbian mom and scout leader of her son Cruz’s den, from her post because as reported, she did not “meet the high standards of membership that the Boy Scouts of America seek.” What “high standards” has Tyrrill not met? Over the past year, while serving as den leader, the cubs in her den volunteered at a local soup kitchen, collected canned goods for neighboring churches to distribute in food baskets, and performed a conserva- tion project at a state park. The Girl Scouts of America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organizations proudly welcome and appreciate members and leaders of all sexual and gender identities. But how can a boy scout or scout leader truly adhere to the Boy Scout Law of being “trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent” when BSA clings to its blatantly prejudi- cial, discriminatory, and quite frankly, offensive “expressive message” on issues of sexual identity? So, what are the available options? I have come up with some, and I’m sure there are many more. First, our university can continue to officially fundraise for UW as it has in the past with no changes. Second, individuals who donate to UW can designate that their contribution cannot be given in full or in part to BSA. Third, while continuing to sponsor its official campaign, university officials as well as individuals can contact UW in writing stating clearly that they oppose BSA’s policies and suggest that UW sever its relationship with BSA until it reverses its discriminatory policies. Fourth, the university can rotate each year the charitable organization on which it will focus its campaign. In this way, members of the university community can gain the satis- faction that they are supporting a diverse number of worthwhile and reputable organizations. Regarding BSA, I would welcome a national response opposing its current policy in the form of a letter writing campaign, boycott of funds, and for those so inclined, abandonment of the organization as scouts and as leaders until BSA joins with other youth organizations to honorandwelcomediversityofthehuman experience and of the human spirit. 7) You just can’t stop there, Alexis, pleasetellmemoreaboutthis“unortho- doxmethodofpreparation”thatyoujust mentioned?Whatexactlywasit,andhow did it work? My, My! You know, I don’t tell many people about this because there has been a great deal of information put out that claimsthisproceduresimplydoesnotwork. I am sure that most people have heard of subliminal messages or perception. In a nutshell,thatisthetechniquethatwasused for me, though I do not in any way recom- mend others try this without supervision and a great deal of thought. The University of Michigan, in a piece titled The Roots of Subliminal Perception quotes a1996 piece by William Cane, titled HowAdvertiser’sPromoteAddiction,saying “Subliminal messages and perception are linked to the idea of mind control, and the roots of this are placed very far back in our history.Mindcontroliswhereanindividual or group of individuals can be controlled without their awareness. It is perception below the individual’s/group’s threshold. It is also the idea that people can be made to do things they would not ordinarily do.” In an article excerpted from A. E. Kazdin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Psychology (Vol. 7, pp. 497-499). New York: Oxford University Press,2000,PhilipM.MerikleoftheUniver- sity of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, writes: “…the findings from controlled studies indicate that subliminal perception, when it occurs, reflects a person’s usual inter- pretations of stimuli. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that people initiate actions on the basis of subliminal perception. The weight of the evidenceindicatesthat people must be aware of perceiving stimuli before they initiate actions or change their habitual reactions to these stimuli. Thus, although subliminal perception may allow us to make accurate guesses regarding the characteristics of stimuli, subliminal perception cannot lead a person to drink Coca-Cola or to eat Ritz Crackers, and it cannot be used effectively toimproveaperson’stennisskillsortocure a person’s bad habits.” Despite the skeptics, I consider myself one of the exceptions to these conclusions, becauseIbelievefirmlythesubliminalCD’s worked quite well for me. After we had listened to the recording of that program on mind control, I asked my co-worker if he could do the same thing for me. He thought for a bit, and said that he could. We discussed a few basic ground rules, the primaryonebeingthat I did not want to know what was being said. This was because of the fear that, if I knew what was being said, I might subconsciously attempt to fight it somehow. I agreed to buy the necessary equipment, and went about ordering a subliminal binaural recorderandaCDrecorder.Oncetheequip- ment was in place we started. (A binaural subliminal recorder works on 4 tracks. On two tracks the message is recorded. On the other2tracks,themusicisrecorded.When played back, the music dominates but the message is still being repeated.) I never did hear any wording on the CD’s that he made for me, but I could certainly hear the music. I don’t know where he found some of those tunes, and it was anything but easy listening music. Some of it was really obnoxious to me. When I asked about the choice of music, he explained to me that it was chosen to shake up my mind and make it easier for thechangestotakeplace.Healsoexplained that in order to create my new persona, he hadtomakemeforgetwhoIhadbeen.Iwas also cautioned never to attempt to go back to living as a male again, because it might make me insane. I listened to those CD’s many hours a day, including playing them at night while I slept. As the days and weeks went on, I really could actually feel that I was becom- ing someone else. However, without even realizingit,Ibegantowearmakeup,Ibegan todressdifferently,andfromwhathesaidto me, my attitude and demeanor was chang- ingto.Frommyperspective,Iwasjustbeing myself—and nothing had changed. Today I do actually find it increasingly difficulttorememberagreatdealaboutmy past.Myinterestsaredifferent.Myfeelings and emotions have changed. And, honestly, I like the new me so much better. In 2010, high school student Amber Dunham participated in a class assignment to ask someone 20 questions for an LGBT essay. The person Amber chose to ask was Alexis, a trans- gendered woman from the Iowa City area. This is the second portion of The Interview and will include questions from several individuals. Most of these people have already read the first interview, and I have asked them to think about more questions they might want answers to. Some are again from Amber. Some of the other questions have simply unintentionally come up in ordinary conversations with people and were completely unplanned or unsolicited, but I consider them worthy of additional comment. Others simply seek more in-depth information on one of the previous 20 questions. Any questions or comments for Alexis can be sent care of this publication to Editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com. Digging Deeper interview by Amber Dunham continued from page 8SS BLUMENFELD A case management program serving those living with HIV/AIDS in north-central Iowa. Living with HIV 226 SE 16th Street Ames, Iowa 50010 515-956-3312 Let us help you locate medical specialists, prescription coverage, and community resources. A monthly support group is also available. LIVING WITH HIV PROUDLY SUPPORTS NATIONAL GAY MEN’S HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY! TheGirlScoutsofAmerica and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organizations proudly welcome and appreciate members and leaders of all sexual and gender identities. Myinterestsaredifferent. My feelings and emotions havechanged.And,honestly, I like the new me so much better. ACCESSline Page 9SEPTEMBER 2012 Section 1: News & Politics

9. Paul Ryan Dear Log Cabin Republicans, We need to talk. It’s about your new boyfriend. Look, I know you’re all smitten with him and think he’s the best thing to happen to you in a long time. But that’s onlybecauseallofyourpreviousboyfriends have been abusive creeps. I know you think it’s different now, that you’ve finally found someone special. I’m sorry to tell you, however, that this Paul Ryan guy is a douche canoe, just like the rest of them. Whichmakesmethinkthattheproblem rests with you. It’s a sign of some serious issueswheneveryoneyouconsiderastrong and stable boyfriend doesn’t actually think very much of you at all. Sure he may want a quick “endorsement” in a bar parking lot, but you know damn well he’s going home to his wife. So when Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper says, “Congressman Paul Ryan is a strong choice for vice president, and his addition to the GOP ticket will help Republican candidates up and down the ballot,” the only way I can manage it making sense in my brain is if I read “up and down” as a sexual innuendo. A really desperate and gross one. So what does Ryan have that’s just so irresistible to you? Oh, that’s right. Money. Cooper continues, “As chairman of the House Budget Committee and author of the Republican‘pathtoprosperity’thatprovided the blueprint for serious spending cuts in this Congress, nobody is more qualified to articulateaconservativeeconomicvision to restoretheAmericaneconomyandstimulate job creation.” Ah, yes. Ryan’s budget, a.k.a. prosperity porn. We know how stimulating you Log Cabin guys find that sort of thing. But just like I wouldn’t call “Lord of the C*ck Rings” a serious film, I would hardly call anything about Ryan’s budget serious. “Ryan hasn’t ‘crunchedthenumbers’;hehasjustscribbled some stuff down, without checking at all to see if it makes sense,” said Paul “GOP Boner Killer” Krugman. “This is just a fantasy, not a serious policy proposal.” But wait, you’re going to say. Ryan is sortakindapro-gayinthathevotedonetime for something pro-gay way back in 2007. Andyes,you’reright.Inthatithappened one time in 2007 when Ryan voted for the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. And while you may want to point to an anomaly in Ryan’s record in order to prop up your fantasy, I think you should also know that, according to Michelangelo Signorile, Ryan votedinfavorofthefederalanti-gaymarriage amendment, voted against hate crimes legislation, voted against ending “don’t ask, don’t tell”, and favored an anti-gay marriage amendment in Wisconsin. As Gay City News reminds us, Ryan has a big fat zero from the HumanRightsCampaignforhistimeinoffice. He’salsovotedinfavoroflettingfaith-based organizations skirt LGBT nondiscrimination measures and wanted to ban same-sex couples in D.C. from adopting. So when LCR’s Cooper cites Ryan’s “consistent willingness to engage with Log Cabinonarangeofissuesspeakstohisrecord asafair-mindedpolicymaker,”itsoundsalot likeyou’reinlovewithhimbecausehe’seven willingtotalktoyouatall.Andthatyoueither don’t know or don’t care about his actual record. Because it sure isn’t “fair-minded” when it comes to LGBT equality. I think that LCR’s enthusiasm over Ryan is actually a cry for help. May they get it soon. Louis Sheldon GayshipEnterprisetobase,doyouread me?Irepeat,GayshipEnterprisetobase.We are closing in on our target. The U.S.A. will soon be the U.S.G.H.L., the United States of Gay Homo Lesbos. We have permission to land. That’s the kind of message I imagine Louis Sheldon “intercepting” when he puts on his tin-foil hat. CREEP continued page 23TT Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski On paper, you’d think a 42 year-old Republican would be up to speed on marriage rights, and might even, given his age, be tolerant. To my surprise, Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick, U.S. Congressman Paul D. Ryan from Wisconsin, is not only no ally to our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities—he’s completely ignorant of our struggle. Whenitcomestotheissueofmarriage equality Ryan has consistently voted it down. In defending his stalwart stance for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage Ryan stated, “I believe fundamentally that marriage is between a man and a woman. Although I support the constitutional amendment to protect marriage, that process cannot continue at this time given the failed attempt by the U.S. Senate to advance the amendment. Meanwhile,statescouldbeforcedtoaccept same-sexmarriagesbecauseofafewjudges in Massachusetts.” Ryan made that statement in Septem- ber 2004, just four months after same-sex marriagebecamelegalinMassachusetts.In 2012, his position hasn’t altered. WhenRyanwasaskedonceagainabout his stance on same-sex marriage he stated on Meet the Press in February that he “… supported the Wisconsin amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman.” OneofRomney’sobjectivesinselecting Ryan is to entice young voters, a constitu- ency Romney hopes will come out for his ticketinNovemberinnumberscomparable tothatofObama’s2008campaign.Inhaving a young energetic and relatable candidate like Ryan, it revs up Romney’s campaign that hasbeenuninspiringtoyoungconser- vative voters. ButRyan,42,isanoutlierforagenera- tion of young conservatives, especially his stance on LGBTQ social issues. His barometer on queer social issues is not only way off but it’s also not in lockstep with young social conservatives who have clearly articulated that discrimination against marriage equality is not the government’s business. “I don’t really care about the social stuff,” Millersville University student Jordan Smith told reporter Lauren Fox of US News. “I think it’s big government when the government tells you who you can and cannot marry and that’s not conservative.” With this younger generation of conservatives exposed to same-gender families, classmates, peers, educators, etc., and some who are LGBTQ themselves,theirfocus is on issues like the economy, jobs and military. “We’re worried about getting jobs after graduation...Gay marriage isn’t as important of an issue for me.” Lindsay Matera, a freshman at Roger Williams University, told US News. With exposure to LGBTQ people, and with more and more Americans wanting LGBTQmembersintheirfamiliestoreceive the same state and federal protections as everyheterosexualAmerican,aseismicshift hasoccurred.Theincreasingacceptanceof gay marriage has a lot to do with public acceptanceofLGBTQpeople.A2011survey bythePewResearchCenterrevealsthat58 percent of the American populace accepts LGBTQ people. And the latest Pew survey found a “47 to 43 percent plurality favor- ing gay marriage, with as many Americans saying they strongly favor (22 percent) as saying they strongly oppose (22 percent),” according to Pew Research Center presi- dentAndrewKohut.Muchofthischangein attitude toward LGBTQ Americans is both generational and cultural. Inattemptingtodeflectattentionaway from the topic of same-sex marriage Ryan brought more attention to it, revealing recently how he’s not up-to-date. “If I recall from the last presidential campaign,PresidentObamaandVicePresi- dent Biden said that they support marriage asbeingbetweenaman and a woman,” Ryan is quoted in Michelan- geloSignorile’sAugust 12th article on Huff- Post Gay Voices. “So I don’tknowwhyweare spending all this time talking about this.” Whereas both Obama and Biden have now come out in support of marriage equality, in the last presidential election it wouldhavebeenpoliti- cal suicide to support it. This November it may be a risk not to. As chair of the House and Budget Committee, Ryan wants to focus on his strong suit—the nation’s financial crisis— and not have his campaign bid be bogged down with social issues, like abortion, women’s health, and same-sex marriage. Butevensocialissueshaveaneconom- ic component, and legalizing same-sex marriage brings a fiscal benefit—on both state and federal levels. On a state level, the evidence is obvious. It’s an untapped consumer base that wouldrevuprevenuesinmarriagelicenses, rings,hotels,restaurants,weddingvenues, and divorces, to name a few. In arguing the case for marriage equality for Rhode Island, a study from the Williams Institute at UCLA’s Law School wrote that the state’s coffer had the potential to generate an additional $1.2 million over a three-year period. And, in the first 5 years, since 2004 when same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts, our state coffers increased by an additional $111 million. On a federal level, if all 50 states legalized same-sex marriage the revenue would net $1 billion a year over a decade, according to a 2004 report by Congres- sional Budget Office, an office Ryan is familiar with. For a man so interested in balancing America’s budget, you’d think the revenue streamfrommarriageequalitymightcatch Ryan up to Biden. Rev. Irene Monroe is a graduate from Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and she has served as a pastor at an African- American church before coming to Harvard Divinity School for her doctorate as Ford Fellow. She is a syndicated queer religion columnist who tries to inform the public of the role religion plays in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. Her website is irenemonroe.com. At 42, Paul Ryan is Out-of-Step with his Generation by Rev. Irene Monroe His barometer on queer social issues is not only way off but it’s also not in lockstep with young social conservativeswhohave clearly articulated that discrimination against marriage equality is not the government’s business. SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 10 Section 1: News & Politics

10. Rising pop star talks gay influences, doing Pride and her big hair It’s hard to talk about Eva Simons without mentioning her hair. That tower- ing mohawk is as big as her voice, which guests on will.i.am’s single “This Is Love.” With Simons’ debut due this fall, the Dutch up-and-comer chatted about her recent Pridegig,howgaypeopleinfluenceherand the hair, of course. How much hairspray do you go through? A lot! You know how they say you can’t bring flammable things on the plane? I think those things are flammable but I have to bring them, otherwise I can’t do my hair. Is that legal? I don’t know! But I need it. I need my European hairspray. It’s very important. How tall is your hair? Eight inches. My brother was measur- ing it the other day. He wanted to know. That’s bigger than the average penis. (Laughs) Oh my god, is it really? Well, good to know. I’m huge! How aware are you of your gay fan base? I wasn’t very aware until I performed at gay Pride in New York recently. That was when I was aware; they gave me so much love. Isthatthefirsttimeyoureceivedthat kind of reception from a gay audience? I mean, I always have! Ever since my first record, “Silly Boy,” they really believed in me. It’s always nice when people get you, especiallyinthegaycommunitywherethey are so much about people being misunder- stood. I totally understand that. Youusedtogotogayclubswhenyour mom,who’salsoasinger,usedtoperform at them. What do you remember? I was just mesmerized by them. They Our Picks for September 9/1-2, Upper City Park, Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa Women’s Music Festival, prairievoices.net 9/7, The Garden Nightclub, Des Moines, Iowa, Mr & Miss Cosmopolitan Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 9/8, Kings & Queens, Waterloo, Iowa, Mr & Miss Kings & Queens Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 9/9, Connections Nightclub, Davenport, Iowa, Miss Goddess Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 9/14-29, Des Moines, Iowa, ArtStop, ArtStopInfo.org 9/7, Club CO2, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, The New Kings on The Block: Wake Me Up When September Ends, club-co2.com 9/7-30, Des Moines Community Playhouse, Des Moines, Iowa, Sunset Boulevard, DMPlayhouse.com 9/15, Waverly Palace Theatre, Waverly, Iowa, Derby Documentary : Derby Baby, CVDerbyDivas.com 9/16, The Garden Nightclub, Des Moines, Iowa, Miss Garden Glam Doll Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 9/20, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota, NOH8 Open Photo Shoot, NOH8Campaign.com 9/22, Holiday Inn Downtown, Des Moines, Iowa, Imperial Court of Iowa Coronation XX, ImperialCourtofIowa.org 9/23, Studio 13, Iowa City, Iowa, HomoComing King & Queen Pageant 2012, STThirteen.com 9/23, The Max, Omaha, Nebraska, Miss Missouri Valley Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 9/28, Bad Dog Bar & Grill, Saint Louis, Missouri, Bug Chaser, Volcanoes, and Ou Ou & Britches, BadDogSTL.com ...and October 10/5, Bad Dog Bar & Grill, Saint Louis, Missouri, Midwest Leather Weekend, BadDogSTL.com 10/5, The Garden Nightclub, Des Moines, Iowa, Mr & Miss Cosmopolitan Iowa USofA, MissGayIowa.com 10/12, The Blazing Saddle, Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Iowa Leather 2013-Iowa Leather Weekend, TheBlazingSaddle.com 10/13, Kings & Queens, Waterloo, Iowa, Omaha Invades Iowa CAAP Benefit, p.35 10/19, Hancher, Iowa City, Iowa, It Gets Better, Hancher.UIowa.edu ACCESSline’s fun guide IntroducingEvaSimons InterviewbyChrisAzzopardi Eva Simons Photo courtesy of Nick Farrell. EVA SIMONS cont’d page 31TT

11. The New Kings on The Block discuss their first show and Charlie Diamond and Tatem Trick answer a few questions about their beginnings, mentors, their style, and upcoming performance. The New Kings on The Block are set to perform Friday, Septem- ber 7th at Club CO2, 616 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cover will be $5 and there are over two hours of entertainment; including skits, comedy, and an intermission game called Whores Shoes that is like horse shoes but with stilettos and a dildo, also featuring prizesfromlocalbusinesses. Performerswill be; Jayden Knight/Jolliette Dimentia, Brock Harding, Monica Knight, Charlie Diamond, Tatem Trick, Justin Cider, Holden Cider, JD Lesbiani,andEngourgeMicheal.Theremaybe road construction in front of Club CO2 at the time of the September 7th show. The bar will stillbeopenandadditionalparkingisavailable adjacent to the buildingandacrossthestreet in Rapids Reproductions parking lot. How did you become interested in male impersonation and why did you become a Drag King? Charlie Diamond I became interested in drag when I saw a few photos and looked up a few videos. It lookedlikesomethingfuntodoandIwanted to see what it was like—I’ve been hooked on it ever since and I’ve been doing it for a year and half now. Tatem Trick I became interested by going to drag showsandthenbecomingveryinterested!Or shouldIsayamazedonhowamancouldlook likea woman and vice versa.Thequeensand kings always look like they are having such a great time performing. I decided to give it a shot when Club BASIX was having a Mr.5 SeasonsPageant,Iwasverynervousbecause itwasmyfirsttimeandIwasthrowingmyself right into a pageant. I went against another king that had been performing for 5 years so thatwasintimidating.Iendedupwinningthe pageant so I was Mr. 5 Seasons of 2010. What brought you to The New Kings on the Block? Charlie Diamond What brought me to this was Jill posting aneventandafteraskingheraboutit,Ithought havingagroupintheareawouldbeamazing! Performingeverymonthinsteadofafewtimes outta the year—it’s a great feeling to be part of an amazing group. Tatem Trick Jill Kennedy contacted me and told me abouthowshewastryingtoputakinggroup togetherandaskedmeifIwouldbeinterested in doing the king group. I was pretty ecstatic because I have always wanted to be a part of something big and drag kings are not as popular as queens are, here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I gladly accepted the invite and it has kicked off from there. Whoareyourmentorsandwhatinflu- ences your style? Courtesy of Benjamin Kaplan. Charlie Diamond Mymentorswouldbemydragbrothers, cage masters, and Dante Pistol. Them taking me in as one of their brothers, helping me out on some shows, giving me pointers, and helping me get ready—we’re always there for each other. Inregardstomystyle,Iwouldn’tconsider me having a style. I’m a laid back kind of person, but like to have fun and get crazy here and there. Tatem Trick One of my very first mentors was JD Lesbiani who is a drag king legend to the Cedar Rapids area. He has helped guide me intobeingtheperformerIamtodaybygiving me the opportunity to perform with him. My style is usually influenced by which type of genre I’m performing to. I try to tailor myself as much as I can to the artist that sings the song. Of course I’ll put my own twist to make it Tatem’s style. What is your musical style and describe your wardrobe? Charlie Diamond My music is really open and I’ll do anythingfromrocktosomepop—itchanges. My wardrobe I sometimes base it off what they wear in the music videos, to make it realistic. Tatem Trick MymusicalstylesmostlyconsistofR&B, Hip-Hop,Pop,Rap,orAlternative.Idoliketogo outsidemycomfortzoneandtryotherthings butthat’sthetypeofmusicyouwillhearwhen youseemeperforming.Mywardrobestyleis usuallyalotliketheartistthatoriginallysings thesong.ItrytotailormyselfasmuchasIcan, then I throw my own twist in to make it me. Youwillalwayscatchmewithabandanaonmy wrist or pants; I would say that’s a signature thing I have. You just had your first performance at Club CO2. How did it feel to finally get out on the stage? Charlie Diamond It was nerve racking at first, not having performedforsolong—sinceJanuary—butI enjoyedeverysecondofitandIamexcitedfor moretocome.It’ssuchanamazingfeeling—I couldn’t have asked for anything better than being a part of this group. Tatem Trick It felt really good, I always get a little nervous before each show I do. This always surprises people as to why I get so nervous because I have performed so much over the 21/2yearsI’vebeendoingdrag.Nobodyever seesmynervesonstagethough;Ileavethatin the back room. I love feeling the energy from the crowd when they hear a song they love andautomaticallystartsingingitandhavinga goodtimewithme.Itonlyfuelsmethatmuch more to do a good job on the stage. Jayden Knight It felt amazing out on stage! The crowd wassoexcitedandwoundupaboutourperfor- mances.Wehadalmostmaximumcapacityat Co2thatnight. Itwastrulyadreamcometrue. We couldn’t have asked for anything better! Justin Cider JusthadthefirstshowandallIcanreally say is WOW! It was a fantastic night and I enjoyedmyselfalot.I’lladmitrightbeforethe showIwasslightlynervous,butwhenIheard themusicformyfirstsongallwentawayand it was just me and the stage and the crowd— allnervesaside!Itturnedoutway,waybetter than I could have imagined it and I am very grateful to everyone involved. Thank you all so much again. What did the crowd love about your performance? Give us a highlight. Charlie Diamond Just letting loose and being myself out there, interacting with the crowd and getting them pumped up—like I was. Courtesy of Jill Kennedy. Tatem Trick Oneofmyhighlightsfromthelastperfor- mance I did at CO2 was when I came out in mynerdyoldschoolruffleshirt.Thenhalfway through the song I start to strip my shirt off and then start ripping my beater off as you see my six-pack. Jayden Knight I’d say the crowd loved our group song ‘Too Close the Most’. Tatem, Justin, Myself, Charlie, and Holden all danced together sexy and smooth! Justin Cider I’ve spoken to a lot of different people that were at the show and even some that were not, but I would have to say that a lot of people are still talking about the group number “too close” with special guest Ivana Dik aka Steph. But everyone as a whole had a fantastic show; we had a great turn out and are very excited for the next show. Because its gonna be better than the first guaranteed! And, because it’s on a Friday. What can people look forward to seeing at your next performance “Wake Me Up When September Ends” Friday, September 7th ? Charlie Diamond To have a lot of fun because you never know what I’ll come out with next. Justin Cider Look forward to a great show, good looking men, good music, a Friday night, props,shock,andwow! Andbackbypopular demand—the New Kings on the Block are bringing you another group number. Tatem Trick You can expect to see a large variety of thingsI’mabouttothrowdownonSeptember 7th . I’ll be doing 5 numbers that night and all of the songs are different. A couple comedy ones to a very empowering group number I’m putting together. I get goose bumps just thinkingaboutit,it’soneyouwillnotwantto miss! It will most certainly be one of the top performances I have ever done. Jayden Knight They can look forward to seeing at the next show Jayden’s alter-ego his sister from another Mister “Jolliette Dimentia”. She will beperformingalongsidewithBrockHarding and Charlie Diamond! Jill Kennedy We had a great turn out for our Aug. 2 show. Over 130 people came to the first performance by the New Kings on the Block! Our next show will be on Friday, September 7thatClubCO2.Coverchargewillstartat9pm and the show will begin at 11pm. BrockHardingMr.FMI2012 Originally from Madison Wisconsin, I guessIwasdoing“maleimpersonation”basi- callyunknowinglymywholelife. Iwasinvited by a drag queen (a friend of mine) one night to do a pageant, and since I was turning 30 I figured it was now or never, and said ok let’s do it! This was after I had a few beers on my birthday. The pageant was two days away on a Sunday,Igotmyshiftcoveredlongenoughto gettotheinterviewandthengobacktowork, no clothing changes or anything were done. WhenIarrivedtheinterviewersaskedmehow long I had been doing male impersonation, my response “I guess my whole life” is that whatI’mdoing?Theinterviewersjuststarted laughing, but I was serious, I really had no idea what I was doing. I just tried to find the individualgoinginfrontofmeforeverything and tail them around so I knew when I had to be on stage. I just went in and had a good time, and won! Now this was my first time ever doing this,andIneverexpectedtowin,butIwasso happytoo!Ihavebeendoingdragkingshows since,althoughnotawholelotisneededfora “costume”.Ijustdipintomyregularwardrobe and find some of my favorite music, usually olderstuff(Ilovethe80’s,that’smyfavorite!), andheadonthestageforsomefunentertain- ing the crowd! Cedar Rapids’s New Kings interview by Angela Geno-Stumme Pictured left to right: Holden Cider, Tatem Trick, and Justin Cider. Courtesy of Jill Kennedy. SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 12 The Fun Guide

12. Can the Internet make it safer to pee? On April 15th 2010 a man walked up to a transgender student in a men’s bathroom at California State University—Long Beach. He shoved the transgender person against the wall, tore his shirt off and carved the word “it” on his chest. California might seem a long way away from Iowa, but in April of 2010 I was still pre-op and the news report terrified me. It accented the fears I felt about using public rest- rooms. I had been on hormones for some time and there was no way I could use a male restroom. Heck even before I started my transition I’d had men run screaming when they saw me in the men’s room, sure they had mistakenly entered the wrong bathroom. Using the women’s restroom had its fears as well. What if someone found out I had male anatomy and called the cops? I knew that in Iowa I was technically within my rights to use the bathroom consistent with my gender identity, but I did not relish having to explain that to a cop. The victim of the California attack survived. I survived my transition as well, thankfully without anything worse than an anxiety attack happening to me in a restroom, ever. But for a long time I had memorized the location of every single stalled gender neutral bathroom on the west side of Des Moines. If I absolutely couldn’t make it home, I would go out of my way to hit one of these. It’s not an uncommon experience. Speaking to other members of the Trans- formations support group in Des Moines, using a public bathroom is a common fear for transgender people. We’ve got it lucky. Iowa law clearly states Iowans have the right to gender identity “with or without documentation” and they have the right to publicaccommodationsconsistentwith that gender identity. In some states, I kid you not; you need a certified letter from your therapist or doctor stating you are transgender just to use the appropriate public restroom. Not that the two girls who brutally beat Chrissy Polis for using the woman’s restroom at a McDonald’s restroom in Baltimore bothered to check if she had a letter. There are still haters out there, and for the trans community in particular, there are still those who will express their hatred with fists rather words. What is the trans community to do? The long term solution is understand- ing and social change. That, it seems, is coming. But it’s a long slow process. The short term solution might be no further away than your iPhone. There is a new app out called Transquat. It uses data from the Safe2pee project (which lists gender neutral bathrooms) and your phone’s GPS to find the nearest gender neutral bathroom. The app costs a mere 2.99 and better yet the proceeds help fund the developers own SRS surgery. “Billy Bolt”, as the developer goes by online, is a FTM transgender or Transman for those not familiar with the trans lingo. (Trans people should beidentifiedwiththeirinternalor“target” gender, not their birth gender, unless they request you to do otherwise. When in doubt, it is okay to ask—politely. “Do you prefer he or she?” rather than “Hey are you a dude or what?”) Billy found the Safe2pee project online and saw they did not have a native app for the iPhone so he wrote one. Billy saw a way to help the community by providing an app that would help trans peoplefindasafeplacetousetherestroom and a way to help himself. Every download goes towards his “top surgery”. Top surgery is removal of the excess breast tissue and re-sculpting of the chest for a more masculine appearance. While experts in transgender medicine argue that such surgeries have enormous psychological value and are equivalent to any other re-constructive surgery after an accident, illness, or to repair a birth defect—insurance companies largely label the procedure “elective”. The cost of surgery runs anywhere from five to eight thousand dollars out of pocket. Three thousand downloads, a relative drop in the bucket for the app market, and Billy’s dream comes true. If you don’t have an iPhone, or you don’t have 2.99 to blow, you can always just check out Safe2pee.org. Their website has a “mobile” page. (It’s optimized for a small screen.) They also have a regular full sized page for you home computer where you can search for a gender neutral bathroom, a single stalled locking bathroom or a handicapped accessible bathroom. (Trans people aren’t the only ones who have trouble finding a place to pee after all.) There is one significant problem with both Transquat and Safe2pee.org. Neither have many listings for central Iowa. In fact searching Des Moines, Iowa I find the nearest bathroom listed to be at Smokey Row’s in Pella. (Must drive fast, hold it, hold it...) Not to worry though, both the app and the website have a simple form so that users can add locations. Which is what I am hoping readers will do. This is a different kind of activism then voting for LGBT friendly candidates or attending a rally to oppose bullying, but it’s no less important. Gender variant individuals,whethertheyidentifyastransgen- der, intersex, or are simply “effeminate” men or “butch” women need to have safe spaces. Going to the bathroom is such a simple and essential part of life. It’s also a physically and psychologically vulnerable act.Wearetrappedinastallwithourpants around our ankles. We shouldn’t have to spend that time terrified, terrified that we will be harassed, yelled at, beaten or even arrested. You have the power to help. Even if you’ve never met a transgender person, you can help one out; maybe even prevent a hate crime. All you have to do is keep your eyes open. If you see a gas station that has a single unisex bathroom, get on Safe2pee.org and add it. If you see a mall that has a single stall “family” restroom, add it as well. If you are in a normally “gendered” restroom (a men’s room or a Women’s room) and you notice that the stalls lock and are in good working order, there is a place for that as well. And don’t forget that accessible bathrooms can be added as well. Hopefully with the power of the Internet on our side we can make it safe for all people to pee in peace. Wired This Way by Rachel Eliason Heck even before I startedmytransitionI’d had men run screaming whentheysawmeinthe men’s room... Rachel Eliason is a forty two year old Transsexual woman. She was given her first computer, a Commodore Vic-20 when she was twelve and she has been fascinated by technology ever since. In the thirty years since that first computer she has watched in awe as the Internet has transformed the LGBT community. In addition to her column, Rachel has published a collection of short stories, Tales the Wind Told Me and is currently working on her debut novel, Run, Clarissa, Run. Rachel can be found all over the web, including on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Goodreads. “The hate group category, is with the exception of the Family Research Council, a bunch of neo-Nazi and Ku Klux Klan-like groups, and while they may say all kindsofwackythingsattheFRC,they’reaWashington thinktank,notagroupthatputsonsheetsandorganizes lynch mobs.” ~Dana Milbank, Washington Post Columnist on the Family Research Council Shooting. ACCESSline Page 13SEPTEMBER 2012 The Fun Guide

13. A Lesson for You: Grasshopper Thegrasshopperisadeliciousdessert cocktail, but I rarely make them because of their repulsive name. I just can’t stand the idea of drinking insects. Is that so difficult to understand? Why the inventor, some now-un- known master mixer but terrible namer in the French Quarter of New Orleans, proba- bly in the early 1950s, felt compelled to dub hisrich,creamy,minty milkshake of a drink after an overly excit- able leapy-crawler— featured as one of the plagues visited on Egypt in the Lord’s surprisingly belabored attempts to free the Jews from slavery—is quite beyond me. Given its already nauseating name, I kept the cocktail du weekend a secret from the housemates this time around. (Cocktail Chatter regulars will recall that I spoiled my own presentation of the delightful Brandy Alexander one year by claiming I was instead going to serve Boogers,thecontentsofwhichareguaran- teed to make even the most gut-hardened drinkers spew; this time, no jokes.) I started the meal with a yellow tomato gazpacho, which turned out to be surprisingly unlike the typical throw- everything-in-the-blender messes that we’re all used to. For one thing, there was no bread to thicken it; second, the color was quite a spectacularly bright yellow, what with the yellow tomatoes and the inspired addition of a little bit of no-pulp orangejuice.Robbieflewoffintoadisgust- ingtangentaboutwhatthecolorreminded him of, but the adults at the table ignored him, with the exception of Craig, Chipper, Sal, Sean, Kyle, and Dan. (Yes, readers—I was the only adult at the table.) We moved on to a heavier main course: linguini carbonara, made in part from the bacon grease I’d saved from last Sunday’s breakfast. OK, not so good for you. But delicious! Those two extra egg yolksIaddedtotherecipe’srecommended threealsoenhancedthefatandcholesterol reverie. I suppose I should have listened to Dan and let him make a fruit salad, a lighter ending to the meal than the Grasshoppers I had a craving for. Dan makes an excellent fruit salad—any fresh, ripe fruit cut up mixed with whole blueber- ries and raspberries and tossed with a little Triple Sec—but it was after the Fourth of July at Fire Island Pines and I was getting a little irritated at the endless parade of flawless chiseled abs and decided to make sure than no one in our house could possibly have them. We practically had to hold Robbie down in the chair, pinch his nose closed and pour the drink into him, but even he drank his full share and admitted that his perfectly tight stomach could stand a little cuddly layer of fat as long as the cause was a delicious—I can barely type it—Grasshopper. The Grasshopper 1 part green crème de menthe• 1 part white crème de cocoa• 1 part heavy cream• Mix ingredients together with ice in a shaker, shake and serve in a cocktail glass. In addition to white crème to cocoa, there is also dark crème de cocoa. Beware: It will really screw up the color of your grasshopper. Cocktail Chatterby Ed Sikov I was getting a little irritated at the endless parade of flawless chiseled abs and decided to make surethannooneinour house could possibly have them. The Outfield by Dan Woog Nike Reaches the LGBT Sports Summit Cyd Zeigler Photo courtesy of Cyd Zeigler. A few years ago, no one was talking about LGBT issues in sports. Now, everyone is. Suddenly, the game that dared not speak its name turned into a cacophony. Legit sports organizations (the NCAA; American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) wanted to address homophobia in athletics. So did gay groups like GLSEN, GLAAD and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Smaller organizations cropped up specifically around gays in sports. They had names like Athlete Ally, Our Group, the StandUp Foundation and You Can Play. You could not tell the players without a scorecard. Cyd Zeigler covers LGBT sports for a living. Co-founder of the very popular website Outsports, even he was confused. And he realized many groups were talking past—ifnotagainst—eachother.Observing so much duplication of ideas and energy, he wondered what it would take to get a variety of organizations into the same room. Kirk Walker, head softball coach at Oregon State University, loved the idea. He suggested the perfect host: Nike. Walker had worked with the company in the past and had been impressed with their gay- positive attitude. Robert Goman, a consumer product managerandheadofNike’sLGBT&Friends Network, was immediately enthusiastic. WiththehelpofNCLRSportsProjectdirec- tor Helen Carroll and GLSEN Changing the Game sports director Pat Griffin, the Nike LGBT Sports Summit was born. ThefirstproblemwaskeepingtheJune meeting to a manageable size. “We wanted it to be a working group,” Zeigler says. “You can’t do that with 100 people. We kept it to 25 so we could have real conversations.” Talktheydid.ThoughNikewentallout as host—covering travel costs and meals; throwingawelcomepartyandPriderecep- tion at their downtown Portland store; offering meeting space on their Beaverton campus;welcomingSummitparticipantsto marchwiththeNikecontingentatthePort- landPrideparade—theirrealcontribution was providing leaders and facilitators. On Saturday morning—after two days together—aNikeexecutivespokeup.“This is great,” she said. “But you’re not thinking big enough.” Her words were electrifying. “Every- one realized she was right,” Zeigler recalls. The group scrapped the rest of the day’s agenda, and focused on how they could “really, really change sports in a big way,” he says. Gradually, participants focused on the idea of “champion.” Though the word now means an athlete who plays on a winning team, Zeigler says that from the time of the Romans a champion has been defined not by trophies won, but by actions taken. “A champion is someone inclusive and supportive,” Zeigler notes. “We realized how important it is to drive this idea forward: that a champion includes and supports everyone on his or her team.” The newly formed “LGBTQ sports coalition”vowedtoworktoachieveseveral goals. They will engage each of the major American professional sports leagues to work toward inclusion. They will try to increase the visibility of out college athletes, coaches and allies. They will devise an “LGBTQ inclusive model policy” for national youth and adult recreational leagues. Andtheywillpromoteanew,inclusive definition of “athletic champion” to young athletes,whileprovidinginclusivetraining resources to physical education teachers and coaches. “Everythingwedo,it’sultimatelyabout youth and young athletes,” Zeigler says. “That’s something everyone agreed on.” Of course, any time over a dozen groups get together, there will be conten- tion. At the summit, discussions of funding were seldom easy. “Ultimately, there’s a limited amount of resources,” says Zeigler. “Groups compete for funding. That came through very clearly.” But overriding those discussions was a more important feeling: trust. “A lot of the people there had never met each other. Or they didn’t understand or trust them,” Zeigler says. “Trust is a huge part of sports. You have to trust your teammates. You have to trust a game plan. I think we really built trust among the different groups. There’s a much better sense now of knowing when to lead, and when to follow.” Zeigler adds, “The gay sports movement has been going on for 40 years. But I think this is the beginning of the end of homophobia in sports.” He predicts that within four years, anti-gay attitudes in athletics will have faded remarkably. Why four years? “That’s the length of high school, or the number of years you play in college. It takes four years for each group, beginning to end.” Zeigler uses one final sports analogy to sum up the good feeling of the men and women at the Nike LGBT Sports Summit. “Part of winning is playing well together. We’re athletes. We all know how to win.” Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, gay activist, and author of the “Jocks” series of books on gay male athletes. Visit his website at www.danwoog.com. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutField@qsyndicate.com. “The gay sports movement has been going on for 40 years. But I think this is the beginning of the end of homophobia in sports.” ~Cyd Zeigler, Co-founder Outsports SEPTEMBER 2012ACCESSline Page 14 The Fun Guide

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