| Transcript |
After 20 years in
the historic Sixth
Ward, Houston's
largest gay church
will soon be on
the move to a
new $2.35
million facility.
Page 5
A provocative
series of ads has
outed Mitchell
Gold Co., earned
the company
accolades from
gay groups and
done more than
just sell furniture-
the ads
raise gay
visibility, too.
Page 15 L----'-----'
ISSUE 1004 ALL THE NEWS FOR YOUR LIFE . AND YOUR STYLE . JANUARY 21 I 2000
Mayor stumbles on HIV follow through
Nearly two months after announcing an ambitious plan to f ight rising
HIV infections among blacks, Mayor Lee Brown's initiative lacks
funding, public attention
by M,\TII llW A I IF:-\:\'IE
:\'mrly two months after Mayor l l'l' Brown dl'd,m'<:l il
stall' of l'mrrgl'ncy O\'l'r il startling n~· in I !IV inft'Ctions in
I lou<>ton's bl.Kk community, his ambillous pl.in to attack thl•
probfl•m IS noundenng.
City he.11th offin.ils arc scrambling to PJY for the nl•.irly 5-
) e:ir, $1 million pre\'l'nhon and rd um hon l'ffort by tightl'nmg
otlwr pmgr.ims, shifting staff ,ind solinting don.1tions,
whKh ml'.rns 1t will t.lkl' Wl't'ks, up to ,1 fl'W months, b\'forc
l'n:n thl' inillal aspl'Cls of Brown's plan an• in pl.in•, offk1.ils
s.iid this Wl'l'k.
A summit of black community leaders to enlist support for
.iddrt•ssing the problem, which Brown said would bl' hl'ld
thb month, rl'm.iins in thl' pl.inning stages.
And Brown, who pledgl'd to use thl• mayor's officl' .1s a
bully pulpit by spl'.iking out on HIV pn•n·nhon during his
public .1ppl'ilr1rnces, h.is failed to do so in two mJjor spl'l'Chrs
he dl'li\'l'rl•d this month.
"Thrrl' has been no action l'\n•pt lip Sl'rvicl'. Therl' has cl'rta1nly
bl'l'n nothmg concrete," ~1d Gary Van Ooll'ghcm,
ch.imn,rn of the Ryan White PJ,rnnmg Council. "We arl' not
gl•tting any indic.1tion th.it [Brown] or his team are doing
.rnything It 1s a shame."
The planning council. which will alloc,1te $17.6 million in
fl·drr,11 funds this year for 'en·JCes to people affected by
AIDS, cntir1zl•d Brown in Non·mber for !Ji ling to act on new
st,1tist1cs th,1t shmn·d 61 pl·rcent of new I !IV infl'Ctions in thl'
I louston .lrl'<I 111 1999 Wl're among African-Americans.
Whill• thl• pl.inning council rl'Cl'l\'l'd a 14 ~wrcl'nt mcre.ise
in its fl'dl•r,11 fundmg-including a nL'.1rly sixfold 111cm1Sl',
from $177,000 to $937,955, a1ml'd at African-Americans-its
money is restricted to helping county residents already
infl'cll'Cl through :;cnices hkc food banks, drug reimbursements,
dental ~f\1Cl's, counseling ilnd hospice care.
The incrl'asl' in O\erall federal fundmg for the plannmg
council this year, up from $15.5 milhon to $17.6 million, is
due 111 part to the ilrl'a's mcreasmg I !IV infections and the
spike 111 mk'Chons in the art•a's bl.1Ck community, ~1d PatrJCk
Richoll\, an I !IV services proJC'd coordinator for Hams
County.
State of emergency ~
I !IV prevention ,1nd education 1s left to the city's health J:
dl'partment and its $5-million·a-ycar I !IV Pre,·ention ~
Program, which led the planning council to cJll on Brown ~
and County Judge Robert Eckels 111 '\lo\·embcr to de\'elop a ~
coordin.ited response to the new statistics. ::;:
Eckels, who O\'l'fscl's the Ryan White Planning Council,
responded by supporting its call to dl'Clarc a medical emergency,
which allows thl' planning council to reallocate funds
to earmark tre.itment programs for Afric.in-Americans.
Besides the additional federal funds the planning council
will rl'CCi\·e when its fiscal war st.iris in March, an estimated
$250,000 will also be shifted to programs t.irgcting the city's
bl;ick community, V;in Ooteghem s.iid.
Brown took action week..~ later by announcing his initiati\'e
during a press confen:ncc with local l'lected officials, AIDS
;ictivists and sen·ice pro,·idl'rs on World AIDS Day.
The mayor's plan t;irgcts three groups for intensive HIV
prl'vention efforts: African-Americ,1n women; gay, bisexual
and non-gay identifymg bl;ick men who h,we sex with men;
Mayor Lee Brown delivered a 45-minute state of the city address
Tuesday, but didn't mention his recent plan to combat HIV infections,
an issue he pledged to include in his pubfic appearances.
and blacks m iail or pnson.
The plan propo!>t:'s cornmuruty-based education and pre\'
enhon programs, a media campaign and one-on-one Sl'T\ ices
to change bcha\'ll1rs that put black.sat higher risk for HIV
The first sit p calls for spending $170,000 through June on
a pub! c information campaign \\ ith billboards, new!:>paper
and radio ad\-crhsements targeting Afncan-Americans, ~id
Mary dcs\'ignes-Kendrick, the city's health departml'nt
:;..- Continued on Page 11
Rice approves DP benefits for gay employees
A consensus on Rice
University's campus
for domestic partner
benefits helped lead
trustees to approve
the measure, said
Terry Shepard, vice
president for public
affairs.
Trustees quietly approved the measure last month, adding to an
already tolerant atmosphere for gay students, employees on campus
bv (,IP PLASTER
For two years, domestic partnl·rs of l'mployces at Rice
Uni\'ersity ha\'l' bl'l'n ,1ble to gl'I school idt•ntihcahon
cards, check out books from the school's librJrV and use
its gvmnJsiums, iust hkt· m.uried ;.pou'l's can.'
:-\ow, RKe's bo.ud of trustees h.1' f1111slwd I\ hat 11 started.
Trustees recent!) .ippro\ ed a meaSUTl' th.1t will allow
l'mplo)"l't's to include thl'lr established domestic p.irtners
on uniwrslly in>urance co\•eragc beginning in July.
Thl• mO\·e makes RJCe the first unl\WS1ty m Texas to
offl'r domestic partner bcndib and leaves tne Cniver:-.ity
of :\'otre Daml' as the onh top 20 ~chool in the nation
without the benefits, according to Human Rights
Campaign, the n.1t1on's l.irge't gay right' group
RJCL' also Joins 102 othl'r Uni\ ers1til's m offl'nng the
benl'fits, according to HRC
"I thmk 11 i~ a natural progression because there 1s so
much already in place," said Bo}d Beckwith, the open!\
gay director of the uni\ ers11\ 's. tudent center
Beckwith served on an mfonnal wmm11tee that pushed
,... Continued on Page 10
2 JANUARY 21 , 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
GRAND OPENING
50°/o OFF
( ( Leather Leather is where it's at.
Experience the luxury that sets you apart from the crowd, (especially if you like what
you see at Roche Bobois, Cantoni and other chi chi stores) what a moving experience!
Cutting edge designs at prices
you can afford. ) )
Sue Goldstein
I he Underground Shopper, Dallas, Texas
300 World Class Leathers
2 to 4 Week Delivery
1721 Post Oak Blvd. at San Felipe
713-355-9393
HOUSTON VOICE• JANUARY 21 , 2000
The first and only · dinicaDy
proven to treat ha" km in men.
PROPECIA IS a Medical breakthrough-the first pill that effectively treats
male p.ittem hair ICtSs on the vertex (at top of head) and antenor mid-scalp area.
By al measures. the clinical results of PROPECIA tn me!' are rnpressive:'
• 83% ma1nta1ned their hair based on hair count (vs. 2811b with placebo).
• 66llb had VISlbfe regrowth as rated by 1ndeperdent dermatologists
(vs. 7llb wrth placebo).
• 8C1lb were rated as 1mpr011ed by dinical doctoo (vs. 4711b Mth placebo)
• Mos! men reported an increase in the amount of har, a decrease in hair loss.
and improvement m appearance
•Based on vertex studies at 24 months of men 18 to 4 l with rruld
to moderate hair loss.
Soentists have recently d&overed that men with male pattern harr los> have an increased
II.WI of DHT 111 therr scalps. PROPECIA blocks the formatJon of DHT and. 111 thlS way, appea15
to interrupt a key factor m the development of mhented male p.ittern hair los> m men
Importantly, PROPECIA helps grow natural hair- not Just peach fuzz-and IS as
convement to take a<; a v1lilm1n: one pill a day
Only a doctor can determine 1f PROPECIA IS nght for you. PROPECIA IS for men only.
Further, women who are or may potentially be pregnant must not use PROPECIA and should
not handle crushed or broken tablets because of the nsk of a specific kind of birth defect. (See
accompanying Patient Information for detail\.) PROPECIA lilblets are coated and Wiii prevent
contact wrth the active ingredient dunng normal handling.
tjMERCK
You may need to take PROPECIA daily for tree months or more to see VISlble results.
PROPECIA may not reg!OW aD your hall And d you stop USlll& tlus product, you will gradually
lose the hair you have gamed. There IS not suffioent evide!lce that PROPECIA works for
recessior at the temporal areas. H you haven t seen <esults after t2 months of USI g
PROPECIA, f~rther treatment IS W1l kely to be of benefit
Like all prescnp!Jon p;odLds, PROPECIA may cause side effects. A very small rumber of
men expenenced certa1r stde effects. s:Jch as. 1ess desire for sex. d1ffirulty 1r aci'tevmg an
erection, and a decrease 1n the amount of semen. Each of t'ese side effects occurred m less
than 2% of men. These Side effects were rellffilble and \\1!11t away ~ men who stopped
taking PROPECIA
So start blkla1 to your ffdor. And stop thmktng further !la11 loss IS inevitable
CALL 1-888-806-3725 Sii our website at www propeoa.com today to
receive detailed product mfc ..,. ~ :tud ng d1mca1 "before and after" photographs.
Please read the next page for add"t110nal mforma!IOn aboln PROPECIA.
(filklSteride)
Helping make hair loss history~
3
4
Propec1ae·
(finasteride) Tablets
Patient Information about PROPECIA'
IPro-pee-shai
Genenc ~ame· finastende tfin·AS-tur-evedl
PROPECIA"" is for use by MEN ONLY.
Pluse read ibis~ lllfar'I YoU ltlrt tat PROPECJA Also. Hd N w:fuded with PROP£C1A t:seh time yOU
:'tMW YoW" fitffCtllllOOn iust .. UM ""'°'*" ttas changed Rtmemllef: 1hil leafta does• take tM place of careful discuswns wilt!
VOW' YauMll'fOUl'dKIDrstlOUidMtUAf'ROPEtt.\~ygu t1i. yOUl'~ .... at~dl4 t0191-
Wba1 Is PROPEUA _.lo<!
PROPECIA IS used lor tbe treatment of male pattern ha liDSS on the vertex and !he antenor mad sea p area
WPRObPEtCiIaA o_s l,o_r .o,s,a, b _y ME_N O•N L Y and should NOT b1 used by-or c~ ren
Ma'8 - ,_loss IS a - condi-., whodl men llrj)enentt dwnng ol !Ila hu oo di• 1<1lp Often. tll!s
rm;l:s • 1 recldinQ haOlino aml/vl balding oo 1111 lap o1 llul - ...,_ changn typ.eal!y begm gredual!y ., me11
11111eir2lls
Doctors beieft mate pattern ha11 loss 1:1 due to hertdil'y and IS dependent an bormonal effects Ooc:on refer to lh11
type ol ha loss IS andtogenetlC alopocia -·d--es: For 11-do<tots studied ... , 1100""" 1ged 1810 41willlmild10 moderate omoun1> of ongomg "'"lass
Al"""·-., llCOMng PROPECIA or placlllo (a pdl "'""-no medica!IOnJ woro g...,, a modic•ted shal!ljlOG
INeutrogona T/Gai-" ShampJOJ Of lllat men, 1ppt0Xima181y 1200 willl h•• loss a1 1!11 lap of 1111 h11d wero audoed
tor 1n lddmonaJ 12 months In genen~ men who tool PROPECIA mall'lbmed or increased the numtltr of Y1SJbl1 sc1tp
hattS ind nabeld emprovemem"' thtlf hair., the first y11r. wtth th• tfftct ma1nt1 ned m the second ye1r Hair counts
11"1 .rien who did no! take PROPECIA continued to dtcruse
lnootSIUdy. _,..,,.,. q""lltlOnod on Ille grawlll of bodyhtot PllOPEOAll<lnolllJPNflD111Kthtil'll placnhnlhescalp.
WiU PtmPfCIA ww\ tor-7
For most men. PROP£CIA 111cre11es the nwnber oi 1e1lp ha rs. helping 10 fill 11'1 thin ar blkhng .,11s of lht scalp
Men Ul:og PROPEClA noted a slowing of htor loss dumg two ye1rs of USI Although rnutts wil vary, g1ne,.Ry
you ,,;ii not bl -10 grow back II ol !Ila ht• you have km. Thef111,.,. suffitienl ovidenct 11111 PRllPECIA WO<I•
•lb• naonent rd recedlfl9 badine WI lht lemooraf llN on both Iida DI the ti.ad
Male pettem hlw mu occurs gradually over tint On 1vwr1ge, heltttrf ha• fJDWS ontv about haH an WKh Heh month.
Therefore. ir will take llme ID lff any lfftct
You - - to tab PROPECIA ddv lot lllrH - or"'°" blforl you se11 beotfit from Uling PROPECIA
PROPECIA can onty won_, 1111 !0ng ttrm I you,.....,. talong .. 111'.t d"'V hos not -1td tor you 11 twolvt
- hrnl>ertru=- IS ur.:hty to bl at blnlfit H you - 111"'9 PROPECIA. you ,,;ii lety Ion""' ht< you have
gffltdwilhn l2""'""1saf stlJIJpongtr111mtn1. You shoulddoKlmllliswilh.,..,,_
- - I INa Pl!Of£CIA' ~~~~~~~~
FolowyourcfoCID(s-
• Take one tablet by mouth uch day
• You maytah PftOPECIAwilll or "'"'11o<a foocl
• If you forget to t1k1 PflOPEClA. do om tah 1n extra tlbltt. Jusi bh Int ntxt t1bllt 11 usutl
PROPECIA will mz1 WO<l fa•r or bitter I you talo • mor1 dlan onco 1 day
JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
W1lo - liQI lah PllOPECIA'
• PROPECIA s for the b'Htment ot male pattem ha loss m ,_.EN ONLY and shoutd not be taken by women
>rttuldrtn
• Anyone alttt'g c to 1nv of ltle ~redients
A wara1119 about PROPECIA aad pr91nancy
• Wo.nen who lfl or IMY potentially be pr19nant
- must not UH PROPECIA
-should 1t01 h1ndl1 crushed Of brobn tahlltl flf PROPECIA
"a waaaaa who 11 pregnant with a m11l1at.by111$orias dMI active ingrtchent 1a PROPECIA. tither~ sw•llow1ng
If ....... All\ it""' C.UM .-....1ibn of .... 1. Nby'1 se• .... If. Won:uNI who II~ COMH lnlO con
1K1 widt ... ICtlY'I ...,ectienl in PROPEC1A. 1 doctor shouN be CORlutt.d PROPECIA Wblell ire cNWd ind will prevent
contKt witll 1be Ktt'lt ingndieat kl .. llOl'Mll Mndl1nt. proYNIH ll:ilt tN tablltl ire IMlt ~- or a.shed
Wllat "'Ibo poutbl1 .... lllKU of PRO PE CIA'
I.JU d prncnp110n products. PROPEOA may cause- otloe11Incinical1111dios. lid1 othlcts lnJm PROPECIA were
r.nc:onwnon and did not 1ft1Ct most mtfl A trn1 numblr ol men txpentnCtd cert111 Hxutl side tffects 'Thesl men
reported nn1 or mote ol lhe folowing less dnart for au. diff t.fty" ~ a11 encDcJn; ind. a decrease m lhe
amount of semen. Each of these Sid• effects occurred ,. less lhan 244 of men Then IJde .nects wtnl eway,. men who
l!Opped lltilg PROPECIA. They Ibo disappeared on - men wtio contonued !along PROPECIA.
In -al .ise. Ille totlowlng htw bltn rel)0!10d infrequon!!y aHer!l'I' "'"'°"' mlud!ntJ rasll. rtthing. llMts incl swoling
,. Ille ips Ind face; problems willl oiacuratlon; breast !endameu incl anlarg""'nt incl lllllCU!ar pa111.
TtlJ your doctDr promplly 1bolO-. or any-........ 1-olfaC~
• PROPEaA c .. 1fttce 1 blocwl test callM PSA 1Proat.te-Specilc "'9bgnl for dt11ereeni"I of prostate c1nctr
ti JM Mwe a PSA llSI ...... J011 Mo.Id tall ywr tlO(tot dl1t YM .,, takint PROPECIA..
Slorogo 1ed llaodtoag
Keep PROPECIA l'I d1e ongm1! conurner ind keep the container closed Stott ii .n 1 dry place 1t room temperature
PROPEClA tablets 1r1 coated and will prttHI com.ct with the 1ct1v11ngr1d11rn dunng .orm1I handling, provided
dl1t dtt tablets are not broken or crust.id
Do not gfvt your PROPECIA tablets to anyone else It h11 been prtscribtd onty for you
KHp PROPECIA and an medit1ttons OUI ol the r11ch of chitdrtn
THIS l£AflET PROVIDES A SUMMAllY OF INFllRMAllDN ABOllT PROPECIA IF AFTER READING THIS LEAFLET YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE NOT SURE ABOllT ANYTHING, ASK YOUR DOCTOR
1~7J15,--,.......,f'nolly.UIA.M T07•PMclEn
Propec1a· t1
"T-o1 MERCI a CO Inc
-•-otM£11U&CO,loc (finasteride) Tablets -~tel ... .,..,. .. ..lohftlofl. Joimon
.c. o~ 1,.u·-r:1,..,.. - • ...
0 MERCK & CO., INC., W• tehouse Station. NJ 111889 USA -""""°" "14SlfiKBDJ)-PRP-CON
Come visit us in our new location (Jan. 30) at
1311
Holman
across from
HCC-Downtown
Campus
For more info ••• 713-528-6756 or maranatha@ev1.net
WE'RE MAKING A MOVE. •• we Wiii be sharmg the home of
Central Congregational Church at 1311 Holman
(nght across from the HCC-Downtown campus)
on January 30, 2000
Worship time 6 30pm • Bible Study 5:30pm
Offices are located at 117 Tuam
January 23 - Last Service at 3400 Montrose, Suite 600
Bible Study at 9:30pm
continuing next Sunday, January 30th
Part 2 of an 8 part sermon • series on the truth about
homosexuality and the Bible
"What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality"
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000
NEWS
INSIDE
Around the Nation .•..•• . .•. . ••...• . •. 6
President calls for hate crime protection .•.. 6
Two AIDS hospice officials face charges . . • • 6
Ohio Gov. removes 'sexual orientation'
from bias ban • .. .. .. .. • ...... .. . 6
Three women sue magazine for 'lesbian' photo 6
Students threatened, beoten for being gay •• 6
High court to heor Scouts challenge .•..• . . 7
z
Heolth Briefs ...................... 12 g
LOCAL NEWS 5
Drug giants setto merge ............ . 12 ~ "'*'~lliliil
Difficulty in taking cocktw1 may be main blome 12 ~
•w~gmayrurerommooro~ ..•.... 12 f ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~11~d
Resurrection MCC is set to purchase Evangelistic Temple on West 11th for $2.35 million, allowing the city's largest gay church to expand its o erings
Ointon to ask for Sl billion for research ... 12 and move from its tight quarters on Decatur Street.
AIDS funding announced for three schools . 12
VOICES & ECHOES
Abel. Muzzling Rocker only treols the symptoms . 8
Alveor. Straighl couples .,,;JI suffer from MARGE . 9
OUT ON THE BAYOU
Gold & bold ...................... 15
Movement and music ................ 15
Out in Print: 'Fnends & Family' .•.•..... 16
Bestsellers .............. .. ........ 16
Eating Out: Dipping into the cool soute .... 17
Lesbian author and her e·publishing . . .. 20
COMMUNITY
PFLAG to launch metro·wide campaign 21
Community Calendar • . • . . . . • . • . . 22
Occasions .. . .. .. . .. . . . . .. .. . .. 23
My Stars! • .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. 27
CLASSIFIEDS .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. ..24
CARMART ••.......•.••........... 25
DIRECTORY •• . •.....•.. . ......•••. 26
Issue 1004
lW~n~~I
AQ material 1ri Houston Voice Is protected by
federal copyright law and may not be repro·
duted w1th0ut the wntten consent of Houston
Voice. Tho sexual orientation of adven1sers.
ph<Mgraphers, wnters and cartoonists pub·
fished herein is neither Inferred or 1mpl1ed
The appearance of names or piGtortal repre·
ser1tation does not necessarily indicate the
sexual onen1at1on or that person or persons
Houston Voice accepts unsolicited editorial
material but cannot take respons1b11oty for its
return. The editor reserves the right to accept,
reJeCt or edit any submission
All rights revert to authors upon
publication. Guidelines for freelance
contributors arc available upon request
Houston Voice
500 Lovett Blvd., Suite 200
Houston, TX 77006
713-529-8490
Gay church to leave cramped quarters
byKAYDAYUS
After 20 years in the histonc Sixth Ward,
Houston's largest gay church, Resurrection
MCC. is on the move to more grand quarters.
Since beginrung its mirustry in 1972, the
church has been housed in tight quarters at
1909 Decatur St. And it has grown from humble
beginnings, first gathering in an apartment,
then a rented bicycle shop on Waugh
Orin:? and next a fonner printing shop.
The church moved to its first traditional
church building on Decatur Street in 1979.
Having long ago outgrown that location,
church members will soon pack up and move
to a much larger facility at 2025 West 11th St.
Church officials hope to close on the $2.15
million sale, home of the Evangelistic Temple
smce 1955, m mid-March.
&>cause of its c\'er-growing congregation
and cramped quarters, the church has been
looking for a new home for nearly two
years, said Re\'. J. Dwayne Johnson,
Resum>ction MCC's pastor.
The church's current quarters, which seat
about 410 people, is usually outstripped as
weekly attendance has spiked to about 500,
John~on s.11d. And the facility serws a larger
conshtumcy of over 2,500 people, he :;;ud.
Space constraints ha\'e in the past
pushed Resurrection MCC's special scr\'ices,
like its Christmas Eve and Easter cefebraltons,
to other facihties.
The E\'angefisbc Temple has much to offer,
Johnson said, including seating for 1,575 people.
It also boasts offices, meeting rooms, l\\·o
chapels, a full-immersion baptismal faality. a
large gymnasium, classrooms, a full commercial
kitchen and e\'en a bndal dressmg room.
"For the first time it will be possible to
ha\'e a variety of ministries happening at
the same time," Johnson said.
With the additional space, Johnson hopes
to expand the church's personal counseling,
family and education programs. The
extra space also allows for expansion of the
church's bookstore to double in size.
It also means that the church can finalh·
fully orgamze and catalogue its extensiv~
gay and lesbian archive and library of over
10,000 \'Ofumes.
"
1ot m.:my people are aware that
Resurrection is the custodian of the largest
GI.BT archin's m the state of Texas,"
Johnson said.
The archives includes a complete, 20-year
arch1w of the lfo11ston Vozcr and other gay
publications, biographies and fiction, as well
as gay and k~bian psychological ~tudiL"'
The new church will be paid for through
donations from the congregation and communtt\',
and from the sale of the current
facilit\", John~on ~id .
The Sixth Ward building. built tn 1926 and
listed on the \:anonal Register of Hi,tonc
Places. went on the market in Au~u't 19%,
though it hasn't been sold yet. "\\'e'\e had
lots of ntbbles, but we're still looking for a
bite," Johnson s11d
"\\'hen we began this task in 1997, we
had no idea II would take this long. \\'e ha\·e
since learned that other churches han:>
taken as much as 10 years to find their new
faciltt\:"
Church officiab hope to do~ on the ~le of
the new property soon enough to hold 1b
Pride celebrations there m June, he said.
Resurrection MCC
Congregational tours
Jan. 29, Feb. 5
2025 W 11th St.
713·861-9149
www.mccr·hou.com
Women, gays most vulnerable to hate crimes, former cop says
Society and gm·emment should escalate
the battle .igainst e\'eryday bias-related mcidcnb,
not just the headline-making crimes,
~peakcrs Jt a city·sponsored conference in
1 louston ~1d Thursdav.
"I late must be e~posed . It must be
dcnounct'<I," Mayor Lee Brown said in his
opening remarks~ "In the face of hatred, apathy
will be seen as acceptance by haters, the
public and, wor~. the victims."
The conference, hosted by the city and the
U.S. Justice Department, featured a full day
of ~peechcs Jnd panel discussions dissechng
hate·inspired \'iolence.
In a mornmg address, the sister of East
Texas dragging victim James Byrd Jr. drew a
standing O\'ation after her emotional plea
for a change m not just laws, but attitudes.
"l tned desperately to put his death in
perspechve That was very difficult. In fact,
it was impossible," Mary Verrett told an
audience of about 400, including many
high school students. "I could not make
sense of his death."
Verrett, of I louston, and others called
upon Texas to pass laws that would
increase penalties for crimes found to
invoh·e bias. An attempt at such leg1~fation
failed last spring.
All three of the white men com·1Ctcd for
dragging Byrd to death in 1998 outside of
Jasper, Texas, were con\'icted of capital
murder only because prosecutors pro\'ed a
second felony-kidnapping-occurred
during the slaying. A hate-related murder
in Texas is not automatically grounds for a
capital case.
Billy Johnston, a fonner &k.ton policeman
,, ho rt'gtllarly speaks about taate cnme,.
said the I\' o most vulnerable groups toda}
are gar and women, because many people
shll think it is acceptable to mbtreat them.
"Gays are the tou~hest group to deal
with" tn tratning new police officers
bt>cause cadeb often aren't interested m
protlX'ting them, John,;ton ~1d.
Anntse Parker, a longtime local ga}
acti\'bt re(ently elected to her second
term as an at-large counc1lmember,
recounted an incident in which a carload
of young men chased her and her com·
panion through Houston.
Parker abo supported hate cnme legislation,
if for no other reason than s\'mbohsm
•You don't stop this behanor \,·ith law~.
but it may send a signal of communtty outrage,"
Parker sud.
-The Assocrnled Pres
6
WC /a/ie /wide
wi ce/e&rali/;lf/
OWJl dive'}tJt'fJI ...
&:TRO. 'GEST IDEAS have always
been the simplest ones. The ones that grow from
\~sion. At Chase Texas, it is our vision to manage
diversity as we would any other strategic resource.
\·Ve have made diversity an integral component
of our culture because we know tliat bringing
collective experiences and skills to the table
enables us to do things that none of us could do
alone. A simple idea that inspires great rewards.
QCHASE
The right relationship is everything.rM
Member FDIC
NEWS JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
Around the Nation
President marks MLK Day with call for hate crime protection
WAS! 11:\GTON (AP)-Prcsidcnt Clinton marked Martin Luther King jr.'s birthday on
Jan 15 by urging Congress lo step up civil rights enforcement and expand the frdt•r.il hate
rnmcs law to include those motivated by bias on the basis of sexual orientation, gmdl'r nnd
d1sab1hty "There arc still too many bamers and examples of too many Americans facing
d1scnminahon m their daily lives," even though the country is doing better in trt'ating all
citizens equally, the president said in his weekly radm address. A move to expand the law
died last year because of opposition from Republicans m Congress.
Two AIDS hospice officials accused of stealing federal grants
NEW ORLEA\iS (AP)-Two former administrators of a New Orleans AIDS hospKe have
been actused of spending federal grant money on trips to a French Quarll•r bar and a
.\11ss1ss1ppi casino. Former Execuhve Director Sherman David Kiviaho, 38, wa.s booked
Dec 29 for the theft of more than $500 and for forgery. An arrest warrant has also bC'\'n
1ssut>d for Carlos Anderson, 36, the n•nter's ex-operations manager. Investigators dl'tl'r·
mmed that $1,000 m cash was billed at the bar to a corporate American Express c.ird and
similar charges were run up at a casino. "'I hey were shopping sprees," ~id Kym Whitfirld,
a Cl'nt\'r client advocate, eshmating that as much as $200,000 had been missprnt.
Ohio Gov. removes 'sexual orientation' from disaimination policy
Cl F\ U i\ND (AP}-Gov. Bob Taft removed "sexual
onentahon" from a policy banning employment bias in
OhJO government last year. Taft's executive order was
issued at the end of August and declares his administration's
goal to "ensure that all Ohio citi,(cns have equal
employment opportunity" in state ~>bs. Taft spokesman
Scott \1ilburn said the governor intentionally deleted
the sexual orirntation language because he didn't want
to favor any group. HWe'rc not going to go down a laun·
dry list of groups," ~1lburn said. "ls he going to list spcaf1c
groups' That's really a Pandora's box." Offiaals .
Mlh gay righls groups responded that Taft's revision is ~
setback "It rolls back years of state policy," said Jeff ~
RedllL'd, cwc.itive director of lhl' Stonewall s
( ommumty Center m Columbus. Ohm's two pnor gov· :<! .__ __. _,_ ___ ..-1....1
ernors, Democrat Richard Celeste and Republican
(..corge Vomo\'1ch, included a spcafic reference to scxu·
al onenlallon in their non-chscnminahon orders Celeste
first issued tt> order m 1984 and Voinm1rh continued II,
but allm'ed 11 to lapse at the end of his second term so
that his successor could establish his own policies.
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft angered gay
rights groups when he removed
sexual orientation from an
employment bias ban.
Three women sue magazine for photo that alleges they're lesbians
1\1 \\ YORK (AP)-Three young women have sued lJllma magazine for $60 million,
,1lll'ging that the bilingual glossy used a group photograph of them without their pcrm1ss1on
to 1llustral\' an article on gay 1 sues The photo, in the maga71ne's November 1999
1ssLJc, shows the three-two sisters and their cousin with their heads together and smil·
mg broadly over the article's title, "My Child ls Gay. Qul' lfago? (What do I do')" The
women are Peggy Castillo, 24, her sister Jennifer, 18, and tht•ir cousin Jamie C.1stillo, 21. Die
lawsuit, hied Jan. 11, also names the photographer as ii drft'ndant and chargl'S that lhl•
m.igazme's u~e of the picture defamed and libeled them and viol.ited their nvil rights by
u~mg their likenesses for commerre. The suit ch.irgl'S that the accompilnymg article by
Le1l.i Cobo-Hanlon caused the community m which !ht• women live "to brl1LVC that thl•
plaintiffs were homosexual and that the plaintiffs were now revealing thcir sexual orientation
to the public at large by virtue of the appearance of these photographs."
N.J. student beaten, Mich. students threatened for being gay
EL\1\\'(X)[) PARK, N.j. (AP)-A 16-year-old high schcx1I student was alkgedly beaten
b) a classmate because he was gay, and school ofhaals did not rl·port the incident to police.
The victim went to polke headquarters and told offJCers he was beiltt•n neilr the school
gymnasium around 1:..10 p.m., when a freshman tackled him and punched him rcpe.1tedly
m the face and body until teachers were able to sq1arate them The youngl'r boy had thrc.itened
his gay dassmate earlier in the week, accord mg to the police rrport. Prinn pal Michael
:'\azzaro dl'Clined comment on why he did not call polJCl'.
\lc.inwhile, in I lolland. Mich., a 15-yt•ar-old boy .1lready serving a four· month smtcnce
in a juvemlr detention faality has pleaded no rnntcst to charges of ethnic inhm1datwn.
Prosecutors say the boy compiled a hit list th.:st targeteJ minority students at M.1cat,1w.1 1!.1y
School. The youth reportedly told hlS fnends that he wantl•d to "chop up" blacks and
threatened to harm Mexicans, Asians and gays. 'lhc boy has a long rl.'Cord of thn•ats and
inhm1d.ition, among them a thre.it last yt'ar that, "Maybe I'll just haVl' a 1wrvous brl•akdown
and bring a shotgun and a black trmch coat and kill everyone.'' I le latl'r apolog11.cd
and police closed that case as an unfounded threat.
J'rom staff and wire reports
HOUSTON VOICE• JANUARY 21, 1999 NEWS 7
High court to hear Scouts' appeal of gay ruling
WASI llNGTON-The U.S. Supreme
Court agreed Jan. 14 to decide whether the
Boy Scouts of America can exclude gay men
as troop leaders.
The justices :;aid they will review a ruling
in which New Jersey's highest court :;aid the
organi.ration unlawfully ousted a young
man, James Dale, after learning he is gay. A
decision is expected by July.
The state court ruled last summer that
the Boy Scouts' denial of membership to
gay boys and leaders violated a New
Jersey law banning discrimination in public
accommodations.
L.1 . wyers for the Boy Scouts told the 1usticcs
that the state court's ruling "endangers important
constitutional principles of frcedom of
spetxh and freedom of as..'-Ociation."
At stake, they said, arc "con.~titutional rights
at the heart of our fn.-c society- the freedom of
a private, voluntary, non-<ommen:ial organiz.
1tion to create and interpret its own moral
code, and to choose leaders and define membership
criteria accordingly."
But lawyers for Dale said there is "no evidence"
to support the Boy Scouts' contention
"that preventing it from discriminating
against its gay members would in any
way alter or burden the messages, purposes
and values that bring Scouting's diverse
members together"
"The [Supreme Court] now has a chance
to hear that scouting 1s about honesty, community
service, self-reliance and respect for
EDITOR
others-not discrimination," said Evan
Wolfson, a senior attorney with the Lambda
Legal Defense & Education Fund who
argued Dale's case.
"We are confident that, once the justices
examine the facts, they will agree with the
unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court that
Boy Scouts do not come together to promote
bigotry and anti-gay bias," Wolfson :;aid in a
press statement. "Thus, their First
Amendment rights were not violated by
civil rights law."
Dale, now '19, was in the Boy Scoub for 12
years. I le earned more than 30 merit badges,
became an Eagle Scout, and was a member of
the prestigiou.~ Order of the Arrow. The Boy
Scout5 removed Dale after learning of a 1990
newspaper article about Dale's volunteer
activities that said he is gay ~
According to the Boy Scoub, being gay ~
meant Dale had violated the group\ oath to be I<
"morally straight." <
"We don't feel that the homosexual lifestyle ~
is being morally straight. So that would be the
concern that we would have. And we don't
profess to judge them or what they do; we just
don't think it ought to be part of Scouting,"
Paul M. likalsky Jr., director of finance and
marketing for the Great Salt Lake Council of
the BSA, told the ~rel News.
likalsky said he was pleased the U.S.
Supreme Court agreed to hear the Boy Scouts'
appeal, but he IS concerned the court could
decide against the group.
Join the nation's fastest growing lesbian and gay
newspaper company. Houston Voice is a newspaper m the
expanding WindowMedia chain, offering exciting and
challenging opportunities that extend far beyond one
newspaper and one city.
Houston's weekly lesbian and gay newspaper seeks an
aggressive, experienced, professional journalist with
management background for position of editor.
Applicants should be well-versed in newspaper operation,
work well under deadlines and thrive in a team environment.
Excellent writing, copy-editing and communication
skills. Proficiency with Macintosh OS, MSWord and
QuarkXpress preferred. Competitive salary and benefits.
Houston Voice and WindowMedia are equal opportunity
employers. Please send (no phone calls) writing samples,
resume and cover letter for consideration to:
EDITOR
Houston Voice
500 Lovett Blvd.
Suite 200
Houston, Texas 77006
by e-mail
editor@houstonvoice.com
or fax
713-529-9531
James Dale, a scoutmaster ousted after talking
about being gay in a newspaper interview, will
now see his victory in the New Jersey Supreme
Court tested in the nation's highest court.
"We have some concerns, though, because if
[the Supreme Court] doesn't rule in our favor,
it would be a seriou.~ blow to all youth agencies
across America," likalsky said.
-from staff and win> rq}()rfs
Council okays
protection for
transsexuals
BOULDER, Colo. (AP)-The City
Council has tentativelv voted to include
transsexuab among the groups protected
by its anti-discrimination ordinance.
The council will hold a public hearing
and take a second vote on the amendment
Feb. 1. It wa,,. apprO\ ed unanimouslv
on the first vote.
The' propo,.ed amendment would
allow employers to require a "reasonably
consistent gender presc'ntation" from
their workers. It abo would mandate
"reasonable accommodation" to shower
lo.:ker rooms for people m the midst of a
gender change.
"I think if th...y had any qu~tions or
concerns, wl' would haV<.• heard them last
night," ;;aid c.amien Atilano, director of
the Office of Human Righti;. "We're interpreting
tlus as something ~itivc."
The Human Rights Ordinance, drafted
in 1972. alre;idy bars dL<;Crimination in
housing. emplO\mcnt and public acrommodatioru-
on the basis of sex, race, religitm
and !>l'Xual orientation. The following
year the Council added gays to the list.
If you are seriously ill, money
shouldn't be an added source of stress.
Selling your life insurance policy is an option to consider.
M. Bryan Freeman
Fuda & ~Cler.I Allvoci
As one of the oldest vioticol settlement
brokers, we have the experience and
knowledge to get you the highest
cash settlement possible.
* One quICk, simple appl1cahon
* Campet1tive b1ddmg process among
multiple fundi:-g sources
* Any size policy
* No cost or obligahon ot any hme
* All policy types considered, including
some less than two years old
Return yoir completed
.wplication and recewe
atrttvideo~ * HIV and other serious illnesses
* Qualify up to 900 Tcells Exercises for
* Yo~r settlement moy be tax.free People with HIV
* Confidentiolity, now ond olways by People With HIV.
800-777-8878
_ ~BENEFITS
-...1AMERICA
Celebrating 10 years as your advocate.
www.benefitsamerica.com
Member Violo :al A•socoohon of Ameroco Benelii. Ameroco NA. Inc
8
STAFF
Associate Publisher
M ke Fleming
m keOhoustonvo1ce com
Editor
Matthew A Henme
ed1torcthounor:vo1ce com
Production
Bethany Bartran Grapl'oc Des gner
M ke Swenson Grap c Designer
Contributors
Ro h ker "~ eldt. Kay Y Dayus,
Trayce 01skm, Ear Dittman.
D l Groover. Robert B Henderson
G p Plaster, Ella Tyler
Photographers
Dalton DeHart. Ko'"' Thompson.
Terry Sullivan
Advert1s1ng Sales
llochard B >iayes
Ken Burd
Office Administrator
Marshall Rainwater
Classofoeds & Directory
Carolyn A Roberts
C..rolyn Whote
National Advertising Representative
Rivendell Marltetong Company, Inc
111 141 i.863
A Vv'indowMedia Publication
Pubhsh-.rs
Ch C•an
R ck t :.asser
rn
IMatlonal
~!paper
Cuild
MEMBER
CHARTER MEMBER
GREATER flOUSTON
GAY & LESBAN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Estob shed 1974 as the Montrose Star
500 L,'lVl!tt B vd Suite 200
Houston Texas 17006
(713) 529-8490
(800) 719-8490
Fax (713) 529 9531
C tents copyroght 1999
Off"oce hours: 9 a ,, to S 30 p m weekdays
VOICES AND ECHOES JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
VIEWPOINT
Muzzling Rocker only treats the symptoms
by Cl>:DY ABl:L
John Rocker. I hs
name recognition
has reached far be} ond ba eball fans and
he st,1r m the n~wspaper-in sections
other than sports- v. eek after week
Under different circ1.<mstances, 1t would
be a PR dream. But given his bigotryreveahng
rem.irks, it's close to becoming a
ntghtmJre.
The AtlantJ Braves pitcher from ~1acon,
Ga, h.is to be at least a bit surprised.
Cert.i·nlv this can't be the first time he's
m.idc c.ircless, cutting srntlments. I l1s head
must be 5w1rling, since this isn't how it usually
happens for him.
After ,111, he's tall, well-built, bo}'IShly
hJndsomc, .ithletic .ind followed by a boatload
of fons. Guys love 'em, girls love 'em,
isn't he the p1Cture of Amenca' ThJt's all
the managers have ever cared about, so
what's so different now1
\\hat's different is that he was cutting
and carclC5' in public, revealing the tarnish
that's showing up a bit too often on our
shiny all-American golden boys.
Doc-sn't he know his remarks Jre sup·
po~ to be limited to those cardully-crafted
mes.sages th.it emanate from the Bra\'l's'
m.m;igcmcnt off1cc, message.s designed to
bu•ld ,md rcinforcl a very specific image
that attrJcts people ready to spend, spend,
spend
lntuv1cw after intcrHcw repeated the
theme "Rocker's got to learn to rnntrol
\\hat he Scl} s .ind apologize " Perhaps
IT'Jn\ shJrL'<l h.:s \ 1ews, but had the man'
1crs or good-scrsc to not offend tlckct-buyus
so op~nl}
In other \\Ords, he CJn believe and feel
whJtC'\Cr he v.anls, what m.1tter~ ts whJt
he S..1)S ;ind how 11 impact:. the baseball
brand
That's v.hcre the PC police coml' up
short: Control the outward expH·ssion,
work on the symptoms. But what about
what's inside? Is the offensiveness of his
words blinding us to their origin? Is teach·
ing him to merely watch what he says
enough?
He should absolutely be rcpnm.mded for
his offensive statements, and the public
outcry was definitely \'alid But let's not
stop there
Saying "I sounded like a redneck and I'm
sorry" doesn't change much, 1f anything.
Even 1f he learns to control his tongue, his
heart rcmJins the same. And therein lies thl•
limitation of legislation.
As we SE·ck proll'Ction through the I late
C nm es Prevention Act or l:mployment
Non-Discrimination Act, do we re.illy
believe th.it their pass<1gc would guarantee
Teaching Rocker to control his tongue only does the Braves' PR
work for them, leaving the underlying prejudice untouched.
our equal ty? We know better, don't we?
There are thousands of comp.mies with
policies to prolt'Ct their employl'CS from
being fired on the basts of scxu.11 orwntation,
many even offering doml>slk pMtner
benefits. And still, gay and Iesb1.1n l'mploy·
ccs stay h1ddrn "just in CJSC" They li\'e
whJt we all know. If someonL w.ints to d1scnmmate,
they w1ll-regardlcss.
Of course Wt' need mclus1\'C Ieg1slJt1on.
The debate ends our mv1s1b1hty Jnd expose
our neighbors to the truth about us,
remo\ mg man\' of the intern.ii b.1mcrs
propped up by myth and stereotype.
WC' need to be leg.illy 111d.idcd 111 the sys·
tern, the code that sets up societal st,m
dards, 1f we arc to have a ov1I society But
laws arc not the great equahzcr-1ust ,1sk
women and people of color. Thl'y've bC"en
at this for some time now
Getting in there, speaking up .ind speaking
out, refusing to b.ick down whC'n ,1
Rockl•r runs his mouth-those Ml' the
things that nudge us closl'r to lreedom ,111d
full equality.
Reminding our neighbors .ind colll',1gucs
th,1t when john Rocker msults "queers with
AllJS" and Andrew Young and II.ink
Aaron Jrc st ent on the issue, we won't be
Re.,undmg them that 11 \\JS you ,md I,
the talks who .he and work beside them
every d.1y, who Rocker stcn•otypcd ,md
slandered.
We cannot afford to hide bchmd the
future promise of protection, w.11tmg m the
shadows "until I know it's safe," co-consptr·
.1tors ma workplace "Don't Ask, Don't Tl'I,."
WHY OMlD ATHLETES $110\IWt!T ~ l~IEW$ w:f;
A fedcr,11 law won't rl•store ,1 \'OIC'l' Wl''n•
long left sill•nt. It m;iy slrt·ngthcn the \'oc,11
chords of those already whispering, but
let's gt•t rl•al Millions of gays .upn't going
to spontaneously burst into the "1 lalleluph
Chorus" or publicly. proudlv proclaim
"Free ,11 last!" lhcrc will still be work to be
done, including some ins1dl' us.
m SrtJPID '1JJSj
JOHN
ROCKER'S
OFACE
0
JOlft'.S Off
H~ ROCKER\
~
l 1kcw1se, laws, in and ot thrmselvcs,
won't dismantle the bastions of bigotry so
deeply emlx.'<ldcd m the hrarts of Rocker and
his llUtctly cheering admirers. EducJhon and
IL>gtsl.ihon arc not either-or proposition<>, but
cntical components of a long·IL•rm str;itcgy.
Pohhcal correctness and a good pubhc rdahons
tcJm can change overt behavmr. But 1f
we want trul freedom, we mu~t accept
respons1b11itv for attammg 1t
We must do more than s1lmcc s~·mptoms
.md t.ime ton0 ues. We must go to thl• source
of the probkm, touchmg hearts and changmg
mmd by h\ 1rg .ird telling the truth .ibout
our h\cs
Cmdv l Alxl, former cxt'Cutm.· ifmdor f //11.
Georgia Equalttv Pro1cct, can L't' nwfzcd at
Cll"iil/LAbcl r wl C0/11
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000 VOICES AND ECHOES 9
VIEWPOINT
Straight couples will suffer from marriage gentrification
by MICHAELALVl:AR
I don't blame straight
people for trying to keep us
from getting married. We're
gomg to tear down their hallowed institution,
and they know it.
Well, parts of it, anyway. We'll do to marriage
what we've done to other dilapidated
institutions-fix it up, increase the proper·
ty value and make it a place everyone
wants to live in.
If gay people move into marriage like
we move into run-down, in-town neigh·
borhoods, straight people can expect all
the problems created by urban gentrification.
Namely, that some of them will be
forced out
Urban gentrification tends to displace
rehrt't~. households on fixed income and
familil~ who simply can't afford the rising
rents and proper!)' taxes.
The ~1me thing will happen with marriage
gentnfication. There will be \'1Chms:
couples who haw fixed intelil'<tual
inrnml'S (and won't be able to afford thensing
level of thinking), families who don't
fl':-Pl'l.·t dm:rsity and couples who buckle at
the difficulty of propping up lovek'Ss marriages
in the face of loving ones.
It's fair to take into consideration dis·
placed straight couples before allowing gay
marriage Where will these people go once
the institution is refurbished? A cheaper
part of town, no doubt, but we have to
make provisions.
That's why I'm proposing that gay
activists back down from their demands of
full equality under the law and back a
more modest approach. amely, creating a
government incenti\·e program that slowly
introduces gay marriage while softening
the blow to straight couples who'll be
uprooted by the beautification process.
The plan: Get rid of DOM.A (the Defense
of Marriage Act) and replace it with
MARGE (Marriage Gentrification
Enactment). Modeled after President
Clinton's "empowerment zones," we'd
identify 20 marriage-distressed communities-"
MARGE zones"-and make their
gay residents eligible for marriage.
These newly married gay couples
would also recei\·e federal grants and taxexempt
bonds to finance swecpmg rev1tal-
1zation and marnage-creahon programs.
This would have a dramatic effect in mar-ented
and creative enough to re\·erse the
blight and moral decay that straight people
have brought to marriage? Hard to
say, really. We're not exactly strangers to
the blight and moral decay thing Still, if
we can make neighborhoods walkable,
we can make marriages li\·able.
Marriage 1s a once-grand neighborhood
in need of renovation And who better to
do 1t than us? You don't want a tract-housing
specialist. You want somebody who's
going to do with air, light and color what
Madonna did with tits, clothes and dyes.
Across America, low-marriage n~ighborhoods
could be reclaimed by identifying
them as MARGE zones. Armed with
engineering studies, architectural plans
and full-length make-up mirrors, we
could actually end up rehabilitating what
thnce-marned, abortion-paying. 00~1,\author
Bob Barr thinks we'll destrov.
Urban and marriage gentnflcahon
5hare the same goals-safe, well-lit
streets (though I must say the current
lighting ma) be too harsh for the gay sensibilit\
·), more constructive beha\·ior
(marrying out of lo,·e, not out of expectation),
pre-en·ahon of beauty (fighting for
character rather than sprawl) and a culture
of service to others (children to
some, three-ways to others),
The only problem 1 see with \1ARGE IS
HOMER (Homosexual Egos in the way of
Mamage Residency), a loud-mouth, selfsabotagmg
gay actimt off-shoot that 1s
sure to develop in response. Usually. when
a good idea like ~1ARGE meets a bad
organization like HOMER, our civil rights
prospecb are sure to suffer
M1drael Ah"11r Ira::. mwr renol'11led am1·
tiring in hi..' /1fe, with l11e pos,;ible exceptum OJ
IIL' rrp11tat1on, whidz z,; ,;tl11 under con'tntc
lion. )ou am reach him at mikeah'f.'llr@aol.com
riage-poor arl'as, which tend to haw an Let us know what you think
astronomical number of divorces, unwed Send the editor your letters (400 words maximum)
mothers and dateless gay men. or op-ed submissions (800 words maximum).
Part of the program would also invoh·e "'A Names may be withheld upon request, but submissions
a ~+aside for the covenant-challenged MEE!~~f?') U must include a name and phone number for verification.
those straight couples who can't or won't ~/ Houston Voice, 500 Lovett, Suite 200,
stay in an institution where Jo,·e and com- ~ Houston, TX 77006
mitment are the only criteria for residence fax: 713-529-9531 • e-mail: editor@houstonvoice.com
Cm MARGF work? Are gay people tal-
THIS YEAR A fresh approach for restoring the skin
you ore born with
I will set out
to do something great
for myself.
MUSCLE MECHAN ICSSM
Avoiloble NOW for men and women.
SPECTACULAR RESULTS!
• improve skin tone, clarity, elasticity
• effectively treats fine lines, wrinkles, sun
damage, acne scarring and hyperpigmentation
ASK ABOUT OUR
TRANSDERMAL HAIR REMOVAL PROCESS
3843 N. Braeswood
713-669-0466
TRANSDERMAL HAIR RESTORATION
All natural transdermal skin and
transdermal lace technology
1 System ... $650 • 2 Systems ... $1200
reg. $990 each. Offer valid ONLY January 1·Febr11ary1, 2000
WE SERVICE AND REPAIR All
TYPES OF HAIR SYSTEMS, WHILE
YOU WAIT. FULL SERVICE, $30
10 LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
University quietly approves domestic partner benefits
,- Continued from Page 1
for more than ii yeilr to get the uni\ ers1ty
to move aheild with the benefits.
"It wils a mattf.'r of thf.' committee both
educilhng the umvers1ty about the situation
and working" 1th the ildm1mstrntmn
to get the benefits apnrovPd " he said.
Attracting job applicants
The new benefits t only help
those already employed by the umvers1ty,
but they could help attract job applicants
Lynn Huffer, chi11rwomiln of the committee
on which Beckwith served, ~aid
her offer of a 1ob ill Rice a year ago ll'ft her
in il d1fhcult situation bec.iusc hl•r p.irtncr
IS il gr.iduate student at Yale university in
0.ew 11,JVen, Conn
I fer partner could get benefits from
Yale, but they could only be used when
she was at Yale, leaving her to choosl'
bct\\een benefits that would not .ipply
when she was in 1 louston writing her disscrtiltion
or no benefits .11 all. I fer partner
chose to m.lke do without the benefib.
"This w.1s an issue for me when I w.is
first h1red," said 11 uffer, who holds ,11mnt
professor posit10n with thl• French
Studies depolrtment and the Program for
the Study of Women and Gender. "It
made the decision to take the 1ob at Rice
more difficult."
To address the lack of benefits, lluffer
almost 1mmed1ately created the informal
comm tlL tc ry to persuade the university
to offer domestic partner benefits.
Beckw1th's partner has benefits
through his employer, but Beckwith said
the availability of benefits could have
helped his partner during the time he was
looking for a 1ob m Houston.
The benefits also help demonstrate a
commitment to diversity by the school,
Beckwith said.
"It 1s nice to know that now we truly
Ciln get the best caliber people," he said
Beckwith, one of three people who met
with Rice president Malcolm Gillis on the
issue, said Gillis plilyed a key role in get·
ting the benefits approved by trustees.
"Onn.' he rcali1ed how the lack of bendits
impacts employees and potential
l'mployees, the president was 1nstrumcnt.
1l 1n getting the benefits," Beckwith said.
Why now?
Th t la ·d of trustees of the private,
3,30\J-student university unanimously
.ipproved the benefits during its December
ml·ehng, <1fter considering a number of
f.ictors, said Kyle Cwanaugh, associate
VJCe president for human resources.
The factors included trustee support for
RJCe's 1990 policy on nondiscrimination,
and the fact that the university's nepotism
policy already includes domestic p<irtncrs
in its definition of relatives, he said
CavanJugh said the upheaval in the U.S.
Chat I Personals I News I Travel I Entertainment I People
r7 PlanetOut.com
www.planetout.am I AOL Keyt.oo!: PlanetOut engage -t enjoy
he.11th care system has madl• insurance
bendits an increasingly important foctor
in recruiting and retaining employel'S.
The informal committee chaired by
Huffer played a role in the university's
decision, but there is no one reason why
the university made the decbion now to
offer the benefits, said Terry Shepard, vice
president for public affairs.
"I don't think there is an answer to
'why now?"' Shepard said. "There wasn't
a triggering factor."
There was a consensus on campus that
the benefits were needed, he s,1id.
Employt·es can sign up for the benf.'fits
during the university's normal enrollment
period for health bendits in April.
The benefits arc effective July 1.
The university's benefits committee
had recommended the benefits in 1995,
but they were not approved. The raculty
Council, the Staff Advisory Council, the
Student Association and the Graduate
Student Association had all previously
endorsed the now-approved benefits
Who receives the benefits?
university students have been able to
purchase benefits for their domestic
partners for more than a year.
Undergraduates and graduate students
can choose to be covered under a plan
that is available through the universlly,
but not affiliated with the school.
Approvill for the studl•nt bendib came
more quickly because there was no impact
on the school's budget, officials said
Faculty and staff will be required to
pay a portion of the insurance cost for
their domestic partners, but the costs will
bl• the same as those incurred by marril'd
employees who put their spou~es on the
university plan.
University officials predict the cost to the
school for providing the benefits will be
very low. Their research, which is consistent
with research conducted by gay and lesbian
groups, found that very few employel'S are
likely to take advantage of the bcndits.
Benefits will be available to the established
domestic partners of both gay and
non-gay university employees, but the
university has yet to define "established "
Cavanaugh said the university will
likely follow the model established by
other schools like Duke and Stanford. The
definition could include four points, hf'
said a minimum age; demonstrated
financial independence, like 1omt checking
accounts and jointly owned property;
the fact that the partner is the l'mployee's
sole partner; and the couple's intention to
remain partners.
"We expect to follow what arc incre.1singly
becoming standard practices
around the country, so our standard
should be the same as other universities,"
Cavanaugh said.
For Auto, Home & Health
Your
Community
Insurance
Agency!
ROB SCHMERLER & STAFF
713.661. 7700
Bulintss /;u11rance • Workrrs Compenrn1;on
Group lltaltll • Ufe lnsurancr Ii much morr
6575 W. l .oop Sout/1, Suite 185 Bellaire, TX 77401
Paving the Way
in Y2K
I have an opponent and we are kicking off
Da11lwrg Campaign 2000.
I appreciate and look forward to yollr
con ti1111ed support.
Please call (713) 52-Debra and sig11 llf'
to volunteer. I need your help!
713.520.8068 District
512.463.0504 Capitol
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000 LOCAL NEWS 11
Lack of funding bogs down initiative to combat HIV
.- Continued from Page 1
d1rrctor
"fh,1t is wlll'l'C' the dull.irs bct11·l't'n ntm
.md Jww \\'111 go," Krndnck s.1id. "I h.11 b
wh.1t 1w are mm·mg on the fa~test- -to gl'l
mfonn;ition out that prople can hear .ind Sl'l'"
But hkc most of Brown's plcln, e1·l•n fundmg
tor thl' media camp;i1gn isn't m place.
Muth of thC'clty's $5 million 111\ PrC'vention
ProgrJm 1s cJ!rt•.idv .11loccJtcd, so hmlth oft•c1als
are studyirg 1t to l'C'allocatc some funds,
shift st.J!fing or fmd unu~ed morlt'V,
Kendntk s.11d.
That e\alu.1t on shou.:d Ix complde m•xt
month, thoug1' l'C'il' 0t.1tm~ exL~tmg grants to
commup·ty-bJscd org.im7.cJtroPs to t.irgl't
blcJcks tould !JM~ WL'C'ks or wonth~ k'Pger JS
the propos;ils rnove through the hl .ilth dl•partmmt
.ind city wunnl for .ipprc\ .ii, she s.ud.
I le.11th oltK1.1ls .ire Jlso rnp11•i; with ,1
retent $000,000 cut from its ne~rlv $100 m1lhon
budget as part of c1tr-\\ 1de budgrt tr 1mmmg
to addr~ an expedcd shortf.ill m rc1•muC's,
Kmdmk said.
''Our wiggle room is lm1 ero:l qu1tl' cl bit
111th this I.1st decrease m our budget," she s.ud.
City health offinals pl;in to seek m-kmd
contnbut1ons from media orga1111.ahons and
the community to help fund the public mt1>r·
mat1011 c.1mpaign .rnd other portions ot
Brown·~ pl.in
Aflt•r the mcdi.1 c.1mp.11gn st.1rts, lw.1lth
olfin,1b w.int to mobihtl' the community .ind
sohnt support from fomihes, churchL'~ .ind
bw.i1ws:, ll\ldl•rs, Kl'Jldrick said. Then thl')'
w.mt to mo\'e to ont'-on-one and small group
mtt•rwntions with rt>s1dents of the .m'.1s h.mll'l't-
h1t by thl' rist• in I !IV infections to modify
lx·h.w1or~ th.it 111crt'.N' thl' risk of inh"tion,
slw s.1id.
"P.irt of tht• ol'er.111 plan is to gl'l ,1s murh
coordin.1tion ,111J 111put from our rnmmunity
memlx•r., as we c.111. Thl' human factor is p.1rt
of the kl'Y factor," Kendrick said. "We .lrt' trying
to );l't as m.rny md1\'idu.ib to sll'p up to
the pl.1tt• and s.1y wh.1t they can do in tht·ir
life."
But taking weeks, or t·1·l·n a few months, to
dl'i1wr fundmg to rnmmunity-b.ised org.rni-
1,1llons !'l'n·mg the bl.ick community is d1s.
ipp01nting for offic1.ils and AIDS .idl'ocates
who had hopt•d Brown's dtx-Jar.ition of .in
l'ml·rgt·1iry would lwlp put the pl.in 111 pl.Kl'
mort• quickly
"I ,1m ,1 httll• surpnsed lx'l',lU!'l' tht• m.1yo1
wanted to fast· track this and I was hoping \\'C
1n>uld be .1bll' to shal'e some of that time,"
s.1id Cit\• CouncilwomcJn Annise P.irl..er
But l'.ukl'r pr.11st•d the .1pproach of city
hl'alth otf1ci.ils, \\'ho want to impll•ment
parts of Brown's imt1cJhve through t•xisting
cowmunitv-bascd orgamzations, rather th.in
crL.ltmg new groups or .inns of the oty
health d(pJrtment.
"I ,1m not at all interested m seeing us
suprort a new prohferat10n of ne\1 agrnc1e .
\\t• ought to be workmg th.rough ex1stmg
commurnty-bJscd orgamz.itions. It is JI\, ,1} s
the tendency of the ot) to want to bnng 1t mhouse,
rather thJn helpmg ex1stmg, expenenced
ori;.11111.cJhons mo1 e mto a ne\' a~ea."
Parker 5,11d.
A bully pulpit?
\\ hrn Brown .innouncld his plan m early
Decm•ber, he told a p.ilked prl>ss conference
th,1t educators, medt.1, clergy and bus1m>ss
ll•ad1•rs must grasp the importance of good
hl•alth. He also c,11led for an open d1scu s1or
of sexual act111tv to "counteract the m'lhons
of medi,1 messages thJt glonf\•" uns.1fe sex
i\nd he pledged to use his oificc clS ,1 bull\
pulpit, speJkmg out on I !IV pre1·entlon .ind
thl' nsc in I !IV 111fect1ons m the city's black
wmmumty durmg his spcl'Clws and appear,
UKlS.
But in two m.i1or addrl'ssl's this monthhis
).in. :1 in.1ugural addrl'ss and his .innu.il
st,1tl' of the city on Tut•sday-Brown did not
mention his declaration of .i state of l'ml'rgl'llC)'
or his plan to combat the new rist• m
I !IV infections.
Dunng his .t'>-minute state of thl• city
,1ddrl'SS to members of the Gm1tl'r 1 louston
P.irh1l'r$h1p, Brown touted thl• .iccomplishml
·nb of his administration and outlined
thrl't' d1.1lll'llgt» tor the nl'xt sc1·cr,1l )"l'Jrs:
.1ir pollution, tran~port.ition <ind prol'iding
,111 ,1dl·quatl' w.itt•r supply.
"Tht•rt' were dozens of things I could hJ1·c
talked .ibc>ut. I wanlt'd to brief the commumty
on our succL'sscs and the tri.mgle of
ch.1lknges I mmhoned,'' Brown s.1id ,1fter
his addn'Ss.
But Brown added th.it he has t.ilked about
I llV in tht• bl.ick commurnty dunng other
public .ippe.irances, though hl' didn't citt•
sf'l'i. ifir ex,1mpll•s.
I c,1\'ing out .inv mention of 111\' and the
city's dforts to comb.it the rise m rnftx·tions
It's a jungle out there!
LET STERLING MCCALL TOYOTA'S
Diana The Huntress
BE YOUR SAFARI GUIDE
For start to finish easy car buying, phone me at
713-398-7827
or begin your fun -filled Journey
by emailing me at
dhuntress@sterlingmcca lltoyota .com
"I'll protect you and hunt down the best deal!''
m hi' recent speech6 means Brown missed
opportunitil'S to ruild public sUpfOrt for
fightmg till' probkm, Parker :..1id.
"\\'e h.i1·c such a 'trong dins1on of l.1bor
bctwl·cn tht' city .ind the county 111 hcJlth
(are Theoty b hm1tcd tl'educcJhon cJnd prevention,
so h.11 mg Jn .1rt1cul.ite spokesman
for HI\ I AIDS, p.irt1cul.irly one from the
/\fncan-Amencan rnmmumt\, would be
cffccti1·e," o;,11d Parker, who attendcd
Bro11 n's 'tatt• of thr ot1 on T uesdJ\
P Jrkl'r sJ1d e1 en though the aty has
mcreJscd funding for HI\ programs 111
recent ye.ll's, 1t ~sh I not enough, so it's cnt
ILal for public officials to find other \\ .1\ s to
address the problem
"\\e knO\\ thJt 11 e Jrrn t gcmg to h.11e
thr kmd of mone} that folks would hke to
S('(', so 11 r hm e to lia1 c ot"icr thmgs that
don't rC'qrnre tax dol .us On( ct tho'ie thmgs ~
LS fllh lC J\\clrcnes.o; ard thJt I'< free \\e need
to do as much of It as \\e can," Parker sJ1d
Overcoming the stigma
A rt port from the Center~ for U1scaSl
Control cJnd Prewnt10n la t \\ l!l'k suggested
that the stigma of homosexuaht) pla} s a role
m sprc;idmg the d1se.l!'e bccau~e mmontie'
arc lcs.' hkelv than 11 hite' to idl•ntif\ themselves
as ga\ or seek AIDS prt•1ention aPd
treJtment serl'ices.
1 llV is not oltl•n mentioned by ll',1dcrs m
tht• black communit\', which somct1ml'S
\'il'\\'S homosl'\uality; sc\ and 11lt>gal drug
u$t' as taboo topJCs that shouldn't be d1scussl'd,
AIDS adwl<'ates .ickno11 ledge
City Councilwoman Annise Porker said Mayor
Lee Brown hos missed chances to build pubfic
support for his HIV initiative.
To help mertome thcJt, Brmrn and city
health officials\\ ant to com enc a summit of
bus.nc s, political and clergy leaders m the
black commumtr to d1>C1Js~ HI\ and pre-
1 entmn method:;.
Bro\\ n said m Dec ember that the summit
would be held th1~ month, but a ~pokcs-
11 om.in for thC' e\ent's chief orgamzl'r, City
Councilman Jew Don Bom•1• said 11 1s ~t•ll m
the plannmg stages. '
THE PLAZA
AT
RIVER OAKS
~
1920 W. Gray • 1945 W. Bell
713-528-5277
SEE THE CL~rFIED SECTIO~
Selling your life •i nsurance
• IS a
Whet' y0<.;e gay iving"' ~ V ord I"' "9 selng yo;,t
llelllSU'once s.~•yo begi o'oc~•o':Jce
consvllollOO "o ro.pressure 'lO-OOigot;or> c W<l"roen ?
Shouldn't this option be discussed
l.tPked Voolico Bene' II~ P'O!.'d 10 be lhe ~gov owned
oncfoperoledvt0'icaltlrol:erw•hokX..i office n
HQv;on After al we be~ "pr"VoO --g you l"e
pcnonol ol•e~ l()ll YOI. de5erJe o."ld ge !Q vov 1~e
mo; r.ioney "' lf'e "al
Call 1 •800-275·3090 today!
decision
37C Krbv ::lll e
S le 036
~ous or- 'X 7'098
713 !28 6777
&-ma il•'"tiotmo com
R~lste-ed in Tnos
Membfl ol
Notional Vio6col Associolion
LINKED VIATICAL BENEFITS
12
Now Accepting Medicare, PPOs
& Standard Insurances.
Exercise Programs
Personal Trainers
Nutritional Intervention
Massage Therapy
Stress/Pam Managment
Neuropathy Therapy
Peer Support
Workshops & Seminars
Steroid Education
Increase Self Esteem
Our Reputation
is built on OUR MEMBERS!
/§)Fl~
\e)XO~
Voted #1
in Customer Satisfaction!
4040 MILAM 77006
(713) 524-9932
ONTH BY MONTH
NO CONTRACT!
Monda} to Frida} 5 am - 10 pm
Saturda} & Sunda} 8 am - 8 pm
NEWS JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
Health Briefs
Drug giants set to merge, capturing almost one-fifth of market
LONOO (AP)-British pharmaceutical
heavyweights Glaxo Wellcome PLC and
SmithK!me Beecham PLC announcl'<l Jan. 17
that they have agreed to merge, forming the
world's large;t drugmaker. The US. fed('ral
Trade Commission and the European Union
must still approve the merger. The new group
is headquarterl'<l in London but will likely run
from the U.5., and would have a 7 5 percent
~hare of the global pharmaceutical market
Glaxo's strength lies in its top anti-migraine
drug. Imitrex, and in treatm('nts for asthma ._
.ind viral infections, including HIV. ~
Sm1thK.lme's top products include the antibi- g
ot1c Augmentin, and the antidepressant :i
Paxil, as well as a strong vaccine business
The merger would eclipse the just·
announced takeover by Pfizer Inc. of U.S.
drugmaker Warner-Lambert Co. If that deal
goes forward, the combined group would
h;ive 6.5 pt'rcent of thr global market.
SmithKline Beecham is set to be purchased by
British rival pharmaceutical company Glaxo
Wellcome in a deal that would create the
world's largest drugmaker.
Difficulty in taking HIV cocktail may be main blame for failure
CHICAGO (AP) When drug cocktails fail to keep I llV m check, the most likely rlw;on is failure
to take drugs properly and not that the virus has lx'Come drug-resL-;tant, tvvo recenl stud1l'S
publL~hed Jan. 12 suggest. Antiviral drug cocktails suppress I !IV in 60 percent to 90 percent of
patients, researchers noted in the /011rrwl of tire American Mcd1cal A5sodat1on. But ,m cshm.1tl'<l 30
percent to 60 percent of th(k,(' paticnl!. end up being considered treatment failun..-s, either bt.'Cause
the drugs never knock the \irus down or because it rebound~. The new studies lookl'd al 58 I I IV
patients in France and in 26 US. pahents where the virus reb{)undcd. The 1998 Fremh study
looked for signs of genetic mutation assooated with drug resistance, but found mon• evidence
to place blame on the failure to take medicim• properly and on the inadl•qu.ite potl'n·
cy of drugs in the body. "We need to help the patient be well-adherent to the treatment,"
said Dr Francoise Brun-Vezinet, virology director at Claude Bernard 1 lospital in Pam and
head of the French study. She cautioned that drug resistance may play a bigger role in
pat1enb who have had longer treatment \\1th anhviral drugs.
New drug may a.re common cold and hundreds of viral infections
0001\, Pa. (AP)-A new drug called Plcconaril has shown effectiveness against viral infccltons
hke meningitis, polio and the common cold, and may be in drugstores as early as next year
The drug has been effective 111blocking169 different' UUSl">, the largest single family of Viruses
that affect humans. It IS part of a new generahon of drugs designed to work .igamst spcof1c
phySJcal characteristics of the targeted \11\L~, and developers tested 1,500 differenl \'ersions of
Pleconaril before setL:ng on one. The drug fits neatly mto a groove on the surface of tl1e virus
gumming up the machinery 1! needs to infect the body's cells. "Plcconaril .. pmv1dcs a lot of
hope for the eventual de. 1gn of drugs for virtually every viral infoction," said Dr C'athenne
Laughhn, chief of Virology at the l'\ational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiSl'ases. 1 wo large
studies arc due out in the spring from l'lccon,1ril manuf.icturl•r Virol'harma that \\1ll detennme
whether the dmg works well enough to wm FDA approval.
Clinton to ask for $1 billion more to fund biomedical research
WASHl:\'GTO'.'J-Pres1dcnl Clinton will propose an ,1dd1honal $1 b1 hon for biomed1c.il
research as part of his ft. .. cal 2001 budget, Reuters news sen1Cl' reported. White I louse chid
of staff John Podesta also told ABC's 'This Werk" that he would meet drug company leaders
on Jan. 20 to build support for prov1dmg prescnpt1on drug benefits to the elderly
through the Medicare The industry opposed the idea last summer but has shifted to support
11. "We're gomg to make a major investment ag.un m lhe National Institutes of I lealth,"
Podesta said, as well as proposing "the largest increase" for the l\atmnal Science
Foundation Wilh the additional $1 billion, Niii would have $19 billion for bioml'<l1cal
research. In the past year, the \.\'h1te I louse said, researchers supported by NII I discovered
"a simple, affordable drug to prevent transmission of I llV to infant. "
AIDS funding announced for UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and Boston
CHAPEL HILL, NC. (AP}-Thc University of North Carolin.1 at Chapd Hill .ind Dukl•
University will receive $21 million in rencwl'<l foderal grants to help treat AIDS pahents in the
state and to participate m experimental treatml·nts. UNC-Chapel Ifill will l'C(e1vr $125 million
over the next five years, while Duke will fl'(L•ive $85 million, the two schools ,mnounred at a
Jan. 12 news conference. The focus on much of the grant money will be on African-Americans
with AIDS. AL~, the Boston area will get ne,1rly $12.5 million m fl'<leral funding for services to
people infected with HN. A host of state, fl'<leral .ind local ofhci.1ls announced the grant, which
was $1 8 million higher than the same grant last year.
-From staff and wire rrporls
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000
some
SUSTIVA is the first HIV drug approved to be taken once-a-day
as part of your combination therapy. , 1rr lOO fT'lg cap ul tog,.thcr or c d ,
w th or w1thoL• food: high ~ ~ Mears shourd be avoided. Your doctor May suggest ta1<1nr, SUSTIVA
t bee!' m to reduce r>y s de ef"ects you may cxpcncr-ce
SUSTIVA, an NNRTI', must be used in combination with other
HIV drugs.
SUSTIVA is tough on HIV. 'du the amourit of VI s 1 you blood
c' numbe e s SUSTNA can even be u erl n yo;,mg
drcn. l year> of age or older fh 1s based on rc-:; ts <rofT'I cortro cd
tr-a at 24 wcel<S Presently. there are 'lO ~ Its <rorr contro ed cl n1 tnats
ng tCfTTl cff('Cls of SUSI .
SUSTIVA has manageable side effects. Most srde effects are M Id to
Cdn be fTlaf) ~ed. Tre W't sidC' effects associated witt Su5 TN A therapy
have been nervou· system symptoms (drzz nC'Ss. trouble sleeping. drows r-ess, trouble coriceritrating
and/or aonorrnal dreams) and rash. These us1J~lly subside wrth1n the first two to four weeks of
t .:+merit In a small l"umber of pat1er-ts, rasr may be senous. Taking SUS flVA at bedtifT'le rnay
help make nervo1Js system symptoms less notteeable
·N~RTI non riuc eosiae 'e'Jerse transcnptaSC' 1nhibrtor
For"""' inlomuoon on SUSTIVA.al I~ or ••srt our weC.ilo at hnpllwwwsusuvuom
For mort iUonNtion on !he updmd DHHS G.;dollnes. a PDF lied lhe fUido!ints n available 11 hapJ wwwhi""'-"'l
13
just did!
Once Da ily
SUSTl1'~
efavirenz
Pre nar-cy srou d be ::NO ace! r- wol"lff '1:
seen 1r pnmatr dosed witr SlJST"VA Bar- c
w1tr otrer Me' hods of contr cept OI"
before
We know t t copingwitt ,_.IV s d e'IOJ!t Your ~ doesl"t
h -;ve to be Ask )'Cl. doctor about SUST VA For rno.-e rrportf• orMation
see the r-cxt page for Patient 'oM? • j)f' about c;us flVA.
FOR HIV
Finally, a once daily medication to treat HIV.
SUSTIVA. It's about time.
www.sustiva.com
SUSTIVA • and~ Strilur1l LC£O ~ ndernris d o.A:ir1I ~ ~
~ c 1m OuFbnl Ptwmaceu11a1> c~
DuPont Pharma.:euucab
14
Once Daily
SUSTt"•A
efavirenz
SUSTIVA™ (efavirenz) capsules
Patient Information about SUSTIVA ·
E vah)
f r HIV (Human lnvnunodefiClency Virus Infection
Gener c r.:ime efav renz (eh- ~Alh h rehnz}
Please read tins ntormalion before you start tak ng SUSTvA. Read I aga n eacr. time you refill your
prescr pt on in case lllere is any new informat1c: Don' treat this leal!et as your only source of informal on
about SUSTIVA. ~ d scuss SUSTIVA" th your doctor v.tien ye;. start talGng your med c ne and al
MfY V1S You should rem::" under a doctor's care when usmg SUSTIVA. You shoo d not change oi stop
t '"IOUI f ISi ta ng •o your doctOI
What is SUSTIVA?
a medlcme ;;sOO to help treat HIV the YllUS t11at causes AIDS (acqu1ted immune deficiency
syr. ""T A IS a type ol HIV drug called a "f!OIHU:feoside reverse transcriplase inhibitor• (NNRTIJ
How does SUSTIVA work?
rf lowenng the amount of HIV in the blood (cal ed 'Ylral load"} SUSTIVA lllJSI
be laKei " v anti-HIV med anes Wilen ta! en with olller anti-HIV med1cmes. SUSTIVA has tiee.~
s/lo'l.n to reduce v ral load and increase the rumber of C04 cells (a type of immune cell m blood)
SUSTIVA '!lay not have these "--·- - "?Vrry patient
Does SUSTIVA cure HIV or AIDS?
SUSTIVA IS not a cure for I IV 'i\I People taking SUSTIVA may still develop other infections
• " 11 HIV Because u v. ry important ttiat you rema n under the care of your doctor
Does SUSTIVA reduce the risk of passing HIV to others?
3S not bee!l stm he 11sk of passing HIV to others Cont nue to practice sate Sell
.. uu ~ OI share d rty needles
How should I take SUSTIVA?
• The dcse ot SUSTIVA for adults IS 600 mg (lllree 200 mg (2j)Sll es. laken together) once a day by mouth
The dose of SUSTIVA IOI ch dren rr.ay be lower (see Can children take SUSTIVA?J
• Take SUSTVA at Ille same lire each day You should take SUSTIVA al bedt me dufng Ille flrsl few weeks
or d _~side effects such as dlZZlness or trouble concentrat ng (see What are the possible
side effects of SUSTIVA?J
• Swal 1JN SUSTIVA with wale!. JUICe rr. K or soda You may take SUSTIVA with or w Ille;;! meats t-t.wer.
SUSTIVA should not be taker w th a high fa! meat
• Do not miss a ~ose a! SUSTIVA H you forget 10 take SUST VA. take lhe missed dose ''ght away
do mlSS a dose do not double the next dose Carry on with your regular dosing schedule
need he p in planning the best times to take your med ane. ask yOllr doctoi or pharmaast
the exact amount of SUSTIVA your doclOI presa bes Never change the dose on your own
:DI stop h s med ane unless you doctor tells you to stop
your SUSTIVA supply starts to run low gel more frorr. your doctor or pharrmcy ThlS IS very
¢:tant because 'tie ~ t cf': YllUS ~ you b ood may ease the med c ne ,, stopped for
even a "• mo T .., may deve p resistance to SUSTIVA and become tiarller to treat
Who should not take SUSTIVA?
Do lake SJSTIVA f you are a erg c to SUST A any of ts gred ts
'SUSTIVA"' and Jl>e SUNBURST LOGO ore tradenwl<s
of Oul'Onl Pharmaceuticals Co1r4>any
Copyright 1999 Oul'Onl Pharmaceuticals Company
-ni. brand:; Isled are the regiSlered tradomar1<s of lllGlr .._
"""""' onc1 are na1 ~ of DuPont Pllarrnac:eu!Jc Company
JANUARY 21 , 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
What other medical problems or conditions should I discuss with my doctor?
Talk to y11ur d1 ' "r qht away yc,J
• Are preg, 1a,il or wa1 ' 10 bl..u. .. , p1!l!Jfld11I
• Are breast-feeding
• Have problems w th your 1ver, or have had hepatitis
• Start or change any rned1ane
• Have side effects while taking SUSTIVA (efav1renz)
• Have a history ol mental 1tlr.: • 11 abuse
What are the possible side effects of SUSTIVA?
Many patents have dlZZ n~ NS ness. tro_bfe concentrating. and/or unusual
dreams a 1e11 homs alter start ng •reatrnem w tr :su;:i 11VA These leehngs may be less noticeable 11 you
ta e SJSTIVA at bedt me They a so tend to go away after you ve tak.en the med cme 1or a le11 weeks
Rarely pahents •3ve more serious s de ellects th.al may affect mood or ab1hty •o th nk clearly Theses de
effects occur more Olten in pal ents wt~ a h1slory ol menta 11 ness or substance abuse Teti y r doctOI
promptly If any of these• de effects continue or 11 they bother you There 1s the poss1bli1ty that tllese
symptOll'S may be more severe f SUST VA s used wi'" alcohol or 'T100d alte11ng (street) drugs You d
avo d driving or operating rnach . ery If you are hav1rg these ~Ide effects
One of the 'llOSt common side effects 1s rash These ra~hes usually go away without any change 1r
lreatmenl In a small number of patients, rash may be se11ous II you develop a rash, call your doctor prornplly
Other common side effects include tiredness. upset slomach. vomiting and diarrhea. However. lh1s
1s not a complete hst of side effects reported w11~ SUSTIVA when taken with otMr anti-HIV drugs Do not
rely on this leaflet alone lor inforTiat1on about side effects Your doctor car. discuss a more complete hS:
of side effects with you
Please contact 1our docto· immediately before stopping SUSTIVA because of side effects Tell your
::a thcare prov der II you not ce any s de effects wtule taking SUSTIVA
What about birth control, pregnancy, or breast-feeding?
"W d '101 become pregnant while tak ng SUSTIVA. Birth defects have been seen m animals
treated wilh SUSTIVA. II 1s "lll known wllethel th s could happen m humans You should use a condom
or diaphragm m add1t1on to other methods ol birth control wtule tak ng SUSTIVA Inform your doctor
1mmedia!ely 1f you are pregnant If you wan! to become pregnant. talk to your doctOI Do nol take SUSTIVA
you are ~. ·f g Talk t~ yr d y1 breast-feeding your baby
Can I take other medicines with SUSTIVA?
SL.STIVA 1y ie the elf >I J1 icluding ones for HIV) Your doctoi may change
ywr medicines or cnange their du= F11. 1.. .. 1eason. 11 1s very important lo:
• Let all your doctors and phanmclsls know lhat you lake SUSTIVA
• Teti your doclors and pharmacists about all medicines you take This includes those you buy
over-the-counter and herbal or natural remedies
Bring aft your rned1c1nes when you see a doctor. or 111.'.lke a hst of their names. how much you take,
and hew often you take them This will give your doctor a complele picture of the '!led1C1nes you use
Then he or she can decide the best approach for your s tuat1on
The follow ng medicmes may cause senous and l1le-lhreaten ng side effects when laken w th SUSTIVA.
You should not lake any of these med anes wtnfe taking SUSTIVA ••
• H1smanal® (astemlZOle}
• Proputsid® (asapnde)
• Versed® (midazotam)
• Halaon® (tnazolam)
• Ergot rned1cat1011S (IOI example W1graine® and Cafergot®)
The fol ow ng medianes may need lo be changed or have lhe11 dose changed wtierl laken with SUSTIVA • •
• C11x1van® (1nd1navu)
• Fortovase® (saqu1nav1r}
• B1ax1r'® (cl • '1'
How should I keep SUSTIVA?
SUSTIVA IS 0 100 mg and 200 mg caf)Sl.les
Keep SiJSTIVA at room temperature (77°F: m Ille bottle given to y by your pharmacist
The temperature can range from 59° 86 F
Keep SUSTIVA a.. ot the reach of ch dr~
How can I learn more about SUSTIVA?
Ta k to your doctor •other hea '"tare prov der f you have Qt. t s about ether SUS11VA OI HIV
For add onaJ nf mat you can YlS IL'le SL.STIVA webs at http JVMW sust va ri
This medicine was prescribed for your particular condition. Do not use
it for any other condition or give it to anybody else. Keep SUSTIVA out of
the reach of children. tt you suspect that more than the prescribed dose
of this medicine has been taken, contact your local poison control center
or emergency room immediately.
~ DuPont Pharmaceuticals
W mington. OE 19880
Issued September 1998
The Mitchell Gold Co.'s ads aren't just sel ling
furniture- they're raising gay visibility, too
by DAVID GOLDMAN
The campaign began with a pink page that teased
"We're coming out September 15th." It went on to
show a nearly naked male "overnight guest"
sprawled luxuriously across a sleeper sofa. In its
most ground-breaking ad, two handsome, stylish
men (gay fathers?) pose proudly beside a little girl
(their daughter?).
furniture executive Mitchell Gold anticipated
complaints when his namesake company kicked off
its brash new ad effort last summer. Imagine his surprise,
then, when its supporters far outnumbered
detractors.
Gold, who 1s openly gay, calls the ad with "the
kid" "one of the things I'm proudest of." It debuted
in the New York Times in October.
"We got an incredible response that following
week. I got over 100 e-mails from people saying
things like, 'Bravo for running the ad. My brother is
gay, and he and his partner have a child, and I really
appreciate your sending out a strong signal that
you approve of this kind of family."'
Goreographer Maril Morris
lirings 'l'~o'-liahd by
aitlcs as his •eatest workto
tlie Bayou Oty 11111 week.
In reply to a woman who did criticize the ad,
Gold discussed the urgent need for adoptive parents
and suggested that the role the girl plays in the
unwritten story of the ad might be that of an orphan
whose life would be vastly enhanced by her two
gay dads. His reward was the rare experience of
helping open a mind
"She e-mailed me back and said, 'I've never
thought of it that way. You've given me a whole
new thing to think about."'
Mitchell Gold has been giving people new things
to think about, talk about and lounge upon since
1989 when he and his life partner, Bob Williams, created
the Mitchell Gold Co.
And now the new campaign-which runs in Met
Home, House & Garden, the Advocate, £/le Decor,
Home, House Bea11tif11/, the New York Tn11es, Wallpaper
and American Homestyle-has earned the company
an advertising award nomination from GLAAD.
In less than 10 years, the company's success
attracted a corporate suitor with a juicy buy-out
~ Continued on page 18
movement
Moms on!.' of AmeI't! a's prcemment living 1-
rMy choreographers brmgs ~ e
ny to l louston next week for thn: o( Sf'L'C·
r mt>vement and music with his !P Allegro."
1 h two-dol.Cn dancl'r , ,1 30-Dw ber d1orus, four
voc:il soloisb and a large' orchl'~tra, this-wm k prom1sl'~ to
be one of the mo~t 1mportant dance events of the season.
""'' ~ '--~~~~~~~~
A nearly naked 'overnight
guest' is part of a new,
gay-themed ad campaign
of the Mitchell Gold Co.
Partners
Mitchell
Gold and
Bob
Williams
with Lulu.
16 OUT ON THE BAYOU
Out n Print BOOK NEWS
Unremarkable people making remarkable change
by DL GROOVER
The inspiration and hopefulness which
comes from the true stones in Dan Woog's
FRJEl'IDS & FAMILY make this book an
ideal read, or gift, any tune of the year.
From the author of "Jocks: True Stories of
America's Gay Male Athletes" and "School's
Out: The Impact of Gay and Lesbian Is.sues_ on
America's Schools," this book is a compilation
of 35 es.says and profiles of unremarkable
people who have accomplis.hed some pretty
remarkable changes in their bves, schools,
churches, synagogues, legislatures and commuruties
with their constant battles for us.
Woog won't win any literary prizes for
the quality of his writing which teeters
between unremarkable and overblown. You
certainly won't curl up with this book's language
as you might with a fine wordsmith
like Vidal or Bucklev, but at least the prose
won't put you to sleep because the people
and their stories are so in~pinng.
~\'oog has cho~en his subjects we.II, ~vith
a good editor's inclusiveness and ms1ght
Just like us, heterosexuals are everywhere
and cover a wide territory of age, race,
sOC1al statu~. profe..•.s10n and smarts.
There b a famung couple in Waterville,
Iowa, Jean and George Huffoy, whose loving
acceptance of their two gay children and their
church's intolerance has spurred them mto an
acttv1sm unheard of in such a rural commu- • ............. . •
•• •• •• •• •• •
• The lnterners ~
: Funnest ~ -
•Dating ·
•• Senice •• ••
The prose won't put you to
sleep because the people and
their stories are so inspiring.
nity. They've resigned from the family church
that George's great-great-grandfather founded,
they speak out forcefully for acceptanc~ to
numerous Iowa groups inside and .outside
church affiliations, and they lend their openhearted
down-home sensibility to gay youths
who just need to talk. "Nothing is more
important than your kids," says Jean.
Or Karen and Bob Gros.5, who had io deal
with their daughter's transition from Jennifer
to Jeff and thereby started Cleveland's first
transgender support group They ~lso pressured
PFLAG into becoming more inclusive.
Even those leading the vanguard still learn
day by day "It gets very confusing." says
Bob. "That's why we're trying to educate
e\·eryone, gay and straight."
"No child 1s doing this to hurt you,"
explains Karen. "You have to understand that
it's not a choice, unless the choice 1s between • • • • • • • • • • • • • • "Fun" - The Adv1cat1 •
"CHI Siter - YahH • "Best 1nllne matchmaker" ••
- HX Magazine •
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• • • •• •• •• ™•• •• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
being happy or dying."
There's also a story of a North Carolina
grandmother, a friend of Jesse Helms, no less,
who with other mothers and grandmothers
who, had lost family members to AIDS, dcoded
she "just wasn't going to accept" the prLjudice
against gays, or Helms' bigotry. She
formed Mothers Against Jesse In CongrL-ss .
As we know, their group, struggling uphill
every day, didn't succeed in his ouster, but
thcv're gearing up for future battles and contin~
e to speak up for us all
One of my favorite stories 1s thJt of Steven
Cozza from Petaluma, Calif. In two years
sincl' he began his public campaign, he has
become one of the most prominent advocates
for overturning the anti-gay policy of the Boy
Scouts. I le' s also 14 years old.
Staunch, righteous, a firm believer in
moral rectitude like the Eagle Scout he IS,
Coua nc\'ertheless believes that a Boy
Scout should not discriminate .
"I low can the Boy Scoub of America say
th.it gay people don't ha\'e family \'illues?"
he asks. 'Tm just doing what I can to
change them."
So he speaks out for mclus1\'cness as he
tnes to gather one milhon signatures on his
pebtion fie has st.irted a web-.1te, garnered
awards from di\'ersc institutions hke the
Amencan Civil Ubertics Limon .ind the :-\ew
York Police Department and has had to
endure "mean words" hurled at him. But he
kl'(!ps on speaking out. And he's not gay .
'Tm not, but it dOL."><;fl't really matter,'' he says.
With all th~ sterling examples of profiles
in straight courage compiled by Woog, it's a
tea5e for a new year that could indeed be full
of good tidings to all. They can only help.
Friends & Family
by Dan Woog
Consortium. 256 pages, S1395
JANUARY 21, 2000 •HOUSTON VOICE
What your neighbors
are reading ...
Men on Men 2000
ed. by David Bergman, $12.95
2 Whole Lesbian Sex Book
by Fehce Newman, $21.95
3 Cybersocket 2000
by Gaynet Directories, $9.95
4 The Talented Mr. Ripley
by Patricia H1ghsm1th, $13
5 Don't Get Me Started
by Kate Clinton, $14
6 Way to Go, Smith
by Bob Smith, $24
7 Welcome to World, Baby Girl!
by Fannie Flagg, $7 50
8 Best Little Boy in the World Grows Up
by Andrew Tobias, $12
9 Outfoxed
by Rita \.lae Brown, $24
10 The Hours
bv :'vlich.iel Cunningham $11
Crossroads Market
BOOKSTORE & CAFE-
1111 Westheimer
713-942-0147
legends-Men of Falcon
Bruno Cmunder, $.\2.95
2 Best of the Superstars 2000
edited by john Patrick, $11.95
3 Steven Underhill-Jeff
by Bruno (,mundcr, 517 <J'i
4 The Book of Lies
by Felice 1'1cano, $24 95
c; Sensual Men
by Bruno Cm under $29 95
6 Cybersocket 2000
by Caynct Directories, $9 95
7 Tea
by St.icey D'I r;i,mo, $21.4S
8 Out of the Shadows
b) Sue I Imes, $6.99
9 Outfoxed
by R1l.i \1.ie Brown, $24
10 No Place Like Home
by Christopher Camngton, $27 50
LOBO
~~.,~·
3939 Montrose Boulevard
713-522-5156
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000 OUT ON THE BAYOU 17
Eating Out RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Dipping into the cool saute
by TRAYCE DISKIN
Upon entering the lobby of the REMINGTON
GRILL in Riwr Oaks, guesb are gn.'t.'ted
by a wall·siZl·d p.1inhng of several well
dressed men sitting .uound a table. RenderL'<l
in bnlhant, wet reds and deep navy blacks, this
SCL·nc could be .i wrC'kly club gathering of the
good ol' boys, or a post Depression-era business
ml·cling rcpll'tl' with cigars and scotch.
Either way, the canvas perfectly fits
Remington Grill. S1mil.u paintings adorn
inside walls, providing a contrast benveen
the vibr,mt paint
against the dark
wr10d w,11ls ,ind
furniture.
We SC"ttll'<l in
with some Pino!
Gng10 ($7 ,1
gl.iss), .ind thl'n
tm>d to imagine
the place with more customers than us. It was
an t>arly lunch on a weekday, but I've Sl'l'n
other tiny neighborhood establishments
p.icked during thl' saml' time.
ThL• bread basket impressed me, not so
much bl•c,iusc It was more than your run-ofthe-
m1ll basket, but instead because of the
d1vl'r>e selection of thin breads, including
some g<xxl <>ncs with creamy smoked moz·
z,1rella, sun-dm•d tomatoes and parmesan
b.ikt>d right If\. The rosemary bread was less
earth-shattenni;, but 1ust .J> fre,h, as was the
more tr.1d1tmnal sourdough.
With such mnovah<>n in the bread, I was
surpns(-d the menu offerings weren't more
adventurous. The grilled strak, beef and
chicken options seeml'<l hke sohd chrncrs, but
hardly anything seemed to stray from cl.1ss1c
~nllcu1sme
Remington Grill
1919 Briar Oaks Lane
713-403-2631
Food: b:>.,_r~t;
Service: t).'J S> bJ t;;
Value: S> 't=r ~>
Scene: <t> ~ t
OK, 1f you really must
Fme for most
' Worth the drive, so live a [11tle
As good as 11 gets
We started with the most unusual item-a
plate of Avocado Fries ($6.25). These thick
slices of avocado are breaded in thick bits of
toa.,ty batter, deep-fried and served with a
Bourbon navored ketchup. While thert.'s
~1mething wonderful about the creamy texture
that oozl'S fmm the batter after a bite, the hme't
driblet of sauce mupowered the avocado.
On my !;ffond bite (okay, maybe my fifth), I
went for the control group and tried the fnes
without ~iuce. Shll, a beautiful, navorless goo.
After such a striking sauce in the Bourbon
ketchup, I was surprised to find no dipping
L
options for
the Jumbo
Lump Crab
Quesadillas
(SIO). The~
consisted of
L shredded
crab pieces
and bits of
roasted rnm, yellow and red bell pepper, and
the slightest hint of melted 1ack cheese,
Although I loved the absence of the typical
gloppy cheese of quesadillas, the ingredients
did haw a difficult time staying together
betweL•n the finl'ly toasted tortillas. The mingling
of fresh vegetables and seafrxxl, and
only a silky hint of cheese transformed this
dish into an incredibly navorful ch01ce.
The Oyster Stew ($7.25) b a bit of a mts·
nomer, with only four small oysters noatmg
in the salmon colon.'<1 base. Change its name
to somt·thing like "Creamy Oyster B1:-que,"
howcvl'r, and you have a nch, delicious :.oup
that isn't O\ erly fishy or salt\.
I oyally sticking by the seafood, I ordered
Cr,ib C.ikes ($16), and was surprised to find
this plural-sound mg item deli\ ered w1tn only
0ne nufty, lonely crab cake on a bed of wilted
'Ptn.idi. Thl' thickness of the patty turned the
t·dges goldL'n brown, while allowing the
ins1dl' to rc•main a clump of fresh meat that
tastrd gn_·,it.
Thl' S.iut('ed Snapper (516) was a bit too
b.ue on top, but tis own slightly brmy na\or
emerged easily and hearhly. On the bottom,
the' s.1ut~ lrnt a rc~pectable, 1f uneventful, bite
of garlic, pepper and lemon. The cnhre fillet
would benefit from a baste m this sautc
The fingerling potatoe. ,. were attractive m
their fl.it, oblong shapes, but a bit dry and
~iltv. Again, we would h.we appr~1ated a d1ppmg
component, even the bourb<>n ketchup.
The semce at Remington Grill was helpful
.ind attl'nt1ve, 1f a bit cold. The formality
st'l'med to breed a certain amount of stuffi·
rwss. If you are looking for a dining experienrl'
both elegant and impressive, there still
S('l•ms to be stl m.1ny other neighborh0<xl
chmces l'qually .is classy. But if you don't
mind !'pending time in the River Oaks scene,
you'll find a more than reliable meal here.
... .....................
: ( f ~i I \ f :
: \ ( ( . ' : ' .......................
PAGERS
.222. ··R··· R•·· •• ITEE Premier ~~w~c~~L?~~~~~o~ PAGING & WIRELESS
Free phone small pnnt - Original Phone pnce $99.95 & $69.95. Your cost after in-store
instant rebate 1s $49.45 +tax. Your cost after $50 mad-in rebate is Free+ tax (4.12) Credit history
and a 1-year agreement required. Hurry, offer ends soon!
Free pager small pnnt- New activations only. $9.95 for activation. 1-year agreement
required. Offer ends 1 /31 /99
18 OUT ON THE BAYOU JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
movement and music
_.Continued from page 15
i l.rndcl s or Jlono, "I: Allegro, ti l'rnseroso rd
11 Moderato," a p.1storal oratono in two acts
b.iscd Or' .. 'legoncal poems by Milton. This
work, v.h1Lt1 trans1Jtl'5 "The Social \fan, The
Plns1\e M.in and the Moderate Man," 1s ta1
lor m.ide for \1oms's broad mus1ca and
movelT'Lnl sens h1I hes.
l'rem1ert'd in '988 "L'Allcgro" \\Js the h"St
work th.1t M ms ucated \\ h1le ht w dance
d1rcdor ~t Belgmm's leading opera house
Whrn Morns .md fi:-; company IT'adl tht
MO\L from L\\ York to Belgium, thl tin\
troupe WJS tr~nsformtd trcm J group ot .1
d le'l u p d danters to comp.in~ \\1th
large budget, nd its own studios, rnstumHs,
l1t>h11n,, .md set Jts1gncl'S
Morn, kne\\ hL had •ut the Jckpot when
th dm tor o the operJ house S.! d to h.m
fh1rk of the b1ggl t tning you want to do.
then do 11 ' Morris had been form1'lg
''L Allegro' m h s mind for years he created
m.mv s1grnf1t.int works for the Belgians, but
'L Alll>gm" \\as his most endlinng.
fh1s expansive p1L'Ct uhh.7.t.'< Milton's kxt
Jnd the pocTT15, wnttcn more than 100 yeJr~
bctore tlic .1ccompJnying musK, 11lustr.ik .1
late ru;.. mcL hued VIC\\ of the uni\ crsc
M ton's ll xi 1s a flashback to J lime \\hen
music, art Jnd aRh1tccturc wen• so.mng to
new heights
''The Soc1JI 1.m" cn1oys hfc v..th JbundJncc,
taking us into fields to witness loVl'rs
d.mcmg "The Pensive :>.fan" depicts a mort'
wntcmplahve sort, one wlio denvrs plc:isurc
from solitude
fhc 2.'i dJnters porlr<iy :>.I !ton's 1m.iginary
thar cttrs, not m 'iter.. forlT' but rather m J
complex ~rrs ot movement, .!II d1ste1ctly d f.
tercnt m rrythm and tone Whefe the mus1c.1I
text speaks of birth, Morris's style reflects an
l'arlh} fl'rhhl\ Wren quiet moments by the
hrc arc oftercd, J.incers ingeniously intertwine
to form hmrth .ind fume
As 1f d.inre Jnd poctrv "eren't enough for
"I' Allegro," Morns allows Handel's bnght
baroqJl' score to overlay thL cntm• perform
anCL Morns has J!v..iys ullliZL'C! musical
forms to llk<;p1rc his dances.
"For \1orns, tht mu,1c must prClcdc the
H'ry cenuphon of (his, d.mu.•," 'Klid bmgr.1-
pher Jo.ir Awet.llJ, who oddf\ croui;h,
\HOk her \\Ork .ibout Moms while he \\.IS
sll m rr1d-cJ·cer
~\lh• l the hst of composers he uses range
trori lht l'ith te'ltury to Bob \\11 5 and The
rexas Pl.!} boys, the rnJslcrs of lhL b.-?roquc
pcnod, l IJndlc chief .imong them, seem best
~J11l'C! lo for Moms Much of Handc1's IT'USl
was based on d.ince rh) thms popular m the
16th Jnd 17th centuries, \\ hich transl.:ites
wdl for \1oms fht entire voice of the 18th
untury music.ii mmd 1s here-sorrow
depicted m subtly gives way to the bl.1nng of
roy,11 trumpets that are imitative of I landcl's
ITlilJC'Sl1c "Royal Fireworks" musK.
Structure, muSJc.il and othcrv.1sc, 1s .it the
con· of \!orris's \'IS1on, as he shifts the focus
of dJncc from the cc1l.ng to .1 more mid-body
Special Guest Speaker
Reverend Jimmy Creech
Rev. Jimmy Creech has been working d"
gently to change the laws wrthm the United
Methodist Church that d1scrimmate against
Lesbians/Gays/81sexual/Transgenders.
After performing a same sex holy union
ceremony for two men, the Methodrst
Church Jury found Creech gu11ty of violating
the rules of the church and withdrew his
credentials of ordmat1011
Come hear Rev Jimmy Creech's remarkable
story of faith, hope, and renewal, and how
his mm1stncs cont !lue
Sunday, February 6, 2000
9am & 1 lam services
All programs are free and open to the community!
Resurrection MCC
713-861-9149
1919 Decatur St., Houston, Texas 77007
www.mccr-hou.com
ccnk red st\ le, rooted on krr.1 hrlT' ,
\\hill mary choreogr.iprcrs scem mtent
on u.,,mg J :iccrs as muc building blocks, m
"I' Allegro" 'vlorns L'> guided by musical .ind
poetic m( SJges. Visually he uses trt hum.in
form to create complex mo\ mg p.itterns
rather th.m st.ihc sh.ipt .
"L' Allegro" 1s one of the IT'OSI colorful of
\lorns\ \\Orks-in ,1dd1hon to 1ls 48 duffon
silk (()stumcs, 11 ut hzes 21 smms and drops
for 5a'nery, offering a visual, musical and
ballchc feast
L' Allegro
Jan. 27-29
Jones Hall
713-227-4SPA
,.... Continued from page 15
offer-$11 mil hon with earn-<iut provis10ns
for .1 m.ix1mum price of $l2 m1ll1on. In the
dc.11 (,old .md Wilhams \\ere retJmcd to
run the company for h\'l' yrars.
Houston Voice intcr\'1nved Gold at the
I cnox Square Storl•house in Atlant.i,
which fcature5 his slipcovered upholsterl'd
furniture ma spcnal concept shop
'iu,ce<>s m furniture IT'anufactunng h,1s
g1\cn Gold .\nd Williams thl' frel'dom to
fl\ c openly as g.iy ml'n m ,m industry
noted for its st.iund~ f.imily wnscn .1t1sm.
It allows them to promote wnn•pts they
feL. 1mpcrt.int (their new f.ictory fcaturt"S J
d.iy-cart center for workers' kids) and to
support CJuscs they hold dear (thcy Jre
donors to Human Rights CJmpa1gn and
sponsors of the national gay and 1l'sb1an
fV ncwsm.igazinl' "In the Life.")
"The ~11tchell Cold Co. IS our oldest .ind
largl'SI corporate sponsor," said \1organ
Grenwald, executive di~l'Ctor of "In the !Jfc"
'1l1e comp.my h.1s been .1 corpor.1tl' under·
writer of 'In tht· l.ife' sincl' 1997. rh.11 support
has bcl•n \·1t.1l to our ability to bnng p<>Slll\'l'
and .1ffirming im.igl's of the g.1y ,md ll•<hi,m
community to ll'il'\'ision nation.illy."
Ce[e,6rating 25 Years
in t!U Community
Saturna!Js at 7:JOpm
1307-:Jf ')afe • 713-880-2872
Crad Duren, M.D.
Internal medical practice offering discreet
confidental care to the community, includ111g
HIV/AIDS diagnostics & therapeutics
Healthcare from the Heart
Anonymous 'Iesting and Counseling
flfiljor Credit u1rds Acee pted • l'erso11al chech Am·pted
lus11rance with Q11ahjicat1011 • Medicare
HOUSTON VOICE • JANUARY 21, 2000
.. rhat show rcJchcs out to the hinterlands,
to kids who arc in high school and going
through sexual orientation turmoil," Gold
said "I rl'ml'mbcr when I was in high
school I ,1lmost h,1d a nervous breakdown. I
w.rnll'd to commit suicide, bl'Causc I thought
I was thl' onlv one who was like this."
Cold, -18, ~\'Js born in Trenton, '.j., and
graduated from Long bl.ind l.ini\'crs1ty,
though hl' took six years. "I was not a grl«1t
student," hl' rl'called I le was working at
Bloomingdall''s whl'n he cJml' out,
cmboldmcd by .1 g.1y boss and other
l'mployl'l's. ,\fll·r that, "I flourished Js a
hum.in being." ,\ dozen years ago, Gold
and Williams (art director at Se\-cntcen
m.1gJZine) met in a New York bar and have
bl'l'n together since
In 1989, the gay quest for elegancl' and
comfort IL•d the men to launch their comp.1·
ny with a line of upholstered dining chairs.
"If you sit in a regular wooden dining chair,
by the time you get to dessert at a dinner
party, you want to get up and sit in the
den." But in an upholstered chair, "you can
sit down at 8 and at 12 o'clock you can still
be at the t.ible drinking."
Gold w,1s the new company's pres1dl'nt
.ind CFO, while Williams was its executive
vice president .ind director of design and
product development. Their first factory
had 23 employees; Gold is proud that 17 ;ire
still on his payroll.
A s ideli ne-slipcovers for dining
chairs-then turned into big business, leading
Gold and Williams to introduce washable
replacement slipcovers for sofas and
chairs, ,1s well as original upholstered
Inexpensive Small
Business Networks
OUT ON THE BAYOU 19
-
working rclallonship, but you can only do
that with 'omcbody in whom you have
\W)' high confidcncL', because thcr<''s a lot
of monl'\ in\'ol\'ed. Whenen·r 1w do ha~c
an arguml'nt, we rcmcmbl'r that we h.we
.rn obligallon to our employl'es."
Another resident oi the Gold-\\illiams
hou'-l'hold romes to the fum1tun· factory
l'\l'I') worl..day· their English bulldog Lulu.
ThL' dtlh that Gold ,1dmits n-,,cmble. "a snort·
mg bttle pig" is a big hit with thL' kid:. in d.11·
care. She's the star of man}' company .ids and
1s C\ en featum:l on the cover of the annual
n·port of the Rowe Furruture Corp., I\ h1ch
al'qlllrl'd the \titchdl Gold Co. in J99s.
The Mitchell Gold Co. 'came out' with a provocative series of newspaper ads.
"\\'l' sold m1· name!" Gold said ma mod;
lamL•nt. 'Tm' thinking of changing m1
n,1ml', bL•caus<' I don't own my namL' any·
mor,·. I'm thinl..ing ol changing 1t to Otis."
Kidding aside, Gold is dclighll'd with his
nt.'1\' corpor,1te parent. "In the world t>f
mergers .ind marriages, this is as good as 1t
gets. They don't interfere. The kt us do
wh.itcvl'r ad\wtbing we want, hmn·\·,·r
we Sl'l' fit to build the brand "
pil'ct's designed with lift-off covers. Again,
the pair's passion for casual elegance
directed them
"We lo\'l'd the idea that our dogs could
come up on the sofa, and if 1t got dirty, we'd
wash it. It's a much less stressful way of li\1ng."
Tod.iy the company's Taylorsville, NC.,
headquarters encompasses nearly 400,000
square feet of manufacturing space. Gold is
especially proud that it includes a daycare
center for the children of his nearly 500
employees, plus a gym, indoor track and
hcalth·rnnscious cafc. The daycare center
even prompted J letter from a local minister,
who praised the gay-run company's
commitment to family values. The compa·
ny offers benefits to workers' domestic
Quality Systems
Competitive Prices
Old Fashioned Service
Sharp1 Speedy Repairs
partners and includes sexual orientation in
its non-discrimination policy.
Though Gold notes that Vfilliams' oificc
"is at the opposite end [of the factorv] from
mine," he said he and Williams ha\·e found
hving and working together to bl• a grL'at
experience "l couldn't imagine not being in
business together 1 couldn't imagine not
working together every day," Gold !'did.
The company's sales this year are expeckd
to reach $75 million, and Gold acknowledgL'<l
that the stress of runrung the operation can
creep into non-Qffice hours. The partners han~
an agreement that either has the authority to
"tune out" work-related conversation at
home if 1t threatens to kill the mood.
"We have as perfect as you can get in a
Gold said when he and \\'ilhams came
South in 19~7, "it occum'<l to me that I wa.~
:-.:orthem, )ewt.~h and ga}; and had a big pmbll'm."
Ill- was ddightl>d, then, to fmd thm
n,,ghbors cordial and mclusivc. The men now
h\·t.' m a lakefront home m Hickorr
"Of the things I'm most proud of, one of
them is that we have, on a grassroots le\·el,
presented ourselves to the non-gay com·
munity in a \·cry posih\'L', profl•ss10nal
sense without being pretentious We're JUst
oursl'i\'es," Gold said.
Antique Country Pine at
Competitive Prices
Phone: 713-266-4304 •Fax: 713-781-8445
E-mail: hbw4gla@acninc.net • www.europinedirect.qpg.com
3029 Crossview, Houston, TX 77063
One Block East of Fondren and Westheimer
20 OUT ON THE BAYOU JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
Lesbian author takes advantage of e-publishing
First-time
novelist Sharon
Bowers
established her
audience on
the Web before
her work hit
the shelves
by A\1A'.\DA KYLE WILLIA\.15
"Lucifer Rising," the new no\'el by first-time novelist and
native Southerner Sharon Bowers, marks the beginning of a
promising career m fictmn for Bowers and a fascinating new
trend in publishing.
The book was first born into print on the Internet. It
stayed there for months, estabhshing itself and its writer in
the on-hne commumty. Bowers says she rl'Ceived thousands
of e-mails from readers during the months "Lucifer" was a
Internet-only pubhshed book.
Bowers' pubhsher, justice House Publishing, 1s a small
house with big ideas about ho\\ to tap mto the talent available
on the Internet. justice House seeks out the books that
have made a splash, like• Lucifer," and writers who already
h.n e a reader base
"(t', a new technology ma wa\', a new way of approaching
pub! shmg," Bowers says. "It's takmg writers who are
established m a new forum hke the web .ind movmg them
mto a traditional prmt lorrn n
By doing so, Bowers :xiys justice f lou!>C 1s satLsfymg the
needs and demands of a pre-existing audience
"The reader base is saying, Tm hred of walking around
with a four-inch spiral notebook where l printed out your
400 page novel '"
justice House ndes to the rescue with "on demand" print
capability. They claim they can put books on shelves within
days justice House also maintains a heavy Internet presence
(www.justicehouse.com), which showcases new writers and
logs about 100,000 hits a month.
In Bowers' case, the idea has meant success for both
writer and publisher
By the time "Lucifer Rismg" was available in print, Bowers'
audience was established and faithful. The book debuted in the
''Top 100" at Amazon.com.
As for the book il.;elf, "Lucifer Rising" 1s not a life-changing
read. but it is a fun romp, a sort of fist-fight from beginning to
end. Remember liking the bad guys in "Pulp Fiction"? You may
ha\'e a sin1ilar experience with Bowers' main character, Jude
Lucien, who is working a deep cover assignment for the Drug
Enforcement Administration in Miami and hoping to won be
free of the dark tangle of drug dealers, killers and duplicitous
agents that populate her fictional world.
On the frrst page of "Lucifer," Jude crushes the larynx of one
opponent and puts a bullet m the head of another while he beg.~
for mercy. She seems to do this without ever really getting her
heart rate up. Beautiful. disturbt'Cl and sexually ob~>Ssed, Jude
Lucien, though not yet fully developed by the author, is already
a memorable ch<1racttr.
And Bowers ha~ carefully peppered her with redeeming
qualities Lucien is capable of great love, passion and e\'en tendeme-.
s. The author shows this with l.uoen's lo\·e mtert'!'>t, a
reporter named l JZ Gardener. In fact, the book starb out reading
like action/adventure and quickly turns into a love story.
t\ point of tension 1s not in the action scenes where Jude
grb banged up ;md shoots her way out, it's m the dance
done by the lo\'ers from their first nearly electric meeting
through ups and downs, betrayals and misunderstandings.
Bowers teases the reader with Liz and Jude gethng closer
and closer to actually touching until you find yourself wishing
they'd just do it and get it O\'er with.
The author is unapologetic.
"l knew what l wanted to do," sayd Bowers, who runs a
bookstore in Greenville, S.C. "l knew l was working within
genre expectations. What I wanted to do was to blend genres,
blend the mystery and thriller thing with the romance novel."
That she did, and the result leaves lots of room for sexual
innuendo and sex.
Bowers puts out with "Lucifer," and so do her characters.
Like most first-time authors, Bowers tends to tell more than she
shows ~enes that could be emotionally stunning lean
instead toward melodrama.
The drama-rich backdrop of Miami couldn't be a better setting
for a story of sex, drugs and hot women, but the author
misses opportunity after opportunity to show us the seedy
underbelly of the city, to drop the reader into the scene, the billowing
heat, the smells, the traffic. But Bowers has the budding
talent and natural instincts to take us there next time.
She's working on the sequel to "Lucifer." "Past The
Point" is scheduled to be ;wailable m the fall of this year.
The ch<1racters m "Lucifer" .ire "sleek," dn•o.s 1mpecc<1bly,
are witty, lethal, do things "expertly.'' smolder with sl'xu;ility
;ind han• eyes th<1t <1re piercing, eyes that glitter, eyes
that are colors like jade .ind indigo.
But bn't that really what we want? Sex, murder, beauhful
people m great clothes? It's romantic ficllon. Sit b,1ck, strap
yourself in, and enjoy the nde It's a promising bt•ginnmg to
a potentially powerful series.
"Wh,1t I wanted to do was just write <tbout good looking
women m fost cars," Bowers s<1ys with il smile.
SHAKESPEARE'S
J~er Blnes
and Senieri-Ois
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY ROB
NASH
JANUARY 20 - 30
THURSDAYS 8PM $18
FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS 8PM $20
SUNDAYS 6PM $18
$15 STUDENTS ALL PERFORMANCES
TICKETS: 713.426.2626
3722 WASHINGTON AVENUE
BETWEEN YALE & WAUGH/HEIGHTS
ADAPTED BY
Joe Calarco
DIRECTED BY
~ RobBundy
THROUGH FEBRUARY 13
"What could be more dangerous than that first
forbidden kiss of literature's most famous
lovers? The first forbidden kiss of two schoolboys."
Joe Calarco
Generously underwritten by Schopf & Weiss
community JANUARY 21 , 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
OCCASIONS • CLASSIFIEDS • CARMART
BUSINESS DIRECTORY • MY STARS
PFLAG to launch metro-wide awareness campaign
b) ROBFRT B. 1 IFt\'DERSO'.'J
I I.ill' hurts. Safe ~hcxik Cncond1bonal low.
fho~e catch-phrases will be captured m
large lrtter~ on billboards acros~ metro
I louston as part of a )'l'Jr·long, $100,000
publicity campaign by PFLAG's 1 louston
chapter, offic1.1b announCl'J this week.
The three signs will rot.ite in high-\·isibihty
are.is st,1rtmg in mid-~1.irch with lhl'
short phrilses so motorists c,rn re.id thl'
signs as they pJsS.
"It .111 dC'pl'!lds on loc.1tion, becau>l' \w're
looking for kxahons where pL'ople can S<'e
them. We'1l' looking for m.ijor frel'w.1y h:.itions,
,1nythmg when• thl'rl' is a lot of commull'r
tr,1ffir. The signs will be on \'myl so
thl'}' may bl• mowd to other an'<h," SJid Cindi
.\1urph); FI J\G-1 louston's \'ice prL>sidrnt.
The nrw r.impi!ign mirrors J similar
effort m 1996, which garnered the local
group n,1t10n.1I n'Cogmllon. Sl'n:ral !'Fl.AG
chapter~ .1noss the country borrowed those
signs to USl' m their own camp.11gns,
\1urphy said.
Th.11 campaign also inspired the Bergl·n
County, N.j. chapter of PFIJ\G to undert.
1ke 1t' $-lO,O<lO, month-long effort with two
b1llbo.mls. I he group started raising
monry .1 )'l'.U .1go, the billboards \wnt up
e.1rlit>r this month, according to the
(l l.1ckl•n . .ick) Rl'ro rd
"Our go.ii 1s to plant a seed, to raise some
consnousness, to st.ut a discussion," said
Lilli.in Fpsll'In, who founded the Bergen
Count) ch.ipll'r after reJhzing how much
support families of lesbians and gar need
it they' re gomg to get past queshonmg and
blaming them~cl\'es, and mO\ e on to
,1ccepting thl•ir children.
"h·en if we gt•! soml' angry letters, at least
we'll hJ\'e started a public dialogue," s.11d
Fpstein, whose daughtl'r b lesb1Jn. "l'eopli.'
nt'l•d to rl'Jlizt• that gay pl'<lple aren't some
littll' fringt• group. They're all around us,
tlwy'rt• normal, and it's no big dml."
Thl' 12-by·-IB-foot billboards will cost nL'.U·
ly $20,lXlO 1wr month to rent, Epstein told the
newsp.1per. Although loc,11 PFIAG membl'rs
haw spokl'!l in ~hools .md participated m
m.irchl'S, tlw billbo.ird campaign is the chapll'r's
first brgl'-SC,1ll' ,1d\'ocacy project.
l'rl.AG-Houston rl'Cl'ntly signl•d a contract
with ,m outdoor ad\'l'rtbing firm to
bl'gin the L\1mp.1ign, though the group is
still raising lunds, \1urphy said
"Our plan 1s to h,1\'e thesl' billboards up
for a ye.ir to gl'l \'1Slb1hty for PHAG, 50 pl'O·
pit• know about us," Murphy said. "The [~ay
and lesbian! community was owrwhelmmgly
supporti\'l' .ind gc;wrous in 1996."
Tlw group has solicited donations from
contributors to tht• 1996 effort, and are m.ik·
111g presentations to loc.il org.101zations
Pf LAG-Houston
will unveil a
year-long,
$100,000 bill·
board campaign in
March to raise
awareness of the
group.
about the billboard camp.ugn to raise
funds, Murphy said.
Organ11ers hope the campaign ra1>es the
group's profill' and lets others know that
it's a primarily heterose\ual group serving
the gay community, Murphr s.iid.
"It is also a place where parenb can come
for hl'lp. If they don't nl't><l hl'lp, PF! AG
nl'l'ds them to help us with ad\'ocacy. It's a
pl.ice for ~xual mmont s to get help to be
able to come out' to thelf fam1lv and fnends.
\\'e can he! I,,~ ·1th thJt,w she ~1d .
PFLAG
27 I() Albar.y, Suite 304
Houston, Texas 77006
713-807 7878
www.pflaghouston.org
22 COMMUNITY JANUARY 21, 2000 • HOUSTON VOICE
community calendar
saturday, jan. 22
Free H'V testing by the- Montrose ChrMC at Rascat's. 9 p.m.
10 2 a.m. 713·831).3000
After Hours KPFT 90.1FM.12 a.m. to 3 •.m. 713-526·5738
Q-Pattol wa ks the streets ot 8 45 p.m 713 528 SAFE
Visual Arts Alliance 10 am. 281 58l 8408
Dognity mau at 7·30 pm. for gay Cathohcs 713-8802872
St- Stephen"• Eposcopal Churc" Rosary at 8 a.m 1805 W
Alabama. 713-528-6665
Houston lesbian and Gay drop- n hours from noon to 4
p.m. 803 H.awthorne Montrose Wr ter·i ProJett J to 4 JO
pm. 2 pm. 113 524 3818.
sunday, jan. 23
Houston Area Teen Coahtmn of Homosexuals (H.A.IC.HJ.
113 942-7002
Raonbow Roder~ A bocyde dub for women 113 869· 1686
Church of the Xll Apostles Ang ocan Rote Old Catholoc
Church Hoty Communion 10: 30 a.m at 239 Westheuner
7131665-7903.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Olurch Holy Rite Eucharist I at 7 45
am. Hofy Rite Euch.arJS"t 11 at 8.55 am Education hour •t
10 am .. Choral Eucharist at 11 am. 1805 W. Alabama.
713 528-6665
Maranath.a Fellowship Metropolitan Church •preachmg
the Go<pel· Soble study at 9·30 pm 713-528-6756.
Resurrection MCC Senmes at 9 a.m and 11 a.m. 713-861
9149
Grace Lutheran Church Sunday school for all ages at 9 lO
• m. Sennce ot 10:30 am 713 528-3269
First Urvtar Ml Universahst Church ServtCf'S at 9:30 a.m
and 11 lOa m
Community Gospef Service at 1, a.m. 7 p.m Sunday
School for children. 4105 Lolloan. Ill 880-9135 or
www convnun1tygospel Of9
Houston M SSIOn Chwch. Se,Vlte at 10:'30 am 713-1)19
8225.
Covenant Baptist Church. Service at 1 JO p.m education
hour at 3 p m 713-668 8830
Bering Memorial Umted Methodl.St Church Services at 8:
30 am, lO:'iO a rn. Sunday school at 9 40 am. 713-526-
1017
ResurrtttK>n MCC Handbell Olotr rehears.al at 1 30 pm.
713-861 9149
Th<> Women's Group. 10:4Sa m 713-529 8571.
Unrtanan FelloW\hip of GaMston County 401 Church St
m Gahreston Semce at 10:30 am. 409 765-8330.
f.,th and Hope Fellowship Servoce at 11 a rn. 713·520-
7841
First Conqrf'g.it1onal Church (Memorial) Semce at 11 a m.
713-463-9543 or fee houston.org
Church of Kindred Sp1~1ts (Beaumont) Service at 7 p.m.
409-835-4165
Unitanan Felfowstup of Holl\ton. Adult forum at 10 a.m
SerV1Ce at 11 a.m.. and noon. Open Circle Family Support at
12:30 p.m. 1504 Wirt. 713-686-5876.
Interfaith Won:hip Cele'brat1on. 7 p.m 2S 1 S Waugh Or.
713 528-3601
Thoreau Un1t.uian Urnttrs.ahst Cong,egatron: Adult discus·
s1on at 9 45 am.; service ilt 11 a.m. 3~'i G'eenbnar.
Stafford. 281 277-8882 wwwneosoft com/-thoreau
monday, jan. 24
G.ay Fathen.lfathen First suppor1 group. 8 p_m. 713-861·
6181 -
(alenddr/Compute, workshop for Pricie Week. 7 p.m. 713
529-1223
Bering Suppon Netwofk Gnef and Divorce Groups at 7
p.m. 713-516-1017
Frost Eye Cl1rvc. Free eye e.xams for people with HIV 713·
830-3000.
AIDS CaregovNs' Support Gro.,p. 6 p.m. 713-732-4100.
HIV testing. Free from AVES from 1 p.m. to 6: 1 S p.m 71 l ·
626-2837
FrontRunners. 6:30 p.rn. 713 522-8021
Kolbe Proiect Eucharost at 7 30 p.m. 713-861 -1800.
Integrity How:ton. for gay and lesbian Ep1scopahans. 7:30
p.m., Autry House. 6265 Maon.
More ltght Presbyttrklns. Meeting. 1110 Lovett. 9:30 pm.
281 -444 &61 X309
81.ack lesbt.ln and Gay Coal1t1on•s wee-Uy mttt1ng at 7
p.m. 803 Hawthorne Houston lesbtan and Gay
Communtty drop·m houn from 6 to 9 p.m.; 803
Hawthorne 713-524 3818.
tuesday, jan. 25
Frtt HIV ten1ng at Oub Houston at 8:30 p.m. to m1dnt9ht
the- MonttOie' 01ntc, 713·830-3000.
Helping CrOiS Dress.eon Anonymous. 1 p.m., 239
Westheomer 713-495-8009
G.ty ~n HIV+ Plychotherapy. ·The Survivor's Circle• <erf'·
mony iind celebtat10n. Montrose Coun\ehng Center ilt
410 pm 113-529-0037
Youth-Rap. 6.30 p.m. 113·822 8511.
Aftercare Group Treatmf'nt. Montros~ Couniehng Center
at 6 p rn. 713·529-0037
AIDS Alliance of the Boy Ate~. 7 p.m. 713-488-4492
PROTECT An HIV·neg.at1ve suppon group at 7 p.m 7'l·
526-1017
Womf'n Survivors of Chddhood Abuse. Montrose
THE GUIDE TO GAY NITELIFE IN
THE DEEP SOUTH
AVAILABLE AT LOCATIONS ALL OVER HOUSTON
Counsclong Center •t 6 30 p.m. 713-529-0037.
Bering Support Network Lunch Bun<h Gang at 11 a.m.
713-526-1017
G.ay Men's Process Group. 7 p.m. 3316 Mt. Vernon. 711·
526-8390.
Men's Network. 01scussson group for social, educational
development of gay ar\d buexua! men. 7 pm. Montrose
Counsehng Center 713-529-0037
Morei on Relat1on~1ps D1scuu1on group. 1 p.m. 415 W
Gray. 713861-9149.
L-.mbda Skating Club skates at 8 p.m. at the Tradewmds.
71 J.523-9620.
Gay & 81 Mdle Suppcrt Group support group forming.
Sponsorod by AVES 713-626-2837
Houston lesbian and Gay Community Center drop·1n
houn 6 to 9 p.m., Lesbian Coming Out Group meets at
7;30 p.m 803 Hdwthorne. 713·528· '18
wednesday, jan. 26
F'ee ., V - .• ting at ... t mas StrePt 1t 9 a m to 1 p.m.
2015 Thonws Street and mobile unit p.,rked at P.wfic and
Crocker 9 p.m. to midnight. 713-793-4026.
81Net Houston. 7·30 p.m. Social meeting at Cafe Toopees.
1830 W Alabama. 713·467-4380
Women's Network. 1 pm. MOfltrose Counseling Center,
701 Rochmond 713-529-0037
HIV survivor support group. 7 p.m. 713 782-4050.
Mind/Body Connection: Alternatrve Approaches 7 p.m.
1415 W Gray. 713-524 2374
Proie<t· Caesa• 7 p.m. AFH, 3203 Weslayan. 713-623-6796.
Out Skate Roll•,.katong Cub, 8 to 10 p.m. at 8075 Cook
Road. 281-933-5818.
Houston lesbian and Gay Community Center drop··m
houn6to9pm 803Hawthorne 713-5243818
thursday, jan. 27
Fref' HIV tt sting .it Toyz 9 p.IT'. t fTI dnight and Cousin's 8
p.m. to midnight. By the Montrose Clinic. 713-830-3000.
Art labs. The Art league at 1 p.m. 713 225·9411
Gay Men'i Chorus of Houston. Open rehearsal at 7 p.m,
713-521 7464
HIV+ Men Psychotherapy. MontrOSf' Counseling Center,
1·1s pm 113·5290031
Relapie Prevention. Montrose Counseling Center, 2 p.m.
713 529-0037
Afterure Group Treatment. Montroi~ Coumeling Center,
6 p.m. 713-529-0037
Women's Therapy Group. Montrose Counseling Cente,,
5·30 pm. 713-529-0037.
Center for the Heahng of Ramm. 7·30 p.m 713-738 RACE
FrontRunners at 6:30 p.m 713-522 8011 .
HIV Art Ceurse Program. 1to4 pm. Patrick Palmer at 713
526-1118.
Wo~n·s Clinic Montrose Clinic, 713-830-3000.
fa1tli and Hope Fellowship. Bible study 7 p.m. 713-520-
7847
Commurnty Gospel. Choir practice. 6:30 p.m.; service at
1 30 p.m. 713·880.9235 or www.commun1tygospcl.org
HIV/AIDS Support Group, 2:30 at f.amlly Service Cel"lter.
71J·861-4849.
Women's HIV/AIDS Support Group, 4 30 p.m. Family
Service Center. 713-247-3810
HIV/AIDS Support Group, 7 p.m. Family Service Center in
Conroe. 888·247-3810.
Houston lesbian .and Gdy Community Center drop m
hours 6 to 9 p.m
713-524 3818
friday, jan. 28
F HIV testing by th· M<"'ltro Clinic at Mela's at 10
p.m. ti 1 a.m. and R1ch·s 10 p.m. to 1 a .m. 713·830-3000.
Houston Area Teen Coalition of Homosexuals (H.A.T.C.H ).
713-942·7002.
Aftercare Group Trecltment. Montrose Counseling (f'nter
at 6 p.m. 713-529-0037.
Frost Eye Clinic Frtt eye exams for people with HIV, 713·
8303000.
lesbian Avengers Cafe Toopees. 1830 W. Alabama at 7
pm
0-Patrol walks the streets at 8·45 p.m. 713-528 SAFE.
Kolbe Pro1ect. Park Plaza Hosp1t.at v1s1tclt1on. 713-861 1800.
Positive Art Workshop. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Patm.k Palmer at
713-526 1118
lesbian and Gay Voices. KPFT 90.1 FM, 7 p.m. 713-526·
5738.
Mov1t' Time at the Kolb<- PrOJf'Ct. 7:30 p.m. 713·S22·8182.
life Begins at 40. Pot luck dinner 6:30 p.m. 1440 Harold
713-526·1017.
M1shpachat Ahz1m Shdbbat Services. 8 p.m. 713·748·7079.
Co-df'pendenh Anonymous. 7;30 p.m, at MCCR 713·861 ·
9149
Houston lesbian and Gay Community Center drop.fn
hoors 6 to 9 p.m. 713-524 3818
Hf'ahng Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral. 7 p.m. 1117
Texas. 713-222-2593.
Poetry & Prose Night Potluck. 7 p. m. First Umversahst
Church, 5200 Fannon. 113.526.5200.
To list .Jn event call Carolyn Roberts .Jf 713·519·8490, fax
at 71] Sl9·9SJ1, or e·mJ'1 ed1torOhoustonvo1c~ . com
Deadfme- is Fr1day dt 5 p.m
Native T.A.N.
713.669.9966
Ready willing and very able ...
to give highly skilled, professional insurance service in
your neighborhood. She's an expert in planning
all your insurance- auto. life, home and business.
And she may save you money. too.
Come 1n and meet her and take advantage
of her broad insurance experience.
GWEN FOSTER
INSURANCE AGENCY
5414 Katy Freeway @TC jester • Houston.Texas 77007
713-961-9455 fax:713-850-0856
HOUSTON VOICE• JANUARY 21 , 2000 OUT ON THE BAYOU
Occasions
Birtl1days
CCCC member John P motored ma birthday on Jan. 19.
Local artist James Pruess paints a prt•tty birthday portrait on Jan. 21
Yes, Str, ha pp} birthday, ~ir. D.1ddy Bob I louton of Black I lawk Leather will celebrate his birthday on Jan. 21.
Super ~exy Oiances' bartender R.1d will toast her birthday on Jan. 2.2.
1 lappy birthday to Broadway grc,1t Chita Rivera on Jan 23.
The one ;ind only l loyd celebr.ites his birthd.iy on )an. 24.
Tun, .i !...a. "!\:lumsy" to friends, celebrates his birthday on Jan. 2t>.
The He>uston Vo1ceWt'lro111cs your spcc111/ occasions. Smd c-n111il tu croln'ts@J1011stonroicc.ro111. Far 713-529-9531.
Mazl: Ocazsions, I lv11sto11 Voice. 500 lJ.JVClt Bfod., S111tc 200, Ha11ston, Tews 77f'()6. Please include a telrpho11e 1111mbt:
r SO OCCllSltlnS Ctlll re tJ('r!fied 1111d CClllSldt:rt.'d far pub/icnlicm.
Local fund-rciser and all around
fabulous guy fun Sorgini sings
happy birthday on J111. 22.
Casey is 18 months old. She is
111 inside only kitty and is 5tter·
boxed traited. She loves to play
with toys mid other cats, or
cudcle in yoiw lap. If you would
like to adopt Casey, e-mail
1111pr@houstonlnlnme.org or
call 713-433-6421.
~l~DAEWOO Affordable
Luxury!
Introducing Daewoo. You'll be Surprised At How Much You Can Get For Your Money!
Our Cars Come Well Equipped With Features Others May Consider Options.
Each Of Our Amazingly Reliable And Comfor1able Cars
Is So Well Built We Cover Them ForThe First 3Years or NEW 2000 DAEWOO LEGANZA
36,000 Miles1 on All Regularly Scheduled Maintenance
(Even Oil and Wiper Blades) At Absolutely No Cost To
You!
You Also get Daewoo Priority Assistance
(24 Hour Roadside Assistance) For the First 3
years or 36,000 Miles Should You Need lt.11
Arr. Pou"r Windows er l .odts, ABS.
Krylm Entry. Alnrm er Fog Iighu $7999 $13,995
1500050 1 Only OOOOl2 1 0nty
S.• Pree I 1 S 665 S 1 R9bate
Daewoo ... Styled In Italy ... Engineered In Germany ... Research & Development Done In England ...
Provides An Exceptional Value For Your Car Buying Dollar .
.... ll:zC: ... Ell:z SC> .. T ... WEST E9 .... EWC>C> ... lftlm .... ll:zC: ... Ell:z .:....-.&WC>C>
........ •e» .. T ... wm•T FW''V' - --LLFC..A'T ---s •·•S .. C»A'T .. ·----w ....... _9'W_p .. rd ... c:: ..... •cm ... llC)
(20 .. )933-9000 (20 .. )4.4.5-&4.4.0
23
24
Classifieds
Announcements
HEY EL\ IS!
Happy ArmvcTS.11) ll=k) Ju for
h::..r r fnend hip. suppon .md
m p1ra11on I lmc ye u.-"<IZY ".Jb
bu 'lou hi lr.llhcr -----
Ga) DAR
C.a) DAR (Drcam-Affmn
Re tore) (n). d 'IC\\ "cllncss comnumt
y """ fomung for persons
18 10 29 y~ old who nre m1cr
ested m making hc:!J1hy c"l>nOL-cuons
Come share your exp..TI
enccs m a sale pl;x.-c 10 dn.":lm.
affmn and restore GayDAR
b.:g1ns on '.1onday, January 24 al 7
p m .JI Benng :\kmonal Umted
Chur.h. 1440 Harold For more
1nfonna11on. 1.":l!I Russ Robmt."11 a1
711 ~261017 x'.?11
The PFLAG/HATCH .S.:holarsh1p
Found:luon's 1hnner and eel·
cbra11on will be held on Fnday.
March I :11 the Warwick Hotel
The evenmg "'II mdudc a social
hour wuh a silent aUC11on, fol
lo"'ed by dinner and prescn1:111ons
by smnc of the scholarship re1.ip1-
en1s The fund r:usmg goal for the
mtllcnmum year 1s SI 00.()(lO For
more mfor111:111on '1bou1 the
Foumlallon and the scholarship
program S<.'C ""'W pflaghouston
org/scholarsh1p htm
no:-.;'T FORGET TO
\'OTE!
The Royal. So•crc1gn. ;md
lmpl.-nal Coun mv11cs you all to
vtlle for your lavonte Q!ldtdatc for
Emperor XVI and Empn:ss X\ I
A valid II> how1ng you li\c
H..ims County or .i sunoundmg
county '\(Xl l.ovc"ll Blvd IO am
10 6 p 111 Janu.11)' 22, 2fXXJ
\l.\Ri\~ 1\THA :\ICC
~1ARA AHi.\ l+Ll O\liSIUP
~1CC "'111111: sharing the hornc of
the Central Congregational
Church. I 111 Holman (nghl
ocmss from H(( Downto"'n
c:unpus) On January 20. lheir
worship Inn: is 6 10 p m and
Bible Study al 5 10 p m Their
offices "''II b.: a1 117 Tuam For
more mformauon, c.ill 71'
~7 6756
HOUSTON LEATHER
ALLIA:'>iCE
~ for 2!XXJ • l.L':llher Educ:11ton
• S0<.ial • Fundr:us-mg Club• Sow
Fonmng • ~kmbcrsh1ps and
Associate ~1emb.:rsh1ps Sow
Av:u!Jblc • For mfonna11on. send a
SASE 10 llousion Leather Alh:ut<e
•PO Box 667-..00 • Houston. TX •
772fh.7l00
Place To Play?
If you pby bas.vacous11~ gunar.
bra.'>• or kcyboonls. a gay Chnsuan
pr:usc and "'orsluP 1cam OL-eds
you Call 7 n 686 7715
PWA CO.\LITIO"'
The P\\ A Coah on 11<."<."ds lhe fol
lo" mg u,m, dishc • s1hcrnan: •
pol 'l'allS ' sh<.'CIS 'lOl'e's • fumt
lure • =11 appliances • We .ire
J\at Jblc for pi<k up Call \\1' in
or Tcny JI 71 ' 522 '5428
,\DOl'I'
I'.l<TER~1\TIO"i,\l.LY
Farm ly lo f'am• y Ade pllon
Scnmxs '' ,1 social service agency
m panncrsh1p w11h m n-profi1
mtcmal 0"'11 .1gcnc1c.,. We ollcr
fn.'C "Ori.shops each month on
how lo adopt from Chin:t. India,,
Russia. Ukr.iine, Romanta.
Bulg:ui:i. B1•livt:t. Ecuador, Peru.
Hondura.•. Columh1:t. Vietnam.
Korea. and Guatemala Single
men,, wo1ren. arid couples from
otg\-"i 25 to 57 arc chg1ble 10 a<lopl
Call 711 219-1.tn or email
F:un2t:un@aol com for infonnauon
on our ncxl won hop
Employment
Hmng dn_,;rs d;i>S A or B lor a
gay O\\ncd trucking co
28 I lW 9'162 or Pager 7 ll
642.6708.
HOllSE'.\1AN WANTED
Clean hou • Y. .rd " rl. •
Cooking• 'd:ly a "'wl" 4 5 hours
a day • S7 '\O per hour • Hard
"orkcr • Hc1gh1s area • M.uk
711 '54'i 9504
CARTER & COOLEY
Busy Heights area dch needs
counter help Apply m person •
11~ \\ I 9TH SU\."ci or ~.ill Doug
at 711 864 ll'\4
\\indow'.\lcdia
\\mdow .\kd1a. the pub!tsh<.'11 of
the Southern \o"c (Atlanta),
Houston Voice O lou,lon) I mpa<.I
'>~"' CS~w Orlc:ut'l anJ t:d1pse
magazine " exp.:nrncmg un·
prc1."Ctk:n1ed growth "uh mnht·
nous plans for lhc fulun: Talenlcd.
h:ud· worJ..mg. cn:atm: and dcd1
catcd md1vtdual nn: ~'Ollstantl) in
demand a• opponun111cs nnse
w11hm our pubhcauon area'i
S.ilcs. Ad1mms1rat1on. C1rcubl10n/
I>is1nbu11on. Ed11onal. [)csign/
Produ1.11on If you arc mten.'Slcd m
a can.. ... , p;llh "'1th a growing org;i.
mzauon. please submit your
n."iunic 10- \\ mdow Mcdt:1. Ann
Human Resources Dcpl , I 09'\
7.onohle R<>atl # ICXl. Atlanta. Ga.
1m06
ENTERTAINERS
WANTED
The BL.Vil s.,i. .. ·, • 11ST &
Sca,.all • G:ihcston • Quality
Bands • P1antSIS • Thcatncal
Groups • Coll Richard or
\\aync al 409 7~ sn1 or
7B 9:!3 94+1
C'i1y Cuts • W19 ~ \lonuosc •
Loolmg for SlylL'il • Call D..'llntS al
711 )20 ()(,X'l'i
WAIT STAFF
W:u1 Staff needed. Evcmngs
4 pm 6 mghl!; • Mon <;ai • Apply
m Person • Josephine's Italian
Ristcrante • 1'09 C<1rohne @
Dallas • Behuid the Four Seasons
u • • .,,'l 7SQ 9-r'"
RESLRRECTIO"I \1CC
J • ·E:'.':a.' 1~ ...:ckint J L.hrcc
tor of Adm111"1rn11on and .\et.·
ountmg Plca.'e conlacl u' al
7U.861 9149 for JOO dc'SCnp11on
,J apphcallon
RESURRECTION MCC
hpcncnced mu· 1cally degreed
md"1dual 10 Jm:CI and ad·
numsrcr the 1nusic anJ \\or.hip
program of Re.um.'Cllon MCCHou,
lon. Texas. Full lime
• Contact us at 713.861 9149
or mccr@ncosof1com for an
:ipphcauon
1'1ghlmgale Emplo) 1nen1 Services
(Div1>1on of NAJ)C) ts a non prof·
II 0<gan11.a11on that provides Job
S<.'Ckmg sk1lh training and pk1ce·
menl u."1..iancc for per.on' w11h
HIV For more infonrouon call
7119811541
EROS 1207
Hmr ton nc ·' ,·.; en~1c OOUll<JUC
SUpL'f store IS no" llCCCpllng llflph
C.Jlrons for ~1.11c sales stafl •
Ful~l':ut umc. excellent opportum-
1 y • Appl) m p.;rson. 1207 Spencer
H1ghwa). South Houston, TX.
IOA:0-1 to 2P\1. ~1onday through
fod:i). 711 'l+t.6010
B.\SIC BROTHERS
:\o' ,;,:cpi,ng applic;i11ons for
'.1anagemenl po 11ions and
fulVpan-11111e Re1a1I emplo)11icn1
Pnor rc1a1J!,ales cxpcncn<.'C and
tomputcr knowledge a plus •
Come JOm our team and enJOY
one of the 11\:sl hcncfit packages
.iround • Apply M r. IO:lm-.tpm,
1212 Wes1he11ner • :>.o phone
.:alls please
:\11DTO\\'NE SPA
Allsh1ftsand1·· '''"" f.~i·pcr
hour .1100 Fannin ,\pply m person
only
Home Impromnents
BOOGIE & MARCELA
Home Repair Scmci.: • 40 'rears
c'pencnce • Call u' fur all your
rcpmrn<.-..-d' • 7118566188
Moving Services
American Mover..
Visit us on the "'ch • www amen·
c:mmovmorg • 2412 A Taft •
Houston. Texas. 77006 • Sow
Stalcl'1dc • TxDOT# 00~28
20UC• 711 ~221717
Licensed Massage
Paul Ru1k-dge • RMT #0127& I • 7
da)' Flc.x1blc hours
711 '920444
Tim of L.A.
Stress Reducuon • 1 days ~ "eek •
71'-508 7 96
\1ass.1ge Therapy a1 us finest •
Swedish. Deep !issue. Spons.
Rcllc.xology • llon·1 sculc for less
• In/Out, Hotel • 7 Days • Jett
#016074 (:-./at1onally Cen11ied)
711524 5865
You Need Therapy!
Ma,s:igc thernp) now availahle
at '.1uscle ~1echamc' flCT\onal
1rnmmg & "cllnc" s1ud10 •
spons ni.1"age. 1hcrapcu1tc
ma"age. rclaxalion therapy
Call no" for your appoint
mcm• .\1usclc Mechanics 711.
52' 5.' "I('
Pets
Th< H11111cless Pel Placement
League 1$ a H |
