| Transcript |
VOiCt aKs ---- -- - ----------Gay----------
Chamber of Commerce
nEA
R
World o'
Drag
By Deborah Bell
Labor Day weekend is noted as a time of that
one last summer splash, cookouts, picnics,
and parties, and what may be the most
renowned event of the Holiday weekend,
Wigstock. A group of drag queens took over
the crumbling concrete band shell in New
York's Tompkins Square Park in late August
of 1984 for two days of performance before
a ragtag assemblage, the annual event has
grown into one of New York's most
intensely anticipated, highly attended and,
well-covered annual events.
Along with Wigstock, the premier of the
movie Stonewall and two new books has
brought the matter of "Drag" into current
consciousness as never before. Stonewall of
course, is described as a love story that is set
against the backdrop of that famous event of
1969 when the modern day gay and lesbian
civil rights movement was born. The drag
queen performers and customers of the bars
on Christopher Street were part of what
happened that night.
The Drag Queens of New York: An
Illustrated Field Guide by Julian Fleisher
(Continued on page 7)
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Gay and Lesbian Caucus
Impacts Democratic Convention
By Dennis Hatch
One hundred fifty openly Lesbian and Gay
delegates descended into the Windy City in
the past few days, greeted by a sea of
Red,White, Blue, and Pink. They came to
celebrate party that is generally united-in
spite of differences over issues like DOMA
(the Defense of Marriage Act) and welfare
reform—and is almost gleeful with the
prospect of the re-election of President Bill
Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. The
Gay and Lesbian delegation is, by far, the
largest ever for any major party convention (a
34% increase over 1992 for the Democrats),
and their influence is evident everywhere in
the United Center (the convention
headquarters) and throughout the city of
Chicago. The Texas delegation is the second
largest (second only to California), and 9 of
the 19 Texas delegates are from Houston.
Awaiting the delegates are a swirl of
receptions, parties, and caucuses, all
designed to give the Clinton/Gore ticket a
rousing send-off to the fall election.
Tuesday's Gay and Lesbian Caucus was
highlighted by the appearance of Tipper
Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore.
Introduced by Congressman Barney Frank of
Massachusetts, Mrs. Gore began her remarks
by recognizing over a dozen people with
whom she personally has worked. She went
on to inform the Caucus that President
Clinton has made over 100 Gay/Lesbian
appointments in the Executive Branch. Mrs.
Gore emphasized that the President had
made history, in his abolishing any
restrictions on security clearances for Gays
(Continued on page 18)
Where the Soul Intact Will Shed its Scabs (8424 AD - 1987-88, acrylic on panel, 96 x 192"
by Lari Pittman at the Contemporary Arts Museum .
Anti-Gay
Cross Burning
From LGRL Release
On Monday, August 27 at 3am, the Schemmel family awoke to the
burning of a 6-foot cross on their front lawn. Accompanying the
burning cross was a hand-written note which read "faggot" and "DOA".
The family is unaware of the reason they were targeted for this type of
hate-related violence. The Ft. Worth police are investigating the crossburning
as an anti-gay hate crime.
"The symbol of cross-burning should cause alarm for all people who
stand against hate-related violence in our state. Although we would like
to slam the door shut on the days of the KK.K. and the Aryan Nation,
unfortunately their horrible legacy continues to haunt and terrorize us,"
stated Dianne Hardy-Garcia, Executive director of the Lesbian/Gay
Rights Lobby of Texas (LGRL).
"This anti-gay cross burning is a clear indication that we must continue
our work to end hate crimes. Texas needs strong, clear and enforceable
hate crime laws which will serve as real deterrents. We must continue
to take a united stand against this violence."
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety in Texas, "over
60% of reported hate crimes are committed on the basis of race. For the
last two years nearly 16% of hate crimes have been anti-gay in nature,"
explained Hardy-Garcia. "Many hate crimes continue to go unreported
and therefore unrecorded due to a reluctance on the part of victims to
report hate crimes and a lack of training for law enforcement officials.
Ft. Worth is an exception however. The Ft. Worth Police Department
continues to have a stellar reputation for handling and reporting hate
crimes," she concluded.
Voice to Sponsor
Pittman at CAM
Publications are often asked to sponsor certain events in the
community or to provide free advertising for non-profits groups of
various sorts. In order to support the various causes that request our
assistance The Houston Voice has started a policy of limiting this type
of support to three organizations per every three months. Since we are
supported only through advertising sales, we can not offer the amount
of support we would like to, so this is our way of covering as many
requests as we can. Our current projects include The Names Project:
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) "Back to
School" Program, and the showing of the work of artist Lari Pittman
starting September 21 at the Contemporary Arts Museum.
Lari Pittman is a Los Angeles-based painter whose work pulses with
exuberant energy, rich color and dynamic lines. Blurring the
distinction between abstraction and figuration and between decoration
and fine art. Pittman's monumental tableaux often address political,
sexual and identity issues in America. This mid-career survey brings
together for the first time twenty-five paintings, including a 26 ft. long
painting Like You. his largest and most ambitious work to date. With
their baroquely decorated surfaces, cartoon-like pictures and
vocabulary of images rooted in popular culture yet personalized in
meaning, his paintings have evolved as a spiritual odyssey and a
running commentary on his own life and on American society at large.
The exhibition is accompanied by a 88-page catalogue containing
color reproductions.
The Voice has been running articles and supporting the efforts of the
Names Project as it prepares for the national Display in Washington in
October. At the close of that event, the Voice will start with October
which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month to run articles and PSAs
concerning that issue. The Houston Voice feels it provides a vital
service to the community in its sponsorships.
2 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996
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Confessions Of A Drag
Queen Wannabe
I am terribly jealous of Vanna White. She
gets to wear fabulous clothes and gets paid
tons of money. And so little is required of
her but to smile, clap, and turn letters on
“Wheel of Fortune.” Wow, what a great
gig! Well, since that job is already taken,
perhaps I had to have other aspirations. I
have you know, it is true, wished that I could
be a drag queen.
Some people who know me probably will
find this shocking, because they have
heard me rant and rave about the inherently
sexist and misogynist thing drag is. That
it is often true, where a man dressed as a
woman exaggerates in dress and mannerisms
qualities are less than flattering to
the female gender. But my thoughts on this
subject have changed over the years for a
number of reasons. Mostly through seeing
professionals who give their interpretations
style, grace, and dignity and
who are truly talented either as singers or
dancers in their own right, thus being able
to bring that element to the performance.
Two people that bring this to mind are Ru-
Paul and Houston’s own Dyan Michaels.
Michaels dances as well as Paula Abdul and
does a Reba McEntire that could make the
star think she has an identical twin sister.
Performers who do drag often do celebrity
impersonations, usually in an effort
to honor a woman who is a star that they
respect. Most often portrayed include
legends such as Marilyn Monroe and Judy
Garland and currently poplar stars Bette
Midler, Barbra Streisand, Tina Turner,
Liza Minnelli and Cher. Many drag queens
have preferred to create their own persona
or character. As Julian Fleisher
explains in The Drag Queens of New York ,”
To the extent that these women are already
avatars of beauty, heaping bowls full of
glamour and fame, for a drag queen to
impersonate them would be, very simply,
redundant.” Others who do drag, usually
are not doing it as professional performers.
It is done as what might be described as a
hobby. These folks fall into a very special
category, because they are donning the
gowns and make-up and even five inch high
heels to raise funds for charitable organizations.
Lady Victoria Lust, one of the
most glamorous of the Houston drag
queens, and one of the most generous,
devotes hours to arranging shows and
events that raise funds for people living
with AIDS. Also known as Marvin Davis, in
character as Lady Victoria, is a totally
different look and personality than his
“normal” everyday self.
Drag also appears in the form of pageants,
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conducted like a Miss America style contest.
Thus, the “dragsters” really can be
a “queen,” as in beauty queen. Ratfier
ironically, the annual Miss Camp Amc^^t-ica
Show (the name says it all) is a spoof of tl^^
real Miss America Pageant. This annual
charity fundraiser takes place the same
night as the actual Miss America contest
and is one of the best done shows you will
ever see and one of the most enjoyable (see
ad on page 5). Another reason I have a different
view of drag is due to finding out
about its history and connection to the
Gay and Lesbian community. Judy
Grahn’s Another Mother Tongue, Gay
Words, Gay Worlds explains it this way:
Drag as a Gay term means cross-dressing,
whether by a man or by a woman, and in
tribal/pagan realms cross-dressing often
meant entering a magical state involving
taking on the persona or spirit of a godbeing
for ceremonial purposes. In these^^
festivals women might dress in animi^JP
skins disguised as stags, calves, or goat, in
other words “leather” (honoring the
animal food source). Likewise, men might
dress in the robes and rainments of “goddesses.”
These festival participants
would be pulled through the village in processions
in small carts called “drags.”
Grahn describes a picture she once saw of a
sculpture of Dike, a rain-maiden of Greece
being pulled in a cart.
While I may always be put off by men who call
each other names such as “bitch” or
“Mary” or refer to themselves as
“girls,” and certainly when they act in
negative, cat-fighting stereotypes,
my view of drag has changed over the years. I
have to once again confess to my envy.
Why? Because drag queens get to dress in
fabulous clothes, smile and perform and
get money for it. They don’t even have to
turn letters. And because if I could do anything
at all as a living, to have a dream come
true, it would be to be able to go on stage and
sing. There is one small problem. I can’t.
Sing that is. So for a while I thought maybe I
could do a Victor/Victoria type thing
where I would be a woman, pretending to be
a man, pretending to be a woman. Since
drag queens mostly lipsync and I am a reasonably
good dancer, I thought maybe I
could pull it off. I noticed that many of the
queens are generous proportions, and
since I am of the voluptuous body type, I
just might be able to pull it off. Unfortunately,
most drag shows take place in bars
and since I’m deathly allergic to tobacco
smoke, and you can forget the high heels, so
my career was nixed before it could even
begin.
Oh, well, maybe it is just an attempt to get^^
touch with my inner femme.
In My Own
Voice
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mi TO REACH MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS 8 THE PRESIDENT
Call the Capitol switchboard -even if you are not sure who represents you, just ask the operator
and you will be connected. Ask for their fax numbers and e-mail addresses as well:
Call: U.S. Capitol 202/224-3121 (Senators & Representatives)
Write:
The Honorable_________________ The Honorable--------------------_____ W
us Senate ■ U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The President of the United States
President Bill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington. DC 20500
White House Public Comment Line. 202/456 7639
E-mai I: president@whitehouse.gov
HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996 3
A view from the top
Bruce Lehman (left) greets Jim Owens, alternate delegate at the
Gay & Lesbian Brunch sponsored by the Democratic National
DENNIS HATCH
Bruce Lehman, the
highest ranking
openly gay official in
the Clinton Administration,
is the
Assistant Secretary
qf Commerce and
Commissioner of
IPatents and Trademarks.
In exclusive
comments to The
Houston Voice,
Lehman explained
what it means to him and
the lesbian/gay community
for an openly
gay official to hold
such a high ranking
office. “It’s a place at
the table,” explained
Lehman. “Bill Clinton
pledged that his
would be a reflection of America, and
that includes lesbian and gay Americans,
as well.” A further reflection of
the President’s commitment to equality
for gay and lesbian America is the fact
that ”he has, by executive order,
banned discrimination against Gays
and Lesbians in all hiring and employment
practices,” explained Lehman. As
.an assistant secretary, Lehman is
responsible for ensuring that all 5,500
employees in his agency have undergone
extensive diversity training, and that
they reflect America, too. The diversity
training that Lehman developed for the
Patent and Trademark Commission has
been adopted by most Cabinet level
agencies.
Lehman also explained that his Agency,
hardly one of the more glamorous agencies
in public policy, has responsibility
over the patenting of new researches
and discoveries in the fight against
AIDS and HIV. Lehman has been instrumental
in expediting the patent on
AIDS and HIV-related issues due to the life
and death nature of their need. The Commission
of Patents and Trademarks has
gone on-line on the Internet for such HIV-related
patents, the first area of patents
and trademarks to go on-line. “Having a
gay man in my position has undoubtedly
made the agency more sensitive to the
need to get such new discoveries rushed
to the market,” Lehman added.
Lehman ended the interview by exhorting
the gay and lesbian community to
vigorously support President Clinton’s
re-election. “Bill Clinton is fundamentally
committed to equality for
Gays and Lesbians and a government
that includes a place of leadership for
our community. While there are issues of
disagreement in the President’s handling
of some issues, he has done more for
our community than any President has
in the history of our Republic, and that
will continue to be so in the next four
years.”
Dennis Hatch is on special assignment
at the Democratic National Convention.
Next week he will have a post convention
report .
Committee
administration
Senate to debate DOMA Sept.5
The Employment Non-Discrimination
Act, (ENDA), as an amendment to the
Defense of Marriage Act, (DOMA), will
be debated in the U.S. Senate Sept. 5,
marking the first time gay-rights have
been openly debated on the floor of the
Senate.
According to an agreement reached
before Congress recessed for the month of
August, DOMA will come to the Senate
floor at 10am with debate scheduled for
two hours. During that time, Sens.
Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass, Joseph
Lieberman, D-Conn., and James Jeffords,
R-Vt., will introduce ENDA as an
amendment. The amendment would outlaw
job discrimination based on sexual
orientation.
This strategy has benefited the community
by forcing a debate on employment
discrimination against gay people,”
said Daniel Zingale, HRC political
director;. “Nonetheless, the Human
Rights Campaign continues to vigorously
oppose the DOMA.”
Supporters of DOMA will also have an
opportunity to offer amendments to the
bill. “We expect any amendments from
out opponents to be as noxious as the
overall bill,” Zingale said, all amendments
must be submitted to the Senate
leadership by close of business Sept. 3.
The anti-marriage bill passed the House
July 12 by a vote of 342-67. No amendments
were attached to the bill in. the
House.
The Human Rights Campaign is encouraging
readers to urge their U.S. senators
to support ENDA (S.932) as an
amendment to DOMA (S.1740) and to
oppose DOMA itself. Senators can be
called through the Capitol Switchboard
at 202-224-3121; written by sending a
letter to The Honorable (Name), U.S.
Senate, Washington, DC 20510; or sent
an electronic message through HRC’s
Action Center on the WWW at http://
www.hrccusa.org.
Gay Beat Icon Herbert Huncke Dies
Herbert Huncke, credited as the
source of the term “Beat Generation,”
inspiration to generations
of writers and artists, openly and flamboyantly
out long before it was ‘fashionable,’
ex-hustler, ex-drug
addict, died August 15 in New York City.
An inspiration to William S. Burroughs
(Huncke provided his first
fix), an acknowledged influence on
Jack Kerouac, a guide to the likes of
Alan Ginsberg and John Clellon
Holmes, and an influence on sexresearcher
Alfred Kinsey. Huncke has
credit for a long list of never very financially
successful books and his
acknowledged lack of talent for regular
work. (Rumor has it that Jerry Garcia
of the Grateful Dead ‘helped’ with his
rent.)
Huncke, (name rhymes with junkie),
was the inspiration (sometimes with
the actual use of his name) for characters
in literary works that have become
classics. His notorious drug use, frequent
stealing and occasional prostitution
were captured in his 1992 statement,
“I always followed the road of
least resistance. I just continued to do
what I wanted. I didn’t weigh or balance
things. I started out this way, and I never
really changed.”
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THOMAS (TAD)
DONALD NELSON
4/27/57 to 8/20/95
They can't return,
They can only look
Behind from when they
came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game.
RUBEN (BEN)
AGUILAR
Born: March 8, 1951
Died: August 28, 1991
Ben, all of your friends
love and miss you very
much. There isn't a day
that passes, that one of us speaks of you.
We know you hear us and speak to us in
your own special way. At times we wish
you were here, but we know you are truly
free and would not take you away from
that FREEDOM.
I am free in Christ. Because I am free in
Christ, I am truly free. I am free from the
past, I am free from resentments. I am
free from fear. Through the Christ spirit
within me, I am free from negative
thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
I am free to face this day with an uplifted
heart, an open mind, and a bold spirit. I
am free to grow and unfold as the Christ
reveals the way and the timing to me.
I am free in Christ. I am not bound by
what others think I should be or do. I am
not bound by circumstances, time or
space. I. am free in Christ to live, and I
accept the freedom to live fully and
completely.
I am free! I rise to higher realms of
thinking. I am uplifted to new levels of
prayer. I move forward to even greater
success and fulfillment.
I am alive and free in Christ.
We all love you Ben,
J.R., Mary and Friends
TRIXIE LARUE,
GONE
It was 1970 when I
happened into a show bar
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Just a kid in college out
looking for a weekend
adventure. Alone in the city without a
friend. That was the night I met Trixie
LaRue. A bigger than life showgirl.
Thus began my friendship with the lady.
After leaving college I went on with my
life, parting company with her for many
years. Trixie on the other hand went on to
perform in many states including Alaska.
I moved to Houston 23 years ago and
found myself alone again. When, like a
beacon in the night, who should appear
to help me get my bearings again, but
Trixie LaRue.
Most people know little of Trixie's
background, including myself. I only
know that she seemed to live through
other peoples experiences. I know that
everything she said was not true to life,
but it was true to her life. We all tdke bits
and pieces of those who touch our lives
and try to apply those best qualities to
our own. Like an old sea captain spinning
tales of different lands, she could draw
us to her side for hours.
She never turned away a soul in need.
She was always willing to add more
water to the soup, so another could eat.
She didn't hesitate, when she could, to
take someone from the streets into her
home and with whatever means she had
to feed and shelter them from life's
storms. And many times was taken
advantage of because of this. But this
was Trixie.
As a member of the Royal, Sovereign
and Imperial Court of the Single Star, she
hosted shows to raise money for many
worthwhile causes in this community.
She held the title of Spiritual Advisor to
the Court. She had been a past
candidate for Empress. When her health
permitted, she never turned down an
opportunity to help anywhere it was
needed. She even helped to start a
Church here in Houston. However, of the
many wonderful things that she did with
her life, one of the best things she ever
did for me, was to introduce me to my
lifemate, Guy Cowden.
I only wish that during her hour of need,
she could have received the love and
care that she had so often given and
richly deserved.
On August 25th, alone, the lady was
finally rewarded and made her transition
into what we pray is a much better life.
Her suffering is over.
She touched many lives and left her
mark on many of us. The lights of the
Court will burn a little dimmer in her
absence. Her legacy is not one of wealth
and material gain, but of love and
friendship. You'll always be royalty in my
eyes. We will miss you.
Til' we meet again,
Skip Willet
MATTHEW R. VIDAL
Born: October 26, 1965
■p Died: August 21, 1996
P Every yesterday with my
gift of inner sight, I look
upon things of yesterday.
Faeries, nymphs, and
unicorns are never very far away.
Mermaids sit and comb their golden
tresses in crystal blue lagoons.
Dragons capture sweet damsels in
distress, and witches still fly on
brooms. Fawns chase nymphs from glen
to glen, reveling in their way.With my
inner sight, I still look back, from every
yesterday (Matthew R. Vital, Published in
"Dusting off Dreams," Vol 7, 1994).
Just before dawn that Wednesday in
Houston, suddenly a severe allergic
reaction to an antibiotic took the sweetist,
creative, talented most generous friend
God gave us. Hundreds of you are
wearing his handmade "Miss Woodstock
Original" necklaces and other trinkets. He
never took money, these were gifts, all he
wanted was a smile. Survived by a huge
loving family and tons of friends, his everpresent
laughter and humor is comforting
us as his ashes are returned to his
birthplace and favorite spot in Falmouth,
Massachusetts.
We will always miss you. Thanks for
everything.
RUNNING DEER SASQUITCH
Born: May 4, 1931
Died: August 25, 1996
Retired, U.S. Army Captain, is survived
by his mother Little Dove and his father
Crazy Horse Sasquitch, his life-mate
Charles Running Deer and his daughter
Little Fawn Sasquitch.
His only philosophy was "We pass
through life in many episodes, and each
one is an opportunity to learn."
In Loving Memory of Little Bear
Sasquitch, (Joshua Lynn), born May 4,
1952, who served in the 5th Special
Forces of the U.S. Marine Corps, in Viet
Nam from September 1970 until
September 1976.
He is survived by his life-mate Leon Jay
Lightfoot; twin sister Jerrie Lynne (Little
Fawn) Sasquitch; grandfather, Crazy
Horse Sasquitch; grandmother, Little
Dove Sasquitch.
A memorial service was held for Running
Deer and Little Bear at the Veteran's
Memorial Cemetery, Monday, August 26
at 5 pm.
Panel recommends benefits
for partners of Gay workers
4 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, .1996 [VOICE
ISSUE 827
August 30, 1996
Established 1974 as the Houston Montrose Star,
reestablished 1980 as the Houston Montrose Voice,
changed name to the New Voice in 1991
incorporating the New Orleans Crescent City Star,
reestablished December 1,1993 as the
Houston Voice
811 Westheimer, Suite 105
Houston, Texas 77006
(713) 529-8490
(800) 729-8490
FAX: (713) 529-9531
E-mail: HouVoice@AOL.com
Contents copyright 1996
Office Hours: 9am - 5:30pm
weekdays
PUBLISHER
Crad Duren
EDITOR
Deborah Moncrief Bell
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
J.C. Michelak/editorial assistant
Jon Anthony/entertainment editor
Jack Leonard/sports editor
Carolyn Roberts/society editor
STAFF WRITERS:
B.R. McDonald, Carolyn Roberts,
Javier Tamez (theatre review)
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Andrew Edmonson, Larry Lingle, Curt
Morrison, Jazz Paz, Glen Webber
CARTOONIST:
Earl Storm
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Steven David, David Goetz
PRODUCTION
Matthew Pennington/manager/art director
Maggie Bralick/production layout
OFFICE MANAGEMENT
Jack Leonard/office manager
Maggie Bralick/assistant manager
Jeanna Wiley/office assistant
ADVERTISING SALES DEPARTMENT
Lee Davis, Benjamin Diaz,
J.C. Michelak, Carolyn Roberts
CLASSIFIEDS & PERSONALS
Maggie Bralick
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Marketing,
P.O. Box 518, Westfiled, NJ (906) 232-2021
Notice to advertisers:
Advertising rate schedule thirteen was effective March 1995
■ Partial or complete reproduction of any advertisement,
news article or feature, copy or photograph from the
Houston Voice is specifically prohibited by federal statute
■ Opinions expressed by columnists or cartoonists are not
necessarily those of the Houston Voice or its staff and we
assume no liability for the content expressed or implied of
said articles or likeness of persons living or dead, real or
fictional in the cartoons.
• Publication of the name or photograph of any person or
organization in articles or advertising in the Houston Voice
is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual
orientation of said person or organization.
. The appearance of advertisements or opinions expressed
therein do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee by
The Houston Voice or its staff
DENVER (AP)—The panel that sets
wages, benefits and work rules for Denver
city employees says insurance coverage
should be extended to employees’
homosexual partners. The Career
Service Authority Wednesday voted
5-0 to include gay partners and their
children in the recommended benefits
package for 1997. Heterosexual
couples who live together, however,
would not be included. The city council is
expected to vote on the benefits package
in coming weeks. Gay-rights advocates
see the panel’s recommendation
as a groundbreaking victory for equal
treatment of homosexuals in Colorado.
“It’s part of a growing trend to equalize
the workplace for Gays and Lesbians,*
said Mary Celeste, a lesbian attorney.
But opponents attacked the decision as
an example of the “special rights” they
have warned that homosexuals would
seek. Winning the benefits for gay couples
was a goal set by advocates after the
U.S. Supreme Court in May struck down
Colorado’s Amendment 2, approved by
voters but never carried out because of
legal challenges. The measure would
have prohibited any laws banning discrimination
against Gays. Will Perkins
is chairperson of Colorado for
Family Values, which sponsored
Amendment 2. “We should be doing everything
we can to encourage stable, traditional
marital relations. I think it’s a
travesty,” Perkins said of the Denver
panel’s action.
HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996 5
Houston Voice Help WAMteb
Advertising Professional with proven record of success wanted to
carve out new territory in Greater Houston Market for weekly Gay
publication. Commission basis. Must be aggressive and have a
positive attitude. Call Deborah Bell at 529-8490.
xlueb
fy faff “Pay
“. . . Calls not accepted or returned after
10pm or ever on Tuesday evenings.”
. Outgoing messages on our phone
■ answering machine vary day-by-day.
Reminders to grown children who call
asking when they can come visit (anytime,
but don’t call so late you wake us
up!), changes in schedules for friends
we try to coordinate events with,
“alerts” left to each other by whichever
one will be delayed getting home
from work to remind the first homecomer
what to start for supper. Or suggesting
where we’d like to order in
from. Our messages are acutely applicable.
Only the last phrase never
changes.
One of our kids believes his father routinely
rings up to “spy” on our broadcasts
and “uses the information
, against us.” There is a rumor that
strangers call and listen, living
vicariously through our exchanges.
While we do broadcast some uncommon
details, most of it is intended-audience-
specific. (’’You have reached ...
If you are calling about the saxophone,
please leave a message. If this is
Sharon, got your message, don’t let her
get you down. Kick her out! If this is
Mom, it’s not that Sharon.” Recently,
it’s been the loving voice of motherly
authority: “If this is Jose, marry her!
She can become a citizen!” We know
that message has not reached the son it
was directed to yet, but his brother made
us delete the part that said, “You’ve
never dated such a captivating,
smart, thoroughly lucid woman!”
(There is a rumor that the stranger who
calls to listen is this son’s ex.)
It’s not that we don’t answer our phone.
We do. When we’re home. But with exhilarating
careers, (I’m “in business”;
Jan sells rocks,) glittering social
obligations (like picking up a tin of
cookies at Kroger’s on the way to a potluck
civic association meeting to
discuss the deleterious effects that
the tortilla factory on the corner—
that was there before any of the civic-minded
homeowners were—is having
on our “property values”—like we
live in R.O!) and with kids who might better
accept free advice about love life
from a recorder than a real mother, the
machine satisfies an urgency.
We need it. We love it. We want you to call
it. But not after 10pm. Or ever on Tuesday
evening.
Tuesday’s our Date Night. The one evening
we honor sacrosanct. Just the two
of us. Alone. Quiet and amorous.
Recently we’ve felt so romantic that
we’re planning a wedding.
For Jose.
We hope he says “Yes.”
Call Jazz at 713-868-5153, extension
*2, and leave lots of unsolicited compliments,
invitations and praise on
her answering machine. If her wife, Jan,
answers, hang up !
National Women’s Vote Day
DEBORAH BELL
The Women’s Vote
Houston Area NOW celebrated “Women’s Equality Day" August
26 at Toopee's Coffees. Bruce Marquis, Democratic candidate
for Harris County Sheriff visited with the group
Project is a nonpartisan
voter outreach
coalition of a record
110 Women’s
organizations. In
an effort to target
Women’s Voters
through sophisticated
voter outreach,
grassroots activities,
and public education,
the group will
take part in voter registration,
education
and get out the
vote activities
through Election Day
on Nov. 5. The goal is
to make the women’s
vote the deciding
vote from local to national elections in
1996 and in every year thereafter.
On Saturday, Sept. 7 organizations
will have individual events to raise
funds and awareness. They are focusing
on women because after 76 years of having
the vote (August 26 was the anniversary
of the right for women to vote being
recognized by Congress), voting is
not yet a habit for women.
“As a non-partisan effort, the groups
efforts will ultimately benefit whichever
candidate or party most effectively
addresses women’s concern’s,”
says the group’s Houston Director,
Sueann Lorig. She further explained
that women are so disaffected by and
unhappy with the current Congress, the
group plans to let women know they have
more control in their lives by voting and
if they are unhappy they can effect change
by voting. Lorig emphasized that,
“Women candidates must address
women’s issues just as men candidates
must. Women do not vote a ticket just
because there is a woman on it.”
To get involved in the Houston coalition
of the Women’s Vote Project ‘96 call
the YWCA at 868-9922.
Hall
501(c)(3)
non-profit
corporation
PROCEEDS BENEFIT:
The Assistance Fund
Bering Care Center
Body Positive
The NAMES Project
Stone Soup
Tickets available
at all Ticketmaster
locations or by calling
i (713) 227-ARTS
” Ti I
For the Ultimate
in Camp!
The 28th Annual
Miss Camp America® Pageant
6 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996
SOLI TEIA
among
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Westheimer at Yoakum
Montrose’s best source for
books, magazines, cards,
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Crossroads Market
Monstrose’s largest
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Most videos only $1.50
for 5 days!
HOLLYWOOD
Take a Detour off
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GLAADlines
Windy City Suburb Blows
Off Anti gay Hate Crime
As Chicago authorities spit-polish
the city for the Democratic National
Convention, officials in a northerfl
suburb have swept a gritty hate crime
under the rug. Two Fox Lake teenagers
were recently charged with criminal
damage to property, criminal trespass
and violation of curfew for a
series of acts of harassment and intimidation
culminating in the August
18 smearing of human excrement on the
door of a gay male couple’s home. The
couple, Mark Manczko and his partner,
feel they are being forced to move
and many are questioning why police
did not immediately pursue hatecrime
charges against the 14-year-old
suspects. After pressure from gay
rights activists, the state attorney’s
office asked that police investigate4
further to determine whether enough
evidence existed to prosecute under
the hate-crime statute. For more information
contact Rick Garcia, Executive
Director of the Illinois Federation
for Human Rights at (312) 477-
7173.
UMOff UMIH MM3 CUB
fj $ f1 ■ 4 6}
jWcrkina Man Blues
Benefiting AVES
Sunday, SeptentBer 1st, 8pm
Jamie Roberts, candidate for Miss TGRA '97 presents
Monday, September 2, 3-6pm
BRB's Labor Day Buffet
(j fj ^6,'
HO Saturday, September 21, 3-6 pm
Houston Gay BBS Get Together
«« I (j
Sunday, September 22
Shelby St. John presents
"Hands Across the State"
Hope everyone has a
safe ftaypy Labor
Day Weehenrf
0 0 t)
Come On Down & Party with Vera May
"If You Dare" Tuesday-Friday, 7-Noon then
Stay with the rest of the gang
Marriage Miscarriage
In Mississippi
Lesbian and gay rights activists are
outraged by Mississippi Governor
Kirk Fordice’s executive order,
issued on August 22, which bans same-sex
marriages in the state. Gov. Fordice
claimed the purpose of the order
was to strengthen the state’s existing
sodomy law while preventing county
clerks from issuing marriage licenses
to lesbians and gay men and recognizing
such unions from other states.
Mississippi is the first state in the
nation to try to bar same-sex marriage
by executive order. According to
David Ingebretsen, the Executive
Director of the Mississippi chapter
of the American Civil Liberties
Union (ACLU), the state’s constitution
makes it clear that it is the legislature,
not the governor, who defines the
duties and authorities of county
clerks, and accused the governor of
pandering to the religious right. Such
a measure died in committee during
the last session of the state’s legislature.
For more information contact
Alan Klein, GLAAD’s Communica^
tion Director, at (212) 807—1700, ext.^
11 or e-mail at klein@glaad.org.
Cincinnati Trial Settled
Follow up: Cincinnati gay bookstore
The Pink Pyramid was recently put on
trial on obscenity charges for renting
world-renowned filmmaker Pier
Paolo Pasolini’s critically
acclaimed Salo: 120 Days of Sodom.
Citing heavy legal costs and time,
defendants in the case pleaded to a
lesser charge of attempted pandering
of obscenity and a $500 fine. By doing
so, The Pink Pyramid can continue to
rent and sell the film and will have all^
criminal charges dropped against itsW
employees. Leanne Katz, Executive
Director of the National Coalition
Against Censorship (NCAC) called
the move, “an imperfect victory, but a
victory nonetheless.” For ’ more
information contact Leanne Katz
(NCAC) at (212) 807-6222 or e-mail at
ncac@netcom.com.
VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://
www.glaad.org!
HOUSTON VOICE/ AUGUST 30, 1996 7
Drag
continued...
(Continued from page I)
takes a look and offers interesting insights to
the world of drag. Fun and readable, the
book examines the lives of some of the most
well known drag queens in their natural
habitat. Much of it is tongue in cheek, but
most of it is truly a guide for the lay person
to be introduced to what "drag" is all about.
The book essentially has three parts. The
first part is the history and examination,
including definitions which helps one to
understand these exotic creatures. A group
interview runs along the bottom of the pages
in this first half and is somewhat distracting.
I found myself reading both parts at the same
time, so had to force myself to just read the
first section and then the interview. The
other part of the book profiles individual
queens in two to three pages each. Lady
Bunny as the sole proprietress of the
enormously successful Wigstock, is
described as the most powerful drag queen
in New York. Also featured in the book,
from the clowns to the most glamorous are
Flloyd, Hapi Phace, Chicklet, Hedda
Lettuce, Miss Understood, Lypsinka, The
Misstress Formika, Linda Simpson, and Joey
Arias. The latter, it is noted, is known for her
sultry evocations of Billie Holiday.
The book offers explanations and many
intriguing ideas, some which were very
surprising to this reader, but it has no
apologies. One thing I did not expect from
this book was feminist theory discussions,
yet it was there along with all the camp. As
writer Fleisher states, "The silliest of
pranksters turn out to be a keen observer and
refined thinker." The reader is warned to be
prepared for either eventuality.
The success of several drag performers has
also opened drag to the more mainstream
world. Harvey Fierstein and Charles Busch,
are among the "Gay" identified drag
performers, who usually do their drag in
acting roles.
RuPaul has of course, given new
dimensions to the meaning of drag queen.
The movies, Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert and To Wong Foo, also
introduced drag to the general population
as never before. The days of men dressing
up in women's clothing, such as Milton
Berle, Flip Wilson, Dustin Hoffman and
Robin Williams—clearly show these
performers as being far beneath the status
of "queen".
Another book, called Drag Dolls is now
available. This is a book of "eight cut-out
drag queens and their fabulous, over the
top ensembles." The photographs and
illustrations by David Croland gives all of
us a chance to bring some glamour into
our lives. Each queen comes with her own
collection of garments, makeup, shoes,
and more. Lady Bunny, Joey Arias, Hedda
Lettuce and Raven-0 are among the
queens featured. A former paper doll
player and sometime fashion designer
myself, 1 think this book provides a
delightful opportunity to play. The dolls
could have been done on stiffer paper
stock (instructions advise you to affix the
dolls to lightweight cardboard) and the
cartoonish style works OK for the
garments, but I would have liked more
realistic looking "dolls." This book is from
Giftworks Chronicle Books through
Roundtable Press.
Please Support
AIDS Housing
Houston
(713) 520-9248
Church Calendar of Events
Friday-8/30
* “Your Sacred Self”—study group using the
best seller by Wayne Dyer. COME learn more
about your sacred self, sacred sisters & brothers,
& the sacred, loving Creator God who made
it so. At Kingdom Community Church 862-
7533
* Catholic Mass at 10:00 am at and Musicals
Friday Nite at 7 pm at Kolbe Project 522-8182
Saturday-8/31
* Services at 7:30 pm at Dignity Church 880—
2872
Sunday-9/1
* Maranatha Fellowship Metropolitan
Church Services “A Study in the Gospel of
Mark” and “The T’ Factor,” (How to be a positive
influence on others as a witness for Christ)
at 10:00 am Praise and Worship, Ministry of
the Word, Drama and Personal Ministry. 11:00
am at Maranatha Fellowship 528-6756
* MCCR worship services 9:00 am & 11:00 am
861-9149
* Worship Service 11:00 am at Faith and Hope
Fellowship 773-4429
* Grace Lutheran Church Sunday school for all
ages at 9:30 am Worship Service at 10:30 am
528-3269
* First Unitarian Universalist Church Sunday
Services at 9:30 am and 11:30 am 526-5200
* Services at 5:30 pm Dignity Church 880-2872
* Community Gospel Church worship service
at 11:00 am & 7:00 pm 1ST SERVICE IN NEW
LOCATION, 4305 LILLIAN 880-9235
* Houston Mission Church worship service at
10:30 am 529-8225
* Kingdom Community Church worship service
at 11:00 am Sunday School at 10:00 am 862-
7533 “The Celestine Prophecy, An Experiential
Guide” at 10:00 am
* Ecumenical Catholic Church Mass at 10:15
am 526-8095
* Covenant Baptist Church Worship service
1:30 pm and education hour at 3:00 pm 668-8830
* Bering Memorial United Methodist Church
Worship service. 10:50 am Seekers class 9:15
am 526-1017
Monday-9/2
* Catholic Mass at 7:30 pm Kolbe Project 522-
8182
* MCCR Handbell Choir Rehearsal at 7:00 pm
861-9149
Tuesday-9/3
* MCCR: Empowerment for Living support
group & pot luck dinner at 6:00 pm. Gloryland
Singers at 8:00 pm, The Gospel Ensemble at
6:00 pm 861-9149
* PROTECT meets at Bering Church. 520-7870.
* AIDS Affected Group meets at Community
Gospel Church. 7:00 pm 880-9235
* Small home groups meet to sing, share their faith
and pray for one another at 7:30 pm These groups
are open to all people. Maranatha Fellowship
at 528-6756 for location each week.
Wednesday 9/4
* MCCR Bible Study 7:30 pm 861-9149
* Worship Service 7:30 pm at Faith and Hope
Fellowship 773-4429
* MCCR: Jubilation Mixed Ensemble meets at
6:30 pm Midweek uplift service at 7:00 pm,
Bible Study, Lecture Series & Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm 861-9149
* “A Course in Miracles”—Study Group using
the book, published by the Foundation for
Inner Peace, which is aimed at removing the
blocks to our awareness of one’s presence.
Kingdom Community Church 7:30 pm 862-
7533.
* Ecumenical Catholic Church Mass at 7:00
pm 526-8095
* Small home groups meet to sing, share their faith
and pray for one another at 7:30 pm These groups
are open to all people. Maranatha Fellowship
at 528—6756 for location each week.
Thursday-9/5
* Bible Study 7 Pm At Faith And Hope Fellowship
773-4429
* Community Gospel Church worship service
7:30 pm 880-9325
* Healing Service and Anointing at Kolbe Project,
7:30pm. 522-8182
* Bible Study at MCCR. 7:30 pm. 861-9149.
* Pot Luck dinner at the Kolbe Project. 7:00 pm.
522-8182.
If you want an event listed in this section, please
call 529-8490 .
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
The Imperial Court presents*.' ’
AND THEY CAN IT PUPPY LOVE
Showtime at 9pm benefiting The Pet Patrol
Following the Show, stay with us for
SUNDAY FRENZY
MALE STRIP CONTEST
Wednesday
MALE
STRIP
11:00pm
BAD BOY
DANCERS
7 NIGHTS
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THE GENTRY
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EVERYDAY UNTIL 7pw
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Cl 50 WELL l./V COCKTAILS
(£1 JC DOMESTIC
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$5.50 ABSOLUT
MARTINIS
The ordy MEwbERship requirement is youR presence.
SOIREE AUBERGINE
RAFFLE TICKETS
AVAILABLE at GENTRY
Win up to 3 sets of two tickets
each for
WORLD TEAM TENNIS
Hosted by ELTON JOHN
and BILLIE JEAN KING
TICKET PRICES ARE $2.00 EACH
or 3 FOR $5.00
DRAWING ON SEPTEMBER 8
NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN
2303 RICHMOND AVENUE 520-1861
8 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996 It!
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®j^by Glen Webber
Stress Relief
Thank you for your many inquiries on my
health. The last three weeks I have felt
great. I don’t know what it is, it could be the
new medicine I’m on. But whatever it is,
I’m grateful for it. I can’t tell you how good
it feels to wake up every morning and be
ready to start my day. I’m actually getting
out of the apartment every day for a while to
do things. I feel like I am accomplishing
things and that is giving me confidence.
I have also decided to go to the gym. The City
of Houston’s Multi-Purpose Service
Center on West Gray has a very nice gym. It
is time to do something, I figured. Of
course, no heavy lifting, but I do stretching
exercises. That will get me ready to do
weights. Working out will take away a lot of
my stress. I tend to stress myself out over
everything, and that is something I need
to learn to control.
One thing that has caught my attention
lately is the news about Protease Inhibitors.
If you are not familiar with them, they
are drugs that are designed to stop the
growth of the HIV virus in the body. In studies
being done across America, men have
shown remarkable growth in their T-cell
count. They report feeling better and
having more energy. Stopping the growth
of the virus is a great idea. While it is not a
cure, it gives new hope to people like
myself. With my T-cells under 100, anything
to raise them would be great.
Of course, for every person who does wel
on the drug, you can find one who does
poorly. Not,all inhibitors are alike. There
are three different types. Two can be purchased
through prescriptions, and one
must be purchased through the manufacturer
in Pennsylvania. And keep in mind,
the cost of these wonder drugs is very
expensive. You might spend $400 a month
on the pills.
Is it worth it? For me it is, if I can use my
insurance. Otherwise, I can’t afford
$400 a month, so my only choice would be noi
to use these drugs. I hope that doesn’t happen.
The research material on Protease
Inhibitors is very technical. I apologize
for not being able to give you more
information on them. Most doctors feel
these pills are the best hope for persons
with AIDS. The two main concerns about
them, are the resistance to the virus and
failure of long-term success. Many of
those in the test studies find their T-cells
reverting back to the level they were at the
start of the studies.
But I’m sure these are temporary problems.
As time goes on, there will be ways of
dealing with these problems. I am willing
to take any risk necessary if they will help
me. Like all of you, I want to get better.
Glen Webber is a person living with AIDS
and working to improve his life everyday .
Bayou City Boys Club Raises
$22,000
Member hosts of the Bayou City Boys Club collect their thoughts outside the Garden in
the Heights party location prior to the Hurricane '96 party
Party Hardy, Give
Generously
The Houston Community has weathered
another turbulent event, as Hurricane
Dolly threatened Texas and the Gulf o
Mexico, the Bayou City Boys Club (BCB )
Hurricane ‘96 came ashore in Houston
Saturday August 24 at the Garden in the
Heights.
A benefit fundraiser for the American
Red Cross HIV/AIDS Education Project,
Omega House and The Assistance un ,
this torrential extravaganza produced
cataclysmic donations in excess of
$22,000.
More than 950 braved the elements to help
the temperature rise! In the eye of the
storm, direct from Los Angeles, was DJ
Mike Mitchell. Also assisting the BCBC in
the disaster relief Was Bud Light After
Shock and WET.
On behalf of the beneficiaries of Hurricane
96 BCBC would like to thank all those
who made this part possible, including
Houstonians and all of their out-of-town
rien s or making this event so success-io
™»riWOUr t0 make sure you are on the
BCBC mailmg list> p|ease cal] 520-5253.
Focus sroup - WAMteb
participants to critique and give direction to The Houston Voice. For
details call 529-8490. Leave name and phone number.
HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996 9 S0QT ■!ni
i nai is c
by Gays C
ties, and z\
in several of the smaller, some newly
formed parties. Our sexual orientation
should not automatically transcend
us into other issues that place us into
a specific political affiliation unless
we concur with the organizations
entire dictum.
The Democratic party has traditionally
supported gay rights and the Republican
party for the most part has ignored
the subject (with the exception of the
right wing fanatics, whose views most
registered Republicans do not agree
with). This should not be construed as a
means for only aligning ourselves with
the Democrat party. Rather, it should
reinforce the following: 1) We need to
make sure that the Democratic party does
not take our support for granted, as has
been the case recently; and 2) We need to
make sure that we continue to make
inroads into the Republican party to
negate the propaganda that the religious
right is hurling towards. Regardless
of your political affiliation, the
Republican party may be the majority
party in future elections and it is sheer
folly not to attempt to gain proper representation
in one of the two major political
forces of our country.
Laying all of our eggs in one basket is ar
ill-fated paradigm that will reign pejo
rative repercussions. The Democrat:
have had control of the Congress for the
last 40 years prior to 1994. During tha
time what significant piece of legisla
tion have they passed for our community
They lead us to believe that they can tell u:
what we want to hear and lo-and-behold
they think we will be good little soldiers
Unfortunately, they are correct. Wha
possible incentive do the Democrat:
have to fight for our rights when we have
made it perfectly clear that we will uncon
ditionally support them. If the Demo
crats put as much effort into our issues a:
they do those of the African-Americai
community to retain our votes, we wouk
have already had our equal rights. The
African American community wouic
not tolerate their neglect and the party
knows it. If we truly want to gain politically,
we are going to have to clearly demonstrate
that our votes cannot, nor will
they be, taken for granted.
If our community wants to continue with
the status quo, then we are on the righl
course. Keep in mind, however, there is a
reason we have not made as many inroads
as we would like to have obtained since
Stonewall. There is also a reason we de
not have the influence at the polls we
would like to think we have. The reason is
simple. We are not united for a commor
cause. You cannot exclude individuals
with a common ground whose views are
different on other issues from participating
in the process. Either we are
fighting for gay and lesbian civil rights
or we are fighting ideology. We need to
work together to advance the former and
leave the latter to other organizations
If we want to be a powerful minority with
an impact on national policy, then we need
to create alliances with all the players
We already have representation in the
Democratic party and it is importan
that we maintain that affiliation. It i:
equally as important that we attempt to d(
the same with the Republican party
regardless of how difficult the task ma;
be. Nothing worth having is easily
obtained. In order to do so, we must dis
mantle the postulate conjecture o
equating homosexuality with liberalism.
This is not to say that all Gay and
Lesbians should be conservative,
rather, we should merely be more open and
inclusive of disparity. After all, isn’t
that what we seek from our adversaries?
Curt Morrison is the pseudonym for an
active member of the Log Cabin Republicans.
Next week: Deborah Bell’s "In My
Own Voice” offers a counterpoint to
issues raised in this column .
United We Stand?
It is commonplace to receive resistance
from individuals whose beliefs contradict
yours entirely. Suffice it to say
’ that being a gay Republican does not bode
well with all Republicans, especially
the religious right faction, nor does it
bode well with many in our community.
Unfortunately, gay Republicans
receive just as much resistance and ridicule
from their own community as they do
from their adversaries.
Contrary to popular opinion, it is not a
contradiction in terms to be Gay and
conservative. The notion that all homosexuals
are liberal is an axiom whose
origins derive from society’s desire to
categorize all individuals into a
class. It is a nebulous concept, which
fosters an inaccurate perception of a
group as individuals who are unable to
think for themselves. The net effect of
such categorization is that it can have
serious consequences, if not
redressed.
Similarly, the generalization of
assuming that all Republicans are right
wing radicals and all Democrats are left
wing fanatics is equally ludicrous.
These elements are fringe groups who
happen to be the most organized, outspoken
and well-financed, hence their
prominence within their respective
party apparatus and the public sector.
Most people do not fit into either category.
They are called moderates or centrists.
Unfortunately, they do not get as
involved in the grassroots of politics
because they are not as passionate about
their politics as their extremist counterparts.
The truth of the matter is that the majority
of minorities in America do not belong to
the organizations which purport to
represent them. Does this mean that they
do not care about their heritage or issues
that have a direct bearing on their day to
day lives? Of course not. It simply means
I that they do not agree with all of the political
positions that these organizations
espouse.
It is not anti-gay to have conservative
views and all conservatives do not hate
homosexuals. Granted most Lesbians
and Gays identify themselves as Democrats,
but the fact of the matter is that there
are also many in our community who want
major government reform. They want
less taxation. They want less government
regulation. They support capital
punishment. They believe in individual
responsibility. They want welfare
and medicare reform. These issues
have nothing to do with one’s sexual proclivities
and therefore should not be
coalesced with the likes.
Like it or not, the pendulum of public
opinion has been tilting towards conservatism
for several years now and
does not appear to be reverting back to liberalism.
If that were the case. President
Clinton would not be campaigning
on conservative themes in order to win
elections. The public is fed up with
crime high taxes, government interference,
rampant rises in drug usage
(78% during the last four years according
to a government report released this
week) and a legal system that favors criminals
rights over those of the victims.
We, as a community, are part of that
American public and it is incumbent
upon us to make sure that we address all
issues.
It is imperative for our community to
have a voice that resonates across the
political spectrum. Democrat and
Republican. Our minority status is
based upon the premise that we all share
the same sexual orientation. We should
insist that both parties address our civil
liberties and quest for equality. That is
currently being accomplished t
and Lesbians in both major part
regular
second
off! "
Does vjour bwisness
neeb a boost?
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10 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996
Come look what the LORD has done!
iccsm "A ^udt
Sunday • 11:00am
7:00pm
Tuesday • 7:00pm
Thursday • 7:30pm
4305 Lillian
Houston, Texas 77007
(one block south of Washington
on Thompson at Lillian)
PRAISE & WORSHIP
EVENING SERVICE
AIDS Affected Group
MIDWEEK SERVICE
Signed for the Deaf
(713) 0-4235
Catch The Bering Spirit -
A Place for Everyone
Bering Memorial
United Methodist Church
A Reconciling Congregation
Where persons - regardless of sexual orientation, gender,
ethnicity, age - fully participate in the church's life and
ministries as loved disciples of Christ.
Sunday School.... 9:30 am
Sunday Worship ... 10:50 am
1440 Harold
at Mulberry (713) 526"1017
ASK THE PASTOR
Q: 7 am bisexual and struggling with how to live my life.
How can 1 deal with the feelings inside?"
A: God has created such a diversity of people and sexual
orientations in this world. One of the most critical elements
of our growth and development as people is learning
who we are and how to celebrate this. Most children
upon reaching puberty begin to discover their sexual orientation
by learning what gender they are attracted to
sexually and socially. If you are around people who talk
Rev Janet Parker freely ab°Ut SCXUaI orientation and have no difficulties
with diversity, you will probably have an easier time understanding
yourself If, however, you find yourself surrounded by homophobic
people, you will have a much more difficult time in learning about yourself
Oppression tends to force people to act out, or hide and keep secrets. It is important
for you to know that being bisexual is the way you were made by God. There is no
shame in being bisexual. What might be confusing to you is to know what to do
when you are attracted to both sexes. A good way to look at it is to realize that the
world offers great choices to you. Being bisexual means that you are capable of
having a fulfilling relationship with either male or female. Just as a heterosexual
person will find the opposite sex attractive to them, it does not mean that they will
have a relationship with everyone of the opposite sex. The same applies for the homosexual.
Being homosexual does not imply that all people of your same gender
are fair game and that you can have as many relationships or encounters as you
want.
Defining one's sexual orientation simply defines the choices for relationships that
will bring you fulfillment. As a bisexual, consider yourself blessed. As you go
through life, you will have the option of falling in love with a person. For you, it
will not matter whether they are male or female. The movie, "Yentl" revealed that
people fall in love with people, not a gender. It is difficult if you fall in love with a
man a woman at the same time. This is where responsibility comes in. No matter
what a person's sexual orientation, each person must guard their heart. Knowing
that you have the option to fall in love with anyone leaves you in a place of great responsibility.
A good recommendation would be for you to sit down and determine
your value system. Determine what is most important to you. Establish priorities
and decide to live by them. Be a person of integrity. Decide to love one person at a
time. This will help to eliminate confusion. Learn to be focused. Confusion comes
when we try to have more, enjoy more and be more than what we were created for.
Take things one step at a time. Be patient with yourself Ask God to show you how
to live your life so that you can find the most fulfillment and satisfaction. I believe
that you will find the peace you are looking for. God desires for you to understand
who you are and how God made you. It really is possible!!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE PASTOR A QUESTION, WRITE:
REV. JANET PARKER, MARANATHA FELLOWSHIP MCC, P.O. BOX
667032, HOUSTON, TX. 77266-7932
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KOLBE PROJECT
A house of spirituality and ministry
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Catholic Mass - Every Mon. 7:30pm - Wed. 8:30am - Fri. 10am
1509 Fairview Street • (Montrose) • Houston, Texas 77006
Additional Parking on Hyde Park cul-de-sac.
(713) 522-8182
Thurs., September 5, 7:00pm
POT LUCK DINNER
Community Concerns by
Dr. Charles Perroncel:
Stress Reduction Workshop
September 6, 7:00pm
OPERATIME FRIDAY NIGHT
"Domingo Scotto"
Thurs., September 12, 7:30pm
Prayers for Healing
and Anointing
September 13, 7:00pm
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"Philadelphia"
Movies provided courtesy of LOBO
ixiciropoinan
Community Church
PRAISING • TEACHING
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^An evangelical ministry
with celebration services
of Praise, Prayer and
Study of God’s word.
Bible Class: 10am
3400 Montrose, Suite 600
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For info, on weekly home groups, call l 528-6756 >
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In the Heights 1307 Yale
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HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996 11
PLAIN SPEAKING
by Larry Lingle
Repeatedly these days I come across an
admonition to businesses in these competitive
consumer times that “Customer
Service” is the key to survival. If
that is true then I have met the enemy and it is
called “Customer Service.”
Being one of those pre-TV, pre-baby boomers,
I was raised with a newspaper in my
hand every morning. These days that
actually means three papers—one with
breakfast, one with coffee and the last for
contemplation. And, yes, each paper
has its place. And recently all three have
committed that unpardonable sin of
failing to arrive.
Now in some cases you might suspect that
someone made off with the offending
newsprint. However, my yard is totally
fenced—the first perimeter of self
defense, followed by an alarm system
supplemented with four dogs. And if you
think perhaps this is overkill consider
that next door to me is a “coffee shop”
which is only open at night, all night, and is
patronized by individuals whose
seemingly mellow demeanor belies the
intake of caffeine.
Naturally, with each failure of a newspaper
to appear, I called “customer
service” which, after satisfying a
couple of recorded requests to punch
something, a disinterested voice asked
for my last name, to which they then
responded with my address and phone
number, both already well known to me.
Only after this point did “customer service”
ask the problem. Well, short of complaining
about the previous day’s editorials
or the abundance of ads, I
informed this disemboweled voice that I
had not received my paper that morning.
I would think at this point these “customer
service” folks could be programmed
to say “sorry.” Instead comes
the mechanical assurance that a paper
would be delivered between 10am and
2pm. Fine, but even I am usually at work by
that time (okay, LOBO employees, so I’m
fudging a bit). Now, “customer service”
does usually offer to extend my
credit instead of a late paper. How about
both and call it “customer service.”
But it’s not just newspapers. Competition
among long-distance providers has
wrought intrusiveness. If you hold a
credit card you are bound to have received a
call starting off by thanking you for using
(fill in the blank with your favorite card)
and noting “how happy we are to offer you
(fill in the blank with your least favorite
long-distance carrier).
And how about these new telephone voice
directories? My favorite is the company
that, after offering me about umpteen
choices from which I pick one, then
switches me back to the beginning message.
Talk about a run-around.
As long as a company’s “customer service”
has you isolated on the phone your
response is limited. There is always the
ploy of asking for a supervisor—they all
have supervisors. However, this is
rarely satisfying. I recently found such
a supervisor who was only slightly more
informative than his underling, so I
asked for his supervisor. Being my business’s
credit card clearing house, he
actually worked for a bank (the clearing
house is in Memphis, the bank in Chicago—
you figure). He informed me that
above him there was only the bank president.
I asked for him. I’m still waiting to
hear back.
I would hazard a guess that the only time
that “customer service” truly works, at
least with large companies, is when consumers
can gang up on the big boys, like
class-action suits over breast implants or
tobacco related ailments.
An interesting example of consumer
power occurred recently when Serono-
Laboratories sought approval from the
Federal Drug Administration for Sero-stim,
a form of human-growth hormone,
which curbs the wasting effect of AIDS.
Serono, by the way, is but a subsidiary of
Ares-Serono of Switzerland—amazing
how many drug companies are European
owned.
Originally Serono planned to seek the
standard approval route which is more
time consuming than the newer accelerated
program urged for most AIDS-related
drugs. So ACT UP Golden Gate—
yes, Virginia, there are still activists out
there—presented Serono with its
“Golden Urn” award at the recent Vancouver
AIDS conference. The award is a
funeral urn filled with kitty litter. In any
event, Serono agreed to the accelerated
procedure.
Next ACT UP Golden Gate discovered
that Serono’s plan for treatment carried a
yearly price tag of $72,000. That for one
drug among many did not make for happy
campers. So ACT UP Golden Gate, led by
Jeff Getty—remember of the baboon marrow
fame—forced Serono President,
Hisham Samra, to sit down and talk turkey.
Samra realized he needed ACT UP support
before FDA approval (thanks to years
of ACT UP activism and a Democratic
appointee helming FDA) and ACT UP
wanted a cap on the price. Serono got its
approval and ACT UP got the price whacked
in half. Now that’s “customer service.”
Granted, I have yet to figure out how to
apply this lesson to my troubles with
newspaper delivery. Perhaps I can
unite other paper patrons to form an ACT
UP group to passionately protest passive
paper throwers. Or maybe “customer
service” is as passe’ as a human
voice on the telephone. But behind every
computer-generated message somewhere
lurks a programmer. The question
then becomes have you ever known a programmer
with human qualities. Not.
Larry Lingle is the owner of LOBO Bookshop
on Montrose Blvd. He contemplates
life and forms opinions as he reads
his papers, when he gets them .
The Houston Voice welcomes well-written, insightful and to the point
commentaries for our opinion/editorial pages. "Counterpoint" articles
representing a different view on issues already covered are encouraged. We
reserve the right to edit for length, format and clarity. The views expressed
in guest commentaries and letters to the editor are those of the writers. We
seek to provide a broad-based forum which reflects the varying points of
view of our rich and diverse community. Submissions must be type
written, and/or provided on a IBM formatted disc with the document saved
as text/ascii. Letters should be no longer than 200 words, articles should be
500 to 1000 words in length. While they may be published anonymously at
the writer's request, their name, address and phone number must be
included - any submissions without this information will not be considered
for publication. Selection for publication is at our discretion. Sent to Editor,
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12 HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996
by Jon Anthony
Arsenio Hall returns to network television next
season in a romantic comedy produced by
DreamWorks that set off an intense bidding war
between ABC and Fox. ABC won. The as yet
untitled sitcom will star Hall as a newly wed
sportscaster. Vivica Fox (Independence Day)
will portray his wife and the sitcom will primarily
focus on their home life. ABC has committed to
a 13 episode order for the series and has agreed
to cover the entire cost at a whopping $900,000
per episode. Fox had offered an unprecedented
35 episode commitment. The show is slated as a
midseason replacement.... Barbara Walters
taped her exclusive interview with Margot
Kidder last week for the season premiere of
20/20 slated to air Sept. 6. Kidder will discuss in
detail the circumstances surrounding her
disappearance last April which culminated with
her being found disoriented in a yard in Glendale,
CA. Things are looking up for Kidder, after
taping a guest appearance on NBC's Boston
Common, playing an eccentric drama teacher,
she's been asked to be in four more episodes....
Not to be outdone, Walter’s ABC News
colleague, Diane Sawyer announced last week
that she has also snared an exclusive interview
for her series, PrimeTime Live, season debut.
Sawyer will chat with the Duchess of York....
Don't fret. If you're one of the many fans of
novelist/columnist Carl Hiaasen and you've just
purchased the paperback version of his latest
bestseller, Stormy Weather, you may have bought
a copy that is missing the epilogue. Apparently
the initial printing of the book omitted the
epilogue due to a typesetting error. If you
happened to purchase an incomplete copy, you
can contact Warner Books at 800-759-0190 and
they will gladly send you _____________
a complimentary copy
free of charge.
Incidentally, Hiaasen will ’ <* <21“
visit with Lauren
Hutton on her latenight ' ••• ‘ ;.
talk show. Lauren Hutton > '
and. .. Tuesday
e v c n i n g ■ W e d n e > d a y ’
morning at lam on UPN ■I*'•
affiliate Channel 20....
Prior to superstardom.
Sandra Bullock, made a film titled Lost
Paradise co-starring Graig Sheffer. Paradise
marked Bullock's debut as a lead in a film role.
The producer, Roger Corman, held back the
release of the film to see how the careers of the
two then-unknown actors would pan out.
Needless to say with Bullock's recent successes,
Corman has decided to release the film and
plans to do so this year in specialized theaters as
a cinema art film. Paradise, shot on location in
Peru, is about the destruction of the Amazon
rain forest.... Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest
musical production will debut in the U.S. rather
than Britain, as is custom with the legendary
composer. Whistle Down the Wind, based on the
1961 British film starring Hayley Mills will
open at the national Theater in Washington, DC,
for a nine-week engagement Dec. 6. The
musical makes its Broadway debut next April.
Webber collaborated on the project with
producer/director Harold Prince and lyricist
Jim Steinman, who has penned hits for Bonnie
Tyler. Meat Loaf and Celine Dion. .. All My
Children heartthrob Keith Hamilton Cobb has
announced he'll be leaving the top rated ABC
soap. Cobb describes his character, Noah, as
being a ’’wallpaper, milquetoast guy with no
depth," and indicated that he could no longer
portray him convincingly and maintain acting
credibility.... The latest television classic to
receive the big-screen treatment is Lost in
Space. New Line Cinema is developing the
project based on the 1965 to 1968 CBS series
about a family that was adrift in Alpha Centauri
co-starring Guy Williams and June Lockhart.
The film is in pre-production and is expected to
have the latest in high-tech effects. No word yet
on casting.... R.E.M. has re-signed with Warner
Bros. Records for five more albums that will
purportedly add $80 million to the groups
coffers. The sixth and final album under their
old contract with the label, New Adventures in
Hi-Fi, is slated for release later this year....
Steven Bocho has relented and succumbed to
critical pressure concerning his upcoming CBS
fall sitcom Public Morals and is toning down
the language content. As we reported in TNT
several months ago. the sitcom contained
language that was deemed offensive and sexist.
The most randy phrase - pussyposse - which
caused the most controversy was cut from the
pilot episode among others because it was
offensive to most women who objected to the
slang reference to the female anatomy.... Pop
music superstar Sting will be featured on
Storytellers, VH-l's acclaimed series featuring
intimate live performances. Sting’s appearance
on the show will air Sept. 1 at 9pm, during the
networks 'Best of VH-1' Labor Day weekend.
Future Storytellers will spotlight Melissa
Etheridge and the Black Crowes ... The sixth
and final installment of Stephen King's The
Green Mile series titled Coffey on the Mile
(Signet, $3.99), has just been released and is
available where books are sold, preferably at
Crossroads Market or Lobo Bookstores.... Tom
Hanks hosts and Tom Petty performs on the
season premiere of
NBC's Saturday Night |
Live Sept. 28. Hanks |
will plug his new film, |
That Thing You Do and
Petty will sing»
selections from the |
She's The One film 4
Soundtrack, his latest |
release. One was just |
released in theater's
nationwide and was produced by Robert
Redford.... Marshall Crenshaw (Miracle of
Science), Trisha Yearwood (Everybody
Knows) and the cast of Broadway's smash
musical Rent (Original Cast Album featuring
guest vocalist Stevie Wonder) released new
CD's last week, currently available at most
music outlets... Christopher Darden taped an
episode of CBS' Touched by an Angel, marking
his acting debut. Darden portrays a preacher in
the episode which is tentatively set to air in
October. .. Making the Rounds: La Toya
Jackson visits Rolanda Monday Sept. 2 at 9am
on CBS affiliate Channel 11. A&E's Biography
series profiles some of TV's funniest comedians
this week: Tim Alien. Jack Benny. Roseanne.
Danny Thomas and Mary Tyler Moore.
Biography airs Monday through Friday at 7pm
and encores at 11pm..... John F. Kennedy Jr.
talks with Oprah Tuesday Sept. 3 at 4pm on
Channel 11. Bestselling author Elmore Leonard
(Get Shorty) talks about his-latest book on CBS'
This Morning Sept. 4 at Sam. Wynona guest on
Regis & Kathie Lee Sept. 4 at Sam on Fox
affiliate Channel 26. Whoopi Goldberg guests
on David Letterman Sept. 4 at 10:35pm on
Channel 11 and chats with Rosie O'Donnell the
next morning, Sept. 5 at 9am on Channel 13.
Patti LuPone appears on O'Donnell's show Sept.
6. Author/Humorist extraordinaire Art
Buchwald makes a rare television appearance on
CNN's Larry King Live Sept. 6 at 8pm....
Milestones: Publicist Chen Sam died Sunday.
Sam, a longtime spokeswoman and personal
confidante of Elizabeth Taylor, died in her home
after a long bout with cancer. Through the years,
she had many Hollywood clients including Joan
Collins, Raquel Welch, Vendela and Donald
Trump. O.V. "Mooney" Lynn died last week
due to a long battle with diabetes. Mooney was
legendary country western singer Loretta Lynn's
husband. The Oscar-winning film, Coal Miner's
Daughter, starring Sissy Spacek as Loretta and
Tommy Lee Jones as Mooney, depicted the
couple's life. He was 69.... Top of the Charts:
The Island of Dr. Moreau, starring Marlon
Brando and Vai Kilmer floated to the top of the
box-office taking in $9.1 million over the
weekend. Tin Cup was second and A Very Brady
Sequel debuted at No. 3. NBC's Seinfeld again
topped the weekly A.C. Nielsens ratings. Los Del
Rio's Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) and Alanis
Morissette's Jagged Little Pill respectively
remain at the top of the
singles and album charts
according to Billboard
magazine. Anne Rice's
new tome. Servant of the
Bones (Knopf) is the #1
fiction title in the
country (see review
soon in the Houston
Voice) and Scott
Adams' The Dilbert
Principle re-claims the #1 position on the nonfiction
list, according to the New York Times
best-seller list. Quote of the Week: "1 thought I
loved him. Now 1 know I do. "-Oprah after
interview with the younger JFK.
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HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996 13
Film Review
Duane Boutte (center) as Bostonia with The Divas in Stonewall
“Swoon,” “Poison,”
“Safe,” “I SHOT ANDY
WARHOL;” to name just a
few.) His idea: to transform
Martin Duberman’s social
history Stonewall into the
first film about the historic
riot which kicked off the modern
day Gay Rights Movement.
In the stories of Stonewall,
Finch saw the potential
for both riveting drama and
moving history; in Vachon,
the skill of an experienced
producer who has an incredible
ability to bring projects
from paper to the big screen.
With the backing of Arena, the
BBC’s premiere music and
arts series, Vachon and Finch
time to begin the difficult process of casting.
Given that two key roles and numerous support
ones called for men in full drag, not yet a fashionable
theme in the commercial film world,
the job was certainly a challenge. Given the
excellent script and clearly compelling subject
matter, “Stonewall” drew interest from
the film community all over New York City.
Guillermo Diaz (’’Party Girl’) captured the
leading role of La Miranda. Playing opposite
him is Julliard graduate Frederick Weller,
in his first leading film role. Supporting
cast members were drawn from some of the most
talented actors in New York, including Duane
Boutte of Broadway’s “Carousel.”
As pre-production progressed, some seemingly
insurmountable obstacles presented
themselves. Most notably, the owner of the
actual Stonewall Inn would not allow the crew
to use the bar as a location for shooting. This
film for a couple of hours each day. He saw the
film through to a final cut, but on Feb. 14, 1995,
he succumbed to AIDS. Before he died, he
assigned his long-time colleague, executive
producer Anthony Wall, and Vachon to see the
film through completion. With the dedication
of John Richards, the film editor, Nigel’s
work carried on without him, his vision continuing
to guide the project.
Vachon commented later on the project,
“Shooting the film was a delight. Nigel was
seeing the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. He
brought a palpable ebullience to the set
every day that was contagious. Nigel was open
about his HIV positive status, but he was not
directing ‘Stonewall’ as if it was going to be his
final work. Both Nigel and I thought ‘Stonewall’
would be the first of many features we
would do together.
Stonewall
By K. DAVID COCHRAN
No film in recent queer cinema has been so
widely anticipated as the Strand Releasing/
BBC Films production of ’’Stonewall.” Not
the amusing, yet lacking “Jeffery.” Not the
cute, yet troubled “To Wong Foo..” Not even
the mega-money making “Birdcage.” These
films will undoubtedly take their places in
queer history, but “Stonewall” takes queer
history and makes it live with a truth lacking in
these other films.
“Stonewall” is a semi-fictional account of a
pivotal moment in the history of the modern
day Gay Rights Movement: the drag queen-led
riots outside the Stonewall Inn in New York’s
Greenwich Village in 1969. It was these riots
that gave birth to gay rights today, and this
moment in history is commemorated every
June around the world as Gay and Lesbian Pride
Day. “Stonewall” follows the lives of a halfdozen
gay New Yorkers in the weeks leading up
to the riots. It examines the police harassment,
the mafia control of gay bars, and the general
oppression faced by gay men and women
before the Gay Rights Movement began in earnest.
As the film begins, young Matty Dean arrives at
the Port Authority, ready to begin an incredible
adventure in the big city that not even he can
anticipate. He soon finds his way to the Stonewall
Inn—not exactly a “gay” bar, but a bar
where drag queens and other homosexuals
can gather without excessive fear of the
police. Still, that night the police stage a raid on
the bar, and Matty soon learns his first lesson in
tyranny, as the cops shake down the clientele,
arresting some (including Matty, who stuck up
for the queens) and sending others to the washroom
to clean the make-up off their faces.
While in jail, Matty befriends the young
Puerto Rican drag queen La Miranda. The two
are bailed out by the grande dame of them all,
Bostonia, who is secretly involved with the
bar’s Mafia manager, Skinny Vinnie.
Matty Dean and La Miranda hit it off and become
lovers, of sorts. Later, Matty attends a meeting
of the Mattachine Society, a group of
older, slightly more conservative homosexuals
who want to change society, but in a
gradual, non-threatening way. It is here that
Matty meets Ethan, a slightly confused activist
who is not nearly as radical as the younger,
angrier Matty.
Over the next few days, we meet the other characters,
including La Miranda s friends Mizz
Moxie’and Helen Wheels. La Miranda has been
called up for service in Vietnam, and Matty
accompanies her to a military induction
center where, needless to say, she is rejected
when her papers are stamped “Sexual Deviant.”
Matty becomes more and more politically
involved. He visits a half-dozen bars one night
with his friends and a Village Voice reporter,
trying NOT to get served alcohol (serving
gays at the time was against the law,) and he
attends a gay rights demonstration at Philadelphia’s
Independence Hall.
Finally, all of this leads up to that fateful warm
June night in 1969-the night of the day they buried
Judy Garland—when the police carried out
just one too many raids on the Stonewall Inn.
After seeing the repression and violence that
surrounded the gay life in the late 60’s, we can
feel the rage in these young men’s blood as they
move to resist the cops. As Bostonia says to one
of the arresting officers: “Don’t push me,
Mary. I’m not in the mood.” And the rest—the
fighting, the bottle throwing, the smashed
windows, fires and arrests is (gay) history.
“Stonewall” had it’s beginnings in 1993, as
Nigel Finch, the award-winnmg British
director of “The Lost Language of the
Cranes,” brought an interesting propos.-
tion to American independent film powerhouse
Christine Vachon (producer of
commissioned the award
winning British playwright Rikki Beadle
Blair to write the script; a fictionalization
of some of the themes of Ouberman’s text. A natural
choice to conceptualize the difficult
and highly specific period sets was Therese
DePerez, the skilled designer who created the
sets for Tom Kalin’s stylized “Swoon” and
Steve McLean’s haunting “Postcards from
America.” To shoot the script, Nigel brought
from London experienced cinematographer
Chris Seger, who worked with Finch on
“The Vampyr: A Soap Opera (now on video,)
which won the prestigious Prix Italiain 1993.
Once the principal crew was secured, it was
required the art department to pull off an
incredible feat—to recreate not only the
bar, but Sheridan Square of the late 60’s in a
remote corner, of the Meat Packing District of
Lower Manhattan. In addition, leafless
trees and icy wind threatened to betray the
crew’s effort to duplicate the steamy late June
season when the riots actually happened.
As the shooting drew to a close. Finch was
becoming unable to work without showing
signs of exhaustion and illness dues to AIDS-related
complications. In post-production,
which took, place in London, the editing
equipment was moved to Nigel’s home, where
he was only able to focus on the progress of his
‘Stonewall’ is about so many things—sexual
identity, gender politics, the political
dialectic of change. But most of all it is a wonderful,
stylish and enthralling story.
‘Stonewall’ is the legacy of a tremendously
talented, vital man. I am grateful it is such and
enduring one.”
“Stonewall” had it’s American premiere
June 30, 1996 at the 20th Annual San Francisco
International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
It opens Sept. 6th at the Landmark River Oaks
Theatre.
Next Week: an interview with Guillermo Diaz,
Stonewall’s La Miranda
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14 HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996
ETCHED IN MEMORY.
PRESERVED IN GRANITE.
THE AIDS MEMORIAL
BOOK.
It's made of solid granite and bordered "panels" in
which you can inscribe the name and date of your
departed family member or friend. Proceeds are
donated to AIDS charities through an advisory board
composed of local leaders in AIDS-related services. To
make an appointment to see the terrace, call a Forest
Park Lawndale representative at 921-6623.
The Foundation for Interfaith
Research sc Ministry and
Forest Park Lawndale
710 Pacific Street Houston, Tx. 713/523-0213
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\/ Letters to the Editor
Voice Not Deserving
FROM MARK LEWIS
Your self-serving “article” about the
Montrose Walgreens (August 23) was off-base.
It was absolutely ridiculous for you
to print that your Constitutional rights of
free speech are violated because Walgreens
makes OutSmart available in their
store and not the Houston Voice . Huh?
Since when does free speech equate with
forcing a private business to carry your
publication?
The Houston Voice may not be willing to
recognize that publications like Out-
Smart and The Texas Triangle are a notch
above. I certainly would not distribute it
in my business. Why? Because you devote
two pages every week to Carolyn Robert’s
column which actively reinforces every
negative gay stereotype in the book.
Because a majority of your advertising is
for strip shows, porn flicks, phone sex,
prostitutes, bath houses, adult book
stores and penis enlargements. These ads
do not represent the interests of the
majority of Gay and Lesbian people in
Houston.
At least TWT does not claim to be anything
but a bar rag, and they limit their distribution
to appropriate locations. The Houston
Voice , on the other hand, presents itself
as. a professional newspaper. It is not.
Then you have the nerve to ask the community
to pressure Walgreens to carry a publication
which degrades us. Our efforts
would be better spent on actively supporting
quality publications that treat our
community with respect. OutSmart and
the Triangle deserve the community’s
backing. The Houston Voice has a long way
to go.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mark, sorry you feel that
way. Our advertisers last week include: a
; car wash; a computer co., AC Repair; a
clothing store; a printer; traffic dismissal
class; a loan management co., a
therapist; 8 churches; a doctor; 11 bars; 3
pharmaceutical companies; a viatical
co.; a restaurant; 3 liquor ads, 2
bookstores; a college of cosmetology;
2 tire stores/car repair; a mortuary; apartments;
a car dealership; a financial consultant;
6 phonelines; a bed and breakfast;
one porno theater and one bath house;
and 3 charity organizations. These may
not represent the interests of the majority
but I bet they do represent many in our
diverse community. Other "ads” are
actually - Public Service announcements
that are run free of charge .-db
A Different View
FROM JOHN B. FEUER
Attention: Mr. Abdowaise, Store Manager
Dear Sir:
I am writing you regarding the judgment
call you made relative to the publications
available in your location pertinent
to the clientele which is the cornerstone
of your store’s financial success.
Your insensitive, intolerant idea to censor
the distribution of the magazine
“OutSmart” can only be deemed as indicating
that you have contempt for a major
segment of your customer base.
I understand you are backpedaling
regarding “OutSmart” but continue
your insensitivity toward our other Community
publication: The Houston
Voice, OutSmart, This Week In Texas, The
Observer, et al. offer a wide variety of services
to our Community. Lest your insensitive
thought process take over, let me list
some of these: political information,
cutting edge medical information,
financial information and programs for
our chronically ill who may be at their wit’s
end for a place to turn for help.
Mr. Abdowaise, I have been in a position
similar to yours running a four million
dollar a year facility belonging to a chain.
If you were quoted correctly that you cannot
allow space for-our community’s vital
informational publications because
you would then be obligated to allow space
for “anything,” you have failed miserably
as a public relations representative
for Walgreens. One would have a leg to stand
on disallowing space for “Sixteen” magazine
in the convenience store of a geriatric
retirement facility, but you, sir, are
walking on the edge of an abyss. When I
called for your corporate office, your Mr.
Hector Cantu was extremely rude. If I not
had my copy of The Houston Voice, I would
not have known you were the store manager
as Mr. Cantu gave me some other name. He
would not oblige me with your corporate
office’s complete address, nor the name of
your President or CEO. He would not
advise me whether being insolent, rude and
giving out false information to former
customers was corporate policy or his
individual initiative.
I had to pass several pharmacies to get to
your store. Previously this was irrelevant
to me as you were “part of the Community.”
We are your market share. Because
of your bigoted outlook and actions I am not
your only “former customer.” If you
realize who provides the positive figures
on the bottom line of your profit and
loss statement, you will find room for other
Community publications, over and
above your tap dance with regard to “Out-
Smart.”
Publications at Walgreens
FROM SUE NULL
Dear Walgreens: It is my understanding
that the Walgreens on Montrose Blvd.,
Houston, Texas, has forgotten that it is
located in, and serves, the heart of the gay
community. For the past several months, I
have tried to find in Walgreens the free publications
of Outsmart, The Texas Triangle,
and The Houston Voice, all to no avail.
Now I learn that Outsmart will be admitted,
but the Voice, no. What about the Triangle?
What’s going on here? Is Walgreens
trying to bite the hand that feeds it? Does
Walgreens not realize that much of its
pharmacy income and other income as well
comes from this gay community which it
disdains to serve?
I am the mother of gay children and try to stay
up to date with important events in their
lives by reading these “freebie” publications.
Must I take my business to other
stores that are more progressive and more
aware of where their business comes from?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dear John and Sue,
Thank you for your- support —db.
Is This Right?
FROM TIM
Re: Houston Voice issue of August 23, 1996
“Gay Today by Glen Webber”. After reading
Glen’s column this week, I have several
questions concerning the accuracy of the
information. Two items in particular: 1.
only $600/mo. benefit, max., 2. only
$2,000 in the bank.
To my knowledge these are not absolute
amounts for everyone. Circumstances
and employment history play a major part
in the benefits received.
Now what is written in Glen’s column may
be correct under certain circumstances
such as attempting to get into a nursing
facility with SSA benefits, but not necessarily
an individual living on his own
in his own apartment or home.
Would you please check with a social worker
or the Social Security Administration
for correct information and reprint your
findings. I would hate to have people
already down about their situation to
become more depressed because of misleading
information. His information
may be correct for a particular situation,
but tell all the details for that case so it
does not imply that regardless of your situation
this will be everyone’s benefits.
If this is the information Glen is going on,
perhaps he should revisit the Social Security
Administration to be sure he is indeed
receiving the best possible benefits.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you for bringing
this matter to our attention. We will soon
have a regular feature regarding matters
such as this and will bring these questions
up to our expert .-db
HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996 15
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OraSure
Talk to your healthcare provider about how
to learn your HIV status...and take steps to
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The three major ways HIV
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Now there is a new HIV test that
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The new-, painless system-ORASURE®-tests
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AIDS cannot be transmitted through kissing.
There have been no recorded cases of HIV
linked with kissing or other casual contact.
Remember, there is proof that casual contact
with an HIV-infected person is not enough to
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that HIV is relatively hard to contract, and
can be avoided.
HIV testing is more
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Testing negative can be a great relief, and
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there are now better treatments to help slow
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O Through unprotected sex-
Any unprotected sexual intercourse—
especially vaginal or anal intercourse—puts
you at risk for HIV. Oral sex can also be a
mode of transmission although it is less
risky than vaginal or anal intercourse. Your
risk for HIV increases each time you have
unprotected intimate sexual contact. Using
a condom or dental dam during sex can
greatly reduce the risk of HIV spreading.
0 Through blood-
HIV travels in blood, and the risk of
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16 HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996
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‘T'V fat er ‘‘Wtvi&t...
by Nancy Ford appears bi-weekly in the Houston Voice.
Gay Men of African Descent^
name New Executive Director
Cary Alan Johnson, Exec. Director of GMAD
NEW YORK—Cary Alan Johnson
was recently named Executive
Director of Gay Men of
African Descent (GMAD), an
advocacy, support and HIV
service organization in its
tenth anniversary year. One
of the original founders of
GMAD, Cary Alan Johnson is
accomplished author and
activist.
“I’m very excited that Cary has
accepted this position and
think that he’ll bring strong
leadership, a clear vision, and
a plan for achieving ambitious
goals to GMAD,” is how Keith
Boykin, the head of the National
Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership
Forum described Mr.
Johnson’s appointment by the
organization’s Board.
Johnson has served successfully
in numerous national and
international leadership
positions, especially in the area of
human rights, over the last ten years. In
1994 and 1995, he was the Country Representative
with the international aid
organization African in Kigali,
Rwanda, where he developed and administered
an array of crucial emergency
relief programs during that nation’s
period of civil strife. He has also worked
with the United Nations High Commission
for Refugees, in Bukavu, Zaire.
Johnson served as a Regional Director
for Amnesty International (Al) in Washington,
DC and as a Country Resource
Coordinator at Al’s New York headquarters.
In 1992-1993, he served as
Amnesty International’s spokesperson
on gay and lesbian affairs and
HIV/AIDS issues, and co-authored the
first Al report on human rights violations
based on sexual orientation. He
was also the first male to be invited to speak
at the Take Back the Night Rally against
sexual violence in Washington,DC.
Johnson, 35, has been active at the grassroots
organizing level for many years.
He is a founding member of the New York
based Black Gay literary arts organization,
Other Countries. He also helped
establish the Committee of Black Gay
Men. In 1982, he was instrumental in
organizing a major demonstration
against police brutality in the wake of the
raid on the gay and transgendered
“Blues” bar near 42nd Street in the Times
Square district of Manhattan.
“It is good to be back where I began,”
Johnson asserts. “I am very proud to have
been selected to lead GMAD into its next
decade of service to our community.
There is an incredible vitality in this
organization and its membership.”
Cary Alan Johnson is a member of the
Association of Black Professionals
in International Affairs, the African
Studies Association, and the advisory
board of the International Gay and
Lesbian Human Rights Commission. A
native of Brooklyn, NY, he received his
B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a
Master of International Affairs, Certificate
in African Studies, from
Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs. He
has also studied at the University of
Nairobi in Kenya, and attended workshops
sponsored by the Peace Corps,
Amnesty International and the Unitet^
Nations’ Human Rights Campaign. '
Judy Wieder named Editor of The Advocate
Los Angeles, CA—Judy Wieder, Executive
Editor of The Advocate was promoted to Edi-tor-
in-Chief of the nation’s oldest and most well
known gay and lesbian newsmagazine. Wieder
is the first woman in the magazine’s 30-year history
to hold this position. The announcement
was made by Advocate Publisher Sam Watters,
who is also President of Liberation Publications
Inc., The Advocate’s parent company.
“I am thrilled to be the Editor-in-Chief of the
nation’s most influential gay and lesbian newsmagazine.
For nearly 30 years. The Advocate
has provided timely news and political features
on the critical issues that affect the gay and
lesbian community,” says Wieder. “I am
looking forward to keeping the magazine’s
mission thought-provoking and vital.”
Since Wieder joined the magazine as Arts and
Entertainment Editor in 1993, the magazine
has won three Folio: Awards for Editorial Excellence
in the news category—competing
against Time and Newsweek . She became a Senior
Editor shortly after and in January of 1996 was
promoted to Executive Editor. As Senior Arts
and Entertainment Editor, she increased the
magazine’s entertainment coverage profiling
such important pubjic figures as Melissa
Etheridge. Bruce Springsteen, Catherine
Deneuve and Gore Vidal, among others.
Wieder, a graduate of the University of California.
Berkeley, has a rich literary background
both as a writer and editor. Prior to The
Advocate , she was editor of Genre , a gay lifestyle
magazine. An accomplished songwriter,
she has had 39 songs published and recorded
from 1977 to 1992, capturing one Grammy
award, two Grammy nominations, three GolJ
Albums, and one Platinum Album. 1
"With Judy’s experience and vision, she will
continue the magazine’s commitment to our
readers and continue to expand our news and features
coverage. We’re very excited to have her at
the helm, sa.d publisher Sam Watters
Founded in 1967, The Advocate is the award-win-nmg
gay and lesbian magazine of record,
reportmg b.-weekly on news. politics. busi.
ness, medical tssues, the arts and entertainment.
HOUSTON VOICE/AUGUST 30, 1996 17
MANY TIMES BEFORE. GAY MEN
ENGAGING IN WHAT THEY 12 MONTHS
THOUGHT WAS SAFE SEX, PROLONG PROTECTION.
ONLY TO CATCH HEPATITIS A THE MOST COMMON SIDE
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18 HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996
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INDICATIONS AND USAGE: Havrix is indicated
for active immunization of persons a 2 years of
age against disease caused by hepatitis A virus
(HAV).
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Havrix is contraindicated
in people with known hypersensitivity to any
component of the vaccine.
WARNINGS: Oo not give additional injections to
patients experiencing hypersensitivity reactions
after a Havrix injection. (See CONTRAINDICATIONS.)
Hepatitis A has-a relatively long incubation period
Hepatitis A vaccine may not prevent hepatitis
A infection in those who have an unrecognized
hepatitis A infection at the time of vaccination.
Additionally, it may not prevent infection in those
who do not achieve protective antibody titers (although
the lowest titer needed to confer protection
has not been determined).
PRECAUTIONS: As with any parenteral vaccine
(1) keep epinephrine available for use in case of
anaphylaxis or anaphylactoid reaction: (2) delay
administration, if possible, in people with any
febrile illness or active infection, except when the
physician believes withholding vaccine entails the
greater risk; (3) take all known precautions to prevent
adverse reactions, including reviewing patients'
history for hypersensitivity to this or similar
vaccines.
Administer with caution to people with thrombocytopenia
or a bleeding disorder, or people taking
anticoagulants. Do not inject into a blood vessel.
Use a separate, sterile needle or prefilled syringe
for every patient. When giving concomitantly with
other vaccines or IG. use separate needles and
different injection sites.
As with any vaccine, if administered to immunosuppressed
persons or persons receiving immunosuppressive
therapy, the expected immune response
may not be obtained.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment
of Fertility: Havrix has not been evaluated for its
carcinogenic potential, mutagenic potential or potential
tor impairment of fertility.
Pregnency Category C: Animal reproduction
studies have not been conducted with Havrix. It is
also not known whether Havrix can cause fetal
harm when administered to a pregnant woman or
can affect reproduction capacity. Give Havrix to a
pregnant woman only if clearly needed. It is not
known whether Havrix is excreted in human milk.
Because many drugs are excreted in human milk,
use caution when administering Havrix to a nursing
woman.
Havrix is well tolerated and highly immunogenic
and effective in children.
Fully inform patients, parents or guardians of the
benefits and risks of immunization with Havrix
For persons traveling to endemic or epidemic
areas, consult current CDC advisories regarding
specific locales. Travelers should take all neces-sary
precautions to avoid contact with, or ingestion
of. contaminated food or water Duration of
immunity following a complete vaccination schedule
has not been established.
ADVERSE REACTIONS: Havrix has been gener
ally well tolerated As with all pharmaceuticals,
however, it is possible that expanded commercial
use of the vaccine could reveal rare adverse
events.
The most frequently reported by volunteers in clinical
trials was injection-site soreness 156% of
adults; 21 % of children); headache (14% of adults;
less than 9% of children). Other solicited and unsolicited
events are listed below:
Incidence 1% to 10% of Injections: Induration,
redness, swelling; fatigue, fever (>37.5<>C). malaise;
anorexia, nausea.
Incidence <1% of Injections: Hematoma; pruritus.
rash, urticaria; pharyngitis, other upper respiratory
tract infections; abdominal pain, diarrhea,
dysgeusia. vomiting; arthralgia, elevation of creatine
phosphokinase, myalgia; lymphadenopathy;
hypertonic episode, insomnia, photophobia, vertigo
Additional safety data
Safety data were obtained from two additional
sources in which large populations were vaccinated.
In an outbreak setting in which 4.930 individuals
were immunized with a single dose of either
720 ELU or 1440 ELU of Havrix. the vaccine was
well-tolerated and no serious adverse events due
to vaccination were reported. Overall, less than
10% of vaccinees reported solicited general
adverse events following the vaccine The most
common solicited local adverse event was pain at
the injection site, reported in 22.3% of subjects at
24 hours and decreasing to 2.4% by 72 hours.
In a field efficacy trial. 19.037 children received
the 360 ELU. dose of Havrix. The most commonly
reported adverse events were injection-site pain
(9.5%) and tenderness (8.1%), reported following
first doses of Havrix. Other adverse events were
infrequent and comparable to the control vaccine
Engerix-B* (Hepatitis 8 Vaccine. Recombinant)
Postinertreting Reports: Rare voluntary reports
of adverse events in people receiving Havrix since
market introduction include the following: localized
edema; anaphylaxis/anaphylactoid reactions,
somnolence; syncope; jaundice, hepatitis; erythema
multiforme, hyperhydrosis. angioedema;
dyspnea; lymphadenopathy; convulsions, encephalopathy.
dizziness, neuropathy, myelitis, paresthesia.
Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis;
congenital abnormality
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
has established the Vaccine Adverse Events
Reporting System (VAERS) to accept reports of
suspected adverse events after the administration
of any vaccine, including, but not limited to. the
reporting of events required by the National
Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. The toll-free
number for VAERS forms and information is 1 -800-
822-7967
HOW SUPPLIED: 360 a.U./0.5 mL NDC 58160-
836-01 Package of 1 single-dose vial.
720 ELU./0.5 mL NDC 58160-837 01 Package of
1 single-dose vial; NDC 58160-837-02 Package of
1 prefilled syringe.
1440 a.U/mL NDC 58160-835-01 Package of 1
single-dose vial; NDC 58160-835-02 Package of 1
prefilled syringe.
8RS-HAL5A
©SmithKline Beecham. 1995
Havrix is a registered trademark of SmrthKline
Beecham.
Democrats continued...
Gay and Lesbian delegates from Texas joined by California State Assembly Member,
Sheila James Kuehl (attorney andformer TV star - as Zelda of the Dobie Gillis Show).
Pictured (l-r) are Jim Owens, Kuehl, Eleanor Henley, Pal Gandy, and Margo Fraiser).
(Continued from page 1)
and Lesbians, and that for the first time a
President has extended civil rights protection
to Gay and Lesbian federal employees.
Tipper said, "President Clinton and Vice
President Gore would like to thank you for
your support in 1992. We could not have
been here seeking a second term without the
support of the Gay and Lesbian community."
Mrs. Gore closed her remarks by
emphasizing the President’s support for
ENDA (the Employment Nondiscrimination
Act), which, it was announced on Monday,
the Administration was pushing to be
attached to DOMA.
Also at Tuesday's caucus, Houston's own Joe
Garcia was elected Co-Chair of the Gay and
Lesbian Caucus. Joe attributed his election
to his outspoken comments at the Monday
caucus session where he had reminded the
caucus of Clinton's proactive stance on AIDS
issues and the importance of each person's
vote. Garcia noted that "Hitler won his first
election by one vote."
The Democratic National Committee has
specifically targeted the Lesbian/Gay vote,
according to Brian Bond, Director of
Lesbian/Gay Outreach for the DNC. The fact
that the convention has such a large
Gay/Lesbian contingent (from almost every
state in the Union) is evidence of the growing
strength of the community in the Democratic
Party. It is a far cry from 1972, the first time
an openly Gay person addressed a National
Convention. Eyen though the 1972 Miami
Beach Democratic Convention is when the
McGovernites took control of the party,
reaction to an openly Gay man making such
an address was far from positive. Twenty
four years later, the Lesbian/Gay community
is so much a part of the Democratic Party that
it would be hard to imagine a National
It was at the brunch hosted by the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC) on Monday
morning that the issues of DOMA and “Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" (the President's compromise
on Gays in the military) took centerstage.
Those in attendance were treated to a
pantheon of Lesbian/Gay luminaries and
officials of the Democratic Party, including
Don Fowler, Chairman of the Party. Barney
Frank (something of a rising star, particularly
as a voice of the loyal opposition during the
Republican take-over of Congress) gave a
history lesson to the delegates. He reminded
them .that thirty years ago, both political
parties were terrible on Gay/Lesbian issues.
In 1965, both parties (including some of the
leading liberals of the day), voted
overwhelmingly to stiffen bans on the
immigration of Gays and Lesbians from
other countries. Frank reminded his
audience to contrast where the Democrats
were then with where the Party is nowechoing
Mrs. Gore's remarks of the Party's
strong history of support for Gay and Lesbian
rights, and the fact that the President not only
appoints Gays and Lesbians to significant
positions (like Roberta Achtenberg and Bruce
Lehman), but also actively is supporting
ENDA (the legislation designed to end
discrimination against Gays and Lesbians in
the workplace). Frank further went on to state
that while the community may not have 100%
support from the Clinton Administration, it
would have 0% support from a Dole
Administration.
Emcee of the HRC brunch Bob Hattoy, White
House aide and speaker at the 1992
Democratic Convention, introduced many
other members of the audience who either
now hold elective office or are running for
office, including Austin
Representative Glen Maxey and
Travis County Sheriff candidate
Margo Frasier. Hattoy was asked if
he was upset that he was not
addressing the Convention again
this year (his speech last time as a
person with AIDS was quite
memorable), especially since
Republican Mary Fisher repeated
her appearance at the Republican
Convention in Houston again in
San Diego this year. Hattoy
remarked that he wasn't concerned
since two other persons with AIDS
(Debbie Runyon and Phil Wilson)
will be addressing the convention,
and, he said, "Mary Fisher is the only person
with AIDS that the Republicans know!"
Monday's Gay and Lesbian Caucus was
attended by most of the 150 Lesbian and Gay
delegates and standing committee members.
Long-time Lesbian activist Jean O’Leary was
elected Caucus Chair, although a minor
controversy broke out regarding a perceived
lack of diversity regarding geographic area.
Several delegates from the Midwest noted
that national leadership has virtually always
been from California, New York, or
Washington. A committee was formed that
would nominate four co-chairs that would
reflect diversity in geographic area, gender,
and ethnicity. A member of the Human
Rights Campaign noted that while the
Democrats were adding four co-chairs to
reflect their diversity, the Republicans in San
Diego barely had four delegates in the whole
convention. The result of this discussion was
the election of Houston's Joe Garcia to Co-
Chair, Clinton Administration officials
Roberta Achtenberg (Senior Advisor to
Henry Cisneros, Secretary of HUD), Bruce
Lehman (Assistant Secretary of Commerce),
Karen Roscoe (Senior Advisor to the
President), and Alexis Hertnan (Senior
Assistant to the President) all addressed the
caucus. Achtenberg, who recently ran
unsuccessfully for Mayor of San Francisco,
acknowledged the anger that is present in the
community over such issues as DOMA, but
reminded delegates that their job is to tell the
whole story of the progress the Clinton
Administration has made and get
Lesbian/Gay voters to the polls in November.
It was also announced by Caucus Chair
O'Leary that the Administration has thrown
its support to attaching ENDA to DOMA
when it comes to a vote in the Senate on
September 5.
The first night of the convention was about as
choreographed as the Republican gathering
was in San Diego. Delegates will be listening
to a multitude of speeches and rallies
between press time and the end of the
convention on Thursday. Big money is also
on display here in Chicago as many major
corporations are throwing big bucks around
to get the Democrats' attention. One such
bash, sponsored by Houston's own Vinson
and Elkins and Enron on Monday night
honoring the Texas delegation, had an
interesting locale. The party was held at the
Chicago Children's Museum, a lively,
inventive space designed to engage both
children's interests and their imaginations. A
thought-provoking exhibit on discrimination
included several references to discrimination
against Gays and Lesbians. Another exhibit
on grandparents was notable for its inclusion
in its portrait gallery of various types of
grandparents of a Lesbian grandmother.
Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus
President Pat Gandy was heard to remark,
"What a wonderful reminder that the work
we do to bring about equal rights for our
community does make a difference! You
know it when you see it on display in a
Children's Museum."
At press time, First Lady Hillary Clinton will
be the highlight of Tuesday's convention
activities. While there may be no big news
coming out of this convention (after all, we
know who's going to get the nomination),
there will be plenty to. keep the Texas
delegations busy in the meantime.
Dennis Hatch and Jim Owens are providing
coverage of the Democratic National
Convention exclusively for The Houston
Voice. Look for a wrap-up next week.
Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore and
mental health advocate, addresses the Gay and
Lesbian Caucus.
Convention without its active participation.
TqII EVERYONE you sow it in thg ▼HOUSTON VOIOEV
HOUSTON VOICE / AUGUST 30, 1996 19
Sassy, Sensuous, Salome’
Oscar Wilde’s poetic marriage of spirituality
and sensuality in the oft told
story of the be-heading of John the Baptist
will be presented at the Main Street Theater
(Times Blvd.) by The Free Range Arts
Foundation, Fridays and Saturdays at
8pm, Aug. 30 through Sept. 14.
Salome,’ princess daughter of Herod,
lusting for John the Baptist, grants her
father’s request by performing the Dance
of the Seven Veils. The Dance is a story in
movement of the passage from innocent
girl to empowered woman. Presented
with costumes and sets based on those of
Biblical times contemporized with
post-modern fetish aesthetics, the play
reminds us that the feminine and mysterious
is just as powerful as the masculine
and brutal.
Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door,
additional charges may be added. For more
No, it’s not B&D or S&M; it’s Oscar
Wilde's Salome’ . currently at the
Main Street Theater
information, call The Free Range Arts
Foundation at 867-9350. Salome’ is
intended for mature audiences only.
A Balanchine Celebration at the Ballet
The Houston Ballet
pays tribute to
George Balanchine,
one of the most legendary
figures in
20th Century dance,
with performances
of three of his most celebrated
one-act ballets
from Sept. 5-15 at
the Wortham Theater
Center in downtown
Houston.
The Balanchine celebration
features
Houston Ballet kick-offs the 1996-97 season with “A
Balanchine Celebration.” Barbar |
