| Transcript |
RYAN WHITE FUNDS: For
once, they're up. Page 3
KILL THE BILLS: Lobbying
against anti-gay bills. Page 3
Calif. judge nixes
ban on gay marriage
Bush renews call for
federal constitutional
marriage amendment
By EARTHA MELZER
San Francisco Superior Court
Judge Hichard Kramer ruled this
week that the state's marriage law
discriminates against same-sex
couples and is unconstitut1onal.
"It appears that no rational pur·
pose exists for limiting marriage
in this state to opposite-sex part.
ncrs," wrote Kramer in a 27-page
opinion that was released Monda):
He pointed to the overtw-ning of
laws that banned inter-racial mar·
riagc to argue that forbidding prople
of different races to marry was
unconstitutional even though it
was tmditional.
Tradition and a state interest in
promoting procreation, Kramer
argued, arc not rational reasons to
deny same-sex couples the benefits
of marriage, which 1s recognized
as a fundamental right.
"The Ideas that marriage-like
rights without marriage is adequate
smacks of a concept long rejected by
the courts: separate but equal,"
wrnte Krarne1: who is a Catholic
appointed hy Hcpublican G<J\: Pete
Mara McWilliams and Rl'.llee Mangrum. whose 2004 union was voided by the California
Supreme Court. rally for marriage rights in San Francisco last summer. (File photo by
Noah Berger/AP)
Wilson. Gay activist Michael
Pctrehs reported this week that
most of Kramer's political donations
have gone to Republicans.
President Bush renewed his call
for a federal constitutional amend·
ment banning gay marriage at a
Wedne.<;ilay news conference.
··eowi rulings such as [the ruJ.
ing in California) strengthen my
position." Bush said. ':And as a mat·
ter of fact, the court rulmgs are ver-ifying
why 1 took the position I took.
And that is, I don't believe judges
ought to be deciding this issue ... and
I think the best wny to do so is
through the constitutional process."
Kramer's opinion applied to
several cases that had been con·
solldated in onlcr to aru.wer their
common challenge to the state's
maniage law.
Please see CALIFORNIA on Page 7
dish
Assassin Cho
Margaret Cho comes back,
Houston with her trademark
biting humor in 'The Assassin'
Page 13
Legislation is anti-gay. Page 6
Gene Milrulenka is a real Amencan cowboy, and he happens to be gay.
No drugstore cowboy
Gene Mkiulenka, who is competing
at the Houston rodeo, is a real
cowboy who happens to be gay
By JOHNNY HOOKS
PORT LA\'ACA NATIVE GE~'E l\UKULENKA IS A REAL
American Cowboy. He's won the Houston Livestock Show &
Rodeo five times and earned three world titles in pole bending.
The American Quarter Horse Association has named him to
its top-teQ list six times. He owns a horse farm oubide of
Conroe, the M Ranch. There's even an award winning film doc·
umentary about his life called, appropriately enough, "Real
American Cowbo):"
Oh, and he's ga)'. Gene Mih-ulcnka stepped onto the public
stage \\ith the release of that 1998 documentary "Real American
Cowbo):" The documentary plays Monday's in March at the
Aurora Picture Show at Dean's Credit Clothing, 311 Main SL
The film chronicles Mikulenka gomg through some rough pas-
Please see COWBOY on Page 19
local life
Bill Clevenger's home
health care agency is
taking care of family
PAGES
Martina Navratilova cries
foul over the use of her
image on the Rainbow Card
PAGE 18
2 MARCH 18, 2005
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www.houslonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com MARCH 18. 2005 3 I houston news
Federal AIDS funding increased for Houston in 2005
After a decrease in
2004, Ryan White
funding for AIDS
services increased
for some cities,
including Houston
By BINNIE FISHER
Agencies that provide services to people
with HIV I AlDS submitted their requests
for federal grants through the Ryan White
Care Act and held their breath.
Last year, the news was not good.
Fundmg was cut by 6.8 percent over what
it had been the previous year.
\\-'hen funding awards were announced
last week for 2005. those same providers
breathed a sigh of relief.
This year. Houston's allocation rose by
4.1 percent. To Ken Malone, executive director
of the Assistance Fund, doing the math
and looking at what was lost last year and
gained in 2005. it feels a lot like flat funding.
Still. he i~n·t complaining, especially wh('n
he looks at other major metropolitan areas.
"New York had a 3.4 percent decrease,
and L.A. was flat-funded at a half a percent,"
he said.
San Francisco. a city that usually is
awarded funding increases, this year saw
it's Ryan White funding drop by five percent,
Malone said.
Houston's increase is "good and bad" at
the same time, he said, because it means
more people with AIDS need treatment.
At the Montrose Clinic. Executive Director
Katy Caldwell said, the increased funding
translates to about an eight-percent gain.
"We had good news for a change," she said.
At the clinic. she said, Ryan White
Funds are dedicated to treatment of people
with AIDS.
"For clients with no health insurance,
it pays for their outpatient medical care,"
she said.
For those individuals. Caldwell said,
the Montrose Clinic becomes their primary
physician and takes care of all their
outpatient medical needs.
Testing for at-risk populations. she said.
is paid for through funding from the City of
Houston and the Centers for Disease
Control in Atlanta, and it is done at the clinic.
in bars, bathhouses and bookstores.
When a client tests positive for the HIV
virus and they do not have insurance.
Calwell said, they become a patient of the
clinic if they choose to do so.
"We literally walk them down the hall"
to meet with a physician, she said. "We
have a personal commitment to providing
whatever care system they nef>d
At Bering Omega Community Services,
President Dan Snare said, he won't start
counting the dollars until they are in the
bank. but he has been informed that an
increase is on the way.
The funds at Bering also go to caring
for AIDS patients but in a different way
from those at the Montrose Clinic.
"The Ryan White Title I funds support
three of our core programs," he said.
The dental clinic that provides services
to people with HIV and AIDS will see an
increase in funding as will the adult day
care program and Bering's hospice program,
Omega House.
"The adult day care program provides
two hot meals a day, breakfast and lunch.
and nursing care to make sure people are
taking their medications proper!}:" he said.
Snare added that for some clients, physical
therapy is also provided with the
Ryan White funds.
kThe program is designed really for
people who have needs that are not being
met by their primary care givers ... he said.
Care Act is up for review in D.C.
Malone spent part of last week and the
first part of this week in Washington,
D.C., where the Ryan White Care Act is up
for reauthorization.
"One thmg that could directly affect us
is the formula for how the funds are allocated
... he said.
Katy Caldwell remembers being a mlunteer
trying to help deal with the AIDS epidemic
prior to federal funding being allocated.
"Everybody begged. borrowed and
stole," she said. "There were boxes in all
the bars, and people would put money in
them. l remember just trying to help people
pay their rent."
The day the Ryan White Act became
law in 1990 was cause for great celebra-
Ken Malone. executive director of the Assistance
Fund. said AIDS service providers are breathing a
sigh of relief over news that federal funding has
been increased this year.
tion, she said.
"Final}); after Ronald Reagan ignored
everyone for so long, she said. "The original
sponsors were Sen Ted Kennedy (D·
Mass.) and Sen Orm Hatch (R·Utah).
Hatch was ver:: proud of it. It's always
been bi-partL~an legislation."
Activists walked down Congress for a rally at the Capitol
More than 1,000 gay
activists answered the
call to rally at the Texas
state capitol on Sunday
By BINNIE FISHER
In every corner of Texas. Sunday was
warm. sunny and the perfect day for an
AIDS Walk, a fundraising brunch and a
rally on the steps of the Texas State Capitol.
Although numerous events competed
for volunteers, Randall Ellis. executive
director of the Lesbian and Gay Rights
Lobby of Texas. said more than 1.000
activists answered his call to activism.
Ellis had called on gays and lesbians
throughout the state to converge on Austin
last Sunday for a march down Congress
r~~~~ !~!,o!Tw; (LGRLI
512-474-5475
www.lgrt.org
Randall Ellis. executive director of the Lesbian and
Gay Rights Lobby of Texas, said more than 1.000
activists turned out for an Austin rally on Sunday
Avenue and a rally at the State Capitol.
The rally was staged to denounce two
bills that have been introduced to ban marriage
between persons of the same sex.
"Anytime you get a thousand·plus folks
marching down Congress. I'm excited."
Ellis said.
Although the rally made for good TV
footage and newspaper photos, Ellis said. he
asked those who participated to stick around
for even more important wora on ~fonda):
"What was even better was Lobby Day
on Monday," he said. "The ability to put a
face to our issues is what really cotmts."
Lobbyists were sent out in teams Monday
morning to various legislative offices. In the
afternoon. those same lobbyists visited \\ith
legislators from their own districts.
"I tagged along with a few of the teams,
and I was very impressed." Ellis said. ~we
hit all of the 181 legislative offices, and a
good number got to speak to the legislators
themselves."
Ellis said, activists wanted to offer their
views on the two pieces of legislation
House Joint Resolution 6, introduced by
State Rep. Warren Chisum (R·Pampa)
would defme marriage as being between
one man and one woman.
House Joint Resolution 19. introduced
by State Rep. Robert Talton (R·Pasadena)
v·ould define marriage m the same way
but also states, "Legal status for unmarried
persons which is identical or substantially
similar to marital status shall not be
valid or recognized."
Ellis said those who lobbied on ~londay
were able to make their views known to
Chisum but not Talton.
~we were received warmly as always
with Warren Chisum, even though he is
against us." Ellis said.
Legislative session gearing up
·'The (legislative) session is starting to
gear up." he said. "We know that within
the coming weeks. they're going to hear
those amendments in the House
Committee on State Affairs."
Ellis said he knows of three votes on
that committee that will not approve the
amendments. As it stands now, he said,
there will be a swing vote that will decide
whether the legislation dies in committee,
an it will come from a Republican.
"We would love to see that bill killed m
committee," he said.
If approved by the committee, he said,
one of the bills would go to the House floor
for debate.
Ellis said he believes lobbyists. who
hailed from as far away as Amarillo and
from big towns and small towns, made a
distinct difference on Monda}:
At least two additional lobby events
will be scheduled in 2005, he said.
"The legi~lature has managed to use a
stick against our communit};" he said. "Our
challenge is to tie a carrot to that stick."
4 MARCH 18 2005
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wwwhoustonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE I local news briefs
Houston Band goes West with gay cowboy Gene Mikulenka
The Houston Pride Band presents
"Out West," a tribute to the
American Wild West, at 7 p.m. on
April 23 at Resurrection
Metropolitan Church, 2025 W 11th
Street in the Heights. The concert
will include special guest emcee,
Gene Mikulenka, the Houston rodeo
star featured in the documentary,
uAmerican Cowboy." Also featured
will be a lariat exhibition by mem·
bers of the Texas Gay Rodeo
Association and line dancing by the
Rainbow Ranglers Dance Club. "Out
West" explores the history and myth
of the American West. The event will
look at the image of the cowboy,
rancher, outlaw and Native American
that has been ingrained through
countless movies and history books.
From Aaron Copeland's "Hoedown"
to Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon
Suite" to John Williams' "The
Cowboys." the Houston Pride Band
plays a musical journey through the
historical West. 832-265-3346.
Houston cowboy Gene Mikulenka will make an appear·
ance during a concert by the Houston Pride Band.
Lesbians in Galveston unite
for a professional women's social
Lesbians on the island are organizing and
will begin staging monthly professional
happy hours. The first event, dubbed the
"Spring Social," happens from 7-10 p.m.
Saturday, April 2, at MOD Coffee & Tea
(wine and beer also served) House at 2126
Post Office St. Thereafter, women will
meet on the second Thursday of each
month. For information, e-mail
iluvvpie{a yahoo.com
Broadway stars and equity actors
will raise AIDS money in Houston
Actl"('SS Stephanie Powrrs and the cast of
'The King and I, ' now playmg at Theatre
Under the Stars, will help raise money for
AIDS Foundation Houston and Casa De
r:speranza De Los Nuios. Inc. Broadway
Cares and P.quity Fights AIDS presents ''A
Cabal"('t P.vening of Song and Dance' at 7
p.m. March 21 in the Grand Lobby of the
Hobby Center. Tickets are $150 and can be
purchased by calling 713-864-2660.
Conference on the Mure
has shifted into high gear
A group of activists meeting regularly to
plan a June conference on the future of
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
Houston recently discussed the establish
ment of a gay-oriented business district.
Activist Ray Hill suggested during a recent
meeting that the district could be set down
between Hyde Park and Meteor at 2306
Genesee. Also being discussed are provid·
mg care for older gay and lesbian residents
of Houston, transgender concerns, the for·
mation of a group to draft a resolution for
gay Muslims. gay youth, immigration
equality, anti violence strategies and poll·
tics. Voting on resolutions is scheduled for
Saturday, June 18, with the venue and time
to be announCE'd later.
Pride Houston is considering
tweaking the ParaJe route
Jack Valinski, executive director of Pride
Houston, said recently that a task force
has been formed to examine the feasibility
of relocating the Pride Parade that currently
travels through the heart of
Montrose along Westheimer. Valinsk1
stressed that Pride Houston is only look·
mg at the pros and cons of moving the
parade, and that it will stay in Montrose.
Meeting planned to examine
employment/woti<place discrimination
Lambda Legal has planned a town hall
mrcting at 7 p.m: March 31 to examine
employment and workplace chscrunina·
!Ion against gays, lesbians and transgendered
persons. The meeting at the Houston
GLBT Community Cente1; 3400 Montro e
Blvd., Suite 207, IS open to anyone who
wants to attend. Speakers from the Lesbian
and Gay Rights Lobby of Texas and the
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission will make presentations.
Progressive Dinner benefiting two
good causes is expected to sell out
Volunteers with AssistHers and
Uncommon Legacy suggest buying tickets
early for the annual Progressive Dinner
b<'nefiting both organizations. The event
has sold out every year since its inception.
Voluntc-e1-s from the two groups will guide
guests through four distinctive homes in
West University, Memorial Park and
Montrose. Along the way, participants will
sip wine. nibble on appetiziers, salad,
entrce and d(:ssert. Participants will meet
at Houston's Congregation Emanu El,
10C<1ted at lfiOO Suns!'t Blvd. and board
buses at 6 p.m to begin the tour. WW\\.ass1s·
thers.org. www.acteva.org or 7130S21·1628.
From staff and wire reports
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com I national news briefs
Lesbian UPS worker wins sexual harassment suit
SAN FRANCISCO A jury last week awarded $63,000 to a lesbian former United Parcel
Service worker in her lawsuit against the company, according to media reports. Kathy
Hoskins, a 14-year UPS veteran, brought the
hostile work environment sexual harass·
ment suit against the firm after she alleged·
ly was the subject of severe, widespread
and continuing harassment that ultimately
led to her wrongful termination, her attorneys
contended, news outlets reported. A
jury agreed that the harassment led to a
hostile and abusive work environment,
according to media reports. "The outcome
of this case sends a clear message to UPS
and the rest of corporate America that
harassment based on gender stereotypes
will not be tolerated," attorney Waukeen Q.
McCoy of the Law Offices of Waukeen Q.
McCoy, who represents Hoskins, told
reporters. Hoskins alleged she was continu ·
ally harassed because of her appearance,
news reports indicate. ''.According to my former
supervisor, I wasn't 'feminine'
enough," Hoskins told reporters.
Judge bars group from using
gay couple's photo in ad
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge last
week prohibited a conservative group supporting
President Bush's Social Security
plan from using a photo of a gay couple in
its online ads attacking the AARP. USA
Next had posted the ad for a week in mid
February on the Web site of the American
Spectator. The ad portrayed AARP, the sen·
iors lobby leading the opposition to Bush's
plan, as opposed to U.S. soldiers and supportive
of gay marriage. U.S. District Court
Judge Reggie Walton issued a temporary
restraining order forbidding use of tbe
photograph by USA Next. The Portland,
Ore., couple, Richard Raymen and Steven
Hansen, filed suit against USA Next, saying
they hadn't consented "to serve as models
for a homophobic and mean-spirited cam·
pa1gn for a political group with whose
views they strongly disagree." The Internet
ad showed a photo of a soldier with a red X
over him and, next to it, a photo of two
tuxedoed men kissing, with a green check
mark over them.
Sex-change surgery doesn't stop
challenges for N.H. married pair
PENACOOK, N.H. Unusual challenges
await a married Penacook couple whose
case provides a unique angle to the same·
sex marriage debate, the Champlain
Channel of WNNE-TV reported. Judi and
Mikayla Howden met and married when
Mikayla was Michael. before a sex-change
OJ)<'ration that she says helped solve ques·
tions she had her entire life about her gen·
der. the news station reported. "I came out
of the closet as far as realizing myself and
OJ><'ning up to my family that I was a
transsexual at about 37, 38," she said.
Mikayla met Judi about 10 years later, and
the pair married and have a child who is
now 3, the news station reported.
Mikayla's sex change operation later fol lowed,
according to WNNE-TV. But the
couple now have a same-sex marr;age, and
officials told them they cannot change
their marriage license.
Former UPS worker Kathy Hoskins, who alleged
that she suffered workplace discrimination because
she is a lesbian, was awarded $63,000 last week in
her lawsuit against the company. (Photo courtesy
of Fenton Communications)
Family Pride Coalition's new
director is Jacques' partner
BOSTON, Mass. Jennifer Chrisler. partner
of former Human Rights Campaign
President Cheryl Jacques, is the new executive
director of the San Diego-based Family
Pride Coalition, the Wellesley Tuwnsman
reported. Co-chairs of the coalition board of
directors last week announced the selection
of Chrisler to replace Aimee Galnaw, who led
the group for four years, according to media
reports. ''.As a married gay mother of twin
boys, I am honored to be leading the Family
Pride Coalition at such an important
moment in our struggle for full equality for
LGBT parents and their children," Chrisler
said in a news release.
West Point colonel issues call
for end to military's ban on gays
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. In an opinion
piece in the current Army Times, an activeduty
U.S. Army colonel who also is a professor
at the U.S. Military Academy at West
Point calls for an end to the ban on gay serv·
ice members, Ascribe Newswire reported.
In the piece, "Gays in the Military: It's a
Question of Liberty," Col. Allen S. Bishop
states, "The genius of democracy is in its
insistence that each citizen counts ... But
despite our government's claims of liberty
for all, we leave homosexuals out. When we
deny their right to military service, we
improperly restrict the franchise of citizen·
ship and give in to homophobic prejudice
very like the unreasoned racial and gender
prejudices of the past." Nathaniel Frank,
senior research fellow at the Center for the
Study of Sexual Minorities in the Militar);
a research institute at the University of
California, Santa Barbara, said Bishop
joins an increasing number of military
leaders adoptmg this opir.ion, the
Newswire reported. Bishop may be the
highest-ranking active-duty officer so far to
criticize the military's "Don't Ask. Don't
Tell" policy, Frank added, according to
news reports.
From staff and wire reports
MARCH 18. 2005 S
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6 MARCH 18. 2005 www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE I national news
House Ol<s bill on religious group hiring policies
Critics say measure
would allow anti-gay
discrimination
By JOE CREA
A bill that would allow religious organizations
receiving federal funds to maintain
anti-gay hiring pohc1rs passed the U.S.
House of Representatives earlier this month.
The measure, which pa~sed by a 224·200
vote, was approved after the House reject
ed an amendment that would have protect·
rd the civil rights of workers. The
Workforce Investment Act, H.R. 27 now
moves to the U.S. Senate where its fate is
unclear, political experts said The White
House has indicated that should the measure
fail in the; Senate, thE: president will
issue an executive order.
won its face it doesn't appear discriminatory
but if you take a closer look, it
clearly allows for federal contractors to
circumvent civil rights laws," said Eric
Stern, president of the :-<ational Stonewall
Democrats.
The new measure, if approved by the
Senate and signed by President Bush,
would enable faith-based groups receiving
federal funds to circumvent local and state
laws that bar discrimination based on sexual
orientation. There is currently no fed·
'On its face [the bill) doesn't appear discrimmatory but
1f you take a closer look. it clearly allows for federal
contractors to circumvent civil rights laws.' said Eric
Stem president of the National Stonewall Democrats.
eral law prohibiting discrimination based
on sexual orientation in the workplace.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family
Research Council, made clear in his ~farch
I Washington Update newsletter that the
new bill is needed to maintain the employ·
ment practices of many religious groups.
"The president made clear though that if
these protections are not codified into law;
the dangrrs of bias against the faith-based
can return in future administrations,"
Perkins wrote. "Specifically, organizations
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that oppose homosexuality and abortion
often need extra protection when receiving
federal aid or using federal facilities.
Amazingly; there are those in Congress
whose unwarranted fear of anything faith·
based is more important than the tremen·
dous good that is done through faith-based
organizations.
"The addicted and afflicted. the needy
and the seedy arc all better served by faith·
based orgamzations than by bureaucratic
programs. Faith-based groups have a
Constitutionally protected right to main
tain their religious identity tllrough hir·
ing, even when federal funds arc involved."
The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director
of Americans United for Separation of
Church & State, said social conservatives
arc demanding "special rights."
"They want 'special rights,' asking the
government for money while requesting
that they can still discriminate in hiring,"
Lynn said. " It's outrageous that the majority
have removed civil rights protections
from a piece of federal legislation. This
protection has been a part of this statute
for a long time and the majority has chosen
to remove it."
Lynn noted that when President Reagan
signed the job-training bill into law in 1982,
it protected the civil rights of workers.
The White House press office did not
return calls seeking comment.
While condemning the partL~ vote on
last week's measure, the National Stonewall
Gay U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) voted in favor of a
bill that would allow federal funds to go to faithbased
orgarnzations that discriminate against gay
employees. (File photo)
Democrats chided Republican lawmakers
who are considered "friendly" to gay rights
issues for voting in support of the legisla·
hon. Mary Bono (R-Calif.), Mark Foley (R·
Fla.), and gay Rep. Jim Kolbe (R·Ariz.)
among others all voted to pass the measure.
Calls to Kolbe's office were not
returned.
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HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com MARCH 18. 2005 7 I national news
Calif. ruling could rekindle national marriage debate
CALIFORNIA. continued from Page 1
The cases, known collectively as Woo, et
al v. Lockyer, ct al were brought by Lambda
Legal, the National Center for Lesbian
Rights and the ACLU on behalf of same-sex
couples who were denied marriage licenses,
and the gay rights groups Our Families
Coalition and Equality California.
In 2000, California voters passed Prop.
22, which states ... Only marriage between a
man and a woman is valid or recognized in
California." The initiative passed with 61
percent support.
Four years later, San Francisco Mayor
Gavin Newsom determined that the
California Constitution's guarantees of
equality and due process required him to
grant marriage licenses to same-sex cou·
plr.s. On Feb. 12, 2004, San Francisco began
Issuing marriage licenses in defiance of
Prop 22. More than 1.000 marriage licenses
were granted to same-sex couples before the
California Supreme Court ruled on Aug. 12,
2004 that San Francisco did not have the
authority to issue marriage licenses to
same·scx couples. The California Supreme
Court nullified the same-sP.x marriages but
did not rule on the constitutionality of deny·
ing marriage to same-sex couples.
.. Today's decision is a landmark for the
law and an important development for the
entire nation," stated ACLU Attorney
Christine Sun. "With plain but compelling
logic, the judge has shown us all why in a
nation committed to fairness, gays and !es·
bians must not be shut out of marriage. But
this decision is most important to the thou·
sands of same-sex couples who desperately
need the protection that marriage gives, and
who deserve the dignity it brings."
"It was a giant step forward for our fam·
ilies," said Eddie Gutierrez, communica·
tions director for Equality California,
which joined the suit as a group that advocates
for the rights of lesbians and gays.
"(The] ruling affirms that same-sex fami·
lies deserve equal treatment under the law."
"There is opposition to this ruling, said
Gutierrez, but it is weakened when stories
of gay and lesbian people are shared in the
press, in the court and all over as they have
been recently."
Representatives from both sides said
San Franc1SC0 Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to allow more than 4.000 gay couples to get married last year
led to this week's Superior Court ruling that overturned the state's law that limits marriage to heterosexuals
only. (File photo by AP)
they expect that the case will be appealed
and will go through the appellate process
and on to the California Supreme Court.
California politics have been turning
toward ballot measures and referendums
of late and both social conservatives and
gay rights advocates expect an effort to
amend California's Constitution to prohib·
it same·sex marriage.
Gutierrez said he believes that a marriage
amendment would be defeated in
California.
"This is still a road that we can win on."
said Gutierrez, "because California is full
of fair-minded people."
Equality California is working to promote
Assembly Bill 19, which was introduced
by assemblyman Mark Leno and will
be considered in the 2005 legislative session.
AB19 would restore the gender-neutral language
in the part of California's Family
Code that deals with marriage. Until 1977,
California's marriage law defined marriage
as "a personal relationship arising out of a
civil contract between two persons." AB 19
would also explicitly recognize civil mar·
riage as a fundamental human right.
While Kramer's ruling in favor of same·
sex marriage rights is a clear victory for
marriage equality activists, Equality
California sees the gain within the context
of a broad struggle for gay and lesbian
rights, said Gutierrez.
"We are working to ban bias in the court
room, to change the gay panic defense rule.
to promote insurance equality based on
gender ... this will be a landmark year for
LGBT rights."
In an interview on MSNBC's Hardball
with Chris Matthews on Monday, California
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said that if the
California Supreme Court ruled in favor of
same-sex marriage he would not support a
constitutional amendment to ban it.
National implications
While marriage equality proponents celebrated
the California decision, conservatives
heaped criticism on the ruling and renewed
commitments to stop same-sex marriage.
"For the second time in the last month,
an aberrant judge has launched a judicial
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assault on the bedrock of our society,"
Family Research Council President Tony
Perkins said in a statement. "We now look
to the California Supl'~me Court to restore
some sanity to t!: ;udicial process and
overturn [Monday's] court decision, which
if upheld will wreak havoc on our societ};
redefining the institution of marriage and
denying children a mother or a father."
In an online statement, Rev. Louis P
Shi ·ldon. founder of the Traditional Values
~ition. an inter-denominational public
policy organization speaking on behalf of
over 43,rel churches. called Judge Kramer's
decision an example of ~judicial tyranny"
and said it proved the necessity of passing a
constitutional amendment in Califorrua to
restrict marriage to opposite sex couples
According to Human Rights Watch, 13
states pa~sed marriage amendments in
2004 and 21 more states are expected to vote
on marriage amendments in 200s and 2006.
Kansas residents are scheduled to vote on
the issue of a constitutional ban of gay mar
riage when they go to the polls on April 5.
"There i.s no question that the clergy "'ho
are supporting the marriage amendn1•nt here
v;ant to ll"C' what happened in California to
mobilize their base here," said Cyd Slayt.m.
media spokesperson for Kan.sans for Fa;..~·'SS,
a group organizing efforts across Kansas to
oppose the proposed marriage amendment,
which would prohibit same-sex marriage.
S!ayten said the coalition is working to
build bridges in a tough political climate
with little time and even less mone}:
According to Caroline McKnight of the
Mainstream Coalition. a group opposing the
amendment. there is no financial data avail·
able on the groups organizing around the
marriage amendment in Kansas yet because
they are not required to file with the Kansas
Ethics Comml"5ion until March 21.
McKnight characterized the compara·
tive financial situations of the pro and anti
marriage amendment groups as a "David
and Goliath situation" with those opposing
the amendment as Da\id.
"Pro-marriage amendment lawn signs are
proliferating like dandelions," McKnight
said, "and those don't come for free."
McKnight said she believes most of the
money for the campaign that supports the
marriage amendment is coming from out
of state.
HOUSTON VOICE
MARCH 18, 2005
PAGE 8
People who care for their family
Bill Clevenger's
gay-owned and
operated home
health service
is there for
HIV/AIDS patients
By BINNIE FISHER
When Bill Clevenger decided to open a
home health care service a year and a
half ago, he looked for office space in
:Montrose because as he sees It, his mis·
sion is family caring for family.
He had been here before with a home
health care agenC}; in the early 1980s
when people with AIDS saw before them
a debilitating life that most likely would
end m a painful death.
"We had our hands full back then," he
said. "I lost a lot of good friends to the
epidemic."
Located then at 3400 l\1ontrose,
Clevenger said, his busmess had few
avenues to which it could turn in order to
help clients. He and his patlenl~ had to
wait for services like the Assistance
Fund, the Montrose Clime, Bering
Omega Services and others to be born
and to grow."
In 2005, he said. the needs are different.
:More importantl}; the infrastructure
is there now to help those in need.
Although now as then, his agency is
a business, Clevenger said he and his
staff do whatever is needed whenever
someone calls. It may be a matter of
referring them to a nonprofit agency
that can help.
"We just helped a guy last week get
into the Bering Omega hospice pro·
gram," he said. "We're real good at tak·
ing somebody and finding out what
resources are available out there We're
pretty good at knowing who's out there
and whether the Assistance Fund or the
Montrose Clime or another organization
can help someone."
With a staff of eight nurses, 20 home
health care aids and five people staffing
the office, Clevenger said, the service is
equipped to take care of most needs.
@ MORE INFO
STAT Home Health Care. Inc.
m Hyde Par!< Blvd.
713-520-9997
www.stathomecare.com
RegtStered nurse Bin Clevenger (far right) Is the owner of STAT care Home Health Care. Inc. He is pictured
with office staff (from right) Sarah Morris. Charles Berger and Roger Reilgelman (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
In most cases, he said, "People just
need a little bit of help so they can stay
independent."
When new clients call, Clevenger said,
the stalT at STAT try first to determine
what it is they need. If it appears that
they may need home health care, an
assessment is scheduled.
A home visit is made, and the patient's
needs are a~sessed. "We work with their
doctor to make sure they are getting their
needs met," he said.
Though not all of his clients are AIDS
patients, Clevenger noted that he has a
working relationship with most of the
AIDS physicians in Houston.
"We take care of all segments of the
population without any consideration of
age, race or nationalit);" he said.
Needs of clients range from some·
one to prepare lunch and help the client
bathe and dress for the day to a nurse
who can administer medications to a
trained profess10nal to provide phys!·
cal therapy.
Although his clients live throughout
Harris County, Clevenger said he keeps
his crnter of operation in Montrose
because it is centrally located.
"We're five minutes from the Medical
Center," he said
Medicare certified
As a Medicare certified agency,
Clevenger said, "We work with Medicare
or private insurance."
Recently, Clevenger said, a state sur·
vey of the agency found no deficiencies.
In addition, he said, the agency was
praised for having its records readily
available and in good order on computer.
The agency operate. as closely as pos·
sible to paperless. Everythmg is on com·
puter, which doctors seem to appreciate.
"We're very automated," he said. "We
have the capability of emailing records
directly to the doctor. Technically, we
have the people in the office who can
write the programs."
When he looked for office space to
open a 21st Century version of the home
health care service he operated in the
1980s, Clevenger said, he decided to comP
dO\rn from the upper floors of an officP
build mg. Instead of office space, he went
for "home space."
The agency is located in a house at 711
Hyde Park, behind what once was the
QwnLIAMJ.
CLEVENGER
~.44
Birthplace Houston
Education Bachelor of Science in Nursing
from University of Houston
Home: Spring Branch
Occupation Registered Nurse/Owner of STAT
Home Health Care, Inc.
Relationship Status: Partner to Edward Rivera
Pets German Shepherd named Herra
clubO.
"It's home);" he said. "We sit on the
porch and have our coffee "
The kitchen and den are like the
kitchen and den in any other house, complete
with cereal boxes and a kitchen table.
"We're like a big famil):" Clevenger said.
"The staff and I go out to a movie• every
other week. We go out to eat togethPr:"
Since he works seven days a week,
Clevenger said, working in a house
makes it sePm less like work.
Clevenger said STAT supports gay
causes that make life better for others.
"We really do care about our commu·
nity," he said. "We're a gay-owned and
operated company. That's just us." --
:
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
out in houston (Photos by Dalton OeHart)
Victory Fund Houston chairs hosted a fundraising brunch on Sunday and among those in attendance were. Houston chair Bill Coburn. Idaho State Rep. Nicole
l.afavour, Victory Fund National President Chuck Wolfe. Houston City Controller Annise Parker, Houston chairs David Arpin and Janine Brunjes and Portland,
Ore. City Council Member Sam Adams.
Lana Schwartz and Jack Jackson helped raise more than a few
greenbacks for the. Montrose Counseling Center at the annual
Bring111' in the Green fundra1ser.
The Material Girl was represented in spirit by Viva at the recent
Madonnarama at South Beach.
At a recent Women's History Month benefit Linda Morales (left) and Raquel Cedillo (second
from right) presented awards to Christina Martinez. President and CEO of the
Rainbow Pages and Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus President Maria Gonzales
The Exclamation Dance Company performed before AIDS Walk Houston 2005 got
underway.
MARCH 18, 2005 9
Jean Higgins· son Travis Rhodes was among those who
turned out for a recent exhibition of her artwork at Mo
Mung.
RESEARCH-VOL.U NTEERS NE. EDED
• Did you know that an estimated 40.000 Amencans become rnfected with HIV every year?
• Thousands of men, women, and children are now IMllQ with HIV d ease and there's 6tilJ no cure
BETHEL EVANGELICAL
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ADULTS AGES 18-45
UP TO $400 FOR TIME AND TRAVEL
we ere looking for adults between the ages of 18 and 45 with no history of HIV infection
to part1c1pate 1n an invest1gat1onal vaccine research study for HIV If you qualify. you will
receive free screening tests for HIV and up to $400 for time and travel
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL CENTER FOR CLINICAL STUDIES
713.528.8818
Houston Medical Center Office
281.333.2288
Clear Lake Office
www.ccstexas.com
1107 Shephenl Drtvt @ Center Streit
Houston, TX noo1·113-861.a10
www.betheltlou*>n.org
Sundly School
Sundly Worship
Wedntldly Worship
9:1IO All
10:30 All
&:00 Pll
l1f1iiE!'4fd1i voice
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editorial
Califoria marriage ruling
actually behind the curve
When it comes to same-sex marriage, the Golden State
isn't on the cutting edge. Its judiciary is playing catch-up.
Still, the ruling was welcome news in a bleak season.
By MUBARAK DAHIR
OR THE SECOND TIME IN
a year, gay and lesbian couples
gathered in matrimonial
throngs at city hall in
San Francisco this past
week. Some were waving
rainbow flags. Others held
up marriage licenses in a sign of victory.
But unlike last year - when the prescient
mayor of that city, Gavin Newsom,
announced his city would start handing
out marriage licenses to same-sex couples
because he felt the state law banning it
violated the state's constitution there
were no nuptials this time around.
But there was plenty of gay marriage
celebration. And before long. there may
well be wedding bells ringing there again
for same-sex couples.
As the entire nation knows by now,
that's because a state judge in California
ruled on Monday, March 13, that the
state's ban on gay and lesbian marriages
violates California's constitution.
County Superior Court Judge Richard
Kramer wrote there was "no rational pur·
pose" in refusing same-sex couples the
right to marry.
"The denial of marriage to same-sex
couples appears impermissibly arbitrary,"
he ruled. "Simply put, same-sex
marriage cannot be prohibited solely
because California has always done so."
He likened the state's domestic partner·
ship laws considered to be the third
most comprehensive set of laws in the
country protecting same-sex couples, after
only Massachusetts, which allows gays
and lesbians to-marry, and Vermont,
which sanctions civil unions - to the historically
flawed "separate but equal"
racial laws of the past.
Kramer flatly rejected the argument by
two conservative groups that gays should·
n't be allowed to marry because they cannot
procreate.
"One does not have to be married in
order to procreate. nor does one have to
procreate in order to be married,"
Kramer wrote. ''Thus, no legitimate state
interest to justify the preclusion of samesex
marriage can be found."
THE RULING MADE HEADLINE NEWS,
and provided further fuel to the already
red· hot flames of same-sex marriage.
Anti-gay groups intend to appeal the
law in California, so the ruling is far
from the last word on the subject there,
or anywhere else in the country.
Still. the victory gave a much-needed
injection of public optimism. not to mention
a level of vindication, to those supporting
and fighting for same-sex marriage rights.
Just a few months ago, following the
outcome of the November presidential
election, supporters and activists on the
same-sex marriage front were being
scapegoated and vilified, even from with·
in gay and lesbian quarters, for making
such a public stand on marriage.
George W Bush brilliantly manipulated
the issue to his advantage at the polls,
voters in 11 states approved bans on
same-sex marriage, and the Democrats
conveniently used the issue to cover up
John Kerry's failings as an uninspiring
presidential candidate.
All of a sudden, gay marriage was no
longer hip. It was poison.
This ruling, particularly if it holds -
and many observers are optimistic it
will has seemingly made us a popular
cause again in the imaginations of many
Americans.
I guess everybody really does love a
winner.
BUT IN ALL THE HOOPLA, IT'S CRUCIAL
that we note one extremely important
and often misrepresented fact, especially
since there will undoubtedly be other less
joyous moments ahead in the long and
strenuous road ahead for same-sex mar
riage rights.
Despite the media frenzy and the sec·
ond rash of celebrating in San
Francisco's city hall. the California rul·
ing is not groundbreaking or exceptional.
It's very good news. It's an important
step. It's a reason to cheer.
But in many ways, it's old hat.
The fight for recognizing the legal
marriage rights of gay and lesbian couples
goes at least as far back as 1993,
when Hawaii's Supreme Court similarly
HOUSTON VOICE
MARCH 18, 2005
PAGE 10
ruled that discrimination against samesex
couples was more than likely unconstitutional.
A trial judge removed the
restrictions prohibiting gays and lesbians
from marrying, but voters there amended
their constitution to limit marriage to
one man and one woman.
But since then, an additional half a
dozen state's courts have ruled in favor of
allowing same-sex couples to marry:
Alaska, Massachusetts, New York,
Oregon, Washington and now, California.
Furthermore, there are court cases
pending in Connecticut, New Jersey,
Maryland and Indiana.
Vermont offers a nearly carbon copy
of marriage in their form of civil
un10ns, and Massachusetts allows it out
right And of course, Canada, too, has
come to the same conclusion on same-sex
marriage rights.
Interestingly, the Connecticut legisla·
lure looks poised to pass a civil unions
law soon, too - even without a court
order to do so.
Even in California, the court ruling
doesn't really break much new ground
when it comes to the notion of same-sex
couples: In the past few years, the state
legislature has passed a collection of laws
that give gay and lesbian couples nearly
as many rights and protections as
straight married couples, without calling
it by that sacred name.
Here in New York, meanwhile, a judge
ruled only a month ago that New York City
had to allow gay marriage. Mayor Michael
Bloomberg is appealing that ruling.
JUDGE KRAMER'S RULING WILL,
without question, boost the energy, will
and determination of foot soldiers in the
conservative right who want to pass a federal
amendment to the US Constitution
banning gay and lesbian marriage.
Conservatives will protest loudly that
California's Judge Kramer is just another
outlandish example of "judicial
activism" that has veered out of control.
But the truth is that, for years, not
only the courts, but politicians and legislatures
have been debating and granti·
ng - marriage rights to same-sex cou
pies. The notion can no longer be reasonably
cnlled outside the mainstream.
When it comes to same-sex marriage,
California is not even cutting edge.
.. Mubarak Dahir IS
~ editor of the
Express Gay News
and can be reached at
mdahir@expressgaynews.
com
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
• point BEREN DE MOTIER
Buster Baxter beat 'Sesame Street'
in airing a gay character, and only
the adults seem to be bothered.
Will you be my gaybor?
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT OF ALL
TllF. children's television shows, "Sesame
Street" would have the first gay characte1:
I grew up with "Sesame Street." I
watched the first episodes on avocado
green shag carpeting in my parents'
sunken Los Angeles living room, fell in
love with that pre-Tom Hanks "Evel'Yffian"
Kermit the Frog, and still own the fuzzy
and blue Grover puppet I got for Christmas
in 1971. I do a mean Grover impression,
which comes in handy more than you'd
imagine when you have three kids.
"Sesame Street" was the first show to
have inner city kids, black kids. Hispanic
kids, and a puppet with HIY. It seemed
inevitable that one day a lesbian couple
would move onto the street. or some nice
gay men would buy Mr. Hooper's store
and start serving mochaccinos (as well as
over-sized cookies) to Cookie Monster on
his daily visit.
But it was Buster Baxter, the happy-golucky,
child-of-divorced-parents rabbit costar
of the popular "Arthur" cartoon
show. and now star of his own "Postcards
from Buster," who introduced lesbians to
children's television.
Except that. sadly, very few children
got to see it, since before the episode
about Buster visiting Vermont (where
civil unions are legal and couples with
two moms not uncommon) could air,
under pressure from new Education
Secretary Margaret Spellings, PBS pulled
the show from national distribution.
GOOD GRIEf~ CHARLIE BROWN.
We're talking Buster Baxter. I have a 2
year old, so I know, Buster is as benign as
you can get. He travels around with his
dad on the show, visiting with kids all
over the nation. with all kinds of family
structures and beliefs.
But then again, he probably treated
the lesbian family like any other family,
and that message is scaring the cultural
conservatives.
Especially after the SpongeBob
brouhaha.
I'm not a big SpongeBob fan. I've seen a
little of him when visiting the grandparents
(who have cable). and he appears to be
inane, ridiculous and not terribly literate.
But I do appreciate that he took part,
as well as Barney, Big Bird and some
other kid favorites, in a tolerance video
urging children to accept people difTerent
from themselves.
This got the vocal Focus on the Family
group up in arms.
Isn't it strange that we can live in a
society that struggles with violence,
with hate crimes, with racial intolerance,
and is currently involved in a war
to promote freedom. democracy and
diversity in a foreign land, and it is considered
outrageous to urge kids to
accept the obvious: that all people are
not the same, and it doesn't make you
better than them. and no. you can't hurt
them because they're different?
OF COURSE. THE CULTURAL
conservatives. the Bush administration.
and whoever else is making a fuss about
Buster Baxter and Tinky Winky, has
good reason to worry if intolerance is
They help bring culture to our
communities, and who doesn't
love theater?
The theater embraces the gay
community like no other branch
of the arts. and events like these
uplift the gay community. Plus,
there are so many hot gals and
guys.
eve
Out at the Al
and Out at TUTS
are important to
gays and lesbians?
DAVID HIGGINBOIBAM, 52
Houston
Artistic Director for Masquerade
Theatre !LICH GUARDIOlA. 31
Houston
Actor
Buster Baxter
their goal.
Young people do accept difTerence
more easily. They don't automatically
consider it bad to be dissimilar. and
their automatic response to two people
of the same gender falling in love isn't
to beat them up or make sure they can't
get married.
Children are much more likely to want
to pet the couple's golden retrle\'er or ask
if they have any kids who can come over
and play.
Until they're socialized differently, that
is. While gay bashing among teens sadly
continues. there is a growing trend toward
live and let live throughout the country.
It is hard to demonize us when we live
next door and shop at Target. We can't be
MARCH 18, 2005 11
going to hell in a hand basket too fast if
we're president of the PTA or principal of
the school, and young people, and
increasingly their parents, know it.
Interesting!); no one seems to have a
cow when Melissa Etheridge or Nathan
Lane, out and proud as you can be, do a
cameo on Sesame Street to sing the
ABCs. as long as they don't bring a loved
one along.
And they will somroa): But what I'm
really hoping is that before I'm old and
gra); someone will finally tell me how to
get, how to get to "Sesame Street."
I 'm Beren deMotier fives m Portland. Ore. and
~ can be reached at demotiel@telepo
Events inwlvmg and supporting
the arts are a great vehicle for
the gay and lesbian community.
along with their supporters. to
interface and show community
spirit I
Most importantly, I think they
provide a social atmosphere
based on people's common inter·
ests of art and culture rather
than based predominately on
sexuality.
Il gives the GLBT folks a chance
to re-connect. This community
needs so much support. and this
is such a great opportunity to
show Houston that these groups
are very much a part of our
rives.
TIANNA HALL. 24
Houston
Vocalist
DOUG THOMPSON. 27
Houston
Actor/sirq!f
JOANNE BONASSO, 28
Houston
Actress
Sound off about what's happening in your world at www.houstonvoice.com/soundoff. Intervlews and photo~ by Dalton DeHart
12 MARCH 18. 2005 wwwhoustonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE
r-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
n the record
"I absolutely love women and find them
incredibly sexy I have loved womrn in the
past and slept with them. I think if you love
and want to pleasure a woman, particularly
if you are a woman yourself, then certainly
you know how to do things a certain way."
Actress Angelina Jolie, in an interview
with a Bnt1sh magazine (OK! Magazine,
.\farch 15)
"Let priests, rabbis and imams decide
which marriages should receive their bless·
ing, but as to legal and social rights, the
state has no business discriminating."
An editorial in the Los Angeles Ti~s
that backed sa~-sex marriage. (Los Angeles
Ti~s. March 15)
kThe policy has turned out to be a disaster. What on the swface was supposed to
protect privacy turned into something where people were simply ignoring that and
witch-hunting."
Former Army Major Jeffrey McGowan. who served as a closeted gay man in the mili·
tary for more than a decade; author of "Major Conflict: One Gay Man's Life in the Don't
Ask. Don't Tell Military" (Gay.com, March 13)
"Certainly our platform states that the
party is committed to ensuring that there is traditional
marriage."
Republican Party chief Ken Mehlman. u·ho
went on to say that the GOP should let each state
decide whether to allow gay couples to u·ed or
enter Into cioil unions. contradicting at least in
part the language of the Federal Jfarriage
Amendment (Associated Press. March 14)
"You cannot help [AIDS) with medicine. You
must stop sodomy."
Reu Jack Oliver. after leading a protest outside
a Kentucky church that had agreed to let the
Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the
Healing of AIDS took place; they carried signs
that read "No mercy in hell," and "No civil rights
for sodomites" (Associated Press. March 14)
"We were trying to inform them that God's place is for everybod}'. Everyone is
imited here right or '\\TOng."
Michael Hard>: assistant pastor of the Kentucky church, after he invited protesters
inside the Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS event; they
declined (Associated Press. March 14)
"Women. you can have it all - a loving man. devoted husband, loving children, a
fabulous career."
Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith and u·ife of actor Will Smith, to a crowd of approxi·
mately 150 students at Harvard's Sanders Theatre; lesbian activists on campus were
upset with the remark, calling the actress· remarks "extremely heteronormative." (Boston
Globe, .\farch 13)
"It's a behav10r; it shouldn't be a pro·
tected class. I can't imagine why a behavior
would be protected. I don't evrn know what
sexual orientation entails. Docs that mean
gays and lesbians, men and little boys? It
could be people with ammals, I don't know."
Oklahoma County's Budget Board
Commissioner Rrent Rinehart, u·ho tool.·
office after a county non-discrimination poli·
cy had been approved, on why he's leadinl(
an effort to repeal it (Associated Press .
.\farc:h 9)
''No. 6. Ryan Seacrest is all hands.
No. 5. I started liking when Ryan
Seacre:;t was all hands."
'i\nwrican ldol"jinalist Mario
Vasquez, u·ho u•ithdrewfrom the competi·
tionfor unexplained personal reasons, in a
tongue· in-check appearance doing the "1bp
10" listfor !>avid /,merman (CBS' "I.ate
Show." March 15)
GAY HOUSTON NIGHTLIFE, ARTS & CULTURE www.houstonvoice.com
cho is a killer!
Boy gets bitchy
In his new autobiography,
Boy George slams gay icons
like Madonna and Rosie
Page 18
MARCH 18, 2005
r·"" ... IC CO "[OJAN TALKS ABOUT
POLITICAL HUMOR AND BEING A TRANNIE
By MUBARAK DAHIR
111
ARGARET CHO IS A KILLER.
She wants to get you with the laughter.
On the simplest level, that's the
notion behind her evocatively titled new
tour. "The Assassin."
But Cho. a famously caustic Korean·
American comedian, is anything but
simple. Known for the often biting political commen·
tary that permeates her acts, Cho's choice of a title for
her current tour is. no doubt. a jab at the current politi·
cal atmosphere of America.
Cho, who appeared in Houston a year ago, will bring
her both personal and political wit to Hobby Center for
the Performing arts on April 7.
She took a few moments to speak to the Houston
Voice about her evolving sense of humor, her political
activism and why she considers herself a trannie.
Houston Voice: Not surprisingly, your new show is
provocatively titled. Tell us about it.
Margaret Cho: Well, it is a provocative title. It's a
provocative show It's about bracing ourselves in this
new political atmosphere. But it's about bracing our·
selves for the positive. not the negative. It's about trying
to find some light in all the darkness that surrounds us.
political and otherwise. I consider it upbeat.
Voice: Upbeat? But aren't you famous for being caus·
tic?
Cho: (laughing) I'm getting older! I'm more inclined
to be compassionate and not quite as sarcastic. I find I
have more positive things to say now. I don't think you
have to be cruel to be funny. Although, let's admit it,
sometimes that can be fun.
Voice: What's it like to be a liberal political comedi·
an in a time when the country is turning more conser·
vallve?
Cho: Oh my God. it totally makes me feel like more
of a renegade. What I think are really middle·Of·the·
road ideas, like gay marriage and gay adoption. are
now considered somehow radical by a lot of the rest of
the country There's a huge moral question surround·
ing these issues that I think are obvious points like.
'Can gay people be good parents?' It's so condescend·
ing.
Voice: So does that make it easier or harder on you?
Cho: I think it makes it easier to be a political comedian
these days, because the lines are so strongly drawn in the
country now:
Voice: Does much of the show address gay and !es·
bian politics?
Cho: I think just about everything 111 the show will
speak to gays and lesbians. because that's where I come
from , I'm defined as a queer artist. I'm part of the gay
and lesbian movement.
Voice: In the past you've described yourself as bisex·
ual. Does that remain accurate?
Cho: Well. I'm married to a man, and at home I am
such a housewife! And yet I am so gay! But I'm a tran·
nie, too.
Voice: You're a trannie? Am I getting a scoop here?
Cho: (laughing) Well, I'm a trJ.J111ie because I'm so
manly in a lot of roles in my life. I'm a very demanding
boss and producer. Stand-up comedy is a very male profes·
s10n. So in my day-to-day work life, I'm a man. But in my
personal life. I'm such a woman. I love being a wife. and I
want to have a bab):
Voice: What does your husband think of you being a
queer trannie?
Cho: (laughing) Well, he's an artist, so his life is
very queer, too.
Voice: So. you're a married, American· Korean queer
trannie political comedian? That's a lot to juggle!
Cho: Well, yeah, it's a challenge incorporating so
many identities into my life. (laughing) But as an artist.
you have so many facets to choose from. And you know.
sometimes you can go too fa1~ but as an artist, you have
to push the envelope, you can't be constrained by being
too sensitive. You have to let go of societal approval and
just get to the best place }OU can as an ai1ist.
Voice: Do you consider yourself an act1v1st as well
as an artist?
Cho: Oh. I definitely consider myself an activist. .My
art has the same purpose as activism.
Voice: And what purpo. e is that?
Cho: The political. important, ,;erious purpose of
expanding minds to embrace more progressive ways of
thinking.
Voice: Do you consider yourself a role model?
Cho: I don't know if I am a role model or not, but I'd
like to be. I'm very happy with what I'm doing and how
I'm doing it. Isn't that worth emulating? •
Comedian Margaret Cho who calls herself a 'queer artist,' Will perfonn
at the Hobby Center for the Performmg Arts on April 7.
@MORE INFO
Margaret Cho
The Assassin·
April7
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
wwwt1cketmaster.com or 713-629-3700
JUNGLE SPINNING: DJ Tony brings cuts from his
new CD to Jungle Houston's main event. Page 14 I A WASTE: ABC'S 'Jake in Progress' is a
cheap 'Sex in the City' knockoff. Page 15
14 MARCH 18. 2005
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SI• C STEVE WEINSTEIN
DJ Tony Moran travels back to Houston
for an appearance at Jungle 13 that also
includes a performance by Christine W
More & more Moran
TONY MORAN. DJ SPINS HERE AND
there. Maybe you·ve heard of him.
If you've gone to a gay dance club, Cir·
cult party or picked up an HX or Next in
the last year, you'll get the joke in the
paragraph above.
EverY year, it seems. there's a DJ du
annee, and 2004 belonged to Moran.
This New York-Miami unicoastal
Cuban has established himself as a master
of the current trend toward hard·
driving, Latin-inflected backbeat-driven
diva-yellin' percussive dance music.
The CD cover of his two-disc set,
released by an equally hot record label,
Tommy Boy, probably wasn't intended to
be ironic. But Moran's image imprinted
on a bus with various parties (Winter,
Alegria. Rio Carnival. CherrY ... ) pretty
well sums up where we are right now.
~'hat distinguishes this compilation is
Moran's experience inside a studio. A
good half of the tracks were mixed by
Moran, and, in at least one case, he com·
posed the music as well.
This distinguishes Moran from many
of the pack of gay DJs currently spin·
ft MORE INFO
Tour de Beats
Double CD
Tommy Boy Records
www.djtonymoran.com
JUNGL.El3
Kklc-off
9 p.m.·2 a.m. March 24
Meteor
2306 Genesee
'Gather the Tribe'
10 p.m.-4 a.m. March 25
Rich's
2401 San Jacinto
Tribal Heaf
IO p.m-4 am. March 26
Verizon Wireless Theater
520 Texas Ave.
After liooo 'Salvation'
3:30 a.m.· 10 a.m. March 27
M Bar
402 Main Sl
Tribal Lust'
10 p.m.·5 a.m March 27
South Beach
810 Pacific
Advance tickets available at M2M Fashion
3400 Montrose Blvd.
ID-521-0804
WWWJunglehoustcncom
Tony Moran's 'Tour de Beats' delivers exactly that
- a guided tour of current club riffs.
ning. Moran, it seems. has worked with
nearly every dance diva around r ight
now, and he pours them into this CD.
The result strongly resembles a set at
Alegria, which suits me just fine. In fact,
it is an ideal Alegria set: all of the vocals
without any of that damned drumbeat
repetition.
The entire two-CD set, played back to
back, would give anyone an introduction
into these parties. They will also indoctrinate
the Alegria virgin into exactly
why these occasional parties have
become the most successful gay dance
events in the world.
THERE ARE FEW '"DEBUTS' HERE
(ironic quotes because, once you hear
them, you'll recognize them immediately).
Deborah Cooper's "Live You All
Over" is simply terrific, the kind of diva
anthem we so desperately need right now:
(No, I'm not going to go off about "tina
music"' - although I could!)
The highlight of these CDs filled with
highlights is undoubtedly Zhana
Saunders' "Waiting for Alegria.'' If any
song can lay claim to being the theme of
our time, it's this one.
You want divas? TrY Kristine W,
Cooper and Suzanne Palme1: There also
Just to show that Moran knows his way
around a record store. Ron Perkov, Chus
& Ceballos, Reina and the Party Starters
are here, too. As befits his origins. there's
a distinctly Latin flavor throughout. Be
prepared for a little hands-on-the-hips
action if you're dancing by yourself at
home. (Oh, come on, I know you do that.)
The only question I have is, how is
Moran going to program his upcoming
Jungle 13 gig in Houston?
Moran will be playing at the Verizon
Wireless Theater downtown Saturday,
.:Vfarch 26, for "Tribal Heat," the main
event at Jungle 13 that also includes a
live performance by diva Christine w:
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
n BRIAN MOYLAN
ABC's new Thursday night sitcom 'Jake in
Progress' wastes John Stamos in a cheap,
comedy-free 'Sex and the City' knockoff.
No signs of 'Progress'
"SEX AND THE CITY" WAS MORE
than a television show; it was a cultural
phenomenon. That statement may seem a
bit outrageous, but the now-defunct HBO
comedy about four women Jiving and loving
in New York really did influence how
America thinks about fashion, comedy
and women on television.
Now this successful formula, concocted
by gay creators Darren Star and Michael
Patrick King, is being borrowed by less
talented imitators, with miserable results.
ABC's "Jake in Progress" is being billed
as "Same cit}; difTerent sex," which itself
is a rip-off of "The L Word's" smart marketing
campaign "Same sex, difTerent cit):"
"Jake" is meant to be "Sex and the
City" from a male perspective. ABC
offered a preview (two episodes) of the
sitcom last Sunday, !\1arch 6, before
debuting m its 8 p.m. time slot on
Thursday. March 17.
The show stars John Stamos (who is
aging quite well) as Jake Phillips, a slick
PR guy and king of the one-night stand
who generally charms his way through
life without encountering any obstacles.
For some reason that isn't fully developed,
Jake decides that there's got to be more to
life than quickie romances and sets out to
find a more substantial relationship.
While on this quest, he has to juggle
his needy celebrity clients, his pregnant
boss (the fabulous Wendie Malick from
"Just Shoot Me"), his married best friend
(Ian Gomez) and his weird, neurotic sidekick
(Rick Hoffman).
"JAKE" ISN'T EVEN COOL ENOUGH
to be one of Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah
Jessica Parker) castoffs. The character's
greatest problem is, like Carrie's Mr. Big,
he says he wants to change, but he really
doesn't. While he's looking for "the one"
he keeps cycling through women, like in
the old days. Talk is cheap, Jakey-poo.
Also, the ensemble on "Jake" is not real·
Jy an ensemble at all. Carrie was always
the anchor of •·sex," but it was equally
about her three friends and their relation·
ships With men (and sometimes women)
and earh othrr. But when the lead character's
name is in the show's title and everyone
else on screm merely serves to aid his
egomaniacal quest, it all falls short.
The show also suffers from severe
comedic anemia. "Sex," often sweet and
touching with its quirky, stylish characters,
who wrre always fabulous. was
ft MORE INFO
'Jake in Progress'
ABC
Thursdays at 7 p.m
John Stamos 1s the only attractive thing about ABC's
new 'Jake in Progress.' which ai~ Thursdays at 8 p.m.
laugh-out-loud funny Through two
episodes of "Jake," be grateful if you
even crack a smile.
AND THEN THERE'S THE GAY ISSUE.
In the second episode, Jake wrestles with
his clients, "Three Gay-migos," a design
trio that is obviously an offshoot of
"Queer Eye's" Fab Five. One of the "Gaymigos"
is actually straight and has to
come out to his co-workers. The result is
a cute storyline where the tables are
reversed and the straight man has to
come out of the closet.
This plot could be appealing, but it is
ruined by the "Gay-migos," who are
stereotypically effeminate. even more so
than their real-life counterparts. And
Just to really offend gay viewers. the
straight guy affects a lisp, a high-pitched
voice and sashays in his role as a gay
designet: Of course, he loses these qualities
when being "true to himself" as a
straight man.
"Jake," my darling, if you were really
comfortable with gay people, there
wouldn't be a need for such simplistic
and predictably offensive gags.
The most offensive aspect of "Jake
and the City," however is that it dared to
compare itself to "Sex and the Cit):" By
itself, it's just another mediocre network
sitcom. Next to "Sex." it is dwarfed in
comparison.
MARCH 18. 2005 15
"IN A WORD
MAGNIFICEN' T!''
Stefas-'\ie Po\Ne"4s
;..,
RodRe.-s &
The t-1c';""""""e.-stei"''s >
fGh'\9 aV\dJ
Wednesday, March 23
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www.houstonwice.com HOUSTON VOICE
J.A. CHAPMAN
For outstanding kabobs and baklava as well as
tabouli and scrumptious, hot pita bread, head
out Richmond to Mary'z Mediterranean Cuisine
Mediterranean Mary'z
I LOVE GOOD MEDITERRANEAN
food. So it was with great anticipation
that I headed out Richmond to try out
Mary'z Mediterranean.
The location seemed familiar. and it
finally dawned on me that this was the
home of Sammy's Lebanese, before a trag·
ic fire. I hoped it was a good sign that
Mary'z owners were also Lebanese.
The restaurant itself is like a small
house, much like the old Sammy's. There's
a porch out front. parking in the back. and
the interior has an upscale feel. with
maroon carpets and faux·marble tabletops.
A split-level dining area creates intimac;;
while providing plenty of seating.
The menu has all the usual suspects
and no real surprises. One lunch visit, I
started out with a half order of tabouli
($2.i5), which proved to be an ample portion,
as are most of the half orders on the
menu. The tabouli is tangy with lemon
and has plenty of parsley. More bulgher
wheat might add heartiness, but that's a
small quibble for such a fresh, light treat.
For a light meal, try one of the sand·
wiches. which are rolled up in the thin.
delicious pita bread and wrapJ)(.'d with tin
foil - perfect for take out. The lamb kabob
sandwich ($4.25) is an excellent choice.
The lamb was tender and succulent, with
a hint of allspice. Lettuce, tomatoes, pick·
Jes, and tahini fill out the sandwich,
adding plenty of flavor.
It's possible to make a meal from the
appetizer selections. The fried kibbi ($0.95).
filled with ground beef. pinenuts and
almond slivers, are warm and filling. The
falafel (3 for $1.00) was not the very best I've
had. but the garlic sauce is addictive.
Both the hummus ($2.8.5 for half serv·
ing/$4.45 for whole) and baba gannouge
($2.75/$4.25) were strangely lacking in gar·
lie and heavy on the lemon. The baba gannouge
could benefit from a stronger egg.
plant flavor. but overall both are tasty and
come with the delicious thin pita bread.
The platters come with salad or veg·
etable and dip. The beef shwarma ($9.95)
was more like a beef stew than the thinly
sliced beef I'd expected. It was served on
pita bread, which quickly became soggy.
The fattouch salad on the side was large
enough to be a meal, and refreshingly
light. with cucumbers. tomatoes. lettuce
and parsley in a lemony dressing.
Vegetarians will find plenty to eat at
Mary'z, including a good selection of veg·
etable dishes, all available in half and
whole servings. The eggplant ($2.451$3.95)
is the standout · garlicky, tangy and ten·
der. it's a real find. Order a whole serving
half isn't enough. The cauliflower
($2.45/ $3.9.5) is panfried until golden
brown. It's sweet and tender, but could do
with some seasoning. The potatoes
($2.45/ $3.95) are pan fired as well and
loaded with garlic, which isn't mentioned
on the menu, plus lemon and parsley.
IT'S EASY TO NOSH YOUR WAY
around the menu at Mary'z, but save room
for dessert. The baklava ($1.25) is excellent
and the servings are sizable Both walnut
and pistachio are available. Owr waitress
described the cream baklava ($1.45) as
"baklava with cream", which wasn"t at all
what it turned out to be. Instead it was
fried dough filled with a something akin to
clotted cream, and served in a pool of rose
syrup. It was delicious, but entirely different
from what had been described.
Service can be a problem at Mary'z,
mostly because English is not the staff's
first language and communication can
be difficult. The food is prepared to
order, which means it's fresh and deli·
cious. but can also take awhile. Still, the
staff ls very friendly and aims to be as
helpful as possible.
Alcohol is not served at :\1ary'z, but
hookahs are available. It wasn't clear if you
could order a hookah for the table, and
they're not on the menu, but patrons were
puffing away each time I visited. No doubt
interested parties would be able to partake.
Mary'z offers very reasonably priced
Mediterranean food in a pleasant atmos·
phere. With a convenient location on
Richmond, plenty of parking, and good
food, it's worth a visit.
Mary'z
Mediterranean
Cuisine
5825 Richmond
832·25H955
Food lellelfel
Service: !el let let
Value: lellel'e!lel
Scene: fel'91!el "= Stay home and eat cereal
let 1e1 = Well. if you really must
let lel 191 = Fine for all but the finicky
'9! 1e1 • • =Worth more th.in a
20-minute drive • * * • • =As good as you'll
find in this city
JOHNNY HOOKS
A Loft Party heats up, art gets auctioned
to benefit the Community Center, and an
erotic bakery in (of all places) Sugar Land
Erotica outside the Loop
WELCOME BACK TO HOVO ON THE
Go-Go! Can it be that Spring is on the
way? The weather is warming up and the
kids are getting out and about.
This week we'll check out erotic cakes,
a home tour and of course the GLBT
Center Art Auction!
FIRST UP THOUGH, TfflS JUST IN.
Well not just in, but wanted to let you know
that the new Montrose Diner is now open
24 hours! Perfect after food for sopping up
all the liquor you conswned. Make sure to
try the meatloaf .ywnmy! Montrose Diner
is located at llll Westheimer.
IF YOU MISSED THE QUEER
collective show at the Meridian last
week, for shame! The Butchies put on a
frenzied !X'rformance as always, but
HotGG was there for the stunningly hand·
some gay singer/songwriter Eric Himan.
Himan is so hottt with arms inked to
the shouldc>r and the smoldering good
looks of Dylan McDermott. And did we
mention he can sing like an angel?
His new CD is called "Dark Horse" and
arrives in stores this week! Check out
www.erichiman.com for more info and
look for Eric to return to Houston some·
time later this year. We should have known
one queer who would be in attendance, as
he is always present for the hippest events,
and that's Houston's own poet "queer-laureate"
Todd Gresley. Visit his super cool
website at www.toddicus.com to see what
he's up to or order his first book of poems
"Indiana the Island."
SO IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT AND WHAT IS
there to do'! Glad you asked.
HotGG received an e-mail about a new
monthly party starting this Friday. It's
brought to you by Zeke Ziliak and DJ
Surain of Berryhill on Sunday's fame.
The communique reads in part, "DJ
Surain and I are bringing his house
revival music from the Sunday daylight
hours to the Houston night scene. There's
nowhere el e where you can dance to
Olva House music from the 1990's like
Robin S, Juliet Roberts. Christine W,
and D:Ream. Our concept is simple, a
roving once-a-month party in Houston
where house revival music lovers can
dance to their favorite songs on a Friday
mght. Tht• name of the party? Loft'" The
first Loft party is at Six Degrees
Lounge, 911 Franklin Street, betwt•en
Travis and ~lain. The music starts at 9
p. 111. Beers are $2 and cocktails are $-1
until 11 p.m. No cowr and plenty of free
street parking. www.theloftprojcct.com o,.
www.sixdl.com for more.
'l'lllS SATURDAY A NEW EROTIC
bakery has its Grand Opening in Sugar
Some of the art to be auctioned off to raise money
for the Houston GLBT Community Center borders
on erotica.
Land (Hey everyone can't be inner-loop-ers!)
Nooky's Erotic Bakery, located at
10140-C Highway 6 South in Sugar Land,
is a place where adults can purchase
cakes as wild as their imagination. chocolates
in fun shapes, cookies and other
goodies. Visit this delightful establish·
ment's website at www.nookyseroticbak·
ery.com 281-5684000 or toll free 1-877·
4NOOKYS.
ALSO ON SATURDAY (AND SUNDAY)
is the annual Woodland Heights Home
and Garden Tour. The reason we know
about this tour? HotGG lives across the
street from one of the homes on the tour, but
we're not telling which one! Why not take
the tour and see if you can figure it out!
Featured homes are located at 603
Highland, 418 Byrne, 117 Payne, 515
Woodland, 2615 Thelma and 1018
Highland. Go to www.woodland·
heights.org for ticket info and details.
DON'T FORGET AHOUT "AN ART
Affair," the Houston GLBT
Community Center auction fundraiser
this Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. The
event. which is open to the public. will
feature a silent and live auction of art
Proceeds from the auction. held at 1 U5
California, will support OjX'rations and
programming at the Center. Miss Nancy
Ford 1s the hostess with the most!
I 'If\ If you have any club announcements or
~ events, email them to
jhooks@houstonvoice.com or call
713·529.-8490. See you on the Go-Go!
MARCH 18. 2005 17
"MAMMA MIA! IS TERRIFIC FLJN!"
BfN BRANTlfY, THf NfW VORI< T1MfS
Bf:NNY ANDffiSSON & BJORN ULVAflJS' MAMMAMIA! THE SMASH HIT MUSICAL:.";".., A8BA:
MARCH 22-27, 2005 • JONES HALL
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Groups of 20 or more: 713·693·2692
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dis There's a Fine Line Between Telling the Truth and Talking Trash
Boy oh Boy!
Boy George gets bitchy,
Martina cries foul and
Reichen gets weepy
REMEMBER WHEN ALL THE GAY
people would band together to fight for
truth, justice and the betterment of
mankind through dance music? Yeah,
Dish doesn't remember that either. But
now BOY GEORGE has gone and blown
the very idea of that all to hell.
In an interview with the London
Times to promote his new autobiography,
"Straight," which just hit stores across
the pond, Boy George has disparaging
things to say about a number of gay
celebrities, including MADONNA.
"It's ironic that she's joined an
orgamzation that says homosexuality is a
d!SC3SC that can be cured and no one picks
her up on it," he said, referring to her
devotion to Kabbalah, that oh-so-trendy
form of Jewish mysticism. ''.After making
all those millions of dollars out of gay
people, pretending to kiss girls, pretending
to be a lesbian! I think she's cynical."
In response, Madonna's rep, Liz
Rosenberg, reminded the New York Post's
gossip column Page Six of "Madonna's
long-standing passion, love, commitment
and devotion to the gay community"
adding that Kabbalah "does not
discriminate against homosexuals."
She's right. they'll take money from
anybody.
In the same interview, Boy George calls
ROSIE O'DONNELL a "Pottery Barn
lesbian" and says that she ruined the
Broadway musical "Taboo" because she's
not gay enough. The O'Donnell-financed
$10 million musical starring Boy George
and based on his life. closed last year to
disappointing returns.
He also castigates GEORGE MICHAEL
for not coming out earlier in his musical
career and chastises ELTON J OHN for
singing a duet with EMINEM in 2001, after
he made homophobic remarks.
O'Donnell responded to the comments
on her blog (onceadorded.blogspot.com).
"My knighted gay brother [John)
called to tell me. we laughed," she said.
Bad credit
Lesbian tennis great MARTINA
NAVRATILOVA is crying foul over the
continued use of her image on the
Rainbow Card, a
credit card that
gives money to the
Rainbow Coalition,
a Philadelphia·
based nonprofit that
fights for gay civil
rights causes.
The Associated
Press reported that
Martina Navratilova Navratilova began
working with Do
Tull Inc., the company that runs the
With an eye toward selling copies of his new book.
1980s diva Boy George is talking a lot of trash
about gay icons. (AP photo by Jennifer Graylock)
credit card, in 1995, when her picture was
used in advertisements for it. Near the
end of last year, she was not happy with
Do Tell's continued campaign and called
it "inappropriate and repugnant" and
asked that they no longer use her picture.
When the company didn't comply, her
lawyers sent them a cease and desist
letter in early February: When her image
was still being used after that, she filed a
suit seeking $75,000 in damages.
An advertisement featuring
Navratilova has since been removed from
www.rainbowcard.com, but the suit has
yet to be settled.
Poster boy
Former reality star and beefcake
REICHEN BURKE (nee Lehmkuhl) is
da1mmg that a printer who makes the
hunky poster sold on his Web site
(www.reichen.org) discriminated
against him.
United Press
International
reported that Burke
recently received an
e-mail from the
printer saying, "I can
not continue to help
promote a
homosexual
community, lifestyle Reichen Burke
or individual."
Burke, who won $1 million on CBS's
"The Amazing Race" in 2003 with his
former partner CHIP ARNDT, says,
"Emotionally, it ruined my day . . I had
tears in my eyes.''
The maximum fine for such
discrimination in California, where
Burke and the printer reside, is $4,000. So
Burke has decided not to sue.
6f. 1
Send comments. suggestions to
'-W Dish@houstonvoice.com
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com MARCH 18, 2005 19 I arts cover story
He may be gay, but he's a hundred percent cowboy
COWBOY , continued from Page 1
sages in his life. He breaks his leg during a
bull ride, his beloved horse dies and
.Mikulenka's comes out to his family. Just
like all good cowboys he's got a tall tale or
two to tell about borrowed cowboy boot~.
broken bones and the price for his 0\\11 15
minutes of fame.
Gene Mikulenka was raised by a rodeo
family in Hallettsv11le, Texas. He has four
older siblings and one younger one. "I
was raised on the rodeo since about age
five. ~ly dad rode bulls," he says.
Horn on August 13, he coyly demurs
when asked what year "A real cowboy
never reveals his true age'" he laughs.
"Thl' first bar I went to was Numbers,
the original one. The first time I went it
was like a big light went off," he remem·
bers, but Mikulenka remained semi-closeted
for many years afte1:
He was a succcs.~ful Houston runway and
print model in the 1900s after completing
three years at Victoria College and the
University of Houston. He also gained recognition
in national advertising as a hand
model. The only people who knew he was
gay were "the men I was going out with."
Certainly Mikulenka's family did not
know. Staunch traditionalists, his mother
and step-father (his father died when he
was 17), now both deceased would not have
approvecl. "I loved them so much. My mom
died on Mothers day. The doctors had
always said not to do anything that would
upset her heart, so I didn't," he says.
He recalls an oft' told tale of when he
first learned what the word gay meant. "I
was 17, working as a waiter at this little
place. One day a couple of guys came into
the restaurant and asked me if I was
ga):" he recalls. "Well I thought the word
gay meant that you smoked pot, that you
were cool. So I told them I had done it a
couple of weeks ago on a bridge with my
friend. but I wasn't going to do it any·
more because it hurt my throat."
A friendly waitress informed him that
the word meant that you were queer. That
word he knew.
The good and bad
of a life on film
Mikulenka looks back on the experience
of having his life documented for a
film as "a good thing and a bad thing."
The director, Kyle Hen!'); had been
searching for a cowboy who competed in
both the gay and straight rodeos and one
who did well. l'vlikulenka was featured in
Out magazine around the same time a
lengthy Houston Chronicle article ran.
The dll'ector contacted him through a
friend, and Mikulenkn decided he had
C)MOREINFO
'Real American Cowboy'
9 p.m. M.irch 21 and 28
Aurora Picture Show
311 Mam
$5 admission
some soul searching he needed to do.
Leary already at the idea, would he be able
to deal with the repercussions that would
come from such a high profile experience?
"I didn't want to out any of my
friends, or have it be guilt by association,"
he says. '"Then there's my famil}:'"
Finally he decided he could no longer live
a lie and accepted the film.
He could have had no idea that the constant
filming would capture a devastating
broken leg and most importantl); the death
of his belovt..'<I horse, Marta. to colic. Th this
day Mikulenka still finds it near impossible
to watch the scenes where ~1arta dies.
"That was the worst part," he says.
Another aspect that Mikulenka shares
exclusively with The Houston Voice, is that
with his new-found fame. came a stalker.
"I was stalked for almost six months,"
!\iikulenka says. "He walked up to me at
the premiere and said. 'You're a famous
cowboy now. Your life is about to change'
It was creepy. My friends standing with
me still remember him, how he walked
away and would turn around and stare
with these dead eyes."
Mikulenka moved three times to try
and out maneuver the stalker.
"He always knew where I was, what I
was wearing," he says. '"Finally, I was at
Crossroads having coffee and he walked in.
I just freaked. I went over and told a policeman
inside about what had been happening.
The cop took him outside and spoke
with the gu): Never heard from hun agam."
~1ikulenka has no regrets about
"Amencan Cowboy." H:) says that \\hile
he understood the focus was on him
being a "gay cowboy," he wishes the film
had portrayed a more accurate reflection
of his competing.
Gene Mikulenka's fifth Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo wm came
Thursday in pole bending.
20 MARCH 18. 2005 I cartoon I servi• ces
buildyourbusiness
CONTACT
OUR SALES TEAM
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HOUSTON VOi CE www.houstonvoice.com
WHY DO MEN SAY THEY WILL DO
something and then don't? If you say
you're going to call me - do it! If you
can't, call as soon as you can and simply
explain. When you don't call, I chalk you
up as an inconsiderate loser wasting my
time with stupid head games.
BECAUSE GAY MEN ARE MEN, THEY
have an innate expectation that their sexual
partner will be perfect, or at least perfect
looking and perfect in the bed. I'm
glad to be a lesbian!
TO ALL THE ELITIST QUEENS WHO
parade around with ego and pretension:
Your number is coming up.
IT'S A MYTH THAT GAY MEN ARE ANY
better at expressing their feelings than
straight men, especially the more masculine
the gay guy is. I can relate to a
36 easy-to-surf categories
Cruising • Erotic Art
Bodybuilders • Solo
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Celebrities • Voyeurs
Adult Stars • Athletes
Amateurs · Galleries
Escorts· Exhibitionists
woman's frustration in trying to get a
man to open up and say what he feels.
What the hell are you afraid of?
BITCH BOY RESPONDS: Hell yeah! Beat
the feelings out of him!
SINCE WHEN IS IT OUR BUSINESS what
Clay Aiken's sexual orientation is? He's a
decent Southern Baptist man who is
against homosexuality, which he very well
should be. He is in the world, not of it. He
does not conform to the sexually immoral
behavior of this world.
CROTCH TRIMMING EFFEMINATE? I
trim because it's comfortable.
WHY CAN'T THE GAY SEX BOMB GO off
in my house?
TO ALL THE BOYS I AM TOO AFRAID to
say, I love you much. Stay well.
PORN
Tlte Frn Gay Directory
28,000 Websites Usted
1,000s of Free Sex Pies
I'm tired of straight
people who judge themselves
by their best
behavior, and judge us
by our worst behavior.
TO THE GUY WHO COMPLAINED,
"Anybody who looks at you, will instantly
know you are gay": Dwnbass, that is
exactly what we want. Some of us don't
want to hide in the closet.
I THINK IT'S WRONG TO PRETEND
you are something you are not if you are
gay. Be gay, but don't marry women and
hurt them cause it hurts like hell. From a
woman who knows.
SO READING "BITCH SESSION"
makes you feel like kicking your dog? To
you, that may say something about "Bitch
Session," but to me, it says you need anger
management.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED A
bitch, don't say you're going to "bitch slap"
someone. You can always say you're going to
"kababa·slap" the crap out of the little nancy:
I FEEL SORRY FOR THE JUDY WHO
doesn't understand English or etiquette.
MARCH 18, 2005 23
When someone offers you a "drink" it is
not required to ask for alcohol.
HE HAS A NEW BOYFRIE!\1). SO HE cannot
be himself. He has taken it so far as to
stop reading "Bitch Session.· What a
messed up little fag he is.
BITCH BOY RESPONDS: What kind
of guy lets his boyfriend forbid him
from reading "Bitch Session"? That's
spousal abuse!
JUST BECAUSE I'M LIVING WITH A successful
wealthy older man doesn't mean
I'm a gold-digger' So, next time you see us
at the grocery store, don't ask if he's buying
me organic baby formula!
TO THE GAY SOLDIER WHO HATES
hearing homophobic remarks: Please
don't tell those jugheads that you're a
homosexual. They are looking to give
those like you friendly fire the moment
you're identified.
REALITY CHECK! HOW CA.'-: YOU SIT in
the chatroom telling me how I am wasting
my life in a gay bar? At least I actually get
out of my house and risk rejection in the
real world. Unplug your computer and
hold a real conversation, face to face,
some da}:
f.citors' oote. These are real bitches, sent in by real reader;,
aboot gay fife's ~ttle amoyances, and the big ones. too.
Got a bitch?
Call HI00-858-8088
or e-mail: bitch@expressgaynews.com
HOUSTON.TX MARCH 24-27 2005
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