AbOUT Maqazine is the Houston Media Sponsor JEFFREY SANKER PRESENTS

WHITEPARlY PALM SPRINGS 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY APRIL 25 - 28 / 2014

JEFFREYSANKER.com '\;, '\ -ES- F!..e';(sP8s collection tf~f~~ n1M~~~~fU'lJ~:t.IIU~~••• ,ts IMlIIlf MIlt! ~ ( ~~ our details Cade Michals Publisher / CEO [email protected]

BiII Clevenger President [email protected]

Thomas C. Graham Attorney I Writer of "Laying The Grauel"

David Guerra Official Photographer Davidgiabour-online.com

Steven Tilorra Writer of"l Have Issues" [email protected]

Roxanne Collins Writer of "Society Columnist" [email protected]

OJ Level Music Critic [email protected]

Jacob Social ire Writer of "Confessions of a Fame W1Jore" [email protected]

Contributing WriterJ Nancy Ford, Charo BeansDcBarge OJ Chris Allen, Ritchie Allen, OJ JO Arnold, OJ Wild, Marthew Blanco OJ Mark 0, Ray Hill,Jacob Socialite, Curtis Braly,OJ Level

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ISSN Library of Congress 2 I63-8470 (Print) 2163-8446 (On-Line)

Ccpyrigm 20lj AbOU'!' l'ublic.uionsJAbOUT Maga7.int:,All rights reserved. Re- Proud Member print by permtsslon only. Back issues available for 5;.00 per issue (postage included}, . 'Ih" opinions expressed by columnists. writers CIC. arc their own and do not nCC('S5.lr- I d ily reflecr the position of AbOUI' Magazine. Publicauon of a photo or name in 9 aa AbOUT Mag.11inc is nOi \I) be construed 35 an)' indication of sexual oricnranon of media partner such person or business. \X'hilc we encourage renders ro support edvcrrisers that rncke [ilis magazine possible. AOOUT i\lag:l1:ine can not accept responsibility for advertising ~ claims. since 2012

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AbOUT Magazine Pg. 7

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ABCls primetime soap opera could actually GAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC be moving the conversation forward, by illus- trating just how hostile the country music in- dustry is toward gay performers.

Openly gay songwriter Shane Stevens, who has written extensively for Lady Antebellum, thinks Music City's relationship with the gay It's been a while since Chris Carmack community is improving, but its conservative snarled, "Welcome to the O.c., bitch," roots are still strongest. Its not safe yet! and ushered in a whole new era of bratty prime-time drama. Now the actor has traded in his old puka shell necklace for a cowboy hat on , where he plays Will Lexington, a rising country star who has yet to leave the closet.

Getting bumped to a season two regular, "Sex, scandal, rock and roll - I mean country" Chris tells us we should expect for Nashville this season. He explains his time spent working on the drama in Nashville has "opened up a lot of cross opportunities" for everyone. For exam- ple, cast members have played the "Grand Ole Opry" on several occasions and had songs on the series' soundtracks., who is ABCIS11if"'Snow NASH VILLEIS Avery Barkley on the show, recently In 2010, Chris Willman wrote a piece that so- I signed a record deal. lidifies the genre's stance on gay issues: "If you talk to ... Nashville insiders, you'll quickly But what about gay county singers in come to a consensus: Whatever stereotypes Nashville? It's fine for hetero artists like might exist about country music not being a CHRIS CAR'MACK Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton to con- gay-friendly genre, 'the Row' is chock-full of nect with their gay fans. But pursuing a gay people and one of the most accepting businesses in which they could possibly land in /I People I've spoken to say that at a certain career as an openly gay country artist is the South ... level it'd be career suicide for somebody to almost an impossible task. come out of the closet. That's a terrible kind of Singer Chely Wright, who grappled with ... unless, of course, said gay person wants to coming out for almost a decade, finally be a country music artist - in which case that fame. I don't think executives would give Will came clean with her audience in 2010. rhinestone ceiling is as hard as diamonds." the time of day. That's a damn shame, but in Since then, she's opened the door for closeted country singers -- but traditional Openly gay songwriters on Music Row are country music there's a stigma that's country institutions like The Opry, have widely accepted, but if they were to pursue practically" uninvited" Wright to perform stardom, they'd most likely be ostracized. insurmountable. /I at the historic Ryman Theatre .

. by cade michals . "Nashville" airs 9 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC. If youCan't

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La~ing Down The Gavel by:Thomas C. Graham, ESQ Exclusive toAbout Magazine

As long as there has been the ability to log Cyberbullying. Now that bullying is on to the internet, there has been different being dealt with, cyberbullying is di- forms of online identities. People create rected at protecting youth in the ed- them for business purposes, for privacy in ucation system. It includes bullying chat rooms, or to post their views on blogs. by electronic means and conduct However, another group creates them for that occurs on school property, at a the purposes of stalking, bullying and/or school-sponsored or school-related online impersonation. activity, or in a vehicle operated by the district. It is viewed as a situa- Cyberstalking. Stalking takes on a whole tion that exploits an imbalance of new area when a person uses the Internet, power between the student perpe- email or other electronic communications to trator and the student victim stalk or act in a pattern of threatening or ma- through written or verbal expression licious behaviors. Just as with real stalking, or physical conduct. Cyberbulling is cyberstalking can be frightening, and life protected under the Texas Educa- threatening. Unfortunately, Texas has not tion code. It provides mandates enacted laws to protect people specifically that each school district adopt a from cyberstalking or cyber harassment; policy of prevention, training and re- however, that does not mean that a person porting of incidents of bullying. is not protected under other laws. If a person is found guilty of online Online Impersonation. If a person uses the impersonation or cyberbullying pen- name or persona of another person to create alties can range from a Class A Mis- i~ a web page on a commercial social network- demeanor up to a 3rd degree ing site (Facebook, Grindr, etc.) or other In- felony. Misdemeanor violations will ternet website they can be guilty of online most likely include fines and com- impersonation, depending on their intent. munity service but a felony charge Also, it is a crime to send an e-mail, instant can mean 2 to 10 years in prison. message or to post as another person, if you are doing it with the intent to defraud or Some people look at online imper- injure the person you are impersonating. sonation or cyberbullying as just Texas has laws that protect against online "fun and games." However, they impersonation. Texas Penal Code § 33.07 are very serious and can have seri- makes it an illegal act of fraud to use another ous consequences. persons' identity to post messages or to create an online presence. The person com- If you feel you have been cyber I mitting this offense can be prosecuted if it is stalked, cyber bullied or have been I proven that this was done without perm is- impersonated online, you should I sion and with the intent to defraud. This in- contact officials immediately. Know 1\ ternet harassment law also applies to your rights and protect yourself. i ~-mails, instant messages and text messag- ing. ~I >- LLI « Cl ~ U) LU z: Cl LU S >- ~ ex:: LU > LU North Houston (The Woodlands) (Spring) Ranch Hill Saloon The Room Bar 24704 Interstate 45 North 4915 FM 2920 #148 H •••••• kwy

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