No. 533• July 23, 2015 • outwordmagazine.com YYOUNGOUNG CCOUNTRYOUNTRY GGETSETS CCOOLOOL With Some Help From Sam Hunt page 12 Senior Housing Celebrate Sacramento Chef Trainwreck, Magic Plans Progress Nevada Style Brings Home Ribbons Mike & MI5 page 8 page 9 page 15 page 16 COLOR COLOR Announcements Ball will be held Saturday, August 15, at the Gender Bender Ball Goes Sacramento International Hostel, 925 H St. Steampunk For more information, visit www. The Gender Bender Ball is the biggest thegenderhealthcenter.org. annual fundraiser for the Gender Health Center, and this will be their sixth year. This year, they will have an entire Victorian Senior Pride Information Fair mansion to themselves. The theme for this The Wisdom Project = LGBT Elders is year’s party, A Clockwork Ball, will be hosting the 2nd Annual Senior Pride steampunk. Information Fair on Wednesday, July 29, This gender bending party will includes a from 2 – 5 p.m. at the E. M. Hart Senior live DJ, dancing, a raffle, and a stage show Center, located at 915 27th St. featuring local fire dancers. Also, several of A project under the nonprofit of Awareness the rooms will be for rent if you wish to & Empowerment Projects of Servant Hearts, spend the night. Wisdom Project’s mission is to create The GHC encourages people to dress up at community for LGBT. people and allies. this party so you can expect to be This year there will be over 25 service and surrounded by gender bending cyber techs, care providers tabling, plus speaker space pirates, goggles, top hats, and corsets. presentations from Assemblymember Kevin Costumes are not required, only for fun, feel McCarty, Sacramento City Councilman Steve free to come as you are. Hansen, Clinical Psychologist Patricia Bach, The Gender Bender Ball — A Clockwork Attorney Pamela Jones and Yolo Hospice Community Liaison Louise Joyce. There will be refreshments, an opportunity for questions and ample time to visit information tables to collect resources and information. While the 2nd Annual Senior Pride Information is specific to LGBT welcoming organizations, all elder and aging community members are encouraged to attend to learn more about staying informed and self- sufficient. For more information, visit www.Servant-Hearts.org Pentagon To Lift Transgender Military Ban .S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced on July 13, that the Pentagon will lift the ban on open and honest Uservice by transgender service members. Implementation of the new policy will be ban will dramatically improve the lives of our made in two stages, according to Carter. First, transgender service members and their DoD will create a working group to study over families by allowing them to serve the next six months the policy and readiness authentically.” implications of welcoming transgender persons “The Defense Department’s current to serve openly. regulations regarding transgender service Led by (Acting) Under Secretary of Defense members are outdated and are causing for Personnel and Readiness Brad Carson, and uncertainty that distracts commanders from composed of military and civilian personnel our core missions,” Carter said in a released representing all the military services and the statement. “At a time when our troops have Joint Staff, this working group will report to learned from experience that the most Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work and important qualification for service members will start with the presumption that should be whether they’re able and willing to transgender persons can serve openly without do their job, our officers and enlisted adverse impact on military effectiveness and personnel are faced with certain rules that tell readiness, unless and except where objective, them the opposite. practical impediments are identified. “Moreover, we have transgender soldiers, In the second stage, Carter will direct that sailors, airmen, and Marines – real, patriotic decision authority in all administrative Americans – who I know are being hurt by discharges for those diagnosed with gender an outdated, confusing, inconsistent approach dysphoria or who identify themselves as that’s contrary to our value of service and transgender be elevated to Under Secretary individual merit. Carson, who will make determinations on all “As I’ve said before, we must ensure that potential separations. everyone who’s able and willing to serve has “We are thrilled with Secretary Carter’s the full and equal opportunity to do so, and announcement that the Department of Defense we must treat all our people with the dignity is finally taking steps to lift the ban on and respect they deserve. Going forward, the transgender military service,” said American Department of Defense must and will Military Partner Association President Ashley continue to improve how we do both. Our Broadway-Mack. “All qualified Americans military’s future strength depends on it.” should be able to serve our great nation, For more information visit www. regardless of their gender identity. Lifting the MilitaryPartners.org. outwordmagazine.com July 23, 2015 - August 13, 2015 • No. 533 Outword Magazine 3 COLOR Outword CDC Awards $216 Million to CBOs for HIV Prevention Staff he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that it has awarded $216 million over five years PUBLISHER Fred Palmer Tto 90 community-based organizations (CBOs) nationwide to ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION deliver effective HIV prevention strategies to those at greatest risk. Ron Tackitt Those considered at greatest risk include high-impact HIV prevention strategies, people of color, men who have sex with men including: GRAPHIC DESIGN (MSM), transgender individuals and people • Providing HIV testing to those at high Ron Tackitt who inject drugs. risk to increase the proportion of people EDITOR No Sacramento area organizations who are aware of their HIV status; Charles Peer received any of the funding, but the San • Engaging HIV-positive people in [email protected] Francisco AIDS Foundation, AIDS Project of ongoing care and treatment, helping them the East Bay and Oakland’s California adhere to antiretroviral therapy, and ARTS EDITOR Chris Narloch Prostitutes Education Project were funded. ensuring they receive prevention and “Community-based organizations have support services; SALES been vital to our nation’s HIV prevention • Ensuring high-risk, HIV-negative Fred Palmer efforts since the earliest days of the individuals have access to prevention and epidemic,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., support services such as pre-exposure CONTRIBUTING WRITERS director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/ prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure Diana Kienle AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis prophylaxis (PEP), high-impact behavioral Frances Marlatt Prevention. “The organizations we’re funding interventions, and screening for sexually Colt McGraw have a strong foothold in the hardest-hit transmitted infections; and Chris Narloch communities. They have the credibility and • Distributing condoms to HIV-positive Bonnie Osborn Charles Peer experience needed to deliver the most and high-risk, HIV-negative individuals. effective HIV prevention strategies to those The funded organizations are in the 50 PHOTOGRAPHY who need them most.” geographic areas that reported the highest Charles Peer CBOs will use the new funding to deliver number of HIV diagnoses in 2011. ON THE COVER Fresh Country Singer/Songwriter Sam Hunt UNAIDS Reaches Goal of 15 DISTRIBUTION Kaye Crawford Michael Crawford Million People on Treatment NAIDS, an advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and ADVERTISING SALES Honesty. coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, is Northern California reporting that the world has reached the goal of 15 million (916) 329-9280 Respect. U Fred Palmer people on lifesaving HIV/AIDS treatment worldwide by 2015 — nine months ahead of schedule. National Advertising Representative Professionalism. Rivendell Media The number now exceeds the AIDS treated. Shockingly, the United States, the (212) 242-6863 treatment targets set forth in UN’s wealthiest country on the globe, has a Courtesy. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6, smaller percentage of people with HIV according to the report which was released being treated than the world as whole.” July 14. The UNAIDS treatment report also It’s how I treat all my customers. And you However, AHF notes that a separate noted, “In 2014, the report shows that 83 can be sure I’ll always do my best to meet Kaiser/UNAIDS study also shows that countries, which account for 83 percent of your needs. ® overall donor government funding for the all people living with HIV, have halted or Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. AIDS response increased only slightly in reversed their epidemics, including CALL ME TODAY. Outword Magazine Inc. 2014 — approximately 1 percent after countries with major epidemics, such as adjusting for inflation and exchange rates — India, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa Office and that seven of 14 donor governments and Zimbabwe.” 372 Florin Road, #133 (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, India was recognized by UNAIDS as one Sacramento, CA 95831 Sweden, and the European Commission) of the success stories turning back the tide actually decreased funding. of HIV and AIDS. However, that is According to the funding report, “The U.S. somewhat misleading because so few PHONE: (916) 329-9280 government remained the largest donor people in India have actually been tested FAX: (916) 498-8445 government to HIV in the world but funding for HIV.