Bob the Drag Queen on Creating Connection During Pride in Era of COVID-19

‘Pride is the People’ Bob The Drag Queen on Creating Connection During Pride in Era of COVID-19

Photo by Jacob Ritts

PRIDESOURCE.COM JUNE 11, 2020 | VOL. 2824 | FREE 2 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com VOL. 2824 • JUNE 11, 2020 ISSUE 1149 PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP

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COVER Columnists NEWS ENTERTAINMENT Charles Alexander, Michelle E. Brown, 6 Bob The Drag Queen on Creating Mikey Rox, D’Anne Witkowski, Connection During Pride in Era of 8 2 Detroit Activists Seek Help Handing Out Care 16 Tori Amos Meets the Muses in Quarantine Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Dana Rudolph COVID-19 Packages to Fight COVID-19 20 Deep Inside Hollywood Cartoonists 10 Planned Parenthood: ‘Care. No Matter What’ — Paul Berg 21 Q Puzzle Even During a Global Pandemic Contributing Photographers Andrew Potter, Andrew Cohen, Roxanne Frith, Tih Penﬁl 14 Nation: Anger Over Racism, Police Brutality Directed at Trump in White House Protests ADVERTISING & SALES Director of Sales RESOURCES Jan Stevenson, 734.293.7200 OPINION [email protected] 22 Michigan Community Resources 12 Parting Glances: Fundies! Go Fly Ben Franklin’s Sales Representatives Ann Cox, 734.293.7200 Kite! [email protected]

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Copyright 2020 www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 3 IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY® This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace (bik-TAR-vee) talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side efects, including: BIKTARVY may cause serious side efects, including: � Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have � Those in the “Most Important Information About both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if BIKTARVY” section. you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY � Changes in your immune system. Your immune system without irst talking to your healthcare provider, as they may get stronger and begin to ight infections. Tell your will need to check your health regularly for several months. healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. ABOUT BIKTARVY � Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription provider should do blood and urine tests to check your medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are � Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. provider determines they meet certain requirements. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach that causes AIDS. pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. � Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. � dofetilide Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these � rifampin symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, � any other medicines to treat HIV-1 dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY � The most common side efects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies Tell your healthcare provider if you: were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side efects of BIKTARVY. Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including � Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any hepatitis infection. new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. � Have any other health problems. You are encouraged to report negative side efects of � Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare or call 1-800-FDA-1088. provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your � Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY. breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY you take: Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food. � Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter GET MORE INFORMATION medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider � This is only a brief summary of important information about and pharmacist. BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. � BIKTARVY and other medicines may afect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about � Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is � If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines. for program information.

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Bob The Drag Queen on Creating Connection During Pride in Era of COVID-19

Photo by Jacob Ritts

BY EVE KUCHARSKI in the age of COVID-19, the importance of performers of drag to really educate themselves aggression against myself or my tribe. And increased visibility for black queer performers on the culture? online it happens a lot [italics]. People feel aintaining a packed schedule can be and the deep personal connections people I mean, I think it would give you a more online to say potentially whatever they want tricky for drag queens at the best of create through drag. fruitful experience in terms of celebrating to say because they don’t actually have to see times, but for Bob the Drag Queen, M Pride. Of course, it’s not my job to tell anyone your face. And if I think there’s a moment of even a global pandemic can’t keep her down. What does it feel like to be a drag queen going what their job is. But I think if you want to have growth, then I’ll address it. If not, especially Despite heading into a Pride season illed with into a June that celebrates Pride virtually this a fruitful experience with Pride, a fully well- if it’s online, I’ll just let it ly over my head nearly across-the-board event cancellations and year? rounded experience to know what it is you’re because, you know, some people online are postponements due to the novel coronavirus, Well, I mean, I’m not saddened by it. I think celebrating, then yeah, do your research, just trolling. You know, looking to elicit a the season eight winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” that it is going to be diferent. I also think which, by the way, is not even hard. Like, it’s response. is regularly making appearances across the that part of it is going to be diferent not not 1999 where you have to go down to the virtual stage everywhere. Fans can catch Bob Now more than ever it seems that performers only because of COVID-19 but because of library or get an Encyclopedia Britannica or in the HBO series “We’re Here,” a brand-new the Black Lives Matter Movement, and I’m something. here’s tons of documentaries have to be aware of what’s socially and comedy special “Bob he Drag Queen: Live excited, actually, to focus on a lot of black and movies, articles [and] entire Instagram politically going on. Does being “on” all the time at Caroline’s,” MTV’s “Drag My Dad,” on her queer stories. accounts dedicated to this stuf. in that way get exhausting? “Sibling Rivalry” podcast with fellow “Drag I felt exhausted kind of as a person in general Race” winner Monet X Change and across A lot of Prides are certainly taking a similar I was looking at your YouTube channel and and I haven’t done drag in over a week, and YouTube. approach. New York City Pride is using its you’ve had conversations with Peppermint I just didn’t feel up to it. I canceled a couple But as much as this June showcases Bob’s platform to protest police brutality, and there’s about racism in the drag community. How do of things, quite frankly, because I just felt wide range as a performer, she’s also using some a lot of talk about how the ﬁrst Pride was a riot you confront conversations about race in drag, so afected. But then again, I would also say of her platforms as an opportunity to make note and really going back to Stonewall’s beginnings. whether it be face-to-face or online? as a black, queer artist I do think that it is of, and show support to, the nationwide police important for me to share my success stories brutality protests. In the midst of a packed- Do you think that given the roots of drag and Well, every once in a while I will have to and let people know that there are—you despite-the-odds schedule, Between he Lines gay culture stemming from people like Marsha P. confront things face-to-face if I confront know, I know how much it means for me to met up with Bob via phone to get a feel for drag Johnson, that it’s the responsibility of fans and a microaggression or an “aggression” see those things from black queer artists. So 6 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com I’m deinitely picking myself up by the [boot] In many of your projects it seems like you’re straps and getting back in there because I connecting with people when you put them in think it’s important for people out there to drag. What do you think is so disarming about see a successful black queer artist, frankly. that process? Moving onto your HBO show “We’re Here,” what I think it’s disarming because someone was your reaction when you heard the pitch is completely out of their element. hey have to trust you because they don’t know that you’re going to go to small-town America what they’re doing at all. So they’re in your and do drag? hands, like, “I have to trust you because I’m Well, at irst I was nervous that it was going so clueless.” And I not only want to take to be a show where I go from town to town advantage of that trust but utilize it to the and just go and put a bunch of straight best of my ability. people into drag, and that I didn’t want to do. But when I found out that wasn’t the Was there a drag moment in one of the pitch I was really excited. here’s no dig or projects that you’ve done where there was a nothing against any show that does do that connection that occurred that caught you oﬀ or that — I mean, “Drag My Dad” is a show guard? where we put straight people in drag — but Well, I really loved the conversation I just felt like I would like to have a diferent that I had with Nate, Darren and Lady impact on a diferent show. I’m so proud Shug in Shiprock, New Mexico. hat was of the show;, I’m so happy with the way it really beautiful, to hear them talk about turned out and the fact that we’re telling what it means to be indigenous and the diverse stories. hat’s what I’m probably the intersectionality between being queer and most proud of. indigenous. hat’s probably one of my You’re from the South originally. Did doing the favorite moments, and I also really loved the show actually make you confront some of your moment that I had with Tanner in Branson, where I basically told them my story with, issues with small-town America or go face-to- you know, Christianity and homosexuality. face with that? It helped me come to a conclusion on that. I moved all around the South as a kid, and I did have this feeling of, “I have no Do you think COVID-19 will impact the way community here,” especially ater I was out people do drag not only in the near future but of college. Once I got out of college and I saw permanently in some way? all the other theater department people leave As I was navigating the land of the internet and I had no one, and what I’m realizing and drag shows in quarantine and folks were now is, that there almost certainly was a saying, “I’ve never gotten a chance to see you community in probably all of those towns before because I can’t leave the house for a — they probably were small, they probably list of reasons.” Some people have anxiety, were relective of the population, and maybe some people are disabled, some people just I would not have felt so compelled to leave don’t have enough money, some people live or just — I didn’t necessarily leave the South in an area where they don’t have access, with a great case of, “I’m out for the South,” some people are in the closet. And they you know? inally got to see some of their favorite drag You’ve said that HBO really respected the craft queens perform, like inally, that just, I was like, “Maybe I should continue with this.” I when they approached you. would like to be able to keep this going for Yes. people who, you know — I mean, maybe OLD Do you think that sometimes drag is not not as much as I’m doing in lockdown — but maybe I can continue these kind of thought of as high of an art form as it could performances for people who can’t get out of be? the house. Well, I think it depends on who you’re talking to (laughs). In my circles it’s regarded Do you have a message for people who might as an extremely high art form, but I’m sure be feeling especially vulnerable during this there’s someone out there who doesn’t see Pride season? the value in it. But, I mean, my crat has Just think about it like this — this is been respected. And when I say respected, something I’m pulling from the church, I mean, like, sometimes you’re doing a TV and I’m not religious, but I did go to church show or movie and they want you to do drag for quite some while — church isn’t the and you’re like, “OK, but this is all the things building, it’s the people. And Pride isn’t the that go with being in drag.” Like, if we tell parade. Pride isn’t the parties. It’s the people. you that we need to do it at a really elevated It’s what we bring to Pride. So, you can still level, it’s really not just going to your local have Pride without having to be surrounded Halloween costume store and buying a by thousands of people. Pride is a feeling you couple of costumes. It is a lot of work to crat have deep inside yourself. hat’s why we call a really beautiful drag queen from custom it Pride. garments to custom hair — everything that goes into it. And HBO really, really rose to Find out about all of Bob the Drag Queen’s the occasion. projects online at bobthedragqueen.com. www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 7 Photo credit: Ka’Juan Hill (left) and Kendell Jones. 2 Detroit Activists Seek Help Handing Out Care Packages to Fight COVID-19

BY JASON A. MICHAEL with my work, safe sex materials and supplies,” Hill said. “We were inspired by or Ka’Juan Hill, doing HIV/AIDS the work that the Trans Sistas of Color Project advocacy and outreach is not just – Detroit does, but we thought there were Fa job. It’s a calling. By day, he’s a more people who needed help than just trans community outreach specialist for Uniied women.” HIV Health and Beyond, and, whenever Initially, Hill and Jones pulled together free time allows, he carries the title of Let’s and purchased the supplies – things like Stop HIV Ambassador for the Centers for toothbrushes, tissues, food, socks, hand Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. sanitizer and masks – themselves. hey gave Earlier this year, Hill partnered with Kendell out 20 bags on the irst go around. hen they Jones, research and outreach representative received assistance from their jobs and did for the Wayne State University Prevention another round of bag giveaways. his time Team, to start planning something new for they gave out 42. Now, once again sponsored the community. by their respective agencies, Hill and Jones “Before the pandemic happened, we were are doing yet another giveaway and the goal planning a new group to be called Once Upon this time is 100 bags. a Friday,” Hill said. “It was just going to be a To request a bag, people need only to reach safe space to have conversations about safer out to Hill via email or social media. Bags sex and mental health issues. Just a place can be delivered throughout metro Detroit. where people could come and be themselves. “We would like to be able to help more here wouldn’t be any age limit, like at the people, to that end we are looking for some Ruth Ellis Center. We were going to do this additional drivers,” Hill said. “hat would in collaboration with the Detroit Recovery be a big help.” Project.” hen COVID-19 hit. To request a bag or for more information, or to “We saw that people couldn’t go anywhere ofer assistance with deliveries, contact Ka’Juan or do anything and we started giving away Hill at KhaosTalks on Instagram or Facebook or bags of food, supplies and, in conjunction email [email protected].

8 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 9 Planned Parenthood: ‘Care. No Matter What’ —

There’s never been a more diﬃcult Even During a Global Pandemic “ time. We know that’s true for so many BY ELLEN SHANNA KNOPPOW organizations.… we need to make sure Tried and True that people understand the importance It’s more than a slogan. “Care. No Matter of the care that Planned Parenthood What” is Planned Parenthood’s guiding principle and a mandate now more than ever gives and that we continue to be as the organization faces its latest external the haven place for folks that have threat: the novel coronavirus. But because of its ability to adapt switly in times of crisis, reproductive and sexual health care Planned Parenthood has, thus far, been able to meet its latest challenge by not only surviving needs, including abortion services. but expanding certain offerings to provide ” Carpentier said. “But instead … once the need through the mail, etc. -Lori Carpentier, Planned Parenthood easier-to-access services to patients — in some of Michigan President and CEO cases, from home. Lori Carpentier, Planned COVID virus hit, one of the irst things we and never have to leave their Parenthood of Michigan President and CEO, did was to accelerate that with some group home,” Carpentier said. described the ways her organization has been training … and we rolled it out in about 10 People can expect direct- nimble amid the pandemic and also the efects days instead.” to-consumer offerings “I happen to be part of a Southeast Michigan it’s had on Planned Parenthood as a whole. he rest of the 15 health centers that had not beginning in the coming weeks. In addition, CEO group … and what I found when this “he governor, in one of her irst executive ofered medication abortion services will be starting this fall, Planned Parenthood health pandemic hit was that they were signiicantly orders, made it clear that procedures and ofering it both in-person and via telemedicine centers will ofer the lu vaccine for the irst less prepared to deal with something that was services that had to do with pregnancy care within the next six weeks. time, in anticipation of being a coronavirus an outside force that really took control out of — and in our case avoiding pregnancy — were Another service, Planned Parenthood Direct, vaccine provider once it is developed and their hands and they have not developed the appropriate,” Carpentier said, explaining that was introduced just recently. It allows any becomes widely available. kind of musculature, if you will, that Planned Planned Parenthood provides an “essential user of an Android or iPhone to download Parenthood does, of being able to roll with service” and was thus allowed to remain open at an app, ill out a health questionnaire that is Tough Time these kinds of things,” Carpentier said. “We a time when many health services were forced reviewed by a Planned Parenthood clinician, took this seriously; we are absolutely tapped to temporarily suspend operation. She said and if approved, receive a prescription for birth Just as Planned Parenthood’s services into public health … so we took a very active that every measure is being taken to protect control (pill, patch or ring) or treatment for have adapted well to meet the needs of the public health stance. staf and patients. a urinary tract infection. In the case of birth community, Carpentier acknowledged it’s been “We know how to adapt. We know what it’s Proof of how quickly Planned Parenthood control, it can be purchased through Planned challenging for her staf. like, because our history … has always dictated responded to the needs of its patients and Parenthood’s online pharmacy and sent to the “I think that the observation that we are that we are ready for the next punch that comes the constraints of our current environment person who requested it or the prescription going to be a society that has to deal with a from an external source — usually, whoever’s in can vividly be seen on two fronts: the rapid can be sent to a local pharmacy. About 90 whole group of people that are now dealing with the White House and the administration that’s expansion of access to medication abortion percent of the requests for birth control are some level of post-traumatic stress disorder is involved,” she continued. “So we do know how via telemedicine and a new smartphone app approved. Because the treatment of urinary really true,” she said. “I think this has been a to do this. We are uniquely equipped to be able designed to order birth control and urinary tract infections is a little more involved, about trauma.” to manage something like this and I think that’s tract infection treatment. half of those requests are able to be fulilled, but She said some of the organization’s employees why our response was so swit and we have had Carpentier emphasized that if someone can’t were furloughed, but that Planned Parenthood really good outcomes.” get treatment via the app, they can access care tried to ensure that workers were able to secure How it Works at one of Planned Parenthood’s health centers. all the unemployment and stimulus relief for So far, Planned Parenthood Direct has been Community “We started the expansion in January,” which they are eligible. a huge success in Michigan. Carpentier said, in reference to telemedicine “he fact of the matter is this is just a tough In further spirit of adapting, Planned “We had the largest kickof in the country,” access to medication abortion. As she explained, time,” Carpentier said, mentioning workers who Parenthood’s two spring fundraisers were Carpentier said. “I think that is very much due the telemedicine arrangement works the same might be less food secure or facing intimate transformed into online events. to the coronavirus situation. I think people as a regular medication abortion, but the patient partner violence concerns. “here’s never been a more diicult time,” are really eager to do whatever they can from who comes to one of the health centers meets “We’ve made sure that our employee Carpentier said. “We know that’s true for so home.” virtually with the physician who is somewhere aid program is really available to them for many organizations. So far, we’re seeing people She said the organization plans to continue else in the state. Carpentier pointed out this counseling for inancial issues or a whole host of really step up and are always awed in terms of ofering the service once the shelter-in-place is the law in Michigan, but that an advanced things. I think we’ve been lucky; we’ve had very the response we get from Michiganders. As we orders are lifted; an added benefit is that it clinician is perfectly capable of talking with little in the way of COVID infections among are innovating faster than we ever dreamed that reaches people who don’t live near one of their the patient, ensuring the patient provides our staf members but we understand the level we could, which is a good lesson for all of us … health centers. Soon, Michigan will be the beta appropriate informed consent and explaining of stress this has put on them,” she said. we need to make sure that people understand test site to ofer emergency contraception pills how the procedure works. Ater that, one of the Now the organization is making plans to the importance of the care that Planned through the app, too. licensed personnel at the health center where bring some people back to work and manage Parenthood gives and that we continue to be the “We are diligently working to ofer other the patient was seen dispenses the pills and the organization’s culture in light of collectively haven place for folks that have reproductive and services that will allow people to get services monitors the patient aterward. enduring this ongoing crisis. sexual health care needs, including abortion without being seen, and that would be direct- “he original plan was to roll that out in Carpentier further described how Planned services.” to-consumer where people would actually have our nine centers that were presently ofering Parenthood is proactively responding to forces an interaction with a clinician from their hand- medication abortion in the center over the next beyond its control, as it has throughout its 100- Find out more information at plannedparenthood. held or tablet device and get whatever they nine months or so, with about one a month,” plus year history. org.

10 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 11 Parting Glances BY CHARLES ALEXANDER

Fundies! Go Fly Ben Franklin’s Kite! f one person single-handedly pushed this country into a War of Independence from England, it is patriot and Ipamphleteer Thomas Paine (1737 – 1809). His book “Common Sense” is a clarion call to open rebellion. Today’s religious right hates and ignores him with an unholy passion. When “Common Sense” appeared in January 1776 it sold 50,000 copies. One copy for every eight citizens. Its stirring prose and cogent reasoning motivated Americans to defy King George III. he rest is glorious, 13 stars-and-stripes history. Don’t tread on me! Tom Paine’s second book “he Age of Reason” — a well- crated Bible sandblasting — terriies Christian fundamentalists who, in their misguided zeal, would have us believe America’s founding fathers were gung-ho for making this a Christian Nation. And to hell with separation of church and state. (Scary, too, for Bible Belters who seldom publicized the religious background checks of George Washington, John Quincy Adams, homas Jeferson, Benjamin Franklin and a majority of the original signers of the U.S. Constitution.) he main reason Paine’s name is foam on the parched and Transmissions cracked lips of the biblical boob-ocrats is because Paine was a caustic skeptic. “Every national Church or religion has established itself by pretending some special mission from God,” he wrote in “he Age of Reason.” “Each accuses the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all.” Stereotypes, Biases and Bad Theories Paine said that, “If someone claimed to hear the voice of God, it is a revelation to that person only. When he tells it to a second person it becomes hearsay; and consequently no one is obligated to believe it.” BY GWENDOLYN ANN SMITH He questioned important and key Christian religious doctrine. “It appears that doubting homas did not believe in the t the heart of many of society’s “-isms” is a laundry women in his work. resurrection of Jesus, and would not believe without ocular list of stereotypes that seek to characterize a group in A lot of Blanchard’s work would likely be relatively and manual demonstration himself,” he wrote. “So neither Aways that both provide an easy, if inaccurate, method unknown if not for the book “The Man Who Would Be will I: and the reason is equally good for me and every other of describing that group, while also confirming already Queen” by J. Michael Bailey, who discusses Blanchard’s person as for homas.” inherent biases against the group. theories heavily in his book. Blanchard has also become Paine called himself a Deist. He found that God was revealed While some stereotypes may be born out of some facts a darling of modern anti-trans forces, using his theories in Nature. hat Jesus was human, not God. hat both Old and about a group, they most oten are limiting and harmful, to further anti-transgender sentiment by pathologizing New Testaments are replete with myths and errors. He gave relying on cultural beliefs that do not reflect the lived transgender women, treating us as nothing more than hundreds of examples to prove it. Reason, rather than blind experiences of those who exist within a group. At worse, paraphilic men. faith and revelation, is mankind’s greatest git from the creator, these stereotypes are directly harmful to a group, leading to Further, his theory has a very heterosexual view of Paine maintained. decades of discrimination and hurt. transgender people and their sexuality, assuming that those Other important American patriots challenged Christianity. Enter Dr. Ray Blanchard. Blanchard is an American and who are attracted to men are more feminine than those John Adams was a Unitarian — and we all know what they’re Canadian sexologist. attracted to women, going so far as to place the latter into a like — as was his son, John Quincy. homas Jeferson put In the 1980s and 1990s, Blanchard reined a theory that fetishistic category and delegitimizing their gender identity together his own version of the New Testament, editing out there are two types of transgender people in the world. One in the process. mythology and dogma in favor of ethical content. Jeferson is the “homosexual transsexual,” whose desire to transition Of course, his theories have received plenty of push back urged his nephew to, “Question with boldness even the is based largely on their attraction to men and their innate over the years from transgender people, who have pointed existence of God.” (Would that he had said the same of slavery.) — perhaps even stereotypical — femininity. he second is out both laws in the theories as well as concerns about his James Madison was jailed for criticizing the Episcopal the “autogynephilic transsexual,” who is sexually aroused at ethical standards in doing his studies at the Clarke Institute Church when it was Virginia’s established religion. Benjamin the idea of having a female body. of Psychiatry in Toronto. he Clarke Institute is now part Franklin, another freethinker, was a Mason and a Rosicrucian I should note that while Blanchard did also coin of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and it has “autoandrophilia” — which means “paraphilic tendency of faced controversy a biological female to be sexually aroused by the thought of over accusations See next page becoming a male” — he is primarily focused on transgender of practicing what See Viewpoint, continued on next page 12 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com ® Transmissions unwilling to listen to the “ravings of a Continued from p. 14 lunatic.” I also have to note that Dr. Blanchard’s Creep Of The Week theories themselves only help to reinforce amounted to conversion therapy of your this notion of transgender people as being BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI transgender people. mentally disordered. Donald Trump Now, a study published in the Journal The only other option would be, a of Sexual Medicine in March called into non-trans person might assume, that we une may be Pride Month, but it is’t oicial The presence of protesters in the street question Blanchard’s whole theory. he are doing something dishonest. his is any more. Not since Donald Trump became demanding that police not murder Black study, titled “Sexual Behavior, Desire, and where all that “sexual deviant hiding in Jthe president. He has never issued an Psychosexual Experience in Gynephilic the women’s restroom” stuf comes from. official proclamation declaring June Pride people is not evidence that COVID-19 It’s the notion of Cpl. Maxwell Q. Klinger month. and Androphilic Trans Women: A Cross- was a hoax, it is evidence that people Sectional Multicenter Study,” reported trying to use cross-gender presentation to But this year is diferent. Not diferent in that, “Clinical Translation Data of this escape the army on the classic television the way that the Trump Administration has are willing to risk their lives to ﬁght study indicate that sexual orientation does show “M*A*S*H,” amongst plenty of other treated LGBTQ people. I’m sorry if this is a not appear to be a good predicator for portrayals of people using cross-gender shock to anyone reading this, but Trump does against injustice and racism. sexual behavior, desire, and psychosexual presentation as a conceit. not care about you. At all. experience in trans women.” Once again, this means they can What’s diferent, of course, is that across the In short, the reductionist views of discount anything we happen to say, country Americans are taking to the streets because we clearly must be willing to Blanchard do not it the reality that these to protest racism and police brutality. Also what is happening when the police KNOW twist our words to get something we want. researchers have uncovered — a fact that diferent is a highly contagious virus spreading that they have cameras on them and the whole As a result, Dr. Blanchard is able to transgender people have been saying all across the country. The novel coronavirus world is watching. his is not a problem we spend decades successfully promoting a along. is, of course, the reason cited for canceling can blame on a few “bad apples.” This is theory that doesn’t it the lived experiences To those of us who are trans, we Pride celebrations across the country. A wise systemic violence and unchecked power and of countless transgender people, helping understand that our gender identity and decision, even after we’ve seen the spread the man in the White House? He loves it. White to create careers for not only himself, but our sexual orientation are largely separate slowing in previous hot spots like New York supremacists love it. What looks like fascism for several other sexologists and others things. One may inluence or enhance and Michigan. to most of us actually looks quite comforting who promote a theory that transgender another, but they are not the prime mover. And yet there are crowds of hundreds and to those whose power will be protected by people it into two ill-itting categories When I irst heard Blanchard’s theories thousands out protesting together, oten with said fascists. It’s important to remember that where we can continue to be called in the 1990s, they seemed absurd from the no social distancing and sometimes without there are people who watch a video of a police deviant. get-go. My life didn’t it either category. masks. oicer shooting a Black man in the back has he Meanwhile, all this time and attention I identify as bisexual, predominately hat has led to some folks coming to the retreats see it as how things should be. is going into sexologists and others lesbian, but I’ve never had a sexual arousal conclusion that, “Huh, I guess social distancing To my fellow white people who are who create pet theories of transgender towards feminizing my body. I simply do either isn’t that important and/or COVID-19 experiencing discomfort right now: good. behavior, rather than towards the bettering not it the model, like so many others. was all a big hoax.” hat’s the least you can do. But you need to do of transgender lives in this society. his calls the whole thing into question Let me be clear, those people are dumb. more. As Ahmed Ali (@MrAhmednurAli) put We have spent endless decades living in Unfortunately, few have bothered The presence of protesters in the street it, “It’s a privilege to learn about racism instead these stereotypes, initially having to play to listen to the lived experiences of demanding that police not murder Black of experiencing it your whole life.” guinea pig to people like Dr. Blanchard, transgender people, preferring the words people is not evidence that COVID-19 was a Use that privilege wisely. then learning to navigating the stereotypes of a non-trans person like, oh, Dr. Ray hoax, it is evidence that people are willing to As for the LGBTQ community, we use the they created in order to get the care we Blanchard. risk their lives to ight against injustice and word “community” pretty loosely. There is need. Now it is your turn: I want to see Long before he published his theory, racism. hey shouldn’t have to, of course, but actually a lot of division among LGBTQ folks, people reach beyond the stereotypes, and transgender people have had to navigate that’s where we are. and a signiicant part of that division falls along their own biases. stereotypes. For one, we have been We’ve seen law enforcement out there, too, racial lines. It is a sad reality that racism exists It is the only way to ind out who we assumed to be mentally disordered. oten inciting violence and abusing their power. in a community that supposedly should know truly are. I assume that those who are not trans We’ve seen police departments that resemble better, having faced discrimination ourselves. can only relate to this by assuming military using force against peaceful protesters. There are LGBTQ people supporting Gwen Smith believes in the power of that if they faced gender dysphoria, it Have we seen some protesters rioting and Trump. he Log Cabin Republicans love him. listening. You can ind her at gwensmith. would be because they’ve “gone crazy.” looting? Yes. But the vast majority of protesters In response to Ivanka Trump’s June 1, “Less com It doesn’t help when transgender people are peaceful. he protesters that Trump had hate, more love” Tweet, LCR retweeted with are portrayed in popular culture as being pepper sprayed and pelted with rubber bullets the comment, “We’re proud of your dad’s work mentally unstable. Therefore, they are in Washington, D.C. so that he could walk towards LGBTQ equality and happy to count across the street to St. John’s Episcopal Church you as a strong ally in our movement!” and hold up a Bible like he’d never actually held Clearly they don’t live on the same planet as ® Parting Glances wingers like to pretend, we are actually a physical book before were peaceful. Included the rest of us. But for those of us who inhabit Continued from p. 14 a Masonic nation, with not six, but 32 in the attacked protesters? Clergy members reality, especially white people, we need to take degrees of separation. I belong to the from St. John’s who were out supporting a good hard look at our own bias, whether Fraternal Order of Moose myself. Or, is protesters who were handing out snacks and implicit or explicit. It’s not enough to say, “Oh occultist. He told many a true believer of it the Odd Fellows? Or DAR? water. that’s too bad” when you see Black people being his day to go ly a kite! Over and over we’re seeing images of killed and persecuted and harassed. White George Washington, nominally an Charles Alexander is proliic both as a BTL violence at these protests. And over and over people must stop voting for racists. Racism Episcopalian, rarely attended church, columnist (700-plus columns) and as a again these acts of violence are being done has got to be a deal breaker no matter what although he spoke of the importance well-known LGBT community artist (1000 by the police. To quote Alexandra Erin, who else a candidate supposedly stands for. If you of religion in the life of the newly Facebook images). He is a Spirit of Detroit I highly recommend following on Twitter @ support Trump, you are a racist. Full stop. If independent nation. Our irst president Award recipient and an Airmations LGBT AlexandraErin, “What is happening across this that makes you feel defensive, good. If that was also a Mason, as were some 26 signers CENTER Jan Stevenson awardee. Connect country is that the police are rioting in response makes you think about who you are and what of the U.S. Constitution. with him at [email protected]. to attempts to hold them accountable.” the fuck you’re doing, even better. Come to think of it, instead of being It should, truly, terrify all of us. We’re seeing a Christian Nation, as political right- www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 13 14 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com Anger Over Racism, Police Brutality Directed at Trump in White House Protests

BY CHRIS JOHNSON racism, at one time amid chants of “I out the military nationwide to crush Can’t Breathe.” the righteous George Floyd protests rotesters gathered outside the One incident of violence not as high- against police murder,” the lyer says. White House on Saturday to direct proile is the killing of Tony McDade, a “An uprising has begun. Day ater day, Ptheir anger at President Trump Black transgender man at the hands of night after night, coast to coast, the ater days of demonstrations over police police in Tallahassee this week. streets ill with Black youth refusing to brutality against Black individuals, At one point, a Black trans activist face another day in fear and people of all including George Floyd. approached protesters to urge them backgrounds who have had enough of he portion of 16th Street leading up to remember “All Black Lives Matter,” white supremacy and a culture of soul- to the White House, where D.C. Mayor including the lives of transgender people crushing cruelty.” Muriel Bowser had imprinted in large and transgender kids. he White House didn’t respond to the yellow letters “Black Lives Matter,” was “Kids, black men, black women,” the Washington Blade’s request to comment filled with demonstrators, including activist said. “You want to acknowledge on President Trump’s message for the LGBTQ protesters expressing solidarity and anger over racism and police brutality. Thomas Smith, a gay 40-year-old D.C. resident, said he came to the protest to “stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters of all races and ethnicities and backgrounds because of really horrifying things that have happened in this country over the past few weeks.” Watching these events unfold, Smith said he was taken by “the horrifying nature of Washington Blade photo by Michael Key it all and that there’s a segment of this country who refuse to speak out and stand up for what’s right.” us, too? We are standing right beside, protesters. Trump at the White House The viral nine-minute video of ya’ll. And guess what? All Black lives on Friday spoke favorably about Floyd Minneapolis police killing George Floyd m att e r.” and imagined him “smiling down” on a — which ignited a irestorm of protests Much of the anger at the protests “great day for equality,” although those across not just in the United States, but was directed at Trump, who has faced comments were criticized for being across the globe — is but one incident criticism for his administration’s response tone-deaf. in a series of incidents against Black to incidents of police brutality, including Steve Taylor, a gay 35-year old D.C. Americans in recent days. the forcible removal of protesters from resident, told the Blade on his way to Others are the killing of Ahmaud Lafayette Park on Monday just before the protest he hopes it would advance Arbery in Georgia; the death of Breonna Trump posed for a photo with a Bible visibility for issues around racism and Taylor in a shooting with police in before St. John’s Church. police brutality. Louisville; a white woman in New York Following the forcible expulsion of “I think a lot of people don’t truly City calling the police on Christian protesters on Monday, the area around understand that this is a problem that Cooper, a black gay man who told her the White House and Lafayette Park not just afects Black Americans, but it’s a to obey the rules in Central Park and remained closed to demonstrators, who police brutality problem, a problem with leash her dog. nonetheless affixed on the fencing in our society in general, and we need to Demonstrators before the White rainbow letters the messages, “Police- change,” Taylor said. “It’s not just about House held up signs reading “Black Lives Free Schools” and “Defund MPD.” electing certain people, but it’s about Matter,” “Fire Bad Cops,” “Fuck Trump,” One lyer distributed among protesters prioritizing the issues that they stand and “How Many Weren’t Filmed.” Visible by RefuseFacism.org called for Trump for.” among the messages were rainbow Pride and Vice President Mike Pence to be signs as well as individuals wearing #OutNow and denounced police killings This article originally appeared in the rainbow-themed clothing. of black people and a “fascist police Washington Blade and is made available At several points during the state.” in partnership with the National LGBT demonstration, protesters took a knee “Trump has unleashed the U.S. Media Association. in a symbolic stand against systemic military police and threatened to call www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 15 Tori Amos Meets the Musician Talks New Book ‘Resistance,’ Bad Days and Muses in Quarantine Wearing Your Big Boy Boots

Photo: Des Willie

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI I didn’t think I was in the right headspace to do What you create thrives on having those that was someone’s personal experience or this interview. That feeling brought me to a part in-person interactions and hearing people’s an observation about the corruption and n her second book, “Resistance: A of “Resistance,” when you write, “I have looked stories. When that doesn’t exist, where do you our loss of democracy, and having a fragile Songwriter’s Story of Hope, Change, and up and out desperately talking to anyone saying, go? democracy. And it’s been shaken. Really Courage,” laming piano queen Tori Amos I Help, please help – I am not prepared for what Well, that’s a good question. I’ve compiled shaken. And those foundations, some are shares her personal stories against a world- is in front of me.” So, I put on my big boy boots a lot of emotions from this experience, and being gutted from the inside out, as we know. in-crisis backdrop and discusses how they’ve So that material can still resonate. shaped songs from her three-decade career. today; you taught me how to do that. hearing from people. People have been sending me questions with all the virtual But there are other elements that have to She ruminates on personal and collective grief I’m so proud of you. It’s not easy for get woven in because like, you said, you’re and traces her social and political activism as anybody. And yeah, I think everybody, sessions we’ve been doing. We’ve done about six virtuals, I think; my brain’s hazy. But a lot wrestling with having bad days. Everybody is. an outspoken LGBTQ activist, feminist and Chris, in diferent ways because of diferent And these are the kinds of bad days that have democrat back to Washington D.C. There, circumstances are being challenged. of questions have come in. And people’s state of mind has really shown me the depth of this to be addressed in the music and what takes as a teenager, with a seat on the stage of a people to a bad day, and then addressing seedy political underworld, Amos played for How are you being challenged? cataclysm and how people are being shaken to their core either emotionally, mentally or those things. And with other songs it’s about immoral, powerful political oicials; these men, he unknowns. here are so many unknowns. how to help bring somebody out of that. she writes, were “laying the groundwork for a One of the main things I’ve been doing since spiritually. And some people have physical compromised future.” I can remember is playing live for people, issues that have really opened my eyes. I heard So it seems there’s a healing element you’re Recently, I spoke with Amos on the phone whether that was as a little girl at church, then from somebody who doesn’t have antibodies, exploring in the music. weddings and funerals, and then turning pro or I heard from somebody that they have real from her home in Cornwall, England, where Yeah. Some of the songs are on their knees at 13. concerns of leaving their apartment. here’s she is quarantining with her producer-husband, with you, and then others are, “Come on First, gosh, and you know this story: irst so many diferent ways people are feeling Mark Hawley, and their daughter, Tash. On this then. OK. (Laughs.) You guys are doing your place that gave me a professional chance, a overwhelmed. aternoon, Amos was comforting and jovial job. You ladies are doing your job really well, venue, was a gay bar (Mr. Henry’s in D.C.). as she talked about bad days, how the Muses I get the impression the energy of the album sitting there in the mud. In the tears. With And then from then on playing all kinds of (capital M, in Tori’s world) showed up one you’re working on has shifted from the time you the cuts. And the glass. (Laughs.) he broken diferent establishments. So not being able recent morning, where she falls on the Winnie glass. he margaritas. And now there’s no to play live with that kind of connection and wrote the book. Where is the energy for this the Pooh pantheon, and the healing power of more of that tequila, honey. And your shoes collaboration with an audience has been a bit work currently? licorice. are muddy. And your heels, broken. And I’ve of a grief process, just knowing that that’s of he energy is whatever was true before the got no party dress in my bag for you. Here’s a the table for a while. pandemic because it was talking about events Tori, I had a bad day yesterday and, to be honest, Mac. And I don’t mean a computer. I mean a that had happened and that were real whether 16 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com little raincoat. And I don’t have Welly boots hat’s fair enough. And yeah, “Reindeer for you. No galoshes. So you’re gonna have to King” was many, many years in the making. walk barefoot, sister.” It started as tiny fragments in 2006 for the Doll Posse rebellion (laughs) in a song called And you’ve just written a song. That is a Tori “Crystalline” and then it morphed and moved Holiday Market song. and was kind of just dormant. Dormant until (Laughs.) It might come to that, Chris! And it it wasn’t anymore. And there was a moment might be called “Chris’s Crap Day.” of Tash evolving and inding her voice, and IS OFFERING Mary losing hers. And it was that paradox, I’ve been thinking about grief as it applies to our that tension of the opposites that just shot me various experiences with this pandemic. What from either side, like an arrow made of light. have you learned from your experience with So it didn’t wound me, but it kind of took me grief, both personal and beyond, that could serve to the reindeer king. JOBS anyone and everyone facing grief in letting go of There’s a photo of you in the book giving side normalcy? eye and the caption is, simply, “Side eye.” But I have to thank (my mother) Mary for taking there’s no context, Tori! Do you have context for TO me through it because I went to a really dark that pic, and what is it? I mean, personally, I’d place when she died in May of last year. It like to think the side eye is in response to every didn’t settle in until two weeks later when I was there with Tash and we were back in man who has ever stood in your way. AWESOME Florida on our own, and then it just took me (Laughs.) No. It’s not confrontational. It’s to a place where I think people are going right fun! Somebody who I know really well was now. Having been there recently, it’s been a compiling these photos with me and we were long haul out of it. I just came out of it around laughing our heads of. It’s not a meanie, the new year, and then this happening and you know? It’s not an indignation, or a PEOPLE being thrown back into something we never confrontation. experienced. We won’t be the same, and we can’t go back to where we were, Chris. It’s not No shade, no tea? back. We have to move forward. And we will No shade! It’s, “You thought you were hot and see each other again. But not for a while, not so did I.” (Laughs.) COME JOIN THE HOLIDAY MARKET CREW! in the way that we might have hoped it would be sooner. What do you do as a creative person when your So knowing that, there is a place for mind can’t hold space for anything but taking What once started as a small neighborhood butcher shop grieving. I think it’s the right answer because care of yourself? and specialty store in 1954, grew each year, aisle by by doing that then we realize that something Go eat some licorice. (Laughs.) bigger is happening to all of us. A change to aisle, from our loyal customers’ requests. Holiday Market our world. We have to remember that with And that cures you? focuses on high quality products coupled with friendly 9/11 a lot changed. War. All kinds of things. (Laughs.) Well, you know, it might be licorice. here were cities intact; there were other It might be popcorn. As everybody knows: neighborhood service. We are voted one of the best places that were physically decimated and the microwave popcorn with some pepper. markets in Metro Detroit, year after year. infrastructure had to be rebuilt. And this is And then life can maybe just get a little bit the whole globe. here’s no place for us to go. better. But then, look, there’s some days it’s We can’t hop onto Mars and the station there. gonna be useless. hen I go research and I hat doesn’t exist. get my notes down. I try to read something FAMILY OWNED, whether I’m looking at an art book or a book One recent morning I was really missing my of photographs. Drawings, paintings. If I’m FUN ATMOSPHERE mother; we’re social distancing right now. So reading, researching about something. I sent your song “Promise” to her, which you It could be anything. Tash comes in and tells sing with Tash. She called me because she me about some documentary she’s watching was so moved by the song and the purpose it about how they’re building environmentally was serving on that particular day. It brought friendly houses somewhere and she says us closer in that moment. It made me think of you have to check this out. (Laughs.) hen BENEFITS what you write about “Girl” in the book and how you kind of go, “OK. So that took me out of, that song bent to the times in 2017 because it, ‘here’s no live music, (my) kind of Eeyore AVAILABLE you write, “understood that America was under (mood).’” And I’m traditionally not an Eeyore. If we’re on the Winnie the Pooh pantheon, attack.” Are there songs that you are aware of Chris, I don’t know who you are, but I’m not in your catalog that are currently experiencing Eeyore, normally. a shift? I’m waiting to hear that one. It’s happening I’m a Piglet. APPLY IN PERSON right now, so I think there’s a little delay in me You’re Piglet? I love Piglet! OR ONLINE getting that info from the gang. But yeah, I’ll be curious to know what that is. Who are you? Tash thinks I’m a hybrid of Owl and Roo. She In the book, you talk about “Reindeer King” from thinks I’m Roo when I get into my jumpy- your last album, “Native Invader,” and how it was, jumpy side. HOLIDAY MARKET • 1203 S MAIN ST ROYAL OAK in part, written with your mother Mary in mind. For me, now, I hear it as a message to my mind 248.541.1414 • HOLIDAY-MARKET.COM • CONNECT WITH US FB IN to get back where it was before the pandemic. See Tori Amos, continued on p. 19 www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 17 Puzzle P. 21

18 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com ® Tori Amos distance. It was barely sunrise, and it was Continued from p. 17 foggy. But not cold, you know? We’re in Cornwall in farm country. And I looked out the window and it was just a moment when You seem a little Roo-like right now, actually. I this music was coming and I wasn’t writing can’t see you, but I can feel your Roo energy. It’s it. hat doesn’t happen all the time, but it making me very happy, I will say. was happening this morning. It was just one Today was a good morning. hat’s because of those things where I thought, “Yeah. he the Bösendorfer that I tour with has not been Muses. hey’re still there.” well. I can’t describe why; it’ll take too long. But just trust me: She needed some help. She Tori, thanks for this. You are one of the threads had to wait until she was allowed to get the connecting me to home and the feelings of help she needed by the tuner; that’s been home and the people who remind me of home. social distancing and going to the studio and I wish you and your family well. then the touring piano is in the back … not a I wish you and your mom and everybody storage place, it’s got books. It’s a nice storage. well. And guess what? I’m gonna see you It’s a little library kind of place. I wouldn’t call when we’re out again. And God knows, it it storage, but it is where it is stored, OK? So might be a year; it might be a little longer it’s in a little room, and it got ixed. It got than a year. It might. But it won’t be endless, helped. It was like the piano hospital back in you know? When we can, we’ll be out there. the back. And listen: hank you, Chris, for putting And so I got up before the sun was up, those big boy boots on because I so enjoyed really early, and I raced out. I just put on this. And I’m gonna tell Tash that your mom some trainers and raced out into this space called you about “Promise”; that’ll give her a on my own and started playing. I was playing real twinkle. something I’ve been working on for a little while for the new record, and then ater a As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire half hour this thing started to come through. service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a And it’s called … hold on. I couldn’t hum it multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl to you if my life depended on it. I just called Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has it something. I think I called it “Bluebell also appeared in he New York Times, Vanity Forest.” But the mist was coming in, and Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter the sun was coming up. I saw rabbits in the @chrisazzopardi

www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 19 Deep Inside Hollywood

BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE Say hello to my little Finally, the future of ‘Smash’ ‘Scarface’ remake Hey “Smash” fans, he much-loved 1983 Al remember how that Pacino-starring version of short-lived NBC musical Scarface (which was itself drama series was intended a remake of the 1932 to actually make a literal original) seems to be Broadway musical happen getting yet another shot at a out of its storyline about new life. he idea of a new the making of a Broadway version has been loating musical? Well, ater all this around Hollywood for a time, something like that is while. Screenwriters like in development. A musical Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer stage adaptation of the (“Miss Bala”), Jonathan series itself, with producers Herman (“Straight Outta Steven Spielberg, Robert Compton”), Paul Attanasio Greenblatt and Neil (“Quiz Show”), as well as Joel and Ethan Coen, have Meron, along with a book LLucauca GuadagninoGuadagnino.. Photo: KKathClickathClick from Bob Martin (“The all taken a turn with the Prom”) and score from material, and ilmmakers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, is in the like David Ayer and Antoine Fuqua were both works. There are no production dates yet, attached at various points. But now the reins obviously, but this has been a passion project have been handed to Luca Guadagnino (“Call for Spielberg for some time now, so it’s exciting Me By Your Name”) and all we can think about to know that when Broadway shows eventually is how we need a queer Tony Montana right return, this will be on the docket. And while now, in a setting that involves the inluence the we’re all waiting, this is the perfect time to ’83 ilm has had on hip-hop culture, as well. It reach out to the cast of the series and see if can be accomplished just as easily as any other anyone’s going to be too busy to recreate their premise, and it should. It’ll add a whole new roles on stage. Who has phone numbers for dimension to the “Be Gay Do Crimes” meme, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Katharine and that’s what cinema needs. McPhee, Christian Borle, Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston, Leslie Odom Jr., Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Justin Vivian Bond enters Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, Raza Jafrey, Brian d’Arcy James, and Jaime Cepero? It’s not urgent, ‘Sandman’ really, but it “is” important. You’re a responsible person. You’re still in quarantine. Maybe you’re stuck inside a Closer to a ﬁne house full of people from whom you could use a little break. hat’s where the world of documentary about The headphones comes in, and Audible – the audiobook and spoken-word entertainment Indigo Girls powerhouse – has announced a new audio Did you know that the beloved and legendary adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s best-selling graphic Indigo Girls have a new album out? It’s called novel series, “he Sandman,” to take you away “Look Long.” But wait, there’s more: Amy Ray from all this. Gaiman is known for turning the and Emily Saliers will also be the subjects of metaphysical into the physical, so when we say an upcoming documentary from ilmmaker that the plot involves the human manifestation Alexandria Bombach (“On Her Shoulders”). of all dreams and desires, please just accept hey’ve always been really private about their that this is possible because explaining more lives, although thankfully not with the all- would take all day. Queer entertainer Justin important information about being extremely Vivian Bond is part of the huge all-star voice cool lesbians, but now Ray is loaning out her cast, and that’s wonderful news; Bond is joined ilm and video archive of the band members’ by Riz Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, lives and work. It’s a collection that spans nearly Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis, Michael Sheen 40 years, much of it never-before-seen and very and many others. he irst part drops in July personal, so there’ll be plenty of material and and will extend through at least the irst three plenty to thrill longtime fans. In production volumes of the series, so here’s to many, many now, the untitled ilm is currently scheduled to hours of private listening. be inished by early 2021. Expect a release on some sort of platform – Open movie theaters? Romeo San Vicente can be your private dancer HBO? Streaming services? What even is the via Zoom. future, anyway? – not so long ater that.

20 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com 39 Anne of “Girls in Prison” 11 Lounge about 42 The L.A. Sparks strip them 12 Chicken, to a chickenhawk 43 Cruising, maybe 15 Penetrate 45 Georgetown athlete 18 Bisected 47 Eligible for soc. sec. 22 Ellen, for one 48 With 64-Across, Hulu series 24 Ending for Jean directed by Lynn Shelton (1965-2020) 26 Get to second base, perhaps 51 Tax-collecting agcy. 27 Evita portrayer on stage 52 Bear market order 28 It helps a baker get it up 53 Boats like Noah’s 30 Part of Saigon’s current name 55 Ax wielder 31 Cheri of “Scary Movie” 59 Trojan War hero killed by Achilles 32 Skinny bear 63 “And another thing...” 33 Egg holders 64 See 48-Across 38 Cole Porter song from “Paris” 66 Taylor of “Six Feet Under” 40 Time for Frida 67 “Air Music” composer Ned 41 “Bear” and “rear,” e.g. 68 Ethnic acronym 44 Britten’s beers 69 Tie it to become wife and wife 46 Cockeyed 70 Straddled a stallion 49 Recipient of Bugs’ kisses 71 Israeli author Oz 50 Fruit, to Froot Loops Q Puzzle 54 E with a queer orientation Remembering Lynn Down 55 Result of four balls 20 Martin of “Grace and Frankie” 56 “Brothers & Sisters” producer Ken et al. 1 Hesitating sounds Across 57 Northern metropolis 21 Without pausing 2 Porter’s “Well, Did You ___” 58 Burning software 1 Mark Bingham of 9/11 23 Where to look, in “Misty” 3 Get out of bed 60 The Seattle Storm, for one 5 “I ___ Kick Out of You” 25 Women on top, at times 4 Actor Milo of “Oz” 61 Roughly 9 Desperate cry 26 Intelligence agent 5 Professional who helps you shoot 62 Muscle Mary stat 13 Bird, to Brutus 29 Reese who plays Elena on off 65 Carpet color at the Oscars 14 Come together 48-/64-Across 6 W. H. Auden’s tongue 16 Estimating words 34 Word before kwon do 7 Jermaine and Michael’s brother 17 Kerry, who plays Mia on 35 Guy into bottoms? 8 When sex addicts need it 48-/64-Across 36 “CosÏ fan ___ “ 9 Like Gomer’s humor 19 Animal that’s no breeder 37 Series ender 10 Plenty, informally Clues P. 18

www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 21 Michigan Community Resources

AIDS/HIV Campus Legal Get Listed, Promote There are dozens of AIDS/HIV Currently there are 19 American Civil Liberties organizations and resources listed organizations listed as active Union of Michigan Your Events at www.PrideSource.com. Here are online at www.pridesource.com/ Jay Kaplan, Staf Attorney, LGBT You can add or update just some of them: yellow pages. The following are Project any listing by going to some in the southeast Michigan 2966 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI www.PrideSource.com Metro Care Coordination area: www.aclumich.org and clicking on Yellow Network U-M Ann Arbor 313-578-6800 Pages. Once you submit Free, comprehensive services for Spectrum Center your listing, our staf will those living with HIV/AIDS. [email protected] Fair Michigan contact you to conirm your 877-931-3248 http://spectrumcenter.umich.edu PO Box 6136 information. 248-266-5545 734-763-4186 Plymouth, MI 48170 You can add your event to Metrocarenetwork.org Oakland University Gender 877-432-4764, 313-556-2300 the Pride Source Calendar & Sexuality Center fairmichigan.org online and in print by going UNIFIED - HIV Health & [email protected] Facebook.com/fairmichigan2016 to www.PrideSource.com Beyond www.oakland.edu/gsc and clicking on Calendar, 3968 Mt. Elliott St. 248-370-4336 Know Your RIghts Project then “Add Event.” Send Detroit MI 48207-1841 Eastern Michigan Outlaws U-M student group any press releases and 313-446-9800 University [email protected] announcements to editor@ www.miuniied.org LGBT Resource Center 734-995-9867 pridesource.com Michigan HIV/STED Hotline emich.edu/lgbtrc 800-872-2437 734-487-4149 The Lawrence Tech LGBT Older Adults Matrix MAC Health Resource Center SAGE Metro Detroit 429 Livernois St. Find a digital version of PrideSource Magazine ltu.edu/student_afairs/lgbt.asp 290 W. Nine Mile Rd. Ferndale, MI Ferndale, MI 48220 313-578-6812 online under Our LGBT Yellow Pages 888-226-6366 Wayne State JIGSAW Facebook.com/groups/ sagemetrodetroit.org 248-545-1435 Facebook: SAGE Metro Detroit FtM A2 Ypsi http://www.matrixhumanservices. WayneStateJIGSAW Find these resources online [email protected] [email protected] Adoption Services org/programs/matrix-mac-health/ https://www.facebook.com/ AIDS/HIV Hotlines Political ftma2ypsi/ Macomb County STD Clinic Community Centers AIDS/HIV Organizations Michigan has eleven active The LGBT and Allies 27690 Van Dyke Caucus of the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association Warren, MI 48093 LGBTQ community centers, with Animal Shelter a tenth planned in Lansing. Here Democratic Party Transgender Michigan 586-465-8440 Anti-Violence are three of them. Facebook.com/TheLGBTA- 23211 Woodward Ave. http://health.macombgov. Ferndale, MI Archives/Collections org/Health-Programs-HPDC- CaucusoftheMDP Jim Toy Community Center Stonewall for Revolution [email protected] Campus; Student and Alumni Groups HIVAIDSCounselingTesting www.transgendermichigan.org Ann Arbor www.facebook.com/ Cancer Support Groups 800-842-2954 Oakland Livingston Human www.jimtoycenter.org. stonewall4reolution Choruses Service Agency (OLSHA) www.facebook.com/jimtoycenter Community Centers or follow them on Twitter @ Trans Sistas of Color 196 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Professional Groups Project Employee Resource Groups Pontiac, MI 48343 JimToyCenter. Families and Parents 319 Braun Court Detroit Regional LGBT 19641 W. 7 Mile Rd. in Detroit 248-209-2647 313-537-7000 Ext 107 Foster Care www.olhsa.org Ann Arbor, MI Chamber of Commerce 734-995-9867 P.O. Box 32446 [email protected] Foundations and Funders www.facebook.com/TSCOPD/ Arab Community Center Detroit, MI 48232 Hotlines & Switchboards for Economic and Social LGBT Detroit detroitlgbtchamber.com Labor Union Service (ACCESS) Detroit 1-800-DET-LGBT Youth Legal Organizations www.lgbtdetroit.org. Museums Sterling Heights Center Ruth Ellis Center 4301 East 14 Mile Rd. www.facebook.com/lgbtdetroit Ties Like Me Music Groups 77 Victor Street, Highland Park, MI Sterling Hts., MI 48310 @LGBTDetroit. Professional networking events National Organizations 48203 586-722-6036 20025 Greenield Road third Weds. 5:30 - 8 p.m. [email protected] Political Organizations www.accesscommunity.org Detroit, MI TiesLikeMe.org Phone: 313-397-2127 Suits And The City Facebook: Ruth Ellis Center Professional Organizations Lansing, MI 313-252-1950 Religious & Spiritual Advocacy Airmations [email protected] Senior Living Ozone House Equality Michigan Ferndale www.suitsandthecity.org Seniors http://goairmations.org 102 N. Hamilton Street Social/Community Organizations 19641 W. 7 Mile, Detroit, MI www.facebook.com/Airmations/ Ypsilanti, MI 313-537-7000 Sports or follow them on Twitter @ Transgender 734-662-2265 equalitymi.org Substance Abuse GoAirmations. 734-662-2222 Facebook.com/equalitymichigan FtM Detroit Transgender Groups/Services 290 W. Nine Mile Road https://www.facebook.com/ Women’s Health Ferndale, MI FtMDetroit/ Stand With Trans Youth Services 248-398-7105 [email protected]. Farmington, MI www.standwithtrans.org 248-739-9254

22 BTL | June 11, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | June 11, 2020 23