Dear Mr. President: Chicago Soldier Fights Equality Military Ban IL Gala by Tracy Baim Page 5 She Wasn’T Asked
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THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 Feb. 11, 2009 • vol 24 no 20 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Dear Mr. President: Chicago Soldier Fights Equality Military Ban IL Gala BY TRACY BAIM page 5 She wasn’t asked. But she did tell. In a Jan. 26 letter to President Barack Obama, 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao, 24, came out as a lesbian in the United States Army. The former resident of Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood wrote a fellow former South Sider in his new White House home to tell him she could no longer serve her country because she is a lesbian. Sunday, Feb. 8, marked the one-year anniversary of Tsao’s active duty, full-time ‘Noah’s service to her country. She is in the regular army, based in Fort Leonard, Mo. Within the next few months, Tsao expects to receive an Article 15 honorable dis- Arc’ charge because of homosexual conduct. Despite Obama’s claims as a Senator and Star page 6 now U.S. President that he opposes the military’s ban, he has now said he will delay work on the topic while it is further studied, despite the fact that dozens of studies have been conducted since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was implemented by President Bill Clinton in the early days of his administration. These studies predominantly show support of lifting the ban, from both en- listed soldiers and officers. The experience of other nations also shows that the implementation of open service by gay and lesbian people has generally been a non-event. When Clinton came into office, he tried to remove the existing military gay ban, Gay Family but faltered quickly and implemented a policy that has been responsible for ruining more than 12,500 lives and which has robbed the military of untold numbers of skilled on ‘Race’ page 21 people, including translators. It no doubt scared away others who wanted to serve. In the early days of his administration, Clinton also experienced the coming out of valu- able military personnel, including Soldier of the Year Jose Zuniga, who was kicked out as a result of his speaking out. He now lives in Chicago and works on efforts to overturn Clinton’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue policy. 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao. Photo by Donna Photo by 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao. Turn to page 6 Yentl AWARE radio host settles with AG page 18 on DVD BY PAUL MARINKOVICH ated more than $1.4 million of the organiza- funds” are directed to the people originally tion’s funding. meant to benefit in the first place. Christopher DeChant—who was behind the DeChant and Leffert have agreed to repay the Also, within the terms of the decree, DeChant once-nationally syndicated HIV Talk Radio Proj- amount of the misappropriated funds to the do- and Leffert have agreed to abstain from per- ect—and Kim Leffert, a member of the group’s nors and pharmaceutical companies that origi- forming and or participating in any philanthropy board of directors, have reached a settlement in nally sponsored and donated to AWARE: HIV Talk in the state of Illinois ever again. a case in which the office of Illinois Attorney Radio and HIV Talk Radio Project, as well as to www.WindyCityQueercast.com Turn to page 7 Lisa Madigan claimed that the two misappropri- a collection agency to ensure the “charitable ADAM March 31 -April 12 PASCAL & (312)902-1400 HONY ANT ® RAPP TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE AT ALL BROADWAY IN CHICAGO in BOX OFFICESs GROUPS (20+) CALL (312)977-1710 www.siteforrent.com PHOTOS: AMY GUIP 2 Feb. 11, 2009 7 =BE87B ;NFBEH7J?ED0 “ENORMOUS, BOLD” _dj^[(' ij Y[djkho Don’t miss this Global Exploration, where some “ R OBERT FALLS’ COLOSSAL, of the world’s leading theater companies present their contemporary interpretations UNABASHEDLY SEXUAL... REVIVAL.” of O’Neill’s most daring, innovative dramas. –Chicago Tribune THE HAIRY APE Produced in association with The Hypocrites, Chicago DIRECTED BY SEAN GRANEY | FEBRUARY 7-21 ROUW SIERT ELECTRA (MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA) Toneelgroep Amsterdam BRIAN DENNEHY CARLA GUGINO PABLO SCHREIBER DIRECTED BY IVO VAN HOVE | FEBRUARY 25-28 KD:;HJ>;;BCI STRANGE INTERLUDE Produced in association with The Neo-Futurists, Chicago EXTENDED BY POPULAR DIRECTED BY GREG ALLEN | MARCH 6-8 DEMAND THROUGH For a complete description of shows WITH BORIS MCGIVER AND DANIEL STEWART SHERMAN MARCH 1! and events, visit GoodmanTheatre.org GoodmanTheatre.org THE ELIZABETH F. KRAFT FOODS, Principal Sponsor of CHENEY FOUNDATION the free Student Subscription Series. PETTERINO’S, Promotional Sponsor for Lead Corporate Sponsor for Sponsor Partner for Sponsor Partner for Corporate Sponsor Partner for Corporate Sponsor Partner for Sponsor Partner for Exclusive Airline of Desire Under the Elms. Image design 312.443.3800 Eugene O’Neill in the 21st Century Eugene O’Neill in the 21st Century Eugene O’Neill in the 21st Century Eugene O’Neill in the 21st Century Desire Under the Elms Desire Under the Elms Goodman Theatre and direction by Kelly Rickert. Feb. 11, 2009 3 GIVE YOUR VALENTINE A index MILLION DOLLAR TREAT! NEWS “ …JAW-DROPPING…CAPTURES THE Judge tackles DOMA 4 THRILLS OF ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHNNY CASH, National roundup 4 Equality Illinois gala 5 JERRY LEE LEWIS & CARL PERKINS.” A HIT! CHRIS JONES, CHICAGO TRIBUNE Jensen Atwood appearance 6 Soldier fighting ban 6 Legal groups talk Prop 8 7 “ ” HIV radio host settles suit 7 Freedom to Marry reception 8 THEY ROCK THE HOUSE! STEVE OXMAN, VARIETY World roundup 9 C.C. Carter (above) was among the Quotelines 9 attendees at Lambda Legal’s Freedom “ ‘ Views: Baim, Monroe 10 to Marry reception at the National ’ Museum of Mexican Art. Read more on MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET IS AS ENTERTAINMENT page 8. Dancin’ Feats 11 Photo by Emmanuel Garcia RAW AND ROCKING A MUSICAL Theater reviews 16 GREG KOT, TRIBUNE MUSIC CRITIC Knight at the Movies 18 AS YOU’RE LIKELY TO SEE!” Upcoming concerts 18 Billy Masters 20 ‘Flirting for Disaster’ 21 Bragman party 21 Gay family on ‘Amazing Race’ 22 OUTLINES Real estate; classifieds 19 Bar map 20 Calendar 21 Business-Arianna on Olivia 22 An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein Sports briefs 22 (above) is one of several theatrical productions being reviewed this week. Read page 16. Photo by Tom McGrath Features include: www. —Paris Green/ Windy Belmont Burlesque —Starrlight: City Mae Murray —Diversity with Media law-firm managing Group partner Robert Messerly (right) .com —Pop Making Sense —Survivor’s Duhm EXPAND February 11, 2009 Expand your mind #981 with the newly (and massively) expanded Spin! www.WindyCity Photo and design by Bret Queercast.com Grafton, photografton.com Barack and Michelle make a special appearance at Windy City Black Pride’s Inauguration Celebration at Sidetrack. page 8 inSIDE Epic TV fail in World Nightspots’ ridiculously Wide Weird. belated Holiday wishes at page 20 Mary’s Attic. page 19 APOLLO THEATER ★ 2540 NORTH LINCOLN AVENUE ★ (773)935-6100 ★ TICKETMASTER.COM DISCOUNTS FOR GROUPS! CALL (312)423-6612 MILLIONDOLLARQUARTETLIVE.COM 4 Feb. 11, 2009 the Public Defender in California. He argued that stature of the judges who wrote them—im- Judge takes denial of coverage violated both the U.S. Con- mensely important steps,” said Pizer. “I think NATIONAL stitution and the Ninth Circuit’s own employee of them as huge steps forward on a very long swipe at DOMA non-discrimination policy. That policy prohibits road.” discrimination based on sex and sexual orienta- Evan Wolfson, head of the national Freedom to ROUNDUP BY LISA KEEN BY ANDREW DAVIS tion. Marry group, agreed. He said they also indicate KEEN NEWS SERVICE “that the exclusion of gay couples from marriage Judge Stephen Reinhardt, whose simultaneous The Fourth District of the Louisiana Court of position as chair of the Ninth Circuit’s commit- rests on very shaky ground.” The good news: A well-known federal appeals Appeal has affirmed a lower-court ruling that tee on the Federal Public Defenders charged him In ruling in Levenson’s case, Reinhardt said judge this month took a legal swipe at the De- New Orleans made a valid decision when it with ruling on the complaint, said there was “no he believes DOMA violates the Fifth Amendment fense of Marriage Act (DOMA), declaring it uncon- granted health benefits to the domestic part- doubt” the denial of coverage violated the Ninth guarantee that no citizen be punished without stitutional. The bad news: The decision packed ners of its city employees and established a Circuit’s policy. Reinhardt agreed with the ad- due process of the law. And he said there is “no very limited punch, helping on a small cluster of domestic-partner registry for its residents, ac- ministrative official that DOMA requires that the rational basis for denying benefits to same-sex employees in one federal appeals court. cording to a Lambda Legal press release. In so word “spouse” in the law governing health ben- spouses” of federal circuit court employees. The decision was rendered on an internal com- ruling, the three-judge panel overruled an ap- efits to federal employees “must be interpreted” The judge cited two recent U.S. Supreme Court plaint filed by a court employee. While allowing peal by the anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund. as “only opposite-sex spouses.” decisions that upheld the rights of gay people— employees with same-sex spouses in that circuit In New York, G. Donn Teal, one of the found- But Reinhardt, a Carter appointee, said DOMA the Colorado Amendment 2 decision in Romer –the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals—to ers of the Gay Activists Alliance, died Feb.