2011'S Best, Worst, Biggest & Smallest Ben's Best
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‘Suspicious OUT December 30, 2011 | Volume IX Issue 17 THE 2011 OUTSPOKEN OUTIES Conversations’ Reported in 2011’s Best, Worst, Biggest & Smallest Charles Village By STeve chaRinG to recovery to- Hate Crimes Bill, the re- Happy New Year! It’s day. And he still peal of Don’t Ask, Don’t By Dana LaRocca time to look back at doesn’t see him- Tell, was a lead sponsor On December 13 the Baltimore Sun the events and per- self as a hero. of the Employment Non- reported that the “Northern District sonalities of this past Best Step Discrimination Act and a reli- police plan to use everything from year in the areas of Towards equal- able outspoken ally in Congress. Barney’s stings to warning letters to stop politics and culture ity: New York departure will hurt GOP fundraising. what they say is a persistent prob- and present an un- State legaliz- Good-Bye and Good Riddance: The lem of transgender prostitution in apologetic, subjec- ing marriage for end of the discriminatory, homophobic south Charles Village.” tive, slanted list of same-sex cou- Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Two women Concerned citizens are report- winners (and losers) ples. sailors’ public kiss caps off the year in ing suspicious conversations to who are deserving of Sorry to See style. the authorities. The Sun reports the OUTIES trophy. you Go: Frank Biggest near Death experience: that one resident said “…people In no particular order, Kameny for his Equality Maryland. Following the failure to on crime walks at midnight in the tireless work to achieve its goals in the 2011 General As- I welcome you to the Daniel hernandez meets the president neighborhood have witnessed con- OUTspoken OUTIES achieve LGBT sembly, the organization ran out of money, versations that they suspected were of 2011. rights over five fired its executive director along with most between prostitutes and would-be Most Understated hero: Gay staffer decades. RIP Frank—we will someday be of the staff, and overhauled the board. But clients.” (emphasis ours) Daniel Hernandez for aiding Rep. Gabri- treated equally. the one-time leading statewide LGBT civil The Sun also reported, “Resi- elle Giffords immediately following her be- honorable Mention: The announced rights group is poised to make a comeback dent Odette Ramos, who ran unsuc- ing shot. His brave action was a significant 2012 retirement of Rep. Barney Frank. in 2012. It needs to. cessfully for City Council this year, reason the congresswoman is on the road Flaws and all, he championed a federal —continued on page 8 offered to convene a meeting with some transgenders, who she said complained to her that police and AN INTERVIEW WITH BEN FOLDS residents are erroneously targeting them.” Subsequently Ms. Ramos Ben Folds: I have to say helped to facilitate a meeting with Ben’s Best kind of neither – both to the transgender activists, the Northern same degree, which is a cop District police, and a representative By GRegg ShapiRo out. In that I write the whole of the mayor’s office. As the lead singer of the trio Ben Folds song myself and that I’m Activists met with Major Sabrina Five in the 1990s and later as a solo artist, American, Billy Joel. Maybe Tapp-Harper on December 21, ad- singer/songwriter and premier piano player in terms of style of harmony dressing concerns that transgender Ben Folds has developed a devoted legion and, not the presentation sex workers were being targeted. of followers. When settled in at the judge’s like I wear crazy glasses and The major explained that law en- table on the competition TV show The stilts or anything like that, but forcement will focus on the “Johns,” Sing-Off, he raised his profile considerably. there’s something that I have (customers) in a method that has The new three CD anthology The Best Imi- in common with Elton John Ben Folds proven successful in the past. tation of Myself (Epic/Legacy), consisting that I feel a real bond over in Kevin Cleary, the deputy director of a “best of,” a live and a rarities disc, has the way that he did things. I Newman. I think I use humor in a little dif- of the Mayor’s Office of Neighbor- something for everyone, those new to the listened to a lot of Elton John when I was ferent way than Lehrer, although I’ve dab- hoods, pointed out that 10 out of 14 Folds fold and established Ben-heads. The a kid, just because that was what I bought bled in that, with songs such as “All You transgender sex workers that entered Best Imitation of Myself is out now and The at a yard sale. I didn’t really have Billy Jo- Can Eat.” The way that I use funny is more the Prostitution Diversion Program Sing Off airs on Monday nights on NBC. I el’s records until later. I think Billy Joel’s a to highlight what’s not funny. People make had successfully completed the pro- spoke with Ben in September 2011. fucking genius songwriter. the effort to crack jokes, but why the ef- gram. Currently, however, that pro- Gregg Shapiro: in the pantheon of GS: Because of the wit and humor fort? Maybe you’re going to get your ass gram is only available to those who piano men, do you consider yourself to in your work, does Tom Lehrer count as kicked or you’re really nervous or some- have been arrested. Arrest and in- be more closely aligned with elton John an influence? thing really bad happened or you’re trying carceration, even if just overnight, is or Billy Joel? BF: [Laughs] Yeah. Tom Lehrer, Randy —continued on page 15 —continued on page 3 Gay Rights & American Foreign Policy all races, all faiths; they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers Never the twain should meet and athletes; and whether we know it, or whether we acknowledge it, they are our Co-Publishers By Justin RaiMonDo the world that view the West with mistrust family, our friends, and our neighbors. Be- Jim Becker • Jim Williams [email protected] antiwar.com or hostility. ing gay is not a Western invention; it is a Executive Editor The announcement that the US govern- “recalling how large demonstrations human reality. and protecting the human Jim Becker ment will henceforth push the achievement broke out in Pakistan in June after staff at rights of all people, gay or straight, is not [email protected] of “gay rights” internationally, as a key ele- the U.S. Embassy held a gay pride cele- something that only Western governments Managing Editor ment of its foreign policy, gives new mean- bration there, he said that Obama’s sincere do. South africa’s constitution, written in Dana LaRocca [email protected] ing to the phrase “blowback” – and cut out commitment to improving the gay rights the aftermath of apartheid, protects the the snickering! Because the self-righteous- picture globally could inadvertently make equality of all citizens, including gay peo- Production Director Bill Andriette ness and narcissism of American policy- life worse for gays and lesbians abroad. ple. In colombia and argentina, the rights Sales Director “’This cannot be seen as a of gays are also legally protected. In Ne- Mary Taylor U.S.-only issue because at the pal, the supreme court has ruled that equal [email protected] end of the day that would be rights apply to lGBT citizens. The Govern- Leather Columnist counter-productive,’ said Grun- ment of Mongolia has committed to pursue Rodney Burger gas, who was in the audience for new legislation that will tackle anti-gay dis- Contributing Writers clinton’s speech. ‘In countries Shawn Bradley • Cathy Brennan • Terrence Brower • crimination.” Steve Charing • Jeffrey Clagett • Jeffrey Clouser • Chuck Duncan where U.S. moral leadership is Homosexual behavior has existed as • Gerry Fisher • Eva Hersh MD • Sam Kunz • Jessica Lemmo • not high and where increasingly long as history itself, and it knows no geo- Jay Loane • Meredith Moise • Vann Mills • Colin Riley • Gregg Shapiro • Western values are negative… graphical boundaries: on the other hand, there is a real danger people gay identity is indeed confined not only Graphics can use this issue and say, ‘No, geographically but in time. In the Muslim Joe Velasquez • Bob Wellington we are cleaning up here, we are world, for example, homosexual relations Cartoonist going to reject this american im- between men are widespread – on account Bruce Garrett (www.brucegarrett.com) position of decay.’” of the unapproachable status of women – Photographers Never mind what actually and tacitly sanctioned, as long as the re- Bruce Garrett • Jay W Photos • Justin Nixon helps gay people in, say, Paki- lationships are discreet, i.e. “closeted,” in Web Editor Anja Saine Secretary of State clinton stan: it’s what makes Hillary Western parlance. This means men who [email protected] Clinton feel morally pure – and identify as fully heterosexual regularly en- Managed Web Services helps the Democrats stay in of- gage in sexual relations with other men – The Fusio Group 866-322-7498, www.thefusiogroup.com makers, in this instance, will have very real fice. to a far greater degree than is true in West- National Advertising Rep consequences for gay people throughout What Hillary had to say in her speech ern countries. The only difference is that Rivendell Media the world, and it isn’t going to be pretty. epitomizes the unhinged moral hubris of a there is no desire – and no need – on their 908-232-2021 If anything underscores the bedrock woman who sees herself as some kind of Founders principle of what I call “libertarian realism” – Historic Force, destined to alter the stars in “It is only a short Jim Becker • Joe Berg • Mike Chase • the concept that the real roots of American their course.