No. 665.5 • February 11, 2021 outwordmagazine.com RomanceThe Issue Importance of Black History Month page 2 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Celebrates Black History Big Gay Valentine’s Love Yourself Love Gift Guide 2021 page 4 Your Partner Baby Dolls On Blu-ray page 16 page 8 page 15 Outword CA Legislative LGBTQ Caucus on Importance of Black History Month Staff e are proud to honor and celebrate the lives, contributions and voices of Black LGBTQ people in our nation’s past, present, and future. The PUBLISHER California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus cannot give enough thanks to Fred Palmer W black LGBTQ people, many of whom fought for the rights we have today. ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION We honor their sacrifices made in service racial progress and equality was led in some Kristy Harris to their communities and the nation at large. fashion by a Black person. We understand the LGBTQ community, Audre Lorde: ‘When I Ron Tackitt The Black community, and more specifically that Black activism has so often been born dare to be powerful — to use my strength in GRAPHIC DESIGN Black LGBTQ people, have been at the out of necessity, so that Black people can live the service of my vision — then it becomes less Kristy Harris forefront of social justice movements since and thrive in a nation built by their and less important whether I am afraid.’ We in Ron Tackitt the inception of our country. From the ancestors. We are committed to continuing to the LGBTQ ommunity know, more than most, Underground Railroad to the Civil Rights work with the Black community in an effort EDITOR what it means to ‘dare to be powerful’ and we [email protected] movement in the 1960s to the Black Lives to end all forms of oppression. And we are are eternally grateful to the Black community Matter movement of today, every advance in reminded of the words said by our sister in for helping to lead the way in this mission.” ARTS EDITOR Chris Narloch SALES Celebrate Black History Month & Cicely Tyson By Chris Narloch Fred Palmer ust look at that fierce photo on the cover of her CONTRIBUTING recently released autobiography -- it tells you everything WRITERS you need to know about the late, great Cicely Tyson, Chris Allan J Matthew Burlingame who was just as beautiful with her head shaved as she was Faith Colburn Diana Kienle with a full crop of hair. Long before “Black Panther” was Chris Narloch ever dreamed of, the actress was the original Wakanda Lauren Pulido Ron Tackitt woman warrior. Ms. Tyson, who died this January 28 at the ripe old age of 96, was one of the finest PHOTOGRAPHY actors of her generation (or any generation). She possessed both a blazing talent and Charles Peer a trailblazing spirit. Ron Tackitt Ms. Tyson always seemed to have perfect timing, and so it seems oddly fitting that she would pass just before Black History Month, since she was a legend of black DISTRIBUTION cinema, as well as the stage and the small screen. Kaye Crawford I first took notice of Ms. Tyson’s towering talent in the Oscar-nominated 1972 film Michael Crawford “Sounder,” a terrific movie about a family of sharecroppers in the Depression-era Deep South, which brought the actress her only Academy Award nomination as Best ADVERTISING SALES Actress. Later that same decade, Ms. Tyson graced the small screen with legendary Sacramento and performances in two of the finest television movies ever made, “Roots” and “The Northern California Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” (916) 329-9280 An activist as well as an actress, Cicely Tyson kept performing into her ‘90s, and Fred Palmer she still had the magic when I saw her on Broadway in her late 80s, in the 2013 production of “The Trip to Bountiful.” I am currently tearing through Ms. Tyson’s new autobiography, “Just As I Am,” and so far it is as graceful and moving as I had hoped. If you don’t already have the book, you may have to wait a bit, since both the hardcover and audio versions were out of stock on Amazon as I wrote this. While you wait to get your hands on a copy of “Just As I Am,” I recommend celebrating Black History Month by watching any (or all three) of the aforementioned films Ms. Tyson made in the ‘70s. The actress and her best roles were Black History personified. Outword Magazine Inc. Office 372 Florin Road, #133 Sacramento, CA 95831 PHONE: (916) 329-9280 www.outwordmagazine.com [email protected] ISSN # 1084-7618 United States Library of Congress Nat. Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Nat. Gay & Lesbian Journalist Association Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce 2 Outword Magazine February 11, 2021 - February 25, 2021 • No. 665.5 outwordmagazine.com Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Celebrates the Sounds of Black History Throughout February he Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is celebrating Black History Month with a series of virtual events and programs honoring T the extraordinary contributions that African Americans have made to rock & roll music. Fans can also head to the museum, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, to amplify their experience with the Rock Hall’s featured exhibit “It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment.” A cornerstone to the Rock Hall’s Thursday, February 11th at 7 p.m. EST programs and outreach, the Black History Jackie Venson performance and interview Month celebration highlights stories, Follow and watch on Rock Hall’s provides opportunities for dialogue, and Facebook and YouTube pages reflects on the contributions and legacies of Texas native Jackie Venson, the first African- African American artists. American woman to win the category of Inspired by the sounds of Black history, “Best Guitarist” at the Austin Music Awards the Rock Hall’s virtual events and programs last year, performs a virtual 30-minute live include: set and post-show interview with Jason Every Friday in February Hanley, Rock Hall’s Vice President of New Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Education and Visitor Engagement, discussing her trailblazing career. Es sential & Open! Located in Midtown 1919 21st Street, Suite 101 DR. ANIEL ILLER DR. ARRICK AWSON D M Sacramento, CA 95811 D L DR. TYLER HARRISON DR. JUSTIN KAMERMAN Vault podcast episodes Thursday, February 18th at 7 p.m. EST Subscribe on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Mr. Soul Documentary screening and Podcasts or wherever you get your panel discussion with Inductee Verdine favorite podcasts: Throughout February White and Patti LaBelle enjoy new podcast episodes honoring the RSVP at https://www.rockhall.com/events legacies of African American Inductees with From 1968 to 1973, the public television unfiltered access to iconic Induction variety show SOUL! Offered an unfiltered, speeches. Episodes include Gladys Knight uncompromising celebration of Black and the Pips inducted by Mariah Carey Chiropractic • Auto Injury Care • Decompression Therapy literature, poetry, music and politics – voices (Feb. 5), Public Enemy inducted by Spike that had few other options for national Over 25 Years Chiropractic Experience Lee and Harry Belafonte (Feb. 12), The exposure. Enjoy this special screening Miracles inducted by Smokey Robinson followed by a panel discuss with Rock Hall (Feb. 19), and Buddy Guy inducted by B.B. 916-447-3344 • www.FixMyBack.com King and Eric Clapton (Feb. 26). (Continued on the next page) 4 Outword Magazine February 11, 2021 - February 25, 2021 • No. 665.5 outwordmagazine.com (Continued from Page 4) Inductee Verdine White of Earth Wind & the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Fire, singer and actress Patti LaBelle, writer, Feminist Sound) and Maureen Mahon (Black director and producer Melissa Haizlipm, Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock Hall’s Chief Curator, Nwaka and Rock and Roll) discuss their newly Onwusa published books on Black women in pop Saturday, February 20th at 7 p.m. EST music. These works are part of a wave of Inductees from Sly & the Family Stone new writing on Black women in rock and join episode of Tough Cookies hosted by pop that sheds light on how dominant views Adam Weiner of Low Cut Connie of gender, race, sexuality, and genre affected For more info visit not only their careers, but how their stories https://www.rockhall.com/events were minimized or written out of music Rock Hall Inductees Freddie Stone, Rose history. Presented in partnership with Case Stone, Larry Graham, Jerry Martini and Western Reserve University’s Center for Greg Errico of Sly & the Family Stone are Popular Music Studies. special guests on this month’s episode of Friday, February 26th at 7 p.m. EST Tough Cookies hosted by Adam Weiner, the Robert Randolph performance and charismatic leader of Philadelphia-based interview rock band Low Cut Connie. Join Adam as Follow and watch on Rock Hall’s he interviews members of the band and Facebook and YouTube pages performs several songs, plus take a tour Tune in for a virtual premier of the Rock through the Rock Hall’s Legends of Rock Hall’s conversation and performance with exhibit. The episode will broadcast through Robert Randolph of The Family Band. Low Cut Connie’s social channels. Randolph discusses his Gospel roots and Monday, February 22nd at 7 p.m. EST more with Jason Hanley, Rock Hall’s Vice Rewriting Rock: New Takes on Black President of Education and Visitor Women in Rock & Pop History Experience, and performs a few songs from Follow and watch on Rock Hall’s the Rock Hall’s Klipsch Audio Stage on his Facebook and YouTube pages pedal steel guitar.