SUMMER ART BY EGO RODRIGUEZ TRANS ACTIVIST SANDY MESICS LADY GAGA'S GREATEST HITS TOM OF FINLAND 1920–2020 PLUS... NOVUS | JASON LLOYD | EIVIND HANSEN Contents Our LGBTQ Revolutionary War Hero | Liz Bradbury 2 Liz profiles General Kazimierz Pulaski, a key figure in the Revolutionary War. Surviving a Plague | Adrian Shanker 5 LGBT people know something about how to survive a plague. Adrian dives into the risk factors faced by the LGBT community. Be Heard, Be Seen, Be Counted | Katie Suppes 5 Katie unpacks how the 2020 Census will be key in allocating resources for queer communities. When Corinne Met Sandy | Corinne Goodwin 6 Corinne sits down for a conversation with Bethlehem native and transgender icon Sandy Mesics. Have You Ever Thought About The Sex You Want? | Benny Vukaj 11 Benny from NovusACS discusses the intricacies of hook ups and sexual health. Jason Lloyd's Cherry Bomb 12 We take a look at the work of queer illustrator Jason Lloyd. Tom of Finland Celebrates 100 Years! 14 The Tom of Finland Foundation celebrates the 100th birthday of queer artist Touko Laaksonen. Lady Gaga's Greatest Hits 18 Lehigh Valley DJs Brad Scott and Joe Cole list their favorite Gaga tunes. I Am Samantha 20 Benjamin Scheuer’s journey to this debut is not your standard singer/ songwriter story. Not So Sweet: A Beneficiary Without A Name | Ryan K. Fields 22 There is at least one thing most Americans have in common - several recent polls show that nearly 60% of all Americans do not have a will. The Deviant’s War | Eric Cervini 23 Eric reveals the history of queer activism in his book, The Deviant's War: The Homosexul vs. The United States of America. Luis Venegas' Big, Hard Candy Book 24 C*NDY is the first style magazine to focus on the transversal community, which includes transgender and gender-nonconforming/nonbinary people. Michael Fairman's Other Side 26 With his newly released single Other Side, Michael Fairman is after what his name implies: a fair chance. Make a Joyful Noise | Lenora Dannelke 28 Len returns to give us a taste of blue grillhouse's Frozen Patio Mojito Sitting Down with Ego Rodriguez 30 Queer illustrator Ego Rodriguez uses his work to showcase initmate moments, spontaneity, and unapologetic celebrations of male eroticism. Eivind Hansen 32 Eivind (boyfriend of Ego!) details his photography—whimsical, sexy, colorful and full of floral props and vibrant backgrounds. ABOVE: Artwork by Tom of Finland ON THE COVER: Narcissus by Ego Rodriguez VOL. 5 ISSUE 20 SUMMER 2020 Note from the Editor Contributors What is there to say about this pandemic Lenora Dannelke is an independent journalist who covers food, travel or that hasn't already been said by people more anything fun. She lives in Old Allentown and loves a good Bloody Mary. She is owned by a 12-year-old rescued boxer named Scoobie. Look for her most qualified than me. In the spirit of lives well Saturday afternoons at the Allentown Farmer’s Market. lived I asked Liz Bradbury to to contribute an obituary for Dixie White, one of the Lehigh When Gary Gaugler, Jr isn’t saving the world at his office job, he enjoys Valley's first LGBT activists. The Gay Journal writing his book series and playing video games. His passions include cats, crew hopes you find this issue entertaining and shenanigans, and weekend cocktails (though perhaps not in that order). He resides in Allentown with his husband, Steve. informative. We hope you are all safe and in good health during this time. Corinne Goodwin serves as the Webmaster and social coordinator for Dixie White (1943–2020) Much Love, Lehigh Valley Transgender Renaissance, a support group for transgender Lehigh Valley LGBT Activist Stephen T. Libby, Editor-in-Chief individuals that serves the Lehigh Valley and surrounding counties. After serving in executive capacities for Fortune 50 companies she started her own consulting firm in 2010. If you see her out and about be sure to say hello! ixie White, a major and very longtime LGBT Lehigh Valley activist, died on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 and the world lost a bright and constant Jason Leonhard is three toddlers in a trench coat — please don't tell anyone. After earning his BA in music composition and media & communications light. Her family has released an obituary that included: “Noted local from Muhlenberg College in 2018, he moved to Boston and currently works Dactivist, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Dixie Dugan White passed as Marketing & Communications Manager for Urbanity Dance. In his free time he writes music, performs stand up comedy, and dreads grad school. into eternal rest on Saturday, April 18th, 2020, following an accident and brief illness. She was born Patricia Ann Dugan in Bethlehem on March 13th, 1943. She earned Liz Bradbury is the Director of the Training Institute of the Bradbury- a bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in Massachusetts and a master’s degree Sullivan LGBT Community Center and has been an activist since she ran an LGBT committee in grad school in 1979. She’s written over 400 published from Syracuse University. (Dixie) spent the bulk of her life as a tireless activist and articles on LGBT issues, and is the national award winning author of the advocate for many organizations. She was the president of the Pennsylvania chapter lesbian detective novels: The Maggie Gale Mysteries. of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Senior Field Organizer for the Katie Suppes is the Director of Programs, Research, & Evaluation at Chicago Chapter of NOW, Community Organizer for the Lehigh Valley Human Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. She earned her Master's Needs Coalition, Organizer at The Lehigh Valley Project, NE PA Regional Director degree in Educational Leadership at Lehigh University and her bachelor's degrees in English and Political Science at Moravian College. Katie is for the Pennsylvania Public Interest Coalition, Director at the AIDS Service Center passionate about utilizing data to improve community-based services for underserved people. of the Lehigh Valley, Caseworker for Northampton County Children and Youth, and Intensive Case Manager with Northampton County’s Drug and Alcohol Division. Adrian Shanker is executive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT (Dixie) was also heavily involved in the ERA movement, The Lehigh Valley Community Center and editor of Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health Labor Council, GLAAD, FACT, LEPOCO, The Micah Project, and her Church: St Andrews Episcopal Church of Bethlehem. In addition to being a champion for equality for women, the LGBT community, human rights, workers’ rights, and the Benny Vukaj, Community Relations Manager at NovusACS, is an enthusiast environment, she was an avid gardener, herbalist and chef; and at one time, had of self-care and wellness. A man of many interests, including your sex life. served as an instructor at the Anna Rodale Gourmet Cooking Center. She is survived by sons Aaron Ramson White; Jeremy Booz White; daughter- in-law Lisa J. White, grandson Silas W. White, step grandchildren Andy Griffith and Daniella Redden; and Jason Griffith,; sisters Frances Schrantz and Genevieve Goff, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by brother Edward Dugan and sister Catherine Barrett. Memorial plans will be announced at a later date.” Did you note that Dixie was not just the President of the Lehigh Valley Continued on p. 4 Contact us at [email protected], or Gaugler-Libby, LLC PO Box 421 Stockertown, PA 18083 Like us on Facebook and visit our website: thegayjournal.net The opinions and views expressed by our contributors are not necessarily that of The Gay Journal, Gaugler-Libby, LLC or our advertisers. DRAG PERFORMANCES with Jujubee and Sonique of Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2 featuring Local Drag Entertainers from the Lehigh Valley and beyond at Tito's Handmade Vodka Drag Stage + LIVE MUSIC by Holly Near, Crys Matthews and Regina Sayles at the Acoustic Stage A PROGRAM OF + Our ^ Revolutionary War Hero LGBTQ by Liz Bradbury icture this…1777, Brandywine Pennsylvania, just outside of Once on American soil, Pulaski passionately wrote to GW, “I came here, Philadelphia. The American Continental Army of General George where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.” And Washington (our heroes) are battling General Sir William Howe he did. Pand his British troops (a.k.a the Redcoats). George and his 2000 soldiers are Washington bade Pulaski to join his troops in Philly, where Kazimierz P. about to be surrounded. The Redcoats are about to cut off the only path immediately did some really cool, impressive horse-riding tricks and began to retreat…when a 20-something Polish soldier leading 30 crack American to build and train the cavalry. When he pulled off the major “save the day” cavalrymen scouts a route to safety for the troops, fights off the opposition, in Brandywine, George Washington successfully entreated the Continental and saves the father of our country from death or at least certain capture. Congress to make Pulaski a Brigadier General with the added honorific That 20-something Polish soldier fighting for George Washington’s army “Commander of the Horse.” was… Kazimierz (aka Casimir) Pulaski. And wait until you hear his amazing After a series of brave battles with varying success over the next two years, story. Kazimierz asked to serve on the Southern front. Washington assigned him You’ve already heard of Kazimierz Pulaski. Think Pulaski Bridge in Philly. to troops fighting in South Carolina. But finally in Savanna Georgia, while Pulaski Highway in Baltimore, Illinois’s state-wide holiday - Pulaski Day trying to rally fleeing French troops who were supposed to be fighting for our - aka March 2, or October 11 for the federal observance.