In Real Estate East Town, new home of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, offers a lively mix of summer events. ThE voIcE of pRogress foR WIsconsIn’s LgBT community July 1, 2010 | Vol. 1, No. 17 smoked out Ban takes effect July 5 By Louis Weisberg about falling revenue in the Staff writer wake of the smoking ban appear to be well-founded. ilwaukee’s gay bar The United Restaurant & owners are brac- Tavern Owners of New York m ing for a potential Inc., for example, found that downturn in business when 76 percent of New York City a statewide indoor smoking bars and nightclubs experi- ban takes effect July 5. But enced a 30-percent decrease they’re also looking at the in customers during the year bright side. after that city enacted a ban “I won’t have to clean in 2003. A year after Iowa’s the bar as hard,” says Kruz smoking ban went into effect owner Jerry Breiling. “It will in 2008, the Quad City Times be one less thing I have to reported statistics suggest- do every month – washing all ing that more people were those walls down. The envi- choosing to drink at home ronment will be nice.” rather than bars in Scott Breiling also hopes the County. Liquor store sales absence of smoke will reduce there rose by 16.8 percent the frequency with which he over the next year, while new has to clean the bar’s air- liquor licenses in the coun- conditioning filter – currently ty dropped sharply. It was once every three days. And unclear, however, whether Breiling, like owners of other the differences resulted from bars with patios, hopes he the ban or the economic can mitigate any loss of busi- downturn. ness from smokers by offer- Anecdotal evidence from MilwauKEE’s gAy BAR ing them an outdoor space cities such as Chicago, how- oWnERs ARE REsIgnED to indulge. ever, suggests that the impact In addition, Breiling hopes of smoking bans on gay bars To ThE nEW law BuT that the ban “will help me is temporary. Dave Eick, a fEAR ThE ImpAcT on quit.” bartender at Madison’s ThEIR Bottom LInE But bar owners’ concerns Club 5 for six years, says his employer’s revenues fell “a little” immediately after that g r a p h i C b y city adopted a smoking ban j a S o n S m i t h but then rebounded after “a This period of adjustment.” Wisconsin’s smoking ban issue has inspired nothing resem- inside and online at wisconsingazette.com bling the outcry that met BREAKING nEWs: Wisconsin Supreme similar laws in Chicago and News Smoking page 7 Court upholds marriage ban, page 6 WiGWAG ����������������������2 Wisconsin Gaze............4 Editorial ��������������������������8 National Gaze ������������ 11 feds award $1.7m grant to Diverse & Resilient International Gaze ���� 16 By Louis Weisberg geting gay and bisexual black The CDC estimates that with a 143-percent increase investigate the problem and Features Staff writer men in Milwaukee. The grant up to 40 percent of gay and among young non-black concluded that the disparity WiGOUT �������������������� 17 The U.S. Centers for is believed to be the largest bisexual African-American males. During the same was not based on behavioral Art Gaze ��������������������� 18 Disease Control and ever awarded by the govern- men in Milwaukee are HIV- period, the HIV-transmission differences such as condom On Stage ���������������������� 22 Prevention will give $1.7 mil- ment to an LGBT organiza- infected. The transmission rate for other demographic usage but rather on social Real Estate ������������������ 23 lion to Diverse and Resilient tion in Wisconsin, said D&R rate among young black men groups leveled off or fell. factors, including the stigma to coordinate a grassroots executive director Gary in the city tripled between The CDC came to associated with homosexual- HIV-prevention campaign tar- Hollander. 2001 and 2008, compared Milwaukee in late 2009 to Grant page 10 2 WI s c o n s I n g AZETTE. c o m | July 1, 2010 Lgbt news with a twist WiGWAG By Lisa Neff & Louis Weisberg “IDoL” comIng LAvEnDER on itself – is somehow bad.” get into the ick factor, but environment in another To MilwauKEE ThE WALK of the fact is two men in a rela- way. In a uniquely San Fran Think you’ve got the FamE covER TofucAKE tionship, two women in a fundraiser, gay men stripped voice to become the next Openly gay celebrities Boys You’ve heard of beefcake relationship, biologically, that and wrestled in oil – veg- American Idol? Milwaukee is Neil Patrick Harris and Three male and cheesecake? But what doesn’t work the same.” etable not petroleum – to among the six cities hosting Melissa Etheridge are get- cast members of about tofucake? People for However, he said, if his only raise money to help res- auditions for the next edi- ting stars on the Hollywood MTV’s hit show the Ethical Treatment of options for relations with cue wildlife threatened in tion of the FOX TV mega- Walk of Fame next year. “Jersey Shore” Animals is polling Web surf- the opposite gender were the Deepwater Horizon hit and star-making vehicle. Harris, the star of “How I were selected as cover boys ers, seeking to identify the either with House Speaker oil disaster in the Gulf of Tryouts will be held July 21 Met Your Mother,” is in a for the Village Voice’s annual sexiest vegetarian celebrity. Nancy Pelosi or retired Mexico. at the Bradley Center. domestic partnership with Queer Issue. But apparently Topping the poll, as WiG White House reporter celebrity chef David Burtka. the guys weren’t told how went to press, were Ellen Helen Thomas, Huckabee Play ball, noT no To ‘fEmALE Grammy-winning singer DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, might support same-sex Stop the presses. There vIAgRA’ Melissa Etheridge, who Alison Goldfrapp and Missy marriage. is a lesbian softball coach The FDA gave a thumbs- appears at The Riverside in Higgins. Want to vote? Go WiG is wondering: What in Tennessee. The Bellevue down to flibanserin, a con- Milwaukee on Aug. 11, was to www.peta2.com. makes Huckabee think Baptist Church recently troversial medication that recently in the news for her Pelosi or Thomas would be informed Jana Jacobson, the was hyped in the press as split with partner Tammy hucKABEE interested in him? Ick. And coach of a women’s soft- the female version of Viagra. Lynn Michaels Etheridge. yucKABEE what makes him think he’d ball team, that her team After reviewing the clinical Other Walk of Fame Former Arkansas gov- find a guy to marry? Double could not compete in the tests, the FDA decided that inductees in 2011 will ernor and former presi- ick. church league because it the drug was not effective in include Reese Witherspoon, dential candidate Mike would send a message that reducing the symptoms of Penelope Cruz, Gwyneth Huckabee entertained a oILED up the church condones her female sexual arousal disor- Paltrow, Tina Fey, Danny New Yorker writer recently Proponents for clean sexual orientation. Jacobson der, a condition believed to DeVito, The Go-Go’s, Rascal their picture would be used, with his down-home take energy and a diminished said she isn’t interested in a impact nearly 40 percent of Flatts and Will.i.am., Oprah drawing complaints about on America and U.S. poli- reliance on oil joined in legal fight – an attorney sug- women in the United States. Winfrey, the Muppets and the Voice’s ethics. In a tweet tics. Regarding gay marriage, the Hands Across the Sand gested she has a case. She Buddy Holly. responding to his critics, Huckabee, who just may demonstration June 26. But also said she isn’t interested editor Tony Ortega said, “It’s make another failed bid for guys in the Castro showed in returning to the church only unethical if you think the White House in 2012, their opposition to drilling league. being a gay icon – or gayness told the magazine, “We can and their support for the g E T T h E W I s c o n s I n g AZETTE DELI v E R E D . c ALL 414-961-3240 Diverse and Resilient Youth Services serves as a catalyst to help LGBT youth groups get started and continue to thrive by providing subcontracts to program partners, consultations, and leadership training Find Your Big Life. and coaching. We promote health and prevent risks through programs and initiatives such as: Youthink HIV prevention program in four regions of Wisconsin that seeks to change community norms and reduce HIV risk among LGBT youth through Diverse & Resilient small group interventions, social marketing, and community outreach. is committed to the de- Youth Health Institute Biennial four-day leadership development velopment and celebra- workshop for LGBT youth and there adult allies with the emphasis on HIV prevention, mental health promotion, and prevention of tobacco and tion of healthy lesbian, alcohol abuse. Thinking Under the Influence Milwaukee-based alcohol skills training gay, bisexual, and program that seeks to increase knowledge about alcohol risks and to reduce transgender people who binge drinking. Wisconsin LGBT Youth Health Coalition Biannual convening of thrive and find satisfying 24 member organizations and leaders to address LGBT youth health lives in Wisconsin. While disparities and create a biennial status report on their needs and development in Wisconsin. our work is often behind Youth Risk Behavior Survey In concert with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, analyze and report on the significant health disparities that exist the scenes, our pro- for LGBT youth in Wisconsin.