REST IN PEACE TYRONNE DANG, M.D.
Dr. Tyronne Dang was a long time supporter of eXpression! Magazine, and has been serving the LGBT community with his medical practice since 1993. He was named “Gay Provider of the Year” by GayHealth.com (2004) and featured as the cover story in eXpression! Magazine (August 2012). In addition to helping the LGBT community, he was known for serving Hawai‘i’s Vietnamese community. Dr. Tyronne Dang passed away on November 11, 2014 battling several years of multiple myeloma. “I grew up in the Vietnam war, there was much death around me that becoming able to do something to help alleviate suffering was always on my mind. I wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember.” - Dr. Tyronne Dang, eXpression! Magazine (August 2012)
life in the military
14
DECEMBER 2014
The Crawfords
Volume 6 Issue 5
6 POLITICS
President
Jade Le
Blake Oshiro: Bulldog Determination
10 profile
Advertising & Marketing
William Fernandez: (ph) 808-281-4084
Production
Linda Giang
Keiva-Lei Cadena: A New World Awaits
20 COMMUNITY
Graphic design
HTL Marketing
video & multi-media
Lisa Baxter PJ Delanoza
LGBT People And Allies Of the Year (Featured)
28 Events
Contributors
Mickey Weems PJ Delanoza
Provocations 2014
Copy Editor Mickey Weems
Legal & Research
Glenn Honda, Esq.
Public relations
Kamele Eskaran Lisa Baxter PJ Delanoza
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P OL ITICS
Bulldog Determination By: mickey weems | photos: jtl
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POLITICS
When asked about what kind of fan mail he received from opponents, Blake Oshiro made a list of his top nine responses. Most were run of the mill, garden-variety homo-hate:
“You should be hung.” “You are a pedophile.” “Next thing you’re gonna want to do is have sex with an animal.” “You will die of AIDS.” “You are going to hell.” “You have a selfish agenda.” “You are godless.” “You are the devil.” Yada-yada-yada. But there was one that he liked best of all: “You must be a disappointment to your parents because you are a delinquent and not successful in life - that’s why you had to turn to homosexuality.” His crime? Oshiro fought tooth and nail to get civil unions before the Hawai‘i
State Legislature, resurrected the issue when it stalled, and kept it alive when then-Governor Linda Lingle vetoed it. And finally, victory when Governor Neil Abercrombie backed Oshiro’s efforts. December 2, 2013 December 2, 2014 marks
year one for marriage equality. Oshiro spoke with eXpression! about bulldog determination, why progressives won in Hawai‘i this November, and why progressives lost on the Mainland.
What role did you play in securing civil unions and marriage equality for the LGBT community?
What kinds of obstacles did you face as the first out gay man elected in Hawai‘i?
In 2009, I was the primary author for House Bill 444 [for civil unions] that made it out of the House, but stalled in the Senate. In 2010, the bill moved out of the Senate, but then stalled in the House. On the last day of the 2010 session, I worked to push the bill onto the floor for the final vote and it passed. Unfortunately, Governor Lingle vetoed the bill. It then became a centerpiece issue for the 2010 elections in the fall. Fortunately, Governor Abercrombie was elected, so it was not as much of a contentious issue anymore and became 2011’s Act 1.
My family and close friends already knew, but it was when I ran for reelection in 2010 that my being gay first became a public issue. I was very fortunate to have developed strong support during my prior years in office, and I worked hard to ensure voters understood that I was more than just a single label. The most difficult challenge was the chance of success for civil unions being tied to my race. It was also difficult because there was some hatred and negativity thrown at me, but I expected it. What was more difficult was knowing my family had to endure it.
Two years later, Governor Abercrombie tasked me with coming up with a marriage equality bill. I worked with the attorney general and other stakeholder civil rights leaders to come up with a draft. The governor then decided to call a spe-
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 7
P OL ITICS
This article is for those who fought tooth and nail against civil unions, and for those who thought that the successful special session for marriage equality last year was too soon. Kimberly Allen describes what happened to her and her wife, Theresa Gonzales, when marriage equality arrived too late. Theresa was a truly wonderful spirit who I was so lucky to have known, and even luckier to have married. She was always more of an outgoing person and advocate for human rights than I was. She taught me how to stand up and face the world, even in the face of adversity. She frequently described difficulties in her life, but especially during her time in Missouri when she could not get a job other than yard work, cleaning, or maintenance because people saw her as Mexican. When we were together in public in Saint Louis, people would address me rather than her because I am white. But when we went car-shopping, they talked to her because she was more masculine. Ever since we were a couple, she dreamed of marrying me. In August 2003, we went to Canada to get married. Missouri - our home state - did not recognize our legal relationship. Theresa began experiencing abdominal pain that became debilitating. Having brown skin in an area rampant with racism added to her suffering. In early 2004, Theresa felt a lump in her breast. She visited the doctor, got a mammogram, and was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a mastectomy, the oncologist decided that her abdominal pain warranted a hysterectomy. The abdominal pain turned out to be uterine cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and subsequently radiation therapy for the breast cancer and uterine cancer at the same time.
“There are two days in my time in public service I will never forget: when Governor Abercrombie signed civil unions into law - I still have the pen he signed with My employer was less than understanding. He did notand see our when relationship as hea signed marriage but instead as a friendship because our Senate 1 into law marriage was notBill legal. When I took time off from work to take Theresa to medical appointments, to provide marriage my boss became upset. I tried to make up the time off after businessfor hours, but that in wasn’t acequality all ceptable. I finally realized that it was time for me our ” back to school for a to find a newstate. career. I went Masters in social work.
- Blake Oshiro
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POLITICS
cial session to pass the bill. My job was to be a behindthe-scenes political operative and help shepherd the bill through. But it really was the tremendous work of so many people and organizations within the community, and more importantly, brave legislators who took this on.
What moments were particularly moving for you? There are two days in my time in public service I will never forget: when Governor Abercrombie signed civil unions into law - I still have the pen he signed with - and when he signed Senate Bill 1 into law to provide marriage equality for all in our state.
What did you think about the November elections this year? I was initially disappointed early in the evening with the increased surge of conservative seats in the U.S. Congress, especially with the U.S. Senate changes. However, I was pleased to see that our LGBT friends and supporters who stood with us during the special session prevailed. And, they won handily.
It appears that the threats against candidates who supported marriage equality were all empty. I would not characterize the threats as empty, but I would say that our elected friends who stood with us proved that
with hard work and a solid campaign strategy, you can overcome threats and not be afraid to just do the right thing. To me, it is a good message that can bolster progressives to move forward towards more equality for everyone.
Could progressives on the mainland learn from Hawai‘i?
Hawai‘i’s Democratic Revolution may be only decades old, but there is a reason why Hawai‘i’s progressives have continued to see success. It is about finding solid candidates with a genuine belief in doing good and improving Hawai‘i for its people. I do believe that candidates must remain true to who they are and what they believe and be upfront about it, not try to shy away from it. Some pundits have stated that Democrats ran away from the President and tried to stay away from controversial partisan issues. There are core fundamental values each party stands for, and these need to be promoted so that people clearly understand what choice they make by their vote.
Now that we have marriage equality, will you get married? Yes, eventually. My partner, Wayne and I have been together over 17 years now. I didn’t want anyone to accuse my support for civil unions or marriage equality as being about my personal interest. It was just about doing the right thing. EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 9
PROFILE
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PR OFILE
Keiva-Lei Cadena:
A New World Awaits By: mickey weems | photos: jtl
Linkage to care coordinator: Translate these words into real-world language, they refer to compassionate persistence. A linkage to care coordinator makes sure that people who are HIV positive stay connected with their case managers, medical providers, and pharmacists. This is Keiva-Lei Cadena’s world, one with which she was intimately familiar long before she took the job. As a linkage to care coordinator for Life Foundation, Cadena embodies the best tradition of saints and bodhisattvas as she checks up on clients, brings them what they need, helps them keep appointments, and sometimes just talks story with them. She sees them through the hard times until they can once again face the world. There is paperwork, but her work is not a desk job. Things can sometimes get gritty. “We put ourselves in the trenches,” she said, referring to the occasional sketchy neighborhood, abusive relationship, or thug culture in which a few clients find themselves. But Cadena is happy - or perhaps even driven - to help HIVpositive people get back on their feet when they are down and out. Not that many years ago, she was on the other side of the fence as a client rather than a coordinator.
Lifeline When asked about her life before she became a coordinator in 2011, Cadena reached back for a memory that would illustrate how important outside support was for her. “Back in 2008, I was having a really rough time. I called up a friend at Life Foundation and hung out in an HIV testing room because I thought people were out to get me,” Cadena recalled. “I wanted to be somewhere safe. Life Foundation was the only place I knew I could be safe - and I would not be judged either.” Non-judgment is the key concept for harm reduction, an empathic approach to drug use and HIV that casts no shade on people who are already hurting badly, be it from society, abusive relationships, or self-inflicted wounds. Cadena is proof that harm reduction works. “I would stay locked up in my home. My case manager would come to my house and bring groceries and my paperwork for me to sign at my kitchen table. That’s harm reduction at its best.” With help, she turned herself around. EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 11
PROFILE
I hung out in an HIV testing room because I thought people were out to get me. I wanted to be somewhere safe. Life Foundation was the only place I knew I could be safe - and I would not be judged either.
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PR OFILE
PrEP Talk Her work put her in touch with the latest developments in HIV prevention and the road to a cure. In 2012, she went to a talk by Dominic Chow of Spencer Clinic. “He started talking about this new medication, Truvada. I was in a long-term relationship, and I was always concerned that my husband would seroconvert. At that time, there were no studies showing that people with an undetectable viral load [no HIV could be found in their system] had zero percent chance of transmitting HIV to their partners. When Truvada was approved in July of that year, my husband was on it.” Cadena is especially proud that, of the three loves in her life (all of them negative), not one had seroconverted because of her. Benefits for serodiscordant couples who follow PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) are immense, she says. But she worries about what Truvada could mean for at-risk populations. “Will we see a rise in STDs due to less responsible behaviors because people think they are safe?” She also worries about the most vulnerable taking the antiretrovirals in conjunction with Truvada: “What about people who are in prison, who have mental health issues, who are homeless? These problems can deter proper treatment. How can we make sure the care is continued?” In addition, there are no studies to see what possible side effects PrEP might have for transgender people such as herself - there is such promise in PrEP, but as yet so many unanswered questions.
Change of Focus These concerns have caused a shift in Life Foundation’s target demographic. Initially, it was high-risk groups. But now more attention is paid to those who are HIV positive. PrEP and other promising breakthroughs are rapidly altering the people-scape of seroconversion - it makes sense to change the focus to those who, with the help of new medical breakthroughs, could possibly be the last generation suffering from HIV if we rivgorously pursue effective harm reduction strategies. The biggest key to stopping seroconversion is working with those who are positive, and helping them stay healthy and, hopefully someday soon, completely free of HIV. In the mean time, Cadena and Life Foundation are preparing us for that new world by making sure the afflicted have someplace to go and someone to see. “We have so many people who are released from prison, coming from the hospital, or living homeless that come see us. We are their safe haven.” EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 13
CO VER ST ORY
life in the military by: Mickey Weems photos: Courtesy of the Crawfords
Sometimes the only way to go forward is to meet in the middle. For JD Crawford (“JD” is for Jon-David) and Philip Amer Kelley-Crawford (“Philip Amer” is for Filipino-American), the middle was Hawai‘i, between the USA’s heartland and Southeast Asia. Both men have jobs that take them overseas. Both want children, and each man is crazy about the other. But there have been some challenges to face, especially before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the policy of the U.S. military to reject openly-gay service people, was itself rejected, and before marriage equality was recognized by the Armed Forces. Theirs is a story of perseverance, longing, and (for JD) learning to love FIlipino food.
Can we get basic details about you two? Philip: I’m Philip Amer Kelley-Crawford. I was born and raised in Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. I moved to Hawai‘i in 1996. I am 33 years old, and I have lived the majority of my life in Hawai‘i around Salt Lake Area. I have a big Filipino family - three brothers and two sisters. I am currently the regional manager for a broker company that provides sales and services for military exchanges. I oversee all of Hawai‘i, Guam and Japan. I also teach dance at American Renaissance Academy as well as dance for Legends in Concert: Rock-A-Hula show. JD: I’m Jon-David Crawford, 39 years old, from Edgerton, Kansas. I’ve been in and out of Hawai‘i since ‘95. I fell in love with Hawai‘i on my first duty station, USS Ingersoll [DD-990]. We purchased a home in Kapolei because we found the right place Left: Jon-David Crawford Right: Philip Amer Kelley-Crawford 14 | DE C EM BE R 2 0 1 4 - E X P RESSION808.C OM
COVER STORY
at the right price. It definitely wasn’t for Kapolei’s traffic. Philip: We decided to buy a house because we were tired of paying rent. It was a gamble because we didn’t know if we were to stay in Hawai‘i and we were not married yet. We picked Kapolei because it is a growing city, and at that time, the market was reasonable. We got a good deal for our buck. We closed August of 2010. On the day of our closing, he proposed to me. We had a civil union in Hawai‘i on June 2nd, 2013 and we were married in the State of California on August 1st of 2013. We had to get married because the military does not recognize civil unions.
how did you meet? JD: Through a mutual friend. Philip: Yes, we met through a mutual friend, and JD confessed that he used to stalk me at the Navy Exchange where I worked for three years! It started out as a coffee date, and then we would go for coffee all the time. I remember one time I was having lunch with my mom and JD joined us. After lunch, he told my mom, “Mrs. Kelley, I’m crazy about your son.” I will never forget that. This was really the first time I felt maybe this was the one for me.
what was the most difficult thing about life in the armed services? JD: This is an easy answer: Being away from my family. Philip: JD had to go on deployment
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 15
C over Story
“he had minor surgery that didn’t quite go as planned and I was kicked out of the hospital because I was not family.” [ philip Amer Kelley-crawford ]
two years out of five years we’ve been together: one year before we were married [deployed to Djibouti, Africa] and one year after we got married [on board Emory S. Land]. That was definitely the most difficult. Who knows what’s ahead of us. For now, we’re fortunate to get orders back here in Hawai‘i for three more years.
tell us about life under dadt. Philip: DADT put a strain on me emotionally. I will never forget two situations where I wish DADT was already overturned. One was when JD made Chief. I was there for him for support, all the way through, but I had to stay invisible. I would have loved to pin him that day but couldn’t, someone else had to. The second time, he had minor surgery that didn’t
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quite go as planned and I was kicked out of the hospital because I was not family. JD: I knew the rules when I joined, so while I didn’t necessarily agree, I knew what I was getting into. I wish I could tell you that I was a huge activist, but truthfully I wasn’t. I am so very thankful for those who were, and who pushed for the repeal. It’s funny, once DADT was in effect, I actually thought it was a good thing, but years later I realized how backwards it was.
jd, we’d love to hear your story about the lie detector. JD: Part of my job requires me to be polygraphed, and when I took the test, I kept failing. I thought it had something to do with DADT since it
Cover Story
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 17
COVER ST O RY
hadn’t been repealed. Finally the agent asked me was there something on my mind, and I told him [I was gay]. I was impressed with the agent because he sat back in his chair and said, “Oh my... I am so sorry you had to go through this. This is a criminal polygraph and not a lifestyle polygraph.” I passed immediately thereafter.
JD: The only issue I see is that people are still jaded. I am often asked by some of my fellow servicemen, “How am I supposed to treat gay people?” I chuckle and say, “I don’t know... try like a human?” I gotta be honest - the U.S. Navy has been amazing to me - before and after DADT. No one seems to really care.
life after dadt: what are the challenges yet to face?
if you could change one thing about the military, what would it be?
Philip: So far, it’s been nothing but support from the military.
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Philip: I’m sure JD would give
COVER STORY
you a better answer with this. But if I have it my way, not moving or deploying will be a great start. JD: Change is good, and I think our services are becoming so much smarter in everything we do. If I could change anything, it would be spending money on uniforms. I have had about 500 different uniforms in my 19 years of service. I can’t imagine how much the government spends on uniforms.
philip, what was jd’s biggest challenge concerning your filipino family? Philip: JD gets along with my family very well. My family welcomed him with open
arms. As a matter of fact, he’s learning how to speak Tagalog, mainly to fit in when we get together so he wouldn’t feel left out, and for respect. Food is huge in any Filipino family, I believe JD has tried most if not all of the Filipino dishes. Most he loves, some he probably won’t eat again. However, he will never tell my mom to stop serving them. Again, for respect. JD always tells me how envious he is with how close I am with family and that I live so close to them. I have four out of five siblings living in Hawai‘i and we get together as much as we can. The majority of JD’s family are still in Kansas. We usually spend our vacation together traveling to Kansas
to spend some time with his family.
tell us about your horse. Philip: His name is Studly. Unfortunately, we have not been spending a lot of time with him. He is currently at Wheeler Stables, and we have the best share boarders that take care of him very well. JD’s owned him for at least a decade. JD: He is a beautiful quarterthoroughbred horse who I purchased nearly eight years ago. I have been deployed so much in my time here in Hawai‘i that our friends have taken care of him more than I have. They have worked extremely hard in training him and they even
show him. Truth is, we would not be able to have him without the amazing love that has been given to him.
you are adopting! tell us about that adventure. JD: I was adopted, and I have always wanted to give back to that program. Philip and I have been researching a lot, and the answer is this: it’s extremely difficult if you don’t have money. Philip: We’ve talked about adopting for years, mainly because we both want to start a family. JD is adopted, so this is something we want to do. In my perfect world, I want one boy and one girl.
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 19
COMMU NIT Y
2014 lgbt people of the year DR. WILLIAM COLEMAN Veterinarian Veterinar y Emergency + Referral Center of Hawai‘i “Years ago, I went to a therapist looking to change, to become straight!”
KASI NUNES Lead Singer Kings of Spade “It was a slow process, but eventually she stopped telling me that I would meet a nice boy!”
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MONOIKI AH NEE HIV Prevention Educator Life Foundation “I had packed a bag and was ready to be kicked out of the house.”
COM M UNITY
Mahalo to these BOLD individuals SHARING their expression
ALVIN TY LAW Founder Hawai‘i Gay Flag Football League “Honolulu has a great gay community, but it lacks a gay sports community.”
PRESTON MENESES Janet Jackson’s Makeup Artist “I’ve always been a dreamer. I never gave up hope, and I never refused the chances I was offered. I knew that somehow things would work out. And they did.”
CONNIE M. FLOREZ Film Director + Producer Hula Girl Productions
DR. CHRISTINE LIPAT Chiropractor Niu Health Chiropractic
“The murderers cut her open and put rocks inside her body to weigh her down into the water. They also carved a message on her, saying, I am a man.”
“I had something to offer to this community as a female, queer, progressive, Asian healer.”
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 21
CO MMUNIT Y
ISAAC MORENO Musician “In this world I have found a little bit of heartache, a little bit of freedom, a little bit of me.”
NATASHA JACKSON-KLEID Radio Host “My goal was not to be a character. It was important to me to be myself at all times.”
ALEC MAPA Celebrity/Comedian “I got nothing against little white girls. I’ve been one my entire life.”
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COMMUNITY
ANINA QUARANTO Realtor Coldwell Banker “Although it is against the law to discriminate, we know that homophobia is out there. I am ver y careful about the way I present my clients to perspective sellers as to not discourage them to sell to gay couples.”
AIKO Pageant Producer Universal Show Queen Her advice to young queens who want the crown: “Don’t let age, or boobs, or height, or anything like that influence you from entering this pageant.”
JACCE MIKULANEC Co-chair Equality Hawai‘i Action Fund “I always felt they [parents] would love me no matter if I was gay or straight. The important thing to them is that I was a good person with integrity and love.”
2015 OUTBACK
B I G B R OT H E R S B I G S I S T E R S H AWA I I
•
H AWA I I W I L D L I F E F U N D
•
A N I M A L W E L FA R E O R G A N I Z AT I O N S 4
1- 0.9% APR up to 60 months applies to any 2015 Legacy, 2015 Outback, or 2015 Forester. Subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify. Must purchase/take delivery between 11/01/14 and 12/31/14. Limited to stock on the lot and will not be applied to backorders. Not combinable with any other special financing rates, discounts, rebates, employee prices or other offers. Restrictions apply. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. 2- $500 discount may be used towards the purchase and delivery of any new or demo 2015 Legacy, Outback, or Forester between 11/01/14 and 12/31/14. In stock. No backorders. Restrictions apply. 3 - Subaru Hawaii will donate $250 for each new or demo 2014 or 2015 Subaru vehicle purchased and delivered between 11/1/14 and 12/31/14 to a pre-determined list of non-profit organizations up to $30,000. See participating Subaru Hawaii dealers for details. 4- Hawaiian Humane Society, Maui Humane Society, Kauai Humane Society, Hawaii Island Humane Society.
SubaruHawaii.com
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 23
CO MMUNIT Y
AMINA PETERSON Athlete Out Games
FRANK LEE Athlete Out Games
“As a queer atheist, my biggest challenge was the fight for gay marriage. The institution is ridiculous to me. I fought for the right for my community because I believe civil institutions afforded to one should be afforded to all.”
“The cheering and applause from the audience was so loud, and the energy in this huge stadium was so wonderful that I’m getting emotional just talking about it.”
KAINOA TIFFANY Veteran U.S. Navy “I am proud to say that I am in love with a transwoman. You can’t help who you fall in love with. My heart belongs to Shalani.”
JACK LAW Owner Hula’s Lei and Bar Stand “Hula’s was the center of ever ything. It was the place to go to have fun for ever yone: gay, straight, or indifferent.”
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COM M UNITY
JOSHUA COURTNEY Owner A Baked Romance
MATHEW BELLHOUSE-KING Board Member Equality Hawai‘i “I feel the same way about this God as Christians feel about Zeus or Apollo. Christians are not persuaded by the faith claims of ever y other religion on earth. The atheist just takes it one God further.”
“Gay guys definitely put a lot of thought into their weddings, more so than straight couples, I would say. And their weddings tend to be ver y elegant.”
LYNDA BROWN Transwoman Remembering the Glades in Chinatown “ We had to wear these [I AM A BOY button] or the cops would arrest us.”
MOANA NEPIA Dancer, Choreographer, Painter, Curator, and Scholar. “It is important for all of us to have places to stand where we can express ourselves and be who we want to be.”
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 25
CO MMUNIT Y
PO‘AI LINCOLN Loku House “ When it comes to orientation and gender, the Western world sees identities as battle sites.”
DEAN SOMA Family/Divorce Attorney Coates and Frey “ What have been scar y lately are cases of predator y gay men who are duping rich guys into marr ying them.”
JEFFREY KING Model/Actor “I lost all that weight to impress a boy I came out to. That relationship didn’t last. After I graduated high school I started to model. I guess losing that weight for a boy turned into getting a career for myself.”
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COM M UNITY
KIMBERLY ALLEN Speaking of Theresa Gonzales, her deceased wife: “I have a recording of her laughter. I still listen to it.”
KEALI‘I REICHEL Musician “Ever y song I write except for one or two are all for him. He is my muse, my catalyst. So people who dance to “Kawaipunahele” are all dancing to a song about mahu love.”
NEIL ABERCROMBIE Hawai‘i Governor
ally
“Could you imagine what would have happened if it [the bill for marriage equality] had gone through the regular session? I could have sat on the sidelines and let the legislature turn into a bloody mess.”
ally
MARK TAKAI Congressman-Elect U.S. House of Representatives “It is my heartfelt honor and privilege that for marriage equality in Hawai‘i, I vote YES.”
ally
ABNER AQUINO Curate Décor + Design
DAVID IGE Hawai‘i Governor-Elect
“Now, it ’s great to see and read about gay couples featured in major publications or see vendors highlight same-sex weddings at trade shows.”
“I supported marriage equality from the ver y beginning.”
EXP RESSION808.COM - D E C EM B E R 2014 | 27
community
provocations 2014
by: Mickey Weems
Although eXpression! covered lots of fascinating topics over the course of 12 months, we could not hit everything. The following people and events also made their mark in 2014.
Come Again? It was orgasmic.
At the edgy and consistently rewarding SPF Gallery (729 Auahi Street in Kaka‘ako), Bradley Capello constructed an installment called Gym that graced the space June 19 - July 20. Capello realigned the downstairs into a workout facility with a bench press, punching bag, day-glow paint on black walls, and fluorescent white mocksemen splattered over everything. The upstairs was a locker room with toilet stalls, lockers, shower stalls, and more stylized semen, all of which came to life with a flip of an ultraviolet light switch. Two sets of hand prints in one of the two shower stalls indicated two workout buddies were going at it, one behind the other, and the other stall had one set of handprints at gut level; indicating that whoever had placed them on the wall was bending over for some unspecified but apparent reason. During the weekends, upstairs was turned into a disco, or in this case, a jizzco. I was there one evening in the dance space. Black lights, a fog machine, and KTUH DJ Davey Shindig bopping like a ghost in the impromptu DJ booth made that hot summer night
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surreal. Let’s see what Capello (and SPF Gallery!) serve up for 2015 - no doubt it will be something just as spunky. www.facebook.com/SPFprojectshawaii
Maui Wowie
The good people at Maui Pride outdid themselves this year: ten events, including karaoke, whale watches, and glow parties as they celebrated the LGBT community. Maui Pride celebrations were held on the first weekend in October. The fourday affair had a film festival (and VIP reception where $14,000 in scholarships went to LGBT college students), glitter dance party, daytime festival with cultural hikes, and a performance by Grammy Nominee Frenchie Davis. Representative Kaniela Ing, Roz Baker and Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui shared the pride during that weekend’s events. The Maui Pride crew is not done yet. Join them on December 13 for Grammy Legend Thelma Houston at the Maui Theatre. Then say goodbye to 2014 on December 31 with a Studio 54-themed New Year’s party. www.MauiPride.org
Lesbians on Speed (Dating) Shelley Simpson is here to help
women make the right choices in the world of dating. She works with Little Gay Book: www.littlegaybook.com, a lesbian matchmaking company. Simpson hosted speed dating events in 2014 for women (as well as matchmaking and date coaching). These events brought up to 12 women together for a series of five-minute dates. Participants rated each potential love interest on scorecards as “second date,” “friendship” or “business.” If a match emerged from the process, Simpson contacted the interested parties within 72 hours. Simpson has also started hosting Lesbian Mixers - less structured, more relaxed, but still dating-focused events. Much of the feedback Simpson received was that women just want to meet women. With no central bar or meeting place, single lesbians yearn for a way to get together. She hopes to alleviate some of that frustration. www.littlegaybook.com/events
Shigeiyuki Kihara
Internationally renowned for her photographs and videos, Kihara came to Hawai‘i this November as part of a promotion for Chain of Fire, a multinational artistic revue to be held in Honolulu in 2016. Kihara is of Samoan and Japanese descent. The works she presented in the promotion featured herself as Salomé, a fictitious Samoan woman in Victorian mourning garb, visiting sites that are
community
charged with Samoan history. The power of these photos lies in the gaze of a woman from the past who sees the progression of her people through occupation, tsunami, and tectonic cultural shifts. The best thing about Kihara’s visit was her lectures in which she revealed the depth of research that informed her work, and the use of her own body as a work of art that included the expression of her fa‘afafina and trans woman identities. Look for her to return soon to Hawai‘i. www.shigeiyukikihara.com
Bring Out Your Tiger as Well as Your Dragon Do You Think I’m Sexy, an event created by Jody Rose, is meant to bring the body and soul into balance. “These nights are meant to express your sensual side while dancing to erotic and sensual and haunting music,” said Rose. “They’re meant to create a balance of the dark and light inside you, and to understand that the dark is just as important as the light.”
Do You Think I’m Sexy occurred three times in 2014. Rose will have it again in February at Ong King, 184 North King Street. www.facebook.com/jodyrosepresents
Working the Batwalk
On Friday, August 15, the Hawai‘i Horror Ball was held at Next Door in Chinatown. The Horror Ball was a fear-fest of movies, music, Most Horrific Costume Contest, and a fashion show with macabre models on the batwalk.
This event was thrown by DJ Nocturna, the same person who gave us Ms. Vamp Hawai‘i and its corresponding reality show in 2013. (The Horror Ball was produced by Nocturna and DJ Non of Decadent Events. Miss Vamp by DJ Nocturna and Lana Saldania.) Nocturna is an iconic figure in goth, ‘80s, and undead circles. Stay tuned for more from Her Dark Majesty in 2015. www.djnocturna.com
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