The Standard Magazine

O FF THE BEA T EN PA T H

Travel 2015 JUNE, 2015 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6 THESTANDARDPS.COM

CONTENTS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6

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Volume 3 Issue 6 COVER LGBT TRAVEL TRENDS COVER 10 BEST DESTINATIONS FEATURE ARE YOU COVERED 4 TIPS ON TRAVEL INSURANCE INTERNATIONAL NEWS THE IRISH REFERENDUM: THE RAINBOW CLOVER Q&A HANS HIRSCHI A NEW GAY EARTH

JUNE, 2015 3

COMMENTARY

The Standard Magazine 1111 Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-831-4869 Nino Eilets Publisher Luciano McNulty Editor Maya Kalabic Art Director Photographer David A. Lee Contributors Trent Blanchard, Jaymes F. Frank, Harry Hayfield, Chris Heritage, Lisa Jeeves, Tim Larcombe, Dennis Mason, Devin Payne, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Ken Toth & Rick Zbur www.thestandardps.com Editorial Credits : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation & Project Publicity The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials.

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COVER|DESTINATIONS

UNKNOWN BUT VERY TRENDY LGBT DESTINATIONS

BY GEORGE ZANDER

In the search for the perfect LGBT vacation spot, you may NOT have visited these new comers to tourism scene. But trust me, for those of you who have stayed and played in more well known and famous spots, this is a great new list for you to ponder.

EUREKA SPRINGS Recently made famous from defying the state of Arkansas and saving more discrimination policies, this beautiful burg again welcomes all. While driving through the deep south, you might be surprised to find a gay oasis in the midst of southern culture. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs is a historic Victorian town with a booming arts scene and over fifty gay-owned businesses.

Eureka Springs is gay enough to boast three Diversity Weekends a year. Most of the downtown businesses are gay friendly, including the bars and clubs. The town is laid back and accepting of all sorts of wild behavior. It is easy to navigate Eureka Springs by foot, but there is also a trolley that goes to all the hot spots.

But this hilly, historic Arkansas town that’s also - oddly enough very popular with conservative Christians draws many LGBT visitors from around the south and Midwest. It’s also a town that’s easy on the bank account, with a multitude of affordable B&Bs, casual

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barbecue and Mexican joints, and inexpensive antiques shops. Even the grand 1905 Basin Park Hotel has rooms starting under $100.

The popular, lesbian-owned Pond Mountain Lodge and Resort is one of the most tranquil, scenic accommodations in town.

MONTEVIDEO This is a controversial inclusion on the list given the conservativeness of many Central and South American nations. But Uruguay, the smallest of the South American nations, is the most progressive. In 2013, Uruguay was the second Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage, and homosexuality has been decriminalized since 1934.

The relaxed attitude present in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo provides a brilliant juxtaposition to the hustle and bustle of the likes of Buenos Aires. Hiking, lovely beaches, fine restaurants, and lively bars are all available. It is the culture you will remember. The country is way ahead of most. Two visitors from Palm Springs told me, “It is one of the easiest countries we have visited in the world to be gay.”

REYKJAVIK The world’s northernmost capital, Reykjavik has been described as one of the friendliest places and most inclusive on Earth. In 2015,

DESTINATIONS|COVER

Reykjavik will host its 17th Gay Pride march (one of Europe’s oldest LGBTQ parades), and the 11th Bears on Ice event. Iceland also has some of the world’s most progressive laws. In 2006, same-sex couples were granted equal rights with their heterosexual counterparts without limitation. Wander behind waterfalls, descend into dormant volcanoes, or while away a day in one of the many geothermal lagoons – this is an adventurer’s paradise. If you want to attend the Bears on Ice event, you’ll need to register at www.bearsonice.org TEL AVIV Tel Aviv is known as one of the world’s finest and friendliest LGBT travel destinations. Come experience Israel, where you can express yourself, indulge yourself, or just be you in cosmopolitan gay-friendly cities and resort towns. The vibrant scene is alive yearround, with dazzling nightlife, hip restaurants, stylish boutiques, and busy streets hopping with clubs and cafés: perfect for people who love to get out and about. Catch lesbian and gay film festivals, LGBT Pride celebrations and arts and culture festivals. But there is more. History is everywhere- Absorb history, spirituality and holistic uplifting in the holy places: Jerusalem is just under an hour drive away; less than two hours to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. It is

one of finest air flight (El AL) and one of the world’s best airports.

And did I mention the people?- men and women are simply stunning and everyone is in beautiful shape!

NEW HOPE AND LAMBERTVILLE Compared with other gay-popular vacation spots in the Northeast, sophisticated but laid-back New Hope Pennsylvania and its appealing New Jersey neighbor Lambertville are less places to see and be seen and more restful, romantic, and reasonably priced weekend hideouts for couples. Though this area of verdant Bucks County Pennsylvania has a lively gay nightclub and several trendy restaurants, life here floats along at an unhurried pace, and sticker shock is rare, especially given this quaint riverside hamlet’s close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia. Stay at the attractive, well priced Raven Inn if you’re looking to party - it’s home to a fabulous pool and gay bar and restaurant. A quieter, more romantic option is the gay-owned Lexington House and B & B. If you are anywhere northeast, wind down here after your stay.

If you visit all five of these, collect your LGBT Trend Setter sticker… for you will have lived. Auntie Mame said it best! Cheers!

JUNE, 2015 7

COVER|DESTINATIONS

TEN BEST TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2015

BY JAYMES F. FRANK

Here are the 10 best travel destinations in 2015 - put them at the top of your lists and beat the crowds, these places are set to boom this year and beyond…

1. BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA A picture conveys a thousand words and Bosnia & Herzegovina is one of the most charming countries off the beaten path. Luckily it is still zooming very much under the radar – making now the perfect time to visit.

2. IRELAND

3. PATAGONIA, CHILE If you are thinking what’s at the end of the world? Trekking the W trek in Patagonia is one of the greatest trophies you can have on your adventure wall of fame. Make sure to think through an off-season visit for the most grounding experience – no one wants to walk behind trails of tourists in the backcountry.

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The land of green pastures and overflowing rain…

Ireland really lives up to its’ cliché in the best possible way.

But what is still amazing to most who visit Ireland is the unmatched natural beauty to be revealed here. In addition, it has one of the friendliest people in the universe and you have yourself one of the world’s most entertaining countries to visit. Ireland became the first country in the world to approve the freedom to marry by popular referendum with a landslide vote in favor of marriage for same-sex couples.

4. BELGRADE, SERBIA

5. TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

Belgrade is one of Europe’s most underestimated cities, especially in summer. Tourism is still equally minimal in Serbia, but there’s so much to see and discover. If you get off the beaten path and visit the less toured in Europe, you surely won’t be dissatisfied.

You must spend hours in line for the for the Eiffel Tower view? That’s less an assurance.

Tasmania or simply “Tassie” to the locals – has hard its’ fair share of publicity these past couple of years, after Hobart was confirmed Lonely Planet’s best city to visit in 2014 and Australia’s only mention for best destination to visit in 2015. Tasmania has the world’s freshest air, welcoming locals, undamaged wilderness, some of the world’s best mountaineering trails, new produce and etc. If there’s one place that you must simply go and visit in Oceania in 2015, it’s Tasmania, Australia.

6. OMAN Oman is quickly becoming out of the shadows as one of the most interesting travel destinations to visit in 2015. If you want to feel the Middle East in all its genuineness, culture and civilizations – Oman is one of the best and safest nations you can do so.

7. PHILIPPINES Pure waters and a paradise - the Philippines has long been a WOW “must visit ASAP” country in the world. Many people around the globe have exclaimed they will to retire in the Philippines.

8. NEW ZEALAND Many people you meet on your travels will consider New Zealand as their #1 dream travel destination. Geographically isolated and with relatively virgin wilderness, it’s not hard to see why. Lord of the Rings may have also had an important impact on the increased interest. But years on from the trilogy and following The Hobbit films, New Zealand remains a favorite spot for travelers heading into 2015.

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COVER|DESTINATIONS

9. Morocco 10. NICARAGUA Whether you are searching for magic carpets through the Souks in Marrakech or wondering the old streets of Fez, there is so much to see and do in Morocco. The tourism in Morocco has escalated in recent years, so make sure to jump on the trend before it’s too late. Thus , Morocco is regarded as one of the world’s most enthralling countries for travelers and backpackers.

There’s new hot spot to visit in Central America in 2015.

Nicaragua is rapidly considered as Central America’s well-liked destination, with so much to offer long and short term travelers. If you plan on sticking around for a while and participating in some sluggish travel, Nicaragua is the right place to do so.

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BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED…

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

The song went ‘round and ‘round in your head.

Maybe that’s why it’s called “a round.” You know how it works: one group starts to sing and, when they get to a certain point, the next group begins anew and so on, until the endings lap like waves.

But, as in the new book “Course Correction” by Ginny Gilder, the things we plan don’t always go merrily, merrily, merrily.

The first time Ginny Gilder ever saw a rowing team in action, she was sixteen and didn’t quite know what she was seeing. Everything about that boat, its rowers, and the motion spoke of serenity and control – things Gilder lacked in her young life.

She was “a goner.”

Two years later, while enrolled at Yale, she finally got a chance to try the sport, though the women’s rowing coach strongly discouraged her. Gilder was physically shorter than is optimal for a rower and, because Title IX (ensuring an end to gender discrimination at federally funded institutions) had only recently passed, she’d never seriously engaged in sports before. She was out of shape and inexperienced, but determined.

She started training, running, and practicing. Within six weeks, she was competing.

“Everything hurt,” she says, “including my butt. My hands sported new blisters, my lungs felt like they had been rubbed with sandpaper... I had never felt happier.”

For the rest of that year, Gilder threw herself into her newfound love, barely socializing except with teammates at workouts, training, and competitions. Rowing helped her focus and forget about the home life she’d escaped: her family’s wealth, her father’s infidelity, and her mother’s mental health issues. Rowing helped hide her selfconsciousness and lack of self-esteem.

She saw her teammates swagger and confidence, and she saw two of them try out for the US Olympic team in Montreal. At least one teammate was gay and didn’t try to hide it; says Gilder, “I couldn’t imagine being that bold or comfortable…” Her self-doubts were exacerbated by family naysayers and by Gilder’s own inner critic – a voice she had to silence before she could excel at the sport she needed to her core.

She also had to come to terms with all aspects of herself – including her sexuality.

I’m very happy to say that “Course Correction,” while sometimes a little rough in a first time author way is, overall, a nice surprise.

Between a breathless story of the making of an athlete, author

Ginny Gilder writes of the past that caused her to lose faith in herself, even as she was gaining strength, physically and intellectually.

That uncertainty of self – a big part of this book – led to many regrettable decisions, and is portrayed so well that it’s hard not to feel empathetic. That empathy only leads us to want more.

Add in heart-pounding accounts of races and trials and you’ve got a nice memoir about a subject that’s largely unsung by an author to watch. And if that sounds like an ideal read to you, then try “Course Correction.” This book is but a dream.

“Course Correction: A Story of Rowing and Resilience in the Wake of Title IX” by Ginny Gilder c.2015, Beacon Press $26.95 / $32.00 Canada 272 pages

JUNE, 2015 15

TRAVEL|FEATURE

ARE YOU COVERED?

4 SMART QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR COMPREHENSIVE TRAVEL INSURANCE

BY LISA JEEVES

There are numerous viable options for comprehensive travel insurance. But you should still ask the right questions before putting pen to paper on a policy.

The devil is in the details of comprehensive travel insurance.

While you must pore through the fine points of any coverage policy, the package you eventually choose for your trip, no matter how short, can seem intimidating. Rather than hastily sign away on the first vaguely professional offer you happen to stumble across on an internet search, it is smart to find a range of solid options, and then ask the right questions.

IS MY MEDICAL HISTORY RELEVANT? You may have identified a comprehensive travel insurance policy that has the requisite depth and flexibility. It covers all manner of eventualities, from lost documentation and the cost of natural disaster to unpredictable cancellations and stays in a medical hospital. But before you sign it is important to recognize that most firms do not treat every potential client alike. Your prior medical history may affect your ability to claim. For example, people with recurrent illness - which they are able to manage and treat yet not resolve - may find that should an accident or illness be linked back to the symptomatic occurrence of this illness, they may not be remunerated. It is very important to query your provider on the limits and potential extra costs that may come from any medical conditions that you have.

IS IT TAILORED TO MY TRIP? There is now such a broad range of events and eventualities covered by comprehensive travel insurance that even a simple examination could be exhausting. But it is worth your while to ask if this breadth and depth suits your particular journey. Everyone travels differently and we are all very different travellers. The business trip to an island golf course is different to the seven-month sojourn in a foreign university. Personal belongings, disability, ski cover, golfing

extras, natural disasters, sports injuries, cancelled flights – all these and more are issues that present risks differently for each and every traveller. Weigh up your particular risks and make sure your extensive package suits.

IS IT THOROUGH ENOUGH FOR MY DESTINATION? Sometimes it is easy to broadly assume that most destinations carry similar risks. A resort in Guam and a resort in Sri Lanka may seem to pose similar risks of baggage loss or tour bike crashes to the same traveller. But providers of comprehensive travel insurance are well aware of the dangers specific to each destination and calculate their policies accordingly. It is up to you to query your provider on whether all the support, financial or otherwise, that you expect is covered for all the destinations you wish to journey through.

AM I AWARE OF THE EXCLUSIONS? On the first page of each offer for comprehensive travel insurance the benefits are lauded. But you need to check the following pages to be sure of all the exclusions. Many travellers are frustrated when they find their concept of exhaustiveness does not match that inherent to the policy. This frustration is largely caused by assuming that the exclusions will not affect you. To avoid the unpleasant experience of needing support or remuneration and finding that your incident is excluded from your policy Psychology Articles, double check the exact circumstances of exclusion with your provider.

JUNE, 2015 17

NEVERLAND|CHICAGO CHICAGO CELEBRATES ITS BIGGEST PRIDE WEEKEND EVER WITH NEVERLAND PRIDE Chicago is celebrating Pride with its biggest weekend event ever, Neverland Pride 2015. Taking place Saturday, June 27th and Sunday, June 28th, the weekend will consist of three spectacular events including the main event, Saturday night’s Bougie Ball at Metro. “Neverland is a tribute to big imagination,” says Anthony DiFiore, Founder and Creative Director of Neverland, parties that are renown for their elaborate themes and production.

“We’re taking Chicago Pride to a whole new level,” he continues.

“This is the first year in recent history that the city will host three big Pride dance parties. We’ll have world-class DJs, performers and extravaganzas, at the kind of venues that Chicago Pride deserves.”

NEVERLAND PRIDE will launch Saturday, June 27th at noon with a pool party in Boystown at a two-story venue with a huge outdoor patio. Producers are beefing up the venue’s sound system just for the party and bringing in DJ Joshua D from Los Angeles. Joshua D knows how to get a party wet and wild. He recently headlined the poolside event at White Party Palm Springs.

The fun continues Saturday at 11pm when NEVERLAND presents “The Bougie Ball” at Metro, a two-story concert hall that boasts one of the finest stages in Chicago. Last year, producers built a giant 20foot structure made out of truss and LED tubes. This year, they are completely redesigning it to create a stage unlike anything clubbers have seen before at a circuit event. Kim Chi will host; Sasha Colby will perform. DJ/producers Alex Acosta and Alexander will man the decks until 5am. Partiers are encouraged to dress to impress.

“Bougie is a lifestyle,” says Anthony DiFiore. “Get into it.”

Wrapping the weekend will be the Sunday night Closing Party at Mid, a club that houses the best sound system in the city. Mid is where Tiesto and Calvin Harris spin when they come to Chicago.

DJ Ivan Gomez is flying in from Spain to spin the entire night, from 11pm-4am. Additionally, Queen Bee Ho will arrive from Puerto Rico for special erotic performances throughout the night, making for a dark and dirty finish to Pride weekend.

The first NEVERLAND took place July 2012. Billed as a costume party with circuit music, it was kind of like Halloween in the middle of the summer. “We were a instant hit with the young crowd,” remembers DiFiore. “In order to create a big dance party brand, we needed everyone to come. Guys in their late 30s and 40s would tell me they were too old for a costume party.”

In 2013, producers introduced themes such as “Walt Disney is Dead”, “Japanimation” and “Ratchet Ball” to the events, along with more elaborate production. At “Walt Disney is Dead”, DJ Ana Paula from Brazil dressed up as Maleficent while she was spinning. For the “Ratchet Ball”, producers brought in a graffiti artist from Michigan to create graffiti on large canvases hanging from the walls of Hydrate Nightclub. During the peak hour performance, fake money poured down like confetti over the crowd.

Soon every group was represented: muscle guys, hipsters, drag queens, transsexuals, club kids, and more. “Today’s Neverland is like a Studio 54-style party,” says DiFiore. He adds, “This year’s Bougie Ball will be our biggest production ever with over-the-top theatrics.

We aim to put Chicago Pride on the map with this one.”

For tickets and more information, visit www.neverlandchicago.com.

Pre-sale tickets, including $85 weekend passes to all three events (a $50 savings), are available now at www.showclix.com/event/neverlandpride.

JUNE, 2015 19

SHORTFEST

SHOW ME YOUR SHORTS!

PS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST The Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Film Festival & Film Market, one of the most acclaimed short film showcases in the world, will take place in Palm Springs on June 16-22, 2015. Now in its 21st year, the Palm Springs International ShortFest will showcase over 300 short films from more than 50 countries. The concurrent Short Film Market will feature a library of more than 3,000 films available to film buyers, industry and press, the only Short Film Market in North America. Festival events include nightly receptions, as well as seminars and master classes with industry experts and filmmaking professionals, free to all filmmakers who participate in the Festival.

Recently hailed by USA Today as the best U.S. film festival for short films, the 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest & Short Film Market announced the first 13 films chosen to represent the ShortFest Online Film Festival. Now in its fifth year, the select films will play on a special section of the festival website www.psfilmfest. org/onlinefest starting May 26. Online voting for these films will open on June 9 and run through June 20, with the “ShortFest Online Audience Award” announced at the Festival Award Ceremony on Closing Night. For a complete list of these films please visit www. psfilmfest.org. The ShortFest Online Film Festival will continue to play online through August 31 after the end of the festival.

“ShortFest, the largest short film festival in North America, hosts a great selection of new LGBTQ short films (30 in all this year, in four themed packages). Many of the films are making their World or US premieres, and feature Q&A’s following the screenings with the films’ directors. Always a ShortFest highlight, our annual Gay!La screenings and their accompanying party that follows at local hotspot Toucan’s celebrate diversity onscreen and off” says Darryl Macdonald, Festival Director.

Here is a list of several Standard Magazine LGBTQ short film picks.

DÁNIEL United Kingdom • Director, Dean Loxton • 15 minutes Invited to lunch at his good friend Nori’s house where she’s eager to have him meet her new boyfriend,

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professional escort Dániel is taken aback when her new mate takes him aside for a ‘talk’ once the lunch is over. And what he has to say to Dániel comes as even more of a surprise...

THE FIRST SESSION USA • Director, Ryan Logan 7 minutes Two women go to a therapist’s office for their first couples session, but it might be their first something else.

THE FORGIVEN China/France • Director, François Chang • 16 minutes On his last night abroad, a young man brings a trick back to his hotel room, only to have the guy he’s been seeing for a month show up at his hotel room door...

THE FRIEND FROM TEL AVIV USA • Director, Federica Gianni 13 minutes After emigrating from Israel, Noam is now happily living in New York with an older woman. Will things change when an old friend and lover from Tel Aviv comes to town for a visit?

THE FUTURE PERFECT Canada • Director, Nick Citton 11 minutes Zachary Quinto stars as Hardesty, a hired hand who faces a moral dilemma when he’s sent back to 1968 to eradicate a ten-year-old boy, little knowing the reason why this young boy may hold the key to eradicating a future viral plague.

SHORTFEST MA/DDY USA • Director, Devon Kirkpatrick 12 minutes A widow mourns her partner and decides to go through with a plan they made together, with one significant change.

MINI SUPREME USA • Director, Michael Phillis 10 minutes Jeremy, just fired from his job at a soulless corporation, enters a child’s beauty pageant disguised as Jenni Jo – a 7-year-old girl with a growth disorder.

SAN CRISTÓBAL Chile • Director, Omar Zúñiga Hidalgo • 29 minutes While visiting his sister in a remote island in the south of Chile before a long trip abroad, Lucas quickly starts a relationship with Antonio, a local fisherman. With each about to embark into full adulthood, both men are changed by the intimacy they share.

SETTING THEM STRAIGHT Australia • Director, Kaleb McKenna • 6 minutes Joshua goes to visit his parents with one goal in mind: to confess his sexual secret…

MORNING IS BROKEN United Kingdom • Director, Simon Anderson • 12 minutes A friend of the groom spends an unexpected night with the groom’s brother, leading to an even more unexpected series of events at dawn the next day.

NINETEEN Australia • Director, Madeline Kelly • 11 minutes Nineteen-year-old Ben is the beneficiary of a gift from his sister: after checking him into a motel room, she has arranged a visit with a guy from an escort service so that Ben can have the experience he’s longed for before his opportunity is gone.

ROXANNE United Kingdom • Director, Paul Frankl • 14 minutes With a nod to THE CRYING GAME, this short introduces us to Roxanne, an isolated, transgendered sex worker who becomes a surrogate mother for Lily, a young girl who’s been abandoned by her mother.

The new arrangement throws Roxanne’s hedonistic life into a tizzy, changing her in very positive ways.

SOMEWHERE IN PALM SPRINGS USA • Director, Nate Clark • 14 minutes Shag-style animated tale about three gay men and their girl friend hanging out at a hotel pool, talking sh*t in Palm Springs.

THE SUMMER OF ABC BURNS Australia • Director, Dannika Horvat • 13 minutes Popular mean girl Drew secretly hangs with Gem but disses her in public. Her small private gestures seem to sustain Gem but how much can she take?

YOU. ME. BATHROOM. SEX. NOW. Venezuela • Director, Francisco Lupini Basagoiti 18 minutes Antonio, who has discovered that his boyfriend is cheating on him 3 days before Xmas, tries to forget about love in all the wrong places…

For more information and tickets call (760) 322-2930 or (800) 898-7526 or visit www.psfilmfest.org.

JUNE, 2015 21

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

THE IRISH REFERENDUM

BY HARRY HAYFIELD, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT TO THE STANDARD MAGAZINE

The history of gay rights in the Irish Republic has been one of reality catching up fast. Being a homosexual man in Ireland was a criminal offence right up until 1990 (in the United Kingdom the act was decriminalized in 1963) and even then people were very reluctant to come out as being gay and Irish. A famous example of this was Stephen Gately, late of the boy band Boyzone, who came out in 1999 in an article for the British newspaper, The Sun. The referendum (ballot measure) held on May 22nd 2015 came about following a High Court action when Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan lost a case in the High Court in 2006 for the recognition by Ireland of their Canadian same-sex marriage. It wasn’t until 2011 following a coalition government pledge to create a Constitutional Convention to examine potential changes on specified issues, including “Provision for the legalization of same-sex marriage” and when the Convention considered the issue in May 2013 it voted to recommend that the state should be required, rather than merely permitted, to allow for same-sex marriage. The report was handed to the Prime Minister who announced that after parliamentary legislation had passed to enable a referendum on the issue, a referendum would be called.

Some legal academics claimed that extending marriage to same-sex couples did not require a constitutional amendment and could have been accomplished by an ordinary Act of the Oireachtas (the Irish state). Then-minister Shatter disagreed in November 2013, stating that there was “ample case law” to the effect that “marriage is understood as being between one man and one woman”. In January 2015, the wording of the proposed amendment was agreed at a special cabinet meeting and published in the press, and the bill was formally introduced in the Dáil (the Irish Parliament) by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald. A separate Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 was passed in April 2015. This included adoption rights for same-sex couples – prior to the passing of the Act, single gay or lesbian people, or one of the partners in a same-sex couple could adopt, but joint adoption by both partners was not possible. The general scheme of this bill had been published for consultation in January 2014, and in 2015 it was passed by the Dáil on 12 March and the Seanad (the Irish second chamber) on 30 March but the legislation is yet to come into force.

In Ireland, unlike most European nations, polling on referenda is allowed right up until the day of the actual vote and in the last polls published the YES side appeared to have a lead. When excluding

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those who didn’t know how they would vote or refused to answer, Millward Brown for the Sunday Independent reported YES 69%, NO 31%, B&A for the Irish Sunday Times reported YES 63%, NO 26% with 11% undecided and Red C for the Sunday Business Post reported YES 73%, NO 27% when excluding undecided. The reason for this seemingly overwhelming approval comes from the fact that none of the major parties in the Irish Parliament objected to the policy. There are five main parties in the Irish Parliament and based on the poll by B&A the party splits are as follows: · Fianna Fail (Centrist): YES 53%, NO 41%, Undecided 6% · Fine Gael (Right of Centre): YES 60%, NO 28%, Undecided 12% · Labor (Left of Centre): YES 69%, NO 18%, Undecided 13% · Green Party: YES 100% · Sinn Fein (Left): YES 68%, NO 24%, Undecided 8% · Independents and Others: YES 61%, NO 30%, Undecided 9% · And even amongst those voters who refused to vote at a general election, the YES side had a lead of 41% (YES 62%, NO 21%, Undecided 17%) The referendum was held on May 22nd 2015 with the polls open from 0700 BST until 2200 BST but as there was another referendum and a parliamentary by-election being voted on as well, the decision

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

was made to count the votes on May 23rd 2015 and this started at 0900 BST. The first result was not announced until 1445 BST when the constituency of Sligo-North Leitrim declared that 19,043 votes had been cast in favor of the motion (53.6%) and 16,502 votes against the motion (46.4%) with 35,545 votes being cast in total (meaning that 57.3% of the people eligible to vote had done so), however before this formal announcement the result was becoming clear after tallymen, people employed by the campaigns to assess their performance, began to report that some areas in Dublin were reporting YES votes well in excess of 70% and so a little after 1100 BST the leader of the NO campaign conceded defeat, but a formal result was not announced until all 43 constituencies had announced their result. That announcement was made at Dublin Castle and stated that a total of 1,201,607 votes had been cast in favor of the motion (62.1%) and that 734,300 votes had been cast against the motion (37.9%) on a turnout of 60.09% and that as a result the referendum had passed with a majority of 24.1% and therefore following the formal ratification of the referendum result by the President of Ireland, Ireland’s constitution would be duly amended to allow same sex marriage.

below shows the result by constituency with constituencies voting YES in green and those voting NO in red. The height of the constituency shows the majority scaled to 100m per % majority (so the majority in Dublin South East is represented by a green block 4,981m tall and a red block 284m tall represents the majority in Roscommon-South Leitrim.

Of the 43 constituencies, 42 returned a majority in favor of the motion with the range of majorities from as low as 0.1% in Donegal South West (YES 50.05%, NO 49.95%) to as high as 49.81% in Dublin South East (YES 74.91%, NO 25.09%) with the mid-range being a 23.44% majority in favor in Cork East (YES 61.72%, NO 38.28%). Only one constituency voted against the motion and that was Roscommon-South Leitrim (NO 51.42%, YES 48.58%). The map

Harry Hayfield is a member of the British Liberal Democrats and is a councilman for his local village in Cardigan County in Wales and is an amateur psephlogist (a person who studies elections) since the British General Election of 1992. Although not a member of the LGBT community, he is appreciative of the struggle that the community has had over the last few decades and is pleased that it was a member of his party that allowed same sex marriage in the United Kingdom.

This referendum result however will present a problem to those living in Northern Ireland (the part of the map with the various colours representing the result of the recent general election held on May 7th 2015). The brown colour represents the Democratic Unionist Party (who won 8 of the 18 seats in Northern Ireland) and polled 26% of the popular vote that are in charge in a coalition agreement with Sinn Fein of the Northern Ireland Assembly which has limited governing powers over the province. When the United Kingdom passed same sex marriage legislation in 2013 as part of the Conservative / Liberal Democrat coalition, the Democratic Unionists sought (and obtained) an assurance that the scheme would not happen in Northern Ireland, a situation that may continue until the next Assembly elections next May.

JUNE, 2015 23

PSP FOCUS AIDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW ‘FOOD SAMARITANS’ DIVISION AIDS Assistance Program (AAP) is pleased to announce plans to expand its 24-year mission of providing nutritional support to lowincome men, women and children in the Coachella Valley living with HIV/AIDS. Beginning January 2016, community members suffering with any serious illnesses such as cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, heart or liver disease, and others, may submit an application for participation in AAP’s health-sustaining food voucher program.

“AAP has come a long way since the early days when Gloria Greene fed a handful of desperate souls out of the back door of her restaurant,” says Mark Anton, Executive Director of AIDS Assistance Program. “There is a real need among the less fortunate in our community, and we’ve decided to help those who are suffering with serious illnesses by expanding our nutritional support services.” The new Food Samaritans program will not affect current or future clients of AAP living with HIV/AIDS. Under the new program, clients will go through the same qualification process and be required to meet the same guidelines, which include income and residency verification, and random testing for illegal drug use.

Anton estimates that AAP will need to raise approximately $250,000 to get the program up and running, and its board of directors has prioritized the requirement to build their reserves in order

to sustain this increased level of support. The organization receives no federal or state assistance, relying on grants and the generous contributions of sponsors and donors to support the critical nutritional services they provide to the area’s most hopeless residents. “Over the coming months we will consider alliances with other organizations, and will work hard to secure funding and donations, build awareness, and encourage community participation,” added Anton. “It’s important to note that our clients rarely, if ever, make it off of our client list.

Unfortunately, many die alone, with AAP as one of their few resources.”

Since its founding in 1991, AIDS Assistance Program of Palm Springs remains dedicated to providing nutritional support to improve the quality of the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. Initiated by a small group of concerned citizens led by the late Gloria Greene and Jeannette Rockefeller, AAP provides food vouchers to members of the community with low incomes. For more information, please call 760-325-8481 or visit www.aidsassistance.org.

LAUGHING IT UP AT THE PURPLE ROOM

Comedy Night Palm Springs,™ now in its sixth year, announces its Saturday, June 13 show at Purple Room Restaurant and Stage with top comic stars Julie Goldman of The Mindy Project (Fox), Big Gay Sketch Comedy Show (Logo) and writer for Joan Rivers on Fashion Police. Sharing the stage with Julie will be Keith Michael Ashton of Comedy Central, The Hollywood Improv and Punch Line in San Francisco.

24 THESTANDARDPS.COM

JULIE GOLDMAN Julie Goldman is a comedian, actress, and musician. Her first stand-up performance was at The Comedy Connection in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 15. Since then she has gone on to star in the first, second and third seasons of Logo’s The Big Gay Sketch Show, produced by Rosie O’Donnell. Her TV appearances in include The Mindy Project on Fox, Happy Endings on ABC and The People’s Couch on Bravo. She also wrote for Joan Rivers on Fashion Police on

PSP FOCUS

JULIE GOLDMAN AND KEITH MICHAEL ASHTON

E! Network. In 2011 Julie appeared as a contestant on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag U. She is a co-host with Jonny McGovern’s on the weekly podcast Gay Pimpin’ with Jonny McGovern. Currently she and Brandy Howard co-host the web-series Julie & Brandy in Your Box Office. As an actress, she starred in the film Tools for Fools, which was featured at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival.

KEITH MICHAEL ASHTON Brooklyn native Keith Michael Ashton is an actor, stand-up comedian, writer and improv sketch performer who entertains audiences nationally in clubs and colleges as well as on television, stage and film. He performs at the top comedy clubs in LA, including The Hollywood Improv and Ice House and Punch Line in San Francisco. He has appeared in shows on CBS, BET and Comedy Central. He also appears in several commercials, including General Mills Fruit Roll Ups and Angie’s List.

An enthusiastic student of the art of acting, he trained for several years at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and continues to develop his comedic skills at The Groundlings.

With every monthly show for the past five years sold out, get your tickets now at www.comedynight-jun.bpt.me or by calling 800-8383006. Tickets for this great show are only $20. Dinner seating begins at 5:30pm and the show starts at 7:00pm. Purple Room Restaurant and Stage is located at 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, CA. For more information visit www.purpleroompalmsprings.com or call 760.322.4422.

JUNE, 2015 25

PSP FOCUS TELLING TALES

STONEWALL STORIES June 28th marks the 46th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which were a catalyzing moment in the struggle for gay and lesbian rights in the United States. The riots, by members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community, sparked in protest to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City.

Police raids often took place at bars frequented by the LGBT community in New York and other cities, such as San Francisco. But on June 28, 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn led to a riot.

More protests followed, as advocates for gay rights became more organized.

At the time of the riots, the LGBT community faced institutionalized oppression in the legal and political systems. For example, it wasn’t until 1973 that the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental illness.

The Stonewall riots triggered a national movement for LGBT civil rights, one that continues today. Within a few years of the riots, LGBT advocacy organizations had formed nationwide. The first gaypride marches took place in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco in 1970.

On Saturday June 27 at 6pm to commemorate this monumental event in LGBTQ history, The Tolerance Education Center in Rancho

26 THESTANDARDPS.COM

mirage is inviting you to Telling Tales, 46 years of Coming Out and Being Heard.

The Stonewall Inn has been acknowledged as the beginning of the fight for the acceptance of LGBT people and the community’s right to be heard and to live out & openly. The Center invites you to tell your story and hear the stories of others. This is a free event with refreshments being served and donations are gladly accepted.

Special guest speaker the Valley’s own Bill Feingold. The Tolerance Education Center is located at 35147 Landy Lane, Rancho Mirage CA 92270. For info please call 760-328-8252.

1950s

Mid-Summer Dance Party Benefiting

Saturday

July 25, 2015 8 pm - midnight

Two live DJs, go-go dancers, complimentary cocktails & hors d’oeuvres

Palm Springs Pavilion Grease back your hair, grab your poodle skirt and LET’S DANCE!

401 S. Pavilion Way at Sunrise Park (next to City Pool) Fully air-conditioned auditorium with plenty of free parking

$40 General admission $75 VIP (includes VIP lounge access)

desertAIDSproject.org (760) 992-0440 Co-Chaired by Kenny Jervis, Michael Crisp and Kerry Hendrix

28 THESTANDARDPS.COM

TRANSCEND

WANDERLUST

BY DEVIN PAYNE

In varying degrees, we all have wanderlust; we all have a natural desire to travel and see the world beyond our immediate surroundings. Whether it be an afternoon drive to the postapocalyptic wastelands of the Salton Sea, or a flight halfway around the world to the exotic splendors of Dubai, the change of scenery satisfies an urge within us to experience something new, outside of our normal routine.

What is unreachable becomes desirable, romanticized, idealized. We dream of walking the streets of Paris; images and descriptions provide the framework, and we imagine the rest.

Sometimes we realize our desires to travel. We go to our dream destinations. Instead of the whimsy of our imaginations we immerse ourselves with all of our senses in what is real. But it is only for a fleeting moment in time, and the reality is often an illusion, prepackaged to fulfill expectations.

Every community we visit has its struggles, its issues, no different from the ones we come from and call home. But when we are visiting, we overlook those things to idealize and romanticize how wonderful it would be to live there, leaving all the worries and stress of our homes behind.

How often do we, as tourists, really get to see behind the veil?

For some, this is only accomplished by living in those places, becoming a member of the community, instead of a traveller passing through that we understand what is shown to the outside world and what is experienced by those who live there.

For others, the sharing of the stories and images of those living behind the scenes helps in understanding. Oftentimes this must suffice; some lack the means or ability to physically be there. But in all cases, these efforts fall short – there is no substitute for a lived experience.

I feel this is the case with my life.

As a transgender woman, I believe that I have reached my destination and settled into the place I only once dreamt of visiting.

And I am still a new resident, each day brings a new discovery of the reality behind my landing place. But I am no longer a tourist, no longer on a journey.

Some of you may still be travelling towards a destination in terms of your gender identity and expression. Some may already have found their new home. But, I suspect, for the majority it is a journey that is only observed through others.

With the emergence over the past several years of a greater focus on the lives and stories of transgender people, more people are able to gain an understanding of our realities. Rightfully so, many of these are positive and uplifting. Living authentically can be empowering and we need to show others that life can be better. But for far too many, that green place of our dreams still turns out to be yet another wasteland.

I started my journey as this positive focus expanded. I had the romantic notions of my desired destination dancing through my imagination, reinforced by what I could see around me. I made my way to the place I knew I should be, not just as a visitor, but as a resident.

And now that I’m here, I’m starting to see the reality of the community in which I live. I share it in the lives of my close friends. I see it in the updates on social media. I hear it in the news reports.

Make no mistake – I have no regrets. I am comfortable with where I am and know that this was right for me. This is also not meant to warn off anyone considering exploring their identity and expression.

But there needs to be awareness. There needs to be more than just “tourist income” spent in support of the ideal. Real issues exist; we need to be aware of and act towards addressing them.

Transgender people remain one of the most marginalized classes worldwide. Structural discrimination, barriers to virtually all aspects of society, suicides, and murders still plague us. Many of us never reach our destination; we are cut down on the hazardous road we travel on, or wander the fringes of society.

So as we travel this summer, let’s be sure to seek out the realities behind the destinations we visit. Let’s try to look deeper into what it means to live there, and how we can have a positive impact on the community. Let’s make our travels, regardless of their form, mean something beyond ourselves.

JUNE, 2015 29

LEGALLY SPEAKING

TRAVEL FORECAST

CROSSING THE LINE INTO A NO-COMFORT ZONE

BY CHRISTOPHER HERITAGE

Crossing state lines and international borders is something millions of us do every day. As long as we pack what we need, have our maps, GPS, and our tickets or gas in the car, we are pretty much ready for anything when we hit the road. But for the LGBT community, travel requires careful planning and an extra layer of protection. Both the journey and the destination determine our level of comfort on the trip. Using same-sex marriage equality and other non-discrimination laws as a guide, here are some of the things you should consider when you decide to travel for business or pleasure, or move to a new location: U.S.A. - Currently, 37 states and Washington DC recognize same-sex marriage and/or registered domestic partnerships. If you are married or registered partners, you are likely to be treated fairly in these states, and especially in the larger cities. Smaller towns may still be catching up, and there are pockets of resistance in some states. Some businesses have invented a “religious exemption” excuse for not serving LGBT people. They claim that discrimination against homosexuals is permitted (and even required) by their religious beliefs.

For the states that have a ban against or don’t recognize samesex marriage, there will soon be a resolution to our quest for equality.

The Supreme Court of the United States is considering whether such marriages are constitutionally protected in every state, and their decision is expected sometime in June. But even if they decide in favor, there will be states and areas that will delay our civil rights in every way they can think of. We are unlikely to feel comfortable in many of those places.

So the U.S. is a checkerboard of states that may or may not be welcoming to LGBT travelers. When planning a trip, check where you have to pass through to get to your destination, and what you can expect when you get there. Look at the same-sex marriage record, and state or city laws regarding fair housing, employment, safety of

30 THESTANDARDPS.COM

LGBT youth, and HIV care and prevention. These are indicators of the comfort level of your stay in those communities.

Canada and Mexico - Our nearest neighbors are two sides of a coin. Canada permits same-sex marriage and has long had laws in place regarding other types of LGBT discrimination. Mexico is on the move toward equality. Mexico City permitted same-sex marriages several years ago, and court rulings since then have found that a ban on such marriages in many other areas of the country is unconstitutional.

However, the rulings do not always give blanket permission to marry.

They are sometimes limited only to the people bringing the suit. Progress toward equality in Mexico will likely take some time. And many other areas of discrimination have yet to be addressed.

Elsewhere in the World - A total of 18 countries have legalized same-sex marriage. 13 countries in Western Europe, 3 in South America, and New Zealand and South Africa now permit and recognize such marriages. A few other countries recognize same-sex civil unions, including Ireland, which may soon become the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote. Some of

these also have fair employment, housing and other non-discrimination rules. It is likely that all of these countries will be welcoming to LGBT individuals and couples.

At least 80 countries or entities around the world criminalize homosexual behavior, with 5 countries imposing the death penalty for such offenses. Most of the countries are in Africa, the Middle East and Indonesia. Others, such as Russia, have repressive laws against homosexual propaganda. When you cross the borders into these areas, you have entered the no-comfort zone. Plan your itinerary carefully, and be super-aware of your actions and speech that might run afoul of the local laws.

Pack That Extra Layer of Protection – Wherever You Go YOU NEED THESE TO INSURE WELLBEING AT HOME, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING: ADVANCE HEALTH CARE AND MEDICAL CARE DIRECTIVE: A detailed, notarized statement appointing agents to decide for you how your medical care will be handled if you are unable to make your own decisions. You will decide what kind of medical treatment you do or don’t want to keep you alive, manage pain or provide other care at end of life. There are issues of resuscitation, tube feeding, organ and tissue donation, and other critical matters.

Single travelers especially need this document, since there is no one with them to provide information. Same-sex couples, married or not, will likely find that, even in comfortable locations, one partner or spouse may have little legal standing to make decisions as an agent for the other. It needs to be in a legal document.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARD: A card that allows medical professionals access to your document. You are unlikely to carry your Directive on your person everywhere you go. There are several organizations that store it electronically for you, and they provide a credit-card size emergency card that instructs medical personnel to call or email to retrieve it, 24/7, from anywhere in the world. It also identifies the people you have named as your agents, and how to reach them. Carry this card in your wallet or pocket everywhere you go.

This article is part of an ongoing series of articles pertaining to legal issues relevant to the LGBT community, and is intended for general information purposes only – not legal advice. Christopher Heritage is an attorney in Palm Springs and San Diego, who focuses on LGBT estate planning, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage, probate, trust administration, and bankruptcy. He welcomes questions and comments and can be contacted at 760-325-2020 or at chris@heritagelegal.com

JUNE, 2015 31

SUCCESS STRATEGIST

ASK THE COACH

BY TRENT BLANCHARD

Dear Coach Trent, I am writing about a problem that is a nice problem to have yet one of the hardest challenges I have had to face yet. I am a 34-yearold man who has worked in the same position for the past two years at a place I love very much with people I respect and admire greatly.

I have always seen this place as the final stop on my career road and contentedly so. But last week I was given an offer, randomly and out of nowhere, from a very reputable industry leader I know, to come and join him in his business as an equal in a very parallel position.

This if one of those offers that doesn’t come everyday, and one that I could not have foreseen coming, but one that excites me to the bottom of my core. Not only will I be making more money but also I will have the freedom to soar to new heights that scare me and exhilarate me simultaneously. I want to accept this offer but am worried about doing the right thing. Please advise!

ANSWER: Welcome to adulthood! One of the biggest challenges we have in life is knowing when to take risks and when to topple the status quo of our lives with the onset of new direction. It’s a fine line we walk but one that enriches us for the future if teetered upon with consciousness.

We do our best to plan in life so that we know what’s coming but sometimes the biggest opportunities in life come packaged in spontaneity and it’s those that present the biggest sources of fear for us because they force us to stretch beyond the safe confines of our comfort zones. It sounds like you have given this much thought and that you are the kind of person that doesn’t make rash decisions— although that doesn’t make your predicament any easier, it can at least give you a sense of confidence in knowing that you have carefully thought our all sides of your situation. Nothing is eternal, nothing is guaranteed—but if you walk forward with the knowledge that you are doing things that are right for you, that you are doing things that will bring you to a new plateau within yourself, and that you are okay with that, no matter how scary it may be, it points to the fact that you are making the right decisions. Remember, at the end of the night when you look into a mirror, you are the only person who really needs to be okay with yourself. I think you’ve already made your decision. Now comes the tricky part, to make sure that your actions surrounding this decision come from a solid, grounded place.

Be honest with your current employer—as hard as it may be to lose you, you will be much appreciated by your peers if you lay out

32 THESTANDARDPS.COM

the honest truth. Most people will see the benefits of your decision and will be able to relate. Don’t be surprised if you find some disappointment from others you currently work with. Another aspect of making adult decisions in life is that not everyone will always agree with you. But again, if you can look in a mirror at the end of the night and be sound within yourself about your actions and your words, then you are the only one you will need validation from—not anyone else.

I say go for it! You don’t want to wake up one day twenty years from now regretting that roads you didn’t take because of fear, especially when fear is one of the greatest, life-affirming sources of growth once embraced and gone beyond.

Trent Blanchard, M.A. / TrentBlanchard.com / BlanchardConsulting.org 4UIDO.net / 760.481.4445 / Skype: Trent4Change To ask your own personal question and be considered for a future issue, please write me at “askthecoach@thestandardps.com”

EQCA UPDATE

CONVERSION THERAPY

BY RICK ZBUR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY CALIFORNIA

When Matthew Shurka came out to his father at the age of 16, his dad’s first words were that he loved his son no matter what. Then he sent Shurka, now 26, to a therapist to change his sexual orientation.

There the teen was told of the hopeless, lonely life that awaited him as a gay man; that love was impossible between two men, and to avoid contact with women, even his mother and sisters, because it might make him effeminate. Not surprisingly, his grades plummeted, his relationship with his family deteriorated, and by his senior year in high school, he was considering suicide.

In 2000, the American Psychiatric Association issued a statement that so-called “reparative therapy”, like that endured by Shurka, is based on “questionable science”, and that “the potential risks of reparative therapy are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient.” The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other groups have also rejected conversion therapy on similar grounds. Yet thousands of young LGBT young people are forced to undergo similar procedures across the country every year.

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) doesn’t mince words when it comes to conversion therapy; he calls it outright fraud. In May, Lieu introduced the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act (TFPA), the first federal bill to seeking to ban conversion therapy. The TFPA is similar to California’s SB 1172, which bans the practice in California.

It was signed into law by Governor Brown in 2012 and authored

by Lieu, then a state senator, and sponsored by Equality California.

Religious extremists immediately challenged it, but the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately refused to hear their case.

Practitioners of reparative therapy do not work out of the goodness of their hearts, of course. Counseling sessions and associated materials can cost patients and their parents thousands of dollars. Lieu says that makes such therapy a dangerous scam. The TFPA would empower the Federal Trade Commission to pursue it as such, and would open practitioners up to civil litigation.

The impressive spate of marriage equality victories across the country over the past few years obscures the fact that in a majority of states, we can still be fired for being LGBT. We can still be evicted

from our homes. We can still be barred from adopting children. And we still face dangerous attempts by notso-well-meaning therapists to change who we are.

Thanks to the work of Equality California and other organizations over the past two decades, California has moved from a state where our community had few protections to a place with some of the most comprehensive LGBT civil rights legislation in the world. But other states – even some of the nation’s most progressive – haven’t always been quick to follow California’s lead. While New Jersey, the District of Columbia and – as of last month – Oregon have enacted similar conversion therapy bans, bills have been rejected in Colorado, Hawaii, and a handful of other states. This failure to protect the most basic rights of LGBT youth highlights both the need for federal LGBT rights legislation and for Equality California to expand our work beyond California.

That’s why, over the past decade, we’ve sent our field teams door-to-door helping to sway opinions in Maine and Washington, engaged in public mobilization efforts in Arizona, and provided policy and legislative advice to pro-LGBT efforts in other states.

It’s why we initiated our “Every Drop Counts” campaign to end the discriminatory federal ban on blood donation by gay and bisexual men. And it’s the reason we’re working with Congressman Lieu for passage of the TFPA. After five years in therapy, Matthew Shurka began to notice a funny thing: his therapists themselves were gay men who still struggled with the issues they were urging Matthew himself to suppress. He began to challenge his second therapist and finally, after five years of destructive counseling sessions, he walked away. It took him two more years with an LGBT-friendly therapist for him to finally come out and begin repairing his fractured relationships with his mother, sisters and dad. When President Obama announced his opposition to conversion therapy on April 9, Shurka, now an advocate for others attempting to leave conversion therapy and heal their relationships with their families, cried.

Matthew survived two therapists and five years in conversion therapy, but not everyone is so lucky. That’s why our job isn’t over, and doesn’t stop at California’s border.

JUNE, 2015 33

34 THESTANDARDPS.COM

FITNESS

HANDLING CHANGES

BY DENNIS MASON, B.A., C.P.T. / CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER / FITNESS COACH In the entire universe there is only one constant; All things will change. Some of those changes are obvious, such as the weather, the environment, the landscape, the colors in flowers and leaves, and those of our body, including skin, hair, muscular definition and body fat. Some of the changes are not so obvious, like our cells, internal organs and bones. There are some 100 trillion cells that make up your body! Amazingly, every single one of them will change, grow, decay, die and be replaced with brand new ones within the next year. We cannot see them and may not even be aware of them, but never the less they ARE changing.

Besides changes on the physical level, changes also occur on our mental and intellectual plane. Entire belief systems change.

On a very personal basis, we find changes of the heart, feelings, thoughts, emotions, attitudes, desires and understanding. Just think a moment about all the changes you have seen in just your own lifetime in such areas as philosophy, religion and of course politics. What worked well for us yesterday may very well be useless to us today or tomorrow.

It is in our nature to sometimes have a hard time with the thought that everything changes. It takes us out of our comfort zone and we don’t like that very much. Many people often go to extremes to ward off the inevitable changes that occur. In some instances, we simply look the other way…as if non-recognition will keep changes from taking place. In other instances we simply slip into denial and/ or fight against them. These are ways we attempt to hold onto our place in the universe and prove that we are really here now and yet somehow separate from everything else. That’s our ego based thinking at work. But, we are all a part of the universe. Therefore, we are all part of The One. If we stand back and look around with an open mind or from a different perspective, we can get a clearer picture of how all things work in harmony and how silly it is to resist change. It’s like trying to hold back the great ocean tides, or keep the sun from rising. The fascinating part of all this is that while changes are occurring around us, we too are part of that change.

We are all affected by change, we initiate change and we react as well as respond to change…sometimes, all at the same time. Simply put, Resistance is truly futile.

This awareness of change applies to the health and fitness of your body, as well. Change is neither good nor bad; it just is. It’s all about how we view it and deal with it. Being aware that all things

change does not mean you cannot accomplish the goals you have set for yourself. It simply means that you must be honest and realistic in your approach to those goals. We are all capable of using our minds or intellectual consciousness to make choices. We have the ability to make things happen. Whether or not those changes fit into a larger scheme of things is where life experience and wisdom come to play on a spiritual or cosmic level. But, that’s another topic.

Dennis is a certified Personal Trainer and Master Fitness Coach with over 40 years’ experience. NPC bodybuilding competitor, charity cyclist, health and fitness motivational speaker and author. Body Sculpting Nutritional Guidance - Aquatics & Post Rehab Conditioning Web: www. dennismasonfitness.com Email: dennis@dennismasonfitness.com Phone: 760-219-5877 Home Base: WORLD GYM PALM SPRINGS Join Dennis on his internet radio program, FITNESS & MORE, on demand at: www.BlogTalkRadio.com/FitnessAndMore Also on Facebook and Twitter as fitnessradio.

JUNE, 2015 35

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WELLNESS

ARE YOU A PERSONAL HEALTH J-WALKER?

BY DR. KEN TOTH, BA, MAT, DC, RN, CPT The Encarta Dictionary defines suicide as “the act of doing something that seems contrary to your own best interests and seems likely to lead to a disaster such as financial ruin or loss of position or reputation.”

If you apply this definition to our culture’s attitude towards personal health, you have to deduce that at least half of the American population is committing at least what I’ll call slow suicide, and a good one third of the American population is committing what I’ll term fast suicide.

You might say that those are harsh, politically incorrect, insensitive words. However, if you do your research, you will find that they are quite the opposite, because they are designed to wake you up from your dream of reality denial.

Every action has a reaction. Period. When you do not exercise, when you eat incorrectly, when you rob yourself of sleep, when you drink even moderately, when you allow yourself to exist in a state of too much stress, you are committing yourself to a path of negative actions when, all put together, are causing an irrevocable reaction of declining health as well as early demise and untimely death.

So what the hell is wrong with a full two thirds of the American population, which the Center for Disease Control states is either overweight or obese or both? Does not anyone out there know how to read anymore? Does not anyone use the computer for anything else other than mindless entertainment instead of learning how to do something about a rotten state of health?

Yes, I know that less than one third of our population is in good to excellent health. Yes, I know I’m supposed to praise that fact and practice the “my glass is half full” thing. Yes, I should know that being overweight and/or obese seems to have become the norm because of the supporting numbers. Yes, I should respect every individual’s so-called right to be fat and sick and catapult to stratospheric heights the number of health care dollars being wasted so recklessly in our democratic country.

But, then I would be just another politically correct hack writer.

Most of them in the “news” are far from being competent researchers, and/or don’t even possess a working background of scientific knowledge and understanding to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Feel-good, sensitive, political correctness is one of the things that have gotten us into this debacle in the first place.

If I hear one more politically correct “dietician” espouse the tired

dictum of “just enjoy a well-balanced diet in moderation,” I think I will pull my hair out. Why? Because such people and such homilies are doing nothing but put the fat and unhealthy two thirds of our population at ease on their road to suicide. It doesn’t matter if you take ten or twenty years or one second to destroy yourself prematurely. You are still committing suicide, whether it is slow or fast.

Period. And besides, it would be stupid to do so. So why put crappy fuel and sugar (not to mention a whole raft of other nebulous things) into the stomach of your once-beautiful and perfectly functioning body?

Listen to your body. If you pay better attention to it, and give it the respect it deserves through proper care and attention, it will return to you amazing benefits and joys! AND, it will save you, as well as the country’s healthcare payment system, trillions of dollars in the process.

Remember what they taught us in kindergarten? LOOK, LISTEN, AND THEN CROSS THE STREET. Are you one of those who refuse to look at, and listen to, their bodies to know if they are on the wrong path? Are you one of those who are resolute in putting or keeping their states of health in unnecessary danger?

Are you a personal health j-walker? I certainly hope not.

Dr. Kenneth Toth, BA, MAT, DC, RN, CPT holds multiple degrees and credentials as a Science Educator, Chiropractor, Registered Nurse, and Personal Trainer.

He is currently limiting his professional activities to PERSONAL TRAINING / Nutritional Coaching, and is accepting new clients exclusively at WORLD GYM PALM SPRINGS. You may contact Dr. Ken at 949-235-9408 or ken@kentothfitness.com For more information on Dr. Ken’s results-producing approach to personal training, please visit his website at KenTothFitness.com.

JUNE, 2015 37

Q & A|HANS M. HIRSCHI

A NEW GAY EARTH

NEW BOOK EXPLORES GAY LIFE 500 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE

BY TIM LARCOMBE In Willem of the Tafel, the gripping new gay novel from Hans M. Hirschi, the world we know is gone. Set centuries into the future, it is a post-apocalyptic Earth where few have survived the Great War. Those that remain have taken refuge underground, deep beneath a mountain.

The novel’s main character is seventeen-year-old Willem. When he is exiled and forced to the surface, he must struggle to survive a battered world that is the result of our generation’s carelessness.

Luckily he meets Hery, another young man, who helps him along the path to his destiny.

Is our world heading towards disaster?

Hans Hirschi: Just look at global warming and how, now that oil prices are low again, emerging technologies like electric cars are hurting. Or a much more imminent threat is Russia and how quickly we’ve ended up in a new cold war. Then there’s the migration crisis in Africa and the Middle East. Thousands die on the Mediterranean every year. Things certainly don’t look promising right now but I’m an optimist, always hopeful.

It’s interesting to think that there is hope for the LGBT community.

500 years into the future, being gay is completely acceptable.

When it comes down to it, I believe the question of gay rights is closely tied to people’s prosperity. Unemployment, hunger, and hopelessness all lead to people searching for scapegoats, and as most minorities are, we are easy targets. Once we tackle the big issues, tolerance will follow. If despair prevails, intolerance will increase.

In the book, you mention homosexuality has become acceptable because after The Great War, the people have given up on God. Will it really take people abandoning religion for them to accept gays?

That’s not exactly what I write. I mention how new religions have replaced old ones because of the war, which is nothing new in human history. My explanation with regards to being gay in the book is completely unrelated to religion: in Tafel, it is related to their strict regulations on procreation. In the world above, people simply “get it”. It makes absolutely no sense to discriminate.

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The book also touches on issues of racism. Do you truly believe racism can be eradicated?

I do believe racism can be eradicated, and I would argue it the same way I would with the acceptance of the LGBT community.

What do we need to do?

If I had the answer to that, I’d be in rich and in politics. I think it lies somewhere on how we raise our children, and the example we set ourselves. We have to lead by example, and the LGBT community is not always a shining example. Racism, like discrimination can take many shapes, not just black and white, but also young and old, manly and effeminate... Every time we say no to someone simply based on attributes, we are part of the problem. We have to start with ourselves, and that is a lot more difficult than pointing fingers, asking others to go first. We also need to show a lot more courage in reminding people when an opinion is based on people’s attributes rather than their actions. Too often, we look the other way.

What do we need to do today to save our earth?

Every little bit helps, from recycling to changing to LED light bulbs to taking public transport, downsizing your car engine…

We can all do something. On a societal scale, we need to redirect resources, from short to long-term investments in photovoltaic, solar energy, nuclear fusion, batteries, and so on.

What do you say to people who believe your idealism is unrealistic?

Willem of the Tafel is a book, it’s fiction, so yes, it is idealistic, but it has an important message. If that message makes it across to readers, I’ve been successful.

“Willem of the Tafel” is available now, digitally and in softcover, on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple’s iBookstore, Smashwords, and at selected local bookstores.

JUNE, 2015 39

ART VIEW

DEBRA ANN MUMM Coachella Valley native, artist, activist, educator, curator, consultant and believer Debra Ann Mumm has spent her lifetime dedicated to the arts in one form or another. A trained materials specialist with extensive experience in acrylic systems, Debra’s work continues to explore relationships between surface and paint on non-traditional supports. Vessels and mixed-media assemblage installations focus on unifying themes that touch on inner versus outer worlds, our global humanity and universal spirituality.

A lifetime doodler, english literature major, theatre minor, Debra became interested in the more universal articulation of color and design. Art eliminates the barriers of language, it provides a global dialogue that is a motivating factor for her support of public murals.

She is a believer that art changes lives.

Debra is founder and president of Venus Studios, LLC in Palm Desert, parent company of Venus Studios Art Supply and Venus Galleries. Venus Studios is a community based educational facility providing information, inspiration and opportunity for artists. From classes and workshops, lectures and demonstrations, gallery shows and community exhibitions, Venus Studios offers creative support for artists of all levels and interests. venusstudios11@aol.com www.VenusStudiosArtSupply.com

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ART VIEW

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EPICUREAN

EUROPE’S 2015 FOODIE DESTINATIONS

If you’re gallivanting around Europe, you probably have your eyes peeled for wondrous castles, world-class art museums and beautiful, unfamiliar landscapes. Have you forgotten to seek out some of the world’s most incredible dining? Don’t fall for a tourist trap when you are looking for somewhere to eat; make plans for three or four truly special meals and then relish in them. While you can find an incredible meal in nearly every European city, here are the food cities to watch in 2015: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC Prague’s food scene is on the up and up as locals begin clamoring for their own regional cooking after decades of neglect during the communist-era and all-out rejection after the fall of the U.S.S.R. Local sausages, savory meatloaf, tasty beers, Prague ham and many other favorites are once again being served. Stop by Sisters, a Czech fast-food style restaurant serving chlebiceks – traditional open-faced sandwiches.

LONDON, U.K. The U.K. has not traditionally been a foodie destination, but things have changed. London chefs come from all over the world and draw inspiration from places near and far. To start with, many chefs have reworked the old, stodgy standby of meat, potato and veg into something less over-cooked and more flavorful. There’s nothing better than a perfectly roasted chicken or a rich pot roast simmered in stock and wine. London is also an incredible

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destination for Indian and Southeast Asian cooking. Nosh on Bengali prawns, regional biryanis, fragrant lentil dahls and perfectly spiced curries. There’s no reason to go hungry in a city with so much to eat.

MADRID, SPAIN Madrid used to be Barcelona’s drab, folksy cousin, but no more. This city of regional foods and neighborhood dives has transformed itself with scads of new restaurants. If you aren’t bellied up to the bar with traditional tapas laid out on the counter, it’s time to go molecular. Madrid’s molecular chefs flash freeze, foam and emulsify flavors from all over the world. If you’ve ever wanted a tapas crossed with dim sum, Madrid is where you’ll find it. Latin American, Spanish, Asian – flavors, techniques and dishes from all over the world get reimagined before they end up on your plate.

ROME, ITALY Step away from the crowded tourist restaurants and discover what Roman cuisine is all about. You might be surprised to learn that many of Rome’s tastiest signature dishes are actually fried. Cheese-stuffed zucchini flowers, breaded codfish and plump artichokes are often on the fritti menu. If you’re looking for something more substantial, it’s time to taste carbonara. Made with homemade pasta, chunks of bacon and a creamy sauce of egg and cheese, carbonara and its variations are always on the menu. If you are feeling brave, it’s time to sample some of the dishes Romans expertly prepare with offal. Tripa alla Romana is tripe stewed in tomato sauce

with pecorino cheese, la pajata are baby calves intestines served with the curdled milk inside along with rigatoni and tomato sauce. If you can overcome the ick factor, you may have a new favorite Italian meal.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Copenhagen is ground zero for a food revolution called New Nordic. Extremely fresh and extremely local, New Nordic cuisine is often traditional Nordic food reimagined to be lighter and more elegant. You might have a six month wait to get a reservation at Noma, the city’s top New Nordic restaurant, but don’t despair. There are several other white tablecloth establishments serving local produce and fresh fish in innovative, delicious ways.

Copenhagen has you covered for more casual food as well. Gourmet coffee-lovers have found their city as have artisan bread enthusiasts.

Each lunch you should indulge in the Danish tradition of smorgasbord where open-faced sandwiches are the vessel for pickled vegetables, meats and aged cheeses.

PARIS, FRANCE Paris has been the world’s food city for a long time and while up-and-comers have forced Paris to share some of its dominance, you can still find a lot of incredible cooking in Paris. Most visitors are in awe of the bread, which Parisians make a regular part of their lives. Light, crusty and always fresh, baguettes, boules and all their variations are baked daily throughout the city. Of course, while you’re checking out baked goods you’ll want to pick out a

flakey croissant or maybe a pain au chocolat.

Putting aside delicious baked goods and wondrous patisserie, Parisians serve up some of the world’s most delicious savory foods.

Dig into French classics such as cassoulet or beouf bourginon whose long stewing time and flavorful bases set them apart. Paris is also a melting pot for international cuisine and you’ll find everything from trendy fusion restaurants to mom-and-pop operations serving authentic sushi, kebabs, tagine or pho.

BARCELONA, SPAIN Over the past 10 years Barcelona has taken the food world by storm. Suddenly the world’s best chefs are living and working in the vibrant downtown core and tourists are arriving specifically to eat. Start your food tour in La Boqueria – Barcelona’s main market. Push through the crowds to buy local vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, spices and bread. All these beautiful ingredients find their way into meals all over the city. Dinner isn’t usually served until 9-10 p.m., so do as the Spanish do and order some tapas. Creative bites of fish, red pepper, bread or meat tide you over until the main meal. If you want internationally recognized cuisine, stick to the downtown core. For a sample of homey Catalan cooking, head to the outer barrios. Meat, fish and stews all show influences of Catalan, Spanish, French and North African heritage.

Courtesy of Dreamplango.com

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the3D’s RESTAURANTS WANG’S IN THE DESERT 424 S Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 325-WANG (9264) www.wangsinthedesert.com NATURE’S HEALTH FOOD & CAFE 555 S Sunrise Way Suite 301 Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-9487 www.natureshealthfoodcafe.com SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-1199 www.shermansdeli.com HACIENDA CANTINA & BEACH CLUB 1555 S. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-778-8954 www.haciendacantina.com AZUL RESTAURANT 369 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-5533 www.azultapaslounge.com TINTO 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-323-1711 palmsprings.tintorestaurant.com COPLEY’S ON PALM CANYON 621 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-9555 www.copleyspalmsprings.com

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DINE | DRINK | DANCE { Coachella Valley } WORKSHOP KITCHEN & BAR 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-459-3451 www.workshoppalmsprings.com LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com POMME FRITE 256 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 778-3727 www.pomme-frite.com DISH 1107 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-322-7171 www.dishcreativecuisine.com THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 320-5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 864-8746 www.triopalmsprings.com THE TROPICALE 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 866-1952 www.thetropicale.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 322-6300 www.pszin.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-323-0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com

BIRBA 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5678 www.birbaps.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-416-7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com

CHEEKYS 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-7595 www.cheekysps.com

PURPLE ROOM 1900 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-322-4422 www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com RICK’S RESTAURANT 1973 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 416-0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-322-3776 www.pinocchiops.com

CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road PS 760-327-1079 STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road PS 760-320-1266 www.psstreetbar.com THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com SPURLINE VIDEO LOUNGE 200 Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-778-4326 www.spurline.com

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH THE ART REVOLUTION! LOCAL ARTIST PROFILES JUNE, 2015 47

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EVENTS CALENDAR DBA JUNE EVENTS JUNE 8 MIXER 6:00PM – 8:00PM HOSTED BY FLEMINGS PRIME STEAKHOUSE 71800 HIGHWAY 111 RANCHO MIRAGE

JUNE 7 TOUCANS TIKI LOUNGE PRESENTS ANGEL VIEW BENEFIT. TOUCANS TIKI LOUNGE PALM SPRINGS There is still time to buy tickets for the Broadway-themed party to benefit Angel View! Last year’s Pre-Tony Awards event was crazy fun. This year promises to be even better. The musical theme this year is “Hairspray” so beehives and bouffants are welcome! Grab a can of extra firm hold and join us for a festive afternoon. The party is from 4 – 6 p.m. on Sunday June 7 so you’ll make it home in time to watch the Tony Awards telecast later that evening. Individual tickets are just $35 and include a hosted bar, Broadway style entertainment and hors d’oeuvres by Lulu California Bistro. 100% of all ticket revenue goes to Angel View.

To buy yours now, call 760-406-1016 or visit www.angelview.org THROUGH JULY 26 OUR HISTORY: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE FINE ARTS CREATIVITY AWARDS PROGRAM. PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM PALM SPRINGS For 25 years, Palm Springs Art Museum has presented the annual Fine Arts Creativity Awards program honoring two students with purchase awards. For the first time in its history, all 49 award winners are included in the exhibition Our History: Celebrating 25 Years of the Fine Arts Creativity Awards Program on view at Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, The Galen and the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden, currently through July 26, 2015.

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JUNE 22 MIXER 6:00PM – 8:00PM HOSTED BY ALIBI AZUL 369 N PALM CANYON DR PALM SPRINGS www.desertbusinessassociation.org JUNE 28 TRANS-PRIDE PICNIC. RUTH HARDY PARK PALM SPRINGS Trans-Pride Picnic for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming people and their allies. Potluck, grilling, music, and familyfriendly, pet friendly, people friendly.

Sunday, June 28th, from 1-4 p.m., at Ruth Hardy Park. We should be reminded of the importance to have Pride in ourselves.

We must show that uniqueness is a beautiful quality to be proud of.

JUNE 13-14 SPLASH HOUSE FESTIVAL WEEKEND. PALM SPRINGS Now in its third year, Splash House has established itself as a sophisticated alternative to the summer EDM festival circuit.

The poolside dance parties, which return to Palm Springs June 13-14 and August 8-9, announced their 2015 lineups today, and they offer plenty of the usual beachy, tropical vibes, plus a few welcome splashes of future bass and underground house. www.splashhouse.com

ONGOING >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NOW THRU JULY FIRST WEDNESDAY ART WALK, BACKSTREET ART DISTRICT PALM SPRINGS Please join us for the First Wednesday Artwalk at the Backstreet Art District. Enjoy beautiful art and meet the artists. Located off highway 111, behind the Mercedes Benz Dealership, on South Cherokee Way. www.backstreetartdistrict.com

SUNDAYS THE SUNDAY BAND W/ SPECIAL GUESTS. PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN The Sunday Rock + Roll Service is a Pappy and Harriet’s institution celebrating the healing powers of music and community!

Every weekend the club’s favorite singers and players get together and trade songs.

Come join us to see Victoria Williams, Gar Robertson, Carol Ann Crandall, Damian Lester, Bob Furgo, Rachel Dean, Ryan Norman, Caleb Winn, Danny Frankel and other talented locals

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EVENTS CALENDAR performing for your drinking and dancing pleasure. With a come-as-you-are vibe, Sundays have seen great special guests like Robert Plant, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Rickie Lee Jones to name a few. www.pappyandharriets.com

Bloody Mary with brunch, during which both our full breakfast and lunch menus are available. Also join us for Sunday Funday Weekly Tea Dance 4pm-Close! Live entertainment weekly visit our website for details. www.oscarspalmsprings.com

COPA In a throwback to old Palm Springs’ nightclubs, the Copa is fashioned around an elevated performing stage and a stunning u-shaped bar lined with leather barstools, upholstered booths, and gilded cocktail tables. Sink into the sexy lounge, sip a cocktail, and enjoy the lineup of local and guest entertainers. For weekly schedule visit www.coparoomps.com

LIPSTICK AT COPA Thursday nights at Copa just got a little hotter with a new show at the new showroom inside Copa. The Hot New Lipstick show is a raucous affair where the audience is encouraged to participate in singing, clapping, dancing, partying and celebrating special events. Featuring performances by Charles Herrera, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, Marina Mac, Sassy Ross, Dion Khan, and Cherilyn, and emceed by the fabulous Bella Da Ball, this show will not disappoint. For ticket info and schedule of performers visit www.coparoomps.com

THE PURPLE ROOM Supper club, drinks and live music. It’s where Palm Springs plays. Great entertainment nightly and dinner specials. You never know whom you might see at The Purple Room.

For monthly schedule and info visit http://purpleroompalmsprings.com

OSCAR’S CAFÉ & BAR Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon, Oscar’s has a huge outdoor patio with lots of umbrellas for shade and misters to keep you cool, too.

You can beat the heat any time of year and enjoy the views of Palm Springs. On Saturday and Sunday from 8am – 2pm, enjoy a $9 Bottomless Mimosas (juice included), a single $2 mimosa or a $5

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUBS® Palm Springs, Palm Springs’ go-to gay bar and dance club, has been leading the way in full-out fun for 13 lucky years now! We enjoy having the desert’s most sought-after and friendly DJs, full-on themed events, and a staff that has it all without the attitude. And of course, we are proud to hold the longest happy hour in the entire Valley. Remember: Size Matters. Come by for our happy hour from 10am – 7pm. Yes, that’s right: 9 hours long! For a list of all events and specials visit www.huntersnightclubs.com

SUNDAYS “The Playgirls” at Toucans Tiki Lounge featuring Tommi Rose. Performances 8, 10pm.

These darling Divas of drag really deliver with their very own brand of entertainment to packed houses. Special guests appear weekly.

DJ in the sound booth. Every Sunday Complete list of events www.toucanstikilounge.com Wang’s in the Desert. The weekly Wang’s Live Entertainment series features the best in local and regional musical talents.

Guests can relax from cabaret and Broadway show performances to upbeat, jazzy showcases on the Zen Patio, with its beautiful stone outdoor fireplace, giant red Buddha statue and lush tropical surroundings. The Sunday series is becoming the new performance showcase for weekends and holidays in downtown Palm Springs. It’s the perfect, casual venue for great music, cool cocktails and of course, a fantastic crowd.

For more information about Wang’s in the Desert, visit www.wangsinthedesert.com TUESDAYS Bella da Ball Cabaret Variety Dinner Revue at Azul features a different show each week with a cast of male and female vocalists and drag personalities. The highly popular show is hosted and produced by Palm Springs’ area social ambassador, Bella da Ball, and features music-comedysong-dance-costuming-headdresses-photo ops-door prizes-audience participation and more. The 95+ minute production features musical numbers ranging from show tunes to country to pop and everything in between.

Don’t miss the fun every Tuesday at 7:30pm! No cover.

FOR A COMPLETE CALENDAR OF EVENTS VISIT OUR MEDIA PARTNER, GAY DESERT GUIDE. CLICK ON LOGO

JUNE, 2015 49

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EVENTS CALENDAR JUN 20 - 28

JUN 4 - 27

NATIONAL QUEER ARTS FESTIVAL SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Founded in 1993, Qcc is a multiracial community-building organization that fosters the artistic, economic and cultural development of San Francisco’s LGBT community. We implement our mission by operating programs that commission and present Queer artists, that promote the development of culturally diverse Queer arts organizations and that document significant Queer arts events taking place in San Francisco. www.qcc2.org

JUN 7 - 28

GAY BASH: A VARIETY SHOW AND PRIDE BRUNCH NEW YORK CITY, NY Join the world famous Comic Strip Live every Sunday in June at 2PM for GAY BASH, a variety show and comedy infused brunch during Pride Month. Drag legend Sweetie (To Wong Foo, Starrbooty, Wig Out) will host the weekly event featuring a stellar cast which includes openly gay comedian, Adam Sank (NBC’s Last Comic Standing, FOX’s Laughs, Vh1’s I Love the 2000s), drag stars Peppermint, Destiny Devine and PhilEsha De Lox, Playgirl’s advice columnist and relationship expert, Robbyne Kaamil, Sheba Mason (702 Punchlines & Pregnant: The Jackie Mason Musical) and Talia Gil. www. gaybashpridebrunch.brownpapertickets.com

JUN 19 - 21 JUN 5 - 14

BOSTON PRIDE WEEK BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Celebrating its 45th year, Boston Pride’s focus is to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Greater Boston and beyond.

Pride fosters diversity, unity, visibility, and dignity, by building and strengthening community connections through education, communication, and advocacy. www.bostonpride.org

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GAY WINE WEEKEND SONOMA VALLEY, CA A 3-Day Celebration of Food & Wine and the ambience of Wine Country! Join Out In The Vineyard as they host this event in Sonoma, California. A variety of events take place over the 3 days from Winemaker Dinners, Winery Tours and the signature event, The Twilight T-Dance! The weekend finishes with a Brunch & Wine Auction benefitting Face to Face, our Sonoma County HIV/AIDS Network...and of course a closing Pool Soiree. www.outinthevineyard.com

CHICAGO PRIDE FESTIVAL & PARADE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Chicago Pride Weekend consists of a twoday festival and our world-famous parade.

Stake your claim along the parade route and festival concerts early, or wander to check out the other attraction - the colorful crowd.

Bar and restaurant celebrations follow the parade and continue throughout the night in Boystown. The two-day festival (June 20 & 21) takes place along Chicago’s famed Halsted strip. The parade takes place over a four-mile route on Sunday, June 28. www.chicagopride.gopride.com

JUN 27 - 28

SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 2015 marks the 45th anniversary of the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade.

With over 200 parade contingents, 300 exhibitors, and more than twenty communityrun stages and venues, the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade is the largest gathering of LGBT people and allies in the nation. The two-day celebration takes place in Civic Center Plaza in downtown San Francisco. The Parade, which takes place the Sunday morning of the event, kicks off from Beale Street along Market and ends at Market and 8th St. in the heart of downtown San Francisco. www.sfpride.org

If you have an event you want to promote please email us at info@thestandardps.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR

JUNE 5 - 7

OLAGIRLS, THE LESBIAN MEDITERRANEAN FESTIVAL ALICANTE, SPAIN A different weekend for lesbians in Calpe, Alicante, where the sun shines and food and wine are amazing. Gastronomy, wines, outdoor & Indoor activities, beach & pool party, night parties with main guest RUBY ROSE. Packs include EVERYTHING: gastronomy experience, wine tastings, meals, drinks, activities, concerts & two open bars. www.olagirls.com

2015 FNQ FILM FESTIVAL and ADMIT LOVE party! FNQ Film Festival is an event showcasing a number of LGBTQI related films to suit everyone, so bring your Besties, Mum, Dad, Brothers and Sisters. www.fnqmagazine.com

we have the freedom to be the person we really are, and are embraced by our families, neighbors and colleagues. Pride in London provides a platform for every part of London’s LGBT+ community to raise awareness of issues concerning LGBT+ people and campaign for the freedoms that will allow them to live their lives on a genuinely equal footing with straight friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. www.prideinlondon.org

JUNE 19 - 28 JUNE 18 - 22

SITGES GAY PRIDE SITGES, SPAIN The gay village by the sea is the epicenter of Sitges Pride, hosting 5 days of concerts, t-dances, fashion shows and more. 5,000+ people gather each evening to celebrate into the night. Gay Pride Sitges 2015’s centerpiece will be the Pride by the Promenade where every day the Gay Pride Village will keep you entertained by the Mediterranean… not to mention our other key events, concerts and more. Check them out at www.gaysitgespride.com

JUNE 19 - 21

FNQ FILM FESTIVAL CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA FNQ Magazine, Go2GayCairns and Centre of Contemporary Arts Cairns present the

DUBLIN PRIDE. DUBLIN, IRELAND The Dublin LGBT Pride Festival is an annual series of events that celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) life in Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest LGBTQ pride festival in the Republic of Ireland. The event has grown from a one-day event in 1983 to a ten-day festival celebrating LGBT culture in Ireland with an expanded arts, social and cultural content. And with this years gay marriage referendum votes the festivities are bound to be monumental. www.dublinpridew.ie

JUNE 21 - 27

PRIDE IN LONDON LONDON, ENGLAND Pride in London celebrates freedom and continues the struggle to extend it to all, so that each and every one of us can say

Our international media partner, FNQ Magazine, www.fnqmagazine.com Cairns gay lifestyle and travel publication that gives Australia and the world a taste of gay life in the tropics, sponsors the International Calendar. www.go2gaycairns.com

JUNE, 2015 51

I fought my way back from addiction.

Carl, D.A.P. client

D.A.P. treats and supports the whole person Like everyone, I’ve made lots of mistakes in my life. One of the biggest was letting alcohol and crystal meth consume me for a time. It led me into unsuccessful relationships, homelessness, and even ignoring my HIV medication therapy, causing me to lose one of my eyes. With the help of a counselor at Desert AIDS Project, I’m in recovery and am proud of my accomplishments at College of the Desert. I may have lost an eye...but I’ve never seen more clearly than I do today.

This and more...all under one roof

Thanks to your generous support, Desert AIDS Project has been saving lives for more than 30 years.

Please continue to help by donating at desertAIDSproject.org, joining one of our annual giving programs, or by saving the date for one of our upcoming fundraising events.

Mid-Summer Dance Party | Palm Springs Pavilion | July 25, 2015

760.323.2118 52 THESTANDARDPS.COM

desertAIDSproject.org

PHOTO REWIND PS GAY RODEO PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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PHOTO REWIND WHITE PARTY PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

JUNE, 2015 55

PHOTO REWIND CABOT’S PUEBLO GALA PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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