Echo Magazine June 2016

PLUS:

SMoCA presents “Coming Out Under Fire”

She’s Baaack!

Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury are out for redemption this season

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 27, #9 | ISSUE 681 | June 2016 | COMPLIMENTARY

inside this issue Issue 681 | Vol. 27, #9 | June 2016

features NEWS 10 4 Your Information 12 News Briefs 14 Datebook 16 on n ten launches Dancing With The Bars 2016 18 Bisbee Pride showcases community spirit for locals, visitors 20 LGBTQ organizations host annual healthcare conference 26 Local trans activist shares experiences behind his viral bathroom selfie

Photo courtesy of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

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PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS

“Coming Out Under Fire” Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary art showcases local artist’s gift to the LGBTQ community.

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images.

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Out 4 Redemption The Phoenix Mercury gear up for another championship season. Bonus: Taurasi and Griner are Ready 4 Rio.

42 Without Reservations 44 At The Box Office 46 Opening Nights COMMUNITY 50 Talking Bodies 52 All Over The Map 54 Money Talks 56 Ask Lambda Legal ON THE COVER Phoenix Mercury veteran guard Diana Taurasi. Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury.

Photo by Tony Contini.

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The Saguaro Cup Softball Tournament The Southwest’s premier gay softball tourney swings into town (and Echo’s cameras were there for it)

EchoMag.com

Photo by leakedglass.com.

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Game of Thrones Meet Naomi St. James and George “Geo” Johnson, Phoenix Pride’s newly crowned royalty

inside this issue

on echomag.com web exclusives

Photo by Scotty Kirby.

Viva La Diva Tucson’s newly crowned Miss Gay Arizona USofA At Large 2016 tells all as she prepares for nationals. echomag.com/viva-la-diva

Soul Serenade Rashod Ollison explores his lifelong connection to soul music in new coming-of-age book. echomag.com/soul-serenade

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/mixedbloodtheatre.

Hostages & Other Plays iTheatre Collaborative’s stages regional premiere of plays by prominent Arab-American playwright Yussef El Guindi. echomag.com/hostages

Dressed As A Girl New documentary by British filmmaker Colin Rothbart reveals the private lives of drag queens. echomag.com/dressed-as-a-girl

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notes from the

managing editor

By KJ Philp

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT

I

t was a year ago, May 29, that President Barack Obama proclaimed June 2015 as LGBT Pride Month and called upon the people of the United States to “eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.”

introduce you to this year’s Mister and Miss Phoenix Pride Naomi St. James and George “Geo” Johnson. Shortly after they were crowned, Laura Latzko caught up with the 2016 titleholders; find out what they had to say in “Game of Thrones” on page 40.

As if “Pride Month” didn’t bring enough reasons to celebrate with it, exactly one month later the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality nationwide.

So, on behalf of the entire Echo team, I’d like to kick this issue off by saying cheers to every reader who is celebrating Pride this month and by wishing a happy anniversary to every couple that’s celebrating this marriage recognition milestone!

From there, we’d also like to congratulate Empress XI Sophia Sinclair, and Emperor XI SeaJay Moser as they take their positions as monarchs of The Imperial Sovereign Empire of Arizona.

We’ll have more coverage on Reign XI for you in upcoming issues, but in the meantime, don’t miss out photos of Coronation on page 22.

But the party doesn’t stop there. This issue is filled with reasons to revel.

First, Team Echo is heading down to Arizona’s mile-high town for Bisbee Pride June 17-19 and we want you to join us. Liz Massey has all the details on the 12th annual community celebration on page 18.

For our next adventure, your favorite magazine is setting up shop in Northern Arizona in honor of Flagstaff Pride’s 20th anniversary June 25. Mark your calendars and be sure to pick up our next issue for all the specifics on this year’s Pride in the Pines.

If the Phoenix Pride festivities feel like an eternity ago, you’re in luck – the celebration will continue June 11 at the organization’s first awards brunch, benefiting the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center.

For more information, see page 14.

Speaking of Pride, we’re proud to

No June issue of Echo would ever be complete without our annual Phoenix Mercury season preview. After sitting out the 2015 season, Diana Taurasi is back on the court – and that alone is a reason to celebrate (but we’re holding out for the franchise’s fourth championship). Before you head to the home opener May 20, flip to “Out 4 Redemption” on page 32 where Alex Chambers makes bold predictions on the Mighty Mercury’s season ahead.

That concludes all the party preview we could possibly pack into one issue.

But if you’re looking for more events and ways to get involved, be sure to check out “Datebook” on page 14 or visit Echo’s online Community Calendar at echomag. com/community-calendar.

PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: KJ Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Danae Barnes Melissa Myers Cait Brennan David-Elijah Nahmod Tony Contini Tia Norris Anthony Costello Hans Pedersen Tiffany Hopkins Terri Schlichenmeyer Laura Latzko

Richard Schultz Art Martori Michael J. Tucker Greg Marzullo Megan Wadding Liz Massey ART DEPARTMENT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jake Rojas PHOTOGRAPHY: Brittany Lea, Tony Contini and nightfuse.com.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: Adrian Bradley Gregg Edelman Randy Robinson NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863

ECHO READERSHIP: 40,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC.

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 NON-PHOENIX METRO: 888-echomag EMAIL: manager@echomag.com Copyright © 2016 • ISSN #1045-2346

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

Member:

Echo is currently seeking Phonix-based freelance restaurant reviewers

Qualified candidates are invited to send published restaurant/ food reviews to editor@echomag.com for consideration.

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Echo Magazine is pub­lished by and is a trademark of ACE Publish­ing, Inc. All rights re­served. Written permis­sion must be obtained in advance for par­tial or com­plete re­production of in­clud­ing any advertising ma­te­ri­al contained therein.

Opin­ions ex­pressed in are not necessar­ily those of the pub­lisher or staff or ACE Publishing, Inc. does not as­sume re­spon­sibil­ity for claims by its ad­ver­tis­ers. Publication of the name or pho­to­graph of a per­son or or­gani­za­tion in ar­ticles, ad­ver­tising or list­ings inis not to be con­strued as an in­di­ca­tion of the sexual ori­en­ta­tion of such or­gani­za­tions or persons (unless such ori­en­ta­tion is specifically stat­ed). Manuscripts or other ma­te­ri­als submit­ted re­main the property of ACE Publishing. Free copies lim­it­ed to one per per­son.

ON THE RECORD

sports

“Candidates … must go above and beyond support for basic issues of LGBTQ equality, such as supporting inclusive nondiscrimination measures. Candidates must demonstrate a strong and proactive commitment to tackling issues like HIV/AIDS, immigration, violence, unemployment, and healthcare disparities, which disproportionately impact trans and gender expansive communities.”

The Jozi Cats, Africa’s first LGBTQ rugby club, launched a bold new recruitment campaign featuring the rugby players in a series of shots with a twist on some of the slurs and homophobic terms, including “Fairy,” “Queen” and “Flamer,” used in South Africa.

“A stereotype isn’t who you are, your sexuality doesn’t determine your success in life,” said Teveshan Kuni, Jozi Cats centre, in a YouTube video posted by Havas WW South Africa May 3. “We’re looking to debunk stereotypes and we’re looking to challenge the preconception that because you don’t look like a conventional rugby player, you can’t be a conventional rugby player.”

For more information, follow the Jozi Cats on Facebook at facebook.com/jozicats or watch the team’s behind-the-scene-video at bit.ly/1rY0hWc.

– An excerpt from the mission statement of the newly formed Trans United Fund, an organization committed to building the political power of trans and gender expansive communities and our allies to advocate for trans equality.

For more information, visit transunitedfund.org.

international From May 3 to 19, Cuba celebrated its fourth annual International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The two-week event included symposiums, lectures, films, art exhibits, a theatrical festival and – for the first time – American supporters.

As part of a LGBTQ citizen ambassador arrangement, offered by Cuba Inspires Americans traveled to Cuba in support of its LGBTQ community and attend Pride festivities, including the “Love Conquers All Parade.” For more information on Cuba Inspires, a Cuban/American owned cultural exchange and travel agency, visit cubainspires.com.

Photo courtesy of cubainspires.com 10

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fashion In celebration of Pride, Converse just announced the launch of the 2016 Chuck Taylor All Star Pride Collection, which consists of three new rainbow-themed. This new collection is inspired by LGBTA communities around the world and serves as a “passionate reminder for universal tolerance, diversity and equality, encouraging the creative community to be their most authentic selves.”

The new collection, which showcases Converse’s support of the global pride movement, became available at Converse retail stores and online at converse.com May 13.

news briefs

Graphic courtesy of Kitchen Sink Studios.

AIDS Memorial Steering Committee Seeking Community Support Following meetings with the Hance Park Master Plan design team, the City of Phoenix, and the Hance Park Conservancy, the members of the Phoenix AIDS Memorial steering committee are asking for community support.

Due to “substantial pushback” regarding the location initially proposed for the memorial (near the proposed South Entry Plaza at First and Moreland streets), the steering committee recently offered an alternative location (Second and Moreland streets).

“While this alternative location places the memorial one block east of our originally suggested site, it eliminates the conflicts envisioned by the Conservancy and the design team,” said Ron Passarelli, steering committiee member, in an April 20 press release. “It also preserves the design

Hon Kachina Awards Celebrate AIDS Volunteerism As part of its 39th annual volunteer awards and dinner, which took place May 7 at the Marriot Camelback Inn Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Hon Kachina recognized volunteerism within the LGBTQ and HIV communities.

The 2016 Hon Kachina Award recipients: • Kirk Baxter, Phoenix, Phoenix Body Positive | HEAL International • Margaret Bortner, Phoenix, Federal Bureau of Prisons • Jason Burns, Prescott Valley, MATFORCE • Iain Hamp, Phoenix, Phoenix Community Tool Bank • Barbara Hatch, Phoenix, Veterans Heritage Project • Lynn Pellistri, Phoenix, Phoenix Children’s Hospital | Ronald McDonald House • Darlene Shephard, Phoenix, Florence Crittenton

TAKE IT ONLINE To read Echo’s interview with Kirk Baxter, visit echomag.com/hon-kachina.

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concept of the memorial and its proximity to the Parsons Center, which we all feel is so important. It also preserves the interplay between the two water features, its relationship to the surrounding EvansChurchill Neighborhood, and its accessibility to populations we want to educate and encourage about living positively with HIV and AIDS.”

City Council Parks Sub-Committee, c/o Councilwoman Laura Pastor, Chair 200 W. Washington St. Suite 1100, Phoenix, AZ 85003 | council.district.4@phoenix.gov

The steering committee is asking the community to voice its support for the memorial’s new location, including the importance of its proximity to The Parsons Center by contacting the following decision makers:

The Hance Park Conservancy c/o Marcia Karasek, Executive Director P.O. Box 33331, Phoenix, AZ 85067 | mkarasek@habceparkconservancy.org

Mayor Greg Stanton 200 W. Washington St., Suite 1100, Phoenix, AZ 85003 | mayor.stanton@phoenix.gov

The Phoenix Parks Board c/o Inger Erickson, Director, Parks & Recreation Department 200 W. Washington St., Suite 1600, Phoenix, AZ 85003 | inger.erickson@phoenix.gov

For more information on the Hance Park Master Plan and the Phoenix AIDS Memorial, visit facebook.com/ hanceparkmasterplan or melk-nyc.com/ work-portfolio/hance-park.

one n ten Volunteer Honored by Employer Scottsdale resident and one n ten volunteer Beatriz Antelo was among six SRP employees chosen to receive the Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award.

The awards recognize employees and retirees who are leaders in volunteerism and who serve as examples of the power of caring.

Antelo received a 2016 SRP Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award for her volunteer work with one n ten, during which she uses her design expertise to strengthen and promote one n ten’s outreach and fundraising efforts.

According to an SRP press release, “Antelo was introduced to the nonprofit by a co-worker in 2013 and has since volunteered year-round to create brand and promotional pieces to support one n ten’s sustaining donor program, special events and advertising efforts.

In 2015, she created a full-page ad that was published in the Phoenix Business Journal. By creating professionally designed materials, Antelo is helping the nonprofit create community awareness while also attracting sponsors.”

Antelo has volunteered 460 hours since 2014.

“One of the truly remarkable aspects of the SRP employee family is the unwavering commitment to volunteerism that spans the entire organization,” said SRP President David Rousseau. “I’m very proud to be part of a company that has so many employees that give so freely of their time and talent.” news

datebook june 11 Phoenix Pride presents its first awards brunch, during which the organization will present its Community Spirit Awards and annual scholarships and grants, at 10 a.m. at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. phoenixpride.org

May 28 & June 18 The Phoenix Phantomz will host the North County Stars and the Las Vegas Showgirls (respectively) at Moon Valley High School, 3625 W. Cactus Road in Phoenix.

phoenixphantomz.com May 29

june 17 - 19

The 12th annual Bisbee Pride, featuring a weekend filled with events and performances, will take place at various locations throughout downtown. (See story, page 18) bisbeepride.com june 25 Flagstaff Pride is celebrating 20 years of Pride in the Pines with its annual festival at Thorpe Park Ball Field, 600 N. Thorpe Road. flagstaffpride.org Photo by Robert Barnett.

may 20, 25, 29, 31

The Phoenix Mercury will tip off against the Seattle Storm, the Minnesota Lynx, the Washington Mystics (3 p.m.) and the Connecticut Sun at 7 p.m. (respectively) at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St. in Phoenix. (See story, page 32.) mercury.wnba.com/tickets

May 22

Miss Gay Western States America 2016, a direct preliminary to Miss Gay America, will take place at 5 p.m. at Club Palazzo, 710 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix. bit.ly/1V7Ocdh May 25

one n ten presents the 2016 Dancing With The Bars kick-off event, including this year’s contestant reveal, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Stacy’s @ Melrose, 4343 N. Seventh Ave., in Phoenix. (See story, page 16.)

May 20 - 22

onenten.org/dancing-with-the-bars-2016

Tito’s Handmade Vodka presents The Sexiest Bartender Competition, hosted by Tempest DuJour and Clayton McKee, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown, 3600 N 2nd Ave., in Phoenix. bit.ly/221RVJX june 2 - 5 Phoenix Comicon 16 – featuring special guests, costuming events, exhibitors, artists, a film festival, gaming sessions, a Diversity Lounge and a wide variety of additional programming – will take place at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third St., and the Hyatt Regency, 122 N. Second St., in Phoenix. phoenixcomicon.com june 2 - 3 Let’s Get Better Together: A Quality Look at Healthcare, a conference presented by The LGBTQ Consortium of Maricopa County and the LGBTQ Integrated Health Coalition of Southern Arizona, will take place at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive, Tucson. (See story, page 20.) letsgetbettertogether16.eventbrite.com june 5 The third annual Mr/Miss West Coast Continental Pageant, a regional qualifier to the national Mr/Miss Continental Pageant, will take place at BS West, 7125 E. Fifth Ave., in Scottsdale.

westcoastcontinental.com june 12

May 27 - 29

Desert Overture presents Destination: Summer, featuring piano artist Nicole Pesce performing “Rhapsody in Blue,” beginning at 3 p.m. at Tempe Center For the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe. desertoverture.org The Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus presents its annual spring concert and first-ever commissioned piece Bustin’ Out All Over! May 20, 21 and 22 at the John Paul Theater at Phoenix College, 1202 W. Thomas Road in Phoenix, with show times at 8, 7 and 2 p.m., respectively. phoenixmenschorus.org 14

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Lerner & Rowe present Splash Bash Memorial Day Weekend at the Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown, 3600 N 2nd Ave., in Phoenix. bit.ly/1WsTIZ4

MARK OUR CALENDARS

To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag.com/ community-calendar. All submissions are subject to Echo’s discretion. events

proud

TO CHANGE THE GAME. to be herself.

TICKETS START AT $9 PRIDE NIGHT MERCURY VS DALLAS JUNE 18 | 7 PM

BRITTNEY GRINER

Special Guest Appearance and Halftime Q & A with Jason Collins, the first active and out player in NBA history

PHOENIXMERCURY.COM

one n ten launches its newest fundraiser

By Laura Latzko

F

or the past eight summers, SWAY Events paired colorful costumes and spicy dance routines with local businesses and dedicated volunteers to produce Dancing With The Bars (DWTB) – one of the most popular fundraising events in Phoenix.

The ninth season, however, marks the first year the competition will be produced by – and benefit – one n ten, a support organization that’s been serving LGBTQ youth, ages 14 to 24, since 1993.

According to Nate Rhoton, one n ten’s development director, the organization’s goal is to gain a new platform for fundraising, education and awareness by taking the reins of one of the community’s favorite traditions.

“This event is about spreading the mission of the organization to the community so people know what we are about,” Rhoton said, adding that the fundraiser has become one of the mostanticipated events of the year within the local LGBTQ community.

The competition will have a similar format as previous years, with each contestant representing a local bar, fundraising through such events as “Tappy Hours” and working with a dance professional on a ballroom dance routine, which will be performed for the audience and a panel of judges at the competition – both of whom help decide the winner.

“You really have to bring it on all three levels,” Rhoton said. “You have to fundraise, you have to really be ready to practice – put the blood, sweat and tears into it – and then make sure you have your

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fans there supporting you.”

Competitors are required to raise a minimum of $1,000 and the top fundraiser will also receive a special prize.

According to Rhoton, the 2012 DWTB winner, the competition is both a challenging and rewarding experience for contestants.

“It was a great experience for me, just to put all of that effort and energy into something,” Rhoton said. “Planning these fundraisers while rehearsing is just a test of your character.”

Because no dance experience is required to compete, each participant will have access to past contestants for mentorship and be paired with a professional ballroom dancer. For the third year, Arizona Ballroom Champions will serve as the exclusive dance partner.

The competition, according to Arizona Ballroom Champions co-owner Shawn Nerdahl, is one way the dance instructors are able to give back to the LGBTQ community.

“It’s a charity that’s done within the community that we belong to,” Nerdahl said. “It’s a talent I have that I can lend to such a great cause.”

According to Nerdahl, the professional dancers create routines geared toward their contestant’s ability levels, style and flavor – while also pushing them to develop as performers. “[We] help them become the dancer that they want to be,” Nerdahl said. “[We’re] able to tailor their routine to their skill levels so that they will look good and feel good, and

[perform] something they can be proud of.”

According to Rhoton, proceeds from DWTB will benefit programs such as Promise of a New Day, which provides 40 housing units to homeless LGBTQ youth.

Through the program, youth also receive healthcare, a place to live, transportation, behavioral health counseling and job training.

“It’s really, I think, one of our most critical programs because it allows us to intercept at a point in these youths’ lives when it can be truly life-changing for them, in terms of getting the tools they need to succeed and end that cycle of poverty,” Rhoton said.

For more information on DWTB, including a list of this year’s contestants, ticket information and other ways to donate, visit onenten.org/dancing-with-the-bars-2016.

DWTB Contestant Reveal & Kick-Off Party 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 25 Stacy’s @ Melrose 4343 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix DWTB 2016 Competition Aug. 7 Tempe Center for the Arts 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

Photo courtesy of bisbeepride.org.

A Mile-High Celebration Bisbee Pride showcases community spirit for locals and visitors alike

By Liz Massey

I

f there were awards given out to Pride festivals, Bisbee’s pride festival might well qualify in the “Small But Mighty” category.

Arizona’s mile-high town (nestled as it is at 5,000 feet above sea level) has a total population of only 5,000, but its cool June temperatures and its strong integration between the LGBTQ and ally communities create a near-perfect festival venue that literally involves all of downtown.

“Our pride festival becomes part of the Bisbee community – we’re not behind a fence,” said Kathy Sowden, owner of Finders Keepers antique shop in Bisbee and festival organizer since 2009. “I think it’s really freeing for attendees to be in a small town where they can be themselves.”

This year, Bisbee Pride will take place from June 17 to 19, with festival activities (many of which are free) spread throughout the town. The Lingerie Pub Crawl, which encourages participants to deck themselves out in their eveningwear, kicks the weekend off June 17. Later that evening, the celebration continues at the Half-Penny Variety Show and Dance Party or the Miners and Madames Dance Party.

Grassy Park will play host to an artist/ vendor fair and a beer garden/day stage,

which will feature performers from the Tucson community on June 18. As the sun sets, the Bisbee Pride Parade will hit the streets, followed by the Laugh Out Loud comedy show at City Park.

Festival goers can begin their recovery from a hectic weekend with the Twisted Sister Bingo and Bloody Mary Bar at the Grand Saloon.

Like a few other mountain towns in Arizona, Bisbee was a mining town salvaged by hippies and artists when the mines closed in 1974. Sowden said Pride attendees could pay homage to that part of the area’s past by dressing in costume for the Miners and Madames Dance Party, or by taking time to visit the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, which is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate.

The entertainment line-up at the festival is diverse, ranging from the singer/rapper and “female drag queen” Wendy Ho (Wendy Jo Smith) and female impersonation superstar Sherry Vine to the Valley’s “gender outlaw” Pandora DeStrange and lesbian comic Sandra Valls. DJ Cue from Tucson will be serving up dance remixes at the beer garden event in Grassy Park and after the Laugh Out Loud comedy show.

Sowden said that festival organizers were hoping for an attendance of about 1,500. Many local merchants will offer specials or host Pride-related events in their establishments, giving a decidedly local flavor to the event.

“The whole downtown is all about Pride for the entire weekend,” Sowden said, adding that of the 80 sponsors of the event in 2015, more than three-quarters of them were area businesses.

That level of community involvement may very well be the secret ingredient that keeps attendees coming back, year after year.

Sowden, who has lived in Bisbee for 11 years, said although the town has no official gay bars, LGBTQ residents and visitors feel comfortable showing affection and being themselves, everywhere they go.

It’s a dynamic that’s not gone unnoticed by Pride attendees, she said.

“We did a survey last year for the first time and asked people what they like about Pride,” Sowden explained. “More than 50 percent said ‘community,’ ‘town,’ or ‘acceptance.’ This is what every place should be like, but isn’t.”

For more information, including a full list of events, performers and prices, visit bisbeepride.com.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

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Lesbian comic Sandra Valls to take the Pride stage

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os Angeles-based Lesbian comic Sandra Valls (pictured) is heading to Bisbee for the mile-high town’s 12th annual Pride celebration.

Valls’ trademark is her record of giving back by volunteering and producing comedy shows for various causes including benefits/ fundraisers for AIDS, sobriety/ recovery, domestic violence and LGBTQ equality.

Valls will also host a comedy workshop on LGBTQ comedy for Pride attendees from 1 to 3 p.m. June 18 at Brewery Gulch (34A Brewery Ave.). Later that day, she will take the stage at Laugh Out Loud – a queer comedy event hosted by Sherry Vine and featuring appearances by Wendy Ho and Pandora DeStrange – at 8 p.m. at City Park.

Even in an era of increasing mainstream acceptance, Valls noted that there still is a purpose and a need for LGBTQ-themed humor.

“Everyone needs to be able to laugh at themselves. Laughter heals,” she asserted. “It’s particularly important to have LGBTQ humor because we are inundated with ‘straight’ humor all the time.”

“Bisbee is an amazing community and I can’t wait to visit,” Valls said, adding that she was impressed with the drive and spirit of the Bisbee Pride organizers. “It’s not about the size of the Pride, but the energy of the people in charge of it.”

Laugh Out Loud starts at 8 p.m. and admission is $20 at the door. For more information, visit bisbeepride.com.

Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine.

She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.

According to Valls, her act focuses the humor of her day-to-day life as a lesbian Latina in a white, straight world. With a background as an R&B singer, Valls also loves to interweave music and comedy in her acts.

Photo courtesy of bisbeepride.org.

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It’s about love. It’s about time.

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Thurs Art Walk: 6 to 9 pm Mon – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm

7 1 4 8 E . M A I N S T R E E T S C O T T S D A L E A Z 4 8 0 . 9 9 4 . 4 7 1 7 W W W. F R E N C H O N M A I N . C O M EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

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#GetBetterTogether2016

LGBTQ organizations host annual healthcare conference

By Megan Wadding

T

he LGBTQ Consortium of Maricopa County and the LGBTQ Integrated Health Coalition of Southern Arizona present the fifth annual statewide healthcare conference June 2-3 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson.

The two-day conference, titled Let's Get Better Together: A Quality Look at Healthcare, focus on integrated health for Arizona’s LGBTQ communities and holistic health, treating the entire person, mind, body and spirit.

According to Jason Vail Cruz, the LGBTQ Consortium’s lead community development coordinator, this year’s theme, “Approaches to Holistic Healing: LGBTQ Integrated Care,” was chosen due to events that are happening within the health systems of the state of Arizona.

“There is a move towards full integration and [the] creation of 'one-stop shops,' which is influencing how people get care, where the care is provided and what range of services are available,” he said.

As a result, the conference provides a space for advocacy training, education, guest speakers, specific sessions and panels, networking and vendors converge.

The first day of the conference, Cruz explained, is dedicated to events that help LGBTQ community members learn how to advocate within themselves, their agencies and their communities.

Isaac Akapnitis, LGBTQ Consortium public relations chair, who also has a background in sociology and social work, will co-present along with Cruz on both days of the conference. On the first day, they will be discussing strategies to “create communitywide change in support of the LGBTQ [and gender and sexuality minority] community.”

Then, the following day, they will be 20

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“[It] is a full day of workshops to address ‘body, mind and spirit’ healthcare practices for adults and children who identify in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual or twospirit populations.”

Isaac Akapnitis

co-facilitating a workshop about providing trauma-informed care to the community. “[The workshop] will include a discussion on barriers to treatment and care, health disparities within the community that can create, perpetuate and exacerbate trauma and ways providers can approach clients with competency and sensitivity to promote better health outcomes,” Akapnitis explained.

The second day of the conference will also feature keynote sessions in the morning followed by three breakout sessions at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels for participants to learn about LGBTQ health and health practices from all around the state.

“Breakout sessions, the advocacy day, and the plenary are all vetted by committee and lead by speakers who work in the field,” Cruz said. “The speakers are from all holistic disciplines inside Arizona.”

This conference, which is open to the public, is expected to draw 300 attendees.

“[It] is a full day of workshops to address ‘body, mind and spirit’ healthcare practices for adults and children who identify in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual or twospirit populations,” Akapnitis said. “We will address intersections between LGBTQ identity and medical healthcare, mental healthcare and spiritual practices.”

Since the first conference, in 2011, Cruz said its goal has been to grow health literacy, increase skills in providing services to the LGBTQ community, specifically in holistic ways.

“It is an inexpensive way to gain skills, continue education credits and [a] networking experience,” Cruz said.

In addition to the events at the conference, Cruz added that there will also be bookstore on-site that will have the books and other texts touched upon by the conference speakers.

“There will be books of LGBTQ history, health information, and other knowledge that will help support the learning of the participants,” said Cruz.

Attendees must pre-register online, at letsgetbettertogether16.eventbrite.com, in advance. For a full schedule of events, visit facebook.com/letsgetbettertogetheraz.

Let's Get Better Together conference June 2-3 Loews Ventana Canyon Resort 7000 N. Resort Drive, Tucson letsgetbettertogether16.eventbrite.com Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism.

Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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OUT & ABOUT Night For Life May 14 at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn. Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

OUT & ABOUT The Imperial Court of Arizona's Coronation XI May 7 at Phoenix Airport Marriott.

Photos by Tiffany Photography.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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OUT & ABOUT "Identity – A Photography Exhibition by Dave Naz." May 6 at Chartreuse in Phoenix.

Photos by KJ Philp.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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Right On Target

Local trans activist shares experiences behind his viral bathroom selfie

By KJ Philp

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about the situation, about me, many of them coming from people that I worked with.

With no one knowing of my trans identity, I was subjected to multiple conversations about what rights transgender people “deserved,” and many people that I had thought were supportive friends of mine allowed their discriminatory bigotry to rear its ugly head while they were around me, none of them knowing that they were openly discriminating against a transgender person in their very presence.

Echo: What was your intention with this post?

Jamison: Honestly, much of the reason I wrote the post so that I could work through a lot of internalized frustration that I needed to get out of my system. After having to listen to hundreds of uneducated conversations about the bathroom policy and what rights my transgender siblings [and I] deserve to have, I had enough, and took it upon myself to share my thoughts and beliefs on the matter. I had figured, if anything, though the majority of my friends are LGBTQ+ or allies, that they could at least hear about the bathroom debacle from a first person account of a Target employee.

My original intended audience was just for my Facebook friends, but after posting, a few of them asked if it was OK that they shared it. I said of course, and the rest was history.

Echo: Do you think social media is impacting the trans* movement? In what ways?

Jamison: I believe that social media has been an incredible proponent of normalizing what it means to be transgender, bringing stories to the forefront that would not be heard otherwise ...

Echo: What advice do you have for any employers or family members reading this who might not fully understand why this issue is so critical to trans, genderqueer, non-binary, non-conforming -identified individuals?

Jamison: For those out there who may know someone who identifies as trans or gendernonconforming, whether or not you fully understand what someone is going through, please recognize that the exploration of gender and identity are incredibly long and arduous roads … What makes humankind incredible is our differences, and what we can learn from one another. Whether or not you agree with something does not mean it is wrong. Just because you cannot identify or relate to a persons journey does not mean that you can designate what it should look like ... With each individual comes experiences, ideas and differences, and all of those are to be respected, whether or not they are always understood or agreed with.

Photo courtesy of Maxwell Jamison.

T

he recent controversy surrounding Target was set in motion following the retail giant’s April 19 statement saying, that they “welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.”

In response to the conversation sparked by the statement, local trans activist and Target employee Maxwell Jamison posted a bathroom selfie (pictured) with the attached caption to his Facebook account April 27.

Within two weeks his post had 10,212 shares, 4.1K comments and 34K likes.

Echo Magazine caught up with Jamison to talk about his experiences leading up to, and since, his viral post.

Echo: How would you describe yourself to our readers?

Jamison: I am a 24-year-old queer trans man with an activist heart. I am proud of my trans and queer identity and like to use my platform to educate others and advocate for equal rights for my fellow trans brothers, sisters and gender-nonconforming siblings.

Echo: What reactions to Target's statement did you observe?

Jamison: When Target announced their policy regarding trans and gender variant restroom and fitting room use on April 19, never would I have dreamt of the calamity that would follow. The store that I work in, on the outskirts of Phoenix, received dozens of calls from guests who were swearing at our team members and managers that they would never shop at our store again [and] that we should change the policy.

Many people came in to demand to speak to our store manager in person, a scene I watched play out more than a dozen times while I was on shift. What many of these people did not understand was that Target’s transgender friendly restroom policy has been in effect for years, and was only announced publicly in response to the North Carolina bill as a form of solidarity to the company’s trans employees and shoppers ...

Echo: What were the weeks that followed like for you at work?

Jamison: For me personally, the entire situation was surreal. Many fellow trans Target employees that I have had the opportunity to speak to [and I] unintentionally internalized the bigotry that we were watching happen on a day-to-day basis. It only takes so many people infuriated and disgusted over the idea of transgender people for us to take notice and turn those words of hatred towards ourselves and, let me tell you, it hurts. I began dreading going to work knowing that I would have to overhear the comments that people had

Maxwell Jamison’s April 27 Facebook post: Hi there! My name is Max. I'm a Target team member, and I also happen to be transgender.

Over the past week since Target announced their inclusive restroom policy following the North Carolina bathroom bill, I've had to endure multiple conversations regarding what rights trans people deserve, these comments coming from the guests at my store, my fellow coworkers, and even a few of my supervisors. I have been told that trans people ought to use "the bathroom that matches their junk," that a "man in a dress" is going to sexually assault everyone's daughters, our store has been threatened and cursed out by guests, and the amount of rampant transphobia that's taken place in store and online this past week has been nauseating.

So, here I am, in the men's restroom at Target, a trans man, standing up for my trans siblings out there who've had to listen and read the same bullshit I've been experiencing. Know that for every negative thought some bigot has had about us, there are other gender-dismantling folks out there standing up for our right to use whatever restroom we please, in Target, in restaurants, in shopping malls, wherever. Stand up for your right to gain access to relieve basic human functions and feel safe doing so.

Trans ladies, use the women's restroom with pride, check out your cute blouse in a mirror without fearing for your safety. Trans guys, don't feel ashamed waiting for a stall to open up. Gender queers, go, and I mean GO, wherever you feel fits your vibe that day.

You've come a long way in your personal journey, and we've got a long way to go until we're recognized as valid, beautiful, powerful human beings. We're getting there, slowly but surely.

Keep going. Fight with the rest of us and shut out the negativity. Don't let the problematic idea of "passing" decide where you drop trou. Don't let some shitlord's comment on a Facebook news post about North Carolina dictate where you pee. #LetUsPeeInPeace

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interview with Maxwell Jamison, visit echomag.com/right-on-target.

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

OUT & ABOUT Trans* Youth Art Show May 6 at The Phoenix Pride LGBT Center.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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feature story

“Coming Out Under Fire”

SMoCA showcases local artist’s gift to the LGBTQ community

By Greg Marzullo

O

ne year after the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling and five since the repeal of the military’s McCarthyist “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is reviving an LGBTQ-themed exhibit by artist and psychologist Mel Roman (pictured).

Originally titled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” for the 2000 premiere, the new iteration, which includes detailed biographical information about the artist, “Coming Out Under Fire” is a nod to a seminal book and documentary of the same title chronicling the indignities suffered by gay and lesbian service members during World War II. “Like so many people, I was thrilled 28

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about the Supreme Court decision last year. We have so few civil rights successes in Arizona,” said Claire Carter, curator for the Roman exhibit. “Xenophobia and prejudice is winding up again. The presidential election is coming up. Before all the shit hits the fan … it would be good to take a moment to reflect on the general successes we have.”

While the exhibit is, in some ways, a celebratory moment for LGBTQ viewers and their supporters, it still asks timely, hard-hitting questions about identity and how institutionalized bigotry – in government, media, cultural psychology – effects the formation of an individual and a society.

Upon entering the exhibit, which is

on display May 21 to Oct. 2, one room is dedicated to a group of large mirrors placed in such a way that when the viewer gazes into one, they see themselves replicated ad infinitum. But the real jolt comes from the words written on the mirrors: Some are emblazoned with pejorative labels like “fag” and “dyke” and another states “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a notso-subtle reminder of how members of the military needed to watch themselves as if they were observing a third person, a performer hoping to convince an unfriendly audience that the character they played was real. Yet another mirror asks “how can one be what one is,” and it’s in that question, perhaps, that the heart of the artist can be found. feature story

Meet Mel

Roman, who died from complications of colon cancer in 2002, might seem like an unlikely candidate to tackle such a topic.

He was a straight WWII veteran, but he was also the son of Trotskyist Jewish immigrants, both of whom were heavily involved in union organizing in New York.

A well-regarded psychologist, Roman concurrently developed and expanded his artistic passions, which dovetailed with his commitment to social justice issues.

“I see [‘Coming Out Under Fire’] as part of the continuum of Mel’s life,” said Louise Roman, Mel’s widow who later married local architect Will Bruder. “This social justice issue was … one of a lifetime of such concerns and passions and works of advocacy. He had multiple voices that he used to raise those concerns. One of those was art. The other was writing. The other was teaching. I know that in his therapy work he employed the kind of humanist perspective that underpins all of his work.

All injustices were to be battled and to be witnessed and to be confronted and to hold up a mirror to ourselves and say, ‘Really? Is this the best we can do?’”

“Mel saw his work as a way to deal with his anger,” said longtime friend Scott Jacobson. “If you’re pissed off, do something about it, then you don’t feel like you have no power anymore. We live in the city where John McCain lives. Figure it out.”

Roman moved to Scottsdale in 1989, and subsequently experienced a bit of a political culture shock having grown up in the Bronx. As an adult, he spent numerous summers in Provincetown among political radicals, writers and artists. He could talk as easily with feminist writer Betty Friedan as he could with the blustery novelist Norman Mailer. Yet it’s not hard to imagine how the political attitude of the country toward LGBTQ issues, exacerbated

by Arizona’s own special brand of conservatism, helped feed Roman’s creative output – this exhibit, in particular.

“We don’t live in an urban environment that fights back,” Jacobson said. “Mel was a fighter. This was his gift to the gay community and to the whole community.

He would have done it for any other marginalized group that had suffered such absurdity.”

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Era

Back in 2000, more than a decade before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the United States was embroiled in a divisive presidential election that would end with the Supreme Court handing George W. Bush the presidency, a disastrous blow for LGBTQ rights. Gay and lesbian service members were still nursing their wounds from the beating they took during the Clinton administration’s failed attempt to lift the ban on gays in the military, which birthed the Kafka-esque DADT policy.

Yet when the exhibit premiered that year at SMoCA, the museum staff – who had feature story

prepared for protests – were surprised by the response.

“There was no real controversy over the show,” said Carter, who, although she wasn’t yet working at SMoCA, researched the exhibit’s reception. Even the use of an American flag in one of the artworks – draped over a pristine, white coffin that had “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” printed on it – didn’t provoke any outcries against the museum.

Yet it’s hard to say how the show will land today. Will it be a historical curiosity, or an apt commentary on how flimsy LGBTQ advancements are? The country is poised at a similar juncture in its national politics as it was in 2000. The presidential scrum is, once again, in full play, but all decorum seems lost as both sides claw their way to Pennsylvania Avenue. Blatant homo- and transphobia is cloaked with religious pieties, while racism and misogyny are cheered by crowds that look suspiciously like stills from 1940s Fascist Europe.

“Why have we not had more anger and more revolution in this country?” Jacobson asked. “There’s so much absurdity. You cannot find a sword big enough to knock your windmill with.”

Much like Roman, both Louise and Jacobson, see the issues of LGBTQ equality, socioeconomics, women’s rights and racism as interconnected. As gay, trans, lesbian, bisexual, black, Chicano/a, poor, rich, straight visitors to the museum stare into those mirrors, each person must confront what impact their choices have not only on themselves but on the thousand reflections that emerge from them.

“Sometimes, these very powerful images [provide] an ‘aha’ moment inchoate,” Louise said. “We have to hope that museums have that ability to … raise a different way of looking at the world, make us enter into a dialogue with ourselves and with our neighbor [about] what is before us.”

Captions (clockwise): • Installation of the exhibition Mel Roman: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell at the Scottsdale

Museum of Contemporary Art, March 18June 4, 2000.

• Portrait of artist Mel Roman in his New York co-op, c. 1979. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of the artist’s estate. © Robert Brooks • Mel Roman, detail, Nature/Nurture, 1998.

Laminated print on board in wood frame with neon; 96 x 96 inches. Collection of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Gift of the artist and the Arizona Human Rights Fund. © Estate of Mel Roman

“Coming Out Under Fire” May 21 to Oct. 2 Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale 480-874-4666 Admission: adults, $7; students, $5 (no admission all day Thursdays or Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m.) smoca.org Greg Marzullo is an award-winning arts critic, journalist, author of the book Bad Yogi and creator of the Weekly Scourge, a blog focused on religion-related news. He can be reached at greg.marzullo@gmail.com.

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Sports Feature

Out

Redemption

Phoenix Mercury season preview

4. Penny Taylor

Following Taurasi’s lead, Taylor took 2015 off, but is now back for 2016. This toughas-nails Aussie was a member of the squad that brought home the trophy in 2007, 2009 and 2014. With this type of championship experience, her veteran skills will be much appreciated this season. Combine that with her uncanny ability to bring out the best in the other members of her team, and you’ve got a recipe for victory.

By Alex Chambers

B

ack on Feb. 26, 2015, I left you all with this quote: “Phoenix Mercury fans need to have faith. Taurasi will return.”

As promised, she’s back at the helm of the Mercury this season in her quest for a fourth championship. However, getting to that championship could look a bit different this year.

In years past, the Mercury played the regular season to get seeded for the playoffs; this was calculated against other Western conference teams. Then, the Mercury would enter the playoffs to play the best of the Western conference, and if successful, would advance to the Finals to square off against an Eastern conference team. That is the way the post season has functioned since the leagues inception in 1997; however, in this past offseason, the league had some new ideas.

For the 2016 season, the top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs. That’s the top eight teams in the entire league – conference is no longer a factor. Also, now there are four rounds in the playoffs as opposed to three. The first and second rounds are single elimination. So, each team in the first and second around has one shot to stay alive in the post-season. Now, both the semi-finals (which used to be only three games), as well as the Finals, feature a best-of-five format.

What does this all mean? Well, the Mercury will need to fight hard all season against the entire league, not just the Western conference. The higher they rank, the higher they’ll get seeded, which increases the team’s chances of making it to the Finals. If the team gets ranked between 5th and 8th overall, they’ll have one chance to keep their post-season dreams alive. So, this season, no games are a “given” – every win counts.

Without a doubt, the Mercury has an uphill battle to fight this year. For a team that thrives on adversity and challenge, that is actually good news. Even more good news is the starting set that brought home the championship trophy in 2014 – DeWanna Bonner, Penny Taylor, Candace Dupree and Brittney Griner – will be joining Taurasi in the teams quest for a fourth championship.

Keep in mind that the only team in WNBA history to claim four championships is the now defunct, yet legendary, Houston Comets. From 1997 to 2000, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Charles reigned supreme and shut out all competition to establish the WNBA’s first dynasty by 32

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winning four back-to-back titles.

Does the Mercury have a chance to win a fourth championship title and become the league’s next dynasty? There are five reasons to believe the answer is yes: the five starting players that led the team to the record setting 29-5 season in 2014 who will be back on the court this season.

5. Candace Dupree

With the smoothest shot in the league and moves like a ninja, Dupree can make the bucket before the other team even knows what happening. Dupree shot 75 percent during the Finals in 2014, proving that in the most important games, she is the dependable player you want at the ready. In a 2016 season, where every game counts, the Mercury is fortunate to have Dupree as a weapon in their arsenal.

3. DeWanna Bonner

As a player who started coming off the bench when she joined the Mercury in 2009, Bonner quickly earned her place in the starting five – and for good reason. This three-time sixth woman of the year knows how to step up when she is needed. In 2012, when the team

sports feature

was plagued with injuries, Bonner led the Western conference in scoring with 20.6 points per game, and became a shining star in the Mercury lineup during a rather dismal season for the team as a whole.

2. Brittney Griner

The dominant defense Griner brings to the paint will once again plague visiting teams.

As a two-time defensive player of the year, Griner will be protecting the rim and keeping competitors at bay when she’s not going up for a dunk – something Phoenix fans have become quite accustomed to since she was drafted No. 1 overall in 2013. Heading in to her fourth season, the young player is hungry for another championship and will be instrumental in bringing home another trophy.

2016 Phoenix Mercury Schedule The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury, presented by Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort, kicked off the 2015 regular season May 14 in Minnesota. The team’s home opener against Seattle will take place May 20 at 7 p.m.

In its final game before the WNBA’s a month-long break to accommodate the Summer Games, the team will face Chicago July 19 at home. Regular season play will resume Aug. 26 at home against Dallas.

For tickets, visit phoenixmercury.com or call 602-252-WNBA. May Fri

20 Seattle

Wed 25 Minnesota

August 7 p.m.

Fri

24 @ Washington 4 p.m.

7 p.m.

Wed 29 Connecticut 7 p.m.

Sun 29 Washington 3 p.m.

Tue 31 Connecticut 7 p.m.

June Fri

3

@ Seattle

7 p.m.

1

New York

7 p.m.

Sun 3

@ Atlanta

3 p.m.

Tue 5

@ Dallas

5:30 p.m.

Fri 8 Indiana

7 p.m.

Thur 9 San Antonio 7 p.m.

Sun 10 @ Chicago

3 p.m.

Sun 12 Chicago

3 p.m.

Wed 13 Washington

12:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Tue 16 San Antonio

7 p.m.

Sat 18 Dallas

7 p.m.

Wed 19 Chicago

7 p.m.

Tue 21 @ Dallas

5 p.m.

Tue 7

Fri

@ Minnesota 5 p.m.

17 LosAngeles

Fri 26 Dallas

7 p.m.

Sun 28 Los Angeles 6 p.m.

July Fri

5-21 Summer Olypics

(Bold indicates home games.)

Tue 30 @ Indiana

4 p.m.

September Fri

2

@ Connecticut 4 p.m.

Sat 3

@ New York

3 p.m.

Tue 6

@ Atlanta

4 p.m.

Sun 11 Atlanta

3 p.m.

Tue 13 @ Los Angeles 7:30 p.m.

Thur 15 Seattle

7 p.m.

Sun 18 @ San Antonio 1:30 p.m.

1. Diana Taurasi

Last, but certainly not least, is Taurasi. The prodigal player who everyone missed last season will be back on the court and ready to play. Leaving the cold winds of Russia behind her, Taurasi comes home to the Valley of the Sun in search of the one thing that has driven her for her entire career: victory. No matter if it is a familiar rival or a new foe that stands between her and a fourth title, Taurasi will bring the skill, fight and grit that Phoenix fans have come to know and love.

Because the final roster has not been set, the remainder of the team is still unclear. One thing that is certain, the Phoenix Mercury is on the cusp of becoming the second dynasty team in the WNBA, and with the talent of their starting line-up, their chances are better than ever. sports feature

Photos by Barry Gossage/ NBAE via Getty Images.

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Ready

Rio

Taurasi and Griner named to 2016 U.S. Olympic team

By Alex Chambers

A

s the world gears up for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so too is the Phoenix Mercury.

The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury will be represented at the 2016 Summer Games, as Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner were both named to the 12-member U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team roster April 27.

The women’s national team has taken home the gold in the last five Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012), and this year is looking to make it six in a row.

To accommodate the Summer Olympics, which will take place Aug. 5 through 21, the WNBA will take a month-long hiatus as many of its players compete for their 34

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respective countries.

Mercury fans are no strangers to the Summer Games.

Three-time Olympic veteran Diana Taurasi is back to add her talents to the roster of an already talented squad. Taurasi earned her first gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Being only a rookie at that time, Taurasi once lamented that she was relegated to getting doughnuts for point guard Dawn Staley. She quickly shifted into veteran role after grabbing her second gold medal in 2008 in Beijing, China, and her third in 2012 in London, England. Taurasi is looking to tie Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie, the only two USA women’s basketball players with four gold medals.

While Britney Griner will be making her Olympic debut, she does bring USA basketball experience after being part of the FIBA World Championship team in 2014 that brought home USA’s ninth title. This summer Griner will have an opportunity to showcase her defensive abilities and scoring skills on yet another world stage – plus she might throw down a dunk or two. No confirmation on whether or not she’ll be getting doughnuts for Taurasi.

Alex Chambers is the author of 13 Teams: One Man’s Journey with the WNBA, which chronicles his 2009 journey to see games played at every WNBA home court. sports feature

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photo feature

The Saguaro Cup Softball Tournament Story and photos by Tony Contini

P

apago Park was sunny and bustling, and a barrage of crowd cheers and ump hollers converged across the four active fields, as The Saguaro Cup Softball Tournament kicked off April 9.

Out of the 51 teams, 33 traveled from as far as the Pacific Northwest and Kansas City for the annual weekend tournament, hosted by the Cactus Cities Softball League.

All-male, all-female and co-ed teams spread between Papago, Desert West and Rose Mofford sports complexes. Teams across three divisions participated in pool play during mornings followed by double elimination games.

Some players were there to drink, others to have a laugh.

After Daniel Torres of the Diablos Saints hit a big inside-the-park home run he was immediately handed a large beer from a friend in the dugout. A third base coach yelled, “Once you come, listen to me.” Someone from the Saints dugout immediately responded, “I can’t listen to anyone once I come.”

Through all the laughter and beer drinking, there were still serious, competitive moments: first base coach Josh Peters-McBride of Portland’s Bella Boys, shouted “get there” to prospective base-hitters like a drill sergeant.

Peters-McBride, who played baseball on and off from childhood through college, now plays first base and manages the Bella Boys.

“I’m a little competitive,” PetersMcBride said. “My family played sports all through growing up.”

Since moving to Portland, PetersMcBride said he’s met many new friends through softball.

“The best part about a softball community is just that, it’s a community,” Peters-McBride said. “When the LGBT community is marginalized so much, organizations like softball bring a sense of family. These are my brothers and sisters, and we all have something in common. We’re either all LGBT or LGBT and allies, and as a whole we work together.”

This year marked the 22nd year of the tournament. The Cactus Cities Softball League states they harbor the “amateur athletic experience for persons of all skill levels and abilities regardless of sexual

orientation, gender, race, creed, religion or national origin.”

This sense of acceptance, community and team building was echoed throughout the ballpark.

According to Thomas Kirkpatrick of the Phoenix Grizzlies, who has been competing at the Saguaro Cup for six years, other tournaments tend to center around the party element.

“Arizona is more based in community,” Kirkpatrick said. “They try to keep it more centralized to support local businesses.”

Oliver Allen drove in from Las Vegas for his second year at the tournament. Last year was the first time his team, the Las Vegas Wranglers, played together and he felt they did well.

“We try to play as many tournaments as we can to get more experience as a team,” Allen said.

With a laugh, he admitted that his team wasn’t doing too well this year. Still, he added, less competitive tournaments, such as the Saguaro Cup, are a great place to practice and build synergy.

For more information on Cactus Cities Softball or the Saguaro Cup, visit cactuscities.com.

Tony Contini is a photographer, writer and graduate from The University of Nevada, Reno’s Reynolds School of Journalism who specializes in wedding, concert and sport coverage. He can be reached at tonycontini.com.

Open B Division 1st Place: Stix, Denver 2nd Place: Tribe, Palm Springs 3rd Place: Outlaws, Long Beach Open C Division 1st Place: Greyhounds, Palm Springs 2nd Place: Heat, Las Vegas 3rd Place: Bronies, Phoenix Open D Division 1st Place: uMad?!, Los Angeles

For more photos of The Saguaro Cup Softball Tournament, visit echomag.com/saguaro-cup-2016.

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2nd Place: Bella Boys, Portland 3rd Place: Demons, Phoenix

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OUT & ABOUT Sets in the Sand Volleyball Tournament April 9 at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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Your Ad Here!

For details, call 602-266-0550.

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feature story

Game of Thrones

Meet Phoenix Pride’s newly crowned royalty

By Laura Latzko

N

early two months have passed since Naomi St. James and George “Geo” Johnson were crowned Miss and Mister and Phoenix Pride 2016, respectively.

As soon as Geo and St. James settled into their new roles, Echo Magazine caught up with this year’s royalty to find out more about their journey to their respective thrones, what these new titles mean to them and what plans they have for their reign.

Miss Phoenix Pride 2016 Naomi St. James Having performed at venues across the Valley for the past decade, including four years as a cast member of BS West’s the Elements Show, Naomi St. James is no stranger to the stage or the spotlight.

The resume of this self-proclaimed “pageant queen” also includes six trips to Miss Gay USofA, which landed her in the top five twice and top two once, and three previous appearances in the Phoenix Pride pageant.

Echo: What made you decide to compete in the Miss Phoenix Pride pageant again this year?

St. James: People who know me know that I’m a pageant queen. Over the years I have had so much help from the LGBTQ community to help achieve my dream of becoming Miss Gay USofA. So after deciding to take some time off from competing at a national level, I wanted to take this

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feature story

time to give back and say, ‘thank you’ to everyone who has supported me through the years. Being Miss Phoenix Pride gives me the opportunity to be utilized in many fundraisers that give back to the community.

Echo: What do you hope to accomplish as Miss Phoenix Pride 2016?

St. James: Everywhere I go, I [want to] make sure I represent the Phoenix Pride organization and educate the community about the Pride Scholarship. Since I am the first trans female to be crowned, I would like to help the trans youth plan for their future and be someone they can speak with about anything. When I transitioned my whole family turned their backs on me, and I want to be there for people so they don’t have to face finding who they are alone.

Echo: Are there any communities you would like to work with more during your reign?

St. James: Being transgender, I know that sometimes we are outcast or sometimes mistreated by the community. I couldn’t tell you how many times some bar employees at certain establishments were rude or made it seem I wasn’t welcome because it was primarily a gay or lesbian bar … Being Miss Phoenix Pride, I want to help bring everyone, as one community, together and not just be considered a community within a community.

Echo: Are there any causes or organizations you hope to work with as Miss Phoenix Pride?

St. James: Well, for sure the Pride Scholarship Fund, which is the core [of what] this title is representing. Being able to help the LGBTQ community go back to school to better themselves is very important to me. Leaving home at 15, I had to give up any scholarships I would have received, because I had to drop out of high school in order to work to survive. I was always a great student and my goal was to attend college, but I had to put that dream on hold until I was much older.

Echo: As a titleholder, you will be seen as a role model in the community. What type of role model do you hope to be?

St. James: Honestly, as crazy as this sounds, I don’t want to be considered a role model. I don’t want people to follow in my footsteps, as I’m not perfect. I want to be a voice to the youth, to help them learn from my mistakes, life and hardships to make their lives much easier than mine was. If I can help influence someone to not do the things I have done and help guide them to making better decisions for themselves, I would consider my reign a great success.

Mister Phoenix Pride 2016 George “Geo” Johnson You might know him as Mr. Gay Arizona USofA 2010, Mr. American National Star 2014, Mr. West Coast Continental 2015 or Mister AZ Drag 2016. Now, as your reigning Mister Phoenix Pride 2016, George “Geo” Johnson is bringing his background as a dancer to a new stage.

When he’s not our raising money for the Pride Scholarship Fund, Geo is performing feature story

with Desert Dance Theatre, Dulce Dance Company or with other male entertainers as part of The Rock’s monthly installment of The Gentlemen’s Club.

Echo: What made you decide to compete in the Mister Phoenix Pride pageant this year?

Geo: Being a bio male in our community and holding this title, it’s a big responsibility, but I intend to be a good role model in our community, and I will do my best to leave a good legacy behind. Our community is about being inclusive. Our acronyms themselves are the LGBTQ community. So, if we are about being inclusive, it only makes sense that we include everyone in our community, whether you are trans, whether you are bi, whether you are a queen or whether you’re a male entertainer. I think it just makes sense that everybody should have the opportunity to represent our community. It’s been a dream of mine for a few years – since before it was actually allowed.

Echo: In what ways have the skills you’ve gained throughout your career prepared you for this role?

Geo: I think my whole career of being a performer and competing in pageants has helped me become a better leader in the community, [and] understand that you are a role model, whether you want it or not …

I want to be a better person, I want to do better things and by helping my community. I feel like [this] is exactly where I belong, [this] is exactly how I can do better for others.

Echo: I’ve noticed the way male entertainers are perceived has been changing in recent years. What do you attribute that to?

Geo: I think what was happening was there hadn’t been male entertainment in Arizona, so it’s very obscure. It’s not like it is in Texas or back East. When people would hear “male

entertainer,” they would associate it with “stripper”… It almost became a challenge – to me and a few of the other guys – to show them what it really is. As a male, sometimes you will sing live and sometimes you will lip synch. … I do try to incorporate a high kick or split in there – things that I’ve learned from my dance career. It’s the same with costuming. I try to make sure my costumes don’t look like something I’ve bought off the rack but look like something that’s meant to be onstage.

Echo: Are there any communities you would like to work with more during your reign?

Geo: I would like to be able to close a little more of the gap between everybody else [in] our LGBTQ community.

Echo: As a titleholder, you will be seen as a role model in the community. What type of role model do you hope to be?

Geo: To me, it just means to be a good person and be there to help others. To leave a positive impression on people, whether it’s just by simply being able to say “hello” to someone or donating your time to perform for free.

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interviews with Miss and Mister Phoenix Pride 2016, visit echomag.com/game-of-thrones.

Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

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without reservations

House of Egg Roll East Valley boasts nationally ranked Chinese restaurant

By Greg Marzullo

P

ulling into the parking lot of House of Egg Roll at Alma School and Ray roads in Chandler, you might be hard-pressed to believe the unassuming strip mall houses one of Time Out magazine’s top Chinese restaurants in the country.

On a recent visit, a handwritten notice taped to the door said they were out of General Tso’s chicken and orange chicken that day, which was a relief. Chinese cuisine in America is often imprisoned in old standards that feel as tired as chicken parmigiano does at Italian cafés.

The inside would be as unremarkable as the exterior if it wasn’t for the palpable hum of energy in the busy restaurant.

Pictures of various dishes line the beige walls, under which sat mostly young Asians this particular evening. (The dive’s rundown parking lot was packed with a high-end Mercedes Benz, alongside a Jaguar and a Maserati convertible – each driven by the 20-somethings heading here.)

With such prosaic menu items as “Sweet Fermented Glutinous Rice Ball Soup,” “Stirfry Spicy Nape” and “Qishan City noodles

with special ingredients,” it’s clear this is not going to be your everyday Chinese meal.

All of this actually feels like a good omen.

One of the great delights of House of Egg Roll is that the noodles are made on the premises. In the American pursuit for uniformity in our noodle dishes – be it Chinese, Italian or Japanese – we’ve come to rely on over-saucing as a way to mask a boring starchy base. Not so at House of Egg Roll, where the thick, tantalizing noodles themselves rightly take center stage. Their chewiness and flavor provide a perfect foundation for the large platters, which arrive piled with meat and vegetables.

My dining companions and I ordered what turned out to be mountains of food – some of it familiar to American diners and some of it not. There’s no doubt that you get more than your money’s worth, with most dishes hovering around the $10 to $12 mark. Even the more expensive offerings, which run from $16.95 to $19.95, come with enough food to feed two to three people.

The string beans doused in that

House egg rolls.

mysterious and ubiquitous “special sauce” arrived first and were pitch perfect. They were bright green, but also clearly seared in a wok on high heat, leaving very slight hints of delicious char, which provided an earthy contrast to the garlic, chilies and fresh ginger that lit the dish up without setting it unpleasantly ablaze. They were addictive, and although they were served with rice, we enjoyed them more as an appetizer, sans the carbohydrate accompaniment.

Vegetarians might want to turn a blind eye to their own morals at House of Egg Roll. While we did order vegetable dishes, there was no guaranteeing the base sauces weren’t flavored with pork, beef or lamb broths. The fried bean paste was too unique-sounding to pass up, and when it arrived, it lived up to its mysterious moniker (think warm cubes of a translucent, salty Jell-O-like substance mixed with garlic and red chilies). Yes, the description sounds vile, but it was strangely addictive. Even with my absolute loathing of gelatinous textures, I kept heaping the warm goo on my plate, confounded by my own desires.

Left to right: assorted dishes, sweet fermented glutinous rice ball soup and Mount Qi saozi noodles. Photos by Helen ”s---weeet” Y. (yelp.com.)

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dining out

olls.

Left to right: fried bean paste, string beans with special sauce and spicy Mapo tofu. Photos by Greg Marzullo.

Next up was the spicy Mapo tofu, which came in a vibrant red sauce. Unfortunately, this was least appetizing dish of the evening (and I am a lover of tofu options, usually). This could be due to an admittedly uneducated palate when it comes to the subtleties of regional Chinese cuisine, but there was a curious spice, herb or combination thereof that left the tongue unpleasantly numb, as if one’s taste buds had decamped to fairer climes. Each bite I took in an effort to overcome the experience landed me in the same tasteless locale, until I finally gave up and declared myself beaten.

Along the lines of “more traditional” fare, I ordered the Mongolian beef, and found it to have a beautiful balance of flavor – the heat of the dish, mostly from fiery red chilies, was balanced by a subtle zing of

dining out

rice wine vinegar, which not only added an astringent pucker to the tender beef and vegetables, but also a hint of sweetness.

The Shaanxi pan-fried noodles were combined with pork, onions and a variety of hot peppers, including jalapeño. Some Chinese-food fans might be accustomed to this dish with a crispy noodle, but here it ran more along the lines of Lo Mein, albeit a spicy one. Much on the menu is, in fact, meant to burn the tongue and throat, but the spice is carefully applied so that it doesn’t commandeer a dish. Instead, it’s one flavor in the midst of many which roll over the tongue like an excitable marching band.

The menu features lots of lamb, a nod to many of the dishes’ northwestern Chinese provenance, as well as some of the old standards you’d find at any Chinese-zodiac

placemat eatery. Truly, though, the reason to go to House of Egg Roll is not for the same old fried rice or the absent General Tso’s chicken, but to experience a more authentic menu that will intrigue, confuse and, no doubt, delight your palate.

House of Egg Roll 961 W. Ray Road, Suite 11, Chandler 480-899-9331 Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-9:30 p.m. Wed-Mon Greg Marzullo is an award-winning arts critic, journalist, author of the book Bad Yogi and creator of the Weekly Scourge, a blog focused on religion-related news. He can be reached at greg.marzullo@gmail.com.

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at the box office

By Hans Pedersen

Finding Dory In theaters June 17

Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party Available in theaters, On Demand DVD

Gay filmmaker Stephen Cone is reportedly the son of a Southern Baptist minister and, in this coming-of-age indie film, he clearly taps into the challenges of coming out in a religious community.

Henry (Cole Doman) is the son of a pastor who’s celebrating his 17th birthday with friends and family, including his dad, mom and sister – each of whom is struggling with a secret. Also attending the party is Henry’s closeted friend, Logan, who has a massive crush on him. Despite a slow first act and some stereotypical portrayals, the movie has earned acclaim and awards from several film festivals.

Best known as the person who really put “being out” on the map, comedian/TV show host Ellen DeGeneres voices the lead role in this 3-D computer-animated sequel to the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. As we revisit the popular characters, Dory the forgetful blue tang fish wakes up from a dream. She suddenly remembers details about her family, and with a little help from her friends, she ventures out to find them. The big question: will the Finding Nemo submarine ride at Disneyland be updated with an overlay called Finding Dory? Eugene Levy, Diane Keaton & Albert Brooks lend their vocal talents as well.

Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Lake Wilkinson Available in theaters, On Demand and DVD

Children of God Available on DVD June 14

Winner of several awards at LGBTQ film festivals, this steamy crosscultural love story is set in a remote island in the Bahamas. A cute art student (Johnny Ferro) finds inspiration in paradise when he falls for a handsome musician named Romeo (Stephen T. Williams), who identifies as straight. A subplot about a pastor’s wife who gets a venereal disease, apparently from her husband, helps round out this story about religious intolerance and homophobia in the tropics.

Written and directed by Kareem Moritmer, the movie has been praised for its strong acting and lush cinematography.

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This intriguing documentary plays out like a crime story, dramatizing the search for the truth about what happened to lesbian artist Edith Lake Wilkinson, who vanished in the 1920s.

Created by Emmy-winning director Jane Anderson, the painter’s great niece, the film shows how the artist was thriving in the small burgeoning art world in Provincetown – until she was sent to an asylum, that is. Wilkinson was never seen again, just like her paintings, which were packed up and shipped off to relatives. It’s up to Anderson to pull away the layers and share this deeply personal tale of her talented relative.

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix. movies

Holy Hell

New documentary sheds light on the dangerous allure of cults

By Hans Pedersen

H

oly Hell is a curious and insightful documentary that sheds light on the dangerous allure of cults. The film incorporates 30 years’ worth of video footage into the story, capturing the members’ sun-dappled gatherings in nature, along with their eventual disillusionment.

The documentary – executive produced

by Jared Leto and directed by Will Allen, a gay man who belonged to the Southern California religious group – was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

The movie documents how this effervescent, welcoming group of loving people morphed into a tightly controlled circle that left several victims of sexual abuse in its wake – all while demonstrating how people who belong to cults don’t typically think that they’re in one and providing an inside look at how the collective operated.

Allen, a gay man living in West Hollywood, was drawn into the gentle, happy group of folks known as Buddhafield back in 1985; two of his siblings even became part of the clan. At first, they weren’t even cutting themselves off from their loved ones – which is typically the “first sign” that someone is in a cult.

Allen soon became the on-hand cameraman for the group, capturing a vast library of footage over the years. As director of Holy Hell three decades later, he has done a skillful job of helping editors re-assemble the grainy VHS footage into a compelling story that suits a very different purpose than the one with which the video was originally shot.

At the center of the story is the group’s leader, Andreas, who seems like a cross between motivational speaker Tony Robbins and Ricardo Montalbán playing Mr. Roarke on “Fantasy Island.” And despite the group’s name, there doesn’t seem to be much talk of Buddha.

Andreas eschews consumerism and excess. He seems like a peculiar and positive person who appears to encourage his followers to express love for one another, God and the planet. He speaks with an esoteric accent and struts around like a peacock, bare-chested and tan. True to the era, Andreas and his religious flock favor spandex, headbands and sparkly workout clothes.

All these glorious archival flashbacks are interspersed with talking-head interviews from former members of the group who paint a picture of how loving and spiritually nourishing the experience was – at least in the 1980s.

In fact, for the first half hour of the movie you may wonder what all the fuss is about. But viewers soon see, through Buddhafield members’ recollections and moments captured by Allen’s footage, paranoia creeps into their lives by the 1990s. Eventually, members are encouraged to sever ties with others and, as the Cult Awareness Network targets the group, unsettling invitations and accusations develop.

Soon the movie reveals that Andreas’ ethics seem to manifest in shades of gray – he seems to be flawed, at best, or a charlatan, at worst. When members of the group finally begin confessing to one another what they’re asked to do, they wise up about their guru and the truth emerges. For many, including Allen, the betrayal is devastating.

By the film’s climax, a hidden camera maneuver is launched to capture Allen’s

attempt to confront Andreas.

The scope of the director’s archive of footage is simply staggering: a crew of 18 editors helped stitch together this story.

Cleverly, the director reveals Andreas’ true character slowly, as the movie unfurls, allowing viewers to feel lulled into the leader’s weird benevolence at first.

The truth is always more nuanced in reality than in narrative storytelling, so this documentary is not a one-sided takedown of New Age groups. Members do share varying opinions about the helpful aspects of the cult experience, in retrospect, strengthening the film’s credibility; however, most of them agree that the domineering leader was a destructive force in their lives.

Many of the more progressive, New Age-based groups are genuinely helpful, healing circles, particularly for members of the LGBTQ community. But this strange and captivating documentary serves as a powerful reminder of the warning signs of a cult.

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.

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opening nights

Local company puts artistic ‘spin’ on rarely seen musical Hector Coris and Michael Schauble.

By Richard Shultz

D

avid Hock, executive producer of the Scottsdale Musical Theater Company, loves a challenge. He must because his company continues to mount classic Broadway musicals and stage them as if they were in New York, including a full orchestra, a rarity for the local theater scene.

of love, this musical poses the question: Can Luis’ fantastical tales of Aurora and her Spider Woman character help navigate the dangerous events of the real world?

For his latest endeavor, his company will present John Kander and Fred Ebb’s Kiss of the Spider Woman May 25-29 at Tempe Center for the Arts.

“It’s grander than Kander and Ebb’s other scores and more sophisticated,” he said. “It is also a show that hasn’t been seen in the Valley in over 10 years. Part of the decision was to give Valley a show that no one is familiar with, but has major Broadway pedigree.”

This musical revamps a harrowing tale of persecution into a dazzling spectacle that juxtaposes gritty realities with liberating fantasies. Serving an eightyear sentence in a Latin American prison for homosexuality, Luis Molina regularly escapes the torture and humiliation by inventing a fantasy world of movies starring vampy diva, Aurora. But his ability to escape reality is tested by his new cellmate, a Marxist revolutionary named Valentin.

Despite falling in love with Valentin, Luis has been co-opted by the prison warden and the secret police to get information out of his cellmate in exchange for early parole.

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According to director Hector Coris, a long-time a fan of the score, he was searching for a smaller show with a more intimate setting.

When asked why the show isn’t produced more, Coris said he’s “sure it’s the subject matter of the show … homosexuality, torture and the politics.

However, the show is not exploitative or sensational. The story existed long before Manuel Puig’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It’s a powerful love story set in the most despicable location.”

Coris also acknowledged that the most difficult part of directing the musical is its cinematic nature.

“Scenes are rather short and they jump between locations just like a movie,” he said. “Making these scenes all flow

together seamlessly is a challenge.

Another challenge is how to get the tone just right; to have the audience believe in this unlikely pairing and the blossoming of their love.”

The production is being staged in the smaller Studio Theater at Tempe Center for the Arts because it’s more intimate.

Coris is certain that having the audience closer to the action will also intensify the experience.

Coris believes that this musical will speak to the LGBTQ community with its strong lead gay character. “[Luis] is not relegated to the funny best friend role,” he said. “He’s front and center, and he’s loving, damaged, beautiful, bitchy, weak and strong. He’s a fully realized complex character with a relationship to his mother that is groundbreaking in its honesty – it was at the time and I think still holds up now, even with slightly more accepting parents. It’s a relationship that needs to be seen and emulated.”

According to local actor Michael Schauble, who plays Luis, he has been tremendously moved by the opportunity to play this multidimensional character.

“He is a kind, sensitive, passionate, brave, wonderful human being who has theater

journeyed through life, seeing much more bad than good,” Schauble said. “Yet, [Luis] finds the moments to live for and uses those to give his life meaning. Playing [Luis] has shed light on what truly matters in my life. It means the world to me that I can share him with an audience.”

Additionally, music director Curtis Moeller said he finds the show’s early use of a gay male as the main character fascinating.

“Up to that point, only a few shows had successfully featured such prominent LGBT inclusion,” Moeller said. “Only La Cage aux Folles, the Falsettos trilogy, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show come to mind. In some ways, I see it as Kander and Ebb’s second chance. Their early musical Cabaret is based on Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical Goodbye to Berlin, which should have resulted in a leading gay Englishman rather than the straight American that audiences got in 1966. I think that by 1993, they felt ready to have a show feature a proudly gay man as the pivotal character.”

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This musical represents the last big hit for the Kander and Ebb, Moeller added.

“They stayed with their successful formula of having ‘dream sequence’ songs comment on and foreshadow the primary plot points of the show similar to Chicago and Cabaret, but they still stretched themselves,” Moeller said. “Musically they branched out into Latin rhythms with lots of percussion, explored shifting time meters, and played with longer forms where we just go from song to song to song without a break.”

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Kiss of the Spider Woman won the 1993 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score when it debuted on Broadway with Chita Rivera. The 1985 film starred William Hurt and Raul Julia.

Kiss of the Spider Woman Scottsdale Musical Theater Company Tempe Center for the Arts 700 Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe Tickets: $28-$34; 602-909-4215 scottsdalemusicaltheater.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix. theater

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Lead actor offers behind-the-scenes look at ABT’s latest production

By Richard Shultz

A

rizona Broadway Theatre, the Valley’s premier dinner theater, takes a break from traditional Broadway fare and delves into the world of rock ‘n’ roll with its production of Rock of Ages from May 27-June 19.

Set in LA’s infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, this show tells the story of Drew, a boy from South Detroit, and Sherrie, a small-town girl, both in LA to chase their dreams of making it big and falling in love.

Their rock ‘n’ roll fairytale is threatened when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled strip into just another capitalist strip mall.

Echo caught up with lead actor Seth Hunter (pictured), who plays Drew, a role originated on Broadway by fourth season “American Idol” finalist Constantine Maroulis.

Echo: You have been cast to play an iconic musical theater role. Have you seen, and are you influenced by, others who have played the same role?

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Hunter: I have actually never seen Rock of Ages in person, but have heard the music from the musical and of course the original artists. I do draw a lot of inspiration from Constantine, the original Drew. He is the easiest to find on YouTube for reference and he just embodies what I believe the character needs to be successful.

Echo: What influences your character choices?

Hunter: Everyone actor has an inner rock star that just wants to break out and that has influenced my character choices. When I was younger, I had a dream to be in a boy band. I guess that would be the ‘90s version of this show. I draw a lot from how I felt back then. Drew is a wannabe rock star and transforms from his awkward self into a rock star.”

Echo: How have you prepared for the role?

Hunter: I am going into the rehearsal process with as much memorized as I can fit into my brain. It helps the rehearsal process move along and then I can focus on developing Drew as a character and not worry as much about what I am singing/ saying next.

Echo: What is the greatest challenge for you in this role?

Hunter: By far, vocal stamina. I have been practicing a lot at home trying to figure out what the best way to sing a lot of the songs to have the rock feel and be able to sing the show eight times a week. That being said, rock and pop music are truly my bread and butter for singing. The stamina will come with rehearsals; so, I am not worried at all!

Echo: Do you have a favorite moment in the show?

Hunter: I love the part of the show where Drew finally finds his inspiration for why

he writes songs. He sees Sherrie walk into the room and instantly is able to write a beautiful song about her, which is the song “Heaven.” It is just a beautiful moment that shows the power of love on music, which I believe is truly the heart and soul of rock and roll.

Echo: Why do you believe this musical speaks to audiences?

Hunter: The show is just a giant party. Who doesn’t love that? This show does a great job making people forget about their lives outside of the theater. It pulls them into this fantastic world by constantly breaking the fourth wall and keeping the audience on their toes and not allowing them just to observe the show from a distance, but to be a part of it.

Echo: What’s the message of the show?

Hunter: This show has a great message that says it doesn’t matter what other people think is best for you. We should not let other people dictate who we are. We all have the power to write our own story even if it seems like the end has already been written for us. We have to live life the way we believe that we are meant to.

Rock of Ages May 27-June 19 Arizona Broadway Theatre 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria Tickets: $47.50-$81; 623-776-8400 azbroadway.org Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.

New musical recounts the life and work of Walt Disney

By Richard Shultz

L

arry Raben, the director of the world premiere of When You Wish, The Story of Walt Disney, recognizes the tribulations and the triumphs of finding one’s place in the world.

“Being a gay man, I recognize Walt’s journey in my own early struggles to express myself, be understood, and create the world around me in a way that made sense to me,” he said.

The musical, which Raban describes as cinematic in its construct and epic in its nature, follows Walt Disney from poverty and adversity into a success that is unparalleled in the entertainment industry.

Writer, composer and lyricist Dean McClure renders Walt, played by Joey Sorge, as a dreamer who suffers setbacks but perseveres with the support of his business partner and brother, Roy, his friend Ub Iwerks and his adoring wife, Lillian, portrayed by Sydney Marie Hawes.

The journey begins in 1908 with sixyear-old Walt drawing cartoons at home and concludes with his biggest dream of all, the opening of Disneyland in 1955.

Roy serves as the story’s narrator, taking the audience on a journey of struggle, heartache and enormous triumph. Pivotal moments in Disney’s life include the opening and bankrupt closing of Laugh-OGram Studios in Kansas City; the formation of Disney Brothers Studios in Hollywood; the marriage of Walt and Lillian Disney; the departure of his best and closest animator Ub Iwerks; and the creation of a mouse named Mickey, which ignited his career and legacy.

McClure endured a long road in developing the musical with several false starts and interest from a variety of individuals associated with the entertainment industry.

“The journey of When You Wish has been life-changing, partly because I’ve

experienced much of what I’ve written, my life often paralleling that of Walt,” McClure said.

“I’ve learned the meaning of perseverance, how to pick yourself up and continue on, driven because deep down I know what I’m doing matters, which is how Walt felt about Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Bambi, and especially Disneyland. Everything he ever did had never been done, and he was told repeatedly that his ideas would never work. All of Hollywood laughed when Walt announced he was going to make Snow White, the first full-length animated feature. Hollywood moguls called it ‘Disney’s folly’ until the night it opened, and they knew what he had.”

Similarly, Phoenix Theatre is paving the way by presenting the show’s first regional production on the road to Broadway.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned from the life of Walt Disney, it’s that no matter what we see on the nightly news, the world isn’t all bad, “ McClure said. “And by having the courage to dream, we can make it better.

Walt did.”

In an effort to balance the emotional needs of the tale with the entertainment factor needed, Raben said he’s including a mix of live performance and multimedia.

Due to all of Walt’s work prior to 1928 being public domain, the production showcases Walt’s early animation and live action.

“I didn’t know anything about his early animated sensation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” Raben said. “It was really fun getting to research this early Disney superstar.”

According to Raben, his favorite scene in the production is “Someone In Love,” where Walt is walking his future wife, Lillian, home.

“It is both funny and touching and gives us a glimpse into Walt, the man,” he said.

“So many artists and visionaries lack social cues. Those close to Walt have expressed that it was both an adorable and an infuriating personality trait.”

As he prepares for the show’s opening, Raben reflected, “Thankfully the world is a much changed place in 2016, but the LGBTQ community will always understand struggle, overcoming adversity, and personal triumph in a deep and meaningful way. We are gifted with a unique lens through with to view the world and humanity. And the world is better for the many gifts our perspective and experiences offer.”

Raben’s stage credits include directing Love Makes The World Go Round, the world premiere of Joe DiPietro’s Tony Award winning Falling For Eve OffBroadway in New York and Singin’ In The Rain, for which won the LA Ovation Best Direction Award.

When You WIsh, The Story of Walt Disney May 18-June 12 Phoenix Theatre 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix Tickets: $36-$86; 602-254-2151 phoenixtheatre.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.

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talking bodies

Three tips for taking pride in your body

By Tia Norris

W

hen my editor suggested writing about “taking pride in your body” in honor of LGBTQ pride month, I was a bit intimidated. This is a hot-button issue within our community and beyond.

And, as a fitness professional, I face this dilemma every single day with my clients.

On one hand, it is important to take pride in your body by exercising, eating properly and improving overall conditioning.

However, on the other hand, it is also important to take pride in your body by not becoming neurotic or overly critical of minor or imagined flaws.

So, how do you strike a balance between self-discipline and self-love? How do you achieve contentment both inside and outside? These are the questions I’ll attempting to answer this month with three simple tips.

1. Know that you are not always your body.

The outward appearance of your muscles does not define you. That must sound odd coming from a trainer, but, muscles are just a temporary reflection of a temporary period of work. Muscles can be an outward reflection of dedication, discipline, grit, persistence and confidence on the inside. However, even if I lost all of my muscles tomorrow, I would still exhibit those characteristics because they cannot be lost. Muscles can be conditioned or deconditioned, but character generally does not change. Anyone out there who views themselves as not currently “in 50

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shape,” must know that you already have all of the traits that you need, inside of yourself. The “look” is fleeting, but if you latch onto the character traits of what fitness does for your character on the inside – and not exclusively onto the outward appearance – it will save you a lot of pain and heartbreak over the years.

Objects in the mirror are far, far deeper than they appear. And if you’re cool with your appearance, then go with that! No one can make you feel inferior unless you let them. Your character is what really matters, after all.

2. Remember that working hard on your body is a good thing.

If you are unhappy with the way you look, feel or move, then the straightforward solution is that you need to change something. How much you need to change depends on how badly you want to change. You must be honest with yourself in your assessment of your current comfort level within your own skin. If there’s a chance that the results of your assessment reveal that you are not proud of your current state, then it’s time to make changes to obtain the changes you desire. Transformation will only occur when the pain of change, is less than the pain of staying the same.

If you want to gain more pride about the outward appearance of your body, then you’ll just have to work for it. No excuses.

And hitting the gym three times per week is the minimum requirement.

3. Be aware of your own unhealthy or neurotic behaviors.

Everyone is different and everyone handles criticism differently. If you know yourself to be more prone to negative behaviors in this realm, then we need to dig deeper than the external reflection in the mirror. What does “fit” mean to you?

Why do you feel the need to be “fit”? This is a heavy topic with deep implications.

My best advice is to talk to a nutrition or counseling professional who can help assess and provide coping mechanisms for these types of behaviors. Everyone needs help with certain things in their life and there is no shame in talking to a professional here. If this applies to you, then the first step toward achieving more pride in your body is far beyond the reach of this page. You have to make the choice to take care of yourself, no one else can do that for you.

If you want to change, do it. You must earn the appearance that you desire, and the work you put in will not only yield results, but also instill the confidence and pride that you seek. On the flip side, if you’re in touch with yourself, you’re content with where you are with healthy and fitness, then never let anyone tell you that you’re not worthy. In either case, be proud of who you are and celebrate it.

Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com. health & fitness

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ALL OVER THE MAP

Stalled Progress

By Liz Massey

I

’ve always disliked the constant struggle implied in the phrase “one step forward, two steps back,” but it’s an accurate description of the way our LGBTQ equality movement (and the movements of most other oppressed groups) makes progress.

Last year’s marriage equality ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court was a watershed moment for our community. Our relationships were judged worthy of legal recognition on the national level for the first time in American history. This ruling, which removed marriage as the main goal for our movement, caused three things to happen in the second half of 2015: it highlighted the other issues (bullying, homeless queer youth) that had been on the political back burner; intra-group tensions within the queer community became more evident; and, in the wake of a stunning (but not unexpected) defeat, our opponents on the right changed tactics in order to perpetuate our legal disenfranchisement.

Instead of focusing on how icky samesex intimate acts were, or whipping up unsubstantiated fears of how gay couples that want to be parents might damage “the children,” our opponents selected a new primary scapegoat – trans people. They knew exactly what they were doing.

Trans people have always challenged the strict gender-binary system that governs much of our social structures. And the theater the Right chose to play out this drama was one that has proven effective for conservatives throughout the 20th century: the public bathroom. By selecting a venue where people often feel vulnerable and where all people gather to attend to a common function, those on the right have been able to turn a non-problem into an oppressive set of anti-trans “bathroom laws” that are spreading like wildfire through state legislatures across the United States.

Trans people are just the latest group to face “bathroom panic” pushback from those in power. Over the past 175 years, the following groups have had to fight the 52

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“Bathroom War” with authorities: • Women, part 1: The early feminists advocated for appropriate public facilities for women, countering those who argued it would lead to them leaving their “proper sphere” of the home.

• People of color: As racial integration efforts beganto make progress in the 1940s and 1950s, segregationists argued that having one bathroom per gender open to all races would lead to assaults on whites by blacks, and/or exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Natural law was invoked many times to justify segregated facilities, and there are probably still bigots out there who would assert that that is “God’s plan.”

• Women, part 2: Nearly a century after their first potty-related clash, feminists saw the Equal Rights Amendment derailed in the late 1970s, in part because the right wing successfully exploited fears that the ERA would lead to co-ed public restrooms and shower facilities.

• Gay men: During the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era in the military (1994-2011), the potty panic was expanded to include fears of gay and straight soldiers showering together.

• The disabled: Until 1990 and the passage of the Americans With Disabilities act, many people who used wheelchairs, crutches or had other mobility needs couldn’t use restrooms outside of the home, locking them out of participation in much of public life.

After reviewing this history, it makes sense that the trans-exclusionary laws are passing right now. Those who dominate the ranks of lawmakers (cisgender straight white men) are feeling challenged by yet another marginalized group asserting demands for equal treatment. They know it still works to use sexism and the meme of “protecting our women and girls” to claim that a situation that simply DOES NOT EXIST – trans women “invading” women’s bathrooms and harassing or assaulting cisgender females – is an actual or imminent risk.

While it can make one feel helpless to watch as these bills march across the legal landscape and pass with little opposition, there’s much we can do to turn the tide. We can state the facts, including the big one that there are NO recorded assaults by trans persons in public restrooms who tried to avoid prosecution by invoking a non-discrimination statute, as well as the fact that scores of trans people are murdered each year simply because their existence offends someone.

We can participate in protective/allied campaigns, such as the #IllGoWithYou effort, which pairs up trans folk with allies willing to go with them into public restrooms and other gendered spaces.

We can also turn the “protection” rhetoric that our opponents are using on its head. These bathroom bills don’t protect cisgender women from predators. They protect those who need protection the least – perpetrators, anti-LGBTQ bashers, and cisgender men who feel it’s their right to determine the legitimacy of everyone else’s gender expression.

Our opponents are currently winning the bathroom battle because they are successfully selling an inverted image of power relations, in which members of dominant social groups are physically being threatened in public facilities, and marginalized groups such as trans people are powerful and threatening.

Our community recognizes this as a lie. We will begin to reverse the stalled progress on this equality front when we’re able to take back the conversation from conservatives, and present a unified front that demands equal access for all in public accommodations.

Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine.

She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.

COMMUNITY

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money talks

What do the Social Security Administration’s new rules mean for you?

By Melissa Myers and Michael J. Tucker Michael J. Tucker: So in February, the Social Security Administration issued some new rules for same-sex couples that want to apply for spousal retirement or disability benefits, as well as for survivor benefits.

Melissa Myers: We’re taking the opportunity to spotlight not only the changes for same-sex couples, but also the types of Social Security benefits that people might not know about.

Tucker: Folks are generally aware that Social Security provides retirement benefits for Americans who have contributed to the Social Security system through payroll deductions at their jobs or through selfemployment tax.

Myers: Perhaps lesser known, but still widely understood, are the Social Security disability benefits that can be available to American workers who become disabled during their working years.

Tucker: Both the Social Security Retirement

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and Social Security disability benefits extend not only to the worker – the “number holder” in Social Security bureaucratic jargon – but also to his or her spouse.

Myers: You mean both the number holder and the spouse can get a check?

Tucker: Often, yes. And surviving spouses (including same-sex spouses) and surviving minor children can qualify for Social Security survivor benefits based on the earnings history of a deceased number holder who was their spouse or parent.

Myers: Importantly for our community, there is also a stepchild benefit, even in cases where there is no formal adoption.

Tucker: So if Mary and Susie are raising Mary’s children and if Susie is providing one-half of their support (even though Susie is not a legal parent), then Mary’s children could qualify for stepchild benefits based on Susie’s earnings history if Susie dies while they are still minors.

Myers: All the stepparents out there, particularly those who are in precarious health, can take steps to ensure their stepchildren would qualify in case something happens to them.

Tucker: Another littleknown Social Security benefit is a check for a surviving minor child, but also for a surviving parent of a disabled child, including an adult child as well as a minor child.

Myers: So you mean that if Mary and Susie are raising those children, and one of them is disabled, then if Mary dies and Susie is still alive and the disabled child is living with Susie, then Susie can get a Social Security benefit based on Mary’s earnings history?

Tucker: Yes, and this is important in our community because of the disproportionate number of children with

disabilities who are adopted by loving LGBTQ families.

Myers: One feature of the new rules that you might not expect is that not only can same-sex married couples apply for such benefits, but certain unmarried couples who entered into registered domestic partnerships or civil unions can also. In Social Security jargon, registered domestic partnership and civil unions are called “nonmarital legal relationships,” or “NMLRs.” Tucker: For couples living in Arizona, the benefit of these rules will extend mostly to married couples, and not to couples who entered into NMLRs but never got married.

Myers: Overall, most legal and financial changes that happened in America because of same-sex marriage equality weren’t dependent on what state the couple lives in.

By contrast, Social Security benefits based on “NMLR” status will still depend on what state the couple lived in when they applied for the benefit.

Tucker: That’s because of a quirky statute that’s still on the books, basing marital status for Social Security purposes on the state of residence of the couple when they apply for benefits.

Myers: How long do people have to be married before they are considered married for Social Security purposes?

Tucker: Generally, for survivor benefits, it’s 90 days. For the spouse to qualify for Social Security retirement and disability spousal benefits, as well as for Medicare, based on the number holder’s work history, it’s one year.

Myers: These rules are complex and sometimes counterintuitive. Consult the Social Security Administration and your advisers to determine your potential eligibility for benefits.

Melissa Myers is a certified financial planner with Camelback Retirement Planners, in Phoenix, a registered representative with Commonwealth Financial Network and a registered investment adviser.

Michael J. Tucker is an attorney with Michael J. Tucker, P.C., in Phoenix, and is a certified specialist in estate and trust law.

For more information, see their ads in this issue.

This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Investors should consult a tax or legal professional regarding their individual situation. Neither Camelback nor Commonwealth offers tax or legal advice.

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ask lambda legal

What’s Next for the LGBTQ Rights Movement?

By Jon W. Davidson

D

ear Ask Lambda Legal, I am a gay man who recently came out and am interested in volunteering in the movement. Lambda Legal has done a lot of work for LGBTQ people, including the fight for marriage equality. I know marriage was important, but not the whole battle, and wonder what’s next for the LGBTQ movement?

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Lambda Legal: 2015 will go down in history as a watershed year in the fight for equality, liberty and dignity for LGBTQ individuals and for people living with HIV, underscored most dramatically by the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v.

Hodges that eliminated discriminatory marriage bans nationwide. LGBTQ advocates had almost non-stop smiles on their faces for much of the year.

Same-sex couples wanting to marry and their families weren’t the only winners. The Supreme Court also rejected a challenge to the Affordable Care Act, maintaining access to life-saving care for many in our community. It also rejected efforts to narrow employment and housing anti-discrimination protections. In July, the EEOC ruled that the ban on sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGB people from workplace discrimination.

Transgender people needing medical care secured protections in numerous states. The Boy Scouts decided to allow local scouting units to accept openly gay leaders.

Last year was an amazing year, but not one without setbacks and clear signals to the battles ahead.

The high-profile effort by some in Indiana to establish expansive religious exemptions that would allow businesses to discriminate was but the tip of a very large iceberg. In 2015, 80 similar bills were introduced in state legislatures. Eight passed. Opponents were also able to defeat the Houston

Equal Right Ordinance.

Despite this, we still continue to win in the courts, in schools, in administrative agencies and even in some legislatures.

To date, every effort to justify discrimination against LGBT individuals in public accommodations based on claims of “religious freedom” has been defeated in court. In schools nationwide, officials have quickly reversed efforts to suppress the expression rights of LGBTQ youth in the face of efforts

by Lambda Legal and others. Facing litigation we brought, the U.S. Veterans Administration and Social Security Administration amended policies to extend benefits to the surviving spouses of married same-sex couples.

Currently, Lambda Legal is working on four cases seeking to ensure that states issue accurate birth and death certificates for LGBTQ parents and couples. We are working hard to get courts to accept the view of the EEOC, the Department of Education, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development that sex discrimination laws protect LGBTQ people.

Transgender people continue to face discrimination and often horrific abuse, and our responses are stronger than ever. More than 20 percent of our docket currently concerns trans rights issues. We will also keep working to promote racial justice, advance women’s and immigrants’ rights, and address intersections of racism, income inequality and gender bias. None of this work takes place in a vacuum – injustice suffered by one impacts us all.

In short, we’re busier than ever. For more information on how you can help, visit lambdalegal.org/get-involved/ volunteer.

Jon W. Davidson is the National Legal Director and Eden/Rushing Chair at Lambda Legal.

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business cards For a complete listing of all Echo display advertisers, please see our Lambda Directory on page 66.

To advertise your business here, call 602-266-0550.

This is not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. Void where prohibited by law. All plans, amenities, availability, completion dates, prices, improvements and incentives are subject to change without notice. All measurements are approximate. Sales and marketing by LaunchPad powered by Launch Real Estate.

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out & about Barbra Seville’s fifth annual Salsa Challenge May 1 at Karamba Nightclub in Phoenix.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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MAP CODES: A Adult Retail & Entertainment M Mostly Males F Mostly Females MF Mixed Male/Female

N R D C

Neighborhood Bar Full Restaurant Dance Club Country Dancing

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out & about Phurfest 2016 April 28-May 2 at Embassy Suites Airport @ 24th Street in Phoenix.

Photos by Gregg Edelman.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free.

To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.

ACCOUNTANTS/TAX PREPARATION

BAR & CLUBS Bunkhouse Charlie’s Stacy’s @ Melrose

Camelwest Tax Service p. 58 Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC p. 57 Steve Price, CPA p. 60 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT/ RETAIL The Chute Flex Spas Phoenix

p. 64 p. 65

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Mustang Air Mechanical p. 59 Valdez Refrigeration p. 60 APARTMENTS

p. 61 p. 9 p. 35

ATTORNEYS Arentz Law Group, PLLC p. 57 Jackson WhiteAttorneys At Law p. 39 Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC p. 5 Phillips Law Group p. 17 The Law Offices of Lemuel A. Carlos, PLLC p. 53 Udall Shumway Law Firm p. 24

HOSPICE Hospice of the Valley

p. 55

COUNSELING SERVICES People Empowering People of AZ, Inc. p. 47

INSURANCE Benefits Arizona Hector Cerda, Allstate

p. 47 p. 3

DENTISTS Concorde Dental Omer K. Reed D.D.S. p. 57 My Dentist p. 47 Open Wide Dental p. 4

MASSAGE Rainbow Massage Therapy

EVENTS Aunt Rita’s Foundation Dancing With The Bars Equality @ SMoCA Flagstaff Pride GPGLCC Biz Bowl Phoenix Mercury Splash Bash

p. 30 p. 23 p. 2 p. 31 p. 25 p. 15 p. 63

FINANCIAL SERVICES JW Advisors Inc.

p. 59

HOME SERVICES Don’s Painting Service Go Go Green Arizona Lyons Roofing Merry Maids Quandt Landscaping

AUTO SERVICES Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair p. 11 Compu-Tech Automotive p. 57

p. 58 p. 59 p. 54 p. 26 p. 59

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p. 59

MORTGAGES Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3 MOVERS Two Men and a Truck

p. 60

PHARMACIES CVS Specialty Pharmacy p. 47 Fairmont Pharmacy p. 64 REAL ESTATE Contour on Campbell

p. 58, 68

REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur p. 59 Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart p. 3 David Oesterle, ReMax p. 3 Fred Delgado Team, Keller

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p. 59 p. 51 p. 21 p. 65

COSMETIC PROCEDURES Willo Medi Spa p. 60

EDUCATION Maricopa County Community College District p. 55

Proxy 333 p. 13 @ 51 Luxury Apartments p. 67 East and West Apartments p. 58 Monarch Apartments p. 56

Rainbow Bug Studio Z Sunset Spas The Mattress Man

Williams GayRealEstate.com Jan Dahl, HomeSmart Joshua Fetchik, West USA Reality Matthew Hoedt, Realty One Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives Shawn Hertzog, West USA

p. 3 p. 56 p. 3 p. 60 p. 3 p. 3 p. 3

RELIGIOUS GROUPS Community Church of Hope p. 58 First Congregational UCC p. 59 RESTAURANTS China Chili COR Tapas & Wine Hula’s Modern Tiki Marcellino Ristorante

p. 43 p. 43 p. 43 p. 43

RETAIL Easley’s Fun Shop p. 58 French Designer Jeweler p. 19 Off Chute Too p. 62 RETIREMENT PLANNING Calvin Goetz, Strategy Financial Group p. 3 Camelback Retirement Planners p. 58 SALONS Athleticuts Salon Exodus

p. 64 p. 59

TRAVEL Inn @ 410 INNdulge

p. 53 p. 65

VETERINARIANS Dynamite Animal Hospital p. 51 East Maryland Animal Hospital p. 58 WELLNESS ASH Line Avenger Fitness, LCC FitPro, LLC TERROS Health-LGBTQ Consortium

p. 51 p. 58 p. 59 p. 55

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