FUSE 07 Glee Gay and Happy (Girl Cover)

BISEXUALITY

INVISIBLE IN SOCIETY

BATTER UP

WOMEN IN TIGHT SOFTBALL PANTS

DISCRIMINATION STAR ATHLETE FORCED TO TAKE GENDER TEST

GLEE GAY & HAPPY

FUSE CHATS WITH STARS OF GLEE

ELLEN

TAKES IDOL

BY STORM

RAINBOW EATING

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THE ONLY GAY MAGAZINE IN THE VILLAGE!

20 – 21 NOVEMBER CANBERRA THEATRE “...a celebration not to be missed.”

Sydney Morning Herald TWO NIGHTS ONLY

07

Our very own Tony Hamlyn gets close and personal with the stars of Glee — is it the gayest show on TV this season?

12

A group of sporty women have been sliding around on dirt!

Batter up girls, it’s softball fever in Canberra.

16

BentFest and QueerDoc 2009.

A selection of the most deliciously queer documentaries and films are coming our way!

FUSE07 NOVEMBER 2009

36

10

CONTENTS

FUSE FEATURES

18 Rainbow eating — it’s the idiot’s

guide to good food and health.

39 FUSE chats with Tim Minchin:

singer, songwriter, comic cabaret

artist and pervert!

FUSE OP.ED

28

14

24 GLBTQI: is something missing?

Bisexuality — invisible in society.

FUSE REGULARS 04 Editor’s Rant & Your Say 06 What’s On in Canberra 08 The Trap : Local & Gritty

18

14 The Buzz : News, Gossip & Stuff

16

21 Footlights : Bangarra on Fire 22 Fabulous Things We Love

PUBLISHER & DESIGN Lithium Innovation Pty Ltd {www.lithium.net.au}

28 Out & About : Canberra’s Night Life 32 Fitness : Food is Your Friend

EDITOR Alexander Thatcher {editor@fusemagazine.com.au}

{

35 Grooming : Eating for Skin & Hair

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Yasmin Element

PRODUCTION & EDITORIAL Christopher Powell

CONTRIBUTORS Tony Hamlyn Scott Malcolm Brendan Farnhill Debbie Tonkin Brooklyn Hulands

Damien Pratt Robert Henderson Helen Stevens Chad Wijayatilake Stuart Poole

Rose Pappalardo Simon Copland Carmen Sarjeant Lucy Jane

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mandy Sharplin Helen Stevens

Snez Saravovska Sophie Cazabon

Douglas Robinson

36 Out & About : Queers on Mt Ainslie 40 Top Queer : Waltzing With Tiida 41 Money Shot : The Backup Plan 42 Out & About : Healing Hearts at Tilleys 44 Out & About : More Photos of You 45 Ear Candy : Music Reviews 46 World Stage : Discrimination in Sport 47 FUSE Business Directory 48 Dear Rose

CONTACT Advertising, editorial enquiries or letters Telephone: +61 2 6232 7662 • Email: editor@fusemagazine.com.au Mail: PO Box 3577 Manuka ACT 2603 • ISSN 1836-8387

www.fusemagazine.com.au All rights reserved. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The appearance, mention or likeness of any person or organisation in editorial or advertising in no way suggests sexual or political orientation. Photographs used to illustrate editorial do not depict the real lives, behaviour or sexuality of the models. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Submissions of text, photographs or any other material will be taken as consent to publish said material. So there!

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FUSE 2

Communities in the making

FUSE 3

FUSE

WHAT’S EDITOR’SON RANT

Alexander Thatcher, Editor is cooking up a storm!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Temptation is not necessarily a bad thing — but if you’re not thinking clearly it sure can get you in a lot (A LOT!) of trouble. I speak from experience here. Out of all the temptations in life, I think eating foods that are bad for us is one of the worst. Poor eating habits are at epidemic proportions.

In our hope to make a small difference, in this issue you’ll find a few articles relating to food. We’ll be trying to tempt you to eat all the foods of the rainbow — foods that are bright, fresh and good for you. There is so much rubbish that’s constantly being shoved at our faces that the “McLines” have been blurred between good and bad food. Nobody is sure what to eat any more, so we’ll eat anything it seems. Like all good solutions in life — keep it simple; go back to basics and you can rarely go wrong. So FUSE says: be free, gay and happy — eat like a rainbow! p18.

Also this month we have an exclusive interview with the stars of the hot new TV show Glee. Tony Hamlyn sat with both Chris Colfer and Lea Michele who let him in on all sorts of gay tit bits.

Debbie Tonkin writes about the invisibility of bisexuality. I always thought being bisexual just meant you got twice as much sex, but in fact it seems more complicated and misunderstood than most people realise. p24.

Bent Lenses will be enticing you at the end of the month with their popular QueerDoc and BentFest Film Festival. The festival will include some of the most deliciously queer films and documentaries. We have included a full line up of the festival program and some juicy preview shots. At only ten bucks a ticket, it will be hard not to spend the whole week in a dark room with a bunch of queers ;-) p16.

And talking about temptation — Catch the Fire Ministries apparently thought Canberra was so overrun with evil (manifesting itself in the form of such nasties as gay marriage etc) that it needed a good old exorcism.

So they drove all the way from Melbourne to Mt Ainslie to perform said “exorcism”. A whole bunch of Canberrans from all walks of life — gay and straight — decided to join them to let them know that we are actually all rather nice here. More in The Trap p08, photos p36.

Enjoy, Alex

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Yasmin Element, Associate Editor with a hot sausage!

Christopher, wishing it was a vegetarian sausage!

Send all letters to the editor to editor@fusemagazine.com.au

}

FUSE07, another great issue! Grab a red wine or a coffee (red wine and coffee are both full of antioxidants — but don’t overdo it!), find yourself a nice corner or spot in the sun, and be tempted.

READERS LETTERS

Dear FUSE Thank you for brightening up my day!

Not only are you wonderfully affordable (free in fact!) in these hard economic times, but you also make a gay girl in this town feel like there’s hope. I love that you try and equally represent all aspects of GLBTQ. So often it seems that only gay men are used to represent being gay/queer/etc, with lesbians and the like being left in the shadows... but not at FUSE! You make me feel like there’s a chance in this world for a single gal looking for love. Thank you!

Hannah :) Hey FUSE Just wanted to write in to say how sexy I thought Tal was on the cover of FUSE06.

He sure made the fitness article easy to read! Oh, and thanks for the great workout tips too. I can’t wait for summer to be here so I can show of my abs too.

Great mag — it’s always awesome!

Keep it up, Mark Hi FUSE I just wanna say you have done an excellent job on the mag!! I have recently moved to Qld and miss the Canberra scene and Cube and Hush very much.

So it’s great that you are able to send me a copy of FUSE in the post every month so I can keep in touch with what is happening down that way. I wish that you covered more than the Canberra area so I could know where all the action is on the Sunshine Coast!!! LOL! Cheers, one of your fans xoxoxxox

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FUSE 5

What’s On

at the movies

2012 : Opens 12 November

What will happen in 2012? Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, religions, scientists, and governments. 2012 is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. It’s exciting stuff!

The Twilight Saga — New Moon : Opens 19 November An eye candy bonanza! In the steamy second instalment of the successful Twilight series, the romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as Bella delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of — only to find herself in greater peril than ever before.

Amelia : Opens 12 November Amelia stars two-time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart, the legendary aviatrix and enigmatic symbol of the American free spirit, who was guided by a profound curiosity for everything life had to offer. Earhart’s early aviation triumphs and meteoric rise to fame and fortune were propelled along by her tempestuous partnership and eventual marriage to publisher George Putnam played by Richard Gere.

Bound by mutual ambition, admiration and ultimately a great love, their bond could not be broken even with her brief passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). Ms Earhart was the first woman to solo the Atlantic and was the first pilot, man or woman, to fly unaccompanied across the Pacific. In Amelia’s attempt to be the first to fly around the world in an equatorial flight, her life was tragically cut short with her mysterious disappearance over the South Pacific in 1937.

The Time Traveller’s Wife : Opens 5 November Clare has been in love with Henry (Eric Bana) her entire life. She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated: Henry is a time traveler — cursed with a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through his lifespan with no control.

FREE TICKETS: FUSE has double passes to give away to Dendy Theatre in Canberra.

Write in and tell us what you think of FUSE, comment on an article or sign up for FUSE EXTRA! and you could win these great Dendy movie tickets • email: hello@fusemagazine.com.au • www.fusemagazine.com.au

Free movie passes were kindly supplied by Dendy Cinemas Canberra Level 2, North Quarter Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, Canberra City

www.dendy.com.au

FUSE 6

WHAT’S ON

Presents

A gay boy’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Were the World Mine ~ Friday 25 September An acclaimed lesbian classic!

High Art ~ Friday 16 October

What’s On November BentFest and QueerDec 09

Canberra Bushdance 2009

13 November – 6 December CSIRO Discovery Centre Theatre and ARC Cinema at the National Film and Sound Archive

28 November 7.30pm Yarralumla Woolshed Canberra’s iconic queer dance party with a boot-scooting twist is back.

For over 25 years, Bushdance has been Canberra’s largest GLBTI event.

Bent Lenses, Canberra’s very own queer screen culture group, have another great festival line up of queer films and docos for us this month. You can see the full line-up, dates and previews on p16 and p20.

Tickets only $10 / Conc. $8 at ACR.

L Word Down Under Convention 22 – 24 January 2010 in Sydney Do you love the L Word ? The L Word Down Under Convention will give you an opportunity to ask cast members questions about themselves or the show, be photographed with your favourite L Word character, the chance to get actor’s autographs, as well as meet other attendees from across Australia and abroad.

Grab your tickets now girls, they are selling fast!

More info at www.thelworddownunder.com

REGULAR QUEER EVENTS!

{

Check out fusemagazine.com.au for a full list of what’s happening in Canberra including local and national GLBTQ events

Saturdays Q Radio 7pm – 9pm 2XX, 98.3FM Canberra’s own GLBTQ radio show.

RAW FM 87.6 : Girl Thing Wednesdays & Sundays from 7pm For girls who like girls. Presented

by Tori Mac, an hour of sexy house and electro served up girly style.

Hang Out with Canberra Bears Sunday arvos at O’Neill’s Irish Pub, Woolley St, Dickson on the first Sunday of the month 3pm. Bears Dinners: third Friday of the month.

Tuesdays Dyke Dinner & Movie More info on FUSE website or see Canberra Lesbians on Facebook.

With over 600 people attending last year’s event, Bushdance draws a diverse crowd from all over Australia. Canberra’s Yarralumla Woolshed provides an authentic venue for a fun night of dancing, drinking and barbequing — three great Aussie traditions all under one roof.

Bushdance newbies need not fear — a live band will lead you through the dances of yesteryear — Strip the Willow, The Waves of Bondi, crazy polkas and the perennial favourite, the Hokey Pokey. By the end of the night you’ll have danced with everyone, caught up with old friends, made some new ones and helped raise cash for the GLBTI community.

So dust off your hat, polish your boots and get ready to kick up some dust. Bushdance is back!

Bushdance is also a community fundraiser co-ordinated by Pink Tennis. Entry $30 / conc. $25 / licensed bar at the venue.

Mondays Gay & Lesbian Tennis 6pm – 9pm. Turner Tennis Club, Cnr McCaughey and Condamine Streets. Bring a tennis racquet, sports shoes and $5.

Wednesdays Gay & Lesbian Squash 6.30pm – 7.30pm. National Sports Club, Mouat Street Lyneham.

Bent Lenses Canberra’s very own Queer screen culture group. www.bentlenses.org ACTOUT ACTOUT is an informal outdoorsie activities group for Canberra’s gay and lesbian community.

More details on the FUSE website.

To have your event included here email hello@fusemagazine.com.au

Bit Bent : Canberra Youth Group A great place to meet other young people, get support or just hang out.

Mondays at Uturn in Belconnen 6pm to 8pm & Thursdays at the Woden Youth Centre 5pm to 6.30pm.

HANGOUTS Cube Nightclub Canberra’s gay night club. p28.

The Hush Lounge A chilled out GLBTQ bar. p30.

Tilley’s Devine Cafe Legendary and sumptuous! p33.

Bar32 Alternative gay friendly bar. p37.

FUSE 7

THE TRAP THE TRAP

{By Brooklyn Hulands — Journalist

HARGREAVES MOVES OUT

MARRIAGE MOVES CLOSER

There’s nothing better than a good political scandal in this town.

There’s wedding bells for our favourite gay MLA this month.

Or should that be: civil union waiting line chimes?

John Hargreaves, who was caught drink driving when he was ACT transport minister, and was last month forced to say sorry after pretending to throw Greens MLA Amanda Bresnan off a stage, is now just a backbencher. But who’s to blame for his downfall? Those damn journalists, of course.

Mr Hargreaves says it was constant negativity from the media that drove him out, calling coverage over the years one-sided and unfair.

So can we really blame him for throwing in the towel? Pollies must be getting sick of this whole “fourth estate” concept. Did the public need to know that John Della Bosca was cheating? It’s not illegal. And how about the former WA Opposition Leader, who stood down after the media revealed he’d sniffed the chair of a female staff member. C’mon, someone must have got a laugh out of that…

FUSE 8

Andrew Barr is getting set to tie the knot with his partner Anthony Toms, in what Andrew says will be a small, private affair.

But don’t call it a wedding — the ceremony itself won’t mean a thing legally. Under current ACT law, Andrew and Anthony won’t be in an official civil union until the paperwork is processed by the Office of Regulatory Services, which according to their website, can take up to two business days.

Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?

Well, moves are underway, yet again, to convince K-Rudd to allow official civil union ceremonies in the ACT. The Stanhope Government’s given it two cracks before and now the ACT Greens are trying their luck.

But the staffer wasn’t laughing and neither was Amanda Bresnan. The pretend stage-throw happened at a public event, but it took over a week for the media to pick it up. There’s speculation it was even leaked, after the Greens MLA rejected Mr Hargeaves’ original apology.

It all rests on Parliament House putting aside its veto power and letting the law through.

Labor blocked it last year, but this time around, a state has done pretty much the same thing. Who knew Tasmania would come good in the end?

Yet the former Minister could only point the finger at journos for their witch hunt to bring him down.

Despite rejecting every interview request after the scandal, he still accused the media of being unfair.

At least chair-sniffers and womanisers seem to own up to their mistakes.

Local reps on the Hill say they’re doing their best to convince the rest of Labor to let the ACT govern itself. But after ten years of pre-don’t-call-it-marital bliss, Andrew and Anthony are, understandably, not waiting any longer.

DEMONS MOVE INTO CANBERRA You may have noticed all those dark, evil forces lingering around Canberra have suddenly disappeared.

Well, you’re not imagining things. We can all thank Daniel Nalliah and his followers for that.

The controversial Christian evangelist pastor, who earlier this year claimed the Victorian bushfires were a result of legalised abortions, has taken it upon himself to perform an exorcism of Parliament House.

His group, Catch the Fire, claimed to have found a “black mass altar” on Mount Ainslie, where, quite clearly, “witches had been at work to tear down the fabric of the robust democratic system of Australia through spells.”

The demon-busting gesture hasn’t been appreciated by everyone though. Some want the group investigated for threatening members of Parliament with “eternal damnation”. Others say it’s making Mount Ainslie less romantic on a Wednesday night.

But I, for one, am glad Satan has been thrown out of the nation’s capital. I couldn’t handle my radio being stuck on ABC666 any longer.

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FUSE 9

FEATURE

COULD GLEE BE THE GAYEST SHOW ON THE BOX? Tony Hamlyn from FUSE Magazine speaks to two of Glee’s stars and finds out where on the fabulous-scale this new hit show sits.

Unlike any show currently on the small screen, Glee is taking the world by storm, and for good reason: a unique mix of addictive melodrama, quirky characters and lightning-paced humour has pulled in audiences and already garnered an adoring fan base only a few episodes in. But what exactly is it about Glee that makes it such a delicious morsel? And why should the queer community care about a high school dramedy set to music?

Openly gay Hollywood hotshot Ryan Murphy, who wrote and produced the amazing Nip/ Tuck, created Glee based on his own participation in high school theatre, and wanted it to be a celebration of musical performance. He told Variety earlier this year, ‘This is a different genre, there’s nothing like it on the air. Everything’s so dark in the world right now, that’s why Idol has worked. It’s pure escapism.’ Along with escapism, Murphy, who has co-written the first series, brings the campest and quirkiest gay sensibility of the TV season.

Much like Will & Grace, there are razor sharp one-liners and plenty of in-jokes for those of us in the know. Like when cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester (played by the fabulously scene-stealing Jane Lynch) complains after one of the Glee Club performances: ‘That,’ she says, ‘was the most offensive thing I’ve seen in twenty years of teaching. And that includes an elementary school production of Hair.’ Or when one of the girls tries hitting on Glee’s resident gay guy, Kurt, asking him if he’d be interested in hanging out: ‘Come over,’ he deadpans, ‘It’s Liza Minnelli week on AMC.’

Nineteen-year-old, Chris Colfer plays Kurt — the oddly confident high school homo — with the kind of abandon not often seen on prime time TV. He does droll and deliberate to a tee, but doesn’t delve too deeply into the overly sassy stereotype.

Colfer admits, ‘I didn’t really want to make him overly flamboyant, ‘cos that’s been done so much. I wanted to make him more superior and internal, and maybe controlling a little bit.’

Whilst in person the young actor is not overtly masculine (my guess is he could camp it up with the best of them), that’s pretty much where the resemblance ends. Where Kurt is cool and condescending, Colfer is enthusiastic and incredibly polite, and it is apparent that Kurt’s haughtiness comes from an outside influence or two.

‘I’d say he’s a mix between Tim Gunn, Patsy Stone from Ab Fab and maybe Victoria Beckham,’ he offers. ‘I figure those are the people he’d watch growing up and aspire to be like.’

Not obvious choices, but the comparisons are clear — in particular Tim Gunn, whose work as Project Runway’s chief couturier has made him one of the most likeable and steadfast gay TV characters to date.

‘I figure he would be a big Tim Gunn fan,’ Colfer adds knowingly.

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Glee’s musical pedigree is exceptional, and it’s safe to say the show’s ensemble hosts some of the most amazing young voices brought together in the one place. Technically-speaking, the performances are masterfully produced and arranged, but there is also a real irreverence to them. Murphy chooses the numbers based on the storyline, the character and of course the cast member chosen to perform. It would appear from these artistic choices that he is camp in his tastes, as well as inspired.

{By Tony Hamlyn Cast member Lea Michele, who plays the feisty Rachel Berry, explains, ‘No one will have better ideas than Ryan Murphy. His musical vocabulary is incredible.’

Whether it’s a cheesy reworking of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’, or an a’cappella spin on Journey’s rock anthem of the 70s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, this show is as hilarious in its irony as it is impressive in its musicality.

To add to the show’s glaringly pro-gay posturing, Michele’s character of Rachel is the familial product of a same-sex relationship. The story told in the pilot episode is that after an intense search her gay dads found an ideal surrogate, mixed their sperm and created Rachel without knowing which one of them is the biological father.

Lea Michele acknowledges that, although delivered with tongue firmly in cheek, the idea of a lead character coming from such an unorthodox family unit is really quite groundbreaking.

‘I’m so happy to be part of a show that I’m so proud of and that I feel is incredibly progressive.’

Whilst some North Shore housewives might still be traumatised by the infamous Play School “lesbian mums” controversy from a few years ago, the concept of Rachel Berry’s gay dads is a brand new first for network free-to-air television ­— and a welcome one at that. On being told that the Rachel character was fast becoming our new favourite icon her reaction is excitedly palpable.

‘Good! Amazing! Everyone’s response has been unbelievable.’

Playing a fearless, self-assured female figure always draws in the gay boys. When I ask Chris Colfer why he thinks Rachel gets the gay vote he is acutely matter-of-fact.

‘Rachel’s very much like a gay man herself,’ he laughs. ‘I think she’s the strong female character that gay audiences relate to.’

While it’s one thing to be loved by the gay audience, it’s quite another to be representing them. Glee’s fourth episode features one of the year’s most genuine and touching TV moments when Kurt comes out to his uber-straight father.

This kind of thing has been done before and is not a first obviously, but the scene is handled with a rare originality and so much heart, both in writing and in performance, that it goes down as one of the all-time best. It obviously struck a chord with audiences, as it was the catalyst for readers of gay-media website AfterElton.com to vote Kurt their “Gay of the Week”, a gesture nobody appreciated more so than Colfer himself.

‘I am very, very proud of that. I want to print it out and frame it, because it’s great to be embraced by the community you’re supposed to represent on the show. It’s the best compliment ever.’

As pro-homo as this show is, it’s still unclear as to whether Kurt gets himself a boyfriend, or if he’ll get to act out at all on his pillow-biting impulses.

‘You will see Kurt fall in love,’ Colfer assures us, ‘but it won’t be reciprocated.’

Disappointing, yes. But to be fair, Glee isn’t about perfect teenagers wrestling with their immense popularity; it’s about the underdogs working their way through the minefield of the high school caste system, so the idea of Kurt’s fantasies going unfulfilled keeps in tune with the rest of the story. And with a full season of 22 episodes recently green-lit by the Fox Network, there could be plenty of room to perhaps grow. Colfer is optimistic, but amusingly wary.

‘I’ve heard many rumours about Kurt getting a boyfriend and all that I ask is that I’m the better looking of the two. Because I do not want to have to hear, “Kurt’s boyfriend is so good looking — what is he doing with him?” I do not wanna hear that! So that’s my only request that I be much better looking than whoever it is.’

Thursday nights have gone from uninspiring to un-miss-able, thanks to the fabulousness that is Glee. It’s an all-dancing, all-singing, big, gay romp, in the grand tradition of Mickey and Judy, or High School Musical. But Glee really hits its mark in capturing that joy of music and of performance, without resorting to cheap and crass. It manages to be fresh, bold, and laugh-out-loud funny. It’s camp, but it’s clever.

And is there anything better than that?

Glee is on Channel Ten Thursday nights at 7.30pm

FUSE 11

While most of us were tucked away indoors over winter, a group of crazy girls were running around on dirt, in zero temperatures on the Hawker softball diamonds.

batter up. {

By Helen Stevens

Curiosity and possibly the visual of women in tight softball pants led me and FUSE photographer Snez, to check out this insanity.

What we found were two fun, loud and rowdy women’s softball teams — the Ladies and the Ladettes.

If the Div One game between the Ladettes vs Lefties is social, I’m scared to see the summer comp. Amanda ‘Hawko’ Hawkins pitching for the Ladettes is super fast and accurate.

The Ladies team plays in Division Two and the Ladettes play Division One. Both teams have a diverse range of age and skill level with Division One being more competitive. Which fence the girls date on is mixed within the teams. The Ladettes team have approximately 50 per cent queer-girl presence.

Their fielding was tight with a quick pick up from player Candace thrown to second base and then forwarded onto first seeing two players out from one pitch. The Ladettes cruised on to win the game seventeen to four proceeding into the Grand Final.

The Ladies also made it to the Grand Final and won against the Princesses nineteen to fourteen. As Coach Sarah ‘Sare’ Houston said to the team, “Your batting and base running was fantastic and your fielding was terrific, with you all backing each other.”

The best team of the season, the Ladettes went down to the Dream Team by one run due to confusion over the rules. Bring it back next season Ladettes. A top class fielding effort saw three players out from one pitch during the second fielding innings.

This is the second season of the winter comp in Canberra. It’s an opportunity for women who play the more serious summer competition to keep their skills fresh during the off-season.

The rules for winter are changed to increase the pace of the game and keep the social vibe going. Instead of the usual nine players in winter, there are ten per team. Similarly, instead of the standard three strikes/four balls: “you’re out” rules, winter uses a two strikes/three balls game play.

Each side alternates between fielding and batting for ten minutes, regardless of the number of players out. The team with the highest number of runs home at the end of the game wins!

Both teams are kitted out with team merchandise including a team photo t-shirt and hats. Their WAGS could be heard more than seen, with the sledging providing as much entertainment as the game itself.

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So, get your swing on everyone and check out the girls softball for a great way to spend Saturday afternoons this summer. I reckon dragging around a sports bag looking like an athlete is fun enough, so you can count me in.

See you on a diamond soon. Helen xxx

Thanks to Lisa ‘Sticky’ Jefferson and Sarah Houston for providing background information. Photography by Snez Saravovska.

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NEWS GOSSIP & STUFF

ELLEN TAKES ON IDOL The entertainment industry in the US is reeling over the news that none other than Ellen DeGeneres will be taking over the judging spot on American Idol left vacant after crazy old Paula Abdul quit the show earlier this year. There is little doubt over DeGeneres’ popularity — she is always asked to host award shows because producers know she’s a drawcard, she appears in a number of ads in the US from American Express to Cover Girl makeup, and her talk show is currently achieving the impossible by actually out-rating Oprah — but since the announcement made on her show in late August, views have been polarised.

The Buzz*

{

By Tony Hamlyn

HOT REALITY MESS

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Brilliant news for fans of the show Project Runway with the announcement that TV network, Bravo have signed on Christian Siriano for his very own reality show. For those of you not in the know, Christian Siriano was the camp, little foxy-terrier who won Runway’s season four and was responsible for coining the single greatest catch phrase in the show’s history: ‘Hot tranny mess.’ (It should be pointed out that the phrase is not a derogatory slur against transgendered individuals, but is in fact a positive affirmation of something that is quite fabulous, e.g. ‘That outfit is a hot tranny mess!’). According to Variety, Christian will star in a show which will follow him set up his very own shop in LA — just like Kelly and Donna did in season six of Beverly Hills 90210 — and distribute his very own fashion label.

Before anyone gets all cynical and facetious about yet another C-grade celebrity getting their very own reality show, let it be said that Christian Siriano is arguably the most creative and productive designer in Project Runway’s six year run. His work on the show was highly praised by industry pundits, and he also wound up winning the “audience favourite” vote, as well as the final showing in Bryant Park.

This coupled with the fact that he is a clever queen with a razor sharp wit, should make for hilarious viewing.

The major issue here is of course Ellen’s lack of industry experience. Idol’s major redeeming quality is that the judging comes from first-hand experience in one form or another: Simon Cowell was a successful record exec at RCA, Randy Jackson is a renowned session muso and producer, and of course Paula was a pop star herself back in the late 80s (kids, ask your parents!).

All of their critiques, no matter how misguided they are at times, seemingly come from a knowledgeable place. Ellen certainly knows about the entertainment industry in general, but does she have the expertise to critically assess a vocal performer or performance? Probably not.

But realistically, Paula Abdul’s place on the judging panel was rarely about critical assessment either. She had a very specific role which was to be contrary to Simon’s usually harsh comments, and to make the contestants feel loved and supported. Paula made a very good living out of complimenting people’s hair, clothing and “energy” and it’s a safe bet that someone like Ellen could take on that role very easily. Those of us who witnessed Ellen’s guest judging spot on the last US season of So You Think You Can Dance were left feeling a little uneasy, given that her critiques were glib and pretty throw-away and the whole point of her being there seemed lost on everyone involved. But Dance and Idol, although similar in premise, are very different ball games — Idol has a bit of an “every man” quality, whilst Dance is much more exclusive — and this is probably what will make Idol and Ellen a winning combo for the Fox Network.

But aside from all of this, what really has to be acknowledged is: The most visible lesbian in the known world has just been promoted to the United States’ most watched TV program. American Idol is HUGE! To give you some idea just how big we’re talking, currently the Nielsen Ratings show that the new episodes of NCIS are the highest rating, pulling in around 20 million viewers a week. This year’s American Idol (which ran fourteen weeks at the beginning of the year) clocked a weekly average of just over 30 million people, making it the country’s most watched show overall for the sixth year running. Its phenomenal success has other networks reputedly referring to it as “The Death Star”, which is hilarious, you have to admit! So for a woman who wears her homosexuality very publicly and very proudly to be not only considered for a show of this magnitude, but to be considered a drawcard for its future success, is just unparalleled in our popular culture.

Regardless of her qualifications, or whether Idol will benefit from her involvement or finally jump the shark, the fact that she’s actually there speaks volumes about her abilities and her successes, both personally and professionally. Raise a limped wrist and give snaps, everybody — big snaps for Ellen and her Idol debut in the US at the end of the year.

DON’T BE TOO HAYES-TY Did you know that if you type “Darren Hayes” into your mobile phone’s predictive text it will automatically come up with Darren Gayer? Funny, isn’t it? What isn’t funny is the way Australian radio and people in general seem to have given up on the man who was once regarded as one of our hottest celebrities and favourite pop sensations. Sure, he can be a bit of a knob sometimes, but to his absolute credit he is one of our loudest and proudest gay boys, constantly admonishing the Australian Government for its anti-gay marriage legislation, and being an outspoken advocate of the love that dare not speak its name. He’s the Boy George of his era (again... kids, ask your parents!)

Darren’s last two albums, This Delicate Thing We’ve Made and The Tension & the Spark, were superb ventures into modern electro-pop which sadly failed to ignite interest, not only here but pretty much worldwide. Some felt the direction was too “out there” and that the man needed to reel in some of the craziness and start writing fun, commercial pop music again. Well guess what...?

According to his regular MySpace blogs, Darren is currently working on a new album which he himself is describing as “Pop with a capital ‘P’...”. Word has it he’s working with Rick Nowels, one of the all-time great US producers, who wrote almost all of Belinda Carlisle’s back catalogue of hit singles, and who more recently was responsible for mega-dancefloor anthems like Melanie C’s ‘I Turn To You’ and Amber’s ‘Above The Clouds’. Having recorded a bunch of songs in LA and in the UK, where he’s permanently based now, Darren returned to Sydney at the end of September to record a number of tracks at a secret studio. From reports on his Twitter page, he seemed to be working with a few of the band members from the old Savage Garden days (NOT, however, Daniel Jones — the “other one” from Savage Garden) and sounded like he was enjoying the process immensely, which is happy news for fans who want to see our boy back on top of the world, stealing the show at the ARIA awards and rubbing shoulders with the hoy-poloy, where he belongs.

In the meantime, if you prefer Darren’s more tripped-out electro stuff, you’ll be ecstatic to hear about We Are Smug — a side project he’s done with Robert Conley, producer and co-writer of those last two Darren albums. The ten tracks are available online at wearesmug.com and they are totally and completely free of charge. Hoorray! This entire recording has a beautiful electric trash vibe with some great hooks and fabulous melodies. It’s all a bit Depeche Mode meets Nine Inch Nails, but it’s terrific, and it’s free. So go download it now.

And keep your ears open for the new Darren Hayes pop project, ‘cos it’s bound to be a corker!

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BENTLENSES

STRAIGHT JACKET : FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER

In 1950s Hollywood, movie star Guy Stone must marry a studio secretary in order to conceal his homosexuality.

Sally has no idea her marriage is a sham and turns Guy’s life upside-down. Then he falls in love...

SILVER ROAD : FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER

Two childhood friends say goodbye in this ode to unrequited love, growing up and letting go.

LIGHTSWITCH : SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Danielle is desperately struggling for words as her final deadline draws near. It’s not until she meets Shauna that her story begins to write itself. Their instant connection and attraction takes them on a challenging journey of self-discovery and inevitable angst as they fight to find who they are and struggle with what they come to mean to each other.

WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING : SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Bent Lenses ­is Canberra’s very own queer screen culture group

Successful in her teaching job at a conservative religious college, Camille looked forward to marrying her adoring, minister boyfriend and settling down to the conventions of family and career. But a chance encounter with a beautiful, irresistibly sensuous young female circus performer named Petra is about to transform Camille’s predictable life into an electrifyingly erotic adventure.

LUCKY BLUE : SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER

A camping site somewhere on a Swedish summer night.

The grand emotions, the little person, the first love, trailers, karaoke and a bird… This is the story of Olle who, in spite of his insecurities and fears, finally finds the courage to express his love, in his own way.

BEAUTIFUL THING : SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER

The offbeat, underachieving denizens of a South East London apartment building get an emotional wake-up call when two of the neighbors — teen boys — unexpectedly fall in love.

Tickets & Bar from 7.00pm — Films screen from 8.00pm CSIRO Discovery Centre Nth Science Road, Acton QUEERDOCS IN ASSOCIATION WITH BENTLENSES

There’s something deliciously voyeuristic about documentary film. Whether you’re empathising, sympathising or fantasising, it is thrillingly satisfying to catch a glimpse of somebody’s private world. QueerDoc 2009, offers a guilt-free opportunity to give in to that temptation.

From the courageous sacrifices of AIDS activists recreated in Berlin prize-winning doc-opera Fig Trees, to the bravery of two Sydney men who turned an act of violence into a symbol of togetherness in Holding Hands; two inspiring women, Edie & Thea allow us into their 40 year relationship and long awaited wedding; and the precocious young men of the College Boys Live website; and the 1989 East German Queer classic, Coming Out.

Tickets $10 / $8 Concession — Film details on p20.

ARC Cinema, National Film & Sound Archive, McCoy Crt, Acton

BentFest2009

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17

rainbow food!

FEATURE

{By Alexander Thatcher

It’s not hard to see the connection between what we bring into our bodies (and lives) and illness.

The mega-giant-commercialism-machine sure does feed us some crap and I’m not just talking about food here — advertising is also to blame for some extremely bad eating habits.

However, having said that, foods chosen and prepared with care and thought can be your salvation in a world of junk food.

Considering that many large food companies manufacture pesticides and chemical fertilisers, as well as help fund experiments in genetic engineering, you have to be pretty naive to believe that they really have you or your needs at heart. By moving away from mass produced foods and drinks you’ll be doing yourself a huge favour.

A simple way to start down the right track is to think ‘rainbow food’. By eating bright, fresh and, where possible, chemical free or organic produce — and avoiding over-processed foods and junk food — you can feel brighter, happier and have a better chance of fighting off any nasties that may come along.

The ‘super foods’ or the top performing anti-ageing, health improving, good-mood-enhancing foods known on this planet are also the most colourful ones. The pigments contained in produce (the component that gives each item its colour), are a real gift from nature and are packed with vital vitamins and minerals. By eating richly pigmented foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, you’ll be maximising your intake of super foods without even knowing it. It’s like the idiots guide to good eating.

Many nutrients are associated with colours. Carotenes for instance, which are important antioxidants that range in color from deep yellow to deep red (think delicious capsicums and berries). Anthocyanins are another class of essential ‘phytochemicals’ and can be found in foods coloured anywhere from black, blue and purple to reddish. Flavinoids come in a similarly varied assortment of colored foods. Even white vegetables can be helpful; for instance, those from the onion family supply allicin, which is thought to boost the immune system, fight heart disease, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Perhaps the most important colour in the ‘rainbow diet’ is green, which is probably why wheatgrass has been such a hit in Australia. Dark-green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and bok choy are packed with fabulous nutrients.

These include omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are critical for building good quality cells in the body. Apparently most people eating an Aussie diet are deficient in omega-3.

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All you need to do is to spread all those beautifully edible rainbow colours on your plate, savour the spectacle and enjoy the benefits. Following is a simple but useful guide to get you in the know.

RED

Will keep your heart pumping strong and you burning bright.

Red pomegranates have been used to improve sex drive, promote stronger erections and increase vitality for centuries. Oh and for the girls, they are also known to promote fertility.

Red contains fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals such as lycopene and anthocyanins, which can help prevent cancer and neurological and aging diseases, and be beneficial for people with diabetes. With two powerful antioxidants, vitamins A and C, red will help keep your heart healthy.

ORANGE / YELLOW Bright and happy, it will do the same for your mood and keep you strong.

Orange and yellow contain fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals such as carotenoids, which aid in the health of mucous membranes and vision, can prevent heart disease and cancer, and strengthen the immune system.

GREEN

King / Queen of foods!

Green contains fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals such as lutein, which aids in healthy vision and can prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as birth defects. It also makes bones and teeth stronger and boosts the immune system. Green leafy vegetables also contain folic acid and B-6, which is a known mood enhancing vitamin.

Any health, fitness or dietry advice contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician and a fitness/health professional before changing your diet, or taking any supplements of any kind.

FRESH IS BEST

BLUE / PURPLE

Helps you remember where you left your keys — or in my case pants.

Contain fibres, vitamins and phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and flavanoids, which can prevent memory loss, cancer, stroke and heart disease, and promote urinary health and boost immunity.

BROWN

Brown isn’t really a rainbow colour but let’s not let that get in our way.

Grains, seeds and nuts contain fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals that lower blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of some cancers, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

WHITE

Well white isn’t a colour at all, but you can never go wrong with white — simple, classic and timeless. Oh sorry, that’s fashion I’m thinking about.

White contains fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals such as anthoxanthins, which contribute to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce the probability of stomach cancer and heart disease.

Warm roasted pumpkin salad With baby spinach, Persian fetta and olives — serves 4 This is a salad Rikki created in her Canberra cafe last summer which has a good, punchy taste, but is also light and fresh. The texture and sweetness of the roasted pumpkin skin goes well with the saltiness of the olives and fetta.

Rikki at Eat Your Words Cafe says a good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must when making and dressing salads.

Ingredients • 1/2 Japanese pumpkin • 250g baby spinach, washed • 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives • 1/4 cup semi dried tomatoes • 200g Persian fetta cheese • Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) • Aged balsamic vinegar • Freshly cracked pepper & salt

The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables unfortunately decline as produce gets older. Because much of our food comes from the far corners of the country (and in some cases the world), shop bought produce can already have failing nutrition content.

Always try to get the very freshest food you can buy. This usually means buying foods that are as locally grown as possible. The very best food however will come from your own garden or balcony. If you can put in a few tomato plants (now is the time to plant them in Canberra) or some potted greens and herbs you’ll be eating like a queen in no time.

Method Slice pumpkin into thin wedges. Rikki says keep the skin on as it contains great nutrients and adds to the texture of the dish!

Toss the pumpkin in a bowl with a drizzle of EVOO, salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast in an oven at 180c until just soft (20-25 minutes).

Wash and dry baby spinach. Chop olives in half and de-pit as they can cause havoc with teeth.

To serve Dress spinach, olives and sliced semi dried tomatoes in a bowl with EVOO, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Place 1/4 of the baby spinach mix onto each plate. Top with 3 wedges of warm pumpkin. Crumble the fetta cheese on top and use some of the oil to drizzle around the plate.

Eat Your Words Cafe can be found at 2/71 Dundas Court, Phillip. For all you catering needs call Rikki on 02 6282 0499.

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EERDOC LENS 2009: QU BENTALIA’S MOST DELICIOUSLY VOYEURISTIC SELECTION AUSTR

OF NEW DOCUMENTARIES COMES TO ARC CINEMA

Thursday 26 November - Sunday 6 December Presented in association with Queer Screen.

Presented as part of Bent Lens 2009.

From the courageous sacrifices of AIDS activists recreated in Berlin prize-winning doc-opera Fig Trees; to the bravery of two Sydney men who turned an act of violence into a symbol of togetherness in Holding Hands; two inspiring women Edie & Thea allow us into their 40 year relationship and long awaited wedding; and the Thursday 26 No vember 7pm FIG TREES Saturday 28 No vember 7pm EDIE & THEA: A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT and PUNCH LIK EA

GIRL

Tickets $10 / $8 Conc.

All films unclassified 18+ Café open before all screenings

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precocious young men of the College Boys Live website. Plus the 1989 East German Queer classic, Coming Out (as part of a wider look at the cinema of Divided Germany).

Whether you are an L, a G, a B, an I or a T, or even just queer-curious, there’s something sure to satisfy in this year’s line up... so what’s your Qriosity?

Thursday 3 De cember 7pm COMING OUT Saturday 5 De ce COLLEGE BOYS mber 7pm LIVE

McCoy Circuit, Acton Ph: 02 6248 2000 www.nfsa.gov.au

Sunday 6 Dece m HOLDING HAND ber 7pm S QueerDoc is made po generous support ssible through the of Volkswagen, the FTO and ACON. NSW

fire

{By Robert Henderson FOOTLIGHTS

a retrospective After twenty years, Australia’s Indigenous Dance company, Bangarra presents highlights drawn from all seventeen of their productions. Artistic Director and Choreographer, Stephen Page has been the driving force of the company since establishing it in 1989 with Lead Dancer, his late brother Russell and Composer, his older brother David.

Instead of just cutting bits out of past works and shoving them on like a concert, Fire is a whole new work, taking you on the journey of Bangarra’s growth over twenty years.

It also features exciting design installations, multimedia imagery and some of the company’s most memorable works.

Bangarra is a Wiradjuri word meaning ‘to make fire’ and so Fire became the name of the show.

‘I wanted it to be something connected to the spirituality of what makes you want to dance,’ said Page.

Included is Bush, Stephen’s powerful work to help come to terms with the grief from his brother Russell’s suicide in 2002.

Russell was the company’s Lead Dancer, having performed with the company at the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony.

His death was a terrible blow to the company and everyone involved, as the company is in many ways like a family. Instead of giving up, they’ve grown even stronger. Bush was inspired by the Dreamtime creation stories of Arnhem Land.

Appearing in Fire are two dancers with strong connections to Canberra who’ve been with Bangarra for many years. Daniel Riley McKinley started dancing aged nine appearing with Quantum Leap. His highlights have included a tour to London and Paris in collaboration with the Australian Ballet performing in Rites and touring New York, Washington and Ottawa with Awakenings. Jhuny-Boy Borja was born in Manila and grew up in the Northern Territory. He’s graduated from the ANU and is not only an impressive dancer but also a software engineer and has a bachelor’s degree of pure mathematics.

For Alchemy, Page told Australian Ballet star, David Mcallister, that he had created this part for Steven Heathcote and himself where he would cover them all in ochre.

‘I was like, “Oh, wow. That sounds really interesting,”’ said Mcallister. ‘He didn’t tell me that all I would be wearing was a jockstrap.’

More recently, other choreographers such as Elma Kris and Frances Rings have developed their own works, giving a different perspective on contemporary indigenous dance drama.

‘If you’re a Bangarra fan out there, god, you’re going to get a best of Bangarra experience,’ said Page. ‘And, if you’re a new fan, then you’ll be awakened to this great storytelling that’s through dance theatre.’

Friday 20 & Saturday 21 November 2009 at the Canberra Theatre. Bookings 6275 2700 or canberratheatre.org.au

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FABULOUS THINGS

{

HANDCRAFTED BEAUTY It’s hard to find anything original anymore. But not at Aharoni Jewellery in Canberra — all their pieces are absolutely original, handcrafted and truly beautiful. This pendant is solid 18 carat white with rose gold and a unique 10.17 carats elongated emerald cut multicoloured Tourmaline. See their full collection at 88-96 Bunda Street, Canberra or at www.aharoni-jewellery.com

FABULOUS MAC RULES AGAIN!

HAVE WHEELS WILL TRAVEL If the cool shape didn’t tip you off — yes, it’s a bag for your bike.

Want to take your bicycle on holidays interstate or OS? The AeroTech Evolution bicycle case is designed to protect your dismantled bicycle in the cargo hold of an aeroplane and from those crazy bag handlers. Made from vacuum-formed ABS — it’s a little softer kind of plastic that can better absorb the energy of a fall, plus it can be repaired if damaged. The good news is your bike will still be safe and sound inside. :-)

The new wireless Apple Magic Mouse is undoubtedly the best mouse in the house and also the prettiest one we think.

Apple have taken their knowledge in iPhone trackpad finger gestures and one-piece manufacturing and made this delicately sturdy, bridge-shaped mouse.

The Magic Mouse dispenses with the traditional clickable buttons and scrollwheels — instead you use intuitive finger gestures on the touch-sensitive surface to move the mouse’s cursor on-screen and perform the standard functions. The touch-sensitive surface can either be single or multi-button.

This can be configured easily to meet your requirements and is ideal for scrolling through long documents or moving across large images.

You can also ‘swipe’ to go back and forth through lots of web pages or photos.

}

The bike wheels are fixed with quick clamping devices in shapes recognisable from the outside, and fixing belts for various frame shapes are used to stop it from sliding around. There is also space for the pedals and other cycling goodies.

It’s very, very cool at only $99. www.apple.com/au

Order online at www.e-sciconbags.com

{ FUSE 22

NEW BOSE SOUNDDOCK10 Every time I walk pass the BOSE shop I get weak at the knees and my credit card starts to shudder. Now the temptation for me to spend big is almost irresistible with the new BOSE SoundDock10. At RRP $999 it’s not cheap but if you want the best you gotta pay up!

The SoundDock10 delivers performance so powerful and lifelike, it could easily become your home’s main music system — just plug in your iPod and you’re away. You’ve probably never heard your iPod sound this good. It’s also compatible with your iPhone, MP3 player or other audio devices (Bluetooth optional).

GIVEAWAY! SUPPORT FUSE MAGAZINE Subscribe to FUSE this month and you’ll be in the draw to win this awesome lamp from our friends at electricfirefly.com.au — it’s worth $89.

A six-month FUSE subscription is only $36.

Grab a form from fusemagazine.com.au or email us at hello@fusemagazine.com.au

THINGS

IT’S A BRA — NO, IT’S A GAS MASK — NO, IT’S A BRA...

So there’s a gas attack — take off your bra if you want to survive girls! The Gas Mask Bra works simply enough, using a modified strapless bra design, with the hooking mechanism installed at either end of the band. It also comes with connectors between the cups that you can unhinge to get a usable pair of facemasks.

Wrap the band around the base of your head and, like magic, you’re wearing decent protection over your face and mouth.

I know a few girls that will want to be there when that happens.

This new fabulous thing is able to transform a brassiere into two protective facemasks — the clever undergarment lets you be ready in an unexpected emergency. You can wear both facemasks (if you’re really, really paranoid) or give the other one to a friend... or not. This fabulous thing won Dr. Elena Bodnar a Nobel Prize.

Photo of Nobel Laureate demonstrating!

LADY GAGA BRINGS GLAMOUR TO HEADPHONES The new Heartbeats Headphones by Lady Gaga are holistically designed to deliver the soundtrack of your life with clarity and power, as well as satisfy your own passion for fashion. Immerse yourself in pitch-perfect highs, precise mids, and club caliber bass. Lady Gaga didn’t just style-check the Heartbeats, she created the design to ensure they look like no other headphone out there.

}

SUN IN A JAR We just love environmentally friendly things at FUSE and this is our new favourite for this month. Normally jam jars store jam, but this jar stores sunshine so that you can use it at night, and it looks great.

It’s made with a traditional Mason jar and cool high-tech energy efficient lighting! Inside the jar there’s a highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps. When the jar is placed in sunlight, the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

The light is diffused by the frosted jar and gives the appearance of sunlight emitting from within.

Mason jars are not only beautiful but by their very nature they are completely water tight, so the Sun Jar can happily be left outside in any weather conditions.

It’s perfect garden light or night light for the bedroom or on the dinner table. Canberra stockists can be found at www.sunjar.com.au

The earbuds will be available in three colours: white, black and red.

Lady Gaga says, ‘Red’s the new pink!’

The headphones will launch in Europe later this year and will cost around US$140. www.ladygaga.com

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{By Debbie Tonkin

OP.ED

GLBTQI

IS SOMETHING MISSING?

‘...people’s erotic lives are often so complex and unpredictable that attempts to label them are necessarily restrictive and inadequate.’

HISTORY

Bi-sexuality is an often debated, maligned or hidden sexuality in the GLBTQI community.

Modern bisexuality has a history that dates from 1859 when it was used by an anatomist, though these understandings were based on the physiological understandings of the time, and quite connected to Darwin’s theories. Bisexuality was used to refer to male and female traits in plant species and then in humans, such as hermaphrodites (people with both male and female reproductive organs).

A definition of bisexuality evolved through the 19th century from the above into the early 20th century when it was used to describe people with male and female traits, then into the 1980s, spurred on by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It came to be understood as ‘...bisexuality as a form of sexual attraction or identification and bisexuality as a sexual practice’ (MacDowall, L, 2009).

‘Hallelujah!’ I hear many of you say, however the road is still being paved and trod by many bisexual people in order to gain acceptance in both the gay and straight communities — either of which, it is often stated, they don’t feel a part of .

INVISIBILITY Bisexuality is often quoted as being invisible in society. Kathy Labriola, a well known counsellor and author of many articles on non-traditional relationships in California, states that bisexuality has long been invisible and that ‘... the rigid dichotomy between gay and straight has caused many bisexuals to feel alienated and rejected by gay men and lesbian women’. Many bisexual people will be invisible inside gay and lesbian

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organisations, keeping their sexuality quiet in order to avoid being judged. MacDowall’s paper, ‘Historicising Contemporary Bisexuality’ uses the word ‘erasure’ to explain the invisibility of bisexuality, and that this erasure has occurred due to a combination of structural issues, an ‘inability to think of bisexuality in concrete terms’ and connection to Freudian theory. MacDowall also mentions that bisexuality is a missing component in much of the widely known gay and lesbian literature.

Kathy Labriola makes a concerning statement, ‘Studies have shown that bisexual people suffer from social isolation even more than gay men or lesbians because they lack any community where they can find acceptance and role models’. We know that there is a higher rate of suicide in the GTBTQI community and adding further isolation can’t be a good thing. She goes on to say that many bisexual women feel they are not trusted by the lesbian community because they are ‘sleeping with the enemy’ and I’m sure many of us have heard comments in the same themes; I’ve heard it a dozen times, ‘make up your mind already!’ It’s ok to not want to have relationships or sex with the opposite sex and bisexual men and/or women if that’s your choice, however it is equally important to be accepting and welcoming of people of all persuasion in our GLBTQI community and not to judge them with the judgment we ourselves have suffered from the heterosexual community.

The gay and lesbian community has many years of political and social activism, fighting for rights and forming political and social networks behind it. This has created a visible and visual point of reference in the world and as is often the case, the more visible, the more likely to affect policy outcomes. For bisexual people, activism is in its early stages. Bisexual activist groups have been around since the 60s and 70s, but they took on new life in the 80s and grew as the HIV/AIDS epidemic burgeoned (BiNet USA states that many more women joined the ranks at this stage also). Websites like BiNetUSA and others have been an important resource for bisexual people (websites are listed at the end of the article).

MODELS OF BISEXUALITY There are two well known theorists on the subject of sexuality and coming out, Vivienne Cass’s model of coming out and Alfred Kinsey’s scale of sexuality/sexual activity. Cass’s identity model is a good guide for being aware of coming out issues and Kinsey’s scale shows wide parameters for varying types of sexuality. There are six parts to this scale — for example, the fifth part of the scale is about those who are predominantly homosexual, and incidentally heterosexual. Whilst his words don’t include bisexuality it’s interesting to note the scales (link provided on the FUSE website).

Continued p26.

The Show For Lovers (and Haters) of Musicals!

Music by Eric Rockwell Lyrics by Joanne Bogart Book by Eric Rockwell & Joanne Bogart

Directors: Duncan Ley and Duncan Driver Musical Director: Lucy Bermingham Featuring: Louiza Blomfield, Adrian Flor, Hannah Ley and Jarrad West

Courtyard Studio 3 - 12 December 8pm 12 December 2pm

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These are both good models to adopt, though of course have copped their own flak along the way!

Kathy Labriola thinks there are two major models being used in the straight and gay communities; the ‘transitional model’ — which is essentially the belief that bisexual people are on their way to being gay, they’re just in transition; and the ‘pathological model’ — that there is some instability due to conflict over whether they are gay or not and can’t come to a decision. These models both present bisexuality as being a temporary state. It’s surely the case that many people find their way to being gay through exploring bisexuality, however it is not the case for everyone and many people have the capacity to love and/or enjoy sex with both sexes, ongoing!

COMMUNITY ATTITUDES Now enough about all the theories and models, the bottom line is: bisexual people are part of our community, they form part of our most widely used acronym GLBTQI (give or take a few letters depending on preference). And as community members we are all equals, so let’s be open and accepting to all the glorious and wondrous difference in our community!

I think (and it’s just my personal opinion) that the GLBTQI community, even if we don’t like or agree with everyone in it, needs to be setting the standard on acceptance of difference. If we can’t, how can we expect the heterosexual world to?

WHO’S THAT GUY IN THE YELLOW SHIRT? He’s one of the friendly recruiters for the Canberra Gay Community Periodic Survey 2009, and he is helping to conduct one of the most valuable studies for gay men’s sexual behaviour.

Of course, you can help both your community and the Australian HIV response by completing the survey when you’re asked: It’s short, anonymous, ‘tick-the-box’ style, and only takes about five minutes to do your bit.

This is the fourth Canberra survey since November 2000. The trends in local data are valuable in themselves, especially for our community and the AIDS Action Council.

Combined with the collective data and analysis from surveys conducted in each capital city, this huge research project coordinated by the National Centre in HIV Social Research, represents one of the largest and broadest studies for gay and bisexual (yes — despite the name of the survey, we’re interested in all men who have sex with men) men’s risk behaviour over time and has a vital role in informing our response to HIV. You can find previous reports at aidsaction.org.au to get a picture of what gay and bisexual men do in Canberra. Overall, the surveys have shown a sustaining culture of safe sex among communityattached men, and have highlighted barriers to regular sexual health check-ups and access to non-community-attached men — issues we continue to work to address in response.

So if the guy in the yellow shirt comes up to you this SpringOut, help us and your community by completing the survey. In return, you can also choose to go in the draw to win a $100 shopping voucher at the Canberra Centre.

Look for the survey volunteers in the bright yellow shirts at: • SpringOut Fairday (31 October) • Bushdance (28 November) • At a sex on premises venue in Canberra

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OUT & ABOUT Due to the massive success of last year’s Raunch ­— a launch party for the AIDS Action Council’s “Up Ya Bum” campaign — it’s on again, bigger and bolder than before.

So if fetish is your thing or you just love dressing up and dancing the night away with a bunch of like minded people, then Raunch at CUBE is for you!

We’re looking for Masters and Slaves, Doms and Subs, Daddies, Dominatrix and Leather Men. There’ll be prizes for the most hardcore and FREE entry for everyone that dresses up. Come along for a night of fetish backed by the

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}

Ranuch 33 Petrie Plaza Civic, Canberra City www.cubenightclub.com.au

seriously talented DJ Matt Chavasse and burlesque troupe from Miss Kitka’s House of Burlesque. Cloak room available for those that wish to bring a change of clothes. Doors open at 9pm.

See you all there!

Friday 13th November from 9pm

DJ

Peter Dorree Pete is one of Cube’s resident DJ extraordinaires, you can find him spinning the decks every second Friday and Saturday night plus every Thursday night after Karaoke.

How did you get into DJing?

Well I’ve been running clubs my whole life and have always had a passion for music but never had an outlet for it.

When Morris took over Cube he gave me the chance to play around with the decks after work and at staff parties.

After a few months one of the resident DJs left and I had a chance to strut my stuff on a real night and have never looked back since.

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OUT & ABOUT

THE

Corner of Launceston & Irving Streets Phillip www.hushlounge.com.au • 02 6282 1944

HUSHLOUNGE HUSH NEWS!

WHAT’S ON!

Last month it was a year since we first opened our doors at Hush, and what a year it’s been; the birthday weekend was a testament to the serious amount of fun to be had at Hush. So on with the show; a whole range of events have been organised for you.

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• Melbourne Cup day, we are offering a special Buffet Luncheon on the day, so get in early and reserve your table.

• Hellfire at Hush will set everyone’s heart racing on Friday 13th, but be warned not for the faint hearted!!!

• A major scoop is that the people from the “L Word” Down Under Convention and Hush have got into bed together and on Saturday 21st we will be holding an “L Word” night with lots of give-aways and special surprises.

Tickets for all events available NOW! If you missed out on getting your HUSH MEMBER DOG TAG, they are available at the bar for $10, but hurry as there aren’t many left. This Tag will get you pre-sale prices for all ticketed events at the door, also discounted prices on our Gourmet Pizzas and we’ll have special deals throughout the year.

YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS VENUE & VIBE!!!

MELBOURNE CUP DAY TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER Join us for a buffet style luncheon and watch the Melbourne Cup this year in your favourite “Lounge” bar!

Entry incudes lunch plus a glass of champagne. Starts at 12pm. $20 presale & $25 on the door.

BEARS BAR DAY SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER Bar Day for the Canberra Bears from at 4 till 6pm, all welcome.

HELLFIRE AT HUSH FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER The famous hellfire club comes to Canberra. $5 entry don’t miss it!

KARAOKE & KOCKTAILS SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER Come along and sing, sing, sing!

BUCK’S & HEN’S NIGHT FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER This will be a great night out, with hot and sexy pole dancers Chika and Tyler Ayers. $5 entry.

L WORD NIGHT SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER The L Word Down Under Convention is coming to Syndey, providing an opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with the cast members.

They are hosting a special “L Word Night” at HUSH. $10 pre-sale $15 door.

STAND UP COMEDY NIGHT THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER Stand up comedy night from 7pm.

Come along for a good old laugh!

OPENING HOURS : Tuesday — Thursday 5pm to 11pm : Friday — Saturday 5pm to 1am : Sunday 1pm to 8pm

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BODY SHAPE

Eating your way to a great body FOOD CAN INCREASE THE BENEFIT OF EXERCISE Yes, that’s right, food is not our enemy! We do need to ensure that we are watching the foods that we eat, but food can become our friend, particularly after exercising.

When you exercise, you break down muscle fibres and burn a lot of energy. The good thing is that if you’re aiming for weight loss, you’ll be burning the calories as well. However, you need to ensure that you are doing the right thing by your body and replacing valuable energy stores and nutrients (such as protein) to help the body recover.

No matter what time you exercise, it is important to follow it up with a meal that combines protein with carbohydrates, to help replenish these energy stores. For the best results, it is recommended to eat within 30-60 minutes after completing your exercise, as this is when the muscles are the most receptive. It is during this small window period that there is an increase in enzyme activity that makes the body more efficient at storing glucose for energy and building protein in fatigued muscles.

It’s not always easy or convenient to have a full meal within half an hour of exercising, but there’s no need to stress. There are some easy options that you can take with you in your bag to eat on the go and begin to replenish these stores before getting to a full meal. Bananas are a great source of carbohydrate, with a large banana containing roughly thirty grams of carbohydrates. Then combine this carbohydrate with a source of protein like peanut butter. With only two table spoons you will receive nine grams of protein — and if it’s on a sandwich you will get an extra boost of carbohydrates as well.

If you’re not a peanut butter person, then turkey and some grapes will give you fourteen grams of protein (but try to avoid pre-packaged meats as they will contain a higher level of sodium). This will give you the energy boost that you may have been looking for in your workout.

Lastly, there is one more important thing: to ensure you are consuming fluids before, during and after your workout. Water is essential for us all and when we exercise, we sweat, which creates fluid loss. Ensure that you are drinking sufficient amounts of water throughout the day and staying hydrated to help add to the benefits.

Remember food can be your friend; as long as you are being sensible in the way that you are eating it. Look for better food options and be prepared, rather than taking quick drive-thru alternatives that may not be as beneficial.

Any health, fitness or dietry advice contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only.

Consult your physician and a fitness/health professional before changing your diet, doing any exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

{

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By Brendan Farnhill Alive! Health & Fitness

Tilley’s

Devine Café Gallery

TILLEY’S IS NESTLED IN TREE LINED LYNEHAM JUST 4KM FROM THE CITY For over 26 years Tilley’s has been famous for its breakfasts, lunches, and dinners... and of course its fabulous coffees. Tilley’s attracts not only ‘regulars’ but visitors from overseas and interstate who enjoy the all-day menu specials, and oh such lovely cake!

Internationally renowned for legendary blues, jazz and classical concerts, Tilley’s continues to attract artists of international calibre who prefer the intimacy of a warm theatre atmosphere clad in red velvet, brass and dark timber booths.

With a fully licensed bar, one can enjoy Champagne with breakfast, or in the evening savour our broad range of wines, spirits or boutique beers on tap.

OPENING HOURS 9am – 10pm Monday to Saturday 9am – 6pm Sunday

THE BIG GAY

CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST Tilley’s has a long history of being a meeting place for the lesbian and gay community in Canberra, and are proud to host Canberra’s Big Gay Champagne Breakfast.

Our next breakfast will be Sunday 15 November at 10am.

Everyone’s welcome to come along. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and hang out with old friends over a coffee and some great food.

Meet outside, we’re sure you’ll know which table we’re at.

See you there and bring your friends.

To reserve your favourite table or booth phone us on 6247 7753 Corner of Wattle & Brigalow Streets, Lyneham • www.tilleys.com.au FUSE 33

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{By Chad Wijayatilake from Form Haircutters

What sort of diet is your hair and skin on?

What you eat can really affect your hair and skin’s health and their appearance. Your scalp and hair is like a rubbish bin; what you put into your body will affect your scalp and hair, not to mention your skin — which, by the way, is the largest organ in your body!

If your skin and scalp is dry or itching; you’re losing hair; it’s not as shiny as it used to be; or it has just lost its fabulousness — it could be a result of your diet. Another big factor in hair and skin health can be medication and also the environment. Some strong medications can result in weakening the hair and sometimes hair loss. Environmental damage from the sun and wind can also make hair lose its vitality and damage your skin.

GROOMING

HAIR & SKIN FOOD!

So what should you be adding to your diet to look after your hair and skin?

Foods such as chickpeas, sesame seeds, soya beans and prunes are all high in vitamins A, B3, B6, potassium, iron and zinc, which all help towards hair growth, glossy hair and youthful skin. Did you know that cabbage is rich in sulphur, which is sometimes referred to as a “beauty mineral”? Sulphur is a constituent of keratin, which is great for strong, shiny hair and collagen keeps us looking young.

Salmon and oysters are also a great source of vitamins and minerals, especially oysters because they contain vitamins B3, B12, D, E, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. Oysters help to fight disease while maintaining youthful skin and preventing hair loss. Cultures from all over the world also use garlic and olive oil to add shine and fight the battle against hair loss and keep the skin wrinkle free.

Age can also contribute to lifeless hair because as we age the hair follicle can become dormant. However, foods rich in vitamins and minerals can help nourish the hair follicle and keep your hair looking thicker and more lustrous.

This summer is bound to be another HOT one, so why not give your hair all the help it can get by using Kerastase Soliel. The sun’s UV rays not only fade colour but also strip natural oils and moisture out of the hair leaving it exposed to all the elements.

Kerastase has created a collection called “Soleil” which not only protects the hair against the sun’s UV rays but also repairs the hair from sun damage. FORM Haircutters invites you to come in for your Kerastase consultation before the summer heats up.

Scientists from Rutgers University recently reported that a cup of coffee could help protect your skin and hair from the sun.

A combination of exercise and caffeinated water reduced the skin-damaging effects of ultra-violet radiation in experiments on mice. The proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study found the mice’s natural defence against pre-cancerous cells was boosted by up to 400 percent.

‘The most dramatic and obvious difference between the groups came from the caffeine drinking runners’, said Dr Allan Conney from Rutgers University.

Experts warned that coffee was ‘definitely not a substitute’ for sun protection and too much is not good for your health.

This is probably too much... coffee >

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OUT & ABOUT

CATCH THE FIRE @ MT AINSLIE

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{Photos by Mandy Sharplin, Jan Halligan and Doug Robinson

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Thursday nights @ Champions: 5—26 November Saturday mornings @ Westlund House: 7—28 November

www.aidsaction.org.au/strip

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canberra 1.indd 1

10/06/2009 10:57:25

{By Tony Hamlyn

Singer, songwriter, comic cabaret artist & pervert!

His feisty show comes to Canberra. Are we ready for this?

Tim Minchin is very funny and very clever, a combination of traits that sometimes makes you want to hit whoever possesses them over the head with a large and rather blunt instrument. But with Tim it’s easy to relish in his funny cleverness, rather than resent him for it. A lot of this has to do with the subject matter he deals with in his live shows, and of course some of it lies in the fact that he’s enormously talented.

If you’ve seen him on Spicks and Specks, or the various TV comedy specials on which he’s been featured, you will know that his quirky brand of satire and storytelling is nothing short of laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Whether singing a message of environmentalism or a misguided love song questioning the replaceability of his own wife, you can be sure that his acerbic and bold choice of lyrics will be outrageous and disarming, and anything but unpredictable.

For those not privy to Tim Minchin’s story, here’s a quick catch-up: Tim grew up in Perth where he went to a good Catholic school. After studying theatre and music at both the University of WA and the illustrious WA Academy of Performing Arts, he moved to greener pastures, kick-starting his career by relocating to Melbourne.

In 2005 his live cabaret/comedy hybrid entitled Dark Side gained local and worldwide notoriety, winning awards at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

From there it’s been gangbusters for Tim Minchin with performances at the renowned Secret Policeman’s Ball, sold out shows at the Sydney Opera House, and a current tour of the UK. This current tour, entitled Ready for This, brings him back home to Australia, with a run of shows throughout December, including a night at our very own Playhouse Theatre. But this of course isn’t his first time to the Nation’s Capital.

‘When I was playing piano for Todd McKenney on his In Cabaret tour in 2000, I think, we did a couple of weeks at the Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe.’ Obviously aware of the ACT/NSW border distinction, Tim adds quickly, ‘I know that’s not Canberra, don’t punch me.’

‘It was a pretty weird time, to put it mildly. I was staying with Todd in this crazy apartment, which had a huge shelf full of Mills & Boon novels. So I sat around reading them and jerking off and getting depressed.’

So much for the old adage, what happens in Queanbeyan stays in Queanbeyan. I ask him if he might interrupt his busy masturbatory schedule and maybe head out to see a bit more of Canberra this time round.

FOOTLIGHTS

Tim Minchin

‘I might try to go for a jog, which is the only way I get to see anything of any of the places I perform these days. So keep an eye out for a sweaty, Lycra-clad hippy on the afternoon of the show.’

Tim’s shows aren’t easy to summarise.

While it’s easy to say they’re a combination of comedy and cabaret, this kind of understates his talents.

He is an exceptional pianist whose sharp social commentary and everyday observation is so on the money at times it can be jawdropping.

And it’s all set to a beautiful, intricate piano accompaniment that contrasts whatever he’s taking the piss out of at the time.

‘I’m a bit obsessed by the church,’ he admits. I ask him if this includes their stance on various gay issues and he adds unapologetically,

‘Most of my gay stuff involves bashing the hell out of people who use religion to justify their prejudices.’

Sounds unmissable! Anything else gay audiences might expect if they come to see him?

‘Dumbledore gets a mention, as does the well-established theory that Jesus dug guys.’

‘I’m expecting the Canberra audience to be charming, insightful, joyous, enthusiastic, intelligent, well-read, discerning and forgiving,’ Tim muses matter-of-factly. ‘It’s what I expect from all my audiences, which is why I’m so constantly disappointed.’

Well then. We’ll just have to make sure we don’t disappoint. Tim is on at The Playhouse Theatre Dec 6. www.canberratheatre.com.au

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WHAT’S ON TOP QUEER

WALTZING WITH TIIDA Hi folks! Another episode of Top Queer with Stu… This month we are looking at the Nissan Tiida. Yes very average, but very affordable and actually a great car. The Tiida has distinctive lines, but I like them, and its individuality reflects Renault’s involvement with Nissan these days.

I must admit I have always been fond of Nissans, and the Tiida is no exception. Nissan has always made good cars at a good price. The Tiida is an absolute bargain though, a friend recently drove one away brand new for $18K, which considering its size and quality represents excellent value.

My parents have been happy Nissan owners for the last 35 years, with some of their cars clocking over 350,000 km on the dial and still going well before being retired. I drove a Nissan for work that lasted 650,000 km and was still going strong (the last time I saw it, it had 750,000 km on the clock and it was still on its original motor). I have no doubt the Tiida would give you many happy miles if you looked after it properly given the history Nissan has with me and my family. But enough of the paid stuff :-) The real strong point of the Tiida is interior comfort and space.

You sit high, with a great view over the bonnet and out of the windows. The seats are thick and seem very comfortable.

Those of us who need a back seat will be impressed with the rear seat leg room in the Tiida. It may even surprise potential Commodore and Falcon buyers with its interior room levels.

The hatch offers additional versatility with fold down seats that will provide enough room to accommodate that new plasma screen when you need to bring it home from your shopping spree. The sedan has a cavernous boot that would swallow enough suitcases for the average queen’s weekend away.

AUNT DOROTHY’S

MOTORING TIP Changing a flat tyre!

Changing a flat or damaged tyre is certainly something that you should know how to do yourself... Don’t rely on strangers, they may not have any idea either or have really bad breath.

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By Stuart Poole Stuart has been a car enthusiast as long as he can remember and greased up more moving parts than one can possibly imagine.

I drove the automatic sedan. Performance was great, no fire cracker, but more than ample.

The Tiida only has four-speed auto, when many others are offering more gears these days, but you will pay a lot more for them and the Tiida makes do with four quite well. The manual does come with a more modern six-speed gearbox. I would have preferred a manual (I always do) but the auto was smooth and changes were hard to detect without watching the tachometer.

Talking of instruments, the Tiida does not come with a temperature gauge. This is an emerging trend that I am not pleased by, but probably says that the manufacturers these days are pretty sure of what they are doing.

It does make do with warning lights for “cold” and “hot” but apart from those extremes it’s guesswork.

Other equipment is reasonable for the price: yes for 18 grand you will have to wind your own windows up and down to whistle at that hottie you just checked out. But the cruise control and reverse sensors were all there, even in the base model that I drove. Upmarket models including the suitably named “Q” have much more goodies available. Handling is not going to inspire a race driver, but most of us will find it more than adequate for our needs.

Would you be likely to see a Tiida in my garage?

If I was after a four-door hatch or sedan I think it would be pretty hard to go past one. The Tiida is excellent value and comes from a family of cars noted for their durability.

Happy motoring, Stu.

THE ZOOLANDER BACKUP PLAN: MONEY SHOT

I was watching Zoolander the other week and it got me thinking about the importance of having a back-up plan.

Do you want to make a difference in the world like Derek with the “Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too”? Having a back-up plan is an important aspect when it comes to planning for your life, this includes: Your Risk Management Plan Do you have an ability to selfinsure? What I mean here is do you have enough assets if the worst happened? If not, insurance can provide that for you. Do you and your family have a plan in place to cover your income if you are disabled or die?

If you are like the majority of the Australian population the answer is probably no. Australia is one of the most under-insured developed nations. Hoping for the best, cost and confusion often result in this falling into the too hard pile.

Your Estate Plan This includes a Will, Powers of Attorney, health and financial directives, and can even include a legacy.

Your Will is the document which provides the directives to your executor and lists how you want your assets to be passed to others. How you own your assets now and the tax structures they are owned in effect this.

When it comes to legacy planning this is where Zoolander comes in to play.

It is possible to create a living legacy or a legacy as part of your Will, which could be used to give to charities or causes you believe in. It isn’t nice to go to the place of dead, disability or loss but it is important to have the discussion with your family, partner and advisers. A tip here: make sure your professional advisers are all working together and talking to each other so as to get the best outcome for you.

Because, “there’s more to life than just being really, really, really, ridiculously good looking.”

Scott Malcolm (scott@money-mechanics.com.au) is Director of Money Mechanics (ph: 6257 5557) who are authorised to provide financial advice through PATRON Financial Advice AFSL 307379.

}

The information provided on this document is of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.

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{Photos of Reclaim the Night at Tilley’s by Helen Stevens and Sophie Cazabon

RECLAIM THE NIGHT AT TILLEY’S

OUT & ABOUT

World AIDS Day 1 December Every year the AIDS Action Council has stalls around the ACT selling red ribbons and raising awareness in the community about HIV around the world.

Keep an eye out for your nearest stall and donate generously. All money raised at these stalls is donated to the Trevor Daly Fund, which helps HIV positive people in financial stress.

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day. Take action.

No discrimination.

A special free community breakfast will be hosted by the AIDS Action Council on the lawns of Westlund House from 7.30am Tuesday 1 December, bringing the community together to commemorate World AIDS Day 2009.

Contact the AIDS Action Council on 6257 2855 or visit aidsaction.org.au/wad for more information.

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OUT & ABOUT

ESTATIC DANCE TROOP

DEBAUCHERY

CANBERRA DIVAS

SE FU FUSE 44 44

EAR CANDY

PHILADELPHIA

GRAND JURY

HOPE IS FOR HOPERS So Philadelphia Grand Jury or the ‘Filly Jays’ as they are affectionately known, are a fantastic three-piece indie band from Sydney! They are a relatively new band and, as with so many Australian bands, can give thanks for their recent success to Triple J. Their first single ‘Going to the Casino’ got heaps and heaps of air play on the J’s this year and thus also scored a place on the soundtrack for the hugely popular TV show Underbelly.

But in my opinion this band is best live ­— very energetic and they get up to some really crazy stuff on stage. During a Dappled Cites gig (which they supported) they finished the set by throwing their guitar, keyboard and the whole drum kit into the crowd… Go figure, but it was pretty fricken amazing!

So if high-energy, indie punk style is your thing, then this is a must have album. Or, if you are having a house party and have invited a group of little emo rockers simply because you have a mega-crush on the one with the ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude, then you can definitely earn some street cred with this album. Shove it in the CD player and pretend that you and the Filly Jays are like totally besties… Pretty awesome stuff!

Tops tracks include, ‘Going to the Casio’, ‘The Good News’, ‘I’m Going to Kill You’ Don’t forget this stuff has to be played LOUD... very, very LOUD!

{Music reviews by Damien Pratt

Ministry of Sound — Uncovered My little bro Sean found this gem of an album hidden in the MASSIVE Ministry of Sound section of JB HiFi. It’s a collection of covers done by various bands from around the world, some old, some new, but all pretty sensational. But there are some total gold mines on this album, like Placebo’s version of Kate Bush’s ‘Running up that Hill’ — OMG I love Placebo and this is totally the coolest cover of this epic song ever!

I cannot stop playing it. The album has some old cover hits like Faith No More’s version of ‘Easy’ and Frente’s version of ‘Bizzare Love Triangle’. Remember Frente? If you don’t then where the hell were you in the early 90s? Other wicked tracks on this album include a version of Outkast’s ‘Ms Jackson’ by The Vines and Sparkadia doing ‘This Boy’s in Love’ by the Presets.

If you are anything like me, a good cover by a good band will literally light your heart on fire with joy and excitement. I mean there is just something really cool about hearing another bands interpretation of tracks that you have always held so dear to your heart. So give this one a go; you wont like them all and maybe you will only like one or two, but the one or two that you do like I guarantee will be on repeat on your stereo so much that your housemates will probably end up throwing something at it.

Oh and one last note, make sure you listen to Sexton Blake’s version of ‘Bette Davis Eyes’... pure magic!

Seth Sentry — The Wait a Minute EP Whoa, put your hands in the air if you like Aussie Hip Hop! I may have asked this question before but I really, really love Aussie Hip Hop and so should you.

I mean it is a music genre that we can truly say is our own; nothing else from anywhere in the world sounds quite the same in my books.

Seth Sentry is an Aussie underground Hip Hop artist from Melbourne and has been getting a fair bit of air play with one particular track called ‘The Waitress Song’ and this is the song that started my love affair with this dude. I think he is just grand. I got the opportunity to see him live at the ANU the other month while he was supporting another Hip Hop artist PEZ. He really is a great stage artist and he held the crowd in awe with his poetic rhymes. It is a bit of a shame that he is so new to the scene that he only has this one EP out at the moment but it is defiantly worth the $5 or $6 price tag.

The first two tracks on this EP, ‘Simple Game’ and the ‘Waitress Song’ are truly amazing. His lyrics are totally something that you can relate to and he speaks so much truth.

As Molly would say: ‘do yourself a favour’ and get this one.

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WORLD STAGE

SHOULD WE ABOLISH SEX

DISCRIMINATION

{By Simon Copland

At the start of 2009 Caster Semenya was virtually unknown.

Now she is one of the most famous athletes in the world, not only due to great running, but also her identity. After her victory in the World Championships, Semenya was forced to take ‘gender tests’, which after being leaked revealed that she is intersex. This has created a huge debate over the rights on intersex people and has led many to ask the question, ‘What is the use of the sex binary in sport?’

The justifications for the sex binary in sport range from the idea that women cannot deal with the aggressiveness of men in competition, to that sex discrimination is no different than ‘weight classes’ due to inherently different abilities that women have compared to men. Sex discrimination is justified through the idea of ‘fairness in competition’.

However, this is extremely problematic. Firstly, it leaves out people such as Caster Semenya, who don’t fit into the set sex binary. Semenya, and other intersex people, expose the myth that there are only two biological sexes. There is actually significant diversity among humans in sex definers such as genitals, reproductive organs, chromosomes, and hormones. The rigid male/ female sex binary does not fit the reality of sex and gender diversity. This leaves intersex athletes with the options of either giving up competition or undergoing intrusive medical procedures to ‘correct’ the issue.

Second to this, sex discrimination in sport perpetuates the image of men as being more athletic, stronger, faster and better in a whole range of ways than women.

This greatly enhances the societal image of women as being ‘the weaker sex’.

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FROM SPORT?

But isn’t this true? Aren’t females in general not as strong as males and therefore not able to compete as well in sports? There are two problems with this idea.

First, even though testosterone does advance muscular growth, its levels differ naturally within all people, leaving many with different physiques than what is expected from a member of their sex. A general separation based on a sex binary therefore ignores many of the physical differences that exist within all sexes (something that separation based on factors such as weight or height would not do).

Second to this, even if males are in general stronger than females, this does not mean that they are more athletic.

Strength should be just one element in the definition of skill in sporting competition, something that current sporting competition forgets. Too much emphasis is now placed on strength in sport (e.g. the increasing role of a strong serve in tennis), perpetuating the image of females as being ‘less athletic’ by focusing athleticism around a predominately male attribute.

The stereotype of the weaker sex is a prevalent and destructive one. To remove it we must remove sex discrimination in sport and allow people of all sexes to compete freely using an array of skills as the tester of athleticism. We can no longer accept the image of women as being the weaker, less athletic sex or an imaginary binary determining what athleticism is.

Removing sex separation and discrimination in sport would be more inclusive for intersex athletes, and address sexist attitudes to women. If we really want to create fairer competition we must stop assuming someone isn’t good enough because they don’t have a pair of testicles and focus on people’s actual skills instead.

Tannsjo, T (2000) Against Sexual Discrimination in Sports in Tannsjo, T & Tamburrini, C (eds.) (2000) Values in Sport. E & FN Spon, London

lithium helping your business bloom

graphic design corporate identity branding print advertising website design email newsletters telephone 02 6287 7125 www.lithium.net.au

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DEAR ROSE

Dear Rose, My partner and I are happily raising two daughters, ages 15 and 16. They are starting to bring boyfriends home who often ask ‘where mum is’ or ‘why two dads’. We are never quite sure how to approach this.

Your thoughts would be most welcome.

Kevin Dear Kevin, You and your partner are in a fantastic position to give these boys a real-life look at what a rainbow family is really about — an opportunity to educate!

For in the end, that is all that we really are, teachers who can eliminate all the stupid myths about gay families and gay life. I would talk to your girls first, because anything other than the truth between your family would just be plain wrong.

You need to work as a family, creating a dialogue to describe the circumstances surrounding how your family came about, ensuring that you all agree with this dialogue.

It has been my experience with rainbow families that, unlike other families, they have an enhanced respect and accept each other’s differences. And if in the end their boyfriends don’t appreciate these great values, then they are not worthy of your girls!

Dear Rose, I went to Sleaze Ball and had an awesome time, but I always feel really down and very fragile for a few weeks after I have been to a big party. Is that normal?

Max Hi Max, If it makes you feel any better, you are probably not the only one who feels a bit fragile after The Big Party.

FUSE 48

Rose

Dear

If you would like to write to dear rose please email her at dearrose@fusemagazine.com.au ~ letters are placed either here or on the Fuse website fusemagazine.com.au

Dear Rose, My girlfriend and I have been together for over six years now. Can a gay couple legally get a Will and Testament together.

Amanda Dear Amanda, Having recently seen first-hand the behaviour that occurs when one half of a gay couple dies, I cannot stress enough the importance of making a Will, whether you are with someone or not. Not only can you make out a Will, I actively encourage you and your girlfriend to get one now! It is a terrible trait, but when it comes to someone’s death, people completely lose it. Sometimes the most sensible people feel justified in doing the most appalling dehumanising things to the surviving partner.

There are many things that you need to discuss and decide, including: 1. Who will be the executor of your Wills; it can be each other, a trusted friend or a third party such as the Public Trustee.

2. What kind of funeral arrangements you both want, and documents specifically stating what your expectations/wishes are for your funerals, i.e. whether you would prefer to be buried or cremated.

3. Name your partner as your next of kin; ensure that it is certified by a Justice of the Peace.

It can be a combination of the excitement of all the eye candy in the one place or perhaps the dizzy heights of the big city! Either way I have felt this way myself. Whilst I love being a Canberran, sometimes the lack of exciting events mean that when events such as Mardi Gras or Girlfest come along, I tend to feed on them like a gluttonous child who has not eaten for months. Don’t fret darling, it’s perfectly normal. My remedy to this delightful quandary is not to be so harsh on yourself. Enjoy the parties when they come along, make lots of friends and most of all make sure that you play safe!

4. Discuss and put into place Medical Power of Attorney.

But it is important to talk to someone if this feeling continues. A really good start is to contact www.beyondblue.org.au, their info line is 1300 22 4636.

The most important, loving obligation that we have is to ensure that our partners are protected and empower them with as much clear evidence and proof of our relationships.

It is really important that you keep certified copies of these documents on hand if the need arises.

There are lots of places that you can lodge a Will: a solicitor, public trustees or some unions also have a Will writing service, or you can purchase a Will kit through the post office or your local newsagency — the choices are numerous. My biggest tip though, if you are in a financial position, to pre-pay for your funerals. This can save lots of heartache and many funeral homes will allow you to pay off your funeral.

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