October 2, 2013
Issue 1497
Vast majority of Americans support ENDA
A plane flies through a Google Maps Arizona ranks No. 5 satellite image -- becomes fabulous! in rate of women murdered by men
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arizona ranked fifth in the nation in the rate of women murdered by men, with a rate of 1.84 per 100,000, according to the new Violence Policy Center report When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2011 Homicide Data.
See page 14
Foot cream found to kill HIV cells in Petri dishes See page 4
Reflections on 37 years of the‘Observer’
Letter from the Editor page 3 Credit for this gay-friendly pic goes to David Biello and Mark Hogan for bringing this self-explanatory image from Google Maps of Hyde Park in Chicago to the attention of ‘The Atlantic.’
This annual report is released to coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. The study covers homicides involving one female murder victim and one male offender, and uses data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s unpublished Supplementary Homicide Report. This year’s report applies to 2011, the most Continued on page 3
Government shuts down and fight continues
Queer kickball goes nocturnal
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Tucson Gay Historical Society embraces new technology and plans for future generations Page 16
By Billy House NATIONAL JOURNAL
The first shutdown of government agencies in almost two decades became a reality late Monday night as the House and Senate were unable to pass a stopgap funding measure by the start of the new fiscal year Tuesday. As hard-line House Republicans demanded that any funding bill contain anti-Obamacare provisions, the Senate
steadfastly refused to go along, despite a flurry of legislative maneuvers on Monday. The result was that the outcome leaders in both parties said they wanted to avoid was announced in a memo from the administration to agencies shortly before midnight, directing them to shut down parts of the federal government. The absence of a spending plan
means as many as 800,000 nonessential federal workers could be furloughed; hundreds of thousands of others could be asked to work without pay (though President Obama signed a measure to ensure military personnel will be paid in a shutdown); federal offices and parks will be closed; and government services will be scaled back or halted for veterans, seniors, and others. Medicare, Social Security, military work, and public-safety functions will continue.
Tons of hands-on Austin Head plans run for Arizona House of Representatives in District 24 fun at DIY Day OBSERVER STAFF
The Arizona House of Representatives has a new contender for the District 24 seat which represents an area mostly comprised of central Phoenix. Legendary DJ-turned-politician Austin Head II recently ran for Phoenix City Council garnering national attention for his cleverly punned “I [heart] Head” campaign signs. Head is at it again, climbing back onto the campaign wagon in the name of change and justice. The Observer Weekly asked Head for an exclusive interview to get the skinny on Head’s politics.
OW: Why do you feel your unique experiences and life story make you the right candidate for the job? Head: As part of the Millennial Generation, our issues (employment {economic development}, transportation, and health care) are not being addressed by a legislature that is consumed by immigration, marriage rights and abortion politics. I will bring a vision of modern urbanization to the Arizona House of Representatives. OW: If elected, how might you work with the Continued on page 5
Phoenix’s Herberger answers the question ‘What’s wrong with Arizona?’ Commentary By R.D. Smith OBSERVER STAFF
making fun of the Tea Party or any of the other things we might expect to get censored.
License plates really ought to start saying “The Grand Canyon Doofus State.”
In this case, the model in one of the works has the word “sodomite” written across his forehead. That seems to be the major offender among a handful of Mike Ford works that gave someone at the Herberger Theatre Center a big case of the vapors.
Just when it seemed that several other states were determined to snatch away Arizona’s dunce cap, a taxpayer-owned Phoenix performing arts center canceled an exhibit at the last minute -- and apparently the censorship isn’t for depictions of nudity or sex or
Unfortunately for freedom of expression, and the Phoenix art community, and the U.S. Constitution, and a few other minor things, the person with the vapors had the power to decide what other people get to see. Continued on page 4
OK, folks, it’s time to modify Arizona’s car tags.
Pima County Public Library’s first DIY Day is a huge hit
OBSERVER STAFF What happens when you mix a carnival of crafters, a bushel of bike enthusiasts and a legion of lecturers together in one spot? You get the Joel D. Valdez Main Library’s DIY Day — an all-day event, open to the public and hosted by the Pima County Public Library. Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. visitors to the library could select from dozens of one-hour workshops on anything from making friendship bracelets to learning how to change a flat tire on your car. There was so much going on at the DIY Day that climbing up and down the four flights of stairs to try capturing it all sent two Observer staff members home worn out and sweaty. Many of the fun DIY workshops we visited left us abuzz with ideas and inspiration. Take the fun gals of the Tucson Hand Weavers and Spinner Guild for instance. Wendy Webster and Elaine Ross set up their Continued on page 11
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Antigone Books turns 40 years old TUCSON — The Old Pueblo’s trusted LGBTQ bookstore turns 40 years old this month, and everyone is invited to the bookstore’s birthday party from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 19. There will be games, food, and of course, cake, cut by store founder Barbara Atwood and Vice Mayor Karin Ulich. You can also enter a drawing to win two $40 gift certificates. Other scheduled activities include: a solar bean bag toss, Game o’ words and other dastardly competitions. At 2 p.m. Atwood will be telling tales of the store’s opening. On its birthday, the bookstore will offer various discounts. Everything in the store will be 20 percent off all day. Shoppers who dress up as a book character or wear a wildly decorated hat receive 40 percent off their purchase. There will also be a “crazy big bargains section” where select items will be up to 90 percent off.
Survey finds LGBT actors disadvantaged HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – A survey distributed to SAG-AFTRA members found that LGBT actors continue to face discrimination when looking for work. About 30 percent of the roughly 5,700 respondents who took the survey conducted by UCLA Williams Institute and the entertainment union indicated that they felt that directors, casting directors, and producers may be biased against LGBT performers. More than half of the respondents indicated that they had heard anti-gay comments while on set. About 15 percent identified as LGBT. Nearly half who identified as gay or lesbian and 27 percent of bisexuals strongly agreed that producers work under the assumption that it is harder to market LGBT performers.
Obama will be overthrown on November 19 By THE DAILY BEAST WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mark your calendars, folks. Barack Obama has finally been convicted by a people’s court in Florida of defrauding voters with that bogus birth certificate of his, and he’ll likely be thrown out of office on Nov. 19. This according to Larry Klayman, founder of the conservative non-profit Judicial Watch, who wrote a blog post Monday claiming that Obama was indicted by a citizens grand jury back in September and waived his right to a jury trial, resulting in a citizens’ judge sentencing the president to 10 years. “Of course, Obama will not willingly obey the law of the people,” Klayman wrote at the website Renew America. “He will attempt to hide behind the iron fences of the White House, perhaps cowering under his desk for fear that the people will rise up and demand his ouster.” And make no mistake that will happen, on precisely Nov. 19. That’s the day Klayman is calling for “millions of Americans who have been appalled and disgusted by Obama’s criminality -- his Muslim, socialist, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, anti-white, pro-illegal immigrant, pro-radical gay and lesbian agenda” -- to storm Washington and
OBSERVER demand he resign from office. At the same time he suggests that this mob of angry Americans use the peaceful techniques of Mahatma Gandhi. Klayman writes, “King George III may have been a greedy ‘control freak,’ but at least he was a Christian. The United States is being run by a Muslim bent on furthering an Islamic caliphate who seeks to destroy our spirituality and the body politic of our Judeo-Christian roots.” The Observer notes: Klayman has been in the news a lot lately, but this one just about takes the cake.
Forum convenes for LGBT elders this month
TUCSON – A range of speakers are slated to address seniors in the LGBT community on topics ranging from DOMA to brain training Oct. 20. The forum is presented by Wingspan Senior Pride and is co-sponsored by the UofA Center on Aging, the UofA Institute of LGBT Studies, and the Pima Council on Aging. Speakers will also address key issues like long term care and how to get help from community resources. The event is free and will be held Oct. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road.
Local clinic offers healing touch to those in need
WEEKLY
Buffalo Exchange organizes Tucson resale tour
TUCSON — Resale fashion retailer Buffalo Exchange is organizing the second Tucson Resale Tour this fall on Saturday, Oct. 19. Tickets for the shopping event are $39, which includes transportation to several locally owned resale stores and lunch. Resale tourists will receive 20 percent off at all participating stores. Between shopping stops there will be games and prizes to be won on the bus! Enjoy a day of fun and stressfree shopping as the tour ventures into the heart of Tucson for a relaxing day. Resale enthusiasts, newbies and everyone in-between are welcome to join this unique experience.
October 2, 2013 Memorial Medical Center employee for 13 years before the surgery. The Daily Breeze of Long Beach reported that the anesthesiologist who got his jollies with the party props swears he and the woman had a good working relationship and he thought she would get a kick out of his prank. And maybe she would have if somebody hadn’t taken a photo of her new look and posted it on the Internet while she was still under sedation. Humor fail! But the anesthesiologist can always try to make amends when his court date comes up: He can appear with a photo of an ass pasted over his face.
To purchase tickets, please contact Inara Edrington at (520) 622-2711 or email IEdrington@bufex.com.
NFL’s Wade Davis coming for UofA’s Coming Out Week TUCSON -Retired NFL quarterback Wade Davis will speak as part of the UofA’s Coming Out Week. In 2012, Davis came out and spoke publicly about what it was like to be a closeted gay man in the NFL. Coming Out Week features a program of events organized as a collaboration of the UofA’s LGBTQ Affairs Office and the Pride Alliance. Events free and open to all.
1830 E Broadway Blvd #124-215 Tucson, AZ 85719
TUCSON – Liferoot Acupuncture & Healing Arts will be providing community health services in the form of acupuncture and healing touch. This service is for individuals who are experiencing health issues but do not have the financial resources to pay for regular acupuncture and healing touch treatments.
Wade is scheduled to speak at the UofA Student Union’s South Ballroom, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Individuals who qualify will receive three 30-minute complementary treatments. Those with more serious conditions will receive a re-evaluation to see if they qualify for additional sessions. No one will be turned away due to the lack of funds.
PHOENIX -- As previously speculated, if legalizing same-sex marriage goes before Arizona voters in 2016, it may have some company in a proposal to completely legalize marijuana.
Executive Editor Nicholas K. M. Pafford
The Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization, officially announced recently that it plans an Arizona initiative similar to the one passed in Colorado last fall, and hopes to see pot legalized in 10 more states by 2017.
Assistant Editor Christine Beall
Donations and barter are accepted but not necessary to participate in the program. Eight 30-minute slots are available from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday. Appointments can be reserved by calling Liferoot Acupuncture & Healing Arts, 520-323-7060. The clinic is located at 2127 E. Grant Rd.
Modernism Week to celebrate modernity TUCSON — The Second Annual Tucson Modernism Week will pay homage to Tucson’s mid-century design and architecture during three event-packed days from Friday through Sunday. The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation created the event to highlight the modernist buildings of Broadway Blvd., between Country Club Rd., and Campbell Avenue. Deemed “Sonoran Modern,” many of the buildings on Broadway Blvd., are defined by clean lines, the use of regional materials, and adaptation to the desert climate. Modernism Week events include lectures, expos, neon restoration demonstrations, home tours, and more. Many events are free. Visit tucsonmod. com for a complete schedule.
Arizona campaign for legal pot in 2016 announces kickoff
The group also was behind Arizona’s medical-marijuana law that voters narrowly passed last fall. It’s safe to say that this time the group will be working against the people who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars opening medicalpot dispensaries. After all the worries with federal, state and local officials, the dispensary owners probably won’t sit back and watch their businesses get wiped out by another vote if they can stop it.
Woman sues hospital over post-surgery mustache makeover TORRANCE, Calif. -- A Torrance hospital is being sued after a surgery patient woke up to find a fake mustache on her lip and a stream of teardrops glued down one side of her face. The patient had been a Torrance
www.observerweekly.com info@observerweekly.com Voice Mail 520-623-7406 Editor-In-Chief Bob Ellis
Senior Editor Greg Miller
Assistant Editor Christopher L. Pankratz Assistant Editor Ronn Smith Send Classifieds, Inquiry Letters, etc to: info@observerweekly.com Publication of names or photos of any person or organization in the Observer Weekly is not to be construed as indication of the sexual orientation of such person, organization or advertisers or any employees thereof. Opinions expressed by contributors, advertisers or in PSA’s are not necessarily those of the Observer, its staff or advertisers. The Observer assumes responsibility for its own editorial policy only. © 2013 by Observer Publications Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted or archived in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Observer Publications Inc.
October 2, 2013
Letter from the Editor
OBSERVER
Reflections on 37 years of the‘Observer’
The Observer began life as a one-page newsletter.
By Bob Ellis OBSERVER STAFF
Because of the hue and cry of the Tucson gay community, the Tucson City Council approved the Human Rights Ordinance on Feb. 7, 1977, which included Sexual Preference and orientation in its wording. Credit for this goes almost entirely to the Tucson Gay Coalition. And on Feb. 11, 1977, the Tucson Gay Newsletter expanded to become Arizona Gay News, printed in tabloid form. We were now a real newspaper!
On Sunday, the Observer celebrated its 37 th birthday. The paper has been here for the community through good years and bad years, in times of hate and pride. Thinking back over the years, I recall its beginning. The date was June 6, 1976 when it all started. On that date, in the evening, at the old Stonewall Eagle bar in Tucson a young man visiting from Nebraska was walking out of the bar and was killed by a group of four teenagers who were out to do some queer-bashing. They succeeded! The next day, a group of concerned gays and lesbians met in the old P.S. Club to mourn the loss of a gay brother and plan strategy to visualize the gay community’s outrage that such a thing could happen here. Tucson grew up that evening, and the local gay community has never been the same. As an outgrowth of that meeting, it was obvious that Tucson needed a newsletter to help bind the community together. The word had to get out to the gay community as well as the straight community that we were more than just a bunch of bar-hopping “fags” in high heels. The Tucson Gay Newsletter was born. The 8 ½ by 11 inch first edition was dated Sept. 29, 1976. Put together on dining room tables, the new communicator appeared each week. The Tucson gay bars paid the printing bill. It was an all-volunteer operation -George Rederus, Barney Robles, and I. I had some background in writing and printing, so I was elected as editor. Those days, when the gay communities from coast to coast were falling out of their closets, editorials were written to excite the reader and encourage involvement in the new gay rights movement. One of TGN’s first crusades was calling for the impeachment of Judge Ben Birdsall because he let the murderers of Richard Heaken off with only probation. We sent mailgrams to all the national press (AP, UP, all the television networks and radio networks) asking for their support in addressing this issue. There was some help in this area but the decision remained.
Still crusading – living through the Anita Bryant nightmare, fighting the military, immigration, homophobic local and federal officials, bucking the establishment in general was the order of those days. The gay communities of Tucson and Phoenix were kept informed on local and national issues. Issues that affect our everyday lives. It was not an easy task publishing each week. The bills grew and the gay businesses in both cities continued supporting the paper with their advertising. Then, after seven years, burnout occurred. But once you get that printer’s ink into your veins, you cannot stop. Friends in Phoenix wanted to continue the operation as the New Paper which lasted until new partners established The Attitude. All things considered, none of these new papers were what Tucson needed. Tucson was, and still is, growing at a very rapid rate. With that rapid growth comes our ten percent and that means that the gay community is growing by leaps and bounds. It was obvious that Tucson’s time had come to have its very own newspaper. The Observer was born, in a very similar way to the old TGN. Gay businesses supported the cause. Times change and so do newspapers. People are mellowing. The gay communities throughout the country seem to have mellowed. They are now working within the system to bring about change, and that is reflected in the gay newspapers of today. The underground newspapers have surfaced and that is all for the good. There is no question that the gay press have had a great impact on the lives of the gay communities that they serve. It is hoped that the efforts of the Observer has had some effect on people’s lives in our area. The job is tiring, difficult, and thankless. But we love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. It must be that printer’s ink.
Page 3 WEEKLY Arizona ranks No. 5 in rate of women murdered by men Continued from page 1 recent year for which data is available. “The sad reality is that women are nearly always murdered by someone they know,” said VPC legislative director Kristen Rand. “Already, many elected officials and community leaders are working tirelessly to reduce the toll of domestic violence. Yet despite these efforts, the numbers remain unacceptably high. We need new policies in place from local communities to the federal government to protect women from harm.”
“Nine women each week are shot to death by their husband or intimate partner,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “That’s nearly 500 domestic gun violence deaths each year — more than twice the number of servicewomen killed in military conflicts since the Korean War. We urgently need better policies that protect women and their families from this senseless violence. No American, adult or child, should live in a perpetual state of fear. It’s inhumane,” Watts added.
Below is the complete list of the 10 states with the highest rates of females murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents in 2011:
Rank State
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
South Carolina Alaska Oklahoma Delaware Arizona Tennessee Idaho West Virginia Louisiana New Mexico
Homicide Rate, Females Murdered by Males 2.54 per 100,000 2.01 per 100,000 1.99 per 100,000 1.92 per 100,000 1.84 per 100,000 1.80 per 100,000 1.77 per 100,000 1.70 per 100,000 1.67 per 100,000 1.62 per 100,000
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OBSERVER
Phoenix’s Herberger answers the question ‘What’s wrong with Arizona?’ Continued from page 1 Well, the power is limited to inside the Herberger, but that’s bad enough. Anyhoo: So, of course, when confronted with such an attack on civilization, the thing to do in Arizona is not to place a sign at the gallery entrance stating “Warning: This exhibit contains the word sodomite.” No, the only logical thing to do is cancel the exhibit a week before opening day. You read correctly. Opening day was scheduled for Sept. 5, and cancellation day arrived (reportedly without prior warning) on Aug. 30. According to news stories, “notification” came when one of the people involved in the exhibit went to the Herberger to pick up materials related to the show. Let’s call it a “Dear Van Gogh” letter that never got mailed. “You’re canceled, baby -- get your art-pimping buttocks outta here.” Oopsie. The city may own the Herberger, but the city gave up management to the center’s board. Usually, this kind of arrangement is to protect art from censorship by government, but in this case it’s the government that’s been saying somebody’s guilty of a little overreaction. The statement from the mayor’s office said the city is assuming everybody acted in good faith. And heavens, we wouldn’t question that ... But hizzoner’s office also added words to the effect that “we trust this won’t happen again.” It’s not like thousands of people
would have stumbled into the exhibit accidentally, either. The gallery in question is tucked away on the second floor where, as Phoenix New Times reported recently, even a lot of people who go to the second floor don’t notice there’s even a gallery there. The show has already been rescheduled in another venue with a new name: BANNED BY THE HERBERGER! opens March 14 at R. Pela Contemporary Art. Maybe the exhibit’s artists will send the Herberger a thank-you note for all the extra free publicity. The question here concerns the fact that if everybody pays taxes, who got to decide that tax-paying art lovers routinely get overruled by Philistines who think art stops at children with big, sad eyes? Did Arizona’s crack Legislature (no pun intended) pass this law, or is it a local ordinance? Did the archbishop issue an edict and Unitarians didn’t get a copy? What? Let’s try this: If your opinions have any merit, they’ll stand the test of time. If they don’t, it won’t make much difference who you screw trying to drape a silk purse over a sow’s bacon. Either way, not honoring your word with a group of struggling artists is a damn poor way of winning friends and influencing people. In fact, the only people who’ll be on your side are the ones who were already as narrow as you are. A further question is, how come people like that are so often the only ones who count in Arizona?
October 2, 2013
WEEKLY
Legal team targets Virginia as test case on same-sex marriage By Robert Barnes THE WASHINGTON POST WASHINGTON, D.C. — The legal team that overturned California’s ban on same-sex marriage is targeting Virginia to launch another challenge aimed at convincing the U.S. Supreme Court that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry no matter where they live. The American Foundation for Equal Rights — with its political odd couple of conservative Republican lawyer Theodore Olson and liberal Democrat David Boies — announced Monday
that it is joining a lawsuit against what the lawyers called Virginia’s “draconian” laws prohibiting same-sex marriages, the recognition of such marriages performed where they are legal, and civil unions. It is one of dozens of lawsuits filed across the nation by same-sex marriage activists who say they feel emboldened by the Supreme Court’s two decisions in June, one of which overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act that forbade recognition of same-sex marriages; the other separately allowed such unions to resume in California.
Foot cream found to kill HIV cells in Petri dishes
OBSERVER STAFF
cells are spared.
A drug commonly prescribed to treat nail fungus may kill HIV in cell cultures according to findings of a recent study published in the journal PLOS One.
According to the researchers, HIV is persistent in part because it blocks the cells’ “suicide pathway” which is typically activated when a cell is damaged or infected. Ciclopirox inhibits HIV from disabling this important process.
The study was performed at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School where the drug Ciclopirox eliminated HIV in cell cultures. Even after the drug was withheld the infection did not bounce back. The drug, originally approved by the FDA and Europe’s EMA to treat foot fungus inhibits the expression of HIV genes in cultures and blocks the essential function of the infected cells’ mitochondria. Infected cells die off while healthy
Clinical trials and additional research are necessary before Ciclopirox may be deemed a suitable topical treatment for HIV. Researchers also emphasize that this treatment, if deemed successful, remains a topical treatment and not a systemic one. In order to treat or cure HIV in patients, an internal treatment would be required. This cream may have possibilities for use in the prevention of infection however.
Travolta is a beautiful 3-yearold boy. A domestic long hair with amazing orange and white coloring and a handsome moustache. He is a very affectionate guy and has lived in a home with other cats and dogs previously. He is sure to get along with anybody and steal your heart. Please come in to the Hermitage to meet him!
Travolta
October 2, 2013
OBSERVER
Austin Head plans run for Ariz. House of Representatives
WEEKLY
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New Jersey judge says same-sex marriages can start October 21 By Paige Lavender THE HUFFINGTON POST
Same-sex couples in New Jersey may soon be able to marry. Judge Mary Jacobson of the Mercer County Superior Court ruled Friday that gay couples can marry in the Garden State starting Oct. 21. Jacobson said she made her decision in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on United States v. Windsor, but Gov. Chris Christie has said the state will appeal.
Continued from page 1 Legislature’s Republican majority to make progress on progressive issues specifically including LGBTQ issues? Head: The Democratic Party is a permanent minority in the Arizona Legislature and will remain so until redistricting in 2020. For the past 20 years we have been sending conciliators to the legislature to try to make friends and broker “deals” with the opposition. This is a failed strategy. It is time to send fighters like Wendy Davis of Texas (who stood and fought for progressive values) to Arizona House of Representatives. I will be that fighter for the future of our state. OW: What do you feel are the three most pressing issues facing the voters and what is your position on those issues? Head: The three issues of most import to the people of my district are better employment opportunities (economic development), efficient mass transit (including a bullet train from Phoenix to Tucson), and affordable health care. I will fight for these progressive values by making the national media and national employers aware of the progressive minority in Arizona. I believe we can turn
this red state blue by 2016. OW: What lessons have you learned from your last campaign and how will you be proceeding with this one? Head: My colleagues in the Democratic primary greatly outspent me. This time I will raise and spend twice as much money to deliver my message of a progressive future for Arizona. OW: If elected, will you bring the puns and humor with which you have previously campaigned to the Legislature? Head: We will do whatever is needed to get our serious and important message to the voters. A bit of lighthearted entertainment may help get the attention of the voters; however we also must earn their respect. OW: Any additional information, thoughts, opinions, etc. that the Observer’s readers should know? Head: We’ll need 600 signatures on nominating petitions and 300 donations of $5 from residents of Legislative District 24. Please join my Facebook page at: Team Austin to become part of this movement!
“This unequal treatment requires that New Jersey extend civil marriage to samesex couples to satisfy equal protection guarantees of the New Jersey Constitution as interpreted by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Lewis,” wrote the judge. “Samesex couples must be allowed to marry in order to obtain equal protection of the law under the New Jersey Constitution.”
Bar Pics Page 6
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WEEKLY OBSERVER OBSERVER
October 2, 2013
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October 2, 2013
OBSERVER
WEEKLY
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Pasta Barilla’s biggest rivals declare ‘pasta for all’ Bertolli Germany posted the photo (left) on its Facebook page with the caption “Love and pasta for all!” “We just wanted to spread the news that Bertolli welcomes everyone, especially those with an empty stomach,” a rep for Bertolli’s German social-media agency, Orca im Hafen, tells AdFreak. Meanwhile, Buitoni also posted the photo (right) on its U.S. Facebook page with the hashtag #PastaForAll.
OBSERVER STAFF It’s not every day pasta makes headlines. But last week Guido Barilla, who took over the Barilla Group in 1993 after his father died, made pasta a hot topic. More precisely the chairman of the world’s leading pasta maker triggered worldwide outrage when he suggested gay people buy someone else’s pasta.
On Sept. 26 he sort of apologized. In a video apology, Barilla said, “To all those who have been offended, including the thousands of employees and partners who work with Barilla around the world, I apologize for and regret my insensitive comments.”
billion in net sales worldwide in 2012 and it employs more than 13,000 people. Barilla exports to more than 100 countries and boasts 15 brands, including Mulino Bianco, Voiello, Pavesi and Wasa, in addition to its namesake Barilla pasta. Some question the reason Barilla is back-pedaling.
The company had around $5.4
LGBTers worldwide may or may not
forgive Barilla’s “insensitive comments.” Of course, there’s no end to the talk of boycotting Barilla. And if folks do, both of the pasta maker’s top competitors — Bertolli and Buitoni — want everyone to know that they are welcome. The companies have posted Facebook responses to Barilla’s PR nightmare.
Poll: Marriage equality, abortion rights offer Republican stumbling block poll confirms that the numbers just don’t add up for Republicans who are deadset on opposing marriage equality and a woman’s right to choose.
By Sunnivie Brydum THE ADVOCATE Further affirming the pro-equality trend over recent years, a new Bloomberg
The Bloomberg poll, which surveyed 1,000 American voters between Sept. 20 and 23, found that 70 percent of Americans under 30 support the freedom to marry. That’s consistent with several other recent polls finding overwhelming support among millennials for samesex marriage. Overall, 55 percent of
Americans support marriage equality, while 52 percent of Republicans oppose it.
Republicans’ favor,” said J. Ann Selzer, president of the firm that conducted the poll.
A striking 40 percent of Republicans surveyed said state legislatures should keep pushing for laws that restrict access to safe and legal abortions around the country, while just 22 percent of the American public believes the same, according to the poll.
A March report from the Republican National Committee acknowledged that the party needed to improve its image and become more “welcoming” and “inclusive” if it hopes to win future elections.
“The
math
isn’t
working
to
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October 2, 2013
October 2, 2013
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Wendell’s Fireside Chat
OBSERVER
WEEKLY
October 2, 2013
Top 10 reasons you should register for AIDSWALK
By Wendell Hicks SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER 10. Stylish Walker Bags: Every registered walker receives a stylish, reusable swag bag filled with an official AIDSWALK T-shirt, power bars, bracelets and other goodies! Skip the lines and come to SAAF to get your stuff during early bird registration and check-in. (See below) 9. This is the 25th Anniversary of AIDSWALK. More than 70,000 Tucsonans have raised over $3,000,000 since the first AIDSWALK Tucson. Let’s celebrate this milestone together on Oct. 13! “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has!” – Margaret Mead 8. David Letterman won’t be there, but Stuart Milk will! Stuart is the nephew of the iconic civil rights advocate Harvey Milk, and an LGBT advocate in his own right. He is serving as the honorary chairperson for this year’s AIDSWALK. Please join him as he kicks off this historic community event. 7. Tucson Eat Yourself (aka Tucson Meet Yourself) aptly describes one of Tucson’s most beloved festivals now which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. After AIDSWALK you can satisfy your hunger and sample
specialties from more than 50 food vendors representing cultures from around the world. (See the reviews on Yelp – like AIDSWALK, it’s a must do event at http://www.yelp. com/biz/tucson-meet-yourselftucson.)
3. The Quilt Opening Ceremony: One of the most moving parts of the day, the Quilt touches the heart of everyone who witnesses this important tradition. This year in addition to Quilts from Southern Arizona, SAAF is bringing two
6. Your pet can be a super hero. AIDSWALK is a pet-friendly event. Register your fourlegged friends to walk with you for just $5 each. Every participating pet receives an AIDWALK doggie bandana just like the one Chapo is wearing! (see photo, right) Please remember, all pets must be leashed for everyone’s safety and sanity.
panels from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt with Tucson ties. Each panel is a loving tribute - handmade by lovers, partners, fans, family members and friends – to those lost to AIDS.
5. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – Missionary Order of the San Xavier Sisters: Congratulations to the newest order of sisters, serving our Southern Arizona community. If you don’t know about the Sisters …. Then you’ve got to come to the AIDSWALK on Oct. 13! You’ll know them by their “distinctive habits.” 4. The M•A•C Kissing Booth: Join M•A•C Cosmetics for the M•A•C Viva Glam kissing booth. Make your mark with M•A•C Viva Glam as we kiss AIDS goodbye!
2. J o i n i n g the AIDSWALK will make you feel good, I promise! Do good, feel good. Research shows that volunteering and altruism is associated with noteworthy decreases in blood pressure, stomach acid and cholesterol counts as well as higher levels of immunityboosting immunoglobin A. And the #1 reason to participate in AIDSWALK Tucson on Oct. 13 — 1. Every dollar raised by AIDSWALK stays right here serving local communities: The funds raised at AIDWALK Tucson provide food, housing, medications, counseling and emotional support, access to
dental care, as well as essential prevention and advocacy work in Tucson and Southern Arizona. We need YOU to help us meet our $150,000 goal.
AIDSWALK Early Bird Registration and Check-In: Get an extra bit of shuteye the morning of the Walk by taking advantage of early bird check-in. Register in person: • Drop off cash or checks collected from your sponsors • Pick up your fundraising prizes including your walker bag and t-shirt. • You’re all set! No need to check-in the morning of AIDSWALK! Where: SAAF Offices located at 375 S. Euclid Ave., (south of Broadway Blvd.) When: Oct. 9 – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 10 – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 11 – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 12 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thank you for supporting people living with HIV/AIDS in our community through your AIDSWALK registration!
For more information visit www.saaf.org
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Tons of hands-on fun on DIY Day Continued from page 1 instructional shop in the library’s lobby where they graciously and enthusiastically wove tales of fiber insights. Of weaving, Wendy Webster said, “Like painting a room, the hardest part is getting set up.” She explained that preparing fibers to weave and setting up the loom takes the bulk of the time in a weaving project.
Clockwise from top left: Wendy Webster and Elaine Ross demonstrate weaving. BICAS volunteer makes adjustments to the breaks of a ten speed. A young attendee in the Tie-Dyeing101 workshop gets a closer look at Toby Wehner’s creation. Janet Miller demonstrates how to make a stamp for letterboxing. A journal contains the stamps found by a letter boxing participant.
“When you weave it’s very methodical like a computer, but the magic comes when you are finished,” Webster said. She also confirmed that her house is filled with UFOs, which she defined as “unfinished fiber objects.” Demonstrating an inkle loom, (a wooden framework where dowels hold the warp threads when the loom has been dressed) Elaine Ross crafted custom bookmarks from brightly colored blue and green cotton. Ross, who grows green cotton at home in large pots, explained that cotton used to be mostly green before farmers bred the plant to produce milky-white varieties so that it could be dyed any color. Ross was kind enough to give us a handful of green cotton seeds so that come February we could grow our own cotton bolls. After our foray into fiber we met experienced stamper Janet Miller in the middle of her “Intro to Letterboxing” workshop. Those in the know explained that letterboxing is a community-oriented scavenger hunt-style stamp-finding activity where searchers follow clues leading to stamps hidden in public spaces.
Wehner who showed a room full of active listeners the basics of tie-dyeing. Wehner is an expert in the subject as any would be who regularly tie-dies T-shirts. He nearly exclusively wears his creations, and taught participants how to make several different patterns including spiral, starburst and rubber banding techniques.
Miller led an informational and practical lesson where participants got a chance to create their own stamps using blades and carving tools to scrape out negative images in pink rubber. Miller and a few participants were happy to show us their letterboxing books — a collection of sorts of fun and unique stamps that they’ve collected during their hunts. After the grokking letterboxing it was time to race down stairs and out in to the plaza where food trucks took care of attendees’ appetites and a Frisbee flinging robot gave kiddies something to chase. Under a tent shading BICAS and Pima County Bike Ambassadors staff, helpful mechanic David adjusted the breaks on 10-year-old Nathan’s mountain bike. The breaks had become stuck on the young rider’s way to the library. The line formed behind Nathan as eager bike enthusiasts were buying what
the workshop was peddling — lessons on how to change a bike tire and how to make minor bike adjustments. One of most intricate workshops was led by the library’s own Toby
The library’s DIY Day is over. But don’t stress any if you couldn’t make it there for all the hands-on fun instruction. Get thee to the library and check out a book on yogurt making or on how to play jacks or any of the other thousands of instructional tomes on offer there and — DIY!
Page 12 Monday 12-3 p.m. 4-5:30 p.m. 4:30-6:30 p.m. 6:30-7:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m. 7-10 p.m. 7-8:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m. 6 p.m. Tuesday 4 p.m. 7-9 p.m. Wednesday 3-8 p.m. 12-1 p.m. 3-4:30 p.m. 4:30-6 p.m. 6:30-7:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m. 7:30p.m. Thursday 4-5:30 p.m.
OBSERVER
Mah Jongg Mondays Himmel Park Library. Ages 50+, 1035 N. Treat. In Our Own Voices, Women’s therapy group for survivors of sexual trauma, SACSA, 1600 N. Country Club, 520.327.1171 Cancer Support Group for LGBT People, Arizona Cancer Center at UMCNorth, Rm 1127, 3838 N. Campbell Ave. 520.694.0347 Regardless of… NA LGBT Meeting, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. SAGA General for trans forlks and allies 1st Monday SAGA Desert Girlz for trans Femanine folks 2nd Monday Reveille Men’s Chorus Open Rehearsal, Rincon Congregational Church, 122 N. Craycroft Tucson Women’s Chorus rehearsal.Call for details: 520.743.0991 Desert Girlz meeting at Wingspan PFLAG en Español Meets the 1st Monday of each month at Fortin de las Flores: 243 W. 33rd St.
Wingspan’s Eon Youth Program New Youth Orientation Wednesdays at 3p. Youth Center Open M-F Pink Triangle AA Meeting, 439 N. Sixth Ave. Everyday. Gender Spectrum support Group. UA Campus Health Service Building Room C312. $5 TMC Hospice LGBTQ Grief Support Group. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, Peppi’s House Chapel, 2715 N. Wyatt Drive. RSVP at: 520-324-2438. Wednesday Night Christian Bible Study, Cornerstone Fellowship Social Hall, 2902 N. Geronimo Ave. Weekly Bears Coffee at Crave, 4530 E. Broadway Blvd. Yoga at Fluxx $5 suggested donation.
7-9 p.m. 7-10 p.m. Friday 5:30-6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.
Oasis LGBT Social Group. Email oasis.wingspan@gmail.com Bingo at MCC Every Friday call 207-9354 for info.
Saturday 2:30-4:30p.m. 2nd Saturdays
Bears of the Old Pueblo Potluch 2nd Saturdays 520.444.2275 Transparents For parents of trans kids. RSVP SAGA to attend.
6 p.m. 6:30-7:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
Sunday 9-11 a.m. 10-11.30 a.m. 10-12 p.m.
11a.m 2-5 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
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October 2, 2013
Queer kickball goes nocturnal in Tucson’s Himmel Park
LGBTQA Support Group. LGBTQ Affairs Office, UA Student Union level four. SAGA Desert Boyz for trans masculine folks 3rd Tuesdays
Support Group for Transgender Survivors of Sexual Trauma, SACSA, 1600 N. Country Club Queer People of Color& Two Spirit support group. African American Student Affairs MLK Center, 1322 E. 1st Street. Write Now! a writer’s group open to all at Revolutionary Grounds 606 N. 4th Regardless of… NA LGBT Meeting, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. Weekly Meditation Classes in Central Tucson, cost: $10, Kadampa Meditation Center Arizona 1701 E. Miles St. SAGA Desert Partnerz for cis-gendered 4th Thursday Triangle Tribe, Men’s Support Group. Call 520-398-6826
5:30-6:30 p.m.
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Co-ed Softball, all abilities welcome. Oury Park, 600 W.St. Mary’s Advice For Life & Prayers for World Peace. Buddha’s teachings, Kadampa Meditation Center Arizona 1701 E. Miles St. LGBT Buddhist Meditation Group meets every Sunday at The Three Jewels, 314 E. 6th St. in Tucson. Meditation sessions with readings, recordings, and discussion. Welcoming to all. For information call Jim at 520-884-4218. Zumba at Fluxx. $5 suggested donation. Mamasitas! Men’s Sports club at Menlo Park The New Men’s Massage Group. 8/14 @ 4p.m. Call Marc at 881-4582 to sign up. Or email bleu55@gmail.com in advance. It’s a great place to meet men. Safe, non-sexual but very sensual and a little erotic. Donation. Puertas Abiertas LGBTQ/Ally support group meeting at Studio ONE, 197 E. Toole. 2nd Sundays only,
EXTRAORDINARY QUALITY THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE! Relaxing ~Loving~Sensual~Inspiring~Professional authentic individual Tantric adventure of sensuality. Creating a sacred space for men since 1981. Call Marc - 881-4582, for a free introductory session
]
Some Kind of Queer Meetup Group members pose for a team photo after playing a nighttime game of glow-in-the-dark kickball at Himmel Park on Saturday.
OBSERVER STAFF Pick up a copy of the Observer from the ’80s or earlier and you’re likely to find a story about gays in public parks — sometimes having sex and being arrested, or occasionally throwing Pride picnics. At Himmel Park, the site of Tucson’s first Pride picnic in 1977, 14 queer people and two dogs met after sundown to play glow-in-the-dark kickball, on Saturday. No arrests were made, but several grass stains were acquired and the neighboring Shakespeare in the Park production of The Merry Wives of Windsor moaned about the noise of the game. Perhaps they didn’t consider what performing “in the park” would entail. But the teams tried to keep the noise level down to be respectful. Even so, the game brought about many laughs, a few home runs, and a lot of
community. Many players knew each other but some, including Observer reporter Christopher Pankratz, were new to the monthly event. Brought together by an online posting about the game, everyone was welcomed into the fun. In the dark, everyone is family. Glow-in-the-dark queer kickball was organized by the meetup.com group, Some Kind of Queer, which welcomes members of all genders and orientations. The group plans all sorts of outings including a newly scheduled trip back to Himmel Park this Friday to see The Merry Wives of Windsor. Next week, just in time for Pride, the Observer will be profiling Some Kind of Queer and all the other community clubs and groups that responded to our inquiries. Check back to learn more about the exciting sports teams, gaming groups, and friendly gatherings happening in our community.
October 2, 2013
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WEEKLY
NEEDS YOU
Job opening for ofďŹ ce and volunteer coordinator. For information, visit tihan.org
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Vast majority of Americans support ENDA
By Sunnivie Brydum THE ADVOCATE Americans are so convinced that it’s wrong to fire or refuse to hire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity that a vast majority of them believe it’s already illegal to do so, reveals a new poll being touted by the Human Rights Campaign Monday in its push to pass the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The nationwide poll, conducted by conservative polling agency TargetPoint, surveyed 2,000 registered voters between September 3 and 8, and asked whether those voters believed it should be illegal to fire someone for being gay or transgender and whether it was already illegal on a federal level to do so. A staggering 80 percent of respondents said they believed that federal law already forbade employer to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote someone because they are LGBT. A full 60 percent of national registered voters surveyed said anti-LGBT discrimination is a problem, while 54 percent of selfdescribed Republicans said such discrimination is a problem. When asked if they support a federal law that protects LGBT Americans from workplace discrimination, 68 percent of respondents answered in the affirmative, according to the poll. Just 21 percent said they oppose such legislation, with just 15 percent
saying they “strongly” oppose such a bill. Among Republicans, 56 percent of respondents said they support a federal workplace nondiscrimination law, while just 32 percent answered that they oppose such a law. HRC argues that these views translate to a broad, bipartisan, and nationwide majority in support of employment nondiscrimination protections for LGBT Americans and, more specifically, in favor of ENDA, which is expected to be debated in the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks.
WEEKLY
October 2, 2013
As Clark Saw It
By Gary Clark
Zoe’s 3D World
By Zoe
October 2, 2013
OBSERVER
Sunday
Wednesday
BRODIES TAVERN - Weekend Recovery Session featuring $3.00 Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas 10 a.m. till 7 p.m., $3 Burgers on the Patio from 3 till 7 p.m; Karaoke with Robin from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m. DJ Edward Solo on the Patio. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12-9 p.m., Karaoke 4-8:30 p.m. “Cheap Ass Sunday’s” 9-Close feat. 2-4-1 Drinks and Bottle Beer (exclude top shelf, wine & draft), Karaoke Inside 9pm; DJ Sid the Kid on the patio 9 p.m. NEW MOON - Open at 10 a.m. Sunday Fun Days Happy Hour all day. DJ TIFF VENTURE-N - Open noon. BBQ Burgers or Hot Dogs, Fries. Free Pool Noon-4 p.m. Free Music, WiFi noon-2 a.m.
BRODIES TAVERN - Wet and Wild Party; Go-Go dancers and drink specials throughout the night. $1 Jello Shots $2.75 from 9pm till close. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12 - 9 p.m., “Viva La Diva” Drag Show Hosted by Diva at 9. “Whiskey Breath” Drink Special Every Wednesday 9-Close. $2 Well, $3 Call, $4 Select Top Shelf Whiskey and Scotch Blend Whiskies. Million$DJ Inside after the drag show. Party on the Patio with DJ Import 9 p.m. NEW MOON - $3 Three Olive Flavors, $2 Kamikazes 4 to Close. VENTURE-N - Open noon. Free pool noon-4 p.m. Free music, WiFi noon-2 a.m.
Monday BRODIES TAVERN - Underwear Night. 32 oz. pitchers of Long Island Ice Tea for two, $6.75; $1.50 UV Flavored Vodka Kamikazes from 10pm till close. $1 10oz. Draft beer 6pm - 10pm. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12 - 9p.m. Taking Back Mondays hosted by Diva featuring *3-4-1 Well Vodkas (Regular, Grape & Cherry) 9 - Close. Karaoke Inside or Lounge on the Patio 9 p.m. NEW MOON - Mugshot Monday: $5 souvenir mugs with $1 refills. Football on the big screen. VENTURE-N - Open noon. Free pool noon-4 p.m. Free music, WiFi Noon-2 p.m.
Tuesday BRODIES TAVERN - 32 oz. pitchers of Margaritas for two for $6.75 from 9pm till close. Karaoke 9:30 p.m. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12 - 9 p.m.; Taco Tuesdays. $1 Tacos. Drink Specials 9-Close: Mix-n-Match Mexican Beer Special, Tequila Specials (Patron $6, Milagro $4.50, Hornitos $4, Cuervo $3.50), Million$DJ Inside 9 p.m. NEW MOON - Poker Night, Karoake, Happy Hour 4-9 p.m. $3 You-call-its. 2-4-1 Draft/Dom and Well. 9-2a. Karaoke with $200 prize. VENTURE-N - Open noon. Free pool noon- 4 p.m. Free music, WiFi noon- 2 p.m.
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Thursday BRODIES TAVERN - Underwear Night, 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month: Drunken Drag Bingo hosted by Sister Stilla Virgin. IBT’s - Therapy every Thursday. All Day *24-1 Drink Specials (excludes top shelf, wine & draft). Million$DJ Inside at 9 p.m., DJ Sid the Kid on the Patio 9 p.m. GoGo Boys @11 p.m. NEW MOON - Open Mic Night with Celebrity Bar Tender $2 domestic Draft all night. DJ TIFF VENTURE-N - Open 10am. Free pool 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free music, WiFi 10 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Friday BRODIES TAVERN - House, dance, pop and Latin music starting at 9 p.m. with DJ Michael “Bignut” Lopez on the Patio. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12 - 9 p.m., Flawless Fridays featuring “Absolutely Flawless” Drag Show hosted by China Collins @ 9 p.m. DJ Import Inside after the show, Million$DJ on the Patio 9pm. GoGo Boys @11p.m. NEW MOON - Old School Friday, Dress to Impress. Happy Hour 4-10 p.m. VENTURE-N - Open 10 a.m. Free pool 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free music, WiFi 10 a.m.- 2 a.m.
Your face here
Saturday BRODIES TAVERN - Latin Flavor with DJ Edward Solo. Mexican Beers $3.00 and $1 off Patron Margaritas and Patron Shots. IBT’s - Happy Hour 12 - 9 p.m., Karaoke on the Patio 5 - 8 p.m., “Saturday Night Starlettes” drag show Hosted by Janee Starr 9pm, Million$DJ on the Patio 9 p.m., DJ Import Inside after the drag show. NEW MOON - Grown & Sexy Saturdays: Happy Hour 4-9 p.m.; Drag Show 1st Saturdays; Tea Dance 2nd and 4th Saturdays VENTURE-N - Open 10 a.m. Free pool 10.a.m. - 4 p.m. Free museic
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October 2, 2013
Tucson Gay Historical Society embraces new technology and plans for future generations By Karen Campbell TUCSON GAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
is an effort to make available online video game technology to create an interactive virtual museum. When this new technology becomes available, the many thousands of historical exhibits of the museum will be experienced by visitors in a whole new way. Visitors will literally be able to hear footsteps as they virtually walk down the museum’s sections, hallways, and interact with its virtual tour guides.
The Tucson Gay Museum lost most of its key people in the latter part of 2012 due to the aging process, members passing, and members leaving to pursue various interests. The “All Virtual” TucsonGayMuseum. org was completed on Dec. 31, 2012 covering the historical LGBT Tucson time periods from the 1700s to 2012, and stands as the most comprehensive LGBT historical archive of any LGBT community in the United States. With that phase of the effort completed, the Tucson Gay Historical Society began the task of re-organizing the effort for a new time period of very rapidly expanding technology and new LGBT generations on Jan. 1. During the process of reorganization and changing generations TGHS has not been able to field archive teams as it had in the past. Both the Museum and TGHS were originally organized in the late ‘60s through their charters which do not allow regular paid staff employees, but instead are operated exclusively by volunteers. In order to streamline the historical preservation effort into the new time periods of the future, the online Facebook platform is now open and available as a new section of the Tucson Gay Museum. That section now exhibits Tucson and related LGBT historical items from Jan. 1, forward with some items exhibited from earlier time periods. In the future, if Facebook is replaced by other technology and platforms those platforms will be utilized.
Tucson Gay Historical Society very much appreciates the Tucson LGBT community’s understanding and continued support as it makes the transitions needed to “Save Tucson’s Gay History” into the future. To share items for archiving, the community is encouraged to post and thereby make available for archiving and for exhibition their Tucson LGBT historical and related items at the new section of the museum located on Facebook: facebook.com/ tucsongaymuseum. Once the digitized items are posted they will be added to the historical archives. The effort of the Tucson Gay Historical Society is now primarily a scholarly one with a small core of trained skilled volunteers in Tucson and beyond. The Tucson Gay Historical Society is no longer able to carry out the weekly and monthly coverage as it had for almost 50 years both in Tucson and Phoenix. Times have changed and TGHS’s effort and its technology must change with the times to continue moving forward. Currently in the works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Stanford University