2016-01-01 Outlook Ohio Magazine by Outlook Media, Inc

outlook

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The Voice of Ohio’s LGBT and Ally Community

Nolan Mary Reads the GOP

january 2016

THE DRAg Issue

vol 20 • issue 8

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january 2016

Outlook Magazine: Celebrating 20 years!

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Thanks to all our advertisers and readers for two decades of support! You rock!

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vol 20 • #8

4 7 8 10

38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46

The Drag Issue

PUBLISHER Christopher Hayes

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Bob Vitale / Chad Frye

HEADQUARTERS Outlook Media, Inc. 815 N High St, Ste G, Columbus, OH 43215 614.268.8525 phone / 614.261.8200 fax

you are here

SALES Chad Frye / cfrye@outlookmedia.com Mike Moffo / mike@outlookmedia.com

snapshot

qmunity briefs

NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media - 212.242.6863

polisigh: reading the field

MANAGING EDITOR Erin McCalla / erin@outlookmedia.com

qmunity: organ donation

small pond: new gay bars

feature: drag 101 feature: avant garde drag feature: Toledo queens

interview: J. Harrison Ghee, Kinky Boots trippin’ out: Dominica

bookmark: Roberta Kaplan dyke like me

complete the circuit IMHO

calendar: Toledo

calendar: Cleveland

calendar: Cincinnati calendar: Dayton

calendar: Columbus

savage love

the divine life

puzzles & ‘toons

on the cover:

Miss Hershae Chocolatae photographed by Bryce McCaughey Photography

next month:

The Women’s Issue

you are here

january 2016

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bob Vitale / bvitale@outlookmedia.com

THE POWER OF DRAG My sister and I text more than we talk. She’s in Detroit. I’m in Columbus. She works very early mornings. I work very late nights. She has kids. I have Growlr. Some things, though, require a phone call. “Patty: Don’t make plans for December 23,” I told her voicemail. “If you have plans, cancel them.” I shared the news that some of our favorite people on earth - Sharon Needles, Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon, Ginger Minj, Manila Luzon, William - were going to be performing in Detroit. She called back immediately. “We’re there.” Since back in the Chanel days, we’ve discussed each episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race as soon as we’ve both had time to watch. We both loved Jinkx. Couldn’t stand Alyssa Edwards. I took Patty to her first drag show a few years ago in Detroit. She got pulled on stage, as straight girls often do. She tried to upstage the queen, as straight girls often do. Some things a person must learn on her own.

der, is now firmly rooted in American popular culture is another one of those lookhow-far-we’ve-come moments. I think that’s why we’ve loved producing our Drag Issue each year. It’s a glimpse for many of the uninitiated into a seemingly silly, campy corner of the LGBT community. But it also honors a big part of our history. Behold the power of drag, as someone once said. I think it might have been Thomas Jefferson. I can tell you one thing about them Founding Fathers of America. They sure had fabulous wigs. For Publisher Chris Hayes and me, this year’s issue was an opportunity to meet more than a dozen drag queens and a king in our hometown, Toledo. We’ve put the spotlight on the drag scene of Columbus, Cincinnati and now Toledo in the three years we’ve done a Drag Issue. Thank you to Rick Cornett, who arranged our Sunday photo shoot at Legends, and thanks to Bryce McCaughey, who took all the photos for us and asked only that we buy some pizza for everyone there.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS James Blackmon, Brooke Cartus, Alisa Caton, Debé, Roberta Kaplan, Erin McCalla, Mary Nolan, Dan Savage, Helena Troy, Bob Vitale, Rich Warren, Mickey Weems ART DIRECTOR Christopher Hayes / art@outlookmedia.com

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Jessica Campbell, Laura Dark, Bryce McCaughey, Travis Potter, Christine Seneck, Don Sgontz, ShutterProof Photography, Krystal Something Something CYBERSPACE outlookohio.com outlookmedia.com networkcolumbus.com twitter / fb: outlook ohio Outlook is published and distributed by Outlook Media Inc., on the first day of each month throughout Ohio. Outlook is a free publication provided solely for the use of our readers. Any person who willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over more than 5 copies of any issue of Outlook with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading it shall be considered guilty of the crime of theft. Violators will be prosecuted. The views expressed in Outlook are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or personal, business, or professional practices of Outlook Media Inc., or its staff, ownership or management. Outlook Media Inc., does not investigate or accept responsibility for claims made in any advertisement. Outlook Media Inc., assumes no responsibility for claims arising in connection with products and services advertised herein, nor for the content of, or reply to, any advertisement. All material is copyrighted ©2016 Outlook Media Inc., All rights reserved.

puzzling solution - puzzle on pg 54

That’s serving up some Toledo realness. That one of our community’s great traditions, an act once so troubling that cities passed laws requiring people to wear clothing deemed appropriate for their own gen-

Bob Vitale Editor-in-Chief

WHOOPS, OUR BAD

In our December issue, a news brief described Ron Hirth, the newly elected leader of the Cincinnati suburb of Golf Manor, as the state’s first openly gay mayor. Ken Fallows, who served 20 years as mayor of Haskins, a village south of Toledo, holds that place in history. Have something to say? Email Bob Vitale at bvitale@outlookmedia.com.

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Thanks to all our advertisers and readers for two decades of support! You rock!

january 2016

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january 2016

Outlook Magazine: Celebrating 20 years!

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snapshot

World AIDS Day @ Akron 12/01/15

Gay for Good Columbus @ Mid-Ohio Food Bank 12/05/15 Dayton Gay Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chorus Winter Concert @ Westminster Presbyterian Church 12/05/15

Plexus Holiday Party @ Cleveland 12/02/15

Holiday with Heart @ Toledo 12/06/15 photo: Christine Seneck

Network Columbus @ Level Dining Lounge 12/09/15 outlookohio.com

Send your event photos to art@outlookmedia.com.

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Cincinnati Bans Conversion Therapy

Leelah Alcorn Memorialized Along Highway

Chris Fortin, like so many others in Cincin- Ohio’s Adopt-a-Highway litter cleanup program. nati and around the world, was devasNearly a year after a suburCouncil members Amy Murtated by the news of Leelah Alcorn’s ban teenager committed suiray and Charlie Winburn “To prevent this from happening again, we suicide in December 2014. cide after enduring therapy voted against the ban. The need remembrance, education and outdesigned to erase her transCincinnati Enquirer reported reach,” said Fortin, 33, And he was saddened gender identity, Cincinnati that almost two dozen pasan openly gay graduate as a small makeshift has banned the practice intors and other opponents of of Kings High School, memorial sign along Iside city limits. the ban attended the City where Leelah attended. 71 near Rt. 48 deterioCouncil meeting. rated and City Council members voted, suicide note that ended with In addition to four 7-2, on Dec. 9 to make it ille- a plea: “Fix Society. Please.” The newspaper said violating disappeared. cleanups per year regal for any licensed medical the ban carries a $200-a-day quired by the Ohio De“I thought something professional in the city to per- “My mom started taking me fine. partment of Transmore permanent form any type of treatment to a therapist, but would only portation, Fortin said needed to be done,” he aimed at changing the sex- take me to christian theraEquality Ohio, which supports he also will plan edusaid. ual orientation or gender a statewide conversion therpists (who were all very bicational events. identity or expression of a ased) so I never actually got apy ban and has urged state Now, the stretch of minor. the therapy I needed to cure licensing boards to stop the highway where the He has set up a Facepractice, called the vote a me of my depression. I only transgender teen took book page (Leelah AlCincinnati is the first city in got more christians telling “huge victory.” her life bears a sturdy metal sign “In corn Memorial Highway) and Twitter Ohio to ban conversion ther- me that I was selfish and Memory of Leelah Alcorn” as part of account (@leelahhighway). apy, which has been discred- wrong and that I should look State Reps. Denise Driehaus ited by medical organto God for help,” Alcorn wrote. (D-Cincinnati) and Debbie izations. California, Illinois, Phillips (D-Albany) have inNew Jersey and Oregon have Seelbach, Cincinnati’s first troduced a bill in the Ohio instituted bans at the state openly gay City Council mem- House of Representatives to Bowling Green: State Rep. Tim Columbus: The Legacy Fund, a philanlevel. ber, proposed the conversion ban conversion therapy. A Brown, one of two openly gay members of the thropic fund that helps LGBT programs in Senate bill is sponsored by therapy ban. It was sup“We just made the death of ported by Vice Mayor David state Sens. Charleta Tavares Ohio House of Representatives, says he is run- Central Ohio, has announced $5,000 grants to ning for re-election. Brown, a Republican first three groups: AIDS Resource Center Ohio to Leelah Alcorn mean someMann and council members (D-Columbus) and Edna elected in 2012, represents a district that inpromote the PrEP HIV-prevention regimen, thing,” Cincinnati City Coun- Yvette Simpson, Wendell Brown (D-Toledo). cludes all of Wood County. Kaleidoscope Youth Center to support its casecil member Chris Seelbach Young, PG Sittenfeld, Kevin management software, and LifeCare Alliance said, referring to the 17-year- Flynn and Christopher President Obama supports a for its Project Open Hand efforts that address old trans girl from Kings Mill Smitherman. nationwide conversion therCincinnati: Jim Obergefell, the lead nutritional needs of people with HIV. The fund who walked onto I-71 on Dec. apy ban. plaintiff in the case that brought marriage also donated $10,000 to Stonewall Columbus 28, 2014, and left behind a equality to Ohio and the nation, has endorsed former Gov. Ted Strickland for the U.S. Senate. last year to help cover a shortfall from the rained-out Pride festival. In backing the Democrat, Obergefell rejected the candidacies of two fellow Cincinnatians: Dayton: If you’re a member of the City Council member PG Sittenfeld, a DemocHeadlines from the first issue of Greater Dayton LGBT Center, it’s time to renew. rat, and incumbent Republican Sen. Rob Outlook, June 13 - 26, 1996: And if you’re not, join! It’s $30 a year for indiPortman. viduals and $100 a year for businesses. Visit • Ohio State Shelves Domestic daytonlgbtcenter.org for details. Cleveland: The hosts of WH2, a series Partnership Proposal - Again of women’s happy hours that move from bar to Golf Manor: Ron Hirth was sworn in on bar, say they’re moving from monthly to quar• Stonewall Celebrates Grand Happy birthday to us! Dec. 14 as Ohio’s second openly gay mayor. He terly gatherings in 2016. Visit thewh2.com for Opening of Center was elected in November to lead the village of details about the next happy hour in March. Outlook is celebrating its 20th anniversary • Gay Dads Celebrated on Father’s 3,600 that’s surrounded by the Cincinnati this year. We began publishing in June 1996 Day, Too neighborhoods of Pleasant Ridge and Cleveland: It’s been a tough year for as a twice-monthly newspaper for the LGBT Roselawn. Browns fans. The LGBT fan group, Browns community in Columbus. We became a • Cookout to Kick Off People of Backers With a Twist, has begun a 50/50 rafmonthly magazine in 2009 and began coverColor Outreach Effort Youngstown: Anita Davis was schedfle at its Sunday gatherings at Twist in which ing all of Ohio in 2014. uled to be sworn in on Dec. 30 as the city’s the winner gets half of his, her or their tab • Gay Bingo: It’s Hot, It’s Happening first openly gay City Council member. She won paid. The club says it’s because “the Browns All year long in this space, we’ll take a look 66 percent of the vote in a November election are only giving us half a performance each back at headlines, trends, topics and news- • Editorial: Why We Need Outlook to represent Youngstown’s 6th Ward. week.” makers of 1996.

Around Ohio

Happy Birthday, Outlook

january 2016

Congratulations and good luck to new Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther!

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After 28 Years, Last Call for Wall Street Wall Street Nightclub and Showbar rang out the old year but won’t be around for the new. Columbus’ oldest LGBTQA bar was scheduled to close on Dec. 31 after a party titled, “Finale: Take a Bow.”

couldn’t reach new lease terms with the owner of the Wall Street building at 144 N. Wall St. That would have helped them stabilize the business and make improvements needed to attract more customers, she said.

Amber Myers and Sandy Rollins bought the Downtown club in November 2014 and said a number of factors have contributed to their decision to shut down. “Financial stress from declining business and deteriorating building conditions were compounded by the loss of parking with condo development in the neighborhood and the loss of third-party production companies,” Myers said.

On Wall Street’s Facebook page, people reminisced about the first gay bar many ever entered. Wall Street opened as a lesbian bar in 1987 and remained popular with gay and bi women as it expanded its crowd.

thing from lesbian dance parties to boys nights, country dancing to hip-hop, drag, burlesque and more. “Such sad news. Some of my best memories from my early years happened at the Wall,” one customer posted. “So many memories,” another said. “My first gay club experience was here, I met my first love here, SOOOOO many Wednesday nights spent here. I never thought that news of a bar closing could make my heart ache, but this truly makes me sad. Thanks for the memories!” “So deeply saddened by the loss of a great community gathering place. This is where I realized who I was. My hearts go out to the owners who have tried to sustain the business.”

Give Them a Toaster

Myers said she and Rollins

The club has hosted every-

Reid Ewing, Haley Dunphy’s on-again, off-again boyfriend on Modern Family, came out on Twitter in late November with no big pronouncement. He referred to a guy as “hot af.” Someone asked if he had just outed himself. He replied: “I was never in.” Ewing also wrote a piece for The Huffington Post about his body dismorphia, a disorder whose sufferers obsess over perceived flaws in their appearance. NBA referee Bill Kennedy, an 18-year veteran described as one of the league’s best, came out to Yahoo Sports after Sacramento Kings player Rajon Rondo was outlookohio.com

suspended for calling him a “fucking faggot.” “I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man,” Kennedy told Yahoo Sports. “I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are.”

Akron-Area LGBT Programs to Share $37,000 in Grants Efforts to address bullying among kids and loneliness among seniors are among programs awarded 2016 grants from the Gay Community Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation.

• Community AIDS Network: to educate social workers, teachers and healthcare workers about the needs of the LGBT community, and to create a digital directory of LGBT-friendly service providers in Northeast Ohio ($6,000).

In all, the fund that supports LGBT groups and programs aimed at helping LGBT people awarded 11 grants totaling $37,186 for the year. It has handed out nearly $400,000 since it began in 2005.

• Friends of 91.3: to broadcast positive messages about kindness, respect and bullying on KIDJAM! radio in Akron Public Schools ($1,000).

This year’s recipients are: • Akron Art Museum: for a tour program aimed at challenging the assumptions of middle- and high school students about gender identity, sexuality, body image and race ($6,220).

• Jewish Family Services of Akron: for Reaching Akron’s Silent Generation, a program of education, counseling and social support for LGBT seniors ($5,000). • Kent State University Foundation: to support the LGBTQ Student Center at Kent State ($5,000).

• Akron Public Schools: for a studentled cyberbullying prevention and education campaign at Innes Community Learning Center ($3,186).

• OutSupport Inc: to increase the visibility of the local LGBT advocacy group through outreach and promotional materials ($3,500).

• CASA Board Volunteer Association Inc.: for specialized training that will help child-welfare professionals in Summit County better serve LGBT youth ($1,580).

• Stark State College Foundation: to send students to two regional conferences that promote leadership, activism and empowerment among LGBT college students ($1,700).

• Cleveland International Film Festival: to host LGBT films in Akron as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival ($2,500).

• Stewart’s Caring Place: to train staff and volunteers in cultural competency for LGBT cancer patients and their families ($1,500).

The reigning 3meter Canadian diving champion and the fifthplace finisher in the U.S. platform competition came out as a couple in a story by The Roanoke Times. American Tyler Wilfong, who attends the University of Miami, and Canadian Jamie Bissett, who graduated from Purdue, have been dating for two years, they said. No Star Wars spoilers until we can watch it on Netflix, please.

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qmunity Unlike Blood, There is No Organ-Donation Ban on Gay and Bi Men by Alisa Caton In August 2014, Andrew Banacki traveled with fellow members of the OhioSplash LGBT swim team to the Gay Games in Cleveland. During the visit, a good friend told him that he was considering donating one of his kidneys. Not to a family member or friend in need, but to a stranger who was on the waiting list. “I started to think about if I could do that and donate a kidney,” said Banacki, of Columbus. A few months later, his kidney-giving spirit was tested. On a family trip to Disneyland, Banacki’s dad, Phillip, fell and injured his back. When Phillip Banacki returned home to Detroit, he was prescribed muscle relaxers and other medication that ended up doing serious damage to his kidneys. He was forced to go on dialysis after doctors discovered that Phillip’s kidneys were functioning at 9 percent. He was placed on the donor list and was told that the average wait to find a match was five years. According to Lifeline of Ohio, the national waiting list for an organ donation is 122,259. A total of 3,342 people are waiting in Ohio alone. In just a day, an average of 22 people die from the lack of an available organ. “The need is so great for organ transplants,” said Lifeline of Ohio spokeswoman Jessica Petersen. “There are so many myths about organ donation, and we try to bust them every day.” So let’s bust this one right now. Gay men can become organ donors, just like Andrew Banacki did. Because of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s longstanding ban on sexually active gay and bi men donating blood, one of the 10

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most notorious myths out there is that they cannot be organ donors either. But Lifeline officials say people should absolutely not exclude themselves from donating because of their sexuality. “All types of donation should not be put into the same category,” said CEO G. Kent Holloway. “Specifically, for gay and bisexual men and their partners, it is still against FDA guidelines to allow them to donate blood,” he said. Although the FDA eased its lifetime ban in December 2014, the federal agency still prohibits blood donations from men who have had sex with another man over the past year. “For almost anyone unfamiliar with the field of donation and transplantation, this would translate to: ‘Organ donation is not possible,’” Holloway continued. “This is simply not the case. Each individual is evaluated ... to see if organ donation is an option.” Instead of imposing a blanket ban on men who have sex with men, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services currently excludes only those with HIV from organ donation. And that might change in 2016. The federal government is moving forward with a potential policy change that would allow HIVpositive people to donate their organs to others with HIV. Andrew Banacki said his sexual orientation never came up during his donation process, although friends thought it would interfere. “I didn’t really think about it too much until my friend said to be careful: ‘They won’t let you donate if you’re gay,’” he said. “When I was seeing the doctors and going through testing, not one doctor asked if I was gay. I think if I told my parents, ‘I’m a match but they won’t let me donate ’cause I’m gay,’ they would be pissed.”

photo: Don Sgontz “I knew my dad, and this was kind of his last chance. I gave it a couple months to see if he turned around and to see if his kidneys would start functioning again at a normal level,” Andrew said. After a trip home to Michigan, he knew his dad couldn’t wait much longer on the donor list. “On my way home, I gave him a call to say, ‘When I get back to Columbus, I’m getting tested to see if I’m a match.’” Phillip Banacki declined, not wanting to burden his son. Andrew told him he was donating a kidney whether it was to his dad or a matching stranger on the donor list. “When Andrew offered his kidney, I was afraid for his well-being, while being proud of him for being such a wonderful young man,” Phillip said. “So selfless! I am very thankful for his gift of life.” In February 2015, the surgery was scheduled at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. When Andrew awoke from surgery, his family was standing around him - including his dad, who should have been in recovery as well. He knew something had gone wrong. Andrew went into anaphylactic shock during the surgery, and the doctors spent hours saving his life. He broke into tears upon learning things hadn’t worked out.

“They kept saying you don’t have to do this, you don’t have to do this. But they know I get my stubbornness from my dad,” Andrew said. After months of allergy testing and creating a new surgery plan, Andrew and Phillip Banacki gave the surgery a second try in April. This time Andrew woke up with one less kidney and his father in another room recovering. The surgery was a success. “After coming home, I enjoyed having him around for such a long recovery period,” Phillip said. “When children grow up they have their own lives and don’t have a lot of time to spend with you. I enjoyed the time together.” Although his experience wasn’t an easy one, Andrew said he would do it all over again. He’s happy he could help his dad. “My dad is the most generous person, and I know he’d do the same thing 10 times over if he had 10 kidneys.” To learn more about becoming an organ donor and to hear more stories like Andrew and Phillip Banacki’s, visit lifelineofohio.org.

Alisa Caton graduated from Ohio University with a degree in journalism. She’s a freelance writer who lives in Columbus.

Lifelineofohio.org also can link you to organ-donation groups outside of Central Ohio.

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Mark your calendars for Pride Night with the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 9.

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Reading Field

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the

polisigh

Sometimes it seems like the only thing missing from this Saturday Night Live skit of a presidential election is a drag queen with a martini in one hand and a mic in the other, giving them all hell. Cue Mary Nolan.

The Columbus queen is our favorite readerextraordinaire, so we asked her to give her take on the 2016 field. photo by Andrew Williams

january 2016

The library is now open...

by Mary Nolan The Republicans have quite the array of bozos with brain Botox this election. Quite honestly, I’m rather happy this orgy of ignorance, arrogance and audacity has collided during my lifetime. I’ve seen more intelligence splash into my toilet after a night a heavy drinking and even heavier sausage gravy. Have you ever seen a group of people who couldn’t care less for anyone who lived outside of Stepford? It’s like they’re all trying to push back time faster than Marty McFly. Please! Leave turning back time to Cher!

Mary Nolan Surveys the Republican Candidates for President (and Decides She’s Not the Only Queen on This Page)

Jeb Bush

that wigs are against God’s will. Quite honestly, the only thing I really How would I make a living?! want in my bush is crabs, not complete mental stupidity! This weirdo Chris Christie hails from God’s waiting room, [À la Chris Farley in Tommy Boy] Fat Florida; c’mon, it’s where people go guy in a little campaign, fat guy in to die! His foreign policy experience a little campaign. I love how everyextends only so far as a yarn ball one forgot that ole Chubs Christie can roll, and in that state it’s from shut down an Interstate because a one pudding pack to the next. Democrat dared to take away his Krispy Kreme at a brunch for boozehounds. Ben Carson For Grey’s Anatomy sake, I assumed This portly prick’s campaign is disbeing a neurosurgeon required a modicum of intelligence and reason appearing faster than a foot long (and perhaps some sex appeal), but being eaten by a gay dude. Deuces, this Turd Ferguson proves otherwise. Chris.

Honestly, think about this: People in Ted Cruz this world have let this windowI’ve never seen a person of Latinlicker drill into their brains! I can’t American descent be more self-hattrust a man whose religion teaches ing since Desi Arnaz married Lucille

Mary Nolan is a Glamazon with Helena Troy and Mr. Pottymouth who are pictured on Pages 22 and 23.

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Ball. Seriously, I want to love Texas: Everything is bigger, there’s really good TexMex, it’s warm - and then there’s this waste of oxygen. Honestly, I truly think he sits down to pee! Let’s face it, he’s wearing cheap lingerie under his suits. To be frank, I’d rather listen to my drippy faucet then the drivel that comes out of his mouth!

Carly Fiorina

The only business I want to see her run into the ground is her campaign. I had an HP printer. It quit working after I tried to print two jpegs from Tumblr. Hey, Carly, two words: less Botox. I haven’t seen worse face work since Joan Rivers’ mortician tried to put her back to her natural state.

Lindsey Graham

YOU’RE GAY! Quit the conversion therapy and stop the pray-the-gay-away nonsense. Clearly, your parents wanted you to be gay. If they didn’t, they would have named you something like Steve, Ron or Chad. You’re one eyelash away from an Open Stage night at Southbend Tavern. This queen has a Grindr account, a faceless torso pic and a rubber sheet with any twink’s name on it.

Mike Huckabee

Mikey is my favorite old-time religion: Southern Baptist. Have we learned nothing from Footloose?! SPOILER ALERT: He’s racist. I’m not so mad that he’s raising the next Jeffrey Dahmer, it’s more about his inability to form a sentence that pisses me off. He flip-flops faster than a Sean Cody video, and I, for one, prefer my tops to be tops and bottoms to be bottoms.

John Kasich

Yes, the man who tried to take away teachers’ rights and tried to deny LGBT people the right to marry is actually in this GOP clown car of stupidity. Listen, Linda, he’s helped take away your rights to a referendum AND your voting options. When you go to sleep tonight, just know that he’s the monster in your dreams!

Rand Paul

Apparently it’s way easier to get into medical school than I thought. Seriously, he’s outlookohio.com

a physician! He’s a Tea Party member, and, trust me, I’m not talking about cute crust-less sandwiches. I’d sooner take a tea bag from Dr. Phil than ever allow the drivel from ole Rand’s mouth to touch my ears. He is, without a doubt, the scariest dweeb in this field. Be warned, a Rand Paul presidency means Mary is moving far, far away!

Marco Rubio

Whenever I hear a policy speech or read a press release by Rubio’s campaign, I can’t help but think of my old favorite game, “MARCO…POLO!” Here’s the thing: When you change your policies based on perceived public opinion and not actual public opinion, you’re just wandering around a public pool filled with urine, turds and the occasional ice cream sandwich. Make haste, Marco, and sail away. The best thing about your potential election is that if you win, your own policies would mean that I’d be forced to boot your ignorant butt somewhere else. Deuces, queen!

Rick Santorum

Go ahead and search Santorum on Urban Dictionary. My favorite headline of all time is “Rick Santorum’s Anal Sex Problem” from Mother Jones. Let’s face the facts here, Rick’s the kind of guy who taps his toe under the next stall and then talks about the immorality of gays. He’s the kind of trade you might do after a couple of drinks but then never talk about it again. I’d rather lay face down in the showers of the bathhouse than ever see this one elected. He’s a special kind of scary that I hope gets flushed!

Donald Trump

That hair, that voice, that wife, those words. Would that I could figure out what in the actual f*#k you meant by half the things that come out of your mouth. I am sooooooo glad your economic policies would reflect your vast experience as a business leader, what with FOUR bankruptcies. Your expansive foreign policy experience: Two mail-order brides count, right? Let’s not mention your incredible people skills: Who didn’t love you as a judge on American Idol (JK I know it was The Apprentice but it’s an insult right?!). Honestly, I’d rather listen to Rhianna sing LIVE than hear this knuckle-dragger speak ever again. The library is now closed.

Ohio’s primary election is Tuesday, March 15.

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Wonderball is your chance to party in the newly renovated museum!

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small pond

The Back Door 1662 W. Mound St. Columbus, 43223 614.817.1444 FB: The Back Door

RUMOR HAS IT... WRONG! Rumor Patrol: Exile is not closing. Not. Closing. “I keep getting asked, ‘When’s your last day?’,” said Rob Wagner, owner of the bear and leather bar in Columbus’ Italian Village. His answer? “I’m not bailing out. We’re not closing down.”

FIRST CALL Two New Gay Bars Are Open for Business in Columbus by Bob Vitale

It’s been well-chronicled, how the Internet, dating apps and disappearing social segregation between gay and straight have taken their toll on gay bars. Ohio lost five of its LGBT gathering spots in 2015, including Columbus’ Wall Street, which planned to turn out the lights after one final party on New Year’s Eve. (More about that on Page 9.) But 2016 also starts with two new places on the LGBT map that are taking opposite approaches to luring in business. On the West Side of Columbus, where LGBT populations have been growing in neighborhoods such as Westgate and Franklinton, the first gay bar in several years opened in late November. Owner Robert Lawrence describes The Back Door as a low-key, affordable place to hang out with friends. On the city’s South Side, where five places already occupy that neighborhood-gay-bar space, the owners of The Toolbox are aiming upscale with The Highball Tavern. The club was to open on Dec. 30. outlookohio.com

Raphael Stokes, who’s coordinating events for the Highball, said it’s a martini-and-cosmos kind of place, where “big-budget” drag shows are planned for Saturday nights and the weekends will last a little bit longer with a Monday night DJ. Other event nights include karaoke on Thursdays and male dancers on Fridays. The Highball Tavern is located at 1071 Parsons Ave., in Columbus’ Merion Village neighborhood. It’s in the space once occupied by Garrett’s, another gay bar. The Back Door also has the space of a former gay bar. It’s at 1662 W. Mound St., which was once home to The Far Side, a lesbian club. Lawrence, who moved from Cincinnati to Columbus last summer and opened The Back Door with his fiancé, doesn’t consider other bars - even other gay bars - the competition for his new venture. “I want to be competitive with sitting in your underwear at home,” he said, alluding to the comfort level of the place (not actual

The Highball Tavern

1071 Parsons Ave. Columbus, 43206 614.216.0023 FB: The Highball Tavern barside underwear-sitting). “I don’t like going to a bar, paying for parking, paying to get in, just for you to take my money.” “We are not what gay clubs were a decade ago,” he added. Lawrence promises a clean, comfortable, safe space with long happy hours. The Back Door has two pool tables, a dance floor, a big bar and a spacious outdoor smoking area. Its schedule includes open stage on Sundays, male dancers on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays and drag on Fridays. And although he deliberately chose a location away from Columbus’ two clusters of gay bars, Lawrence points out that his bar is still just about a five-minute drive from the gayborhoods of the Short North and South Side. Has Outlook Editor-in-Chief Bob Vitale told you about the gay bars of the 1990s? OK, thought so. If you have story ideas about LGBTowned businesses or any other LGBT topic, email him at bvitale@outlookmedia.com.

We’re told Toledo soon will have a new gay bar as well.

Here’s how the rumor got started... Wagner used to own Exile’s building at 893 N. 4th St., which sits across the street from newly built apartments and condos in an area close to Downtown and the Short North that’s enjoying a rediscovery. He sold the property in November to a new owner who plans to rebuild on the land, meaning the current Exile would be razed. But here’s the rest of the story... Redevelopment plans likely will take a few years to come to fruition, which keeps Exile in business and in place for a while. Wagner has an option to rent space in whatever is eventually built to replace the bar’s current home on N. 4th Street, and he plans to find a temporary home for Exile whenever construction would begin. “We would close on Sunday and open on Tuesday at 4p [Exile is closed on Mondays] at a new location,” Wagner said. “I’ll have movers all set up to relocate the bar in a 36hour period.” If he likes the temporary home - he’s not looked for one or thought about it yet because no timetables have been set - Wagner might keep Exile wherever it ends up. Or it might move back to any new building at its old address. Until then, Wagner said, BackTrax and Leather Night and Bear/Biker Happy Hour and everything else will continue as always. january 2016

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feature

Drag 101 Every year, we get to talk to drag performers from all over Ohio about style, music and how to beat a mug.

In Outlook’s previous drag issues - this is our third - we’ve learned a new vocabulary of drag slang, how to shape a body with hip pads and cutlets, do’s and don’ts if you’re in the audience, and we even learned a couple of tucking tips if the opportunity ever presented itself. This year, we decided to shut up and let the photos do the talking. Because as someone once said - maybe it was Abraham Lincoln? - “Writing about drag is like dancing about architecture.” Featured first are some of Ohio’s avantgarde queens. Their makeup is more experimental, their persona is sometimes darker, and they even bend the rules when it comes to... well... genderbending. Five performers - Discord Addams of Akron; Judith Iscariot of Cincinnati; and Mr. Pottymouth, Krystal Something Something and Helena Troy of Columbus - gave us a glimpse into their style and inspiration and shared

photos that best represent their art.

Next up are family photos of Toledo queens (and a king!). It’s become part of our annual Drag Issue to feature performers of a particular Ohio city. In 2014, we rounded up 37 performers in Columbus. In 2015, we photographed 22 queens in the Queen City, Cincinnati.

Story-wise, we have an interview with J. Harrison Ghee, who will star as Lola when the wildly popular Kinky Boots takes the stage this month for a 16show run in Cincinnati.

11. Willam Belli 12. Jackie Beat 13. Manila Luzon 14. Jinkx Monsoon 15. Adore Delano 16. Shangela 17. Yara Sofia 18. Ongina 19. Alyssa Edwards 20. Miss Coco Peru

And the issue wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the library with the Glamazon wild card, Mary Nolan. She’s our political correspondent this month, and she’s reading the Republican presidential candidates. We’re waiting for her invitation to be a moderator at the next debate.

Whip Crack: An audible punctuation used for dramatic effect in dance mixes that is native to certain regions of Ohio. “Could Cherry Poppins fit one more whip crack in that damn mix?” january 2016

1. RuPaul 2. Lady Bunny 3. Nina Flowers 4. Sharon Needles 5. Raven 6. Bianca Del Rio 7. Chad Michaels 8. Jujubee 9. Divine 10. Latrice Royale

This year, the ladies and gentlemen of the Glass City met us on a Sunday afternoon at Legends, where many perform, to get immortalized by photographer Bryce McCaughey.

ught From the people who bro give me d an g, you shade, readin es ras -ph tch life! come the ca rs yea ee thr we’ll all be using all of t no ybe from now. Well, ma picn ca nly tai them. But we cer le of gg ga a g lin ture Ted Cruz tel blipu Re xt ne reporters after the t, tha te ba de can presidential

The best drag queens of all time, as voted by people on ranker.com:

by Helena Troy he talks “Girl looked beat,” when . mp Tru about Donald

), OutHelena Troy (see Page 22 rian Ma ing gn rei look’s current of tch ba w ne a s Webster, share up d en n’t do you drag terms so sounding beat.

Drag Muffin or Drag Bitch: A drag queen’s assistant for a night. Services provided might include valet, luggage, more luggage, fanning a face until it dries and meltdown management. “Girl, Betty Cracker made Marcus her Drag Bitch.”

Drag Husband: See above, but with harsher criticism and greater expectations. “Hellin Bedd’s drag husband, David, carries her bag but gets her together.” Getting (Her/Him) Together: Letting someone know your true feelings in an assertive manner. “Anisa Love sure got that wasted girl together at Church last night.” Beat: 1. To flawlessly paint a face. 2. To look like you were hit by the Ugly Stick. “Reianna Ali’s face was beat!” or “What was that queen thinking?! Girl looked beat.”

What is wrong with people? Divine is only ranked 9th?

Gaffe: An undergarment designed to assist in concealing a man’s genitalia. “That’s a smooth tuck. She must have an amazing gaffe.” Panty Sniffer or Fisherman: A man whose interests gravitate toward drag queens. “Candi Panties spent all night avoiding that panty sniffer.” Current Reigning: A grammatically incorrect and redundant term used to indicate ownership over a drag crown, title or fiefdom. “Deva Station is our current reigning something or other.” outlookohio.com

Cher

and Cher Alike

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No offense to all the Chanels and Porsches and Bling Bling McSparkles out there, but weÊre still partial to those yuckyuck-get-it? old-school drag queen names. WeÊre thankful that RuPaul (TM all rights reserved) must like them as well, because her Drag Name Generator supplies us with endless hours of family fun.

We couldnÊt find a drag king name generator, but the Manly Human Name Generator on rabbly.net gave us some much needed help to give some of OhioÊs bestknown women a name for the marquee should they ever wants to paint on some scruff for Open Stage Night.

10 9

Pick the real Cher. Or are there two?? Or maybe more? We’ll never tell... unless you flip this page over. outlookohio.com

14 15

16 Snap out of it!

Jean Pool Fudge Judy Terry Daktil Jess Indeed Donna Ria Fanny May Blenda Drinks Maxie Padderson Patty Cake

Nan Whaley Nikkie Antonio Nina West Halle Berry Anita Davis Sarah Jessica Parker Vanessa Bayer Beverly DeAngelo Dorothy Dandridge Patricia Heaton Katie Holmes Chrissie Hynde Gloria Steinem Annie Oakley Katie Smith

Volt Manglelord Dirk Rocketlord Andrew Levitt Bull Steelcrank Bash Musclecake Crunk Van Picklefang Wedge Musclemeat Doug Battleknight Bolt Fireflank Fist Strappingblood Stag McLionhonk Guy Razorgeese Clutch Machoflap Mac Lightthighs Biff Angerstrike

George Clooney Dave Chappelle Rob Lowe Urban Meyer Jerry Springer Nick Lachey John Legend Jamie Farr Gavin Creel Dave Grohl Terry Francona

6 11

John Kasich LeBron James Andy Dalton Jim Obergefell Joey Votto Johnny Manziel Ben Roethlisberger Mike Dewine Drew Carey

Charity Case Dorta Hell Rosie Cheeks Bessie Mae Mucho Penny Saver Meryl Lynch Bang Bang LaDesh Corporal Klinger Sandy Crotch Dixie Chicklet Tess Tickles

Real Chers: 1, 3, 8, & 15

A QUEEN BY ANY OTHER NAME

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Candi for brunch? Sounds delicious!

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JUDITH ISCARIOT

Judith Iscariot Cincinnati

Years performing: 5½ Style: dark, Goth, irreverent, raunchy Inspiration/influence: Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson

“I think drag queens should have a unique charm and personality rather than just being a boy in women’s clothing dancing around on stage to pop music.” Photo: ShutterProof Photography

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Judith often performs at The Cabaret in Cincinnati.

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KRYSTAL SOMETHING SOMETHING

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Krystal Something Something Columbus

Years performing: 9 Style: Goth, ’80s and ’90s, horror, K-pop, Brooklyn Inspiration/influence: Leigh Bowery, Rorschach inkblot tests, cheesy movies and TV, Korean music videos

“When I first started in Brooklyn, I was all about lots of layers and huge hoop skirts. Then a few years later, I was running around in underwear and body paint. Currently, I’m feeling my oversized fantasy.” Photo: Krystal Something Something

You can see Krystal Something Something perform with the Wests at Axis in Columbus.

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xxx

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HELENA TROY

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Helena Troy Columbus

Years performing: 20 Style: The Dark Queen, juxtaposition of masculine and feminine Inspiration/influence: Thierry Mugler, Annie Lennox, Catwoman, Darth Vader

“People think I have a dark sensibility, but I just like what I like.” Photo: Laura Dark Photography

january 2016

Helena Troy is the Queen of the Glamazons.

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MR POTTYMOUTH

Mr. Pottymouth Columbus

Years performing: 1½ Style: punk rock, Goth, club kid, androgyny, gender fuck Inspiration/influence: Annie Lennox, Alexander McQueen, sad circus clowns, Goldfrapp, visual art

“I’m inspired by anything that I can daydream to.” Photo: Laura Dark Photography

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Mr. Pottymouth is a member of the Glamazons.

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xxx

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Akron

Years performing: 3 Style: chaos, everything Inspiration/influence: nostalgia, Steven Tyler, Lady Gaga, the mysteries of what could lurk on other planets

DISCORD ADDAMS

Discord Addams

“Free yourself from the expectation of others and society, and stand your ground.”

Photo: Travis Potter outlookohio.com

You can see Discord perform at Bounce in Cleveland and Interbelt in Akron.

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Town

Drag

This year’s Drag Issue takes us to Northwest Ohio to highlight the lovely ladies of the Glass City - Toledo.

Photographed by Bryce McCaughey Any discussion of drag in Toledo usually begins with Caesar’s Show Bar. The legendary Downtown club that opened in the early 1980s was that first-place-I-ever-went-to bar for a lot of Northwest Ohio’s LGBT residents. And it was that first-place-I-ever-performed-in bar for a generation of Toledo drag queens. It’s where Sylvia Austin first took the stage for a group number: “Dreamgirls,” from the original soundtrack. By the end of the intro, she said, she knew she wanted a long career in drag. Today, she does eight shows a week as Toledo’s longest-performing queen. It’s where Chie-Chie D’Amour first took to the stage in 1987, after the bar moved to a bigger location in an old theater. Denise Matthews, the late partner of the club’s late owner, Joe Wicks, gave her her start. Denise died in 1987, and Joe died in 2010 of cancer a few months after Caesar’s closed. But Toledo drag is alive and well. Along with the local legends, a new generation of performers has entered the spotlight. At Bretz and at Legends, located on the same block of Erie Street as the original Caesar’s, shows and pageants and other parties are almost nightly. We invited Toledo queens and kings to join us one Sunday in November for a drag photo shoot. They posed on the stage at Legends for photographer Bryce McCaughey. Now they’re in our spotlight across Ohio.

january 2016

ava aurora foxx - miss glass city pride Ava Aurora Foxx has been performing for seven years.

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Eclipse Galyxy - Ms. Amateur Bretz

gina arnez

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Alexis winters

Santana Romero - Mr. Glass City

Santana Romero says performing drag is an outlet for his love of dance.

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Tequila Mockingbird

chie-chie d’amour january 2016

hershae chocolatae

london asia

Hershae Chocolatae’s first drag performance was to Toni Braxton’s “He’s Not Man Enough.”

Leyomie L

Desi

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e Lashae Asia

esireé (Desi) outlookohio.com

Sylvia Austin

Leyomie Lashae Asia’s first drag performance was to Christina Aguilera’s “Glam.”

Twila starr

the family asia january 2016

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interview

Whatever Lola Wants ‘Kinky Boots’ Star Brings Real-Life Experience to Stage

by Erin McCalla The “sex is in the heel” and on stage this month when Kinky Boots stops in Cincinnati. The multiple Tony Award-winning show will play 16 times at the Aronoff Center from Jan. 5-17. Outlook spoke with J. Harrison Ghee, who plays largerthan-life Lola, the showgirl who inspires a reluctant shoemaker, Charlie, to overhaul his business plan to make sturdy, fashionable footwear for drag queens. While this is Harrison’s first national tour and first big show, we found that he’s no stranger to a corset and a contoured cheekbone. Erin McCalla: How did you get started in theater? J. Harrison Ghee: I’m originally from North Carolina, and I grew up singing in church; my father is a pastor. I’ve always loved to perform and people have seemed to respond when I do. One day I decided to stick with my first passion and go to school [at American Musical and Dramatic Academy] in New York for musical theater. And ever since, I’ve been blessed to be working. I worked Tokyo Disney for a while and did cruise ships for a few years, then some regional gigs and now I’m here. EM: You were the understudy for Lola since the tour’s start, and now you’re in the starring role. Is this a role of a lifetime for you? JG: Absolutely. Also, because I’ve been doing drag for five years. So I understand the life of Lola. EM: Oh, wow! Well, you answered another one of my questions. I was going to ask if you had ever dabbled in drag before. What is your drag name? JG: Crystal Demure. EM: How did you start doing drag? JG: My final semester at school, my acting teacher wanted us to audition a scene. And I thought he wanted me to be a male character in a scene of women, but he wanted me to play a 30

january 2016

female wrestler. And so at the time, RuPaul’s Drag Race had just come out and I used it as a character study. After we finished doing the scene, I said, “Let me see what I would really look like.” And I started playing. One thing led to another, and here we are five years later. EM: This is actually our drag issue, so it’s perfect! How would you describe Crystal Demure’s style of drag? JG: I’d like to believe it’s versatile, but it’s for the most part very glamorous. Sparkly and shiny, definitely. I like to see how different I can look. One day I’m blonde, the next day I’m a redhead or brunette. I try to push the boundaries and play with the medium of drag.

EM: So do you bring a little of Crystal to Lola? JG: I do! EM: I saw Kinky Boots when it was in Columbus in October. Is it as fun to act in as it is to watch? JG: Oh, absolutely! Sometimes I have to catch myself and make sure I don’t go too far because I can take it to left field and be as silly as I want to be. But I have to keep it honest and real. And of course we have stage management to keep us together. Sometimes I’m like, “Is this what you pay me to do? You pay me to be this silly?” EM: What’s your favorite song to perform in the show? JG: I love to sing “Land of Lola.” It’s the first number, it’s your introduction to Lola, and I get to have fun and be open and free and playful. EM: I bet it’s incredible to sing Cyndi Lauper’s score every night. She’s such an icon and the songs are really touching and emotional. JG: “Not My Father’s Son,” every night, is a battle because I had that same issue with my father, the pastor, [when] learning about me being a drag queen. He saw the show in March when I was Lola for that week in North Carolina. He sat down with me the night before and said, “What’s this drag thing about?” He thought I was just doing it for the show, and I ended up sending him an article about me having done drag outside of the show. I explained to him that it’s a part of my job and that I enjoy being creative and I have control over this character in my personal drag, and he finally said, “OK. I understand. I get it.” And then he saw the show and texted me when he got home and said, “I’m proud of who and what you are.” So this show is not only changing the lives and the minds of the audience members, it’s definitely doing things for us as the actors on stage. All of us have a personal connection to this show. EM: That’s a beautiful story. How do you keep things fresh night after night, performing the same numbers? JG: It helps that I have a wonderful relationship

You can watch Kinky Boots, the movie that inspired the musical, on Netflix.

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with the people on stage. Working with Adam Kaplan as Charlie and Tiffany [Engen] as Lauren. ... Our energy together is really great. It helps keep it fresh, because we go to work to play. EM: Is there anything you had to get used to, being on your first tour? JG: Definitely. Getting used to the different climates and atmospheres is definitely a challenge. My first official week as Lola, I lost my voice at the end of the week for whatever reason. The doctor said I had an allergic reaction, but I’ve never had allergies before, but now all of the sudden it’s something I have to deal with. And performing eight times a week in such a big role is a challenge in itself. I’ve never had to be on stage eight times a week, every night. EM: What is your dream show in which to perform? JG: Besides Kinky Boots? I still haven’t done Hairspray, and I would love to be Seaweed one day. Hairspray has always been one of my favorite shows, hands down even the movie. One of my other favorites is The Wiz. It will never get old to me. EM: Who are your Broadway icons? JG: I have to say - even before this show - Billy Porter has always been an inspiration to me. When I found his album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul, when I was at AMDA, it inspired me and showed me that there was someone in the business that I could look up to. Because getting into musical theater, I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into. And he showed me that you can still be yourself and be successful in this business. And now having the opportunity to be in this show, we’ve met and hung out, and now I love him even more.

‘Kinky Boots’ Jan. 5-17

Aronoff Center 650 Walnut St. Cincinnati, 45202

Tickets: $25.75-$100.75 cincinnatiarts.org 513.621.2787 Erin McCalla is Outlook’s managing editor, and the closest she came to Broadway is when she played Yente in Westerville North High School’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. Reach her at erin@outlookmedia.com. outlookohio.com

Erin’s footwear in Fiddler on the Roof? “I wore a comfortable flat!”

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january 2016

White beach always beats white snow.

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photo: Kath Click

trippin’ out

The Nature Island Calls

Dominica Boasts a Bit of Everything, From Waterfalls to Whale Watching by Rich Warren It’s not wise to hold hands and canoodle with your same-sex partner in Jamaica, but that doesn’t mean the entire Caribbean is gayunfriendly. Consider the tropical paradise known as Dominica. This undiscovered gem is a tiny speck in the sea, 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, situated between the better-known islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The Nature Island, as it likes to be known, is incredibly mountainous and covered with lush rainforests that burst with tropical blooms. Although a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality remains in effect (it was used against two California men in 2012 after authorities claimed they were seen having sex on the balcony of their cruise ship room), Dominica’s English-speaking residents warmly welcomed my partner and me. And I made it clear beforehand to people at our resort that we are a gay couple. They showed us the little-bit-of-everything their island holds, including a waterfall for every day of the year. And because of the sleeping volcanoes underneath, it even has a boiling lake. What Dominica does not have, however, are good roads. Its twisty, narrow byways through those mountains feature hairpin curves galore and potholes the size of Portugal. Unless outlookohio.com

you enjoy being terrified, I advise you to do what we did: Park yourself at one of the island’s comfortable resorts, go out on day trips and leave the driving to someone else. We chose a charming place with a charming name: Rosalie Bay (rosaliebay.com), on the “wild” Atlantic side, far from the teeming metropolis of Roseau (rhymes with Bozo, population 20,000) on the placid Caribbean side. The resort’s cluster of recently built cottages and larger buildings are at a point where a shallow stone-strewn river intersects the sea, alongside a lengthy beach with black sand. You can’t swim at that beach - unless you want to be swept to Africa by the undertow but there’s a large swimming pool, a restaurant with traditional West Indian stews and frothy rum drinks, and a spa. (Get yourself the hot stone massage, beside an open window where you can hear the waves sweeping up on the beach. It’s just sublime.) Rosalie Bay, by the way, reports only minor damage from Hurricane Erika, which swept through the Caribbean in August. Repairs are well under way, I was told. For folks like me, who can’t sit still for 10 minutes without fidgeting, there are twice-aday excursions to all the wonders of Dominica. My poor partner, who’d rather have sat by the pool, kindly obliged me by going on trips to see colorful endangered parrots, by taking a boat ride up a river where part of Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, and by

visiting a reservation where the region’s largest concentration of indigenous people now lives. We saw plenty of the island’s waterfalls, including the double cataract of Trafalgar Falls, where one side is labeled “Papa” (tall and slim) and the other is “Mama” (short and fat). We didn’t make it to Boiling Lake because we heard it was a lengthy hike through challenging terrain. I’d already nearly killed myself on what they described as a moderate hike, clambering down the sides of a steep gorge, splayed out like a crab to balance myself, to see Dernier Falls. Dernier is the French word for last, and for a while I really thought it would be the last waterfall I ever attempted to see. I also recommend a trip to the world-famous Champagne Reef, so-called because its underwater fumaroles are constantly emitting bubbles that tickle the faces of scuba divers. I can barely swim across a kiddy pool, so I elected to stay on the beach and watch my partner float out to sea, looking like a corpse with a white tube sticking out of his head. He’s not one for superlatives, but I heard plenty of people squealing with delight as they clambered ashore. “More fish than you can fry on a Friday night,” one man said. “Every color.” I heard people gushing about angel fish, parrot fish, pufferfish, “tons of sea urchins.” My partner’s reaction? “Nice. Very nice.” You can quote him. I just did.

Look for more travel pieces in Outlook in 2016.

Adventurous souls also can go kayaking, whale watching, horseback riding, zip-lining and biking (too many hills, in my opinion). Or time your visit for Carnival (their version of Mardi Gras, in February), the Jazz ’n Creole festival (on Pentecost Sunday during late spring) or the World Creole Music Festival in October. If you go in March and stay at Rosalie Bay, you can watch giant endangered sea turtles crawl out of the sea and up onto those black sand beaches to lay their eggs. This happens during the night, and you can arrange to be called to go out to see the spectacle. Alas, we missed this natural wonder by a few days, so my poor partner was able to sleep unperturbed. But that just gives us a reason to go back, which I would do in a heartbeat. This beautiful island really gets under your skin. Every time you round one of those hairpin curves, you’re greeted with a vista that nearly knocks the wind out of you. And who knows? Maybe I’ll even attempt that challenging hike to Boiling Lake. Assuming I can find someone to carry me.

Rich Warren is a travel writer based in Columbus whose work also has appeared in other Ohio publications such as Country Living, The Plain Dealer, The Cincinnati Enquirer and AAA’s Home and Away, as well as in national media such as The Chicago Tribune and National Geographic Traveler. january 2016

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bookmark

Then Comes Marriage

Cleveland Native Details Equality Story and Her Own

There’s another Ohio connection to the unraveling of state and national laws that excluded same-sex couples from the institution of marriage. New York attorney Roberta Kaplan, who represented Edie Windsor in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court case that dealt the first blow to marriage inequality, was born in Cleveland, grew up in Shaker Heights and graduated from high school in Gates Mills.

plays with 5-year-old kids and all I ever hear is more than a little frightening is that this her say is, ‘Now it’s my turn.’” is exactly what I ended up doing. (The fact that Sandra Day O’Connor was appointed by August 1969: “Robbie, especially, enjoys President Reagan to be the first woman being in the limelight. ... She thinks she’s a Supreme Court justice three years later when real big shot and her mouth supports her.” I was in high school only strengthened my resolve.) July 1970: “Robbie is a real doll. You have to converse with her to appreciate [it]. ... If she I am sure my parents did not expect me to lets you get a word in, that is.” follow through on my grand pronouncement, In her new book, Then Comes Marriage, Kabut they did encourage my brother, Peter, plan shares the story of the marriage equal- Grandma Belle noticed this too: “Robbie is a and me to think independently. My mother ity fight and her own journey toward doll and bright as a whip. I especially was very curious about self-acceptance and coming out. She and asked her to please stop talkthe social issues of the day. Mom her publisher, W.W. Norton & Co., were kind ing for 15 minutes, and she was involved in the women’s enough to let us share an excerpt from her answered, ‘I can’t, Grandma. movement of the 1970s and bebook in which she writes about her Ohio I’m a big talker.’ And she longed to a consciousness-raischildhood and the teenage realization of surely is. On & on & on.” ing group. She also wanted to being a lesbian. expose us to as much art, music, So I liked to talk. And I had and culture as she could. One heard that lawyers got to talk day in 1981, she exposed me to by Roberta Kaplan a lot as part of their jobs. With something I’m sure neither Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1970s, that in mind, at the mature of us expected. I never thought that I would turn out to be age of 12, I plotted out the rest gay. In fact, for a long time I did not even of my life. We then lived in a suburb of I was 14 that spring, and Mom know what gay meant. But I did always know Cleveland, but my mom had a subscription brought me along to a former synagogue in that I would become a lawyer. to New York magazine, and after flipping Cleveland Heights, where a group of women through the latest issue one day, I became a were installing the feminist artist Judy For one thing, from the moment I started girl on a mission - I decided that I would Chicago’s famous piece The Dinner Party. talking, I apparently never stopped. When I move to New York City one day and become a The installation is huge - a triangular banwas very young, my mother wrote letters to lawyer. quet table measuring 48 feet long on each her brother, Benjie, who was then serving in side, with dozens of place settings and hunthe Peace Corps in India. Her descriptions of Actually, I was pretty logical about it. First, I dreds of engraved floor tiles all representing me tended to focus, with love and pride, on decided that I would have to go to an Ivy different women throughout history. Whenmy loquaciousness and assertiveness. From League college, and then I would move on to ever it was exhibited in a new venue, July 1969, when I was 3, she kvelled: “Rob- law school in New York. Twelve-year-old kids Chicago enlisted numerous local feminist bie can recite the alphabet as well as give a - especially those who talk as much as I did volunteers to help set it up. My mom is not rousing rendition of ‘Ducky Duddle.’ ... She - come up with a lot of silly ideas. But what exactly a do-it-yourself type, but she was

january 2016

A precocious gay child? Go figure!

eager for us to participate in what was a great artistic happening. The only thing I remember from that day is all the butch women wearing tool belts (literally). Everywhere I looked, there were women carrying hammers, pulling wrenches out of leather pouches, whipping out tape measures. I had never seen anything like these women. I was definitely exposed to something new that day, and it made me selfconscious, uncomfortably so. From that point on, I was aware that there was something different about me, something that needed to be hidden. By the time I was in high school, a lurking fear had taken root: What if I turn out to be gay? I could not bear that thought, so I just kept pushing it down as deep as it would go. Even though my parents never made negative comments about gay people, I knew that they would not be happy if I turned out to be a lesbian. So I tried to change and I tried to hide. I dated guys throughout high school. Ironically enough, my high school prom date, a guy named Aaron Belkin, would also turn out to be gay. Later, he became an activist for LGBT rights, one of the key players behind the 2010 repeal of the U.S. military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. There must have been something in that prom punch. Or maybe it is not surprising that two of the few gay kids in a graduating class of 90 students would be drawn to each other. Unconsciously, perhaps, we sensed each other’s secrets.

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dyke like me

F@*% Resolutions!

Grab a Handful of Almonds: Here’s a New Year’s Mantra for the Pragmatist

by Brooke Cartus

biggest party nights of the year to start again? doesn’t announce to the world that you’re a Rumor has it that Pope Gregory pushed Jan. 1 douchebag), just pick some realistic expectaHAPPY NEW YEAR! as the official new year in the 1500s. So why tions for yourself. are we listening to some dead religious Seriously, Happy New Year. It’s a fresh start. straight dude about when we should revamp I’m just brainstorming here, but how about You woke up on Jan. 1, bluebirds were chirping our lives? (Spoiler alert: he may have been gay, for example - stop wearing eyeliner? You don’t outside your window, a couple of deer helped but I have no solid proof.) look like Adam Levine. Or... stop slut-shaming you gingerly pull on your robe, and your Snow yourself for taking strangers home. White ass is heading to brunch with Dopey I have a new proposal for That’s your mom’s job, not and Doc after dropping Sneezy off at Urgent New Year’s Day: Make yours. Get you some. Or Care. it through the godmaybe promise yourThrow in damn day. Get self that you’ll stop some spare Kidding. You woke up on Jan. 1 with a pound- yourself some stealing pint ing headache, cuddling an empty bottle of eggs and dry glasses from , cheap champagne. There were no birds chirp- toast, muster local microbrewat least one ing outside your window, but instead the through a eries. I know sharp drone of your toolbox neighbor revving Netflix they’re cool, but granola bar his Corolla. Seriously, dude? marathon you’re robbing and maybe a and use that from small busiThe stranger you thought you were cuddling Papa John’s nesses, you jerk. with is long gone, bailing the moment Uber coupon that’s for the morning. stopped its extremely rude price surge. You been on your fridge Personally, I’m picking stumbled down your hallway and into the for two months. I don’t one small goal for myself. medicine cabinet, fumbling around for some- care if it’s expired, Sean My goal is this: to be prepared... thing - ANYTHING - to kill that headache, and there’s no expiration date on my coupon for one-night stands. This is an easy goal, you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. and the only thing that will get me through the and we can all get on board. Being single in night is some goddamn cheesy bread. the New Year means that you dodged the Hair: everywhere. Raccoon eyes from too much dreaded “OMG I DON’T WANT TO BE SINGLE I have a NEW proposal for you this year. Ineyeliner because you are pretending to be FOR CHRISTMAS” relationship and that you Adam Levine. Your breath could kill a moose. stead of picking some lofty resolution to lose can head into the bitter cold with a go-bag. 30 pounds by Valentine’s Day or learn how to Or get it drunk. jet ski (seriously, in Ohio? You should pick a Throw in some spare underwear, at least one So why do we pick the day after one of the more realistic summer pastime, one that granola bar and maybe a Gatorade for the

underwear Gatorade

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Brooke will now be writing Dyke Like Me every month.

morning. Sure, you met her on Tinder and trust her to make you orgasm a few times, but do you really want to be looking in her fridge in the morning? Some things are too personal. Plus, I’m too old to head out for the night without at least some purse almonds. (Yes, I am super fun to hang out with because I always have purse almonds.) Being back out on the dating scene has shown me that my biggest challenge is making sure I can keep up with my dates. My solution? Bring snacks. For me, New Year’s is like queer Lent: We all make these promises that don’t last 40 hours, let alone 40 days. We pick up the shattered, bloated versions of ourselves recovering from the holiday season and head into the most dreary time in the Midwest: gray sleet and icy roads, dark afternoons, and bitter mornings. But as we head into 2016 with all of its promise and hope, try and remember that you are already really great the way you are. Resolutions, schmesolutions. Do what you can, and have fun doing it. Brooke Cartus is a Chapstick lesbian with a law degree. You can find more of her writing on her blog, Size L for Lady, at brookecartus.com. Look for her column, Dyke Like Me, every month in Outlook.

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Gay and Muslim complete the circuit

by Mickey Weems

Were things always this bad for Muslims in the USA? Isa (not his real name) is a young Gay pro- I can remember growing up and not havfessional who was raised as a Muslim ing issues with Islamophobia. Times were and is living in an Arab-American comfine growing up in grade school and parts munity in Ohio. His parents are first-gen- of junior high, up until the attacks of Sept. eration immigrants from Syria and Jordan. 11, 2001. Everything changed drastically.

“Being raised in the traditional Islamic I suddenly became the guy that sat alone faith and traditions has taught me how to at lunch, the guy that was asked if I’m a be respectful, tolerant and carMuslim, then verbally attacked ing,” he said. in the hallways when instructors weren’t But the high ethical around. I was so ‘I was born standards he has set scared that I the way I am for himself as a went and talked Muslim do not keep today, and in my to the counhim from being exselors. They fireligion ... God asperated at the nally caught on rampant ignorance how bad it was makes no his community has to for me being one of mistakes’ face across the USA. the only Muslims in an all-Christian school. Isa agreed to answer some of the common questions he hears on an almost Things finally settled down during high daily basis as a man who is twice blessed school, then Bush Jr. made things much as Muslim and Gay, and he does a little worse when he invaded Iraq and destabiventing of his own. lized the region. How can you be Gay and Muslim? Isa: My answer is very simple: Having faith in my Lord and in religion. I know I was born the way I am today, and in my religion we are not born with sin and God makes no mistakes. If this is the way he wants me to be, then so be it. I have tried to “fix” myself many times, and I learned something very important: You simply can’t fix something that isn’t broken. I don’t forget to stop and give thanks to my Lord by praying, and I don’t forget to help the needy and do charity work for anyone of any religion. The challenges are like being Gay in any other religion. Not everyone accepts the person you are.

Does your family know? Well, I can’t say that I’ve actually ever come out and confirmed my sexuality to them. Having first-generation, old-school parents makes it a bit difficult. But my brothers and sisters do know and accept who I am. january 2016

What are the top seven misconceptions about Muslims that piss you off? 1. All Muslims are terrorists: This is the most common misconception. The Qur’an forbids the use of terror to fight. Do not kill the innocent.

4. Muslims reject Jesus, his Holy birth and Christmas: I always laugh at this one. The Virgin Birth is recognized in the Qur’an. Jesus’ birth is a miracle. We always put up a Christmas tree in my house, and so do many other Muslim families around the holiday season. 5. Homosexuals must be put to death in Islam: The practice of homosexuality by the people of Lot is discussed in the Qur’an. It speaks about how the people of Lot were engaging in crimes, and they suffered punishment because of the criminal acts and not necessarily because they were homosexuals. So because of this, marriage is between man and woman. Any lewd act or sex out of marriage by anyone, including homosexuals, is considered punishable in any society that is governed by 17th century Quranic law, which is in Saudi Arabia’s messed-up governance but not universally imposed in most Muslim countries. With this being said, there is no death penalty, and the Qur’an does not stipulate any penalty for simply being homosexual. You are to be judged only by your Lord.

6. Islam promotes Holy War: First of all, jihad does not mean holy war, nor is that what the term pertains to. The word jihad literally translates to strive or struggle. It is mostly used in the context that “one must be willing to exert effort in the cause 2. Women have no rights in Islam: Women of God.” Nowhere does it state that jihad in the Qur’an are respected as much so as is the act of going into a holy war. in any other holy book. In fact, the Qur’an states the name of Mary, Jesus’ Holy 7. Islam teaches hatred toward other reliMother, more than the Bible does. There is gions: This is a huge made-up lie. Even to even a whole chapter dedicated to her this day, many Imams meet with other story, called “Mariam” [“Mary” in Arabic]. clergy from other faiths to show signs of Women were placed here on earth to be a peace, love and respect. companion to man and to respect the gift that God has given to humankind. Mickey Weems is a writer, educa-

3. Muslims are all Arabs: Arabs only make tor and creator of The Qualia Encyclopedia of Gay Folklife. up about 16 percent of the Islamic popuVisit mickeyweems.com, qualilation in the world. Most Muslims actually afolk.com or email him at mickcome from sub-Saharan Africa and East eyweems@yahoo.com. Look for Asia. Complete the Circuit again in the

You can shut up at any time now, Mr. Trump.

March issue of Outlook. outlookohio.com

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Before It Got Better IMHO

High School Reunion Is a Chance to Catch Up With My 1986 Self by James Blackmon

It’s 2016. A brand new year full of brand new opportunities to achieve that goal, defeat that demon, or just be a better person. This year will bring us the 31st Summer Olympics, the final season of American Idol (is that still on?) and Star Trek Beyond starring super-hot Chris Pine and super-gay Zachary Quinto. This year will bring my 30th high school reunion. I haven’t been to any of my high school reunions. I wanted to go to my 20th and 25th, but the reunions are in June - right around the time of my birthday. And spending my birthday in Northport, Ala., does not sound like fun. Nonetheless, it is my 30th and I find myself really wanting to go. Not to see who hasn’t aged well, but more out of some unexplainable need I seem to have to be there. High school wasn’t a great time for me. It was during a time in my life I call the Dark Years. That six-year period from junior high through high school that I spent as a really lonely, depressed, sexually frustrated closet case. I began 7th grade in 1980 and graduated from high school in 1986. Unlike today, there was really no such thing as being out in high school. Certainly not where I came from. Every gay and lesbian kid, from the most obvious to the most incognito, had to play straight or suffer the consequences. I’m sure for many of today’s LGBTs outlookohio.com

it’s unimaginable what it was like, but in the 1980s, mainstream public support existed neither for LGBT people nor our causes. There were no affirming, empowering LGBT images or role models to look up to. None. Back then, it was perfectly OK to call someone a faggot or dyke in mainstream media, and mainstream culture allowed even worse. Unless you lived in San Francisco or Key West or Provincetown, being gay practically everywhere else in America just wasn’t cool. It was sinful and embarrassing and just plain old bad. The year after I graduated from high school, I came out for the first time to my college dorm suitemate. The following year I came out to everyone in the Theater Department (shock and surprise, no one was shocked or surprised) and thereafter began the journey of living my life openly as a gay man. Which, to be honest, was really not that open in my hometown. So two days after graduation from the University of Alabama, I moved to Los Angeles, slammed that closet door shut and started living, without caring what anyone - including my family - thought about it. It was fabulous. Liberating. Lifesaving. Just as Dorothy steps out of the sepia tones into the full brilliance of Technicolor in Munchkinland, that’s what moving to LA and starting my life as an out and proud gay man was like. I guess that’s why I’m so conflicted. The year 1986 represents the year I began college and started the coming-out process that I truly believe saved my life. It represents the beginning of that time in which I met and solidified a friendship with a

group of straight Southern boys who love me and were there for me throughout the entire process. They’re among my dearest and closest friends to this day. The year 1986 represents the time I moved out of the confinement of my childhood home and into the freedom of “my life, my rules.” The year 1986 was about ending something horrible and beginning something great. For many people, high school conjures up feelings of nostalgia and memories of some of the best years of their lives. For some, saying goodbye to high school was a sad occasion. For me, it was the complete opposite. So why do I want to go back? I honestly don’t know. While I don’t really have friends from high school, I don’t have any enemies, either. And, through Facebook, I’ve already reconnected with several people from the Tuscaloosa County High Class of ’86. Why go back? I suppose it’s not about them. It’s about me. The me of 2016 embracing the me of 1986. And it’s about us attempting to exist in the same space. So here’s to a successful and prosperous 2016. Good luck achieving those goals and defeating those demons. And if it doesn’t work out, oh well. There’s always next year. .

James Blackmon is a musician, actor, director and former owner of James Club 88 in Columbus. You can follow him on Twitter at @MrJamesBlackmon. Look for IMHO again in the March issue of Outlook.

New year, new column name.

january 2016

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Out & About in

Northwest Ohio Magic Mike XXL • Swan Lake • Roman Adventure

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Moscow Festival Ballet: Swan Lake @ Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo, 43604; 419.242.3490; valentinetheatre.com: Men, men in tights - TIGHT tights - and the story of an enchanted swan and unattainable love performed by the Moscow Festival Ballet. 7:30p; $38-$58. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 Gone With the Wind @ Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo, 43604; 419.242.3490; valentinetheatre.com: The dresses. The drama. The runtime. The notso-casual racism. 7:30p; $5. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Casablanca @ Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo, 43604; 419.242.3490; valentinetheatre.com: Here’s looking at you, kid. 7:30p; $5. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Calendar Girls @ Toledo Repertoire Theatre, 16 10th St., Toledo, 43604; 419.243.9277; toledorep.org: After Annie’s husband John dies of cancer, she and her best friend Chris recruit friends and raise money for a local hospital by posing nude for a calendar. The show runs Jan. 15-17, 21-24. 8p; $5$20. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Toledo Symphony: Roman Adventure @ The Peristyle, Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St, Toledo, 43620; 419.246.8000; 38

january 2016

Toledo groups: send your events to bvitale@outlookmedia.com.

toledosymphony.com: An impression of Roman life by exploring the ancient city through the eyes of Ottorino Respighi. There is a second show on Saturday, Jan. 16. 8p-10p; $36-$38. SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 Magic Mike XXL - A Ladies Night Out @ Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St, Toledo, 43604; 419.242.3490; valentinetheatre.com: Sure, it says “a ladies night out” but we think men should be able to ogle some Chippendales dancers - two of which were in the Channing Tatum film along with the ladies. 7p, 10p; $20-$30. THURSDAY, JANUARY 24 Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story @ Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd, Toledo, 43614; 419.381.8851; stranahantheater.org: The Broadway musical about the Texan rocker who penned hits like “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day” and “Not Fade Away” before dying in a plane crash with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. The show runs through Jan. 24. 7:30p; $28-$88. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 The 24-Hour Plays @ University of Toledo Center for Performing Arts, Center Theatre, 1910 W. Rocket Dr., Toledo, 43606; 419.530.2375; utoledo.edu/cocaevents: Everything in this festival of plays will be created, rehearsed and performed within 24 hours. 7:30p; $10 ($5 for students, seniors and kids). outlookohio.com

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Out & About Out in & About in

Northeast Ohio Madonna Movie • Janet Jackson Party • Volleyball

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1 Lake Erie Volleyball Association Signup @ lakeerievolleyball.com: Winter registration is under way for the GLBT volleyball league. It’s $400 per team (in any of three skill levels), and starting Saturday, Jan. 2, the price goes up to $425. There’s an open gym on Sunday, Jan. 31 from 4p-6p at the Lakewood YMCA, and games will take place every Sunday from Feb. 6 to April 10. SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 Sistah Sinema Screening: Appropriate Behavior @ SPACES, 2220 Superior Viaduct, Cleveland, 44113; FB: Sistah Sinema Cleveland: The group that focuses on cinema by and about queer women of color screens a movie by Desiree Akhavan about a young Persian woman struggling between identities: ideal daughter and bisexual, hip young Brooklynite. 7p. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Canton Ohio Prime Timers Dinner @ Frank’s Family Restaurant, 428 E. State St., Alliance, 44601; 330.832.9138; cantonohiopt.com: The social group for mature gay and bi men tries out restaurants in the area. 5:30p. SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 Little Shop of Horrors @ Allen Theatre, Playhouse Square, 1407 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 44115; 216.241.6000; clevelandplayhouse.com: Feed me, Seymour! The comedy horror rock musical draws from Motown and Bmovies about a flower shop assistant, his crush and his flesh-eating plant. The show runs through Feb. 7. 7:30p; $20-$80. SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 Screening: Madonna: The Girlie Show - Live Down Under @ Twist Social Club, 11633 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 44102; 216.221.2333; FB: Twist Sc: The Material Girl’s 1993 concert in Sydney, originally aired on HBO, will no doubt become a singalong. Afterward, dance to music from the Erotica/Girlie Show/I’m Breathless era. 8p. TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 Potluck Dinner @ the Leather Stallion Saloon, 2205 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, 44114; 216.589.8588; leatherstallion.com: Bring a dish to share. Cleveland’s leather/bear bar hosts potluck dinners regularly, and there’s another scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26. 6p-8p. outlookohio.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Teen Pride Network Game Night @ Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, 3300 Morewood Rd., Fairlawn, 44333; 330.252.1559; canapi.org/teenpride-network: Bring your favorite game and a few friends. Food and beverages provided. 7p-10p. Movie: Sand Dollars @ Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 44106; 216.421.7450; cia.edu: The institute’s Cinematheque series screens the 2015 film - the Dominican Republic’s submission for this year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar - about a vacationing elderly woman (Geraldine Chaplin) who falls in love with a 20-ish Dominican woman who works in the tourist sex trade. 7:30p; $9 ($7 for members, under 25). There’s another screening on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 8:40p. TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat @ Kent State University at Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center, 330 University Dr. NE, New Philadelphia, 44663; 330.308.6400; kent.edu/tusc/pac: Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic comes to New Philadelphia as part of the Broadway Series. 7:30p; $55-$72. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 YSUnity Drag Show @ Youngstown State University Kilcawley Center, Chestnut Room, 1 University Plaza, Youngstown, 44505; 330.941.3597; ysunity.webs.com: The Youngstown drag community performs to benefit YSUnity, which is the university’s LGBTQ student group. 7p-10p. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 Kent State University Welcome Back Reception @ The Nest, Kent Student Center Second Floor, 1075 Risman Dr., Kent, 44240; 330.672.8580; kent.edu/lgbtq: Hosted by the university’s LGBTQ Center. 6p-7:30p. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 Rhythm Nation Party @ Twist Social Club, 11633 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 44102; 216.221.2333; FB: Twist Sc: Miss Jackson (because we know you’re nasty) will perform in Cleveland on Tuesday, Feb. 2, and Twist promises “the craziest Janet dance party ever.” There will be Janet cocktail specials and a chance to win tickets to her Unbreakable World Tour show at the Q.

Joseph will need that dream coat with all the snow in Cleveland! (That’s comedy gold, right there.)

january 2016

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Out &Out About & in About in

Southwest Ohio Kinky Boots • Cincinnati Pops • Cocktails for a Cause

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1 New Year’s Show @ Shooters, 927 Race St., Cincinnati, 45202; 513.381.9900; FB: Shooters Bar: Happy 2016! 11:30p. SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 Kinky Boots @ Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St, Cincinnati, 45202; 513.621.2787; cincinnatiarts.org/aronoff-center: Charlie, a shoemaker, and Lola, a drag queen, team up to produce and sell sexy, sturdy heels for drag queens in this Tony Award-winning musical. See Page 30 for an interview with J. Harrison Ghee, the actor who plays drag queen Lola. The show runs through Sunday, Jan. 17 with two performances on both Saturdays and Sundays. 7:30p $25.75$100.75. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 Lawren’s Friday Night Funhouse @ Old Street Saloon, 13 Old St, Monroe, 45050; 513.539.9183; oldstreetbar.com: Lawren LaMoore hosts. 11p. SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 Cincinnati Pops: I’m Every Woman @ Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, 45202; 513.381.3300; cincinnatisymphony.org: This concert celebrates the music of the great divas of soul, R&B, jazz, opera and gospel: Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Holliday and more. 8p; $20-$83.50. There’s another performance on Sunday, Jan. 10 at 2p.

513.202.4052; belowzerolounge: DJ Syimone spins every Friday. It’s a 21+ event, but there’s no cover. 10p. SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 or SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 Cincinnati Bengals vs. Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals? @ Paul Brown Stadium or your local bar. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Cocktails for a Cause @ Tillie’s Lounge, 4042 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, 45223; 513.541.1414: Brooklyn Steele-Tate bartends for charity. 6p-10p. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 Crossport Saturday Night Out @ location TBA; 513.344.0116; crossport.org: On the fourth Saturday of every month, the group for trans people and their allies in Greater Cincinnati gathers for a night out at an LGBTfriendly bar or club. Contact Crossport for details. 8p. SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 Cincinnati Pops: Pink Martini @ Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, 45202; 513.381.3300; cincinnatisymphony.org: The 12piece band will be joined by The von Trapps, who continue the family legacy that inspired The Sound of Music. 7p; $20-$98.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25 Gay Literature Group of Greater Cincinnati @ Clifton United Methodist Church, 3416 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, 45220; FB: Gay Literature Group of Greater Cincinnati: This WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 Where’s the Cover Wednesday @ the Main month’s selection: A Sudden Light, by Garth Event, 835 Main St, Cincinnati, 45202; Stein. “A family confronts long-buried secrets 513.421.1294; FB: Main Event: Every Wednes- as it struggles for forgiveness and redempday night it’s a little - make that a lot - of tion in this breathtaking story set against the everything. The dance floor opens by 10p; majestic beauty of the Pacific Northwest.” 7p. Bella Dolce, Kisha Summers, Monica St. James and male dancers perform at midWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 night; and food and drink specials last all Wet Wednesday @ The Dock Complex, 603 night. 10p. Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, 45202; 513.241.5623; FB: The Dock Complex: Jessica Dimon hosts a weekly show that includes FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Friday Night Dance Party @ Below Zero male dancers. Midnight. Lounge, 1120 Walnut St., Cincinnati, 45202:

january 2016

Go Bengals!

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Out & About in

Western Ohio

Stripper Search • Pixar in Concert • College Night

MONDAY, JANUARY 4 Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus Auditions @ Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 N. Wilkinson St., Dayton, 45402; 937.530.0642; daytongaymenschorus.com: If you’ve ever dreamed about it, now’s your chance. The chorus hosts one of two yearly auditions. Sign up online for a time. 6p. There’s another audition date scheduled on Monday, Jan. 11 at 6p. Miami Valley Prime Timers Dinner @ The Barnsider, 5202 N. Main St., Dayton, 45415; 937.331.8902; primetimersww.com/mvopt: The social group for mature gay and bi men meets for dinner several times monthly. 6p. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 Lesbian Dayton Happy Hour @ Red Carpet Tavern, 3301 Wayne Ave., Dayton, 45420; lesbiandayton.com: The women’s social group hosts happy hours twice a month. Visit the website to see where the gathering will be on Thursday, Jan. 28. 7p-9:30p.

clubmasque.com: Every Tuesday, Sky Black hosts an open stage night in which the weekly prize is $50. 11p. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 College Night @ Masque, 20 N. Jefferson St., Dayton, 45402; 937.228.2582; clubmasque.com: Ahhh, the start of a new semester. Finals are once again a long way off, which means mid-week dancing and drink specials are back on the calendar. Masque hosts College Night every Wednesday. 8p; $5. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Dayton Philharmonic: Pixar in Concert @ Shuster Center, 1 W 2nd St., Dayton, 45402; 937.228.7591; daytonperformingarts.org: Experience music and excerpts from all three Toy Story films; Finding Nemo; Ratatouille; A Bug’s Life; Wall-E; Cars and Cars 2; The Incredibles; Up; Monsters, Inc; Monsters University and Brave. There will be a second show on Saturday, Jan. 16. 8p; $23-$78.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 Once @ Shuster Center, 1 W. 2nd St., Dayton, 45402; 937.228.7591; SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 Project H.E.A.L. @ Miami Valley Housvictoriatheatre.com: While it’s not inhering Opportunities, 907 W. 5th St., Suite 300, ently LGBT, it IS a Broadway musical. A Dublin Dayton, 45402; 614.444.1683; ohioaidscoali- street musician meets and falls in love with a tion.org: The Ohio AIDS Coalition hosts a two- woman who takes interest in his songs in this day seminar (it continues on Sunday, Jan. 10) Tony Award-winning show. The performance designed to help Ohioans with HIV to advocate runs through Jan. 24. 8p; $25-$82. for better policies affecting their lives and health. Attendance is limited to 25 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20 people. 8:30a-5p. Remember the Lyrics? @ MJ’s on Jefferson, 20 N. Jefferson St., Dayton, 45402; 937.223.3259; TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 MJ’s Stripper Search @ MJ’s on mjsonjefferson.com: Hostess NaJefferson, 20 N. Jefferson St., Daytional Holiday leads teams of one to ton, 45402; 937.223.3259; mjsonjefferfour in this musical game. And yes, son.com: Male dancers, here’s your chance to there are prizes. 11p. land a paid spot at MJ’s. (And males, here’s your chance to ogle.) Schedule your audition in WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 advance with Alexis O’Hara. You’ll compete ei- Wright State Office of LGBTQA Affairs Launch ther on Jan. 12 or Jan. 19, and the audience @ Student Union Rathskeller, 3640 Colonel and judges will pick who goes on to the finals. Glenn Hwy., Dayton, 45435; 937.775.5533; 10p. wright.edu/glbtqa: The newly created Office of LGBTQA Affairs will host an open house to Something for the Ladies @ Masque, 20 N. show off its new digs and talk about its new Jefferson St., Dayton, 45402; 937.228.2582; initiatives and services. Noon-2p. outlookohio.com

Look for a review of Peach’s Grill in the February Issue.

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Out & About in

Central Ohio Anderson and Andy • OSU Pride Night

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1

OSU vs. Notre Dame Tailgate Party @ the Toolbox, 744 Frebis Ave., Columbus, 43206; 614.670.8113; FB: The Toolbox Saloon: Buy a drink and get a free buffet, enter the 50/50 raffle and break the luck of the Irish. 1p.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2

Art Exhibit: Us Is Them @ the Pizzuti Collection, 632 N. Park St., Columbus, 43215; 614.280.4004; pizzuticollection.org: The exhibition of 75 paintings, sculptures, photographs and video by 42 international artists confronts issues of politics, religion and racism. It’s organized to reflect timely and potent issues of social justice and current affairs across the world. 11a-5p, Tuesdays-Saturdays through Saturday, April 2; $12 ($10 for seniors and free for students). Weekly Yoga Class @ Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., Columbus, 43201; 614.299.7764; stonewallcolumbus.org: Did you make a resolution? Yeah, us neither. But this new six-week session at the Center on High is designed for those with little to no yoga experience. 11a-noon; $30 ($25 for Stonewall members).

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

Capital City Volleyball Open Gym @ Big Run Park, 4201 Clime Rd., Columbus, 43228; 614.329.3696; capitalcityvolleyball.org: The LGBT volleyball league will start its winter season on Sunday, Jan. 17. There are divisions for four skill levels, and this is open gym is required for anyone who didn’t play last season. Noon-2p for B-2 and C divisions (lowest skill levels) and 2p-4p for A and B-1 divisions (highest skill levels); $15.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5

Capital Pride Band Rehearsal Kickoff @ King Avenue United Methodist Church, 299 King Ave., Columbus, 43201; 614.325.1590; cappride.org: The LGBT marching and concert band doesn’t require auditions and encour-

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ages musicians of high school proficiency or greater to join. This is the first rehearsal for the spring season. 7:15p.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

Ballroom Dancing Class @ Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., Columbus, 43201; 614.299.7764; stonewallcolumbus.org: The beginner class will learn waltz, tango and cha cha; intermediates will learn foxtrot, rumba, swing, waltz, tango and cha cha. The new six-week classes are open to everyone, with or without a dance partner, and they’re taught by Jeff Grace. Beginners at 6:30p and intermediate at 7:30p; $25 per person ($22.50 per person for Stonewall members).

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

Columbus Metropolitan Tennis Organization Indoor Social @ The Players Club, 3333 Mill Meadow Dr., Hilliard, 43026; cmto1.org: The LGBT tennis league hosts indoor play monthly throughout the winter and spring. You’ll be matched with players of your own skill level. 7p-10p; $25. LGBT Vets Social Group Pot Luck @ Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., Columbus, 43201; 614.299.7764; stonewallcolumbus.org: Look for the LGBT Veterans tab at Stonewall’s website to find all of its services for veterans in our community. 12:30p3p.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10

Trailblazers Card Club @ Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., Columbus, 43201; 614.299.7764; stonewallcolumbus.org: This is a new group for Trailblazers, the Stonewall group for LGBT folks 50 and older. The group will get together for cards on the second Sunday of every month. 3p-6p. Bi Local Community Roundtable @ Equality Ohio, 118 E. Main St., Suite 200, Columbus, 43215; FB: Bi Local: The group will discuss plans for Bisexual Health Awareness Month in March. 4p.

MONDAY, JANUARY 11

Columbus Ohio Prime Timers Dinner Night Out @ Miller’s Columbus Ale House, 1201 Olentangy River Rd., Columbus, 43212; 614.885.0846; primetimersww.com/copt: The group for mature gay and bi men meets for dinner once a month. 6:30p.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13

Network Columbus @ Red Brick Occasions, 118 E. Main St., Columbus, 43215; 614.268.8525, x1; networkcolumbus.com: Outlook’s monthly network event visits the catering and event venue run by the LGBT-owned restaurant Barcelona. 6p-8p.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

Bi Local Happy Hour @ Bossy Grrl’s Pin Up Joint, 2598 N. High St., Columbus, 43202; FB: Bi Local: The local bisexual social and advocacy group meets on the second Thursday of every month. 6p-8p.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

The Return of Raven @ Axis, 775 N. High St., Columbus, 43215; 614.291.4008; axisonhigh.com: The RuPaul’s Drag Race legend returns to Columbus for a show with Nina West. 10p; $7 ($10 for ticket and meet-andgreet).

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17

Dancing With the Stars Live @ Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Columbus, 43215; 614.469.0939 or 800.745.3000; capa.com: It’s actually Dancing With the Pros, as the stars sit this one out and leave the tour to the professionals. 7:30p; $45-$79.50.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19

Homosexuality and the Bible @ Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., Columbus, 43201; 614.299.7764; summitumc.org: The Rev. April Blaine from Summit on 16th United Methodist Church will lead a seven-week series of sessions that will add context to parts of the Bible usually used to condemn LGBT people, as well as help people defend God’s love for all. It’s free, and no registration is required. 7p on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20

Warren Sonbert Program 1: Queer Identity

@ Wexner Center for the Arts Film/Video Theater, 1871 N. High St., Columbus, 43210; 614.292.3535; wexarts.org: Sonbert began making films in 1966 as an NYU student who found himself in the midst of Andy Warhol’s Factory. This program of three films - Amphetamine, Noblesse Oblige and Whiplash documents the gay communities of New York and San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s. 7p; $8 ($6 for members, students and seniors).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

Columbus Blue Jackets Winter Park @ McPherson Commons, 218 West St., Columbus, 43215; bluejackets.nhl.com: The outdoor rink that debuted during the 2015 NHL AllStar Game returns to the Arena District through Sunday, Feb. 21. $5.

The top 11 contestants win prizes. 8p; $7 ($5 advance).

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24

Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus Illuminati @ St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 30 W. Woodruff Ave., Columbus, 43210; 614.228.2462; columbusgaymenschorus.com: The CGMC ensemble specializing in spiritual music performs at houses of worship regularly. 10:30a.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26

The Sound of Music @ Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Columbus, 43215; 800.294.1892; columbus.broadway.com: The hills are still alive, despite the number Carrie Underwood did on them a few years ago. This new production is part of the Broadway in Columbus series. 7:30p; $43-$108. There are seven AAA Great Vacations Travel Expo @ Greater more performances scheduled through SunColumbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., day, Jan. 31. Columbus, 43215; 888.AAA.OHIO; aaagreatvacations.com: Options abound at the three- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 day event, from getaways within Ohio to Allies for Equality in Columbus @ Strongwacruises in the Caribbean and beyond. Noonter Food and Spirits, 401 W. Town St., Colum7p; $8. The expo continues on Saturday, Jan. bus, 43215; 614.224.0400; equalityohio.org: 23, from 10a-7p, and on Sunday, Jan. 24, Equality Ohio honors Barbara Benham of from 11a-5p. Huntington Bank for her work as an ally of the LGBTQ community in Columbus. 5:30p-7:30p; SATURDAY, registration closed.

JANUARY 23

Pride Night: OSU Men’s Hockey vs. Penn State @ Schottenstein Center, 555 Borror Dr., Columbus, 43210; columbusgayhockey.org: Ohio State University’s athletics department shows its support for the LGBT community at the fourth annual men’s hockey Pride Night game. Sponsors include the Columbus Ohio Gay Lesbian and Ally Hockey Association, You Can Play and Outlook. 7p (COGLAHA exhibition game at 4p, roundtable discussion at 5:15p, and pre-game social at 6p, all in the Board Room at the Schott); $15 in advance. Rockbridge Crossing @ Club Diversity, 863 S. High St., Columbus, 43206; 614.224.4050; clubdiversity.biz: The acoustic/electric duo of Bryant Rockfield and Cindy VanDellen play blues, classic rock, folk, jazz and Americana. Think You Can Do Drag @ Axis, 775 N. High St., Columbus, 43215; 614.291.4008; axisonhigh.com: Nina West hosts her annual amateur drag competition for queens and kings.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29

Arts & College Preparatory Academy Drag Show @ ACPA, 4401 Hilton Corporate Dr., Columbus, 43232; 614.986.9974; artcollegeprep.org: The next generation of queens and kings takes the stage at the LGBTfriendly school’s annual drag show. 6:30p.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30

Central Ohio Naturist Guys Alliance WineTasting @ location given to those who RSVP; congaline.org: The nudist group for men will sample wines from the Bordeaux region of France. 6p-10p; $10 ($5 for members). AC2: An Intimate Evening With Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen @ Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Columbus, 43215; 614.469.0939 or 800.745.3000; capa.com: Their November appearance was canceled because Anderson Cooper was sent to cover the shootings in Paris. But they’re on their way to Columbus again to talk about - well, if you read our interview with Andy Cohen in November’s issue, you know they’re prepared to talk about everything. 8p; $58-$108.

Sources say (*cough* Amy Long) that Andy Cohen will humor drunk women who yell at him on the street.

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I can eat $199 worth of popcorn alone.

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savage love

by Dan Savage

Cock Locked After spending some years in the doldrums after having kids, my husband and I are now enjoying hot kinky sex and the occasional free pass to fuck other people. We couldn’t be happier. I have a friend who was extremely keen for me to cage his cock with the same kind of locking male chastity device I got for my husband: a fixed-ring stainless-steel type. It took some maneuvering to get my husband’s balls through one by one, followed by his cock, but he managed. Is it OK for his balls to swell up tight, get cold and go purple when he’s wearing the cock cage and he is aroused? He says it doesn’t hurt, and he is wearing it only while I peg him - a couple of hours tops. I worry that even though he can squeeze into the ring, he might be cutting off circulation and doing damage. - Bitch Ably Locking Lucky Sluts Up Properly “The first rule of thumb when it comes to male chastity is this: If the balls go blue or cold, take the fucking cock cage off!” said Christopher Miers, the founder and creative force behind Steelwerks (steelwerksextreme.com), purveyors of the world’s finest male chastity devices. “I’m a firm believer in play safe, stay comfortable, and cause pain or discomfort only when it’s asked for and nobody is at risk of long-term damage,” Miers said. “So … BALLSUP needs to get her guy a cage that keeps him trapped but still in the realm of safe!”

A short primer for readers who aren’t familiar with male chastity devices: Most are anchored in place by a ring that goes around the shaft and behind the balls. The penis slides into a cylinder that attaches to the top of the ring, and the cylinder prevents erections and can even punish erections. (Some are lined with spikes.)

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Once the chastity device is locked, there’s no way to remove it (and free the cock) without tearing the balls off. Back to you, BALLSUP: Miers has been creating custommade, high-quality stainless-steel male chastity devices for 15 years, so he’s the recognized expert on male chastity devices here, not your husband. Listen to Miers and toss the device you’re using now and get your husband a chastity cage that doesn’t turn his balls purple. You may have to experiment with some other designs and an assortment of cock rings before you find the one that locks his cock down without choking his balls off. “I often hear from guys who wear cages made with a one-piece, slipon-style cock ring that it allows them to slip in easily and comfortably - but a lot of guys can remove these chastity devices even when they’re locked,” Miers said. “But a cage with a smaller, more secure cock ring often results in a cock ring that is too tight, especially when the person is using cheaper, mass-produced cages. The best chastity devices are ones that come with a cock ring that can be opened via a hinge or taken apart. Then you can get a ring that might be too small to push his balls through using the one-ball-after-the-other method, but because the ring comes apart, getting it on and off is much easier while providing the safety and inescapability both parties are looking for.” You can follow Christopher Miers on Twitter @steelwerks.

You can email Dan Savage at mail@savagelove.net, follow him on Twitter at @fakedansavage or listen to his weekly podcast, Savage Lovecast, every Tuesday at thestranger.com/savage. Savage Love appears every month in Outlook and every week at outlookohio.com.

You really learn something new everyday when reading Savage Love, don’t you?

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the divine life

by Debé

Capricorn (December 22 January 19) Your word for 2016 is spirituality. Is that surprising? Your hard work is paying off, and you are accomplishing your goals. Now it’s time to dig deeper. Why are you here? Trust me, going deeper can feel exquisite, and there are those who’d like to help you on your journey.

Famous Capricorns: Ricky Martin, Lee Daniels, Susan Sontag, Joan Baez. Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Your word for 2016 is appetite. You’re hungry for new experiences and thirsting for knowledge. That appetite carries into the bedroom, where more hard work certainly pays off. Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Your word for 2016 is manifestation. This is a powerful year for you. If you can imagine it, it could be yours. New friends (and lovers, if you’re in the market) will come into your life, testing your limits. Can you handle it? Aries (March 21 - April 19) Your word for 2016 is challenge. That might intimidate others, but it just gets your juices flowing. Try not to hurt yourself - or others - as you smash through obstacles on your way. Like foreplay, persistence over impatience is the way to go. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Your word for 2016 is change. You bullish boys and girls are slowly and surely headed for a new outlook on life. The epiphanies are mind-blowing. Even as sensuous as you are, this can feel way better than sex, and it’s longer lasting. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Your word for 2016 is opportunity. Opportunity isn’t knocking, it’s banging on your door. Make sure you’re ready to jump when the banging opportunities present themselves. This applies to the boardroom and the boudoir. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Your word for 2016 is development. This is the year for self-improvement. Nothing is handed to you, but stay motivated. You could raise some eyebrows with the new, improved you. Show them how it’s done, girlfriend! outlookohio.com

Leo (July 23 August 22) Your word for 2016 is transparency. You’re not subtle or sly, anyway, but it’s time to really get naked - spiritually, not literally. Let the world see the real you. You’re bound to impress many and piss off a few. Good times. Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Your word for 2016 is improvement. You strive for perfection, so honing your skills should be right up your alley. Isn’t being the best delicious? Be open-minded and available for new experiences and you might learn a new trick or two. Libra (September 23 - October 22) Your word for 2016 is satisfaction. You want to get lucky? This could be your year. You have the Midas touch in relationships, and everyone wants a piece of gold. Just leave a little for the rest of us, please. Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Your word for 2016 is breakthrough. The way is clear now, but you still need to do the work. Use your intelligence and creativity. Hungry? Take what is yours (as long as it’s consensual, of course). Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Your word for 2016 is enthusiasm. Saturn is in your sign most of this year, bringing you challenges that will test you and push you to be better. Those obstacles are no match for your passion. Bring it on!

Handy Tip: Numerology 2016 is a nine year in numerology. This is the end of a circle, a year when we look around us - and inside us - for greater meaning and understanding. 2016 is a year to discover who you really are.

Debé is a palmist, intuitive adviser and metaphysical teacher in Columbus. She is available for personal readings, parties, events and workshops. For more information, go to thepassionatepalmist.com. Look for her horoscopes every month in Outlook.

Happy New Year from your friends at Outlook!

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Across

In Gay Colors

1 Brown’s Cat on the ___ 6 Cicero’s singular 10 Asks from one’s knees 14 After Delores author Schulman 15 Big ones in porn films, sometimes 16 Focused on one’s work 17 Not novel 18 Lesbos love 19 Delany of Desperate Housewives 20 Obsession with facial hair 23 Almost ready for the tooth fairy 24 Make airtight 25 Charades, basically 28 Prick 29 Peace Nobelist Wiesel 30 Eurythmics’ “Would ___ to You?” 33 Pub round 37 Kind of man, in Oz 38 Life style of hairy

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gay guys 40 One to ten, e.g. 42 Saltine brand 43 DeLaria of Orange Is the New Black 44 Journeys like a post-Trojan War epic 46 Buck feature 48 Lady Sings the Blues star 49 Queens ballpark 50 Sci-fi that uses technology and aesthetic designs 54 Artist Aaron, who’s style has been described as a combination of 20-, 38-, and 50-Across 58 Do road work 59 “Let me repeat ...” 61 160 square rods 62 Disney’s ___ and the Detectives 63 Lets up 64 Bear’s den 65 Where you can eat a hero 66 Bitchy warning 67 Mireille of World War Z

V Down

1 One that comes quickly 2 Eat pasta, with “up” 3 Buffalo’s lake 4 Barney, who romanced Romaine 5 Aileen Wuornos portrayer Charlize 6 Boat bottom bumpers 7 Be in harmony 8 What an athletic supporter might do? 9 Help out 10 Whoopi’s ill-fitting garb in Sister Act? 11 Online prostitution? 12 Big name in cutters 13 Terence of Billy Budd 21 Stray on the range 22 Earhart’s “Friendship” and others 25 Gide’s subway 26 Homer-erotic tale?

27 Of a coin factory? 28 Brief moments in the “Kama Sutra” 31 Turning tray for Anthony? 32 Incenses 34 Void’s partner 35 It can bear fruit 36 Brown quickly 38 It’s a bust 39 Place for Young men? 41 One from the land of the circumcised 45 Lays eyes on 47 Some like it hot 49 Biathlete, for one 50 Went lickety-split 51 Meek and mild 52 Apt anagram for vile 53 Org. that could help you see Uranus 55 “___ do anything better than you” 56 Dixie Chicks, e.g. 57 Word on either bride’s towel 60 Data transmission letters

Look for an expanded feature by A & K, the creators of Chaos Life, in the February Issue.

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There are limited vendor spaces available, so act fast!

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january 2016

Outlook Magazine: Celebrating 20 years!

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