Contributing Writers Rich Arenschieldt, Susan Bankston, Aisha Bouderdaben, Troy Carrington, Kit van Cleave, Angel Curtis, Karen Derr, Steven Foster, David Goldberg, D.L. Groover, Marene Gustin, Blake Hayes, Suzie Lynde, Donalevan Maines, DavidElijah Nahmod, Neil Ellis Orts, Lilly Roddy, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Gregg Shapiro, Janice Stensrude, Brandon Wolf, Grace S. Yung
Rich Arenschieldt, Susan Bankston, Jenny Block, Andrew Edmonson, Steven Foster, Sarah Gish, David Goldberg, Marene Gustin, Kim Hogstrom, James Hurst, Lisa Keen, Ryan M. Leach, Don Maines, Joanna O’Leary, Monica Roberts, Lilly Roddy, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Gregg Shapiro, Janice Stensrude, Henry V. Thiel, Megan Wadding, Brandon Wolf, Grace S. Yung
Photographers/Illustrators
Photographers/Illustrators
Dalton DeHart, Yvonne Feece, Mark Hiebert, Manuel Lara, David Eduardo Flores Perez
Dr. Mary Moore, MD, FAAD and Dr. Angel Puryear, MD, FAAD are board-certified dermatologists specializing in medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology for all ages and skin types. They are loved and praised for their gentle bedside manner, thoroughness, and dedication to patients. Both dermatologists take a subtle, natural approach to cosmetics to achieve beautiful results.
Foster Care Agency Loses City Funding
Appeals court rules against exemptions for religious views
By LISA KEEN
For the first time, a federal appeals court has ruled that a local government can exclude a child foster-care agency from city-funded programs if the agency refuses to abide by a local ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
In CatholicSocialServicesv.Philadelphia, the Catholic-run child placement group tried to claim an exemption to the City’s nondiscrimination law by contending its refusal to place children with same-sex couples was based on its religious beliefs. But a three-judge panel of the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals said the agency’s religious views did not entitle it to an exemption from the City’s nondiscrimination law.
“The City’s non-discrimination policy is a neutral, generally applicable law, and the religious views of CSS do not entitle it to an exception from that policy,” stated the panel. The judges said CSS had failed to make a “persuasive showing that the City targeted it for its religious beliefs, or is motivated by ill will against its religion.” The judges said the non-discrimination law was based on the City’s “sincere opposition to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”
The panel included judges Thomas Ambro (a Clinton appointee), Anthony J. Scirica (Reagan), and Marjorie Rendell (Clinton).
The ACLU, which was an intervenor on behalf of LGBT parents in the case, declared victory.
“This is a victory for the thousands of children in Philadelphia’s child-welfare system,” said Leslie Cooper, director of the ACLU’s national LGBT Project. “Prospective foster and adoptive parents should be judged by their capacity to provide love and support to a child, not the religious views of a taxfunded agency.” Religious views, said Cooper, do not “entitle taxpayer-funded child-welfare agencies to impose their own religious eligibility criteria on important government programs.”
The religious-based legal-advocacy group Becket, which led the lawsuit on behalf of CSS and several foster parents who used CSS, expressed disappointment with the ruling and
“This is a victory for the thousands of children in Philadelphia’s child-welfare system.”
—Leslie Cooper, director of the ACLU’s national LGBT Project
said it was weighing its options for appeal.
“This ruling is devastating to the hundreds of foster children who have been waiting for a family, and to the dozens of parents working with Catholic Social Services who have been waiting to foster a child,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “We’re disappointed that the court decided to let the City place politics above the needs of kids and the rights of parents, but we will continue this fight.”
The conflict in Philadelphia mirrors that in some other major cities, including Boston and Lansing, where child-placement agencies run by religious groups have sought government funding for their work but have refused to abide by local or state laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. It also exacerbates a growing crisis in many cities and states who are experiencing an increased number of children needing placements—
sometimes on an emergency basis—due to the opioid crisis.
Just two months ago, President Trump expressed support for allowing adoption and foster-care agencies that discriminate against LGBT people to claim a religious exemption. And the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under President Trump, granted South Carolina a waiver that allows it to funnel federal funds to foster-care agencies that discriminate against LGBT people and people of certain religions.
Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services learned that two child-placement agencies receiving funds from the City were refusing to place children with same-sex couples who were willing to serve as foster parents. When confronted, the two agencies claimed they were acting on their religious beliefs. The city did not challenge that claim, but stopped referring children to the two groups.
One of the groups, Catholic Social Services (CSS), filed a lawsuit, claiming its First Amendment right to free exercise of religion was being violated. A district court judge ruled against CSS’s request for a preliminary injunction, and the appeals panel upheld that ruling. Typically, the case would go back to district court for a hearing on the First Amendment issues raised by CSS. But the group could choose to ask the full appeals court bench for a hearing, or even go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court with a petition.
A similar dispute in Massachusetts ended with Catholic Charities pulling out of state-funded child-placement programs. In Michigan, a federal judge ruled against St. Vincent Catholic Charities last September, saying a lawsuit on behalf of same-sex couples by the ACLU could proceed against a state policy allowing adoption agencies to discriminate if the agencies claim such adoptions would violate their religious beliefs. That conflict is still under litigation, but another faith-based child-placement group in Michigan announced Monday it would end its policy of excluding same-sex couples.
IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment. (bik-TAR-vee)
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
} Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months
ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:
} dofetilide
} rifampin
} any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider if you:
} Have any other health problems.
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
} Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.
} Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.
} Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.
} Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
} Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.
} Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
} Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:
} Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.
} BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
} Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.
} The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).
These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION
} This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.
} Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.
} If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
Permanent Memorial to Pulse Victims Unveiled
A plaque with the names of the 49 lives lost will be on display at the Montrose Center in June.
By LOURDES ZAVALETA
In the wake of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre, a small LGBTQ Pride flag and a sign saying “Orlando” were erected in the esplanade of Montrose Boulevard near Westheimer Road. However, that memorial was repeatedly vandalized.
Three Good Samaritans Joshua Martinez, Miguel Charrié, and Jason Smith raised a new Pride flag in the same spot each time it was stolen or destroyed. In the summer of 2018, the group decided to replace the flag one last time with a permanent structure.
“The [Montrose Boulevard] memorial [was] pulled out of the ground, knocked
over, and stolen several times since it first went up,” Charrié said. “That is why we decided to create something that couldn’t be vandalized.”
A fundraiser for the project was held at JR’s Bar & Grill in September. The group raised $3,000 at the event to install a 25-foot-high flagpole with a concrete base to replace the makeshift tribute.
After the City denied the group’s request to install a permanent memorial in the Montrose esplanade, the team spent months searching for a new site.
Finally, Travis, Charrié, and Smith
After
Dr. Zane K Haider DMD MS
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By STEVEN FOSTER
QUEER THINGS to DO
‘A
Wof Dance Commemorating
hile we weren’t able to see the exhibit before it went up, that doesn’t mean we didn’t get a peek. (Yes, we snuck over and watched Stonewall 50 being installed. And P.S., those guys who do the installations work their asses off!) The video is evocative. The portraits are piercing. The paintings are powerful. The bar is set high for a dance response to this artwork.
Fortunately, Up Rising: A Night of Dance Commemorating Stonewall’s 50th Anniversary features an assembly of Houston’s most visible LGBTQ dance artists and community members in a celebration of the achievements and hard-fought successes of the gay-rights movement over the past 50 years. So the physical reply to all the ocular stimuli seen on the museum walls should be on par.
In response to the exhibition,
Rebecca French and her collaborators have brought together jazz, contemporary, ballet, and hip-hop dance styles with a diversity of music and costumes. Which means this event will include drag performance.
The exhibit proper will be up for weeks. But this dance exploration of the same theme will be one night only. Don’t miss one of the most stimulating dance performances in town this year. camh.org
There’s going to be a lot of political clout at this thing, what with Victory Fund president and CEO mayor Annise Parker (and other elected officials and leaders from the Houston area) in attendance. victoryfund.org
This fundraiser for the Harris County Democratic Party is hosted by the Meyerland Democrats. And who are they bringing in? Hillary Clinton. Expect the political operative to elaborate on her career and perhaps take a few potshots at former nemesis You-Know-Who along the way. harrisdemocrats.org
LGBTQ dancers respond to the Stonewall 50 exhibit at the CAMH.
COMMUNITY
May 18
Red Dinner 4
This annual event raises funds for UH LGBTQ student scholarships and emergency support for students who encounter hardships due to their sexuality or gender identity. In the short three years it’s been happening, the night has quickly shaped up to be one of the go-to destinations for the black-tie party crowd. This year will feature guest speakers Katie Sowers, Carson Jones, and former OutSmart covergirl Jessica Zyrie. Local favorite and UH alumnus Dominique Sachse will host the evening. This year there will be an after-party called RD After Dark so, as you can see, this event just gets bigger every year. (See page 56.) reddinner.org
POLITICS
May 4
PETE BUTTIGIEG FUNDRAISER
Presidential candidate man-of-the-moment
“Mayor Pete” Buttigieg will be swinging through town to collect donation dollars and kiss some babies. Ticket prices range from $25 to $1,000, and they’re not disclosing the location until you RSVP. peteforamerica.com
COMMUNITY
May 8
CITY COUNCIL FORUM FOR DISTRICT C CANDIDATES
The May meeting Forum will feature candidates Shelley Kennedy, Nick Hellyar, and Abbie Kamin. This event, hosted by both the Blue Bayou Democrats and the Meyerland Democrats, is the perfect opportunity for you to take your politics up-close-and-personal. bayoubluedems.com/events
CULTURE
May 19
HISTORIC HEIGHTS TOUR
Now’s your chance to take Mister McKinney’s short but info-packed 50-minute tour. This $39.95 value is now available to you for FREE! All you have to do is follow McKinney’s new Twitter and Instagram pages, Mister McKinney’s Historic Houston and Houston History Bus, respectively. On the tour, you’ll find out about the historic homes, majestic mansions, and the stories behind them. tinyurl.com/yyz59u99
BOOK May 5 THE DIANAS BOOK DISTRIBUTION/CELEBRATION
To celebrate their 65 years, The Dianas will be hosting a book distribution/celebration for their long-awaited coffee-table book, The Diana Foundation: 65 Years of History Expect lots of full-color glossy pages and inside scoops on the venerable organization that had its humble beginnings as a 1950s Oscars watch-party. thedianafoundation.org
COMMUNITY
May 5
COMMUNITY
May 17
MYSTERY & ENCHANTMENT: A MONTROSE MASQUERADE
It’s time for the 2019 MARTY! For those of you who don’t know, that’s the Montrose ART Party that benefits Arts League Houston’s Healing Art program. The bash will feature live music from GRRRL PARTS DJs, a cash bar, a mask-making station, silent auction, and an exhibition by artists participating in the Healing Arts program, so you can see what your dollars are going toward. artleaguehouston.org/marty
COMEDY
May 19
Queer Queens of Qomedy Poppy Champlin (far right) and Vickie Shaw will be slingin’ jokes at the two-step mecca while patrons get to enjoy a zesty spaghetti dinner. For $45 you can get reserved VIP tickets and a VIP champagne meet-and-greet. neonboots.com
White-Hot Night
Red Dinner 4 will feature many famous faces.
TRANS FESTIVAL
LATINX 5 DE MAYO
This is the first trans Latinx festival, put on by the Organización Latina de Trans en Texas. The event will be held on the plaza of Bering Memorial Church. tinyurl.com/y2dufmla
COMMUNITY
May 5
AN EVENING OF HATS-N-DRAG
This diva-licious evening will feature hat trivia, a hat contest, and the legendary Dina Jacobs. VIP ticket-holders will be able to borrow a hat from the AFCI hat collection if you forget yours. AFCI stands for the Association for Family and Community Integrity, which is the beneficiary of the evening. neonboots.com
MUSIC
May 19 ARIANA GRANDE
Is she confessing? Or is she queer-baiting? It’s so hard to tell these days, what with these kids and their slippery sexuality. In her video for “Break Up with Your Boyfriend, I’m Bored,” she puts the mackey on Ariel Yasmine. In her song “Monopoly,” she says she likes girls. What’s not in dispute is that Grande is gonna pack ’em in with her stop at Houston’s Toyota Center. arianagrande.com
QUEER QUEENS OF QOMEDY AT NEON BOOTS
COMMUNITY
April 30
LAMBDA NEXTGEN
HOUSTON HAPPY HOUR
This month’s meeting is at Yauatcha, an international chain with a spectacular menu. We suggest you try the Flower and Stone, made with Bombay Sapphire, strawberry, fennel, apricot, yuzu, mint, and rhubarb. lambdanextgen.com
May 18
Out for Education Scholarship Presentation at
The Alley
Out for Education provides educational scholarships to Houston-area LGBT youth. Since its inception, Out for Education has granted over 350 LGBT scholarships valued at $1.7 million. To be eligible for scholarship, students must be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender between the ages of 17 and 25 and graduated from a Houston-area high school or will be attending an accredited college or university in the Houston area. It’s a very special night for a worthwhile cause. alleytheatre.org
SPORT
May 25
Pride Night at Houston
Sabercats
Last month, star Australian rugby player Israel Folau got in hot water when he shot off his mouth on Instagram saying “hell awaits” homosexuals—along with drunks, adulterers, liars, fornicators, etc. (You know, all the people we love hanging out with.) Rugby officials wasted no time in coming down hard on Folau like a ton of anti-bigot bricks. Now Mister Religious is praying that he can keep his job. Rugby in Houston is much more LGBTQ-friendly. That’s why they’re making May 25 Pride Night, which is, as the Chronicle noted, “celebrating the LGBTQ community in a way Houston’s three major teams have not.” Their polished, professional website offers 15-second video scoops on how rugby is played, so you can get up to speed fairly quickly. Just use the special-offer code PRIDE2019 and you’ll get 20 percent off your ticket. This is your perfect chance to give rugby a “try” (which is what a score is called in rugby). houstonsabercats.com
THEATER
May 29
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway
This is the final show and crown jewel of TUTS’ 50th-anniversary season, a Broadway review that showcases 10 shows, 13 musical numbers, a large, diverse cast, and countless characters during this celebration of the Tony-winning work of master director and choreographer Jerome Robbins. Remember to stay after the performance for the Out@TUTS event so that you can mix and mingle with members of the cast and crew. Sponsored by Out Smart. (See page 45.) tuts.com
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By MONICA ROBERTS
Happy Mama Bear’s Day
Time to show some love to the mothers of trans children.
This month, in addition to me seeing another birthday, we also observe Mother’s Day on May 12. I’m happy that not only do I still get to celebrate it with my own mother, but I get to celebrate it with a special group of moms that we in the trans community call the Mama Bears.
So what is a Mama Bear? It’s a nickname that the mothers of transgender children bestowed upon themselves. As their trans cubs transition at ever-earlier ages, the Mama Bears fight tooth-and-nail to ensure that their children have as normal a childhood as they can, despite the drama that society stirs up when it comes to trans children.
These moms are called everything but Children of God by evilgelicals, but still they rise.
They unapologetically defend their children against unjust legislation and policies. They advocate for their children’s healthcare. They do education in the media and on college campuses concerning what it’s like to raise a trans child.
And in some cases, they act as mothers for the adult trans people whose biological
parents have abandoned them because of their transition.
The Mama Bears range from celebrity moms like Cher, Charlize Theron, and Jeanette Jennings to Kimberly Shappley and Rachel Gonzales here in the Lone Star State.
Cher has made it clear that she despises Trump, and has called him out on Twitter for his anti-trans policies.
Jeanette Jennings has been a role model for many of the Mama Bears since we started following her daughter’s transition journey when Jazz was just four years old.
Charlize Theron is a new member of the Mama Bears club, after recently announcing that her seven-year-old child, Jackson, is trans.
There are also Mama Bears who are quietly going about the business of supporting their children. Some do so via TBLGQ-friendly organizations or organized Mama Bear support groups.
One group of Mama Bears that doesn’t get the recognition they deserve are the mothers of black trans children like DeShanna Neal and Jodie Patterson. Even though they are
fierce advocates for their trans kids, they don’t get the media love and attention that their white counterparts get.
Frankly, I’d like to see the black Mama Bears get more media coverage, because it’s past time for my community to see black parents who unconditionally love and support their trans kids instead of kicking them to the curb.
It’s even more important to see that happen in light of the fact that we have a hostile antitrans federal administration that is doing the bidding of the Family Research Council and evilgelical pastors.
It’s past time for us to show some love to the Mama Bears, and I can’t think of a better opportunity to do so than on Mother’s Day.
Happy Mama Bear’s Day! Thanks for all you do for your trans kids (and in some cases, we adult trans folks) to make the world a better place for all of us.
Monica Roberts, a native Houstonian, is the founding editor of the GLAAD award-winning blog TransGriot. Her ongoing mission is to educate people on the lives of transgender people and fight for everyone’s human rights.
Jeanette Jennings
Jodie Patterson
Rachel Gonzales
Kimberly Shappley DeShanna Neal
Cher
Charlize Theron
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By GRACE S. YUNG, CFP
It’s All About Cash Flow
The secret power of passive income.
While saving and investing can allow you to build up a sizeable net worth, the reality is that in order to achieve true financial independence, you need to have money coming in that does not require your physical time and effort to generate it. You’ve probably heard (more than once) the old expression “Make your money work for you.” Nowhere is this more evident than when your savings generate “residual” or “passive” cash flow. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to generate passive income and cash flow.
Understanding Passive Cash Flow and How It Works
As its name implies, passive income is essentially the opposite of active income. Earning passive income means you don’t have to spend endless hours in traffic commuting to a drab office cubicle, and you won’t be required to work the “occasional” evening or weekend. Instead, passive income is earned by strategically placing your money into financial vehicles that will produce income for you, regardless of how you spend your day. (And yes, it can even be earned while you are sleeping.)
If this sounds too good to be true, remember there are likely many examples of passive
income-generating methods that you are already familiar with, but just didn’t realize that these techniques were actually making money for someone.
There are a number of ways to generate passive cash flow, including:
• Dividends from Investments.
Dividends can be received from certain types of stock investments. In many cases, dividend payments are a certain amount of income per share, multiplied by the number of shares you own. While dividends are never guaranteed, this type of passive income can be received for as long as you own the stock (unless there is a change in the company’s dividend-paying option).
• Interest-Bearing Accounts.
Income from investments may also be received via regular interest payments. This can be as simple as opening up a savings account and receiving the interest additions to your account through regular payments from your bank or other financial institution. While savings and moneymarket accounts typically pay a very low rate of interest, this can still be a viable method of earning some passive income while keeping your principal stable. Similar options include interest that is earned from bonds or CDs (certificates of deposit).
• Annuities.
An annuity can provide you with an income that you literally cannot outlive. These financial vehicles are designed to provide cash flow in return for either a lump sum or periodic contributions. Annuities also come with advantages such as tax-deferred growth and asset protection in some states, including Texas.
• Real-estate Investments.
Owning investment real estate is one of the oldest and most common ways of generating passive income. Everyone needs a place to live, so your “product” will likely always be in demand. The most common form of income-generating real estate is rental income. This can entail purchasing a single-family home and renting it out, obtaining a duplex or 4-plex and leasing to tenants, or acquiring a large apartment building and receiving rent checks from numerous tenants every month. Passive income can be obtained via commercial properties as well. With real estate, it is easy to start small and then expand to multiple properties, each bringing in their own stream of regular income. Plus, if you don’t want to actively manage the property and the tenants, a property-management company can take on those duties for you.
• Interest on Loaned Money.
If you have loaned money to someone such as a friend or family member, you could receive regular income as your borrower makes their repayments with interest. Of course this is a riskier strategy, as any time you lend money there is always risk of default. With that in mind, it is important to ensure that you implement all of the necessary paperwork, such as a promissory note that may include a collateral agreement.
How to Become Financially Independent
Because everyone’s goals, time frame, and risk tolerance are not the same, different incomeproducing strategies are needed for different investors. Before you move forward with committing to income investments, it is important to discuss your objectives with an experienced financial professional. That way, you can better ensure that you’re moving in the right direction and can take action on any changes that may be necessary going forward.
Grace S. Yung, CFP , is a certified financial planner practitioner with experience in helping domestic partners plan their finances since 1994. She is a principal at Midtown Financial Group LLC in Houston and was recognized as a “Five-Star Wealth Manager” in the September 2017 issue of Texas Monthly. Yung can be reached at grace.yung@lpl.com.
have a home for their Pulse memorial. The flag, which features an original design by Smith, was raised during a ceremony at Tony’s Corner Pocket bar on April 28.
“There was a lot of waiting and countless hours of work involved by some unrelenting people who have dedicated their entire lives to our community,” Charrié said. “This project is, from every possible angle, an absolute labor of love.”
The April 28 event featured a performance by America’s Got Talent semifinalist Christina Wells, a military-style flag-raising ceremony by LGBTQ veterans, and several speeches honoring the lives lost at Pulse and those who created the Houston memorial.
Charrié also revealed that a new memorial plaque with the names of the 49 Pulse victims will be on display at the Montrose Center in June. Lambda NextGen Houston, a social network for young LGBTQ professionals, partnered with Travis, Charrié, and Smith to design the plaque after seeing the success of their fundraiser.
“We are honored to be a part of this initiative,” says Lambda NextGen board member James Spear. “It was important for Lambda NextGen to join Miguel, Josh, and Jason, because one of the key pillars that our group works on is community engagement.”
Travis, Charrié, Smith, and Lambda NetGen are calling their partnership the Friends of Montrose. Charrié says that the group will continue to work on Houston initiatives that honor the LGBTQ community. The Friends of Montrose’s next project, led by Smith, will be a plaque in Bagby Park that lists the names of LGBTQ Houstonians who have died in hate crimes.
Smith’s memorial flag design features a Pulse logo and the words “With Love, Houston.” An American flag will fly above it. Both were donations from Tony Wilkerson, a military veteran and friend of Tony’s Corner Pocket.
To conclude the April 28 ceremony, members of the Space City Sisters, a local group of drag-queen nuns, blessed the flagpole and hung a wreath on it. Charrié says that those who visit the flagpole are welcome to leave flowers, photographs, and candles.
Charrié says all of the leftover funds from the initial fundraiser will go to the survivors and families of Pulse nightclub victims through Texas United Charities. The Pride flag from the original Montrose Boulevard memorial will be donated to the University of Houston’s LGBTQ Alumni Association, and will be hung in UH’s Alumni Center.
“What happened in Orlando could happen anywhere, to any of us,” Charrié said. “We hope that our flag brings our community together in remembrance of Pulse, and shows that Houston stands behind its own LGBT family.”
Photos by DALTON DEHART
On March 24, The Victory Fund Champagne Brunch held its table captains and sponsors reception. Pictured are Heather Jones Tayler, Vince Pryor, Jani Lopez, Annise Parker, Bryan Hlavinka, Seth Schermer, Richard Holt, Emilly Hamell, Bryan Cotton, and Hosseh Enad.
On March 24, the Krewe of Olympus held its grant presentation and appreciation party at Michael’s Outpost. Pictured are Melissa Flories, Kirk Wyllie, Robert Brooks, and Kennedy Loftin.
Lambda NextGen held a Happy Hour at Colina Homes on March 26. Pictured are (left row) Nicholas Guidry, Ryan MacMillan, Sarah Klutts, James Spear, (right row) Mia Mundy, Chris Cantu, Hannah Mitchell, and Jack Berger.
On March 28, HRC Houston held a pre-gala reception at Design Within Reach. Pictured are Dawn Dominick, Sal Stow, Orlando OcañasManzo, Joe Mendoza, Debbie Wernet, Ian Barrett, Lisa Madry, Randall Hance, Terry Hamman, Gary Wilson, and Tom Jacobs.
TimeOut in Brazil
Show Us Your OutSmart
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Take O ut S mart along. Snap a high-res pic of yourself with the magazine and send it to us.
Send to: Letters@O ut S martmagazine . cOm . Tag us on Facebook or hashtag us on Instagram
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Check out these fabulous events co-sponsored by O ut S mart and our marketing partners.
May 18: Red Dinner 4 benefiting the U of H LGBTQ Alumni Association, LGBTQ Student Emergency Crisis Fund, and academic scholarships. INFO: reddinner.org
May 19: Victory Fund Houston Champagne Brunch benefiting future LGBTQ political leaders. INFO: victoryfund.org
May 19: Under the Sea Champagne Brunch benefiting AIDS Care of Coastal Texas. INFO: accttexas.org
May 29: Out@TUTS Night presents Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. Get your seats for the first Wednesday-night production in TUTS’ 50th-anniversary season. After the curtain goes down, the party continues. Mingle with members of the cast and crew and sing a few showtunes. All are welcome! INFO: tuts.com/out
SAVE THE DATE
June 2: BBQ & Mimosa Brunch presented by the HIV & Aging Coalition, honoring and celebrating the lives of long-term survivors. hltsad.org
June 13: ActOut at the Alley Theatre presents The Three Musketeers Precurtain event (included with ActOut ticket ) 6 PM, show at 7:30 PM. INFO alleytheatre.org/actout
June 15: The Houston Pride Band presents American Journey Concert, a review of the American musical journey. INFO: houstonprideband.org June 21: 10th Annual Rainbow on the Green, a free city-wide LGBTQ celebration presented by Discovery Green. 7–9 PM. INFO: discoverygreen.com/rainbow
June 22: Pride Houston Festival and Parade Celebration Festival held around City Hall, Hermann Square, and Tranquility Park, noon to 7:00 PM. The parade begins at the intersection of Milam and Walker streets at 8:30 PM. INFO: pridehouston.org
Alex Rosa took O ut S mart to the Lina Bo Bardi Glass House in São Paulo, Brazil.
COMMUNITY
The Mother of All Mama Bears
In Honor of Mother’s Day
By KIM HOGSTROM
The nation’s LGBTQ citizens have enjoyed some splendid advances in the past few years. Corporations, schools, cities, and entire states have fully recognized equality as a core American value. Yet, there is one institution that remains unreasonably immovable: the church—or more specifically, fundamentalist Christian denominations (See: Mike Pence). In order to justify their brutal practice of shunning and condemning LGBTQ people, fundamentalist Christian churches must first ignore or deny the very foundation of Jesus’ teachings about love and
acceptance. The ensuing damage that this denial produces is immense.
Not all Christian churches remain unaffirming, of course, and more are joining the enlightened camp every day. But a few major denominations cling to their views of LGBTQ folk as unwelcome, unclean, unholy sinners. Or worse.
How common is LGBTQ denunciation? Isn’t it just found in only the most extreme Bible-thumping, snake-handling churches?
No. In February of this year, the United Methodist Church—generally viewed as a moderate, middle-of-the-road denomination—voted at
its General Conference to retain its existing church policy that states “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
So what? Don’t attend those old dinosaur churches, you say? Fine, but what happens to an LGBTQ child born into, say, a devout Southern Baptist family? Do their spirits survive? Do their bodies?
Statistically speaking, there’s a good chance that that child will not live a happy and full productive life. Toxic and dangerous relationships, a lack of self-care, homelessness, substance abuse, and even suicide often step in first.
Healing Help
Fortunately, there are people who are laboring to prevent the psychological damage from this kind of cruelty. “One of the first people I worked with was a gay college student,” stated Susan Cottrell. “When he came out to his deeply religious family, his parents collected his belongs, placed them in the front yard, and set the pile on fire.”
What did Cottrell do to help the young man? She became his Mama Bear.
Cottrell is an author and motivational speaker on the subject of loving LGBTQ children and adults within Christian traditions. She is also one of the leaders in the Mama Bear movement, an international group of mothers of LGBTQ children. These wonderful moms meet every day in secret online support groups. Together, they help one another grapple with their faith, answer questions, and learn how to best support their kids.
Cotrell is a slight woman with a big heart who also has a master’s degree in theology. She has appeared on 20/20, Nightline, and Good Morning America to address the disparity between the teachings of Christ and the glaring lack of LGBTQ acceptance seen in some denominations. Notably, she is the founder of FreedHearts.org, a nonprofit agency dedicated to “freeing hearts to love and be loved.”
Formerly from The Woodlands and now living in Austin, Cottrell travels around the country helping kids, families, and churches practice true Christian love for their lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer children, friends, and associates. It’s a heavy lift, but this mother of five is moving mountains.
“FreedHearts.org reaches the parents of the most at-risk LGBTQ children,” Cottrell continues. “Through our vibrant Mama Bear community, we assist Christian parents to fully understand their children, reconcile faith issues, and keep their families happy, healthy, and intact.”
“We also help free the hearts of LGBTQ people to heal the shame imposed by condemnation and abandonment, as well as mend internalized homophobia,” states Cottrell.
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A Mile in Her Shoes
Cottrell became a Mama Bear out of necessity. When she married her husband, Rob, she couldn’t wait to start a family. Both of her parents died when she was a child, and Cottrell finally saw a chance to heal the pain and loneliness she knew all too well. She’d survived growing up without a family, but now she could build one.
The couple had their first child and decided they now needed “community.” They found it in a local evangelical Christian church, and they became very active members. Nearly 20 years flew by, and four more children arrived.
“Annie was 20 years old and away at college when the phone call came. Annie said, ‘Mom, I’m attracted to girls,’” Cottrell remembers, drawing a deep breath.
“I went to Bible study that night and shared
this with my closest friends, thinking they would offer wisdom. Instead, they went right to the rules. ‘That’s wrong. You can’t accept it,’ they said.
“I thought, ‘What does that mean? I can’t accept my daughter?’” Cottrell fights back tears at the memory. “I was being asked to choose between the two most important parts of my life—my church, or my child. I chose my child.
“We left the church, and today, eight years later, there are still members who do not speak to me,” she states firmly.
The Kids Are Fine
When Annie came out as lesbian, the family began a journey to find out what the Bible really says about LGBTQ people—and what it does not say. “God kept moving us forward—
toward love, toward freedom, toward peace,” Cottrell states.
The journey proved to be of great value. Cottrell’s youngest daughter, Hannah, came out soon after Annie. The couple was grateful they had embraced this path. What they learned would make a difference not only in the lives of their own kids, but also in the lives of parents and children around the country.
“LGBTQ people have been bullied, shamed, abandoned, and rejected by teachings that the church considers ‘loving,’ and the results are often tragic. [The biblical scholarship] on this is not nearly as clear as many Christians tend to believe. We all need to follow God’s lead, even when we still have questions. And above all else, we must love. Real loves accepts people not for who they are, but for who they may become,” Cottrell concludes.
Change Is in the Air
“My mom was always very loving,” Annie Cottrell reflects, “but over the past few years, that has gone to a level that I didn’t know was possible. Her compassion for anyone who is oppressed or hurting or marginalized has increased.
“In these difficult and divisive times, I think her profoundly powerful and simple message of love is needed more than ever,” the young woman emphasizes.
Susan Cottrell’s daughter looks forward to finding a wife one day, and it’s clear that she carries her mother’s big heart.
“I’ve watched my mom pour herself into getting to know and support the LGBTQ community. She’s serious about it—her reasons behind it, and the love that comes from it. What I see my mom doing is expanding the capacities of others to love, expanding boundaries of self, and expanding knowledge and understanding of one another. To me, that is the very definition of evolution,” she concludes.
There are thousands of families who have changed their views about fundamentalist Christian beliefs regarding the LGBTQ community, and more join every day.
“We have become prominent voices for parents of LGBTQ children. We connect every day with parents and LGBTQ people who tell us that the books or talks have saved their lives. It is at once humbling and thrilling,” Susan Cottrell says.
Today, Cottrell’s journey is something she would not trade for the world. What first looked dark and hopeless turned out to be her greatest blessing.
“Both Rob and I have fallen more in love— with God, each other, our children, and people in general. We are fully affirming because of Jesus, because of our faith, because of Scripture, not in spite of it!” Cottrell concludes, her eyes sparkling.
Listen to Mother
Cottrell giving her wildly popular TED Talk (above), and at her son David’s wedding (below).
COMEDY
First-Name Basis
Hannah Gadsby introduces Houston to ‘Douglas.’
By RYAN M. LEACH
Photo by CHRIS PIZZELLO
Comedian Hannah Gadsby forever changed the landscape of comedy in 2017 when she performed her award-winning hit stand-up show, Nanette. When Netflix premiered Nanette in June 2018, the world took notice as viewers laughed, cried, and even cringed at her raw vulnerability. After audiences clamored for an encore to Gadsby’s “swan-song” Netflix performance,” Gadsby reconsidered retirement and launched her new tour, the aptly titled Douglas. In an exclusive interview with O utSmart magazine, Gadsby, a lesbian, talks about the unexpected phenomenon that Nanette has become.
“When Nanette was written into a show, I didn’t know it would broaden my audience and have the impact that it did. I intended to tell the little audience I had cultivated that ‘I can’t do this, guys. I’m not going anywhere, and this is why.’ I did not expect the show to be successful. I decided, therefore, not to work within the typical framework of stand-up comedy. That success created more room for me to take risks and explore my perspective,” Gadsby reveals.
Of course, to someone who has not seen Nanette, the idea of a lesbian comedian finding success may not seem unique. Comedians like Ellen Degeneres and Rosie O’Donnell certainly paved the way. However, with Nanette, Gadsby rejected the tropes that others had found success playing into. Nanette explored Gadsby’s refusal to acquiesce to the world’s view of a middle-aged, butch lesbian comedian and instead laid bare for audiences the trauma that it caused her.
When the show became a career- and lifechanging success for Gadsby, she was asked to perform it over and over—a task that took an emotional toll on the comedian. “Nanette took
me places I didn’t intend to go. It was a difficult show for me to perform. With Douglas, I wanted to go around and meet the new audience I grew with Nanette and show them a different aspect of what I can do onstage. Douglas is a way for me to proceed further than Nanette,” says Gadsby. “Nanette was a wrecking ball, and Douglas is meant to tidy up the mess and explore the new space we’ve created.”
There is some truth to the idea that Gadsby is more of a performance artist than a comedian. She has certainly broken new ground, and the subject matter in Douglas does not shy away from topics that are not traditionally explored in comedy on a stage this large.
Life at an Intersection
Shortly before writing and subsequently performing Nanette, Gadsby was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Despite all of the vulnerability that was displayed in Nanette, Gadsby did not mention her autism in the show.
“I reacted to my diagnosis by writing Nanette. That’s pretty much what it boils down to. I didn’t mention it in the show because I didn’t want people to view what I was sharing through another marginalized identity. By taking that approach, I thought I could show people how I think without them judging me through that prism. Given the success of Nanette, I felt I owed other people like me—people who think around the corners a little differently—an opportunity to give that subject a bit of fresh air,” says Gadsby.
Her thoughtful approach to comedy reveals a rare talent for exploring weighty material in a relatable and poignant manner that is also hilarious. She understands that she is not one identity, but rather an amalgamation of several experiences that culminate in one dynamic person.
“I didn’t think [my autism diagnosis] was a safe thing to add into the equation of Nanette And also, a female’s experience of being on the spectrum is different than a male’s experience. And I am talking about sex and not gender. Biology is underrepresented when we talk about the science [of autism]. In a way, my diagnosis is the umbilical cord between Nanette and Douglas,” says Gadsby.
What’s in a Name?
Early on in the Netflix special, viewers see Gadsby giving a rather tepid explanation of where the title Nanette comes from. When we asked her about that name during our interview, Gadsby was quick to point out that the real story of the woman named Nanette was actually edited out of the special.
“The true story was that I encountered this barista who appeared to be this sweet old lady in a small-town café named Nanette. [But she actually turned out to be] the type of person who gives you this look that you know says they hate you for just being who you are. You have this visceral moment where you can just feel that. I thought that this old lady represented everything that was wrong with this world, and I needed to talk about it. That was the springboard for the title, and it got edited out of the Netflix special,” says Gadsby.
The inspiration for the title Douglas is considerably more endearing. “Douglas is the name of my dog. And since I had named my last show after a stranger, and that took me around the world to experience strange new places and people, I thought that naming this new show after my dog might take me home again.”
What: Hannah Gadsby’s Douglas
When: June 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St. Info: spahouston.org
GADSBY REVEALS A RARE TALENT FOR EXPLORING WEIGHTY MATERIAL IN A RELATABLE AND POIGNANT MANNER THAT IS ALSO HILARIOUS.
•
On April 26, a Tony’s Place homeless gay youth services fundraiser and salsa dance event was held at Neon Boots. Pictured are some of the supporters.
On April 6, Bering Memorial UMC held its annual Ooodles of Noodles fundraiser. Pictured are Claire Lapointe, Henry Chiu, Rev. Dr. Diane McGehee, Rick Ruble, Tony Tuckwiller, David Buechle, Andrew Motz, Marvin Jones, Dr. Genevieve Stevens, and Rev. Larry Leutwyler.
LOCAL
Thirty-Something TV
New Amazon Prime series depicts LGBTQ life in Houston.
By KIM HOGSTROM
Photo by JOYOUS HAWKINS
Don’t be surprised if you see film crews and actors in the gayborhood throughout May and June. Amazon is producing the pilot for 30, a new LGBTQ series in which Space City plays a starring role.
Shooting locations include Pearl Bar and Brasil, as well as the usual Houston tourist spots. Viewers will also notice how the show depicts the ethnic diversity that Houston is known for.
30 explores the relationship dynamics among a trio of lesbian, bi, queer, and curious girlfriends. Based on author Aryka Randall’s 2016 book She’s Just Not That Into You , the Amazon series tells a tale of love, friendship, and spiritual growth after turning 30. Randall now serves as the show’s creator, executive producer, and one of its main characters.
Relying heavily on themes from the book, 30 documents the ups and downs of trying to maintain a healthy relationship with one’s self before entering into a relationship with
someone else.
“Do you remember when you were turning 30? Was that the first time you considered yourself to be a ‘real’ adult’?” asks Randall.
“We’ve found that 30 is very relatable. Older crowds remember their younger years while taking a walk down memory lane. Twenty-something viewers admire the characters on the show while secretly dreading the ‘Big Three-O.’ Thirty-somethings have a great time laughing at all the messedup shit they are currently dealing
To view scenes from 30, go to tinyurl.com/30preview or search for “30 Pilot” in the YouTube search field.
with,” Randall observes.
Test audiences across the U.S. have compared 30 to shows like Insecure, Sex and the City, and of course The L Word . They have also remarked about the show’s honesty.
“There aren’t many shows on TV that depict 30-something women doing anything besides f--king random people they meet online. While sex sells, and we all enjoy a good orgasm from time to time, there are interesting things that take place in a woman’s mind when she approaches 30.
“Our main goal here is to create a chronicle that explores the healthy dynamics of life, as well as the love and friendship among young women from every walk of life,” Randall concludes. 30 will be streamed on Amazon Prime this fall, and producers are currently raising funds to finish the first season.
“We would love to have everyone be a part of our fundraising campaign,” Randall adds.
“If you’re unable to contribute financially, we always need help on the set, spreading the word to friends, or helping secure shot locations. We can’t wait to have O utSmart readers become a part of our journey. Please feel free to email our team at sjntiycasting@gmail.com. We’ll see you then!”
Primary Cast
Sonie Black (played by Aryka Randall), Carmen Cruz (played by Whitney Hicks) and Brooklyn Sanchez (played by Angelita Cardenas)
BBetty Who
Indie-Pop Icon Comes to Houston
Singer and LGBTQ activist to headline a high-energy show on June 6.
By LOURDES ZAVALETA
Photo by GAVIN TAYLOR
ehind every pop diva there is an army of die-hard fans, and many of them often identify as LGBTQ.
Maybe it’s because the genre’s leading singers inspire queer folks to be themselves—emboldening some to embrace their true gender identity, or simply to find community among fellow dance-music enthusiasts. Whether it is a coincidence or not, the bond between pop artists and LGBTQ fans is hard to deny.
Fortunately for queer folks, many of the stars they idolize have shown just as much appreciation in return—unlike the many political figures who denounce LGBTQ rights. In 2010, Lady Gaga led a rally to urge the U.S. Senate to end the military’s ban on openly gay and lesbian service members. Last month, Taylor Swift donated $130,000 to an advocacy group to thank it for fighting the anti-LGBTQ “slate of hate” in Tennessee.
Betty Who, the stage name of Australian singer-songwriter Jessica Anne Newham, may have one of the strongest pro-equality track records. She has expressed support for the LGBTQ community from the start of her career. Who received critical acclaim when she released “Somebody Loves You,” her 2013 debut single. The song further exploded that year
when Spencer Stout used it as the soundtrack for his flash-mob wedding proposal to his boyfriend that garnered over 14 million views on YouTube.
Following the success of her first single, Who signed with RCA Records and released her first studio album, Take Me When You Go, in 2014. She quickly came into a dedicated fan base of gay men. “I attribute much of my career to the LGBT community kind of taking me under their wing when I was such a young artist,” Who says.
Queer fans couldn’t get enough of Who, nor she of them. The singer headlined several LGBTQ Pride celebrations across the U.S., including events in New York City, Chicago, and Miami. Unfortunately, her relationship with RCA Records became rocky after the release of Who’s second record, The Valley. She split with RCA in early 2018.
Who’s music career was not over, though. In May of 2018, she remixed the theme song “All Things” from the Netflix series Queer Eye, and also starred in a music video featuring the Fab Five men from the series. Last October, Who grew even closer to the LGBTQ community when she opened up about her own sexuality on Instagram.
When a fan left an Instagram comment for Who insinuating that she pandered to an LGBTQ audience, she responded by describ-
ing her own queer experiences. “I have been in relationships with both men and women,” Who wrote on Instagram. “I have been deeply, earth-shatteringly in love with both men and women. Just because I happen to be engaged to a man doesn’t mean that I haven’t found a home within the gay community.”
Who recently released her third album, Betty, as an independent artist. She is currently touring the self-titled record, and will stop in Houston with the pop duo Loote for a performance at the White Oak Music Hall on June 6.
O utSmart spoke with Who in advance of her upcoming tour.
Lourdes Zavaleta: I’d like to start by saying thank you for recognizing your LGBTQ fans from the start of your career.
Betty Who: Thank you. I can’t imagine it being any other way.
Your songs are so upbeat and danceable. That style of pop is something that many queer people enjoy. Does knowing this play a role in the sound of your music?
I make music that I love and want to listen to. The fact that I have very similar tastes in music to a lot of gay men that I know is sort of a happy coincidence. But I’m definitely always thinking in the back of my head, “What are my fans really going to love?”
In October, you responded to a fan’s comments about your relationship to the LGBTQ community by stating that you had dated both men and women. Why did you decide to share this information with your following?
I guess I felt like I had been misjudged or pigeonholed one too many times. [I was being] accused of taking advantage of a community that I very much feel at home within, and it upset me enough that I felt like I had to respond with my truth.
Many queer people in heterosexual relationships face the erasure of their identities. As a woman who has dated women, but who is now engaged to a man, what has your experience been with this?
To be honest, I’ve never really felt like it’s anybody’s business what I identify as, or who I date. It’s not as if I’m uncomfortable talking about my life—I think I’m pretty candid. But people can think whatever they want about me, or make assumptions about my life all they want. They’re going to do that whether I give them my life story or not.
I love your videos for “Taste” and “Between You & Me.” Why do you think it’s important for artists to showcase LGBTQ people in their work?
I believe exposure changes people’s hearts and minds. [With my music,] I try to tell a lot of varied stories, many of which happen to include queer stories. It’s really important for me to lean into what I think supports the song the most, or whatever moves me the most. The blurry lines between friendship and romance apply to both heterosexual and homosexual relationships, so I like to talk a lot about that.
You just released your first studio album as an independent artist. What does that feel like? It feels amazing. The process of making the record was so efficient and exciting. I felt so inspired, which was a really nice feeling. I hadn’t felt that in a while.
What can you tell me about your new music?
The new music is definitely, I guess I would say, confident? It’s the most “pop” record I’ve made, although I think all my old songs are just pop songs dressed in indie clothes.
Why did you decide to self-title your record? I wanted it to feel like a fresh start, like I was claiming a space for myself in this crazy business.
You recently wrapped up a tour as the opening act for Panic! at the Disco. What was that like, and are you looking forward to headlining
“I BELIEVE EXPOSURE CHANGES PEOPLE’S HEARTS AND MINDS. [WITH MY MUSIC,] I TRY TO TELL A LOT OF VARIED STORIES, MANY OF WHICH HAPPEN TO INCLUDE QUEER STORIES. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO LEAN INTO WHAT I THINK SUPPORTS THE SONG THE MOST, OR WHATEVER MOVES ME THE MOST.”
—Betty Who
your own tour?
Touring with Panic was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing in. They are not only really amazing people, but they have the most amazing, kind, enthusiastic fans. I was so grateful to perform for them every night—it definitely got me excited for my headline tour. I just kept thinking, Imagine how fun this is going to be when I’m performing for my Who crew.
You’ve performed in Houston before. What do you remember most about the city? I always have crazy shows in Houston! One
of the hottest shows I’ve ever played in my life was in Houston. And of course, it’s Beyoncé’s hometown. So it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
What can fans who are going to your upcoming Houston show look forward to?
The show is going to be very high energy, so come in your dancing shoes!
What: Betty: The Tour
When: June 6
Where: White Oak Music Hall, 2915 N. Main St. Info: tinyurl.com/y3s86htm
Broadway Baby, Houston Bound
Actor and dancer Stephen Hanna
By DON MAINES
by ROBERTO ARAUJO
Stephen Hanna was packing to move back to New York City after teaching for a year in Charleston, South Carolina, when he got a call that he had been booked for a part in the May 28–June 9 production of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS).
“Big news—we are coming to Texas!” crows his husband, Bret Shuford, who is eager for a return visit to his hometown. Hanna, a dancer, and Shuford, an actor, are known on social media as “The Broadway Husbands” whose adventures are enjoyed by a lively online following. Fans can follow the couple as they depart Charleston for Houston on May 6, then return to the Big Apple on June 9 to teach at a summer musical-theater intensive for triplethreat performers.
Hanna has never seen Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, which is understandable since
TUTS is only the second playhouse in the world to nab the rights to the show since it toured the U.S. after winning the 1989 Tony Award for Best Musical. However, he’s danced the “Suite of Dances” for West Side Story, and he performed a pas de deux during the song “Lonely Town” in the 2014 Broadway revival of On the Town
Production numbers from those musicals, along with other American classics such as Peter Pan, Gypsy, and Fiddler on the Roof are all featured in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway Other famous shows include The King and I, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum , and High Button Shoes
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway was selected as the final presentation of TUTS’ 50th-anniversary season.
“Over the course of our 50-year history, we’ve done many of these classic musicals that were so beautifully choreographed by Jerome Robbins,” says Dan Knechtges, the artistic director at TUTS. “To cap off this celebratory season, we couldn’t choose just one, so we’re doing them all.”
“I think it’s a great choice,” says Hanna, “because so many different shows are repre-
Photo
“because so many different shows are represented. You get to see all of these great shows in one big evening. They are iconic. Everyone knows them, whether you know it or not. People will be saying, ‘Oh, that’s right. This is from that show.’”
Hanna knows for certain that he will dance in the “Mr. Monotony” trio from Miss Liberty, a 1949 Irving Berlin show, and also pop up in other musical numbers. “Everyone plays several different roles,” he says.
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway premiered in 1989 with a cast of 62, including narration by Jason Alexander, a little-known actor who won the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, defeating co-star Robert La Fosse, a Beaumont native. That same year, Alexander began playing dumb-ass George Costanzo on TV’s Seinfeld
Hanna grew up in a borough of Pittsburgh, where he began dancing at age 3 because “two little girls were taking classes with a woman down the street, so I did, too.”
By age 7, he was dancing ballet. “I don’t know that I loved it, but I definitely liked it early on,” he says. When his parents got him a video of Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland in The Nutcracker, Hanna decided
Broadway Husbands
To keep up-to-date with Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna, follow them at instagram.com/broadwayhusbands.
“That’s what I want to do.”
When he was 12, Hanna spent a summer studying at the School of American Ballet, which is associated with the prestigious New York City Ballet where Hanna would become a principal dancer. Robbins and fellow choreographer George Balanchine co-founded the group. Shortly before Robbins died in 1998, he returned to City Ballet to stage Les Noces “He was so hands-on,” says Hanna, recall-
ing what it was like to be in the same room as the legendary Robbins. “Mostly, I was scared.”
In 2011, when he married Shuford, Hanna was playing Older Billy in the original Broadway cast of Billy Elliot the Musical by Elton John. The adaptation of Stephen Daldry’s 2000 movie won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
“I always forget that Billy Elliot’s story is so similar to mine,” says Hanna. “Both of us came from a steel town. My father was not a coal miner, and his father was not supportive [of his dancing] at first, but there are parallels with my own life.”
The TUTS production of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway is directed by Cynthia Onrubia, who was Robbins’ assistant for the original New York production.
In the past year, both Hanna and Shuford were adjunct professors at the College of Charleston, with Hanna choreographing the fall dance concert and Shuford directing Urinetown, along with performing his one-man cabaret show Charming: A Tale of an American Prince.
For further information about the Houston production of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, visit www.tuts.com.
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On April 6, Bering Memorial UMC held its annual Ooodles of Noodles fundraiser. Pictured are Roger Woest and Rev. Larry Leutwyler.
On April 4, the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association held a luncheon at Churrascos. Pictured are Allan Van Fleet, Judge Darrell Jones, Neal Manne, and Steven Duble.
On March 31, Bunnies on the Bayou held its Bunnies Basket Bash fundraiser at Guava Lamp. Pictured are Eddie Vivas, Frank Rojas, and Woody Gould with Bunnies on the Bayou hosts.
On April 25, AIDS Foundation Houston held Dining Out for Life at various restaurants in Houston. Pictured are some of the Niko Niko’s restaurant staff.
The Lone Star Volleyball Association held its 30th annual Lone Star Classic in April.
Pictured are Travis Grossman, Brian Crumby, Shawn Kuehn, Jenna Pel, and Clay Zakarian.
Photos by DALTON DEHART and EDGARDO AGUILAR
On April 6, the Miss Lone Star Volleyball Association Contest was held at Neon Boots. Pictured are Ivanna Bath, Mimi Mosa, Erika Lucci, Lady Byrd, Ireeka Phish, Jacklyn Dior, Cici Sashimi, Valerie Lucci, Ruby Rox, and Crystal Gel.
On April 20, Rusty Mueller, aka Crystal Rae Lee Love, was honored by the PWA Holiday Charities organization. Pictured are Don Gill, Mueller, and Ben Jones.
Bunnies on the Bayou 40 was held on April 21 at Sesquicentennial Park. Pictured are the hosts of Bunnies on the Bayou.
OUT FOR CHANGE
Meet Nelvin Adriatico
City Council Candidate for District J
By MARENE GUSTIN
At first glance, Nelvin Joseph Adriatico, 45, has quite a varied biography: CEO and broker of Core Realty, devoted husband to Avinash Thadhani, father of University of Houston poli/sci sophomore A.J., and executive producer and talk show host of Chit Chat Houston on KUBE57.
But on closer look, these threads are all connected.
“I’m a community advocate,” Adriatico says passionately. The Sharpstown-area resident is involved in numerous nonprofits and professional organizations, including chairman of La Rosa Multicultural Family Services, chairman of the Filipino American Caucus for Empowerment (FACE), board member of the HISD Asian Advisory Council, president of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) and the Houston Royal Oaks Lions Club Foundation (HROLCF), and presidentelect of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA).
“I really love my community, and want all of the residents to succeed,” he says. “That’s why I do what I do. And yes, I’ve been asked to run for public office before, and I said no. But with what’s happening now with immigrants, I thought it was time to step up. I want to be the voice, to speak up for them.”
Adriatico, who was born in the Philippines, is running for Houston’s District J City Council seat. District J was drawn in 2011 as a Hispanic opportunity district. The area is 61 percent Hispanic, with a large black and Asian
population as well.
The term-limited Mike Laster was the first (and so far the only) representative of the new district. He is neither an immigrant nor Hispanic, but he is the first openly gay man to serve on Houston City Council. So being openly gay should not be a problem for Adriatico.
“I put it out there,” he says. “There hasn’t been a problem yet, but I know it will come. I’m ready. It just so happens I’m a gay Asian, but that isn’t all that I am.”
Adriatico, who attended the Victory Institute’s Candidate & Campaign Training here last month, says that District J is home to so many immigrants that its 180,000 residents speak around 80 languages.
“My slogan is the acronym RISE,” Adriatico says. “It stands for redevelopment, integration, safety, and education. What we need to do is reshape the economic and social landscape of our neighborhoods, integrate our diverse backgrounds to fight hate and discrimination, improve the safety of our neighborhoods, and educate future generations on behavior, character, and habits outside of regular school hours.”
He talks about improving the public infrastructure and putting more police on the streets, as well as fire safety. Due to the high number of apartment complexes in the area, mostly inhabited by immigrants and minimum-wage workers, apartment fires fre-
quently crop up in the local headlines.
“So many times, I have been to these apartments after a fire to see what help the residents need, and they had no fire extinguishers,” Adriatico says. The Houston Fire Code requires a small fire extinguisher in every non-sprinklered apartment unit in the city, but a lot of renters and even apartment-building owners don’t know that.
“These people need a voice, they need someone to advocate for them,” he says. “If you keep silent, nothing is going to change.”
Besides his passion for his community, Adriatico is also ardent about sports, cooking Filipino food, singing (his campaign held a karaoke fundraiser), and animals. The couple has a rescue dog named Bella.
“My husband found her on the streets,” he says. “She had been hit by a car. He’s an even bigger animal lover than I am—he won’t even kill a mosquito! So, he brought her home and my son said, ‘Let’s keep her’—and we did.”
Adriatico believes that with the right leadership, the district can become a destination spot for the entire city due to its diverse culture and food.
“There is such a vibrant mix of people here,” he says. “Mostly because of the immigrant population. I came to this country with 20 dollars in my pocket. Immigrants are not a liability—we want to pay rent, we want to work, and we want to give back to this country. We are assets to our communities.”
On April 17, Out@TUTS Night was held after the Theatre Under the Stars performance of Ragtime. Pictured are some of the show’s performers with Regina Blake-DuBois.
On April 6, the 22nd annual Human Rights Campaign Houston Gala was held at the Marriott Marquis. Pictured is guest speaker Chasten Buttigieg with some of the OutSmart staff.
COMMUNITY
The Red Dinner Is White-Hot This Year
Annual fundraiser benefits LGBTQ college kids in need.
By KIM HOGSTROM
It’s that time of year again—time for the University of Houston’s amazing Red Dinner gala. Scheduled for May 18, the event is an opportunity to offer a helping hand to LGBTQ students in need—often because everyone else has let them down. While the coming-out process is never easy, far too many UH students have had coming-out crises that could jeopardize their futures. “What are the consequences of coming out?” they often ask. “How will my family react? What happens if I am financially cut off?”
Every year, LGBTQ students at the University of Houston request financial aid through
the UH LGBTQ Resource Center to help them offset financial crises brought on by coming out to their families. But funding for these students is desperately thin, and too many face the struggle of choosing between their education and homelessness.
UH has been a champion and ally for LGBTQ students for decades. The UH LGBTQ Alumni Association is determined to offer these students help through its crisis fund, so no Cougar ever has to choose between their future and necessities like shelter, food, and medication.
“Why don’t they simply apply for financial aid?” you ask. Federal financial aid is awarded
to students who complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which is required to receive scholarship funding or access to student loans. FAFSA requires a student’s parents to provide IRS tax-return information and sign the application if the student is younger than 24 (which is two years after most students graduate). No IRS statements and no signatures means no financial aid.
“No one should lose the opportunity for an education because they come out,” states Kevin Hamby, founder of the Red Dinner and a UH alum. “The Red Dinner is the annual fundraising event held by the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association to benefit students who have been
Red Dinner
Duo
Kevin Hamby and Brian Waddle (bottom row, 2nd and 3rd from left) in their backyard at the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association’s first fundraising dinner in 2012.
financially affected as a result of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
“The funds raised at the dinner help lessen the economic impact inflicted on LGBTQ students when families withdraw financial support. We help make sure they are not left living under a bridge,” he concluded.
Hamby and his husband, Brian Waddle, held the very first Red Dinner in their backyard in 2012. In a few short years, the fundraiser has grown into an exceedingly popular event, and it’s easy to see why. This year’s lineup of speakers is stunning.
Houston municipal judge Phyllis Randolph Frye will be recognized with a Caldwell Humanitarian Award this year. Judge Frye is a true trailblazer who has worked to promote LGBTQ equal rights for many years. She is also the first fully out transgender judge in the nation.
“THE FUNDS RAISED AT THE DINNER HELP LESSEN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT INFLICTED ON LGBTQ STUDENTS WHEN FAMILIES WITHDRAW FINANCIAL SUPPORT. WE HELP MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT LEFT LIVING UNDER A BRIDGE,”
Dazzling KPRC anchor Dominique Sachse will serve as master of ceremonies, and LGBTQ students will be sharing their inspirational experiences. Additionally, Houston-based trans model Jessica Zyrie will take the mike to share her experiences with challenging stereotypes a nd moving the fashion industry forward.
—Kevin Hamby
Katie Sowers will be speaking about breaking new cultural ground as the first (and only) female coach in the National Football League. She is an offensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers.
And Carson Jones will share his experiences as the gay son of Alabama senator Doug Jones. Not only did Senator Jones save Americans from the horrors of candidate Roy Moore, but he is also supportive of same-sex marriage a nd LGBTQ equal rights. Jones says that it was his son Carson who helped him form his views.
Young Carson is a person to watch in the
future. He is one of the leading experts on bull-elephant socialization in America, and he currently works with the Birmingham Zoo. He holds a master’s degree in the field, so he is obviously passionate about saving the world’s endangered elephant herds.
This formidable LGBTQ advocate also admits to an interest in community service and politics, so he’s honored to be helping future UH LGBTQ students. “I love Houston. It’s always fun, and it’s a joy to help support LGBTQ youth. I am grateful for the opportunity,” Carson states.
How did Carson Jones feel while shaking the hand of vice president Mike Pence when Jones’ father was sworn in as a senator in Washington?
“Aaaawk-ward!” Carson says, laughing. “I had planned to wear a special T-shirt when Pence swore Dad in. The shirt says ‘Sometimes Dudes Marry Dudes. Get Over It.’ But in the end, I decided it was Dad’s special day and I would behave.”
What: Red Dinner 4
When: May 18, 6:00 p.m.
Where: UH Athletics/Alumni Center, 3204 Cullen Blvd.
Info: reddinner.org
Easter at Palmer r e
A New Way to Take Your Vacay
A new travel company makes waves.
By MARENE GUSTIN
There’s a new player in the LGBTQ travel world, and their amazing inaugural season features everything from a Halloween getaway at a Mexican resort to a big-ship Icelandic cruise.
But VACAYA’s trips aren’t the only thing that will set it apart in the industry. “We’re rewriting the playbook,” says VACAYA CEO Randle Roper. “For too long, options for LGBT+ travelers have been extremely limited. Our community has been segregated—not intentionally, of course, but it’s happened nonetheless. Through the years, gay travelers have really only had one large-scale choice: Atlantis/RSVP, which focuses on a traditional circuit-party-style cruise. Lesbian travelers have had the venerable Olivia. Both are great companies with rich traditions, but VACAYA is looking to bring our community together in a completely new and exciting way.”
Roper, who was previously president of RSVP Vacations, teamed with three other industry professionals to create VACAYA in 2018. It’s the first LGBTQ travel company in almost a decade. (Brand g began in 2011, but
they mostly do LGBTQ river cruises.)
“VACAYA is a new startup,” says Kim Gustavsson of Concierge Travel. “They want to focus on customer service. For years, people have been saying we need a new player, and they are the first to focus on big cruise ships as well as resorts.” Concierge Travel is a gay-owned boutique travel agency and tour operator founded in Houston in 1997. Although you can book VACAYA trips at myvacaya.com, if you book through Concierge Travel you’ll be supporting the local community. The agency gives 20 percent of its total profits to local LGBTQ nonprofits like the Montrose Center.
Here are the travel choices from VACAYA this year:
PTOWN CRUISE:
Sailing August 11–18 from New York (Port Liberty) on the Celebrity Summit, this seven-night cruise is VACAYA’s very first vacation event, and they’re pulling out all the stops as they journey to Saint John, Canada; Bar Harbor, Maine; and finally to the Provincetown Car-
nival. Celebrity Summit will be the largest ship ever to overnight in Provincetown.
MEXICO RESORT:
Stay at the five-star Unico Riviera Maya, recently added to the Leading Hotels of the World roster. The resort offers a level of luxury unmatched by previous options available to LGBT travelers. VACAYA takes over the entire resort for a Halloween and Day of the Dead celebration, October 27–November 2.
EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISE:
Celebrate the holiday season aboard the luxurious Emerald Destiny as VACAYA explores the Christmas markets of Europe, including Amsterdam, Cologne, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Budapest. Seven- and 14-night options both begin December 5.
ICELANDIC CRUISE:
Sail above the Arctic Circle and see breathtaking glaciers and fjords, explore Iceland’s capital, and enjoy native wildlife for seven days and nights, August 30–September 6. ➝
The Unico Riviera Maya
VACAYA CMO Patrick Gunn says, “The spirit of VACAYA is about exploring new destinations with old and new friends, building lifelong memories, and giving back to the communities we visit and in which we live. This spirit is captured perfectly in our tagline: Open sea. Open mind.”
VACAYA goes beyond the usual circuitparty options by offering spa experiences, sightseeing tours, special entertainment, and its ReachOut program where guests can give back to the communities they visit, either through sweat equity or donations.
“They cater to a more mature crowd,” says Gustavsson, “although they do offer some student rates.” Travelers have to be 18, and they must be accompanied by someone who is at least 25 staying in the same room.
VACAYA CFO Tracy Terrill adds, “It’s hard to believe that in 2019 our efforts are actually groundbreaking.
VACAYA is the only large-scale travel company catering to the entire LGBTQIAPK community. We’re reigniting a sense of discovery that has been missing for far too many years. We’re doing that with new destinations, new ships, new resorts, new luxuries, new entertainment, and above all, world-class guest service.”
The Celebrity Summit, the ship for VACAYA’s very first cruise, isn’t new, but this will be its maiden voyage after being completely remodeled and modernized at a cost of several million dollars. All ships and resorts are fully booked by VACAYA for the exclusive use of its
LGBTQ travelers and their allies.
“Our mission is to fulfill the vacation dreams of all adults who believe love is love,” says VACAYA COO John Finen. He continues, “Whether you’re a group of gay single men looking to make new friends, a lesbian couple looking for a romantic getaway, a transgender person looking to connect with like-minded individuals, a straight ally who doesn’t want to miss out on all the fun, or someone who is magically and inspiringly in between, VACAYA has a cruise or resort vacation for you.”
Info: conciergetravel.cc or myvacaya.com
European River Cruise
Ptown Cruise
Judith F. Baca’s Documentation of Vanity Table, a performance for the exhibition Las Chicanas: Venas de la Mujer at the Woman’s Building, September 1976.
Houston is celebrating Latinx art like never before, with over 80 Latin-focused events taking place in the city this spring.
While the number of Latinx creations being showcased sets a Space City record, one art exhibit in particular is also making history. Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A., on display at Lawndale Art Center through June 6, is the first-ever archive of works by LGBTQ Mexican-American artists.
Axis Mundo explores the intersections among a Los Angeles network of over 50 queer Chicanx artists between the late 1960s and early 1990s. The traveling exhibition, curated by Ondine Chavoya and David Evans Frantz in collaboration with the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, highlights the work of an often-overlooked community that not only contributed to the arts, but often did so through visual critiques of the violence and discrimination it endured.
“While developed from an excavation of history that is particular to Los Angeles, Axis Mundo frames the work of these artists within both national and international artistic cultural forces, writing a history of queer Chicano art that is long overdue,” says Joseph Hawkins, director of the ONE Archives. “Chavoya and Frantz should be commended for the dogged perseverance they displayed in uncovering a history that has gone largely unwritten and unexplored.”
ARTS
Unexplored History
Lawndale Art Center showcases first-ever archive of LGBTQ Chicanx art.
By LOURDES ZAVALETA
Many of the objects featured in Axis Mundo have never been exhibited in museums, and several are on display for the first time since they were produced. Chavoya says that the lack of recognition for these artists has to do with xenophobia, institutional racism, and the exclusionary policies of some museums.
“What we see in this exhibition are artists who recognized, early on in their careers, that the museum was a closed field to them. So what they did was create their own means of access—their own alternative art institutions through which they could both exhibit, produce, and circulate their work,” Chavoya tells Las Vegas Weekly. When he and Frantz began research on the artists, they spent time
in Mexico, Spain, and England, meeting with the artists’ families and friends to learn more about their histories.
“Oftentimes, when we were reaching out to artists or surviving partners and family members, they would tell us, ‘You’re the first ones to come and ask about our loved one,’” Chavoya recalls. Had it not been for the work of Chavoya and Frantz, Edmundo “Mundo” Meza—the gay artist that Axis Mundo references—may have been forgotten. Meza, who was born in Mexico in 1955 and raised in East Los Angeles, was a central figure among the artists and activists of his generation. He was primarily a painter, but was also known for his performances, design, and installation work. ➝
Meza collaborated with many of his peers to develop new art techniques amid emerging movements of political and social-justice activism. Like many of the artists featured in Axis Mundo, Meza was impacted by the AIDS crisis, which contributed to the erasure of his history over time. Meza’s work, which was never exhibited at museums in his lifetime, was dispersed among his family and friends after he died in 1985 of AIDS complications at age 29. The Axis Mundo exhibit marks the first time that Meza’s art has been showcased on a large scale.
While many of the artists in Axis Mundo were close collaborators, not all of them worked together or were even acquaintances. However, they each shared concerns, overlapping ideas, and social circles. In many ways, Meza’s work forms the conceptual “axis” of the exhibition, with its emphasis on many of the project’s core themes—Chicanx civil rights, gay liberation, women’s movements, and a response to the AIDS crisis.
Historic paintings, photography, performance art, mail art, ’zines, fashion, and music by Chicanx artists are on display now at Lawndale Art Center, a non-profit space that is always free to the public. Of special interest is the work of Houston’s Pauline Oliveros, a composer, performer, and writer who sought to expand the understanding of music and sound through an explicitly feminist sonic and historic landscape.
Axis Mundo’s co-curator Chavoya, a professor and leading figure in the field of Latinx art history, will visit the Center on May 11 for a public program.
Until then, our springtime of Latin art is in full swing. Houstonians can appreciate the historic creations of queer Chicanx artists at Axis Mundo, along with an abundance of works by Latinx creatives, across the city through early June.
What: Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A.
When: Now through June 6 (program with the curator on May 11) Where: Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main St.
Tosh Carrillo’s Arthur, ca. 1970
ARTS
They’ve Been Framed
LGBTQ
artists are part of the city’s largest collection of art by Houston artists.
By BRANDON WOLF | Photo by ELIZABETH CONLEY
“Ifocus on the history of art more than the creative aspects,” says Randy Tibbits as he looks around the walls of his townhouse in the Rice University area. His unique art collection, which is unmatched in the city, is known within Houston art circles as the premier collection of works created solely by Houston artists.
Tibbits’ collection covers nearly every available wall. There are landscapes, portraits, still life, ceramics, and even faux food that was produced to complement museum exhibits. Styles include watercolor, contemporary, cubism, impressionism, and pointillism.
Rick Bebermeyer, Tibbits’ partner of 38 years (whom he married in 2009), says he is also proud of the collection that his husband
has pieced together. Tibbits adds with a smile, “I collect. He accommodates.” Although new acquisitions have tapered off due to a lack of space, when a new piece arrives there is considerable reworking of the collection in order to fit it in.
As Tibbits’ reputation spreads, the couple has been receiving more requests to view the collection. The couple also enjoys loaning out their paintings for exhibitions, which they have done numerous times in the last few years—including an exhibition entitled Houston Paints Houston. “We are happy for others to enjoy the art, just as we do,” they say.
As part of Tibbits’ research on the Houston artists in his collection, he uncovered a part of Houston LGBTQ history that had
never been recorded. “Gay artists were the young Bohemians of 1930s Houston,” he says. His findings are now a part of the popular pop-up Houston LGBTQ history exhibit known as The Banner Project. The banner is entitled “1930s Art Scene—Left Bank on the Bayou.” Emily Langham, Kathleen Blackshear, Forrest Bess, Chester Snowden, Gene Charlton, Carden Bailey, Anna Belle Peck, and Mignon Weisinger are among the LGBTQ artists represented in Tibbits’ collection. “It’s an exciting extra connection that grew out of the broader collection,” he says.
Tibbits gathered together his research on Houston LGBTQ artists and presented it during a symposium sponsored by the Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art (CASETA). The amusing presentation, entitled “2015 CASETA Symposium: Randy Tibbits, Guys and Gals Like That,” can be found on YouTube.
Tibbits emphasizes another important reason to research the lives of the early LGBTQ artists who helped establish Houston’s cultural scene. “Claiming our history is a militant and radical effort. People who don’t want to acknowledge homosexuality say there wasn’t any in Houston’s past. If documentation doesn’t exist, it’s hard to prove. But information is there—we just have to find it.”
A Man on the Move
Tibbits was born in 1948 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where his father was in the Army. But the family soon moved to Lubbock, and Tibbits spent his early years there. He moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University, and
Randy Tibbits
earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in history. But career opportunities were scarce for history majors, and since Tibbits had worked in the college library, he decided to earn another degree in library science. “It’s a very transportable degree,” he says.
Tibbits chose the University of Texas at Austin and earned his library-science degree there in 1980. He then moved back to St. Louis and soon met Bebermeyer, who was teaching became lived Baltimore Houston found at (except the Shell) until the partner currently independent reviewing the is of coordiHouston Group
A collector by nature, Tibbits began to research early Texas artists, which he initially defined as any Texas artist from at least 40 years back. The field of Texas art was too broad, though, so he narrowed his focus to Houston.
Beulah Schiller Ayars, Frederic Browne, Robert Preusser, Frank Dolejska, Mildred Wood, Dixon Sherwood, and Henri Gadbois. Except for one landscape with bluebonnets, none of the paintings depict the usual Texas scenes of longhorn steers and cowboys.
History
Houston after back stated artist.” of never before,
Tibbits realized he knew nothing about early Houston art because no collector had ever specialized in this area. So in 1999, he began to build such a collection. Tibbits discovered that the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) had held juried art exhibits from 1925 to 1961, featuring only artists who lived in Harris County. He located the names of the participants in these exhibits, which gave him a starting point.
Antique shops, eBay, art dealers, and even The Guild Shop served as sources for early Houston artwork. “A lot of works by contemporary Houston artists are available,” Tibbits says. But works before 1960 were difficult to come by.
Tibbits laughs when he says his partner thought that a collection of early Houston artists would probably consist of about 14 paintings. To date, their collection has grown to nearly 500 pieces created by Houston artists from 1880 to 1970, including works by Emma Richardson Cherry, Grace Spaulding John, Ruth Pershing Uhler, Hattie Virginia Palmer,
Tibbits considers Cherry—who was an art student in Paris and lived in the Cherryhurst area of Montrose—to be the first prominent Houston artist. She was involved in the Houston Public School Art League, which morphed into the Houston Art League in 1913 and eventually became known as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Cherry traveled extensively and brought back ideas from Europe that she shared with her students and other artists. “She had a very international vision,” Tibbits says. Two prized pieces of his collection are Cherry’s cubist painting and an impressionist work she created in Giverny as the first female artist to visit that city. She went on to organize an impressionist art exhibit in Houston.
“If you think history is important, then the history of art is important,” Tibbets says. “Part of a city’s culture is its art. Houston’s early art was unique to this city. It demonstrates what artists in Houston did to show their vision of the world, or their vision of what they felt was important.”
A Bright Future
Dr. de Guzman keeps his clients smiling.
By MARENE GUSTIN
Dr. Marcus de Guzman’s Bayou City Smiles Dentistry clinic turned ten this year. That’s ten years of making Houstonians smile.
“We had our staff and their families over to our house in the Heights for a cookout to celebrate,” Dr. de Guzman, 43, says. “I live just a few miles from the clinic, which is nice—I can come home for lunch every day and have a nap and feed our two dogs.” Both dogs are rescues—a terrier mix named Lexie (who came from a hoarding situation) and a senior rescue named Lucas, who is a poodle mix.
But it was a much longer trek for Dr. de Guzman to find his way to Houston. He was born into a long line of doctors and dentists in the Philippines, and when he was nine, his family moved to Athens, Georgia. He got his undergraduate degree in Georgia before moving to Philadelphia to attend the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry (formerly Temple University School of Dentistry), where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.
In 2000, he discovered that Houston was one of the top ten cities for dentists who are just starting out, so he thought he would give the city a try.
“It was a large city, and away from my family!” he explains. I love them to death, but they were always there. Now I love them even more because they have to fly here for a visit.”
Photo by AISHA KHAN PROFILE
The first thing he noticed about Houston was the palm trees and the signs in Spanish. He thought it was all very exotic.
“I planned to stay here for five years,” he says. “Twenty years later, I’m still here! I’ve made so many friends, and met my husband here.” Last February he married his partner of six years, Jessie Diaz. “It was a one-night stand that never ended,” the doctor admits, laughingly. Diaz is much younger than the youthful-looking de Guzman—so much so that the doctor had to show Diaz his driver’s license to prove his age.
Dr. de Guzman enjoys CrossFit, reading (mostly books about history and politics, such as Michelle Obama’s Becoming), and food.
“We do cook at home, but it’s not that good,” he says. “So we eat out a lot—French and Asian food. And we like to follow celebrity chefs, especially while we’re traveling.” When at home, the couple dines at least once a week at 13 Celsius, a wine bar and café in Midtown known for its cheese selection and salumi. For date night, they like the romantic Café Rabelais, a French spot in Rice Village.
Dr. de Guzman has also been involved in many outreach programs, and has initiated oral-health screening programs in local public elementary schools, HIV clinics, and even nightclubs. He was an invaluable volunteer at ASIAC (AIDS Services in Asian Communities) in Philadelphia, doing outreach both in the Asian community and throughout the city. His efforts were recognized in 2000 by the Association of Public Health Dentistry, and he received a Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health Award upon graduation. In Houston, he was a volunteer dentist for the nonprofit Bering-Omega Dental Clinic from 2004 to 2010. He also volunteered to work with the Greater Houston Dental Society’s dentalassistant training program for two years. He is currently involved with the Human Rights Campaign, and sits on the board of the Executive and Professional Association of Houston in addition to keeping up with treatment advances through his professional organizations.
“I think the digital age is the biggest advancement in dentistry,” he says. “We can make digital impressions with a scanner for crowns right there in the office. You can now get a crown in three hours instead of three weeks.” He is also a Fellow of the International Dental Implant Association (IDIA).
Despite all the technology, what he likes best about his work are his patients.
“I get to know my patients,” he says. “They are my friends and neighbors. When I started Bayou City Smiles, my goal was to be ‘the village dentist’ and be part of the community.”
We’d say he has succeeded, smilingly.
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Mary’s Bar Top Added to CAMH’s ‘Stonewall 50’ Exhibit
By BRANDON WOLF
The current Stonewall 50 exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) has added 12 sections of what was formerly the bar top from the iconic Mary’s bar in Montrose. The bar top sections on display add a Houston perspective from the Stonewall era and the early days of the AIDS epidemic.
The well-worn bar tops have dozens of photographs embedded under a clear protective finish, providing a unique visual time capsule of LGBTQ life in Houston from the mid1980s and earlier.
Photos by KRISTIN MASSA
Mary’s Memories
Judy Reeves (r) with exhibit curator Dean Daderko and sections of the Mary’s bar top.
The Expanded Exhibition
Dean Daderko, curator of the exhibition, first heard about Mary’s bar tops through LGTBQ artists and historians Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin, whose work is included in the current CAMH exhibit. Daderko had asked them how he could find information about Houston LGBTQ life from the time of Stonewall to the present.
The men connected Daderko with Judy Reeves, curator of the Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of GLBT History, Inc. (GCAM). Reeves suggested the Mary’s bar tops. Mary’s history started around the time of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, and the Houston bar mirrored the postStonewall gay social scene that was gaining momentum nationally.
Daderko visited the GCAM facility and was eager to add the bar tops to CAMH’s Stonewall exhibit. The bar tops are now displayed on the walls of the exhibit area, making it easy to see the small photos embedded in each section.
Daderko explains why CAMH chose to include the bar tops: “In the early ’80s, the patrons of Mary’s were ‘first responders’ to the onset of the AIDS epidemic, doing things like sharing information about safer-sex practices and taking care of friends who were sick and dying. The bar top memorializes these fallen individuals as it celebrates the larger community which they are a part of. As lovers and fighters, [these men] have long understood the urgency of taking care of our kin when nobody else would. Queer artists, activists, and visionary allies recognize this imperative. Today, it’s heartening to see how the intersectional concerns addressed by other marginalized communities around issues of race, age, ability, nationality, and economic status resonate with the queer community [as] we address and combat injustice together.”
The History of the Bar Top
A variety of sources place the origin of the photographs seen in the bar tops to the early- to mid-1980s. Reeves says that the idea to embed photos in the bar tops came from thenowner James “Fanny” Farmer, who wanted to honor Mary’s regulars and memorialize those who had already been lost to AIDS.
Walt Zipprian became a Mary’s regular in 1985. He dates the origin of the bar tops as either 1985 or 1986. Zipprian recalls: “Fanny had a lot of photos, and was looking for something new and interesting to keep bar customers intrigued. He decided to put pictures of regulars already lost to AIDS, and to celebrate current Mary’s regulars. The photos were pasted to plywood, and then a protective sealant was applied. Regulars loved to bring friends into the bar and show them their pictures embedded in the bar top. I remember sitting and looking at pictures of those who were already lost to the epidemic.”
The bar top remained in the bar for nearly three more decades. Mary’s closed in 2009 and was sold in 2011. After the sale became public knowledge, Reeves met with the owners of the property. “It’s a misconception that Jim Farmer owned the building. He leased it, because he was like family to the owners,” she says. Reeves explained the historical significance of the bar top to the owners, and they agreed to save the top and give it to the Gulf Coast Archive.
Rescuing the Bar Top
As the bar top was removed, it was sawed into 13 sections (one section was too small and damaged to be included in the exhibit). GCAM volunteers clipped off the nails and screws that protruded from the back sides, and then transported the sections in pickup trucks to a safe location. ➝
To commemorate the legacy of Mary’s bar, a special limitededition T-shirt will be sold in the CAMH gift shop. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of GLBT History, Inc.
On May 23 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., a “Community Night” gathering for former Mary’s patrons and friends will take place at CAMH. Curator Dean Daderko will offer a tour of the exhibit and invite attendees to share their stories.
Reeves and her volunteers then worked to clean the bar tops. Decades of nicotine stains and sealant yellowing had clouded the once-clear surface. Reeves discovered that WD-40 was the best product to clear away dirt and other grime. One bar top section still shows the remnants of anti-gay graffiti that vandals had spray-painted on it after the building was sold.
The bar tops show a variety of scenes from 1985 and earlier in Houston’s LGBTQ community—Mary’s regulars, drag queens, events, leather organizations, and even ’80s political figures such as Annise Parker, Kathy Whitmire, and George Greanias.
Reeves is pleased with the inclusion of the bar tops in the CAMH exhibit. “It is amazing that such an important piece of our local history has an opportunity to be featured as a complement to the Stonewall 50 exhibit at CAMH. The Stonewall Riots are called the beginning of the gay movement in New York, and the actions of the drag queens and cross-dressers has been well documented. The Mary’s bar tops are a snapshot of Houston GLBT life that would have been lost [had it not been] for GCAM’s actions a decade ago. We are extremely pleased that they will make their appearance as an aside to the main CAMH exhibit.”
What: Stonewall 50 exhibit
When: April 27 - July 28
Where: CAMH, 5216 Montrose Blvd.
Info: camh.org
WHOLE-PERSON, STRENGTHBASED, AND NEUROLOGICALLYINFORMED PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH A FOCUS ON LIFE’S MORE COMPLEX CHALLENGES.
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Change your mind and change your life.
Psynergy Psychological Associates
1712 Sunset Blvd. Houston, TX 77005
713.724.7050 www.psynergypsych.com
Blanca Garza, LPC-I
Dr. Catherine Boswell, Psychologist
Victoria Jones, MEd, MA, LPC
Susan Redding, LPC-I
Rachel Duvvuri, MA, LPC
Photo taken at Pride Houston 2018 by Dalton DeHart
On April 25, the
its
Alley Theatre held
ActOUT event before the performance of Crimes of the Heart. Pictured are (seated) Lauren Pelletier and Damon Price, (standing) Joe Nolan, Steve Smith, Tina Berry, Chris Frey, Glynda McGinnis, and Sam Ferrigno.
The Diana Foundation held its 66th annual Diana Awards Show on March 23 in the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice. Pictured are Mark Wade Brown, entertainer Paul J. Williams (aka Sister Helen Holy), and Tanner Williams.
Photos by DALTON DEHART and EDGARDO AGUILAR
An underwriters’ reception for the Montrose Center’s Super Gayla was held on April 25. Pictured are Charles Caliva, Kim Gustavsson, Amy Armstrong, Abigail, Carlyle Simon, and Freddy Allen.
On April 28, the Pulse Orlando Memorial Flag Raising ceremony was held at Tony’s Corner Pocket. Pictured are Tony Vacarro, Joshua Martinez, Christina Wells, Amanda Ann Houston, Miguel Charrié, Sergeant Janice DeLeon, James Spear, and Colonel Tony Wilkerson.
WEDDING GUIDE
MAKING THE GRADE
Robert Allen and David Martinez
By HENRY V. THIEL
High-school teacher Robert Allen, 34, met elementaryschool teacher David Martinez, 35, the “digital” way (via a dating app) about five years ago. The native Houstonians had their first date on March 11, 2014. “David had recently posted a profile without including a photo, because he didn’t want anyone to [connect with] him based only on his good looks,” shares Allen.
➝
Rock my world
David Martinez (l) and Robert Allen
Photos by JORGE MERCADO
“Iposted a silly selfie of myself in my car,” he continues, “and since David is an avid car enthusiast, he immediately recognized that I was in a Camaro and messaged me about that.” They chatted for a few days before deciding to meet at Zimm’s, their favorite wine bar in Montrose. By that time, Allen had sent him a few photos, so it wasn’t a total blind date.
The date went smoothly, and they discovered they both have the same passion for their careers and family. Their outlook on life was also very similar—not to mention their personalities, sense of humor, and the physical attraction between them
Allen was leaving the next day to go on a cruise with a friend, so they spent the next week texting each other. Ocean breezes (as well as absence) can make a heart grow fonder, so they were both excited to see each other again. They spent the next week hitting up some of their favorite restaurants around town, and eventually had an innocent overnight stay after a round of video games at Allen’s place. “Robert’s friends—and more importantly, his dog—approved of me,” Martinez brags, “so I knew I was good for a couple more dates.”
One of the romantic things Martinez likes to do is keep a notepad on his phone to track all of their key happenings throughout the year—vacations, projects, fun events, and holidays. Come anniversary time, he compiles and produces a hardcover “relationship yearbook” through LoveBookOnline. “They are a combination of adorable and creative,” Martinez says, “and are really fun to have out on the coffee table for our friends and family to find and flip through.”
As they got to know each other’s families, and as their circle of friends started to overlap, everything just started to fall into place for them. Martinez remembers thinking to himself that you know a person is for you when you want their company even when both of you are completely bored and have nothing special to do.
Three years later, they purchased a house together, adopted a new puppy, and realized that they both wanted to make it official. Martinez had been planning to add a page at the end of that year’s yearbook that explained
“ROBERT’S DOG APPROVED OF ME, SO I KNEW I WAS GOOD FOR A COUPLE MORE DATES.”
this was the year he proposed to Robert. His plan was to have the ring ready as they read through the new yearbook together, and pop the question when they got to the last page. However, Robert beat him to the punch by proposing on Christmas Eve during a card game called “Joking Hazard.” Unbeknownst to David, Robert had slipped a special card in the deck which read “Will you marry me?”
—David Martinez
“Then Robert put that card inside of our Roomba vacuum cleaner, and rigged it to be full so that when I went to empty it, I would find the card. Honestly, it was really cute, totally original, and completely unexpected!” Martinez remembers. “To be honest, I don’t recall the exact words he or I said, but I know that I said Yes!”
Being budget-minded schoolteachers, they opted for a destination wedding at the Costa Sur resort in Puerto Vallarta. They had visited there the year before with a group of friends, and loved the fact that it
was LGBTQ-friendly. It also helped that it’s much cheaper to do a wedding in Mexico rather than Houston. And since a lot of their family members live out of state, it just made sense to have them fly to a resort instead of to Houston in June. They also lowered the cost by choosing a date in the “magic witching hour” after
school was out, but before the higher summer rates kicked in. And a destination wedding allowed them to visit with their guests over three days instead of just a few whirlwind hours.
Martinez hired officiant Lydia Puig, photographer Jorge Mercado, and videographer John Neri via the web, relying heavily on reviews
and recommendations. “They were amazing! If given the chance, we would hire them again. While none of them were LGBTQ, all had previously worked with LGBTQ couples,” he notes. Their wedding reflected not only their love for each other and their friends and family, but also their playful personalities. They re-cast their Roomba vacuum cleaner, which had a starring role in their Christmas Eve proposal, as their robot ring-bearer, complete with a matching bow tie. They also rang one of the bells that David’s much-loved (and wildly supportive) grandmother rang as she walked down the aisle when his sister married her girlfriend.
“Yes, in the gay kids department, my parents went two for two,” laughs Martinez.
For their honeymoon, the newlyweds extended their stay at the Puerto Vallarta resort.
The grooms call Houston home.
To watch their wildly fun wedding video, visit https://vimeo.com/286692033
Henry V. Thiel loves weddings on the beach.
Robert Allen (l) and David Martinez
GROOVE OUT
Never-Ending Story
An interview with Book of Love’s Susan Ottaviano.
By GREGG SHAPIRO
Talk about a love story!
Dedicated fans of Book of Love can’t get enough of the ’80s synth-pop band. Founding members Susan Ottaviano and Ted Ottaviano (no relation) have been on an extended 30th-anniversary coast-to-coast tour for the last couple of years. Perhaps their fans’ devotion stems from the fact that since the group’s early years they have been making some of the most irresistible dance music ever to pour out of the speakers at your favorite club. Songs such as “Boy,” “I Touch Roses,” “Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes),” and “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls” helped define what has come to be Book of Love’s trademark sound. The tour continues throughout the spring
and summer of 2019, including a stop at White Oak Music Hall in Houston on June 14. I spoke with Susan in April about the band, Houston, and Book of Love’s LGBTQ following.
Gregg Shapiro: Susan, you and your longtime Book of Love bandmate Ted Ottaviano grew up together and later were art-school students in Philadelphia. What was the focus of your studies at that time?
Susan Ottaviano: I went to school for painting. Ted went to school for photography. Ted and [Book of Love bandmate] Lauren Roselli Johnson went to the School of Visual Arts. I went to an art school with bandmate Jade Lee.
Are you still painting these days?
I am! I’m actually doing a lot of painting and
illustration now. [Laughs]
Some people are probably going to ask, so would you kindly say a few words about the fact that you and Ted share a last name but aren’t, in fact, related?
We come from a suburb in Connecticut where a lot of families from this small village in southern Italy immigrated in the early 20th century.
The synth-pop style that Book of Love became famous for was something of a new genre at the time the band first formed. With that in mind, what kinds of music did you listen to during your formative years?
We were a post-punk band. We came about right after punk, before the words “new wave” were heard. We were listening to bands like The Cure, New Order, Joy Division, and Depeche Mode a little later. All those bands were coming up. We were big music fans, and we went to clubs in the early ’80s and saw these bands live. There were great music scenes in both New York City and Philadelphia where we were living.
Right from the start, Book of Love was fortunate to have a hit single with “Boy,” as well as “Modigliana (Lost in Your Eyes)” from the self-titled first album. Do you recall what that felt like for you?
We were signed, and then “Boy” came out and we had a big dance hit. Then, within a couple of months, we were on the road with Depeche Mode. It was exciting and we were quite young. It was fun.
I’m glad you mentioned Depeche Mode, because Book of Love had the distinction of being the opening act for Depeche Mode on its Some Great Reward tour. Can you tell me what that was like?
We were on the Some Great Reward tour in the U.S., and then we were on the Black Celebration tour in the U.S. and Europe. We spent a lot of time on the road with them, and kind of cut our teeth. Those were some of our first shows. We were a little ill-prepared to be on the road with such a big band, but we tried to do our best to catch up. [Laughs]
Were these arena shows?
Yes. They were big. And I don’t think we’d ever played for more than 200 people. It was a little trial by fire.
Speaking of touring, Houston was one of the places where Book of Love performed in the mid-1980s. You’ve said that the band owes much of its success to its LGBTQ fan base in Houston.
Yes! When I was putting together this particular show, I felt like we were sort of a mainstream success in Texas. We had regional mainstream success in a few different places. The Houston area embraced this genre of music. In a way, I felt like we never reached out to that audience. But we were playing at
Numbers on Westheimer, which was a gay club at the time. I want to make sure to reach out this time.
In terms of Book of Love’s LGBTQ following in general, when did your group first become aware of it?
I would say on day one! [Laughs] For us, music has a different role than it did 30 years ago. There were people all over the country feeling different, feeling “other.” Music was their only outlet for that. We continue to meet fans for whom the music meant so much during that time [when they were] feeling different and coming out—LGBTQ people, and also people who felt different in the small towns in which they grew up. Those people have always had a special feeling about Book of Love. That’s great with me, because that’s what music did for me. It’s great to pay it forward.
As a band known for writing and recording its own original songs, why did Book of Love choose to cover the Mike Oldfield tune “Tubular Bells” (also known as the theme to The Exorcist) on 1988’s Lullaby album?
It’s a song that Ted always loved, and we are also fans of The Exorcist and Mike Oldfield. He created this epic [musical] battle that has “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls” and “Tubular Bells” as the centerpiece of our second album. It’s one of our mainstays.
Speaking of covers, has Book of Love ever considered covering The Magnetic Fields song “The Book of Love”? No, but I’m definitely a fan of the band.
Is there any chance that a new Book of Love album is forthcoming?
I think that after this tour ends (which is going to happen very soon, at the end of the summer), we’re going to go on hiatus for a while. We’re going to work on a new project and a new way to come back out again. I don’t know if it’s going to be a full album. Right now, people aren’t buying records or CDs. The live show is very important to what we have to say. I think it will be a combination of both.
Finally, what has the experience of your extended 30th-anniversary tour been like for you?
Our extended 30th-anniversary tour has been almost as long as our 30th birthday celebrations, which has been several years. [Laughs] It’s been wonderful for us to go back out again. We had another album of reissues that Warner Brothers put out about a year ago, called The Sire Years The most rewarding part is meeting our fans and knowing that the music has meant something to them. That’s wonderful to go back to.
What: Book of Love
When: June 14
Where: White Oak Music Hall, 2915 N. Main St.
Info: tinyurl.com/y6c45ssu
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By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
‘Jimmy Neurosis’
A gay punk-rocker’s coming-of-age tale.
Back then, you were a chameleon. Like most teens, you spent your time blending in through different personas. One day, you were this kind of kid; another day, you were that kind; next week, still another—as if you had a rack full of roles to try on and years to do it. And according to James Oseland in his new memoir Jimmy Neurosis, punk rock helped.
Moving yet again should have been no surprise for young Jim Oseland. His father had always been somewhat of a nomad; in each new town it seemed as though the first plan was to move again, just as the family got settled. But this time was different. This move was to California, and Oseland’s dad said he no longer wanted a family. Dad was staying in Minnesota.
So at age 15, Oseland hoped to fit in with his new ninth-grade California classmates at San Carlos High, but he realized on the first day that it wouldn’t happen. Still, over time, he managed to make friends with a boy who dealt weed and a tall Marilyn Monroe-ish exchange student who invited Oseland to explore the world of punk rock. The music, the moshing, and the clothing were all things he’d seen on TV in Minnesota, but now that culture seemed attainable in California. In club after club, 15-year-old Oseland was welcomed for his uniqueness; not fitting in seemed to be the whole point. He even felt comfortable enough to admit, out loud, that he was gay.
Author James Oseland
Jimmy Neurosis
• by James Oseland
• 2019 Ecco (eccobooks.com)
305 pages
• $27.99
of punk rock and started to blossom.
“Gone,” he says, “was the shy, awkward boy, to be replaced by someone with sharper edges.”
He gained a “boyfriend” who was more than twice his age, and after the boyfriend moved to New York, Oseland followed. When that relationship soured, the 17-year-old returned to California with a germ of an idea: California had changed. Punk rock had changed. And so, again, would Oseland. Though at first it may seem like just another memoir, Jimmy Neurosis has two things that set it apart—the most obvious being that it’s a first-hand look at punk rock told not merely from its beginning, but also from the perspective of two coasts.
But it’s also the story of an awkward, desperately wanna-be-worldly gay teenager who was highly promiscuous in the days just before the AIDS crisis began. AIDS is never mentioned, but readers can’t help but feel uneasy about the disaster that awaits Oseland’s circle of friends.
For readers who like edgy coming-of-age memoirs, and for old punk-rockers looking to take a great trip down memory lane, Jimmy Neurosis is an easy choice.
It was something Oseland had known since he was very small, but he couldn’t articulate it until he was welcomed into the world
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old, and she lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.
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QUEER QUOTES
Compiled by BLASE DISTEFANO
Karen Walker
( Will & Grace, 4/4/19, NBC)
Re: Megan Mullally labels herself as bisexual. Karen Walker, her character on Will & Grace, has repeatedly implied that she is bisexual, but nothing has ever happened onscreen till now. In this episode, Karen has a relationship with Nikki (played by out actress Samira Wiley) which makes Karen think that she herself might be a lesbian. The episode includes this exchange between Karen and Nikki:
From 1997 to 2019
Karen Walker (Megan Mullally, l) paraphrases Ellen DeGeneres (from her character’s accidental public coming-out on Ellen, inset) in this episode of Will & Grace, costarring Samira Wiley (r).
Karen: You know how I’ve said that being with you has changed me, and you said that maybe I’m not being totally honest with myself?
Nikki: What are you trying to say?
What do you think I’m trying to say?
Karen, I can’t say it for you.
This is so hard. I’ve realized that I am . . . why can’t I say the word? Why can’t I just say it? What’s wrong with me? Why am I so ashamed? Why can’t I just speak my truth and be who I am? [Said into a microphone, not knowing it’s turned on:] Nikki, I’m straight.
Chelsea Handler
(The View, 4/9/19, ABC)
You may have heard about my sexual attraction to Robert Mueller. Look, I’m not saying anything physical has to happen— I just want him to look at me the way Trump looks at Putin.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
(Presidential Town Hall, 4/22/19, CNN)
Re: live Town Hall event hosted by Anderson Cooper.
Camille Caldera (audience member): You’ve talked openly about your strong Christian faith, as well as your identity as a happily married gay man. I myself am a bisexual Christian woman. How will you challenge the Right’s moral monopoly on Christianity to unite conservative, moderate, and liberal Christians alike behind you and your platform?
Pete Buttigieg [the best pronounciation we can find is BOOD-eh-jedge]: As you know, it can be challenging to be a person
of faith who’s also part of the LGBTQ community. And yet, to me, the core of faith is regard for one another. And part of how God’s love is experienced according to my faith’s traditions is in the way we support one another and, in particular, support the least among us.
Let me [say that] I believe strongly in the separation of church and state, and I think anybody who steps into the public sphere needs to make it clear that they’re here to support people of any religion and people of no religion.
But I also think we ought to be honest about where we’re coming
(Real Time with Bill Maher, 4/12/19, HBO)
One of the 25 things Mike Pence says you don’t know about him: “I’m so homophobic that I eat bananas sideways.”
Coming Out as LGBTQ Christians
Openly gay presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg answers a religion-related question from an openly bi member of the audience at a live town-hall event.
from. And part of where I’m coming from is a faith tradition that counsels me to be as humble as possible [and] to look after those who need defending. Frankly, that couldn’t be more radically different than what I see certainly in this White House, where there’s a political agenda that seems to always be revolving around the idea that somehow it’s too easy for poor people in this country. It’s just so different than what I get when I read Scripture (and I get that one of the things about Scripture is [that] different people see different things in it). But at the very least, we should be able to
establish that God does not have a political party.
Anderson Cooper : You got into a public back-and-forth [with] vice president Mike Pence over the issue of discrimination against LGBTQ people of faith. The current ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, who’s also gay, weighed in on this, saying that you’ve been “pushing this hate hoax along the lines of [actor] Jussie Smollett for a very long time, several weeks.” How do you respond to that?
Buttigieg: I’m not a master fisherman, but I know bait when I see it, and I’m not gonna take it.
(openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana)
OUT THERE
Sunday, April 21
Perfect weather helped bring out record crowds for the 40th anniversary of Bunnies on the Bayou at Sesquicentennial Park.
Photos by DALTON DEHART & EDGARDO AGUILAR
OUT THERE
Saturday, April 6
There was a full house on hand and everyone brought out their black-tie best for the 22nd Annual HRC Gala at the Marriott Marquis.
Saturday, March 23
The oldest LGBTQ organization in the country, The Diana Foundation, presented the 66th annual Diana Awards with show hosts Sister Helen Holy and Blackberri in the Crystal Ballroom at Rice Lofts.
Pop-up Cooking Events, Catering & Private Chef GEORGE SPORTS BAR
BAR & CLUB GUIDE
HOUSTON
BACCO WINE GARDEN
Enjoy light snacks, a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail in one of their cozy rooms or outdoor patios. 3611 Montrose Blvd. • 346.444.5275 • baccowinebars.com
BARCODE
Houston’s newest bar with happy hours from 11am to 8pm daily, this new neighborhood watering hole is a great place to see drag shows and strippers Tuesdays—Saturdays and karaoke Sundays & Mondays. 817 Fairview St. 713.526.2625 • barcodehouston.net
BLUR
Multi-level dance club featuring an upstairs lounge and balconies. Ladies enjoy Wet and Wild Wed., 18-year-olds welcome Thurs., Latin night on Sun. Happy hour 8–10pm; free cover before 11pm. 710 Pacific St. blurbar.com.
CLUB CRYSTAL
Find many of Inergy’s former staff and décor at this two-room Latin/hip-hop club. Sunday evening drag shows rule the roost. 6680 Southwest Frwy, next to Colorado 713.278.2582 • crystaltheclub.com.
CROCKER BAR
levels and patios, along with DJs and male dancers—and it’s the place to watch sports. Noon–2am every day, 611 Hyde Park Blvd., 713.523.BIRD • houstoneagle.com
JR’S BAR & GRILL
This Montrose standard offers drag and strip shows throughout the week, karaoke Thurs. and Sun., plus pool tables and male dancers. 808 Pacific St. • 713.521.2519 jrsbarandgrill.com
LA GRANJA DISCO Y CANTINA
Houston’s newest gay disco. Great drink prices, house DJs nightly. Open at 3pm until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays. 5505 Pinemont • 713.518.6753 lagranjadisco.com
MICHAEL’S OUTPOST Jerry Atwood, Clay Howell, Neil Massey, Steve Wheaton, and Roger Woest take turns at the keys at this comfortable neighborhood piano bar. 1419 Richmond Ave. • 713.520.8446
NEON BOOTS DANCEHALL & SALOON
Houston’s only LGBTQ country dancehall opens Wednesday–Sunday. Wednesday features Steak Night and Bingo. Free dance classes on Thursdays, and karaoke. 11410 Hempstead Hwy 713.677.0828 • neonbootsclub.com
PEARL BAR
This comfortably remodeled Montrose nightspot also offers karaoke on Tuesdays and Thursdays and extended happy-hour prices throughout the week. 2312 Crocker • 713.529.3355.
GEORGE
This LGBT-friendly lounge in the Washington corridor features daily highlights like open mic night, steak night, and drink specials. 4216 Washington • pearlhouston.com
RICH’S HOUSTON
Regulars rule at this comfortable neighborhood sports bar. Sports Saturdays and Sundays start at 3pm with dart and pool tournaments. 617 Fairview • 713.528.8102.
GUAVA LAMP
This trendy and friendly video and cruise bar gets busy during happy hour and stays busy ‘til closing. Karaoke on Wed. and Sun. 570 Waugh Dr. • 713.524.3359 guavalamphouston.com
HAMBURGER MARY’S
Houston’s most iconic and largest LGBT dance club, with multiple levels featuring a video/show bar and a private VIP lounge. No cover before 10:30 p.m. 2401 San Jacinto • 281.846.668 • richsnightclub.com
THE RIPCORD
This multi-roomed leather bar boasts a busy patio, especially on the weekends. The Forge shop located inside the club. Saturday nights with DJ Tad Dvorak. 715 Fairview Ave • 713.521.2792
RUDYARD’S
The eclectic British pub is known for its craft beers as well as for the burgers. Most weekends you’ll find up-and-coming local bands rocking the house. 2010 Waugh Dr. • 713.521.0521 • rudyardspub.com
TONY’S CORNER POCKET
Since 1972, Mary has served up amazing food and stellar shows! With the best drag talent in the city, it’s been voted “Best Drag Show Bar,” “Most Supportive of the LGBTQ Community,” “Best Hamburger,” “Best Brunch,” “Friendliest Staff,” and “Best Place to Celebrate” by our readers. Be sure to try the famous Mac & Cheese Balls, or grab a leg glass (as seen on RuPaul’s Drag Race)! Reservations recommended for shows. 2409 Grant St., 713.677.0674, hamburgermarys.com
EAGLE
Part of the Eagle worldwide family, it’s the definitive home to the man’s man. Leather, Bear or Jock, you’ll find them here. Voted “Best Community Bar,” “Best Men’s Bar,” “Best Place to Show Your Leather,” “Best Happy Hour,” and “Best Place to Buy Erotic Playthings” by our readers. Eagle has multiple
This comfortable club has one of the friendliest bar staffs in town. Amateur dance contest each Thurs., Fri., & Sat. at 11pm. Opens daily at noon. 817 W. Dallas • 713.571.7870 tonyscornerpocketbar.com
VIVIANA’S
Happening weekend-only gay dance club with Latin DJs, singers, talent shows & Sunday strippers. 4624 Dacoma • 713.681.4104
Best Steak Night at a Bar Winner
Behind the Bar
NEWTON GUAVA LAMP’S MONDAY HAPPY HOUR
What is your favorite shot to make? To drink?
Favorite to make: “The Loop” with Deep Eddy Ruby Red, peach schnapps, fresh OJ, and a squeeze of lime.
Favorite to drink: Crown Royal Apple
Where is your favorite place to drink when not on-duty? JR’s
BEAUMONT
RUMORS BEAUMONT
Now open in the old Orleans Street Pub location. Drag shows with Dessie Love-Blake, Lady Shamu, Kara Dion and more. 650 Orleans 713.539.5183 rumorsbeaumont.com
BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION
HALO VIDEO BAR
The only LGBT dance club in Bryan/College station, this sleek spot is open Thurs.–Sat. smack in the middle of Aggieland. 121 North Main • 979.823.6174 • halobcs.com
GALVESTON
23RD ST. STATION
The bar features daily drink specials and the weekend is filled with pulsing music, hot dancers, drag shows, and a Sunday Tea Dance. 1706 23rd St. • 409.621.1808
What are you best known for?
My outgoing personality, my martinis, and Long Island Iced Teas.
What is the best and worst holiday to work? Why?
Best is Halloween because there are so many characters. Worst is Christmas because there are so many out-oftowners.
Biggest tip from one customer?
$100!
Who are the hardest customers to please?
The young ones
If you weren’t a bartender, what career would you choose?
Bar manager
Do you have any pets? One cat named Stormy!
ROBERT’S LAFITTE
The Island institution features a private patio with swimming pool. On Sat. and Sun. nights, the Ladies of Lafitte show takes the stage. 2501 Avenue Q (at 25th) • 409.765.9092
RUMORS BEACH BAR
Drink specials every night and daily day drinking specials starting at noon. Great drag shows Fri. – Sund. and karaoke Sun. – Thurs. at 8pm. Sun. Drag Bingo. 3102 Seawall Blvd. • 409.497.4617 • rumorsbeachbar.com
SPRING
RANCH HILL SALOON
With its two pool tables, 52-inch plasma televisions, and large dance floor, this popular northside spot also offers DJs Thurs.–Sat. 24704 I-45N Suite 103 • 281.298.9035 • ranchhill.com.
THE ROOM BAR AND LOUNGE
This bar and video lounge has a laid-back atmosphere. DJs several nights a week. 4915 FM 2920 • 281.907.6866 • roombarspring.com
ACCO M M O DAT I O N S / H OT E LS
E la n H e ig h t s
82 5 U s e n e r 8 32 / 9 0 6 - 87 2 8
E la n M e m o r ial P a r k
920 We s t c o t t 713 / 8 61- 6 9 0 0
L e M é r i d i e n H o u s t o n D ow n t ow n 1121 Wa l ke r 3 4 6 / 33 0 -3 453
L’E m e r s o n C o r p o r a t e L o d gi n g L e m e r s o n n e t
ACCOU NTA NTS / BOOK K E E PE R S / C PA S
G a r y G r i t z , C PA
2 3 0 We s t c o t t , St e 210 713 / 78 4 -3 0 3 0
A DV E R T I S I N G / M A R K E T I N G
A s h k a n M e d ia
O u t S m a r t M ag a z i n e
A s h k a n m e d ia c o m
3 4 0 6 A u d u b o n 713 / 520 -7 2 37
A I R CO N D I T I O N I N G / H E AT I N G
N ew p o r t A i r
n e w p o r t a i r n e t 2 81/ 8 0 8 - 8 6 3 0
A R T G A LLE R I E S & M U S E U M S
C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t s M u s e u m H o u s t o n
5216 M o n t r o s e c a m h o r g
M u s e u m o f F i n e A r t s w w w m f a h o r g M f a h o r g / r oy a l s
T h e M e n il C o ll e c t i o n
1533 Su l R o s s St m e n i l o r g
A ST RO LOG E R
L ill y Ro d d y A s t r o l o g y 713 / 529 - 5 8 42
AT TO R N E YS / LEG A L S E RV I C E S
G o n z al e z O li v i e r i L L C g o n z a l e zo l i v i e r i l l c c o m 713 / 4 81-3 0 4 0
K a t i n e & N e c h m a n L L P
18 3 4 S o u t h m o r e 713 / 8 0 8 -10 01
T h e P e r d u e L aw F i r m
37 3 0 K i r b y D r St e 7 7 7 8 32 / 3 0 3 -3 410
AU TO M OT I V E R E PA I R S
B e c k w i t h’s C a r C a r e 1919 F M 19 6 0 , B y p a s s Rd E , H u m b l e 281/ 5 4 0 -20 0 0
M a s t e r C a r C a r e & C o lli s i o n
2 3 0 5 Ya l e St 713 / 8 62- 6 6 3 0
R M S A u t o C a r e
1759 We s t h e i m e r 713 / 529 - 5 8 55
R ya n A u t o m o t i ve
716 Fa i r v i e w 713 / 52 2-36 0 2
Te c h A u t o M ai n t e n a n c e
37 Wa ug h D r 713 / 8 6 3 - 824 4
AU TO M OT I V E SA LE S
A l f a Ro m e o o f C l e a r L ake
15 6 95 G u l f Fr e e w a y 2 81/ 310 - 8 3 0 0
C e n t r al H o u s t o n C ad illac
2 520 M a i n St 8 32 / 9 81-759 0
H e l f m a n J e e p
7 7 20 K a t y F w y 713 / 213 - 6 9 41
P la n e t L i n c o l n
20 4 0 3 I - 45 N o r t h Sp r i ng , T X 8 8 8 / 242- 5 0 59
Toyo t a o f A l v i n 35 0 6 F M 52 8 A l v i n ,Tx 7 7511 2 81/ 9 6 8 -2 26 6
BA K E R I E S / C U STO M C A K E S
A c ad ia n B ake r s
6 0 4 W A la b a m a 713 / 520 -14 8 4
Dav i d A l c o r t a C a t e r i n g da v i da l c o r t a n e t 8 32 / 439 - 0 2 24
D e s s e r t G all e r y D e s s e r t G a l l e r y c o m 713 - 52 2- 9 9 9 9
C AT E R I N G S E RV I C E S
C a p i t o l B eve r ag e
2 3 0 5 D u n la v y 8 32 / 78 8 -15 8 6
Dav i d A l c o r t a C a t e r i n g da v i da l c o r t a n e t 8 32 / 439 - 0 2 24
J i m B e n t o n o f H o u s t o n C a t e r i n g 2 811 E a s t m a n 713 / 8 0 2-2 8 6 0
C H U RC H E S / S PI R I T UA L C E N T E R S
B e r i n g U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t
14 4 0 H a r o l d b e r i ng u m c o r g
L i v i n g M o s ai c C h u r c h 4 01 B ra na rd St 8 32 / 971- 0 36 4
R e s u r r e c t i o n M C C
20 2 5 W 11t h 713 / 8 61- 9149
S t P au l’s U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
55 01 M a i n 713 / 52 8 - 0 527
G al ve s t o n I s la n d C o nve n t i o n ga l v e s t o n c o m
G e o r g e C o u n t r y S p o r t s B a r
617 Fa i r v i e w 713 / 52 8 - 810 2
H o u s t o n E agl e 611 H yd e Pa r k H o u s t o n E ag l e c o m
J R’s / S a n t a F e
8 0 8 Pa c i fi c 713 / 521-2 519
L ake C h a r l e s V isitlakecharles org /great times 8 0 0 /456 -7952
M i d t ow n H o u s t o n M i d t o w n h o u s t o n c o m
M ill e r O u t d o o r T h e a t r e
M i l l e r O u t d o o rT h e a t r e c o m 2 81/ 37 3 -338 6
P e a r l B a r 4216 Wa s h i ng t o n P e a r l H o u s t o n c o m
Q u e e n s b u r y T h e a t r e q u e e n s b u r y t h e a t r e o r g 713 / 4 67- 4 497
R i c h’s H o u s t o n 24 01 S a n J a c i n t o R i c h s N I g h t C l u b c o m
S o c i e t y F o r T h e P e r f o r m i n g A r t s
S PA H o u s t o n o r g 713 / 2 27- 47 7 2
S t ag e s T h e a t r e
St ag e sT h e a t r e c o m 713 - 527- 012 3
T h e a t r e S o u t hwe s t T h e a r e s o u t h w e s t o r g 713 / 6 61- 95 0 5
T h e a t r e U n d e r T h e S t a r s
8 0 0 B ag b y, Su i t e 20 0 t u t s c o m / o u t
T h e C o m p o u n d A n t i q u e S h ow
2 55 0 S St a t e H w y 2 37 Ro u n d t o p c o m p o u n d c o m
To ny ’s C o r n e r P o c ke t
817 W Da l la s 8 32 / 7 2 2-76 5 8
E M PLOYM E N T/ STA F F R EC R U I T I N G
T h e Z F i r m / P o p p i M e l e r a
w w w z fi r m - u s c m 713 - 87 7- 8 5 8 3
F E R T I LI T Y/ GY N ECO LOGY
A s p i r e F e r t ili t y
A s p i r e F e r t i l i t y c o m 713 / 42 5 -3 0 0 3
T h e C o o p e r I n s t i t u t e
H o u s t o n f e r t i l i t y s o l u t i o n s c o m 713 / 7 71- 97 71
F I N A N C I A L PL A N N I N G / BA N K S
Br ya n C o t t o n / M a s s M u t u al
S t S t e p h e n’s E p i s c o p al C h u r c h
18 0 5 W A la b a m a s t s t e p h e n s h o u s t o n o r g
C LE A N I N G S E RV I C E S
D ex t e r ’s F i ve S t a r S e r v i c e / B o b S a m o r a 8 32 / 2 52-19 61
CO M M U N I T Y/ N O N PRO F I T
B e r i n g C o n n e c t 713 - 526 -1017, e x t 20
D ia n a F o u n d a t i o n T h e D ia na F o u n da t i o n o r g
E PA H
E PA H o r g
G r e a t e r H o u s t o n L G B T C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e
H o u s t o n LG B TC ha m b e r c o m 8 32- 510 -3 0 0 2
H o u s t o n G L B T P o li t i c al C au c u s t h e c a u c u s o r g
K P F T Rad i o k p f t o r g 713 - 526 - 4 0 0 0
L e s b ia n H e al t h I n i t ia t i ve ( L H I ) 4 01 B ra na rd l h i h o u s t o n o r g
M y G ay H o u s t o n .c o m
M y G a y H o u s t o n c o m / d i s c o v e r
P e t P a t r o l
R ya n W h i t e P la n n i n g C o u n c il
T h e P e t Pa t r o l o r g
r w p c H o u s t o n o r g 713 - 57 2-37 24
T h e a t r e S o u t hwe s t T h e a t r e s o u t h w e s t o r g 713 / 6 61- 95 0 5
COM PUT E R S / I NT E R N E T/ IT SE RV IC ES
C o py c o m
1201- F We s t h e i m e r 713 / 52 8 -1201
E N T E R TA I N M E N T/ N IG H T LI F E
A ll ey T h e a t r e
615 Te x a s A v e a l l e y t h e a t r e o r g
B ac c o W i n e G a r d e n & S p i r i t s 3611 M o n t r o s e B l vd 3 4 6 / 4 4 4 - 5275
J e f f r ey M y l e s /J M P r o f e s s i o n al S e r v i c e s 713 / 4 47-216 4
T h e M o n t r o s e C e n t e r 4 01 B ra na rd 713 / 529 - 0 0 37
P s y n e r g y P s yc h o l o gi c al A s s o c ia t e s D r C a t h e
, L P C-S P s y n e r g y p s yc
T h r e e G r e e n w a y P la z a 2 81/ 9 6 0 - 0 4 47
R i c h a r d D i c k s o n / G al e n e F i n a n c ial
170 0 W L o o p S , St e 2 55 713 / 4 8 9 - 432 2
G r ac e Yu n g / M i d t ow n F i n a n c ial
3355 A la b a m a , St e 18 0 713 / 355 - 9 8 33
F I T N E SS C LU BS / PE R SO N A L T R A I N E R S
C l u b H o u s t o n 2 20 5 Fa n n i n 713 / 6 59 - 49 9 8
F I T F i t h o u s t o n c o m 713 / 529 -1515
FOO D / S PEC I A LT Y & S PI R I T S
D e e p E d d y Vo d k a d e e p e d d y v o d k a c o m
D r i p p i n g S p r i n g s d r i p p i ng s p r i ng s v o d k a c o m
H A I R / N A I L / M A K E - U P SA LO N S
E a s t E n d B a r b e r 1318 Te l e p h o n e R d E a s t E n d B a r b e r n e t
G r e e n A p p l e S al o n 719 W G ra y St 713 / 5212- 0 5 0 0
N U - C u t s H ai r S al o n 515 We s t h e i m e r 7 13 / 5 2 4 -7 8 5 8
H E A LT H - AG E M A N AG E M E N T
S h a r e We ll n e s s & M e d i S p a / D r J o h n S h a r e
4 011 R i c h m o n d A v e 713 / 621- 820 0
HEALTH CARE–COUNSELING/THERAPY
D. “ Wo o d j a” F la n ig a n , M S , L PA
26 0 0 S W F w y, St e 4 0 9 713 / 5 8 9 - 9 8 0 4
C h a m p i o n C o u n s e li n g / Yvo n n e C h a m p i o n , L C S W, C G P
C ha m p i o n C o u n s e l i ng .c o m........ 8 32 / 6 5 43 - 516 8
D e n i s e O’D o h e r t y, L P C, L M F T, L CD C, R N
3131 E a s t s i d e St , St e 435 7 13 / 5 2 4 - 9 5 2 5
D r B a r r y F G r i t z , M D
2 3 0 We s t c o t t , St e 210 713 / 8 6 9 -74 0 0
D r Da n i e l G a r z a , M D
3131 E a s t s i d e St , St e 4 152 81/ 610 - 819 0
HEALTH CARE–PHYSICIANS
Octavio Barrios, MD
507 West Gray ................................713/942-7546
7106 Spencer Highway ................281/542-9400
Gordon Crofoot, MD/Crofoot MD 3701 Kirby, Ste.1230 .....................713/526-0005
Abel Flores, MD/Crofoot MD 3701 Kirby, Ste.1230 ...................713/526-0005
M. Sandra Scurria, MD 6565 West Loop South, Ste 300 ..281/661-5901
Circa 1886 High Victorian 4/2.5/1 plus pool & apt.
“Sip, Swirl, Swallow!” Micheline
Email resume to: Employment @ OutSmartMagazine.com Attn: Greg Jeu, Publisher.
Wine lover
R. Ramos,
Wine Garden & Spirits
Join us for fun and a glass of wine or your favorite holiday spirit!
Now hiring bartenders, cooks and cocktail servers
Bacco is an indoor/outdoor wine and spirits bar featuring 2 large outdoor patios and cozy rooms inside to enjoy your favorite wine, cheese plates, pizzas, sandwiches and more.
We are looking to hire friendly faces. Bartenders should have some knowledge of wine. Cocktail and food servers deliver food and beverages in main building as well as Carriage House and outdoor patios.
Apply in person Monday through Friday 4pm -7pm 3611 Montrose Blvd. | (346) 444-5275
Cooks should be able to make food such as pizza, salad, sandwiches as well as cook specialty items on certain nights and days such as lobster, steak or work our Sunday Brunch.
Bacco Wine Garden & Spirits 3611 Montrose Blvd.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
Home and family take the focus as the month begins. This is a great time for home improvement, a family reunion, or just entertaining friends at home. As the month progresses, you are looking for more fun and relaxation. You want to be more creative and less structured in your activities. Children can be a very positive force in your life at this time, since they can help you free your inner child that you keep hidden away in a box in the corner. Your health sector is active at the beginning of the month, and only gets more active after midmonth. This is a good time to improve your working conditions so you have less stress, better boundaries, and less conflicts with coworkers. Toward the end of the month, relationships will be more important. Your partner will want to be heard!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
This is a busy month, as you are working hard to limit the expectations that you and others place on you. You are much more vocal and to-the-point about your views. At home, you are focused on cleaning out the closets, garage, and store rooms. You don’t want to be owned by your stuff! Family activities can be a lot of fun this month, but only if you want to be there. For some,
this can be a time of moving, remodeling, and making your home safer and more comfortable. In the latter part of the month, work relationships can be tense. You may put yourself in a leadership role to improve conditions, or to be the burr in the saddle that promotes change. Relationships are good, if they have plenty of freedom and limited expectations! You are doing more and more of what you want to do, and less of what you expect yourself to do!
PISCES
(Feb. 19–Mar. 20)
The urge to improve finances and make better use of your resources is very strong as the month opens. This is also a great time to consider asking for a raise or seeking a new position. You are clearer about your point of view and what you will and won’t tolerate. You continue to be more outspoken as you focus on rescuing yourself instead of everyone else. This month is very good for taking care of all those small jobs around your home and office. Your home continues to be an active place for parties and family gatherings. Career energies continue to be very positive through early November of this year. This is a good time to start your own business, market and promote your services, or take on a leadership role by teaching team-building. Enjoy this busy month!
For more astro-insight, log on to lillyroddy.com.
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By LILLY RODDY Illustration by JANIEWHATEVA
Decisions, Decisions
Confront those darker issues in our lives and avoid being controlled by hidden fears.
May is going to be a busy and active month—a time for decision-making and taking action. This is especially strong through the first three weeks of May. We are continuing to feel the effects of the Saturn/Pluto alignment that started in September 2018, became very strong last month, and continues until March 2020. Darker issues in our lives are coming to the surface so we can confront them and avoid being controlled by our hidden fears! This is affecting us globally as well as nationally. • Days to greet the day with a smile are May 5, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 30, and 31. Days to duck and cover are May 1, 2, 7, and 29. • The sun begins the month in Taurus, and on May 21 enters Gemini, the sign of the Twins. Mercury is busy, starting the month in Aries before entering Taurus on the 6th and then Gemini on the 21st. Venus begins the month in Aries, and on the 15th she enters her own sign of Taurus. Mars, planet of action, is traveling through Gemini but will enter Cancer on the 15th. Jupiter remains in Sagittarius, Saturn and Pluto are in Capricorn, Uranus is in Taurus, and Neptune travels through her own sign of Pisces.
ARIES
(Mar. 21–Apr. 19)
You are focused on finances, creating new resources, and building more stability in your life as the month begins. You are looking for the stability that comes from a better balance between your work life and your home life. Relationships need some TLC. If you are involved, this is a great month to renew those bonds. If you are single, this is also a good month for meeting new people. By midmonth, you are better at communications, marketing yourself, and breaking bad habits. Family relationships are more difficult, and tempers may flare. Keep your exit strategy handy!
GEMINI (May 21–June 21)
Your duality is strong this month as part of you wants to retreat and rest, while the other part wants and needs some adventure. You are more active with your friends and community associations during the first half of the month. This is very good for marketing your services or yourself. You are much more direct with people when you speak with them. You may feel that your agenda keeps you moving from one task to the next without much rest. By midmonth, you are ready to take a break from the action. Relationships, both personal and business, continue to be positive. If you are single, this is a good time to meet someone new! It’s also a good month to make vacation plans.
CANCER (June 22–July 22)
Career activity and your family’s agenda are demanding most of your time during May and June. This is a great month to take a leadership role at work, or even to seek out a promotion. Your courage and self-assurance adds to your appeal! Be sure and reach out to your friends and supporters, as they are especially encouraging and helpful. By midmonth, you get a big boost of energy when Mars (planet of action and self-defense) enters your sign for the next 40 days. You will have plenty of energy and courage to get things done. This is a great period to start an exercise program to burn off the extra energy so you can sleep.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)
Your career sector continues to be extraactive this month. Some of you may want to start your own business, while others may be looking to find a simpler version of life. With your career, you are looking for something that really stimulates your brain. You are just ready for something new! Friends can be especially helpful, providing you with the incentive to move forward. Work and health routines need some updating. This is also a good month to see the doctor, improve your diet, and add some exercise to your life. In the latter half of the month, you are more social. This can be a great time to travel, or just to get out of town.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)
This is a busy social and career month for
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)
Happy birthday to the Bulls and Cows! This is your personal yearly cycle when you evaluate last year’s aims and generate a new perspective for this year. You are much more active and ready to generate change in your life. You will have no tolerance for anything that limits or represses your essence. This is a great time to take on a leadership role at work or in your community. You may want to start your own business and really do what you like. Relationships that are too limiting will drive you away. Watch your spending in the early part of the month, as you are more impulsive with your expenditures.
you! You are open to new ideas and different points of view. This is a good month for taking classes or teaching one, enjoying a retreat at a health spa, or working on your novel. With your career sector so active, this is a great time for you to take on a leadership position. You may also want to push your weight around at work, which may generate some conflicts. There are a lot of fun things you will want to do, so it may be easy to overcommit yourself, especially in the last half of the month. It is also a good month for you and your partner to get away and explore the good things that brought you together in the first place.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23)
With Libra being the sign of relationships, this part of your life is very active. If you are involved, this is a great time to get away and renew those ties of intimacy. If you are single, this is a great time to meet new people. You are getting your finances in order this month, and it’s an excellent period to review your investments and develop a plan to free yourself from debt. In the last half of the month, career and family take center stage. You are more open and expressive about your views at work, which may make work relationships more tense. Because you want to make your home a more comfortable place, you may be doing some remodeling or looking for a new place to live.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 24–Nov. 21)
Relationships are highlighted this month! You will want more passion and a sense of
participation from those closest to you. You will push back against partnerships that are inflexible or restrictive. You want someone to stimulate your frontal lobes! Health issues are still bugging you, but changing your diet and including exercise in your routine will make you feel much more energetic. In the latter half of the month, publishing, teaching, taking classes, and travel are all tempting you. This is a good month to consider university study or getting more training in your particular field. It’s easy to overload your schedule toward the end of the month. Watch your commitments!
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22–Dec. 21)
As the month opens, you are trying to balance your personal time while still following through on your work routines and expectations. The early part of the month is a great time to market or promote your services. In the middle of the month, you are making good use of your resources and doing very well with time management. This is a good month to improve bad health habits and try new places to eat! Relationships take the spotlight in the latter half of the month. If you are involved, this is a great month to get away from your routines and renew those connections. You are looking for more intimacy, and for a partner who is open and willing to express how they feel. At the very end of the month, money and finances capture your attention as you try to make your resources go farther through budgeting or better investments. CONTINUED
SCENE OUT
Photos by DALTON DEHART AND EDGARDO AGUILAR
On March 24, Texas Impact Funds held a brunch at La Griglia. Pictured are Chree Boydstun, Timmy Martinez, Deiardra Burns, Randall Gentry, Jani Lopez, Tripp Carter, Mike Holloman, Bryan Hlavinka, and Oscar Lopez.
On March 28, the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber held its power hour and happy hour at ActionCOACH. Pictured are Cathy Reinhold, Sam Mugavero, Joanetta Smith, and Deborah Lawson.
On April 4, EPAH held a networking social at LifeSmiles by Dr. Randy Mitchmore. Pictured here (in blue shirts) are Andie Willis, Gala Hemphill, Dr. Mitchmore, and John Copous with the Synchronized Stars of Sugar Land swim team.
The Gay 10K Race was held on April 6 at MacGregor Park. Pictured are Donna Early, Jessica Hiatt, Stephanie Warren, Becky Cobb, Jeremy Rodgers, and Kelly Pascal.
On April 6, the Human Right Campaign Houston held its annual gala at the Marriot Marquis. Pictured are Julie Mabry and her mother, Judy Holcomb Minter. Mabry recieved the HRC Community Equality Award.
On April 6, the Human Rights Campaign Houston held its annual gala at the Marriot Marquis. Pictured are Ian Barrett (r), co-chair of the gala, with his husband, Bryant Brazeal (l).
The Greater Houston LGBT Chamber held its Brewing Up Business at Vortex Fitness. Pictured are Tammi Wallace, Casey Weeks, Rafael Ucero, Matt Bukovicky, Laura McAllan, and Jon Marrs.
On April 14, a campaign kickoff for Shelley Kennedy for Houston City Council District C was held at Cottonwood. Pictured are Council Member Robert Gallegos, Shelley’s granddaughter Layla, Debra Denny, Shelley Kennedy, and Council Member Dwight A. Boykins.
On April 4, OutReach United held a disco brunch at The Ballroom at Bayou Place. Pictured are Gary Wood, Kirksey Gregg, Lisa Scarborough, Charles McFerrin, Ken Ng, Craig Howard, and Tim Stokes.
On April 13, the Montrose Softball League held the Miss Softball Association Pageant at Rich’s. Pictured are Jessica Fox, Chanel Couture, Trinity De LaQuinta, Nikki LaQuinta, Sasha Frost, and Athena Campbell.
The Houston Gaymers held their Spring Charity Drag Show at Rich’s on March 23. Pictured are the performers.
The Lone Star Volleyball Association held the 30thanniversary Lone Star Classic in April. Pictured are Rick Talley, Bran Crumby, Shawn Kuehn, and Travis Grossman.
ENTIRE PRODUCTION CHOREOGRAPHED BY JEROME ROBBINS
JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY BY JAMES M. BARRIE, IRVING BERLIN, LEONARD BERNSTEIN, JERRY BOCK, SAMMY CAHN, MOOSE CHARLAP, BETTY COMDEN, LARRY GELBART, MORTON GOULD, ADOLPH GREEN, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II, SHELDON HARNICK, ARTHUR LAURENTS, CAROLYN LEIGH, STEPHEN LONGSTREET, HUGH MARTIN, JEROME ROBBINS, RICHARD RODGERS, BURT SHEVELOVE, STEPHEN SONDHEIM, JOSEPH STEIN, JULE STYNE
