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THE BETTY PAGES The regionâ€™s most inclusive alternative-lifestyle entertainment tabloid

December 2011

a Desire Enterprises publication

The Betty Pages - December 2011 Betty’s Corner

Page 3

In The Mix

Community notes

By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

By Bridget Adams

Book Review

The Comics!

Chimneys: A Ghost Story

By Lara Beth Carter

Gay Film Bibliography By Bichoo Vrishchik

About our Contributors... Miss Betty Desire has been entertaining anyone who would listen in Bellingham for nearly 10 years, and is proprietor of The Betty Pages, the monthly publication that you are reading at this very moment. It is her hope that your perusal of the Betty Pages will enrich your life one chuckle at a time.

Naomi Steele graduated Whatcom Community College with an Associates in Visual Communications -Graphic Design but prefers more hands on tinkering such as wire craft & random projects (of which she has many still to finish). She believes that everyone has a right to pursue their happiness as long as it doesn’t harm others

Queer Film Historian Bichoo Vrishchik (Scorpio Scorpion) has published in Film Quarterly Sight and Sound, International Film Guide, Filmfare, Youth Times, and Manshots. With a BA from Pacific Lutheran College (1959) and a MA from San Francisco State College (1968), he has also taught film at Western Washington University.

Writer Bridget Adams currently resides in Washington State but that is always subject to change. Lucky enough to be a full-time, if poor, writer, she is most likely somewhere in front of her computer with a cup of coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Staff Photographer John Phillip, after 40+ years of television production work John has settled down in B’ham to semi retirement. He now drives late night shuttle for WWU and has revised his love of photography. His education touched on Theology, pre-med, law enforcement, fire protection engineering and film production. John likes to keep broad horizons. “Don’t Dream It, Be It”

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Betty’s Corner

Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

As I ponder what to do to stretch my meager holiday spending cash, I thought about how much our local economy depends on the small local business owner. I am committed this year to find creative ways to spend so that the dollar I hand to the checker stays in Whatcom County as long as possible. My two kids are grown up now, so I think I might get a gift certificate of some kind for them. Speaking of the holidays, it is my Maybe a gift card for dinner for two at one of hope that we can all find time to reflect on our many great restaurants, or a certificate for

the good in our lives. Many of us are going through difficult times. Sometimes life gets so full of challenges that it becomes totally overwhelming. Find a way to stop for a moment this season. Take time to remember the people who make you smile, laugh, and even cry. If you get the chance to tell someone how much they mean to you take it. That word from you may be just what they need to keep going. This has been an amazing year. Next year promises to be a wild ride. Happy Holidays!

Betty Desire Counseling Education Programs Support Groups Children’s Services Parenting Classes Crisis Intervention Shelter Referrals Info and Referrals Legal Assistance 24-hour support There is NEVER an excuse for domestic violence or sexual assault.

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Hang on to your hat we are now in the middle of the holiday season! Two speed bumps left in the road before we get out of the woods of 2011 and into the unknown of 2012. I am busy trying to clean up after Thanksgiving. I have a 5 year old grand daughter and she has discovered scissors and paper! My living room floor resembles the street after the end of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

a free housecleaning. Neither of them own a car but if they did a free oil change might be an idea. Both of them like coffee so I could get gift cards for The Black Drop, or 5lbs of coffee beans from Maniac Roasting. I want to take in some of the many local holiday bazaars and see what local artisans have available for grand baby Taylor. The idea is to take care of the local business before spending at the chain stores. You notice I hope that I said “before spending at the chain stores” Now that we don’t really make a lot of “things” here it has become nearly impossible to not by something “made in China” at least you can take comfort in knowing that the clerks salary stays here. Buy American is a great idea especially in an economic disaster, but forget trying to find any electronics made here. So maybe we should focus on the services we do have. I know I can get Beth certificates for coloring her hair she has been here 5 months and dyed her hair 3 times! Brandon might like a gym membership for a year but I have been a member of a gym since 1995 and rarely use it. Maybe I can get a season pass to The Upfront Theater. I bet I could find movie passes to The Pickford. Beth might enjoy a Spa Day, or a body massage. Season tickets to The Roller Betties, there’s a great Christmas idea. We have many great consignment shops with clothes and shoes. I don’t think I will do much online shopping this year. I think I am going to shop right here in town. I want my neighbors to thrive first.

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In The Mix Bridget Adams

Not getting closure. It’s right up there with people who go the speed limit in the passing lane and even above people who put spoilers in comments without giving fair warning. Yep, getting closure is important to me. So, imagine my relief when Shawn Harris agreed to a follow-up interview with me. To remind you, Shawn is the playwright behind Tulpa or Anne&Me that I spoke with back in May. BUT! We spoke before the show went up at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Which meant, I really needed to know how it went and what happens next. Luckily, she was willing to fill me in… Bridget Adams (BA): The very first question I have to ask is: How did last summer’s performances go? Shawn Harris (SH): Planet Connections went very well! We had great performances, and the show got a couple of nominations for awards. Attendance was solid considering when we had to perform. The thing about festivals is that you don’t get your choice of performance slots, so you make the best of what’s available. Our last 2 shows nearly sold out, though! I’m very happy about how things turned out. But more than that, people were interested and engaged with what they saw, so in that regard it was a phenomenal success.

SH: Right. Now that I’ve been able to observe people’s reactions to the play, I think it does do that. One of the great things about theatre is that it’s a lot like a thrill ride. You can go along with the action without putting yourself at risk. For many of us, we don’t know how we’d handle the situations raised in Tulpa until we suddenly find ourselves face-to-face with them. While we can learn from these experiences, the cost of that is often a lot of pain, both inflicted and endured. It’s a lot like talking about “a friend of mine” who has a problem. Only in this case they’re live human beings doing human things. At the same time, the distance allows people to examine these events more closely to get a better understanding of how they work. This is in no small part due to the facilitation of the Anti-Racist Alliance’s women of color group (via the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond), who were able to combine a personal approach with anti-racist analysis. BA: Is an honest dialogue about race still something you want to accomplish with Tulpa? SH: Yes. The purpose of that goal has changed, though. One of the reasons why the post- performance discussion was so valuable was that it showed

BA: It makes perfect sense to me. How much has the main character being a Queer woman, as well as Black woman, entered into discussions and/or people’s response? SH: Honestly, not that much. But when talking with queer women of color, it does come up more often. It’s one of those situations where queer find the play REALLY queer while it goes way over the heads of straight cis people. It’s not about in-jokes or anything like that, but generally how the characters understand themselves and relate to each other. BA: What’s going on with Tulpa now? With such a great response, I hope it has a future… SH: I’d been interested in another performance for a while, but now it looks like there is an opportunity for more performances in mid- to late April. Because of the energy and insight generated at the post-performance discussions, I’m also looking for ways to turn Tulpa, or Anne&Me into a workshop or seminar that can tour in different cities. I’m also working with someone to develop a seminar or workshop using Tulpa as a keystone piece through which we can learn about and examine anti-racist concepts. I have my work cut out for me, but it’s work that really means something to me and the people who’ve been touched by Tulpa, so I don’t mind. Right this moment, though, I’m putting together a fundraising campaign for the 2012 production of Tulpa, or Anne&Me. I’m trying to raise $3,000.00, which will go toward rehearsal space, marketing/publicity/advertising, copies of scripts, props and costumes, tech and design, and -- most importantly -small stipends for the cast and crew. BA: What happens once you get the $3,000.00?

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BA: At the time, I said I believed the goal to be to create an honest dialogue around race and racism and asked if you thought Tulpa was succeeding. You said you thought it was too soon to say. How about now?

Tulpa’s potential to not only initiate these dialogues but to facilitate and sustain them. Looking at how much substance audience members brought to these discussions showed me that there was a lot more that Tulpa could do. Honest dialogue is no longer an end in itself, but a required component of a larger mission. We often say that dialogue is important to improve understanding, but I soon realize that my deeper wish is for people to act on that understanding. Because of this, one of the long-term goals that has emerged is a practical way to combine making theatre with social justice and community organizing. Making theatre and community organizing have a lot in common. In both cases, you’re bringing people together with wildly different temperaments, skills, motives, interests, and so on in order to create or change something. Both theatre and community organizing face similar dilemmas, especially when it comes to doing a big job with few resources. So, I’m looking at ways in which we can use theatre to help promote social justice while at the same time applying social justice principles to making theatre. Does that make sense?

In The Mix -continued SH: I’m gearing up for a mid- to late April performance here in NYC. As with any project, that depends on how things work out. Right now the main thing is raising money, so I’m putting together a volunteer fundraising team to help with that. After that, I have to hire a cast and crew, book rehearsal space, and so on. BA: Will it be exactly the same show, or will you make some changes? SH: Every time I do a show there are changes. I tweak the script, try working with different people, approaching the process differently. I’m very much like a scientist conducting experiments and using what I observe to make my work more interesting, more meaningful, more theatrical, and so on. BA: What is next for you, as a playwright?

Poppets, I’m not participating.) It’s a straight-up fantasy about the human slaves who discover lost secrets of magic and use them to rise up against their elven masters. The story is a lot less personal than Tulpa, and I look forward to finishing a draft. BA: Good luck with the fantasy script and with NaNoWriMo! Finally, Shawn, supporting LGBTQ projects and voices is very important to Betty Pages readers. Where do they go if they want to donate or get more information? SH: Online, they can go to https://www.fracturedatlas.org/donate/3503. Or they can always email me at whoisyourtulpa@gmail.com. And there you have it, Poppets, a little bit of closure for all of us at the end of the year. Feels good, doesn’t it? Yeah, I thought so, too. Until next month, Poppets, have a safe and happy holiday season whatever you’re celebrating, don’t forget to call a cab, and, as always, take care of you.

SH: I’m currently working on a script I want to have a complete draft of for NaNoWriMo. (Note from BA: NaNoWriMo is short for “National Novel Writing Month”, an event that takes place every fall to challenge writers to write a whole novel and/or 50,000 words in the month of November and no,

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Jake’s Is Back ! Jake’s Barber Shop has returned to Bellingham! Julie Wilson has re-opened Jake’s Barber Shop. The downtown salon used to be located on Bay Street next to what was then Paris Texas and is now Bayou Bar. Now on Cornwall the salon promises to be as fun as the original store. Julie will have wine and beer on hand for you to enjoy as you wait for your haircut and is already planning some eyepopping special events. Stay tuned for more fun at Jakes now on Cornwall.

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Wayfaring Strangers

Karaoke Continues With the retiring of “Poops” many wondered what would become of Monday night karaoke at Rumor’s Cabaret. I am happy to say that the tradition will continue. Peter Stone, aka Ann E Position has taken the challenge and is now hosting the Monday night staple we’ve all grown to love. Stop by Mondays at 10pm at Rumor’s Cabaret 1119 Railroad ave. You can be a rock star!

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The Comics!

Community Notes - continued

Cafe Noir Studios for The Betty Pages

Celebrate chef/owner Charles Claassen’s one year anniversary of owning the Book Fare Café on the mezzanine level of Vil-

lage Books on Thurs., Dec. 1st from 10am-8:30pm. Come in any time throughout the day for a variety of specials, live entertainment and giveaways. There will be lunch & dinner entrée specials, happy hour specials from 4-6pm, a free slice of cake with every purchase, and a raffle for a $20 Café gift certificate. Previously the chef at the North Cascades Institute’s Environmental Learning Center, Claassen has been excited about bringing his “foodshed” philosophy of providing local, organic food to his customers. Book Fare Café offers customers food from local farmers and purveyors, and has built relationships with such businesses as Alm Hill Garden and Growing Washington, Rabbit Fields Farm, Bellewood Acres, Moka Joe Coffee and Flying Bird Botanicals. He also strives to provide menu items that accommodate vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets. Come celebrate as Book Fare Café thanks the community for supporting local, organic food. Along with a variety of specials, there will be live music performed by Bob’s Your Uncle, and photos by local author/ photographer David Westerlund, whose food and farming photos have graced other food establishments throughout Bellingham.

Chimneys: A Ghost Story

“Chimneys A Ghost Story” is a delightful read! Set in Long Island’s Gold Coast, the story centers around Jonah Fairchild a 17 year old gay teenager who along with his brother and sister, inherit the family estate after the death of their grandmother. The plot thickens as the mansion holds more than ghostly secrets. There is a tax lien on the property and Jonah must find a way to raise the money to save the estate. Along the way to solve the mysteries brought out by exploring the mansion Jonah finds his first love in Michael. The kids succeed, but not in a way you would expect. Author Christian Mollitor resides in Bellingham Washington he is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and Tulane Law School He is currently obtaining his MBA from Western Washington University. To learn about other works by Christian visit: christianmollitor.com. If you wish to purchase this book, Chimneys is only available on Amazon at a sale price of $11.47 or if you have a Kindle the price is $9.99. The book won’t be available in stores until February 2012. Since this is the giving season, you will be happy to know that 10% of the publisher’s proceeds will be donated to PFLAG and Pride foundation national scholarships. So get yourself a good read and help lgbt kids get a good education all at the same time.

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Book Review:

Coming ahead in January: Champagne Tasting. Join chef/owner Charles Claassen at the Book Fare Café for a holiday champagne tasting on Fri., Dec. 16th at 6pm. We’ll explore various regions of the world of bubbly, from Rosé Brut to Prosecco. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $15 per person, either at the cafe or on brownpapertickets.com. Bottles will be available for purchase, and also available to order in bulk for holiday and New Year’s celebrations. Book Fare Café is located on the mezzanine level of Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA, www.bookfarecafe.com. For more information contact Charles Claassen, chef/owner, Book Fare Café, Charles@bookfarecafe.com, 360-734-3434.

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Queer Bollywood : Gay Film Bibliography

Bichoo Vrischik

“How has Bollywood -- the biggest film industry in the world --traditionally encoded same-sex desire? How have these codes changed?” asked a panel including Sandip Roy, former editor of TRIKONE (TRIANGLE),a magazine for gay and lesbian South Asian immigrants, and Gayatri Gopinath, a film historian from New York University, at the annual Seattle Tasveer(a Persian word, ‘Picture) South Asian Film Festival in 2008. There has always been a bhai-bhai (literally, brother-brother, informally buddybuddy) relationship in Hindi film, with India’s diverse religions, languages, and populations -- the most diverse of any country in the world. This has been painfully true since the 1947 partitioning and independence of India into India, Pakistan, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Through the 1970s Hindi film brothers became separated by some fictitious calamity, without a mention of the actual Partition. Mother and sister-love also are often stronger than heterosexual romantic love. The “joint family,” several generations living together under one roof, still prevails, and few secrets are kept between family members. Effeminate characters, and much cross-dressing, have appeared often over the years in Hindi films, mostly as comedy for men, and for women in dance routines or to deliver secret messages to isolated princesses. Comedian Mehmood wiggled in saris for decades; and in I.S. Johar’s BEWAQOOF (STUPID, 1960) I.S. and Kishore Kumar in drag are courted by their girlfriends in drag; I.S. later impersonates his own aunt. There is a kiss in Kamal Amrohi’s RAZIA SULTANA (1983) between historical Muslim warriorsultana Razia (‘dream girl’ Hema Malini) and a servant(sex-kitten Parveen Babi) obscured only by a fan, as in thousands of Hindi heterosexual ‘kiss’ scenes.

In the first film by one of India’s few truly out directors, Onirban Dhar’s (he prefers the single name Onir) MY BROTHER NIKHIL (2005), a gay swimmer faces familial, professional, and criminal discrimination before he dies of AIDS. “I don’t get producers easily,” claimed Onir at the 2011 Mumbai International Film Festival, noting that the Bollywood industry accepts gays as co-workers but seldom accepts gay themes. But in Madhur Bhandarkar’s PAGE 3 (The gossip page in many Indian dailies, 2003), a remake of Frederico Fellini’s 1969 LA DOLCE VITA (THE SWEET LIFE), the heroine (Konkana Sensharma) watches an advertising shoot with several hunks in bikinis, and catches her boyfriend in bed with another man. A gay designer appears in Bhandarkar’s FASHION (2005) as the most loyal of former Miss India Priyanka Chopra’s friends, and a gay RJ (Radio, or disk jocky) proves a disappointing possible love interest for the heroine in Anarag Basu’s LIFE IN A... METRO (2007), a loose remake of Billy Wilder’s 1960 THE APARTMENT. In Reema Kagti’s HONEYMOON TRAVELS LTD. (2007), an ensemble film, one husband reveals to his newly wedded wife that he’s gay, to have her only admonish him for not telling her before the wedding and insist, against his offer, that they not divorce.

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The first acknowledged gay characters in Hindi cinema probably occur in Prem Kapoor’s BADNAM BASTI (SLUM WITH A BAD NAME, 1971), incidental to the plot; Prem Kapoor never directed another feature film. British-Indian activistdirector Pratibha Parmar’s documentary KHUSH (HAPPY, or in this context, GAY, 1991) first isolated the lesbian gaze in Indian cinema by re-editing the climactic drum dance from S.S. Vasan’s 1948 Telugu/Tamil/ Hindi hit CHANDRALEKHA (THE MOON PRINCESS), removing the shots of male spectators, and projecting the female dancers over images of female spectators. Riyad Wadia’s BOMgAY (1996), based on the poetry of R. Raj Rao, in six poetic vignettes is the first short to deal openly with gay Mumbai. Its history is recorded in Wadia’s own “Long Life of a Short Film”, in the JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY, pp. 313-323, 39:314 (n.d.), and Rao’s “Memories Pierce the Heart: Homoeroticism, Bollywood Style” appears in the same issue, pp. 299-306. In Kaizad Gustad’s BOMBAY BOYS (1998)a returning expatriate son, unsure of his sexual orientation, encounters a gay landlord (Roshen Seth, who played Nehru in Richard Attenborough’s 1982 GANDHI). In Mahesh Dattani’s MANGO SOUFFLE (2002) a lovelorn Kamlesh (Ankur Vikal) throws a dinner party to make a special announcement to his friends, when his sister unexpectedly arrives: several personal revelations, gay and straight, ensue. In Anant Balani’s MUMBAI MATINEE (2003) a minor character (Bakul Thakur) tries to seduce the hero (Rahul Bose), later becomes his friend, and still later admits that he is HIV+. In Sridhar Ranayan’s 40-minute GULABI AAINA (PINK MIRROR, 2003) two drag queens battle over a hunk and one of them admits he is HIV+.

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Queer Bollywood - continued In Rangayan’s 68 PAGES (2007) the impact of HIV/AIDS is recorded in the diary of a social worker about to embark for Columbia University on a scholarship. Four stories, a gay couple, a prostitute, a drag queen and a bisexual male, intersect with that of the counselor, but the film is schematic, everyone meeting at a farewell party for the counselor and sorting out various problems. It does, however, explore several gay, transsexual, and transgender issues. In Harjand Gill’s short MILIND SOMAN MADE ME GAY (2007) three gay Indians -- Sikh, Hindu and atheist – and one Pakistani Muslim live near Washington DC, their lives intercut with surrealistic imagery inspired by India’s attempt to prosecute the male model Milind Soman for appearing naked in a shoe ad, by the death of Matthew Shephard, by being twice an outsider in a foreign culture, and by the joy and fear of returning home gay. One subject fears that his family will not accept his “life partner” simply because he is American.

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In Deepti Naval’s DO PAISE KI DHOOP CHAAR AANE KE BAARISH (TWO CENTS OF INCENSE FOUR CENTS OF RAIN (2009, but unreleased) Deb, an unsuccessful gay lyricist, is thrown out by his boyfriend during a monsoon season and befriends an aging prostitute with a handicapped son. Sanjay Sharma’s DUNNO Y... NE JAANE KYON (I DON’T KNOW WHY...I DON’T KNOW WHY, 2010), promoted as India’s BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN), featuring India’s first real gay kiss, after considerable trouble with the Indian censor, and presentation at several festivals, sank at the box office, although much of it is available on the internet. In Tarun Mansukhani’s 2008 DOSTANA (FRIENDSHIP) starring hunk John Abraham, and Abhishek Bachchan, according to TRIKONE (Winter 2008), Abhishek is the most dignified “queen that I have seen in any commercial Hindi movie.” In the film the bikinied Abraham crawls over semi-bikinied Bachchan on a Miami beach, and as already mentioned in this column (10/11/ 09), amid roses while flamencoing in tuxedos the couple even kiss, to the NEW YORK TIMES, “On the lips.” “I had to nail it in one take,” claimed Munsukhani at the Mumbai Festival. “My actors refused to do it again.” One character, Murli (Boman Irani, a lookalike for Gerard Depardieu), the editor of a fashion magazine called VERVE, is proud to be gay, but Mansukhani claims that if the main characters had been gay, “I wouldn’t get the budget, nor would I get John and Abhishek.” The most successful Hindi film of its year, its sequel, DOSTANA 2 is in the works and Mansukhani promises D2 will have a more central gay character. But Abraham tops even DOSTANA with his other buddy Akshay Kumar, with whom he had already appeared in Priyadarshan’s 2005 hit GARAM MASALA (HOT SPICE), in Rohit Dhwan’s DESI BOYZ (INDIAN BOYS, 2011) as two Indians in London so down on their luck they are forced to become pole dancers! “Raise your voices/Makes some noises/Here come the desi boys” they sing, as they dance, almost pelvic thrusting their way out of their shirtless fireman’s pants, with their suspenders hanging below their knees. Bollywood producers may seldom approve gay themes as major premises, but they are there, and in any case since the liberalization of India’s economy, when stars started going to, or admitted going to the gym, the Bruce Weber style of male homosociality has been available in abundance. For more information, read Ashok Row Kavi’s “The Changing Image of the Hero in Hindi Films, in that same JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY, pp. 307-312. As an English tourist in Mumbai quipped when I told her that Abraham had been India’s first Levi’s model, “His face probably had little to do with it.”

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Parvez Sharma in A JIHAD FOR LOVE (2008) interviews lesbian and gay Muslims in five countries, from South Africa to Turkey, including a drag queen in northern India who states that he was born into “the Muslim caste;” two refugees from Iran, in Turkey, wait for Canadian asylum. VARIETY (9/20/07) had wanted the A JIHAD FOR LOVE to have a wider scope and make a more definitive statement on homosexuality in Islam, but the logistics of JIHAD make it a valuable document in any case. It is intended not as a critique of Islam, but rather of a Western and fundamentalist distortion of Islam. “Does Islam have a place for a ‘different’ person like me?” one spectator asked, Sharma answering, “Why must the answer (for all those people portrayed) always come from Islam? Any reform can only come from the believers. External critique of a religion is counter-productive, as is constant theological debate. We must front theology with humanity.” In the group Journeyman Films’ short PAKISTAN’S DAME EDNA (2008) Begum Nawazish Ali (actually Ali Saleem) hosts Pakistan’s most popular late night TV talk show in drag, interviewing Pakistani celebrities. Ali says, despite fundamentalist opposition, “I’m going to be

the biggest Diva this country has ever produced!” You can read more about Pakistani drag queens in Kim Barker’s “Pakistan Drag Diva Bends Rules of Gender, Society” (THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE 4/28/07, available on-line.)

GLBT Organizations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties ISCEE The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Evergreen Empire is affiliated with the International Court System and has been actively raising money for charity for over 30 years by sponsoring drag shows and pageants. The group is open to all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, seeking to provide social activities and community service opportunities for gays, lesbians, and their friends and allies in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan Counties. Leather, Levi & Bear Social Monthly gathering of men who like Leather, Kink, and Unabashed Masculinity. Second Saturday of the month, Rumors Cabaret, 7:30 to 10:30. Info 360.380.6409 www.theslowlane.com This website includes a gay resource guide for Bellingham located at www. theslowlane.com/guide.html.

Triskeli Guild The Triskeli Guild is Bellingham’s BDSM group that promotes community and education for safe, sane and consensual play. They encourage participation by all sexual preferences, race and age 18 and up people. They meet monthly every 2nd Tuesday, at Pandora’s Box at 314 W. Champion St. at 7 m. www.triskeli.org Queries—triskeli@triskeli.org

Washington Gender Alliance A support and educational organization for anyone dealing with issues of gender identity or expression, and the people in our lives. We have weekly Open Support meetings in Bellingham and Everett. For more information, please write to us at info@ WashingtonGenderAlliance.com or call 360-445-2411, or visit our web site at www.WashingtonGenderAlliance. com. Counseling Line To connect with a licensed therapist in Whatcom County who is educated about kink, polyamory, and LGBTQI lives and lifestyles, call 360-756-0718. Individual, couples, and family. Sean Humphrey House A housing unit for people who need assistance living with HIV/AIDS in Bellingham. For more information call 360-733-9357 On Eagle’s Wings Counseling Sue Stackhouse offers counseling services to the GLBT community in Whatcom and Skagit County. For information call 360-599-2627 PFLAG of Skagit County Support meetings for Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and GLBT individuals are held at the Skagit Valley Co-Op Bldg. at 202 S. 1st St. in room 309 (down town Mount Vernon) on the second Monday of every month at 7 PM. For directions and information all 360-856-4676 and for additional information and events check the website at www.pflagskagit.org.

Bellingham Radical Faeries Community of queerfolk interested in lifestyles celebrating queer sexuality, spirituality and sustainability of the natural world. 18+ recommended. Meet at Three Trees Coffeehouse, 118 W. Holly St, Saturdays from 11am-ish to 1pm-ish. http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/BellinghamRadicalFaeries/

Whatcom County PFLAG Whatcom County Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meets the 2ND Thursday of each month, 7pm at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham. For more information and events visit www.whatcompflag.com

Whatcom Community College’s Queer Straight Alliance is committed to supporting the GLBT community by promoting awareness of queer issues and entertaining and educating students and staff of WCC. We can be reached at wccqsa@gmail.com.

Whatcom County KINK is a group to help organize events, munches, help if you have items to sell, or just a way for people to get to know each other. Meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month at Rumor’s Cabaret. Happy Spankings!

Western Washington University LGBTA The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance at Western Washington University is a student organization which supports lesbians, gays, bisexuals, people who identify as transgender, and their allies; in the various stages of their coming out process, in the creation and affirmation of positive self identities, and in the promotion and defense of their human and civil rights. The LGBTA is located on Western’s Campus in Viking Union 515 and is open from the first day of Fall quarter until the last day of Spring quarter. For information call 360-650-6120.

Mount Baker Planned Parenthood Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood proudly demonstrates its commitment to the LGBTQ community in all of our educational and service areas, by partnering with LGBTQ service organizations and through sponsorship and participation in Bellingham Pride. Our goal is to ensure that every individual has the information, services, and freedom to make healthy, responsible decisions about sex, sexuality, and parenthood. We offer comprehensive reproductive care, affordable STD testing and treatment and annual exams. Sliding scale available. Make an appointment online! http://www.mbpp.org Bellingham Clinic: (360)734-9095 Mount Vernon Clinic: (360)848-1744

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4th Corner Poly Polyamory is the practice or acceptance of having more than one loving, honest relationship at a time. We’re a friendly, welcoming group for people involved in or curious about polyamorous relationships. Our group consists of and welcomes diverse sexual and gender identities . This is a family, kid-friendly get-together for sharing experiences and desires—not a dating or swing scene. we meet every 4th Thursday evening at alternating locations. For more information: http://groups. yahoo.com/group/4thcornerpoly

Evergreen AIDS Foundation Evergreen AIDS Foundation provides support services for people living with HIV and AIDS who reside in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Snohomish counties. Bellingham: 115 Unity St. 360-671-0703, Everett: 2709 Wetmore Ave. 425-740-3000

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