Skip to main content

The Betty Pages June 2014

Page 1

About our Contributors...

The Betty Pages - June 2014 Betty’s Corner

........... ........... ...........

By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

40 Years and Going Strong! By: Nick Milholen

Gearing up for B’ham Pride! By: David Lindsey

In The Mix

........... ...........

By Bridget Adams

Community Events U.S. in an Oligarchy...

1 1

3 5 12

...........

13

By Lyle Pearson

...........

15

By Kevin Walder

...........

18

........... ........... ........... ...........

18

By Eric Zuesse

A Bibliography of Gay Film The Empress

City Attempts to Transform... By Riley Sweeney

Ask Miss Tricksy Desire By Tricksy Desire

The Comics! The Dating World '4*

McKay's TapHouse By Marcy

19 20 20

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. 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. Queer Film Historian Lyle Pearson 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.

Naomi 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 always has many still to finish).

Staff Photographer John Phillip after 40+ years of television

production engineering work John has settled down in Bellingham to semi retirement and is now 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�

/<+ ;9/) <+8? .;89*'?! 5)'2 8:/9:9 '4* +2:/) ;9/) /4* ;9 54:

++89 54 '6... 58+ 53/4- 554! 5<+8 ++89 :5 ).559+ ,853! 5::2+* ++89 '4* #/4+ 5 5

/@@' â&#x20AC;˘ ;(9 â&#x20AC;˘ #/4-9 â&#x20AC;˘ 358+

McKay's TapHouse

'9: '62+ :8++: â&#x20AC;˘ +22/4-.'3 â&#x20AC;˘ -

Miss Tricksy Desire - Is a retired 6th grade teacher with 35 years experience, one year at a time, with children going through puberty and learning there sexuality. I have seen and heard it all. Send your Dear Tricksy questions to:Â asktricksy@gmail.com


Betty’s Corner

June is here! Pride Month has arrived! Throughout the United States June is the recognized Month to celebrate lgbt Pride. The beginning of the modern Gay rights movement in the United States is widely recognized as the Stonewall uprising of June 29th 1969. That night began 4 days of riots in the gay district of New York beginning at the Stonewall Inn over police harassment and brutality. The Stonewall was not a high class Gay Bar but a common mans watering hole frequented by Drag Queens and street hustlers. It was managed by the Mob as were most bars at the time that catered to the Gay community. Police payoffs for protection were the rule of the day and at the Stonewall and other bars of its type, police raids were common. It was the practice in those days of raiding the bar checking everyone’s id and if they were cross dressed making sure that they were wearing at least two articles of gender appropriate clothing. It was not uncommon for the police of that time to help the drag queens remove their make up by flushing their heads in the toilet. Ah to protect and to serve! This raid turned out different than the others. This time the “drags of society” fought back. Four nights of rioting later the Gay rights Movement had begun. Now 45 years after that night, we have made amazing strides, but equality everywhere is still a work in progress. The violent protest riots have morphed into Mardi Gras like parades and protest gatherings have taken on a folk festival feel. Seattle’s

Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

Pride “festival” is now 40 years old. Bellingham actually had a protest march the day after the Stonewall Riots in 1969. It traveled from Fairhaven College down Garden Street to the Court House and was led by a man on roller skates dressed as a fairy. After the march the crowd car pooled to Seattle to join in a much larger protest. This means by most accounts the march in Bellingham was the States first. Now our city celebrates it’s Gay Pride the 2nd weekend in July. The celebration was moved from June because in July the weather is generally nicer. We are a practical lot here in the ‘ham. This years festival is July 12 and 13. If you want to celebrate earlier your Miss Betty is going to do a Betty Desire Show and 10th anniversary of the Betty Pages party at Rumor’s Cabaret on Friday July 11th at 10pm. On the freedom to Marriage front things are changing rapidly. Oregon and Pennsylvania have joined the list of States where same sex couples can legally wed. That brings the number of Marriage Equality States to 18 plus the District of Columbia. Massachusetts was the first State to allow Gay marriage and on the 10th anniversary of that decision here we sit with nearly 50% of the US population residing in a region where marriage equality is the law of the land. We are moving in the right direction and faster than anyone my age ever imagined. There are now legal challenges in every State that denies same sex marriage except one. Come on North Dakota, your citizens deserve better! Happy Pride Month!

Betty Desire

Nick Milholen

40 years ago this month Seattle and the entire Pacific Northwest celebrated Gay Pride for the first time and while times have changed during the last 40 years, Seattle Pride is still going strong today! Five years after the Stonewall riots in New York City, Seattle and the gay community came out of its collective closet with its first Gay Pride Week, which took place from June 24 to June 30, 1974. It included a series of events ranging from discussions drug and alcohol abuse within the gay community, plays and other performances and concluded with a “Gay-In” at Seattle Center, which featured outlandish costumes and dancing around the international fountain. During the next 30+ years the pride festival experienced many ups and downs and eventually moved up to Capitol Hill (Seattle’s gay neighborhood). It was in 2006 when Seattle PrideFest felt they had outgrown Broadway and Volunteer Park and moved the parade and festival to 4th Avenue in downtown, with the festival occurring at Seattle Center. While the original sponsor Seattle Out & Proud (which still runs the festival, but under another group) was forced to give up control in 2007 in order to save the event, it has since flourished as a one day event (with other events

taking place on Capitol Hill during the entire month of June) and become one of the largest Gay Pride Festivals in the country. This year’s 40th annual festival will include the annual Pride Idol competition (which began in March and will wrap up this month), the Pride Picnic held the second full weekend of June in Volunteer Park and finally ending with the Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29. The Grand Marshall of this year’s parade is George Takei (best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek and his role as an LGBTQ activist). 2014 also marks the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village (a neighborhood in New York City.) During the early morning hours of June 28, 1969 a series of spontaneous and violent demonstrations began by members of the gay community in response to police raids that had been occurring in the area. While other events and uprisings had occurred prior to Stonewall, this is considered to be the beginning of the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in America. For more information on this year’s Seattle Pride festivities you can visit www.seattlepride.org

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

40 Years and Going Strong!

1


Gearing up for Bellingham Pride! By: David Lindsey

It is that time of the year, Bellingham Pride is in only a few months away. We have listened to your feedback, and we will be focusing on two great days of amazing community activities. Bellingham Pride will be July 12th and 13th. The Queer Family Picnic and the All Ages Dance will be on July 12th at Bloedel Donovan Park. The Pride Festival will be on July 13th, from 12pm to 4pm at the Depot Market Square.Our website has been updated and is ready for you to start registering. Check it out at www.bhampride.org.This year there will also be several size options for vendors: Non-Profit small booth is one parking space under the awning. Non –Profit or Business standard booth is 2 parking spaces. Business endcap is two parking spaces at the end of an awning, this provides three side to display your goods. These spaces are limited, and payment will need to be received to secure this type of space. Business Center Tent booth is a two parking space in the center of the festival. This is the perfect both type if you would like to set up a tent or canopy as part of your booth. Please note that a tent or canopy is not provided. Food vendors, please contact david@bhmapride.org to discuss sizing or placement needs. I have attached a copy of the 2014 Vendor Terms & Guidelines, and the 2014 Vendor Registration form for you to review. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at david@bhampride.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

2014 Terms and Guidelines for Bellingham Pride Festival vendors:

VENDOR TYPES:  Local Non-Profit Vendor- organizations must be Washington State non-profit and/or Federal 501c3 that only operates with in Washington State to be eligible for this booth type. You may not sell items, but you may have items available in exchange for monetary donation. These items cannot be the major focus of your space. If you would like to sell items for your organization, please register as a business.  National Non-Profit Vendor- organizations must be Federal 501c3 and operate at a national level. You may not sell items, but you may have items available in exchange for monetary donation. These items cannot be the major focus of your space. If you would like to sell items for your organization, please register as a business.  Business Vendor - any non-profit registrant.  Food Vendor - any registrant selling food or beverages for immediate consumption. FINANCES  By registering on-line, you are reserving a spot for your organization/business. Payment must be made prior to setup on the day of. Mailed payments must be received by 7.7.2014.

NON-DISCRIMINATION & LIABILITY  Vendor will agree to abide by a non-discrimination policy that provides that all merchandise and services are available to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.  You indemnify and hold harmless the Bellingham Pride Committee against any and all liabilities that may arise as a result of your participation in and conduct at the Bellingham Pride Festival.  Bellingham Pride Committee reserves all rights as producers of Bellingham Pride Festival, including the right to reject any application at out sole discretion without explanation.  Vendors agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Bellingham Pride Committee (officers, agents, volunteers, & sponsors) from any and all actions, causes of action, claims, damages, losses, judgements, litigations, attorney fees, injuries, claims, and indebtedness.  Vendor understands that the breaking of any of these vendor guidelines may be grounds for immediate removal and that all fees are 100% non-refundable. This includes, but is not limited to: o Falsified statements with in application o Becomes a nuisance for Bellingham Pride Committee, general public, or other vendors

o Use of premises interferes with orderly and successful conduct of the festival o Violation of any government laws or ordinances o Possession/Use of alcohol or illegal substances, public drunkenness, or lewd conduct. ENTERING & EXITING  Load-In will be completed during registration period, between 9:00am and 11:00am. All vehicles must be removed from the Depot Market Square by 11:30am.  Vehicles may not be left in the festival area or parked on Railroad Ave.  Load-Out may not begin until 4:00pm, vehicles must be moved once loading is complete to allow for the clearing/cleaning of the festival area.  Please make sure that your vendor area if free of any garbage or debris. REQUIRED VENDOR HOURS  Vendors must check in at the Vendor Registration Booth prior to setting up, check in will begin at 9:00am and end at 11:30am.  Booths must be manned and open for business between 11:45am and 4:00pm.  Vendors may not leave or begin tear down until festival’s end at 4:00pm, unless with approval from Vendor Coordinator.  Vendors must have everything taken down and cleared by 5:00pm. Vendors who have not exited from the Depot Market Square will be financially liable for any additional fees. VENDOR PLACEMENT  Vendor placement is not implied or guaranteed.  Bellingham Pride Committee accepts no responsibility for adjacent vendors selling similar items or guaranteeing exclusivity.  Vendors will be assigned a vendor area, assignment will be provided at check-in.

Continued on Page 5 w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

 A $25.00 fee will be charged for all checks that are returned for any reason.  All fees are non-refundable.  Vendor is liable for any fees, fines, or citations assessed to themself or Bellingham Pride Committee due to the actions of the vendor.  It is the vendor’s responsibility to deal with and pay appropriate Washington State, Whatcom County, and City of Bellingham taxes and fees.

3


Get it where you want it! The Betty Pages is available on-line at www.issuu.com/thebettypages and in print at these fine local establishments. *Indicates our advertisers!

300 W. CHAMPION STREET, DOWNTOWN BELLINGHAM

Summer hours: Monday thru Friday 11am to 2am Saturday 3pm to 2am Sunday 5pm to 2am A Large selection of Micro Brews & Hard Alcohol Delicious Lunch & Dinner Menu Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm daily Sundays$3 Wells 5pm- Close Mond Mondays3 Tacos for $3.50 $5 PBR Industry Night Tuesdays9-Midnight $3 Tuesdays! PBR Pitchers, Micro Pints, Wells & Fry Baskets only $3 each Wednesdays6pm - 10pm Burger, Fries, and a Pint of PBR only $6 Thursdays 9 - Midnight $3 Rolling Rock Pitchers

Bellingham Allied Arts Alternative Library The Archives Arlysis Avalon Music The Bagelry Bayou on the Bay Bellingham Alternative Library Bellingham Bar & Grill Bellingham Flat Bread Bakery Bellingham Flea Market Bellingham Public Library Bellingham Public Market Bellingham Technical School *The Black Drop Boundary Bay Brandywine Kitchen Cabin Tavern The Cabin Cap Hansen’s *Casa Que Pasa Chameleon Ink Tattoo The Copper Hog Daisy Café El Agave. Evergreen AIDS Foundation Everyday Music Fairhaven Lndry & Clners Fairhaven Mt Bakery

Fiama Burger *Film is Truth *Four Twenty NW The Gathering Glow *Grand Ave Ale House *Great Northern Books *Horseshoe Café Hot Topic Koi Café La Vie en Rose Lettered Streets Coffeehouse Lover’s Makeshift Mallard Ice Cream *McKays Tap House *Mod Sox Mt Baker Theater Mt. Bakery Nelson’s Market *Northern Cross Dwntn *Northern Cross Samish *Old World Deli Pel’Meni The Pickford Pita Pit Rocket Donuts Royal Rudy’s Pizza *Rumor’s Cabaret Sean Humphery House. The Shakedown

*The Slo Pitch Spts Grill Stella’s. *The Stone Moon Studio Galactica The Temple Bar The Teriyaki Bar Tony’s Coffee House *The Top Shelf Unknown Skate Shop Up’n’Up Village Books Waterfront Tavern Whatcom CoOp Dwntwn Whatcom Com. College Wild Buffalo WWU Viking Union Bldg Mt. Vernon 1st Street Cabaret & Speakeasy Draft Picks Lincoln Theatre Resroti Skagit Co-Op Skagit Com. College Tattered Page Bookstore Tri Dee Burlington Hands On Clay Everett Bar Mix


Gearing up - Cont. END OF FESTIVAL  Vendors must close at 4:00pm  Vendor space must be cleared of all debris and vacated by 5:00pm  Failure to clear assigned vendor space by 5:00pm will result in an additional $100.00 fee FOOD & BEVERAGES  Only vendors registered as a Food Vendor may sell or distribute beverages of any kind including water, or prepared food for immediate consumption.  None prepared food products, not meant for immediate consumption, may be sold by vendors registered as a business.  Food Vendors are responsible for maintaining

and acquiring all required permits and licenses in compliance with State, County, and City laws and ordinances. PRODUCTS & PROMOTION  All displays/merchandise must be within the assigned space. Vendor’s assigned space under the awning may not setup beyond the edge of the awning.  Displays/merchandise may not block of interfere with foot traffic.  Distribution of handbills/fliers or solicitation outside of the assigned vendor space is prohibited.  Vendors may not sell merchandise that contains the words “Bellingham Pride”, “B Proud”, or which depict the Bellingham Pride B Proud logo, without

prior written consent of the Bellingham Pride Committee. NOISE LIMITATIONS  To respect the needs of all vendors, music/audio of any kind will not be allowed to be heard from beyond the assigned vendor space. VENDOR EQUIPMENT  You will furnish all equipment, inventory, supplies, and personnel for your booth.  Tables, chairs, or tents are not provided or available.  Booths will be covered by the awning, unless a noncovered space is requested.

In The Mix Bridget Adams

It’s Pride Season, Poppets! Are you ready for your annual run-down of Pride events from me? I hope so, because here it is…

June 14, Spokane – bringing it a little closer to home, just over the mountains in Spokane is the Inland Northwest LGBTQA parade. This year’s theme is Out, Loud, and Proud! The parade is Saturday, June 14th, but there are loosely organized, but still official, events throughout the month, if you find yourself in the area at other times. (http://www.outspokane.com/parade.html) June 14-15, Portland – for our neighbors to the south, Portland’s Pride (Pride NW) officially kicks off with the Trans*March on the 14th and wraps with the parade and festival on the 15th. Grand Marshals are Conner Mertens & Chandler Whitney, and Daniel Franzese. Plus, Bruce Vilanch is acting as Master of Ceremonies! An added bonus, if you go to the website, you can get 10% of air travel to Portland Pride when flying Alaska Airlines. The ban against same-sex marriages was just lifted last month; head down to Oregon to help them celebrate if you can. (http://pridenw.org/)

July 12-13, Bellingham – BELLINGHAM! It’s our weekend! Start with the Pride Family Picnic that Saturday, because whoever you are, if you’re reading this, you are part of the Bellingham Pride Family. Then party your way through the weekend with events for all ages and 21+ - wrapping up with the parade at noon on the 13th, and Pride Festival until 4:00 pm. Pssst… don’t forget the after party at Rumors! (http://www.bhampride.org/events.shtml)

June 28-29, Seattle – just down the road a bit, and easily accessible both in location and schedule, is the main Pride weekend in Seattle. The weekend starts with Family Day on the 28th and continues through to Sunday night with the parade and other events in Seattle Center. But as with Spokane, there are official Pride events throughout the month, so whenever you’re in town, be sure to check and see what’s going on. (http://www.seattlepridefest.org/)

August 3, Vancouver BC – in case you fell in love with Canada back in July, or couldn’t make it in the first place, Vancouver’s Pride Parade is one of the largest celebrations in the area. Last year, there were more parade attendees and participants than there are residents of the city! If your time is limited, consider spending the day in Vancouver. (http://vancouverpride.ca/2014-events/#June)

June 29-July 6, Victoria, BC – grab your passport and hop the ferry across the water and celebrate Canadian-style. Starting on the 29th with the Big Gay Dog Walk and wrapping up on the 6th with the parade and festival, our neighbors to the north are celebrating for a whole week, in a big way. Given David and I have family on the island, I can vouch for how beautiful and welcoming these Islanders are. (http://victoriapridesociety.org/events/) July 11-16, Tacoma – start with the flag raising at 4:30 on the 11th, and prepare to stay busy for almost the whole week. With a blend of history, film, and parties, Tacoma’s Pride has a little something for everyone. Choose your event, or go for the whole 6 days, you won’t be disappointed. (http://tacomapride.org/)

August 27-Sept 1, New Orleans – bigger than NOLA Pride (which takes place June 20-22: http:// www.nolapride.org/pride.htm) is Southern Decadence, the celebration of all things LGBTQ. Taking over much of the French Quarter and almost all of Bourbon Street, this weekend is exactly what it claims to be: a decadent, delicious weekend. Worth the trip, worth the crowds, come early and/or stay late, because even once Southern Decadence is over, you’ve still got all of New Orleans at your command. And if you get here, be sure to drop a line. David and I would love to meet up for a cocktail or two! (http://www.southerndecadence.net/) There you have it, Poppets – your local, and not so local, Pride events for 2014. Have fun. Have Pride. And take care of you – and each other.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

June 6-15, Boston – for those of you who like to travel, my hometown throws one of the largest (and one of the best, if I say so myself, but I admit I may be a teeny bit biased) Pride festivals in the country. It lasts the whole week, starting with the flag raising in City Hall at noon on the 6th and running through the block parties on the 15th. The parade starts at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 14th. This year’s Grand Marshals are the governor, Deval Patrick, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. (http://www.bostonpride.org/calendar/)

June 19-22, Olympia – in the capital comes Capital City Pride. The weekend starts with a party – as well it should – Thursday night at the Power Up & Dance Party, then goes on for 3 more days, culminating with the parade starting at noon, and the festival starting at 1:00 pm. The sponsor hotel, the Governor Hotel, is offering special rates for the weekend, so be sure to ask about availability. (http://capitalcitypride.net/)

5


TAKE THE TUNNEL TO 1,000 CONVENIENT PARKING SPACES AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE!

THE YARDBIRDS Performing Their Hits: “For Your Love,” “Heart Full of Soul,” “Shapes of Things” and More!

SAT JUNE 21 ST Tickets Starting At $24 .50

HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR Featuring The Turtles, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad), Gary Lewis & The Playboys, and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels.

WED JULY 9 TH Tickets Starting At $39 .50

THE BEACH BOYS Performing Their Hits: “I Get Around,” “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “California Girls” and More!

SUN AUG 31 ST Tickets Starting At $74 .50

UPCOMING EVENTS 8 TH Annual Car Show • AUG 31 ST Holiday Gift Expo • NOV 30 TH

BUY TICKETS

SilverReefCasino.com

24/7 ACTION

EXPERIENCEEVERYTHING

S i l v e r R e e f C a s i n o. c o m • ( 8 6 6 ) 3 8 3 - 0 7 7 7 I-5 Exit 260 • 4 Min. West • Haxton Way at Slater Road Events subject to change without notice. Must be 21 or over to play. Management reserves all rights. ©2014 Silver Reef Casino


w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

If Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Reading This... then so are your customers. E-mail advertiseinthebettypages@gmail.com for more information on advertising.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

9


Bellinghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest access point Open Now Largest selection north of Seattle for oils and vape cartridges FREE vape pen for new patients

Edibles, Topicals, Tinctures, Capsules

Daily specials every day

Accessories by Rated R Glass

Open 11-8 daily 360-671-0111 2119 Lincoln St www.topshelf-collective.com


Community Events Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood (MBPP) is excited to announce that Project Protection is coming to Bellingham! This event is co-sponsored by VOX: Voices of Planned Parenthood (WWU Chapter). All members of the community are invited to join us on June 6th at 7:00pm in the WWU Old Main Theater for an exciting evening with Project Protection – the 2014 Condom Fashion Show! At Project Protection, teams of designers and models will showcase their creations of outfits made out of condoms. Other attractions of this event include a sex trivia that the audience will participate in, and guest speaker Tracy Dahlstedt from MBPP. Tracy, the MBPP Education Program Manager, will be speaking on issues of sex positivity and comprehensive sex education. Eight teams of designers are competing in the Condom Fashion Show at Project Protection to win the grand prize of $200. Winners will be decided by a panel of judges which features local fashion store owners and MBPP staff. All condoms and supplies for the fashion show have been provided to the teams for free by Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood. Project Protection will serve as a community outreach event that aspires to educate the community about sexual health and safety, reproductive rights, and more! Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, family planning organization. MBPP is committed to helping men, women, and teens make informed, responsible choices about their sexual health. This is achieved through a guarantee to provide high quality, comprehensive sexual health care, ageappropriate sex education, and a protection of women’s reproductive rights. VOX: Voices of Planned Parenthood (WWU Chapter) is a club that is run through the Associated Students at Western Washington University. VOX creates a safe space for students of WWU to come together and discuss relevant issues of sexual health, sex positivity, and reproductive rights, among other topics. This national affiliate is intended to mobilize and energize young leaders to advocate for reproductive justice. Anyone interested in being involved in Project Protection as a sponsor, donor, member of the press, or volunteer should contact the Event Managers, Nilofar Ganjaie, MBPP Public Affairs Intern, at (425)233-9518 or Hannah Clarke, MBPP Public Affairs Intern, at (509)217-0534. For more information on Project Protection, please visit http://projectprotection.wordpress.com

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

2nd Annual “Write On!: Teen Writing Conference” Coming in June, 2014

12

A new opportunity for teens who want to explore writing is available this summer at the 2nd annual “Write On 2014: Teen Writing Conference,” co-hosted by Whatcom Young Writers and Village Books. This day-long event will take place on Friday, June 20, 2014, 9:30am-5:30pm, in advance of the Chuckanut Writers Conference. Whatcom Young Writers and Village Books are offering teens the chance to learn more about the craft of writing, and use their newly-learned skills in a hands-on environment. The conference will connect participating teens with professional writers from the region. "Our goal is to provide an event comparable to a conference for adult writers, but with content explicitly focused on the developmental level and interests of teens," says Stephanie Dethlefs, Director of Whatcom Young Writers. The Write On! conference is a full day event offering a variety of writing-related hands-on experiences, as well as keynote addresses and individual critique sessions. Topics and presenters include: "Creating Fantastic Worlds and Heroes to Save Them!" presented by Seattle YA author Kevin Emerson; "Showing vs. Telling" led by YA author Jennifer Bradbury; "Writing Memorable Images" presented by poet Jeremy Voigt; "Writing Every Day: Creating and Sustaining a Writing Practice" presented by Fairhaven Middle School teacher Joel Gillman; "The Mad Science of Plot Building" taught by returning faculty member Cory Skerry, and much more. The closing keynote address, "Being Yourself (and also a Rockstar)" will be presented by Kevin Emerson and will be followed by an open mic event at 4:30pm, open to all participants and presenters. Families and the w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

general public are invited to attend the open mic. "We are working hard to create a successful and inspiring event for our community's teen writers. We want them to leave the conference inspired to keep working at their craft, knowing that others are interested in their words and stories," adds Dethlefs. The teen conference will take place at Village Books, Fairhaven Library and the Fairhaven Village Inn on Fri., June 20, 9:30am-5:30pm. Registration is $42 before June 1 or $49 general. Registration is available online or in person at Village Books. Check out WriteOnConference.com for more information. Write On!: Teen Writers Conference encourages and celebrates the words and voices of teen writers by collaborating with professional mentors from various fields of writing. The conference provides participants opportunities to explore the craft of writing through a variety of workshops and discussions. About Whatcom Young Writers: Whatcom Young Writers is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2010. Our organization seeks to develop the writing abilities of young people ages 8 to 18 and create opportunities to celebrate and share their words and stories with the greater community. Whatcom Young Writers connects community volunteers with local kids and teens through free writing clubs around Bellingham, by publishing the literary journal Snippets from the Pens of Young Writers and other publications, and in partnership with local youth organizations. For more information visit www.WhatcomYoungWriters.org. Christina Claassen Events Coordinator Village Books 360-733-1599 events@villagebooks.com


US Is an Oligarchy Not a Democracy, says Scientific Study Eric Zuesse

If You’re Reading This... then so are your customers. E-mail advertiseinthebettypages@gmail.com for more information on advertising.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

In America, money talks... and democracy dies under its crushing weight. A study, to appear in an 2014 issue of the academic journal Perspectives on Politics, finds that the U.S. is no democracy, but instead an oligarchy, meaning profoundly corrupt, so that the answer to the study’s opening question, “Who governs? Who really rules?” in this country, is: “Despite the seemingly strong empirical support in previous studies for theories of majoritarian democracy, our analyses suggest that majorities of the American public actually have little influence over the policies our government adopts. Americans do enjoy many features central to democratic governance, such as regular elections, freedom of speech and association, and a widespread (if still contested) franchise. But, ...” and then they go on to say, it’s not true, and that, “America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened” by the findings in this, the first-ever comprehensive scientific study of the subject, which shows that there is instead “the nearly total failure of ‘median voter’ and other Majoritarian Electoral Democracy theories [of America]. When the preferences of economic elites and the stands of organized interest groups are controlled for, the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.” To put it short: The United States is no democracy, but actually an oligarchy. The authors of this historically important study are Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, and their article is titled “Testing Theories of American Politics.” The authors clarify that the data available are probably under-representing the actual extent of control of the U.S. by the super-rich: “Economic Elite Domination theories do rather well in our analysis, even though our findings probably understate the political influence of elites. Our measure of the preferences of wealthy or elite Americans – though useful, and the best we could generate for a large set of policy cases – is probably less consistent with the relevant preferences than are our measures of the views of ordinary citizens or the alignments of engaged interest groups. Yet we found substantial estimated effects even when using this imperfect measure. The real-world impact of elites upon public policy may be still greater.” Nonetheless, this is the first-ever scientific study of the question of whether the U.S. is a democracy. “Until recently it has not been possible to test these contrasting theoretical predictions [that U.S. policymaking operates as a democracy, versus as an oligarchy, versus as some mixture of the two] against each other within a single statistical model. This paper reports on an effort to do so, using a unique data set that includes measures of the key variables for 1,779 policy issues.” That’s an enormous number of policy-issues studied. What the authors are able to find, despite the deficiencies of the data, is important: the first-ever scientific analysis of whether the U.S. is a democracy, or is instead an oligarchy, or some combination of the two. The clear finding is that the U.S. is an oligarchy, no democratic country, at all. American democracy is a sham, no matter how much it’s pumped by the oligarchs who run the country (and who control the nation’s “news” media). The U.S., in other words, is basically similar to Russia or most other dubious “electoral” “democratic” countries. We weren’t formerly, but we clearly are now. Today, after this exhaustive analysis of the data, “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.” That’s it, in a nutshell. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010,and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

13


The Stone Moon Physical Elements For Your Spiritual Journey

Ritual Supplies f f o Tarot Cards 15% tire Candles en your ase h Pendulums c pur his t with !! J Gemstones Incense on coup Altar Decorations Statuary

Prayer Flags Oils Amulets Journals/Planners Almanacs Books Singing Bowls Jewelry

1304 Cornwall Avenue Bellingham WA 98225 - 360.393.4390 www.thestonemoon.com - Find us on Facebook & Twitter Shop Hours: Mon–Sat from around 11am – about 5:30pm

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

Tarot readings: Mon-Fri from 3-5:30 & Clairvoyant Readings: Saturday from 11-4!

14

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s


A THIRD FRONT, OR A CATCH 22? - A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF QUEER CINEMA Lyle Pearson

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

Jean-Luc Godard, in the French film magazine CAHIERS DU CINEMA (10/67), reprinted in FILM QUARTERLY (Winter, 1969), was quoted, “There’s a real gap between film and politics. The men who know all about politics know nothing about film, and vice-versa.” Godard himself however became more and more political, until his films attempted to make style and leftist politics indivisible. This, theoretically, is a desire to be wished. Yet, without alienating an audience, how can a director attempt a film that makes a political statement? And, in the mind of THE BETTY PAGE readers, a queer one? For the U.S., that answer may have been Ang Lee’s 2005 BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, despite its limited understanding of gay relationships (those guys could still have found time to do some real fishing during their outings; were they only anal, and only one way?) Oriental women love gay male porn: BROKEBACK had been stacked to appeal, perhaps also in a political sense, to a female as well as gay audience. As I have stated earlier, in “CREEPING BROKEBACKITES” (qv) seemingly every film-making country tends to make its own coming-out movie, it’s first attempt to film the dilemma of two men, or women, to live a life of love of their own making; they usually end in some sort of tragedy or, at the very least, irony. Two of the latest come from Poland, Tomasz Wasilewski’s FLOATING SKYSCRAPERS, ending with one protagonist gay-bashed and the other with a pregnant girlfriend, and Malgorzata Szumowska’s IN THE NAME OF..., where a repressed Catholic priest in a small town meets an even worse fate. Susanna Helke’s Finnish-Danish AMERICAN VAGABOND (all three 2013) documents a gay couple’s move to the United States to escape homophobia, only for them to end up homeless. Meanwhile, in seemingly another reality, Finland, a country that has not yet legalized gay marriage, has just issued a series of three Tom of Finland postage stamps! In India, it is Deepa Mehta’s FIRE (1996) that started the wave, if there is one, nine years before BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. And yet there has never been, at least to some aficionados, a true BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN on Indian men. Sanjay Sharma’s 2010 DUNNO Y...NE JANNE KYON was touted as ‘India’s BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN’ before it was released, but it is considered so inept that many queer Indians deny it that status -- in any case, because of its one male-on-male kiss, it has never been released in India. Yet, ironically, shortly after its Supreme Court had re-criminalized homosexual acts, it had legalized the existence of a third sex, of transgenders. Thus it was that I walked in the blazing sun (100F) last April along a barren road for half-mile, with black, spindly trees on one side that would bloom only after the late summer monsoon, to the University of Pune’s English Department, near I was told “the [or rather ‘a’] canteen,” to meet the head of that department, the queer poet and novelist R. Raja Rao (qv). Suffering from heat and hunger, before entering the English Department, I entered the canteen for a Marathi snack and chai (tea). The canteen, outdoors, has been there for decades, cut and stomped into two levels of earth by decades of professors and students. The newer, plastic, green and blue plastic tarps overhead and on the sides provide protection from the sun, and during the monsoon are without doubt more effective than the organic barriers they had replaced. When I crossed the road, and entered the English department, I was told to knock on R. Raja Rao’s door. Raja, as he is called, had worked hard for his position as department head. In what is probably the first book of queer interviews published in India, WHISTLING IN THE DARK (New Delhi, Sage, 2009), edited by himself and Dibyajyoti Sarma, Raja claims that he first proposed a class in gay literature in

1999, but it was not approved until 2007. (An earlier course on gay literature has been taught by Hoshang Merchant at the University of Hyderabad.) He also writes of two gay Indian films that I was unaware of, Nishit Saran’s 41-minute documentary SUMMER IN MY VEINS (1999), in which Saran comes out to his mother, and Amol Palekar’s bilingual QUEST (THAANG, in Marathi, 2006), on a wife discovering that her husband is gay. To Raja QUEST is unconvincing as it depends on westernized “homosexuality” rather than “yaari,” something else, deeper than ‘buddy’ or ‘friend.’ YAARANA: GAY WRITING FROM INDIA (New Delhi, Penguin, 1999; expanded and reprinted, 2010) is in fact the name of the first Indian anthology of gay writing. Raja himself shares a flat with Tom Waugh, the Canadian professor of gay studies, particularly porn, best known for HARD TO IMAGINE: GAY MALE EROTICISM IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM FROM THEIR BEGINNINGS TO STONEWALL (New York, Columbia University Press, 1996) and THE FRUIT MACHINE: TWENTY YEARS OF WRITINGS ON QUEER CINEMA (Durham, Duke University Press, 2000). Rather than the possibility of an Indian BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Raja and I discussed a situation of more immediate relevance: the re-criminalization of homosexual acts and the legalization of a Third Gender. It seemed to me as if the Supreme Court, so recently having re-instituted the notorious Section 377, might be having second thoughts and, without overturning its own ruling, was doing the best it could do in recognizing transgenders as a Third Sex. However, Raja cautioned me, it must be remembered that homosexuality as a term, and thus concept is western in origin, while tritya prakiti (the transgender) is found as far back as the vedas. (Hijra, borrowed from Semitic Arabic, originally meant, “leaving one’s tribe” or “separate”.) Hijras often appear in Indian cinema for comic relief (qv), and in the song sequence “Sai Rahi Gali” (The Streets Are Decorated) in Mehmood’s KUNWAARA BAAP (UNMARRIED FATHER, 1974), followed by “Tayyab Ali, the Enemy of Love” in Manmohan Desai’s AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977, qv). A sympathetic hijra appears in Mani Ratnam’s BOMBAY (1995), and the hijra Tinku raises an orphan in Mahesh Bhatt’s TAMMANA (1997). In Kalpana Lajmi’s DARMIYANN (IN BETWEEN, 1997) an actress supplies her naturally-born hijra son with a dildo to compensate for his shortcoming. In Bhatt’s SADAK (ROAD, 1991) a hijra is an evil brothel owner, and the same in its Tamil remake, Visanth’s APPU (a name, 2000). In Deepa Mehta’s WATER (2005) the hijra Gulabi introduces outcast widows to prostitution. Bharadwaj’s SHABNAM MAUSI tells the true story of the hijra politician Shabnam Mausi in entertaining and sympathetic fashion. In Rajiv Patil’s Marathi JOGWA (THE AWAKENING, 2009) a man and a woman forced to live as hijras fall in love. In S. Shankar’s NAYAK (THE HERO, aka THE REAL HERO, 2001), a remake of his Tamil MUDHALVAN (CHIEF MINSTER, 1999) comedian Johnny Lever calls anyone he doesn’t like a hijra until a group of them beats him up. An unemployed letter-writer in Shyam Benegal’s WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR (2008) helps a hijra become a state Member of Legislature and writes a book about his village. In Sia Kumar’s PAAL (GENDER, 2008) a transgender fears telling his/her lover of his/her true identity; the lead Karpagam is transgender, and so is the assistant director, Living Smile Vidya. Santhosh Sowparnika’s Malayalam ARDANAARI (a name, from the half-male, half-female god/dess Ardhanashwara, 2012) details life in a fictitious hijra community. In real life, the hijra Rose, who underwent sex reassignment surgery in Bangkok, hosts the Tamil TV talk show IPPADiKKU ROSE (YOURS TRULY, ROSE), aimed at young adults, on sexual and family matters.

Continued on Page 17 w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

15


412 South 1st St.

Hours: Mon-Thurs. 10-8 Fri 10-6 Sat 8-6 Sun 11-5

Mt Vernon, WA

Phone: 360.399.7045 Or You can book online at www.hairandbodymechanix.com LIKE us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hairbodymechanix

McKay's '4* TapHouse /<+ ;9/) <+8? .;89*'?! w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

5)'2 8:/9:9 '4* +2:/) ;9/) /4* ;9 54:

++89 54 '6... 58+ 53/4- 554! 5<+8 ++89 :5 ).559+ ,853! 5::2+* ++89 '4* #/4+ 5 5

/@@' â&#x20AC;˘ ;(9 â&#x20AC;˘ #/4-9 â&#x20AC;˘ 358+

McKay's TapHouse

'9: '62+ :8++: â&#x20AC;˘ +22/4-.'3 â&#x20AC;˘ -

16

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s


Queer Film Bibliography continued

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

Under the British, “eunuchs” were classed as criminal. Even now they are often illiterate and homeless, resorting to begging and “sex work.” Many still fear signing up for a national identity card for fear of losing ancestral property, as Personal Law has remained binary, “his” and “hers,” Yet they were already legal in some states, e.g., Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra; several have run for office in the 2014 national election. Now the Supreme Court has legalized their status nationally, as in Pakistan, the UK, Argentina, Germany and South Africa, yet in a broader sense. THE TIMES OF INDIA (4/21/14) headlined “IDENTITY CRISIS: No Single Definition of Transgenders,” suggesting that the Court had finally “opened the Third Eye,” but cautioning that the definition could be “biological, hormonal, genetic, psychological, environmental or...delusional,” the Court examining its decisions over the last six months. The INDIAN EXPRESS (4/24/14) added that “gender certification bodies that are to be set up by different states” must include transgenders; education and jobs are to become their priorities. Even the vernacular press agrees: “They [once] had important responsibilities in imperial cities and households,” to ROZNAMA KHABREIN (DAILY NEWS, 4/24/14), and “Now the Supreme Court has given a historic judgment and transgenders are likely to get much-needed relief.” But R. Raja Rao isn’t so sure. In our conversation and a column he writes for the MIRROR called “Man to Man, on April 29, this one called “Double Standards,” he recalled anal sex remains illegal, so does that mean that if “a gay man has ‘unnatural sex’ with a transgender male, the gay alone will be punished”? “This is absurd,” to Raja, as “it violates the principle of equality before the law. “It’s a Catch 22,” implying that “transgender people must remain celibate for the rest of their lives!” This case and that of Section 377 “should have been heard together by the same bench.” These two new judges “couldn’t embarrass” the court by going against its own 377 judgment, nor addressing the more Western concept of “LGBT.” According to the hijra Laxmi in AIDS SUTRA (Anchor, 2008) “only 60 per cent of India’s hijras are castrated, and Raja suggests that gay men therefore “could (should) [play] up their camp behaviour and [claim] to be transgender...cross-dress, walk coquettishly, pierce their [left] ear, nose or eyebrow, and cultivate feminine body language.” “As for job reservations,” gay men “can easily lay claim to jobs reserved for” transgenders, just by acting effeminate.” “Look what a tangle the Supreme Court has landed itself in.” My trip out of the University of Pune seemed a little shorter than going in. Trips home always seem shorter than trips away from it, unless they involve jet lag. And while I now have a greater understanding of what it means to be gay in India, the basic legal problem of having sex had still not been solved for India’s one thousand lakh (hundred million) LGBT population. In cinema it may be a battle on two fronts, but outside of it, the problem presently remains a Catch 22.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

17


The Empress

see men fulfilling the nurturing role of The Empress and doing it well.

The Empress is a powerful card representing nurturing and growth, fertility and motherhood. It is always a timely card as it admonishes us that the seeds we plant now will become our harvest in the coming months. As one of the Major Arcana cards The Empress stands for feminine power in a way that the queens in the deck can only aspire to emulate. As I like to say “the queens bow to the Empress”. While the Queens may be concerned with the drama and intrigue of the court, The Empress is above such trivial concerns. Though while representing such power she is the quintessential mother, the one who is a nurturing and caring but firm parent. The Empress is often depicted as pregnant and engaged in some domestic pursuit as in the Robin Wood deck with the spinning wheel. This indicates her fertility and willingness and drive to do whatever is required of her to care for her children and subjects. The Empress does not wait to be asked for her assistance, she is that wonderful neighbor who just shows up with home made food when she knows you have experienced a challenge. The Empress is feminine energy and very intuitive in her approach, but since we all, male and female, have the capacity to act in this fashion and fulfill this energetic signature she is not exclusively female. In our modern society we often

When I see The Empress appear in a spread it is an indication that the querent has a great deal of support and backing for their endeavors far beyond what they may be experiencing or even beyond what they feel they deserve. The Empress can indicate that the individual is being that nurturer for someone they love deeply, assisting in ways the other person would never ask, but delivering beyond what is expected. Whether giving or receiving she is a very positive influence and one which can be appreciated by nearly every seeker. This card can also indicate that the querent is being so supportive of others that they are failing to take good care of themselves leading them to feel depleted and exhausted. The advice of this card is often to remember to look after ourselves so that we are better able to look after others. Sometimes we forget that we deserve our own compassion as much as anyone else and it is not selfishness when we choose to take responsibility for our own wellbeing. There is a great deal of joy depicted in The Empress card. She does not resent her tasks but regards them as her privilege. She does not seek recognition for her work, she is content with knowing she has done her best for all concerned. Her joy is quite contagious and she can lift spirits with her beaming smile. Who is playing the role of The Empress in your life? Have you ever experienced the joy of playing the role of The Empress for someone you love? How will the spirit of The Empress effect your planning and planting?

Kevin Walder

Kevin Walder is a Tarot Consultant and Instructor. Please visit his website for more information: http://www.kevinwalder.com

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

The City Attempts to Transform Alabama St into Barricaded Mess Riley Sweeney

18

Roosevelt neighborhood stretches from the Trader Joe’s on James Street to the movie theater at Barkley and right now, they are pissed. Over 120 Roosevelt neighborhood residents showed up at a community meeting and literally yelled at the mayor. Why? The city is planning some major changes to Alabama street and is ready to go over the heads of the neighborhood to make it happen. It all started back in March when the city, thanks to a healthy potential grant for Alabama Street improvements, has planned a whole range of changes to our beloved main drag. The central concern, as presented by the Public Works department, is safety. Alabama is the second most dangerous street in Bellingham (the first being the Guide-Meridian). The proposed changes would go from four lanes to three lanes and a turn lane between Iron and Dean St (after Cornwall but before you hit Trader Joes) and they would extend the two-land, one lane set up at the base of Alabama hill to Superior street. For the center section, from Trader Joes through to Woburn, they proposed a raised barrier that would prevent all left turns. This barrier is called a “c-curb”. They also planned to install more elaborate crossings, called HAWK crossings (yes, HAWK is an acronym, no, it does not matter what it stands for) and improve the existing intersections to handle the extra traffic. Roosevelt neighborhood residents seemed rather positive about all the improvements except for one. That c-curb running down the central section of

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

Alabama was a complete non-starter. Resident after resident took the microphone and pleaded against it at a city council meeting in April. They talked about how much traffic it would force onto their quiet arterials (Orleans, St. Clair, etc). They pointed to the added time and effort it would take if they were coming from the wrong direction to drive all the way down to one end of Alabama and then all the way back just to get to their driveway. David Dopps, the president of the neighborhood association argued that he liked all the rest of the improvements but could not support the c-curb. Another speaker suggested that the funding possibilities were “wagging the planning department” and drive the changes rather than safety. Several residents raised the issue that this sort of improvement bisects their neighborhood, dividing their community and giving the impression of a busy highway rather than a neighborhood road. Roosevelt has been a bit of a red-headed stepchild of our network of neighborhoods. It has a large rental population so there are fewer long-term residents of the neighborhood and it has a lower average income than Sunnyland or Barkley. However, the neighborhood still showed up in force to push back against such a drastic change to their community, and it appears they made an impact. The council has made no decision but city staff, and the mayor’s office, is pushing forward with this proposal. The only question remaining is will the city council listen to the neighborhood or the mayor? Riley Sweeney is a former campaign manager turned political blogger. You can find his reporting at www.sweeneypolitics.com. When he’s not chasing down dirty dealings in Whatcom, he enjoys playing board games, cooking delicious meals and watching good science fiction.


Ask Miss Tricksy Desire Dear Tricksy

Dear Home Bound

“What’s right” is the original agreement you had with your boyfriend, or something close to it. Because he is no longer willing to live up to his part in the bargain,

consider seeing him less often. Perhaps if he has a chance to miss you, he will feel compelled to make more of an effort to see you, and if he’s not, dump him! Do not cut off your social relationships in Bellingham, relationships you may need if this romance doesn’t work out the way you would like.

Dear Desperate You hit the nail on the head when you described your man’s behavior as “withholding.” The next step is to discover why he would deliberately withhold something from you that you told him you needed. And while you’re at it, ask yourself why it took 16 years to tell him what you wanted from him.

Dear Tricksy I have a problem. Some of my friends have started having sex, and I haven’t even been kissed a boy yet. I have spent time dating my girl friends and I have enjoyed that but never with a boy. I’m beginning to think that maybe I should find a guy so I can have sex just to see if I like it. What do you think? -- WHICH WAY

Dear Which Way I think it’s a bad idea. First off if you love the time with your girl friends then go for it. Thank your lucky stars you haven’t been subjected to the mental pressure that boys place on you. Being a teenager is tough enough without worrying about accidentally becoming pregnant. I can think of no worse reason to have sex than the fear that you’re being left out. There may be a time in the future when loving a man will be right for you but do not rush it.

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

My boyfriends job transferred him to Portland and now we are in a long-distance relationship, we agreed to split our visits 50-50 between our cities. Initially, it worked great. Unfortunately, his work has changed requiring him to fly to San Francisco weekly, and for the past year he has come here to visit me only once every month or so, while I frequently drive for 5 or 6 hours to see him. He says that because he’s away from Bellingham for his job, it’s only fair that I travel to see him, he thinks it is “less trouble” for me. I understand that he puts in a lot of time traveling for work, but at what point does the ratio become unbalanced and unfair? I miss weekends in Bellingham with my friends, and it makes me sad that he won’t make the effort to see me. What do you think is right in this matter?

Dear Tricksy I have been with my dream man for 17 years. He never tells me I look pretty. He tells my friend that he looks pretty -and the girls in his office -- so I know he knows how to give a compliment. Tricksy, I am not overweight. I wear makeup and get my hair cut every six weeks. I am not homely. I shower twice a day. A year ago I told him how I felt. Now the only time he says anything complimentary to me is when we are in bed. Too late! I need to hear encouraging words. Every one needs to hear that he’s attractive. If you print this, maybe it will alert someone out there, that is withholding, to say “Honey, you look pretty today.” It’ll sure go a long way with there partner. -- DESPERATE FOR A COMPLIMENT

-- Home Bound

If You’re Reading This... then so are your customers! E-mail advertiseinthebettypages@gmail.com for more information on advertising.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

19


The Dating World Marcymark

I don’t know if I’m the only one who’s noticed but I don’t believe the dating pool is anything like it used to be. I remember before when a man could go out, feeling fairly confident, find a woman he’s attracted to, and ask her for a date. Simple right? Now a days it seems like there are so many calculations to go through for both men and women. And on top of all that- let’s throw in some mixed gender into the match making. The new age abundances of independent women and sensitive men. The demand of the growing efficiency of our financial expense vs the cost of living creating more importance of ones income. The ever growing aspect of “who wears the pants” has very little to do with gender these days. And now with mixed gender being so popular (at least in our neck of the woods) that gives choice of partnership such a vast variety of one individual- making our decision for our one true love more confusing for some. The variety of a significant is unlimited. I personally have now found myself in a relationship. My girl and I have been dating for 3 months now and I’m loving it. That giddy, honeymoon stage of wonderful lovey dovey feelings. Not that it mattered to me any but I was curious as to the statistics of modern day dating so I went online to see what the statistical averages I could find. “Most couples start a relationship usually after the 6th or 8th date.” So what if your 6th date is 4 weeks from the first date? Does that mean your in a relationship in the first month? “Men know when they’re falling for someone by the 3rd date where women usually feel it around the 14th date.” Does this mean the man is sweating it out during those 11 other dates? And what about me? I’m a Hybrid! Where do I fall into this category? “Key exchange for each others home usually happens around the 14th date.” Oh! Wow! we are way passed this stage! LoL! “57% of women say first impressions of a guy are based off of his body language and self presentation. 38% judge him on how he speaks. and 7% care about what he says.” So guys as long as you dress to impress, walk with style and pronounce your words correctly you can talk all the bull you want. “Clean breath and clean teeth are important on both genders.” This does help during the photo shoots. “Negativity is a major turn off.” Well ya! Who wants to be around someone negative. “The work place has one of the highest relationship success rates.” Weird. I’d think it’s the highest risk places to start a relationship. “New York and Washington state have the highest percentage of singles.” More fish in the pond! WooHoo! “Men like there women to be 60 pounds lighter then they are.” That’s fine if your over 200 pounds. Not good for me. I’d be dating a 90 pounder. “Men who reported incomes higher than $250,000 received 100% more emails than those with $50,000.” Money over love!! NO! And what about those lovable guys who make less then $50,000? “90% of single parents would rather date other single parents.” Well ya! They’re smarter. LOL! “There are 95.9 million unmarried people in the U.S.” That’s a lot of fish in the pond. “80% of a woman’s first impression is by how the man stands. Even before he speaks a word.” Posture up Men!

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

The Comics!

20

I really didn’t learn much of anything about the research I did here but did get a lot of laughs from the statistics. My beliefs are simple. Be positive, kind, considerate, happy, have fun, and keep your heart open cause you never know when or where that special person may come around. Or they may already be standing right in front of you. I wish you the best in your search for that special person, or if you have found that special person already my wishes go out to the both of you. Cheers! -Marcy

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

I


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. www.triskeli. org-Queries—triskeli@triskeli.org -Sean Humphrey House A housing unit for people who need assistance living with HIV/AIDS in Bellingham. For more information call 360-733-9357

-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

-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.

-WCC’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.

-PFLAG of Skagit County Support meetings for Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and GLBT individuals are held at Central United Methodist Church, 1013 Polte Rd, Sedro-Woolley 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 online at www.pflagskagit.org. -Cascade Rainbow Community Cntr is a community of LBGQT people that enjoy each other’s company. We gather every Friday @ 6:30 PM for community, sharing of food, conversation, ideas, and current events. Each Friday is either game or movie night. The group has a lending library, Pride participation, and educational support. We are located at The Center for Spiritual Living @ 1508 N 18th St., Mount Vernon, WA. For information call (360) 840-8499 and for additional information checkout and subscribe to our Facebook Page. -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!

-Bellingham Bi/Pan Potluck We are a monthly gathering of pansexual and bisexual people, partners, family and friends on second Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the corner of E. Bakerview and Deemer Roads. Bring food or drink to share. For more information email gregory.lindon. smith@gmail.com. -WWU 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 on-line! http://www. mbpp.org Bellingham Clinic: (360)734-9095 Mount Vernon Clinic: (360)848-1744

Support Education Healing Advocacy counseling Safety planning Legal assistance Support groups Trainings and Workshops 24-hour helpline: 360.715.1563/877.715.1563 Talk to us in-person: 1407 Commercial St. Bellingham, WA

The Betty Pages Copyright Notice While The Betty Pages and/or its contributors generally reserve all rights and privileges of copyright, several parts of this publication are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. For more information and permissions, contact The Betty Pages at thebettypages@gmail.com or send a letter to The Betty Pages, c/o Desire Enterprises, PO Box 2724, Bellingham, Washington, 98227-2724, USA.

w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

w w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s

-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. y a h o o. c o m / g ro u p / 4 t h c o r n e r p o l y

-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

21


Throw Back

MONDAY Karaoke

4 Jim Beam $ 2.75 Micros $

TUESDAY

9-11 $ 1 Wells 2.25 $

PBR

11-CL

$

Pitchers

1 HighLife

WEDNESDAY

1.25 PBR Pints $ 3.75 FireBall $

$

2 wells 9 - 11

DJ Postal

THURSDAY 80’s & 90’s $

1 Wells $ 2.25 Rainier 11-1 $ 2 Wells

9-11

Pitchers

FRIDAY

9-12 3 Long Island $

DJ

Short-wave &

Postal

SATURDAY DJ Mike

Tolleson


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
The Betty Pages June 2014 by Betty Desire - Issuu