The Betty Pages - March 2014 Betty’s Corner
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What’s Up With Africa?
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By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages
In The Mix
By Bridget Adams
A Bibliography of Gay Film By Lyle Pearson
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The Hierophant
By Kevin Walder
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Community Events
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The Hybrid
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By Marcy
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The Comics!
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. 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). She believes that everyone has a right to pursue their happiness as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone
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”
Kathy Reim is a PFLAG mom who volunteers in a variety of leadership roles because she gets to meet amazing people and use all the skills gathered over a lifetime as a teacher, mediator and political activist. One of her proudest moments was being called a ho-mo-sex-u-al activist six times by a leader of the anti-Referendum 71 campaign. She was impressed by his enunciation and repetition and her ability to keep from laughing until later.
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Betty’s Corner
March has arrived! The end of the cold snowy weather and the beginning of Spring! I have to say it was a bit surprising to wake up 2 weeks ago to a foot of snow in my backyard. We were hit by an odd snowstorm. The majority of the snowfall occurred north of Mt Vernon. Taylor was ecstatic of course. Grandpa on the other hand, not so much. I used to really love snow. Every winter I would mount a snow watch. Every time the temperature dropped into the mid thirties I would be on the lookout for that first snowflake. Now that I am “pushing 60” Ice and snow have become my adversary. When I was younger it was less of a trial to trudge through deep snow and actually fun to slide on the ice. Now every time I come close to loosing my footing visions of a trip in the “Red Bus” (ambulance) dance thru my head instead of “sugar plum fairies” All in all it was bearable, we actually made snow ice cream for
Betty Desire, The Betty Pages
desert one night! I love to watch the flakes fall, although now I’d rather watch them from a warm indoor setting thru an insulated window. Taylor on the other hand couldn’t get enough of the stuff. Personally I think the reason we thawed out as quickly as we did is the amount of times T opened and closed the front door! By the time you read this you will have already decided what to give up for Lent (for many of you that answer would be partying on Fat Tuesday!) and getting ready to celebrate St Patricks Day! I think the best rule of thumb is to be good to yourself. Try to find something that you can actually attain . Don’t set yourself up for failure. Moderation in all things is a great saying so I am going to cut back on my unhealthy habits. 2 drinks on a Friday night instead of 12. One piece of toast instead of two. That sort of thing is doable. Don’t forget to be good to yourself cause you are the only you you’ve got!
Betty Desire
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What’s Up With Africa? Here in the United States equal rights for our gay and lesbian citizens have made amazing gains over the last 11 years. It is hard to believe but up until 2003 sexual activity between consenting same sex adults was against the law in 13 States, it was an arrest in Texas in 1998 that led to the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Lawence vs Texas, that nullified Sodomy laws across the Country. Gay marriage is now legal in 17 States and the District of Columbia and things are changing so rapidly that by the time you read this article that number may be inaccurate. Don’t misunderstand, we have a long way to go before our rights are recognized throughout the Country, but we are making great strides toward full equality. This is not the case in other parts of the World. If you own a television you would have heard of the strict anti “gay propaganda” laws enacted in Russia prior to their hosting of the winter Olympic Games. Those laws pale however when compared to what is passing in Africa. You may have heard of Uganda’s “kill the Gays” bill. When the bill was first introduced a few years back, there was enough international outcry to stop that legislation from passing but this December a modified form that substitutes life in prison for the death penalty has passed in the Ugandan Parliament and their President signed it into law in February. In Nigeria anyone who owns or “supports registration, operation and sustenance of gay clubs, societies, organizations, processions, or meetings is subject to a 10 year prison term. If you are a Married Gay couple your prison term is 14 years. Again this change in the already harsh anti gay laws passed this February.
Death penalty Mauritania, Sudan, Northern Nigeria, Southern Somalia
Legal Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa. All of the countries that prosecute homosexuals in Africa receive US tax dollars in the form of foreign aid. The United States buys 70% of Nigeria’s oil production. The President of Gambia said this about gays and lesbians in a speech celebrating Gambian independence “ “Homosexuality will never be tolerated and in fact will attract the ultimate penalty since it is intended to bring humanity to an inglorious extinction. We will fight these vermins called Homosexuals or gays the same way we are fighting malaria-causing mosquitoes; if not more aggressively. We will therefore not accept any friendship, aid or any other gesture that is conditional on accepting Homosexuals or L.G.B.T. as they are now baptised by the powers that promote them. As far as I am concerned, L.G.B.T can only stand for Leprosy, Gonorrhoea, Bacteria and Tuberculosis; all of which are detrimental to human existence.” perhaps some re-thinking and prioritizing of our foreign aid is in order.
Betty Desire
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Here is a list of the African Countries and their positions on gay rights:
Illegal Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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In The Mix Bridget Adams
black spaces, especially those of black women. And when you look at Laverne Cox, Carmen Carrera, and Janet Mock, you see black women. If one is a white person, as Piers Morgan and Katie Couric are, one’s socialization kicks in and says they are fair game. At that point, Morgan and Couric had two options: they could give into that socialization, or they could fight it. We know which they chose. But it kept coming. For every voice on social media and in comments online and forums speaking out against the offensive questions, there were more shouting them down. Telling the people who came out in favor – truly in favor – of the three women being interviewed to sit down, shut up, be grateful for national exposure, accept breadcrumbs, even if they were tainted. And it wasn’t just the straight, cis folks doing the shouting. It was us, too. It shouldn’t have been – and it was. The “LGBTQ community.� That’s how we refer to ourselves, Poppets – “community.� And community is a powerful thing. Only it’s easy to forget the “T� part of our community. It’s easy to forget these men and women aren’t drag queens, or caricatures, or circus performers, but are people. People who aren’t here just to entertain or educate us. People who are supposed to belong in our circles. Who are supposed to be able to trust we’ll have their backs, even when the straight, cis community doesn’t. Because that’s what “community� means. At least, that’s what it’s supposed to mean, and what I hope it can mean. '4* Until next month, Poppets, take care of you – and each other.
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I’ve had a jumbled, angry, sad, frustrated article running around in my head ever since the Piers Morgan-Janet Mock interview. Technically, it started as only jumbled and frustrated after the Katie Couric-Laverne CoxCarmen Carrera interview, but evolved – or perhaps devolved – after the Morgan interview. Every time I sat down to write it, to form some kind of articulate thought, I’d only get so far before it digressed back into incoherent noise. So stick with me, Poppets, while I deconstruct a few thoughts. First, in my happy, rose-colored world, we wouldn’t be talking about transgendered men and women at all. We’d talk about men and women, period. What their bodies looked like at birth would be irrelevant. Hell, what their bodies look like now would be irrelevant. Who they are is what would matter. The very fact that we have to have trans-activists, and interviews with trans-activists, in the 21st century is appalling. But I also believe people of color are actually equal to white people; that women should be paid the same amount for doing the same job; and that LGBTQ people should be able to live their lives with the same rights and protections as straight, cis folks. So yeah‌my happy, rose-colored world doesn’t exist and I get that. Fine, we still need interviews with transgendered activists. But what made either of these respected journalists think these interviews were appropriate? I understand an opportunity to educate. In fact, as someone who lives outside of the gender binary, I appreciate an opportunity to educate. But there is so much more that needs to be explained than what these women’s genitals look like. And making blanket statements that they were born men, or used to be boys, completely disregards the entire point of gender – that it doesn’t necessarily align with our sex and just because our bodies are male or female doesn’t mean we were ever that gender. Still, grudgingly and with reluctance, I can forgive the intrusive questions. Transactivism on this mainstream level is a relatively new thing. Here’s what I cannot forgive – the utter bullshit that followed after the interviews. First, Katie Couric got called out and, instead of expressing remorse or even simple understanding that she had mis-stepped, she talked about “teachable moments.â€? Great. Let’s teach then. Let’s teach about the violence and discrimination that face transgendered men and women every day. Let’s teach about the struggles for acceptance within the LGBTQ community and the straight, cis community. Let’s teach about states where the laws don’t protect transgendered people’s basic human rights, and often explicitly take them away. Those are the important teachable moments, not what someone’s genitalia looks like. Then there was Piers Morgan, who managed to double down, not once, but twice. First, he offered up one of those faux-ally moments, giving an interview to Janet Mock because he’s an ally – while throwing her under the bus for sensationalism-driven ratings. Then, he brought her back to further the conversation, but instead of actually listening to her and trying to understand where he’d gone wrong, got defensive and angry that she hadn’t kissed his ass for being willing to have her on the show in the first place. And finally, to cap it all off, he brought a bunch of cis-gendered people on to explain why he’d been offensive. Instead of, you know, learning it from the woman he’d offended. With friends like this, Poppets‌ And don’t for a moment believe that race didn’t intersect in these two situations. White people believe themselves to have rights to black bodies,
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A Bibliography of Gay Film Lyle Pearson
Still making the rounds of film festivals in India, I have seen three films, each involving two continents, none of them Asian, of interest to BETTY PAGES readers. One is old, and two new: Brian De Palma’s PASSION, 2012), Claire Denis’ BEAU TRAVAIL (GOOD WORK, 1999) and this year’s Palme d’ or Cannes Festival winner LA VIE D’ADELE -- CHAPITRES 1&2 (THE LIFE OF ADELE - CHAPTERS 1 & 2, known in English as BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR).
Claire Denis was born in 1948 in Paris, yet raised West Africa, watching old American war movies and augmenting her studies with her mother’s old copies of detective novels. I remember her first feature film, CHOCOLAT (“a black man,” “a slave,” or “to be cheated,” 1983) where a nude “chololat” showers outside the Cameroon home where he is a houseboy, prompting sexual tension between him and the French lady of the house. Rejecting the conventions and cliches of Hollywood, Denis combines autobiography with history not only in her African films, e.g. WHITE MATERIAL (2009), but in her erotic thrillers, more disjointed than De Palma’s PASSION. Jonathan Romney accuses her of celebrating “tough men as troubled embodiments of sexuality,” (FILM COMMENT online, 25/10/13), black men especially, but she turns the table in her adaptation of Herman Melville’s BILLY BUDD (qv), BEAU TRAVAIL, the French Foreign Legion substituting for Budd’s shipmates. Remembering the shower scene from CHOOLAT, I was expecting a similar shower scene, and sure enough, just before the hour, a Legionnairds shower nude outside the barracks. In fact Denis is more interested in landscapes and male bodies -- but not chopped up or in peril -- than in storytelling, and BEAU TRAVAIL’s plot has not become clear until after the shower, in what Romney calls this “austere muscle beach party” set in Djibouti. Billy’s antagonist, fascinated by his innocent beauty, and Billy both die in Melville; here Galoup (Denis Lavant) remembers his time in the legion, having sent the innocent Gilles (Gregoire Colin) into the desert with a broken compass, to a certain death -- only to be rescued by Djibouti Bedouins. Galoup is thus court-martialed from the Legion. This is almost a postmodern take on BILLY BUDD, with music from Benjamin Britten’s opera
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Brian De Palma was born in 1940 in New Jersey, and took to filmmaking after seeing Orson Welles’ CITIZEN KANE (1941) and Alfred Hitchcock’s VERTIGO (1958). I remember De Palma’s hilarious short before he turned professional, WOTON’S WAKE (1962), where a crudely-dressed Woton (the German version of the Norse god Odin) chases a co-ed around a college campus with a blowtorch, among passersby who apparently have no idea they are being filmed. Outside of his more commercial features, e.g., THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996), he is known for his erotic, post-modern Hitchcockian thrillers, e.g. BODY DOUBLE (1984). Feminists accuse him, in his own words, of “chopping up women, putting women in peril” (quoted in Jill Radford, FEMICIDE: THE POLITICS OF WOMAN KILLING, New York, Macmillan, 1992). For instance in DRESSED TO KILL (1980) after a scene in a museum reminiscent of Hitchcock’s VERTIGO, he slashes to death Angie Dickinson with a straight razor in an elevator a la Hitch stabbing Janet Leigh in the shower with a knife in PSYCHO. De Palma lost his American audience with his Iraq War drama REDACTED (2007), a fictionalized account of the 2006 rape of a girl and the killings of her family in Mahmudiyah, Iraq by U.S. Army soldiers. A companion piece to De Palma’s CAUSALITIES OF WAR (1989), a fictionalized account of the 1966 kidnapping of a Vietnamese girl used as a sex slave and murdered by U.S. soldiers, REDACTED returned less than $1,000,000 on its $5,000,000 investment. Rotten Tomatoes rated it “rotten,” and conservative Michael Medved called it “the worst movie I have ever seen.” Yet, in Europe, it won the 2007 Silver Lion as best director at the Venice Film Festival and was chosen as the best film of 2008 by the French CAHIERS DU CINEMA. Thus it is, perhaps, that De Palma did not make another film, and not in the U.S. until 2012, a French-German-Spanish-British co-production, an English remake of Alain Corneau’s CRIME D’AMOUR (LOVE CRIME, 2010). CRIME D’AMOUR is a more straight forward, if kinky erotic thriller: a tormented female executive in a multinational firm stabs to death her tormenting female superior, first implicating and then trying to save herself. Yet De Palma kinks it up further, providing a third female who attempts to blackmail the killer into sleeping with her and, according to some reviews, the killer’s twin who kills the third blackmailer. This becomes an extravagant, post-modern take, again, on VERTIGO, its score ripped-off from Bernard Harrmann’s for PSYCHO. When Isabelle (Noomi Rapace) wakes with the body of Dani (Karoline Herfurth) beside her, we know it is not a nightmare (CAUSALITIES OF WAR, in a way, d
s turn out to be a nightmare), yet is she guilty of two, or one or no murders? In any case, surveillance tapes play a large part in the proceedings, as voyeurism is in all of De Palma’s personal movies. If this is VERTIGO in a tailspin, the James Stewart role is reduced to a drunken red herring.
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Queer Film Bibliography continued underscoring the ‘muscle beach’ exercise sessions. Denis likes to shoot one take only, and work endlessly in the editing room -- the idea of using Britten came after the shoot, and a dance by Galoup that was intended to come earlier now ends the film, suggesting Galoup’s possible suicide. BEAU TRAVAIL is Denis’ best known film in the U.S. Unlike De Palma’s PASSION (so far) it is available from Film Is Truth.
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Abdellatif Kechiche was born in 1960 in Tunis, yet raised in Nice, attracted to the theater first as an actor. I had not seen anything directed by him until BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR, yet he had already won two Cesars (the French Oscars) for direction, for L’ESQIVE (DODGING, aka GAMES OF LOVE AND CHANCE, 2003) and LA GRAINE ET LE MULET (THE GRAIN AND THE MULET, aka THE SECRET OF THE GRAIN, or COUSCOUS, 2007). His first film, LA FAUTE A VOLTAIRE (BLAME IT ON VOLTAIRE, 2000) is semi-autobiographical, on a North African in love with two French women, and his fourth a biopic, VENUS NOIRE (BLACK VENUS, 2010), on a South African woman, caged and exhibited for her ape-like features in London. The crew of BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR accused Kechiche of horrible working conditions and unpaid overtime, and the two lead actresses, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux, who had to perform several graphic scenes of lesbian love-making (the film is based on Julie Maroh’s graphic novel of the original name) have vowed never to work with him again. Yet fifteen critics have called it the best film of 2013 and fifty-eight, including CAHIERS DU CINEMA SIGHT AND SOUND, have placed it in their Top Ten lists. After the graphic lesbian action, I think Kechiche returns to autobiography, or wishful thinking. Adele (Adele) is a student, Emma (Lea) a painter and Emma uses Adele as her model. Emma seems to have only a blue period, and after the relationship ends, when Adele is invited to Emma’s vernissage (gallery opening) she finds herself hanging in blue on the walls. She also finds Samir (Salim Kechiouche), a North African who she had met before. Samir is more attracted to Adele than Adele is to Samir, she still at a loss after the end of her relationship with Emma. After conversing with Samir, Adele leaves the gallery. Samir, realizing Adele is gone, rushes after her, too late to see her turn a corner, then rushing off in the wrong direction. This is I think a common male heterosexual fantasy -- that all a lesbian needs is a good man. In this case a handsome Algerian, Salim already known for Bastian Scheiwtzers GIGOLO (2005), his full frontal nude scenes in Francois Ozon’s LES AMANT CRIMINELS (CRIMINAL LOVERS, 1999) and poses for the soft-core French homoerotic photographers Pierre and Gilles. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not being racist here. Whether terosexual, he probably could turn me gay, if I wasn’t already. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR played at several film festivals in India: extra security was needed in Kolkata, and it was too hot for Pune, officially cancelled for ‘technical reasons.’ It will be released on Blu Ray and DVD February 25, a week after Valentine’s Day. Maybe you can reserve your rental copy in advance from Film Is Truth. PFLAG EVENT
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The Hierophant Kevin Walder
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This month I am drawn to talk about the fifth card in the major arcana called The Hierophant. This card is particularly polarizing as it speaks to us on the subject of tradition, authority, and power. This particular tradition is that which we see around us in our community, in our family, our church, and in our educational system.
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In some older decks this card is called The Pope and the artwork supports that understanding of the authority and respect commanded by The Hierophant. Some more modern decks have undertaken to update the imagery and entitled the card by various names such as “Faith” and other means of including other traditions. In many ways this card addresses our need for safety and comfort without compromising our freedom of spirit. The Hierophant then becomes a mirror for us to examine our own individuality, strength of resolve, and integrity. When we encounter hard times or challenges that seem beyond ourselves this institutionalized authority is of particular comfort. Like the bowl of chicken soup when we’re feverish, having the support of a system which shares responsibility with us is very soothing and sometimes is necessary. At other times in our lives when we are embarking upon a new adventure, attempting to establish our own identity this very same institutionalized authority can become burdensome and difficult. Just as this traditional authority provides order in chaos, it can feel at the same time very limiting and unnecessary. One thing that makes this card particularly relevant at this point in history is the work that is going on currently in the Vatican as this very rigid and authoritarian system of goverw w w. i s s u u . c o m / t h e b e t t y p a g e s
nance is being challenged from many angles even from the pope himself acknowledging that change may be necessary for the survival of the body as a whole. What we are witnessing in the news is that very polarizing effect we spoke of earlier and the need to keep the good, comforting, and uplifting while relaxing some of the rigid and restrictive rules and laws. When this card comes up in a reading it’s a strong indication that there is a relationship, a strong relationship between the querent and the authority figures in their life. The other cards in the reading will provide insight as to whether this relationship is positive or challenging.The Hierophant can also indicate that the querent is actively involved in creating their own traditions and practices which will have greater meaning in their personal life. While the traditional understanding of The Hierophant is one of spiritual and religious tradition this card can also speak of other traditions in one’s life. For example if one were to embark upon a career simply because a parent had enjoyed success in that career this would set one up for disappointment and disillusion in the future. I am always curious to see what new questions come to the fore in a reading. I am convinced that better questions only lead us to better analysis. When you see The Hierophant does it feel comforting open and warm or cold, calculating, restrictive? How has the polarizing effect of The Hierophant influenced important decisions in your own life? Have you devised a way to enjoy the comfort of tradition without compromising your own individuality? To learn more about my work with Tarot please visit my website: www.kevinwalder.com
Community Events On Monday, March 10, 2014, a special showing of the film, Pleasure Unwoven, will be presented at the Save Haven Room at Central United Methodist Church, 1013 Polte Road, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 from 6:308:30 PM. The film is hosted by PFLAG Skagit/Stanwood, and it reviews the latest neuroscientific research about addiction and addresses the debate as to whether it is a disease. Kevin McCauley turns complex concepts into visual images that help people in recovery feel better understood and their families and friends feel hope that recovery is possible and sustainable. Food will be available and donations will be welcome. A facilitated discussion will follow the film. For more information contact Kathy Reim at 360 856 4676.
Rick Epting Foundation for the Arts Presents
Lydia Pense & Cold Blood - At Mt. Vernon’s Historic Lincoln Theatre - Saturday March 29, 2014 at 7:30pm
Opening for Cold Blood will be local R&B singer Margaret Wilder in her Lincoln Theatre debut. Margaret is a musical sensation and performer with an original fire. The word from LA is that she is “a young Bonnie Rait meets Marcia Ball,” and this is one musician who actually lives up to the Hollywood buzz. From headlining festivals and playing premier clubs to opening for such heavy hitters as John Lee Hooker Jr., Margaret Wilder has enthralled audiences in the Northwest and Canada. This is a fund raising event by the Rick Epting Foundation for the Arts to support their mission to keep the arts alive in Skagit Valley. Please come out and support the arts and enjoy a high energy show of funk and R&B done by one of the original East Bay power bands from the Summer of Love in the late 60’s and a local R&B songwriter.
Rick Epting Foundation for the Arts
http://rickeptingfoundation.org/ For tickets visit the Lincoln Theatre’s website at http://www.lincolntheatre.org/.
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Pense & Cold Blood debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation’s musical Meccas. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia’s voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60’s, early-70’s albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be known as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come.
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The Hybrid
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Marcymark
Some people have asked me “what’s it like being a female?” “Fanflippingtastic!” You wouldn’t believe all the advantages women have. Like most doors, they automatically open now, thanks to the gentlemen that still exists in this world. And the looks I get. Both men and women. O.k. well maybe they’re looking cause I look so incredibly strange but I like to think there just jealous. And the men are so polite to me. Is it like this for all women? There is something about Bellingham that makes me feel so at home. The generosity of the residence? The feeling of a small town? The beauty that surrounds this town? The variety of things you can do here? How about the combination all the above makes this area so wonderful. It’s the People here that makes me always want to stay. The Bellinghamsters. It’s been a long time since I have felt I’m in the right place. I belong here. And I’ve realized it’s more then feeling I’m in the right place. It’s feeling right with myself. Did you know that someone like me has special needs when it comes to medical attention? I’ll spare you the details but I will tell you that for me and people like me there isn’t a doctor in town that could help us due to lack of medical knowledge of our needs. It takes a specialist. And the closest specialist is located in Seattle. But things are changing for a better for us mixed gender kin. There’s a new Doc in town. And this one specializes in the knowledge needed to help us out. So I went to see her. I had two questions for her. I wanted to get the letter “M” that stood for “male” on my drivers license to “F” for female. “Is this something I can do?” She said sure just go to your family practitioner and have him sign a paper that you can take to the Department of licensing and whala! Easy. The other question was I wanted to start on hormone pills so I could have large bolumptuous boobies and fantastically curvy hips. She said that wouldn’t be a problem either. we can get started on that as soon as your ready. I was so excited I was ready to start right then. Before I left her office she asked me a question. “Marcy, how ya doin? How are you feeling?” told her I was good. I’m finally where I want to be. I’m finally feeling relieved. She said that was good to hear. The new Doctor and I said our goodbyes and as I left her office I was so excited I wanted to tell my family the great news. And I’ll tell you right off the bat my family has been dragged through thick mud and still have supported me all the way. That night I had told them about seeing the Doctor and the great news about the letter change on my license and the hormone pills I’m gonna be get’n. They looked at me in concern and mentioned in a highlighted fashion about the hormone pills. “Hormone Pills! That’s gonna change you.” I replied excitedly “YA BIGGER BOOBIES AND CURVY HIPS!!!” And they replied with concerned looks again. “ What about the
mood swings?” “THE MOOD SWINGS!! WHAT MOOD SWINGS!!? I DON’T GET MOOD SWINGS!!! WHEN HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ME IN A MOOD SWING!!!? “ I replied some what angrily. O.K. well I was angry. My Son looked at me very conservatively and said, “Dad, I don’t mind your long hair. And Dad, I don’t mind the dress you wear. But the hormone pills. That’s gonna change you inside. I don’t want you to change inside. I love you just the way you are.” What he said to me really made me think. I told him I’d think about it. I came back to him the next day and I told him he’s right. I don’t need the hormone pills. I’ve come a long way to get to where I am and I’m happy right where I am. Who I am. And what I’ve become. I’m a Hybrid. Half man and half woman. I don’t need to feminize myself any more nor do I need to lose the male part of me that I still have. I enjoy who I am. And I plan on staying just the way I am. Marcy -The Hybrid
The Comics! Daren & Rita? Emerald City Comicon is doing their ‘Monsters and Dames’ comic book again this year. So I’m thinking of making a ‘Demons and Dudes’ book to accompany it...
rrraaarrr!!
Shannon Devine shadymeadows@ymail.com www.aseriesofcircumstances.com
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Okay, maybe not! Those must be some tough ladies, Damn!!
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.
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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. 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
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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