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The Letter newspaper. Louisville Kentucky's respected source for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans news and community information since June 1990. July 2008, part one.

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16 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
June 20 - 22
Trailer Park /"Sordid Lives"
Weekend
Rummage Sale on Saturday
June 27 - 29
Nude Weekend Part 1
HOT BUNS contest on
Saturday
July 3 - 6
Fabulous 4th Weekend
Book early to get
your favorite room!
July 18 - 20
Tenneessee Gryphons Run/
Leather Weekend
There are more than 1 million people in the United States
living with HIV. To honor National HIV Testing Day, Louisville Metro
Public Health and Wellness and Volunteers of America will be offering
FREE HIV Testing throughout June.

Visit our mobile unit at the Kentuckiana
Pride Festival on June 21st for:
• Free HIV Testing with OraQuick (no blood, no needle)
in an air-conditioned mobile unit
• Free Syphilis Testing
• Free Hepatitis A & B Vaccines
• Free Safer Sex Supplies
• Free STD and Safer Sex Advice
For more information on additional testing events which are being planned,
please visit www.friendtofriend.org or call: (502) 574-5600.

MArK YOur CAlenDAr:
September 4 - 6, 2008
African American/Latino Leadership Conference on
HIV/AIDS - www.aahlc.com
September 28, 2008
Louisville AIDS Walk/Run
Get involved in the local fght against AIDS! Become a
Sponsor, Form a Team, Make a Donation and more at:
www.louisvilleaidswalk.org or call (502) 574-5947.
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502.290.1707
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leave a lasting impression.
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 17
Gay or Homosexual?
by David Williams

Unfortunately, all of us remember that
sordid incident involving Sen. Larry Craig
of Idaho and the undercover cop in the
Minnesota airport restroom.
Seems that during a layover, Craig went
out of his way to seek the restroom (public
sex internet lists mentioned it). He got in a
stall, made the kind of hand motions under
the divider known only to other restroom sex
enthusiasts, and got arrested. He later pled
guilty to disorderly conduct and was put on
a year’s probation.
When the news broke a couple of months
later, Craig held a news conference during
which he adamantly denied he was looking
for sex with another man—thank goodness!
Have you seen his picture?—and said he
wasn’t gay. Case closed, at least for him.
If every gay man in America had snickered
at the same time, people would have
wondered if a windstorm were approaching.
But heterosexual journalists were confused.
If he’s not gay, then why was he apparently
looking for homosexual sex?
Craig’s case illustrates the subtle
distinctions most married men make
between the words “gay,” ‘homosexual,” and
“bisexual.” Gay men believe “gay” is the
equivalent of “homosexual,” but married
men who have sex with other men have a big
problem with that.
Since the dawn of the internet, I’ve
wandered into gay chat rooms from time to
time: probably too many times. Over the
years I’ve come to realize just how many
married men sit in them. I can tell you this:
they’re not doing research. At times, I’ve
seen so many, I’ve begun to think half the
gay men in this country are in heterosexual
marriages.
When I chat with them, I often ask if
they’re gay. Almost universally they say they
aren’t. Tey’re bisexual. We may Laugh Out
Loud. True bisexuality in males is rare. But
their reasoning could be the subject of some
very interesting psychological research.
One big distinction is the kiss thing.
Hardly any of them like kissing men. Tey
may enjoy oral or anal sex, they may love to
cuddle naked with another man, but because
they don’t kiss, in their mind they’re not gay.
Never mind there’s a lot of gay men who
don’t like kissing, either, but they’d never
think of going to bed with a woman.
At any rate, they can’t be gay because
they’re still having sex with their wives. Tey
wouldn’t think of going to a gay bar, they
don’t attend gay pride parades, they don’t
even hang out with gay men. Plus, they’re
not efeminate. Case closed: at least for
them.
Tis, of course, is in line with Kinsey’s
research. Te most startling fnding in his
Continued on page 18
Pride In Numbers
by Libby Post
I've always taken solace in Kinsey's
fnding that we make up 10 percent of the
population. I like being part of a double-
digit community. Somehow, 10 percent
makes us seem much more substantial
than fve or eight.
So, when I read Findings from the
Hunter College Poll of Lesbians, Gays
and Bisexuals: New Discoveries about
Identity, Political Attitudes and Civic
Engagement, I was, to say the least, a little
shocked to see that the study reduces us to
2.9 percent.
I thought to myself, "Tis can't be
right." So I called up Ken Sherrill, one
of the study's authors and a professor of
political science at Te City University of
New York's Hunter College, and asked,
"What happened to 10 percent?"
"Ten percent, to whatever degree that
was accurate, was based on behavior, not
identity," said Sherrill. "It's one thing to
have same-sex experiences, but another
to think of yourself as lesbian, gay, or
bisexual."
Oh, right, there are those folks who like
messing around with people of the same
sex, but then don't come crashing out of
the closet. I keep forgetting about them,
because coming out for me forged my
political and social identity as a lesbian
so indelibly that I can't even fathom
separating sex and sexual identity. Clearly,
I'm in the minority of our minority.
According to the study, of the 2.9
percent who identify as L, G, or B, there's a
50/50 split between women and men. But
two-thirds of those who say they identify
as a lesbian or gay man are men (we're
not talking honorary lesbian status for
supportive gay men - we're talking about
all the people, both men and women, who
said they were lesbian or gay).
Conversely - and for me, this is quite
disappointing - two-thirds of those that
consider themselves bisexual are women. I
hate to see lesbians lose any market share
whatsoever.
Tankfully, very few of the 2.9 percent
want to change their sexual orientation,
but, according to the study, "a great
many LGBs do not feel a strong sense of
shared fate with other lesbians, gays, and
bisexuals." For instance, only 29 percent
think that their membership in the LGB
community is "an important refection of
who I am."
"What we should all recognize," Sherrill
told me, "is that everyone has multiple
identities, because identifying in terms of
sexual orientation doesn't get transmitted
in the home. It's an identity that comes
later in life. We still have our professional
lives, we have all kinds of sources of
identity. In terms of rational calculus, it
[sexual orientation identifcation] may not
be the most important thing in people's
worlds."
Honestly, I fnd that really sad. I've
always thought of myself as part of a vibrant
community. It was great to be on the media
truck for the 1987 March on Washington,
and to look down the street to see a sea of
lesbians and gays marching for our rights.
It was wonderful to be part of the million
who converged on our nation's capital in
2000. To think that a good portion of our
community doesn't feel like we're all in
this together is a sad commentary on the
efectiveness of our organizations, from
local community centers to the national
groups.
It's no wonder we're still struggling for
some bread crumbs of legal rights. Despite
our best eforts, we still aren't coming
together as a strong, united voice. Tat's a
wake-up call for all of us. We need to build
more bridges within the diverse subsets of
our community so that we can one day
speak with one voice and demand the
rights and responsibilities we deserve.
Te study was not all doom and gloom,
however. It found that we're younger than
the average American and more highly
educated. It also found that we're more
likely to consider ourselves Democrats and
liberals, and that we're more interested in
political and public afairs than the rest of
America.
"Our data indicate that our respondents
are much more liberal right across the
board on a whole range of issues that have
absolutely nothing to do with being lesbian
or gay," said Sherrill. "We're talking about
issues like opposing the war, protecting the
environment - even if it costs jobs - and
favoring government spending to protect
minorities."
OK, so we don't feel connected, but we
do like politics. Tat's a good thing. Now,
if we could only connect the dots and
get our community politically involved
fghting for our own rights!
COMMUNITY DIALOGUE
lesbian notions
liberal on the sauce
Libby Post is the founding chair
of the Empire State Pride Agenda
and a political commentator
on public radio, on the Web,
and in print media. She can be
reached at LesbianNotions@
qsyndicate.com.
18 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
COMMUNITY DIALOGUE
VieW FroM FranKFort
Two Indian women whose families had tried to break up their
relationship set themselves on fre in what police describe as an
apparent suicide.
The charred bodies of Christy Jayanthi Malar, 38, and her partner
identifed only as Rukmani, 40, were discovered in mid-May at the
home of one of the women in the town of Sathangadu, India.
Police said it appeared the women died in an embrace.
Both women were heterosexually-married in what some activists
say is common among Indian gays who must fght laws against
homosexuality and pressure from families.
The two women had been lifelong friends and had met while
attending school together.
Police said that the families of the two women knew of the
relationship and had tried for years to separate the women. Despite
the pressure the women continued to meet while their husbands
were at work.
The apparent double suicide took place less than 24 hours after
a heated argument took place between one of the women and her
family. Relatives reportedly followed the woman and continued to
yell insults at her from the street.
"Around midnight, they poured kerosene on their body and set
themselves on fre," a police offcer told the Times of India. "They
appear to have hugged each other during the fnal moments of
their life."
In bitter irony both families agreed to allow remains of the two
women to be cremated together.
India's homophobic laws date back to 1861, when India was still
a British colony. While Britain long ago abolished its sodomy law,
the legislation remained on the books in India after independence
and politicians have repeatedly refused to remove it.
WORLD VIEW
Continued from page 17
1948 blockbuster,
Sexual Behavior in
the Human Male,
was that as many
as 37 percent of all
American males en-
gage in homosexual
behavior exclusively
for 3-1/2 years as
adults. Admittedly
that fgure might be
high. Kinsey’s research techniques were somewhat wanting,
but my own anecdotal experience in Internet chat rooms is
telling.
Tis distinction between gay and homosexual is very
convenient for politicians and others who might get caught
having man-to-man sex. When journalists ask if they’re gay,
they can easily slide around the question. But journalists
are asking the wrong question. Tey should be asking if
they’re homosexual or bisexual, or if they’ve ever engaged
in homosexual sex. Of course, few heterosexual journalists
will go there, and perhaps rightly so. But it compounds the
problem of invisibility the gay and lesbian community has
been fghting against for 60 years.
Next time you hear a man denying he’s gay, think about
it. He may not consider himself gay, but the men he’s
bedded might tell you otherwise.
David Williams served as owner/editor of THE LETTER for nine years and
is founder of the Kentucky Gay & Lesbian Library and Archives that is
housed in the Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville.
liberal on the sauce
Council Race A Signifcant
Step for Commonwealth
by Sen. Ernesto Scorsone
Recent events in Lexington are cause for celebration for
the GLBT community in Kentucky. In last month's primary
elections, two candidates emerged from the fve-person
race for the Urban County Council's 3rd District seat.
Either Diane Lawless or Eric Tomason will win the race
in November, but regardless of the outcome, progressive-
minded Kentuckians will cheer. Lawless and Tomason are
both openly gay, guaranteeing that the number of GLBT
public ofcials in Kentucky will increase.
Having GLBT elected
ofcials isn't just a win
for our community. It's a
signal to other minorities,
to everyone, that Lexington
welcomes people of all
stripes.
Te 3rd District contains
a portion of downtown,
the UK campus, and the
Nicholasville Road corridor,
all areas that play host to a
diverse swath of our residents.
It's telling that both general election candidates can be open
about their sexual orientation. As with the 2006 election
of Lexington Vice Mayor Jim Gray, an out gay man, it's
another sign that we don't need to stand in the shadows
any more, that elections can and should be won on policy
issues.
Lawless and Tomason do not need to play coy with
the details of their lives, and no whisper campaigns can be
run in the shadows. Instead, they can focus on the things
that afect people's lives – the city's infrastructure needs,
afordable housing, ways
to integrate UK into the
broader city community,
smart growth for downtown,
and keeping all our various
neighborhoods vibrant.
Actually, both candidates
have a lot in common, despite
outward appearances. Tey
both grew up in western
Kentucky before moving
to Lexington for college.
Tey're both enthusiastic
community volunteers who have learned in the trenches
how to turn words into action, and they both have taken
active roles in government itself to efect change. Our city
couldn't hope for more civic-minded candidates.
Openly GLBT candidates are on the rise nationally
as well. Portland, Oregon, became the largest city in the
nation to elect an openly gay mayor, Sam Adams, the same
day Lawless and Tomason moved on in our primary.
Tese candidates aren't being installed by judicial fat;
they're being elected by the citizens. People aren't being
swayed by rhetoric anymore. Tey've voting for results that
matter in their everyday lives, not scare tactics that only
serve to divide us.
Change is a beautiful thing, and if Lexington's 3rd
District Council race is any indication, signifcant change is
coming from the ground up.
Senator Ernesto Scorsone, the Commonwealth's
frst openly gay legislator, has been a member of
the Kentucky legislature since 1984, serving as
a State Representative for 12 years and, since
1996, representing Fayette County's 13th District
in the State Senate.
Diane Lawless
Eric Thompson
Pushed to Suicide, Lesbian Couple
Died In Each Other's Arms
Anti-gay laws have been part of the Indian culture
since the 1860’s.
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 19
RAINBOW OF THOUGHT
gay loVe coach
by Brian Rzepczynski, M.S.W.
“Not tonight, honey. I have a headache” is the well-known
slogan attributed stereotypically to women who lack desire
to have sex with their husbands. Te slogan itself is intended
to be a tongue-in-cheek joke at the expense of couples with
discrepant sex drives, but the situation is actually no laughing
matter.
A large portion of intimate partners struggle on a daily
basis with incompatible desires to have sex and it can create
serious problems in relationships. And yes, there is a clinical
term for this scenario…it’s called inhibited sexual desire. Te
urge to be sexually intimate with one’s partner waxes and
wanes all the time throughout the course of a relationship;
no two individuals in a couple can be expected to be in-sync
sexually in every instance.
It’s when sexual overtures are denied on a consistent basis
and the relationship becomes devoid of any erotic or sexual
fulfllment that trouble can start to brew. It tends to be more
common that one partner desires the contact while the other
distances and refuses participation in sexual activity.
It’s not just women who are popularly believed to kiss their
partner goodnight and roll over to go to sleep right away
after declining a seductive invitation for a hot lovemaking
session. Men are also afected by inhibited sexual desire. In
our society, men are viewed as being driven by their libidos;
gay male culture in particular reinforces the image of gay
men as being “sexual hounds” who can’t get enough sex and
are constantly thinking about their next lay. Tat’s what
makes this situation so difcult.
As men, we are socialized to link our masculinity with
sexual prowess and experience. When a man lacks a sexual
outlet when he’s in a relationship, this can negatively afect
his self-esteem and identity – not to mention his mood. For
two gay men in a relationship, the issues are compounded.
Tis month’s column will help you have a broader
understanding of the dynamics involved in sex drive-
discrepant relationships. While next month’s column will
focus on how you can best manage and negotiate these
diferences to enhance your relationship and breed more
sexual compatibility and satisfaction
THE FACES OF INHIbITED SExUAL DESIRE
You’ve dated for years, wondering if the day would ever
come that you’d meet your Mr. Right and build a lasting,
satisfying relationship with him that would enrich your life
and meet your needs for companionship, security, afection,
and sexual gratifcation. Ten, after one crushing dating
disappointment after the next, you fnally meet him and the
planets all seem to be aligned. Te courtship period proves to
reinforce your conviction that this is truly a goodness-of-ft
with your man and you decide to step things up to the next
level and you identify yourselves as committed partners.
Your relationship grows and matures and things seem
to be going just as you had dreamed, when all of a sudden
the unthinkable happens. Your partner no longer wants
to have sex. He begins to distance and withdraw, avoiding
any situations that could possibly become a prelude to
sexual involvement. He declines your persistent requests for
lovemaking and your discontent mounts as a rift begins to
develop between the two of you.
What is happening? Tings used to be hot, so what’s
going on? Is he cheating on me? Is he bored or doesn’t he
fnd me attractive anymore? Isn’t being in a relationship an
implicit understanding of being sexually intimate with each
other? Everything else in the relationship is great except
this one department. And the questions, assumptions, and
frustrations spiral and mount from there. Tis is just one
example of multiple scenarios that can exist in relationships
where partners have difering sex drives.
Te common scene in such relationships is that the
higher-drive partner is far more troubled by the lack of sex,
afection, and touch. He begins to feel rejected, frustrated,
and dissatisfed. He typically reacts by pressing his partner for
intimacy, who in turn feels pressured and throws up obstacles
in the form of excuses and avoidances, creating conficts to
defuse attention away from sexual possibilities, or making
direct statements of refusal. A pursuer-distancer pattern
then ensues and power struggles over sex begin to defne
the relationship. If not carefully dealt with, this confict can
erode the couples’ trust and connection.
Psychiatrist William L. Maurice has identifed three
subtypes of inhibited sexual desire in men. Understanding
which category your relationship typifes is important in
pinpointing the specifc types of strategies that would best
help overcome the particular desire impediment.
• Lifelong/generalized: the man has never been interested
in any form of sexual activity throughout the course of
his life in any type of setting.
• Acquired/situational: Type 1= the man begins a
relationship with sexual enthusiasm, but soon becomes
disinterested in partner sex; he still remains interested
in solo play, however (eg. masturbation, pornography,
Internet sex chats, etc.); Type 2= the man is able to
be sexual when there is no possibility of an intimate
relationship and becomes disinterested with sex with
those whom he feels close or an attachment towards.
• Acquired/generalized: Type 1= the man was once
sexual, but he lost his desire due to medical problems;
Type 2= the man is experiencing the efects of aging and
andropause (“male menopause”).
POTENTIAL CAUSES OF LIbIDO LOSS
Tere is rarely a single factor that determines why a
particular individual or couple is aficted with low sexual
interest and drive; the loss of libido usually accompanies
a medical, psychological, relational, or other sexual issue
that all interact with each other and the couple’s responses
to them. Below is a listing of possible causes underlying
inhibited sexual desire. If you and your partner are struggling
with this issue in your relationship, take note of these factors
in helping you assess what’s possibly missing or interfering
with your sexual potential as a couple.
• relationship problems; many bedroom issues result and
are mirrored by conficts and lack of fulfllment in other
areas of the partnership
• intimacy issues; fears of closeness, vulnerability,
connection
• other sexual concerns; problems with getting or
maintaining erections commonly co-exist with
inhibited sexual desire; sexual addiction
• religious and family upbringing if sex-negative teachings
were instilled
• sexual or health difculties in one’s partner or self/
chronic illness and pain
• childhood sexual abuse or trauma
• mental health or substance abuse difculties: depression
and heavy alcohol use are big turn-on squashers; stress,
grief, boredom, fatigue
• infdelity and breaches of trust in the relationship
• inappropriate hormone levels (testosterone)
• the efects of aging (although don’t buy into the myths
about older guys. While sexual functioning does tend
to slightly decline with age, you can still be sexy, senior,
and sexual until the end of the life span!
• lack of attraction for one’s partner
• low self-esteem and confdence, body image issues
• medication side-efects; tranquilizers, antidepressants,
and high blood pressure medications can all have
adverse efects on sexual desire and arousal
• internalized homophobia and sexual identity struggles
Tere are many diferent explanations for what may be
going on and it is important not to jump to conclusions when
difculties arise. Keeping a clear head, a calm and centered
mindset, and open communication can go a long way toward
keeping your relationship on track and uncovering the core
issues at play to eradicate.
THE SEx DRIvE & LONG-TERm RELATIONSHIPS
It’s important to remember that most relationships in the
very beginning stages are characterized by a “honeymoon
period” where sexual chemistry, passion, and intensity are at
When 'Not Tonight, Honey' Becomes the Norm – Part 1
20 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
RAINBOW OF THOUGHT
outlooK Within
gay loVe coach
If I Love You, Will You bite me?
by Bryn Marlow
Te frst twisp of spring few about our kitchen one day
last month. "Twisps," I call them, because my husband Dave
hates wasps. By using their Native American name I hope
to remind him of the Lakota phrase etched above our front
door. Translated, it reads, "all my relations" or "all are related"
or "we're all in this together." By subterfuge, then, I appeal
to his big heart, remind him to treat even those he fears and
despises with respect. Fine. He won't thwack twisps with the
fyswatter if I capture them, carry them outside for release.
Tis twisp I encircled with a clear drinking glass, slid
a recipe card over the mouth of the vessel, inverted it and
carried said twisp outdoors into the sun. I held the glass
upright, removed the card, waited to see him fy of. He
was much too involved in grooming himself to take fight.
I watched as he stroked his bald head several times with his
two front legs. He reminded me of a cat cleaning itself with
its paws. First his head, then each antenna. Tese seemed to
have subtle joints in them. Tey bent in sections to the touch
of his legs. He was very intent. Focused on one antenna, then
the other, then back to the head again. Next he gave himself a
backrub, petted his thorax, that little button of a body piece
threaded directly behind his head. With his back legs he
rubbed his abdomen – that stretched-out football of a heine
– again and again. Employed his wings, too, to rub it, stroke
it, soothe it. I almost fell asleep myself, it looked so relaxing.
I marveled at what a thin joint attaches such a big behind
to his body--as if his waist were a size 3 and his buttocks a
good 64 inches 'round. I drew the glass close to my face,
wondered what it would be to slip a paring knife down
inside and sever the twisp's butt from his body at that narrow
isthmus. I watched him clean each wing in turn, then stroke
each of his needle-thin hind legs. Te only body parts I did
not see him clean were his center legs. I presume he needed
them to balance upon.
Ready at last, he buzzed up out of the glass, alighted on
the roof and proceeded to clean his abdomen some more.
So big a portion of his body appropriately demanded a large
percentage of his attention. Ten he was up, over the rooftop
and out of sight.
He reminded me of the stereotypical gay man grooming
himself. Except that he didn't change his clothes several
times before leaving, he devoted as much attention to his
appearance as does my friend Kellin before he steps out of
the house each Saturday night to head for a smoke-flled,
dimly lit bar where he proceeds to remove as many items of
clothing as possible.
All my relations.
Tough he said nary a word, Brother Twisp spoke volumes
to me. He reminded me that I share much in common with
all beings, no matter what their size, shape or intention.
Even with those who would do me harm, those whom I fear,
despise. Tey, too, cleanse.
We are all in this together. And together we wing our way
towards a common fate. Te poet Emily Dickinson writes:
Death is the common right/ of toads and men/ of earl and
midge the privilege.
Aware that death is in my future I fnd the present
richer, fuller as I recognize parts of myself in all I meet.
Maybe we do carry within us a spark of One light. With
my Buddhist friends, I could bow to those I meet and say
"namaste” – the light in me greets the light in you. Easiest
to say this to my friends, but there are people aplenty in
my world who carry the sting of prejudice, discrimination,
bigotry. How to treat them with respect yet avoid their
venom? Perhaps Sister Twisp (for she may well have been
female) points the way. She suggests I try seeing myself
in the smallest creatures I meet, practice saying, "All my
relations." And mean it.
their strongest peak. Tis tends to decline as the relationship
matures and is a normal phenomenon in the developmental
course of any partnership. A diminished “spark” does
not mean that you’re not meant to be together; while still
remaining in the sexual domain, the “spark” also shifts to
other components and priorities of the relationship that
foster deeper intimacy and connection.
When thinking about difering sex drives, it’s also
important to realize that everyone has diferent sexual
needs and they vary from high, medium, and low desires.
Te intensity of your sex drive is not a proper gauge for
measuring satisfaction and compatibility with your partner.
So rather than getting hung up on discrepant desire levels,
what matters most is how and whether the two of you can
accommodate each other’s variable needs.
Instead of getting caught in vicious power struggles that
will only serve to trap you further in the bind, recognize
that it’s your attitude and how you deal with the diferences
that carry the most weight in a relationship’s adjustment to
this problem.
Next month I’ll ofer coping strategies and tips on how
to best deal with the perplexing issue of inhibited sexual
desire.
In the interim, use this time to take a careful assessment
of what might be the causative factors for your unique
situation and journal and talk about it with your partner.
Which sexual desire subtype do you and your partner ft?
Are there underlying issues or dynamics in your relationship
that might be the real problem and is getting expressed
through sexual disinterest? Have you noticed any patterns
to the lack of desire (track these in a log)? Look for any
particular situational, emotional, or behavioral triggers
that might contribute to the decreased desire for sex with
your partner.
What would you like your sexual relationship with each
other to look like? Create a vision. And most importantly,
get a physical examination by your doctor to rule out any
underlying medical infuences. Sometimes inhibited desire
can be a symptom of a medical problem that requires
immediate treatment, such as diabetes or endocrine and
thyroid issues.
©2008 brian L. Rzepczynski, All rights reserved.
To sign up for the FREE Gay Love Coach Newsletter
flled with dating and relationship tips and skills
for gay singles and couples, as well as to check
out current coaching groups, programs, and
teleclasses, visit www.TheGayLoveCoach.com.
bryn marlow lives in north-central Indiana with
his husband Dave and enjoys being surrounded
by the beauty of nature.
welcomes our talented new graphic designer, Scott Stortz of Titan Design Solutions.
LETTER
Te
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 21
claMour unDerbriDge
All Work and No Play
by James W. Hensley
Is Jack a dull boy? Come out, get up and play while we
celebrate the anniversary of the Stonewall Pansies Revolt.
Tey’ll be pageants, parades, prayer and frolic. Tat should
shake of the doldrums.
It’s a lot of work fghting for equity in a world of
heterosexual privilege and religiously motivated bigotry.
All that hard work has paid of though. “Homosexuality”
has been removed from the list of mental illnesses. Private,
consensual “sodomy” between adults is no longer a crime.
Tere are limited protections against discrimination in
housing, employment and public accommodations. Most
of the Fortune 500 companies as well as numerous other
businesses and institutions provide domestic partner
benefts.
In Massachusetts and, soon, California any person can
marry any other person they plan to build a life with and a
few states are half-way there with civil unions. Some amazing
progress has been made.
It’s time to celebrate that progress. Tere will, no doubt,
be disapproving and sex-phobic commentators, both gay and
straight, that wouldn’t recognize a good time if he walked up
to them wearing spandex, glitter and a feather boa. No doubt
the perennially apoplectic will be shocked and appalled at the
panoply of perversion and mockery of public decency. Well,
all I have one thing to say. “Unclench Mary. You’ll strain
something.”
Heterosexual privilege and religiously motivated bigotry
don’t take time of so, once in a while, it’s necessary to blast
clean a space so we can play while the uptight and rigid
fulminate. Save the assimilation for history month. It’s
summertime. It’s Pride time. Today is a good day to party.
Tis Pride Month you’ll fnd everything from worship
services to flm festivals, there’s a Pride event with your name
on it. Come out and see 76 lavender trombones and listen
to dykes on bikes roar past. You can even vote for Mr./Ms.
and Other this or that as the mood takes you. Pride has
something for everyone, even our straight allies.
You didn’t think we did all this work by ourselves did
you? Gay-straight alliances, PFLAG and all those other folks
that laid their privilege aside or challenged their own status
for our good deserve a heaping helping of praise and a great
big thank you. So fnd a PFLAG mom and give her a hug
(if she’s into that). Allies need to party too. Te more the
merrier.
So I’m coming out from under my bridge and up into the
bright (near) summer sun. It’s the one time when trolls don’t
turn to stone in daylight. I hope you’ll join me putting a
rainbow sheen on the local scene.
You’re here. You’re Queer. Come out and celebrate.
Do you have something to say or a story to tell about the
Queandom? Visit clamourunderbridge.typepad.com. Te
world is waiting!
While he is co-pastor of Progressive Pathways
Fellowship in Louisville (www.progressivepathways.
org), opinions expressed by James Hensley do not
represent the offcial policy of the church.
leather Journey
Warm Hands, Glowing Heart
by Donald Palmore
Every subculture has its own unique celebrations and
ceremonies. I guess that is one thing that makes each of
them diferent and unique. I have never been to a straight
commitment ceremony, nor have I been to a gay marriage.
Titles and contents vary just as the ceremony themselves.
On May 3, I was part of a ceremony that to this point
has been the highlight of my title year. Tis event I will
remember every time I wear my gloves.
You see, much to my surprise, I was presented with a pair
of leather policeman gloves on that day. Te presentation
of leather is a planned group presentation to honor the
person that is receiving the leather for a tasks well done,
or accomplishments that he or she has achieved under his
mentor. It is the embodiment of the old adage of discipline
in private, but reward in public.
I have witnessed four leather presentations, and each
has been very special in their own right. Tose four
ceremonies have happened within the last two years. One
might say that is a lot of ceremonies in such a short time,
and you might be right. Te real issue here is the history
and importance of this ritual has been lost with the AIDS
generation. Tose men who would have handed out
leather to the next generation were taken before their time.
Tis gap has left a huge whole in our leather society. With
their passing, not only was their history lost, but also their
rituals, their leathers, and the actual ceremony.
Having seen these ceremonies, and then experienced the
one for myself, I have some thoughts on the contents of the
ceremony. First the ceremony should be a surprise to the
person receiving the leather. Other people should be aware
of the event, and to be present to share in the presentation
to celebrate the accomplishments of the person. Key
people to the person receiving leather should present the
leather. Tese mentors or leaders should speak about the
person; why this ceremony is being held; and then why
this particular piece of leather was chosen and given.
I do believe the presenters will cover many of the reasons
and works that the person receiving leather has done. I
would also provide the opportunity among the people
gathered to ofer any congratulatory speech or share what
the person has meant to them or done for them during this
ceremony. I would not to turn this into a personal roast,
but rather provide the opportunity for any other personal
praise that should be mentioned.
Tough surprised by the event, the honoree needs to
address the crowd. Tis is a very special day for them, and
they need to share not only the event with others, but also
words with the others. Tough this will not be a prepared
speech, the honoree is given the chance to thank those
special people honoring him/her, thank the others for
attendance, and ofer words of what the piece of leather,
and the leather community means to them. Since this is
their day to shine, not only should they shine, but also
inspire the others that are present.
My thanks go out to Ms. Kendra and Ms. Constance for
their inspiring personalities, their continual eforts, and
most importantly their friendships. Both of them have
been mentors and counselors to me, and I would not be
the person that I am without them.
Also thanks go out to my partner, Chris, for keeping
this a secret and for all that he empowers me to be. I
would not be the leatherman that I am without having
you in my life.
A long-time leader in the leather community, Donald Palmore and his
partner reside in Louisville.
At last a space where you can let out your really bitter side
come out – anonymously, of course!
Send your most loving (?) thoughts to editor@theletteronline.
com and be sure to type “Feel The Love” in the subject line of
your message.
And now a small sample of the “loving” comments readers
have submitted
• I hate it when your drama follows you around. Can't you
just leave it at home or at least deal with it?
• For the last time: Having my shirt off in the club is not an
invitation for you to touch me.
• So you can afford the latest trendy clothes to wear to the
clubs, and you can afford the cover charge and drinks, but
you can't afford condoms?
• 35 appears to be the age where the prettiness wears off
and the rottenness on the inside starts to show through.
• You’ve been 25 in your online profle for over 10 years. Do
the math!
• If you call someone every day for a month and they never
answer, maybe it's time to stop calling.
F
E
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L

T
H
E

L
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V
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!
!
22 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
out oF toWn
L . A. C. E.
Lei sure, Ar t s, Cul t ure, Ent er t ai nment
Dining out
8 Ways To Enjoy Boston
by Andrew Collins
With its tree-lined streets, spectacular
gardens, and youthful yet intellectual
personality, Boston's an easy city to love in
the springtime. Winters last a while in New
England's largest metropolis, but by May the
sidewalks buzz with pedestrian life and the
Charles River flls with kayaks and sailboats.
One of the nation's gay-friendliest cities,
Boston encompasses a considerable range
of charms, from prestigious museums and
historic parks to swish cocktail lounges and
hipster-infested restaurants. Here's a look
at eight diferent ways to take advantage of
Boston's myriad attributes:
1. Have breakfast or brunch in Jamaica
Plain.
Once considered an out-of-the-way
neighborhood whose shops and restaurants
catered chiefy to locals, the lesbian-popular
Jamaica Plain neighborhood has grown
up in recent years, especially as a culinary
destination. It's not far from lovely Back Bay
Fens Park and its esteemed art museums,
and has several fne restaurants specializing
in breakfast or brunch, making it an apt spot
to begin your day.
2. Wander through Back Bay Fens
Park and explore the city's two best art
museums.
North of Jamaica Plain and west of
downtown Boston is the Fens, an amalgam
of relatively modest residential and slightly
scrufy industrial blocks and site of the
campuses of Northeastern and Boston
universities as well as Fenway Park, home to
baseball's Boston Red Sox.
3. Stroll the Boston Common.
Te Boston Common has been the city
hub since 1630. Te side of the park fringed
by Boylston and Tremont streets is more
commercial than the stretch along stately
Beacon Street, but the whole park merits
exploration. Te adjacent Boston Public
Garden, the centerpiece of which is a placid
pond traversed in summer by foot pedal-
powered swan boats, also contains several
acres of formal gardens. Overlooking the
Common stands Charles Bulfnch's golden-
domed neoclassical State House, where
legislation was signed making the Bay State
the frst (and so far only) one in the Union to
legalize same-sex marriage.
One of the nation's earliest urban
residential neighborhoods, nearby Beacon
Hill was settled in the early 1800s by the
city's wealthiest merchants and is today the
domain of brick sidewalks, stately town
houses, shade trees, and boutiques (the best
are on Charles Street.).
4. Hit the shops and galleries along
Newbury Street in the Back Bay.
Te relatively young Back Bay (a tidal
fat before the 1860s) - with its broad
avenues of four-story town houses, its grid
layout, and its bustle of sidewalk cafes and
swank boutiques - recalls Paris. It's still one
of Boston's preeminent residential (and
favorite walking) neighborhoods. Beacon
and Marlborough streets are predominantly
residential and contain impressive single-
Moving on Up – Café Lou Lou
by Beth Ann Rubin
[Café Lou Lou; 106 Sears Avenue, Louisville, KY 40207. (502) 893-7776]
Te city of Saint Matthews gained an eclectic dining experience when Café Lou Lou
relocated from Frankfort Avenue to Sears Avenue, just of Shelbyville Road. And I am
happy to note that the restaurant certainly did not lose any of its uniqueness in
atmosphere or diversity in its menu with the move. Te advantages to the
move include a dedicated parking lot, comfortable bar area and a more
spacious dining area. And a larger dining space means more people
can enjoy the kitchen’s oferings.
When you enter the restaurant, the bar area is on the right,
and the dining room on the left. I was immediately drawn to
the cool shades of color that were bright and optimistic but
not so fuorescent that it blinded. Te colors are carried
over to the tables and booths that dot the room. Local
artwork adorns the walls with some of it quite unusual.
We were lucky enough to be seated under a painting of
a girl balancing a spoon on her nose and on her chin. It
made for interesting dinner conversation.
Tere was a short wait when we arrived at the
restaurant but that was easily remedied by a glass of Fess
Parker Chardonnay. Café Lou Lou does have a short but
nice wine list, a full bar with specialty cocktails and a large
selection of microbrewery oferings. Shortly after we got our
drinks, our booth was ready.
Te name of the restaurant is derived from Louisville and
Louisiana, where the chef spent some time working in New Orleans.
Te menu refects this southern infuence as well as a strong Mediterranean
theme. Sandwiches, salads, pastas, calzones and pizzas make up the oferings with
most items under $12.00. And for those with a less hearty appetite, pasta selections are
available as a half order for only $8.75.
We decided to begin our meal with an appetizer. Te Blue Cheese Polenta ($7.50)
sounded delicious as did the Meze Plate ($9.95) made up of hummus, plaki, bruschetta,
roasted red peppers, muhummara, sautéed carrots and a yogurt sauce. I had to ask: plaki is a
white bean dish and muhummara is a dip of walnuts, molasses, tomato and spices. We ended
up ordering Wild Bill’s Famous Cajun Cheese ($7.25). Six crunchy breadsticks were served
with a side of spicy salsa and a bowl of spreadable cheese. Te cheese was spicy and similar
to a beer cheese. My partner noted that this would be a great dish to nosh on at the bar
with a beer and sports programming on the TVs. I much prefer my appetizers to be enjoyed
without the distraction of a television.
We had difculty selecting a main dish because the menu is so diverse and everything
sounds so tasty. Te pizzas and calzones are signature items with such options as Spinach
and Artichoke, Smoked Salmon and Wild Mushroom and Chicken Pizzas. 10” pizzas are all
$11.95 and the 14” size is $17.50. Calzones are priced at $10.50 and include Vegetarian and
Italian Meatball, among others. Tere are a variety of sandwiches, some served on bread and
others rolled in Lavash fatbread. I toyed with the Gyro Roll and seriously considered the
Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich which are both priced at $9.25. In fact, all sandwiches
cost the same. But my partner and I both had a hankering for pasta so opted for the noodles.
As discussed, the half portions are $8.75 and the full plate is $14.75. Te nine dishes ofer
something for the carnivore as well as for the seafood lover. Te Asparagus and Mascarpone
Ravioli includes smoked salmon and the Pasta Jambalaya boasts smoked sausage, crawfsh
and shrimp. In the end, my companion ordered the half portion of Carbonara with a side
salad and I went with the half portion of Pan Seared Scallops with Orzo.
My partner’s linguini was served with chicken, mushrooms, red and green onions and
bacon in a parmesan cream sauce. He found the serving size more than adequate, especially
with his salad preceding the course. Te pasta was cooked al dente and the richness of the
cream sauce and bacon nicely complimented the chicken. His only lament was that the
salad was not included with his entrée. My dish consisted of 3 large sea scallops, delicately
seared, served atop a bed of orzo, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella chunks, kalamata olives, red
Continued on page 24 Continued on page 24
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 23
First Dates
by Simon Sheppard
A personal question: Do you have sex on
a frst date?
Says one fellow in his mid-20s, "I know
there are a lot of men out there who just
want to hook up and get of, but I'm not
one of them. Sorry, I can't leap into bed with
someone fve minutes after I meet him."
Still - as we all know - lots of other gay
men do.
One guy who cruises online speaks for
many men when he says, "If I get together
with someone and we're not having sex
within a few hours, I fgure there's something
wrong."
Te world of male/male courtship difers
from its het counterpart in some important
ways. Despite recent developments on the
gay marriage front, there's no automatic
expectation that an ongoing relationship
will lead to the altar. And there's no fear of
pregnancy (though HIV sure plays its part).
Most of all, perhaps, there's the matter of
gender diferences. To the disappointment
of many hetero dudes, women are typically
less willing than men to play the "fnd 'em,
screw 'em, and forget 'em" game. And queer
men, already a bit beyond the pale, often are
unworried about being tagged as "bad girls."
So when two men frst meet, sex is often in
the ofng.
But not everyone is so impatient. "I
guess I'm just an old-fashioned boy," says
our mid-20s guy. "I enjoy the whole dating
thing: dinner, maybe a movie, getting to
know somebody. Tere's nothing wrong
with delayed gratifcation. It just makes the
eventual sex, if any, even hotter."
Of course, going on a frst date has its
dangers. A guy can try too hard or be too
demanding, or the interpersonal chemistry
can be a total fop. And when lust is in the
air, small talk can be tough. Says our online
cruiser, "When I do go out on a date-type
date, I can be sitting in some cafe spending
all my time wondering what my date's meat
is like. Better to just whip it out, and get all
that tension out of the way."
But does putting out on a frst get-
together make a second one less likely?
One observer of gay relationships says it
depends. "Certainly, there are men who get
it up, stick it in, and then lose interest. But
it's hard to say that holding out on a frst
date would be a way to keep them. And
then there are men for whom even casual
sex is a powerful bonding tool. In that case,
a fellow can fall for his date when the dicks
come out...though sometimes a man can fall
too hard, too soon. Regardless, I'd say that
expecting to fnd the love of your life on a
website where guys go to fnd tricks is just
not very realistic."
When it comes to crotch, it may not
be an either/or. A 40-ish guy who's been
around the block says, "My sex life and
my love life certainly aren't separate, but
they're not identical, either. Tat's one good
thing about being a gay man - I can bring a
romantic interest to a nice restaurant, but if
I get horny, I can head for a sex club. I have
the best of both worlds."
So, is doing it on a frst date a destructive
"Out, That Is"
A crossword in which the letters "ie" are
deleted from names and phrases to create
new ones
ACRoSS:
1 Croupier's tool
5 Swallow alternative
9 Gay city
14 What comes to mind
15 Scat queen
16 Family name of Boy George
17 Candid Camera creator
18 Tin Woodman's concern
19 Gomer's breads
20 Vehicle from Uranus, facetiously
23 Edmonia Lewis work
24 Whoopi and others, in Te Lion King
28 Brown known for colorful characters
32 Prez who shared a bed with Joshua Speed
33 Lover of Henry and June
37 Mine, to Verlaine
38 "How queer!"
39 Receptacle at Metropolitan Community
Church
42 Sound of getting your chimes rung?
43 Nazi Rudolph
44 Artist Hernandez
45 Club where you can dance with a sailor
46 Tip of what a missile launcher may
shoot of
48 Paige and Cameron
50 Sci-f robots
55 Trophy Martina won 20 times
59 Cold shower
62 Land of Emma Donoghue
63 Date, with "out"
64 Tight circle
65 On ___ (equipotent)
66 Serious sign
67 Transvestite boast?
68 Lady Sings the Blues star
69 Pain in the ass
DoWN:
1 Guitar motifs from Etheridge
2 Video category for porn
3 Nairobi's land
4 Master's demand for oral sex
5 Ballets Russes founder Diaghilev
6 Sign of calculating to get sum
7 Ingrid's role in _Casablanca_
8 Russian singing duo
9 Cartoon seaman
10 Get down on your knees in front of
11 Leibman of Angels in America
12 Mary's little lamb, perhaps
13 Some stafers at Te Advocate (abbr.)
21 Service a Dairy Queen?
22 Word after daisy
25 Pester, as Albert to Armand
26 Go down
27 Passover ceremony at Beth Simchat Torah
29 Homer in slang, in Glenn Burke's sport
30 Tey come in buggies
31 Horny lodge member?
33 Org. for endng AIDS
34 It may slip over one's head
35 Mete out
36 Not in the pink
38 Dottermans of Antonia's Line
40 Large split
41 Reinaldo Arenas' Peter
46 Emulates James Baldwin
47 Some phallic slitherers
49 Jugs
51 Like an active partner
52 Start of Caesar's boast
53 Tey come under kings
54 Ready for bed
56 Hairy Wall Street pessimist?
57 Suction head
58 Te Gay '90s, and more
59 Bio. or chem.
60 Erika Lopez's ___ Dance for Mommy
61 Childcare writer LeShan
Q
PUZZLE
?
?
?
(See Q PUZZLE ANSWERS on page 25)
seX talK
Continued on page 25
24 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
Two Projects Feature Zellweger & Connick
Renee Zellweger's working relationship with her gay
Chicago producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, is
back in action. Te A-list star will join the successful
team as an executive producer of the Lifetime original
movie Living Proof. Te flm, based on the book by
NBC medical correspondent Robert Bazell, will star
Harry Connick Jr. as Dr. Denny Slamon. Te UCLA
physician developed the breast cancer drug Herceptin
2, and worked against time and sometimes medical-
world bureaucracy to keep clinical trials on track. Te
flm will shoot in New Orleans and air in October as
part of Lifetime's annual "Stop Breast Cancer for Life"
awareness programming campaign. Producer Zellweger
will not appear in Proof, but will star with Connick in
the upcoming movie Chilled in Miami.
Romeo San vicente can be reached at
[email protected].
DEEP INSIDE
DEEP INSIDE
by Romeo San Vincente
Renee Zellweger
Harry Connick Jr.
family homes. Commonwealth Avenue is divided by a
gracious grassy mall.
Te best area for whiling away an afternoon is Newbury
Street, which is lined with ofbeat boutiques and stylish
eateries that range from high-end, up by the Public Garden, to
funky and somewhat collegiate, down toward Massachusetts
Avenue.
5. Explore Harvard Yard.
Puritans settled Cambridge, just across the Charles River
from Boston, in 1630 and soon after founded America's
frst university, Harvard, now a top tourist draw. Walking
tours of campus are given daily and focus heavily on tree-
shaded Harvard Yard. From here you're steps from such
vaunted cultural institutions as the Widener Library, with
the country's second-largest book collection; the Fogg Art
Museum, whose 80,000 holdings concentrate mostly on
European and American painting; the Arthur M. Sackler
Museum, which emphasizes Asiatic, ancient Greek and
Roman, and Egyptian, Buddhist, and Islamic art; and the
mammoth Harvard University Museums of Cultural and
Natural History.
6. Have a progressive dinner along Tremont Street in
the South End.
Gentrifed steadily over the past two decades, Boston's
gay-popular South End neighborhood has become one of
the East Coast's great dining destinations, and it's difcult to
narrow down the many fne choices to just a few. A solution
to this dilemma is to plan a leisurely, progressive dinner at
three South End restaurants, sampling one or two dishes at
each place. Start at one of the neighborhood's frst restaurants
to earn major acclaim, Hamersley's Bistro, where you won't
go wrong with either the crispy duck conft with beet-walnut
salad, or the spicy halibut and clam roast with bacon-braised
greens.
7. Go bar-hopping in the South End.
Te South End is home to three of the city's longest-
running and most popular gay bars, making it a favorite
neighborhood for barfies. Club Cafe draws the most mixed-
gender crowd and is also home to an excellent restaurant. It's
largely the domain of smartly dressed professionals - there's
a sophisticated cocktail lounge-cabaret that gets busy after
work, and a larger, cruisier (though more attitude-y) video
bar in back.
Long ago a fxture of the city's leather scene, the Boston
Eagle has gradually shifted into a more laid-back but fercely
popular cruise-and-chat bar with a mostly male crowd of
guys in their 30s and 40s. Tis intimate, if cramped, tavern
is justly known for its cheap and potent cocktails.
8. Stay in a hip boutique hotel.
In addition to the usual chains and several gay-friendly
B&Bs, Boston has several snazzy little boutique hotels that
have a strong following among gay travelers. Tere are three
outposts of the gay-friendly (and pet-welcoming) Kimpton
Group, including the stately Nine Zero, overlooking
Boston Common, which is home to the opulent KO Prime
steakhouse and contains 190 units furnished with super-
cushy bedding, luxe bath amenities, and mini-bars stocked
with unusual goodies. Smaller and containing 112 rooms
outftted with red-suede chairs and custom-designed desks,
the Onyx Hotel exudes warmth and luxury.
out oF toWn
onions and basil tossed in balsamic vinegar.
Our server warned me that the orzo would
be cool, more at room temperature and the
scallops hot of the grill. I found that the
contrasting temperatures of the dish made it
all that more enjoyable and toothsome. Our
pasta was accompanied by a chunk of Italian
bread served with olive oil for dipping.
Our pasta stufed bodies passed on dessert
on this visit.
Our overall experience at Café Lou
Lou was very positive and we already have
discussed what we might order on a return
visit.
Dining out
Continued from page 22
Continued from page 22
Chicago native beth
Ann Rubin has lived in
Louisville since 1991. She
is a frequent winner in
the cooking competition
at the Kentucky State
Fair.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and
eight additional travel guides. He can be reached at OutofTown@
qsyndicate.com.
SAFeTY SuggeSTIOnS
By all means, do enjoy yourself this Pride Month! At the same time, we offer you some
common sense guidelines to make sure you stay around for many more Pride celebrations
to come. The Discrimination Response Team at Louisville's Fairness Campaign suggests…
Stay Alert – Awareness is your best self-defense.
Watch Your Drink – Make sure you know the person who is buying your drink, or buy
your own. Watch your drink if you lay it down. Remember that drugs can be easily slipped
into your glass!
Trust Your Instincts – If you think something is wrong, believe your feelings and
remove yourself from the situation.
Project Confdence – While out walking, move like you know where you're going and
keep your head up and look around.
Carry A Whistle – Carry it on your person where it is easily accessible, like a jacket
pocket or on your key chain. When you need help, blow the whistle. If you hear a whistle
and see someone is in trouble, call 911 immediately.
Remember to report all hate crimes and acts of discrimination! To give a confdential
report about discrimination or hate crimes in Metro Louisville write: [email protected].
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 25
Blind Fall
By Richard Labonte
Blind Fall, by Christopher Rice.
Scribner, 296 pages, $26.00 hardcover.
Tere's a lot of plot crammed into Rice's
fourth novel, a thriller about the gruesome
murder of a gay Marine. Too much plot,
perhaps; leaner might have been meaner.
Central to the story is former Marine
John Houck, a straight (and straitlaced)
man tormented by the belief that his
younger brother committed suicide after
being molested by a man. He's further
anguished when he learns that the fellow
Marine who saved his life in Iraq, Mike
Bowers, was a closeted queer - only after he
discovers Bowers' body, and teams up with
Bowers' boyfriend to fnd the killer.
Te story of a straight Marine's respect
for the military prowess of a gay brother-
in-arms, and his squeamish acceptance
of the dead man's lover, is a stylish and
emotionally complex take on the mystery
genre. While the secondary plot about
Houck's shame at not protecting his
brother from a presumed sexual predator
adds texture to his fear of gays, it does slow
the pace of Rice's otherwise action-packed,
roller-coaster story.
Blind Fall can be purchased at either
location of Carmichael’s Bookstore: 1295
Bardstown Road and 2720 Frankfort
Avenue in Louisville.
Back Soon
by Cubby Britches
Crisply told and delving into areas we've
never seen examined in flm before, Rob
Williams' Back Soon is a remarkable step-
up from his frst endeavor Long-Term
Relationship. Using the same two lead
actors, Williams story is impressive from the
moment the flm begins.
Logan is recovering from the death of his
wife when he meets Gil. Te two men hit it
of immediately, and they both know it's not
just friendship. After a drunken night that
ends up in the sack, the two men become
physically aware of their attraction to one
another. Both men identify as straight, but
for some reason, they are very hot for each
other.
As their relationship develops, the two
men realize that “powers from the other
side” are having an infuence on their lives.
Friends and family are shocked at the two
new lovers, some are supportive when the
facts are revealed, some are most decidedly
not. All is well until Gil reveals his sordid
past and events spin out of control.
With fne acting from both Matthew
Montgomery and Windham Beacham,
Williams' new flm is solid. Te story is
golden and the flm very captivating.
Back Soon is available for rent at Wild
& Woolly Video, 1021 Bardstown Road in
Louisville.
booK MarKs
ViDeo reVieW
Q
PUZZLE
ANSWERS
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from page 23
F R E E
On l i n e Da t i n g
oKCupid.com
thing? Says our observer of gay dating mores, "I think that gay men get a bad rap for being
sex-obsessed. We understand that sex is a really major part of romantic compatibility, and
many of us would rather not spend time and efort cultivating an ongoing relationship with
someone who eventually turns out to be lousy in bed. Yes, there are those men who have sex
as readily as they shake hands, but I bet most of them would say it doesn't devalue sex - or
romance - as long as they don't feel that their genitals are all they have to ofer. Hey, I met
my boyfriend at a bar, we ended up in bed within an hour, and eight years later, we're still
together."
Bottom line? Whether you bring fowers or a condom - or both - going on a frst date
can be a nerve-stretching ordeal, or a joyous meeting of hearts and minds. If crotches get
together, too, that can be lovely. On the other hand, you might want to leave something to
look forward to, on the second date or thereafter.
And either way, ain't love grand?
seX talK
Continued from page 23
Simon Sheppard is the editor of Homosex: Sixty Years of Gay Erotica, and the author of Sex Parties 101, Kinkorama,
and In Deep: Erotic Stories, and can be reached at [email protected].
Living Large In River City: Chubs &
Chasers Group Welcomes members
Men come in all shapes and sizes. Even a twink town like Louisville has its
bears. Yes friends, there are fat gay men! So consider yourself invited to join
the Google group Louisville Chubs and Chasers where you’ll meet a some plus-
size guys and probably some admirers too.
Louisville Chubs and Chasers is defnitely not a weight loss group! Louisville
Chubs and Chasers, however, is a social group where the emphasis is on having
a good time, meeting other chubs and guys that like chubs.
The website address for Louisville Chubs and Chasers is groups.google.com/
group/LouisvilleChubs.
26 The LeTTer www.TheLeTTeronLine.com JUne 2008
"Take bold risks,
Aquarius!"
by Jack Fertig
Everyone is being just a bit too fabulous for
words! Mercury is retrograde, so his alignment
with Venus and the Sun is a bit more like a
collision of verbosity and overaffected efforts
at charm. Mars in Leo is feeding the frenzy.
Remember Lucy and Ethel at charm school? It's
that kind of week!
ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Baby
wants to play, but you are atypically
given more to talk than action now.
Chatty word games and rambling are not usually
your style, but go with it for now. Don't be afraid
to look silly.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20):
Buying or tossing out household items
could easily be a mistake. Instead try
rearranging things and seeing them
in a new light. This is a great time to locate
problems in domestic fnances, but solving them
should wait a few weeks.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): You're
going to trip over your tongue no
matter what you're talking about. Best
to keep it light, nonconfrontational,
and all in good humor so you can laugh with your
friends over your own malapropisms and faux
pas.
CANCER (June 21- July 22): Hide
the plastic, and keep the cash out
of reach. Any urge to display your
good taste is best done as tasteful
restraint - and no, that doesn't mean buying
handcuffs that match the bedposts! Take time
out with someone you value most.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): Everyone
says you look fabulous - and you do!
You're all cranked up, looking and
thinking three steps ahead, but are you really
three steps ahead going in the right direction?
Check with friends who care about more than
looking fabulous.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22):
Someone behind the scenes offers to
help you up the ladder. Some secrets
may be revealed in the process, but that can also
work in your favor. Everyone's screwing up some
these days, but your mistakes - and the way you
handle them - look good!
LIBRA (September 23 - October
22): You could charm anyone into
believing your stories and arguments,
even if they contain mistakes. Leave room for
later revisions! Better just to radiate charm and
energy; save the important facts for later.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November
21): Seems everybody wants a taste
of what you've got! If you do play
around, none of it will be secret. You could get a
reputation as a great lover, but what would your
boss and your partner say?
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 -
December 20): Misunderstandings
with your partner actually open new
doors that could improve your relationship.
Explore new pleasures and possibilities together.
If anything seems disappointing, you might want
to try again a few weeks later.
CAPRICORN (December 21 -
January 19): Anyone playing around
should make regular visits to the
clinic. When was your last time? If you have a
clean bill of health, you can have a great time
practicing any erotic techniques you'd like to
develop.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February
18): Be creative! Be daring! Take bold
risks and be willing to fall down and
look utterly ridiculous. A good pratfall can be
endearing, helping to improve your partnership or
to fnd a good candidate for one.
PISCES (February 19 - March 19):
You have the housecleaning energy and
lack of focus typical of a speed freak.
Try to concentrate on one specifc task
or goal at a time. You'll soon be dissatisfed with
the results, but that's OK. Housework always
needs redoing!
Q
SCOPES
H
H
H H
Jack Fertig has been a
professional astrologer
since 1977.
JUne 2008 www.TheLeTTeronLine.com The LeTTer 27
CALENDAR oF UPCoMiNG EVENTS
June 6-8 Festival of the Gods - Toga Party
June 13-15 Country Western Weekend -
Ride a Wild Cowboy!
June 20-22 Pride in the Country -
Come Celebrate Who You Are!
June 27-29 Summer Kick Of Weekend - Pool Party!
July 3-6 Independence Day Celebration!
July 11-13 Bears Invade Stag Run
2 1 5 0 Ov e r l OOk D r i v e , Ma u c k p Or t, i N 4 7 1 4 2 ( 8 1 2 ) 7 3 2 - 8 0 9 4
www.stagrunclub.com
stag run club
A World of Diference in Camping
S tag r uN c l ub S al ut e S gay p r i De !

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