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your guide to the 2011
Sydney Pride Festival
page 19
Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper
Est. 1979
www.starobserver.com.au
Issue 1077
Gillard
marriage
stance
‘mean’
Queer Screen
to support
filmmakers
ANDREW M. POTTS
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has
defended her Government’s policy of
refusing gay and lesbian Australians the
Certificates of No Impediment (CNIs)
to wed, which they need to marry
overseas, after Independent MP Andrew
Wilkie questioned her in Parliament on
Tuesday.
Wilkie complained that “the
Government refuses to issue CNIs to
same-sex couples seeking to marry
in countries allowing same-sex
marriage despite the Senate Legal
and Constitutional Affairs Committee
recommending in 2009 that the
Government should do so — in the
understanding that Australians overseas
should comply with the laws of the
country they are visiting.”
“Prime Minister, the ban on issuing
CNIs to same-sex couples looks petty
and mean-spirited. Will you lift it?”
In response, Gillard claimed that CNIs
were about Australian law not foreign
laws, contradicting the committee’s
findings.
“What a certificate of no impediment
means is that there is no impediment to
the recognition of that marriage under
Australian law,” Gillard said.
“Given that under Australian law
through the Marriage Act a marriage is
between a man and a woman it would
not be proper to issue a certificate of
no impediment because in truth we do
not have the mechanism under current
law to recognise a same-sex marriage
overseas.”
Gillard acknowledged support for
same-sex marriage among MPs and the
wider community but the Government’s
position would not change.
“I’ve made my views very well known,
Tell us your thoughts
tar nline
and the position of the Government is
also very well known, but I am under no
illusion that members in this place and
members of the Australian community
more broadly have different views on
the question of same-sex marriage as is
the way of things in our great Australian
democracy.
“I’m sure we will continue to debate
that. But with the Certificates of No
Impediment to wed, it would only be
proper to issue those if Australian law
changed. Of course my view and the
view of the Government is that there
should be no change in Australian law
in the terms of the Marriage Act.”
Australian Marriage Equality national
convenor Alex Greenwich said Gillard’s
claims were concerning.
“She continues to be misinformed on
an issue which is growing in importance
for same-sex couples in Australia,” he
said.
“A CNI is a document that a foreign
country requires for something that
will occur in a foreign country — it has
nothing to do with Australian law.
“Should an Australian citizen be
convicted in a foreign country, we in
most cases respect that law but should
an Australian want to marry in a foreign
country that is when the Government
chooses to step in and stop it from
happening.
“I think Mr Wilkie is right to refer to
the Government’s policy in this regard
as being petty and mean-spirited.”
Wednesday 15 June 2011
Wolf howls no more
Once infamous for his on-stage temper tantrums, English singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf has
found a calmer, more positive outlook on life — something he credits to his relationship with his
husband-to-be William.
Full story: pg 11
Queer Screen will assist people
to make movies, not just screen
them, as part of the organisation’s
restructure.
Queer Screen president Monica
Considine told the Star Observer
that over the last five years the
demographics of Mardi Gras Film
Festival attendees had changed.
“With ticket sales, the trend has
been down over the last five years,”
Considine said.
“Slightly, year on year, the
audience participation has gone
down and that’s probably because
people are now accessing queer
content in a lot of different ways —
through the Sydney Film Festival,
by downloading it, and other
avenues.
“In recognition of that, we’re
going to do something a bit
different. We’re going to try to
ensure that Queer Screen is actively
helping filmmakers to make film,
not just screen it.
“We’re also going to provide a
number of filmmaker-in-residence
positions — we’re going to give three
filmmakers a free work space.”
Queer Screen hopes to
have a pilot program for the
filmmaker-in-residence program
implemented by August following
its annual donation drive. A formal
announcement of the program
and how to apply will be made
before then.
Considine said Queer Screen
would be willing to consider any
GLBTI-themed screen project
submitted to them.
“We’re open to anything at all,”
she said. “We’re not going to make
any restrictions on age or what the
person is doing but the board will
decide once those submissions
come in.”
Queer Screen has also begun
its annual donations drive with a
fundraising target of $50,000.
All donations are tax deductible
and can be made by Electronic
Funds Transfer to the Queer Screen
Ltd Public Fund, BSB: 032 023,
Account No: 219503, or by cheques
made out to the Queer Screen
Public Fund and mailed to PO Box
1081 Darlinghurst, NSW 1300.
Inside this week
1114
The Essential
Fiona O’Loughlin
Issue: 1077 - Wednesday 15 June 2011
01 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News
03 . . . Community Contacts
10 . . . . . International News
10 . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Stargayzing
11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Story
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forum
14 . . . . . . . . . . .Entertainment
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scene Guide
19 . . . . . . Pride Week Guide
28 . . . . . . . Business Directory
30 . . . . . . . Classified Directory
32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scene
40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sport
Patrick Wolf
is in love
download the entire paper from our website
Keep up to date with all our
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@star_observer
community contacts
Domestic Violence Line
1800 656463
Manly Sexual
Health Clinic
8/18 Whistler St Manly
9977 3288
Harbour City Bears
Ph: 8572 9913
www.hcbears.com
ANDREW M. POTTS
Like the Star Observer page to
keep track of us on Facebook
1800 009 448
15
Win
Wild
Energy
CDs
BGF rethinks
fundraising
Follow us on ONLINE
Gay Men’s Health Hotline
17
Michael Feinstein
on marriage
and Judge Judy
Two nights with a king
Paul Capsis will appear at the Basement on June 24 and 25 for two intimate shows,
paying homage to his personal musical influences and performing songs from his
latest acclaimed album, Make Me A King. Accompanied by an extraordinary jazz
trio comprising Alister Spence, Lloyd Swanton and Toby Hall, the repertoire will
include songs of REM, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Dinah
Washington and a few surprises. Tickets through Moshtix.
The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF)
is reconsidering the way it raises funds
after events staged during the financial
year 2009-2010 cost the organisation
$38,203 more than they returned, while
a merchandising trial lost $1346 and will
be discontinued.
BGF president Martin Walsh told the
Star Observer the Charitable Fundraising
Act required charities to take into account
indirect and direct staff costs.
“This had a particularly big impact on
the Glamstand result, given it absorbs a
lot of time from senior management and
many staff. Suffice to say, it is something
we are considering in the future,” he said.
“In terms of events, we see a strong
role for BGF in bringing our community
together. In the future we will also be
working to ensure this important role for
our events is achieved profitably for our
clients too. We are sure we can achieve
both objectives.”
In the BGF Impact Report 2009-2010,
Walsh wrote it was a “sad reflection on a
community that has been so decimated
by HIV in the last 30 years that only
674 people are now regular donors to
BGF, the primary organisation in NSW
providing care and support for HIV
positive people”.
“We currently support 1500 clients —
our goal over the next three years is to
increase the number of regular donors to
equal the number of positive people BGF
supports.”
Walsh said the organisation had lost
2 percent of its regular donors during
media speculation about an Office of
tar nline
Liquor, Gaming and Racing investigation
into its bookkeeping, but revenue from
the organisation’s Friends program was
rising.
He said he hoped the detailed
information in the report about BGF’s staff,
structure and finances that went far beyond
what legally needed to be disclosed would
clear up misconceptions about how the
organisation spent its money.
“We are grateful for the opportunity
to explain to people how difficult it is to
successfully fundraise, especially via an
events-based program,” Walsh said.
“Other programs, such as our Friends
program and donations, are clearly
showing better returns to clients as they
are run at substantially lower cost. Wellrun and well-produced events, which
BGF has prided itself on, are proving
increasingly expensive. We must do
better.”
The organisation’s financial picture
improved slightly on the previous
financial year, with a deficit of $482,614
— down from $783,401.
In the current financial year, BGF has
reduced administration expenses by
9.25 percent and cut three positions in
administration and fundraising.
BGF raised $304,181 from all
fundraising activities, which was applied
to client financial assistance payments
which amounted to $347,446.
The Star
3
news
Prizes galore
at BGF Bake-off
star community
out at work survey
A University of New England survey is looking
at whether a positive sexual diversity policy in
the workplace creates a more accepting work
environment: http://tinyurl.com/3nozmln
SPANISH GAY CINEMA
Film series on Spanish gay cinema every
Wednesday, June 1 - 29 at 6.30pm, Instituto
Cervantes de Sídney, 22 - 24 City Rd, Chippendale.
GAMMA DINNER
The Gay and Married Men’s Association’s
dinner is at Vamp’s Bistro, 227 Glenmore Rd,
Paddington, June 15, 7pm. Pre-dinner speaker:
Ian Roberts. RSVP via www.gamma.org.au
co-parenting night
A social night for prospective rainbow parents
will be held at the Zanzibar Cafe, 323 King St,
Newtown, on Wednesday, June 15, 7pm. For
more information, call Paul on 0412 202 284.
RSVP: [email protected]
BIKE RIDE
The Blacktown Outdoors Group is having a
bike ride from Tempe to Homebush Bay (along
the Cooks River cycleway) and return on
Saturday, June 18. Meet on the western side of
Tempe Railway Station at 9.30am. info: www.
blacktownoutdoorsgroup.com.au
pflag meeting
PFLAG next monthly meeting, party, Wednesday,
June 22, at Wesley Lodge Motel, cnr
Hawkesbury and Queens Rds, Westmead,
7.30pm. Call Judy 0439 466 125 for more
information or visit www.pflagaustralia.org.au
Hepatitis C workshop
Clinic 16 presents a one-day workshop
designed for nurses, midwives and allied
health staff. Tuesday, June 28 at Royal North
Shore Community Health Centre, St Leonards.
Cost: $55 includes lunch (free for NSW Health
employees). RSVP to [email protected].
nsw.gov.au by June 21.
BGF WINTER APPEAL
Make a tax-deductible donation to the
Bobby Goldsmith Foundation before June 30.
Online form is at www.bgf.org.au/site/index.
php?pageID=215
bears agm
Harbour City Bears AGM is set for Sunday, July
3. More info at www.harbourcitybears.com.au
Natalie’s
musical
makeover
After her recent reinvention
as a dance diva with the
track Dreamer, Australian
Idol winner Natalie Gauci has
released a brilliant new soulinfluenced single Best Of Me,
from her 2010 EP I’m Ready.
To celebrate, she’ll take to
the road later this month for
a national tour, playing in
Sydney — June 24 in Kings
Cross, 25 in Coogee and 26
in Cronulla — before hitting
Bennett’s Lane in Melbourne
on July 3.
info: www.nataliegauci.
com.au
NMG overhauls structure
ANDREW M. POTTS
New Mardi Gras (NMG) is overhauling
the way its board works ahead of its AGM,
which will also see changes to the way
members and candidates interact.
The board will no longer be involved
in the operations of the company and
will limit itself to corporate governance
and strategy roles while overseeing the
company’s finances.
And a new code of conduct has been
drawn up for board nominees, and
candidates will no longer be provided
with member email addresses.
NMG will create seven new
subcommittees — on top of its existing
governance, finance, nominations, and
audit and risk subcommittees — each to
be run by a board member.
The new committees will cover the areas
of strategy, women, youth, fundraising,
legal and community engagement and
will include NMG employees from
relevant parts of the organisation.
NMG co-chair Peter Urmson told the
Star Observer the organisation was in a
state of transition.
“In the past the board has been very
hands-on and operational,” Urmson
tar nline
said. “But the board is moving from
an operational board to a board of
governance so it can focus on the strategy
and the direction of the organisation and
oversee what’s happening financially
to make sure we have those additional
controls and measures in place.
“We have reached the point in our
maturity that if we don’t do this we won’t
necessarily have subject matter experts we
need from an operational perspective.”
At the August 6 AGM, members will
be again be asked to consider ways of
protecting the company’s intellectual
property rights, as well as applying for
Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
Co-chair Steph Sands said NMG had
been trying to determine how to move
forward with intellectual property (IP)
protection for almost a decade.
“The board will be taking to the AGM
a proposal around IP protection and
structure. That will be preceded by a
round of community consultation so that
by the AGM everyone will have had time
to read the material and come back to us
with any questions, so it’s a matter of a
simple vote yes or no,” she said.
“There will also be a couple of motions
regarding the DGR status of the company
which will allow us to be, in all cases, a
charity.”
At the last AGM Sands told members
she would not stand for the board again.
However, Urmson told the Star Observer
he had asked her to reconsider.
Urmson said as well as the new
nominee code of conduct at this year’s
AGM — which is voluntary — NMG
would consider legal action against any
past nominees using the membership
base to email members.
“If they’re not standing then that would
be considered spamming and they would
be contravening the Spam Act and we
would follow that through to protect our
members,” Urmson said.
info: The New Mardi Gras Members and
Community Forum is at 10am on Saturday,
June 25 at the new ACON premises at 414
Elizabeth St, Surry Hills. The AGM is in the
same venue from 1pm on Saturday, August 6.
The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation
has announced the auction prizes
available at its annual Bake-Off, to
be held at Slide Bar on Sunday, June
19.
Prizes on offer for winning bakers
include everything from theatre
tickets and luxury fashion items to a
collection of X-rated sex toys.
“The prizes on offer this year are
a great mix, from outrageous items
from the Toolshed to a champagne
cruise for 10 on Sydney Harbour,”
president Martin Walsh said.
Also up for grabs are pieces of
collectible sporting memorabillia
(signed NRL and AFL jerseys) and
tickets to productions by Bangarra,
Griffith Theatre, Belvoir and The
Last Emperor ballet at the State
Theatre.
Competitors can enter their
culinary creations into one of eight
categories: Best Cake, Best Cake
(Professional), Best Decorated Cake,
Best Fete Baking, Best Preserves
(Jams and Pickles), Best Tart, Best
Non-Edible Cake and the new Best
Cupcakes category.
Guests at the Bake-Off will be
entertained by hostess Verushka
Darling, plus entertainment from
DJs, drag queens, singers and
El’Circo acts, complementing the
circus theme of this year’s event.
The move to Slide has reduced
BGF’s costs, as the venue has the
infrastructure already in place to
display the cake entries and hold
the auction, ensuring more money
that would have otherwise been
spent on the event can go to client
services.
Competitors’ entry forms must
be received by 5pm on Wednesday,
June 15, with cakes to be delivered
to Slide between 11am and 12.30pm
on the day of the Bake-Off. All cakes
will be auctioned or sold as slices.
All proceeds from the event will
go towards programs supporting
people with HIV.
A $15 donation at the door applies
for those attending the auction. The
Bake-Off runs from 2–6pm.
info: www.bgf.org.au/Bake_Off_2011
The Star
5
news
No need to hibernate
Glam
girls
Winter may have begun bringing with it some cold weather,
but that doesn’t mean the Mid North Coast is going into
hibernation!
Port Macquarie-based GLBTIQ social group Out ’N Hastings
launched their new website at the ACON offices in Port
Macquarie. Visit www.outnhastings.org.au for details on
upcoming events and contact details for this newly revived
social group.
Chaplins is a support group for HIV positive women in the
Coffs Harbour area. They meet once a month for a coffee and
a chat. Contact Anabell at ACON in Coffs Harbour on 02 6651
6017 for more information.
The Harbour Youth Service, in conjunction with ACON, will
start a six-week course for same-sex attracted young people in
July. It will be held once a week and will cover topics such as
coming out, sexual health, and sexuality. Spread the word and
contact the Harbour Youth Service on 02 6652 7124 or the ACON
Office in Coffs Harbour to register your interest in attending.
NAIDOC Week is the first week in July. Events in the
area include the Galambila fun day with lots of food and
entertainment for the little ones. Contact Galambila on 02 6652
0800 for details and visit www.naidoc.org.au for information on
other events in the area.
An Outreach Officer from ACON is available for appointments
on some clinic days at Kempsey Sexual Health. If you wish to
talk about things you might need support with, ranging from
treatments information through to Centrelink issues or coming
out, make an appointment through Clinic 33 on 0418 207 939.
The gorgeous Glamma Rays, featuring
Jodi Phillis of ’90s band The Clouds,
Genevieve Davis, Malika Elizabeth and
Tiffany Sinton, will perform at Slide
on Wednesday, June 22. The ladies
will enchant and soothe your soul
with their irresistible harmonies and
timeless, original songs. Dinner and
show $60, show only $20.
info: www.slide.com.au
A UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS
has included gay men for the first time ever
following a high-level meeting on AIDS in
New York last week.
Point 29 of the declaration, which was
adopted by the UN General Assembly, reads
that states and governments note “that
many national HIV prevention strategies
inadequately focus on populations that
epidemiological evidence shows are at higher
risk, specifically men who have sex with men
(MSM), people who inject drugs and sex
workers, and further note, however, that each
country should define the specific populations
that are key to its epidemic and response,
based on the epidemiological and national
context”.
The declaration also sets a target of providing
6
The Star
15 million people with anti-retroviral drugs
by 2015 and ending HIV transmission by
pregnancy by the same year.
The Global Forum on MSM & HIV
(MSMGF) and the Australian Federation of
AIDS Organisations (AFAO) have welcomed
the declaration.
“The inclusion of men who have sex with
men and other key populations is a major
turning point in the global political discourse
that has dominated the first 30 years of global
HIV response,” MSMGF executive officer Dr
George Ayala said.
“With HIV rates among MSM now
surpassing 30 percent in countries from Asia to
the Caribbean, this language is well overdue.”
The declaration also recognises that the full
realisation of human rights for all people is an
essential part of the global AIDS response.
“The prevention and treatment goals
enshrined in this document cannot be met
unless the global AIDS response is reshaped
to address MSM and other key populations,”
Ayala said.
The declaration “sets the framework for a
reshaped global response to HIV and opens
the door for much wider recognition of gay
men/MSM … in the very wide range of normal
social relations in which we all participate daily
— and soon, we hope, also for trans people,”
MSMGF co-chair Don Baxter said.
Baxter was part of the Australian delegation
to the meeting.
AFAO executive director Rob Lake also
noted the omission of transgender people.
However, he said the statement would be a
powerful tool in getting marginalised groups a
seat at the table.
paradise pickings
ANDREW M. POTTS
anabell thoener
UN HIV/AIDS declaration includes MSM
info: For more about groups, services, organisations or
events on the Mid North Coast, contact Anabell Thoener,
Coffs Harbour 02 6651 6017 Email [email protected].
au Glenn Ferrero, Port Macquarie 02 6584 0943 Email
[email protected]
Anabell Thoener is ACON’s Health Promotion Outreach
Officer in Coffs Harbour.
news
Lobby with Pride
Gay actor heads for Vegas
When openly gay actor Kristian Mynott (pictured, left) took a role in the
short film A DIY Funeral early this year, he didn’t imagine it would send
him all the way to Las Vegas. But the black comedy, in which Mynott
plays the partner of one of three brothers dealing with their dead
mother’s unusual funeral request, has taken out a Silver Ace Award at
the annual Las Vegas Short Film Festival.
Director Meagan Kae and Mynott will attend the July 14 ceremony.
info: www.adiyfuneral.com
Gay and lesbian Australians have been
honoured in this year’s Queen’s Birthday
Honours List.
Out former Democrats senator Brian
Greig was honoured for his services to the
community as a social justice advocate
for the gay and lesbian community with
an Order of Australia Medal.
The former head of the Australian
Medical Association (AMA), Dr Kerryn
Phelps, was named a Member of the
Order of Australia for service to medicine
through leadership roles with the AMA,
to education and community health, and
as a general practitioner.
Greig became involved in GLBTI rights
activism during the 1990s and helped
establish the Australian Council for
Lesbian and Gay Rights — a forerunner
of national GLBTI rights lobby group the
Australian Coalition for Equality.
In his maiden speech after being
elected to the Senate in 1998, Greig
called for equality for same-sex attracted
Australians.
Greig also introduced a bill which
would have outlawed discrimination
against GLBTIs under federal law before
leaving Parliament in 2005.
He told the Star Observer the award
was a great honour which had caused
him to reflect on 22 years as a campaigner
for GLBTI rights.
“When I started campaigning on
WA law reform in 1989, gay men were
threatened with 14 years in prison,” he
said.
“Now my home state has equal
ages of consent, anti-discrimination
laws, partnership recognition, access
to adoption and the Family Court and
there’s a national discussion happening
around equal marriage.
“Our laws have changed and so have
community attitudes, which is more
important.
“It’s been my privilege to be a
spokesperson and advocate both in and
out of Parliament to push for change.”
Phelps is a same-sex marriage
campaigner. She married her partner,
Jackie Stricker, in New York in 1998 and
was previously awarded the Centenary
Medal in 2001 for service to Australian
society and medicine.
Phelps told the Star Observer she was
honoured to have been nominated by
her colleagues in the medical field, and
the award had come as a surprise.
“The sort of work I do sometimes puts
me on a collision course with the status
quo, which is quite deliberate, so when
you’re being an agent of change you’re
not really expecting a pat on the back,”
she said.
kellie mcdonald - nsw glrl
ANDREW M. POTTS
speaking out
Honours for Greig and Phelps
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights
Lobby (GLRL) is excited about
the upcoming Pride Festival, due
to kick off on June 16, which
commemorates the New York
Stonewall Riots.
The 1969 Riots provided a
platform for people to begin
organising, protesting and
mobilising around the LGBT rights.
While the festival is an opportunity
to celebrate how far we’ve come
in securing better human rights
protections for LGBTI people, it
is also an opportunity to come
together and discuss what still
needs to be done.
The recent Australian Human
Rights Commission’s report
into discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation, sex and
gender identity found that LGBTI
people still experience systemic
discrimination in many areas of
their lives.
The GLRL will give community
members a chance to discuss
experiences of discrimination
at the launch of our Uncloseting
Discrimination workshop series.
We will launch the consultation
workshop series at Stonewall Hotel
on June 23 at 7pm.
Thanks to generous funding from
the City of Sydney, the GLRL will
facilitate a number of workshops
in July to better understand how
discrimination affects members of
LGBTI communities.
Each anti-discrimination
workshop will target specific LGBTI
demographics such as youth, older
people, culturally and linguistically
diverse communities, and
transgender, intersex and other sex
and/or gender diverse communities.
We want to explore issues of
discrimination with individuals and
groups who do not always get a
chance to have their voices heard.
These workshops will give
community members an opportunity
to voice their opinions of how
current legislative protections can
be improved, which we can feed
into the federal Government’s
anti-discrimination harmonisation
project. The project is reviewing
federal anti-discrimination law,
with the view to include protections
for sex, sexuality and gender
diverse people.
The workshops will also aim to
educate people about the current
state of NSW and federal antidiscrimination laws.
For details about these
workshops visit www.glrl.org.au. To
RSVP to these workshops, please
email our senior policy advisor at
[email protected]
The Star
7
news
john meyer
daddy dearest
The swan
It is 1990. I stand in front of the mirror and
pluck the hair in the space between my eyes
that should be a natural clearing in the forest
of eyebrow.
The skin between my cheekbones all the
way down to the small of my back is a teenage
minefield of angry red pimples. People look at
me, it seems, laced with pity.
My body has deserted me when I need it most.
I am unconfident and unsure. At night I go to bed
and pray, beg even, that a miracle is bestowed
on me. If my skin is clear, one day I will return the
favour in kind to those who need it most.
Typical Catholic boy. A miracle in return for
some forgettable mortal act. Nevertheless, I
find myself wishing I can pass through school
undetected. Perhaps then even I could stop
noticing myself in the mirror.
Girls find me awkward, I can be their friend.
Boys find me sissy and don’t pick me for their
team sports.
My friends find me quiet and I feel lost in
a world I’m sure I am never going to fit into.
Paranoia and awkwardness break the flow in
my walk. I find it difficult to look up.
It is 2005. I am precariously perched in a
corner in my first gay bar experience. I wonder
why people are looking. I have more than 15
years of the gym behind me, I own two separate
eyebrows and the skin that had been tried for
treason has remorsefully restored itself.
There are no women in the bar, just men. The
lingering looks, the red glow of light and mutual
eye wrestles take their toll and I leave. I still feel
awkward and obvious for all the wrong reasons.
It is 2011. I’m sitting on the side of my bed.
It’s sunny outside and I momentarily remember
the feeling of a time gone by. Maybe I was not
the ugly duckling with the wrong family around
me, rather a cygnet in a duck’s world.
Today, those closest to me see the teenage
wish repaid in the way I thought best. Repaid
in words. Sentences that remind us all that we
may have grown up in or still live within the
confines of awkward.
Fear not. Because today, you and I are the
swan.
info: Follow John on Twitter @daddydearest_
AHRC criticises Government
ANDREW M. POTTS
In the wake of polling showing 75 percent
of Australians believe same-sex marriage
is inevitable, the Australian Human Rights
Commission (AHRC) has expressed
concern over the Gillard Government’s
disregarding of a United Nations
recommendation that Australia move
towards marriage equality.
AHRC president Catherine Branson
said the Government had accepted, or
accepted in part, more than 90 percent
of recommendations made during the
UPR and had undertaken to report back
in two years to the UN Human Rights
Council on how it is implementing these
8
The Star
recommendations.
However, she said the AHRC was
disappointed the Government had
rejected other recommendations such
as the introduction of a Human Rights
Act, same-sex marriage recognition, and
compensation for the Stolen Generations.
“The Commission will continue to
monitor and advocate for improved human
rights protections in Australia, including
in relation to immigration matters and
other recommendations not accepted by
the Government,” Branson said.
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
(GLRL) was also unimpressed with the
Government’s refusal to act on marriage
and used its response to the UPR to press
for the promised inclusion of sexual
orientation in federal anti-discrimination
laws.
“While it is pleasing Australia is reforming
anti-discrimination laws to include sexual
orientation and gender identity, Australia
is falling behind comparable jurisdictions
which have full marriage equality,” GLRL
co-convenor Kellie McDonald said.
“Marriage is a civil institution, governed
by secular laws. The Government
should act immediately on the UPR
recommendations, and amend the
Marriage Act to ensure all people can
marry.”
Aboriginal artist on show
Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery at Bondi Beach is currently holding the first
exhibition of contemporary Indigenous artist Arone Meeks (pictured) in
more than 10 years. Meeks is not only a highly regarded Indigenous artist
— he is also a gay rights activist, with a strong presence in the Cairns gay
community. Fellow artist Rosella Namok will share the gallery space with
Meeks for this exhibition, running until July 2.
info: www.cooeeart.com.au
PARIS
stargayzing
aries
taurus
gemini
cancer
leo
virgo
21 MAR - 20 APR
21 apr - 21 may
22 may - 21 June
22 JUN - 23 JUL
24 JUL - 23 AUG
24 Aug - 23 Sep
You will be a big bossy boots this
week with Jupiter and Uranus in
your personal sign, so be careful
with what you say and how you say
it. Fortunately, Venus is sending you
good vibrations. This will mean you
have the charm to get out of difficult
situations. As for romance, slow and
steady will win the race. Tip of the
week: clean your bedroom because
it looks like the Russian army went
through it.
You have the charming and sexy
planets Venus, Mars and Mercury
hovering around your first astrological
house. Your love life is very exciting
this week. Be careful not to overspend
trying to impress your new romance.
Save some cash for yourself. Your
diary will overflow with social
engagements due to these three
socialites of the zodiac sending
everyone cosmic invitations on your
behalf.
Your mind is ready to take a leap
of faith based on recurring visions
that have led you a certain way.
Take the next step by booking a trip,
networking and marking out the path
to reach your goals. Elimination of
all things that detract from your style
is still essential. Cosmic forces are
propelling you toward an ideal dream
that can only be realised by taking a
risk and walking the walk. Strut.
Secretive and seductive planetoid
Pluto languishes in your love zone
this week. While it is beneficial to sit
back and watch from afar, it is also
essential for you to know how and
when to pounce. Subtlety is the key,
as is an evolved knowledge of who
you are and what you really need from
your relationships. Be discerning. On
the work front, calling your workmates
“stupid” would be an insult to stupid
people.
The best salespeople make
suggestions, not assertions. They let
their prospects persuade themselves.
This week the more you push your
point, the more you may push away
the person whose cooperation you
need. Your communication skills are
being compromised and this is making
everything seem tense. Don’t lead
— guide. Don’t argue — ask clever
questions. If you’re subtle, you’ll find
the agreement you seek.
You have the reflective moon and
dreamy Neptune in your house of love
this week. It’s full steam ahead in the
love department now. Whatever was
holding you back in the past is now
no longer an issue. Be careful when
talking to anyone you adore, though,
not to come across as too intense,
neither too quick to anger nor in any
way, er, stalker-like or obsessive. It’s
not what you say but how you say it!
global gay
UK
Muslims behind
‘gay-free zone’
MINISTERS FOR MARRIAGE
USA: Seventy United Methodist ministers in
Minnesota have signed a statement at the
church’s state conference saying they will marry
same-sex couples in contradiction of church
policy and state laws. Despite Minneapolis, the
state’s largest city, having been dubbed “the
gayest city in America”, Minnesota does not
recognise same-sex relationships and same-sex
marriage is banned. The move was in reaction
to opponents of marriage equality putting up a
constitutional ban on same-sex marriage as a
ballot initiative, which will be voted on in 2012,
as a further obstacle to reform.
One of the perpetrators of a hate campaign
in which stickers declared London’s East
End a ‘gay-free zone’ has been convicted
and fined the equivalent of $250.
CCTV cameras caught Mohammed
Hasnath putting up four of the stickers, and
he admitted giving them to other young
Muslims to put up.
He claimed other Muslims gave him the
stickers and estimated that hundreds had
been put up in the area.
The stickers carried the phrase “Arise
and warn and fear Allah: Verily Allah is
severe in punishment”, with a picture of
the gay flag inside a black circle with a line
across it and the words “gay-free zone”.
SCOUTS WANT GAYS
UK: The UK’s Scout Association has launched a
campaign to recruit more gay scouts and scout
leaders to head off confusion over whether gay
people can join the organisation. The Boy Scouts
of America bans gay people from participating
but the British Scout Association, which has
allowed women to participate since 1991,
allows gay teens and adults to join. The Scouts
have produced an advisory document to guide
scout leaders help scouts who come out to
them, and scouts will be allowed to participate
in gay Pride events in their uniforms. The move
has been attacked by conservative Christians.
GAY DISNEY DAYS
USA: A Christian group in Florida spent
$US6500 hiring an aircraft to pull three-metre
high banners through the sky to warn families
about the annual Gay Days at Disney World.
The Florida Family Association was concerned
that families attending the theme park on the
days would be confronted by same-sex couples
hugging and kissing each other, and claims
thousands of families have their holidays ruined
when they discover they have arrived at the park
on a Gay Day. Since 1991, the event has evolved
into the weeklong Pride festival for the city of
Orlando, attracting 150,000 visitors each year.
10
The Star
israel
Malawi
Gays ‘not people’
Israel’s Deputy Education Minister,
Menachem Eliezer Moses, has
claimed that GLBTs are not real
people in response to the Speaker of
the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin, meeting
with GLBT groups during Pride
Month.
“They aren’t people like everyone
else,” the United Torah Judaism
politician told news media. “In
the Torah it says that this is an
abomination.
“It’s hard for me to believe that
the Knesset speaker will go to the
event. It’s unlike a Jew like Rivlin to
participate in something like this.”
Jack Gilbert, co-chair of GLBT group
Rainbow Hamlets and a member of
a nearby synagogue, said the stickers
reminded him of signs the Nazis had put
up in Germany.
“When I see that sticker, I see the signs
my mother saw in the 1930s which actually
carried less suggestion of punishment,” he
told the court.
Gilbert had initially wanted to believe
the stickers were the work of British
nationalists wanting to stir up animosity
against British Muslims.
Hasnath pleaded guilty to the public
order offence of using threatening or
abusive words or behaviour.
Another conservative religious MK
from the Shas party, Nissim Ze’ev,
warned of the dangers of inviting
“the dark side of society” into the
Knesset, which would encourage “the
destruction of the family unit”.
“Their lifestyle harms the Jewish
people,” Ze’ev said.
Ze’ev said that rather than inviting
in GLBT groups, which was “an insult
to the Knesset’s honor, and an insult
to Muslims and to traditional Jews,”
the Knesset should “direct these
people to start families and continue
in the traditions of Judaism and of
mankind”.
Ex-president says gay OK
The former president of Botswana,
Festus Mogae, has criticised Malawi’s
laws against homosexuality as an
obstacle in the fight against HIV.
Mogae was on a five-day visit
to Malawi in his capacity as an
ambassador for the Champions For An
HIV-Free Generation initiative and told
a May 25 news conference that Malawi
should ensure that sexual orientation
or gender identity was not a reason for
criminal penalties, arrests or detention.
“People who practice homosexuality
should not be criminalised or
stigmatised to avoid the spread of new
infections,” Mogae said.
Malawi extended its anti-gay
legislation in February to outlaw sex
between women for the first time.
Section 137A of the Malawian criminal
code, “Indecent practices between
females”, states that any woman who, in
public or private, commits “any act of
gross indecency with another female”,
shall be guilty of an offence and liable
to a prison term of five years.
A Malawian gay couple were
arrested and sentenced to 14 years
in prison last year after they held an
engagement party. They received a
presidential pardon after worldwide
condemnation.
scorpio
sagittarius
capricorn
aquarius
pisces
24 SEP - 23 OCT
24 OCT - 22 NOV
23 Nov - 21 DEC
22 Dec - 20 jan
21 Jan - 19 Feb
20 FEB - 20 MAR
This week you have the two
comic giants, Jupiter and Uranus,
reorganising and reinventing your
house of love. Your increasing sense
of power and optimism may be
threatening to your friends and love
interests. Try to incorporate other
people’s feelings rather than ignoring
them. Jupiter in particular will reenergise your house of love and will
bring back a love from the past for one
more lesson.
The dreamy and reflective heavenly
bodies, the moon and Neptune,
swish around in your love zone. Deepseated psychological roots need to
be seen so that unsightly tripping will
be avoided. Know what makes you
say and act a certain way and you
will find the path of communication a
lot smoother than it has been in the
past. Healthy body mind required. On
the work front, work will be full with
extra work.
If there was ever a time to slay
negative thought forms, now is it.
Mercury’s shift away from Pluto
encourages you to get to the bottom
of all matters in an esoteric and
comprehensive way. Mars supports
you as your public representative
— this is not a time to be shy. By
morphing into one of your alternate
personalities and showing others how
well you can perform under pressure,
you will make room for goodwill.
The planetoid of secretive sex appeal,
Pluto, is in your first house. Charm
and charisma will be at a high for you
this week and your natural instincts
will give you an advantage over other
mere mortals. Determination and
drive is strong. With Jupiter’s luck on
your side, money will flow your way,
possibly an opportunity on the side
to bring in some extra bucks. Use
this pick-up line: “I’m not vain. I’m
just hot”.
On the work front, banter between
two important people will sway
you in your current ideas about
progressing with your career direction.
However, until you hear this banter, it
is impossible to say which direction
you’ll take. On the love front, the sun
shimmers in your love zone. You will
have a lot of luck. You will have a lot
of vitality and be bursting with energy.
With Pluto, the planet of
transformation and transition in your
friendship zone, Friends will need
to commiserate over heartache this
week. It’s a perfect excuse for you to
escape the midst of this tragedy and
to refresh yourself and focus. Use
a spa, shared hobbies or just a long
lunch to help a buddy get over their
love hump. On the work front, yes, you
are an agent of Satan, but your duties
are largely ceremonial.
info: Tarot, Astrology, Palmistry and
Gypsy Card Psychic Readings by Paris.
www.thefortuneteller.com.au
libra
The year of the wolf
NICK BOND
Patrick Wolf’s last release, 2009’s The
Bachelor, was a dark, challenging look
inside the mind of an artist battling his inner
demons. Trouble was, by the time it came
to promoting the album, Wolf had fallen in
love and attained a more positive outlook
on life, making touring the songs a daunting
prospect.
“It’s a subconscious thing — if you spend
an hour and a half singing songs in minor
keys about topics like suicide, it does take its
toll,” he told the Star Observer of the tour.
“I wondered, am I spreading negativity
and pessimism in the world? I know that
sometimes singing melancholy songs can
help to nourish people’s pain, but if I’m
being really honest I think The Bachelor
went too far into wallowing and self-pity.
“I needed to get it out of my system,
but I don’t know that it’s something I’m
particularly proud of.”
It’s rather a harsh dismissal of an album
one critic described as “a whispered breath
away from sheer perfection”. Thankfully,
both music and mood are in sync for the 27year-old English singer-songwriter this time
around.
Wolf’s soon to be released fifth album,
Lupercalia, bursts with the joy he’s
experienced since settling down with his
partner — and husband-to-be — William
Pollock.
In keeping with this life-affirming theme,
the album’s title takes its name from an
ancient pastoral festival observed to banish
evil spirits and purify a city.
“[The title] means so much, in terms
of summing up my last few years and my
experience of love. Bringing love to the city,
to a recession — it’s a festival of love. But I like
the idea of people not knowing the meaning
of the word, and evoking their own meaning
for it. I want the title to make people dream
a bit.”
It would appear that the love of a good
man has gone some way to calming Wolf.
Gone is the performer of old, who’d storm
off stage or break his instruments at the
slightest crowd or band infraction. In his
place is a far more placid creature.
“I’ve been seeking the love of my life since
I was 11 years old. I’ve always wanted to be
swept off my feet,” he admitted.
“I’ve always been seeking a little bit of
stability in my life. Love has come to me to
help me grow, mature and be a bit more
stable. It hasn’t made me boring, it’s just
made me a little bit more calm than before,
which is a good thing.”
Wolf announced via Twitter at the
beginning of the year that he was engaged,
after Pollock proposed on New Year’s Eve.
Despite once announcing that “sexually and
romantically, I want to be free always,” he
explained he was an enthusiastic proponent
of gay marriage.
“We have this freedom [gay marriage]
that’s come in the past few years, and it
would feel like a waste not to use it, not to
celebrate this amazing liberty we’ve been
given. I couldn’t let that chance go — this
is such an important thing to embrace and
celebrate and promote in my life.”
The wedding won’t be held until next
year, but preparations are already underway,
with close friend (and punk-poet icon) Patti
Smith recently shooting the photo for the
couple’s wedding invite.
“She carries a Polaroid camera with her
everywhere, and she took a really amazing
black-and-white Polaroid of us. She’s said
she’ll sing at the wedding, and we’ll have
[German DJ] Alec Empire DJing, too. It
should be an interesting wedding party, I
think!”
Wolf has spent much of his career
collaborating with alternative queer icons,
from Smith to Tilda Swinton to Marianne
Faithfull, something he insisted happens
“completely by accident”.
“I bump into these people and end up
having passionate artistic relationships
with them. Patti has been one of the biggest
reasons for me to want to continue in music
— when I met her, my confidence was a bit
low.
“As much as I feel appreciated by my fans,
I’m one of those artists who’s equally loved
and hated, so it can be easy to focus on that
negative side. She shook me out of that. In
the thank-you list for the album, the first two
people I thank are my fiancé William and
Patti.”
Confidence regained, fans can expect
more inspiring, loved-up music from Wolf
after Lupercalia. He’s sitting on a few choice
Groove Armada dance tracks from a stage
when the album was planned as his
“Blackout or Confessions on a Dancefloor
— no gaps, just beats”. They didn’t
make the final cut, but he hopes they’ll
eventually see the light of day.
And then there’s the small matter
of a ready-made pop hit he wrote for
Britney Spears, for inclusion on her
recent Femme Fatale album.
“It got rejected by her management
for being too psychotic and avant
garde,” he laughed.
“It’s called Survival, and it had Tilda
Swinton on it. Sometimes when I’m
drunk I play Britney’s Stronger video on
YouTube with the sound off and imagine
that that’s the video for Survival — it
matches perfectly!
“My friends have been encouraging me
to release it. I’m sure there’s a home for it
somewhere,” he teased.
info: Lupercalia (Inertia) released July 1.
Formerly the wild child of the UK music scene, Patrick Wolf has found love and a
happier outlook on life.
The Star
11
forum
Labor of Love
12,329
March 2011
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doug pollard
ABN 57 003 397 582
grumpy old poof
Circulation
The Labor Party have come calling. Do we have any
suggestions for their party platform?
Only problem is, they want you to sign up first. Well
bugger that. I want to see them show some spine first. But
how to let them know?
After a bit of experimenting with the website, here’s
a tip: just enter a string of zeroes as your membership
number and your submission goes through anyway!
Here’s what I want in their platform. Let’s start with
abandoning this race to the bottom of refugees.
Then will you please politely tell Archbishop Jensen and
Cardinal Pell to go boil their heads, and then legislate equal
marriage and civil unions.
What else would I like? Well, if religions are going
to run businesses - like schools, hospitals, clinics, aged-
To send us a letter email [email protected]. Letters
should be no more than 250 words and will be edited.
Letters
leeton de-gays glee
It saddened me to read my former
high school, Leeton High, is staging a
production of Glee without a Kurt.
I tried to understand the reasons
behind the decision to exclude the
character, but it did not mean I liked it.
What distressed me most was that when
I spoke with the principal he could not
advise on what support services were
available to LGBTQI youth in the area,
nor confirm if there were any LGBTQI
youth at the school. I told him there
would be.
Growing up in a conservative country
town is never easy if you are different.
More than ever the absence of gay or
lesbian role models make acceptance
more challenging than other areas.
The conservative hetero–normative
socialisation that occurs in all areas, but
specifically conservative rural towns,
without any consideration of diversity,
causes social ramifications for those who
are different. This is why characters such
as Kurt are important.
Since I wrote my blog regarding Leeton
High’s musical (mgsteph.wordpress.
com) I have had a varied response from
current and former residents of Leeton.
In most cases these were supportive of
lesbians and gays living in rural areas,
however, some were not. In particular
I was distressed that my high school
art teacher could not understand why I
would make it an issue.
Probably the most disturbing Facebook
message I have received is from a former
classmate still living in the town and who
are starting to do in Germany.
At at the end of their useful life, vehicles, appliances
and so on should go back to the manufacturer or importer
to be dealt with by them at their expense, via collection
depots at local retailers.
And let’s stop digging up our riches and selling them
off, and start encouraging Australian manufacture. Tax
raw materials and half-finished exports but leave fully
manufactured exports tax-free. And vice versa with
imports: let raw material in free and tax finished imports.
And don’t get me started on road-pricing and city
congestion taxes and long-distance railway building and
free public transport and solar panels and water tanks.
Hell, I may as well start my own party! Don’t know
whether I’m left or right, though?
care homes etc - then they shouldn’t be tax exempt, or
have blanket exemptions to rights laws. If they need a
specific one-off get-out they can ask the Human Rights
Commission.
Let’s have a uniform national curriculum, including
comparative religion and ethics, comprehensive sex and
relationship education (including diversity), and domestic
management – especially for boys.
Then we can get started on cleaning up the place.
Water and air leaving any businesses should be pristine.
And any rubbish, or so-called by/waste products they
should take care of themselves, not dump off on public
services.
In fact, businesses should have whole-of-cycle
responsibility for their products and the packaging, as they
tar nline
is assisting the music teacher producing
the concert.
She wrote, “I know she [the music
teacher] wouldn’t have had a problem
with casting the gay character of Kurt but
I think she felt she needed to be careful
for the wellbeing of the student who
played the role.”
What has developed in Leeton over
the past week is letters to the local paper,
responses on the website and Facebook
page and varying opinions. Many refuse
to believe there is homophobia present,
however, under their comments are
classics such as “Adam and Eve, not
Adam and Steve”.
Leeton High School is no different from
other regional schools across Australia.
It’s time to look outside the ghetto and
start making a difference where we can.
What needs to happen and quickly is
a specific LGBTQI support program in
our schools, an extension of the Proud
Schools program perhaps. Write to your
home town MPs and request this. Write
to your high schools and offer to come
back and talk to students about the effect
of gay bullying on you, and the difficulties
we all faced coming out in rural areas.
Mardi Gras has taught us not only to
be proud of who we are, but that great
change can occur if we just stand up for
who are.
Seems Leeton High School can
produce a Mardi Gras co-chair, but it
can’t produce a production of Glee with a
gay character. It’s time for me to return to
my home town, stand up, say something
and be proud.
Will you do the same?
— Steph Sands
Co-Chair, New Mardi Gras
FIERCE APOLOGIES
After discussions with Organisation
International Intersex (OII) Australia
and Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
Support Group (AISSG), Still Fierce
Melbourne would like to formally
annouce that as of June 7 2011, we will
use the term ‘Sex and/or Gender Diverse’
(rather than ‘Intersex, Sex and/or Gender
Diverse’).
We formally apologise to all individuals
and organisations offended by the use of
‘ISGD’ and ask for your trust in our aim to
move forward in respect and solidarity.
Still Fierce Melbourne would like
to thank those from OII and other
individuals and organisations who have
been vocal about their position regarding
our previous terminology — this has
obviously been an effort on your part and
we thank you for the patience.
Our exact goals and mission statement
are yet to be determined but we are
made up of and welcome people who
may identify as transsexual, transgender,
trans, intersex, tranny, genderqueer,
cross dressers, butches, femmes, femme
fags, fagettes, girlfags, boydykes, bois,
trans men, trans women, gender non-
specific trans people, tranny dykes,
transfags, gender pirates, androgynes,
neutois, dandies, flappychaps, fancy
gentlemen, gentlefags, unicorns, beasts,
monsters, drag kings and queens,
bearded ladies, ladyboys, dandy campers,
gender outlaws, gender pirates, girly
boys, princess boys, tomboys, cissies,
androgynous, sinadrogynus (without
sex and gender identity), people with
sex and/or gender culturally specific
differences. This list is constantly updated
and is not exhaustive.
We look forward to building a
relationship based on respect and
support in the future.
— Still Fierce Melbourne
APOLOGY ACCEPTED
OII Australia warmly welcomes Tuesday’s
statement by Still Fierce Melbourne, and
that collective’s adoption of language
that more closely reflects its composition,
expertise and goals.
Both organisations are working to
create social and political change for
our communities, and we share many
common goals. We must continue
to recognise and be respectful of our
differences, and share our concerns and
experience.
Members of OII Australia have engaged
in constructive dialogue with Still Fierce
Melbourne and we expect that, from this
new starting point, we can work together
for mutual benefit and build a stronger
case for real change.
— Gina Wilson, OII Australia
MAKING OUR MINDS UP
12
The Star
Still Fierce Sydney’s membership is diverse, and
includes people who identify as intersex, some of
whom spoke at the national rally in Canberra.
The hope of introducing a broad acronym like
SGD (Sex and/or Gender Diverse) was that it would
provide a space for all people who fall outside of
traditional sex-gender binaries. Finding common
ground while respecting and celebrating differences,
promoting a sense of solidarity without erasing
the needs of specific groups is difficult, constantly
under construction, and always open for debate and
renewal.
Still Fierce Sydney adopted the use of ISGD
(Intersex, Sex and/or Gender Diverse), replacing
SGD (Sex and/or Gender Diverse), in order to
acknowledge the long history of erasure and
invisibility experienced by intersex people.
Still Fierce believed including intersex within the
collective acronym would signal our commitment to
representing those whose experiences and lives are
marginalised, silenced or erased.
entertainment
Victory lap for a sober O’Loughlin
NICK BOND
Fiona O’Loughlin’s latest show The Essential is a greatest
hits collection of sorts, with the comedian retelling selected
stories from her decade-long stand-up career.
But given her very public 2009 battle with alcoholism was
followed by the admission that she’d been drunk for much
of her professional life, the show isn’t the water-treading
excercise cynics might expect.
“It’s so good to revisit these stories sober — the delivery’s so
much sharper now, and I’m so much in control,” O’Loughlin
told the Star Observer from her Alice Springs home.
“I’ve realised that when you have enough alcohol to take
the edge off your nerves, you’re also taking the edge off your
wit — you’re blunting your tools.
“It’s scarier now before I go on stage, but nothing’s going
to help you when you’re on stage anyway. All booze did was
make my head foggy. God, I’m a slow learner — fucking hell,
it took me so long to work that out!”
Audience members can request their favourite stories via
O’Loughlin’s Facebook page ahead of her three-night stint at
the Comedy Store this month.
“Comics don’t get to do this sort of thing very often,
particularly in Australia where it’s such a small scene. It’s
different in the US — I’ve known of comedians who’ve lived
off the same 50 minutes for eight years. That’d send me
barking mad, but it is fun to get out an old story and polish
it up again.
“The longer you’re at it, the better you get at it. It did take
me a long time to find my voice as a stand-up, but I have now.
It’s a very liberating feeling.”
And giving up the drink doesn’t mean she won’t still relish
telling audiences her boozy war stories. If anything, she
enjoys sharing them more now, safe in the knowledge those
days are behind her.
“Not everything has to go in the ‘shame’ box. There have
14
The Star
There have been some
really wonderful, wild
times, and I
can celebrate them
even though
they’ve come
to an end
been some really wonderful, wild times, and I can
celebrate them even though they’ve come to an
end and the party’s over,” she said.
Aside from her battles with alcohol, much of
O’Loughlin’s stand-up material centres around her
love-hate relationship with children (in her case,
her own brood of five). It’s a message many gay and
lesbian audience members can probably relate to:
kids are great and all, but please don’t make me
spend much time with them.
“Do you know, in the past few years I’ve seen a real
increase in the number of gay and lesbian punters at
my shows. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around
why, but I think you might’ve just summed it up.
“And I like to think my alcoholic decline was very
Judy Garlandesque too, which must have helped,”
she cackled.
info: The Essential Fiona O’Loughlin, Comedy Store,
June 23-25. www.comedystore.com.au
Fiona O’Loughlin says she has a sharper, keener stage
presence since embracing sobriety.
star attractions
ELECTROMAN
hear
BENNY BENASSI
The cross-pollination of
Eurodance and American
R&B shows no sign of
abating, as evidenced by
the cast list on Italian DJ
Benny Benassi’s latest artist album — Kelis,
Chris Brown, T-Pain and the Ying Yang Twins
all lend vocals. The results are uniformly
impressive — Brown’s song, the orgasmic
Beautiful People, is the best thing he’s ever
done, while Kelis’ contribution (Spaceship)
would’ve fit nicely on her brilliant Flesh
Tones album. If you like your commercial
dance slightly darker and less poppy than
David Guetta, you should enjoy this.
AMERICAN PIE
hear
MIZ IMA STARR
American expat drag
queen Miz Ima Starr,
familiar to viewers
thanks to her co-hosting
duties on Beauty and the
Bear and her appearances on Australia’s Got
Talent, is following in footsteps by putting her
name to a discoed-up cover of Don McLean’s
classic American Pie. It’s the sort of tinny,
trashy production that would’ve soundtracked
a particularly debauched dancefloor scene
on Queer As Folk, but as a tongue in cheek
drag number, it works a treat. Check out
B-side Tripping for a grimier, grittier listening
experience. www.imastarr.com
entertainment
Sinatra, Judge Judy and me
star attractions
NICK BOND
Michael Feinstein
is delving into Frank
Sinatra’s lesser-known
works.
Singer, pianist and celebrated musical scholar
Michael Feinstein certainly put the ‘gay’ in gay
marriage when he wed his longtime partner
Terrence Flannery in 2008: Liza Minnelli,
Joan Collins and Barry Manilow all attended.
To top it all off, Judge Judith Sheindlin
officiated their vows.
“It was actually Judge Judy who really
pushed us to get married,” Feinstein
explained from his New York home.
“To see so many friends and loved ones
supporting us on the day was unexpectedly
overwhelming. I realised we live our lives
with that thought always in the back of our
heads that there are people who don’t accept us
and don’t like us.
“To be in a space of pure, unconditional love
was something we’ll never forget.”
But wasn’t having Judge Judy saying your ‘I
dos’ a little nervewracking?
“Not at all! She’s a wonderful person. If
you’re not a moron, she’s a great friend.”
Feinstein and Flannery arrive in
Australia this month for a visit that will
mix business (Feinstein’s shows across
the country, including a stint at the Adelaide
Cabaret Festival) with a healthy dose of holiday
time.
“This trip is really the highlight of my year.
Australia’s the place I’ve always said I would
move to if I left America. So I’m sorry,
another American wants to invade
your shores,” he chuckled.
The show Feinstein is bringing
is The Sinatra Project, a live
interpretation of his 2008 album by the same name. He’ll
be backed by a 17-piece swing band, which he said made
for “such a high-energy experience”.
“So many people these days have not heard a real big
band, and once that sound starts, it’s life-changing.”
Tackling the great songs of the Great American
Songbook — the works of the Gershwins, Cole Porter,
Rodgers and Hammerstein et al — seems to be the
standard route for many a superannuated artist nowadays
(Rod Stewart, we’re looking in your direction).
What sets Feinstein apart from the pack is his unique
background as a custodian of these works.
“When I started, I was more of a scholar who wanted
to share the songs with people just so they’d be heard —
singing them was a means to that end. A lot of my singing
contemporaries often don’t even know who wrote the
songs they perform, but to me, it’s about giving them
their due. Without the songwriters, we wouldn’t have
much to sing about!”
It’s in this spirit that he approached The Sinatra Project,
taking the opportunity to delve into Ol’ Blue Eyes’ lesserknown works.
Those looking to gain a deeper appreciation for
Sinatra and the songwriters he interpreted will find much
musical nourishment.
“I didn’t want to copy him, because that would be
absurd. I knew I had to find something fresh to say,
and what I discovered was that I could create new
arrangements and new approaches to the songs that
were informed by his style and his taste in music,”
Feinstein said.
“It has to be fresh or different from the way he did it,
because otherwise there’s no point.”
info: Michael Feinstein, State Theatre, Arts Centre, July 6.
Tickets through Ticketmaster.
NOW DANCE
hear
MIXED BY DENZAL PARK
DJ Denzal Park’s on a
winning streak right now,
thanks to his fantastic
remixes of singles for
dance divas Wynter
Gordon and Zoe Badwi. As this two-CD
collection shows, he’s also got impeccable
taste in music, mixing up a selection of
current hits by the likes of Grum, the
Chemical Brothers and Dizzee Rascal,
alongside thumping remixes of songs by pop
stars like Katy Perry and Kylie. Ten points for
resurrecting Gabriella Cilmi’s underrated On
A Mission, too.
WITH THE MUSIC I DIE
hear
WYNTER GORDON
Having spent several
years in development and
changing her sound from
R&B to dance, Wynter
Gordon finally releases
her debut album this week. It’s a sleek, sexy
10-song collection with its sights set entirely
on the dancefloor. By now, you’ve all heard
Dirty Talk — the song of this past summer —
and while follow-up ’Til Death is more subtle,
give it time and its soaring chorus will get
lodged in your head. Other highlights include
Buy My Love, a playful Material Girl-esque
burst of pure pop, and Still Getting Younger,
an anthem in the making that should follow
Dirty Talk up the charts.
Michael Feinstein is
delving into Frank Sinatra’s
lesser-known works.
The Star
15
scene guide
thursday 16 june
ARQ - Burlesque in the Vortex at 2am
with Minnie Cooper, Charisma Belle,
Decoda Secret and special guest
Vanity. DJs Kitty Glitter and Alex Taylor.
Plus Drag For Dollars drag comp from
11.30pm, hosted by special guest
Penny Clifford.
COLOMBIAN - DJ Jimmy Dee from
9pm-late.
FRUITS IN SUITS - Gay business
networking at the Beresford from 6pm.
HONKY TONK - Gay night @ Black
Boater, Surry Hills. Decoda Secret and a
rotating list of DJs each week.
IMPERIAL - Karaoke with Verushka
Darling from 8.30pm. $50 cash first
prize. Free entry.
KINGS PARK TAVERN - Trivia night
with Portia Turbo from 7pm. Sunnyholt
Rd, Blacktown.
KINGSTEAM - Sex-on-site venue.
Towel-free night from 7-11pm.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Tora Hymen,
Minnie Cooper & Charisma Belle in
new show Dolly Parton and Her Greatest
Tits. Free entry.
OXFORD HOTEL - Buzz. Free entry,
DJs Ben Drayton and Richard Savvy,
buzz cuts all night. Space Cadet in the
Underground bar.
PALMS - 8pm-3am, DJ FatCat from
10pm.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL - Trivia
from 7pm.
SLIDE - West End star Daniel Boys in
his ‘So Close’ cabaret show. Doors 7pm.
STONEWALL - ‘Boys Bar Up’ with DJs
Scott Tanner, Eddie Coulter,David
Smith. Plus Pride launch party hosted by
Candy Box and Will Fennell at 7pm.
TAXI CLUB - Karaoke with a Twist with
Sandy B. From 10pm, free entry.
SNAPPED: Scroll through the
weekend’s online photos at www.
starobserver.com.au
16
The Star
friday 17 june
ALEXANDRIA HOTEL - Shine, weekly
gay night in Leura. 10pm–3am.
ARQ - It’s Britney Bitch 2, Britney tribute
night. Doors open 9pm, free entry, DJs.
Shows at midnight, 1.30am.
BANK HOTEL - Friendly Fridays. DJ
Eddie Coulter & D*Funk, 9pm-late.
COLOMBIAN - DJs Chip, David Smith.
Shows by Maxi Shield. 8pm-late. Stingers
water polo team strip off for Pride.
IMPERIAL - Pop Tarts: new Friday
night show. Talk Dirty in the cellar dance
club, $10 entry ($5 members/Facebook
voucher). Free entry to public bar.
KEN’S OF KENSINGTON - Sex-on-site
venue. Buck night: towel-free from 8pm.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - All Dolled Up,
upstairs with Charisma Belle, Carmen
Geddit, Elle O’Ell, Cory and Eli. Free
entry, First show 1am, main show 2am.
Downstairs,‘She’s back’ with Penny
Tration shows from 12.
NEVERMIND - Disgraceland from 9pm5am, $10.
OXFORD HOTEL - Furry Fridays
with the Harbour City Bears. Off Kutz
in the Underground bar in support of
Twenty10.
PALMS - Daggy disco from 8pm-3am, DJ
FatCat.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL - 20% off
bar drinks from 5pm.
SUPPER CLUB - Burlesque, plus Chunes
and Chesterfields in the Polo Lounge in
support of BGF.
STONEWALL - Orgy of Drag, annual
fundraiser with Sydney’s best drag
queens. From 9pm, $5 entry.
TAXI CLUB - Glam R Us starring Karen
K, Ophelia Shaft & James Bennati from
9.30pm on Level 1. Level 2 nightclub
open from 10pm, DJs Justin Scott & Shane
Davidson.
WATER BAR - The Groove Academy feat.
Sarah J. Hyland, 6–10pm.
saturday 18 june
ARQ - DJs and dancing from 9pm.
BANK HOTEL - DJs Mike McGrath &
Busta, 9pm-late.
CASTROS - Wollongong. Drag shows
with Beverly Buttercup, DeeDee Lamar
and Christina Dior, 9pm. Free entry
before 11pm.
CITY STEAM - Sex-on-site venue.
Towel-free night, 8pm-midnight.
COLOMBIAN - DJs Beatrix, Alex
Taylor and more.
HEADQUARTERS - HQ Black party
from 8pm-late, upstairs.
IMPERIAL - Priscilla drag show with
Minnie Cooper, Charisma Belle,
Carmen Geddit and Millie Poppins,
plus cellar dance club. $15 entry. Free
entry to public bar.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Hard, hosted by
Maxi Shield. VJs and midnight shows.
NEVERMIND - Saturday Fucking
Night, $15 before midnight, $20 after.
DJ Eddie Coulter. 11pm-5am.
OXFORD HOTEL - Crisco Disco in the
Underground bar. DJs play disco hits
from the ’60s to today.
PALMS - Disco Meltdown from 8pm3am. DJ B from 10pm.
local schooners till 5pm.
RISING DAYCLUB - @ Phoenix. Open
from 4.30am. DJs.
SLIDE - El Circo. Dinner and a circusthemed show.
STONEWALL - Diva Station: Welcome
To Planet Bitch with Kitty Glitter,
Decoda Secret. DJs Tom Kelly, Jimmy
Dee, Scott Tanner.
SUPPER CLUB - Pussycat Club.
Performance and music for women,
trans and queers. 9pm-late, free
entry.
TAXI CLUB - Retrolicious disco music
and Shimtastic drag shows. Free entry.
WATER BAR - DJ Linda Jenssen, 8pmmidnight.
sunday 19 june
ARQ - The White Night. Fundraising
white party with DJs and performers.
$10 entry, from 9pm.
BAKE-OFF - BGF Bake-Off at Slide
Bar from 2pm, hosted by Verushka
Darling. $15 entry. Auction at 4pm.
BANK HOTEL - DJs Scott Pullen,
4pm–late.
BERESFORD HOTEL - Beresford
Sundays, Happy Hour 5-7pm. DJs from
3pm. Free entry.
COLOMBIAN - DJs Sandi Hotrod,
Neil Hume and more, 4pm-late.
DYKES ON BIKES - Meet every week
from 5pm at the Hampshire Hotel in
Camperdown. All welcome.
HEADQUARTERS - Sex-on-site venue.
Footy shorts party, 2-7pm.
IMPERIAL - Beer bust and wine fest.
Drink specials 3-8pm - $3.50 local
beer schooners, $10 jugs. Pub open
12-12.
KEN’S OF KENSINGTON - Sex-onsite venue. Sunday arvo session.
LORD ROBERTS HOTEL - Bears on
Sunday from 4pm, $10 jugs of beer.
HCB members cash draw.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Bitchcraft
starring Tora Hymen, Maxi Shield,
Verushka Darling. Free entry.
PALMS - Daggy Disco from 8pm-3am.
DJ B from 10pm.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL - Queen
six poker from 5pm.
RISING DAYCLUB - @ Phoenix.
Open from 4.30am. DJs.
SLY FOX - Happy from 5.30pm. Bands,
poetry readings, DJ sets. Free entry.
STONEWALL - Polly’s Follies from
7pm, hosted by Polly Petrie.
TAXI CLUB - Open from 2pm, free
entry. Sunday Poker on Level 2.
TWEET TWEET: Follow us on Twitter
- @star_observer
scene guide
monday 20 june
HEADQUARTERS - Naked Monday.
7-9pm, $10. $16 after 9pm.
IMPERIAL - Open 3pm-midnight. Free
pool and video clips. Happy hour 5.306.30. $3.50 house spirits, beer and wine
4pm-7pm.
KINGSTEAM - Sex-on-site venue. $5
Monday - vouchers are given to full
paying customers for the following
Monday after 3pm.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Queless pool
comp, hosted by Laidee Babooshka.
$100s of cash and prizes to be won. $5
entry, 9pm start.
bar drinks from 5pm.
QUEER OUT WEST - Western Sydney GLBT radio show on 89.3FM from
10pm-midnight. Listen at www.893fm.
com.au
STONEWALL - Industry night, hosted
by Maxi Shield.
TAXI CLUB - Open from 2pm. Bingo
from 6.30pm with Toby.
MELBOURNE BOUND? Find out
what’s on at www.starobserver.com.au
tuesday 21 june
BERESFORD HOTEL - Happy Hours
5pm-7pm
HEADQUARTERS - Sex-on-site
venue. Naked sex party, 7-11pm.
IMPERIAL - Bingay with Tora Hymen and Naomi Palmer. From 8pm,
all proceeds to ACON. Open 3pmmidnight.
KEN’S OF KENSINGTON - Sex-onsite venue. Chill nude.
KINGSTEAM - Sex-on-site. $10
entry all day.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Portia Turbo’s
Trivia Tuesday in the Video Bar.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL - 20%
off bar drinks from 5pm.
STONEWALL - International Karaoke
Comp from 8pm.
TAXI CLUB - Open from 2pm. Poker
on level 2 from 7pm.
VIDAM - Weekly gay night at The
Space in Manly.
SEND YOUR PICS: You can email
pics of your event to [email protected]
wednesday 22 june
BANK HOTEL - Girls’ night, 9pm-late.
BERESFORD HOTEL - Happy Hours
5pm-7pm.
IMPERIAL - Open 3pm-midnight.
Video clips. Happy hour 5.30-6.30pm.
KINGSTEAM - Sex-on-site venue.
2-4-1 Wednesdays from 3pm.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT - Pardon My
French, the new Glamazons show.
Shows at 10 and 11pm.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL - Queen
six poker from 7pm.
SLIDE - All-girl band the Glamma
Rays from 9pm. Doors open 7pm. $20
entry.
SLY FOX - Queer Central – DJs Sveta,
Sandi Hotrod, 7pm-3am, shows, free.
STONEWALL - Malebox, Sydney’s
Hottest pick up night over 3 levels.
TAP GALLERY - Gala opening of
Pride Art Exhibition, 6-8pm.
TAXI CLUB - Members badge draw
from 6pm. Astute trivia from 8pm.
TECHNOLOGY PARK HOTEL Portia Turbo’s trivia from 7pm. Free
giveaways.
venue locations
ARQ
16 Flinders St, Taylor Sq
www.arqsydney.com.au
BANK HOTEL
324 King St, Newtown
www.bankhotel.com.au
BERESFORD HOTEL
354 Bourke St, Darlinghurst
www.theberesford.com.au
COLOMBIAN HOTEL
Cnr Oxford and Crown St, Darlinghurst
www.colombian.com.au
CUBE NIGHTCLUB
33 Petrie Plaza City, ACT
www.cubenightclub.com.au
GATEWAY HOTEL
139 Maitland Rd, Islington
www.clubg.com.au
IMPERIAL HOTEL
35 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville
www.theimperialhotel.com.au
KRAVE @ GRAND HOTEL
110 Pacific Highway, Wyong
www.krave.com.au
MIDNIGHT SHIFT
85 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
www.themidnightshift.com
NEVERMIND
THE OXFORD
www.theoxfordhotel.com.au
PALMS
giveaway
Wild Energy
In need of a shot of energy?
Look no further than the newest
instalment of Central Station
Records’ mammoth three-disc
Wild Energy compilations. With
63 pumping dance tracks on offer,
there’s something here for every
dance fan, with hits by the likes
of Duck Sauce, Zoe Badwi, Armin
Van Buuren and Alex Gaudino.
The Star has five copies of
Wild Energy to give away to its
readers. For your chance to win
one, visit the giveaways section
of our website and enter your
details. Good luck!
www.facebook.com/Palms.On.Oxford
PHOENIX
Downstairs, 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
www.exchangehotel.biz
Queen Victoria Hotel
167 Enmore Road, Enmore
SLIDE
41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
www.slide.com.au
SLY FOX
199 Enmore Rd, Enmore
www.facebook.com/SlyFoxHotel
STONEWALL HOTEL
www.stonewallhotel.com
TAXI CLUB
40 Flinders St, Darlinghurst
www.thetaxi.com.au
The Star
17
Welcome to Sydney Pride 2011
GlenN Hansen
festival organiser
Hi everyone. Welcome to the Sydney Pride
Festival 2011, Love Me, which starts on June
16 and runs until July 2.
Love Me is a powerful theme for this
year’s festival and incorporates our passion,
feelings and the strength and love of our GLBTI
community.
In order to really love, be loved, gain the
right to be married and fight homophobia we
must first be proud of who we are and love
ourselves.
Love Me gives us all a voice, a chance to
stand up and be counted and get involved in a
true festival of love and pride.
This year’s festival will incorporate art, film,
and dining, shopping, fashion and club nights.
It will have many fundraising events to raise
much-needed cash for our GLBT charities.
Pride is also a time to remember our past,
enjoy the present and share our belief that one
day everyone will be equal.
The BGF Bake-Off will bring out our love of
food. The Aurora Group’s ‘Gay Paris’ dinner
takes us to the City of Love.
And our clubs are the place we love to party.
Sydney, being one of the gayest cities in the
world, gives us a place to show our love.
So be part of the Sydney Pride Festival and
enjoy being you, whoever you are.
pride guide
Say Aloha to Sandy
Join some of Sydney’s famous and not so famous drag queens at the Taxi
Club for a night of fun at Drag It Out With Pride on June 18 from 10pm.
The non-stop drag fest will raise money for the Taxi Club’s Community
Chest which helps GLBTI community groups with various projects.
On June 24 drag queen Sandy Bottom presents an Aloha Cabaret
Dinner at the Taxi Club. Join Sandy as she transforms the Taxi Club’s
Divine’s restaurant into a Hawaiian oasis.
Punters will be served a three-course meal with a tropical feel while
they enjoy a night of laughter and music. Proceeds will be donated to
ACON Northern NSW.
During the Pride Festival fortnight, Taxi Club will showcase unique
artworks from upcoming Sydney artists in Divine’s Restaurant, starting
with a special gallery opening on the evening of Monday, June 20,
featuring some great food and selected wines. All artwork will be on
display every night throughout Pride.
Bingo with a twist
The Imperial Hotel will hold two Pride Festival Bingay sessions over
the next two Tuesdays, on June 21 and 28. Join the multi DIVA awardwinning drag diva Tora Hymen and her singing proud dyke barrel girl
Naomi (pictured) from 7.30pm each night as they pull
out all the
stops and drop all their balls.
Expect weird rules, singalongs, penalties
and hilarious stories with prizes that range
from the silly and camp to great theatre
tickets or restaurant vouchers. The cost
is $20 (two-thirds of the numbers) or
$30 (all numbers), with proceeds
to ACON.
Bookings are essential.
Call 02 9206 2110 or email
[email protected]
Say ‘oui’ to gay Paris
Gay Paris, the 12th Annual Aurora Dinner, will be held at Sydney Town
Hall on June 25. This year’s dinner will pay tribute to the iconic French
capital.
Bake off and eat it
Tickets are $225 all inclusive. Guests will arrive to tempting canapés,
cocktails and sparkling wine, followed by a fabulous three-course meal
of French cuisine, accompanied by free-flowing wines.
Guests will also be able to show their support for diversity at a
special This Is Oz photo booth.
Capacity is limited, and bookings are now open, including for
corporate and community tables. Email [email protected]
or call 02 8323 4041.
This year’s Bobby Goldsmith Foundation Bake
Off is at Slide on Sunday, June 19 from 2pm
Competitors can enter one of eight categories,
including Best Cake, Best Fete Baking, Best
Preserves (Jams and Pickles), Best Tart and
the new Best Cupcakes category.The
results are all up for auction too. Entry
is a $15 donation at the door.
Then it’s off to the official afterparty at Stonewall, Let Them Eat
Cake. Hosted by Polly Petrie, this
BGF fundraiser will Polly’s Follies
shows. Free entry.
info:
www.bgf.org.au/Bake_Off_2011
Let’s hear it for the boy
Stingers strip off
The entertainment program will take inspiration from the finest of
Parisian high society through to the tempting cultural underbelly of
bohemian Paris: performers include Paul Capsis, Queenie van de Zandt,
and renowned French chanteuse Caroline Nin.
Openly gay British West End star Daniel Boys will perform his
one-man cabaret show, So Close, at Slide Bar on Thursday,
June 16. An established stage performer, Boys’ UK profile
skyrocketed in 2007 when he appeared as a contestant
on the UK talent show Any Dream Will Do. Since
then, he’s raised eyebrows by posing naked in
a shoot for Gay Times magazine. The show
Boys brings to Australia is mostly comprised
of songs from his recently-released debut
album of the same name, “plus a couple of
other favourites from my past,” the dashing
32-year-old told the Star Observer.
From 7pm, dinner and show or show-only
tickets available. Tickets through Ticketek.
Head to the Colombian Hotel on Friday June
17 to party with the sexy swimmers from the
Sydney Stingers water polo team. The boys
from the decade-old team will join hostess with
the mostess Maxi Shield on stage for special
shows at 11pm and midnight, performing a hot
strip show all the way down to their oh-so-brief
speedos. There are lots of games and prizes to be
won, including a lucky door prize. And of course
this saucy strip show comes on top of all the
Colombian’s usual Friday night entertainment:
DJs Du Jour and Chip in the main bar and
Instant Replay in the lounge bar, with Joe
Mumma and Groovescooter pumping out disco,
funk and old-school goodies.
The Star
21
pride week 2011
Pride in culture
Healthy living during Pride
The annual Pride Exhibition and Art Award
is on at TAP Gallery from June 20-26, with
a gala opening from 6pm on June 22.
A $25 entry fee payable when you deliver
your work to the gallery. Works must be
delivered from noon- 6pm before June 20.
Works from Evan Cooper’s Commitment
Project are on display at www.
thecommitmentproject.net The main
exhibition will be a very public work in
Town Hall Train Station. Cooper is asking for small cash pledges to help,
and he has until August 1 to raise the funds.
And from 3-5pm on June 18, history buffs can head to the Stonewall
Hotel for a free forum by the Pride History Group titled The Birth of the
Ghetto, on the beginnings of gay and lesbian activity on Oxford St.
Want to look after yourself amidst the partying of Pride? There are a number
of healthy activities planned over the coming weeks.
From June 17 - 19, Therapy Space will hold its annual Gay Men’s Personal
Development and Meditation Retreat at the Govinda Valley Retreat Centre.
The centre is a beautiful 30-acre property at the edge of the Royal National
Park, and it’s the perfect setting for personal development sessions, from
meditation to group therapy and discussion groups. It’s an opportunity to
relax, rejuvenate, feel nourished and enjoy the company of other gay men
in a relaxed open contemplative environment. The full cost of the retreat is
$500 per person. For more information, visit www.therapyspace.com.au
Back in the city, from 9am on June 25 the Sydney Frontrunners will hold
their annual Pride Run, a 5km circuit around Centennial Park that’s ideal for
casual runners looking for a casual Saturday morning jog.
Networking for guys and girls
Business-minded queers will be catered for during the Pride Festival
with two fun, relaxed social events.
First up, the Beresford Hotel will host Fruits in Suits from 6pm
on June 16. Fruits is Sydney’s premier networking and social event
for the GLBTI business community. Canapes are served between
6.45pm - 7.30pm, and prizes are drawn around 7.45pm. SGLBA
members receive a free glass of sparkling, red or white wine or beer
upon entry.
On July 1, women can head to Slide for Lemons with a Twist,
a business networking event aimed squarely at women. It’s the
premier event in Sydney for lesbians to network and socialise
with other like-minded professionals in a lively and welcoming
environment.
Entry to both events is free for members of the Sydney Gay and
Lesbian Business Association, $10 otherwise.
24
The Star
info: www.sydneyfrontrunners.org
Malebox and orgy of drag
It might be the dead of winter, but Stonewall’s hotting up for the Pride
Festival over the coming days.
This Friday, June 17, head to the venue from 9pm for the 12th annual
Orgy of Drag from 9pm — a fabulous night not to be missed! The who’s
who of Sydney drag talent takes to the stage for an Orgy of Drag, with
drag queens generously donating their time to perform all through the
night to raise money for charity. Entry is by $5 donation for this ACON
fundraiser.
The following Wednesday, June 22, Stonewall hosts a special Pride
edition of everyone’s favourite midweek pick-up haunt, Malebox. Billed
as Malebox on steroids, it’s an opportunity to log off your computer,
put away your iPhone and pick up the old-fashioned way — by making
eyes across a crowded bar and striking up a conversation.
You might even find someone to warm your bed this winter!
Sydney Pride
Festival launch
The Sydney Pride Festival will launch in
style on Thursday, June 16 with a starstudded free party at the Stonewall Hotel
from 7pm. The Sydney Star Observersponsored event will be hosted by drag diva
Candy Box and spunky grooming expert Will
Fennell of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
fame (pictured), with special guest speakers
and performers throughout the night.
It’ll mark the start of two weeks of Pride
celebrations for Sydney, and it’s the ideal
forum to meet some of the people you’ll be
celebrating with. Happy Pride everyone!
Pride out west
Queers out west have reason to celebrate as the Heaven Social Dance
reaches a milestone on June 25, with a big fourth birthday celebration
at the Northmead Bowling Club. The ACON charity night will be hosted
by Beverly Buttercup (pictured), Polly Petrie, Sandy Bottom
and Christina Dior. The ladies will be joined by a
diverse line-up of drag talent, including Gracie
Lou, LayDee KinMee, Sue Pernatural, Lola
DelÁrte, Ida Slapda, Melicious D’amage, Ophelia
Shaft, Marcia Monterey and many more, with
shows every hour from 9.30pm to 12.30am.
Music will be provided by Danz Mobile DJ.
Entry to the event, running from 8.30pm-2am,
is $10. Northmead Bowling Club is at 166
Windsor Rd, Northmead.
info: www.heavensocialdance.com.au
pride guide
The white night
Camp Co-op events
Hair and oil
Stock up on Napisan and start getting your whites brighter,
because ARQ’s holding a White Party on Sunday, June
19. The fundraising event in support of the Marriage
Equality Matters campaign runs from 9pm-10am,
with DJs Alex Taylor, Brett Austin, Dave Stevenson,
Dom De Sousa, Kitty Glitter (pictured) and many
more. Punters can also expect to see performances
by drag queens Amy Steak, Christina Dior, Farren
Heit, Karen K and more, with all performers and
DJs donating their services. And given the strict
white dress code and the choice of fundraising
group, we can only hope to see some giant puffy
wedding gowns with extra-long trains on the
dancefloor. $10 donation at the door.
info: www.arqsydney.com.au
Board and committee members of community groups are invited to
attend a day of Corporate Governance training being run by the City of
Sydney on June 18 in partnership with Camp Co-op, the Star Observer
and ACON.
The day will focus on practical knowledge and skills you can apply in
your community organisation and provide an opportunity to network and
exchange strategies with presenters and fellow course participants. The
cost for the 10am-3pm session is $15.
And from 6.30pm on June 21, Camp Co-op is holding a forum
titled Fundraising For Your Community Organisation. Hear how other
organisations face this perennial challenge. The second part of the
gathering will be an opportunity to mingle and share ideas.
Both events will be held at the new ACON offices at 414 Elizabeth St,
Surry Hills. To reserve your place email [email protected]
with your name, your community organisation and your contact number.
Buzz returns to the Oxford on Thursday, June 16 from
8pm with the Naked Barber, the sexy Richard Savvy
(pictured), swinging his clippers — buzz cuts from $10.
It’s free to get in, the beers are cold and the
music’s hot, thanks to DJ Ben Drayton. This
Pride special event is in support of the
Ankali Project.
On June 18, get deeper underground
at monthly bash Crisco Disco in the
Oxford’s Underground Bar. DJs Ben
Drayton, Roger Z and Matt Vaughn will
play all your favorite obscure disco hits
from the ’60s through to the ’80s. Crisco
Disco is held in support of SWOP (the Sex
Workers Outreach Project) for Pride.
Faiths come together for Pride
Girls, girls, girls
Let’s get trivial
Sydney’s gay and lesbian faith groups are holding a joint
multifaith Service to mark Pride Week 2011.
This is the fourth annual multifaith service. This
year’s theme is relationships — with ourselves,
with others, with the environment and with what
we name as sacred.
The one-hour service on Wednesday, June 22
will be comprised of readings, lighting of the rainbow
candles, reflection, music and an opportunity to share.
Refreshments follow, and this is a great opportunity for
fellowship and networking with fellow members of the gay
faith community.
Supported by Acceptance, Dayenu, MCC and the Uniting Network, the
service starts at 7.30pm in the Seaview Street Community Hall, Seaview
St, Dulwich Hill, next to the Dulwich Hill Library behind the shops.
Make your way upstairs at the Oxford Hotel
on June 18 to the glamorous Supper Club for
Pussycat Club, a night of edgy performances
for women and trans people — all likeminded queers are welcome to join in the
fun, though.
Lap up the unique performances and purr
to the mixing of DJ Gemma.
Hosts Sim and Holly are like catnip to
the cool cats and queer kittens of Sydney’s
underground queer scene. 9pm till late, free
entry.
Money raised on the night will go to
ACON.
The Sydney Stingers water polo club will hold its second annual Trivia
Night, Are you Smarter than a Stinger?, on Friday, June 24 from 7.30pm
at the Paddington RSL.
Last year’s inaugural Stingers trivia night was a sell-out and again the
guys are promising an entertaining night of great trivia plus other fun and
games, including one where the crowd will have the opportunity to get
the sexy boys down to their speedos.
The night will be hosted by the hilarious Portia Turbo. And the best
part — thousands of dollars in prizes and giveaways have been donated
by sponsors including Grill’d, Ella Bache, Aussie Boys, Mankind, Zenith
Wellbeing, Colon Hydrotherapy Centre, Pie Face, ASN Sports Nutrition.
The club is calling out to all in the community to support the guys by
registering a team for the night. Tickets are $30 plus booking fee.
info: www.sydneystingers.org.au
The Star
25
Y
THURSDA
16
JUNE
Pussycat Club, Supper Club @ The
Oxford Hotel, donation at door
Crisco Disco @ The Underground,
Underground Bar @ Oxford Hotel,
donation at door
Palms on Oxford, gold coin donation
SUNDAY
19
Slide presents Daniel Boys, Slide Bar,
7pm, $23.25 or $63.95 with dinner
JUNE
Fruits in Suits, Beresford Hotel, 6pm,
$10
Dinner and drag @ Taxi Club
FRIDAY
17
JUNE
BGF Bake-Off, Slide Bar, from 2pm, $15
donation
‘Let them eat
cake’ Bake-Off
after-party,
Stonewall Hotel,
9pm, FREE
White Night
Party, ARQ, $10
donation
MONDAY
20
Orgy of Drag, Stonewall Hotel, 8pm,
$5 donation
Sydney Stingers water polo
team party, Colombian Hotel FREE
Gay Men’s Meditation Retreat
(three days), Govinda Valley Retreat
Centre, $500
Polo Fridays, Polo Club @ The Oxford
Hotel, donation at door
22
JUNE
JUNE
Pride Art Exhibition, TAP Gallery,
June 20 - 26, noon-6pm FREE
Y
SATURDA
TUESDAY
18
21
JUNE
JUNE
Gay & Lesbian Multi-Faith
Service, Seaview Street Community
Hall, Dulwich Hill, 7.30pm FREE
Malebox Pride Party, Stonewall
Hotel, 9.30pm gold coin donation
Love Me chartity cocktail party
and art auction Stonewall Hotel,
7pm
Y
THURSDA
23
JUNE
JUNE
TUESDAY
28
JUNE
Sydney Front runners Pride
Run, Centennial Park, 9am FREE
Wigstock day party, Stonewall
Hotel, 1pm-6pm, gold coin donation
Heaven Social Dance Fourth
Birthday, Northmead Bowling Club,
8.30pm–2am, gold coin donation
Pride Festival Bingay, Imperial
Hotel 7.30pm, $20-$30 FREE
DAY
WEDNES
29
JUNE
Y
THURSDA
SUNDAY
26
30
JUNE
Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
Fundraiser, Stonewall Hotel Cocktail
Bar, 7pm, gold coin donation
Beresford Sundays Sausage
Sizzle from 3pm FREE
Polly’s
frocumenary
screening by
Marcus Greig and
drag show 5pm
Stonewall, gold
coin donation
Buzz @ The Oxford, 8pm until late,
donation at door
FRIDAY
24
JUNE
Aloha @ the Taxi Club, Taxi Club,
donation on the door
Pride History Birth of a Ghetto
talk, Stonewall Hotel, 3-5pm, FREE
Camp Co-op Fundrasing Forum,
ACON building, 6.30pm FREE
Camp Co-op Corporate
Governance training, ACON
building 10am-3pm, $15
Palms on Oxford gold coin donation to
twenty10
Gay Paris Aurora Dinner, Sydney
Town Hall, $225, bookings essential
JUNE
Pride Festival Bingay, Imperial
Hotel, 7.30pm, $20-$30
The Star
25
Drag It Out With Pride, Taxi Club,
10pm, donation at door
26
Y
SATURDA
Sydney Pride Festival Launch
Stonewall Hotel, 7pm, FREE
Buzz @ The Oxford, 8pm until late,
donation at door
DAY
WEDNES
Dinner and drag
@ Taxi Club
MONDAY
27
JUNE
FRIDAY
01
JULY
Y
SATURDA
02
JULY
Lemons with a Twist, Slide Bar, $10
Mongrel, Underground Bar @ Oxford
Hotel, gold coin donation
28
starobserver.com.au
community
To advertise here contact Laurence on 1300 500 379 or email [email protected]
dental
health
dental
community
health
HOLDSWORTH HOUSE MEDICAL PRACTICE
GREAT
WHITE
BETTER
SPACE
SMILE
SCULPTRA
HEAD, TEETH, FACE
financial
Dr Jim MALCOLM
Psychologist
Dr Trevor MORRIS
Principal Dentist
Dr Dick QUAN
GP
Near Hyde Park  32A Oxford St, Darlinghurst  9331 7228
www.holdsworthhouse.com.au
counselling
immigration
financial
counselling
health
ADVERTISE WITH
STAR OBSERVER
CALL LAURENCE
1300 500 379
28
Other trades and services listed in Star Classifieds.
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starobserver.com.au
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legal
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legal
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legal
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29
30 classifieds
To advertise here contact Laurence on 1300 500 379 or email [email protected]
garage sale
a-z
trades
and
services
DARLINGHURST Every Saturday
10-3pm Fashion to Fetish, Art and
Objects, new and used outlet.
Basement 261a Sturt Street
T 0411 242806
cement rendering
employment
and
training
Cement Rendering Handyman,
Gyprock. Concrete renovations. Bathroom
renovations Peter T
9799 1044 or
T 0407 685 333. Lic no: R95984.
cleaners
employment offered
Sales Assistant required for Inner
West upmarket fabric store, initially on a casual basis (esp Saturdays). Sense of humour and
great work ethic essential; Flair with colour and
design preferred. Francis T 0411 069 642
flooring
ALEXIS 69 flooring. Sanding & polishing . New
& Old wooden floors. Carpentry & Joinery.
Supply & Install solid timber & floating boards.
Repairs & Custom made stains. Waterbase
coating specialist. Commercial & Residential.
Free quotes. Alexis T 0410 457 369
health
and
beauty
handyman
beauty care
computers
removalists
A FRIENDLY GAY GEEK FOR HIRE: All
tech problems: PC, Mac, Internet, viruses,
backups, printers, training, JP Can Fix
It! Experienced, honest, professional,
punctual. Jason, T 0414 534 551
www.jpcanfixit.com.au - 7 days.
FREE STORAGE .COM.AU Store with
Vanman Removal Co. for 6 months and
your move is free! For more info on all
of our special offers, visit us at 135
Bayswater Rd Rushcutters Bay open 7
days T1300 826 626. Cards accepted. landscaping
NEWTOWN LANDSCAPES Design &
Construction. Paving, lighting, decking,
retaining walls, plant selection and supply.
Over 20 years experience. LIC. 221510C
David T 0403 190 239
www.newtownlandscapes.com.au
YOU AND I REMOVALS Large sprinter van.
Small moves in-house as well as room to
room. youandiremovals.com. In Ya Box: boxes
for sale - small and large. T 9319 6998 or
T 0418 436 817
MOVING BOXES 4 HIRE .COM.AU
A large range of boxes & packing materials delivered free, or pick up from 135
Bayswater Rd. Rushcutters Bay open 7
days. Visit www.theboxshop.net.au or
T 9360 6575.
tiles and glass
A1 PAINTING Interior - Exterior. Free quotes
and colour advice. Clean, prompt, courteous,
gay. Competitive pricing. Large and small projects. Lic No: 5895C. Philip T 0418 280 442
A full body Swedish remedial
massage by fit 8 yr exp Aussie guy in
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MANSCAPING services,waxing,clipping.
Ample free parking. Complimentary Shower
Avail 7 days afternoons and evenings.
Appts pref. Call John T 0415 970358
www.sydneymassagetherapist.com.au
plasterers
GT’S INTERIOR PLASTERING From patchwork to all aspects of plastering, painting and
decorative plastering work. All renovations
and new work. Experienced tradesman with
20 years experience. Free quotes. Grant T
0403 526 923. Lic no: 160096C.
plumbers
doors and windows
Complete Folding Door Services Repairs, restoration and replacement to timber, aluminium, frameless
glass. All brands and designs. BI fold,
sliding, hung, windows and doors. Commercial and domestic. 15yrs experience
Call Steve: 0412 397 177
electrician
ELECTRICIAN “Bobby & Johnny”. Genuinely
gay. All jobs big and small. Experienced, reliable,
quality electrical service. T 0408 648 890 or (ah)
T 9580 8434. Lic no: EC25010.
30
ALL MASSEURS ADVERTISING IN
THIS SECTION OFFER A NON-SEXUAL,
THERAPEUTIC SERVICE ONLY.
ANNANDALE Therapeutic body massage in
Swedish/remedial by gym-fit, muscular Asian.
Available after 5pm weekdays and all day weekends. $50/60mins and $70/90mins. Please call
T 0422 377 172 or T 9566 4231. Easy parking.
painting
counselling
therapeutic massage
CUTE young, slim Thai massuer. In/out calls.
Friendly and relaxing. Darlinghurst location.
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays only From
$60 p/h T 0411 292 567
buy
sell
and
exchange
DARLINGHURST Liverpool St. Provides
male to male relaxing body massage by
qualified fresh face young Thai masseur.
Get 15% off for advanced booking only
& come to get massage before 2pm
T 0449 607 645 or T 9357 4683
Valid till 30/6/11
for sale
RECORDS Books, Old Wares. REVOLVE
RECORDS & RELICS. Shop 3, 65 Erskineville
Rd, Erskineville. House visits welcome.
T 9519 9978 or T 0402 141 968. Open 7 days.
Full body theraputic massage, inner west
$40. call Jay T 9557 3442
KINGS CROSS
friendly, gym fit,
masculine aussie guy offering quality
swedish / deep tissue massage. Over
12 years experience. private studio and
shower facility available. $70 for hour.
call Mike T 0459 348463
MARRICKVILLE Need to unwind after
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fit Asian guy. $55hr Lee T 0466 964982
www.flickr.com/photos/wrights0808
Absolute relaxation! Masculine
qualified Eurasian masseur with a sensual
magic touch. Full body massage for your
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T 0402 071 070
Man for Men SPA You will find a The
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class, more than any other men’s spa in
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T 0431275293 www.manformenspa.com
Oil About You Dulwich Hill. In calls
only. $80.00 for 1 hour. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm.
Dip Rem Mas, Health fund registered. Tony
T 0417 425 687. Gumtree: Inner Western
Sydney-Male Masseur
RANDWICK Relax and unwind with a firm,
full body Swedish massage by a qualified
and strong Aussie bloke. Clean facilites, easy
parking and privacy assured. $60/60 mins or
$80/90 mins. Text or call T 0408 955 622.
No blocked numbers.
REMEDIAL MASSAGE Cronulla Beach
studio, Intuitive and experienced deep tissue
relaxation, essential oils. $60 per hour.
Mark T 0414 186 587
SOMATIC WISDOM Intuitive Massage
Combining Hawaiian massage, energy work
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caters to your needs. An opportunity to
be nurtured, relax your mind, and connect
more fully into your physical & emotional
body. 1.5hr $130, 2hr $160. Potts Point.
Call Peter T 0413 885 855
starobserver.com.au
Other trades and services listed in Star Classifieds.
DISCOUNT WAXING AND
MANSCAPING
Qualified-Professional-Surry Hills Studio
Male Therapist- Rikki T 0431 607 050
holiday
and
travel
gold coast
NEWTOWN/ERKO Therapeutic full-body
massage. Mature, fit guy, Masculine,
athletic. Great rates. In/Out calls. Matthew
T 0403 018 795.
SLIM toned, sexy body, thick 8” cut, massage & more in my warm, clean D’hurst pad
T 0409 756 662.
SPORTMAN good looking asian,nice
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call T 0431687540
YOUNG SWEET ASIAN MEN! Sexy Erotic
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Tom@Enmore T 0416 050 291
$70.00 per hour, $100.00 90 min.
gaydar.com.au/....goodhands
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unrushed service. Luke T 0401 814 797 outcalls only 24hrs.
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TAYLOR SQUARE Strong, full body massage by muscular competitive swimmer.
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T 0437 546 232 9am to 10pm
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MENS WAXING - SPECIALISING IN
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Male therapist in private salon
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VISIT www.menzone.com.au for more
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31
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WITH STAR
OBSERVER
CALL
LAURENCE
1300 500 379
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THE
NAKED
BARBER
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The Frosty Fruits Ski Trip SSO Media “Snow Bunny” Promotional Giveaway, NSW Permit No. LTPS/11/03928, Terms & Conditions are available on-line at http://www.pointsofdifference.com/FrostyFruits/SnowBunnyCompetitionTermsandConditions/tabid/133/language/en-AU/Default.
aspx, Trade Promotion Terms & Conditions - Name: The Frosty Fruits Ski Trip SSO Media “Snow Bunny” Promotional Giveaway, Short Name: The FFST/SSO Snow Bunny Giveaway, Closing Date: Thursday June 30, 2011, Prize Drawn: 12 Noon Friday July 1, 2011, Prize-winner Announcement: Friday July 1, 2011,
via http://www.starobserver.com.au/ and email, published in the Sydney Star Observer (NSW) on Wednesday July 6, 2011, and Southern Star Observer (VIC) on Thursday July 7, 2011. Prize Claim: The Prize-winner has 28 days to claim their prize to the SSO Media Office. In the event of no claimant, the prize will lapse.
Entry: 1. Entry is open to any reader of Sydney Star Observer (NSW), Southern Star Observer (VIC) or visitor to http://www.starobserver.com.au; 2. Entry is via web form on www.starobserver.com.au; 3. Entrants must complete the entry form, and include their name, email address, state and phone number; 4. Entrants may enter
more than once. Prize: 2 x “Snow Bunny” all-inclusive packages to the 2011 Frosty Fruits Ski Trip (i.e. a double pass), valued at $4,990. Package includes: 1. 2 x return air tickets from Sydney or Melbourne, as part of the Frosty Fruits Ski Trip charter/QantasLink fight, departing Thursday August 18, 2011 and returning Sunday August
21, 2011. 2. 2 x twin-share accommodation at Hotham Alpine Resort, in the specially selected Frosty Fruits Ski Trip accommodation 3. 2 x Cool Packages containing: a. all meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) for the trip; b. access to special Après Ski events; c. all resort gate fees & all mountain transfers; d. ticket to The Hotham Alpine
Resort Welcome Party; e. ticket to The Sponsors Dinner; f. ticket to The Disco Snowball; and choice of: 1. 2 x Activity Packages: a. 4-day lift tickets; b. 4-day equipment hire; c. 4-day parka/pants hire; d. 3 group lessons/tours; or 2. 2 x Watchman Activity Packages (non-skiers): a. Dog Sledding in Dinner Plain (inc transfers and gate
entry); b. Snow Shoe Tour; c. Tobogganing; d. Sunset Champagne Tour; e. Helicopter Scenic Ride; f. Dinner Plain Day Spa (inc transfers and gate entry); or Combination of the above. Weather Conditions: All on-snow activities at the Frosty Fruits Ski Trip are weather dependant. In the event that any listed activity is unavailable, the
organisers will endeavour to find a suitable replacement, however neither Points of Difference Events Pty Ltd, SSO Media, Hotham Alpine Resort, Hotham Ski Company, their employees, agents or contractors, shall be held responsible for non-delivery of any listed activity. Activity Conditions: Activities booked may be hazardous and
involve risk to participants. Participants should carefully assess risks and their own fitness levels in choosing activities. No responsibility or liability is accepted or undertaken by Points of Difference Events Pty Ltd, its employees, agents or contractors, SSO Media, its employees, agents or contractors, Hotham Alpine Resort, Hotham
Ski Company, its employees, agents or contractors or any Independent Operator, its employees, agents or contractors for any death, injury, accident, delay, damage to personal property (including baggage) or any other matter arising from any act, omission or thing outside of their control. Event Cancellation: In the situation of the
2011 Frosty Fruits Ski Trip event being cancelled, then the prize will lapse with no prejudice. Event Terms & Conditions: The Prize-winner’s in accepting their prize, agree to the Frosty Fruits Ski Trip Terms & Conditions as found at http://www.pointsofdifference.com/FrostyFruits/TermsandConditions/tabid/112/Default.aspx Promoters
Details: Lottery run by Points of Difference Events Pty Ltd, PO Box 1119, Surry Hills NSW 2011, (02) 80113298, in association with SSO Media, Lv 3, 21 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 (02) 8030 5522. Full event details are found at www.pointsofdifference.com
NkedBrberPersAds8x4.indd 1
16/02/11 10:12 PM
31
scene
Getting
freaky
photos: ann-marie calilhanna
mongrel @ the oxford
the queen’s throne
queen’s birthday @ colombian hotel
32
The Star
maxi shield
club arak @ factory theatre
Nothing better than a long
weekend is there? Diving into
Friday with the thought of
three luxurious days off to do
whatever you like — and there
was plenty to do.
Every long weekend,
showgirls run around like
headless chooks. The Monday
is down time and spent on the
lounge with junk food and the
television on.
My weekend was no
different. I found myself running
from job to job, hoping the rain
would ease just enough for me
to jump out of a cab or run up
the hill to work without getting
saturated.
On Saturday night I was
lucky enough to return to the
Newtown Hotel to perform, and
it was the campest thing I have
ever seen. The Newtown Hotel
has re-opened up with a Freaky
Tiki theme, complete with fake
grass on the ground, bamboo
bar, umbrellas and some of the
biggest bowls of punch I have
ever seen! There is even an old
rickshaw in the corner you can
drink your bowls of punch in.
It reminded me of the scene
from Muriel’s Wedding, where
the girls are all in a club in
Porpoise Spit, drinking cocktails
with little umbrellas in them,
and they let Muriel finish her
Orgasm before kicking her out
of the group.
With The Rocky Horror
Picture Show on the screens,
then Priscilla, the campness
never stopped.
The stage was just a tiny
podium wheeled in before the
show so I don’t think shows
will be a regular thing there.
But there is enough going on
around the room that a rare
show is just a bonus.
The crowd was a healthy
mix of gay boys and girls and
straighty 180s.
But with so much
campness going on, I’m not
sure why more of the gay
boys haven’t made it their
home again. Freaky Tiki
isn’t a permanent fixture of
the Newtown. They will be
renovating the whole hotel
but keeping it organic rather
than new and over-shiny,
with a fabulous restaurant
upstairs.
Now I know I’m going to
get the haters writing in,
complaining that I’m selfpromoting, but I truly love
this venue and want more
gay boys to go there. It’s a
fabulous experience and a
good laugh.
Maybe if the complainers
went to Freaky Tiki for a
jumbo punch they wouldn’t
have time to be at their
keyboards all the time.
scene
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minogue mansion @ stonewall
The Star
33
scene
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extra dirty @ the gaff
34
The Star
scene
36
The Star
rebecca reynolds - twenty10
Give youth a chance
community chatter
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controversy @ midnight shift
I think that IDAHO worked well this year. It got me
thinking about a whole raft of issues relating to
homophobia and transphobia — and not just the
experiences that I live through or see through my day to
day exposure at Twenty10 — but thinking on an entirely
different level.
And while I recognise I am lucky enough to give these
things thinking time and energy through my work, if
exposure to IDAHO and its events did that for just one
person who hadn’t thought about it at all, then it served
a purpose.
Although it may seem sexual orientation and gender
identity is less of an issue if you are reading the Star
Observer from an inner city enclave, you only need to step
away or open the paper outside of the inner city or in our
rural and regional communities, and it becomes clear that
homophobia and transphobia exist. And not just exist, but
increasing in many places.
That’s definitely what young people are telling us.
This increase in homophobia and transphobia is
especially frustrating because it remains fixed on the
premise that a person’s reproductive organs define who
and what you are, and how you will experience your most
intimate relationships.
There’s been no new thinking there at all.
I listen to the Wendy Francis’ of this world and they
cannot move away from the definition of a relationship
that is not based around sex as a physical act.
‘They’ say we should not be exposing our young people
to ‘that kind’ of sex through the promotion of a lifestyle
choice.
I say to them, we should give our young people the
chance to grow into the identities that they know are
right for them, without forcing them to think about the
negotiation of sex at the same time. It will follow soon
enough.
scene
Have your say
RICHARD PATRICKS - HARBOUR CITY BEARS
community chatter
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supermartxe @ home
Whether you’re hunkering down for the cooler months, or looking
forward to enjoying the wintry delights of Sydney without the
distraction of beaches or picnics in parks, there is one last event
at which we acknowledge all that we have accomplished in the
past year and get the cogs in motion on the next.
The Harbour City Bears Annual General Meeting is only a few
weeks away. All current 2011-2012 financial members are invited
to come along to hear all that the club has achieved and gone
through in the past year.
It’s also a great opportunity to have your voice heard. We’ve
already held debriefing sessions for this year’s Bear Essentials but
it’s never to late to express your thoughts about this event, any
other event, or the running of the club in general.
Whether you have suggestions or ideas you think would
improve the club for yourself or others in the coming year, this is
a great time to be heard.
If you feel really passionately and maybe have some spare time
and a desire to give back to your community, perhaps you want to
consider nominating for a position on the HCB committee.
There is no better way to make a contribution to the success of
the club and its events than from the place where these ideas are
conceived and developed — at our monthly committee meetings.
Undoubtedly it requires time, commitment, and the occasional
amount of effort but the rewards of being involved in producing
these events are many. New ideas and fresh energy are always
welcome.
Nominations for all committee positions are now open. Details
on how to nominate are on our website.
While you are enjoying a wintry break, the new committee will
be getting straight to work. This year’s Bear Pride — our way
to stir you from hibernation — is locked in but there are more
parties and special events to plan, our regular weekly events to
keep running and next year’s Bear Essentials festival to organise.
There’s much to do and now is a great time to get involved,
contribute, and leave your mark — all the while making our great
Bear club even greater.
info: www.harbourcitybears.com.au
The Star
39
sport
Rangers conquer
Strathfield in mud
Test your
skills at
table tennis
Team Table Tennis meets every week
on Wednesdays, 7-9pm, at St Luke’s Hall,
11 Stanmore Rd, Enmore (opposite 7-11
Service Station). Everyone is welcome
whether you are gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, straight, a top athlete,
novice or recreational player. For more
information, call Jenny on 0407 205
477 or Sabine on 0423 820 033.
The ski’s the limit
The winter chill setting in is a sure sign that the annual
Frosty Fruits Ski Trip is just around the corner. Running
from August 18 - 21, it’s the only gay and lesbian ski and
snowboard fly-in and ski-out trip in Australia or New
Zealand this season.
Flights chartered for the trip will ensure that
enthusiastic and veteran skiers will spend less time
travelling and more time on the slopes.
During last year’s Frosty Fruits weekend, Gina
Woodward from the Hotham Alpine Resort took skiers
out for the first runs of the day in a special guided tour.
“All the staff really enjoyed working with the Frosty
Fruits team last year, and the guests were so much fun,”
Woodward said.
40
The Star
“Being able to show them the best the mountain has
to offer is a complete pleasure.”
Accommodation includes special ‘Bear huts’ for the
furrier skiers in the group. There will be a special hosted
event at the resort every night, including a welcome
cocktail party and a secret event for the final night of the
trip.
Packages are available for the Frosty Fruits Ski Trip,
starting from around $381 per day, and going up to allinclusive options including return airfares.
info: Visit www.pointsofdifference.com and follow the Frosty
Fruits links. And head to the giveaways section at www.
starobserver.com.au to enter our ski weekend competition.
The Sydney Rangers A team beat Strathfield
Strikers FC in a Round 20 match over the long
weekend.
On a muddy pitch and with three players from
the B team making up their numbers, Rangers A
were determined there would be no excuses.
With team captain Koji filling in as goalie, the
Rangers took some time to settle in. Strathfield
Strikers took advantage of the minor disarray,
attacking down their left side repeatedly. But
with Dom in charge at the rear supported
by Riki, Adam, and B player Mark, all
attacks were thwarted, while captain Koji
pulled off some amazing saves, including
a full length dive to his left to push a fierce shot
over the line.
Rangers B player Paul showed he was up to
the task on the right, working well with Adam to
keep the ball in possession and moving forward.
Rangers midfielders shielded the ball and gave
off several good through balls that Timmy and
Nick took through. After a few less than difficult
chances went astray, both found the net in quick
succession with good footwork to run round the
defence and slot the ball past the keeper.
Hiro and Pierre created many chances with
Akio and Riki running well on the left flank
leaving their opponents wanting.
The second half saw more of the same but
Rangers’ defence and keeper kept a clean sheet
and the midfield and forwards kept pushing
to seal the game. The solid 2-0 win has put the
Outgames in tune
Vancouver 2011 Outgames organisers have
unveiled the official theme song for the games
— and it’s an inspiring gay anthem performed by
lesbian pop duo Sugarbeach. The song, Come On
Out, was penned specially for the games and is
available now on iTunes. “We wanted to write
a song that would capture the energy, spirit and
importance of being an active participator in the
Vancouver Outgames/Human Rights Conference
and in one’s own life,” Marlee Walchuk, one half
of Sugarbeach, said.
info: www.sugarbeachmusic.com
Rangers at the top of the Round 20 ladder.
On Saturday June 18 Rangers B play at 1:15pm
at Centenary Park, West Burwood and Rangers A
will play at 3:00pm Steel Park Stanmore.
On Sunday June 19 Rangers A play at 1:15pm
Blair at Park Burwood, while the Rangers’ Social
Soccer will start from 3pm at Centennial Park.
sport
Bentstix calls
for members
Wrestlers hit the mats
Join the Harbour City Wrestling Club for a
night of physical fun at the intra-city wrestling
tournament on June 17.
The club holds tournaments every quarter,
giving wrestlers a chance to demonstrate the
skills they’ve learned during weekly training
and to showcase wrestling to the wider
community.
If you’re interested in participating in the
sport or you’re simply an avid spectator, the
tournament is your best way to witness the
dynamic nature of wrestling in action —
during weekly training sessions, the wrestlers
typically operate at 50-80 percent of their
maximum capacity, conserving their energy
for the tournaments when it’s most needed.
Spectators will be treated to a 15-minute
warm-up display, followed by several
wrestling matches consisting of two rounds
of two minutes per match. Wrestlers of all
experience levels will compete.
The tournament will be held on Friday, June
17, 7-8.30pm at Boxing Works, 23 Pelican St,
Darlinghurst. Participants $12, spectators $5.
info: www.hcwc.com.au
Frontrunners hit the court
How very civilised. The Sydney Frontrunners gay and lesbian running group will
hang up the joggers for the day on Sunday, June 19 and head to the Rushcutters
Bay Park tennis courts for an afternoon of martinis, tennis and cucumber
sandwiches. From 2-4pm, join the group at the Waratah Ave courts for a highclass session of tennis, followed by drinks at a local bar.
Family and friends are welcome, and there’ll be prizes awarded on the day. All for
only $15 (not including drinks).
The Sydney Bentstix gay and
lesbian hockey club is on a
recruitment drive for new
members.
With two men’s teams playing
weekly in the Sydney Hockey
Competition, Bentstix can lay
claim to being the world’s
leading gay and lesbian field
hockey club, winning gold
medals at the 2009 World
Outgames and 2010 Gay
Games, and dual gold at this
year’s Asia Pacific Outgames
in Wellington.
Established in 1996
during Mardi Gras as a social
network of like-minded
players, the club has grown
to include more than 70
active members — men,
women, gay, straight,
lesbian and anywhere in
between.
In
addition
to
competing
in
international gay and
lesbian sporting events,
Bentstix enters teams in local
competitions each year. The 4.1
Men’s Team reached the semifinals of the Sydney Hockey
Association Winter Competition
in 2010. Other annual events for
the club include the February
Pink Hockey Tournament and
involvement in Mardi Gras.
Bentstix is working steadily
towards its next major sporting
goal: both the male and female
teams will defend their hardearned gold from Wellington
at the 3rd World Outgames in
Antwerp, Belgium in August
2013. The nine-day event will be
Bentstix’s chance to take on the
world.
But with four days of
competition
planned,
that
still leaves at least five days for
Bentstix to get acquainted with
other competitors and experience
all Antwerp has to offer. The club
aims to send two men’s and
women’s teams, plus supporters.
Even if you’re a hockey novice
who dreams of one day playing
in an international competition,
now’s the time to get involved with
Bentstix — you have two years to
practise for the Outgames.
info: www.bentstix.com.au
Gay news
every day
42
The Star

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