August - QueeriesTV

Volume 9, Issue 8
August 2009
www.gaydayton.org
Summer Vacation Time
Map
Events
Articles
Calendar
Political Challenges
Calendar of Events
July 30 - Aug 1
Wiley’s Comedy Night Club presents:
Bernie Lubbers open Comedian
Info: http://www.wileyscomedyclub.com
Aug 7 - 9
Ten Livin Cities Symposium & Art Festival
Convention Center http://www.ten.livingcities.org
Aug 9
Outrageous River Derby Walk On Water Challenge
Noon - 3pm @ RiverScape for more information
http://www.daytoncreate.org/?p+1063
Aug 11
PFLAG Annual Family Picnic @ Cross Creek
Aug 14
Miami Valley Cycling Summit @ UD for more info:
Aug 16
MV Prime Timers Social Meeting and Potluck at
Possum Creek Metro Park
4790 Frytown Rd, Moraine 45418 3 - 7pm
Aug 19
Interweave a GBT and Allies support group meets
at 7:30pm Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship 8691 Yankee St
Aug 28
Miami Valley Pos 4 Pos meets at 6pm @
First Baptist Church 111 W. Monument St for more
info: http://www.mvpoz4poz.org/
http://www.metroparks.org/mvcyclingsummit/home.aspx
Aug 29
Eternal Joy MCC Summer Picnic at Ireland Park
in Kettering 2 - 6pm
Gay Dayton is published monthly by Gay Dayton Press
Randy Phillips, owner
E-mail:
[email protected]
Phone:
937-623-1590
All ads must be placed by the 10th of the month prior to inclusion. For Rates
call: 937-623-1590 or check out: www.gaydayton.org/advertise.htm Inclusion in
this publication does not indicate the sexual orention of any person or business.
All advertisers welcome the business of the LGBT community. All material is
copyrighted 2009 by Gay Dayton Press.
P.O. Box 4436, Dayton, Ohio 45401-4436 All Rights Reserved.
by: Terri Schlichenmeyer
aka: “The Book Worm”
[email protected]
“B as in Beauty” by Alberto Ferreras
c.2009, Grand Central Publishing
$13.99 / $15.50
Canada
335 pages, includes book group guides in English and Spanish
Your nose is too big.
Most people wouldn’t notice, but you do. And
when you look in a mirror, your eyes are like two
tiny marbles in a pile of dough, and your hair is
just… ugh. Everybody tells you how gorgeous
your smile is, but you’re pretty sure they’re just
being nice. You even hate your ears, if that’s
possible. Don’t even start on your thighs or your
tush.
Do you ever wish someone had a magic wand
and would – poof! – make you look like a model?
In the new book “B as in Beauty” by Alberto Ferreras, a young
woman wants exactly that, but she has other lessons to learn first.
As if being fat wasn’t enough, Beauty Maria Zavala’s Cuban-born
parents saddled her with a name that definitely didn’t fit. Beauty
was willing to acknowledge the fat – it was kind of hard to hide
– but the name? Not so much. She told everyone to just call her
B. It avoided so much embarrassment. And as if being fat and
having a weird name wasn’t the end of it all, B had a rotten job.
For several years, she’d killed herself to do a good job for her evil
boss, Bonnie, in the hopes of getting a nice, fat promotion and a
corner office. But when B overheard a nasty conversation in the
ladies’ room, she realized that was never going to happen. B hated
her job.
So when a Russian tax preparer handed her a business card and
called her “beautiful”, well, who could resist calling?
Much like a Fairy Godmother, the Russian woman offered B a new
life, with a twist: some men would clearly see past the drab clothes
and severe hairdo, and they’d pay to spend time with B. No strings
attached. No sex. No long-term involvement.
Cautiously, B took the job. Then another. And another.
Soon, she could see that her body was worthy of worship. Her
shape wasn’t pleasingly plump, it was just pleasing. Clothes didn’t
have to be drab and curly Latina hair didn’t have to be tamed. And
a mousy formerly-fat girl really could find happiness by embracing
her wonderful name.
Oh, my, but I loved this book.
With a perfectly sweet and funny heroine, a few ugly “sisters”, a
borderline-criminal fairy godmother, a handsome carriage driver, a
flock of flawed and unwitting helpers, and the most unlikely Prince
Charming, author Alberto Ferreras has crafted a modern fairy tale
that is absolutely irresistible.
Beauty Zavala is the kind of character you wish was real, just
so you could borrow some of her attitude. It’s hard not to feel
sad for her predicaments, it’s easy cheer for her new-found selfconfidence, and her slam-dunk revenge is the kind of stuff that
Hollywood loves. Real, unstilted dialogue makes this book an even
bigger joy to read.
If you’re wondering what to pack in your suitcase or overnighter
this summer, stop looking and just get this book. For anyone who
loves a happy ending, “B as in Beauty” is positively magic.
elmont
hysicians
Barry S. McCorkle, M.D.
Compassionate care for our community delivered
in a warm and welcoming environment!
Convenient Access
Most insurance Accepted
Same Day Appointments Available
Providing Medical Care to Adults such as:
Physicals, Chronic Disease
Management, Routine GYN Care,
HIV Management
Belmont Physicians Internal Medicine
2451 Wayne Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420
www.BelmontPhysicians.com
(937) 208-7374
Help Stop Disparity in HIV prevention funding for Gay and Bisexual
Males by Bill Hardy
A year ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
revealed a number of startling bombshells about HIV infections in the
U.S.
The first was that the epidemic is, and has been, worse than previously
known, with new HIV infections 40 percent higher than estimated.
Then, a whole series of blows specific to the LGBTQ community. Gay
and bisexual men (“men who have sex with men” or MSM, in CDC
lingo) of all races continue to be the most severely affected by HIV,
representing more than half of all new infections. Male-to-male sex
is the only transmission category that continues to show increases.
As many as 80 percent of MSM are not being reached with the most
effective HIV prevention activities. Gay and bi men account for more
undiagnosed HIV infections than any other transmission category.
All of which led CDC to underscore the need to expand HIV testing and
prevention among this population.
These findings should’ve sent shockwaves within the LGBT community
and among those seeking to curb the still-outrageous spread of HIV
among us.
Why, then, doesn’t Ohio’s local and state HIV prevention funding reflect
these findings?
For years we have been expressing concern to public health officials
that MSM HIV prevention funding is inadequate. The facts speak for
themselves.
In Montgomery County, gay and bisexual men account for 54 percent
of those who tested positive between 2004-2006, and 62 percent
of cumulative HIV/AIDS cases. Yet, in 2009 Public Health DaytonMontgomery County (PDHMC) directed only 21 percent—the smallest of
its HIV prevention grants—to MSM.
Similar disparities exist statewide. In Ohio, sex between males
accounted for 62 percent of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2007, plus an
additional 2 percent among MSM who were also injection drug users.
Again, statewide funding does not reflect this proportion.
A number of factors lead to this disparity. HIV prevention priorities,
along with attitudes about the LGBTQ community, are shifting. The
funding process is also unique, each community determining its own
priorities and grants. This can be a useful mechanism to allocate
resources, but the process can also go awry. For example, earlier this
summer Indiana’s HIV community planning group removed gay white
men from its statewide priority list.
Ohio’s state and local planning bodies are now setting our priorities,
influencing who will and who will not be reached with HIV prevention.
Currently, the proposed statewide ranking, in descending priority order:
persons living with HIV (mandated by the CDC); youth; MSM; high risk
heterosexuals; and injection drug users. Local planning bodies are then
given latitude to make their funding decisions.
In response to our advocacy efforts, PHDMC has said that it will ensure
that funding and prevention activities reflect local epidata and priorities.
We must hold PHDMC to its promise. But we have not yet received any
such assurance from the Ohio Department of Health, which oversees
statewide activities.
Fortunately, these planning bodies want your input. You can provide
this two ways:
1. Join 600 others who have already signed AIDS Resource Center Ohio’s
Call to Action (www.arcohio.org). Directed towards local and state
health departments, the requests in our Call are simple and sound:
•
•
•
Ensure that HIV prevention priorities, programs and funding
proportionately reflect the populations most impacted, especially
MSM.
Ensure that all HIV prevention activities include an accurate
understanding of—and will not discriminate against—the LGBTQ
community.
Fund only evidence-based HIV prevention strategies.
2. Participate in the two groups that will decide prevention priorities at
their next meetings:
•
Dayton Region—August 6, 2009, 4:00 p.m., Drew Health Center,
1323 W 3rd St, Dayton, OH, 45402
•
Statewide Planning Group—August 12, 2009, 10:00am to
3:00pm, Columbus Transportation Training Center, Columbus ,
Ohio 43211
We cannot stand by while our community continues to be ravaged by
HIV.
Together, let’s finish the work!
Bill Hardy, Executive Director/CEO of AIDS Resource Center Ohio
About AIDS Resource Center Ohio—With offices in Dayton, Lima,
Mansfield and Toledo, ARC Ohio provides HIV testing, evidence-based
prevention, advocacy and a continuum of services for those living with
HIV in 35 Ohio counties. www.arcohio.org or (937) 461-2437.
Five Ways to Summer Fun on a Budget
By Rick Flynn
The good news is that analysts say the economy is back on the
road to recovery; the bad news is that we’re not there yet and the
unemployment rate continues to rise. Most of us can’t afford to
spend a lot of money for vacation this year so we look for low cost
alternatives. Besides, vacationing is as much a state of mind as it
is a destination. Here are some lower costs day trips and vacation
options all within four hours of Dayton that won’t break the bank.
1. The Amusement Park Tour: Ohioans are lucky to have
two top notch amusement parks within its borders. Just
minutes to the south of Dayton is Kings Island and its new
rollercoaster, Diamondback. To our north about three
hours is Cedar Point, the self proclaimed rollercoaster
capital of the world, with a jaw rattling seventeen coasters,
including the vertical, Top Thrill Dragster. Both parks offer
discounts that can maximize your dollar. Several hotels
near Cedar Point also offer discounts on two day passes if
you spend the night in their hotel.
2. The Island Tour: If you’re at Cedar Point and you ride one
of the rollercoasters, you’ll notice the terrific view of Lake
Erie. For an even better view, visit the islands nestled
on the lake. These islands consist of Kelley’s Island,
Middle Bass, and Put in Bay/South Bass Island. Cars are
allowed on the islands, but the preferred methods of
transportation on these leisure getaways are bicycles,
scooters, and golf carts. All can be rented on the islands.
The islands offer natural beauties for a hiking experience,
terrific vineyards for wine tours, and unique shopping and
dining. Accommodations on the islands include camping,
hotels, or bed and breakfasts. For one of the most relaxing
vacations and great sunsets, the Island Tour is the answer.
3. The Museum Tour: If you’re on Lake Erie, and you’re in
the mood for a museum, you can’t miss the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. As Ohioans we
are lucky to have a great deal of good museums, whether
it’s Air and Space you’re interested in or Art. There are
lots of options in between. Cleveland has a wonderful
Art Museum, as does Columbus, Cincinnati and of course
our own Dayton Art Institute. The Wright Patterson Air
Force Base Museum is great for the flight enthusiasts, as
well as COSI in Columbus for the science geeks. If history
is your thing, then Ohio offers a great deal. Dayton has
the Carillon Historical Park and Cincinnati has the National
Underground Railroad Freedom Center, along with many
other historical museums scattered across the state.
4. The Nature Tour: Along with urban areas, Ohio offers a
good deal of natural options. Yellow Springs is always
a good place to start for a day hike in and around John
Bryan State Park. The day can be completed with a nice
dinner at one of the delectable eateries like The Winds or
Ha Ha Pizza. If you’re looking for a longer trip, hiking the
trails of Hocking Hills State Park, near Athens is a great
way to spend a day, or a weekend. The area offers many
affordable lodging options including camping, cabins or the
lodge at the State Park.
5. The Camping Tour: If you’re a fan of nature and you want
to spend some gay time communing with it, camping
might be just the answer for you. Although not all in
Ohio, the area offers four campground/resorts that cater
to gay men. Roseland Campground and Resort is located
in West Virginia just on the other side of the river, Camp
Buckwood is located in Indiana near Morgantown, Circle
JJ Ranch is located in Scio, Ohio and Freedom Valley is
located near New London, OH. Each place has its own set
of amenities, but all offer camping and cabins. There is
swimming at each of the campgrounds as well as regular
activities everyone can enjoy. The campgrounds are
clothing optional, but many opt to keep their clothes on.
That’s entirely up to you. Camping, contrary to some
opinions, is not staying at the Best Western instead of the
Marriott, but then again you probably never had this much
fun at the Marriott.
Whether you decide to hit the amusement parks, go camping for the
weekend, or just spend some time catching old movies at the Victoria
Theatre, remember that vacation is a state of mind. Turn off your alarm
clock, pick up a trashy novel to read on the beach, and leave the cell
phone at home. Relax and enjoy the rest of your summer.
“Protect Marriage” folk really should say: “Protect Religion”
By Jeremy Hooper
If one who is lobbying against lowering the voting age were to do
so on the basis of their personal belief that casting a civil ballot is
ungodly, that person would be laughed out of American politics.
If a person fighting healthcare reform suggested that their
resistance was due to their support for faith healers as the only
means of medication, their voice in the debate would be muted
faster than you can say, “pass the peyote.”
If the head of the FDA wanted to set the nation’s dietary policy
based on her own faith-based distaste for shellfish and other treif,
the nation’s Christians would surely revolt.
So why is it that when it comes to CIVIL marriage equality, the
sole form of marital parity that LGBT activists are seeking from
the government, that a majority of people still accept lines like this
as an acceptable basis for shutting out tax-paying gay couples:
Sure, a large portion of marriage participants have a religious
ceremony that invokes some sort of God or Gods. Sure, our
government confers the power of the state onto faith leaders for
the purposes of solemnizing marriage. Sure, there are some people
who don’t consider anyone, LGBT or S, married unless a Bible
is present. But none of this changes the reality of civil marriage.
None of this changes the fact -- THE FACT! -- that religious
ceremony is a wholly optional, completely ancillary component
of the kinds of marriages for which gay folks and their allies are
fighting!!
We could not have more respect for this country’s commitment to
religious freedom. We have zero problems with anyone choosing
to see us as unmarried or even immoral in the “eyes of God.”
But what we ask or demand in exchange is for people of all
faiths to start addressing this civil marriage debate in the terms
that accurately encapsulate what’s on the table. These “protect
marriage” folks are the ones who need to start protecting true
religious freedom, which allows for non-belief, gay-accepting
belief, interfaith belief, varying degrees of agnosticism, etc. And
they need to must start acknowledging that when it comes to the
civil recognition of their own different-gendered marriages, their
ceremonies (no matter how glorious or godly) are the elective
component of the whole process. The civil marriage license is not!
THREE AREA STUDENTS WIN PFLAG DAYTON
SCHOLARSHIPS
By Kristen Wicker
Dayton, Ohio — For Amelia Shaw, winning a scholarship from the
Dayton chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays (PFLAG Dayton) was about much more than the money.
“This one meant a lot because it was personal,” said the
Yellow Springs High School graduate. “My mom is a lesbian,
so this scholarship wasn’t just for me — it was for her, too.”
Every year since 2000, PFLAG Dayton awards two to four
$2,000 scholarships to area students in two categories:
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trangender) students
and supporters known as a straight allies. Funding for the
scholarships is raised in part through the organization’s
annual “When the Stars Come Out” dance competition, to be
held this year the evening of Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Dayton
Convention Center.
“We know this scholarship program has provided an
important, positive statement to a segment of the youth
population who has often been deprived of support and
to those who support them,” said Jan Couchman, PFLAG
Dayton president. “The Dayton chapter was the first in the
nation to offer a straight ally scholarship, and we are very
proud of that. We have long recognized the importance of
our straight allies.”
Shaw received the Jim Wilger Memorial Straight Ally
Scholarship. In support of her mom, her senior project
focused on the National Day of Silence, held each April
to protest harassment and bullying of LGBT people.
Shaw plans to attend Ohio University in the fall and study
psychology and English, and she hopes one day to be a high
school English teacher or a therapist specializing in young
people whose parents are homosexual or young people who
are dealing with their own sexuality.
This year, two candidates were awarded the LGBT
scholarship: Kim Smith of Troy and Jordan Peters of
Centerville. Like Shaw, both women have been very active in
LGBT issues and other causes.
Smith, who will graduate in October from the Upper Valley
JVS nursing program, has been involved with PFLAG
Dayton for approximately five years and is now the
hospitality chair on its board. She’s been an important part of
organizing “When the Stars Come Out” since it was founded
three years ago.
“I treat everyone who comes in the door at PFLAG meetings
just like I’d treat my own kids when they come in the door,”
Smith said. “This group feels like a real community.”
Activism has been an important part of Jordan Peters’ life,
too. The Centerville High School graduate has participated in
PFLAG’s Safe Schools program, speaking to teachers during
in-service programs about how they might best support their
LGBT students. Peters, a junior at The Ohio State University,
also sits on the university’s LGBT Programming Board,
which works with first and second-year students on career
and professional development, interviewing and resumewriting skills, landing internships, and more.
Yet academics also are extremely important to Peters, who’s
studying Russian and international studies with plans to earn
a master’s and Ph.D.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for my
scholarship, especially from the PFLAG Dayton chapter,” she
said. “It’s exciting to be recognized for studying in a field that
doesn’t have a lot of gay scholars. It shows the push to show
gay people are just like everyone else, and that being gay is
just a part of who you are.”
Peters also sees winning the scholarship as personal. “My
mom started with PFLAG and introduced me to the group,”
she said. “My parents are incredible human beings. They’re
my role models and everything I strive to be. I know I’m quite
fortunate to have such accepting and loving parents.”
PFLAG Dayton is a nonprofit organization that promotes
the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people, their families and friends through
advocacy, education and support. The Dayton chapter of
PFLAG is affiliated with the national organization, which has
200,000 members, supporters and local affiliates in more
than 500 communities across the United States and abroad.
PFLAG is the largest grassroots family organization of its
kind. For more on PFLAG Dayton, visit www.pflagdayton.org
and for more on the national organization, visit www.pflag.org.
What is a Vanity Smurf?
A “vanity smurf” is someone who is obsessed with their self image
and is constantly checking themselves out.
Morse Legal Services
David R. Morse
12 S. Central Ave
Fairborn, OH 45324
937.318.1100 vox
937.318.1111 fax
General Practice
Bankruptcy*
Criminal
DUS
DUI
www.morselegalservices.com
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Q-Gift Shop 1904 N. Main Street 274-4400
Up On Main, 1919 N. Main Street 278-3650 (W,DG,E,K,D)
Aquarus, 135 E. Second St 223-1723 (M,D,K,E,S,DG,$)
Stage Door, 44 N. Jefferson, 223-7418 (M,C,L,T)
L-Room, 44 N. Jefferson, 223-7418 (W,D,K)
Masque, 34 N. Jefferson, 228-2582 (Y,G/S,D,E,V,DG,$)
Right Corner, 105 E. Third St 228-2033 (NH,M,T)
Mj’s Café, 119 E. Third St 223-7340 (F,M,D,S,E,DG,K)
Argo’s, 301 Mabel Street 252-2976 (M,L)
464 on Fifth, 228-3584