Sunday, 11 October 2009
A Dedication To Fallen Gay Soldiers
Hundreds of LGBT activists and allies gathered at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Arlington National Cemetery to watch Lt. Dan Choi, an Arabic linguist who was discharged from the Army for being gay, dedicate a wreath to gay and lesbian soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty.
“There’s so many soldiers that haven’t been able to be recognized for so long, so many service members that continue serving in silence,” Choi told The Advocate following the ceremony. Asked what was going through his mind during the solemn dedication, Choi added, “All of the messages that I’ve gotten from people saying that they don’t know how to go on while they’re still serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is for them.”
The event was considered an official military ceremony, but it was not the first time gay and lesbian veterans have been recognized at the site. Michael Bedwell, who helped assemble the application for the wreath laying, said gay vets groups hold a similar event every year on Memorial Day.
Nonetheless, Capt. Michael Rankin, a retired Navy officer who participated in the ceremony with Lt. Choi, called the event “incredibly moving.”
Rankin served for 32 years – all of them closeted. “I was gay the whole 32 years,” he said with a smile. “I reported to a Naval Academy in 1964, and to imagine then what this was all about today is just unbelievable. It’s very encouraging, because there were so many young people here who came out and said, we’re the next generation and we’re going to win this battle.”
One of the next generation included a 15-year-old straight ROTC student, Cadet Master Sgt. Daniel Torres Jr., who traveled from New York for the weekend.
“I wanted to pay respects to those who have fallen and have not been found yet or are prisoners of war,” he said, after getting his picture taken with Choi. “And I believe that what Lt. Choi has done is honor the spirits of them and I feel very moved and touched that he would do such a thing.”
Anthony Woods, who attended West Point with Choi and recently lost a congressional bid in California, said he was particularly proud of the message Choi continues to send even after being discharged.
“The thing that is so powerful about Dan, is that most people, once they get kicked out of the military, feel like, ‘I was kicked out of the military, it was taken away from me, I’m no longer a veteran,’” said the 29-year-old Woods, who was also discharged under the gay ban. “I think Dan is doing a good job of -- and I’m proud to stand by his side as he does it -- making it known that we are veterans, we’ve served our country too, and that’s what this wreath laying was about today.”
Gay Couple From Toronto Detained in DUBAI For a Month!
Rocky Sharma and Stephen Macleod, who have been together for 10 years, were stopped upon arrival in Dubai on Aug 2, where they planned to spend the day before returning to Toronto from a vacation in India.
Macleod had a bottle of the prescription arthritis medication Celebrex in his suitcase. They were told Celebrex is a controlled substance in UAE and, even though they did not present themselves to border officials as a couple, both partners were detained.
“I think they thought we were gay and we would have some party drugs with us,” says Sharma, who is now safely back at home with his partner. “They were definitely targeting people who are young, from the western world and nicely dressed, like they are going to party.”
The UAE has very tough drug laws. Even over-the-counter medications that include traces of codeine are restricted. Possession can result in lengthy jail sentences, heavy fines or the death penalty, according to an advisory issued by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).
They were not given an opportunity to contact a lawyer or consular officials but Sharma managed to contact friends at home on his Blackberry, which he had on him at the time of his arrest. Those friends gave him the emergency contact number of the Canadian embassy in Abu Dhabi, which Sharma called before his Blackberry was confiscated. Sharma’s family also contacted DFAIT in Canada but their efforts were stymied by the long weekend.
Sharma and Macleod were forced by their captors to submit urine samples for drug testing. Sharma says they were told they were being held pending the results of the urine tests. They were kept in a filthy prison cell with eight other prisoners for 10 days before they were sent to separate prisons.
“If you get a blanket and a pillow you’re very lucky,” he says. “For the first few days we slept on the floor. The bathroom conditions were just a hole in the ground for 200 people. Food was just rice with some kind of sauce on it three times a day.”
For the next 18 days, Sharma and Macleod could only communicate with each other via the case worker provided by the Canadian consulate.
“That was one of the worst parts, because I had no idea how he was doing, he had no idea how I was doing,” says Sharma. “We were told by the embassy not to even hint that we were a couple, to act like we were only friends, and that’s what we did.”
Homosexuality is punishable by death in UAE.
Even when the couple was formally declared innocent by the Dubai prosecution on Aug 18, they were kept another 11 days while their paperwork was processed.
DFAIT currently advises travellers to the UAE to “exercise high degree of caution” but does not issue an official warning against travel. Anyone carrying personal medication is advised to consult the UAE Ministry of Health Drug Control Department before travelling to confirm that the medication is allowed in the country.
Sharma says he and his partner will never return to the Emirates after their experience.
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OUT IN AC - Harrahs Atlantic City Gay Weekend a Success!
rolled out the red carpet in Atlantic City for the LGBT community recently, and hundreds came!
The organization has been committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment for employees, guests and communities for some time now. And recently decided it was time to host a gay weekend of events.
Harrah's has been catering to gay and lesbian travelers at its Las Vegas casinos for a few years, and launched a similar campaign in the country's second-largest gambling market with an "Out in Atlantic City" - OUT IN AC - weekend of partying Sept. 25-27.
The event, which attracted nearly 1,000 people, brought some of the best-known names in the gay and lesbian entertainment scene to the Harrah's casinos. Lesbian and Gay travelers came in from New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, Chicago, and surrounding New Jersey cities.
As Michael Musto pointed out, "I've always been astounded that the casinos never catered to the lavender dollar, obviously cowing in terror of the family-values folks who thump Bibles in between playing card games and hiring hookers..."
As times have changed in recent years, Atlantic City has evolved as well, as did Las Vegas. While gambling is still the primary backdrop, you see less of the $2.98 all you-can-eat buffets, and more upscale restaurants driven by celebrity chef's and 5 star dining, geared towards foodies and nicer upscale clubs with bottle service geared towards the nightlife seekers.
MIA at Caesars has some amazing food with chef Georges Perrier at the helm; Explore the savory flavors of the Far East with a hip new twist at Red Pearl, on the sixth floor of Bally's; at Showboat, the Rib & Chophouse serves the finest in steaks, chops, chicken and seafood in Atlantic City. Meat lovers will enjoy premium Hereford beef grilled to your specifications; seafood lovers will rejoice at the fresh catch of the day and raw bar.
Super hot nightclubs like DUSK at Ceasars and Club Worship at Showboat / House of Blues is where everyone goes to see and be seen; (Nicky Hilton had her party at Dusk the same weekend as OUT IN AC). The Pier Shops at Ceasars has a VIP selection of upscale shopping like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, plus an ever changing event list like Wine Tastings, Hap-pier Hour Nights, Ultimate Tuesdays, Oktoberfest and more.
After all the gambling, shopping and nightlife, you have to relax! Give me a FABULOUSPool and Spa! Last year, Harrah’s Resort became the official home to "Endless Summer" with its new, $90 million, 172,000-square-foot glass, dome-enclosed swimming pool complex and Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa.
Located under a striking, 90-foot-high glass dome, The Pool complex is a lush, tropical oasis(perfect 82 degrees, year-round) featuring $1 million worth of horticulture dressing an Olympic-size pool, six Jacuzzis, 12 cabanas, indoor and outdoor deck areas, as well as The Pool Bar. The Pool complex offers guests creative water-tainment both day and night with such engaging activities as luaus, pool-side spa treatments and live musical entertainment.
Harrah’s Entertainment, the world’s largest casino company, decided to create OUT in AC to really prove to the LGBT community, they plan to include them, moving forward. Not just be "gay-friendly".
OUT in ATLANTIC CITY was the first weekend-long celebration specifically tailored for the LGBT community of Atlantic City and environs. And guess what? It was a SUCCESS.
And everyone we talked to, most who lived within 2 hours of Atlantic City, all said they would come here even more often, if there was more gay parties or events going on. "Even if a casino would make a gay club night, we'd drive in more often," said Gregg and his 2 friends from New York City.
Harrah's Entertainment owns four of the major players in town; Harrah’s, Showboat, Bally’s, and Caesars. And the OUT IN AC weekend showcased parties at each venue. Club Worship at House of Blues at Showboat hosted the Amanda Lepore (American Transsexual Icon) and Cazwell Catwalk Party. Cazwell has become the premier gay rapper and Amanda has long been celebrity nightlife queen, model, and now singer (thank you Cazwell!) Cazwell rapped about stuff All Over His Face and seeing Beyonce At Burger King, while Amanda pranced and showed off her Jessica Rabbit body while signing about Champagne , Cotton Candy and stripping down, nearly nude, during I Know What Boys Like. FYI - Both the Cazwell and the Amanda Lepore new CD's are out this month! And they'll be talking about their music here with us, in coming weeks!
Gay Travel Tips with PAM ANN - On Tour This Month in the US
Gutsy
Comedian Pam Ann
Aims to Make Skies Less Friendly, More Trendy with Eleven-City USA Tour!!
Following the huge success of her sold-out European and Canadian tours earlier this year, A-List hostess to the stars Pam Ann announced she will touch down for her first USA tour in five years.
The glamorous, Pucci-clad comedian will launch her American tour in Boston on October 10th, with stops in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, and DC.
(dates below).
The final performance will take place October 28th in New York City at the celebrated Hammerstein Ballroom.
"I am coming to the USA to bring fabulousness back to flying," said Pam Ann at the announcement of the tour. "Southwest is falling apart, Jet Blues landing gear never comes down, Mexicana airlines is grounded due to swine flu. Glamour has been sucked out of the industry like a Qantas 747 losing half its fuselage."
"There was a time you could board a Boeing in your Dianne Von Furstenberg wrap dress with a full set of carving knives and a 500ml can of VO5," she continued. "It was always glamour over safety and I believe that’s how it should be."
1. Gays must only travel with designer luggage and a lot of it. You have a name to live up to! Also a man bag is a must!
2. Cocktail hour is every hour when traveling abroad, actually in the gay world cocktail hour is every hour anyway so no changes there.
3. A spray tan and a mankini is a must when traveling to Mykonos, Greece
4. One queen at a time in the bathroom cubicle. You don’t want to attract unnecessary attention from the cabin crew.
5. Be sure to upgrade your iPod with Whitney’s latest album.
6. For your bags - and I’m not talking luggage, I am talking the bags under your eyes, bitches! - try my new product PAMAROID crème. It’s a hemorrhoid crème and yes, it’s a real eye opener! Beyonce and Chelsea Handler swear by it.
7. Avoid Ketamin when traveling. I can’t tell you how many times I have caught queens standing, mouth open, tongue out, watching the bags at the carousel for days. It’s shameful.
8. If you are a gay couple going on a gay Atlantis cruise, decide on land if you are going to allow 3 or 4 ways! And whether you have to be with your partner when you do so! Work out the rules before you have an all out argument at immigration.
9. Remember to pack some good hardcore porn and some musicals – you’re gay after all!
10. Always pack Mardi Gras beads. They fit nicely in your bum.
Fasten your seat belt, stow your designer luggage and prepare for the flight of your life as Pam Ann’s hilarious one-woman comedy show flies into a city near you. No women with perms or men with Arsenio Hall fade cuts allowed.
Advance tickets for the USA Tour are available now at PamAnn-live.com.
BOSTON – October 10th CHICAGO – October 11th DENVER – October 13thLOS ANGELES – October 15th SAN FRANCISCO – October 17th & 18th DALLAS – October 20th
HOUSTON - October 21st MIAMI - October 23rd & 24th ATLANTA - October 25th
WASHINGTON DC - October 26th NYC - October 28th
CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA
CAESAR: If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever, to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer the world as I have, or be crucified by it. [The uproar in the streets again reaches them.] Do you hear? These knockers at your gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing. You have slain their leader: it is right that they shall slay you. If you doubt it, ask your four counsellors here. And then in the name of that right [he emphasizes the word with great scorn] shall I not slay them for murdering their Queen, and be slain in my turn by their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland? Can Rome do less then than slay these slayers, too, to show the world how Rome avenges her sons and her honor. And so, to the end of history, murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race that can understand. [Fierce uproar. Cleopatra becomes white with terror.] Hearken, you who must not be insulted. Go near enough to catch their words: you will find them bitterer than the tongue of Pothinus. What has held them baffled at the gate all these months? Was it my folly, as you deem it, or your wisdom? In this Egyptian Red Sea of blood, whose hand has held all your heads above the waves? [Turning on Cleopatra.] And yet, when Caesar says to such an one, "Friend, go free," you, clinging for your little life to my sword, dare steal out and stab him in the back? And you, soldiers and gentlemen, and honest servants as you forget that you are, applaud this assassination, and say "Caesar is in the wrong." By the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into the flood.
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