“No freedom til we’re equal, damn right I support it.”

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Same Love Lyrics

When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that I was gay ’cause I could draw,
My uncle was and I kept my room straight
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face, she’s like,
“Ben you’ve loved girls since before pre-K”
Trippin’, yeah, I guess she had a point, didn’t she?
A bunch of stereotypes all in my head
I remember doing the math like “Yeah, I’m good a little league”
A pre-conceived idea of what it all meant
For those who like the same sex had the characteristics
The right-wing conservatives think its a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition. Playing God
Ahh nah, here we go
America the brave
Still fears what we don’t know And God loves all his children it’s somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written 3,500 hundred years ago
I don’t know

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

If I was gay I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the Youtube comments lately
“Man that’s gay” Gets dropped on the daily
We’ve become so numb to what we’re sayin’
Our culture founded from oppression
Yeah, we don’t have acceptance for ‘em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word routed in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It’s the same hate that’s caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that lead people to walk-outs and sit-ins,
It’s human rights for everybody
There is no difference
Live on! And be yourself!
When I was in church, they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service Those words aren’t anointed
And that Holy Water, that you soak in is then poisoned
When everyone else Is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans, that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same But that’s not important
No freedom ’til we’re equal
Damn right I support it

I don’t know

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

We press play Don’t press pause
Progress, march on!
With a veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
‘Till the day That my uncles can be united by law
Their kids are walkin’ around the hallway
Plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful, some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper
Isn’t gonna solve it all, but it’s a damn good place to start
No law’s gonna change us
We have to change us. Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it’s all the same love
About time that we raised up

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

Love is patient, love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind (Not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient,(Not crying on Sundays) love is kind (I’m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient,(Not crying on Sundays) love is kind(I’m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient,(Not crying on Sundays) love is kind(I’m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient, love is kind

Classical education involved the study of rhetoric—an education which we desperately need today.

I apologize, in advance, that rhetorical metaphors often use combat and sports metaphors. In ideal world, we would have conversations around an open table where every voice is equal. But the very definition of rhetoric recognizes that language is always connected to power and privilege, and that there are social dynamics hiding beneath the things we say (and do not say). (The word “dynamics” comes from the Greek word for “power.”)

Any given debate is an attempt to control or shape a public narrative. This applies to everything from formal arguments in a court of law to the most juvenile trolling comments on the internet. Discussions among equals happen when we share power in shaping the narrative; we may disagree about some things, and we may advance certain arguments, but ultimately we’re cooperating in telling a story about the way the world is. Debates happen when we wrestle for control of the story.

If you read through the comments on my previous post, How Being a Pastor Changed My Thinking About Homosexuality, you’ll see that commenters who disagree with me seldom spend much time addressing the scriptures I cite, or my comparison of anti-gay attitudes to the parallels with the anti-Gentile attitudes in the gospels and Acts. This is because they believe they control they narrative, or frame, of the biblical argument on this issue, and addressing the points I am actually making would give me control of the narrative.

So, in the spirit of playing offense, here are some questions for dialogical opponents, along with scriptural references. I offer these not because they are definitive or exhaustive, but simply to illustrate how to reframe and refocus an argument. I will also say that I deploy these kinds of questions only when it’s clear that we’re not actually having a discussion, but instead wrestling for control of a narrative:

1. How is your objection to homosexuality different than the Christian Pharisees who insisted that Gentiles be circumcised? How is it different than their insistence that Gentiles follow Jewish dietary laws? (Acts 10, 15)
2. Which is more difficult: changing one’s sexual orientation or cutting off one’s foreskin? Which is more difficult: changing who you love or refraining from eating meat sacrificed to idols?
3. Paul describes women with short hair as being “against nature” (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). He also says that Gentiles being grafted on to Israel’s tree is “contrary to nature” (Romans 11:24) This is the same word he uses in Romans 1:26. Is being “contrary to nature” a bad thing? Is a woman having short hair worse than, better than, or equivalent to homosexuality? What about a man with long hair?
4. What does Jesus mean when he says that the Pharisees “lock people out of the Kingdom?” (Matthew 23:13). How did they go about doing so, or what does this phrase mean? Does anyone “lock people out of the kingdom” today, or was it just something that happened then? Who does it today?
5. What does Jesus mean when he says his yoke is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:29-30)? Was he only talking to Jewish people? Is your opposition to committed same-gender relationships increasing or decreasing a religious burden on people? How would Jesus talk about requiring something of someone else, like celibacy, that you don’t do yourself (Matthew 23)?
6. Jesus complained that the Pharisees were more concerned with what goes into a person than what comes out of them (Matthew 15:10-20). How is your concern with homosexuality different than their concern with unkosher food? What makes someone pure: the food that they turn into poop, or the language that comes out of them? What makes someone pure: where they put their genitals, or how they talk to other people?

I find that, in general, questions are more powerful than statements. Questions can be open and welcoming, inviting further discussion. But questions can also be power plays that people use to draw you into their way of framing an issue. I have also found that simply exposing the rhetoric operating in any given argument helps to shift people from debates toward discussions—it makes us into equals again. “How do you interpret [such-and-such a scripture]” can be met with, in a non-antagonistic way, “Do you really want to know how I interpret that scripture, or are you just offering it as a proof text?”

One commenter cited scriptures prohibiting sexual immorality, as though we had already established that same-gender romantic love was a sin. At best, this is begging the question (assuming the conclusion), a simple logical fallacy. But the goal of citing those scriptures is to shame one’s debate opponent instead of actually engaging the argument. By arguing for inclusion, I become an enemy of God and false teacher, promoting sexual immorality. Which might be true—if I’m wrong. But if I’m right, advocates of exclusion become the Pharisees of Matthew 23, “locking people out of the Kingdom of God.” Now we have a different way of looking at what’s going on.

This will sometimes be met with complaints that “You’re being just as X as the other side.” This, too, is sly, shaming rhetoric. I am sure that Paul’s opponents in Corinth and Rome also accused him of being “divisive” and “judgmental.” It is also an attempt, by so-called  neutral Christians, to capture the moral high ground, to claim a pastoral and more Jesus-like perspective. In the debates between those who say “I follow Paul” and “I follow Apollos,” they sanctimoniously claim, “Well, I follow Christ.” This is an attempt to assume the position of referee or commentator while pretending you aren’t actually playing the game. In my own experience, they are the bossiest kids on the playground, and they usually side with the bullies.

Jesus had a knack for seeing through questions to the narrative and rhetorical tricks behind them (Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 12:18-34). While he probably had divine insight into people’s hearts, he also lived in an age where rhetoric was part of a typical education, and he had such a firm sense of his purpose and his mission that he couldn’t be drawn into someone else’s narrative.

If someone actually wants to discuss how the Bible is an inspired document, or how to interpret various texts, or how Christians should think about the authority of scripture, I am more than happy to discuss any of those things—as equals. But if we’re just going to compete over who controls the narrative, and which of us is doing what by speaking, I’m going to play offense, not merely defense.

So I speak to you today not so much as one of your ministers, but as a mother.  The transgender day of remembrance has become important to me as a mother because I am the mother of a son Toby who is trans.  In an email to me recently this is how Toby described his gender identity “I identify as trans, male, androgynous, fem, gender-fluid, and agender. Most of them most of them time, all of them some of the time. I use he/him/his and ze/zim/zis (or just ze/ze/ze’s) for pronouns.”  Do you find some of that confusing?  I do.  But that is OK.  Just own your confusion.

Toby was born Mary Grace.  She was loved and affirmed and given lots of space to be who she was.  She was a cute little girl, wickedly bright, a voracious reader.  She was creative, tenacious, loved to think, cared about others, and could be bitingly sarcastic.  She was not particularly athletic and was a bit prone to be nervous or shy in new situations, especially in situations where there was a physical risk.  It was really hard to teach her how to ride a bike.  She felt deeply -  When she was happy she was so happy, and when she was down she fell hard.

In the spring of 2005, not too long before I took my position here Mary Grace came out to me and identified herself as male.  To say I was shocked is an understatement.  I was angry, confused, scared, worried, anxious.  I wanted to understand.  Mary Grace told us to call him him, and to call him Toby.  There ensued months of tongue tripping pronoun confusion.  I must say Toby was pretty gracious about it.

I’d like to tell you that I was this perfect mother who heard Toby’s coming out and affirmed him and told him he was wonderful and loved.  I’d even like to remember it that way.  But the truth is that I was scared as a mother, and when I am scared as a mother I do not do my best mothering.

Toby and I had many discussions about how he identifies.  Some were really good conversations, some were not.  I remember some yelling and cajoling.  I remember hugs and tears.  I also remember that I  made a promise to Toby that when I was full up with a conversation about his gender identity, when it had gotten too much for me I would own up to that ask for the conversation to end with the promise that we would come back to it.  We would always come back to it.  I would not leave a conversation permanently unfinished.

Overtime we made our way through a very rocky period.  Two incidents stand out in my memory.

The first we were in line at Wegmans.  At this point Toby had been doing odd and interesting things to his hair, it was partially shaved, partially dyed – made a statement.  In line behind us was a woman I would guess was about 75 who made some comment about Toby’s hair.  I braced myself for an uncomfortable conversation.  Toby replied describing what he had most recently done.  And then the woman pointed to her two color dye job and said, “Well look what I do to my hair, it’s all part of the same.”  It was a moment of normalization that was unexpected and so welcome.

The second incident came from my ex-mother-in-law, Barbara.  We had been somewhat estranged since I had divorced her son.  She was a good woman who had been very important in my life.  She was a very conservative Republican, who had very traditional views about men and women.  Through this process of Toby coming out we had a couple of conversations.  In one of them she said, “I don’t understand what Toby is.  But we have got to stand by Toby.  Kids like Toby end up on the street and when they end up on the street they don’t make it.  I may not understand Toby but he is my grandchild and I love him and I don’t want to lose him, and so I will stand by him.”

Those were strong words of welcome.  They meant a lot to me and a lot to Toby.  Naming the welcome is important because if you self identify as  transgender, genderqueer, gender-fluid,, agender (no gender),, pangender (all or multi-gender), , the default in our society is no welcome.  And that is not who we are as UUs.  We are a welcoming folk, who stand on the side of love.  And so we must name the welcome – for the sake of those we welcome, and for our own sakes too.

And so who is Toby now.  Well as his mother I only probably know the side he lets me see.  But he is wickedly bright, a voracious reader, creative, tenacious, loves to think, cares deeply about others, and can be bitingly sarcastic.  He is still not particularly athletic and is a bit prone to be nervous or shy in new situations, especially in situations where there was a physical risk.  He has finally learned how to ride a bike.  He feels deeply -  When he is  happy he is just so happy , and when he is down he falls hard.

He is a wonderful young man now living in Santa Fe NM.  He is on his own journey.  I am proud of him and proud to be part of his journey.

First, alcohol consumption tends to be higher in women who are LBTQ than in women who are not. Consuming more than three alcoholic drinks a week increases the risk of breast cancer, so remember to drink in moderation!

Some studies indicate that lesbians are more likely to be overweight, which can increase chances of breast cancer. Changes in both exercise and a nutritious diet—not just one or the other!—are the most effective and healthy ways to lose weight.

Smoking is another risk factor for breast cancer, and another harmful activity that LBTQ women are more likely to partake in. For information on how to quit smoking, see the Washington State QuitLine website.

Giving birth before the age of thirty, which LBTQ women are less likely to do, can decrease the risk of breast cancer.

Finally, having to come out to health providers can make doctor visits stressful for LBTQ women, which can be a hurdle to getting a regular mammogram. Start by finding a doctor who you feel comfortable with. If you are over the age of 40 and have no risk factors for breast cancer, you should get a mammogram every two years. Over the age of 50, however, or if you have any heightened risk for breast cancer, you should get a mammogram annually. Every woman should do a self-breast exam once a month. To learn how, click here.

Stress is the reason that these things tend to be higher.

Being aware of these risk factors and how they affect you in particular is the first step in decreasing your risk of breast cancer! For more information on breast cancer and the possible causes of it, go to this website.

Information for this blog post was gathered from a Verbena pamphlet on lesbian health titled “Lesbian Health Matters” and the National LBGT Cancer Network.

I do not think that being gay should be the only prerequisite to being compassionate. I think the only prerequisite should be to be human.

I will stand up for every marginalized group. It does not matter if you get marginalized because of your skin color, or gender, or disability, or whatever else is en vogue; I will pay attention to you. Right now it just so happens that the most frequent human rights violations happen to people who get marginalized because of their sexual orientation.

So yes, I am not gay. I am an ally. And I will keep talking about discrimination against LBTQ people until this is resolved.

This is a human rights issue. Let’s kick its butt!

We believe that every person has inherent dignity and worth. This belief guides everything we do at the YWCA: how we work with clients, our policies, our relationships with colleagues, partners and donors. It’s embedded in our mission/vision statement: “We believe that working together we can create a community where all people live in dignity, free from violence, racism and discrimination.”

The LGBTQ community has experienced a history of violence and discrimination, and we believe that standing with our LGBTQ clients, staff, volunteers, board members and supporters is one concrete way we express our belief in the dignity and worth of every human being.

In celebration of Gay Pride Month, YWCA staff and volunteers are looking forward to participating in the 38th annual Pride Parade: The Many Faces of Pride, in Seattle this Sunday (June 24). We hope to see you along the parade route – we’ll be the group dressed mostly in orange!

We also hope you will join us at the 14th annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair on June 23 from noon to 5 p.m. at Seattle Central Community College. This fun event features complimentary health resources–from Zumba to acupuncture, massage therapy and nutrition.

These are just two of the events that our YWCA will be participating in that celebrate our rich, diverse community. Please visit us here on ywcaworks.org or like us on Facebook to learn about the events that we are joining or hosting in the upcoming months.

This blog post was originally posted on YWCA Leadership Blog: Message from our CEO, Sue Sherbrooke.

If you’ve seen the posters of Nurse Patti around Seattle, then perhaps you’ve become aware of the 14th Annual Rainbow Women’s Health Fair coming up next weekend. But if not, we’ll give you the quick run-down.

On Saturday, June 23, 2012, members of the LBTQ community, peer providers, committee members and volunteers will convene at Seattle Central Community College to join in the spirit of health. Complimentary health resources will be provided−from Zumba to acupuncture, to massage therapy and nutrition. For a full list of providers, visit our LBTQ Health blog.

And we need you, our fabulous YWCA volunteers, to help us provide these much-needed services to members of the LBTQ community. To learn about the variety of positions that need filling, and to register, please visit this link.

For more information about the health festival, please contact Samantha Tripoli at stripoli@ywcaworks.org.

Last week, Edge magazine published an article about Tonya, highlighting that Tonya was no less at risk for HIV infection, despite the fact she is a lesbian woman of color.

“When Eric and I were together we shared a lot of things,” she continued, “including partners. … I was always attracted to women and of course I wasn’t going to get a complaint out of him when it came to me living a bisexual lifestyle,” she explained. “Not once did I consider the fact that maybe he also had a private life of his own, and no matter what we were doing behind closed doors neither one of us thought we would have HIV/AIDS affect our lives the way it has.”

Many women who have sex with women don’t realize that they are also at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to Kim Chronister, M.A., a therapist at AIDS Services Foundation. “According to my research, HIV can potentially be transmitted by exposure of the mucous membrane (i.e., the mouth) to vaginal secretions,” she said. “Also, shared penetrative toys may be a means for transmission of infected vaginal secretions, according to the CDC. In my therapeutic work with women who have sex with women, simple steps that these women can take to lower their risks of being infected may seem obvious, but unfortunately are rarely taken.”

Tonya calls for dialogue among communities of women to address the risk of HIV for LBTQ women: “I believe that just having the conversation about HIV/AIDS in our [lesbian] community is unbelievably crucial, because as long as a sexually active person is talking about those sensitive subjects it will help us alleviate some of the stigma that surrounds this topic.”

To learn more about LBTQ health resources in King and Snohomish counties, visit Public Health – Seattle & King County and Sno GLOBE Equity Alliance’s websites, and the YWCA’s LBTQ Health Blog. And on June 23rd, the YWCA’s Women’s Health Outreach program is hosting their 14th Annual Rainbow Health Fair, where there will be acupuncture, massage, energy healing, Zumba, stretching with Tamara the Trapeze Lady, HIV testing, cholesterol checks, naturopathic consultation, coming out services, mental health education, and a wonderful laughter session! Hope you can make it!

You’re probably thinking, “Did I read that title correctly? ‘Eat for a cause?’” You sure did!

Between May 15th-17th, come join us at our California Pizza Kitchen – Northgate Mall FUNdraiser to “Eat for a Cause!”

20% of your proceeds, including dine-in, take-out, catering and alcoholic beverages, will go directly to the 14th Annual Rainbow Health Fair to be held on June 23rd.

So, bring your friends, family and colleagues, enjoy a delicious meal with even better drinks, and go home satisfied in both tummy and heart.

There will be YWCA staff and Rainbow Health Fair Committee members on site to provide the flyers necessary for donations.

California Pizza Kitchen – Northgate Mall is located at 401 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA, 98125.

We hope to see you all there!

As speakers rallied for the crowd to speak out against representatives who attempt to pass legislation that is considered harmful to the advancement of family and women’s rights, Devin Seman and Samantha Tripoli from YWCA’s Health Access team “wo”manned the YWCA booth at the event. Devin and Samantha used the opportunity to educate attendees on the importance of investing in women and families.

“So many participants of the rally were extremely intrigued and proud of the work the YWCA does in our region. One woman in particular came to our table and spoke about how she had participated in our Women’s Health Outreach program several years ago to receive her yearly mammogram. She is now working and plans to help volunteer at the 14th Annual Women’s Health Outreach Rainbow Health Fair in June to give back to our community,” Samantha said.

“The atmosphere and energy were electrifying. Hearing the speakers, and knowing that the work we do reflects their calls to action was a great feeling. I hope we are able to hold informational booths at more events like this in the region,” Devin said.

Check out this video below to weigh in on the action!

Every year to coincide with the Pride festivities, YWCA Women’s Health Outreach organizes a Rainbow Health Fair for members of the LBTQ community. At these health fairs, we make free health resources and education available to a population and community that is all too often overlooked by our healthcare system. This year, we are hoping to make it the biggest and best health fair thus far. But, in order to do that, we need your help!

If this is a cause that interests you, please visit our YWCA Donations webpage and click the “donate” button on the right hand side of the webpage. Once on the donation page, select the designation to be the Health Access Department, and in the comments section of additional information, specify LBTQ Health: Rainbow Health Fair. Note that 100% of your money goes directly to YWCA Women’s Health Outreach.

And, in the month of February, donations will be matched dollar for dollar – up to $1,000! Consider a tax deductible gift of $10, $25, $50 or more to support the health of women in the Seattle area!

I emailed these to Rion a while back, but art never sleeps and he just got them back to me this week. So here you are, a Christmas treat!

I will warn you that some of my questions are long and wordy (hi, have we met). But Rion answers them with panache.

There’s a googledoc here, or read below!

Hi Rion!

1) I’ve mentioned on twitter before, that it was amazing and brilliant how many people I (directly or indirectly) got linked to the men-ups collection by. Reporting everywhere! Apart from breaking news, I think it’ll probably be the one thing I saw the most links for in 2011.

But here’s what I noticed: about a third of those links were coming from people whose interpretation of the series was “hey look at this great photography series, lampooning gender roles by showing how stupid pin-up poses are! Men look daft like that and that proves that it’s silly to make women do that in order to look sexy!”. Like there was no flicker of possibility for them that there was male sexuality to be seen in the images; male eroticism could never manifest in this way for them. Whereas I, when I saw the first link, thought “oh my goodness, saucy boys being cute, I love it and we need more of this”.

As an artist you will probably have an objection to placing a canon on your work and saying that one view is right where another is wrong, but – I’m going to ask anyway. Which of these two opinions is more congruent to your own?

I would say that the original reaction (wherein people find them to be silly looking) is the response I get most often, but my vision consisted of the idea that men could also be eroticized in such a way and still remain sexy, but to also jab at the idea that things aren’t always so black and white when it comes to what is acceptable between the sexes. Why shouldn’t a male be perceived as sexy while doing something that is perceived as sexy when a female does it? It just doesn’t register with me, so that was something I was trying to work through and establish with the series, moreso than trying to imply (although not unwelcomed as a response, because I can also see the comedy in doing such a project) that they should look goofy. It’s a fine line, which I think is part of being creations of the societies we were raised in.

2) Assuming that your images are supposed to present nice-looking men in nice-looking ways for visual consumption (alongside any other messages) – they’re slightly, but noticably, more chaste than your average classic pin-up. In those, stocking tops, bra straps or suspenders are often on show, or clothing is being lifted (by a dog, a breeze, etc [note of exception: I just noticed that the ‘fishing’ image has a lifted shirt back!]). Was this a deliberate decision? [This is a question that leads into a couple of follow-ups, so I’ll list’em. If you answer this question without looking ahead, and then answer the sub-questions if you haven’t covered those angles in your natural answer.. that’s be super! *difficult*]

This was definitely a hang up for me. I will carry on with the sub-questions to elaborate further.

2a) was it to do with male undergarments being traditionally less elaborate/less eroticised than female ones? Or, differences in male outer garments re: lifting ease?

Underraments was an option, but definitely an issue because of the restrictions that they would carry in terms of themes for each image. What I saw in my mind essentially called for more clothing based on carrying each theme through, as well as keeping the men in what would be deemed socially acceptable ‘everyday’ attire.

2b) do you think that the series would have been less favourably received if there was a greater overt sexuality to them?

It’s hard to say, really. I think that it might not have had as much of a punch in terms of what I was trying to push through with the images. I’ve considered more scantily clad future versions, because I think there is still more to do there and definitely something to explore and see what can be built from off of so little.

2c) reaction to stronger erotic tones could come in two flavours – homophobic/misogynistic, and age-appropriate homo-accepting. An essential “gay panic” could block favourable/critical reaction to more explicit work amongst adults, and “children shouldn’t look at rude sexy things, no matter who is depicted in them” isn’t an uncommon opinion. Many adults prefer not to look at child-unfriendly work as their own lifestyle choice – which would have cut off more potential viewers. Was any of this on your mind?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that these were key issues on my mind during the process. I was more focused on making these characters come to life while maintaining something that wasn’t just naked men, or purely erotic art. I wanted it to be accessible, that’s for sure, but I also wanted each character to come to life through a more theatrical vision, rather than (in my thinking) almost nude males in the standard, comedic situations seen in pin-ups. I wouldn’t deny, that in doing so, that they definitely became more accessible due to how ‘tame’ they are.

3) What’s the most common basic reaction that you’ve seen to this series?

This goes back to your original inquiry. Many people seem to cling to the idea of them being comedic, which is fine by me, but I would also like people to ask why they think it comes across that way. Is it because you’ve been conditioned to believe that men and women have differences invented by society and have no scientific basis for reality? Definitely. Is it because it’s a different way of seeing the male form and therefor slightly uncomfortable? Probably. I just hope there are some who take in my work and think about it more and beyond their initial reactions and ask themselves why they feel the way they do about my work.

4) Your artist’s statement suggests strongly that the men-ups are designed in part to push at the boundaries of gendered sexuality and sexualisation. To me, that’s feminist, and I look at your work thinking “this is a boon to feminism”. Is this a label you’d accept or reject? Why?

I accept a feminist label. I am all for supporting all humans who have been, and still are, repressed by a society that confines them by silly rules, laws, and stereotypes. A portion of my work is most certainly dedicated to bringing what I see as social wrongs and constructions (and therefor fallacies) to light and have people question what is truly real or false. I’m not the only one who has ever been defined by rigid, social definitions, and I think it’s important for others to feel those ideas through my work, but to also share it with others who might not ‘see the light’ so to speak.

5) Are there any ways in which this series continues the themes of your body of work that might not be immediately obvious? How do you think you have most or best developed revisited concepts?

There was a project a did a while back (pre-Men-Ups), which included males and females to take on their opposite sex roles and be seen together, interacting, in one image. Looking back, I think that I still had a lot to learn, and was rather poorly done, but it is something I keep in the back of my mind as something that could be revisited. The Men-Ups was a project that I think definitely solidified my standing in the art world, as well as one direction I wanted to further create work in.

6) Are you working from an appreciation traditional lady pin-ups, or is “contempt/amusement” a stronger reaction for you?

Pin-ups have become a staple in our world. They are something that practically anyone knows about. It’s hard not to look at them and see beauty, because that’s what they were created to do. I’m about 50/50, because I can find beauty and appreciation in either the technical, or plain visual elements, but I can also step back and see just how amusing they actually are. The same goes for the Men-Ups. They’re beautiful to me, and each one of the models is handsome to me, but I can see them as also cheesy, and fun.

7) To be specific about something I like in the series, the non-aggression really stands out to me. It’s a prerequesite of classic pin-up poses of course, because male/female gender roles were BOOMING when they had their heyday and submissive/dominant basically applied to women/men in every way. But assumptively dominant men don’t appeal to me, and the supposition of male sexuality as necessarily dominant really alarms me – so this is a breath of fresh air. Do you feel this cheerful beckoning-to-camera attitude is something that is missing from the composite view of maleness in ‘the media’ generally, or is it something you’re content to explore in your own work without seeing a wider change?

I wanted the models to become vulnerable, because that’s the reality of tradtional pin-ups. They were taking on something outside of the norm, and reserved for females, so it was bound to become uncomfortable on some level. The subtle cues of posing and expressions really has an impact on representing the sexes in very surprising ways. Mainstream media and the like still feed into these notions; masculine, feminine, and they still make as little sense now, as they did then. I think that a freer people comes from denying what they’ve been handed as truth, and finding their own ways to exist as a human. You’re born, this much is true. Beyond that, there are no biological assumptions to how to dress, act, look, stand, sit, eat, drink, have sex, or feel. Wearing makeup doesn’t make you less masculine, nor does not wearing it make you less feminine. So on, & so on.

8) Where would you most love to see your calendar hanging? (Aside: on holiday this year I saw a male pin-up calendar in a tea-shop. Firemen with their bums out. But it was just photographed like, okay, here are some bums, I guess you ladies like that now or whatever”. There was no affection to it! And as a result, it felt inappropriate to see in public. But I’d be so happy to see the men-ups in a café!)

I’ve seen a few purchasers on Twitter with their calendars already hung at home, or in their offices, and I love it. It’s great to see them remain within the private lives of people, because that’s how they were originally shown, but it’s just as great to see them within the public eye. I like that, because it gains less secrecy, and by extension, more of an acceptability. It becomes part of world that denies they can exist, but demonstrates that lie by existing and being seen.

9) Was the decision to have the guys wear men’s clothing and accessorise with “men’s props” instead of dragging up a decision that you made, or was that never a consideration? For the record, my favourite month is whichever gets Mr ‘baseball’, because that one has balls.

Oh yes. Definitely. I wanted each model to play a role defined as masculine, but to have the only difference be how they were being displayed in wearing, or interacting with their masculine identities. To me, the merging of gender roles was key to showing just how blurred the lines can be, and how ill defined humans are. Upon seeing the images, one knows them as men based on their knowledge of how a man dresses, but then it shifts because they’re being displayed in how a woman normally is. One interesting response I’ve seen based on these qualities, many assume that all the models are gay. Even within the gay community, some have seen them as proliferating a gay stereotype, because, again, they have been viewed as homosexuals. To me, this is interesting, because half the models are straight. It’s discomforting, but also nice for me to see that reaction, because it just supports my intentions and thoughts on gender identities defining people as one or the other, and if you fall a different one, or both, then people begin assuming you’re weird, gay, lesbian, straight, etc. This is also something that people should be asking themselves questions about. It’s important to always question everything.

10) Is this calendar art or an artefact? Do you feel there can or must be a distinction?

It’s both to me. A challenge similar to this comes up in the art world. Is it art, or too commercial. I believe they can also be both. The art world looks down upon commercial work, as if it doesn’t take as much effort, design, or intent to make. No just everyone can design, and not just everyone can be an artist. Whether you’re making something for a magazine, or to show in a gallery makes no difference to me. If it was executed successfully and even has deeper meaning, then I can appreciate it.

11) You’re a photographer/artist, and you’re also gay. Would you call this series (or any of your work) “gay art”? I beg your pardon, sinscerely, if this phrase or question offends you; I ask because as a man taking photographs of men in erotic poses there’s a element of involvement with male sexuality that doesn’t seem to publically exist for most men in the public eye – men who usually publically default to straight. Since I know that you are gay (thanks twitter!), I wonder if you feel an investment in the creation of these images that relates to your personal sexuality. Sometimes I’m unsure whether my own viewed-male-bodies (a dick jokes webcomic) work relates to the fact that I am a lady who likes men, or to that I am a lady who feels restricted in her own relationship with her expression of sensuality because of the disparity in how men and women are sexually depicted in the main – I wonder if this is something you wonder about too? If it’s about what you want to see, or what you want to be. Then again, maybe that’s not to do with sexual orientation, but rather gender guidelines.

Gay. Hmm. Well, me being gay is something that I think helps me to see faults in gender guidelines, and was also part of choosing men for the project (not based on attaraction, but moreso a relation to myself and who I can speak for). There are elements of being who you are that make for ways in working and producing art, so in a sense, it can become inescapable, but I wouldn’t say that those things (as well as being gay) define my work, or fully how I express myself.

12) Which artists, thinkers, speakers, creatives, people influenced your thinking in the run-up to the completion of this project?

A feminist literature professor at the University of South Florida was a definite inspiration to me. She seemed to have really taken over my mind around the time I began toying with the idea of Men-Ups, or perhaps just allowed me to think more critically and freely. She brought about a change in me that was welcomed and unexpected and was in part due to her teaching methods and having each class set up as an open discussion where everyone had an opinion, but was also asked why they had that opinion. This was all, of course, supplemented by out of class readings and projects about different feminist authors and movements, which by their very existence and strength and thoughts became inspirational, if only to motivate me to move forward.

Thank you so much for discussing your work with me! I can’t say enough about it, but is there anything else you’d like to add? The final words are yours.

I can’t think of any final words. That was a very in depth interview and I loved answering your questions. I’m only sorry that it took me to long to get back to you.

Women who are LBTQ have higher risks of breast and cervical cancers than heterosexual women. They’re also more likely to have lower incomes and be uninsured or under-insured, making them less likely to be screened. YWCA Women’s Health Outreach holds two mobile screening events each year to provide these critical services to women who are LBTQ in our community. Last weekend, Program Manager Ingrid Berkhout and Health Access and Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Tripoli joined up with the Wild Rose bar, Swedish Medical Center and Beth Kruse, ARNP, to screen 19 women!

Watch this video below to hear the stories of LBTQ women, volunteers and health care provider Beth Kruse!

Many thanks to all our volunteers!

Up first was Ingrid on Saturday – her focus was the 13^th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair at Gilda’s Club she organized and facilitated with the help of many wonderful volunteers! Women without insurance were greeted by Karly as they took advantage of no-cost annual mammograms and cervical exams and other services provided by Women’s Health Outreach and our many partners who incorporated a vast array of traditional and nontraditional healthcare providers. Everyone who joined Ingrid and Karly at the Rainbow Health Fair went home with all sorts of goodies and the peace of mind in knowing they had received their annual screenings.

Laughter Workshop @ Rainbow Health Fair!

Getting a relaxing chair massage @ Rainbow Health Fair!

And, finally, there was Nicole, who spent a good portion of Sunday at the Seattle Center during Pride talking with people and distributing literature about BABES Network and HIV.

Although temperatures may have been mild and fair, the Health Access team was on fire promoting health prevention and healthcare!

-Marilyn Calbert

Saturday, June 25th

10am – 3pm

Gilda’s Club

1400 Broadway, Seattle 98122

If this is your first LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair, you are in for a day of learning new ways to take care of yourself. If you are returning for another year, you will recognize some of our beloved providers and benefit from the new providers joining us. Check out the YWCA’s LBTQ Health blog for additional information and updates!

-Ingrid Berkhout

Traffic Jam with DJ Brynn Taylor at Score on Lincoln Rd kicked off the first night of parties for Aqua Girl 08. The ladies wore colored glow necklaces to signal their availability. Green for “Go for it”, Yellow for “Proceed with caution” and Red means “Stop”. Go-go dancers and drag queens Spikey Dykey, Rico Suave and Teddy D performed throughout the night.

Caution!

See at 93 photos at Napkin Nights
http://miami.napkinnights.com/pics/view_album.php?id=4698

Now on its fifth year, Aqua Girl is the largest benefit women’s week in the United States. 100% of the proceeds raised during the week go directly back into the community.

Aqua Girl 08 is produced by Aqua Foundation for Women. The Aqua Foundation for Women was created to promote the strength, health, equality and visibility of South Florida’s lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LBTQ) women.