WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice

Page created by Rene Davidson
 
CONTINUE READING
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
You better
WORK!
UBE’s Vogue Academy offers community
along with dance lessons
By Rich Lopez, page 8
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
1825 Market Center Blvd., Suite 240, Dallas TX 75207 | 214-754-8710 | dallasvoice.com
                                          February 24, 2023 | Volume 39 | Issue 42
                                        PUBLISHER Leo Cusimano, leo@dallasvoice.com

                            MANAGING EDITOR               Tammye Nash, nash@dallasvoice.com
                         SENIOR STAFF WRITER              David Taffet, taffet@dallasvoice.com
                                STAFF WRITER              Rich Lopez, rich@dallasvoice.com
                               PROOF READER               Philip Burton
                              CONTRIBUTORS                Chris Azzopardi, Sean Baugh, Gary Bellomy, Jenny Block, Joey Casiano,
                                                          Jesus Chairez, Lawrence Ferber, Januari Fox, Hardy Haberman,
                                                          Scott Huffman, Lisa Keen, Mark Lowry, Jonathon McCellan, Cassie Nova,
                                                          Dr. Josh, Josh Robbins, Gilberto Rodriguez, James Russell, Howard Lewis
                                                          Russell, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Leslie McMurray, Gregg Shapiro, Casey Williams

                 ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Chad Mantooth, mantooth@dallasvoice.com
          CONTENT MARKETING SPECIALIST Mathew Dominguez, mathew@dallasvoice.com
              NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE National Advertising Representative
                                                          Todd Evans, Rivendell Media Inc. | 908-232-2021

                                    ART DIRECTOR Kevin Thomas, thomas@dallasvoice.com
                                     MULTIMEDIA Jimmy Bartlett, Website Management
                                                          Israel Luna, DVtv Video Producer
                                                          Tom Roma, DVtv Producer; Joseph Herrera, Producer
                                         DVtv Hosts Regina Lyn, Larry The Fairy, Corry Williams

                       CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Linda Depriter, distribution@dallasvoice.com

                                         FOUNDERS Robert Moore | Don Ritz

              AFFILIATIONS | MEMBERSHIPS
                  Associated Press - Associate Member
                    Certified LGBT Business Enterprise

© 2023 Voice Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprint rights are available by written consent of the publisher. Dallas Voice
is published every Friday. Additional copies may be purchased for $1, at the Dallas Voice office. Dallas Voice may be distributed only by
authorized independent distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Dallas Voice, take more than one copy of each
weekly issue. Subscriptions via First Class Mail are available: Three months (13 consecutive issues), $69. Six months (26 consecutive
issues), $92. One year (52 consecutive issues), $138. To subscribe call 214-754-8711.
Paid advertising copy represents the claim(s) of advertisers. Bring inappropriate claims to the attention of the publisher.
Dallas Voice reserves the right to enforce its own judgments regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and/or photographs.
Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted by email only. To obtain a copy of our guidelines for contributors, send a request by email to the
managing editor at editor@dallasvoice.com.

                                                                                                                                                02.24.23   █   dallasvoice   3
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
Bites from our blog
    WHAT’S THE TEA: DallasVoice.com

                                       Construction site work begins at Resource Center’s Oak Lawn Place Apartments project
                                       (Photo courtesy of Resource Center)

                                       Debbie Gibson                                      “dance artist of the decade” Kristine W and
                                                                                          local favorite Jada Pinkett Fox as emcee.
                                       to headline MetroBall 16                              Pre-sale tickets for MetroBall 16 are avail-
                                          ’80s pop superstar Debbie Gibson is re-
                                                                                          able online now at GDMAF.org/MetroBall.
                                       turning to Dallas as headliner for MetroBall 16,
                                                                                                                         — Tammye Nash
                                       officials with the Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS
                                       announced this week. MetroBall is GDMAF’s          Site work begins at Resource
                                       largest fundraising event each year, and this      Center’s Oak Lawn Place
                                       year the event once again kicks off Dallas Pride
                                       weekend, taking place Friday night, June 2, at     housing project
                                       S4, 3911 Cedar Springs Road.                         Resource Center officials this week said
                                          Joining Gibson in the MetroBall 16 enter-       that construction site work has already begun
                                       tainment lineup are Billboard magazine’s 1990s     on the center’s planned LGBTQIA-affirming
Debbie Gibson (Photo by Nick Spanos)

4   dallasvoice.com    █   02.24.23
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
Obituary                                                                                                █
                                                                                                                 Adoptable / BRANDY
                                        Tanya “BJ        huge talent on the dance floor. Her ener-                                                                                    out in a play yard and you’ll find she has plenty of energy to keep
                                        Laray”           getic style earned her nicknames such as                                                                                     up and play with her people friends and other dogs. She does well
                                        Halle            “the dancing dynamo” and “Happy Feet.”                                                                                       with kids, too, so bring the whole family down to the shelter to
                                           Tanya         She was a fan favorite in shows around the                                                                                   meet her. Brandy would love to have a big, fenced-in yard, but a
                                                         Metroplex, around the state and around                                                                                       low traffic apartment could work also.
                                        Halle,
                                        known to         the country as she traveled with a troupe of
                                                                                                                                                                                      Adult dogs and cats are normally a $75 adoption fee from the SPCA
                                        her fans as      dancing women often led by the first-ever
                                                                                                                                                                                      of Texas. Puppies and kittens under the age of six months are $150.
                                        dancing DJ       National Lady of the Year Connie McLain.
                                                                                                                                                                                      Adoption fees vary for small mammals, equestrian and livestock.
                                        BJ Laray,           BJ won the National Lady of the Year title
                                                                                                                                                                                      Fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations,
                                        passed           in 1992, alongside another DFW dancer, 1992
                                                                                                                                                                                      a heartworm test for dogs six months and older and a FIV/FeLV
                                        away             National Butch Lady of the Year Jazzi Bleu,                                                                                  test for cats four months and older, initial flea/tick preventative
                                        Tuesday,         who this week memorialized her friend on                                                                                     and heartworm preventative, a microchip, 30 days of PetHealth
                                        Feb. 21, in      social media: “You could out dance any drag                                                                                  Insurance provided by PetHealth, a free 14-day wellness exam
                                        Houston          queen in that era but remained humble. You                                                                                   with VCA Animal Hospitals, a rabies tag and a free leash. The Jan-
                                        following        earned their respect, and everyone that met                                                                                  Rees Jones Animal Care Center is open to the public seven days a
                                        a lengthy        you loved your whole being, your positive                                                                                    week, noon-6 p.m. Appointments are required for foster animals
                                                                                                             Meet Brandy, a 56-pound lump of love a pittie mix who has been
     battle with metastatic breast cancer.               vibes, always smiling even on dark days.                                                                                     and animal housed in the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center.
                                                                                                             patiently waiting for a forever family to adopt her at the SPCA of
        Although small of stature, “BJ” was known        The dancing DJ never missed a beat on the                                                                                    Please browse available animals at SPCA.org/FindAPet and visit
                                                                                                             Texas. Brandy is a little snuggler and loves getting lots of attention
     for her huge smile, her huge spirit and her         dance floor or while playing our music.”                                                                                     SPCA.org/DogAdopt to inquire about a dog or SPCA.org/CatAdopt
                                                                                                             — a few tasty treats would be greatly appreciated, too. Get her
                                                                                                                                                                                      to inquire about a cat

    affordable housing project, Oak Lawn Place           celebrates Resource Center’s 40th anniversary.     entirely by LGBTQIA+ volunteers, is 1-888-OUT-                            source has told Dallas Voice both the victim
    Apartments.                                                                         — David Taffet      LGBT (1-888-688-5428), with a dedicated                                   and the suspect were dancers at the bar, but
        The apartments are set to open at the                                                               website at LGBTcomingOUT.org. All services are                            police have not confirmed that information.
    end of 2024. Watch for announcements on                                                                 free and confidential.                                                       Police said that the incident started as
h   groundbreaking parties and other events
                                                         LGBTQ Coming Out hotline                                                          — Tammye Nash                              an argument between the two men, then
    coming soon.                                         launches this week                                                                                                           escalated into a fight. The victim then ran into
        Meanwhile, more than half a dozen people            The LGBT National Help Center officially                                                                                  the suspect with his vehicle, and the suspect
    told stories to the camera on Monday, Feb.           launched its newest program, the LGBT National
                                                                                                            1 dead following shooting                                                 began shooting, striking the victim multiple
    13.                                                  Coming Out Support Hotline, Tuesday, Feb. 21,      on S. Riverfront                                                          times.
        The hours of recording will be used for          focusing specifically on the concerns of those       One man was killed early Sunday morning,                                   Police said the case will be referred to the
    several projects, but first will be a five-minute    struggling with coming out issues — regardless     Feb. 19, and a second arrested following a                                Dallas County grand jury. They did not identify
    film about the center’s history that will debut at   of age or how each person defines that process.    shooting outside the newly-opened nightclub                               either man.
    Toast to Life on April 1. This year, Toast to Life      The dedicated toll-free phone number, staffed   The View on South Riverfront Boulevard. A                                                                  — Tammye Nash

                                                                                                                                               Specializing in HIV Treatment & PrEP

                                                                                                                                Primary Care:                                                  In-Office Procedures:
                                                                                                                                • STI Testing & Treatment                                      • Removal of Warts, Skin Tags,
                                                                                                                                • Diabetes Management                                          • Skin abscess incision & drainage
                                                                                                                                • Cholesterol Management                                         Lipomas & Sebaceous cyst,
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Ingrown/deformed toenails,
                                                                                                                                • Weight Management
                                                                                                                                                                                               • Wound Closure/Stitches
                                                                                                                                • High Blood Pressure Management                               • Botox, Juvederm, Cosmetics
                                                                                                                                                                                               • Joint Injections
                                                                                                                                Specialized Care:
                                                                                                                                • Infectious Disease/HIV
                                                                                                                                • Hepatitis C Treatment
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Book your
                  Luis Valdes Castillo,FNP-C | Peter Triporo, ACNP-BC | Marc Tribble, MD                                        • Gender Affirming Care
                                                                                                                                • Psychiatric Services
                                                                                                                                                                                                appointment
                                                                                                                                   (General Addiction)
                                                                                                                                                                                                   online
                                      “I am excited to join MD Progressive Care practice and
                                      continue offering services to the LGBTQ Community with                                                                                                                            Voted 2022 Best Medical

                                      additional Psychiatric Services” - Peter Triporo, ACNP-BC                                                                                                                            Practice, Best HIV
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Specialist and Dr. Tribble
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Best General Practioner

                                                           Scan Code & Pre-Register to                                                                                                                              Peter Triporota, NP

                                                           become a patient of Peter Triporo                                                                                                                    named Top 10 in America’s
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Top Nurse Practitioner Awards.

                                                           at MD Progressive Care

        MDProgressiveCare.com • 214-521-0100 • Voted 2022 Best Medical Practice, Best HIV Specialist and Dr. Tribble Best General Practioner

                                                                                                                                                                                                            02.24.23         █    dallasvoice               5
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
VOICES
    OPINIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY

A target on transgender backs
You don’t have to ‘get’                                                              across the           ber who demands books about trans-                people. Maybe your gender identity is so
                                                                                     country              gender people be yanked from school               entrenched that you can’t fathom being
trans folks to understand                                                            are      fix-        libraries, every media talking head who           trans or non-binary. Fine.
they are human                                                                       ated      on         uses their platform to dehumanize trans              But the thing is, you don’t have to
                                                                                     harming              people — they all contribute to a culture         understand someone to treat them hu-

I
      just read an article about the mur-                                            transgen-            of violence where transgender people              manely and allow them to live in dignity.
      der of Brianna Ghey, a transgender                                             der peo-             are unsafe.                                       You know what being human feels like,
      teenager found stabbed to death in a                                           ple. Every              Which is, of course, the point. What           and, if you’re a member of the LGB com-
      park in England. As NBC reports,                                               single one           was it that Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah,             munity, you know what it feels like to
Ghey had “visible stab wounds,” and,                                                 of these             said about “self-deportation”? That if we         be dehumanized for who you are. So do
just in case you didn’t think this story                                             measures,            make the lives of immigrants horrible             trans folks.
could get any worse, “Police said they                                               as     well          enough they’ll just leave on their own?              You’d think that even cisgender het-
have arrested two teenagers, both 15                                                 as the an-                                        That’s what is       erosexual people would get that most
years old, on suspicion of the murder.”                                              ti-trans                                       being advocated         basic principle: Treat others how you
   My god. These are children. All of                                                                                               for trans people:       would like to be treated. Very basic stuff.
them.                                              rhetoric fueling debate                                                                    self-era-        But instead, it seems like people are al-
   Perhaps many in the U.S. have become            on the issue, serves to                                                                    sure. And     lowing themselves to believe that public
numb to stories about kids killing kids            spread the message                                                                      anti-trans       schools are somehow gender transition
(our legislators certainly have), but this         that transgender                                                                    bigots       don’t   factories with teachers intent on creat-
is truly horrific.                                 people are, at                                                                 care if that erasure      ing a fully trans student body so that …
   I don’t have any further details about          best,    “icky”                                                                  manifests itself        What?
the suspects. I don’t know if they did it,         and, at worst,                                                                     as staying in            I don’t know what the end goal is in
and I don’t know why they did it if they           subhuman                                                                            the closet or if     this wild theory, actually. To destroy the
are, indeed, guilty.                               and danger-                                                                         it ends in death     very idea of gender, maybe? There’s no
   I do know that, scrolling through my            ous.                                                                                by suicide or        logic to follow, so that’s my best guess.
newsfeed, just about every article related           Reading                                                                           murder.                 In an op-ed in USA Today, Vanessa
to transgender people was “Texas gov-              about      Bri-                                                                       And as Gil-        and Michael Anspach, parents of a trans-
ernor backs transgender ban for college            anna Ghey’s                                                                       lian Branstetter,      gender child in Arizona, write about the
sports,” and “South Dakota governor                murder       sur-                                                               a communications         pending anti-trans legislation in Ari-
signs bill prohibiting gender-affirming            rounded         by                                                            strategist at the          zona, “It’s another bill that, on its face,
treatment for transgender minors,” and             these stories really                                                        American Civil Liber-        is aimed at harming our trans kids by
“Ban on health care for transgender                crystalizes the reality                                                  ties Union, points out on       instilling fear in others that schools are
youth passed by Utah Legislature,” and             that every politician who                                            Twitter, in places that lack        somehow ‘transitioning’ their kids be-
“Arizona rep. proposes anti-transgender            introduces anti-trans bills, ev-                               self-ID laws — meaning trans-             hind their backs. It also aims to ‘protect’
‘women’s bill of rights.’”                         ery religious leader who portrays trans                gender people cannot legally change               adults in schools who care more about
   It goes on and on. State legislatures           people as evil, every school board mem-                their IDs, including their names — trans-         their politics than about treating others
                                                                                                          gender people are further marginalized            with dignity and basic human decency.”
                                                                                   OF
                                                                                     FE WE N
                                                                                       R B OW
                                                                                                          when newspapers print their “real”                   Yep. And this is true for all of this
                                                                                          OT
                                                                                            OX
                                                                                               TO
                                                                                                          names and use the wrong pronouns.                 pending legislation. It’s all bullshit. It’s
                                                                        Tired of                  O   !
                                                                                                          Families can essentially do the same if           the result of unserious people being

                                                                        SHAVING?                          they did not accept or support their dead
                                                                                                          relative’s identity.
                                                                                                                                                            elected to do a serious job for which they
                                                                                                                                                            are unqualified and in which they are
                                                                            We Can Help!                     “Trans people like Brianna are fighting        uninterested.
                                                                                                          to tell the truth when the whole world               They just want to use their power to
    Smashing High Prices!                                                       Serving the LGBT
                                                                              Community since 2011!       wants us to tell a lie,” Branstetter post-        hurt the people they don’t like. And
                                                                                                          ed to Twitter. “We are routinely censored         transgender kids are getting hit hardest
                                                                               Call Today for your        and penalized for that truth. And too             of all. 				                              █
    The Largest Selection of Cabinets, Doors,                                      FREE                   often our death is seen as an opportuni-             D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living in
       Vanities and Tubs in the DFW Area                                       Consultation!
                                                                                                          ty — by police, the media, and even our           Michigan with her wife and son. She has
      Save 40% - 60%                                682-593-1442
                                                                                                          own families — to erase that truth.”              been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for
                                                   htgtelectrolysis.com
                                                                                                             Look, maybe even you, dear reader,             nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @
    2610 West Miller Rd • Garland • 972-926-0100
    5832 E. Belknap • Haltom City • 871-831-3600    4245 N. Central Expy.                                 are someone who doesn’t “get” trans               MamaDWitkowski.
                                                    Suite 450, Dallas, TX
            www.builderssurplustexas.com

6     dallasvoice.com       █   02.24.23
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
g

-
.

-

o

t
u

n

…

o

a

e

,

-

t
s

s

g
y
e

d
t
█

n
s
r

    02.24.23   █   dallasvoice   7
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
Live…work…vogue!
    BLACK HISTORY MONTH

UBE’s Vogue Academy                                                                                                                               have a time and place to come out and
                                                                                                                                                  practice. JRock described it as a time of
puts the power in the pose                                                                                                                        fellowship and a way for the partici-
                                                                                                                                                  pants to find their tribe.
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer                                                                                                                            But Jrock saw a bigger potential.
rich@dallasvoice.com                                                                                                                                 “Once I came along, I declared that I
                                                                                                                                                  was going to have a ball,” he said. “We
                trike a pose; there’s                                                                                                             were gonna have a mainstream ballroom
                nothing to it. At least,                                                                                                          called Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I got
                that’s the intention every                                                                                                        there in May 2016, and we were gonna
                Friday night at United                                                                                                            have the ball in June. So we had four
                Black Ellument’s Vogue                                                                                                            weeks to get ready for it.”
                Academy. The weekly                                                                                                                  The ball came and went, but the stu-
                class held at Resource                                                                                                            dents kept coming back for more.
                Center teaches the fun-                                                                                                              At that time, UBE was based in Deep
                damentals of vogueing,                                                                                                            Ellum.
but it has also become a place for com-                                                                                                              “We had the space for it, and since
munity — proving the power of dance                                                                                                               they were coming in weekly, we called it
and expression.                                                                                                                                   Vogue Academy and started structuring
  United Black Ellument is a program                                                                                                              it since it was becoming a weekly thing,”
at the Center geared toward empower-                                                                                                              JRock said. “The other founder of the
ing young, Black, same-gender-loving                                                                                                              academy is Boss Lady Jakai Agacii.”
men. Director Jalenzski Brown oversees
the happenings for UBE, including the                                                                                                             Deep in vogue
academy.
  “There would be no academy without                                                                                                                 Then UBE left Deep Ellum to move
Jalenzski,” said Cedrick Johnson, who                                                                                                             into Resource Center’s current build-
goes by Jrock.                                                                                                                                    ing on Cedar Springs Road. Brown and
  In turn, there wouldn’t be the acad-                                                                                                            Johnson were concerned that the change
emy without Jrock. He serves as the                                                                                                               would affect the academy and the stu-
founder of today’s iteration of Vogue                                                                                                             dents who were comfortable going to
Academy and volunteers with Resource              having fun and serving that self-expres-           York City by Black and Latino commu-         the original space. It didn’t.
Center to teach his weekly students. He           sion,” JRock said. “When we started to             nities. The scene was created as an alter-      “More kids kept coming out to the
also founded the ballroom kiki scene              formalize it, it grew into this big thing.”        native to the drag pageants happening        scene, and they kept hearing about it,”
that stems from the academy.                                                                         in the 1970s. Today, drag queen Crystal      Jrock said.
  Brown and Johnson host the classes,             A quick history                                    LaBeija is often credited with founding         Today, the academy breaks down the
but their impact goes well beyond the                                                                ballroom culture some 50 years ago.          elements of vogue. This is the place to
RC doors.                                          The ballroom scene — or ball culture                “The House of LaBeija was created          go to “mess up and look silly” before at-
  “The most important part of all this is         — is a queer subculture started in New             as an opposition to the racism that was      tempting an appearance at the balls with
                                                                                                     happening in drag pageants at that           no training. No one wants to look messy
                                                                                                     time,” said Jrock, whose full ballroom       at a ball.
    Basic ballroom glossary                       stakes. According to Jrock Juicy Couture
                                                  Ebony, kikis function for newer or younger
                                                                                                     name is Jrock Juicy Couture Ebony.              At the academy, students learn
                                                  ballroom artists or “children” bringing in new
                                                                                                       Houses are found families that com-        hands, catwalk, spins, schwams (“not
   Ballroom culture has its own language          styles to the scene before hitting the actual      pete in balls but also serve as a support    shablams”) and dips (“not deathdrops”).
which has permeated its way into mainstream       ballroom runways.                                  system for their members. Houses are            “When we put it all together, we let
culture. Shows like Pose, RuPaul’s Drag Race         • House: Formed within the community, a
and Legendary have brought those terms into
                                                                                                     led by “mothers” and “fathers.”              it flow with club house music and com-
                                                  house serves as a found family and support                                                      mentating,” Jrock explained. “We open
the light. So what do they mean? Here’s a         system led by a mother or father. Often, the
primer of a few basic ballroom terms.             house supports young adults starting in the        Academy origins                              up the floor for freestyling.”
   • Ballroom: Emerging from the Harlem           scene but also needing resources for daily life.                                                   Some have come with two left feet,
Renaissance, this is the umbrella term for the       • Icon: A revered classification that sur-        “UBE was hosting ‘Get Your Life’ ball-     and in three to six months, they are
culture and scene, whereas, balls are the seri-   passes legendary status.
ous formal competitions among the houses.
                                                                                                     room practice back in 2014,” Brown said.     snatching trophies, he added.
                                                     • Legend: A winner of multiple trophies with    “It started as a monthly thing until JRock      Vogue Academy though is not just for
   • 007: A free agent in ballroom who is not     an extensive ballroom history, a veteran of the
part of a house.                                  scene.
                                                                                                     came in and reimagined it entirely.”         UBE members. Friday nights are open to
   • Kiki: A competition with less serious           • Walk: To enter a ballroom category              Back then, the ballroom kids would         anyone wanting to learn how to let their

8    dallasvoice.com    █    02.24.23
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
body go with the flow.                       balls. It shows that                                                                     All photos courtesy of Resource Center
   “We never shut down the academy.          the work of UBE                                                                          and United Black Ellument
It’s open to everyone,” Brown said. “All     has extended,” he
kinds of people come in on Friday night,     added.
and we’re creating these bonds.”               Brown and Jrock
                                             note that the scene
Love is the message                          really took off in
                                             2019. They were
  What starts in the Vogue Academy           hosting three to four
certainly doesn’t stay there. As its scene   mini-kiki balls and
grows, so does the scene outside Friday      mini balls a year,
nights.                                      with people com-
  But what Brown sees is more than           ing from all over
the vogue moves and music; he sees a         to compete. By the
community of people coming together          end of 2019, they
through love and culture.                    teamed up with
  “It’s this network of people not only      DJ Rudeboy and Marty’s
for UBE and RC, but for people in the        Live for a Wednesday

scene.
When      we
formalized
Vogue Acad-                                                                                                                                       “Our
emy, more re-                                                                                                                                  networking spreads
sources were                                                                                                                                   way beyond Texas now,” Jrock
poured into it.                                                                                                                                said. “It’s kind of underground
And we started                                                                                                                                 but all over the world, and our
the Gulf Coast                                                                                                                                 balls have up to 500 people.
Kiki Coalition                                                                                                                                 We’ve had a kiki ball at the Dal-
which now has                                                                                                                                  las Museum of Art, so even in-
almost 900 mem-                                                                                                                                stitutions outside the scene are
bers.”                                                                                          Catwalk of fame                                finding us.”
  Plus, UBE still                                                                                                                       Both Brown and Johnson have deep
has to do its thing.                                                    night gig.         Today, Vogue Academy and the               pride in not only the scene and its legacy
  Brown           ex-                                     “By Christmas, we had          Wednesday night scene at Marty’s keep        but UBE’s part in all of it.
plained, “It may                             Wednesdays for kiki vogue nights, with      Dallas’ ballroom culture on the map.           “All this happened right here at UBE,”
look like we’re having fun all the           all these categories that allowed our       Some have graduated, if you will, and        Brown said. “These kids are serious and
time, but we are a movement that is here     scene to express themselves,” Jrock said.   have taken their talents beyond. House       continue dancing when we all leave the
to enable and empower young Black               Then the coronavirus hit hard, but       of Ebony’s XaPariis, a VA alum, compet-      Resource Center. We’re proud of this
men. The fun brings people out, but they     Vogue Academy still kept it going in its    ed on HBO’s Legendary with House of          scene but also proud that they find fami-
come with their stories and need help, so    own way: “We learned how to do ball-        Balmain’s Cali Dequan, also from Dallas.     ly in this ballroom culture.”              █

we get to do that too.                       room in a pandemic,” Jrock declared.        Jrock mentioned that many performers           Visit UBEDallas.org for more about Vogue
  “But it’s really beautiful to see how         Zoom and virtual balls kept the spirit   have gone on to snatch titles and tro-       Academy. Watch videos of the local scene and
the scene has grown and people forming       and love alive.                             phies in other big ballroom cities such as   more at Jrock’s The TensOrChops Television
their own organizations and doing the                                                    Atlanta and New York.                        Network on YouTube.

                                                                                                                                                    02.24.23   █   dallasvoice   9
WORK! UBE's Vogue Academy offers community along with dance lessons - By Rich Lopez, page 8 - Dallas Voice
Dallas prepares for a quiet city council election
ON THE BALLOT

The new city council will look a
lot like the old city council, and
the mayor will run unopposed

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

                    lection Day for the
                    new Dallas city coun-
                    cil and mayor is Sat-
                    urday, May 6. Early
                    voting runs Monday,
                    April 24 through Tues-
                    day, May 2. And the
                    new Dallas City Coun-
cil looks as though it will be very similar
to the current city council.                  Omar Narvaez, above, Chad West, top right and Annise Parker
   Mayor Eric Johnson, who was elected
to his first of a possible two four-year      deputy mayor pro tem; Chad West was               Houston’s first
terms in 2019, is seeking reelection.         mayor pro tem last year.                       out council mem-
While the office was hotly contested             Both have drawn opponents in this           ber was Annise
with about 10 viable candidates last time     election who are known in their districts.     Parker who was
Johnson will be running unopposed this           Former City Councilwoman Moni-              elected in 1997,
year. Former Dallas ISD superintendent        ca Alonso, whom Narvaez originally             four years after
Michael Hinojosa considered running,          defeated and who has run against him           Dallas began rou-
but withdrew from the race in January.        in each of his subsequent elections, has       tinely     electing
   The last time the office of Dallas may-    filed to run against him again this year,      LGBTQ council
or was unopposed was in 1967, when            too. He has two additional opponents as        members        and
same-name, different-spelling Mayor           well: first-time candidate Sidney Robles       went on to be-
Erik Jonsson was seeking his second           Martinez and Tony Carrillo, who ran for        come the city’s
term.                                         city council in the three previous elec-       mayor. She’s now
   “It is the greatest honor of my life to    tions.                                         president      and
serve as the mayor of my hometown,”              In District 1, Mariana Griggs, former       CEO of the LGBT
Johnson said in a statement. “We have         wife of former City Councilman Scott           Victory Fund.
achieved significant, measurable results      Griggs, has filed to run against West. A          When it comes
for the residents of Dallas over the past     third candidate — Albert Mata — is also        to LGBTQ repre-
four years, and I look forward to con-        running.                                       sentation on the council this year, “We’re   Nick Hellyar.
tinuing this incredible progress in my           West is popular in his district, but so     a little antsy in Houston,” Parker said        Unlike Dallas races where an incum-
second term.”                                 was Scott Griggs. The question in that         this week.                                   bent who is term-limited can sit out a
   Chief among his accomplishments is a       race is whether Mariana Griggs has time           Gay City Councilman Robert Gal-           race and then run again, in Houston
decrease in violent crimes. Dallas is the     in the short election season to attract        legos, who is term limited out of office,    candidates are then banned for life from
only major city in the U.S. to have scored    enough support to force a run-off.             is running for mayor of Houston. But         running for the same position.
a decrease in crime since the pandemic.          Fort Worth is adding two seats to           he’s behind in fundraising; four other         Two other gay incumbents are run-
   Two of the 14 council members — Ca-        its city council because of population         candidates have more than $1 million in      ning for city council seats in Texas this
sey Thomas and Adam McGough — are             growth. The Census Bureau estimated            the bank. Victory Fund hasn’t endorsed       spring. Jonathan Estrada is running for a
in their fourth terms and can’t run again     the city had 935,000 residents in 2021,        in that race yet, but Parker said there’s    second term in Pasadena and Jalen McK-
this year.                                    making that city about the size Dallas         time, because Houston’s local elections      ee-Rodriguez is up for reelection in San
   Both of the gay men currently on the       was in 1979.                                   aren’t until November.                       Antonio.
council, who have both filed to run for          Since Joel Burns left the council in           “He has to step it up,” Parker said of      Estrada, Parker said, “scratched out
another term in office, have been recog-      2014, Fort Worth has had no LGBTQ rep-         Gallegos.                                    a win last time.” He has two challeng-
nized with leadership positions during        resentation. That will continue at least          She said two newcomers are running        ers this race, but Parker said he’s done a
their tenures: Omar Narvaez serves as         one more election cycle.                       for the council — Mario Castillo and
                                                                                                                                                                   DALLAS, Page 20

10   dallasvoice.com    █    02.24.23
Laser focused on HIV
IN AUSTIN

Groups from across the state                                                       to the table.”                                opportunities to catch HIV early.
will converge on Austin to                                                            Jones has filed legislation on HIV/          “We’ve got all the tools,” she said. “We
lobby lawmakers                                                                    AIDS issues, and Prism Health North           just need to start using them and get past
                                                                                   Texas is sending a bus to the Capitol on      the stigma.”
                                                                                   March 27 to lobby for the bills he’s filed.     This bill isn’t as controversial as oth-
DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer                                                 Fox said participants will be most fo-        er legislation, so, Fox said, she’s hop-
taffet@dallasvoice.com                                                             cused on HB 2235, which would make            ing Advocacy Day will help push the
                                                                                   an HIV test part of a standard STD            bill to get a hearing in committee and
                    ep. Vinton Jones —                                             screening in Texas.                           maybe get it to the House floor. But she
                    the first member                                                  Currently, you have to ask your doctor     acknowledged bills often take multiple
                    of the state House                                             to add an HIV test, or your doctor has to     sessions before they become law.
                    of Representatives                                             ask if you’d like to include it, Fox said.      Jones was assigned to the Public
                    who is out about his                                           To ask for an HIV test, you have to know      Health Committee, so that increases the
                    HIV-positive status                                            it’s not automatically administered and       chance of a hearing on the bill.
                    — is already making                                            be comfortable enough with your doctor          Another bill Jones is planning to file is
                    a difference in the                                            to ask for the test.                          a decriminalization bill.
Texas Legislature, advocate Januari Fox,                                              Doctors, on the other hand, generally        “HIV is in criminal statute now for
the policy, advocacy and community                                                 don’t routinely include an HIV test for       transmission,” Fox said. “It’s considered
engagement director for Prism Health                                               all patients but instead make assump-         assault.”
North Texas, said this week. “Vinton,”     State Rep. Venton Jones is the first    tions about who needs the test.                 Last session, one bill would have in-
                                           openly HIV-positive person elected to
she added, “brings something different                                                Fox said that leads to many missed
                                           the Texas House                                                                                                     HIV, Next Page

                                                                                                                                            02.24.23   █   dallasvoice    11
HIV, From Previous Page
                                      creased the penalties for transmitting
                                      HIV by upgrading it to aggravated as-
                                      sault, making it a felony. That bill died
                                      in committee.
                                         Criminalization is something we hear
                                      about when someone with HIV spits at
                                      a medical worker. But, Fox said, “That
                                      doesn’t match up with the science. It’s
                                      not how HIV is transmitted.”
                                         And, she added, “HIV is not a death        Januari Fox
                                      sentence. It’s a treatable, manageable,       to legislators about their own personal
                                      chronic disease.”                             experiences.
                                         Jones said she is trying get HIV re-          Fox explained the schedule: Two vir-
                                      moved from the criminal code altogeth-        tual trainings will be held on March 9
                                      er.                                           and March 23, including a legislation
                                         Then there are budget items. During        101 session and information on specific
                                      the pandemic, the ADAP program,               issues.
                                      which funds HIV medications for those            “We’ll stay laser-focused on HIV,” Fox
                                      who don’t have insurance and can’t            assured.
                                      afford the medication, had a $36 mil-            On Monday, March 27, a bus will
                                      lion deficit. Fox said it was a combina-      leave Dallas early from a central location
                                      tion of money getting shifted around to       where participants can park for the day.
                                      deal with COVID as well as an ordering        All costs will be covered.
                                      glitch.                                          Once in Austin, groups from around
                                         Another issue is the recent approval       the state will meet at First United Meth-
                                      of Cabenuva, a once-every-other-month         odist Church, a block from the Capitol,
                                      injectable treatment for HIV. Fox called      where breakfast will be served. Jones
                                      that medication groundbreaking. An in-        will give a rallying speech, and T-shirts
                                      jectable helps anyone who has trouble         will be distributed.
                                      staying compliant with daily medica-             “We want to get over to the Capitol by
                                      tion, those who don’t want the sigma of       11 a.m. for a proclamation,” Fox said. She
                                      having bottles of medicine around their       noted that when the LGBT Chambers of
                                      house, the homeless who have no place         Commerce recently went to the Capi-
                                      to store medications and others, Fox          tol, the proclamation welcoming them
                                      said.                                         didn’t pass. She hopes for a smoother
                                         But Cabenuva is expensive, and HIV         day than the Chamber members had.
                                      advocates are looking for funding from           Lunch and advocacy will follow. Ev-
                                      the state.                                    eryone will be assigned to groups that
                                         They’re also looking for a change in       will lobby together. No first-timers will
                                      rules. Currently those participating in       lobby alone or even be expected to speak.
                                      the ADAP program have to be re-cer-           Appointments will already be made for
                                      tified as eligible every six months. The      each group.
                                      proposed rule would change that to               Fox said they’ll wrap up by 5 p.m.
                                      once a year. The six-month renewal is a          “If you want to come for a first time
                                      barrier to treatment for many because of      and just watch the process, there’s no
                                      transportation, child care, taking time off   pressure,” she said. “We want to capture
                                      work and more.                                folks interested in these issues and de-
                                         Fox said Prism Health North Texas          velop them as advocates.”
                                      and other large HIV agencies across the          What she’s seen happen is a newcom-
                                      state have people lobbying in the Capitol     er will watch during the first office visit
                                      every week the Legislature is in session.     and then later in the afternoon become
                                      They provide legislators with statistics      comfortable enough to tell their own sto-
                                      and proposals so they have the facts          ry in another office.
                                      about HIV.                                       HIV advocacy days have happened in
                                         Now, they have the additional benefit      the Texas Capitol since 2011. In 2021, ad-
                                      of having a colleague who is HIV-posi-        vocacy day was virtual, so this is the first
                                      tive and who talks about it openly.           time lobbying is back in person, meeting
                                         But lobbying day will bring people         legislators face-to-face, since the pan-
                                      from around the state to Austin to talk       demic. 				                               █

12   dallasvoice.com   █   02.24.23
All that glitters
MUSIC ON STAGE

                                                                                                 Queer Aussie Betty Who heads to Dallas with
                                                                                                 opener Shea Coulee.jpg

                                                                                                 Sounds of Pride
                                                                                                 This is a big week for concerts with a whole
                                                                                                 lot of Pride. Pop, drag and classical sounds
                                                                                                 can be part of your gay agenda for the week.
                                                                                                 Along with Jake Wesley Rogers’ headlining
                                                                                                 show next Friday, March 3, these three
                                                                                                 shows add to a big queer week of music in
                                                                                                 Dallas all starting on the same day!
                                                                                                                                 — Rich Lopez

                                                                                                 March 2: Betty Who, Shea Coulee
                                                                                                    Queer Australian pop singer Betty Who
                                                                                                 headlines her The Big Tour in support of her
Jake Wesley Rogers (Photo by Alex Stoddard)                                                      latest album. For the gay cherry on top, Drag
                                                                                                 Race royalty Shea Coulee steps in as Who’s
Jake Wesley Rogers                              Before his headlining concert with               opening act. Doors at 7 p.m. at the Echo
                                                                                                 Lounge and Music Hall. TicketMaster.com.
moves into spotlight                          opener Stacey Ryan, and even before
                                              the tour started, Rogers spoke to Dallas           March 2: Adore Delano
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer                     Voice about his message, his music and                Hard to believe that Adore Delano is out
rich@dallasvoice.com                          how books are just the absolute best.              promoting her fourth album. The former Drag
                                                                                                 Race and American Idol contestant brings
                                                                                                 her Party Your World Tour to Dallas present-
                      he queer stars have     Dallas Voice: As of press time, you aren’t
                                                                                                 ed by LGBTQ promoters Obsessed. 7 p.m.
                      been in alignment         on tour yet, but how are you feeling             at The Kessler in Oak Cliff. TheKessler.org.
                      for singer Jake           about leading up to Peace Love and
                      Wesley      Rogers.       Pluto? Jake Wesley Rogers: There’s a lot         March 2-5: A Symphony Cantata
                                                of creative work, and I’ve just been pro-        featuring Nicholas Phan
                      Now on his fourth
                                                cessing things, but it’ll hit me. I’m a very        Grammy-nominated tenor and out singer
                      EP release, LOVE,                                                          Phan will join with sopranos Susanna Philips
                                                reflective person, so I try to step back
                      which came out in         from my experiences and try to witness           and Sari Gruber for this Dallas Symphony
                      October and with          it. Some things can’t be processed, and          Orchestra concert. Paul McCreesh conducts
the help of a fellow queer musician,            you just have to get through it.                 the performance that will feature works by
the young pop artist has graduated to                                                            Mendelssohn and Parry. The concert will
                                              You’ve been in the business for a min-             also feature the Dallas Symphony Chorus
headliner on his first tour which kicks         ute, but a headline tour is certainly a          and the Lay Family Organ.
off Friday, Feb. 24, in Tampa. The Peace        milestone. When you realize that this            DallasSymphony.org.
Love and Pluto Tour comes to Dallas to          is your dream, it has been exciting. It’s
the House of Blues on March 3 in the            just really fun, and I’m going to roll with it     what’s under that. That’s where I’m at
Cambridge Room.                                 and accept it. It’s this beautiful mix of ex-      now anyway.
  With his glam style and musicality,           citement and terror and hope. I’m ready
                                                                                                 Do you have plans for a full album
Rogers has gotten the obvious com-              to play these songs and find the people
                                                                                                   release? I’m actually finishing my first
parisons to another flamboyant music            who want to hear them.
                                                                                                   album. There’s been a lot of stuff I’m
icon. But while Rogers stands on such         Being a reflective person, what does                 afraid to sway for a while and a lot of
shoulders, he’s carving his own path on         your music have to say? I’ve been in a             stuff people haven’t heard, so it’s good
his own terms. He’s also part of a new          different place in all the music I put out in      timing for that. All of it stems from my
                                                the past year. So I think all the song-            story connecting to a bigger story.
queer wave in music that’s brought us
                                                writing comes from a deeper and truer
Lil Nas X, Orville Peck, Kim Petras and                                                          Books are kind of a big deal for you.
                                                palace. So I keep digging, because I feel
Allison Ponthier, just to name a few.           like I need something bigger and to see                                   GLITTERS, Page 20

                                                                                                                                                 02.24.23   █   dallasvoice   13
Protecting
                                                                     parental rights
                                                                     FAMILY MATTERS
                                                                     Non-bio mom vs. sperm donor                                                    In De-
                                                                     case is a ‘call to action’                                                  cember
                                                                                                                                                 2021,
                                                                                                                                                 Wilson
                                                                                   n Oklahoma judge has                                          filed for
                                                                                     ruled that a married,                                       divorce,
                                                                                      nonbiological       mom                                    claim-
                                                                                        has no parental rights                                   ing there
                                                                                          to the child she and                                   were no
                                                                                            her wife created                                     children
                                                                                             and were raising                                    “of” the
                                                                                              together,    but                                   marriage
                                                                     the couple’s sperm donor does. The                                          but that
                                                                     case shows both why LGBTQ families                                          Vaughn is
                                                                     need to take extra steps to protect them-                                   the father
                                                                     selves, and why there is a critical need    to the one child born during the mar-
                                                                     for reform of parentage law across the      riage. At the same time, she obtained
                                                                     country.                                    a Victim Protection Order against Wil-
                                                                                                                 liams, alleging domestic abuse and ban-
                                                                                                                 ning Williams from contact with Wilson
                                                                                                                 or their son for five years.
                                                                                                                    Regardless of the allegations there —
                                                                                                                 which Williams has denied but that are
                                                                                                                 not available to the public — that is a
                                                                                                                 separate matter from whether Williams
                                                                                                                 is a legal parent.
                                                                                                                    Vaughn also filed a motion in 2022
                                                                                                                 to establish his parental rights, and, on
                                                                                                                 Feb. 13, 2023, Oklahoma County Dis-
                                                                                                                 trict Court Judge Lynne McGuire ruled
                                                                                                                 in his favor, denying that Williams is the
                                                                                                                 child’s parent.
                                                                                                                    The ruling explained that “The Uni-
                                                                                                                 form Parentage Act that Oklahoma ad-

 HALLELOO, it’s
                                                                                                                 opted was enacted in 2006 and does not
                                                                     Polly Crozier                               take into account same-sex marriage,
                                                                                                                 and there is no presumption that the
                                                                        Kris Williams and Rebekah Wilson         wife of the mother is automatically the
                                                                     married in 2019 and had a son later that    presumed parent of a child born during

                                      OUT!
                VISIT                                                year with the help of Harlan Vaughn, a      the marriage.”
     Complete Visitors Guide to DFW                                  gay man who agreed to be their sperm           Polly Crozier, director of family ad-
                                                                     donor, court documents say. Wilson car-     vocacy at LGBTQ legal organization
                 LIVE                                                ried the child, and both women’s names      GLAD, told me, “This case highlights
       Dynamic Relocation Guide                                      were placed on his birth certificate. The   the vulnerabilities LGBTQ+ families
                                                                     child was given Williams’ last name,        and their children still live with. Like
           EXPERIENCE                                                and the two women jointly parented          all family law matters, this story is com-
 Comprehensive Business Directory                                    him for two years.                          plex, but the court’s conclusions are
                                                                        Wilson and Williams wanted their         deeply concerning on several fronts.”
                                                                     child to know his donor, however, as           The case hinges on whether same-
                                      Available in newsstands now!   they had heard from other donor-con-        sex married couples have the right to
                                            Visit us online at       ceived people that this was important to    the presumption of parentage, the legal
                                                                     them. They, therefore, let Vaughn meet      principle long applied to heterosexu-
                                        www.OUTntx.com               the child and spend time with him.                                   RIGHTS, Page 18

16   dallasvoice.com   █   02.24.23
MEDICAL PRACTICE OF
                      Dr. Steven M. Pounders
                      Are you PrEP’ed for 2023!
                      Start 2023 in the hands of experience.
                      An award-winning medical practice with more than
                      30 years experience!
Steven Pounders, M.D.
Chad Nyland, D.O
Erin Simms, FNP-C
Chad Crager, FNP-C
D. Trew Deckard, PA-C, MHS
Ryan Lomeda, FNP-C

• Primary Care
• HIV Specialists
• Gender Affirmation
• Cosmetic Procedures
• Pharmacy
• Concierge Medicine
  Direct care access
  24-hours a day,
  seven days a week
  Same or next day appointments
  More consultation time
Ask about PrEP
                       Located in the heart of our community
            3500 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 600 | 214.520.8833 | DrPounders.com
                       Call today to schedule an appointment!
RIGHTS, From Page 16
                                      al couples that any child born within a                                           of 2017.”
                                      marriage is presumed to be the child of                                              Okla-
                                      both spouses.                                                                     homa’s
                                         Crozier observed that McGuire “dis-                                            parent-
                                      regarded the marital presumption of                                               age laws,
                                      parentage that should have applied in                                             like those
                                      this situation, finding that the presump-                                         in 24 oth-
                                      tion does not apply to LGBTQ spouses.                                             er states,
                                      The judge’s refusal to apply Oklahoma’s                                           are based
                                      parentage statutes to this child because                                          on     the
                                      the decades-old law uses gendered lan-                                            Uniform
                                      guage runs contrary to constitutional                                             Parent-
                                      principles.”                                    District Court Judge             age Act,
                                                                                      Lynne McGuire
                                         These principles, she explained, were                                         model
                                      articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court           parentage legislation developed by the
                                      rulings Obergefell v. Hodges, which es-         Uniform Law Commission, a non-par-
                                      tablished nationwide marriage equality,         tisan body of state lawmakers, judges,
                                      and Pavan v. Smith, which said both par-        scholars, and lawyers. The UPA was first
                                      ents in a same-sex couple have the right        developed in 1973, then updated in 2002
                                      to be on their children’s birth certificates.   to expand ways of determining legal
                                         “Those decisions affirmed that all mar-      parentage for children born through as-
                                      ried people should be treated equally           sisted reproduction and again in 2017 to
                                      and have equal access to the rights and         ensure that state parentage laws remain
                                      responsibilities of marriage, including         constitutional by providing equality and
                                      the marital presumption of parentage,”          paths to parentage for LGBTQ families,
                                      Crozier said.                                   among other changes.
                                         Despite those rulings, LGBTQ legal              Seven states (California, Colorado,
                                      advocates have long advised that be-            Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Ver-
                                      cause not all states may honor that mar-        mont and Washington) have adopted the
                                      ital presumption for same-sex couples,          2017 UPA or substantially similar legisla-
                                      even married nonbiological/nongesta-            tion. Hawaii, Kansas and Massachusetts
                                      tional parents who are on their children’s      have introduced bills this session to do
                                      birth certificates — an ability based on        so. New Hampshire and New York have
                                      the marital presumption — should also           also adopted some similar provisions.
                                      get a co-parent/second-parent adoption,            Oklahoma’s parentage laws, however,
                                      court order of parentage or the equiva-         and those of 10 other states — including
                                      lent.                                           Texas — are still based on the 2002 UPA;
                                         Unlike birth certificates, these other       many other states are further behind.
                                      actions legally establish — and don’t              Crozer stressed, “This case is also a
                                      just record — a relationship between the        painful reminder that LGBTQ+ families
                                      child and the parent and are guaranteed         still need to make sure that they do ev-
                                      “full faith and credit” in all states.          erything they can to protect their chil-
                                         Williams did not get a co-parent adop-       dren, including completing co-parent
                                      tion, however. Because she could have           adoptions.”
                                      pursued one but chose not to, McGuire              She recommended that LGBTQ par-
                                      said in the ruling, that counted against        ents consult the “What LGBTQ+ Fam-
                                      her claim.                                      ilies Need to Know” guide (glad.org/
                                         Williams’ attorney, Robyn Hopkins,           post/faq-protect-your-family) created
                                      has told the media that they will appeal        by GLAD, NCLR, COLAGE and Fami-
                                      the decision.                                   ly Equality “to help families understand
                                         “Beyond the heartbreaking implica-           what they can do now to protect their
                                      tions for this child, whose relationship        children and their families, while we
                                      with one of their parents has now been          continue to advocate for updated par-
                                      legally severed, this case should be a call     entage laws across the country.”           █

                                      to action,” Crozier said. “States must en-         Dana Rudolph is the founder and publish-
                                      sure their parentage laws are updated           er of Mombian (mombian.com), a GLAAD
                                      and inclusive of LGBTQ families and             Media Award-winning blog and resource di-
                                      their children, and there’s a model for         rectory, with a searchable database of 1000+
                                      doing so — the Uniform Parentage Act            LGBTQ family books and more.

18   dallasvoice.com   █   02.24.23
HOME
                                                                                           COOKING DONE
                                                                                            RIGHT!
                                                                                             Breakfast
                                                                                              all day!

         Innovative Italian Food
         All Made From Scratch!                                                                                 Simply
   Located in the heart of the Gayborhood                                                                      the Best!
                                                                      4434 Harry Hines Blvd. • 214-521-0992
      3102 Oak Lawn in Centrum Bldg.
          enotecaitaliadallas.com
                      972-685-2112                                        originalmarketdiner.com
                                                                                                              Cedar Springs
                                                                                                              214-522-1212    hunkys.com 214-941-3322
                                                                                                                                          Bishop Arts

          Best Diner!                                                                                                            Curbside &
  Thanks Dallas Voice Readers!
                                                           EAT • DRINK • SUPPORT                                                 Third Party Delivery
                                                                                                                                 Available!

                                                                 LOCAL
  2014 Irving Blvd.    6509 W. Park Blvd.
       Dallas                Plano
    214.742.8646         972.473.8877
2412 W. Shady Grove      111 East Main
       Irving               Forney
   972.790.2778          972.552.3463

  MamasDaughtersDiner.com                                                                                        streetsfinechicken.com
                                                                                                                      469-917-7140

Take dining to
the next level…

                       Come dine and play
                       with us...

5757 Main St. Frisco + 214.308.9080 + nerdvanafrisco.com

                                                                                                                                          Fresh
                                                                                                                                        Italian
                                                                                                                                 2021 Reader’s Voice Awards:
                                                                                                                                    Best Italian & Best Pizza

                  HAPPY HOUR
                                                                                                                         20% Off with ad
                  M-Thur 3P-7P                                                                                                  Cremona Kitchen
                 2618 Oak Lawn                                                                                               www.cremonabistro.com
     campuzanomexicanfood.com                                                                                        2704 Worthington █ 214-871-1115
DALLAS, From Page 10                                                                           GLITTERS, From Page 13
good job and should win.                         council unless you care about potholes.        Literature is everything to me. I think I was       been loud and proud in pop music.
  McKee-Rodriguez was the first out              Be passionate about it.”                       an author detailed by circumstance — ha-            Have you thought at all about your
Black man elected to office in Texas.               She said she’s worked with city council     ha. I stole that from Joni Mitchell. My truly       place in this new queer wave of music
Parker said he’s in his early 20s and has        members who really wanted to be in the         happiest place is disappearing into the             in recent years? This is all a new concept
done a good job. But he has six oppo-            Legislature, and they didn’t make good         world of an author or a book.                       which happened very fast. I wasn’t asking
                                                                                              Technically you are an author — of songs.             to be a part of all this, but it happened
nents, so anything could happen there.           city council members because they didn’t
                                                                                                But what do you think it is that the writ-          when it did, and these things merged
  “We want to see more LGBT folks step-          care about garbage collection or other lo-
                                                                                                ten word speaks to you so much? It’s                sometimes. It’s incredible that I get to
ping up to run,” Parker said, adding that        cal issues that city councils deal with.                                                           do this, in this time, with my story. There
                                                                                                kinda been my saving grace to discover
she’s delighted to see McKee-Rodriguez              “These are big expensive races,” Park-                                                          were so many who didn’t get to.
                                                                                                Oscar Wilde and Maya Angelou and Mary
and Estrada, also in his 20s, running as         er continued. “In a citywide office in
                                                                                                Oliver. Books connect me to a bigger art          You seem to be in the queer gods’ favor.
part of a new generation stepping up for         Houston, you represent more people             form, I think. Songs are basically a tweet,         Another gay singer — Justin Tranter
careers in politics.                             than the governors of 15 states.”              but books are books. I certainly view them          (Semi Precious Weapons) — signed
  Victory Fund recently ran a training in           Parker said this is the year to watch       as most sacred.                                     you to his label. You almost opened for
Plano for people considering a run, and,         mayoral and local elections everywhere.      Is there a book that, as a musician, you              Ben Platt. You get the comparisons to
while no new LGBTQ candidates are                “It’s a big deal we have a Black lesbian        recommend? Just Kids by Patti Smith                Elton John. Oh, and your song “Hind-
running for council in Dallas this year,         running Chicago,” she said about Mayor          is like a bible for me as an artist. She           sight” was on the Bros soundtrack.
Parker said, several were there eying up-        Lori Lightfoot, who is up for reelection        documents her journey into discovering             The lessons I’m learning from all this are
coming vacancies.                                on Tuesday, Feb. 28.                            what worked for her and the kismet when            almost too many. There have been amaz-
  Victory Fund is seeing an increase this           “Jane Castor,” Parker said, “should          honoring her own path. Things mysteri-             ing moments that have challenged me. I
                                                                                                 ously happen when you do so. It’s about            think with all that, what I’m learning right
year in LGBTQ candidates running for             win without a problem. She’s doing a
                                                                                                 what it means to be an artist and how              now is that I’m here to teach and sell my
school boards, Parker said, as a reaction        great job as mayor of Tampa.” That elec-
                                                                                                 hard it is. I think it’ll change anyone’s life     story and keep my eyes calibrated toward
to book bans, “don’t say gay” laws and           tion will be held on March 7.                                                                      my purpose. I think I now know more than
                                                                                                 to read that.
other legislation under consideration in            Parker said Victory Fund has also en-                                                           ever that I’m here to spread my message
Florida, Texas and other states.                 dorsed Leslie Herod for mayor of Den-        Toni Morrison once said, “The function of
                                                                                                                                                    and love — and be fabulous.
  Parker’s advice to anyone running              ver. She’d become the first woman elect-       freedom is to free someone else.” I think
                                                                                                books are how you free people.
for office is this: “Political office is not a   ed to that position. That election is on                                                            For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com. Doors
destination. It’s a tool. Don’t run for city     April 4. 				                            █   Back to music, you’re blowing up at a               at 7 p.m.
                                                                                                time when many queer voices have

20   dallasvoice.com      █   02.24.23
PLAN YOUR WEEK - The Gay Agenda... Our LGBTQ community calendar!

                                                                                                              clash, turning well-intentioned neighbors into          on four women who take over a Republican
                                                                                                              feuding enemies. Kalita Humphreys Theater,              politician’s man cave and turn it into a sanctuary.
                                                                                                              3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. DallasTheaterCenter.org.        Trinity River Arts Center, 2600 N. Stemmons Fwy.
                                                                                                                                                                      KitchenDogTheater.org.
                                                                                                              n Through Feb. 26: MBS Productions:
                                                                                                              ‘Confessions of the Slave Nat Turner’                   n March 7: Classic Chassis
                                                                                                              The play chronicles the trial and sentencing of Nat     Classic Chassis Car Club meets 6-8 p.m. at
                                                                                                              Turner, the slave responsible for the first rebellion   Ojeda’s, 4617 Maple Ave.
                                                                                                              in 1831 against white slaveholders.
                                                                                                              Addison Theatre Centre, 15650 Addison Road.                Have an event coming up? Email your
                                                                                                              MBSProductions.info.                                    information to Managing Editor Tammye Nash
                                                                                                                                                                      at nash@dallasvoice.com or Senior Staff Writer

                                                                                                              MARCH                                                   David Taffet at taffet@dallasvoice.com by
                                                                                                                                                                      Monday at 5 p.m. for that week’s issue.
                                                                                                              n March 2: Betty Who, Shea Coulee                          Look for extended listings online at
                                                                                                              The queer Australian pop star serves as headliner in    DallasVoice.com
                                                                                                              support of her newest album Big! Drag Race royalty
                                                                                                              Shea Coulee opens. 7 p.m. at the Echo Lounge and
                                                                                                              Music Hall. LiveNation.com.
  Iconic drag performer Tasha Kohl hosts ICON Birthday Bash Sunday, Feb. 26, in
  The Rose Room. The show features Cassie Nova, Dina Jacobs, Chevelle Brooks and                              n March 2: Adore Delano
  Bubbalicious. Tickets range from $25-$35 and are available at the door. Doors open                          The former Drag Race and American Idol contestant
  at 5 p.m., and the show starts at 6 p.m.                                                                    brings her Party Your World tour to Dallas presented
                                                                                                              by LGBTQ promoters Obsessed. 7 p.m. at The
n Red for community events                           n Feb. 24-26: Modern Masterpieces                        Kessler in Oak Cliff. TheKessler.org.
n Blue for arts and entertainment                      Texas Ballet Theater presents pieces by Bela
n Purple for sports                                  Bartok, Gustav Mahler and Philip Glass at the            n March 2-4: ‘On Your Feet!’
n Green for nightlife                                Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St. ATTPAC.org.                 Broadway at the Center presents the story of
n Orange for civic events and holidays                                                                        Gloria Estefan. Winspear Opera House, 2403
                                                     n Feb. 25: ‘Eat Your Art Out’                            Flora St. ATTPAC.org.
n Every Wednesday: THRIVE                            Arlington Museum of Art’s biggest and most
Resource Center’s THRIVE Wednesday Support           delicious fundraiser of the year helps the museum        n March 3-4: ‘Wood/Shop’
Group for LGBTQ adults 50 and older meets from       present world class exhibitions from 7-9 p.m.            Bruce Wood Dance presents new works by
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at Resource Center Community      at Arlington Museum of Art, 201 W. Main St.,             company dancers at 7 p.m. at the Bruce Wood
Center, 5750 Cedar Springs Road and is led by        Arlington. Info and tickets at ArlingtonMuseum.org.      Dance Studio. Tickets at EventBrite.com.
interns from the SMU counseling program. For
more information on the support group                n Feb. 25: Disco vs. Retro                               n March 2-12: ‘Silver Foxes’
and how to join, please send an email to             Panoptikon hosts Disco vs. Retro: Best of ’70s           Uptown Players presents a premiere by Golden
THRIVE@myresourcecenter.org.                         disco and ’80s Retro New Wavem, at 9 p.m. at             Girls writers James Berg and Stan Zimmerman
                                                     Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm St. Featuring Lord        about three older queer men who save their best
                                                     Byron on deck, Evil M at the door and DVR go-go
FEBRUARY                                             with Melissa Meaow. For 21 and up; $10 admission.
                                                                                                              friend from his facility. Presented on the Theatre
                                                                                                              Three stage. UptownPlayers.org.
n Feb. 24: Dallas LGBTQ Global Symposium
World Affairs Council of Dallas and Fort Worth       n Feb. 26: ICON Birthday Bash                            n March 4-12: ‘Beautiful’
presents the Dallas LGBTQ Global Symposium on        Iconic drag performer Tash Kohl hosts ICON               The Carole King musical at Casa Mañana, 3101 W.
equality and human rights from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at      Birthday Bash at 6 p.m. at The Rose Room                 Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth. CasaManana.org.
Crum Auditorium, Southern Methodist University.      inside S4, 3911 Cedar Springs. Show features
                                                     Cassie Nova, Dina Jacobs, Chevelle Brooks and            n March 5: Fly Queens Drag Brunch
n Feb. 24: ‘Drag Race’ viewing party                 Bubbalicious. Tickets are $25-$35.                       Mesa Mezcal presents The Fly Queens
Macarena and Pinche host a weekly viewing party                                                               hosted by Liquor Mini from 1-3 p.m. at
for season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race each Friday      n Feb. 26: Classic Chassis                               Mesa Mezcal, 400 W. Las Colinas Blvd.,
from 7-9 p.m. at The Round-Up Saloon, 3912 Cedar     Classic Chassis Car Club lunch, social and The           Irving. Reservations on Open Table.
Springs Road. Visit the Facebook event page for      Shop tour. Drive your classic to spend some time
details.                                             outdoors socializing. Then head upstairs for lunch       n Through March 5: Kitchen Dog
                                                     at the Derby restaurant before a tour of the facility.   Theater: ‘Man Cave’
n Feb. 24: Another Badu Birthday Bash                Derby/The Shop, 9100 John Carpenter Freeway.             This regional premiere is a political thriller by
Erykah Badu’s Another Badu Birthday Bash at 8:30                                                              queer playwright John J. Caswell Jr. that centers
p.m. at The Factory in Deep Ellum, 2713 Canton St.
Tickets at axs.com.                                  n Through Feb. 26: ‘Native Gardens’
                                                     You can’t choose your neighbors in this                  Adore Delano brings her Party Your World to
                                                     contemporary comedy where cultures and gardens           The Kessler in Oak Cliff Thursday, March 2.

                                                                                                                                                                                    02.24.23      █   dallasvoice       21
Cassie Nova
 ASK A DRAG QUEEN

From peeing outside to weighted
blankets — what’s on Cassie’s
mind this week
   Hey y’all. I have no idea what to write
about this week … I am just sitting here
waiting for inspiration. I am so sick of all
of the usual topics: Politics, weather, the
Super Bowl — meh. I usually write about
whatever is going on in my life, but it’s
been pretty boring lately. I do have fami-
ly dealing with some major health issues,
but I’m not ready to tackle that subject.
   I feel like I am on the cusp of some-
thing major happening soon, so I should
enjoy the boring days to the fullest.
   By the way, my idea of a boring day is
kind of awesome. If I can go the full day
and never have to put on pants or leave
the house, I consider that a win. It gives
me nothing good to write about, but I
take my recharging seriously.
   Here is a random fact about me: I pee
outside about half of the time when I am       my bed.                                        just barely. It didn’t hang over the edg-         I guess I shoulda called this another
at home. My husband thinks it’s weird,           Picture it: a California King-size bed,      es by very much, and that bothered the         installment of Cassie Nova’s Word Vom-
but I don’t care. My backyard is pretty        dark-painted walls that make the room          both of us.                                    it. From peeing to water consumption to
secluded so if I take the dogs potty, I go     feel like a cave, a window AC unit going          So, he went searching and found the         my supabedroom — this one got weird.
too. We pee as a family.                       (mostly for the chill but also for the white   biggest one that he could find. It was         Sorry, not sorry. Y’all know by now how
   Not to mention that I havta pee so          noise it creates) and our new king-sized,      45 pounds and hung over the sides by a         my brain wor — Oh look! Something
freaking much! I bought one of those           45-pound, weighted blanket that I got for      good six inches.                               shinny!
huge jugs to drink water out of that has       Christmas.                                        Jamie tosses around so much in his             Remember to always love more, bitch
the hours of the day on the side. It is          It has created the perfect storm of com-     sleep that the dogs get annoyed with him       less and be fabulous! XOXO, Cassie
supposed to help you keep track of how         fort.                                          and eventually migrate to be up against        Nova
much water you drink in a day. The goal          I received a 15-20-pound, twin-sized         me — a true doggie pile. Since we got the
is to drink the entire thing throughout        weighted blanket a few years ago for           new heavy-ass blanket, though, he bare-
the day, so you get your full 15 cups of
water (15.5 cups are the recommended
                                               Christmas, and I loved it — except for the
                                               fact that when you pulled it up around
                                                                                              ly moves. He seems to be sleeping better.
                                                                                              I know I do. It’s like the blanket holds
                                                                                                                                              this week’s solution
intake for a man).                             you, you would hear threads snap, and          you down and hugs you the entire night.
   Now, I wanna be healthy and stay hy-        within a few weeks, all of the little glass       Plus, our little Chihuahua, Toby, who
drated, but that is too much water for         beads — or sand or whatever they use to        has to sleep under the covers or else no
me! I have to pee every 30 to 45 minutes       make it weighted — eventually migrate          one sleeps, is getting a workout. You
trying to drink that much water. Then          into the other segments, making the            should see him wiggle and fight to get
on show nights — well, do you know             blanket wapsided.                              into his spot. And Toby needs all the
how hard it is to go pee once you are in         I was constantly trying to get Jamie to      exercise he can get! His little no-neck-
drag and fully padded? It ain’t easy. Not      try the weighted blanket, but he runs hot      havin’ ass — he looks like that guy Ed
to mention how crazy your flow can be          and feared it would be uncomfortable           from 90 Day Fiancé.
after tucking! Some days I pull it out,        and overheat him. He is constantly reg-           I am hoping that Jamie continues to
and it shoots into two or three separate       ulating his body temperature during the        love it when we get into the summer
streams, looking like a scene from Ghost-      night by uncovering his feet and recov-        months. Whatever they use inside the
busters. Maybe my tuckers are too tight        ering them.                                    blanket keeps it from retaining too much
….                                               I asked for a king-sized weighted            heat, so I am hopeful. Not to mention
   Next subject: I have made my bed            blanked for Christmas and Jamie, being         that our bedroom can feel like a walk-
too comfortable. I hear it calling to me       the wonderful husband that he is, got us       in freezer at times, so as long as I keep it
during the day, and I fantasize about it       the nicest one he could find. It came with     chilly, we should be fine.                      █     browse                    █      submit
when I am at work. Sometimes, when             a lovely cover and was 35 pounds. He              (I had no idea that this would turn into
                                                                                                                                              For a more complete Community   To submit an item for inclusion in
some rando is talking to me at the club,       actually loved it, except that it wasn’t big   an infomercial for a weighted blanket,                 Calendar online, visit    the Community Calendar, visit
I zone out and go to my happy place —          enough. It covered a king size bed — but       but here we are.)                                     Tinyurl.com/dvevents.          Tinyurl.com/dvevents.

22   dallasvoice.com     █   02.24.23
You can also read