Double Whammy: Death Claims Veteran Gay
Leaders Tom Boll & Terry Boughner
Wisconsin Light Co-Founder Passes Just Days After Milwaukee AIDS Project Co-Founder
Milwaukee - The Cream City’s LGBT community is mourning the loss of two prominent figures in less than a week. Milwaukee AIDS Project (MAP) and “Make A Promise” dinner co-founder Tom Boll died January 27 at age 59 at St. Luke’s Hospital following a nearly decade-long battle with kidney disease. Four days later 66-year-old Wisconsin Light co-founder and editor Terry Boughner succumbed at St. Joseph’s Hospital of unspecified causes. Boughner had been in visibly poor health for several years.
  Boll stepped forward in MAP’s early years in the mid-1980’s to raise the funds critical to keep the fledgling AIDS service organization afloat prior to the inception of significant state and federal funding for care and support for those living with HIV which began around 1988. When the coalition of Milwaukee groups that made up the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) coalesced, Boll served as chair of the first fundraising committee. In 1990 Boll was a key figure in the establishment of ARCW’s signature fundraiser, the “Make A Promise” dinner, auction and dance.
  Boll also served for a time on the organizing committee of the legendary Lavender Hill Party, the lavish gay, invitation-only MAP fundraiser which annually ran in the city’s Riverwest neighborhood from 1984 to 1993. Boll’s fundraising efforts, helped allow ARCW to grow, along with mergers and expansion of services, into a statewide organization and the fifth largest AIDS service organization in the nation.
  Longtime ARCW President and CEO Doug Nelson remembered Boll fondly. “Tom had a heart of gold, Nelson  told Quest. “(He) always found unique ways to help people in need.  When AIDS struck the gay community, he helped create the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin.” 
  “Then he joined with his many friends to start the Make A Promise Dinner to raise funds to fight AIDS - an annual tradition that continues today,” Nelson continued. “Tom touched many people with his kindness and led an exemplary life.”
  Boll was also involved in the Fest City Singers, a gay men’s choral group that was originally created to provide entertainment for the 1985 Gay World Series, the national gay softball competition held in Milwaukee that year. For many years during its decade-long existence Boll served as the group’s treasurer. Among its many concerts, the Fest City Singers also held benefits for MAP and ARCW.
  More recently Boll was involved with SAGE/Milwaukee, serving as treasurer for the group in the early 2000’s. Nearly a thousand Milwaukee gay seniors attended SAGE events in the last year.
  Boll also was co-owner of T.T. Tulip Floral. A flower-filled visitation and service was held January 31 at the Hartson Funeral Home in Hales Corners. Boll was survived by his sisters, Barbara  and Patricia, and by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends in the LGBT community.
  Earlier on the day of Boll’s funeral, historian, author, playwright and Wisconsin Light co-founder Terry Boughner passed away at St. Joseph's hospital, where he had been admitted in grave condition earlier in the week.
  Wisconsin Light first appeared in November 1987 edited by Boughner, with life partner and Light co-founder Jerry Johnson listed as publisher. The paper's motto and mission appeared on every issue under the couple's tutelage: “Give the People Light and they will find their own way.”  For the next decade Boughner and Johnson's Wisconsin Light mixed thorough coverage of state and national LGBT news and commentary with Boughner's historic pieces and creative efforts. Boughner's short stories were a regular fixture of the Light's holiday issues for many years.
  The paper's investigative coverage of the Jeffrey Dahmer case brought Boughner and co-investigating reporter Jamakaya national recognition in the early 1990's. The Light published an “Extra” edition on August1, 1991 to provide timely information on many aspects of the mass murder, which had a dramatic impact on the city’s gay and lesbian community. The Light later scooped the mainstream media with information on some of Dahmer’s victims and past evidence of Milwaukee police officers’ harassment and insensitivity to gays. The Light’s coverage of the Dahmer case subsequently won awards from the National Gay and Lesbian Press Association.
  Though Wisconsin’s Light’s political writing, largely done by writer and subsequent Light editor Bill Meunier, was extremely liberal, the paper's overall reportage of statewide events - despite sometimes tabloid-esque headlines - was more even handed. “Even though many times the Republican leadership gave him plenty to rail about, Terry was very fair in his handling of the news, long-time Wisconsin Log Cabin Republican Pat Prudlow told Quest.
  Jamakaya and Meunier were offered opportunities to talk about their experiences with Wisconsin Light and Boughner. Though neither returned Quest’s phone calls or emails in time for the print edition's deadline, both recalled their time with the editor.
  “In many ways, Terry fit the grand old stereotype of editors,” Jamakaya said. “He was rumpled and irascible. He did not suffer fools gladly. And he was absolutely fierce in demanding full rights for gays and lesbians.”   Long-time associate Doug Nelson of ARCW recalled both Boughner’s personality and accomplishments. “Terry was a brilliant man, a feisty advocate and a wonderful friend,” he told Quest. “Through his tireless work and powerful editorials at the Wisconsin Light he provided wise and effective leadership for the LGBT community.  Terry led a life of high purpose for which we are all deeply grateful.”
  Boughner and Johnson transferred ownership of the Wisconsin Light in 1987 to Greg Quindell. The paper later ran for about a year as a weekly, under the successive editorial helms of Meunier and former Wisconsin INStep publisher and editor Ron Geiman. The paper’s late March 1989 swan-song was in part an April Fool’s Day spoof of the National Enquirer with a lead story that claimed anti-gay “pastor” Ralph Ovadal had come out of the closet. Boughner and Johnson were instrumental in a brief resurrection the paper a year and a half later. The paper folded for good in early 2001.
  In 1999 Terry was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the PrideFest Awards committee for his volunteer work and in the running of the Wisconsin Light.
  “Out Of  All Time,” Boughner's collection of fifty short pieces of gay and lesbian historical figures, was published by Alyson Publications in 1988. Boughner also contributed the popular "GayStory" segments to the Milwaukee Public Access gay and lesbian TV program Tri-Cable Tonight from 1987-89. Veteran Milwaukee gay producer-director Dale Gutzman directed the Off The Wall Theater production of Boughner's play "All Loves Excelling" at the New Circlestage Theatre in July, 2000.
  Born Daniel Terry Spence Boughner, Terry is survived by his life partner of 20 years, Jerry Johnson and a brother in Philadelphia. A memorial service for Boughner will be held on February 17 at 11 AM at the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, 315 W. Court Street. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Terry Boughner Interment Fund are suggested.

Michigan DP Ruling May Impact Wisconsin Supreme Court Primary
Lansing, Madison - Michigan's constitutional ban on gay marriage also blocks public universities and state and local governments from providing health insurance benefits to the partners of gay workers, the state Court of Appeals ruled February 2.
  A three-judge panel cited the language of a 2004 voter-approved constitutional amendment making the union between a man and woman the only agreement recognized as a marriage “or similar union for any purpose.” Language in Wisconsin’s recently-passed constitutional ban mirrors Michigan’s.
  “The protection of the institution of marriage is a long-standing public policy and tradition in the law of Michigan,” Judges Kurtis Wilder, Joel Hoekstra and Brian Zahra wrote in their unanimous opinion.
  Twenty-one gay couples plan to appeal the ruling. If they aren't successful, they will sue in federal court, according to attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan.
  "It's hugely disappointing," Gary Lindsay a member of one of the gay couples told the Associated Press. Lindsay is an office assistant at Michigan State University whose partner of 17 years had been getting health coverage along with family medical and bereavement leave prior to the ruling.
  Besides Lindsay, 15 of the plaintiffs work for employers who offer same-sex benefits including the city of Kalamazoo, various universities and a county health department covering the Lansing area. Another five plaintiffs are employed by the state, which in 2004 agreed to provide same-sex benefits but delayed them until courts ruled on their legality.
  The February 2 ruling reverses a 2005 decision by an Ingham County judge who allowed public employers to provide the benefits. Circuit Judge Joyce Draganchuk earlier had said criteria established by employers to qualify for same-sex benefits weren't akin to marriage because married people get many more rights than domestic partners.
  Michigan’s Republican Attorney General Mike Cox, whose legal opinion barring same-sex benefits in future contracts prompted the ACLU lawsuit, said the constitutional amendment is unambiguous. “The people set the direction," Cox told AP reporter David Eggert. “In Michigan, government cannot use anything that looks like a marriage as a basis for giving out benefits if it isn't actually a marriage.”
  In Wisconsin five lesbian couples are currently suing to obtain domestic partner benefits from their State of Wisconsin employers. The impact of Wisconsin’s new constitutional amendment on that case has yet to be determined.
  The Michigan ruling also may bring further scrutiny to the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary race to be held  statewide on February 20. Self-identified “conservative” candidate Annette Ziegler in a January 11 letter to supporters claimed the election of fellow candidate Linda Clifford to the high court “would turn Wisconsin into a lawsuit haven for greedy lawyers and liberal special interests.”
  Ziegler is currently a Washington County Circuit Judge and Clifford is a Madison civil attorney. Criminal defense attorney Joseph Sommers of Oregon is the third candidate in the run-off election to determine the final to candidates in the April Supreme Court election. Whoever wins the latter contest will be elected for a 10-year term on the court, replacing retiring judge Jon Wilcox, who is considered a conservative.
  The three candidates for high court highlighted very different priorities during a January 31 forum at the Madison Club. Each appeared separately for 25 minutes, answering questions posed by moderator J.R. Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com, the political website that sponsored the forum.
  At the forum Clifford rebuffed Ziegler’s charges that she would be a "liberal activist" judge and said she hoped money from special interest groups would stay out of the non-partisan race. Clifford also said she was "disappointed" by the letter, which she labeled "an adolescent diatribe" and "laughable."
  However, the Family Research Institute of Wisconsin, the group behind the Wisconsin gay marriage and civil union ban, has already released an “educational election fact sheet” that highlights Ziegler’s self-espoused conservative credentials and indirectly hints of both Clifford’s and Sommers’ possibly liberal bias. Fair Wisconsin also mentioned the Supreme Court race as an opportunity of interest is the announcment of its “100 Day Plan” late last month
   Sommers claimed that judges and prosecutors in Wisconsin often operate "above the law" and that the real struggle isn't between conservatives and liberals but between powerful special interests and average people.

World & National News:

Cover Story:
“Harry Potter” Hottie Hubbub - Daniel Radcliffe Goes Nude For Equus
Parents Unhappy, Teen Girls And Gays A-Twitter Over Steamy Promo Pix
London - His debut is still weeks away but 17-year-old British actor Daniel Radcliffe’s planned performance in the buff in a West End revival of the searing 1973 psychological drama Equus has garnered worldwide howls of astonishment, admonition and adoration not only for the near-nude publicity poses released to promote the production but for Radcliffe’s more well known role as the fully-clothed Harry Potter in the enormously popular films  based on the record-selling adolescent fiction book series by J. K. Rowling.
  Closeted gay conservative muckraker Matt Drudge caught wind of the pics January 30 and shared two shots on his Drudge Report site along with a link to a British tabloid story on the photo shoot. The race was on for who could expose the most lurid shots of the Uli Weber studio session. The most salacious shots can now be found in their full-sized, high-definition glory on several Harry Potter fan sites (also the source of this issue’s Quest cover).
  Some parents, finding their children gawking at Radcliffe’s chiseled chest, were not amused by the display. The UK's Daily Mail reported that Harry Potter fan sites have received emails from concerned parents. “We as parents feel Daniel should not appear nude. Our nine-year-old son looks up to him as a role model. We are very disappointed and will avoid the future movies he makes,” one parent wrote.
  Another said: "I am curious as to how and why his parents said this was okay."
  Some of his younger fans, however, are impressed with Radcliffe's tough new look. "I am completely stunned by these pix," wrote one young teen girl on a Radcliffe fan site. "He is no longer the shy boy in the prefects' bathroom anymore. His body is ... I can't even say or I will no doubt be banned but he has grown a lot and I am very proud of Daniel."
  Another wrote: "When I saw it I couldn't breathe for a moment. I was shocked. But (the) pictures are very cool and very good. I like it ... They're awesome!"
  The publicity shots were taken between filming of the fifth and sixth Harry Potter movies. The play's producer, David Pugh, told the Daily Mail that Radcliffe had been rehearsing the nude scenes with Christie for more than a week and had overcome his initial shyness.
  The young actor's spokeswoman, Vanessa Davies, claimed widespread support from Radcliffe’s female fans."Daniel does not want to step away from Harry Potter but he does want to show he is a rounded actor capable of very different and diverse roles,"Davies said.
  Gay bloggers have also taken notice, though with mixed feelings. “First and foremost, we feel like dirty old men for thinking 17-year old Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe's kind of hot,” one editor penned at the popular gay site Queerty.com “If only we were still in high school, but, alas, we're not, thus the sight of his surprisingly fit body makes us feel a bit salacious - certainly a bold statement coming from us. But, of course, we're not the only ones with conflicting feelings about Radcliffe's role in Peter Shaffer's scintillating, Equus.”
  By the way, advance sale tickets for the play are selling briskly - perhaps the purpose of the nearly puerile publicity pix in the first place?

Lambda Legal Secures Asylum for Gay Mexican Immigrant
Los Angeles-  Lambda Legal has announced that, after a hearing before an immigration judge on January 30, it has secured asylum for a man who had suffered death threats and beatings from police and others in his native Mexico because he is gay.
  “The court emphasized that you shouldn't have to hide your sexual orientation - whether you're gay or straight -in order to avoid being persecuted,’ Jon W. Davidson, Legal Director of Lambda Legal and lead attorney on the case said. “This is the happy ending we've been hoping for throughout the labyrinthine process of seeking asylum for this man who had been told he'd be killed because of his sexual orientation if he returned home to Mexico.”
  Jorge Soto Vega, a 38-year-old man originally from Tuxpan, Mexico, faced severe harassment and violence from the community and his family from an early age. As a teenager he moved to Guadalajara where he thought he'd be safer than in his hometown. But while living in Guadalajara, Soto Vega was severely beaten by police who threatened to kill him if they saw him again because they wanted to get rid of gay people. Fearing for his life, Soto Vega fled Mexico and made his way to Los Angeles and ultimately to New York where he now resides.
  In 2003, a Southern California immigration judge ruled that there was credible evidence that Soto Vega was persecuted in Mexico because of his sexual orientation, but rejected his application for asylum in the United States because Soto Vega didn't appear gay to him and, in the judge's opinion, he could pass as straight if he so chose.
  After the Board of Immigration Appeals summarily affirmed that opinion, Lambda Legal in 2004 petitioned the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco for review. On June 2, 2006, the Ninth Circuit held that both the immigration judge and the Board of Immigration Appeals decided incorrectly by not recognizing that, because Soto Vega had been persecuted in the past, he was entitled to a presumption that he had a well-founded fear of future persecution were he forced to return to Mexico. The Ninth Circuit further held that it was the government's burden to show that Soto Vega's life would not be in jeopardy if he were forced to return home to the country where his life had been threatened in the past. The decision by the immigration judge after today's hearing concluded that the government had not been able to refute that presumption and that Soto Vega therefore is entitled to asylum in the United States.
  "For the first time in my life, I can live freely knowing that I don't have to fear for my life simply because I'm gay," Soto Vega said. "The court has awarded me my freedom and the opportunity to spend my life in the country I love with the person I love," he continued, referring to his partner of 15 years, Frank Castelluccio.
  Asylum for gay people fearing their lives in their home countries made headlines last year when it was reported that Iran had killed gay teenagers for having consensual sex. Last October, Dutch Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk who first said she would deport gay Iranians back to their native country changed her position and said gay Iranians who "fear being prosecuted or suffering inhuman treatment" would receive asylum in the Netherlands. In 2005, the Ninth U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a gay Lebanese man is eligible for asylum in the United States because he could face persecution, including death, in his home country.
  Jon W. Davidson, Legal Director at Lambda Legal, was Soto Vega's lead attorney, and Staff Attorneys Tara Borelli and Brian Chase and Senior Staff Attorney Jack Senterfit assisted him in Soto Vega v. Gonzales. Los Angeles immigration attorney Ally Bolour also assisted, pro bono, in the immigration court.

Indiana Man Claims He Was Gay Bashed At Taco Bell
Hobart -  A Hobart man's attorney filed a civil complaint in Lake Superior Court January 31 seeking $1 million in damages from Taco Bell and a pair of former employees. The cause for complaint: Discrimination against his sexual orientation that resulted in battery.
  Documents filed by Merrillville attorney Todd M. Conover on behalf of Charles E. Dayton claim Dayton was discriminated against by Taco Bell employee Amber Barnes.
  Dayton says he was refused service when he approached the drive-through window of the restaurant at 8476 E. Ridge Road in December 2005, and Barnes used a sexual-orientation slur. Dayton also claims Barnes said, "I hope you get AIDS and die," and challenged him to a fight.
  Dayton contacted the Taco Bell customer service line the day after the incident. He claims he was advised his complaint would be forwarded to the district manager and he would be contacted within two to three days, but he was never contacted.
  Then September 22, when Dayton ordered dinner at the drive-through, he noticed employee Barnes pointing in his direction. While his window was down, Dayton claims another employee, Joseph Shinkle, punched him in the face and called him a slur.
  Dayton contacted Hobart police, and according to a police report, Shinkle admitted he struck Dayton, claiming he was provoked. Police filed a misdemeanor charge of battery with Hobart City Court. A warrant was issued for Shinkle's arrest Nov. 21 after he failed to appear in court on two occasions.
  Conover says his client deserves an apology from the company. Conover said a hate crime charge may still be filed with the U.S. Attorney's office. Such a charge would not be processed by a city court.
  Taco Bell spokesman Rob Poetsch declined comment.
  "I find it appalling that in this day and age something like this could happen," Conover said.

Mary Cheney: “My Baby Is Not A Political Statement”
New York - Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney has publicly defended her decision to become pregnant and asserted that same-sex couples were equally capable of raising children as heterosexual couples.
  "When Heather and I decided to have a baby, it wasn't going to be the most popular decision ever," Cheney said, referring to her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe.
  She then gestured to her middle--a bulge disguised by a jacket--and asserted: "This is a baby. This is a blessing from God. It is not a political statement. It is not a prop to be used in a debate by people on either side of an issue. It is my child."
  Cheney, 37, spoke January 31 at Barnard College in Manhattan in a panel discussion sponsored by Glamour magazine. The baby is due this spring and will be the sixth grandchild for the vice president and his wife.
  Cheney, who is vice president for consumer advocacy for AOL and lives in Virginia, has not said how she became pregnant.
  Her father became testy last week during a CNN interview when host Wolf Blitzer asked what he thought of conservatives--specifically James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family--who are critical of his daughter's pregnancy. In refusing to answer, the vice president told Blitzer that he was "over the line."
  Mary Cheney said in a brief interview after the panel discussion that she was not speaking for her father, but that she also felt Blitzer had crossed a line. "He was trying to get a rise out of my father," she said.
  Cheney also expressed some impatience with women who complain about the difficulties of "having it all," noting that one of her forebears "gave birth in the back of a wagon and had no support system," living in a tent on the oil fields outside of Casper, Wyoming.

Gay Groups: “20-40% Of Gay Youth Are Homeless”
Washington, D.C.- Two national advocacy groups accused the federal government January 30 of neglecting what they described as an epidemic of homelessness affecting tens of thousands of gay and lesbian youth, many of whom leave home because of conflicts with their parents.
  The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Coalition for the Homeless said gay, lesbian and transgender youth make up at least 20% - possibly as much as 40% - of the total number of homeless and runaway youth, a fluid population which experts have estimated at 575,000 to 1.6 million each year.
  'The national response to this epidemic has been nothing short of disgraceful,' Matt Foreman, executive director of the task force, told the Associated Press during a teleconference.
  He urged Congress to increase appropriations for the federal Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act, which must be reauthorized next year, and said some federal funds should - for the first time - be targeted specifically at boosting programs to aid gay and lesbian youth.
  Citing incidents of anti-gay harassment at homeless shelters, the task force and homeless coalition recommended that some shelter space be set aside solely for gay youth. They also said any organization seeking public funding to serve homeless youth should be required to prove its staff would treat gay and lesbian young people competently and fairly.
  In a report completed in December, 'An Epidemic of Homelessness,' the two groups cited estimates that roughly one-fourth of gay and lesbian teens are kicked out of their homes after their parents learn of their sexual orientation. The report said many gay youths experienced physical violence during the process of coming out.
  Once homeless, the report says, these young people are more vulnerable than their peers to problems of mental health, substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases. The report's lead author, task force policy analyst Nicholas Ray, said about one-third of homeless gay youth engage in 'survival sex' - exchanging sex for money, food, clothes or drugs.
  Assessing existing programs for homeless youth, the report said public funding was inadequate, and asserted that more than 6,000 youths in 2004 were turned away from programs that lacked resources to help them.
  The report also expressed concern that President Bush's push for federal funding of faith-based organizations might lead to situations where a church-run shelter program would discriminate against a gay youth seeking services.
  Dilo Cintron, 25, a gay man who spent five years homeless in New York City, said staff at one shelter he used were so unsympathetic that they once walked by without intervening while he was being assaulted in a laundry room.
  According to Ray, gay youths at a homeless shelter in Michigan were required to wear orange jump suits to distinguish them from other youths.
  The report also cited several programs that were providing effective services to gay youth, including Green Chimneys in New York City, Waltham House in Waltham, Mass., the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, Ozone House in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Urban Peak in Denver.

State News:

It’s Official: $5 Million Gay Marriage Ban Ballot Battle Most Expensive Ever
Madison - Final financial filings for the groups leading the fight to pass or defeat last November’s referendum to add an amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions to the state’s constitution are in - and it appears to have been the most expensive referendum campaign in Wisconsin history. Fair Wisconsin and Vote Yes For Marriage spent just under $5 million on the ballot issue.
  The largest single donation to either side in the campaign came to ban supporters from the Coalition for America's Families, a Middleton-based  group run by former state Republican party chairman Steve King. The CFAF, which claims to be “a diverse coalition of concerned citizens, businesses, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders,” consistently supports state GOP positions. CFAF delivered its contribution - the largest  ever in a state referendum - to Vote Yes immediately following the final reporting deadline prior to the November 7 ballot, possibly to obscure the partisan motives that had been behind the marriage ballot since its inception.
  “Vote Yes” chair Julaine Appling tried to down play the “hidden” GOP backers’ boost in an interview with Jason Stein of the Wisconsin Journal published February 2. "Funny things happen in campaigns,” Appling said. “You know, in every campaign I know of there are a lot of things that happened at the end. The fact that we got that donation at the end enabled us to do a TV (ad). It was a great boost.” However, Appling failed to explain how she knew she would be able to pay for the ad buys that were made statewide prior to the receipt of the donation.
  Acting Fair Wisconsin Director Josh Freker also down played the late contribution. Freker told the Wisconsin Journal that he doubted the late money to “Vote Yes” was crucial to the campaign because “most voters had a default position favoring the amendment.”
  Fair Wisconsin’s largest contribution appears to have come from Kalamazoo, MI architect Jon Stryker, and was reported prior to the vote. Significant support also came from Milwaukee philanthropist Lynde B. Uihlein, who donated $250,000. Among the celebrities donating to the Fair Wisconsin campaign were Elton John, former Ambassador James Hormel and MoveOn’s billionaire funder George Soros.
  Notable among national and state organizations offering Fair Wisconsin major support were the Wisconsin Education Association Council ($175,000), the Human Rights Campaign ($220,520 including in-kind donations of campaign staff), People For The American Way ($70,000). A $36,000 post-election contribution from the Tammy Baldwin For Congress campaign also appears to have helped balance the “no” campaign’s books.
 Fair Wisconsin ultimately poured $4.3 million into the ballot campaign, dwarfing Vote Yes’ $635,000 spending. Fair Wisconsin ended up spending $5 per vote for the 862,924 “no” tallies in its 59-41% loss, exactly ten times the amount spent by Vote Yes to generate its 1,264,310 votes.
  However, the reported “Vote Yes” money did not include “educational outreach” on the marriage issue by amendment supporters. “Vote Yes” director Appling told the Wisconsin Journal that some of the spending on efforts around the amendment by related groups “was not disclosed to state officials because it didn't involve directly advocating a ‘yes’ vote.”  Among those populating such  “related groups” were every priest in the Roman Catholic diocese required to play without comment Bishop Robert Morlino’s taped comment supporting the amendment at Sunday Masses just prior to the November 7 vote.
  Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said $5 million was an immense amount to spend on the campaign. “It's pretty safe to say that this was one the likes of which we've never seen before,” McCabe said

Singers, Songwriters Sought For Milwaukee Gay Arts Center Benefit CD
Milwaukee - Are you a professional or amateur LGBT musician with a great sound and original repertoire?
  On behalf of the Milwaukee Gay Center, Shelly Herrmann and Yolanda Roth of Rhythm & Torch and Brooke Litwack are producing a music CD featuring local and national artists, including both bands and soloists.  CD will include up to 20 songs.
  Release is planned in time for PrideFest , June 2007. Proceeds of sales will benefit the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center. All proceeds from CD sales will be used to further support the LGBT visual and performing arts through the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center.  The MGAC provides a secure environment for local and national playwrights, poets, musicians and visual artists to display and perform.
  The CD project offers gay musicians an opportunity to promote their talent by providing the chance to market themselves to a national audience throughout the midwest. Producers Herrmann, Roth and Litwack have solicited their favorite LGBT singers, songwriters and musicians including Tori Fixx, Ronnie Nyles, Scott Malcom, and Corky Morgan to compose and record the CD's theme song.  Music submissions for consideration may be any genre - R&B, acoustic, alternative, Ska, etc. up-beat or contemplative but must be original copywritten material in CD format with lyric sheets.
  Submissions of one or two complete copywritten songs in CD format from any genre are needed.  Contact information including website, phone number, mailing address should be included with the submissions.  CDs should be received no later than Thursday, March 1. Selected artists will be contacted for CD jacket information.   
  Individual artists and groups interested in participating may contact the producers by mail at: Shelly Herrmann & Yolanda Roth, MGAC Marketing Coordinators, MGAC, 703 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204.
  Artists seeking more information about the project or who have questions, comments or concerns  may contact the producers directly by email or phone. Contact Yolanda Roth by email at: yogi2732@gmail.com or call Shelly Herrmann 414-418-6831.Brooke Litwack may be emailed at: Brooklyn71@sbcglobal.net or called at 414-899-1008.
 
Blades Against AIDS Set For March 13
Madison - The Madison Gay Hockey Association and Madison Ice, Inc. are pleased to present the first ever Blades Against AIDS,  a fundraiser for AIDS Network.  The event will be Saturday March 3 from 7-9 PM at the Madison Ice Area, 725 Forward Drive here.
The two sporting groups invite supporters of the HIV/AIDS service organization to spend an evening at the rink with the players of the MGHA, members of the community and  friends for an open skate to benefit AIDS Network and its programs.
  Ticket prices are $15 for people age 16 and older, $10 for 13-15 year olds, and $5 for children 12 and under.  Ticket includes skate rental, food and music.  Donations will also be accepted.  
  The mission of AIDS Network is to provide, though a network of services and partnerships, support, education and opportunities for the well being of those afflicted with or touched by HIV/AIDS.  
  An after party and raffle will be held at the  Shamrock Bar, 117 W Main St. in downtown Madison.  For more information and to reserve tickets please visit the MGHA website at:  www.madisongayhockey.org/bladesagainstaids

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center Expands Annual Black History Celebration
Milwaukee - The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center’s annual Black History program will be expanded to three weeks this February. This year’s celebration encompasses a film festival offered on three successive Thursdays showcasing three films about and/or created by African American LGBT people.
  All films begin at 5:30 PM at the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center with a short welcome program. The festival will start on February 8 and will feature the film “Brother to Brother.” On February 15, the Center will show “The Aggressive,” a documentary film set in New York City about a diverse group of individuals who cross the lines of gender expression. On February 22, 2007, the Center will celebrate with a closing reception spotlighting area talent, community leaders and the final film, “Just Between Us.” 
  “We are very excited about the African American LGBT film festival we have put together in honor of black history month and are looking forward to a great turnout,” Corinne Rosen, a community organizer at the Center said. Rosen is one of the planners of the celebration.
  For more information about the series, call 414-271-2656, Ext.111. Printing for the series has been donated by Graphicolor Printing.
  About 5,000 people visit the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center annually at its facility located at 315 W. Court Street on the north edge of downtown. Services are provided by fourteen professional staff operating on  a budget of $750,000. More information about the Center can be found online at: www.mkelgbt.org

Bi The Way Social/Support Group Meets at OutReach
Madison - Bi The Way is a peer based social and support group which provides a positive environment for people sharing life experiences and challenges related to bisexuality.  Group members also have an opportunity to plan and participate in social events and outings. Although discussion will primarily include issues related to bisexuality, one does not need to be bisexual to attend.
  Group meetings are the first and third Monday of every month at 7:30 PM at OutReach Inc., Madison & south-central Wisconsin's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community center & safe space, 600 Williamson St. For more information, visit the group’s website: www.myspace.com/bithewaymadison, contact Josh, the group facilitator, by phone at: at 608-255-8582  or by email at: bithewaymadison@aol.com.

Committed Same-Sex Couples Sought For Photo Exhibit
Milwaukee - Milwaukee photographer Jeff Pearcy and author Will Fellows are teaming up to create an exhibit of portraits of same-sex couples in long-term, committed relationships. In the exhibit, these photographs will be accompanied by the words of the individuals pictured, expressing their thoughts and feelings regarding their relationships.
  The title of the planned exhibit, “Shall Not Be Recognized,” is a phrase taken from the recent amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution barring legal recognition of same-sex unions. “This project is an attempt to recognize the strength and commitment of couples who, though constitutionally marginalized, demonstrate the same love and commitment in their relationships as is found in the wider human community,” Pearcy said.
  Pearcy and Fellows plan an exhibit that will include the photographic and verbal portraits of approximately 15 same-sex couples who have been in their relationships for at least seven years. This benchmark was chosen because it is the average length of marriage for U.S. couples who divorce.
  Fellows will conduct an interview with each couple, then use the transcript as the basis for developing several paragraphs to accompany the couple’s portrait. Pearcy will then schedule a photo session with the couple.
 It is expected that  “Shall Not Be Recognized,” will convey a powerfully positive message about the meanings of relationship, love, commitment, and family. A variety of organizations will be invited to host the exhibit. Any proceeds from this project will be donated to Fair Wisconsin in support of their continuing work for marriage equality.
  This project's success depends on the voluntary participation of same-sex couples who have been in committed relationship for at least seven years and who live in the Greater Milwaukee area: urban, suburban, small-town, or rural. If you fit this profile and would like to participate, contact Will Fellows at 414-963-1152 or at will@bronzeoptical.com.

Women’s Coming Out Support Group To Begin
Madison - A women’s peer-based coming out support group is forming in Madison. the group will begin meeting at the OutReach LGBT community center, 600 Williamson Street in early March. 
  The purpose of the group is to offer support to women who are dealing with the realization that they are not heterosexual and how that affects their everyday lives. The support group will identify and discuss the stages of coming out and explore topics such as how to deal with family members, physical and sexual safety, legal rights and discrimination, and spirituality, among others.
  Two trained volunteers will facilitate each meeting. The group will meet Thursday evenings for nine weeks starting in early March. Women who are interested in attending the meetings should call 608-255-8582 and leave a message for Andrea or contact the group by e-mail at: harrys@outreachinc.com by Saturday, February 25 to schedule an interview for the group.

7 Rivers LGBT Center Unreels Monthly Movie Nights
LaCrosse -  Coulee region film buffs - these flicks are for you! The LGBT Resource Center for the 7 Rivers Region is bringing four great LGBT movies over the next four months. The first film, “The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love” debuted last Saturday of February 3.
  Future films include “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy” on March 3, “Desert Hearts” on April 7 and “Brokeback Mountain” on May 5.  All films will be shown at the “Pearl Street Theatre,” aka the 7 Rivers LGBT Center, 303 Pearl Street.
  The LGBT Center is  providing popcorn and attendees are free to bring other snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.  A $5 donation to the Center is suggested to help cover overhead. For more information and showtimes, contact the center by email at: info@7riverslgbt.org, by phone at: 608-784-0452 or by visiting the center’s website at: www.7riverslgbt.org.

Gender Diverse Sexual Health Discussion Group Forming
Madison - A sexual health discussion group for gender diverse people - including but not limited to self-identified genderqueers, transsexuals, drag king/queens, FTM, MTF, crossdressers, and intersex - will start at the OutReach LGBT community center, 600 Williamson St. this March. 
  The six week group will cover a wide variety of topical matter related to gender self-expression, body imagery, discrimination issues, health care barriers/resources, and the sexual decision-making process. Sessions will be two hours in length and meet once a week on Thursday nights at 7 PM. Food will be provided, and an attendance allowance for consistent participation will also be given at the end of the six-week session.
  If you have interest in the group or would like more information about it, please leave a phone message for Renee at 608-255-8582 or e-mail her at: madcityrenee@tds.net.  More information about the group and
online registration is available on the group’s website at: www.genderwellness.org.

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center Annual Meeting Set
Milwaukee - the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 28 at 6 PM at the Center, 315 W. Court St. The Annual Meeting will include a program, financial updates and board elections. Only members in good standing may vote but the event is open to all.
  Following the meeting there will be a Meet & Greet with the Center’s new Executive Director Maggi Cage PhD. The reception will run from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. For more information about the meeting and the reception, call the Center at: 414-271-2656 or visit their website at: www.mkelgbt.org.

USofA Pageantry Begins 20th Year With Two Preliminaries
Milwaukee, Wausau - Wisconsin’s longest running female impersonation pageant system will finish its second decade of glitter and glamour with preliminary events for the coveted Miss Gay Wisconsin USofA in Milwaukee and Wausau next month.
  The Miss Cosmopolitan WI USofA preliminary has moved to C'est La Vie and will be the first event this year. 
The pageant will be held Saturday, March 3 at C'est La Vie, 231 S. 2nd Street. Check in time for contestants will be 7 PM, with interview at 815.  The pageant will start at 1030 PM, emceed by Jackie Roberts and featuring Miss Cosmopolitan 2006,Bryanna Banxs. Scheduled performers include  the current reigning Miss Gay Wisconsin USofA Shannon DuPree, Demarco DuPree, Loretta LaMour, Shawna Love, and Dominique Mahon.
  This is the first time C'est La Vie has ever hosted a pageant for the USofA system. Jason, a bartender at C'est La vie , is coordinating the event.  Originally from Green Bay, as he is well known to the drag and bar community “up north.” For more information contact Jason by email at: jasonforu24@yahoo.com or by phone at: 414-469-7972
  One week later on March 10 the Miss Wausau WI USofA preliminary will be held at Oz, 320 Washington Street, in downtown Wausau. Check in time for contestants will be 830 PM, with interview at 9:30. Showtime will be 1030 PM, with Kelli Jo Klein serving as emcee for the evening. The pageant will feature Miss Wausau 2006 Misty Mountains and Miss Gay Wisconsin USofA Shannon DuPree. Also scheduled to appear are Brandy Wells, Bryanna Banxs, CC Domino, and Lusinda Andrews. For more information about the the Wausau pageant contact Mercedes Monroe by email at: Mizz_Mercedeez@yahoo.com or by phone at: 715-432-1267.
  Wausau historically had opened the USofA season. However, Miss Wausau has a long history of having out of the area talent come from  to compete, often including Green Bay and Milwaukee contestants.
  Rumors also are circulating that the  Miss Emerald City WI USofA may be  returning this year.  That pageant title was originally tied to Za's Nite Club but was retired following the closing of Historic West Theatre several years ago.
 The Miss Gay Wisconsin USofA title is widely considered to be the state’s “top tiara.” This is 20th Anniversary Year of the USofA Pageant system, originally started by by the late Jimmy King in Milwaukee.  The group was later run by Tag Team Productions of Green Bay, followed by John Jacobs and the staff of Appleton’s  Pivot Club. The USofA Wisconsin system later returned to Green Bay ownership, run by Quest and Za's bar.
  Quest continues to own and operate the pageant.  For the 2007-8 season Dan and Kylie of Milwaukee’s DragDepot will manage most of the pageant’s affairs. For more information about the pageant and other upcoming preliminaries, contact Dan at: valley65@sbcglobal.net.

Discount Tickets Offered For Chita Rivera Show
Milwaukee - Advance sale discounted tickets for the May performances of the acclaimed revue “Chita Rivera - The Dancer's Life” have been made available for supporters of the Milwaukee LGBT Center.
  The show will run May 22-27 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. The special offer is good until February 16.
  “Chita Rivera - The Dancer's Life” is coming direct from Broadway and stars two-time Tony Award winner Rivera  in a dazzling musical that celebrates her astonishing career. Written by four-time Tony winner Terrence McNally, directed by Tony nominee Graciela Daniele and featuring a cast of 11, “The Dancer’s Life” charts Chita’s amazing journey from aspiring ballerina to Broadway legend.
  In story and song, Rivera relives fascinating moments from the years she spent working with such greats as Bernstein, Fosse and Sondheim. And she performs knockout numbers from some of her biggest hits, including West Side Story, Chicago, Bye Bye Birdie and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
  Angie Guerra, Director of Development & Marketing was particularly excited about the special offer. “Chita Rivera is 74 and has more energy and dance moves than most people half her age,” Guerra said.
  Center supporters may get tickets now before they go on sale to the public. To purchase the advance tickets visit the Marcus Theatre website at: www.marcuscenter.org/lgbt.html and enter the password LGBTMKE.

Richard Taylor To Be Remembered
Milwaukee - “Songs from the Heart, A Celebration in Honor of Richard Taylor.” will be held Sunday, February 11 at 2:00 PM at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 2201 N. 35th St. here. “Songs From The Heart” is musical concert the raise funds for the Reformation Church Organ Restoration Fund and Center Advocates. For every dollar donated - up to $2,000 - to the  Church Organ Fund, a matching donation will be made by an anonymous donor to Center Advocates’ outreach efforts in Milwaukee’s African American community.  For more information about the event, contact Patrick Flaherty by email at: Pflaherty@mkelgbt.org or by phone at: 414- 271-2656, Ext.112.