Tommy Blows Gay Work Question, Apologizes
Second Gaffe In Less Than A Month
By Mike Fitzpatrick
Madison -  The dark horse GOP presidential candidacy of former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson may have darkened even further following a May 4 flip-flop that likely soured his standing with both moderate independent voters and his own party’s religious extremist base. Pundits note the offensive slip-up and subsequent mea culpa is the second in just over a month on Thompson’s trail to the White House.
  Thompson was asked during the first GOP presidential candidate’s debate in California May 4 if it would be acceptable for a private employer who finds homosexuality immoral to fire a gay worker. Thompson concluded by saying “yes” to a confirmatory question fielded by John Harris, editor in chief of politico.com, one of the event’s co-sponsors.
  Thompson’s original answer to the question, sent via email, appeared to follow a standard GOP “less government regulation” approach: “I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be.” However the candidate claimed in the post-even media “spin room” immediately after the debate that he had missed hearing clearly the question’s exact wording: “If a private employer finds homosexuality immoral, should he be allowed to fire a gay worker?”
  When the story broke big in the Badger State the next morning, minus the post-debate spin, the Thompson campaign arranged a hasty telephone interview with CNN.
  “I made a mistake, I misinterpreted the question,” Thompson told CNN’s John Roberts. “I didn’t hear the question properly and I apologize. That is not my position. There should be no discrimination in the workplace.”
  Thompson continued by saying that he answered “yes” when he should have answered “no.” He also claimed that he supported Wisconsin’s gay rights bill 25 years ago.
  However, Thompson was again caught in a lie when OutReach Director Steven Starkey pointed out that then State Representative Thompson had voted against AB70 in 1982. Despite Thompson’s opposition, the bill passed the Assembly and later became law when it was signed by GOP Governor Lee. Sherman Dreyfus.
 “I’m disappointed that our former governor could make such an egregious error on national television,” Starkey said in a statement sent to Quest. “I’m happy that he has retracted his comments so quickly, but the damage has already been done.”
  “As a person running for the highest office in this country, Governor Thompson needs to take additional steps to clarify his comments,” Starkey added. “A simple, single apology is not enough.”
  Thompson’s latest gaffe comes just about two weeks after he offended another minority. On April 18, while appearing before a Washington D. C. conference organized by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Thompson made reference to his lucrative transition from public service to the private sector by saying “You know that’s sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that.”
  After the conclusion of his address, Thompson was reportedly pulled aside privately by the RAC’s Rabbi David Saperstein, and then returned to the podium to issue a clarification: “I just want to clarify something because I didn’t (by) any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You’ve been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that.”
  Thompson later blamed his original gaffe and the possibly even more insulting apology on fatigue and a persistent cold.
  Thompson’s gay worker comments likely were noticed more prominently in Wisconsin because of the recent introduction of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) by the state’s openly-gay Congressional Representative and lead co-sponsor Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison). Baldwin’s bill would replicate at the federal level the provisions of Wisconsin’s “first in the nation” gay non-discrimination act.
  Nationally Thompson’s remarks ware barely noticed in the mainstream media, largely in part because Thomspon is see with less than 1% support outside the Badger State.

Bush Vows To Veto House-Passed Hate Crimes Bill
Christianist Groups Break Commandments To Oppose Passage
By Mike Fitzpatrick
Washington, D.C. - Under intense last-minute pressure from Christianist groups, President George W. Bush has threatened to veto the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill passed May 3 by the U. S. House of Representatives. The White House called the bill “unnecessary and constitutionally questionable,” despite the bipartisan support behind its passage.
  The bill, which had been stalled by GOP leadership for nearly a decade, would expand the federal hate crime law to cover violent acts based on a victim’s gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It the first major expansion of the hate crime statute since it was enacted in 1968.  Senate approval is expected soon.
  The expansion has received its impetus several high-profile incidents, including the 1998 killing of Matthew Shepard, who  was brutally beaten in Wyoming and left to die tied to a fence. Shepard’s mother, Judy lobbied for the bill’s passage and watched the debate from the gallery. “I’m so relieved. It’s been a long time,” she said following the passage..
  The House approved the bill 237 to 180, with 25 Republicans joining 212 Democrats in passing it. Wisconsin’s representatives voted along party lines with Democrats Baldwin, Kagen, Kind, Moore and Obey voting in favor; and Republicans Petri, Ryan and Sensenbrenner opposed. However, the vote was short of the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto.
  Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign said he hoped President Bush would sign the bill. “We are not going to stop working on this president,” Solmonese said. “There’s time before this goes to the president’s desk. I hope that we have an opportunity to engage (Bush) about the kind of legacy he wants to look back upon.”
  House approval of the hate crime bill came after an emotional debate with openly gay Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) presiding over the chamber during roll call.
  “Some people ask: Why is this legislation even necessary?” House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said. “Because brutal hate crimes motivated by race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation and identity or disability not only injure individual victims, but also terrorize entire segments of our population and tear at our nation’s social fabric.”
  Two Christianist groups - the Traditional Values Coalition and the Family Research Council - falsified portions of the debate testimony in their attempts to engage their supporters to oppose the bill. Tony Perkins of the FRC changed quotations by Massachusetts Representative James McGovern in “action alerts” sent to FRC members, to “document” the bill’s potential for stifling religious expression. The TVC sent a similar “action memo,” using concocted quotes from the committee debate to document their claim that a pastor who preached against homosexuality could be charged with a hate crime if one of his church members committed a hate crime. Readily-available Judiciary Committee transcripts showed both groups had changed or created non-existent quotations, according to the gay blog Good As You.
  The FBI received reports of 7,163 hate crimes in 2005, the most recent year for which data were available. Racial motivation accounted for about 55%; religious for 17%; sexual orientation, 14%; and ethnicity/national origin, about 13%. Less than 1% of hate crimes were attributed to bias against an individual’s disability. Thirty-one state Attorneys General supported the passage of the hate crimes bill.
  The White House statement claimed state and local laws already covered the violence addressed in the legislation. “There has been no persuasive demonstration of any need to federalize such a potentially large range of violent crime enforcement,” the administration said.
  Proponents of the legislation said it would offer new protections in 19 states that don’t have hate crime laws covering sexual orientation or gender identity.  The bill is supported by a range of civil rights and law enforcement groups, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police and attorneys general from 31 states.
  Hate crime legislation was a priority of the Clinton administration. Though measures have passed previously in the House or Senate, they never made it to the president’s desk during the days of the Republican-controlled Congress.

World & National News:

Six Couples Challenge Iowa Gay Marriage Ban
Des Moines - Just a little more than a week after Iowa moved to add sexual orientation to its equal rights law, an attorney representing six gay and lesbian couples argued that the state’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed in originally in 2005, marks the first legal proceeding on a constitutional ban to take place between the coasts.
  “This is not a hypothetical issue - these are real people,” Des Moines attorney Dennis Johnson said. “These people are here because the state treats them like second-class citizens.” Johnson represents the 12 Iowa clients and three of their children.
  Roger Kuhle, representing Polk County Recorder Tim Brien who refused to grant the couples marriage licenses, called the case a “test lawsuit” set up by Lambda Legal, the organization backing the plaintiffs. Kuhle contended the case should be settled in the Legislature, not before a judge.
  “When you look at equal protection in this country, no court has found it’s a fundamental right,” Kuhle said. “Efforts to redefine the law to include marriage between same-sex people is not a fundamental right.”  Iowa’s ban against issuing marriage licenses to same-gender couples was reinforced by the Defense of Marriage Act passed by the 1998 Iowa Legislature.
  The six gay and lesbian couples say they have continued to pursue the lawsuit not to make history, but to ensure secure futures for their longtime partners and, in some cases, their children. “After being with my partner 17 years, I’d like to marry her,” Jen BarbouRoske said. “This is a statement about me and my family.”  BarbouRoske and her partner Dawn have two children.
  Retired teachers David Twombley and Larry Hoch also are plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Both say they are surprised to find themselves still battling for marriage at this stage in their lives. “This is very real and very much a part of Iowa,” Twombley told Des Moines Register reporter Abby Simons. “What’s going on here is far more personally relevant.”
  Iowa Governor Chet Culver has said he plans to sign the gay rights bill, passed by both houses of the state legislature April 25, calling it historic. Culver also commended the lawmakers for their courage in passing the legislation.

Tory Claim: “Former British Prime Minister Heath Was Gay!”
London - A Conservative Minister of Parliament (MP) has claimed that former British prime minister Sir Edward Heath was gay and kept his sexuality quiet because of his career.
  Chairman of the London Assembly, Brian Coleman, said that Sir Edward’s sexuality was “common knowledge” within the Conservative Party during the 1950s and he was one of a number of leading gay men who have held top government jobs.
  In an article on the New Statesman website, Mr Coleman suggests that Ted Heath was told early in his career to keep his sexuality quiet as it could harm his career and was advised to cease “cottaging” (British slang for what American gay men call cruising) when he became a privy councillor in the 1950s.
  Coleman, who is openly gay himself, told the Times newspaper: “I have this on very good authority. There were many stories about Ted Heath. I did not know him well myself, but have been told this by people who did.”
  However, Tory MP Derek Conway, who succeeded Sir Edward in the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency in 2001, has dismissed the claim, insisting that there is no evidence to support it and any secrets would have come out by now if the rumors were true.
  “Ted was absolutely wedded to politics,” Mr Conway said. “He didn’t have a great deal of personal companionship in his life but there are people who are capable of getting on without companionship.”
  Heath served as prime minister from 1970 to 1974 and was never married, and refused to publicly comment on his sexuality. He died at the age of 89 in 2005.

He’s Here, He’s Queer And Back Serving Openly In The U. S. Navy
Kuwait - Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Knight finally accepted he was gay on his wedding night. He told his new wife, had his marriage annulled and told his superior officers. He was quickly discharged from the U. S. Navy under the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy.
  Now he’s been called back to active duty in the Navy, with a promotion to Petty Officer Second Class and currently serves in Kuwait as an openly gay sailor. After recent anti-gay remarks by Joint Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace, Knight has come forward to expose the hypocrisy of the military’s adherence to DADT in wartime.
  “I thought it was a joke at first,” Knight told the military newspaper Stars & Stripes, remembering the day he received his recall orders. “It was the ultimate kick in the ass. But then I thought, there isn’t much they can do to me they haven’t done the first time.”
  Knight’s shipmates don’t seem to mind working side by side with the openly-gay sailor. “He’s better than the average sailor at his job,” leading petty officer of Knight’s 15-person customs crew in Kuwait Bill Driver said. “It’s not at all a strange situation. As open as he is now, it was under wraps for quite a while. It wasn’t an issue at work.”
  Petty Officer 1st Class Tisha Hanson has had to process discharges for gay sailors before. “I’ve obviously never heard of something like this happening before,” she said. “But it doesn’t bother me. The Navy tends to keep people who don’t want to be here, but Jason does.”
  In Knight’s case, he was given an honorable discharge when booted from the Navy on April 4, 2005. Though it’s not widely known, a clause in the military’s policy on discharging gays allows commanders discretion on what form of discharge to give a gay service member.
  Statistics suggest that the Pentagon is less interested in kicking out gay service members during war. Discharges of gay service members dropped to 612 in 2006. The peak of such discharges was in 2001, when 1,273 were reported.
  The numbers have fallen steadily each year — from 906 in 2002 to 787 in 2003, and on down. At a time when the Pentagon is struggling to meet recruiting goals, many point to the numbers as a wartime trend.
  Earlier this year Congressional Representative  Marty Meehan (D-Massachusetts) re-introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act to repeal DADT and allow gay men and women to serve openly in the military. Unlike his first effort in 2005, Meehan now has 119 co-sponsors. Stories like Petty Officer Knight’s may help spur passage of the bill later this year.
  The revelation of Knight’s active service also comes just days after leading GOP Presidential hopeful John McCain characterized gays serving openly in the military as an “intolerable risk.” In a letter to the Service members Legal Defense Network (SLDN), Senator McCain wrote that the current law, passed in 1993, “unambiguously maintains that open homosexuality within the military services presents an intolerable risk to morale, cohesion and discipline.”
  McCain, a war hero who was held as a prisoner of war by the VietCong for six years, had been thought to be broadly supportive of gay rights.
  “Senator McCain’s comments are out of step with the overwhelming majority of the American people, and out of touch with the best interests of our armed forces,” SLDN Director of Law and Policy Sharra E. Greer said in response to the letter.

Gay Couples In Oregon Will Have Domestic Partner Benefits
Portland - Oregon will become the seventh state to grant same-sex couples full marriage-style benefits allowed by state law, after the Oregon Senate approved a landmark “domestic partnerships” bill on May 2 in a bipartisan 21-9 vote. Governor Ted Kulongoski has pledged to sign the bill into law.
  Passage of the domestic partner bill comes 2 1/2 years after Oregonians banned gay marriage at the ballot box via a statewide referendum.
  Gay-rights supporters still expect that conservative Christians will try to place one or both measures as a referendum on the November 2008 ballot. Opponents will have three months after the 2007 legislative session closes to gather the needed signatures.
  However, the Oregon Family Council, an evangelical Christian group that spearheaded the marriage ban campaign, has claimed that it won’t put either measure on the ballot. “Right now, we’re not planning on running a referendum,” Nick Graham, a spokesman for the Oregon Family Council said.
  In 2004 Oregon’s  Multnomah and Benton counties briefly legalized gay marriage but voters banned the practice with the passage of Measure 36 the following November.
  Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, same-sex couples will be able to go to their county courthouse and enter into a legally binding contract that grants them rights and responsibilities. The benefits include nearly all those accorded to married couples under state law, covering the rights to jointly file state taxes, child custody, hospital visitation and inheritance rights, among others. Some gay-rights advocates have complained about use of the term “domestic partnerships” rather than “civil unions.”

Study: Lesbians Fatter But Happier
Boston - Lesbians are twice as likely as heterosexual women to be overweight or obese, which puts them at greater risk for obesity-related health problems and early death, US researchers have said in a report published last April.
  In a survey of 6000 women, the Boston University School of Public Health found lesbians were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese.
  “The results indicate that lesbian women have a better body image than do heterosexual women,” Researcher Ulrike Boehmer said.

Survey Says: Americans, Japanese Get Laid The Least
Norcross, GA -  Are Americans possibly more violent because they get laid less often? Did the Japanese develop ritual suicide and Harikairi fighter pilots due to a lack of nookie? That might be one way to explain the results of a study that looked at how frequently the world’s citizens get their freak on.
  Condom maker Durex recently released its 2007 Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey. Among the many conclusions they drew from the 26,000+ respondents was which country has the most frequent sex. Olives and feta cheese appear to be aphrodisiacs, as the Greeks came out on top with 87% of that country’s respondents reporting that they had sex on at least a weekly basis.
  Rounding out the top three were Brazil (82%) and Russia (80%).  The world’s most populous nation came in with 78% reporting weekly sex. Other countries in the 70 percentage range included Poland, Italy, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland, Mexico, South Africa, Austria and France.
  The USA limped in at 19th place with only 53% respondents claiming weekly satisfaction, just a squirt ahead of the always reserved British (55%). Japan make make the world’s cars but little goes on in all those back seats: The Land of the Rising Sun was eclipsed by all others in the sex department, with only 34% of its respondents reporting a weekly romp in the futon.

State News:

Starkey Receives Founder’s Award
Madison - Steve Starkey has been awarded a special Founder’s Award by the Madison Social Justice Center.  He received the award at the group’s 6th anniversary celebration held at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens here May 3.
  Starkey was chosen for his 20 year career at Wisconsin Community Fund, his advocacy work for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and for the critical role he played in establishing the Social Justice Center seven years ago. Starkey currently serves as the Executive Director of OutReach, Madison’s LGBT community center.
  The Social Justice Center also honored two others who have been active in promoting social justice causes in our community and state, nationally and internationally.
  Clarence Kailin was presented with the Social Justice Center and Capital Times Legacy Award for his tremendous lifelong dedication to social justice causes. Kailin took a stand against fascism in Spain in the 1930s, fought for civil rights in 1950s and 60s, has organized against the current Iraq War. Clarence is the founder of the Socialist Potluck. The Madison chapter of Veterans for Peace is named in his honor.
  Jonard Akhi Williams received the Social Justice Center and Capital Times Visionary Award for his work promoting fatherhood responsibility with Urban League of Greater Madison and advocating for Wisconsin’s prisoners. Jonard sits on the Madison-area Urban Ministry Board of Directors and is the Chair of Voices Beyond Bars.
  The Social Justice Center is a non-profit office center promoting progressive development. It was founded seven years ago as a cooperative effort of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the Madison Community Cooperative, the Tenant Resource
Center, and the Wisconsin Community Fund. For more information about the SJC visit the center’s website at: www.socialjusticecenter.org.

Marriage Ban Brawler Gets 14 Months
Milwaukee - The man convicted of starting a fight inside a George Webb’s restaurant last fall over Wisconsin’s constitutional band on gay marriage and civil unions was sentenced April 25 to 14 months in prison.
  27 year-old Jason Graham 27 was arrested on felony charges of battery and bail jumping and was convicted of assaulting two men - one gay, one transgender - after a discussion on gay marriage spread to other restaurant patrons.
  At the sentencing, Graham tried to explain himself. “I lost my cool,” he said. Graham also claimed he was upset because his suit got dirty and he apologized. “I just apologize for the whole situation.”
  Graham left the restaurant at one point but came back and started throwing chairs and ketchup bottles. He also started throwing punches. The incident was captured on restaurant security cameras, which allowed police to identify and later arrest him.
  “You didn’t have to get into it verbally or physically. You could’ve ordered your food and walked out of there,” Judge Mel Flanagan said in handing down the sentence.
  The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office also had recommended that one of the men assaulted be ticketed for disorderly conduct. However, Wauwatosa police declined to do so.

Gay Taunts Lead To Stabbing At Middle School
Fond Du Lac - A twelve year-old boy at Woodworth Middle School here was stabbed with a pen in an incident involving “being gay” taunts according to a police reports released April 30. The incident reportedly occurred during the school day on April 17.
  The injured boy was playing a trivia game with another twelve year-old during their fourth hour homeroom class. The second boy won the game and began bragging about his victory. The loser then taunted the winner about “being gay,” prompting the winner to take a mechanical pencil, stab his taunter in the back while declaring “now you’re gay,” according to the police report.
  The taunter received a small puncture wound in his back according to the report. The report did not indicate if any disciplinary action was taken.
  The gay taunt motivated stabbing was one of two April 17 middle school incidents reported by the Fond Du Lac Reporter May 1. Three girls at another of the city’s middle schools were cited for underage drinking after one of the girls was seen “acting strangely” during a gym class. She confessed to drinking vodka and orange juice with the other two during their lunch hour.

Verveer Elected Madison City Council President
Madison - Openly Gay council member Mike Verveer has been elected to head the Madison City Council. Verveer is a six-term member of the council, representing the city’s downtown District  4 and is the body’s second most senior member.
  The longest serving member of the City Council, Alder Tim Bruer, was elected pro-tem, the second to Verveer. Bruer is serving his thirteenth term representing the Madison’s south side.
  In an interview with the Capital Times, Verveer said that the one-year position was largely ceremonial with “pretty perfunctory duties.” According to Verveer, the council president meets weekly with the mayor, his staff and the council president pro-tem, works with the city clerk to put together the agendas for the twice-monthly council meetings, chairs the Common Council Organization Committee and presides over council meetings when the mayor is not there.
  Veveer is one of three gay alders on the council. The others are Larry Palm, representing the District 15 on Madison’s east side and Eli Judge, serving District 8 which covers much of the UW-Madison campus.

Rainbow Over Wisconsin Sets Memorial Day Brat Fry
Sheboygan - Rainbow Over Wisconsin will hold its 3rd Annual Brat Fry, Auction & Show on Sunday, May 27 at the Blue Lite, 1029 N 8th St. here. The day-long event will kick off at 4 PM with a traditional Sheboygan brat fry. An a la carte menu of sides and sweets will be available in addition to brats and burgers with all the fixins’.
   Auction items will be available for silent bid or preview for the live auction to be held during the evening show, which this year will feature “turnabout” performances by ROW members. The brat frey event will also serve to kick off the annual sale of ROW Pride Rainbows, which will be sold at gay-friendly taverns and retail outlets though the month of June.
  Two weeks prior to the brat fry event on Saturday May, 12, ROW member tavern the Napalese Lounge in Green Bay will hold its annual Turnabout Show benefitting Rainbow Over Wisconsin. Members of the Napalese staff with do their best in drag onstage while area tiara holders and entertainers will serve drinks behind the bar. Showtime is 10:30 PM.
  Now in is 11th year of operation, Rainbow Over Wisconsin raises funds to improve the quality of life for the LGBT community in central, northeast and eastern Wisconsin. Grants in 2007 will top the $100,000 mark, according to ROW President Dean Dayton. ROW will also guide the long-running Guernsey Gala fundraising project for those living with HIV/AIDS past an all-time tally of $150,000 according to statistics provided to Quest by recipient agency ARCW.

Ronnie Nyles Wins Female Vocalist WAMI
Milwaukee - Lesbian rocker Ronnie Nyles took female vocalist honors at the 27th annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) awards April 30 at Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s Northern Lights Theater here. Nyles and the Krash Band had been nominated for eight WAMIs this year, among which were Artist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Acoustic Artist of the Year and New Band of the Year.  Nyles is set to appear Sunday, June 10 at PrideFest.
  The day before the win, Nyles and the Krash Ban released “Barbaro Song,” celebrating the life of the valiant Kentucky Derby winner who was recently put down after millions were spent trying to save his life. An mp3 of the song is available for purchase at the website: www.campaigningforbarbaro.com.
  Other WAMI winners included Grammy-nominated Christian ban Skillet as best group and Geoff Landon took male best vocalist. Hindsight was picked as best new group. Awards were given in 35 categories.
  Two musicians were also named to the WAMI Hall of Fame: guitarist-songwriter Jim Krueger, who wrote the Dave Mason hit “We Just Disagree”; and Milwaukee music merchant Bob Kames.
  Wisconsin Area Music Industry award nominations are made by the WAMI membership, and the winners are selected by the WAMI Nominating Committee. Also, four People’s Choice regional awards are voted by the public.

Northwest LGBT Camp Out Planned
Eau Claire - The Chippewa Valley LGBT Community Center is planning a weekend of gay outdoor camping for those living in the northwest part of the state June 8-10.
  The Center has reserved a group campsite at Lake Wissota State Park, located on the north side of Chippewa Falls, about a twenty minute ride from Eau Claire.
  The park offers a boat launch, canoe rentals, shower and toilet facilities. The LGBT Center’s area is located away from the rest of the camp sites. The site features a large shelter, electricity and lots of shade and trees.  Tents may be set up any place in the large area.  According to organizer Tim Kessler, the Center staff hopes to create “our own little village for the weekend.
  To participate, contact Timothy by email at:  tbk1966@hotmail.com or by phone at: 715-497-0554.  The LGBT Center will be offering  a “great menu,” Kessler said.
  Camping Supplies, games, activities and camping fees are included in the registration of $50 that covers the entire weekend. Directions to the site are available with registrations.

Fundraisers Earn ARCW Big Bucks
Milwaukee, Green Bay - April 21 turned out to be a big night for fundraising for ARCW. The agency’s 21st annual “Make A Promise” dinner saw nearly 900 attendees generate over $178,000 to assist in providing health care services to low-income and uninsured clients throughout the state of Wisconsin.
  The same night the combined efforts of the first-ever theART dinner and a benefit show at The Shelter raised $4000 for the food pantry located in ARCW’s Green Bay office.

Off The Wall Offers Classic Gay Japanese Musical
Milwaukee - Twenty year ago in Japan, Director Dale Gutzman saw a modern version of Chickamatsu’s “Romeo and Juliet” type classic love story Double Suicide At Amijima. The story has been told in Japan in numerous forms since the 1600’s; as a puppet play, as Kabuki theatre, as modern theatre, in dance, and on film. The only version to reach the West was the award-winning film  by Shinodu. Gutzman, along with talented local composer Todd Wellman has worked for the last three years adapting the story into a new musical called AmijimA. The musical will be given its world premiere at Off The Wall Theatre starting on June 14.
  In a Japan crumbling under Western influence, a poor paper merchant deserts his wife and children for the love of a male prostitute, Asagao. The merchant’s brother disguises himself as a Samurai and visits the prostitute to prove Asagao’s unfaithfulness.
  A wealthy member of the new and powerful Japanese business class also seeks Asagao’s favors and is willing to use bribery and bullying to get his way. The paper merchant’s devoted wife, is
torn between duty to her family, loyalty to her husband, and her own  feelings. Out of this complex mixture of fascinating characters and motives comes a love story of monumental proportions told in the simple stylized manner of Japanese Theatre.
  The play is earthy and erotic, filled with a lust for life and love. Westerners uninitiated in Japanese Art, may be surprised how “colorful and descriptive” the sexual language can be, just as they are sometimes a bit shocked when they first view Japanese erotic paintings.They may also be surprised at the extensive gay culture in Japan during this period and at  the attitude toward having gay lovers. The show explores this in depth.
  Over a dozen original songs are penned for AmijimA with music by Todd Wellman and lyrics by Gutzman, maintain an Asian flavor but are Western in melody and style. Gutzman’s goal is to open up this amazing classic story to Western audiences in a fresh, entertaining way. Off the Wall Theatre’s Scenic Designer David Roper has worked with Gutzman to create a marvelous
puzzle box set with screens folding every which way and rooms opening within rooms. Special effects include an on stage snow storm.
  AmijimA’s cast of almost twenty features Joe Fransee as Asagao, the male prostitute whose unrelenting love is the catalyst for everything that follows, Jeremy Welter as the paper merchant, Heather Reynolds as his wife, Al Dobyns as his brother, Tom Welcenbach as Tahei, the ruthless businessman, Lawrence Lukasavage as the brothel owner, Sharon Rise as the merchant’s mother-in-law, and Kristin Pagenkopf as Shiguri a town prostitute.
  Pagenkopf is also choreographer for the show whose dances include an intricate wooden clog dance done to a festive number entitled “Knock On Wood.”  One of Milwaukee’s finest talents, the versatile David Flores plays the narrator of the story and also slips neatly into several roles.
  The always-in demand Chris Wszalek serves as Music Director. Local costume wizard Ginny Jenkins is creating two dozen authentic costumes in startling colors and materials for the piece.
  AmijimA promises to be the most innovative Off The Wall production ever, and certainly one of it’s most challenging. AmijimA plays at off the Wall Theatre, 127 E. Wells St., on  June 14-17, and June 20-24.
Performances on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 PM, with shows Friday and Saturday at 8PM. Sunday matinees will begin at  4:30 PM. Tickets range from $22-25, with senior and student discounts available for some performances. Call 414-327-355 for reservations or more information.

Outbound’s Dear Ruthie And Michael Johnston Onstage Together
Milwaukee - Outbound columnists Dear Ruthie and Michael Johnston will join a cavalcade of fine actors to do a reading of Claire Booth Luce’s timeless opus  “The Women” in the annual benefit for RSVP Productions.
  Ruthie,  Johnston, Ray Bradford and others will venture back into the glamorous world of Ms. Luce’s “The Women” Thursday, May 17 through Sunday, May 20 at the Astor Theater, corner of Brady St. and Astor Place. Curtain time is 8 PM. For more information and tickets, call 414-272-5694.

ARCW Sets AIDS Walk Kick-Off Party
Milwaukee - With summer quickly approaching, its time to start thinking about AIDS Walk 2007!  To help kick off another fun season leading up to this year’s Walk on September 29,  ARCW will host an AIDS Walk Wisconsin Launch Party on Thursday, May 24 at the Milwaukee Ale House, 233 N. Water Street, beginning at  5:30 PM.
  All those over 21 are welcome, and the beer is free while it lasts.  The party is being sponsored by the Milwaukee edition of The Onion.  Come on down to celebrate the opening of what the agency hopes will be a very successful AIDS Walk and learn more about how you can get involved. For additional information, contact Amanda by phone at: 414-273-1991, Ext.1570, or by email at: amanda.garry@arcw.org. (Click here or on photo for larger image)

Tonguebones Author Shelly L. Hall At Outwords
Milwaukee - Outwords Books will welcome Shelly L. Hall for a poetry reading on Wednesday, May 23 at 7:00 PM. Her first collection of poetry,  Tonguebones has recently been published by Popcorn Press.
  Of this fabulous new collection Cherry Muhanji, author of Her, and co-author of Tight Spaces has written: “God is in these poems / certain ecstatic lines impale my attention / however, I’m more than struck / by the longing in them- / more like the blues than / a church hymn.”
  Shelly L. Hall was born and raised in Cleveland, has made stops in Arizona, Washington, D.C. and the Hawkeye State, Iowa. She now resides amidst the wilds of Waukesha where she teaches, plays the drums and continues to write.  Shelly loathes beets, commercial radio and shopping for clothes. On the other hand, she loves beer, whole milk, thunderstorms, witty conversation and Xena on DVD.
  Shelly L. Hall will read from and sign copies of Tonguebones at 7:00 PM on Wednesday,  May 23 at Outwords Books, Gifts & Coffee, located at 2710 N. Murray Ave. in Milwaukee.
  Please join us for Shelly’s reading and then stay for an informal wine & cheese reception to follow. This is a free event and all are welcome. This is a free event and all are welcome.  For further information, please call visit www.outwordsbooks.com or call 414-963-9089.

Morgan To speak On Transgender Health Care
Milwaukee - Sarah Morgan, former board member of Lesbian Alliance and Clinical Assistant Professor at the UWM School of Nursing, will present a talk on Transgender health care on Thursday, May 17, at 6 PM at Broad Vocabulary, 2241 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
  Morgan specializes in transgender, lesbian, and gay issues within the health care system. Morgan works to educate nurses and other health professionals about the special issues that come with caring for transgendered patients. Free and open to the public. For more information call Broad Vocabulary at 414-744-8384 or visit www.broadvocabulary.com.