T H E R E S P E C T E D S O U R C E F O R G L B T N E W S S I N C E J U N E 1 9 9 0

LETTER
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM VOLUME 21, ISSUE 5 • MAY 2010

THE LETTER Prepares To Louisville Native Returns

Celebrate Milestone Home To Direct Youth Group
In the midst of the worst Donald Taylor, Jr. has been selected to serve
economic recession in as Executive Director of the Louisville Youth
memory, THE LETTER has Group (LYG). The non-profit organization,
much to be grateful for as it which will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary,
prepares to celebrate its 20th offers support to GLBTQ young people,
Anniversary. The nation’s under 21 years of age, by providing support,
economic mess has forced resources and a safe social atmosphere
nearly one dozen gay newspapers to go out of business over the course of the past 18 months, Taylor, who has recently lived in Florida,
while consistent community support has allowed THE LETTER to move forward. began professional career under Mayor Jerry
The publication that began with the rather randy name “THE LETTERHEAD” (a name Abramson's Louisville Youth Alliance, now
that by the second issue was shortened to THE LETTER) was first assembled in a tiny known as the Office of Youth Development, in
apartment in the Old Louisville neighborhood. A small group of friends, committed to a 1997. He spent 18 months as an AmeriCorps
vision of providing excellent community service, came together for the daunting task of member working in southwest Indiana, before
producing “Kentucky’s Gay Newspaper”, which now is also distributed in Indiana, Ohio, helping to develop YouthBuild Louisivlle, an
organization that provided opportunities for
Donald Taylor, Jr.
Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri.
THE LETTER was first distributed at the “Pride Picnic”, a predecessor to today’s youth to redirect their lives on a more positive path.
Kentuckiana Pride Festival, which took place in June 1990. An opportunity to coordinate the nation's largest residential diversity
To mark the 20th Anniversary of it’s founding, THE LETTER invites the community to join awareness program brought Taylor to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. A
the publication’s staff members for an elegant dinner and inspirational speaker on Friday, deep commitment to help youth emerge as engaged, character-based leaders
led to a full time launching of Taylor Consulting Group. Taylor told THE
June 11, beginning at 7:30pm. The location is Central Presbyterian Church, located at 4th and
LETTER that he believes “all of these experiences will combine to provide a
York Streets, just south of downtown.
strong, stable and forward-moving Louisville Youth Group.”
Nathan Hoskins, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, Taylor offers a challenge to the community, “If you are an adult, you’ve
will speak on “Peace, Love & Pride”. After coming out to his wife, family, friends, employer made it. We have an obligation to make it a little easier for the next
and the military, the former First Lieutenant in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol tells a compelling generation. If you are a youth, we need you. We need you to make it. Our
story of self-acceptance, forgiveness, love and fulfilled living. Nathan’s inspirational message community is incomplete without each of you, and your contributions make
emphasizes the importance of living with integrity and dignity. our community safer, stronger and whole.”
Advance tickets for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of THE LETTER are now on sale In the July2010 issue of THE LETTER, LYG (www.louisvilleyouthgroup.
for $12.50. For more information or to purchase a ticket, write editor@theletteronline. com) will announce plans to commemorate the organization’s 20th
com. birthday.
2 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010
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MAY 2010 WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM THE LETTER 3


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REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
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4 THE LETTER
Kentucky: Coalition Claims Progress In 2010 Legislative Session
Kentucky: Coalition Claims Progress
In 2010 Legislative Session
After recent legislative sessions targeting
and attacking GLBT Kentuckians through
anti-Fairness laws, the 2010 Kentucky
legislature saw unprecedented progress for
Fairness in the Commonwealth, according
to a statement released last month by the
Statewide Fairness Coalition. The coalition
is composed of the Fairness Campaign,
Kentucky Fairness Alliance, Lexington
Fairness, Kentucky Commission on Human
Rights and the Kentucky chapter of the
American Civil Liberties Union.
No Anti-Fairness Legislation Filed
For the first time in years, no legislator in
the Kentucky Senate or House filed legislation
targeting the rights of GLBT Kentuckians.
Just last year, Shelbyville Senator Gary Tapp
introduced Senate Bill 68, which would have
barred any unmarried cohabitating couples
from fostering or adopting children in the
Commonwealth. Fairness advocates rallied
to quickly defeat that legislation with strong
support from foster and adoption agencies,
social workers, and faith-based groups
across the state.
Last month similar legislation in Arkansas
was struck down as unconstitutional. The
Judge in the case reiterated the main point
the Kentucky Statewide Fairness Coalition
and its supporters made in the spring of
2009, that such legislation does not “serve
the State’s interest in determining what is in
the best interest of the child.”
Record Number of Co-Sponsors
On Statewide Fairness Bill
A record number of legislators signed
on to Rep. Mary Lou Marzian’s statewide
anti-discrimination Fairness House Bill
117, this year adding Rep. Arnold Simpson
of Covington. Sen. Kathy Stein once more
proposed a companion piece of legislation,
Senate Bill 138.
The law would amend the Kentucky Civil
Rights Act to include sexual orientation and
gender identity as protected classifications,
prohibiting discrimination in employment,
housing and public accommodations in
the Commonwealth, a move unanimously
Obama Advances Gay Agenda With Visitation Order
Last month President Barack Obama
issued an executive order, known as a
Presidential Memorandum, directing the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to
develop policies for all hospitals receiving
Medicare and Medicaid funding to allow
patients to receive visitors and designate
surrogate decision makers for medical
emergencies.
"There are few moments in our lives
that call for greater compassion and
companionship than when a loved one is
admitted to the hospital. In these hours of
need and moments of pain and anxiety, all
of us would hope to have a hand to hold,
a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one
to be there for us, as we would be there
for them," wrote President Obama in a
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
endorsed by the Kentucky Commission on
Human Rights in a 2008 Resolution sent
to the Governor. It would make Kentucky
the 21st state to extend such protections,
and the first in the South. Currently only
Covington, Lexington and Louisville have
legal protections in Kentucky.
Pro-Adoption Bill Heard in House
In response to last year’s failed anti-
adoption measure, Rep. Tom Burch of
Louisville this year introduced dual parent
adoption House Bill 195, which would
allow unmarried partners the legal ability
to become parents of the children for whom
they care.
Family court
attorney and
gay adoptive
father Bryan
Gatewood
offered expert
testimony to the
House Health
and Welfare
Committee
on the need
for such a law
in a March 11
hearing on the
Bryan Gatewood
bill. He cited the
loss of children’s rights to receive many of
the benefits legally adopted children enjoy,
such as the right to Social Security benefits
upon the death of a parent, the right to be
covered by both parents’ insurance, the
right to receive child support and more.
Toni Joyce, Executive Director of the
statement released on April 15.
Shortly after signing the order Obama
called Janice Langbehn to express his
sympathies for the tragic loss of her partner,
Lisa Pond, and the treatment she suffered.
Last September, a federal district court
rejected a lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal
against Jackson Memorial Hospital (Florida)
on behalf of Langbehn, ruling that no law
required the hospital to allow her and their
three children to see her partner. Langbehn
and the children were kept apart from
Pond by hospital staff for eight hours as
Pond slipped into a coma and later died.
After that Lambda Legal worked with
other Fairness organizations and officials
at Jackson Memorial Hospital to change
hospital policies on visitation and respecting
National Association of Social Workers,
reinforced Gatewood’s testimony with a
personal plea for the children who this type
of legal disenfranchisement affects, and
both then fielded positive questions from
legislators.
Gatewood and Joyce both requested
Committee Chair Burch hold additional
informational hearings during the interim
committee meetings of the summer.
Hospital Visitation Rights
Measure Passes House
For the second year, Rep. Mary Lou
Marzian’s hospital visitation rights House
Bill 118, passed out of the Health and Welfare
Committee with bi-partisan support. This
session, the bill was approved unanimously
on the House floor with a 99-0 vote.
The law would “allow a patient of a
health facility who is 18 years of age or older
to designate, in writing, an individual not
legally related by marriage or blood, who
the patient wishes to have visitation rights.”
It is identical to the protections President
Barack Obama called on the US Department
of Health and Human Services to enact in
an executive memorandum last Thursday,
April 15.
Sponsors and cosponsors of 2010 pro-
Fairness legislation in Kentucky included
Sen. Denise Harper Angel, Sen. Gerald Neal,
Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, Sen. Kathy Stein,
Rep. Tom Burch, Rep. Kelly Flood, Rep.
Joni Jenkins, Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, Rep.
Reggie Meeks, Rep. Darryl Owens, Rep.
Ruth Ann Palumbo, Rep. Arnold Simpson,
Rep. Jim Wayne and Rep. Susan Westrom.
the wishes of same-sex couples and their
families.
"This is significant progress for the LGBT
community," said Travis Myles, Kentucky
Fairness Alliance (KFA) Board Chairperson.
"KFA has advocated for designated
hospital visitation legislation here in
Kentucky for several years. It passed our
House of Representatives again this year
with bipartisan support yet received no
consideration in the Senate. We are thankful
for President Obama for taking this step for
our community today and not waiting any
longer."
The Presidential Memorandum also
instructs the HHS Secretary to forward to
him additional recommendations on health
care matters affecting LGBT individuals.
MAY 2010
Illinois: Queer-Friendly Anti-Bullying Bill Passes
The Illinois House of Representatives
unanimously passed an anti-bullying bill
late last month that includes protections from
bullying on the basis of sexual orientation
and gender identity/expression. The Senate
had already passed the bill that will now go
to Gov. Pat Quinn, who is expected to sign
the legislation.
If signed, Illinois will become the ninth
state to enact an enumerated anti-bullying
that includes a list of characteristics most
often targeted by bullies, which research
shows is more effective than a general anti-
bullying law.
“Illinois schools are about to get safer for
all students. GLSEN applauds the Illinois
legislature for taking comprehensive action
against all forms of bullying and ensuring
that all students are protected under the
law,” GLSEN Executive Director Eliza
Byard said. “Such widespread support for
an enumerated bill gives us even more hope
that Congress will follow suit and pass
the Safe Schools Improvement Act so that
students across the country will have the
same protections that are coming to Illinois
schools.”
Established in 1990, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian
and Straight Education Network), a national
education organization focused on ensuring
safe schools for all students.
GLBT Students in Illinois face an unusually
high risk for victimization according a 2007
research report. Nearly 90% of the students
who took part in research sponsored by
GLSEN reported having been verbally
harassed in the previous year because of
their sexual orientation. It is not known
how many more straight students who are
perceived to be GLBT are also harassed by
classmates.
Having an enumerated anti-bullying
policy can make a difference and
improve school climate. GLSEN’s From
Teasing to Torment: A Report on School
Climate in Illinois found that 75% of
students at schools without enumerated
policies reported that they heard
homophobic remarks often or very often
from other students, versus 54% of students
at schools with enumerated anti-bullying
policies.
The eight other states that have enumerated
anti-bullying laws are California, Iowa,
Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina,
Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Three additional states (Colorado, Maine
and Minnesota) have Non-discrimination
laws that include protections based on
sexual orientation and gender identity
and expression, which GLSEN considers
necessary for a state to have a safe schools
laws.

Fairness Campaign Hiring!

With Kyle Riggs set to leave this summer to pursue admission to law school,
Louisville’s Fairness Campaign is now seeking to fill the position of Administrative
Coordinator. The individual hired for this position is responsible for much of the day-
to-day management of the organization’s office. Requirements include experience
and/or displayed proficiency in office management, volunteer recruitment and
bookkeeping. The successful candidate for this position will also be able to coordinate
communications and have experience with database management.
This is a full time position with benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.
To apply, send a resume and cover letter to chris@fairness.org.
A full job description may be accessed at www.fairness.org.

Mistrial Declared In Memphis Beating Case

[Reprinted with permission of Out & About Newspaper]
Charges prosecution, according to local reports.
b r o u g h t "We are disappointed that one juror was
by federal unwilling to acknowledge this clear case
prosecutors of police brutality and would not join the
against a others in voting to find McRae guilty,”
M e m p h i s said Dr. Marisa Richmond, president of the
police officer Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition.
in the beating “We urge federal prosecutors to try this
of Duanna case again and provide some justice for
Johnson have
Duanna.”
resulted in a
The attack was recorded, and the video
mistrial, with a
leaked to a Memphis television station in
new trial now
June 2008, and Johnson was found murdered
scheduled to
begin on July the following November. No arrests have
12. Johnson’s been made for her killing.
Duanna Johnson death is one If convicted, McRae faces a maximum of
of at least three transgendered murders in 10 years in federal prison as well as a fine of
Memphis that have gone unsolved since up to $250,000. No state charges were filed,
2006. and Richmond said that TTPC and other
Officer Bridges McRae had been charged groups would continue to pressure Shelby
with violating Johnson’s civil rights, and County District Attorney Bill Gibbons to do
the jury was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of the so.

MAY 2010 WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM THE LETTER 5


Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Coming out? Don’t face it alone!
PFLAG is for more than just for parents,
families and friends. We’re also here for you!
SUPPORT EDUCATION ADVOCACY
We meet the Third Sunday of the month at 3:00pm at
First Lutheran Church, 417 East Broadway.
Use the west entrance closest to the alley.
Questions? Leave a confidential message and
one of our members will return your call.
(502) 329-0229.
6 THE LETTER
Soulforce Hires New Executive Director
Soulforce,
a national
organization
dedicated to
non-violently
confronting
s p i r i t u a l
violence against
the GLBT
community
t h r o u g h
non-violent
Dr. Cindi Love
resistance, has
named Rev. Dr.
Cindi Love its new executive director. Love
began her new position on April 22.
Love brings a wide range of leadership,
management and organizational experience
to her new role as Soulforce's Executive
Director. From 2005 until 2009, she served
as the Executive Director of the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches (MCC).
Prior to MCC, Dr. Love served as
an Executive Dean in the third largest
community college system in the United
Senators Urges Investigation Into
Discrimination In Clinical Trials
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), along
with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirstin
Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio),
and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) last month
asked Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius to investigate reports that
gay and lesbians are being excluded from
medical clinical trials.
A recent study conducted by the New
England Journal of Medicine found that
gay and lesbian patients were barred from
participating in clinical trials, many dealing
with sexual function. The Senators’ letter
asks Secretary Sebelius to determine if there
is any proven medical rational behind this
exclusionary practice.
“The New England Journal of Medicine
is the gold standard for the medical
community, and their study set off alarm
bells. This is more than an equality issue.
It raises huge questions about the quality
of medical information from flawed trails,”
said Senator Kerry. “I can’t think of a
medical or scientific reason so many clinical
trials would discriminate based on sexual
orientation, and I’m confident that Secretary
Sebelius will get to the bottom of this.”
“For years, women were excluded from
participating in clinical trials of medical
treatments. This meant that American
women were not represented in medical
research of diseases and treatments that were
prevalent among both men and women,”
said Senator Merkley. “Today, this trend
continues with individuals being excluded
on the basis of sexual orientation. This is just
wrong – it undermines rigorous scientific
testing and it is morally reprehensible.
Medical research should not be biased. We
need to get to the bottom of any possible
effort to exclude Americans from clinical
trials.”
“We must eliminate this kind of
unconscionable discrimination,” said Senator
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
States, as a Senior Executive of The Toro
Company, and CEO and Founder of several
award-winning corporations, including one
named to the Inc. 500 in 1990. She is the
creator of the Would Jesus Discriminate?
educational campaign and author of the
book with the same name.
"I am really excited that Dr. Cindi Love
has accepted the call to serve as Executive
Director of Soulforce," said the Reverend Dr.
Mel White, co-founder of Soulforce. "She is
the ideal person to continue to lead our non-
violent struggle to end misuse of scripture
and religion to discriminate against God's
(GLBT) children."
Founded by White and Gary Nixon in
1998, the first gathering of the Soulforce
community of volunteers was held in 1999
to protest the anti-gay rhetoric of Rev. Jerry
Falwell. Throughout its 12-year history,
Soulforce has used the principles and
practices of Mohandas Gandhi's and Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King's relentless nonviolent
resistance and direct action to bring attention
to and achieve freedom from religious and
political oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer and questioning people.
Gillibrand.
“This is not
only an issue
of equality and
fairness, it is also
about allowing
scientists to
use every
appropriate
tool to advance
m e d i c a l
research and
save lives. These
trials could
result in safer,
Senator John Kerry
more effective medicines for participating
patients and the general public. I am also
concerned that such restrictions could
result in flawed medical information and
inaccurate trial results.”
“Clinical trials not only help advance
medical care and improve our health system,
but they can mean the difference between
life and death for individuals and families,”
said Senator Menendez. “Discrimination
is wrong in any context, but discrimination
in clinical trials is particularly troubling
because it limits an entire community’s
access to medical care. Getting answers on
this will help us make sure that these trials
are open to every member of our society.”
“We are deeply disturbed by the findings
of the New England Journal of Medicine
study that excluding lesbians and gay men
from clinical trials is ‘not uncommon,’
particularly because we still have so little data
on health needs of the LGBT community,”
said Human Rights Campaign President
Joe Solmonese. “We applaud Senator Kerry
for taking this important issue to Secretary
Sebelius and urge HHS to investigate and
ensure that this important part of medical
research is conducted in a science-based,
nondiscriminatory manner."
MAY 2010
Ohio: Silent Protest At Miami University Follows
Beating
A silent protest took place last month
at Miami University (MU), following
allegations of a hate crime against an
openly gay university student.
MU student Ben Collings said he and
his boyfriend attended a Miami University
Queer/Straight Alliance drag show that
was a fundraiser for Operation Smile. The
show was in an upstairs lounge at StadiUm
Bar and Grill in Oxford, Ohio. Collings
said that when he was in the restroom, he
overheard others using derogatory words
for homosexuals.
What followed the name calling ended up
with Collings suffering a broken cheekbone
and nose and had two black eyes. After
the fight, he was treated at a hospital
and underwent numerous medical tests.
His injuries may require reconstructive
surgery.
Oxford, Ohio police are investigating the
Check out our COMMUNITY PHOTO GALLERY on
page 19 for pictures from DOWN & DERBY 2010.
Tennessee School Backs Off Harassment,
Censorship Of Gay Student
T h e
American Civil
Liberties Union
of Tennessee
and Lambda
Legal have
announced
that they
have received
assurances
from officials
at Greenbrier
Beth Littrell High School
that the school
will stop censoring a student from wearing
shirts expressing pro-gay messages. The
school will also provide training on its
anti-bullying policy to staff and students to
ensure that it is clear that harassment of any
student, regardless of sexual orientation, is
not acceptable.
"Sending Cole home for wearing a shirt
with the word 'gay' on it not only trampled
this student's right to freedom of expression,
but also sent a destructive message to all
students that there is something wrong with
being gay or even saying the word 'gay,'"
said Lambda Legal attorney Beth Littrell.
"We are pleased that school officials have
recognized their obligation to respect pro-
LGBT speech and to protect students from
anti-gay harassment instead of allowing
bullies to silence speakers."
The school's move was prompted by
negotiations with the ACLU of Tennessee
and Lambda Legal on behalf of Cole Goforth,
a Greenbrier High School freshman, and his
mother, Julie Gordon. Goforth contacted
the ACLU of Tennessee and Lambda Legal
after he was sent home from school on
April 5 for wearing a T-shirt that said, "I
MAY 2010
fight, but claim that Collings initiated the
incdient. So far, police have not labeled the
crime as a hate crime, but they continue to
investigate.
"I was assaulted because of my sexual
orientation, if you want to define it as that
– if you want to define it as assault, that's
what it's going to be defined as," Collings
told WCPO-TV. Collings said he believes
an attack on his boyfriend inside the bar is
also an anti-gay hate crime.
The MU student group SPECTRUM said
this isn't the first time something like this
has happened in Oxford, a small town in
southwestern Ohio. "Every time it has
happened, it has never been labeled a hate
crime, most people react with frustration or
anger, so we just at this point are trying to
bring more public attention to the problems
on campus," co-president Mat Hall said.
[Love] Lady Gay Gay" and told by school
officials that he could not even wear a
T-shirt in support of marriage equality
because doing so and, apparently, wearing
any shirt with a pro-gay message on it,
was inherently "disruptive." Furthermore,
Goforth had long been subjected to daily
anti-gay harassment at school, including
threats of physical violence. Goforth was
not only unable to get relief from the school,
he was told by school employees that he
had "brought [harassment] on himself by
coming out [as gay]."
"Students not only have a First
Amendment right to be out at school,
but the right to an education free from
discrimination and harassment," said Tricia
Herzfeld, ACLU of Tennessee staff attorney.
"We applaud the school for recognizing
this and taking steps to ensure that they
are providing a safe and equal learning
environment for all students."
In the landmark 1969 case Tinker v. Des
Moines, the U.S. Supreme Court held that
students in public schools don't "shed their
constitutional rights to freedom of speech
or expression at the schoolhouse gate," and
ruled that schools can only censor student
speech when the speech itself – and not
other people's reaction to it – is disruptive
to the educational process.
Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Tennessee
noted in discussions with the school that
many schools have misinterpreted this
notion, arbitrarily calling student speech
disruptive in an attempt to illegally censor
free speech. Furthermore, the organizations
warned the school that attempting to use
the harassment the student experienced at
the hands of his peers as a justification for
censoring his speech was illegal.
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM THE LETTER 7
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8 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010


RegionalCalendar
Items of interest to the GLBT community are listed for FREE from non-profit community
organizations, support and social groups. We also publicize events sponsored by businesses and
professionals currently advertising in THE LETTER.
Please send details at least four weeks in advance of your event. Contact: Dave VanderPol:
editor@TheLetterOnline.com. Be sure type “Regional Calendar” in the subject line of your
message!
3rd Sundays
3:00pm. Metro Louisville chapter of Parents, Family
& Friends of Lesbians and Gays. First Lutheran
Church, 417 East Broadway. For more information
call (502) 329-0229 or write pflaglouisville@yahoo.
com. Confidentiality respected.
Every Monday
7:00pm. Movie Mania at Gay & Lesbian Community
Center of Cincinnati, 4119 Hamilton Avenue. Free.
For movie titles click on the icon for the GLBT
Calendar page at www.glbtcentercincinnati.com.
Every Monday
7:00pm. Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus practice at
Eternal Joy Metropolitan Community Church,
2382 Kennedy Avenue. For more information write
DtnGayMensChorus@aol.com.
Every Tuesday
2:45pm. GLBT Mental Health Issues Support Group
at The Recovery Center, 2340 Auburn Avenue,
Cincinnati. (513) 241-1411.
6:00 - 8:00pm. Louisville Fairness Campaign
Volunteer Meet-Up at 2263 Frankfort Avenue. For
more information call Kyle (502) 893-0788 or write
fairness@fairness.org.
6:30pm. Triangle Martial Arts Association: Tae
Kwon Do training for GLBT community. Beginners
& experienced welcome. For location write: m_
fearnow@yahoo.com.
7:30pm. Women’s Tuesday Night Coming Out Group
at Off The Avenue, 1546 Knowlton Street, Cincinnati.
(513) 535-2517.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00pm. Gay Men’s Support Group meets at
Metropolitan Community Church of Louisville, 1432
Highland Avenue.
Every 3rd Friday
7:30pm. “Family-Friendly” Coffeehouse at Day’s
Coffee Shop, Bardstown Road at Edenside Avenue in
Louisville. Music and readings, organized by Marie
Davis, cartoonist for THE LETTER.
SAVE THE DATE!
On Friday, June 11 at 7:30pm we’re celebrating
THE LETTER’s 20th Anniversary! Want to be part of this
dinner event? Write for more information:
editor@theletteronline.com.
Mark England www.LouisvilleGayInfo.com
Selling Louisville's Most DIVERSE Neighborhoods
MAY 2010
sponsored by Mark England
Wednesday, May 5
7:00pm. Crossport Crossdresser Support Group,
Cincinnati. (513) 919-4850.
Tuesday, May 11
7:00pm. Cincinnati PFLAG meeting. Mount Auburn
Presbyterian Church, 103 William Howard Taft Road.
For more information call (513) 721-7900.
Tuesday, May 11
7:30pm Dayton PFLAG Monthly Meeting. 667
Miamisburg-Centerville Road (Centerville). For more
information call: (937) 640-3333.
Saturday, May 15
8:00pm. Monthly meeting of Sienna, transgender
support group in Louisville. For location leave a
message: (502) 894-1048. For general information
about the group visit www.tg-sienna.org.
Wednesday, May 19
6:30pm. Indy Bi-Versity, confidential discussion
group. For more information, including the meeting
location, write: indybiversity@yahoo.com.
May 27 - 31
Memorial Day Weekend at Timberfell Lodge,
Greenville, TN. Be sure to reserve your room
or RV site early for this popular weekend! For
more information visit www.timberfell.com. For
reservations call (800) 437-0118.
June 10 - 13
2nd Annual Camp Bear 2010. at Timberfell Lodge,
Greenville, TN. For more information visit www.
timberfell.com. For reservations call (800) 437-0118.
Saturday, July 24
8:00pm - Midnight. 2nd Annual Fairness Over
Louisville fundraiser to benefit Fairness Campaign.
Details, including location, were not complete as of
press time. For more information: www.fairness.org.
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
INCLUSIVE FAITH
COMMUNITIES
Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal)
Journeying Together In Christ
421 South 2nd Street (Downtown)
(502) 587-1354
Sundays: 8:15am (Rite I); 10:00am (Choral Rite II)
Concert & Choral Evensong: 2nd Sundays at 5:00pm
www.christchurchlouky.org
Central Presbyterian Church
Celebrating God’s Wildly Inclusive Love
4th & Kentucky Streets (Old Louisville)
Church School: 9:30am
Sunday Worship: 11:00am (Nursery Provided)
Pastors: D. Mark Baridon & Ann J. Deibert
(502) 587-6935 • www.CentralChurchKY.org
Church of the Advent (Episcopal)
You Are Always Welcome at Advent
901 Baxter Avenue, Louisville (40204)
(Intersection of Cherokee, Baxter & Broadway)
(502) 451-6066
Sundays: 8:30am & 10:30am
Thursday Contemplative Prayer: 7:00pm
www.advent.episcopalky.org
First Unitarian Church
Where Reason & Religion Meet
4th & York Streets, Louisville
Sunday Celebration of Life: 10:55am
Wednesday Chalice Night: 5:30pm
(502) 585-5110 • www.firstulou.org
Metropolitan Community Church
ALL People Are Welcome at the Table
1432 Highland Avenue (Louisville)
(502) 587-6225 • www.mcclouisville.org
Rev. Dee Dale, Pastor
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30am
Wednesday Evening Worship: 6:00pm
Open Door Community Fellowship
Reaching Out to ALL People
3938 Southern Parkway, Louisville
(502) 893-6323 / Pastor Sherry Roby
www.opendoorcommunityfellowship.com
Sunday: 10:30am & Wednesday: 7:00pm
Progressive Pathways Fellowship
What Path Calls You?
Mellwood Arts & Entertainment
Center / #208 1/2
1860 Mellwood Avenue, Louisville
Sunday Worship & Education: 5:30pm
Wednesday Book Chat: 6:15pm
www.progressivepathways.org
Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church
A Welcoming Congregation,
Standing On The Side Of LOVE!
4936 Brownsboro Road
Louisville, KY 40222
(502) 425-6943 • www.tjuc.org
Sunday Service: 11:00am
Inclusive Faith Communities listings
are welcome from congregations
throughout the six state region served
by THE LETTER. Pre-paid listings cost
$80.00 for six months or $140.00 for one
year. For more information write
editor@theletteronline.com.
THE LETTER 9
 LIBERAL ON THE SAUCE

Looking Glass Politics by David Williams

As a lifetime political junkie (I get
that from my dad), I've always enjoyed
the kind of spirited debate that makes
America such a great country to live
in. Fair, honest, intelligent debate
is the surest sign that we Americans
are sentient, thinking beings and not
puppets having our strings pulled by
politicians or talk show hosts.
If only.
American history may revere such
stirring orators as Daniel Webster and
Henry Clay, but two-bit hucksters like
Mitch McConnell are closer to the
norm. That's really sad because his
political mentor was Kentucky's own
Olympian, John Sherman Cooper.
McConnell's hacketry hit a new
low recently as the US senate took up
Wall Street reform. Current proposals
would prohibit bank bailouts except
in an emergency. In no way can its
language be construed as ensuring
them indefinitely. Yet that's exactly
what our own Richie Mitchie said on
the Senate floor a few weeks ago. It's
an outright lie and an insult to the Those who've studied logic will come Party must have been taken over by C Thomas Jefferson forward and it's
voters, but then we Louisvillians have away scratching their heads there. students, but of course I'd be accused always come out stronger. My hope is
never had high expectations of him. Unfortunately, for some conservatives of A student elitism, so I won't say it. it will get through this as well because
This is what happens when a it makes perfect sense. Call it looking This is what happens when radical if it doesn't, we may end up like
politician or party veers towards the glass politics. elements take over debate in this ancient Greece, which disintegrated
radical fringe, as the Republican Party That's what's behind this bull crap country. It happened with liberal in the face of similar demagoguery
has since the early 90s. Truth and about liberals hating America, even Democrats in the 30s and 60s, and and then got swallowed up by outside
facts have too often been discarded for being traitors, because they're always it happened with conservative powers. Think about that the next
rhetorical trickery. Demagoguery has criticizing it. It's sad that I have to Republicans in the 50s and the 00s. No time McConnell, Beck, Boehner and
replaced intelligent debate. spell it out here, but the highest form good can come when emotion takes Limbaugh open their rhetorical traps.
I've seen that on a personal level of patriotism is an informed public that the place of intelligence, demagoguery (And, no, I don't think McConnell,
myself. doesn't accept things as they are and takes the place of fair and balanced et al., are traitors. Go back to your
Several years ago when I was editor tries to change them. If liberals really debate, and heated rhetoric takes the books).
of this newspaper, I leveled some heavy hated America, they wouldn't even place of calm, considered reflection.
criticism of fundamentalist Christians bother criticizing it. They'd be forming Unfortunately, meaningful reflection
in one of my editorials. I forget what left-wing militias and going off to doesn't play well in an age of multiple
the issue was, but I do remember the woods every weekend for target electronic bytes reflecting off satellites. David Williams is the founder of the
one young Christian's reaction. He practice. (To those unfamiliar with the Uber-wired voters seem to have Williams-Nichols Institute and the Kentucky
accused me of discriminating against rules of logic, that doesn't mean I think forgotten the benefits of pulling the Gay & Lesbian Library and Archives, which
Christians, of being hypocritical for right-wing militias hate America. Go plug, sitting in silence, and thinking. are housed at the University of Louisville’s
supporting gay rights but not religious back to your books). Our democracy has weathered Ekstrom Library.
rights. I sometimes quip the Republican similar storms from the days of

LOUIS PHILPOTT
4033 Taylorsville Road
Louisville, KY 40220

Mobile: (502) 836-1255 Century 21 Joe Guy Hagan

FAX: (502) 400-2796
louissellslouisville@gmail.com
Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated

10 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010

 RADICAL SERENITY
Confronting Body Bigotry, One Personal Ad At A Time
We all have a right to our preferences,
in terms of the physical appearance of
the individuals we’re attracted to. I
believe what each of us find attractive
in another person’s appearance is “hard
wired”, just like our sexual orientation
– we don’t “choose” what we find
attractive any more than anyone
“chose” to be homosexual, bisexual or
heterosexual. So I would never ask any
gay or bi man to apologize for not being
attracted to an overweight guy like me.
Likewise I won’t apologize for being
attracted to stocky and larger guys.
While we all have a right to our
“attractions”, I would hope we also
have a duty to be polite and civil to one
another when expressing our preferences
through personal ads. Unfortunately
some gay men (lesbians are so far ahead
of gay men on this issue!) can’t seem to
post a personal ad without lashing out
the types of men they aren’t attracted to.
I find it incredibly sad (not to mention
extremely irritating) when people who
are marginalized by mainstream society
go about marginalizing members of
our own community! That is totally
uncalled for.
If you’ve ever felt the pain of being
marginalized by straight society, why
would you ever want to inflict that pain
on others? Heaven help us one and all
from the vicious queens in our midst!
Because of the numerous times I’ve
been hurt by “body bigots” within
the gay (male) community, I no longer
remain silent when I read bigoted
comments in personal ads. Within the
past month I responded to a Louisville
gay man’s ad on Craigslist that made a
reference that “fat asses need not reply”
to his listing. His ad came with a subject
line that referred to seeking a guy for a
“fun time”. Here’s my initial response
to his ad.
Too bad you can't have a "fun time",
let alone post a personal ad, without
bashing overweight guys. The phrase
"Fat Ass" is hostile and judgmental
and I'm deeply offended when being
bashed about my weight.
MAY 2010
I've lost over 100 pounds, but I am
anything but "thin" and you don't
exactly appear "thin" in your pictures
that you posted with your ad. Which
is fine, because I like men in all shapes
and sizes.
I’m pleased to report that I
received a very positive response to my
confrontational words. “Jay” wrote the
following apology…
My apologies.
I typed up my ad quickly, but by no
means did I mean to offend anyone. I
do hope you will consider my apology
and again. I didn't set out to offend
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
by Dave VanderPol, Executive Editor
anyone.
To show how sincere I am, I will
change it right away after sending this
message.
I will most certainly choose my words
more carefully from here onward.
Jay’s first response was soon
followed by the following message…
I just wanted to let you know that
I kept true to my word. I changed the
wording of my ad and even formally
apologized to everyone who was or
may have been offended. I hope this at
the very least makes this situation just
a lil’ better.
After a follow-up “thank you”
message from me, Jay wrote…
I really didn't mean any offense to
you or anyone. I was simply trying
to get the type of guys I like their
attention, but I failed in thinking it all
the way through. It was simply poor
word choice. I commend you on your
weight loss...it is tough as I know from
my own experience. I wish you only
the best!
This incident wasn’t the first time I’ve
confronted bigoted comments in a gay
personal ad. I doubt it will be the last
time. I appreciate that Jay responded
to my words with an apology and I
certainly respect his preference for thin
men.
Obesity isn’t the only “appearance
issue” that leads to verbal assault.
People are also put down for being “too
tall”, “too short”, “too thin” (amazing,
but true!) and any other number of
issues.
Come on, community: We don’t
need to bash one another over issues of
physical appearance – in personal ads
or in private conversation. We can state
our personal preferences positively,
without bashing anyone else in the
process.
Some of us feel very uncomfortable
about our physical appearance, so the
last thing we need to experience is being
attacked by body bigots. We certainly
do not need the critical voices of others
to reinforce our inner sense of shame
I’d like to believe that the more loving
and kind we GLBT persons can be to
one another that more accepting and
tolerant mainstream straight society
will be toward us. If we don’t model
civility toward members of our own
community, who are we to demand that
be shown to us by others?
Agree or disagree, Dave VanderPol
would love to know your thoughts! Write
to him at editor@theletteronline.com or
call (502) 322-4632.
THE LETTER 11
 GAY LOVE COACH
Another Question & Answer Session
Dating & Ethnicity
Q
My best friend is Caucasian and
he has historically had a really
hard time getting a date. He tried
your coaching suggestions and it worked
for him—he met a great guy and things
are going quite well for them. I tried the
same things that he did, but it didn’t work
out the same for me. I’m still single and
looking with no prospects in the near
future. I’m mixed African American and
Asian and am wondering if the rules are
different being a person of color. What do
you think?
A
I’m sorry to hear that your
dating efforts haven’t been
as fruitful as your friend who
you’d indicated had benefited from
some of my advice. Your question is
an interesting one concerning the role
your ethnicity may play in the pursuit
of compatible dating partners. The
beauty of the gay community is that
we are a melting pot of diversity with
many different types of men to choose
from. Granted, the research has always
claimed that we gay folk represent
only 10-percent of the population, so
therefore the pool of available partners
obviously gets cut. Additionally, just
like with heterosexuals, we gay men
also have our own preferences and
tastes in terms of what “type” of man
we find appealing, and this can be
another factor to a slimmer available
dating pool.
It’s difficult to ascertain why your
friend was successful in his dating
efforts compared to your attempts, but
I would gander that it probably has
little to do with ethnicity. Attraction
is a powerful and elusive thing and
nobody can definitively explain with
12 THE LETTER
absolute certainty why and with whom
we fall in love. It is true that some
guys may not be interested in a dating
relationship with someone because of
their racial or ethnic background as it
pertains to their personal requirements
for a partner or relationship, but it is
also true that that same racial or ethnic
heritages may be a huge turn-on or
deciding factor for other men in whom
they are attracted and choose to date.
It is probable that some people will
not date someone of another race due
to fear, discrimination and prejudice,
but you wouldn’t want to get involved
with these guys anyway! Just like with
anybody in the dating world, finding
suitable others for companionship
and relationship-building can be a
challenge for all parties involved,
regardless of their race or nationality.
So in short, getting a date really has
more to do with attraction, availability,
accessibility, visibility, and good social
skills and “savviness”. Having solid
self-esteem as it pertains to your
gender, being gay, being single, and
having pride in one’s ethnic identity
are also crucial factors in being “a good
catch” and honoring yourself.
I believe that issues with race and
ethnicity can become more overt in
the relationship dynamics of a couple
once they’ve started dating. Every
culture has its own set of beliefs,
values, norms, and mores by which
people will ascribe to in varying levels;
the more Americanized a person
from another ethnic background is,
it would be assumed the less conflict
could be anticipated when it comes to
commitment toward certain cultural
traditions. There would be less need
for negotiation between the couple
because they have a more shared and
similar belief system from which they
operate. Guys who come together
from different backgrounds, however,
can bring much richness, depth, and
variety to their relationships and a
healthy foundation of communication
and compromise will be needed,
just like in any partnership. As with
any dating relationship, it will be
important in the very beginning stages
of your interactions that you screen
the significance that multi-cultural
differences may have and to ensure the
two of you share comparable values.
Dating is not a science. While it
does require a lot of preparation
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
by Brian Rzepczynski, M.S.W.
with emotional readiness and skill
acquisition, a degree of luck is
sometimes involved as well. All I can
encourage you to do, my friend, is to
hang in there and keep trying! While
finding someone compatible may have
happened more quickly for your friend,
for many others it can take a long time.
The key is to persevere and keep using
the skills, as this will promote your
chances for success. At the same time,
keep living a full life and expand your
identity by finding fulfillment in other
areas outside of dating to avoid putting
all your investment and dependency of
happiness in relationships. And then,
when Mr. Right does come along, he’ll
be an added bonus to your already
contented life! I wish you much success
with your quest!
Addicted to Porn & Internet Chat
Rooms
Q
Help! I’m addicted to Internet
chat-rooms and porn sites! What
do I do?
A
You are not alone in your
concerns. With the advent of
the Internet, cyber-addictions
are one of the fastest-growing process
addictions to emerge. The fact that
you’re recognizing the possibility
of being “hooked” is a very positive
first step as there is usually a period
of denial and minimizing that occurs
during an addiction. The denial
pervades until serious consequences
occur in the person’s life that force him
to face his behavior. Hopefully it hasn’t
reached that point for you.
An addiction can be defined
as a syndrome in which a person
consistently seeks out a substance
or activity despite its harmful
consequences. There are cravings for
the activity and it is compulsively
sought after, creating physical and/
or emotional dependence upon it for
relief or other reasons. A person tends
to become preoccupied with the source
and modifies his life around the ability
to perform the activity.
It’s difficult to ascertain based on
what you wrote whether you have an
addiction or not without undergoing
some form of evaluation or assessment,
but some red flags to look out for that
could be indicators of a problem might
include:
Feeling anxious if you don’t access
chat-rooms or porn sites within a
couple days.
Experiencing an emotional “high”
or “euphoria” when logging onto the
Internet.
Giving up hobbies and interests in
favor of the computer.
Missing important meetings because
of your online use.
Missing work or accessing chat-
rooms/porn sites while at work.
Distancing from family and friends
to spend more time at the computer.
Staying up late at night to play on
the Internet and not getting enough
sleep
Thinking a lot about being online
and experiencing strong urges to
access it.
If you do have a problem with
Internet addiction, it’s important to
identify the possible reasons for its
existence. What unmet needs are
underlying the behavior? What do
you get out of the experience? You
can then target goals to alleviate the
underlying problems or meet those
needs in healthier ways. It will also
be important for you to identify the
triggers that drive your impulses to go
online and find ways to short-circuit
those triggers so you can be in control
of them.
Some people find that chat-rooms
offer a form of “pseudo-intimacy”
with other men in a way that they may
(See GAY LOVE COACH,
continued on pg 13
MAY 2010
 OUTLOOK WITHIN
For The Horses Of Passion
Actor Daniel Radcliffe (a/k/a Harry
Potter) recently appeared naked on
stage in a play about horses. This
is all I know about Equus until our
community theatre presents the play. I
am anxious to see it (and yes, the lure
of seeing a naked man on stage in our
conservative neck of the woods plays
into my desire).
I don't know to expect a psychic
thriller, a riveting suspense story, a
“whydunnit”. Back in the 1970s, after
reading a newspaper account of a
teenager's horrific crime, playwright
Peter Shaffer wondered what could
drive a person to act in such a way.
Equus was his answer.
My husband and I arrive at the
studio theatre early. Its festival seating,
so first come, first served. We select
center seats on the front row. We
become unwitting targets for the lead
actor's spittle.
We soon learn that 17-year-old horse
lover Alan Strang has been working
weekends at a riding stable, and one
night blinded all six horses with a
sharp grooming pick. He has been
remanded to the psychiatric wing of a
hospital. The psychiatrist assigned to
his case addressees the audience as the
lights come up.
Behind the rumpled professional in
his suit coat and tie, spotlighted in blue
against a gray-black set, a young man
stands stroking the skeletal, iron-frame,
horse head mask worn by a muscled
bare-chested actor in tight black jeans.
This coupling grabs my attention right
off.
So this is how the horses are
portrayed. Eerily effective! And this is
Alan and this, one of the horses he will
viciously attack. Already I'm asking
the question, "Why?"
Slowly the answer unfolds. Slowly
the psychiatrist lays bare the boy's
secrets. By the time of the climactic
GAY LOVE COACH, cont’d from pg 12
not be able to achieve with people in
their day-to-day lives. If that’s the
case for you, find ways to boost your
self-esteem, strengthen your social
skills, and develop more confidence in
interpersonal situations so you can gain
a sense of connection and belonging
with real human relationships.
Additional suggestions include
creating time blocks of when you will
allow yourself to go online, or you
may have to completely abstain from
MAY 2010
revelation, Alan's incomprehensible
action seems perfectly logical.
Meanwhile, I keep my eyes on the
young man who plays the teenager.
He has the surly brooding adolescent
disregard for authority down pat. His
body carriage signals noncooperation
and, over time, a struggle to participate
in his own healing.
His hands fascinate me. He clenches
them most of the time. Rage? The longer
I watch, the more I think perhaps they
are hoof-like. Too, his mouth. When
contemplating an answer he works
his jaws in peculiar fashion. Later it
strikes me that perhaps he's feeling a
horse's bit in his mouth. This makes
sense. Alan so identifies—erotically,
using the computer if the addiction is
severe enough. Find other activities to
distract yourself from your urges to go
cyber, and find other outlets that will
bring more spice and fulfillment to
your life, whether it be volunteering
or developing new hobbies; but make
it something that will make you feel
purposeful and passionate and that
will affirm your self-image rather than
take away from it. You might want to
learn stress management techniques if
your online behavior has become a way
to cope with stress and provide relief;
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
religiously, whole-heartedly—with
the horses he cares for that he begins
to embody them unconsciously. This
makes his violence toward them all
the more heart-wrenching. Perhaps he
redirects self-hatred toward the objects
of his affection and worship.
The therapist asks hard questions
about the cost of appearing normal.
He begins to doubt his profession,
the ethics of taking away his patient's
drive for life, his unique source of
meaning and purpose. "That boy has
known a passion more ferocious than
I have felt in any second of my life," he
says. While he doesn't excuse the boy's
actions, he grieves the loss of spiritual
energy Alan will incur in fitting in, in
there are lots of classes and good books
out there on how to cope productively
with stress.
Finally, I encourage you to seek out
help with a licensed therapist or
addictions counselor who can help
you overcome this extremely difficult
compulsion. Sex Addicts Anonymous
is a free self-help support group
available throughout the country that
would be an added resource for your
new coping repertoire.
I wish you all the best with your efforts
to get “Un-Hooked”. And don’t delay!
by Bryn Marlow
finding a level of mediocrity that will
win him easy societal acceptance.
I find my own hands clenching. Isn't
this an issue for the lgbtiqq community?
At what cost, assimilation? Do we give
over our passion, that which makes us
unique, in the hopes of being accepted
by the masses? By the brokers of political
power? By the boss? The neighbors?
Mom and Dad? By ourselves?
"We're just like everybody else," I
heard a gay therapist say yesterday,
addressing a college classroom of
ostensibly straight people.
But we're not. Yet. Are we?
Maybe some of us have grown
indistinguishable from society at large.
But some of us have not. Some of us
are different, and different in different
ways. Effeminate men, drag queens,
diesel dykes, transgendered persons,
the queer homeless teens on the streets
of our big cities and small towns,
LGBT persons of color, anyone with
an especially queer passion for life...
are we not often set apart, singled out
as different, less-than, second-class,
targeted for injustice, indifference and
more?
We blind our own eyes to community
members who do not look like us, live
like us, shop like us, who do not share
our specific brand of passion.
Hope lies not in assimilation, not in
aspiring to mediocrity, but in finding
the difficult balance between pursuing
our own passions in a healthy way and
co-creating an environment for others
to do the same. Whenever I see it, this
coupling grabs my attention. Give me
a front row seat. Better yet, let me get
up on stage and be a part of the action.
Bryn Marlow (gayfeather.blogspot.com) lives
with his husband Dave on a 1930s Indiana
farmstead where they raise chickens and
flowers.
Go with the momentum you’re feeling
with questioning whether you have an
issue with this or not before it has the
potential to take a stronger hold over
you.
©2008 Brian L. Rzepczynski, All rights
reserved. To sign up for the FREE Gay
Love Coach Newsletter filled with dating
and relationship tips and skills for
gay singles and couples, as well as to
check out current coaching groups,
programs, and teleclasses, visit www.
TheGayLoveCoach.com.
THE LETTER 13
 CLAMOUR UNDERBRIDGE
Still Not Quite There
It was Jonathan N. Katz that set out to uncover "the
suppressed history of gay and lesbian life" in his book
Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in
the USA. Erasure and disapprobation was the order
of the day for anyone coloring or colored outside the
lines established by the privileged, powerful and elite
in Katz's day. Funny how some things never change.
Queer as Folk, Will & Grace, Ellen, Dante's Cove,
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, RuPaul's Drag
Race. Look at us. We're loud, we're here and we're
on TV. There are bi, trans, lesbian and gay characters
in movies and in books. Who is being suppressed,
exactly? Why do we even need gay or lesbian or bi
or trans stuff? Literature and newspapers, bars and
parades, it just sets us apart and makes us different.
We're just like everybody else? Right?
Not exactly.
Derrick Martin is a senior at a small high school
in Georgia. In March of 2010 he asked his school's
administration for permission to bring his boyfriend
to the prom. The school took a look at “The Rules” in
light of Derrick's request. After a bit of soul searching
and deliberation by the adults running things, Derrick
and his boyfriend were welcomed at the prom.
Unfortunately, Derrick's parents were embarrassed
by all the publicity. The other adults in Derrick's life
did some soul searching of their own. They kicked
Derrick out of their home and he's now living with
friends until he can graduate and move on with his
life. It seems that Debbie Novotny and Judy Shepard
are still the exception, not the rule.
Constance McMillen is a senior at a high school
in rural Mississippi. She also asked her school's
Chicago Center Launches Youth Mentorship
Program
The Center on Halsted, a GLBT community center located
in Chicago, has unveiled its new Youth Mentorship Program.
The initiative will pair queer youth –
aged 13 to 18 – with adult mentors who have similar
interests, hobbies and professional goals. Mentors will share
their experiences as productive members of the community
and provide professional and educational guidance.
Mentors have undergone ten weeks of training to prepare
thoroughly for the mentorship experience. All mentors were
chosen on their basis to serve as positive role models for gay
youth.
The Center on Halsted is the Midwest’s largest GLBT
community center, providing a diverse and comprehensive
array of social services and public programs.
No Other Regional GLBT Publication Offers FOUR Websites:
www.TheLetterOnline.com / theletter.win.net
theletterhead.win.net / transfatty.wordpress.com
14 THE LETTER
by James W. Hensley
administration to update The Rules so she could by Dale Peck (Bloomsbury USA) and The Vast Fields
bring her girl friend to the prom. This set of adults of Ordinary, by Nick Burd (Penguin Books).
said no. So Constance did the American thing. She Have Derrick or Constance read any of these
sued. She won. Then the high school canceled prom. books? Do you think they're on the shelf of Derrick's
To add insult to injury, the school decided to stage a school but at Constance's not so much? Does your
fake prom for Constance, her girl friend and a few library (personal or public) include these titles or any
kids from the high schools learning disabilities class. others than might help the next generation (and the
Another private prom was staged across town for current one) uncover those suppressed, disowned
the rest of the student body. Who was on that prom and misled stories that make up our lives? Reading is
committee? They must use the playbook developed a subversive act, don't you know. That's why books
by Sue Sylvester and Orson Scott Card. get banned. But that's a topic for another column.
When there is a group with privilege, power and Visit http://clamourunderbridge.typepad.com to
unrestrained belief in their own righteousness, those raise your own clamor or leave a comment.
that don't acquiesce to the status quo will pay some
price. Up to the point your odometer clicks over
to 18 years of age, the adults in your life have all
the clout, all the legal rights and all the methods of
While he is co-pastor of Progressive
coercion not forbidden by Child Protective Services
to use to make sure heteronormativity and the "way Pathways Fellowship Louisville,
we have always done things" doesn't wobble very opinions expressed by Father Jim do
far out of the lane. Do you really think that all the not usually represent the official policy
students that attended the secret, no-homos-allowed of the church. You may contact Rev.
prom at Constance's school are learning to be open Hensley at fatherjimppf@gmail.com.
minded and cosmopolitan adults that would never
dream of doing that to their own children and other
people encountered during life? Where do you think
Derrick's parents learned the "you're no son of mine"
ploy? I doubt they came up with it on their own.
The Lambda Literary Award nominees in the
category of LGBT Children's/Young Adult novels are
Ash, by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown), How Beautiful the
Ordinary, edited by Michael Cart (HarperCollins), In
Mike We Trust, by P.E. Ryan (HarperCollins), Sprout,
Before Dave VanderPol
discovered the existence of
"Bikini Underwear For Big Men"
(let alone bought his first pair)...
THE LETTER
was being published What Path Calls You?
1990 - 2010:
Celebrating 20 Years
Of Outstanding
Community Service! clamourunderbridge.typepad.com
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010
 BEYOND THERAPY
No One My Age Is “Attractive”
Real intimacy is scary.
While we all think we should want
intimacy, it’s a lot of work: it forces us to
look at ourselves and see the dark side
(the Darth Vader in us all) as well as the
well-adjusted face we show to the world.
One way to avoid real intimacy and
all the work it requires is by choosing
unsuitable partners. Many people say
they want a long-term relationship, but
have never had one. How could this be?
From my work as a psychotherapist,
I’ve seen a lot of clients who are split
down the middle in the relationship
department: one part of them likes to
keep it light and sex-based, and the
other part of them wants more. There’s
a tug-of-war going on in their brain and
they tell me they feel “stuck”. Sound
familiar?
Another good way to never find a
partner is to find people your own age
unattractive. Let’s call it, “Ageism”. For
us LGBT folks, ageism is so easy to buy
into that most of us don’t give it a second
thought. Both gay and straight media
make big bucks by pushing youth in the
form of predominantly white, hairless,
slim but defined, perfect-looking young
men and women with no fat, no wrinkles
and no maturity. These idealized beings
(often photoshopped to death) are used
to sell us products that we think we need
to stay desirable and attractive.
GAY & FEMINIST
Taking “Baby Steps”
Defense Secretary Robert Gates
recently announced the first steps the
Pentagon will take to eliminate the
"Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy in the
military. Although there won't be any
sort of moratorium on discharging gay
service members, it makes it will now be
more difficult to do so.
From this point on, the military will
need more information than just third-
party hearsay to investigate a suspicion
of homosexuality. In other words,
a fellow officer couldn't go up to a
commanding officer and randomly tell
them I'm gay unless he had substantial
proof (what this proof would need to
be makes my imagination run wild).
Anonymous complaints are also out;
and from now on, ranking officers will
need to be involved in the investigation
if one takes place at all.
What this "relaxation" doesn't allow
is a member to serve openly. It fails to
protect service members whom choose
to ignore the policy; so if you incriminate
MAY 2010
While these amazing looking young
people may be beautiful fantasy objects,
with rare exceptions, they’re not good
potential partners. Psychologically,
someone 21-27 (the age of most fashion
models) is in a very different place than
someone in their 30’s, 40’s or older. In
general, this developmental stage (early
to late 20’s) is about experimentation,
having fun, getting laid, discovering who
you are, what you like and beginning to
spec out a future path for yourself.
As we LGBT men and women
approach the end of our thirties, most
of us are looking for something more
meaningful than mere experimentation:
we’ve done the bars, the clubs, the parties
and we want more. We’ve had fun sex
and been out all night more than we can
count, but now we want something with
depth and meaning. We want to connect
with another person and see if we can
create a good life together. From my
yourself, you're still held accountable
and risk being discharged.
If nothing else, this is a small step
forward toward the repeal of this
discriminatory policy. Although I would
have liked to see a full moratorium on
DADT's enforcement, at least this gives
LGBTQ members of the military some
hope until the Pentagon's report on how
to best repeal the policy comes out at
the end of this year. But without more
definitive action, DADT’s fate is still up
in the air.
What makes me nervous about
DADT’s eventual repeal is the November
election. While there is overwhelming
public support to repeal DADT, many
Republican members of Congress seem
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
work as a psychotherapist, this is what
most people in their thirties and forties
are after: a good healthy relationship
where each person helps the other to
become the man or women he/she wants
to be. This is wonderful, productive but
hard work. It takes real commitment
and maturity, and most young people
just aren’t there developmentally,
emotionally or spiritually.
For some folks, being with a much
younger lover is about control. It is
a reaction to an earlier time in their
life when they felt out of control (and
probably were). These men and women
enjoy playing the "older, wiser" lover
who may want to help or even mentor
a younger person. But are there strings
attached? You betcha! Usually the
strings are about being in control of
the relationship and not threatened
or challenged by the younger partner.
Someone your own age may scare the
shit out of you, because they’re playing
the game at your level (or above). Picking
much younger partners is one way to
avoid acting your age. It lets you avoid
having a partner who challenges you to
be the mature man or woman you can
be, will call you on your shit and kick
your ass when it needs kicked.
Some of my clients say that they like
the youthful bodies of young people:
smooth, sleek, and slim with perfect
to be ignoring those constituents in an
effort to appeal to their ultra-conservative
base. And if Republicans take control of
Congress, will a Pentagon-led report
have any impact and will attempts to
repeal fail? I’m afraid to speculate.
Earlier this year, when Congress
began holding hearings on repealing
DADT, Senator John McCain received
a lot of media attention for publicly
contradicting himself. You see, when he
was campaigning for President he said
that he would support a full-repeal of
DADT when military leaders signaled
that the time had come. Well, when
military leaders spoke in favor of repeal,
McCain scoffed at the idea and [re]
affirmed his belief that the discriminatory
ban is effective and efforts to overturn it
would be too disruptive to our troops.
Although I believe that McCain’s
senility may have finally gotten the
best of him, what is to keep his fellow
conservatives from backtracking if the
Republicans take control of the House?
by Michael Kimmel
skin. Well, honestly, who wouldn’t like
to look like that? But few of us have ever
possessed the look of youthful perfection.
And if we did, we couldn’t hold onto
it, no matter how much plastic surgery
or personal training we bought. Many
young people are beautiful, you can get
lots of agreement for that. But what about
the beauty of 30-, 40-, 50-, 60- and 70-
year-old men and women? And let’s be
real about the ageism in our community.
It’s used to sell sexy underwear, skin
supplies, magazines, porn...and it can
destroy our self-esteem.
If you find that it’s impossible to be
attracted to someone around your age,
it may help to talk with a therapist about
this. It may take some work to find out
where your "twink" obsession comes
from and how to free yourself from it.
There’s nothing wrong with finding
young people attractive, but this kind
of "obsession" can prevent you from
hooking with someone hot, beautiful
and more mature - someone who could
potentially be a good lover/long term
partner for you.
Ohio native – and former
Louisville resident – Michael
Kimmel currently resides in San
Diego where he maintains a
private psychotherapy practice.
by Eric Jost
Republicans have defined themselves on
military merit for decades, so one would
hope that they would support efforts
to further empower the military -- such
as repealing DADT. But this is also the
same party that believe women are too
defenseless to serve on the front lines.
For now, though, it seems like
thousands of service members are
a few steps closer to being able to
serve openly. And seeing as how it
took several years before the Army
completely desegregated, I suppose I
should be happy with the initial progress
after living with this awful policy for
seventeen long years.
Eric Jost is a freelance writer
living in Washington, DC. His
work ranges from embarrassing
firstperson narratives to
commentaries on queer rights
and sex positive culture. You can
check out more of his work at
www.eric-jost.com.
THE LETTER 15
Not Just A "Straight Woman's Disease", HPV A Threat To Gay Men
It’s possible that you may have been
seeing more news items about HPV recently.
That’s because doctors and scientists are
learning more about how HPV affects
men. It’s also likely that you’ve read about
the new HPV vaccines and how these
vaccinesy could be really important ways
for us to prevent HPV. But many gay men
don’t know much about HPV, and that may
complicate efforts to prevent HPV disease
in our communities. So here’s a little
background about HPV and gay men.
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the
most common sexually transmitted disease.
It’s known now that almost all people, gay
and heterosexual, will get HPV at some
point in their lives. It’s just part of being
a human being. But most of us will never
know we had HPV because we won’t have
any symptoms, and our body will clear the
virus within a few months, or maybe as
long as a year or two (in this way, it’s very
different from HIV).
While most of us will never know we had
HPV, a small percentage of men of us will
get a wart (or more than one) on our the
genitals, in our the anus, or on skin nearby.
While some men may be embarrassed to
have these, they can be treated (or they often
will go away by themselves), and there’s
no long-term physical danger from them.
They ARE infectious and if another guy’s
penis, scrotum, etc., touches these warts, it’s
very easy for him to get HPV infection, too,
and possibly a wart himself. Unfortunately,
HPV can be transmitted even when warts
aren’t present – it just takes close physical
contact with skin that is HPV-infected. By
the way, did you ever get a wart on your
hand when you were a kid? Or did you
ever get a wart on the sole of your foot after
walking barefoot in a gym locker room?
Those are caused by HPV too. They’re just
different types of HPV.
Unfortunately, HPV doesn’t just cause
warts. Certain types of HPV can also
cause cancer. HPV causes cervical cancer
in women, and several hundred thousand
women worldwide die of cervical cancer
every year. In the United States and other
countries that are rich enough to have
widespread screening for cervical cancer,
there are far fewer deaths from cervical
cancer. But still, several thousand U.S.
women die every year from cervical cancer.
Most of these women would not have died
if they had had regular Pap tests to screen
for cervical cancer. Lesbians and bisexual
women can get cervical cancer, too, and it’s
just as important for them to get regular
cervical cancer screening as for any other
women.
HPV does cause cancer in men, too. And
gay men are at especially high risk for
cancers caused by HPV. When I’ve talked
about HPV with some of my friends, more
than once a guy has said, “HPV -- That’s
the infection that causes cancer in women.
And men are the carriers, right?” Well,
HPV causes cancer in us, too. In fact, in the
United States, gay men are more likely to
get HPV-caused cancer than women are to
get cervical cancer. It’s stunning, but one of
your gay male friends is more likely to get
anal cancer than your sister or mother is to
get cervical cancer.
Anal cancer usually starts with an HPV
infection in the anal canal that isn’t cleared
by our immune system. The infection may
start in us after receptive anal intercourse
with a guy who has HPV on his penis --
although you don’t have to have receptive
anal sex to get HPV in your anus. (See
heterosexual men below.) Once, a guy said
to me, “So anal sex causes anal cancer?” The
answer is that just as a penis is responsible
for transmitting HPV to a woman’s cervix,
it can also transmit HPV to the anal canal.
For the record, women also get anal
cancer; in fact, more women in the U.S. will
get anal cancer this year than will men, and
you may have seen the reports that Farah
Fawcett had anal cancer. But gay men are
at much higher risk for anal cancer than
are women. In fact, at any given point in
time, maybe 50% or more of us have HPV
in our anus. But remember, most of these
infections will clear up all on their own.
So only a very tiny percentage of gay men
with anal canal HPV infection will be at
risk for cancer down the road. Here’s an
iInterestingly, aside: oOur own research
here at Moffitt Cancer Center shows that
about 10% to 15% of heterosexual guys also
have HPV in their anus – how it got there in
heterosexual guys is still unclear although
it’s probably not because these guys had
receptive anal sex.
But for gay men, there’s another
perspective that’s critical for us. We are
much more likely to get HIV infection than
we are to get anal cancer. Best estimates
are that about 5 to 10 in 1,000 gay men in
the U.S. will get HIV this year. Estimates
for anal cancer are nowhere near as good
as the much more studied HIV, but best
estimates indicate that probably no more
than 1 in 1,000 gay men may get anal cancer
this year. But if you have HIV your risk for
anal cancer is greater (see below).
So what can we do to avoid anal cancer?
Quite a bit, in fact. The Gardasil HPV
vaccine very effectively prevents infection
with the types of HPV that are most likely
to cause not only anal cancer but also
warts. The vaccine is approved for use in
men until age 26, but older guys can still
probably get it although it may be less
effective. It is expensive – several hundred
dollars – and it may not be effective if you
already have the type of HPV prevented by
the vaccine. (Remember, HPV is very, very
common.) If you’re lucky enough to have
a health care provider, talk to him or her
about the vaccine to see if it could help you.
Also, if you have health insurance, check to
see if they cover the vaccine cost.
HPV cannot penetrate a latex condom so
these may reduce the risk of anal canal HPV
infection (and given their ability to prevent
HIV infection, wearing a condom during
anal sex obviously makes sense). Several
studies also show that men who have fewer
sexual partners are less likely to have anal
canal HPV.
Men with HIV who have a suppressed
by Alan Nyitray
immune system are at greater risk for anal
cancer. This is also the case with people who
have a suppressed immune system due to
drugs given during an organ transplant.
For men with HIV, it’s important that they
get regular screening for changes in their
anal canal that could precede anal cancer.
Just like screening for cervical cancer,
screening for anal cancer can prevent most
cases of anal cancer. In fact, some health
care providers feel that all men who have
receptive anal sex should talk to their doctor
and seriously consider regular screening
for anal cancer. Screening can identify
changes in the tissue of the anal canal that,
if not treated, could lead to cancer.
HPV causes other cancers, too, including
cancer of the penis and throat cancers.
But there is even less known about these
cancers than there is about anal cancer.
For more than 25 years or so, gay and
bisexual men have been dealing with the
threat of HIV. We’ve always known this
wasn’t the only threat to our desire to
live lives uncomplicated by disease and
disability. We knew that other issues like
threats of violence against us because we’re
gay, discrimination in the workplace, and
drug and alcohol dependence were thorny
issues that are just part of the reality of
being a gay man in the United States. And
for the most part, we’ve been successful in
navigating our way through this minefield.
We got through it because we learned how
to avoid it, and then took active steps to
do so, or one of our brothers helped us get
through it. And sometimes we were just
lucky. It’s no different with cancers caused
by HPV.
Alan Nyitray is a post-doctoral fellow
and epidemiologist at the Moffitt Cancer
Center and Research Institute in Tampa,
Florida.

Police Bomb "Probe" Discovers Anal Vibrator
According to a report posted last month
on the Smoking Gun website (www.
smokinggun.com) a California Highway
Patrol (CHP) office was briefly evacuated
when investigators became concerned that
a man who had been arrested on charges of
being stoned on marijuana might have been
carrying a concealed explosive device.
When officers arrested Steven Ferrini
on a drug charge, a search of the 60-year-
old suspect turned up "a suspicious wire,
complete with an on/off switch" in his
pants pocket. "The wire was found to extend
from the pant pocket to the subject's anus,"
according to a CHP report. Though Ferrini
claimed that the wire was connected to an
anal vibrator, officers became suspicious
when he subsequently "began to explain
his knowledge of explosives and bomb
making."
CHP then called in an explosive disposal
team and, at 5:45am, evacuated "all
unnecessary personnel" from the CHP's
South Lake Tahoe office. Nearly three
hours later the bomb squad "rendered the
device safe" and determined it was not
dangerous.
The official police report does not
explain why it took more than three hours
to determine that the vibrator was not
an explosive device. "The vibrator was
subsequently removed and placed into
property," according to report, which does
not identify the CHP employee tasked
with that unfortunate evidence collection
responsibility.
While some California cops may not be
bright enough to easily distinguish an anal
vibrator from a bomb, keep in mind that
it is illegal to even own one (or any type
of “adult toy” for that matter) in the states
of Texas and Alabama and several foreign
countries.
Mystery Solved: Hormones Found In
Chicken Cause Male Homosexuality
While scientists and theologians debate the cause of
homosexuality, isn’t reassuring to know that the President of
Bolivia has determined that eating chicken turns men gay!
President Evo Morales told a recent conference on climate
change that, "The chicken we eat is loaded with female
hormones. So, when men eat it, they tend to deviate from
their manhood." He added that he only eats non-genetically
modified chicken to avoid becoming gay or effeminate.
So does that mean that if gay men eat only chickens that
have beengiven the male hormone testosterone that they’ll
eventually go straight? We’re shocked that some ex-gay
therapist hasn’t suggested a regimen of testosterone-laced
chicken be part of the diet of every client seeking a change in
President Evo Morales
their sexual orientation!
So what do women eat to make them lesbians?
Before Metropolitan Community Church of Louisville was located in
the Highlands neighborhood... THE LETTER was being published!

16 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010

 DINING OUT
Eat With Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois
In 2009 the world celebrated the
200th anniversary of Abraham
Lincoln’s birth. Although his legacy
lives strong in Kentucky, Springfield,
Illinois is where he made his home and
established his career before ascending
to the presidency in 1861.
You can find Lincoln’s home, a
national historic site, there, as well as the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
and Museum, the Old State Capital
and Lincoln’s Tomb. But did you know
that Springfield is also famous for some
innovative culinary delicacies that one
can only sample in Springfield? Have
you ever eaten Cozy Dog? Do you
have fond memories of gobbling up a
Horseshoe or digging into a Ponyshoe?
Well, in this state capital you can do all
that in addition to enjoying the historic
attractions and sites where Lincoln once
lived.
Upon arriving in Springfield we
immediately headed over to Route
66 and the Cozy Dog Drive In. This
classic diner was established in 1949
and still offers customers the delicious
fare it originally served 60 years ago.
Famous for its “hot dog on a stick”,
the restaurant also dishes up burgers,
chicken, pork tenderloin and numerous
fried side items. Known as a “Cozy”,
the diner has its own secret coating
recipe for the hot dog and it is the only
place of which I am aware that you can
enjoy corn dogs all year long.
After a sobering visit to Lincoln’s
Tomb and several free cocktails at our
hotel’s evening reception, we headed
over to the Southeast end of town
to enjoy dinner at the Lake Pointe
Grill. Situated in a strip mall off the
interstate, this restaurant boasts to
have Springfield’s only wood burning
oven. The menu can best be described
as “American” with beef, chicken
and seafood entrees, salads and
sandwiches. But it was the Wood Fired
Pizzas that caught our attention. The
restaurant offers a variety of pies with
MAY 2010
the option of building your own pizza
or calzone. We each created our own
specialty and were extremely pleased
with the texture of the crust as well as
our selected toppings. The atmosphere
was embracing, the service very good
and the price an excellent value.
The next morning we spent a great
deal of time at the Abraham Lincoln
Museum located downtown. The
museum was created by some of the
people who work at Disney so you can
WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM
by Beth Ann Rubin
restaurant has its own rendition, the
Horseshoe is sourdough toast topped
with ham, hamburger, chicken or pork
and covered with crispy French Fries
and then topped with a beer-spiked
cheese sauce. The Ponyshoe is the
Horseshoes’s more petite cousin. He
made his way through his Ponyshoe
with success as we all watched in awe.
After more free libations at our hotel,
we headed back downtown for dinner
and our Lincoln Ghost Tour. We settled
on Café Brio since it was close to the
start of the tour and I had read good
things about is food on the internet.
The menu is Mediterranean, Mexican
and Asian which seems like an odd mix
but it seems to work. I started off with
a fantastic Margarita and decided upon
the Tilapia Tortilla Wrap. My companion
ordered the Steak Quesadilla which he
enjoyed but had to box up almost half
due to his Ponyshoe lunch. Café Brio
seems a great place for Happy Hour.
If you have a free long weekend,
I recommend a visit to Springfield,
especially if you are a Lincoln buff.
And the closer you stay to downtown,
the more unique and local the
restaurants. And be sure to try some of
Springfield’s finest: the Cozy Dog and
the Horseshoe!
Beth Ann Rubin
has been
reviewing
restaurants
imagine the attention to detail in each
for THE LETTER
exhibit as well as the special effects in
the theaters. After browsing the over for nearly four
40,000 square feet of the museum, our years. A Chicago
hunger overcame us and we headed native, Beth Ann and her family live
over towards the Old Capital Building just south of Louisville's Highlands
where we lunched at the Two Olives neighborhood. A talented cook in her
Cantina. The restaurant serves soups, own right, over the years her baked
salads and sandwiches and is only goods have earned her numerous
open during the day. This is where my
awards at the Kentucky State Fair.
one dining partner encountered his first
taste of the Horseshoe. Although each
THE LETTER 17
 VIDEO REVIEWS
BY CUBBIE BRITCHES

Soundless
Wind Chime
Elegant and moving, the love story of Pascal and Ricky
has been woven into this gorgeous tapestry of a film. Told
through flashbacks and memories, the emotionally rich,
Soundless Wind Chime tells of the journey of Ricky, searching
for his own lost soul and discovering the past of his Swiss
lover, Pascal. With the love story as the central anchor of the
film there are other fragments swirling around that make for
a perfect, completed puzzle. While this sounds confusing, the
film is so gracefully constructed by writer/director Kit Hung,
it all works.
Ricky is Chinese and Pascal, Swiss. Their love story is told
in English, as that's the language they spoke. Pascal was rough
street trade; his abusive boyfriend sent him to the streets to
pick pockets. Tiring of his creepy partner, Pascal flees their
seedy apartment. At a street café he meets a very shy Ricky, a
waiter. Breaking through Ricky’s private nature, their shared
attraction took hold. Their relationship was marred by jealous
spats, punctuated by intensely passionate lovemaking.
Shot with an intimacy and intelligence seldom seen in an
indie, Soundless Wind Chime is a superb debut feature from
Kit Hung; one that will open new doors for all those open to
its pleasures.
Soundless Wind Chime will be released on DVD on Tuesday,
June 22.
For the region’s largest selection of GLBT videos, visit
Wild And Woolly Video (www.wandwvideo.com), 1021
Bardstown Road in Louisville.

Marie Davis is an internationally syndicated cartoonist. Her lesbian cartoon strip is published in five languages. Her first novel, Hey Diddle Diddle — for Lesbians
and Other Grownups, can be purchased through Amazon.com. Her e-mail address is mmmarie1961@aol.com.

18 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010

 COMMUNITY PHOTO GALLERY

The threat of
thunderstorms
couldn’t keep away a
record crowd from the
festive 2nd Annual
DOWN & DERBY Party
on Saturday, May 1st
at the Water Tower in
Louisville. The eight
hour gala raised
money to support the
important work of the
member agencies of the
Louisville AIDS Walk,
especially the WINGS
Clinic at the University
of Louisville (Photos by
Rob Anderson). For
more pictures from
this event visit www.
TheLetterOnline.com.

MAY 2010 WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM THE LETTER 19

20 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM MAY 2010