News

“Dear Harvey” - the life and times of Harvey Milk

“Dear Harvey”

Script by Patricia Loughrey • Music by Thomas Hodges
Photos by Daniel Nicoletta • Directed by Miguel A. Gastelum

Presented In Association With the New Conservatory Theatre Center Pride on Tour • Produced by Special Arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.

The Bulldog Pride Fund is presenting two performances of “DEAR HARVEY” on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, May 22^nd and 23^rd at The Painted Table located in Fresno’s Tower District.

“DEAR HARVEY” is a play by Linda Habjan about Harvey Milk (1930-1978). Told by the people who knew Harvey Milk best, this is the recounting of the life and the lasting impact of this groundbreaking civil rights activist and San Francisco politician.

Directed by Fresno State alumnus Miguel A. Gastelum, “DEAR HARVEY” features seven ensemble cast members: Joel C. Abels, Matthew Freitas, Hayley Galbraith, Jennifer Lewis, Terry Lewis, Chris Mangels, and Leslie Martin.
Proceeds benefit the Harvey Milk Hope Award, an annual scholarship provided by the Bulldog Pride Fund.

RESERVATIONS ONLINE: WWW.BULLDOGPRIDE.ORG

The 5 Worst States on LGBT Rights

As marriage equality sweeps the nation there are still some hurdles that need to be crossed. There are five states that have laws that treat the lgbt community unfairly.

1) Virginia is for “Lovers”: The Commonwealth has a number of laws regulating lovers, including lewd and lascivious cohabitation, fornication, and crimes against nature — which is still maintained as a class 6 felony despite SCOTUS’ Lawrence v. Texas ruling. Indeed, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli gives law enforcement a green light to arrest gays under Virginia’s statute, stating he believes it’s appropriate to formulate public policy on the premise that homosexuals engage in behavior that is intrinsically wrong and offensive to natural law. As well, Cuccinelli advised Virginia universities to remove LGBT-specific provisions from their non-discrimination policies.  The cohabitation ban was later lifted but not the sodomy law.

Virginia operates under Dillon’s Rule, which holds that municipalities may not offer more protections than the Commonwealth has decided to extend. This is unfortunate for LGBT constituents since same-sex relations of any kind are banned constitutionally and legislatively in Virginia, and there are virtually no discrimination or hate crime protections extended to LGBT individuals under the penal code. Even though the vigilance of Equality Virginia and some municipalities have made headway enacting equal rights measures at local levels, Dillon’s Rule greatly hinders their efforts.

2) Tennessee: Home of the Grand Ole Opry, Elvis, Jack Daniels, Beale Street blues, and the worst state legislature in America. Soon after stepping into office in 2011, Governor Bill Haslam signed an anti-gay bill prohibiting local non-discrimination statutes, thus overturning the Nashville ordinance because the state statute neglects to include protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. Ever since voters passed a constitutional ban on same sex marriage in 2006, the legislature began ramping up their anti-gay agenda, merrily focusing on legislation such as “Don’t Say Gay” (in the midst of two gay teens committing suicide), or changes to Tennessee’s anti-bullying law to allow students to speak against gays for…religious reasons, or this gem — the transphobic bathroom bill.

The Tennessee Democrat Party, after reigning for the past 147 years, now has so few seats in the General Assembly that they’re basically irrelevant. Party chairman Chip Forrester, after overseeing the dismantling of his party, announced his exit — 12 days before the election. In contrast, nine county GOP chapters condemned Governor Haslam for hiring gays, Democrats, and Muslims. Community acceptance ain’t no cake walk either; hate crime, bigotry, and discrimination set the stage. The coming years could leave many singing the blues.

3) Michigan: Not only is Michigan the only state in which surrogacy is completely illegal, it is one of few states that explicitly prohibit adoption by same-sex couples. A lesbian couple, who are raising three special needs children, is suing for the state’s adoption ban and has expanded their case to include challenging the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions passed by voters in 2004. In another case, four same-sex couples are suing the governor and state for legislation prohibiting public employers from extending benefits to domestic partners.

Hate crime seems all more troublesome than norm in Michigan, especially at the hands of their former Attorney General, who stands accused of stalking and defaming a gay former student government leader at the University of Michigan. The FBI says hate crimes are down nationally, but up in Michgan and Alternate Luxury Travel by Bruvian found Detroit to be the most dangerous U.S. city for gays.

4) Mississippi: Not all too surprising, Mississippi remains one of the most socially backwards states in the country when it comes to gay marriage: only 13% of voters think it should be legal. Even among Democrats there’s only 19% support for it. Jackson, the state’s capital and most populous city, scores a whopping 8 out of 100 in the 2012 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index. It’s tough for the few courageous souls who do venture to take a stand, when they are denied freedom to even exercise the First Amendment. You’re not likely to find a warm welcoming rainbow if you come out of the closet in this neck of the woods, nor will you find legal protection of your liberties. And don’t look for changes to come any time soon in Mississippi. If Nate Silver is right, it’ll be at least another decade.

5) California: November’s election was a watershed moment for the gay marriage movement. Voters in three states voted to legalize it, and a fourth state voted against a proposed ban. Cue California. California? Oh yes that’s right, voters in California — the poster child for progressivism — chose to ban same-sex marriage in 2008 via Proposition 8. The battle for same-sex marriage in the state has been an on again, off again affair ever since San Francisco first allowed same sex unions just before Valentine’s Day, 2004. However, blame doesn’t all fall on voters and legislators. The courts have had their hand in it too, as in blocking the law that bans therapy aimed at turning gay minors straight.

California claims it leads the nation in gay rights, and that may have been true at one time, but the Golden State has been left behind in recent years in spite of its abundance of protective laws already in existence. Perhaps this goes to show that you can only legislate so much, or maybe too much, and that you can’t simply legislate away how a state’s population feels about homosexuality. California’s attorney general did report a slight decline in hate crimes in 2011 which is a good sign, but California’s rate of hate crime and violent crime in general still just pars average among the states. It may be time for Cali LGBT Americans to consider ending their love-hate relationship and move away to friendlier pastures.

Last chance to get your group or business into Fresno Pride

Community Link is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit community service organization serving the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender community of the Central Valley. All donations and sponsorships are tax-deductible and are greatly appreciated.  Donations are one of our best sources for a financially successful GLBT Pride event. Please support Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival by making a tax-deductible donation today.  Becoming a sponsor of the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival is great exposure for your business or organization. Last year’s event attracted over 3,000 Valley residents in a 4-hour period. The GLBT community is a very loyal customer base.

FESTIVAL BOOTHS (deadline is May 18th, 2013)

 PROGRAM BOOK ADVERTISING (deadline is May 18th, 2013)

PARADE ENTRIES (prices go up on May 19th, 2013) 

Applications and more information are available here.

* Some applications may be accepted after the deadline, but fees will need to be paid in cash and will depend on available space.  * Parade entries will be accepted up to the start of the parade.

U-Pick Days at The Ubiquitous Farm

U-Pick Days at The Ubiquitous Farm

(The U Farm)

May 18 & 19

9am - 3pm

Sweet, Seedless, Pesticide-Free Tangerines

Great for eating, cooking, juicing, preserving.

 $25 per bag (approximately 10-15 lbs.)

Free, reusable bags will be provided.

Other products available for purchase (marmalade, chutney, candied tangerines, etc.)

6626 S. Reed Avenue, Reedley, CA 93654

(between Lincoln & Adams)

Enjoy farm tours, bring a sack lunch & blanket, and enjoy the day!

If you have questions call Kristin at 559-779-9555 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Why I Will Not Stop Using the Term "Gay Marriage"

Writing for PinkNews Murray Lipp, administrator of the Facebook page “Gay Marriage USA”, shares his views about the differences between the terms “gay marriage” and “marriage equality”.

1. Introduction

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about “gay marriage” and the issues associated with it. Being the administrator of “Gay Marriage USA” on Facebook I am daily discussing all manner of issues relating to same-sex marriage and noticing how people view and present the issue. When I started the page in 2011 on Facebook I made a very conscious decision to include the words “gay marriage” in the title in an effort to tap into the high recognition value that this term has. Clearly identifying and labeling a cause helps greatly in getting people to support it.

In the last two years, however, on a number of occasions people have asked me to either change the name of the page and/or to stop referring to the topic as “gay marriage” making comments such as: “it’s not gay marriage – it’s marriage” or “it’s not gay marriage – it’s marriage equality.”

Will Supreme Court Dump Cold Water on Marriage Equality Momentum?

The U.S. Supreme Court fight over California’s Proposition 8, viewed by gay-rights advocates as a historic opportunity to establish same-sex marriage nationwide, may not even settle the issue in the state.

The justices, who probably will rule next month, signaled during the March 26 argument that they might sidestep the underlying constitutional questions and decide that the defenders of the 2008 gay-marriage ban lacked “standing,” or legal eligibility, to bring the case. That could leave the status of gay marriage in California in doubt, spawn new litigation and perhaps even prompt another ballot initiative.

A standing ruling might mean “a quick death for Prop 8,” said Vikram Amar, a constitutional law professor at the University of California Davis School of Law. “But it’s also quite possible — maybe more likely — that it will take some time before we know which couples, beyond the two couples who sued, would be able to get their licenses.”

See the Full Story at Bloomberg

Medical Matters - Affordable Healthcare?

This month's column contains a bit of advice, a bit of commentary and a bit of a warning — all aimed squarely at anyone who plans to visit a doctor's office, have a test for anything or pick up a prescription. And that biggest bit of advice is to find out what you can do and what you can't, as well as what it's going to cost you, before you make plans. Otherwise you might just find yourself reporting for that physician's appointment or procedure only to find out that unless you pay out of pocket it's not happening.
A friend of ours found out his dad's company changed insurance as of the first of the year — but dad never told him. Now he has a $77 doctor's bill he needs to pay as they changed his deductible from $0 to $1500 a year. Dinged!
At our house meanwhile insurance no longer will cover Nexium, which we've taken for acid reflux for years. They say they'd gladly cover several "as good" other meds for "only a $5 co-pay" but there's an issue: the ones they are willing to pay for don't work for us — one causing severe side effects and the other being less useful than sugar cubes. Of course, we CAN still get Nexium if we are willing to pay out-of-pocket to the tune of $1000+ for a 90 day supply. Dinged again!
So what is the point here? To remind readers that health plans change and so does coverage. And often it's not for the patient's benefit at all. Despite guarantees from Washington, a lot of the shenanigans insurance firms, employers and government pull are bad and only going to get worse, leaving us to hope for national health one of these days and meanwhile to tell readers that they'd better stay on top of what their (or their spouse's, if they are fortunate enough to have care extended to them) coverage will and won't do and pay for. And if you think for even one minute things are getting better, we'd suggest you have it all wrong. At our house and many others' the red tape associated with The Affordable Healthcare law is bad and getting worse.
Included in all this are simple, almost laughable, things. We were informed by our physician last visit that she now has to ask us our date of birth "every time I come into the room." Asked what that means she said "well, I have to ask it to confirm it's you when I first greet you and do the basics, then say I leave to get a flu shot to give you, again I have to ask when I return just so the officials know it's really you who got the shot!"
The regulations also now require that each visit we be asked "Are you in an abusive relationship?" As our doctor is very gay-friendly and sees us as a trio, it was only after a huge burst of laughter that we all said in chorus during a recent visit, "YES!" That, of course, brought even more laughter, but we aren't sure what she put down as our reply.
And speaking of putting down, say goodbye to the pen, pad and grunted "uh-huh" when you talk to the doc. By later this year fines will be levied against practices where they still use paper and not iPads or laptops when they keep medical records. At least one physician we asked in Louisville told us she was planning on paying the fine because at age 66, she declined to fork over the $100,000+ it would cost to change records from 30+ years of practice to the electronic format.
So what should you do?
As we already said: confirm and reconfirm coverage if you have health insurance. Also see what options you have. Maybe your insurance firm will allow a 90-day refill of on-going scripts but only if you use their mail order service. Also, see what generics they will cover if they refuse name brand pills. Synthroid, a common thyroid supplement, seems high on the "hit list" of pharmaceutical plans and while at least two doctors have told our family that they feel generic versions are not as good, the choice is between payment or non-payment by our health insurance. All this means that while the health coverage folks are staying within the letter of the law and allowing doctors to diagnose and prescribe, they are de facto doing the job by denying coverage for anything they feel is too costly. Same thing goes for procedures and routine tests. Doctor send you for blood work? Great, but call first and see if you have coverage or that needle in the arm will not only cost you a few ounces of blood, but will shoot right into your wallet and could cost $1,000 or more for the tests.
Also don't forget to negotiate. Yes, you read that right: Ask your doctor's office what choices you have or what they'll do for you. You may be shocked to find out that just as you don't have to buy that shirt at one department store but can instead get one elsewhere, you can sometimes shop prescriptions and care to save big bucks. Most doctors have "negotiated rates" with healthcare firms, then you hand over a co-pay. The two together amount to what the doc gets when you see him or her. If you want to save you might be able to negotiate a much lower price if you skip insurance and pay for that office visit. It never hurts to ask as at least one doc we know of gets $95 for an extensive office visit if you pay with insurance, but if you just pay out of pocket, she asks $65. She saves filing, waiting and hassle and you save cash, so it's win-win.
Also look at pharmacy plans and shop those. You know the ones where you get a 60- or 90-day supply for one cheaper co-pay. Each drugstore chain has their own list of "approved" meds on that list. They say it's much better to use one pharmacy and stick with them because interactions and problems can be easily spotted by their staff and computers. We totally agree, but what if the "pay one price for 90 days" works for some of the meds you take at ding store A, while others are on ding store B's plan, but not on As? You might find driving a few blocks can save you 10, 20 or even 50% so always ask and investigate. There's no humiliation using two drugstores. Just be sure your doctor's office checks for interactions and prescribes accordingly.
The same is tine with the mail-in pharmacies so many health plans push these days. Cost for 90 days of something you routinely take might be lower as you may have only one co-pay, but what if the generic they ship you is inferior to what you get up the street at the local pharmacy? We know one mail-in drugstore which sent such a cut-price generic nasal spray that it was lacking even the usual pleasant smell while another sent out a skin cream generic made in India. Note: There's nothing to say any of these prescriptions will not work as well as what the patients reporting them had been getting, but always ask if you suspect too many corners are being cut. It might be worth paying the extra $20 the nasal spray patient told us about because he doesn't like what he was sent. And as for the salve, that one was dispensed to this writer who told his pharmacist he wants something made in the U.S., even if it does cost more.
Finally, always remember that you are the customer. You pay the healthcare plan, the doctor and the pharmacy. That means you can shop and ask for a better price, a different doctor or a discount. You may not always get what you want, but it never hurts to ask. Stay knowledgeable about your care and needs, then remember at the end of the day it's your choice — one you might pay more for, but what's peace of mind worth?
To keep our lawyers happy, be advised that the recommendations which are contained in this column are suggestions, but are not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your physician or a healthcare professional before undertaking any physical fitness or other exercise program.

Advice: Pink In The Sheets

Mz. Pink,

I have wanted to explore the world of strap-on sex, but I have been too afraid. I tried it once and the strap was uncomfortable, awkward and the whole experience was nerve-wracking and a little painful. I feel like this is my time to shine with a strap- on, being a young stud, but I just haven’t found what works. Should I use lube? Are there strapless strap-on s? Is bigger better with a dildo? I need to know the ins and outs (so as to speak), can you help?

Straps Needed

Read my answer by clicking read more ------------------->

Read more: Advice: Pink In The Sheets

Hackin’ The Net

King Camp Gillette died in 1932. The firm he started began in 1901. If you are like most folks, you've never heard of this self-made entrepreneur, but if you own a computer, then a business practice he pioneered is costing you.

Gillette (that's an early pack of his blades below which you can buy from www.ruby- lane.com s site) started a company which virtually gave away the handles for safety razors (that's right, Gillette Razors, still alive and well today as a unit of Cincinnati's Procter & Gamble) while he made his money on cheap, but easily-dulled blades — blades which only lasted a day or three under harsh shaving conditions and thus needed to be bought and bought and bought for that free handle to be of any use.

It's the same game computer users are playing now when we get a cheap or even "free" printer when we buy that Mac or pc. Why? Because like Gillette the big printer manufacturing firms (think HP, Canon and Epson for just three "biggies" though there are others) know that if you use their printer, you also will need their ink...and they are playing a myriad of games to make sure you use it — often at a cost that's higher per ounce than French Champagne! Read that again, because it's sadly true.

There are a variety of ploys and come-ons to get you (and I) to pay that inflated price, too. One is filling those "starter" cartridges which come with your printer "free" with so little ink that you'll only get 20 or 30 copies before you'll have to hustle out to the office supply for more "genuine" (fill in name of brand here) ink.

Read more: Hackin’ The Net

Pecs and the City

In the age we live in, every flaw and misstep is recorded on film or video, then spilled like red ink over the Internet and discussed ad nauseam until even the photographic evidence comes into question.

Whether it's a grainy, night-vision sex tape, a DUI mug shot or a fashion blunder that results in exposing more than the proper amount of skin, the culture of celebrity has shown us that committing a public mistake or having a bad reputation makes for a compelling read and good television. Just because average people don't have their infelicities splashed all over TMZ doesn’t mean that the rumors which breed a bad reputation won't spread like wildfire. And just like the gossip and stories that crowd the pages of tabloids, some of these incidents are self-created. The question is: how much of our reputation is truly who we are?

As our lives unfold, our personas reveal themselves. These are the aspects of our character that the public perceives as who we are. The word “persona” itself comes from the Latin word for mask; therefore indicating that what people see isn't always what they get. The bookish nerd. The dim gym rat. The hilarious drunk. The pretty boy heartbreak- er.

These and other facades have a basis in who and what we truly are, but they are built by you to give you an identity so you can find your niche. No one wants to fade into the background, so we embellish and act out and decide who or what we want to be by the actions that we take.

So why do we create reputations that don’t reflect our true nature? Is it because our reputation is who we truly want to be? Or is it because it will mask who we really are? Is it armor to hide behind? Or is it a fictional magnet that we feel will draw in the people we really want to be with?

A bad reputation may scare off the people you're afraid of but if someone is really interested in you, they will look past your reputation and uncover the real person inside. The same goes for someone who catches your eye — believing the hype surrounding someone that you like may prevent you from realizing their true nature. Why judge someone by the mistakes they've made? Would you want someone to judge you because of a story they heard on the street from an unreliable source?

Every reputation is the surface of deeper waters below. The reputation that someone gets because they date and screw a lot of people may be indicative of someone searching for true love. The reputation of someone who drinks himself blind or numbs himself into a narcotic haze may not be because they're an out-of-control party animal but someone who’s been wounded so deeply he can’t face reality without altering his feelings. Perception is not always reality.

There are also the reputations built by people to make themselves seem more interesting or to hide their pasts. People who have been around and around and around may reinvent themselves somewhere new as bright-eyed innocents to erase the stigma that comes with someone who has a slutty reputation.

Inexperienced virgins paint themselves as sexually provocative because they are scared to experiment and explore on their own or are certain no one wants to take the time to train a novice. There are even people out there who dumb themselves down because they are certain that brains are not a commodity in the dating world where sometimes a pretty face and a rock-solid body are all the currency one needs to get by.

Now a good reputation is never a bad thing, but sometimes it can be perceived as boring and the yearning for popularity will cause good people to do bad things.

People often wonder: how good is a good reputation? Its common knowledge reading a story about a whore will be much more interesting than reading a story about a nun. Doing something that goes against your values may elevate your image as a bad boy, but is that the image you want? Some people look at a bad boy as a turn-on or a project while others stay away like its poison — therefore cementing the fact that people's perception can alter how they treat you whether what they believe is really the truth.

No matter what your persona is, however, if you've got a great reputation that's taken years to build, it can take seconds for it to come crumbling down. Years of good deeds mean nothing when one bad deed or poor decision can erase everything that’s come before.

Even though there are reputations that we earn from our actions, and reputations that we build ourselves, there are times when someone’s reputation fits exactly who they are.

I’ve learned this plenty of times when I’ve heard stories about guys who were liars and cheats, drug addicts and players — even a story about a hidden fiancée. All these stories were factual but I gave each of these guys the benefit of the doubt even though it came back to bite me later.

Why did I do this when I was obviously warned away? Because we never know how much of someone's back story and reputation is actually true unless we find out for ourselves. Angry ex-boyfriends, jealous rivals and giggling gossips embellish and dramatize people's actions until truth and fiction become one.

I gave these men the chance to prove that what I heard was merely rumor because I would expect anyone to do the same thing for me. Are the things that people say about me — or anyone, for that matter — true? Maybe. But until someone takes the time to find out, it’s all hearsay.

Some people believe your reputation is merely your character minus what you've been caught doing. I believe that your reputation, good or bad, is merely the line between who you are and who you want to be. And every day we make the decision on how far over that line we want to step. The people who really want to know you will discard all the toxic words that cling to your name — and those are the people you yourself should want to know.

As far as trying to shake a bad reputation, I always go by this motto: It's better to be talked about than not talked about at all.

Fresno Pride - Only three weeks away!

Fresno Rainbow Pride is just three weeks away!

Make sure you head out to support our community. So check out the gnarly waves of change and hang ten because Prides up dudes!

Catholic Bishops Want Flock to Pray for Prop 8

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wants Catholics across the country to pray to God to let them continue discriminating. SDGLN reports:

Proposition 8, the 2008 California referendum defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman, “was challenged as being unconstitutional and is now under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, with a ruling expected in June,” a USCCB flyer notes. “The USCCB urges the Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 8. A negative ruling could mean that marriage would be redefined nationwide.” The bishops’ conference has asked Catholics to fast and abstain from meat on all Fridays until the conclusion of the Year of Faith.

As we've mentioned, 62% of rank and file Catholics in the US support marriage equality.