Untitled - Loop Magazine

IN THE LOOP
PAGE 2
JUNE 2013
01
MONDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Happy hour
prices until 8:30 p.m.
5 p.m. @ Fugazi: Monday Madness:
Martini specials; $2 well/domestic.
7 p.m. @ DBGB: Open Mic with M.E.L.,
then Ladies’Night with DJ BearSkinRug.
8:30 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Big Ass Drink
Night: $6.50 mason jars of specialty drinks.
12 a.m. @ Underground: Karaoke
with DJ Ryan.
TUESDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: $3.50 Absolut
cosmos and martinis all day.
1 p.m. @ Evergreen Center: Testing
Tuesdays: Free STD screenings until 7 p.m.
No appointment needed.
5 p.m. @ Fugazi: Stoli Night: Half-off all
Stoli drinks and martinis.
5 p.m. @ Evergreen Center: Life Changes:
Men’s networking group weekly meetup.
6 p.m. @ Online: Trans Health Chat: Call
852-7743 ext. 3412 for more info.
7 p.m. @ DBGB: Neo Soul Night: featuring
Michael DiSanto and Verse, followed by
DJ Charlie the Butcher and Shuteyes.
10 p.m. @ Q: Karaoke with DJ Ryan.
...continued on PAGE 13
Leather Night @
Underground
Saturday, 10 p.m. Everyone wears their
favorite skins to this party, hosted by
the Buffalo Bulldogs following the
group’s monthly meeting. This month’s
theme: Military Night. Admission: $2.
03
Movie Night @
Walden Galleria 16
Monday, time varies based on movie.
Email the Buffalo Movie Club at
movingman@live.com to vote on
movie choice. Join members for dinner before the show. Discount movie
passes available. Next Monday-night
movie: June 17.
05
WTF Wednesday @
Underground
Wednesday, 10 p.m. Tia Marie presents
an anything-goes drag production.
Shows at 10:30 p.m. and midnight.
06
OUTspoken For Equality @
El Museo
Thursday, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monthly
meeting of a group of socially conscious
and politically-minded individuals who
seek to spread awareness regarding
issues that affect the LGBT community.
07
Cruising: Mixed MediaWorks @
464 Gallery
Friday, 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. Spark Magazine featured artist C.J. Szatkowski
reveals his new body of provocative
and engaging work. Exhibit on view
through June 19.
LGBTQA Prom @ Babeville
Friday, 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. The first-ever Gay
and Lesbian Youth Services prom for
Western New York teens, ages 14-19.
Proof of age required for admission. $10.
The Bash @ American Red Cross
Friday, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. The annual
military themed event where more
than 4,000 people revel in amazing
foods from some of the area’s top
restaurants, the music of Lance
Diamond and DJ Mike Setlock. All proceeds support provisions for disaster
preparedness education and response
to WNY communities. $75.
Black Light Open Mic @
Code Blu Juice Bar
Friday, 9 p.m. All are welcome to come
out and showcase their talents at an
open mic night.
08
Allentown Art Celebrations @
Various Locations
Saturday and Sunday, all day. Stop in
before and after the Allentown Arts
Festival for drinks and good times at
various bars including, Q, Cathode Ray,
Funky Monkey and Fugazi.
Allentown Arts Festival @
Allentown
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Local artists display and sell their work.
JUNE 2013
Food and alcoholic drink vendors on
site. Festival perimeter runs between
Trinity Place and North Street from
Elmwood Avenue to Franklin Avenue.
Buffalo Gay Bingo @
Westminster Presbyterian
Saturday, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Miss Gladys
Over hosts a “Party Like It’s Oh ’69”
themed evening of Bingo. Line
reservations at 5 p.m. Doors open at
6 p.m. Not your grandma’s bingo. $5
admission; $20 play packets available.
Proceeds to benefit HIV/AIDS organizations in Buffalo.
Bear Night @ Ohm
Saturday, 10 p.m. The biggest and
burliest party in Allentown, hosted by
the Buffalo Bears following the group’s
monthly meeting. Admission: $2.
Hot Body Contest @
Underground
Saturday, 1 a.m. The sexiest guys in
the bar take it off for cash and prizes in
the most chaotic contest anywhere.
Special guest performers and co-host
Vanna Toy help Chevon Davis and the
audience pick the winner.
10
Open Mic Night @ 464 Gallery
Monday, 7 p.m. Showcase your
talents. Open to the public with light
refreshments.
...continued on PAGE 13
JUNE 2013
IN THE LOOP
PAGE 3
Girls rule, guys do too at first ever Ambush Pride Party
MICHAEL RIZZO
Zachary Busch walked into the
Buckin’ Buffalo on April 19 as a guest
of Ambush, Buffalo’s only “guerrilla gay
bar,” and after an hour or so, it was like
he had entered an alternate universe.
He wasn’t in his typical gay-bourhood; he was at a straight bar. He
stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of lesbian woman of “all shapes
and sizes.”
Some he recognized from Roxy’s
and (back in the day) Adonia’s, but the
rest seemed to have come out of the
woodworks.
“The general feel in the community
is that this is a lesbian thing,” he said.
“It’s definitely a lesbian event. But I felt
very welcome and had a really good
time.”
Ambush started in October with a
Facebook invite, and in nine months,
it’s grown to be what many recognize
as the face of the lesbian community.
Every month, organizers Christina
Holdsworth, Tee Fregeaux and Dana
Fauth get a different straight bar on
board to host the party, providing
women in the community an additional or alternative option to what
the current bar scene has to offer.
It’s a mix of people, some just old
enough to buy alcohol and others
that have been in retirement for years. I’ll definitely check it out.”
Some come just for happy hour, some
For some in the community, like adjust for late-night dancing, and others mitted homebodies Robyn Gerow, 44,
are there from beginning to end.
and Erica Borowicz, 35, it’s the event
This month’s Pride Party at Cobble- that will get them out and about
stone on May 31 is the biggest Am- during Buffalo Pride Week.
bush yet, and the ladies
“For one reason or anwant to make sure the
other, we haven’t come
“We want
boys know that they’re
to Pride in a couple of
invited, too.
years,” Gerow said. “This
all
our
guys
“It’s really the entire
is definitely getting us
community that’s made
back into the scene.”
there
with
us,
this what it is,” HoldThe couple has atworth said. “We want celebrating with tended other bars in
all our guys there with
the community, she
us, partying said, and just didn’t
us, celebrating with us,
partying with us. It’s a
feel comfortable. But
with us.”
way to say thank you.”
when they attended
It’s a really big thank
Ambush’s Ugly Sweater
C
hristina Holdsworth
you.
Party in December, they
Ambush organizer
Kristen Becker emgot a completely differcees a show with four
ent feel, and now they
live bands (including God-des and are loyal Ambushers every month.
She, Bitch and The Stamplickers), two
“Everybody was comfortable,” she
DJs, burlesque entertainment and said. “Gay, straight, single. You can go
drag king performances. There’s an by yourself, or go in a group. It’s very
outdoor party tent, a VIP area and lots peaceful and very fun.”
of extra party favors thanks to sponRather that trying to expand their alsors like Pabst Blue Ribbon and Mich- ready overflowing happy hours, open
elob Ultra.
a lesbian bar or regularly throw largeCall it the Ambush of the Year.
scale parties, Fregeaux said she sees
“They’ve really come out of no- the movement growing in other ways.
where,” Busch said. “I think it’s a really
Potential ideas include doing food
great thing. It’s fun. It’s a lot different. and toy drives or other fundraisers for
causes like pet rescue. The group may
explore Ambushing the bars in Rochester or throwing an event outside of
the bars.
“I know we want to do a family
event,” she said, “so people with kids
can come. Maybe we go to a park and
do a picnic-style Ambush. You bring
your kids, play games — something
that’s not totally focused around
drinking.”
Like all their events, the organizers
won’t earn money from the Pride Party, but they’re spending a lot of time
on it. Promotion is key, they said, noting the power of social media.
The grassroots operation has already
garnered local and national attention
in Buffalo Spree and on Advocate.com.
“It’s a positive thing,” Fregeaux said.
“We’re going to all these different Buffalo businesses. We’re making money
for them. We try to only go to places
that are supportive of the gay community.”
Ambush happy hours are usually
organized for the third Friday of every month. The invitation has always
been an open one, but for their Pride
Party, the girls want to celebrate with
everyone, especially the boys.
“I am definitely a gay boy inside,” Gerow said, “so it would be fantastic to
have them at the party!”
IN THE LOOP
PAGE 4
JUNE 2013
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Buffalo theater isn’t as gay as you’d think, but it should be
presents
ON STAGE NOW!
May 29 - June 17
Nunsense II: The Second Coming @
O’Connell and Company Productions
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. The all-male cast from last season
don their habits again. Six weeks after the sisters have
staged their first benefit, they are back presenting
a “thank you” show for all the people who have
supported them in the past. Show are Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and
Sundays at 2:30 p.m. No performance on June 2.
Tickets range from $15 to $25.
May 31 - June 8
The Normal Heart @ BUA Theatre
Friday, 8 p.m. An outrageous, unflinching and completely unforgettable look at the sexual politics of New
York during the AIDS crisis. A quarter century after
The Normal Heart was written, it still remains one of
theater’s most powerful plays. Shows are Fridays and
Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $25.
May 31 - June 15
JosephandtheAmazingTechnicolorDreamcoat@
Lancaster Opera House
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. The Biblical saga of Joseph and his
coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable. Set to an engaging cornucopia of
musical styles, from country-western and calypso to
bubble-gum pop and rock‘n’roll, this Old Testament
tale emerges both timely and timeless. Shows are
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30
p.m. Tickets range from $20 - $22.
June 6 - June 23
Into The Woods @
New Phoenix Theatre
Thursday, 8 p.m. An amazing and magical musical that
blends some of the best-loved fairy tales of all time.
Directed by Chris Kelly. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets
range from $20 to $25.
June 11 - June 16
The Book of Mormon @
Shea’s Performing Arts
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. The Broadway phenomenon from
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and
Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez. Shows are Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m.,
and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
June 14 - July 14
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change @
The Kavinoky Theatre
Friday, 8 p.m. A musical by Joe DiPietro and Jimmy
Roberts that celebrates the modern-day suburban
mating game. Shows are Thursdays and Fridays at 8
p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2
p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $39.
June 22
MF24H @ 710 Main Theatre
Saturday, 8 p.m. MusicalFare Theatre presents four
original musicals written, rehearsed and performed
within 24 hours. $25.
“Of course you like live theater -for many reasons, but Buffalo’s theaters
you’re gay!”
are the jewel in the region’s cultural
I can’t tell you how many times I
crown. And just because you’re gay,
have heard that.
doesn’t mean you don’t have options.
For some reason, people assume
While companies like Buffalo United
that most gay men are “Musical
Artists produce material that is specifTheater Queens” — that we meander
ically relevant to the gay community,
through our lives singing the scores of
if that’s not what floats your boat, try
Wicked and Sweet Charity (look it up,
something else.
younglings!) at the tops of our lungs.
If you have children, treat them to a
Yet I can honestly say that I know far
show at Theatre of Youth in Allentown. If
more straight folks who attend live
you like contemporary or classical dramas,
DOUG WEYAND
theater — musical or otherwise —
try Irish Classical Theatre on Main Street or
than gay folks.
the Kavinoky at D’Youville College.
Local theater audiences are overwhelmingly
If you like new works or cutting edge material, try
populated with baby boomer, heterosexual couRoad Less Traveled in the Market Arcade or Torn
ples, many of them attending multiple theaters in
Space on Fillmore Avenue. If you like musicals, hit
the region, seeing everything from musical revues up MusicalFare in Amherst. I could go on and on.
to avant-garde productions.
Not sure where to start? Look at this publicaWhile there is certainly gay representation in our tion’s Theater Page every month.
theater audiences, there is much less than I would
Theater events are now listed in a separate
expect or hope to see. calendar area, and each month, we’ll introduce
Am I saying we should live up to the stereotype?
you to local actors, actresses, directors, choreograNo.
phers and writers who are at the forefront of our
What I’m saying is we should make more of an
community’s contribution to the art form.
effort to expose ourselves to new and diverse culWe’ll highlight productions that feature issues
tural experiences. We should stop staring at our
that are important to our community, and we’ll
computers and smartphones, get out and enjoy a try to have some fun as we journey through our
communal, enriching experience.
theatrical adventure.
Did you know that Buffalo has more than 20
Hopefully we’ll help inspire you to take a chance
professional theater companies? That’s second
and see a show. Stop letting the straight folks
only to Manhattan in the state and far above
have all the fun!
and beyond the national average for cities of
Buffalo’s size.
Doug Weyand is on the executive committee of the
The Western New York region is a cultural mecca
Theatre Alliance of Buffalo.
IN THE LOOP
JUNE 2013
PAGE 5
MyBuffaloPride stretches the rainbow to west end of Allen
JEFF HERAS
The owners of MyBuffaloPride
opened a physical location at 224 Allen Street on May 28, after two and a
half years of business in Buffalo’s LGBT
community.
General Partner Michael Rizzo purchased the building on May 2 for
$188,000. The storefront, which used
to house the art gallery Space 224, will
now serve as the offices of this publication and MBP, its parent company.
“An actual storefront is something
we wanted from the beginning,” Rizzo
said. “It just wasn’t practical. But the
newsletter has shown such potential
over the past 20 months that the idea
can finally be a reality.”
The location will also be a small retail
store specializing in pride merchandise and novelty gifts, which is how
MBP got its online start in November
2010. Rizzo plans to share the rest of
the space with the community to host
art openings, social events, organization meetings and forum discussions.
Previously consisting of a two-block
strip, Buffalo’s gay-borhood has now
expanded to the west side of Allen
Street, something Rizzo has regarded
as a goal for the community for a long
time. He said his “proudest moment”
was raising the rainbow flag on the
day he bought the building.
“What’s most interesting and fun,
really, is watching people’s reactions
when they walk passed now,” he said.
“They see the pride flags hanging
and a big drag-queen buffalo in the
window. I think we’ve made it pretty
clear that we’re the other side of the
rainbow.”
Rizzo envisions the space as a social
and informational hub that serves Buffalo ‘s LGBT community by providing
an outlet of resources for LGBT issues.
He doesn’t want MBP to be just a
pride store or just the publisher of a
newsletter, he said. He hopes the business will eventually be a recognized
entity in the community.
“When people list off businesses and
organizations like Club Marcella and
Cathode Ray, or the Imperial Court of
Buffalo, embraceWNY and Evergreen
Health Services — I want MyBuffaloPride to be on that list,” he said.
Right now, In The Loop is the popularly recognized face of MBP. It’s been
in print since November 2011, and
has since expanded from a two-page,
letter-size monthly calendar of events
to a 14-page, tabloid-style newsletter that offers opinion pieces, news
stories and event announcements focused on the LGBT community.
“It’s a good source of information not
only for our customers but certainly
for the community as a whole,” said
Jimmy Hall, manager of Funky Monkey Niteclub. “I often direct people to
the publication when they are visiting
Buffalo and want to know what is going on at the various bars and nightclubs.”
Local entertainer Mike Blasdell reads
every issue, he said, and noted the
publication’s attention to detail.
“I hope it gets a lot bigger, because
In the Loop brings attention to the
progress that is going on in the gay
community,” he said, “and it brings us
together.”
Rizzo enrolled at Buffalo State College for journalism in 2005 knowing
he eventually wanted to own his own
publication, he said, and he quickly
decided he wanted to cover the gay
community.
When he graduated in 2010, he
worried his idea wasn’t quite ready
for fruition in Buffalo because of the
many resources needed to make it
successful. After the launch of MBP,
he said, those resources started being
acquired through networking and collaboration.
“The idea behind the newsletter
when it first started grew out of a
sense that, at the time, all the gay bars
and different elements of the community seemed very disconnected,
almost unsupportive of each other,”
Rizzo said. “Rather than every event,
every party being a competition, what
if we could get all these businesses
and organizations to advertise for
each other? And that’s what our calendar still is to this day.”
Since June 2012, the newsletter has
started offering more content each
Kevin Kuh/Special to ITL
Executive Editor and MyBuffaloPride General Partner Michael Rizzo called raising the Pride flag
at 224 Allen Street on May 2 his “proudest moment” in two and a half years of business.
month than just the calendar. As the
publication explores new topics, Rizzo hopes that he can be more inclusive and provide a publication that
everyone in the gay community can
relate to, whether they are bar dwellers or LGBT professionals.
“Ultimately, I would want each
month’s newsletter to be a snapshot
of what different members of Buffalo’s gay community are actively involved in that month,” he said. “That
can mean the pageant that’s running
this weekend, the lobbying by Stone-
wall Democrats in support for the
trans community next week, or the
development of the Medical Corridor
and how it will affect our community
in 10 years. It can mean a lot of things.”
For now, Rizzo has a building to renovate, a grand opening to plan, a staff
of contributing writers to build, and a
desire to pull his company’s website
“out of the Stone Age.”
“I think anything that can better promote us as a community and become
more inclusive is a good thing,” Hall
said.
IN THE LOOP
PAGE 6
JUNE 2013
IN THE LOOP
c/o MyBuffaloPride
224 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
MyBuffaloPride@gmail.com
intheloop.mbp@gmail.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Michael Rizzo
PROUDLY
PRESENTS
PHOTO EDITOR
Clinton Hodnett
COPY EDITOR
Angelica Rodriguez
Pride Special
2 for 1 Tickets
EVENT COMPILATION
Caitlin Kupiec
on Pride Weekend
ry Kra
mer
By Lar
v ie r
d By Ja
D ir e c t e
B u s t il l
os
when you mention
In the Loop
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Gerry Downs
Jeff Heras
Doug Weyand
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Travis McMaster
In The Loop’s circulation is 2,500.
Distribution is to more than 50 sites
in downtown Buffalo, Elmwood Village,
Allentown, college campuses, and online.
In The Loop is an independent publication
supported solely by advertising sales.
Views expressed herein are not
necessarily the views of the publisher.
Publication of any person or organization in
articles, advertising or listings in In The Loop
is not to be construed as any indication
of the sexual orientation of such persons
or members of such organizations.
SUBMISSION POLICY: In
The Loop publishes events
from all venues on Allen Street and the surrounding
blocks, as well as queer-friendly organizations in the
City of Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs. Submissions
are edited for spelling, grammar, style and space, and a
submission does not guarantee publication. To submit
events, email eventsintheloop@gmail.com. Deadline is
the 25th of every month, but early submissions are appreciated. If needed, event invitations on Facebook may be
considered as submissions. Advertising inquiries should
be sent to advertiseintheloop@gmail.com.
Final Performances
May 31st, Jun 1st & 7th at 8:00 p.m.
Jun 9th at 7:00 p.m.
Photography by Cheryl Gorski
119 Chippewa St.
(between Delaware and Elmwood)
Call 716.886.9239 to Reserve
www.buffalobua.org
Design by Nicholas Vitello
IN THE LOOP
JUNE 2013
PAGE 9
She’s got both genders down to a T
The first time Gerald Paul Downs,
Jr. heard his second-grade teacher
swear, he was eight years old.
Mrs. Lotempio was wearing a
pair of Espadrilles. He died for
the gorgeous wicker heels and
sexy rainbow-colored fabric that
spidered up her ankle and tied
off in an enticing bow.
“These goddamn shoes!”
exclaimed Mrs. Lotempio when
her trip down the stairs was less
than comfortable.
Those goddamn shoes, Gerald
thought, are fabulous! I want to
wear them.
And that was the birth of
Miss Gerry.
I am the
Ta-RANS-ula
of all spiders,
and I’m here to
get you unstuck.
I found my mother’s closet. She
had her own Espadrilles, a pair
of brown, faux-leather slip-ons,
and a pair of lilac purple satin
heels. They looked great, and I
felt great.
A few years into high school,
I got bold and started wearing
light foundation. I experimented
with my clothes and wore feminine Capri pants and women’s
T-shirts.
I was 18 the first time I purchased an outfit that all around
was something I wanted to
wear: girls’ denim shorts cuffed
at my thigh and a striped, graphic, knee-length top painted with
iridescent palm trees.
I finally felt comfortable in the
skin I was in.
It’s been 24 years now that I’ve
lived my life as a full-time trans
woman, and in that time I’ve
become the best of both worlds.
I’ve experienced the things that
both men and women think,
fear, love and desire.
You see, no matter who you
are, I’m just like you. And like me,
you are all just like spiders.
You spend your life weaving
your web, collecting the things
you want, and releasing the
things you don’t.
Even though you control
everything in your web — what
comes in and what goes out, including yourself — sometimes
you get tangled up. Stuck.
Well, I am the Ta-RANS-ula of
all spiders, and whether it’s with
family, friends or relationship
problems, I’m here to get you
unstuck.
So my little spiders, here’s the
three questions I find most of
your inquiring minds want to
ask me.
My answers are always truthful, honest and maybe even
a bit brass. So next month,
when I start answering the
questions you submit, you’ll
be aptly prepared for my
sharp tongue.
Send your questions to AskMissGerry@gmail.com.
“Ask Miss Gerry” is for entertainment purposes only, and is not meant to be
regarded as professional advice. If you need professional advice, get a shrink!
Photo Illustration/Brent Ricci
How can I tell is someone
is transgender? Is it OK to ask?
I’m not sure why you need to be able to tell,
but it’s usually not hard. Facial features, hands
and an Adam’s apple (or lack thereof) are the
biggest giveaways.
With many post-operative trans persons, you
can’t tell. It’s called “passing” and comes as a
huge weight off a transgender person’s shoulders, no matter how broad or narrow they are.
But mind your own business, Sherlock. It’s
not your God-given right to know. They’ll tell
you whenever, and if ever, they want.
Which bathroom do you use,
and do you pee standing up?
As a law-abiding trans woman I only use a
female bathroom when I know that those
around me accept me for what I am — a lady.
For trans persons like myself, it is against the law
to use a bathroom that is not designated for the
sex we were assigned at birth without a doctor’s
“permission slip.”
So unless I want to get cuffed (and maybe sometimes I do), that limits me to peeing with dignity
at gay and lesbian functions, where 90 percent of
guests use each other’s bathroom anyway.
And sweetie, a lady always sits when she
pees. It’s only appropriate.
What’s the difference between a
“good tranny”and a“bad tranny?”
Watch your tongue, before I bite it off. Tranny is as
dirty a word as faggot, and it better not be rolling off
your lips like it’s as natural as you are ignorant.
Those that are truly trying to pass always conduct
themselves with class, remaining true to their
gender identity’s look, demeanor and attitude.
But learning to pass takes time and experimentation. And at some point we’ve all
looked a hot mess.
That’s why a trans person never runs out of
Windex. The mirror at home never lies.
JUNE 2013
IN THE LOOP
PAGE 11
NIH stops administering 505 vaccine
MICHAEL RIZZO
After two years of research and
the participation of 115 volunteers from Buffalo and Rochester, the National Institutes of
Health halted further injections
of the 505 HIV-vaccine trial on
April 22 because it did not prove
to be effective.
The Rochester Victory Alliance,
a University of Rochester group
involved in HIV-vaccine research
since 1988, headed up the study
in Western New York as a member organization of the global
HIV Vaccine Trials Network.
The 505 vaccine showed promise during preliminary studies,
and researchers hoped to prove
that it could significantly reduce
HIV-infection, or at least reduce
the viral load in study participants who did become infected.
The vaccine had neither effect, according to a third-party
expert monitoring board who
reviewed sets of data collected
from participants who received
the vaccine and from those who
received a placebo.
“Results showed that the
chance that the study will show
a beneficial result is extremely
small, even if everyone involved
received all their injections,” said
Catherine Bunce, RVA clinic coordinator.
The data showed more new
HIV infections among participants who received the vaccine
than those who received the
placebo after the full vaccination series: 21 infections in the
placebo group, compared with
27 in the vaccine group.
The difference is not significant, according to the scientists
and statisticians at the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, meaning
that the number of infections
in each group is likely due to
chance. At this time, nothing
suggests that those who received the vaccine are now
Michael Rizzo/Executive Editor
RVA representatives held a cocktail reception at Just Vino on May 14 to say thank you
to volunteers and explain the next steps for all study participants.
Left to right: Michael Keefer, principal investigator;
Catherine Bunce, clinic coordinator; William Coughlin, research nurse.
more likely to contract HIV.
“It is important to realize that
this is not known with certainty,
and it is still very important to
avoid exposure to the virus,” RVA
officials told study volunteers in
an April 26 letter summarizing
the monitoring board’s findings.
“All participants should continue with study visits for HIV
testing and monitoring of their
well-being.”
A 46-year-old Buffalo gay man
who volunteered for the study
and received the 505 vaccine
said he feels confident he’s no
more likely to contract HIV now
due to his participation than he
was ever before.
“I’m definitely not concerned
that there’s going to be complications,” said John, who asked
his last name not be used. “I
haven’t noticed any ill effects
in the past two years, and even
the after-effects when I first received the injections were pretty innocuous. My arm was sore
for a day or two. That was it.”
During the next six to 12
months, researchers will be
analyzing data for reasons the
vaccine did not work, said Dr.
Michael Keefer, principal investigator at RVA who has specialized in infectious disease and
HIV-prevention research for 22
years.
One possibility could reveal itself to be the “insert,” Keefer said,
or the synthetic pieces of HIV to
which the vaccine makes a person’s body respond.
“It’s hard to know what the
correct mixture is,” he said. “The
insert may have been too narrow, meaning that the vaccines
were not directed at a broad
enough scope of HIV strains.”
The next frontier for HIV-prevention research seems to be
showing itself in microbisides,
or compounds applied inside
the vagina or rectum to block
HIV-transmission, Keefer said.
Preliminary studies in predominantly heterosexual communities in South Africa have shown
promise, and Keefer hopes RVA
can involve the gay community
if the study makes its way to the
United States.
“We’re committed to this
work,” he said. “We’re committed to this community. We’re
not going to disappear.”
IN THE LOOP
PAGE 12
JUNE 2013
OPINION
Taking back the rainbow: How religion destroyed the beauty of our community’s beloved icon
Once upon a time, angels fell from the
sky, took on human bodies and started
bedding all the women they could
find. A race of unrighteous giants was
spawned, and God got very angry.
He got so angry that he decided to
kill all but eight people in the world,
and he did it by flooding the earth
and letting them all drown — one of
the most desperate, painful ways for a
person to die.
He didn’t say he was sorry; he said
they deserved it. But he did promise
to never cause a flood again. As a
symbol of his promise, he magically
created the rainbow.
It’s often plagued me that people can
believe that something as beautiful as
the rainbow was born out of genocide
Can I ask that we
please take this
opportunity to
rewrite the rainbow’s
blasphemous legacy?
and then bequeathed to
unrighteous giants and make
humankind by an omniGod very angry, so that wasn’t
present deity with anger
an option. But abolishing my
management issues.
natural desires and inclinations
Although I am now an
proved completely impossible.
atheist, I was once one of
I became depressed,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a
distanced myself from friends
very good one at that.
and family, contemplated
I was knocking on doors
suicide more than once, and
at 4 years old, giving
ultimately stood back as I
five-minute talks from the
watched all the color fade
podium at age 6, leading
from my life.
MICHAEL RIZZO
the congregation in
Dark clouds rained a fury on
prayer at 12.
my mind more tumultuous
“Fear God, and give him glory, because
than whatever Noah had weathered,
the hour of his judgment has come.”
and the storm was rising. I was desIt’s one of the scriptures in Revperate. It was painful.
elation that my parents made me
So much for God’s promise. I guess
memorize to remind me that God is
he was just that angry with me. I
always watching and that one day,
guess he thought I deserved it.
the people of Earth will be held acAs the current tossed me around in
countable again, just not by a flood.
a myriad directions, it felt like a miraScary stuff.
cle when I realized that keeping my
It scared me so much that once I start- head above water was so much easier
ed puberty and realized my compass
if I used my arms to tread the waves,
only pointed true north when the same rather than reach out for God.
sex was in front of me, I lost my way.
Amid my epiphany, the heavens
The homosexual “lifestyle” would
parted, and with my mind’s eye I
put me in the same class as those
watched fire and brimstone turn into
sunshine — and rainbows.
I know a lot of people who have
found God and are happier because
of it. It’s helped them find purpose,
direction and strength at times when
they might otherwise feel hopeless.
That’s a good thing.
I also know a lot of people who have
found God and, in the interim, lost
their minds. That’s a bad thing.
To each their own, but can I ask
that we please take this opportunity
during Buffalo Pride Week to rewrite
the rainbow’s blasphemous legacy?
For me, it’s no coincidence that an
arc of color is now the icon that represents what I call my family — the
LGBT community.
Whenever I see that Technicolor
flag, I’m reminded that my compass
works just fine, and that whenever I
need them, I have beacons of safety
— places I can be fearless, where no
hour is one of judgment.
The rainbow is my promise to
myself that I will never let God drown
out my color again. What’s it to you?
Michael Rizzo is the executive editor.
IN THE LOOP is soliciting Letters to the Editor on timely topics that affect the LGBT community.
Letters should be sent to michaelrizzo.mbp@gmail.com.
IN THE LOOP
JUNE 2013
JUNE 2013
11
15
Great American Quiz Night @
Merge
Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. Show off those
smarts as teams of five compete
in four rounds of trivia: general
knowledge, sequence, performance
and video. Hosted by Scuzz and Trash
Boat. Cash prize for the winners. $5
per person to play.
12
Karaoke with Jim & John @
Underground
Wednesday, 7 p.m. The only happy
hour karaoke in gay Buffalo. Next
karaoke day: June 26.
Pure Ink Poetry Slam @ Merge
Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. Brandon
Williamson hosts an evening of poetry
competition for all ability levels. $5 entrance fee builds the pot for the winner
each month. Sign up early.
13
Movie Night @
Market Arcade Cinemas
Thursday, time varies based on
movie. Email the Buffalo Movie Club at
movingman@live.com to vote for the
movie. Join other members for dinner
before the show. Discount movie
passes available. Next Thursday-night
movie: June 27.
14
Spectrum @
Unitarian Universalist
Friday, 7 p.m. A monthly support
group for transgender persons. Email
...continued from Page 2
spectrumwny@yahoo.com for more
information.
Beers & Queers @
BUA Theater
Saturday, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Jesse Strash
presents a history of the Buffalo gay bar
scene. Free admission, refreshments,
historical map and discount drink
ticket to Underground Niteclub.
16
PFLAG @ Kenilworth United
Sunday, 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. Parents,
friends, and families of lesbians and
gays meet monthly for support, discussion and social events.
Softball Party @ Q
Sunday, 5 p.m. Come congratulate
your favorite Queen City Softball
League players on games well played,
and enjoy food and drink specials.
19
Vegan Meetup @ Merge
Wednesday, 6 p.m. Eliza Schneider
hosts a dinner party and informal
educational session about eating on a
vegan diet. WTF Wednesday @
Underground
Wednesday, 10 p.m. Tia Marie presents
an anything-goes drag production.
Shows at 10:30 p.m. and midnight.
20
PAGE 13
Transgeneration @ TBA
Thursday, 6 p.m. The group meets
monthly for discussion, friendship,
social activities and support, while
promoting the exploration of gender
in a positive and affirming environment. Visit www.PrideCenterWNY.org
for more information.
Litter Mob @ Fat Bob’s
Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Allentown
Landscape hosts a monthly “Clean
Up The Streets” event. Food at Fat
Bob’s after everyone gets back with
their trash. Prizes for Best Find and
Most Trash.
21
Ambush # 10 @ TBA
23
Full Moon Party @
Cathode Ray
25
Stonewall Democrats @
El Museo
28
Radiation @ Underground
Friday, 5:30 p.m. The ladies take
over a different straight bar every third
Friday for this lesbian-geared, but
inclusive, happy hour event.
Sunday, all day. Howl at the full moon
with happy hour prices all day and night.
Tuesday, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. A monthly
meeting for LGBT democrats interested
in creating change in WNY politics.
Friday, 11 p.m. Special guest DJ
spins the hippest tracks all night long
with dancing and rotating drink specials to quench the thirst.
WEDNESDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: All-day Happy Hour.
4 p.m. @ Troop I: Happy Hour: 2-4-1 well/
domestic until 7 p.m.
5 p.m. @ Fugazi: Pitcher This: $5 personal
pitchers of specialty drinks. $6 Long Islands.
10 p.m. @ Roxy’s: Karaoke with TJ: singers
get a free shot with each performance.
THURSDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Happy hour
prices until 8:30 p.m.
3 p.m. @ Q: Customer Appreciation: $2
well/Canadian beer all day.
8 p.m. @ Funky Monkey: Therapy
Thursdays: $1.50 bar brands and local
beers until 2 a.m.
8:30 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Big Ass Drink
Night II: $6.50 mason jars of specialty drinks.
9 p.m. @ Fugazi: Get Your Drink On: $1.50
well/domestic; $3 cosmos.
10 p.m. @ Club Marcella: Next Drag
Superstar: $2.75 well/domestic; $2 with
college ID; $3 >21; $5 <21.
11 p.m. @ Roxy’s: Stripteasers Burlesque: $3.
FRIDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: All-day Happy Hour.
5 p.m. @ Underground: T.G.I.F.F.: Drink
specials and guest drag performances.
Hostess Chevon Davis is back!
9 p.m. @ Funky Monkey: Fishbowl Fridays:
$5 fishbowls of specialty drinks, $1 off
everything else; $2 shot specials after 12 a.m.
10 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Big Ass Drinks,
chip redemption; $4.25 select shots specials.
10 p.m. @ Club Marcella: Life’s A Drag:
Shows at 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. DJ Charles
Masters. >21: free before midnight; $4
>21; $7 <21.
10 p.m. @ Roxy’s: DJ Eva.
SATURDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Happy hour
prices until 8:30 p.m.
6 p.m. @ DBGB: Groove in the Grove: Live
jazz/funk until 9 p.m., then live music and DJs.
8:30 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: Redemption
Night: Drink chips accepted all night.
9 p.m. @ Funky Monkey: Allen Street
Dance Party: $1 off everything; $2 shot
specials after 12 a.m.
10 p.m. @ Club Marcella: Salvation: Hot
Underwear Contest at midnight. >21: free
admission before midnight; $5 >21; $10 <21.
10 p.m. @ Roxy’s: DJ Charles Masters.
SUNDAYS
1 p.m. @ Cathode Ray: All-day Happy
Hour. Free drink for uniformed QCSL
players until 6 p.m.
5 p.m. @ Fugazi: Bucket Bliss: $10 buckets
of any domestic beer.
5 p.m. @ Funky Monkey: $3.50 well/local
beer, Bloody Mary’s and mimosas until close.
7 p.m. @ Funky Monkey: Karaoke with
DJ Ryan.
BUFFALO PRIDE WEEK 2013
May 28
June 1
June 2
Tuesday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. After Pride Week
commences with the Flag Raising Ceremony
at Niagara Square in front of City Hall, stop
by 224 Allen St., MyBuffaloPride and In The
Loop’s new digs. It’s the first time the storefront doors will be open to the public. Light
refreshments available.
Saturday, 1 p.m. – close. Celebrate Pride
with Pabst Blue Ribbon Pounders (16 oz)
now only $2.75 every day.
Sunday, 3 p.m. - close. Retro dance party
with DJ Bill Strach. $3.50 Bloody Mary’s, mimosas, bar brands and local beers. Karaoke
with DJ Ryan starts at 7 p.m.
Open House @ Space 224
May 30
5K Run Reception @ Funky Monkey
Thursday, 8 p.m. A post-run celebration
after the Gay 5K, with $1.50 bar brands and
local beers.
May 31
Pride Weekend Kickoff @
Underground
PBR Party @ Cathode Ray
Open House @ Space 224
Saturday, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Stop by MyBuffaloPride and In The Loop’s new storefront
at 224 Allen St. before the Dyke March
steps off, watch the march with us from the
front stoop, or check out the space before
you head to the Allen Street Festival. Light
refreshments available.
Street Fest Fun @ Funky Monkey
Saturday, 5 p.m. Party indoors and out with
fun drink and shot specials, contests and
prizes.
Absolut Vodka Party @ Q
Saturday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Free shots, giveaways and drink specials. Second chance at
the fun from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday, 5 p.m. The gayest T.G.I.F.F. happy
hour of the year. Balloons, confetti, glitter
and everything gay. R&R Barbeque food
truck on site. Drag shows at 7:30 p.m. and
9:30 p.m.
Dyke Tracy @ Nietzsche’s
Back Lot Bash Buffalo, Pt. 1 @ Roxy’s
Back Lot Bash Buffalo, Pt. 2 @
Towne Ballroom
Friday, 9 p.m. Special guest Whitney Mixter
from Showtime’s “The Real L Word.” VIP ticket includes artist meet and greet. Special
guests include Uh Huh Her, Alison Pipitone
and Pamela Ryder, DJ Eva, The Stripteasers,
and special guest bartender Amie Zinzola.
$12, at-the door.
“The A List” Pride Kickoff @ Ohm
Friday, 11 p.m. A red-carpet, dress-toimpress affair hosted by Waki, with cash
prizes and surprise special performances.
Photographer and videographer on site.
Saturday, 9 p.m. The Stripteasers celebrate
Pride alongside local bands Irving Claws,
Old Light, and Randle and the Late Night
Scandals. $6.
Post-Parade T-Dance @ Funky Monkey
Post Pride Cookout @ Q
Sunday, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Stop in for some
food, drinks and a Svedka vodka party with
shot specials.
After Canalside Party @ Cathode Ray
Sunday, 7 p.m. – close. Head back from the
Pride Festival and enjoy $3 well and local
beers all night.
After Pride @ Underground
Sunday, 7 p.m. All-night DJ starting at 6
p.m. with a drag show at 7 p.m. hosted by
Melody Michaels and Chevon Davis.
June 3
Pride Spangled Happy Hour @
Cathode Ray
Monday, 1 p.m. Beloved bartender John
Spangler joins the bar’s happy hour crew
with shot specials and happy-hour prices
all day.
Saturday, 9 p.m. Uh Huh Her performs with
special guest appearance DJ set. VIP ticket
includes artist meet and greet. $20, at-thedoor.
First Saturday @ Ohm
Saturday, 10 p.m. In addition to Ladies
Night, it’s the Allen Street Festival after party with drink specials and DJ all night long.
For information on Pride Center of WNY sponsored festivities, visit www.BuffaloPrideFestival.com, and see the ad on Pages 7 and 8.