“It took me a long time to accept myself as a woman. I thought that I was the only one that was different and instinctively knew not to talk about it.” - Del Martin

Del Martin had waited fifty-five long years for this moment but on the landmark date of June 16th 2008 her long-term partner Phyllis Lyon slipped a ring on to her finger. Phyllis was 83 and Del was 87. It was their second wedding but their first to be recognised by law. Couples were getting married all over the state of California that day after the Supreme Court decided to legalize same-sex marriage. It was a far cry from Del’s youth and her struggle for lesbian rights and recognition.

Del Martin (Dorothy L. Taliaferro) was born in San Francisco on the 5th of May 1921. A daughter, Kendra Mon, was the fruit of a brief marriage to James Martin. Del met Phyliss in 1950 in Seattle and they moved in together three years later on St. Valentine’s Day. They founded The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) in 1955, the first lesbian rights organisation in the United States. It existed as an alternative to gay and lesbian bars and provided a safe place for women to meet, feel safer about coming out and be educated about their rights. It ran for 14 years. During this time, the couple edited the monthly newsletter The Ladder which was the primary voice of DOB.

They set up The Alice B. Toklas Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club in 1972, the first gay political club in the country. Del was also responsible for setting up Old Lesbians Organizing for Change.

Del became the first out lesbian to join the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest feminist organisation in the US. She wrote three books; Lesbian/Woman with Phyllis, Lesbian Love and Liberation and also Battered Woman which dealt with domestic violence.

Just three months after her wedding day Del Martin passed away with Phyllis by her side. The man who married the couple, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom paid tribute by saying, “Del laid the groundwork for all those who want a life of dignity, and we are forever in her debt. The greatest way we can honor the life work of Del Martin, is to continue to fight and never give up, until we have achieved equality for all.”

Del Martin was a woman dedicated to the cause, a true inspiration. A woman who stood up and took action. Her hard work and determination ensured that she got the chance to legally wed her lifelong partner on the 16th of June 2008. We should all remember Del Martin as a woman that led the way and paved the path for our generation. We still have a long way to go but if we look at what this woman achieved in 50 years we know we all can make a difference.

Del Martin (Dorothy L. Taliaferro)
May 5th 1921 - August 27th 2008

Links
edition.cnn.com article
www.gay.com article
www.edgeboston.com article
A Documentary -
No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon

26 Douglas St, Cork

Now that I’ve managed to hit middle age at a grand old 22, I have begun to yearn for the nostalgic days of the Cork gay scene, when the perfect night out involved guzzling alcopops in Loafers followed by a sprint to The Other Place club to get in before 11 o clock for free. Loafers provided a safe, welcoming place for me to come out, get drunk and make a tit out of myself aged 18. Friendships were formed, girls were flirted with, girls were gently let down, girls were not so gently let down, drinks were spilled, dances were danced, and everyone had their asses burned against the electric fire. With this in mind, I’ve decided to share the wonder of the homely comfort of Loafers and its inviting charm.

Firmly ensconced in an area affectionately known as “Lesboville” by those in the know, Loafers is a quaint local bar, which happens to be populated by gays. Its simple, cosy decor conjures the feeling of being in a local bar in a quiet town, and while generally frequented by an older, more lesbian crowd than the quasi nightclub Instinct, Loafers has proven itself to be both the perfect place for a quiet get together with old friends as well as a the ideal launch pad for a wild night. The pool table, with its efficient blackboard system of queuing (presumably to prevent some sort of Lesbopocalypse, should an upstart baby dyke attempt to skip the queue) offers up some of those genuinely hilarious drunken moments of pool bravado which lesbians are so prone to. The staff, to their credit, are friendly and approachable, with the real feeling of community and familiarity acting like an old pair of comfy pants on a Sunday night. As someone who doesn’t drink beer I can’t give a firsthand account of the quality of the pints, but I’ve been told they’re fairly mighty, and the prices are standard for Cork, with drink deals available on certain products and on certain evenings (see the bar’s Bebo for details). The beer garden provides a welcome breath of fresh air, or smoky air, depending on your perspective, and its welcoming benches and heat lamps allow for the enjoyment of year round outdoor drinking. If there was to be any criticisms of Loafers, it is that on occasion the feeling of community in the bar can make a newcomer feel like an outsider to the whole thing, but to be fair, that is hardly the fault of the owner or the staff, with manager Rena always doing her best to be a friendly face behind the bar and amongst the customers. Also, the music sometimes tends to wander from the homely to the downright erratic, with pumping dance remixes jarring somewhat with the cosy fire and couches in the corner.

Loafers has been the site of many great conversations and shenanigans during my formative years as a young wee baby dyke, and I’m happy to recommend it to anyone who’d like a nice quiet pint of a night, or as a starter before they move on to crazier venues.

021-497 5529

e-mail: loafers.cork@gmail.com

Bebo: www.bebo.com/loaferscork

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday: 5pm to close.

Saturday and Sunday: 2pm to close.

I have combed through the TV listings to seek out anything which may help you get through the working week. Pickings are slim, but don’t blame the messenger! If I’ve missed something please let me know.

Monday

She’s the Man: Recent teen movie which has a young queer cult-following. The always-charming Amanda Bynes plays Viola, a girl who dresses as a guy and then falls in love with some poor, unsuspecting bloke. Not hugely intellegent but enjoyably gender-bending stuff. Sky Movie Family at 8pm

The Rose of Tralee: Don’t roll your eyes at me missy! This is serious Irish culture with lovely girls who really want to change the world with their beauty and ability to jig and reel. Seriously good craic if you get the your mates round, get them to buy a Rose each and the winner gets the proceeds. Alcohol required. Concludes on Tuesday. RTE 1 at 8pm

Practical Magic: Pants film about a family of witches, but Dianne Wiest is always worth watching. UTV at 11.30pm

Boys Don’t Cry: If you haven’t seen this heart-breaking account of the last days of Brandon Teena, here’s your chance before they take your queer-card back. Hilary Swank is charmingly charasmatic as Brandon. Sky Movies Drama at 12 midnight.

Tuesday

International Velvet: Star-studded remake of the Elizabeth Taylor classic, this is one of those movies lesbians realise we all loved as kids. Horses, jodhpurs and strong teenager girls - dunno why we loved it. RTE2 at 9am

The Good Shepherd: Slow-moving, heavy-handed tale of the beginning of the CIA in America. Matt Damon is badly miscast in the main role but the sapphic interest here is Miss Angelina. Yumm! She’s not in it enough, but when she is radiates. As usual. Sky Movie Drama at 5.10pm

GAA Beo: Highlights of the Ladies’ Football championships quarter-finals. If you missed the matches on Saturday, set your timer and catch up. TG4 at 1am.

Wednesday

Maverick: Fun-filled cowboy comedy with a fluffy and slightly embarrassing performance by Jodie Foster. Sky Movies Comedy at 1.55pm

Nina’s Heavenly Delights: Feel-good comedy about a (gorgeous) Scottsh woman coming to terms with her Indian heritage, and picking a girlfriend up on the way. Sky Movies Indie at 6.40pm

Gone in 60 Second: Look who it is! Angelina, what a co-incidence…what are you doing here? Looking sexy as all hell as she smoulders as she drives cars nearly as sexy as she is. Put the popcorn on. RET1 9.35pm

Transamerica: Wonderful, warm, inciteful little indie fave, with Felicity Hoffman perfect as a trans woman on a road trip in America. One not to be missed. Film4 at 9pm.

The L Word: Season 3 re-showing of the show we love to bitch about, while completely hooked. Channel 6 at 11.30pm

Amelie: Lesbian favourite, of not for the fairytale plot, then the soundtrack. RTE2 at 1.05am

Thursday

A Girl Thing: Film starring more fantastic actresses than is usually allowed in Hollywood. The wonderful goddess that is Stockard Channing plays a therapist who we watch interact with her patients, two of whom are a lesbian couple played by Kate Capshaw and Elle McPherson. TV3 at 12.10am

Friday

Nothing. Seriously, I scoured the paper and zilch. Go out with your mates, visit your granny, do the ironing - just don’t bother with the TV

It’s difficult to describe the plot but stick with me. Nan and Grace are actresses in a play about Countess Markievicz, in the parts of the countess’s sister, Eva Gore-Booth and Eva’s lover, Esther Roper. The director, who also plays the countess is Katherine, Grace’s lover.

As the three run through the pages of Katherine’s play, questions are raised about things as trivial as sound effects and as profound as the nature of herosim, the importance of lesbians in history and who, ultimately, is the rebel - someone who wears khaki and gets put in prison, or the person behind the scenes who writes to officials, fights for the rights for the fogotten and works tirelessly for the hopeless?

The three actresses are excellent, comfortable in their roles and aware of exactly what the play is doing. Gina Costigan, as Grace, stood out for me. At the start she seems the weakest but grows throughout the piece, becoming more confident and allowing herself more of a voice. Clever, as this is exactly what her character is about - as Eva, she is under the shadow of the sister she loves and, as Grace, she is over-shone by Katherine. It’s with the help and encouragement of Nan that she steps into her own, which mirrors Eva exactly. Away from her sister Eva was a force to be reckoned with, a worker for social justice, a writer of plays and poetry and a voice listen to by those around her.

The direction of The Countess and the Lesbians is good too. If the plot seems colvoluted as you read this, it’s directed with an ease and fluidity which makes it a pleasure. The only thing that rankled for me was the intro - a video piece to get us to know that this is a play with a play. It was good, and I can even forgive the tATu song, it just went on too long. However, once that was over things got better and better.

The Countess and the Lesbians is a fascinating deconstruction of a time of Irish heroism, posing questions you’ll be talking about for days afterwards.

Lesbians we love and well…..those other ones

Frisky: The Sophisticate Usually an artist or academic, this well-read member of the intelligencia is socially conscious without smelling like patchouli. An important public person, she’s a wise, loving role model.
Irish: Closet case who is convinced she’s trying to “change things from within”. Wears sharply-cut suits, has perfectly sculpted (yet short) fingernails. Lives in Syth Cynty Dablin.

Frisky: The Tomboy She’s strong enough for a man, but made for a women. This gal wouldn’t be caught dead in a skirt! Naturally chivalrous, her attitude and outfit often make people question her gender.
Irish: She seems to be a pretty universal character. Can seem scary on the outside but is as soft and gentle as her deodorant.

Frisky: The LUG (Lesbian Until Graduation) Maybe she’s stuck in an all-girls’ dorm, maybe she’s just experimenting because she’s at a small private college, but no matter what the impulse is, she’s just learning. Example: The kiddie you see just kissing another girl in a bar for 30 minutes straight without trying to slide into 2nd base.
Irish: The GAA girl. Communal showers, team spirit and hard work are what gets this girl’s sliotar sliding. She kisses grils, has a girlfriend and has even had to leave a team coz she broke up with the manager, but she’s not gay, she’s GAA.

Frisky: The Lipstick Lesbian This girlie-girl is so girlie she likes girls. She isn’t afraid of attention and follows trends to a tee. Being a lesbian doesn’t make her look or feel like an outsider. She’s comfortable being her feminine self and that is why she is the dream girl male lesbian fantasies are made of.
Irish: The actress/performer/wearer of pink. OK, she may fill a sterotype loved by men but hey! that’s not her fault. She’s gorgeous, loving and makes us look good. If there were poster-lesbians, we’d be pushing her to the front of the queue.

Frisky: The Mama Smart and nurturing, she is ruled by her maternal instinct. Like a mother hen, she often spends her career caring for and teaching children. Example: That retired nun who taught you math or Rosie O’Donnell
Irish: The foster mother. Not only do her and her partner foster 5 kids but their house is a menagerie of saved dogs and cats. Just as well they live in Laois/Westmeath/Offaly/Carlow and have a huge garden (in which they grow the most delicious tomatoes and green beans).

Frisky: The Hippie Homo Loves everyone and everything…except razors.  Most of her music collection is jam bands and her favorite concert of all time was Ani DiFranco live, although the defunct Lillith Fair is a close second. She’s political, she’s spiritual, she’s au natural. Example: Bitch of “Bitch & The Exciting Conclusion”
Irish: The babydyke. She’s just moved aware to college and discovered WERRC. Suddenly everything is like totally an extension of like feminism and y’know music is the language of the people.

Frisky: The Attention Whore Why does she do the women she does? For attention. This crazy bitch likes women because she likes anyone she can perform for. Popular in the celeb realm, the audience can get a bit out of hand once the paps start flashing. Example: Paris Hilton and Aubrey O’Day
Irish: She seems to be a universal scourge on the gay scene this one. Oh wow look at you, in the George/Dragon kissing a female. Imagine. That really makes you look interesting and different.

Frisky: The Topper Powerful, professional, and aggressive tops like to dominate all areas of their lives. They’re stylish and clever, always sealing a deal. Example: Bette Porter from The L Word.
Irish: The political lesbian. In her 40s/50s and doesn’t understand how young women can take their rights for granted. Most likely to say things like “Don’t you know how I fought/worked?”, “You mean you haven’t read my book?”. Won’t talk to anyone who doesn’t have a PhD.

Frisky: The DL Lesbian Although she’s gay all the way, she disguises her sexual orientation by claiming it’s merely an interest in rap culture.  But let’s face it, baggy pants are still pretty revealing. Too bad those clothes are the only things coming out of the closet. Example: Missy Elliot, Jodie Foster, and Queen Latifah (we think)

Irish: Young woman who is so hip it can scare us older ladies. Wearer of jeans which seem to defy gravity, says things like “Aiiight” and “s’all good”. Usually from Tallaght or d’northsoide.

Should Frisky want me to remove this, no problem. Just let me know. No infringement is intended.

The blogs and gay message boards have been buzzing with talk about Brian McFadden’s recent comments on a New Zealand radio show about the colour pink, and more specifically, its fraught relationship with heterosexuality. Of course, Brian being a fool with an overinflated sense of himself, decided that now was the perfect time to unleash his homophobia and say the following:

“If you are not gay, a man should not be wearing pink. Saying pink is a form of red is the same as saying homosexual is a form of male.”

(Source:http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/mcfadden%20outrages%20gay%20radio%20listeners_1077687

Also, listen to the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybuPGyx3kPE for the full effect.

What does that even mean? Is he just bit of a thick and completely misarticulated his very basic thoughts? Has he just completed some new groundbreaking research in a lab in his garden shed, and between strumming on his guitar and belting out some ballads he has discovered that gays are actually a type of genderless wood elf? What’s going on Brian?

You know what Brian, you’re cruising for a Slayer shaped boot to the face. The outcry about this has been minimal on our side of the pond, perhaps reflective more of Brian’s rather sickly star status than an apathy towards homophobia. You do have to wonder however, if his comments were a slur upon another minority, would the outcry be much louder?

And I have to wonder in all of this, what does Mark, his former Westlife bandmate and out gay man has to think about this. I’d like to think he rang Brian up and gave him a bollocking, or at least a “what the hell are you talking about??”. I’m sure however, if this is the way Brian carries on, that they’re not talking, but for a multitude of reasons. Bad form Brian. You absolute tosser.

Oh, and what’s this I see? Brian, a full blooded male, wearing pink? Hypocritical, homophobic TOSSER.

Any queer woman could be forgiven for thinking that no gay women existed in the years between Sappho (bi) and kd lang (dyke). It may surprise you to hear that lesbians not only lived but were socially and politically active throughout the intervening years.

This is something playwright Carolyn Gage takes seriously, very seriously. On a visit to Dublin a couple of years ago, she did the tour of Kilmainham and was horrified that, when, upon arriving at the cell of 1916 rebel Countess Markiewicz, her role in the Rising was virtually ignored. Being a woman of action, Gage did some research.

“She couldn’t believe it,” recalls director Sheila O’Reilly. “Instead the only woman they concentrated on (Grace Gifford) was pregnant and married her lover (Joseph Plunkett) the night before he was shot. So, in true style, she went investigating convinced there had to be a lesbian in there somewhere, as there always is, and found Eva Gore-Booth her sister who was active in the Rising too but not as far on the front lines as Countess Markiewicz. The reault is the play The Countess and the Lesbians.”

Chatting to Sheila and actress Gina Costigan on a pretty miserable Sunday afternoon, it’s obvious the two are as passionate about queer visablity and the derth of good female roles in Irish theatre. I have to keep reminding myself that this is an interview and not a fascinating chat with friends. It’s difficult though, as they are warm and engaging. Something which can also be said of the play.

Says Sheila, “The Countess and the Lesbians is a classic play within a play. The play within is a historical documentary, about Countess Markiewicz and her sisters. In classic tradition, the play without becomes a love triangle. It’s an analogy between the struggle of Ireland against England and the struggles between lovers, that realisation of power and responsibility.”

“There is some mirroring between the director/writer and Countess Markiewicz and then her lover plays Eva Gore-Booth,” adds Gina.

“If Countess Markiewicz is sometimes overlooked, Eva is completely ignored in history. Before we did the play I had never heard of Eva Gore-Booth, but these women, these lesbians are part of our history and I think that the full houses prove that people are willing to re-educate themselves”.

This re-education by film-goers, theatre-goers, readers and everyone in between is vital for the queer community.

” Everybody needs role models and images which reflect ourselves, not just in history but on stage, in films, in book,” says Sheila.

“You need to see that you’re not the only one and that you are as vital as anyone else. Otherwise you can believe that you’re not as worthy a part of society as others and that your voice isn’t as relevant as everyone else.

“In Dublin at the moment, you have African plays, plays written by and about Travellers – plays about people who would otherwise be unseen by many or can be seen in a bad light. It’s important for those voices to be heard and those stories told”.

“Even if you look at the Gay theatre Festival,” agrees Gina. “It has grown every year and we were sold out every night, so it shows how hungry people are for representations of themselves. The thirst is there for knowledge”.

Having staged The Countess and the Lesbians at The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival to huge acclaim (the festival even re-named their Best Actress Award, the Eva Gore-Booth Award), the crew are getting the chance to perform again in Liberty Hall this weekend.

“When we met first about putting on the play, our main focus was to put on something really good,” says Sheila.

“We wanted to set the bar really high, be as professional as possible with the production. People deserve that. However, anyone who puts on a play, looks at it and thinks “maybe we could’ve done that,” or “I’d love to do it again,” and we’re getting that chance.

“We went back via email to Caroline and she edited the piece and done a re-write. It’s much tighter now. The characters are much better rounded. I have to say, it’s very exciting for everyone involved from on stage to back stage”.

“We’re staging it in a larger theatre and on a larger stage and it’s amazing how much it changes the play,” agrees Gina.

“Obviously it’s the same play but the characters can breathe more in the larger space. It’s been a really great opportunity to go back to something and look at it all over again”.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for queer woman to breathe life into real people who lived in a time we only read about from a Catholic male perspective. Take the first step in re-possessing your heritage - go see The Countess and the Leabians.

Links (open in new window):

Eva Gore-Booth

Carolyn Gage

Last Sunday I went to see this production and wasn’t disappointed. It was just as moving as the first one I’d seen and again I can’t stop singing it’s praises to anyone who will listen. The theatre itself is very small but I found that lent itself to the intimacy of the story. The actors were amazing and kept the audience riveted to the spot. We all laughed and cried as the narrative was unfolding before us.

The drama itself is based on a character called Max who is sent to Dachau in the 1930’s. He is willing to do anything to stay alive and so finds a way to be given a Star of David rather than a pink triangle as he is told this will put him in a better position within the camp.

While there he meets Horst, a gay man who proudly wears his pink triangle and can not understand Max’s refusal to do so. The interaction between Max and Horst is the backbone of the piece and it is so brilliantly woven that you can not help but be drawn into it.

Max is transformed from someone who thinks he can scheme his way out of anything into someone who realises the importance of caring for another human being.

When this play was written, in 1979, there was little or no historical research into the persecution of homosexuals by the Third Reich. I would imagine that the success of this moving piece of historical drama had a positive affect on educating the world to the plight of gays in Nazi Germany.

I can not rate this production highly enough and would encourage anyone and everyone to see it whenever they get a chance.

“I think that society is far too close-minded in terms of pushing kids into thinking that one sexual preference is all that’s allowed in this society.“ - Jess Origliasso

A singing and songwriting duo made up of twin sisters. No, not Tegan and Sara but Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, together known as The Veronicas. (Their name comes from Archie Comics character Veronica Lodge.) The girls grew up in Brisbane, Australia and say that they dislike being called a pop duo.”We like being called a band or group. We don’t want to be a pop duo group with two girls singing about relationships, we have everything that a rock band would have, so we are a band”. Ok, so…pop band it is.

The girls have 18 years of performing experience behind them (yes, they began performing as 5 year olds) and are currently promoting the upcoming release of their new studio album “Hook Me Up“. The music itself is very beat-driven with a lot of elctronic and synth elements as a backdrop to killer hooks and impressive lyrics. Their songwriting partners include the likes of Billy Steinberg (Madonna), Clif Magness (Avril Lavigne) and Rick Nowels (Dido) while producer Max Martin (Britney) also collaborated with them. (Faux lesbian duo Tatu released All About Us which was originally a track written by The Veronicas along with Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander.) There is a slight lesbian element to their lyrics and it seems that Jess is currently dating MTV’s Ruby Rose but neither of the pair have confirmed their relationship even though they’ve been spotted canoodling in club corners and holding hands in public. Looks like it’s just a matter of time, watch this space.

Watch the video for Take Me On The Floor.

Interview with Jess: http://www.ripitup.com.au/interviews/5670

Official Site: http://www.theveronicas.com/

]]> http://www.gaelick.com/2008/08/the-veronicas/feed/ http://www.gaelick.com/2008/08/ellen-and-portia-tie-the-knot/ http://www.gaelick.com/2008/08/ellen-and-portia-tie-the-knot/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:04:17 +0000 Bear http://www.gaelick.com/?p=679

Mazel tov to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, who got hitched over the weekend, and thanks to the recent California Supreme Court ruling that same sex couples have the right to wed, it was all nice and legal to boot.  The private ceremony took place at their home in Los Angeles with a small guest list, but with cameras present we can be sure that some highlights will feature soon, most likely on Ellen’s multi-award winning daytime talk show.  There are a few fuzzy photos out already, looks like someone might have been poking the lens through a hedge somewhere, I can report that they both wore white, and… that’s about it!  Ah, it’s not that important, there was a dress and a pants suit, you can probably guess who wore what…

Both the engagement and the upcoming nuptials have been discussed on Ellen’s show, which is a refreshing change from all those years ago when the coming out of her character on her sitcom (Ellen) allegedly led to the show being cancelled by network ABC not long afterwards.  As of today, the interweb does not seem abuzz with the news, I’m sure that Fox News will have something to say about it, but then it wouldn’t be any kind of fun if they didn’t object.  I know this is not a review, but still, I’m very happy, so Gaelick gives Ellen and Portia (DeGeneresdeRossi?) five big gay stars.  Congratulations!