QTalk Fundraiser at FilmBar
I wrote about the fundraiser event on my blog earlier this month, but this new article on the Downtown Phoenix Journal website explains the origins of QTalk Arizona as well as gives info about the fundraiser.
Come out tonight at 10 p.m to FilmBar or Sunday at 4 p.m. to see You Should Meet My Son and help raise money for Aunt Rita’s Foundation.
Dinner with a Polygamist
Some people asked for the text of the essay I wrote and read on the Mormon Expression podcast. So here it is.
I’m pro-polygamy.
Reactions vary when this comes up in conversation, but overall, I think I’m in the minority.
Regarding my beliefs about polygamy a friend once told me, “you only think that way because you’re a man.” But that’s not why. The reason is because I support the rights of consenting adults to form and maintain their own relationships however they chose to define them.
I didn’t always think like this. While growing up in the mainstream Mormon church polygamy was just a quaint 19th century institution practiced by a few people under very specific circumstances. I learned later this was simply not true but learning about the alternative-lifestyle proclivities of early church leaders didn’t upset me.
Being from Utah my family line had multiple polygamists, but we talked about polygamy in the abstract, an idea that works in theory, like Communism, or a Chevy. Read more 
“You Should Meet My Son” at FilmBar
QTalk Arizona in partnership with ‘N Touch Magazine is bringing You Should Meet My Son, a fish out of water comedy, to FilmBar on September 23 and September 25.
A few months ago, Keith Hartman, the writer and director of You Should Meet My Son emailed me and asked if QTalk Arizona could help bring the film to Phoenix. It had debuted at LGBT film festivals and won Best Feature in Ontario, the Best Men’s Feature in North Carolina, and the Best Domestic Feature in Memphis, but hadn’t yet been shown in Phoenix. Read more
Dr. Dina Evan on The QTalk Arizona Network
Author, columnist, and marriage counselor Dr. Dina Evan has joined QTalk Arizona with a new weekly show, The Dr. Dina Hour, about relationships, marriage, and family. She is bringing her years of experience and adding her voice to the LGBT dialogue in Phoenix and Arizona with this new podcast.
You can learn more about her on her website.
On this first episode, she discusses feeling disconnected in our community. Read more
“You Should Meet My Son” to Screen at FilmBar
A few months ago I received an email from Keith Hartman, the writer and director of an award winning film called “You Should Meet My Son”, a comedy about a conservative Southern mother who is horrified to learn that her son is gay. But as a loving, devoted mother she knows she doesn’t want her son to go through life alone and decides to find him a husband, so she and her elderly sister embark into the unknown world of gay Birmingham.
I pulled some strings and QTalk Arizona with N’Touch Magazine are bringing the film to Phoenix! The film will screen at FilmBar (the only true indie theater in this entire city, and a fine establishment if I do say so myself.) Read more
The Rainbow Connection
In 1981 my mother was a newlywed and expecting her first child (me) so as a ward Homemaking activity, my mom along with some other women from the ward “done a quilt” (as my Utah grandmother would say).
Young newlyweds are often poor and my parents were no exception. When my mom went to the fabric store she bought the cheapest fabric she could for the quilt: a few yards of bright yellow, orange, red, blue and green. She liked the bright colors and sewed strips of fabric into a rainbow quilt. Read more
My Interview on Mormon Stories
My parents and I were interviewed by Natasha Helfer Parker for the Mormon Stories podcast. I was glad that both my parents were willing to be interviewed as well and share their experience as parents and as Mormons when their only son (me) came out of the closet. You can listen to the podcast on the website of download it in iTunes.
My coming out story isn’t a horror story. My worst nightmare turned out to not be so bad and I have my parents and family to thank for their unconditional love and support. I understand that my experience is the exception, and this breaks my heart. My story is one of unconditional love and it is my hope that I can carry that message throughout my life.
To all the young, gay (Mormon or otherwise) men and women who may be reading this: remember how special you are. You are beautiful and perfect.
Caleb Laieski on QTalk Arizona
Caleb Laieski is only 16 but he has accomplished a lot in the past few years: from founding his own organization, to helping change policies in his former school district to protect LGBT youth from bullying, from making national headlines, to being the Youth Grand Marshal at the Phoenix Pride celebration, to attending a conference at the White House, to lobbying on the Hill, and even meeting the President and Vice-President of the United States.
The most exciting thing I did my sophomore year of high school was build a float for Homecoming and make friends with the Goth kids. Read more
Republicans and Marriage Equality
One of the most important lessons I think we can learn from the passage of same-sex marriage in New York this past weekend is this: equality knows no party affiliation. This law was passed by a Republican controlled Senate. Read more
REVIEW: Men Who Love Men
This post is part of an ongoing LGBT Reading Challenge that I’m participating in this year. I’m a little behind in my reading, but will try to catch up. My first review for a book called Gay Bar is posted here.
Part of this reading challenge is to explore LGBT fiction. Admittedly, I haven’t read very much of this particular genera so I don’t have much to compare the novel Men who Love Men to, but I hope that LGBT fiction gets better than this.
Men Who Love Men is the third installment in a series of which I have not read the previous two novels. But that didn’t make reading the third book confusing. I want to say up front that I didn’t think the writing was terrible, I was entertained and engaged as the pages turned. Some of the imagery towards the end I thought was quite chilling and vivid. I can still see the images my mind conjured up after reading a particular chapter and I remember how I felt when I read it. That’s a good thing. The characters seemed real enough, not too flat for my taste, but no one I really related to or would want to be friends with. Read more
Review: Salt Lake Pride 2011
Since 2006 I’ve been saying, “I want to go to Salt Lake Pride.” And since 2006 I’ve never been able to go. That is until this year!
I can sum the experience up in one sentence: Salt Lake Pride knows how to party. Read more
Lydia Nibley, Director of “Two Spirits” on qTalk Arizona
Joe and I had the pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Lydia Nibley about her power film, “Two Spirits.”
From the website, “Two Spirits interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss with a revealing look at a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.” The film tells the story of Fred Martinez, a 16 year old Navajo boy who brutally murdered because of his identity and gender expression. Listen to Lydia as we talk about this important film, Navajo culture, and LGBT issues regarding hate and discrimination. The interview is posted on the qTalk Arizona website and is on iTunes.
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“Two Spirits” has won numerous awards at various film festivals around the world. The film can be seen nationally on Tuesday, June 14th (check local listings for airtime) and will also be shown in Downtown Phoenix at Civic Space Park at 5:30pm on Saturday, June 11th.
“Two Spirits” is a remarkable film and I highly recommend that you don’t miss it on PBS. In Phoenix the listing shows that it begins at 10 pm. Be home at 10 pm on June 14th to see it.
George Takei on qTalk Arizona- Oh Myyy
George Takei was in town for Phoenix Comicon and qTalk Arizona was there to talk to the actor about his work, his life, and his activism.
George talks about how the GLBT rights movement is so young compared with the general movement of all human rights. Even in such a short time, we have made tremendous progress, with still quite a bit to go. George is an optimist, in his own words, and feels that the future is bright. Read more
Homoerotic Mormon Art in Posters
Lots of art is homoerotic, Mormon art or otherwise. I remember this depiction of Lehi because of Sam, the shirtless guy in the bottom left. Those flaming locks of hair, that shoulder, those forearms and hands always pushed me over the edge just a little. Read more
Steve Nash for Marriage Equality
Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash recorded a video in support of Marriage Equality. Steve Nash is from a much more civilized country called Canada, so it makes sense that he would be of this opinion. What does surprise me is that he has the courage to actually be public about it. I’m sure a lot of sports fans disagree with his position but he doesn’t let that stop him from speaking his mind.
Thank you Steve Nash for speaking up and for being an ally for the LGBT community! You are a quality public figure who is on the right side of history.
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