Date: Sat, 30 Mar 1996 17:47:36 -0600 From: David S. Wilcox Subject: In or near Wisconsin? Check this out! TPS PRESS RELEASE Out and About - 1996 For more information contact: David S. Wilcox, Co-president The Ten Percent Society 608.256.5017 / 608.262.7365 dswilcox@students.wisc.edu The Ten Percent Society, UW-Madison's LGBT student organization, proudly presents: Out and About - 1996, our annual spring LGBT awareness series of noted speakers, entertainers, and films. All events are open to all and are accessible to people with disabilities. Child care and ASL interpretation are available upon request. Call 262-7365 at least five days prior to an event to arrange for child care or to reserve an ASL interpreter. Please remember that there is no smoking at any indoor events. A brief synopsis of events follows: (details follow this) Romanovsky & Phillips - live in concert. Hilarious musical comedy! Saturday, April 20, 9:00pm - 11:00pm Masonic Temple Auditorium, 301 Wisconsin Avenue Sidewalk Chalk Walk of Pride - Honoring Out LGBT Celebrities You might be surprised to find you favorite star, author or musician on the Sidewalk Chalk Walk of Pride. Monday-Friday, April 22-26, All Day Bascom Hill A Question of Equality - A Four-part Brown-bag Lunch Series. From rage to respect, the LGBT struggle since Stonewall. (Four-part video) Monday-Thursday, April 22-25, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Memorial Union (Check TITU for Room) Representative Tammy Baldwin - Until Death Do Us Part. The future of same-sex marriage in Wisconsin. Monday, April 22, 8:00pm - 10:00pm Memorial Union (Check TITU for Room) Spirituality / Sexuality: Conflict or Harmony? A panel discussion by LGBT-affirming religious leaders. Tuesday, April 23, 7:00pm - 9:00pm Memorial Union (Check TITU for Room) Blue Jeans Day: Where Blue Jeans is you're Queer! Frat boys in dress pants, and it's not even rush! Wednesday, April 24, All Day Everywhere! LGBT Picnic: Out and About on Library Mall. Great food, great tunes and great fun. We-are-fa-mi-ly!!! Wednesday, April 24, 1:00pm - whenever Library Mall Women's Film Night - HOT action by women. "B.D. Women," "Coconut / Cane & Cutlass," "Greetings from Africa," "Sex Fish / Sex Bowl / Fingers & Kisses / Coming Home," "Came Out, It Rained, Went Back In Again," and "Daughters of Dykes." Wednesday, April 24, 8:00pm - 10:00pm Memorial Union (Check TITU for Room) Men's Film Night - FAST moves by men. Thursday, April 25, 8:00pm - 10:00pm Friedrich March Play Circle, Memorial Union Out & About Dance - Come out, relax and have a great time! DJ and Cash Bar, and this one's FREE! Friday, April 26, 8:00pm - 12:45am Great Hall, Memorial Union Reception for Graduating LGBT Students. This event will honor LGBTs graduating this spring. Sunday, April 28, 11:00am - 1:00pm Lee Lounge, Wisconsin Center A detailed description of events follows: Romanovsky & Phillips - live in concert. Romanovsky & Phillips have toured extensively in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where the Sydney Daily Mirror described them as "delightful and entertaining Ambassadors of Homosexuality." Their songs celebrate life with a perfect balance of wit, sensitivity, and political passion. The New Mexican "called them "one of the funniest musical acts in the country, whose music, humor, and message cross all barriers." Ron & Paul admit that a valid passport, an American Express Card, and a reliable vehicle make it easier for them to cross those barriers. Pioneers of the now-popular gal and lesbian comedy movement, Romanovsky & Phillips began their career at San Francisco's Valencia Rose cafe in 1982 as the musical break for Gay Comedy Open Mike Night, sharing the stage with many other performers destined for success including Lea Delaria and Marga Gomez. Before long lay were lauded by Bay Area critics who dubbed them the "Gay Simon and Garfunkel." Thus began an ongoing litany of comparisons by the press to other famous duos including the Smothers Brothers, Ricky & Lucy, Burns and Allen, Sonny and Cher, Hall and Oates, Martin and Lewis, and many others. (Though flattered by the comparisons, Ron & Paul dreamed that someday someone else would be compared to them as "a straight Romanovsky & Phillips!") Bolstered by their local success, they mounted their first national tour in the fall of 1983. Over the next five years, R&P continued to tour and recorded three albums, I thought you'd be taller!, Trouble in Paradise, and Emotional Rollercoaster, on their own label, Fresh Fruit Records. Trouble in Paradise won the 1987 San Francisco Cable Car Award for "Best Recording Artist" while R&P also received the 1987 Cable Car Award for "Outstanding Cabaret Performance." R&P's music has been performed by lesbian/gay choruses throughout the United States. Their anthem "Living With AIDS" was sung by the Festival Chorus at the Vancouver Gay Games in 1990 and was also used in the documentary Testing the Limits. That same year, as all three of their albums simultaneously appeared on the Top 40 Bestseller List in Ladyslipper Music's 1990 catalog, R&P were presented with the Jerry Carlson/Lesegne Van Antwerp Award for Extraordinary Creativity by the Christopher Street West Association in Los Angeles. 1991 brought the release of Be Political, Not Polite, produced by Romanovsky & Phillips and John Bucchino, which received positive notices in such diverse mainstream publications as High Times and The Miami Herald. Be Political, Not Polite once again established Romanovsky & Phillips on the cutting edge of gay and lesbian music. In 1993, R&P broke more new ground performing frequently on the college circuit, following their highly successful showcase at NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel, where they were the first openly gay male act invited to perform on the mainstage. They also appeared on the main stage at both the 1987 and the 1993 National Marches on Washington, and in November of '93 they made their PBS debut on In The Life, which airs in over 60 US cities. Also in 1993, R&P made their musical theater debut when they penned six songs for Friday Night Refugees, a play which enjoyed a successful run at the RUSE/Marquis Theater in San Diego. Other non-R&P projects include Romanovsky's solo album of love songs, Hopeful Romantic, and Paul Phillips' work as producer and arranger of the Fresh Fruit release True To Myself, a passionate tribute to the late NYC singer/songwriter Joe Bracco. Ron & Paul have also been awarded two ASCAP Special Awards by the American Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers. Brave Boys=8AThe Best and More of Romanovsky & Phillips, released in September, 1994, is an eclectic mix of old and new R&P tunes which includes updated versions of some of their most-requested songs like "Ho Ho Homophobia," "Don't Use Your Penis (For A Brain)" and "What Kind Of Self-Respecting Faggot Am I?" Within one month of its release, Brave Boys made it to The Advocate's top 5 best-selling CDs list and remained there for 6 months. With over 70,000 copies of their albums sold, R&P's 1995 release, a live recording entitled Let's Flaunt It!, is perhaps their strongest album to date. Unlike most live albums, Let's Flaunt It! contains all new material, plus lots of the comic banter and spontaneous audience interaction that has endeared R&P to their fans. Let's Flaunt It! has already helped one of their big dreams come true: Michael Musto of The Village Voice recently wrote, "Hilarious, yet trenchant, Let's Flaunt It! proves once and for all that the Smothers Brothers are the straight Romanovsky & Phillips!" Currently, R&P are writing songs for an upcoming Off-Broadway bound musical, working on new material for their act, touring throughout the US & Canada, and occasionally resting at home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And in July of 1996, R&P will perform at the opening ceremonies of the GALA Choruses Festival V, the largest convention ever held in Tampa, Florida. Sidewalk Chalk Walk of Pride - Honoring Out LGBT Celebrities You might be surprised to find you favorite star, author or musician on the Sidewalk Chalk Walk of Pride. This Bascom Hill exhibition will make "we're Everywhere" echo resoundingly for years to come. A Question of Equality - A Four-part Brown-bag Lunch Series. This four-part series first aired on PBS depicting the history of the LGBT rights movement from Stonewall to Generation-Q. Subtitled "From rage to respect, the gay and lesbian struggle since Stonewall," the series consists of Outrage '69, Culture Wars, Hollow Liberty, and Generation-Q. Representative Tammy Baldwin - Until Death Do Us Part. State Representative Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin's only openly gay state legislator, has lead LGBTs state-wide to solid victories against unprecedented attacks by religious political extremists. At the forefront of this debate is the fight for the rights of same-sex couple to marry in the State of Wisconsin. The whole issue begs the question: what is marriage? "Civil marriage is nothing more than a series of rights, responsibilities, privileges, obligations, benefits and burdens bestowed by government upon persons who enter the marriage contract," says Tammy Baldwin. (In Wisconsin, there are 2,058 references to the words "husband," "wife," "spouse" and "marriage" in the state statutes. Each reference relates to a right or responsibility conferred upon those eligible to marry.) "But marriage also has a larger meaning in our society," Rep. Baldwin continues. "When we think of marriage, it conjures up images that have little, if anything to do with the law. We think of the religious ceremonies, the exchange of vows and rings and we think of love and life-long commitments. You won't find reference to any of those notions in state statutes. "I believe that it is the confusion over what constitutes marriage that leads to much of the discomfort over the concept of legalizing same-sex marriage. "As the State of Hawaii appears poised to recognize same-sex marriage, the discomfort with the issue has created nothing short of a furor in the remaining 49 states. Within the past few months, bills barring recognition of same -sex marriages have been introduced in 17 states. This national effort to promote introduction of anti-gay legislation in numerous states appears to be well-orchestrated and motivated primarily by an interest in gaining electoral advantage. "Finally, one has to be concerned with another consequence of this type of legislation. Whenever people in positions of authority promote disparate and unequal treatment of individuals in society, they are implicitly condoning such conduct by private citizens. Throughout the country, wherever anti-gay and lesbian legislation or ballot initiatives have been pursued, we have experienced a rise in hate crimes and violence against gays and lesbians. I don't want to see that happen here, but I fear it will." Spirituality / Sexuality: Conflict or Harmony? Come in here a panel of clergy and laity discuss local affirming faith communities. Persons of all faiths and no faiths, including those seeking an affirming religious community are welcome. Blue Jeans Day: Where Blue Jeans is you're Queer! Lesbian, gays, bisexual and transgendered folks, get out those jeans and strut your stuff. Let everyone know just who you know you are and sit back and laugh as men and women all across campus scurry into their crinolines. There'll be so many frat boys in knit pants, you'll think it's rush! LGBT Picnic: Out and About on Library Mall. Now that we're all in our comfy blue jeans, come on out to library mall for the 'family picnic'. With catered goodies and 'real' music, it's sure to be a fun-filled afternoon for everyone. Women's Film Night =85 B.D. Women - This film by Inge Blackman is a wonderful celebration of history and culture of Black lesbians. Lively interviews feature Black women talking candidly about their sexual and racial identities. These contemporary views are cleverly interwoven with a dramatized love story set in the 1920s in which a sultry romance develops between a gorgeous jazz singer and her stylish butch lover. B.D. Women rewrites the vanished history of Black lesbians' lives in an eloquent and entertaining way. =85 Coconut / Cane & Cutlass - A poetic rumination on exile, displacement a= nd national identity from the perspective of a young Indo-Caribbean lesbian who migrated to Canada 20 years ago. Her auto-biographical journey and the history of indenture and oppression of Indian people in the Caribbean are illuminated through beautifully layered imagery - location footage from Guyana, stylized dramatic sequences, personal narration, poetry and dance. The hybrid style and structure of the film represent the exile's internal struggle for self in relation to memory, ancestry, and desire. - "Raises many questions about the confluence of culture and sexuality. Don't miss this one." - Deneuve =85 Greetings from Africa - In this highly entertaining short, Cheryl Dunye uses her dry wit to ruminate on lesbian dating '90s style. Cheryl (playing herself) is searching fro someone to date. Unfortunately, most of her friends are still stuck in those long-term "relationships from the '80s". Just when she thinks all is lost, she meets L, a beautiful, mysterious and captivating woman. Cheryl gets caught up in the chase and L leads her in and out of hot water. Cheryl Dunye's videos have been festival favorites. - "(Dunye) has been called the lesbian Spike Lee =8A she is hysterically funny." - New York Newsday - "An interracial dating comedy of errors." - New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival =85 Sex Fish / Sex Bowl / Fingers & Kisses / Coming Home- Four of the smartest and sexiest videos to emerge in a long time. Sex Fish is a furious montage of oral sex, public rest room cruising, and - well - tropical fish. Sex Bowl takes us on a roll down the bowling that simply doesn't stop gathering momentum. A gravelly voiced crooner sings about the fate of sapphic maidens, who score strikes and spares in new games of desire. Heading down to Japan, Fingers & Kisses shows exactly where girls plant those fingers and kisses. And finally, Coming Home to the sexy fun of trying to fit a lesbian couple in a bathtub! =85 Came Out, It Rained, Went Back In Again - A delightful short drama. Ca= me Out, It Rained, Went Back In Again explores the perils of coming out as it follows the day in the life of one young girl who would be a lesbian. - "Magically funny." - Daily Mail - "Gloriously funny." - City Limits - "Fast-moving, witty." - The Times =85 Daughters of Dykes - Fresh and upbeat in its approach, Daughters of Dyk= es reveals the thoughts of a group of teenage girls raised by lesbian mothers. They speak candidly about how they felt when their mothers told them they were lesbians, their own "coming out" process as daughters of lesbians, and their feelings about sexual orientation. Directed by an 18 year old, this positive affirmation of a different style of family speaks to both lesbian mothers and to young people grappling with questions about sexual identity and diversity of experience. - "A refreshingly candid exploration of everyone's sexuality. Without being heavy-handed, this documentary asks the right questions." - Media Network - "Uplifting, provocative and honest!" - Camp Lavendar Hill Men's Film Night The night starts off big and juicy with: =85 The Space Between Our Bodies - A frontal glance back at blow-jobs and unprotected sex in the '70s, Michael Wallin's The Place Between Our Bodies , produced in 1975, offers an uncommonly explicit exploration of gay male sexuality, still raw and affecting more than ten years down the sex-radical road. The Space Between Our Bodies begins by contemplating the standard definition of gay male identity circa 1975 as promiscuous, absorbed in consuming world of pornography. As the film unfolds, however, it yields to a celebration of the possibility of a relationship. Hardly polished -- and often uncontrollable -- the film pictures explicit sex but cannot reproduce pornography. =85 Queerdom - An animated short that is always a crowd pleasure. A muscle bound thick neck wakes up one morning to more than a sunrise: "I feel a little queer today". When his boss blows a kissy confession the stud runs but cannot hide from his true self and true love. =85 The Dead Boys' Club - The Dead Boys' Club is the story of a young man i= n a world haunted by the absence of an entire generation of men that have gone before him: a generation that he should have known but, because AIDS, is a generation that he can for the most part only imagine. Awkward and shy, Toby is visiting his New York cousin Packard, who gives him a pair of shoes previously owned by Packard's recently deceased lover. When Toby dons the shoes, he is transported to the pre-AIDS 1970s world of promiscuity, hot guys, and glitter balls. The Dead Boys' Club is an evocative, sexy, and humorous exploration of a young man's coming out, and an homage to the generation that paved the way (with some of their lives) before him. =85 Live To Tell - This film documents the courageous efforts of the boys a= nd girls who organized the country's first gay prom. =85 Twin Cheeks: Who Killed The Homecoming King - Oscar Wild's campy, sexually explicit parody of "Twin Peaks". =85 Raising Nicholas - A charming snapshot about a 7year old Honduran boy, Nicholas, and his adoptive gay male parents, who make their home in San Jose, California. Raising Nicholas takes on a more subtle tone with a look at a Honduran kid and his two American dads. =85 Prague - A man, distraught over his lover's eminent move, sends letters to his lover's new address even before he leaves. =85 Boys/Life - Phillip Roth's Boys/Life examines growing up gay in a world of crushes and jerk-off joints. Out & About Dance - Come out, relax and have a great time! The annual Out & About Week Dance is free and open to the University community. Includes DJ and cash bar. Reception for Graduating LGBT Students This annual reception for graduating LGBT students honors the achievements of LGBT students across campus. Please RSVP to the Wisconsin Alumni Association's Russel Betts at 262-5895 if you plan to attend. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ David S. Wilcox, Co-President The Ten Percent Society dswilcox@students.wisc.edu http://www.stdorg.wisc.edu/LGBT/TPS_Home_Page.html 608.256.5017 "Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself!" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++