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Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (August 29, 2008)

IN HONOR OF DEL MARTIN

Lifelong lesbian activist Del Martin died on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, in San Francisco; she was 87. She is survived by her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon; her daughter and two grandchildren. A public memorial will be held in the future, but details have not yet been set.

One of Martin’s last political acts was to marry Lyon at 5:07 p.m. on June 16, just minutes after same-sex marriage became legal in the state of California. Martin and Lyon were part of a dozen plaintiffs who brought the case to the California Supreme Court after 2004’s same-sex marriages in San Francisco were nullified.

Without a doubt, AfterEllen.com could not have existed without the hard work that Martin and her wife, Lyon, did for over half a century in advocating for our rights as lesbians.

Martin was born in San Francisco on May 5, 1921, and studied journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and San Francisco State College. She married James Martin at age 19 and gave birth to their daughter, Kendra, two years later; the couple later divorced.

In 1950, she met and fell in love with Phyllis Lyon in Seattle, where they were both working as journalists. On Valentine’s Day in 1953, they moved into an apartment together in San Francisco’s Castro district. Their partnership in life and activism was a founding cornerstone of the 20th-century LGBT rights movement.

In 1955, Martin, Lyon and six other lesbians founded the Daughters of Bilitis, an organization named after a 19th-century collection of lesbian love poems, Songs of Bilitis, by Pierre Louys. The DOB became the nation’s first public lesbian rights organization, and Martin served as its first president.

The DOB soon launched a monthly newsletter, The Ladder, which went on to become the first national monthly lesbian magazine. Martin edited the magazine from 1960—62. In 1972, she and Lyon published the groundbreaking book Lesbian/Woman, which demystified lesbians for a mainstream audience and gave a positive, self-confident voice to many lesbians of the time.

Martin’s accomplishments as a feminist and activist were incredibly significant. She was the first out lesbian on the board of directors of the National Organization of Women. She and Lyon co-founded the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, the first gay political club in the United States. She co-founded several activist organizations to combat violence against women. In 1979, the Lyon-Martin Health Services clinic was founded in San Francisco to provide lesbians access to quality healthcare.

In 1995, Martin and Lyon were delegates to the White House Council on Aging. In 2004, they became the first same-sex couple to marry in San Francisco after Mayor Gavin Newsom’s directive to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of San Francisco, said: “We would not have marriage equality in California if it weren’t for Del and Phyllis. They fought and triumphed in many battles. Through it all, their love and commitment to each other was an inspiration to all who knew them.”

Lyon, 83, said in a statement: “Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn’t be by my side. I am so lucky to have known her, loved her and been her partner in all things. I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be able to get married. I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed.”

Martin’s passing shall be deeply mourned by all of us who have been touched by her work for our community. Her energy, spirit and courage ring out in the words that she wrote in the first issue of The Ladder: “Nothing was ever accomplished by hiding in a dark corner. Why not discard the hermitage for the heritage that awaits any red-blooded American woman who dares to claim it?”

May we all remember Del Martin, who has become an unforgettable part of our heritage.

– by Malinda Lo

GOODBYE, MULLET. HELLO, FULLET.

Before the second season of Shear Genius began airing on Bravo, out stylist Dee Adames hinted to AfterEllen that she “did well” on the show, and that she “represented Miami and our community.”

Turns out “did well” actually means “did better than everyone else,” because on Wednesday night’s finale, Dee was crowned Shear Genius.

(In layman’s terms, that means she won $100,000 and got some great exposure.)

The final challenge of the Shear Genius season was to tell a woman’s life story through various hairstyles. The contestants had three hours to cut, color and style the hair of four clients at varying ages of life. Dee chose redheads, and told the story of a rockstar who never lost her edge: her grandchildren were not allowed to call her “grandma”; they called her “Mama red.”

Dee’s reality TV arch nemesis throughout the show was Charlie, and though his individual winning styles were plastered all over the Allure wall of fame, Dee edged him out in the finale.

“This is for my mom!” Dee shouted, as she jumped up and down after being announced winner. “She always believed in me!”

In addition to the cash prize, Dee won an apprenticeship at a Nexus salon and the chance to style hair for an Allure magazine photo shoot. She also won a huge hug from host Jaclyn Smith.

In her preseason interview with Dee, Dara Nai asked what Dee would say to lesbians who are still sporting the mullet.

Dee answered: “You know, the mullet has transcended into the ‘fullet’ – if you have a mullet, make it a lot more fashionable. You’ve got to blend in that back into the sides. So, let’s stray away from the mullet and get into the fullet, which is a fashionable mullet.”

If you’re interested in the “fullet,” you can call up Dee at Peter of London Salon and Spa in Miami. Although I’m pretty sure after Wednesday night’s victory, her asking price will have doubled.

PLEASE WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOUR

Australia’s long-running soap Neighbours has just introduced a bisexual character to the fray, er, I mean, street.

Well, the character is not new, exactly. It’s just that last week in a conversation about first-time sexual experiences, she sort of mentioned that she is bisexual.

Bridget: Well, when did you first….

Donna: With a guy or a girl?

Bridget: [looks uncomfortable]

Donna: Don’t worry; you’re hot, but you’re not my type.

Bridget: [looks relieved]

In 2004, Neighbours aired a lesbian storyline between teen characters Lana Crawford and Sky Mangel that caused all sorts of hullabaloo. Angry, conservative viewers fired off letters to their local newspapers and to the television station, demanding that the storyline be pulled immediately. It wasn’t, and good thing too, because many AfterEllen readers have written about the profound effect that story had on them in their teens.

No word yet on whether the newish character of Donna will form a relationship with another girl. Margot Roberts, who plays Donna, has recently been added to the credits, though, which suggests she’ll be around for a while. The other good news is that Donna started out as a bit of a stalker, but that storyline has been dropped in favor of something more normal – namely bisexuality. I call that progress!

As it airs in the 6:30 p.m. timeslot, Neighbours is a little limited on what they can show sexually. But not to worry, it looks like they’ve taken a page out of South of Nowhere’s play book:

Because nothing says “we’re two girls who like to kiss” like playing with each other’s hair.

– by StuntDouble

BUT WILL SHE DO THAT DOLPHIN CALL ON CUPID?

Sarah Paulson and Portia de Rossi have joined the growing list of out female actors – which currently includes Cherry Jones, Saffron Burrows, Kirsten Vangsness, and Sara Gilbert – who are in regular or recurring roles on prime time broadcast network television in the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

This week, ABC picked up the comedy Cupid for its midseason lineup, which co-stars Paulson as a psychiatrist in love with a guy who may be the mythic god of love.

Claire was played in the first version by Paula Marshall, who went on to play a hip lesbian doctor in the 2005-06 sitcom Out of Practice. Clearly there’s some kind of lesbian-ish karma around this show!

Personally, I think it sounds like a crap premise and exactly the kind of sitcom I avoid, but I like Paulson and the original version was critically well received (it even has a fan site), so I might give it a chance.

Plus wherever Paulson is, BFF Amanda Peet is sure to guest-star – and what better way to update the newer version of Cupid than to give it a lesbian love triangle?

C’mon, Rob – heterosexual romance is so 10 years ago.

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE PORTIA’S HAIR STAYS THE SAME

Meanwhile, Ellen’s new wife Portia de Rossi is co-starring in another ABC midseason pick-up, Better Off Ted, a workplace comedy TV critics are already calling one of the worst-titled shows ever.

Not much is known about her character Veronica yet, except that she’s a “superhuman boss.” And that Veronica looks really, really similar to Nelle Porter. (Not that I’m complaining – I loved Sub Zero Nelle!)

Does this mean Ted will have a unisex bathroom, too? That’s fine, but there better not be any dancing babies!

– by Sarah Warn

MY GLASSES FOG UP JUST THINKING ABOUT IT

Indie and LGBT film festivals are abuzz with talk of Steam, a movie that tells the stories of three women whose only connection is that they frequent the steam room of a neighborhood gym. The women, played by Kate Siegel, Ally Sheedy and Ruby Dee, represent different generations coming to terms with new relationships in their lives.

Yes, one of the women, Elizabeth, is a lesbian. But in a groundbreaking casting move, Ally Sheedy does not play her. Not to worry – newcomer Kate Siegel turns in a performance that should earn her a place in the lesbian film highlights reel.

Elizabeth is in her freshman year at Rutgers, trying to find herself apart from her stifling Catholic parents. Fortunately for us, her self-discovery includes meeting Niala, a gorgeous bisexual activist played by East-Indian actress Reshma Shetty, best known from the national tour of Bombay Dreams.

As often happens in coming-out relationships, the sex between Elizabeth and Niala generates as much heat as the aforementioned steam room – and we get to observe a healthy dose of it. Not that Siegel minds. She loves playing a lesbian and is open about being bisexual herself.

“I’ve been in relationships with women,” Siegel told gaywired.com. “I self identify as bi.” Best of all, she didn’t offer the information in response to a question; she volunteered it.

How did she like working with Ally Sheedy? Well, let’s just say Siegel is a normal, red-blooded bisexual. “She’s very crush-worthy,” Siegel said.

Indeed she is. And she’s pretty happy about it, too. When the reporter told her that she has the admiration and love of gay women for the work she’s done, especially her role as a strung-out lesbian photographer in High Art, her response was, “That’s a beautiful thing to hear.”

Another beautiful thing to hear is that we’ll be seeing more films like this from FenceSitterFilms, which produced Steam. Bisexual writer/director Kyle Schickner started the company so he could make the kinds of movies we’d like to see more.

“FenceSitterFilms was founded on the belief that films don’t need straight white men as heroes in order to be successful and entertaining.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

– by the linster

JUST IMAGINE THE LINE FOR THE LADIES ROOM

Break out your lighters and polish your Birkenstocks. The Indigo Girls and Missy Higgins are uniting for an East Coast tour in September.

Australian import and openly bisexual singer Higgins will open for the out duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers for 10 shows beginning Sept. 11 in Spartanburg, S.C. and ending Sept. 22 in Verona, N.Y.

Night-owl American TV viewers caught Higgins performing “Where I Stood” on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno last night. Later this fall she will release a new digital EP, titled Where I Stood, which will include never-before-heard tracks, covers and live performances.

Click to see the Indigo Girls and Higgins‘ full tour schedules. And if you happen to be anywhere between Spartanburg and Verona in the next month and wonder where all the women are, well, now you know.

ALL THE THINGS SHE WORE

Not content simply to be stars of the music and — when stretching the limits of credulity – the film worlds, everyone’s favorite faux-lesbian pop duo t.A.T.u. has broken into fashion. Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova will be the faces of the Russian Marc by Marc Jacobs fall/winter 2008 campaign.

In addition to using t.A.T.u. as spokesmodels, the Russian campaign will be accompanied by a “Marc’s Girls” contest in the Moscow Marc Jacobs boutique to find the “most trendy fashion lovers.”

Any girl – faux lesbian, real lesbian, not lesbian – can try out at the open photo casting from Sept. 2-16.

Speaking of t.A.T.u., according to IMDB.com the duo’s feature-film debut You and I (formerly Finding t.A.T.u.) will open in what I assume is extremely limited release Sept. 1 in the United States. The movie stars Mischa Barton as a Russian girl and Shantel VanSanten as an American girl who are brought together and fall in love thanks to their shared love of the band.

– by Dorothy Snarker

ROCK OUT WITH YOUR BLOC OUT

The U.S. Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., was the site of a few lesbionic performances this week: long-time LGBT champions Margaret Cho and Cyndi Lauper, and lesbian rock icon and baby mama Melissa Etheridge.

On Tuesday, Day 2 of the convention, the Human Rights Campaign threw their “Rock to Win” show at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium, headlined by Etheridge and Lauper, and including out musician Rufus Wainwright.

During her introduction for Wainwright, Cho informed the audience she is now a Deputy Marriage Commissioner in her hometown, San Francisco, and invited gay couples to “come to California. Let me marry you.”

Would a Margaret Cho wedding include her officiating the proceedings in belly-dancing veils, a bridal party of drag queens dabbing tears of joy carefully, so as not to smudge their makeup, and Margaret’s mother playing “Pachelbel’s Canon” on the organ? Who wouldn’t want that?

Cyndi Lauper appeared in an outfit that, in my mind, represented some very good causes: hot pants (global warming), fishnet stockings (cleaner oceans) and some sort of shiny maroon top. I have no idea what that represents, so let’s just say universal health care.

Etheridge performed again on Day 3 at the Pepsi Center in front of capacity crowds.

Who’s a rock star? She’s a rock star.

– by Dara Nai

SO TYPICAL: BATWOMAN JUST CAN’T MOVE ON

DC Comics has brought back Batwoman‘s ex Renee Montoya in the new edition of Final Crisis called “Revelations!”

Renee is now known as The Question, and her storyline in the new comic follows her working without her former partner as she tries to stop the Religion of Crime from obtaining a “mystic weapon.”

Renee is one of two central characters in the comic, though she doesn’t receive any visits from her old flame – she’s just too busy. But there are four other books left in the series that will publish this fall, and a description of book number two promises “the return of Batwoman!” I must say, she’s looking hot.

Just to give us a hint of what’s to come, DC’s website asks, “Can The Question find the answer to restoring hope inside the one being capable of saving the world?”

Our answer: If anyone is able to do it, it certainly should be a lesbian, if not a partnered pair of them.

– by Trish Bendix

REIGNITING LESBIAN ROMANCE: A PROPER USE OF THE MUSIC VIDEO

Despite having recorded music for almost a decade, lesbian musician Jennifer O’Connor has just released her first music video ever. The song, “Always in Your Mind,” is an ode to her girlfriend (who is also featured in the video, as well as on the cover of Jen’s new album, Here With Me). If there were ever a realistic depiction of some lesbian relationships in a video, it can be found in this one.

A couple that seems to be dangerously heading into LBD (Lesbian Bed Death) territory, the video’s story line revolves around Jennifer attempting to reconnect with her girlfriend.

Her clever ruse involves some re-gifting of a ring, which I’m not too sure would work with my girlfriend — although maybe it could if accompanied by a cute song I wrote for her. Good plan, Jennifer.

WE’RE WOMEN, IT’S ALWAYS COMPLICATED

Why is it so difficult for men to wrap their heads around two women actually enjoying one another’s company in bed without any male genitalia involved? One male really needs to understand how and why, so he wrote into (where else?) Esquire, asking: In lesbian relationships, is one partner typically dominant in bed?

Not surprisingly, the writer did not know the answer, so the mag consulted Claire Cavanah of Babeland (the sex toy shop) and Felice Newman, author of The Whole Lesbian Sex Book.

We’re so complicated, which is exactly what Cavanah’s response was: “Things are complicated with lesbians.” Newman took the traditional approach: “Many of them are butches who are attracted to femmes, But some are butches who are attracted to butches. Some are femmes who are attracted to femmes. And it’s not always the butches on top.”

So in short, Mr. Esquire reader: Maybe, it depends on who bought dinner that night.

– by Trish Bendix

WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE THE HUNGER

Given the long, torrid history of lesbian vampires, I wasn’t surprised that HBO’s new vampire series True Blood might include some girl-on-girl action. And lo and behold, this week HBO officially announced that “all the vampire characters in the series are actually pansexual.” Uh, pansexual? I sure hope that doesn’t mean “anything except lesbian.”

Set in Louisiana, True Blood takes place in a time just after vampires have “come out of the closet” and are now advocating for the passage of a Vampire Rights Bill. In the opening credits, a church’s sign declares “God Hates Fangs.” Amid all this, small-town waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) falls for a seductive vampire who has been around since before the Civil War. Shortly after their first meeting, Sookie rescues him, catapulting her into an intense relationship with the dead.

The series is executive produced by openly gay Alan Ball, who gave us a nuanced relationship between two gay men as well as a lesbian story line for teen Claire on Six Feet Under. During a conference call with LGBT press this week, Ball did confirm, “Yes, there will be lesbian characters on True Blood.” Woohoo! But he also admitted he doesn’t know much about the way lesbians have been portrayed on TV.

AfterEllen.com contributor LeeAnn Kriegh attended the press conference and asked the important questions for us.

AfterEllen.com: A little earlier you mentioned the progression that you’ve seen in portrayals of gay males on television, and I wonder if you see a similar or in fact some other progression … in the portrayal of lesbians on television.

Alan Ball: I have to preface my answer by saying I really don’t watch that much television. I have like three shows that I watch religiously, and then I don’t really watch much of anything else, just because I don’t have time. So I may not be the person who can really chart the evolution of lesbian characters on television.

I do know that I recently saw the French movie Tell No One, and there were a couple lesbian characters in that, and I really loved the way that was handled. It wasn’t about the fact that they were lesbians. It was just that the sister of one of the main characters was a lesbian, and he was actually really good friends with her lover. Seems like he was actually closer to the lover than he was to the sister, and that I really appreciated.

I’m certainly aware of The L Word. I haven’t watched it, so I’m not really sure I can answer that question in a way that’s educated.

HBO told us that the lesbianish vampire who shows up later in the series is named Pam, played by Kristin Bauer, who seems to have a thing for Sookie. Here’s what Ball said about her: “There is a vampiress who works [at the vampire bar Fangtasia in Shreveport] who definitely exudes a certain lesbian energy in a really kind of entertaining and seductive way. Pam is a woman who was made vampire in Victorian England, and she dresses all goth when she’s at work, but when she’s not at work she basically wears Chanel.”

I’ve seen the first two episodes of True Blood, and to be honest, I loved them. They were just the right amount of creepy twistedness-meets-naiveté in the form of Anna Paquin’s character, who oozes an innocent sensuality that I’m sure would be tempting to vampires, pansexual or not. But given the show’s heavy-handedness with its gay metaphors and lush, over-the-top sexuality, I’m also guessing that any lesbian vampires are going to be walking the fine line between predatory and seductive.

Can Alan Ball overcome his lack of knowledge and deliver a sexy lesbian vampire who overcomes decades (if not centuries) of stereotypes? You be the judge. True Blood premieres Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

SO LONG, FAREWELL …

After five years of interviews with lesbian and bisexual models, actors, reality stars, rock stars and authors; 26 video blogs; endless processing critical analysis about gender, reality television and killer lesbians in space; and even a few fluffy pieces about lesbian fashion and butches (hot!), it’s time for me to say auf Wiedersehen and pack my knives pencils and go.

Today marks my last day as managing editor of AfterEllen.com, and I have to say, my life would not be the same without this site. I will certainly miss working with the wonderful staffers here, starting with Sarah Warn, who convinced me to write about gay stuff in the first place. It’s also been a joy to work with Karman Kregloe, Trish Bendix, scribegrrrl, and all the numerous freelance writers who have been so kind to me when faced with my edits.

Last but not least, thanks to all of you who have read my work over the years. I’ve genuinely appreciated your time, your comments and your emails. I’ll still be writing my column, Notes & Queeries, every month for AfterEllen.com, and you can always visit me at my website if you’re interested in how things are coming along with my novel(s). Keep in touch!

– by Malinda Lo

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Presidential candidate Barack Obama mentioned gays and lesbians in his speech last night accepting the Democratic nomination for president of the United States of America.

Rachel Maddow talked to the Washington Post this week about her upcoming MSNBC show.

Billie Jean King talks about her new book Pressure is a Privilege.

On her MySpace blog this week, Lindsay Lohan expressed her frustration at her father’s recent public statements claiming that Samantha Ronson is “using” her and driving her back to drinking (Ronson also blogged about it).

Itty Bitty Titty Committee is being released on DVD this Tuesday. You can attend their release party if you’re in L.A., and look for our trailer contest winners on the blog next week.

South of Nowhere is finally available on DVD (in the U.S. at least)! You can order the first and second seasons now, and both will be shipped on Sept.5. (Thanks to AE reader Ashley for the tip!)

The online auction for B.J. Fletcher, Private Eye is on through Sept. 1 – bid on a walk-on role now!

Monday is a national holiday here in the U.S., so we’re only going to be publishing a few blog posts on Monday, and a spooky/campy new episode of Ghostella. Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll be back on Tuesday with lots more lesbian-ish content!

That’s it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at [email protected]. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.

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