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The HIV Challenge A 75% reduction by 2025, and a 90% reduction by 2030 (new infections or new diagnoses)
Iowa Democrats make history!
Pete Buttigieg becomes first openly gay Democrat to win the Iowa Caucuses (very narrowly)
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A note from the publisher...
Vol. 4; Issue 7 March 2020 GoGuideMagazine.com Facebook.com/GoGuideMagazine
Our News; Our Way Welcome to Digital GoGuideMagazine. Now available to more people when, where, and how they may choose
This isn't necessarily the end of a printed version of the magazine. However, we plan to focus our resources and our talent in the direction of a digital identity for GoGuide. GoGuide also reaffirms our commitment to the LGBTQ+ communities, friends, and allies. This is our focus. This remains our mission.
GoGuide will continue to focus on Johnson and Linn counties; however, the magazine looks to reach all of Iowa through our new online friendly format. Of course, GoGuide will continue to cover the important news of the day, along with the area's extensive entertainment line-ups.
Most importantly, it's your feedback that matters. I can be easily reached at tim@ROMLLC.us.
Publisher & Executive Editor Tim Nedoba Linn County Editor Julia Freeman
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Our News; Our Way
NOT ALL
WOMEN & GIRLS WITH HIV
Are Getting The Care They Need 88%
86%
RECEIVED AN HIV DIAGNOSIS*
OF THOSE DIAGNOSED ARE RETAINED IN CARE*
HIV prevention starts with
78% OF THOSE DIAGNOSED ARE VIRALLY SUPPRESSED*
YOU.
MARCH 10 *IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH BUREAU OF HIV, STD & HEPATITIS
- Cover StoryIowa Makes Significant Progress in Reducing Transmission of HIV - Launches Plan to End the Epidemic Is There More Work To Be Done on the Criminal Transmission Statute? March 2020 By Tim Nedoba
Editors note - Watch GoGuideMagazine.com for additional expert analysis & summaries.
Des Moines, IA - The United States Government has launched an aggressive mandate to bring to an end the spread of new infections or diagnosis of HIV in America. Each state’s Public Health Department has the same charge. Each has the same goal. The CDC has made federal funding available to each state through grant programs. Iowa Department of Public Health has taken advantage of these grants and have used them to promote IDPH programming.
As part of the plan, the federal government plans to target top 48 counties with the highest HIV transmissions. None of these top 48 counties reside in the state of Iowa. However, that doesn’t change the mission here at home.
The HIV Challenge
A 75% reduction in new infections or new diagnosis by 2025, and a 90% reduction by 2030.
“Iowa is first in the nation in our rate of viral suppression among people diagnosed with HIV (81% are virally suppressed), and that has led to the 30% reduction in diagnoses over the last three years,”
Randy Mayer, MS, MPH; Chief Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis; Director | Office of Medical Cannabidiol | Iowa Dept. of Public Health
Definitions
HIV/AIDS - HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. It damages your immune system by destroying white blood cells putting one at risk for severe infections and certain cancers. AIDS stands for acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of the disease with HIV. TasP – Treatment as prevention is a concept in public health that promotes treatment as a way to prevent and reduce the likelihood of HIV illness, death, and transmission from an infected individual to others. PrEP - Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a course of HIV drugs taken by HIV-negative people to prevent infection
PEP - Post-exposure prophylaxis means taking antiretroviral medicines (ART) after a potentially high-risk exposed to HIV to prevent becoming infected. ART - Antiretroviral therapy is the use of HIV medicines to treat an HIV infection MSM – Men that have sex with men
U=U – Undetectable = Untransmittable’ is a campaign explaining how the sexual transmission of HIV can be stopped. Editors note - More on U=U later in this article, which will include a look at the criminalization of the transmission of HIV laws. Iowa is one of those states with such requirements.
HIV in Iowa
Iowans Diagnosed with HIV There were 116 Iowans diagnosed with HIV in 2018, an 8% decrease from 2017. As seen in Figure 3.1, the number of people diagnosed with HIV since 2008 peaked in 2016 at 137, and has now decreased for two years in a row. The 137 people diagnosed with HIV in 2016 was the largest number ever recorded in a single year in Iowa since HIV reporting began in 1998. Not all populations experienced a decrease in diagnoses in 2018. In particular, diagnoses increased among those 25 to 44 years of age, those with heterosexual exposures, and females.
Racial and ethnic minorities are over-represented Diagnoses among non-Hispanic black/African American people decreased from 39 (31% o fall people diagnosed) in 2017 to 33 (28% of all people diagnosed) in 2018. The decrease in diagnoses among people who are black/African American was among U.S.-born black/African-American people, who experienced a 26% decrease in diagnoses. In contrast, diagnoses among foreign-born black/African American people increased
by 8%. Non-Hispanic black/African Americans represent 3% of Iowa’s general population but experienced 28% of new HIV diagnoses in 2018. Males account for 15 (75%) of the 20 U.S-born black/African American, non-Hispanic people diagnosed in 2018. Among these, 11 (73%) identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). Of the 33 black/African American, non-Hispanic persons diagnosed in 2018, 13 (39%) were foreign-born. Similarly, 38% of foreign-born black/African Americans who were diagnosed were males. Hispanic/Latino people represent 6% of Iowa’s population but experienced 12% of HIV diagnoses in 2018. Of the 14 Hispanic persons diagnosed, half were foreign-born. Of the seven foreign-born Hispanic persons, six were male and MSM. Similarly, all five U.S.-born Hispanic male persons diagnosed with HIV in 2018 were MSM.
HIV prevalence by Iowa county As of December 31, 2018, there were 2,872 people with a current address in Iowa who were diagnosed and living with HIV. This is a prevalence of 90 per 100,000 persons. As of December 31, 2018, 95 of Iowa’s 99 counties had at least one resident living with HIV. Prevalence in eight counties was greater than 100 per 100,000 population (0.1%). Polk County, with 170 per 100,000, has the highest prevalence, followed by Pottawattamie County (138 per 100,000) and Scott County (137 per 100,000). Source - “2018 End of Year Report – HIV Surveillance.” The report is authored by the Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis December 2019.
StopHIVIowa.org
Never forget More than 700,000 American lives have been lost to HIV since 1981.
More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with HIV and many more are at risk of HIV infection.
While new HIV diagnoses have declined significantly from their peak, progress on further reducing them has stalled with an estimated 40,000 Americans being newly diagnosed each year. Without intervention, another 400,000 Americans will be newly diagnosed over 10 years despite the available tools to prevent infections. The U.S. government spends $20 billion in annual direct health expenditures for HIV prevention and care.
There is a real risk of an HIV resurgence due to several factors, including injection drug use and diagnostic complacency among healthcare providers.
The Names Project/AIDS Memorial Quilt
Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. The initiative aims to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S. by 90% by 2030. Ending the HIV Epidemic leverages critical scientific advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outbreak response by coordinating the highly successful programs, resources, and infrastructure of many HHS agencies and offices. The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Healthexternal icon is coordinating this cross-agency initiative. Collaborating agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Indian Health Service (IHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The U=U Facts
Undetectable = Untransmittable Treatment as Prevention (TasP) 1. Can a person with HIV on treatment who has an undetectable viral load sexually transmit HIV? No. A person living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with an undetectable HIV viral load that is maintained over time and monitored every 4-6 months cannot transmit HIV through sex. The National Institutes of Health and the CDC have signed on to this concept. 2. That is the evidence? In short, the science has validated that someone with HIV with an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus. Three large multinational studies involving couples in which one partner was living with HIV and other who was not - HPTN 052, PARTNER, and Opposites Attract - observed no HIV transmission to the HIV-negative partner when the partner with HIV had an undetectable viral load. These studies included thousands of condomless sex acts, both men and women, gay and straight couples. Since the advent of combination therapy, there have been no confirmed reports of anyone with an undetectable viral load sexually transmitting HIV.
3. What is “viral load suppression” and what is an “undetectable viral load”? Viral Suppression: Viral suppression means a person’s HIV viral load is less than 200 copies/mL of blood. This is also how the term is defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the Ryan White Program and the Bureau of Primary Health Care), and understood by those providing medical and support services to people living with HIV in Iowa. Undetectable Viral Load: An undetectable viral load means the amount of HIV in the blood is below the limits of a laboratory test. The patient still has HIV; however, very little virus is circulating in the blood. For the purposes of the U=U campaign, the term “undetectable” is used synonymously with the term “virally suppressed.” 4. So U=U means a person with HIV with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus sexually. Does U=U apply to breastfeeding or the sharing of injection drug equipment? Studies demonstrate that antiretroviral treatment greatly reduces the risk of HIV transmission from individuals who breastfeed their babies or who share equipment while injecting drugs. However, more research is needed to establish that these individuals do not transmit HIV. The “U=U” message is limited to sexual transmission at this time.
5. What does ‘Treatment as Prevention’ mean? Treatment as prevention (TasP) refers to any HIV prevention method that uses treatment with ART to decrease the risk of HIV transmission to a sexual or needle-sharing partner, or from mother to infant. ART reduces the HIV viral load in the blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and rectal fluid to very low levels, and as a result reduces HIV transmission risk to negligible levels. TasP is the foundation for U=U. U=U refers to the point when the virus in the blood is reduced to undetectable levels and there is effectively no risk of transmitting HIV sexually. 6. After a person begins HIV treatment, how long does it take for the risk of sexually transmitting HIV to become effectively zero? There is effectively no risk of sexual transmission of HIV when the partner living with HIV has achieved an undetectable viral load and then maintained it for at least six months. Most people living with HIV who start taking an-
tiretroviral therapy daily as prescribed achieve an undetectable viral load within one to six months after beginning treatment.
7. Does everyone who starts HIV treatment become and remain undetectable? Almost everyone who starts ART finds a drug regimen that works within six months. About one out of six people will need additional time to find the right treatment due to side effects or adherence issues. Nearly everyone who starts HIV treatment can become and remain undetectable. 8. Do viral “blips” increase the chance of transmission? Viral blips have not been shown to increase the transmission of HIV. Small, transient increases in viral load (between 50 and 1000 copies), known as ‘blips,’ sometimes occur even when people on ART take their medications as prescribed. Typically,the amount of virus returns to undetectable levels without any change in treatment. Unless the viral blips start to increase in frequency, they do not mean treatment isn’t working and they are normally not of concern to providers.
9. Does being undetectable mean that the virus has left the body? Even when the viral load is undetectable, HIV is still present in the body. When therapy is interrupted because someone misses doses, takes a “treatment holiday,” or stops treatment completely, the virus emerges and begins to multiply, becoming detectable in the blood again. It is essential to take every pill every day as prescribed to achieve and maintain an undetectable status. 10. What happens if a person stops taking antiretroviral therapy? When therapy is stopped, viral load rebounds, and the risk of transmitting HIV to a sexual partner in the absence of other prevention methods returns. Taking antiretroviral treatment daily as directed to achieve and maintain undetectable status stops HIV infection from progressing. This helps people living with HIV to stay healthy and live longer while offering the benefit of preventing sexual transmission. 11. Why do some people have detectable viral loads? Access to adequate healthcare, treatment, and viral load testing are serious barriers in
many parts of the world. Some people living with HIV start treatment but have challenges with adherence for a variety of reasons such as stigma, mental health challenges, substance abuse, unstable housing, difficulty paying for medications, hostile environments, drug resistance, and/or intolerable side effects. Some people who have access to treatment may choose not to be treated or may not be ready to start treatment. For people living with HIV who are not virally suppressed, there are highly effective prevention options, including condoms and PrEP, that can be used individually or in combination to prevent HIV. Everyone living with HIV, regardless of viral load, has “I recommend using the CDC/NIH recommendations. the right to full For clarification, the CDC says that one should start and healthy therapy, check a viral load 2 months later and if non-desocial, sexual, tectable at 2 months, repeat it 4 months later (at 6 and reproduc- months after starting therapy). If non-detectable at 2 tive lives. See and 6 months, the risk of HIV transmission is considThe Third U: ered to be zero. There are of course, other STIs that can Unequal. be transmitted,� Jack Stapleton M.D.; Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases: Depts. of Internal Medicine & Microbiology; Director, Levitt Center for Viral Pathogenesis; University of Iowa.
12. How often does a person living with HIV need to be tested to confirm they are undetectable? For a person wanting to use U=U as their transmission prevention strategy, viral load should be monitored at least every 4-6 months, and more frequently for those who are new to antiretroviral therapy or who are changing regimens.
13. What if there is detectable HIV in semen, vaginal fluids, or rectal fluids, but not in the blood? Scientists have found that HIV treatment that leads to an undetectable viral load in the blood also normally leads to an undetectable viral load in semen, vaginal fluids, and rectal fluids. Occasionally people with an undetectable viral load in the blood have HIV RNA and DNA in semen, vaginal fluids, and rectal fluids, but this has not been found to increase transmission risk. HIV RNA and DNA are only particles of HIV, and the whole virus is required for HIV to be infectious. Furthermore, studies show that HIV RNA and DNA are most common soon after starting HIV treatment and are hardly seen after a year or more of an undetectable viral load in the blood. 14. Does a person need to disclose their HIV status to their sex part-
ners if they are undetectable? Iowa Code chapter 709D requires someone with HIV to take practical means to prevent transmission, including being on treatment and following behavioral recommendations. It does not require disclosure of HIV status as long as these practical means to prevent transmission are taken. For complete information on the Iowa law visit www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code//709D.pdf) 15. Should a person who does not have HIV stop using condoms and/ or PrEP if they are with someone who is undetectable? Having an undetectable viral load, using PrEP, and using condoms are all HIV prevention strategies that people can choose to use alone or in combination. Some people may prefer to use several HIV prevention strategies for a variety of reasons, such as to reduce transmission-risk anxiety, to prevent other STDs, to prevent pregnancy, or to address inconsistent ART adherence by a partner. Condoms are the only method that also prevents exposure to other STDs and that prevents pregnancy.
16. Does a person still need to worry about other sexually transmitted diseases? Neither HIV treatment nor PrEP prevents exposure to other sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. Ways to reduce the risk of STDs include having both partners frequently tested at all sites of exposure (rectal, oral/throat, and vaginal) - and by timely treatment when an infection is identified, limiting the number of sexual partners, and using condoms. Vaccines are available to prevent some STDs, including hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV).
17. Does having an STD affect the chance of HIV transmission when a person is undetectable? Based on recent studies, having an STD does not increase the risk of HIV transmission when the partner with HIV has an undetectable viral load. In both the PARTNER and Opposite Attracts studies, STDs were reported by a number of enrolled couples and no linked transmissions occurred. To date, the risk of transmission of HIV when syphilis is present in a couple has not been assessed.
18. What does U=U mean for people living with HIV and having children? A person living with HIV who has an undetectable viral load that is maintained and monitored can impregnate their partner or can conceive a baby without using alternative insemination practices. The science behind U=U provides peace of mind that they will not transmit HIV to their uninfected partner during sex. An undetectable viral load also dramatically reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy and at delivery. Editors note - The fact sheet was provided to GoGuide Magazine from the Iowa Department of Public Health. Resources: For more information about U=U visit preventionaccess.org . For a summary of evidence supporting U=U visit http://i-base.info/htb/32308. This fact sheet was adopted with information from the Prevention Access Campaign and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.
Coralville Fall PrideFest 9/6/20 www.facebook.com/CoralvillePride A Reach Out Marketing Event tim@ROMLLC.us (319) 800-3223
Iowa Law 709D - “Contagious or Infectious Disease Transmission Act” How does a nationwide U=U (undetectable = untranslatable) public health educational program work within the constraints of the Iowa law?
Iowa’s criminalization of HIV law - What you need to know Brief History of the law in Iowa: The Iowa law was updated in 2014 and signed into law a revised version of the criminal HIV Transmission Law. of by then Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (current U.S. ambassador to China). This new law, Chapter 709D, repealed the old law Chapter 709C. The 709D law is titled Contagious or Infectious Disease Transmission Act.
“Iowa law considers whether there was intent to transmit HIV, whether there was any significant risk of HIV infection, and whether transmission occurred.” Tami Haught - SERO Project Organizing and Training Coordinator.
The Sero Project website the non-profit organization focuses on ending inappropriate criminal prosecutions of PLHIV (people living with HIV/ AIDS), including for non-disclosure of their HIV status, potential or perceived HIV exposure or HIV transmission and on building and
supporting PLHIV networks. For more information and access to resources www.seroproject.com.
CHAPTER 709D CONTAGIOUS OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION ACT The complete act is available at www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code//709D. pdf). For this article, we’ve included the only section 709D.3
1. A person commits a class “B” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease with the intent that the uninfected person contract the contagious or infectious disease, and the conduct results in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.
2. A person commits a class “D” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease with the intent that the uninfected person contract the contagious or infectious disease, but the conduct does not result in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease. 3. A person commits a class “D” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease acting with a reckless disregard as to whether the uninfected person contracts the contagious or infectious disease, and the conduct results in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease. 4. A person commits a serious misdemeanor when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease acting with a reckless disregard as to whether the uninfected person contracts the contagious or infectious disease, but the conduct does not result in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.
5. The act of becoming pregnant while infected with a contagious or infectious disease, continuing a pregnancy while infected with a contagious or infectious disease, or declining treatment for a contagious or infectious disease during pregnancy shall not constitute a crime under this chapter.
6. Evidence that a person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and has engaged in conduct that exposes others to the contagious or infectious Thu Dec 05 12:14:30 2019 Iowa Code 2020, Chapter 709D (11, 0) ยง709D.3, CONTAGIOUS OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION ACT 2 disease, regardless of the frequency of the conduct, is insufficient on its own to prove the intent to transmit the contagious or infectious disease. 7. A person does not act with the intent required pursuant to subsection 1 or 2, or with the reckless disregard required pursuant to subsection 3 or 4, if the person takes practical means to prevent transmission, or if the person informs the uninfected person that the person has a contagious or infectious disease and offers to take practical means to prevent transmission but that offer is rejected by the uninfected person subsequently
exposed to the infectious or contagious disease.
8. It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section if the person exposed to the contagious or infectious disease knew that the infected person was infected with the contagious or infectious disease at the time of the exposure and consented to exposure with that knowledge. 2014 Acts, ch 1119, §3, 11 Iowan’s have been charged, convicted, and sentenced to jail under this statute. However, there is still not a lot of case law and many of the definitions in this code are ambiguous at best. Clarification is still needed.
Summary The goal of ending transmission of HIV will depend upon increased public awareness of the dangers of practicing unsafe sex and undeclared sex. Providing medicative intervention is just one of the tools needed in addressing the risk of transmission.
Stigma, homophobia, and discrimination affect the health and well-being of gay and bisexual men and may prevent them from seeking and receiving high-quality health services, including HIV testing, treatment, and other prevention services. These issues place gay and bisexual men at higher risk for HIV. People who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner. Get tested. Know your status. Adhere to your medications as prescribed, and together we can end the transmission of HIV. Talk to your health care provider about U=U. GG
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Local Visionaries
an ongoing series by Julia Freeman
Meet our newest Visionary: Cedar Rapids City Council member Ashley Vanorny Ashley Vanorny was encouraged to do good and work hard as she could growing up. Born a farmer’s daughter, she is no stranger to those concepts, holding up to four jobs at a time to continue that mentality that anything is possible if you work hard enough. She considers it the best part of her role as a Cedar Rapids City Council member to represent the city that she was raised in and serve the people who bag her groceries, her former teachers, and neighbors. “I am continually humbled to be accountable and work hard for them,” she added. People who did something for the first time as trendsetters inspire her as she seeks to be as helpful as possible in her own life. She is a lifelong learner that seeks to always grow and better herself without jealousy and envy for others. Vanorny wants to see a Cedar Rapids that teams up and works to encourage everyone to achieve their full potential.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in her work with Families Helping Families of Iowa, an organization that serves children in foster care. “I am passionate about healthcare and how it encompasses many aspects, including the environment. I also believe that children in foster care can often be collateral damage when adults are held accountable, so it’s important that we as a community take personal responsibility to band together and brace for impact as much as possible. It takes a village to raise a child and I appreciate anyone who can help in any way to be part of ours,” Vanorny said. She also wants to continue to push the bar in restorative justice within the housing and urban development arena. “If Continued on next page you have served your time, then we shouldn’t be
creating barriers to you being a productive and contributing member to the commu-nity,” Vanorny explains. She serves the area of the city with the lowest median income. She is a visionary because she ‘cares enough to try’ to change things for the best quality of life possible. Vanorny wants to make government user-friendly and accessible, thus her help-ing to broadcast city council meetings. Additionally, her approach is to dive in and go to margin-alized populations. As a social scientist, she seeks to identify the key stakeholders and truly lis-ten so that she can try to implement evidence-based policy. She also notes that going out in the community and seeing aspects for herself has been helpful beyond what a description on paper or email can describe.
Government needs to be a collective source to help empower its people. Vanorny doesn’t believe that people need to wait until the third or fourth quarter of their lives to have val-ue and exercise their voice and be heard. “Everybody has a vision and I want to use my plat-form to continually do, ask questions, explore, and be kind to ultimately build rapport to make the environment in which we exist and policy we abide by better,” she concluded. GG
GoGuide’s 2020 General Election Guide
Iowa City, IA - Welcome to our first of many general election guides. Our focus will be on those contests that affect us the most in Johnson and Linn Counties. Of course, this includes statewide races like the race for U.S. Senate as Joni Ernst looks to defend her Senate seat. There are also essential races for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Iowa’s 2nd congressional district covers most of the southeastern portion of the state. It includes Davenport, Iowa City, and Muscatine. The district is currently represented by the retiring Democrat Dave Loebsack, who has been in office since 2007. As an open seat in 2020, you know this race will be a hot one. Of course, there is the seat in Iowa’s first congressional district. This district includes the cities of Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo. Democrat Abby Finkenauer is the current U.S. representative. Every district is essential if the Democrats hope to hold on to the House of Representatives. You know the GOP will be going after her seat. As a first-term congresswoman, this will be a hotly contested race, no matter her opponent.
Iowa Democrats make history. Former South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg, becomes the first openly gay Democrat to win the Iowa Caucuses. GoGuide Magazine endorsed Buttigieg. The state party final tally awards 14 national convention delegates to Buttigieg, 12 to Sanders, 8 to Elizabeth Warren, 6 to Joe Biden, and 1 to Amy Klobuchar. Visit GoGuideMagazine.com for continued updates.
March 2020 By Tim Nedoba
Meet Liz Bennett Iowa State Representative House District 65
GG: DescribeHouse District 65 for our readers. LB: I represent House District 65, which includes most of the Southeast side of Cedar Rapids, Coe College, The NewBo District, and Czech Village. The district is fairly Democratic, progressive, and politically active. GG: What most important issues for your constituents? LB: My constituents most frequently contact me about issues such as education funding, climate change and water quality, Medicaid, income inequality, and civil rights.
GG: You’re the first out LGBT woman to serve in Iowa’s state legislature. This is a major milestone. Was it the opportunity to be the first a consideration when you chose to run for office? Do you see yourself as a role model for other women and the overall LGBTQ+ Community? LB: I was not necessarily motivated by being the first out LGBTQ+ woman to serve in the legislature. In fact, while I was out and many people knew me from my work on LGBTQ issues, my motivation centered more around my perspective as a young professional. I hoped to work on issues such as attracting and retaining young professionals, continuing the growth of green energy in Iowa, raising wages, and advocating for quality public ed-
ucation. In addition to this, I believed (and still do believe) that I would have the courage to lead the way on issues that others may be uncomfortable standing out on such as justice reform.
Interestingly, during my first run, while I was out, I did not emphasize my LGBTQ+ status because even being part of the community can cause people to reduce a person to this status. For example, when I ran, I was a trainer for a technology company, and I was consistent in my messaging of preparing students for the jobs of the future. Some supporters of my opponent were known to say Map of Linn County. Shaded in yellow that I only knew about “the gay is iowa Hous District 65. stuff,” diminishing my professional experience and reducing me to one aspect of my identity (that I wasn’t even really talking about.)
I began to speak more about it in my second term, because I began to understand how important representation is. Now, every year, I have at least one school counselor arrange for students to meet with me, and I’ve had a dad reach out to me to thank me after his daughter told her that she didn’t feel like she belonged somewhere like the Capitol, but after seeing me speak she felt like she had power. That’s why I keep talking about it.
Regarding the question of being a role model, my hope is that women, LGBTQ+ folks, or other folks who might not think they fit the mold of “politician” might feel more represented and might consider public service. GG: This sessiona began with an unuasual amount of anti-LGBTQ+ issues being proposed by the majority party. Fortunately, these proposals did not make it out of committee but the sentiment remains. ] What is your take on this development? Should the LGBTQ+ community be concerned? I hope that the number and nature of bills this Continued on next page
session inspire LGBTQ+ and allies to stay involved, or get involved for the first time. Some people believe that the swell of bills means that we are reaching a tipping point, and that if we keep working to educate our friends, neighbors, and family, these types of bills may become untenable or sufficiently politically unpopular as to discourage them in the future. Other people are concerned that the advances of the past 10-12 years such as the end of Dont-Ask-Don’t-Tell and full national marriage equality may lull some into a false sense of security. Whatever your perspective, it’s important for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to make it clear to legislators that they are watching and that they vote.
GG: What do you see as the most important items for this session of the Iowa legislature? Here are a few things: 1: There is a critical shortage of childcare in the state of Iowa. One thing we could do would be to raise reimbursement rates to childcare providers to increase the number of providers and open spots. 2: Develop and advance water quality legislation with meaningful goals and accountability for polluters. GG: Elections have consequences. What can the LGBTQ+ community do to organize and elect more LGBTQ+ candidates and LGBTQ+ friendly candidates? Which of your friends most inspires you? Who is the leader of your group or someone that people seem to listen to? This might be a great candidate for public office. Take a look around you and talk to these people about running. There are a lot of ways to make a difference and people can often see change more readily at the local
level. It seems like everyone wants to run for Congress, Senate, or State House: Leaders like Soil and Water Conservation Board Members, School Board Members, County Supervisors, City Councilors, etc. can enact good policy on issues from climate change to civil rights. Starting at the local level with these policies can also help change public opinion and pave the way for larger scale policy change. Follow The Victory Fund to learn more about running for office as an LGBTQ+ person, and to learn about folks who are running.
Regarding organizing: People often express to me that they feel overwhelmed by the number of issues and perspectives. A college professor advised me to think of the 3-5 issues most important to me, decide what I believed, and then support candidates who would fight for me on these issues. This was great advice. Reach out to a candidate’s campaign to volunteer, invite candidates to your local meeting space—be it a local LGBTQ+ youth center or the library. Plan fun events centered around LGBTQ+ issues and voting. Recognize the intersectionality of LGBTQ+ issues, and be willing to learn and show up for causes not explicitly identified as LGBTQ+. Show up at candidate forums and submit questions about LGBTQ+ issues. These are just a few ways to get involved and make your voice heard. LB: One more thing re:legislative priorities. Let’s ban conversion therapy!
Unprecedented Number of Anti-LGBTQ Bills Brings Community to the Capitol Des Moines - On Monday, March 23rd, LGBTQ community members and allies will rally at the Iowa State Capitol to speak with lawmakers about the 14 anti-LGBTQ bills released this legislative session and how the community can best move forward. Although none of the bills advanced to the floor, the residual harm from these bills is being felt by LGBTQ Iowans across the state. LGBTQ community members and allies will gather at the Iowa Historical Building at 9am to participate in a “Talk to Your Legislator” training before gathering in the Capitol Rotunda to speak with legislators. Registration for the event is open to the public and required to participate in the training. For more information visit OneIowaAction.org.
Digital GoGuideMagazine Our News; Our Way www.GoGuideMagazine.com www.Facebook.com/GoGuideMagazine Our Digital GoGuide Magazine at GoGuideMagazine.com Sign-up for our GoGuide Email Blast. Click the button on the home page, and you will join the community of those in the know. You will be first to know what’s going on and what is coming up! GoGuide will never sell/trade/loan your email address to anyone for any reason. This is GoGuide’s sacred promise to you! www.Facebook.com/Coralville Pride Now 5G Enhanced
Inside Corridor Theater A column by Matthew Brewbaker March 2020
March is going to be excellent for
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a lot of reasons this year. While I am also a big college basketball fan, in this case, I’m talking about the fantastic opportunities to get out of the house and start enjoying live events all over the state and corridor. With the Mission Creek Festival approaching in Iowa City at the beginning of April, you can begin to flexing those audience member muscles early. 9
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Early in March, one of my favorite people brings one of my favorite musicals to the Iowa City Community Theatre stage. Steven Sondheim’s “Company,” directed by Rachel Howell, opens March 6th and runs through the 15th. Rachel is a fantastic director. I had the pleasure of working with her a few years ago and hoped to work with her again. However, I don’t have the voice for a musical so alas. Rich LeMay, who was in my production of Blood Wedding last year, helps run the RUN of the Mill Theatre in Iowa
City, plays Bobby, who is turning 35 and starting to look around at all his married friends and search for his balance of being alive and content. I am so looking forward to seeing this show.
At Theatre Cedar Rapids, Artistic Director Angie Toomsen directs “The Humans” by Stephen Karam. This 2016 finalist for the Pulitzer and Tony award-winner features a bunch of familiar and talented actors to theatergoers in the area. Rip Russel, Noel VanDenBoesch, and Chris Schubert are among this talented cast and actors I know and have enjoyed watching. This production opens March 20th and runs through April 5th. Go to www.theatrecr.org for tickets and information. “26 Pebbles” by Eric Ulloa, a play constructed from interviews of the community of Newtown after the Sandyhook school shooting. This is an incredibly powerful play that will run from March 6th to 22nd at Giving Tree Theater. For tickets and more information visit to www.givingtreetheater.com. Another musical telling the story of an artist through their own songs will be at the Old Creamery Theatre in Amana when “Buddy Holly: The Musical” by Alan Janes opens March 12th through April 5th. Check out www.oldcreamery.com for ticket information.
While considering your plans for early April, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” will be coming to Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa on April 3rd and 4th. This show features the legendary songs of Carole King while telling the story of her life and success. Get tickets now for this one-night event at www.hancher.uiowa.edu.
Matthew Brewbaker is Artistic Director of Dreamwell Theatre and has worked with many of the theatres in the corridor. Email events or suggestions for future articles to Dreamwellad@mchsi.com
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GoGuide Book Review Sponsored by Prairie Lights Book Store & Cafe www.PrairieLights.com 15 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City Book review by Terri Schlichenmeyer: The Bookworm Sez
“Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman”
by Abby Chava Stein
c.2019, Seal Press $28.00 / 272 pages
Who are you? There are many possibilities. You
can answer with ethnicity, gender, social strata, or surname, mention your species, family origins, religion, or hobbies. So many things and yet, as in the new book “Becoming Eve” by Abby Chava Stein, only one answer really matters.
Yisroel Avrom Ben Menachem Mendel was born on the 24th of Tishrei in the year 5752 – or, for those who are not Ultra-Orthodox Jews, the first of October, 1991. The sixth child and firstborn son, Yisroel’s birth was the cause of great jubilation: one main forebear was Baal Shem Tov, a holy leader and the founder of Hasidism. In their Brooklyn community, that made Yisroel a member of royalty. Almost from the moment of birth, the future was set: Yisroel would follow the same path laid out for the males of the family, starting with ritual circumcision and religious observances, then yeshiva to study the Torah and Jewish law, marriage at age 18, and hope for sons to continue the line. There was no alternative. The entire family lived like this, like “eigh-
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teenth-century Eastern Europeans,” and had done so for centuries.
The exception came when then-four-year-old Yisroel insisted on having always been a girl.
Later, though other childish things were forgotten, those thoughts never were. They were constant, remembered, boxed up, ignored, or excused. Even when theological
questions roared, when religious texts seemed to confirm Yisroel’s suspicions of girlhood, when sex – a subject no Ultra-Orthodox Jew was supposed to know about until days before marriage – made an all-boy yeshiva more bearable, questions of gender were suppressed. At 18, “matched” with and married to a woman who was nearly a stranger, Yisroel burned with envy that wearing a bridal gown would forever be denied. Naming their firstborn son was devastating. “Oh, and gender?” says author Abby Chava Stein today. “It started punching me in the face.” Without a doubt, “Becoming Eve” may be one of the most fascinating books you’ll read this winter. Certainly, it’ll be one of the most unusual.
Set in a community that is meant only for adherents, author Stein’s story is told in rich detail that lets readers imagine everyday life with restrictions that most of us would chafe under, and without the internet, blue jeans, fast food, or English. These day-to-day details are relayed in a matter-of-fact tone that makes the severity of the “laws” seem even more astounding because of the seeming scarcity of emotion associated in their telling. Stein’s lifelong question of gender almost seems secondary to those astonishments, but as the tale progresses, her demand for answers grows quietly in a way you almost won’t notice until it pounces on you. Whoosh, it’s a relief you never knew you were waiting for.
And yet, relief is fleeting: Stein leaves readers hanging by not including an up-to-date which could be frustrating in any other story, but this unusual book’s end still feels just right. For that, “Becoming Eve” is a most satisfyingly unsatisfying book, and you’ll love it no matter who you are. GG
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Play Ball Lambda Softball Association of Eastern Iowa LSA is eastern Iowa’s premier LGBTQ+ Softball League and was found-
ed in April 2018. LSA is a non-profit 501(c)3 and is committed to providing opportunity and a safe space where both LGBT and Non-LGBT participants can compete in an environment welcoming and open to the LGBTQ+ community. Participants must be 18+ and pay league fees for each season. Games are played Sunday Mornings from 10:00am-1:00pm at the Hawkeye Softball Complex in Iowa City in spring and fall. For more information visit https://www.lsaiowa.org/. GG
March Featured Podcast Feast of Fun: Gay Talk Show Hosted by Fausto Fernos & Marc Felion
March 2020 By Tim Nedoba
Chicago, IL - Conversations with legendary LGBTQ+ people, comedians, pop culture, and politics with a delicious candy coating of camp. One of the original 50 podcasts featured on iTunes in 2006, according to Apple, Feast of Fun, “helped bring podcasting from an underground movement to a mainstream phenomenon.” Five-time winner of the People’s Choice Podcast Award for Best LGBT podcast.
We’ve done thousands of shows with wonderfully wild LGBTQ people and their friends, and tackle the tough questions like: is Sasquatch, a drag queen? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? (Just crack the damn lollipop like the owl did.)
Subscribe and join us as we chat with gay musicians, counterculture comedians, trans pirates, lesbian warriors, and pagan witches and celebrate the ridiculous and transform pain into pleasure. Listen to over 2,800 legendary podcasts at feastoffun.com/plus or visit Apple Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feast-of-fungay-talk-show/id73330528?fbclid=IwAR0Vvg8h4jhfPBqDOEYqJQcnh0SPeVRGlFD8wUj0baJhzJqxpx6DnjXoFoU. GG
Our Drinks of the Month Big Grove Brewery IC March 2020 By Tim Nedoba
Iowa City, IA - This March GoGuide is heading to Big Grove Brewery IC. There is never a wrong time to head over to Big Grove, but these March big things are happening, and GoGuide doesn't want to miss out.
IC Taproom 3rd Anniversary Party & Color TV Release March 14
This will be a big release with the return of Color TV, our hazy double IPA
dry-hopped with Galaxy hops. The Galaxy hops are quite rare and usually grab attention of the beer audience. Color TV, while available in IC + Solon, will also be available throughout the market for the first time. As part of that release, we're rolling out a new beer: Bananas Foster. This is a rum barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout, rested on bananas. Should be a big hit. The other neat element of the release is the introduction of 3 beers in cans: • Iowa City Lager • Passion Fruit Vanilla • Creek Jumper Always drink responsibly.
GG
Mission Creek So many LGBTQ acts at Mission Creek in 2020 GoGuide takes an early look at this year's line-up March 2020 By Tim Nedoba Recommendations by Gregg Shapiro Source-MissionCreekFrestival.com
Iowa City, IA - The 2020 version of Mission Creek Festival takes place April 1-4, 2020, at various venues in downtown Iowa City.. Complete information is available at https://missioncreekfestival.com. The Festival continues; it's a rich tradition of including several LGBTQ specific performers, authors, and events. Once again, Mission Creek Festival has a strong line-up of LGBTQ acts performing at this year's Festival. Here is a quick highlight. Follow GoGuideMagazine.com for updates as they become available.
LGBTQ musicians are as follows:
BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT The Mill Wednesday, April 1 10:00 p.m.
Katherine Paul is Black Belt Eagle Scout. Released in September of 2018, Mother of My Children was the debut album from Black Belt Eagle Scout, the recording project of Katherine Paul. Heralded as a favorite new musician of 2018 by the likes of NPR Music, Stereogum, and Paste, the album was also named as a "Best Rock Album of 2018" by Pitchfork. It garnered further end-of-year praise from FADER, Under The Radar, and more.
k Festival 2020 CAROLINE ROSE Gabe's Wednesday, April 1 7:00 p.m.
An obsession with money, an unfaithful lover, a friend's accidental pregnancy, misogyny, loneliness, death… This is just some of the lighthearted subject matter that make up LONER––the darkly comedic second album from songwriter/producer Caroline Rose. Rose delivers a set of serious songs wrapped in a sprightly, angsty pop burrito. Because, as Rose puts it, "Sometimes sad songs just need a cocktail."
LUCY DACUS The Englert Theatre Saturday, April 4 9:30 p.m.
Dacus uses her gift as a songwriter to help understand and cope with the world around her... "What is going on"...These songs are self-contained, not indicative of a new direction, just a willingness to do something different and sometimes even out of character."
MAL BLUM Gabe's Saturday, April 4 10:45 p.m.
Pity Boy (out July 12 on Don Giovanni Records) is the new full-length by New York musician, Mal Blum. Put: Pity Boy is an album that examines the patterns that recur throughout our lives and what happens when we try (and often fail) to break them.
BIG FREE SHOW @ BIG GROVE BREWERY Big Grove Brewery Iowa City Taproom Saturday, April 4 2:00 p.m.
Featuring: Subatlantic, Lily DeTaeye, Why Bonnie, Ohmme, The Minks, The Hooten Hallers
Mission Creek Festival includes several LGBTQ writers. This list contains Samantha Irby, Tommy Pico, Garth Greenwell, Paul Lisicky, T Kira Madden, T Fleischmann. Literature will be featured in our next issue. In a local LGBTQ exclusive, our Guide will include an interview with gay writer Paul Lisicky by Gregg Shapiro. Paul will be at Mission Creek Festival on April 4. GG
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Coralville Fall PrideFest 9/6/20
Sponsorship opportunities remain for the area's only fall Pride event! www.facebook.com/CoralvillePride A Reach Out Marketing Event tim@ROMLLC.us (319) 800-3223