GoGuide Magazine GoGuideMagazine.com
December 2020 | Our Annual Winter Issue Iowa’s voice for the LGBTQ+ communities, families, friends, and allies since 2016
Who’s been naughty or nice?
Find out on Pages 8-9 Double dose of Erica Barz:
Coralville Mayor John Lundell
1. Everything Sucks
Page 6
2. Best X-Mas Movie Ever
Iowa’s Susan Werner Interview
P. 18
SHARE FACTS ABOUT COVID-19 You can help stop C0VID-19 COVID-19 by For most people, the immediate knowing the signs and symptoms. risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes C0VID-19 is � • Fever thought to be low. • Cough Older adults and people of any age
who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19. As with other viral respiratory infections, the risk for people with HIV getting very sick is greatest in: • People with a low CD4 cell count • People not on HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy or ART)
• Shortness of breath Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
If you are sick with C0VID-19 or think you might have C0VID-19, care for yourself and help protect other people in your home and community.
There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Call ahead before visiting your doctor • Avoid public transportation • Stay home and away from others • Establish a plan for remote clinical care • Try to establish a telemedicine link through your HIV care provider’s online portal • If telemedicine is not available to you, make sure you can communicate with your provider by phone or text
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash • Ensure that you refill and take all of your medications as prescribed • Stay home as much as possible
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Life | Culture | Scene | News & Politics Winter Issue Table of Contents Holiday Cheer: Iowa Stage Theatre Company presents “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY” page 27
Our View: Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague Naughty or Nice in 2020? Find out on page 9. Carol is Both the Best Christmas Movie and the Best Iowa Movie: A Treatise A new column by Erica Barz
Englert Theatre Lighting Festival December 18 Page 31
“I went back to Iowa for the Iowa Caucus. I took my parents to mass, not because I felt the need to go to mass, but because it’s a chance to see everybody. This is where you see people in a small town, which is important to understand about the church,” Susan Werner in a new interview with Gregg Shapiro for GoGuide Magazine
Happy Holidays from GoGuide Media
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Vol. 5; Issue 4 December 2020 Winter Issue GoGuideMagazine.com Facebook.com/ GoGuideMagazine Publisher & Executive Editor Tim Nedoba
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day. It’s been a tough year. A special thank you to all of the healthcare workers tirelessly doing their jobs on our behalf.
Also, don’t forget about all those suffering this holiday season. Let’s do our best to shop local. Let’s also remember all the barbacks, busboys, performers who have no work due to the pandemic. These are just a few of those hurt. I know there are many, many more. Finally, welcome to GoGuide’s first-annual “naughty or nice” listing. Of course, this is just for fun and is not based upon any set of criteria. It’s more based on feelings and experiences of the past year. Not everyone listed here is supported by everyone associated with GoGuide Magazine. Don’t take it too seriously, and please don’t take it personally.
I know there have been many more that should be in the “nice” column and are not listed here. It’s merely a time and space problem. I hope people will detail in our comment’s section their listing of “naughty and nice.” - TJN
One-on-one with Coralville Mayor John Lundell GoGuide Magazine (GG): Of course, I have to start with a COVID-19 question. How has this pandemic affected the City of Coralville? Mayor John Lundell (MJL): Coralville has successfully responded to several previous major disasters- primarily the massive floods of 1993 and 2008 as well as several damaging flash floods. So in the early stages of the pandemic we felt well prepared to follow what we learned from those experiences. We focused on trying to keep city services as normal as possible and to step-up our communications with residents and businesses. But as we all know now, addressing the pandemic was far different from other disasters we’ve weathered. In particular, the uncertainty surrounding COVID 19- treatment, transmission, prevention, longevity, etc. has made our response a challenging moving target. However I am proud of the efforts of the staff to continue to provide services in a safe, but altered fashion. For instance, we opened both our indoor and outdoor swimming pools unlike many other communities. The Recreation Department also provided a comprehensive summer camp for youngsters that provided important nutrition and exercise. The Library and Transit Departments provided services, albeit in a modified fashion. We even provided our highly recognized Fourth of July fireworks show in a safe drive-in fashion. GG: Has the COVID-19 pandemic caused long-term damage to the local business community? Is Coralville ready to rebound from this pandemic once we’re able to get this virus under control?
MJL: It remains to be seen how much long term damage has been done to our business community. I am most worried about our many wonderful restaurants that are providing a much reduced carryout service. Those who have outside dining areas have been in a better position but with cold weather on the way they too will be challenged. Coralville has a large hospitality industry and all the hotels have experienced reduced bookings. Almost all scheduled conferences have been canceled and/or gone to a virtual platform. The loss of Iowa
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Hawkeye sporting events has had a huge impact on businesses. But my glass is always half-full and I am optimistic for a steady turn around in 2021.
GG: What makes Coralville such an attractive place for people to live? The growth of Coralville is nothing more than astounding. MJL: Coralville has been very aggressive in our efforts to provide first class services and opportunities for our residents and businesses. We pride ourselves in our willingness to enter into partnerships that encourage the provision of first class businesses, facilities, and services. City leadership- elected officials and staff, share the same vision for growth of our community and strategically work to achieve it.
A great example of this is the Iowa River Landing development. Back in the early 1980’s that area provided about as bad of a first impression as possible to visitors entering from Interstate 80. Through a community planning process the number one goal identified was to flip that area from the worst to the finest gateway. A vision was set and a strategic plan developed. While it has taken decades, the results are incredible. The recent opening of the Xtream Arena and GreenState Family Fieldhouse is a huge achievement and the post-pandemic impacts will be impressive. We want to create a community that leads to college students to stay here after graduation and for others of all ages to want to live here. Coralville is an exciting place to live and work! GG: As you know planning is now underway for PrideFest at Iowa River Landing. The event is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, 2021. Do you think the Coralville community will embrace a Pride Event?
MJL: Absolutely! Coralville loves festivals- Winterfest, Fourth Fest, Fry Fest, Fifth Street Social, Brew Fest and therefore PrideFest will be a great addition. I feel that the Iowa River Landing vibe makes it the perfect location the event. I can’t wait to welcome the LGBTQ+ community and everyone else to what is sure to be a fun time that will only expand for years to come. GG | GoGuide Media; All Rights Reserved
The American People | Voted in record numbers All of our healthcare workers
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#BlackLivesMatter UI’s president Bruce Harreld UI’s Elizabeth Tovar Englert Theatre Hancher Auditorium Troy Price, vice chair Iowa Stonewall Democrats One Iowa
Love Yourself. Get Tested | Johnson County Public Health Beadology Target Iowa City Human Rights Commission Coralville Mayor John Lundell Ashley Hinson & Theresa Greenfield PReP Big Grove Brewerey Iowa River Landing Tanger Place United Action for Youth The Daily Iowan Sports Pages Think Iowa City- Named Gay Travel Approved
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Nice
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COVID-19 Donald Trump Iowa Democratic Parrty Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague Governor Kim Reynolds Pete Buttigieg
Naughty
2020
This is our opinion. There are no criteria one way or the other. Most importantly, we want to hear from you. Let us know what we got right and what we got wrong—comments at GoGuideMagazine.com.
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An Acknowledgement that Everything Sucks By Erica Barz Special to GoGuide Magazine
Pandemic, most consequential election of our lives, systemic inequities
coming to a boil, there’s….a lot happening right now. And after seven months of having many of our creature comforts and support systems ripped out from under us (if you’re taking the pandemic seriously at least, which I hope to God you are) with no end in sight, many of us are dealing with a quickly deteriorating ability to cope. Especially those of us who are usually privileged enough to “socially distance” ourselves from society’s ills and engage on our own terms. One thing that’s true for me, and I know I’m not alone in this, is that I am very good at giving other people grace for having emotions and needs and breaks, but hold myself to an impossible standard of productivity and stoicism. Call it the Curse of the White Protestant Midwestern Work Ethic with a fun sprinkle of internalized capitalism (as if those are separate things). (continued on page 12)
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Coralville PrideFest lands first Sponsor Hawkeye Title & Settlement sign’s on as a prime sponsor Coralville, IA - Hawkeye Title & Settlement becomes the event’s first Prime Sponsor.
Coralville PrideFest at Iowa River Landing is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, 2021.
The Festival will take place within the Iowa River Landing neighborhood. GoGuide is a strong supporter of the Iowa River Landing neigborhood. I’ss complete with passionate restauranteurs, shopkeepers, and business owners who love to entertain and celebrate the good things in life. It’s also a place many are now calling home. It’s also home to Mediacom Xtream Arena. IRL is a community, unlike any other in the state.
The event’s theme is Inclusion, Equality, Diversity, Leadership, and Community. More information can be found at GoGuideMagazine.com/PrideFest or Facebook.com/CorilvillePride.
(continued from page 10)
This has been a particularly rough month for me, and it’s taken me more time than I’d care to admit to accept it.
While not universally true, I believe LGBTQ people have more practice than our cishet counterparts for having productive conversations about mental health. It’s a fun “perk” of our community-wide proclivity for depression and anxiety that stems from trauma, both from decades past and in our own individual lives trying to deal with a heteronormative society. While that’s unquestionably not a good thing, I do think it makes our community uniquely prepared to navigate this troubling period. This column is not going to list ways you can try to power through the pandemic. There are more than enough articles out there to scratch that itch. Though in my experience, those articles are the COVID-19 brand of screaming “try yoga” at people as if it will solve all their problems, showing a stunning inability to read the room. I just want to acknowledge that shit royally sucks right now. If you’re like me and find vulnerability in yourself distasteful, consider this column a permission slip to give yourself a little grace. You don’t have to be functioning at pre-pandemic levels. It’s incredible that any of us are functioning at all right now, frankly. I believe that LGBTQ people will do what we need to get through this. Let’s take care of each other and ourselves so we can come through the other side. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll build a better and more compassionate world along the way. GoGuide Media | All Rights Reserved | December 2020
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Carol is Both the Best Christmas Movie and the Best Iowa Movie: A Treatise By Erica Barz Special to GoGuide Magazine
As the sun disappears from the sky earlier each day, nights grow colder,
and the pandemic saps ever more joy from our souls, many of us are desperately seeking holiday cheer and warmth. We need something that will lift our spirits, make us merry and, most importantly, is gay as hell. That thing, my beloved queer community, is Carol. I first saw the film in 2015 at the Varsity Theatre in Des Moines (R.I.P.) and having grown accustomed to both 1) table scraps of lesbian representation in movies and 2) the few lesbian movies that did exist being truly terrible, it blew my unsuspecting mind. This movie had everything: gorgeous cinematography and music, Cate Blanchett at her hottest, and a truly inspiring disdain for men woven through its ethos. What lesbian among us has not joked about wooing our paramours with a clandestine glove lunch after seeing how well it worked
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for this film’s titular character? On top of this embarrassment of riches, it was also indisputably a newly minted Christmas and Iowa classic.
To the untrained eye, it may appear that this is a movie that just happens to be set at Christmas time, but not a Christmas movie in its own right. This conclusion couldn’t be further from the truth. Carol does not push its holiday agenda outright, a trait it shares with Die Hard, another iconic Christmas classic. However, if you look closely, the true message of the film becomes clear: Christmas belongs to lesbians. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. It is also indisputably an Iowa movie. The most significant scene in the film (no spoilers) takes place in our own Waterloo. Hearing Cate Blanchett’s velvety voice dunk on the city’s name (isn’t that awful?) is truly the most thrilling “oh hey, they mentioned Iowa!” moment in all of cinema. Field of Dreams, who?
As of this writing, I’m waiting with bated breath to find out whether Clea Duvall’s new movie, Happiest Season starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, can compete with the OG best lesbian Christmas movie. Carol walked so that Happiest Season and whatever queer lady holiday films come after it could run. Make your yuletide gay this season by watching Carol on Netflix and Happiest Season on Hulu. And regardless of whether or not you share my extremely correct opinions about Carol, I hope you have a happy and safe holiday this year. GoGuide Media | All Rights Reserved | December 2020
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Fair Housing Online Training available 24/7 December 2020 Special to GoGuide Magazine
The Office of Equity and Human Rights recently created an online fair housing training that can be completed 24/7. This training provides an in-depth look at many local fair housing laws and best practices, including state and local protected categories, reasonable accommodations and modifications, prohibited activities, assistance animals, service animals, and much more at no cost.
“This complimentary online fair housing training opportunity delivers relevant knowledge on fair housing essentials that you can take at your convenience 24/7. It will equip participants with the knowledge and understanding needed to abide by Iowa City’s fair housing laws. It is developed for renters or those in the housing This is the perfect training opportuni- industry. It also serves as an online ty for those in the housing industries certification course for those lookor for persons who want to know their ing for credit.� - Stefanie Bowers, rights as they relate to fair housing. Iowa City Human Rights Commission
The training takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. Participants have the option of receiving a certificate of completion by taking the accompanying test and receiving a passing score. The training is available at www.icgov.org/ FairHousingTraining. For questions, contact Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or email stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org.
Editors note: An update on the federal eviction moratorium is available on page 36.
Op-Ed Iowa’s General Election November-2020 By Matt McCoy Polk County Board of Supervisors
Many Iowans were disappointed with the most recent General Election results
this past November in Iowa. Hopes were high that Iowa democrats would capture control of the majority, breaking up the trifecta controlling the Iowa House, Iowa Senate and Governorship. Obviously, the ramifications of this concentrated power are far reaching and could impact already marginalized communities even more. Iowa’s LGBTQ community has benefited by having a strong anti-discrimination law that protects individuals’ rights in employment, housing and public accommodations. The Iowa business community were strong supporters of this legislation when it passed into law in 2007. I feel any effort to attack this community will be met with strong resistance from the Iowa business community. Efforts to ban conversion therapy, expand Iowa’s Hate Crime Statute to include transexuals or broaden Iowa’s anti-bullying legislation will likely be met with resistance from Christian conservatives who have taken a strong stand against these efforts in the past. Reproductive rights are clearly under attack in Iowa. The efforts to expand personhood definitions, pass Constitutional Amendments banning abortion and limiting access to family planning is squarely on the agenda of the GOP majority. I expect efforts to push the Courts to the right are well underway and Governor Reynolds is working hard to ensure anti-choice justices are appointed to further erode reproductive freedoms.
On a brighter note, just about 70% of Iowa’s population now reside in about a dozen counties in Iowa. The next census and redistricting could have a dramatic impact on the number of legislative seats that will be gained in urban and suburban districts which tend to favor more democratic candidates. As this change occurs, I believe that democrats will be favored to pick up a majority in either the Iowa House or Senate. This could happen as soon as 2022 and offers hope to candidates who are considering a run to help shape a more inclusive, progressive and balanced Iowa.
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(McCoy served 2 terms in the Iowa House and 7 terms in the Iowa Senate and currently represents the 5th District and is Chair of the Polk County Board of Supervisors.)
THINK IOWA CITY NAMED GAY TRAVEL APPROVED BY GAYTRAVEL.COM Iowa City, December 2020 – Think Iowa City,
the convention & visitors bureau, has received the designation “Gay Travel Approved” by GayTravel. com through an inclusive review and accreditation process.
“Iowa City has a long LGBTQ history and has always been lauded as progressive and ahead of the curve. But we didn’t want to rest on our laurels,” said Nick Pfeiffer, Vice President of Marketing & Communications of Think Iowa City, “That’s why we sought after this designation with GayTravel.com.”
Think Iowa City is a pioneer among hidden LGBTQ cities. While many travelers are currently curtailed from making International travel plans, gay-friendly, domestic destinations with plenty of open space have much to offer gay travelers, especially for those with a pent-up desire to travel. A recent Harris Poll indicates that LGBTQ travelers will be among the first to return to travel.
“Iowa City’s Pride Festival is one of the longest-running pride events in the world -- just having celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year. Iowa’s Supreme Court unanimously upheld the legalization of same-sex marriage, making it the third in the nation behind Massachusetts and Connecticut. Iowa City was one of 88 out of 500 cities to receive a perfect score from HRC. These are just a few reasons why, at GayTravel.com, we are proud to show our travelers why it’s time to think outside the box when considering gay-welcoming destinations. Iowa City is an inclusive place that is safer and closer than many more well-known gay-friendly cities,” said Steve Rohrlick, Chief Visionary Officer of GayTravel.com. “When the time is right to travel again, Iowa City and Coralville have a lot of desirable qualities for all demographics. So we want to be on people’s radar,” added Pfeiffer. “This designation validates hard work by hundreds, if not thousands, of people for decades. Iowa City will be ready to welcome travelers with open arms.” For more information, visit www.gaytravel.com or www.thinkiowacity.com.
Editors note: Coralville will celebrate its first annual PrideFest on September 5, 2021, at Iowa River Landing. Visit facebook.com/CoralvillePride for more details.
Werner is a winner: a new interview with singer/songwriter Susan Werner December 2020 By Gregg Shapiro Special to GoGuide Magazine
Photo’s by Scott Montgomery
Whether you know it or not, singer/songwriter Susan Werner is a national
treasure. Born, raised and educated in the heartland, she firmly established herself as a performing musician while living in Philadelphia in the 1990s before embarking for Chicago in the early 2000s. While in Chicago, she began recording a series of concept albums, a format Werner still follows to this day, including her latest album, the Americana-style Flyover Country (susanwerner.com). Over the course of the 10 songs, Werner gives us something to think about (“Snake Oil,” “Only Later,” “Barn Radio”), swoon about it (“How Much”) and even smile about (“Wine Bottles”). Susan Werner was kind enough to answer a few questions about Flyover Country in November 2020.
Gregg Shapiro: Beginning with 2004’s I Can’t Be New, and the six studio records that followed, you’ve been working in the realm of concept albums. What are the challenges and rewards of creating within the concept album format? Susan Werner: I really like concept albums because they have a way of shrinking the task, narrowing the parameters. Maybe, in doing so, helps you to know when you’re done. It right-sizes the target. I like knowing, going into something, things that are to the left of this are not going to be part of this. Things that are to the right of it are not it. I find that it enables me to go ahead and throw myself at something, knowing that it’s just this. It’s not everything, it’s just very much this for this period of time. The problem with it is that no one knows exactly what you’re going to do next. From a commercial standpoint, it is not the obvious route to success. But, if you can build enough of a reliable reputation as a person who can deliver on the challenges, then it’s a really rewarding way to make a life in this work. GS: Among the concepts are the 21st century cabaret/standards of I Can’t Be New, the “joy without the Jesus” (as you described it when I interviewed you about the album) spirituals of The Gospel Truth, and the Cuba-inspired An American in Havana. However, country and Americana appear to be the favored musical style on the albums Kicking the Beehive, Hayseed and your latest, Flyover Country. What do you find most appealing about the genre? SW: It’s a little like growing up in a religious tradition. This is always going to be your point of reference somehow. I grew up Catholic. I can be an ex-Catholic, but I can’t be a never Catholic. Growing up Catholic, you can be a lapsed Catholic, but you’re still somehow Catholic. GS: You can still name the saints. SW: Yes! You still call things sins. For those of us that grew up in Middle America, playing guitar from early on, this was my native language. My dad playing the radio in the barn, the radio on the tractor, country music in the house, country music acts coming to town and playing at the fairgrounds, which they still do. It’s a language you speak, even if you never wind up using it again. It’s there and it’s on the hard drive. It kept bubbling up, this style of music, because there was more attached to it. There was more of what was in my younger years and growing up years attached to it. It felt fertile with more than just nostalgia. There was something more there. Some of that, I think, attached itself to these songs and this genre at this time. GS: I love the political voice on “Snake Oil”. It made me wonder, first of all, how much responsibility you think a songwriter has to address issues of this nature? Because of your background in folk, did that also play a role? SW: Yeah, I think that’s right. Some of the songs we were singing
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when I was a little kid, yes, there was some Peter, Paul and Mary in there. The hootenanny stuff appeared in my little five-year-old life. I suspected there was something, “Ooh, there’s a war, but some of this music isn’t entirely positive about it.” The nuns were the first politically aware people I ever met in my life. It was the nuns who were playing the guitar in my little town. It was the nuns who had been to Guatemala and Nicaragua and seen what happened there and experienced violence directed against them. It’s funny how we bring back the idea of being a lapsed Catholic, but, again, some of it stays with you. I think those political leanings show up, somehow, when you hold a guitar. It’s like a tool that can be aimed to any task. My guitar, like a divining rod, tends to the left [laughs]. GS: “How Much” is one of the best love songs I’ve heard this year; a wedding song for all weddings. What is the most challenging thing about writing a meaningful and universal love song? SW: This one came about because when I start a project it’s like a language immersion course. I listen to only that music for about a year. People ask me all the time, “What are you listening to?” I don’t really talk about it because I think friends of artists are always hoping that they’re listening to something really interesting or into something really fascinating that’s hip and will be of interest to them. Actually, no. I feel like more of a craft person. I’m obsessing on this little, tiny world that may not really be of appeal to other people. One day became Willie Nelson day. I was just listening to his love songs and his ballads. They were always so plainspoken, economical, unadorned, to the point. They have no irony. That feels to me like the only way that I’ve been able to write certain kinds of songs. To serve more as a medium for the song, than it to be a personal expression from me to someone else. I don’t know why, and I don’t need to know why. The muse is doing something. Well, don’t be an idiot, don’t slam the door on the muse. Let it come in and occupy the living room for a couple hours. GS: Am I reading too much into the lines “Only later did we learn/That the family down the road/Had a truth they never told/’Bout their oldest son” in the song “Only Later” or is it the queerest song on the album? SW: [Laughs] it’s certainly a song that lots of my queer friends have responded to. It may be that line. But it may also be the sense that -- and it’s interesting that you point to this song -- because I do think us queer folks growing up in the middle of nowhere, in rural America, miles from other people, those of us queers from a certain generation and a certain geographical background, I think it takes some of us longer to assemble ourselves. We did not have a lot of role models. GS: No points of reference. SW: Yes, to confirm who we feel we may be. Also growing up in the ‘80s, I don’t know how many of my friends who turned out to be gay, knew they
were gay or to describe themselves as gay. It was a long way out of there out there. One of the joys of having a long career that takes me around the country has been reconnecting with high school friends and junior high friends and even elementary school friends. Finding, years later, we’re like, “Oh, hey. This is your partner. These are your kids. Oh, my God, the lives that we have put together for ourselves.” It’s such an interesting and wonderful connection with gay friends who came from my little town, because we have had to put together a life so much from our own volition and our own energy and our own desire to integrate ourselves. We’ve turned out to be some of the most interesting people to come from there. I’ve got to say it’s joyful to connect with queer friends from high school and from my hometown. Game recognizes game. I think we see in each other, “You had to do this. You had to put together a self.” We had no playbook at all. GS: In the midst of all the seriousness, there’s the wicked funny “Wine Bottles”, co-written with John Gorka. How important is it for you to retain a sense of humor in your songs? SW: I do feel it’s part of my mission to show an audience a good time. I do feel that. I know that some people think that maybe that detracts from your reputation as an entirely serious artist. When you do a show, it’s the uptempo fun that kind of prepares the landscape for the ballads that can drop like bombs. GS: You don’t want to be a total downer the whole time. SW: Yes! Also, it creates an environment in which when you slow it down people really tune in. Plus, it’s fun for me. Look, we’ve got to keep this fun or we won’t do it. I feel like a good time is also when you draw in an audience so you can surprise them with something. It’s like the bait for drawing them in so they hear something like “Snake Oil.” GS: There’s a variety there. SW: There has to be variety. It broadens your audience. If you show people a good time, everybody will buy in. “We’re having fun! She just snuck this one in there and then we’re back to the good time!” An hour or two hours later, the audience might go home thinking, “Hmmm, what was that one song doing there?”. You’ve reached some people outside. I think that impulse comes from growing up in rural America. My small town is proud of itself. It’s proud of its ability to reach out and help other small towns in cases of emergency. Like this terrible derecho that ran through Iowa this summer. My hometown ran down the highway with big barbecue trucks and electric service people, lineman who bring electricity back online. The generosity of my town, the willingness to engage like this, to be proud of your desire to be of assistance to others; I think this still runs in me. I think it’s part of why I feel like the show better be entertaining. A boring show is the end. It’s the death of everything.
GS: “To Be There (a Hymn in Times of Pandemic)” reminds me of Dolly Parton at her most bluegrass. How much, if at all, do you consider Dolly to be an influence, especially in the country/bluegrass sphere? SW: Dolly is such an entertainer. She shows everybody a good time. She smiles the whole time. And then she will, in fact, say something during the course of a show that certainly will surprise and challenge certain members of the audience. But it’s the entertainment that gets them in the door. It’s also these sorts of songs where we can all meet together, whatever our political affiliation, whatever our political leanings. We can all meet together on these kinds of songs. That’s country music. She came from a family of 12. I’m from a family half that size, six, of which I think you know four of us are LGBT. We’re gifted! GS: That’s a good description. SW: To say something about country music; it’s a community kind of gathering music. It is a social music. What’s a bluegrass ensemble other than four people agreeing for four minutes at a time? I think this nature of playing guitar on the porch, we actually did this. We sang with all the cousins in the house and the uncles and the aunts. I grew up in a family where we got in the car and we would go to grandma’s house and we were all singing in four-part-harmony. We didn’t even know other people didn’t do that. I didn’t know other families weren’t like this. GS: Maybe if you were a McGarrigle or a Wainwright or a Roche you were doing that. SW: Yes! But not a lot of families did this. I think to come back to some of that magic is part of the appeal of this project for me. To be clear about this song, there is a longing in the song to sing shoulder to shoulder with your family. I took my parents to mass in February. I went back to Iowa for the Iowa Caucus. I took my parents to mass, not because I felt the need to go to mass, but because it’s a chance to see everybody. This is where you see people in a small town, which is important to understand about the church. When you target the church, be
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aware that what you’re targeting for some people is their entire community and community center. When I took my parents to mass in February and I saw my cousins and my best friends from high school, [laughs] you see everybody, I was sitting between my mom and my dad. We were singing out of the hymnal. I could hear one in each ear. Now, of course, I haven’t been back to see them. It’s not safe to do it and Iowa’s especially terrible. I think that the comfort of singing, in close proximity to those we love most and especially to those we are related to whose voices may sound like our own, like what they call in country music “blood harmony,” this is really powerful. GS: Of course! But because churches, and singing in churches, has become such super-spreader settings, who knows when that’s going to come back again. SW: But when it comes back it’s going to come roaring back. The excitement of it will be so intense. I think it will be like Copenhagen in June. No one will sleep. They’re going to be partying! GG
Happy Holidays from GoGuide Media
Focus | Arts
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Focus | Arts
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Holiday Cheer IOWA STAGE THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY COLLABORATION WITH IOWA PBS Iowa Stage Theatre Company presents “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY”
December 2020 Special to GoGuide Magazine
Iowa Stage Theatre Company (ISTC), central Iowa’s home for award-winning
theater that inspires, enlightens and entertains, is partnering with Iowa PBS (IPBS) to present viewers throughout the state with a new production of a holiday classic. It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is a theater adaptation by Joe Landry of the beloved holiday classic film. ISTC will perform this play live on Iowa PBS on Saturday, December 19th at 7:00 pm, with rebroadcasts on Sunday, December 20th at 2:00 pm, and again on Thursday, Christmas Eve, December 24th, at 8:00 pm.
Broadcast Dates
Saturday, December 19, 2020, 7:00PM Sunday, December 20, 2020, 2:00PM Thursday, December 24, 2020, 8:00PM
The production will be recorded live at the Maytag theater of Iowa PBS at 7 PM on Saturday, December 19. Iowa PBS will rebroadcast the show at 2 PM on Sunday, December 20 and again at 8 PM on December 24, Christmas Eve. Also, there will be a watch party online where participants can not only see the show but interact with the cast and production team. For more information about Iowa Stage Theatre Company, visit us online at iowastage.org.
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Joey Suarez Releases TikTok-Inspired Album THE SHUFFLEZ Available TODAY on All Platforms December 2020 Special to GoGuide Magazine
Los Angeles, CA – EDM musician Joey Suarez has released his much-anticipated album, The Shufflez, a collection of short songs and remixes inspired by social media app TikTok and other short-form video platforms. “Social media inspired me so much through dance that I am dedicating almost every song on this album to the dance music,” states Suarez. “Having met some of my most engaging followers on social media, I decided to create music for exactly those who felt like me.”
The Shufflez was produced by fellow LGBTQ musician Jaki Nelson with KALIPZO featured on “Polly Pocket”. With most live events cancelled and clubs at limited capacity, the album is meant to be heard in its entirety on social media and will not be limited by the landscape of live music. “I am hoping to inspire and engage all of my followers by creating music specifically for those who feel antsy at home and need something to dance or create to. I really hope this music does just that!” The nature of these songs are very short, so most of the recording processes were different than traditional songs. “I had the honor of co-producing this album with a production genius named Jaki Nelson, who single handedly produced these tracks in a matter of hours once we came up with the idea. All done from her house.” For more information, to listen to The Shufflez and to view Joey Suarez’s new merchandise line, please visit https://trendybyjoey.com/
A new choice for Queer content is born Happi TV hopes to bring solace to LGBTQ+ in these troubled times. December 2020 Special to GoGuide Magazine
A brand-new streaming app and website serving LGBTQ+ community launches today with the purpose of filling the void this underrepresented group has in the current media marketplace.
Happi TV offers a wide variety of films and TV geared towards queer audiences, with special emphasis on products made by their own members of the community. “Even though the main streamers have LGBTQ+ sections, none of them are particularly invested in making this content a priority. We believe audiences will benefit from having a go-to destination in which they’ll find both entertainment, representation and a sense of belonging” said Daniel Bort, founder of Happi TV. The brand will also focus on showcasing short-form content made by a curated selection of out and proud members of the community. Genres will range from the usual comedy and music format’s stints to new offerings on travel, cooking, home improvement, and celebrity interviews.
“Formats focusing on the ‘gay angle’ have been extremely popular on mainstream television. We hope to bring a whole new perspective to tried-and-through formulas that elevate the profile of the community and are incredibly entertaining”, said Daniel Berilla, VP of marketing. The company has secured the participation of several iconic queer players as content providers, such as Sherry Vine and Buck Angel. “Our goal is to bring as many pillars of the community as we possibly can. Creating a safe haven for our members will make
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us a viable choice for advertisers. We hope they take notice and increase their investment in the LGBTQ+ market, which is recognized as one of the smartest bets in the current marketplace. It’s good business for everybody,” said Bort. The company hopes to offer a valuable service for North American audiences, with a unique experience for viewers throughout the pandemic and beyond. “More than ever, we need choices that provide a source of entertainment to audiences confined and isolated. Our goal is to bring solace to these challenging times by offering content that will uplift our viewers’ spirits,” said Berilla.
The service will launch in The United States and Canada, with an international rollout planned in the near future. “America is leading the way in the marketing and monetization of the digital marketplace. We plan to slowly expand to other key territories as soon as possible. We want to serve our audiences thoroughly”, said Bort.
Happi TV will be available in all the major app platforms in North America. It will follow an advertising video on demand (AVOD) model, offering free content to viewers that prefer to watch ads over a monthly subscription. It will also offer a linear channel option made available through digital streaming platforms in the territory. GG Happi TV reel: https://vimeo.com/465132486 Happi TV 30s: https://vimeo.com/466353850
Iowa City Landmark Set to Return to The Englert Theatre Iowa City, IA - After months of restoration work, the iconic Englert Theatre marquee will soon grace the historic building once again. The Englert announced that reinstallation of the community landmark will begin next Tuesday and continue through Thursday.
In honor of the return, the Englert will host a virtual celebration through their Facebook page (accessible here: www.facebook.com/ events/1010356032805798) on Friday, December 18 starting at 5 PM. The celebration will include a pre-recorded walkthrough highlighting construction updates as well as performances from local artists. The virtual event will culminate with a live performance from local musician Elizabeth Moen and the official lighting of the marquee. Viewers are encouraged to attend the event exclusively through Facebook to adhere to social distancing recommendations. “The return of the marquee is a celebratory moment for the Strengthen Grow Evolve campaign, a colorful icon that will serve as a lasting reminder of so much hard work and commu-
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nity investment in a bright future for the arts in Iowa City,” said Andrew Sherburne, FilmScene executive director and Strengthen Grow Evolve associate director.
Though still functioning until its removal in March, the marquee, which was installed in its current iteration in the 1950s, was replete with chipped paint and non-functioning lights. The restoration, which was a major goal of the Strengthen Grow Evolve (SGE) campaign in collaboration with FilmScene, will bring the marquee back to its original splendor.
“We can’t wait to bring one of the most recognizable Iowa City landmarks back downtown. The work that’s been done honors the legacy of The Englert Theatre and allows the next generation to enjoy it. We even discovered the original paint colors during restoration and are excited to bring them back,” stated John Schickedanz, The Englert marketing director. “This marquee is the physical landmark of downtown Iowa City. Even when the lights were broken and the letters were falling off, it always seemed to beckon us and say: you will find art here, you will find home, you will find your community,” said Andre Perry, The Englert executive director and SGE director.
The restoration which began in March has truly been a community effort with major financial support coming from The City of Iowa City, Washington County Riverboat Foundation, CAT Grant/Enhance Iowa Funds & the recently announced State Historic Preservation tax credits from the State of Iowa, in addition to major support from longtime Englert advocates and volunteers Tom and Carol Rosenberger. Support also came from over 550 donors who donated to The Englert’s marquee lighters campaign by sponsoring individual bulbs. “The marquee missing from the front of the Englert is a signal to the community that progress is happening, both inside and outside of the building. You might also notice the building facade, brick repair, and window restoration, but inside the building the HVAC has been renovated, and the second floor has undergone extensive renovations that both honor the historic space and make it a bigger and more versatile space for our community to gather,” said Katie Roche, The Englert and SGE development director. GG
Our Early 2021 Sponsors Hawkeye Title & Settlement | Iowa River Landing | GayRealEstate.com | Think Iowa City - Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
The first annual Coralville PrideFest at Iowa River Landing is growing and
evolving quickly; all the moving parts are coming together very nicely. The event will take place Sunday, September 5, 2021. Now is the time to join this community event as a sponsor, vendor, volunteer, or even becoming a friend of the event. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the community and your LGBTQ employees. This is about inclusion, equality, diversity, leadership, and, most importantly, community. It’s not too late to show you’re a community leader! Contact tim@romllc.us or visit facebook.com/CoralvillePride. Remember, this event is for the whole region. However, it is an opportunity for Coralville to show off our diversity and growth as a community. Join the fun!
GayRealEstate.com Helps Ease Concerns of Discrimination Among LGBTQ Clientele Service now available in the greater Iowa City area December 2020 Compiled Tim Nedoba
Iowa City -GayRealEstate.com, a service which connects buyers and sellers with compatible agents, recently surveyed their more than 1,500 partner agents and found the biggest trend among their LGBTQ clientele is the priority of finding a safe, welcoming neighborhood.
Among those surveyed, about 69.62 percent stated that the neighborhood is even more important than the actual house among LGBTQ homebuyers and sellers. The trend with the most momentum among LGBTQ buyers and sellers by a margin of about 50 percent, according to the survey, is the safety of neighborhoods. This is a result of an open-ended question on the survey which asked agents to theorize on the foremost permeating trend among LGBTQ clients, according to their experience and expertise. About 50 percent of the answers were related to neighborhood safety and included crime rates, safety, diverse/welcoming neighborhoods, community, living in LGBTQ areas and successful integration. GayRealEstate.com can help you find your next home. For exclusive local connections please use this link: https://www. gayrealestate.com/affiliate.php?code=b5q7rryv . It’s very safe and 100% secure!
ABOUT GAYREALESTATE.COM In the early 1990s, Jeff Hammerberg witnessed an instance of “quiet homophobia” while working at one of the very first Re/Max offices in the country. A gay male couple stepped into the ReMax Professionals office in Littleton, CO interested in buying a home, and were assisted by the floor agent. A floor agent is an “on-duty” agent that handles all of the incoming calls and walk-in traffic - an opportunity to pick up new clients. Generally, the floor agent is never the best agent in the office the best agents are busy with clients and don’t have time to sit
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around and wait for business to come to them.
On this particular day, the floor agent was someone who was honest, nice, and kind, but someone who had probably never met an openly gay person. After he consulted with the couple, and they left, the agent took a lot of ribbing in the back room from fellow agents that had witnessed the interaction. It was shocking. While the agent went on to find these gentlemen a home, I questioned how well they were represented. Were these clients’ best interests being represented? Was there a better way to ensure members of my LGBTQ community could be assured of fair, equal, and honest representation by someone that understood the unique needs and desires of our community?
I realized at that moment that by creating a database of gay, lesbian, and gay-friendly agents, I could help other LGBTQ individuals and couples avoid discomfort, uncertainty, unenthusiastic representation, or even hostility. Individuals could be assured of a comfortable, smooth buying or selling experience while being fully represented!
And so, GayRealEstate.com was born. Our country has come a long way toward recognizing our LGBTQ community, but we have a long way to go. Even today in 2020, with gay marriage legal, only about 55% of the country believes we deserve that right! More than 1/3 of Americans still don’t believe our community deserves protection and dignity in housing, employment, adoption, and other areas of life. We’ve recently experienced leadership in the White House that has moved LGBTQ rights and visibility backward, packing the courts with religious conservatives. This very day, you as an LGBTQ individual have about a 50/50 chance of working with a realtor who stands in full support of who you are, and your right to equal protection under the law. It shouldn’t be too much to demand representation with one of life’s largest purchases. Finding a competent and trustworthy realtor is a tall order for any person, let alone a person from the LGBTQ community. Using the “family realtor” - the nice agent you met at an open house - or getting a referral from your friend Angela is dated and not a sound plan! Again, you’re making what may be the biggest investment of your life. GG
Federal Eviction Moratorium Ends December 31 December 2020 Compiled by Tim Nedoba
Washington,D.C - The CDC’s moratorium on nonpayment evictions ends on December 31, 2020. The Order protects renters who meet certain requirements and who sign a declaration form and give it to the landlord. Please note that evictions can take place if certain terms of the lease are broken. Late fees can still be charged, and the obligation to pay rent remains. The process and requirements around the moratorium and evictions can be complex. For information on how to take advantage of the moratorium, visit Iowa Legal Aid’s website. If you are unable to pay your rent, here are some resources on rental assistance, housing, and other help. Iowa Resources Iowa legal Aid-Eviction Information/Rights Resident Declaration Form - Other Languages Eviction Moratorium Information in 18 Asian Languages COVID-19 Legal Advice Hotline 1-800-332-0419 HHS/CDC Frequently Asked Questions Houseiowa.org - database of housing resources
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211iowa.org or call 2-1-1 for resources
ADRIENNE MAREE BROWN, BIG FREEDIA, POSE’S DOMINIQUE JACKSON JOIN THOUSANDS OF LGBTQ ACTIVISTS FOR “CREATING CHANGE” QUEER ACTIVIST CONFERENCE GOES VIRTUAL FOR JANUARY 28-31, 2021 December 2020 Special to GoGuide Magazine
WASHINGTON, DC - Thousands of LGBTQ advocates, activists, leaders, and allies will, for the first time ever, gather virtually for the 33rd Creating Change Conference from January 28 through January 31, 2020. The Creating Change Conference, run by the National LGBTQ Task Force, is the foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. Since 1988, Creating Change has created opportunities for tens of thousands of committed people to develop and hone their activist skills, build community and inspire.
This will be the third Creating Change Conference managed by Andy Garcia, who has guided this year’s complete overhaul of the conference as an entirely virtual experience.
Garcia said, “We knew that 2020 was going to be a critical year for all of us, but could never have predicted the overwhelming challenges we face, from a global pandemic to an economic depression to the uprising against racial injustice facing this country,” said Garcia. “I am thrilled that we have Big Freedia, adrienne maree brown and Dominique Jackson participating, along with thousands of LGBTQ+ activists and allies. We will have the chance to create community, learn from each other and plan for the year ahead. When Creating Change begins we will be living under a new White House administration and hopeful, but also facing a possible sea change in the status of queer rights from the Supreme Court and needing to see real institutional and policy change for racial and economic justice. All while we continue to grapple with the impact of the pandemic and other obstacles we face as a community. Given its virtual nature, we hope more queer people than ever before participate in Creating Change, as we need each other now more than ever,” concluded Garcia. The program will include the following, MC’d by Sandra Valls. Opening Keynote: Dominique Jackson. Closing Keynote Speaker: adrienne maree brown.
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The Annual State of the Movement Address: This year’s State of the Movement holds more meaning than ever, as the country faces un-
precedented challenges and the Task Force officially transfers leadership of the organization from longtime Executive Director Rea Carey to incoming Executive Director Kierra Johnson. Several performances by Big Freedia
The program will include 2 days of day-long institutes and dozens of workshops and caucuses, the annual “Agents of Change Ball” and other activities.
Sandra Valls is a comic, actor, singer, writer, and badass. She is a funny, high energy, smart, outspoken Latina, best known for her powerful, electric, stand up comedy performances in Showtime’s, THE LATIN DIVAS OF COMEDY and PRIDE: LGBT COMEDY SLAM! Big Freedie is known as the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia is a New Orleans-based rapper and ambassador of Bounce music. A vibrant twist on hip-hop, Bounce music is characterized by call-and-response lyrics over rapid-fire beats and booty-shaking. After running the New Orleans club scene for over two decades, Big Freedia is now bringing the Bounce movement to a world-wide stage with her hit reality show, Big Freedia Bounces Back on Fuse. The weekly docu-series, now in its sixth season, follows the life of a gay choirboy turned Bounce rapper and remains the highest rated original series on the network.
Dominique Jackson is an actress/activist/advocate/model/author the multi talented Jackson is a Tobagonian-American actress, author, model, and reality television personality. As an actress, she is most known for her leading role of Elektra Abundance on the FX television series Pose, but has a long history in the ball scene.
adrienne maree brown is an American author, doula, women’s rights activist and black feminist based in Detroit, Michigan. From 2006 to 2010, she was the executive director of the Ruckus Society. Much of her work as a writer is based around the writings of Octavia E. Butler. Her second book, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, was published in 2019 and demonstrates how activists can
tap into emotional and erotic desires to organize against oppression. For more information go to https://www.thetaskforce.org