Table Of Content

ww WOMONSPACE NEWS Our voice in the lesbian community SAPPHIC SMORGASBORD ey still i miss Lae! fingers : Dinner dates in the gay 90s and Jolt) tone ana) andere by Ami Lee Cardupian this cravings sometimes lifted by a big dyke who's s0 gifted a lovely femme i met for coffee that a night spent in her arms proved as sweet as english toffee leaves me weakened by her charms but her fondness for tofu these days i do do dairy left me hungering for you but i absolutely won't do Mary 60 i feasted on a taurus and i'll take a sip of Sherry who moaned the halleluiah chorus but i won't Kiss Terry and a soft-boiled sagittarius i'm partial to basmati rice hummed like a priceless stradivarius and Kerry always tastes quite nice my lust is oft subdued but the dish that’s most magnificent when i dine on Jen and Jude is the honey i gave up for lent. We are always seeking submissions of interest to local lesbians. Amy Lee Cardufian, Letters to the editor, book, concert and movie reviews, political and enna Miyauché, LJD, social commentary, short fiction, poetry and artwork are all Shanta Rohse, Roz welcomed. Contributors may either write to Womonspace Neus (Box Ostendorf, Mikki Wilson, 128, Main P.O., Edmonton AB T5J 3K4), attend a newsletter Lindy Pratch, April Mae, meeting, or leave a message at 482-1794. Topics for coming months: Patti, Mary T. Hughes, July- Queer Words; August- Butch and Femme; September- Honeypot and Laurie. Artificial Insemination; October- Lesbians and the Media. Womonspace News is a publication of Womonspace Social and Recreational Society of Edmonton. We are a nonprofit organization. The newsletter is produced by, for, and about lesbians in Edmonton and the surrounding areas. Our purpose is to inform and entertain our members and any other interested lesbians. The opinions expressed in any issue of Womonspace News do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Directors or the Newsletter Committee. The events, organizations and establishments publicized are not necessarily supported by Womonspace. Womonspace News is produced on a volunteer basis by the Newsletter Committee. We welcome submissions. Material submitted becomes the property of Womonspace. We reserve the right to edit for length and content, and to refuse publication. Articles or letters to the editor may be sent to: Womonspace, Box 128, Main P.O., Edmonton, AB TSJ 3K4. Womonspace members may submit classified advertising — up to 3 lines free — at any time. Womonspace News seeks advertising that is lesbian-positive to help defer publications costs. Womonspace does not necessarily endorse products or services offered. We reserve the right to refuse ads. For rate information, and to place an ad, please leave a message on the Lesbian Info Line: 482-1794. The editor is Lindy Pratch. 2 WOMONSPACE NEWS someone you like. Move forward into the DATING AND THE ELEMENT OF exciting, but fleeting state of dating, or what I GOOD TEETH call “Search and Be Coy.” It is prudent to target locations where other By Deanna Miyauchi dating-minded women can be found so as not I tried researching the topic ‘lesbian dating’ to waste time and optimism. The following but there weren’t many references and the places are fruitful: dictionary only acknowledges dating as ‘a social — Go to the farmer’s market Saturday engagement between two persons of opposite moming and browse happily amongst the sex.’ The puzzle continued even after consulting organically grown vegetables. There'll be oodles lesbian love manuals, lesbian movies, lesbian of lesbians brushing by in the crowded aisles. cartoon books and plenty of local lesbians, — Don dark sunglasses on a sunny day (ball because not much more came to light. Offering cap optional), bring a pal to have iced tea with, up my personal experiences was BAVA and do some old-fashioned girl totally out of the question, since I watching at a sidewalk cafe in enjoy the current peacetime state of Old Strathcona. Sit very still if my life. your ex walks by; she’ll wonder That’s when I realized that a WwY e who you're looking at. whole category of social activity has vr — Visit that alternative video escaped detection, because it store and linger in front of scarcely occurs. The fact is, lesbians selections with rainbow stickers don’t really date much because on them. You'll attract demure they’re always starting up, settling into or getting looks from other women scanning the same, out of relationships. They spend their whole uh, stickers and will at the very least go home lives revolving through these three transitory with a very cool lesbo flick. stages, devoting more time to picking out new — Don’t overlook big grocery stores. camping gear than wooing potential girlfriends. Everyone needs food; but beware of couples! If No one can catch lesbians dating in nature you spot a lesbian, don’t forget that another unless they've been tipped off and can get to could be nearby so be careful and avoid being them before coffee is done. There aren’t even mowed down by a possible jealous lover with a any photographs of an actual date; the few shopping cart. known to exist were destroyed by jealous If you are eager to meet lots of women and girlfriends shortly after moving in and have group-oriented desires, try joing a discovering the box. softball or hockey team. Sports dykes play Dating belongs in our lesbian community and together in leagues and can be quite passionate, the more we have of it, the merrier we'll be. especially at the bar after winning an important Here is my humble contribution to this plan. game. To add variety to their lives, they go to However, I will not divulge my sources or verify weekend tournaments, meets tons 0’ women any intentions of mischief. I offer this in genuine from other places, and pack in as much fun as spirit of fun and hope you'll read this with is physically possible in two days. They WOMONSPACE NEWS 3 somehow manage to win, too, but what more delights. Couples, don’t sulk! It is a fine thing to can we say about lesbian sports supremacy? If keep creatively dating your wife, even if I must you aren’t the athletic type, but have developed plant a boot in the middle of your routine butts an interested in a sports gal, there are certain to say so. Smile and make all the dental work realities to consider. Don’t count on having your parents invested in pay for itself. After all, quiet evenings alone in front of the TV, because they did it so you could enjoy a better quality of if a game’s on, company’s coming! Just keep the life! Date often and date well, my friends. I'll be fridge packed with beer, do positive watching for you. affirmations between pretzel refills and save all the pizza coupons you can. Personal newspaper ads are for the truly ambitious and provide widespread circulation into the hands of thousands of lesbians by the morning edition. All you have to do is describe yourself in a ditty of 30 words or less. There is a Angels and Warriors small risk of emotional devastation in the event by LJD no one responds, but think of the incredible dating bonanza if your ad is a hit! When In the not too distant past an Angel gathered her courage perusing these ads, remember to check acronyms with the list provided, lest you and asked a Warrior to coffee. The Warrior gathered her courage commit a grave error and innocently assume that “S/M” means “spontaneous massage.” If and went. none of the entries seem appealing, don’t worry, The Angel again gathered her courage you'll be busy scoping out the summer folk and asked the Warrior to marty her. music festivals anyway. The Warrior gathered her courage Cybergrrrls extol the virtues of infinite and and married the Angel she now loved. anonymous cruising on the Internet, chat rooms, lesbian web sites, etc. I decline comment The Angel asked the Warrior if in this area, because I am a flesh and blood kind she thought she wanted children. of woman who likes authentic, sensuous dating. The Warrior said yes, and together When I see a women’s cheeks flush, pupils they gathered their courage dilate and lips part, I know I’m way ahead of and sought to have a child. real time on any computer. It is beyond me to They encounteted many obstacles make myself wait several agonizing months but they overcame them all until I’ve saved up enough airfare to finally with the help of other Angels and Warriors. meet some distant woman I know only And now they Angel electronically. So sue me. with the heart of a Warrior Okay girls, this is where life begins. Venture and the Warrior with the heart of an Angel out of your comfy hovels, make some direct eye await the birth of their first child. contact and open your minds to dating’s 4 WOMONSPACE NEWS (- LOCALLESBIANS § and Montreal. “But the geography lured me Jackie Dumas back.” She married, was widowed, and lived with the father of her daughter for 17 years profile by Shanta Rohse Ave.) before meeting her current life partner. Jacqueline Dumas 1s recalling a particularly In 1985 when she was nearly 40, Jackie sold memorable book reading, one of many she holds her first bookstore, Aspen Books, to devote her in her bookstore on Whyte Avenue, Orlando energy to writing. “I’m not one of these people Books. The reading, an annual event, who has always wanted to be a writer, but I felt highlighted the writings by women who had I had a story to tell.” The result was Madeleine taken the U of A extension writing program. and the Angel, a largely autobiographical novel “These are especially moving because a lot of about domestic violence in 1950s Alberta. “Tt them are older women who have just started to was written to my daughter. You get older, you write and are just finding a voice.” It slowly get mellow, you work through things and evolved into a memorial for Sheila Salter and they're gone. And I thought there would be Susan Klassen, two women who met very things that she probably should know about me violent, highly publicized deaths. “Some of the or that would be helpful for her later on.” women knew the victims. The sister of one It evolved beyond a personal memoir. “It victim was there as well. The evening was was like this list of facts that didn’t explain amazing. Every once in a while something like anything. Then I found myself writing a novel. that happens.” I believe good fiction comes far closer to the This is the sort of critical mass Jackie likes to truth than nonfiction.” Jackie’s other novel is encourage through Orlando Books. “It’s a The Last Sigh, “...kind of a mystery set in proactive bookstore. It reflects me a lot.” She is southem Spain,” and she has written a committed to the small presses, supports children’s book, And I’m Never Coming Back, “a community events, and promotes local and reassuring story for children about running alternative writers. Her store features extensive away from home.” gay and lesbian, poetry and feminist writings Her work in progress delves into the lives of with nary a “10 Ways to...Fill-In-The-Blank” the women who played a critical but largely instant bestseller in sight. “If I have to do that to undocumented role in 1870s Fort Edmonton. survive, then I don’t want to have a bookstore.” She describes walking through the cemetery in She explains that it’s about integrity. Not St. Boniface where the Grey Nuns are buried. surprisingly, Orlando Books helped express “The nuns have just one slab and all the Jackie’s recent coming out. “I come from a fairly names are listed on it. They died very young, violent childhood background and I took a long many in their teens and 20s. The priests have time to figure out who was me. The bookstore big headstones and all lived into their 70s and has made it easy for me to come out. Otherwise, 80s. The nuns made possible the missionary who am I coming out to? It lets me say who I work and the native women made possible the am and support a lot of people.” fur trade. And it got me thinking.” Born in rural Alberta, Jackie spent years living Thinking, of course, about other voices that and travelling in Latin America, France, Spain need to be heard. WOMONSPACE NEWS 5 PRIDEFEST ‘97 pee ee : - we face; a literary event, film nights, fundraising Celebrate our diversity ey . events by the Court and Boots, a “Girl Me’ dance, plus events at Shakespear’s, Buddy’s, the by Rox Ostendorf ' Roost and Jazzberrys Too. Pride week in Edmonton will soon be upon Pridefest ’97 will wrap up Saturday, June 28 us. A small number of volunteers have put in a with the Edmonton Vocal Minority concert and lot of hours organizing events to appeal to all the presentation of the Maureen Irwin/Michael members of the community. We are really Phair awards and Pride certificates. excited about this year’s lineup and hope some There’s certainly lots to get pumped about. of the new activities planned will become I’m hoping to see you all there to make this annual events. All events aren’t yet finalized but year’s celebrations the best yet. If you’d like to I'd like to tantalize you by telling you about nominate someone for the awards—the deadline some of them. More complete listings will be is June 14—or have any ideas for carnival-type available in the June ‘Pride’ edition of Times 70, events for the picnic (or any other event you'd so make sure you pick one up, in addition to a like to put on), please call Fred at GLCCE, 488- Pride Passport, which will contain all the latest 3234 or myself at Womonspace, 482-1794. activity and venue information. One special note: If you’ve never been out to PrideFest 97 starts with the Womonspace the Pride Parade before, it’s an incredibly and GLCCE Pride Dance on Saturday, June 21 empowering experience. Not only will you be at Bonnie Doon Hall. encircled by your ‘family,’ but you will appreciate Sunday will be a busy day. Various groups the many supportive cheers along the patade ate combining to organize an ecumenical route. worship service. I hear the Court is organizing If this is a scary prospect for some of you, brunch, and of course there’s the parade, stay to the middle of the crowd, or wear a mask complete with floats, and the PFLAG picnic, or disguise. But do come out and take part in featuring a challenge football e between the our celebration of the diversity in our L’Amazons (the grrrls) and O" (the guyz). community. The rest of the week’s festivities include a Happy PrideFest ’97! ptesentation on couples and the unique issues QUOTE: Q: A lot of my friends want to know what is the proper lesbian etiquette for dating a woman from one’s therapy group? A: A rather typical lesbian question, don't you think? | would say if you want to date, go ahead, and ift he therapy group objects, lie to them. Q: I'm dating a married woman. What should we say to her husband? A: Nannynannynannynannynanny. —Lea Delaria, from Out, Loud & Laughing, edited by Charles Flowers, 1995 6 WOMONSPACE NEWS WHAT'S HAPPENING? PFLAG: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays support group, c/o Grouns and Weekly Events: GLCCE, or Lynne 462-5958. Outreach Line 944-1394 v.b. 3524 (FLAG) 24-hour recorded GLCCE (Gay and Lesbian Community message except 7-9:30 pm Monday to Friday Centre of Edmonton) is located in suite 103, when calls are forwarded to a PFLAG 10612-124 Street. Open Monday to Friday from volunteer for confidential and anonymous 7-10 pm, for drop-in, peer support counselling support for gays and lesbians and their parents, and library services. Films every Wednesday & families, and friends. speakers on Thursdays. 488-3234. Peer support Out & Out (O’) is also available through email; Outdoor and recreation group for gays, [email protected]. lesbians, bisexuals and their friends. Running, OUTreach social & political student group line dancing, camping, badminton, volleyball, at the U of A: 988-4166. and other activities. 988-3132. Adamant Eve feminist radio program Northern Chaps broadcast on CJSR, FM 88.5, at the University Edmonton’s leather-fetish club for gay, lesbian of Alberta. Thursdays from 5:30-6 pm. and straight men and women meets at Boots & Gaywire lesbian, gay & bisexual radio show Saddle the first & third Friday of every month, on FM 88.5. Thursdays from 6-7 pm. 9 pm to midnight. Queeries current affairs show on CJSR, FM [email protected] 88.5, Wednesdays from 5-5:30 pM. Night Spots: Sonic Sisters women’s music radio The Roost - Private club at 10345-104 program on FM 88.5. Saturdays from 7-8 pm. Street; 426-3150. Lambda Christian Community evangelical Buddy’s - Pub upstairs above Jazzberrys church serving the lesbigay community; worship Too, 10116-124 Street. 7 pM Sundays, 11148-84 Ave 474-0753. Shakespear’s Darts & Rumpus Room - Metropolitan Community Church weekly Lesbian & gay dart league Thursdays. worship, McDougall United Church, 10086 Dances for ladies only on the first Saturday of MacDonald Drive, (riverside entrance) Sundays the month and Fridays the rest of the month. at 7:15 pM. Karaoke on Sundays at 7 pM. 2" * floor, 10306- Unitarian Church of Edmonton welcomes 112 Street. 429-7234. lesbians and gays. Services of union available. Sunday services at 10:30 am, 12530-110 Ave. 454-8073. Gay & Lesbian Info Line: SOLO Social club for women. 447-4776. 988-4018 Gay & Lesbian Youth: 486-9661 (10). Womonspace:4.82 ~1794 Women’s Softball Monday nights at Oliver school. Phone Nicole, 0’ Hotline:988~3132 429-7234, if you’re interested. WOMONSPACE NEWS 7 CALENDAR OF EVENTS: SATURDAY, JUNE 21 PrideFest 97 Mixed Dance SUNDAY, JUNE 1 Hosted by Womonspace and GLCCE. Bonnie Womonspace News Meeting Doon Hall, 9240-93 St., 8 pm-1 am. 482-1794. The Bagel Tree, 10345-82 Ave, at noon. SUNDAY, JUNE 22 Deadline for July issue. Everyone is welcome. Pride Festival Day SATURDAY, JUNE7 Gazebo Park (83 Avenue and 104 Street), 2 pm. Cris Williamson and Tret Fure Warm up/assembly for the Pride Parade. An early kickoff to PrideFest 97. Celebrating MCs will be Delwin Vriend and Julie Lloyd. the release of their Between the Covers CD. Edmonton Vocal Minority will sing a few tunes. Provincial Museum Theatre, 12845 - 102 PFLAG picnic and festival Avenue, 7:30 pm. Opening act: Cori Brewster. Join your friends, relatives and parents. Rollie Miles Athletic Field, 104 Street and 75 Avenue, FRIDAY, JUNE 13 following the Pride Parade (approx. 4 pM.) GLCCE fundraiser L’Amazons women’s team challenges the boyz to Beer and pizza night at Alleykat Brewery. a friendly game of touch football. Bring Frisbees $15/person; $25/couple. Featuring all-you- and other picnic games. Vendors are welcome but can eat pizza and cheap beer; pop also must bring own tables. available. Tickets at GLCCE or at the door. TUESDAY, JUNE 24 SATURDAY, JUNE 14 Couples Talk Riverdale Women’s Dance A workshop for lesbigay couples. Liz Massiah and Smoke-free and alcohol-free. Sliding scale Yvonne Mireau. Unitarian Church, 12530-110th admission. Riverdale Hall, 9231-100 Avenue, Ave., 7-9 pM. 4 8:30 pM-1 aM. WEDNESDAYJU,N E 25 FRIDAY, JUNE 20 Girl Me Safely Loud ’N’ Proud Fundraiser for Citadel Theatre and EVM at A safe-sex workshop for women at The AIDS the Citadel. Drag, cabaret, film... party! Open Network, #201-11456 Jasper Ave. Pre-registration stage for lesbian musicians. Call 426-4811 for recommended; 488-5742. more complete info... and be there! THURSDAY, JUNE 26 FRIDAY, JUNE 20 & SATURDAYJU,N E 21 Nu Queer Testings Images Festival Bubbles Galore Edmonton Art Gallery, 7 pm. $5 admission. Two Director Cynthia Roberts will introduce her documentaries will be shown: I7’s Edmentary: film Bubbles Galore and take questions Talking About Gay Issues in Schools (U.S.A.) and afterwards. An over-the-top utopian lesbian Double the Trouble, Twrce the Fun by Pratibha Parmar pom fantasy. Metro Cinema, Colin Low (England). Sponsored by PFLAG and Lutherans Theatre, 9700 Jasper Ave. (Canada Place). Concerned. Benefit for Delwin Vriend Fund. 8 pm. 425-9212 8 WOMONSPACE NEWS FRIDAY, JUNE 27 BOYS & GIRLS WITH STORIES Girl Me Dance Your Story - My Story - Our Story Women’s club dance at Catalyst Theatre. 9 pm. Tickets $10 available at Jazzberrys Too. by Mtkki Wilson Nu Queer Testings Images Festival PrideFest ’97 is around the comer and I Edmonton Art Gallery, 8 pm. Screening a range want to tell you about Edmonton Vocal of queer Canadian work which will inspire, Minority’s upcoming “Decades of Pride’ challenge, and celebrate. Some titles include: concert on June 28th at Convocation Hall. This Baby Dyke Theory, Your Mama Wears Combat year’s concert is one that I’m very proud to be Boots, and Yet Blooming Purple. Admission 1s free. a part of because we are revisiting David For more info e-mail: [email protected] Maddux’s Boys and Girls With Stores. This 1s a Natalie Barney Literary Salon Event long piece that was written for the Seattle Gay A Pride celebration set back in time on Paris’s & Lesbian Chorus, incorporating their own West Bank, between the world wars. Author stories. Natalie Barney will host one of her notorious Yes, we have sung it before, but without a literary extravaganzas. She will be joined by doubt it has been the most requested work we many of her famous friends, including Gertrude have ever performed. So, EVM invites you to Stein, Oscar Wilde, Djuna Bames, H.D., be our guests... but be prepared for the ride of Colette, Radclyffe Hall, Marcel Proust, Mata your life. Hari, Greta Garbo, and Marlene Dietrich. Come Many of us oldie goldie choir members will as your favourite West Bank or Hollywood tell you that Boys and Girls was one of the most personality from the same era. Prizes will be exciting and emotional pieces of music we ever prepared. Why? Because it is a slice of our own awarded for best costume, best impersonation, biggest hair, best cross-dressing (male and lives. This work is a musical journey that female), etc.! 7:30 pm, Orlando Books, 10640 allows us and our audience to peek into the Whyte Ave. Free admussion. windows of our hearts and minds and experience. From laughter and joy to pain, SATURDAY, JUNE 28 struggle and heart-break, Boys and Girls sings of Decades of Pride our personal lives and our collective lesbigay Edmonton Vocal Minority Pride Concert, history. It profoundly touches us and we are featuring Boys and Girls With Storces. Pride changed by the experience. It is my belief that Awards. Convocation Hall (U of A campus), 8 you will be changed too! pm. Advance tickets $8 (low income) & $10. $12 We are adding some dramatic changes to at the door. 988-4620. make it different this time around. Come hear SUNDAY, JULY G us sing. Come and share in the atmosphere of Womonspace News Meeting Pride. Tickets are available at The Front Page, Jazzberrys Too, 10116-124 St. at noon. Orlando Books and other locations as well as Submissions deadline for August; Butch ¢> from EVM members. Don’t miss it—we’re Femme. Come say hello to the newsletter dykes. singing YOUR story! WOMONSPACE NEWS 9 IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE MUSIC You might be thinking that this 1s just the same old folk music, when in reality the Cris Williamson & Tret Fure evening’s entertainment will span from folk to country to rock and roll. They have incredibly by Mary T. Hughes awesome ballads. At a concert in Hawaii in On Saturday June 7", Cris Williamson and which Cris performed Mother, Mother, the Tret Fure (pronounced “‘fury’”) will perform at audience, rather than applauding at the end of the Provincial Museum. Cris is a living legend of the song, sat spellbound. our time and community. She is one of the Although we can expect both Cris and Tret original initiators of the Olivia Music company. to perform solo numbers at their June 1s The first album that she recorded with Olivia, The Changer and the Changed, has become a lesbian concert, theit voices also complement each classic, selling more than 250,000 copies. Her other so well in theit harmonies. songs have become theme songs of the womon’s These womon are truly movement. To date she has more than 17 albums professional, and their concerts Atty are smooth, crisp and a delight. to her credit. Born in South Dakota, the daughter of a forest ranger, she was raised amidst the COMING OUT WITH CRIS mountains and prairies of Wyoming and By Rog Ostendorf Colorado—the images of which can be found in Cris Williamson gave me a poetic and her lyrics—as can her love of open land and musical language to come out with. A way to nature. She also displays strong affinities with organize my ideas, thoughts, and dating plans. Native culture and a broad diversity of In addition to presenting a positive portrayal communities. She hopes that the themes she of lesbians in the world, she showed me the sings about are truly universal. possibilities of friendship, romance, sex, and I think that when you play with a legend breaking up with songs like Sweet Woman, you're automatically relegated to the role of Soaring and Leavin’ in the Morning. second fiddle. But believe me, Tret Fure is no Now we have a wide variety of artists to slouch when it comes to musical talent. By the choose from—some who are openly out and time she was five, Tret was performing on the proud lesbians; others who support our right piano. When it was sold when her family moved, to love whom we will. We owe this freedom she took up violin, and at 12, acoustic guitar. She partly to womon like Cris Williamson, who began writing music at 19 while attending the paved the way in the arts community. I can’t University of California, Berkeley. She toured think of a better way to prepare for PrideFest with Spencer Davis in the ’70s and recorded an than to spend an evening listening to womon’s album with him. She has toured extensively over music (the music of romance—and perhaps the years, opening for other major acts, including seduction) and remembering what that music the J. Giles Band, Yes and Poco. In the early has meant to us (in our vatious coming out 70s, Tret took up engineering music with many processes—whether we came out yesterday or credits to her name, including the Meg and Cris 10 years ago). See you all there! concert at Carnegie Hall. 10 WOMONSPACE NEWS