Lavender Magazine - Minnesota’s GLBT Magazine - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender News - Minneapolis / Saint Paul
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Horoscope for Dec. 21-Jan. 3 Feeling a bit more practical this holiday season? Sun in Cap helps us chart a new, powerful course of action. Whatever happens now feels more purposeful and strategic. Good! It’s time to get a push in the right direction, rather than into traffic.
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 20)
Gay Rams feel on top […]
Hanukkah was early this year. The eight candles (plus one used to light the others) blazed their finale a few weeks back. We had our fill of latkes (potato pancakes) and other foods made with oil to celebrate the miracle of the lights—one tiny cup of oil lasted eight days when the Maccabees reclaimed and […]
Modern dance pioneer Alvin Ailey is recognized for his lasting impact on the American arts landscape, which he achieved despite struggles with mental illness and internal conflict about his sexuality.
In 1931, Ailey was born in Rogers, Texas. Shy and artistic, he was uncomfortably aware of his attraction to other boys at an early age, but […]
Looking for the perfect place to ring in the New Year? Well, you have a cornucopia of possibilities.
As always, Twin Cities bars pull out all the stops to offer you a fabulous New Year’s Eve celebration.
19 Bar
Shoot your last game of pool of 2007 (or first of 2008) at the 19 Bar. Enjoy complimentary champagne […]
Continuing a long-standing tradition, The Atons of Minneapolis held its annual Holiday Fund-raiser on December 2 at the Bolt Underground in Minneapolis. A food drive collected food for The Aliveness Project’s Holiday Basket Program, which was also the beneficiary of the door proceeds. Silent and live auctions benefited Open Arms of Minnesota.
The Atons gave this […]
“‘Fusion’ started happening the minute man started cooking—when the first piece of raw meat was pushed too close to the fire.”
Thus does Lindell Mendoza, owner/chef at the newly opened Picosa, pragmatically define that buzzword—which also defines his cuisine.
Photo by Hubert Bonnet
First, Mendoza is quick to explain, although “Picosa” literally means “Spicy One,” it does not […]
You probably don’t know her, but then—you do know her. Marjorie Johnson, from Robbinsdale, Minnesota—all 4’8” of her—has appeared on The Rosie O’Donnell Show and The Wayne Brady Show. She has offered her award-winning Ginger Snaps to Helen Merrin and Nicole Kidman on the red carpet. Now, Marjorie is the correspondent for The Tonight Show […]
In this final issue of 2007, Lavender is proud to feature the Reitans as its very first “Family of the Year” (see page 20).
This close-knit clan joined ranks years ago around gay son and sibling Jacob, forming a solid front to support him, and then going farther afield to fight injustices perpetrated against any and […]
A new year is right around the corner. Pausing to look back and consider our blessings is a time-honored tradition, as much a part of the holidays as regifting fruitcakes, and smirking at carols that command us to “don our gay apparel.” As “The OutField” nears the end of its first year, let’s look back […]
Dear Ms. Behavior:
I’m in a long-distance relationship with a great woman who lives two hours away. We see each other most weekends, but are limited to phone calls during the week. Living together won’t be possible for at least two years, after her daughter graduates from high school.
I’m not really interested in dating other people, […]
<For the first three installments of this Dateland Mystery, go to www.jenniferparello.com>.
I first met Ellen at a charity event. It was a typical lesbian affair. The price of admission entitled you to cheap beer, plus several awkward encounters with women you’ve been trying to avoid for years.
As soon as I paid the cover charge and […]
“Julllie Dafyddddd!”
Huh…what? I was awakened from a sound sleep. It was Christmas Eve, and my clock radio said 11:59 PM.
“Julllie Dafyddddd.”
“Who is it?” I cried. Whoever it was, he sounded Jamaican.
“It’s de ghost of Bob Marley. I was sent to warn you. You be visited by three spirits tonight….”
My head cleared enough to assess the […]
Minnesota Statute § 256.25 allows the state to seek reimbursement from the estate of a person who received old-age assistance once the person has died. If the deceased person was married, the surviving spouse is protected by the law, and may stay in the home (as the home is a part of the estate) until […]
Community members gathered November 20 at Spirit of the Lakes Church in Minneapolis for the Ninth Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. The event started in 1998 to remember Rita Hester, whose murder, which is still unsolved, kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” Web project. Since then, it has grown to include cities across America, to […]
Agel Executive Manager Troy Ziesmer says, “Take a pill, and put it in a jar of apple cider vinegar—which has the same acidity as our stomachs—and leave it there. And tell me what happens to that Vitamin E that you take. You would be better off taking a stone from the dirt from your yard, […]
Man Punched Over “Homosexual Display”
Allen R. King, 45, of Buffalo, New York, has been charged with assault after allegedly punching another man in the face following an “open display of homosexuality.” According to police, King was intoxicated when he became angry over the victim’s “homosexual display.” The victim was punched in the face, suffering minor […]
One of the key advantages of the framework of a large university is the ability to do almost anything. When it comes to fields of study, students at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities have a plethora of choices.
The same goes for housing. Offerings range from dormitories to graduate apartments, with housing themes based on a […]
“Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil and, if they do so knowingly and willingly, are guilty of mortal sin.”
—Coadjutor Archbishop John Nienstadt, November 11, 2007
Mary Lynn Murphy and husband Mike. Photo by Sophia Hantzes
Lavender interviewed Mary Lynn Murphy of Catholic […]
In times of crisis and in times of joy, a family comes together and rises like a phoenix, overcoming its struggles as a united force. The Reitan family—father, Philip; mother, Randi; children, Britta, Josh, Ben, and Jacob—have faced personal, public, and political battles that have made them stronger than ever. The obstacles and the triumphs […]
Every generation is defined by an event—a point in history that is remembered forever. Some events are positive, changing the world around them for the better. Others are forged by tragedies so profound that those who lived through it recall where they were and what they were doing. The technological generation was shown a horror […]
Genderbending in Twin Cities theater had a field day in 2007. An all-male cast of Richard III by 10,000 Things and an all-female cast of Anton in Show Business at Starting Gate were exceptional. With The Deception, Theatre de la Jeune Lune gave us its most satisfyingly gender-ambiguous and erotic-ambiguous production ever. Theatre Unbound’s Frankenstein […]
As I Am, Alicia Keys
OK, the Best New Artist Grammy isn’t a total kiss of death. After all, Alicia Keys overcame that burden with a stellar sophomore CD and this, a decent third offering. She has what I’m looking for in pop singer: a good set of pipes, as well as either a talent to […]
Sundance To Choke on Palahniuk’s Latest
No one can accuse gay author Chuck Palahniuk of lacking originality. His novel Fight Club explored the hypermasculine world of underground fighting from the viewpoint of a mentally ill participant. His novel Choke centers around a sex addict who fakes choking accidents for cash, so that he can pay his […]