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Around the Region: Data suggests that South Dakota has lowest per capita LGBT population in the nation

Andy Birkey
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Around the Region: Data suggests that South Dakota has lowest per capita LGBT population in the nation

Regional Data
The Williams Institute is out with the annual estimate of LGBT population by state. In our region, Minnesota had the highest percent of adults identifying as LGBT at 4 percent. Wisconsin had 3.4 and Iowa had 3.2. North Dakota had 2.4 percent, and South Dakota was the nation’s lowest with 2 percent. The national average is 4 percent.

Iowa
Cedar Falls will get its first LGBTQ community clinic, KWWL reports:

UnityPoint Clinic will be offering health care services for the LGBTQ community in a clinic that is focused on providing a comfortable and welcoming environment for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.
The clinic will operate out of the current UnityPoint Family Medicine Clinic on Prairie Parkway in Cedar Falls. The clinic is set to open Jan. 3rd. Patients can schedule appointments between 5-7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month.
Services provided by the clinic will include:
Emily Ball, a nurse practitioner at the clinic, says this will be the first of its kind in the Cedar Valley. The only other LGBTQ clinic in the state is in Iowa City at the University of Iowa.
“We just felt like we needed this local,” said Ball. “We didn’t want patients to feel like they had to travel a couple of hours, several times a month initially, and a couple times of year, we wanted everyone to find those services here.”
Ball says the goal is to make members members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community feel comfortable coming to the doctor.

Wisconsin

Madison Commons profiled the Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools, which is training teachers to better understand the needs of LGBTQ students:

Shawn Fredricks, a former health and physical education teacher at Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit, described always separating her students between boys and girls.
Though she considered herself a pretty accepting person, Fredricks said until she went to a training hosted by the organization Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools (GSAFE), a Madison based nonprofit advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, she was not aware about how much she did not understand about identity.
“I would say ‘boys over here and girl over there’ without giving it much of a second thought,” she said.
The small staff at GSAFE has been training Wisconsin educators for the past decade in creating a safe and supportive educational setting for students who do not fit into gender conforming labels.
In the past five years, the educational sessions shifted its focus to highlight the experiences of transgender students as well as LGBTQ+ students of color.

Brown County in northeast Wisconsin — and the home of Green Bay — is considering a gender identity nondiscrimination law , the Green Bay Press Gazette reports:

Brown County officials are scheduled this week to consider ways of protecting transgender persons from discrimination.
One plan would require that county employees and job applicants be treated equally and without regard to their gender identity or status as a transgender person.

Aaron Linssen (Photo: Bill Gellerman)
The county’s Executive Committee will take up the idea at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Northern Building, 305 E. Walnut St., Green Bay.
Another measure, by Supervisor Aaron Linssen, would include gender identity as a protected class in the county’s housing code.
Linssen cited recent action by De Pere to prohibit landlords, employers and businesses from discriminating against transgender persons.
“My constituents in De Pere voted to make anti-discrimination their law,” Linssen said in an interview. “I think it’s the right time.”

An historic Madison property may become the city’s most prominent LGBTQ official landmark, the Wisconsin State Journal reports:

The era ended when Clarenbach sold the house in June 1987.
But three decades later, a coalition has created the Clarenbach House Project to seek city landmark designation for the property.
“If we fail to celebrate that time and forget to honor the hard work which went into expanding civil rights we are in danger of taking them for granted, and when we take something for granted we are exposed to the risk of losing it,” project chairwoman Leslie Schroeder said.

Queering the Tarot: King of Swords

Cassandra Snow
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Queering the Tarot: King of Swords

Contrary to the Queen of Swords, the King is often seen as lacking compassion. This is is someone so intellectually driven, they can only see that their way is the right way. This is someone so eager to rule, they will gladly step on other people to get there. This King is peak Air–cool, callous, and so sure that what they are doing is for the greater good that they’re willing to rule out empathy.

This King is not all bad–very few things in the world are strictly good or bad, right or wrong. If you need to make a decision for YOU, this card shows up urging you to think about your own best interests and cut away anything that is unnecessary or damaging to you in the process. We sometimes need a shot of intellect to remind us not to get totally lost in the rush of feelings or passion we’ve just encountered. It can also be a warning; this King doesn’t care about our feelings, but if something that inhibits the greater good is coming, they’re going to tell us. This card can very easily be about clarity and finding peace. It can very easily be telling you to own your power in a given situation.

This is one of my least favorite cards to get in a reading. I don’t like being selfish, even when I know it’s for the best. I don’t like conflict or fighting, even when they’re necessary. It is one of the most interesting to queer though. This King can be and often is so obviously white supremacist patriarchy. This is the world and the set of institutions that are so cruel to LGBTQ+ people or anyone who is marginalized. This card, in a reading often says “You’re not wrong. Fighting this is going to suck, and you might lose”, or it says “Well, you were on a good trajectory, but now this sexist or transphobic thing is going to mess it all up or stall you substantially.” This sword in this King’s hand might be coming for you, or you might find out that the things you’re grappling with are because the sword has already swung in your direction. This is why this is one of my least favorite cards, and I have seen it manifest this literally a dozen times in the past couple of years especially.
Yet this King’s Sword is double edged, and like most (if not all) of the Swords cards, there are ways we can still “win” whatever it is we are facing or fighting. While so much of my work queering the tarot with LGBTQ+ clients is centered on following your heart and listening to your gut, when we are in the thick of a fight that, unfortunately, doesn’t always work on it’s own. Sometimes we need to think like our oppressor, using a clear head and an aggressive energy to use succinct and intellectual communication to open someone’s mind or even to beat them in a court of law. Sometimes we need to be willing to pick up that Sword and say “Hey–you–I’m done. I’m cutting this down”, whether that “this” is a rule or law we don’t agree with and decide to fight against or even just that person’s affect and influence in our life.

The King of Swords rarely ends totally happily. In fact, it rarely ends. You might change that law but the system is still slanted against you. You might open someone’s mind but what about the next fifty people? You might win the battle, but the war for your dignity and your rights is still raging on. That’s okay. This card teaches us how to fight, and that’s important whether we’re winning that fight or not. In fact, it’s crucial. We want to know how to walk the walk and talk the talk if we want to survive in our society. The Tower promises big, dramatic change, but the little by little and step by step are just as crucial to creating real and sustaining change, and that’s what the King of Swords can bring if we let them.

*PSSST! Big news! Queering the Tarot is a series I’ve been running for what seems like forever. Now it’s being compiled, finished, and rewritten as a book by the same title through Red Wheel/Wieser publishing! It’s still way too early even to pre-order, but keep their website on your radar for future purchase options and release date information.

Bi-lesque confronts erasure and increases representation

Cassandra Snow
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The Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP) has been quietly building one of the most important burlesque shows in the city for the second year in a row. Bi-lesque: Under Our Umbrella seeks to highlight and make visible anyone under the bisexual umbrella. That umbrella includes those who are pansexual, sexually fluid, polysexual, or who are any other form of non-monosexuality. This show is critical because of the erasure those who are under the bi+ umbrella face, but BOP isn’t satisfied to let the show rest on those basic laurels. They’ve also intentionally brought in several transgender performers and performers of color, making this one of the most beautifully inclusive shows in the city.

That inclusivity speaks for itself when you look at the list of performers taking the stage for this year’s Bi-lesque. Marcel Michelle-Mobama is hosting, and the line-up is comprised of Joy Coy, Stella Rosa, Vod Sinclair, Blaze Bordeaux, Jean Luc Dicard, Deeva Rose, Coco Dupree, Seebie Sparklehaus, and a couple of fun group numbers. Burlesque stars Redbone and Sweetpea are featuring. The chance to shine in a show full of other nonmonosexual people is rare in and of itself, and to do so with some of the most exciting names in burlesque is truly magical. BOP Director-At-Large Shawna McNamara says “A lot of discrimination in society comes from lack of education and understanding. We hope Bi-Lesque will spark excitement with beautifully bold entertainment.”

She goes on to say “Featuring inclusive art that represents our local bi+ community could be an effective way to battle bi-erasure and bi-phobia. In celebrating individuals within the non-monosexual community in a joyous and entertaining light, who wouldn’t want to jump on the equality train to take down the hierarchy?”

Having attending last year’s Bi-lesque: Gender Anarchy, I know that while this show is important and vital, it’s also a stunning show. In seeking an inclusive and diverse cast, BOP puts a group of people on stage together who’s talent can not be stopped. My mouth dropped open several times as performers employed some of their best stage tricks while keeping up an impossible energy level for the whole show. This year’s line-up is sure to thrill us even more, and the show has added a couple of group numbers (also full of nonmonosexual artists) that will keep you surprised  and delighted throughout the night.

“The main mission of Bi-Lesque is to host a night of entertaining activism where we celebrate bi+ identities and increase bi-visibility. The vision is to create a space for everyone under the bisexual umbrella to meet, build community, and celebrate their identities,” McNamara explains. This fits right into the organization’s overall mission. If you’re not familiar with the work of the Bisexual Organizing Project, you should be. They’ve hosted countless discussion groups, book clubs, and educational events centered on those under the bi+ umbrella, and their artistic curation prowess is substantial. Their annual Because conference usually includes unique performing arts. This past year that included Lyssa Sparrow’s First Year Queer, and when my own Gadfly Theatre Productions was starting out, BOP gave us one of our first big opportunities. BOP’s mission statement is to “Build, serve and advocate for an empowered bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and unlabeled (bi+) community to promote social justice.” As the group has picked up steam over the past several years, members of BOP and the greater bisexual+ community in the Twin Cities have begun requesting entertaining and artistic events. I know firsthand how important art is to inspiring conversation and opening minds. I also know firsthand how important it is to ensure that the people telling the stories about marginalization or taking over a much-deserved spotlight are those who identify that way themselves. Bi-lesque coming back for a second year is a great signal of BOP’s success at bringing together this community to celebrate art and use it as a form of advocacy.

The best (and most fun) way to show support though is by coming to the show! Bi-lesque: Under Our Umbrella happens from 7:00-9:00 PM on Saturday, January 13th at Lush. Head over to Lush’s website to grab your tickets to kick your new year off right with stellar art and precious community.

BOP is also still looking for sponsors and donors for this event (and all of the great work they do). Please e-mail:

Shawna McNamara for event sponsorship: [email protected] or Leah Ganzer Yoemans to donate: [email protected].

You can find BOP on Facebook, Twitter and Meetup to learn more about this amazing organization.

 

Twin Cities queer arts must-sees in January

Cassandra Snow
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Twin Cities queer arts must-sees in January

Happy almost 2018, Column readers! If you are like me, you’ve got a list of resolutions and a renewed lifelong vow to spend more money on art and less on eating out by your side at this very moment. Luckily, the LGBTQ+ led and driven queer arts scene in the Twin Cities is kicking off the year with plenty to help us maintain that resolution and support our community.

Theatre & Film

If like me, you thought you were going to miss the Tom of Finland biopic, don’t worry! The Film Society of Minneapolis is keeping it running until at least January 4th. More information is available at their website.

The Walker Art Center is kicking off their annual Out There festival on January 4th. Out There brings us innovative performance art (and has been for over 30 years) rooted in experimentation and subversion. That’s a queer enough concept as it is, but the diverse group of artists featured includes Antigonón, un contigente épico by Teatro El Público which features some drag performances among other modern and queered themes, along with a large number of LGBTQ+ artists featuring throughout. Find out more and grab tickets to the shows you’re most excited for at The Walker’s website.

The first weekend of January (the 5th and 6th) also sees the return of Tiny Funny Women Fest, an improv festival aimed at feminine-of-center people and women. This weekend features tons of opportunities to mingle and workshop with successful, working improvisers–or you can just see shows a la carte, such as Party Riot at Huge Theater. Lots of queer women and genderqueer people are involved with this one–here’s how to learn more and sign up.

Jean Genet’s The Maids is a play I have seen multiple times, and I’ve seen a few directors try to gloss over the Sapphic undertones. Looking at press for The Phoenix Theater’s event, I don’t think we’re in danger of that here. Check out this disturbing and evocative piece inspired by the story of the Papin sisters on January 12th-20th.  

Visual  & Literary Arts

The Art Shanties are one of the most Minnesotan art installations that happens in the Twin Cities every year; the shanties are put up by a group of artists, many LGBTQ+ who create, perform, or display whatever they want within those hut walls. This year the shanties will take over Lake Harriet starting on January 20th. This event is free to the public, and you can find out more here.

I spied at least a couple of queer artists on the list for January’s Encyclopedia Show: Marsupials produced by Word Sprout on January 21st, and there’s probably a couple more that I don’t know. Either way, this is a really fun, laidback storytelling show at Kieran’s Irish Pub downtown. Their Facebook page has more details.

Music & Comedy
January 19th welcomes Princess Nokia, an internationally acclaimed queer rapper and hip hop artist, to The Cabooze. Tickets are fairly moderately priced and will probably sell out, so snag yours ASAP via Ticketfly.

If you’re looking for something different, try out the reoccuring Sapphic Night of Hygge & Healing this January. On January 20th at The Wolf House Girlpond Productions give you an opportunity for shopping, tarot readings, chakra healing, and so much more. This month features Soul Reflect, a hip-hop artist with a huge heart and a crucial point of view.

Jess Salomon and Deanne Smith are performing a comedy show together on January 27th, and I am beside myself. Ladies Night is part of the Sabes Jewish Community Center’s annual Twin Cities Jewish Humor Festival and you can find out more about both comedians and secure your seat here.

Drag, Burlesque, and Cabaret
Saturday, January 6th offers a fun way to raise money for local animal welfare organizations with CaPAWret, a line-up of TBD burlesque, drag, and variety artists being organized and produced by some well-known LGBTQ+ artists. Their Facebook event is your best bet for more information as they have it and to figure out how to end up at Minnsky Theater on the 6th to see.

One of the best burlesque shows I saw in 2017 was produced by the Bisexual Organizing Project. Bi-lesque is coming back, and the line-up is as strong as ever. You can see Deeva Rose, Vod Sinclair, Sweetpea, and so many more breathtaking artists as part of Bi-lesque: Under Our Umbrella on January 13th at Lush.

Burlesque, Drag, and Variety are promised as part of January’s The Peacock Cabaret at Amsterdam Bar in St. Paul. They are still lining up artists, but already this January 20th event looks wonderful. Tickets and more info available here.

Recurring Events
Huge Theater has an open Queer Improv Jam for queer improv artists to come and laugh and play together on the first Sunday of the month at 5:00 P.M. No need to register, just come to 3037 Lyndale Ave S. to jam with great professional and amateur improv-ers. No cover.

You definitely don’t want to miss OutSpoken, a queer open mic hosted by Paul Canada on the second Wednesday of every month. This great event is now hosted at Lush! More information here.

Every Thursday night Can Can Wonderland puts together a variety show like none other. Six to eight acts share Can Can’s stage. Local LGBTQ+ talent and those known to the community for legitimate allyship often feature. The event is free, 21+, and starts at 9:00 P.M.

The second Thursday of the night is a special time in comedy here in the Twin Cities. Pssy Ctrl is an all female & queer comedy event happening at the Comedy Corner Underground. It’s hosted by Rana May and Shelley Paul and is just $7 unless you’re a student—then it’s free. No reservations, just show up!

Telling Queer History is a story-telling and community building event that happens on the second Sunday of every month and changes locations. Check out their Facebook page for more information and to keep up with their rotating spaces.

Another amazing storytelling event is curated and hosted by the one and only Andrea Jenkins and John Medeiros. It’s called Queer Voices: A Reading Series and takes place monthly with amazing features each month. Intermedia Arts’ website has more.

Lush’s entire nightlife entertainment line-up is incredible. Must sees include:

  • Black Hearts Burlesque every Friday night at 10:00 P.M. featuring Black Hearts Founder Elektra Cute.
  • #DragRevolution every Saturday at 10:00 P.M. hosted by Twin Cities legend Victoria DeVille.
  • Deviance: A Transmasculine Cabaret featuring music, drag, boylesque and more every fourth Saturday at 7:00 P.M.
  • Local lesbian comedy darling Sarah McPeck’s variety show The Big Fat Comedy Hour on the second Sunday of the month at 7:00 P.M.
  • Drag Brunch every Sunday at 11:30 featuring an all-star line-up and always with a theme that guarantees the most fun for your money.

For tickets to events at Lush head over to their website. They’ve got an event space that seats plenty, but it does sell out regularly so grab your tickets in advance.

The Gay ’90s has a rough reputation in the LGBTQ+ community, but they’ve spent the past year or two cleaning up their act and bringing in some great new acts. Fan favorites include:

  • Sweetpea and Mistress Mara hosting Kinky Friday on the first Friday of every month. This 18+ event is part performance, part kinky party, and all around great time.
  • GLAM! Boylesque shows up intermittently at the Ladies of La Femme Lounge. The next one is June 9th. Don’t miss out!
  • Speaking of Ladies of La Femme—there are nightly drag shows at this huge lounge for plenty of you and yours to show up and see some great drag. Many of the queens have been there for years, and those legends alone are worth seeing. The new talent that gets brought in is also absolutely wonderful.

One of the first LGBTQ+ bars I came to regularly when I first came to Minneapolis was The Townhouse in St. Paul. While the entertainment line-ups are obviously completely different now than the were almost a decade ago, they’re still diverse, entertaining, and full of solid artists. Best shows include (but are not limited too):

  • Pumps and Pearls Drag Revue at 9:30 P.M. Every Wednesday night.
  • Dragged Out, a cast of Drag Kings with special guests that fills up the main room on the third Friday of every month.
  • A great trial run for aspiring burlesque performers and other awesome performances happens the second Friday of every month at 10:30 P.M. And the Nudie Nubie’s Show hosted by Red Bone and Foxy Tann.

Please note: we’d love to include YOU and YOUR work at The Column’s Arts Calendar. Please submit events to [email protected]. As a fun bonus, if your event is super innovative or exciting, we’re likely to reach out for a deeper feature or review.

 

A Twin Cities guide to doing New Years LGBTQ style

Cassandra Snow
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A Twin Cities guide to doing New Years LGBTQ style

There are few things a rainbow squad comprised of LGBTQ+ besties loves more than a night dedicated to partying and starting fresh, making New Year’s Eve one of our favorite nights of the year. I was tickled pink when I moved to Minneapolis almost a decade ago and was overwhelmed by choices on where to go and what to do for the big night. As time has gone on, that overwhelm feels less fresh and more, well, overwhelming, and I know I’m not alone in that. To help everyone, including myself, narrow down our choices I’ve sifted through the hordes of New Year’s Eve invites to bring you a list of the most fun, queer, or otherwise interesting New Year’s Eve events happening to ring in 2018.

For Dancing the Night Away
For those of us that like a traditional New Year’s Eve full of booze, potential partners of our preferred genders, and dancing, there is something going on in every part of the city. That includes:

A Ground Zero New Year’s Eve for only $7 cover; this hardcore club that features regular bondage shows in the back will be up to their usual tricks, allowing you to party with the goth kids you never felt cool enough to approach in high school until the ball drops. Dom(me)s will be in the back as usual too, highlighting this club’s Bondage A-Go-Go night.

If you’re in or closer to St. Paul and not too keen on crossing the river for the night, never fear. Camp Bar’s New Year’s Eve Party has music by Mia Dorr & DJ Didi, a champagne toast at midnight, and NO COVER. Find out more here.

Though not featured on their website, The Saloon’s New Year’s Eve event plans to be every bit as raucous as we’ve come to expect this from downtown staple. They’re going 18+ for the night and offering free champagne right before midnight. They’ve got a DJ, dancers, and you can learn more here.

For the Quieter Crowd
This whole year I’ve gravitated towards art and quiet (though still-very-fun) fun as opposed to spending endless hours at parties or clubs, and if you’re like me, here’s some really fun stuff happening that won’t cause you to call in to work the next day:

Well-known local lesbian comedian Maggie Farris is bringing back her FOURTH Annual East Coast Style NYE Show at Sisyphus Brewing. She’s got Jeff Pfoser, Chloe Radcliffe, and Kate Anderson with her–all who I’ve seen many times and can vouch for the hilarity of. There’s not much else to say about this great night of comedy, except that the show ends at 11 (hence the “East Coast” style) so if you’ve got an early morning or just want to beat the wilder crowds home, this is the perfect night for you.

Also ending in plenty of time to get to another event or just go home is Smartmouth Comedy’s monthly It’s That Time of The Month. This is a monthly sketch comedy show where performers have just six hours to rehearse a script that came together just a day and a half prior. Featuring a few LGBTQ+ players and always a great night, this 7:30 P.M. show has tickets available here.

A PSSY CTRL New Year’s Eve is happening, and I’m so excited. This is one of my favorite stand-up comedy shows, and this year’s line-up features Jan Syverson and Grace Thomas (who have left the cities since this show’s inception) returning. You have two options depending on if you like being out at midnight or not–an 8:00 show and a 10:30 show. Tickets and details are here.

One night of fun isn’t enough for the top names in burlesque, so New Year’s Noire is a four day event chock full of some of the biggest names in burlesque and cabaret. Local darlings Elektra Cute Presents and Nadine DuBois team up with big acts from NYC and beyond to produce this celebration, and the all-star line-up changes every night. This takes place at the Lab Theater, and their website has more info for you, including how to snag tickets!

Wilde Cafe and Spirits is a sweet little gay owned cafe near the river (and my apartment, ha!) just over the Hennepin Avenue bridge coming into Northeast, and they’ve got jazz music and their delicious gourmet food happening on New Year’s Eve. If you want to walk back to your car with one of the best views in the city, this is where you want to be. The event’s Facebook page is the best place to find out more.

For Those Looking for Art AND A Party
The events featured below all have performers PLUS dancing or other miscellaneous fun. They’re the best options if you don’t really know what you want to do, you want to run into queer community members, or you like to go to parties but prefer to have some kind of entertainment going on so you don’t have to dance or make conversation the whole time. The most exciting ones I found are:

New Year’s Eve at Can Can Wonderland  features music by the Brass Messengers and queer favorite Symone Smash It, a vaudeville show, and MINI-GOLF. This is the most eclectic event I’ve found, in true Can Can style. Tickets available here.

Last year Lush’s New Year’s Eve Annual Masquerade Ball sold out, but as of now there are still tickets so hurry over to the website and secure yours now! In addition to all the fun a masquerade ball normally promises, this one’s got pop up performances and living art installations by the #DragRevolution cast, masked go-go dancers, and popular DJ’s Leif Anderson and Miss Scarlett spinning all night.

2018 New Year Party with the La Femme Cast at the Gay 90’s is exactly what it sounds like–drag queens, dancing, and a big to-do about New Year’s Eve itself. The 90’s ALSO has a free champagne toast, and the Karaoke Bar and Retro Game Room will also be open.

Raja and Raven from RuPaul’s Drag Race  join local stars Magic Dyke, Julia Starr and more for Flip Phone’s 2018: The Party at First Avenue this year. Flip Phone events sell out regularly, so this is another one you want to go ahead and grab if this is your chosen event for the night.

I’ll end this New Year’s Eve round-up with the party I’m most excited about but may not be able to make. New Year’s Eve Party with Lizzo is happening at The Myth, and if bringing in the new year with Lizzo, Brooke Candy, CupcakKe and Doja Cat wasn’t enough to excite you there is a GRRRL PRTY! Reunion planned and that’s going to make The Myth the place to be for queer women and their friends this New Year’s Eve. Head over to the club’s website now to secure your spot.

 

Around the Region: New LGBTQ bar opening in Fargo-Moorhead

Andy Birkey
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Around the Region: New LGBTQ bar opening in Fargo-Moorhead

North Dakota
A new LGBTQ bar is opening near Moorhead, WDAY reports:

Shane Friesz left North Dakota in his 20s to “go be gay” somewhere more progressive.
The native of New Salem, N.D., is back now and recently opened a gay bar—the only one of its kind near Fargo-Moorhead in several years.
Friesz and his partner, Shawn Weber, opened The Sanctuary Bar & Bistro on Saturday, Dec. 16, drawing patrons to check out how the couple converted a small-town watering hole into a gay bar.
But first, patrons had to make a drive through the country to get there. It’s well outside of town, located at 9816 21st St. N. just off U.S. Highway 75 in Kragnes Township north of Moorhead. According to the latest U.S. Census data, the population of Kragnes Township, Minn. is 222.
Friesz said he and Weber knew it would take a lot of work when they first saw the former Kragnes Inn bar in February. The decor was old, it lacked a proper kitchen and everything needed updates, especially its well system and interior finishes.
“We both have really good decorating skills, as you can tell,” he said, gesturing to the bar area that’s been repainted and freshened. “We kind of looked at each other and said, ‘I think we can make this work.’ “

A Wyoming company settled a sexual harassment case that involved homophobic harassment in Williston, according to press release from the EEOC:

Rocky Mountain Casing Crews (RMCC), a Wyoming company that formerly did business in the North Dakota oil patch, has agreed to pay $70,000 to settle a sexual harassment and sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2016, the agency announced today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, RMCC, which formerly maintained a workforce in Williston, N.D., subjected a male employee to harassment because of his sex, male, and his sexual orientation. The agency said that coworkers called the employee by offensive and homophobic slurs, and the office manager made him the target of derogatory sex-based comments, including giving him a Santa cap with a Spanish slang word for “homosexual” on it.
The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Rocky Mountain Casing Crews (RMCC), 1:16-cv-00428-DLH-CSM (D. N.D.), alleging that RMCC had violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by this misconduct. The consent decree settling the suit provides that RMCC will pay the discrimination victim $70,000 and adopt and enforce a policy against sexual harassment in the future. RMCC management and employees will undergo training on the prohibitions against harassment in the workplace.
“Sexual harassment is illegal whether it is against women or men,” said Julianne Bowman, the EEOC’s district director in Chicago, who managed the federal agency’s pre-suit administrative investigation. “Employers must respond appropriately when they receive complaints of this kind of abuse.”

A Grand Forks City Council member is pushing for a more welcoming city, but fellow city council members are pushing back, the Bismarck Tribune reports:

Grand Forks City Council member Sandi Marshall said she wants to tell the world her city is a welcoming, inclusive place to live.
It hasn’t been that simple.
Marshall introduced an “inclusion resolution” at Monday’s council committee meeting. It’s a statement of values — not a law or regulation — that disavows bigotry and advertises Grand Forks’ better nature. Notably, it says “promoting differentiation or superiority” for a list of identities — like race, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation — is “scientifically false, morally condemnable, hateful, socially unjust and dangerous.”
Marshall said she’s trying to officialize a positive, inclusive city philosophy — not create a code of conduct. And while most agree Grand Forks ought to be inclusive, the resolution’s details are proving politically charged, drawing passionate public comment and leaving city leaders debating its exact language. The debate is reminiscent of the city’s 2015 consideration of a diversity commission — a never-formed group that would have advocated for local minorities’ interests.
“In my opinion, this is anti-God, anti-Constitution, anti-America and anti-common sense,” said Terry Bjerke, a former City Council member and 2016 Grand Forks mayoral candidate, who characterized the document as a politically correct manifesto at Monday night’s meeting. “No City Council is ever going to tell me what to think.”

South Dakota
LGBTQ South Dakotans held a Queer Christmas for folks who can’t go home for the holidays, Black Hills FOX reports:

One organization opened their arms on Monday to a group of people who they say are not always welcome at the family dinner table.

Black Hills FOX Reporter Katrina Lim takes a look at what Queer South Dakota did for the LGBT community this holiday season.
Queer South Dakota Board Member Nancy Rosenbrahn says, “Whether they be a gay man or a gay woman or transgender individual, they can’t go back home. It’s too uncomfortable. It’s too stressful. And sometimes they’re not even welcome back at all.”
Queer South Dakota hosted what they called “A Queer Christmas” at Jayde Tree Salon.

A Sioux Falls family sends holiday cards to lawmakers to remind them that they have LGBTQ constituents, the Argus Leader reports:

“All for love and love for all.”
That’s the message scrawled below a photo of two smiling children on a holiday card that a handful of state lawmakers, congressional delegates and other elected officials received this month.
Tucked into the envelope with the card is a request from the mothers of the little boy and girl in the picture:
“We kindly ask you to remember our family when discriminatory anti-LGBT legislation comes up in South Dakota,” they wrote in a holiday letter. “Like our children know, there is no place for bullying in our great state and country that we love.”
For the past several years Stacey Burnette, 36, and her wife Danielle Wilcox, 37, have printed a handful of extra holiday cards to send to their elected officials. Inspired by the season of love and giving, the pair sent out the notes again this year.

Iowa
The Press Citizen profiled a lesbian Methodist pastor following her being disciplined by the national church for living an authentic lesbian life:

For the Rev. Anna Blaedel, being an open, admitted homosexual is one of the most authentic ways she can express her faith in God.
And the more her own church disagrees, the more Blaedel stands firm. She is convicted: God wants her to be gay — and happily so, no matter how hard the Methodist Church tries to tell her, and the world, otherwise.
“Deep into my bones, I believe my queerism is a gift,” says Blaedel, director of the University of Iowa Wesley Foundation who became internationally known for bucking the United Methodist Church’s ban against “open, avowed homosexuality.” “I believe God delights in my queer-love. I am convicted of that with every ounce of my being and soul. I have never, ever had a sense that being gay was sinful, or that God was displeased with me being gay.”
Earlier this year, Blaedel was disciplined by the United Methodist Church for officiating at a lesbian couple’s wedding. She appealed the discipline, and news reports at the time proclaimed a “resolution” when Blaedel and the church board agreed to pass the topic on to the international Judicial Council to explore the issue when it convenes in 2019.

Zach Wahls is best known for his passionate speech in support of his two moms and his work to end the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay members, is running for an Iowa Senate seat, the Muscatine Journal reports:

Iowa City native, advocate and author Zach Wahls announced Thursday he will run for the Iowa Senate seat held by Bob Dvorsky, who does not plan to seek re-election in 2018.
“I’m running for the Iowa Senate for one simple reason,” Wahls, a Democrat, told more than 100 people crammed into the Old Town Hall on Thursday afternoon for the announcement. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment that will determine the future of our state for generations to come, and I feel responsible.”
Wahls, 26, gained national attention when his 2011 testimony before the Iowa House Judiciary Committee about growing up with gay parents went viral and became YouTube’s most-watched political video of 2011.
On Thursday, Wahls celebrated his parents, Jackie Reger and Terry Wahls, on the 21st anniversary of their commitment ceremony, during which they walked down the aisle to the theme song from “Star Trek Voyager.”

A Christian group at the University of Iowa lost its recognition by the school after it rejected a student after finding out he is gay last year, the Daily Iowan reports:

A Christian student organization on the University of Iowa campus, Business Leaders in Christ, has been removed as a recognized campus organization following findings of discrimination in the group.
As previously reported by The Daily Iowan, Business Leaders in Christ had offered then University of Iowa sophomore Marcus Miller a leadership position in the organization, then rescinded the offer upon Miller revealing that he was gay.
Miller said he filed a formal discrimination complaint against the organization on Feb. 20, and the UI found the claim against Business Leaders in Christ had merit.
UI Media Relations Director Anne Bassett said in an email to The Daily Iowan that the UI does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, in accordance with law.
“The University of Iowa respects the right of students, faculty, and staff to practice the religion of their choice. During orientation, new students are invited to learn about the 20 religious student organizations on campus and the worship opportunities in the surrounding community,” Bassett said.

A week later, the Business Leaders in Christ filed suit, KCRG reports:

A christian group on the University of Iowa campus has filed a lawsuit against the university.
According to the lawsuit, the UI revoked the registration of the group Business Leaders in Christ last month. This stems from a 2016 complaint where a member of the group, who is openly gay, asked if the group would consider him for vice president.
He claims the group denied this because of his sexual orientation. But the group says its leaders have to abide by the group’s religious beliefs which include avoiding any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
Business Leaders in Christ filed the lawsuit on Monday. It includes 20 counts against the university.

New lesbian musical comedy duo on the Twin Cities scene

Cassandra Snow
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New lesbian musical comedy duo on the Twin Cities scene

Attention Twin Cities! There is a new lesbian musical comedy duo on the scene, and they are armed with guitars, charm, and a U-Haul’s worth of lesbian jokes. Champagne Jamboree consists of Sarah McPeck, the comedian and go-getter known for hosting and curating The Big Fat Comedy Hour at Lush, and Amanda Costner, known for her own hilarious lesbian folk comedy. The two met when Costner got booked for McPeck’s show with no prior run-ins or introductions. They each loved what the other was doing comedically, and decided to write a song together. One song became became two, and so on and so forth until they’d formed an act neither wanted to let go of — Champagne Jamboree.

According to McPeck, Champagne Jamboree is “a lesbian folk musical comedy duo. If you can say that 3 times fast, you win our everlasting love. We are having a great time developing our comedy together, running around Minneapolis in the freezing cold doing sketch videos, reviews, promos, and taking pictures. I’m pretty impressed with everything we have accomplished thus far. We are planning a tour for later in the year, so right now we are doing a lot of planning, researching and deciding where the best places are to perform.”

Costner adds, “We officially ‘got together’ in September of this year and we’ve played about a dozen shows and recorded several sketch videos. Our style is to play high quality music combined with punchlines and sketch comedy. We often portray characters and improvise songs with the audience.”

I attended a recent The Big Fat Comedy Hour to see the duo in action and was delighted to recognize myself in songs about getting back out into the dating world, and in songs centered around recognizable relationship fights. I was eager to hear more about their songwriting process, which sounds just as laid back as you’d expect from a duo who pens joke songs about their love of marijuana.

“Usually we go to one of our apartments, relax, have a drink or biscuits and gravy for brunch — and then we decide what we want to write about. Sometimes Sarah has a style she feels like the song should be in. A lot of times I just play around with different licks and chord progressions and then we start layering the lyrics on top of whatever sounds good. A song just needs a good hook or starting line, then the rest flows. Also we laugh a lot when we’re making music,” Costner explains. The audience laughs a lot too, especially when songs are broken up by other bits, such as the pair taking phone calls during an awkward first date.

Champagne Jamoboree is unabashedly lesbian. This created a beautifully lewd show full of woman-on-woman sex jokes and a refusal to shy away from talking about bodies and all of their functions. I love women being crude and refusing to shut up about all of the glorious and terrible things bodies do, and I love when an act speaks so strongly to a lifestyle belonging to a marginalized group. It was, at times, clear that this was a new duo still finding their footing. I know McPeck personally and know her to be very concerned with inclusion, but there was a lyric that felt like it was erasing bisexual women — a group that I think would otherwise get a lot of joy out of Champagne Jamboree’s music. There were also some jokes that just didn’t land or felt really obvious, though those were few and far between. I saw enough really great, wonderfully queer comedy when I saw the act that I trust that in a matter of a few months, these hiccups will be smoothed over. Costner and McPeck are creating something really new in our comedy scene, and innovation takes time to perfect.

As someone who spends a lot of free time watching comedy and taking baby steps into my own forays, I’ve watched both McPeck and Costner for awhile now. Even with Costner’s musical background, Champagne Jamboree seems fresh and new in ways that will delight and surprise long-standing comedy audiences. Both artists seem to have come alive in new ways, creating jokes they couldn’t have on their own. It was a treat to see the pair cracking each other up as much as they were making everyone else laugh. Stand-up musical comedy duos are pretty rare in general, more so in the Twin Cities, and even more so in the queer arts scene. In addition to wanting to watch Champagne Jamboree grow, I hope that all of this newness and vitality inspires other LGBTQ+ comedians to start that project they didn’t even know they’d been dreaming of.

Champagne Jamboree is already playing a lot of gigs and picking up a lot of momentum.

“I really feel like all the work I have done with stand up and improv has been to get me to this point,” says McPeck. “This is where i need to be and where I want to be. I haven’t had this much fun performing in so long and that is really what it is all about. I think we will each work on our solo careers when the other one isn’t available and projects with other people, but for me at least, Champagne Jamboree is my primary focus and I am so excited to see where we go next.”

If you want to check out Champagne Jamboree yourself, they’ve got gigs slotted as follows:
January 10th, 2018 at LUSH for Outspoken, Show starts at 7:30 PM
January 21st, 2018 at LUSH for BIG Fat Comedy Hour, Show starts at 7:00PM
January 28th, 2018 at Bunny’s Bar and Grill in NE, show starts at 7:30.
They are constantly updating that list though, so follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, or Facebook, or check out their website.

Around the Region: Wis. businesses push for trans-inclusive nondiscrimination laws

Andy Birkey
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Around the Region: Wis. businesses push for trans-inclusive nondiscrimination laws

Wisconsin
A new group has formed in Wisconsin with the goal of passing transgender-specific nondiscrimination laws, the Wisconsin Gazette reports:

The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Fair Wisconsin announced the formation of Wisconsin Businesses for Equality, a coalition committed to updating Wisconsin’s non-discrimination law to protect the transgender community. Founding members include Froedtert Health, Kohler Co., ManpowerGroup, Milwaukee Bucks and UW Health.
“We believe it’s time to update and modernize our state laws to add nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity and expression,” said Jason Rae, president and CEO of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
“We must embrace diversity by enabling all individuals to cultivate their skillsets and develop successful, sustainable careers,” said Becky Frankiewicz, president of ManpowerGroup North America. “A strong and thriving business community means empowering people to participate in the workplace. ManpowerGroup is honored to actively support the Wisconsin Businesses for Equality campaign. Together, we can put people to work and truly create positive change throughout our community.”

A new poll shows that the majority of Wisconsinites oppose discrimination against LGBTQ people, the Gazette reported:

A new, first of its kind poll commissioned by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and conducted by Public Policy Polling shows that a strong majority of Wisconsinites are opposed to discrimination among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Wisconsin.
In the survey, conducted earlier this month, 62 percent of Wisconsinites believe that discrimination against transgender individuals is wrong and should be illegal.
“People in Wisconsin believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity” said Jason Rae, president and CEO of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

The survey also found that 63 percent of people believe Wisconsin’s non-discrimination laws should be updated to protect transgender individuals.

Wisconsin’s governor will speak at a conference that includes anti-transgender groups, the Capitol Times reports:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be a featured speaker at a conservative conference next month aimed at student activists.
Walker is, so far, the only elected official in the lineup, which includes prominent conservative figures including Donald Trump Jr., Anthony Scaramucci, Dinesh D’Souza, James O’Keefe, Tomi Lahren and Sebastian Gorka.
The Student Action Summit is organized by Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.”
The group has chapters at colleges and high schools throughout the country, and recently made news in Wisconsin when the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student government initially refused to recognize a local chapter as a campus organization. Opponents of the group had argued it engages in hate speech, directed in particular toward transgender students. The decision was reversed by university administrators.

In a move that surprised no one, the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Sen. Tammy Baldwin. She’s the only LGBTQ person serving in the U.S. Senate.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced its endorsement of Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin in her bid for re-election.

“We were proud to stand with Sen. Baldwin when she made history in 2012, and today we are thrilled to enthusiastically endorse her bid for a second term in the U.S. Senate,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “A true trailblazer, Sen. Baldwin has been at the center of every battle for full equality, fighting tirelessly on behalf of Wisconsin and the American people. Her leadership and voice remain crucial in the effort to advance equality and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the U.S. Senate.”

Iowa
The Des Moines Register previews an annual drag king celebration in Des Moines:

At first Jennifer Carruthers just wanted to throw a party for her female friends where they could feel free to be themselves. After spending years struggling to fit ideals of femininity like keeping her long hair and wearing makeup, Carruthers and her friends were embracing what she calls their true selves, which have a more masculine affect. They were dressing in men’s clothing and performing as “drag kings.” That meant flipping gender roles from the more commonly seen male-to-female drag queens.
Evidently, interest in this is a lot more widespread than just her group of friends, because the event gave way to a ticketed one that drew 100 in its first year. Now in its seventh, Carruthers expects the show known as “Drag King DSM” to bring nearly 600 people to Wooly’s in Des Moines’ East Village Dec. 8. It will bring performers from seven major cities, one of whom — Spikey Van Dykey, aka Jamie Kalman of Orlando — was recently featured in Elle magazine.

Manitoba
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s apology to LGBTQ folks was welcomed by the community in Winnipeg, the CBC reports:

Jim Kane keeps a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms on his wall as a reminder of the fight for human rights in Canada.
He’s spent decades fighting for gay rights and has mixed emotions about the apology Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to make to LGBT people on Tuesday.
Trudeau is apologizing to LGBT civil servants: Here’s why
LGBTQ Canadians ‘purged’ from military and public service await apology
“I already know that I’m going to cry, because it’s an important step forward and it’s long overdue,” said Kane, tearing up in his Winnipeg apartment on Monday night.
“We’ll finally be able to say in Canada nobody has the platinum card of charter rights, nobody has the green card of charter rights — everyone has the gold card of charter rights.”

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis ramps up anti-transgender activity in 2017

Andy Birkey
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Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis ramps up anti-transgender activity in 2017
Marketing for the Archdiocese anti-transgender event

On Monday, December 11, the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity at the University of St. Thomas will host an anti-transgender symposium for aspiring priests and laypeople. The symposium is part of a larger anti-transgender push within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that has been building over the course of 2017.

The December symposium, titled “Man, Woman, and the Order of Creation,” will feature several prominent figures on the anti-LGBTQ speaking circuit.

Michelle Cretella of the American College of Pediatricians will be covering The Science of Sex Differences.” Cretella runs an organization that mimics the name of a well-respected professional organization — the American Academy of Pediatrics — yet is a small group of conservative religious activists. The main thrust of the organization’s work is to push an agenda that is opposed to equity for LGBTQ people, especially youth. Her own writing has been vociferously picked apart by numerous professional organizations.

Also speaking will be Walt Heyer. Heyer has become a darling of the religious right radio and conference circuit as a “former” transgender person, a transition he credits to either a vision from Jesus Christ or a misdiagnosis of gender dysphoria instead of a “dissociative disorder that required talk therapy, not surgery.”

In addition to Cretella and Heyer, the University of St. Thomas’ seminary has invited Ryan Anderson and Bradford Wilcox, two researchers heavily tied to National Organization for Marriage’s Robert George. Indeed, the two have come under controversy for their involvement in “studies” that paint LGBTQ people in a negative light.

Finally, the symposium will include Father Paul Check, who served for 14 years as the director of Courage, the Catholic Church’s ministry committed to convincing LGBTQ Catholics to remain celibate at best — or become former “homosexuals” and “transgenders” at worst.

December’s symposium isn’t the first of its kind for the Archdiocese. On September 20, the Minnesota Catholic Conference — the Archdiocese’s public policy wing — held a conference called “Healthcare in Minnesota: A Symposium Considering Contemporary Challenges” again at the University of St. Thomas.

Sister Renee Mirkes of the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, gave a presentation about “transgender theory” at that symposium.

There are no recordings of the Catholic Conference’s symposium, but quotes from Mirkes talk referenced in the Catholic Spirit, the Archidocese’s official newspaper, match very closely to a talk that Mirkes has given before, a Trump-ishly titled talk called, “Light at the End of the Transgender Tunnel: Making Healthcare Rights of Conscience Great Again.”

Though she doesn’t appear to have any particular expertise on transgender health — her background is in music, moral theology, and theological ethics, Mirkes has been on the Catholic speaking circuit with her anti-transgender program.

In March, she gave the same talk at a Catholic group in New Hampshire, and at another group in Florida. She provided this presentation in July 2017 to the American Academy of Fertilitycare Professionals, a faith-based group closely connected to the Catholic Church and its “natural family planning” method of birth control.

Recordings from that talk — which centered heavily on transgender healthcare — are available online for a fee. Recordings from that talk — and in quotes from the Catholic Spirit — reveal the central argument of Mirkes and ostensibly the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: Health care professionals should deny health care to transgender people do that they will second guess their identity as transgender.

“By propping up health care rights of conscience, we are in no way limiting rights of transgender patients,” Mirkes said at the conference, according to the Catholic Spirit. “In fact, when a transgender patient is refused by an objecting physician, that patient has one last chance to reconsider a second opinion about what they’re doing and the medical wisdom about pursuing these hormonal and surgical interventions, that in many cases would be irreversible.”

In her earlier speech to the American Academy of Fertilitycare Professionals, Mirkes made a similar statement:

Delimiting a provider who cannot in good conscience render the controversial treatment this could be light for transgender patients. Think about this. Giving them an opportunity to hear a second opinion on the medical wisdom of pursuing these hormonal and surgical interventions that will in many instances be irreversible, this might benevolently influence transgender patients decisions and direct them to treatment that will address the real underlying physical pathology responsible for their gender incongruence. Protecting health care rights of conscience will peacefully coexist with transgender patients access to health care. That’s light at the end of the tunnel for both parties.

But the Archdiocese’s efforts haven’t been limited to anti-transgender conferences. In the Catholic Spirit, the Archdiocesan newspaper featured Emily Zinos, an anti-transgender activist closely aligned with the anti-LGBTQ Minnesota Family Council.

Another article quoted a Catholic chaplain as saying, “Children have the right not to be exposed to a world full of lies, and I do believe it’s a lie to accommodate a person’s perception of themselves [as the opposite sex] in a public manner.” Father Jim Livingston was referring to transgender people living authentically.

Also in that article, the head of the Minnesota Catholic Conference said, “We’re losing souls… People are mutilating themselves, they’re sterilizing themselves, and they’re in despair. They’re cutting off their connection to grace. Wittingly or unwittingly, they’re rejecting God’s plan. Those struggling with gender dysphoria urgently need our prayers.”

The MCC has also recently added opposing what it calls “Gender Theory” to its list of legislative priorities, and has most recently opposed efforts at inclusion for transgender students in schools.

Queering the Tarot: Queen of Swords

Cassandra Snow
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Queering the Tarot: Queen of Swords

The Queen of Swords is most often depicted sitting on a throne looking regal and proud. This archetypal figure is often seen or understood to be an older, independent woman; often a widow who has done just fine on her own. She wields the Sword calmly and confidently with a look on her face that lets you know she will use this tool when needed. This Queen tells it like it is, values honesty, and is a quick thinker with almost supernatural perception. This means she’s not only concerned with what is fair and just, but she can suss out what’s really going on like none other. She is intelligent and strong, and able to make absolute judgments devoid of emotion. She does not lack compassion or personality though, and usually errs on the side of what is truly just. Traditionally that means this card is read either as a person in the querent’s life that fits that description, or as an energy that the querent is being called to take on. If you’re asking about basic life decisions, this card is telling you to make the most logical decision, or perhaps the one that honors yourself the most. If you’re dealing with problematic or troubling people in an area of your life, the Queen of Swords is telling you to be compassionate but to perhaps wield the sword and sever those ties. This Queen always wants you to be honest with yourself and others when making your decisions, and wants you to do so independently.

The Queen of Swords, to me, brings two images to mind. One of is of my queerplatonic partner’s grandmother, and that is perhaps why I see so much compassion and love in this card despite its seemingly cold appearance. The Queen of Swords isn’t cruel, and is actually a bit of a marshmallow. She’s not going to mince words though, and she’s going to expect you to pull yourself together when it’s time to get things done. What this brings to mind from a queer perspective is the question “What do we owe our community?” Self-care is important, but so is the work we’re doing. No one is telling you not to live in or express your neuroatypicality or to just “get over” any trauma you’ve experienced.

When you’ve committed to a social justice movement or a project that will help your community though, there is, unfortunately, a time where you DO just have to pull yourself together and get stuff done. Whether you haven’t been behaving like your best self or just haven’t been putting your promised energy in, this card shows up to remind you that now is the time to pull it together and get back out there and fight. Alternatively, this card also shows up when you’ve been doing no self-care whatsoever. If you’ve been fighting and working and putting in a ton of emotional labor for other people, the Queen of Swords shows up to remind you that you can pull back and cool off for a bit. However, self-care isn’t always rest and coloring. How clean is your home? How clean are YOU? Have you eaten and drank enough water lately? Have you been sleeping? As the Swords so often do, this card delivers the advice we don’t always want but do need. It might seem contradictory to include both messages, but really this Queen shows up to dish out the advice you need the most when you need it the most. Surrounding cards are important, but so is having a conversation with the seeker, especially if that’s yourself.

The Queen of Swords is often the marker of a queer woman in general for me. I often try to stay away from the gendered assignations in the tarot unless it’s to subvert them, but the other image this card calls to mind for me is the “Virgin” archetype of yesteryear; that is, a woman who is independent, unmarried, a happy “old maid.” After years of scholarly research, we know a great number of these women to be LGBTQ+ without the language or public acceptance to be out as such. Despite being in the closet, the ones we know about regularly spoke out against the society they lived in, using their wits or their pens to create scathing critiques of their times. This is incredibly representative of the Queen of Swords; her own identity sits close to her chest, but she will be damned if she won’t speak out on the injustice others are facing.

The Queen of Swords speaks deeply to the part of our wounded radical souls that still thinks that in the end justice will win out. We want to be this person who so firmly but lovingly commands this sword, using our words for good and allowing that good to win out. It isn’t always a realistic message, but it’s an important one. What is truly just and truly fair can win. We can speak out against oppression in our society and become Queen. We can create the world we want to see through fighting or creation or whatever else we have at our disposal. In my heart, I still believe those things are true even as we lose battle after battle in present day. Yet we keep fighting, and when we want to stop the Queen of Swords shows up to say “No, keep going.” This card is that energy that drives us towards fairness and equality no matter what. This card knows the only way to win is with strength and confidence, and it shows up when the message that those things matter is precisely what we need.

*PSSST! Big news! Queering the Tarot is a series I’ve been running for what seems like forever. Now it’s being compiled, finished, and rewritten as a book by the same title through Red Wheel/Wieser publishing! It’s still way too early even to pre-order, but keep their website on your radar for future purchase options and release date information.

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