Lexington Reads Radically- THIS SUNDAY!

Hey all: We are having our first Lexington Reads Radically meeting this Sunday, September 19 at 4pm in my apartment. Please message me at mary dot lesch [at] gmail dot com if you would like directions. Feel free to bring snacks, but not alcohol because I live in a dry building.



We've been talking about it for a year. Now we're finally going to do it. We're going to have our first meeting of Lexington Reads Radically.

Here's how it's going to go:

1. Everyone brings a book/zine/journal article that they love.
...2. We're each going to share what we brought and why we like it.
3. Then we're going to swap w/ one another.
4. When we get together next month we'll discuss w/ each other what we read and what we liked/didn't like about it. Then we'll swap again.

Some general rules:

1. This group (along w/ the listserv) is called lexington reads RADICALLY. That means that we're going to be talking about things like gender identity, sexuality, oppression, class structure, stuff that challenges us, etc. Now that doesn't mean we won't sometimes be reading fluff (I happen to love a good fluffy read) but we're still going to analyze it.
2. You may bring both fiction and non-fiction to share
3. You MUST MUST MUST bring the books/zines/articles back.
4. People are free to come and go from the group.
5. Try to finish what you read, even if it's not something you'd typically go for. If you absolutely can't finish it, then swap it out for something else.

See you Sunday!

Fatal Seduction: Book Based in Lexington about the Drag Community

I just heard about this book yesterday, "Fatal Seduction" by Rena Vicini.

Here is a review from Ebay:

The chilling true account of a vicious 1986 murder. Vicini takes readers on a shocking journey from the University of Kentucky to Lexington's sleaziest underground nightclubs as she tells of two women consumed by greed, sex, drugs and depraved violence--and of the innocent young man caught in their deadly web. 12 pages of photos.

The chilling true account of the vicious 1986 murder of Mike Turpin, who was killed by his beautiful, cocaine-addicted wife, her lesbian girlfriend, and a male accomplice--an innocent victim caught in a deadly web of drugs, lust, and greed. Original.

This should be part of the book club. I'm reading this as soon as I can find it.

It is supposedly about the Drag King community in Lexington in the 80's. No wonder the Drag King community is so young and small. They are all afraid that they may become murderers.

Stepping Out on Lexington's Shoulders

My given name has never fit me. No variation of it has ever made much sense. I have often searched for a nickname but rarely ever got one (and never a good one). I even tried to shorten my given name by a letter in the second grade and was told by my teacher that to do so would be “illegal". Jerk. Not clicking with my given name is reasonable to me considering that it came from a list of baby names floating around in my parents' house during the 1980s. And so, because my parents found some appreciation in this name (number seven on the list), that is what I was christened. Now, over two decades later I am reflecting on this decision made without my consultation and feel just fine about wanting to choose my name.

So I picked “Eli”. It's Hebrew and I am (eventually) converting, after all. It is also a popular feminine name in Norway from where some of my ancestors conveniently hail. The question now, and the relevance to this blog, is how this change will go over here in the fine city of Lexington.

I have lived here for just over a year now and have managed to spend a lot of time and energy in the pursuit of social change. That given name has been attached to an impassioned public speech and a full-color photo in a newspaper. The prospect of requesting to be called by my chosen name is also terrifying to me. The wonderful queer community in Lexington has shown me that such an act has successfully been done before and that I won't be going this alone. This post is the first leap of confidence that will lead to the first time I will introduce myself as Eli, nice to meet you.

Eli stands for all of the times I sped through introductions and the roll calls to which I hardly responded. It stands for all the cat calls and the “hey man, got a light(s)?" It remembers all the times over the years when my friends told me that I didn't look like my name. It hopes for a sense of solidarity in queer identity within myself and for that first confident handshake yet to come.

Mostly, it means to say “Hello, Lexington. I am the same crusader for equal rights that I was yesterday. I am here and genderqueer. I was afraid to be me but within your city limits I have found the confidence to speak up. You can call me Eli, nice to meet you."

Weekend Recap

So just last week here in Lex we had an awesome show at Al's Bar featuring Athens Boys Choir, 8" Betsy, and Lexington KY's very own Spooky Qs.

In addition to just being a kick ass show, the night also served as a benefit for the OUTsource, which is the university of Kentucky's GLBTIQ resource center.

Local musician Jack Cofer can be credited w/ pulling all of this together. He's been working very hard recently to bring more diverse acts to Lexington. When asked why this was important for him to do he said: "There are none [queer touring bands coming to Lexington] and there should be. There is a population here that appreciates it, and it raises queer awareness and it's not something we see often enough. I'm feeling very rewarded w/ the turnout from Tuesday, and by how many people really seemed to appreciate the show, including the performers. I can see that there is a demand for this sort of thing where there wasn't one at all, because people didn't think they could demand something like that in a town like this, and I"m more than happy to oblige."

So because you asked, Cofer is finishing up the planning of another queer music showcase on October 3rd 2009. The Queer Control Records showcase will also take place at Al's bar and will feature three bands from the San Francisco based label, local DJ's and fire dancers. 100% of the door is going to be donated to AVOL (AIDS Volunteers of Lexington).

You should also check out the next issue of local newspaper North of Center for an article written by Cofer about merging queer activism and the arts in Lexington.

And now, I'll leave you w/ some sweet pics from the show and the afterparty, Thanks to Shey Ruud and Ethan Hammonds.

xo,

De Las Ondas