What was it like for you when you first saw two women kissing? Do you stay in the place where you grew up even if being out is dangerous there? Can you move past discrimination, or will memories of it haunt you? And how much of your butchness is in your haircut?

The Butchlalis de Panochtitlan—Raquel Gutierrez, Mari Garcia, and Claudia Rodriguez--explore these questions and many more in their stage show The Barber of East L.A. I saw a staged reading of the show directed by the legendary Luis Alfaro last night at Cal-State L.A. as part of the larger Joto Caucus supported by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies.

This witty trio produces consistently capitvating work, their most recent feat no exception. The performers use humor, personal homages, historical anchors, and their monumental moral compasses to challenge and skewer traditional notions of gender conformity. The Butchlalis are uniquely clever in their treatments of somber and complex subjects, rendering deeply thoughtful statements into a provokingly sensuous and unfailingly entertaining medium.

The show’s story revolves around Chonch (played by Gutierrez), a butch lesbian in 1980s East L.A. returning home from barbers’ school to the hostile climate she left behind. Chonch reconnects with the ghosts of her past, some expected and others a surprise, all the while processing loss, harassment, and her own stubborn perseverance. Another protagonist of the show, young Betty (played by Rodriguez), must confront her own identity as bicurious latina punk from a broken home in an area increasingly inhabited by skinheads and cock-rock. The two characters mediate between the extremes of return and escape, love and anger, past and future.

Other notable characters include Martinez the shithead male cop (played by the inimitable Garcia), Betty’s best friend young gay boy Julian (Gutierrez), recurring Butchlali superstar Juana Chingas (Rodriguez), and the ethereal Isabel (Garcia). The three Butchlalis are assisted by a plethora of wigs that also serve as scenery when not in use.

I learned of the Butchlalis at their last show, Dickwhipped!, for which I got tickets on a whim last April at the Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica and could not believe my good fortune. That show was composed of a series of vignettes, most notable in my mind a video about anal submission play and a sketch about the oldest living butch lesbian in East L.A. about to die. I had a friend with me, and we both were starstruck--and super-turned on. In full disclosure I admit I have major problems deciding which Butchlali is the hottest, even though my companion and I debated it for the rest of that evening, and even though I have given it much thought since then.

The Butchlalis will hold their next performance of The Barber of East L.A. November 22, 2008 at MacGowan Hall (MacGowan 1330) at UCLA as part of the Actions of Transfer: Women's Performance in the Americas event presented by The UCLA Center for Performance Studies. The video I am including below shows a staged reading--much like what I saw last night--but I understand the show next month at UCLA will be off-book. I urge you to join me in supporting these radically awesome butch artists; I can guarantee you will enjoy them.

Also, Butchlalis member Raquel Gutierrez performs tonight in her first solo performance piece at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica. Click here for further information.

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This past Tuesday I attended the Los Angeles Itty Bitty Titty Committee DVD release party put on by POWER UP in conjuction with FUSE EVENTS (the women behind the popular lesbian club night 'Truckstop' on "Gimme Sugar"). It was held at Eleven restaurant and bar in the heart of gayville, West Hollywood.

The ladies were out in full force for the release party to see all the special guests walk the red carpet and a lucky first 50 arrivals got a free Itty Bitty t-shirt. I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with the red-carpet arrivals which included appearances from Jenny Shimizu (IBTC, Firefox), Michelle Wolff (Mango Kiss, Dante's Cove), Melanie Mayron (IBTC, thirtysomething), Stacy Codikow (Power Up Founder) and more!

This film is an all female production produced by multi Award winning film production company POWER UP, the only non-profit indie studio, was released theatrically by their own Pocket Releasing and stars Melonie Diaz (Be Kind Rewind, Assassination of a High School President), Daniela Sea (L Word), Nicole Vicius (Half Nelson), Jenny Shimizu (Foxfire), Guinevere Turner (Go Fish), Melanie Mayron (thirtysomething) and Carly Pope (Dirt, Popular). With music by Peaches, Heavens to Betsy, Sleater Kinney,Team Dresh, The Need, Slumber Party, Bikini Kill and other politically charged music.

IBTC plot summary
Anna is coming out. But not as gay as a revolutionary. Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a rockin love song to the heady rush of sex, freedom and rebellion that happens when an everyday girl discovers her own strength and the righteous indignation needed to take action and change the world. Anna is a shy, just-out-of-high-school lesbian, still living with her parents and working at a plastic surgery clinic. She is depressed because of a recent breakup but lives in a super-loving, gay-is-A-OK kind of family. Her world opens up one night when she catches a one-woman army reclaiming public space for women (i.e., spray painting the clinic where Anna works). A recruiting member of the guerrilla girls-esque Clits in Action (C(i)A), Sadie is trying to make people aware of how bad plastic surgery is for women. With an undeniable attraction to this sexy, raw rebel gurl, Anna eagerly joins the ranks of C(i)A and starts her rollercoaster ride from meek and mousy to bad-ass bravado. Full of mosh pits, power fists and utter charm.

Click here to buy the Dvd

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Girls dressed in drag can be, well, hot! The confidence, the swagger and the studliness that comes with a bunch of boi's singing and dancing in a drag troupe, is not only entertaining but it's pretty damn sexy. Lesbiatopia has recently teamed up with IDKEX, the 10th Annual Internetional Drag King Community Extravaganza.

They will be providing Lesbiatopia exclusive personal stories about the event from drag kings, volunteers and coodinators anplus full coverage/photos of some of their most exciting events! Lesbiatopia could not be more thrilled and we hope you will like this, too. Read one for more information.

IDKEX was founded by Julie Applegate (Jake), Shani Scott (Maxwell), Sile Singleton (Luster/Lustivious de la Virgion) and Donna Troka (dj love), in conjunction with H.I.S. Kings, Fast Friday Productions, the Kings Court, and many other Columbus community members.


IDKEX will take place October 16 - 19, 2008 in Columbus, OH.

Pack your bags and come aboard an amazing 4 days and 3 nights gender-bending trip. Imagine a place where you, your family, friends and a host if positive beings can be who you are, how you are, and what you are 24/7. Add a two day conference, Art and Film Festival, Health Fair, Job Fair, Merchant Fair, Awesome Venues and...

Where are you going, you ask?
Well smack dab in the Midwest, Columbus Ohio , of course for the 10th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DRAG KING COMMUNITY EXTRAVEGANZA ROUND TRIP HOME:CULTURAL DEPOTS AND QUEER DESTINATIONS.

Oh ma gawd is Fast Friday Productions (FFP) ever excited to be producing IDKEX Columbus!!! We are blessed to have some amazing Partners. The incredible GLBTIAQQ....community here have come out in force to volunteer and help coordinate an immense amount of networking to assure 100% PURE FUN and safety for all of you!!

The city is truly buzzing with anticipation for all of your arrivals. Welcome, 'HOME'!

The History of the First International Drag King Extravaganza


The First International Drag King Extravaganza (IDKE) took place on October 15-17, 1999 in Columbus, Ohio.

IDKE is a first-of-its-kind event in that is is a collaborative, non-competitive gathering of drag kings, their fans, and the people who studied, photographed and filmed them.

In October 2003, IDKE 5 realized its true potential as a traveling annual conference with its move to Minneapolis, Minnesota, IDKE 6 in 2004 took place in Chicago, Illinois, IDKE 7 took place in Winnipeg, Canada in 2005, IDKE 8 took place in Austin, Texas in 2006 and to round out IDKE's tour of North America, IDKE 9 took place in Vancouver, Canada in 2007.

Without a doubt, IDKE has grown to be a huge national and international event. Participants come from across the United States, throughout Canada, as well as Australia, Japan and England. Its beginnings though, were much simpler...for more check out the home of the IDKE Board.

Stay-tuned for more on the drag front...

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- contributed by Jacque Wing
Communications Manager / The Trevor Project
West Hollywood, CA


Star-studded company, fabulous entertainment, and great food are all in check for the eighth annual Trevor New York gala on June 30, 2008 at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. The event benefits The Trevor Project, the non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. Award-winning actor Alan Cumming and The N, the 24-hour network for and about teens, will be honored at the gala.


Because suicide is one of the top three killers of young people, and gay and questioning youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, The Trevor Project’s work is especially critical. Currently, The Trevor Project manages to do its lifesaving work on a shoestring budget, supported primarily by the generosity of individuals.

The Trevor Project was created by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life. When Trevor was scheduled to air on HBO® in 1998, the filmmakers realized that some of the program’s teen viewers might be facing the same kind of crisis as Trevor, and began to search for a support line to be broadcast during the airing. They discovered that no such helpline existed, and decided to dedicate themselves to forming what was, in their view, a much-needed resource: an organization to promote acceptance of gay and questioning youth, and to aid in suicide prevention among that group.

Trevor New York will be hosted by actor Alec Mapa. Idina Menzel and Sandra Bernhard will be performing; Lauren Collins, Gideon Glick, Cheyenne Jackson, Heather Matarazzo, Rosie Perez and Adamo Ruggiero are among the celebrity presenters.

For tickets, call The Trevor Project at 310-271-8845 or visit TheTrevorProject.org.

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