Herland Sister Resources

§ 30th Annual National Women's Music Festival

July 22-25, 2004, Columbus

What a celebration festival this is going to be! Music and comedy by old favorites and new discoveries: Cris Williamson, Margie Adam, Tret Fure, Alix Olson, Ember Swift, Pamela Means, Ubaka Hill, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Vickie Shaw, Lisa Koch, Zoë and many, many more.

Workshops. Drama. Merchants. Open Mic. Drag Kings. Friends. Song & Drum Jams. Women. Step out of your everyday world for 4 days and be your truest self in the company of fabulous women. As always, it will fill you, heart and soul. Visit www.wiaonline.org/nwmf.

And next month, more women's music: Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, August 10-15

§ Woody Guthrie Festival Not to Be Missed

Jill Garner

It's that time of year when the sun is beating down on the scorched Oklahoma earth, and the music is getting hot in Okemah at the annual Woody Guthrie Festival July 14th through the 17th. If you've never been, now's the time to take a road trip and head out I-40 to hear some of the best musicians in the country right here in small-town Oklahoma. It's about an hour and a half drive east of Oklahoma City and the only cost is $5 for parking.

The festival has been growing steadily the past few years with more and more people discovering the quality of the music in Okemah, the fun of the Brickstreet Café in downtown Okemah, the beauty of the old Crystal Theater, and the relaxation of sitting out under the stars in the field at night on a blanket or chair while musicians such as Jimmy LaFave, Kevin Welch, Ellis Paul, Carrie Newcomer, Audrey Auld, Arlo Guthrie, Steve Earle, Slaid Cleaves and many more play great music and help us forget how hot it is.

I've written a couple of articles in the past about a woman named Kris Delmhorst out of Northampton, Massachusetts who is an incredible
songwriter and singer. Imagine my surprise when I saw her name on the list of performers for this year's festival! She will be on the pasture stage on Thursday, July 15th at 7:20. It's hot at that time of evening so bring a hat, but she'll be worth the drive. Please, treat yourself and go hear her. All the performers sell and sign CDs too so bring some extra money to take home some great new music and meet the performers.

Just a few other notable performers you might want to hear at the festival are Emily Kaitz, Mary Reynolds, Susan Gibson (formerly of the Groobees), Audrey Auld (I saw her last year and she's fabulous), Tracie Merchant (from Dallas), and The Burns Sisters. Go to www.woodyguthrie.com for a complete schedule. You can take food and drinks to the festival, but you can't have glass and you can't haul the whole ice chest into the pasture for the night concerts. I find making a few trips to the car works just fine. It's a great time, the music is wonderful, and it's a unique experience and a festival that Oklahomans should be proud of.

§ Oklahoma Women's Football Team Undefeated

The OKC Lightning women's football team is the undefeated 2004 Southwest Division Champions! They will also be seeded #1 for the playoffs in the Southern Conference!

After a first round bye on June 26th, the Lightning will play at home on July 10th against the winner of the Kansas City/Nashville game. Upon victory in that game, they will host another home game on July 17th against a team to be announced (probably either Pensacola, Chattanooga or Asheville). Upon victory in that game, it's off to Papa John Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky for the 2004 NWFA Championship Game on July 31st against the Northern Conference Champion.

Home games are at Taft Stadium, NW 27th and May, and start at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and children under 11 are free. Contact Kim Mitchell at (405) 524-1509 or visit www.okclightning.com for more information.

§ OUT OK presents The Summer Film Series

Thursdays July 8th and 29th at Chapman Hall, University of Tulsa (South Delaware Avenue and East 5th Street). $7 or free with valid OUT OK VIP Pass.

COMING SOON:

• OUT OK III Pre-film festival screening Thursday, August 19, 2004.
• OUT OK III, The Oklahoma International Film Festival opens October 14-23, 2004.

For more information, please contact Philip Au at 918-682-4654, ext 2 or pau@out-ok.com

§ Gay Marriage Debate July 8

"State of the Union: A Debate on Gay Marriage" will be held at noon Thursday, July 8, in Constitution Hall, second floor of the Nigh University Center, University of Central Oklahoma, in Edmond.

The debate will feature Robert Knight, Director of the Culture and Family Institute and author of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, and Elizabeth Birch, who served as executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, America's largest GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transexual) civil rights organization.

A question and answer period and a reception will follow. The debate and reception are free and open to the public.

§ Sixteen Women Met for Dinner

Historic Guthrie was the site of the June Herland Supper Club. Sixteen women met for dinner at Granny Had One and about a dozen attended Godspell at the Pollard Theatre. Granny's famous homemade buffet was wonderful and the talented cast of Godspell gave an excellent performance of the 1971 off-Broadway musical of the Gospel according to Matthew. An added bonus was that the band for Godspell included Miss Brown to You members Louise Goldberg and Mary Reynolds and The Sisters of Swing member Elyse Angelo. A few of us even found time to browse through the antique shops and Guthrie's first annual art and wine festival. Overall it was a very enjoyable evening.

§ Saint Sybil

Sybil has recently - ok, December of 1995, maybe a long time to you, but a blink of an eye to Sybil - received a series of questions from the smartest woman she knows, and will answer some of them in this and future issues.

Dear St. Sybil,
Whenever I find time and energy to emerge from my self-involved world (not to demean it - it is hard to make a living and deal with everything) and look around, I realize I have two questions for you:

1. What are the questions to ask?


2. What are the answers?

Dear Easy,

Thanks for writing. Here are some questions for you:

• Am I even half as loving, fun-loving, selfless and faithful as your everyday Golden Retriever, Poodle, or common mutt on the street?


• Am I anywhere near as dignified, self-aware and karmicly centered as your run-of-the-mill tabby cat?


• Should I possibly be working more on my novel and less on my computer games skills?


• Am I letting someone live rent-free in my head and dictate my every mood and move - in other words, am I holding a big old grudge against someone? Why don't I just sip some cyanide and hope that the grudgee will writhe in agony? Or... why don't I just get over it and let go?


• Do I compost? Recycle? Bi-cycle? Do I support the Southern Poverty Law Center? Am I, in other words, even beginning to live up to my Girl Scout oath to leave the world a better place than I found it? If not, how can I use my talents to improve life for my neighbors in Oklahoma, in New York, in the world?

A question not to ask: "Am I doing enough?" It is impossible to do enough, so don't even try, or you will end up depressed out of your gourd and stay in bed the rest of a miserable life, watching TV, eating moon pies, and trying to do The Nation puzzle.

Also be sure to avoid all of the unanswerable questions twelve-year-olds love so much: If there is a God, who made God? Heh heh heh. And the corollary, If the world began with the Big Bang, where did the stuff for the Big Bang come from? These are hopeless questions guaranteed to keep you awake all night, possibly for the rest of your life. You may never sleep again. Don't ask them. Tend to the simple questions, the big ones will take care of themselves.

A question I would like more Americans to ask themselves: Why didn't I and 51% of the country riot in the streets when the 2000 election was stolen as cleanly and sweetly as any third-world dictator could hope for? And are we going to let it happen again in 2004?

Now, as to finding the answers -- my dear, there are no answers; you know that. Only questions.

Love,

Sybil

§ Good Guys Win Sometimes

Criminal charges have been dismissed against a small-town New York mayor for marrying gay couples, saying the state failed to show it has a legitimate interest in banning same-sex weddings.

New Paltz Town Court Justice Jonathan Katz also ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the law New Paltz Mayor Jason West was charged with violating was constitutional. West, 27, faced 19 misdemeanor counts of solemnizing marriages for couples without a license.

West had faced the possibility of fines or up to a year in jail for presiding at the weddings of more than two dozen same-sex couples on Feb. 27. The weddings drew the Hudson Valley village of New Paltz into the growing national debate over gay marriage, and delighted and inspired millions.

West remains barred from marrying same-sex couples under an order issued earlier this week by another judge. But he and his lawyer E. Joshua Rosenkranz called Katz's ruling a major victory for gay rights. "If history is any guide, this is the beginning of an unstoppable trend," Rosenkranz said.

Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams said he disagreed with Katz's ruling and would appeal. We'll see what happens.

§ When the Sky Falls

It falls on July 17th at 7:00 P.M. at Herland!

...in a film starring Joan Allen, a fictionalized true story about journalist Veronica Guerin. Set in present-day Dublin this is, oddly, not a story about the IRA. It is about one woman's ground-breaking style of journalism focused on drug lords and gang criminals and the changes she both did and did not bring about. There is also a story about the making of this film which will be told at the conclusion of the screening.

Join us to keep the sky from falling! As always there will be free popcorn; also sodas and bottled water available for a donation to Herland.

§ Don't Gamble with Women's Rights ...

Come to Las Vegas for the National NOW Conference!

The 2004 National NOW Conference will be held in Las Vegas, the weekend of July 16-18, 2004. Join NOW members across the country for three days of fun and friends, fast-paced workshops, great speakers and entertainers, skill-building sessions, special interest caucuses, and, of course, sharing stories about this spring's March for Women's Lives.

Speakers and guests include former Democratic presidential candidate Carol Moseley Braun; groundbreaking scientist and diversity expert Dr. Donna J. Nelson; feisty author and radio host Laura Flanders (her new book, The "W" Factor, is just out); and writer/comedian Wendy Shanker, whose new book is The Fat Girls Guide to Life. Cris Williamson will be performing in concert with SONiA (of disappear fear).

A Young Feminist Caucus is being planned by NOW's new Young Feminist Task Force, and there will be voter outreach training. If you are ready to translate feminist issues into action by participating in workshops dealing with war and women, marriage equality, emergency contraception, affordable housing, the global economy, AIDS, drugs, poverty, workers, reproductive health, a new Violence Against Women Act and more...make plans now to spend July 16-18 with your NOW sisters in the glittery city.

Register online today for the conference or call 202-628-8669, ext. 117. Then book a flight and call the legendary Riviera Hotel and Casino at 1-800-634-6753 to reserve a room at a fantastic conference rate of $79. Note, if the conference rate is no longer available, please mention that you are with NOW so NOW will get credit for your room toward the cost of our meeting space. And check www.now.org/conference regularly to see new speakers and the great array of workshops that are still in formation. See you in Las Vegas!

§ Hey all you poets out there!

Herland is seeking poetry for a special poetry issue of the Voice. We don't know when that will be -- depends on how fast the entries come in. Poetry may be submitted via snail mail or electronic mail (preferred but not required). Acceptable electronic formats include, e-mail plain text, MS WORD, and MS Publisher. If you want a byline published with your poetry, specify this with your submission and indicate how you want your name printed. We will not assume you want your name printed and will not do it without your written permission.

§ Diversity House Fundraiser at Herland

Diversity House will be presenting Miss Brown To You in an outdoor concert on July 31st at Herland Sister Resources, 2313 NW 39th Street. The concert and day's activities will benefit Diversity House, a non-profit organization that will house homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered young people between the ages of 18 and 25.

These people have been put out of their homes because of their sexual orientation. It can be a difficult thing to come out as a GLBT young person even with the support of your family. Diversity House wants to be a safe haven for these kids.

The money raised will be used to help give these kids a chance to get back on their feet and become productive citizens. Funds will be used to purchase a house, provide transportation, food and clothes as needed.

The afternoon will begin at 4 pm with a water bucket race, watermelon seed spitting contest, water balloon tossing, and water balloon run. The charge for entering each event is $3 or ll events for $10. At 6:30 enjoy hotdogs, tofu dogs, hamburgers and veggieburgers cooked on a grill.

The meal is provided for a sliding scale of $5 - $15. Bring your pennies to vote on your choice for Queen of the Sea, King of the Sea, and Beach Bunny (costumes welcome). The winners will be announced during the concert at the end of the evening.

§ Featured Events

Herland Supper Club
Meet at Herland at 5 pm Saturday, July 10 if you want to carpool to Jaramillo's in Sherpherd Mall for dinner at 5:15 pm. The post dinner event is the OKC Lightning football game at Taft Stadium at 7 pm.

Womyn of Color
Womyn of Color group meets the 2nd Sunday of each month. Please email womynofcolor@cox.net or call (405) 842-3464 or (405) 947-7691 for more information.

Scrabble Night at Herland
If you like to play games and would like some fun and fellowship, just show up at Herland at 6 pm Saturday July 24. Each month, about 10 women gather in 2 or 3 groups for a couple of hours of mental challenge and snacks ($2.00 contribution).

Iris Schedule
July 4 at Sister's (*women's bar) @ 6:00 indoor or outside depending on the weather. July 9 at Scooters and Hooters (*straight bar) @9:00 located NW 63 just west of I-235. July 23 at TNT's (*anything goes) in Tulsa @9:00. August 13 at Charlie's Last Stand (*straight bar) @9:00 located just East of Meridian just south of Reno.

Peggy Johnson Singing at Deli on the Labyrinth
NW 32nd and Classen in Oklahoma City (there's a jeep on a pole out front, parking in back) Saturday, July 24th 9 pm until 11pm. They have food and coffee and tea and soft drinks and it's a nice place to play and listen to music.

Herland is Seeking Yard Help! If you don't mind mowing and have an hour one or two days a month, Herland needs you. Mower provided. Call 521-9696 to volunteer.

§ Events at a Glance

July

Friday, July 2: Michael Fracasso & Robert Williams with Mary C. Reynolds and Terry Ware at The Blue Door 2805 N. McKinley, 9pm, $15

Thursday, July 8: Gay Marriage Debate at UCO Nigh Univ. Ctr, Constitution Hall, Edmond. Noon. Free. See article this issue.

Saturday, July 10: Herland Hike at Martin Nature Park, 5000 W. Memorial, 10 am. Meet at Panera Bread on Memorial at 9 am prior to the hike

Saturday, July 10: Herland Supper Club

Saturday, July 10: Miss Brown to You at UCO Jazz Lab 100 E 5th (Edmond) 8pm $7

Sunday, July 11: Womyn of Color Meeting, call 842-3464 for details.

Monday, July 12: OGLPC Monthly Meeting at the Center, 2135 NW 39th, 7 pm

Wednesday, July 14: Woody Guthrie Tribute, Crystal Theatre Okemah, $25 tix available at Startickets. See article this issue.

Friday, July 16: Mary Reynolds Brick Street Cafe Okemah (Woody Guthrie Festival) See article this issue

Saturday, July 17: Herland Video Night-featuring "When the Sky Falls" (see article this issue)

Sunday, July 18: Herland Board Meeting, 4 pm; everyone welcome

Saturday, July 24: Herland Scrabble Night-6 pm

Saturday, July 24: Miss Brown to You at UCO Jazz Lab 100 E 5th (Edmond) 8pm $7

Saturday, July 24: Peggy Johnson at Deli on the Labyrinth, 9 pm till 11 pm

Wednesday, July 31: Diversity House Fundraiser at Herland. Miss Brown to You to benefit homeless gay youth. (See article this issue.)

August

Saturday, August 7: Mary Reynolds & Friends. The Chouse (Boyd Street west of Campus Corner in Norman) 7 pm $10

Thursday, August 26: 2nd Annual Women's Equality Day Block Party, OU Women's Outreach Center 405-325-4929

§ Website of the Month

GayMarriageWorld.com --
the new gay & lesbian online marriage & wedding community! featuring gay & lesbian wedding stories and up-to-date news and information about the topic of gay marriage.