GAY PEOPLE'S
Chronicle
Ohio's Newspaper for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com Volume 25, Issue 23 May 7, 2010
Ohio likely to get its first out lawmaker
Primary win in heavily Dem district puts Antonio closer to Statehouse
by Eric Resnick
Lakewood-Ohio is one step closer to its first openly gay state legislator with the victory of Lakewood councilor Nickie Antonio in the Democratic primary for the 13th District Ohio House seat.
"It's time for Ohio to join the 21st century," Antonio said of her nomination. "It's a step in the right direction. I see this as a step for equality and a step for equity. Ohio is also behind in representation of women."
"I am first and foremost a public policy person dedicated to public service," Antonio said. "It's important to have someone LGBT who is invested and connected to the community."
Antonio defeated her Democratic opponent, fellow Lakewood councilor Tom Bullock, in a race which saw Bullock sending out mailers that claimed his unnamed opponent "stands with party bosses in opposing the county government reform effort."
The claim was not true, nor were others on the flyer, and Bullock was taken to task by the weekly Scene magazine.
Fifty-four percent of the voters went for Antonio, for a total of 4,140 votes verses 3,531 for Bullock.
Antonio was endorsed by the Lesbian and Gay Victory Fund of Washington, D.C., and all of the LGBT Democratic organizations in the state. She was also endorsed by the Ohio Democratic Party.
No Republican filed to be on the ballot in November, but Antonio needs to defeat independent Jeremy Caldwell to take the seat currently held by strong LGBT ally Mike Skindell.
For his own part, Skindell easily defeated two opponents for to face the little-known Republican Dave Morris in November
for a seat in the Ohio Senate. Skindell was prohibited by term limits from seeking hisHouse seat again.
Antonio spoke about raising two daughters with her partner Jean Kosmac.
"We told our daughters they could be anything they wanted," Antonio said. "I also want LGBT kids to know that anything is possible, including public service. They can run for office if they want to."
Victoy Fund president Chuck Wolfe said of Antonio's victory, "We're looking forward to finally adding Ohio to the list of states where our community has a voice in state government."
"The most dynamic and important fights for our rights are happening in state legislatures, so it's vital to have people like Nickie at the table of power," Wolfe concluded.
"No one does this alone," Antonio said.
"I had an incredible group of volunteers that spans humanity and is reflective of the district," Antonio continued. "My base represents everyone, and that means a lot to me."
A win and a loss in Columbus
Openly gay Franklin County Auditor candidate Terry Brown ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket and will face Republican Clarence Mingo, the incumbent, and Libertarian Michael Blose in November.
A second openly gay Ohio House candidate, John Sowers, was defeated in Franklin County.
Sowers garnered 2,210 votes, 29 percent of the total, against Mike Stinziano for the 25th District seat.
Stinziano, a former Columbus city council member, is a long time ally of the LGBT community and had the backing of Continued on page 10
Inside This Issue
ROBERT OLAYAS
CLAV
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Scott Douglas, right, of Square Peg Toys teaches a CLAW workshop on making dildo from silicone. The result is dishwasher-safe your own e and doesn't use toxic chemicals to make it pliable. However, the mold must remain still for 20 minutes, so body parts are difficult to directly cast.
A weekend of fun at CLAW
by Anthony Glassman
Cleveland-For the ninth year in a row, the Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend packed the Wyndham and other downtown hotels from April 22 to 25, creating a weekend of fun benefiting LGBT, AIDS and breast cancer charities.
The event saw an increase in attendance of around 250 people from last year, which president
Dennis McMahon found impressive, "especially with the economy the way it is.
"We had guys coming in from England this year, a lot of Canadians," he noted. "It's cost-effective. You get a lot more bang for your
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buck than you do in a lot of other major cities."
Even aside from the financial aspects, there is one factor that McMahon believes makes Cleveland and CLAW a great weekend.
"Cleveland is people. The personality of Clevelanders, they're accommodating, they're fun, they're just good-hearted people," he said.
In addition to the workshops, vendor mart, instructional forums and play parties, McMahon especially had fun hosting a new event, the Leather Burlesque Bingo on Sunday, which was a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.
"Mary Elizabeth Boyd from Washington, D.C.-the First Lady of Leather and I got to call bingo. Lady Justice from Canton was slated to call it but she had medical issues," he said. "Spanky, Mr. NJ Leather 2008, is a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, and wore a dress with fake breasts all over itit was an udder dress."
The event raised $1,600 and featured leather titleholders stripping between cards, their G-strings and jockstraps being filled with money by attendees.
Later on Sunday was the annual vaudeville show, held for the second year at the Cleveland Agora. "Tina had her Love Potion Number 9 show, and once again she outdid herself," McMahon noted. "The performers were just
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phenomenal. Sir Marc. Mr. Eastern Canada Leather Sir, sang 'Phantom of the Opera, and sang the Canadian national anthem at the opening night dinner."
Leather Hall of Fame Sunday also saw the 2010 Leather Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in which the Satyrs Motorcycle Club, Tony DeBlase, Frank Olson and Don Morrison were honored.
The Satyrs were founded in 1954, and are the longest continually-running gay organization in the nation. The group's members were instrumental in leading resistance to the police raids on gay bars in Los Angeles in the 1970s. eventually leading to the end of the harassment.
Olson and Morrison were leather community pioneers in New York City, organizing parties and opening bars as police pressure forced the closures of existing venues. The couple are still together a half-century later, living in Pennsylvania.
DeBlase is a co-founder of the Leather Archives and Museum, wrote leather fiction, designed the Leather Pride Flag, developed the Chicago Hellfire Club's Inferno schedule and published Drummer magazine during its heyday from 1986 to 1992. He passed away in 2000.
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