It all started when she declared, “I have to sing” following a Mercedes Sosa concert at Bass Concert Hall in Austin in 1992. Lourdes Pérez, out poet, musician and activist, made the declaration to her now-wife and manager, Annette D’Armata. Now married for 27 years, they said they would give the music venture 100 percent…
Heather Has Two Mommies Author Lesléa Newman Visits SA for National Poetry Month
Still in the midst of National Poetry Month, San Antonio has been gifted an array of local offerings (organized in an online calendar at getcreativesanantonio.com), including the recurring program “Voices and Vibes.” Presented by the interfaith organization Celebration Circle, the monthlong series continues Sunday, April 23, with a presentation by influential Jewish lesbian author Lesléa Newman. A…
Michael ‘Salem’ Gonzalez Lets His Freak Flag Fly
Born and raised in San Antonio, Michael “Salem” Gonzalez grew up dancing flamenco and folkórico, building a strong foundation through “hardcore instruction” at the Guadalupe Dance Academy. After graduating from high school, he felt the urge to push himself beyond that comfort zone and, at the suggestion of a friend, auditioned for a burlesque troupe.…
LGBT Highlights from the DreamWeek Calendar
Established in 2013 with a mission to advance voices of tolerance, equality and diversity, DreamWeek is a citywide summit filled with discussions, screenings, concerts, exhibits and mixers rooted in 12 key topics: city, sports, cuisine, health, environment, technology, education, arts, youth, spirit, justice and business. Spread across 16 days and anchored by the Martin Luther…
Out at Sea: Gay & Lesbian Cruises Pull Out All the Stops
Where are all the non-gendered LGBTQ cruises? Lost at sea? A recent web search returned mostly male-only and female-only results; in fact, most LGBTQ cruises that depart from the U.S. are male-specific. “Olivia is the biggest as far as lesbian cruises go,” says Patti Wylie, a representative for Now Voyager Travel, a company in the…
Watch Chris Conde Rap About ‘Growing Up Gay’
Originally published in the San Antonio Current If video killed the radio star, Chris Conde might be a martyr. Conde, a local queer experimental rapper, just dropped another video, “Growing Up Gay,” shot live at one of his recent his Hi-Tones shows, his fourth video to date (“not necessarily a single,” he tells us). “I…
The Rhodes Twins Carve Out a Niche in the Trans Apparel Market
It started with a T-shirt the Rhodes twins — San Antonio natives Chris and Courtney — made to commemorate Pride. “We made shirts for Austin Pride,” Chris says. “I [wore] a shirt that said ‘Pretty Boy’ on it and had at least 100 people ask me where I got my shirt.” The positive feedback inspired…
Dancing to enrich the earth
“When people hear belly dance, they have one picture in mind, but we’re doing something different.” Queer-based dance troupe Zombie Bazaar was founded in 2008 by Giomara Bazaldua and Cristal Munoz, who met in a dance class and found they shared a desire to pursue a less-conventional path. “I had danced before, so I had…
Phantom Room offers new spot for ladies to come out
“We’re letting people know that SA is queer-friendly.” Lady-loving ladies and queer folk have a new bar option Thursday nights. Phantom Room opened this April, and is open every night of the week except Monday. Thursdays, however, are reserved for the aptly named Cock Block: a dedicated lesbian and queer night (though all are welcome.) Cock…