The Terry Awards
This past Saturday, March 31st, 2007, is still a blurr to me not knowing what to expect. Other than the hard work and dedication that we at Wva's Queer News put into the awards and into the first ever Ms Wva's Queer News Pageant.
I was literally left speechless by the time the awards ceremony began. Utopia was packed and had one of its biggest nights ever. With that being said, I want to thank Amanda and her staff for helping make this a huge success but more importantly I want to thank all the loyal readers and all those who came out to support me and the staff of the magazine and our awards celebration. You really did bring a tear to my eye... Thank you.
Anyways, the awards brought everyone from this state as well as some of you from East Liverpool, Ohio and Columbus. But more importantly we had people from everyone in the state. Morgantown definitely represented with Papa Bear in the house, and the Morgantown boyz entertained the house too..
Charleston was also out in full force with the quarky antics of everyones best friend Laun and the incomparable Mr Pride Of Wv, Steven Tompa. Huntington also perched its roost at the awards with Tammy Faye St Clair and Alexis Kennedy. Clarksburg and Fairmont were also represented well. Parkersburg was also represented very well with the appearance of our resident Mr. Pittsburgh Eagle Leather 2006 in the house.
The Awards Ceremony was a delite and the awards themselves were beautiful. With Amanda behind the mic, the event was humorous and fun yet sometimes out of control. (LOL)
Right after the awards had finished up, The first ever Ms Wvas Queer News pageant kicked off. There were only two contestants but two of the states premiere entertainers, Ms Robin Hearts and Ms Michelle St James. These two wonderful, very classy ladies battled it out to be crowned our representative of Wva's Queer News. Both entertainers brought poise and class to the two events.
While, we could only crown one contestant, they are both clearly winners. Ms Michelle St James and Ms Robin Hearts competed in 4 categories and both swapped categories as clear cut winners in some.
The competition came to a mere few points between the two, but Ms Robin Hearts was crowned our representative of 2007 and Ms Wva's Queer News, and clearly acknowledged the honor of representing us.
Michelle St James showed class with pinning the crown and being the first to tip Ms Robin Harts during her crowning number. She later stated, that she loves the magazine and clearly wanted to show her dedication to the readers and myself.
Also, Ms Robin Harts, "MS Wva's Queer News 2006", remained dedicated to our readers and the crows and showed her deepest thanks by continuing her walk through and getting to know many of you. She clearly is a class act.
I want to congratulate both contestants and offer them a sincere thanks for entering and my deepest respect for being two truly positive role models and CLASS ACTS in West Virginia.
At this time, I would like to acknowledge all the people that I had a chance to talk too. Although, I did not get to meet everyone. The first question I usually get is who was there from the chat rooms. Here is the run down of the ones I got to know, Just realize after 8 I didnt get to meet a lot of you .
Tammy Faye Sinclair, Debgirl, BJross@adelphia.net, Lucylipps, rammieu, luciousleeza, mitzie321, mailboy64, Tatudboi4life,Bioinicjoeyawitch, Tiggerific, Nurse_96, Jdinathens, Laun, Jesse, Rock321, Fivebux, Newmelle, GoodolAubrey, Tooblue4u, Komc230, Clarksburgguy35, Deliveryboy4u, Wvcowboy, Johnlabin5, The Lesbian Mafia, Motown9inches, Karrgore and 4 guests, Justin_wv, Onebuiltstud, Crazybastard, Im2cuteinpburg, Wvleo and guest, Docatl with 4 guests, Redquickandeasy, Wvgriffin, Leo6083, C_manring, Amanda Love, Groomerguy, WItchchris2000, Bigheartedfool, Eledhel, Ariesram77, Homeboi84, Wvstevenbear, Euphoriously, Eagle, Captainahab, Sexyfarmboi, Landon1804, Hockeyman26, Desktop, Jimboinwv, Papabear, Justrickinohio, Jamie h, Blueeyedcntryman4more, Yinz_La, Jenlynn, Clarissa and Ronna, Havenoflothrien, Jonathandoe, Toao65, Upuranus702, Sexitim, Rickyrickdawg, Essenceoflife, Nowwarning6, So69erfine, rxl300guy, Buttboy, Dragonkith, Bottomboyinwv, L8dyvenus, Wvdude4m, Tightbubblebutt, Maria, and all the others I missed, If you realize your name is on email me and I can add it.
We had over 200 in attendance this evening, and for that I applaude you. Thank you so much...
THE WINNERS FOR 2006 were as followed
Clown - Jdinathens
Most Recognized - Laun
Quietest Chatter - Ltpiper
Political Column - Rainbow Politics
Best Writing Series - Steve with Sitting down with...
Coolest Chatter - Jstaniceguy1973
Best Eyes- Blueeyedcntryman4more
Man of the Year - Len from Stonewall Society
Best Smile - Terrynchas
Diversity Writer - Witchchris2000
Most likely to Succeed - Sa.georgewriter
Diversity Column - Lesbian Limbo
Flirt - Wvcowboy
Best Looking - Komc230
Always Here - Toao65
Best Reporting - Jimbo with Divas Live, Legas Style..
Most Photogenic - Surprisingly sweet
Best New Column - Discrimination, The Demon Within
Best New Writer - Bionicjoeyawitch
Most Outgoing - Captainahab
Greeter - Deliveryboy4u
Hottest Body - Onebuiltstud
Mr or Mrs Personality - Newmelle
Best Article - Tim with The Objectification of Men
Couple of the Year - Captainahab and BoyWarren
Bear of the Year - Wvstevenbear or Mr Pride of Wva, Steven Tompa
Event of the Year - The Pride in the Arts Festival
Up and Coming Writer - Just mikey
Up and Coming Chatter - Peeper1973
Manliest Man - Onebuiltstud
Outstanding Website - Stonewall Society
Lesbian of the Year -
Our lesbian of the year is a dedicated individual and a real activist in the community. Her heart, money, and talent are given to the very community she came out in.
She has been a well respected person with values beyond compare and her impecable talent as a writer. She has a personality that is second to none. So I present to you now Our lesbian of the year and writer of Lesbian Limbo, L8dyvenus or Stacey Gabriel.
Most Improved Column - Links of lust
Best Bar - Vice Versa
Humanitarian of the Year - Charleston Aids Network
Gay Organization of the Year - Rainbow Connections, Inc
Sexual Conversationalist - Johnlabin5
Chatter of the Year - Laun
Our winner for leather man of the year, Mr Pittsburgh Eagle Leather 2006, Briain "Captainahab" McCoy is a pillar of our community. He has raised well over 1o thousand dollars for local charities including Leather Archives and Museums, many local AIDS task forces, and most importantly a foster kids toy drive that gathered over 5500 dollars in toys and contributions.
He has volunteered his services to CLAW, judged many leather contests in the tri-state, and has served his title as Mr Pittsburgh Eagle Leather well. He has not only won that contest, but finished 1st runner up at MAL 2007 and also took home the 2007 Brotherhood award.
But nothing is more important to him than his collaring and ownership of Boy Warren for over a year now as of Feb 11th, They soon to plan to own there very own slave in the near future.
He will soon be competing at IML in May 2007 in Chicago. good luck to him. And that very same weekend, his oldest son will be graduating from Warren High School. So at this time I want to present to you again, Our leather man of the year, Captainahab.
Sweetheart - Davidchaswv
Aol Chatter of the Year - Larryg1a
Best Section - Steve's Corner
Best Writer - Sa.george writer
Most Dedicated - Slayerscythe051086
King of the Chat Room - Lubeitgood35
Queen of the Chat Room - Luciousleeza
Man of the Year
This years man of the year, was Len from Www.stonewallsociety.com
When you think of the centers of queer activism in the United States today, what cities to mind? New York? Definitely. San Francisco? Of course. Chicago? Very likely. But in Charleston, West Virginia --many miles distance-wise and culturally from those bigger cities-- lives a busy man named Len Rogers whose hard work echoes way, way beyond the Mountain State. Rogers has been a tireless fighter for the equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and intersexed citizens, with a special affinity for GLBTI artists in the fields of music, poetry, literature, film, and visual art. The cuddly activist-- who states he was "vaccinated with a phonograph needle" in childhood-- boasts a colorful history that includes performing drag comedy in New Orleans, being a teacher at the Fred Astaire School of Dance for four years, and raising his nephew through the boy's formative teenage years. Rogers founded The StoneWall Society in 1999, an organization created to promote greater acceptance and tolerance of the worldwide GLBTI community within the GLBTI community. In other words, it's about respecting and accepting the diversity amongst ourselves. The StoneWall Society's expansive, all-ages appropriate website (no nudity or dirty words allowed...) has dozens of links to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and intersexed artists' websites, as well as politically oriented sites, reviews, photos, news, and StoneWall Society merchandise. And that's just the beginning! For GLBTI artists and their supporters, its an understatement to say it's an invaluable resource. Those who believe in the Society's mission are encouraged to take the Pledge for equality, part of which reads: "As members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Intersexed community we seek the acceptance of all people as equals. To have the same; rights, respect, and freedom to live our lives with individual dignity and safety. We ask no permission as these ideals were granted us by natural order and/or our creator. Therefore, we resolve that we will no longer tolerate or accept any less from within our own community. As we reach out to the world for equality, we reach to each other demanding that same equality of acceptance, respect, protection and observance of the law. We further resolve that all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered persons are equal within our community. We pledge to end the separatism and discrimination so deeply instilled in our society." Most recently, StoneWall Society is being used in two college courses as part of GLBT history. Len Rogers is also the force behind Rainbow World Radio, which features out and proud GLBTI music, CD giveaways, live interviews (Rogers fondly recalls a three-hour interview with Patricia Nell Warren, the best-selling author of "The Front Runner".), and the influential Top 40 OutVoice chart. Beyond the States, the show has a large listener base in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, Italy, Canada, and India. As if that wasn't enough, Len created the annual Pride in the Arts Awards, which are given to GLBTI artists and projects which exemplify excellence in five categories (Music Art, Literary Art, Visual Art, Film, and Performance Art), with winners chosen by the artists' supporters and fans. "The Pride in the Arts Awards are fan-driven awards", Len says. "It's not like 'American Idol' where you can sit there and hit 'Resend' 15 times. We take one ballot per valid e-mail address. Everyone gets one vote." Many out artists find themselves nominated every year, including musicians Mark Weigle, Jaime Anderson, Sister Funk; and writers Duane Simolke, Ron Donaghe, and Lori Lake to name but a few.
Len stated about his activism work, "I had a very strong push in my upbringing, where it wasn't a benefit to be involved; it was a responsibility. My mother pushed that real hard. And, I'm glad she did, because I think that's a rewarding thing to be involved in your world and to try to make a difference when you can; or at least try to make people aware. I don't know that I made any differences, but hopefully I at least opened the door. The artists are glad for the resources, and I know some people have found the art, and that's a difference, and I think that's good; but I don't think that anything I've done has changed society or anything like that. I think it's just opened up some opportunities. And that's enough. The last interview I did was in a publication out West. They were like, 'What was the most rewarding experience you ever had? Is there one?'... and I was like, 'Yeah, but it actually doesn't relate to the art promotion.' It relates to a young gentleman who I've never been given permission to use his name, so I won't... but he lives in Minnesota. He used the StoneWall Society website to come out to his parents, and the alternative was suicide if didn't go well. His mother wrote to me, and thanked me for making that resource, because not only did her son stay alive, but she knew something about him now that she didn't know before... and was able to support him in a way. Because, she was a staunch Christian, and had he just said, 'I'm gay', she would have gone to what she saw as a horrible thing-- the stereotypical images that you see: the endangerment, the self-destructive behavior, etc. He had her looking at StoneWall and was showing her the artists and the achievements of these people and the historical sections. Once she got to that point, she was like, 'OK, I never realized this was like this.', and he was like, 'Good, Mom, because I'm one of these people.' He had already purchased illegal drugs to do himself in with, and if it had been a negative reaction, that's what he was gonna do. I don't know if I'll ever be able to top the feeling that came with that letter. When I get real de-motivated, I haul it out and read it. Actually, I have it printed and hung it on my wall. If you do anything in life, if you can touch one person, then you have to understand that that's enough. That doesn't mean that you quit, but you don't have to look anymore for that verification, I don't think. I had no clue that the site would ever go there, or that it would even be used that way. I think the young man was really bright in how he approached his parents, and being so understanding of what they were going to do... and he knew them so well that he actually researched a way, and then chose StoneWall to do it. Wow! If that was an award, that would probably be the one that was highest on the shelf." In addition to activism, the other great love in Len Rogers' life is his partner of 27 years, Chris. Len says of his petit ami, "Chris is the greatest gift I've got. I have his love, support, understanding, and direction. He is my grounding influence, my peace of mind... People said 'There's no way it's going to work!', because I'm an Aries and he is a Capricorn!" In his spare time, this Aries' Aries enjoys reading, drawing, music, visual art, and spending time with Chris and their unique family which includes; a 30 year roomie/best friend-Joe aka Mountman, a renewed family member - Mike again a thirty year friendship, two dogs, a lynx (a cousin of the bobcat), an aquarium, two cockatiels, and a garden of plants transplanted from Louisiana to West Virginia. In an up close and personal interview, Len and I spoke about The StoneWall Society, Rainbow World Radio, the state of gay politics, artists to keep an eye out (or ear open) for, and-- most importantly-- how the average GLBTI citizen can get involved!
Jed Ryan (PM Entertainment Magazine) - Http://www.jedryan.com
PICTURES TAKEN AT THE AWARDS and DVD WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON!!
