No 146 Summer 2011 $9.95Issue 147 Call for Submissions Whitman & Carpenter Listener up there! what have you to confide to me? Look in my face while I snuff the sidle of evening, (Talk honestly, no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.) –W.Whitman, Song of Myself W hat do we have to confide to the Good Grey Poet? How have Whitman and his contemporary visionary Edward Carpenter spoken to you in your life? What have they taught you about your spirit? sex? the erotic play of the earth? When have they comforted and guided you? When have they offended or challenged you? With an abundance of books coming out recently about Walt Whitman and his compatriot in gay liberation, Edward Carpenter, RFD thought it was a good time to ask our dear readers to share what these two guides have taught them and how they have shaped their worldview. During their lives and since their deaths, gatherings of gay men and others have honored, even worshipped these men as prophets, visionaries, and preachers of a new gospel of democracy and the body. Others see wealth, male privilege and, with Whitman, the nationalism of Manifest Destiny inextricably woven into their sense of freedom. We want to know what you think. Many of us have stories to tell of finding Whitman’s words as we sat quietly in some faraway room or loafed on the grass in a park. Equally so, how often have we felt liberated by Carpenter’s bold vision of shared resources and Uranian utopias? Do we still share that vision? Are we part of it? RFD hopes to evoke or challenge these gay ancestors and archetypes and to explore their connec- tion to our lives. How many times have his words come to mind as you pine or evoke your passion for another? Or as you celebrate your body and the earth? How has Whitman’s fight against censorship inspired you? Have you found your reflection in Forster’s Maurice, in which Carpenter is a major, if thinly disguised, gay character? Do you see yourself in the chain of followers that have carried Whitman’s ‘dear love of comrades’ forward into our day? Have you even slept with someone who slept with someone who slept with someone who slept with Whitman? or Carpenter? Or do you find their ideas hopelessly romantic? even dangerous to our visions? You are also asking me questions and I hear you, I answer that I cannot answer, you must find out for yourself. Submissions for this issue are due no later than July 25, 2011. Submissions can be sent electronically to submis- sions@rfdmag.org -- please send them as attachments preferably in .txt files. We love to see our readers images and artwork, it can also be sent to the same email. Please send image files with at least 300 dpi resolution. Small files intended for the internet do not reproduce well especially now that we have switched to color. Submissions due July 25, 2011 RFD 146 Summer 2011 1 Rinkle Free Darlings Vol 37 No 4 #146 Summer 2011 The folks here at the RFD Collective have been thrilled by the response to our switch to full color and returning to original format, hearkening back to our 70’s roots. We opted to go full color as a way to make our being a “print” magazine worthwhile. We also felt strongly that the artists and the articles demanded the respect of being the best quality our small collective could offer with the small amount of coin we usually have at hand. So we very much appreciate folks spreading the word about RFD and making whatever donations you can. We appreciate your feedback about the issues we produce and also welcome your input on keeping RFD’s mission alive for the Next Generation. The theme for this issue—Next Gen—is our attempt to keep in touch with the vital life of the GLBT community. So we have cross section of ideas about the direction and/or need for direction within the community as well as personal narratives about negotiating the now. We’re also pleased to share as usual works of poetry and imagery from the many creative people who make up the readership of RFD. A major chord that runs through much of the work in this issue is about defining our values, expanding our visions of ourselves and including more personal responsibility to everything from our sexual selves to our collective responsibility to the planet and each other. It’s always a pleasure working on bringing you such interesting pieces and we hope you our dear readers enjoy them, discuss them and engage in some of the deeper concerns that arise out of this issue. We look forward to bringing you the Fall issue on Walt Whitman and Edward Carpenter and kudos to Short Mt. Sanctuary on it’s 30th anniversary. We can’t wait to hear your Short Mountain stories for the Winter issue. With sly hugs all around, The RFD Collective The Next Generation Between the Lines2 RFD 146 Summer 2011 Artists in this Issue Adam Stanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Dave Vann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Eric Weichel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Jean-Phylipe Thériault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Joe Varisco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Justin Stone-Diaz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16, 21 Olestrah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 RFD Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Rink Foto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 53 Walt Cessna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11, 12, 29, 35,44, 49, 50 Xydexx Squeakypony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 ZMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11 Artist Links Links to artists who want to share their website with you and whose work appears in this issue. RFD Archives .................www.rfdmag.org Rink Foto ...................www.rinkfoto.com Walt Cessna ...........waltcessna.blogspot.com RFD is a reader written journal for gay people which focuses on country living and encourages alternative lifestyles. We foster community building and network- ing, explore the diverse expressions of our sexuality, care for the environment, radical faerie consciousness, nature-centered spirituality, and share experiences of our lives. RFD is produced by volunteers. We welcome your participation. The business and general production are coordinated by a collective. Features and entire issues are prepared by different groups in various places. RFD (ISSN# 0149-709X) is published quarterly for $25 a year by RFD Press, P.O. Box 302, Hadley MA 01035-0302. Postmaster: Send address changes to RFD, P.O. Box 302, Hadley MA 01035-0302 Non-profit tax exempt #62- 1723644, a function of RFD Press with office of registra- tion at 231 Ten Penny Rd., Woodbury, TN 37190. RFD Cover Price: $9.95. A regular subscription is the least expensive way to receive it four times a year. Copyright © 2011 RFD Press. The records required by Title 18 U.S.D. Section 2257 and associated with respect to this magazine (and all graphic material associated therewith on which this label appears) are kept by the custodian of records at the following location: RFD Press, 85 N Main St, Ste 200, White River Junction, VT 05001. Mail for our Brothers Behind Bars project should be sent to P.O. Box 68, Liberty TN 37095. On the Covers Front & Back : Daniel Ford photographed at Short Mountain Sanctuary, TN 2011 by Walt Cessna Inside Front Cover : Courtesy Walt Whitman Archive and Edward Carpenter Society Inside Back Cover : Cathy Hope and Dimid Hayes at Short Mountain; Photo by Joshua Smith Production Bambi Gauthier, Editor in Chief Matt Bucy, Design & Typography Eric Linton, Editor Paul Wirhun, Editor Jason Schneider, Editor Myrlin, Prison Pages Editor Photo courtesy of Brenden Shucart Submission Deadlines Fall–July 25, 2011 Winter–November 1, 2011 See inside covers for themes. RFD 146 Summer 2011 3 Letters & Announcements ....................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Stories & Articles Garrin Benfield “The Wave Organ Song” .........Lucian Williams .................6 SF Public Library Hosts Faerie Book Launch ......Rosie Delicious ..................7 Sister Spit: Next Generation ....................Bambi ..........................8 What Is A Faerie? .............................Madame Fancy .................11 Change is Coming .............................Brenden Shucart ................12 Hope for the Future: or Why the Queer Movement is Doomed ........Arcana .........................17 My Gender Cartography Lessons: Part I ..........Joe Varisco .....................22 The Church Barn ..............................Todd (Tif) Fernandez ............24 Memoirs of a Gay Kid ..........................Jean-Phylipe Thériault ...........27 Think There Then: A Reflection on the Unseen in the Now ........Free, Lady Now .................28 Bonobohobo or Homonovus allucinari ...........Ellen Degenrate .................37 Astro-Runic Summer Forecast ..................Jingles .........................42 Positive Consent for DudesWho Get It On With Dudes .......................Nick Riotfag ....................45 Difficult Teachings .............................Mountaine .....................57 Prison Pages ..................................Myrlin .........................66 Poetry & Art Walking in the Time of Exile ....................Griffin Payne ...................14 Heart Hawk ...................................James McColley Eilers ...........15 Heaven for Real ...............................Marvin R. Hiemstra .............15 The Queer Voice? You’re Choking On It ..........Albo Jeavons ...................23 Repression and Transgression ...................Christina Alley ..................36 The Faun .....................................John Jacob ......................41 Remembrances Remembrance: David Womack ..................Ian Gibson-Smith ...............54 Remembrance: Crazy Owl ..............Sister Soami & Luther “Cam” McKin ......55 CONTENTS4 RFD 146 Summer 2011 LETTERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Corrections Oh my gosh! In all the excitement in switching to a new format and going full color, we made some typos or omissions.... On the cover of issue–we inadvertently misla- beled the artist. It should have been titled Prairie Self-Portrait by Mark Hufstetler. More of his photos can be seen on his website, www.pitamakan.com Page 13 of the last issue included a photo which should have been titled Embraced by Hellür von Howudürin. Page 20 of the last issue included a photo of Clear Englebert. It should have been credited to Roy Simmons. Page 56 of the last issue, the image should have been credited to Jordan Reznick. Letters to the Editor Praise for our last issue Many, many thanks to you and the RFD collec- tive for the very nice interview on Moonlight and on producing a spectacularly beautiful issue of the magazine. As a faithful reader of RFD from its be- ginnings I can honestly say this is perhaps the best issue ever! With ongoing gratitude and appreciation. –Mark Thompson I wanted to say that this Spring issue of RFD is wonderful. The colored images are really stun- ning and adds such a different feeling to the pub- lication. I wanted to extend a job well done! Much love and hugs. –Stitch The latest edition of RFD is simply da bomb! Great layout, pictures, articles... congratulations! –Neil Fernyhough Just got the latest magazine the photos by Devin Mohr are stunning. –Christopher Barnes Congratulation on issue 145. it is beautiful throughout. –Franklin Abbott Native American Spirituality for Gay Men I follow Native American spirituality traditions. I am looking to network with other gay men who do the same. Would love to hear from you red road guys. (I’ve very much enjoyed RFD through the years–you folks are doing a great service for rural gay men everywhere). In spirit. Tahnodin 11C Jimenez Romero Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87506 email: bidanimad@yahoo.com Kawashaway Mailing Address Kawashaway has closed it’s post office box. Folks can reach them by writing: Kawashaway c/o Scott Schroeder (Scooter) 3007 Oakland Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55407 Faerie Sex Magick Workshop We are very pleased to announce that the next Sex Magick 169 workshop is scheduled to occur at Faerie Camp Destiny in Southern Vermont, August 20-27. This workshop, now into its third decade, was originally conceived and led by Harry Hay. For the past 10 years the workshop has been led by some of the original participants as well as more recent alumni. This workshop is intended to explore deeper levels of emotional and physical intimacy. Where gathering Heart Circles and Sex rituals end, there are often levels of unexplored connections. The Sex Magick workshop, though its participants, manifests a container of intimacy with deep bonds between the members. Faeries who are comfortable and committed to Heart Circle process and exploring heart-centered erotic connections are encouraged to learn, consider and participate in the Sex Magic workshops. Sex Magick 169 is the initial workshop for those who haven’t attended a workshop before. There is also a Sex Magick 269 workshop for those who have done a Sex Magick workshop previously. For more information or to register, please go to http://www.faeriesexmagick.org. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or are at all curious. Thanks for reading this! –Chas / chas@chasnol.com RFD 146 Summer 2011 5 Amber Fox McDonald’s Corners, Ontario, Canada akaamberfox.blogspot.com Breitenbush (Cascadia Radical Faerie Resource) www.radfae.org/breitenbush Edward Carpenter Community BM ECC London WC1N 3XX United Kingdom contactecc@edwardcarpentercommunity.org.uk www.edwardcarpentercommunity.org Faerie Camp Destiny P.O. Box 517 Chester, VT 04143-0517 info@faeriecampdestiny.org www.faeriecampdestiny.org Faeryland P O Box 495 Nimbin, N.S.W. 2480 02 6689 7070 ozfaeries@yahoo.com www.ozfaeries.com Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire France info@folleterre.org www.folleterre.org Gay Spirit Visions P.O. Box 339 Decatur, GA 30031-0339 info@gayspiritvisions.org www.gayspiritvisions.org IDA 904 Vickers Hollow Rd Dowelltown, TN 37059 615-597-4409 idapalooza@gmail.com www.planetida.com Kawashaway Sanctuary c/o Scott Schroeder (Scooter) 3007 Oakland Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55407 www.kawashaway.org Midwest Men’s Festival http://www.midwestmensfestival.com Nomenus (Wolf Creek Sancturary) Wolf Creek Sanctuary P.O. Box 312 Wolf Creek, OR 97497 541-866-2678 nomenus@hughes.net www.nomenus.org Santa Cruz Radical Faeries www.santacruzradicalfaeries.com Short Mountain Sanctuary 247 Sanctuary Lane Liberty, TN 37095 615-563-4397 Messages only Starland Yucca Valley CA www.starlandcommunity.org Zuni Mountain Sanctuary P.O. Box 636 Ramah, NM 87321 505-783-4002 zunimtn@wildblue.net www.zms.org Corrections? Send them to submissions@rfdmag.org with “corrections” in the subject. Announcements can be sent to the same address. Please be sure to list “an- nouncement” in the subject line! Sanctuaries and Faerie Friendly Organizations Photo by Adam Stanford6 RFD 146 Summer 2011 I ’ve been a musician a very long time and I’ve never known or heard an artist quite like Garrin Benfield. His new CDtw (his 5th in all) is just pure Garrin! “The Wave Organ Song” easily dem- onstrates that his song writing skills, voice, and guitar playing has excelled to the point that he deserves international atten- tion. His soothing voice speaks directly to one’s soul and often I find myself suddenly singing along with him. The sixth track, “Colors In You” is my personal favorite. “Are You With Me” is another superb piece. Garrin’s music has touches of Kaki King and Michael Hedges along with a dash of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. But even that com- parison is unfair. Truth be told, I don’t anyone that sounds like Garrin. He is original! “The Wave Organ Song” is a beautiful piece of work by an amazingly talented and extremely nice person. It’s a must have to any music lovers collection! w Music Review Garrin Benfield “The Wave Organ Song” By Lucian For info on his summer/fall tour go to www.garrin.com. Photo by Dave Vann RFD 146 Summer 2011 7 O n March 2, the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center of the San Francisco Public Library hosted the inaugural reading of The Fire In Moonlight: Stories From The Radical Faeries, published by White Crane Books. Held in the Koret Auditorium of the Library, the evening’s program celebrated the publication of this latest compilation of radical faerie writings which was spearheaded by Mark Thompson, and co-edited by Richard Neely and Bo Young. This 309-page book brings together the voices of 50 faeries in a kaleidoscopic overview of radical faerie experiences from the past 30 years. The event was attended by approximately 200 (mostly faeries), and included brisk sales of the book within the first 30 minutes of the auditorium doors opening. Because we got to the reading early, we were able to see the exhibit “In Paths Untrodden: Walt Whit- man’s Calamus Poems and the Radical Faeries,” in the 3rd floor showcases of the Hormel Center. 2010 was the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Walt Whitman’s homo-affectional poem cluster, “Calamus.” The exhibition explored the influence Whitman and the “Calamus” poems had on the earliest GLBT freedom pioneers. It traced out some of the qualities Whitman ascribed to the “love of comrades” and the spiritual and political roles he saw it playing in the larger project of the creation of “America.” Whitman and his poem’s continuing influence on visionary queer/gay consciousness is surveyed through images and documents from the archives of Nomenus and other faeries. To be noted is the poet’s fascination with semen, even in the sperm-shaped letters on the title page of his poetry book. This impressive exhibit was curated by Joey Cain and masterfully installed by library staff. Once settled in the auditorium, all were treated to a slide show of images from past Radical Faerie gatherings while awaiting the beginning of the program, which was opened by a beautiful blessing and incantation “where the spirit and flesh meet.” Joey Cain acted as the emcee for the evening. He thanked the Library for hosting this event, and introduced each of the readers, who read selections from their contributions. It was amazing to see Joey Cain keeping the readers to the five minutes allot- ted, something unusual in faerie experience. Mark Thompson introduced the audience to his thoughts behind the making of this compilation, noting that “we have no history if we have no stories. And these stories will enlighten as well as entertain.” Contribu- tors who read their excepts included Will Roscoe, Jerry (the Faerie) Berbiar, Joey Cain, Myka David, Joe Balestreri, David Kerlick, William Stewart, Ganymede, and Wow (Patrick Geise). The readings entertained all with a range of personal experiences, from the first inklings of fey consciousness as a mystical child, to a gathering dinner that never happened due to a tripping kitch- en staff. The writers opened their hearts, exploring fears, boundaries, excited awakenings and joyous revelations deeply lived in the past 30 years. Faerie S.F. Public Library Hosts Faerie Book Launch By Rosie Delicious Continues on Page 53 Photo by RinkNext >