The Standard Magazine: A Look Back to 2022
Compiled By Jeremy Faust
As we look forward to a New Year, we would like to revisit some of the articles featured on the pages of The Standard Magazine, highlighting excerpts from articles from each month that deserve a second gander. You can read the complete article by simply clicking on the link after each excerpt. We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.
Place and Time Celebrates LGBTQIA+ Diversity in Musical Theatre – December 2021
By Joseph Gerbino
Musical theater is often regarded as being “so gay”, but EllaRose Chary and Brandon James Gwinn feel that despite that, it’s often not very “queer.” The writing team behind the 2021 Richard Rodgers Award winning musical, TL; DR Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix, aim to change that. Their new album, Place and Time, is shining a spotlight on women, queer POC, theys, enbys and trans folk. “We are here too,” says EllaRose Chary, “and like everyone else, we experience a range of feelings and circumstances that aren’t all centered on our trauma or our otherness.” Place and Time features Broadway artists from under-represented segments of the community singing about emotions that all can relate to. The songs are fun, flirty, emotional, and nostalgic; sung by characters who are revved-up, spiced-up and sometimes fed up. “We hope listeners will relate to the characters and maybe even see themselves reflected in the canon,” says Brandon James Gwinn. Starring Tituss Burgess, Amber Gray, Telly Leung, Tony Award Winner Daisy Eagan and an all-star cast of Broadway performers, Place and Time is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol9_issue12&u=thestandardmagazine
Picture Perfect
The Iconic Michael Childers – January 2022
By Dominic Silva
For the past several decades, photographer Michael Childers has captured the essence of Hollywood’s most famous faces. The roster of artists featured in his iconic portraits is a virtual who’s who of the Hollywood elite: Julie Christie, Catherine Deneuve, Clint Eastwood, Richard Gere, Dennis Hopper, Rock Hudson, Grace Jones, Shirley MacLaine, Groucho Marx, Demi Moore, Paul Newman, Laurence Olivier, Michelle Pfeiffer, Isabella Rosellini, John Travolta, Andy Warhol, Mae West, and Natalie Wood to name a few.
Childers also shot on-set still photography during the production of countless films over the years. He captured the making of such films as Midnight Cowboy (1969), The Day of the Locust (1975), Marathon Man (1976), Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), The Year of Living Dangerously (1983), The Terminator (1984) and Torch Song Trilogy (1988) among others.
A new exhibit featuring the works of Michael Childers and Gordon Clark opened in December at Joshua Tree Gallery of Contemporary Art to critical acclaim. For the new exhibition, “Emergence”, the Michael Childers’ exhibited works include his stunning newest body of work, Nude Fusions (2021), his provocative and never-before- exhibited White Party (2002) collection, fantastic selections from his LA Drag Ball (1974) that was previously exhibited at the Palm Springs Art Museum, and several of his famous portraits of Hollywood celebrities.
In addition to the exhibit, Childers will be honored at the CV Rep Luminary Luncheon on February 17. We sat down with him to discuss the stories behind his iconic images, his latest show, and highlights over the course of his career.
Thank you, Michael, for taking the time to sit with us, let’s get started.
Have you always wanted to be a photographer? And when did you realize this would be the career path you would take?
Michael: My interest in photography in high school for the newspaper and the annual and then when I went to UCLA, I studied photography and many of my fellow classmates were actors and musicians who needed head shots. I was working my way through college doing headshots and then I would do book jackets, one for Ray Bradbury then I did TV Guide for Kaye Ballard and that’s where it all began…quite early on.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue1&u=thestandardmagazine
Move, I’m Gay Podcast Celebrates 100th Episode – February 2022
By Mike Bahr
Move, I’m Gay, the podcast starring Francisco and Brendan (better known to listeners as Franny and Brenda) will premiere its 100th episode on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Taped live each week from their studio in Portland, Oregon, the show has gained a national following for the comical camaraderie between its two seemingly polar-opposite hosts. While Franny dishes on the latest entertainment dirt, and maybe belts out a Top 40 hit or two, Brenda references obscure gay historical facts. There’s also a bit of politics thrown in, as the two banter, laugh, and drink their way into listener’s hearts.
“I had never been a fan of podcasts,” admits Francisco. “I have only listened to a couple and most of them have been true crime, so it’s interesting to find myself hosting a comedy show. Honestly, the real reason I’m here is I broke my leg and I needed something to do with my life.”
The pair had only hung out with each other casually before starting the Move, I’m Gay podcast in February 2020. “We have very different personalities,” Brendan explains. “Francisco is up on trends and I’m slightly clueless to them, but we seem to mesh well in terms of our interaction and it’s nice to have solidified our friendship through two years of weekly recordings.”
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue2&u=thestandardmagazine
The Skinny on Body Lift Surgery
From a Broadway Producer Who Experienced It. – March 2022
By Jason Salerno
“I don’t have a memory of not struggling with my weight,” reflects Tom D’Angora, the prolific theatre producer behind such productions as Naked Boys Singing! playing now in New York City and Las Vegas. “It has been a constant battle since I was a young kid. I spent my entire youth morbidly obese. At one point, I tipped the scale at nearly 400 pounds.”
Looking at him now, it is hard to believe. At 40-years-old, Tom is trimmer, healthier, and more muscular than ever before. His tremendous weight loss won praise from family and friends, as well as his legions of fans in the theatre industry, but all of that changed when Tom decided, as a special gift to himself, to give himself a full body lift.
“I posted about my decision online and the negativity was swift and severe,” he explains. “So many of the comments were about how dangerous the procedure was and how narcissistic I must be to even consider pursuing such a drastic operation.”
Body lift surgery is a procedure used to remove the excess, sagging skin many people are left with after massive weight loss. It is a specialized subset of cosmetic surgery and very expensive. Recovery times are long, and it is important that patients choose an experienced cosmetic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
The results are long lasting for those who maintain the weight loss and the rewards are a more youthful, natural appearance and a significant improvement in comfort and self-confidence that can last a lifetime. Tom D’Angora explains more.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue3&u=thestandardmagazine
Songs For & By Transgender and Nonbinary People – April 2022
By Ben Nelson
NewMusicShelf has released the first-ever volume of songs written for and/or by transgender and nonbinary people. Anthology of New Music: Trans & Nonbinary Voices presents composers who highlight the multifaceted intersections unique to the lived experiences of transgender and nonbinary people and stands as a declaration that despite the many historical attempts to isolate them, these communities will not be silenced.
Their voices are beautiful, and through printed compositions, the anthology spotlights these important artists so that the world can recognize and revel in their beauty.
“As a trans nonbinary singer, I often found opera and musical theater compositions to be aggressively gendered and binary,” reflects Aiden Feltkamp, the book’s curator. “I was at a loss for repertoire that spoke to me.”
They approached Dennis Tobenski, a composer and vocalist who runs a boutique music publishing company in New York City, with the idea to build a collection of vocal and piano music that centered on identity.
While typical NewMusicShelf publications focus on a particular instrument or voice type, what Feltkamp was proposing would be like no other anthology before — a first of its kind. However, it was a concept that Tobenski, a gay man, could relate with. In the early 2000s, Tobenski recalls very little music featuring a man loving another man. “What did exist wasn’t exactly visible for a kid like me growing up gay in the cornfields of Illinois. I was forced to either sing about loving women, coopt soprano repertoire about loving men, or not sing about love at all.”
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue4&u=thestandardmagazine
Top Travel Destinations in 2022 – May 2022
By Dominic Ellis
LGBTQ travelers have been waiting to get back on the road and discover new destinations as well as reacquaint themselves with some old favorites. 2022 is supposed to be when traveling will be back in high gear. Coming out of such a long period of constraints and limitations, 2022 will be the year we wring every bit of richness and meaning out of our experiences. From gorgeous beach destinations to dynamic urban experiences, LGBTQ travelers are always looking for that next “new” place to visit. One thing to remember, though: The world is still in a state of uncertainty. So, if you’re planning a trip anywhere these days, you should check travel restrictions for the destination you are hoping to visit and consider warnings from the State Department and the CDC.
Because no matter what type of trip you’ve been dreaming of, we want to help you turn 2022 into the year you get back out there and make it a reality.
Here are the top destinations that should be on the radar for queer travelers in 2022.
LGBTQ Travel Safety
By Matt Solomon
Safety should be a top priority for every traveler. Overall, traveling as a LGBTQ traveler isn’t much different than traveling for others, but there are times special considerations should be made. It is important to keep in mind that as a LGBTQ traveler, a destination’s attitude toward the LGBTQ community is an important factor to consider. Experiences for LGBTQ travelers can vary globally, so it is important to understand where you are traveling, so you can have an enjoyable and safe vacation or business trip. We recognize the need for greater understanding and awareness about safety for LGBTQ travelers and developed the following resources and support to assist LGBTQ travelers with information that will help them feel more comfortable as they plan their travel.
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PRIDE Month 2022 – June 2022
By Christian Acevedo
The LGBTQ+ rights movement has made tremendous strides over the past few decades and much of the progress in visibility is thanks in part to gay pride parades and marches that have taken place in cities around the world. The global landscape for LGBTQ+ rights, protections and acceptance vary tremendously by location, with some destinations attracting millions of visitors to their events like Madrid Gay Pride, Sao Paulo Gay Pride or San Francisco Gay Pride, while more than 70 other countries have laws that allow discrimination or persecution of LGBTQ+ people.
LGBTQ+ pride events including pride parades and festivals were started in major urban centers to improve the visibility, acceptance, and legal protections for LGBTQ+ people living in those communities. While the aim of pride day started with a political nature, many cities around the world have such wide acceptance and legal protections that many events have become a celebration of pride for the local LGBTQ+ community. Depending on the country or city where the event is being held, the marches and parades often campaign for recognition and acceptance of same-sex marriage, legal protections for couples and families, anti-discrimination laws or trans rights. Although there are still obstacles in achieving full acceptance and protections for the LGBTQ+ community, the progress made just over the past few decades has been significant. Over the past 50 years, pride events, marches and demonstrations have evolved considerably. In western nations where LGBTQ+ people are protected and acceptance is high, many pride events have grown in scale, welcoming millions of visitors to their celebrations. Major cities like New York, São Paulo, and Madrid host some of the largest events in the world with crowds of up to 5 million people.
In honor of Pride month, we at The Standard Magazine would like to acknowledge the accomplishments and sacrifice of those LGBTQ+ trailblazers who paved and continue to pave the way for the LGBTQ+ movement.
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What’s On YOUR Plate? 2022 Food Trends – July 2022
By Chris Astrala
Remember when kale was the new lettuce, quinoa the new rice and cauliflower the new mashed potato? We are constantly looking for that latest thing to tickle our taste buds and savor the next new thing to please our culinary whims. We’ve run down the most anticipated Food Trends for 2022 that will stand to shape how, why, and what we will be eating this year and perhaps beyond.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue7&u=thestandardmagazine
Sha-wing Batter!
Queer Facts About America’s Favorite Pastime – August 2022
July 2022
by Mikey Rox
The boys of summer are back – and you know what that means: All Of them butts! Aside from gawking at your baseball favorite players’ posteriors in form-fitting pinstriped pants, there are plenty of queer cheers to give for America’s national pastime. Batter up!
Glenn Burke broke the first barrier – but it may have cost him
As an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 to ’78 (and widely regarded co-inventor of the high-five – true story), Glenn Burke broke ground as the first active MLB player to come out as gay to his teammates and bosses. While he was asked to refrain from making his sexual orientation public by Dodgers’ top brass, Burke told People magazine in 1994 that his “mission as a gay ballplayer was to break a stereotype” and he thought it worked. In other interviews and in his autobiography, however, he suggested that prejudice drove him out of the sport, not the injury that sent him back down to the minors after a year with the Oakland Athletics.
The A’s released Burke from his contract before the end of his injured farm-team season, and he retired from the game in 1980.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue8&u=thestandardmagazine
Must See: Highly Anticipated LGBTQ+ Films & TV of 2022 – September 2022
By Joseph P Navarro
Queer film is more diverse than ever, with 2022’s slate of forthcoming and currently running films and TV programs depicting LGBTQ+ characters in a variety of genres. These movies include a groundbreaking rom com from Billy Eichner, a new Whitney Houston biopic, and a documentary about a transgender woman who participated in a pioneering trans research study.
LGBTQ+ films aren’t easy to come by! Despite the progress we’ve made with representation over the years, it can still be difficult to find new queer movies worthy of a watch.
Ranging from experimental indie titles to mega-budget studio films, 2022 will offer many exciting and significant works aiming to highlight and platform LGBTQ+ perspectives that the world needs to see. This year, feature-length documentaries and films will focus on sharing real and fictionalized LGBTQ+ experiences that many mainstream audiences and filmmakers a have often dismissed. The LGBTQ+ films and programs of 2022 will operate as significant cultural works that will represent underserved communities in our culture
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue9&u=thestandardmagazine
2022 Palm Springs Pride Honors Awards
Recognizing Community Members Making a Difference – October 2022
By Ron deHarte
The prestigious awards honor individuals for their work advancing the causes of LGBTQ individuals and their allies. Five awards celebrate extraordinary voices in the community. The recipients include a Trans Advocate, a community organizer, a reproductive health advocate, an Air Force veteran and community leader, someone who has devoted three decades to improving the lives of women and the LGBTQ+ community, and someone with thirty years of service advocating for health care for people living with HIV.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue10&u=thestandardmagazine
Fighting Long COVID – November 2022
by Alicia Green
Dr. David Morris, DAP Health chief medical officer, discusses what it is and next steps following a diagnosis. When most people get COVID-19, they tend to recover once the infection leaves their body. But some adults have been experiencing what scientists and doctors call “long COVID,” which can drastically change a person’s life and health. “Long COVID is the syndrome that people can experience after three months of having had COVID, and they continue to have symptoms after that,” says Dr. David Morris, chief medical officer at DAP Health. “The recovery can be for the rest of their lives or for another six months to one year.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40% of U.S. adults have reported having COVID-19. Of those adults, 19% report that they still have symptoms of long COVID. The condition is also known as long-haul COVID, chronic COVID and post-acute COVID-19, among other names.
https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=thestandard_vol10_issue11&u=thestandardmagazine
