CIN DAY NKY

Issue 2

FREE

Publisher's Note
MICHAEL A. MONKS

I spent the July 4 holiday in one of my favorite

places northern Michigan , and for the first time
managed to make it to Traverse City to take in their
gay bar , SideTraxx . I drove into the city from
Petoskey alone , and really just wanted to see what
this place was like a standalone gay bar , the only
one for hundreds of miles . In my many years of
vacationing Up North , I hadn ' t ever visited .
That changed on Friday night as I walked in and
found exactly what I had hoped the sameness that
I like about gay bars and clubs : mostly men of
varying ages , familiar music , joyous attitude , and
total freedom on the dance floor . I never tire of
watching gay men dance . And I mean really dance .
In a world gone mad , we still have dancing .
SideTraxx could maybe use an upgrade to its
interior , or maybe not . I still liked it , honestly . It was
old - fashioned and people were still having a good
time . By midnight it was packed and the black and
white checkered dance floor was full , and thankfully
there were even people my age still rocking it out .
I sat alone for most of the night , watching and
throwing back a couple of soft cocktails ( I had to
drive back to Petoskey ) and amid the joy I was able
to tap into the gratitude I felt for being a gay man .
This year , The Fourth of July was just a month
removed from the massacre at Pulse Nightclub in
Orlando , and we all know what we felt and still feel
about that . A numbness and a familiarity with the
victims that rattles our core because we know it
could have been any of us , at any of our clubs .
I joined so many of you at Below Zero in downtown
Cincinnati as we showed our support for our fallen
brothers and sisters in Orlando , and I cried with you
in a way that I am not sure I ever had before . But
resilience and strength are traits that I so admire in
gay people .

And still, we dance.

SideTraxx opened its doors and we all
funneled through it that Friday night and
we danced and we drank and we laughed
and we talked and we watched. We
carried on.
There is a new fear among many of my
gay friends now that the United States
has elected Donald Trump its President. I
cant help but to be a sunny, optimistic
guy its in my nature, and sometimes
feels like a curse. But I understand the
fear and my optimism is cautious.
I do know this, however: the strength and
resilience of gay people will carry us
forward. Goodness knows we have been
battle-tested and are battle-ready at a
moments notice. Weve always had to be.
Perhaps the saddest part for those of us
who supported Hillary Clinton, is that in a
lot of ways, we were more comfortable
than ever. At least, thats how I felt, and
Im not immune to being nave.
However, whatever threats may lie ahead
of us, we know what we are capable of
standing up against and fighting for.
And when the dust settles, as we know it
always will, we will come out stronger on
the other side.
And whether it be in the streets of
Cincinnati or on a small dance floor in
northern Michigan...still we dance!

STAFF
AwesomeCmag
AwesomeCityMag
AwesomeCityMag
1 AWESOME CITY

PUBLISHER
MichaelA.Monks
EDITORINCHIEF
K.A.Simpson

Dec 2016
holiday cooking

with will
18

pride comes to
chillicothe
13

triple threat
young, gay, and black in cincinnati

10

kevin feldman
an accidental
entrepreneur

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Micheal Chanak

I was a sophomore at Kent State

University in 1968 . My generation
believed that if only we gave peace a
chance , the world would be a better
place . We rebelled in our youthful
counterculture with music , dress , and
politics . It was our parents , the Greatest
Generation , who had happily settled into
suburbia , complete with cookie cutter
homes and high speed concrete
highways . They were a bore and we were
the ones living in the Age of Aquarius .
We knew better .
At that time we thought that technology ,
instant communication , satellites , space
travel and nuclear energy would deliver
us to a life of ease without consequence .
Cancer would be conquered , lifespans
would increase , and a better life and
world were at hand .
In 1968 , we saw the height and depths of
our humanity . From the tragic deaths of
Robert Kennedy and Dr . Martin Luther
King Jr . to the stellar photos of NASA s
lunar flyby . . . all while our young men were
drafted to fight in the tragic Vietnam
War . That year brought us the Chicago
Democratic Convention Riots , an
extension of the Vietnam War protests .
Throughout it all , we still had hope .
I ve grown old now . It is the latter part of
2016 and it seems that technology didn t
solve our problems . We are more
connected than ever , yet more isolated
and lonely . The great promises of cheap
and free energy vanished after the events
that occurred at Three Mile Island and
Chernobyl . Our health has declined
with adult morbid obesity and rates of
staggering childhood obesity with its
traveling companion of diabetes . HIV is
not cured but controlled . Our political
system seems to have produced flawed
candidates with an ever increasing
polarized electorate . It gets better .

3 AWESOME CITY

The new sad normal seems to be

shootings at a gay bar, deaths of black
men at the hands of police, deaths of
police and endless memorials and
vigils with sad goodbyes. High
powered assault rifles in the hands of
youth used to kill untold numbers in
schools and movie houses across this
nation.
Our answer to this... LOVE WINS!
These intervening years have shown
me that it is easier to change the
world through technology than with
the human desire to destroy ourselves
and the beauty of this world.
Communication tools have, by and
large, only allowed us to shout louder
and longer at others who dont share
our views and those who we have
never met.
Love is love.
The problems are the same and the
challenges seem even greater. The
world seems more complex and spins
ever faster.
Because I move a bit slower now, I drift
back to the iconic song recorded by
the
Youngbloods:
" If you hear the song I sing
You will understand , listen
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It ' s there at your command
Come on , people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right
now .

AVAILABLE ON
AMAZON

NOVEMBER 25
SequeltoChroniclesofaBoyMisunderstood

KEVIN FELDMAN
AN ACCIDENTAL
ENTREPRENEUR
While planning my rendezvous with Kevin
Feldman , I am hell - bent on getting him to meet
me at one of the many new eateries in Northern
Kentucky . Comeuppance , I think , for me only
seeing him previously in Cincinnati
establishments , including his own .
I suggest we visit Cock & Bull , a bustling pub
featuring English fare , 60 craft beers & frequent
specials , and he quickly kills that idea . Frida , a
whimsical setting with Frida Kahlo inspired
accents set for Mexican eats and mezcal
cocktails ? Negative . We settle on one of
Covington ' s newest eateries , Inspirado , an
unfussy place to eat showcasing eclectic , area sourced New American cuisine and works by
local artists .
How have you been ? , I ask him after we meet
and hug on Covington ' s Madison Avenue ,
hoping to get a dish of gossip before we head
in to be seated .
5 AWESOME CITY

K. A. Simpson
Bockfest, weekly
Bengals celebrations
and a wellpatronized drinking
establishment...
whats next for
Kevin Feldman?
Well, it's
complicated.

Life , he retorts simply . And with that , we

head in .
Some say Kevin Feldman is quite laid - back .
Some would call Kevin gregarious and the
life of the party . In a one - on - one setting ,
he s simply Feldman , as his neighborhood
bar patrons call him .
We are seated next to the front window of
Inpirado facing Madison Avenue , where
three pair of couples sat together finishing
their meal .
Pinot Gris . I tell Chad , our waiter , when he
asks for our desired drinks .
An Old Fashioned , Kevin says . But in
characteristic fashion , he changes his mind
30 seconds after the waiter disappears to
the back . I really wanted a Sidecar . People
have been mentioning Sidecars to me and I
wanted to try it here . Looking around the
small restaurant a few moments in vein ,
Kevin throws his hands up and says , Oh
well . I ' ll get it for my next drink .
Kevin is a serial entrepreneur and a
homeowner in Covington , KY , where he
shares a place with his dog , Skelton . But he
didn ' t originally set out to be an
entrepreneur . He told of how he became
owner of the friendly neighborhood
bar , Milton ' s , in Cincinnati ' s neighborhood
of Mt . Auburn . I walked in one day , saw it
was for sale and bought the place . .
After a lengthy career in travel
management for an agency based out of
Philadelphia , Kevin was laid off during the
dot com boom and like a Phoenix rising ,
Feldman thought that , with a foray into the
bar business , his life may be
resurrected . And in some way , it was .

AWESOME CITY 6

I was meeting someone there after an

afternoon at Kings Island Amusement
Park . Feldman said of the first time he
walked into Milton ' s . A friend of mine
suggested that we meet at this cute little
bar in Mt . Auburn .
And being gay wasn ' t a guarantee that
Feldman wanted to own and operate a
gay bar .
I can t exist only in the gay world . And I
wanted my bar to be the same way . Back
in the day , people would only make the
circuit around town only in the gay world .
I couldn t do it .
Feldman graduated from Newport Central
Catholic High School , then called
Newport Catholic High School in the early
80 s . He went on to attend college in
Northern Kentucky , Indiana and the
United Kingdom and says that he did not
come out of the closet until his 50th
birthday just a few years ago .
My family thought it would be a good
idea to celebrate my 50 years of life with
a birthday roast , he rolled his eyes , and
my sister said to my sister - in - law . Honey ,
you may want to leave the kids at home . I
don t think that they should come to this
one .
He jokes , of course . Feldman never really
had a big coming out to his family . There
was no big sparklers and no big hats or a
parade , he remembers .
Here you go gentleman , Chad comes
back with our drinks . Can I start you guys
off with an appetizer ? After taking a
quick glance one more time over the
menu , Feldman decided to tickle his taste
buds with the cuban salad and I went
with the beet salad .
The hold in Newport when I was a
teenager ,
Feldman went on to tell of his journey
traversing the Cincinnati gay world of the
80 s and the lack of gay establishments in
Newport , was always the titty bars and
the sleaze and the gambling and the 60 s
casino . All of the strip clubs and titty bars
had just let go . When I was in high school
they had just closed down Cinema X on
Monmouth Street .
Cinema X ? My eyes light up . Like a porn
house ?
Yeah , Feldman chuckles . It was a porn
house . There were first run X - rated films
and , oh my god , you should have seen the
ads they ran in the newspaper . We
noticed that the conservative looking
couples were glancing over at our table .
But fortunately , Feldman said , changing
the subject quickly . I did not have that
much trouble being a business owner
because I was gay . It was more because I
was a first time business owner and I was
purchasing a business in OTR . "

And Feldman seemed to have made the

right choice in investing in OTR . Over - the Rhine , which was the center of the
Cincinnati Riots of 2001 , has been
transformed with new residents , a multitude
of new eateries and drinkeries which have
grabbed the area s crime problem by the
balls and allowed an influx of big spenders
to come and frequent the area . And Kevin
has been there , pushing for a the area s
progress , all along the way .
No one has a bigger mouth than I do . he
says . No one has been a bigger booster for
progressive politicians , the streetcar , the
right issues , It ' s like the Times Square of
Cincinnati . The connections made . The
people that feel comfortable and visit the
bar are people that we want to do good in
the neighborhood . Its organic , very
grassroots .
So what ' s in store for Feldman ?
It ' s time to wind down . Feldman sighs . It ' s
time to find a partner and it ' s time to live
off some investments and find a warmer
climate to live .
What would you tell your 20 - year old self ? ,
I ask as Chad brings out our entrees .
Screw religion . Don ' t worry about what
anyone else thinks about you , drop a few
pounds and live your F @ ! # & ing life !

Dear Mother Goose ,

My girlfriend and I have been in a relationship for two weeks . I am about to begin my
sophomore year at UC and this is my first gay relationship . How do I talk to my girlfriend
about getting a sex toy ?
Toy - Bound , 20
Mother Goose Says :
Dear Toy , Relax . Mother Goose enjoys " toys " as do her " boys . "
A new relationship , particularly a " first " relationship of any kind
or description is both exciting and stressful . Deep breath - all
good relationships are based on communication around
personal and sexual needs . Now , you have a number of
choices : buy a toy that you would like and introduce it in a
positive way during sex play , or alternatively outside the
bedroom in a private discussion . Talk about your sexual history .
A word of advice , ( I know this first hand ) : clean toys are happy
toys , and if you use " electronic " devices make sure they are
cleaned and turned off afterwards . I ' d stress that using a toy makes
your sexual experience more pleasurable , and ask what helps your partner
reach that sweet moment ! All the best !

Mother Goose Says

READY TO ANSWER YOUR SEX AND RELATIONSHIP QUESTIONS

Dear Mother Goose ,

I am a male bartender and bisexual , and
have been dating a guy for nearly four
months now . For the past several weeks
I ' ve been having very strong feelings for
my fellow female bartender and this
weekend we hooked up . She has feelings
for me as well but we can ' t date because
of workplace rules . Is it worth breaking
up my relationship for a person I can ' t
even be with ?
Bartender In Love , 32
Mother Goose Says :
Dear Bartender , I make the foolish
assumption that your guy friend knows
you are bi - sexual and that you
occasionally hook up with women ? I ask
that because if everyone is open to a
friendship outside work , then I think
maybe you are not violating any bar
policy whatsoever . Ma Goose isn ' t so sure
the issue here is the " bar policy " but
about open communication with the
male partner . I know there is an old
expression , " don ' t mix your meat with
your potatoes . " My hunch , at best , is the
tavern is trying to avoid drama generated
by " sexual harassment " or their patrons
not getting the service they deserve .
Besides , we all know , don ' t we , if
someone is in a relationship - and the
patrons know it - the tips decline , a
negative for you and a negative for the
bar . Net , keep the relationship of any
nature out of the workplace and the rest
is your business . Just be honest with your
partners ! I hope that helps !

Dear Mother Goose ,

My boyfriend and I have been in a
monogamous relationship together for 5
years . Recently , I created a profile on one
of those hookup sites but have never
hooked up . I have " partnered " and " just
chatting " splattered all over my profile . Of
course my boyfriend found out that I had
a profile , and now he is threatening to
break up with me because he thinks I am
cheating on him . Is he right ? What should
I do ?
- Grindr d 42
Mother Goose Says :
Dear G . , There is an old saying : Where
there is smoke , there is fire . Sure , there
are plenty of profiles all over the G ' s
( Grindr , Growlr , etc . ) that say " coupled ,
partnered , friends only , here to check it
out . " Of course , Mother Goose is on those
sites and I have to admit , if everyone was
as " coupled " as they claim - I would think
that they wouldn t need to be on those
sites at all . Ma Goose feels that your lack
of direct communication with your
boyfriend is where you got stuck . Seems
like you should get off the internet and
get a dialogue going . Are you bored with
the relationship ? Do you think you missed
something these 5 years . If you care for
this guy , then you need a heart to heart or
a counselor . Trust .
AWESOME CITY 8

Dear Mother Goose,

I know Im good looking but when I see a
woman that I am attracted to, I begin to
get a little self conscience about my
curves. And if she is nice to me and flirts I
think she is doing it because she feels sorry
for me because I am "big-boned."
Do attractive women have insecurities like
me?
-Mirror Envy, 27
Mother Goose Says:
Dear Mirror, You make me go to that place
where my own issues of "lookism comes
boiling up. What is good looking? On one
hand you say you are attractive then you
say you are "big-boned" and have concerns
about "curves." As a full-figured "Goose" I
have those doubts as well. Actually, my
hunch is that most of us have issues with
our bodies in this day and age. Honestly, I
don't think it is about attractiveness but
rather about insecurities with your own
skin. I know the pressure of "lookism" but
when it gets in the way of having a good
old fashioned flirt, its time to do some self
inventory. I'd say other than counseling, I
have discovered the YMCA. Oh, not
because it has transformed me into a
picture of my youth, but I'm reminded daily
how lucky I am to not limp, be in a chair,
etc. My hour a day there has changed my
whole perspective on it. Good luck.
*Mother Goose is not a licensed shrink,
therapist, doctor and only offers her advice
after some 50 years of dating experience.

8 AWESOME CITY

In America , there are

segments of our
population that have
been discriminated
against just because of
who we are . More
specifically , because we
are young , gay , and black .
If you are a member of
any one of these groups ,
you have a very unique
story to tell .
But how is it when you
are a member of all
three ?
This past summer , social
media once again
usurped traditional media
outlets and served as first
notice to the murders of
Alton Sterling and
Philando Castille , two
black men fatally shot by
police officers .
It was on July 5 when the
former of the two was
shot several times at
close range while held
down on the ground by
two white Baton Rouge
Police Officers . The next
day , the latter was fatally
shot by a police officer in
Falcon Heights ,
Minnesota . The posts on
social media
documented , in real time ,
how a chance encounter
with a police officer could
end a life .
Would this have
happened if the two men
were white ? The question
is an echo of the words of
Minnesota Govenor Mark
Dayton . He asked a very
similar question at a news
conference the day
following Castille s
murder . Spurring from
those events , what began
as a peaceful protest in
Dallas , ended with a lone
sniper wounding seven
innocent protesters and
killing five police officers ,
who were only there to
afford those protesters
the freedom to speak
their minds .
To many , it s still hard to
imagine how these three
occurrences of gun
violence could happen in

K.A.Simpson

living young, gay & black

TRIPLE THREAT
in cincinnati

a country that has come so far . head again to become a

national issue with the 2014
Did we not learn our lesson
killing of Michael Brown , an
with Rodney King ? King was
violently beaten by Los Angeles unarmed Black teenager , by a
Police officers following a high - police officer in Ferguson ,
Missouri .
speed car chase on March 3 ,
1991 . Despite the incident being
Cincinnati has its own tale to
filmed , showing the brutal
tell as well .
beating , three of the four
officers involved were acquitted
Harken back to Cincinnati s
of all charges , serving as a
very own civil unrest which
catalyst for the 1992 Los
snapped up the nation s
Angeles Riots , in which 55
attention in 2001 . This was the
people were killed and over
year when the 15th young black
2 , 000 were injured .
man , since 1995 was gunned
The recent shootings of black down by Cincinnati police
officers . Quickly after the civil
men at the hands of police
unrest subsided , the Cincinnati
officers seem to be a part of
Police Department ( CPD ) ,
some gruesome loop of law
prompted by a lawsuit by the
enforcement gone amok . For
ACLU , adopted a Collaborative
the black community , even
after the Rodney King incident , Agreement which spelled out
the threat of police abuse has how the CPD should follow a
simply become a part of life ; a community - focused approach
towards policing ; dramatically
life lesson reserved for Black
changing past policies and how
males only . Yet this grievous
new recruits are trained .
reality reared its venomous
AWESOME CITY 10

Fast forward to 2015 where

University of Cincinnati Police
Officer Ray Tensing fatally shot
Sam DuBose , a black motorist
during a July 19 , off - campus
traffic stop because of a
missing license tag . The officer
claimed he was forced to fire
his weapon after almost being
run over by DuBose s car but
due to body camera video
contradicting the officer s
report , Tensing was indicted on
murder and voluntary
manslaughter charges , which
ended with a hung jury .
And with this past summer ' s
shootings , we find ourselves ,
once again , trying to
understand how
misconceptions and
misunderstandings could lead
to multiple deaths and a nation
saddled with grief .
The Washington Post ' s
database that tracks the
number of individuals killed by
police officers , just in 2016 ,
shows that Philando Castile ,
the individual who was shot
while reaching for his
registration to carry a firearm
as instructed by the arresting
officer , at the time was one of
at least 505 people who have
been shot and killed by an
on - duty police officer .
Police officers are the
backbone of our community
and there is no doubt that
those who serve in this role
have an exceedingly difficult
and highly honorable job . Their
split - second decisions could
dictate whether a woman isn ' t
murdered , a child isn ' t
abducted , an elderly resident s
property isn ' t vandalized , or a
lone gunman isn ' t allowed to
commits mass murder . We
want police officers in our
society and we want them to
protect and serve . But because
of the aforementioned and the
fact that we grant these
officers the right to Protect
and Serve , it ' s very rare for
police officers to be held
accountable in a court of law
when they abuse our trust .
According to the same
Washington Post database , of
the thousands of cases brought
11 AWESOME CITY

against police officers since

2005 , only 54 officers have been
criminally charged .
And every time a police officer
shoots a person , especially a
black male , we still face the
possibility of falling into the
same cycle we have seen over
the last few months ; additional
senseless killings , mass
community outpouring of love ,
and a resurgence of community
dialogue .

In early 2010 , Stop AIDS , a

former Cincinnati non profit organization , hosted
The Reggie Williams
Exhibit , a multimedia
exhibit honoring the life
and legacy of World AIDS
activist , and Cincinnati
native , Reggie Williams
who was the co - founder
and executive director of
the National Task Force on
AIDS Prevention . Williams
passed away in 1999 from

I t'snotaseasyforaBl ackmantobegay
thananyothercommuni ty/cul ture. Ci nci nnati i s
al readyprettyconservati ve, sounfortunatel y,
manyoftheBl ackgaymenstaycl osetedto
protectthemsel ves, thei rj obs, everythi ngthat
theyhaveworkedforwhi l ei nthatcl oset.
JPCarterNel son complications of AIDS, but

The sad truth is that , the Black

community has long since
pointed out the presence of
police brutality and the fact
that wide sweeping reform was
needed . Another truth is that
reform will not actually happen
on a large scale until the
ugliness of police brutality hits
America in the heart . Right now ,
to most of America , police
brutality is still seen as a Your
Problem issue . We have to call
it what it actually is . an Our
Problem issue . And we need to
make sure that America realizes
this before a white suburbanite
is mistakenly killed for that
seems to be the only thing
that will grab the nation s
attention and bring an end to
police brutality .
After the publishing of a 2012
Gallup study , where it was
found that 4 . 6 percent of Black
Americans identified as being
gay , which is higher than the
rates of whites ( 3 . 2 ) , Latinos
( 4 . 0 ) , and Asians ( 4 . 3 ) , it ' s
apparent that an honest
conversation among the Black
community regarding sexual
orientation is needed .

his memory lives on

through his exhibit. As part
of the event, a showing of
Marlon Riggs' film,
Tongues Untied was
presented and discussed.
In the film, Riggs depicts
the black male image as
varied, defying the static
definition that had
permeated American
society. His examination of
black manhood in America
was one of the first
examples of black male
homosexuality in
academia, setting a
standard for its study.
When it originally aired in
1985 Tongues Untied was
controversial, and because
it aired on PBS, it garnered
additional criticism for
how public and charitable
funds were used in the
broadcast.
It wasn't just the depiction
of black men loving one
another that made this
film controversial, but the
fact that it had never been
portrayed in such a candid
and honest way. At the

When the film was released , the nation was just For me , " says Jonah , a young man I
beginning to discus homosexuality candidly
interviewed for this article , , " Being a young ,
amid the AIDS epidemic gripping the county . So gay , Black man in Cincinnati has been an
when this film portrayed the hyper - masculine
interesting journey to say the least . The
Black male image through a gay - tinted lense ,
LGBT community has its standards
the wholesome American psyche went into
concerning what ' s acceptable for a gay
anaphylactic shock ; the true Black gay male
male . The Black community has its
image being so far displaced from the gay
standards concerning what ' s acceptable
White culture which America still had yet to
and expected of a Black man . But being
understand .
both , I ' ve often come to realize there are
conflicting unwritten rules . Over time , I
Not only did this documentary cause a fold in
thought I had found a happy medium that
the way that America viewed homosexuality , it keeps unsolicited opinions and hurtful
also helped Black men , who identified as being criticism at bay while still being true
gay , cope with their own societal displacement . enough to who I am so that I didn ' t feel
Not being able to completely integrate into the like I was compromising my individuality .
Black community due to their homosexuality
Though still very discreet and sometimes
and not being able to completely assimilate
closeted , I found an appropriate balance
into the gay society because of its White
that I and most others around me seemed
construct
.
to be comfortable with . "
The fact that the
Black male here in
As Jonah explains , this dichotomy and the
the United States has
isolative nature of being gay AND Black
been subjected to
gives more evidence to the fact that the
racism , classism , and
Black gay male experience is one that is
oppression only serves
very unique .
up evidence that
the gay Black male is
a new form of
segregate .
In 2008 , President
Obama called out the
omnipotence of
homophobia in the
Black community by
Yeah,it'sbeendifficult.GrowingupinaBlack
saying , If we are
honest with ourselves ,
familywherereligionandBlackhistorywasthe
we ll acknowledge
backboneofourtradition.Ihadtostayinthe
that our own
community has not
closetandcodeswitchbetweenfriendsandthose
always been as true to
whoacceptedmeoractedlikemeandthosewho
the King s vision of a
condemnedanyofmygaylikebehaviors.Itwas
beloved community .
We have scorned our
likebeingoppressedinanalreadyoppressed
gay brothers and
population,andIcouldn'tbreathe...Icouldn'tlive.
sisters instead of
embracing them .
JPCarterNelson
More evidence can be
found when CNN
anchor , Don Lemon ,
publicly announced
his homosexuality in
the book Transparent
and said , It s quite
different for an
African - American
male . Being gay is
about the worst thing
you can be in Black
culture .

AWESOME CITY 12

K.A.Simpson

PRIDE
COMES TO
CHILLICOTHE
Remember when the only conceivable way to find support as a gay person was to hit up
the big city , which is one of the reasons why Ohio cities like Cincinnati , Columbus or
Cleveland have been havens for the small town gay , bursting to express themselves ? That
was then . Even though the world has become smaller with the advancement of the
Internet , there are still pockets of our country that does not celebrate or embrace the
gay community .
So you can imaging how tough it is to be gay in a small town , but there is one young man
who is bucking the trend . In doing so , he found that he wasn ' t alone and that there is a
whole gay world in his small Ohio town .
I was able to sit down with Northern Kentucky
native , Travis Brown . Though born in Covington ,
KY , he has lived most of his life in the small Ohio
town of Chillicothe . He is attempting to continue
his city ' s efforts to bring equality to the heartland
of America .
KA : Tell me about your efforts to bring a PRIDE
celebration to Chillicothe .
TB : Pride isn t about going to a metropolitan city
where there will be more gays and more stuff to
do . To me , PRIDE is about providing a sense of
community to those who may feel outcast by
advocating political and social causes such as love
and acceptance in places where its needed , such
as Chillicothe . Instead of being another person in a
crowd , I would rather be one of the first to
contribute to make a difference and start
something in hopes that one day Chillicothe PRIDE
could provide for this community so that no one
flees to bigger places because they do not feel
accepted .
Chillicothe PRIDE has been a small gathering of
about 50 people for the past 3 years in the form of
a PRIDE walk that began after I graduated from
Union - Scioto High School in 2012 . Now , I attend
Ohio University - Chillicothe and am the president
of my school s LGBTQ student organization
( United ) and had great feedback when I
announced that I would be hosting this year s
PRIDE .
13 AWESOME CITY

KA : Who would you say was the most

influential person in your life while you were
growing up ?
TB : My mom has been the most influential
person in my life by far . She would and has
always supported me with any decision I have
made in my life . If I wanted to continue to
play soccer , even though we were the worst
team in the league , she would sign me up
and watch me play ( miserably ) year after
year .
If I wanted to try new styles and be in with
each new trend , she d be there through all of
the good and bad phases I went through . To
even today , when she walked beside her
shirtless rainbowed - out son , parading the
streets with nothing to hide . She has
influenced me to be proud of who I am , no
matter what it may be or entail , and that I
should love myself and be the best person I
can .
KA : When you were growing up , do you recall
hearing stories or jokes about homosexuals ?
TB : During middle school , I attended a
Catholic school in Covington , Ky where they
preached that homosexuality is an
abomination . At a young age , this can be
detrimental to the development of figuring
out who you are and can have a tremendous
negative
impact on one s entire outlook on
KA
: Have you experienced discrimination for
life
.
being gay ?
TB : Growing up in a smaller town
( Chillicothe ) , you could experience
discrimination often . I ve endured several
accounts of bullying however ; nothing has
kept me from growing stronger . Coming out
at a younger age , which was in 8th grade , I
started figuring out who I was in this world
and quickly became aware of who I was not . I
didn t want to be their stereotype and I
fought for many years against it . I was
determined to not be labeled as the gay guy
but to be only known as me , all of me . I
wanted to be Travis Brown , the guy that was
always on the honor roll , that played varsity
sports , that was voted prom king , that was
friendly to everyone , and who just so
happened to be gay . I didn t want that to be
my identifier , just another trait to me .
KA : What do you think are some challenges
facing gay people where you live ?
TB : Challenges facing LGBTQ persons could
be acceptance and tolerance . Many find
themselves absent of this in this rural area
and flee to bigger cities such as Columbus
and Cincinnati in search of this .
* Photographs provided by Jackie Pierce of
Jaxx Photography

K.A. SIMPSON

GRIDIRON
TURNS GAY

With another football season rolling into Cincinnati this Fall , there is another team
worthy of your attention and they have been working at it since the Summer .
On a muggy , late August morning earlier this year , the Queen City Pigs flag football team
convened for a scrimmage on the Withrow High School Football Field . They are the
Cincinnati GLBT Gay Flag Football League s all - star travel team . The entire Cincinnati
league boasts just over 40 members who , together , are made up of 4 teams , each with
about 11 members , plus drop - ins from time to time . If that August practice was more
frenetic than usual , it was because the Pigs are hell - bent on making a good showing
when they travel to compete on the national level .
The team , just finishing up its first season of play , is set to begin its 2017 season on a
positive note .
Unlike most football teams and leagues , the Pigs play during the summer , bringing the
sport to a football - craving community a few months early . It fills the summer , player
Eric Hilson said . Everybody misses football throughout the summer . Hilson , who played
his high school football career at Schroeder High School in Cincinnati , is one of the
league ' s organizers and is an active player . I m excited to bring gay flag football to
Cincinnati and show how gays can turn up ! , Hilson laughed .
Closing out its first year of play in 2016 , the
league was able to gather gay , straight , lesbian
and transgender players from across the region to
one of the many football fields in the area , dawn
a ring of flags around their waists and attack the
gridiron . In its 2017 season , the league is set to
play eight regular - season games , plus a few
games away on the national scene .
The just - over a dozen players who make up the
Queen City Pigs have been practicing once a
week since August . ( Cont . on page 17 )
15 AWESOME CITY

It s going to be a very
community - oriented team , where anyone
and everyone is welcomed . Comments
J . P . Carter - Nelson , another one of the
league ' s organizers .
The newly formed GLBT Flag Football
League here in Cincinnati plans to make
its league an annual event , adding to the
many gay - centric sports leagues already
boasting strong support , like volleyball ,
bowling and softball .
Jahmar Daniels , a Cincinnati realtor
and another of the league s organizers
says , We are striving to compete at the
highest level , and to do that , we want to
prepare well beforehand . Just working out
a few times at the gym is not enough to
succeed in an actual game .
During the season , each of the league ' s 4
teams schedules their own weekly
practices and a separate weekly practice
for the dozen or so players chosen to play
for the traveling team which competes
quarterly in different cities in the United
States against teams from around the
country .
Just this past summer , the league ' s
traveling team went to Chicago to play in
the National Gay Football League s Pride
Bowl where they debuted the team s
prowess on the national scene .

But it ' s more than winning that gets these

players out there every week . Many players
say the experience of playing on a gay team
provides a safe place to play a sport that they
love ; a new place to find acceptance and
a way to share community .
I enjoyed the experience , " Nick Robertson
said of his experience traveling with the
team to Washington , DC the first weekend of
October , the second time the team
competed nationally . It ' s a place where I can
be myself . And especially being able to travel
to new cities with people like me . . . that ' s
what I love about playing and it ' s another
place where I can feel community .
Many believe in the Cincinnati league so
much that that they traveled from as far as
Florida and Washington State to help
Cincinnati compete at October ' s Gay Bowl in
Washington , DC .
Andrew Velasquez , a business owner in
Orlando , Florida , Jamere Parson , a registered
nurse in Washington , DC , and Brain Hawker
from Washington State all added to
Cincinnati ' s entourage during tournament
play in D . C . this past October .
Just on the heels of playing in D . C , , the Pigs
are one of about 40 teams from 19 U . S . cities ,
plus Toronto , that have competed in national
championships of a gay flag football league ,
with many more cities in the process of
following in the Pigs footsteps to form their
own leagues .

HOLIDAY COOKING
WITH

WILL

Though hes not formally

trained as a pastry chef,
like his study of music,
research and practice are
essential; he has expanded
his repertoire more
toward pastries,
desserts and
breads.

OPERA
COOKIES

The Cincinnati Opera Chorus helped

me to name these , as they were the
FAVORITE cookies that I took to
rehearsal in the 2016 season ! They
are chocolaty , savory and caramely !

INGREDIENTS

WET :
- 2 sticks of butter , softened
- 1 / 4 C shortening
- 1 T water
- 1 1 / 2 C granulated sugar
- 1 / 2 Cup dark light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 2 t vanilla extract
DRY :
- 3 C all purpose flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 / 4 C baking cocoa
- 1 / 2 C dark chocolate baking
cocoa ( you can use 3 / 4 cup of either
OR this mixture )
- One 12oz . package of salted
caramel / butterscotch chips ( c . 2
cups )
- Topping of course kosher / sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 350

Line a couple baking sheets with
parchment
paper , In a bowl , whisk together
.
flour , baking soda and cocoa and set aside .
- In a separate bowl or with stand mixer and
paddle attachment , cream butter ,
shortening , water and sugars , add vanilla
and eggs one at a time , combining before
each addition .
- Mix 1 / 4 cup at a time of dry into wet
mixture until well combined .
- Fold in the chips .
- With small ice cream scooper , scoop even
sized balls out onto parchment lined
baking sheets about 2 inches apart .
- Roll in palm of hand for a smooth finish
once baked .
- Bake for 9 - 11 minutes .
- Once out of the oven , top with pinch of
salt .
- Remove from pan and cool completely on
wire rack .
-

Though today , he is a trained opera

singer and actor living in Cincinnati ,
Ohio , Will Reed was raised in the
foothills of the Smokey Mountains in
the one traffic light farm town of New
Market , Tennessee . He spent his
formative years working with his
parents to build their home , tend the
farm and generally expand a sense of
responsibility and an over - developed
work ethic .
After finishing both a Bachelor and
Masters degree in Music Education
and Vocal Performance at the
University of Cincinnati s
College - Conservatory of Music ( CCM ) ,
Will found himself in the job of
scheduling manager for CCM . This job
took him out of performing for a
while , but all along , his love for
cooking remained . He started a
Youtube Channel where he
demonstrates simple recipes ; through
the years and his experience , these
recipes have gotten more advanced
and tastier !
Knowing that he had the skills of an
entertainer and amateur baker , Will
has applied for several reality shows
and his products were desirable
enough to pass him through to
advanced rounds of castings . He even
got to the final round of casting for
the American Baking Competition on
CBS . His denial was much more of a
catapult than a deterrent . He started
exploration of more advanced recipes
and gaining the confidence to put his
own twists on them .
WILL BAKE 4 FOOD is Will s next
adventure in teaching , learning ,
entertaining and baking !

MORE

WILL
ABOUT

Though the title makes me sound

like a valley girl , I m FAR from it ,
basically . I have NEVER liked
pumpkin pie . I tried a twist on
the flavors a few years back , and
once I made this cheesecake , it
became the requested dessert
that I bring to Thanksgiving
gatherings ! ! Recently , I ve
revamped the topping and crust
a little bit to make a beautiful
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake !

INGREDIENTS

CRUST :
- 12 oz . GENERIC gingersnap
cookies
- 2 T brown sugar , packed
- 6 T salted butter , melted
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
CHEESECAKE :
- 3 ( 8 oz . ) packages of Cream
Cheese , room temp
- 15 oz . can of pure pumpkin
puree ( if watery , drained . )
- 3 Large Eggs , plus 1 yolk
- C of Sour Cream , room temp
- 1 C of granulated sugar
- t cinnamon
- t fresh ground nutmeg
- - t allspice
- t cumin ( this is my secret
ingredient that gives a little
smokiness to the flavor . )
- 2 T All - purpose flour
- 1 t pure vanilla extract
Stabilized Whipped Cream
TOPPING :
- 1 t unflavored Gelatin
- 4 t cold water
- 1 C heavy whipping Cream ( the
more fat the better )
- C sifted Confectioner s Sugar
Other stuff that you ll need :
- Food Processor OR rolling pin
- 9 inch Spring Form Pan
- 11inch cake plate OR Aluminum
Foil
- Large enough pan to hold water
and 11 inch cake plate
- Stand / hand mixer
- Piping Bag
- Standard star tip

PUMPKIN SPICE

CHEESECAKE
DIRECTIONS

Make sure that the spring form pan is

fitted with the bottom bevel upward;
Prepare the Spring Form Pan with
doubled Aluminum foil wrap to cover
the outside making it watertight. If
using a 11 inch cake plate, no need to
do this part.
For Crust:
-In a food processor, grind the
gingersnaps into a fine meal. It will
take SEVERAL pulses. The generic
ginger snaps arent as hard and will
pulverize MUCH easier.
-Mix together with brown sugar, salt
and add melted butter. Press into the
bottom and up the sides of the spring
form pan and then chill for 30 minutes
in the fridge.
-Place reservoir with about inch of
water for water bath into oven.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
For Filling:
Beat the cream cheese until smooth
on a low speed. Add pumpkin puree of
eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and
spices. Add Flour and vanilla. Beat
together until well combined on a low
speed. Pour into chilled crust. If
using, place pan into 11 inch cake pan.
If watertight with aluminum foil, go
ahead and place into water bath in
oven for 1 hour. DO NOT open the
oven! I mean, you can, but it may
crack your cheesecake. Ovens vary, SO,
when 50 minutes has passed, check
the cake to see if there is about a 3-4
inch circle in the center that is a little
jiggly and the sides are puffed up.
Turn the oven off and crack the door
for about an hour to let the cake start
cool. Then, remove and cover with
plastic wrap and chill for at least 4
hours or overnight.

For Whipped Topping :

Stick the bold of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment into the freezer . Prepare
Piping bag with star tip ; set aside . In a Shallow pan or small pot , put cold water and then
sprinkle the gelatin over top and let stand for about 4 minutes . Place over low heat , while
stirring constantly , let it melt and dissolve . Remove from heat and let it cool .
Pull cold bowl and whisk out of the freezer , whisk heavy cream and sifted sugar together
until thick . Put mixer on stir and pour the gelatin mixture slowly into the bowl . Turn the
mixer up to high and beat until stiff .
Spoon the whipped cream into the prepared piping bag and decorate !

APPLE STACK

CAKE

These cakes are by far the fondest memory from

my childhood / early adulthood . I remember
stacks and stacks of these cake layers sitting
around the kitchen when my mom and
grandmother were baking and preparing them .
The best part about this process is that they
were giving them as gifts ; after my
grandmother had passed , my mom and I
continued this tradition through college , and I
gave them as gifts to my college professors !
AND they are better the longer they sit . Making
ahead during a busy holiday season , makes this
cake so sweet : D ! !

INGREDIENTS
Filling between layers :
- 1 46 oz jar of applesauce
- 2 t cinnamon *
- 2 t allspice *
- 1 C of sugar *
- 4 tart apples ( granny smith / golden delicious ) ,
pealed , halved , cored , cut in about
- inch thick from top to bottom
- C of water
- 2 T brown sugar
- 1 t cinnamon *
- 1 t allspice *
- t ground nutmeg *
* Amounts will vary to taste preferences

DIRECTIONS

Caramel Sauce :
- 1 C granulated Sugar
- 6 T salted butter , room temp
and cubed
- C heavy whipping cream
Other stuff you ll need :
- Large Pot for cooking the
applesauce
- Splatter screen
- Large bowl for mixing
- 2 - 4 9 inch round cake pans
- Cooking spray for pans - Heat resistant whisk
- Jar and lid for storing
remaining caramel sauce
- Kitchen Scale ( optional )
- FLAT cake plate / serving plate
Cake Layers :
- 3 C Self - rising flour
- 1 1 / 2 C sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 t pure vanilla extract
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1 t lemon extract ( optional )

Applesauce filling:
In the large stockpot, empty the entire apple sauce jar stir and put over medium low heat
to cook out the water. Youll need to stir about every 15 minutes or so, this is the LONGEST
active part of the process. Itll take about 2-2 1/2 hours to get it to the right consistency (if
youre crunched for time, you can use store bought apple butter . . . )Put it on the back
burner while you prep your cake dough. After all of the water is cooked out (if the entire
mixture is pulled to the side of the pot, it will stay put without spreading over the
bottom), mix in sugar and spices and simmer for about 15 minutes (taste to make sure it has
enough sugar for your taste buds); remove from heat and cool. This cooks to about the
original jar. This mixture will have some left over that you can put back into the applesauce
jar to put on biscuits/toast as apple butter . Itll store for about a week in the fridge.

21 AWESOME CITY

CAKE DOUGH

In a large bowl , sift and whisk together

flour ( components for self - rising if needed ),
sugar and cinnamon . Measure out the
shortening and with a knife , while turning
the bowl , cut in the shortening to the flour
mixture . The mixture will look like small
pebbles when the shortening is combined
adequately . Make a well in the center and
add all of the wet ingredients : eggs , vanilla
and lemon . Use a wooden spoon to get the
mixture almost together and then using
your hands , finish bringing the mixture into
a big ball . Weigh and depending on your
amount , divide into 4 even size balls . Place
balls back into mixing bowl , cover with
plastic wrap and chill for about 2 hours to
overnight . ( We used to make batches at
night and then cook the next day to
prevent a LONG day making 5 or 6 batches
at a time ).
After about 1 hours , turn your oven to
350 F . Prep your pans with cooking spray
and take each ball putting them in the
center and with your fingers push the
dough around the outside , around the
outside , around the outside in an even
layer on the bottom of the cake pan . This is
the FUN part ! Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes
( dark pans cook faster ). When the cake is
brown and is starting to pull from the sides
of the cake pan , she s done ! Let set in pan
for about 10 minutes in the pan and then
invert to remove and completely cool . They
will be a little pliable , so be gentle not to
snap them in half . . . If one breaks , put it
on the bottom of the cake !

APPLE SLICE LAYER

Peel and slice apples in half . Cut out core
from either side . Lay apple flat side down
and cut from top to bottom into inch
slices . Put into slices into a heavy bottomed
pot with cup of water and spices and
cook , mixing occasionally , on medium heat
just until tender , about 15 minutes . There
will still be a little water , but most of it will
cook away . Remove from heat and drain
water off . The slices should be pliable . Place
in a bowl to cool completely before
assembly .

CARAMEL SAUCE

In a heavy bottomed sauce pot , put sugar

and put on medium - low heat . If you go to
hot , the sugar will burn . . . Stir or whisk
until the sugar clumps and then melts
( about 10 minutes ) . It will turn an amber
color , just be careful not to burn it . Once
to the amber color , pull of the heat and
stir in butter . It will boil up , so be careful .
Then add the heavy whipping cream
stirring constantly to keep from burning .
Put it in your glass jar and let cool
completely . Store in the fridge , covered ,
for up to 2 weeks .

ASSEMBLY!

Okay , you have all of your components

cooked and cooled . Place one layer on your
flat serving tray , spread an even layer of
apple sauce ( about a C ) , arrange apple
slices in a circle around outside edge , like a
clock with the core cut out facing in ; inside
that circle , add an inside circle . Repeat these
steps 2 more times .
Place the final layer on the top uncovered
with applesauce or apples . Cover with plastic
wrap and put in the fridge for a few days ( up
to 5 ) . Immediately before serving , warm up
the caramel sauce in microwave for about 20
sec . and drizzle along the edge and on top .
Once the drizzle is on , use a cake plate to
cover if needed .
22 AWESOME CITY