Norman Queer Alliance

Check out our updated new blog at normanqueeralliance.tumblr.com

Or read this blog for our past events and things!

Hey Ya’ll! We are having a FREE zine release party THIS FRIDAY the 28th in the alley/patio area behind Dreamer and Sandalwood and Sage (thanks guys!). There will be free zines, drinks, food, music, and good times!!!!! Be there or be square! Like the Cool Kids say:

They say if yo ain’t got no money, take yo broke ass back home.
I say, if you got 2 dollars, then come through to my party
But get bent, before you come, because for that liquor, that I’ll be charging
And take down these directions. It’s right past the intersection
Make a right at the light. It’s the 1st house on the left.
And get it, got it, good. You made it, I knew you would.

Also, we’re having a planning meeting this Saturday at the Grey Owl at four.

Dreamer Concepts Studio and Foundation sent us this info about the film Fish Out of Water. It’s playing this Thursday at Dreamer (324 East Main) as part of their Summer Film in the Alley series:

Coming out of the closet can be challenging and for Ky Dickens, her experience coming out to friends at Vanderbilt University led to the making of Fish out of Water, a spirited documentary that explores the seven Bible passages notoriously used to condemn homosexuality and justify marriage discrimination.

This genre-bending, intellectually condensed, power-packed analysis of the homophobic religious arguments is a mixture of animation, LGBTQ community interviews and expert analysis from theologians across the country. With the help of a cartoon narrator, animated recollections of Bible passages and witty illustrations, Fish out of Water makes this polarizing subject accessible and non-threatening. Golden-Globe nominated composer Kaki King (Into the Wild) delivers an original score that flows effortlessly through the film’s diverse elements.

Covering over twenty states and capturing the gay community’s devastation immediately after the 2008 vote on Proposition 8, Fish out of Water presents the hyper-relevance of this old issue with concern and creativity.

FREE popcorn. Please bring a blanket/chair and a cooler full of frosty beverages. Admission is $5 and a portion of the proceeds from this film will be donated to the Fish out of Water production team.

NQA at NMF/Kink Workshop Sunday/RENT/YOTSO Bake Sell/Concert!

Hey Friends!

NQA is joining with The Equality Network at the Norman Music Festival this weekend! We are meeting up at 3pm on Sunday in front of Re-Run Junction Thrift Store- 325 E. Comanche.
Also you should all find out about the awesome stuff TEN is up to. There website is http://theequalitynetwork.org.

Sunday is our monthly joint meeting with Norman Women’s Collective! Below is a message about it from NQA member Lindsey as well as information about a bake sell to support queer youth in Norman, an upcoming show featuring NQA member Ashley Sky, RENT, and an art project on LGBQ Christians.

-Joseph
Feminism, Kink, & Alternative Sexualities/Relationship models
We will be having a noshery potluck, so bring snacks, beverages, wine, what have you to contribute to the collective spread.

There will be plenty of room for an ample turnout but it is very important that f you RSVP and need to cancel, that you update this event page accordingly so we can prepare appropriately…

This Norman Women’s Collective Meeting / Workshop promises to be a ton of delightful and engaging fun….Depending on who shows up and what the general pre-existing level of familiarity of the topics are among participants, we will cover a variety of topics explaining exactly what alternative sexualities and relationship dynamics are, what is kink in terms of feminism….is it possible to be a feminist kinkster? Sex-positivity for contemporary feminist movement, and practical personal accounts and examples from contributors who identify as sex-positive feminist kinksters.
There should be ample time for Q&A and it will be very conversation, laid back, and alot of fun! We look forward to seeing you. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57104187085&v=app_2373072738#!/event.php?eid=110729378962701

-Lindsey, Norman Women’s Collective

Hello YOTSO Supporters!

YOTSO will hold its annual bake sale in the loggia of St. Stephen’s on the morning of Sunday, May 2nd but we need some help! We’d like to call on all bakers out there to help with baking of the baked goods that will be sold during the bake sale. We need cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cakes, breads, pies, etc…. anything you’d like to bake and share! We’ll be setting up for the bake sale on Saturday evening, May 1st from 6-7p at St. Stephen’s; please plan to drop off the baked goods at that time or contact Tanna to make alternate arrangements

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tanna at tanna.thompson@ou.edu or (405) 990-0338.

Thanks for your continued support!

Tanna

p.s… Please feel free to forward this email to friends that you think might be interested in helping!

Ashley Sky Playing on the 29th:

NQA member Ashley Sky is playing at Logan’s on Campus Corner on the 29th at 10pm. It is also her birthday!

RENT at OU!

The Boheme Student Theatre Troupe, a student organization at OU, will perform RENT the Musical at Meacham Auditorium on:

Sunday April 25, 8-11 PM
Monday April 26, 8-11 PM
Wednesday April 28, 8-11 PM

Ticket prices are free, but all donations from the show will go to the benefit of the RAIN AIDS Foundation in Oklahoma City (rainoklahoma.org).

3D Design Sculpture Project – LGBQ people in the Christian community
My friend Erica Curtiss and I are planning to do a cultural awareness project on a Christian campus and we needed to get some information from you guys, if you had it. Our goal is to communicate the stifling effect the Christian community has on the queer community, and we plan to reveal the reality of an LGBQ presence (specifically LGBQ because our project incorporates same sex attraction, not dealing with the separate gender issues of the trans population) within the Christian community. It’s a sculptural project where, basically, my project partner (not partner partner, haha) and I are casted together with my arms wrapped around her and my hands grabbing her rear. We need to know if you have any information about groups on other campuses who might be able to tell us what kind of atmosphere we can expect on their campuses, or who might be able to help us get permission to demonstrate on a Christian campus – we’d rather not get fined or have the police called on us!

Thanks for your help, friends!
Dezrea Dalessandro

Wonderful Queers and Allies,

This Saturday we are celebrating the release of our most resent issue of the Queer Okie Zine with a Queer Campfire Singalong! We still have lots of hamburgers and hotdogs left over to share. Bring fire food (marshmallows, etc.), instruments appropriate for campfire jamming, beer, blankets, and chairs if you can! Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 8:00pm at Jerre and Madeline’s house- 213 1/2 McCullough. When you arrive, just walk on back to the backyard!

NQA is hosting a showing of Queers Films! For the next 3 Wednesdays we will be showing queer films at Erica and Kalvin’s house- 422 East Frank Street, Norman, OK. Films start at 8pm.

April 21^th Bear Cub (Cachorro) (Spain 2004) Pedro, a gay man with an active social life and big circle of friends, takes in his nephew Bernardo for a couple of weeks.

April 28^st Itty Bitty Titty Committee (US 2007) A coming of comedy about a young woman who finds her voice in radical feminist politics.

May 5^th Brother to Brother (US 2004) A drama that looks back on the Harlem Renaissance from the perspective of an elderly, black writer who meets a gay teenager in a New York homeless shelter.

Plan a Reproductive Justice Conference for 2011

CALLING ALL CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WHO CARE ABOUT *REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM IN OKLAHOMA!

Plot and scheme for a RED DIRT REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE CONFERENCE in January 2011

Come to Dr. Carol Mason’s house for a cookout Sunday, April 18th @ 7pm in Stillwater (1724 N. Glenwood Drive, 74075)

We will be carpooling from Norman to the event… see details below

Some people from OU, OSU, and OSU Tulsa went to the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Conference last weekend and want to bring a similar experience right here in Oklahoma. Check out the conference here

The Carpool: Meet at Hastings parking lot at 5pm (2300 West Main Street). If you need a ride TO the carpool, call or text Madeline at (918) 706-2251

*reproductive freedom as it relates to a broad range of social justice initiatives including economic justice, health care reform, racial equality, freedom from violence, immigrant rights, climate justice, and LGBTQ rights, just to name a few.

HEY! Meg and ALL CAPS MONSTER here with your April NQA EVENTS!!!!!!!!!!! There’s a lot!

-Tuesday, April 6th- Flier Party at my House- Friends, we need some more fliers. We’re going to be making them. Bring tape, paper, old magazines, and yourself. Eight o Clock pm at 2815 Monitor, number 15

-Saturday,  April 10th- Really, Really, Free Market. We’re going to set up a table with fliers, zines, and stuff to give away, and we highly encourage others to come for a clothing swap! 9-1 pm at 914 Elm (University Lutheran Church)

-Sunday, April 11th. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Howdy Ho. Meg again, with your March/April Events:

Saturday March 13th is the OU Alumni Rugby Match. Watch NQA member Barbara kick some ass! The field is near Blankenship and Chautauqua. Time TBA
Thursday, March 18, 9:00 PM: We’re doing Queer Night at recently opened McNellies. 121 E. Main Street in Norman. Let’s take over the upstairs!
Saturday April 10th, 10am: We’re going to the Really, Really Free Market at University Lutheran Church at 941 Elm. Here’s a brief description of the Really, Really Free Market from the email I was sent:
How It Works:
It’s like a giant potluck dinner but with goods, services, and talents. It you have something you wish to offer to the community for free, simply show up and do so. If you see something you like, it’s yours for the taking.
Bring clothing to swap, baked goods, or whatever else you want. We’re also going to be passing out fliers for NQA.
LASER TAG RESCHEDULED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, March 27th, Noon: Meet up at the Hastings Parking lot for LASER TAG!!!!!!!
Sunday, April 11th, 3-7: Picnic at Andrews Park with PFLAG!!!! PFLAG and NQA will provide veggie burgers and dogs, the rest is potluck style.

Howdy Ho Ya’ll. Meg here, with your upcoming events for Feb/March

-Wednesday Feb 17th: Spa/Hair Dying night at Heathers. Bring your assorted hair dyes, towels and human grooming tools to Savannah Square Apartments, 300 36th Ave. SW #825 in Norman. Donations will be taken to help out NQA member Jo with some medical bills.

-Queer night has moved days and places. We are going to meet the third Thursday (the 18th in Feb) of every month at Joe’s Taverna at 435 Buchanan Ave. The plan for now is to show up and hang out this month, and ask if they’re cool with us advertising.

-Saturday Feb 27th: SKATELAND NIGHT!!!!! We’re meeting at Skateland (or Star Skate, as it’s now known) at 2020 West Lindsey in Norman at 7:00.

-Saturday March 6th: LASER TAG! !!! Meeting in the parking lot of Hastings at two to travel to OKC for LASER TAG!!! Cost is around ten-fifteen dollarsish.

A few more things of note:

We’re gonna have a picnic in the park sometime with our friends at PFLAG at Andrews Park. The plan right now is to reserve a date for April, and reserve a date during pride (June 25-27). Then we can decide if we would rather do this while OU is still in, or during pride (or both?), and cancel the reservation. Before I call and reserve a date in April, I wanted to give ya’ll (especially the OU folk) the opportunity to tell me if there was a day in April that’s better.

NQA member Barbra is looking into getting us a booth at Norman Music Festival. We think it might be 100 bucks, but not sure. We will also be raising donations then.

Not us, but still cool:
-Tuesday Feb 16th there is a chili fundraiser for the Nobel High Band, which NQA member Anthony is a part of. It’s 7:00 at the middle school (111 North 4th St. in Nobel). It’s five dollars for chili and a potato.

-National Condom week March 1-5th! Free condoms in the student union, both male and female.

See you soon!

Hey everyone!

My name is Kalvin and some of you may know me. I’m a student, a trans guy, and I’m fairly new to Norman. At our recent NQA organizer’s meeting (which was awesome by the way!), we decided that we should all take turns sending out NQA emails. So here I am giving it a shot.

First, I will cover a few important notes:

• Justin’s on Campus Corner has closed. This was where we had our queer bar nights. We currently do not have a new location for queer bar night. Anyone have any ideas?
• In March, LGBT Lobby Day will be at the State Capitol. We’ll be sure to remind you, but I’ve included more information further down this page.
• Did I mention we had an awesome organizer’s meeting? I think I did J. If you want to read notes from the meeting, scroll down to the bottom of this email.
• We now have two email lists! The new email list is a list for those of you that are interested in more inside stuff like planning. The organizer list is more high-volume. Anyone is welcome to join the organizer’s email list so if you would like to be on the organizer’s list, please email normanqueeralliance@gmail.com
• NQA’s first birthday is coming up in mid-February. Stay tuned for further details!

Now for upcoming events! The following is a condensed version of events. Please scroll down further through this email to read the original emails and more information:

• “A Pancake Breakfast with Brittany Novotny” Saturday, January 23.

8am-10pm. 200 S Jones Ave.

• Re Run Junction’s First Annual Community Disability Forum. Friday, January 29. 6-7 PM. 325 E. Comanche St.
• NQA Discussion on Disability Activism and Allyship with Norman Women’s Collective. Sunday, January 31^st. 7-9 PM. 816 Lahoma St.
• Ru-Paul’s Drag Race TV Party. Monday, February 1. 8-9 PM. Caelie Winchester’s house, 1342 Columbia Circle.

Mark your calendars and hope to see you soon! Keep on reading for further details. – Kal

“A Pancake Breakfast with Brittany Novotny” Saturday, January 23.
The Norman Queer Alliance (NQA) is hosting a political fundraiser for
Brittany Novotny, Democratic Candidate for Oklahoma House District 84,
a transgendered woman who is running against Sally Kern..
The event is an all you care to eat pancake breakfast on Saturday,
January 23rd, 2010 at 8 AM. Its at The Performing Arts Studio, which
is also the Santa Fe/Amtrak Station in Norman. Brittany will be
present to talk and there is also an art exhibit with the event. There
is a $10 requested donation to defray the cost of the event and raise
funds for Ms. Novotny’s campaign. Complete details can be found on our
Facebook event at the link below. We do ask that you RSVP via Facebook
so we have an idea on attendance.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192886481047

Re Run Junction’s First Annual Community Disability Forum. Friday, January 29.

Hello All, I hope you are all doing well.  So this is another mass email directed at filling Re Run Junction with each of your smiling faces for another event.

On the 29th of January Re Run Junction is hosting its first annual Community Disability Forum. This forum is designed to make the public aware of what sorts of issues affect people with disabilities as well as to provide an amount of education as to what can be done to combat these issues.

The employees of Re Run Junction have requested that both Janice Nevins and Maria Stiles, who are on the case management team for the Oklahoma Dept. of Developmental Disability Services, speak at this forum. Also speaking will be Re Run employees, who have developmental disabilities and certainly can speak both with passion and from experience.  They employees have requested literature from a variety of agencies employed to protect the rights and freedoms of people with disabilities, such as: Progressive Independence, The Disability Law Center, Oklahoma Office of Disability Concerns, etc.

We are certainly hopeful that this will be one of many efforts in allowing the public to become more aware of things that affect people in their community, and are hopeful that the public, in their awareness, will become more conscious of things that we can do as a society to make sure all of our citizens are treated fairly and respectfully.  Please come and help this to happen!!!

We will be serving snacks!!!

I look forward to seeing each of you at this forum.  Abbey

NQA Discussion on Disability Activism and Allyship with Norman Women’s Collective. Sunday, January 31^st

NQA and NWC are having a joint workshop/discussion on disability activism and being an ally to people with disabilities. 7-9pm on Sunday, January 31st at 816 Lahoma St.

Ru-Paul’s Drag Race TV Party, Season 2. Monday, February 1. 8-9 PM.

After recently falling in love with the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I am thrilled that season 2 is premiering on Monday, February 1st. So much so that I want to share this really fun show with my friends!

Caelie Winchester’s house. 1342 Columbia Circle.

LGBT Lobby Day at the State Capitol. March 31. 9AM-2 PM. Oklahoma State Capitol.

Hi everyone,
I am contacting you to let you know about an upcoming LGBT Lobby Day at the state Capitol in March.
The Equality Network, a statewide LGBT advocacy group based in Tulsa, is organizing the event.

I’ve attended a few NQA events, so I know there are plenty of people who would love to attend this event.

And not only would I love for you to attend but also for you to spread the word about lobbying day to your friends and family members across Oklahoma.

Our goal is to have at least 100 people. The more people we have from the different political districts in Oklahoma, the more lawmakers we will reach. How exciting is that? Um, very.

While at the lobbying day, we will meet with our representatives and discuss newly introduced bills aligning Oklahoma’s hate crimes law with the national statute and providing domestic partner benefits for public employees.

For more details and to register, please go to http://eqfed.org/ten/events/LGBTLobbyDay/details.tcl

And to access the Facebook event, check out this link:
http://bit.ly/5cW8It

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have, either on Facebook, at jaclyn.cosgrove@gmail.com or by phone at 918-470-6905. Or by homing pigeon, but only as a last resort, please.

I hope you can attend this exciting event. Missing class or a day of work for a little political activism is totally worth it.

Thanks for rocking,
- Jaclyn

Jaclyn Cosgrove
The Equality Network
http://www.theequalitynetwork.org/
918.470.6905

NQA Organizer Meeting Notes from 1/15/10

Hey Everyone!

Below are the notes I took from the organizer meeting which took place at Joseph and Parker’s house on 1/15/10. If clarification is needed please feel free to ask!
-Lindsey Vandeventer

• An idea was proposed by several members that a rotating body of members who are willing volunteers, should operate together to post announcements, events, and other relative communications with NQA’s participants via email list, blog, and facebook.
• Consensus appeared to indicate that NQA’s members envision NQA’s organizational proceses to be consistent with that of an alliance or collective rather than a formal, structural, beaurocratic (or autocratic) system of operation. It was noted that such commonly shared values further the primary purpose we all appear to agree upon, that NQA’s goal is to facilitate safe and active community space for queer folks and allies, rather than a formal organization with a non-profit-like mission statement, structure, ect. Essentially, we want a space for our local queer community to be able to gather, socialize, share concerns, ect.
• It was mentioned that perhaps NQA’s members shoyld think about and perhaps come to a concensus upon some fundamental, general, ground rules to help protect the integrity of our goals as stated above (which is actually much of what we accomplished in discussion at this meeting as you’ll continue to see below).
• It was proposed that perhaps we should include a disclaimer for meetings, in our Zine, on event fliers and other public communications stating that any one individual’s opinions or affiliations do not necessarily represent the whole of NQA. This would further protect the integrity of NQA’s primary purpose and help to ensure in-tact comfort levels of all members.
• It was generally agreed upon that there should be a general NQA email listserv for announcements and such, but also there should be an “organizer’s” email listserv for those who are interrested in being an “organizer” i.e. volunterring service, time, ect to help make NQA’s events and functions possible. This will be open (as I understand) to all who wish to be on this list and will likely be a more actively posted-to list so that we do not bombard the general membership with potentially unwanted email discussion. This will also be helpful in communicating relevant info and discussion to those who are organizing and not always able to be physically present.
• It was agreed upon that those comfortable with taking notes (Madeline & Lindsey volunteered) at NQA meetings should do so, so that ideas discussed can be communicated via the organizer’s email listserv, furthering access and discourse among all members regaurdless of ability to be physically present at any given meeting. It was proposed that perhaps notes should be shared with group prior to the meeting’s end so that clarity and accurate representation is ensured. It was also proposed that perhaps a summary paragraph of the note’s highlights should be written and presented at the begining of the email.
• It was proposed that Perhaps Heather A. should continue to act as treasurer over NQA’s purposefully limited funds. Questions were posed about the nature of what we agree to spend our funds on as a group, and also whether we feel there should be  a limit to the funds we care to hold for the agreed upon purposes of those funds.
• Zine distribtion: Proposal to make a list of places where we want to see the zine represented. We seemed to agree that placing zines in other parts of the OKC metro area would be a good idea. An idea was brought up that perhaps we should offer a small ad-space or other such small donation to local queer friendly supporting organizations and businesses.
• It was noted that Blue Koi tattoo in Norman is exceptionally sucky in the queer-friendliness department.
• Jerre F. and Lindsey V. volunteered to share NQA blog posting responsibilities.
• It was mentioned that perhaps Facebook event notifications should be approved by web volunteers so people don;t feel continually spammed.
• Parker C. volunteer to organize the distribution of Zines and delegate volunteers accordingly. Bill volunteered to create a database of queer friendly places for zine distribution.
• Event flier design will be shared among volunteers, as we have many members who are interrested and talented in this department.
• Idea was proposed to save event fliers for archival purposes
• Please email NQA to be added to the Organizer’s list!

Hey Queers! Here are the events for the month of October! We are keeping things action packed as always. This Thursday (the 8th) we’re going to have a bar night at Justin’s on Campus Corner (584 Buchanan. They are a locally owned, queer friendly business, and also have cheap red stripe. 9:00 P.M. is go time. Hope to see you there! Friday we are looking into having a bake sell during arts walk to raise money for the queer zine. Let us know if you are interested. Saturday the 11th is National Coming Out Day! We are celebrating by making more NQA badges and shirts and doing other publicity related work. Cause what better way to increase queer visibility then having the word across your chest? Maybe we can make extra patches to raise money for all our queer activist activities. We are meeting up at 4:00 at Madeline’s. Sunday the 25th we are having a joint meeting with the Norman Women’s Collective. Wednesday the 28th we are having our book club meetings. This month’s book is She’s Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan. Jo is putting together the next issue of the Okie Queer Zine! It should be ready soon and then we will have another folding party. Sometime this month we are having a naughty crafts night with 7Deadly Sins Burlesque. If you have an idea for an NQA event or project let us know! Joseph