While it’s commendable that individuals in the community are taking the initiative to create our own entertainment that feature our us. I still can’t help but be frustrated that there is still so little representation of lesbian womyn of colour in mainstream movies. There’s even a rarer showing of butch womyn. Butch womyn of colour are pretty much non-existent.  I see quadricorns more than I see studs in the movies. So I’m left with whatever they feed me. I eat it up these scraps and feel obligated to praise the efforts. It’s better than nothing right? smdh

Sighting studs in movies is akin to sighting an alien. I think I saw one but not sure.  Like the baby stud in the classroom with Precious. Only glimpses. That’s pretty much it.  There’s the chick in the Matrix Revolutions. Being a total bad ass and making a difference in the war.  A little bit more screen time but brief. I was glad that she was there. She reminded me of the chick in Aliens, all strong, sexy and ‘bout it ‘bout it. That was… what…20 years ago? So they come along every bluegreenpurple moon. That’s it. Any other butch woman (of colour or otherwise) are covered up. Just enough swagger to give you the idea but then they’re femmed up or given some detail to make sure that the audience doesn’t get the wrong idea. Remember the movie, Just One of the Guys? I shoulda known something was up with me, when I was digging the main character more as a guy than a gyrl. I watched that movie over and over and kept thinking that she shoulda just fell in love with her best friend. But instead she turned into a dude and ended up falling for a dude?! Butch but no butch. Whatever. And honestly, I didn’t think Michelle Rodriguez in Girlfight needed to fall for a guy. I wouldn’t have minded one bit if it was simply the story of a boxer. Speaking of which, Lucia Rijker in Million Dollar Baby. Could easily pass for a stud (in the movie, of course. I don’t know of her real life situation), but they chose to slap her in a dress in one scene. And for what? Let her stay butch. Wouldn’t have changed the story one bit. But we can’t have that; can we? And although Hilary Swank wasn’t a very butch boxer in that movie, she went all the way in Boys Don’t Cry.  This is the most mainstream a dominant woman can get. Total Oscar winner for playing a butch woman. I’m sure a real butch woman woulda messed up the part. *note the sarcasm*. But like I said, I eat up the scraps. I accept it and I’m glad it was made. But still….

Most recently we were served writer/director Dee Rees’ Pariah. Finally. Lesbian? Check. Stud? Check. Black? All the way.  The movie premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was awarded the Excellence in Cinematography Award among many others. Critical acclaim and the whole nine yards. Tho’ it was a fictitious story, it felt more like a documentary. Very real. Very serious. And a very good movie.  One of the best representations that I’ve seen. This is not mere scraps. It’s a full meal. Complete and nourishes the mind. I’ll take it and eat it up over and over until another talented soul can break through the barrier and unapologetically serve us up some faces and stories that show the entire community without compromise.

Until then, I’m still hungry.

The first is the Aggressives.  I was sooo excited when this movie came out. It was 2005 and I hadn’t seen a thing about  dominant womyn ever so this was the best by default because I had nothing to compare it to. Even still it turned out to be fascinating..

The Break Down: Filmmaker Daniel Peddle offers a look at a little-examined side of lesbian culture in this documentary. “Aggressives” is a name used by some for women who prefer relationships with women, but choose to emphasize the masculine side of their personalities — often to the extent of living in male drag, and through dress and exercise emphasizing their resemblance to men while toning down their female side. In The Aggressives, Peddle introduces us to six women who feel most comfortable while they embrace their inner male, including Kisha, a messenger whose clients don’t all realize she’s a woman; Rjai, who is seen getting fitted for a new suit while enjoying a small degree of celebrity after appearing on The Ricki Lake Show; Tiffany, whose persona is that of a gay man and is in a relationship with a man who is undergoing gender reassignment treatments; Octavia, who after being sent to prison on drug charges finds herself forced to take on a new and more violent persona while behind bars; and Marquise, who undergoes a similar crisis when she joins the Army. The Aggressives was Daniel Peddle’s first feature film.

While it doesn’t quite answer any questions and showing the lives of a select few womyn doesn’t really encompass the total black stud population, it is a much needed glimpse into the difficulties that these womyn face and it give you a small clue at the diversity that they posses. The movie serves as a perfect introduction to a much much deeper topic.

Another is Butch Mystique..

The Break Down: Director/writer  Debra A. Wilson presents nine African American butch lesbians individually talk to an unseen and unheard interviewer about various aspects of the butch lifestyle and their own personal lives. Topics include their look (clothing, hairstyles, lack of makeup, etc.), their realizations that they were “different” and their eventual coming out, their relationships with various family members, their partners, and other societal groups, the perceptions of society, and what it means to be “butch”.

Stars: Chris Baldwin, Skyler Cooper and Elyse Duckett

Awards: Showtime Black Filmmaker Showcase, Best Short – San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

This movie is a bit more upbeat and positive than the aggressive and a lot less interesting. A series of interviews that don’t offer too much more insight than one could gather just by looking at butch womyn (e.g. they reject gyrlie things. yes, we know). But because this is a group of womyn that have been so stigmatized, demonized and ignored. Finding any medium that focuses on them is gobbled up and appreciated. Do you have to see this one? Of course you do. Will you be enriched by the info within? Not really but it does give hope that there will be more in the future.

Check ‘em out.

Other movies of note that aren’t necessarily about butch womyn but worth a look. A couple of other  interesting documentaries examine women who refuse to fit comfortably into traditional gender roles; Gabriel Baur’s VENUS BOYZ (2003) explored the “drag king” phenomenon, in which biological females adopt male personae, while GENDERNAUTS (2000) profiled women on their way to becoming men via hormone treatments and gender-reassignment surgery.

Hello bois and gyrls,

I am shaking off the blanket of winter and stretching my creative legs getting ready for the new calendar season. I am sorry for being away for so long but I really, really needed my beauty sleep for the new calendar. It’s going to be better than ever.  The #1 stud lover is ready to showcase the best of the best in androgynous womyn and their supporters. But we will get to that later. Because right now I need to give props to the people in the LGBT community that are also giving much needed exposure to this underrepresented group of womyn. While my way is to make calendars, others… they’re making movies.

In case you missed it, Friday nite was the premier of the movie If I Was Your Girl at the Portage Theater in Chicago. This latest offering from director Coquie Hughes is a story of two, urban lesbian couples and their relationships of domestic violence and emotional abuse. Presented in part documentary style, part music video part home movie, Hughes, who is also the writer, gives a character study as precise as the tip of a needle. The story shoots forward and folds back on itself, telling several interlocking stories about  the characters caught up in the clutches of alcoholism, low self esteem, love, lust and a mental disorders (yes, I do think the Lynn was crazy as hell). The movie is constructed in such a nonlinear way that you could see it a dozen times and not be able to remember what comes next.

Coquie Hughes places her script in the hands of Dana Guest, Alana Mike, Rondala Kelly and featuring Temper in her first role as an actress. These womyn embody the characters and bring them to life in such a way that one would have half way think that they are playing themselves. Delivering lines with tenderness, humour, anger and frustration, they take you on the heart breaking, head pounding trip as they struggle physically and emotionally with unhealthy relationships. Filled with scary drama, unbelievable stunts, dream sequences and even catch phrases, this movie has a little something for everyone.

The movie will be shown again next Saturday May 5, 2012 at the Portage Theater in Chicago.

Originally posted  Friday, August 26, 2011

Mimosa pudica (from Latin: pudica “shy, bashful or shrinking”; also called Sensitive Plant and the touch-me-not *snicker*), is a creeping annual or perennial herb often grown for its curiosity value: the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later.

Much like many of the womyn that have appeared in the Hard Candy Calendar. When we started out, there were no stud models at all. By default I had to work with “non-professional” people simply posing for pictures. Nervous (sometimes scared) and unsure of how the camera will receive them. It’s common. And, I believe, it’s natural. There is still a debate in the psychological/scientific communities over whether shyness is based on nature or nurture. But regardless of how it starts, how it is received is what poses a problem. People act like being shy is somehow wrong and should be erased from our personalities. And for what? I dunno. There are self help books and support groups for shyness… whatever. Do you know how many actors and entertainers are shy? Lots. Didn’t stop them from doing what they do.

Over these few short years of working with shy models, I’ve grown a fondness of them. It’s a wonderful sight to see the shrinking violet bloom. She’s reassured all of her wonderful qualities that are veiled by the shyness. And that’s all shyness is. It’s a small outer layer. Shy people are misunderstood and tend to get confused with lacking confidence or being embarrassed or ashamed. That is not so. Shy people know of their beauty, intelligence, playfulness etc. They just don’t’ show it to everyone. And it is often my job to remove that veil and find those qualities for the camera. I have an awesome hobby — someday-to-be-full-time-job in taking pictures of people.

While the aspiring model is welcomed to pose for Hard Candy Calendar, they are not the norm. The majority of the womyn that grace the pages of the calendar are everyday people just like you. We started out that way and I plan to keep it that way. This calendar is about us. And that is who should be represented. So continue to be shy. That’s fine. But still try out to be in the Hard Candy Calendar anyway.

Drop us an email at volunteer@hardcandycalendar.com
And/Or visit the website: www.hardcandycalendar.com

Originally posted Saturday, June 25, 2011

Hard Candy met Milon V Parker in 2005. Fresh faced and eager. Moving at the speed of light, we have watched her conquer everything that she wanted. Now it’s the movies. The premier of the Lies We Tell But the Secrets We Keep was last nite at the Portage theater. The creation of Milon V. Parker, based on a novel that she wrote.

It was a grand turn out and a grand movie to match. Fast paced and hectic environment. Everyone was alive with energy and excitement. Hugs, kisses and ass grabbing was abundant. There was much love and respect for the extremely talented group of people who put this project together.

I must call out CoquieHughes, the director for once again impressing me with her skills and deft with the camera and Anika McClure, the producer with style and charisma. Jeremy Jones, you were unforgettable. Kelz (aka Tic Toc), to answer you question: you were awesome. Comfortable and totally believable. Please continue your career in acting.

And to all of the cast and crew, I was blown away by the entire production. I am giving you guys a standing ovation mentally, figuratively and emotionally. Take a bow ladies and gentlemen.

Originally posted Friday, September 9, 2011

Excuse me while I rant….

My daughter wants to know what an orgy is. Why? Cuz there’s a movie out called: A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and she saw a preview for it on tv. Now as a parent I watch for details. And the details are that some stations… SOME only show certain types of ads after a certain hour.They are not all diligent in assuring that questionable ads come on at appropriate times. But regardless of the time that this came on, the fact that this is a mainstream movie is what’s annoying to me. The fact that we can have movies with titles that are this blatant is ok and no one throws a tantrum bothers me. Why do you ask? Cuz in the same week, folks are boycotting Dancing with the Stars because Chaz Bono is going to be on it. They claim that the gay community (technically Chas isn’t gay now) is “shoving their lifestyle down their throats”. Really?  All he is doing is dancing. Not dating or screwing or even kissing anyone. They say that they don’t want to be forced to have certain discussions with their kids. What discussions. If Chaz appears on tv all the kids will see is a dude dancing. the next question would be is… who is he? then the follow up question is… who is Cher? Chaz’s sexuality would NEVER be a question that the kids would ask unless the adults brought it up cuz there’s no sex involved. But i have to talk to my daughter about a freakin orgy cuz that is flat out the name of a movie that’s being advertised on tv.

No where, no how is gay sex EVER promoted in mainstream entertainment. But yet, we have movies named Zach and Miri Make a Porno. Really? And have you seen a trailer for any of the American Pie movies??? If they aren’t shoving sex down our throats then I don’t know who is. But Ellen dances badly on tv and folks are disgusted. They always mark the popularity of anything gay as the decline of man. Really? It’s not sex that they have a problem with. Cuz they push sex all over the place.  They even push gay sex to some extent but act like they don’t know it.  Str8 people will put two womyn together in a hot second for their own viewing pleasure. It just becomes a problem with the lesbians are doing it for themselves and not for some str8 man’s entertainment. They peddle love and marriage as competitions on tv in the Bachelor and Bachlorette but if we want to get married out of love it’s the first sign of the end of days. The 40 year old Virgin was a hit movie. They show Steve Carrell (sp?) as some poor schmuck that should be laughed at because he’s not out fornicating like the rest of society. We’re not trying to get him to fall in love or get married. Just have sex. Really? What does the Bible say about that? hmmmmm? But everyone knows (or think they know) what the Bible says about gays and sex. The term “sex sells” wouldn’t even exist if people didn’t actually use sex to sell their beers, movies and music. Oh yeah, just heard a song on the radio this morning as i was driving my daughter to school, i rarely listen to the radio but she turned it on and there’s a song playing about a guy who doesn’t want love just sex. Great. this is the first thing that my baby gyrl hears in the morning. Nice way to start out our day. I turn it off. No one cares. No one is going to make a stink. I’m sure the boy singing it was cute. So what’s the big deal? Boundaries and hypocrisy.

Look, I’m not trying to tell folks how, when, or where they should have sex. But damn, there’s a time and place for everything. A gay person can’t fucking hold hands in public without people losing their damn minds. But we as a society let soooo many inappropriate str8 sex images pass without so much a wimper and i am tired of it. I’ve already had the sex talk with my daughter but I had no plans to include, orgies, pornos, one nite stands or quickies into the mix. But apparently I have to because she’s being bombarded with these terms everyday all day in the media. And like the str8 people say “i don’t appreciate them putting this topic in front of me and forcing me to talk to my child about it!”

*exhales*

i’m done. thank u for listening.

-Jenn-

Being breast cancer awareness month creates a perfect time for everyone to discuss a very serious disease for which there is not cure…. yet. but i’d like to lighten the mood for a moment and give it a brief rest from the serious side of breast and just talk about the tits. cha-chas. bazoombas. whatever u name them.. actually let’s discuss that. what do you call them?

i have a list of slang/nicknames for breasts.

1. Airbags

2. Balloons

3. Bazoombas

4. bee-stings

5. Boobs

6. Boobies

7. Bosoms

8. Boulders

9. Cantaloupes

10. cha-chas

11. Chesticles

12. Chumbawumbas

13. Coconuts

14. Cupcakes

15. dairy pillows

16. Funbags

17. Gazongas

18. Gobstoppers

19. Headlights

20. highbeams

21. Hooters

22. Hummers

23. Jugs

24. Knockers

25. Mammaries

26. mau maus

27. Melons

28. milk jugs

29. speed bumps

30. Tatas

31. Teetees

32. Tits

33. Titties

34. Torpedoes

35. The Twins

i confess i have used about half of these at one point. can u add to the list

Illustration by jennifer j. griffin

(Originally posted October 19, 2011) For more than 20 years, the observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month each October has provided a time to reflect on loved ones who have won and lost the battle against breast cancer.
It’s also an opportunity to raise awareness toward finding a cure, including encouraging women to get a regular mammography screening.

The good news is, according to the American Cancer Society, fewer women are dying from breast cancer now than 20 years ago, largely because of advances in early detection and treatment.

Compared with African-American women, Caucasian women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, but are less likely to die of it. In fact, beginning in their 20s and into their 50s, black women are twice as likely to die of breast cancer as white women. One possible reason is that black women tend to have more aggressive tumors — although why this is the case is not yet known.

Breast cancer tends to appear in African-American women at a younger age and in more advanced forms. In fact, studies estimate that 20 percent to 30 percent of breast cancers in African-American women are triple-negative breast cancers. That means the cancers lack estrogen and progesterone receptors and don’t respond to drugs that work by preventing these hormones from reaching the cancer cells. Other studies suggest that African-American women have denser breasts — one of the stronger predictors of risk for breast cancer
Margaret Rosenzweig of the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, who was not involved in the UNC study, said black women may be less likely than white women to follow through on their treatment.

(Originally posted: October 19th, 2011) Rosenzweig and her colleagues, in a small study presented in Atlanta last week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, showed that poor black women with breast cancer had more difficulty understanding and accepting their treatment than other racial and income groups.

“Clinicians in cancer care need to make a concerted effort to make sure black women understand why they’re getting the treatment they’re getting and following through with it,” Rosenzweig said.

Are Lesbians More at Risk? by Kathy Belge

Are lesbians more at risk for Breast Cancer than our straight sisters? That depends. According to Dr. Tori Hudson, Naturopathic Physician, it is uncertain whether or not lesbians get more breast cancer. But what is certain, is that lesbians as a group, have a higher incidence of certain risk factors known to be linked to breast cancer.

Those risk factors are:
•having never birthed a child,
•obesity,
•smoking and
•alcohol use.

Medical studies show:

•The risk of breast cancer is reduced by as much as 50 percent for women who have had one child.
•Nearly 30 percent of lesbians are obese compared to 20 percent for women overall.
•Lesbians do not drink more than the general population, but have a greater history of problems with alcohol.
•Lesbians are also more likely to use tobacco.
On top of this, Dr. Hudson reports that lesbians are less likely to perform self-breast exams, get clinical breast exams and mammograms.

Another complicating factor is that lesbians are less likely to have health insurance, partially because many businesses do not offer offer domestic partner benefits.

Lesbians may be less likely to visit a doctor for fear of homophobia, or simply the uncomfortableness associated with coming out.

For straight women, primary contact with the health care system is through reproductive health. Since most lesbians do not use birth control or have children, they may miss early detection of breast cancer or other diseases that women who regularly visit the doctor may be screened for.

I met Maxx in 2008 when she volunteered for the 2009 Hard Candy Calendar. Not really knowing her that well, I gave her the icon Muhammad Ali as inspiration. I had no idea how much of a fighter she was.  I called her The Champ for her photoshoot and that is who she’ll always be for me.  She continuously expressed a desire to come out and do another shoot for this year’s calendar no matter how poorly she felt. Always ready and willing to be there and help us out as an organization and as personal friends, she will live on in our hearts and minds.

It is because of her and people like her that this project exists. The promotion of pink products and p.s.a’s and such is over but the fight continues on.