Category: Place

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Coming Out Debbie Event LGBTQ Organization Our Center Place Transgender

TINN – Trans in Northern Nevada

Left to right: Erica, Francesca, Valerie. Credit: Erica Pionke.

I was at Our Center last weekend to participate in their program “Women Who Brunch.” On the website, it is billed as a “monthly event [that] mixes great food and conversation to encourage the growth of community in a friendly nonstructured environment.  Le[d] by our own volunteer[,] Debbie Dyke.”

Yup, that’s our Debbie.

Credit: Erica Pionke, 2018.

At the same time, Trans in Northern Nevada, or TINN, was holding a board game event.

TINN was wrapping up, but Valerie and Francesca spent some time with me so I could learn more about their organization. Apparently, Valerie had spoken during the meeting and talked about her intersex status.

Francesca is the co-founder and president of TINN. She said that they wanted an opportunity where transgender folks could get out and meet each other and learn from each other. TINN started in 2011 after a prior group, which was centered around the bars, fell apart.

Francesca said that she transitioned in 2011, legally changed her name in 2013 and underwent surgery in 2015. She said she dressed in female clothing when she was a child. She wanted to play with dolls and play foursquare with the girls, but she would find herself in trouble with the adults. She learned she was different in 1970 from watching a movie, but continued to live in her assigned gender until 2011 when she started transitioning. She even married a woman in 1975, and started cross-dressing again in 1985.

She said they hold these TINN meetings to hear people’s stories.  She said that having these talks makes you feel good.  Sometimes the meetings have 6 people and sometimes 30.  They also do movie nights, hiking, bowling, and are always looking to plan other events, too. Francesca loves karate and will take anyone to learn karate for many reasons, including self-defense.

The best way to find TINN is through a group on Facebook and programming events at Our Center. You have to fill out a questionnaire to get on the Facebook group. Just make sure you’re not looking for a relationship–that’s not what this group is about. As of today, they have 246 members. They also put out a paper resource guide that you can pick up at Our Center.

She is very proud of helping people. Data indicate that 82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide. Only one person in their group has killed themselves.

When I asked Francesca what she wants people knew about TINN, she said she wished people knew that TINN is a safe group.  They accept everyone for who they are.  If the folks in TINN can help, they want to help you transition.  Having friends in a supportive trans group is the best thing you can do to not be alone.

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LGBTQ Organization Our Center Place

The Library is Queer…and Dogs!

Before you read this, check out my last blog on the Washoe County Library Downtown branch. The place is amazing. I give a little history, too.

Credit: Erica Pionke

The bulk of the library’s active LGBTQ events are the one or two Drag Queen Story Times over the last few years, minus COVID, of course. They have also marched in the Pride parade twice so far, and a staffed a booth at the event. If you google Washoe County Library and LGBTQ, the first hit is an online art exhibit called “Exploring the Queer Bible” which has been up for a long while.

Controversial much?

Did I ever mention that I love librarians because they are secret revolutionaries, waging quiet battles that we hardly even see.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Not only does the library celebrate Pride, but they keep a calendar to celebrate other affinity groups. They encourage the library branches to put up displays of books for the different affinity groups based on the calendar and the library system hosts a spot on KUNR to promote affinity books.

Debi said that they try to continue to bring on relevant collections for everyone, including more secular and conservative groups. She said that a major role of a library is constantly evaluating the library collection, and one of the impactful ways of doing that is looking at whether they provide a diverse experience in the collection.

Some of the most-requested services or asks of the library are connecting all kinds of people to jobs and other resources. 

Jamie said that the library employs about 130 people total for the library. Jamie and Debi answer to the Library Director, Jeff Scott, who answers to the Board of County Commissioners for the library system budget.  Mr. Scott also reports to the five Library Board of Trustees, who make the final decisions on how the library system is run.

Some of the important points that they stressed during the interview:

  • This is not your parent’s library. Shushing librarians are a relic of the past.
  • Libraries value anonymity. 
  • The library will not label books that are LGBTQ, to eliminate inadvertent notification to looky-Lous on what a reader is reading.
  • Libraries don’t divulge lending histories of their patrons, not even to parents of children.
  • The libraries have space available, free of charge, for organizations.
  • The library has a programming committee that can even sponsor some events.
  • The library has a The Quad Maker Space, where you can make different things using their tools and machines.
  • The library hosts summer lunch programs for kids who otherwise get them at school during the schoolyear.
  • They just got a grant for a book mobile. So they can start taking the library on the road to remote places and homebound seniors.
  • Director Scott has been very supportive of their work to move into, in particular, the LGBTQ space; he approved the library to march in the Pride parade, and supported Drag Queen Story Time, even in the face of national news and opposition.

Since Jamie is the marketing person, I asked if the library system had any marketing strategy. They informed me that they have a new strategic plan.  They are excited about it because it brings new energy into their workspace. 

They plan to focus more on service to seniors, which includes homebound delivery.  The library also focuses on improving their space, including renovating two branches recently.  They have always maintained a focus on early literacy.

The library system also maintains a quarterly magazine, The Explorer, which shows all the goings-on in all the branches in one glossy-covered place.  They print 3000 magazines per quarter and distribute them to all the branches. They also put out a weekly email newsletter and try to keep consistency in their brand.

Jamie said she hopes to reach out to Our Center (see my prior post on Our Center) and create some kind of a partnership with them.

When I asked Jamie and Debi what are their favorite events at the library, Debi said she loves new book Tuesday.  That is when they get a cart of fresh, new books to shelve and lend. She said they spend over $1 million per year in new materials.

Jaime said her favorite events are the story times in each branch.  She used to do them and was known for her puppetry when reading.  She loves the Drag Queen Story Time (of course), which includes her friend Miss Ginger Devine, aka Christopher Daniels of Good Luck MacBeth theater company. Jamie also loves another program the library hosts called Paws to Read, where the library brings in therapy dogs to sit with the children during story time.  Please enjoy some adorable pics from their website.

Credit: Paws for Love website

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Beauty Drag Queen Event History LGBTQ Organization Outdoors Place

Shhh! Librarians are getting loud at the Washoe County Library

I know I’m a little bit late to the table here. But….the Washoe County Library Downtown branch. Y’all.

I met with Jamie Hemingway, marketing library assistant, and Debi Stears, collection development manager, on Friday at the Downtown Branch of the Washoe County Library.

Right to Left: Jamie, Debi, Erica
Credit: Erica Pionke

Jamie has always been involved as an ally in the artsy LGBTQ world and Debi’s been a straight woman in a gay world of friends and roommates and bars since she was young.

Jamie jumped onto my radar during a LinkedIn search for LGBTQ in Reno. She is listed as hosting Drag Queen Story Time for the last few years. She organized it for the first time in 2019, around Pride. You may have read about it in national news that even the mayor of Sparks opposed. Though the turn-out was FANTASTIC.

In 2022, they plan to host Drag Queen Story Times on June 25th at the Downtown branch at 10:30 and 11:30am and on June 26th at the Sparks branch at 10:30 and 11:30am.

The Downtown branch space is AMAZING. It’s like walking into a rain forest. They have these floating pods with plants all around where you can sit under the natural ceiling lights. The entire roof is windows!

On the ground floor, two floors under the entrance, there is a pond with running water. The floor of the ground floor is littered with the leaves that have fallen off the plants over the night.

Credit: Erica Pionke

Jamie and Debi told me that when the library was being planned, they wanted to site it at Idlewild Park by the river. But because books and water don’t go so well together and rivers have been known to flood and destroy anything in their path, the move was denied. So whoever was running the show back then said, “Fine. If we can’t have the library in the park, we are going to have a park in the library.” Hence, the indoor rainforest.

Y’all, check this place out. It’s incredible. And check out my next post to learn more about all the awesome things that the library provides to the community.

The kiddo-ski area of the library. Credit: Erica Pionke.

Categories
Art Beauty Debbie Dino Valentino Drag King Drag Queen Health LGBTQ Mom Our Center Personal History Place UNR

My ‘About Me’ Video

My ‘About Me’ video just dropped an hour ago. If you want to blow your mind, check it out.

It’s 3 minutes and 30 seconds or so of amazingness. Shot mostly on location in my exotic and luxurious Sparks, Nevada office. I also got to spend a lovely day with Debbie last Saturday, looking for rainbow things and taking photos and video footage all over Reno. I learned how to splice together film and audio, how to make the sound loud and quiet and how to add text and credits to a video.

I have to give credit to Nick Gapp, Media Production Specialist, at Dynamic Media Lab at UNR, who helped me with my video when I had gotten a little too “extra” and got lost in the sequence. He also showed me the ins and outs of sound mixing.

There is a lot of footage that did not make it into the video. There’s even more that did, but was removed. We tried to go to places that I’d mentioned in my blog like Our Center and Reno Little Theater and things that I wrote about in my blog, like rollerblading, and people that I met, like the Twampson Sisters and Dino Valentino, and, of course, my Debbie.

Please take a look, like it on YouTube, and maybe I’ll make some more!

Categories
Health LGBTQ Non-binary Organization Outdoors Place Sports

Mesa Rim Climbing Gym is not Super Gay. But they are Gay-Friendly.

Credit: https://mesarim.com/reno/#

Nothing really gay happened while I was at Mesa Rim Climbing Center tonight.

I called for a climbing partner and was met by Samuel, a tall climber who designated himself bi when I asked.

They fly a Gay Pride flag from the rafters, next to the American and Nevada state flags. Their binary bathrooms signs also announce that they are allow non-binary users.

A lot of the young folks could have been gay or trans or just needed haircuts. They kept a stash of LaCroix under the stairs. Just a strong low-key gay-friendly vibe. But nothing super-gay.

I asked the front desk if there was anything super-gay to know about the place or any big gay events they may hold periodically and they looked confused. But they were very nice.

It’s a great center. Very clean, which is difficult with all that chalk and sweat and young people who use their gear outdoors a lot.

They have a super-dope virtual tour of the location you can check out on their website.

Some of the location highlights include:

  • top-rope and lead belay
  • bouldering for days
  • a yoga studio
  • cardio equipment
  • a full set of weightlifting and cross-training equipment
  • hang-boards on hang-boards on hang-boards
  • a snack section
  • a gear and merch section
  • I think I saw a birthday room
  • an upstairs lounge (no nasty climber couches, but tables and stuff)
  • group and one-on-one climbing classes
  • workshops
  • team climbing
  • a rooftop deck with grill
  • co-ed sauna and binary locker rooms that include non-binary
  • They also have kids stuff, for the gays with shorties

The website shows that Mesa Rim operates 6 locations here, in California and they are opening one of them in Texas this fall. They say their “… founders dreamed of creating an inclusive space where people of all walks of life and abilities could venture out of their comfort zones in pursuit of a remarkable movement experience.” Righteous.

Check out the vid I made tonight.

Credit: Erica Pionke

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Event LGBTQ Organization Place UNR

University of Nevada Faculty and Staff Queer and LGBT Advocacy Board (QLAB)

Interview with Erin Edgington, Ph.D.

I couldn’t have a queer-in-Reno brand, originating out of my University of Nevada, Reno personal branding class taught by Angela Rudolph without discussing the resources for the LGBTQ community on the UNR campus.

This week, I had the opportunity to talk to Erin Edgington, Ph.D., and chair-elect of QLAB, the Queer and LGBT Advocacy Board. She is one of the 6 chairs of QLAB.

According to the organization’s website, QLAB is comprised of out and allied faculty and staff and it makes ongoing assessment of attitudes and conditions throughout the University regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and Queer persons and issues.

Credit: UNR

Erin explained that QLAB started only just a few years ago as a task force. One of their primary objectives was to make sure that bathrooms were available for transgender people on campus.

QLAB is mostly for staff and faculty. They do liaise with the students organizations. Many of the members act as faculty advisors for the student organizations.

They hold monthly meetings (or so) while in class and hold social events as well. Erin sees their main purpose is for advocacy and social events. They do perform many valuable services at UNR. They have an active core group of 8-10 UNR faculty and staff memebers, and then another few dozen who attend their events throughout the year.

The main service of QLAB is safe zone and allyship trainings.  They have ten to twenty requests for training every semester. Many trainings had been over Zoom in the last two years, which were successful with some adjustments.

QLAB maintains a few subcommittees, including one devoted to helping with these trainings. They also have a subcommittee on communication, which helps to provide information about the organization and events and their UNR LGBTQIA+ Resource Guide.

QLAB has traditionally participated in the Unity Graduation ceremony, including the Lavender Graduation. They hosted a DJ on screen this past year for the event on Zoom. QLAB helps the Associated Student Union of Nevada, or ASUN through donations and time.  The organization contributes and shows up where it can and also tries to hold some of its own events. QLAB tries to amplify the voices of the LGBTQ students at UNR.

Erin said that one of the things she wants people to know about QLAB is that they are here. She said that affinity groups like QLAB are not a part of the faculty onboarding process, and most new faculty and staff don’t know about QLAB until they receive a survey at the end of the year. She also wants people to know that, though QLAB is centered at UNR, they are not a student group.

Another important service piece that QLAB provides is the UNR LGBTQIA+ Resource Guide. QLAB works hard to keep the guide current. They saw a need with a fragmented Northern Nevada LGBT community. They saw other affinity groups compiling similar resource packages and decided to put one together themselves.

When I asked Erin what event or part of QLAB she was most proud of, she told me about a career panel that QLAB held with Edible, the local food magazine. The speakers talked about their professions and it was an opportunity for 50 students or so to learn about different careers. It also fit the University’s career-readiness objectives. 

As I delve more into the student resources at UNR for the LGBTQ community, I look forward to crossing paths with QLAB. If you know someone who might be interested, please forward the Resource Guide to them. And please take a look at it. It has a lot of really great information.

Erin Edgington. Credit: UNR.edu faculty website
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Health LGBTQ Outdoors Personal History Place Sports

Reno Rollerblading

Wanna hear a joke?

Q: What’s the hardest part about rollerblading?

A: Telling your parents that you’re gay.

Hahahaahaha. But…wait…seriously.

Credit: WordPress GIF

Little did I know, all those years, pushing the rink floor and the pavement on those rollerblades through the University of Illinois campus quad in Champaign, down the Lakefront, and all through that great city of Chicago that I would have to have that conversation with my parents that I was dating a woman.

Since then, I’ve rollerbladed the hills of Wyoming, the parks of Las Vegas, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and now the Parkways of Reno/Sparks. Reno and Sparks have some amazing bike trails which double as rollerblading heaven.

Terry, from Reno 911 knew how great these streets are for rolling. Especially by the Taco, Taco, Taco.

Credit: WordPress GIF

Just this past weekend, I drove myself down to the Rosebud Nature Study Preserve at Veterans’ Parkway and Pembroke Drive in Sparks. There, I strapped on me ole trusty K2 blades and rolled for a pleasant 20 minutes south, over creeks, past fields of cows, passing underneath the Parkway, and to South Meadows Parkway, where the trail ended.

I could have kept rolling down the perfectly manicured, smooth sidewalks which line this southern part of Veterans’ Parkway, but I didn’t know if my new knee agreed. I had my ACL replaced this time last year and I’m still trying to figure out what it will allow me to do. I turned around and made it back to my car. It was about 7 miles in 40 minutes. Not bad. And I didn’t have to worry about traffic except at well-kept stoplights.

I hardly noticed the cars passing by. I saw a LOT of friendly bikers. It was one of the first beautiful days of Spring. I sang 80’s songs to the cows as I paraded past.

If you love the 4-wheeled boots like I do, I encourage you to check out some of these trails. Wear your brightest neon clothing and rainbows while you sweat and firm up that booty. See you out there!

HAPPY TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY!!!!

Categories
Art Beauty Dance Drag Queen Event Hair LGBTQ Makeup Mom Place

Maria Twampson aka Cameron McMechen

When we moved to Reno in 2020, I decided that I wanted to connect with the local drag queens even while in a lock-down. It was a slow process, but once I found one on Facebook, I was able to find many. I’m not even really sure how, as sometimes they include their given name in their social media and sometimes they include their drag name.

But one queen who I picked up along the way was Cameron McMechen. I had the opportunity to see his pictures as he graduated from Paul Mitchell cosmetology school…IN FULL DRAG…IN THE LIGHT OF DAY.

Mamá, come through. You know I love anyone who can stick it out to graduate. Plus, I was like, “Oh, this queen is degree’ed legit.”

Credit: Facebook Cameron McMechen page

Background

Cameron has been in Reno for 3 years. He came from Denver to dance at shows at the Eldorado here in town. He soon met his partner of 3 years after moving. His parter, Ferny Gonzalez, is his drag “sister”, Shania Twampson, both comprising the unstoppable due, The Twampson Sisters.

Cameron said he came out at 14, but he suspects his family already knew. His grandma brought rainbow cupcakes to the dance studio for his birthday in his formative years.

He considers his mom, his partner and his two roommates to be his chosen family these days.

He started doing makeup during the pandemic. During this time, he also started school and now does makeup and hair at BJ’s Hairshop. These Reno drag artists are not disappointing. Here are few examples of Cameron’s mad makeup skills.

Credit: instagram @maria_twampson

Dancing

Most importantly, this queen’s moves are not to be missed. As a trained dancer, you can see Cameron’s work on his instagram dance page. He masterfully takes over the stage, from risers to floor and connects with his audience. His performance is well worth a visit to his next show and throwing down a few dollars.

He said the biggest single tip he has ever received was a $100 bill.

Check out the energy of Ms. Maria Twampson dancing in 8-inch heels to Ballroom Blitz by the British glam rock band, The Sweet.

Cameron said that his favorite part about drag in Reno is his fans. He loves the di-fierce-ity, getting to know the other queens, and being a part of the community.

If you want to learn about his work/life relationship, check out my post from 3/26 to see Maria and Shania Twampson performing We Both Reached for the Gun from the musical, Chicago.

Credit: Erica Pionke at Splash

Categories
Art Beauty Comedy Dance Drag Queen Event Hair LGBTQ Place

Brunching with The Twampson Sisters

Credit: Eventbrite

I had the opportunity to interview Maria and Shania Twampson, aka the Twampson Sisters, this past week. They are a powerhouse couple.

The Twampson sisters are comprised of Ferny Gonzalez and Cameron McMechon. They prefer male pronouns, both in drag and out.

They met on Grindr about 4 years ago. In a Grindr twist, they decided they wanted to get to know each other before they became too involved.

When I asked about how they got their drag name, they told me that the their roommate was talking about having “swamp ass” and when Ferny asked if his roommate said, “Twamp-ass,” a drag family name was born.

Credit: WordPress gifs

They are a powerhouse couple with Cameron the dancer and Ferny the hostess. Cameron cuts hair for a living, and Ferny isn’t working right now, so he has more time for publicizing their events, like their monthly drag brunches at The Arch Boutique Bar, Bites & Bowling at 111 North Virginia Street in Reno, Nevada.

I have not yet been been to the drag brunch, but it is every last Sunday of the month (TOMORROW!) from 1 to 4. Doors open at noon. They tell me that the event will always be an amazing mix of queens which, of course, include them, but also other talented queens from the area.

The tickets are only $20, or $30 for a meet and greet after. They have a bar, bowling, food, and a raffle prize. It sounds like a pretty low cover charge to me. But be sure to bring your dollars for drinks and to tip the queens as they dip, split, and shablam for you.

They can also be found performing around Reno every weekend. I caught them two weekends ago at Splash, for Cotton the Act’s return to the stage after, literally, breaking a leg. They performed We Both Reached for the Gun from the musical, Chicago.

Credit: Erica Pionke @ Splash

They tell me that they have a new addition to the drag family as of late named Sabrina Twampson. She is their drag daughter, but she’s more like a sister.

They will be performing soon in Napa, Fresno, and starring in the “Twampson Takeover” in Santa Rosa.  They would like to travel more and are hoping to get to Texas, Phoenix, and Santa Barbara soon. They’ve only been performing for one year, but are already in demand. They also hope to keep giving back to their community and finding philanthropic endeavors in which to engage.

Get your tickets NOW for their drag brunch tomorrow. Find them on twitter @TheTwampsons.

Photos Credit: @maria_twampson on instagram

Categories
Art Drag King LGBTQ Place Transgender

Dino Valentino: Reno Drag King

Cotton the Act was back on stage from, literally, breaking a leg. Dino Valentino was dressed and ready to perform that night at Splash. Dino and his boys were doing a Beatles lip sync cover of Twist and Shout.

L to R: Luke Into My Eyes, Todd, Cotton the Act, Dino Valentino. Credit: Erica Pionke

Dino’s real name is Roberta and they are a pansexual, genderfluid drag king. They’ve never had to come out to their family, and their sister is also queer. Roberta’s mom knows that she performs, but has not yet been out to see Dino in action.

Their pronouns depend on the day or the outfit that they are wearing. One day, they wear heels and lashes and call themselves she, and the next day they bind with no makeup and prefer male pronouns. They prefer to be identified as male when in drag.

Roberta’s drag name came from loving Valentino’s hot sauce, and they decided to use the name that included their deep love of mouth burns.

Roberta started at 5-Star Saloon at an open mike under the inspiration and motivation of Cotton the Act, and Roberta immediately fell in love with drag and asked Cotton to be his drag dad. Dino Valentino has been performing in drag shows for one year.

Roberta Dino is a constantly changing canvas with a goth aesthetic. They consider themselves edgy and sexy but funny, too. They are inspired by Ash from Pokemon, Loki from Marvel and comic book-style face painting. They also love the look of old westerns, with leather dusters and leather hats. And, after seeing Shania Twampson with a glitter beard the night I saw them perform, mentioned that was next on their list of drag art to learn and master.

They are also inspired by Landon Cinder and King Crimson, both drag king influencers.

They have been performing about once per week since the world has opened up. Their day job is working as a teaching assistant for high school autistic kids and also being a single parent to two kids. The oldest is 11 and has taken an interest in the makeup and theatrics of drag.

Roberta said their favorite part of drag is getting out of their shell and building confidence. They love the Reno drag scene because of its di-fierce-ity. Reno drag has a lot of different skills and talents, professions and religions, colors and accents, and gender spectrums in the small community.

They will be performing at Winnemucca Pride this year. And look forward to more bookings and learning more makeup tricks. You can find them on instagram at itsdinovalentino.

Credit: Twitter #WinnemuccaPride tweet 10/31/21

Be sure to find #WinnemuccaPride on twitter and the Winnemucca LGBTQ+ Pride Festival page on Facebook to learn about all the upcoming enter-taint-ment to be announced for this year.