Photo courtesy of Robin Roemer.
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QSpeak’s brilliance lies in its lack of normality.
And if there is one thing about QSpeak—The Center’s bourgeoning cultural series coined and proposed by board member Ján Motoya two years ago—it is this: it has single-handedly brought some of the most diverse, intellectual and stimulating LGBT cultural programming to Long Beach.
The series has brought queer-thinking academics that alter perceptions of the role of gender and identity, such as last year’s brilliant “Pregnant Men, Heteroflexible Women, and the End of Gender as We Know It” with USC professor Dr. Judith Halberstam.
It has brought leather culture to a local stage with this year’s screening of Kink Crusaders along with an appearance by famed intel-leather-tects Leatherati and a public display of flogging, boot blacking and rope suspension.
It has even brought about the political and social power of alternative pornography, with last year’s “Queer Porn” screening.
“QSpeak exists [to] spark meaningful and productive conversations among disparate members of the LGBTQ community,” said Administrative Director Porter Gilberg. “Most people don’t want to attend a lecture, but they’ll attend a film screening, spoken word performance, or comedy show. QSpeak uses traditional forms of media as an outlet to affirm and celebrate the contributions of people living on the margins of our community while incorporating those living comfortably in the middle into the conversation as well.”
And finally, it brings laughs as the final note of its 2012 offerings.
Julie Goldman is a comedienne not just because of her queer identity, but in her own right (being raised in a Jewish household doesn’t hurt her ability to make one laugh either). Having began stand-up at 15 in one of the toughest cities in the States—Boston—Goldman learned from an enormously early age how to navigate the strange waters of comedy.
Her innate sensibility to not only cross generations with her humor but entirely eschew political correctness brings a power to her work. And that power is making one laugh about the challenge that many butch lesbians—a self-identified moniker she has chosen—and fem gay men face: trying to somehow tread the very strange waters of not wanting to be entirely one’s own gender but not quite to the extent of wanting to alter one’s gender.
“I discovered Julie Goldman through Showtime’s Pride Comedy Jam,” continued Gilberg. “[She has an] ability to captivate an audience [that] is breathtaking. That she can bring such a diverse audience together to laugh at the same joke, to share the same experience, is something that is absolutely essential to QSpeak, The Center, and our LGBTQ community.”
The last QSpeak of 2012 will take place Friday, November 16, at 7:30PM at The Ebell Club, located at 290 Cerritos
Ave. Extremely limited parking is available at Long Beach Adventist Church located at 1001 E. 3rd Street. All guests are encouraged to either carpool or bike/walk to the performance if they are able to do so.
Pre-sale tickets are available now at The Center located at 2017 E. 4th St. Long, with prices ranging from $10 to $35. VIP admission ($35) includes two drink tickets and invitation to an exclusive post-performance meet and greet with Julie Goldman.