In this episode, we talk about Neil Diamond, hot flashes, and turkey! Up first, Brett Cullum talks with Ramsey Pack, who is playing THE NOISE in the Neil Diamond musical A BEAUTIFUL NOISE. Ramsey is non-binary, and they discuss the show and their gender identity. Then Deborah Moncrief Bell takes on MENOPAUSE with guest Linda Gibbs. Finally, Brett and author R Lee Ingalls talk KPFT, politics, and holidays for LGBTQIA+ folks
Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_08 (00:02):
This is KPFT 90.1 FM Houston, 89.5 FM Galveston, 91.9
FM Huntsville, and worldwide onthe internet at KPFT.org.
SPEAKER_04 (00:25):
You are listening to Queer Voices and LGBTQIA Plus
program on KPFT 90.1 FM inHouston, as well as a podcast.
I'm Brett Cullum.
We've been here for over fivedecades, and we are so glad you
are with us.
This show has three segments.
First up, I get to talk withRamsey Peck.
(00:47):
They are here for the tour witha beautiful noise that runs at
the Hobby Center throughNovember 9th.
Now, this is a Neil Diamond kindof greatest hits jukebox
musical, and Ramsey, whoidentifies as non-binary, gets
to play The Noise.
Second up, we have DeborahMoncrief Bell speaking with
Linda Gibbs about the change, orrather menopause.
(01:09):
This is in conjunction withWorld Menipause Day, which is
being celebrated locally inHouston with a film screening.
Finally, author R.
Lee Ingalls, spoiler alert, alsomy husband, joins me to talk
about KPFT, how you can help,the holidays, and how to be a
political activist, all withoutever leaving your Thanksgiving
table.
Queer Voices starts now.
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I do.
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Right.
And you know, we're getting alot of attention lately.
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Moi, as well in my category,which is female community radio.
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We didn't get podcasts thistime, but that's okay because
(02:59):
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Yeah, it's up now, but we need to do some tweaking.
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(03:51):
We are always looking for otherpeople to become involved.
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Did you have any radioexperience before you started?
Just listening to it in themiddle of the night.
Listening to it in the middle ofthe night.
Well, I'm so glad that you didand that it inspired you in part
to embrace yourself as a gay manand your coming out process, and
(04:15):
then being interested inactivism and realizing that
doing radio was a form ofactivism.
So you've you've been at it awhile, and I've been at it a
while, but I didn't have anybroadcast experience.
Just Jack Balensky invited me tocome and be on the show, and it
(04:36):
kind of took off from there.
I too was just a listener, andthen I volunteered at KPFT for
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The station provides technicaltraining, and then it's just
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(05:18):
We really appreciate you and wehope that you tune in on a
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SPEAKER_04 (05:46):
Hi there, I am Brett Cullum, and I am here with
Ramsey Pack coming to Houston touh be part of the tour,
Beautiful Noise, which isrunning November 2nd through the
9th.
It's part of the Broadway at theHobby Center series.
And of course, Beautiful Noise,it's a musical about the life of
Neil Diamond.
It was created in collaborationwith Neil himself.
And of course, all of those hitsongs, Sweet Caroline, America,
(06:10):
Cracklin' Rosie, all of thesethings going on.
But Ramsey Pack, welcome.
Thank you so much, Brett, forhaving me.
It's so lovely to be here.
Yeah, no, it's great to haveyou.
Now, first up, tell me about theshow.
I mean, obviously, it's a NeilDiamond biography, jukebox
musical type thing.
Yes, all of the above.
SPEAKER_05 (06:28):
And it's this really beautiful experience to Neil
Diamond's life, where prior tothis piece, interesting enough,
Neil Diamond, we really haven'thad much of his material.
Like he doesn't have a book orlike a movie out, or didn't at
the time that the musical wascreated.
So it's like this reallybeautiful experience to see into
Neil Diamond's world, how hecreated the music and his like
(06:52):
upbringing in the music industryas well as his personal life.
SPEAKER_04 (06:55):
Well, I I really don't know that much about Neil
Diamond personally.
I mean, I I did some digging onthe Wikipedias and things like
that, but it's interesting.
I'll be very excited to see theshow because I, you know, I
stole Neil Diamond albums frommy parents and listen to it all
the time.
And I just kind of alwaysthought of him as like Jewish
Elvis or something.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_06 (07:12):
But uh there you go.
SPEAKER_05 (07:15):
And you play you play there's a line in the show
that's actually it touches onthat.
That's so beautiful.
Oh funny.
No, you play a character calledthe noise.
What is the noise?
Yes, that is correct.
So the noise is this abstractrepresentation of what's going
on in Neil Diamond's mind.
(07:36):
And what's wonderful is that we,as the noise, we bring to life
his psyche in a way.
So we get to see the innerworkings of Neil Diamond
actively as he's going throughhis journey of becoming Neil
Diamond.
Oh wow.
This sounds very conceptual.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
So I'm gonna be very interested to see how this uh
works out.
Now, this is your first likenational equity tour.
So, how has it been being ontour?
Because this is your first touror just your first equity tour?
SPEAKER_05 (08:04):
Both.
So it's my first tour and equitytour as well, equity national
tour.
And it's been such a wonderfullike learning experience in that
we're constantly going to thesedifferent theaters.
So you really get to experiencelike how a sound check goes in a
theater that may have beenbuilt, let's say like in the
(08:25):
1950s, versus one that's likevery new and modern and and has
all these different amenities.
So it's been really cool becauseit's helped me like as we've
been journeying to like not onlysharpen my skills as a
performer, but connect with allof these different audiences,
other than you know, theaudiences that we're exposed to,
or that rather I have beenexposed to in New York or in
(08:45):
like the tri-state area.
Are you from New York?
Where do you live?
Yes, I am from New York.
I'm from Long Island, New York,born and raised in Gordon
Heights, and so very familiarwith like the city as well.
My like upbringing was likespent between like both Long
Island as well as the city andha and Brooklyn.
And it always happens whenyou're that close.
(09:05):
Yeah, like it just expands, youknow, it's just like natural.
Yes, it does.
So were you a Neil Diamond fanbefore this?
Were you aware of Neil Diamond?
I was very aware of Neil Diamondunknowingly.
I feel like, and I've heard thisfrom audience members as well,
where like they have heard, orrather, they hear the music in
the show and then afterwards arelike, Wait, that's a Neil
(09:28):
Diamond song, but they'refamiliar with the music.
And so that was very it was myexperience.
Very like much often wouldlisten to my grandmother just
like playing records often.
She would just like play themlike just throughout the house.
And Neil Diamond was like one ofthe artists that she would play
that I wasn't aware of untilstarting this contract, and was
like, snap.
(09:49):
I remember hearing this realcool.
That was really cool.
That's amazing.
So, do you have like a favoritesong in the show?
I would say probably play me ismy favorite song in the show.
It's such a lovely piece.
I feel like it's probably notthe the hot pick, but it's just
so the instrumentation is solovely.
It's just this very like assoonytype of song, and our background
(10:10):
vocals are like perfect, perfectaddition to the moment as well.
Wow.
SPEAKER_04 (10:16):
Well, I'll be excited to hear it.
That's definitely that's a deepdive.
That's a deep cut.
That'll be interesting.
Okay, so what has your favoriterole been so far?
I know you've been doing theaterfor a while and I've read a
little bit of your biography,but do you have a favorite role
other than being the noisebehind Neil Diamond?
SPEAKER_05 (10:31):
I would say my favorite role thus far, probably
Papa Gay and Once on ThisIsland.
I feel like that was like one ofthe most fun roles that I've
played to get to play thevillain and to do something
that's more outside of mywheelhouse and outside of my
comfort zone was like soawesome.
Anytime you get to be thevillain, it's amazing.
(10:52):
I'm sorry, but it's like, comeon.
They're written well.
It's like so much to dive into,bring to life.
And it's like, yeah, it wasawesome.
It was so much fun.
SPEAKER_04 (11:01):
Now you were a graduate of Carnegie Mellon,
right?
So you went there for drama.
How did you get into acting?
SPEAKER_05 (11:06):
Was it something that you did all your life, or
well, it in a way, I feel foundme.
I have been performing since Iwas little, and I was like
raised up singing in churches,and I remember singing in chorus
one day, and my my chorusteacher in junior high was like,
Hey Ramsey, have you everthought about trying out for the
musical in the high school?
I'm gonna be like musicdirecting.
(11:27):
I think you should try.
And I was like, hey, you knowwhat?
I'm gonna try.
And so in high school, in the inthe ninth grade, it was, I had
auditioned for the musical atthat time, and it was it was
like kizmit.
I really at that moment knew itwas my calling.
It was so clear.
SPEAKER_04 (11:46):
It's wild when you when you realize that, you're
like, what?
This is what I was.
SPEAKER_05 (11:50):
Seriously.
I was like, what?
Yeah, did not expect that atall.
SPEAKER_04 (11:54):
Yeah.
Well, another thing that youkind of realized about yourself,
you identify as non-binary.
Tell me about how that cameabout, how you express it.
SPEAKER_05 (12:03):
And that was also interesting enough, a part of
this this like inner excavationthat was happening during
college as an artist.
It's natural because we imbue somuch of our personal lives into
the work that we do that likeover time I had to interrogate
my identity and had to reallysit with myself.
And I noticed that as I did so,it produced better work.
(12:24):
And so, yeah, that was like thecatalyst for just like really
questioning myself and reallysitting in the mirror and asking
myself, well, how do I identify?
Like, and now that I'm outsideof home and I'm in this
different environment where Iget to shape my identity and
have more volition in doing so,what is that identity?
(12:45):
How can I show up in a waythat's more truthful?
And that's what happened.
So yeah, are your parents prettysupportive about it?
Or very much so.
Like my mom is so loving and sounderstanding and has exercised
that a dad has been reallysupportive.
And I remember when I told himhe was very like, why didn't she
just tell me?
Like it was just uh it was justuh not the response that I
(13:08):
thought he would have at thetime.
So surprisingly, they've beenreally supportive.
And of course, there are otherdifferent generations, so they
don't quite have the language orthe full understanding of my
experience, but nonetheless,they still try to, you know, and
that's all you can ask for.
SPEAKER_04 (13:23):
Absolutely.
But it is a it's a wild worldout there right now.
I mean, I feel like there's abig challenge of coming out as
transgene.
I prefer they than pronounsbecause right now it's like
there's this swing that just isjust a bit harder.
SPEAKER_05 (13:38):
Of us trans folks, yeah, it's we're being targeted
actively, and you know, it'sit's much harder to just find a
sense of peace and just being,you know, that that simple.
Yeah.
I have a lot of hope.
And you know, as I like payattention to just like our our
trans sisters and our folks outthere and our allies, just
(13:58):
really actively resisting andsupporting and just like
building a network of love, ithelps.
It it helps to provide morehope.
SPEAKER_04 (14:08):
I think it's just really important.
Anybody that identifies as transright now, I mean, absolutely,
to be lifted up and to have alot of hope because I I think
it'll swing the other way.
I I pray and I hope that that'sthe outcome of all of us.
But definitely I feel that andof course you're gonna bring a
lot of hope to Houston bybringing in Neil Diamond music.
So there you are.
Yeah.
(14:29):
Have you ever been to Houstonbefore?
I have not.
This will be my first time.
Okay.
We have really good Tex-Mexfood.
That's the number one thing,probably.
And of course, barbecue.
But uh, Houston is a verysurprisingly liberal oasis in
Texas.
We are always blue, we alwaysvote blue, and so there's a lot
of embracing.
And so it's it's a great, it's agreat place to be if you're
(14:49):
gonna be in Texas for sure.
We're excited to have you at theHobby Center.
Yeah, it starts on November 2ndthrough the 9th, and it's kind
of a short run.
It's like a week.
Is that usually like what yourstops are like?
SPEAKER_05 (14:59):
Just a week here, a week there.
For the most part, it has beenjust like a week stop where we
come in or we'll have a travelday on Monday, we'll do a show
the next day on Tuesday untilSunday.
And then Saturday and Sundaywe'll have two show days each of
those days.
For the most part, it's been oneweek stops.
We'll have at most like athree-week stop we had in San
Francisco, for instance.
SPEAKER_04 (15:21):
San Francisco, big musical town.
I'm sure they would be listeningeating this up every night.
Yeah.
Well, we're excited to see it.
It's it's one of those.
I've never seen it.
I mean, I've I've been reviewingtheater for like 10 years or
something like that, and I'venever seen a beautiful noise.
So I'm excited to see it and seeyou bring this to life and bring
all of your artistic and andyour identity onto the stage as
(15:44):
the noise, which I'm I'm gonnahave to like get back to you
about what I think about thatbecause I I still have no idea
what this the noise is, but I'mexcited to see it.
SPEAKER_05 (15:53):
I'm so excited and looking forward to your take on
it.
And like I like, I'm so lookingforward to getting to be in
Houston and getting to see thelovely folks that may be
listening to this.
Yeah, so feel free to give us ashout out at the stage door or
reach out on Instagram.
My Instagram handle isRamseyPack, that's at
(16:14):
RamseyPack, that'sR-A-N-S-E-Y-P-A-C-K.
Feel free to reach out.
SPEAKER_04 (16:20):
Yeah, I noticed that you're pack, like a pack, like
you're packing.
Yeah.
So Ramsey.
So it's it's pretty easy.
And you've got a pretty goodInstagram account there.
So definitely worth a follow.
But thank you so much.
Thank you.
I will see you well, this week,I guess.
So there you go.
See you soon.
SPEAKER_05 (16:38):
Thank you so much again, Brad.
Alrighty, take care.
SPEAKER_01 (16:54):
This is Deborah Monkey's Bell, and guess what's
coming up?
World menopause day.
Now, don't change the stationbecause this is something
everyone needs to learn about.
Because whether you'reidentifying as female or
whatever your history is, thereare people in your life that are
(17:14):
going through what is called thechange.
And World Menopause Day, I wouldsay celebrated on November 18th.
And we have with us to talk moreabout that, Linda Gibbs.
Linda is what is your title overthere at Gibbs Media?
SPEAKER_00 (17:30):
I am the founder, producer, director, CEO, all of
the above, educator, all of theabove.
She has all the hats.
All the hats.
SPEAKER_01 (17:39):
Yeah.
And the way that we're going torecognize World Menopause Day in
Houston is with a film screeningand an expert panel doing a QA.
Now, Linda, tell me about thisuh film, which is actually a
documentary series, The Change,Unleasing the Wild Woman.
(18:00):
How did this project come about?
SPEAKER_00 (18:02):
Yes.
Well, first I want to thank youvery much for having me on.
I'm totally grateful for theopportunity to share this
information because I feel it'svery needed.
And a huge thanks to the HealthMuseum of Houston for providing
their venue on November 10th andthat International Menopause
(18:24):
Society who founded WorldMenopause Day in 2009.
We couldn't be more thankful forthe efforts of those before us
who raised awareness aboutmenopause to improve the
experiences of women, you know,and I just have to thank the
people who did that.
(18:46):
So this year, you know, Idecided that I wanted to do
something very special on thisday.
And since October 18th was notavailable, we decided on
November 16th would be the daythat we would have our first
screening of our promotionalfilm for our docuseries that
(19:09):
I've been working on, it seemslike forever.
But, you know, it was soimportant that I do this on to
celebrate this on this day andhave as many women as I can get
to attend to see this firstscreening.
The change, Unleashing the WildWoman, is a series and it will
(19:31):
shift this narrative by offeringanswers and solutions that
millions of women are already toreceive.
I mean, so many women are so notknowing what's going on with
them, their hormone hormones.
And so what I want to do iseducate them.
I have been an educator for avery long time, and now I feel
(19:54):
that the women of the world ismy student.
And I need to educate them aboutwhat's going on with their
menopausal experience, startingwith perimenopause to
postmenopause.
And so this film actually talksabout all of the alternative
options that they can have tolook at during these stages and
(20:19):
to provide them with options,some treatment options, holistic
treatment options that, youknow, they're not getting that
information from their healthprofessional.
And so I feel this was a voidthat needed to be filled.
You know, I've I am so inclinedto do it.
And I've been working on thisfor the last 15 years.
SPEAKER_01 (20:42):
So uh the actual date of World Medical Pause Day
is October 18th.
SPEAKER_00 (20:48):
It's October 18th, and we're celebrating it on
November 16th at the HealthMuseum, Houston, and they have a
McGovern theater there that isbeautiful, and I just knew that
that was the space I wanted toshow the film, the first
screening.
And it just worked out sowonderfully.
(21:10):
I met with them, they saw thevision, they said yes, and we're
collaborating, and it's awonderful thing.
SPEAKER_01 (21:18):
Yeah, menopause is something that uh you kind of
don't know anything about untilsuddenly it it's happening to
you.
And they they didn't tell us allthat paramenopause stuff.
That's when people talk aboutmenopause, most of the time
they're actually talking aboutthe paramenopause, and that's
the period leading up to actualmenopause, which is a full year
(21:42):
of the absence of men's.
And I know a couple of womenthat got in trouble because they
thought they were done andhello, hello, here's a
pregnancy.
And of course, the use ofhormones is used for many people
for many different reasons.
Uh uh some people haveendocrological issues.
(22:03):
It is something that you can useto navigate menopause.
I don't like to say cures ortreatment so much, but for a
while I did lesbian health atthe Montreux Center, and my task
was mainly to talk about breastcancer, and certainly hormones
play a part in that.
(22:24):
Be uh for for women to be awareof what they need to do in order
to uh check themselves and toget mammograms and all that, so
that if there is breast cancer,it's detected early.
And there is a small uh riskfactor for lesbians, mainly uh
based on most of them do nothave children.
(22:45):
Actually, having children putsyou in a little bit better
place, I guess because you usedyour hormones, I don't know,
concerning breast cancer.
But but what we found as we weretalking about the issue of
breast cancer, and the twobiggest risk factors for that
are being female and aging.
And so we we were talking aboutthat age group, and then
(23:08):
suddenly these issues aroundmenopause came in.
And what what I found, I mean, II had a hysterectomy, so I used
uh hormones for a period.
I I kept my ovaries, which wasthe conventional wisdom at the
time.
And so I actually did go througha mini a natural menopause in
that way.
The boy, our listeners are like,what is she going on about?
(23:32):
My goodness.
But it's important because itevery person is different.
And of course, we have trans menwho may still have their uh
reproductive system intact.
Uh, we have trans women thattake hormones, and so all of
these things can be at play.
(23:53):
And men actually also go througha menopause, but it's a little
bit different, and it's not as II would say, I think it's what
happens when they talk about aman having a midlife crisis, but
men also have monthly, it's morelike six, six-week cycles.
And so if they're aware of thatand they pay attention to that,
it can help them in navigatingtheir life because you you you
(24:17):
can understand what's going on.
And the same thing withmenopause.
Let me ask you, what was themost interesting thing you have
found out since you started thisjourney?
SPEAKER_00 (24:27):
Well, what's happening is women are starting
to get symptoms a lot soonerthan we initially thought.
Girls are starting their periodsa lot earlier than we initially
thought.
And so women are being caughtoff guard by these menopausal
symptoms that start, theperimenopausal symptoms that
(24:50):
started, that should be startingin your 30s, late, early 40s.
Now it's starting in mid 80s.
And and women, it's justinteresting to me that women are
not educated or don't know howto articulate what's happening
to them.
And so it to me, that's wherethe void was that we need to
(25:10):
educate women starting as earlyas possible so they'll know what
the symptoms are, and then knowhow to, you know, go be aware of
what they are, and then be ableto go to their healthcare
provider and say, look, I'mhaving these symptoms.
I don't know why I am havingthese symptoms.
And usually it's something thatif they knew, they can
(25:33):
articulate it.
So that's the most interestingthing is that certain things are
happening sooner.
Women are being caught off guardby these symptoms.
And so what I want to do iseducate women about what the
symptoms are, what the stagesare, and let them know that
there's help for them.
They do not have to suffer insilence.
(25:54):
And I think that's where, youknow, a lot of women are just
not knowing that they don't haveto live and suffer.
So this whole film is aboutpreparing women for
perimenopause throughpost-menopause.
Well, perimenopause, really, andand what to do during menopause
and what to do during post.
And to me, that that was that'svery important.
SPEAKER_01 (26:18):
I think peramenopause is somewhat like
PMS.
So anyone who's ever experiencedthat, you might feel more
emotional, you might be verytired.
There's just things that go onduring the those times, but we
are still fully capable andcompetent human beings, adult
humans.
And if you are equipped, thenyou're prepared to address the
(26:40):
issues that may come up for you.
And there is so much moreawareness now.
There's yes, uh, there's adelightful show that I watched
on the Acorn streaming servicecalled The Change.
And it's about this woman who'swho's going through menopause.
And it's it's a very quirkylittle show.
It was it was really cute theway they did it and and and
(27:01):
talking about it.
There's also a book called theuh menopause manifesto, and I
know uh several women who are ofthat age to to to be
experiencing perimenopause, andthat book has been recommended.
What we're talking about is thechange, the experience that
(27:22):
people have of their transitionfrom having a reproductive
system that is set up to welcomea pregnancy to that being over
with and the changes that can goon in the body and what to do
about it.
Now, there was this delightfulbook I had called Off the Rag,
(27:43):
and it was specifically aboutlesbians and the change.
And what was so fascinating was,like I said, it can be so
different for different women.
Some women had been, let's say,very butch identified and
suddenly they became ratherfeminine.
There were people that were notall that interested in sex, but
then after when they wentthrough the peramenopause,
(28:05):
suddenly they became much morehyperactive with in that regard.
There were people who could useteas and herbs and different
things like that that they didjust fine.
The the dreaded hot flashes,which is, as we know, a misnomer
because it can be a suddenintense heat that can go all the
(28:26):
way up your body and it can lastfrom minutes to hours.
So we also learned that trick ofum you're in bed and you feel
hot, and so you put like oneside of your body kind of
hanging out.
SPEAKER_00 (28:39):
Yeah, it's called night sweats.
Night sweats, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (28:42):
And I know some people that just really that was
the worst thing for them wasthat experience of the hot
flashes.
But a lot of women, I mean, theynotice it, they notice these
changes, but it's not that bigof an impact on their lives.
And I think knowing some of theways, I I guess that's what
you're trying to do when you uhsay, oh, this is going on, how
(29:05):
can I take care of it so thatI'm not uncomfortable or in pain
or that I have to be concernedabout?
So in addition to your film, TheChange, Unleashing the Wild
Woman, which for the first timewill be shown on November 16th
at the Health Science Museum.
Is it called Health Science orjust Health Museum?
SPEAKER_00 (29:25):
Health Museum, the Health Museum of Houston.
SPEAKER_01 (29:27):
And so you have this panel of experts, and how did
you find them?
And what what can you tell meabout them?
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
So the integrative medicine docs are gynecologists
that have gone to take extraclasses to understand more of
the holistic side of treatingwomen rather than just going
through and giving people uhmedication treatment.
So I initially found one of thedocs and went to her and And
(30:00):
told her that I needed to talkto her about what my vision was,
which was to try to do adocuseries that actually
explained to women otheralternatives about menopause
than what they were receivingfrom their doctors, from their
gone, their generalgynecologist.
(30:21):
Because, and she said, yes, Iwill definitely want to do this
with you.
And so her treatment option isbioidentical hormones, which
gives women hormones thatthey're deficient in.
And that to me is something thatall women who are about or who
are about to go intoperimenopause or in
(30:44):
perimenopause, they need to knowwhere their hormone levels are.
And these women, these docs,that's they're treating the
whole woman.
And through by doing that,they're giving them hormones
that they're deficient in.
A lot of women are walkingaround here with zero
testosterone, zero estrogen,zero progesterone.
(31:06):
And that is what causes the allthe symptoms that they're
experiencing.
They're deficient in estrogen.
And so these integrativemedicine docs have been pioneers
as far as giving women hormonesthat they're deficient in.
And a lot of the other regulargynecologists, they don't, they
(31:29):
don't believe in replacingwomen's hormones.
And so that was the difference.
I, because I was curious, Istarted replacing my hormones.
I could not be an advocate forreplacing hormones, our
bioidentical hormones, and notreceive it myself.
So I started doing it.
And my God, what a difference itmade in my life.
(31:51):
Right?
My libido went up, more energy,mental clarity, so many things
that I was like, oh my God,nobody told me about this.
So I think the women, well, Iknow the women that are on this
panel all believe in how do wemake women feel the best that we
(32:12):
can?
And how do we do this?
And they have all kinds ofholistic treatment options to do
that, one of which isbioidentical hormones, is a big
thing.
But of course, it's not justhormones.
It's it's how you know women areeating, their diet.
We have a functional medicinenutritionist who, you know, who
(32:35):
believes the food is medicine.
So we have two integrativemedicine gynecologists, tops in
their field.
They're going to be thereanswering questions on why women
have been kind of deprived ofhormone knowledge.
And then this nutritionist,because what women need to know
is they need to know that theyneed to eat right, they need to
(32:58):
exercise in order for them tofeel better.
Diet is a big thing for us.
If you've noticed, a lot ofwomen are having issues with
weight.
And it's because of diet, andthey're not exercising and
they're not sleeping.
So we are wanting to help peoplewith sleep.
What do we need to do to helpyou get a good night's sleep?
(33:21):
Progesterone may be somethingthat you're lacking.
So, you know, I wanted to get agroup of women together that can
clear up all of the confusion.
I'm a filmmaker.
Give me the content and I willput it out there.
But I want to put content outthere that is factual, that
women can understand and use,and it will make a difference in
(33:42):
their lives.
And these women that I'veinvited for this event will help
clear up a lot of the confusionthat traditional gynecologists
have placed us in.
And then this film just kind oflays the groundwork on what you
need to be doing now.
And I've interviewed severalinter um, well, one integrative
(34:05):
medicine doc.
I've in I've talked to fiveother experts in their fields.
And then I met with women ineach stage of menopause and have
them give me their story on whatthey're experiencing in their
perimenopausal experience, theirmenopause experience, and their
(34:26):
postmenopausal experience.
And I have this on film, andit's amazing how we've been able
to intertwine these stories fromexperts to women in all these
different uh stages, cometogether, talk about it, and I
just feel like it's a wonderfulresource for women.
It's just a wonderful resource.
(34:47):
So I really hope women can come,learn, invite your friends and
just be there because I I thinkit's it's going to be so
educational.
SPEAKER_01 (34:58):
I think part of it is one, lesbians do not tend to
necessarily get the samegynaecological help that other
women do because they don't goin for pap smears because
they're not having sex with aman.
Uh, believe me, you still needto do that.
I would say at least once everythree years.
I know they say every year, andthe reason they say that is
(35:21):
because you go, oh, well, Idon't really have to do it every
year.
I'll I'll wait till next year.
And then next year comes and yousay the same thing.
And next thing you know, it'sbeen five years.
It's important.
And also because so much for solong, doctors and other people
kind of like when we had ourmencies, it would be like it's
all in your head, and you'relike, No, I'm having extreme
(35:45):
pain.
No, I'm having migraines, no,you know, you it's it's like you
just feel like you're uhscreaming into the abyss because
it wasn't even studied for along time.
And I think that's one reasonthere's much more of an
awareness now.
There's this fun woman onFacebook, and she has what she
calls we do not care.
And this is for women that areuh uh uh paramenopause,
(36:09):
menopause, or postmenopause, andit's just like suddenly life's
perspective changes becausethere's just things you're just
you don't care about because youyou you know you're concerned
with uh other things and uh it'sreally fun.
And then like there's been someother forms of awareness.
I just like uh when we bringthings out of the closet, if we
(36:32):
talk about it, it helps removethe stigma, it encourages other
people to share their stories,and a lot of times what we do,
and this has certainly been truein family traditions, because I
had a bunch of sisters as wellas my mom.
And so I could learn throughthem, through their experience,
because you did talk about it inthat environment.
(36:53):
Your moms and your sisters andyour aunties may not be the
people with the most knowledgeor the most up-to-date
knowledge.
And so through through scienceand and doctors, uh researchers
studying women telling theirstories.
There's been this it's likesuddenly this is something that
we are talking about and andrealizing that we need to be
(37:16):
informed about.
Like I say, if not for yourself,there's someone you know and you
can help them through it.
So we've we've been talking withLinda Gibbs, the founder of the
Gibbs Media Group, where shewears a whole bunch of hats.
And she is a uh former vicepresident and current member of
Women in Film and Television inHouston, and she has executive
(37:38):
produced and directed the LifeThrough Art documentary series
and is currently producing TheChange, Unleasing the Wild
Woman, a project focused onholistic approaches to women's
health and menopause awareness.
Now, once again, Linda, where,when, and how do people find out
more information about thescreening of the film?
SPEAKER_00 (37:59):
It will be held at the Health Museum of Houston
November 16th, which is on is ona Sunday from 2 to 4.
And um you have to register forthe event.
Uh, just go to the HoustonMuseum uh website and register
(38:20):
for the event.
It's$10,$5 for members and$15for uh non-members.
For the price, I think it's awealth of knowledge.
I think so many, you could learnso much from the two hours that
we have allocated for thisevent.
Um, I am just elated that I'mhaving this wonderful
(38:43):
opportunity to share my work andto also have such wonderful
experts available to answerquestions from the audience.
And it's it's gonna be anamazing event.
I'm just totally, totallyexcited.
SPEAKER_01 (38:59):
Well, whatever changes anyone is going through
in their life, there's a way todeal with it.
And a film like this is one waythat we know about what's going
on.
And so I appreciate you beingwith us on Queer Voices, Linda
Gibbs, and I'm Deborah MoncriefBelly.
SPEAKER_04 (39:25):
Hi there.
This is Brett and Lee, and weare going to talk a little bit
about some different things, butI wanted to remind you that
right now we are fundraising forKPFT.
It is part of our pledge drive.
So I wanted you, if you likeQueer Voices, if you listen to
KPFT like I do, go to KPFT.organd hit donate.
It's on the upper right-handside, right at that front page.
(39:47):
And then when you specify theshow that you're donating for,
please just scroll down and hitqueer voices.
That is one of the drop-downboxes.
And you can choose us as theperson that made you come and
donate.
And I think it's so important todonate to basically, this is
listener-funded radio.
(40:07):
It's not even public radio.
I mean, KPFT is not supported byany federal funds, no state
funds, no city funds.
You are not paying for thestation with your tax dollars.
This is listener-funded.
Nobody on the air that you arehearing today is getting paid.
Your donations go 100% torunning the station.
And believe it or not, thisstation was founded about 55
(40:30):
years ago by media professionalswho recognized the need for a
voice that was notcorporate-sponsored, beholden to
advertisers, some kind ofpolitical agenda, or subject to
conformity.
There were two men that foundedKPFT, Larry Lee from the
Associated Press and Don Gardnerfrom the Houston Post were the
founders.
They went on the air March 1st,1970.
(40:52):
And pretty much from the start,queer voices was there.
Lee, what do you feel aboutlistener-funded radio?
Do you think it's important?
SPEAKER_02 (40:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, more now than ever, oror certainly that in most recent
years, it's important to haveour voices out there and have
them genuine and authentic andnot being influenced by outside
entities, whether it's acorporation or or other people,
et cetera.
So yeah, if we can continue toke the personal funding, keep us
(41:19):
on the air, you're going to beable to hear genuine voices of
our community.
SPEAKER_04 (41:24):
What do you think about media?
I know that sometimes you kindof are not as trusting of media
as as I am, but I've worked inmainstream media and I wanted to
get your opinion on it.
SPEAKER_02 (41:33):
Yeah, no, uh, well, so the media has changed over
the years.
So I do believe that a lot ofwhat we see today is more
entertainment focused ratherthan just giving us the facts
and the information that we'relooking for.
So in a show like Wear Voices,we don't really have that.
We are able to express ouropinions, give the news as we
know it, or information aboutwhat's happening in our
(41:55):
community without all the addedother stuff.
So you get it, you just get theraw data.
SPEAKER_04 (42:01):
Yeah, no, we don't have an agenda.
When I covered the crosswalks, Italked to Jack Velensky, who
used to be a host on QueerVoices, and I'm going to bring
him into the show every chancethat I get.
On our segment, we were one ofthe only media outlets that
actually mention those rainbowcrosswalks were actually a
memorial for a young man whopassed away, Michael Alex Hill.
(42:22):
He was 21 years old, killed in2016 by a hit and run driver.
And those rainbow crosswalkswere for him.
That was his memorial.
And so when they painted overthat with Metro and the mayor,
that that was erasing hismemorial, Michael Alex Hill's
memorial.
But I didn't see that mentionedon ABC 13 or Channel 11 or any
of these other places that aremedia outlets.
SPEAKER_02 (42:44):
So I And we also don't sensationalize things.
I think we talk in a very real,matter-of-fact manner, the way
that you would with somebodythat you're having dinner with,
where on the news medias, and Idon't want to say they're all
this way and all the time.
However, the first reports thatwe saw about that was more
sensationalized.
And you're right.
They did not mention that it wasa memorial until late in the
reporting.
(43:05):
I think they finally found outor somebody told them you might
want to mention that this is amemorial, not just uh happened
to paint them rainbow for thearea that they're located in.
SPEAKER_04 (43:16):
Yeah.
Well, so many people justthought it was a statement about
pride.
And I I really wanted to get itout there that it was more than
that.
It was a memorial.
I mean, it was definitelysomething to as a tribute to
somebody.
And I feel like we need ourvoices out there more than ever.
And look, I love a goodmainstream media.
I watch it all day, every day.
I that's where I get my news alot, but I do get it from other
(43:38):
sources and I listen to KPFT alot.
I mean, I really try to listento a lot about other shows.
There's some great ones in themorning.
Democracy Now is amazing.
There's a couple of differentprograms here, and it's great
because you can hear all thesequirky and unfiltered voices.
And I think we need that rightnow.
I mean, don't you?
SPEAKER_02 (43:56):
Absolutely.
It's very important.
And like I said, I think it'smore important at this
particular time in our nation'shistory than it was in most more
recent years.
SPEAKER_04 (44:05):
The website again, kpft.org.
You just hit donate.
It's up there on the upperright-hand side.
If you can please specify queervoices, that actually helps us.
It helps the station know thatit's coming from us and we're
actually bringing in listeners,and it's important to you.
And this show has been on theair since the beginning, like
almost five decades.
(44:25):
It's got a few differentiterations, maybe some title
changes, but the same peoplehave been involved with it.
So many people in our communitythat are just icons like Jack
Falenski, JD Doyle, and MariaGonzalez, and all these people,
Judy Breeves, that have been onthe show, and Deborah Moncreep
Bell, who's the current host.
I mean, she's a legend in ourcommunity and has done so much.
Of course.
(44:45):
And we want to keep bringingthis stuff to you.
I mean, that's the that's thecrux of it.
SPEAKER_02 (44:50):
We want to continue to be a voice for our community
in a way that you don't oftensee it out there.
SPEAKER_04 (44:54):
Well, one thing I wanted to talk to you about,
it's November.
And I feel like Mariah Carey hasdefrosted.
It's out there now.
unknown (45:02):
We're in the holidays.
SPEAKER_02 (45:04):
I know, I know.
I am so tempted to respond tosome of those that are saying
they're trying to hold off onit.
And I thought, yeah, it'suseless.
Well, that would be me.
SPEAKER_04 (45:13):
But you're not alone.
Yeah.
But I always thinking about whenI always think about the
mainstream media and things likethat, we are facing a very
strange holiday season becausewe are going to go into our
families that they didn't votethe way that we voted.
They don't think the way that wethink politically.
They're not in our community.
So how do you, how are we goingto handle that over the
(45:35):
holidays?
SPEAKER_02 (45:36):
Yeah, it is really difficult.
You know, I don't think thatmost people, even though that I
have tried to explain it in thepast, but if you're not part of
our community, if you don't walkin our world, you don't
understand our world and whatit's like when we go into an
event like a family gathering,and most times we are the only
one or the only two gay peoplein the room.
So we completely immerseourselves in an environment and
(45:59):
a community that we don't liveor operate in.
And it's difficult.
And we hear the comments, peopleare trying to be funny with at
the expense of other people, andwe hear all of that, and we're
expected to just sit there andand listen to it and not say or
do anything about it.
So, so what happens when you dothat?
I am not very good at concealingabout how I feel.
(46:19):
So people can tell when I'magitated or or not happy and
want to go as quickly aspossible.
They feel like we don't want tospend time with them.
We don't want to spend time withthem when they're in their bad
behavior, that's for sure.
Uh not considering who's in theroom and within earshot when
they make those comments.
So it is a difficult situationfor us to go into that.
(46:41):
However, you know, my family isalways very, very close.
So we don't talk about politicsor religion either one for that
very reason.
SPEAKER_04 (46:50):
My family has a tendency to actually broach that
topic.
I think that they insert it intothe conversation.
And sometimes they slip it in ina almost a passive aggressive
way and talk about people thatwe follow negatively or imply
that they're somehow crooked oron the dull or you know, being
bribed.
And I I I'm just like, oh mygosh, what I could bring up with
your side.
SPEAKER_02 (47:11):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, okay.
So we both have those situationsin both sides of our family.
But I would have to say in myfamily's defense, it's not my
siblings that do that.
It's typically their other halfthat does that.
Uh they'll slip these littlecomments in there, like the last
time that we were up there,there were two comments that
were made that I thought, okay,I've got to go back and approach
those.
One was what they're teaching inschool.
(47:32):
Well, what are they teaching inschool?
I wasn't able to do it rightthen because it would have been,
it would have seemed veryconfrontational, although that
that would have been okay withme.
And the other one was, you know,the governor supplying all these
funds for illegal aliens.
And I thought, okay, so I want Ineed to know more about that.
Where what is your source?
And and what funds are youtalking about?
(47:53):
But I didn't.
And the same thing on your sideof the family.
You know, I don't know that it'sactually your blood relative,
but who they're with is makingcomments.
But you know, I'm there, I'm notshy about it.
I'll I'll speak up.
SPEAKER_04 (48:07):
I have.
Well, I mean, I I get whatyou're saying here and
everything, but I do think itsometimes it is my family.
I mean, I do think that it'ssometimes I feel it come from
them.
And I think that we're moresensitive to our own family.
I mean, as versus a stranger,because maybe it's somebody that
is such a just no casually, it'sit's not that big of a deal, but
it's when somebody that you'vespent your whole life with.
I think that that makes theholidays particularly difficult
(48:30):
for us, just because it's it'sthere and it's bubbling under
the surface the whole time.
And it's just, and you do feeloutnumbered.
You feel like you are justganged up on sometimes.
Yeah, it's always hard.
SPEAKER_02 (48:45):
Yeah, it is.
It's very hard.
And and it's it's so it'soutside of my instincts and
behavior to sit there quietlyand not join in in
conversations, etc.
However, I do find myself atthose family gatherings to sit
there quietly just because Idon't want to get into any type
of confrontation with anyonethat's sitting in the room.
Rather just revolt and then moveon.
SPEAKER_04 (49:06):
Well, I'm definitely not a confrontational guy, but I
definitely will spike up if ifthings start getting needed, I
will definitely do it and andtry to.
SPEAKER_02 (49:15):
I totally have to agree with you.
Yeah, you say you're notconfrontational, and I don't
think you are.
However, you will go after them,which you know I'm very proud of
you when you do that.
SPEAKER_04 (49:26):
Well, I'm glad because otherwise we'd have a
problem, I guess.
But it's it's really difficultduring the holidays.
And I I definitely think thatthat's one of the reasons why
queer voices is so important,because we do get a chance to
have a platform and we do have achance to be activists and and
talk about our things and andissues and the community and
(49:46):
things like that.
And I hope that that helps.
I hope that there's an outlethere sometimes for you to hear a
friendly voice instead of what'scoming at you across the
Thanksgiving table.
SPEAKER_02 (49:56):
Right, right, right.
Someone else expressing the sameenvironment that you're ex
someone that's having the sameexperience that you're having
and saying it out loud doeshelp.
SPEAKER_04 (50:05):
Yes.
Well, you know, the politicalclimate, talking about that, you
know, it's been difficult tonavigate the last couple of
years.
There's a lot of thingsspecifically in Texas politics
and the federal politics thatare aimed against our community.
I mean, just blatantly.
And they're really targeting,they're really going after
certain members of our communityand things like that.
How do you just day-to-dayhandle it?
(50:27):
What what do you do to cope withall of this coming from like a
legislature or people that areelected officials?
SPEAKER_02 (50:35):
Yeah, you so you have to look at her.
For my what I have always doneis look at those things that I
can control and change and bepart of the discussion or or in
this case voting.
I do what I can and I try tohave conversations with people
that don't get to the point ofanger, because that doesn't
serve anyone very well.
But if you can have a reasonableconversation with people, you
(50:55):
know, sometimes you can persuadethem and and and in this
particular time in history,you're not likely to persuade
them.
But having the conversation, atleast they've heard all the
right things.
You've expressed it, given themopportunity to go out there and
find out for themselves.
So that's how I approach it.
Uh, because there are I, youknow, you can get very
frustrated over what's going onright now, but there you can't
(51:17):
do anything more than what youcan do.
So make sure you don't let anopportunity pass you by.
Do what you can in thoseopportunities and know that
you've done everything that youcan.
SPEAKER_04 (51:26):
Well, I think one of the things that we did a few
years ago was we actually joinedthe caucus here in Houston.
And I think that helped a lotbecause I got to meet real
politicians, talk about realissues, and talk to people that
were talking about those things.
When you're on something likesocial media, like a Facebook or
an Instagram or a Twitter, youjust get into these petty fights
(51:49):
and things just get into thislike keyboard warrior type
stuff.
Yeah.
And so I usually shave myactivism for where I know it
will make the biggestdifference, like the voting
booth or meeting with officialsand telling them, you know, hey,
Molly Cook, this is what I'mactually concerned about.
You know, this is what'sactually happening to me.
(52:10):
Because if I talk to thosepeople versus, you know,
attacking my neighbors andfriends on Facebook and people
that I went to high school with,it's gonna be a lot more
effective.
And you can affect change thatway.
And I think that's one of thethings that I've always
advocated is if it reallybothers you, get involved.
Do some activism, you know, dothe protests, talk to the
(52:31):
politicians, let your voice beheard.
I mean, that's really the themeof what we're trying to do here
is when is that the best use ofyour voice?
And how can you affect thatchange?
And maybe it's not on socialmedia, maybe it's not at the
Thanksgiving dinner table whenwe're talking to people who just
are not gonna listen, you know.
SPEAKER_02 (52:50):
Right, right, right, right.
One thing that I've alwaysthought, and you and I have
talked about this before, is youknow, people will invite you to
have a a heated debate ontotheir playing field, to their
area of expertise.
And, you know, it's an area ifyou if you're not well educated
in that area, you're not gonnawin.
So I I rarely let people decidehow the conversation is going to
(53:12):
go.
And if it's a topic that Ireally don't know that well,
then I'm not gonna discuss itwith them, and I'll say that.
However, if it's a topic that Ido know really well, then yeah,
I'm absolutely gonna go there,but I'm gonna invite them to do
it on my on my playing field, ifyou will.
SPEAKER_04 (53:26):
In just spin's, we live in an age where I feel like
the more information that's outthere, it's suited to whatever
argument you almost can make.
You can find almost any supportfor anything on the world wide
web.
You know, I mean, it's all outthere.
It's like we live in this greatage of information, but I feel
(53:46):
like sometimes it'sdisinformation.
It's like the truth is notalways out there.
There's all these like variantsof everything, and it's just
crazy.
And like you said, I think a lotof times media is entertainment
and it is doing things to toplacate you or to suck you in or
to, you know, confirm.
(54:06):
Confirmation bias is somethingthat we talk a lot about.
And I think that that happens alot.
And you know you live in theseecho chambers on social media
where all your friends kind ofagree with you.
Although I actually try to seekout people that don't agree with
me.
I mean, I think that's animportant part of it too.
I mean, I want to hear theopposite side too.
And I know that you and Isometimes will watch news
networks that we probablywouldn't just to hear how they
(54:29):
do it.
SPEAKER_02 (54:30):
You you can't speak to something you don't know.
Yeah.
Yes.
So if you never see it, then youcan't speak to it.
So absolutely.
You have to watch things thatyou would not normally know,
just so that you know what otherpeople are are hearing and then
be able to refute it with actualdata.
SPEAKER_04 (54:46):
Yeah.
And the truth is alwayssomewhere in the middle from a
propaganda thing.
I mean, I remember one time wewere part of the gym, where we
would go and they would play CNNand Fox News together
simultaneously, side by side,and you could watch as they spun
headlines totally differently.
SPEAKER_02 (55:03):
I know the same story, and they're so vastly
different on the two channels,it was funny.
SPEAKER_04 (55:08):
Yeah.
No, it was amazing to witnessthat live and happening in
person.
So yeah, well, it's a roughmonth, but we're here for you,
definitely.
SPEAKER_02 (55:20):
Yeah, yeah.
The holidays are difficult.
Like I said, it's especially forthose of us that end up having
to go into a community thatwe're not.
We don't typically go into fullyimmerse ourselves in it.
And then, you know, that for us,we're expected to go into those
communities.
We are expected to behave acertain way and to be very
tolerant of what might happenthere.
(55:41):
That's all things that areexpected of us, but we can't
expect that in return.
And that's difficult.
SPEAKER_04 (55:47):
It is very difficult.
But if you want to keep theconversation going, go to
kpft.org and hit donate.
It's on the upper right handsign.
And it's a way to fundlistener-funded radio.
You get all of these kind ofopinions and and differing
things and and the unfilteredvoices out there like queer
voices every week.
So I I appreciate everybody thatdoes that.
(56:09):
I mean, I actually do it monthlymyself.
So yeah.
And and we've made somedonations too along the way.
SPEAKER_02 (56:16):
So of course we have.
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (56:18):
Yes.
Well, happy welcome to theholidays, everybody.
I mean, I guess this isNovember, so we are smack in the
middle of it.
SPEAKER_06 (56:28):
So yes, we are.
SPEAKER_04 (56:30):
My favorite time of year.
It is your favorite time ofyear.
It is.
For some people I know it it'sit's fraught with a lot of
different things, like dealingwith family and things like
that.
So we're here if you ever need adifferent voice.
SPEAKER_02 (56:43):
True.
SPEAKER_06 (56:44):
True, true.
SPEAKER_08 (56:53):
This has been Queer Voices, heard on KPFT Houston
and as a podcast available fromseveral podcasting sources.
Check our webpagequeervoices.org for more
information.
Queer Voices executive produceris Brian Levinka.
Deborah Montcrief Bell isco-producer.
(57:16):
Brett Cullum and David MendozaDruisman are contributors.
SPEAKER_07 (57:20):
Some of the material in this program has been edited
to improve clarity at runtime.
This program does not endorseany political views or animal
species.
SPEAKER_08 (57:33):
For Queer Voices, I'm Glenn Holt.
This is KPFT 90.1 FM Houston, 89.5 FM Galveston, 91.9
FM Huntsville, and worldwide onthe internet at KPFT.org.
SPEAKER_04 (00:25):
You are listening to Queer Voices and LGBTQIA Plus
program on KPFT 90.1 FM inHouston, as well as a podcast.
I'm Brett Cullum.
We've been here for over fivedecades, and we are so glad you
are with us.
This show has three segments.
First up, I get to talk withRamsey Peck.
(00:47):
They are here for the tour witha beautiful noise that runs at
the Hobby Center throughNovember 9th.
Now, this is a Neil Diamond kindof greatest hits jukebox
musical, and Ramsey, whoidentifies as non-binary, gets
to play The Noise.
Second up, we have DeborahMoncrief Bell speaking with
Linda Gibbs about the change, orrather menopause.
(01:09):
This is in conjunction withWorld Menipause Day, which is
being celebrated locally inHouston with a film screening.
Finally, author R.
Lee Ingalls, spoiler alert, alsomy husband, joins me to talk
about KPFT, how you can help,the holidays, and how to be a
political activist, all withoutever leaving your Thanksgiving
table.
Queer Voices starts now.
SPEAKER_01 (01:35):
Hey Brian, do you know what time it is?
SPEAKER_03 (01:38):
It's podcasting time.
SPEAKER_01 (01:39):
It's pledge drive at KPFT.
And it's time to ask ourlisteners to please support the
station.
And there's several ways theycan do that.
One of the best ways is to go toKPFT.org and uh uh click the
donate button, and then you haveto go through a little scroll
(02:01):
down menu to select queer voicesas this program that you're
supporting.
But we hope that you support allthe great programs on KPFT.
I give a monthly pledge and youcan do it as a one-time donation
or set up a regular schedule.
And sometimes you get greatpremiums, so you can check that
(02:22):
out on the website as well.
I know you also donate.
SPEAKER_03 (02:25):
I do.
Uh I give like$40 a month toKPFT, which adds up over time.
I like donating to uh somethingthat I believe in and that's
important for the community.
SPEAKER_01 (02:36):
Right.
And you know, we're getting alot of attention lately.
First of all, congratulations toyou and Ethan Michelle Gance on
your selections as gayest andgreatest for the Out Smart poll.
Moi, as well in my category,which is female community radio.
And yours was male.
We didn't get podcasts thistime, but that's okay because
(02:59):
we're a radio show and apodcast.
Yes, we were a finalist.
And we were just talking earlierabout it, seems like everybody
and their dog has a podcast now,but we hope that people will
continue to listen to QueerVoices and support the station
and listen to us online whenthey're not able to listen to it
(03:22):
on Wednesday nights.
SPEAKER_03 (03:24):
And I'd like to point out that we have a new
website that we're developingcoming soon to queervoices.org.
SPEAKER_01 (03:30):
Yeah, it's up now, but we need to do some tweaking.
So pay no attention to the partsthat are gibberish, but we're
excited about that and aboutbringing more wonderful content.
Lee and Brett are bringingwonderful stuff.
Davis is bringing wonderfulstuff, and Joel and Ethan, when
they have the opportunity.
(03:51):
We are always looking for otherpeople to become involved.
You don't have to have radioexperience.
Did you have any radioexperience before you started?
Just listening to it in themiddle of the night.
Listening to it in the middle ofthe night.
Well, I'm so glad that you didand that it inspired you in part
to embrace yourself as a gay manand your coming out process, and
(04:15):
then being interested inactivism and realizing that
doing radio was a form ofactivism.
So you've you've been at it awhile, and I've been at it a
while, but I didn't have anybroadcast experience.
Just Jack Balensky invited me tocome and be on the show, and it
(04:36):
kind of took off from there.
I too was just a listener, andthen I volunteered at KPFT for
several programs during PledgeDrive, and then was a guest at
different times, and that's howI got into it.
So, you know, we'll we'll trainyou.
The station provides technicaltraining, and then it's just
(04:56):
kind of you can learn it on thejob, so to speak.
So anyone who has an interest inthat, just contact me, Deborah
at queervoices.org or Brian atqueervoices.org.
Queervoices.org.
Wonderful.
Well, I want to thank everyonewho is a listener and especially
all of you who are supporters.
(05:18):
We really appreciate you and wehope that you tune in on a
regular basis and also that youcontribute on a regular basis as
community radio right here inHouston, Texas.
SPEAKER_04 (05:46):
Hi there, I am Brett Cullum, and I am here with
Ramsey Pack coming to Houston touh be part of the tour,
Beautiful Noise, which isrunning November 2nd through the
9th.
It's part of the Broadway at theHobby Center series.
And of course, Beautiful Noise,it's a musical about the life of
Neil Diamond.
It was created in collaborationwith Neil himself.
And of course, all of those hitsongs, Sweet Caroline, America,
(06:10):
Cracklin' Rosie, all of thesethings going on.
But Ramsey Pack, welcome.
Thank you so much, Brett, forhaving me.
It's so lovely to be here.
Yeah, no, it's great to haveyou.
Now, first up, tell me about theshow.
I mean, obviously, it's a NeilDiamond biography, jukebox
musical type thing.
Yes, all of the above.
SPEAKER_05 (06:28):
And it's this really beautiful experience to Neil
Diamond's life, where prior tothis piece, interesting enough,
Neil Diamond, we really haven'thad much of his material.
Like he doesn't have a book orlike a movie out, or didn't at
the time that the musical wascreated.
So it's like this reallybeautiful experience to see into
Neil Diamond's world, how hecreated the music and his like
(06:52):
upbringing in the music industryas well as his personal life.
SPEAKER_04 (06:55):
Well, I I really don't know that much about Neil
Diamond personally.
I mean, I I did some digging onthe Wikipedias and things like
that, but it's interesting.
I'll be very excited to see theshow because I, you know, I
stole Neil Diamond albums frommy parents and listen to it all
the time.
And I just kind of alwaysthought of him as like Jewish
Elvis or something.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_06 (07:12):
But uh there you go.
SPEAKER_05 (07:15):
And you play you play there's a line in the show
that's actually it touches onthat.
That's so beautiful.
Oh funny.
No, you play a character calledthe noise.
What is the noise?
Yes, that is correct.
So the noise is this abstractrepresentation of what's going
on in Neil Diamond's mind.
(07:36):
And what's wonderful is that we,as the noise, we bring to life
his psyche in a way.
So we get to see the innerworkings of Neil Diamond
actively as he's going throughhis journey of becoming Neil
Diamond.
Oh wow.
This sounds very conceptual.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
So I'm gonna be very interested to see how this uh
works out.
Now, this is your first likenational equity tour.
So, how has it been being ontour?
Because this is your first touror just your first equity tour?
SPEAKER_05 (08:04):
Both.
So it's my first tour and equitytour as well, equity national
tour.
And it's been such a wonderfullike learning experience in that
we're constantly going to thesedifferent theaters.
So you really get to experiencelike how a sound check goes in a
theater that may have beenbuilt, let's say like in the
(08:25):
1950s, versus one that's likevery new and modern and and has
all these different amenities.
So it's been really cool becauseit's helped me like as we've
been journeying to like not onlysharpen my skills as a
performer, but connect with allof these different audiences,
other than you know, theaudiences that we're exposed to,
or that rather I have beenexposed to in New York or in
(08:45):
like the tri-state area.
Are you from New York?
Where do you live?
Yes, I am from New York.
I'm from Long Island, New York,born and raised in Gordon
Heights, and so very familiarwith like the city as well.
My like upbringing was likespent between like both Long
Island as well as the city andha and Brooklyn.
And it always happens whenyou're that close.
(09:05):
Yeah, like it just expands, youknow, it's just like natural.
Yes, it does.
So were you a Neil Diamond fanbefore this?
Were you aware of Neil Diamond?
I was very aware of Neil Diamondunknowingly.
I feel like, and I've heard thisfrom audience members as well,
where like they have heard, orrather, they hear the music in
the show and then afterwards arelike, Wait, that's a Neil
(09:28):
Diamond song, but they'refamiliar with the music.
And so that was very it was myexperience.
Very like much often wouldlisten to my grandmother just
like playing records often.
She would just like play themlike just throughout the house.
And Neil Diamond was like one ofthe artists that she would play
that I wasn't aware of untilstarting this contract, and was
like, snap.
(09:49):
I remember hearing this realcool.
That was really cool.
That's amazing.
So, do you have like a favoritesong in the show?
I would say probably play me ismy favorite song in the show.
It's such a lovely piece.
I feel like it's probably notthe the hot pick, but it's just
so the instrumentation is solovely.
It's just this very like assoonytype of song, and our background
(10:10):
vocals are like perfect, perfectaddition to the moment as well.
Wow.
SPEAKER_04 (10:16):
Well, I'll be excited to hear it.
That's definitely that's a deepdive.
That's a deep cut.
That'll be interesting.
Okay, so what has your favoriterole been so far?
I know you've been doing theaterfor a while and I've read a
little bit of your biography,but do you have a favorite role
other than being the noisebehind Neil Diamond?
SPEAKER_05 (10:31):
I would say my favorite role thus far, probably
Papa Gay and Once on ThisIsland.
I feel like that was like one ofthe most fun roles that I've
played to get to play thevillain and to do something
that's more outside of mywheelhouse and outside of my
comfort zone was like soawesome.
Anytime you get to be thevillain, it's amazing.
(10:52):
I'm sorry, but it's like, comeon.
They're written well.
It's like so much to dive into,bring to life.
And it's like, yeah, it wasawesome.
It was so much fun.
SPEAKER_04 (11:01):
Now you were a graduate of Carnegie Mellon,
right?
So you went there for drama.
How did you get into acting?
SPEAKER_05 (11:06):
Was it something that you did all your life, or
well, it in a way, I feel foundme.
I have been performing since Iwas little, and I was like
raised up singing in churches,and I remember singing in chorus
one day, and my my chorusteacher in junior high was like,
Hey Ramsey, have you everthought about trying out for the
musical in the high school?
I'm gonna be like musicdirecting.
(11:27):
I think you should try.
And I was like, hey, you knowwhat?
I'm gonna try.
And so in high school, in the inthe ninth grade, it was, I had
auditioned for the musical atthat time, and it was it was
like kizmit.
I really at that moment knew itwas my calling.
It was so clear.
SPEAKER_04 (11:46):
It's wild when you when you realize that, you're
like, what?
This is what I was.
SPEAKER_05 (11:50):
Seriously.
I was like, what?
Yeah, did not expect that atall.
SPEAKER_04 (11:54):
Yeah.
Well, another thing that youkind of realized about yourself,
you identify as non-binary.
Tell me about how that cameabout, how you express it.
SPEAKER_05 (12:03):
And that was also interesting enough, a part of
this this like inner excavationthat was happening during
college as an artist.
It's natural because we imbue somuch of our personal lives into
the work that we do that likeover time I had to interrogate
my identity and had to reallysit with myself.
And I noticed that as I did so,it produced better work.
(12:24):
And so, yeah, that was like thecatalyst for just like really
questioning myself and reallysitting in the mirror and asking
myself, well, how do I identify?
Like, and now that I'm outsideof home and I'm in this
different environment where Iget to shape my identity and
have more volition in doing so,what is that identity?
(12:45):
How can I show up in a waythat's more truthful?
And that's what happened.
So yeah, are your parents prettysupportive about it?
Or very much so.
Like my mom is so loving and sounderstanding and has exercised
that a dad has been reallysupportive.
And I remember when I told himhe was very like, why didn't she
just tell me?
Like it was just uh it was justuh not the response that I
(13:08):
thought he would have at thetime.
So surprisingly, they've beenreally supportive.
And of course, there are otherdifferent generations, so they
don't quite have the language orthe full understanding of my
experience, but nonetheless,they still try to, you know, and
that's all you can ask for.
SPEAKER_04 (13:23):
Absolutely.
But it is a it's a wild worldout there right now.
I mean, I feel like there's abig challenge of coming out as
transgene.
I prefer they than pronounsbecause right now it's like
there's this swing that just isjust a bit harder.
SPEAKER_05 (13:38):
Of us trans folks, yeah, it's we're being targeted
actively, and you know, it'sit's much harder to just find a
sense of peace and just being,you know, that that simple.
Yeah.
I have a lot of hope.
And you know, as I like payattention to just like our our
trans sisters and our folks outthere and our allies, just
(13:58):
really actively resisting andsupporting and just like
building a network of love, ithelps.
It it helps to provide morehope.
SPEAKER_04 (14:08):
I think it's just really important.
Anybody that identifies as transright now, I mean, absolutely,
to be lifted up and to have alot of hope because I I think
it'll swing the other way.
I I pray and I hope that that'sthe outcome of all of us.
But definitely I feel that andof course you're gonna bring a
lot of hope to Houston bybringing in Neil Diamond music.
So there you are.
Yeah.
(14:29):
Have you ever been to Houstonbefore?
I have not.
This will be my first time.
Okay.
We have really good Tex-Mexfood.
That's the number one thing,probably.
And of course, barbecue.
But uh, Houston is a verysurprisingly liberal oasis in
Texas.
We are always blue, we alwaysvote blue, and so there's a lot
of embracing.
And so it's it's a great, it's agreat place to be if you're
(14:49):
gonna be in Texas for sure.
We're excited to have you at theHobby Center.
Yeah, it starts on November 2ndthrough the 9th, and it's kind
of a short run.
It's like a week.
Is that usually like what yourstops are like?
SPEAKER_05 (14:59):
Just a week here, a week there.
For the most part, it has beenjust like a week stop where we
come in or we'll have a travelday on Monday, we'll do a show
the next day on Tuesday untilSunday.
And then Saturday and Sundaywe'll have two show days each of
those days.
For the most part, it's been oneweek stops.
We'll have at most like athree-week stop we had in San
Francisco, for instance.
SPEAKER_04 (15:21):
San Francisco, big musical town.
I'm sure they would be listeningeating this up every night.
Yeah.
Well, we're excited to see it.
It's it's one of those.
I've never seen it.
I mean, I've I've been reviewingtheater for like 10 years or
something like that, and I'venever seen a beautiful noise.
So I'm excited to see it and seeyou bring this to life and bring
all of your artistic and andyour identity onto the stage as
(15:44):
the noise, which I'm I'm gonnahave to like get back to you
about what I think about thatbecause I I still have no idea
what this the noise is, but I'mexcited to see it.
SPEAKER_05 (15:53):
I'm so excited and looking forward to your take on
it.
And like I like, I'm so lookingforward to getting to be in
Houston and getting to see thelovely folks that may be
listening to this.
Yeah, so feel free to give us ashout out at the stage door or
reach out on Instagram.
My Instagram handle isRamseyPack, that's at
(16:14):
RamseyPack, that'sR-A-N-S-E-Y-P-A-C-K.
Feel free to reach out.
SPEAKER_04 (16:20):
Yeah, I noticed that you're pack, like a pack, like
you're packing.
Yeah.
So Ramsey.
So it's it's pretty easy.
And you've got a pretty goodInstagram account there.
So definitely worth a follow.
But thank you so much.
Thank you.
I will see you well, this week,I guess.
So there you go.
See you soon.
SPEAKER_05 (16:38):
Thank you so much again, Brad.
Alrighty, take care.
SPEAKER_01 (16:54):
This is Deborah Monkey's Bell, and guess what's
coming up?
World menopause day.
Now, don't change the stationbecause this is something
everyone needs to learn about.
Because whether you'reidentifying as female or
whatever your history is, thereare people in your life that are
(17:14):
going through what is called thechange.
And World Menopause Day, I wouldsay celebrated on November 18th.
And we have with us to talk moreabout that, Linda Gibbs.
Linda is what is your title overthere at Gibbs Media?
SPEAKER_00 (17:30):
I am the founder, producer, director, CEO, all of
the above, educator, all of theabove.
She has all the hats.
All the hats.
SPEAKER_01 (17:39):
Yeah.
And the way that we're going torecognize World Menopause Day in
Houston is with a film screeningand an expert panel doing a QA.
Now, Linda, tell me about thisuh film, which is actually a
documentary series, The Change,Unleasing the Wild Woman.
(18:00):
How did this project come about?
SPEAKER_00 (18:02):
Yes.
Well, first I want to thank youvery much for having me on.
I'm totally grateful for theopportunity to share this
information because I feel it'svery needed.
And a huge thanks to the HealthMuseum of Houston for providing
their venue on November 10th andthat International Menopause
(18:24):
Society who founded WorldMenopause Day in 2009.
We couldn't be more thankful forthe efforts of those before us
who raised awareness aboutmenopause to improve the
experiences of women, you know,and I just have to thank the
people who did that.
(18:46):
So this year, you know, Idecided that I wanted to do
something very special on thisday.
And since October 18th was notavailable, we decided on
November 16th would be the daythat we would have our first
screening of our promotionalfilm for our docuseries that
(19:09):
I've been working on, it seemslike forever.
But, you know, it was soimportant that I do this on to
celebrate this on this day andhave as many women as I can get
to attend to see this firstscreening.
The change, Unleashing the WildWoman, is a series and it will
(19:31):
shift this narrative by offeringanswers and solutions that
millions of women are already toreceive.
I mean, so many women are so notknowing what's going on with
them, their hormone hormones.
And so what I want to do iseducate them.
I have been an educator for avery long time, and now I feel
(19:54):
that the women of the world ismy student.
And I need to educate them aboutwhat's going on with their
menopausal experience, startingwith perimenopause to
postmenopause.
And so this film actually talksabout all of the alternative
options that they can have tolook at during these stages and
(20:19):
to provide them with options,some treatment options, holistic
treatment options that, youknow, they're not getting that
information from their healthprofessional.
And so I feel this was a voidthat needed to be filled.
You know, I've I am so inclinedto do it.
And I've been working on thisfor the last 15 years.
SPEAKER_01 (20:42):
So uh the actual date of World Medical Pause Day
is October 18th.
SPEAKER_00 (20:48):
It's October 18th, and we're celebrating it on
November 16th at the HealthMuseum, Houston, and they have a
McGovern theater there that isbeautiful, and I just knew that
that was the space I wanted toshow the film, the first
screening.
And it just worked out sowonderfully.
(21:10):
I met with them, they saw thevision, they said yes, and we're
collaborating, and it's awonderful thing.
SPEAKER_01 (21:18):
Yeah, menopause is something that uh you kind of
don't know anything about untilsuddenly it it's happening to
you.
And they they didn't tell us allthat paramenopause stuff.
That's when people talk aboutmenopause, most of the time
they're actually talking aboutthe paramenopause, and that's
the period leading up to actualmenopause, which is a full year
(21:42):
of the absence of men's.
And I know a couple of womenthat got in trouble because they
thought they were done andhello, hello, here's a
pregnancy.
And of course, the use ofhormones is used for many people
for many different reasons.
Uh uh some people haveendocrological issues.
(22:03):
It is something that you can useto navigate menopause.
I don't like to say cures ortreatment so much, but for a
while I did lesbian health atthe Montreux Center, and my task
was mainly to talk about breastcancer, and certainly hormones
play a part in that.
(22:24):
Be uh for for women to be awareof what they need to do in order
to uh check themselves and toget mammograms and all that, so
that if there is breast cancer,it's detected early.
And there is a small uh riskfactor for lesbians, mainly uh
based on most of them do nothave children.
(22:45):
Actually, having children putsyou in a little bit better
place, I guess because you usedyour hormones, I don't know,
concerning breast cancer.
But but what we found as we weretalking about the issue of
breast cancer, and the twobiggest risk factors for that
are being female and aging.
And so we we were talking aboutthat age group, and then
(23:08):
suddenly these issues aroundmenopause came in.
And what what I found, I mean, II had a hysterectomy, so I used
uh hormones for a period.
I I kept my ovaries, which wasthe conventional wisdom at the
time.
And so I actually did go througha mini a natural menopause in
that way.
The boy, our listeners are like,what is she going on about?
(23:32):
My goodness.
But it's important because itevery person is different.
And of course, we have trans menwho may still have their uh
reproductive system intact.
Uh, we have trans women thattake hormones, and so all of
these things can be at play.
(23:53):
And men actually also go througha menopause, but it's a little
bit different, and it's not as II would say, I think it's what
happens when they talk about aman having a midlife crisis, but
men also have monthly, it's morelike six, six-week cycles.
And so if they're aware of thatand they pay attention to that,
it can help them in navigatingtheir life because you you you
(24:17):
can understand what's going on.
And the same thing withmenopause.
Let me ask you, what was themost interesting thing you have
found out since you started thisjourney?
SPEAKER_00 (24:27):
Well, what's happening is women are starting
to get symptoms a lot soonerthan we initially thought.
Girls are starting their periodsa lot earlier than we initially
thought.
And so women are being caughtoff guard by these menopausal
symptoms that start, theperimenopausal symptoms that
(24:50):
started, that should be startingin your 30s, late, early 40s.
Now it's starting in mid 80s.
And and women, it's justinteresting to me that women are
not educated or don't know howto articulate what's happening
to them.
And so it to me, that's wherethe void was that we need to
(25:10):
educate women starting as earlyas possible so they'll know what
the symptoms are, and then knowhow to, you know, go be aware of
what they are, and then be ableto go to their healthcare
provider and say, look, I'mhaving these symptoms.
I don't know why I am havingthese symptoms.
And usually it's something thatif they knew, they can
(25:33):
articulate it.
So that's the most interestingthing is that certain things are
happening sooner.
Women are being caught off guardby these symptoms.
And so what I want to do iseducate women about what the
symptoms are, what the stagesare, and let them know that
there's help for them.
They do not have to suffer insilence.
(25:54):
And I think that's where, youknow, a lot of women are just
not knowing that they don't haveto live and suffer.
So this whole film is aboutpreparing women for
perimenopause throughpost-menopause.
Well, perimenopause, really, andand what to do during menopause
and what to do during post.
And to me, that that was that'svery important.
SPEAKER_01 (26:18):
I think peramenopause is somewhat like
PMS.
So anyone who's ever experiencedthat, you might feel more
emotional, you might be verytired.
There's just things that go onduring the those times, but we
are still fully capable andcompetent human beings, adult
humans.
And if you are equipped, thenyou're prepared to address the
(26:40):
issues that may come up for you.
And there is so much moreawareness now.
There's yes, uh, there's adelightful show that I watched
on the Acorn streaming servicecalled The Change.
And it's about this woman who'swho's going through menopause.
And it's it's a very quirkylittle show.
It was it was really cute theway they did it and and and
(27:01):
talking about it.
There's also a book called theuh menopause manifesto, and I
know uh several women who are ofthat age to to to be
experiencing perimenopause, andthat book has been recommended.
What we're talking about is thechange, the experience that
(27:22):
people have of their transitionfrom having a reproductive
system that is set up to welcomea pregnancy to that being over
with and the changes that can goon in the body and what to do
about it.
Now, there was this delightfulbook I had called Off the Rag,
(27:43):
and it was specifically aboutlesbians and the change.
And what was so fascinating was,like I said, it can be so
different for different women.
Some women had been, let's say,very butch identified and
suddenly they became ratherfeminine.
There were people that were notall that interested in sex, but
then after when they wentthrough the peramenopause,
(28:05):
suddenly they became much morehyperactive with in that regard.
There were people who could useteas and herbs and different
things like that that they didjust fine.
The the dreaded hot flashes,which is, as we know, a misnomer
because it can be a suddenintense heat that can go all the
(28:26):
way up your body and it can lastfrom minutes to hours.
So we also learned that trick ofum you're in bed and you feel
hot, and so you put like oneside of your body kind of
hanging out.
SPEAKER_00 (28:39):
Yeah, it's called night sweats.
Night sweats, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (28:42):
And I know some people that just really that was
the worst thing for them wasthat experience of the hot
flashes.
But a lot of women, I mean, theynotice it, they notice these
changes, but it's not that bigof an impact on their lives.
And I think knowing some of theways, I I guess that's what
you're trying to do when you uhsay, oh, this is going on, how
(29:05):
can I take care of it so thatI'm not uncomfortable or in pain
or that I have to be concernedabout?
So in addition to your film, TheChange, Unleashing the Wild
Woman, which for the first timewill be shown on November 16th
at the Health Science Museum.
Is it called Health Science orjust Health Museum?
SPEAKER_00 (29:25):
Health Museum, the Health Museum of Houston.
SPEAKER_01 (29:27):
And so you have this panel of experts, and how did
you find them?
And what what can you tell meabout them?
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
So the integrative medicine docs are gynecologists
that have gone to take extraclasses to understand more of
the holistic side of treatingwomen rather than just going
through and giving people uhmedication treatment.
So I initially found one of thedocs and went to her and And
(30:00):
told her that I needed to talkto her about what my vision was,
which was to try to do adocuseries that actually
explained to women otheralternatives about menopause
than what they were receivingfrom their doctors, from their
gone, their generalgynecologist.
(30:21):
Because, and she said, yes, Iwill definitely want to do this
with you.
And so her treatment option isbioidentical hormones, which
gives women hormones thatthey're deficient in.
And that to me is something thatall women who are about or who
are about to go intoperimenopause or in
(30:44):
perimenopause, they need to knowwhere their hormone levels are.
And these women, these docs,that's they're treating the
whole woman.
And through by doing that,they're giving them hormones
that they're deficient in.
A lot of women are walkingaround here with zero
testosterone, zero estrogen,zero progesterone.
(31:06):
And that is what causes the allthe symptoms that they're
experiencing.
They're deficient in estrogen.
And so these integrativemedicine docs have been pioneers
as far as giving women hormonesthat they're deficient in.
And a lot of the other regulargynecologists, they don't, they
(31:29):
don't believe in replacingwomen's hormones.
And so that was the difference.
I, because I was curious, Istarted replacing my hormones.
I could not be an advocate forreplacing hormones, our
bioidentical hormones, and notreceive it myself.
So I started doing it.
And my God, what a difference itmade in my life.
(31:51):
Right?
My libido went up, more energy,mental clarity, so many things
that I was like, oh my God,nobody told me about this.
So I think the women, well, Iknow the women that are on this
panel all believe in how do wemake women feel the best that we
(32:12):
can?
And how do we do this?
And they have all kinds ofholistic treatment options to do
that, one of which isbioidentical hormones, is a big
thing.
But of course, it's not justhormones.
It's it's how you know women areeating, their diet.
We have a functional medicinenutritionist who, you know, who
(32:35):
believes the food is medicine.
So we have two integrativemedicine gynecologists, tops in
their field.
They're going to be thereanswering questions on why women
have been kind of deprived ofhormone knowledge.
And then this nutritionist,because what women need to know
is they need to know that theyneed to eat right, they need to
(32:58):
exercise in order for them tofeel better.
Diet is a big thing for us.
If you've noticed, a lot ofwomen are having issues with
weight.
And it's because of diet, andthey're not exercising and
they're not sleeping.
So we are wanting to help peoplewith sleep.
What do we need to do to helpyou get a good night's sleep?
(33:21):
Progesterone may be somethingthat you're lacking.
So, you know, I wanted to get agroup of women together that can
clear up all of the confusion.
I'm a filmmaker.
Give me the content and I willput it out there.
But I want to put content outthere that is factual, that
women can understand and use,and it will make a difference in
(33:42):
their lives.
And these women that I'veinvited for this event will help
clear up a lot of the confusionthat traditional gynecologists
have placed us in.
And then this film just kind oflays the groundwork on what you
need to be doing now.
And I've interviewed severalinter um, well, one integrative
(34:05):
medicine doc.
I've in I've talked to fiveother experts in their fields.
And then I met with women ineach stage of menopause and have
them give me their story on whatthey're experiencing in their
perimenopausal experience, theirmenopause experience, and their
(34:26):
postmenopausal experience.
And I have this on film, andit's amazing how we've been able
to intertwine these stories fromexperts to women in all these
different uh stages, cometogether, talk about it, and I
just feel like it's a wonderfulresource for women.
It's just a wonderful resource.
(34:47):
So I really hope women can come,learn, invite your friends and
just be there because I I thinkit's it's going to be so
educational.
SPEAKER_01 (34:58):
I think part of it is one, lesbians do not tend to
necessarily get the samegynaecological help that other
women do because they don't goin for pap smears because
they're not having sex with aman.
Uh, believe me, you still needto do that.
I would say at least once everythree years.
I know they say every year, andthe reason they say that is
(35:21):
because you go, oh, well, Idon't really have to do it every
year.
I'll I'll wait till next year.
And then next year comes and yousay the same thing.
And next thing you know, it'sbeen five years.
It's important.
And also because so much for solong, doctors and other people
kind of like when we had ourmencies, it would be like it's
all in your head, and you'relike, No, I'm having extreme
(35:45):
pain.
No, I'm having migraines, no,you know, you it's it's like you
just feel like you're uhscreaming into the abyss because
it wasn't even studied for along time.
And I think that's one reasonthere's much more of an
awareness now.
There's this fun woman onFacebook, and she has what she
calls we do not care.
And this is for women that areuh uh uh paramenopause,
(36:09):
menopause, or postmenopause, andit's just like suddenly life's
perspective changes becausethere's just things you're just
you don't care about because youyou you know you're concerned
with uh other things and uh it'sreally fun.
And then like there's been someother forms of awareness.
I just like uh when we bringthings out of the closet, if we
(36:32):
talk about it, it helps removethe stigma, it encourages other
people to share their stories,and a lot of times what we do,
and this has certainly been truein family traditions, because I
had a bunch of sisters as wellas my mom.
And so I could learn throughthem, through their experience,
because you did talk about it inthat environment.
(36:53):
Your moms and your sisters andyour aunties may not be the
people with the most knowledgeor the most up-to-date
knowledge.
And so through through scienceand and doctors, uh researchers
studying women telling theirstories.
There's been this it's likesuddenly this is something that
we are talking about and andrealizing that we need to be
(37:16):
informed about.
Like I say, if not for yourself,there's someone you know and you
can help them through it.
So we've we've been talking withLinda Gibbs, the founder of the
Gibbs Media Group, where shewears a whole bunch of hats.
And she is a uh former vicepresident and current member of
Women in Film and Television inHouston, and she has executive
(37:38):
produced and directed the LifeThrough Art documentary series
and is currently producing TheChange, Unleasing the Wild
Woman, a project focused onholistic approaches to women's
health and menopause awareness.
Now, once again, Linda, where,when, and how do people find out
more information about thescreening of the film?
SPEAKER_00 (37:59):
It will be held at the Health Museum of Houston
November 16th, which is on is ona Sunday from 2 to 4.
And um you have to register forthe event.
Uh, just go to the HoustonMuseum uh website and register
(38:20):
for the event.
It's$10,$5 for members and$15for uh non-members.
For the price, I think it's awealth of knowledge.
I think so many, you could learnso much from the two hours that
we have allocated for thisevent.
Um, I am just elated that I'mhaving this wonderful
(38:43):
opportunity to share my work andto also have such wonderful
experts available to answerquestions from the audience.
And it's it's gonna be anamazing event.
I'm just totally, totallyexcited.
SPEAKER_01 (38:59):
Well, whatever changes anyone is going through
in their life, there's a way todeal with it.
And a film like this is one waythat we know about what's going
on.
And so I appreciate you beingwith us on Queer Voices, Linda
Gibbs, and I'm Deborah MoncriefBelly.
SPEAKER_04 (39:25):
Hi there.
This is Brett and Lee, and weare going to talk a little bit
about some different things, butI wanted to remind you that
right now we are fundraising forKPFT.
It is part of our pledge drive.
So I wanted you, if you likeQueer Voices, if you listen to
KPFT like I do, go to KPFT.organd hit donate.
It's on the upper right-handside, right at that front page.
(39:47):
And then when you specify theshow that you're donating for,
please just scroll down and hitqueer voices.
That is one of the drop-downboxes.
And you can choose us as theperson that made you come and
donate.
And I think it's so important todonate to basically, this is
listener-funded radio.
(40:07):
It's not even public radio.
I mean, KPFT is not supported byany federal funds, no state
funds, no city funds.
You are not paying for thestation with your tax dollars.
This is listener-funded.
Nobody on the air that you arehearing today is getting paid.
Your donations go 100% torunning the station.
And believe it or not, thisstation was founded about 55
(40:30):
years ago by media professionalswho recognized the need for a
voice that was notcorporate-sponsored, beholden to
advertisers, some kind ofpolitical agenda, or subject to
conformity.
There were two men that foundedKPFT, Larry Lee from the
Associated Press and Don Gardnerfrom the Houston Post were the
founders.
They went on the air March 1st,1970.
(40:52):
And pretty much from the start,queer voices was there.
Lee, what do you feel aboutlistener-funded radio?
Do you think it's important?
SPEAKER_02 (40:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, more now than ever, oror certainly that in most recent
years, it's important to haveour voices out there and have
them genuine and authentic andnot being influenced by outside
entities, whether it's acorporation or or other people,
et cetera.
So yeah, if we can continue toke the personal funding, keep us
(41:19):
on the air, you're going to beable to hear genuine voices of
our community.
SPEAKER_04 (41:24):
What do you think about media?
I know that sometimes you kindof are not as trusting of media
as as I am, but I've worked inmainstream media and I wanted to
get your opinion on it.
SPEAKER_02 (41:33):
Yeah, no, uh, well, so the media has changed over
the years.
So I do believe that a lot ofwhat we see today is more
entertainment focused ratherthan just giving us the facts
and the information that we'relooking for.
So in a show like Wear Voices,we don't really have that.
We are able to express ouropinions, give the news as we
know it, or information aboutwhat's happening in our
(41:55):
community without all the addedother stuff.
So you get it, you just get theraw data.
SPEAKER_04 (42:01):
Yeah, no, we don't have an agenda.
When I covered the crosswalks, Italked to Jack Velensky, who
used to be a host on QueerVoices, and I'm going to bring
him into the show every chancethat I get.
On our segment, we were one ofthe only media outlets that
actually mention those rainbowcrosswalks were actually a
memorial for a young man whopassed away, Michael Alex Hill.
(42:22):
He was 21 years old, killed in2016 by a hit and run driver.
And those rainbow crosswalkswere for him.
That was his memorial.
And so when they painted overthat with Metro and the mayor,
that that was erasing hismemorial, Michael Alex Hill's
memorial.
But I didn't see that mentionedon ABC 13 or Channel 11 or any
of these other places that aremedia outlets.
SPEAKER_02 (42:44):
So I And we also don't sensationalize things.
I think we talk in a very real,matter-of-fact manner, the way
that you would with somebodythat you're having dinner with,
where on the news medias, and Idon't want to say they're all
this way and all the time.
However, the first reports thatwe saw about that was more
sensationalized.
And you're right.
They did not mention that it wasa memorial until late in the
reporting.
(43:05):
I think they finally found outor somebody told them you might
want to mention that this is amemorial, not just uh happened
to paint them rainbow for thearea that they're located in.
SPEAKER_04 (43:16):
Yeah.
Well, so many people justthought it was a statement about
pride.
And I I really wanted to get itout there that it was more than
that.
It was a memorial.
I mean, it was definitelysomething to as a tribute to
somebody.
And I feel like we need ourvoices out there more than ever.
And look, I love a goodmainstream media.
I watch it all day, every day.
I that's where I get my news alot, but I do get it from other
(43:38):
sources and I listen to KPFT alot.
I mean, I really try to listento a lot about other shows.
There's some great ones in themorning.
Democracy Now is amazing.
There's a couple of differentprograms here, and it's great
because you can hear all thesequirky and unfiltered voices.
And I think we need that rightnow.
I mean, don't you?
SPEAKER_02 (43:56):
Absolutely.
It's very important.
And like I said, I think it'smore important at this
particular time in our nation'shistory than it was in most more
recent years.
SPEAKER_04 (44:05):
The website again, kpft.org.
You just hit donate.
It's up there on the upperright-hand side.
If you can please specify queervoices, that actually helps us.
It helps the station know thatit's coming from us and we're
actually bringing in listeners,and it's important to you.
And this show has been on theair since the beginning, like
almost five decades.
(44:25):
It's got a few differentiterations, maybe some title
changes, but the same peoplehave been involved with it.
So many people in our communitythat are just icons like Jack
Falenski, JD Doyle, and MariaGonzalez, and all these people,
Judy Breeves, that have been onthe show, and Deborah Moncreep
Bell, who's the current host.
I mean, she's a legend in ourcommunity and has done so much.
Of course.
(44:45):
And we want to keep bringingthis stuff to you.
I mean, that's the that's thecrux of it.
SPEAKER_02 (44:50):
We want to continue to be a voice for our community
in a way that you don't oftensee it out there.
SPEAKER_04 (44:54):
Well, one thing I wanted to talk to you about,
it's November.
And I feel like Mariah Carey hasdefrosted.
It's out there now.
unknown (45:02):
We're in the holidays.
SPEAKER_02 (45:04):
I know, I know.
I am so tempted to respond tosome of those that are saying
they're trying to hold off onit.
And I thought, yeah, it'suseless.
Well, that would be me.
SPEAKER_04 (45:13):
But you're not alone.
Yeah.
But I always thinking about whenI always think about the
mainstream media and things likethat, we are facing a very
strange holiday season becausewe are going to go into our
families that they didn't votethe way that we voted.
They don't think the way that wethink politically.
They're not in our community.
So how do you, how are we goingto handle that over the
(45:35):
holidays?
SPEAKER_02 (45:36):
Yeah, it is really difficult.
You know, I don't think thatmost people, even though that I
have tried to explain it in thepast, but if you're not part of
our community, if you don't walkin our world, you don't
understand our world and whatit's like when we go into an
event like a family gathering,and most times we are the only
one or the only two gay peoplein the room.
So we completely immerseourselves in an environment and
(45:59):
a community that we don't liveor operate in.
And it's difficult.
And we hear the comments, peopleare trying to be funny with at
the expense of other people, andwe hear all of that, and we're
expected to just sit there andand listen to it and not say or
do anything about it.
So, so what happens when you dothat?
I am not very good at concealingabout how I feel.
(46:19):
So people can tell when I'magitated or or not happy and
want to go as quickly aspossible.
They feel like we don't want tospend time with them.
We don't want to spend time withthem when they're in their bad
behavior, that's for sure.
Uh not considering who's in theroom and within earshot when
they make those comments.
So it is a difficult situationfor us to go into that.
(46:41):
However, you know, my family isalways very, very close.
So we don't talk about politicsor religion either one for that
very reason.
SPEAKER_04 (46:50):
My family has a tendency to actually broach that
topic.
I think that they insert it intothe conversation.
And sometimes they slip it in ina almost a passive aggressive
way and talk about people thatwe follow negatively or imply
that they're somehow crooked oron the dull or you know, being
bribed.
And I I I'm just like, oh mygosh, what I could bring up with
your side.
SPEAKER_02 (47:11):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, okay.
So we both have those situationsin both sides of our family.
But I would have to say in myfamily's defense, it's not my
siblings that do that.
It's typically their other halfthat does that.
Uh they'll slip these littlecomments in there, like the last
time that we were up there,there were two comments that
were made that I thought, okay,I've got to go back and approach
those.
One was what they're teaching inschool.
(47:32):
Well, what are they teaching inschool?
I wasn't able to do it rightthen because it would have been,
it would have seemed veryconfrontational, although that
that would have been okay withme.
And the other one was, you know,the governor supplying all these
funds for illegal aliens.
And I thought, okay, so I want Ineed to know more about that.
Where what is your source?
And and what funds are youtalking about?
(47:53):
But I didn't.
And the same thing on your sideof the family.
You know, I don't know that it'sactually your blood relative,
but who they're with is makingcomments.
But you know, I'm there, I'm notshy about it.
I'll I'll speak up.
SPEAKER_04 (48:07):
I have.
Well, I mean, I I get whatyou're saying here and
everything, but I do think itsometimes it is my family.
I mean, I do think that it'ssometimes I feel it come from
them.
And I think that we're moresensitive to our own family.
I mean, as versus a stranger,because maybe it's somebody that
is such a just no casually, it'sit's not that big of a deal, but
it's when somebody that you'vespent your whole life with.
I think that that makes theholidays particularly difficult
(48:30):
for us, just because it's it'sthere and it's bubbling under
the surface the whole time.
And it's just, and you do feeloutnumbered.
You feel like you are justganged up on sometimes.
Yeah, it's always hard.
SPEAKER_02 (48:45):
Yeah, it is.
It's very hard.
And and it's it's so it'soutside of my instincts and
behavior to sit there quietlyand not join in in
conversations, etc.
However, I do find myself atthose family gatherings to sit
there quietly just because Idon't want to get into any type
of confrontation with anyonethat's sitting in the room.
Rather just revolt and then moveon.
SPEAKER_04 (49:06):
Well, I'm definitely not a confrontational guy, but I
definitely will spike up if ifthings start getting needed, I
will definitely do it and andtry to.
SPEAKER_02 (49:15):
I totally have to agree with you.
Yeah, you say you're notconfrontational, and I don't
think you are.
However, you will go after them,which you know I'm very proud of
you when you do that.
SPEAKER_04 (49:26):
Well, I'm glad because otherwise we'd have a
problem, I guess.
But it's it's really difficultduring the holidays.
And I I definitely think thatthat's one of the reasons why
queer voices is so important,because we do get a chance to
have a platform and we do have achance to be activists and and
talk about our things and andissues and the community and
(49:46):
things like that.
And I hope that that helps.
I hope that there's an outlethere sometimes for you to hear a
friendly voice instead of what'scoming at you across the
Thanksgiving table.
SPEAKER_02 (49:56):
Right, right, right.
Someone else expressing the sameenvironment that you're ex
someone that's having the sameexperience that you're having
and saying it out loud doeshelp.
SPEAKER_04 (50:05):
Yes.
Well, you know, the politicalclimate, talking about that, you
know, it's been difficult tonavigate the last couple of
years.
There's a lot of thingsspecifically in Texas politics
and the federal politics thatare aimed against our community.
I mean, just blatantly.
And they're really targeting,they're really going after
certain members of our communityand things like that.
How do you just day-to-dayhandle it?
(50:27):
What what do you do to cope withall of this coming from like a
legislature or people that areelected officials?
SPEAKER_02 (50:35):
Yeah, you so you have to look at her.
For my what I have always doneis look at those things that I
can control and change and bepart of the discussion or or in
this case voting.
I do what I can and I try tohave conversations with people
that don't get to the point ofanger, because that doesn't
serve anyone very well.
But if you can have a reasonableconversation with people, you
(50:55):
know, sometimes you can persuadethem and and and in this
particular time in history,you're not likely to persuade
them.
But having the conversation, atleast they've heard all the
right things.
You've expressed it, given themopportunity to go out there and
find out for themselves.
So that's how I approach it.
Uh, because there are I, youknow, you can get very
frustrated over what's going onright now, but there you can't
(51:17):
do anything more than what youcan do.
So make sure you don't let anopportunity pass you by.
Do what you can in thoseopportunities and know that
you've done everything that youcan.
SPEAKER_04 (51:26):
Well, I think one of the things that we did a few
years ago was we actually joinedthe caucus here in Houston.
And I think that helped a lotbecause I got to meet real
politicians, talk about realissues, and talk to people that
were talking about those things.
When you're on something likesocial media, like a Facebook or
an Instagram or a Twitter, youjust get into these petty fights
(51:49):
and things just get into thislike keyboard warrior type
stuff.
Yeah.
And so I usually shave myactivism for where I know it
will make the biggestdifference, like the voting
booth or meeting with officialsand telling them, you know, hey,
Molly Cook, this is what I'mactually concerned about.
You know, this is what'sactually happening to me.
(52:10):
Because if I talk to thosepeople versus, you know,
attacking my neighbors andfriends on Facebook and people
that I went to high school with,it's gonna be a lot more
effective.
And you can affect change thatway.
And I think that's one of thethings that I've always
advocated is if it reallybothers you, get involved.
Do some activism, you know, dothe protests, talk to the
(52:31):
politicians, let your voice beheard.
I mean, that's really the themeof what we're trying to do here
is when is that the best use ofyour voice?
And how can you affect thatchange?
And maybe it's not on socialmedia, maybe it's not at the
Thanksgiving dinner table whenwe're talking to people who just
are not gonna listen, you know.
SPEAKER_02 (52:50):
Right, right, right, right.
One thing that I've alwaysthought, and you and I have
talked about this before, is youknow, people will invite you to
have a a heated debate ontotheir playing field, to their
area of expertise.
And, you know, it's an area ifyou if you're not well educated
in that area, you're not gonnawin.
So I I rarely let people decidehow the conversation is going to
(53:12):
go.
And if it's a topic that Ireally don't know that well,
then I'm not gonna discuss itwith them, and I'll say that.
However, if it's a topic that Ido know really well, then yeah,
I'm absolutely gonna go there,but I'm gonna invite them to do
it on my on my playing field, ifyou will.
SPEAKER_04 (53:26):
In just spin's, we live in an age where I feel like
the more information that's outthere, it's suited to whatever
argument you almost can make.
You can find almost any supportfor anything on the world wide
web.
You know, I mean, it's all outthere.
It's like we live in this greatage of information, but I feel
(53:46):
like sometimes it'sdisinformation.
It's like the truth is notalways out there.
There's all these like variantsof everything, and it's just
crazy.
And like you said, I think a lotof times media is entertainment
and it is doing things to toplacate you or to suck you in or
to, you know, confirm.
(54:06):
Confirmation bias is somethingthat we talk a lot about.
And I think that that happens alot.
And you know you live in theseecho chambers on social media
where all your friends kind ofagree with you.
Although I actually try to seekout people that don't agree with
me.
I mean, I think that's animportant part of it too.
I mean, I want to hear theopposite side too.
And I know that you and Isometimes will watch news
networks that we probablywouldn't just to hear how they
(54:29):
do it.
SPEAKER_02 (54:30):
You you can't speak to something you don't know.
Yeah.
Yes.
So if you never see it, then youcan't speak to it.
So absolutely.
You have to watch things thatyou would not normally know,
just so that you know what otherpeople are are hearing and then
be able to refute it with actualdata.
SPEAKER_04 (54:46):
Yeah.
And the truth is alwayssomewhere in the middle from a
propaganda thing.
I mean, I remember one time wewere part of the gym, where we
would go and they would play CNNand Fox News together
simultaneously, side by side,and you could watch as they spun
headlines totally differently.
SPEAKER_02 (55:03):
I know the same story, and they're so vastly
different on the two channels,it was funny.
SPEAKER_04 (55:08):
Yeah.
No, it was amazing to witnessthat live and happening in
person.
So yeah, well, it's a roughmonth, but we're here for you,
definitely.
SPEAKER_02 (55:20):
Yeah, yeah.
The holidays are difficult.
Like I said, it's especially forthose of us that end up having
to go into a community thatwe're not.
We don't typically go into fullyimmerse ourselves in it.
And then, you know, that for us,we're expected to go into those
communities.
We are expected to behave acertain way and to be very
tolerant of what might happenthere.
(55:41):
That's all things that areexpected of us, but we can't
expect that in return.
And that's difficult.
SPEAKER_04 (55:47):
It is very difficult.
But if you want to keep theconversation going, go to
kpft.org and hit donate.
It's on the upper right handsign.
And it's a way to fundlistener-funded radio.
You get all of these kind ofopinions and and differing
things and and the unfilteredvoices out there like queer
voices every week.
So I I appreciate everybody thatdoes that.
(56:09):
I mean, I actually do it monthlymyself.
So yeah.
And and we've made somedonations too along the way.
SPEAKER_02 (56:16):
So of course we have.
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (56:18):
Yes.
Well, happy welcome to theholidays, everybody.
I mean, I guess this isNovember, so we are smack in the
middle of it.
SPEAKER_06 (56:28):
So yes, we are.
SPEAKER_04 (56:30):
My favorite time of year.
It is your favorite time ofyear.
It is.
For some people I know it it'sit's fraught with a lot of
different things, like dealingwith family and things like
that.
So we're here if you ever need adifferent voice.
SPEAKER_02 (56:43):
True.
SPEAKER_06 (56:44):
True, true.
SPEAKER_08 (56:53):
This has been Queer Voices, heard on KPFT Houston
and as a podcast available fromseveral podcasting sources.
Check our webpagequeervoices.org for more
information.
Queer Voices executive produceris Brian Levinka.
Deborah Montcrief Bell isco-producer.
(57:16):
Brett Cullum and David MendozaDruisman are contributors.
SPEAKER_07 (57:20):
Some of the material in this program has been edited
to improve clarity at runtime.
This program does not endorseany political views or animal
species.
SPEAKER_08 (57:33):
For Queer Voices, I'm Glenn Holt.
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