This month I was going back and forth about which person I should interview next. Then a friend asked whether I had ever thought about interviewing myself. What? Become more than just the person hiding behind the computer screen? Well, actually I thought this was a really good idea because I know so few people in Kansas City and the area. So here is the revealing exposé! OK, perhaps not that revealing …
1. How did you end up at KU?
Well, back in 2003, I began to look at graduate schools. I was in the M.A. English program at North Dakota State University in Fargo. I was studying Renaissance literature and shopping for a Ph.D. program. KU wasn’t even on my radar until I attended a conference in Lawrence. I looked around and thought, “Wow! Look at the hills! Look at the trees! There’s a bookstore! I could live here!” Out of the 10 schools that I applied to, KU was the one to accept me (unlike other schools whose English departments only accept as many students as they can fund, KU doesn’t guarantee funding, so they accept more than two to four Ph.D. students each year).
2. How has it been living in Kansas compared to North Dakota?
Well, to begin with, the weather is so much better in Kansas! Yes, it is incredibly hot during the summer, but I can deal with that much better than seven months of winter! Both states are politically conservative, although I often think that Kansas is more so, but then I also live here now. I absolutely love Lawrence because of how liberal it is. In 2004, when I moved to Kansas, I was only out to my friends and a few colleagues at NDSU. Now I am completely out. I love it!
3. What are your research interests?
When I first came to KU, I was going to study either medieval or early modern literature. Within the first week and a half, I was bored off my butt. I knew that I couldn’t go on with it. I mean, I’d written my master’s thesis on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other slayers throughout literary history. That should have been a big hint right there! People suggested that I apply to American Studies at KU, but I didn’t know what I should do. I was a bit lost for that first year. And then I had a really great two-week summer course in 2005 that introduced me to multicultural queer literature. It all fit. I suddenly knew what I wanted to study in my life. So, I study 20th century American queer multicultural authors, autobiography, and LGBT archives.
4. How did you choose your dissertation topic?
I have been with the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at KU since 2005. In 2008, Bruce McKinney in Wichita donated his LGBT archive to KU. The archive was collected over a period of 40 years (and he’s still collecting and donating!). Many of the documents were collected by different people and then given to McKinney for the archive. I was told in November 2009 that I had been nominated to process that collection, which made sense as I was the only openly queer worker at the KSRL. I began to process the collection in 2009. This archive became the subject of my dissertation. I wrote about how this archive is a communally collected and created autobiography of LGBT Kansans. The archive is wonderful, and I am still in love with my dissertation topic.
5. Can anyone view the McKinney Collection?
Yes! Anyone who is 14 or older can access any of the collections at KSRL, including the Bruce McKinney Collection. It is not necessary to be affiliated with KU or any other institution.
6. Is your dissertation available to the public?
No, at this time it is embargoed, meaning that that abstract (summary) is available online, but not the actual document. I am working to publish portions of the dissertation. I’m also working it into a book manuscript for publication. There’s a great deal of work involved yet. There are chapters that I’ll need to add that weren’t written for the dissertation because the project would have been too long. In fact, I’d probably still be writing!
7. And you’re still teaching at KU? What classes do you teach?
Yes, I am still at KU. I am an adjunct lecturer and am looking for a full-time position teaching at the university level. I currently teach freshman/sophomore English classes — English 101, 102, and 209. The 100-level courses are basic composition courses. English 209 is Introduction to Fiction, which I teach as an LGBT literature course.
8. What do you like best about teaching at KU?
There is a combination of things that I love about teaching at KU. I really enjoy my students. They are really excited about learning (well, usually!). They constantly challenge me to consider how I think about literacy through the language that they use (and how they use it, such as through social media, texting, etc.). The other thing that I love is what I teach. I am so fortunate to be able to teach LGBT literature. My department has been nothing but supportive. Many people are surprised when they learn that most of my students are straight. My students don’t learn until the first day what I teach (unless they’ve known somebody who has taken my English 209 class), and a surprising number choose to stay in the course. This gives me great hope for the future.
9. Do you consider yourself an activist?
Yes and no. Much of my activism is through social media, where I share things on Facebook or Twitter. I’m pretty shy, and it’s much easier to be an activist behind a computer screen. I also feel as though I am an activist by teaching what I teach. Although I only teach LGBT literature in one class, I like to challenge all of my students in all of my classes to consider how they think about those who differ from them.
10. What is your guilty pleasure?
I have three. One, Diet Coke. Two, nachos. Three, Facebook. I’m horribly addicted to all three!
How did you end up at KU?
Well, back in 2003, I began to look at graduate schools. I was in the M.A. English program at North Dakota State University in Fargo. I was studying Renaissance literature and shopping for a Ph.D. program. KU wasn’t even on my radar until I attended a conference in Lawrence. I looked around and thought, “Wow! Look at the hills! Look at the trees! There’s a bookstore! I could live here!” Out of the 10 schools that I applied to, KU was the one to accept me (unlike other schools whose English departments only accept as many students as they can fund, KU doesn’t guarantee funding, so they accept more than two to four Ph.D. students each year).
How has it been living in Kansas compared to North Dakota?
Well, to begin with, the weather is so much better in Kansas! Yes, it is incredibly hot during the summer, but I can deal with that much better than seven months of winter! Both states are politically conservative, although I often think that Kansas is more so, but then I also live here now. I absolutely love Lawrence because of how liberal it is. In 2004, when I moved to Kansas, I was only out to my friends and a few colleagues at NDSU. Now I am completely out. I love it!
What are your research interests?
When I first came to KU, I was going to study either medieval or early modern literature. Within the first week and a half, I was bored off my butt. I knew that I couldn’t go on with it. I mean, I’d written my master’s thesis on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other slayers throughout literary history. That should have been a big hint right there! People suggested that I apply to American Studies at KU, but I didn’t know what I should do. I was a bit lost for that first year. And then I had a really great two-week summer course in 2005 that introduced me to multicultural queer literature. It all fit. I suddenly knew what I wanted to study in my life. So, I study 20th century American queer multicultural authors, autobiography, and LGBT archives.
How did you choose your dissertation topic?
I have been with the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at KU since 2005. In 2008, Bruce McKinney in Wichita donated his LGBT archive to KU. The archive was collected over a period of 40 years (and he’s still collecting and donating!). Many of the documents were collected by different people and then given to McKinney for the archive. I was told in November 2009 that I had been nominated to process that collection, which made sense as I was the only openly queer worker at the KSRL. I began to process the collection in 2009. This archive became the subject of my dissertation. I wrote about how this archive is a communally collected and created autobiography of LGBT Kansans. The archive is wonderful, and I am still in love with my dissertation topic.
Can anyone view the McKinney Collection?
Yes! Anyone who is 14 or older can access any of the collections at KSRL, including the Bruce McKinney Collection. It is not necessary to be affiliated with KU or any other institution.
Is your dissertation available to the public?
No, at this time it is embargoed, meaning that that abstract (summary) is available online, but not the actual document. I am working to publish portions of the dissertation. I’m also working it into a book manuscript for publication. There’s a great deal of work involved yet. There are chapters that I’ll need to add that weren’t written for the dissertation because the project would have been too long. In fact, I’d probably still be writing!
And you’re still teaching at KU? What classes do you teach?
Yes, I am still at KU. I am an adjunct lecturer and am looking for a full-time position teaching at the university level. I currently teach freshman/sophomore English classes — English 101, 102, and 209. The 100-level courses are basic composition courses. English 209 is Introduction to Fiction, which I teach as an LGBT literature course.
What do you like best about teaching at KU?
There is a combination of things that I love about teaching at KU. I really enjoy my students. They are really excited about learning (well, usually!). They constantly challenge me to consider how I think about literacy through the language that they use (and how they use it, such as through social media, texting, etc.). The other thing that I love is what I teach. I am so fortunate to be able to teach LGBT literature. My department has been nothing but supportive. Many people are surprised when they learn that most of my students are straight. My students don’t learn until the first day what I teach (unless they’ve known somebody who has taken my English 209 class), and a surprising number choose to stay in the course. This gives me great hope for the future.
Do you consider yourself an activist?
Yes and no. Much of my activism is through social media, where I share things on Facebook or Twitter. I’m pretty shy, and it’s much easier to be an activist behind a computer screen. I also feel as though I am an activist by teaching what I teach. Although I only teach LGBT literature in one class, I like to challenge all of my students in all of my classes to consider how they think about those who differ from them.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I have three. One, Diet Coke. Two, nachos. Three, Facebook. I’m horribly addicted to all three!
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.