Hunter Valentine Announce West Coat Tour w/ Sum 41!

You read correctly: the awesome Hunter Valentine will be touring with one of the most successful pop-punk bands, Sum 41!

HUNTER VALENTINE is a band in nonstop motion.  From starring on Season 3 of Showtime's The Real L Word to the release of their third record, Collide & Conquer on Megaforce/Sony in October to a just-wrapped 6-week tour of North America, the ladies of Hunter Valentine are everywhere.  Now the band has announced a January West Coast tour with fellow Canadians SUM 41 which kicks off on January 8th in San Diego (tour dates below). 

Formed when singer/guitarist Kiyomi McCloskey met drummer Laura Petracca in a crowded bar in their hometown of Toronto, the two quickly forged an unbreakable bond that has seen the band create three studio albums and tour over 200+ dates a year and includes bassist Veronica "Vero" Sanchez.  For Collide & Conquer the band teamed up with famed Canadian producer Greig Nori, best known for his hit-making influence on SUM 41 and Iggy Pop.  Nori turned out to be exactly what Hunter Valentine needed to hone their skills and craft a new record that packs a serious punch.  The release of Collide & Conquer has the band has turning up everywhere from the cover of Curve Magazine to Huffington Post to Revolver Magazine's Hottest Chicks in Metal issue. 

Their first single, "Liar, Liar" has been burning up airwaves everywhere from Portland to Chicago to DC, and the song is a shining example of Hunter Valentine's distinctive, intense melodies and fiercely bold rock.  It's clear the band has arrived and is exploding into the mainstream.  Hunter Valentine have never been more primed to take the musical world by storm.

TOUR DATES:
1/8/13 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
1/10/13 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
1/11/13 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
1/12/13 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
1/15/13 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
1/16/13 - Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
1/18/13 - Portland, OR @ Roseland
1/19/13 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox at Market

No word as to when the tickets are coming on sale yet, but keep a look out - don't miss your chance!

Check out my review of a Hunter Valentine gig HERE.

LESBOOK REVIEW: But She is My Student

Looking for some easy-read, lesbian novels?

Then we have a treat for you!

Kiki Archer is an up and coming, out lesbian author from the United Kingdom.

Her first, best-selling novel, But She is My Student caters chiefly to the lady lovin' lady audience - not to say men and straight women can't enjoy it too!

BSIMS tells the story of a forbidden romance between a teacher and her student - now where have we heard that before?

However, unlike its motion picture siblings (Loving Annabelle, Bloomington), Archer's tale has a difference.

First and foremost, it is set in a UK school. True, there are some references that North American (and other) audiences won't understand, but don't worry - this novel won't leave you feeling lost.

Archer succeeds in including relevant, modern allusions and interweaves them with an exciting plot that will leave you not wanting to put the book down. Of course, me being the grammar Nazi that I am, I spotted some grammar errors, but they don't get in the way of telling this great story.

The dialogue between the protagonists and their friends is never unrealistic - I'm pretty sure I've had some of these exact conversations in my real life! - and the characters are easily relatable, what with all their anxieties and drama, creating a love for each personality.

Perhaps the biggest difference from most lesbian media we see today is the ending. I won't spoil it for you, but it won't leave you disappointed like the majority of lesbian fiction.

On the whole, Kiki Archer is no doubt one of the top lesbian authors of today - being gay herself really shows throughout the novel and you can tell she has an understanding of troubles the LGBTQ community goes through day by day.

LesBook Rating: 9 out of 10 - I'm not saying its perfect, but its definitely worth a read! (Especially with there being so little, good lesbian novels out there.)

Click HERE to download the (extremely cheap!) Kindle version of But She is My Student. (And HERE if you're in North America!)

For more on Kiki Archer, go to her official website: http://www.kikiarcherbooks.com/

Coming Soon: We review Archer's sequel - Instigations!

LESMOVIE REVIEW: Bloomington (2010)

As an addition to this wonderful website of lesbianism, I've decided to begin reviewing a series of lesbian movies, all for your amusement.

The first movie in this series is a movie I watched last night - Bloomington.

Okay, maybe I'm a little late with this one. I'd heard of it, but never forced myself to watch it.

Made in 2010, Bloomington has a plot line not dissimilar to the 2006 lesbian movie, Loving Annabelle.

Teacher-student lesbian relationship? You got it. Take a look:




(Image courtesy of lezgirlslike via Tumblr)

Stopped staring at that image yet? Okay.

Unlike Loving Annabelle though, we follow a girl who was formally a child TV star named Jackie, who begins a new life at college, in a town aptly named 'Bloomington'.

Give the film, oh, around 15 minutes, and we already have our first lesbian kiss. That's right - unlike many other lesbian movies, this one gets going pretty much straight away. SCORE.

Jackie gets involved with her sexy psych professor, Catherine, who sweeps her off her feet in an instant.

Similarly to the majority however, this lesbian film comes with drama. Lots of drama.

Sure, you'll fangirl over this:



(Image: Lipstick-Lesbian via Tumblr)

But then you'll lose your shit over... Well, I can't ruin it for you, can I?!

Unfortunately, what would have been a good (if not ultra-cheesy) lesbian movie turns into an old lesbian cliché: the end is abrupt and sort of just fizzles out.

I won't tell you how it ends, but safe to say you're not gonna be happy about it. (Don't base your expectations of this lesbian love story on the likes of The Notebook, because the end will just disappoint the crap out of you.)

But hey... At least no one dies!*

Lesmovie Rating: 7 out of 10 - watch it... but don't expect too much.


*If you don't watch lesbian movies or television a lot, you probably won't know that someone always dies. So this was actually a nice surprise!

Queer As Folk's Thea Gill Stars in "Failing Upwards"

So, lesbians. I'm not sure how many of you watched Queer as Folk (I certainly didn't), but great news if you were a fan of Thea Gill on the show: she's starring in the web series finale of 'Failing Upwards'!

I did see Thea in the ultra-gay, ultra-camp TV show, Dante's Cove, so I know she's a legit talent... But what exactly is Failing Upwards, you ask?

"Failing Upwards" is a brand new feel good comedy web series about unemployment and the hilarity of finding a job…even if you have to lie to get one.

Failing Upwards stars writers/creators: Alma Award-Winning actress Michelle C. Bonilla (Celena) and Matt Crabtree (Charlie). Rounding out the cast are writers Deidra Edwards (Annabelle) and Pip Lilly (Pip). The guest cast includes Thea Gill, Stephanie Erb, and Gerald McCullouch.

What openly out actors Michelle Bonilla and Matt Crabtree have created is not just another web series but a timely social series that creates comedy out of heart break, provides a chuckle to those who “pound the pavement” every single day, and most importantly show how little it takes to reverse some of the negative psychological effects that come with being unemployed and living off of "survival jobs". 

Via the series' official website, they also gives back to the job seeking community by supplying online viewers with links to job source sites, discounts, tips, and relevant news topics of the day.

You can click HERE to see Thea in action OR right below this post, here on All Things Lesbian!

Stay gay xo

(Source | FailingUpwards1 via YouTube)

Interview with Tucky Williams

Well, its the moment many of you have been waiting for: an interview with Girl/Girl Scene's Tucky Williams!

So, without further ado...


All Things Lesbian: Where did you find the inspiration to create Girl/Girl Scene?

Tucky Williams: I wanted to see a show that depicted what life was like for me and my friends, and there wasn't anything like that out there.

So the thing most readers asked was if you could give us any spoilers about Girl/Girl
Scene. Can you give us any hints on what fans should expect next on the show?

More Bender, more Avery, and more Ling. Those characters became really popular with the audience, so I gave them more screen time.

We read somewhere a while ago that you did not have funding for the series. Do you
have funding now? If not, how do you do it?!

The show is made on a modest budget. We’re only able to pull it off due to the dedication of the cast and crew and our belief that we’re making something great.

Are you hoping to carry on with more seasons of the web series?

That, and The Christmas Special.

Do you have any other projects in the running?

My friend Amber and I spent one weekend making a short film, just for fun with my FlipCam. It’s a found-footage movie. Some people saw it, and now it looks like we’re going to develop it into a real thing.

A lot of people tweeted saying how hot your voice was. Can you sing?

I’m a classically-trained singer. A contralto, obviously. But I can’t sing pop or rock to save my life.

Fan question time!:

“How did you meet Abisha?” – Bridget, New Jersey.

Through a bizarre series of events that the universe conspired to make happen. I accidentally wound up at a Sick of Sarah show in North Carolina. I vaguely knew who she was, and vice versa. We sort of kept in touch. I ran into her again in West Hollywood six months later, and I asked her to be on the show.

“What do you listen to on your iPod? Apart from Sick of Sarah, of course!” – Becky, England.

Lights! I’m in love with her.

“Are any of the storylines in G/GS based on things that have happened to you in real life?” – Jamie, California.

They are all based on things that have happened to me or to someone I know. Sometimes I’m accused of making the show too over-the-top, but I always laugh because I know that all of this stuff really happened.


Thanks you gays for all of the fan questions you sent in - they were awesome!

Click HERE for the official Girl/Girl Scene website!

"A Vote for Obama is a Vote for Equality"

Those of you in the States will know that today is crucial to the future of your country.

Let's quickly take a look at a genuine quote from Mitt Romney himself:

I do not favour marriage between people of the same gender and I don't favour civil unions.

I'd like to ask you one question: If Mitt Romney is saying things such as this, why are you voting for him?

A vote for Romney is a vote for turning back the clock. A vote for Romney is a vote in favour of discrimination against who you are and against those you love.

Now, I don't care if you don't want to get married. I don't care if you don't think marriage is an important factor to you. All I care about is the fact that you should think about your LGBTQ brothers and sisters who do believe that marriage is a step towards equality for all people who come under the queer umbrella.

A vote for Romney would mean that you are taking this right away from them; a right that gay people and their straight allies have fought for for a number of years.

A vote for Romney is a vote in favour of treating gay people like second-class citizens, who are different from their straight counterparts.

Some of you may say "you are being a one issue voter". Does that really matter?

Your sexual orientation is central to who you are. I'm not saying it defines you, but it is definitely a big part of your life. A VOTE FOR ROMNEY IS A VOTE AGAINST YOURSELF.

Now, let's compare this to the current president, Barack Obama.

Remember when he supported gay marriage publicly: the first time any president in US history has explicitly stated this? Let me remind you.

(Source | orangecountyfldems via YouTube)

Can you not see? Are you so blind as to hear Obama speak so emotionally about our LGBT family, yet vote for Romney anyway?

Not only that, but Obama has supported other legislation regarding LGBT equality.

In 2010, President Obama repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which prevented gay service members from serving openly in the US armed forced.

President Obama has constantly supported the idea that foreign nationals in the States should be low priority cases in terms of deportation, allowing them to stay with their partners.

Obama has spoken out publicly against bullying in regards to pupils who regard themselves as gay - he even released an "It Gets Better" video, to show thousands of young people that he supports them and their right to be whoever they want to be.

So, you lovely gays, I'm going to ask you one more time: If you're voting for Romney... why? You are voting against everything many people just like you believe in.

A vote for Obama is a vote for civil rights.

A vote for Obama is a vote for moving forward.

A vote for Obama is a vote for EQUALITY.

Interview w/ The Real L Word's Lauren Russell

What a treat we have here for you gays - an interview with the gorgeous Lauren Russell from Showtime's The Real L Word!

Check below for what she has to say about The Real L Word, her new jewelry line and of course, her girlfriend Kiyomi!

How has life changed for you since appearing on the Real L Word?

Life has changed in a lot of ways, but the biggest is how it has changed my feeling of purpose. I have been and continue to be inspired every day by the people that message me with their stories of how I've helped them come out, to be confident, one woman even said I saved her life. I would have never in a million years expected that. I think it has really shown me what impact I can have both with my actions in life and with philanthropy, and I have a very clear sense of where I want my direction in life to go now. 

The show hasn’t been picked up for season 4 yet. If it is, are you still interesting in being a part of it?

Yes, we are still waiting to hear the word about season 4. I am contractually obligated to do the show, but even if I wasn't, I would still want to do it. 

I’m assuming you’re not used to having your relationships filmed in real time. Was it weird for your relationship with Kiyomi to be so publicized?

Ha! No, not used to it at all. Yes it was a little strange for sure. Especially watching the first time we meet, etc. But it was so fun to watch for me, that overcame the weird aspect.

We understand you have your own line of jewelry. Tell us more about it. 

My jewelry line is called Lyon Fine Jewelry (www.lyonfinejewelry.com) and I started it about a year and a half ago. It started as a high end line but I also am starting to incorporate some more affordable designs. I have a line of charity bracelets too that (http://lyonfinejewelry.com/charity_bracelets.html) I am constantly adding to.

Did you always want to work in fashion? 

I always had an interest in fashion, but only about three years ago I decided to focus solely on jewelry.

Were you inspired by any other designers when designing your pieces?

No.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

The lower priced jewelry line, the expanding charity bracelet line, and always adding to the fine jewelry. Plus I am always working on custom designs for customers.

 
 

And some quick fan questions…

What is something you and Kiyomi want for your future as a couple? - @TheIslandLez, Canada

We talk about all sorts of things, but that question may be answered if there is another season. I can't really say right now! Sorry, lame answer, but true.

On a more serious note, Danielle from California asked: Do you think marriage is a possibility for Kiyomi and yourself in the future?

I think we both are very committed to each other, and we have talked about marriage yes, but not for a few years I don't think.

How do you stay in shape? Do you go to a gym? You always look great! – Grace, Brooklyn

Thank you, I do normally work out at least 5 times a week but since filming started in March of 2012 I have fallen way off the gym wagon due to lack of time!! I eat pretty healthfully, most of the time. I try to always focus on what are good healthy things TO eat, instead of obsessing about cutting out things that are bad for you.

Fun interview, right? Lauren gave some great answers!

What did you think of what she had to say? Comment below and let us know!

To follow Lauren on Twitter, click HERE.

To check out her absolutely beautiful jewelry line, go to http://lyonfinejewelry.com/.