August 2014 Suggested Retail Price $2.95

BeBe Zahara Benet

Featured Inside:

ISSN: 2372-2207

Living Her Purpose

2 Diversity Rules MagazineAugust 2014

My Two CentsBy Jim Koury, Editor

Inside This Issue (partial listing)

Keep Up Now .................................................. Page 3 Feature Interview: BeBe Zahara Benet ........... Page 4 Gay, Gay Metal ................................................Page 6 dr.a.g. ............................................................... Page 8 Queen of Clubs ............................................... Page 10 Amazon Trail ................................................... Page 11 inQUEERies ................................................... Page 14 Place Your Bets ................................................ Page 16 Visiting Las Vegas ........................................... Page 17 Remedies ......................................................... Page 19 Resources and Diversions .................................Page 22

Welcome to the August issue of Diversity Rules Magazine. It’s hard to believe we are in the 8th month of the year already. It is flying by, as the years usually do.

This month’s feature is BeBe Zahara Benet. Diversity Rules is honored to have her grace the cover and be the month’s feature interview. Many thanks to Project Publicity for sending her our way.

BeBe was the first winner of Ru-Paul’s Drag Race. Her newest proj-ect is her one woman show called “Reveal” and it premiered at Man-hattan’s Triad Theatre on July 21st with a subsequent performance on July 24th. Following her recent critically acclaimed off-Broadway show “Creature,” Reveal showcases a more intimate, vulnerable side to the Cameroon-born drag enter-tainer. Through song and never-before-told stories, the l

ive show will explore the Bebe be-neath the colorful wigs and make-up by delving into her fantasies as a child, her relationships with men today, the community and family she has built since being named America’s Next Drag SuperStar and how spirituality has helped BeBe Zahara Benet navigate the fame and remain true to her self.

The August issue also contains, as usual, a nice mix of articles of in-terest that pique all pallets in this big rainbow community. There are book and music reviews and com-pelling articles addressing topics we don’t normally think about.

As usual, Diveristy Rules is only possible with your financial sup-port. Consider subscribing and/or advertising or just be a benefactor and invest some money.

Be well. Be strong. Persevere.

Diversity Rules MagazinePO Box 72

Oneonta, NY 13820James R. Koury, Publisher

607.435.1587

Websitewww.diversityrulesmagazine.com

Blogwww.diversityrulesmagazine.blogspot.com

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Copyright 2014 Diversity Rules MagazineAll Rights Reserved

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If you have a question or comment regard-ing this issue or future issues of Diversity Rules Magazine, the publisher would love to hear from you! Feel free to contact Di-versity Rules using the e-mail above or mailing address listed above. Content sub-mission are always welcome too!

All submissions become the property of Diversity Rules Magazine. However, origi-nating authors reserve all rights to their creative works.

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Diversity Rules Magazine does not assume any fnancial responsibility for typographi-cal errors. If any errors are found, please notify Diversity Rules Magazine immedi-ately. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without writ-ten permission from the publisher.

3Diversity Rules MagazineAugust 2014

Terry’s brother Rob died of AIDS in 2004 and left her his writings of which Keep Up Now is the result. To find out how to manifest happiness and abundance, check out Terry’s

website at: www.terryludwig.net. Terry can be reached at: keepupnow@gmail.com.

Life begins with a seed; a thought. We plant it, nur-ture it and watch it grow. We pour our heart into it. It becomes our tree; the story of our life. It is our job, our children, our friends, our material worth, and it becomes the self we come to know. It is modeled after our domestication and pruned by our experiences. As it grows we bond with it, love and protect it.

We have become so attached to the story of our life, that any disturbance triggers a reaction to protect and clutch it tighter. Our happiness, health and security depend on the safety of our mighty tree. We have identified with our story, and have become the tree we planted. The dilemma is… this is not who we are. We are so much greater than we have allowed ourselves to be.

I was recently told of a man who had successfully carved out a niche in his profession and created a comfortable life for his wife and daughter.During the economic down-fall, he lost his job. He turned to alcohol to numb his trou-bles. Unable to find work, his depression spiraled out of con-trol. He lost his health ben-efits, and discovered, on top of everything else, he had a heart condition that required sur-gery. He couldn’t see his way out of the darkness and chose, instead, to end his life by com-mitting suicide. This story is all too familiar.

We are a society who has for-gotten who they are. We have traded our souls for possessions we thought would provide security, peace and happiness. These effects turned into trappings, concealing our true power and authenticity. There is a great force at work that we have silenced within us; a force so mighty that when we connect with it, we can literally move mountains.

We are not alone.

When the tree we have nurtured be-gins to shake, it’s a wakeup call. The Universe is trying to tell us, it’s time

to let go; there is some-thing better in store for us than the story we’ve created. We are co-creators of this life. When we don’t allow the Source within us to guide us, our version of life turns into hell and

the more violent our tree shakes.

Loosen your grip on the story you’ve created. Allow the Universe to guide you. Pay attention to new paths that await you. The Universe is shaking your tree be-cause it’s telling you to open your eyes; there is so much more life has to offer. You are a divine co-creator of the Universe and it’s time to take your rightful place and accept the power inherent in who you are. You are greater than you have given yourself permission to be.

There is a light so bright that shines inside of you; but you cannot see it, feel it, or imagine it, while you still clutch “your story”. You’re not alone in this creation of life. You’ve forgotten you are a co-creator. There

is a greater force, the Source from which you were created, reach-ing out to you, offer-ing you another way to happiness.

If you’re facing the dark night of your soul, wrap your arms around yourself and say these simple words:

I love you...I will no longer do any-thing to hurt you.I will always be there for you.I will carry you out of the darkness.Then take a good look at what the Universe is

offering you. There is a greater plan for happiness and love. It’s just a thought away…

Keep up Now ~ with the stream of higher con-sciousness and stay connected to the Source.

Keep Up NowBy Terry Ludwig

(c) Can Stock Photo Inc. / grsphoto

“Undeniably as individuals we have fallen prey to self-hatredor at least guilt or depression of one kind or another. That’s ok, because we have the right to hurt ourselves. That momentary inner defeat is our consciousness. We have acted against our own compassion-ate spirit. But within that collec-tive spiritual depth of pain there is within each of us a single ray of

hope, yet unmeasured. We are light whose frequency is timeless; whose source is boundless and are ourselves open channels of creative force from which we shine.”

– Rob Ludwig