Upcoming Monthly Men's Sunday Brunches (bring something to share/cook up): June 15th (Father's Day-children welcome) at Jim Lovestar's backyard picnic table, 2629 Upton Ave N, Minneapolis 55411(1 block east of Theodore Wirth Parkway and near the Broadway/Lowry Jct), 612-588-8984. July 20th at Bobby Schauerhamer's 5100 N. Bryant Ave. Minneapolis, 55430 612-670-6508 (6 blocks west of the 49th-53rd Ave Exit off I-94 North). 27 men attended the April brunch at Andy Mickel's; 10 men attended the May brunch at Rick Gravrok's. - Andy Mickel, 2008-05-19.

June is Men's Health Month <http://www.menshealthmonth.org/>, and June 9-15 is National Men's Health Week <http://www.menshealthweek.org/>, a special awareness period passed by Congress in 1994. Awareness materials such as brochures, T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers, etc. can be purchased at the MHN Store: <http://www.mhnstore.com/>,- Men's Health Network, PO Box 75972, Washington, DC 20013; 202-543-6461 x101 - 2008-04-15.

Correct use of language. I have tirelessly clarified misuse of the terms gender (masculine, feminine, neuter, transgender, etc.); sex (male, female, hermaphrodite, transsexual, etc.); and sexual orientation (homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, asexual, autosexual, etc.). Therefore my gender is not male. My sex is male. In fact at the Men's Center we have a long tradition of speaking about masculinities (plural), because we have accepted for a long time the analysis in men's issues circles (since the early 1970's) that the dominant culture's definition of masculinity (the social stereotype) is not only meaningless, but oppresses men. We can have as many different masculinities as there are men.

Because homophobia means "fear of same sex", then any man regardless of his sexual orientation can be a target of homophobia (homophobia does not mean fear or hatred of homosexuals). Such is the case in point with Sascha Radetsky, professional ballet dancer in New York City who wrote the "My Turn" column "Don't Judge Me by My Tights" in the March 17, 2008 issue of Newsweek magazine (pg 17). Radetsky described how he started taking ballet at age 5, and was the target of fistfights in throughout school in New York. He experienced discouragement, harassment and violence. He is proud of his profession despite the "skewed vision" of many Americans. He wears makeup on stage, some of his colleagues are gay, and he wants to move on to a future where ballet can be considered a masculine pursuit. - Andy Mickel, 2008-04-01.

The next ManKind Project-Minnesota New Warrior Training Adventure will be held October 3-5, 2008 at Eagle Lake Camp near Brainerd, MN. The cost is $650, with many payment plans and a scholarship fund available. To register, contact Taylor Burr, 651-274-1212. To learn more, attend an Open Circle event: Observe, Ask Questions (or Participate if you like) in a safe container with a group of men who are practicing authentic connection to feeling at Open Circle of Warriors events at the Men's Center every 2nd Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. Contact Andy Mickel with any questions 612-279-6416 or see: <http://minnesota.mkp.org/> for Open I-Group dates/times. - Andy Mickel, 2008-05-12.

Announcing Martin Prechtel's new and long desired school: Bolad's Kitchen "The New Sprouts: A course in overlooked histories of forgotten people kept alive in the smallest of places- Hope with Details" FFI: Bolad's Kitchen, PO Box 338, Ojo Caliente, NM 87549; 505-583-9103; <bluetayra@newmexico.com>
<http://www.floweringmountain.com/boladskitchen/secondsprouting.html> December 1 - 10, 2008 and June 25 - July 5, 2009 sessions; cost is $1500 one year (20 days) or $850 for one session. - Martin Prechtel, 2008-04-10.

Be sure to stay in touch with Men's Center workshops, classes, support groups and other events at: <http://www.tcmc.org/> - Andy Mickel, 2008-02-02.

Project 515 has identified 515 Minnesota statues that provide rights and responsibilities based on the legal definition of marriage. To become aware of the impact on men and women of these statutes, call 612-246-3885 or visit: <http://www.project515.org/> or E-mail <project515@earthlink.net> - Lee Anderson, Chair, Project 515 Inc., P.O. Box 50143, Minneapolis, 55405-0143. - 2008-04-23.

Festival for Fathers for 2008 will be at North Commons Park, 1801 James Ave. North Minneapolis on Saturday, August 9, 2008, noon - 4pm. See details at <http://www.mnfathers.org/festival.html/> - Minnesota Fatherhood Update, May 2008, Minnesota Fathers and Family Network, 2008-05-20.

"What About the Guys" by Gail Rosenblum was a full-page cover story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune Source section for Sunday, April 6, 2008. The subject is the proportion of American teenagers with sexually transmitted diseases. News that 25% of American teenage girls have STDs is presented to Minnesota teenage boys to get their responses. In Minnesota officials at Hennepin County Medical Center work with male-focused leadership programs, St. Paul has Sex 101 sessions at Boys Totem Town. Duluth has high-school youth-development land leadership councils and in Brainerd, a Wise Guyz program promotes sex education for male teens. - Gale Rosenblum, <grosenblum@startribune.com>

The film "Journeyman" a documentary about rites of passage, mentoring, and male culture in America by Charlie Borden and Kevin Obsatz which premiered in November, 2007 in Minneapolis is now available in two DVD editions. See: <http://www.mirrormanfilms.org/> for further information. - Charlie Borden, 2008-04-15.

"I was going to try to beat you to the punch [by renewing early] this year, but I hit 65, and it's like walking in slow motion on a Magler and moving in the opposite direction than the train is going. Did get out yesterday, though, [on a bicycle ride], not the "iron man" though but looking forward to another season..." -Best Wishes, Larry Boatman, St. Paul. 2008-04-20.

"Thank you for the article "Not Running on Empty" by Joe Szurszewski. It helped me so much." G. Easley, Minneapolis, 2008-05-01.