The Paper | Calendar | |Businesses | Attractions | Nightlife | Resources | Gay Links | Home Locals News Gay Volleyball Returns to Carmel Beach Get out your sunscreen and your shorts because it's time to start playing volleyball. The weekly gay volleyball game on Carmel Beach began on May 19th and will meet every Tuesday night at around 6 p.m. on Carmel Beach in Carmel. Games last until sunset. The volleyball courts are adjacent to the parking lot at the foot of Ocean Ave. The game is free and open to everyone. Last year's game drew dozens of men and women from the peninsula and Salinas. The group doesn't put up a sign, so turn on your gaydar. For more information, contact Brian at 408/392-2045 (e-mail sqquirtt@aol.com).   Rice Girls Link Gay Asians Montereyans have added yet another new social group to the gay spectrum. The Rice Girls will bring together gay Asians for fun, travel, and sushi. Founders Marsha Olson and Russell Wong hope that the group will give gay men and women with an Asian lineage a chance to meet people that understand their jokes and their culture. "It's not all about being Hop Sing or doing a twirl and kick for karate," said Olson. The Asian Connection The group welcomes anyone with an Asian lineage. Both Olson and Wong come from mixed-race families. Like its counterpart Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) in San Francisco and the Gay Pacific Islander Social Network (GPSN) in Los Angeles, the Rice Girls' meetings will for Asians only. Events and outings, however, are open to anyone in learning more about popular Asian gay culture. The Sticky Thing The rise of "sticky" Asian organizations began in the late 1980s, when gay Asians attempted to break the stereotypical role they had played in the gay community. "Sticky rice" is new slang for Asian gays who date other Asians. Unlike the gay Latino and African American communities, gay Asians have only recently begun to galvanize. Asian Outings Rice Girls will travel to San Francisco for an evening at Club Asia and to attend GAPA-sponsored events, such as the recent one-man performance by actor Alec Mapa. Local events will include dinners and other social functions. "What I think is remarkable," said Wes Kashiwagi, publisher of Monterey's gay newspaper, "is that they've chosen a name that on face-value perpetuates the stereotype of Asians as willowy geishas. I think it shows that gay people of their generation are comfortable enough with themselves that they don't need to create a butch persona or a terribly serious-sounding name; they just want to have a good time." For more information on Rice Girls, call The Paper at 408/655-3756 or send e-mail to wes@mbay.net Frusetta Introduces Bill to Block Gay Websites PFLAG's advocacy arm sent a e-mail news alert warning that Assemblymember Peter Frusetta of Hollister, who is up for re-election this year, introduced measure AB2350 which would require all libraries to install computer software to restrict viewing of pornography on computers with internet access, but which will also block access to PFLAG, GLSEN, and other educational material about gay issues. Ordinance Protects Gays in Public Accommodations Gay men and lesbians won a major political victory on April 14, when the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance that specifically protects lesbians and gay men against discrimination in public accommodations. The ordinance was authored by Santa Cruz Supervisor Mardi Wormhoudt after two gay men were denied the "couples rate" at a rural Santa Cruz County beach. The ordinance will also apply to housing rental arrangements. The supervisors voted 3-2, with conservative supervisors Walt Symons and Ray Belgard in opposition. Symons made references to bestiality and pedophilia in his questions about the ordinance. Joining Wormhoudt to approve the ordinance were Supervisors Jeff Almquist and Jan Beautz. Twenty-five supporters of the ordinance attended the meeting for the vote. Attorneys Margaret Leonard, Jennifer Drobac, and Lori Klein spoke in favor of the ordinance, as did former Santa Cruz Mayor John Laird. The victory capped months of organizing efforts by a group of Santa Cruz lesbians and gay men. - John Laird Deaf Queers Meet in Santa Cruz A deaf queer organization for the Monterey Bay area has started meeting every third Friday of the month in Santa Cruz. Meetings are informal social gatherings for queer Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing folk, as well as their friends. The group's founder says that everyone from everywhere is welcome. E-mail enigma@travelin.com S.C Radio Station Seeks LBGT Support 90.7 FM Coast Public Radio in Santa Cruz is seeking support from the gay community. Frederic Phaneuf, CEO and General Manager of the station, said "I'm a card carrying Santa Cruz LGBTCC member." Tom Kwai Lam, who started QTV in Santa Cruz, is also on the station's board of directors. To donate to the station, write to Frederic Phaneuf, 90.7 FM Coast Public Radio, 121C Kennan St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 800/995-7413.