11 | OutBoise Magazine | NEWS
Jen, herself is not gay, but she
OutBoise.com | Issue 1.2 | November 2014
cated to raising money for other
of Boise Pride Inc, and the birth of
is very closely tied to so many
local charities and organizations. Boise Pridefest.
members of our community. This
When asked why she joined this
past April, Jen joined the cast of
group she was quite simple in her
Rent, as chorus member, and as
reply, “I have always loved drag
“The Bag Lady, ” which she jok-
queens, and I love to watch them community, Jen was very candid
ingly admits “was the best part
in the show! Plus I got to say F—!
perform. I love that they raise
money for the community. ”
” She also added that playing in
Rent was “the best experience of
my life. ”
During our conversation, I
explained to her why I chose to
interview her. I told her that I’ve
When asked about what she
would like to see change in our
with her response, “I would like to
see people have more respect
for each other, and for people
to be more careful. We can’t win
the fight by tearing each other
apart from the inside. ”
“I would like to see people have more respect for each other...
...We can’t win the fight by tearing each other apart from the inside”
Rent played for five weeks at
Stagecoach Theater in Boise.
watched her in what she does
More recently, Jen has posted
for the community, know she’s
to Facebook a heartfelt story that
The show was so popular, 3 extra heavily involved with a number
explains her dedication even
shows were added on to accom- of activities, and I always see
more:
modate. Jen also has worked
her stand up for other people in
at The Balcony Club since 2010.
the community, especially when
She began hosting karaoke night there’s unnecessary discord
Sundays in 2011 .
between fellow members of the
community.
In 2012, Jen sang the National
Anthem to a crowd in front of the
Capital Building during the Pride
“I’ve always felt drawn to the
LGBT Community, ” she said.
Festival, and in 2013, she opened “When I was younger, I was
the Pride Festival at Ann Morrison picked on, and made fun of, and
“People often ask me why it’s
important to me to be an ally
and spend so much time fighting
for equality and gay rights. I spent
a good portion of my life being
picked on and ostracized because of who I was. Nothing was
sacred...Not the music I listened
I can really relate to what [they]
to or the clothes I wore, not the
have been through. ”
Park.
movies I liked or the books I read,
not the things I collected.”
More recently, Jen has recently
joined as a member of the Imperi-
We discussed the changes that
al Sovereign Gem Court of Idaho have happened throughout our
– a community organization dedi- community, with the dissolution
continued, next page...