'I'm gonna have my own show b*tches! GIT READY'
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Thursday, January 31, 2013
Alternative Valentines For Lesbians
Have you gotten into a Valentine's Day rut? Do you do the same deal every year? Dinner, roses and chocolate? Why not do something different this year? Your love is special and it deserves something different and unique. I came up with some ideas for an alternative Valentine's Day for lesbians. What will you do this year?
© Farmer Stephanie
© Farmer Stephanie
Moving to Austin. What next?
My partner and I plan to move to Austin, Texas, in January. We?re looking for recommendations about neighborhoods, information about the housing market, or any other useful information. Traits of our ideal area, in no particular order:
* Bicycle friendly.
* Close to transit lines.
* Funky and weird.
* Inexpensive.
* In the city limits.
* Mix of people, such as different ages.
* Relatively cohesive neighborhood.
* Relatively quiet (I am hypersensitive with sounds).
* Has stuff within walking distance ? for instance, grocery store, pool, park, library and restaurants within about a mile.
About us:
Early 50s women. No kids. Three cats and a dog. We have a variety of interests, but not spectator sports. Two cars, but we?d like to use them less. No jobs lined up yet. I might work in journalism or government, but am also interested in coworking.
About housing:
Looking for two or three bedrooms at a moderate price. Expect to live there the rest of our lives. Plan to buy a home but might rent for about six months first. Open to different types of housing (such as condos, townhouses, mobile homes, cohousing) but probably not apartments.
We live in a small town in a house with 1,700 square feet. It has three bedrooms and 1.75 baths. The house was bought for $140K six or seven years ago. Last year, it was appraised at $180K. We hope to sell it for $160K to $175K.
Our questions:
* Are there any areas you recommend?
* Are there any areas we should avoid?
* How does the housing market compare?
* Where is the ?gay ghetto??
* Are there any neighborhood newspapers?
* Is there anything else we should know?
* Bicycle friendly.
* Close to transit lines.
* Funky and weird.
* Inexpensive.
* In the city limits.
* Mix of people, such as different ages.
* Relatively cohesive neighborhood.
* Relatively quiet (I am hypersensitive with sounds).
* Has stuff within walking distance ? for instance, grocery store, pool, park, library and restaurants within about a mile.
About us:
Early 50s women. No kids. Three cats and a dog. We have a variety of interests, but not spectator sports. Two cars, but we?d like to use them less. No jobs lined up yet. I might work in journalism or government, but am also interested in coworking.
About housing:
Looking for two or three bedrooms at a moderate price. Expect to live there the rest of our lives. Plan to buy a home but might rent for about six months first. Open to different types of housing (such as condos, townhouses, mobile homes, cohousing) but probably not apartments.
We live in a small town in a house with 1,700 square feet. It has three bedrooms and 1.75 baths. The house was bought for $140K six or seven years ago. Last year, it was appraised at $180K. We hope to sell it for $160K to $175K.
Our questions:
* Are there any areas you recommend?
* Are there any areas we should avoid?
* How does the housing market compare?
* Where is the ?gay ghetto??
* Are there any neighborhood newspapers?
* Is there anything else we should know?
Oprah in Trouble for using Foreskin Skin Cream
An anti-circumcision group based in Vancouver
plans to protest in front of Rogers Arena on Thursday, because Oprah
will be there for whatever reason. Glen Callender (who looks like this),
founder of the Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project, is mad at The
Mighty O for using a $150-a-jar face cream that's got
foreskins in it. (well, sort of...see below)
Oprah has been using the cream for a million years and
Glen says that it's very hypocritical of her to speak out against female
genital mutilation while she's got blended dick hoods smeared all over
her face.
Glen tells The Owen Sound Times
that Oprah would never put a clitoris on her face (insert
gaylekingsmirking.gif here), so why is she putting foreskins on her
face?
?Imagine how Oprah would respond if a skin cream for men went on the
market that was made from parts of the genitalia of little girls. That
would be an outrage and rightly so. I would like Oprah to come to her
senses and realize that all children have a fundamental human right to
keep all their genitalia and to decide for themselves if anything gets
cut off."
SkinMedica says that they don't exactly rip the foreskin off of men
and then throw it into a blender. The makers
of the cream say "they use foreskin fibroblast ? a piece of human skin used as a culture to grow other skin or cells."
Posted by: Michael K at d listed
plans to protest in front of Rogers Arena on Thursday, because Oprah
will be there for whatever reason. Glen Callender (who looks like this),
founder of the Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project, is mad at The
Mighty O for using a $150-a-jar face cream that's got
foreskins in it. (well, sort of...see below)
Oprah has been using the cream for a million years and
Glen says that it's very hypocritical of her to speak out against female
genital mutilation while she's got blended dick hoods smeared all over
her face.
Glen tells The Owen Sound Times
that Oprah would never put a clitoris on her face (insert
gaylekingsmirking.gif here), so why is she putting foreskins on her
face?
?Imagine how Oprah would respond if a skin cream for men went on the
market that was made from parts of the genitalia of little girls. That
would be an outrage and rightly so. I would like Oprah to come to her
senses and realize that all children have a fundamental human right to
keep all their genitalia and to decide for themselves if anything gets
cut off."
SkinMedica says that they don't exactly rip the foreskin off of men
and then throw it into a blender. The makers
of the cream say "they use foreskin fibroblast ? a piece of human skin used as a culture to grow other skin or cells."
Posted by: Michael K at d listed
Westboro Baptist Church Files Amicus Brief in SCOTUS Prop 8 Case; Will Join NOM at Rally in March
The Westboro Baptist Church has joined those filing amicus briefs in the Prop 8 case before the Supreme Court, Good As You reports, using verses from the Bible as its legal citations.
Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP...
Writes the WBC, in conclusion:
Same-sex marriage will destroy this nation. If the leaders of this country treat what God has called abominable as something to be respected, revered,and blessed with the seal of approval of the government, that will cross a final line with God. The harm that will befall this nation, when the condign destructive wrath of God pours out on a nation that purposefully, in a calculating manner, institutionalizes marriage licenses for same-sex unions, is the ultimate harm to the health, welfare and safety of the people. The government is duty bound ? in this Christian nation ? to institute the standard of God on marriage, and pass and uphold laws that forbid same-sex marriage.
?Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of theLORD your God.? What interest could be more compelling for the government than to seek the blessings of God on this nation, by obeying His commandments and following His standards?
Check out the brief, AFTER THE JUMP...
And that rally and march that the National Organization for Marriage is planning on March 26? Westboro will be there beside them, of course.
Perry: Amicus Brief of Westboro Baptist Church by
Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP...
Writes the WBC, in conclusion:
Same-sex marriage will destroy this nation. If the leaders of this country treat what God has called abominable as something to be respected, revered,and blessed with the seal of approval of the government, that will cross a final line with God. The harm that will befall this nation, when the condign destructive wrath of God pours out on a nation that purposefully, in a calculating manner, institutionalizes marriage licenses for same-sex unions, is the ultimate harm to the health, welfare and safety of the people. The government is duty bound ? in this Christian nation ? to institute the standard of God on marriage, and pass and uphold laws that forbid same-sex marriage.
?Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of theLORD your God.? What interest could be more compelling for the government than to seek the blessings of God on this nation, by obeying His commandments and following His standards?
Check out the brief, AFTER THE JUMP...
And that rally and march that the National Organization for Marriage is planning on March 26? Westboro will be there beside them, of course.
Perry: Amicus Brief of Westboro Baptist Church by
(70) What the Hell is Going On?
Miley Cyrus, Tammy & Melissa Lesbalimony, Opinions and what do they really mean?, The Definition of a Lesbian conclusion via Twitter, The Real L Word, Julianne Moore in Kids Are Alright is gonna learn right here and right now that Lesbians are not bisexual. Somebody has to tell us what in the gay hell is [...]
(48) Glossy Glam Drag Race
Intro from Our Friends at the I’m Going to Kill You Podcast Rupaul’s Drag Race, Bigots From All Walks of Life and/or Opposing Parties Etcetera Can ALL Agree on One Thing: H8 Legislation. PC Polizia, Homogenization, the Fairness Doctrine, Freedom of Speech, Women and Food, Stupidity: the Side Effect of Narcissism and more … www.imgoingtokillyou.podomatic.com [...]
(53) Skeleton Closet Confessions
8 minute Mash-up, Then Nikki Guest Hosts and says it’s show 54 but don’t listen to her it’s #53; ate mail from God?/Yeshua; Aimless feminists; and answer listener inquiries from show 52 re: (Sandi’s) run in with a past flame’s ex-hubby a few weeks ago and we both confess a few skeletons in our closets [...]
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Toronto lesbian social groups?
Toronto lesbian community/friends filter: Where in Toronto can I find and join some sort of lesbian social groups? Where are the non-alcoholic local hang outs? I am single (so, the couples-only ones are out) and in my late 20's. I'm really just looking for friends. I tried okcupid, but all the meetings turn into dates quickly, and before I know it a woman is professing love when I haven't even decided we can be great friends. I have some gay friends, both men and women, in real life, but I want to meet more.
Modern Families
Before I dive into my first column
I want to thank all my Facebook friends who contributed to the name of what I hope will become a very popular weekly feature column in The G&L Times. I needed all the help I could get. I’m a show producer, not a writer. One of the performers in my touring show “iL CiRCo” came up with the name: “Mary Has A Little Man”. I always thought Chris was cute, amazingly talented and has an Adonis of a body, but he’s a total smart ass (I don’t say “Smart-aleck” anymore as it has completely different connotations in my life which I will discuss in further detail later). I do appreciate Chris’ wit and humor… I just can’t see myself as “Mary”, you know? Other names that made it to t…
Read More
I want to thank all my Facebook friends who contributed to the name of what I hope will become a very popular weekly feature column in The G&L Times. I needed all the help I could get. I’m a show producer, not a writer. One of the performers in my touring show “iL CiRCo” came up with the name: “Mary Has A Little Man”. I always thought Chris was cute, amazingly talented and has an Adonis of a body, but he’s a total smart ass (I don’t say “Smart-aleck” anymore as it has completely different connotations in my life which I will discuss in further detail later). I do appreciate Chris’ wit and humor… I just can’t see myself as “Mary”, you know? Other names that made it to t…
Read More
(55-B) MJ Overkill & Otherness
B. Late in posting this sorry if it’s a little dated. This is a portion of the show 55 that was going to be cut and tossed, thought it was overkill on the Micheal Jackson talk. For those of you who are interested and want to hear yet more MJ talk, tune in. There are [...]
The Sound You Hear Is That of a Thousand Lesbian Heads Exploding.
...and it sounds oh so lovely.I'm coming out of hiding to post this picture and to let you guys deal with the fact that Gwen Stefani and Pink not only sang together, and not only did super incredibly homosexual push-ups together on stage tonight, but they seem to have brushed liptorials in the process. If you need assistance getting up off of the floor, please call 1-800-ARLAN-IVE-FALLEN-AND-ICANT-GETUP and I'll send someone over to pick your ass up.I've said it before, and I'll say it again: You. Are. Welcome.
Facebooks Zuckerberg Hosts GOP fundraiser Chris Christie
How does Chris Hughes, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The New Republic
and Facebook Co-founder, feel about Mark Zuckerberg hosting a
fundraiser for Republican Governor Chris Christie? Hughes joined ABC
News in a web exclusive to discuss viewer questions from Facebook about
Christie, his career successes, The New Republic, and his contributions
to Facebook before the ?This Week? roundtable on Sunday.
and Facebook Co-founder, feel about Mark Zuckerberg hosting a
fundraiser for Republican Governor Chris Christie? Hughes joined ABC
News in a web exclusive to discuss viewer questions from Facebook about
Christie, his career successes, The New Republic, and his contributions
to Facebook before the ?This Week? roundtable on Sunday.
R.I. Senate leader commits to debate on marriage bill
Rhode Island Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed said last week she does not support the marriage equality bill that passed in -More-
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Modern Families
Before I dive into my first column
I want to thank all my Facebook friends who contributed to the name of what I hope will become a very popular weekly feature column in The G&L Times. I needed all the help I could get. I’m a show producer, not a writer. One of the performers in my touring show “iL CiRCo” came up with the name: “Mary Has A Little Man”. I always thought Chris was cute, amazingly talented and has an Adonis of a body, but he’s a total smart ass (I don’t say “Smart-aleck” anymore as it has completely different connotations in my life which I will discuss in further detail later). I do appreciate Chris’ wit and humor… I just can’t see myself as “Mary”, you know? Other names that made it to t…
Read More
I want to thank all my Facebook friends who contributed to the name of what I hope will become a very popular weekly feature column in The G&L Times. I needed all the help I could get. I’m a show producer, not a writer. One of the performers in my touring show “iL CiRCo” came up with the name: “Mary Has A Little Man”. I always thought Chris was cute, amazingly talented and has an Adonis of a body, but he’s a total smart ass (I don’t say “Smart-aleck” anymore as it has completely different connotations in my life which I will discuss in further detail later). I do appreciate Chris’ wit and humor… I just can’t see myself as “Mary”, you know? Other names that made it to t…
Read More
Steven Davies becomes the first English Cricketer to come out
There are few top British Sportsmen who are out. There are none in Soccer, one in Rugby (Gareth Davies) and now there is one in Cricket. Stephen Davies is the first professional cricketer to come out as gay. Well done Stephen!
Stephen told the coach, who passed on the news to the England team. The team were unfazed by this and congratulated Stephen on his courage.
Gareth Davies took the monumental step of coming out as a gay rugby player last year. He is now a role model for many gay teens and adults as well as breaking down gay stereotypes.
Stephen Davies played for Worcestershire before leaving for the Brit Oval on a three year contract in August.
Gay newsView Australian Queer News on the web at Gay News Blog
Stephen told the coach, who passed on the news to the England team. The team were unfazed by this and congratulated Stephen on his courage.
Gareth Davies took the monumental step of coming out as a gay rugby player last year. He is now a role model for many gay teens and adults as well as breaking down gay stereotypes.
Stephen Davies played for Worcestershire before leaving for the Brit Oval on a three year contract in August.
Gay newsView Australian Queer News on the web at Gay News Blog
Goodbye, from Ali Davis
During the run-up to the 2008 election, I started phone banking to try to stop Prop 8. I?m an introvert, and phone banking involved plunging into a room full of strangers to call more strangers to talk about one hell of a touchy political issue.
Also there was occasional motivational chanting.
I called my friend Jenny Hagel and ran out her voicemail wondering why I do these things to myself. After she was done laughing at me, Jenny suggested I get in touch with the wonderful Jennifer Vanasco and send her a piece about what it was like.
Jay said my article needed to be at least 350 words long. I believe I sent her five pages. And thus one of my favorite freelancing relationships ever was born.
In addition to working with one of my favorite editors ever, I?ve really enjoyed being a part of the site.
365Gay is the first place I turned when Prop 8 passed to try to make sense of things. It was a place to get real information, to see the story covered by the people it affected most, and to see the huge spectrums of reaction across the LGBT community.
Reading 365Gay helped me sort out the difference between productive and unproductive anger and decide what I was going to do about it.
I also got an education on how broad the LGBT political spectrum can be. Checking out the responses to articles ? or simply discovering that a substantial portion of our audience hated, hated, hated ?RachelWatch? ? was interesting, funny, and infuriating. And it was a level of diversity in the community that I needed to know about.
365Gay is why I went to Washington for the Equality March and met so many cool readers? And then went back again to compete with the hilarious James Withers for Most Conspicuous Reporter at the Glenn Beck rally. It has tested my ability to research, explain, and make jokes on tight deadlines. And it has cemented my belief that making fun of bigots is good for the soul.
365Gay been a haven, a touchstone, and a place where I am schooled just when I think I have a handle on things.
Thanks for the warm welcome, 365Gay staff, contributors, and readers. I will miss this place.
Stay strong, smart, funny, and fabulous. I hope I see you on the outside.
Also there was occasional motivational chanting.
I called my friend Jenny Hagel and ran out her voicemail wondering why I do these things to myself. After she was done laughing at me, Jenny suggested I get in touch with the wonderful Jennifer Vanasco and send her a piece about what it was like.
Jay said my article needed to be at least 350 words long. I believe I sent her five pages. And thus one of my favorite freelancing relationships ever was born.
In addition to working with one of my favorite editors ever, I?ve really enjoyed being a part of the site.
365Gay is the first place I turned when Prop 8 passed to try to make sense of things. It was a place to get real information, to see the story covered by the people it affected most, and to see the huge spectrums of reaction across the LGBT community.
Reading 365Gay helped me sort out the difference between productive and unproductive anger and decide what I was going to do about it.
I also got an education on how broad the LGBT political spectrum can be. Checking out the responses to articles ? or simply discovering that a substantial portion of our audience hated, hated, hated ?RachelWatch? ? was interesting, funny, and infuriating. And it was a level of diversity in the community that I needed to know about.
365Gay is why I went to Washington for the Equality March and met so many cool readers? And then went back again to compete with the hilarious James Withers for Most Conspicuous Reporter at the Glenn Beck rally. It has tested my ability to research, explain, and make jokes on tight deadlines. And it has cemented my belief that making fun of bigots is good for the soul.
365Gay been a haven, a touchstone, and a place where I am schooled just when I think I have a handle on things.
Thanks for the warm welcome, 365Gay staff, contributors, and readers. I will miss this place.
Stay strong, smart, funny, and fabulous. I hope I see you on the outside.
US: military chaplains may perform same-sex unions
�(Washington) The Pentagon has decided that military chaplains may perform same-sex unions, whether on or off a military installation.
The ruling announced Friday by the Pentagon's personnel chief follows the Sept. 20 repeal of a law that had prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
Some members of Congress have objected to military chaplains performing same-sex unions, saying it would violate the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
The Pentagon says a military chaplain may officiate at any private ceremony, but isn't required if it would conflict with his or her religious or personal beliefs.
The Pentagon also says Defense Department property may be used for private functions, including religious and other ceremonies such as same-sex unions, as long as it's not prohibited by state or local laws.
The ruling announced Friday by the Pentagon's personnel chief follows the Sept. 20 repeal of a law that had prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
Some members of Congress have objected to military chaplains performing same-sex unions, saying it would violate the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
The Pentagon says a military chaplain may officiate at any private ceremony, but isn't required if it would conflict with his or her religious or personal beliefs.
The Pentagon also says Defense Department property may be used for private functions, including religious and other ceremonies such as same-sex unions, as long as it's not prohibited by state or local laws.
Scott Lively to go On Trial For Crimes Against Humanity
This is really remarkable!!Abiding Truth Ministries founder Scott Lively sparked international
outrage when he worked with anti-gay forces in Uganda to foster
legislation that would impose the death penalty for homosexual activity. Lively author, attorney and activist, noted for his opposition to LGBT rights and his involvement in the ex-gay movement. Why would an American citizen, stir up this crap for gays in another country?The New York Times reported:
The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2002, Mr. Lively
conspired with religious and political leaders in Uganda to whip up
anti-gay hysteria with warnings that homosexuals would sodomize African
children and corrupt their culture. The Ugandan legislature considered a
bill in 2009, proposed by one of Mr. Lively?s Ugandan contacts, that
would have imposed the death sentence for homosexual behavior. That bill
was at first withdrawn after an outcry from the United States and
European nations that are among major aid donors to Uganda, but a
revised bill was reintroduced last month.
Mr. Lively is being sued by the organization Sexual
Minorities Uganda under the alien tort statute, which allows foreigners
to sue in American courts in situations alleging the violation of
international law. The suit claims that Mr. Lively?s actions resulted in
the persecution, arrest, torture and murder of homosexuals in Uganda.While the future of that bill is still up in the air, a Ugandan LGBT
group is suing Lively for crimes against humanity in Massachusetts
federal court.
Scheduled to begin Monday, the case is believed to be the first use of the Alien Tort Statute?which
gives American courts the right to hear human-rights cases brought by
foreign citizens for conduct committed outside the US?involving sexual
orientation. This is really amazing!!
outrage when he worked with anti-gay forces in Uganda to foster
legislation that would impose the death penalty for homosexual activity. Lively author, attorney and activist, noted for his opposition to LGBT rights and his involvement in the ex-gay movement. Why would an American citizen, stir up this crap for gays in another country?The New York Times reported:
The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2002, Mr. Lively
conspired with religious and political leaders in Uganda to whip up
anti-gay hysteria with warnings that homosexuals would sodomize African
children and corrupt their culture. The Ugandan legislature considered a
bill in 2009, proposed by one of Mr. Lively?s Ugandan contacts, that
would have imposed the death sentence for homosexual behavior. That bill
was at first withdrawn after an outcry from the United States and
European nations that are among major aid donors to Uganda, but a
revised bill was reintroduced last month.
Mr. Lively is being sued by the organization Sexual
Minorities Uganda under the alien tort statute, which allows foreigners
to sue in American courts in situations alleging the violation of
international law. The suit claims that Mr. Lively?s actions resulted in
the persecution, arrest, torture and murder of homosexuals in Uganda.While the future of that bill is still up in the air, a Ugandan LGBT
group is suing Lively for crimes against humanity in Massachusetts
federal court.
Scheduled to begin Monday, the case is believed to be the first use of the Alien Tort Statute?which
gives American courts the right to hear human-rights cases brought by
foreign citizens for conduct committed outside the US?involving sexual
orientation. This is really amazing!!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Lesbian News - 13 Jan 2013
G&L Critics Group Announces Award NominationsBehold the Least Lesbian Oscar Nominations EverLesbian cinema in Newcastle ? ?Straight as a Rainbow?: Hopeful Romantic Film SeasonLesbian couple: Restaurant owner hands them letter condemning homosexuality
Former NFL Player Kwame Harris Charged with Attacking Ex-Boyfriend
Kwame Harris, a former offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, was scheduled to appear in court today on charges he attacked his ex-boyfriend in a dispute over soy sauce and underwear, the Daily Journal reports:
Harris, 30, is charged with felony counts of domestic violence causing great bodily injury and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in the Aug. 21, 2012 incident. He has pleaded not guilty but was held to answer after a preliminary hearing last fall. He is due back in court today for a pretrial conference to either settle the case or confirm a jury trial hearing. The man, Dimitri Geier, is also suing Harris civilly for assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Harris and Geier were no longer involved when the fight took place, according to Harris' attorney:
Harris was to drive Geier to San Francisco International Airport but instead became upset when he poured soy sauce on a plate of rice, according to the suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court. The men argued for approximately seven minutes and Harris said he would no longer take Geier to the airport, the suit states. As the men left to remove Geier?s belongings from Harris? car so that he could instead take a cab, Harris tried pulling the other man?s pants down and accused him of stealing his underwear, according to the suit. Geier unsuccessfully tried pushing Harris away but the bigger man shook him violently and punched him in the arms, the suit states.
Harris was arrested at his home following the fight, which sent Geier to the ER.
Harris' attorney says his client was acting in self-defense and claims Geier's suit is an attempt at extortion.
Harris has never publicly said he is gay.
Harris, 30, is charged with felony counts of domestic violence causing great bodily injury and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in the Aug. 21, 2012 incident. He has pleaded not guilty but was held to answer after a preliminary hearing last fall. He is due back in court today for a pretrial conference to either settle the case or confirm a jury trial hearing. The man, Dimitri Geier, is also suing Harris civilly for assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Harris and Geier were no longer involved when the fight took place, according to Harris' attorney:
Harris was to drive Geier to San Francisco International Airport but instead became upset when he poured soy sauce on a plate of rice, according to the suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court. The men argued for approximately seven minutes and Harris said he would no longer take Geier to the airport, the suit states. As the men left to remove Geier?s belongings from Harris? car so that he could instead take a cab, Harris tried pulling the other man?s pants down and accused him of stealing his underwear, according to the suit. Geier unsuccessfully tried pushing Harris away but the bigger man shook him violently and punched him in the arms, the suit states.
Harris was arrested at his home following the fight, which sent Geier to the ER.
Harris' attorney says his client was acting in self-defense and claims Geier's suit is an attempt at extortion.
Harris has never publicly said he is gay.
Love is Love
I've seen a lot of ads for marriage equality, but for some reason this one got to me. It's from Basic Rights Oregon, our state-wide gay rights organization. They're raising money to put gay marriage up for a vote in Oregon, probably in 2012, to overturn anti-gay amendment. But first they're running campaigns like this one on cable TV stations. If all works out as we plan, Oregon could be the first state to legalize gay marriage by a popular vote.
Coverboy: Matt: Water Baby
Coverboy Interview:
Hailing from the Baltimore suburbs, 19-year-old Matt loves the water. He's been swimming for 15 years, today working as a private swim coach and lifeguard on the side. A student at Kent State University in Ohio, Matt is majoring in musical theater with a minor in communications. When he's not hitting the pool or the books, Matt likes dancing, going out to clubs, cooking and travel. Ever the typical Sagittarius, Matt prefers spontaneity and adventure to an orderly routine. He doesn't have a boyfriend, but says he's ''perfectly happy doing what I want.'' Potential suitors will find this is one man who doesn't like being anchored down.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What's on your nightstand?A Starbucks gift card, a framed photo of me and my best friend, an alarm clock and my iPhone.
What's in your nightstand drawer?There's no drawer, but underneath I have a pillow.
Where do you keep the condoms and lube?In my desk drawer, right next to my rainbow duct tape.
What are your television favorites?American Horror Story, Buck Wild, and the Food Network.
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?I liked Scooby-Doo. I really liked the Cartoon Network, The Powerpuff Girls and stuff like that.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What superhero would you be?Aquaman, because I love the water and would love to be able to breathe underwater.
Who's your greatest influence?My parents. I love everything they've taught me, and as I've gotten older I respect their opinions and look up to them.
What's your greatest fear?Spiders and balloons. Especially balloons. I don't like the way they look, I don't like the way they pop, the noise they make – anything. People think it's funny to pop them in my ear, because I'll jump like a little kid.
Pick three people, living or dead, who you think would make the most fascinating dinner guests imaginable.Ke$ha, because she's crazy, Laura Bell Bundy and Ryan Gosling.
What would you serve?Mexican food. Anything hot and spicy.
How would you describe your dream guy?He has to be willing to take risks, be passionate about something – anything, doesn't matter what – be adventurous, and be willing to travel.
Define good in bed.Someone who's not mechanical. Kinda rough. Someone who keeps it spontaneous.
Who should star in a movie about your life?Josh Hutcherson as he appeared in The Hunger Games, with blond hair.
Who was your first celebrity crush?Zac Efron.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
Who gets on your nerves?Overdramatic people. Lazy people.
If your home was burning, what's the first thing you'd grab while leaving?My iPhone, because I use it for everything.
What's your biggest turn-on?Confidence – not arrogance -- and cute eyes.
What's your biggest turn-off?Bad breath.
What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet tried?Drive cross-country.
What's something you've tried that you never want to do again?I can't think of an answer. Everything I do, I do for a reason.
Boxers, briefs or other?Boxer-briefs.
Who's your favorite musical artist?Marina & the Diamonds, but I really like All-American Rejects, too.
What's your favorite website?Facebook.
What's the most unusual place you've had sex?A church parking lot.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What position do you play in the big baseball game of life?Catcher. And I'm going to win the MVP and go to the All-Star Game.
What's your favorite retail store?Urban Outfitters.
What's the most you'll spend on a haircut?$40.
What about on shoes?$100.
What's your favorite food to splurge with?Chipotle burrito, with all the fixings.
What's your favorite season?Winter. I love cold weather, plus my birthday is in winter. It's Dec. 14.
So that makes you a Sagittarius.Yes, it does. We're the fun ones. We're spontaneous.
What kind of animal would you be?A giraffe.
What kind of car would you be?A Lamborghini? I don't know. I'm not really into cars.
What are you most grateful for?My friends and the fun, supportive environment that I choose to surround myself with.
What's something you want more of?Money to do the things I want to do.
State your life philosophy in 10 words or less.Don't be a pussy. Try everything once and live life. ...more
Hailing from the Baltimore suburbs, 19-year-old Matt loves the water. He's been swimming for 15 years, today working as a private swim coach and lifeguard on the side. A student at Kent State University in Ohio, Matt is majoring in musical theater with a minor in communications. When he's not hitting the pool or the books, Matt likes dancing, going out to clubs, cooking and travel. Ever the typical Sagittarius, Matt prefers spontaneity and adventure to an orderly routine. He doesn't have a boyfriend, but says he's ''perfectly happy doing what I want.'' Potential suitors will find this is one man who doesn't like being anchored down.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What's on your nightstand?A Starbucks gift card, a framed photo of me and my best friend, an alarm clock and my iPhone.
What's in your nightstand drawer?There's no drawer, but underneath I have a pillow.
Where do you keep the condoms and lube?In my desk drawer, right next to my rainbow duct tape.
What are your television favorites?American Horror Story, Buck Wild, and the Food Network.
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?I liked Scooby-Doo. I really liked the Cartoon Network, The Powerpuff Girls and stuff like that.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What superhero would you be?Aquaman, because I love the water and would love to be able to breathe underwater.
Who's your greatest influence?My parents. I love everything they've taught me, and as I've gotten older I respect their opinions and look up to them.
What's your greatest fear?Spiders and balloons. Especially balloons. I don't like the way they look, I don't like the way they pop, the noise they make – anything. People think it's funny to pop them in my ear, because I'll jump like a little kid.
Pick three people, living or dead, who you think would make the most fascinating dinner guests imaginable.Ke$ha, because she's crazy, Laura Bell Bundy and Ryan Gosling.
What would you serve?Mexican food. Anything hot and spicy.
How would you describe your dream guy?He has to be willing to take risks, be passionate about something – anything, doesn't matter what – be adventurous, and be willing to travel.
Define good in bed.Someone who's not mechanical. Kinda rough. Someone who keeps it spontaneous.
Who should star in a movie about your life?Josh Hutcherson as he appeared in The Hunger Games, with blond hair.
Who was your first celebrity crush?Zac Efron.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
Who gets on your nerves?Overdramatic people. Lazy people.
If your home was burning, what's the first thing you'd grab while leaving?My iPhone, because I use it for everything.
What's your biggest turn-on?Confidence – not arrogance -- and cute eyes.
What's your biggest turn-off?Bad breath.
What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet tried?Drive cross-country.
What's something you've tried that you never want to do again?I can't think of an answer. Everything I do, I do for a reason.
Boxers, briefs or other?Boxer-briefs.
Who's your favorite musical artist?Marina & the Diamonds, but I really like All-American Rejects, too.
What's your favorite website?Facebook.
What's the most unusual place you've had sex?A church parking lot.
Coverboy: Matt
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What position do you play in the big baseball game of life?Catcher. And I'm going to win the MVP and go to the All-Star Game.
What's your favorite retail store?Urban Outfitters.
What's the most you'll spend on a haircut?$40.
What about on shoes?$100.
What's your favorite food to splurge with?Chipotle burrito, with all the fixings.
What's your favorite season?Winter. I love cold weather, plus my birthday is in winter. It's Dec. 14.
So that makes you a Sagittarius.Yes, it does. We're the fun ones. We're spontaneous.
What kind of animal would you be?A giraffe.
What kind of car would you be?A Lamborghini? I don't know. I'm not really into cars.
What are you most grateful for?My friends and the fun, supportive environment that I choose to surround myself with.
What's something you want more of?Money to do the things I want to do.
State your life philosophy in 10 words or less.Don't be a pussy. Try everything once and live life. ...more
Lesbian Commercials
My friend Kelly sent these great commercials to me recently and I thought you'd all appreciate them...
Oh Dear John Travolta in another Gay legal case
Image via Wikipedia
Who cares (but John Travolta) is John Travolta is gay or not? In an interview with The Advocate, Carry Fisher answered questions about Johns sexuality. Fisher and Travolta go way back. On a question about whether Travolta was gay, Fisher said:-
?Wow! I mean, my feeling about John has always been that we know and we don?t care. Look, I?m sorry that he?s uncomfortable with it, and that?s all I can say. It only draws more attention to it when you make that kind of legal fuss. Just leave it be.
There have been a number of guys who have alleged that they have had relationships with Travolta.
Image via Wikipedia
On being gay John , get over it!
Gay news
View Australian Queer News on the web at Gay News Blog
Who cares (but John Travolta) is John Travolta is gay or not? In an interview with The Advocate, Carry Fisher answered questions about Johns sexuality. Fisher and Travolta go way back. On a question about whether Travolta was gay, Fisher said:-
?Wow! I mean, my feeling about John has always been that we know and we don?t care. Look, I?m sorry that he?s uncomfortable with it, and that?s all I can say. It only draws more attention to it when you make that kind of legal fuss. Just leave it be.
There have been a number of guys who have alleged that they have had relationships with Travolta.
Image via Wikipedia
On being gay John , get over it!
Gay news
View Australian Queer News on the web at Gay News Blog
Lifetime drops 'Diva'; Mike Ruiz's 'Pretty Masculine' app
Lifetime has canceled the show Drop Dead Diva, according to TheWrap.com. The show can run four seasons, the last of which ended in September. The cost of producing the series was reportedly running a bit high; Lifetime approached Sony Pictures Television, which produced the series, about coming up with creative ways to keep the series on the air—but to no avail. In combination with Army Wives, Drop Dead Diva helped push Lifetime to the number-one cable position on Sundays from 9 to 11 p.m. among women 25-54.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
feature of the week : female facial hair
feature of the week : female facial hair. Filed under: Attraction, Community, Opinion Tagged: 2 Dykes 1 Truck, Lesbian Blogs, Tammy, Tammy and Tina, Tina
Sweet: My Sister is a Star!
In the Life was aboard the Sweet Cruise that Lipstick & I were on in November. They made an awesome video and Dipstick's sister Mary Belge is interviewed. Check it out!
Life Beyond Therapy
A psychological look at HIV
I am sometimes asked to help facilitate workshops at The Center for people who are HIV-positive. As an HIV- person, I consider this quite an honor…and I have learned A LOT in doing so. I’ve learned that, for many people, an HIV+ diagnosis feels like your world is falling apart. After the initial shock wears off, most people feel a lot of grief and depression. Over the years, so many people have asked me some version of these two questions: “How do I keep my sanity when I get an HIV+ diagnosis?” “What do I do when it feels like my life is falling apart?”
To answer these questions, here are some questions that I have offered participants in workshops for HIV+ folks. [Note: If you’re HIV-, these questions may still be…
Read More
I am sometimes asked to help facilitate workshops at The Center for people who are HIV-positive. As an HIV- person, I consider this quite an honor…and I have learned A LOT in doing so. I’ve learned that, for many people, an HIV+ diagnosis feels like your world is falling apart. After the initial shock wears off, most people feel a lot of grief and depression. Over the years, so many people have asked me some version of these two questions: “How do I keep my sanity when I get an HIV+ diagnosis?” “What do I do when it feels like my life is falling apart?”
To answer these questions, here are some questions that I have offered participants in workshops for HIV+ folks. [Note: If you’re HIV-, these questions may still be…
Read More
(40) London Calling. Shoot Your TV!
She Calls to Say She Has Sense, Friends from www.DubiousInent.com Send Over a Fun Hello, Zeitgeists Addendum released 10/02/08 http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912&hl=en, Compulsive Sunflower Seed Overeater, Negative Television Hysteria, CNN Journalist Jill Abrams book The Myth, The Muse, The Meshuga http://www.myspace.com/jillabrams, Rachel from London discusses London Police, Heather Mills etc .
Come Be a Part of Til Death Do Us Toby!
Portland!We are coming to town this week to film a portion of the short film Til Death Do Us Toby and want YOU to be a part of it.DETAILSSaturday, June 26, 20105 - 6pmLaurelhurst Park**meet at the bathroom area (click on map embedded here) We will be filming Christine Havrilla singing a song called Hightail, co-written by Gina Daggett and Patricia McKenny. With her jammin' acoustic guitar, we are going to film Havrilla in front of all of you, who will sing along with the chorus, which is super duper catchy...Gotta break freeGotta surviveGotta find a way to stay aliveI just wanna runI just wanna screamI just wanna hightail out of this dream What is this Til Death Do Us Toby movie anyway?It's a short film about a girl named Sam and a neurotic dog named Toby, who are both trying to find freedom. In Sam's case, she's trying to break free from her controlling mother, Mimi, who doesn't like Sam's best friend who's quite the edgy dyke. In Toby's case, he misunderstands a conversation between Mimi and Sam and thinks they're out to kill him, so he's just trying to hightail out of electric chair (aka their house). >>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's going to be a ton of fun and won't take up a bunch of time, so come on out and be in the short film, which will be making the queer festival rounds next year. Lipstick would be forever grateful!If you're coming, let us know on FACEBOOK!
Four...three...two...one...
The countdown to the move to Firedoglake is coming down to the final count...
the countdown starts
watching in a trance
the crew is certain
nothing left to chance
all is working
trying to relax
up in the capsule
"send me up a drink"
jokes Major Tom
the count goes on
4...3...2...1...
Earth below us
drifting falling
floating weightless
calling calling home...
Four...three...two...one...
All systems go...if the countdown continues to plan, we're rocketing very, very soon to our new home.
Video of the Week: France legalizes gay marriage
This week, France has become the 11th country to legalize gay marriage, narrowly missing a top ten spot.
French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, stated that he was "tired of France sagging behind" and "upholding discrimination". He went on to say, "France was embarrassingly late in giving women the right to vote, I don't want us to be last in giving gays equal rights as well."
While the pope and members of his own political party were "shocked" by Sarkozy's announcement, most young people who actually knew and had gay friends welcomed the news. The only complaint came from a third year university student who complained that her already stretched budget would be even more burdened by more wedding gifts.
Kudos to JPSNewsTV for making this video (and for supplying the press release quoted above), who have stated:
In a country where it is legal for a dead man to marry a live woman (this is actually a law in France), we must ask ourselves, why do we not declare our rights ourselves. We believe gay marriage should be legal, therefore it is.
Let's give gay people the same rights as the dead.
Well, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Happy April Fools Day!
French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, stated that he was "tired of France sagging behind" and "upholding discrimination". He went on to say, "France was embarrassingly late in giving women the right to vote, I don't want us to be last in giving gays equal rights as well."
While the pope and members of his own political party were "shocked" by Sarkozy's announcement, most young people who actually knew and had gay friends welcomed the news. The only complaint came from a third year university student who complained that her already stretched budget would be even more burdened by more wedding gifts.
Kudos to JPSNewsTV for making this video (and for supplying the press release quoted above), who have stated:
In a country where it is legal for a dead man to marry a live woman (this is actually a law in France), we must ask ourselves, why do we not declare our rights ourselves. We believe gay marriage should be legal, therefore it is.
Let's give gay people the same rights as the dead.
Well, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Happy April Fools Day!
Conversations with Nicole
In past columns in the last few years I have written about the issue of Bullying in our schools many times…I hope and pray that now all Americans….especially our community has awoken to this crisis. In one of my past columns I wrote that if “only1/4” of the energy, money, time that has been spent on Marriage Equality and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was focused on GLBT suicides and bullying this issue would have gotten further…we must make our GLBT youth/students who are coming out every day at younger ages our community’s No. 1 PRIORITY!
Take a stand against School Bullying: October 17
San Diegans will be coming together on Sunday, October 17 to take a united stand against all bullying…this …
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Take a stand against School Bullying: October 17
San Diegans will be coming together on Sunday, October 17 to take a united stand against all bullying…this …
Read More
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Takei Time: Star Trek put him on the map. Facebook launched him to superstardom. And a musical called Allegiance is earning him raves. What's next for George Takei? Only time will tell.
Feature Story:
In early May 2012, George Takei was driving along White Mountain Boulevard in Arizona, where he and his husband, Brad, own a getaway home. Cruising along, listening to the radio, an announcement jolted him: President Barack Obama was going to make a statement. On marriage equality.
"I pulled over and parked, because I knew it would be a profoundly important statement," recalls Takei. "I immediately called Brad and told him, 'Turn on the radio! Turn on the radio!'"
George Takei
(Photo by courtesy George Takei)
Takei -- who laughs warmly, easily, frequently -- chuckles over this minor mishap. "I'm of my generation," sighs the 75-year-old actor. "My first reaction was radio."
He quickly amended his instructions to turn on the TV. What Brad saw -- and George heard on his car radio -- was a sitting president declare his support for same-sex marriage. It was a historic moment that did not go unappreciated by Takei.
"It was so moving to have the president of the United States make that statement in an election year where it would have certain consequences," he says, a note of admiration in his melodic basso profundo. "With all the pressure that was being brought on him on so many other issues, he was willing to take that bold stand because he felt it was right. And he won."
Obama's second term gives Takei hope -- hope for a brighter future for LGBT Americans, hope for the dissolution of DOMA, hope for a world where gay youth who come out are not met with the vitriol of homophobia.
"There are still extremely strict families that are homophobic," he says, "and the most heartbreaking thing of all is these young people who are either kicked out of their homes or run away from home." He praises the work of gay and lesbian youth shelters for providing support, solace and love to these cast-offs. "These gay and lesbian centers," he says, softly, "are so important."
Takei himself came out softly at first. His public pronouncement came decades after he'd acquired fame as Lt. Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu on the original Star Trek series and after his renowned stints on The Howard Stern Show in the '90s, where his utterances of "Oh, myyyy" attained legendary status in the pop-culture stratosphere. Takei announced to the world he was a gay man in a 2005 interview with Frontiers magazine, revealing at the time that he'd been in a relationship with Altman for 18 years. In 2008, the two were married in California, in those joyous, legal moments before the encroachment of Proposition 8.
Takei is a relentless advocate for LGBT rights -- but he's even more passionate about bringing to light a dark period in America's World War II history when Japanese-Americans were herded into internment camps because, says Takei, "[we] happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor." Takei has fostered and nurtured the creation of Allegiance, a musical that looks at the effects of internment on a Japanese-American family in the weeks and years following Pearl Harbor. Written by composer Jay Kuo, with a book by Kuo, Lorenzo Thione and Marc Acito, Takei stars in the production along with Lea Salonga and Telly Leong. The musical played at The Old Globe in San Diego to enormous acclaim (and box-office records) and is now Broadway bound.
But a funny thing happened to George Takei during his efforts to get the word out about Allegiance: He became a Facebook superstar.
"We were tilling [Internet] soil to build an audience for Allegiance," says Takei. "But you can't do it by just having an Allegiance website." So he took to Facebook, where he reached out to his base of sci-fi fans by posting sci-fi memes with amusing commentary. "Then you add some kittens," he says, "because they seem to be successful in garnering an audience."
The audience grew. And grew. And "before you know it, you have hundreds of thousands of people and you say, 'Oh, my goodness, this thing has a life of its own.' And so you keep doing what you find to be successful." Successful is an understatement. As of this moment, Takei has an astounding 3.3 million "Likes." Fans send him thousands of memes, hoping one will appear in his frequent daily posts, complete with one of his wryly observational, saucy puns. Takei also uses the page to promote serious causes near and dear to his heart. And he's just released an e-book on his Internet experience, Oh Myyy! (There Goes the Internet), with a print edition to follow soon.
Takei's Facebook presence exhibits just how engaging, how indelible, how extraordinary a personality he is. Where so many actors are forever defined by their past roles, trapped in a loop of singularity, George Takei has blossomed by forging into the future. He does not renounce his past as Sulu but he has also reclaimed himself from it. He has become his own force of nature, an international phenomenon so strong, so culturally relevant that one could almost call this period in popular culture, The Takei Time.
METRO WEEKLY: When was the first moment you realized -- that you thought to yourself -- ''I am a gay man?''
GEORGE TAKEI: It doesn't come at a moment in time. It's a slow, gradual recognition of who you are. I remember, even in grammar school, I was excited more by my classmates -- boys, a few particular boys. Other boys kept saying, ''Oh, yes, Monica is gorgeous, she's hot,'' and all that. I thought she was all right, but Richard and Bobby were the cuter ones that really excited me. So I realized that even back then I knew I was different from the other guys, I just didn't vocalize it.
Then in junior high it grew, but I realized that that wasn't what the other guys did, so I played the part and dated girls and went to the prom. All the while the boys were more interesting, more exciting. Like at summer camp, one particular counselor -- blond and very tanned, with glistening blond forearm hair -- was really sexy. So it's a gradual realization that I'm different, but it's not like what the other boys are like. You hide it.
Sen. Dan Inouye, George Takei, Brad Altman and Irene Hirano Inouye
MW: What was your first experience?
TAKEI: It was at age 14. With a camp counselor. It was exciting -- it was also kind of scary and delicious. All those things at the same time. He said not to talk about it, and I didn't want to talk about it. I was kind of afraid to have it again, despite the fact that it was so wonderful, because it was forbidden.
MW: How did being Japanese-American play into that culturally? Was there a guilt component?
TAKEI: There wasn't a guilt component. But even in the Japanese-American community, it wasn't spoken about. It was not societally acceptable. My father was a liberal Democrat politically, but, you know, homosexuality was never even discussed, much less thought of. And so I knew that it was going to be a secret thing that I was going to keep. So I hid it and played a double role.
MW: Did you come out to your parents?
TAKEI: My father had passed by the time I was ready to come out, but I'd like to think given his philosophy and orientation to society he would have accepted me. He was very supportive of me in everything. My father understood me, knew who I was, encouraged my interests. He knew I was a theatrically oriented kid. I remember when we first came out of the [internment camps], we were absolutely poverty stricken. We were penniless. But he said, ''There's a form of theater that's dying out, and you may never be able to see it again." I thought the whole family was going to be going, but he took just me on the streetcar to downtown Los Angeles to the Orpheum Theatre to see vaudeville. It was a thrilling discovery, but at the same time the structure itself -- the Orpheum Theatre -- was an amazing revelation. It had been a few months since we came out of internment camp and here's this vast, vaulting space, gilded, with crystal chandeliers glittering and plush carpeting -- and that's just in the lobby.
Finally, after my father passed I came out to my mother. I'd been with Brad for some time and he was more than just a friend as I had told them he was. It was a little difficult for her, but she also knew Brad as a person and it wasn't like an idea -- you know, "George likes guys," it was Brad. She knew the person -- it was personalized -- and so ultimately she came around.
MW: How old were you at the time?
TAKEI: In my 30s. I was out quietly. I chose to be an actor, and that again puts another emphasis on being closeted because you go out for auditions -- and I liked to think I was equally qualified for a role as anybody else there, but it's either too tall, too short, too fat, too skinny, too Asian or not Asian enough, that sort of thing. And I didn't want to add another "too this" or "too that." It wasn't a plus to be known as gay so you keep that hidden. Being an actor, it was easy to play the part [of straight].
MW: If you were an out gay actor in 1966, do you think you would have been cast in the original Star Trek series?
TAKEI: It's an iffy question, but most of my Star Trek colleagues [knew]. And I felt comfortable with my colleagues. When you're doing a series, you're with each other for months on end for each season, and you have the wrap party on Friday nights -- the beer is trundled out and the pizza's ordered in and people bring their wives or husbands or boyfriends or girlfriends. And I had my friend at the time come. Show people, movie people, they're sophisticated people. So when I had a male friend with me, my colleagues took it in stride. And if it's the same guy more than a couple of times, they say, ''Oh, I get it.'' And that's it. They know, but they understand and keep it quiet.
This is an anecdote I've told before, but Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov, and I were standing at the coffee urn one morning as the extras were assembling on the set. Walter kept making this head gesture, signaling me to turn around and look behind me. So I turned around and looked. There was this gorgeous young guy in a tight Starfleet shirt with wonderful pectorals and great, flashing blue eyes and brunette hair. He was strikingly handsome. I turned around and grinned and Walter winked. That's when I realized Walter knew. There was this kind of silent understanding of the situation.
MW: It must have been very gratifying to know that Walter was saying, ''I know and I accept it," but in a tacit way of doing so.
TAKEI: Exactly.
MW: This begs the question: Do you prefer men in Starfleet uniform?
TAKEI: [Laughs.] I prefer them out of it.
MW: William Shatner was famously --
TAKEI: Clueless.
MW: He made such a fuss about not being invited to yours and Brad's wedding.
TAKEI: Let me tell you about that. He did get an invitation. We wanted to be inclusive so we sent invitations to every one of the members of the cast. And we heard from every one of them except Bill. Which was not surprising, because that's Bill's modus operandi. Bill has a very inflated sense of the tier in the pecking order that he belongs to. He won't deign to come to a party that the rest of us had, but he would go to a party that Leonard might have. When one of us gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we all gather to support and applaud and celebrate -- except Bill. Even that famous rollout of the space shuttle Enterprise, we all went, except Bill. Bill never comes to things. He wasn't even at Gene Roddenberry's funeral or Majel Roddenberry's funeral.
So we weren't surprised when Bill didn't RSVP for our wedding. We said, "It's typical Bill." And the wedding came and went, and two months after the wedding he goes on YouTube and publicly rants and raves about George not inviting him to the wedding. We were absolutely baffled. I mean if he wanted to come -- and maybe something happened to the mail -- he could have phoned us. Why go public two months later when there's no point to it? Then Brad and I happened to be driving down Sunset Boulevard shortly after his rant, and there's this huge billboard that reads ''William Shatner's Raw Nerve," his new talk show. He needed publicity and the best way to get publicity is to create a controversy.
The other point that underscores how phony that rant was is that he was on The Howard Stern Show promoting something else -- I think he had a book coming out -- and Howard asked him about our wedding and so forth, and he went into that rant again. Then Howard said, ''Well, what do you think of Brad?'' And Bill says, ''Who's Brad?'' He had no idea of my husband's name, no idea who Brad was. They had to tell him. He's the guy that George married. He's George's husband. And he sputtered a bit. He does it all for publicity.
MW: Do you ever look at your old Star Trek performances, particularly from the original series?
TAKEI: The little clip that I get constantly exposed is my fencing bit from The Naked Time. Whenever there's an Internet piece on me they run that. I've seen that a zillion times, but that was the most fun episode that I got a chance to do. I was in pretty good shape then, but a little on the hammy side.
MW: Do you prefer the movies to the TV series?
TAKEI: Each has its pluses and minuses. Television goes at a nice rapid pace -- you don't get rehearsals and it keeps you on your toes. Movies -- particularly the very first Star Trek movie, on which they had a huge budget -- doesn't call for you to be doing much except sitting at the console. It's lethargy that you have to fight the most when you're on camera -- to make it as alive as possible demands all the professionalism you can bring. You have these long waits in between set-ups. They futz with every little nuance. Which is wonderful, but at the same time as an actor you have to keep the adrenalin going and that becomes the big challenge.
George Takei as Mr. Sulu on the set of ''Star Trek''
MW: I'm just going to ask you directly: Do you like the very first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture?
TAKEI: No, frankly. As a matter of fact I still remember how we reacted at the premiere. It was held in Washington, D.C., at the Air and Space Museum. Walter sat next to me. The movie was slow and ponderous, and throughout the picture we kept turning and staring at each other with that quizzical look, "Is this the way it's supposed to be?" It wasn't the way we saw it in our mind's eye. It was, I must say, not what we thought it was going to be.
MW: It was the wrong director. Robert Wise was not the right choice.
TAKEI: Well, you know, directors reach their peak, and then they kind of ride on their reputation. That's what seemed to be happening with Bob Wise. He was perched on his tall director's chair, looking very wise, but he didn't give us much direction.
MW: Well, they fixed everything with The Wrath of Khan. I remember thinking, ''This is what the first movie should have been like." But maybe Wrath of Khan was better because of that first mess.
TAKEI: I think so. In fact, they kind of de-fanged Gene Roddenberry. They brought in [producer] Harv Bennett and he knew how to tell a story at a television pace. He resurrected Khan, which was one of our more popular episodes, and made it into a rip-snortin' good movie.
MW: I've got to ask you about Ricardo Montalban: Was that a real chest or a prosthetic chest?
TAKEI: That was really him. He was very fit. He was doing pushups on the sound stage.
MW: I want a chest like that at his age.
TAKEI: You know, it's possible. It's all a matter of discipline and regularity. He was in great shape.
MW: Speaking of Khan, the previews imply that the villain in the new film may indeed be him. Do you know who the villain is?
TAKEI: I've been told, but I am sworn to secrecy. You'll find out. In May, as a matter of fact.
MW: Would you be in the reboot if they found a way to bring you into it?
TAKEI: I'm not in this one, I can tell you that. There's a little anecdote there. When they were casting the first reboot, I got a call from J.J. Abrams asking me to have breakfast. The first thought that came to mind, of course -- that lightbulb flashing -- was a cameo. And I was very excited about that. I met him for breakfast and we had a nice chat about generalities and then he came to the point. He said he's been looking at many actors to play my part and he wanted to get some of my thoughts on casting the new Sulu. He was focusing in on one actor in particular, and I said, ''Well, is the actor you're looking at Asian-American?" And he said, ''Yes,'' and I said, ''Well, that's all that matters.'' Then J.J. said, ''Well, I tried very hard to find a Japanese-American actor because you're Japanese-American." And I said, ''Well, that really doesn't matter. In fact, that wasn't Gene Roddenberry's concern.''
And I told him how Gene wanted the cast members to reflect the diversity of this planet Earth. Uhura is an African character. The captain is a North American. The engineer is a European. The doctor is not only an American but a Southerner. And he wanted my character to be an Asian character, incorporating the diversity of the world. The problem he had was finding a name for the Asian character because all Asian surnames are nationally specific. Tanaka is Japanese, Wong is Chinese, Kim is Korean. He didn't want to introduce that nationalistic element in the character. It was a real dilemma for him.
So Gene pasted up a map of Asia and was staring at it trying to figure out what name to come up with and found off the shores of the Philippines a sea called the Sulu Sea, and he thought, ''Ah, the waters of a sea touch all shores.'' And that's how the character came to be called Sulu.
So I said to J.J., ''So it really doesn't matter whether he's of Japanese ancestry or Chinese ancestry or Korean ancestry, as long as he is of Asian ancestry. Comforted by that, J.J. went on to cast John Cho, who is of Korean ancestry. When he told me that I said, ''Oh, he's a fine actor. He would make a great Sulu.'' And so that's what came out of that breakfast. Not a cameo.
MW: John did a great job honoring the legacy of your character.
TAKEI: He did an excellent job. In fact, I'm green with envy because he got to skydive in that movie.
MW: You got to transport! Most of us don't get to transport to places!
TAKEI: [Laughs.] It's wonderful to sparkle and disappear and, in a few seconds, sparkle again at your destination and transform yourself.
MW: If science fiction is the precursor to what will happen in terms of future technology, we will perhaps one day get to that point.
TAKEI: You know, they have actually teleported a molecule about a foot. So that's the beginning.
MW: Let me know when they develop something that doesn't turn you into a mutant fly creature and I'll give it a go.
TAKEI: I wish I could let you know, but I don't think it's going to happen within my lifetime. Though I have the genes of a very long-lived side of my family. My grandmother lived to 104.
George Takei
MW: Let's talk about your time in the internment camps. How did that experience help to form who you are?
TAKEI: Well, I was 5 years old when we were rounded up, and 8 when I came out of the camp, so those were very formative years. But I really didn't understand that experience. You know, a child is amazingly adaptable.
I remember the barbed wire fence and the sentry towers with the machine guns pointed at us, and the searchlight that followed me when I made the midnight runs from our barrack to the latrine. But that became part of the routine of life in the internment camp. Everybody I knew lived the same way. In fact, as a child I thought it was nice that they lit the way for me to the latrine at night. To my parents -- to the adults -- it was very intimidating, but for me, from a child's innocent perspective, it was the way I went to pee. And they lit the way for me.
So it wasn't until I came out of the camp and realized that other kids didn't have that same kind of childhood. And I discovered from my parents that it was something like a prison camp -- and only bad people went to prison. So I was ashamed of that part of my childhood. As a teenager when I started reading history books and civics books, I thought my childhood was not what the civics books say America stands for. And so, I had very intense after-dinner conversations with my father.
My father was an unusual man. Many Japanese-Americans of my parents' generation didn't like to talk about it because they felt ashamed by it. But my father wanted me to understand our experience, and so he went into detail about our incarceration and after many, many discussions over the years, I remember his summary of it saying, ''Both the strength and the weakness of American democracy is in the fact that it's a peoples' democracy and it can be as great as a people can be, but it can also be as fallible as people are, and that's why good people have to be actively engaged in the process, to literally hold democracy's feet to the fire, to make it do the right thing."
I realized later on that my father was guiding all his children into being part of the political process. Before I could even vote, he took me to the Adlai Stevenson for President headquarters. He was a great admirer of Gov. Stevenson's, and he volunteered me for the campaign. I enjoyed it. So he was the one that made me aware of the importance of our being active participants in the political process as volunteers, certainly as informed voters.
MW: Your father sounds remarkable.
TAKEI: He was an extraordinary man. He was strong. He knew how to create opportunities. He had a good sense of timing. I'm sure he would have been enormously successful had it not been for the disruption of the internment. He became very successful in real estate starting in the mid-1950s.
He was fluent in both Japanese and English and in the camps was able to communicate with the older generation as well as the younger generation. He was elected block manager, sort of like the representative of the block, in both the Arkansas camp and later at the camp we were transferred to in Northern California. The Arkansas camp was called ''Rohwer'' and the Northern California camp was called ''Camp Tule Lake," a lovely name for an ugly place. It was a dry lakebed, more like a desert, but the sand was gritty and sharp and hard rather than soft and sandy.
MW: Which brings us to Allegiance, your musical about life in the camps. It's obviously a very important project to you.
TAKEI: It's my legacy project. This is what I want my legacy to be. It's the story I've been telling for decades now. I'm always taken aback when people who seem to be otherwise well-informed say to me that they had no idea something like that -- the internment -- happened in the United States. I think it's especially important for informed, educated people to know about the dark chapters of our democracy -- chapters where democracy stumbled -- because you learn more from them than from the glorious chapters.
From way back, I've been going on speaking tours to universities as well as corporations and government agencies, particularly in May, which has been designated Asian-American Heritage Month. But I have found that at those speaking engagements, people are already informed. I'm singing to the choir. I needed to reach a larger -- and unwashed, if you will -- audience.
It's particularly important because it didn't happen just to Japanese-Americans -- it happened to our United States Constitution. It was egregiously violated because we have, in this country, a core, the pillar of our justice system, which is called due process. When you're arrested, you have the right to know what the charges are and then you have a right to challenge those charges in a court of law. In our case, there were no charges, no trial, we were just summarily rounded up because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. It was a racist, unconstitutional act on the part of a hysterical nation.
MW: It may very well be the very first instance of profiling in this country.
TAKEI: It was, it was. I mean, we were Americans. My mother was born in Sacramento. My father was born in Japan, but he was brought to San Francisco as a 9-year-old. And I was born in Los Angeles. My grandparents were of the generation that came to the United States. We were Americans.
MW: The musical has been a great success so far.
TAKEI: The first reading of it was held at the Japanese American National Museum. That would be the toughest audience composed of curators, docents, staffers at the museum. When the play ended there wasn't a dry eye there and we knew we were on the right track. There have since been about a half-dozen different iterations of that same play, before we got to the production at the Old Globe in San Diego. And there in San Diego, after the first performance, there was a spontaneous immediate standing ovation and we had a good sense that we were hitting the right notes. Then the reviews came out a few days later -- unanimous raves. We closed in early November, and we discovered that we broke all box-office records in the distinguished 77-year history of the Old Globe. So we hold the box-office record -- as well as the attendance records -- of the Old Globe Theater.
MW: Is there a Broadway run in its future?
TAKEI: We are transferring to Broadway next fall.
MW: Do you know which theater yet?
TAKEI: No, not yet, because we don't know what's going to be available then, and we want the right size theater. We don't want something as small as the Helen Hayes or anything as big as The Marquee. We want something around 13-hundred seats.
MW: What will you do if Allegiance wins a Tony?
TAKEI: [Laughs.] We'll pop a bottle of Champagne. Maybe many bottles.
MW: Let's move to Facebook, where you are an undeniable superstar. There's just no other way to put that. When I told a friend I was speaking to you, he emailed me, ''Tell him how awesome he is.''
TAKEI: Isn't that something? On Facebook I have 3.1 million friends, and it's an amazing thing. The memes we share are memes that people have sent us. They give us the material and I comment on it and post it and from there it goes viral.
But it's going to become a challenge. Everything in life changes -- there is nothing more constant than change -- and Facebook has now become publicly owned and they have stockholders to answer to and have to generate revenue. So we're discovering that they are trying to find ways to make money. We discovered that some people weren't getting our postings. We wondered why that was. What we discovered was that Facebook has developed this thing called ''edge ranking,'' where the followers who respond most often are the ones get my postings. If there isn't much response from the others, they don't get all the postings. But if you want them to get the postings, then you have to pay to reach them.
We don't want to pay for something that we weren't paying for. So we're trying to stimulate ways of getting people to respond -- not just in terms of likes, but in other ways. So the challenge is figuring out how to play this game -- and that's getting to be fun.
George Takei and his husband Brad Altman
MW: How many hours a day on Facebook do you spend?
TAKEI: Generally, I spend a couple of hours every day. We also have a stockpile -- a backlog -- of memes that I've commented on, so when I'm working on a film or in rehearsals for Allegiance, we have those backlogs and have interns that post them for us.
MW: Your commentary on the memes is hilarious.
TAKEI: [Laughs.] Well, you know, there's a punny streak in me.
MW: Do you marvel at how many people are waiting avidly for your next post?
TAKEI: It is amazing. As matter of fact, we can walk down the street, particularly in New York, and people recognize not only me but Brad, because we slip in Brad on some of the videos that we do. And Brad being a little bit taller is more visible in a crowded place and people recognize Brad and then look for me.
MW: You and Brad have been together for how long now?
TAKEI: Twenty-five years now.
MW: What's the secret to your success?
TAKEI: What we do every night -- even after we've had an intense argument -- is kiss each other before we go to bed. Sometimes it may be a begrudging peck on the cheek.
MW: That's the secret?
TAKEI: It seems so silly, but yes. We also made a compact. I would make the big overall decisions and Brad would be the guy to execute those decisions. Well, I've discovered that sometimes those broad decisions are executed without my making them. [Laughs.]
MW: Do you still wake up in the morning and look at Brad and feel the love that you felt 25 years ago?
TAKEI: Yes. I love to hear his breathing and sometimes his snoring right next to me. Brad travels with me wherever I go, even when it's some business thing. He'll roam around the city while I'm in meetings. Our lives are intertwined.
MW: It's nice to find that kind of lasting love.
TAKEI: It is. And you know, in many ways, because we're gay and there's this public sense that gays aren't stable, we feel that we're blessed in that we can be as happy as we are together. I don't mean it in the all lovey-dovey things, but it's a normal kind of thing between two people. You have your differences and you have your arguments, but that's all part of it. And at night, when you're going to bed, you see that all that arguing is really petty and silly. We really love each other and that's what really counts.
MW: How old is Brad, may I ask?
TAKEI: Brad is 57. I'm 75.
MW: So nearly a 20-year difference between you. Has that ever been an issue?
TAKEI: Well, it is a concern on the part of both of us because we have DOMA to contend with. We had very good friends, a couple -- a gay couple -- in Washington, D.C. They'd been together for almost 20 years. Mark went out of town on business and when he came back and opened the apartment door, he found his partner on the floor. He had had a heart attack and had passed. His partner's brother lived in Boston -- they were estranged for a long, long time. He happened to be a lawyer and he came down and took everything. And that is a big concern with us. The laws are against us.
That's what the Boston case that's before the Supreme Court is all about. It was a lesbian couple, and one passed and because their union -- they were married in Massachusetts -- but because their union is not federally recognized because we have DOMA, the surviving spouse would have had to pay over half of the deceased's estate tax, which would not have happened if they were straight. I mean, it's a cruel situation. And me being older than Brad, I'm very concerned about that. We built our lives together. Our estate is ours, and I want it to go to Brad without that kind of taxation, like any married couple who have been together for 25 years.
There are hundreds of laws that make life difficult and sometimes cruel for LGBT couples because of DOMA. And we are optimistic that we can live to the point where we will see DOMA gone forever -- and I think that's going to be very soon. In fact, next year is going to be a good year, I think, for the LGBT community because that issue is before the Supreme Court. We also have Proposition 8 before the Supreme Court. Two courts have already ruled it unconstitutional and I am almost confident that it's going to be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. But the Boston case is the important one because it challenges DOMA.
So I think it's an amazing thing that's happening in our lifetime. And 2013 is going to be eminently fulfilling for our community. I think the Supreme Court is going to come through for us. I'm an optimist.
George Takei's Oh, Myyy! is currently available as an e-book on iTunes and Amazon.com. Follow George Takei on Facebook at facebook.com/georgehtakei and on Twitter at @GerogeTakei. Learn more about Allegiance at allegiancemusical.com. ...more
In early May 2012, George Takei was driving along White Mountain Boulevard in Arizona, where he and his husband, Brad, own a getaway home. Cruising along, listening to the radio, an announcement jolted him: President Barack Obama was going to make a statement. On marriage equality.
"I pulled over and parked, because I knew it would be a profoundly important statement," recalls Takei. "I immediately called Brad and told him, 'Turn on the radio! Turn on the radio!'"
George Takei
(Photo by courtesy George Takei)
Takei -- who laughs warmly, easily, frequently -- chuckles over this minor mishap. "I'm of my generation," sighs the 75-year-old actor. "My first reaction was radio."
He quickly amended his instructions to turn on the TV. What Brad saw -- and George heard on his car radio -- was a sitting president declare his support for same-sex marriage. It was a historic moment that did not go unappreciated by Takei.
"It was so moving to have the president of the United States make that statement in an election year where it would have certain consequences," he says, a note of admiration in his melodic basso profundo. "With all the pressure that was being brought on him on so many other issues, he was willing to take that bold stand because he felt it was right. And he won."
Obama's second term gives Takei hope -- hope for a brighter future for LGBT Americans, hope for the dissolution of DOMA, hope for a world where gay youth who come out are not met with the vitriol of homophobia.
"There are still extremely strict families that are homophobic," he says, "and the most heartbreaking thing of all is these young people who are either kicked out of their homes or run away from home." He praises the work of gay and lesbian youth shelters for providing support, solace and love to these cast-offs. "These gay and lesbian centers," he says, softly, "are so important."
Takei himself came out softly at first. His public pronouncement came decades after he'd acquired fame as Lt. Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu on the original Star Trek series and after his renowned stints on The Howard Stern Show in the '90s, where his utterances of "Oh, myyyy" attained legendary status in the pop-culture stratosphere. Takei announced to the world he was a gay man in a 2005 interview with Frontiers magazine, revealing at the time that he'd been in a relationship with Altman for 18 years. In 2008, the two were married in California, in those joyous, legal moments before the encroachment of Proposition 8.
Takei is a relentless advocate for LGBT rights -- but he's even more passionate about bringing to light a dark period in America's World War II history when Japanese-Americans were herded into internment camps because, says Takei, "[we] happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor." Takei has fostered and nurtured the creation of Allegiance, a musical that looks at the effects of internment on a Japanese-American family in the weeks and years following Pearl Harbor. Written by composer Jay Kuo, with a book by Kuo, Lorenzo Thione and Marc Acito, Takei stars in the production along with Lea Salonga and Telly Leong. The musical played at The Old Globe in San Diego to enormous acclaim (and box-office records) and is now Broadway bound.
But a funny thing happened to George Takei during his efforts to get the word out about Allegiance: He became a Facebook superstar.
"We were tilling [Internet] soil to build an audience for Allegiance," says Takei. "But you can't do it by just having an Allegiance website." So he took to Facebook, where he reached out to his base of sci-fi fans by posting sci-fi memes with amusing commentary. "Then you add some kittens," he says, "because they seem to be successful in garnering an audience."
The audience grew. And grew. And "before you know it, you have hundreds of thousands of people and you say, 'Oh, my goodness, this thing has a life of its own.' And so you keep doing what you find to be successful." Successful is an understatement. As of this moment, Takei has an astounding 3.3 million "Likes." Fans send him thousands of memes, hoping one will appear in his frequent daily posts, complete with one of his wryly observational, saucy puns. Takei also uses the page to promote serious causes near and dear to his heart. And he's just released an e-book on his Internet experience, Oh Myyy! (There Goes the Internet), with a print edition to follow soon.
Takei's Facebook presence exhibits just how engaging, how indelible, how extraordinary a personality he is. Where so many actors are forever defined by their past roles, trapped in a loop of singularity, George Takei has blossomed by forging into the future. He does not renounce his past as Sulu but he has also reclaimed himself from it. He has become his own force of nature, an international phenomenon so strong, so culturally relevant that one could almost call this period in popular culture, The Takei Time.
METRO WEEKLY: When was the first moment you realized -- that you thought to yourself -- ''I am a gay man?''
GEORGE TAKEI: It doesn't come at a moment in time. It's a slow, gradual recognition of who you are. I remember, even in grammar school, I was excited more by my classmates -- boys, a few particular boys. Other boys kept saying, ''Oh, yes, Monica is gorgeous, she's hot,'' and all that. I thought she was all right, but Richard and Bobby were the cuter ones that really excited me. So I realized that even back then I knew I was different from the other guys, I just didn't vocalize it.
Then in junior high it grew, but I realized that that wasn't what the other guys did, so I played the part and dated girls and went to the prom. All the while the boys were more interesting, more exciting. Like at summer camp, one particular counselor -- blond and very tanned, with glistening blond forearm hair -- was really sexy. So it's a gradual realization that I'm different, but it's not like what the other boys are like. You hide it.
Sen. Dan Inouye, George Takei, Brad Altman and Irene Hirano Inouye
MW: What was your first experience?
TAKEI: It was at age 14. With a camp counselor. It was exciting -- it was also kind of scary and delicious. All those things at the same time. He said not to talk about it, and I didn't want to talk about it. I was kind of afraid to have it again, despite the fact that it was so wonderful, because it was forbidden.
MW: How did being Japanese-American play into that culturally? Was there a guilt component?
TAKEI: There wasn't a guilt component. But even in the Japanese-American community, it wasn't spoken about. It was not societally acceptable. My father was a liberal Democrat politically, but, you know, homosexuality was never even discussed, much less thought of. And so I knew that it was going to be a secret thing that I was going to keep. So I hid it and played a double role.
MW: Did you come out to your parents?
TAKEI: My father had passed by the time I was ready to come out, but I'd like to think given his philosophy and orientation to society he would have accepted me. He was very supportive of me in everything. My father understood me, knew who I was, encouraged my interests. He knew I was a theatrically oriented kid. I remember when we first came out of the [internment camps], we were absolutely poverty stricken. We were penniless. But he said, ''There's a form of theater that's dying out, and you may never be able to see it again." I thought the whole family was going to be going, but he took just me on the streetcar to downtown Los Angeles to the Orpheum Theatre to see vaudeville. It was a thrilling discovery, but at the same time the structure itself -- the Orpheum Theatre -- was an amazing revelation. It had been a few months since we came out of internment camp and here's this vast, vaulting space, gilded, with crystal chandeliers glittering and plush carpeting -- and that's just in the lobby.
Finally, after my father passed I came out to my mother. I'd been with Brad for some time and he was more than just a friend as I had told them he was. It was a little difficult for her, but she also knew Brad as a person and it wasn't like an idea -- you know, "George likes guys," it was Brad. She knew the person -- it was personalized -- and so ultimately she came around.
MW: How old were you at the time?
TAKEI: In my 30s. I was out quietly. I chose to be an actor, and that again puts another emphasis on being closeted because you go out for auditions -- and I liked to think I was equally qualified for a role as anybody else there, but it's either too tall, too short, too fat, too skinny, too Asian or not Asian enough, that sort of thing. And I didn't want to add another "too this" or "too that." It wasn't a plus to be known as gay so you keep that hidden. Being an actor, it was easy to play the part [of straight].
MW: If you were an out gay actor in 1966, do you think you would have been cast in the original Star Trek series?
TAKEI: It's an iffy question, but most of my Star Trek colleagues [knew]. And I felt comfortable with my colleagues. When you're doing a series, you're with each other for months on end for each season, and you have the wrap party on Friday nights -- the beer is trundled out and the pizza's ordered in and people bring their wives or husbands or boyfriends or girlfriends. And I had my friend at the time come. Show people, movie people, they're sophisticated people. So when I had a male friend with me, my colleagues took it in stride. And if it's the same guy more than a couple of times, they say, ''Oh, I get it.'' And that's it. They know, but they understand and keep it quiet.
This is an anecdote I've told before, but Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov, and I were standing at the coffee urn one morning as the extras were assembling on the set. Walter kept making this head gesture, signaling me to turn around and look behind me. So I turned around and looked. There was this gorgeous young guy in a tight Starfleet shirt with wonderful pectorals and great, flashing blue eyes and brunette hair. He was strikingly handsome. I turned around and grinned and Walter winked. That's when I realized Walter knew. There was this kind of silent understanding of the situation.
MW: It must have been very gratifying to know that Walter was saying, ''I know and I accept it," but in a tacit way of doing so.
TAKEI: Exactly.
MW: This begs the question: Do you prefer men in Starfleet uniform?
TAKEI: [Laughs.] I prefer them out of it.
MW: William Shatner was famously --
TAKEI: Clueless.
MW: He made such a fuss about not being invited to yours and Brad's wedding.
TAKEI: Let me tell you about that. He did get an invitation. We wanted to be inclusive so we sent invitations to every one of the members of the cast. And we heard from every one of them except Bill. Which was not surprising, because that's Bill's modus operandi. Bill has a very inflated sense of the tier in the pecking order that he belongs to. He won't deign to come to a party that the rest of us had, but he would go to a party that Leonard might have. When one of us gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we all gather to support and applaud and celebrate -- except Bill. Even that famous rollout of the space shuttle Enterprise, we all went, except Bill. Bill never comes to things. He wasn't even at Gene Roddenberry's funeral or Majel Roddenberry's funeral.
So we weren't surprised when Bill didn't RSVP for our wedding. We said, "It's typical Bill." And the wedding came and went, and two months after the wedding he goes on YouTube and publicly rants and raves about George not inviting him to the wedding. We were absolutely baffled. I mean if he wanted to come -- and maybe something happened to the mail -- he could have phoned us. Why go public two months later when there's no point to it? Then Brad and I happened to be driving down Sunset Boulevard shortly after his rant, and there's this huge billboard that reads ''William Shatner's Raw Nerve," his new talk show. He needed publicity and the best way to get publicity is to create a controversy.
The other point that underscores how phony that rant was is that he was on The Howard Stern Show promoting something else -- I think he had a book coming out -- and Howard asked him about our wedding and so forth, and he went into that rant again. Then Howard said, ''Well, what do you think of Brad?'' And Bill says, ''Who's Brad?'' He had no idea of my husband's name, no idea who Brad was. They had to tell him. He's the guy that George married. He's George's husband. And he sputtered a bit. He does it all for publicity.
MW: Do you ever look at your old Star Trek performances, particularly from the original series?
TAKEI: The little clip that I get constantly exposed is my fencing bit from The Naked Time. Whenever there's an Internet piece on me they run that. I've seen that a zillion times, but that was the most fun episode that I got a chance to do. I was in pretty good shape then, but a little on the hammy side.
MW: Do you prefer the movies to the TV series?
TAKEI: Each has its pluses and minuses. Television goes at a nice rapid pace -- you don't get rehearsals and it keeps you on your toes. Movies -- particularly the very first Star Trek movie, on which they had a huge budget -- doesn't call for you to be doing much except sitting at the console. It's lethargy that you have to fight the most when you're on camera -- to make it as alive as possible demands all the professionalism you can bring. You have these long waits in between set-ups. They futz with every little nuance. Which is wonderful, but at the same time as an actor you have to keep the adrenalin going and that becomes the big challenge.
George Takei as Mr. Sulu on the set of ''Star Trek''
MW: I'm just going to ask you directly: Do you like the very first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture?
TAKEI: No, frankly. As a matter of fact I still remember how we reacted at the premiere. It was held in Washington, D.C., at the Air and Space Museum. Walter sat next to me. The movie was slow and ponderous, and throughout the picture we kept turning and staring at each other with that quizzical look, "Is this the way it's supposed to be?" It wasn't the way we saw it in our mind's eye. It was, I must say, not what we thought it was going to be.
MW: It was the wrong director. Robert Wise was not the right choice.
TAKEI: Well, you know, directors reach their peak, and then they kind of ride on their reputation. That's what seemed to be happening with Bob Wise. He was perched on his tall director's chair, looking very wise, but he didn't give us much direction.
MW: Well, they fixed everything with The Wrath of Khan. I remember thinking, ''This is what the first movie should have been like." But maybe Wrath of Khan was better because of that first mess.
TAKEI: I think so. In fact, they kind of de-fanged Gene Roddenberry. They brought in [producer] Harv Bennett and he knew how to tell a story at a television pace. He resurrected Khan, which was one of our more popular episodes, and made it into a rip-snortin' good movie.
MW: I've got to ask you about Ricardo Montalban: Was that a real chest or a prosthetic chest?
TAKEI: That was really him. He was very fit. He was doing pushups on the sound stage.
MW: I want a chest like that at his age.
TAKEI: You know, it's possible. It's all a matter of discipline and regularity. He was in great shape.
MW: Speaking of Khan, the previews imply that the villain in the new film may indeed be him. Do you know who the villain is?
TAKEI: I've been told, but I am sworn to secrecy. You'll find out. In May, as a matter of fact.
MW: Would you be in the reboot if they found a way to bring you into it?
TAKEI: I'm not in this one, I can tell you that. There's a little anecdote there. When they were casting the first reboot, I got a call from J.J. Abrams asking me to have breakfast. The first thought that came to mind, of course -- that lightbulb flashing -- was a cameo. And I was very excited about that. I met him for breakfast and we had a nice chat about generalities and then he came to the point. He said he's been looking at many actors to play my part and he wanted to get some of my thoughts on casting the new Sulu. He was focusing in on one actor in particular, and I said, ''Well, is the actor you're looking at Asian-American?" And he said, ''Yes,'' and I said, ''Well, that's all that matters.'' Then J.J. said, ''Well, I tried very hard to find a Japanese-American actor because you're Japanese-American." And I said, ''Well, that really doesn't matter. In fact, that wasn't Gene Roddenberry's concern.''
And I told him how Gene wanted the cast members to reflect the diversity of this planet Earth. Uhura is an African character. The captain is a North American. The engineer is a European. The doctor is not only an American but a Southerner. And he wanted my character to be an Asian character, incorporating the diversity of the world. The problem he had was finding a name for the Asian character because all Asian surnames are nationally specific. Tanaka is Japanese, Wong is Chinese, Kim is Korean. He didn't want to introduce that nationalistic element in the character. It was a real dilemma for him.
So Gene pasted up a map of Asia and was staring at it trying to figure out what name to come up with and found off the shores of the Philippines a sea called the Sulu Sea, and he thought, ''Ah, the waters of a sea touch all shores.'' And that's how the character came to be called Sulu.
So I said to J.J., ''So it really doesn't matter whether he's of Japanese ancestry or Chinese ancestry or Korean ancestry, as long as he is of Asian ancestry. Comforted by that, J.J. went on to cast John Cho, who is of Korean ancestry. When he told me that I said, ''Oh, he's a fine actor. He would make a great Sulu.'' And so that's what came out of that breakfast. Not a cameo.
MW: John did a great job honoring the legacy of your character.
TAKEI: He did an excellent job. In fact, I'm green with envy because he got to skydive in that movie.
MW: You got to transport! Most of us don't get to transport to places!
TAKEI: [Laughs.] It's wonderful to sparkle and disappear and, in a few seconds, sparkle again at your destination and transform yourself.
MW: If science fiction is the precursor to what will happen in terms of future technology, we will perhaps one day get to that point.
TAKEI: You know, they have actually teleported a molecule about a foot. So that's the beginning.
MW: Let me know when they develop something that doesn't turn you into a mutant fly creature and I'll give it a go.
TAKEI: I wish I could let you know, but I don't think it's going to happen within my lifetime. Though I have the genes of a very long-lived side of my family. My grandmother lived to 104.
George Takei
MW: Let's talk about your time in the internment camps. How did that experience help to form who you are?
TAKEI: Well, I was 5 years old when we were rounded up, and 8 when I came out of the camp, so those were very formative years. But I really didn't understand that experience. You know, a child is amazingly adaptable.
I remember the barbed wire fence and the sentry towers with the machine guns pointed at us, and the searchlight that followed me when I made the midnight runs from our barrack to the latrine. But that became part of the routine of life in the internment camp. Everybody I knew lived the same way. In fact, as a child I thought it was nice that they lit the way for me to the latrine at night. To my parents -- to the adults -- it was very intimidating, but for me, from a child's innocent perspective, it was the way I went to pee. And they lit the way for me.
So it wasn't until I came out of the camp and realized that other kids didn't have that same kind of childhood. And I discovered from my parents that it was something like a prison camp -- and only bad people went to prison. So I was ashamed of that part of my childhood. As a teenager when I started reading history books and civics books, I thought my childhood was not what the civics books say America stands for. And so, I had very intense after-dinner conversations with my father.
My father was an unusual man. Many Japanese-Americans of my parents' generation didn't like to talk about it because they felt ashamed by it. But my father wanted me to understand our experience, and so he went into detail about our incarceration and after many, many discussions over the years, I remember his summary of it saying, ''Both the strength and the weakness of American democracy is in the fact that it's a peoples' democracy and it can be as great as a people can be, but it can also be as fallible as people are, and that's why good people have to be actively engaged in the process, to literally hold democracy's feet to the fire, to make it do the right thing."
I realized later on that my father was guiding all his children into being part of the political process. Before I could even vote, he took me to the Adlai Stevenson for President headquarters. He was a great admirer of Gov. Stevenson's, and he volunteered me for the campaign. I enjoyed it. So he was the one that made me aware of the importance of our being active participants in the political process as volunteers, certainly as informed voters.
MW: Your father sounds remarkable.
TAKEI: He was an extraordinary man. He was strong. He knew how to create opportunities. He had a good sense of timing. I'm sure he would have been enormously successful had it not been for the disruption of the internment. He became very successful in real estate starting in the mid-1950s.
He was fluent in both Japanese and English and in the camps was able to communicate with the older generation as well as the younger generation. He was elected block manager, sort of like the representative of the block, in both the Arkansas camp and later at the camp we were transferred to in Northern California. The Arkansas camp was called ''Rohwer'' and the Northern California camp was called ''Camp Tule Lake," a lovely name for an ugly place. It was a dry lakebed, more like a desert, but the sand was gritty and sharp and hard rather than soft and sandy.
MW: Which brings us to Allegiance, your musical about life in the camps. It's obviously a very important project to you.
TAKEI: It's my legacy project. This is what I want my legacy to be. It's the story I've been telling for decades now. I'm always taken aback when people who seem to be otherwise well-informed say to me that they had no idea something like that -- the internment -- happened in the United States. I think it's especially important for informed, educated people to know about the dark chapters of our democracy -- chapters where democracy stumbled -- because you learn more from them than from the glorious chapters.
From way back, I've been going on speaking tours to universities as well as corporations and government agencies, particularly in May, which has been designated Asian-American Heritage Month. But I have found that at those speaking engagements, people are already informed. I'm singing to the choir. I needed to reach a larger -- and unwashed, if you will -- audience.
It's particularly important because it didn't happen just to Japanese-Americans -- it happened to our United States Constitution. It was egregiously violated because we have, in this country, a core, the pillar of our justice system, which is called due process. When you're arrested, you have the right to know what the charges are and then you have a right to challenge those charges in a court of law. In our case, there were no charges, no trial, we were just summarily rounded up because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. It was a racist, unconstitutional act on the part of a hysterical nation.
MW: It may very well be the very first instance of profiling in this country.
TAKEI: It was, it was. I mean, we were Americans. My mother was born in Sacramento. My father was born in Japan, but he was brought to San Francisco as a 9-year-old. And I was born in Los Angeles. My grandparents were of the generation that came to the United States. We were Americans.
MW: The musical has been a great success so far.
TAKEI: The first reading of it was held at the Japanese American National Museum. That would be the toughest audience composed of curators, docents, staffers at the museum. When the play ended there wasn't a dry eye there and we knew we were on the right track. There have since been about a half-dozen different iterations of that same play, before we got to the production at the Old Globe in San Diego. And there in San Diego, after the first performance, there was a spontaneous immediate standing ovation and we had a good sense that we were hitting the right notes. Then the reviews came out a few days later -- unanimous raves. We closed in early November, and we discovered that we broke all box-office records in the distinguished 77-year history of the Old Globe. So we hold the box-office record -- as well as the attendance records -- of the Old Globe Theater.
MW: Is there a Broadway run in its future?
TAKEI: We are transferring to Broadway next fall.
MW: Do you know which theater yet?
TAKEI: No, not yet, because we don't know what's going to be available then, and we want the right size theater. We don't want something as small as the Helen Hayes or anything as big as The Marquee. We want something around 13-hundred seats.
MW: What will you do if Allegiance wins a Tony?
TAKEI: [Laughs.] We'll pop a bottle of Champagne. Maybe many bottles.
MW: Let's move to Facebook, where you are an undeniable superstar. There's just no other way to put that. When I told a friend I was speaking to you, he emailed me, ''Tell him how awesome he is.''
TAKEI: Isn't that something? On Facebook I have 3.1 million friends, and it's an amazing thing. The memes we share are memes that people have sent us. They give us the material and I comment on it and post it and from there it goes viral.
But it's going to become a challenge. Everything in life changes -- there is nothing more constant than change -- and Facebook has now become publicly owned and they have stockholders to answer to and have to generate revenue. So we're discovering that they are trying to find ways to make money. We discovered that some people weren't getting our postings. We wondered why that was. What we discovered was that Facebook has developed this thing called ''edge ranking,'' where the followers who respond most often are the ones get my postings. If there isn't much response from the others, they don't get all the postings. But if you want them to get the postings, then you have to pay to reach them.
We don't want to pay for something that we weren't paying for. So we're trying to stimulate ways of getting people to respond -- not just in terms of likes, but in other ways. So the challenge is figuring out how to play this game -- and that's getting to be fun.
George Takei and his husband Brad Altman
MW: How many hours a day on Facebook do you spend?
TAKEI: Generally, I spend a couple of hours every day. We also have a stockpile -- a backlog -- of memes that I've commented on, so when I'm working on a film or in rehearsals for Allegiance, we have those backlogs and have interns that post them for us.
MW: Your commentary on the memes is hilarious.
TAKEI: [Laughs.] Well, you know, there's a punny streak in me.
MW: Do you marvel at how many people are waiting avidly for your next post?
TAKEI: It is amazing. As matter of fact, we can walk down the street, particularly in New York, and people recognize not only me but Brad, because we slip in Brad on some of the videos that we do. And Brad being a little bit taller is more visible in a crowded place and people recognize Brad and then look for me.
MW: You and Brad have been together for how long now?
TAKEI: Twenty-five years now.
MW: What's the secret to your success?
TAKEI: What we do every night -- even after we've had an intense argument -- is kiss each other before we go to bed. Sometimes it may be a begrudging peck on the cheek.
MW: That's the secret?
TAKEI: It seems so silly, but yes. We also made a compact. I would make the big overall decisions and Brad would be the guy to execute those decisions. Well, I've discovered that sometimes those broad decisions are executed without my making them. [Laughs.]
MW: Do you still wake up in the morning and look at Brad and feel the love that you felt 25 years ago?
TAKEI: Yes. I love to hear his breathing and sometimes his snoring right next to me. Brad travels with me wherever I go, even when it's some business thing. He'll roam around the city while I'm in meetings. Our lives are intertwined.
MW: It's nice to find that kind of lasting love.
TAKEI: It is. And you know, in many ways, because we're gay and there's this public sense that gays aren't stable, we feel that we're blessed in that we can be as happy as we are together. I don't mean it in the all lovey-dovey things, but it's a normal kind of thing between two people. You have your differences and you have your arguments, but that's all part of it. And at night, when you're going to bed, you see that all that arguing is really petty and silly. We really love each other and that's what really counts.
MW: How old is Brad, may I ask?
TAKEI: Brad is 57. I'm 75.
MW: So nearly a 20-year difference between you. Has that ever been an issue?
TAKEI: Well, it is a concern on the part of both of us because we have DOMA to contend with. We had very good friends, a couple -- a gay couple -- in Washington, D.C. They'd been together for almost 20 years. Mark went out of town on business and when he came back and opened the apartment door, he found his partner on the floor. He had had a heart attack and had passed. His partner's brother lived in Boston -- they were estranged for a long, long time. He happened to be a lawyer and he came down and took everything. And that is a big concern with us. The laws are against us.
That's what the Boston case that's before the Supreme Court is all about. It was a lesbian couple, and one passed and because their union -- they were married in Massachusetts -- but because their union is not federally recognized because we have DOMA, the surviving spouse would have had to pay over half of the deceased's estate tax, which would not have happened if they were straight. I mean, it's a cruel situation. And me being older than Brad, I'm very concerned about that. We built our lives together. Our estate is ours, and I want it to go to Brad without that kind of taxation, like any married couple who have been together for 25 years.
There are hundreds of laws that make life difficult and sometimes cruel for LGBT couples because of DOMA. And we are optimistic that we can live to the point where we will see DOMA gone forever -- and I think that's going to be very soon. In fact, next year is going to be a good year, I think, for the LGBT community because that issue is before the Supreme Court. We also have Proposition 8 before the Supreme Court. Two courts have already ruled it unconstitutional and I am almost confident that it's going to be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. But the Boston case is the important one because it challenges DOMA.
So I think it's an amazing thing that's happening in our lifetime. And 2013 is going to be eminently fulfilling for our community. I think the Supreme Court is going to come through for us. I'm an optimist.
George Takei's Oh, Myyy! is currently available as an e-book on iTunes and Amazon.com. Follow George Takei on Facebook at facebook.com/georgehtakei and on Twitter at @GerogeTakei. Learn more about Allegiance at allegiancemusical.com. ...more
Meet Norma McCorvey, the LGBT Roe in Roe v. Wade
As anti-abortion groups blanket Washington to protest the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, read up on the legendary case's LGBT plaintiff and her little known story.
read more
read more
You?re Discharged!
Should a lesbian continue oral sex if her partner has a discharge coming from her vaginal area? Good question, let's explore our options.
Gays face crackdown under Russian bill
Gays face crackdown under Russian bill
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 11:06 pm, Monday, January 21, 2013
The legislation being pushed by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church would make it illegal nationwide to provide minors with information that is defined as "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism."
Criticism of billSamburov describes the antigay bill as part of a Kremlin crackdown on minorities of any kind - political and religious as well as sexual - designed to divert public attention from growing discontent with Putin's rule.
Lawmakers have accused gays of decreasing Russia's already low birth rates and said they should be barred from government jobs, undergo forced medical treatment or be exiled.
An executive with a government-run television network said in a nationally televised talk show that gays should be prohibited from donating blood, sperm and organs for transplants, while after death their hearts should be burned or buried.
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 11:06 pm, Monday, January 21, 2013
The legislation being pushed by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church would make it illegal nationwide to provide minors with information that is defined as "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism."
Criticism of billSamburov describes the antigay bill as part of a Kremlin crackdown on minorities of any kind - political and religious as well as sexual - designed to divert public attention from growing discontent with Putin's rule.
Lawmakers have accused gays of decreasing Russia's already low birth rates and said they should be barred from government jobs, undergo forced medical treatment or be exiled.
An executive with a government-run television network said in a nationally televised talk show that gays should be prohibited from donating blood, sperm and organs for transplants, while after death their hearts should be burned or buried.
Towleroad Talking Points: Coolest Coming Out Ever
PHOTO OF THE DAY: A map of every person in the United States.
BY SAM GREISMAN
A look back at today's top stories
RIGHTS AND FIGHTS
It's been two days since President Obama's inagural address in which he mentioned gay rights and Bryan Fischer of the AFA is still palpitating about it. A horrible story out of Boston where an LGBT group at Boston Law School had their office vandalized with disgusting and offensive graffiti. Also an openly gay pastor from Louisville and his long-time partner were arrested yesterday after they tried to obtain a marriage license.
**
POLITICS
Hilary Clinton was questioned today at Senate hearings about the Benghazi attacks and was not at all amused. First she ripped into a Republican Senator from Wisconsin about his line of questioning regarding "ill-preparedness" prior to the attack. Then she did her best McKayla Maroney impression while she listened to Rand Paul tell her that he would have fired her. Overall, she made her critics look small.
On her show last night, Rachel Maddow hypothesized that Obama's mention of gay rights was a preemptive message for the Supreme Court. And Jon Stewart was at his finest taking down the major networks' coverage of the inauguration.
**
ENTERTAINMENT
Anderson Cooper has a message to all the Beyonce haters out there. Why is no one more impressed with how flawless her lip-syncing was? Manti Te'o gave his first interview post-Catfishing to Katie Couric and admitting to briefly lying to the public about his non-existent girlfriend. And congratulations to Chely Wright and her wife Lauren who have announced they are expecting twins!
**
VIDEOS OF THE DAY
This high-schooler from New Jersey could teach Jodie Foster a thing or two as he comes out to his entire class and receives a well-deserved standing ovation. And is this what John Boehner said to Michelle Obama that earned him some epic shade from the First Lady?
BY SAM GREISMAN
A look back at today's top stories
RIGHTS AND FIGHTS
It's been two days since President Obama's inagural address in which he mentioned gay rights and Bryan Fischer of the AFA is still palpitating about it. A horrible story out of Boston where an LGBT group at Boston Law School had their office vandalized with disgusting and offensive graffiti. Also an openly gay pastor from Louisville and his long-time partner were arrested yesterday after they tried to obtain a marriage license.
**
POLITICS
Hilary Clinton was questioned today at Senate hearings about the Benghazi attacks and was not at all amused. First she ripped into a Republican Senator from Wisconsin about his line of questioning regarding "ill-preparedness" prior to the attack. Then she did her best McKayla Maroney impression while she listened to Rand Paul tell her that he would have fired her. Overall, she made her critics look small.
On her show last night, Rachel Maddow hypothesized that Obama's mention of gay rights was a preemptive message for the Supreme Court. And Jon Stewart was at his finest taking down the major networks' coverage of the inauguration.
**
ENTERTAINMENT
Anderson Cooper has a message to all the Beyonce haters out there. Why is no one more impressed with how flawless her lip-syncing was? Manti Te'o gave his first interview post-Catfishing to Katie Couric and admitting to briefly lying to the public about his non-existent girlfriend. And congratulations to Chely Wright and her wife Lauren who have announced they are expecting twins!
**
VIDEOS OF THE DAY
This high-schooler from New Jersey could teach Jodie Foster a thing or two as he comes out to his entire class and receives a well-deserved standing ovation. And is this what John Boehner said to Michelle Obama that earned him some epic shade from the First Lady?
Horoscope:
Horoscope: Heavenly Round-Up: Once again, you've accidentally entered the Red Queen's race, running as fast as you can just to stay in place. You'll have to go twice as fast as that to get anywhere. And you already made a point of believing six impossible things before breakfast, performing four of them before lunch. You may be too close to the situation to see how close you really are to a solution. Keep on keepin' on, and don't let the weather get under your skin. Go lightly on Saturday morning. Aries: You can't help yourself, you've allowed these patterns to persist and deepen. It's easier to run on automatic pilot than it is to examine the possibilities and take the time to assess your real, and organically shifting goal against the selected trajectory. Release. Taurus: You've been here before. And you hate the feeling of being so dependent on your dream life to bring you the necessary assist in getting the point delivered. Relax. Your unconscious mind likes pulling its weight every once in a while. Head out for spa time on Friday. ... (more)
President Obama: Where are the Women?
http://action.now.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7132Write to President Obama today and urge him to appoint more women to his cabinet and other top posts. We need women, particularly women of color, in high-level positions in our federal government. Women have made great strides in government, but we need a critical mass to really make a difference. Now is not the time to go back.
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Trans Woman Who Is Taking on the Military
Decorated Army veteran Allyson Robinson has some major plans for the country?s only organization dedicated to serving LGBT people in uniform.
read more
read more
VAWA Programs Face Uncertain Future - Please Take Action
http://action.now.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6916Congress still has not reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act. If Congress fails to pass VAWA in this "lame duck" session, we will have to start all over again with the new Congress in January. Please call your House member NOW!
Towleroad Talking Points: Winter Sucks!
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Gay-themes and the Oscars.
BY SAM GREISMAN
A look back at today's top stories
GAY ISSUES
This is an interesting subject for debate. A recent op-ed in the New York Daily News states that African-Americans have a greater responsibility to support gay rights because of their position under the over-arching civil rights umbrella. Do you think that's true?
Good news in Hawaii where a marriage equality bill was introduced into the State's House and Senate this morning. Confirmation hearings for John Kerry's position as Secretary of State began today and Code Pink was on hand to interrupt it. Also Reddit is not into the term "gaymer".
**
WINGNUTTERY
Proving that they are indeed right wingers to the core, GOProud will participate in "March for Life". As the Rhode Island House of Representatives succeeds in passing a marriage equality bill, NOM's Rhode Island off-shoot says "screw you" to New England.
And though he may not fit the actual definition of "wingnut" there is certainly some crazy going on with the story of Manti Te'o and today he told Katie Couric that he is definitely not gay bro.
**
VIDEOS OF THE DAY
Now we know why Prince Harry ran out on his CNN interview. Who can resist the chimes of an ice cream truck!? If you wanna know all the lyrics to Justin Timberlake's new "Suit and Tie", here is where to go.
Also this just in! Winter is the worst!
BY SAM GREISMAN
A look back at today's top stories
GAY ISSUES
This is an interesting subject for debate. A recent op-ed in the New York Daily News states that African-Americans have a greater responsibility to support gay rights because of their position under the over-arching civil rights umbrella. Do you think that's true?
Good news in Hawaii where a marriage equality bill was introduced into the State's House and Senate this morning. Confirmation hearings for John Kerry's position as Secretary of State began today and Code Pink was on hand to interrupt it. Also Reddit is not into the term "gaymer".
**
WINGNUTTERY
Proving that they are indeed right wingers to the core, GOProud will participate in "March for Life". As the Rhode Island House of Representatives succeeds in passing a marriage equality bill, NOM's Rhode Island off-shoot says "screw you" to New England.
And though he may not fit the actual definition of "wingnut" there is certainly some crazy going on with the story of Manti Te'o and today he told Katie Couric that he is definitely not gay bro.
**
VIDEOS OF THE DAY
Now we know why Prince Harry ran out on his CNN interview. Who can resist the chimes of an ice cream truck!? If you wanna know all the lyrics to Justin Timberlake's new "Suit and Tie", here is where to go.
Also this just in! Winter is the worst!
Stuff Lesbians Like Part 124: Reply-All-colism
What really makes a lesbian more excited than a paparazzo in room full of Kardashians is when she receives a mass email announcing a night on the town or a house party. This is not because she will get to drink cocktails with her friends and thirty other people she barely knows but pretends to be best friends with. It means that she will be able to solidify her position in the entourage by announcing her presence and expressing her thoughts to a built-in audience by pressing ?reply all.?
Where should you go for LGBT news?
That's the question we've been hearing over and over, once we announced that 365gay was closing.
There is Twitter, of course, which is a great way to get the absolute latest in news. But here are my suggestions of LGBT news-focused sites to read regularly, based on a combination of what I read, what people I know read, and accepted wisdom. Note that I have NOT included mainstream sites like the NY Times, though they do a very good job of covering gay issues.
And I'm limiting it to news (or news-ish) sites.
I'm sure I've left folks out - be sure to put your faves in the comments.
Support your local - and internet - gay media so they can support you!
News:
Updated daily
The Advocate: http://www.Advocate.com [1]
The Washington Blade: http://www.washingtonblade.com [2]
Philadelphia Gay News: http://www.epgn.com [3]
Steve Rothaus' Gay South Florida: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/ [4]
Gay Voices (new site for the Huffington Post): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gay-voices/ [5]
Good Regional pubs
�Metroweekly: http://www.metroweekly.com/ [6]
�Gay City News: http://www.gaycitynews.com/gay_city_news/front/ [7]
L.A. Frontiers: http://www.frontiersla.com [8]
Bay Area Reporter: http://www.ebar.com [9]
The �Wisconsin Gazette: http://www.wisconsingazette.com/ [10]
Windy City Times: http://www.windycitytimes.com/ [11]
Blogs
LGBT/POV: http://www.lgbtpov.com/ [12]
Americablog Gay: http://gay.americablog.com/ [13]
�Towleroad.com: http://www.towleroad.com [14]
�Pam's House Blend: http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/ [15]
Queerty: http://www.queerty.com [16]
Bilerico Project: http://www.bilerico.com/ [17]
Plus - Follow our contributors!
Jennifer Vanasco: @JenniferVanasco http://www.Twitter.com/JenniferVanasco [18] (LGBT news from around the web)
http://www.JenniferVanasco.com [19] (soon to be a new site...)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-vanasco [20]
James Withers: http://whattheworlddoesnotneed.blogspot.com/ [21]
https://twitter.com/#!/JamesWithers3 [22]
John Culhane: http://wordinedgewise.org/ [23]
Ali Davis: �@Ali_Davis http://twitter.com/#!/Ali_Davis [24]
�http://davisexmachina.wordpress.com/ [25]
� http://www.afterellen.com/tv/gay-girls-goggles-dancing-with-the-stars-snap-cap-13-2 [26]�(Dancing with the Stars recaps)
Jon Fairbanks: http://www.Twitter.com/JonFairbanks [27]
David Badash: http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ [28]
Lisa Keen: http://www.keennewsservice.com/ [29]
Michael Derry (Troy)http://www.troycomics.com/ [30]
Ask the Expert (Joe Kort! Herman Chan! Shawn Hollenbach!) lives on at: http://www.NewNowNext.com [31]
[1] http://www.Advocate.com
[2] http://www.365gay.comhttp:://www.washingtonblade.com
[3] http://www.epgn.com
[4] http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
[5] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gay-voices/
[6] http://www.metroweekly.com/
[7] http://www.gaycitynews.com/gay_city_news/front/
[8] http://www.frontiersla.com
[9] http://www.ebar.com
[10] http://www.wisconsingazette.com/
[11] http://www.windycitytimes.com/
[12] http://www.lgbtpov.com/
[13] http://gay.americablog.com/
[14] http://www.towleroad.com
[15] http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/
[16] http://www.queerty.com
[17] http://www.bilerico.com/
[18] http://www.twitter.com/JenniferVanasco
[19] http://www.JenniferVanasco.com
[20] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-vanasco
[21] http://whattheworlddoesnotneed.blogspot.com/
[22] https://twitter.com/#!/JamesWithers3
[23] http://wordinedgewise.org/
[24] http://twitter.com/#!/Ali_Davis
[25] http://davisexmachina.wordpress.com/
[26] http://www.afterellen.com/tv/gay-girls-goggles-dancing-with-the-stars-snap-cap-13-2
[27] http://www.Twitter.com/JonFairbanks
[28] http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/
[29] http://www.keennewsservice.com/
[30] http://www.troycomics.com/
[31] http://www.NewNowNext.com
There is Twitter, of course, which is a great way to get the absolute latest in news. But here are my suggestions of LGBT news-focused sites to read regularly, based on a combination of what I read, what people I know read, and accepted wisdom. Note that I have NOT included mainstream sites like the NY Times, though they do a very good job of covering gay issues.
And I'm limiting it to news (or news-ish) sites.
I'm sure I've left folks out - be sure to put your faves in the comments.
Support your local - and internet - gay media so they can support you!
News:
Updated daily
The Advocate: http://www.Advocate.com [1]
The Washington Blade: http://www.washingtonblade.com [2]
Philadelphia Gay News: http://www.epgn.com [3]
Steve Rothaus' Gay South Florida: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/ [4]
Gay Voices (new site for the Huffington Post): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gay-voices/ [5]
Good Regional pubs
�Metroweekly: http://www.metroweekly.com/ [6]
�Gay City News: http://www.gaycitynews.com/gay_city_news/front/ [7]
L.A. Frontiers: http://www.frontiersla.com [8]
Bay Area Reporter: http://www.ebar.com [9]
The �Wisconsin Gazette: http://www.wisconsingazette.com/ [10]
Windy City Times: http://www.windycitytimes.com/ [11]
Blogs
LGBT/POV: http://www.lgbtpov.com/ [12]
Americablog Gay: http://gay.americablog.com/ [13]
�Towleroad.com: http://www.towleroad.com [14]
�Pam's House Blend: http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/ [15]
Queerty: http://www.queerty.com [16]
Bilerico Project: http://www.bilerico.com/ [17]
Plus - Follow our contributors!
Jennifer Vanasco: @JenniferVanasco http://www.Twitter.com/JenniferVanasco [18] (LGBT news from around the web)
http://www.JenniferVanasco.com [19] (soon to be a new site...)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-vanasco [20]
James Withers: http://whattheworlddoesnotneed.blogspot.com/ [21]
https://twitter.com/#!/JamesWithers3 [22]
John Culhane: http://wordinedgewise.org/ [23]
Ali Davis: �@Ali_Davis http://twitter.com/#!/Ali_Davis [24]
�http://davisexmachina.wordpress.com/ [25]
� http://www.afterellen.com/tv/gay-girls-goggles-dancing-with-the-stars-snap-cap-13-2 [26]�(Dancing with the Stars recaps)
Jon Fairbanks: http://www.Twitter.com/JonFairbanks [27]
David Badash: http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ [28]
Lisa Keen: http://www.keennewsservice.com/ [29]
Michael Derry (Troy)http://www.troycomics.com/ [30]
Ask the Expert (Joe Kort! Herman Chan! Shawn Hollenbach!) lives on at: http://www.NewNowNext.com [31]
[1] http://www.Advocate.com
[2] http://www.365gay.comhttp:://www.washingtonblade.com
[3] http://www.epgn.com
[4] http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
[5] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gay-voices/
[6] http://www.metroweekly.com/
[7] http://www.gaycitynews.com/gay_city_news/front/
[8] http://www.frontiersla.com
[9] http://www.ebar.com
[10] http://www.wisconsingazette.com/
[11] http://www.windycitytimes.com/
[12] http://www.lgbtpov.com/
[13] http://gay.americablog.com/
[14] http://www.towleroad.com
[15] http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/
[16] http://www.queerty.com
[17] http://www.bilerico.com/
[18] http://www.twitter.com/JenniferVanasco
[19] http://www.JenniferVanasco.com
[20] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-vanasco
[21] http://whattheworlddoesnotneed.blogspot.com/
[22] https://twitter.com/#!/JamesWithers3
[23] http://wordinedgewise.org/
[24] http://twitter.com/#!/Ali_Davis
[25] http://davisexmachina.wordpress.com/
[26] http://www.afterellen.com/tv/gay-girls-goggles-dancing-with-the-stars-snap-cap-13-2
[27] http://www.Twitter.com/JonFairbanks
[28] http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/
[29] http://www.keennewsservice.com/
[30] http://www.troycomics.com/
[31] http://www.NewNowNext.com
World News Briefs
UK finds that only 1.5% of population is GLB
The United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics has produced data suggesting that only 1.5 percent of UK adults are gay, lesbian or bisexual.
As part of a yearly data collection effort, ONS questioned 247,623 people about their sexual identity. In the case of face-to-face interviews, respondents were shown a card that said “heterosexual/straight, gay/lesbian, bisexual, other” and told to read out a number beside the word that “best describes how you think of yourself.” In telephone interviews, respondents were read the four categories and told to “please say ‘yes’ when you hear the option that best describes how you think of yourself.”
ONS then applied t…
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The United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics has produced data suggesting that only 1.5 percent of UK adults are gay, lesbian or bisexual.
As part of a yearly data collection effort, ONS questioned 247,623 people about their sexual identity. In the case of face-to-face interviews, respondents were shown a card that said “heterosexual/straight, gay/lesbian, bisexual, other” and told to read out a number beside the word that “best describes how you think of yourself.” In telephone interviews, respondents were read the four categories and told to “please say ‘yes’ when you hear the option that best describes how you think of yourself.”
ONS then applied t…
Read More
(40) London Calling. Shoot Your TV!
She Calls to Say She Has Sense, Friends from www.DubiousInent.com Send Over a Fun Hello, Zeitgeists Addendum released 10/02/08 http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912&hl=en, Compulsive Sunflower Seed Overeater, Negative Television Hysteria, CNN Journalist Jill Abrams book The Myth, The Muse, The Meshuga http://www.myspace.com/jillabrams, Rachel from London discusses London Police, Heather Mills etc .
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Wade Davis Predicts NHL Will Have First Pro to Come Out
The former NFL player came out only after leaving the sport.
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With NY gay teen’s suicide come spotlight, caution
(Buffalo, NY) Taunted since grade school for hanging out with girls, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer told his parents things were finally getting better since high school started. Meanwhile, on a blog his parents didn't know about, he posted increasingly desperate notes ruminating on suicide, bullying, homophobia and pop singer Lady Gaga.
A few days later, he hanged himself outside his home in suburban Buffalo, quickly gaining a fame like that described in one of his idol's songs. Activists, journalists and Gaga herself seized on the suicide, decrying the loss of another promising life to bullying. A cherubic school picture of him pervaded the Internet and television, as well as a video he had posted earlier about his experience.
But what the incomplete and conflicting portrait of Rodemeyer's life did not convey were the complexities of the teenage mind and the reality that bullying is rarely the sole factor at work. It also highlighted the risk of creating an icon at the price of glamorizing suicide as an option for other bullied or attention-seeking teens.
"If we portray it as something that is admirable and very sympathetic, vulnerable youth may hear that as, `Look at the attention this case is getting and everyone is feeling sorry and praising this individual,' and it can form a narrative that can be compelling," said Ann Haas, senior project specialist at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Like in other prominent teenage deaths linked to bullying or intimidation - notably Phoebe Prince, an Irish immigrant in Massachusetts taunted by classmates after she dated a popular boy, and Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University freshman whose roommate is accused of spying on his same-sex encounter via webcam - police are investigating to see whether any bullying constituted a crime.
Tracy Rodemeyer said her son was hurt deeply by words from the time he was very young. Boys started picking on him in elementary school, she said.
"People would say, `Oh my god, you're such a girl. What are you, gay? That kind of stuff," she told The Associated Press in an interview last week.
By middle school, the bullying was overwhelming, she said. His friends would report the abuse, and school officials would pull the boy and the alleged bullies into the office. Rodemeyer also regularly saw a school social worker, who would call his mother after meetings.
"People would be like `faggot, fag,' and they'd taunt me in the hallways and I felt like I could never escape it," he said in a YouTube video posted in May as part of columnist Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project, which seeks to give voices and hope to bullied gay and lesbian teenagers. The teen's video has now been viewed more than a million times.
He had talked about suicide in the past but denied recently that the bullying had carried over to high school, which he started shortly before his death, his mother said. He was making plans to attend dances with girlfriends and had talked about the next family vacation and Halloween.
His parents monitored his Facebook posts but said they didn't know about a separate Tumblr blog, on which he identified himself as gay, filled with troubling posts like "Stop bullying people. Maybe they won't commit suicide" and "Ugh today makes me wanna kill myself."
His final blog and Twitter posts on Sept. 18, the day he died, thanked Gaga. He also wrote: "I pray the fame won't take my life," possibly a reference to her song and album "The Fame."
When Gaga projected his image on a screen during a concert in Las Vegas last weekend and dedicated a song to him, his celebrity status was undeniable.
When a Gaga song began playing at the school homecoming dance the day of the teen's wake, his sister and her friends began dancing and chanting, "Jamey." Some schoolmates responded by yelling that they were glad he was dead, his father, Tim, told the AP. School officials are investigating.
Neither Savage, who appeared on network news shows after the suicide, nor Gaga have responded to AP requests for comment. Gaga has promised to push President Barack Obama to make a law in his memory.
If he does, Rodemeyer wouldn't be the first gay suicide victim to be memorialized with such legislation. Two New Jersey lawmakers are pushing a federal anti-harassment and cyberbullying bill bearing Clementi's name.
New Jersey's own anti-bullying laws were tightened following the death of 18-year-old Clementi on Sept. 22, 2010, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge between New Jersey and New York amid a rash of suicides nationwide that brought attention to the problem. Clementi's roommate has been charged with a hate crime and invasion of privacy.
The death of Prince, a heterosexual teen who killed herself in Massachusetts in January 2010, resulted in civil rights charges against five of her classmates and then plea deals, as well as state legislation called "Phoebe's Law" to crack down on bullying.
Suicide prevention and human rights groups, saying some of the news coverage of those and other deaths was oversimplified or sensationalized, collaborated last year on guidelines for talking publicly about suicide with the hope of preventing copycat deaths.
The problem has occurred to Tracy Rodemeyer, who wrestled with whether to continue her son's anti-bullying message.
"You don't want to glorify this and make it where the kids are going to be copycats," she said, describing conversations she had with her son's peers while dropping off his no-longer-needed rented cello at school.
"All the kids I talked to at school, I said: `Look at this, children. Would you want your family to have to have to go through this?'"
David McFarland, acting executive director and chief executive of the Trevor Project, a help line for LGBT teenagers who may be contemplating suicide, said the focus should be on educating families, schools and communities.
Anti-bullying curriculums in schools are not without controversy, as in the case of Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin School District, whose policy came under criticism after six students committed suicide in less than two years.
In July, five current and former students sued, saying a policy requiring staff to remain neutral when sexual orientation is discussed in the classroom prevents teachers from effectively protecting kids perceived as gay. School officials have defended the policy as a reasonable way to balance the family ideologies seen in the suburban Minneapolis district.
McFarland urged looking beyond the individual.
"There's the personal story about Jamey and his family, and our hearts go out to them and that community," McFarland said, "but as a whole, this is an issue facing youth across this country, particularly LGBT youth."
The boy's mother said she does want other children to know about help lines like the Trevor Project when contemplating suicide.
"The very second Jamey made that decision and followed through was the very second he found out it was a mistake, but there's no going back," she said she told her son's schoolmates. "I want to say I know my boy's at peace with himself, but there are other ways" to handle life's problems.
A few days later, he hanged himself outside his home in suburban Buffalo, quickly gaining a fame like that described in one of his idol's songs. Activists, journalists and Gaga herself seized on the suicide, decrying the loss of another promising life to bullying. A cherubic school picture of him pervaded the Internet and television, as well as a video he had posted earlier about his experience.
But what the incomplete and conflicting portrait of Rodemeyer's life did not convey were the complexities of the teenage mind and the reality that bullying is rarely the sole factor at work. It also highlighted the risk of creating an icon at the price of glamorizing suicide as an option for other bullied or attention-seeking teens.
"If we portray it as something that is admirable and very sympathetic, vulnerable youth may hear that as, `Look at the attention this case is getting and everyone is feeling sorry and praising this individual,' and it can form a narrative that can be compelling," said Ann Haas, senior project specialist at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Like in other prominent teenage deaths linked to bullying or intimidation - notably Phoebe Prince, an Irish immigrant in Massachusetts taunted by classmates after she dated a popular boy, and Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University freshman whose roommate is accused of spying on his same-sex encounter via webcam - police are investigating to see whether any bullying constituted a crime.
Tracy Rodemeyer said her son was hurt deeply by words from the time he was very young. Boys started picking on him in elementary school, she said.
"People would say, `Oh my god, you're such a girl. What are you, gay? That kind of stuff," she told The Associated Press in an interview last week.
By middle school, the bullying was overwhelming, she said. His friends would report the abuse, and school officials would pull the boy and the alleged bullies into the office. Rodemeyer also regularly saw a school social worker, who would call his mother after meetings.
"People would be like `faggot, fag,' and they'd taunt me in the hallways and I felt like I could never escape it," he said in a YouTube video posted in May as part of columnist Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project, which seeks to give voices and hope to bullied gay and lesbian teenagers. The teen's video has now been viewed more than a million times.
He had talked about suicide in the past but denied recently that the bullying had carried over to high school, which he started shortly before his death, his mother said. He was making plans to attend dances with girlfriends and had talked about the next family vacation and Halloween.
His parents monitored his Facebook posts but said they didn't know about a separate Tumblr blog, on which he identified himself as gay, filled with troubling posts like "Stop bullying people. Maybe they won't commit suicide" and "Ugh today makes me wanna kill myself."
His final blog and Twitter posts on Sept. 18, the day he died, thanked Gaga. He also wrote: "I pray the fame won't take my life," possibly a reference to her song and album "The Fame."
When Gaga projected his image on a screen during a concert in Las Vegas last weekend and dedicated a song to him, his celebrity status was undeniable.
When a Gaga song began playing at the school homecoming dance the day of the teen's wake, his sister and her friends began dancing and chanting, "Jamey." Some schoolmates responded by yelling that they were glad he was dead, his father, Tim, told the AP. School officials are investigating.
Neither Savage, who appeared on network news shows after the suicide, nor Gaga have responded to AP requests for comment. Gaga has promised to push President Barack Obama to make a law in his memory.
If he does, Rodemeyer wouldn't be the first gay suicide victim to be memorialized with such legislation. Two New Jersey lawmakers are pushing a federal anti-harassment and cyberbullying bill bearing Clementi's name.
New Jersey's own anti-bullying laws were tightened following the death of 18-year-old Clementi on Sept. 22, 2010, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge between New Jersey and New York amid a rash of suicides nationwide that brought attention to the problem. Clementi's roommate has been charged with a hate crime and invasion of privacy.
The death of Prince, a heterosexual teen who killed herself in Massachusetts in January 2010, resulted in civil rights charges against five of her classmates and then plea deals, as well as state legislation called "Phoebe's Law" to crack down on bullying.
Suicide prevention and human rights groups, saying some of the news coverage of those and other deaths was oversimplified or sensationalized, collaborated last year on guidelines for talking publicly about suicide with the hope of preventing copycat deaths.
The problem has occurred to Tracy Rodemeyer, who wrestled with whether to continue her son's anti-bullying message.
"You don't want to glorify this and make it where the kids are going to be copycats," she said, describing conversations she had with her son's peers while dropping off his no-longer-needed rented cello at school.
"All the kids I talked to at school, I said: `Look at this, children. Would you want your family to have to have to go through this?'"
David McFarland, acting executive director and chief executive of the Trevor Project, a help line for LGBT teenagers who may be contemplating suicide, said the focus should be on educating families, schools and communities.
Anti-bullying curriculums in schools are not without controversy, as in the case of Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin School District, whose policy came under criticism after six students committed suicide in less than two years.
In July, five current and former students sued, saying a policy requiring staff to remain neutral when sexual orientation is discussed in the classroom prevents teachers from effectively protecting kids perceived as gay. School officials have defended the policy as a reasonable way to balance the family ideologies seen in the suburban Minneapolis district.
McFarland urged looking beyond the individual.
"There's the personal story about Jamey and his family, and our hearts go out to them and that community," McFarland said, "but as a whole, this is an issue facing youth across this country, particularly LGBT youth."
The boy's mother said she does want other children to know about help lines like the Trevor Project when contemplating suicide.
"The very second Jamey made that decision and followed through was the very second he found out it was a mistake, but there's no going back," she said she told her son's schoolmates. "I want to say I know my boy's at peace with himself, but there are other ways" to handle life's problems.
The Dinah 2011: Day One
After fourteen hours of being airborne and being not so airborne in the longest layover ever at LAX, I finally touched down in Palm Springs at 7:30 PT last night and raced over to the comedy show at the Riviera, which was already in progress. 90 degrees, clear skies, palms trees lining the streets.
Gay Republican group launches new communications effort
Interim Log Cabin Republicans executive director Gregory T. -More-
In the Pit
Leather labors of love
All over the country leather people are competing for local titles so that they may represent their communities at home and also at international contests next year. Producing a contest is an expensive and time consuming labor of love but the leather women of San Diego have found an ingenious way to raise funds and put a little camp into a community that sometimes takes itself way too seriously. Next Saturday, October 9th is the thirteenth annual Butch Revue which will benefit the charities of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and SD Leather Pride. Former Ms. World Leather and producer of Ms San Diego Leather, Annie Romano is the founder of the Butch Revue which was initially a fundraiser for her travel fund when she ran for IMsL in 1998 during her reign a…
Read More
All over the country leather people are competing for local titles so that they may represent their communities at home and also at international contests next year. Producing a contest is an expensive and time consuming labor of love but the leather women of San Diego have found an ingenious way to raise funds and put a little camp into a community that sometimes takes itself way too seriously. Next Saturday, October 9th is the thirteenth annual Butch Revue which will benefit the charities of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and SD Leather Pride. Former Ms. World Leather and producer of Ms San Diego Leather, Annie Romano is the founder of the Butch Revue which was initially a fundraiser for her travel fund when she ran for IMsL in 1998 during her reign a…
Read More
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