Anita Bryant Galvanized A Movement

There she was in all her bible thumping glory in the late 70's fighting against homosexuality using every venue at her disposal to show the Evil of de gay.

Anita Bryant though unwittingly became the "best friend" we as a community could have had.

To say that her resounding anti-gay bigotry backfired on her is certainly an understatement.

Once the Queen of orange juice and a popular singer all came crashing down in flames when she lost everything except her contemptible hated filled stance on gays.

There have been many incidents and people against LGBTs who have brought a call to action to protect this community but none more significant in her time than Anita Bryant.

For that we owe her thanks and gratitude in showing how the haters won't defeat us .. ever. 

Marriage Equality 101 For de Straights

For those who have not been following Marriage Equality all these years and who may believe that this somehow infringes on you let me explain it all in as a short and concise way as I can.

It goes far beyond marrying the one of your loving and for the "sake of" Equality. Prior to Friday not being able to get married brings a host of problems for gays and lesbians. Tax benefits (both filing and receiving) .. in some cases not be able to visit or making decisions on behalf of an ill partner .. are just a couple of things. You who are straight look at all things your marriage affords you, that's all gays and lesbians are looking for with Marriage Equality.

Despite what the anti-gay muck rakers have and will say it's not about forcing a particular church or synagogue or mosque to perform a ceremony of joining two people which goes against the "spiritual" beliefs of the "host" of a particular place of worship. There will be more willing than unwilling to perform the ceremony.

This will not make your marriage any less valuable than it was on Thursday nor will it make it more superior. It will however afford many who until Friday could not have the same "spiritial", legal and economics rights as you have had for so long. More importantly with Marriage Equality those rights which you so enjoy and probably don't even give a second thought to will now no longer end at the "state-line".

This isn't the second coming of Black Rights, the defeat of miscegenation nor Rowe v Wade. This is a wholly seperate circumstance of rights for citizens of the United States to be equal not only in the eyes of God but by the very Country they live in where now no one individual nor state can say otherwise.

June 26 2015 Marriage Equality For All

COLE TUCKER SUCCUMBS TO AIDS

Cole Tucker a gay-porn actor died earlier this month from "AIDS related illness" at the age of 61 according to the website Queerty.

This may not be "need to know" news for many however in this day and age when young gay men are still performing unprotected sex and there is still a culture of "bug chasers" Tucker's passing deserves more than a footnote on some gay-porn blog.

There is still no magic bullet and ask those who now may live longer than those decades ago if they had the option of being disease free or have to live a life of taking meds to delay the inevitable which they would chose.

It's still important to put a face on AIDS all these years after it began regardless how the person became infected.

Sixteen Years After Ellen Comes Out

Sixteen years ago I was in my 40's and in the closet as a bi-guy when something extraordinary happened.

Comic and TV sitcom star Ellen DeGeneres came out, loud and clear that she was a lesbian.

It was still a time when those words dare not be spoken by many much less in homophobic Hollywood where for decades the LG&B kept the closet door locked not only by themselves but by agents, studios and PR departments.

Careers were on the line with the fear of the public finding out the true sexual identity of their favorite stars.

Many said at the time Ellen had just taken a poison pill in regards to her professional career as a comic and actor. That the life of celebrity which she so enjoyed was over.

But as they say the rest is history.

Perhaps it was the right time for the right person to declare who they are.

Perhaps we as a Country were, although still infants in understanding, able to accept that, yes there are queers that we know, even ones we invite into our home once a week.

Fast forward to today where this writer is five months away from turning 60, is no longer in the closet about being bi, albeit I don't wear it on my sleeve, and Ellen well she's doing just fine thank you very much.

I've seen much over these decades of my life, more than I could ever hope for being LGBT, while we of course still have some miles to go as far as total Equality in regards to law and religion plus total acceptance by the still closed minded.

While laws can be changed, religion and closed minds are another thing, venues of which after awhile it makes no sense to continue to seek change when change in those respects are futile and it makes more sense to change what and who can be.

You can't change the spots of a leopard, to continue to try is a waste of time and energy.

Over the past couple of months I conducted my own "social experiment" by inviting folks I work with to "friend" me on Facebook ... most would probably LMAO at now finding they have been part of an experiment. That experiment has proved one thing which I have written about several times over these past six years of writing.

I'm the same person you knew before you found out.

All, some probably twenty or so by now, have not changed their outward ways to me at work, and more importantly none have "unfriended" me on Facebook.

It could be said it's because of my age, the fact many are from a younger generation who are more "accepting" or it could just be that perhaps finally in the grand scheme of things, who cares.

As the old cigarette slogan went, for Ellen, myself and countless others, "you've come a long way baby".

Boomer Memories Queering Your TV

A blog I came across a few weeks ago is a must read for gay and bi boomers as it takes a look back at TV programs which not intentionally geared toward de gay made puberty a lot more interesting before the collective we had any idea which side(s) of the road we were headed.

The blog Boomer Beefcake and Bonding goes into great detail outlining TV programs and actors, young and old, and how subtle and sometimes otherwise led fellas to .. well sometimes have wet dreams and then some.

The blog is not explicit in nature so if you're looking for that kind of material .. forget about it.

It takes a sentimental stroll down memory lane through TV-land from Batman to Flipper to Dr. Kildare and everything in between.

The blog is written by author Jeffery P. Dennis who has written several books and articles on the queering of American culture through the media and movies.

The blog along with the postings is put into actor categories so one can look up their favorite actor as written within the blog.

Another fun blog which looks at all things queer in movies and the media is Movie Dearest written by Kirby who along with the aforementioned puts out four other blogs about de gay.

So if you're looking to add some new blogs to your favorites check out the two mentioned above.

In the immortal words of Robin "Holy stuffed jockstrap Batman".

Tom Judson Lives His Life With AIDS

Tom Judson, actor, composer, musician and author has written a post at HuffPost Gay Voices describing his living with, rather than dying from AIDS twenty years after getting "that" call from his doctor.

The gay plague is not the death sentence it was so many years ago but with that being said there is still no cure nor prevention other than abstinence or taking sexual activity precautions.

Judson wrote his book Laid Bare which was published in 2011 based on his life experience as an legitimate actor, musician and yes of course his days as gay porn star Gus Mattox.

The HPGV writing gives one man's perspective who unfortunately far too many gay and bi men can relate to with honesty and thankfulness.

As he concludes in his essay, Sadly, I lost Bruce and most of my friends. I even outlived the World Trade Center. And much to my surprise, I was around to celebrate as the 20th century slipped into history. But I'd have to say that of all the milestones I've passed since that shocking morning two decades ago, the thing that pleases me most is that I lived to see Cats close.

Shoop Shooping The Night Away

As often happens I never plan on putting up a daily post any longer. But something will get the writing juices flowing as is the case with this one.

One of my FB peeps put up a video of Cher singing the Shoop Shoop song from the movie Mermaid done in 1991.

Which brought back alot of happy memories and time spent at the now gone The Brook in Westport, CT.

de gay and in my case de bi always (and still do of course) loved Cher, in my case from the days of Sonny and Cher and I've Got You Babe.

Yeah me and the boys would Shoop Shoop the night away at The Brook and when Cher's version of the song came out it became a popular hit and every night it was asked to be played for us guys.

We'd pretty much stand in two conga lines facing each other and doing the routine in the video. The fun part of course was standing opposite guys you didn't know and eventually "checking out" his kiss. It was all done in harmless fun and nobody ever backed away ... hell we had reputations to uphold as a friendly bunch of guys.

Back in 2010 on another version of FOTR I took a stroll down memory lane as The Brook was closing and gave readers an idea of what it was like to be mostly hidden in the closet in the 70's and 80's. I re-posted the article last year. To take that stroll go here.

Koch Died As He Lived In The Closet

Mayor Ed Koch was much like Howard Cosell.

You either loved him or hated him.

Today while many in New York City and politics celebrate the man, there are many in the LGBT blogging world who find fault with the fact that Koch lived a lie by not coming out as gay.

Koch was of a different generation than those today who for various reasons are able to come out now at a time when it has become more acceptable for announcing one's sexuality and declared identity.

I have less care to be frank and honest about whether Koch stayed in the closet than things brought up at the blog the Petrelis Files (from where this writer obtained the photo in this posting) about Koch and what he didn't do during the AIDS epidemic which many of my generation lived through, watched or knew folks who died and the denial by a standing President, Ronald Reagan, and politicos such as Koch who did little during the gay plague much less acknowledged.

During the years when he could have done so much to prevent the then-burgeoning AIDS problem into a full-bore epidemic, he choose to do so little in order not to be lumped in with the gay men who were the majority of people contracting HTLV-111, later known as HIV, Micheael Petrelis wrote.

As Petrelis noted outspoken AIDS activist and playwright Larry Kramer wrote in 2012, We must never forget that this man was an active participant in helping us to die, in murdering us,”.

It is a fair thing to say in this writer's opinion that Ed Koch died with the blood of many gay and bisexual men on his hands. While others will mourn and praise Koch, I shall not. I can't be that forgiving.

A 9/11 Story ... Mark Bingham

There were many heroes on that fateful day in September 2001.

Firemen, policemen, EMTs and co-workers many of whom gave their life to help others.

And we’ve heard the stories of the brave and selfless act of many aboard United Flight 93 who must have known they were doomed whether they remained in their seats or acted as they did to overcome the terrorists who commandeered that plane which was speculated on it’s way to Washington, DC to create more mayhem and kill more innocents.

One of those heroes was Mark Bingham, a man who happened to be gay.

The fact that Bingham was gay doesn’t lessen nor elevate his status as a hero.

It does prove that anyone, on any given day, at any given time and in any given circumstance can rise above personal risk to themselves and act with great personal sacrifice to protect others regardless of who or what they are.

Mark Bingham’s mother Alice Hoagland was interviewed by Aliene Voisin for an article in The Sacremento Bee in 2011 as she reflected on her son, the causes she now fights for and that day in September.

“On Aug. 27, 1991, Mark mumbled a bunch of words, then told me he was gay. As a parent, of course, that’s never easy to hear. But you love who you love, and I would support Mark no matter what, so that (gay rights) is one of my causes.”

In a day when so many look for inspiration from those in the LGBT community who are comfortable with who they are for all the world to see, they need look no further than Mark Bingham, hero and gay man.

PBS' In The Life Comes To An End

About an hour ago the website for PBS' award winning program In The Life tweeted a link to a "farewell my lovelies" letter explaining the program will come to an end this December 20 years after it began its run.

Started back in 1992 with its often hard to find programming as many PBS stations in local markets didn't carry it because of its "content", that being about all things gay, its following grew as for many years, long before LOGO, it was the only way for de gay to get a look at itself. LOGO as you probably know through the infinite wisdom (?) of the powers that be at Viacom has decided to make the once only for de gay channel to go "mainstream".

This writer will certainly miss In The Life, which I myself for a very long time could only view on WNET-TV from NYC as our PBS broadcast channels here in Connecticut didn't (or was it wouldn't ?) carry it.

You can read the full letter at the link above.

From this writer and on behalf of a grateful LGBT community, a big hug and kiss to the producers of the show and also PBS who had the courage to air such a series when PBS was continually attacked from the Religious and Conservative Right for doing so.

In The Life Media was founded in 1992 on the belief that real stories about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are our greatest asset in the fight for equality. By bringing those stories into living rooms across the country for the past 20 years, ITLM has shattered stereotypes and helped pave the way for today’s LGBT movement. In the process, we have evolved into the most honored and respected producer of LGBT journalism on television and online.

Much has changed since our programming first premiered. LGBT people now figure prominently in television news and media. Lesbian and gay soldiers serve openly and proudly in the military. A majority of Americans, including our President, support marriage equality. Studies show that visibility is the driving force behind this rapid shift in cultural attitudes toward the LGBT community. As the media organization that pioneered LGBT visibility on television, we believe ITLM played a significant role in this historic progress.

Today, we pause to celebrate ITLM’s remarkable legacy and announce a conclusion and a new direction.

The Brothers Gibb Face Mortality

It's never easy to report or now write about illness or death. If I were still in sports broadcasting I would have been reporting on the death of Penn State's legendary coach Joe Paterno.

But now with doing this blog about all things (or most) LGBT to do this posting is just as hard.

In the wee hours of Wednesday morning I watched a two hour bio on the Biography Channel about the Bee Gees. Although aired in 2010 I'd not seen it before.

To say the Bee Gees have not been a part of my life would be to say I don't breathe air. The biggest part was in the 70's when the Bee Gees made a dramatic comeback with the music soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever and many of their songs on the album became the craze in disco clubs and gay bars.

Listening to those songs bring back many memories of that time for me, some sad but mostly it was a happy time. It was in fact a time when I was trying to decide "who I was" and how I fit into our Rainbow community.

Wednesday afternoon I decided to Google the Bee Gees and found the usual links to bios and videos then I switched the search to "news" and what I found was to say the least devastating as I had not heard and somehow missed the news which I now saw headlines for.

The Brothers Gibb have known their share of tragedy over the years what with losing younger brother Andy in 1988 at age 30 succumbing to his demons of addiction. Then in 2003 brother Maurice died unexpectedly after having a heart attack at age 53 while he awaited having emergency surgery for a strangulated intestine.

Now brother Robin is in the battle of his life against liver cancer which was first reported in November of 2011. He is currently undergoing intense and aggressive chemotherapy which caused him to miss a charity event on January 18, His old friend and spokesman Mick Garbutt told fans that he was in the best hands and said: 'He would have absolutely loved to be here in person, but unfortunately that simply hasn’t been possible with his health. That from an article in the newspaper The Daily Mail.

It is hoped Robin will attend the April 10 concert performance of a classical piece Robin collaborated with his son RJ to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic the BBC has reported.

Should you click on the links to articles be warned some of the photos of Robin today are very sad and difficult to look at as his cancer is taking a toll on his physical appearance. So damn sad this is. To think that the Bee Gees effectively ended with Maurice's death and now this which could very well leave Barry as the only surviving brother, he himself having his own health issues over the years. All too damn young to die from my perspective of age and touch with mortality back in August last year when I had a heart attack brought on by a blood clot.

It's said when it comes to film and recording artists we will always have them on film or their music, the sad fact is it isn't the same without them.

Robin Gibb "Feels Fantastic" Update Via Daily Mail 2/3/12

UPDATE - 4/14/2012 - Robin Gibb said to be gravely ill and in coma.

UPDATE - 4/21/12 - Robin Gibb comes out of coma.

5/20/12 - And Then There Was One - Robin Gibbs Passes