Let’s say I’m thinking of leaving you. Gimme one reason to stay here. Do you give good backrubs? Will you stop taking baths with my dog?

Most creative or bizarre answer wins. Thanks for playing, contest closes next Monday.

More than just a bookstore, DC’s

I’m taking a deep breath. I’m sitting down. I’m pulling up my shades and filling my moat. All because I have to say something: I don’t think that gay humorist David Sedaris is really all that funny anymore. Phew. That feels better to admit it out loud. “Me Talk Pretty Some Day” didn’t exactly do it for me, and after the meta-confessionals that made up “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” he lost me for good. But before that? I would have napped in traffic for David Sedaris. And I would’ve worn a bacon coat to the pound or skinny dipped in the holy water at a Southern church for an ounce of his writing talent. His early books mix laugh-out-loud hilarity with a genuine sadness that always keep them interesting, and keep you on your toes in anticipation of which raw emotion Sedaris would slyly unearth. 

And in my opinion, his absolutele high-water mark as a writer was his 1997 collection Naked, which treats subjects from an aging greek Grandmother to a a trip to a nudist camp as personal tours through the authors own defensively comedic inner workings. It was all downhill from here, but he had a long, long way to fall. 

Support your local bookstore today by purchasing this book at LambdaRising.com.

Aladdin’s Eatery is a natural foods restaurant serving Middle Eastern fare offering a vegetarian section on the menu and delicious juices and smoothies. Please RSVP by July 8 to Del at delha4@yahoo.com or 703-721-2928. Please give your name, how many people are coming, and either a phone number or e-mail address. Come out and meet your local GLBT vegetarians!

Details

Saturday, July 11
Aladdin’s Eatery
404 28th Street South, Arlington, VA
6:00 p.m.

Photo by Hans Bruesch

Newsprints is a weekly feature on TNG looking at the GLBT-relevant headlines from the past week.

Local Stories: Washington Area

• Court Refuses to Allow DC Referendum on Gay Marriage: Washington Examiner, 6/30/09.
• Judge Declines to Delay DC Law Recognizing Gay Marriage: Washington Post, 7/1/09.
• Gay Marriage in Washington, DC: Coming at 12:01 AM Tuesday: Washington City Paper, 7/1/09.

Federal Stories

• Gayby Revolution: Children of Gays and Lesbians Redefine Family: Baltimore Examiner, 6/29/09.
• Obama Makes Speech to LGBT Leaders (incl. transcript): HRC Backstory, 6/30/09.
• DOJ Won’t Appeal Transgender Discrimination Decision: HRC Backstory, 7/1/09.
• Gates Mulls Changes to Gay Ban: The Advocate, 7/1/09.
• Olson: Gay Marriage Case will go to Supreme Court: Reuters, 7/2/09.

News from Around the Nation

• (NY) Gay Marriage Bill is Lost in Shuffle of Divided Senate: NY Times, 6/28/09.
• (CA) San Francisco Federal Judge to Hear Challenge to Prop. 8: Mercury News (San Jose), 6/29/09.
• (IA) Gubernatorial Candidate Predicts Own Impeachment over Gay Marriage: Iowa Independent, 6/29/09.
• (CA) Judge Likely Won’t Grant Prop. 8 Injunction: SF Chronicle, 6/30/09.
• (CA) Judge Favors Trial Soon in Prop. 8 Case: AP, 6/30/09.
• (NV) Momentum Continues in Nevada: HRC Backstory, 7/1/09.
• (WI) Wisconsin is First State with Gay Marriage Ban to Offer DPs: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/1/09.
• (CA) Voter ‘Animus’ to be Issue in Prop 8. Case: SF Chronicle, 7/1/09.
• (Southeast) Gay Rights Groups Challenge AAA Policy: Out and About News, 7/2/09.
• (CA) Judge Clarifies Purpose in First Prop. 8 Hearing: LA Times, 7/3/09.

International Stories

• O’Gorman Criticises Civil Partnership Bill: RTE News [Ireland], 6/28/09.
• Poll Shows 61% of Brits Support Full Gay Marriage Rights: Pink News, 6/29/09.
• Same-Sex Marriage Push: Sydney Star Observer [Australia], 6/30/09.
• Same-Sex Couples Could Hear ‘No’ From Saskatchewan Marriage Officials: CBC, 7/3/09.

Opinions and Editiorials

• Forty Years After Watershed Moment for Gay Rights, It’s Time to Extend Anti-Discrimination: NY Daily News, 6/29/09.
• Why Other Peoples’ Marriages are Our Business: Huffington Post, 6/29/09.
• Crying Foul on Martina Navratilova: Salon.com, 6/29/09.
• Open the Military Closet: Washington Post, 6/30/09.

See a story or opinion you think should be inlcuded in Newsprints? Send it to news-tips@thenewgay.net.

A $10 day pass lets people swim and hang poolside from 12 to 8 p.m. while listening to music from the MIXTAPE DJs (Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer) along with the “honorary gay” DJ Camp Counselor Cale. Plus, there’ll be evil hetero demon exorcisms, gay nuns, homo stigmata, camp flamer sing-a-longs, fabulous nativity scenes, and Skittles. Other activities will include cleansing out the straight in the baptismal pool, bedazzling crucifixes at craft time, and stoning breeders.

Details

Saturday, July 11th
Capitol Skyline Hotel Pool
10 “I” Street SW
12:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$10 Day Pass
All Ages
PLEASE NOTE: No outside food or beverages allowed

G-Spot? Hmmmmm….

Men on Mondays is a monthly social networking night for men to meet other men in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Men on Mondays just got a whole lot sexier and a whole lot funnier on Monday July 6, 2009 when Center on Halsted joins with its July partners; Tulip and Cell Block. This month, please join us at a new location, Cell Block, located at 3701 N. Halsted, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM for “Sex 101 & The Mysterious Male G-Spot.” Cash bar available, including “Men on Mondays” discounted drink specials.

Tickets are $10 to support community and cultural events at the Center.

TNG reader Thom White submitted this post.

I’m a proud small-town queer rights organizer.  Orono, Minnesota, where I grew up, is a small town of 6,000 people on the edge of the Minneapolis suburbs.  In 1996, myself and some like-minded friends got organized with our English teacher, Karen Erdman, as faculty advisor, to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in our high school.  At the time, Gay-Straight Alliances were extremely uncommon.  We believe that ours was among the first in the Midwest and to our knowledge, was the first one in the state of Minnesota outside of the I-494/I-694 beltway which contains Minneapolis, St. Paul, and their immediate suburbs.

Demographically, Orono is 98% White and is primarily upper-middle class.  My graduating class (’97) was just under 200 students.  Outside of a handful of racial and ethnic minority students, queerness is the most visible form of diversity in our community.

Although homophobia existed at Orono High School, as it does everywhere, I do not know of a student who was physically assaulted for violating gender or sexual orientation norms during the four years that I was a student there.  This does not mean that the Gay-Straight Alliance was not absolutely essential.  As TNG readers are well aware, coming out as a teenager is one of the most stressful and difficult challenges a person can face.  And yet, when queer students are able to come out and develop healthy identities as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, or straight-allied youth, it allows us to hit the ground running in college and it allows us to come home as ourselves.  As a doctoral candidate in psychology, I have seen the struggles that LGBTQ individuals face when we are halfway out of the closet, and the Janus-like contortions we engage in when we are “out” to one group and “in” to another.

It’s important that we are “out” in our home towns, and that we are safe in our home towns, which is why the further I got away from Orono High School, the more I realized how coming out in high school—and fighting to make it easier for others to do the same—might be the one thing that I am most proud of in my entire life.

The superintendent of the school district and the principal of the high school, both of whom have since retired, managed to completely squash the Gay-Straight Alliance in 1998, a year after I graduated.  To be perfectly clear, I believe that the majority of GSA members were in the class of ‘98 and I make no claim that the group died due to my absence.  There were three or four dozen of us who were of a generation and it was easier to kill the group when our critical mass graduated and went off to college.

When I moved home to my parents’ house in Orono this spring, in between the completion of graduate school and the onset in August of an internship that will complete my degree, I realized that the time was right to bring back the GSA.  Proposition 8, the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the movie Milk, and the explosion of social networking sites like Facebook, have galvanized a generation of queers and allies who will not relent for an instant in our fight for equality in marriage, the military, and hate-crimes statutes.  But equality starts at home, and GSAs are what support our community at its roots.

The reason it was so important to have a GSA is one of the ongoing fights that we as queers have fought since the dawn of history—that we get in the history books for future generations.  We didn’t get into the OHS yearbook, but we are on a number of pages indexed by Google as an embarrassing note in legal briefs, a statistic of a school administration that put the hate on love.

Yet when reconnecting to old high school friends at our ten-year reunion, on Facebook or around town, I find that no one wants to celebrate the old administration acting out of fear and bigotry; instead everyone wants to celebrate the fact that we were students who stood up to our administration.  This brings us to the school mascot.

The Orono Spartans that we are proud to be are Spartans who fight to the death for the right reasons, and who are unafraid of love between two men or two women.  This is a much more historically accurate Spartan, as our Humanities teacher and now official Faculty Sponsor Emeritus, Melodee Monicken, can attest to, than the old administration would have us believe.

Therefore, for the 2009 Minneapolis/St. Paul Twin Cities Pride Festival last weekend, I reunited people who were involved in the GSA from 1996-1998, and brought in more OHS alumni from the last 40 years who want to be involved in the GSA now.  One of these people was my junior-year girlfriend, now a civil rights attorney with a beautiful newborn.  She made her son, Doug, a rainbow bib reading “I MIGHT ALREADY BE GAY” to wear with pride.  My soccer coach came out and marched with us too.  (He was also my theater director—that’s how great my high school experience was.)  This is how we took the mascot back from the old administration, wearing the rainbow plume on our helmets instead of the traditional scarlet plume that we grew up with.

The only sad part of our marching at Pride was that Karen Erdman could not be there to march with us.  She tragically died at the age of thirty-nine in a car accident.  As we continue her vision in Orono, her memorial page lives on as a testament to her, and tells us she founded a GSA called the Rainbow Club at the school she taught at after leaving Orono.

This weekend at Pride we showed the old administration that tried to keep us down that we are real Spartans keeping true to our historical namesakes.  As an alumni network we will work with—not against —the school board to ensure that an official, school-sanctioned GSA is created and is true to the agenda of supporting sexual and gender diversity in an age-appropriate manner.

Check out the video of our call-to-arms that I delivered at Twin Cities Pride last Sunday, June 28th, 2009.  The fight goes on!

My Fabulous Sex Life

The 2009 Capital Fringe Festival runs July 9, 2009 – July 26, 2009 . Performance times for My Fabulous Sex Life are July 9 at 7pm, July 12 at 8pm, July 16 at 5:15pm, July 19 at 9:30pm, and July 23 at 7:45pm. Tickets are  and can be purchased online at www.capitalfringe.org or by phone at 866.811.4111.

This is Brent Stansell’s debut work as a solo performance artist. As an actor, dramaturg, and teaching artist, Brent has worked in DC with Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Forum Theatre, Rorschach Theatre, Ganymede Arts, and National Players (Olney Theatre Center). Brent has taught at American University , Montgomery College , and Brooklyn College (where he completed his MFA ). He is an alumnus of The George Washington University.

The mission of Capital Fringe, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, is to connect exploratory artists with adventurous audiences by creating outlets and spaces for creative and contemporary performances in the District.

Details

The Shop (at Fort Fringe )
610 L St., NW
$15

Queer people often seem to approach gender in one of two ways: as a fight to show the world that they maintain their given gender despite being gay, or as a fight to shed the gender norms that have been placed upon them. My own journey started out in the former category - seeking to be a “man,” even if I was a gay one - to the latter category - embracing the notion of being genderqueer and no longer feeling connected to the idea of being “male.”

Just before I left the District in May, I was asked by a skeptical friend at a party what exactly made me genderqueer. I didn’t have a great answer, in part because of the amount of gin I had recently consumed, but also because for me the genderqueer concept isn’t about forging a new label. It’s about dumping a label you don’t feel applies to you, namely male or female. Instead I answered, “I don’t know, but I just am. Doesn’t that count for anything?” And he seemed satisfied with the response.

But lately I have felt myself wondering more and more about it, especially given my move to Denver. My new job has required the filling out of dozens of forms, only one of which allowed me to check off an option other than “male” or “female.” It has meant living in conference housing with three heterosexual men, a position that I haven’t found myself in for a while and which has made me altogether uncomfortable. And it has involved the search for permanent housing and therefore roommates, where again the question of gender has come into play. (For the record, I decided to live with the only person in Denver who could put up with me: myself.)

Throughout my journey westward I have questioned what it means to be genderqueer, or queer at all for that matter. Can I hold onto my independent control of labels and be what I want to be? Or is my being a “man” too manifest to not be destiny?

My Life with the Gorillas

Sub-zero air-conditioned temperatures. Beer bottles and junk food everywhere. The bouncing of basketballs in a messy living room. These are the things that come with living amongst heterosexual men.

When I moved into my assigned housing four weeks ago, a required endeavor while I undergo training for my new job, I of course knew that I would be living with men. I had to fill out dozens of forms leading up to that point in which I was asked for my gender of sex. Having little other option, I had selected “male” each time.

But while I had considered that it might be slightly uncomfortable to not fit in or to be met with some hostility based on my orientation, I had not considered how awkward I would feel simply to be considered male and put with others of my “type.”

I was given my own bedroom, as were we all, so things were not nearly as bad as they might have been. But I have been consistent in my avoidance of shared spaces or interaction with my apartmentmates. Moments in the early morning or late at night, at which I might find someone going to or from the shower, were particularly awkward for me; I couldn’t help but feel like a teenage girl who had accidentally ended up in the boy’s locker room.

Once I came home to find a group of men I didn’t know, dressed for the gym, pounding on my front door. “No one else is home,” I said with more than a little disdain before brushing past them and closing the door behind me. On one evening a group of them were blasting music in the living room, talking about “eating pussy” and making some vaguely homophobic remark. I stayed in my room and put on my headphones.

It’s not that there is anything wrong with these men, or that I am by any means a perfect person myself. It’s just that living here has been hard and isolating, not just because I’m gay but because of my gender identity as well. I have only three things in common with the people with whom I’ve been placed, and they all hang between my legs. And for that, my new employer - which prides itself on being a “great” organization for queer people - has earned a touch of my resentment.

Cheap Labels

After some thought, I concluded that the problem is largely one of labels. I can accept the fact that I have a certain sex, but do not want the label of a gender, with all of the associations that comes with it. It’s not something that I feel is part of my identity.

This doesn’t mean avoiding the fact that I was born with a degree of male privilege; this would be the equivalent of being a rich white person, calling myself “color-blind,” and complaining that supporters of affirmative action are the real racists. In order to recognize and fight sexism in our society, I can’t just pretend that gender doesn’t exist as a conception and a force. But I can choose to not identify with it myself.

However, the resentment that I’ve felt lately towards (especially heterosexual) men has also not been fair. Just as I have a right to not accept a gender label, others have a right to accept it if they choose and to live their lives in a way that works for them.

This issue plays a certain role in the realm of dating, as well. Some homosexual men who really want to emphasize their masculinity call themselves “straight-acting,” but there is nothing straight about one man having sex with another. What they really mean is that they identify strongly with the male gender, and are looking for partners who do the same - not ones who act “feminine” and thus earn the wrath of the macho gays.

And with queer women there are sometimes similar tensions between those with a more “butch” look and those sometimes deridingly called “lipstick lesbians.” I’ve seen people on both sides of the perceived fence look at the other as being illegitimate, not helpful towards the gay rights movement, or at least not worthy of association.

If our society is currently in a phase of gay liberation, I hope that the time will soon come for gender liberation, as well. One reason that the LGBT population often forgets its last letter, the trans community, is that our fight is too often one about who we sleep with and get to marry and too seldom about something deeper: our ability to identify as we choose and to strip away the old concepts of Man, Woman, and the relationship between them.

As I’ve fallen head-first into the Real World over the past several weeks, I’ve felt at times out of place, excited, nervous, optimistic, pessimistic, and just plain exhausted. But through it all I’ve felt like myself, and that’s one label - for all its faults and complexities - that I’m willing to wear.

I really can’t overstate the importance of Talking Heads in my life. My mom used to play their album “Little Creatures) in our living room all the time when I was little. Their concert film “Stop Making Sense” single handedly got me though the lost summer after my college graduation (Ok, with a little help from a lot of weed) and even since then it’s safe to say that they are still my favorite band. So how come I never saw the above clip until last week? It’s Kermit the Frog doing what appears to be a sincere homage to “Once in a Lifetime,” complete with the big suit and faithful dance moves. (Though I think they stole the video screen setups from “Making Flippy Floppy.”) I stumbled across this last week and have been smiling pretty consistenly since then. Though it does beg the question “My frog, what have I done?

From the web site of the Salt Lake City Arts Council

Greetings all! Yikes! Sorry about the delay this week… Here are a few goings-on between now and July 9th.  As always, send any suggestions to slc@thenewgay.net.

Saturday

• Support local businesses and celebrate sustainable living by attending the Downtown Farmers’ Market/Art and Craft Market.  Over 250 vendors will be at Pioneer Park for the event.  Details: 200 S 300 W, Salt Lake City.  For additional information: click here.  8 am to 1 pm, recurring every Saturday between June 13 and October 17th.

Sunday

• TNG SLC and Queer Village present Body Works, a FREE class for those interested in a blend of toning, cardio and yoga exercises.  These classes will focus on core training and on strengthening the muscles needed for posture and balance.  The first of five classes, this week’s class will meet at 1 pm at the Main Library.  Details: 400 S 210 E, Salt Lake City in Conference Room B.  Please bring water, a towel, and a fitness mat.  For additional information, write slc@thenewgay.net.

• Catch more local goods and services from area farmers and entrepreneurs at the People’s Market.  Details: International Peace Garden, 1060 S 900 W.  10 am to 3 pm.  Recurs every Sunday from June 14 until October 25.

Monday
• Blues musician and son of legendary John Lee Hooker, John Lee Hooker, Jr. performs the first of two nights at the Sun and Moon Café.  Tickets are $22 and require a dinner reservation.  Details:  5195 Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City.  For additional information, visit the Sun and Moon Café web site.

Tuesday

• Blues musician and son of the legendary John Lee Hooker, John Lee Hooker, Jr. performs a second night at the Sun and Moon Café.  Tickets are $22 and require a dinner reservation.  Details:  5195 Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City.  For additional information, visit the Sun and Moon Café web site.

Thursday

• Don’t miss the first two artists of an absolutely fantastic 2009 Twilight Concert Series line-up.  Bon Iver and Jenny Lewis will provide a FREE evening of entertainment at Gallivan Plaza.  For additional information, visit the Twilight Concert Series web site.  239 S Main St, Salt Lake City.  7 - 10 pm every Thursday until August 27th.

We know it’s been a while, but we haven’t forgotten about Homo/Sonic, TNG’s flagship alternative queer dance party. It is happening tonight at the Black Cat. It’s a great chance to hear some good music and connect in person with the TNG community. See you there!

As always, Homo/Sonic is trans-inclusive and straight friendly. We play a fun mix of danceable music, including retro/80s, indie rock, and your requests. Leave requests in the comments, or email them to info@thenewgay.net.

Homo/Sonic is all ages and takes place at the mainstage of the Black Cat (1811 14th. St.) Doors at 9:30. $10.

RSVP on Facebook.
Download a flyer.

Original Illustration by Ryan Blomberg (ryanblomberg.wordpress.com)

As always, I’ve valiantly taken some time out of my work week to listen to a number of new CDs this week and let you know which are worth your time and which wouldn’t even drive you to the hospital if you get hit in the eye with a sparkler.

Full list, in descending order of awesomeness, below the fold:

REALLY AWESOME:

Artist: Care Bears on Fire
Album: Get Over It!
Who the hell are they?: Deceptively rockin’ trio of teenage girls
Sounds like a combination of: Veruca Salt and The Veronicas
For Example: Everybody Else
Recommended?: Surprisingly, yes. Just don’t be weirded out if your niece and grandpa like them too.
Release Date: July 14

Artist: Dirty Projectors
Album: Bitte Orca
Who the hell are they?: Experimental R & B-ish Brooklyn critics darlings.
Sounds like a combination of: Grizzly Bear and Whitney Houston
For Example: Stillness is the Move.
Recommended?: For showing how a solidly good album can get sucked into the hype machine and overwhelm its songs with its reputation.
Release Date: June 9

Artist: Felix Da Housecat
Album: He Was King
Who the hell are they?: Synth-embracing electro mainstay
Sounds like a combination of: Sylvester and The Human League
For Example: We All Wanna Be Prince
Recommended?: For washing the taste of “Silver Screen” out of your mouth and actually having fun.
Release Date: August 25

Artist: The Low Anthem
Album: Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Who the hell are they?: Low-key, melodic Rhode Island trio
Sounds like a combination of: Jenny Lewis and Galaxie 500
For Example: Charlie Darwin
Recommended?: Highly.
Release Date: May 19

Artist: Rock Plaza Central
Album: …At The Moment of Our First Needing…
Who the hell are they?: Toronto band whose latest album is influenced by “A Light in August.”
Sounds like a combination of: Tom Waits and the “Oh Brother, Where Art Though Soundtrack.”
For Example: Handsome Men
Recommended?: Yes.
Release Date: June 16

Artist: Royalchord
Album: The Good Fight
Who the hell are they?: Electronica-tinged Australian pop.
Sounds like a combination of: Beach House and Beth Orton
For Example: Turn My Life Around
Recommended?: Very strongly. I like this one.
Release Date: August 4

PRETTY AWESOME:

Artist: Broken Records
Album: Until The Earth Begins to Part
Who the hell are they?: Edinburgh chamber punks
Sounds like a combination of: Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad
For Example: If You Don’t Like The News, Don’t Watch It.
Recommended?: For drinking a lot of whiskey while listening to Cozy FM.
Release Date: July 7

Artist: Flying Machines
Album: Flying Machines
Who the hell are they?: AM Radio-appreciating New York foursome
Sounds like a combination of: Ben Folds and John Mellencamp
For Example: On A Whim
Recommended?: For it’s jaunty theatrical touches, not its anonymously Stokes-ian choruses.
Release Date: September 8

Artist: Gene Dante and the Future Starlets
Album: Romantic Lead
Who the hell are they?: Boston pop/rockers (who actually sound a little like Boston.)
Sounds like a combination of: David Bowie and Steve Winwood
For Example: C Star
Recommended?: For anyone who grew up listening to as much classic rock radio as I did. Or for people with posthumous crushes on Marc Bolan.
Release Date: This past February

Artist: Holiday Shores
Album: Columbus’d The Whim
Who the hell are they?: Lo-fi (yet squawky) Florida garage pop
Sounds like a combination of: The Shins and Telekinesis
For Example: Phones Don’t Feud
Recommended?: Yes, but not if you’re trying to relax or focus on anything.
Release Date: August 4

Artist: Hollands
Album: Faces EP
Who the hell are they?: Alternately quiet and hooky Brooklyn duo
Sounds like a combination of: Cheap Trick and (sigh) The Strokes.
For Example: Over and Out (Myspace player, fourth track.)
Recommended?: For its songs, not its originality.
Release Date: November 08

Artist: Major Lazer
Album: Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do
Who the hell are they?: Cartoon alter-ego of MIA producers Diplo and Switch, and a large number of high-profile guest vocalists
Sounds like a combination of: Sean Paul and MIA
For Example: Hold The Line (feat. Mr. Lexx and Santigold)
Recommended?: Once again, it doesn’t matter what I think here because everyone’s gonna love this regardless.
Release Date: June 16

Artist: Or, The Whale
Album: Or, The Whale
Who the hell are they?: San Francisco alt-country 7-piece
Sounds like a combination of: Natalie Merchant and The Band
For Example:Datura (3rd Track.)
Recommended?: Yeah.
Release Date:

Artist: The Strange Boys
Album: And Girls Club
Who the hell are they?: Austin garage rockers
Sounds like a combination of: Bob Dylan and Sam Sham and the Pharoahs
For Example: Woe is You and Me
Recommended?: Sure.
Release Date: March of this year.

NOT AWESOME AT ALL:

Artist: Ancient Astronauts
Album: We Are To Answer
Who the hell are they?: Yet another pair of producers making hip/trip hop-ish music with a host of guest rappers
Sounds like a combination of: Portishead and Naughty By Nature
For Example: Risin’ High (feat. Rashaan Ahmad)
Recommended?: No. People need to stop making records like this.
Release Date: June 9th.

Artist: The Fire and Reason
Album: Do It Again EP
Who the hell are they?: Unsigned (but LOGO award winning) NYC party-starters.
Sounds like a combination of: Lady GaGa and Yelle
For Example: Do It Again (Blogula Remix.)
Recommended?: What does it matter what I think? In one year they’ll be playing at every gay club and gym from here to Oz.
Release Date: June 9

Artist: Priscila Renea
Album: Hello, My Apple EP
Who the hell are they?: Newly signed YouTube star
Sounds like a combination of: Lilly Allen and an ousted Destiny Child’s member
For Example: Hello My Apple
Recommended?: The above song only.
Release Date: March of this year.

Original illustration by TNG illustrator Cathryn.

Feelings toward patriotism can be tough to sort out for your average American homo. In many ways we do live in a Panglossian “best of all possible worlds” in terms of the comparative freedoms, opportunities and cultural diversity that exists in our country. However, you can also realize just how quickly that society can make someone a second class citizen when they don’t conform to the straight, white American idea. With that in mind, and in acknowledgement of independance day, this week’s staff survey question is as follows:

How do you currently feel about being an American? 

As usual, fee free to leave your own answer in the comments box.

1. Zack, Co-founder and primary contributor:

Things could be a lot better here, but I have a feeling that they are a lot worse in other places. I wont know for sure until I live everywhere,  but for now I’ll say that being America is neither the be all and end all of social freedoms nor the worst place to be. At the very least we have the right to protest, and as long as we have that we have hope that we can improve our station. 

2. Michael, Co-founder and primary contributor:

I’ve always questioned my personal patriotism.  I burn a flag if it means expressing the freedom that our great country gives me to do so.  During the long, dark 8 years of the Bush administration, I felt very pessimistic about the state of affairs in the US.  On election day, 2008, I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in nearly a decade.  Now, 160 days into his administration, I’m not so gleeful.  We need true vision and leadership to undo the two-terms of backwards policies and dumbing down of our country.  I might still be surprised by Obama, but I’m definitely less optimistic about our country than I’ve been in the past 6 months.  

I hear Canada is really nice this time of year.

3. Matt, Staff Contributor:

I consider myself a citizen of the World. Certainly I’m glad to have been born in America, and I dearly love so much about this place, but philisophically, I don’t think anyone should form a blind attachment to a place just because one happened to be born there. Sometimes I’m proud of America, sometimes I am not. But I don’t feel that we are made of different stuff than the many other peoples of this lonely planet. I regard blind patriotism (whether toward America or not) as one of the greatest dangers to the world today.

4. Corey, Managing Editor and Staff Contributor:

When I lived in the suburbs, I felt proud to be an American.  When I lived in DC, I felt ashamed to be an American.  When I lived in the Middle East, I felt embarrassed to be an American.  Now I live in the real world, and I feel numb to being an American.

5. Chris, Theatre Editor:

I realize I’m going to sound like the Pollyanna of the group, but I feel pretty damn grateful to be American.  Yes, Bush II sucked and the damage done will last longer than his 8 years in office.  Yes, I disagree with a lot of what goes on (and is going on) in the country.  But I think the 4th of July is an important time to regain some perspective.  Do we have gay marriage and equal rights in all 50 states?  Nope.  But the news from India regarding their “ban on homosexuality” should make you think.  Things are far from perfect, but with a global look, we could have it a lot worse, folks.  That’s no reason why we shouldn’t strive to make ours a “more perfect union” but as a global citizen, I do think it’s important to retain perspective.  I remember talking to a friend of mine during the “Marriage Protection Act” days of Bush and saying that I wanted to just run off to Canada.  He said, “Well, be grateful that you can.”  And he’s right. 

6. Ed, Staff Contributor:

Grateful to all the people who dedicated their lives to fighting for freedom so that a bunch of queers can say whatever they want on the internet and protest against our nation’s leader without being rounded up and shot. Motivated … I want to do my part to guarantee those freedoms remain in place. Dedicated … I will do my part to make sure, that when I leave this world, there are more freedoms in place for all human beings. Faults and all, I love being an American.

7. Mike B., Staff Contributor:

In the 8th grade I wrote an op-ed for my middle school newspaper proposing that students be given more time to visit our lockers between classes. Hard-hitting stuff, I know. My principal sure thought so, and struck the column from the paper, a move so petty it still shocks me. It was then that my mother gave me one of the greatest gifts of my life: a copy of a Supreme Court decision (Tinker) that clearly prohibited the principal’s censorship, and the support to pursue my cause all the way up to the superintendent of schools.

I won. My column ran. But more importantly, I learned that our freedoms function only when used, and that it’s our duty as Americans to use them, not to sit around and complain that someone else isn’t “giving” us our rights. The petty and power-hungry are common to all nations and therefore unremarkable. So my feelings about America depend on whether Americans of good will actually exercise our freedom to correct our national faults. Obama may yet disappoint us. But I still have faith that we won’t disappoint ourselves, and right now, that’s all I’ve got. 

Adam, Chicago Editor:

Ehh. It depends on the day and depends on the situation. Most times I think that even though we are advanced in warfare and democracy, we have a long way to go in the efforts of love, peace and equality for all human life.

Cathryn, Staff Illustrator:

I’m kind of ambivalent about being an American. Sometimes I feel really proud of the country and I always feel very fortunate to have the freedoms that I have. I also often feel conflicted about what it ‘means’ to be an American, and I question what, if anything, really makes America any better than any other country. Ultimately, I have faith in this country because it’s where I’m from, and I appreciate it for it’s good and bad. 

Editorial Staff:

Hans B., Editorial Assistant:

It’s far from perfect, and I’m still recovering from the last 8 years, but it’s home. I love the vast diversity of cultures, views, natural beauty, people, and experiences. For better or for worse, i love it just as much as I love being critical of it. TNG

Even though the 4th of july weekend is mostly commonly known for fireworks, drinking, bbqing, and a boom in condom sales, this weekend also brings the Windy City Black Pride the city as well as other events to help you “Ooooh” and “Ahhh” all weekend.

Thursday July 2

• The Windy City Black Pride kicks off at The Chicago South Loop Hotel tonight. There are various events over the weekend to attend including a Youth Prom, Poetry Slams, performances by Lil Mo, Syleena Johnson and Bad Newzz, and more. Visit the website for more information on locations, times, prices, and transportation.
• In honor of Windy City Black Pride, the Center on Halsted is hosting a two part event. The first event “How Do I Dance“. Competitors will hit the dance floor, with three types of dances (”J Sette”, “Vogue” & “Hip-Hop”) with prizes awarded at the end of the event. The second event “How Do I Look” is a free screening of a movie of the same name. Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted, dance - $15, movie - free, 5:30 pm.

Friday July 3rd

• The Queer Queens of Qomedy is a show of laughs hosted by Poppy Champlin and stars Michele Balan (from Last Comic Standing) and the Musical Comedy of Roxanna Ward. Lakeshore Theatre, 3175 N. Broadway, $25 - 7:30pm, $10 - 10pm.
• The National Pastime Theater presents the first annual fine arts festival Naked July: Art Stripped Down. During the entire month of July the theater will be filled with lovely, provocative and aggressive bodies which includes “A Day on Which a Man Dies”, a play based on Jackson Pollock, Nocturne, a nude adaptation of the modern fairy tale, and The Girlie-Q Variety Hour will present burlesque, modern dance, live music, and variety performance in town. The National Pastime Theatre, 4139 North Broadway Ave., prices vary, times vary.
• The Flesh Hungry Dog Show is a rock variety show that will feature performances by Johnny Dangerous, The Balkaners, Onono, Stage Door Johnnies. Jackhammer, 6406 N. Clark St., $10, 9pm.
• The Chemically Imbalanced Theatre presents Pimprov, pimps that do improv. The Chemically Imbalanced Theatre, 1420 N. Irving Park, $15, 10:30pm.

Saturday July 4th

• Lake Forest celebrates Independence Day with a community celebration featuring food, a beer garden, live music and activities for kids–all culminating in a gala fireworks display. Deerpath, 220 E. Deerpath, Free, 5pm.

Sunday July 5th

• Wild Pug presents Red, White Trash, And Blue, a party with $1 PBR and a white trash buffet at 3pm. Wild Pug, 4810 N. Broadway, free, 1pm.
  
  
  

Picture courtesy of the city of St. Petersburg

Sure, your annoying neighbors have been shooting off firecrackers and Roman candles for the past few weeks. And, sure you’ve become so tired of the constant whining and popping sounds coming from their houses that you think your eye will develop a permanent twitch if you have to hear that sound one more God forsaking time. Still, why not brave the heat and enjoy the 4th of July the way it was intended: with a nice cold beer, some smoky BBQ or other good eats, and a fireworks show by a bunch of professionals, not the guy four doors down who sports a greasy mullet.

Tonight

Park on the beach at Treasure Island and watch the festivities over the water. Treasure Island Beach, 9 p.m., $10.

Catch dinner at the BeachHouse Restaurant (expect a crowd) or just set up an observation site at the public beachfront. Live music and dancing start at 7 p.m.; the real shows starts at 9:15. BeachHouse Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach. The fireworks start at 9:15, but it would be wise to arrive early.

Saturday

Make a day of it at the St. Petersburg Pier, where there will be food, fun, and a breathtaking view of the fireworks over the water. Watch out for falling ash. St. Petersburg Pier, 800 2nd Avenue North East, St. Pete, 1- 11 p.m., Free.

Enjoy a very American 4th at Clearwater Celebrates America. Listen to live music by the Mostly Pops Orchestra with John and Mary K. Wilson and browse through booths set up in Coachman Park. Coachman Park, 301 Drew Street, Clearwater, 4 p.m. for festivities, 9:30 p.m. for fireworks, Free.

Barhop through the surrounding bars and clubs in Channelside or bring your kids and enjoy a day of family fun before the waterfront display begins at 9. Channelside, 615 Channelside Drive, 2 p.m. for festivities or 9 p.m. for fireworks, Free.

Enjoy tasty ribs, live rock music, and ribs at Brandon Blast. Westfield Brandon, 459 Brandon Town Center, Brandon, 11 a.m. for the Rock, Ribs, and Ride Festival, 9 p.m. for fireworks. Free.

Drive to Dade City for a fireworks celebration with a hometown feel: Sparklebration. Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City, gates open at 4 p.m., $3 for adults, $5 for children.

Park on the beach at Treasure Island and watch the festivities over the water. Treasure Island Beach, 9 p.m, $10.

The Breeders

Get your tickets now!

Details:

Friday, August 21
Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW
9:00 p.m.
$20

It’s that time again, folks: Homo/Sonic, TNG’s regular queer, co-ed, trans-inclusive, straight-friendly dance party will be returning to the Black Cat (1811 14th St.,) this Friday, July 3rd. Doors open at 9:30, cover is $10 and you’re going to have a blast. But wouldn’t you have a slightly bigger blast if you got in for free? To win two free tickets, simply answer the below question as both a comment and an email to Zack@thenewgay.net:

We’re going to play Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon. So seriously, who took the bomb? 

Most bizarre or creative answer wins. Contest closes at 5 on Friday. Have fun, and don’t forget:

RSVP on Facebook.
Download a flyer.

However you choose to celebrate the fact that, to quote Tokyo Police Club, “the Republic is just one more year older,” make some time this weekend to check out the following events going down in our nation’s capital.

Tonight

• Wanna learn how to DJ? Then swing by DC9 this evening for the First Ladies DJ Collective and TAINT’s DJ Workshop. Details: DC9, 1940 9th Street, NW, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., $25 - pre-registration recommended at 202-468-5275.
• After you’ve had your DJing lesson, stick around DC9 and check out how the pro’s do it with TAINT’s Lady Liberty Dance Party. Details: DC9, 1940 9th Street, NW, 9:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m., $5 Town-only OR $8 for combo cover of TAINT/WTF? wristband, 21+, Featuring DJs: K La Rock, The Pinstriped Rebel & Junebullet.
• Make your Thursday night a package deal and head to Town for their first ever WTF? Dance Party featuring TNG’s own Summer Camp, Natty Boom and Ed Bailey as DJs. Details: TOWN Danceboutique, 2009 8th Street NW, 9:00 p.m. - Close, $5 Town-only OR $8 for combo cover of WTF? + TAINT wristband, 18+.

Friday

• Celebrate the 4th a little early at our Homo/Sonic dance party at the Black Cat. Details: Black Cat, 1811 14th St., 9:30 p.m., $10.
• Make it a party-hopping double-header by checking out Blisspop and Upfront Industries’ DC Summer Extavaganza at the 9:30 Club. Details: 9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW, 9:00 p.m., $10, All Ages.

Saturday

• Strap on your party hats and celebrate America’s birthday in style as MIXTAPE presents a special dance party at a special new location. Details: Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H Street NE, 9:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m., 21+, $5 Cover, Drink specials from 9:30 to 11:00 p.m.: $5 Redbull + Vodka, $3 Rail Vodka.

This column, which I started to talk about the ways that my life as a gay guy intersects with my music tastes, has taken an overly serious turn lately. I’ve scorned the Washington Blade. Examined my feelings toward Pride. Stood up for “Hipster Culture.” But today let’s stop making sense for a minute and give all you people what you really want: Hot queers who make good music. Today’s Part 1 is of crushworthy queer boy rockstars. Next week I’ll be examining all the queer girls out there in indie-ville who get my strap-on in a bunch. I figure everyone out there wants to bang musicians, but there is something really special about a talented musician who would in theory want to bang you back. Even if, in reality, they are too busy partying and being successful to ever have you land on their radar.

Also, prominent queer musicians like David Bowie and Bob Mould are already high-profile for both their looks and undeniable talent. It goes without saying that they, along with folks like Lou Reed and Jimmey Sommerville, are so inherently crushable that I won’t bother restating the obvious here. Instead here’s a more contemporary (and yes younger, though this is no reflection on my attraction to older guys) list of some of the more notable (and notably attractive) queer musicians around today.

11. Gentleman Reg

I’ll admit that this list is prejudiced towards musicians I have met or interviewed. It gives you a better sense of somewhat might be like, and it usually means I have spent more time paying attention to their music. Gentleman Reg, former member of The Hidden Cameras and all-around nice guy, gets points on several fronts. His music is a deceptively interesting mixture of falsettoed, theatrical rock and good ol’ power pop, and he pulls off the “blonde with a beard” looks very well. (And lemme tell you, this guy is really fucking blonde.) Plus he liked the food at Kramers when I interviewed him there, which means that DC residents can take pride in the fact that he appreciates our cities “cuisine.”

10. Hercules & Love Affair’s Andy Butler

Most known for his collaborations with the also queer (but slightly less crushable) Antony Hegarty, the driving force behind disco/house revival group Hercules & Love Affair certainly appreciates his gay past. Though their popularity waxes and wanes, Disco and House both had indelible effects on gay culture and Andy Butler makes no bones about using their tropes in his wildly danceable songs. TNG readers will also appreciate that his best-known song, Blind, is actually about the disappointment one can feel when entering gay culture and discovering it’s nothing all that special. Oh year, the crushable part.  He’s got red hair and broad shoulders. In my book, that’s about as special as shitting gold. Which I’m not convinced he can’t do…

(For an example of his music, check out “Blind.”

9. Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste

I’m gonna get rocks thrown at me for this, but I don’t subscribe that strongly to the Grizzly Bear fan club. I appreciate their songwriting skills, and their CSNY-worthy harmonizing, but I can’t listen to them for too long without getting bored. (Oddly enough, though, I greatly enjoy their side project Department of Eagles. Go figure.) Also, the first time I saw them the guy that does the Oohhh-eee-aaah background noises in “Knife” looked so much like The Muppet’s ghost of Christmas past that my friend Nat and I got a bad case of the church giggles and had to run out halfway through.

However, I owe their frontman Ed Droste a big thank you. He is doing for big noses what Grace Jones did for buzz cuts. Many out there (myself included) can be sensitive about the couple extra inches of cartilage they carry around on their face. We already gather as bears and otters. Maybe thanks to Ed I can find my calling in the burgeoning gay Anteater scene?

(For an example of their music, check out “Two Weeks.” )

8. Gravy Train’s Brontez:

How the hell did I not get the memo that Gravy Train was gay? Besides the fact that their audio and visual style calls to mind a bag of skittles in a tilt-a-whirl, they actually have a song called “You Made Me Gay.” Where have I been? Jeez, next they’re going to tell me that Liberace was a ‘mo too. My ignorance aside, its always great to know that a fun, danceable band actually has a homo contingent. Their member Brontez (seen in the above video with, alternately, the white round sunglasses and the orange shirt and drumsticks,) is also not too shabby to look at.

7. Island’s Aaron Harris:

A nice counterpoint to the off-the-wall shenanigans of this list’s number 8, the queer drummer for kitchen-sink pop band Islands seems more likely to serve you coffee than to blow your mind. He’s just some nice brown haired guy who happens to have lucked into a job that most people would dick over their sister for. Though most people tend to fall for the guitar player or the singer, there’s something to be said for the guy behind the scenes with the strong sense of rhythm. (And the inspiration for all those jokes about drummers without girlfriends being homeless.)

(For an example of his music, check out “Rough Gem.”)

6. The Clik’s Lucas Silviera

Though The Cliks’ transman lead singer Lucas Silviera undeniably looks great in a suit, he treads a perfect line of edgy androgyny that would probably appeal to anyone with genitals or a sex drive. Silviera opted not to undergo hormone therapy when he transitioned in order to preserve his his singing voice. The result is a set of shrieking pipes, a hot backing band and a self-confidence that makes their lives shows quite memorable. Plus, it would be remiss of me not to mention that his band’s moniker is a cross between the words “clit” and “dick.”

5. Hey Willpower

Hey Willpower, otherwise known as Imperial Teen member Will Schwartz, taught me a valuable lesson about pickup lines once. I interviewed him for my old job at The Blade, and then went out to see him at the Black Cat the following week. I’ve had a long (and misguided) fantasy about making out with an interview subject. But I have no tact or grace. And I do have a boyfriend. So my way of integrating all those relevant facts was to approach the muscly hip-hop appropriator and say “Hi, I’m Zack. I interviewed you last week. Would you like to make out with my boyfriend?”

The answer was a polite but resounding no. And despite the best efforts of Sia, who was there visiting her headlining girlfriend JD Samson, the club management asked us to leave when the mainstage cleared out and squelched all hopes of a second chance.

(I realize that wasn’t much about Will’s music. So check out “Hundredaire,” one of my favorite songs of all time.)

4. Cazwell

Though white rappers and gay rappers tend to get pigeonholed as novelty acts like Johnny McGovern, or talentless horror-shows, like Asher Rother, Cazwell has managed to maintain his sense of humor while producing genuinely danceable hip hop tracks. A fan of both autotune and the raunchy female guest vocalist, his songs like the Arthur Russel-sampling “All Over Your Face” are a lot of fun. And Christ on a cross does he have some muscles. I got to interview him in person last week. When I post that, expect a lot more expounding on said muscles, and how they looked in a teal LaCoste tank top.

(For an example of his music, check out “I Seen Beyonce at Burger King.”)

3. Chris Garneau

Imagine the kid that you would spend two hours staring at in coffee shop, only to have him slip out the door when you’re back was turned. You’d never see him again, but would spend a lot of time wishing you could. Now imagine if that kid was a piano-playing singer/songwriter with an angelic voice and some covert glam sensibilities. You’d have the Brooklyn musician Chris Garneau. His upcoming album El Radio showcases a gift for unsettling story telling and quiet hooks. And pretty green eyes. So much showcasing of the pretty green eyes.

(For an example of his music, check out Fireflies.)

2. Athens Boys Choir

Athens Boys Choir, the stage name of  transman Harvey Katz, calls himself a “single, white it,” but no amount of self-deprecating humor can disguise the fact that pretty much every person I know has a crush on him. And I mean everyone. The above video, for “Fagette,” should explain why. A good beat and hysterical rhymes take the forefront. But the most exciting part is the chorus: “I’ve got a dildo. I’ve got two dildoes. I’ve got three dildoes!”

You don’t say, Harvey. Maybe I’ll have to come over sometime and count them myself.

1. Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke

Normally it’s someone’s musical chops that catchy my attention, but in the case of UK arena-fillers Bloc Party it was a pretty smile. The band landed on my radar when it’s frontman Kele Okereke came out as bi upon the release of their second album. I’ve never taken the time to get into their music — they’re already three CDs in and the catalog to learn just gets more and more daunting. What I do know is that they have a way of making people move on the dancefloor. And I once saw Kele himself at my gym, letting off some steam before a Sunday show at the 9:30 Club. Not only did he tolerate my questions and introductions, but did it with a calm demeanor and a smile. All that should make me feel bad for trying to get a peek of his ass as he stepped into the single showers, but the experience was totally, completely, 100% worth it.

(And for a final example of his music, check out Helicopter.)

In the almost ten years that I have been dating women, only the last 2 or so have I been really, completely “out.” In college, my relationship was passed off to most as a really close “best friendship” and after college, girls I dated were accepted among friends but never known by my family. It wasn’t until I found someone who I really thought I could spend my life with, when I was in my early 20’s, that I thought, “Yeeeeeah. If we are going to get married someday, I should probably tell my family.” The final coming out was truly anticlimactic. I felt lucky that it was easy.

It was easy for me to choose, during all those years, when I wanted to pass for straight and when I wanted to “look” gay. I’ve always had a little bit of a tom-boyish style, but I wear makeup and always had long to medium length hair. I straightened my hair and painted on the eyeliner to go to a dance bar with my roommates, and I put on a baseball cap, and a button-down shirt when I took my girlfriend to the movies. I moved in and out of both worlds seamlessly and without repercussion.

Then, 3 months ago, in the anticipation of the Hades that is DC’s summer, and an uncontrollable urge for change, I decided to cut my curly locks. I strolled into a salon on a Saturday morning and walked out 30 minutes later, leaving my ambiguity in a pile around my chair and a faux hawk sprouting from my head. Saturday and Sunday I reveled in my new look. I broke out the cargo shorts, tried on sunglasses, earrings and eyeliner. I felt powerful. I loved it.

And then I didn’t love it. I swooped out of my apartment on that Sunday night to pick up some Thai food and crossed paths with a couple of young men who gave me a look I’ve never seen before - I couldn’t tell if it was anger, or curiosity or fear, but a knot bunched up in my chest. For the first time in my life, when a stranger saw me they saw Lesbian. Gay. Dyke—Other.  This was a whole different kind of coming out. In 30 short minutes I had lost my X-Man power: my ability to live in both worlds, to choose when and if I revealed my sexual orientation, to not live my whole life “out.”

I flew home to Chicago for the weekend and I felt my old friends’ and family’s discomfort that I had crossed a line—that I was “gayer” than before, that they supported my lifestyle more before when I didn’t look the part as much.

Maybe this isn’t true. Maybe it was me who saw myself differently, not them. I haven’t figured that out yet.

A haircut seems like such a simple cosmetic alteration, but it has changed how I see myself and how others see me. Yes, I am more afraid of discrimination, but I’m also acutely more aware of my community now. I have found a whole new kind of confidence in presenting externally who I am; in being more serious about activism and awareness; about talking and writing about LGBT issues; about being out.

When someone inevitably asks me when I “came out”, the only response I have is, “every day.”

Photo by Michael Hicks

Friday

Carey Goldenburg is new to the Tampa/ Sacred Grounds music scene, so why not spend a few bucks on a flavored coffee and support a new musician? She will be playing for tips. Sacred Grounds, 4819 East Busch Boulevard, 9 p.m., One drink minimum.

Saturday

Catch Halcyon live as they perform at Tease Saturdays at The Honeypot, billed as Tampa’s hottest lesbian party. The performance is also part of GaYbor Days 2009, your chance to party it up instead of putting yourself through a boring post-Pride recovery process. The Honeypot, 1507 East 7th Avenue, Ybor, 9 p.m., $10.

Tampa is filled with fireworks celebrations that transport you back to a bygone era with live entertainment, all sorts of informational and crafts booths, and fireworks displays that last until 9 or 10, at which point you’re supposed to disband as quickly as possible, like nothing ever happened. The catch? The whole shebang usually costs around $10 for admission. It makes much more sense to take the 30 minute drive to Dade City for Sparklebration, where the same set of events will set you back $3, and where creating a quaint, bygone era has become the town’s collective past time. Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City, gates open at 4 p.m., $3 for adults, $5 for children.

Sunday

Today is the perfect day to check out The Big Gay Art Show. Part of Gay Days 2009, the show features a variety of art forms. While you’re in the neighborhood, you might as well stop at Streetcar Charlie’s for the Gaybor Days 2009 Sunday Brunch. The Skylight Theatre- Arts on 9th, 1513 East 9th Avenue, Ybor, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Streetcar Charlies, 1811 North 15th Street, Ybor, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

While I didn’t grow up in the South Bronx, I grew up in the Deep South–New Orleans, LA. And, unlike Victoria, I never had the courage to be out in my small, all-girls, private high school. But my best friend did, and she and her girlfriend went to prom together and were met by complete acceptance by the other students and the school’s faculty.

When I finally came out to my classmates two years later, I was also greeted with a similar level of acceptance. I came out to my class after a night of drinking margaritas, showing up to the school’s most important event (the senior Nativity pageant) heinously drunk, and then going out to another bar. Though my coming out was definitely prompted by alcohol,  coupled with the fact that I had decided to finally cut my hair off like a “real lesbian,” it was something that I had been ready to do for some time. The haircut, though, finally gave me the courage to do it, and that night as I announced in the middle of Fat Harry’s “Yeah, I’m gay, so what?” the computerized bar games that generally involved comparing pictures of naked men changed to comparing pictures of naked ladies, all for my sake.

My mother, however, has preferred to stay in a certain state of denial. And while you could make a strong argument that it’s just her fear of deviating from societal norms, I think it’s more than that. June 26th marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which changed the course of LGBT history forever. It’s easy to look back and think that Stonewall’s impact on our lives can only be seen in the fact that we’re no longer hiding out in bars, I think it’s far more pervasive. Stonewall started our movement; and without Stonewall, there’s a good chance parties like homo/sonic would have to be completely underground, with raid lights on the ceiling to let us know the police were on their way.

Because of Stonewall and the hundreds of activists and fighters that came afterward, young LGBT people have been able to surround themselves with peers that don’t sneer at them because of their sexual preference, but embrace them. In an age where Stonewall and the events of the early gay rights movement can get lost in our own fight for marriage equality, it’s important to look back and remember how much was won in terms of social acceptance, and to thank the older members of our queer community for giving us that. Everyone needs to remember and honor their history, and it’s especially important for members of the LGBT community right now. During a time when it can seem like progress is impossible, it’s important to be able to look back and see how far we’ve come.

It’s true that most people in my high school class had no idea what the Stonewall riots were; I didn’t either until I went to college. But just because you don’t know about an event doesn’t mean that the messages from it aren’t disseminated across a culture. And that’s evident today, where young people of every race, socio-economic class and culture are seemingly more likely to embrace the LGBT community than the generation before them.

Amy Ray

Although she’s best known as 1/2 of The Indigo Girls, Amy Ray is also a dedicated solo artist. And though she’s been signed to a major label for over 30 years as part of a duo, she’s the owner of the respected independent label Daemon Records. And though she’s influenced many as a folk singer, she’s also a straight-up rocker. This time around she’s playing with Kaia Wilson and Melissa York of The Butchies, Ani DiFranco collaborator Julie Wolf, and Gregg Griffith.

Get your tickets now!

Details:

Sunday, August 16
Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW
8:00 p.m.
$15

Mornings suck. So every morning TNG brings you a fun video to help ease the pain.

This has been quite the week for legendary deaths. First Farrah Fawcett. Then Michael Jackson. And now Billy Mays - the king of infomercials. You recognize his voice from a mile away. He almost convinced you to order the ShamWow. Who doesn’t need a towel that can soak up an entire ocean? Mays died Sunday from heart disease. He will be missed.