I'm here, I'm queer, I'm a celebrity

Now that Clay Aiken has officially come out in a big way...

and same with Lindsay Lohan, perhaps they will both be able to find some centeredness and happiness within the insanity of celebrity culture.

At the very least, all this coming-out of celebrities is great for queer kids and societal progression.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

A Jihad for Love

The New York Times describes the just-released film A Jihad for Love as

a documentary on devout Muslims struggling with their homosexuality. Angst is the norm in this heartfelt debut by the filmmaker Parvez Sharma, whose documentary ranges from Johannesburg to Istanbul, from doubt to despair (with a happy detour among the drag queens of India). He does manage to locate a headstrong lesbian in Paris, albeit one whose face, like those of many of the subjects here, has been digitally blurred.

“If we are truly Muslims,” runs her contradictory lament, “we have no right to alter his creation.”

Mr. Sharma’s film emphasizes testimony over context to such a degree that it feels at first of little use to anyone except gay Muslims who might take comfort in knowing they’re not alone. But the documentary gains depth of feeling as it goes and even develops something of a nail-biting narrative as it follows a clique of Iranian men who flee to central Turkey in hopes of applying for political asylum in Canada.

Gay Idol

My first exposure to Idol was Britian's version, called Pop Idol, when Annie and I were in England a few years ago. The winner was an out gay guy named Will Young.

I'd love it if we had an out gay/lesbian/queer Idol...and there are a number of possibilities this year.

Tonight's episode should be interesting given that the news recently broke that contestant David Hernandez--who had an outstanding performance last week--worked for years as a stripper at a gay club.

And whoa, Danny, I wish you'd wear this makeup and show this same attitude on TV! (But of course the internet is already being filled up with a bunch of homophobic rantings about these guys ... )

Ellen Degeneres: We Are Not Second Class Citizens

The murder of Lawrence (Larry) King has now made it about as national as you can get. Thank you, Ellen. (and Joe.My.God.)

Family Values

Two more apparent queer-hate crimes: One involving the beating of a gay man who was eating at a restaurant with his partner and a friend, and the other the murder of a trans teen.

Both occurred in Florida, where as Joe.My.God points out, Floridians can order "Family Values" license plates.

In Memory of Lawrence King

Gender non-conformity is punished in our society in so many ways--subtley and overtly.

So is being queer, especially if you deign to flirt with another person. A boy flirting with a girl isn't supposed to be considered a threat--why is a boy flirting with a boy? If you're not into it, just say no thanks.

The recent murder--execution, really--of a 15-year-old middle school student from Oxnard, California, is hitting me hard.


His name was Lawrence (Larry) King. He was such a strong spirit that he continued to dress exactly how he wanted to when going to school. He wore makeup and was an out, gay kid in the face of constant harrassment.

Now that he's dead, some of his classmates are expressing regret.

It's crucial that teachers and other adults discuss these issues with kids. And that we don't ever pathologize gender non-conformity but celebrate the creative expression of others, in whatever form it takes.

I wish I could attend the vigil for Lawrence tonight in San Francisco. I can't, but I will light a candle for him at home.

Happy Pride Month

I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

--Walt Whitman

Legacy of Hate and Intolerance

Jerry Falwell died today.

In articles about him, I'm already finding such quotes as:

"Dr. Falwell was a giant of faith and a visionary leader. He has always been a man of great optimism and great faith." - Ron Godwin

"Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country." - John McCain

I think it's crucial we not forget that he spouted hate and intolerance. Below are some of his infamous statements. (Maybe he'll be reincarnated as a man who gets gay-bashed.)

"AIDS is God's punishment to gays."

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless they are married to them."

"There is no separation of church and state. Modern US Supreme Courts have raped the Constitution and raped the Christian faith and raped the churches by misinterpreting what the Founders had in mind in the First Amendment to the Constitution."

"AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharoah's chariotters."

"Textbooks are Soviet propaganda."

"The whole (global warming) thing is created to destroy America's free enterprise system and our economic stability."

"(9/11 is the result of) throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools, the abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked and when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad...I really believe that the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who try to secularize America...I point the thing in their face and say you helped this happen."


(Thanks Joe. My. God.)