"Thinking Straight" (Book Review)

Thinking Straight
by Robin Reardon
New York: Kensington Publishing, 2008
Paperback, Price: $15.00

Thinking Straight is author Robin Reardon's second novel. I have yet to read the first one, A Secret Edge. But if the second' style of writing and tired, old theme is any indication, then maybe I can skip the first one.

Thinking Straight has a simple plot. Taylor Adams develops a budding love relationship with a schoolmate. But his fundamentalist Christian parents are hell bent on him acting all butch, dating girls included. Taylor, the good son that he is, tries to accommodate his parents' wishes, but ultimately succumbs to the higher calling to keep faith with truth. So Taylor comes clean with his parents, much to his regrets, although you wonder how Taylor could not have anticipated their reactions.

His parents packs him of to Straight to God, an institution dedicated to "deprogramming" all kinds of troubled teenagers such as druggies, alcoholics, and gays. But Taylor does not see himself as needing any such deprogramming; not only does he not have a problem with being gay, he can also reconcile his love for God with his love for his boyfriend, Will.

At this institution, Taylor must deal with a repressive culture. Every movement is closely watched, and privacy is almost non-existent. Reardon throws in a few good-looking guys who serve to tempt Taylor to return to his "sinful" life. But will he?

As you can tell, the story is quite predictable. And quite depressing too. What makes it worse is the lack of sophisticated character development--Taylor's parents are two-dimensional, and Taylor himself comes across as whining and unsympathetic. Don't look for lyrical prose in this novel; in fact, we rarely get descriptive settings or philosophical waxings in this work. Read this novel if you are a complete novice to this notion of gays being brainwashed by church-affiliated organizations. Otherwise, you can do better.

Amendment 2 Can Challenge Domestic Partnerships

This article appeared on the website of the local PBS station, WUSF, which is affiliated with University of South Florida. It clearly reminds all of us why this amendment must be defeated--it simply not only cut offs any possibility of gay marriage coming into being, but also will challenge existing domestic partnerships in Florida.


TAMPA (2008-10-30) Amendment 2's backers say it's about two things: defining marriage and prohibiting gay-marriage.

However, the amendment's critics say it's about one thing: dismantling domestic partnerships.

Currently, gay marriage is legal in two states, California and Massachusetts. On October 28th, Connecticut is set to become the third. That leaves 47 states where it is illegal. However, in many of those states, like Florida, there exist alternative legal relationships called domestic partnerships. They provide legal rights and benefits to those who cannot or choose not to marry.

Amendment 2 reads as follows: "This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

It's that second clause... "no other legal union treated as marriage" or its "substantial equivalent," that some see as a veiled reference to domestic partnerships.

Click herefor full article.

Police & "Fag-Bashing"

The brutality and homophobia displayed by the police in America since its founding is well known. The GLBT community is a "thorn" on the side of enforcement officials. It is an easy target. See the article below which, first, explains what happened recently in Johnson City, Tennessee following a sex sting operation and second, contextualizes the unfair treatment within the past history of LGBT-police relationships, including that in Tampa Bay.


From Lambda Legal
‘In America, the police do not get to add an extra punishment to people they don’t like.’
(Johnson City, Tennessee, September 30, 2008) — Today Lambda Legal is filing a federal lawsuit in Tennessee on behalf of Kenneth Giles against Johnson City and its police chief. The lawsuit centers on the fact that the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD), in a highly unusual action for that Department, released photos of Giles and 39 other men who were arrested in a public sex sting operation.
“In America, the police do not get to add an extra punishment to people they don’t like,” said Greg Nevins, Supervising Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal’s Southern Regional Office based in Atlanta. “They also do not get to ignore the principle of innocent until proven guilty. The JCPD went out of its way to humiliate Mr. Giles and caused irreparable damage.”
On October 1, 2007 the JCPD issued a press release, personally approved by the police chief, that included photos that were taken at the scene where 40 men, including Mr. Giles, were arrested in a public sex sting. The local news ran the story prominently along with the pictures and addresses of the men involved. Lambda Legal reviewed the police department’s press releases for over a period of a year and found that out of approximately 600 other releases, none pertaining to arrests was accompanied by photos or personally approved by the chief. Of the 40 arrested, one man has committed suicide, and several others have lost their jobs, including Kenneth Giles, who was fired from his job as a nurse at the VA hospital.
“I don’t understand how the police department can release photos of one group and not any others,” said Kenneth Giles. “I lost my livelihood because my arrest was treated differently.” ...

Police in Miami Beach admitted to a similar practice, with the Miami Beach police chief that his force would “harass” gay men “and let them know in no uncertain terms that they are unwelcome on Miami Beach.” One, Vol. II, No. 1 (Jan. 1954), p. 19.
The Vice Squad director in Tampa confessed in almost verbatim words that this also was true in his jurisdiction; One, Vol. IX, No. 12, p. 9 (Dec. 1961) (the “harassment routine . . . will continue until we’re sure these people know without a doubt they are not wanted in Tampa.”). One incident reflected the Tampa police department’s hostility toward lesbians, in addition to gay men. There, the police held twelve women without charge on “general investigation,’ to be fingerprinted, questioned, and subjected to mug shots. If their records are clean, said the vice chief, ‘We’ll have to let them go for now, but we’re going to keep after them until we run them out of town.’” One, Vol. V, No. 8 (Oct.-Nov. 1957), p. 19.


Click here for full article.

Stereotypes of Blacks?: "Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom"

By now, I am sure most gay men, regardless of color, unless one was too caught up in the current presidential race (and truly, is everyone doing that?), know of the opening of the silver screen adaptation of cable Logo's series, "Noah's Arc." Apparently, the film's initial screenings in New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. had almost virtual sold outs and grossed about $30,000 per screening.

The drama (and that word is so applicable here!) of four young African-American men and their loved ones, "Noah's Arc" on the tube has ran two seasons and captured legions of fans. Why? Well, the series has failed romances, suggestive sex, trendy fashion, upbeat music, and more drama that all the episodes of "Dallas" you can put together. None of this troubles me, not even the blatant consumerism. But what does trouble me is the feeding and hyping of the stereotypes of gay black men. When you have one character who is wholly effeminate but highly romantic, another a naive geek, then another unrepentantly promiscuous (and conveniently super-butch), and oh let's not forget, another effeminate, fat man who can crack jokes at the drop of the hat, stereotypes come to mind. The only difference is that this time we have black representation of these stereotypes--how refreshing.

The Hypocrisy of Gay-Supportive Hollywood

The film, Milk, starring Sean Pean, is set to open today in San Francisco. In case you have not been paying attention to Hollywoodland, this is the flick about Harvey Milk, the local San Francisco politician who dedicated his life to gay activism and rights until he was shockingly slain.

Apparently, the film company that produced this film is doing what Hollywood does best: downplay any tinge of so-called radicalism in this movie. Even though the movie pays a lot of attention to Milk's unequivocal fight for gay rights, the marketing folks have turned this into a movie about "hope and change" (gee, how conveniently unpolitical!). This is what infuriates me--liberals, and you know, they populate Hollywood in the majority, who on one hand screams for gay marriages so as to look progressive, but on the other hand, pander to mainstream sensibilities, all in the name of raking in the dollars. Their attitude is simple and straightforward--they will do anything to get ahead, anything to get moviegoers to show up, and never mind the moral scruples.

Read the article below from the Hollywood Reporter.

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – The opening of “Milk,” director Gus Van Sant’s account of California’s first openly gay politician, is four weeks away. Yet you wouldn’t know it.

Unlike the hoopla over Focus Features‘ previous gay-themed awards magnet, “Brokeback Mountain,” which was drawing calls of agenda-pushing from right-wingers months before it opened in 2005, there’s been hardly a peep in editorial pages or on talk radio.

Admittedly, the election is a major distraction. But Focus also is doing something deliberate: It’s eschewing publicity for the Sean Penn vehicle, keeping it out of the high-profile fall film festivals and heavily restricting media screenings.

“The best way to help this film win over a mainstream audience is to avoid partisanship, and the best way to avoid partisanship is to let people find out about the film from the film itself,” said one person involved with the film.

Giving up word-of-mouth to avoid hot air is not a typical trade-off — notice how Lionsgate effectively flogged politically charged movies like Oliver Stone’s George W. Bush biopic “W.” and the Bill Maher documentary “Religulous” — but it’s one Focus is willing to make.

Not that it will last. The political football will be kicked off when the movie premieres Tuesday night in San Francisco and then put in play after the November 4 election. And when that happens, the studio will face a marketing dilemma: how to accommodate the gay-rights angle the core audience expects while appealing to mainstream filmgoers who might not be immediately moved to see a movie about the subject.

One example of those filmgoers: At a recent Vegas test-screening for a middle-class, straight audience, several senior citizens tried to leave after a gay love scene in the early moments but couldn’t because they were trapped in the middle of a row (near Focus production chief John Lyons, in fact). The seniors eventually said they were happy that they stayed, but, like independent voters in an election contest, these are the viewers Focus must woo.

Like its initial phase of playing keep-away from cable news, the post-election phase will also involve staying above politics. Focus plans on selling “Milk” in part as a story of hope and change (Harvey Milk, a member of San Francisco’s Board of Superviors until his assassination in 1978, won equal-rights battles against great odds), just as it sold “Brokeback” as a love story.

The ploy was logical with “Brokeback.” It’s less so here.

Like “Brokeback,” “Milk” features a gay romance. But unlike “Brokeback,” “Milk” is made by gay filmmakers, features the polarizing Penn and puts itself squarely in a political context. Milk’s fight against California’s anti-gay-rights Proposition 6 — a drama the movie deals with in great detail — spookily parallels the current California fight over Proposition 8, a measure that would ban gay marriage.

Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said that “since this movie is about a beloved politician who was killed, it won’t be easy for our adversaries to fight us on it.” Focus and its Oscar handlers should get the weaponry ready anyway.

The Hate Legacy of Anita Bryant

Below is an excerpt from an article by United Press International. It reminds me of how draconian and mean-spirited the Florida law is toward not only gay parents, but also the children they hope to adopt. Thousands of foster children await adoption, many of them of a racial background that white heterosexuals sometimes do not care to adopt for cultural (and possibly racist) reasons. Gay men and women are willing and able to adopt many of these unwanted children and give them a loving home. So why deny them of a life-affirming upbringing? Of course, all this began in the 1970s when that infamous Anita Bryant, the singer, led a Religious Right movement to overturn anti-discrimination laws in this state that were designed to protect the civil rights of gays. This same fanatical movement unwittingly reignited the gay liberation movement across this country, a phenomena that is depicted in the new film, Milk starring Sean Pean. The film is set for worldwide release on December 5, though it has already began running on the west coast.

MIAMI, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Supporters of gay adoptions are awaiting the decision of a Miami court that might provide a means of overturning a state law preventing gays from adopting. Under Florida law, gays and lesbians can be state-appointed foster parents or permanent guardians but cannot be adoptive parents.

Some states like Mississippi and Utah prevent unmarried couples from adopting but Florida statute 63.042 states: "No person eligible under this statute may adopt if that person is a homosexual."

The Florida case awaiting a court ruling involves Frank Martin Gill who seeks court approval to adopt his two foster sons.

Click here for the full article.

Newspapers Against Amendment 2

More than twenty Florida newspapers have taken a stand against Amendment . Why? Because they know the amendment is wrong, immoral, and downright mean. Anyone with a conscience can see that it is an amendment against family units, straight and gay alike. Of all the vitriol that the Religious Right throws at gays, the one we hear the most is that gays undermine family values. But when gays want to show commitment, to show true human love to each other, and to sanctify it through a legal instrument, then the Right screams foul. Such is the logic of the Religious Right.

The Miami Herald

Bradenton Herald

Florida Today

Ft. Myers News-Press

Gainesville Sun

Lake Wales News

Lakeland Ledger

Ocala Star-Banner

Panama City News Herald

St. Petersburg Times

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Tampa Tribune

The Daytona Beach News-Journal

Palm Beach Post

Tallahassee Democrat

Orlando Sentinel

Sarasota Herald Tribune

Naples Daily News

The Florida Times-Union

The Florida Times-Union - 2nd Editorial!

TCPalm

Pensacola News Journal

Gays and God: "In the Eye of the Storm" (Book Review)

In the Eye of the Storm
Gene Robinson

Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Seabury Books (April 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596270888
ISBN-13: 978-1596270886
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches

Gene Robinson is bishop of the tiny, rural Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, and was and still is the center of the controversy raging in the Episcopal Church and throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion about the role of the LGBT community in the church. Ordained as bishop in 2003, he was the first openly gay priest to be elected to this position in the Anglican Communion. His election scandalized many faithfuls, but also brought hope and self-affirmation to many people, particularly LGBT adherents.

In this book, Robinson takes on the meaning of the Gospel message, espousing forgiveness, humility, and social justice. Though not an autobiography, the book does offer snapshots of his personal and professional life. We learned of the profound human dimensions of his ministry, one that sometimes stretched the span of the globe. He writes about how LGBT church members in Hong Kong organized an underground congregation, afraid of recriminations from their mainstream church. He tells us stories of the women in a prison who sew their names into vestments they then gave to him as gifts. And of course, he recalls the furor unleashed by his announcement that he and his partner of twenty-some years, Mark, planned to carry out a civil union ceremony.

In weaving these personal recollections into his larger narrative of ministering to the dispossessed, the forgotten, the marginalized, Bishop Robinson calls upon all Christians to look at what they believe and how they practice their faith . He constantly asks, what would Jesus do? He urges the faithful to work with those on the edge and not judge people for how they dress, act, or think, but just love them. And he reminds us that to love our neighbor, we must begin by loving ourselves. It is not a narcissistic love, but a self-awareness of one's strengths and weaknesses.

Even though I do not consider myself highly religious, and in fact, I rarely attend church services, I found myself drawn into the book. Robinson's take on the blessings of human sexuality and how it is not irreconcilable with faith in God struck me as one grounded in a nuanced perspective on the truth of the Gospels.

Read this book for I believe it will open your eyes to the pains and tribulations faced by so many people, and not just gays alone. It is a book for our times, for our "me" generation. It is a book that calls for healing and reconciliation, even as Christians struggle to find a new understanding of the Scriptures.

Down Low: "Cover" (Film Review)

Cover by director Bill Dukes (who made A Rage in Harlem), a movie about lies, betrayal, and infidelity, promises a lot in its promotional material, but falls a little short on delivery. That said, the flick is not unworthy of your viewing time. The second half, after a plodding first half, captured my attention, and kept me watching to the very end.

The plot is somewhat predictable. Valerie Haas, a black woman, is a devout churchgoer married to a psychiatrist, Dutch. Predictably, Dutch is ambivalent about churchgoing, which feeds into the stereotype of gay men who have an "issue" with religion. Dutch also has a former female fling who refuses to give up on him, or so it seems. Valerie gets jealous, as you might expect. She herself has more than one challenge on her hands. A well-known singer with a "gangster" persona and oversexed drive is hot on her heels.

All those disparate parts get tied in at Valerie's weekly women's meetings (one of the women is played by R&B singer and gay icon, Patti LaBelle) at the church. A lone black gay man joins the group, and soon the movie moves in the direction of dissecting the well-known, but secretive, phenomena, the "down-low" culture of black men. The movie is at its best when it raises tough questions on down-low men. The movie acknowledges that the black community's ostracization of gay men has shaped this underground subculture, but it also places some of the burden on personal responsibility.

Then Valerie is charged by an overly ambitious district attorney with the murder of that male singer--a turning point event that seems irrelevant to the marital problems that Dutch and Valerie face. But through flashbacks, we learned of how the small pieces of this puzzle fit together. And the final twist will surprise most viewers.

The acting in this film is uneven. Often, the actors engage in hsyterogenic reactions. Nuanced acting is inconsistent in this film. Raz Adoti, as Dutch, however, turns in a fairly engaging performance. So does vetaran actor Lou Gossett Jr. as the sympathetic detective who interrogates Valerie. Aunjanue Ellis as Valerie, however, could have toned down her hyperbole.

The movie is PG-13 (which means there there is very little skin!) and runs for about 90 minutes. Watch this film after you have watched the DL Chronicles series from HereTV, the gay cable channel. DL Chronicles is far more thoughtful and provocative than Cover. And yes, it has more skin! You can find both the film and series at your local Blockbuster and Hollywood Videos stores.

Black, Brown, and Gay in America: "Drifting Toward Love" (Book Review)

Drifting Toward Love: Black, Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York
by Kai Wright
Boston: Beacon Press, 2008
$24.95

Drifting Toward Love: Black Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York tells, in a sympathetic tone, the poignant stories of a small group of young men of color in some of the grittiest parts of New York City furtively looking for homes that protect them against the violence or disease that surrounds them. Like most adolescents, they face the conventional pains and traumas of growing up. But they do so in a world where their race, sexual orientation, and class works against them.

Kai Wright, the author of several earlier books on African American life, draws intimate portraits of these young men's tragic, but still heroic, lives. Manny is a black boy who is still coming to terms with his sexuality, as he cuts school, cruises sex sites, and hangs out at parks. Though an intelligent adolescent, he struggles to negotiate the color line at school whilst coping with a troubled relationship with his single-parent mother. He and best friend Jason plunge from an immature love relationship into a friendship of drugs and hustling. But Manny is pulled into an explosive social movement, and ends up as an activist. What motivates him to leave the shambles of the past should keep most readers engaged.

Julius's story, meanwhile, is a classic tale that many gays. of various colors, share: a young gay man flees his rural roots, seeking liberation in the promising lights of the city. But Julius, a black youth, never finds his new "home," as he is soon homeless, hustling, and using drugs. Love--by others and of the self--eludes him.

Julius seeks refuge in a gay-friendly shared house on the east side of Brooklyn. It is a refuge that a number of other dispossessed--in body and spirit--share. One of them, Carlos considers that same house a safe haven, but he must try to deftly balance his definition his identity with the patriarchal demands of his large Puerto Rican family.

In Drifting Toward Love, Wright, in an almost novelistic style, interweaves the stories of these men into the broader currents of social, political, and economic changes of the city. The end result is a fairly nuanced understanding of these lives set within a larger context. The book moves at a fairly brisk pace; there is very little intellectual jargon that you see in GLBT studies or history these days. If you can read a newspaper or magazine article, you can read this book. It will open your eyes to some of the more troubling trends in society today, and also remind you that in spite of many odds, sometimes people can, with the support of new networks of friends and loved ones, overcome their demons.

No to Amendment 2 can Make Children Gay

John Stemberger, an Orlando attorney who brings shame to his own profession, and one of the organizers of the Yes2Marriage.org campaign, a rabid right-wing organization undoubtedly, is now making this outlandish link between rejecting Amendment 2 and children being forced to read books "promoting" a gay "lifestyle."

Yesterday Stemberger appeared at a press conference with a Massachusetts couple, Robb and Robin Wirthlin, to promote the amendment. The Wirthlins claimed that by virtue of their son's second-grade teacher reading from a book, King and King, in which a prince falls in love with and marries another prince after turning down a series of princesses, the school was attempting to indoctrinate their son to accept an "immoral lifestyle." The couple filed a suit in the US Supreme Court, claiming that the school undermined their parental rights to raise their children as they see fit, and in so doing, also jeopardized their civil rights. The court, much to its credit, refused to listen to the case.

First, any attempt to draw a black of list of books and burn books is abhorrent. Such advocacy simply is backward looking, anti-democratic, and clearly an infringement upon free speech. Yes, parents like the Wirthlins have the right to control their children's reading habits, but why prevent others from reading such books?

Second, the claim that gay marriage, or domestic partnerships will lead to massive indoctrination of children into the gay "lifestyle" is laughable. Conservatives clearly ascribe too much power to gays! Their whole argument rests on this flawed assumption that homosexuality is nurtured and determined by one's environment. So much of recent scientific studies have cast heavy doubts on that assumption. And of course, conservatives are highly hypocritical--they scream for family values, but when two men or women desire to validate their love for each other, they cast aspersions on it.

The Schizophrenia of Tampa Bay

(Photo courtesy of St Pete Pride Festival)

I thought this article dated October 21, 2008, in the San Francisco Examiner that comments on the sociocultural contradictions that exist in the Tampa Bay area--conservative, but still progressive--aptly captures my thoughts on this part of the country. The excerpt below, includes among other things, covers the GLBT community, and reminds us that life in Tampa Bay is highly diverse, giving rise to volatile sociopolitical expressions.

According to the Chamber of Commerce, in 2005 alone, 46,226 people from at least 483 counties across the country joined us and settled around Tampa Bay, in mobile home parks and turn-of-the-century bungalows and McMansions behind big gates. Nearby my home are two developments of $1 or 2 Million homes, all now dormant and empty. Downtown multi-million dollar condos are started then abandoned and sit vacant. There is confidence that this will change when the economy improves but for now, there is and it is Depression.

We have more nude and strip clubs that are said to identify our city. and county, a short bit north are several nudist communities. (I know that “nudist lifestyle” is healthy, non-prurient and so forth, except one has explicit advertisement suggesting otherwise.) While we deplore the strip clubs, one of the most famous of those is barely a mile from where we gather Sundays in the fall to watch the Buccaneers play football. The owner of this most famous of clubs has been the litigant in scores of suits brought by Tampa or by him arguing the restrictions imposed is unconstitutional. He almost always wins....

We have, according to a 2006 UCLA study, the fifth-highest percentage of gay, lesbian and bisexual residents of the top 50 metropolitan areas in the country, behind San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and Portland, Ore. We also have a county commission that voted to ban county sponsorship of Gay Pride events.

For the full article, click here.

The Massage Spa

Have you ever felt stiff all over because you spent a few more minutes at the gym working out just so you could see that one hunk flex his muscles? Or have you ever been worn out from all night partying and dancing at the smoky bar? Or maybe all you desperately need is some human touch, since the last time anyone has done that to you, well, has been an ungodly number of months ago? Fear not, just head over to your local St Petersburg spa, The Massage Spa located at 4101, Central Avenue (tel. 727- 327-6772). Opened just a little over a year ago by two lesbians, this spa offers both male and female therapists, including several gay ones ( I think), in a cozy, warm environment that is never sanitized or clinical. Forget their local competitor, Massage Envy, which comes across to me as overly clinical, and by the way, who came up with the idea of purple walls?

WIth rates as low as $44.00 for the one-hour session, and the availability of coupons (click herefor a current one), everyone can afford a massage. I went there late last year, and have been back just about every other month. Their rates are definitely lower than just about all the spas in St Pete or Tampa that I have researched. And the service is on the mark. My favorite therapist is John Scott, a straight man. He has strong hands! He specializes in neuromuscular therapy (which means, deep!), but like all other therapists at this joint, he does Swedish and Shiatsu too.

Go and give yourself a little gift. You worked hard, played hard, and now it is time to breathe and enjoy!

"The Witnesses" (Film Review)

In his new film "The Witnesses," the talented French filmmaker Andre Techine serves up an insightful study of human foibles and strengths. The film is dramatic, without ever being melodramatic. It is instructive, but never preachy. Techine probes complicated characters whose intertwined lives are tied to a specific place and time in history. And these lives are defined by enigma and contradictions.

All the characters' lives revolve around Manu (newcomer Johan Libereau), a young attractive, somewhat naive, guy from the country who's just come to Paris, in 1984, to move in with his opera-singer sister (Julie Depardieu). This being an historical drama situated between the pre and post AIDS eras, Techine presents Manu's after-dark park cruising with devil-may-care abandon. Manu's first encounter, though not a sexual one, was surprisingly with the middle-aged doctor Adrien (Michel Blanc), who becomes a platonic friend cum spiritual companion, albeit one who harbors a crush on Manu. Complicating matters, Adrien introduces Manu to his married friends, writer Sarah (Emmanulle Beart) and vice-squad detective Mehdi (Sami Bouajila), who have just had their first baby. Sarah learns through the experience that, despite her books, she does not like children. Her husband despairs when she neglects the child, does what he can to fill in, and sometimes parks the child with his parents.

Then on one weekend Sarah and Mehdi invite Adrien and Manu to her mother's house at the seaside. The two younger men go swimming in the sea. But Manu finds himself in trouble, and he nearly drowns. Mehdi saves his life, and what happens next is a surprise to both men, and it is a turn in the movie that will have profound implications for Sarah as well.

One day Adrien sees lesions on Manu's chest and diagnoses him as a victim of the new disease he has started to see in his practice. Thus, the ramifications of this infection for all five characters become manifested and from this point onwards, the dramatic tension in the movie escalates.

Throughout the film, we see the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and even professions. All the actors turn in fine, nuanced performances. There is no excessive emotional angst here. For gay men, this film reminds us of the dangers of that decade of the 1980s. Even though the film has erotic naturalism, it never ignores the consequences of sexual freedom. See this film for sure. It is in French, with english subtitles, and runs about 112 minutes and is unrated though contains mature subject matter.

Newspaper Editorial Boards Against Amendment 2

A large number of Florida newspapers have taken a strong stance against Amendment 2. These papers include the local Tampa Tribune, often characterized as conservative, and the more progressive one, St Petersburg Times.

St. Petersburg Times --This amendment is unnecessary, and its unintended consequences are considerable. In an era where social tolerance is growing, it would freeze old attitudes for the foreseeable tomorrows.

Tampa Tribune -- We are sympathetic to those who would protect traditional marriage as a sacred trust. These are people who fear for our culture and lament the loss of respect for the institution. But changing the constitution, when it hasn't proven necessary, is not the way to do it.

Click here for a selection of editorials around Florida.

Proposition 8 and Amendment 2

Florida gays are waging a war against Amendment 2, the anti-gay marriage amendment, one that is pointless since Florida already has an anti-gay marriage law. California gays, however, are fighting against a possible passage of Proposition 8, one that would negate the existing legalization of gay marriages in that state. Even though we, in Florida, are engaged in a different battle--one to largely save domestic partnerships from being challenged should this amendment pass--from that in California, the two conflicts are related. Both are about the defense of basic civil rights. If California's proposition passes, then any hopes for a reversal of fortunes in the future in Florida (or in other states) are somewhat dashed. Read the article below from yesterday's issue of the progressive San Francisco paper, The San Francisco Chronicle., which suggests that gays are having jitters since there is a possibility that the proposition just might pass. For the entire article, click here.

S.F. boosts weddings in face of Prop. 8 fears 10.19.08

"We've been together for 13 years," said Ana Solomon of San Leandro, who came in last week to marry her partner, Joan Joosten. They're among the many couples who have been coming into the city to tie the knot before Californians vote on Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment that would slam the door shut on same-sex marriages.

"I have to admit," Joosten said, "the idea of the ban passing lighted a fire under us."

The number of same-sex weddings at City Hall had been steadily dropping since gay and lesbian marriages first became legal May 15. In recent weeks that has changed, with 1,208 same-sex couples signing up for license appointments through the end of October. By comparison, in all of September there were 941 license appointments.

Much of the rush appears to be prompted by state Attorney General Jerry Brown's assertion that even if Prop. 8 passes, same-sex marriages performed before the election would still be valid.

Support Local Gay Theater

(Courtesy of Brad Minus, photo of Carlos Milan, the sole actor of "Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown")

In an earlier post, I featured a local gay play that is currently running in Ybor City, the old historic part of Tampa. "Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown" runs through Nov. 2 at the Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, and Street Car Charlies, 1811 N. 15th St., Tampa. (727) 644-7077. A funny, sometimes poignant look at the crosscurrents of race and gender in the lives of many different Hispanic gay men, all roles played by one talented actor, this play is being staged by Gypsy Productions.

The local theater company entered into a one-year forced hiatus following the closure of the famous (or infamous, take your pick) Suncoast Resort in St Petersburg. But this past fall Gypsy Productions moved its home to Ybor City, and offered the drama, "Gross Indeceny: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde," at Ritz Ybor, a banquet facility converted into a performance space. The new space is about 25 percent smaller than the last one, but at least the theater is in the middle of the gay district of Tampa, which has gay-friendly shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs (see here for a recent write-up on the theater). Go and support your one and only gay theater in the Tampa Bay Area!

The Angst of Hermaphrodites: "XXY" (Film Review)

I just watched this outstanding, multiple-award winning film, XXY. A Spanish-speaking film produced in Argentina, this approximately 91-minute film relates the trials and tribulations of Alex, a fifteen-year-old girl who is a hermaphrodite.

Unwilling to submit Alex to the surgeries her doctors recommended, her parents took away from Buenos Aires and the family settled down in an isolated wooden house near the Uruguayan shoreline. Still, Alex grows up an angry, confused, alienated girl.

One day, her mother welcomes friends from Buenos Aires. The visiting couple came with their son, sixteen-year-old Alvaro. Soon the intention of the visiting couple is revealed to be more than just a social one. Alvaro's father is a plastic surgeon, who is interested in completing Alex's gender reassignment as a woman. But Alex's parents, particularly her father, harbor doubts. They are clearly protective of her, even as they realize that Alex's female gender role has inflicted a heavy psychological cost on her.

Meanwhile. Alex and Alvaro are attracted to each other. What follows next--the intimacy--will surprise most viewers. But Alvaro and Alex are not left alone to face their respective fears as some bigoted townspeople soon catches wind of Alex's secret. How Alex and her parents resolve the bigotry of the townspeople and their fractured relationships with each other makes for an engaging resolution.

The restrained acting from the entire ensemble turns a well-written script into an outstanding film. There is no excessive sentimentality or exaggerated emotions. The cinematography captures the pathos of this family as echoed in this haunting, almost lyrical landscape of the dunes of the Uruguayan shorelines, where much of the film takes place. I highly recommend XXY to anyone interested in this complex subject matter. The film is unrated and has brief nudity and several necessary sex scenes. It features English subtitles. Note that this film is not available via your local Tampa Bay area Blockbuster or Hollywood Video stores (as best as I can ascertain), but you can check out a copy at your local St Petersburg Public Library or any of its affiliated libraries. You can obtain a free library card by showing proof of residence (e.g. current driver's license).

"The Fisher Boy" by Stephen Anable (Book Review)

This first foray into the world of fictional writings by Stephen Anable is set on Cape Cod, mostly in Provincetown. The town, with a gay resort, an art colony, and a working fishing port, offers a colorful backdrop to this murder mystery. Mark Winslow, the naive and inquisitive protagonist with a working-class pedigree, and a Boston improvisational actor, arrives with his troupe, ready to try and break into the cliquish town's club circuit. Soon Winslow encounters some motley people--Republican gays who attended snotty prep schools; Bible-thumping, anti-gay Christian soldiers; a ravishing, controlling houseboy with a secret; slightly hysterical summer residents, and of course, young, blond-hair people who pan-handles and who claim to be from a Scandinavian ship. Then there is the mystery of a local painter who disappeared some eighty years ago after founding a utopian community near Provincetown.

Most readers, in my estimate, would find the first half of this novel somewhat languid, even slow going. It seems the author took his time to develop his characters--some of which are over the top and therefore a little implausible--and plot. And it seems to me that the author paid more attention to the setting than anything else. Also, some pruning would have helped, particularly in the diction department. In particular, I think he overdid the use of adjectives, thus slowing down the pace of a mystery novel, which by definition has a certain rapid pace.

The second half of the book is so much better. Once the murder of a Boston blueblood (conveniently someone whom Mark has had a sexual, and love-hate relationship with in the past) is discovered, and Mark becomes the prime suspect (arising from a public fight he had with the deceased) the twists and turns begin. Unexpected relationships are revealed between the characters that will surprise most readers. Then the inevitable question arises: does the earlier disappearance of that well-known local painter and the story behind his masterpiece, "The Fisher Boy," point in the direction of solving the murder of Winslow's old friend cum nemesis?

Read this book if you enjoy mystery novels with more than a few gay twists and a panoply of colorful, if albeit semi-stereotypical , queer characters.

Religious Leaders Oppose Bigoted Amendment 2

Some religious leaders in Florida are undoubtedly supporting the passage of Amendment 2, the so-called anti-gay marriage measure. But some other, more progressive voices in the religious community--ranging from Episcopal to Jewish ones--are calling this amendment an expression of bigotry and hatred. They have gone so far as to set up a new coalition--Florida Clergy for Fairness. The group has pointed out that this amendment could lead to a widespread attack on domestic partnership benefits and other legal protections for both gay and straight couples. See here for the full article. Read here for another related, and longer article.

Hysterical Gays (Theatrical Happening)

Gypsy Productions, the popular gay-owned theatrical company that used to be based in St Petersburg, and now in Tampa, is running a new show, Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown. This show is a series of comedic monologues that follow the love lives of seven gay Hispanic immigrants as they navigate the confusions that arise from the intersection of race and gender identities. All performances are at the Ritz Ybor, 1503 E Seventh Ave. in Tampa. Tickets are $25, or $45 for dinner performances. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Sunday, and there's a deal for the 8 p.m. Wednesday performances — two tickets for the price of one. The show runs until Sunday, November 2. Tel.: (727) 644-7077

Below is a synopsis of the show, courtesy of Gypsy Productions.

The play is bracketed by the misadventures of the naive Frederico, who arrives in Los Angeles during the first day of the 1992 riots and believes he's witnessing the filming of another Lethal Weapon sequel. He mistakes the looting for U.S. generosity.

Other characters include Vinnie, a kept boy being asked to leave the home of his wealthy sugar daddy because he's turned 30; the Demon Roommate, a lonely young man with an apartment a little too close to the airport; Paco, a Cuban restauranteur who was imprisoned by the Communists in Cuba for being gay and has now been exiled by his right-wing Miami family for the same reason; and the Teacher, a stuffy, sexually repressed English-language instructor who abuses his Latino students when they can't learn properly the "language of Princess Di".

Perhaps the most tragically comic character is aspiring actor Eduardo Troncos. Eduardo bleaches his skin, goes to trendy straight bars, and changes his name to Edward Thornhill III. Edward, a Latino actor passing for Anglo who gets a Latino part, has to deal with his real identity when the producers tell him he is not Hispanic enough.

The play ends with Federico's final misadventure as he tells of his newly found romance, a better job and his acquisition of citizenship in a grand, positive finale.

Gay Over Sex and Race

A brand new poll by a Florida university shows that the people sampled in this study were far more reluctant to vote a gay candidate than a candidate of color or gender, even though an overwhelming majority of the same sample (a little over 80 percent) agreed that the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the military must go. Almost 30 percent of those sampled admitted sexual orientation would influence their vote, whereas less than 10 percent of them said the same about gender or race. For me this shows that as much as Americans are willing to put the security of this country in the hands of these brave gay men and women, they are not willing or ready to let the governance of this republic fall into hands of members of the same community. Clearly, gays are still seen, and wrongly, by mainstream society as incapable of being leaders since they supposedly are irresponsible, given their "lifestyle." Mainstream Americans don't mind if they are in the military since the top brass can keep gays in line, but woe betide, if gays are allowed to run the "show" on their own.

To Get it Up, Get it Down

In an earlier posting, I wrote about how cycling creates numbness in the "land down under," a common enough challenge for many competitive and amateur cyclists. How can you avoid it? The excerpt below from a longer article suggests, among other steps, to lower the saddle "a little, removing weight from the seat, and tilting the saddle a little downward raising the perineal area off the saddle." The other recourse is to wear padded bike shorts and bike underwear---not a fashion statement for sure, but would you prefer to hurt the manhood instead? The article also recommends that "bike gloves are used to cushion the hands so more weight can be put on the hands and bike shoes are employed to keep the foot in the correct position and stop the heel from dropping, which may cause more weight to be transferred to the saddle. " Shifting one's position whilst riding also helps so that the genitalia stays "active." So maybe there is hope. I do enjoy cycling, but have been scared stiff, no pun intended, by all the supposedly unquestionable research on its effect on erectile dysfunction. See full version of article.

"Gaying" Up Ybor City

If you ever been in Ybor City, Tampa, you know that there is a new vibe there. And by that I don't mean the few suspicious characters hanging around on the outskirts of this commercial cum residential district. Or the occasional pan-handling, which is quite harmless. Also, never mind the sketchy neighborhoods around it, or the ugly looks you get should you make the mistake of driving through one of them (as I have!). Look at this way--all that sketchiness is just what you need to shake up your boring, middle-class, mainstreamed queer life! And never mind the hellish difficulty, sometimes, of finding parking in Ybor City, especially during weekends. Ybor City is worth all the trouble, though I have to confess the local Hampton Inn's secured main door--and secured all day and night--makes me wonder at times.

If you are gay, you want to be here as the "in" crowds these days tend to congregate in this district. If you drop by Gallery Live (901 15th St.; 813-748-0069), a former lumberyard turned into an exhibit space, you marvel at the creativity of LGBT and gay-affirming artists. You also get to soak up the past in this National Historic Landmark District, only one of two in Florida (the other is in St Augustine). With old cigar factories, wrought iron balconies, and brick sidewalks, Ybor takes you back to the halycon days of cigar manufacturing and its workers of Spanish, Cuban, Italian, and Jewish ancestry.

After taking a walk in awe of the back-breaking labors of the past generations, and realizing that you actually have it good in spite of this damn recession, you are ready of course to hit the bars and restaurants, and get drunk and pick up your next boyfriend or girlfriend. If nothing else, you need a good time to make you forget this awful economic downturn. My favorite is also the perennial choice for most locals, Streetcar Charlie's Bar & Grille (1811 N. 15th St; 813-248-1444). For a faster pace with lots of people watching and some glam and bling, go to G. Bar (1401 E. Seventh Ave.; 813-247-1016), which among other things, feature funky couches and overly high ceilings. For a latest promotional video by GaYbor District Coalition, see HERE.

Cycling Kills Sex

Do you enjoy cycling? Do you find it exhilarating? Do you find it gets you all pumped up and ready to take on the world? It might do all that for you, but it won't do anything for your sex life. According to a urology journal, some 60 percent of the sampled male cyclists have reported suffering from post-ride genital numbness, or to be more blunt, erectile dysfunction. If you can't get it up, what is all that blood flow and heart racing good for?

Tampa Tribune Endorses Kevin Beckner

The Tampa Tribune in yesterday's issue, Sunday, October 12, endorsed Kevin Beckner, a thirtysomething gay man, financial planner, and former police officer, for city commissioner of district 6 of the city of Tampa.

The conservative paper picked Beckner over the incumbent Brian Blair, whom the paper deemed to be "not the sharpest commissioner." Blair has a tendency to ride roughshod over interest groups in a way that reminds one of his former career as a wrestling professional. The article makes no mention of Blair's previous attempts to use gay and lesbian rights as a political wedge issue, in a way similar to what his "comrade," former County Commissioner Ronda Storms did, who became infamous (and the laughing stock of some quarters) for her virulent campaign against gay books in country libraries. Neither does the article below mentions Blair's past racially tinged remarks.

Beckner, in contrast, is level headed and willing to listen to all segments of the population. If elected, his high-profile visibility as a gay official will hopefully make the board of commissioners more progressive, which in turn, could encourage investments and job growth. See HEREfor the entire article.


District 6
In countywide District 6, Republican incumbent Brian Blair faces Democrat Kevin Beckner, a financial planner and political newcomer.
The amiable Blair is not the sharpest commissioner, but he has grown in office. He's helped curtail extravagant salary increases for county employees, supported cuts in property taxes and advanced worthy measures such as go-slow traffic zones around communities for seniors.
Yet he remains prone to rash pronouncements, as when he complained that cutting his $600 monthly car allowance would take food out of his children's mouths.
While eager to please, Blair also appears to be easily led.
Early in his tenure, he patterned himself after former County Commissioner Ronda Storms of Brandon, who stoked a city-county divide for political upmanship. There was just one problem with Blair's copycat strategy: His district includes the city. But that didn't stop him from disparaging downtown interests, trying to mothball the trolley and preventing Tampa residents from serving on a county board asked to imagine an improved transportation system, complete with spending recommendations.
Blair also pushed hard to privatize the county's indigent health-care system, though he says political contributions from WellCare and other private health-care management companies did not influence him. Fortunately, Blair was unsuccessful. Today WellCare stands accused of defrauding Florida's health agencies of more than $20 million.
Blair also mounted an attack on environmental regulations, and listened hardest to developers who wanted to eliminate local wetlands protections. A public outcry caused the commission to retreat.
Since Storms left the board, Blair has become more reasonable. He promises to make city concerns his concerns, too. But his behavior is not easily forgotten.
In contrast, Beckner comes across as thoughtful, more independent and more likely to listen to a broad range of views.
He stresses the need for better planning and understands that sprawling development makes the county a more expensive place to live, a negative when trying to attract high-wage companies.
The former police officer believes the county should better prioritize spending and focus on building infrastructure that supports job growth. Beckner rightly believes the county can do a better job of partnering with its municipalities, and its state delegation, to advance the region's interests.
Beckner would approach each issue with an open mind and seems unlikely to be swayed by special interests. His role models on the commission are Mark Sharpe and Rose Ferlita.
The commission could use a new voice, one that is independent of special-interest agendas. Beckner would provide that. In District 6, the Tribune recommends Kevin Beckner.

Randy Father, "Nelly" Son: "Assisted Loving" (Book Review)

Assisted Loving
by Bob Morris
New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2008
Hardcover, $24.95

Pay no attention to the dustjacket; it does no justice to the story inside. Assisted Loving is a wry look at a real life love-hate relationship between a loud, overly gregarious, eccentric father and an insecure, self-effacing, overly insecure, loveless gay son.

In this memoir, the author, Bob Morris, a style columnist for The New York Times , finds himself, quite reluctantly, taking on the role of love coach and "pimp" for his recently widowed father, Joe. Hoping to unburden himself of a needy father, Bob soon is trolling the personal ads, screening prospective dates, and offering etiquette tips, chaperoning services, and even post-date assessments.

The irony is that Bob himself is a failure in the love department; overcritical of all the men he meets, he is resigned to a life of lonely New Year Eves and furtive e-mail reading. And for Bob, the irony deepens as his still-young-at-heart father goes on a whirlwind of dates, stretching from New York to Palm Beach, each date more successful than the other one. But for Bob, finding love is no easy game in a city of fast life and fleeting ties. More so since Bob is hardly the catch of the day--a middle-aged gay man with a grating attitude and a paunch to boot. But Bob prevails at the end, thanks to his father's unrelenting encouragement. And in finding love, Bob discovers that he shares more than just a genetic makeup with Joe. He re-discovers a father who loves his gay son, unequivocally.

The writing style is highly accessible; the prose is littered with funny one-liners and witty quips, some with obvious references to the Jewish culture that the family partakes in. This is no Tuesday with Morrie type of book, but at least it does remind one of the joys of the father-son bond and that love is never elusive, regardless of one's age.

Gays, Blacks, and the State In-Between

The excerpt below is from an insightful article published on Sunday, October 12, 2008 by Ernest Hooper, a columnist with St Petersburg Times. It echoes my sentiments on the hypocrisy of some African American social and political leaders (including these Blacks for Marriage Coalition leaders in the above photo taken at the recent NAACP Florida state convention) in supporting Amendment 2 or the so-called Marriage Amendment. They advocate equality and reconciliation, but only for some people. They speak the language of Martin Luther King, Jr., but never his universal ideals. Never mind that this country was built on the bedrock of tolerance. And never mind the more pressing socioeconomic ills that still afflict blacks; those ills can wait whilst they expend time and effort to promote bigotry. See HEREfor the entire article.


Imagine a black man standing on a yacht and pulling up the rope ladder after climbing aboard, even though more people are down in the water.

That's the vision I get whenever I hear black people, especially black ministers, promoting Amendment 2, the state's proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage. I just don't understand how blacks can demand equality while denying it to gays. Middle- and upper-class blacks always hear a message about how we have a responsibility to reach back to the inner cities and lend a hand even though we've escaped to the suburbs or moved up to a deluxe apartment in the sky. Shouldn't the same principle apply to gays? Shouldn't we help other folks achieve equality now that we've made strides?

Many misguided blacks argue there is a difference between civil rights and gay rights: "I couldn't choose my skin color, but gays choose their lifestyle." You could argue it's not a choice for gays, but why does it matter? This is America and what someone chooses to do in their bedroom — either by choice or by genetic decree — is their business.

If people who say they're for less government really mean it, they shouldn't expect our lawmakers to regulate what happens in the privacy of a home. If your church sanctions gay marriages and you disagree, challenge your minister or join another church.

The moral debate, however, shouldn't extend to a government that theoretically represents every citizen.

Can't Afford Viagra? Eat Watermelon

For those of you who can't afford the almost ten bucks per viagra pill, or any other competitors' version, there is hope. Try fruit, and you will be "fruity" enough for your lover or boyfriend or special friend. More specifically, watermelon will do the trick. According to a staid study, all research mind you, done by Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center , watermelon, induces a high production of citrullin, a substance that produces an amino acid with Viagra-like effects, that in turn, can treat erectile dysfunction and perhaps even increase libido. The rub here--you must drink six cups of watermelon!

David Archuleta: Singing Loud and Proud

These days it is no longer unfashionable to come out, loud and proud, even if you are an "every mama's boy" writ large pop star with instantaneous mass appeal. Just think of Clay Aiken. Unless you happen to be straight, or seemingly so. Such is the case of cutie pie, David Archuleta, another American Idol finalist, who has been the target of a gay rumor. In front of thousands of people on Thursday night, October 9, at the cavernous Tropicana Filed in St Petersburg, Florida, at a supercharged, no "sissies" allowed Tampa Bay Rays versus Boston Red Sox game, Archuleta belted out the nationalistic "God Bless America." Gay or no, he can certainly sing his heart out! For those of you who harbor a desire to see this young man come out given that this is National Coming Out Month, well, this event was certainly not the occasion--not in front of thousands of adrenaline pumped baseball goers!

St Petersburg City Council Supports Homophobic Marriage Amendment?

This article, that appeared yesterday in the St Petersburg Times, suggests that just about the entire council, regardless of party affiliation, is nervous about showing any support for those who oppose the current proposed Amendment 2, that would ban gay marriage in Florida. Such is the quality of leadership that exists in this city! And the argument used to justify their silence--an unwillingness to inculcate the wrath of some city residents who resent political influence--is akin to saying that if racism or sexism takes place in their midst, they too will remain silent. Furthermore, when did politicians ever not influence society, for better or worse? The excuse offered below is simply hogwash and is politically driven. It is simply a case of self-interest over the protection of the rights of minorities. The city fathers' implicit stance is an affront to the forces of judicial review that has been gathering momentum in favor of gay marriage as witnessed in the latest state, Connecticut, to rule that same-sex couples have the right to access this civil contract.

October 10, 2008
St Petersburg council silent on Amendment 2

ST. PETERSBURG- Former City Council member John "Jay" Lasita asked the council to adopt a resolution Thursday against Amendment 2, the so-called gay marriage ban before voters this November.

It didn't go over very well. Not one council member supported putting the resolution to a vote.

Council members, even those who oppose the measure, said voters could take the resolution the wrong way.

"We do get a lot of heat from people with us using our positions to tell them how to vote," said council member Jeff Danner.

Even council chairman Jamie Bennett, who has campaigned against Amendment 2, would not support the resolution.

"I will not be supporting this amendment when I go to vote next month," said Bennett. "It does impact people in their normal existence and I think that is the unintended consequence."

Lasita is the Central Florida field leader for Florida Red & Blue, the group that's fighting Amendment 2. He urged council members to reconsider voting on the resolution at their next meeting Oct. 16.

Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg

If you have never been to the Salvador Dali Museum, then it is time to get over there. The museum is filled with this avart garde artist's works. Located in downtown St Petersburg, Florida, the museum probably will receive even more visitors in the near future since a new film on him is set to open worldwide in 2009 (See the previous posting, "Is Salvador Dali Gay?"). Perhaps the curators of this museum will not welcome the obvious, controversial question, but no doubt they will welcome the higher traffic of visitors. See HERE for more information on this museum's location, opening hours, and exhibits.

Below, to get a taste of Dali's artistry, is a review of the above featured painting, Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man (1943), that you can see in this same museum. The review was written by Randy Rose, a talented, promising student of mine.

Salvador Dali was an artist who was not limited to just one particular style. The body of his work, from early impressionist paintings through his transitional surrealist works, and into his classical period, reveals a constantly growing and evolving artist. Dali is mostly known for his surrealist works, but one of my favorite pieces is from his classical period.

Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man (1943) captivated me. It portrays the birth of "New Man" appearing out of America on the egg as the emerging world power. The man's left hand is crushing Europe, England in particular, whom America fought to gain its independence. New democracy and new enterprise are born. The enlarged pendulous depiction of South America and Africa represents perhaps the growing role of the Third World.

The mother figure (perhaps androgynous) is disdainfully pointing at the emerging man to the child apprehensively cowered at her feet, as if to say, "Look what's happening! What are you going to do about it?" I see the child as a symbol of the "new colonies" and the man cracking through the earth is our future generations heralding the damage to come. The promise of the modern man, with all the good intentions he had in the beginnings, is now in jeopardy. Such an idea is conveyed by the shadowed veil that looms over the whole scene and in the "violence" of the birth, which seems set to tear apart the physical earth.

The child is the crucial element in the situation. The child is casting a far longer shadow than the mature mother and this signifies the repercussions the New Man will feel on this planet for a greater period. It is up to the child to move and channel the course of our future in the right direction, making this world a better place.

This painting suggests to me that eerie feeling of peering into the future. It is a vision of what will become of our fragile planet and the harm brought to it by modern man.

Geopolitucs is one of my favorites as it posits such large concepts and yet does it in a thoughtful manner. The colors and the flow of this painting first attracted me to it and once I had learned its symbolism, it has encouraged me to leave a shallower print on this planet.

Was Salvador Dali Gay?: "Little Ashes" (New Film)

The controversial question has been asked before over and over again. Was the avart garde painter, Salvador Dali, whose museum is in St Petersburg, Florida (see HERE for museum's location, hours, and current exhibits), gay? A new film in English, "Little Ashes," makes this argument even though many historians and critics argue it is an audacious and baseless claim. And Dali himself has denied that claim, though he admits that Frederico Garcia Lorna, the well-known Spanish writer and close friend, was drawn to him. Read HERE for the movie's website. To get to the right page, click at the very below, where is says "Reeltime Creative." Then click the name of the movie, and you will see a trailer for it. Below is a synopsis of the film taken from the website. This film is scheduled for worldwide release in 2009.

SYNOPSIS

Romantic story about the young life and loves of artist Salvador Dali, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and writer Federico Garcia Lorca.

In 1922, Madrid is wavering on the edge of change as traditional values are challenged by the dangerous new influences of Jazz, Freud and the avant-garde. Salvador Dali arrives at the university; 18 years old and determined to become a great artist. His bizarre blend of shyness and rampant exhibitionism attracts the attention of two of the university's social elite - Federico Garcia Lorca and Luis Buñuel. Salvador is absorbed into their decadent group and for a time Salvador, Luis and Federico become a formidable trio, the most ultra-modern group in Madrid. However as time passes, Salvador feels an increasingly strong pull towards the charismatic Federico - who is himself oblivious of the attentions he is getting from his beautiful writer friend, Margarita. Finally, in the face of his friends' preoccupations - and Federico's growing renown as a poet - Luis sets off for Paris in search of his own artistic success. Federico and Salvador spend the holiday in the sea-side town of Cadaques. Both the idyllic surroundings and the warmth of the Dali family sweep Federico off his feet. Salvador and he draw closer, sharing their deepest beliefs, inspirations and secrets, convinced that they have found a kind of friendship undreamt of by others. It is more that a meeting of the minds; it is a fusion of souls. And then one night, in the phosphorescent water, it becomes something else.

RT: 112 - 35mm film, color, English
Rated R for sexual content, language and a brief disturbing image

"Clampham Junction" (Film Review)

"Clapham Junction", which originally aired on British television in 2007, is undoubtedly a provocative and disturbing drama about the lives of some gay men during less than two days in London. It traces the tragic consequences that ensued when their lives collide by design but also by happenstance.

Written by the acclaimed playwright Kevin Elyot, the approximately 100-minute film is unrelenting in its intensity of human entanglements, though it has some brief moments of comic relief. From a deceptive civil partnership ceremony to a heated dinner party, from gritty restrooms to raunchy clubs, five separate stories, embracing all generations and sexual maturity, are intricately woven into the complex fabric of modern day London. And the diversity of gay characters with unresolved fears--a closeted married man, a cynical writer, a naive teenager, two incommunicative newly weds, one unloved psychopath, just to name a few--reminds us that quiet desire, regardless of one's station in life, is often just a breath away from uncontrolled passion.

The film maintains a delicate, tense balance between the growing acceptance of gays in the larger society, as witnessed in political equality, consent, and civil partnerships, and higher media visibility—and the persistency of homophobia, particularly the more virulent strain of violence. The persistency of bigotry, the main theme of this film, is in turn, echoed by the secondary theme of internalized homophobia. Some gay men remain wedded to the past, unable to throw off the shackles of self-hatred that find their expression in horrific violence. The tight editing--cutting back and forth between middle-class pretensions and raw human emotions--heightens the horror of unspoken truths that runs throughout the film.

Viewers should be warned that "Clapham Junction" features graphic acts of criminality and aggressive sexual gratification. But that graphicness and displaced machismo just goes to show that intolerance breeds an unbroken cycle of unremitting hatred.

I recommend highly this film for mature audiences looking for a thought provoking experience that stimulates the senses and enrich the mind. Below is a brief trailer for this film. This trailer is suitable for all audiences.

New Poll Shows Floridians Still Oppose Amendment 2

The latest poll from Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, taken in early October, shows that current support still falls short of the 60 percent majority needed for the passage of Amendment 2. That in itself is good news, especially if one keeps in mind the earlier Quinnipiac poll taken in early September, which also shows less than 60 percent support for the amendment. But a rise in undecideds from 7 to 11 percent is troubling, and suggests that they might break for supporting the amendment.  The article below is from seaqwa, a gay online newspaper in Seattle.

Wednesday, October 08
Poll: Anti-gay Florida amendment still trails, but close to passage
Source: Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE -- Support for Florida's anti-gay "marriage protection" amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot continues to fall short of the 60 percent needed for passage, a new poll shows today, but may be poised for approval.

Support for Amendment 2, which limits civil marriage to one man and one woman only, dropped from 57 percent in August to 55 percent in early October, according to Mason-Dixon Polling & Research.

But the difference falls within the 4 percentage point margin of error for the poll; meanwhile, the number of voters who remain undecided on Amendment 2 rose from 7 percent to 11 percent. All told, the results remain comparable to the outcome of Mason-Dixon's August survey, Tampa Tribune reports.

Of the 625 registered voters surveyed Saturday through Monday, 55 percent supported the anti-gay marriage amendment, while 34 percent were against it.

It takes a 60 percent vote to approve a constitutional amendment in Florida.

But Mason-Dixon polling director Brad Coker warned the the number of undecided voters in the survey might indicate problems for opponents of the amendment, Orlando Sentinel reports.

Undecided voters made up 11 percent in the poll, and Coker said experiences in other states that have considered the issue suggest that undecided group is more likely to back the ban.

"There just seems to be the trend where the undecided voters just sort of fall down on the anti-gay side," said Coker.

The measure is the only one of six proposed constitutional changes headed to voters Nov.4 that is close the 60 percent threshold needed to pass, an Orlando Sentinel poll shows.

Coker said that undecided voters casting a ballot in favor of the marriage amendment would probably give it with the additional 5 percentage points it needs to pass.

But not if Florida Red & Blue can help it. The group plans to run an ad painting the amendment as ''vague'' and a threat to domestic-partner benefits, even for heterosexual seniors. Supporters of Amendment 2 say that's a scare tactic.

Gov. Charlie Crist said he supports defining marriage ''between one man and one woman.'' Yet Crist said he's staying out of all the amendment fights because "I've got my hands pretty full as it is," Miami Herald reports.

Pollster Coker observed that voters considering the crowded Florida ballot have clear opinions about those amendments that are relatively easy to understand or that have simple titles or buzzwords, but are less likely to support complex measures. Large numbers of voters remained undecided on the other questions appearing on the presidential election ballot.

So the ''Florida Marriage Protection Amendment'' garners wide support -- 55 percent in support; 34 percent opposed. And a complicated amendment that would allow local communities to raise the sales tax to help pay for community college is losing by a 37 to 40 percent margin, Miami Herald reports.