Gay Music: Beyond The Village People

"Nothing against dance or disco. I came out to Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" and its swirling waves of ecstasy still send chills up my spine."

"But there's more to gay culture than just a few pop hits, and you don't have to be an opera queen to think some of it might come from the classical sphere."

The funny, yet insightful, quotes come from an article in a Canadian mainstream newspaper that caught my eyes. It, in gentle humor, plumbs the nature of gay music today. Click here to read the entire article.

For me, gay music is a hard term to define. What constitutes gay music? Is it fast paced rhythms? Is it the incessant beat that keeps pace with the sexual energy of youth? Or is it the slower cadence of classical music that echoes the tragedies of gay life? Is that why gay men become drama queens or divas?

I personally always found classical music uplifting. It reminds me that life is redeemable, that life is full of colors and hues, and not black and white alone. And that life is about shared dreams.

Enjoy the Youtube video of the music of Benjamin Britten, the well-known gay composer. The piece is entitled "Hymn to St Cecilia no. 3."

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!