|
|
queerVOICE
Outing as a Tool
James Duggan
copyright 2010
|
The ongoing debate is raging about whether closeted
politicians who vote against queer equality should be publicly outed.
Many argue that coming out is so personal and deep
that it should only be left to the individual. Others claim such hypocrisy must
be called out. To be honest, I understand both sides of the issue and
struggle towards a conclusion.
Should elected officials whose private lives appear
to be at great odds with the public policies they advocate be targets of outing
as a tool in our battle for equality?
I know many closeted individuals none of whom I
would force out of the closet.
It is, I agree, the most personal of decisions but
when that individual is advocating against our very existence and affecting the
lives of others in a negative way then perhaps a little push is needed to
correct the course.
Coming out means coming to terms with your very
being, it's about self acceptance and respect. It's about being willing
to expose yourself to the world as something other than you and others thought
you to be.
The journey is unique to each individual and to
those around them. Some are willingly embraced by loved ones while others
suffer great rejection. Coming out is both fearful and joyful, liberating
yet at times binding.
Coming out should never be viewed either lightly or
trivially. That is why forced outing is a dangerous tool but a tool
nonetheless.
Closeted politicians who try to write
discrimination against us into law give up any sense of privacy by their
actions. It appears that individuals who hide themselves behind lies and
seek to deceive a public for which they are called to both represent and be
truthful, may justifiably be targeted for a forced outing by their own actions.
Yet some will claim that they are simply
representing their constituents by their votes, but they deceive the very
people who elected them by hiding who they truly are from their constituencies.
Others may take the position that outing politicians
will backfire on us giving fodder to the opposition by claiming even the gays
support or opposed this or that legislation.
However, enjoying the
benefits of being queer on the down low or in private, and publically
advocating against it is hypocrisy at its worst and it seems the natural
conclusion is to expose such hypocrisy.
We are in a battle for equality for ourselves, our
children and our children's children and this changes the equation.
I would suggest that if you are a closeted elected
official and you willing advocate against equality you either resign or face
being outed.
In claiming our rights and equality, we must use
every tool available to us and if that means making someone feel uncomfortable
with who they are than so be it.
 |
 |
What It Looks Like From Here
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2010 |
Details March 2010 Cover  | "Is That a Gay
Bar in Your Pocket?" read the headline in this month's "Dossier" column appearing in DETAILS (March, 2010) one of my
favorite Conde Nast monthly magazines, that I do have to admit, I read
religiously.
(By the way,
the publication is also celebrating its 10th year anniversary this month, with
a definite and consistent queer-friendly bent on everything from its editorial
content to its fashion spreads over a decade.)
But I digress,
so let's get back to the issue at hand. Well, okay, so this title caught more
than my eye. It captured my immediate attention as a "must read" and then the
side title, "Digital Boy Toys" even
more than curiosity and attention, maybe even sweaty palms and some glandular
activity elsewhere but never mind, let's not go there, quite yet.
Digital Boy
Toy! That sounds intriguing. The topic of the article is about queer guys
with their iPhones, a very specific
sub-cultural (and youth-oriented) group who can connect, hook up, have sex with
other like-minded horny guys, even, perhaps, find a boyfriend. But, not to
worry, the one-night stand or the quickie will do just fine if that's all there
is in the cards. Cruising has clearly
changed forever.
Technology
being what is and can become, there's actually outlets like Grindr, a GPS-based mobile queer dating
service for iPhone owners.
Released a
year ago on iTunes, Grindr was an instant success. "We're at about 300,000
users and adding about 1,500 every day," boasted Grindr's founder, Joel Simkhai, 33, one of the
digital-age pioneers for queers.
According to
Simkhai and others in his industry, queer male users of iPhones are always
seeking "the ultimate gaydar--high-tech devices that streamline the search for
sex."
Grindr's
service is now available in 77 countries
worldwide, including Iran, Israel and Kazakhstan, so iPhone users will never be very far out of reach
from the ability to meet guys and hook up for sex.
 Calling it
almost a world unto itself, these same queer guys have a porn web site, all
their own, called "GuyswithiPhones.com,
and DETAILS' writers, Hugh Ryan and Brian Joseph Ferree, wrote: "Now,
with Grindr, they [iPhone users] have a safe, easy way to hook up at virtually
any place and time. In other words, they're definitely about to do this 24/7.
That's including meeting someone--literally--around the corner in Greenwich Village, Dupont Circle or the Castro, without even stepping foot into
a bar, dance club or bath house.
Beyond
Grindr, there are other such services like Boy
Ahoy and Twinkleboi.
"Is it the
male sex drive alone that makes them [queer iPhone users] such early adopters?"
poses Ryan and Ferree.
"Out gay men
are familiar with taking risks," posited a theory from Josh Rubin, founder of the web site, Cool Hunting, "Trying a new phone is pretty easy compared to coming
out of the closet."
Now I'm onto
it but can't get involved because I don't own an iPhone, I'm older and a little
slower on being engaged with the latest in technology.
For God's
sake, I don't read DETAILS online, I actually subscribe to the magazine,
receive it in the mail, and still so many other things (shall I confess?) the
old-fashion way.
But I'm not
opposed to the outlets like Grindr or the queer iPhone users (club or
subculture)?
Now, I'm
thinking: Is this really just a queer guy thing?
|
 |
Thom's Table on the Qt!
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2010
|
Foodies-listen up!
There are all kinds of special meal deals across the city and the region
that you can now take advantage and still enjoy a gourmet experience. What
could be sweeter?
 Owen Kamihira, owner of the
always-popular Bar Ferdinand, 1030 North 3rd Street,
Philadelphia, located in
Liberties Walk, is currently offering Thursday
Night Tastings, a special 13-plate
tapas feast that changes weekly to reflect the restaurant's latest
innovative interpretations of Spanish fare, featuring locally sourced ingredients.
It's only $35 per person.
Dinner is served from 5 to 11 p. m. on Thursdays.
For more information, call 215.923.1313; or visit barferdinand.com
 Chef Hiroyuki
"Zama" Tanaka, the city's most revered sushi chef, is now serving a new lunch
menu at Zama,
128 South 19th Street,
Philadelphia, incorporating
authentic modern ingredients and Japanese cooking techniques.
Formerly of POD,
Morimoto and Genji at the Ritz Carlton, Tanaka is proud of Zama's
Bento Lunch, combination meals that
feature main dishes such as Black Cod Saikyoyaki and Yuzu-Pepper Chicken served
with edamame, salad, miso soup and rice, priced from $12 to $17.
There are also many a la carte menu items range in
price from $3 per piece for some sashimi and vegetable maki to $24 for sushi
and sashimi combination platters.
Lunch is served, Monday through Friday, beginning
at 11:30 a.m.
For more information, call 215.568.1027; or visit zamarestaurant.com
 March Madness? Who else but the legendary executive chef/owner Georges Perrier who is now offering at Le Bec-Fin, 523 Walnut Street,
Philadelphia, a special three course menu with choices and a glass of
complimentary champagne for $35, Monday through Thursday until the end of the
month.
The impressive menu includes: Choice of Soup du
jour, Rabbit Terrine with Wolfberry mustard and country toast, and Escargot
with hazelnut champagne butter for starters and Olive Oil poached salmon with
vanilla salsify and blood orange emulsion, Braised Prime short rib with Pommes
de Terre and Mushroom tomato compote, Giannone Chicken with Black trumpet
mushroom, and Chicory Risotto Crisp as choices for your entree.
Diners have the grand finale, too, a choice dessert
from our executive pastry chef Cedric
Barbaret.
Seating is limited and available in the Mezzanine
only so reservations are recommended.
For more information, call 215.567.1000; or visit lebecfin.com
Food and History is a good marriage, I think.
 Foodies and Historians alike can enjoy an exclusive
tour of the world debut exhibition, "Ancient
Rome & America," at the National Constitution Center (NCC), 525 Arch Street on Philadelphia's
Independence Mall, followed by "Vino
Vitae," a celebration of Italian food and wine, on March 25, from 5:30 to
9:30 p.m., for $149 per person and $129 for NCC members.
The five-course dinner will feature wine pairings
from Italy's Mastroberardino winery,
considered the preeminent winery in the Campania region of Italy, home to the
ancient city of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius and selected by certified sommelier Salvatore Galati.
The dinner, prepared by the Center's exclusive
caterer, Max & Me, will include
seared cod with pappardelle, broccoli rabe, roasted peppers, calamata olives,
extra virgin olive oil and oven-roasted tomato basil broth drizzle, garnished
with crispy calamari; classic risotto, served with porcini mushrooms and fava
beans, finished with parmigiano reggiano and toasted focaccia; blood orange
sorbet; braised short ribs osso bucco style with Chianti, tomatoes, fennel,
garlic, and onions served with roasted garlic soft polenta and sautéed baby
spinach; followed by tiramisu cake with fresh berries.
For more information, call 215.409.6700; or visit constitutioncenter.org
comments@QUEERtimes.net
|
 |
Thom's World
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2010
|
 Queer folks,
we're heading up to New York City this weekend
for the 17th Original GLBT EXPO, the oldest and largest business and entertainment event for the gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is back for an unprecedented 17th
year, March 20 and March 21
at the Jacob Javits Convention
Center, 11th Avenue & W 38th Street, New York City.
The Expo
referred to as "The Gay Expo"
is set to break all attendance records for 2010.
Our city
will be well-represented with the presence of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and the Gay Philadelphia Travel Caucus along
with our neighbors to the East, the Atlantic City Visitors and Convention
Center, in their current efforts to become a more gay-friendly destination.
Every idea,
product and contact to improve the lifestyle and business edge for the
attendees is available.
Queer consumers are tops in spending, education and travel over 400
exhibits including- Fortune 1000 companies as well as
smaller, entrepreneurial companies exhibit and sponsor this historic event
because they recognize that the queer community
is brand loyal,
loves to entertain and are prolific consumers.
Companies
from the fields of health, investments, food and beverage, financial, travel,
communications,fashion,
entertainment will be on hand to meet the 20,000
+ attendees from the queer community.
Last year attendees came from 41 states
and 38 countries.
GLBT Expo spokesman, Steve Wesler
noted "During tough economic
times, the business community is still standing strong behind the gay community.
An example is the support of The Expo, which is as vibrant as ever."
Rainbow
Wedding Network, the premier queer wedding show, will take place on the Expo floor and will have a huge selection
of everything needed for a "Gay
Wedding."
The Passport Magazine's Travel Show, will inspire attendees to exotic destinations from around the globe
showcasing the best locations to vacation all available for our community.
(Despite the
economy, a recent survey conducted by the RDP Group indicated that over 62% of queer people surveyed travel
more than 3 times per year for pleasure.)
2 Days of Nightlife, the show's
famed, non-stop entertainment spectacular will feature award winning
performers. Go to: originalglbtexpo.com for headliners.
Enjoy the Expo's own
GLBTQ Film Festival in the exclusive Video
Lounge where attendees can
view the latest in queer films and shorts and meet the actors and writers in
person.
For more information visit originalglbtexpo.com
comments@QUEERtimes.net
|
|
What They Said and Did!
Thom Cardwell
copyrighted 2010
|
 On the Olympic ice-skating rivalry between male superstars,
straight-laced Evan Lysacek and queer Johnny Weir, in the "Battle of the Blades" in a feature by Mark Harris:
"I'm a 25-year-old kid
basically. If I was normal, I'd be having sex and experimenting with drugs and
drinking a lot and just enjoy being a young person. But I have to be
responsible. . . .You know, I get it. I'm the flamboyant, sparkly one over
here. And he's [Lysacek] the hard-working American one over there. And that's
how we've been pigeonholed. But I'm more than that. And he is too. He has this
sweet and endearing side--I mean, to be 13 feet tall and a figure skater, you have
to work your ass off. And he does."--Johnny Weir (Details, March 2010)
________________________________________
 On Harold Ford, Jr.'s "driving political ambition" and his Democratic bid for
the Senate seat in the primary, running against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, in New
York, after transplanting himself from his native Tennessee where he
served as a member of Congress, interviewed by George Wayne, asking:
"So you move to Manhattan and suddenly
claim to support a woman's right to choice and legal marriage between Tom and
Dick, Mary and Jane?" And the answer: "I have always been for a women's right
to choose. When I was in Congress I did not support late-term abortions, and I
have been for civil unions from when I was elected in 1996. I voted for the constitutional
amendment to ban gay marriage."--Harold Ford, Jr. (Vanity Fair, April 2010)
________________________________________
 On reviewing the latest biography of the African-American jazz queen, Nina
Simone, ("Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone" by Nadine
Cohades, Pantheon Books, 2010):
"By the end of her 'tumultuous
reign,' Simone was a shadow of her former self, a woman practically broken by
an unscrupulous industry, exploitative men and her own demons. Like her performances,
the book's final chapters are hard to experience but impossible to ignore. And
like so many of us who saw Simone onstage when she should have been convalescing
or simply enjoying life, readers may feel an urgent need to listen to her old
recordings to remind themselves of what they loved about her in the first
place."--Robin D. G. Kelley (The New York Times Book Review,
February 28, 2010).
 |
_________________
_______________ | |
