Wisconsin Gay Marriage Stay
This is disturbing because something like it could happen here in Pennsylvania. An appeal was filed and the judge who struck down the marriage ban in Wisconsin was forced to issue a stay. She didn't want to do it. She just didn't have much of a choice. In her own words:
'After seeing the expressions of joy on the faces of so many newly wedded couples featured in media reports, I find it difficult to impose a stay on the event that is responsible for eliciting that emotion, even if the stay is only temporary,' Crabb wrote in the stay decision.
'Same-sex couples have waited many years to receive equal treatment under the law, so it is understandable that they do not want to wait any longer,' the judge continued. 'However, a federal district court is required to follow the guidance provided by the Supreme Court.'
It's very disheartening. Clerks can't issue marriage certificates to same sex couples in Wisconsin anymore. If they do they could face criminal charges.
Last week a left wing religious zealot, Theresa Santai-Gaffney, filed and appeal in Pennsylvania and so far there's been no word on Judge Jones issuing a stay. Judge Jones was the one who declared the ban on same sex marriage in Pennsylvania unconstitutional, according to the SCOTUS ruling last June. I went to a party yesterday afternoon and this topic was brought up and I was amazed at how many gay married couples there didn't think there was anything to worry about...and some didn't even know an appeal had been filed.
I haven't read much about the appeal in PA from any news organizations either. But frankly, I don't have a good feeling about it. This woman, Theresa Santai-Gaffney, is so politically motivated nothing is going to stop her. If you check out the link above you'll read about more than a few questionable items I found out about her and how she's been received in her own small local circles. The forums are shocking. The allegations are very low end. They range from alleged foreclosures and debts with her son-in-law to nepotism within her own elected office. Her hobbies on facebook are listed as deer hunting and fox trapping. This one's right out of Daniel Boone. And trust me, she looks every bit the part.
You can read more here about Wisconsin.
President Shouts to Gay Dads
I've gone on record about how I'm not all that political, and I'm not fond of most politicians in either party. This is why I don't always understand the hate coming from people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney. And I'm sure this is going to get her deer hunting boxer shorts even more ruffled. President Obama issued a shout to gay dads for Father's Day today. I think this is the first time a US President has ever done anything like this before.
This is part of what the President said:
With encouragement and unconditional love, fathers guide their children and help them envision brighter futures. They are teachers and coaches, friends and role models. They instil values like hard work and integrity, and teach their kids to take responsibility for themselves and those around them. This is a task for every father — whether married or single, gay or straight, natural or adoptive — and every child deserves someone who will step up and fill this role. My Administration proudly supports dads who are not only present but also involved, who meet their commitments to their sons and daughters, even if their own fathers did not.
You can read more here.
What is bothering the hate mongers like Theresa Santai-Gaffney now more than ever is that public opinion is shifting on gay rights, too. It's not just the President of the US. Polls taken show that most Catholics and Jews support gay rights. Other polls taken clearly show there's been a huge shift in opinion on gay rights in the past few years. Most Republicans are backing off. And the Theresa Santai-Gaffney's of the world just don't know how to deal with that.
My family and Tony's family are all Catholic...practicing. They all support gay rights and gay marriage. Theresa Santai-Gaffney is also Catholic and unfortunately she's now part of the minority in her own religion. And while she can appeal gay marriage, she can't change the way people think. That's not possible.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Theresa Santai-Gaffney. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Theresa Santai-Gaffney. Sort by date Show all posts
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Is Jussie Smollet Full of Crap? Theresa Santai-Gaffney Running Again; Sam Smith and Homophobia
Is Jussie Smollet Full of Crap?
Oh boy. This is a tough one for me to write. I haven't seen this much bullshit fly around in a video interview since Merv Griffin started "dating" Eva Gabor many years ago. Even though everyone in Hollywood knew Merv was gay, it was never disclosed in his lifetime the same way Liberace never disclosed he was gay. Neither one wanted to take the chance of coming out and ruining his brand. I understand that, because of the times in which they lived. I could go on with this closeted gay Hollywood list, but that's not the point. The point here is that Empire cast member, Jussie Smollet, did an interview with Ellen D. after rumors started to surface that Smollet is gay. And his response is somewhere in between incoherent, illiterate, and idiotic.
This is what Smollet said, in response to gay allegations:
“There’s never been a closet. That I’ve been in. I don’t own a closet, I got a dresser, but I don’t have a closet, but I have a home and that is my responsibility to protect that home. … So that’s why I choose not to talk about my personal life. But there is without a doubt, no closet that I’ve ever been in, and I just wanted to make that clear, but it was most important for me to make that clear to you on your show at this time in the world. And that’s where I’m at.
“So, let’s not read into it in the wrong way when I say that I don’t talk about my personal life, I’m saying that. But it is in no way to hide or deny who God made me. You know? My mama knows. My mama likes me a lot. And, yes, I take her to the Sound of Music sing-along every single year. So, any questions? But honestly, we’re human and we love and we do all that good stuff. So I’m honored for this opportunity and I’m honored to be here with you.”
You really should watch the video to get the full picture. He never stops touching Ellen's hand, and I can't quite figure out the expression on Ellen's face. But I think she handled it well, at least as well as anyone can with an awkward guest who is not that significant, especially when there's that much crap flying around a room.
If he is gay, his ability to remain dead silent on the topic of being gay and still get all the rights he wants didn't come easily, and it didn't come without a price tag. I hope he realizes that one day. I didn't have the luxury of remaining in the closet. As I recall, Ellen didn't have that luxury either. And I find Smollet's glib, obtuse approach to this topic, idiot grammar and all, absolutely insulting to every single openly gay person who has fought for equality in the past fifty years. And I've never been one to believe that forcing someone to come out is wise.
The comments are interesting. It almost sounds as if because he's "cute" he should get a free pass. I wonder how these same people would have reacted if he were fifty pounds overweight and had a face like a mud fence.
Theresa Santai-Gaffney Running Again
This is about as political as I get here, and I'm doing it for a reason. Last year a small town register of wills named Theresa Santai-Gaffney challenged the ruling of Judge Jones when he declared the ban on marriage in Pennsylvania unconstitutional. In short, Santai-Gaffney and Tea Party members went on a full fledged campaign to keep same sex marriage in Pennsylvania illegal. She was shot down in court each time, and yet she and her Tea Party attorney continued until she exhausted every possibility there was to be the biggest loser in Pennsylvania.
Now she's running for re-election and I thought it was important to post about her so we never forget. And those of you who will be voting in her area in the upcoming months should take into consideration that the odds are you are either related to, or know someone, who is gay and who has been fighting for equality. It could be your brother, cousin, neighbor, best friend, or boss. We're everywhere now and we're not going to disappear...in or out of the closet.
It's also important to note that since gay marriage has become legal in PA, nothing at all has changed. The world didn't end, and it's not even front page news anymore. I don't even think this is a Democrat vs Republican issue anymore, especially since so many Republicans are now supporting equal rights for gays. Most Catholics, at least according to polls, support same sex marriage.
Santai-Gaffney is seeking the Republican nomination in the May 19 primary. She was first elected in 2011. She will have competition as Kerry L. Ansbach, 64, of Pottsville, who is the director of facilities and transportation for the Pottsville Area School District, is also running for the position.
There's more here, with a condensed version of her quest to stop gay marriage. Unfortunately, most people don't get too involved in small elections like this and mistakes tend to be repeated time and again. But it will be interesting to see how this turns out. She's already going down on the wrong side of history, and it would be nice to see someone else get a chance at her respected office.
Sam Smith and Homophobia
According to this article, openly gay singer Sam Smith has been out since he's been 11 years old. Unlike Jussie Smollet, Sam Smith has been fighting for his life and our equality most of his life. And he's been honest about it and he's paid more than his fair share of prices along the way. I don't think it's possible to say something negative about a man who has lived such a genuine life.
In his own words:
“The toughest time for me was my first year in secondary school when I hadn’t come out as gay. It was actually the denying of being gay that was getting me bullied.
Guys were asking me all the time, ‘Are you gay?’ I would say no and that would rile them up even more. I came out at the end of year seven when I was 11. That shut a lot of the bullies up.
A bunch of boys from a rival school would shout insults at me as I walked from my home to the train station.
I remember walking to the station getting ‘faggot’ shouted at me all the time.It was the most mortifying thing. Not so much for me. I knew these people were stupid, uneducated twats.
But I was upset as I was with my friends and I wondered if they were embarrassed to be walking with me because people are hurling abuse. I hated the fact my friends had to listen to that.”
Now that's why it's so important to come out, especially if you're in the public eye. Pay attention, Jussie Smollet, you might learn something about pride from Sam Smith. Pride is not just a day for fun and games, and comparing pride in coming out of the closet to your dresser is just plain dumb.
You can read more here.
Oh boy. This is a tough one for me to write. I haven't seen this much bullshit fly around in a video interview since Merv Griffin started "dating" Eva Gabor many years ago. Even though everyone in Hollywood knew Merv was gay, it was never disclosed in his lifetime the same way Liberace never disclosed he was gay. Neither one wanted to take the chance of coming out and ruining his brand. I understand that, because of the times in which they lived. I could go on with this closeted gay Hollywood list, but that's not the point. The point here is that Empire cast member, Jussie Smollet, did an interview with Ellen D. after rumors started to surface that Smollet is gay. And his response is somewhere in between incoherent, illiterate, and idiotic.
This is what Smollet said, in response to gay allegations:
“There’s never been a closet. That I’ve been in. I don’t own a closet, I got a dresser, but I don’t have a closet, but I have a home and that is my responsibility to protect that home. … So that’s why I choose not to talk about my personal life. But there is without a doubt, no closet that I’ve ever been in, and I just wanted to make that clear, but it was most important for me to make that clear to you on your show at this time in the world. And that’s where I’m at.
“So, let’s not read into it in the wrong way when I say that I don’t talk about my personal life, I’m saying that. But it is in no way to hide or deny who God made me. You know? My mama knows. My mama likes me a lot. And, yes, I take her to the Sound of Music sing-along every single year. So, any questions? But honestly, we’re human and we love and we do all that good stuff. So I’m honored for this opportunity and I’m honored to be here with you.”
You really should watch the video to get the full picture. He never stops touching Ellen's hand, and I can't quite figure out the expression on Ellen's face. But I think she handled it well, at least as well as anyone can with an awkward guest who is not that significant, especially when there's that much crap flying around a room.
If he is gay, his ability to remain dead silent on the topic of being gay and still get all the rights he wants didn't come easily, and it didn't come without a price tag. I hope he realizes that one day. I didn't have the luxury of remaining in the closet. As I recall, Ellen didn't have that luxury either. And I find Smollet's glib, obtuse approach to this topic, idiot grammar and all, absolutely insulting to every single openly gay person who has fought for equality in the past fifty years. And I've never been one to believe that forcing someone to come out is wise.
The comments are interesting. It almost sounds as if because he's "cute" he should get a free pass. I wonder how these same people would have reacted if he were fifty pounds overweight and had a face like a mud fence.
Theresa Santai-Gaffney Running Again
This is about as political as I get here, and I'm doing it for a reason. Last year a small town register of wills named Theresa Santai-Gaffney challenged the ruling of Judge Jones when he declared the ban on marriage in Pennsylvania unconstitutional. In short, Santai-Gaffney and Tea Party members went on a full fledged campaign to keep same sex marriage in Pennsylvania illegal. She was shot down in court each time, and yet she and her Tea Party attorney continued until she exhausted every possibility there was to be the biggest loser in Pennsylvania.
Now she's running for re-election and I thought it was important to post about her so we never forget. And those of you who will be voting in her area in the upcoming months should take into consideration that the odds are you are either related to, or know someone, who is gay and who has been fighting for equality. It could be your brother, cousin, neighbor, best friend, or boss. We're everywhere now and we're not going to disappear...in or out of the closet.
It's also important to note that since gay marriage has become legal in PA, nothing at all has changed. The world didn't end, and it's not even front page news anymore. I don't even think this is a Democrat vs Republican issue anymore, especially since so many Republicans are now supporting equal rights for gays. Most Catholics, at least according to polls, support same sex marriage.
Santai-Gaffney is seeking the Republican nomination in the May 19 primary. She was first elected in 2011. She will have competition as Kerry L. Ansbach, 64, of Pottsville, who is the director of facilities and transportation for the Pottsville Area School District, is also running for the position.
There's more here, with a condensed version of her quest to stop gay marriage. Unfortunately, most people don't get too involved in small elections like this and mistakes tend to be repeated time and again. But it will be interesting to see how this turns out. She's already going down on the wrong side of history, and it would be nice to see someone else get a chance at her respected office.
Sam Smith and Homophobia
According to this article, openly gay singer Sam Smith has been out since he's been 11 years old. Unlike Jussie Smollet, Sam Smith has been fighting for his life and our equality most of his life. And he's been honest about it and he's paid more than his fair share of prices along the way. I don't think it's possible to say something negative about a man who has lived such a genuine life.
In his own words:
“The toughest time for me was my first year in secondary school when I hadn’t come out as gay. It was actually the denying of being gay that was getting me bullied.
Guys were asking me all the time, ‘Are you gay?’ I would say no and that would rile them up even more. I came out at the end of year seven when I was 11. That shut a lot of the bullies up.
A bunch of boys from a rival school would shout insults at me as I walked from my home to the train station.
I remember walking to the station getting ‘faggot’ shouted at me all the time.It was the most mortifying thing. Not so much for me. I knew these people were stupid, uneducated twats.
But I was upset as I was with my friends and I wondered if they were embarrassed to be walking with me because people are hurling abuse. I hated the fact my friends had to listen to that.”
Now that's why it's so important to come out, especially if you're in the public eye. Pay attention, Jussie Smollet, you might learn something about pride from Sam Smith. Pride is not just a day for fun and games, and comparing pride in coming out of the closet to your dresser is just plain dumb.
You can read more here.
Small Town Romance Writer
113,000 Word Gay Romance
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Antigay Evangelicals Freaking Out Over Gay Marriage; The Mysterious Hunky Gardener; The "Shameless" Trans Story Line
Antigay Evangelicals Freaking Out Over Gay Marriage
I've read a lot of the posts, tweets, status updates, and comments about what's happening in politics and I've taken them all in with a lot of consideration. A lot of people are worried. Some are scared. And I don't think anyone under the umbrella of LGBTI knows what to really expect.
Ironically, according to this article, evangelicals are really freaking out over this Trump statement...
When asked whether he would rollback marriage equality laws, Trump nonchalantly said that it’s no longer an issue he cares to pursue.
“It’s irrelevant because it was already settled,” he said. “It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done… these cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And… I’m fine with that.”
You can read more about this here. There are a lot of comments and opinions below the piece.
However, I still don't think everyone feels completely safe. I know that feeling well because I was married in Vermont, drove home through three different states where marriage was legal, and then crossed the border from NJ into PA where I live and all of a sudden I wasn't legally married anymore. That's not easy to parse. You're legally married in VT, NY, NH, and NJ, but not in the state where you live and pay the most taxes. I live a mile from the NJ border, and in PA at that time gay marriage was not legal. At that time NO politician was supporting gay marriage. No one. It took Judge Jones to rule on this in PA, which happened before the SCOTUS ruling. I posted about Judge Jones' ruling here.
“We are a better people than what these laws represent,” Jones wrote of same-sex marriage bans in his ruling, drawing comparisons between the civil rights movement and the modern gay marriage movement. ”It is time to discard them into the ash heap of history.”
“By virtue of this ruling, same-sex couples who seek to marry in Pennsylvania may do so, and already married same-sex couples will be recognized as such in the Commonwealth.”
And then, just when we thought we were safe in PA, a woman from some little town in PA named Theresa Santai-Gaffney decided to fight the ruling.
Twenty Republican House members on Tuesday signed a letter addressed to Schuylkill County Register of Wills Theresa Santai-Gaffney supporting her decision to legally intervene against the May 20th decision by U.S. Middle District Court Judge John Jones dismantling the state Defense of Marriage Act.
Gay people all over PA panicked. Santai-Gaffney wound up censoring her Facebook page because of the controversy and all the backlash from the gay community. People were scared and livid. But she was ultimately shot down in every single court.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., denied without comment a Pennsylvania county clerk’s plea to stop [same-sex] marriages in that state. That appears to remove the last potential legal barrier to Pennsylvania becoming the nineteenth state in which same-sex marriages are permitted. A federal judge struck down the state ban, and state officials declined to appeal. The Schuylkill County clerk sought to appeal in their place, but that move has now been turned down at all three levels of the federal court system. The Pennsylvania case had no direct link to the Utah case discussed in the post below.
At the time, we had a Republican governor in PA and he didn't fight Judge Jones' ruling either. Of course it was much nicer when SCOTUS later ruled on a federal level, but knowing that we'd won in the courts before the SCOTUS ruling helped ease our minds a little in PA. And we were terrified that someone could just come along and take it away from us.
And I think that's how a lot of people feel now. Unfortunately, only time is going to tell. But at least the questions are being asked right now.
The Mysterious Hunky Gardener
I first spotted this mysterious hunky gardener on Facebook after a friend posted about him. I had no idea he'd gone this viral. He reminds me of the guy who installed my new gutters two summers ago.
So, what do we know about this Gardener Of Earthly Delights? Well, nothing. He’s handsome. He gardens. He was filmed by a drag queen named Monica Moore, who decided to share his beautiful visage on Facebook.
You can check out his photos here...and don't miss the comments.
The "Shameless" Trans Story Line
I used to watch Shameless regularly, but I stopped because it all became so hopeless and, well, shameless. But I think I'll start watching again just to check this out. I didn't even know they were doing a trans story line.
In a seventh season plot line of the Showtime series Shameless, out teen Ian (Cameron Monaghan) starts dating a new guy named Trevor (Faking It’s Elliot Fletcher), but isn’t aware that Trevor is transgender at first. Since this is TV, Ian finds out dramatically and has something of a personal crisis. He hurls all sorts of drunken questions Trevor’s way, then later has a more levelheaded chat with a LGBTQ group over lunch.
You can check this out here. The article goes into more depth. I know I've posted about Shameless somewhere on the blog, because I've always thought it was one of the few TV shows that portrayed a gay man realistically.
I've read a lot of the posts, tweets, status updates, and comments about what's happening in politics and I've taken them all in with a lot of consideration. A lot of people are worried. Some are scared. And I don't think anyone under the umbrella of LGBTI knows what to really expect.
Ironically, according to this article, evangelicals are really freaking out over this Trump statement...
When asked whether he would rollback marriage equality laws, Trump nonchalantly said that it’s no longer an issue he cares to pursue.
“It’s irrelevant because it was already settled,” he said. “It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done… these cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And… I’m fine with that.”
You can read more about this here. There are a lot of comments and opinions below the piece.
However, I still don't think everyone feels completely safe. I know that feeling well because I was married in Vermont, drove home through three different states where marriage was legal, and then crossed the border from NJ into PA where I live and all of a sudden I wasn't legally married anymore. That's not easy to parse. You're legally married in VT, NY, NH, and NJ, but not in the state where you live and pay the most taxes. I live a mile from the NJ border, and in PA at that time gay marriage was not legal. At that time NO politician was supporting gay marriage. No one. It took Judge Jones to rule on this in PA, which happened before the SCOTUS ruling. I posted about Judge Jones' ruling here.
“We are a better people than what these laws represent,” Jones wrote of same-sex marriage bans in his ruling, drawing comparisons between the civil rights movement and the modern gay marriage movement. ”It is time to discard them into the ash heap of history.”
“By virtue of this ruling, same-sex couples who seek to marry in Pennsylvania may do so, and already married same-sex couples will be recognized as such in the Commonwealth.”
And then, just when we thought we were safe in PA, a woman from some little town in PA named Theresa Santai-Gaffney decided to fight the ruling.
Twenty Republican House members on Tuesday signed a letter addressed to Schuylkill County Register of Wills Theresa Santai-Gaffney supporting her decision to legally intervene against the May 20th decision by U.S. Middle District Court Judge John Jones dismantling the state Defense of Marriage Act.
Gay people all over PA panicked. Santai-Gaffney wound up censoring her Facebook page because of the controversy and all the backlash from the gay community. People were scared and livid. But she was ultimately shot down in every single court.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., denied without comment a Pennsylvania county clerk’s plea to stop [same-sex] marriages in that state. That appears to remove the last potential legal barrier to Pennsylvania becoming the nineteenth state in which same-sex marriages are permitted. A federal judge struck down the state ban, and state officials declined to appeal. The Schuylkill County clerk sought to appeal in their place, but that move has now been turned down at all three levels of the federal court system. The Pennsylvania case had no direct link to the Utah case discussed in the post below.
At the time, we had a Republican governor in PA and he didn't fight Judge Jones' ruling either. Of course it was much nicer when SCOTUS later ruled on a federal level, but knowing that we'd won in the courts before the SCOTUS ruling helped ease our minds a little in PA. And we were terrified that someone could just come along and take it away from us.
And I think that's how a lot of people feel now. Unfortunately, only time is going to tell. But at least the questions are being asked right now.
The Mysterious Hunky Gardener
I first spotted this mysterious hunky gardener on Facebook after a friend posted about him. I had no idea he'd gone this viral. He reminds me of the guy who installed my new gutters two summers ago.
So, what do we know about this Gardener Of Earthly Delights? Well, nothing. He’s handsome. He gardens. He was filmed by a drag queen named Monica Moore, who decided to share his beautiful visage on Facebook.
You can check out his photos here...and don't miss the comments.
The "Shameless" Trans Story Line
I used to watch Shameless regularly, but I stopped because it all became so hopeless and, well, shameless. But I think I'll start watching again just to check this out. I didn't even know they were doing a trans story line.
In a seventh season plot line of the Showtime series Shameless, out teen Ian (Cameron Monaghan) starts dating a new guy named Trevor (Faking It’s Elliot Fletcher), but isn’t aware that Trevor is transgender at first. Since this is TV, Ian finds out dramatically and has something of a personal crisis. He hurls all sorts of drunken questions Trevor’s way, then later has a more levelheaded chat with a LGBTQ group over lunch.
You can check this out here. The article goes into more depth. I know I've posted about Shameless somewhere on the blog, because I've always thought it was one of the few TV shows that portrayed a gay man realistically.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Early Gay Marriage; RIP Cameron Fox; Netherlands Gay Village; Dancing Dirty by Ryan Field
Early Gay Marriage
I always find it interesting that people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney, the woman deer hunter who is trying to appeal Judge Jones' ruling in Pennsylvania that made gay marriage legal, don't take into consideration that gay marriages have been around since the beginning of this country. I live in New Hope, Bucks County, PA, now, but I grew up in sleepy Salem County, NJ where it wasn't uncommon to find two women living together in the same house, sharing their lives, and neither one ever bothered to marry a man. In fact, my first exposure to same sex marriage...and I knew it instinctively at the time...was with two women who lived four houses down from the home where I grew up. One worked as an executive secretary for du Pont De Nemours and the other worked as a school teacher. There were several others who spent their lives together putting on a façade when in reality they were living as a married couple because gay marriage wasn't even a thing people discussed. Of course there were whispers and comments made sometimes, but all of these women were respected, participating members of the community and everyone accepted them...as long as they kept it quiet.
Of course what I'm talking about wasn't that long ago, but I'm making that point because things have changed so much in such a short amount of time. The article to which I'm linking now discusses same sex marriage in early America. For those of you who think gays getting married and spending their lives together is something new, you might find this interesting. And it happened long before Pride Day transpired. I highly doubt Theresa Santai-Gaffney would be enlightened by this because she's too far gone and her head is too far up her ass. But as long as there's a chance of disabusing one person of misguided notions about gay couples and same sex marriage it's important to keep talking about these things.
In a graveyard in the village of Weybridge, Vt., stands an unusual headstone. It is inscribed with the names of two women, Sylvia Drake and Charity Bryant, who were born during the Revolutionary era and died in the middle of the 19th century. The women were pillars of their community for four and a half decades, living together in a small house, running a tailoring business, teaching Sunday School, and acting as surrogate mothers and caregivers to hundreds of nieces and nephews. They were also, according to their own understanding and that of those around them, a married couple.
The paragraph above reads much like the story I just related.
You can read more here.
What's interesting is that you rarely hear about same sex marriage between two men in early America. Or for that matter, I don't even remember two men living together the way women did when I was growing up in small town America. A man who never married lived alone and was a bachelor. I do know it was a little different in more urban areas for men. But in small towns two single men rarely shared the same home. The risk was too great and the stigma too dangerous.
RIP Cameron Fox
All male adult entertainer at Falcon Studios, Cameron Fox, died at the age of 36 last Thursday. So far, there's been no cause of death disclosed. He'd been on the scene since 1999 and won a few industry awards.
Chronicles of Pornia made a nice tribute to him.
‘There was a time during the 1990’s gay porn industry pantheon when stars were truly stars whom did not need to pander for adult fame, rather, they simply let their work speak loudly and proudly.
‘Cameron Fox was one such person.
‘I never once felt as though Cameron was phoning in a performance. He was virile, engaged and present at all times. ‘He gave more than 100% to his action scenes. Fox knew how to give his partners and his fans what they wanted to see. The mark of a real porn star.'
You can read more here at Chronicles of Pornia.
The decade of the 1990's really was the heyday for gay porn. It was pre-internet and videos and DVDs were the only way many gay men could find all male adult entertainment in a safe, discreet way.
Netherlands Gay Village
I have never been fond of gay ghettos...or the concept of "gay ghetto." There are a lot of gay people in the area where Tony and I live, and it is a more progressive place than a lot of small Pennsylvania towns, but we don't live in what is considered a gay ghetto. And that's a conscious choice to a certain degree. New Hope, PA has a gay ghetto. We just don't live in it. We're on the outskirts of town on a more rural road and the farms and homes around us are mostly straight people. The concept of gay ghetto always seemed dangerous to me, especially when it's self-imposed.
In any event, there's a new gay village being built in the city of Tilburg by a Dutch developer and some are worried this might be more about containing gay people rather than keeping them safe. It will be fully enclosed with a tall fence.
The ‘Gay Village’, planned for in the city of Tilburg, would include 13 different locations for housing. The average price for the detached and terraced homes would cost around €250,000 ($338k).
The company says the project is a reflection of research that shows 22% of gay men in the Netherlands sometimes do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods.
Frankly, it sounds more like a gay concentration camp to me. If there's an issue with crime against gays in these neighborhoods maybe officials should be cracking down on that crime so gays are safe everywhere. And maybe gays should be prepared to defend themselves. I'm all for peace, hope, and love, but I learned how to take care of myself a long time ago and if you screw with me you might be surprised at what I have up my proverbial sleeve.
You can read more here. It's interesting that this is happening in the Netherlands, mainly because I'm always hearing how much better things are over there than here in the US from my ultra liberal friends. They all ride bikes over there, they all live in tiny little boxes, they have windmills, etc... I guess they don't mind living behind fences either.
Gay advocacy groups over there seem to agree with me on this one.
Dancing Dirty by Ryan Field
This book was, indeed, a gay parody I wrote as a take on the old straight romance, Dirty Dancing. I disclosed that up front, and I did it when big publishers were NOT doing it. It's not fanfic. It's parody. It's also a common trope that's been used time an again by straight writers and I wanted to make it gay for gay people and readers who enjoy reading gay romance. We don't get much in that mainstream respect. And I don't believe there are any new tropes left out there.
If I had to say what's my ultimate summertime book so far, this would be it.
It's the summer of 1978, it's the middle of the disco era, and dancing is one of the hottest trends. But eighteen year old Junior has never seen the inside of a gay bar or danced with another man. His mother and father think he's just shy about meeting girls and that he'll grow out of it. His little sister drives him insane with her constant invisible companion, a talking dog named Elmer. All Junior cares about is meeting the right man and falling in love.
But when his parents buy a summer home in an exclusive resort community in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, his prospects of finding love don't look too promising. His first day there he meets an aggressive, abrasive young woman who isn't the least bit shy about letting him know she wants to get to know him better. And the more he ignores her, the more she chases after him.
While his mother and father are enjoying all the amenities of the resort, and his sister is flirting with one of the waiters, Junior mopes around watching everyone else have fun. That is until he meets a handsome young dance instructor named Carlo who changes his life in ways he'd never dreamed were possible.
From the minute Junior lays eyes on Carlo, he knows he's in love. And in order to prove his love, he's willing to make personal sacrifices that no one else has ever been willing to make for Carlo...
From an Amazon review you can read at the link above:
I really enjoy the way this author takes classic stories and gives them a new twist. This book was no exception. I got a kick out of seeing how the story changed with two male protagonists, the love scenes were hot, and Junior's internal monologue was thought-provoking. There seems to be a fun little paranormal twist with the sister's dog, as well.
I always find it interesting that people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney, the woman deer hunter who is trying to appeal Judge Jones' ruling in Pennsylvania that made gay marriage legal, don't take into consideration that gay marriages have been around since the beginning of this country. I live in New Hope, Bucks County, PA, now, but I grew up in sleepy Salem County, NJ where it wasn't uncommon to find two women living together in the same house, sharing their lives, and neither one ever bothered to marry a man. In fact, my first exposure to same sex marriage...and I knew it instinctively at the time...was with two women who lived four houses down from the home where I grew up. One worked as an executive secretary for du Pont De Nemours and the other worked as a school teacher. There were several others who spent their lives together putting on a façade when in reality they were living as a married couple because gay marriage wasn't even a thing people discussed. Of course there were whispers and comments made sometimes, but all of these women were respected, participating members of the community and everyone accepted them...as long as they kept it quiet.
Of course what I'm talking about wasn't that long ago, but I'm making that point because things have changed so much in such a short amount of time. The article to which I'm linking now discusses same sex marriage in early America. For those of you who think gays getting married and spending their lives together is something new, you might find this interesting. And it happened long before Pride Day transpired. I highly doubt Theresa Santai-Gaffney would be enlightened by this because she's too far gone and her head is too far up her ass. But as long as there's a chance of disabusing one person of misguided notions about gay couples and same sex marriage it's important to keep talking about these things.
In a graveyard in the village of Weybridge, Vt., stands an unusual headstone. It is inscribed with the names of two women, Sylvia Drake and Charity Bryant, who were born during the Revolutionary era and died in the middle of the 19th century. The women were pillars of their community for four and a half decades, living together in a small house, running a tailoring business, teaching Sunday School, and acting as surrogate mothers and caregivers to hundreds of nieces and nephews. They were also, according to their own understanding and that of those around them, a married couple.
The paragraph above reads much like the story I just related.
You can read more here.
What's interesting is that you rarely hear about same sex marriage between two men in early America. Or for that matter, I don't even remember two men living together the way women did when I was growing up in small town America. A man who never married lived alone and was a bachelor. I do know it was a little different in more urban areas for men. But in small towns two single men rarely shared the same home. The risk was too great and the stigma too dangerous.
RIP Cameron Fox
All male adult entertainer at Falcon Studios, Cameron Fox, died at the age of 36 last Thursday. So far, there's been no cause of death disclosed. He'd been on the scene since 1999 and won a few industry awards.
Chronicles of Pornia made a nice tribute to him.
‘There was a time during the 1990’s gay porn industry pantheon when stars were truly stars whom did not need to pander for adult fame, rather, they simply let their work speak loudly and proudly.
‘Cameron Fox was one such person.
‘I never once felt as though Cameron was phoning in a performance. He was virile, engaged and present at all times. ‘He gave more than 100% to his action scenes. Fox knew how to give his partners and his fans what they wanted to see. The mark of a real porn star.'
You can read more here at Chronicles of Pornia.
The decade of the 1990's really was the heyday for gay porn. It was pre-internet and videos and DVDs were the only way many gay men could find all male adult entertainment in a safe, discreet way.
Netherlands Gay Village
I have never been fond of gay ghettos...or the concept of "gay ghetto." There are a lot of gay people in the area where Tony and I live, and it is a more progressive place than a lot of small Pennsylvania towns, but we don't live in what is considered a gay ghetto. And that's a conscious choice to a certain degree. New Hope, PA has a gay ghetto. We just don't live in it. We're on the outskirts of town on a more rural road and the farms and homes around us are mostly straight people. The concept of gay ghetto always seemed dangerous to me, especially when it's self-imposed.
In any event, there's a new gay village being built in the city of Tilburg by a Dutch developer and some are worried this might be more about containing gay people rather than keeping them safe. It will be fully enclosed with a tall fence.
The ‘Gay Village’, planned for in the city of Tilburg, would include 13 different locations for housing. The average price for the detached and terraced homes would cost around €250,000 ($338k).
The company says the project is a reflection of research that shows 22% of gay men in the Netherlands sometimes do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods.
Frankly, it sounds more like a gay concentration camp to me. If there's an issue with crime against gays in these neighborhoods maybe officials should be cracking down on that crime so gays are safe everywhere. And maybe gays should be prepared to defend themselves. I'm all for peace, hope, and love, but I learned how to take care of myself a long time ago and if you screw with me you might be surprised at what I have up my proverbial sleeve.
You can read more here. It's interesting that this is happening in the Netherlands, mainly because I'm always hearing how much better things are over there than here in the US from my ultra liberal friends. They all ride bikes over there, they all live in tiny little boxes, they have windmills, etc... I guess they don't mind living behind fences either.
Gay advocacy groups over there seem to agree with me on this one.
Dancing Dirty by Ryan Field
This book was, indeed, a gay parody I wrote as a take on the old straight romance, Dirty Dancing. I disclosed that up front, and I did it when big publishers were NOT doing it. It's not fanfic. It's parody. It's also a common trope that's been used time an again by straight writers and I wanted to make it gay for gay people and readers who enjoy reading gay romance. We don't get much in that mainstream respect. And I don't believe there are any new tropes left out there.
If I had to say what's my ultimate summertime book so far, this would be it.
It's the summer of 1978, it's the middle of the disco era, and dancing is one of the hottest trends. But eighteen year old Junior has never seen the inside of a gay bar or danced with another man. His mother and father think he's just shy about meeting girls and that he'll grow out of it. His little sister drives him insane with her constant invisible companion, a talking dog named Elmer. All Junior cares about is meeting the right man and falling in love.
But when his parents buy a summer home in an exclusive resort community in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, his prospects of finding love don't look too promising. His first day there he meets an aggressive, abrasive young woman who isn't the least bit shy about letting him know she wants to get to know him better. And the more he ignores her, the more she chases after him.
While his mother and father are enjoying all the amenities of the resort, and his sister is flirting with one of the waiters, Junior mopes around watching everyone else have fun. That is until he meets a handsome young dance instructor named Carlo who changes his life in ways he'd never dreamed were possible.
From the minute Junior lays eyes on Carlo, he knows he's in love. And in order to prove his love, he's willing to make personal sacrifices that no one else has ever been willing to make for Carlo...
From an Amazon review you can read at the link above:
I really enjoy the way this author takes classic stories and gives them a new twist. This book was no exception. I got a kick out of seeing how the story changed with two male protagonists, the love scenes were hot, and Junior's internal monologue was thought-provoking. There seems to be a fun little paranormal twist with the sister's dog, as well.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Gay Prides; M/M Rom Kerfuffle; Will Young Homphobia; Chase of a Lifetime by Ryan Field
Gay Prides
Even though June is winding down, gay pride parades are still in full swing. This AOL article mentions a sort of Gay Pride in Singapore, with a hugely colorful photo. This one in particular draws thousands of gay rights activists, which in turn has Christian activists asking for a ban on the event.
Previous Pink Dot rallies have been held without much opposition. But as they grew in numbers from less than 3,000 people when the first event was held in 2009 to more than 20,000 last year, so did their disapproval. Organizers said a record 26,000 people showed up Saturday.
26,000 is a lot of people and more support than ever before. This is interesting because the March for Marriage...an anti-gay march...on Washington recently garnered a handful of people compared to most gay pride events.
You can read more here. The article goes on to discuss more opposition. It's the same old tired argument that gays are trying to persuade people, when in reality all gays are trying to do is get equal rights. If we had them were wouldn't NEED gay pride events like this.
I also find it interesting that this article came from a mainstream source, not a gay news publication. I always support gay news first, however, I like seeing these things make mainstream publications.
M/M Rom Kerfuffle
I don't know how else to title this part of the post. I didn't want to use the title "Women Who Write M/M Romance" because I think that's insulting at this point...to women writers and the genre. So I'm keeping it simple. And there was a bit of a kerfuffle recently on a blog where a few fairly well known authors were interviewed about why they like to write M/M Romance. As far as I can tell, the post is only a fraction of the full interview, with short quotes.
Evidently, the short quotes posted from these M/M Romance authors didn't resonate well (for lack of a better way to phrase that) with some people and the comment thread expanded into a lengthy discussion that covered several interesting topics.
I interviewed three groups of m/m romance authors at the Romantic Times convention in May, asking the authors primarily the same questions. I let the discussions go in any direction the authors wanted with the idea that the mix of authors would put a different spin and focus on the topic.
One author said this:
Amy began by saying that “love is redemptive” and if any group needs the redemptive qualities of love, it’s gay men.
I don't know about anyone else, but I can't argue with that comment. I did, however, find some of the others questionable.
However, I tend to look at these things from a blogger's POV. And as a blogger who started out ten years ago interviewing gay bloggers for bestgayblogs, one of my goals was to make sure the interviews had a higher quality/integrity of sorts. I wasn't actually protecting the bloggers I was interviewing, but if I thought they said something that might be questionable I usually asked them to rethink their comments before I published the interview. If they saw nothing wrong with what they said, I published it. I never censored or edited quotes, but I did feel a certain responsibility to the people I was interviewing. Maybe I was too kind.
In any event, you can read more here. As I said, the comment thread is interesting because the discussion gets into a lot of topics I think most writers care about while writing fiction, especially these days. My only other comment is that sometimes I think we should focus more on entertaining and telling stories than analyzing everything social or political to the last detail. And, if all authors and all fiction went without a little controversy things would be about as interesting as an afternoon with a sociology professor. Some day I'll post my thoughts on THAT topic, and how I once had to suffer through the fresh hells of the worst sociology course in the history of higher education. And, the most mundane professor to ever open her big, boring sociological mouth (smile).
Will Young Homophobia
There aren't many details about this one, but singer UK Will Young was allegedly the victim of some kind of homophobia on the day London Gay Pride begins.
Would you believe on the day of Gay Pride I have been the victim of homophobia. I am SO mad. #pride2014,’ tweeted the singer.
His followers ran to support him with more tweets.
Frankly, we're all victims of homophobia in one way or another almost daily. Think Theresa Santai-Gaffney of the small town Pennsylvania Clerk fame who recently tried to appeal gay marriage by going over the Republican Governor's head. Oh yes, good old St. Theresa of the Santai-Gaffney has been promoting homophobia by denying gays equal rights with her son-in-law, Hank J. Clarke, all week. She recently censored her facebook page with a lengthy message about how much vitriol she's received. Well, forgive me for not feeling sorry for her. For every single action there is a reaction. And when you try to deprive people of their basic civil rights you deserve everything you get and more.
There's more here about Will Young.
Even though June is winding down, gay pride parades are still in full swing. This AOL article mentions a sort of Gay Pride in Singapore, with a hugely colorful photo. This one in particular draws thousands of gay rights activists, which in turn has Christian activists asking for a ban on the event.
Previous Pink Dot rallies have been held without much opposition. But as they grew in numbers from less than 3,000 people when the first event was held in 2009 to more than 20,000 last year, so did their disapproval. Organizers said a record 26,000 people showed up Saturday.
26,000 is a lot of people and more support than ever before. This is interesting because the March for Marriage...an anti-gay march...on Washington recently garnered a handful of people compared to most gay pride events.
You can read more here. The article goes on to discuss more opposition. It's the same old tired argument that gays are trying to persuade people, when in reality all gays are trying to do is get equal rights. If we had them were wouldn't NEED gay pride events like this.
I also find it interesting that this article came from a mainstream source, not a gay news publication. I always support gay news first, however, I like seeing these things make mainstream publications.
M/M Rom Kerfuffle
I don't know how else to title this part of the post. I didn't want to use the title "Women Who Write M/M Romance" because I think that's insulting at this point...to women writers and the genre. So I'm keeping it simple. And there was a bit of a kerfuffle recently on a blog where a few fairly well known authors were interviewed about why they like to write M/M Romance. As far as I can tell, the post is only a fraction of the full interview, with short quotes.
Evidently, the short quotes posted from these M/M Romance authors didn't resonate well (for lack of a better way to phrase that) with some people and the comment thread expanded into a lengthy discussion that covered several interesting topics.
I interviewed three groups of m/m romance authors at the Romantic Times convention in May, asking the authors primarily the same questions. I let the discussions go in any direction the authors wanted with the idea that the mix of authors would put a different spin and focus on the topic.
One author said this:
Amy began by saying that “love is redemptive” and if any group needs the redemptive qualities of love, it’s gay men.
I don't know about anyone else, but I can't argue with that comment. I did, however, find some of the others questionable.
However, I tend to look at these things from a blogger's POV. And as a blogger who started out ten years ago interviewing gay bloggers for bestgayblogs, one of my goals was to make sure the interviews had a higher quality/integrity of sorts. I wasn't actually protecting the bloggers I was interviewing, but if I thought they said something that might be questionable I usually asked them to rethink their comments before I published the interview. If they saw nothing wrong with what they said, I published it. I never censored or edited quotes, but I did feel a certain responsibility to the people I was interviewing. Maybe I was too kind.
In any event, you can read more here. As I said, the comment thread is interesting because the discussion gets into a lot of topics I think most writers care about while writing fiction, especially these days. My only other comment is that sometimes I think we should focus more on entertaining and telling stories than analyzing everything social or political to the last detail. And, if all authors and all fiction went without a little controversy things would be about as interesting as an afternoon with a sociology professor. Some day I'll post my thoughts on THAT topic, and how I once had to suffer through the fresh hells of the worst sociology course in the history of higher education. And, the most mundane professor to ever open her big, boring sociological mouth (smile).
Will Young Homophobia
There aren't many details about this one, but singer UK Will Young was allegedly the victim of some kind of homophobia on the day London Gay Pride begins.
Would you believe on the day of Gay Pride I have been the victim of homophobia. I am SO mad. #pride2014,’ tweeted the singer.
His followers ran to support him with more tweets.
Frankly, we're all victims of homophobia in one way or another almost daily. Think Theresa Santai-Gaffney of the small town Pennsylvania Clerk fame who recently tried to appeal gay marriage by going over the Republican Governor's head. Oh yes, good old St. Theresa of the Santai-Gaffney has been promoting homophobia by denying gays equal rights with her son-in-law, Hank J. Clarke, all week. She recently censored her facebook page with a lengthy message about how much vitriol she's received. Well, forgive me for not feeling sorry for her. For every single action there is a reaction. And when you try to deprive people of their basic civil rights you deserve everything you get and more.
There's more here about Will Young.
Chase of a Lifetime
By Ryan Field
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Fed Court Gay Marriage; High School Boy Gay; Gays Welcomed by Royalty
Fed Court Gay Marriage
In another step closer to legal same sex marriage a Federal Appeals Court in Denver ruled that Gays have a constitutional right to marry.
The three-judge panel in Denver ruled 2-1 that states cannot deprive people of the fundamental right to marry simply because they choose a partner of the same sex.
In another step closer to legal same sex marriage a Federal Appeals Court in Denver ruled that Gays have a constitutional right to marry.
The three-judge panel in Denver ruled 2-1 that states cannot deprive people of the fundamental right to marry simply because they choose a partner of the same sex.
The court dismissed as "wholly illogical" the notion that allowing gays to wed could somehow undermine traditional marriage.
Of course this ruling is on hold pending appeal. But it's still one more victory.
High School Boy Gay
This is what I've been hoping to see happen more often. A junior in high school, Jack L. Thorne, came out of the closet to family and in public on social media. He's also the winner of three state swimming championships in Colorado.
'Nothing has changed, I'm still the same Jack, the same Jack you race, the same Jack who you carpool with, the same Jack screaming for you on the side of the pool,' he writes.
The interesting thing about this I think is important to point out is that most LGBTI people knew they were gay in high school, or years earlier.
I'm glad it's getting better, I'm glad that kids like Jack are coming out, and I'm hoping this makes life easier for this generation of LGBTI people than it was for mine. We took the shit, and we took it from small town low rent asswipes like Theresa Santai-Gaffney.
Gays Welcomed by Royalty
The king and queen of Spain recently welcomed gay leaders at an official reception. The royals believe the work these gay leaders have done should be recognized.
In all, King Felipe and Queen Letizia invited 350 organizations and charities involved with social causes to royal El Pardo palace. Among them were Boti Garcia, president of Spain's State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals, and José María Núñez-Blanco, president of the Triangle Foundation.
These royals are new monarchs who just took the throne. But that may or may not be relevant. Queen Elizabeth has also shown a great deal of support to the LBGTI community as well.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Anderson Cooper on Vagina; Davey Wavey Gay Men On Vagina; Starbucks Pride; Gay Men Writing Straight Romance
Anderson Cooper On Vagina
There's been a story floating around the interwebz about a guy who got stuck in a giant vagina sculpture in Germany and it took multiple teams of rescue workers to extract him from the big vagina. Evidently, it seems he went in feet first and wound up trapped. Why he wanted to enter the vagina hasn't been disclosed. When openly gay journalist, Anderson Cooper, reported this story to his viewers he had a little trouble remaining as stoic as usual, to the point where he seemed to find it difficult to actually say vagina aloud.
"I am certainly no expert on the topic of...vaginas," he finally said after a minor giggle fit.
"But I know enough to know that you're not supposed to-- really?" he said, pausing and laughing before omitting the word completely, "...to go in feet first."
On the third try, however, Cooper was able to say the word without laughing or pausing.
Cooper also apologized early on, stating that he was not in anyway laughing at women or vagina so that those who don't understand the relationship between gay men and the vagina didn't go berserk on his Twitter feed.
You can read more here, and watch Cooper trying to get through this segment without falling off his chair. There's also a photo of the man-eating vagina sculpture.
Davey Wavey Gay Men On Vagina
Of course those with a sense of humor will find this hysterical. Those without a sense of humor, will shudder and cross their legs. But it's really all about the way the gay men naturally react to the question, "What do you think about vaginas?" that really makes this interesting.
The best way to describe their expressions is a cross between confusion and panic.
Starbucks Pride
In a show of support to the LGBTI community, Starbucks raised the rainbow flag at corporate headquarters during Pride week in Seattle.
“We are thrilled that Starbucks is showing their support for the LGBT community in this very big, very public way,” Adam McRoberts, Communications Director for Seattle Pride, said in an email statement. “The flag flying over their headquarters will welcome thousands of visitors coming to Seattle to celebrate Pride this week and is a testament to the support Starbucks has shown the LGBT community over the years.”
There's more here.
I wonder what NOM thinks of this. Or Theresa Santai-Gaffney, the woman who went up against the Republican governor of Pennsylvania recently to appeal gay marriage after the governor decided NOT to file an appeal.
Gay Men Writing Straight Romance
Update: I wanted to update this so no one gets the wrong idea. This is more about openly gay authors writing in other genres and the obstacles they face with agents and publishers. I have always believed that a writer should be able to write in any genre regardless of sex or sexual orientation. But when gay authors try to cross over into the straight markets they aren't taken as seriously. And it's not just in publishing. It's in films, too. The same thing happens to women in certain genres that straight men dominate.
In 2009 I was asked to write a straight romance novel for an event on The Home Shopping Network called Escape to Romance. I had a rough deadline...a month...to write a 60,000 word hetero vampire romance, and I decided to use the pen name, Malia Sutton at the time. I don't think I've posted about this book much anywhere. This pen name doesn't even have an author page on Amazon because I never intended to do much else with it. I was paid a flat fee for this project and I felt awkward promoting this with a pen name. Plus, gay authors do not make the cross over into hetero romance easily. It's interesting because straight women seem to have no problem writing gay romances or straight romances, but a gay man will crash and burn if he doesn't use a pen name and a fake identity writing straight romance.
This has nothing to do with writing ability. I'm on record supporting all the women writing gay romances, and there are plenty of them making money on gay content these days. But when a gay man, with his name and identity, decides to write hetero romances it's a very different story. It's a lot like the double standard in Hollywood right now, where it's fine for straight actors to play gayface as often as they want, but you rarely see openly gay actors playing straight leading roles in feature films. I personally think this is because we (gay men) haven't found our voices yet because we're still too busy trying to get equal rights in the most basic sense. Many of us are still dealing with baggage from the past. Many haven't even come out yet. So it's easy to take advantage of us right now.
But I think it's time gay men started to get a little more aggressive about all this, because if straight people can capitalize on gay content there should be no reason why openly gay men can't capitalize on straight content. We just need to stop being so afraid to go up against THEM.
Ironically, I feel closer to this book and the characters in this book than to many of my gay romances. And the odds are readers will ignore the book because I'm a gay author and this isn't gay romance. It doesn't shock me anymore.
From the Amazon page...
"...a great, enjoyable read.... Malia writes with a simple style that keeps the story moving fast and the reader interested in what's coming next." -- Dear Critique
Loving Daylight is the breathtakingly romantic debut by the talented Malia Sutton!
Vampire Avenir LaFramboise is over one hundred years old, but he still carries a torch for his first love. When he travels back to Mt. Desert Island, Maine, to meet her descendant, he is swept away by the stunning Sienna. But Sienna's family hides a chilling secret, and if Avenir wants to win her heart, he must help her discover the truth...
With heart-rending romance and steamy encounters, this vampire tale will leave you hungry for more by this talented new author!
This is a link to the Goodreads page where Loving Daylight received better reviews than I ever imagined it would. I did absolutely nothing at all to promote it. It was released and a forgot all about it. I can promise you that if I had written this as Ryan Field these reviews would have been much different. There might not have been any at all.
There's been a story floating around the interwebz about a guy who got stuck in a giant vagina sculpture in Germany and it took multiple teams of rescue workers to extract him from the big vagina. Evidently, it seems he went in feet first and wound up trapped. Why he wanted to enter the vagina hasn't been disclosed. When openly gay journalist, Anderson Cooper, reported this story to his viewers he had a little trouble remaining as stoic as usual, to the point where he seemed to find it difficult to actually say vagina aloud.
"I am certainly no expert on the topic of...vaginas," he finally said after a minor giggle fit.
"But I know enough to know that you're not supposed to-- really?" he said, pausing and laughing before omitting the word completely, "...to go in feet first."
On the third try, however, Cooper was able to say the word without laughing or pausing.
Cooper also apologized early on, stating that he was not in anyway laughing at women or vagina so that those who don't understand the relationship between gay men and the vagina didn't go berserk on his Twitter feed.
You can read more here, and watch Cooper trying to get through this segment without falling off his chair. There's also a photo of the man-eating vagina sculpture.
Davey Wavey Gay Men On Vagina
Of course those with a sense of humor will find this hysterical. Those without a sense of humor, will shudder and cross their legs. But it's really all about the way the gay men naturally react to the question, "What do you think about vaginas?" that really makes this interesting.
The best way to describe their expressions is a cross between confusion and panic.
Starbucks Pride
In a show of support to the LGBTI community, Starbucks raised the rainbow flag at corporate headquarters during Pride week in Seattle.
“We are thrilled that Starbucks is showing their support for the LGBT community in this very big, very public way,” Adam McRoberts, Communications Director for Seattle Pride, said in an email statement. “The flag flying over their headquarters will welcome thousands of visitors coming to Seattle to celebrate Pride this week and is a testament to the support Starbucks has shown the LGBT community over the years.”
There's more here.
I wonder what NOM thinks of this. Or Theresa Santai-Gaffney, the woman who went up against the Republican governor of Pennsylvania recently to appeal gay marriage after the governor decided NOT to file an appeal.
Gay Men Writing Straight Romance
Update: I wanted to update this so no one gets the wrong idea. This is more about openly gay authors writing in other genres and the obstacles they face with agents and publishers. I have always believed that a writer should be able to write in any genre regardless of sex or sexual orientation. But when gay authors try to cross over into the straight markets they aren't taken as seriously. And it's not just in publishing. It's in films, too. The same thing happens to women in certain genres that straight men dominate.
In 2009 I was asked to write a straight romance novel for an event on The Home Shopping Network called Escape to Romance. I had a rough deadline...a month...to write a 60,000 word hetero vampire romance, and I decided to use the pen name, Malia Sutton at the time. I don't think I've posted about this book much anywhere. This pen name doesn't even have an author page on Amazon because I never intended to do much else with it. I was paid a flat fee for this project and I felt awkward promoting this with a pen name. Plus, gay authors do not make the cross over into hetero romance easily. It's interesting because straight women seem to have no problem writing gay romances or straight romances, but a gay man will crash and burn if he doesn't use a pen name and a fake identity writing straight romance.
This has nothing to do with writing ability. I'm on record supporting all the women writing gay romances, and there are plenty of them making money on gay content these days. But when a gay man, with his name and identity, decides to write hetero romances it's a very different story. It's a lot like the double standard in Hollywood right now, where it's fine for straight actors to play gayface as often as they want, but you rarely see openly gay actors playing straight leading roles in feature films. I personally think this is because we (gay men) haven't found our voices yet because we're still too busy trying to get equal rights in the most basic sense. Many of us are still dealing with baggage from the past. Many haven't even come out yet. So it's easy to take advantage of us right now.
But I think it's time gay men started to get a little more aggressive about all this, because if straight people can capitalize on gay content there should be no reason why openly gay men can't capitalize on straight content. We just need to stop being so afraid to go up against THEM.
Ironically, I feel closer to this book and the characters in this book than to many of my gay romances. And the odds are readers will ignore the book because I'm a gay author and this isn't gay romance. It doesn't shock me anymore.
Loving Daylight by Ryan Field (Malia Sutton)
From the Amazon page...
"...a great, enjoyable read.... Malia writes with a simple style that keeps the story moving fast and the reader interested in what's coming next." -- Dear Critique
Loving Daylight is the breathtakingly romantic debut by the talented Malia Sutton!
Vampire Avenir LaFramboise is over one hundred years old, but he still carries a torch for his first love. When he travels back to Mt. Desert Island, Maine, to meet her descendant, he is swept away by the stunning Sienna. But Sienna's family hides a chilling secret, and if Avenir wants to win her heart, he must help her discover the truth...
With heart-rending romance and steamy encounters, this vampire tale will leave you hungry for more by this talented new author!
This is a link to the Goodreads page where Loving Daylight received better reviews than I ever imagined it would. I did absolutely nothing at all to promote it. It was released and a forgot all about it. I can promise you that if I had written this as Ryan Field these reviews would have been much different. There might not have been any at all.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Two and a Half Men Fake Gay; Amazon E-book Service; Visible Penis Lines; Simon Cowell Responds to Gay Rumor
Two and a Half Men Fake Gay
For the 12th season of the long running sitcom, Two and a Half Men, they've come up with an unusual plot that involves faking gay, faking gay marriage, and faking an adoption. I'm really not joking about this, and I'm not even sure if it's considered offensive at this point. The network is claiming this storyline will help show the progress gay people have made in these areas. Some, however, have mixed feelings.
Speaking to reporters at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler said Walden realizes that it would be very difficult to adopt a child as a single, straight man.
‘So once and for all he decides, “I’m going to propose to Alan [Jon Cryer] and we’re going to get married and adopt a child as a gay couple.”,’ Tassler said.
Describing it as a ‘great ride’, she said she views the storyline as a ‘very positive statement’ about the waves of gay rights across the US.
She said she does not expect a backlash from the LGBTI community.
Sounds as if there could be a little gay baiting happening here. But I could be wrong about that.
It's really just the repetition of an age old trope...faking marriage to avoid legalities. Sitcoms are notorious for this...doing illegal things for the sake of a laugh. They always have been. The most common has always been the illegal immigrant marrying for citizenship. This gay angle just adds a new twist that might turn out to be interesting if it's handled with care and they do mention how difficult it still is for LGBTI people to adopt (or marry) in some places. In other words, if they don't Hollywood it up and make it look as if all gays in the US have equality they might be able to pull it off. If they don't handle it well I think there will be backlash.
GLAAD has already made this statement:
We hope the show will acknowledge not only the progress made in acceptance of gay and lesbian couples, but also the fact that - in many areas of the country - same-sex couples are often under greater scrutiny or still barred from adoption options that straight couples have.’
You see what I mean. Listen closely, Hollywood. We're not all equal just yet. In fact, NOM and people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney in Pennsylvania are still trying to challenge gay marriage.
There's more here.
Amazon E-Book Service
I received an e-mail about this last week but didn't have time to post about it so I figured I'd do it now in case anyone's interested. Amazon recently announced a new e-book subscription service where readers can get unlimited books for $10 a month. It's being compared to Netflix and readers can choose from over a half million e-books. Some are blockbuster hits.
The biggest problem seems to be that the big 5 publishers are no shows.
For the 12th season of the long running sitcom, Two and a Half Men, they've come up with an unusual plot that involves faking gay, faking gay marriage, and faking an adoption. I'm really not joking about this, and I'm not even sure if it's considered offensive at this point. The network is claiming this storyline will help show the progress gay people have made in these areas. Some, however, have mixed feelings.
Speaking to reporters at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler said Walden realizes that it would be very difficult to adopt a child as a single, straight man.
‘So once and for all he decides, “I’m going to propose to Alan [Jon Cryer] and we’re going to get married and adopt a child as a gay couple.”,’ Tassler said.
Describing it as a ‘great ride’, she said she views the storyline as a ‘very positive statement’ about the waves of gay rights across the US.
She said she does not expect a backlash from the LGBTI community.
Sounds as if there could be a little gay baiting happening here. But I could be wrong about that.
It's really just the repetition of an age old trope...faking marriage to avoid legalities. Sitcoms are notorious for this...doing illegal things for the sake of a laugh. They always have been. The most common has always been the illegal immigrant marrying for citizenship. This gay angle just adds a new twist that might turn out to be interesting if it's handled with care and they do mention how difficult it still is for LGBTI people to adopt (or marry) in some places. In other words, if they don't Hollywood it up and make it look as if all gays in the US have equality they might be able to pull it off. If they don't handle it well I think there will be backlash.
GLAAD has already made this statement:
We hope the show will acknowledge not only the progress made in acceptance of gay and lesbian couples, but also the fact that - in many areas of the country - same-sex couples are often under greater scrutiny or still barred from adoption options that straight couples have.’
You see what I mean. Listen closely, Hollywood. We're not all equal just yet. In fact, NOM and people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney in Pennsylvania are still trying to challenge gay marriage.
There's more here.
Amazon E-Book Service
I received an e-mail about this last week but didn't have time to post about it so I figured I'd do it now in case anyone's interested. Amazon recently announced a new e-book subscription service where readers can get unlimited books for $10 a month. It's being compared to Netflix and readers can choose from over a half million e-books. Some are blockbuster hits.
The biggest problem seems to be that the big 5 publishers are no shows.
So far, however, none of the five biggest publishers appear to be making their books available through the service.
HarperCollins, Hachette and Simon & Schuster, for example, are not participating, representatives from the three companies confirmed.
Penguin Random House and Macmillan declined to comment, but a search on Amazon suggests that they are not making their books available.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
"Pool Boys" by Brandon Baker; 31 Gay Londoners; Learn Spanish Jean Paul Zapata; Second Chance by Ryan Field
"Pool Boys" by Brandon Baker
I'm going to be kind right now and keep my review of an article short and simple. I could go into detail in my quest to disabuse young gay man-about-town, Brandon Baker, of a few misconceptions he has about gay men and gay resorts, but it's usually easier to get right to the point. I'm talking about a harsh article/review/commentary Brendan Baker wrote for Philly Magazine about a gay resort in New Hope, PA where I live.
Here's one of the nastier quotes from the piece:
At a glance, the Pool’s dynamics this sunny afternoon can be outlined in Doppler waves. Behold, Wave No. 1: a Speedo-clad brigade of 50-plusers (the older crowd here is, shall we say, European in this sense: There’s no body shame, even when there should be) in the outer circles of the 150 sprawling chaise lounges, minding their own business as they flip over like pancakes to tan their leathery rumps (one of which pokes through a jock strap).
Aside from the fact that this over-written article seems to be promoting body shame at a time when many people, gay or straight, are trying to break away from that tired Madison Ave. concept of the perfect air-brushed body we've all been trained to believe is the only way to look, the rest of this article takes on the same snarky tone. But seriously? Who promotes body shame? What kind of person does this?
Just one more quote, and only because it's such a broad generalization about gay men:
RECALL, IF YOU WILL, Jersey Shore’s cringe-worthy, beach-tee-ubiquitous “GTL” (translation: “Gym, Tan, Laundry”) motto for Shore-goers. It has always applied to gay men. While everyone else spends winter hibernating with Ben & Jerry’s and Netflix, we spend it working the gym circuit with our trainers, getting creative with kale recipes and force-feeding our bodies protein so as to be pool-ready when we hit the doorstep on Memorial Day.
Well. There you are. I guess I must be missing something as a gay man, because I have never once spent more than a moment wondering about beaches, pools, and baking in the sun to get skin cancer. I know some do, but not all of us. And it's generalizations like this that promote the worst images of the LGBTI community, images that feed bad TV shows and films. In fact, I don't do pools...ever. I don't have the time or the patience.
This article is the worst kind of review out there because it focuses on all the most exaggerated aspects of a business or product...or even a group. In this case, Brendan Baker take quotes from people who no one in the town of New Hope takes very seriously and makes it appear as if this is actually what The Raven Resort is like all the time. It's really just a quiet LGBTI resort with an excellent restaurant where attorneys and real estate brokers meet for lunch on weekdays, both straight and gay. I've been there for memorial services, weddings, and many other events totally unrelated to what I can only label as "swimming pool culture." Last night Tony and I had dinner with the original owner of The Raven. The Raven was called Le Camp in the early days, long before my time.
You can read more. And I highly suggest you take into consideration this commentary by Brandon Baker is only a sensationalized account focused on the worst stereotypes that mentions nothing about the more important aspects of the LGBTI community in New Hope. The thing that bothers me the most about it is that while many of us are fighting for equality and trying to deal with people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney who wants to appeal gay marriage in PA, a skinny gay man with a sense of entitlement is slamming a strong part of the gay community with vituperative commentaries. If it hadn't been for those doughy middle aged men Brandon Baker wouldn't be able to get married now. But then again, a sense of entitlement never went well with respect.
It's really more of an opinion piece so I can't say it's bad journalism. But I do think there must have been a sale on cute, pithy adjectives that day and you might not want to read it on a full stomach.
Side note: this was my best impression of practicing self-control.
31 Gay Londoners
Now here's an article with some heart. 31 gay Londoners have complied a list of what freedom, equality, and having protection means to them. These people make me proud.
For Pride In London, LGBTI people and their allies were asked to interpret the theme #FreedomTo in their own incredible, individual way.
From celebs like Tom Daley to equality campaigners like Paris Lees, from leaders of gay campaigning groups like Ruth Hunt to everyday people, they did not disappoint.
You can check some of them out here.
There are LGBTI people of all ages celebrating this. I didn't see any standing next to a pool.
Learn Spanish: Jean Paul Zapata
One of my favorite young gay male journalists, Jean Paul Zapata, put together a quick piece about learning Spanish, and how the language is not the same all over.
That’s the beauty of the language. Spain’s Spanish is different to Spanish spoken in Central and South America Every country has a different accent, a different slang, a different flavor. ]
This guide is going to be based on Latin American Spanish, but the terms are quite basic and are so understandable in most, if not all countries.
You can read more here, where there's a list of ways to pronounce words in case you're heading to any pride events in a Spanish speaking country. The comment section adds a few more. I find it interesting. I speak book Italian fluently, but very little Spanish.
Jean Paul Zapata is a travel editor and reporter for Gaystarnews.com and I've posted about him several times before.
I'm going to be kind right now and keep my review of an article short and simple. I could go into detail in my quest to disabuse young gay man-about-town, Brandon Baker, of a few misconceptions he has about gay men and gay resorts, but it's usually easier to get right to the point. I'm talking about a harsh article/review/commentary Brendan Baker wrote for Philly Magazine about a gay resort in New Hope, PA where I live.
Here's one of the nastier quotes from the piece:
At a glance, the Pool’s dynamics this sunny afternoon can be outlined in Doppler waves. Behold, Wave No. 1: a Speedo-clad brigade of 50-plusers (the older crowd here is, shall we say, European in this sense: There’s no body shame, even when there should be) in the outer circles of the 150 sprawling chaise lounges, minding their own business as they flip over like pancakes to tan their leathery rumps (one of which pokes through a jock strap).
Aside from the fact that this over-written article seems to be promoting body shame at a time when many people, gay or straight, are trying to break away from that tired Madison Ave. concept of the perfect air-brushed body we've all been trained to believe is the only way to look, the rest of this article takes on the same snarky tone. But seriously? Who promotes body shame? What kind of person does this?
Just one more quote, and only because it's such a broad generalization about gay men:
RECALL, IF YOU WILL, Jersey Shore’s cringe-worthy, beach-tee-ubiquitous “GTL” (translation: “Gym, Tan, Laundry”) motto for Shore-goers. It has always applied to gay men. While everyone else spends winter hibernating with Ben & Jerry’s and Netflix, we spend it working the gym circuit with our trainers, getting creative with kale recipes and force-feeding our bodies protein so as to be pool-ready when we hit the doorstep on Memorial Day.
Well. There you are. I guess I must be missing something as a gay man, because I have never once spent more than a moment wondering about beaches, pools, and baking in the sun to get skin cancer. I know some do, but not all of us. And it's generalizations like this that promote the worst images of the LGBTI community, images that feed bad TV shows and films. In fact, I don't do pools...ever. I don't have the time or the patience.
This article is the worst kind of review out there because it focuses on all the most exaggerated aspects of a business or product...or even a group. In this case, Brendan Baker take quotes from people who no one in the town of New Hope takes very seriously and makes it appear as if this is actually what The Raven Resort is like all the time. It's really just a quiet LGBTI resort with an excellent restaurant where attorneys and real estate brokers meet for lunch on weekdays, both straight and gay. I've been there for memorial services, weddings, and many other events totally unrelated to what I can only label as "swimming pool culture." Last night Tony and I had dinner with the original owner of The Raven. The Raven was called Le Camp in the early days, long before my time.
You can read more. And I highly suggest you take into consideration this commentary by Brandon Baker is only a sensationalized account focused on the worst stereotypes that mentions nothing about the more important aspects of the LGBTI community in New Hope. The thing that bothers me the most about it is that while many of us are fighting for equality and trying to deal with people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney who wants to appeal gay marriage in PA, a skinny gay man with a sense of entitlement is slamming a strong part of the gay community with vituperative commentaries. If it hadn't been for those doughy middle aged men Brandon Baker wouldn't be able to get married now. But then again, a sense of entitlement never went well with respect.
It's really more of an opinion piece so I can't say it's bad journalism. But I do think there must have been a sale on cute, pithy adjectives that day and you might not want to read it on a full stomach.
Side note: this was my best impression of practicing self-control.
31 Gay Londoners
Now here's an article with some heart. 31 gay Londoners have complied a list of what freedom, equality, and having protection means to them. These people make me proud.
For Pride In London, LGBTI people and their allies were asked to interpret the theme #FreedomTo in their own incredible, individual way.
From celebs like Tom Daley to equality campaigners like Paris Lees, from leaders of gay campaigning groups like Ruth Hunt to everyday people, they did not disappoint.
You can check some of them out here.
There are LGBTI people of all ages celebrating this. I didn't see any standing next to a pool.
Learn Spanish: Jean Paul Zapata
One of my favorite young gay male journalists, Jean Paul Zapata, put together a quick piece about learning Spanish, and how the language is not the same all over.
That’s the beauty of the language. Spain’s Spanish is different to Spanish spoken in Central and South America Every country has a different accent, a different slang, a different flavor. ]
This guide is going to be based on Latin American Spanish, but the terms are quite basic and are so understandable in most, if not all countries.
You can read more here, where there's a list of ways to pronounce words in case you're heading to any pride events in a Spanish speaking country. The comment section adds a few more. I find it interesting. I speak book Italian fluently, but very little Spanish.
Jean Paul Zapata is a travel editor and reporter for Gaystarnews.com and I've posted about him several times before.
Second Chance
by Ryan Field
Friday, August 22, 2014
Free Gay Book Allromance; Kink: James Franco; Franco's Book Review; Florida Marriage Ban; Kristin Chenoweth Gay Marriage;
Kink: James Franco
James Franco has been getting on a lot of nerves lately with the constant self-promotion that's almost like spamming the world in some cases, not to mention gay baiting. However, he did release something interesting this time and I think it's worth posting the information here. And only because I think my readers will be interested.
James Franco fine-tunes his kinky image today with the trailer debut for Kink, his most recent completed film project that takes you behind-the-scenes at San Francisco’s Armory, home of Kink.com, the largest BDSM porn empire on Earth.
I posted about Kink.com and the PC police earlier this week here. They're planning a fantasy prison party at SF pride next year and it's ruffled a few ultra liberal PC feathers, so to speak. Frankly, I think the more they go PC in some cases the less we take them seriously anymore.
Here's part of the description about Kink, the film. You can read the rest here.
In kink, we discover not only a fascinating and often misunderstood subculture, but also, in a career far from the mainstream, a group of intelligent, charismatic, and driven people who really, truly love what they do.
As an erotic romance writer, and published erotic author in more places than I can count now, I think it's going to be interesting to see how he handles the topic. When I wrote this piece for the non-fic book, Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey, I found one that the huge disappointment from people in the lifestyle was that they didn't think the novel Fifty Shades of Grey did justice to BDSM. Many thought it was a mockery of the lifestyle. Some publications insulted women readers calling it "Mommy Porn." And, a whole lot of people were down right pissed it was Twilight Fanfic. Let's hope Franco's film isn't more of the same.
Here's one review for Kink from The Hollywood Reporter.
Here's another I found interesting.
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any parts in the film where James Franco is tied up and he gets his sweet little ass spanked.
Franco's Book Review
In another unrelated piece about James Franco that I saw on social media yesterday, I'm linking to a book review (I think that's what it is...it could a piece about the author, though) he wrote for an online publication, and the author of the book is William Gay. William Gay is the author's pen name...according to Franco he's the twin brother of Cormac McCarthy. I'm sure the name Gay is purely coincidental.
In any event, here's an excerpt from the review/article:
I was first introduced to Gay’s writing by my former City by the Sea co-star, Anson Mount, who also teaches acting at Columbia University and stars in Hell on Wheels. Mount came to see me on Broadway in Of Mice and Men. Backstage, after the show, we were chatting about movies and literary things. He mentioned this book by a Tennessee writer with the unfortunate title of Twilight. The bookwas released around the same time as the vampire Twilight, which forced it to be talked about with introductions that made it clear it had nothing to do with teen vamps, but was a macabre coming of age story in its right.
You can check out that book here, on Amazon, where there are more in-depth reviews about it. Most seem to be positive. It's interesting to note that Franco's own writing talent comes through in this piece, as always, and I find it a shame he doesn't focus more on that. With Franco, you can see that he knows what he's doing when he's writing and that some of it comes naturally as well. That doesn't happen often.
Florida Marriage Ban
I know more than a few gay couples down in S. Beach, Wilton Manors, and Key West who will be thrilled to hear this, especially those who've been together for a long time and own property like straight married couples. They are calling it the most significant ruling on marriage in Florida on the marriage ban. A federal judge...just like the judge here in PA...believes the marriage ban violates the US constitution.
Unfortunately, unlike here in PA where the Governor decided NOT to appeal Judge Jones' ruling, the judge in FL ordered a stay because of impending appeals. One lone wing nut here in PA, Theresa Santai-Gaffney, an orphans clerk in a small town who was responsible for handing out marriage licenses, did appeal Judge Jones' ruling and she was shot down every single time with each appeal. Judge Jones never issued a stay.
In any event, it's interesting to see how the judge in Florida compared the cases.
Hinkle wrote in his ruling: 'When observers look back 50 years from now, the arguments supporting Florida's ban on same-sex marriage, though just as sincerely held, will again seem an obvious pretext for discrimination.
'To paraphrase a civil rights leader from the age when interracial marriage was struck down, the arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice.'
You can read more here.
Kristin Chenoweth Gay Marriage
Kristin Chenoweth recently had a few interesting things to say about gay marriage and Christians. She doesn't believe that because she's a Christian she should have to be anti-gay marriage. And she speaks about this in a video released by the HRC.
'Look, the bottom line is that regardless of how you were made or who you love, you should be able to get married,' says the actress. 'I truly believe it is that simple and I'll keep speaking out until marriage is an equal right nationwide.'
I think she nails something very interesting, which is the fact that there's a divide between Christians with regard to gay marriage. And the obvious fact that many gay people are, indeed, Christian.
You can read more here.
Free Gay Book
This weekend I'm offering a long, overdue sale on Allromanceebooks.com with one of my newest novels, Cage James. I'm putting it up for free on Saturday and Sunday, which I'll post more about over the weekend. I usually find that readers see these things themselves...for the most part. But I like to give a heads up to those who don't here on the blog.
Here's the Allromance link...all product information about the book is there and ARe always does a good job describing everything in detail.
James Franco has been getting on a lot of nerves lately with the constant self-promotion that's almost like spamming the world in some cases, not to mention gay baiting. However, he did release something interesting this time and I think it's worth posting the information here. And only because I think my readers will be interested.
James Franco fine-tunes his kinky image today with the trailer debut for Kink, his most recent completed film project that takes you behind-the-scenes at San Francisco’s Armory, home of Kink.com, the largest BDSM porn empire on Earth.
I posted about Kink.com and the PC police earlier this week here. They're planning a fantasy prison party at SF pride next year and it's ruffled a few ultra liberal PC feathers, so to speak. Frankly, I think the more they go PC in some cases the less we take them seriously anymore.
Here's part of the description about Kink, the film. You can read the rest here.
In kink, we discover not only a fascinating and often misunderstood subculture, but also, in a career far from the mainstream, a group of intelligent, charismatic, and driven people who really, truly love what they do.
As an erotic romance writer, and published erotic author in more places than I can count now, I think it's going to be interesting to see how he handles the topic. When I wrote this piece for the non-fic book, Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey, I found one that the huge disappointment from people in the lifestyle was that they didn't think the novel Fifty Shades of Grey did justice to BDSM. Many thought it was a mockery of the lifestyle. Some publications insulted women readers calling it "Mommy Porn." And, a whole lot of people were down right pissed it was Twilight Fanfic. Let's hope Franco's film isn't more of the same.
Here's one review for Kink from The Hollywood Reporter.
Here's another I found interesting.
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any parts in the film where James Franco is tied up and he gets his sweet little ass spanked.
Franco's Book Review
In another unrelated piece about James Franco that I saw on social media yesterday, I'm linking to a book review (I think that's what it is...it could a piece about the author, though) he wrote for an online publication, and the author of the book is William Gay. William Gay is the author's pen name...according to Franco he's the twin brother of Cormac McCarthy. I'm sure the name Gay is purely coincidental.
In any event, here's an excerpt from the review/article:
I was first introduced to Gay’s writing by my former City by the Sea co-star, Anson Mount, who also teaches acting at Columbia University and stars in Hell on Wheels. Mount came to see me on Broadway in Of Mice and Men. Backstage, after the show, we were chatting about movies and literary things. He mentioned this book by a Tennessee writer with the unfortunate title of Twilight. The bookwas released around the same time as the vampire Twilight, which forced it to be talked about with introductions that made it clear it had nothing to do with teen vamps, but was a macabre coming of age story in its right.
You can check out that book here, on Amazon, where there are more in-depth reviews about it. Most seem to be positive. It's interesting to note that Franco's own writing talent comes through in this piece, as always, and I find it a shame he doesn't focus more on that. With Franco, you can see that he knows what he's doing when he's writing and that some of it comes naturally as well. That doesn't happen often.
Florida Marriage Ban
I know more than a few gay couples down in S. Beach, Wilton Manors, and Key West who will be thrilled to hear this, especially those who've been together for a long time and own property like straight married couples. They are calling it the most significant ruling on marriage in Florida on the marriage ban. A federal judge...just like the judge here in PA...believes the marriage ban violates the US constitution.
Unfortunately, unlike here in PA where the Governor decided NOT to appeal Judge Jones' ruling, the judge in FL ordered a stay because of impending appeals. One lone wing nut here in PA, Theresa Santai-Gaffney, an orphans clerk in a small town who was responsible for handing out marriage licenses, did appeal Judge Jones' ruling and she was shot down every single time with each appeal. Judge Jones never issued a stay.
In any event, it's interesting to see how the judge in Florida compared the cases.
Hinkle wrote in his ruling: 'When observers look back 50 years from now, the arguments supporting Florida's ban on same-sex marriage, though just as sincerely held, will again seem an obvious pretext for discrimination.
'To paraphrase a civil rights leader from the age when interracial marriage was struck down, the arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice.'
You can read more here.
Kristin Chenoweth Gay Marriage
Kristin Chenoweth recently had a few interesting things to say about gay marriage and Christians. She doesn't believe that because she's a Christian she should have to be anti-gay marriage. And she speaks about this in a video released by the HRC.
'Look, the bottom line is that regardless of how you were made or who you love, you should be able to get married,' says the actress. 'I truly believe it is that simple and I'll keep speaking out until marriage is an equal right nationwide.'
I think she nails something very interesting, which is the fact that there's a divide between Christians with regard to gay marriage. And the obvious fact that many gay people are, indeed, Christian.
You can read more here.
Free Gay Book
This weekend I'm offering a long, overdue sale on Allromanceebooks.com with one of my newest novels, Cage James. I'm putting it up for free on Saturday and Sunday, which I'll post more about over the weekend. I usually find that readers see these things themselves...for the most part. But I like to give a heads up to those who don't here on the blog.
Here's the Allromance link...all product information about the book is there and ARe always does a good job describing everything in detail.
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