|
|
 I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten out to see my celebrity heartthrob crush Jake Gyllenhaal in his award winning gay cowpoke movie yet. (I’ve been busy and waiting for a time my sweetie and I could have a whole evening…) So, I’m all the more obsessed with getting as much Brokeback Mountain info and gossip as I can. Yet another reason the GLAAD website is my friend: The Brokeback Mountain Resource Guide. I especially swooned at this little Jakey quote: “I’ve never really been attracted to men sexually, but I don’t think I would be afraid of it if it happened.” How about a gender-meandering female-bodied fan?
And, as usual, GLAAD offers ever more queer movie wonderfulness for your viewing pleasure.
[…]
England’s so called “gay capital,” has now come into the marriage fray and everyone’s going nuts. Time to grab those cheap winter tickets and join the party I say. While I always thought of Manchester, the birthplace of “Queer as folk,” and home to one of the best club nights I’ve ever been too, as the premiere queer spot in the UK, seems Brighton may be the “it” place. There’s no choosing really. So you might as well take a Brit vs. Vegas style tour of the Queen’s land get married in every town.
[…]
 The UK, one of the more conservative of European nations, and nearer to American hearts, has finally stepped up and embraced gay marriage. Yesterday in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Grainne Close (left) and Shannon Sickels became the first pair of ladies (or gentlemen) to wed in Great Britain. Elton and partner David may be on their heels, but traditionally conservative Northern Ireland got the fanfare first with its local lass and her new American wife.
[…]
I’ve always had mixed feelings about the Stranger based sex column writer myself. (Partially because I’m jealous? Sure, I’ll admit that…) But this little commentary on his new book has a much bigger snap in the Z formation than I would have ever given the man. Not sure if I agree, knowing the trial of a writer attempting to balance the truly entertaining quip with good taste. But he’s a big boy. I’m sure he can take it…
[…]
 What are the events and performances that will get those holiday engines revving? I’d start the holidays off with the King of Raunch myself. That’s right, the man with that creepy little mustache will be in town this Friday the 16th with a special John Waters’ Christmas. The Yule log will be lit at Dante’s (1 SW 3rd) at 7p dinner, 8:30 stand-up. Sadly, Waters’ most queer of characters, the tremendous and dramatic drag queen, Divine, will have to miss this special day. RIP dearie. We miss you so.
For a frenzied holiday performance, check out one of the cutest lesbian couple performance pairs ever, These ladies will be all over the place in a Do Jump! performance that includes trapezes, dance and clowns. The little ones will love it. Energetic fun for the entire queer-friendly family. At the Echo Theatre (1515 S.E. 37th Ave at Hawthorne) through Dec. 23rd. For tickets call 503-231-1232.
For that feel good story with an odd one (gay) man twist check out Portland Center Stage’s This Wonderful Life at PCPA’s Newmark Theatre (1111 S.W. Broadway). For tickets call 503-274-6588. The show runs now through Christmas eve.
[…]
 ‘Tis the season to be especially gay and merry. Unfortunately there’s more to these joyously commercial holidays than drinking your brandy laden eggnog. Thats right, it’s time for the stress of giving all your loved ones the perfect gifts. Truly, I have little advice to give. I’ve barely begun my shopping, and am still obsessing over just the right little package for the new girlfriend’s first Xmas as well as the perfect balance for the ex, whom I still cherish as well. I can offer you three things, however.
The first is a holiday reading guide for all the nerdy queers on your list courtesy 365gay.com. I particularly recommend the David Sedaris. Hes hilarious, it’s holiday themed, and look at how classy that cover is…
The second thing I have for you is the HRC buying guide, out just in time to help you with the holidays. Now, I do not trust the HRC completely, and the first line of the guide intro “Corporate America is leading the way to fairness and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people…” doesn’t add any faith that the guide is friendly to anyone besides white wealthy queers. That being said, it is a good place to start. And, at the very least, I would avoid those at the very bottom of the list. Keep up to date on the latest queer-friendly and bashy corporations with the continually updated html listing.
But the best bet of all may be to just cut out the corporates all together and checj out Just Out’s own Portland centric guide as well as their last-minute guide.
[…]
An editorial in the paper today takes issue with said the Sam Adams policy I discussed yesterday (see below), in the end claiming it only “…mostly stimulates resentment.” And yet, the editorial never does support, with any evidence, its claim that policies like these are not effective. And while I do agree with the disturbing consequence that this new policy may let employers who offer no benefits whatsoever off the hook, surely that should not be an argument against equality.
To congratulate the half of the Fortune 500 companies that have been business savvy enough to know that they should offer domestic partner benefits is lovely, of course, and I never begrudge a pat on the back. But let’s recognize that it is not only the right thing to do, but also for their own good. Those half of the richest corporations that do not offer equal rights, should be more chastised than those celebrated for their common sense. And yet, this policy is not about chastisement. It’s about simple ethical commitment.
Not being able to afford to offer benefits is not an adequate excuse. If that worker had been heterosexually married, you would indeed offer benefits. Does that mean you hire only unwed or homosexual workers so that you can better serve your few married employees? If so, that is clearly discrimination…to married people.
Would you do business with a company that treated its workers unfairly? Well, we probably all do to a certain extent, but when Denny’s bars African-American patrons, or a store unfairly fires a friend, or any myriad of injustices are performed by big business, I’d like to think our moral values would end our shopping there. I would ask to same of our fair city.
[…]
Though I usually try not to engage in too much personal information in a blog that is oh so much bigger than myself, I do have to make an excuse for my extended absence. See, I was in Hawai’i soaking up the rays before settling in the doom that is supposed to be this year’s winter weather. And no, I did not check the queer news bots every day. So sadly, I am still quite behind. But I do love teh queers of this town so thank you, Sam Adams for your blog, which has kept me informed.
Sam tells us that PDX might step up to the plate and actually make some concrete rules about who the city does business with. It does seem logical to me that if we have a non-discrimination policy ourselves that we support others that offer equal benefits to domestic partners. Now, if the federal government will just get on board…
[…]
The online media consensus seems to be that this year’s World AIDS day, which is today, is a rather miserable failure. Indeed, levels of awareness in the queer communities (and straight ones for that matter) through which I roam do seem to have diminished, resulting in an upsurgence of infections. One step forward, ladies and gentlemen, one step back?
Especially troubling is Swaziland’s cancellation of the day’s events due to King Mswati’s claim that “they would interfere with a month-long traditional ceremony.” A country with the highest international rate of infection with 38% of its population infected. And a king, criticized for his lavish lifestyle, with 13 wives and 25 children.
In South Africa, where there are 5 million living with HIV, health minister Tshabalala-Msimang, AKA “Dr. No” for her reluctance to support the use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, touts the use of vegetables. While, I (and Kaiser Permanente for that matter) do believe fully in the power of healthy living and eating your leafy greens, a proven HIV combatant they are not.
On South Africa’s up side, their highest court today ruled that it is unconstitutional to deny homos the right to wed. As usual, there are a few more hoops to jump through before Adam and Steve can swish down the aisle, as the court gave parliament up to a year to make the appropriate legal changes. But when these changes do go into effect, South Africa will be the only non-European nation, besides those liberal Canucks to our north, to legalize same sex marriage.
[…]
Hmmm…So this event bills itself as the lesbian event of the season…sounds epic. Anyway, looks like a champagne swilling dress in your schmanciest duds type of party featuring nibblies, tarot, raffles, holiday pictures and other surprises. 5-10p, December 18th at Zaytoon (2236 NE Alberta), $25 pre-registration.
Actually, I have been meaning to check out this place, even if I am leery of the overly swank on Alberta street.
More holiday events should appear on my radar soon so stay tuned.
[…]
|
|
