Today is my best friend's birthday!
I first met T when we were cast together in our local community theater's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." He played Joseph and I played Potiphar's Wife; my introduction to him was, "oh hi! I'll be the one ravishing you later!" Part of our tango dance included me shoving his face in my cleavage and a love was born.
We've been best friends for two years and roommates for six months. He is one of the most talented people that I know and I've been privileged to be able to work with and sing with him on a few occasions. He is a wonderful teacher, as evidenced by the time he takes with me and by the merits of his students.
He entered my life at exactly the right time -- I was transitioning from one job to the other and was worried about leaving my friends in Houston to move to a smaller town. To be honest, our blossoming friendship was one of the main reasons that I pursued the job in the smaller town so passionately. It's not very often that people find someone that they bond with so quickly and intensely and I didn't want to let that go.
In the past few years, we've gone through major ups and downs -- we both were cast as leads in shows at our theater, I started grad school, he had a significant break-up, we moved in together to make our transformation into Will and Grace complete. Since we've started living together, we've had minor battles, mainly over the spice cabinet (because he's a damn dirty Cajun with an iron tongue), but we're thriving.
I don't know where I would be without T. He has enriched my life in many ways, starting with providing me with the love of his dog, Wolfgang. He is funny, thoughtful, caring, and loyal. He is supportive of me but not to the point where he doesn't call me out for being ridiculous. He is the perfect laidback yin to my melodramatic yang. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like T -- but get your own, I don't like to share.
Happy birthday, T! I love you and I'm sorry in advance for eating all of your birthday cake!
Showing posts with label real life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label real life. Show all posts
Monday, May 13, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Life is a Drag
Over Christmas break, I went up to Dallas to visit friends and we subsequently went to S4 to see their drag show.
I've seen many a drag show in my day and love every incarnation, including Rupaul's Drag Race on LOGO. But whether professional or amateur, there are a few staples that are necessary for a great time:
1. A great emcee. Nothing ruins a night faster than an emcee who isn't funny or entertaining, or the lack of an emcee, with the DJ announcing the girls. Emcees are incredibly important: they need to be spontaneous and respond to the audience without being overly vulgar. There's a difference between joking and insulting and a good emcee (with a good audience) can toe the line magnificently.
2. A good audience. Don't try to be funnier than the emcee, because you will not win. Have fun while still being courteous to both the girls and the other audience members. Basically, don't be an ass. Have fun but don't spoil the rest of the audience's fun.
3. Tip! Tipping is not mandatory but is the best way of showing your appreciation for the show. If you're going to tip, then don't make them work for the money -- don't hold on to it and "make" them perform for you in order to get it. They're working their asses off for everybody, and you're included in that. Let them get their money and move on! They're earning every bit of it.
4. Performers need to know the words to the songs. This is one of my pet peeves. Yeah yeah, they're lip syncing, which means they don't necessarily have to know the words, but come on. Nothing takes me out of a show faster than a performer moving their mouth like a fish and pronouncing random syllables that do not in anyway sound like the song they're supposed to be performing. Ladies: pick a song you know, and then perform the shit out of it.
5. Keep the music topical. There are the obvious gay anthems that are staples in shows, but if you're performing a random 70s disco song that no one in the audience knows, you're just setting yourself up for a boring show. I may be biased in this one, but my favorite performances have been queens that dress as Beyonce, Gaga, or Britney and rocked the shit out of a medley. The Beyonce queens are my favorite, I must admit.
It's probably sad how much thought I've put into what makes a good drag show, but there you go. Go, drink, and hope that I never figure out how to pull a Connie and Carla because I will take my drag show on the road and it will be a GLORIOUS show.
1. A great emcee. Nothing ruins a night faster than an emcee who isn't funny or entertaining, or the lack of an emcee, with the DJ announcing the girls. Emcees are incredibly important: they need to be spontaneous and respond to the audience without being overly vulgar. There's a difference between joking and insulting and a good emcee (with a good audience) can toe the line magnificently.
2. A good audience. Don't try to be funnier than the emcee, because you will not win. Have fun while still being courteous to both the girls and the other audience members. Basically, don't be an ass. Have fun but don't spoil the rest of the audience's fun.
3. Tip! Tipping is not mandatory but is the best way of showing your appreciation for the show. If you're going to tip, then don't make them work for the money -- don't hold on to it and "make" them perform for you in order to get it. They're working their asses off for everybody, and you're included in that. Let them get their money and move on! They're earning every bit of it.
4. Performers need to know the words to the songs. This is one of my pet peeves. Yeah yeah, they're lip syncing, which means they don't necessarily have to know the words, but come on. Nothing takes me out of a show faster than a performer moving their mouth like a fish and pronouncing random syllables that do not in anyway sound like the song they're supposed to be performing. Ladies: pick a song you know, and then perform the shit out of it.
5. Keep the music topical. There are the obvious gay anthems that are staples in shows, but if you're performing a random 70s disco song that no one in the audience knows, you're just setting yourself up for a boring show. I may be biased in this one, but my favorite performances have been queens that dress as Beyonce, Gaga, or Britney and rocked the shit out of a medley. The Beyonce queens are my favorite, I must admit.
It's probably sad how much thought I've put into what makes a good drag show, but there you go. Go, drink, and hope that I never figure out how to pull a Connie and Carla because I will take my drag show on the road and it will be a GLORIOUS show.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends
One more reason to support gay marriage: gay men will marry your girlfriends. And I believe I speak for all women when I say that we all enjoy a motherfucking quiche. You have been warned.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Barack the Vote
Tomorrow is election day! To put you in the mood, I would like to direct you to this letter from President Obama in response to a 10 year old girl's letter about being bullied because she has two dads:
And I swoon.
Don't forget to vote tomorrow!
Don't forget to vote tomorrow!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Girls on Film
It's all fun and games until you find out that your new friend once starred in gay porn.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Pentatonix
Yesterday, we traveled to Austin to see Pentatonix, as per the Roommate's request. He's a choir director and loves everything and anything that has to do with music and I am always down for a trip to Austin. So we went and mostly survived the trip (I got hungry towards the end of the drive, and that's never good for anyone in the vicinity). I knew next to nothing about Pentatonix other than what the Roommate had told me, which was that they were an acapella group and they were amazing.
It turns out they're an acapella group and they're amazing. They're also comprised of two amazing gay men, a baritone and a tenor. Mitch Grassi is one of the new loves of my life. I would like to be put on the list of his Queer Dears, I'm just saying. He is adorable and reminded me of a grown up version of Sassy Pants from "School of Rock." Love love love him. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, I grabbed the Roommate's shoulder and swooned with the love that only a Queer Dear can understand.
It turns out they're an acapella group and they're amazing. They're also comprised of two amazing gay men, a baritone and a tenor. Mitch Grassi is one of the new loves of my life. I would like to be put on the list of his Queer Dears, I'm just saying. He is adorable and reminded me of a grown up version of Sassy Pants from "School of Rock." Love love love him. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, I grabbed the Roommate's shoulder and swooned with the love that only a Queer Dear can understand.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
As seen on Lifetime.
Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Like when your best friend goes through a rough break up and you have to be available at all times for needed Ben and Jerry's support. Especially when his ex's life could be made into a Lifetime movie.
It's difficult enough being a teacher these days, what with the increasing emphasis on teachers being judged based on their students' standardized test scores and the lack of salary growth in the career. It's even worse when you have teachers that have inappropriate relationships with their students.
In this case, said student had graduated in May (three months ago) and was 18. But guess what? IT'S STILL WRONG. If you are an adult and you hang out with teenagers for fun, then you need to look at your life, look at your choices. It also ruined several relationships and, more importantly, sleep cycles.
I will be the first to say that I hate when people expect that just because you belong to a certain group, you have expectations and roles you have to fill. As Natalie Portman so eloquently put it, I never said I was a role model. But I'm sorry gays (and teachers, and gay teachers), you have a responsibility to not be a creeper. When you have groups that honestly believe that homosexuals are more likely to be child molesters, then you need to oh, I don't know, not take your 18 year old former students on vacation, just the two of you. That is suspicious and saying that you're just friends does not make it sound better, because I am around teenagers all day long at school and trust me, there is nothing about them that would make me want to hang out with them socially. A teacher I worked with last year took a student to the Renaissance Festival last year, and while I cannot fault her for the choice of venue because that place is awesome, it's not okay and she abruptly quit two weeks later. I wonder why.
Break ups are hard, no matter what the reason is. In this case, it was a long and horrendous process that took all summer and ended with a severing of lives and separation of houses. It hasn't been an easy process and it has been hard on everyone involved. Luckily, it's all pretty much settled. He's just ready to move on, and I am, too. I wasn't sure how many late night phone calls I could take.
On a more positive note, this whole experience means that I have a new wonderful roommate! More shenanigans and Will and Grace comparisons to follow!
It's difficult enough being a teacher these days, what with the increasing emphasis on teachers being judged based on their students' standardized test scores and the lack of salary growth in the career. It's even worse when you have teachers that have inappropriate relationships with their students.
In this case, said student had graduated in May (three months ago) and was 18. But guess what? IT'S STILL WRONG. If you are an adult and you hang out with teenagers for fun, then you need to look at your life, look at your choices. It also ruined several relationships and, more importantly, sleep cycles.
I will be the first to say that I hate when people expect that just because you belong to a certain group, you have expectations and roles you have to fill. As Natalie Portman so eloquently put it, I never said I was a role model. But I'm sorry gays (and teachers, and gay teachers), you have a responsibility to not be a creeper. When you have groups that honestly believe that homosexuals are more likely to be child molesters, then you need to oh, I don't know, not take your 18 year old former students on vacation, just the two of you. That is suspicious and saying that you're just friends does not make it sound better, because I am around teenagers all day long at school and trust me, there is nothing about them that would make me want to hang out with them socially. A teacher I worked with last year took a student to the Renaissance Festival last year, and while I cannot fault her for the choice of venue because that place is awesome, it's not okay and she abruptly quit two weeks later. I wonder why.
Break ups are hard, no matter what the reason is. In this case, it was a long and horrendous process that took all summer and ended with a severing of lives and separation of houses. It hasn't been an easy process and it has been hard on everyone involved. Luckily, it's all pretty much settled. He's just ready to move on, and I am, too. I wasn't sure how many late night phone calls I could take.
On a more positive note, this whole experience means that I have a new wonderful roommate! More shenanigans and Will and Grace comparisons to follow!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
FLAMING
I'm giving a new definition to the word because it is SO HOT OUTSIDE I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. I drove around town today with my air conditioner on super major frostbite and listened to Christmas cds to try to convince my body to stop sweating but it DIDN'T WORK. It is too hot to be sassy. I spend my days on pinterest looking up pumpkin recipes and daydreaming about autumn, which in Texas means temperatures of 70 degrees.
I'm sure some people have been doing fabulous and gay things, but I'm too busy fainting from heat stroke to notice.
TEXAS, I HATE YOU.
I'm sure some people have been doing fabulous and gay things, but I'm too busy fainting from heat stroke to notice.
TEXAS, I HATE YOU.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Chicken Chow Down
Who ever thought that a delicious chicken sandwich and waffle fries would cause such a stir?
The Cathy Family, including S. Truett, the founder of Chick-Fil-A, and his son Dan, the current president, have never made their Christian views a secret. Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sunday to allow their employees to worship and their kids' meals come with religious coloring books. The company has a history of philanthropy towards "Focus on the Family" type groups and other Christian (anti-LGBT) groups, from donating food to donating money.
However, recently Dan Cathy has made the transition from silent bigot to active homophobe when he voiced his opposition to same-sex marriage in an interview:
Some have opposed the company's support of the traditional family. "Well, guilty as charged," said Cathy when asked about the company's position.
"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.
"We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that," Cathy emphasized.
"We intend to stay the course," he said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
Now comes the firefight. Many people voiced their incredulity to Chick-Fil-A's vocal stance and have voiced their disapproval. The mayors of several large cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, have stated that they will not allow Chick-Fil-A's to be build in their cities to further spread their message of hate. The Jim Henson Company has stated that their Muppets will no longer be fans of waffle fries and that the profits they have gotten from Chick-Fil-A will be donated to GLAAD.
On the flipside, there are arguments that Dan Cathy was simply exercising his first amendment right to free speech and that he has to right to believe any way he wants. There is also a "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" planned by Mike Huckabee, in which conservatives nationwide showed up under the guise of protecting their first amendment rights. By eating a chicken sandwich. Really?
I love a first amendment. Really, I do. But when your first amendment right is being used to take away the rights of others, don't you think that's a little bit hypocritical? Let's stop and think about it for a minute.
Everyone has the right to their opinion and religious belief, but when your religious belief starts manipulating government policy, then we have a problem. Not allowing gays to get married is WRONG, plain and simple. I'm not talking about a religious or moral standing, I'm talking about civil rights. Prejudice against homosexuals is wrong, just as prejudice against women and African-Americans was deemed wrong in our shockingly recent history. Stop kidding yourself about standing up for first amendment rights. Hi, you're a bigot.
My best friend and I ate at Popeyes on Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day. Not only did they have red beans and rice and biscuits that tasted like they were sent directly from heaven, I didn't have to worry about my money going to groups that will attempt to pray the gay out of someone.
It's really too bad that Chick-Fil-A just tastes so damn good. I have to settle for making copycat recipes from pinterest and watching this video. Somehow drag queens just make everything okay.
The Cathy Family, including S. Truett, the founder of Chick-Fil-A, and his son Dan, the current president, have never made their Christian views a secret. Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sunday to allow their employees to worship and their kids' meals come with religious coloring books. The company has a history of philanthropy towards "Focus on the Family" type groups and other Christian (anti-LGBT) groups, from donating food to donating money.
However, recently Dan Cathy has made the transition from silent bigot to active homophobe when he voiced his opposition to same-sex marriage in an interview:
Some have opposed the company's support of the traditional family. "Well, guilty as charged," said Cathy when asked about the company's position.
"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.
"We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that," Cathy emphasized.
"We intend to stay the course," he said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
Now comes the firefight. Many people voiced their incredulity to Chick-Fil-A's vocal stance and have voiced their disapproval. The mayors of several large cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, have stated that they will not allow Chick-Fil-A's to be build in their cities to further spread their message of hate. The Jim Henson Company has stated that their Muppets will no longer be fans of waffle fries and that the profits they have gotten from Chick-Fil-A will be donated to GLAAD.
On the flipside, there are arguments that Dan Cathy was simply exercising his first amendment right to free speech and that he has to right to believe any way he wants. There is also a "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" planned by Mike Huckabee, in which conservatives nationwide showed up under the guise of protecting their first amendment rights. By eating a chicken sandwich. Really?
I love a first amendment. Really, I do. But when your first amendment right is being used to take away the rights of others, don't you think that's a little bit hypocritical? Let's stop and think about it for a minute.
Everyone has the right to their opinion and religious belief, but when your religious belief starts manipulating government policy, then we have a problem. Not allowing gays to get married is WRONG, plain and simple. I'm not talking about a religious or moral standing, I'm talking about civil rights. Prejudice against homosexuals is wrong, just as prejudice against women and African-Americans was deemed wrong in our shockingly recent history. Stop kidding yourself about standing up for first amendment rights. Hi, you're a bigot.
My best friend and I ate at Popeyes on Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day. Not only did they have red beans and rice and biscuits that tasted like they were sent directly from heaven, I didn't have to worry about my money going to groups that will attempt to pray the gay out of someone.
It's really too bad that Chick-Fil-A just tastes so damn good. I have to settle for making copycat recipes from pinterest and watching this video. Somehow drag queens just make everything okay.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Edward Scissorhands
I have discovered that not all gay men are cut out to be hair stylists.
My best friend is a high school choir director and has been working feverishly on his show choir's spring show. It's all girls so it's a very diva-tastic affair, complete with wigs and dresses and pageantry.
Last week, he called and told me that he needed help styling a wig. When he came over, he told me that he had a long haired wig that needed to be transformed into a Thoroughly Modern Millie style bob. The way I was helping was to wear the wig on my head while he chopped it up. So I did the dutiful friend thing and tucked my hair under the wig while he cut.
He had the wig looking pretty good, at least by what I could see in the porch window of the balcony. The wig was the same color as my hair, so it was fun to see me with short hair and bangs.
Yes. Bangs.
When he was done, I went into the bathroom to inspect it in a real mirror and the bangs section was looking kind of strange so I leaned in closer to the mirror and OH MY GOD THAT IS MY REAL HAIR.
In the quest for wig bangs and in his vigorous brushing of the wig, a portion of my real bangs somehow escaped the confine of the wig cap and got sliced off. There is now a quarter of my bangs that are shorter than the rest. Luckily they're easily hidden in the underbrush and are off to the side. And luckily my friend couldn't hear the obscenities I yelled at him over the sound of his laughter. He was very amused with the situation.
At least the wig looks good.
My best friend is a high school choir director and has been working feverishly on his show choir's spring show. It's all girls so it's a very diva-tastic affair, complete with wigs and dresses and pageantry.
Last week, he called and told me that he needed help styling a wig. When he came over, he told me that he had a long haired wig that needed to be transformed into a Thoroughly Modern Millie style bob. The way I was helping was to wear the wig on my head while he chopped it up. So I did the dutiful friend thing and tucked my hair under the wig while he cut.
He had the wig looking pretty good, at least by what I could see in the porch window of the balcony. The wig was the same color as my hair, so it was fun to see me with short hair and bangs.
Yes. Bangs.
When he was done, I went into the bathroom to inspect it in a real mirror and the bangs section was looking kind of strange so I leaned in closer to the mirror and OH MY GOD THAT IS MY REAL HAIR.
In the quest for wig bangs and in his vigorous brushing of the wig, a portion of my real bangs somehow escaped the confine of the wig cap and got sliced off. There is now a quarter of my bangs that are shorter than the rest. Luckily they're easily hidden in the underbrush and are off to the side. And luckily my friend couldn't hear the obscenities I yelled at him over the sound of his laughter. He was very amused with the situation.
At least the wig looks good.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Slacking.
My gay world has been embarrassingly quiet as of late. I've been neglecting my poor blog!
In all honesty, the end of the school year is near and I'm holding on for dear life. This has been a loooong year. Spring fever has definitely hit with a vengeance.
One of my dear friends recently got a boyfriend, so that's boring. I mean, it's exciting for him, but to me all it means is that I am booted from being his plus-one at an upcoming lesbian wedding, and for that I am pissed.
I'm currently in my community theater's production of "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and am discovering what a sadistic queen Sondheim is. That man has something against sopranos. High D, bitch say whaaaat?
And, to be even more honest, I've been spending a lot of time with a straight guy! Finally, someone who is not repulsed or amused by ladyparts. This is no longer happening:
It's a nice change.
In all honesty, the end of the school year is near and I'm holding on for dear life. This has been a loooong year. Spring fever has definitely hit with a vengeance.
One of my dear friends recently got a boyfriend, so that's boring. I mean, it's exciting for him, but to me all it means is that I am booted from being his plus-one at an upcoming lesbian wedding, and for that I am pissed.
I'm currently in my community theater's production of "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and am discovering what a sadistic queen Sondheim is. That man has something against sopranos. High D, bitch say whaaaat?
And, to be even more honest, I've been spending a lot of time with a straight guy! Finally, someone who is not repulsed or amused by ladyparts. This is no longer happening:
It's a nice change.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Hello, good-bi.
Does bisexuality exist? It depends on who you ask, I suppose.
I don't know anyone who has claimed to be bisexual that did not later turn towards one specific gender or the other. In my experience, bisexuality is a pitstop on the way to Gaytown. But others might disagree -- particularly those who identify as bisexual.
An acquaintance of mine, one who would make a blind and deaf person say "goddamn, that kid is gay", has recently been spending an awful lot of time becoming chummy with a girl. "Oh, that's just his queer dead," we all thought. But at a party last weekend, said girl referred to him as her boyfriend, and not in a platonic way. In a "we are having sex" kind of way.
Say whaaaaat?
He has gone on the record as saying that he simply "doesn't see gender," which is a load of bullshit. There's no choice but to see gender. But is it possible for a gay man to compromise his sexuality in the face of loneliness? We do live in a small town in south Texas, so maybe he is just seeking any companionship in any sense. Some very famous gay men have been married and loved women while seeking out dalliances with men -- Cole Porter, Oscar Wilde, Moss Hart, Vita Sackville-West, to name a few. Most of these people lived during times when homosexuality was severely persecuted.
So does bisexuality exist? Is it possible to be equally attracted to both genders, or does everyone truly have a preference but will settle for society's norms or whatever is available? The world may never know. And if it makes the people happy, it's none of the world's business.
I don't know anyone who has claimed to be bisexual that did not later turn towards one specific gender or the other. In my experience, bisexuality is a pitstop on the way to Gaytown. But others might disagree -- particularly those who identify as bisexual.
An acquaintance of mine, one who would make a blind and deaf person say "goddamn, that kid is gay", has recently been spending an awful lot of time becoming chummy with a girl. "Oh, that's just his queer dead," we all thought. But at a party last weekend, said girl referred to him as her boyfriend, and not in a platonic way. In a "we are having sex" kind of way.
Say whaaaaat?
He has gone on the record as saying that he simply "doesn't see gender," which is a load of bullshit. There's no choice but to see gender. But is it possible for a gay man to compromise his sexuality in the face of loneliness? We do live in a small town in south Texas, so maybe he is just seeking any companionship in any sense. Some very famous gay men have been married and loved women while seeking out dalliances with men -- Cole Porter, Oscar Wilde, Moss Hart, Vita Sackville-West, to name a few. Most of these people lived during times when homosexuality was severely persecuted.
So does bisexuality exist? Is it possible to be equally attracted to both genders, or does everyone truly have a preference but will settle for society's norms or whatever is available? The world may never know. And if it makes the people happy, it's none of the world's business.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
NOH8
California's Proposition 8, a voter-approved ban on gay marriage in the state of California, has been declared unconstitutional, according to a federal appeals court.
The case will probably be appealed to the Supreme Court, but given that this is the second time that it has been declared unconstitutional. The court today stated that the law "served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationship and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples." Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was the point of the proposition, and I'm glad that the ridiculousness of Prop 8 is being acknowledged.
There is absolutely no legal reason to deny gays and lesbians the same rights as heterosexual Americans. There aren't separate constitutions.
Conservatives, stop trying to make hate happen. It's not going to happen.
The case will probably be appealed to the Supreme Court, but given that this is the second time that it has been declared unconstitutional. The court today stated that the law "served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationship and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples." Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was the point of the proposition, and I'm glad that the ridiculousness of Prop 8 is being acknowledged.
There is absolutely no legal reason to deny gays and lesbians the same rights as heterosexual Americans. There aren't separate constitutions.
Conservatives, stop trying to make hate happen. It's not going to happen.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Benefits for Friends
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
It is also a truth universally acknowledged that a single gay is in want of a hook-up.
I got a text from a friend last night, asking if a fabulous friend of mine would be interested in a date/hook-up with her new gay roommate.
The tv show Happy Endings has concisely and hilariously identified gaycism, the theory that people automatically think that any gay people are compatible with each other based solely on the fact that they are gay. I knew that some people truly believed this, but this was my first experience with a gaycist. She didn't even know my friend's name, much less anything about him that would lead her to think that he would be a good match for her roommate. She also assumed that he would be up for a random hook-up just on the basis of his homosexuality.
Resist the prejudice of gaycism. Look past the perfectly highlighted hair and moisturized hands and see the person behind the gay face. Remember, gays are people, too.
It is also a truth universally acknowledged that a single gay is in want of a hook-up.
I got a text from a friend last night, asking if a fabulous friend of mine would be interested in a date/hook-up with her new gay roommate.
The tv show Happy Endings has concisely and hilariously identified gaycism, the theory that people automatically think that any gay people are compatible with each other based solely on the fact that they are gay. I knew that some people truly believed this, but this was my first experience with a gaycist. She didn't even know my friend's name, much less anything about him that would lead her to think that he would be a good match for her roommate. She also assumed that he would be up for a random hook-up just on the basis of his homosexuality.
Resist the prejudice of gaycism. Look past the perfectly highlighted hair and moisturized hands and see the person behind the gay face. Remember, gays are people, too.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Girl Power.
When I was in elementary school, I was in Girl Scouts. But let's be honest, I was really just in it for the cookies. There is nothing so bad that a Thin Mint or a Samoa cookie won't fix.
The Girl Scout organization has been in the news recently due to the inclusion of a 7 year old transgendered child in a troupe in Colorado. This is a 7 year old boy named Bobby who is living as a girl, and the Girl Scout troupe accepts him as such.
Unfortunately, a teenaged girl in California has a problem with this and has made a video asking people to protest the Girl Scouts by refusing to buy Girl Scout cookies until the transgendered child is removed from the organization.
As if I needed anymore incentive to buy twelve boxes of Thin Mints this cookie season, this girl has given me another one.
The Girl Scouts stance has been one of inclusion and classiness during this process; a spokeswoman has said, "For 100 years, Girl Scouts has prided itself on being an inclusive organization serving girls from all walks of life. We handle cases involving transgender children on a case-by-case basis, with a focus on ensuring the welfare and best interests of the child in question and the other girls in the troop as our highest priority. If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout."
Stay classy, Girl Scouts. And keep supplying me with my Samoas fix.
The Girl Scout organization has been in the news recently due to the inclusion of a 7 year old transgendered child in a troupe in Colorado. This is a 7 year old boy named Bobby who is living as a girl, and the Girl Scout troupe accepts him as such.
Unfortunately, a teenaged girl in California has a problem with this and has made a video asking people to protest the Girl Scouts by refusing to buy Girl Scout cookies until the transgendered child is removed from the organization.
As if I needed anymore incentive to buy twelve boxes of Thin Mints this cookie season, this girl has given me another one.
The Girl Scouts stance has been one of inclusion and classiness during this process; a spokeswoman has said, "For 100 years, Girl Scouts has prided itself on being an inclusive organization serving girls from all walks of life. We handle cases involving transgender children on a case-by-case basis, with a focus on ensuring the welfare and best interests of the child in question and the other girls in the troop as our highest priority. If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout."
Stay classy, Girl Scouts. And keep supplying me with my Samoas fix.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Who's the Gayest of them All?
CNN recently had an article reporting on a survey performed by The Advocate magazine that sought to find the gayest city in America. The answer was not as obvious as you'd think.
They sought to look outside the obvious choices like San Francisco, New York City, or Miami. I thought Austin would be ranked high on the list, but perhaps I'm biased because I'm from Texas and one of my favorite gays lives there.
The number one ranked city was Salt Lake City, Utah.
.............what?
One does not think of Salt Lake City as being bustling with homosexual support. I don't know about you, but when I think of Utah, I think of Mormons, who are not exactly known for their love of all things fabulous. While the survey wasn't exactly scientific (the criteria included "the number of gay and lesbian bookstores, elected officials who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and some edgier metrics like the number of International Mr. Leather competition semifinalists and the presence of nude yoga classes"), the results are still surprising.
But I wouldn't plan your Orbitz vacation around this survey: many of the places listed are still overwhelmingly conservative areas, like Utah and Little Rock, Arkansas. If you have to choose one of these cities, my money would be on Orlando, Florida, which ranked number 2. Disney World is truly the happiest and most fabulous place on earth.
They sought to look outside the obvious choices like San Francisco, New York City, or Miami. I thought Austin would be ranked high on the list, but perhaps I'm biased because I'm from Texas and one of my favorite gays lives there.
The number one ranked city was Salt Lake City, Utah.
.............what?
One does not think of Salt Lake City as being bustling with homosexual support. I don't know about you, but when I think of Utah, I think of Mormons, who are not exactly known for their love of all things fabulous. While the survey wasn't exactly scientific (the criteria included "the number of gay and lesbian bookstores, elected officials who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and some edgier metrics like the number of International Mr. Leather competition semifinalists and the presence of nude yoga classes"), the results are still surprising.
But I wouldn't plan your Orbitz vacation around this survey: many of the places listed are still overwhelmingly conservative areas, like Utah and Little Rock, Arkansas. If you have to choose one of these cities, my money would be on Orlando, Florida, which ranked number 2. Disney World is truly the happiest and most fabulous place on earth.
Monday, January 9, 2012
New Year, New You
I'm finally getting back in the swing of things after my lovely two week vacation. I love vacation and it takes me a long time to move past my depression when it's over. So much so that I had to take a sick day from work on Friday. Cough, cough.
Not a lot has happened over the past few weeks in my corner of the world:
I moved into a new apartment.
I discovered a leave-in conditioner that is apparently made of magic. My hair is so soft it feels like it's made of kittens.
My liver somehow survived the many holiday parties thrown and many bottles of wine consumed (seriously, I'm pretty sure my new neighbors think I'm an alcoholic).
I had a lot of great times with great friends, and even some bad times with great friends. It was touch and go for a while, but we all got through it mildly unscathed.
And I ate my weight in Christmas cookies. Paula Deen's white chocolate coconut cookies and Giada De Laurentiis's holiday biscotti are my life now.
To negate the Christmas cookie bulge, I made the usual New Year's resolutions to lose weight and be healthier and blah blah blah, which really has only manifested in looking up healthy recipes on Pinterest, which is my new obsession. Only I block all of my friends' wedding dreams boards, because there are only so many pictures of lace wedding dresses and engagement photo scenarios a girl can take, you know?
Not a lot has happened over the past few weeks in my corner of the world:
I moved into a new apartment.
I discovered a leave-in conditioner that is apparently made of magic. My hair is so soft it feels like it's made of kittens.
My liver somehow survived the many holiday parties thrown and many bottles of wine consumed (seriously, I'm pretty sure my new neighbors think I'm an alcoholic).
I had a lot of great times with great friends, and even some bad times with great friends. It was touch and go for a while, but we all got through it mildly unscathed.
And I ate my weight in Christmas cookies. Paula Deen's white chocolate coconut cookies and Giada De Laurentiis's holiday biscotti are my life now.
To negate the Christmas cookie bulge, I made the usual New Year's resolutions to lose weight and be healthier and blah blah blah, which really has only manifested in looking up healthy recipes on Pinterest, which is my new obsession. Only I block all of my friends' wedding dreams boards, because there are only so many pictures of lace wedding dresses and engagement photo scenarios a girl can take, you know?
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
An Open Letter to Rick Perry
Dear Rick Perry,
Hi. I know that memorizing things is hard work, and sometimes it's easier to just throw out talking points in a series and pretend that it makes sense -- let's face it, that saves you from the embarrassment of not being able to remember your own positions on things, am I right? But gay people serving in the military does not actually keep children from "celebrating Christmas in schools." And I teach in a public high school. Trust me, there is plenty of Christmas -- we even get two weeks vacation for it. Children also learn about the Declaration of Independence in school, where they learn that all men are created equal and are granted by their Creator (even though you have sort of claimed his as your own) certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
And I'm not too sure that you have the direct line to God that you seem to think you did. Despite demanding the people of Texas to pray for rain, there was still statewide drought and wildfires. It almost is as if you're just using Jesus as a way to look holier than thou and pious. Methink thou doth protest too much, you know what I'm saying?
Thanks for making America think even more that Texans are stupid closed-minded assholes. As if Dubya didn't do that sufficiently. Hurry up and lose the primary and fade into obscurity.
Hugs and kisses,
Queer Dear.
Hi. I know that memorizing things is hard work, and sometimes it's easier to just throw out talking points in a series and pretend that it makes sense -- let's face it, that saves you from the embarrassment of not being able to remember your own positions on things, am I right? But gay people serving in the military does not actually keep children from "celebrating Christmas in schools." And I teach in a public high school. Trust me, there is plenty of Christmas -- we even get two weeks vacation for it. Children also learn about the Declaration of Independence in school, where they learn that all men are created equal and are granted by their Creator (even though you have sort of claimed his as your own) certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
And I'm not too sure that you have the direct line to God that you seem to think you did. Despite demanding the people of Texas to pray for rain, there was still statewide drought and wildfires. It almost is as if you're just using Jesus as a way to look holier than thou and pious. Methink thou doth protest too much, you know what I'm saying?
Thanks for making America think even more that Texans are stupid closed-minded assholes. As if Dubya didn't do that sufficiently. Hurry up and lose the primary and fade into obscurity.
Hugs and kisses,
Queer Dear.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Watch Your Language.
Each community comes with its own vocabulary, but often they are words that have different meanings for different groups. Even the word "gay" has a varied sociological history, as my students try to tell me when I get on to them for saying that something is gay. "But miss, I meant happy!" Yeah okay, sure.
A friend had a run-in with linguistic confusion the other day. He was talking to an acquaintance of his about something, and the man said that his "partner" attended an event. My friend thought that it was odd that this man referred to his wife as his partner, but just chocked it up to an eccentric nature, or maybe an attempt to make him feel comfortable and familiar or something.
It wasn't until the next day that he realized that the man was referring to his business partner.
A friend had a run-in with linguistic confusion the other day. He was talking to an acquaintance of his about something, and the man said that his "partner" attended an event. My friend thought that it was odd that this man referred to his wife as his partner, but just chocked it up to an eccentric nature, or maybe an attempt to make him feel comfortable and familiar or something.
It wasn't until the next day that he realized that the man was referring to his business partner.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Stand Together
Tonight's episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (or, as one of my friends refers to it, The Cry Show) is about a family who lost their 11 year old child to homophobic bullying in school. The boy's mother, Sirdeaner Walker, has created the Stand Together pledge to stop bullying. Visit the site and stand together with the almost 100,000 people who have pledged to stop bullying of any kind.
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