The Gayest Month You'll Start This Week

The Gayest Breakfast You'll See This Week (4 Bears Only)

Notice: Some links in this post may be NSFW, depending on where you work. I hope by now, no one really needs the link to that acronym. 

Anyway...

I actually did make pancakes and sausage this morning for brunch, though not nearly as many  of the Pride Cakes (Flip Jacks?) as you see in the image on your left. Mine were actually much smaller, rather misshapen* and regular pancake colored, even though they were whole-wheat. And I used local honey in place of syrup. I do try, though I simply refuse to give up butter. I don't go nuts, but I'm not about to eat something even poop-eating flies supposedly won't touch. Butter's flavor and texture are so necessary for so many recipes. While most, if not all of them, can be made using less butter combined with olive oil, they simply cannot be made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are far, far worse for you than honest-to-goodness cow's milk butter. 

Wow. That escalated quickly. 

Sorry for the tangent... because this post isn't about food or cooking or diets or anything other than the fact that June 1st marks the start of Pride Month here in the U.S. Usually at this time of year, Uncle P is either directing or in a JTMF benefit show (our only event this year isn't until October, but more on that, anon). This year, I have the leisure of being able to attend multiple Pride events, should I so desire, without having to man a booth or table at any of them. I've never been to NYC Pride or even Philly Pride. I've only ever been to NJ Pride which is held in Springsteen Central, Asbury Park at the Jersey Shore, which is being held tomorrow. I've been three times, but have never gotten to see the parade, because I was always manning the JTMF table, in hopes of drawing audience members and/or donors. I have a very funny NJ Pride story about D & Siah; a Velcro fly; a very drunken, horny twink named Noel and an Evil You-Know-What for another time. While I have always had time to wander the grounds and visit the other booths, I was never able to see the parade or really mingle with the multitude of gay Guidos on hand.

Here's the thing: I'm not sure I really want to go to any of them. But I actually kind of do. I may decide to brave the traffic and the crowds and go to Philly Pride next Sunday. I've always had a great time checking out the different booths and vendors at NJ Pride (yes, and the hotties), and expect I'd like Philly's version just as much, if not more. I just need to convince someone to join me. Any takers?

Although, if this is the best promo they can come up with, maybe we're all better off staying home:

Really, Philadelphia? Find a new agency, quick, before the Copyranter craps all over that crap. As well he should.

This June, celebrate yourselves, no matter what you sexuality! Celebrate your loved ones who support you and love you for who you are!. Celebrate your partner, if you are lucky enough to have one. Celebrate love, because that's all any of us want and everything all of us deserves. Don't ever stop fighting the haters and the liars.

We've seen more wins than defeats, this past year. Hopefully, SCOTUS will rule in favor of Marriage Equality and the U.S. will join the 21st Century along with the 14 other countries who have embraced marriage rights for all their citizens.

More, anon.
Prospero

*Don't even say what you're thinking, perv!

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The Gayest Inaugural You'll See This Week

Image Via

Today, Barack H. Obama was inaugurated as President of the United States for the second time. 

I couldn't be happier or prouder, especially when he included the LGBT Community in his speech. This is a massive step forward for the Community as we continue to strive for equality under the law. 

As I write this, 9 U.S. states (Connecticut; Iowa; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New York; Vermont and Washington) as well as the District of Columbia, legally recognize marriage between two people of the same sex. And while it seems likely that more states will be passing similar legislature in the near future, it is my hope that by the end of Mr. Obama's second term, the U.S. will join the many countries which already recognize the legality of such unions.

Sadly, there are those folks who claim that their religion(s) expressly forbids Marriage Equality. And to them I must ask: 'What has your God wrought upon those countries?' The answer, of course, is: 'Absolutely nothing.' The Netherlands, Belgium; Spain; Canada; South Africa; Norway; Sweden; Portugal; Iceland and Argentina have neither been flooded out of existence nor consumed by fire. Your argument is invalid.

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, I never imagined a world where our President would recognize that love is love, no matter who is loving whom. I admit to crying a bit when I heard Mr. Obama utter those words in is his speech. And knowing that the official Democratic Party's stance on the topic means that every Democrat who runs for POTUS will include Equality as part of his/her platform gives me hope for young LGBT folks everywhere. I also hope that I live long enough to see the day when this issue is as embarrassing for our nation as slavery was 150 years ago. And if there is an afterlife, I hope that Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harvey Milk are all smiling down on our nation today.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Barack Obama / Equality / Inaugural Address / Joy / LGBT Rights / Marriage Equality / Politics / Pride / Progress / The Gayest Thing with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-gayest-inaugural-you-see-this-week.html. Thanks!

The Gayest Riot You'll See This Week

June 28th, 1969. That's when things began to change for the LGBT community (of course we were just all called 'queers' or 'fags' back then). A gathering at the Mafia-owned Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village (some say to mourn the death of Judy Garland) was raided by the NYPD's Morals Squad. Usually such raids ended in people going to jail, being publicly outed and generally having their lives destroyed. But that night, the crowd fought back. They fought back for 6 nights. Others joined them and a revolution was born. A year later, the first Gay Pride parade was held to commemorate that night and it's been going strong ever since.

Of course, I was just a kid when Stonewall happened. I didn't even hear about, it living in suburban PA. Or if I did, I didn't have a clue as to it's significance. Of course, many young LGBT kids today don't have a clue as to it's significance, either. Without Stonewall, we'd still be hiding and living in shame (though there are plenty of people who wish we were - just as there are people who wish Lincoln had never signed the Emancipation Proclamation or that women weren't allowed to vote). The community has a come a long way in those 43 years. And while we still have a long way to go, we owe a great debt of thanks to the people who fought back that night. So take a minute today to think of them and thank them.

More, anon.
Prospero

PS - looks like I'm buying a new PC this weekend, so I should get back to regular posting soon!

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Happy Pride Month

I'm Proud to Be a Gay American

June is LGBT Pride Month here in the States. There are parades and events in every major city and many smaller ones. Pride is one of the reasons the JTMF has our gala in June. 

As someone who came of age in 1970's (I keep telling you that I'm old), I am pleased and surprised that we've finally started to reach a place in the U.S. that I honestly never thought I'd see in my lifetime. There are gay characters on television who aren't just there as jokes; support for LGBT rights are at all-time high and our President has officially voiced his support of same-sex marriage. In fact, every straight person I know supports Marriage Equality (and I know a lot of straight people). 

That's not to say we don't still have a long way to go. Right-wing, conservative Evangelicals keep using antiquated passages from the Old Testament to spout hate and discrimination; three year-olds are taught songs about hating 'homos;' so-called 'Men of God' espouse violence against gay people; the Catholic Church continues to cover-up pedophilia amongst its priests while preaching anti-gay rhetoric and 'One Million Moms' promote boycotts against gay-friendly businesses like J.C. Penny and DC Comics. Anti-gay hate groups like Focus on the Family and NOM continue to cite discredited junk science and recanted studies in an effort to deny LGBT people basic human rights and don't even get me started on the loons at Westboro Baptist Church. Repugnican politicians promote hate and the (probably gay) husband of a former Presidential candidate still practices "reparative therapy," a pseudo-science rejected by every legitimate medical and psychological organization in the country. It truly and deeply saddens me that so many people still live in fear and ignorance in the 21st Century.

But that's not what this post is really about. It's about how far we have come in making our voices heard, teaching people that we are not to be feared and letting the world know that we will not be marginalized or forced back into the closets from which we have fought so hard to break free. 43 years after the infamous Stonewall Riots of 1969, Lesbian; Gay; Bisexual; Transgendered and Questioning people are finally starting to be recognized as real human beings, rather than second-class citizens and I actually have hope that I will live to see true Equality in this country in my lifetime. And that's a very good thing.

At the risk of repeating myself, here are some of my favorite gay flash-mobs, music videos and movie trailers:

We're here! We're Queer! Get over it! Someday, we won't need to chant that anymore...

I know I have readers from all over the world (I see your hits on that spinning globe to your left). If you live in a country (like Canada) that has embraced LGBTQ people as equals, you are a step ahead of U.S. on the evolutionary scale. If you live in a country where being gay is still a criminal offense, my heart goes out to you. If you live in the U.S. I urge you to write, email and/or visit your local representatives to demand the equality promised to all Americans by our Constitution. We may not be there yet, but the louder our voices, the more we'll be heard.We will get there. And soon.

OK - I'm off my high-horse again. Now go out and celebrate Pride Month. I know I will.

More, anon.

Prospero

You have read this article Gay / Gay Cinema / June / LGBT / Music Video / Pride / Ramblings / Trailers / Uncle P / YouTube with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/06/happy-pride-month.html. Thanks!

I Heart NY

It's not that I've been avoiding this subject. It's just that I've been busy with a few other things.

We actually first heard about New York's passage of Marriage Equality at the cast party on Friday. We all cheered and applauded, but we were so caught up in our own celebration that we really didn't have the chance to consider what the passage of this bill actually meant.

Like California, New York is often a major indicator of how many states will conduct business in the coming year. Of course, that doesn't mean we can expect state after state to fall in line. Afterall, marriage is still a derisive subject in most places, even if recent polls indicate that most Americans have come to their senses and approve of Same Gender Marriage.

Still, there are plenty of asshats out there like NJ Governor Chris "I am not a fan of gay marriage" Christie and the hateful Maggie Gallagher of NOM who just can't seem to be able grasp the concept that who anyone else marries has absolutely zero effect on who they marry. Gallagher and her evil comrade Brian Brown insist that children will be forced to be taught that gay marriage is 'normal,' thereby scarring them for life and/or indoctrinating them into the 'gay lifestyle.' I have some news for these idiots - no one is indoctrinated. I was born gay, and so was every other gay person I know. Honestly, who would deliberately chose to join the single most hated minority on the planet? Of course, their response to that question is "Perverts and sickos." But really, what could possibly be more perverse than denying someone the right to love? (Those links are mean, and I almost apologize for them).

I started this post last night, but got so angry about these bigots (and there's no denying that that's exactly what Christie, Gallagher, Brown and their ilk are), I had to stop writing because I had become almost as vitriolic as they are. Sadly, these tiny-brained people don't recognize that the issue isn't just about legal rights. It's about love. These ignoramuses think that gay people are incapable of true love. One of them - I don't remember which, at the moment - has been quoted as saying that "...gay men have 500 to 1000 sexual partners over their lifetimes." Really? I mean, I know of actual porn stars who have had fewer partners than that and they're getting paid for it.

I know I am preaching to the choir here, but the louder we sing, the more we're heard. For Uncle P, this issue is far less about politics or religion and all about love. And exactly how is that bad? I have yet to hear a satisfactory answer to that question, nor do I expect I ever will.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Gay / LGBT / Marriage Equality / NYC / Politics / Pride with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-heart-ny.html. Thanks!

Hey! I'm a Guest!

Check me out over on Pax Romano's blog for "Homos Who Love Horror and the Non-Homos Who Love Them," Billy Loves Stu.

Pax loves horror movies even more than I do (is that possible?) and this month he is celebrating Pride and Horror with interviews and guest posters and all sorts of wonderful things.

If you've never visited Billy Loves Stu, you should. It's always a good time. Pax is a fellow Jersey boy and all-around good guy. And by the way, if you don't get the title of Pax's blog, I suggest a full course of Wes Craven movies to remedy that...

More, anon.

Prospero

You have read this article Billy Loves Stu / Directors / Gay / Gay Icons / Guest Post / Horror / Movies / Pride with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/06/hey-i-guest.html. Thanks!

The Gayest Flashmob You'll See This Week

Okay, enough acrimony for this week. The whole Tracy Morgan thing has exploded on the web and his career will soon be joining Michael Richards' and Mel Gibson's in the land of "Whatever Happened To...?" And good riddance.

It's time to have some fun at Caliban's Revenge.

If you've been a long-time reader (Hi Sean! Hi Stephens! Love you guys!), you know Uncle P loves me some good flashmob. My all-time fave is the Bondi Beach 2009 Pride flashmob featuring Australia's most famous drag performer, Joyce Maynge. I've been dying to put one together myself and still hope to do so. I just need the right reason and the right venue.

But Knotdance, a Pittsburgh based dance company put together a highly entertaining, though relatively brief, flashmob to celebrate Pittsburgh Pride. It features some amazingly acrobatic dancing and a living Pride Rainbow. Please enjoy (via):

Hopefully, I'll be home in time tomorrow night to post my review of Super 8.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Flashmobs / Pride / The Gayest Thing with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/06/the-gayest-flashmob-you-see-this-week.html. Thanks!

June = Pride

Happy Pride Month!

June is Gay Pride Month here in the U.S. (and many other places, as well) and if I wasn't busy trying to get a show up and running, I'd be attending every Pride event I could. Of course, the scheduling of the Annual JTMF Benefit show during Pride is no accident.

It's also no accident that Pride is celebrated in June. On June 28th, 1969, the Stonewall Riots took place in response to an unwarranted police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City's Greenwich Village.  The Stonewall was a notorious Mafia-owned bar in the Village where gay men were actually allowed to dance, albeit in black-painted rooms with dim lighting. It s often mistakenly noted that many of those at the Stonewall that night were gathered to mourn the loss of Gay Icon Judy Garland, who passed away on June 22nd of that year.

Regardless of why they were there, it is commonly accepted that the Stonewall raid and subsequent riot were the start of the Gay Rights movement in the U.S. And while great strides in LGBTQ rights have been made over the past 41 years, we still have a long way to go.

Recently, several high-profile sports figures have come out publicly and just today, the San Francisco Giants baseball team released their own "It Gets Better" video. Things are finally really starting to progress for our community, even while hate groups like the FRC and NOM continue to spew their anti-gay rhetoric wherever and whenever they can get people to listen. Of course, the latest generation of young Americans are onto these creeps, and I am happy to predict that they and their ideals will be seen as sad, lonely dinosaurs within the decade.

You can see the Giants' video below (via), followed by the JTMF "It Gets Better" clip:

I wish all of my readers (gay; straight; bisexual; transgendered; inter-sexed or otherwise queer) a happy Pride Month and urge you to not only participate in your local Pride events, but to continue to write your legislators and demand that they address equality issues. Together, we can eradicate intolerance in our lifetime.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Gay / It Gets Better / JTMF / LGBT / Pride / YouTube with the title Pride. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/06/june-pride.html. Thanks!