Holy Shit, Meghan McCain

If you have not had a chance, you must must must read the Meghan McCain interview with OUT Magazine. I don't like Republicans, but she is on our side. Somehow. I'm a bit surprised, too. Her final statement:

“Homophobia is the last socially accepted prejudice,” McCain says, repeating it for emphasis. So it’s only natural that she also views the fight for gay equality as “my generation’s civil rights movement.” At a time when California can constitutionally ban gay marriage and the current presidential administration -- having vowed so much -- has yet to fulfill its promises, it’s hard not to be won over by this bubbly optimist. “In general, I don’t get a good response from the conservative movement,” she admits, unfazed. “But there are a lot of people who have said, ‘I’m Republican and I’m pro–gay marriage. Thank you for showing that you don’t have to be anti–gay marriage to be a Republican.'"

And she goes after Obama for his lack of support for LGBTQ so far in his presidency, and more importantly, this is the single most amazing single thing anyone has ever said:

“Joe the Plumber -- you can quote me -- is a dumbass. He should stick to plumbing.”

Snap when you say that, Meghan. For the love of god, someone needed to. I think in a single interview Miss McCain may have done more for the Republican LGBTQ'ers than years of gay-baiting via Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, George W. Bush, and the whole bit.

I have often said that gays would be far more Republican if only they would be more libertarian when it came to queers.

Meanwhile, she's still a Republican, which means she's against about everything else I believe in.

National Gay News Roundup

With all the stuff that's been happening lately, I feel like I've been lax in my news duties. Between Smitherman, rallies/marches, gay marriage, etc. etc. etc... well, everything else got drowned out. I wanted to at least give y'all some links to news stories that have popped up on the web just over the last day to give you a taste of what's going on in the world:

• Out magazine put out its top 50 out media celebrities, and include two non-out individuals -- Barry Diller and Matt Drudge. Drudge is the one who is actively denying it. Ironically enough, Anderson Cooper is saying nothing. Did he come out and I missed it? Many strange and interesting choices on that list, btw. Worth a look.
• 19-year old Spenser Vogt was killed after he went to hook up with a man he met on a chat room. Lee Carl Banks eventually confessed to the murder and told the authories where the body was found. Seriously, guys, this is becoming a problem.
• Rhode Island -- marked as one of the next possible states to pass equal marriage -- will have a loud new anti-marriage voice... its governor who will be coming out against a media campaign targeted equality swing states.
• Maryland's DP law may be expanding to allow exemptions for inheritance taxation.
• Texas Christian University is offering a dorm that focuses exclusively on LGBT and supportive individuals -- entitled "DiversCity Q." Colleges offer dorm environments where individuals can live with people with similar interests. I don't know about you, but a gay dorm would be a lot of problems for me.
• Former UK PM Tony Blair is urging the Catholic Church to rethink their attitudes towards LGBT individuals. Seriously. I like the language he uses.
• Rick Warren -- who apparently did not support Prop 8? what? -- says that stopping gay marriage is not a priority. Instead, he would like to focus on other issues, including genocide and poverty. Didn't I say this a long time ago when the Rick Warren controversy came up during the inauguration? Meh. Old sour grapes. :-)
• Other states, post-Iowa, DC, and Vermont, are starting to assess their own chances at passing equal marriage laws, or defeating current anti laws. Don't believe me? The New York Times thinks so. How long before Ohio, I wonder?
• Columbia, Missouri has passed a domestic partner registry with some actual teeth in it, but not a lot. YEA!

And that's all I got for you this morning. Kisses!

GAY STUFF: Addenda to Favorite LGBT Movies

So the recent OUT magazine had a list of the grosses of "gay-themed" movies (or movies with gay characters), and I wanted to comment on a few.

Movies that most definitely should have been on my favorite list...
1) Transamerica(2005) -- Most definitely one of the best movies of all time. Felicity Huffman got it right and it was amazing. The subject was done perfectly, and it was singularly one of the most beautiful movies ever put together.

2) Wonder Boys (2000) -- I bought this off a clearance rack because "oh, it looks cute." And, despite any overt gay themes, Robert Downey Jr's gay sexual predation was just beautifully done. The trannie at the beginning with the tuba was freakin' hilarious too.

3) History Boys (2006) -- Again, bought it off of a clearance rack at Tim's squeal that "OH MY GOD THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PLAY." It also comes off real well as a movie, and the cast is stellar and charming. It also introduced to me his hotness, Dominic Cooper. PS -- New Stage Collective is putting this on this season.

4) Shortbus (2006) -- The Goober brought this one over. It is most definitely not safe for children, but is an interesting exploration into queer sexuality and sexualities. It ends ... differently, I think, than expected and it has enough interesting commentary on orgasm and sex and love between people to keep you interested.

Movies that would not have ended up on my list but deserve comment...
1) I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) -- Lame, lame, lame, lame. I hate Adam Sandler, and I think this movie was bullshit even if they did wrap it up in a nice politically correct package near the end.

2) Blades of Glory(2007) -- I lost a lot of respect for the magazine when I saw this listed as a gay movie. Also, lost a lot of respect for Hollywood that this is only one of four movies from 2007 they could identify as having an overt gay theme.

3) Brokeback Mountain (2005) -- The Brokeback revolution failed, and the movie moves slowly. It was OK as an art piece, but was mostly disappointing as an entertaining movie.

4) The Family Stone(2005) -- I don't view this as gay at all save for the incidental gay couple... but bravo to the creators for making theirs the healthiest relationship in the movie.

5) Happy Endings (2005) -- I recommend this to my friends to watch because it's just downright funny. "When you're a gay man and your urologist says 'yea, I choose you,' you just can't be insulted" -- it's a funny, healthy gay movie.

6) Gay Sex in the '70s (2005) -- Saw it at Adonis as part of OutReels... this is for anyone who wishes they had been alive during the sexual revolution of the 70s and that the whole pesky AIDS thing never showed up.

7) Kinsey (2004) -- It's worth a view, though with a grain of salt. It actually turns into a more interesting commentary on the ineffectiveness of Kinsey's method and his own questioning of sexuality than anything at all.

8) Saved! (2004) -- I can't believe they're turning this into a Broadway musical. Can't they leave well enough alone? Besides, the song Rock Me Sexy Jesusis already taken.

9) Eating Out(2004) -- The Goober and I watched this this weekend. The only reason anyone watches it is for the full frontal nudity. I think this is far more "typical" of a gay movie than even Trick.

10) Under the Tuscan Sun(2003) -- I wonder if, when Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh met on the set of Grey's Anatomy, did they say "we were lesbian lovers before." My mommy let me borrow this one and I still have it.

11) Mambo Italiano (2003) -- Another bargain bin purchase. It's cute, it's sweet, and it's kind of like Big Fat Greek Wedding but gay and Italian.

12) Far From Heaven (2002) -- Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad movie. I remember coming out and going "this isn't what we thought we were going to see at all."

13) The Rules of Attraction (2002) -- I really like this movie, and I don't know why. I really liked the cast -- Sannyn Sossamon really is a great and beautiful actress, and you can't deny how beautiful Ian Somerholder is. And James Van Der Beek actually proves he may have some talent. It's bizarre, but fun to watch.

14) Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) -- Two words: creepy backstory. Thanks, end of story.

And, of course, things I want to see on this list:

Sordid Lives
Yossi and Jagger
Ethan Mao (I actually own it but never watched it...)
Party Monster
At Home at the End of the World (also own it)
Imagine Me and You
The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Greene (I love the comic)
Capote (also own...)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Running with Scissors

And where is Y Tu Mama Tambien or Infamous on this list???

Also not on this list but worth a quick note...

Stonewall (1995) -- Yet another bargain bin movie, before they even tried to make independent movies look nice. It's two people's stories up to the Stonewall rebellion. And there's some unnessary partial nudity in it, which is always fun with indies. My favorite part is the song "Mine eyes have seen the suff'rin' of the Negroes and the Jews..." LOL I watch it regularly, but it appears to be only on VHS in the world.

GAY STUFF: Manhunt.net Guy Supports McCain

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GENERAL STUFF: Pubic Lice Going Extinct?

From the subscription of OUT magazine I believe my mother gave me, and then via digitaljournal.com .... Apparently, "A British Medical Journal" (can't find it!!!) reports that due to the popularity of waxing, the pubic louse is going extinct. And the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam is begging people to send in samples to add to their permanent collection before they are all gone!! From the digitaljournal article:

Kees Moeliker, the curator of the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam has launched his campaign to find pubic lice (Phthirus pubis) a bit more than one year ago, and so far, not a single one has been found. The museum is now going international with its search. The reason for the campaign is fear that the Brazilian may be threatening their existence. The Brazilian, essentially the practice of shaving or waxing away (nearly) all pubic hair has become so popular with women that the animal could be facing extinction.

While the Brazilian is not yet nearly as popular with men, this is not particularly important, since most men are heterosexual (as are most women) and transmission is no longer possible if the lice can't find any living space in the girls' bushes. The situation can be compared to that of the giant panda. These animals nearly met their demise because of the destruction of bamboo forests.

If you have crabs, please send them. I can't seem to find much on the Museum's site either, seeing as how it's in Dutch... or something.


Pic via the BBC

GAY STUFF: OUT Magazine

BTW---> Got the April 2008 issue of OUT magazine -- the TRANSGRESSION issue.

Why am I surprised that there is almost nothing of value? (This is not a commentary on the trans movement, just on the magazine) There's a lot of pretty boys though.

Also: Why did I get it delivered? Mom, did you do this???