Freelance Lesbian

One Step...

2005-08-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

THIS is good news.

VH1 Wears a Red Ribbon...

2005-08-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

Check out VH1's upcoming documentary, Tracking the Monster, in which India.Arie and Ashley Judd explore different African nations/communities stricken by the AIDS epidemic.

That Time Again

2005-08-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

My Queer Abby column is up...read it HERE, yo!

Kanye Comes Out...as Pro-Gay!

2005-08-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Straight men rock the pink, too...

Caught All Eyes on Kanye West on MTV last night, and I have to say that I was really impressed that he spoke openly about the topic of homophobia in hip-hop culture. I enjoyed hearing him talk about his experience with his gay cousin and the way in which it helped him face his own homophobia. Read about it here, yo!

Sad to hear that another famous emcee who loves to talk about gay people just went into rehab. Until he's out of the hospital, get your homo-hop dose here.

That's Doctor Dyke to You...

2005-08-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

Kerry Weaver sizes up the competition...

Move over Dr. Weaver...there's another lesbian ER doc coming to TV Land! It seems Paula Marshall (Cheaper by the Dozen, Veronica Mars) will play Regina, a smart, funny, mature lesbian character on CBS's new sitcom Out of Practice (due this fall) -- by "mature" I mean that Regina is refreshingly past the coming-out stage, and is secure in herself and her sexuality. According to AfterEllen.com, Regina even teases her brother in one scene from the pilot, claiming that she's slept with more women than he has. And since Out of Practice is being brought to us by the creators of Frasier, we know we can expect great material all around.

Who's ready for a trip to the ER?

Spermed-Out.

2005-08-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

More sperm? Been there, done that.

The good news is that Melissa Etheridge has declared herself in remission from cancer, and she and partner Tammy Lynn Michaels are considering having a baby --
The even better news is that they won't be seeking the assistance of David Crosby this time around, as Etheridge has been quoted as saying:

"We won't be using my friend...David has been there and done that." (Extra)

Pretty Things

2005-08-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

Curves. "That's hot."

For those who have access to HBO or HBO on demand, they are currently screening a fabulous documentary called Pretty Things. From the website:

This feature documentary focuses on the life stories of a remarkable group of women who had prominent careers as Burlesque Queens over 50 years ago, interwoven with the personal story of writer/director/producer Liz Goldwyn, who gets to know each woman in hopes of telling and preserving their stories while exploring her own fascination with the disappearing art of burlesque.

The film's highlight is Zorita -- an outrageous and outspoken beauty, known for her on-stage "snake routines" and her off-stage lesbian love affairs. (At one point in the film she says something like, "What do I need a man for? A hairy chest? A limp joint?) The former burlesque stars are one-part Miami-Beach-Grandma and one part sizzling-sex-kittin...making for an all-around enjoyable ride! A must see.

Please...

2005-08-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

kettle a la schwartz.

Well, if it ain't the pot calling the kettle black again...

That Time of Year

2005-07-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

A great shot of Pride New York-style.

Well, in a few short hours it will officially be Pride weekend here in San Diego, and my Pride column is UP.

Toni On Top

2005-07-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Toni Atkins smiles more when in Hillcrest

Shout out to Toni Atkins -- my new lesbian mayor (at least until December!)

Double props to the San Diego City Council for choosing her just in time for Pride weekend!

One More Click

2005-07-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Please click HERE to oppose John Roberts' nomination to the Supreme Court.
Why?
"As O'Connor's replacement, Roberts would cast the deciding vote on countless matters of individual rights where O'Connor had been a key vote, often in a 5-to-4 split-issues like abortion and birth control, affirmative action, privacy rights, disability rights, Title IX equal educational opportunity, family and medical leave, health care, environmental protection and dozens of other crucial issues for decades to come. For young women, Roberts' votes could determine their access to birth control and abortion for their entire reproductive lifetimes." (Source: NOW.org)

Use your voice.

Wisteria Lane Goes Both Ways

2005-07-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

Apple pie is the new gay.

In a recent interview, Desperate Housewives creator, Marc Cherry, confessed that the hit series has a campy "gay vibe" and will eventually feature a lesbian plotline.

Hmmmm...I wonder who they'll choose to play the lesbo? Certainly not Marcia Cross, because she's not gay. She's not gay. Really, she's not a lesbian.

Listen to This.

2005-07-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

Wikked.

Esthero's new release Wikked Lil' Grrrls, calls for a musical revolution as she croons, "I'm so sick and tired of the shit on the radio" and conquers an album full of feminist themes and lyrics. Go buy it, now.

Sad News

2005-07-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Sadly, THIS is what some women do to other women who love women.

Oh, brother.

2005-07-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

What a pretty lesbi -- i mean, gay person.

Meet Ivette -- the lovely new lesbian on Big Brother 6! According to her profile, she like The L Word, Angelina Jolie, softball, and cookie-dough ice-cream (wow, she really breaks the lesbian mold, huh?)
According to AfterEllen.com, she also said the following to a BB cast-member...

"I just say 'I like girls.' I don't say 'I'm a lesbian.' Such a vulgar word. I'd rather someone say 'she's gay.'"

Hmmmmm...I wonder how she feels about the word "dyke"....

2005-07-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Oh, please come back...

I'm going to make a t-shirt that says, "Bring back Sandra" to help me deal with Bush's latest blow --the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court. Just a few days ago NPR was buzzing with the gossip that Bush was going to tap another woman, in honor of Sandra Day O'Connor -- but alas, even NPR had it wrong, and it seems the Court is now oooozing over to the Right...kind of like a slug...
In it's path lies Roe v. Wade -- a decision which not only affects women's reproductive rights, but also LGBT rights, as the case has been one of the precedents used in the overturning state sodomy laws.

Oh Sandra, we miss you already --

One More Reason to Love Russell Simmons

2005-07-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

"Listen MTV, how many times do I have to tell you that I am down with the lesbos?"

Russell Simmons has come out in support of young lesbians everywhere, and accepted a guest appearance (playing himself, of course) on an upcoming episode of Showtime's The L Word.

Russell's been quotes as saying, ``I think there's lot of girls who are struggling with their sexuality and they're living in the Bible Belt in America or somewhere and they're being abused for having a certain sexual orientation.They're inspired by the L Word. They deserve something like the L Word.''

As if we didn't love him enough already for Def Poetry Jam?

"D" stands for...dildo?

2005-07-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

Smokin'.

I was so thrilled tonight when I stumbled upon "The D Word" -- a parody of Showtime's "The L Word" --
Read AfterEllen's exploration of the dueling dyke depictons HERE.
Can't wait to see this new "D Word" -- perhaps FilmOut can bring it to sunny SD?
A dyke can only wish.

Siren Spotlight...

2005-07-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Evan B.

Tomorrow night's feature at Siren (the women's open mic I host in San Diego) is Evan B., a local singer/songwriter. She's bringing fellow-songstress, Molly Jenson, along with her, so I am double excited for the show! Check these two women out on MySpace -- and come to the show tomorrow night if you're in the SD area!

Rent It.

2005-07-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Size does matter...

OK, so maybe I'm a little behind schedule and am one of the last sexually active people to see Kinsey...but I watched it last night and really enjoyed it.
I don't know about you, but I totally agree with the notion that people fall along a fluid spectrum between straight and gay. I am going to search online for a place where you can take the Kinsey test...
Who will take it with me?

That's Rob Tom-Ass to You.

2005-06-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Would a straight man choose this album cover?

I love that the new gossip right now is that Tom Cruise and Rob Thomas (of Matchbox Twenty) are secretly lovers, and that the whole Tomkat fiasco is all a giant cover-up of Cruise's flaming faggotry!
Hollywood insiders claim this to be the case, but is it true?
?
?
?
?
?
?
We can only hope!
(that someone finds the sex tape...)

Logo Land

2005-06-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

To follow up on my last post about Logo, here is an interesting article from the New York Times that claims that Logo might be taking the asexual, viewer-friendly approach to programming -- translation: don't expect to see same-sex couples gettin' it on like they do on cable dramas such as Queer as Folk and the L-Word.

So are the folks at Logo shying away from queer sexuality in order to appeal to more viewers, or are they simply trying to portray queer life as being about more than just sex? I guess the decision will be up to us viewers if/when we tune in.

I Want My MTV...well, kinda'

2005-06-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

LOGO will air a series about lesbo surfers

Don't know about you, but I am really excited for the debut of MTV's new LOGO channel (finally, a channel for queers!), set to take place on June 30th.

According to their website, "LOGO is entertainment programming for lesbians and gays and just about anyone who enjoys a gay point of view. LOGO is for us, our friends and our family. LOGO is originals. LOGO is movies. LOGO is documentaries. LOGO is news. LOGO is specials. LOGO is the channel for Gay America. Finally."

Have you requested it yet?

C'mon, it's Pride!

2005-06-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

tacky? yes. sinful? nope.

As the U.S.'s two "biggie" Prides (New York and San Francisco) get thier festivities underway today, Jerusalem's queer population is not as fortunate -- it seems that Jerusalem authorities have said they are banning a gay pride parade planned for next week, claiming the event would be "provocative" and set off unrest. More HERE.

Heal Thyself

2005-06-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

relief.

My latest freelance piece on holistic health is up -- check it out HERE.

To read my Q&A with T'ai Chi guru, Scott Cole, click HERE.

In support of acupuncture, I've included the lovely photo featured above. Acupuncture has really worked for me, and I look forward to getting back on the table again soon!

Press Me

2005-06-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

the ladyfest sd logo

Today, we are working on Ladyfest SD t-shirts at my house -- it's my first time doing silk-screen and I'm stoked! I'm excited to get covered in ink and make some glorious merch that we can sell to help support the event. Oh, what's that? You want a t-shirt? Just email me.

P.S. We have buttons, too.

I Love a Good Moped

2005-06-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

My Summer of Love

My summer of movies is quickly booking up. First of all, I have two free passes to Landmark Cinema and I still haven't been to see Saving Face. Unforgivable. Now, My Summer of Love enters the scene, giving me yet another film to add to my list. This one really looks promising; it contains everything -- born-agains, girls who love girls, jealousy, mopeds, and English accents. Clearly, I'm sold already.

F.U. of the Week

2005-06-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Ready for this? Sit down...

A Southern California school has told a same-sex couple who have children in the facility not to appear together at school functions. Apparently, St. John the Baptist School, in Costa Mesa, has adopted a new policy that calls for parents to display "appropriate conduct, in order to support the school's mission and provide positive role models to our students."

I suppose it's "appropriate conduct" to crawl on hands and knees back into the closet?

You Oughta' Know

2005-06-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Alanis on the mic

Did anyone else catch 20/20 a few night ago to see Alanis come out in support of the queers? It was fabulous! In an effort to explain why she's changed the lyrics of her song Ironic from "meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful wife" to "meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful husband," Morissette said...

"I have so many friends who are homosexual and I just adore these people. Period. Anytime I can support the gay community in whatever way I can, I want to really show up big."

Alanis is newly engaged, but she also explained that her feminist beliefs kept her from taking the plunge for quite some time, as she pondered what it means to be a "wife" in 2005.

Does this mean we now have to head to Starbucks to buy the new acoustic version of Jagged Little Pill? I think it might.

Hilton Pride

2005-06-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Paris strikes a pose

I am so bummed that I didn't get to LA Pride this weekend to see Paris Hilton and her mother, Kathy, serve as Grand Marshalls in the Pride Parade! If anybody did go, please post some comments here about what it was like.
In case you didn't hear, some queer folks were apparently up in arms over the Hilton appearance, claiming that the Hiltons have not done enough in support of the gay community to deserve the prestigious title of Grand Marshall.
So in support of Paris, who I know many of us love (or love to hate), I've compiled a list of reasons why she is clearly gay enough to participate...

1. She dated a Backstreet Boy (hello, what gay guy isn't jealous?)

2. She goes everywhere with a pint-sized Chinauhua named Tinkerbell.

3. When her T-Mobile Sidekick was hacked into earlier this year, photos of Paris kissing another woman were discovered. Both women were topless in the photos.

4. She is marrying a Greek guy who is also named Paris. C'mon, how gay is that?

5. She once got in a cat-fight with Shannon Dougherty outside of an LA club (getting in a public brawl is pretty dykey...)

6. She coined the phrase "that's hot," no doubt overheard on one of her previous jaunts to a gay club somewhere

7. And last but certainly not least --she SUCKED COCK on-screen, and stopped in the middle to answer her cell phone. If you ask me, that's pretty damn gay.

I say, let her ride whatever rainbow float she wants.
She is a fucking Hilton after all!

Make this one a double

2005-06-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

two martinis, one six-pack.

So, the Rocket party was definitely fun -- the first thing I saw when I came through the door was the free sushi bar so I was stoked right from the get-go! The next thing I saw was a ripped (and definitely waxed) topless waiter circulating around with drinks. Fabulous! Free sushi, hot gay men making martinis, and no line for the ladies' room -- what more can a girl ask for?

Blast Off.

2005-06-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight our destination is the uber-gay launch party for Rocket magazine, San Diego's newest queer rag. The buzz is that there will be free food, free booze, and possibly a few gay porn stars in the house (we're hoping).

Rocket is a new rag being put out by the GLT. It's goal is to tell the boys of San Diego the following: what club, what night, what outfit, what drink, what the fuck. There's nothing in it for women yet, though I heard there's talk of adding a possible "Rockette" column for the ladies -- that is, for the ladies who want to thumb through 15 pages of beefy guys in wet underwear to get to the women's column! Just kidding. You probably only have to thumb through about 5 pages. Maybe six?

Anyway, super stoked for the launch of Rocket and the fiesta tonight. I say, the more queer publications we have going at one time, the better! I also say, the more free alcohol an event distributes, the better!

If my digital camera was working, I'd post pictures of the porn stars.
Sorry for you.

2005-06-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

Have you seen her?

Le Goose.

2005-06-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

So it's been a few days, because things are a little hectic right now. First off, one of our cats, Lucy (aka. Gooser) ran away a few weeks ago, and the reality is just beginning to set in that she might not come back. Losing a pet is a major blow! and I'm only just realizing that I've never had to truly deal with it before -- my mom was the one who had to take two of our original 'family cats' to be put down, and I still own the third, Gwenny, who is just beginning to act more geriatric (yet she was born in '88!) So thus far, I have been spared the experience of really dealing with the loss of a kitty -- and with Gooser gone, I feel my heart...well, aching.

Then second, I am charge of a huge work-fudraiser this weekend, and I'm in the final stretch of getting everything done. I feel like I'm running a check-list in my head constantly.

Of course, on the top of that list is still....FIND GOOSER.

Any tips? Holla at me.

Not for the Lactose-Intolerant

2005-06-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

In one area of India, citizens will find a little something extra being dispersed along with their usual milk delivery -- condoms! This action is being taken in order to increase condom use, and hopefully decrease the ever-climbing rates of HIV in India.

Perhaps the U.S. should follow suit and enforce similar practices at our local Starbucks?

I'll have a latte and a dental dam, please. Extra whipped-cream.

Fag-Hag or Fruit-Fly?

2005-06-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

margaret on a mission

Last night my sweetie surprised me by taking me to see the queen of all fag hags, Ms. Margaret Cho, perform live at Copley Symphony Hall. It was the first time either of us had seen her in the flesh, and we both totally enjoyed the experience -- in fact, we were laughing so hard at certain points that we nearly pissed ourselves.
Now, I've seen most of Margaret's work via my trusty DVD player (though I have yet to see the Revolution tour), and I think I can safely say that this Assassin tour is the most extreme so far. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was off limits for Cho -- she even went as far as to describe what the Bush ladies' pussies must taste like (Lysol for Laura Bush, and straight-up moth balls for Barbara Bush). She commented that anyone who didn't consider themselves a feminist should just go ahead and kill themselves, and did a great bit on the importance of not messing around with vegans because they will fuck you up since they are so HUNGRY. But my favorite part of the routine had to be when she so eloquently stated, "If you love Will & Grace and you aren't pro gay marriage...fuck you!" The crowd reacted to that one with a room-quaking assault of cheering and applause.
I think what I respect most about Margaret Cho is her resolve to change the world via humor -- a biting, thoughtful brand of humor that is sadly underutilized in our culture. She makes us laugh, but she also makes a think seriously and critically about issues of race, sexuality, gender and culture. Tell me, what's more revolutionary than that?

P.S. For any women out there struggling with dieting/body-image/weight issues, Cho's blog on the "Fuck-It Diet" is a must-read.

calling all homos...

2005-06-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

please check out "the homo song" by mara levi -- caution: you might pee your pants.

Buy This.

2005-06-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

absolutely loving this album right now...

it's Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs

thanks to LDR for suggesting it!

Blame Canada

2005-06-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

eat me. i'm canadian bacon.

here's another reason why we should move to canada -- adding to a long list that includes canadian bacon, sarah mclachlan, and the freedom to put the word "eh" at the end of any sentence.

reasons not to move to canada include: celine dion, nasty french canadians, and the freedom to put the word "eh" at the end of any sentence.

always a bridesmaid...never the bride

2005-06-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

wedding...or 80's prom?

In case you didn't hear, AB 19 fell short in the California State Assembly early today, denying same-sex couples the right to marry...yet again. You can read the full story HERE.

So, wait -- queer people who have been committed to one another for years can not legally marry, but Tom Cruise can marry Katie Holmes in order to sell more tickets to War of the Worlds?
Maybe we are doomed.

twinkle toes

2005-06-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

introducing the official GAYEST SHOW on television...i watched it last night and actually felt that it raised my gay-ometer to the point where i was ready to cha-cha around my living room. glad to see that fabulous gay men can be found on a station other than Bravo.

2005-06-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

matisyahu drops it like it's glatt

redemption song

2005-06-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

proud to be a jew today, especially after seeing this. (too bad i live in san diego)

a little anxious for queer israeli jews after reading this. did i mention that my dad wants to buy an apartment in israel soon?

really stoked for matisyahu, the hassidic reggae/hip-hop star from my home town, white plains, who i apparantly went to grateful dead shows with in high school (of course i have no memory of this...). if you haven't heard his albums yet, you must -- i recommend the live at stubbs cd. Matisyahu uniquely combines ancient hasidic tunes (niggunim) with reggae beats and an enthusiastic, spiritual message of hope. just add a bowl of matzoh-ball soup and you have yourself an evening.

One More Lap to Go, or More.

2005-06-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

don't forget, i'm attractive.

of course, it's awesome that a young female race-car driver nearly kicked ass in the Indie 500 this past week (and won america's collective heart along the way). but isn't it lame that the first thing it says about danica patrick on her official homepage is "this attractive 5-foot-1, 100-pound woman"...and it then goes into her accomplishments?

Kept Chaotic

2005-06-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

it's always 4:20 for kevin spears

ok, for those who watched Chaotic last night (screw you, you know you did...), how boring was it??? painful, even. it was like watching two high-school kids ask one another to the prom. the "communication" between the two of them is mind-blowing. but what i think is most interesting is how sexy/confident/mature Brit is on-stage, and what a baby she is off-stage. Only goes to show what some good choreography, make-up, and PR can do. who does her publicity -- or, who did, before she decided to air her dirty laundry on t.v. once a week?

and by the way, why is VH1 bothering with finding a boy-toy for Jerry Hall on Kept, when we've already got Kevin and Britney?

Go ahead, buy a Ford.

2005-05-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

My baby. How I love her.

So the conservative Christian group, America Family Association, reared its ugly head again on Tuesday, initiating a boycott of Ford Motor Company for their support of LGBT issues. Mind you, this is the same group of assholes who also boycotted SpongeBob SquarePants not too long ago, claiming that the cartoon character was way too flaming a fag to be watched by young children (was it the bright yellow hue of his sponge that gave him away, or the way he looked seductively at his friend Patrick? i'm not quite sure.) Regardless, AFA Chair Donald E. Wildmon has been quoted as saying, "If one looks for the company which has done the most to affirm and promote the homosexual lifestyle, he would be hard-pressed to find a company which has done more than Ford Motor Company." You can read more about the boycott HERE.

Never have I been more proud to be the owner of a Ford Explorer Sport than today! I didn't even know I had a queer car until I read about this issue, but hey -- my steering wheel does seem to usually drift to the left...

east coast, represent.

2005-05-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

so my blogging abilities may be somewhat restricted in the next few days. i actually jumped on the red-eye to new york last night, in order to come home to see my grandfather who has suffered a stroke. i am now blogging from my brother's childhood bedroom (complete with its orginal brown plaid wallpaper), on a dial-up-connection that is about as slow as paris hilton's brain power. the folks claim to be moving to high-speed sometime in the next week, but they require an army of about 12 to get the job done (how many jewish suburbanites does it take to screw in a modem?....) No doubt, they will also have my brother re-program the remote-controls while he is here, because as you can probably tell by now, they are slightly techno-impaired.

of course, the one good thing about flying cross-country is that it gives the traveller permission to buy as many trashy/fabulous/fun magazines as needed to get through the flight from hell. i'm addicted to magazines as is, but once i'm about to get on a plane, forgetaboutit -- suddenly, i need to fill my arms with every glossy, smelly piece of crap that i can find.

my latest favorite is Radar, which just released it's premier issue. this month, the mag contains a great article on conservative, anti-gay politicians who have queer kids (i.e. Dick Cheney, Alan Keyes, Randall Terry, Phyllis Schlafly...) Worth reading, if you can find the issue.

now leave me alone. i'm going to dig up my brother's old He-Man dolls to analyze the uncanny resemblance between Skeletor and Maria Shriver.

Face it, baby!

2005-05-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

the women of Saving Face

I'm excited about the film Saving Face, after stumbling across an ad for it in the Sunday NY Times. I'm not sure if/when it's coming to San Diego, but it's worth keeping an eye out. This romantic comedy explores the relationship of a mother and daughter, each struggling with secret loves -- mom shows up pregnant, disgraced by the Chinese community she once belonged to, and daughter is a lesbian, hiding her budding relationship. Sounds interesting to me! You can watch the trailer HERE.

Street Scene drops it like it's hot...

2005-05-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

snoop au natural

San Diego Street Scene o5 just announced its lineup, which includes Snoop Dogg.
See the rest of the bands playing, HERE -- others include the White Stripes, Pixies, the Killers...you know, just a bunch of no-names...ha.

Folk you.

2005-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

the girls of QAF.

Tonight, after months of suffering through too many episodes of the L-Word (ok, so maybe I kinda liked the second season...ssshhhh), our old pals Melanie and Lindsay are back! That's right, tonight marks the return of Queer as Folk on Showtime, at 10 pm, and I must say that I'm genuinely looking forward to the return of my favorite queer show. There has been a lot of controversy about QAF and whether it depicts queer (especially gay male) life in a bad light -- but I fall on the side of those who insist that no one show is responsible for representing the entire LGBT experience, because no such generic experience exists. It's true that the show depicts a group of gay male friends who club-hop, drink, drug, and fuck a lot -- but so what? Doesn't this reality exist, as one subculture in the queer community? I'm sure if someone produced a show about a bunch of Republican queers who sat around comparing Bible notes all day, someone would complain and say, "Damn, I sure wish these guys would go to a club or something...or at least show us some ass!" We should be thrilled to have Queer as Folk on the air. It's sexy, it's funny, it's in-your-face, and...it's on tonight. Watch it, and let's chat about it tomorrow.

the "it factor"

2005-05-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

photo of Lauren DeRose by Mandy Dembach

Some people just have it -- that quality, that magnetism, that certain-something that draws people to them constantly. Call it the "it factor," the "hot shit" factor, whatever you want -- it's an amazing thing to experience, especially when it streams from one of your best buddies. Meet Lauren DeRose -- singer, song-writer, coffee-bar-slave, occassional goofball, and definite possessor of the It. Lauren moved to SD a few years ago, after studying at Boston's Berklee College of Music. She has a voice as smooth at butter -- wait, she's vegan, so...as smooth as soy-milk? and a roster of original songs so moving that you might just bust a tear or two if you get the opportunity to see her perform live. Check out Lauren's music here, and remember how important it is to support indie musicians who haven't chosen to audition for American Idol.

from mickey mouse to playing queer house

2005-05-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Word on the street is that Justin Timberlake will be joining the cast of Will & Grace shortly, to star in 3 episodes as... Jack's love interest! Gosh, he sure has come a long way since his days on the Mickey Mouse Club -- although the jury is still out as to which show is more gay.

the real mean girls

2005-05-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

"Why won't they stop losing weight?" reads the title
of an article about Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie in
this week's issue of InTouch Weekly.

Pretty ironic, coming from a publication like
InTouch...

I feel like calling them up and saying, "Ummmm, maybe
it's because six months ago, all the media (remember,
that's you) could talk about were whether or not
Lindsay Lohan's breasts were real, and whether or not
Nicole Richie had gone through the fast-food
drive-through once or twice that week?" -- maybe THAT
has something to do with why they're now starving
themselves.

Or maybe it's the fact that these days, female
celebrities are fucked. If they are overweight, they
find their sweatpants-clad ass (w/wedgie) spread
across the cover of every tabloid that is being sold
at every convience store and gas station in the
country. They are verbally torn apart -- called fat,
plump, washed-out, and about a million other things,
in bold large print.
So they decide to diet, or starve, or blow coke up
their noses -- or whatever route they choose to attain
the "ideal" they think they must provide -- and what
happens?
Pretty much the same thing as happened before --
things get out of control, they lose too much weight,
and then they are verbally torn apart yet again --
called too thin, sickly, lifeless, and about a million
other things, in bold large print.

It's that damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't
mentality. Hats off to the media!

They told Nicole Richie to go on a diet, and look, she
did! They must be so proud. Just beaming.

the queerest paper of all

2005-05-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

So, tomorrow marks the One Year Anniversary of gay
marriage in Massachussetts. Congratulations go out to
the 6,200 same-sex couples who, this year, will
celebrate their first anniversaries as legal partners
in the state of Mass! How wonderful.

Of course, with queer anniversaries come a few new
responsibilities for LGBT folks, and since I'm big on
sentimental, romantic bullshit...here's one:

For the first year, the traditional wedding anniversary gift should be
PAPER.

So for all you lesbians out there, wondering what to
get the love of your life for that special first
anniversary, here are a few creative suggestions...

1. an origami vagina

2. rainbow rolling papers

3. a subscription to Bust magazine

4. plane tickets to the Greek Isle of Lesbos

5. a harness made of paper clips (*for more more
crafty , handy dykes)

Happy anniversary to all. May the country get queerer
every year!

Close-Up

2005-05-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

How do you feel about this nasty lil' fucker?

Acceptance

2005-05-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my father let me know via email that he is pretty much o.k. with me being gay -- or, as he phrased it, is "accepting of my lifestyle." For him, this moment of realization came when he chose to tell someone close to him about my choice. From his perspective, telling someone else that his daughter is a big lesbian was a sign of his growing comfort and acceptance. So who'd he tell, you must be wondering? Another lawyer at his firm? His rabbi? A relative? Not quite.

He told his dental hygenist.

Now every community has its gossip queen, the woman who knows everything and most likely talks too much. In my parents' suburban Jewish community, that title is held by L*****, the dental hygensit at Dr. ******'s office, who manages to take you hostage whenever you get into the chair and have something sharp or menacing in your mouth. I haven't been to see her in years, but she used to clean mine and my brother's teeth, and still continues to work her magic on my parents. And she continues to be the "go-to gal" for anything gossip related -- whose kids got wait-listed at Brandeis or Harvard, who is recieving regular botox treatment, and now, apparently, who is gay. I have only my father to thank for that one.

L***** wears more make-up than anyone I have ever seen -- layers upon layers of foundation, caked on blatantly, cracking under the fluorescent lights of the dentist's office. She could be a fifty year old Jewish drag queen, if only she were male somewhere underneath. Of course she's not, and the reason I know this is because I know just about everything about her life -- what grades her children are in, where she shops for kosher meat, and most interestingly, how young her husband's Puerto Rican lover was (twenty one), at the time he left his family for her. Nothing is off limits when you're in L*****'s chair -- her life, your life, her kids' Bar or Bat Mitzvah's training -- it all blends together and spirals down, like the mouthwash you spit into the tiny dental sink.

So now L***** knows I'm a lesbian. Which means most of the tri-state area knows I'm a lesbian. Which means my father has come a long way in his acceptance of me being queer. It used to be something that caused pain, like a cavity. But now, we're all learning to just smile...and open wide.