1990 Paris Is Burning Classic Documentary About Gay & Latino gay men in NYC.
In the year 1990, American filmmaker Jennie Livingston decided to make a film about the black and latino gay men in New York City. Paris is Burning, is a classic gay documentary which looks at the lives of gay men of colour. Often in the media, the gay men of colour are ignored. However, in Paris is Burning, gay black and latino men are the stars of the film.
I love the fact the black and latino gay men in this movie are FIERCE!!!
The drag ball scenes are THE BEST PART of the movie! The drag balls are fantasy world for the drag queens they are able to live their fantasies of what they WISH their lives could be. It is a very interesting and important part of the film.
Paris is Burning teaches the audience the struggles that black and latino gay men endured New York City in the 1990s.
These men are BRAVE, they live their lives being openly gay in the early 1990s! Imagine, being black or latino and gay in the 1990! The world is a different place now, but there was even more homophobia back then.
This movie explores how gay and latino gay men negotiate between their race, gender, and sexual orientation. One person in the film says he has three strikes against him he’s black, male, and also gay. Paris is Burning also explores the problems black and latino drag queens experience such as racism, unemployment, poverty. Some of the men in the film turned to prostitution in order to pay their bills or even stealing.
Livingston did a great job with this movie, I wish there were more documentaries about gay men of colour in the public sphere.
The sad part about this movie is many of the men in Paris is Burning, are no longer with us they have passed. For instance, one person VENUS XTRAVANGANSA a Latino drag queen was murdered.
Paris is Burning was an important part of the emerging queer cinema and Livingston deserves credit for bring the stories of black and latino gay men to the masses.
Contact The CRTC Do Not let Dean Blundell & 102.1 The Edge get away with homophobia!!!
102.1 The Edge is a radio station I listen to frequently because I love rock music. However, I am very disappointed to hear 102.1 The Edge Dean Blundell show is so homophobic. In the past, I listened to Blundell’s show for a few minutes but then I realized how sexist and immature the program is. Blundell is a wannabe Howard Stern.
Recently, Blundell made some disgusting anti gay jokes calling gay men “man whores”, negative comments about anal sex calling it “butt love”.
The worst part about this incident is, 102.1 The Edge probably LOVES the free publicity the Dean Blundell show is getting. 102.1 The Edge will claim that Blundell’s show is just comedy, but as I said before comedy has a subtext.
Shock jock radio hosts and comedians always say their humour is just for jokes. However, sometimes jokes are not funny and the humour is a mask for bigotry.
The homophobia that Dean Blundell and 102.1 The Edge is spreading is abhorrent. Now imagine, if 102.1 The Edge made racist comments on the air, would the Canadian public accept this? Of course not! So why is homophobia against gay men acceptable? Is it palatable in Canada for a radio station in Toronto to broadcast anti gay hate? The CRTC needs to do something about 102.1 The Edge.
The producer for 102.1 The Edge, Derek Welsman was actually a foreman in he jury in a case involving a HIV positive gay man who was convicted of sexually assaulting other gay men at the Spa Excess bathhouse. Welsman actually talked about he case ON THE AIR, even though he was instructed by the judge not to.
This anti gay crap at 102.1 The Edge, must be challenged and must not be ignored. I urge the readers of my blog to contact the CRTC and file a complaint against 102.1 The Edge.
LINK TO TORONTO STAR ARTICLE ABOUT 102.1 THE EDGE HOMOPHOBIA
LINK: FORM TO FILE COMPLAINT WITH CRTC AGAINST 102.1 THE EDGE.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/rapidsccm/register.asp?lang=e
Is The James Franco & Seth Rogen Parody of Kanye West Video Homophobic?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCGZ6tJdtmc
Although the James Franco & Seth Rogen parody of Kanye West new video is considered funny is it really? The immediate reaction people have is Franco & Rogen are just being funny making fun of rapper Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s arrogance.
Franco and Rogen are homophobes, except they utilize humour as a mask to conceal their anti gay prejudice.
Franco has used male homosexuality as a gimmick to get free publicity, yet he clearly has no respect for gay men!
The subliminal message is still homophobia against male homosexuality is palatable if the homophobes are young white heterosexual male actors. We live in a racist, homophobic world where the obnoxious behaviour of white heterosexual men is giving a free pass. Imagine, if two young black male actors made this parody video? Would the mainstream media and public be so accepting of it or would they scorn them?
Some people might argue, that it is simply a joke not be taken seriously. However, humour has a subtext, a message that is beneath the surface. The homophobia Franco and Rogen are engendering is that male homosexuality is wrong.
The anti gay message Franco and Rogen are spreading must be challenged and not dismissed as just comedy.
The general public is laughing at the fact two famous young male actors are kissing and being affectionate with each other. People are not just laughing at Kanye West, they also have a platform to being homophobic because Franco and Rogen provided the space for this to occur. Male homosexuality is ridiculed, gay men being affectionate with each other is seen as a joke. Since Franco and Rogen are both white, heterosexual men, they utilize their white male privilege to humiliate gay men.
Once again, two men kissing is considered funny and disgusting at the same time. Although, James Franco claims to be an ally of the gay community he has a propensity to be an opportunist. Franco is no friend of the gay male community, he utilizes male homosexuality to shock his heterosexual audience. James Franco is a bigot, but his bigotry is covert not overt. Franco’s art about gay male sexuality which he manipulates for his personal game is an example of his prejudice.
Since Franco is heterosexual, some gay men fall for Franco’s prejudice they give him a free pass for mocking male homosexuality.
Franco has white male skin privilege and since he is handsome, gay men ignore his anti gay prejudice. However, just because Franco is a good looking man, does this give him a pass for being a jerk?
Franco isn’t as gay positive as some gay men assume. For instance, Franco’s short film Interior Leather Bar, was created to alarm heterosexual audiences since he was recreating portions of the 1980 cult gay classic Cruising. Of course, Franco was not involved in any of the gay male sex scenes.
Franco’s so called art is meant to shock, he feels comfortable exploiting male homosexuality for his own personal fame. However, Franco won’t get too close to male homosexuality and he is quick to point out he isn’t gay. Franco’s coy attitude about his sexuality is lame and pathetic. Franco needs a new gimmick and move on from male homosexuality he is a coward.
Only a coward would claim to be an ally of the gay male community yet consistently use homosexuality to alarm the general public. There is no substance behind Franco’s art, it lacks true meaning.
Male homosexuality is just a prop for Franco, a joke, not to be taken seriously. In addition, since Franco has never clarified his true sexuality, he is assumed to be heterosexual. Franco utilizes his heterosexual male privilege to mock, humiliate, and discriminate against gay men.James Franco is the enemy of gay men he is not an ally.
HBO New Gay Series Looking Once Again About Pretty White Gay Men Complaining About Their Lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kawZGuGHDWo
Of course, I know I shouldn’t be surprised, the trailer for the new HBO show Looking which will debut in January 2014 is all about young white gay men. I hear there is a Hispanic character in the cast, of course there is no black, Asian, or Native American gay characters.
It is more of the status quo, and this is why gay people of colour we must continue to create our own art.
The representations of gay men in pop culture are still the same bland white gay guys or the token Latino.
Remember, being Hispanic is NOT a race it is a cultural group. It seems to me the casting director made sure the cast was white enough to pass for their white gay male audience.
San Francisco where the show is based has a very diverse gay community so where is the diversity?
I will probably pass on watching this show. I am just apathetic to pop culture viewing gay men through a Eurocentric lens.
ITV Reporters Discuss Whether Morrissey Autobiography Is Good.
I love Morrissey, and yes I purchased my copy of his autobiography from Ebay. Morrissey’s book is not available in Canada yet. I have read the early sections of the book Morrissey is a talented writer. Morrissey is famous for being outspoken. Morrissey’s autobiography debut at number one on Amazon.com!
German Gay Storyline: Christian Cheats On Oliver With A Woman They Decide To Have An Open Relationship.
I am disappointed the German soap Verboten Liebe, once again returns to the storyline of Christian cheating on his husband Oliver with a woman! How many times can Christian cheat on Oliver with a female? Christian uses the same excuse that he got drunk in England and blacked out. Why can’t Christian admit he is bisexual? Christian has an urge to have sex with a woman. I think Christian cheating on Oliver with a woman hurts him even more than if he slept with another man. I don’t understand what the writers are trying to say? If Christian is bisexual, then the writers need to make him declare it. Maybe the writers are going to make Christian leave Oliver for a woman? When Christian and Oliver started dating five years ago, Oliver went after Christian despite the fact he was dating a woman Coco.
Male bisexuality isn’t really explored a lot in pop culture, perhaps the writers are trying to illustrate Christian still desires women too? Christian has never had a sexual relationship with another man besides Oliver. Are the writers are trying to create an interesting storyline about Christian leaving Oliver for a woman? The rumour is, Thore Scholermann, the actor who plays Christian is only returning for the short term and the gay storyline might end soon. If Christian leaves the show then I will have to stop watching because Christian is my favourite character!
I am frustrated with the writers because, Christian insists he isn’t bisexual but his actions speak louder than words.
I wish the writing was better, why return to the same storyline? It would be more interesting, if Christian had an affair with another man and a gay love triangle emerged. A lot of fans are upset with the writers of Verboten Liebe, because Christian has slept with multiple women before on the show.
Also, the concept of an open relationship is actually quite common for gay male couples. I know my comment might sound sexist for some readers but, gay men we understand the difference between love and sex. I think heterosexual men also understand the difference too. For men, we have sex drives, we want pleasure, and even though, a man might love his partner he STILL wants some variety in his sex life. The gay bathhouses are a perfect example of gay men having the sexual freedom and understanding to explore our sexuality. Gay male culture in the western world is all about sexual freedom. I am not sure, this open relationship is going to work for Christian and Oliver though. I guess, Oliver is going to get a new boyfriend to piss Christian off just like he did last time.
Gay American Singer Steve Grand New Video Stay!!!
Gay singer Steve Grand’s second music video Stay was released today on You Tube! I love this song, it is very different from Grand’s first viral hit All American Boy which was a sad depressing song. Stay is more upbeat, hopeful, and it shows Steve in love with another man, but this time he gets the gay guy! I think Steve Grand is so refreshing, it is so nice to see a young gay male singer, be unapologetic about being GAY.
Of course, a major reason Steve Grand is receiving a lot of media attention and also the public’s attention is due to the fact he’s a handsome young man. However, so what? Steve Grand is hot, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to be attractive especially since he’s a singer.
Some gay men are critical of Steve Grand because they feel the gay male community is a bit superficial and people are obsessed about Grand’s good looks.
I agree that Steve Grand receives a lot of attention because he’s HOT. However, I also believe there is a yearning from a lot of gay men, to finally see gay love in a visual form and in music. I believe, a lot of gay men like Steve Grand because it is great to see a gay man sing about being in love with another man.
There is still a lot of homophobia in society, and in the entertainment industry although barriers are breaking down there is still a lot of blatant discrimination.
It is great that Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis can make Same Love a huge international hit. Meanwhile, for me personally, it is great seeing Steve Grand an actual gay man be confident and be proud about his homosexuality. It just means something more to me, as a gay man to see another gay man, in pop culture be a successful entertainer.
Having straight allies such as Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis is good, but it is even better for the gay community when gay men actually stand up and be proud. The confidence that Steve Grand demonstrates with his music is very empowering to the gay community.
Steve Grand is a proud gay man and that’s very refreshing to see, he isn’t hiding his love for other men in his music videos.
If you notice, a lot of gay male entertainers such as Adam Lambert, Frank Ocean, or Ricky Martin, they only came out of the closet after they had a certain level of success. Also, unlike Ricky Martin, Adam Lambert, or Frank Ocean, Steve Grand came out as a gay man from the VERY BEGINNING! It is nice that there are a few queer male entertainers in the music industry, but there is still a problem.
The openly gay male singers on the major music labels, they seem to have a marketing strategy of not appearing “too gay”.
It isn’t very powerful, when Frank Ocean sings about loving a man yet he can’t make a music video about loving another man.
The visual aspect of music videos are very important, because I believe it is imperative for gay male entertainers to claim their space.
The mainstream record companies seem more concerned about record sales, and also appealing to heterosexual women. Even though Frank Ocean, Ricky Martin, and Adam Lambert are out of the closet, they clearly are being marketed to women not gay men.
The gay male market is virtually ignored, by the mainstream record companies.
Also, I have noticed the other openly gay male singers, their music videos are not very gay nor do their videos deal with gay male romance. Even though Ricky Martin is out as a gay man, a lot of his music videos still involves him singing to a woman.
Steve Grand is a breath of fresh air, I can’t wait until Steve releases his first album.
Gay German Soap Opera: Christian Returns To His Husband Oliver But He Gets Hurt In Accident.
I am so happy Thore Scholermann, the actor who plays Christian has returned to the German soap opera Verboten Liebe!!! Christian and Oliver are my favourite gay male couple on television! This German gay storyline is incredible and they have been together for five years! Christian and Oliver’s relationship is special because the actors Thore Scholermann and Jo Weil have amazing chemistry!
Usually on soap operas, a gay male couple has a very ephemeral relationship, and then they couple disappears. However, Christian and Oliver are a gay supercouple they have a huge international following due to You Tube. The producers of Verboten Liebe know Christian and Oliver have a huge fanbase!
Christian and Oliver’s love story is very special because the writers allow the gay characters to have a passionate, adult sexual relationship. For instance, on the American soap NBC’s Days of Our Lives, Will and Sonny have a very asexual relationship they don’t have gay sex scenes and they rarely kiss.
The good news is Verboten Liebe, is a German soap, and in Germany, people over there have a more relaxed attitude towards male homosexuality. Christian and Oliver’s relationship is very romantic, very passionate and very intense. Christian and Oliver act like a gay couple in love. The writers have done a good job, not downplaying the homosexuality. Christian and Oliver have problems in their relationship just like the heterosexual characters. Christian and Oliver’s gay romance has resonated with people around the world because the acting is incredible! Thore and Jo are good friends in real life and it shows in their acting they know their characters so well!!
In the current storyline, Christian returns to Germany he worked in England for a while, but he drops a bombshell on his lover Oliver telling him he has to return to England! Of course, Oliver is upset because he was separated from Christian for months. Christian suggests that Oliver moves to England with him, but he doesn’t want to leave his friends in Germany. I can see both sides of the argument. Christian is correct, he needs a job to pay his bills, and his job in England is secure. However, I also see Oliver’s point of view, Christian should not have made a life changing decision without consulting his husband!
I have heard rumours that Thore is only briefly going to be on Veroboten Liebe, because he has worked on other shows such as The Voice the German version and a tabloid gossip show. I sincerely hope the writers do not kill off Christian, I’ve missed him so much he’s my favourite character on the show! If Christian dies then I will have to stop watching Verboten Liebe, because I only watch the show to see hunky Thore Scholermann!
Steve Grand’s Love Interest In Video All American Boy Not So Straight Appeared In Gay Porn.
The gay porn blog The Sword has identified singer Steve Grand’s love interest from the video All American boy isn’t so straight after all. Steve Grand’s pal has appeared in Fratman.Tv using the alias Taylor. It is kind of funny because in the articles I have read Steve Grand describes his friend as heterosexual. I personally don’t believe in the gay for pay crap. My perspective is, if a man is going to perform oral or anal sex with another man on camera he has to have some same sex attraction.
There has to be something else at play for a guy to get into gay porn beyond just money. Could it be curiosity about homosexuality? Perhaps? Who knows? I just don’t believe the fallacy that the gay porn industry dictates that these men that get into gay porn are heterosexual. I don’t buy it. I also believe, these men are most likely bicurious or probably bisexual at least.
After all, why couldn’t Steve Grand’s friend just do straight porn? My question isn’t about morality, I watch gay porn just like every other gay man out there. People got to make money anyway they can so to each his own.
Link: http://thesword.com/here-are-the-gay-porn-videos-from-steve-grands-all-american-boy.html
Globe & Mail Article: Health Canada Discriminating Against Gay Men Must Be Celibate For Five Years Prior To Giving Blood!!!
David Andreatta
The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, May. 22 2013, 10:47 AM EDT
For most Canadians, donating blood is as easy as visiting a clinic and rolling up a sleeve.
Not so for gay men, who since the mid-1980s have been banned from giving blood.
That changed Wednesday, when Health Canada approved lifting the prohibition as long as the donor has not had sexual contact with another man in at least five years. The change is expected to take effect this summer.
The policy shift may give celibate gay men eager to tap a vein reason to celebrate. But it was met mostly with derision by critics of the ban, who argued the move perpetrates an unscientific stereotype of gay men and HIV transmission and does nothing to enhance the safety of the blood supply.
“For the vast majority of people who are affected by the ban, this policy change is actually no change,” said Adam Awad, the national chairman of the Canadian Federation of Students, an organization among a coalition of groups that has advocated against the ban.
The coalition, which includes the Canadian AIDS Society, has recommended that behaviour and risk of transmission of disease be factored in to blood-donor restrictions. They argue, for example, that a straight man who has unprotected sex with multiple women is a greater threat to the sanctity of the blood supply than a gay man who has been in a long-term, monogamous relationship.
“This [new] policy assumes that if you’re a man, regardless of what protections you might take, any sexual contact with another man becomes risky,” Mr. Awad said. “We know that’s not the case.”
Canadian Blood Services, a non-profit charity that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside Quebec, and Héma-Québec, which serves the same function in that province, began pushing for what they call the five-year “deferral period” for gay men in 2011.
The effort followed a 2010 Ontario Superior Court ruling that upheld the ban, but said there was insufficient evidence to support an “indefinite deferral period.”
Dana Devine, vice-president of medical, scientific and research affairs at Canadian Blood Services, cast the policy shift as “a very significant change for us.” She acknowledged, though, that the change would face resistance.
“We recognize that many people will feel that this change does not go far enough, but given the history of the blood system in Canada, we see this as a first and prudent step forward on this policy,” Dr. Devine said. “It is the right thing to do and we are committed to regular review of this policy as additional data emerge and new technologies are implemented.”
Several countries allow men to donate blood one year after having had sexual relations with another man, including Great Britain, Australia, Japan and Sweden. In South Africa, the deferral period is six months. Italy is one of a handful of countries that has no restrictions.
A blood-donor ban remains in place in the United States for men who acknowledge having had sex with another man at least once since 1977. Canada’s screening process had also set the threshold at 1977.
Dr. Devine said a five-year deferral would give the organization enough time to collect data, specifically the rate of transmissible diseases found in donated blood. The data would be used to regularly review the policy and amend it as appropriate, she said.
At the same time, she said she did not expect the change to trigger a noticeably larger pool of donors, leaving critics to wonder what substantive data could be gleaned from the new policy.
“We do not anticipate that this will bring a large number of gay men forward to the blood-donor pool,” Dr. Devine said.
Researchers at the University of California found in 2010 that if the ban in the United States were replaced by a five-year deferral, an additional 71,218 pints of blood would be donated each year.
The Canadian AIDS Society, which called the change “a good first step” that does not go far enough, was optimistic about the impact the change could have on the donor pool.
Monique Doolittle-Romas, the chief executive officer, said people who refused to donate because of the blanket ban would now reconsider.
Still, she said her group would intensify its efforts to push for a screening process based on donor behaviour rather than sexual orientation.
When a person gives blood, the donation is typically tested within 24 hours for HIV and several other infectious diseases, including hepatitis B and C, West Nile virus, syphilis and the human T-cell lymphotropic virus HTLV-I and II.
Since the 1980s, when the ban took effect, tests have become much more sensitive and accurate. The organization employs nucleic acid and antibody tests for HIV that are considered state of the art.
Of the 901,640 units of blood collected by Canadian Blood Services last year, fewer than five were found to be infected with HIV, according to the organization. A unit is the equivalent of 450 millilitres.
Fewer than 250 of the roughly 900,000 donations annually – or about 0.03 per cent – test positive for an infectious disease, according to the organization.
Hundreds of Canadians were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through blood transfusions in the 1980s before rigorous tests were implemented.
Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, a gay-rights advocacy group, said the advances in blood testing make any deferral policy antiquated.
“It’s still a discriminatory process,” Ms. Kennedy said. “They’re saying that a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity is reason enough to have a five-year deferral. It’s no different than an indefinite deferral.”
In the United States, where the Food and Drug Administration is facing growing public pressure to lift the ban, the agency insists its policy is grounded in statistics.
Men who have sex with men accounted for 61 per cent of all new HIV infections in the United States in 2010. The largest increase was found in homosexual males ages 13 to 24, the population the agency says is most likely to donate blood.
Francine Proulx-Kenzle, president of PFLAG Canada, a support group for gays and lesbians, said any deferral could be viewed as discriminatory.
But she said she is heartened by Canadian Blood Services’ openness to reviewing its policy and making adjustments.
“Sometimes going step by step is a result that is more lasting,” Ms. Proulx-Kenzle said. “You get everyone on board and you get a result that becomes part of who we are as a society.”
Gayblackcanada 