From the Brokeback Mountain watch file: The cartoon strip 'The Boondocks,' from the Chicago Tribune ( 2/23 ) , has its much put-upon grandpa innocently tuning into Willie Nelson's cowboy song ( They're '…frequently, secretly, fond of each other' ) and yelling 'Now cut that out.'. Coincidentally, Grandpa recently accidentally attended that movie.
From the 'Where's-The-Lesbian-Angle' file: There's an obit of writer Sybille Bedford, who recently died at 94. She was a trial reporter, memoirist and novelist but the New York Times ( 2/27 ) fails to mention that she was well-known for being a lesbian. Her memoir, Quicksands, names names of friends and lovers and she wrote at least two lesbian novels: A Compass Error and A Favorite of the Gods.
The Beacon Journal ( 2/24 ) offers an item for the 'Tit-For-Tat' file: Ohio State Senator Robert Hagen is introducing legislation that would '… ban households with one or more Republican voters from adopting children or acting as foster parents'. This, though tongue-in-cheek, is in retaliation for a homophobic bill banning adoption by homosexuals, bisexuals or transgendered people.
Time Out Chicago ( 2/23-3/2 ) , in a file called 'Dude-Sings-Like-A-Lady,' profiles countertenor David Daniels. Openly gay Daniels is the first major openly gay opera singer and he is without a doubt, a bear: big, butch and hairy. And he does sing in Chicago's Lyric Opera production of Orfeo Ed Euridice like a lady. 'Until the 20th century [ this singing ] was synonymous with castration,' according to the magazine. In Baroque opera they needed a lot of these 'fixed' guys but later on these parts became 'pants roles' for 'female mezzo-sopranos [ who ] would essentially gender-bend to play the roles of countertenors'. Daniels, who is a natural, unfixed counter tenor, will celebrate his 40th birthday in Chicago ( perhaps at one of the local leather establishments? ) .
The New Yorker ( 3/6 ) , in a 'Lost-But-Found' file, tells us of Jerry Torre, a now-obscure gay fellow with a tie to Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Jackie had an eccentric aunt, Edith Bouvier Beale, who lived with daughter Little Edie in a falling-down East Hampton mansion. Torre, next door's teenage ( and gorgeous ) gardener wandered over, was semi-adopted, and was even in a documentary about the Beatles. He once, he says, took Jackie to the Anvil where they watched a fire-eating drag contortionist. He could've had a drink in her place but chose to go back to the Anvil. Drives a taxi now.
A pseudo-memo to seminaries from the Vatican to ferret out gay candidates from the New Yorker ( 3/6 ) includes this: 'If you found yourself attracted to another priest, you would: ( a ) Ask him to pray with you to battle the sinful urge, over drinks. ( b ) Banish all such thoughts from your mind until you lose 15 pounds. ( c ) Ask him, 'What's black and white and wants your number?'