Pictured Cin Salach at Rhino Fest.
We checked the Chicago Tribune's story about canceled New Orleans conventions but saw nothing about Gaydom's yearly connection to N'awlins, Southern Decadence ( 9/2 ) . PlanetOut.com ( 8/30 ) could not reach any of the event's organizers but said ' ... the facts on the ground point to an obvious conclusion: It's no time for a party.'
The Boston Globe ( 8/14 ) in a major article, 'What Makes People Gay?', cites a study of identical twins, one straight, one gay as being in the crowd of studies indicating a biological cause for homosexuality. The evidence is so overwhelming that one prominent evangelical leader, the Rev. Rob Schenck, has said '... many evangelicals are living in a sort of state of denial' about this evidence. He also indicates that his crowd must come up with an adequate loving response if it is shown that sexuality is no choice. The article went on to other studies including one from Northwestern that suggested sexual arousal patterns for all women ( lesbian, straight, bi ) were absolutely and fundamentally different from any male patterns. Finally two British researchers, Glenn Wilson and Qazi Rahman, in their new book Born Gay: the Psychobiology of Sex Orientation have surveyed much of this literature and have concluded ( at least in regards to men ) : 'Sexual Orientation is something we are born with and not 'acquired' from our social environment.'
From the 'Can't-Do-That-Anymore-They're-Family' file, hip-hopster Kanye West, in the Chicago Tribune ( 8/19 ) says he's changed his homophobic ways because one of his cousins is gay: 'It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, 'Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.'' West says that the hip-hop use of the word 'gay' is highly negative needs to stop.
'Dear Abby' in her advice column in the Chicago Trib ( 8/19 ) says in answer to an odd letter from New Castle, Penn., which objects to a rainbow flag in a 'neighborhood devoted to children's morals' and full of '... young children who do not need to be subjected to that kind of thing' for the writer to MYOB ( mind your own business ) , cultivate your own garden and stop obsessing about your neighbor's harmless banner.
You want ( can afford ) a summer home? You want to retire to a better climate? The NY Times ( 8/28 ) says many gays and lesbians are trekking down to Asheville, NC. Yeah, it's southern but they just don't care about folk's orientation. Real estate is hopping because of gays. '... [ T ] here is no doubt that the influx of the gay community, from all over the country has helped drive this growth.'