Lucinda Williams. Image courtesy of Blue Streak Consulting________
'For many Saudis, the fact that a man has sex with another man has little to do with 'gayness.' The act may fulfill a desire or a need, but it doesn't constitute an identity. Nor does it strip a man of his masculinity, as long as he is in the 'top,' or active, role. This attitude gives Saudi men who engage in homosexual behavior a degree of freedom. But as a more Westernized notion of gayness—a notion that stresses orientation over acts—takes hold in the country, will this delicate balance survive?' — From an article in the May issue of The Atlantic Monthly, 'The Kingdom in the Closet.'
'Gay men, as a brand, are starting to seem a little tired. Nowadays when young Canadians discover their homosexual feelings they have much less to fear—loss of work, assault, taunts, rejection by family and friends, loneliness, childlessness. That's great, but gives them much less reason to band themselves together under the banner of opera lovers, Pet Shop Boys fans or the like. Meanwhile, men who would have years ago considered themselves as gay are now dividing themselves into subgroups, describing themselves as bears, S&M players, artfags or, worse, merely married.' — Paul Gallant, in his final editorial as managing editor and news editor of the Toronto gay newspaper Xtra!, April 12.
'GLAAD's sole purpose these days seems to be to help Hollywood and media figures get through their various homophobic p.r. meltdowns while cooing with praise at the slightest bit of good they do. That is no more evident than in the GLAAD Media Awards—star-studded, lavish events that now take place in four cities. ... The GLAAD Media Awards need to be halted, or at the very least, radically pared down, immediately, while the gay movement still has some integrity left. A group that began in the 80s as a fiery organization committed to direct action against media bias has turned into a high-priced masseuse for Hollywood and media titans alike, offering full ejaculatory release. ... What we really need to do is get GLAAD out of the hand-job business entirely.' — Gay columnist and radio host Michelangelo Signorile in an April 12 filing.
'The truth doesn't get to us [ in the U.S. ] The media exists to invent narratives and to disguise unpleasantries. And our educational system for the general public is the worst of any First World nation. We try to develop docile workers and loyal consumers. We have no interest in education of any kind—in fact it's dangerous to tell people what history really is. I've been spending 40 years telling the story of my country for my own amusement. It was hard work, but it wasn't being done by the high school textbooks—I've read enough of those to know.' — Gay author Gore Vidal in an interview in the summer 2007 issue of the gay travel magazine The Out Traveler.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley