作譜

This American Life has an entire show dedicated to the story about how homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM-IV. The hour-long show is fascinating, but I was struck in particular by how one of the most pivotal events in the story happened at a gay bar in Hawai"i.

Part of me would like to visualize Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand as the scene of that moment, but Hula’s has been around for 35 years, according to its web site. That would put it around 1975. The American Psychiatric Association revised the entry in 1973, then removed it entirely in 1987. Maybe it’s plausible?

Perhaps my perception of the concept of "equality" is too mathematical, because I can’t seem to grasp the reasoning behind the introduction of a bill permitting civil unions in Hawaiʻi.

From the aforementioned linked article:

"I personally support the concept of allowing civil unions," [Gary Hooser (D-Kaua´i-Ni´ihau)] said. "I think it is past time to have the conversation and move the issue forward. We should treat people equally." [article cut] “This is not a marriage,” Hooser said.

It gets better.

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What’s with these kids today? Coming out at age 13? Back in my day, we waited till we were fully adults and not constrained by the limitations of economic dependency to experience the full insecurities of having no practice at going on dates and having meaningful romantic relationships!

Snark aside, there’s something encouraging about young people having the guts to self-identify at such an age. But it’s still disheartening the reaction those kids get by a still largely hostile society. I’m pessimistic enough to assume that I’m not going to be alive by the time coming out at 13 is a non-issue.

I was writing about post-break-up Supercar projects when I saw an interesting headline on Bounce.com. It read:

LGBTな雑誌、yes2号

Translated:

LGBT magazine, yes, vol. 2

In other words, the second issue of a new lesbian/gay/bi/transgendered magazine, yes, is now out. In this issue? An interview with Heath Ledger about Brokeback Mountain.

Hell, I didn’t even know there was a vol. 1. Japan isn’t that much better than the US when it comes to tolerance, but if the launch of a gay lifestyle magazine by a major retailer in Japan is any indication, the pink yen is about as attractive as the pink dollar in the US and the pink pound in the UK.

I think the thing that will ultimately tip the scales in favor of gay rights is business interest — the buying power of a gay urbanite will prove too lucrative to heed the threats of religious boycotts.

To put in less flattering and more demonizing terms, the clean-cut faggot is a far more attractive customer than the screech-happy white trash.

Super pop and gay — one of my managers at Waterloo Records covered her nametag with a sticker from Barsuk Records that proclaimed this phrase. So far, it looks like it’s confined to the label’s message board. And even though the usage of the word “gay” isn’t very good in this context, I like the phrase anyway.

In fact, I think it’s prime for comandeering. Sure, the people who coined the phrase may snicker when gay musicians start describing themselves as “super pop and gay”, but they’re probably not going to be the audience for the music in the first place. There’s something humorous about it that could be turned to something positive.

Antonio Sabato, Jr. plays gay in the film Testosterone, in which he plays the ex-boyfriend of a burnt-out graphic novelist. And while his photo spread in the Advocate is indeed luverly, I’d much rather see this film for David Sutcliffe, who played Rory Gilmore’s father Christopher on Gilmore Girls.

When I saw Sutcliffe play Christopher, he tripped my actor’s gaydar — that is, I could picture him playing a gay role convincingly. Plus, he’s pretty — when his hair is cut, though.