Monthly archive of November 2005

More Body, More Soul

Seven years ago, he brought us Body & Soul: The Black Male Book. You remember that book. It's the one with D'Angelo on the cover. Now Duane Thomas is back with another soon-to-be instant coffee table classic. The follow up book is simply titled, "More Body, More Soul." This time Lenny Kravitz is on the cover.

Thomas has worked for Vogue, Elle, Essence, InStyle, Details, and Esquire magazines, and he sees this book as a visual tribute to black male beauty. "As hip hop conquers the world and black actors sweep up awards, a new group of black men has risen to the forefront of popular culture." So says the official book description. "These are men who are not afraid to express themselves and who possess a unique sense of freedom when it comes to style and image."

The book features photographs of Jamie Foxx, Mekhi Phifer, Vin Diesel, 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Usher, Lebron James, Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury, among others. Top photographers Barron Claiborne, Duane Cramer, Roger Erickson, Guzman, and Dah Len contribute their work to the project.

Posted in books on November 1 2005, 12:08AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

And Another Thing About the DL

Thanks to Malcontent for tipping me off to this new article in Instinct magazine. I haven't seen the magazine yet, but I have read the page shown here on the Internet (click the image on the right for a larger version).

As many of you know, I'm over the down low. After the paperback version of my book comes out in a couple months, I will talk about it again for a few months and then try to move on. But it seems the subject is not going away. On his site, Rod reviews a new short film called "The DL Chronicles" and gives it a thumbs up, calling it "a quiet, reflective film—with the promise of a mini-She's Gotta Have It or Love Jones—but with the tension of a Woody Allen-esque ensemble piece."

According to Rod, "The Nina Simone-inspired soundtrack helps move the plot forward. Unlike most short films, the production values are fabulous; the art direction is top-notch, the photography and composition are solid, and, for the most part, the editing is tight. It's a good script—not over-written, but not the punch of a minimalist drama, which is okay." Okay, maybe I'll check out one more down low story.

Posted in sexuality on November 1 2005, 10:00AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Support These Candidates

A week from today, we will see not one, but at least two new openly gay or lesbian African American candidates on the election ballots in the U.S. The first is Jass Stewart, a candidate for mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts, who has been profiled on this site several times before. The second is Vivian Paige, a candidate for treasurer of Norfolk, Virginia. Both candidates are in the final stretch of the race, and they need your support.

Jass Stewart represents three historic firsts for Brockton. He is the city's first-black, first openly gay, and youngest candidate for mayor. Married to his partner Denzil Paul, Stewart and Paul have a 13-year-old son. As I reported in September, Stewart won 29 percent of the vote in the 4-person primary election, which earned him a spot on the November 8 ballot against one opponent, a conservative member of the Brockton City Council. He is asking for donations as small as $15, so please help out today. You can give money to his campaign at jassstewart.com.

Vivian Paige is a a certified public accountant and the only accountant among the candidates for Treasurer in Norfolk. If elected, she would become the first openly lesbian African-American to win elected office in the state of Virginia, according to her campaign. After being targeted in a "dirty tricks" campaign because of her sexuality, Paige is fighting hard to win. Although she is a first-time political candidate, the treasurer's race is considered to be the most competitive race in the city of Norfolk, according to the Washington Blade. You can give money to her campaign at paige2005.com.

Posted in politics on November 1 2005, 10:21AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Get Well Soon

My friend Phill likes to say that we should take care of ourselves and our blessings. The events of the past week remind me to follow that advice. Last Tuesday, actor, author and poet Emanuel Xavier was brutally beaten by a street gang in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, according to blogger Andrés Duque. Emanuel was surrounded by 15 to 20 young Latino men and punched several times in the face, Andrés reports.

Meanwhile, word came that the blogger known as no4real4real was recently hospitalized. When last we spoke of him on the site, he was lounging around Fire Island at my birthday party. But recently, after noticing that his legs had become swollen, he went to the doctor and was diagnosed with kidney failure. As he wrote on his blog, "Yes a young brother like me who works out regularly, eats a great diet, and has never have done drugs has come down with Acute Renal Failure."

Posted in sexuality on November 2 2005, 2:08AM | Read More | Comments (10)

Is 50 Cent A Republican?

Rapper 50 Cent has beef with fellow rapper Kanye West. It's not an East Coast-West Coast rivalry. Nor is it a dis on a West rap song that has 50 Cent upset. Instead, it turns out 50 didn't like what West said about President Bush back in September. During a nationally televised hurricane relief telethon, West blurted out that George Bush doesn't care about black people.

In an interview with Contactmusic.com, 50 shot back. "What Kanye West was saying, I don't know where that came from," said the two quarters. Instead of blaming the tragedy on Bush, 50 pointed to a higher power. "The New Orleans disaster was meant to happen. It was an act of God," he said. Of course, that doesn't mean 50 is a Republican, but it reminds me of Britney Spears's infamous plea to leave the President alone.

Posted in politics on November 2 2005, 1:07PM | Read More | Comments (27)

Anderson's Coup

CNN announced today that its young handsome news personality Anderson Cooper would replace the older newsman Aaron Brown in Brown's time slot. Cooper, 38, will take his popular "360" show to the 10 p.m. time slot previously held by Brown, 56. Meanwhile, Wolf Blitzer will move to Cooper's old 7 p.m. time slot and Brown will be out of a job.

Anderson Cooper made headlines in September when he led a media revolt against the government's misinformation about Hurricane Katrina. I was sitting in a hotel suite in Atlanta when I saw Cooper challenging Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, who claimed that things were going well in the hurricane response. "Excuse me, Senator, I'm sorry for interrupting. I haven't heard that, because, for the last four days, I've been seeing dead bodies in the streets here in Mississippi," Cooper retorted. "And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other, you know, I got to tell you, there are a lot of people here who are very upset, and very angry, and very frustrated."

Posted in pop culture on November 2 2005, 9:02PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Noah's Arc: In Your Face

"Noah's Arc" is quickly becoming my favorite show on television. For those who missed it, last night's episode was a tour de force, capped by an unbelievably dynamic drag performance by the four principals lip synching to the tune of Brainstorm's classic hit "Lovin' Is Really My Game." I wasn't expecting it, but I've never seen a more energetic and entertaining drag show anywhere on television.

I don't care what anybody says, I am loving this show. Noah and Wade deal with their issue over masculinity. Wade comes out to his friends. Chance confronts his cheating boyfriend. Ricky faces up to his sex addiction. And Alex comes out in drag! And he looks beautiful, a mixture of Toccara and Janet. Never in all my years have I seen a single half hour of television that so brilliantly captured so many real issues relevant to black gay men. This show is now must-see TV.

Posted in sexuality on November 3 2005, 12:38AM | Permalink | Comments (53)

Are Black Men Really Hung?

While we're on the topic of deconstructing contemporary definitions of masculinity, I suggest you pick up a copy of Scott Poulson-Bryant's new book "Hung, A Meditation on the Measure of Black Men in America."

Beginning with a letter to Emmett Till and ending with a size discussion between Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, HUNG takes on perhaps the biggest sacred cow in black culture: the myth that all black men have big dicks. Throughout the book, Poulson-Bryant taps into his personal life experiences, including a memorable incident with a white woman at Brown University, and a revealing look at the details of his own penis.

Posted in books on November 3 2005, 1:10PM | Read More | Comments (45)

Finding the Next Rosa Parks

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I became an activist and how to identify and nurture new activists.

I’ve always said I didn’t want to be an activist, but somehow activism was in my blood. As the school newspaper editor at Dartmouth and a campus protest leader at Harvard, activism just seemed to follow me, or so I thought. I now know my activism was much more conscious than I realized. I had made pivotal decisions that led to my involvement.

When I graduated from college, I went to work for two years on a political campaign instead of working in corporate America. When I graduated from law school, I signed up for the Clinton presidential campaign instead of becoming a high-priced lawyer. And after a few years with a high profile job in the Clinton White House, I left to write a book about being black and gay. Those decisions were bad for my wallet, but good for my spirit, and in the end, they made me an activist.

Posted in politics on November 4 2005, 1:12AM | Read More | Comments (6)

Bush's Popularity Sinks To New Low

Posted in politics on November 4 2005, 2:08AM | Permalink

Young, Black and Gay in the City

For all the progress we've made in the past few decades, it still seems things are quite difficult for black gay youth. Today's news underscores that difficulty. The Gay City News (GCN) reports that Edmond Tillman, a 14-year-old Brooklyn boy, has been missing since August, only months after he came out to his mother and told her he had feelings for other males. Edmond's mother, Alelia Newsome, supported her son, but she told GCN that police had been slow to respond to his disappearance, and a police spokesman described the case as a "runaway" incident instead of a missing child case.

As the Internet has opened up the world of sexuality to young people, it has also exposed them to the dangerous world around them. Edmond "was talking to grown men online," his mother disclosed. Tragically, Edmond disappeared around the same time as 14-year-old Michael Williams in Chicago and 15-year-old Leon Hall in Belleville, Illinois. Williams had also met men on a chat line, according to his family.

Posted in sexuality on November 4 2005, 12:00PM | Read More | Comments (13)

Isaac Julien Is Everywhere

British artist and film maker Isaac Julien first came across our radar screen back in the early 1990s when his films "Looking for Langston" and "Young Soul Rebels" were all the rage. He's come a long way since then, teaching at Harvard, creating successful visual arts productions, and most recently in the current edition of Out magazine on the new "Out 100" list for 2005.

For those who would like to see his art up close, this is the last week to catch Julien's new works, True North and the Fantôme Créole Series, at the Victoria Miro Gallery in London. The exhibit runs from October 14 until November 12. Julien is also featured in a recent issue of Blind Spot magazine. As I said, Isaac Julien is everywhere.

Posted in pop culture on November 7 2005, 1:26AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Santos and Vinick Debate

As a veteran of a political reality TV series, I know a little something about simulated presidential debates. That said, last night's live debate between Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) on "The West Wing" was one of the best presidential debates we've never seen in a real campaign. Santos and Vinick squared for nearly an hour during a special episode of the NBC show that allowed the candidates actors to perform entirely on their own. It was so real that the real news media even covered it.

It was risky, educational, engaging, dull at times, and entertaining at other times. Most importantly, it was such a fascinating and much improved replication of presidential politics that it made you wonder about the real candidates we get every four years. In fact, I'm sure many viewers and observers will soon be asking why our real presidential debates can't be as enlightening as this fake debate was last night, and the answer is pretty simple. The real candidates don't want it. They don't want the awkward, unpredictable and unscripted moments that we saw last night.

So instead we get the same old staged sound bites, and the voters are the real losers. But as millions of Americans go to the polls tomorrow, we should remember what democracy can be if we let if flourish. It's just a shame it took a television show to remind us.

Posted in politics on November 7 2005, 2:03AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Anything to Sell A Record?

Just in time for his new movie and new soundtrack CD (both of which coincidentally drop this week), 50 Cent is back in the news. And what has Mr. Curtis Jackson to say for himself today? Well, I think he's still trying to pick a fight with Kanye West. The man nicknamed for five dimes says there's no place for gay men in the rap world because it's too aggressive for them. He has nothing against gay men, of course, but he just can't see a time when a gay hip hop star will break out.

Here's the exact quote. "Being gay isn't cool - it's not what the music is based on. There's always been conflict at the center of hip hop, because it's all about which guy has the competitive edge, and you can't be that aggressive if you're gay." He goes on to say, "Some rappers are fruity, but they don't say they're gay out in the open." Hmmm. Some say it's an old quote. I'm not sure. But do I really need to comment any further on this? Thanks to Rod for pointing me to this story.

Posted in music on November 7 2005, 2:30AM | Permalink | Comments (39)

Maurice Jamal: My Favorite Things

You may know Maurice Jamal as the lead actor, writer and director of the "The Ski Trip," the first black gay feature-length film on television, which now appears regularly on the Logo channel. But Maurice, whose directing credits also include Chappelle Show, is not resting on his laurels. Instead, he's gearing up for production of his next big film, "Dirty Laundry," with a much bigger budget.

Maurice is always thinking big. In January 2004, he set out to produce and direct his first feature film, "The Ski Trip," with only $10,000. For his new film, "Dirty Laundry," he's working with Loretta Devine, Rockmond Dunbar, Sommore and several other stars. He's even gotten me involved (not as an actor, of course). This week, Maurice and his executive producer Nathan Williams and I are launching a major campaign to raise $200,000 by the end of the year to help produce the film. That means we need 2,000 people to give $100 each. (More on that later.)

Posted in movies on November 7 2005, 2:40AM | Read More | Comments (12)

Waiting To Exhale

We've seen the movie. We've read the book. We've even read the court pleadings. Now we get to see Terry McMillan and Jonathan Plummer up close, together, on the same couch. Tomorrow on Oprah.

I must admit, this is a difficult case. I've talked to Jonathan Plummer and his lawyer and I've heard his side. And I've spoken to E. Lynn Harris, a friend of Terry McMillan, about her side. I don't know what to think about this divorce, except that it's a divorce. A divorce can be an ugly, messy proceeding. To have that take place in public only makes it uglier and messier. Now that the divorce is final, Oprah Winfrey may be the only person in America who could get this former couple together on television. Like many of us, however, I suspect that Jonathan and Terry are simply waiting to exhale so they can move on with their lives.

Posted in sexuality on November 8 2005, 9:46AM | Read More | Comments (44)

T.K.O.

His name has become synonomous with controversy. Terrell Owens, the colorful Philadelphia Eagles receiver known as T.O., has been called "Terrible Owens" and the "Dennis Rodman of the NFL" by his critics and anointed as the man who "rescued Philadelphia" by his defenders. At a time when the NBA is cracking down on its players to change its image, perhaps it is not surprising that the NFL would try to reign in its most controversial player as well.

We knew there was something wrong with Terrell and the team when T.O. was sent home from training camp back in August. Then last week he was suspended indefinitely after making disparaging comments about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Owens apologized but apparently it wasn't enough. Later we discovered that Owens had been suspended, in part, because of a locker room brawl with former teammate Hugh Douglas. And now, the Eagles have finally dropped T.O. altogether.

Posted in sports on November 8 2005, 11:28AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Sign of the Times

Call it a sign of the times. A year after George Bush won a close re-election, Americans don't seem too eager to embrace the President. In Tuesday's two most closely watched elections in Republican-leaning Virginia and in swing state New Jersey, voters rejected Republican candidates for governor and elected Democrats to lead their states.

Posted in politics on November 9 2005, 1:32AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Mixed Bag for Black Gays

African American lesbian candidate Vivian Page lost her bid to become Treasurer of Norfolk, Virginia, and Jass Stewart lost in his campaign to become the first black gay mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts. Also on the ballot, voters in Texas approved a measure to ban gay marriage while voters in Maine rejected a proposal to repeal the state's gay rights law.

In mayoral races, New York's billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg coasted to an easy victory over Democratic candidate Fernando Ferrer, Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin was re-elected to lead that city and Mark Mallory became the first black mayor popularly elected in Cincinnati. However, Detroit's mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, 35, was still locked in a close race hours after polls had closed.

Posted in politics on November 9 2005, 2:28AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

When Victims Fight Back

I grew up next to a corn field in Missouri and I was comfortable around guns and knives from childhood, but I'm not a fan of arming the public to defend themselves. Having said that, however, I do believe in self-defense. That's why I was so intrigued by the story of a young man in Philadelphia who fought back against his gay bashing attackers two weeks ago.

Twenty-one-year-old Lucas Dawson was on his way to meet friends in downtown Philadelphia when four teens reportedly rushed him. The teens knocked him on the ground, kicked him and called him "faggot," according to Dawson's family. In response, Dawson pulled out a small pocket knife to get the attackers to back off and then ran away. One of the teens, 17-year-old Gerald Knight, chased him and grabbed him. During the scuffle, Dawson fatally stabbed Knight in the chest, according to press reports.

Dawson is currently in jail, unable to raise the $30,000 bail for release, while three of his attackers remain at large. Dawson has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and faces up to 30 years in prison, but his family worries that even if he is acquitted, the three attackers may seek retaliation. Some groups like Pink Pistols support arming gays. Others remain skeptical. But a couple of questions come to mind in this case. First, did Dawson do the right thing? Second, what would you have done?

Posted in sexuality on November 9 2005, 11:46AM | Permalink | Comments (35)

The Dirty Laundry Campaign

We're about to make history! Director Maurice Jamal, executive producer Nathan Hale Williams and I today launch a bold new fundraising campaign for MoJam Production's new film Dirty Laundry. It's a brand new film with quirky, lovable and complex characters played by an amazing cast. And it's quite different from their first film, The Ski Trip. But in order to begin production of the film, Mojam needs to raise at least $200,000 by the end of the year. That means we need 2,000 people to give $100 each.

If you contribute to this film, you get the satisfaction of knowing that you played a role in making it happen. But that's not all. In exchange for your support of this film, you will receive two direct benefits. First, you will be invited to a premiere VIP screening of DIRTY LAUNDRY. Second, your name will be listed in the credits at the end of the film (you can also remain anonymous if you like). More importantly, you will be a part of history.

Posted in movies on November 9 2005, 11:50AM | Read More

A Hot Mess

Bestselling author Terry McMillan appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show today and at first she seemed ready to launch into another tirade against her gay ex-husband and a bitter, misinformed attack on gay men. But she seemed to mellow out a bit when her ex-husband Jonathan Plummer came on stage, although neither one of the two was entirely sympathetic. To be honest, this was the most disappointing episode of the Oprah show I've seen since J.L. King appeared on the show in May 2004.

Despite the hostility they've expressed publicly, McMillan and Plummer acknowledged that they actually spent the night together recently and they still love each other, although they won't be "kickin' it" and won't be intimate. But for every sort of breakthrough moment on the show, there were plenty of blame-filled moments of misinformation about homosexuality and gay men.

Posted in pop culture on November 9 2005, 4:56PM | Read More | Comments (91)

Noah's Arc Butches Up

After weeks of delving into the feminine side of manhood, Noah's Arc last night took a turn toward the masculine -- the hypermasculine that is. After discovering that his boyfriend likes thug types, Chance hooked up with a local thug named T Money for "thug lessons" and spent most of the episode in do rags, slanted baseball caps and oversized athletic jerseys.

Meanwhile, struggling Noah finally lands a job, but it turns out he has to edit Wade's script to make it "edgier" and he can't find the heart to break the news to Wade while Wade is being such a good boyfriend. Ricky descends further and further into his sex addiction and further toward becoming an unlikeable character. And last, Alex leaves his job at the white-run HIV clinic to set up his own facility, the Black AIDS Institute, in the hood.

Posted in pop culture on November 10 2005, 1:58AM | Read More | Comments (62)

On Break Today

I'm in Los Angeles for the weekend. On Saturday I will be speaking at the Drug Policy Alliance conference in Long Beach. I will be back in New York on Monday, where I will be moderating a panel on HIV/AIDS in the black gay community for People of Color in Crisis and Gay Men of African Descent. Panelists will include Mark McLaurin, Kwame M. Banks, Frank L. Roberts, Darrell P. Wheeler and Walid Smith. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the Kate Murphy Amphitheatre on 27th St. & 7th Avenue in New York.

I will not be updating the site until Monday. Until then, enjoy the weekend.

Posted on November 11 2005, 3:52PM | Permalink

A Black Gay Renaissance

A casual night out in Los Angeles turned into an event Saturday with the simple act of black men coming together for a meal. In the course of the evening, I realized there's something dramatic going on in our community. It's a cultural awakening, a rebirth of consciousness. Black gays and lesbians are standing up, speaking out and creating our own identities and culture. In film, literature, television, art and politics, we're experiencing an explosion of new images, ideas, art and activism. Whether or not we realize it, a black gay renaissance is underway.

We met at the Abbey at the corner of Robertson and Santa Monica on the same night when the VIBE Awards after-party was taking place. But it was not just a guys night out. It was a dramatic testament to our collective power as a people. First there was Noah's Arc director Patrik-Ian Polk. Next there was Ski Trip director Maurice Jamal and executive producer Nathan Hale Williams. Then there was Quincy Lenear and Deondray Gossett, the co-directors of The DL Chronicles. And Topher Campbell, the British filmmaker, joined us as well. There was no shade, no competition and no rivalry at play. It was a group of black men coming together in fellowship, and it was a sign that we can actually work in different areas and still support one another.

Posted in sexuality on November 14 2005, 1:00PM | Read More | Comments (37)

Unraveling The AIDS Mystery

For the next few days, I'm going to look at some of the mysteries of the black AIDS epidemic. Today I look at the study that supposedly showed that "46 percent of black gay men are HIV positive." Tomorrow I look further at the problem and explore solutions to the crisis. Then on Thursday I look at the relationship between black women with HIV/AIDS and black gay men.

In June 2005, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control published a report that showed that 46 percent of black men who have sex with men (MSM) in 5 American cities tested HIV positive. Since then, there's been plenty of debate and finger pointing about what to do and whom to blame. Last night, I moderated a panel on the HIV/AIDS crisis among black gay men, where the panelists and audience members discussed these issues and what to do next. To help understand the problem, I am posting the raw figures (above) from the CDC study released in June. I have also posted some observations below.

Posted in sexuality on November 15 2005, 11:35AM | Read More | Comments (4)

Doug Cooper-Spencer: My Favorite Things

It's rare that I talk about books that I haven't read, but I want to make an exception in this case. Doug Cooper-Spencer's new book, This Place Of Men is not exactly new to me. I actually did read the original manuscript several years ago and made comments to him that he used to complete the finished book. I just got the finished book in the mail recently, and I'm looking forward to (re-)reading it.

The book tells the story of two men, Otis and Terrell, whose teenage relationship was torn apart by Terrell's father and his pastor. As the two men approach their fortieth birthdays, Otis returns home to confront the father who had turned his back on him, the lover, now married, who denied him, and the minister who brought about his downfall.

Today I take a look at Doug's favorite web sites.

Posted in books on November 15 2005, 12:08PM | Read More | Comments (4)

Eight Ways We Can Re-Think AIDS

Yesterday I started writing about the June 2005 CDC study that seemed to show that 46 percent of black gay men were HIV positive. To be honest, I do not believe that statistic. I know I'm not supposed to say that. The politically correct position is to cite the statistic as evidence of why we need more money in our community. But I think the focus on the 46 percent figure misses the point.

Yes, we do have a crisis with AIDS in the black community. Yes, black gay and bisexual men are overwhelmingly and disproportionately affected by the epidemic. And yes, we do need a whole lot more money to help fight the disease in black America. But we also need to generate our responses based on accurate information about the epidemic in our community. I don't know if the real figure is 26 percent, 46 percent or 66 percent, but I do know there's a problem, and I know we need reliable data. A sample of 200 men in five cities does not provide enough reliable information to make firm conclusions.

Posted in sexuality on November 16 2005, 12:16PM | Read More | Comments (31)

Another Night On The Town

Another day, another night on the town. Last night I attended the Instinct Magazine party in New York. I was selected by the magazine as one of the 25 "leading men" in 2005, so I couldn't miss it. But Tuesday night was the real thrill of the week. It was one of those nights that reminds me why I love New York. First I attended the Callen-Lorde dinner at Capitale. The event benefited the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center that provides health services for New York's LGBT community.

This year's honorees included several of my heroes. New York City Councilman Phil Reed, an openly gay and openly HIV-positive African American, kicked off the night with an energetic acceptance speech. He was followed by another hero, Dr. Richard Isay, the author of Being Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development. His book was the first book I read when I came out in 1991. I had never met him before Tuesday night, so I made sure to thank him after he spoke. Finally, tennis great Martina Navratilova closed the night when she accepted her award. But that was just the beginning.

Posted in pop culture on November 17 2005, 12:22AM | Read More

Hooked On TV

I've become hooked on several TV shows this season, and Noah's Arc is just one of them. So today I'm going to explain why I like a few of my favorite shows. First up, Noah's Arc.

Noah's Arc

Last night's episode of Noah's Arc explored all four main characters and their relationships. Noah and Wade's relationship has evolved from a writing partnership to a physical relationship and now back to a writing partnership. Ricky has developed a friendship with newcomer Junito (Wilson Cruz), but Junito wants more from their platonic relationship. Chance saddles up with his new thug friend T Money but a slap in the face puts himself back in the arms of Eddie. And Alex has opened up the new Black AIDS Institute but still suspects Trey of cheating.

Posted in pop culture on November 17 2005, 12:00PM | Read More | Comments (21)

10 New Facts About Blacks and AIDS

It's that time of year again. It's the time when everybody pays attention to AIDS, at least for a few weeks. Two weeks from today, the global community observes World AIDS Day on December 1. Tonight in Los Angeles, the Black AIDS Institute holds its annual Heroes In The Struggle event. And earlier today, the U.S. government released new figures on the AIDS epidemic in the African American community.

The numbers will come as a shock to some. The rate of HIV diagnosis among blacks declined by about 5 percent per year since 2001, the government reported today. The decrease seems to be attributable, in part, to a reduction in HIV transmission from injection drug users. But the HIV rate for blacks (76.3 per 100,000) was still more than 8 times higher than the rate for whites (9.0 per 100,000) in 2004.

There are several major stories here. First, the AIDS crisis is still out of control in black America, even as it seems to have leveled off in much of straight white America. Second, needle exchange programs seem to work in reducing new infections. And third, for all the talk about skyrocketing HIV/AIDS rates among blacks, there's just not much evidence to back it up. In fact, the HIV rates are falling, not increasing in black America. Maybe we're doing something right after all.

Posted in sexuality on November 17 2005, 5:00PM | Read More | Comments (16)

I Never Liked Those Singlets Anyway

It seems the NCAA has approved a new wrestling uniform, the first change to traditional wrestling gear in four decades, the New York Times reports. Only about a dozen of the more than 200 college wrestling teams plan to compete in the two-piece outfits this year, but at least one coach predicts the new gear is the wave of the future.

Personally, I'd like to see wrestlers compete with shorts and no shirt, but that's not always a pretty sight and some guys sweat so much it could be very distracting as well. The traditional singlet looks great on guys with great bodies, but on many wrestlers it's not attractive. That's also a problem with the new form-fitting two-piece outfit, which is thought to be too snug for some athletes with bigger stomachs. As a wrestler myself, I support any reasonable change that makes the sport more accessible to participants and more interesting to observers.

Posted in sports on November 18 2005, 1:33AM | Read More | Comments (11)

Gay Bashers Beware

Lucas Dawson, a black gay man in Philadelphia, was cleared of criminal charges after defending himself in a scuffle with gay bashers last month. But the case remains open, and Dawson faces the possibility of re-arrest if new evidence is discovered. In an interview with Steve Kmetko on QTN World News on PlanetOut, Dawson (shown here on the right) explained what happened the night of his attack. (See the video.)

The night of October 29, Dawson, 21, was walking through the East Mount Airy section of Philadelphia to meet friends at a nightclub when he ran across 7 guys across the street who began yelling anti-gay epithets at him. "Look at that faggot. Look at those tight-ass jeans," they screamed. Dawson kept on walking but the attackers confronted him and physically assaulted him, he said. After he had been punched, kicked and stomped on the ground, he "felt a wave of strength," jumped up, pulled out a pocket knife and "started swinging." One of his attackers, 17-year-old Gerald Knight, died from Dawson's strike.

Posted in sexuality on November 21 2005, 12:25AM | Read More | Comments (36)

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Three years ago, we reported on the case of Nikko Briteramos, a young black college freshman in mostly white South Dakota who was convicted and imprisoned for having unprotected sex a few weeks after he discovered he was HIV positive. Two years ago, we reported on Mor Rondo Roberts, a 31-year-old black gay man, who was convicted in Ohio for failing to tell a sex partner that he was HIV positive. Although his sex partner tested negative for HIV, Roberts was sentenced to 4 years in prison. Last year we reported on Anthony Whitfield, a black man in mostly white Washington state who was convicted of exposing 17 women to HIV by having unprotected sex with them.

Today we present a new case of a new poster boy for HIV sex crimes, Trevis Smith, a linebacker for the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Posted in sexuality·sexuality·sports on November 21 2005, 12:08PM | Read More | Comments (39)

Billy Porter: My Favorite Things

You may have seen him on Law and Order. Or perhaps you caught him singing on Broadway. You may have heard him in concert at Joe's Pub in New York. You may have listened to his new CD, At the Corner of Broadway & Soul. Or you may have seen him for the first time last Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Show. His name is Billy Porter, and he's a self-described "Ghetto Superstar," or at least that's the colorful name of his show.

I've seen Billy perform a couple of times this year alone. I loved him at Joe's Pub. And I loved him when he performed at the annual dinner for the National Black Justice Coalition in September. He sings two of my favorite songs in the world. The first is King of the World and the other is World's Gon' Hav 2 Wait. So it was my pleasure to speak to Billy recently and explore a little slice of his world by finding out what he does online.

Posted in theater on November 21 2005, 5:16PM | Read More | Comments (10)

Kurt Vonnegut: A Man Without A Country

Ever since I read The Sirens of Titan 20 years ago for a college class, Kurt Vonnegut has been one of my favorite writers. His latest work, A Man Without A Country, is a fitting ending for the author who has devoted his life to using words to entertain and educate.

For those hoping to find another classic work of Vonnegut fiction, be warned, this is not a novel. Instead, it is a memoir of Vonnegut's own thoughts, writings, and reflections at 83. Vonnegut is unapologetically liberal, and he uses this book to espouse unconventional wisdom that most contemporary writers would rather avoid.

Posted in books on November 22 2005, 10:29AM | Read More | Comments (3)

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

Thanks to Derrick L. Briggs and everyone who showed up at my final book signing event of the year on Saturday. Derrick runs a popular monthly book discussion club in New York, and I was his last guest of the year. But there were quite a few people from the blogosphere in the house that night. In fact, it was like a bloggers reunion.

As you can see from the picture above, ProdigalSun, Maurice Jamal, No4Real4real, our host Rob, myself, and Derrick L. Briggs were all there. Also present was blogger and cultural critic Clay Cane.

Once again, I'm inspired and encouraged when I see our people coming together in positive, supportive environments to break bread, talk and make new friends. I have something else to be thankful for this holiday week.

Posted in sexuality on November 22 2005, 1:40PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Grandmama Said Knock You Out

Kelly Rowland towered over Jermaine Dupri. Serena Williams towered over Frankie J. But no one towered over Will Smith. At 6'2 and 210 pounds, Will Smith is still the heavyweight champion of crossover music and movies, and he demonstrated his longevity tonight when he beat out 50 Cent and Rob Thomas for favorite pop/rock male artist at the American Music Awards. Smith previously won the same award in 2000.

Smith has a reputation for being a lightweight in the hypermasculine rap world, so he pointedly defended his artistic choices in his acceptance speech.

"I made a commitment a long time ago to my grandmother -- the type of person I was going to be, the type of music I was going to make, the type of movies I was going to make. I made a commitment to my grandmother, and ya'll supported me in that and I want to thank you for that. Ya'll know what kind of world it is. It's hard sometimes to stay committed to principles, to stay committed to ideas in the face of a world where things are leaning another direction. There's a gravitational pull to negativity, and I just want ya'll to know I'm gonna hold it down as long as I can."

Wow. And he had me at hello.

Posted in music on November 22 2005, 11:28PM | Read More | Comments (16)

Happy Thanksgiving

With all that's happening during the holidays this week, please take some time to relax and enjoy. The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. Thanksgiving itself is the biggest eating day of the year. The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year. And the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the second busiest travel day of the year.

With all that going on, I will be on break for the holiday. Don't forget to contribute to the Dirty Laundry fundraising campaign during the break. The site will be updated again on Monday, November 28. Also on Monday, I will be speaking at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The speech will take place at 5 p.m. in the Sanders Classroom Auditorium.

In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 23 2005, 12:37AM | Permalink

Tim'm West: My Favorite Things

How do you describe someone like Tim'm West? He's a musician, activist, author and publisher. He's been a gay rapper long before the gay rapper question was even getting asked. And he's a modern day Renaissance man, gifted in many different fields with a diverse concern of interests.

Officially described in his bio as an educator, scholar, journalist, poet, and rapper, Tim'm completed his B.A. at Duke University, but he says the foundation for his creative future was planted in Taylor, Arkansas, where he was well known in high school as a poet, choreographer, vocalist, and actor. Since then, he's come a long way, having been named everywhere from the New York Times to Newsweek.

Posted in music on November 28 2005, 10:10AM | Read More | Comments (24)

This Week on Noah's Arc

"After the success of his first studio writing gig, Noah schemes to find a way to restore Wade's professional manhood. Meanwhile, the gang rallies around Ricky as he faces a personal crisis; Alex tries to win back Trey; and Chance makes a big decision about his failed relationship with Eddie." That's the official description for this week's episode of Noah's Arc. But there's more to the episode than meets the eye.

In this week's episode, we learn more about HIV and AIDS and about Alex's new project, the Black AIDS Institute. In the television series, the Institute is a small upstart AIDS agency serving the black community. In real life, however, the Black AIDS Institute is a real national organization serving the interests of the black community. That's why Noah's Arc is teaming up with the Institute for a special fundraiser for World AIDS Day.

Posted in pop culture on November 28 2005, 11:34AM | Read More | Comments (12)

Commander In Chief

It was bound to happen sooner or later. The first female president on the continent of Africa was elected this month when Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became president of Liberia. In the same month, Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor of Germany. And here in the U.S., we're left with an actress who plays president on television, but we've never come close to electing a woman leader.

Women leaders have been popping up all over. In addition to Germany and Liberia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Finland, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, New Zealand the Philippines and Sri Lanka all have female leaders now. In recent years, women have led Argentina, Canada, France, Great Britain, Haiti, India, Israel, Nicaragua, Panama, Pakistan, Portugal and Turkey.

Posted in politics on November 29 2005, 10:35AM | Read More | Comments (24)

The 100 Best Books of 2005

The New York Times has put out its list of 100 notable books of the year. These lists are like car accidents. We don't like them but we can't help looking. So naturally as a black author, I thought I would check the list for black books. I found three. Well, actually, that depends on how you count.

I actually found two books that I knew for sure were written by black authors. One, in the fiction column, is Zadie Smith's book On Beauty. The other, in the nonfiction column, is Mirror to America, the autobiography of the legendary black historian John Hope Franklin. But then there's Dream Boogie, the new biography of Sam Cooke. The subject is black, the audience is probably black, but the author is white. Does that make it a black book or not?

Posted in books on November 30 2005, 12:24PM | Read More | Comments (17)

NBJC Teams With Sharpton, Farrakhan

The National Black Justice Coalition, the country's only national black gay and lesbian civil rights organization, today announced two new projects with two of the most prominent figures in the African American community -- Rev. Al Sharpton and Minister Louis Farrakhan.

The Coalition announced that Rev. Al Sharpton, a 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, will be one of the key participants in an historic summit of black religious leaders to be convened in Atlanta in January 2006. At the same time, the organization announced that it has been working with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and on other projects.

Posted in sexuality on November 30 2005, 10:34PM | Read More | Comments (18)