Comments on: The End of Gay Mainstream Media? — UPDATE

By: Neptune

Neptune — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:17 +0000

Touche, Ash. Well-deserved poke back at me. While I often disagree with you, I cannot say I completely do this time. It would be better if the gay media was a more welcoming print space for those beliefs (wrong word? the right word escapes me here) as well. Alas, I don’t expect that will be the case. And that is unfortunate. But I do bemoan the demise of an otherwise decent community resource.

By: Ashpenaz

Ashpenaz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:23:24 +0000

I, too, missed the articles about gay Christians and the ones where abstinence was suggested outside a lifelong covenant relationship and the ones which offered a critique of Stonewall-type activism. Huh. I wonder how we both could have missed so many issues?

By: Neptune

Neptune — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:58:42 +0000

Underlying this journalism was an understanding of what it meant to be gay–being gay meant drugs, STDs, multiple partners, gender-bending, and Pride parades.

You must have been reading a different version of the Wash. Blade and SoVo than I did. Where can I get that copy? (Kidding!)

Certainly the Windows Media publications covered the circuit parties and the other questionable aspects of the “community”, but I found both papers (SoVo when I lived in GA and the WashBlade when I lived in DC) to be full of good information that had nothing to do with drugs, STDs, or the other things you mention. There were excellent news pieces on local issues that impacted the gay community, calendars of events that had nothing to do with parties or drugs or sex, listings for health resources, reviews of restaurants, artists/exhibits. All the things a good community paper should have.

When I came back to the states in ’99 and started the process of coming out, the Southern Voice (and then the Washington Blade) were fantastic resources. I read both regularly. And yet somehow I’ve never done a single illicit drug, never been to a circuit party, never had an STD, and have maintained a monogamous relationship for going on 10 years. Guess they failed in that mission, huh?

By: The_Livewire

The_Livewire — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:55:10 +0000

{speculation} TGC, it could be that the DINK phenomonon allows gay couples/singles to bypass the print media entirely, allowing for more internet access and other means of media. {/speculation}

By: ThatGayConservative

ThatGayConservative — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:57:14 +0000

Wow! Guess my copy of Houston Voice with me in it is a collector’s item. Got a few copies of TWiT (This Week in Texas), now defunct, stashed somewhere too. TWiT was a weekly glossy detailing the goings on at the major Texas gay bars.

Say, aren’t we supposed to believe that gays have more money that straight folks? Am I to understand that gay publications aren’t able to tap into (no pun intended, well maybe) investors?

By: Ortho

Ortho — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:30:24 +0000

They are separate, but equal, AE.

By: American Elephant

American Elephant — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:06:51 +0000

Last month, the health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, announced plans to create a national resource center to support elderly gays and lesbians.

In a statement, Rea Carey, executive director of the Washington-based National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said the move “marks a critical step to address the needs of a highly vulnerable and largely invisible aging population.”

Do they have separate facilities for elderly blacks as well?

By: American Elephant

American Elephant — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:00:56 +0000

Rusty,
Segregation now? Integration never? Is that your point?

I was unaware that gays needed different care than other elderly people. How queer!

By: Discarded by Hope and Change

Discarded by Hope and Change — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:15:46 +0000

Now if we can get rid of Seattle Gay News.

Unfortunately the owner/publisher/editor, George Bakan, is thousands of years old

By: rusty

rusty — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:27:24 +0000

here is more news of all those evil gay folk out to destroy. . .

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/help-for-gay-caregivers-who-look-after-elderly/

By: Ashpenaz

Ashpenaz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:15:56 +0000

Underlying this journalism was an understanding of what it meant to be gay–being gay meant drugs, STDs, multiple partners, gender-bending, and Pride parades. That was the norm and any other expression of homosexuality which did not include these things was eccentric. So, this kind of “gay journalism” was toxic to the community and good riddance.

Those of us “eccentrics” for whom “marriage” does not mean “sexual liberation for everyone” will be happy when this kind of journalism is no longer the default position for homosexuals.