Priests, Queers, and Bridges

Last week, as I stewed in a sticky, stinking, sad hospital bed at St. Vincent's Hospital, a priest appeared and broke through my morphine haze.

"Would you like to receive the sacraments of communion or healing?" the priest asked.

"No honey, I'm gay."

"I can still offer you an anointment for healing."

"No, thanks."

"I will keep your health and recovery in my prayers," he said, pityingly, then checked a box on his clipboard and retreated to the nurses' station.

evening light

A QNY How I Got Here: Brooklyn Bill

By Brooklyn Bill

This is my entry in a planned series describing QNY bloggers' arrivals in the city. It was inspired by the Waking Up to New York essays in New York magazine's My First New York cover package from last spring that also inspired a new book of essays about New Yorkers' early days in their new city.
***
Arrived: 2005
I knew I was moving to New York about a year and a half before I actually did. Four months after I bought a house in the little town of Stockton, New Jersey, my co-workers and I got word that our jobs were eventually moving from central Jersey to Manhattan. The timing depended on the completion of a building in midtown that was going to serve as my company's headquarters. In the interim, my house in Jersey would get flooded* by the Delaware River. And on the day my friend Pat drove me to Brooklyn, with the moving van on its way ahead of us, a family of shysters took up residence in my restored home. They would end up costing me a good deal in bounced rent checks and emotional distress.

Pat and I arrived in Park Slope to find that my movers couldn't get into my apartment because no one on the building's board had made copies of all of the keys I would need to actually move in. The movers cooled their heels for an hour until the super could replace the door lock.

Almost immediately, I started dating a guy I met online. We'd gotten together a couple of times downtown, and for the third date, he invited me to dinner at his apartment in Washington Heights. To get to his neighborhood, all I had to do was take a 2 or 3 train up the west side, change over to the 1, and ride that for several stops. I'm not sure how I managed to do it, but I fucked up the switch to the 1, ended up on another train, and got completely lost. After racing aboveground, I called the guy to let him know I was running terribly late. Luckily, he hadn't started on the key, time-sensitive steps in the risotto he was preparing. I eventually arrived at his place, with a container of mostly melted homemade chocolate chip mint ice cream. By the time we'd enjoyed his delicious risotto, some wine, and each other's bodies, the ice cream had resolidified and we ate our dessert. Heading back home a little later, I asked a couple of guys standing near the stairway leading to the uptown 1 platform where the entrance for the downtown 1 was. They mocked me.

*My home isn't quite visible in that photo. It was to the left of the leftmost house.

The Traynoir Towers, an Immodest Proposal

by baad lamb

On a recent long weekend to visit with my love, the silliness takes over completely.

And need I say it? All the photos embiggen nicely!

South Elevation                      East Elevation              North Elevation

Plan

Here is a model of the latest construction proposed to rise from the South Florida hardscape. If handled correctly, this penetrating design by a young up-start architect (who tries to remain anonymous, but everyone's got his number) might soon be fully erected on the Fort Lauderdale Beach by Richard M. Biggens, a well-known, crotchety old developer.

The Traynoir Towers, as they'll probably be called, would be named for three memorable bartending brothers who exploded on the club scene not long ago. At first, they were seen around town with just about everyone, but then one day they disappeared so quickly, that people were left scratching. their heads.

Mr. M. Biggens describes his pet project: “This mixed use development will consist of three eggplant colored towers - none of them completely straight - offering residential, office and hotel space. These three towers are thematically similar in overall appearance, but two will be taller, while what the third one lacks in size, it makes up for in girth. On the model, you can see how each slightly curved structure gently widens near the top, where the sun glistens warmly as it caresses the buildings’ taut skin.”

He continues: “A giant sports complex will positively dominate the connecting base, and under each tower will be a large ball field. I’m thinking baseball, football, and basketball. Or maybe all-basket ball.”

There was originally very stiff opposition, due to the abnormally long shadows the tower complex would point across the beachfront, but tricky-Dick-M. knew how to poke all the right people, so permits have been granted.

An orgy of fireworks accompanied the erection of the massive marketing sign bearing a simple minimalist message:

Coming Soon!

walk don't walk

christopher st - sheridan square

The GLBT EXPO, an Upside-down Pride Parade

by baad lamb

A fun and informative diversion this past weekend was had by anyone stopping by the GLBT EXPO at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on Sunday afternoon.

There were only 2 hours left before closing by the time I arrived, but there were still plenty of people roaming the aisles (including, it seems, QNY's own Darling!, who filed his report here. Hi, Darling!).

The expo is at its core a marketing event; a forum for companies who want to sell products and services to the GLBT community, or for organizations, community groups, sports teams, non-profits and social services to raise their profiles or reach out directly to a queer or queer-positive demographic.

Lots more, and video, after the jump....

QNY Snapshot: Playwright Joe Marshall

Posted by David

In June of 2009, Joe Marshall and his partner moved to New York City from Phoenix.  Never in his wildest dreams did he think that six months later, a play of his would be premiering Off-Broadway.

But that is exactly what happened, through a combination of good timing, good luck and good connections.

THE GLBT EXPO WEEKEND

By Darling!

The rainbow balloon arches greeted us as we descended the Javitz Center escalators to the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Trans gender Expo of 2010.
There were so many displays of Gay owned and/or Gay friendly organizations and businesses to choose from....that it was all a bit overwhelming.

Starting with the major companies like Avon skincare where I encountered Billy Kolber a hairy bear version of an Avon lady (I'm planning a future post on reducing dark under eye circles so stay tuned) , the fabu Cirque De Soleil, and Mohegan Sun Resorts, down to the lesser known all natural Mantra Skincare that will not only smooth your dry skin but will strengthen your inner spirit. There was the wonderful Heritage of Pride which brings us the Gay Pride Parade and Pier Dance each year (sorry I missed you Mo Mo), and the Florida Keys-Key West booth where I met the charming Stephen K. Smith.


There were several live half naked boys (always an eye catcher in my book)

More and photos, after the jump!

QNY Wine List: A Delicious Sauvignon Blanc

By Brooklyn Bill

On Saturday, some friends and I enjoyed a wonderful sauvignon blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough wine region, which is known mostly for its SBs. (And to a much lesser extent, for its king shag, which sounds like a royal fucking but is actually a rare seabird.) It was the delicious 2009 Fairhall Downs, which I found to be quite lively and citrusy. (I have to admit that I failed to detect the "suggestion of box hedge.")

I find that Marlborough SBs are among the safest of wine bets when I'm buying an unfamiliar label. The only characteristic that throws some of them off for me is a strong green-pepper flavor. Thankfully, the Fairhall Downs lands on the thiols end of the methoxypyrazine/thiols SB spectrum.

The sticker price was $16.99 at Shawn Wine & Spirits. I'll be picking up more.

QNY Loves NYC Photographer Rick Day

By Father Tony

You'll want to check out the latest images of Matthew Stephen Herrick by NYC photographer Rick Day over at yvymag.

More NSFW samples and links, after the jump.

Google Ap Tweet

By Patrick

I got a new camera last Fall that included a primitive video function.  I guess they all do, now.  My exploration of the possibilities led to this silliness. 

What Else Could She Throw?

First she threw the Snowpocalypse.

Then came Snowmageddon‘s one-two sucker punches.

And last weekend was a monsoon rain of truly biblical proportions.

Just when it seemed that New York had had enough, and there was nothing left to throw at us, Mother Nature decided to reward our perseverance and throw a giant Party!

On Saturday, with bright sunshine and temperatures in the mid seventies, everyone in New York accepted her invitation, and raced to Central Park.

Since it’s still so early in the season, the Sheep Meadow’s gates were not yet open, which meant the relaxing flocks had to choose other locations for striping off their shirts and shoes and setting up their picnic spots. This had the surreal effect of leaving New York’s front lawn serene and empty, while the normally more sedate pathways, glades and rocks surrounding it were gloriously full, as thousands of First Day of Spring celebrants gamboled about.

Much, much more after the jump… 

Staten Islander John Foxell: "You can never have too many crucifixes."

by Father Tony

I don't think he's too eccentric.

He does not use computers. He hasn’t driven a car for more than 20 years. He has never flown in a plane. He has no television set. He has never had a credit card or a checking account; he pays cash for virtually every purchase. He has never sent an e-mail message; instead, he writes letters.

Be sure to watch the slide show.

(Paul Moakley photo for the NY Times)

In the Park with a Bugger

By Father Tony

Not Central Park but Hugh Taylor Birch Park in Fort Lauderdale. The delightful Renaissance manly bug afficionado in the video is Doug Taron of Chicago who writes the popular blog Gossamer Tapestry. He is on his way to Miami where he will deliver a lecture about a virus that is threatening butterflies.

a tour of the beacon theater

Shiny Black and Wet after Midnight

by baad lamb
The recently revised Revson Fountain at the "center" of Lincoln Center is bigger, darker, shinier and sleeker than the original. Greater quantities of more powerful jets shoot better lit frothy streams higher into the air. After midnight, when late winter cold keeps posing couples and crowds away, boys can play with their cheap digital cameras as long as frozen fingers will function. The surrounding darkness combined with the brightly lit water jets enhances the reflection factor and fascinates those easily amused (yup, count me in).

Both videos are best viewed full screen. "Horizontal" starts slightly static, but interest increases about 35 seconds in.
Then check out "Vertical" after the jump. 

Calling All Queer Bloggers

By Father Tony

I have just registered our group for the Sunday June 27, 2010, New York City Pride March.

New York bloggers and digital activists should contact me to be a part of our group. Queer bloggers from out of town who plan to be in NYC that weekend are also invited.
I will need to register everyone in our group by name, so please be sure to contact me.

I'm thinking new banner, new t shirt design, more razzle dazzle?

Last year we had great fun:

Study finds gays and lesbians excluded from some clinical trials

By Beau

A new study being published in The New England Journal of Medicine today looked at an array of clinical trials, both federally funded and industry funded, finding a clear trend of using exclusionary language for gays and lesbians in some studies, especially around those looking at sexual function.

Clinical trial work happens to be my sweet spot so I found this study interesting but not surprising.  Exclusionary language in study protocols can look surprisingly benign but anyone in the know can quickly see how the written exclusions carve out LGBT people without explicitly saying "gay", "lesbian", or referencing sexual orientation.  Bringing this kind of information to light underscores the need to address and correct the ongoing disparities in LGBT health care.  It is one more way to say that we as an LGBT population have the same needs and issues, including health issues, as every other human being, regardless of our sexual orientation.

Home Sweet Home

by Hungry Rabbit


Ever since I got home from visiting childhood friends in San Francisco, I have this yearning to eat my  childhood's favorite food. There's Egg Custard Tarts with the flaky pastry dough, Ginger Milk, a nice bowl of Wonton Noodle Soup, Poached Chicken with a simple Ginger Scallion condiment and the ultimate comfort food of all, Fried Rice.

The recipe for my 'Cantonese' Fried Rice is more of a guideline. Fried Rice is one of those easy recipes you can add any fresh ingredients, leftovers, herbs and condiments. There are no rules to it except one- no soggy mess. The key to good fried rice is

1. air-dried the rice to rid of excess moisture and

2. to bloom the aromatics (scallion, ginger, etc).

Once you follow these simple steps, you can change up ingredients according to your mood or what's available in the refrigerator. I used items that I always keep in my freezer, Wild Blue Shrimp (12-15 count) from Trader Joe's, frozen Peas & Carrots. 

(Recipe - after the jump.)

Zero Hour

By Father Tony

Seeing this on JMG reminded me that I saw Zero Hour two years ago when it played to a very appreciative Florida audience.

From my review of that production:

Then the house lights were extinguished, and from the very first second of “Zero Hour”, it became clear that Jim would drive, and that there would be cliffs, hairpin turns, dangerous intersections, and even a sideways hurdling M-15 Crosstown bus. Not to worry, he got us through the evening intact and thrilled with the ride. Be forewarned: this is not your grandmother’s one-man show. This is a startling, electrifying and explosive two-hour tour of a man who has a lot to say and doesn’t have time to make nice or to wait for us to ask the right questions.

Jim and his partner Steve are delightful, talented and sumptuously entertaining.

Zero Hour
DR2 Theater on E15th Street Union Square
telecharge.com 212 239-6200

welcome back kotter

QNY Recall - Come back, Jack.

By Father Tony

This week in the South Florida Gay News, I wrote about Jack Rutland who had been Director of the Museum of the New York Historical Society, and, "Mr. New York Eagle 2000".

My profile of Jack, after the jump.

South Florida Pride Moment

By Father Tony

There is something in the water down here.

Popperazzi

By Father Tony

Yesterday, at a booth in the annual South Florida Pride Festival:

QNY Review - "Looped"

Posted by Mondschein


"Looped" at the Lyceum Theatre, February 24, 2010

Tallulah Bankhead is the center of Matthew Lombardo's play about a recording session to correct one line from Ms. Bankhead's final movie as it goes through its final editing stage in 1965.

At this late stage in her life (Ms. Bankhead died in 1968), she has ruined her career with drugs, alcohol and sex.  Her film has all signs of being a flop and the creative team has all but abandoned the project. Left to handle the recording session is the film editor Danny (Brian Hutchison).  Tallulah (Valerie Harper) shows up several hours late and already drunk.  What follows is two acts of cat and mouse as Tallulah chases Danny's secrets down and drags them out.  Along the way are a multitude of one-liners and quips, some of which are pretty funny, but eventually they get very predictable.


As Tallulah, Ms. Harper achieves a respectable impersonation, but doesn't seem to have the material to really reveal anything about her that we didn't already know.  She swears like a sailor, drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney, yet still sees her only value in her sexuality, which she foists like a weapon.

Cartocacoethes* - The Island of Siliconia

by baad lamb

“You love Henry, but you love his kingdom too. You look at him, and you see cities, acreage, coastline, taxes. All I see is Henry.” 

Alais Capet - to Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter 

I think I understand Eleanor’s mapular degeneration.

Equal to the pleasures of viewing the earth’s surface from afar  are those of viewing it up really close. It’s not the devil, or that other guy that’s in these details, but it may well be Dr. Seuess. Sure, Horton heard a Who, but what if he had eagle eyes instead of elephant ears? No doubt he’d have seen evidence of mini worlds everywhere. As do I...

An autumn leaf obeys its genetic code and pushes itself gently towards earth, its bright colors attracting the eye.

But a deeper look reveals the distinct diagram of a fantastical fallen city: Dense networks of once-ancient trails forming a Barri Gotic, whose dark narrow lanes eventually thicken into broad ceremonial boulevards.

These inscribed arterial lifelines point the way out of the crowded city center, and continually beckon photo-synthetic adventurers to unexplored worlds beyond their cellulose city walls.
Meet Evil and Alien after the jump...

Brooklyn isn't so bad

a nice day for a stroll across the brooklyn bridge

The Whole Island: Sixty Years of Cuban Poetry

by Charlie Vázquez


The Whole Island: Sixty Years of Cuban Poetry is the first volume of its kind in terms of size (602 pages) and has been published as a bilingual reader, with Spanish and English pages facing each other for easy cross-referencing. These poems begin in the 1940s, at the end of President Batista’s first term, and trace the line of Cuban history moving forward to the 1959 revolution through the present day. The fruits of Cuba’s 400-year-old literary history dazzle and shine here, needless to say.

The island’s poetic legacy is filled with colorful and queer characters—many of whom were/are often very “out”—despite the harsh repercussions this invited and can still invite. Openly gay poets José Lezama Lima, Virgilio Piñera, and the still-living Antón Arrufat, wrote in a flamboyantly dense style known as neobarroco (neo-Baroque), weaving queerness and political themes into “coded” works—where secret dialogues were apparent to certain people. And sometimes they didn’t mask gay camp at all—such as with Piñera’s “At the One-Eyed Cat.”

                                        At the One-Eyed Cat 

                                        there’s a night within night,
                                        with a moon that emerges for some, 

                                        a sun that shines for others 

                                        and a cock that crows for all.

QNY Growth Spurt: Charlie Vázquez

By Father Tony

Please welcome a new member to the growing QNY team, Charlie Vázquez.

Charlie Vázquez lives in Brooklyn and is a criollo word-warrior of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications and his second novel Contraband will be published by Rebel Satori Press in spring 2010. Info: http://www.firekingpress.com

A QNY Theater Review: The Addams Family

By Brooklyn Bill

On Tuesday, Joyce and I caught a preview performance of The Addams Family, and it was more fun than a barrel of dead monkeys.

The show wasn't 100 percent awesome. As Joyce pointed out, Morticia's plot line about becoming dissatisfied with her life and her marriage to Gomez seemed totally out of character. Indeed, almost all of the plot threads were about love problems, which I know are a staple of musicals but don't seem like a great match for a musical about a creepy family that adores the macabre and despises anything sappy. And not that many of the songs were big winners, at least at first listen.

But TAF provided a ton of laughs. The sets were breathtaking. (Though I have a nit to pick about the visible bar holding up the giant, dazzlingly gorgeous Moon in some scenes.) And let's face it, Bebe Neuwirth was born to play Morticia.

the bridge to somewhere

Turn it On

By baad lamb

The winning NYC condom design has been announced. The internationally understood push-the-button-and-turn-it-on symbol clearly suggests a different tactile activity when used on a condom.

As a bold graphic on a condom wrapper, I like it. The easy double and triple entendres just keep coming and coming. As a New York-centric design, I’m not feeling it.

But the 30 second commercial spots in jazz, Latin and hip-hop versions are catchy, colorful and fun, and of course every version features a male couple in the mix.

Below is the subway poster ad to be used in the East and West Villages.

NYC distributes 3 million free condoms a month. How many of them did you use?

Today on NewYorkSocialDiary

By Father Tony

Dare I say that David Patrick Columbia produces the only NYCentric blog better than ours?

I'm glad he previewed this book, and I can't wait to devour it as soon as it is available.

Are We There Yet?

Love for Evol at Scope New York Art Show

by baad lamb

Not all the art at mega art shows is gimmicky, flashy, retro, shiny, LED backlit, or video.


Or a combination of all the above.

Sometimes the most moving pieces startle with their simplicity.

Evol, born in Heilbronn, Germany and living and working in Berlin, paints architectural details and scenes on found cardboard. Like musicians who claim it’s the spaces between the notes that separate capable musicianship from true artistry, Evol’s deft use of the unpainted cardboard areas are what makes his four Scope show contributions so stunning. These restrained architectural compositions are executed with slow and careful precision using a mask-and-spray process, yielding an extremely convincing photo-realist result.
More photos after the jump...

Wanna see my....

See the video here @ WWD.com

Quick Queer Book Review - Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem

Posted by Riot

I loved Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn, so I was very excited to get my hands on his latest novel, Chronic City.  Alas, I was disappointed.

Chronic City follows the life of a former child sitcom star, now an adult, and his friendship with a former Rolling Stone rock music critic, his romantic affair with a ghost writer, and his oblivious employment by the City of New York.

The Pride

Posted by Mondschein

"The Pride" presented by MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, February 28, 2010

(photo: Joan Marcus)

The Pride tells two stories of Oliver, Philip and Sylvia, the first set in 1958 London and the second fifty years later.  The play opens in the earlier time when Sylvia (Andrea Riseborough) has invited her boss, Oliver (Ben Whishaw) over for drinks with her husband Philip (Hugh Dancy) before dinner out.  Tension builds quickly as Philip finds himself attracted to the not-so-closeted Oliver.  Jump-shift to 2008 and the triangle has shifted.  Oliver (sharing only the same name as his 1958 counterpart) is not dealing well with his recent break-up with Philip, the two of whom were introduced by mutual friend Sylvia. 

Todd Pavlisco Hammers Art Home at Volta NY 2010

Posted by baad lamb

Yes, he really did it, and in a three-channel video to be sure you catch it from every angle, near and far. Todd was on hand to chat about this video performance, perhaps so we’d all know he’s OK. As he was explaining to one inquisitor, he consulted with doctors, who helpfully showed him the best placement of the nail to avoid “permanent” damage, and that using a tri-flanged nail would splay the internal stuff outward during penetration.  Mr. Pavlisco also volunteered that when making the video, he did his best to hammer softly, so as not to offend the neighbors.

In the video, once the nail had been securely pounded through foot and into floor, he force-slid his foot upwards along the nail till there was about 2” of nail showing underneath. Oddly, there was no blood until he pulled the nail out at the end.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies

By Brooklyn Bill

On this day after the Gay Super Bowl,* I wanted to write something about movies. But among the Best Picture nominees, I've seen only Up, and although I recorded the Oscars broadcast, I haven't watched a minute of it. And to be honest, by the end of the show, I'm usually about ready to gag on all of the Hollywood ass kissing and self-worship anyway. So even though you should feel free to write your own thoughts on the Oscars in the comments, if you like, I've got nothing to offer on last night's GSB.

There's one thing movie related, though, that I'm unabashedly a huge fan of: New Yorker Steve Hayes's Tired Old Queen at the Movies videos. I loved Hayes's turn as Perry in Trick, especially his hilarious number "?Como Te Gusta Mi Pinga?" (My favorite rhyme: "can't go on" and "Montalban.") And I've been hooked on his TOQ videos ever since I discovered them over at Joe. My. God. Hayes provides behind-the-scenes insights into classic films that even an *ahem* energetic young queen like me would enjoy. He's sharp, hilarious, and a total delight. The TOQ's latest video is on 1945's Mildred Pierce, starring Joan Crawford in the title role, a performance that landed Crawford her only Oscar. Just like you can be damn sure Sandra Bullock landed the only Oscar she'll ever receive for The Blind Side. OK, maybe I had a little something to say about last night's results.

*I had to link to Ken's blog after Googling "gay super bowl" because his blog has a link to Queer New York, he and his partner have two basset hounds, and he got 8 of his 10 predictions right, correctly foreseeing that Hurt Locker would dominate Avatar.

The German Shepherd, the Archbishop of New York, the Harvard doctor and the truth about HIV transmission

By Tony Adams

There is so much more to a realistic strategy for preventing the spread of HIV than just championing an anti-sex position that is also unsuccessful. Wouldn't education-plus-condoms be a better strategy? Getting lathered over the fact that reliance on condoms used inconsistently might increase the spread of HIV, will the bishops also say, because some men with an undetectable viral load by dint of the new HIV meds are now feeling more inclined to have sex, that those meds ought to be withheld? Shouldn't Catholic hospitals refrain from distributing HIV meds that, like condoms, will result in more sex? The bishops ought to stay on message: the love of Jesus, and get out of the bedroom.

Once again, this is all about the bishops' obsession with the placement of the penis during sex.  They should clean their own houses (including the houses of prostitution that they seem to be mismanaging) before telling Africa what not to do. Magpies.

Free Improv Tonight

By Father Tony

QNY's Justin Elzie on stage:

Time:	6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location:	The People's Improv Theater (The PIT)
Street:	154 W. 29th St.
City/Town:	New York, NY

Nick Ervinck at Volta NY 2010 Contemporary Art Show

Posted by baad lamb

Nick Ervinck's video was easily my favorite thing at the Volta NY 2010 show; I went back to immerse myself in its gooey yellow Fantastic Voyage goodness numerous times. This is just a tiny snippet of the mesmerizing video that took up most of his booth. It simulates traveling through and around one of the curvaceous, complicated computer generated shapes he created, in this case totally out-Zaha-ing Ms. computer-curve-Hadid herself.

In our brief discussion, he explained that he is intrigued by unbuildable architecture. No doubt anticipating that "unbuildable" today is iconic "landmark" tomorrow.

His website displays all the fascinating twists and turns of this young, exciting and in-demand Belgian artist, sculptor, and theorist..

More Volta and Scope to come as time permits….

Another Dude's Slingbacks - A Review

Posted by David

I recently attended a performance of Another Dude's Slingbacks, which opened at the 13th Street Repertory Theatre on Friday, March 5.  My initial impression was that this would be one of those god-awful "gay plays" chock full of stale jokes, bad acting and telegraphed plot points.  Thankfully I was completely wrong.

QNY Favorite New Yorker: Carson Kressley

By Father Tony

I bumped into Carson Kressley at the annual Winter Party in Miami Beach yesterday.
He's delightful.

Night Gallery

Posted by baad lamb

Look out! There are contemporary art shows everywhere you step this weekend. I’ll see how many my feet and wallet can handle Saturday and Sunday, but scoping out the Scope New York show in a Friday midnight stroll to Lincoln Center, here’s what I found:

On the ground near the entrances

are the beautiful sand painting mandalas, swirls, tentacles and borders by artist Joe Mangrum.

The New Yorker

Note From Dan Choi Who Wants You To March With Him Tomorrow (Sunday 3/7/10)

I am honored to march in the INCLUSIVE ST. PATRICK'S PARADE tomorrow, in Queens, NYC.

I hope you can join me in this act of solidarity and principles. The traditional St. Patrick's Day Parade disallows openly gay persons to march and serves as a shameful reminder of bigotry, exclusion and discrimination in our day. Even though the St. Patrick's parades in Ireland are inclusive of openly gay marchers, the NYC parade still discriminates. I urge the parade organizers (Ancient Order of Hibernians) and New York City to march on the right side of justice and history, as the organizers of the NYC Lunar New Year Parade have decided.

Irish Americans and Catholics have suffered discrimination and bigotry throughout their history in America and they must wake up to the hypocrisy in the oppression and discrimination that some of them inflict upon the LGBT community today.

I am particularly honored to march with fellow champions in the LGBT Community: NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, an Irish American who is boycotting the discriminatory parades, newly-elected NYC Councilmember Daniel Dromm, and Community Organizer Mary Lanning. (see press release below)

The Irish also provide an example for open and honest military service, and in national values that include LGBT citizens. It is time for America to do the same.

Personally, as a serving member of the New York Army National Guard, and the Fighting 69th Infantry Regiment (an historically Irish American unit) I firmly believe the values we fight for as soldiers can and must be fully manifest at home. This resonates with me deeply as a member of a unit once composed of second-class citizens. I am proud to serve in my capacity not only as a soldier but as an American citizen who stands on the promises of our country: liberty and justice for all, without discrimination and bigotry.
--
Dan Choi
PO Box 231501
New York, NY 10023
(714) 654-0828
www.ltdanchoi.com
www.knightsout.org

I am also honored to serve alongside Judy Shepard as Grand Marshal of this year's NYC LGBT Pride Parade: Heritage of Pride.http://www.nycpride.org/pressrelease/DC_PressRelease.pdf

Tomorrow's parade route, times, subway stop and afterparty info are after the jump.