The New Darth Vader?

In one of the more recent comments on this post, I am given more credit than I deserve:

Now you, Tony Adams, used by these dark forces, collaborate in the overthrow of Western morals

How they think

There are now 56 comments on this article, 7 of which are mine. Almost all the rest are from very conservative and homophobic Roman Catholics.

This set of comments includes almost every major assertion used to deny queer Catholics their rights:

it's a disorder, like alcoholism
it's a choice
it's a mortal sin
gay is OK but gay sex is sinful
tradition teaches us that its wrong
the bishops have the magisterial authority
it's a cross to bear
the bible tells us it's wrong
some things really are black or white

This thread should be read by anyone attempting to understand the homophobia embraced by the rank and file of American Catholicism.

Cardinal Antonelli to the ladies: Stay home.

Cardinal Antonelli thinks women should stay home baking cookies for their kids. He also thinks that gay marriage and adoption by gay couples could cause "complications". Well he got that part right!

A Warm Evening in Fort Lauderdale

A convivial gathering on the outdoor pavilion of the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale at yesterday evening's Members' Reception for the debut of the exhibit Edward Steichen: In High Fashion the Condé Nast Years, 1923-1937. Left to right, R. Layton Massengill, Rod Stafford Hagwood, Gary Lodge, Terry Whited, Ivonne de la Vega and Robert Wilson.

Mr. Massengill is President of Massengill Ltd. Mr. Hagwood is the fashion columnist of The Sun-Sentinel. Ivonne de la Vega designed the gown auctioned to benefit the museum. Mr. Wilson is an international management consultant. Mr. Massengill and Mr. Whited have been partners for 33 years. Mr. Hagwood and Mr. Lodge have been partners for 7 years.

Mr. Whited sported a real leopard vintage cloche, a mink vest and several pieces of stunning Elsa Perretti jewelry. My review of the Steichen show will appear in the South Florida Gay News. Here is the gown created by Ivonne de la Vega to be auctioned to benefit the museum. I told her I loved it but was worried that the lower bows around the flowers might be ungapatch. Ivonne assured me that they were detachable!

A Seed Planted In Winter Has Sprouted

Are those storm clouds?

New gig

I'm a columnist at the South Florida Gay News. This week, the editor asked me to write about Brian McNaught. Coincidentally, I had been introduced to him just two weeks earlier.

Grouse

The New York Times is my home page.

As much as I like it, I was upset with it today.

There was no mention of the fact that four people got arrested in the course of a protest at the city marriage bureau. Not exactly a secret. All over the blogs, facebook, twitter, etc. It's now almost 10 hours after the event.

This is the difference between the new and old media. The old need more sleep and take it during the day.

Don't tell me to put this news in perspective. I just went through all the stuff featured in the New York Times City Room and found not much of superior value. It's not like it was a big news day wherein the paper had to make choices based on importance of news. They got close to nothin' today. Just some developments on previously reported stories.

You know the phrase "Don't kill the messenger"? These days, the message delivered by an arthritic messenger is that the messenger is close to death and wants to rest. OK. That's my rant.

Dan Choi to hit the streets in NYC

A "Queer New York" exclusive.

A Triple Charles Morning

Yesterday morning was a delightfully exhausting one composed of overlapping conversations with three different Charleses.

There was Chuck Colbert, a reporter, dishing about the planned palace coup.

There was Charles Busch, talking about his new play The Divine Sister.

And, there was a favorite correspondent who has a variety of red herring noms, including the above. We compared notes about the men of DC.

I don't know how I ever managed to fit work into the day. Really.

Catholics for Equality - The Mutiny Begins

I was in DC this weekend as one of the "founding fathers" of Catholics for Equality.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. This could work.

The Latest Mr. Deity

This entire series is so good, I don't think it can be improved.

The Language of Catholicism in Crisis

It has been reported that the surviving auxiliary bishop of Port-au-Prince, at the funeral of its  archbishop who was killed by the earthquake, said

God had something to say and he said it here. He did it because he wants Haiti to become a new country.

Granted, people say crazy things at their times of loss and must be cut slack, but the consistent language of organized religion is like the extrication attempts of someone who has painted himself into a corner. Pitiful enough in times pacific. Unforgettably irritating in harrowing times. Let us all now conclude this funeral mass by joining together to praise God in song for having helped Haiti become new. Page 35 in your hymnals. A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

What ten percent looks like

This is what the new census will reveal. I performed this visual exercise with conflicting feelings about the fact that Florida's Broward County has begun a census that will ask questions about the sexual preference of households. It's good to be counted. It is bad to give a hateful government that much information. Also, if we decide to avoid identifying our households as gay, the government will report that we are not so large a portion of the general population after all, and this would be used against us. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.  Also, those who are closeted still will remain uncounted.

I'm coming to the conclusion that asking census questions about sexual orientation may be a very dangerous misstep. Our advocacy organizations should be protesting this rather than endorsing it.

A New York Mystery

Let neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keep you from going to Queer New York for the baad lamb's wonderful account of the mystery of artist Rico Lebrun.

At The 2010 Golden Globes a few minutes ago,

there was an audible gasp as Cher appeared wearing Donna Summer's hips strapped sideways into  a dimestore dominatrix costume.

The only gown colors were black, white and nude. Who knows why, but Drew Barrymore  accented her edition by perching a blanched porcupine on her shoulder.

OMG. Sophia Loren just appeared. Timeless beauty perfectly attired.

Anyone know what this is?

It is dropping seeds from its lurid orange pine cone-like fruit things in front of my gym. I took two home.

Gagapelle

I am only a tepid fan of native New Yorker Stephani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, but I do love these photos I saw on yvymag. New Yorker David LaChapelle's energy may be waning as a natural consequence of his inevitable growing older. Witness his parents: Pierre et Gilles (mother), Gilbert and George (father) and Viktor and Rolf (aunt).  Also, it is interesting to note that he always chooses and focuses on a muse whereas his partnered parents seemed to scrapbook more of themselves into their projects.

In any case, I am becoming a fan of yvymag where I am able to sample all the current imagery of young male pulchritude that I ordinarily encounter only in my gay doctor's waiting room.

Cynthia Nixon Warms Up Freezing Miami Beach

Go to Queer New York for  the unedited version of my interview with Cynthia Nixon.

Cynthia Nixon in South Beach for the ACLU

I was there for Bilerico where you will find my interview with the radiant Cynthia Nixon tomorrow. Here's a still from the video.

(Thanks to cameraman Bob Wilson, my neighbor in Fort Lauderdale and Manhattan)

Today on Bilerico: "16 Years Old and Already a Rebel Catholic""

You'll have to go over to Bilerico to see my answer to this (enhanced with video of Mama Cass Elliot, Leslie Gore and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.)

Fr. Tony, 

My name is Donny, and I am a 16 year old Catholic. I read one of your articles online about the Roman Catholic Church and homosexuality and LOVED it. You brought up a really good point about the "fan club card"! My question to you is this... I love Jesus and most teachings of the Catholic Church but some just do not click. (Especially when it comes to homosexuality being "sinful"). I really want to have a partner some day and I do not want to be looked down on because of it! Would it be wrong to explore and find Jesus myself without the aid of the Church? Thanks for taking the time, and I hope to hear from you soon.

God bless,

Donny

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry