The Dooryard

Toys for Tots 2007

The 22nd (believe it or not) annual Toys For Tots party in Manhattan will have some familiarity and some changes. The biggest changes are a $35 ticket price and a need to buy a ticket in advance of the party. The beauty of the party in the past is that it's cost the price of a toy to get in. That has opened it up for anyone who can pull together $10 in change to buy a toy. Unfortunately, this year it's going to cost $45 (the ticket and a toy, which will be at least $10), and some people who get priced out of every other fun gay party will be priced out of this one, too.

I know it doesn't seem like a lot to most of the affluent gay Manhattanites who go to these things, but $45 is just out of the price range of many people, gay or straight. It's my constant complaint about gay culture: That it is elitist because the "lower class" is kept out of the who's-who parties. This party was always the exception to that rule. Oh well. I'm sure the organizers have good reason for wanting to raise $70,000 in ticket prices, so this isn't a criticism of them. It just sucks that this one great annual party is evolving into every other higher-priced gay gala.

One thing kind of does bug me a bit. Maybe this is how it's always been, but I never realized it. Three of the organizations this event is benefitting are religious institutions: Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Brick Presbyterian Church, and St. Ann's Episcopal Church. Given I have no desire to support any religious institution, chances are I'll (sadly) be skipping this year, unless Dan tells me I have to go. There are no good NFL games that afternoon, so maybe.

Party specs:
Toys For Tots 2007
Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W. 18th Street)
Sunday, Dec. 2, 5pm-9pm
You must by a ticket in advance

Guest-hosting ESPN Radio in L.A.

On Monday and Tuesday, 4pm-6pm Eastern Time, I'm guest-hosting the D'Marco Farr Show with Kevin Kiley. You can listen live here. I'm pretty excited about it. For ESPN Radio to have an openly gay voice guest-host one if its popular shows in the second largest media market in the country is pretty freakin' cool. Tune in if you can!

Example #374 that gay people have lost their sense of humor

It's just one in a line, but the latest demonstration that gay people have lost their collective sense of humor comes from Telluride, Colo., where a bunch of straight people got together to march under the banner "straight pride" in an Independence Day parade. Hysterical, right? Walking with wacky signs about backdoors and kissing boys. Not so fast. As Andy Towle reports, some gay people, and some waaaay overly sensitive straight people, are crying foul.

How DARE the straights mock the gays! The gays would NEVER mock the straights.

The Outsports Revolution

It only took two years from conception to publishing, but my first book, THE OUTSPORTS REVOLUTION, is finally on the shelves. Woohoo! I hadn't given it much thought in the last couple of months until I ventured into a bookstore in Provincetown this past weekend and saw it on the shelf. The clerk asked me to sign it, which was cool.

Early reaction has been very strong. Bob Lipsyte, who is one of the most respected sports journalists in this country, emailed us and said "it's great, a terrific read AND an important source book." To get that kind of praise from him is pretty incredible, to me. Other straight and gay people who have read it have told me they really enjoyed it. "I couldn't put it down," one told me. Maybe that's just because I know them, but I don't think so.

Please do buy a copy of the book - you can get it at Amazon. From the early reaction I've heard, I think it's safe to say you won't hate it, and you'll definitely learn some things. We'll be having some book signings here and there, so stay tuned for that too. Thanks!

Gay-kid insurance

It'd work better if it was half the length and had a quarter the Ant, but this two-minute short is kind of funny. God knows it's better than the worst show on television. Thanks to Sebastian White for sending it over.

From Rosie to worse?

Here's the deal. I am so not one of those guys who whines about the media portraying every gay guy as a flaming queen. I don't get offended by really feminine or prissy guys, they don't turn me off. A lot of gay conservatives and gay guys in sports don't like people like that, or they keep them at arm's length. I'm not that person.

But, I will say, I'm bothered by the news that has popped up in the last 36 hours or so about The View looking for a gay guy to replace Rosie O'Donnell. Good idea, lots of gays are tuning in, it'd be interesting having that dynamic to play off the women. THIS is my problem: The guys they're looking at are Ross the Intern, Mario Cantone and Perez Hilton. Aaaaarrrghhhh!!! In other words, the only gay guys they want to have on are more catty and bitchy and feminine than Rosie was. Unfortunately, that's what the media (mainstream or gay) want to put out there as the face of gay men, so that's what we're stuck with.

Maybe I'm just starting to get an exposure complex. I've been doing more and more media appearances (Derek & Romaine, DKLA), and it has actually made me want to do more. It's a ton of fun. So yeah, I'd LOVE to be that gay guy on The View; but, I think I'd generally remind them more of Rosie or their husbands than the fun little gay friends from Sex and the City.

18-year-old Republican coming out

Good for Tyler Whitney. The 18-year-old who works for presidential candidate Tom Tancredo has been slowly coming out of the closet of late, according to a publication in Michigan called PrideSource. According to the site, Whitney "has been telling other conservative activists for about a month of his coming out journey."

Bay Buchanan, an advisor to Tancredo's campaign, said exactly what most conservatives would say: "A person's sexual preference is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the campaign."

Unfortunately, some of the divisive gay mafia are already out to get Whitney because he dares disagree with them politically; they are trying to make his coming out seem salacious because he's a proud Republican. Imagine that: The gay left making it appear scandalous that someone is coming out of the closet. Oh, I'm shocked.

But I say good for him. He obviously understands the truly welcoming nature of most conservatives, and he isn't afraid to be himself. It's a breath of fresh air in a Republican Party that has way too many closeted members (as do the Democrats, but the perception of the two is certainly very different).

Romney as anti-gay as Clintons

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney turned the tables on the leftist hate-mongerers who have painted Romney as anti-gay, saying very eloquently that he is not.

"I oppose discrimination against gay people," Romney said earlier this week. "I am not anti-gay. I know there are some Republicans, or some people in the country who are looking for someone who is anti-gay and that's not me."

Romney does oppose same-sex marriage. But, so does Bill Clinton (who codified marriage discrimination at the federal level), and so does Hillary Clinton. So what's the difference between Romney's position on gay rights and either Clinton's? None, it seems to me. They all have appointed gay people to powerful positions. They all say their morals shouldn't govern other people. They all say they have no problem with gay people. And they all oppose me marrying my boyfriend.

A gay Democrat friend of mine wrote me a couple weeks ago that Romney is looking more appealing every week. I have to agree.

Gay man leaves one Clinton campaign team for another

A shocking development, I know . . .

Washington DC – Human Rights Campaign Communications and Marketing Director, Luis Vizcaino, has been tapped by the Hillary Clinton campaign to serve as California Communications Director and spokesperson.

"Luis is a seasoned communications expert that brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to my team," Clinton said.  "I am confident that his skills will help us reach more communities and engage individuals on the issues that matter most."

As Communications and Marketing Director at HRC, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, Vizcaino managed the overall messaging and strategy that broadened HRC's brand to a wider and more diverse audience.

He led the HRC communications efforts through challenging and historic times, including the defeat of the 2006 Federal Marriage Amendment vote; the adoption of pro-LGBT provisions in the Pension Protection Act; the 2006 mid-term elections; the introduction of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal in the House; the successful launch of Eric Alva as HRC's military issues spokesman; the introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the House and Senate; and the recent historic passage of the Hate Crimes bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Vizcaino also expanded HRC's presence in the Hispanic community and served as spokesperson in print and broadcast outlets throughout the country.

"I leave the Human Rights Campaign--an organization committed to equality for LGBT Americans--to work for Hillary Clinton, who also strongly believes in equality, and who as President will ensure that all Americans are treated fairly under the law," Vizcaino said. "She has a proven record of leadership, is a champion for our community and will work tirelessly to end discrimination for LGBT Americans."

Vizcaino will be part of the senior campaign staff in California and begins his new role on June 1, 2007.
_________

It just cracks me up how HRC claims some responsibility in defeated the FMA last year that never had a prayer in hell in the first place.

What I saw at the Log Cabin convention

This past weekend my eyes were opened to the good work of Log Cabin Republicans. I spent two days and nights at their annual convention in Denver and really loved it. I had never clearly gotten a sense of what LCR's mission was. Members had explained it to me (or rather tried to explain it) before, but it never sunk in. Listening to the speakers and talking with the convention-goers, I finally have a personal understanding of it: LCR's mission is to change how the Republican Party handles gay issues.

Many readers of this blog will be happy to know that I was just about the most conservative person at the convention, from what I could tell. On issues of hate-crimes legislation and abortion, it seemed everyone I talked with was to the left of me. But one of the themes of the weekend was part of Reagan's legacy: If we agree 80 percent of the time, you are not my enemy. It's something so many have lost sight of.

Former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) spoke Friday and was fantastic, telling stories, mostly humorous, and really attacking the religious conservatives who have wielded so much power in the GOP in recent years. It struck me as odd that someone would attack members of his own party so vehemently. But, there is a battle for the heart of the GOP right now, and it's oddly encouraging to see.

The most wonderful part of the event was the handing out of their Uncommon Courage Award, presented to three Republican state legislators - Michigan State Representative Lorence Wenke, Wyoming State Representative Dan Zwonitzer, and New York State Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward - who stood up for gay rights in the last year. It's pretty great stuff when (mostly) straight Republicans stand

The Colorado Springs Gazette quoted me from something I said about gay people leaving the Republican Party in a break-out session Friday morning.

I was invited by LCR President Patrick Sammon (above) to speak Saturday at the convention, introducing John Amaechi and talking about the state of gays in sports. The thrust of my talk was that there has been great progress for gays in sports, and there has been. Interestingly, a lot of people came up to me afterward, appreciated what I said, and said they had been longtime sports fans.  One of them was Frank Ricchiazzi, known as the Godfather of LCR, who is a long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan; he's a hoot.

Some of the other great people I met this weekend were Scott from BoiFromTroy; Luke from Arizona; Tommy D, a fun, sports-minded guy from SF; Andy from L.A.; Phil & Drew from South Carolina; a guy named Bobby Bottoms (no joke!); Frank, an Outsports member, from Denver; and a whole bunch of other folks.

I'm committed to getting more involved with LCR; now I just have to figure out how.