Florida Agenda

President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation in time for June, which is traditionally considered LGBT Pride Month. In his proclamation, the President mentions the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, legislation toward repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and his executive order implementing non-discrimination policies. He made no mention of the Defense of Marriage Act or marriage equality in the proclamation.

His proclamation read:

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2011 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

The story of America’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community is the story of our fathers and sons, our mothers and daughters, and our friends and neighbors who continue the task of making our country a more perfect Union. It is a story about the struggle to realize the great American promise that all people can live with dignity and fairness under the law. Each June, we commemorate the courageous individuals who have fought to achieve this promise for LGBT Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since taking office, my Administration has made significant progress towards achieving equality for LGBT Americans. Last December, I was proud to sign the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. With this repeal, gay and lesbian Americans will be able to serve openly in our Armed Forces for the first time in our Nation’s history. Our national security will be strengthened and the heroic contributions these Americans make to our military, and have made throughout our history, will be fully recognized.

My Administration has also taken steps to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans in Federal housing programs and to give LGBT Americans the right to visit their loved ones in the hospital. We have made clear through executive branch nondiscrimination policies that discrimination on the basis of gender identity in the Federal workplace will not be tolerated. I have continued to nominate and appoint highly qualified, openly LGBT individuals to executive branch and judicial positions. Because we recognize that LGBT rights are human rights, my Administration stands with advocates of equality around the world in leading the fight against pernicious laws targeting LGBT persons and malicious attempts to exclude LGBT organizations from full participation in the international system. We led a global campaign to ensure “sexual orientation” was included in the United Nations resolution on extrajudicial execution – the only United Nations resolution that specifically mentions LGBT people – to send the unequivocal message that no matter where it occurs, state-sanctioned killing of gays and lesbians is indefensible. No one should be harmed because of who they are or who they love, and my Administration has mobilized unprecedented public commitments from countries around the world to join in the fight against hate and homophobia.

At home, we are working to address and eliminate violence against LGBT individuals through our enforcement and implementation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

We are also working to reduce the threat of bullying against young people, including LGBT youth. My Administration is actively engaged with educators and community leaders across America to reduce violence and discrimination in schools. To help dispel the myth that bullying is a harmless or inevitable part of growing up, the First Lady and I hosted the first White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in March. Many senior Administration officials have also joined me in reaching out to LGBT youth who have been bullied by recording “It Gets Better” video messages to assure them they are not alone.

This month also marks the 30th anniversary of the emergence of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, which has had a profound impact on the LGBT community. Though we have made strides in combating this devastating disease, more work remains to be done, and I am committed to expanding access to HIV/ AIDS prevention and care. Last year, I announced the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States. This strategy focuses on combinations of evidence-based approaches to decrease new HIV infections in high risk communities, improve care for people living with HIV/AIDS, and reduce health disparities. My Administration also increased domestic HIV/AIDS funding to support the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and HIV prevention, and to invest in HIV/AIDS-related research. However, government cannot take on this disease alone. This landmark anniversary is an opportunity for the LGBT community and allies to recommit to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and continuing the fight against this deadly pandemic.

Every generation of Americans has brought our Nation closer to fulfilling its promise of equality. While progress has taken time, our achievements in advancing the rights of LGBT Americans remind us that history is on our side, and that the American people will never stop striving toward liberty and justice for all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

ALEX VAUGHN

As the 13th Annual Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival kicks off this weekend, I got to thinking about gays in film.

There have been gay characters in movies for over one hundred years – the big question is, however, how fair a depiction has been offered to date?

Well, in short, not very – but that is changing. Gays have been shown either as stereotypical sissy queens, with fag hags, or bull dykes! Organizations such as GLAAD go as far to say that often in movies like Basic Instinct and Silence of the Lambs, gays and lesbians have been demonized and shown to be psychopaths. (Anyone with an ex might agree that’s fair enough!)

Much has been written, discussed and complained about regarding how gays and lesbians are portrayed in the movies. In his book The Celluloid Closet, Vito Russo analyzes the representation of gays and lesbians in Hollywood films from the 1890s to the 1980s, and demonstrates a history of homophobia. He argues that Hollywood’s portrayal of lesbians and gay men has often been cruel and homo-phobic. Gay and lesbian characters have been defined by their sexual orientation, and lacked any complex character development.

When you look back over gays in movies the slow progress of acceptance tracks closely to social evolution, not just in Hollywood, but globally. From 1890s to the 1930s, homosexuality was often presented as an object of ridicule and laughter; it is fair to say this continues today. The character of the sissy was popular at this time – a character who was a source of amusement and reassurance for the audience. The sissy was not a threatening representation of homosexuality because he occupied a middle ground between masculinity and femininity. From the 1930s to the 1950s, religious and women’s groups criticized Hollywood films for contributing to immorality. As a result, the industry introduced a self-censorship code that affected the portrayal of homosexuality. During these years, films could not feature overtly homosexual characters—so homosexuality was suggested through a character’s mannerisms and behavior, leading, of course, to reinforce the idea that all gay people were limp wristed mincers! This strict code was loosened in the 1960s and 1970s, which also saw the dawn of the women’s movement and the gay rights movement. While gays and lesbians were becoming more visible and vocal in public life, their representation in films was becoming even more homophobic. At this time, gay characters were often represented as dangerous, violent, or murderous.

Since the 1990s, Hollywood has improved its portrayal of gay and lesbian characters. The popularity of films such as The Birdcage, Philadelphia, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Flawless and In & Out demonstrates that audiences can and do enjoy films with gay and lesbian characters. But despite these advances, critics say the industry is still too cautious in its portrayals of gay themes, characters, and experiences. Hollywood films are designed to appeal to as large an audience as possible; and producers fear that focusing on gay and lesbian themes risks offending a large portion of the audience, as well as potential investors.

This means that good gay films, or more importantly films with good and well-rounded gay characters, are somewhat renegaded to the ‘underground’. Movies like the British, Beautiful Thing and It’s My Party, starring Eric Roberts, were both touching movies that had a plethora of supporting characters to create ‘real life’ gay characters. They weren’t camp, overly emotional or even fashionable – they were just people getting on with their lives.

Brokeback Mountain proved there was appeal in a mainstream gay love story. The film, though visually stunning didn’t do much for politics, but made huge steps for showing it is possible for a movie with two gay characters involved in a relationship to be an international, award winning blockbuster.

Today, there is undoubtedly more acceptance of gay lifestyles in film. In television, shows like Will and Grace opened doors to show that characters  didn’t always have to be camp or in the closet. They could be just like Will, looking for love in all the wrong places,  successful in business and socially, and not finding that special someone.

Just last week, a gay-themed film has proved an unexpected success in conservative Malaysia although Malaysian films are not allowed to depict support for gay life and homosexual intercourse remains illegal in the country, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

When you actually think about it, the movement, like many others for the  community, is on the right trajectory and we need to really think about what we would want to see in film – the chances are straight people would want to see it too!

There is no question that with the a much enlightened and open-minded youth coming to the fore, we will soon be seeing more gay movies and more importantly more gay characters who are not defined by their sexuality. This will show that a gay movie isn’t what people imagine to be an ‘arty flimsy attempt’ to disguise gay-porn, but real well-rounded characters who aren’t just like straight people, but are just like normal real gay people. Everyone has a story to tell after all.

“In a hundred years of movies, homosexuality has only rarely been depicted on the screen. When it did appear, it was there as something to laugh at—or something to pity—or even something to fear. These were fleeting images,  but they were unforgettable, and they left a lasting legacy. Hollywood, that great maker of myths, taught straight people what to think about gay people … and gay people what to think about themselves.” – Vito Russo

Alex Vaugn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Agenda. He can be reached at editor@FloridaAgenda.com

NATIONAL –  The internet governing bodies are likely to approve a new generic top-level domain, .GAY, adding it to the more common .COM, . ORG and others.

The new domain level is likely to be approved in the next few months.

A new organization, Dotgay LLC, spearheaded by a LGBT marketing firm, will own the .GAY top level domain and donate two-thirds of the profits to a new foundation to benefit LGBT causes.

This weekend is the 34^th annual PrideFest produced by Pride South Florida. Again this year, the festival will held at Jaco Pastrorius Park on North Dixie Highway and NE. 40 Court in Oakland Park. Pridefest will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13 from noon to 6 p.m.

Entertainment this year includes Chely Wright, Georgie Porgie, Linda Clifford, Chantal Carrere, Debby Holiday, Shelina, Teri Catlin, Heather Craig, Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, Marc Hansen, Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Chorus, South Florida Pride Jazz Ensemble, KP Productions, Church of the Holy Spirit Song, Mark Angelo Cummings, Rising Action Theatre and Bishop SF Makalani-MaHee.

Spinning in the dance tent this year will be D.J. MIIK, D.J. Bugie, D.J. Sol and D.J. Gina.

Masters of Ceremonies this year will be Craig Stevens, Donna & Denise and Derek Hartley.

Florida’s oldest gay pride celebration is a must-see once again this year.

If you go, what you need to know:

- Pridefest 2011 is on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 & 13, 2011 from noon to 6 p.m. both days.
- Pridefest is at Jaco Pastorius Park, Dixie Highway and NE 40th Ct in Oakland Park.
- Pridefest fees are $5 parking and $5 entry.  No bills larger than $20 will be accepted.

- Please park in the on-site lots or in off-site locations.  Pride South Florida is offering a free shuttle to get you from your vehicle to the gate.  Please park legally, towing and ticketing will be enforced.
- Pride South Florida reserves the right to inspect all handbags, knapsacks or any other large containers.
- You may not pass out materials at Pridefest unless you are a paid vendor.  Materials will be confiscated and you will be ejected.
- You may exit, but re-entry will be required through the entry gate to be inspected once again.
- No pets, coolers, outside food or drink are allowed.
- Please feel free to bring blankets and sun chairs to enjoy the entertainment. No sun umbrellas please.

Enjoy the Party!

Make sure to stop by the Florida Agenda, Mark’s List and Mark Magazine booth a Pridefest 2011 and say hello.

Karate Kick the Sissy Out of Your Son

by WAYMON HUDSON

(Photos: Zubi’s ad campaign for Key Biscayne’s Academy of Martial Arts, courtesy of Miami New Times Blog)

In what has to be the most offensive ad campaign I’ve seen in a long time, Key Biscayne’s Academy Of Martial Arts RDCA in Florida has decided the best way to sell their karate classes is to use gay panic.

The print ads, created by ad agency Zubi, feature young boys doing “feminine things” like wearing their mother’s high heels or playing with make-up. The cure for this “shocking” behavior and the best way to “man up” your obviously burgeoning queer kid? Super butch Karate classes.

These ads are more than just offensive, however. They are actually dangerous.

The blog at Miami New Times points out some glaring hypocrisy with the ad agency, Zubi:

“You know what’s funny? When you go to Zubi’s website they encourage you to “Erase stereotypes.” Turns out they only means Hispanic stereotypes though. Apparently, you’re still free to capitalize on gay stereotypes for advertising. How hypocritical.”

Even more disturbing that the use of the gay-baiting of children or the rank hypocrisy of claiming to “break down stereotypes” while using them in the basest fashion is the very real danger of playing into gay panic and encouraging the bullying or harassment of what they see as “effeminate” boys (although to be clearalmost all boys play dress up. It has nothing to do with being gay). As Andy Towle at Towleroad points out, parents hurting or even killing their sons because they see them as too feminine are not unheard of.

Pedro Jones, 20, of South Hampton fatally beat a 17-month-old infant he was babysitting because the child was “acting like a girl, and not like a boy”. Those ads don’t seem quite so clever or harmless now, do they? Stay tuned to the update next week with contact and conversations with the Ad Agency.

Waymon Hudson is a contributing writer to the Bilerico Project and has been a project contributor since September 2007. Waymon Hudson is also President and Co-Founder of Fight OUT Loud. If you have any question or comments for Waymon, you can contact him at waymon@bilerico.com.

As summer approaches its calendar end, we wanted to share some of your feedback on issues and opinions raised in this column over the summer, to give more of you a chance to disagree or add to what Dr.Yakerty or others said.

When Your Lover Gets Too Kinky

“In spite of our area having a rep for being liberated and oh so open minded, I find it impossible to meet anyone who isn’t vanilla from top to bottom. If your lover is too kinky, I sure wish you would send him over to me.”

“The trouble with getting your kicks with kink is that you have to keep outdoing yourself, and sooner or later you’re at a place that’s too creepy even for
the most non-conformist of us. At least that’s what happen with my ex and I.”

When Your Love is Bi-Sexual

“I know you say there really are bisexuals, and maybe that’s true, but most of the time I just think it’s a stopping place on your way out of the closet, or a pathetic justification for keeping your pants permanently unzipped.”

“Thanks for saying that bisexuality really does exist. I wish more people knew that ’cause there’s as much prejudice in the gay community against us bisexuals as there’s against homosexuals at a Southern Baptist revival.”

When Your Lover Hates Being Gay

“I also had a boyfriend who went into ex-gay therapy and refused all communications with me, so I moved on. Two years later he comes knocking on my door saying he wants to get back together, that it isn’t working with his wife and child. I introduced him to my new partner and told him to f#*k off. God, did that feel good.”

“I have no trouble accepting I’m gay, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept everything in the gay community. There’s some real unhealthy attitudes and behavior around here, some obsession with the superficial, and being against those things doesn’t mean I’m anti-gay.”

When you fear you’re settling for too little in a relationship

(this column got more email than any other, with readers expressing strong opinion on all sides)

“What a weak sister is that jerk. Someone should wake up that Cinderfella and tell him Prince Charming doesn’t exist!” (a lot of email made fun of the person who sent in this predicament, calling him “naive” and “cotton-candy headed.”) “Here’s where I think people who think porn is bad have a point. Somewhere in puberty guys start watching porn on the Internet and they think that’s what sex is suppose to be like, so when (their) boyfriend doesn’t live up to the intense gymnastics or the measuring stick of paid porn stars, they think they are “settling” for less than they should.”

“I hate being alone so I was determined to have a partner, but discovered that settling for a poor relationship is worst than being alone.”

(Please remember I said both low expectations and high expectations can be wrong-headed and can lead to frustrating and dead-end relationships.

You don’t want to switch one extreme for the other. The goal is to have balance, to be in touch with what is both fair and good to expect.)

Is there such a thing as emotional adultery?

“What you said is a bunch of hooey! Jeez, I hope (her partner) doesn’t read what you said. She already gets jealous up the kazoo if my eyes should even spot another
gal. She insists we hang totally around men since she thinks no female can be trusted. She not only wants to control my (genitalia) but my brain waves! We need a more limited definition of cheating, not a damn bigger one.”

We really do want to hear from the readers of this column.

Your feedback is important to Dr. Yakerty and he promises to respond to every email. In September he will be tackling the issue of domestic abuse and violence in the GLBT community and he particularly invites anyone to write who’s experienced this first hand or had a friend who has. Send all email to dryakerty@aol.com.

(Photo: South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble marching in last year’s Stonewall Festival Parade. Photo by Dennis Dean)

By James Michaels

This Sunday, June 20, 2010 is the eleventh annual Stonewall Street Festival and Parade produced by Pride of Greater Fort Lauderdale. This is the second of the two annual gay pride celebrations held in Fort Lauderdale each year. After two-years of holding the parade on a Saturday night and the festival during the daytime on the following Sunday, PGFL has returned to a one-day format with the parade stepping off at 11 a.m. followed by the festival beginning at noon.

Grand Marshals for this year’s parade are photographer Adam Bouska and his partner, Jeff Parshley. Bouska and Parshley inadvertently started a national phenomenon when, after California passed the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8, took photographs of themselves of themselves wearing white t-shirts, standing in front of white background, had silver duct tape across their face and on the cheeks had written “NO H8”. Having seen the photos, their friends wanted their photos taken also. Soon the couple formed a non-profit organization to inform the public on gay marriage equality and charge for their official photos. Bouska and Parshley have now shot the photos over 5,000 photos, mostly in California. Having only shot in New York and Washington, D.C. in the eastern United States, they arrive in Wilton Manors to shoot at CopyThis on Wilton Drive on Monday.

The parade will be announced from the main stage located at the intersection of Wilton Drive and N.E. 6 Avenue by Eugene Ramirez and Kristin Anderson, hosts of “The Morning Show” on WSFL, channel 39.

The festival will include a main stage located on the corner of Wilton Drive and N.E. 6 Avenue and two dance venues, one in front of Sidelines Sports Bar and they are working in cooperation with the dance tent at Rosie’s Bar and Grille. There will also be additional entertainment at The Manor.

Jennifer Holliday leads the entertainment located on the main stage. Holliday is a well-known respected Broadway star and recording artist who appeared in the original version “Dream Girls”.

Also headlining are JuJuBe and Jessica Wild from “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, Kevin Aviance and Kitty Meow. Local favorites include Tiffany Arieagus, Electra , Nikki Adams and Debra Hampton. Other entertainers include Gio, Eryn Woods, Philip Alexander, Ray Boltz, Barry Brandon and Leah Driscoll. There are also other local entertainers and bands scheduled to perform. Misty Eyez, Shane Phoenix and “The Rickster” are emceeing the main stage.

Deejays spinning at the Sidelines Pride Dance Arena are headlined by deejays Wendy Hunt and deejays Miik and Marc Scott. Other deejays that day are deejays Sayho, Stu, DaddyO and Maximus 3000.

Additional events are being held at the “Pride Triangle” of Rosie’s New Moon and Matty’s on the Drive. This includes the traditional dance tent at Rosie’s. Throughout the festival will be additional amusements including dunk tanks and water slides and a “Family Friendly” is also on schedule with performances by the Rainbow Circus.

A VIP Party is being held during the festival at CopyThis starting at 6 pm which includes a meet-and-greet with the entertainers including Jennifer Holliday and Grand Marshals Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley.

The entire parade and the entertainment on the main stage will be streamed live world-wide over the internet by the Fabb Vision Network.

Seventy-seven percent of Americans now say they know someone who is gay or lesbian, a new CBS News poll finds – an increase of 35 percentage points since 1992, when a majority of Americans said they did not.

More than six in ten Americans say they have a close friend, work colleague or relative who is gay or lesbian.

Just 22 percent say they do not know anyone at all who falls into that category.

The increasing visibility of gay and lesbian Americans appears to have contributed toward more positive perceptions of homosexual relations. Forty-three percent of Americans currently see homosexual relations between consenting adults as “wrong” – a drop of 19 percentage points from a Gallup poll taken in 1978.

Read more on this CBS News poll

Profile: Evan Darling

by BOB KECSKEMETY

While most of us were barbequing, swimming and celebrating with friends during Memorial Day weekend, Evan Darling, 42 of Oakland Park was up in Lakeville, CT at Lime Rock Park racing in a Grand Am Continental Challenge road race.

“I’ve always been interested in racing, it’s in my blood. When I was young I was racing Big Wheels and bicycles and anything to go fast. I love the competition, I love to win.”

Darling was born in Andover, Massachusetts to a conservative family and attended Andover High School and Northern Essex Community College. He came out to his family at the age of 18 and admits that growing up gay in a conservative family wasn’t easy, even in Massachusetts. In 1995 there were protests against homosexuals participating in Boston’s Veterans Day Parade. Darling’s father, an attorney, represented the Irish American War Veterans against Boston’s LGBT community. “That was a little rough,” said Darling, “but I came to terms with it.”

Darling’s family was never supportive of him being gay and sent him to a psychologist to cure him of his homosexuality. However, after six weeks of therapy, the doctor determined that Darling was perfectly normal, happy and confident and there was nothing wrong with him … the problem was with his parents.

At 18, Darling moved out of the house and went to New York where he attended Parsons School of Design but shortly later had to drop out because of lack of support from his family. He continued to live in New York for a few more years then moved to Florida in 1988 first to Delray Beach with a friend then to Fort Lauderdale. In 2000 he moved from Florida to North Carolina to continue his racing career where he never hid his homosexuality.

“There aren’t many opportunities in North Carolina for an ‘out’ race car driver,” said Darling. “The company, German Speed Merchants of Wilmington, North Carolina respected me and I still have a great friendship with them.” Darling moved back to Fort Lauderdale in 2008. Darling still occasionally races for German Speed Merchants.

Darling never hid his sexuality from the other drivers but didn’t advertise it either. “I don’t have a big gay flag on my racing suit. My partner at the time always came to the races with me. And they never had an issue with that. However, since I’ve turned pro some of the teams have talked about me behind my back. They’re just pussies, they don’t want to talk to your face. If you ask them if there’s a problem, they say ‘no’, they’re okay with it but then you hear the stories of what they say behind your back. That’s just how it is and I don’t care. I’m happy and comfortable with myself and I think we should all be that way.

Owned by the better-known NASCAR, Darling Races in Grand American, Grand Am Road Racing. Unlike the more circular NASCAR track, Grand Am road racing uses a track with many curves and banks. Road racing is more popular in many countries around the world but in the United States it comes behind football and NASCAR in popularity. NASCAR is now using their marketing machine to increase the popularity of Grand Am. A Grand Am race can last as long as 24 hours long using multiple drivers taking shifts in one car during these endurance races.

The cars themselves are stock

cars which have been modified within the rules. Both Daytona and Sebring in Florida have Grand Am tracks as well as Lime Rock, Connecticut where actor/race car driver, Paul Newman did his racing.

Darling has adopted The Trevor Project as his favorite charity. The Trevor Helpline is the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBT youth. The organization was established in 1998 to coincide with the HBO airing of the award-winning short film hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, Trevor. Trevor was a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, attempts to take his own life.

When Darling became listed in Out Magazine’s “Out 100” list as being a race car driver, he started looking for media programs in California and found out about the Trevor Project. He did some research and reached out to the organization. “A lot of kids take their lives and if they thought they could get some support and guidance, they wouldn’t. The statistics are staggering; so many do it because they are not comfortable with their sexuality.”

With Grand Am races televised on Speedvision, Darling would like to have “Trevor Project” painted on his car. He feels that adding the LGBT demographic to Speedvision’s NASCAR viewership, the audience would be massive and he would be able to make a clear message.

Darling’s racing career has been floundering recently due to lack of sponsorship. He says that little has come from his sports agent in over two years and that he sold his landscape company in order to support his racing career. He realizes that the economy has been difficult but he’s looking for more exposure and to get companies and individuals to support what he’s trying to do. He’s run out of personal funds and can’t manage for much longer but works side jobs to make ends meet. However, with the support of sponsorships, he can continue to carry the message. Both the message of The Trevor Project and the message that a gay man can survive in a very straight sport.

FUN FACTS:

He once answered a cell phone call while racing on the back stretch in Atlanta. The phone started to vibrate and he answered the call by saying, “I’ll call you back.”

His brother, Ryan Darling is the Director for U.S. Senate Relations for the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation.

Once while driving at night in Virginia, he had to avoid a deer that ran across the racetrack. Once an elderly lady made a wrong turn on a highway and ended up on the racetrack itself. The race was immediately stopped to get the woman off the track safely.

Reviewed By ILY GOYANES

Boys in Heat. Edited by Richard Labonté. Cleis Press. $14.95 (USD).

This varied collection compiled by Richard Labonté contains both sugar and salt. With some saccharine-tinged stories likeA Recipe For… by Kal Cobalt and some very briny stories likeMiss Vel’s Place by Jonathon Asche, Boys in Heat offers up tantalizing treats for all sorts of tastes. Of course, it is quite possible that the steamy man-on-man sex scenes will completely transcend previously decided palates.

Boys in Heat contains sixteen stories full of Y-chromosome action. A few of the especially tasty morsels are worth singling out.

Hooking Up by J.M. Snyder is a cyber-gothic one-night stand with two hot, young punk boys.

Rough trade doesn’t even begin to describe the roughneck main characters in Keith Peck’s Cockfighting.

Duffle by Dallas Angguish, takes us to college, so we can reunite with that friend of our older brother’s, whose image we jacked off to all through adolescence.

Like Peck’s cockfight, Miss Vel’s Place by Jonathon Asche takes us down metaphorical alleys where sex and smut combine to create a sour cocktail we just can’t help but crave.

Clarence Wong teaches us when it is okay to break the rules in Orbs.

Fluid Mechanics by Dale Chase, follows an eccentric professor on his journey to finding an apt pupil.

Hotter than Hades is Ted Cornwell’s story, The Key-Maker’s Wife. Cornwell weaves the familiar tale of a homo lusting after a “straight” person, and does it well. Another trip to Dante’s Inferno is Arden Hill’sTelling a Switch’s Story. Both of these stories are well worth the price of the entire book.

Bears. Edited by Richard Labonté. Cleis Press. $14.95 (USD).

This anthology is a must-have for lovers of all things bear. For most bear aficionados the attraction to bear culture is its largesse, which the stories in this collection serve in huge, bountiful spoonfuls. Containing seventeen very graphic stories of bear and cub love, Bears will satisfy even the most discerning chub lover.

If you like Muscle Marys, twinks, or other hirsutically-challenged examples of the Y-chromosome, you will not find much to enjoy here. When reading this book, it is extremely apparent that bear attraction is a fetish. Your ‘average’ person, whatever you might take that to mean, would not be turned on by many of the scenes in this book. The stories, though well written, will not appeal to everyone.

However, if you mentally ejaculate every time you see a “hairy, husky, bearded, big-bellied” beast, this is the book for you. The stories in Bears include threesomes, all sorts of bodily fluids, and highly inventive uses for sour cream.

White Meat by Daniel W. Kelly is a kinky exploration of jungle fever in which two bears share a piece of chocolate.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh Yeah! by Rob Rosen is animalistic in more ways than one, and one of the sexier stories in the book.

Jeff Mann’s Leather-Bear Appetites is a wonderful example of honesty and gravitas in which you get to inhabit the mind of a Daddy Bear through some enlightened introspection.

A Glass of Cognac by Jan Vender Laenen is a snarky, comical romp through European bear bars.

Bears offers a choice to those unsatisfied by hairless chests and trim bodies.