Lots of gender-related issues in the 'bloids this week. First off is Star (January 23, 2012), which claims Bruce Jenner is a crossdresser. Crossdresser is nothing like being transgender; lots of straight guys do it. Not many straight guys cut off their superhot, masculine faces when they're still really young and wind up looking like women in or out of clothes like Bruce did, but still. The story goes that the late Papa Kardashian (one of O.J.'s attorneys) married a chick who now claims she suspected Bruce was wearing her things on occasion. Do with this info what you will.

Next, National Enquirer (January 23, 2012) has this adorable before-and-after set of pic-withs starring Chastity and then Chaz Bono and a longtime fan, Alan Stewart. The fan says, "The exterior might look different, but his sweet disposition hasn't changed at all."

The same issue documents the fact that Warren Beatty and Annette Bening's transgender son, Stephen, has announced: "I'm trans and gay. Double the fun!" They also claim he's in love with a man. Good for him, if true. And good for NE because the phrase they used was "in love with another guy." Sure, it's sensationalized, but it's also acknowledging that Stephen is just that—a guy.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, it's the foolproof Gaydar Gun. The $29.95 novelty is
foolproof because while it offers over 650 sayings in response to being pointed at a guy or a girl ("so straight you don't sit down to poop," "so gay that eating fruitcake would be cannibalism"), its maker points out:

"In the big picture, a person's sexuality is as randomly determined as a pull of the trigger on the Gaydar Gun. With the Gaydar Gun, there are no wrong answers because everyone's sexuality is A-Okay. We are what we are, so let's just have a good laugh at ourselves."

And once the novelty fades, it's an alarm clock with a theme song sung by Broadway performer Gwen Stewart. Now that's gay.

Prove it!

As of midnight last night, it was exactly six years since my first post. It's been a tough thing to keep up with a dayjob and outside activities, and just when I think I might walk away, a valuable connection or interesting opportunity or a kind word comes my way. Thank you all for reading me.

Of whom are you more jealous?

Here are my favorite 100+ posts out of nearly 11,000. Please take some time to read (or re-read!) a couple and tweet or Facebook any you like.

xoxo Matt

The pocket pool championships were intense this year

BOY CULTURE

Boy-crazy

FROM BOY TO MAN: BC B.C. (2007): The entire history of my novell and novel Boy Culture as well as the movie version; might be my ultimate post.

Jonathon Trent & Derek Magyar make an Allan Brocka sandwich

BOY ON FILM (2006): An account of the NYC launch party for Boy Culture as it played the TriBeCa Film Fest.

I was left "Reeling" by the experience

FRIENDS AND "FAMILY" (2006): The movie version of Boy Culture hits Chicago.

No one would've mistaken me for Taylor Lautner

RAPT PUPIL (2006): The final night of Outfest with Boy Culture; I was fat but on the other hand got to meet Bryan Singer.

 

MY ART

 

Construction worker (shot this week) vs. James Dean

GUYDAR (since at least January 17, 2008) & ENDS OF THE WORLD (since at least January 13, 2008): Attractive men of the world—I got your backs. Your fronts, too.

i-i-i (phone)

Not totally built

Unaltered iPhone image that still blows me away

"Your pictures suck" (2008): An art critic attacks me, but not without sustaining some hits in return.

Let's call it a draw

DRAWN TOGETHER (2008): How my desire to draw related to my secret desire. One of my absolute favorite posts.

The shirtless one

LOST ANGELES (2009): My favorite photographic travelogue of L.A.

Even then, New Yorkers feared 9/11 was the beginning of the end

ART IMITATES LIFE (2006): My 9/11 and my distaste for grief tourism.

ME

Death of the party—Jeff in high school, already halfway through his life

BURNING MAN (2007): Tribute to my late high school friend and first romance.

Signed, sealed (eventually) delivered

LOST BOY FOUND (2011): There is a book in here somewhere.

Be Italian

CIAO HOUNDS: OUR TRIP TO ITALY (2011): Finally got José to Europe.

Death becomes here

ILLINOIS DEATH TRIP (2007): Ruminations on death while revisiting a past home, and the past.

Life is short...and meaningful

PASSING BY (2008): Mourning the loss of a person I only met once.

Lots more...

It hasn't looked good ever since that dreadful job done by our side during oral arguments, but there is a rumor the Prop 8 will come down tomorrow...and there is hope.

Watching President Obama addressing Notre Dame, it seems impossible to envision him ever losing an election. He is so smooth and yet his smoothness is heartfelt. He really sells you on the idea of unity. He also—as he has done in most of his major addresses I can remember—mentioned gay issues in the context of his remarks on our common ground. He said both gay activists and Evangelicals can share a common revulsion for the ravages of HIV/AIDS while having very different perspectives.

In WeHo, where I am for work.

The most powerful aspect of his speech was the story of the Civil Rights Act, which identified the only living member of the commission responsible for recommending the principles that made up the act as a Notre Dame priest. Listening to his passionate remarks on the subject of our common ground and our equal rights, I could not help but at first feel disappointed that he has so far played it safe on gay issues. However, I came away feeling more certain than ever that far from needing to evolve (or graduate) on gay issues, he has already connected those dots in his head, and it is only a political matter of timing.

Is that delusional or blind faith? Nope. Just my educated read on this person. I hope I'm right.

UPDATE: I'm not sure if political timing can ever be a good thing when people like this are being discharged from the military on a regular basis in the meantime. I think President Obama needs to step forward on Don't Ask, Don't Tell and instruct his mouthpiece to Don't Make Excuses.

The vitriol spewed by the people against gay marriage is unbelievable, but it needs to be seen, over and over. Because it's history in the making. And it will soon be made history.

With thanks to Robert, here is a bit more on Michael Savage—we're in good company when he refers to LGBT people as "vermin." Mazel!

Thanks in part to the hard work of Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, New York is one step closer to marriage equality—in fact, it passed with four more votes than it did the last time. The last hurdle is with the Senate, where until recently it was not believed enough votes exist. It now appears the measure may be within a single vote of passage. What is interesting to me about this is that worse deficits have existed in the legislative bodies of a couple of the most recent states to achieve marriage equality, suggesting that it may be possible to have a vote that tips in our favor rather than against us this time.

Homophobic pseudo-Democrat Ruben Diaz is holding an anti-gay rally this weekend, but I believe these displays just turn off the vast majority of New Yorkers, even many who find themselves unsympathetic or apathetic toward gay marriage. Regardless, a clear majority (53%) of New Yorkers is in favor of marriage equality.

It's only a matter of time.

Papa Trump shut this mother down.

Oh, brother—Donald Trump says Carrie Prejean should keep her title. All those nude photos are "acceptable" and "lovely" (and against the rules...but never mind).

What about the fact that she refuses to deal with pageant officials and has lent her voice and image to a political campaign without the pageant's approval?

Sorry, but this is not a nip slip.

Trump on Prejean: "There's no dishonesty there." Has he seen the photos??? She was posing nude. She lied and said the topless photos were taken in-between shots on a windy day!

"I was actually standing on a cliff and it was very, very windy...they should've not been published, they should've not been released. They were taken about two years ago."

I won't be in NYC this weekend, but go here if you are and can!

Prejean on Perez Hilton: "I forgive Perez Hilton...there must be a deeper issue in going on in his heart." As if gay rights is not a deep issue? Sorry, but again—Perez Hilton is right on this issue and I commend him highly.

"I'm not going to be speaking out against same-sex marriage," Carrie promises, while saying she will continue to be true to herself. "I am not working for the National Organization for Marriage...I spent about an hour with them."

Donald Trump is a disgusting pig who should not be supported in any way. His entire excuse for her is that alllll the controversy is due to her being "totally beautiful." I think it's because her reply was totally ugly and all the gay people who support and work with the Miss Universe system should walk away.

Tomorrow, Donald Trump will hold a presser to announce the fate of Carrie Prejean. This could go either way.

"You know what, I think Proposition 8 was kind of great in that it brought the struggle back to the forefront. We've been losing propositions in the States for almost the last eight, nine years; it's just Proposition 8 just kind of got press attention. There have been rallies, but maybe not as big, and the movement is catching steam and gay people are finally fed up. And not just with the voters: gay people are also fed up with the gay and lesbian leadership in the United Stated, which is very closeted. It's almost like we've regressed."—Gay activist and Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black, in a swipe at Human Rights Campaign in Attitude

Black is also the coverboy on the new Advocate. He's the lead pick for the magazine's "40 Under 40" feature. Believe it or not, I was chosen, just over 10 years ago, as one of The Advocate's "30 Under 30." I'm glad I turned 40 before this came out so I have an excuse—had I been 39 and failed to make the list, I'd have had proof that I've degenerated in importance and promise over the decade!