http://www.lgbtqnation.com News, Opinions, Arts and Culture | The Nation's LGBTQ News Magazine Tue, 21 May 2013 05:15:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/how-i-survived-a-plague/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/how-i-survived-a-plague/#comments Sun, 19 May 2013 17:00:26 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=92984 I survived a plague. It once seemed unfathomable I’d ever write such words, let alone experience just such a cataclysmic event. Growing up in a bland but largely protected Southern California suburb in the 60s and 70s, I had no clue what lie ahead..]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/how-i-survived-a-plague/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/move-over-dear-abby-ask-dr-darcy-is-straight-talk-for-the-gay-community/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/move-over-dear-abby-ask-dr-darcy-is-straight-talk-for-the-gay-community/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 01:30:05 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=91263 Have you ever had a question on which you needed straight-shooting, professional advice? Dr. Darcy Sterling, a licensed clinical social worker based in the SoHo section of New York City, dishes up just that on a regular basis through her blog, YouTube channel, and her work with her wife, Stephanie Sterling, at Alternatives Counseling.]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/move-over-dear-abby-ask-dr-darcy-is-straight-talk-for-the-gay-community/feed/ 5 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/03/groundbreaking-gay-mystery-series-finally-comes-to-e-book/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/03/groundbreaking-gay-mystery-series-finally-comes-to-e-book/#comments Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:00:20 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=79852 As the revolutionary Henry Rios series finally comes to e-book, Michael Nava took time to share more with me about the development of the character, his thoughts on bringing an end to the Rios series, and his forthcoming novel, The City of Palaces.]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/03/groundbreaking-gay-mystery-series-finally-comes-to-e-book/feed/ 3 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/02/miss-broadway-dork-revealed-as-swan/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/02/miss-broadway-dork-revealed-as-swan/#comments Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:00:31 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=77767 Musical theater lovers, rejoice! Show business has a new star, and you won’t have to fork over a month’s rent paying Broadway-style ticket prices to see her. Not only can you watch her from the comfort of your very own home, but she performs from her very own home, with living room or bedroom as the only scenery.]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/02/miss-broadway-dork-revealed-as-swan/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/legendary-author-patricia-nell-warren-ever-the-front-runner/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/legendary-author-patricia-nell-warren-ever-the-front-runner/#comments Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:00:01 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=74461 I recall it as if it were yesterday: stepping inside the sprawling bookstore, which smelled faintly of dust; walking past the periodicals, where gay porn titles peeked at me ever-so-discretely from the uppermost row; crossing to the back of the store, reaching “my” row, and nervously looking about before finally stepping up to the shelves, above which hung a large sign, “Gay Studies.”]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/legendary-author-patricia-nell-warren-ever-the-front-runner/feed/ 1 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/to-the-reader-who-saved-my-life/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/to-the-reader-who-saved-my-life/#comments Sat, 12 Jan 2013 22:30:55 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=72488 Dear Bob, As we enter this new year, full of promise and possibility, I realized that I could not in all fairness properly close out the old without first repaying a major debt. One that I owe to you, dear reader, for quite literally saving my life. ... You likely had no idea, when you reached for the book, that the very act of reading it could so profoundly affect me, and all for the better. How could you know, after all, that while I’d long envisioned a life for myself as a writer, until you contacted me, I’d begun to consider stopping altogether?]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/to-the-reader-who-saved-my-life/feed/ 1 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/out-indie-artist-matt-gold-learns-he-must-drown-before-he-can-swim/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/out-indie-artist-matt-gold-learns-he-must-drown-before-he-can-swim/#comments Sun, 23 Dec 2012 21:00:14 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=70449 In the not-so-distant past, gay musicians hid in the closet or played coy about their sexuality, but today’s artists are an entirely different breed. For up and coming singer-songwriter Matt Gold, being gay may be a given, but is simply one more piece to his overall puzzle...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/out-indie-artist-matt-gold-learns-he-must-drown-before-he-can-swim/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/acclaimed-gay-author-surprises-with-two-new-novels/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/acclaimed-gay-author-surprises-with-two-new-novels/#comments Sat, 08 Dec 2012 19:30:02 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=69429 I first met fellow writer Trebor Healey at Palm Springs Pride, where we were both signing copies of our novels at the Authors’ Village. Given that the title of my first novel includes the word “depression” and his recent title contains the word “sorrow,” we quickly bonded over a shared lament of others trying to convince us to change our titles into something “more happy.”]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/acclaimed-gay-author-surprises-with-two-new-novels/feed/ 3 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/band-of-thebes-helps-community-source-the-best-of-lgbt-literature/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/band-of-thebes-helps-community-source-the-best-of-lgbt-literature/#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:00:49 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=68980 With LGBT bookstores shuttering and the consolidation of gay media resulting in reduced promotional opportunities for publishers and authors, few venues remain for discovering literature reflecting the gay experience. Happily, Stephen Bottum continues to provide one of the best sources for LGBT publishing news on his blog, Band of Thebes, which he began five years ago.]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/12/band-of-thebes-helps-community-source-the-best-of-lgbt-literature/feed/ 1 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/its-world-aids-day-does-anyone-care-anymore/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/its-world-aids-day-does-anyone-care-anymore/#comments Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:36 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=68870 Today, people still die from AIDS. While drug advancements have substantially decreased that number, it has also created the false-belief that contracting the disease is essentially meaningless. To some, taking one pill a day is an easy trade-off to having to wear condoms. Most disturbing, however, is the sheer number to whom AIDS just doesn’t matter, having relegated it to a page in history...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/its-world-aids-day-does-anyone-care-anymore/feed/ 37 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/author-makes-the-leap-from-gay-erotica-to-legitimacy/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/author-makes-the-leap-from-gay-erotica-to-legitimacy/#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:00:22 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=68613 Following success as a writer of erotica and as columnist for Examiner.com, author Xavier Axelson has surprised readers with his debut novel,"Velvet," a work of historical fiction which tells the tale of a royal tailor.]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/author-makes-the-leap-from-gay-erotica-to-legitimacy/feed/ 1 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/love-loss-and-art-a-conversation-between-two-gay-novelists/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/love-loss-and-art-a-conversation-between-two-gay-novelists/#comments Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:30:56 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=67979 Fellow author Jeffrey Ballam and I share many characteristics. We are both gay men, debut novelists, human rights advocates, twitter friends, and have undergone the grieving process, with each of us experiencing a partner’s death due to HIV/AIDS. I have been curious to discover more about his journey, and recently we met at the West [...]]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/love-loss-and-art-a-conversation-between-two-gay-novelists/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/obamas-victory-and-the-aftermath-of-please-de-friend-me/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/obamas-victory-and-the-aftermath-of-please-de-friend-me/#comments Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:39 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=67386 This election was close -- much closer than it should have been. For those of us committed to progressive causes, it was a reminder that we need to work even harder to ensure future such races contain a message which is clear, relevant, and compelling, connecting the dots between the issues we care about and fiscal responsibility. And even in the election’s wake, I find myself contemplating the cost of lost friendships, as well as our best path forward...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/11/obamas-victory-and-the-aftermath-of-please-de-friend-me/feed/ 14 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-u-s-presidents-great-great-grandsons-big-gay-vampire-novel/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-u-s-presidents-great-great-grandsons-big-gay-vampire-novel/#comments Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:00:56 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=66276 While it may come as a surprise to learn that Ulysses S. Grant’s great-great-grandson, Ulysses Grant Dietz, serves as Chief Curator for New Jersey’s Newark Museum, it might come as a bigger surprise that he is also an author, with two gay vampire titles under his belt...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-u-s-presidents-great-great-grandsons-big-gay-vampire-novel/feed/ 11 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/elizabeth-emken-the-making-of-an-anti-gay-politician/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/elizabeth-emken-the-making-of-an-anti-gay-politician/#comments Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:30:32 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=65648 The vision stays with me, even after all these years. I’m in junior high, and I’ve just looked into the eyes of an overweight girl, having just delivered a devastatingly cruel blow. Her bright blue eyes, haunted and broken, serve as lingering reminders of how destructive words can be, and I’ve often wished I could take that moment back. Little did I know that girl, Elizabeth Emken, would years later run for public office, in an attempt to unseat California Senator Dianne Feinstein... ]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/elizabeth-emken-the-making-of-an-anti-gay-politician/feed/ 3 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-letter-to-my-bully-2/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-letter-to-my-bully-2/#comments Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:00:58 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=65615 I have hated you almost every day since we first met. But for different reasons altogether than you might expect. I still remember the terror I felt, every time I approached the soccer field. It was junior high, a difficult time for almost everyone, but for me, especially so. You see, I’d always known I was gay...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-letter-to-my-bully-2/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/09/mother-of-trangender-child-shares-her-familys-journey/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/09/mother-of-trangender-child-shares-her-familys-journey/#comments Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:00:02 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=62445 While audiences nationwide became acquainted with Sarah Tyler and her family following their appearance last year on Anderson Cooper’s talk show, I got to know them in a completely different manner: at church...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/09/mother-of-trangender-child-shares-her-familys-journey/feed/ 3 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/08/is-it-ever-okay-to-call-someone-a-pansy/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/08/is-it-ever-okay-to-call-someone-a-pansy/#comments Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:30:25 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=60448 “What are you? A bunch of pansies?” I heard his words, echoing across the grass, and felt like I’d been punched in the gut. All those taunts through the years stay with you, even if you’ve risen above them. I immediately walked over, called my son off the field, and told the coach we were done. We were going to switch teams. And he let us go…]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/08/is-it-ever-okay-to-call-someone-a-pansy/feed/ 42 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/memories-and-memorials-for-the-countless-many-lost-far-too-young/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/memories-and-memorials-for-the-countless-many-lost-far-too-young/#comments Sun, 27 May 2012 20:30:26 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=54364 For me, Memorial Day is about honoring not only those who died fighting for our freedom, but also those closer, lost to far different battles, particularly AIDS. ... And so, this Memorial Day, I’ll pause and honor the many of my own troops who have fallen in battle. They may not have had the uniform or the recognition of our armed forces, but the wars they fought were just as valiant, and I, for one, am richer for their many, varied gifts and sacrifices. ]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/memories-and-memorials-for-the-countless-many-lost-far-too-young/feed/ 12 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/of-mothers-day-and-misogyny/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/of-mothers-day-and-misogyny/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 20:30:42 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=53176 I came of age during the AIDS epidemic, and will forever pay tribute to those brave women who stepped into vacant leadership and caregiver roles, whose many accomplishments are now largely forgotten. But simply listing the women whom I admire is a bit akin to the old “some of my best friends are ___” argument. The bigger question is, what makes someone a misogynist, and am I one?]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/05/of-mothers-day-and-misogyny/feed/ 0 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/interview-with-steven-fales-a-gay-mormon-boy-grows-up/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/interview-with-steven-fales-a-gay-mormon-boy-grows-up/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:00:20 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=51594 Actor/playwright Steven Fales first came to my attention with his groundbreaking solo play, Confessions of a Mormon Boy, which was a hit off-Broadway and in cities around the world. The play chronicles Fales’ heartbreaking journey from being a devoted sixth-generation Mormon and father of two, to coming out as gay and being excommunicated from his church. ]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/interview-with-steven-fales-a-gay-mormon-boy-grows-up/feed/ 4 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/disqualified-from-high-school-contest-gay-teen-speaks-out/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/disqualified-from-high-school-contest-gay-teen-speaks-out/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:00:22 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=50920 Kierian Giertz is the gay 17-year-old from Fullerton, Calif. who made national news headlines last week following his disqualification from a school contest for his statement supporting marriage equality. ... Having recently written my own letter to my high school bully, I was curious as to how today’s youth were coping with harassment on campus, as well as in their daily lives, and sat down with Giertz...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/disqualified-from-high-school-contest-gay-teen-speaks-out/feed/ 6 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/a-letter-to-my-bully/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/a-letter-to-my-bully/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:00:46 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=49620 I have hated you almost every day since we first met. But for different reasons altogether than you might expect. I still remember the terror I felt, every time I approached the soccer field. It was junior high, a difficult time for almost everyone, but for me, especially so. You see, I’d always known I was gay...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/a-letter-to-my-bully/feed/ 27 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/what-to-consider-before-tying-the-knot-an-lgbt-primer/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/what-to-consider-before-tying-the-knot-an-lgbt-primer/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=48804 As the tide of marriage equality begins to turn, with same gender nuptials becoming a reality for increasing numbers of couples, along comes a perfectly-timed guide to provide insight into what elements to consider before taking such a step. ]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/what-to-consider-before-tying-the-knot-an-lgbt-primer/feed/ 1 http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/aids-remember-me/ http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/aids-remember-me/#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:00:43 +0000 [kedwards] http://www.lgbtqnation.com/?p=48357 On the morning of my thirtieth birthday, I checked my then-partner, Shane Sawick, into the hospital. He would not come out. Shane died just two weeks later, suffering from Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML); one disease, among many, battled in his long war against AIDS. Once in the hospital, the illness quickly progressed, and in just a matter of days, he could no longer speak, blink, nor respond in any way. Through it all, though, his mind still raced, and processed, and thought...]]> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/03/aids-remember-me/feed/ 11