Gay_Vespa

In my most recent blog post I told about the TV broadcast of "Peter Pan" in 1955, with Mary Martin flying to Never Land (or Never-Never Land, as the song lyric goes). But one time I found a real Never Land, right here in the United States, and it was populated by real gay men & women.

I had just come out in 1995, and my gay mentor in Seattle wanted to show me a gay campground he used, far up in the Cascade Mountains to the northeast. It's called the Triangle Recreation... (continue reading)

Now this is a story of early television, and about sixtyish types like me, gay or straight, boys or girls, those of us who were children in the mid-1950s. And while everyone is always welcome to comment on my blog, this is one time I won't be very tolerant of anyone outside my generation trying to critique and second-guess me on this. Either you have the personal experience of this, or you don't.

It's something that may possibly only be understood by those of us who were there, over 50... (continue reading)

I read today that the Democrats in Congress are trying to overturn a Bush Administration rule that bans HIV-positive foreign persons from entering the US. I hope someday they'll reverse a ban on ME.

Within days of 9-11, I answered a nation-wide call for blood donations. I rode my motorcycle into the nearest city that had a blood bank, and began the screening process.

I was pretty familiar with the drill, having donated blood many times during my decades in the Army, and following... (continue reading)

At this season of Stonewall and Pride events, my recent blog entries may be sounding a bit militant and uncompromising. And indeed I make no apologies for my strong & active support of GLBT rights. But a bit of clarification may be in order, because I might be mistaken for those in our community who take a "one size fits all" approach, an absolute extremism that I don't condone.

Being militantly out, or brazenly out, or even out at all, isn't for everyone. I recognize... (continue reading)

Gays I've known will diss Pride parades and refuse to attend, pointing to the excesses of flesh & behavior that happen at some. The valid fear is these outrageous displays only serve to fuel more criticism & attacks from the straight majority, confirming the negative propaganda they spread about us.

But I reply that not all Pride parades are that way, nor have to be, and as an example I point to Twin Cities Pride in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's been claimed to be the third... (continue reading)

When I first came out in the mid-1990s I rarely wore anything that announced my orientation to the world. I thought that was too stereotypical, too much like shouting "Here I am, look at me!"

I did have a few gay-logo T-shirts I'd bought at gay events or gotten as gifts, and a jewelry item or two, but those were mainly for wearing at our nearest gay nightclub. The local custom there allowed for some wearing of our "colors," although I know that's often not done in... (continue reading)