When I was in college I had a weekly column in the school paper, and I found it quite comforting to be able to vent my spleen onto printed pages. Now we have the infinitely wider spaces of the Internet. So here is an archive of my writing, and the writing of others, about gay issues, as well as social issues. I split them into two categories--work published in LGNY and letters to the editor. They are arranged in backward chronological order (newest first).
"Creativity and Companionship," review of Stars in My Eyes, The Isherwood Century, and The Lost Years. Click here for the full article.
"Beauty and Bereavement Find a Guest Room," review of The Weekend. Click here for the full article.
"The Consolation of Proximity," book review of Mark Doty's Firebird: A Memoir. Click here for the full story.
Click on the sections below to skip to what you want to see.
[ News and Features | Opinion Pieces | The Eric de Poulignac Chronicles | Book Reviews and Criticism | Film and TV Reviews and Criticism | Travel | Letters to the Editor ]
My last news story for LGNY was about the tenth anniversary event marking ACT-UP's demo at St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was in the second December 1999 issue.
"Hundreds Gather in Memory of Shepard, Other Hate Victims," LGNY, issue 118, November 4, 1999.
" 'Vile Fag Filth' Chases Hate Group Out of Town ," LGNY, issue 116, October 7, 1999; coverage of the Rev. Fred Phelps picketing of Stonewall and the USTA.
"Gay, Homeless Teens Get National Exposure on ABC's 20/20," LGNY, issue 115, Sept., 23, 1999; covers the documentary as well as the local Hetrick Martin Institute, whose services help the homeless gay/lesbian teen population.
"Being Seen & Being Heard: NYC Celebrates Black Pride 99," LGNY, issue 113, August, 26, 1999; plus a sidebar on the weekend's other events.
"AVP Presses Investigation of Bias Motive in Brooklyn Murder," LGNY, issue 112, August, 12, 1999; murder of 51-year-old Brooklyn man, known to be gay, is killed by two men he met while cruising in Tomkins Square Park. AVP sees the gay angle; NYPD fails to see it at all.
"Stonewall Vets Lodge Police Complaint," LGNY, issue 112, August, 12, 1999; SVA files complaint with the CCRB against Inspector Gilmartin, who pulled them out of the gay pride march this year, right in front of Stonewall.
"Varied Views on Marriage at Town Meeting," LGNY, issue 110, July 15,1999; pros and cons, and complexities, of same-sex marriage.
"Questions Linger After Cops Eject Two Groups from March," LGNY, issue 110, July 15, 1999; news story about the Stonewall Veterans Association and Sex Panic! being ejected from the parade by the same police officer, but three hours apart.
"Stonewall 30: A Sacred Celebration," LGNY, issue 110, July 15, 1999; part of the Pride 1999 Recap.
"Ranking Queer Literature: The Publishing Triangle's Top 100 Proves ~Best Is an Opinion,' " LGNY, issue 108, June, 17, 1999; a look at the list and the judges who made it.
"Brooklyn March to Echo Stonewall, Queens Pride Year 7," LGNY, issue 107, June 3, 1999; preview of local borough pride events.
"Whose March Is It Anyway? The Millennium's Fits and Starts in DC," LGNY, issue 106, May 20, 1999.
"HRC, Elizabeth Birch Brave Bitter Crowd in Open Forum," LGNY, issue 105, May 6, 1999; a look at the HRC's 14 April town meeting at the Center, at which the HRC presented its case, and took its lumps.
"Madeleine Olnek, John Rechy Wow Publishing Triangle Awards," LGNY, issue 105, May 6, 1999; report on the awards event, plus additional reportage featuring exclusive comments from Olnek.
"Gay Mainstreaming Faces Test in NYTimes Ad Supplement," LGNY, issue 103, April 8, 1999.
"Panel Asks: Do Gay Orgs Really Represent Us?" LGNY, issue 101, March 11, 1999, News story on accountability panel held 22 February 1999.
"Rising to the Occasion? What Happens When Volunteers Heed the Call," LGNY, issue 100, February 25, 1999; feature on volunteer ing for lesbian and gay/AIDS-HIV+ organizations in New York City; my first big story in LGNY. I debuted with a book review the previous issue.
"Last-Minute Election Pondering," LGNY, issue 145, November 16, 2000; contemplating voting Green vs. Democratic; originally entitled "Yellow and Blue Make Green." Click here for the full article.
"Now You See Him, Now You Don't," LGNY, issue 134, June 15, 2000; a look at how three obituaries reflected the gay life and 40-year spouse of Sir John Gielgud. Click here to read the article..
"Guaranteed Overheard Activism," LGNY, issue 130, April 20, 2000. Story on street activism by Marriage Equality New York. Click here to read the article.
"Walking Out of the Shadows," LGNY, issue 117, October 21, 1999; a perspective piece for National Coming Out Day. Click here to see the unedited version.
"Au Revoir: Cruel Month!" Summer remembered by Eric de Poulignac, LGNY, issue 141, September 22, 2000. Click here to read the article.
"Mary, Mary, Why You Buggin'? Advice for Swing Voters During an Overcase Summer" a perspective by Eric de Poulignac, LGNY, issue 139, August 24, 2000. Click here to read the article.
"Making Cents of It All: Why Stopping Dr. Laura Is Good for the Economy," a perspective by Eric de Poulignac, LGNY, issue 137, July 27, 2000. Click here to read the article..
"When Good Things Happen to Bad Mayors," LGNY, issue 133, June 1, 2000; Eric muses on the marital woes of the mayor and what it means for his senate run. Click here to read the article.
"Boys and Girls with a Collective Problem," LGNY, issue 130, April 20, 2000. Opinionation on the Millennium March on Washington by Eric de Poulignac. Click here to read the article, which was the cover story.
"Coffee, Tea, or Duct Tape?" LGNY, issue 129, April 2, 2000; Eric de Poulignac gives tips for surviving flying in economy class. Click here to read the article.
"Please Pass the Compassion," LGNY, issue 122, December, 31, 1999; Eric de Poulignac counsels a poor lost soul: A gay republican smitten with George W. Bush.
"The Stepford Queers," LGNY, issue 114, Sept. 9, 1999: review of Fool's Errand by Louis Bayard by Eric de Poulignac.
"All About Brad," LGNY, issue 113, August, 26, 1999; review of Finding the Boyfriend Within written by Seth's inner boyfriend, Eric de Poulignac.
"Beauty and Bereavement Find a Guest Room," LGNY, issue 146, November 30, 2000; review of The Weekend. Click here for the full article.
"Existentialism for Two Ain't Pretty," LGNY, issue 145, November 16, 2000; review of Boesman & Lena. Click here for the full review.
"An Obsession Runs Through It," LGNY, issue 145, November 16, 2000; review of Suzhou River. Click here for the full review.
"Twisted Christians and the Wholesome Whorehouse," LGNY, issue 145, November 16, 2000; review of Angel's Ladies. Click here for the full review.
"Taking a Gander But and Not a Goose," LGNY, issue 144, November 2, 2000; review of Just One Time. Click here for the full review.
"Making an Asp Out of Thrillers," LGNY, issue 144, November 2, 2000; review of Cleopatra's Second Husband Click here for the full review.
"Wayans Too Scary," a perpective on Scary Movie, the number one movie at the box office its opening weekend, LGNY, issue 137, July 27, 2000. Click here to read the article.
"The Trouble with Cruising," LGNY, issue 128, March 24, 2000. Click here for the edited version that appeared in the issue. or here for the much-longer unedited version.
"Homophobia as Masculinity's Straightjacket," LGNY, issue 126, February 25, 2000. A preview of FRONTLINE's segment "Assault on Gay America," a look at homophobia and its causes, and it's particularly American tinges. Click here to see the article on the LGNY Website. For a look at FRONTLINE's homepage, click here, and for a look at what people thought of it, click here.
"Exhuming the All-American Coward," LGNY, issue 120, December, 2, 1999; review of the Showtime original movie, Execution of Justice, a biopic of Harvey Milk's murderer, Dan White.
"Documented: Our Lives and Our Heroes on Film," LGNY, issue 107, June, 3, 1999; a look at four documentaries in the New Festival, including The Man Who Drove with Mandela, Sadness, The Most Unknowable Thing, and After Stonewall.
"See This, Skip That," LGNY issue 102, March 25, 1999, movie review of Cruel Intentions, the "skip that" portion.
"Creativity and Companionship," issue 147, December 14, 2000. A book review of Mark Doty's Firebird: A Memoir. Click here for the full story.
"The Consolation of Proximity," issue 146, November 30, 2000. A book review of Mark Doty's Firebird: A Memoir. Click here for the full story.
"Catch Up On Your Reading," a Fall books preview by Eric de Poulignac, issue 143, October 20, 2000. Click here to see the whole story.
"A Return to Forever," issue 143, October 20, 2000. A book review of Felice Picano's The New York Years. Click here to see the whole story.
"He Can't Be Serious," issue 143, October 20, 2000. A book review of Kevin Isom's Tongue in Cheek... and Other Places. Click here to see the whole story.
"Addressing the Business of Life: GMHC Looks at Long Lives, In and Out AIDS' Shadow," LGNY, issue 138, August 10, 2000; health book review of Men Like Us. Click here for the full article.
"Judging the Afflicted," LGNY, issue 138, August 10, 2000; health book review of Peter Lewis Allens' Wages of Sin: Sex and Disease, Past and Present. Click here for the full article.
"Words for a New Millennium," LGNY, issue 131, May 4, 2000; a Spring book preview. Click here to see the article.
"Boy Shorts," LGNY, issue 131, May 4, 2000; a review of Men on Men 2000. Click here to see the article.
"The Posthumous Gift," LGNY, issue 131, May 4, 2000; a review of Crisis of Desire: AIDS and the Fate of Gay Brotherhood, by Robin Hardy with David Groff. Click here to see the article.
"Acknowledging the Gaps," LGNY, issue 131, May 4, 2000; a review of The Hurry-Up Song: A Memoir of Losing My Brother. Click here to see the article.
"Grown Up Young, Facing the World," LGNY, issue 119, November 18, 1999; review of Gad Beck's An Underground Life: Memoirs of a Gay Jew in Nazi Berlin.
"The Outsider on the Inside: Felice Picano's Odyssey in Letters," LGNY, issue 118, November 4, 1999.
"Will the Real Dan Savage Please Stand Up?" LGNY, issue 118, November 4, 1999; review of The Kid.
"The Unexpected Sissy," LGNY, issue 118, November 4, 1999; review of Breakfast with Scot.
"The Year of Reading Dangerously; AIDS and the Art of Memoirs," LGNY, issue 118, November 4, 1999.
"A Thing or Two to Curl Up With," LGNY, issue 115, Sept. 23, 1999: a Fall book preview.
"Guides to Live By," LGNY, issue 113, August, 26, 1999; reviews of The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex by Stephen Goldstone and The Lerner Survey of Health Care in New York for the summer health supplement.
"Opinionated, But With a Light Touch," LGNY, issue 112, August, 12, 1999; review of That's Mr. Faggot to You," by Michael Thomas Ford.
"Confessions of a Booklover in an Age of Recommendations," LGNY, issue 105, May 6, 1999 (essay on gay literature--how they are recommended and how they wind up in readers hand, via stores and libraries).
"Gay Lit: Alive, Well, and 5,000 Years Old," LGNY, issue 105, May 6, 1999; comparison of four gay literature compendia--The Gay Canon, The Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature, The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage, and The Gay and Lesbian Literary Companion.
"Shaking Secrets Out of the Family Tree," LGNY, issue 105, May 6, 1999, book review of Michael Lowenthal's The Same Embrace.
"He Barks, He Bites, He Wags His Tail," LGNY, issue 104, April 22, 1999, book review of Justin Chin's Mongrel.
"A Gay Lolita," LGNY issue 102, March 25, 1999, book review of Matthew Stadler's Allan Stein.
"A Job-Like Descent into Acceptance," LGNY issue 99, February 11, 1999, book review of Jameson Currier's Where the Rainbow Ends.
"Cheers Then, to Smaller Places," LGNY, issue 142, October 6, 2000. Click here to read the article.
"Weekend in Paris? Take the Train," LGNY, issue 116, October 7, 1999; my summer trip to Paris recorded in our travel section.
"A Queer Travel Guide Primer," LGNY, issue 106, May 20, 1999; plus a sidebar on Gay's The Word, London's gay bookstore.
"Great Expectations," The Advocate, April 1999, letter to the editor in reaction to a March 1999 op-ed entitled "One Year Later." Click here for the full text of the letter. Published with few changes by the magazine.
Do More: An open letter to my gay friends and correspondents to
get their hackles up and start doing more, even if it's just a small extra
bit more than what they are doing now.Click
here.
--October 1998
The Scarecrow Planted in My Heart: A 2500-word missive fired off
to 50 of my cousins and friends. Click
here.
--October 1998
Hitting the Third Bumper: My letter to the gay newspapers about not missing the opportunity to do something useful in the gay liberation movement in New York City.Click here. As of 2 November, the Blade did not get back to me, but LGNY did, which is part of the reason I am writing for them.
Response to David Leavitt's "The Hate Epidemic" in the Sunday New York
Times, 18 October 1998. Leavitt is diagnostic but offers no treatment.Click here.
--October 1998
Letters to the Editor: My letters to the four metropolitan dailies. One, sent to Newsday, was published on 24 October 1998. Click here. It was printed with only one minor edit.