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Thursday posts gobbled up by Blogger
Blogger went down for 24 hours and my Thursday posts vanised. Now some are back up, at least one is missing. Maybe it will show up again, maybe not. Apologies.]]> -
Power-lifting seniors find a home in a California garage
From the Los Angeles Times:
A huge weight was lifted off the shoulders of a group of Chatsworth athletes when Bob Evans opened up his garage to them. The half a dozen veterans of a lifetime of muscle building found themselves without a place to work out two years ago when their friend Kevin Meskew was forced to close the fitness center where they all congregated twice each week. The power-lifters — most in their 60s and 70s — discovered that health clubs filled with young people doing aerobics and Pilates and taking spinning classes were wary of senior citizens coming in and hoisting 500-pound barbells over their heads. That’s when Evans shoved his tools and storage boxes to the side of his three-car garage on Shamrock Place and invited the oldsters in to flex their muscles. “When the gym closed, we decided to do it ourselves,” explained Harry Packer, a 76-year-old retired mortgage broker who lives in Porter Ranch and pumps iron despite undergoing triple-bypass surgery last year. Evans, 64, a retired computer analyst, has lifted weights since he was 15. So he didn’t hesitate when someone suggested that his garage might make a perfect workout room.]]> -
Sojouner FALSE – progressive Christian organization not so progressive after all
This story’s been out a couple days. Sojourners, an organization that brands itself as the nation’s premier progressive Christian voice, has rejected an extremely benign ad welcoming a family of two mothers and their son to church. It’s as sad as it is disgraceful. What a terrible message to send, and exactly the message the not-progressive churches want to hear: that even a forward-thinking Christian organization can’t see past the end of its frightened nose. Sojourners explained its decision by saying it “did not take sides.” To welcome someone, anyone, to church is not a “side,” it is a requirement of anyone who takes Jesus seriously as something other than a political tool. From rd Magazine:
It can be argued that Mother’s Day is the most popular secular holiday in our churches. Attendance increases, special music is featured, pastors pay particular attention to crafting messages that affirm the place of motherhood in keeping families and communities faithfully knit together. So it seemed fitting that Believe Out Loud, a trans-denominational effort to promote LGBT equality in mainline Protestant congregations, focused on Mother’s Day to launch its new campaign to invite one million believers to “sign up” for full LGBT equality in our churches and society-at-large. [SNIP] Taking sides? What are the sides here? That young children who have same-gender parents are not welcome in our churches? That “welcome, everyone” (the only two words spoken in the ad) is a controversial greeting from our pulpits? That the stares the young boy and his moms get while walking down the aisle are justified? I can’t imagine Sojourners turning down an ad that called for welcome of poor children into our churches. So why is this boy different? I called the folks at Sojourners and asked what the problem was, what the “sides” in question might be. The first response was that Sojourners has not taken a stance on gay marriage (the ad is not about gay marriage); or on ordination of homosexuals (the ad is about welcome, not ordination); that the decision, made by “the folks in executive” (why such a high level decision?) was made quickly because of the Mother’s Day deadline. The rationale kept shifting. The reasoning made no sense. By the way, if you want to see what a true progressive Christian looks like, see my interview with Rev. Pat Bumgardner of MCC New York.]]> -
NYC aging as seniors increase, kids decline
I’ve often thought New York City was a place I didn’t want to grow old in. It can be a difficult city, with stress coming in a hundred different ways, from the swarm of people hurrying to nowhere, to the constant background noise. But if we do stay here (as opposed to moving to rural New Jersey where our house is) at least we’ll have plenty of company.
The most recent census bureau figures show an increasing population of baby boomers and seniors, while at the same time the number of children is dropping.
From WNYC.org:
The latest census figures show New York City has far more baby boomers and seniors and fewer children. According to the 2010 figures, there were 941,313 children between the ages of 5 and 14 across the five boroughs, a 14 percent drop from the 2000 census. At the same time, 890,012 New Yorkers were between the ages of 55 and 64, a 30 percent increase in the last 10 years. [SNIP]
The median age is 35.5, up from 34.2 in 2000, and several years under the state’s median age of 38. Within the city, 47.5 percent of the population is male, and 52.5 percent is female. Just under 1 million, or 31 percent, of the city’s three million housing units were owner-occupied, up marginally from the previous census. While baby boomers experienced solid growth, the city’s 85-plus age bracket also grew — by 16 percent. [emphasis mine] On a related note, who thought Palm Springs could get any older?]]> -
The perils of sitting down
I knew there was a reason I feel depressed and compressed after sitting in my chair, boxed into a cubicle, for seven or eight hours. Sitting, as it turns out, is a deadly business.]]> -
MARK'S CAFE MOI: The dreaded 'n-word' – nursing home
I wrote recently about having two mothers, one who gave birth to me, and one who raised me. Mom, who adopted me at the age of two, passed away Christmas day 1999. My birth mother, Helen, remains alive in Natchez, Mississippi, along with six of my seven siblings by birth (one sister is in New Jersey).
I learned in an email this morning from one of my sisters that our mother is in the hospital with an infection and will be going into a nursing home from there. While she’s had the support of six very grown children there (I’m the only non-grandparent, though I am a great-uncle many times over) , it’s become too difficult for them to keep her at home.
As much of an absence of emotional connection as I’ve had with my birth mother since being told I was adopted at seventeen, this still comes as a sad day. My other three parents were spared what can be an okay experience, or can be a nightmare of fear, frustration and loneliness. My birth father, a stranger I never met, died from a heart attack when I was in my 20s. Mom died in 1999, and Dad died just a year and a half ago, from pneumonia, “the old person’s friend.” He’d had worsening Alzheimer’s and under those circumstances a fairly quick death is a blessing.
My mother will not lack for company, that I’m sure of. Her children, despite her history of having given six of us up, were devoted to her. My two brothers lived on the same street until recently, and my sisters there are constantly at her house. There is some comfort in knowing she will not be housed in a nursing home and forgotten, but I still wish she could have finished out her days at home, as we all hope we can.]]> -
INTERVIEW: Steve Hayes, 'Tired Old Queen at the Movies'
“I love acting, I enjoy writing, when it’s working, however, I LOVE talking about old movies more than anything in the world and I think it’s so important to cultivate new audiences for them in order to keep the art form alive. The thing that’s surprises me most, is that there are so many people, young and old alike, who have never heard of, let alone seen, many of these classics.” – Steve Hayes, ‘Tired Old Queen at the Movies’ I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve Hayes, familiar to many as the ‘Tired Old Queen at the Movies’ on YouTube. Steve’s reviews of old movies – and he prefers ones that aren’t obvious – have become a hit, and I’ve been enjoying them for some time now. I wanted to ask Steve a few questions about TOQ and his life overall, and he was gracious enough to grant me the following interview. lgbtSr: Thanks for this interview, I feel privileged. You’re the only YouTube sensation I’ve met. Your reviews of old movies for ‘Tired Old Queen at the Movies’ are quite a success. What inspired you to do this? SH: My director and mentor, Vincent Cardinal, suggested it; “Steve Hayes, you should be a household name and I think I know how to do it. We’ll sit you down in your apartment, with all your memorabilia, hand you a DVD of a classic movie and let you talk off the top of your head about it, like you do at every dinner party. We’ll make each episode four or five minutes in length. Now, what do you want to call it?” Without missing a beat I said; “STEVE HAYES; Tired Old Queen at the Movies.” lgbtSr: Were you expecting the kind of viewership you’ve had with TOQ, and was it sudden or more of a slow build? SH: I’m not sure what I expected. All I knew for certain was, I had never enjoyed doing anything as much. I figured that was a good barometer. I also trust Vince’s instincts about things. This business is always about reinventing yourself and I knew that at my age, everyone who’s in power in the business is younger and if I was going to get them to notice me and perhaps want to work with me, I had better jump on board the current “technological bandwagon” and “get with it”. TOQ started slowly, then picked up rather quickly. I’m thrilled and delighted with the responses I’ve gotten. Especially since my viewers are all so different. Gays, straights, young, old, across the board, from all over the world. For example, a fabulous friend and cartoonist named Wayne Wilson who lives in TOKYO, became a fan and has done marvelous animated cartoons of me. lgbtSr: You’ve got quite a resume, with acting, singing, and writing credits galore. Of all the different things you do, is one most important or most enjoyable to you? SH: I love acting, I enjoy writing, when it’s working, however, I LOVE talking about old movies more than anything in the world and I think it’s so important to cultivate new audiences for them in order to keep the art form alive. The thing that’s surprises me most, is that there are so many people, young and old alike, who have never heard of, let alone seen, many of these classics. In choosing selections for TOQ, I try and avoid the films I feel everybody knows; only to realize that it’s such a misconception. So many people have never seen these classic films. One of the biggest obstacles being that many young people simply won’t watch anything shot in black and white. This seems unbelievable to me, since the art of black and white cinematography is so amazing. Years ago when Ted Turner colorized so many classics, everyone had a fit, but I knew he did it for a reason. It got the young people to watch these great “story driven” movies. Once he established TCM, colorization virtually stopped, because he finally had them hooked. I went to a TCM screening of ALL ABOUT EVE, and purposely sat with a group of twenty year olds who not only had never seen it, but also had never seen a Bette Davis movie. They were blown away. Not only by her, but also by the witty dialogue. So, I of course urged them to watch TOQ and everything else. lgbtSr: We’re both New Yorkers. Is this where you see yourself spending the rest of your life? What’s good and what’s bad about living in NYC? SH: I never want to leave New York as long as I live. Period. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I have lived here since the mid-seventies and of course, I’ve seen a lot of changes. However, that is the greatest thing about this town. It’s constantly changing and it forces you to change as well. Change, especially as I’m getting older, is so important. Otherwise, it’s easy to become stagnant, too opinionated, and too set in your ways. Seniors in this city are tough. We’ve lived through a lot. But we’re also independent and this place instills that in you. I’ve traveled all over the world and as nice as those places are, I’m never sorry to come home to New York. lgbtSr: Is TOQ something you see going on indefinitely, or does it have a shelf life? SH: I hope to do it as long as it works. I love it. I also have the most wonderful team helping me. My amazing cinematographer and editor Thomas Meacham, who shoots the episodes, finds the clips to back-up and compliment whatever I’m talking about, and edits it all together, making it seem smooth and effortless, Dale Edwards who helps me shoot and promote the series, my co-host John ( Johnny) Bixler, who does the lovely intros each week and of course, Vince Cardinal who oversees, advices and designs the beautiful backdrops for each episode. Without them, not only wouldn’t I be doing I, it wouldn’t be the success it is. lgbtSr: This interview is for the site, lgbtSr.com. I saw a space there that needed to be filled with something other than horror stories about being old and gay – evil nursing home attendants, attempted deathbed conversions. What’s the upside to being gay and aging? SH: Well, in this city there are so many things to see and do and many of them don’t cost a lot The LGBT Community Center offers so many wonderful activities and programs to and the internet allows you to be more aware of all the various happenings throughout the city. I think the hardest thing about getting old is not buying into it. I still feel about twelve in my mind most of the time. You’re body has it’s natural course it follows, but your mind can still be vibrant and open to new experiences and changes. Personally, I think there’s too much emphasis on “youth”, especially in the Gay community. It’s such a relatively short time span in the general length of your life. Everyone get’s old and everyone has something to offer. We should all be together. I remember when I came to New York, the Gay bars were filled with people of all ages mingling together and enjoying each other’s company. I don’t see that as much anymore. After you reach a certain age, you become invisible. Personally, I just want to look good for my age and be a vital and hopefully interesting person. I think holding onto your youth is one thing, taking it prisoner is another.]]>
lgbtSr: Thanks again, this means a lot to me. Who plays you in the biopic? SH: Years ago, I would have said Marie Dressler, because more and more, I think I look like her. Thank God! Thank you for asking me to do this and for being such a fan of “STEVE HAYES; Tired Old Queen at the Movies”. You’ve made this “Tired Old Queen”, very happy. Ciao!
Florida tops states with oldest populations
No surprise here. We were visiting some of Frank’s family in Coral Springs/Ft. Lauderdale a few weeks ago. We stopped to pick up lunch at a massive deli that was packed with shoppers, none of whom appeared to be under the age of 80. I felt like a spring chicken.
From the list of 10 states with the oldest populations:
1. Florida
2. West Virginia
3. Maine
4. Pennsylvania
5. Iowa
6. North Dakota
7. Hawaii
8. Montana
9. (a tie) South Dakota, Rhode Island]]>
Marriage equality: transcending the racial divide
Marriage Equality Film Project – David Wilson Interview Excerpt
In what is probably the most eloquent case made for marriage equality I’ve come across, Jonathan Capehart at the Washington Post introduces us to a black man named David Wilson. Wilson’s first partner died in their driveway, and Wilson was arrested, considered a stranger and assumed to have committed a crime. He includes a lengthy quote from Wilson that is must-reading, in which Wilson discusses his parents and how his mother was treated by the black church she cherished.
It’s convinced me more than anything else I’ve seen that there is a connection, and a justified one, between the civil rights movement of African-Americans, and our struggle for marriage equality. This is heartbreaking stuff but absolutely essential to understanding why we need not shy away from claiming this as a mutual struggle, a cry for human rights and dignity that transcends racial division.
From the Washington Post/Jonathan Capehart:
There is no question in my mind that there is a seamless arc connecting the civil rights fight waged by African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s and the one underway by gay men and lesbians. But not everyone agrees. Least of all other blacks and the black church in particular. We saw this conflict play out in Maryland, where a bill to legalize same-sex marriage went down in defeat in March in part due to pressure from the black church.
A new documentary looks at the black-gay civil rights divide by centering on Massachusetts Rep. Byron Rushing (D) during the commonwealth’s push to legalize same-sex marriage. The African American legislator eloquently weaves the two movements together in the 15-minute film. Following a screening of the movie last month, I moderated a panel discussion at Aaron Davis Hall in New York City that looked at the marriage equality push in New York state from a black perspective. The panel was filled with luminaries, including media and fashion mogul Russell Simmons. But the star of the event was a soft-spoken man named David Wilson.
[SNIP]
In the film, Wilson tells the heartbreaking story about the death of his then-partner. The trauma of finding him lying in the driveway. The terror of being arrested by the police on suspicion of breaking and entering or assault and battery before neighbors convinced police otherwise. The indignity of being denied information by the hospital because he was a legal stranger to his partner. Only after his partner’s 75-year-old mother told the hospital who Wilson was did they inform him that his partner of 13 years was dead on arrival.
Continue reading
Cross-posted from MadeMark.net]]>
Skype’s the limit: Microsoft buys the popular service
I’m a Skype fan, ever since I got it at work and have been able to instant message Frank at his office. Sometimes we use the webcams, but it’s great for IM without the video. No need to log into Yahoo or Google or any of that. Just Skype to Skype. I’m also going to be using it for interviews here at lgbtSr, now that I have a software called Vodburner that records video calls on Skype. It rocks.
Here’s hoping Microsoft doesn’t find a way to ruin in now that they’re buying it for $8.5 billion. The last thing we need is more Microsoft tentacles in our lives. If it works, don’t fix it, and really don’t screw it up.]]>
Library of Congress displays gay rights history
In a first, the Library of Congress is displaying documents from the history of the LGBT rights movement. The documents were donated by the estate of Frank Kameny, one of the earliest gay rights pioneers.
From the Washington Post:
WASHINGTON — Documents from gay rights history are on display for the first time at the Library of Congress as part of an exhibit on the nation’s constitutional history and civil rights protections.
The documents come from gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny, who was fired as a government astronomer in 1957 because he was gay. The library is showing Kameny’s 1961 petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, contesting his firing.
Though it was denied, Kameny’s was the first petition to the high court for a violation of civil rights based on sexual orientation. He argued the government’s actions toward gays were an “affront to human dignity.”
“This inclusion is an epic milestone in the telling of gay history because it places gay Americans’ struggle for equality where it belongs — in the story of the Constitution itself,” Charles Francis, a founder of the Kameny Papers Project, told The Associated Press.
The library quietly placed the documents on view at the end of April in an exhibit called “Creating the United States,” which traces the evolution of the nation’s founding documents and legal framework. Organizers of the Kameny Papers Project, which donated about 50,000 items to the library in 2006, announced the display Monday.
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Tired Old Queen at the Movies #74 – 'Sweet Smell of Success'
I’ve been enjoying Steve Hayes’s clips for some time now and thought they were perfect for this site. His reviews of movies are not just spot-on, they’re very entertaining. He’s a good guy, and hopefully he doesn’t mind (and if he does I’m sure he’ll let me know!).]]>