The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine) articles from November 2003

The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine) archives from November 2003

Super Sieber.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... Thanks to Christopher Sieber for coming out in The Advocate ["New Stage for an Out Actor," October 14]. He and his It's All Relative costar, John Benjamin Hickey, create, I believe, the first monogamous gay couple on TV played by two openly gay...

Relatively speaking.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... I received my copy of The Advocate with the cast from It's All Relative on the cover and the headline "TV's giant step forward" ["Relatively Revolutionary," October 14]. You have got to be kidding! Have we set our sights so low that we think...

Older and wiser.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... In your October 14 "We're Coming Out!" article, I was disappointed to see that you didn't manage to find one gay man over 40 to include. Thanks for reaffirming the stereotype that you can come out but you can't grow old if you're a gay man. ...

Job satisfaction.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... One of the companies you did not include in your "Where to Work" story [October 14] is Coldwater Creek [a women's clothing retailer]. I've been working at the home office for over 2 1/2 years. I was recruited to join their team as the senior...

In and out.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... Thank you for Stephen Karam's My Perspective column "Generation Quiet" in the October 14 issue. I find it unfortunate that so many in our community fit Karam's description of being "proudly out only so long as it's convenient." So many of my...

Reader comments from www.advocate.com.(The Advocate Poll)(readers response to survey on whether U.S. Constitution will be amended to ban same-sex marriage)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... * "This country has a history of passing constitutional amendments to expand rights rather than to narrow them. Prohibition is the one notable exception, and we see how short-lived that was." * "Bush doesn't care about this issue, but he...

Hearing them out.(reader foruml)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... I am a 58-year-old gay retired public school teacher who spent most of my life closeted. I wanted to comment on the importance of your latest inclusion, Generation Q. Please continue giving youth an opportunity to tell their story. "Generation...

Prison break.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2003... Thank you for publishing "Danger Behind Bars," an insightful article about LGBTI people in prison [At Issue, September 30]. The article, however, gave the false impression that all prisoners who are LGBTI can avoid rape and violence through...

Correction.(reader forum)(Correction Notice)
November 11, 2003... The antiviolence rally pictured on page 22 of our October 14 issue took place in Boston rather than Newark, N.J.

Patient impatient.(my perspective)(AIDS patient recounts year of treatment for his disease and loss of his parents)(Column)
November 11, 2003... Just about two years ago I lay critically ill in an intensive care unit at a Boston hospital. Since September 11, 2001, my left lung has collapsed four times. I had numerous emergency hospital admissions in which I had to have a tube inserted...

Rants & raves.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... "She's like this big walking stuffed animal." --Rufus Wainwright on Liza Minnelli, upon introducing his version of Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" at a concert in Montreal, September 24 "People are shivering when they meet us. And...

Declaration of intolerance: president Bush proclaims Marriage Protection Week, bringing the White House closer than ever to endorsing an antigay constitutional amendment.(Marriage)(George W. Bush)
November 11, 2003... It was only a White House proclamation, one of dozens issued every year. But to some, it marked the opening salvo in yet another culture war over gay issues as the country heads into an election year. President Bush declared that October 12-18...

Kentucky's coming-out.(Politics)(state senator Ernesto Scorsone)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Emboldened by an executive order banning antigay discrimination in state employment, Kentucky state senator Ernesto Scorsone did on September 30 what apparently no elected official in the state has ever done--he came out of the closet. An...

Arizona says no.(Marriage)(same-sex marriage case)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... If any state is going to be the first in the country to crack the marriage ban, it doesn't look like it will be Arizona. A state appellate court there ruled on October 8 that prohibiting same-sex marriages is not a violation of the state...

Bigotry to a T.(Politics)(presidential candidate John Kerry brings attention to antigay activity at college Republican convention)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is appealing for donations to his campaign by bringing attention to antigay and racist T-shirts being sold at a college Republican convention in the summer. One of the shirts shows a picture of Rosie...

Harvey Milk to hit the field.(Sports)(students from Harvey Milk High School to field teams in public school league, New York, New York)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Critics have charged that New York City's Harvey Milk High School is a "hide your head in the sand" approach to fighting antigay bigotry. But students at the school, which is the first publicly funded secondary institution to cater...

In support of all marriages.(Activism)(demonstration in support of same-sex marriage, LaPeer County, Michigan)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Everything was in place in LaPeer County, Mich., for an October 4 protest against the board of commissioners and its support of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriages. Activists had even secured the proper...

Marriage in Massachusetts.(Activism)(Supreme Court poised to make ruling on same sex marriage)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... At press time the Massachusetts supreme judicial court was poised to issue a ruling on same-sex marriage in the state. For updates on a possible decision, go to www.advocate.com.

Campus condom crusade.(Activism)(University of California students promote support for Israel)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Israel is home to the city of Sodom, but few people are likely to think of gay sex when they see the country's flag. Two students at the University of California, San Diego, are trying to change that. To do so, they're distributing condoms...

Cable compliance.(Benefits)(Adelphia Communications offers same-sex domestic-partner benefits to employees)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Beneficiaries of a new same-sex domestic-partner benefits policy at Adelphia Communications, the nation's sixth-largest cable operator, can thank the city of Los Angeles for the change. Although Adelphia has 14,000 employees in 32 states, its...

Across the nation.(The Nation)(gay and lesbian rights)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Cook Country, Ill. Dozens of same-sex couples in Chicago lined up to sign a new domestic-partner registry on October 2. The registry affords no legal protections, but its establishment was hailed as a symbolic victory. Washington, D.C....

Comeback for gay TV star.(South Korea)(Hong Suk-chon)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... When popular entertainer Hong Suk-chon came out three years ago, his career as a South Korean television star quickly ended. Now the 32-year-old is back as an openly gay character on a new TV soap, and his return is being hailed as a sign that...

Transitions.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... DIED: Donald Stewart Lucas, 77, a San Francisco gay rights pioneer who helped lay the groundwork for gay liberation before the Stonewall riots in 1969, of complications from Parkinson's disease, September 22. APPOINTED: Melissa Sklarz of...

Continuing Milk's legacy: a quarter century after gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk was murdered in San Francisco, fellow activist Tom Ammiano may be elected mayor.(Behind the Headlines)(Interview)
November 11, 2003... In November the city of San Francisco will commemorate the 25th anniversary of a terrible event: the assassination of Harvey Milk, a trail-blazing gay city supervisor, and George Moscone, the city's popular mayor. The two political allies and...

The gaudy gay guy.(Generation Q)(author relates experience of coming out in small town Illinois)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Fairfield, Ill., population: 5,000. Openly gay: one. That's how it felt anyway. Of the 17 years that I lived in my hometown, 3 1/2 were spent as the openly gay kid. When I came out to the people of Fairfield, it seemed as though I was...

Silence from behind the organ.(News Commentary)
November 11, 2003... AGO--the American Guild of Organists--is playfully said to stand for "another gay organist." In reality, however, many church music directors are at risk of losing their jobs if they come out. It has already happened. A special report by Andrew...

Howdy, partner.(Family Matters)(column available on magazine's Web site)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Columnist Lisa Eisenbud's daughters homework inspires a lesson in the many meanings of words like out and partner--which gay people may hear in a completely different way than straights do. Read Lisa's family-oriented column only on...

Yosemite via Alcatraz.(Advocate Travel)(travel article available on magazine's Web site)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... When an old friend announces she's getting married in Yosemite, travel writer David Allyn decides to bookend his trip with a long-delayed visit to San Francisco, including an excursion to Alcatraz. He returns with a host of tales and travel...

The images of dance.(September 6, 1978)(choreographer and photographer Don Bradburn)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... Dance has long enthralled gay men and lesbians, in part because of their appreciation of form and movement in the human body and in part because, as the Cirque du Soleil story in this issue shows, many dancers and choreographers are themselves...

Tamyra, with a twist.(the Buzz)(American Idol personality and actress Tamyra Gray)(Brief Article)(Interview)
November 11, 2003... "WHEN I TRY to give her a massage, she kind of runs away. Then I try to get out of my shirt so that she can give me a massage, but she fights me away." No, American Idol songbird Tamyra Gray is not reminiscing about the tender moments she...

Ringing Andy Bell.(the Buzz)(front man for music group Erasure)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... "ALL THE OTHER GUYS liked Pink Floyd and bands like that," confesses Erasure front man Andy Bell. "It was a bit girly to like ABBA. And I think that's how people look at our band." Well, as a reward to the faithful who might have been...

Out on the sports page: Ed Gray has covered the Boston Red Sox and the Patriots for two decades, and now his readers know he's gay.(Media)
November 11, 2003... Unable to tolerate what he called "unabashed homophobia" in professional sports, veteran sportswriter Ed Gray tackled the issue by penning a September 30 column in which he came out of the closet--creating a minor cause celebre in sports...

Breaking barriers in Harlem: a New York City congregation prepares for the first same-sex union ceremony to be held in a predominantly African-American Episcopal church.(Religion)
November 11, 2003... Tod Roulette is understandably proud when he walks through the small, darkened chapel of St. Philip's Church on 134th Street in New York City's Harlem. As the day's last glimmer of light pierces the candy-colored swirls of the church's stained...

Keeping it up: changes in erection function are normal with age--but for gay men these changes are often anything but acceptable.(health update)
November 11, 2003... When Jeremy Morse sneaked a little blue Viagra pill from his partner's prescription bottle in 1999, it was curiosity-not medical necessity--that fueled his desire to try the erectile dysfunction drug. "I was thinking it might give me the...

Bush on AIDS: the appointment of the White House's newest AIDS officials could signal a renewed emphasis on fighting the disease at home.(health update)(President George W. Bush)
November 11, 2003... While President Bush has won very little praise from gay advocates in his nearly three years in office, he has been commended for his appointments to the federal Office of National AIDS Policy. Scott Evertz and Joseph O'Neill were the first two...

When opposites attract: as hard as relationships can be, it's sometimes doubly so when your partner's HIV status is different from your own.(health update)
November 11, 2003... At age 32, Michael Mayhew thought he'd never meet a mate. Recently divorced and the father of an 8-year-old daughter, he didn't think he could rind a man who shared his family values and desire for a committed relationship. "I always wanted to...

Cirque du so gay: in Cirque du Soleil's erotic Las Vegas spectacle Zumanity, two outrageously beautiful men proclaim their real-life love for each other.(Cover Story)
November 11, 2003... Their lanky, perfectly sculpted, and nearly naked 6-foot-2 frames instantly command attention--and all anxious, curious silence. Johan, the Swedish blond in nothing but Jockeys as white as he is, stands tall across from Patrick, the sultry West...

Heavenly host: gender-bending artiste Joey Arias has spent a lifetime on the edge, but as emcee of Zumanity, he's a perfect fit.
November 11, 2003... Joey Arias isn't so much distracted by the cameras following him around as he is in constant communication with them. The emcee of Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity, who's being tailed for a documentary about the show, will ever so often, in mid...

Vegas interruptus: Zumanity forces tourists to consider gays and lesbians as part of its cirque du sexuality. But only to a point.(Dance Review)
November 11, 2003... Las Vegas encourages tourists to indulge in sexual voyeurism with a wealth of cheesy, chesty revues--your choice of gender. Zumanity is Cirque du Soleil's attempt to muscle in to that bare-breasted market without compromising the organization's...

The truth about Siegfried & Roy: the duo have never denied their past romantic relationship. So why is the media ignoring it?(news commentary)
November 11, 2003... The trick to a good illusion is that it all happens right in front of you, and you know you're being fooled. But you can't figure out how, no matter how carefully you watch. Siegfried and Roy have always been master illusionists, both on...

Beautiful Dolly: Melissa, Meshell, and Sinead are among the singers paying tribute to the legendary Dolly Parton on a new compilation.(Sound Recording Review)
November 11, 2003... Just Because I'm a Woman * Various artists * Sugar Hill Records Dolly Parton hasn't always overtly courted queer audiences, but she has consistently held our collective fascination and ardor for over three decades. Unlike other...

Doin' it for themselves: Queer musicians join authors and filmmakers in subverting corporate distribution channels with the DIY movement.(music)
November 11, 2003... She was not original (too Bonnie Raitt), she was in her mid 30s (too old), and her music was bar-band material (too unrefined). These were the reasons singer-songwriter Holly Light was given by a major-label music exec in the mid 1990s as to...

The diva testifies: gender bender Kevin Aviance talks about dipping into both dance music and gospel.(music)(Brief Article)(Interview)
November 11, 2003... "I always been as this big dark drama queen," Kevin Aviance says with a giggle. "And that can be scary to some people. But I've also always had the church in me too. I love having the chance to show this side of myself... and to get the...

Poison prince.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 11, 2003... Lost Splendor * Prince Felix Youssoup0ff * Helen Marx Books * $21.95 Prince Felix Youssoupoff was the last of his line: a slender, pampered Russian aristocrat with a taste for practical jokes and a reputation for...

A touch too soft.(Lives of the Circus Animals)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 11, 2003... Lives of the Circus Animals * Christopher Bram * William Morrow * $24.95 Novels about the theater are usually written with poison pens. They brim with malice or at least delicious glee in satirizing a tiny, insular world...

Dancing with Dorian: in the new ballet Dorian, ABT's Marcelo Gomes stars as the evil spirit of that portrait in Dorian Gray's closet.(dance)(American Ballet Theatre)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2003... In the opening pages of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, the protagonist states flatly, "Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself." The tale of Dorian, who sells his soul to arrest...

Little Shop's big comeback: late gay lyricist Howard Ashman's delicious Little Shop of Horrors finally makes it to Broadway in a production that's built to last.(Theater Review)
November 11, 2003... Little Shop of Horrors * Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman * Music by Alan Menken * Directed by Jerry Zaks * Starring Hunter Foster and Kelry Butler * Virginia Theatre, New York City (open run) Get ready for the long Broadway run of Little...

A call to arms: it's no exaggeration to say that the Federal Marriage Amendment is the biggest assault on gay rights in U.S. history.(last word)(Editorial)
November 11, 2003... There's a strange lull in gay America right now. Strange because it presages one of the most wrenching political struggles gay Americans have ever fought. While we revel in greater cultural acceptance, in a realignment of attitudes among the...

Reality bites.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 25, 2003... Thank you for the interview with Chip and Reichen ["Reality Sets In," October 28]. What ma exhilarating night to see these two gay men cross The Amazing Race finish line! It truly added to a summer of gay-positive events. Their openess during...

Reader comments from www.advocate.com.(The Advocate Poll)(gay couple appear on reality television program)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... * "Reichen and Chip are role models because they were identified on The Amazing Race as 'married,' refusing to settle for a second-best euphemism by the network." * "To be a role odel, you should remain married even through the worst of...

Unity in Atlanta.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 25, 2003... Thank you for your coverage of the excellent program partnership between the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and the Harvard executive program [:Governing 101," October 28]. I was fortunate to be able to participate and have grown as an elected...

On a political note.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 25, 2003... I agree that Barbra Streisand has rightfully earned her title as a true diva and singer extraordinaire ["Master Class With Barbra," October 28]. However, a high school diploma and a career in entertainment do not make her an expert in legal,...

Stark contrast.(reader forum)(Letter to the Editor)
November 25, 2003... Upon seeing the cover line "Stark Sands: Move Over, Randy Harrison," I scanned the article quickly, expecting to read that Sands, like Harrison, was openly gay ["Mommie's Boy," October 28]. Otherwise, why imply that out-and-proud Harrison faces...

Correction.(reader forum)(Correction Notice)
November 25, 2003... The names of Tod Roulette and Charles Allen III, the subjects of our November 11 story "Breaking Barriers in Harlem," were inadvertently switched in the photo caption on page 31. The Advocate regrets the error.

Rants & raves.(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Caption: "I like strong, assertive, independent, tough women, and they happen to be gay." --Pop singer Pink on her flirting with lesbian even though she "definitely" likes men, as quoted in the November issue of...

Free to damn Matthew? Fred Phelps's plan to erect a monument in Casper, Wyo., to celebrate Matthew Shepard's "damnation" has caused a constitutional battle over the limits of free speech.(Far Right)
November 25, 2003... Officials in Casper, Wyo., home to the burial site of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard, have recently been grappling with two big issues: free speech and hate. At press time they were scrambling to prevent the installation of a monument in a...

Discord in the choir.(Controversy)(New York gay couple kicked out of church choir after having married in Canada)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Even though Robert Voorheis and Michael Sabatino Jr. had attended St. Benedict's Catholic Church in the Bronx, N.Y., as a couple for 25 years, their marriage in Canada was a little too much for fellow parishioners. After accounts of the...

Boston marriage showdown.(Legislation)(Massachusetts supreme judicial court, legislature consider legality of same-sex marriage)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... As of press time, activists on both sides of the gay marriage debate were still awaiting a potentially groundbreaking ruling by the Massachusetts supreme judicial court while state lawmakers were pressing forward with efforts to either legalize...

What gay couples know best.(Advocacy)(Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund offers straight couples relationship advice from long term gay and lesbian couples)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Forget about fashion or Cooking--the gay rights group Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund wants the world to know that gay people are good at relationships, in response to the antigay Marriage Protection Week endorsed by President Bush in...

A gay gene? How about 54 of them?(Science)(research on genetic aspects of sexual identity)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Are gay and transgendered people born that way? A new study from the University of California, Los Angeles, supports the argument that sexual identity--and perhaps sexual orientation--may be "hardwired." In a study of mice, researchers...

Across the Nation.(The Nation)(news on gay and lesbian rights)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Yakima, Wash. A state appeals court has been asked to overturn a Yakima judge's 2002 ruling that a lesbian couple who are splitting up are entitled to "equitable relief." If upheld, the ruling could establish a statewide precedent. ...

Gay wedding destroys church-literally.(Russia)(Russian Orthodox Church condemns gay wedding, orders church building destroyed)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church didn't just condemn the union of Denis Gogolyev and Mikhail Morozov at a chapel in Nizhniy Novgorod, they fired the presiding priest and ordered the church demolished. Gogolyev, 26, and Morozov, 24, caused...

Bringing openness to Iraq: after coming out to the members of his Army combat unit, one soldier experienced an increase in trust and unit cohesion.(Behind the Headlines)(Interview)
November 25, 2003... RyanSmith served for several months in Iraq as a low-level enlisted soldier, encountering numerous combat situations. While there, he came out to the members of his unit When he returned from his Middle East deployment Smith (not his real name)...

Switching sides?(Employment)(Virginia attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore's views on gay rights)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Virginia attorney general Jerry W. Kilgore a Republican, has been actively antagonistic to gay rights, defending the state's sodomy law while opposing gay marriage and same-sex partner benefits. So it came as a surprise to many when he joined...

An uncommon hardship.(Fund-Raising)(advocacy group for lesbians Uncommon Legacy Foundation closes national office due to financial difficulties)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... For more than 10 years Uncommon Legacy Foundation has addressed lesbian concerns through philanthropy. Now the organization must face a new concern--financial hardship. Citing a fundraising climate soured by bad economic times, the foundation...

No going back.(Anglicanism)(Anglican Communion reacts to appointment of first openly gay bishop)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... While conservatives in his denomination were predicting doom, the Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop elect, V. Gene Robinson (pictured), said his election was God's will. At the end of an unprecedented emergency meeting in London in...

Transitions.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
November 25, 2003... DIED: John C. Graves, 65, a Florida historian and activist known for his philanthropic support of gay groups, of an apparent embolism, October 13. DIED: John O, Noble, 80, a New York museum curator and authority on dolls and toys, of...

Beyond black and white.(Generation Q)(Lesbian of color comments on her identity)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Do I take the word lesbian out of a poem I wrote for the upcoming Alpha Phi Alpha talent show at Albany State University? I asked myself that question for two weeks after I was invited to write and perform a new piece for the black fraternity....

It's a girl!(Surrogacy Diary)(gay fathers relate their experience on magazine's Web site)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... David and Mike, who have been telling the story of their pursuit of fatherhood exclusively on Advocate.com for the past year, are finally dads! Read the final entry in their diary as they begin a new adventure.

Single in the suburbs.(First-Person)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Brendan J. Taylor is a young, successful, single gay man who bought his dream home in the burbs. The downside is that he now sees more squirrels than gay people.

Caribbean quiet.(Advocate Travel)(travel advice to be found at magazine's Web site)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... If St. Barfs and St. Mart's seem too crowded these days, there are more peaceful islands nearby: the Dutch isle of Saba and the British colony Anguilla, two exceptionally beautiful destinations. Read Alex Robertson Textor's account of visiting...

Good men slain: January 11, 1979.(From the Advocate Archives)(remarks from Dianne Feinstein, Jimmy Carter in response to assassination of Harvey Milk and George Moscone, San Francisco, California)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Shortly after former San Francisco supervisor Dan White gunned down openly gay supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone on November 27, 1978, The Advocate published a special issue about the lives and deaths of the two fallen gay rights...

Beyonce says tabloid is bootyvicious.(the Buzz)(Beyonce Knowles portrayed as homophobic in British tabloid The Sun)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2003... Beyonce Knowles homophobic? The British tabloid The Sun suggested as much in an October interview titled "Beyonce: 'God Won't Let Me Kiss Girls.'" The story has the 22-year-old Grammy winner describing her religious beliefs ("God is the main...

Alicia Silverstone: lesbian matchmaker.(the Buzz)(star of television program Miss Match comments on matchmaking for gays and lesbians)(Brief Article)(Interview)
November 25, 2003... LOOK OUT, Miss Match, In an upcoming episode of the new NBC series from out TV whiz Darren Star, divorce lawyer-matchmaker Kate Fox played by Alicia Silverstone--faces her toughest job yet: finding a girlfriend for the daughter of a picky mom...

What makes a mom: for six years, Mian Carvin was "Mama" to the daughter she and her partner brought into the world. When the couple split, Carvin was cut off. Is she still a mother?(Parenting)(Interview)
November 25, 2003... When Page Britain gave birth to baby in 1995 by cesarean section, her longtime partner, Mian Carvin, was by her side. She was the first to cradle the girl in her arms. She welcomed the child into the world by singing the lyrics to the Beatles'...

Death of dreams: in November 1978, Harvey Milk's murder and the mass suicides at Jonestown nearly broke San Francisco's spirit. Eerily, Milk knew and worked with Jonestown founder Jim Jones.(Harvey Milk & Jonestown: 25 years later)
November 25, 2003... "Horror upon horror, shock upon shock.... What is there about November? What is there about San Francisco?" So declaimed local journalist Herb Caen just one day after the November 27, 1978, murders of openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk and...

He lived to tell: openly gay Jonestown resident Vernon Gosney escaped the commune with three bullet wounds, but his 5-year-old son was not as lucky.(Interview)(Biography)
November 25, 2003... The last time Vernon Gosney dreamed about Jonestown, things were the way they were, supposed to be have been. "It was a harmonious, supportive community. Everyone was building beautiful buildings," he says, describing the dream. "Jim Jones was...

His grown-up Christmas list: actor-producer Chad Allen opens up about his good works, why boosting gay causes is especially important at the holidays, and the blessings he's received since coming out two years ago.(Interview)(Cover Story)
November 25, 2003... Chad Allen didn't ask to be on the cover of this magazine. "Part of really wants to tell you about all the great things that I'm doing so you can tell me what a good boy I am," Allen says, grinning with sarcasm, but it was The Advocate's idea...

Holiday gift guide: this year, make your holiday dollars count, whether by supporting gay and AIDS causes or simply by expressing your same-sex affection with the perfect gift. May we offer some suggestions?
November 25, 2003... gifts that Matter amfAR 2003 holiday cards Talk about sending a letter from the heart: This year's set of four beautiful cards--"Homes," "Penguin," "Snowman," and "Elf"--was designed by children's book author and illustrator...

Letter to a son-to-be.(final cut)(gay couple awaits arrival of adopted child)
November 25, 2003... Dear Bill: Its more difficult than we thought to write a letter to a son. It's not just that we have no experience, or that, it's been done (and we hate doing things that have been done). But we, Christopher and Paris, are expecting, for...

Puppets and politics: set at Christmas, Paula Vogel's new play focuses on three children, played at times by puppets, but its real target is homophobia.(theater)(Interview)
November 25, 2003... When playwright Paula Vogel takes the wheel, you're in for an exhilarating ride. How I Learned to Drive, which won her the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for drama, was a controversial tale of a girl's sexual awakening, abuse, and empowerment at the hands...

Springer fever: trust a team of gay men to dazzle London with a stylish little romp called Jerry Springer--the Opera.(theater)(creators of new musical Richard Thomas, Stewart Lee)(Interview)
November 25, 2003... Londoners may have jeered magician David Blaine as he dangled in his box over the Thames, but they do take some American huckster to their hearts. Case in point: Jerry Springer--the Opera. Opening in the West End this month after a smash run at...

Poor boy from Oz: Hugh Jackman does his best as Peter Allen, but The Boy from Oz fails to ignite.(Theater Review)
November 25, 2003... The Boy From Oz * Book by Martin Sherman * Music and lyrics by Peter Allen and others * Choreography by Joey McKneely * Directed by Philip William McKinley * Starring Hugh Jackman * Imperial Theater, New York City (open run) ...

The Advocate bulletin: our essential holiday guide to events, products, and promotions.
November 25, 2003... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Captions: Steel's Glances The new Movado Museum Automatic is an icon of modernism, complete with a fine 21-jewel self-winding movement. The sophisticated, Swiss-engineered workings are revealed through a...