Gay Pride Month - Virtual Roundtable
Rick Bettencourt, Brandilyn Carpenter, Rob Colton, Andrew Q Gordon,
Lane Hayes, Debbie McGowan,
and Brandon Shire. Each week, two people will answer two questions related
LGBT pride, rights, and related topics. We will also be giveaway free copies of
eBooks by our participating authors and a Amazon gift card. You can enter on
the Raffle Copter below. There are special entries for each week of June, so don't
miss out on those.
Please join in the discussion in the comments. You can gain entries into the giveaway, but more importantly, you can be part of a important and fun discussion. Though only 2 panelists will be posting each week, we will all be joining the discussion.
Please join in the discussion in the comments. You can gain entries into the giveaway, but more importantly, you can be part of a important and fun discussion. Though only 2 panelists will be posting each week, we will all be joining the discussion.
This Week's Discussion
What
does "gay pride" mean to you?
Before
I sat down to answer this question, I looked up “pride” in the dictionary. Pride is so often seen as a negative—it is,
after all, one of the seven deadly sins and the sin which reportedly got
Lucifer kicked out of heaven. But, I digress. Dictionary.com offers several
definitions for pride:
noun
1.
a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or
superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing,
conduct, etc.
2.
the state or feeling of being proud.
3.
a becoming or dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one's position or
character; self-respect; self-esteem.
4.
pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or
believed to reflect credit upon oneself: civic pride.
5.
something that causes a person or persons to be proud: His art collection was
the pride of the family.
For me the definition is self-respect; self esteem. And for me, showing gay pride is simply a matter of living out loud, every day. Out. Loud. Every. Single. Day.
Gay
pride has nothing to do with rainbow flags and pretty boy twinks cavorting half
naked down city streets half drunk and defiant. Nor is it limited to a single
day or event. Just as black power and black pride marches morphed from singular
annual events to a way of living, a way of being,
so should gay pride. In my opinion, gay pride is about having the balls (or the
female equivalent) of coming out, standing up, fighting back, saying loudly, unequivocally,
“Yes, I am.”
What
do you think has been the biggest change in the LGBT community in recent
years?
I
think the biggest change has been in visibility. We are no longer hidden in the
shadows, spoken of only in whispers or derisively. Today’s youth are coming out
younger and I think it’s important they can see themselves in sports, on TV, in
the news, in business, not for being remarkable or strange but just for being
another thread in the fabric of society.
Thanks to leaps in attitudes, young people can see people just like them
getting married, raising children, changing the world.
The
other big change I think has been in the visibility of non-white members of the
LGBT community. That may not seem to be a big deal to many reading this post but
trust me it is. I realized I was gay when I was 12. That was just after the Stonewall
rebellion. Anxious to understand myself, I tried to read everything I could
about gay people, to try to understand myself, to try to visualize my future. Not
knowing any better, I thought I was strange or some kind of freak, not because
I was gay but, because I was gay and
black. Every image in the mainstream press was of white men and women. I remember
being confused and worried. I attended a school that was had mostly black and Hispanic
student; I had a fierce crush on a Puerto Rican classmate. I remember wondering how I’d ever find a boyfriend
if only white guys were gay and I didn’t know any.
Please click on over to Brandon Shire's site and read the other half of this week's discussion.
Read last week's posts from Andrew Q. Gordon and Deb McGowan.
Please click on over to Brandon Shire's site and read the other half of this week's discussion.
Read last week's posts from Andrew Q. Gordon and Deb McGowan.
About
Our Panelists
Larry Benjamin: Bronx-born wordsmith Larry Benjamin, is
the author of the gay novels, Unbroken, and What Binds Us and the short story
collection Damaged Angels. Larry will be hosting the discussion
starting 9 June 2014.
Twitter:
@WriterLarry
Rick Bettencourt: Rick Bettencourt is the author of
NOT SURE BOYS, PAINTING WITH WINE and TIM ON BROADWAY. Rick hates to cook, and
can often be seen eating out. He lives in the Tampa Bay area, with his husband
and their dog, Bandit. Rick will be hosting the discussion starting 23 June 2014.
Twitter: @rbettenc
Brandilyn Carpenter: Brandilyn is the odd duck in this
group. She owns an LGBTQ fiction focused review blog, Prism Book Alliance, and
is the married mother of 3 young children. She is an advocate for equal rights
and tirelessly promotes the gay fiction genre. Brandilyn will be
hosting the discussion starting 16
June 2014.
Twitter:
@BrandilynRC
Rob Colton: Rob Colton is a software
developer by day, and avid reader of romance novels at night. A romantic at
heart, he loves stories that feature big, burly men who find true love and
happy endings. Rob will be hosting the discussion starting
16 June 2014.
Twitter: @robcub32
Website: http://robcolton.com
Andrew Q Gordon: Andrew Q. Gordon lives in the DC Metro area
with his husband and 2 year old daughter. While he enjoys most types of
fiction, his current works include MM Fantasy, Paranormal and Contemporary
Fiction. Andrew will be hosting the discussion starting
2 June 2014.
Twitter:
@AndrewQGordon
Lane Hayes:
Lane Hayes is an M/M author, a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist for her first release
Better Than Good, designer, reader, lover of chocolate, red wine & clever people. Lane will be hosting the discussion starting
23 June 2014.
Twitter:
@LaneHayes3
Website: http://lanehayes.wordpress.com
Debbie McGowan: Debbie McGowan is based in Lancashire,
England. She writes character-driven fiction, runs an independent publishing
company, and lectures in social science. Sometimes she sleeps, too!
Debbie will be hosting the discussion starting 2 June
2014.
Twitter:
@writerdebmcg
Brandon Shire: Brandon Shire writes fiction about human
intimacy and interactions. He loves chocolate and is a staunch advocate for homeless
LGBT youth. Brandon will be hosting the discussion starting
9 June 2014.
Twitter:
@thebrandonshire
Website: http://brandonshire.com
Giveaway
Prizes (4 winners):- $ 10 Amazon GC, eBook Listening to Dust by Brandon Shire, & eBook Not Sure Boys by Rick Bettencourt
- $ 10 Amazon GC, eBook Painting with Wine by Rick Bettencourt, & eBook from Andrew Q Gordon's backlist
- $ 10 Amazon GC, eBook Unbroken by Larry Benjamin, & eBook Champagne by Debbie McGowen
- $ 10 Amazon GC, eBook from Rob Colton's backlist, & eBook from Lane Hayes' backlist
Excellent post. Agree with every word.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, Larry - I recall something in one of your books related to only white guys being gay (is it in Unbroken?) - here in the UK, it is class difference that is the great divide - middle class = OK to be gay. Working class? There is perhaps slightly more freedom for gay women than gay men, because gender stereotypes are far more rigid for working class men than any other group (my observation) and being gay and being masculine are deemed mutually exclusive.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deb. Yep that was in Unbroken, which as you know was heavily influenced by my own experiences.
DeleteI find it intersting that the UK has that class divide. We've come so far but we stil have so far to go
Great post, Your definition of gay pride resonates "For me the definition is self-respect; self esteem." I think this is applicable to everyone no matter what their orientation, we should all have self-respect, self-esteem and respect one another. We would all be living in a happier world if this were true, I remain hopeful.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI think yu are right. Self respect is key for if we can't respect and accept ourselves, we can't respect and accept others.
Like you, I remain hopeful.
Excellent post. I think you are absolutely correct about self - respect and esteem. I also think that you are correct about the visibility of non white LGBTQ.
ReplyDeleteThe statement you made that pride is seen as a negative made me think because while I find excessive pride in a person negative I don't find pride in one's self negative as a general rule. Of course what I find excessive (which isn't really pride at all but, in my experience, is a way of hiding insecurities) might differ from others. I fully agree with you that having self-respect is having pride in who you are and that is something everyone should strive to achieve.
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating in this discussion, I am enjoying reading everyone's posts.
I think once we have self-respect and self-esteem we make better choices, we act more responsbly an dtheat is key to achieving/succeeeding.
DeleteThank you for reading and participating.
Great post, Larry. I've seen a number of my family members and friends struggle with what it means to be black and LGBT. My hope is that as the visibility of diverse LGBT people increases, the struggle for them will get easier.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynette
DeleteI share your hope that increased visibility will ease the struggle for those that come after us. That coing out is stil a struggle for so many saddens me greatly. But it highlights the importance, the necessity, for all of us, especially those of us who are LGBT and "of color" come out and stand strong.
Larry
ReplyDeleteAs always, well said. I'd like to say you are a wonderful voice, ambassador, example for our community - and we are stronger for counting you as a vocal member of our 'clan'.
- Andrew Q. Gordon
Thanks for the wonderful post! I especially liked your comments on visibility and "being another thread in the fabric of society."
ReplyDeletethank you. I do believe we are a thread of society and by being visible that thread gets stronger and makes society as a whole stronger.
DeleteReally thought-provoking, especially regarding visibility!
ReplyDeleteTrix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
Thank you.
DeleteGreat post, Larry. Self-esteem, self-confidence, self-awareness...so important. I love knowing there are some fabulous role models for the LGBT community. My 20 yr old son gravitates to John Waters & older writers who talk about their experiences in the 70s & earlier. There seems to be evidence of strong "thread in the fabric" which will allow a younger generation to continue making an impact.
ReplyDeleteThnaks Lane. I agree, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-awareness along with self-acceptance and visibilty are what will make this community stronger and make it easier for our young people to come out and be proud.
DeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rodney. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWonderful post. Thank you for sharing your own experiences and what changes you've seen and what gay pride means to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, H.B. I think teh LGBT experience is different for each of us and so with this roundtable we tried to get a variety of people involved, including straight allies. Be sure to check out the rest of the posts in the coming 2 weeks.
DeleteExcellent post, Larry. It was great to read what gay pride means to you, and how you think the LGBT community has changed. What do you think the next big change might be?
ReplyDelete