From Ringside, Gay Man's Play Packs a Punch (New York Times) Peter Griggs of San Francisco began boxing eight years ago when he came up with the idea to write a screenplay about a gay boxer. His play, "Killer Queen: The Story of Paco the Pink Pounder" runs through May 8 in SoMa's Michael the Boxer gym. Peter Griggs incorporates his own experiences of being outcasted by his family into the stage play about a gay boxer navigating the rigidly heteronormative world of boxing. Griggs told the Bay Citizen, "I decided to write a play that would explore the idea of an out gay boxer as a means of looking at my own feelings of inadequacy as a kid and encourage young gays to gain self-esteem."
JCrew features a same-sex couple in May 2011 Catalog (ABC News) JCrew recently outraged social conservatives by running in their newsletter a photo of a young boy whose mother was painting his toenails pink. Continuing their assault on heteronormative media is JCrew's May 2011 catalog which shows one of the company's designers and his boyfriend. This is a meaningful effort to include queer people in advertising (and we're really looking forward to the inclusion of queer women, queer people of color, and trans folks, too).
HBO to air "Cinema Verite," based on "An American Family" (The Advocate) The 1973 PBS series "An American Family" followed the life of Bill Loud, a businessman based in Santa Barbara, and his family's dynamics, in a style similar to today's reality television. His flamboyant son, Lance Loud, is considered to be one of the first-ever openly gay television characters. HBO will air a film based on the series based on this cultural phenomenon, and The Advocate interviewed filmmakers Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Springer Berman told the Advocate: "He is credited as being the first openly gay person on television. And from what I hear from people that I’ve spoken to, it was incredibly important in the gay rights movement and gave a lot of people confidence and courage. It gave mothers of gay sons and daughters the confidence to support them the way Pat did and to, you know, love them. I think it was a very, very important cultural touchstone." Click through to read the entire interview!
Pam's House Blend plugs Frameline Voices (Pam's House Blend) Frameline Voices is our latest effort to spread our love for queer film and we're delighted to report that the blogosphere has taken advantage of our fresh launch. "In My Shoes," a Frameline29 Audience Award winner about youths with one or more queer parents, is included in a post celebrating the work of COLAGE. We're constantly adding more titles to our streamable Frameline Voices library, so check back often! Below, watch Amy Neil's 2007 film, "Just Me?", from Frameline Voices.