Gay Pride Post: By Rob Williams

Since it's gay pride this weekend (in NYC), as well as official Gay Pride Month I thought I would devote this blog to all things Gay and literary.

Ted recently brought home (remember he lives with me now!!) the fabulous (a very gay term) book: When I Knew edited by Robert Trachtenberg

This terrific coffee table book is filled with anecdotes (and the greatest photos and graphics ever) about when various gay and lesbian folks 'knew' that they were gay.



Among the contributors: Kevin Williamson (of Scream/Dawson's Creek fame), Judy Gold, Dan Butler (of Frasier), Tammy Lynn Michaels (Mrs. Melissa Etheridge), blogger Andy Towle, Chad Allen (of 'Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman'), Jim Provenzano, Marc Shaiman, BD Wong (Law and Order: SVU-- and 'Broadway'), etc.

Here's a sample:

1969--My father was watching the evening news. the announcer said that Judy Garland had died. I fainted. i was nine.  --- Andrew Freedman

And this:

As a kid, I became obsessed with the man on the Doan's Pills box. His back was so sexy. When my mom's supply ran out and she threw the box away, I went to the drug store and stole another. I stuffed it down my pants, where it's been ever since.  ---Jon Kinnally (writer/exec. producer Will & Grace)

And:

I went to Choate Prep School. All the boys in my hall got Sports Illustrated. I seemed to be the only one with a subscription to Women's Wear Daily.  --- Michael Shulman 

Check it out, what better than a great book to curl up with after a day out at the parade or dancing at the pier?  aAd here's a few more:

Queer Stories for Boys
True Stories from the Gay Men's Storytelling Workshop

The Haunted Hillbilly-- Derek McCormack

You Can Say You Knew Me When-- K.M. Soehnlein

Cities of Weather: Stories-- Matthew Fox (yet another reason to love Canada-- and he's reading in NYC Monday at McNally Robinson bookstore 50 Prince Street).

One of These Things is Not Like the Other-- D. Travers Scott

The Beautifully Worthless-- Ali Liebegott

Breakfast With Tiffany: An Uncle's Memoir by Edwin John Wintle

Ok. so I guess I could give my own anecdote about 'when i knew' but I've done enough of that in my blogs already (and will continue to do so). Instead i'm going to give an anecdote about 'you know you're about to be married to your boyfriend when':

After realizing you are both off from work on Friday you think to yourself, in all seriousness and genuine enthusiasm: oh, great, I can make us chicken salad sandwiches for lunch!