Living Out Loud with Darian

Janet Jackson is everywhere as the promo for her new project 'Discipline' continues. Journalist and blogger Clay Cane has posted one of three interviews featured in the New York nightlife magazine HX. Janet will also grace the April cover of Ebony magazine.

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about the question Ebony asks on the front cover. Janet: Does She Still Have It? I know we hardcore Janet fans can be a little sensitive when we think someone is taking an unnecessary jab at Ms. Jackson, but I guess we'll have to wait to read the article.

Make sure you check out Clay's interview and highlights from Larry King Live below.

(*Singing Tony Toni Tone's Anniversary in my head*)

I came across this post by friend and fellow blogger Shawn QT celebrating the 2 year anniversary of his relationship with his boyfriend "Fuzzy". Their relationship has always been an inspiration and example for Trey and I and a number of other SGL couples. I wanted to personally congratulate them here on my site and post their images as an example that SGL relationships can and do last. Congrats Shawn and Fuzzy!!

Yesterday I received a comment from a reader that really made me pause. Like so many people who visit my blog and leave anti-gay comments (that you guys never get a chance to read), I was apprehensive about approving this particular comment because I felt it was the exact opposite of the tone I wish to set on this site. But after reading the last line I felt compelled to post it, therefore sparking the questions that I have today.

The following was left in response to my post on the relationship between Eddie Murphy and Johnny Gill.

“If he’s not gay, he has the right to say so. As you know, boys and men are being beat up every day for being gay or for being perceived as such. Don’t blame him for the society we live in. Leave the guy alone”.

I have to say in response that this comment is partially correct. Yes boys and men are being beaten up and killed everyday because they are gay or transgender. But my question is how long are we going to continue to allow innocent lives to be taken because of someone else’s homophobia and bigotry?

The gay community should not be alone in the fight to save our lives. Where are our straight allies? Where is the outcry of injustice from our political leaders? How many more of our brothers and sisters have to die from senseless deaths before Americans realize despite what your religious beliefs may be regarding homosexuality that nobody deserves to have their life stolen by a gunshot wound to the head at age 15 or have your body dismembered and thrown into trash bags to be spread all over New York City.

Have we forgotten that Michael Sandy, Lawrence King, Simmie Williams Jr., Rashawn Brazell, Sakia Gunn and countless others were all loved by their families and friends? They were somebody’s children, and now a mother is mourning the loss of her son or daughter because we’re too afraid to embrace the differences that make us all unique.

It hurts to know that while we watch in horror at the crimes being committed against our SGL brothers in Jamaica on a weekly basis that we’re not exempt from the same thing happening here.

Yes the society we live in is homophobic, but it doesn’t have to be.
I’m not expecting the world to change overnight and to begin waving a gay pride flag, but I do expect human beings to be able to disagree without taking a life that they didn’t have the power to give.

It hurts when our own black community turns a blind eye to hate crimes committed against us based on sexual orientation because they’re too wrapped up in the dogmatic teachings of the black church to realize when one of us falls down we all do.

I think it would be fair to say if the deceased individuals mentioned didn’t all have the one “tragic flaw” called homosexuality in common, the black community and the media wouldn’t discredit their lives by not bringing attention to the vicious crimes being committed all across this country.

Nobody deserves to die because of whom they love. I pray that one-day our country will realize that separate is not equal and racism and homophobia can and will end if we make the decision to promote love and tolerance instead of fear and hatred.

Hey! I'm on my way back to Atlanta from Monterrey, Mexico. Regular posting should resume after 4:30 P.M. ET. Until then feel free to catch up on previous posts or listen to my interview on Da Doo Dirty Show with host DJ Baker.

In my line of work I'm usually the person asking the questions, but last week I was in the hot chair on the popular internet radio show Da-Doo Dirty Show hosted by DJ Baker. DJ has interviewed some of the most outspoken and influential leaders in the black gay community to recording artists and porn stars. Yeah...he doesn't discriminate.

We had an opportunity to talk about my work, my relationship, the state of the black gay community and just about everything else that popped into DJ's head. This interview is definitely a rare opportunity to learn more about me. I talk about stuff that I would never write about here on my site. DJ has a way of making his guests so comfortable that they're willing to tell all of their business...lol!

Thanks for having me on the show DJ it was a blast!

Check out the interview on Da Doo-Dirty show here.

So Johnny Gill is upset with the black media because he feels we continue to circulate the gay rumors between he and Eddie Murphy. The "couple" have been friends for over 24 years and in a recent interview on The Doug Banks Show Johnny stated he felt people were just jealous of their relationship, repeatedly denying the fact that he is gay or has ever been gay as he began to channel his inner Larry Craig.

Gill even agreed to take a lie detector test before screaming his tired I'M STRAIGHT defense. ""There's not one person on this planet that could ever say they've seen Johnny Gill step outside of the rim or conducted himself as a man." "I keep a stable," he said, explaining that he is not married and has women of all races.


Well, like my friend B. Scott says, "I know a gay when I see a gay!"

In all fairness Johnny Gill may not be gay, but at the end of the day who really cares. When was the last time he was in the media for his music? Let's just go ahead and add him to the long list of black celebrities who refuse to come out.

Check out the audio of the interview here .

Note to Johnny: Being a gay man doesn't make you any less capable of being a great father nor is it traumatizing for your children. Please be a little more careful of the misinformation you're spreading as you proclaim your heterosexuality.

Hey! I spent the past 24 hours in New York City for the release of Janet's new album Discipline and although I'm tired as hell from only getting about 3 hours of sleep it was definitely worth it.

I would write a more detailed account of everything that took place if I had the energy, but I did have my camera with me, so enjoy the footage that I was able to capture of this special night.

Make sure you go out and purchase your copy. Ms. Jackson deserves to debut at #1.

I'm off to Houston now. Things will hopefully be back to normal tomorrow.

Shout out to Clay Cane, John, Sean,Paris, Elizabeth,(for the VIP hook up)and Adam Irby.

While the gay blogosphere was rightfully upset and mourning the loss of 15 year old Oxnard, California student Lawrence King who was shot to death by a classmate for being openly gay, another senseless hate crime took the life of 17 year old Simmie Williams Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Simmie Williams Jr., 17, was attacked on the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard by two young men who wore dark clothing and might live in the neighborhood, police said. Williams, who was wearing a dress and was known in the area by his first name or as "Chris" or "Beyonce," was shot about 12:45 a.m. Friday and soon afterward died at Broward General Medical Center, police said.It's unclear what Williams was doing in the area, about four miles from his house, but police are investigating whether he was working as a prostitute, officials said.

Williams had signed up Wednesday for Job Corps, a federal government program designed to teach students vocational skills. He planned to get his GED and then go to culinary school, his mother Denise King said.

"That's what he really wanted to do. That's all he talked about," said King. "He spent the whole day with me yesterday, played with his nephew and cooked dinner." A few hours later, he was dead.

Police are investigating the death of Simmie Williams Jr. as a hate crime. Words were exchanged prior to the shooting according to Detective Katherine Collins, spokeswoman for Fort Lauderdale police, but she would not elaborate any further.

Source:Sun-Sentinel

Anti-gay minister Ken Hutcherson just can't seem to stay out of the news or tone down his "bible sanctioned" hate speech. He recently made headlines for interrupting a Microsoft shareholder meeting by threatening to "go to war" with the company over it's support of it's gay and lesbian employees and their participation in the advancement of the so-called gay agenda.

I've reported on Rev. Hutcherson's outlandish behavior in the past, but this most recent incident only further proves what kind of a man and Christian leader he really is.

Valerie Tarico, a former staffer at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, was raised in a fundamentalist church. In recent months, she has made it her business to attend services at many of the large, conservative churches in the Seattle area, including Hutcherson's, to see what's going on.

On a Sunday when Tarico was present, Hutcherson was preaching on gender roles. During his sermon, Hutcherson stated, "God hates soft men" and "God hates effeminate men." Hutcherson went on to say, "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I'd rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."

"That was a joke," Hutcherson said Friday, when I asked him about the comment. But it's not really funny, is it?

What it sounds like are the kinds of words that have paved the way for atrocities in such places as Serbia, Kosovo and Rwanda. You have to dehumanize somebody before you beat them up. Labeling some men as "soft" and "effeminate" and saying "God hates them" does that.-Seattlepi.com

And this type of behavior is exactly why I refuse to ever step foot inside another mega church or any church that doesn't respect and value me as one of God's children versus an abominable mistake that deserves to be physically and emotionally mistreated.

Hi-five to Pam's House Blend.

The wait is over!! Tomorrow Janet will be releasing her highly anticipated album 'Discipline' and will be taking over New York City at 7 A.M. with a performance on Good Morning America. Now I'm sure you all know that I live in Atlanta but there is no way that I'm going to miss out on seeing Janet for free in one of the most intimate performances of her career.

She will be performing live from the 2,100 seat Nokia Theater on West 44th Street and I will be there with my camera in hand.

I will be making the trip to NYC tonight just in time for 'Discipline' to go on sale at midnight at Virgin Megastore in Times Square and for the performance Tuesday morning. Expect some very exciting footage from Ms. Janet by the middle of the day on Tuesday here on this site. And I dare any of her security people to tell us we can't videotape the performance. It should be understood that this will be on YouTube ten minutes after she takes her bow...lol!

If you haven't had an opportunity to listen to 'Discipline' after the entire album was leaked online last week, then by all means BUY it and don't download it. Although, I couldn't wait and I downloaded it anyway! But I'm buying a copy tomorrow night.

Check out this great review of 'Discipline' by loldarian.com affiliate Adam Irby and revisit my excitement of the release of 20 Y.O. in the video below. I have a feeling my video for Discipline is going to be bananas! Many thanks to fellow blogger Clay Cane for hooking me up with the tickets.


20 Y.O.

Add to My Profile | More Videos

"You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don't live the only life you have, you won't live some other life, you won't live any life at all." -James Baldwin


This quote by James Baldwin is one that resonates with me on such an intense and personal level and I thought I would share it with you. Take from it what you will. Personally it is the best validation that I've ever received as a black same gender loving man. Not that I was specifically seeking validation, nor was I searching for this quote. I guess it just found me.


James Baldwin

This Saturday The Evolution Project, an Atlanta organization dedicated to providing services for at risk or homeless gay youth will present an evening of music, dance, and poetry along with a panel discussion on "The Black Gay Consciousness in Atlanta. The staff of The Evolution Project is asking for a $5.00 donation to benefit the programs offered to their clients.

I will be participating on the panel along with the legendary Andre Mizrahi, Tracee McDaniel, Duncan Teague, Ebonee Bradford, and Anye Elite. The discussion will be moderated by Stephaun Clipper-Wallace of The Evolution Project and Aid Atlanta.

So consider this post your invite to come down to The Purple Door Salon on Saturday, February, 23 at 7p.m. located at 321 Edgewood Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30312 .

If you're in Atlanta I look forward to seeing you there.

Hello,

I'm on assignment for Clik Magazine today and I've decided to devote all of my attention to completing my article. I have to say this piece is quite challenging and is forcing me to stretch as a writer.I look forward to sharing the finished product with all of you really soon.

I want to thank all of you who support my blog everyday, even those of you who read but fail to comment on posts...lol. I know you're reading and I really appreciate it.

This blog has opened doors for me and formed friendships and professional relationships with some of the most amazing people in the same gender loving community. I will continue to provide important content (as it happens) relevant to the community that informs, educates, uplifts, and empowers us as black gays and lesbians.

Continue to hang in there with me.

Darian

This past Saturday night in Atlanta over fifty black gay men gathered to participate in a special screening and discussion of The DL Chronicles. This was an event that started out as a rather small gathering in my mind that evolved into an evening that far surpassed my expectations.

There is only one other time in my life that I remember being surrounded by so many gay men of color who were out, proud, and making a difference in their communities and the world and that was during the first Clik Honors.

This was one of those times when you could feel that you were in the midst of greatness. Despite what people may say, brothas can come together for functions outside of the club.

I'd like to thank J. Brotherlove, James Earl Hardy, Eric Ware, Tim'm West, Anthony Antoine, and Anrae Holmes for participating on the panel. You guys were truly the icing on the cake for me.

I'd be remiss not to publicly thank my "huzman" (thanks for giving me a new word James) Trey and my friends Bennie, Travis, Derek, and Tobias for all of their help in making this event a success.

Check out this wonderful review of the evening on Truthfully Speaking as well as the pics and video footage. Now you know I never leave home without my camera...lol!

The Discussion: Part 1



The Discussion: Part 2

It wasn't too long ago that a young boy dancing to Beyonce's hit song Irreplaceable caused a firestorm of controversy online. In this video (that can be seen above) the young man is obviously imitating Beyonce. Unfortunately, he was born a male into a society that insists on maintaining specific behavioral traits based on gender, so his hip-swaying and full splits didn't sit well with most people.

Here are a few examples of the mean spirited comments that were left for the young man who couldn't have been more than seven years old.

"I would love to have my son beat his ass and get my wife to beat his Momma's ass. This is sad."

"That lil nig gon be gay when he grows up."

"Flamin fag in the making...if it was my son i'd throw his ass in football unpaded for that shit".

Fast forward to the present. The entertainment gossip blog Media Take Out.com has posted a new video of a little black boy dropping it like it's hot and all hell is breaking loose. Here is what's being said in the comments section.

"MEN please raise your boys."

"I done told them people to stop turning their boys into homos. They ain't listening."

"Ok, and why isnt there a scene where the father comes into the video and slaps the Sh**t out of him for doing that? Dang future gayboy!"

"This young boy obviously doesn't have a respectful male figure in the house b/c that dodo brown dance has got to STOP. Shame on his guardian".


I could easily stand on top of my soapbox and pick apart the ignorant comments posted about these young men but I won't. Instead I'd like to point out 10 obvious signs for straight parents who suspect their son might be gay.

1.He would rather watch That's So Raven than Monday Night Football.

2.He knows all of the lyrics and original choreography from CATS The Musical.

3. He's great at putting together a banging outfit.

4. He's polite.

5. He respects Tyra Banks for her entrepreneurship and not her huge rack!

6. He calls women by their name instead of "bitch" and "hoe".

7. He was blessed with too much rhythm.

8. He's aware that crying is not a sign of weakness but of strength.

9. He's not afraid to smile...repeatedly.

10. He knows that using the english language correctly does not make him an Uncle Tom and therefore less black, but intelligent and respectable.

So parents if your child exhibits any of the ten traits listed above then you might as well send him off to a Love Won Out Conference and begin blaming yourself for failing as a parent, because not only are you raising a gay child but a decent human being too. What a damn shame!

I just can't get enough of this video! Finally someone has said it. Former NBA star Charles Barkley has been very vocal about his support of LGBT equality in the past so I wasn't surprised to hear that he supports gay marriage. But his recent comments about conservatives were right on.

"Every time I hear the word 'conservative,' it makes me sick to my stomach, because they're really just fake Christians, as I call them. That's all they are. ...

"I think they want to be judge and jury. Like, I'm for gay marriage. It's none of my business if gay people want to get married. I'm pro-choice. And I think these Christians, first of all, they're not supposed to judge other people. But they're the most hypocritical judge of people we have in the country. And it bugs the hell out of me. They act like they're Christians. They're not forgiving at all."

Surprisingly, Charles Barkley wants to run for governor of my home state of Alabama in 2014. All I can say is good luck with your campaign Charles. Your opponent will surely play this video in an attack ad that will have the good Christian folks in Alabama running away from you with their bibles in tow.

Hi-five to Rod and AlterNet

No pun intended. I'm still recovering from the excitement of my DL Chronicles screening and discussion that took place this past Saturday in Atlanta, so regular updates will resume on tomorrow. I have tons of great photos and video footage that I cannot wait to share with you guys. As soon as I get out of Alabama and back into civilization, along with an internet connection I'm not stealing from the neighbors(LOL!), it'll be business as usual.

Many thanks to J. Brotherlove, James Earl Hardy, Anthony Antoine, Tim'm West, and Anare Holmes. You guys are the best!

Janet Jackson! Congrats to Janet for taking home an NAACP Image Award for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her performance in Why Did I Get Married. This is Janet's first major award for her work as an actress. The incredible Ruby Dee was also nominated in this category, but in the end it was Janet who received the accolade for her stunning portrayal of Patricia, a psychologist who tackled all of her friends problems but avoided her own.

Why Did I Get Married is now available on DVD. So if you haven't seen it then by all means run to Blockbuster and see the performance that earned Janet her NAACP honor.

My girl is back and there will only be more awards to come. Discipline hits stores February 26.

If you missed my video review of Why Did I Get Married then you can check it out here .

Well it looks like Patrick Ian Polk and the folks over at LOGO are going to make me take back everything I said about the possibility of Noah's Arc being released as a feature film. The creator of Noah's Arc himself and Darryl Stephens(Noah) sat down to record a video message to assure fans that the movie will be going into production this spring with a release at the end of the year.

Patrick was adamant about not giving away the plot but he did say the story was centered around a wedding. Is it Wade and Quincy? Wade and Noah? Or Alex and Trey? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I'm beyond excited! Right now all I want to do is send positive vibes their way. This is sure to be quite a groundbreaking film and extremely different from Dirty Laundry. Whereas Dirty Laundry was a family film with a gay theme Noah's Arc will no doubt be in your face-man-on man action. Is America ready? Let the countdown begin!

Check out the video below and read the AfterElton.com blog post here . Thanks Jeff .

Gay video from AfterElton.com

Hey! Trey and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you are in a relationship or you're single, take some time to tell that special person in your life how much you love them. Many single people are depressed during this time of year because love seems to evade them, but take it from me, you'd much rather be single than in a relationship with the wrong person.


I've had my share of toxic relationships and frankly I was overdue for the real thing, and Trey is definitely the real thing.

I love you baby!

In preparation for my big event this weekend things might be a little quiet on the site over the next couple of days. I look forward to seeing some of you there. Be safe and enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Every now and then you can't be afraid to break out your boxing gloves and go head to head and this is one of those times.

Pastor DL Foster, an ex-gay minister and creator of the Gay Christian Movement Watch, a website dedicated to monitoring inclusive churches and the "homosexual agenda" recently took his seething anti-gay propaganda to the next level in a post titled "The Glamorous Life of Aids".

In this post DL refers to an interview given to The Body.com by Keith Green, associate editor of the HIV/AIDS journal Positively Aware in Chicago as a person who believes living with HIV is a "good thing".

"AIDS, is still a deadly disease which is largely caused by immoral choices based on lies. If an effort to remove the “stigma” of AIDS, the spin now is that getting AIDS is actually a good thing. According to the cheery testimonials having HIV/AIDS can make you more sociable, interesting, and likeable. And don’t forget you are sure to become ”comfortable with yourself”. If you want popularity and tons of friends, just get AIDS. What a nauseating abomination". -from Gay Christian Movement Watch

If you read my National Black Aids Awareness Day post then you might remember the three testimonials given from HIV positive persons on living with the virus, Keith Green supplied two of those testimonials.




It's absolutely dangerous, twisted, and misleading for DL Foster to take the comments made by Keith Green out of context to support his own anti-gay agenda. HIV/AIDS has never been glamorous nor has anyone living with the disease ever tried to purport it as so. Keith Green and others like him have simply chosen to live life in the face of a disease that threatens to destroy.

Let's get one thing straight. DL Foster and other bible-thumping hypocritical Christians didn't give a damn about HIV/AIDS until it started to affect black women. They watched in horror as their mothers, and sisters succumbed to a disease they had written off as a plague that only affected gay men. There was no reason to ring the alarm as long as the gays were being punished with an AIDS diagnosis because of their "abominable" acts.

It's clear that in the first line of his post DL Foster is uninterested in pouring his efforts into treatment and prevention, but would rather know the details of the sexual act that led to seroconversion. All in an effort to further demonize the infected individual rather than lifting him up like we do so many other people in our community dealing with life- threatening diseases.

Thankfully in 2008 HIV/AIDS is not the death sentence it once was and is now a chronic manageable condition. But I'm almost certain any HIV positive person would warn others not to make the same mistakes they did, and Keith Green's testimonials are far from advertisements to practice high-risk behavior.

So I have to say... Negro please get a grip! You (DL Foster) should be apart of the solution and not the problem! Your new ex-gay title does not give you the right to cloak your self in self-righteousness in order to play God.

Maybe you don't realize it but HIV/AIDS has a face and it looks just like you and me. Being a "new heterosexual" doesn't isolate you from the virus. You may not approve of homosexuality and that's your right, but the worst thing you could do is spread the message that HIV/AIDS only affects a certain group of people and simultaneously diminish the hope of those living with the virus.

You should be more responsible. I refuse to believe that you are as cold and heartless as you appear to be. After all, that wouldn't be Christ-like.

from loldarian.com affiliate Rod 2.0

Sometimes it is the simplest of acts, sitting at a lunch counter, going to a new school, applying for a marriage license, casting a vote, that can challenge the way we can act or think. That's why when I am asked if gay rights are civil rights, I say, 'Of course they are.' [Applause]

Civil rights are positive legal prerogatives. The right for equal treatment before the law. These are rights for everyone. There is no one in the United States who should not share these these rights. Rights for gays and lesbians are not "special rights" in any way. It is not special to be free from discrimination.That is an ordinary, universal entitlement. [Applause]

That man had to struggle to gain these rights are precious. It does not make them special in any way.... The more civil rights that are earned by others, the stronger the arm defending my civil rights. If my neighbor gains civil rights in any way, it does not dilute my rights.- Julian Bond speaking at the Creating Change Conference sponsored by The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Two years ago when I was first introduced to Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossett's television show The DL Chronicles I quickly dismissed it as another attempt to add more fuel to an intensely lit fire that was burning black gay men everywhere.

Men living on the down low is nothing new and existed long before J.L. King's infamous appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. But that one-hour changed how the world viewed black gay men and black straight men alike forever.

Black gay brothers were driven further underground, black women's suspicions of their partner's "true sexuality” were heightened, and the down low brother became the scapegoat for an increase in HIV infections in black women.

So when I sat down to watch episode Wes, the first of four episodes in the first season, I honestly didn't want anything to do with this project or any other with the title DL.

Fast forward to January 2008. A copy of the soon to be released DVD (now in stores) lands in my hands and somehow I decide to give this show with the tainted title and controversial content my undivided attention...and I'm blown away!

I won't get into specifics about each episode, (read our review here) but all I can tell you is that when each episode ended I was "full" (as the church folks would say) with a myriad of emotions. I immediately wanted to tell everybody about what I'd just seen. I would take out my iPod every chance I got to expose someone to the show who may not have seen it.

For the first time someone (Quincy & Deondray) saw beyond the image the media had created of black gay men and those living on the down low and turned it on it's head. While The DL Chronicles neither condones or condemns down low behavior it addresses the reasons why some men travel down this path.

In each thirty minute episode we become invested in these characters whom many of us may recognize from our own lives and for once they're more than just sexual predators out to destroy innocent lives, they're real human beings with real issues.

I couldn't keep the brilliance of The DL Chronicles to myself so this is what I decided to do.



On Saturday, February 16 I will be hosting a special screening/discussion of The DL Chronicles at an undisclosed location in Atlanta at 7pm. I will be showing three episodes from the first season to be followed by a discussion with a panel of some of our communities most respected artists.

Blogger pioneer J. Brotherlove will moderate the discussion and the panel will include James Earl Hardy (B Boy Blues), Tim’m West (rapper, activist, spoken word artist), Eric Ware (The Down Low Diaries), Anthony McWilliams (Atlanta Activist), and Anare Holmes (In The Life Atlanta, Clik Magazine).

If you're in Atlanta and would like to attend then shoot me an e-mail. Seating is limited and the guest list is already a little out of control, but I will do my best to accommodate everyone.

The DL Chronicles is now available on DVD. Order it here.

He's Mr. Ordinary. Well that may be the title of the first single from Def Jam artist Steph Jones, but the man with the good looks and soulful voice is anything but ordinary.

I was first introduced to Steph Jones' music on The DL Chronicles soundtrack and could not stop singing the hook of Mr. Ordinary, a song that will no doubt do for him what "Fallen" did for Alicia Keys in the beginning of her career.

Originally from Missouri City, Steph is an L.A. based model and singer. Seth has been represented by Ford Models for the past five years and has appeared in numerous print ads, runway shows, and commercials.

When it comes to expressing himself through his music Seth doesn't hold back. "I thrive off of entertaining folk. Some call me an alien because I'm said to be weird or that I'm not of this world; but I've learned to equate that into my music. When it comes to my music I don't limit myself, so I'm able to switch styles, going from jazz, r&b, hip-hop, soul, alternative to pop without hesitation. All it takes is inspiration and I'll give a song what I feel it needs".

In an industry that has traded quality artists with legit voices for bubble gum pop music to turn a profit, Steph is a breath of fresh air. Keep your eyes and ears open for Steph Jones in 2008. If you're in L.A. this weekend make sure to catch him in concert at The Temple Bar in Santa Monica.



Get into Mr. Ordinary below and the infectious personality of Steph Jones in his YouTube video.

Download Steph Jones-Mr. Ordinary

Valentine's day is quickly approaching and for the first time in my adult life I actually have a Valentine. I wondered if my second grade girlfriend Jocelyn counted as a Valentine since I did give her candy, but knowing what I know now(and then too actually) I don't think she qualifies..lol! Now Jonathan who sat behind me...let me stop!

I came across this video and it made me want to hop on a flight with Trey and head to the nearest beach. I have a feeling this Valentine's Day is gonna be one to remember. Get into the video above and the beautiful men in very little clothing.

FYI: This video is probably not safe for work.

I don't know about you guys but the wait for 'Discipline' is becoming unbearable. Ok so I'm being a little over dramatic, but I can't wait! Two weeks from today we will be able to purchase Janet's tenth studio album and witness her first album since All For You debut at number one. Erykah Badu's album will also be released on the same day (not sure what her label was thinking) but all eyes will be on Janet.

If you haven't heard the two new singles from Discipline that's floating around then click here and launch jukebox once you're on the page.

Hey guys! Updates should resume later this afternoon. Right now I'm freezing my butt off in Chicago! This is going to be a busy and exciting week for me and I look forward to including you in on all of the wonderful chaos. Give me a few hours to get back to Atlanta and I'll be back to business as usual.

If you haven't listened to Tim Dillinger's interview of me and Tonex then by all means click here. And to read a message from the one and only Tonex himself to me click here.

Hey! I hope everyone had a productive week and is looking forward to a relaxing and fun weekend. I had to take a minute and let you know about an appearance I'll be making on the internet radio show Out The Box with Tim Dillinger. The show air this Sunday at 9 AM or 7 PM EST on www.jazzsyndicate.co.uk. We talk about my blog, homophobia in the black church, the recent Greater Mount Calvary scandal and the importance of being out. If you miss the broadcast, you will be able to download the show free from i-TUNES.

Controversial gospel singer and producer Tonex will also be appearing on the show as a follow-up to his recent appearance on BET. This is definitely one show that you don't want to miss.

Read about the amazing music, advocacy and life of Tim Dillinger here .

Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The Black Aids Institute along with every other major AIDS Service Organization is urging you to learn the facts about HIV transmission, get tested, get involved in your community effort to combat the disease and get treated if you're currently living with HIV or are newly diagnosed.

According to the 2000 census, blacks make up approximately 13% of the US population. However, in 2005, blacks accounted for 18,121 (49%) of the estimated 37,331 new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the United States.

It is no secret that gay black men and heterosexual women have been hit particularly hard by HIV. To add to an already serious problem black men and women are often diagnosed too late and either seek treatment too late or suffer from drug adherence.

Phil Wilson, director of The Black Aids Institute and a person who has been living with AIDS for over twenty years gives his secret to survival on The Body.com;

"The first secret is early detection, finding out that you need health care. Secondly, it's being an advocate for yourself. Today, as the result of the Ryan White CARE Actand other programs, it is easier to get health care than it was -- although it's increasingly becoming more difficult again. But, [it's important] to be a good advocate for yourself. To build a support network around you to help you to live with the disease. To make the decision that you are going to live. For far too many people, they don't make that as an explicit decision that "I'm going to live, so I'm going to do what it takes so that I can live.

I think that part of my survival is that, you know, I've embraced my reality. HIV is a part of me. It's not all of me. It's not the completeness of my identity. But it's a part of me. And I'm not trying to run away with it. It's one of the reasons why I say that AIDS in America today is a black disease. It's not only a black disease, but it is also a black disease. And black Americans have to confront that. Nobody wants to say that. Nobody wants to own that. Nobody wants to acknowledge that. And that silence is killing us."

But thanks to life-saving anti-retroviral drugs HIV/AIDS has become a chronic manageable condition and not the death sentence it once was. Testing has also become a quick and painless process with the implementation of the rapid HIV test Ora-Sure, results are given in less than thirty minutes, ending the dreadful two week waiting period of the past.

For those of you who are negative the goal is to remain that way, but for those of you who are positive the goal is to never lose hope, seek treatment and support and choose everyday to LIVE just as the brothers below have chosen to do.

To find a testing facility near you please click here.

Teenagers are coming out to their family and peers much earlier nowadays thanks to a culture that is less homophobic than it has been to previous generations of gays and lesbians. However, for some gay youth coming out can be a difficult but necessary task if you live in the bible belt.

Out.com takes a look at the lives of several teenagers from the gay youth group Stand Out Youth in the small town of Savannah, Georgia.

Out sent photographer Danielle Levitt to Savannah, Ga., to document what it means to be young and gay in the South today.

For all it's relative progressiveness -- Savannah is home to two art schools, a Marc Jacobs boutique, and an American Apparel store -- Levitt found the city's response to cultural shifts in sexual identity a bit dated. "I assumed that I could troll the streets or search the Internet and find an abundance of queer kids. I quickly realized that, in fact, tradition has a stronghold on its inhabitants, and that Savannah's process of coming out is a slow one."

But for the five brave gay men and women of color pictured above, coming out was not an option but a necessity. And they did so in a major way in their hometown and to the world in the pages of Out Magazine.

Take ten minutes and thirty five seconds out of your day to experience this video. You will not regret it.

This is a must read for any LGBT Christian who attends a homophobic church and returns weekly to endure the abuse because they feel like they have no choice. Their is an alternative.

taken from radicallyinclusive.com

Beloved,

A few days ago I was copied on an e-mail from an alleged member of Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church in Maryland, pastored by Bishop Alfred Owens. The e-mail identified by name those persons thought to be Same Gender Loving, and gave great detail as to their attendance at parties, where they lived and with whom, misc other sexual proclivities and where they served in the ministry. The e-mail requested that these individuals be taken down from their ministry jobs. Additional results of the included Pastor Owens convening a meeting of those named in the e-mail and polling them to determine who among them were seeking help to be free from a SGL “lifestyle”. There have been numerous follow-up emails from folks named in the original e-mail that are defensive, threatening and angry. Several have decided to leave the church after many years of faithful membership

What a tragedy, but the reality facing Mt. Calvary is not unusual. It is indicative of a psychosis that permeates many churches with regard to the presence and involvement of SGL people, who have great love for God and for their church communities.

Psychosis defined…SGL people who contribute to their own oppression by continuing to support churches that oppress them and are complicit in structures that support homophobia, homohatred, hetero-privilege and encourage internalized homophobia (Similar to battered spouse syndrome) and church leaders that seek to define themselves as ‘straight’ at the expense of their SGL parishioners by publicly dehumanizing them.

Why? Many SGL people have a need for big church and anonymity and a need to identify with perceived success (mega-church). Other causes include their support for traditional church leadership (male pastor and pastor’s wife), pageantry, benefit of assumed heterosexuality or ambiguous sexuality, family commitments/loyalty and opportunity to hide ones ‘other’ life. For those who benefit financially from the church, secrecy seems to be an economic imperative. Public ridicule of SGL people may often be an effort to hide the reality of the presence of SGL people.

Results…This sickness has resulted in the destruction of self-esteem, open vicious attack against the personhood of countless individuals and their families and has produced self inflicted theological and physical violence, duplicity and inauthentic leadership (some leaders are themselves SGL and or bi-sexual), loss of valuable members, lack of focus on other vital justice issues and ministry destruction. This does not reflect the ministry of Jesus that welcomed and affirmed all. This psychosis also causes destructive behaviors amplified by secrecy and resulting in irresponsible sexual behaviors, and an inability to form and sustain lasting healthy authentic relationships.

Are there more churches like Mt. Calvary? Certainly! There are numerous examples of churches disproportionately populated by SGL sisters and brothers, who are not only bereft of affirmation, but who live in an atmosphere of continual debasement, degradation and fear of exposure which leads to suicide, disenfranchisement from the church, addictions and other self-destructive behaviors. The light that is being cast on this disparity is no accident…it is the active will of God, which must be acknowledged and embraced.

This oppression is not making SGL people straight. It is just driving SGL people further underground. The real questions are, what actions are necessary to move churches beyond toleration to acceptance and affirmation and eventually to celebration of the SGL community and their extraordinary contributions to the Christian Community? What is the alterative for those who cannot wait for change to occur? What is the responsibility of SGL people to participate in their own freedom?

I would suggest the following as action items for SGL people and their allies to consider and use to frame discussions regarding relationship and involvement in churches and faith-based communities.

Faithful support for affirming churches and faith-based organizations

Education regarding a theology of full inclusion of SGL persons in the life of the church

Active involvement in inclusive theological education of family and friends

Active involvement in inclusive theological education of churches and faith communities

Education regarding Human Sexuality

Commitment to ethical behaviors that include honesty, authenticity and truth telling

Confrontation when misinformation, destructive comments, oppressive theology or dehumanization occurs

It is time to move beyond avoidance and to move toward the dialogue necessary to heal this painful breach. We would welcome those who are ready to move into God’s Bright Tomorrow, as evidenced by the Extravagant Grace, and Radical inclusivity of Jesus Christ to join us in conversation at The Fellowship.

Pax Christi! (Peace in Christ),
Rev. Dr. Yvette A. Flunder
Presiding Bishop, The Fellowship

Rev. Dr. Wyatt I Greenlee
Episcopal Assistant, The Fellowship

Let's file this story under another one the mainstream media overlooked.

Darius Cooke no longer sleeps in the bed he once shared with Keith Jamar Truesdale, his partner of nearly two years. Until he moves out of their Woodbridge, Va., apartment, Cooke says he'll be sleeping on the living room couch.

Keith Truesdale was taken from his partner and his family on January 22 when a single bullet ended his life during a robbery at Popeyes Chicken. Keith had worked as a manager for Popeyes for over a year and a half at another location and was just filling in at the location where the shooting took place.

Cooke saw Truesdale for the last time that day as he stopped by the restaurant to collect some of the paperwork needed for an upcoming move. After running some errands in the neighborhood, fate allowed Cooke to be in an adjacent bank parking lot as Truesdale took a break. He walked over and surprised Cooke.

''Damn, you're still here?'' Truesdale teased. ''You got everything you need?''

That was followed by a casual goodbye and Cooke's reply: ''I'll see you at home then.'' It would be the last words they would exchange, the last time they would see each other.

Cooke learned that Truesdale was caught in the middle of a robbery involving two men, one brandishing a knife, the other a gun, demanding he open the store's safe. Not the regular manager, it's likely he didn't have that combination memorized. Truesdale was fatally shot and died at Potomac Hospital around 11 p.m.

Nearly one week after the incident, Cooke says he has yet to hear from police or the management at Popeye's.

Keith and Darius exchanged rings during a commitment ceremony nine months ago and were looking forward to a bright future together.

''I thought we were going to be together for a long time,'' he says. ''I felt like we built so much together. Most couples our age don't have close to what we had.''

I would like to personally send my condolences to Darius Cooke and the family of Keith Truesdale during their time of bereavement. May he rest in peace.

Links:
Metro Weekly
Da Doo- Dirty Show
GBM News

Today we have the power to end business as usual in Washington and elect Barack Obama as our next Democratic presidential nominee. Who would have thought a year ago that Barack Obama would be where he is today? Let me keep it real and go a step further and say who would have thought white Americans would support Obama like they have. This is truly an amazing time for our country. For the first time we have the opportunity to send two real progressives to The White House. I like Hillary Clinton but I love Barack Obama!

Do you even remember what it feels like to have a president who isn't polarizing? A president who values the poor and middle class as much as he does the wealthy? A president who makes universal health care a priority? A president who doesn't deem it necessary to change the constitution in order to discriminate against a minority? A president who is man enough to admit when he's wrong or when his policy has failed?

The last 8 years of the Bush Administration has been an incredible nightmare . But today with the drop of a ballot we have the power to wake up from the nightmare starring George W. Bush and vote for real change in Washington, when we nominate Barack Obama as our next Democratic presidential nominee.

Yes We Can!