by Brad Benedict
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
by Brad Benedict
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
One of the hottest media debates other than the war in Iraq and the economy is the issue of gay marriage. From the cover of Newsweek to the Rose Garden at the White House, it has prompted front page attention. It’s been a simmering issue for a long time, but now it’s all out in the open.
Look at it this way. When Britney Spears walked out of that wedding chapel in Las Vegas, she immediately had access to over 1,300 rights and privileges that are not available to a gay and lesbian couple who have shared a life together for over 50 years. Does that seem right?
Davina Kotulski is a clinical psychologist with deep roots in the freedom-to-marry movement, and she has just come out with a new book Why You Should Give a Damn About Gay Marriage. She argues that change will only come through organized activism. However, the importance of legalized gay marriage remains unclear to many in the LGBT community.
This book is a quick-witted, common sense handbook addressing the absurdities embedded in arguments against marriage equality, as well as in separate but equal "marriage lite" options such as domestic partnerships.
This is an Advocate Books imprint from Alyson Publications. It is a compelling and concentrated book that provides both a cogent argument for gay marriage, and will serve as a vital resource to those journalists covering this story. At $12.95, it is an excellent look at a very important issue. Buy it. Read it. Support the movement.
Gay Bathhouses and Public Health Policy is another important book which you need to take an interest in. Public health policy on bathhouses has been limited and poorly documented. This book will help anyone to become knowledgeable about gay bathhouses.
Unlike most other places where men have sex in public, gay bathhouses are subject to government-imposed health regulations. This book examines the bathhouse environment and how it differs from other public sex environments. It describes public policies that have been implemented, discussing policies for HIV prevention and testing and also how gay bathhouses can contribute to HIV/AIDS prevention.
This is another book containing a subject matter that needs to be up front and available for anyone partaking of services received in a bathhouse setting. The inclusion of detailed historical descriptions of public policy debates about the place of bathhouses in urban gay communities, together with summaries of the legal controversies about bathhouses, insightful examinations of patrons’ behaviors and reviews of successful educational and testing programs, is unique and valuable.
This book comes from Haworth Press, Inc. of Binghamton, New York and sells for $34.95 in soft cover format. The hard cover price is $49.95.
This Thing Called Courage is a new book of South Boston stories from J. G. Hayes. This is another one from Haworth
Press and priced at $17.95 soft cover and $27.95 hard cover.
The five stories and two short novellas examine the lives of gay men and gay youth in South Boston, a heavily Irish-Catholic working-class community. In a place known for its fierce loyalty to "our own" and a strong, traditional religious ethic, readers can find characters caught in the crossfire of traditional values, Irish tragedy, and the inevitable intrusion of diversity. The result of this lethal mix is often tragic, sometimes redemptive, and sometimes disastrous. However, the situations are very compelling.
Unlike so many gay characters whose heroism depends on fleeing their origins, Hayes heroes prove their courage by staying put. His stories are sad, violent, erotic, and even sweet and romantic. There’s really something here for everyone.
Outstanding stories in the book were "Sister Bennett’s Crystal Ball," "Peter Pillsbury’s Pride Parade," and "When Jesus Came to Town."
Spadework is Timothy Findley’s look at lust, infidelity, betrayal, and murder. This highly entertaining book comes from Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. It’s a good buy at $13.95.
With a setting against a town filled with theater folk, artists, writers, and visitors, Findley takes his characters on a whirlwind ride into explosive consequences. It all starts on a summer evening in Stratford, Ontario when a gardener’s spade slices a telephone cable into instant silence. This disconnection is the basis for what happens and continues to happen during the pages that follow.
Findley has a way with words and is able to grab your attention instantly. This is truly an example of a polished writer who can create and entertain through challenging situations. His descriptions are very impressive, and the traumas he creates are masterfully done.
This refreshing book is one you don’t want to put down. Not many novels or writers can create that kind of interest. This is a little gem that awaits the unsuspecting reader. Rush out and buy this one. You will be glad you did.
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