Pride conversations

I have to admit, I’m thrilled that Steven Weinstein mentioned my column in his column in this week’s New York Blade. Earlier this week my buddy Steffan emailed me the article from The New York Observer titled, Goodbye, Mr. Chaps. The synopsis of this article is:

Few can agree on the reasons, but one thing is sure: New York’s affluent gays and lesbians are staying away from this Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade in droves, and they’re taking with them the money that has kept a 37-year-old tradition alive
Yes, I will say it: I was disappointed that The Observer didn’t mention my article. I realize that’s foolish. Why would The Observer reference an article in the Washington Blade? Still some of the ideas explored in my column are in The Observer article and some of my thoughts explain why some are staying away from pride. Although the race and class analysis in the article is an interesting one and an important contribution to the dialogue, I don’t entirely agree with it. At any rate, I read The Observer article and thought about my own column - now almost a month old. I felt sad not being part of the conversation.

Then I read the NY Blade today and stumble upon Mr. Weinstein’s column. I’m not going to refute his assessment of my article (though it is tempting). Suffice it to say, I was pleased as punch to see it. Bring it on, Mr. Weinstein, bring it on. The conversation about pride is an important one.

Transgression: Windy City Times Fourth Annual Literary Supplement

I’m thrilled to have a poem in the Windy City Times Fourth Annual Literary Supplement

Making Love After Many Years
Transgression: Windy City Times Fourth Annual Literary Supplement
2007-06-20

By Julie R. Enszer

It isn’t easy. I can’t tell you how many times, young and single,
I thought married sex would be the best—available, reliable,
heck, even guaranteed—in reality, it’s not any of these; too many nights
we bound into bed with amorous anticipation only to have

Read the rest of the poem here.

Letter to the Editor - Washington Blade

Letters
Pride critics should volunteer to help
By 
Friday, May 25, 2007
http://www.washblade.com/2007/5-25/view/letters/10652.cfm
To the Editors:
Re: “Time to rethink Pride” (op-ed by Julie R. Enszer, May 18)
I would take this essay one step further and say that it is always time to re-think Pride. For the good and not-so, our circumstances as gay people alter at warp speed these days and it’s essential that Prides reflect and embody that reality.
Most Pride organizations are staffed mainly by volunteers, who are usually stretched to the limit by the requirements of producing these gargantuan events, meaning that anyone who wants to get involved will usually find their person and their time, energy and ideas welcomed with exhausted, grateful, and open arms.
In fact, it’s difficult to think of another aspect of gay rights activism where one can make a positive difference as quickly as your local Pride celebration. I would encourage you and yours to not only attend Pride this year, but to look around for opportunities to improve next year’s event, and while you’re looking around, look for a sign-up table for volunteers and start working toward the Pride you want.
PETER MCQUAID 
Los Angeles
Editors’ note: The writer is editor/publisher of Pride ’07, the official magazine of InterPride.

Can’t say that I disagree. . . . .

S as in Sam, Z as in Zebra

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Dear Friends,

Greetings! I've added many people to this email newsletter, S as in Sam, Z as in Zebra, about my writing life, so if you're getting it for the first time, I hope you enjoy and forgive me for the impersonal mechanism of sharing news. 

My Update

I just completed my first year of graduate school at the University of Maryland. I'm in the MFA program in Poetry and will be graduated with good luck next spring only to enter the PhD program in English - again with luck and grace from the writing spirits. This summer I'm working half-time with Dr. Helen Caldicott at the Nuclear Policy Research Institute and half-time at The New Press. Two intellectually challenging and gratifying jobs. On the break from school, I have many writing plans; I'm looking forward to seeing what I'm able to produce over the summer.

Political Columns

Many of you know I write a periodic column for The Washington Blade. One of the columns is linked beneath my signature below. I also always post all of my columns on my blog as they appear. You can read my blog at http://JulieREnszer.blogspot.com. I'm also writing a bi-weekly column, CIVILesbianIZATION, which is being picked up by other gay media outlets around the world. Again, check out my blog to stay updated on all of the columns that I write.

New Essay at Girlistic

A new essay entitled, "Flesh from My Flesh," has been published in the online magazine, Girlistic. To read it, click over to www.girlistic.com/magazine.htm and download the issue. It's a gorgeous DIY magazine, and I'm pleased to have this piece included there.

Book Reviews

I'm now a contributing writer at the Lambda Book Report. I am a great admirer of the work of The Lambda Literary Foundation and have had the joy of writing books reviews and doing interviews with writers for them for the past year. I encourage you to visit their website at www.lambdaliterary.org. There you can subscribe to the Lambda Book Report and support their work if you are able. The current issue of The Lambda Book Report contains my interview with Bettina F. Aptheker as well as a review of her book Intimate Politics and Eloise Klein Healey's new book The Islands Project. Both books I highly recommend.

I'm also a regular reviewer at Galatea Resurrects. Eileen Tabios is doing a great service to the poetry community with the online journal devoted exclusively to reviews. Check it out quarterly at http://galatearesurrects.blogspot.com/. The current issue is online with two review of mine here: http://galatearesurrection6.blogspot.com/

My book: Homesteading

I'm thrilled that my book, Homesteading: Essays on Life, Death, Sex, and Liberation, will be published by The Q Press in the spring of 2008. Homesteading collects essays that help to interpret and understand the past fifteen years of queer activism. It covers the gamut of issues for contemporary lesbians, gay men, bisexual, and transgender people including politics, coming out, marriage, sex, and death. Homesteading is my chronicle of lesbian activism and works to interpret this activism for the broader GLBT and allied communities. By the fall, I should have information for advance ordering, and when that is available, I hope that you will reserve your copy. In addition, the lovely and talented Kim will be putting together a big party to celebrate the release of the book at the house - so stay tuned for your invitation.

Upcoming Work

I have poems forthcoming in the Salt River Review, The Bedside Guide to the No Tell Motel, Second Floor, and the feminist journal, So to Speak. I'm also guest editing a special issue of off our backs on "Feminisms and Cultures." These are some of the many projects that keep me busy. I hope you are finding the same passionate commitments in your own life.

Warm wishes to you for a lovely summer!

Julie

P.S. You're receiving this email newsletter because sometime, somewhere I thought that you might be interested in periodic updates about my work. If you'd like to be removed, please just reply to this email and I'll remove you from the list with great haste.

Lambda Literary Awards Announce Winners

May 31, 2007, 11:00 PM--Winners for the 19th annual Lambda Literary Awards were announced tonight by the Lambda Literary Foundation at a gala celebration attended by 300 people.

Awards were presented in 25 categories. Winners were chosen by a jury of judges who come from all walks of literary life: journalists, authors, booksellers, librarians, playwrights, illustrators. In all, 85 judges participated in the selection of winners from the pool of 381 books that were nominated by 147 publishers.

In addition, Marijane Meaker and Martin Duberman were recognized for their lifetime achievements by receiving the Pioneer Award from Lambda Literary Foundation.

One of the most moving episodes of the evening was an In Memoriam tribute, a 6 minute video recognizing eleven LGBT literary heroes who have passed away during the last 18 months, including Sarah Aldridge, Sybille Bedford, Betty Berzon, Tee Corinne, Hanns Ebensten, Aleta Fenceroy, Barbara Gittings, Sterling Houston, Dr. Fritz Klein, Art "Cassandra" Polansky, and Eric Rofes.

Another highlight of the evening was a raffle of a "Fun Home" Triptych, created by Alison Bechdel and featuring artwork from her award-winning memoir, FUN HOME, also named TIME Magazine's Book of the Year for 2006. All proceeds of the raffle benefited the Lambda Literary Foundation, the presenter of the Lambda Literary Awards.

Winner for ANTHOLOGY

Love, Bourbon Street, edited by Greg Herren & Paul J. Willis (Alyson)

Winner for ARTS & CULTURE

GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)

Winner for BISEXUAL

The Bisexual's Guide to the Universe by Nicole Kristal & Michael Szymanski (Alyson)

Winners for CHILDRENS/YOUNG ADULT (tie)

Full Spectrum, edited by David Levithan & Billy Merrell (Random House Children's Books)
Between Mom & Jo by Julie Anne Peters (Little Brown)

Winner for DRAMA/THEATER

1001 Beds by Tim Miller (University of Wisconsin)

Winner for HUMOR

My Lucky Star by Joe Keenan (Little Brown)

Winners for LGBT NONFICTION (tie)

GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)
Different Daughters by Marcia M. Gallo (Carroll & Graf)

Winner for LGBT STUDIES

Their Own Receive Them Not by Horace L. Griffin (Pilgrim Press)

Winner for SCI-FI/FANTASY/HORROR

Izzy and Eve by Neal Drinnan (Green Candy Press)

Winner for SPIRITUALITY

The After-Death Room by Michael McColly (Soft Skull Press)

Winner for TRANSGENDER

The Transgender Studies Reader, edited by Susan Stryker & Stephen Whittle (Routledge)

Winner for LESBIAN FICTION

The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (Riverhead Books)

Winner for LESBIAN ROMANCE

Fresh Tracks by Georgia Beers (Bold Strokes)

Winner for LESBIAN MYSTERY

The Art of Detection by Laurie R. King (Bantam)

Winner for LESBIAN POETRY

Lemon Hound by Sina Queyras (Coach House Books)

Winner for LESBIAN MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)

Winner for LESBIAN EROTICA

Walk Like a Man by Laurinda D. Brown (Q-Boro Books)

Winner for LESBIAN DEBUT FICTION

The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery (Riverhead)

Winner for GAY FICTION

Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)

Winner for GAY ROMANCE

When the Stars Come Out by Rob Byrnes (Kensington)

Winner for GAY MYSTERY

The Lucky Elephant Restaurant by Garry Ryan (NeWest Press)

Winner for GAY POETRY

A History of My Tattoo by Jim Elledge (Stonewall)

Winner for GAY MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

The Bill From My Father by Bernard Cooper (Simon & Schuster)

Winner for GAY EROTICA

A History of Barbed Wire by Jeff Mann (Suspect Thoughts)

Winner for GAY DEBUT FICTION

Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)

For more information, visit www.lambdaliterary.org and/or contact asklambda@earthlink.net.