First Out Eagle Scout Marches At Pride...And Is From Kensington MD

I missed the beginning of the annual Pride Parade yesterday but saw this amazing article and photo (below) in the TIMES today of Boy Scouts as the parade's opening color guard. Since scouting finally changed it's policy after a decades-long battle, you can now be openly gay and a member of the scouting organization though if you are 18 and/or a scouting leader, you are not allowed to be openly gay and involved in scouting. 

Though there's clearly some work to be done with the bizarre second half of that policy, what is incredible is that America now has its first out Eagle Scout who marched in yesterdays group as well. Even more amazing is that he is from my hometown in Maryland! Pascal Tessier, 17, hails from Kensington, MD where I was a scout myself back in the day with Troop 460. My troop is no longer active but Pascal's troop is actually located in Chevy Chase and has a long, storied history too as one of scouting's oldest operating troops. He became an Eagle Scout there earlier this year after six years of hard work and 27 merit badges. 

I thought it was so cool to read about this kid and his accomplishments, and that he is actively advocating for scouting to revise that terrible second half of its new policy. When people wonder why we celebrate pride it's because of incredible stories like this!

On The 43rd Anniversary Of Her Death, Is Judyism Still Relevant

Today is the 43rd anniversary of the death of gay icon and entertainer extraordinaire Judy Garland.  Over at QUEERTY today, they pose the question about whether gay worship of Judy (aka Judyism) is still relevant these days.  It's an interesting debate to read on the eve of Pride Weekend here in NYC (where it all began back in the summer of '69 with the Stonewall Riots). There is even the theory that Garlands' death just a few days before the riots added fuel to the drag queens fire that night.  


Anyway, QUEERTY asks a good question and the comments are piling up....more than 60 at last count which is a lot.  Some say Judy will always be a part of the gay cultural history while others debate the wisdom of worshipping a woman who lived such a tragic and drug addled life.  Joint the debate...and have a happy Pride!

A Short History Of Gay Code Over 100 Plus Years

I got a fun assignment for this year's NEXT magazine Pride Guide issue. I was asked to write about the history of gay signifiers and how they have changed and evolved over the years.  The simple act of wearing an earring in your left ear used to be "code" for identifying publicly but silently as gay. Now these sort of signifiers have little meaning as gay culture has changed so much, especially in the 21st century. So I took a breezy look at the code from Oscar Wilde to Abecrombie....and beyond. Check it out and have a great Pride month! :)

Gay Pride At The Pentagon Is Not An Onion Headline

That's right...I had to do a double take when this story was first forwarded to me last night. But it's true, as CNN reports that the Pentagon, less than a year after "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was rescinded, will have a Gay Pride celebration for Department of Defense employees sometime this month.  Though there are scant details about what exactly that entails, it will be similar to celebrations for Black History month where the armed forces honor soldiers and civilians who have served. One doubts there will be a circuit party headlined by Martha Wash in the building's central courtyard.

The reason I find this story even more astounding is somewhat personal as well.  In a former life, I actually worked at the Pentagon for three summers as a paid intern in the DoD's Public Affairs office. Of course, there were gay people in the press office and in the armed forces at that time....particularly in the Air Force for some reason.  But it was all incredibly hush-hush. I remember one particularly flamboyant Army sergeant one summer who everyone talked about being gay, remarkably, without actually using the word "gay"; different, particular, cut-up, and yes....queen.

In my last year at the "Puzzle Palace", Dick Cheney was Secretary of Defense and my boss. I only had a couple encounters with him and he was surprisingly nice. His press secretary was Pete Williams was rumored to be gay and that was considered beyond shocking. Now apparently people feel free enough to go on Grindr at work and celebrate Pride (btw which are NOT the same thing).  I'm sure the DoD is still not the friendliest environment for LGBT folks, but it certainly has changed a great deal since I was there. That is for sure.