Gay 's of the day Bob Mould and Grant Hart

Minneapolis Minnesota seems like an unlikely place for pioneers in punk music; who just happen to be gay; to create a band that would land on the Rolling Stone 50 most influential bands of all time. But that is just what Husker Du front men Grant Hart and Bob Mould did. In 1979 on the crest of the American Hardcore explosion Hart and Mould joined forces with Greg Norton and formed the band Husker Du. They would release two LP's independantly before signing to Warner Brothers records. They were one of the very first American Hardcore bands to sign to a major label. The following epic concept LP "Zen Arcade" would land them critical success and set them apart from other bands at the time. "New Day Rising", "Candy Apple Grey" and " Warehouse: Songs and Stories" would continue to cement their success and "Flip Your Wig" would land them on the CMJ charts. Bands who sight them as an influence are the Pixies, Nirvana, Superchunk, My Bloody Valentine, and Green Day.

Bob Mould and Hart began to have problems working together and after the suicide of their manager they broke up for good. Bob Mould went on to form the band Sugar and released several LP's with that band as well as continuing a solo career. Bob is now a DJ in gay night clubs in the Washington DC area and his last release "District Line" combined his sharp guitar with more danceable production and his biggest success since the days of Husker Du.

They are my Gay's of the Day because they were pioneers in a scene that seemed anything but gay friendly. They created a hardcore punk band that would out last the likes of DOA and the Dead Kennedys. A standing tribute to the fact that Gays are everywhere and doing what they do just as hard and fast and far reaching as any other persons in their field. Being a punk from back in the 80's I used to wear out my "New Day Rising" record without even knowing that they were gay. I loved them back then and their music still stands the test of time and continues to be revered and create influence. Rock on my gay brothers and sisters; rock on.

Gay of the Day Gertrude Stein

There has always been a love; by me; for Ms Getrude Stein. I was always shocked by the fact that she was one of the most celebrated philanthropists of her time. Entertaining  the very best in modern artist and free thinkers at her homemaking her a social, political, and literary giant. Her long time relationship with Alice B. Toklas is one of the great and most celebrated love stories of all time.  But why was I shocked. Well quite frankly she live in the early 1900's and was very manly looking and succeeded. I think she opened me up to my own prejudices and homophobia and I like that. I like having a person or story show me where I can improve on my own internalized homophobia. Thats why Gertrude Stein is my 3rd pick for Gay of the Day.

Gertrude Stein was born in 1874 February 3rd and lived to July 27th 1946. She was born in my home town of Pittsburgh Pa. At that time Pittsburgh was a mass of Steel Mills and the air was so thick you would have to wear a mask when going outside. So it's a good thing Gertrudes family moved soon after to Vienna. In fact The family would move often through out her life to Oakland Ca and back to the East Coast. She came from a well to do family and was especially close to her brother Leo Stein.

It was with Leo that she moved to 27 Rue de Fleurus in Paris France. In this home she and her brother began entertaining avant guard artists and writers such as Matisse, Picasso, Thorton Wilder, and Ernest Hemmingway. Their art collection included hundreds of paintings by the masters of that time (Cezanne, Picaso, Matisse, Delacroix, Toulouse-Lautrec) and were a source of income through out her life.

Gertrude became one of the most widely quoted people of her day. Such phrases as "a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose", "It is extraordinary that whole populations have no projects for the future, none at all. It certainly is extraordinary, but it is certainly true", and "If it can be done, Why do it?". She was the author of over 28 books and collections of poems during her life. Tender Buttons, Life with Alice B.Toklas, and Miss Fur and Miss Skeen were all books that dealt with her sexuality ; in fact Miss Fur and Miss Skeen is credited with being the first book to ever use the word GAY; and it used it over 100 times. 

During the Nazi invasion of France she and Alice were in England but they went back to France to run supplies to French Hospitals. The Ford they named Auntie, "after Gertrude's aunt Pauline, 'who always behaved admirably in emergencies and behaved fairly well most times if she was flattered.'" This was a great risk to both woman's lives not only because of the war but because they were Jewish. Gertrude was not very political but she had very distinct beliefs. She disliked patriarchal father figures and found Roosevelt and Franco just as distasteful. She was never an activist in an out ward sense but she lived her life as an out woman without compromise and was the center of cultrural revolution. She was uncompromising in her relations with the world and made it face her as she was and with the partner she has found and loved all her life. Two women in a male dominated world that simply beat the odds because they felt no shame for who they were. It is women like this who inspire us today to move forward and claim our lives without compromise. It is the spirit of Gertrude Stein that is in our history over and over again showing that we are at the center of cultural, political, and social change with our open hearts and minds ever searching for beauty and justice in the world.

I find great strength in the person of Gertrude Stein. If she could just walk through life uncompromising at a time when gay liberation was far from reality; kinda like today; and influence the world around her in such amazing ways then so can anyone. She never let shame keep her from anything that she wanted. Even when in college other girls; who had been her lovers; folded under the pressure to fit in and married men, she remained faithful to her heart and soul. Her belief in herself was enough to bring her through and eventually led to one of the great love stories of all time. Thanks Gertrude for showing us how it can be in ourselves just by remaining true to ourselves. You are truly a hero for Lesbian and Gay peoples everywhere.

Gay of the Day- Qu Yan

Qu Yan is considered one of the fathers of Toaism and  China's first major poet and author of both the epic Li Sao (Encountering Sorrow) and Tian Wan (Heavenly Question) that speak of his long standing and passionate relationship with the King of Huai. He was born 340 B.C.E.  in the Kingdom of Chu on the auspicious First Day of the Lunar Year.. His name is made up of two sacred names True Exemplar and Divine Balance. He is often depicted  in women's clothing. As a shaman he learned to divine the future, exorcise demons, heal the sick by retrieving their souls, make objects fly through the air, cause spirits to appear and bring rain. He would often be symbolized with orchids and lotus blossoms. 

But when two people are at one in their innermost hearts,

They shatter even the strength of iron and bronze.

And when two people understand each other in their

   inmost hearts,

Their words are sweet and strong, like the fragrance

    of orchids. -Qu Yan about his relationship with the King of Huai

He would later fall from grace with the king and being a spiritual leader would drown himself  in the Milou River over the betrayal of the King and because this; (the fifth day of the lunar new year); was when shamans traditionally  sacrificed themselves so that the Gods may be pleased and humanity prosper. He is as revered as Buddha, Muhammad, Moses and Jesus and is prominent in religious, cultural and the spiritual culture of China. That's why he is my Gay of the day.

In China at this time Taoism was the main belief. This is before the more routine bound Confucian ways took over as the thought and rule of the land; mystic religions and  spiritual  earth goddess worship ruled. There were even  many gods who were themselves of 2 or more genders and worship.   Homosexuality was a common and celebrated trait. These men and women were given titles of high priests and were believed to be close to the true earth mother and her goddesses. Homosexuals were said to have both Yin and Yang a very highly respected quality. Many believed that like heterosexual relations would happen due to the cycle of reincarnation and sometimes the soul that you were bound to was a man sometimes a woman.

There were many symbolic and enchanting phrases from this time referring to homosexual love.

Torn Sleeve "Dong Xian"- from the tale of Han emperor Ai and his lover Dong Xian. The Emperor so loved the boy that he would not wake him from sleep and would instead cut a portion of his sleeve to extricate himself from bed. Thus leaving his lover in blissful sleep.

Eating Peaches "Yu Tao"- Paying tribute to lovers Duke Ling of Wei and Mizi Xia. The Duke while stolling thru an orchard was offered a peach by Mizi Xai and the Duke fell instantly in love. It symbolizes the easy and simple quality of the male homosexual relationship.

There were also many beautiful flowers associated as symbols  of Homosexuality. The most common is the the Lotus blossom. The flower being feminine and the thick stem being the masculine it was used as a symbol of androgyny or gender variance. Orchids and other fall and spring flowers like the iris, lilly and magnolia were also used to represent homosexuals. But often the reference to flowers and perfumes, incense, jade and cinnebar represent same sex love and gender variance in poems like Ruan Ji's  poem celebrating Anling and Long Yang.....

Roving glances gave rise to beautiful seductions;

Speech and laughter expelled fragrance.

Hand in Hand they shared love's rapture, 

Sharing coverlets and bedclothes.

Couples with birds in flight,

Paired wings soaring.

Cinnabar and green pigments record a vow:

"I'll never forget you for all eternity." -Ruan Ji

This is from a culture who saw same sex love as it is, a natural expression of the Yin and Yang in the world. The beauty of same sex love was considered an honor and a divine blessing. Flowers known for their varied and glorious beauty were used to represent this love. 

Gay of the Day - Sylvia Rae Rivera

So in an effort to educate myself on the Great History of the Queers of the world I have run across so many wonderful and inspiring stories. I often feel that most straight people think that Gay and Lesbian people should hang our heads in shame because of who we are. They don't know that outside of their very narrow knowledge of the world Gay peoples were the spiritual leaders and the revered artists and two spirited leaders of the world. We held the highest spiritual positions and the roles of leader and as the magical children with all the worlds mysteries wrapped into one being. The apex of what humans could be; not the ill treated minority of todays world. 
And even in this day under the bigotry of a hateful intolerant fear mongering society we have garnered some of the bravest people on the planet. Queers have been at the fore front of civil rights across the spectrum and yet we are the last minority to be given our own equal rights. We have endured mass slaughters in WW II, the ravishes of AIDS, lynching, and all the same kind of torture other minorities have and yet in large our cry's go unnoticed. It is blatantly acceptable to hate fags and dykes and Homosexual's and transgenders and all that is wrapped up in the "Queer Rainbow."
It is time to learn our history be shared so that these bigots realize that there is no shame in Gay. There is no need to hide our culture, ourselves, or our heros. Now I don't know if I can commit to actually doing this every day but I will be posting Queers who have paved the way from as far back as can be remembered. To help us remember why we are worth the same as everyone. To dispel the myths that Queer people are shameful. Instead to remind us just exactly why we are so special. Different isn't bad and should be celebrated. Our culture is one with a long glorious history; that until the Inquisition when history was rewritten to suit the Catholic Church; held the Homosexual as the corner stone to the glories of nature and beyond. We are the warriors and the lovers that have constantly been a source of awe and inspiration. Just like my first choice for Gay of the Day we have started revolutions, lived in closets and done more than survived.... We have and always will thrive. Thats what magic does.

Gay of the Day- Sylvia Rae Rivera (2 July 1951- 19 February 2002) She was of Puerto Rican and Venezuelen heritage and grew up in NY. Transgender activist and founding member of Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance. This was during a time when "gay" was considered a mental illness and a very serious behavioral defect that could have you incarcerated in an asylum in some cases. Also it was illegal to dress as a woman if you were a man. A certain amount of mens clothing had to be on your person or you could be taken to prison and heavily fined as well as any extra beatings the police decided to inflict.
In the face of this 17 year old Sylvia Rae Rivera led the charge at the Stonewall Riots changing the face of the National Gay Rights front forever. Rivera refused to have the drag culture erased from the gay rights agenda by what she considered to be assimilationist gay leaders who were, in her mind, seeking to make the community look more attractive to the heterosexual majority. Thanks Sylvia for being a hero. You are certainly an inspiration to us all to show up and be counted when we are needed no matter who we are.
That's why she is my first Gay of the Day. Thanks Mutha Chucka for the knowledge that you share that brought me to this story. I am forever grateful to be lead to a new hero.