FOF #1036 – Rise of Anna Conda
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San Francisco drag queen Anna Conda, longtime gay rights activist talks about the Great Nationwide Kiss-In happeing all across America to celebrate same sex affection and draw attention to the everyday violence gay people experience.
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Comments
Growing up in rural south Georgia, I was never harassed at school. No one called me names…to my face until at 22 I moved to Atlanta (the gay mecca of the South.) I had lit cigarettes and rocks thrown at me while being called faggot, a guy and his girlfriend threatened me at a grocery store shouting he was tired of seeing faggots everywhere. I think when you live in a small rural town those people don’t recognize a gay person when they see them. City dwellers see gay people all the time, know where they live and know who to hurl their hate at.
Haven’t finished listening yet, but I just had to comment.
Bronski Beat will never be tired and cliche! Yes, listening to their music now doesn’t pack the same emotional punch that it did when it was first released and they were the only pop music artists who were out and proud and singing about the gay experience, but what art or experience really retains the freshness of that first discovery. Why the need to denigrate and dis our Queer cultural heritage just because it’s wrapped in a cute 80’s haircut and a synthesized beat?
Yes I firmly believe that Bronski Beat is a valuable and important part of our Queer legacy and is important art. I would contend (admittedly without any research to support it) that more Gay people around the world were impacted emotionally and inspired by “Smalltown Boy” than by any James Baldwin Poem.
Like Ana, their music had such an important impact on my positive self identity as a young Gay man in the 80’s and in my ability to connect with other Gay kids in Salt Lake City. A Bronski Beat button on your jacket or backpack was a symbol of solidarity and community! I think it’s hard for young people now to understand what it was like even in the 80’s when there were no Gay images on TV and even people like Boy George, George Michael, Elton John and people we now take for granted as Gay role models and icons where coy and dishonest publicly about their sexuality. Jimmy Sommerville and the boys were OUT and proud right from the beggining of their careers and singing about their lives in an authentic voice and making no apologies and selling millions of records. It was a big fucking deal, and we may have shamefully relegated them to the scrap heap because they didn’t continue to make hits after the early 90’s and haven’t made themselves tabloid fodder to stay in the headlines, but let’s not forget their HUGE contribution.
stepping off the soapbox now…….
input your comment here…I didn’t really get to finish my whole thought about Bronski Beat. I do think that some of the luster has faded due to over play for me. It is a sentimental favorite that I sometimes perform. However I am more likely to listen to These New Puritans and Against Me and more punk inspired bands. Heros like Patti Smith, PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth are more my favorites. The political notes of Gang of Four are much more my retro taste in music.
This was not a show about my full catalog and taste in music. I have over 5000 cds in my collection. Some stand time better than others. I went to see Taz recently so I am not bagging the existence of my love of Bronski Beat but due to over play of the song “Smalltown Boy” some shine is gone. That is part of what I hate about modern society. Over saturation offers the dulling of what was once so dear and beautiful sometimes.
Curtis I understand you point. I think you might have a little soft spot for Jimmy…. Maybe he will show up at a Steam Works near you. LOL
By the way I know Curtis so I feel I can play with him a little bit…
input your comment here…I didn’t really get to finish my whole thought about Bronski Beat. I do think that some of the luster has faded due to over play for me. It is a sentimental favorite that I sometimes perform. However I am more likely to listen to These New Puritans and Against Me and more punk inspired bands. Heros like Patti Smith, PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth are more my favorites. The political notes of Gang of Four are much more my retro taste in music.
This was not a show about my full catalog and taste in music. I have over 5000 cds in my collection. Some stand time better than others. I went to see Yaz recently so I am not bagging the existence of my love of Bronski Beat but due to over play of the song “Smalltown Boy” some shine is gone. That is part of what I hate about modern society. Over saturation offers the dulling of what was once so dear and beautiful sometimes.
Curtis I understand you point. I think you might have a little soft spot for Jimmy…. Maybe he will show up at a Steam Works near you. LOL
By the way I know Curtis so I feel I can play with him a little bit…
You could make a portable fals glory hole for the bean – a circle of black (perhaps the magnetic sign material like you stick on the side of a car) and then a dildo glued on it so it looks like someone is inside the bean.
for at least 10 years i’ve been saying that the true bisexual male is the guy who sneaks away from the guy to fuck the girl. I know of two…they’re rare but they are definitely out there. guys who sneak away from the girl to fuck the guy are a dime a dozen!
enjoyed the show!