Oklahoma City and HIV’s second wave

Young, black men at risk

by j. brotherlove

According to a recent CDC study, new HIV infections among gay black males between the ages of 13 and 24 grew by 15 percent in 2007, about 10 times higher than in the gay community overall. These increases in recent years has some calling this the second wave of the AIDS epidemic.

NewsOK.com details the difficulties health educator Mark Knight and his coworkers face while reaching out to young, black gay men in Oklahoma City.

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Feloni’s Coming Out Story on Logo

Lesbian hip hop artist profiled

by j. brotherlove

With Gay Pride season upon us, there’s bound to be an increase of people coming out of the closet (voluntarily or otherwise). Be sure to check out Coming Out Stories on Logo. One story, “Hip Hop and Ready to Drop (Trish),” spotlights lesbian hip hop artist, Feloni.

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What Say You?

Recent musings from 5 gay bloggers

by j. brotherlove

Derrick ponders his usual single status:

Despite these obstacles, I’ve had some brief but fun sexual times with guys but it never got any further than that. I know its partly my fault. I could have said something to the effect of, “This has been great…you wanna catch a movie sometime? Maybe check out that MOCA show or grab some tacos?” Perhaps the day of courtship and whirlwind romances are over. Maybe now we screw around to find someone we’re sexually compatible with and then go out of our way to see if we actually like them.

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When I Knew I Was Gay

Cinemax airs personal stories

by j. brotherlove

One of the more popular questions asked of us in the LGBT community is when did we know we were “different” than our heterosexual counterparts. My lightbulb came on so long ago, I can’t remember exactly how young I was when it did.

In honor of Gay Pride, Cinemax is premiering the documentary, When I Knew, inspired by Robert Trachtenberg’s book of the same name, on Wednesday June 25 at 7:30pm. Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato asked more than 150 people in five cities “When did you know?” The resulting film spotlights 16 of the interviewees of various ages, genders and lifestyles.

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“Kobe, tell me how my ass taste?”

When it comes to rap, Shaq is wack

by j. brotherlove

Um, yeah. Through the magic of TMZ (shudder) we get this video nugget of Shaq’s wack freestyle skills. MissInfo.tv has comments from the hip hop community.

I don’t know about you. But I don’t want to know the answer to that question. Were it a different ballplayer… Ah, never mind.

[h/t: Jay Smooth]

Memphis Police Officer Caught Beating Transsexual

Brutal attack caught on video

by j. brotherlove

One Memphis police officer has been fired and another taken off the street after video was obtained and aired by Memphis Action News 5 showing the beating of a transsexual suspect.

The video, recorded February 12th in the booking area of the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, clearly shows Officer B. McRae punching Duanna Johnson, who was under arrest for prostitution.

Video: WMC-TV

Read the full post.

If it walks like a blog and quacks like a blog, it’s a blog, baby!

Oklahoma City and HIV’s second wave — Young, black men at risk
Feloni’s Coming Out Story on Logo — Lesbian hip hop artist profiled
What Say You? — Recent musings from 5 gay bloggers
When I Knew I Was Gay — Cinemax airs personal stories
“Kobe, tell me how my ass taste?” — When it comes to rap, Shaq is wack

Life’s observations from j. brotherlove.

Tim’m West brings The Front Porch to Atlanta — Answers Q&A regarding event
All Eyes On Me: The j. brotherlove Interviews — Spotlight reversed for a change
‘Dirty Laundry’ Cleans Up & Folds In NY — But let’s focus on the positive
Interracial Porn, Fetish & Politics — Resolving sexuality with activism
HIV Status A Growing Wedge For Gay Men — Creates another division

Reviews, meditations and criticisms from an arts junkie.

If you think Erykah is Weird… — You ain’t heard nothin’
Tempest In A Tearoom (plus Sex 2.0) — A review and preview of sorts
Homo Hip Hop, Lesbian Duo KIN Get Busy — Queer independent artists stay focused
Swimming With Steve Yockey’s ‘Octopus’ — A review of his post-modern gay play
A Preview of Kortney Ryan Siegler’s film, still black — Documenting black transgender men

Excerpts from selected poetry and stories.

National Blogging Online 2007 — still/here; most days*
sunday morning made — me a poet
A Parable Named Easter Jones — A girl in Jemsion, Alabama dresses up
Black Magic — Calling the mysterious power of black women
new — Because the “old” just ain’t good enough