alley hector's blog

Much fanfare, both positive and negative, surrounded Chaz Bono’s announcement of his gender transition. Hailed as a possible turning point for the mainstreaming of transgender images and culture, eyes are most certainly turned onto the only child of singer and gay icon Cher and the late entertainer/congressman Sonny Bono.

This is exactly why a sweeps week interview on Entertainment Tonight is a fitting stage. Chaz was interviewed by the show's Mary Hart and Mark Steines at his Los Angeles home for a series of segments.

New pictures of a masculine Bono have started appearing in gossip blogs and rags, including his emergence from a post-surgery support group and ring shopping. One source even claims that the star has even posed for a photo shoot showing off his newly reconstructed chest.

This week, the FabLife did the heavy lifting, presenting us with 40 of Lady Gaga’s most entertaining fashion moments. I’ve always wondered when she might also appear in an “Who wore it better?” column, but I think we may have to wait for the reemergence of Björk for that day.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite outfits and the snarky commentary they deserve. In general, I gotta say nay on the covered face bondage outfits — Gaga is scary enough already. Fancy fangs are a fad, but they’re OK for now. Overall, the Lady impresses me with her sheer gall.

Bubble Wrapped

Tori Amos and Sarah Brightman have a love child while cavorting through a magical lesbian bathtub.

Lesbians used to have On Our Backs and gay men have Butt. Now, Original Plumbing, a “quarterly photo and interview-saturated magazine dedicated to the culture and sexuality of FTM transsexuals” is the new Playboy for the genderqueer generation. Sure, there’s all kinds of hot naked spreads, but you actually can genuinely say you read it for the articles with a “straight” face.

Just a warning, the website (linked above) features many NSFW photos.

The inaugural “bedroom issue” has just been released, and is already on independent bookstore shelves. Release parties continue to soldier on, including stops in Brooklyn, San Francisco and Seattle.

So, does OP live up to the hype?

For over a decade, the women of Sister Spit have been putting their mouths in front of the mic in amazing and shocking ways. As hard as it is to bring people together for literary and spoken word events the new crew, Sister Spit: The Next Generation, is still vibrantly and successfully touring the states even in these depressed times. Their Portland show last Sunday was a packed house, the bulk of us shuffling from foot to foot as we listened to the varied storytellers, poets, comic book artists and performers of all sorts.

Spearheaded by dyke sex and culture novelist Michelle Tea, the tour van is chock full of amazing ladies including youthful comic artist Ariel Schrag, comedienne and banana-for-hire Beth Liseck, old-school spitter Sara Seinberg, slam poet superhero Kirya Traber, trans-licious sex-workers art show vet Ben McCoy and queer pop novelist Rhiannon Argo.

The babbling ball of energy that is Michelle Tea certainly set the bawdy stage as she read from her forthcoming novel about a coked up relationship that was doomed to failure. Argo, too, had great lez-novel passages that remind us of both the kind of dykes we are, want to be, and want to avoid, even when they are all one and the same.

Press has abounded since Lindsay Lohan announced her collaboration as "artistic advisor” with co-designer Estrella Archs for Ungaro. But after her first collection debuted Sunday at Paris Week critics are telling her not to quit her day job.

Women’s Wear Daily seemed to be the harshest critic with these words:

…the clothes looked cheesy and dated. Hot pink, orange and flashy, with an overworked heart motif relentless in its execution, the collection displayed none of the promised younger side Lohan was supposed to deliver. Nor in a million years would one guess that the lineup was designed by one young woman and "creative directed" by another. Glitter heart pasties all around, ladies?

Lesbian magazines have been in circulation since hand types proto-zines of the 1940s, but, as of today, there are still only a few glossy lesbian mags with significant longevity and circulation. In an era when print media is getting thinner it is exciting to see a new big girl contender with international aspirations.

Due to produce its first issue in December is Bound, a publication its creators (from Australia's LOTL) are calling “the world's first international magazine for lesbians and women with a connection to the gay and lesbian community.”

Although the description is a bit of a mouthful it does seem appropriate in a world of increasingly ambiguous identity and identity politics. At the very least, it is more honest than lesbian magazines that so frequently feature straight celebrities on their covers. Indeed, it is the enigmatic Pink, who will appear on Bound’s first issue.

The magazine will be available through subscription as well by worldwide newsstand distribution. It also boasts contributors from around the globe, covering with in-depth features, celebrity interviews, travel editorial, fashion and lifestyle news. It seems that their lofty goal might be attainable.

As a studio art major at a women’s liberal arts college, I saw my fair share of Cindy Sherman wannabes. Indeed, I’m a big fan of the role-playing dress up doll that Sherman so deftly becomes in front of the camera. But picking up the project she has begun and taking it somewhere new is what young artists seem to be struggling with.

New York-based (and, admittedly, a former college classmate of mine) filmmaker, photographer and fashionista K8 Hardy has taken the Sherman aesthetic to a new level — and even The New York Times has noticed.

Hardy, a 31-year-old founder of the queer feminist art collective LTTR, occasional fashion stylist and creator of the cult zine FashionFashion opened her first one-woman show, To All the G#%$! I’ve Loved Before, of photographs this month at Reena Spaulings Fine Art, a gallery in a former Chinatown brothel in Manhattan.

Those pixie-like new haircuts do little to dispel that myth that indie-rock twin singer/songwriter duo Tegan and Sara are really nymphs in disguise. Add to it the title of their new album Sainthood, to be released in October, and you might think a heavenly aura surrounds the sweetly singing sisters.

To whet our appetites Tegan and Sara have released a few morsels from the upcoming opus, including front and back cover art and a complete track listing.

In an interesting Dada-like mish mash, the front features a fairly straight-up three quarter profile portrait of Sara with the head of Tegan poking through a black and white photocopy-like cutout. Both wear striped black and white shirts so the juxtaposition of real and imagined is apparent.

On the reverse, the color and life of flesh and body are almost wholly removed as the photocopy cutout stands headless and alone. The only hint of the physical is the subtley whimsical peek of pink fingers holding the copy. Once again, Tegan and Sara manage to meld style with cultural reference and a healthy degree of irreverence.

At a certain point the marketing machine that is Lady Gaga, real name Stefanie Germanotti, builds enough of a ridiculous critical mass that you simply must report on the rumors.

I was tempted, in July, to report on the bisexual singer’s claim that one of the Pussycat Dolls had hit on her . Gaga told The Sun:

I don't like to kiss and tell, the girls and I are very close!

They are so nice and very sweet and I am very grateful to them because they have taken me all around the world and a lot of people found out about me thanks to those girls so I really can't say (which Doll hit on her).

But is that really news for an out singer who caters to the gay community in an increasingly sexually free culture?

Every year during graduation week, the college I attended also hosted various reunion years. One time the 30-somethings of the 10-year reunion threw quite a memorable bash. In this same spirit Spring Breakdown follows Ashley (Amber Tamblyn) as she embarks on an outrageous spring break, only to be followed by her Senator mother’s appointed chaperones, Becky St. Germaine (Parker Posey), Gayle O'Brien (Amy Poehler) and Judi Joskow (Rachel Dratch).

These three extremely funny ladies ruled the '90s and are still stealing girly hearts today. All three women, though straight, often play interestingly queer characters, whether it is through gender presentation, quirkiness or straight up sass, making them popular lesbian icons in their own right.

But to add to the dyke draw, one of Ashley’s adventures along the way includes a steamy girl kiss with blonde Aussie hottie Mason Masters (Sophie Monk).

The pairing of young, flashy and gossip-worthy celebrity Lindsay Lohan with out lesbian DJ Samantha Ronson was a turning point in lesbian culture for multiple reasons including, visibility, acceptance, popularity and, of course, fashion.

The image of the gay girl has gone from frumpy to fabulous as dyke clothing becomes recognized as a style to adopt. As anyone who has been a Tegan and Sara fan from the beginning knows, the line between dyke hipster fashion and straight girl hipster fashion has always been dubiously thin.

But now celesbians like Ronson not only rock the clothes but are a walking statement of out lesbian style.

Though there are two openly gay men starting on Bravo’s upcoming reality show Miami Social, premiering tomorrow night, there is also a lady with some homosexual tendencies.

Some call her bisexual, others simply bi-curious, but blonde Russian bombshell and fashion photographer/mom Maria Lankina is not shy about her interest in ladies, saying, “Why discriminate against half the population?”

Bravo describes her as:

…a no-nonsense Russian bombshell who has taken Miami by storm. After moving to the city in 2005, it took her no time to make a mark on the scene, and only is seen at the chicest spots in South Beach. She currently works as an art director and freelance photographer after studying at the prestigious Miami Ad School, and has had the opportunity to travel the world for her job. She describes herself as "forward, rebellious and fiery," but is a passionate and devoted mom to 13-year-old Angelika.

Watch her intro video:

Despite any semblance of Maria’s sexuality appearing gimmicky — which is perhaps unfair to say for a show so focused on gimmick in its entirety — Maria seems like she might also be the most interesting and genuine cast member. Because she has a daughter there is bound to be drama in her life that goes beyond gossiping over canapés, flirting with the cute cocktail waitress and sniping at exes of both sexes.

Most the current press surrounding bestselling author Jodi Picoult concerns her novel, My Sister’s Keeper, which was turned into a film starring, Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin and Alec Bladwin, and has now premiered nationwide. But for her next project, Picault has a much queerer agenda in mind, and it has become personal.

Talking with gay publication Edge Boston, Picault delves right into the plot of her next novel, which follows the difficulties a lesbian couple encounters as they attempt to start a family. Through this storyline the book deals with personal, political and religious issues.

A married couple, Max and Zoe, fail several attempts at invitro fertilization, including multiple miscarriages and a still-birth and decide to stop trying, and split up due to the stress. Max becomes an alcoholic saved by religious fanaticism while Zoe meets and falls in love with a female high school guidance counselor, Vanessa.

You know drag has gotten mainstream when Mariah Carey busts out a beard for the camera.

In her new music video for the "Obsessed" single, Carey dresses up as two male characters, one in a bellhop uniform, the other clad in a hoodie with some chin hair.

While Mariah’s features are still quite delicate and feminine, she pulls of the masculine look pretty well. The side burn stubble fuses with the full goatee quite elegantly, offsetting the eyes, which are heavily made up with eyeliner and mascara. The result is a slick looking metrosexual that one could certainly create gender confusion and doubt. Is this a hot gay bellhop or a lady sporting a fake ‘stache and sweats?

But beyond the fun of gender-play lies some drama on set. "Obsessed" has been called Carey’s response to Eminem’s "Bagpipes From Baghdad" wherein the rapper spits about taking Carey back from Nick Cannon (Carey has denied Eminem's claims that they dated for six months) with the lyrics, "Nick Cannon better back the f--- up/ I'm not playing/ I want her back, you punk."

Able to take contemporary television in a tongue-in-cheek manner, Fox’s new show Virtuality does a wonderfully ironic job of mocking the reality television that the network also does so (arguably) well. But what makes the show truly special is the complex character interactions that creator Ronald D Moore handles better than almost any other maker of sci-fi TV or film.

The pilot has already tackled the exploitation of the show’s openly gay male couple when they are persuaded to continue their queeny bickering for the camera. However, it was placed perfectly in the context of a greedy television studio’s desire for ratings at any cost. It may not be a reason to not suspect the real life Fox of these very same improprieties but it is a place to begin the discussion.

But what the ladies most look forward to is the hard-as-nails Clea DuVall, who plays top pilot Sue Parson. Her cocky character may not be a lesbian — in fact, she says early in the show that she doesn’t really like women — but her aggressive, cocky attitude gives her character an extremely queer edge.

(Caution: Spoilers ahead if you have yet to watch.) A key component of the series is the virtual reality machines the crew uses to relax. While the 10-year mission is to travel to a nearby star in order to find a new home for mankind, the cramped nature of the journey makes the virtual worlds the only place the crew can really experience vacation or even privacy. This essential role is jeopardized when a computer glitch begins assaulting various crew.