A Call For Submissions for a new book on Building an Intergenerational LGBTQ Community!

One of my mentors, Dr. Don Kilhefner, is teaming up with Jewel Thais-Williams on a new project, editing "Gay and Lesbian Eldering: Ending Age Apartheid And Building An Intergenerational Community"

They've issued "An Invitation to Youths, Adults, Elders-In-Waiting and Elders"

A Call for Submissions

The widest possible call is going out for submissions to a new anthology - Gay and Lesbian Eldering: Ending Age Apartheid and Building An Intergenerational Community - which will explore the role of conscious eldering in the gay and lesbian community.  The word "eldering" may be new to you.  It refers to the visible role and function elders have traditionally played in a community or tribe.  It is suggested that elders largely do eldering with adults; adults usually do mentoring with youth.

How might contemporary gay society adapt and renew these roles as we continue building a politically active, creatively alive and spiritually awake community?

The book will be based on the understanding that throughout the world and throughout history, human life has usually been divided into four stages - youth, adult, elder, ancestor.  In the process of growing from one stage to the next, both the individual and the community are transformed.  What does it mean to be a conscious elder?  Young and old alike, find out how you can contribute to this anthology.

For more information, go to www.GayAndLesbianEldering.com

And I love the quote they include:

"If elders are lost, adults will be lost;

if adults are lost, youth will be lost."

- West African Wisdom Saying

It sounds like a great project and a wonderful opportunity!

Namaste,
Lee

Gender 101, Episode #34: Lucy, Nenu, Emmi and B J on the "T" in GLBT

Our Gender-Queer friend Lucy (a.k.a. Benji) talks with Nenu, Emmi and B J about how Transgender and Gender Queer people are treated within the "Gay Community," both by individuals and organizations. 

It's a fascinating discussion...



My thanks to Lucy, Nenu, Emmi and B J for sharing so openly about their experiences!

Namaste,
Lee

The Gay Community Stands Up With The African American Community And Demands Justice For Trayvon Martin

I've been thinking for weeks how to talk about Trayvon Martin's killing here. 

I talk all the time about the connection between racism and homophobia (and all kinds of bias and prejudice.)  But how could I contribute in a positive way, rather than just add my anger and frustration to the noise?

Well, finally, I have something to share.  Something we can all do to be UPstanders for Trayvon, his family, and the Black community.

In a joint open letter, 23 National GLBTQ organizations in the USA took a stand to say:

The tragic killing of Trayvon Martin is a national call to action. Our hearts go out to Trayvon’s family and friends for the loss they have experienced. We stand in solidarity with them as they demand answers and justice. We represent organizations with diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender constituencies.

Many in our community have been targets of bigotry and bias. We have a great deal of experience grappling with the role bias plays in violent crimes against our communities. We well know the stories of young people targeted for violence just because of who they are: Rashawn Brazell, Lawrence King, Ali Forney, Deoni Jones, Brandon White, Matthew Shepard, Angie Zapata, Sean Kennedy and countless others.

Trayvon’s killing is a wakeup call to the enduring cancer of racism and racial profiling. The pain his family continues to endure transcends communities and unites us all. Every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, must be able to walk the streets without fear for their safety.

Trayvon’s killing is tragic and the stark reality that racial bias played a role in his death has alarmed our nation. Questions must be asked. Answers must be sought. And justice must be served. We join our voices to the chorus of so many others to demand that local and federal authorities find those answers. We stand in solidarity with Trayvon’s family and friends as they seek justice for his killing. In the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

And today, I'm signing, too!

Lee Wind

You can leave a comment, adding your name below!

Gender 101, Episode #22: Community Insurance

I'm very excited to continue the conversation about Gender with Frankie Palacios.

In this episode, Frankie shares about their fundraising efforts for their partner's top surgery... and the concept of "community insurance."



VERY cool.

Namaste,
Lee

Albert Borris, the Class of 2K9, and the meaning of "Community"

For the 4th of July, we celebrate our country's independence.

I would offer that we should celebrate our inter-connected-ness. Our sense of community. Of brotherhood.

fraternité

is what it's called in French.

And in the world of books for teens, here's a great story about fraternité in action.

Albert Borris

Debut YA novelist Albert Borris has a way with words. Or rather, had a way with words. This past December, just months before the release of CRASH INTO ME (Simon Pulse), Albert suffered a stroke so powerful, his doctors told him he was lucky to be alive.

And alive he is, having made a full physical recovery, enough to roughhouse with his two young sons and work out at the gym. However, Albert is still working on recovering something else: his words.

To be sure, they are all up there in his brilliant mind. He just can’t get them out – verbally or on paper – in the correct order, yet. But he’s working on it.

Prior to his stroke, Albert was a full time teen counselor, husband and father. He also served as Co-President of The Class of 2k9, a group of 22 debut middle grade and young adult novelists banding together to promote their books. Words were his thing. Communicating with others, in person and on the page, was his specialty.

As his friends and fellow debut novelists, we, the Class of 2k9, are making it our business to get the word out about Albert and his novel, CRASH INTO ME.

In a way, this whole real-life story echoes something Albert has up on his blog, in his "A Personal Note," talking about his personal philosophy:

Not all things are good, but good can come of all things.

Albert's stroke was definitely NOT good, but this example of community, and caring, and the kidlitosphere and the Class of 2k9 reaching out to help someone else - an author in need - simply because it's a kind thing to do... That IS Good!

Tomorrow, Albert's book, "Crash Into Me" releases, and I'll post on it. I'll tell you what it's about, which main character in it is GLBTQ, and why it sounds like such a great read!

You can learn more about the amazing group of debut authors that make up the Class of 2k9 here!

GSA Monday Topic: Thoughts for Next Year, Part 3. Other Schools' GSAs - collaboration versus competition

Generally, the nature of inter-school relations is competitive (often the only organized interactions are sport or academic competitions which set students from different schools AGAINST each other.)

But with GSA clubs in multiple schools, there's an opportunity for collaboration between schools and for friendships between students. For community.

Friendships flourish in shared experiences and circumstances. Like campers from different schools who come together over the summer, or summer job co-workers, or probably even the top 10 on American Idol (who'll be on a 50 city tour this summer.)

I don't personally know if other affinity clubs in high schools (like Asian Pacific Islander students, Latino students, and Black students) feel a kinship with their counterpart groups across school loyalties, but I bet they do.

GLSEN reports that there are over 4,000 GSA clubs in schools in the USA as of 2008.

Maybe you could explore the other GSAs in schools around you - after all, they're part of the same GLBTQ and Allied community.

Maybe there are some joint events you could plan with another GSA club at a different (or even rival) school for next year?

Just like a rainbow crosses borders,
those of us who make up the GLBTQ rainbow come from everywhere.
This makes us uniquely positioned to bridge
the traditional conflicts and competition that divide groups of people.
We build our community across ALL other communities.
There's an opportunity in that.

What do you think?

Today is The National Day Of Silence. Remembering Carl Walker-Hoover.

Click here to go to the Day of Silence website

The idea is to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

I've often wondered if I agree with the premise of "The National Day Of Silence," for I feel that we, as individuals and as the Gay (GLBTQA) community are TOO silent most of the time.

But Today I see silence differently.

Carl Walker-Hoover, an 11 year old in 6th grade in Massachusetts, endured eight months of daily taunting and bullying and threats and slurs and being called "gay" at his school. Last monday, April 6th, 2009, he hung himself. He would have been 12 years old today.

Carl Walker-Hoover

Carl's story reminds us: we still have work to do.

Watch this news report to learn more:



So Today I'm going to have moments where I'll be silent in honor of Carl, and of Eric Mohat, and of Lawrence (Larry) King. I'll be silent to remember all those Teenagers and Kids that didn't make it through the gauntlet of their school years.

And EVERY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR, to honor those same kids, I'm going to be LOUD AS HELL to make sure we change the culture of our world, so schools can be a safe place for every kid to grow up, no matter if they're Gay or Straight.

So join me in moments of silence today.

And join me in CHANGING THE WORLD tomorrow and every day after that!

Namaste,

Lee

It's Taxing. A Eulogy for Two: The Loss of Los Angeles' Gay Bookstore "A Different Light," and a dream... And how to SAVE Independent Bookstores!

Los Angeles' "A Different Light" Bookstore, 2 weeks ago.

The sign in the window...

Los Angeles' Gay bookstore, "A Different Light," is dying. It is, in fact, already dead as an institution, and were the cliched machines of soap opera hospitals hooked up to monitor the store's heartbeat and breathing, we'd all hear a loud steady beeeeeeeeeep. No signal.

Sigh.

This makes me so sad.

As with any death, there are stages of grief to go through. There are questions to be asked. And a future to look forward to, armed with lessons hopefully learned and hope restored.

I'm sad. Angry. Disappointed.

Why couldn't the second largest city in the USA keep a single bookstore serving the Gay (GLBTQ) community vibrant and financially viable? Was there anything that could have been done to save it? Is there any hope for the remaining independent bookstores?

I feel the loss.

I think the biggest loss is for our community. A Different Light was one of the few places to go in West Hollywood and congregate that wasn't about drinking or dancing. It was a destination, and its loss further polarizes our community in this gigantic sprawling metropolis. How many places really cater to the whole GLBTQ community, and not just a specific letter of our alphabet soup?

For me personally, it's the loss of a dream. I've been to readings at the store (Like this amazing one I saw Alex Sanchez do), and I had always envisioned having my turn to do an author signing and reading from my book there. I'm sure, when my time comes, there will be SOME bookstores and places out there who would be enthusiastic about my doing an author signing and reading, but I'm sad that my local gay bookstore won't be around anymore for that milestone in my career.

What could have been done?

I wish, as opposed to the store leaning more and more heavily on the adult sexually oriented material, that it had taken a different tack into the prevailing winds. (Interestingly, I could never link to their website to send you, my readers, their way to buy the books I'm talking about because their site is so completely adult and sexually-oriented.) What if they had offered internet access and charged a small fee for it? Make it a cafe/bookstore? Hosted writing groups, and book clubs and events (like open mike nights) beyond the ones they had - truly make themselves a social and community gathering spot? Might they have been able to have classes there (they had a greeting card moment, they could have taught how to make your own cards, or hosted a class on blogging) - it was a great, safe environment to meet other GLBTQ people and our Allies and I wish they had been able to capitalize on that more. They could have stayed open past the clubs, become a 24 hour a day HUB of community and ideas. Poetry slams, Beatnik revivals, a calendar of events that would approach community building not like the non-profit Gay and Lesbian Community Center, but in a leaner, swifter, more dynamic and responsive style. A vision for a new kind of bookstore.

"A Different Light" did do some things right - they had funny t-shirts, fun music playing, and the store DID function for a time as an alternative gathering space - at one point even staying open until 11pm. But the overall vision didn't materialize.

And here's the bottom line, and why I'm blogging about this today, TAX day:

They couldn't make enough money to stay in business.

What A Different Light and many of the remaining, struggling independent bookstores are doing wrong is that they are trying to ignore the changing landscape of bookselling. They're trying to pretend that Amazon and other online ways for people to get most of the same books for less money and more conveniently delivered to their homes doesn't exist, or will go away...

Independent bookstores need to think about how they can make coming to their stores SO VALUABLE that the experience CAN'T be replaced by clicking a mouse.

It's all about the experience - now that purchasing the book has become a commodity, available at the lowest cost, the EXPERIENCE of the book - of hearing about it, listening to it read by the author, seeing the other books on the shelf next to it, buying it, reading it, discussing it in a group with others who have read it, talking about the issues it brings up, getting to know about the story behind the story, getting other recommendations for amazing books from people that are experts in what they carry... all of that becomes King.

But with no experience, A Different Light became just a few bare shelves, a handful of books on each one.

And I found myself walking in. Silently walking the large circle of the store. And walking out again. I hadn't purchased anything. Even though I saw one or two titles I've been meaning to read. It was just too sad. Too overwhelming.

In it's final clearance sale, A Different Light betrayed the very thing that might have saved it earlier. It commodified everything it was selling. And there was no sense of community.

I'm so sad at it's passing.

But I'm also hopeful that some kind of new renaissance of community spirit, of gathering around literature and books, can rise again. Maybe in coffeeshops like LA's Literati, or maybe here on the internet in some kind of virtual GSA meeting space, or somewhere real or virtual or both that I've yet to discover.

But I think there's a power in gathering around ideas, around stories. An undeniable power of experience, internalized and shared.

We had it around stone-age fires, long ago.

We used to have it in local and independent bookstores.

I wonder where it will go next. For as fantastic as the blogosphere and the internet are, there's no replacing BEING somewhere in person - meeting others who share your passions and affiliations, and witnessing these stories as a community.

So today, as we send in taxes, I offer this Eulogy for what's past. A store. A dream.

And I acknowledge a sense of Hope for what's to come. Stories will always be with us. And we, as humans, will always want to share those stories.

And someday, I'll have my reading and author signing at some great location - maybe a library. And I'll think about "A Different Light" in West Hollywood. And the reading that never happened there. And I know that moment, as much as I've dreamed of it, will hold a piece of this lost dream. A bittersweetness that will travel through time. The dream that can't come true anymore in exactly the way I'd envisioned.

But it will come true.

Thanks for letting me share.

Namaste,

Lee