*If you're 12 or under, it's not legal for anyone to collect your e-mail address. You can subscribe to this blog in a reader and follow me on twitter to get much of the same information, just not put together in tidy packages. But heck, if you're 11 or 12, you already know that life isn't always tidy. Thanks!
Every so often there's a piece of popular culture that makes me ridiculously happy - going back and repopulating my teenage obsessions with gay characters, gay adventures, gay romance... and there's a power in that. A healing. And a joy.
I had it reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, which gave me a gay Harry Potter story to love and call my own.
And I had it watching this amazing music video by the group Miike Snow, Genghis Khan.
I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!
It's also inspiring that these are both so successful - Carry On is a huge bestseller, and as of writing this, the Genghis Khan video has had more than 39 million views!
The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee
ps - Shout out to my friend Kelly who shared this with me!
And on Yom Kippur, the traditional day in Jewish life when you take stock of your year past and aim to do better in the year ahead, I know I have wishes for these two characters and their own happy ever after...
Meanwhile, for those of us whose lives are real, let's be as authentic as we can be!
Sound like a plan?
The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee
"...I just want to say that before I made this record, I was doing everything to try to get my music heard, I tried to lose weight, and ... I was making awful music. And it was only until I started to be myself, that the music started to flow and people started to listen, so thank you guys for accepting me to be just me. Thank you!"
- Sam Smith, on winning Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
"I want to thank the man who this record is about, who I fell in love with last year. Thank you so much for breaking my heart - cause you got me four Grammies!"
Thanks to my awesome husband for sharing this with me, so I could share it with all of you.
Be-You-tiful
Written and composed by Johnathan Celestin
Copyrighted 2014
Verse 1:
It don't matter if you're black or blue,
Baby, just be you.
It don't matter if you're thick or thin,
Love the skin you're in.
Cause people always got something to say,
I know it sounds cliche.
But try your best to love them anyway,
Let's change the world today.
Pre-Chorus:
Cause you deserve to feel good,
So don't feel bad about it, bad about it.
There's only one you in the world,
So don't feel bad about it, bad about it.
Chorus 1:
If it wasn't said before,
You are your own beautiful,
And in my eyes, you're a star, yes you are.
If it wasn't said before,
You are your own beautiful,
And in my eyes, you'll go far,
Post-Chorus 1:
So tell them you're a star,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are.
Tell them you're a star,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are.
Verse 2:
It don't matter if you're boy or girl,
We all can change the world.
It don't matter to us who you love,
Hold on to your love.
Cause people try to put you in a box,
Afraid the boat will rock.
But one day those folks who made you feel less than,
Will be your biggest fan.
Pre-Chorus 2:
Cause you deserve to feel good,
So don't feel bad about it, bad about it.
There's only one you in the world,
So don't feel bad about it, bad about it.
Chorus 2:
If it wasn't said before
You are your own beautiful
And in my eyes, you're a star, yes you are
If it wasn't said before,
You are your own beautiful,
And in my eyes, you'll go far,
Post-chorus 2:
To tell them you're a star,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are.
Tell them you're a star,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are,
Yes, you are.
Bridge/outro:
You've gotta
Be your own
Kind of Beautiful
You're beautiful.
(3x)
The song was written by Mary Lambert, Mozella, Benny Cassette & Eric Rosse. Here are the lyrics:
SECRETS
I've got bi-polar disorder
My shit's not in order
I'm overweight
I'm always late
I've got too many things to say
I rock mom jeans, cat earrings
Extrapolate my feelings
My family is dysfunctional
But we have a good time killing each other
[Pre-Chorus]
They tell us from the time we're young
To hide the things that we don't like about ourselves
Inside ourselves
I know I'm not the only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else
Well I'm over it
[Chorus]
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)So-o-o-o-o what
So what
So what
So what
I can't think straight, I'm so gay
Sometimes I cry a whole day
I care a lot, use an analog clock
And never know when to stop
And I'm passive, aggressive
I'm scared of the dark and the dentist
I love my butt and won't shut up
And I never really grew up
[Pre-Chorus]
They tell us from the time we're young
To hide the things that we don't like about ourselves
Inside ourselves
I know I'm not the only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else
Well I'm over it
[Chorus]
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)
So what
So what
So what
So what
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are (secrets are)
So what
So what
So what
So what
(I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are)
So what
So what
So what
So what
Okay, there's alcohol, and cigarettes, but there's also an openly gay country music star-in-the-making singing about his crush on another guy - no "you" obfuscations or avoiding mentioning gender, just his pure longing for the other guy to "be my, be my, be my All-American boy."
It's pretty awesome.
For about Steve Grand (who in addition to singing, wrote the music and the lyrics), check out this article on Salon and his website. The video is doing really well (over 1.2 million views in its first week on youtube!) and you can read more about the video's success and what Steve is up to in this Los Angeles Times article.
If the video doesn't play above, you can watch it on youtube here.
Here's the lyrics:
All American Boy
VERSE 1
Ripped Jeans, only drinks whiskey
I find him by the fire while his girl was getting frisky, ohh
I say we go this road tonight
He smiles, his arms around her
but his eyes are holdin me, just a captive to his wonder, ohh
I say we go this road tonight
PRE-CHORUS
now I know that that's your girl, I mean no disrespect
The way that shirt hugs you chest boy, I just won't forget
I'll be sittin here, drinking my whiskey
I won't say goodnight unless I think ya might miss me, ohh
CHORUS
Be my All-American boy tonight
where everyday's the 4th of July
and it's alright, alright
And we can keep this up till the morning light
and you can hold me deep in your eyes
and it's alright, alright
be my, be my
my All-American boy
VERSE 2
Ripped jeans, tight shirt
he lights a cigarette you know I'm glad that she can't stand it, ohh
I drink the moonlight from his eyes
Now hold there, just a moment
I want to take this in now we don't need no photo of it, no
we should go this road tonight
PRE-CHORUS 2
now I know that that's your girl, and I don't give a damn
she's been cusin and cryin, she don't know what she has
so I'll be sittin here, tryin to hold down my whiskey,
you tell your girl good night cause somebody'd like to kiss me, ohh
CHORUS
Be my All-American boy tonight
where everyday's the 4th of July
and it's alright, alright
And we can keep this up till the morning light
and you can hold me deep in your eyes
and it's alright, alright
be my, be my
my All-American boy
BRIDGE:
Of all the girls and boys to look my way
Ain't nobody ever hit me this way
so won't you come back with me
and lay with me a while
I'm gonna wrestle you out of them clothes,
leave that beautiful body exposed,
and you can have my heart and my soul and my body...
just be mine
GUITAR SOLO
DOWN CHORUS
Be my All-American boy tonight
baby you light my fire
it's gonna be alright, alright!
CHORUS
Be my All-American boy tonight
where everyday's the 4th of July
and it's alright, alright
And we can keep this up till the morning light
and you can hold me deep in your eyes
and it's alright, alright
be my, be my...
just, be my, be my...
my All-American boy
One of the fun things I got to do over my blogging holiday was catch up on articles and emails... here's a great one from 2012. Billboard ran this article, "21 Great Gay Moments In Music."
I knew about Adam Lambert and Chely Wright and Tom Robinson and Madonna and Glee, but there were some surprises, like Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford being gay, and Enrique Iglesias' embrace of a gay fan, and this music video from back in 1995: Jill Sobule's "I Kissed a Girl" (long before Katy Perry!)
Susan Johnson says this song is exactly what she thinks her students need to hear - and yet instead of praising her, the South Lyon's Centennial Middle School suspended her for three days in November 2012!
You can also browse, in the left hand column of this blog:
The more than 160 books with gay teen characters and themes
The over 90 books with lesbian teen characters and themes
And the books with teen bi, trans and gender non-conforming characters, the GLBTQ graphic novels, and so many more... After all, the holidays are a wonderful opportunity to do some reading!
El silencio se va, / The silence goes away,
Junto a mi ya no esta, / It's no longer next to me,
El dolor se marcho, / The pain has left too,
Y me alma es libre del temor. / And my soul is free from fear.
Libertad, libertad, / Freedom, freedom,
No voy abandonar mis sueños. / I will not give up on my dreams.
Libertad, libertad, / Freedom, freedom,
Es tiempo de vivir sin miedo, / It's time to live without fear,
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Deja atrás el disfraz, / Leave behind the disguise,
Quema ya el antifaz. / It's time to burn the mask.
Tu destino es vivir, / Your destiny is to live,
Y sentir dejando de fingir. / and to feel without pretending.
Puedo amar, no hay oscuridad / I can love, there is no darkness
Hay nuevos horizontes que buscar / There are new horizons to search for
Hoy mi fe me hace creer, / Today my faith makes me believe
Que tengo mil razones para tocar el cielo y gritar. / That I have a thousand reasons to touch the sky and to scream.
Libertad, libertad, / Freedom, freedom,
No voy abandonar mis sueños. / I will not give up on my dreams.
Libertad, libertad, / Freedom, freedom,
Es tiempo de vivir sin miedo, / It's time to live without fear,
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Libertad / Freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Libertad, yo vivo en libertad / Freedom, I live free
No tengo que ocultar mi personalidad / I don't have to hide my personality,
Libertad, yo vivo en libertad / Freedom, I live free
No me voy a frenar / I will not stop
Yo busco libertad / I'm searching for freedom
(Vive y suena en libertad, / (Live and dream freely,
Tu decides a quien amar, / You decide whom to love,
Hoy tu voz no van a callar, / Today your voice will not be quiet,
Grita fuerte, quiero escuchar). / Shout it out loudly, I want to hear).
Libertad (libertad), / Freedom (freedom),
Libertad (libertad), / Freedom (freedom),
No voy abandonar mis sueños, / I will not give up on my dreams,
Libertad (libertad), / Freedom (freedom),
Libertad (libertad), / Freedom (freedom),
Es tiempo de vivir sin miedo. / it's time to live without fear.
Yo quiero libertad / I want freedom
Libertad / Freedom
Yo quiero libertad / I want freedom
Libertad / Freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Yo solo quiero libertad / I only want freedom
Libertad / Freedom
Solo quiero libertad (libertad) / I only want freedom (freedom)
Libertad, libertad, libertad / Freedom, freedom, freedom
In any language, singing about the freedom to be yourself as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer person is awesome.
Disclosure: As of July 5, 2020, if you click on a book here on this blog and it takes you to bookshop.org, there is an affiliate relationship in place where 10% of that book order will come back to me, Lee Wind. I hope that works for you. And if it doesn't, no worries. I hope you buy your books somewhere that feels good to you. Thanks!
What if you knew a secret from history that could change the world?
“Get Balanced with Dr. Marissa Pei” Talk Radio show - Lee booked as featured guest on September 25
October 2018 - Publish Date of Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill: Oct 2, 2018
Lambda Literary Festival - panel on Crowdfunding Queer Lit and reading - online Oct 1. Register here.
Star Style Radio Show with Cynthia Brian - Lee featured guest on October 3 program. Listen here.
Pasadena Fall Art Night - YA panel on Oct 12 in Pasadena
West Hollywood Library Teen Read Week - 10:30am October 13
San Gabriel Valley Pride - Authors Tent presentation, 1:00 pm on Oct 13 in Pasadena
Launch Party at Highways - 7:00pm in Santa Monica
Models of Pride - present "Discover our LGBTQ History" and give out free copies of Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill from the Camp Brave Trails booth on Oct 20 in Los Angeles
November 2018
Book Baby Independent Authors Conference - lead networking session "How do you measure success?" in Philadelphia, PA
Presentation and Reading at Palm Springs Public Library on Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill on Nov 7
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