LGBT

Anti-LGBTI “Propaganda”

The Russian Federation outlawed openly advocating any speech “propaganda” in relation to LGBTI topics as propaganda that could damage society. In the wake of this neighboring countries now seem to be following suit. Kyrgyzstan has introduced a similar bill in parliament that would criminalize the promotion of homosexuality. Like in Russia, if passed citizens in Kyrgyzstan could face up to a year of imprisonment for advocating LGBTI issues.

Is this a new wave of anti-LGBTI sentiment, evolving into anti gay propaganda, as long as gay people keep it to themselves they are law abiding citizens?

“The sponsors of this bill define ‘non-traditional sexual relations’ as ‘sodomy, lesbianism and other forms of non-traditional sexual behavior,’” according to the organization. “They justify the amendments as necessary ‘to safeguard and protect the traditional family, human, moral, and historical values of Kyrgyz society.’”

Kyrgyzstan already has a hostile climate towards the LGBTI community and with the potential of this ‘draconian’ bill being put into effect, things look darker for the Kyrgyz LGBTI community. According to the bill those convicted of violating the law would face up to six months in prison and a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 som ($36 to $91). For repeat offenders the maximum sentence would be a year in prison and a fine of up to 6,000 som ($110).

In other ex-soviet satellites, the Ukraine considered such a bill but it was not passed, Moldova repealed a ‘gay propaganda’ law last July, a month after it was enacted and a similar bill is pending in Lithuania.

It appears the ex-soviet sphere is in a decline of human rights and equality for LGBTI communities with ever tightening restrictions on their livelihoods and social-inclusion. So far the Russian Federation has met little to no political opposition regards its law which removes certain human rights and freedoms from a minority of its population.

Will the old Soviet Union reunite under an anti-LGBTI “propaganda” law?

Partnered & Open Relationship Guys on Gay Apps- Yay or Nay?

by Ryan Shea

Open Relationship, Partnered, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Care2

It is hard to believe that I have been in the gay community for ten years now and have developed quite an understanding of the vast differences and similarities that bring us together but also tear us apart. An issue that remains controversial in our community is the foundation of open relationships and why they seem to cause a lot of stress for single men as well as the ones in the relationships (not all, but some). What tends to increase that is the ever growing presence of men who are partnered or in open relationships on these apps that make it tougher for single guys, like myself, to weed out the ones who just want you in the physical form and find the ones that are genuinely single and want to develop something with you outside of the Smart Phone world that we live in. The thing is that there are many different sides in which how you can process this theory that has many valid points. Take a look below at the several

“Gay apps aren’t dating apps, they are hookup ones so anyone should be able to be on there.”

For some, if not many, this is the case. Apps like Scruff, Jack’d, Growlr and Grindr can be designed for that kind of behavior. Yet others, like myself, can see it as that but also as a way to meet friends, dates and even network with someone for whatever reasons possible. So it should be free reign for all, per se.

“I get really fed up with always getting hit on by partnered or guys in an open relationship, that’s not how I want to be viewed is just a side thing.”

This is something that I myself have dealt with. Most recently I was talking to a guy who kept wanting to hang out with me only to tell me later on that he was concealing a near seven year relationship with someone. I was furious to be lead on that way. There are still a good amount of guys who use these things in hopes that they will find someone, and unless you are open to being just a hook up buddy with someone who is already dating someone else then it really sours the whole “app” experience in the first place. Some people, as my friend Pete put it, want to find someone who inspires us to delete those apps and just focus on that one person, which is something that I agree with.

Then there are the ones who believe this question in the first place is true judgement-

“I’m a firm believer that if you have a kitchen, you shouldn’t eat out at restaurants.”

“I guess my major point is that I’m a firm believer in minding your own business and not telling other people how to live their lives….”

“I’m a firm believer that if you have a toilet, you shouldn’t poop outside on the street.”

“Isn’t this a bit like saying “if you’re a couple, you shouldn’t be going out to the bar(s)?”

These were all responses to a quite harsh post that I put on my own personal Facebook about the ever presence of both partnered & open relationship men on these apps. Granted, if it came off as judgement then so be it, but there is a difference what I perceive to be an opinion versus what is a judgement, which is two different things.

At the end of the day, we should all be on there regardless of what our relationship status, size, color, etc.

“There are hundreds / thousands + men on these apps. They are fully capable of making a decision of whether or not they want to pursue someone in an open relationship or not. And even if they do decide to pursue someone who is taken, there are many other guys on there. Blaming the difficulty of weeding out the guys who aren’t coupled, on those guys, is quite unfair. Especially when the purpose of these apps is defined by each individual user, for friends, dates, sex, whatever. And especially when we start relying solely on apps to meet people.”

Manhattan Digest, Partnered, Open Relationships — Credit to: Nokia Innovations

The above, which was made by a friend of mine, has a good point to it. The main issue that I think all gay men face is this epic struggle of wanting their own opinion or viewpoint validated but at the same time this sense of community in the larger picture of things where we want to be even further validated by the world. So when it comes down to something like the types of men that should be on apps that some perceive to be about dating, some perceive to be about hooking up and some to perceive to be about all of that and in between, it really is all relative. It is up to each individual person to find that particular guy they want to develop something with, no matter what it is, and not let outside voices & what we see in the media influence what we ultimately want.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Brandon Deyette on “Proxy”, Charlie Harding and More

by Ryan Shea

It’s always good to be green and eager about something, which is the vibe and feel that I got when I recently sat down with director Brandon Deyette about his upcoming indie movie “Proxy”. The movie is set in three different locations, one being right here in the heart of Brooklyn, and talks about multiple stories from different characters manifesting in a small part of who Brandon really is. This project fell into my lap because one of the actors in the movie is my good friend Charlie Harding, who is taking on his first mainstream role (super proud FYI). I talked with Brandon about the “Proxy” movie as well as why casting Charlie was a blessing more than a controversy as well as what his biggest hopes are for this movie. Check it out.

Tell me about the movie “Proxy”. What inspired you to make it?

Without going into too much detail there were two phases to this script. I initially started writing it in 2005. I penned about 10 pages (and yes I mean penned) and left it alone. I was a young buck and impressionable. The version today is completely different than what was written 9 years ago.

About a year ago I came across the story while going through boxes after I ended a two year relationship. At that point in time I sat down at a computer and pretty much typed out 102 pages of a script. It was honestly a very cathartic moment in my life. It’s really a reflection of all the turmoil that was going on inside my head poured out onto the keyboard and somehow turned into “Proxy.” Each character, each story is truly a manifestation of a small part of me.

The film is more thematically driven and a character study rather than centered on a central plot. We, as an audience, observe these 3 stories through 8 lives and how they are intertwined by one man’s indiscretion. The point isn’t how they are connected but the mere fact that all of our choices ultimately influence so many other people’s decisions, actions, and lives in general.

Did you draw influence from other movies out there when making this?

Of course. I got an amazing compliment while looking at the rehearsal footage. Someone said, “That looks a lot like Lars Von Trier.” I almost cried since it is primarily based upon his and Thomas Vinterburg’s Dogme 95. Here is a link about Dogme 95 to spare you all the details about it but it’s fascinating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95While in graduate film school at Georgia State University we watched “The Celebration” (aka Festen) by Vinterburg, which won the 1998 Jury Prize at Cannes, and I was deeply moved by the narration of the story. The simplicity of the direction, cinematography, and lighting juxtaposed to the complexity of the acting and storyline really made me think twice about my approach to filmmaking and screenwriting overall.

There are also influences from Sofia Coppola, Woody Allen, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Chris Cunningham, David Fincher, Lena Dunham, Vincent Gallo and, of course, Andrew Haigh. Here is a link to our pinterest boards we used for inspiration and such while choosing lighting, locations, looks, etc… It was a very fascinating process.http://www.pinterest.com/brandizza1/

In terms of filming where has this mainly been shot and why those locations?

The script is based in 3 locations: North Florida, Atlanta Suburbs and Brooklyn. We scouted all three places and were originally going to shoot the whole thing in Atlanta. But then we saw an apartment in Harlem that was PERFECT for the NYC scene that we had to change the story up just to fit the location.

The same happened with the North Florida location. We found the perfect house in Athens, GA. As an homage to my alma mater (University of Georgia where I did both my undergrad degrees) I changed the setting to Athens. I suppose that’s a benefit of being the writer, I can make those decisions on the spot.

The Atlanta suburb location stayed the same. We contemplated moving to Detroit but it made more sense in the storyline to keep it in Atlanta. You’ll understand more when you see the film. I’d hate to give too much away.

Proxy, Manhattan Digest, Brandon Deyette — Credit to: Brandon Deyette

Charlie Harding is a good friend of mine and a well known actor in the porn world who is transitioning into the mainstream world. Was there hesitation in choosing him for this film?

I’d be a liar if I said there wasn’t any hesitation. But I knew what I was getting myself into before we even started. For the role of Tristan I had auditioned many people in NYC, Atlanta and Miami as well as took video auditions from people around the world. There was a very specific look I was going for with this role and attitude that someone couldn’t just pretend to act like. It is this raw sense of confidence that I wasn’t able to find anywhere. When discussing with my boss about the casting process I said, “I had this dream last night and in the dream someone told me I should cast a pornstar for this role.” He said, “Interesting choice but it makes sense.”

Tristan really bares himself emotionally, which is almost like being completely naked on screen. So I put out a request on Facebook to my friends to see if anyone knew of any porn actors that may be interested in the role. I had several people approach me but none so much like Charlie.

When he came to audition he was so well prepared, more so than anyone else to be honest. It wasn’t his confidence that sold me, it was his willingness to adapt and take direction as well as his vulnerability that really got me. There is one scene where he breaks down and talks about love for the first time. This was that moment that he really captured my attention and I said, “we have our Tristan.”

In regards to the transition from porn to mainstream film, I think if you allow the negative stigma to be attached then that’s all you’re going to get. I believe Charlie sees beyond that and has such an eagerness to try new things I believe his audience, and the masses, are going to embrace this transition with open arms.

What does he bring to his role that will make people who know him from porn forget that image and truthfully see him as a mainstream actor?

MAN! The worst thing about this script is that there are so many twists and reveals that if I say too much then it’ll ruin the film. I’m going to be as vague as possible without completely alienating the audience.

There are two moments we see a different side of Charlie. I think due to his ability to get naked on set in front of so many people and expose himself that being as vulnerable as he was in this film became almost second nature. Actors typically struggle with removing the “self” and really diving into a character. Especially tapping into the parts of yourself that you may fear exist. Charlie did this effortlessly.

The first being when he hears, for the first time, one of the initial plot twists. While in rehearsal he always showed great restraint in fighting back his sorrow and building rage. But when we shot, it became such a multi-layered, complex range of emotions. I couldn’t pinpoint just one emotion but rather a great array. The entire cast and crew had to take a moment after that scene to acknowledge our own emotions and what came up. It was a very powerful moment for us all. You’ll know it when you see the film.

The second is when he discusses being in love. That tender moment we saw in the auditions went beyond our expectations. It’s so disarming to see this gorgeous, ripped, muscle man really show his softer side. After each take we’d all look at each other on set and say, “Awe… he’s so in love (with a fictional character).”

Would you consider casting him for future roles?

Absolutely. In fact, without giving too much away (I’m not that secretive, I promise) I am in the midst of developing a tv series this summer. One of the roles is written for Charlie. I mean, specifically for him. I think that’s all I’m going to say about that one. I don’t want to lead the cart before the horse.

What are you hoping your audience takes away from this movie after they see it?

My main drive in doing film is to entertain, inspire and educate. I want, no matter what I produce, for each project to generate discourse about the subject matter within the piece. In regards to this film, there are so many themes and seemingly taboo subjects that I would love for people to leave the cinema engaging in dialogue about the film. It discusses fidelity, monogamy, betrayal, lying, deception, love, dreams, expectations, fear, diseases, guilt, and most importantly hope.

The film doesn’t force any of my own beliefs upon people. In fact, for the most part, I sometimes disagree with what the characters say. Which was very odd writing something you truly don’t agree with. But that’s just it, the point is to not force a thought, belief, or idea down someone’s throat but to help facilitate discussion about the issues at hand.

I also hope they see a beautiful film that inspires them creatively. That the performances touch them and really cause a viscerally emotional reaction. Everyone can identify with at least one of the characters or at least knows someone with similar characteristics or in a similar situation. The identification can help connect the audience to the story and it becomes a personal experience.

Best case scenario in terms of this movies success… Go!

Well we plan on first submitting to Sundance at the end of August. Which is quite an aggressive timeline considering we just wrapped production. But it’s pretty straight forward so I can’t imagine it will take more than 3 months to complete editing, sound mixing and getting all of our ducks in a row.

THE IDEA is to submit to Sundance, get accepted and then be picked up for distribution. I’d love to have a theatrical release and then on multi-varied-media platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Digital Download, DVD, a medium that hasn’t been discovered yet, etc…). I feel all of the performances are so strong that they are definitely contenders for some acting awards. People are really going to be blown away by this, especially Charlie’s performance.

I want to see “Proxy” as a profitable and award-winning feature film. And it will be.

Final thoughts for my readers?

We are doing an IndieGoGo fundraiser to help raise extra funds for sound mixing and festival submissions. For anyone that donates $100 or more and emails us at [email protected] to notify us that the donation was made on behalf of Charlie Harding, we will honor all perks specified on the site as well as have Charlie personally sign an “adult” photo of himself and send it to you. You can go to this direct link http://igg.me/at/proxythefilm/x or go to our website at http://www.proxythefilm.com Please like us on Facebook at proxythefilm2014, Instagram and Twitter @proxythefilm

And just so you know, this film features the acting debut of Sadako Pointer of the Pointer Sisters. She is original member Ruth Pointer’s granddaughter. She joined the group some years ago after her Aunt June passed away. She’ll knock your socks off. She’s incredible.

Justin Hall- The Next Big Thing In Comic Books

by Ryan Shea

As someone who has been writing about the plethora of diversity in the gay world albeit political issues, groundbreakers in music, or pioneers in the fight against HIV & AIDS, one facet that I never wrote about before was the gay comic book world. It simply was never on my radar and something that I was never quite adept in knowing about. Then about a month ago, while I was visiting the beautiful city of San Francisco, I met the devilishly handsome and insanely talented Justin Hall, who is an award winning comic book writer and editor. I got to know him quite well on my visit and got a quick understanding about his passion for comic books, but I wanted to know more. Cue last week, where he is now visiting New York City to present at tomorrow night’s LAMBDA Literary Awards, a ceremony in which he won an award for last year. Justin is a breath of fresh air in the gay world in terms of his persona, smarts, knowledge of not only the comic book industry but gay society as well, and above all a really great guy. In my interview with him, he talks about his love for comics since he was a child to meeting his idols in the comic book industry and eventually breaking ground of his own in so many different ways such an teaching & mentoring the next generation of comic book artists. Check it out.

Justin Hall, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Justin Hall

Now I am not very adept in the comic book world, so I’m going to soak this all in like a sponge. First off, what started your love for comic books and the industry as a whole?

I’ve always been obsessed with comics my entire life. It’s actually how I learned to read which is something that I have never gotten over. I’ve always kind of thought of stories as being both visual and verbal, and to me for whatever reason comic books were better than full on animation because of how a story can stay on the static page. I think of comics as a kind of outlook or language about time in static form whereas with film and animation you are essentially seeing time as a one to one experience. Filmmakers can do fast motion or slow motion or whatever, but basically the audiences are experiencing time in the way that the filmmaker is giving it to you as a one to one level experience, whereas comic books you don’t have that. It’s a static form in putting different images together and creating this allegory about time, that you are manipulating the reader through the experience but you can’t control how fast they actually read the page. I just find that relationship really magical and the allegorical distance between the medium and its depiction of time that allows for this plasticity and how you can manipulate things.

I’ll give you an example here. There is a comic book called “The Amazon” which is this guy going through the Amazon jungle and dealing with developers and stuff like that. You’ll have an image, and there is three different narrative text boxes that happen throughout the entire comic. The first one are his thoughts that are happening at the moment that he is experiencing. There is another text box done in cursive on lined paper so it looks different. This one is his diary in which at the end of the day he writers about his experiences, and there is a third text box which is called “typed phase” and that is the book he writes a year later about the overall experience. So you are seeing what’s happening with the images, and you have these these three different text boxes which are what he is thinking at the moment, at the end of the day and a year later in time. His thoughts about it radically change, and you see how time changes his theory of events. This is something you can’t do in any other medium, that sort of manipulation of time that you can’t do in prose or in film. It is a very comic book thing that has a sophistication around it which I happen to love.

Do you have an overall particular comic that you are obsessed with?

I definitely have had a lot of favorites over the years. One kind of comic book that I have loved consistently is “Love & Rockets” by the Hernandez Brothers. I think its arguably the greatest American comic. If you look at its entire stand, which is 30 years of work at this point, they have created this huge arcade universe of its characters. They have grown up, had children, they’ve created worlds essentially. It is smart, beautiful and touching and just a good story.

So seeing as you have such a deep love for it, when did you decide that this is something I want to do with my life?

I’ve always known that I wanted to do it from the very beginning. I had an art teacher that told my parents that my obsession with drawing, which was compulsive to the point that I would draw all over the pencil sharpener because I couldn’t get back to the paper fast enough, was a narrative impulse as opposed to just a visual impulse. As soon as I could tell my stories verbally better, I would kind of lose this compulsion to draw. She would make sure that I continue to tell these stories visually, so I kind of blame her. She would continue giving me these extra projects, from the time I was in 2nd to 8th grade, and I learned to tell stories visually which eventually kind of stuck with me and got me to where I am today.

Do you have any particular mentors or your heroes with the Comic Book Industry?

Going back to “Love & Rockets”, I love both the work of Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez. Both of them are world class cartoonists, Jaime is also a world class illustrator where as Gilbert is not. But he is so proficient in his world of story telling and cartooning that he is equally as good as his brother at cartooning. I find it really inspiring because I am not a naturally gifted illustrator. I’m OK and I’m getting better, but I am never going to have that kind of natural flare and illustration that some people do. But, I do believe that I am a good natural storyteller so if I can get my cartooning to the point where everything works for the purpose of the story and the story is as good as it possibly can be then that’s what I want for my career and out of my creative ambitions. Gilbert manifests that for me.

I also have other heroes, like some of the other female & queer cartoonists that are out there. Ones like Allison Bechdel, who did “Fun Home”, Howard Cruse who did “Stuck Rubber Baby” are absolute heroes of mine. The world of cartoonists is such a small world now that I am able to meet a lot of my heroes which is pretty cool. If I was a rock musician it would be hard to meet the Rolling Stones, but I have met the equivalent in comics because it is such a small world.

Have you had a ubiquitous moment yet where you feel like you’ve made it?

Starting to teach comics was the big turning point for me. I’ve been teaching comics at the California College of the Arts for the last few years. When I started doing that it was terrifying and nerve wracking to teach. Once I started realizing I was good at teaching but got enough information, knowledge and expertise in this is really where I found my footing and that nerve wracking feeling went away. That is the turning point, where you are proficient enough in this thing where you can impart your knowledge onto someone else. And they look up to me now, which is the best part.

Manhattan Digest, Justin Hall — Credit to: Justin Hall

You are here in New York City this weekend for the LAMBDA Literary Awards, are you excited?

Yeah definitely. The LAMBDA Literary Awards are kind of the pre-eminent LGBT literary awards basically. There is a huge amount of categories that includes everything from “Lesbian Poetry” to “Transgendered Fiction”. I edited a book called “No Straight Lines: Four Decades Of Queer Comics”, which is the closest thing to a comprehensive look into the best of LGBT comics. It’s about 3 years of work, kind of going through gay newspapers, the dyke punk scenes, the gay underground comics of the 70’s. It is a huge range of material and just a great thing to do. This book won a LAMBDA Literary Award last year in LGBT Anthology, so now this year they’ve included Graphic Novel as a category at the awards which is the first year they have done that. It is really exciting for me because I feel like I have brought comics into the queer literary field. This year I’m going to be presenting a special award to Allison Bechdel, who I talked about earlier. She did “Fun Home” and “Dykes To Watch Out For” for over 25 years, for which the former was actually turned into a Broadway play. She is kind of the one that has broken out into the mainstream, such an amazing creator and I am really excited to present this award to her.

These are pretty huge things for you already, but what are you hopeful for in the future?

In terms of teaching I just started at MFA & Comics, the Masters & Fine Arts of Comics, so that is consuming a lot of my time right now. I’ve been teaching undergraduate classes for a while which now we are starting this masters in comics which I am really excited to be teaching at the graduate level now. In terms of the “No Straight Lines” project, we are starting a documentary based on the book. We’ve been interviewing people, especially some of the older people and I want to make sure that I get them on tape or film and get their stories while they are still with us. We have put together enough interviews now where we are ready to cut a trailer and funding. I’m finishing up grad school and have this graphic novel as my thesis, which will take another two years to finish up. It is set in the Kink.com armory, and its about a new naive porn star that comes into the porn world with a grizzled porn veteran. There is a ghost that is haunting the armory that is creating this kind of a love triangle of sorts. I’m also writing a comic series for someone else to illustrate about the pot industry in Northern California. Still living my life, putting out other art and enjoying my time in San Francisco.

Want to know more about Justin and his incredible awesomeness? Check out his site for more information.

Rentboy’s COO Hawk Kinkaid On The Industry & More

by Ryan Shea

When you live in such a popular gay city like New York City, the ever presence of sex in culture seems to go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. With all the different apps and sites that are out there to find that particular someone that “strikes your fancy”, Rentboy seems to be one of the top ones. In a recent survey by CHEST (Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training) where they interviewed some of the top male escorts in the industry, they found that their biggest concern is actually how to brand themselves while they are in this industry. So it got me to think, is this something that can actually be taken seriously as a career with long lasting benefits? To get more in depth, I sat down a couple of days ago with the super smart & cute (and fellow music aficionado) Hawk Kinkaid to learn more about his involvement in Rentboy, the survey results and what he sees for the future in the industry and himself. Quite a good read. Check it out!

Hawk Kinkaid, Manhattan Digest, Rentboy — Credit to: Project Publicity

How did you get involved in Rentboy in the first place?

Rentboy.com was one of the first contacts I made many years ago when HOOK (hook-online.com) was transitioning from DIY ‘zine to online portal of information for men working in the sex industry. I reached out to the team leading the site, and unlike any other listings site on the web, they responded positively and supported the effort. I have always been impressed with the commitment the Rentboy.com team has always shown in both running a solid business and also publicly, actively supporting the men that advertise through fun events like Hustlaball and The Hookies to more education and resource events like their support of Rent U (rent-u.com).

When you were on the other side of this industry what was your overall thought process on it?

Without getting mired in the unquantifiable nuances of each interaction, the core of my approach as well as many other men in the industry is that choosing to work in the sex industry is an entrepreneurial exercise. For some, like myself, it might be a short-lived one that extends to particular goals and then you move on to other components and commitments, but for others, their time in the industry can extend decades. What was always crucial to that mindset was that I needed to create clear boundaries for myself personally and professionally, keep my eye on my goals, and find a constant compassionate connection with my clients.

How would you define a Rentboy and what they do?

Rentboy is a fun term culled from the Brits. Call it Escort. Call it Trade. Classic gay authors like Rechy romanticized the Hustler. The difference in how things are framed today is that the men who participate in the sex industry are selling time, and on a larger framework, that is all any of us really do, whether you are folding shirts at the Gap, project managing at Citibank or acting as a stylist on the set of a feature film. What we do in that time is what demands the price, and being higher in demand commands a higher price. The stigma and ignorance surrounding the subject of men choosing to work in the industry complicates what is otherwise a very simple scenario. Sex may be involved, but that is not what clients pay for. Dinner may be involved. A night at the theater. It might even simply be time spent over tea. That time is what a Rentboy sells, and in the way that a bartender or a hairdresser act as an external ear to your world (and are often paid well because of it), so are the men in the sex industry. You don’t invite your hairdresser to your parties or your bartender (and if you did, few would come, really), but they sometimes know more about you than your closest friends because they are safe, secure and set apart from your day to day existence. That hasn’t always been the history of the Hustler or Trade – and that would be a different topic – but in today’s world where much of the industry is online and much of the escorting world has learned thankfully to think about their approach to business pro-actively through programs like HOOK, the modern escort knows that smart sex sells.

The CHEST survey was quite interesting. Did you feel certain concerns should’ve netted a higher percentage?

I am not convinced anything should’ve been different, no. There is so little data out there about men working in the sex industry that many of us that are engaged in businesses and non-profits that come into contact with these men are eager for any insight. Conversations around the industry often bypass men, women and transworkers who choose to work in the industry living constructive, satisfied lives for those whose work in the industry is secondary to the primary issues of homelessness, homophobia, drug-addiction and transphobia, for example. Many in academia and the media love to dig claws into the images of society’s most vulnerable communities and then parlay it to the suburbs where people can devour it in gross acts of self-righteous indignation in order to avoid the fact those suburban husbands are likely the largest block of clients for the industry (male, female and trans). I’m glad to see this study prompt a conversation about the interests of a broad swatch of men working in the industry.

Let’s break down that survey. How does a Rentboy attract the right clients that can ultimately be repeats for them?

What makes you return to the same retailer? The same insurance agent? The same barber? A connection followed up by a proven history of both discretion and pleasure. Would you return to an insurance agent that shared your information with other clients and other people? Would you return to the same barber if they treated you terribly, ignored what you asked and then charged you double? In the sex industry, reputation can be an important piece of the puzzle, and so guys that treat clients poorly get a reputation and their pool of clients will dry up. The newest factor in that is engagement in social media, which is an opportunity for men investing in their sex industry persona to build a following, cultivate a strong voice and engage with a larger pool of potential clients.

What do you think is the best way for them to market themselves?

You have to be where clients can find you, and that means accessing technology in a way that provides security and safety for all the individuals involved. Listings site are part of the advertising platform for any entrepreneur. Reputation and social media are important assets to your messaging, but putting yourself on a site that clients know to trust like Rentboy.com is critical. It’s why Angie’s List has supplanted Craigslist for being an authority in the industry, and I love Craigslist. But you know on Craigslist that you will get a lot of chaff. Sites like Rentboy.com only maintain active listings where the escorts represented are real participants in the site. Not all of the sites out there can say that.

Best advice on financing for the future and healthcare.

I think the big question on that hinges on the length of time a worker will plan to spend in the industry. Is this a quick fix visit of a few months or are you making this a full-time role? If it is a quick fix, you have to set your target so you can make a clean entrance and exit. Put the money away you planned to, and if you have excess, do what you will. The important thing is to hold to that contract you make with yourself. If you are in for the long haul, then your strategy has to be a much more strategic one and should involve online presence, dependencies on escort reviews, listing site placement and agreements as well as planning for retirement and healthcare. Also, I should note, planning for time to recharge. It’s easy to get caught up in a work schedule that could exhaust you mentally and physically, and if you plan to run the marathon, you don’t sprint the first half.

Has there ever been a situation that has put the particular Rentboy at risk, such as self defense?

Men don’t often consider themselves at physical risk when they are engaging with clients, but that’s because in this society, men don’t often perceive themselves at physical risk, in general. Women’s bodies are under attack from the moment they are born, whether treated like second-class property or faceless subjects of legislative debate. Men enter few situations where they are in a position of defense, but with HOOK, we really try to keep men aware of the very real risks that come with the work. These very real risks which have occurred include intoxicated clients, clients who may drug a worker, a group of people jumping a worker, and so on. There was one story from years ago that I read and then disappeared into the ether of a young undocumented escort that was strapped to a chair and set on fire. The history of violence to people in the sex industry is often one where a society’s stigma-driven prejudice is taken to heart by an individual that plays it out viciously on the bodies of workers in the sex industry.

Is dating tough in this industry?

I have been out of the industry for ten years. I STILL have to have the conversation every time I go on a date. Then, a month later, I have to have it again when they ask if I’m really still not in the industry. Then, again when they get concerned that they could never live up to the many men of my past as if this were a request or a feasible thing. And so on. Yes, it is tough. We all want to be loved, and I have been lucky to create a family around me to provide that support, but dating is tough. Many men in the sex industry date other men in the sex industry because in order to date someone in the sex industry you have to be confident in who you are, the boundaries you set, and the investment you are making in another person. Even then, a lot of those relationships falter in ways that all relationships falter. Dating while you work in the industry adds one more complexity to the amorphous uncertainty of affection. For many people, that is too much.

Do they find it difficult to balance two or more jobs with this occupation?

Many men working in the industry have other lives, and their time in the industry is to support that other life or that life that they want to have. In other words, many men working in the sex industry want to be doing something else. Their time in the industry is to support the initiative like going to school or to fill in the gaps while they are not employed in that particular area. As for those that work part-time and escort, many of these men are successful in constructing boundaries for that time so that only certain nights are work nights. Many people in America hold more than one job because most people in America have to. This is not a country of a single job anymore. Those not in the upper echelon have always worked multiple jobs. It’s a skill that many of us have found easy to do because we have been doing it all of our lives.

How do they avoid burnout if they want to last?

As I said before, the biggest factor is taking time out to recharge. Setting boundaries will do that. This can include days to yourself or with your support network of friends. Days not working, but simply doing things you enjoy. Work in the sex industry is physical and emotional labor.

What’s your best advice for rentboys who want to set up boundaries with clients?

There are a multitude of articles on HOOK (hook-online.com) that deal with setting boundaries and Rent U (rent-u.com) has had a few classes on the topic where escorts talk about how they manage those boundaries. Every guy working in the sex industry has his own tactics for setting that dynamic, but there are some pretty commonly shared ones including never exchanging real names, no weekend retreats with first-time clients, and clear rules for smart play.

Manhattan Digest, Hawk Kinkaid, Rentboy — Credit to: Project Publicity

Why do you think gay men have a fascination with this industry?

I don’t have a short answer for this, so you are forewarned 🙂

The sex industry has always been a critical component of gay culture for any number of reasons. At points, you could argue that the exchange was a way to get past the stigma-laiden act of sex with another man. In other ways, it was a component of a culture centered on bars because gay men were shoved into the dark corners of cities along with other socially maligned behavior. Another view may be that sexual vitality is still a remnant measure of value for gay men that they have yet to evolve from and so we idolize men who represent that image since we struggle to find it internally. Another take might be that we celebrate our sexuality in all its forms because it is that fundamental component of ourselves that society continues to attack.

It is easy to forget that the sex industry has always been around, and easier to forget that the people within it have always played a role in our social dramas, ranging from the presences in religious stories to the political movements that have brought about incredible change. Every culture is obsessed with it, but very few people acknowledge it. Worse, I fear that gay men cannibalize the men that make up this very culture that they participate in.

In the rush to whitewash the struggles of both the AIDS era and the LGBT rights movement, many in the gay population have thrown men working in the sex industry to the shadows. They pretend they weren’t integral within movements such as ACT UP or that the sex industry in all its forms was a critical element to the insular enclaves like the West Village that provided safety for gay men. For example, both the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and Stonewall were made of a diverse group, which is often mentioned in historical accounts. What isn’t included in those accounts? That many were also turning trade. They were artists, trans-identified people, hustlers. We hail what they stood for and then as a ‘community’ denigrate the real individuals and the decisions they made.

I’m not saying that men in the sex industry are martyrs or all (most?) are politically minded, but I think it says a lot about us working to secure LGBT rights and first-class citizenry that we have to cop to hetero-normative Puritanical hypocrisy to gain that respect. The people I look to for inspiration within the movement would be disappointed. A friend and great writer Matthilda Bernstein Sycamore recently tweeted that he was “Remembering when we wanted to be a threat.” As a fan of Foucault, I always wanted us to be changing the dynamics of institutions that were vestiges of arcane thought. Instead, we seem to be replicating them.

When looking to hire one what do you think a client should look for first before making that decision?

Clients should look for a connection, really. Same as with an escort when talking to a potential client. It’s good when you feel like the person you are going to be spending time with will be interesting, interested in you and capable of responding constructively to the experience. To find that out, many guys in the sex industry have online profiles (such as those at Rentboy.com) as well as social profiles where they are sharing information, insights, and some of their personality. A client would do well to convey a little of his personality in introductions and, just as we instruct escorts, establish clear boundaries to make the session a great one.

For you and Rentboy team, what is next and what are you most hopeful for?

I am just dipping my toe in the water at Rentboy.com. I couldn’t ask for a better, more experienced team of professionals that understand the sex industry and embrace the men within it. The next stages of the company are focused on continuing to deliver the best listings site in the world while enhancing opportunities for guys working in the business to optimize their entrepreneurial initiative and celebrate their success. My goal is to continue the company’s growth while both introducing new ideas to the marketplace and positioning Rentboy.com as a critical advocate in achieving rights and resources for men working in the sex industry. As a long-time activist and successful User Experience Strategist, this is really the first time I feel like I can bring these two parts of my life together to expand one kick-ass company.

Want to know more about Rentboy and the brand itself? Log on to the official website for more information.

Roopbaan! The Right to Love!

by Brian Connolly

Roopbaan! Bangladesh’s first and only LGBTI magazine! Roopbaan essentially translates into “A Fabulous Person”, and its time for Bangladesh’s LGBTI population to speak out about how fabulous they are and how fabulous their love is. The core theme is LOVE and the magazine is named after a famous Bengali folk character who symbolizes the power of love. A poignant choice as the power of love can conquer prejudice and oppression which many LGBTI people face in their daily lives to varying degrees of severity. The publication is aimed on the community level in the hope to expose love in all its glory and joy, and to ‘normalize’ LGBTI love in the area. It can be said the magazine itself is a labor of love as it involves the input from volunteer contributors, including articles, photography and personal accounts from members of the LGBTI community. [Read more…] about Roopbaan! The Right to Love!

New York’s Killian James- A Bottom On Top

by Ryan Shea

Killian James, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Rentboy

Killian James: Best Bottom 2014… And The Future

The 2014 International Escort Awards, known as the Hookies, is one of the only nights of the year when the world’s most desired escorts, porn stars and their admirers gather to honor the industry’s best talent. I was fortunate enough to be at the show and meet some of my favorite nominees, including Austin Wolf, Duncan Black and Tony Orion. However, in the past couple of months one nominee caught my attention, and the attention of the entire escort community. As he stepped onto the red carpet, cameras were in full effect and the room stood in awe, as all eyes were now on this year’s Best Bottom nominee, and eventual winner, Killian James.

As he made the rounds meeting with other reporters, fellow attendees and nominees, and snapping pictures with admirers, I reached out and asked him to join me after the show for a one-on-one interview.

Manhattan Digest, KIllian James — Credit to: Wilson Models

So many people are campaigning for you to make your porn debut, when can we expect that?

“Like I’ve said from the beginning, porn is something I am considering and would love to do. I’m in talks with a couple of different agents. I’m slowly easing my way into the industry and plan on doing it right. It would have to be with the right studio, the synergy would have to be there with all my cast-mates and the right PR machine would have to be behind the projects. I’d have only one chance to make a first impression and create an on-camera identity and brand.”

Were you surprised you won your category?

“Yes. I’m surprised that someone from the porn industry didn’t win, however I think I’ve been going about things the correct way via social media, daddy reviews and attending events to get my name out there.”

What can we expect from you in the future?

“My next step is going to be live webcamming with my good friend Derek Crawford. We will be putting on shows a few times a week. It will be with a few of the major cam sites, people can check my Twitter and Facebook pages for updates. I’m also in the early stages of putting together content for a personal website.”

Why do you think you’ve been able to become successful in such a short amount of time?

I try to always have a positive attitude, put out great energy and treat people with respect. I also love what I do, and I think the most successful people enjoy their chosen profession.

As you can probably tell, Killian James is not just another boy on the scene. He’s determined to set the new standard in escorting and adult entertainment. Even in casual conversation he’d say “…when I’m watching porn, some of the acting has me wondering if they’re even enjoying each-other. Where’s the passion? I can’t wait to show everyone what I can do.”

With an amazing personality, to-die-for looks and a maturity level way beyond his years, we can’t wait to see what Killian does in 2014 and beyond. To learn more about Killian James visit www.rentboy.com/killianjames, read his reviews on Daddy Reviews, and connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the handle killianjamesnyc.

African Gay Rights Continue to Go Down

by Brian Connolly

While Marriage Equality continues to spread over the United States of America and Europe like an unstoppable tidal wave, our African brothers and sisters are suffering a wave of anti-gay sentiment and anti-gay laws.

So why are African leaders getting away with laws that in some cases offer nothing but death as an option for being gay?

African politicians are referring to being gay as “learned” behaviors, and being gay as “disgusting” and a “genetic distortion”. The unfortunate effect of leaders using these sorts of negative descriptions for homosexuality is the uneducated populations willingly absorb these connotations and live by them as fact and absolute truth. So what is a peasant farmer in Uganda, who has no access to education, to believe. Would he question his political leaders as being right or wrong? Well the outcome here is the farmer more than likely will adopt the anti-gay rhetoric being publicized as normal by political leaders and more alarmingly spread this anti-gay sentiment and embed it in the minds of the next generation via his children and grandchildren.

The African education system is lacking also as a tool for equality, with teachers being the primary guilty party for truancy, and even if they were present full time would they teach equality in the state run classrooms? The short answer is no. Education for the most part is run by the same anti-gay politicians. So our new African generations will most likely not gain valuable equality information from school either.

So where do our new generations of Africans learn about the world, the struggle for equality and the future of societal change?

Cell phones – Africa’s cell phone use has risen to well over 650 million in recent years and is being used for many outreach activities, more noticeably and successfully as a mobile banking system (M-PESA) for the many Africans who have no where to store money or the ability to enact transactions to buy food, materials for survival. These cell phones can access Twitter, Facebook, the internet at large and as we have seen in global development, the information age has spread the societal movement and development faster than ever before. Campaigns spread around the world at incredible speeds and gain support like a typhoon, most memorable was the campaign “Kony 2012”, however ill-fated as it was we are unable to deny the incredible level of support this campaign generated in such a small space of time.

Perhaps Africa will also generate its own whirlwind of online campaigning and support in time via gay equality movements from the local civil society of Africa, and we outsiders to Africa must support, hit our like buttons, comment and create a deafening call of support that African leaders are unable to ignore, so our brothers and sisters in Africa are encouraged to continue fighting for their equal and human rights to love, be free and be who they are open and proud.

The picture below illustrates the current state of anti-gay laws on the African continent.

Michael Lucas Interview on the Industry & “Undressing Israel”

by Ryan Shea

Michael Lucas, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: UndressingIsrael-TheMovie.com.

Unless you’ve been hit by an ugly, gross gay rock you know who Michael Lucas is (if you are gay or a hag. tee hee.) He has been a legend in the adult industry for many years now, both behind and in front of the camera. Michael Lucas has one of the most if not the most successful studios out there right now, Lucas Entertainment, which has boasted the likes of some of the biggest stars in the industry itself from Adam Killian & Trenton Ducati to name a few. Now, on top of his insanely busy schedule with Lucas Entertainment, he has made a fascinating documentary called “Undressing Israel”. This film chronicles his journey through Tel Aviv and further examines the thriving gay nightlife that is existing there, and has candid interviews with people from a diverse gay background including a young journalist to an openly gay Army trainer. I recently sat down with Michael Lucas to discuss the industry at hand, the documentary and what he is hoping for in the future. Take a look.

So how did you get into the industry in the first place?

I came to this country and figured out that I needed to do something right away, and legal of course. I chose something that would work with the body and not having to rely on my English because at that point I didn’t speak the language so doing this was an easy choice.

What do you think is the biggest misconception of the industry is?

The annoying question that people ask me is, “Is it fun?” or something like “I would love to have your job.” To me its not even a question it’s more of a statement. Just something along those lines, but it is just like any other job one might have. It is a lot of emails, meetings, conferences, networking etc. It’s not all what people think it appears to be which is just sex, there is a business to it.

I also feel like people think this industry is riddled with drugs, which is something that has never happened on my sets. I’m sure these are things that are happening behind the scenes, however if we ever have an actor who is acting in a strange way or if we have any suspicions we will then rug a drug test and if we find any coming up positive in it we will send the actor home. None of that is permitted at least for me, albeit it drugs or alcohol, and I plan on keeping it that way.

What is your opinion on the industry today?

It’s not really about a positive or negative vibe, now it is more about scenes than actual movies. There really isn’t a bad vibe, everybody nowadays chooses what they want. If you like interracial, you can go one of those scenes. Same thing if you like bears or twinks you can do that. That may not be all on one film, so I believe that people tend to go with what works for them and not something that can overall be a one note. I also think that people have become a lot more open minded about sex, so there is a lot more options out there now for people who have a bigger imagination. It is funny though that we live in a world where gay men judge each other based off of their own kinks and what works for them, and not necessarily straight people doing the judging. It is absolutely ridiculous and very hypocritical how we judge each other on what each person wants and not be more of a unified unit.

Manhattan Digest, Lucas Entertainment, Project Publicity — Credit to: UndressingIsrael-TheMovie.com.

I watched the documentary “Undressing Israel” and found it fascinating. What inspired you to do this?

Because I felt the fact that gay or straight people don’t know too much on Israel, and they are missing out on a great vacation spot. What a lot of people think of when they hear the word “Israel” is the conflict that is going over there to which people who live there say it isn’t even felt compared to what the rest of the world thinks. It is a gorgeous country with beautiful people, beautiful men and women, everyone is friendly, restaurants from all over the world and some incredible nightlife (even better than New York). New York is very good when it comes to nightlife but it is better in Israel in my honest opinion. So much culture, history and seeing as the country is the size of the state of New Jersey you can get anywhere in it by car or by bus. It is not as expensive as people think it is, the weather is always beautiful, it is just a great experience that everyone should have.

You profile a gay man who is in the Parliament there, two gay dads amongst other unique individuals. Is there that much of a sharp contrast between how gay men live there and how they live in New York City for instance?

It is very similar, except when it comes to the children. Israel has more gay families with children than anywhere else in the world. Gay men there either already have children or are in the process of adopting children, in fact 90 percent of the gay men that I know there want to have children at some point in their lives.

You have obviously been to Israel a couple of times, but for my readers who haven’t been what is the overall message that you tried to accomplish with this documentary?

Mainly I just want them to go and experience it for themselves. I never went one person who went to Israel and came back not liking it. I know people who go there every year for Gay Pride and people who just go because they want to go and they all have a great time no matter what.

Lucas Entertainment, Project Publicity, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Project Publicity

Besides this project what else do you have coming up this year?

A ton more movies for everyone to enjoy :). We shoot here in New York but we also shoot in other great locations such as Costa Rica and Berlin to name a few, so hopefully we can continue to bring great quality movies for the masses to enjoy.

Buy “Undressing Israel”

Lucas Entertainment Official Site

What The F***k Is A Bearlebrity & Why Does This Term Exist?

by Ryan Shea

As someone who has been in the bear and gay community for a little over ten years now (I am wondering when I am getting my sash or pin for all the hard work I have done. Emphasis on hard hehe), I have come to find a bevy of terms that gay men have come up to describe their physical appearance. Albeit a twink, cub, muscle bear, otter, wolf, and a new one that I heard recently, ram (big horns and like to charge. Giggity.) there is always going to be some terminology involved in describing yourself or to your friends about the guy you hung out with last night/cruised/hated for whatever reason possible.

Recently, I have discovered a brand new term that really doesn’t have much to do with physical appearance at all- Bearlebrity. This is a term that unlike words like “Chocolate” or “Buy One Get One Free Burrito at Chipotle” has a very negative connotation attached to it, yet for some reason no one really seems to pinpoint what it actually means. I recently made this a status update for my friends to reply and divulge what their true meaning of the word was, and the responses were plentiful and vastly different. Take a look at what people (who will be kept anonymous) thinks about what a Bearlebrity really is-

“To me, a Bearlebrity is a guy who takes a zillion selfies each day just to get the satisfaction of the 300 likes they will get, many are from men that they have never met before. On top of the likes follows with 30 or 40 comments ranging from the same old shit such as “Grrr!” “Woof” or the tragic “I wish I was that cupcake (said bear is eating cupcake in photo)” and the added likes onto each comment made. They are narcissistic, rude and what is the worst about this community.”
“It’s a myth, that term. It’s a label of status that a person generally uses only when they are talking about themselves. It’s a self-absorbed type of thing and a word that is rarely tossed around in social settings.”
“A big hairy gay celeb. :)”
“A “Bearlebrity” is a self-imposed title for someone who considers themselves popular and influential within the bear community. Another question that needs to be asked, is why the Bear community insists on putting “Bear” as a pre-fix in front of everything. What once was charming and humorous now comes across like Smurf Speak.”
“An individual lacking in self esteem.”
“Yet again, people who are stared at by other people have negative stories made up about them in order to make the starers feel better about themselves after they have made themselves feel bad.”
“I think of bear performers. People like Kendall Kelly that make a living touring and performing at bear runs and such.”
“I use this term all the time. Not derogatorily. In my opinion, it’s someone in the bear community who has high public visibility. They may own bear brands, organize events, DJ bear dances, act in bear films, model bear brands, have bear themed Facebook pages…etc.”
“The most common bear term I have heard being used BY the people calling themselves it, is A-List Bears. Yes, I have heard people call themselves this. I mostly bear see Bearlebrity used by “others” to describe someone who is super popular in bear world. I think i may have heard once or twice someone call themselves that.”

Those weren’t even all the comments, but if you get the gist of the above it seems to be that this still has a negative viewpoint to it but there are some that think differently and use the term in a positive angle. It is also further proof in my writings that in the bear and gay community we consistently judge and label each other for whatever reason that may be. I don’t understand how even in the grown up world that we live in that many men resort back to our middle school and high school days where we become Regina George and label everyone based off of whatever qualities we deem to be not up to par with our likings in the world. Granted I am completely guilty of this as is many men, but this question does remain- how can we take a word like Bearlebrity and change it into something that is described in a positive way and not so negative way?

What is your definition of this? Do you feel we use labels all the time as a way to describe and ultimately judge other people? Hit me back with your viewpoints on this.

LGBT

Killian James: Best Bottom 2014… And The Future

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