Ryan Field's Blog, page 162
June 7, 2019
Is the Political Book Boom Ending?; Is Drag Queen Story Hour the Future? When Authors Don't Fact Check; Ryan Field Books
Is the Political Book Boom Ending?
I haven't posted much about book publishing in a while, and that's partly because there hasn't been anything all that spectacular to link to. But I did see a few trends this week I found interesting. Here's one about political books.
In a BookExpo with few surprises last week, one thing that some didn’t see coming was the revelation from David Walter, the NPD Group‘s executive director for client development, that sales of political books have r...
I haven't posted much about book publishing in a while, and that's partly because there hasn't been anything all that spectacular to link to. But I did see a few trends this week I found interesting. Here's one about political books.
In a BookExpo with few surprises last week, one thing that some didn’t see coming was the revelation from David Walter, the NPD Group‘s executive director for client development, that sales of political books have r...
June 6, 2019
Billy Porter Talks About Straight Actors Playing Gay Face; The Straight Pride Parade In Boston; Ryan Field Books
Billy Porter Talks About Straight Actors Playing Gay Face
I knew this discussion was going to continue and I don't think it will stop any time soon. This time Billy Porter talks about being an openly gay and black actor struggling to succeed in a business where they give the best gay roles to straight actors. And those straight actors usually wind up with awards for playing gay, and then they go right back to playing straight again. But what really makes this interesting is that he does this i...
I knew this discussion was going to continue and I don't think it will stop any time soon. This time Billy Porter talks about being an openly gay and black actor struggling to succeed in a business where they give the best gay roles to straight actors. And those straight actors usually wind up with awards for playing gay, and then they go right back to playing straight again. But what really makes this interesting is that he does this i...
June 5, 2019
Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, American Idol Gay, and Christianity; You Tube Says Anti-Gay Slur Isn't Harassment; Ryan Field Books
Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, American Idol Gay, and Christianity
This makes me wish I hadn't stopped watching American Idol. I haven't watched it in years now, and from what I remember during the time I did watch they rarely ever got into stories like this. Apparently, even American Idol has changed with the times.
Harmon became a fan favorite thanks to his self-penned song about gay people going to heaven, and soaring, emotional renditions of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time Afte...
This makes me wish I hadn't stopped watching American Idol. I haven't watched it in years now, and from what I remember during the time I did watch they rarely ever got into stories like this. Apparently, even American Idol has changed with the times.
Harmon became a fan favorite thanks to his self-penned song about gay people going to heaven, and soaring, emotional renditions of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time Afte...
June 4, 2019
Pink Triangle: From Nazi Label to Gay Pride; Town That Survived Typhoon Has First Gay Pride; Ryan Field Books
Pink Triangle: From Nazi Label to Gay Pride
I like to post about stories like this because I think it's important that every one knows what the past was like for LGBTQ people. The roots to Pride are deep and complicated, and it's always been a struggle.
Before the pink triangle became a worldwide symbol of gay power and pride, it was intended as a badge of shame. In Nazi Germany, a downward-pointing pink triangle was sewn onto the shirts of gay men in concentration camps—to identify and f...
I like to post about stories like this because I think it's important that every one knows what the past was like for LGBTQ people. The roots to Pride are deep and complicated, and it's always been a struggle.
Before the pink triangle became a worldwide symbol of gay power and pride, it was intended as a badge of shame. In Nazi Germany, a downward-pointing pink triangle was sewn onto the shirts of gay men in concentration camps—to identify and f...
June 3, 2019
Pride Flags Set Afire Outside NYC Gay Bar; Australian Brewery Apologizes For Homophobic Meme; Ryan Field Books
Pride Flags Set Afire Outside NYC Gay Bar
This isn't something you would normally expect to see happen in NYC.
New York police have launched an investigation to a possible hate crime after two Pride flags were burned outside a Harlem bar.
Here's the link to more. They seem to be treating this as a hate crime and the governor has called in the Hate Crimes Task Force.
Australian Brewery Apologizes For Homophobic Meme
A brewery in Australia recently apologized for posting a homophob...
This isn't something you would normally expect to see happen in NYC.
New York police have launched an investigation to a possible hate crime after two Pride flags were burned outside a Harlem bar.
Here's the link to more. They seem to be treating this as a hate crime and the governor has called in the Hate Crimes Task Force.
Australian Brewery Apologizes For Homophobic Meme
A brewery in Australia recently apologized for posting a homophob...
June 2, 2019
When People Say, "The Gays," It's Wrong; Is A Gay Hook Up Different From A Bisexual Hook Up? Ryan Field Books
When People Say, "The Gays," It's Wrong
This might sound minor to most straight people, but I think it's huge part of respect for anyone who is gay and falls under the LGBTQ umbrella. I see it all the time on social media, and mostly from people who claim to be the most liberal. "A gay bought me coffee today." "The gays are celebrating Pride this month."
Of course it has something to do with context, too. And sometimes people are joking, and not everything is offensive. But looks at it this way...
This might sound minor to most straight people, but I think it's huge part of respect for anyone who is gay and falls under the LGBTQ umbrella. I see it all the time on social media, and mostly from people who claim to be the most liberal. "A gay bought me coffee today." "The gays are celebrating Pride this month."
Of course it has something to do with context, too. And sometimes people are joking, and not everything is offensive. But looks at it this way...
June 1, 2019
Openly Gay Actors Who Are Out From the Start: Hollywood Fail; Student Says School Canceled His Gay Graduation Speech; Ryan Field Books
Openly Gay Actors Who Are Out From the Start: Hollywood Fail
This discussion continues. It's about whether or not openly gay actors who've been out since the start are treated differently in Hollywood.
It's a long piece, and I agree with all of it.
No openly gay actor has ever won a performing Oscar (Kevin Spacey, Sir John Gielgud, and Cabaret’s Joel Grey were not publicly out when they grabbed their gold), and even bisexual and sexually/gender fluid ones hit that brick wall.
Here's th...
This discussion continues. It's about whether or not openly gay actors who've been out since the start are treated differently in Hollywood.
It's a long piece, and I agree with all of it.
No openly gay actor has ever won a performing Oscar (Kevin Spacey, Sir John Gielgud, and Cabaret’s Joel Grey were not publicly out when they grabbed their gold), and even bisexual and sexually/gender fluid ones hit that brick wall.
Here's th...
May 31, 2019
3 Trans Women Sue Pennsylvania; Philippines President Jokes About Gay Cure
3 Trans Women Sue Pennsylvania
Here’s a story I think we’ll be seeing more often, at least until laws are changed.
A group of Pennsylvania-based transgender women have filed a lawsuit over a statute that forces them to use their birth names.
Philippines President Jokes About Gay Cure
Apparently, the President of the Philippines thinks it’s funny to joke about the ‘gay cure,’ which of course does not exist.
Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte joked he used...
Here’s a story I think we’ll be seeing more often, at least until laws are changed.
A group of Pennsylvania-based transgender women have filed a lawsuit over a statute that forces them to use their birth names.
Philippines President Jokes About Gay Cure
Apparently, the President of the Philippines thinks it’s funny to joke about the ‘gay cure,’ which of course does not exist.
Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte joked he used...
May 30, 2019
Anti-Trans Athlete Martina Navratilova Hosts Documentary On Trans Athletes; Should He Tell Co-Worker Her Teen Son Is In Gay Porn; Ryan Field Books
Anti-Trans Athlete Martina Navratilova Hosts Documentary On Trans Athletes
This just keeps happening time and again, and up until now no one ever said anything about it. It's an article about how the outspoken anti-trans athlete, Martina Navratilova, will be hosting a documentary on trans athletes. I don't understand why they can't have someone objective do things like this. I'm not opposed to listening to facts or civil discussion, but frankly I'm sick and tired of opinions. Navratilova is on...
This just keeps happening time and again, and up until now no one ever said anything about it. It's an article about how the outspoken anti-trans athlete, Martina Navratilova, will be hosting a documentary on trans athletes. I don't understand why they can't have someone objective do things like this. I'm not opposed to listening to facts or civil discussion, but frankly I'm sick and tired of opinions. Navratilova is on...
May 29, 2019
What Straight People Don't Know About Pride; The Rocketman Director, Dexter Fletcher, Thinks He Can Do a Madonna Biopic
What Straight People Don't Know About Pride
I see all kinds of misconceptions this time of year about Pride and Pride related events. I see a lot of non-gay people exploiting Pride for their own monetary gain, too. This article to which I'm linking talks more about the way non-gay people behave at Pride events and even in gay bars. I think it's a bit extreme at times, and I don't totally agree with everything. However, they do make a few interesting points.
Lots of straight women have told me t...
I see all kinds of misconceptions this time of year about Pride and Pride related events. I see a lot of non-gay people exploiting Pride for their own monetary gain, too. This article to which I'm linking talks more about the way non-gay people behave at Pride events and even in gay bars. I think it's a bit extreme at times, and I don't totally agree with everything. However, they do make a few interesting points.
Lots of straight women have told me t...
