Ryan Field's Blog, page 20

COVID is no Laughing Matter, Ryan Field Books

 COVID is no Laughing Matter

Back in 2020 I posted during the early days of the COVID lockdown that Tony and I thought we might have COVID. At the time, we couldn't be sure because there were no tests out yet. No one knew much about COVID. 

As I look back, we didn't have it. How do I know this for sure? Because last week we both tested positive for COVID and trust me it's been hell. 

Over the last 3 years we managed to buy and sell three homes, we moved cross country, we did social distance complet...

Queer Judaism In New Book by Orit Avishai, Ryan Field Books

Queer Judaism In New Book by Orit Avishai

Back in New Hope, PA we had a small group of very liberal Jewish people and they had a temple high up on  hill. The rabbi was a women who was very liberal, too. I knew many LGBTQ Jewish people, because they made a conscious choice to live and worship in an area that accepted them completely. 

With that said, there's a new book out by Ori Avishai titled Queer Judaism: LGBTQ Activism and the Remaking of Jewish Orthodoxy in Israel that explores a rather quick...

A New Book I'm In with a Short Story: Pink Triangle Rhapsody, Ryan Field Books

 A New Book I'm In with a Short Story: Pink Triangle Rhapsody

One thing that I've always taken pride in is that I have never once said no to a publisher. And when I was approached to do a short story for Lycan Valley Press Publications for an anthology titled, Pink Triangle Rhapsody, I jumped at the chance. 

For one thing, my favorite medium is, and always has been, the short story. I haven't had a short story published in an anthology for a while. And I missed that. For another, I liked the fact ...

Gay Publisher Accuses Town of Amherst, Ryan Field Books

 Gay Publisher Accuses Town of Amherst

A man named Jeffrey Bellanca is suing the town of Amherst for discrimination. Ironically, because I just posted about this recently, he's the publisher of the gay and lesbian yellow pages. I didn't even know they still existed. 

But I digress. Mr. Bellanca owns a very loud van that advertises his business, which is understandable. And the town of Amherst has been citing him for some kind of violation of a code. Mr. Bellanca believes he's being discriminated a...

Suspects Indicted for Crimes Committed in Gay NYC Bars, Ryan Field Books

 Suspects Indicted for Crimes Committed in Gay NYC Bars

I posted about this not too long ago and here is a follow up. 

The crimes that were being committed in NYC gay bars in Hell's Kitchen are in the news again, only this time it's for indictments. And it involves multiple suspects this time. 

Julio Ramirez and John Umberger were two victims that died from drug overdoses last year. Only in this case they were homicides. 

“to approach intoxicated individuals upon exiting a bar or nightclub, engage t...

Terrified Ugandans Seek Safety From New Anti-Gay Law, Ryan Field Books

 Terrified Ugandans Seek Safety From New Anti-Gay Law

On the global front, it's not getting any better for gay people in the backward country of Uganda. They are calling a new proposed law the anti-gay bill of 2023. 

Although it sill has not been sent to the President, it did pass in Parliament. According to this, the US has been urging him not to sign.

And LGBTQ people are terrified. 

"They are going to arrest us because I cannot pretend to be what I am not," said Alex, a gay man in Uganda, where M...

The Death of Gay Bars, Ryan Field Books

 The Death of Gay Bars

At one time, there was a book titled, The Gay Yellow Pages. It was kind of a guide to being gay. The contents of this book was like gold for gay men. It listed every single gay venue, including gay bars. It wasn't easy to get this book either. I used to drive into Manhattan from New Jersey and buy it at a small news shop in The Village at the corner of 7th Ave. South and Christopher Street. But it was well worth the trip. I found many wonderful bars thanks to that book, inc...

The Fresh Hells and Horrors of Being Gay In Africa, Ryan Field Books

 The Fresh Hells and Horrors of Being Gay In Africa

This is why I get annoyed with my straight gay allies who claim to care about gay men. They go to places like Uganda and never think twice about what is happening to gay men over there. 

Uganda's parliament recently passed one of the strictest laws against gay men. In short, if anyone there says they identify as gay, they could wind up in prison. 

There are also secret shelters for gay men who've been kicked out of their homes, and these shelters ...

San Francisco's Gay Soft Ball League Celebrates 50 Years, Ryan Field Books

 San Francisco's Gay Soft Ball League Celebrates 50 Years

Ever since gay men have been caught up in the LGBTQ plus acronym we've had our own culture ignored and minimalized for the good of everyone else who allegedly falls under the "umbrella" of LGBTQ Plus. The problem is that we are not asexual and we can't identify with asexuals. We're not trans people and we can't identify with trans people. So it's nice to see a story that not only celebrates gay men, but also gay history. 

It's been 50 years...

Things He Learned On His First Gay Cruise, Ryan Field Books

Things He Learned On His First Gay Cruise

I remember when gay cruises started to gain popularity back in the 90s. I wasn't a fan of them then, and I'm still not a fan of them now. Just the idea of being stuck on a ship for days with people I may or may not like conjures images of hell. And from the looks of the photo at this link it looks even worse. Just they way they are all dressed makes me not want to go. 

With that said, there are some who love gay cruises. And this article is about 11 things...