I noticed an article online about the recent Advocate magazine listing of 40 GLBT heroes.
The "jest" of the article (written by Jesse Monteagudo) seemed to be offensive towards the Advocate since it didn't mention other historical gay heroes of significance.
Recently the Advocate celebrated its 40th anniversary by compiling a list of 40
GLBT heroes. It asked its readers to go online (advocate.com) and vote from a
prepared list, along with a line for write-in candidates. Not surprisingly, the
resulting "top 40" list, as published in the September 25th issue, favored
celebrities over activists. Though I have no problem with Ellen Degeneres being #
1 -- she did, after all, put her job on the line by coming out on TV - the
absence of Virginia Apuzzo, Samuel Delany, Barbara Grier, Marsha Johnson, Jim
Kepner, Franklin Kameny, Morris Kight, Paul Monette, Joan Nestle, Jack Nichols,
Jean O'Leary, John Preston, Sylvia Rivera, Marty Robinson, Craig Rodwell, Eric
Rofes, Vito Russo, José Sarria, Nadine Smith or others like them is appalling.
(Barbara Gittings made it, but barely, at # 40.) On the other hand, celebs Billie
Jean King and Elton John, who had to be dragged out of their closets kicking
and screaming, scored high in the Advocate's list (at # 6 and # 8,respectively).
I think both articles (Jesse's and the Advocate's) are equally valid. Since the Advocate article was basically the results of an online poll.
But all this isn't my reason for writing this. When I googled Jesse there was a wealth of information. I read a bit of this and that. I was impressed.
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You can find his posts at http://whitecrane.typepad.com/gaywisdom/jesse_monteagudo/index.html
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