Center Blog

by Andy Cataldo

Note – This posts contains some racy content that might be a little much (or downright unsuitable) for some readers.

Having come to New York within the last decade I know very little about the East Village arts scene of the 1980s. Most of what I have read about the city in those days focuses primarily on the crime rate and the AIDS epidemic. In her book “Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz,” biographer Cynthia Carr documents the life of Wojnarowicz, an artist and activist. Carr puts art at the forefront to paint a picture of pre-hipster, pre-gentrified downtown Manhattan. The story she tells is a biography not just of Wojnarowicz’s life but of a period that should not be forgotten by gays, artists or anyone who came to the city looking to make an impact on the world regardless of industry.

Cynthia spoke at the Center on December 11 as part of the Second Tuesday lecture series, the organization’s longest running cultural program. She knew the artist through her involvement in the art world in the 1980s as a contributor to the Village Voice and Art Forum. Cynthia spoke about Wojnarowicz’s life and work, kicking off by addressing the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery’s 2010 decision to censor an 11-second clip of Wojnarowicz’s silent film, “A Fire in My Belly.” She then talked about the artist’s early life describing an abusive father and negligent mother, his experience hustling in Times Square as a teenager, a period of living on the street, frequenting the sex piers in the 70s, periods of living in Paris, his rage and the relationship with his mentor, photographer Peter Hujar.

She told us about Wojnarowicz’s central struggle over how much of himself to reveal to others and in his work, as well as his tendency to create pieces that he knew would never survive to be collected. Carr writes, “He liked painting directly on the world. It was a gesture of defiance – this work done on some decrepit pier or busy intersection or gallery door, this work destined to be destroyed.”

The highlight of Carr’s lecture was the slide presentation of the artist’s work that she selected and described in detail in terms of the influences that went into each piece. Some of my favorites were Wojnarowicz’s photo series of French poet Arthur Rimbaud in New York, featuring various acquaintances wearing a mask made from a print of the writer’s face posing on the subway, in Coney Island, at the sex piers, jerking off and even in Paris pretending to shoot heroin in front of the Eiffel Tower. Rimbaud was one of Wojnarowicz’s muses. Coincidentally they both died at the age of 37 – Rimbaud of cancer, Wojnarowicz of AIDS.

Carr showcases the rage through pieces including “Fuck You Faggot Fucker,” displaying an image of two men kissing painted on a flier the artist found reading those words. And ultimately she speaks of the activism that finds its way into Wojnarowicz’s work toward the end of his life, including a painting done over the paper diagnosing Hujar with AIDS and a series of photographs of Hujar’s body taken in the hospital just moments after his death. She ended the presentation with an audio recording of David, known by his friends for his impactful deep voice, reading something he wrote that was silk-screened over a photograph of skeletons that he had shot in a Native American burial ground:
When I put my hands on your body on your flesh I feel the history of that body. Not just the beginning of its forming in that distant lake but all the way beyond its ending. I feel the warmth and texture and simultaneously I see the flesh unwrap from the layers of fat and disappear. I see the fat disappear from the muscle. I see the muscle disappearing from around the organs and detaching itself from the bones. I see the organs gradually fade into transparency leaving a gleaming skeleton gleaming like ivory that slowly resolves until it becomes dust. I am consumed in the sense of your weight the way your flesh occupies momentary space the fullness of it beneath my palms. I am amazed at how perfectly your body fits to the curves of my hands. If I could attach our blood vessels so we could become each other I would. If I could attach our blood vessels in order to anchor you to the earth to this present time I would. If I could open up your body and slip inside your skin and look out your eyes and forever have my lips fused with yours I would. It makes me weep to feel the history of your flesh beneath my hands in a time of so much loss. It makes me weep to feel the movement of your flesh beneath my palms as you twist and turn over to one side to create a series of gestures to reach up around my neck to draw me nearer. All these memories will be lost in time like tears in the rain.

Check out “Fire in the Belly” for Carr’s full account of the life and work of David Wojnarowicz. http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Belly-Times-David-Wojnarowicz/dp/1596915331

by Andy Cataldo

On Friday, October 19, mere hours before Chelsea Clearview’s midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a coalition of marriage equality activists gathered for the East Coast premiere of Question One, a film about Maine’s road to marriage equality through 2009.

Attendees “shivered with anticipation” of the upcoming election, during which equality would be voted on by the state for a second time. Now knowing the outcome of this month’s pro-marriage equality vote solidifies Question One as an historic account of the personal struggles of marriage supporters including facing fear and intolerance from the opposition.

The event, co-hosted by Gay City News and the Center’s Cultural Programs Department, began with remarks from US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which is designed to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed by Bill Clinton in 1996. He spoke of the national climate with respect to marriage equality, how it has become less an issue of “if” but rather of “when.”

The film’s directors Joe Fox and James Nubile were also in attendance. Joe spoke about the filmmaking process in general, comparing it to the five stages of grief: anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. This analogy particularly rings true when thinking of the citizens of Maine who experienced the joy and relief of a state legislature passing marriage equality then having to accept the loss of it after the 2009 ballot initiative at the center of Question One. Thankfully we now know that the grief has been replaced with joy and accomplishment, as the state voted on November 6 to pass same sex marriage.

The film began with an overview of how Question One became a ballot initiative in 2009: the state legislature passed marriage equality, followed quickly by the efforts of opposition led by religious groups petitioning for a ballot initiative to overturn the law in November 2009.

Viewers are introduced to key players from the Yes on 1 side working against marriage equality, including Linda Seavy, a campaign volunteer and canvasser who believes that gay marriage is not an issue of civil rights. She declares that she doesn’t hate “their people,” speaking of the other side. The film shows meetings of Yes on 1 in churches where preachers speak of the familiar, specious statistics about Dutch gay marriages that “last an average of 1.5 years and involve up to 8 extra partners per year.” The other recurring argument we hear on Yes on 1’s side is about the exposure of children in schools to curricula describing how gays have sex.

We also meet same-sex families, including Darlene Huntress, Grassroots Director of the No on 1 initiative and her partner, as well as Sarah Dowling, a volunteer who was present at the screening. She and her family – partner Linda and daughter Maya – attended the election night headquarters in 2009 to be together as a family when the results were announced.

The most surprising element of this story comes from Marc Mutty, co-chair of the Yes on 1 campaign. In interviews, it’s clear that he’s deeply conflicted with his position as well as envious of Frank Schubert, a political consultant hired by the campaign for his success in other state campaigns against gay marriage, for stealing the spotlight. Mutty spells out his own internal struggle, claiming to be doing what he’s told only because it is his job (he’s the Director of Public Affairs for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland) as well as his power struggle with handing authority over to Schubert. Mutty represents the first leak in the dam of opposition not just in Maine, but the nation as a whole, as Maryland, Washington and Minnesota also cast votes in favor of equality this month

While the larger story continued beyond the scope of this film on November 6, Question One remains a relevant profile of what each state must face along the country’s path to equality. For more information about Question One visit www.Q1-themovie.com.

by David Webb

I should confess a couple of things. First, until recently, I hadn’t heard of Alan Turing. Second, I vacillate between the notions that nothing is merely coincidence and that everything is random. Right now, I’m more convinced of the former. It was in that mindset that I saw the New York premiere of Codebreaker, a docudrama on the life of Alan Turing.

As I watched Codebreaker, the sense of connection I felt with Turing, his on-screen psychotherapist and the other people in the cinema was strong. We were all together for a purpose. I didn’t know what it was at the time, and more likely will be revealed in days ahead, but purpose did show itself.

If you, like me, also haven’t heard of Alan Turning, you should know that he was a brilliant British mathematician whose thesis laid the groundwork for modern computers. During World War II, he cracked the Germans’ Enigma machine, a device they used to send coded messages; the most difficult to crack were the codes coordinating U-boat attacks on British vessels. Without Turing, the Nazis either would have won or, at the very least, would have fought longer. Oh, another important detail – Turing was gay.

A few years after the war, Turing reported the theft of a family heirloom to the police, along with the name of the man he suspected, the friend of a lover. Instead of investigating the theft, authorities charged Turing with “gross indecency,” the legal term for sodomy laws in the UK. To avoid jail time, he pled guilty and was sentenced to be “treated” for his homosexuality. For two years, he was forced to take synthetic estrogen, effectively causing chemical castration. After his body failed to return to normal, he committed suicide.

Before the movie, I told a friend what I was doing, along with the movie’s synopsis. She remarked, “Sometimes people just absolutely disgust me.” I felt her frustration. Here was a man who recorded the theories of mechanical computation, developed binary code and played an integral role in defeating the Nazis. But egad! He loved men. Punish him! Cure him!

What a terrible waste. Everyone in the audience expressed disgust at the film’s end when it was revealed that, in September 2009, the British government finally apologized for Turing’s treatment. Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s official statement included this: “Sorry. We should have treated you better.” Seems a bit too little too late, doesn’t it?

Ah, but back to the purpose. During the Q&A with the film’s Executive Producer, Patrick Sammon, a young gentleman behind me shared in a quaking voice that he had been sent to reparative therapy in California to be “cured” of his homosexuality and how grateful he was that Governor Jerry Brown recently signed legislation banning this barbaric treatment in his state. He concluded with the determination that New York must follow suit and that it shouldn’t be allowed anywhere. When he finished, everyone applauded.

Alan Turing solved one enigma and was done in by another. As his story is told, heard and shared by more and more, perhaps his example will solve the enigma of ignorant, mean-spirited homophobia by those who would rather “cure” what’s not broken than break the code of living in harmony.

By William S. Villafranco, Founder, Villafranco Wealth Management and Footprints in the Sand Foundation

Back in the early 90s, AIDS was on everyone’s radar. It had become a crisis of mass proportion, poised to wipe out hundreds of thousands of people. At that time AIDS was the top priority issue, and bike rides, red ribbon sales and dance-a-thons raised millions of dollars with one goal: finding the cure for AIDS. Two decades later, that goal still has not been realized. While significant advances in treatment have been made, there remains an awful lot of work to be done.

A straight, private wealth manager from New Jersey might seem like an unlikely candidate to get involved in a charity bike ride to benefit New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I have to credit one of my favorite client’s daughters, Kit Opatut, who came to me raving about her internship at the Center and all of the good work that was going on there. She encouraged me to get involved by joining Cycle for the Cause, the Center’s HIV and AIDS ride. I’ve done charity bike rides before, and have always wanted to make the trip from Boston to NYC, so I said sure, sign me up.

The physical demands of the ride were easy to anticipate, but I didn’t expect to make such powerful connections with the other riders. They were people riding for themselves, for family members and for friends, all happy to talk with me about why they do this year after year. I wanted to know what was so special about the Center; why participate in this AIDS ride specifically? Over and over I heard the same answer: the Center literally saves peoples’ lives.

One guy, Frank, who I had breakfast with every morning, shared with me that his father died of AIDS in the early 80s. Frank connected with the Center later in life when he came out, and again when he needed assistance overcoming substance abuse. Between the HIV and AIDS prevention programming and support services that could have helped his dad, and the helping hand that the Center extended to Frank during his darkest hour, he has seen the Center save lives – including his own. Frank opened my eyes to a community I never really knew and hadn’t paid much attention to.

Others on the ride told me about the youth programing at the Center that gives kids a safe space where they can be themselves, and celebrate who they are, instead of hiding it. As the father of four very special daughters, who has also experienced the loss of a son, this hit home with me in a profound way. The Center and I share the commitment to creating a loving, supportive environment for children that allows them to grow surrounded by acceptance and happiness, instead of heartache.

In the space of three days and 275 miles, it gradually sank in that no one on this ride was any different from me. Maybe I wasn’t technically a part of the LGBT community, but for those three days we were all part of something more than just a bike ride. I had joined a group on a mission – a mission to help keep the Center going, to be a part of securing that “home away from home” that the riders confirmed it is.

Frank made me care, so I made it my goal to get others to care. After a bit of legwork, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve helped secure $50,000 to support the Center, which pushes the Cycle for the Cause final tally well over $500,000. It’s not often that a person gets to have a truly eye-opening experience, and this bike ride was one for me. Now I share the passion and vigor that everyone on the ride had for making sure that the Center is around for a long time to fight the good fight.

by Andy Cataldo

It’s Bear Season! At least according to the Center’s OctoBEARfest programming this month, an expanded set of activities leading up to the ever-popular Fur Ball. It seems the whole world has gone bear-crazy these days. Even The New York Times has reported the trend. In any case, the summer’s behind us and it’s time to find something warm to curl up with. That’s what was on the minds of all the attendees of Bear Baiting, a spin on traditional speed dating targeted at men of the ursine persuasion that took place at the Center last Thursday, October 4.

As this was the inaugural Bear Baiting event, Paul Menard, Director of Cultural Programs, developed a model that addressed the gripes about traditional speed dating: feeling uncomfortable or nervous, being matched purely based on chance and not having a good time overall. “I’ve tried to design an event that’s fun and surprising…where everyone can participate as much as they’d like,” Paul explained.

Upon arrival each bear, cub, otter and unspecified woodland creature was given a numbered sticker showing either Yogi Bear or his furry sidekick Boo Boo. I had the opportunity to participate in the event as Yogi Bear #4. We enjoyed sodas and cocktails by sponsor El Dorado Rums while we discussed our expectations of the event.

“It’s a Grindr alternative,” one participant said, starting a discussion about how Grindr has changed the way some gays socialize. Attendees ranged from those who arrived in New York as far back as the 1970s to as recently as two weeks ago. I asked if anyone had done this before – most of us were speed dating virgins. One guy had met a boyfriend at a similar event, he told us. Another commented that he wasn’t expecting necessarily to meet Mr. Right tonight. “Who knows? I might make a friend here who could introduce me to someone special down the road,” he said. That’s really what these events are about – stepping outside of your comfort zone and expanding your social network.

The first half of the event was structured as a series of multiple choice questions that had bears shuffling around the corners of the room to stand near the letter representing their answer. The questions, such as the following example read by Paul, aimed to allow individuals to identify similar personalities: “When you watch a movie, it usually involves A) Subtitles, B) Bette Davis, C) Fart Jokes or D) The Evil Dead?” or to identify other levels of compatibility: “If you were on a baseball team, what position would you play?”

Only after guests had a chance to break the ice and get to know each other through the series of questions did the speed dating portion begin. Yogis were paired with Boo Boos for five-minute conversations while seated across from each other at a long table. In keeping with campy bear culture, each mini-date ended at the sound of a Madonna song playing on the stereo. If you liked your date you would write down his number and the Center sent match confirmations and email addresses to the lucky furballs who picked each other.

Did you meet someone special? Share your stories with us in the comments section below!

By Joseph Davis, SmokeFree Project Intern

My name is Joseph Davis and I am a SmokeFree Intern at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I joined this internship because I understand how easy it is to be a target. When I was in junior high school, I was verbally and physically bullied for being gay. Because of this experience of being rejected, I had isolated myself and looked for something that was “comforting.” A cigarette was the only friend I had that didn’t judge me, didn’t tell me what to do, didn’t tell me who I should and shouldn’t be.
It wasn’t until I was about 19 years old that I noticed that my “friend” started to deceive me. My “friend” was making me tired and weak, making it hard for me to breathe and pushing my real friends and family away. My final push to quit was when I struggled to keep my breath while performing in a dance show at the LGBT Community Center. Since that show, my family and friends have been extremely supportive and encouraged me to give up this debilitating habit. I have now been smoke-free for two-and-a-half years and am very thankful for it.

As an intern for the SmokeFree Project, I work to empower and educate young people about how the tobacco industry targets us. They’re trying to get to us through advertisements in our local bodegas and pharmacies. Not long ago, I took my 4-year-old niece to the bodega. As we waited at the cash register, my niece was staring at a wall of tobacco products. Pointing at the cigarette packages, she asked, “Uncle Joseph…what is that?” and “Can I have one?”. Studies show that youth are twice as likely as adults to recall tobacco ads, and this is a perfect example of how the tobacco companies target youth by making their products very visible to children. It is no surprise that our youth start smoking at such an early age.

The SmokeFree interns speak to community boards, elected officials and other youth organizations across New York City about this issue. We also hosted an event that educated and empowered young people – especially those in the LGBT community – about aggressive tobacco marketing here in New York City. The event consisted of presentations by the SmokeFree interns, an anti-tobacco commercial competition, an anti-tobacco t-shirt contest and anti-tobacco button making. All of these activities raised awareness about high LGBT smoking rates and how young people are targeted to be the next generation of addicted smokers.
Since becoming an intern with the SmokeFree Project, I have realized how much my family, friends and I are all affected by smoking advertisements and I know that my work as an advocate will continue well beyond the internship. It is my goal to make sure that ALL youth become aware of this issue and that we continue to encourage young people to live a healthy, smoke-free life.

For more information about the SmokeFree Project, please visit www.gaycenter.org/health/smokefree or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesmokefreeproject.

We all have those days when we just want to slip on a comfy pair of jeans and head out the door to work. Wouldn’t it be great to also give to a wonderful cause while doing so? During Summer Denim Days 2012, supporting the Center was that simple! Throughout Denim Days, companies that normally require business attire allow employees to wear jeans to the office in exchange for a donation to a cause of the organization’s choice. Thanks to participating organizations, the Center’s Young Leaders Group Summer Denim Days 2012 initiative was the most successful to date, raising over $5,000!

Young Leaders Co-Chair, Erica Kagan, commented, “We are thrilled with the great success of this year’s Summer Denim Days, and we thank all of the firms that participated in this incredible collective effort to raise much-needed funds for the Center. These crucial funds help enable the Center to continue providing its life-affirming and life-changing services.”

Kristen Kentner, the Center’s Corporate Relations Officer, also commented, “Wearing jeans to work may not seem like a way to give back, but it is. By wearing denim each participant advertises that they support the LGBT population in the workplace. That is the message we want every employee to communicate to their colleagues and denim days are a comfortable way to do that.”

The Center would like to thank participating businesses Alcoa Inc., Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Chadbourne & Parke, DLA Piper, Holland & Knight, Kelley Drye & Warren and Nixon Peabody. Fall Denim Days 2012 are currently being organized. For more information, or to reserve a Denim Day slot, please contact Kristen Kentner at kkentner@gaycenter.org or 646.358.1721.

The Center is proud to congratulate Kaz Mitchell, Community Outreach & Program Promotions Intern with the Lesbian Cancer Initiative (LCI), for receiving the Mabel Hampton Award at the NYC Black Pride Heritage Awards on Wednesday, August 15, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Kaz, a comedian, dancer and community activist, was honored for her work with LCI, as well as for serving as Director of Circle of Voices, Inc., which works to deliver positive messages through art, performance, seminars and workshops given by women of African descent and women of color. Kaz is a natural fit for the award, named after Mabel Hampton, an American lesbian activist, dancer during the Harlem Renaissance and philanthropist for both black and lesbian/gay organizations.

“It is so wonderful being honored by the community you serve,” Kaz said. “It is my duty to help make the change I want to see in one of the most diversified groups of people. When I was given the opportunity to speak up about the disparities and the many challenges of the LGBTQ community, outreach was my way of showing the love I have for all people!”

“We are thrilled to see Kaz recognized with the Mabel Hampton Humanitarian award,” said Carrie Davis, the Center’s Director of Community Services. “She personifies the spirit of the award through her work as an artist and activist, striving every day to meet the needs of the black, lesbian community. We salute her.”
Kaz and her partner, Jean Wimberly, were featured in GO Magazine’s 2012 Pride Issue article “100 Women We Love”, along with Wanda Sykes, Rachel Maddow and Gloria Bigelow. She was also honored in 2010 by the Lesbian AIDS Project (LAP) for making a difference. Kaz has opened for comedienne Mimi Gonzalez during Women’s Week and performed with Blak Out in Provincetown. In addition to previously serving on the Board of Directors for NYC Black Pride, Brooklyn Pride and the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Kaz was Co-Chair of Economic Development for former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Field’s LGBT Advisory Committee.

About NYC Black Pride

Started in 1997, NYC Black Pride is a five day multicultural event targeting the Black and Latino Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. This year, Black Pride was held August 15-19, and featured an Art & Culture Expo at the Center on Saturday, August 18. NYC Black Pride strives to support and raise awareness of local organizations addressing HIV/AIDS, heart disease and breast cancer. Proceeds from NYC Black Pride are redistributed into the people of color/LGBT community in the NYC area through Gay Men of African Descent, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. For more information, please visit www.nycblackpride.com.

Guest post by Joshua Borja

Photo: Shawn Mac Photography

In honor of Madonna’s 54th birthday, the Center conducted the third installment of its live talk show Q & Gay. Dating columnist Allison Davis moderated the exchange, which pitted Madonna against Lady Gaga to determine which woman is the superior icon.

To kick things off, the Center’s Director of Cultural Programs, Paul Menard, shared that he was not allowed to listen to Madonna in his youth and that he resorted to hiding records in his basement. He explained that he identified with Madonna’s stabs at reinvention: “The idea of being rebellious and being able to reinvent yourself is why Madonna always spoke to me, because that’s something LGBT kids have to do to survive.” He described Madonna’s presence in his life as important and transformative, and he added that Lady Gaga has that same sort of power.

The evening’s panelists—Gawker editor Rich Juzwiak, club promoter Joe Fiore, drag Lady Gaga impersonator Lady Havokk and drag Madonna impersonator Detoxx Busti-ae—opened with an exploration of the big question: Why all the comparisons? Lady Havokk argued that the comparisons sprouted from fan-based antagonism, but Juzwiak pointed out that even Lady Gaga has compared herself to Madonna. Fiore stressed that Madonna’s career has spanned more than 30 years in the industry, whereas Gaga is just starting out. Juzwiak readily agreed that Madonna has had much time to reinvent herself. To deliver a more substantial comparison, we will all just have to wait and see how Gaga settles into her artistry in the long run!

When asked to speculate about Gaga’s next move, Fiore laughed, “Something naked. I don’t know what, but something naked.” Underscoring that she’s a businesswoman, he seemed confident in her continued success. Juzwiak explained that whether “she strips down literally or musically, it will be difficult to find a way to top herself,” as she has set an exhausting pace to maintain.

Davis ultimately oriented the discussion toward the following question: Why do these two artists speak so deeply to the gay community? Alluding to Gaga’s history as a bullied outcast, Lady Havokk expressed admiration for her commitment to safe spaces and for her steadfast celebration of individuality. Detoxx explained, “Every gay person wants to express themselves,” and attributed Madonna’s appeal to her “fame, glamour and her badassness.”

The audience then asked the panel for their favorite LGBTQ activist aside from Gaga and Madonna. For the first time during the program, Lady Havokk and Detoxx saw eye to eye as they cited Ellen DeGeneres. They both spoke enthusiastically about her activism in being embraced by mainstream television and about her conscientious discussions against bullying. Juzwiak expressed esteem for playwright and public health advocate Larry Kramer, and Fiore said that author, journalist and It Gets Better Project co-founder Dan Savage “does a lot of good.”

Implicit amid the panel’s attempt to identify the superior gay icon is the question: Can one individual represent the entire LGBTQ community? This, I think, is a question that begs to burst out of itself and into a grander context: Can any individual represent the face of an entire community, which is itself an assemblage of individuals with unique histories and inevitably multivariable aesthetics? I would have to say no. Though I side with Team Monstrosity, I’ll probably never express it quite as Lady Havokk does—that is, crossing her black lace-up stiletto-heel knee boots, and sipping from her bejeweled teacup. I can’t say that dance pop and eccentric costumes characterize me or my hopes for more prevalent discourse on gender and sexuality. Nevertheless, by broadening LGBTQ visibility through their artistry, popular cultural icons like Gaga and Madonna open the door for such discourse. Their mandates for self-empowerment nurture the courage that leads to inquiry, the courage to examine the terminology by which we construct gender and sexuality, and the courage to sculpt responsible dialogue.

The program closed with a fantastic Madonna mashup performance by New Agenda, the Center’s Youth Enrichment Services (YES) dance group, mentored by YES Arts & Media Specialist, Raul Rivera. It was an ideal way to remind the audience that no matter how you chose to do it, the idea is to express yourself!

Josh Borja is a physics major at NYU, where he works in the Undergraduate Writing Tutors Program and is editor-in-chief of the Minetta Review.

Last Tuesday, July 31, the third floor of the Center was packed to the brim as volunteers brought in extra seats to accommodate all of the audience members for the highly anticipated conversation, Q&A, and book signing with Neil Giuliano. Among his many accolades, Giuliano can count himself as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city after coming out publicly in 1996, a journey poignantly chronicled in his recent autobiography, The Campaign Within. Moderated by the lovely Chely Wright—impressive in her own right as the first artist in country music to come out as gay—it is no surprise that late-comers were left standing in the room.

Giuliano’s lifetime of public service is truly noteworthy. His career spans four terms as the mayor of Tempe, Arizona, where he ran three successful re-election campaigns and won an anti-gay recall election with 68% of the vote. He also served as the former president of GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), is the current CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and will represent Arizona in the Democratic National Convention this fall.

Given the long list of accomplishments throughout his career as a public servant, one would expect the usual aloofness characteristic of so many successful, high profile public figures. However, what came through in the conversation and Q&A was a grounded, humble, approachable, and human side to Mr. Giuliano. As he opened up to the audience with personal stories about his journey from a closeted politician living a double life to an outspoken advocate for LGBT issues, we were able to see the great amount of courage and empathy for others that have defined his professional and personal life.

Although the Neil Giuliano speaking at this event came off as calm, confident, and comfortable in his own skin, this has not always been the case. Reading an excerpt from his autobiography, he shared a passage about being a confused and isolated adolescent—a “loner” in the suburban home of his Italian Catholic family in Bloomfield, New Jersey. “I carved ‘Neil’ on the overhang to the basement entrance [of my childhood home]. Perhaps I was already beginning the long process of trying to carve out some type of clarity and identity for myself in a world that was beginning to make less and less sense to me. But I couldn’t have explained it that way at the time.”

Another facet of Neil’s personality that makes him such a magnetic figure is his unique ability to mix humor and heartache into his stories. After candidly sharing with the audience his experience of surviving sexual abuse as a child, he went on to lighten the air in the room. After coming out, he jokes that in nearly every press conference from that point on he was referred to not as Mayor Giuliano, but as the “openly-gay-Mayor” Giuliano. He also told a story about a particularly rough time during his process of coming out in the middle of mayoral term when he left Tempe to attend the men’s gymnastics finals of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. “I know,” he laughs. “What could be gayer than that?”

Neil Giuliano’s story is at once remarkable and universal. Many of us can relate to his feelings of being marked different, of feeling at one time or another like an outsider in our families and communities. At the same time, the courage of his coming out story – in spite of all the circumstances of living constantly in the public eye – inspires us to live out our own truth daily.

In this era of bullying and increasing homophobia, it seems that we find stories of gay teen suicides and vicious hate crimes filling the headlines every other week. For this reason it is more important now than ever that we have positive role models in our community such as Neil Giuliano and Chely Wright. When asked why he decided to write the book, he replies with conviction, “I came out in 1996 and since then I have been on a journey. I have realized that telling our coming out stories is important; that being visible is important.”