I usually come off as something of a pessimist when it comes to the advance of gay civil rights in the United States, but today's Washington Post reminds us that the first shot heard round the world happened in New England, the birthplace of the American Revolution. And today, the reality is that New England is now the epicenter of gay marriage--the champagne pop heard round the world. So? A good omen? Dare I hope that this is the beginning of the end for the neo-conservatives and religious fundamentalists, just as it was for the Redcoats?

Well, omens aside, New England will soon have the distinction of being the only American region to allow gay marriage or civil unions in all of its states. Only Rhode Island does not allow gay marriage or civil unions, but that state's lawmakers are weighing a proposed gay marriage statute. In the meantime, the state sanctions marriages by same-sex couples in neighboring Massachusetts.

The marriage alternative for gay men and lesbians, possible only in Massachusetts, gives the couples the same state rights offered to heterosexuals. Civil unions -- available in Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire (starting this January) -- allow couples a broad range of legal rights, but fewer than marriage provides. Domestic partnerships, offered in Maine, offer a more limited number of protections than civil unions. Of course none of the states are able to offer gays the federal legal rights granted to married heterosexuals.

The Post also points out that as a result of this unique situation, New England is fast becoming one of the world's major destinations for gay tourists. I'm hoping this will bring winter, snow and maple syrup back into vogue--three of my favorite things.

However limited, these statutes nonetheless are giving a mega-boost to the region's allure among gay tourists.

"The status of gays has made an enormous, quantifiable difference in travel to the region," said Ed Salvato, editor of the OutTraveler, speaking to the Washington Post. "There has been a huge uptick of travelers visiting for ceremonies and bringing their entire entourages along."

Of course, New England is no stranger to gay tourists, from the ski slopes of Vermont and New Hampshire to the beaches of Cape Cod. And antiquing through the hills and dales of Connecticut is about as gay a trip as a trip can be.

As of today, the region has hosted well over 20,000 legal same-sex unions.

The Barbados Advocate, that Caribbean nation's second largest and oldest (1895) newspaper reports that the island's famous Glendairy Prison, now burned to the ground, was under the tyrannical rule of homosexuals, posing a serious threat to heterosexual prisoners, guards and the community at large.

This crisis came to light on Friday last when inmate Kemar "Bag Mouth" Payne, whose fight with inmate Adrian "Most Wanted" Jones arose out of Jones' suspected engagement in homosexual activity.

Payne, fighting for his right to remain heterosexual accused the prison administration of allowing the homosexuals to completely take over the Barbados prison system. The prisoner, who confessed to a major dislike for the sexual practice claims that heterosexual prison guards had to lock themselves in cages to prevent homosexuals from swarming all over them.

To make matters worse, said Payne, the homosexuals were allied with several of the senior prison officials.

Payne said homosexuality was a big problem at the Station Hill, St. Michael penal institution and that when he was sentenced there for the first time in 1999 he quickly learned that such individuals ran the jail. He told the Commission he didn't know if this referred to inmates alone or prison officers as well.

One thing he was certain of, however, was that he did not like homosexuals generally, and Jones in particular. "I didn't like him because Adrian use to work in the kitchen and he had privileges making special food and he would come to entice youngsters. He could go in the kitchen and do what he felt like. If he felt like making a pie for himself he could do it. If a man had enough cigarettes he could buy what he want," the witness said.

According to Payne, homosexual inmates were favored so much when they were involved in fights and other incidents they got off free.

Of course, the Barbados Advocate does not explain why it is that homosexuals are the majority population in the island's prisons. As it happens homosexuality and anal sex remain a criminal offense on Barbados, punishable by imprisonment for life.

Nonetheless, the tourism-dependent island is more than happy to host gay tourists. Have a nice vacation.

Good day, readers.

I'm continuing my quest to provide you with some tips on how to do Fire Island on the cheap. Last week I shared with y'all a video spoof on how to get something for nothing, homosexual-style. But this week, I'm here to give you proof that it really CAN be done.

Meet 33-year-old writer/actor, Jesse Archer (left), who makes an excursion every summer to Fire Island for a weekend that includes partying, sunning and sexing.


But what it DOESN'T include is a bed. That's because Jesse has started his own makeshift 'Fire Island Survivor' weekend (where anyone can join him on said parties, sunning and sexing). The catch is that you have to rough it and sleep on the beach.

That's right: No share. No hotel. Just the sand.

I caught up with Jesse to decipher his weekend, as well as talk about his very funny book and upcoming movie. Read about it -- and see some more sexy photos of Jesse -- after the jump.

Gay Pride season is upon us and I'm giddier than a school girl at recess! Southern California is like the melting pot for gay pride festivities; LA, San Diego, Palm Springs and Long Beach. You can whet your gay whistle just about anywhere within a 50 mile radius. And if you're feeling really adventurous, you can even make the scenic drive up to the mother of all pride festivals; San Franscisco.

This past weekend was the Long Beach Pride Celebration, which I was lucky enough to attend. I made my way to the parade on Sunday and then down to the festival for some food, mojitos and free stuff. There was also a great line-up of performers this year including The Indigo Girls, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie B. Hawkins, Susan Westenhoefer, Patsy Grind, Nemesis and Amber (plus many more!).

Check out some of my favorite floats in the parade; I guarantee they are sure to tickle your fancy.

Long Beach Pride: I'm Here, I'm Queer!

i'm not norwegian.

shocking. i know.

but i've been to norway and some of my best friends are norwegian, so that makes me like...a quarter norwegian, doesn't it? but by that logic, i guess i'm also a quarter white, straight and i can sing one-fourth of the time. hmmm...

anyhoo...i've said this before and i'll say it again: the streets of Norway are like runways. the people are SO beautiful there. which can be said about many places i'm sure, but seriously...its a hot country. actually, i've only been there when it was so cold that i was able to taste color... so its not exactly HOT hot. but you know what i mean.

in bergen, i stalked this chick who worked at the burger king inside the town's main train station. i paid like $12 for a Norge Royalle Meal every other day cause i wanted to watch her flip burgers. she was so hot! and this time, quite literally. she was slavin' over a hot stove all day to deliver me the freshest, most expensive patties i've ever eaten. her hands were like porcelain. her smile was blinding. her hair must have been made of gold.

as i skated my way back to my friend's apartment after collecting my $12 angel-made patty, i would daydream. and somehow this norwegian singer/songwriter dude named Thomas was able to recreate those daydreams and turn them into this marvelously queer music video...without ever meeting me...


(Thomas Dybdahl's "Dice")

see more @ www.thomasdybdahl.com

As the temperature of the earth's atmosphere rises, the Brits have identified a new atmospheric layer at approximately 35,000 feet: The Gayosphere. In fact, Silverjet, a brand new all business class luxury service relatively low-cost airline servicing routes between NY and London is now offering 30 minute check-in service, fast track security, all flat bed seating and a women's only bathroom featuring special products and amenities designed to enhance the female travel experience.

Yes, it's nearly May and me and my homies decided to go on an anthropological investigation to see if Central Park and The Ramble are still as merry and as gay as can be. We are happy to report that all is well with the world, the long winter is over and the park and the boys are ready for the birds and the bees.

New York City's most enduring gay tradition is not Fire Island, not Christopher Street and not the rumors about Ed Koch but rather the Central Park Ramble. For those of you who have mysteriously and miraculously gone through life without knowledge of The Ramble: it is a densely wooded and hilly area of Central Park that is at almost any time of the day or night--particularly in warm weather--ground zero for outdoor gay sex. In this day and age, it has an almost retro feel. Between the Internet and living in a very out and open world, sneaking around bushes and behind trees to steal a few minutes of forbidden sex seems...well, downright retro. And yet as soon as the temperature rises above "shrinkage" the men and boys are out in force. I'm told by badly behaved friends that the best hours for a choice of many somethings to suit everyone's tastes are between late afternoon and sunset.

Charlotte and I are back from Savannah, a city of live oaks shrouded in Spanish moss, verdant public squares, gorgeously decaying stone buildings, pendulous violet wisteria, and, of course, Club One, home to the famed drag queen Lady Chablis, who, alas, was not in town.

Charlotte had wanted to show me the city for some time, having lived in the area for six years with her girlfriend Bonnie. We always figured we'd drive down some day, but when Bonnie emailed pictures of her adorable new baby goats, we decided to drive down at once, while the goats were still small and willing to be cuddled.

We spent our first night on Tybee Island, three miles of clean beach just 18 miles east of Savannah. Having been landlocked in the Midwest for 20 years, I was thrilled to be anywhere near the ocean and couldn't wait to feel the damp sand under my feet. We didn't

Written by Jonathon Scott Feit
For WITH THIS RING Magazine

I'm writing to you from Las Vegas, home of the 2007 American Association of Advertising Agencies Media Conference and Trade Show. The last panel I sat in was called "The Business Case for Diversity in Media." Half the audience walked out. I didn't, but only because I was practically catatonic, imbued alternately with disbelief and dismay.

Granted, the AAAA meant well by having a diversity panel -- as my colleague Jack Myers, editor/publisher of the Jack Myers Media Business Report has said, it's better to shoot for diversity (even if one falls short) than not to discuss the topic at all.

But diversity has been rhetoricized ad nauseam at media and advertising industry events over the past two years, and advances are slowly being made. The problem, therefore, is not the concept: no member of the so-called "liberal media" -- nor anyone with a prayer to stay in mainstream business -- would decry the happy goal of diversity.

However -- and this is a big "however" -- two black men, one black woman, and one Hispanic woman do not a panel on "Diversity" make. Diversity does not, and cannot, simply mean mashing together persons of color, whose experiences, while varied in their own right, far from encompass the broadest range of experiences.

Where were representatives from the GLBT community, the disabled community, the Asian community, the immigrant community, the senior community, the youth community--or hey, here's an interesting one---the white community?

(How exactly did "diverse" become synonymous with "not white"?)