Queens... and other alternative lifestyles*

Today, the Queens Tribune has a special edition out focusing on the borough's LGBT community (they've covered the community through the years but I believe this is the first time that they have dedicated one of their special issues to the community).

My partner Raul and I were interviewed for a piece titled Latino Queens. You never know how an interview is going to turn out once it goes to press but I though editor Josh Parish did a pretty good job (though "Columbia" is actually spelled Colombia and "Medajin" is spelled Medellin). I am also glad that he was able to reach some of the referrals I gave him: Eddie Valentin and Casimiro Villa, owners of Club Altantis, Friends Tavern and the Music Box; and Fernanda Mendez, owner of Chueca Bar (we were, in turn, referred by my good friend Jimmy Van Bramer).

Now, about those puns on 'Queens' and that asterisk on the cover title? After being interviewed I received a message from Josh in which he asked several of the community's gay leaders to give some feed-back on the terminology that was being used ("Mary!" was one of the terms - hehe). Aparently, some people in the community expressed being offended by some of the wording being used in the interviews. But, inardvertedly, he raised even more issues by disclosing that the issue's title would be "Queens... and other alternative lifestyles." So even I got offended and expressed concern about the term 'lifestyle' (as I am damn certain that my sexuality is not a lifestyle, even if it's my choice to mostly vege-out on weekends is). The Tribune went as far as asking for recommendations for alternative titles. Ultimately I even had a cigar wager going on a change of title so when no cigar came, I knew that the title would stay. All's good though, that asterisk? Read on:

• * Watch Your Asterisk

You can read all the artricles here, but these stand out:

• Out and About in Queens
• What a Drag (I am so glad that Oswaldo Gomez a/k/a Miss Colombia a/k/a La Paisa gets some attention, that appearance on VH1's Best Week Ever must have helped).