Here's a delightful photo of the yinzer queen herself, Senator Jane Orie (it scanned very poorly - but you can still get the point).  She at the "Cannon Ball" benefiting Soldiers and Sailers  -- hence the jaunty cap.  I'm not sure how to explain the hair, but I suspect no one can. 

Senator Orie is one Republican who could benefit from some gay male friends. 

I hate those ads for Hurl magazine  - "Whirl Magazine - Are you In?"   What a load of elitist propaganda.  I thumbed through this edition while waiting for our hairstylist to work on my partner's mop.  It provided endless fodder for a steady stream of withering commentary from moi, commentary that made the hairstylist laugh far too much when wielding scissors. 

It seems the only black people who get included in the photos are either a Steeler or attending a black event.  Which reinforces the notion that the vast majority of  la-de-da events are white only.  Inviting Jerome Bettis to your fundraiser for low income women doesn't exactly count as diversity. 

Hurl is the bastard sister of the PG's voyeur rag, Seen.  My one and only experience with seen was at a 2004 fundraiser for the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.  We were having a little chat with local LGBT woman about town Dinah Denmark when I heard this huge sucking sound behind me.  I turned to see Patricia Sheridan oozing her way across the floor heading right for Dinah.  She had her photolackey snap a shot of us and then went off in search of other ass to kiss.  The following Monday, Dinah was smiling out from the Post-Gazette --- with Laura and I neatly cut out of the photo!  So the closest I've been to Seen has been the cutting room floor somewhere in the bowels of the PG. 

Obviously, I'm bitter.  :-)   

DNC Chairman Howard Dean was in town this weekend to address the annual convention of the National Stonewall Democrats aka "gay Democrats."  Dean told the assembled faithful that Stonewall has made the party "stronger, more inclusive, more courageous, more tenacious." (PG)

Mr. Dean said DNC operatives had been instructed to work with the gay community and trained to discuss gay-rights issues with straight voters.

He told the Stonewall group, 'We need you to reach out to the straight community.'

Reach out to the straight community? What the hell does he think we do everyday - live in a queers only bubble? 

While reporter Joe Smydo was quick to get some comments from the Sanctimonious camp, he failed to even touch on some of the recent gay controversy swirling around Dean's leadership.  (Washington Blade)

First, Dean eliminated the LGBT outreach desk late last year as part of a strategic realignment, assuring the community that the DNC would continue to reach out to gays.

Then in February, the DNC published its annual grassroot activity report without a single reference to LGBT grassroots activities. 

Third, in early May, Dean fired gay outreach advisor Donald Hitchcock just weeks after Hitchcock's partner publicly criticized the DNC for failing to protect gay rights.

For his coup d'etat, Dean went on The 700 Club.  Yes, Dean made time in his schedule to reach out to the Pat Robertson crowd.  Later, Dean had to issue an apology for informing Robertson's viewers that the Democrat party platform stated marriage was between a man and a woman.  Gay groups responded in outrage.  Dean does intend to return to The 700 Club for future appearances.  Click here for Shakespeare Sister's recap of Pat Robertson's more outrageous (?divisive?) comments.

Did anyone from the media even ASK Dean about these issues?  Did anyone from Stonewall?   I couldn't because Stonewall didn't want bloggers covering their convention.  We aren't a "valid media."   I guess no one bothered to tell Dean that during the 2004 campaign, but whatever.  Or perhaps bloggers might ask actual questions that put Stonewall on the spot.  Wouldn't want that. 

It appears that the PG editors prefer to spin Dean's appearance as an anti-Santorum story than to do any concrete reporting on current gay politics.  To be fair, they have probably sent an intern into the bowels of the Boulevard to drag out and dust off the tired old gay cliches for the June 17 PrideFest article.  Last year's trivial little article by Caitlin Cleary is a good example of how little concern the PG has for accurate reporting on gay issues.  But I digress ...

h/t to 2 Political Junkies for a transcript of the entire Dean speech.