A few years ago I had to get an x-ray done. Of course, the usual questions about pregnancy came up:

Nurse, "Do you know if you are pregnant?"
Me, "I am certain I am not."
Nurse, "Are you 100% certain? We can test you for pregnancy if there is any doubt."
Me, "I am 100% certain."
Nurse, "Are you in a committed relationship?"
Me, "Yes, I am."
Nurse, "What method of birth control are you using?"
Me, "None"
Nurse, "How can you be certain, then, that you are not pregnant?"
Me, "Because the other person in this relationship is a woman."

I was quite offended, not really sure why, but soon realized that this was not the last of similar questioning in my life...

Well, the ladies are back! Season 3 of the L Word started up again a few weeks ago. Yes, the Los Angelino lesbian women are back to rock our Sunday nights. Or will they?

It's true that it's hard to beat the sexiness of a scene between love interests Carmen & Shane, but should the only lesbian-centered television show survive based on viewers' voyeurism? Is the sex life of gorgeous women the best way we have to portray a lesbian lifestyle?

This season the show offers a new character - Moira. I suppose that she came up as a response to all those fans who were complaining that this show was only about femme lesbians. So, of course, now we have the stereotypical butch from small town USA, walking around with her hands in her pockets, driving her pick-up truck, and unable to engage in superficial conversations at a fancy restaurant in LA because she feels "out of place."

Will I keep watching? Of course! What better way to combat those Sunday night blues? Will I ever feel identified with what goes on in the show? Well, probably not until they bring in some characters that actually have to work for a living, don't have time to sip coffee all day, and maybe even sometimes, have a bad hair day.

MTV Networks finally launched LOGO, their first LBGT-centered cable TV channel. After a couple of weeks of watching, I must say I am hooked. It is at the top of my favorite channel list, and our TIVO is set to record "First Comes Love," "Acting Out: Having the Guts to Play Gay," "Film Series," and certainly, anything with keyword "Lesbian!"


As on their website, this channel and its programming is done with elegance, and defying stereotypes. Yes, they exist for a reason, but it's also great to see programming that slightly intersects with our community, and is not only driven by queer sex scenes and drama (for more of that - remember Queer as Folk & L Word!)

Any other fans OUT there?

I am a homosexual, female-lovin', true lesbian. Labels galore, I have also been referred to as femme, gallina, lipstick lesbian, and yes, *gasp*, QUEER.

From the Merriam-Webster dictionary
QUEER
Pronunciation: 'kwir
Function: adjective
Etymology: origin unknown
1 a : WORTHLESS, COUNTERFEIT b : QUESTIONABLE, SUSPICIOUS
2 a : differing in some odd way from what is usual or normal b (1) : ECCENTRIC, UNCONVENTIONAL (2) : mildly insane : TOUCHED c : absorbed or interested to an extreme or unreasonable degree : OBSESSED d (1) often disparaging : HOMOSEXUAL (2) sometimes offensive : GAY 4b
3 : not quite well

Do I really care about labels? Well, not really when I'm living in my gay-loving bubble that is New York City. But as soon as I step out of it, I do not want to give homophobes the pleasure of me labeling myself as questionable, worthless, or even not quite well. Sure, if they see me as eccentric, unconventional, or even mildly insane, now that would be a moment to celebrate.

Last night I had the fortune to see "Laura's Bush," an Off-Off Broadway play that could not be more timely. In the midst of articles and discussions in that exciting intersection of sexuality and politics, this satyricial lesbian farce follows the story of a repressed librarian (played by Hilda Guttormsen) who discovers that Laura Bush (played by Laura Lebleu) has been blinking "Help me" in Morse code, and therefore embarks on a mission to rescue Mrs. Bush. (Read NYTimes review.)

Not only has the John Kerry on Mary Cheney news moved from controversy to saga (see BigQueer's entry on the matter), but now we have the Andrea Macris - Bill O'Reilly sexual harrassment lawsuit (see today's NYTimes article by Frank Rich.)

I guess Mr. Rich is right in saying, "Oct. 13 will be remembered as the day it rained lesbians in red America." Good or bad? Not too sure. Some may say any press is good press. I just give thanks that for every controversy that's out there there are reporters like Rich and Sullivan who stay true in saying, "Who cares?"

p.s. The title is a direct quote from "Laura's Bush."