A Small Book Review

(s)

There's no doubt the self-help section in book stores are growing rapidly. No one has time to visit a specialist, they want to do everything on their own, so why not use a book to help yourself. What is becoming more and more popular are books on the individual. How to be the real you. How to not care what others think of you. With a growing demand and acknowledgement of different sexuality and genders, it's no wonder there are self-help books about the individual finding their true sexuality and gender.

NBC's Community: It Could Be Gayer (Part 1)

Three women, two black people, an Asian guy, and a Polish-
Indian guy. And I have the audacity to complain about this
show's diversity... (S)

Surprise, Dan's gonna talk about American TV again! Well, it is fall, when all my favourite shows are returning from summer break, so I think I can be forgiven. And Community may be my favourite television program currently on the air. It's about to start its fourth season, which is surprising to some, since it's never had huge ratings and has been close to cancellation more than once. Right now, some of you might be thinking "Yes! Community is amazing!" Some of you might be thinking "Seriously? Community isn't that great..." But you're more likely thinking something along the lines of "What the heck is Community?" The answer to that last one is deceptively complex. In short, it's a sitcom. A sitcom about a study group at a community college. But it's really a lot more than just that.

Let's all dress in glitter, rainbows and sing Lady Gaga

"Is it okay to fit gay stereotypes?", "Are stereotypes a bad thing?", "I'm afraid of sounding/looking too gay"...

Stop. People, please. Worrying about stereotypes is a pointless exercise. Not only that, but it contradicts the whole point of coming out.

Coming out isn't about lifting a weight off your shoulders, it isn't even about looking for acceptance. You come out of the closet because you're fed up of repressing your personality. You come out because you want to express yourself. It's like putting Mentos into a bottle of Coca Cola and putting the lid back on. There comes a point where the gay inside you just builds up and builds up until eventually you can't take it anymore and the lid pops off in a spray of bubbles...

I like to make fun of gay stereotypes and flaunt with them from time to time. It's fun! It's something I find myself doing more and more, and do I care? Do I find myself stopping and worrying about how it might "affect" people?

More real than thou

Sometimes drag queens are told they're "not fooling
anyone" (S)

“Real men” and “real women” – I bet every one of you has heard these two phrases. But, what is a real man or woman? From time to time you can hear the phrase “real men do this” or “real women are like that”, sometimes with the intention to shame a man that is too effeminate, or a woman that is not feminine enough, sometimes with the intention to put down a transgender or gay person. Also, it seems like the criteria that you need to meet to be considered real never actually ends… You’re never good enough! So, what’s this all about? Where does it all stem from and what do people mean when they talk about those mythical “real men/women”?

Don't be a Drag. Just be.

The show was uplifting. (

This past Friday, I did something I have never done before. I watched Ru Paul’s Drag Race. It was amazing. Ru Paul is so dramatic and overdone, she's amazing. And she loves herself! A few years ago, I never imagined I would enjoy seeing men in drag, but as I have become comfortable with my sexuality and identity, I have come to appreciate drag more and more. I am not sure this is the process for most people, but for me, I think it has to do with my acceptance of femininity in men.